Don ’ t let Jack Frost keep you from having a beautiful garden
By Deborah Barncord
This winter has been cold and if your garden looks like mine , there are some empty spaces where Jack Frost hit and killed some of my favorite plants . The good news is , that although spring is a few months away , you can start to plant your replacement flora now . You will want to make sure , however , to pick those perennials and succulents that can withstand the cold .
There are many choices that will bring color to your garden ; not just cold resistant , but drought resistant as well . Some of my favorite succulents , that don ’ t get bothered by the cold , are the Agave Blueglow and Agave Polyphylla . Both can survive in the low 20 ’ s without a problem and they are drought tolerant . The Aloe Polyphylla , with its spiral growth , is one of the most beautiful succulents I have ever seen . It is sure to be a show stopper in your garden .
Some wonderful flowering perennials that are beautiful all year are the Polygala Virgata , Myrtus , Leucadentron ( make great cut flowers ) and Isopogon . See how unique and beautiful they are in the photographs on the left .
It ’ s San Francisco Garden Show time and we ’ re excited to see the creativity that will be showcased on the show floor this year . Last year we saw the most beautiful Azaleas . I am inspired to try them out in a special part of my garden this year . I always find some amazing ideas that I can use in my DIY projects for the spring .
One DIY project that I love to do in the winter is redecorating my indoor terrarium . I am able to get my fix for gardening before the weather really lets me outside ! One hot trend that will trigger your ceativity is the fairy garden terrariums . You can add miniature gazebos , furniture , statues , stepping stones and , of course , fairies if you so choose . It ’ s fun putting different colored stones at the bottom of the terrariums . Also , it ’ s a great way to use Air Plants or Tillandsia ; they are so easy to grow and come in so many colors and textures with beautiful exotic flowers . They look great in the terrariums and only need to be pulled out every two weeks or so for a good soaking . I have also seen them on bathroom walls tied on a fishing line — a great way to bring some plant life into your bathroom . Terrariums can be made from anything — from old clear vases to garage sale finds , bowls or the new hanging teardrops that look great at the kitchen window . The only rule is that you need to have clear glass so you can see and enjoy your creation .
IT ’ S TIME TO
o Apply pre-emergent to your lawn and garden to prevent spring time weeds
o Plant your Dahlias , Cannas , Gladiolas , Begonias
o Plant herbs like cilantro , oregano , rosemary , mint
o Start your tomato seeds
o Finish pruning shrubs like Butterfly Bush , Mexican Sage
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