I love to decorate my garden rooms, here are some ideas.

Not sure what kind of beetle I have in my flower beds and veggie garden. It is almost diamond shaped with the lower half being larger than the top. It is a bit irridescent and emerald in color. They are all over. I don't know how to identify or get rid of. Any help?

Check with your local dedicated nursery (not a big box store nursery). Bare root plants will usually only be available in the spring, so you can ask around now to prepare for purchases next year. I've received bare root stock from Jung's (www.jungseed.com) and Prairie Moon Nursery (www.prairiemoon.com) with good results. They are both Midwestern companies with stores, catalogs and online sites. If you get root stock that was grown in your region, it may have a better ability to adapt to your site than something that was grown on the other side of the country. This is especially true of native perennials. If you do a web search to find a provider of a specific plant, just be sure to also check up on the seller to make sure they are reputable. A web search of the seller's name could turn up any potential problems. This is why I like working with a local store. I can use their catalog/website in the winter to plan my purchases, but then go into their store in the spring to pick up the product.

Nothing to wory about. Some of the flowers may have went off color because the plants were most likely grown in a greenhouse and this can cause such a change. The flowers in an outdoor setting will be pink. Also - Hydrangea arborescens is at its best after it matures in the garden. The plant in your garden 2-3 years from now will be much different that what you have now - bigger flowers and stronger stems.

I love building garden rooms. I now have 7 in my 1/3 acre garden, ALTA BIRDSONG. Here is one...

I use the hostas as a "wall" to define the space



The stairs define the "entry"



I "decorate" the room with designer hosta and miniature Japanese maples, and "focal point" hardscaping.



This hosta is like a living "sculpture" At the entrance to the room.



And of course, you must have a comfortable chair to enjoy your room.

What 'group' is your clematis in? The pruning of your plant depends on when it blooms. There are 3 groups; some are pruned within 6 inches of the ground each year, some you only trim back and shape up. Also each clematis grows to a different height; some only to 5-6 feet and some to 10-12 feet. What is the name of your plant?

I love gardening and I dislike using chemicals. Therefore while my neighbors are all spraying their weeds and the grass along the edges of their driveways, around their trees and their flowerbeds I am pulling the grass and weeds out by hand. I am 60 years old and my hands are getting arthritis and now I have to take Advil every night because they hurt so bad. I have tried the black plastic edging around flowerbeds but the grass always grows back. I have dug out tons of grass clumps all over my yard around the numerous beds I have. Am I missing something obvious? I want to enjoy my garden, not kill myself trying to maintain it.

I have established siberian iris in my garden and have had very few blooms. Last year I also had very few blooms and thought it was due to a very wet spring. This year we have had more rain than usual but not as bad as last year. Could the rainfall amount be causing few to no blooms? I have heard conflicting information on mulching, some say that I should remove the mulch around the base of the plant, other sources say that siberian iris like moist soli with extra mulch. Any Ideas?

Hello, I'm new to this forum but I have been gardening for years. I included pics of last years garden and this year is off to a great start.




As you can see from the pics we garden on a large scale. Weed control is an ongoing problem. This year we're doing something new. We treated the entire field with this natural organic weed killer prior to planting and I think keeping the garden weed free at least in the beginning until our plants get a head start will be a breeze. Prior to doing the garden we tried the stuff around our house and driveway and it did an excellent job. What we are using is new on the market and its called Get'em All.

You can find Get'em All on this website: Original Wheelbarrow Screener

The direct link to Get'em All is: Get'em All - Concentrated Natural Weed Killer

hey friends....my favorite vegetable is carrot..... i really love it and it is very good for our health too...