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Home » Landscape Design » Page 3

Summer Pruning Tips

Updated : August 17, 2015

6 Comments

This is my strategy for pruning trees and shrubs around my house during the summer: If they look like they need pruning, then by all means prune them! Yeah, you might cut off a few flower buds if you prune at the wrong time, but it’s small price to pay to have nice looking plants… Click here to read more…

How to Grow Clematis

Updated : May 14, 2015

10 Comments

How to Grow Clematis Clematis has a rich history traced as far back as the 17th century when they were first introduced from China to Japanese Gardens. In time, selected clematis varieties journeyed to European gardens in the 18th century. They have long been prized for their showy flower displays and are wonderful climbers for… Click here to read more…

Tips for Growing Lilacs

Updated : July 24, 2020

36 Comments

Tips for Growing Lilacs Lilacs are one of those plants that people either love or hate. Gardeners have been growing lilacs for centuries, not only because of the show-stopping spring blooms but also for the flowers’ exquisite fragrance. Folks who hate lilacs think of them as just a weed, but those of us who disagree… Click here to read more…

My Landscaping and Remodel of the Old House

Updated : June 2, 2015

27 Comments

Today Duston and I made a little video to show you the progress I’ve made on the rental house that sits at the front of my nursery. The plants I’ve chosen really serve a dual purpose, one, they make the yard look really nice, and two, I plant things that I will be taking cuttings… Click here to read more…

Edge a Bed Like a Pro

Updated : April 15, 2020

42 Comments

One of the most important components of creating a landscape project is digging out the bed. People often ask me what they should do to separate the bed from the grass and weeds and to keep the soil from the bed from washing away. You can go and ask any employee at a big box… Click here to read more…

Crazy, Curly, Corkscrew Willow

Published : May 12, 2015

2 Comments

Golden Curls Willow, Salix matsudana tortuosa The Golden Curls Willow, also called Corkscrew Willow by some,  is a fun and interesting tree with an elegant and graceful appearance.   This Golden Curls Weeping Willow is in my front yard.  At the end of the growing season I always trim it up about as high as… Click here to read more…

Mike McGroarty’s “Secret” Bed Building and Potting Soil Recipe.

Updated : March 29, 2019

86 Comments

Raised Beds and Potting Soil.  The Recipe is the Magic that makes for Beautiful Plants! A good potting soil recipe and a good bed building recipe are interchangeable.  A good potting soil recipe is an absolute must. You can’t fool around and get a potting soil recipe wrong.  I poor potting soil recipe will stall,… Click here to read more…

How to Make a Flower Bed

Updated : December 1, 2014

10 Comments

My 4 year old daughter, Gabby, and I decided to tackle this project yesterday afternoon.  We worked at a leisurely pace and from start to finish it took about two and half hours.  Being plant enthusiasts, we already had some potted plants set aside that we wanted to make a permanent home for.  Since I… Click here to read more…

25 Full Shade Plants that Will Look Great in Your Yard

Updated : August 27, 2019

164 Comments

Remember back in grade school when your teacher gave you a dixie cup full of dirt?  You planted a flower seed, kept the cup in the window and watered it each day.  Your flower sprouted, grew and bloomed.  Then you carefully brought it home for Mother’s Day.  (For many of us, it didn’t survive the… Click here to read more…

The Step by Step Guide to Making a Weed Free Flower or Perennial Garden.

Updated : November 25, 2014

80 Comments

A heavy duty nursery spade.

Nothing can add more Pizazz to your yard than a beautiful flower and or perennial garden. As long as it is weed free and you can keep it that way.  Here’s a step by step guide to making that happen. Step one.  Site location. Unless you are creating a garden of shade loving flowers, you’ll… Click here to read more…

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Rooted cuttings of variegated weigela in bunches to harden off.

Over Wintering Rooted Cuttings.

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

Mike's Big Perennial Bed.

Mike’s Big Perennial Garden

Posted On January 8, 2023 By Mike

A Profound Thank You from Mike.

Posted On September 1, 2022 By Mike

Finnegan keeping the sun off his head.

An Old Guy, Two Donkeys, a Puppy and a Hammock. What could possibly go wrong?

Posted On July 17, 2022 By Mike

This upside down donkey is a hoot!

An Upside Down Donkey and Cute Puppy.

Posted On July 14, 2022 By Mike

'Rockin Raspberry' Bee Balm.

‘Rockin Raspberry’ Bee Balm.

Posted On June 26, 2022 By Mike

'Bubblegum Blast' Bee Balm.

‘Bubblegum Blast’ Bee Balm

Posted On June 26, 2022 By Mike

Blue Angel Hosta.

‘Blue Angel’ Hosta.

Posted On June 25, 2022 By Mike

Big Daddy Hosta.

‘Big Daddy’ Hosta

Posted On June 25, 2022 By Mike

'Humpback Whale' hosta.

‘Humpback Whale’ Hosta.

Posted On June 25, 2022 By Mike

Complete Guides

Growing, Rooting and Propagating Dappled Willow in Tree Form from Cuttings.

Growing Seeds, Winter Sowing, in Milk Jugs and Kitty Litter Jugs.

The Correct Way to Pot Rooted Cuttings, Nursery Stock Liners and other Plants.

Training Arborvitae and other Conical Evergreens to Grow with a Single Leader.

How to Propagate, Root Cuttings, of Dwarf Alberta Spruce.

Recent Posts

Blue Angel Hosta.

‘Blue Angel’ Hosta.

'Blue Angel'hosta is by far one of my favorite blue hostas. A big hosta like this in a perennial bed covers a lot of area and that keeps a ton of weeds at bay! These giant heart shaped leaves are very slug resistant. We have this plant in full sun. With … Read Full Article

Big Daddy Hosta.

‘Big Daddy’ Hosta

'Big Daddy' hosta is one of my favorite big hostas, mostly because it's big, it's blue and it has very interested leaves that are a bit dimpled. Big Daddy hosta gets about 24" tall and 36" wide. It's hardy in zones 3 through 9, the flowers are blends of … Read Full Article

'Humpback Whale' hosta.

‘Humpback Whale’ Hosta.

We sold out of 'Humpback Whale' hosta pretty early this year. Humpback Whale is pretty impressive hosta and this one really hasn't matured yet because they can get three feet high and 7 feet wide. I've also seen photos of them that show them to be a lot … Read Full Article

Ice Plant, delosperma

Ice Plant, delosperma

How pretty is that? And it's a ground hugging perennial that comes back year and year. These plants were new to our nursery last year so Pam and I planted three of them in our landscape at home. Not only did they do really well last year but they wintered … Read Full Article

Electric Red Dianthus

‘Electric Red’ Dianthus

I've been working on my perennial bed at the nursery and this Electric Red Dianthus caught my eye and was screaming "make my picture". So I did! Dianthus in general are great perennials for your garden. They are super winter hardy even here in cold … Read Full Article

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