Category Archives: Gardening

Unique Stone Gifts

What do you give the person who has everything? How about something elemental and beautiful, carved from natural stone? Here are a few of our favorite stone things to give as gifts. Continue reading

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Winterizing Your Pond

In case you’ve been putting it off, it’s time to plan what you will do with your pond for the winter. Will you shut it down or keep it running? Do you need supplies? What are you doing with your fish and plants? Here’s some advice to help you out. Continue reading

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Fun Fall Decorating Idea

Here are instructions for a quick and fun way to decorate your outdoor areas for Halloween – pumpkin totems! Continue reading

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Colorful Mums Brighten Fall Gardens

Does fall make you sad to see the color in your garden slowly disappearing? Mums are a great way to bring some color back to the garden. Their beautifully rounded shape and stunning varieties of colors give you endless choices for every landscape. Continue reading

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Pond Considerations for the Fall Season

Autumn officially begins this year on September 23rd. While you may hate bidding adieu to the long, sunny days of summer, you have to face the inevitable approach of cooler, shorter days. For pond owners across the continent, what you do with your pond during this seasonal transition depends largely on where you live.
THE NORTHERN NECK OF THE WOODS
What a wonderful feeling during the summer months to see your plants thrive to the point of producing flowering buds almost at will, or the constant activity of growing fish that crave attention and food. Hopefully you were able to spend ample time by your pond to enjoy its many nuances and pleasures.
And now, as we turn the corner into another season, fall pondering is really just beginning. What do you have planned for your water feature? If you’re like many other water feature enthusiasts, improvements and change are always at the forefront. Here’s a few things to consider, going into the fall months. Please keep in mind that these suggestions may vary based on the zone in which you live. Read on for advice about aquatic plants, fish, water feature aesthetics and more…
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4 Tips for Planter Gardening

Adding plants to your living space, indoors or out, is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to enhance the look of it. Whether it’s a few flowers or a large display of greenery, plants are always a welcome addition to any home. Today, we’re going to look at a few tips for planter gardening – that is, placing your flowers and plants in planters instead of in the ground. Continue reading

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Rainwater Harvesting, Stormwater Mitigation

Urban runoff is the number one cause of pollution in our lakes, rivers and streams. What’s more, it’s estimated that 50% of a Minnesota home’s water use is for exterior irrigation. We’re buying municipal water and letting the free water run down the street. There are many small things each of us can do to reduce the amount of water leaving our properties and carrying pollutants and excess nutrients through storm drain systems to our beloved lakes, including rainwater harvesting systems that capture and store rainwater for reuse later.
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Accessorizing Your Garden

  Just as interior designers use throw pillows to decorate a living room or fashion designers add that perfect necklace to a classic “little black dress,” landscape designers know accessorizing a garden can mean the difference between a “ho hum” … Continue reading

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Managing Japanese Beetle Infestations

The Japanese beetle may be this summer’s biggest threat to healthy plants in the Twin Cities’ Metro area, and successfully managing this pest requires dedicated action. Entomologist Jeff Hahn recently told the Star Tribune that based on reports from colleagues and … Continue reading

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Just Add Water

Water features are a popular trend in modern residential landscapes. Ponds with exotic lotus, lilies and koi have been popular among water gardeners for many years, and swimming ponds with biological filtration have emerged as an alternative to in ground pools. For many people, a small pond, waterfall or fountainscape adds just enough water to enhance their landscape and enjoy the water gardening lifestyle. We’ll take a look at options for these three features, one at a time. Continue reading

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