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Many home gardeners in dry climates are reluctant to grow roses largely because of their high consumption of water. Here are some tips for having your roses and some water to spare as well.

Roses have traditionally been considered the “Queen of the Garden?. Despite the vast range of flowering plants available to the gardener, the rose at its best, is still unmatched for flower beauty and sometimes for delicious fragrance as well. Yet roses have been falling out of favor over the past decade or so, especially in dry climates, largely because of their relatively high consumption of water.

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This article discusses how to winterize your garden and prepare it for next spring’s planting.

When the leaves have turned color and are beginning to fall off the trees it is time to prepare your garden for winter.

Winterizing your garden is an important step to ensuring a healthy garden next year.

Start winterizing your garden by removing the dead plant remnants from this year’s garden. Dig up all of the plants, including their root systems and either remove them from the garden or pile them on top of the garden.

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While there is no shortage of plants with colored leaves, the home gardener does not always choose them wisely. Here are some tips for getting the best out of them, and avoiding some of then pitfalls.

There is a large range of plants with colored foliage available to the gardener today. Reddish-purple, golden-yellow, silver, and grey-leaved plants, not to speak of the many types of variegated leaf, abound in nurseries and garden centers. Amongst all the plant forms ? from trees to ground covers, one can find varieties that have brightly colored leaves. The challenge is to use them wisely and not be carried away by false notions of novelty or originality.

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Agapanthus is one of the loveliest and easy to grow perennials available to the gardener in a dry, Mediterranean climate. Used in a certain way, it can be stunningly exciting as well.

Agapanthus africanus is an evergreen perennial that is ideally suited to an herbaceous border in a Mediterranean and mild winter climate. Although its flowering period is brief, the plant looks good virtually all the year round. This makes it especially useful as a bedding plant, as it provides some stability between the annuals that have to be frequently replaced, and those perennials that require cutting down every so often.

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Agapanthus is one of the loveliest and easy to grow perennials available to the gardener in a dry, Mediterranean climate. Used in a certain way, it can be stunningly exciting as well.

Agapanthus africanus is an evergreen perennial that is ideally suited to an herbaceous border in a Mediterranean and mild winter climate. Although its flowering period is brief, the plant looks good virtually all the year round. This makes it especially useful as a bedding plant, as it provides some stability between the annuals that have to be frequently replaced, and those perennials that require cutting down every so often.

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The Jacaranda tree is probably unmatched for spectacular, seasonal color. It is not suitable though for every plot and location.

The sight of a Jacaranda tree in full bloom has to be one of the great sights in gardening. The tree is totally smothered in lavender blue flowers, as its principle flowering season is the middle of spring when most of its branches are still bare of leaves.

Growing wild in Brazil, Jacaranda is suitable for climates that have hot summers and mild winters. Indeed summer heat is a requirement for profuse blooming, while it is only hardy to winter lows of about -4c. It performs best in frost-free climates.

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The immense benefits of drip irrigation are often lost because of a few avoidable mistakes. Here are some tips for getting the most from your dripper system.

Other than lawns, watering the garden plants by means of drip irrigation is unquestionably more effective than by sprinklers and more efficient in terms of water management. Roughly speaking, drip irrigation, if installed and applied correctly, can save at least 20% of the water that is lost in run-off, especially where trees and shrubs are concerned. However, the great benefits of drip irrigation are often not attained by the home gardener, because three aspects are not addressed properly.

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While ground cover plants are used in a variety of situations, not all types are suitable for every location. Here are some plants that are excellent for small, intimate spaces.

Not all ground cover plants are suitable for small spaces such as narrow beds bordering paths or entrances to houses. In small, intimate spaces, the plants chosen should be visually delicate, of fine leaf texture, and soft to the touch. Here is a group of such plants that not only fit the bill individually, but combine together beautifully to make a very satisfying garden composition.

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The term flowerbed usually evokes images of dazzling color. In practice, the flowerbed often ends up as a disappointing eyesore. Here are some thoughts on how best to plan this part of your garden.

There are a number of reasons why perennial bedding plants, as opposed to annual ones, are used in garden designs. Perennials by growing beyond a single season, are thought to demand less care and maintenance than annuals that have to be replaced every few months or so. In dry climate gardens especially, annual flowers consume significantly more water than any other group of plants, requiring at least 1000 liters per square meter a year, in comparison to some perennial species, which can often grow on a third as much water.

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Get acquainted with the five main types of climbing plants.  Find out how they grow and where you should and should not plant them.

Whether you are an aspiring gardener or a regular green thumb, it’s important that you are well versed in the area of climbers.  Climbing plants can be a gardener’s best friend, especially if you’re cramped for space.  After all, why grow out when you can grow up?  But knowing what types of climbers are out there and what support they need may require a little more thought.  There are five primary ways that plants climb up a structure: tendrils, twining, scrambling, adhesive pads, and clinging stem roots.  The following article will help you get acquainted with each type of climber and understand a little more about how and where they grow.

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