Martinis & Marigolds | Refreshingly Simple Garden Tips
Creating a Low Maintenance Garden - Step by Step
May 15, 2025
We all want to have beautiful gardens in the summer. But who wants to spend hours and hours tending plants that are high maintenance or just don't do well? Not me.
I love to garden but I also like to 'set it and forget it'. Meaning, I want to plant something and have it look great with very little maintenance. Impossible, you say? Not really.
Read on for my secrets to a low maintenance garden.
Gardening in the Shade: 7 Perennials You Can Count On
May 01, 2025
Got shade? Gardening in the shade can be tricky. I’m always looking for plants that do well in the shade and I'm especially fond of perennials because they come back every year. Many also spread or grow large enough to be dug up and divided, giving me more value for my money.
Read on to learn about a few shade loving perennials that have worked well for me. I've included their hardiness zones so you can see if they will be perennial for you, too.
Spring Planting Guide: 7 Hardy Perennials That Love the Sun
Apr 17, 2025
Perennials are a great way to add color and seasonal interest to your flower beds. They have the advantage of coming back every year and many spread to fill in spaces, giving you more value for the money spent on them.
Read on to explore 7 sun-loving easy to grow perennials to plant this spring
How To Prune Liriope This Spring
Apr 10, 2025
One of my favorite perennials is Variegated Liriope. The bright green and white foliage looks great from late spring into fall. Liriope does not need much maintenance - except in the spring. In spring, it needs a good haircut.
Read on to find out how a spring haircut helps this plant look great all summer long
Spring Is Finally Here! What Can I Plant Now?
Apr 03, 2025
It looks like Spring is finally here!!!
One of the questions people ask me most often as the temperatures get warmer is when can I start planting??? The answer is, it depends on where you live and what you want to plant.
Read on to find out how to know what you can plant now!
5 Tips for Easy and Successful Garden Planning
Jan 09, 2025
As the cold temperatures are here for many parts of the country, it might seem a strange time to think about what to plant this spring. But this time of year is a great time to work on planning your garden.
Good garden design starts with thinking before digging.
Read on for my 5 Tips for Successful Garden Planning.
Then curl up by the fire with a few plant and seed catalogs, pen and paper and your favorite beverage and start dreaming of spring.
Transform Your Garden Year-Round with These Stunning Shrubs
Oct 17, 2024
In our effort to add really unique perennials and annuals to our gardens, we can overlook the value of shrubs. Maybe it's because they can seem a bit boring.
But shrubs can provide a great filler for larger beds and become a nice backdrop for flowering perennials and annuals. They are an important addition for curb appeal in your front yard. And, can really add to the backyard landscape if chosen for low maintenance and interesting textures and colors.
My favorite reason to grow shrubs is that they can provide multiple seasons of interest.
Read on to find 4 of my favorite shrubs that add color, texture and interest to my yard throughout the year.
Light Up Your Landscape
Aug 15, 2024
One of the best things that we’ve added to our exterior landscape was lighting. I love coming home and seeing the front of our house beautifully illuminated in a way that highlights the plantings and architecture of our house.
Read on to find out how we did it and how to get started.
It's Too Hot to Plant - Now What?
Jun 27, 2024
The heat of summer is upon us in most of the US. While it might be tempting to continue planting, the next optimum time to plant perennials and shrubs is fall.
So what' a gardener to do besides maintenance chores? (And hopefully by following our tips you don't have too many of those!)
Read on for 5 of my favorite gardening-related and relaxing things to do now that the rush of Spring planting is over.
Don't Forget The Foliage
May 30, 2024
As you’re planning your summer garden, don’t forget the foliage! Foliage plants are chosen for the beauty of their leaves, rather than their flowers. Some foliage plants have colorful leaves, such as coleus. Others have striking geometric patterns, like the canna lily (which also has showy flowers). Still others are selected because of their unique shape, such as cactuses or succulents.
Read on for three great ways to use foliage plants in your garden.