Aussie Home Guide

Japanese Camellia, Camellia japonica. American gardeners in the South know and love the Camellia japonica, a landscape shrub, bush, or tree that can grow 20 feet tall. The Camellia japonica became an important garden landscape plant in the World War II war years in the 1940’s when Dr. Tom Brightwell collected a large Camellia cultivar planting at the University of Georgia Experimental Station at Tifton, Georgia, (more…)

While roses are the centerpiece of any garden landscape, these special flowers do require some specialized care and the right rose gardening tools will help you to do the job. It is important for all landscapers and rose gardeners to be aware of the special needs of roses, and to take the steps needed to help them thrive. Among the most important gardening tools for the rose gardener to gather are… (more…)

Plants are often bought on the spur of the moment, with the result that no part of the garden is appropriate for them. Prior to purchasing plants, the garden should be properly inspected to observe if it receives proper sunlight and shadow, if the ground is drained of water or is sodden, and if the features are protected or subjected to the onslaught of wind. A person will then be in the position to purchase the finest plants suitable for his condition: (more…)

Like any thing you can think of, whether it be people, pets or plants, their basic needs must be met to ensure a happy, healthy life.

Plants, of course, are alive, and so have both general and specific needs, depending upon the variety of plant in question. In this article, we’ll learn about the different parts of plants – root, stem, leaf and flower – and how they work together. (more…)

Is there anything more perfect than a rose? These superb flowers have been a favorite of gardeners everywhere for literally hundreds of years on account of their timeless beauty, velvety petals, delightful scent and gorgeous variety of colors. Indeed, it isn’t surprising that roses are synonymous with romance and love, because they truly do invoke deep emotions in all of us. Roses really are a true, enduring classic. (more…)

Drought Tolerant Plants

Areas of your garden that face West or South naturally tend to be much hotter and receive much more direct sunlight.

Taking a little time to choose the right plants for these demanding growing conditions can help save you time, money, and water, as well as improve your overall results. (more…)

One of the most fun and rewarding aspects of gardening is starting plants from seeds. And it’s not that expensive either.

To start, you will need basic materials like containers, soil or a soil-less mixture, light, water, a fan and a plastic cover that you will use for the containers. (more…)

Christopher Columbus in 1493 introduced citrus trees into America on the Island of Haiti, by planting the seed of the sweet orange tree, the sour orange, citron, lemon, lime, and pummelo fruit trees. Records show that citrus trees were well established by the Spanish in coastal South Carolina and Saint Augustine, Florida by the year 1563.

Historical English documents show that the Massachusetts Company in 1629 sent seeds of pear trees to plant and grow into fruit trees at the American colony located at Plymouth, Massachusetts. (more…)

Most plants that require repotting can be easily removed from the container. This is usually done if it is held upside-down, while knocking the lip of the container directly on the edge of a table. If you hold your hand over the plant material, straddling the plant between the fore and middle fingers, this can be achieved. (more…)

Even though you don’t eat most flowers, keeping things organic in your flower beds is a good idea. If you know what you’re doing, you can control many pests without buying harmful poisons.

One of the most important things is to choose flowers that will grow strong in your area. No matter how much you love a particular flower, if it is going to have a lot of trouble staying alive or is prone to disease, it’s going to greatly hamper your organic gardening efforts. You are better off sticking to flowers that are stronger and more suited to your area. (more…)