Peony shoots emerging in spring
GardeningHome

Spring is the eagerly awaited season when gardens come back to life, and among the stars of this floral renaissance are peonies. Welcome to my guide on spring care for beautiful peonies, including essential tips to ensure your peonies thrive during the spring season. Cleaning When the ground thaws and

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Basket of spring flowers
Flower arrangementsHomeHome decor

As the vibrant colors of spring begin to paint the world anew, there’s a natural inclination to bring this freshness into our homes. One of my favorite ways to welcome the season is by incorporating seasonal touches from the garden or nature into my decor. From delicate flowers to flowering

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Ceiling and walls in the great room of my home with pickled tongue-and-groove
HomeHome decor

In this post, I’ll be discussing the process of pickling tongue-and-groove walls, a technique that was used to beautify the ceilings and walls of my great room. Many of my Instagram followers have been curious about how to achieve the soft pinkish-white look that graces these surfaces, so I’ll be

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AI AI-generated image showing a laptop with a rendition of an online catalog, the banner of the blog post titled 12 steps in selecting and buying new plants from online catalogs
GardeningHome

As the gardening season approaches, many of us are eager to enhance our outdoor spaces with new plants. Online catalogs offer a convenient way to explore a wide variety of purchasing options from the comfort of our homes and long before the weather allows us to play in the garden.

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Lilium Tinilco
GardeningHome

While perusing an online plant catalog recently, I stumbled upon a section featuring “Novelty lilies.” This piqued my curiosity: what exactly did this term signify? Was it a category of lilies I was not aware of, or simply a label intended to intrigue customers? Although I was already familiar with

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The 'Powder Blue Giant' Iris cristata or dwarf crested iris is renowned for its stunning 3-inch-wide, powder-blue flowers.
GardeningHome

In the spring of 2022, I planted Iris cristata ‘Powder Blue Giant’, also known as the dwarf crested iris, on a whim, along the edge of a flower border slightly shadier than the others. I never expected the beauty that would emerge a few weeks later. Yet, from the moment

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Iron sculpture with Jardin writing
Garden travelsGardeningHome

I’m excited to share six landscaping inspirations from visits to local gardens that made an impression on my gardening experience. These insights, gleaned from the heart of these curated spaces, transcend the boundaries of space and size, proving that, however small or big a garden is, there is always something

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Digitalis - top flower of the Monstrosa chimera
GardeningHome

For two years, Digitalis purpurea ‘Monstrosa’ is a peloric foxglove that appeared within a self-sown patch in my garden. Let’s see what pelorism is. Peloria derives from both new Latin and from the Greek word pelōros, meaning “monstrous”. Pelorism in Digitalis refers to the occurrence of flowers with radial symmetry instead

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Paeonia Charm
Flower arrangementsGardeningHome

On this Valentine’s Day, I’m thrilled to share with you a source of joy and beauty in my life: my vibrant red peonies. The stunning flowers of red peonies, with their lush petals and radiant color, have been a cherished part of my spring garden for years. Paeonia ‘Highlight’ Red

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View of the palace
Garden travelsHome

It was a truly unforgettable experience to explore the serene beauty of the Royal Park Rajapruek, a breathtaking tropical garden nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, during my visit in 2019. Chiang Mai is located about 700 kilometers north of Bangkok, the capital city of

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Papaver orientale 'Royal Wedding'
GardeningHome

Among perennials, few blooms captivate the eye of visitors quite like the Papaver orientale, commonly known as the Oriental poppy. With their cup-shaped flowers bearing striking colors and delicate petals, this perennial has found its place in gardens around the globe, adding bursts of vibrancy and charm. Three stunning cultivars of oriental

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Iris sibirica 'Perry's Blue'
GardeningHome

Welcome, fellow garden enthusiasts, to the third part of our journey through the intricate world of botany for gardeners. Within the challenges of gardening and plant collecting, understanding the distinctions between botanical varieties and cultivars is crucial for selecting plants and knowing their origins. In this blog post, I’ll talk

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Flowers of read tree peony
GardeningHome

Tree peonies, also called woody peonies, are plants with breathtaking flowers that immediately capture the attention of visitors in my peony garden. While these magnificent flowering shrubs are often associated with slightly warmer climates, their ability to thrive in colder regions adds an extra layer of colors in mixed borders.

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Close up of iris pallida flower and floral bud
GardeningHome

Iris pallida, commonly named sweet iris, is less known than Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) and bearded iris (Iris germanica). However, sweet iris enthralls gardeners with the unique charm of its fragrant lavender-blue flowers. Let’s look at why it does. Origins Iris pallida belongs to the Iridaceae family. The species’ name,

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view of lilies in bloom in the peony garden
GardeningHome

As an amateur gardener, my goal extends beyond mere cultivation. As a dedicated plant collector—peonies being a particular favorite among many—I find immense fascination in understanding the botanical families that define and connect my plants. In this blog post, I will introduce the intricate relationships that bind ornamental and edible

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