Van Bourgondien

Planting

Garden Mysteries: What To Do With Overlooked Bulbs & Bare Root Perennials

Now, as we move out of wintry winds (and worse) towards the balmy breezes of spring, a common mystery that puzzles many of us comes to light, probably on a shelf in the garage or in a bag under the kitchen sink: It’s, uh, oh! What’s this bag of tulip and daffodil bulbs doing here?

Divide & Conquer & Share, of Course!

Gardening is wonderful! What other hobby can give you such an amazing return on your investment?

Containers Full of Color

Plant your bulbs in layers for extra impact and a longer display.

Forced Bulbs FAQ

I bought some spring-blooming bulbs in September, but never got around to planting them. Now it’s December and the ground is frozen. I have daffodil, tulip, crocus, snowdrop and grape hyacinth bulbs. What can I do?

Scents-ible Gardens

One of the most important innovations in public gardens in the past few decades is the development of sensory gardens.

Gardening by the Rule of Threes

I’ve never actually run across an actual “rule of three” in gardening. The closest I’ve come is the rule of thumb that says that plants look best if planted in groups of odd numbers – 3, 5 or 7.

Is it a Sun Plant or a Shade Plant?

For some time I assumed it would take a botanist to be able to figure out whether a particular plant would be happiest in sun or in shade. Of course, now I know it is usually much simpler than that.

Fall Blooming Crocus & Colchicum

The rule of thumb is to plant crocus approximately three inches deep before Columbus Day for their best show this fall.

Spring Bed Preparation

The first step is to take a serious look at what plants will be arriving soon. Pay close attention to the conditions they require to grow. Do they need lots of sun or do they take shade?