For many, the prospect of landscaping fills them with dread as they contemplate the inconveniences associated with taking care of plants and gardens and trees without spending a great deal of money to have someone else do it. There are people who enjoy endlessly working on their landscapes (and this is commendable), and there are those who wish to take as little trouble, and spend as little money, as possible about their home’s yard. This is also acceptable. Luckily, for those who want to have a beautifully adorned home, it is possible to do so with a low-maintenance landscape. By carefully choosing plants that need little care, it is possible to have a nice-looking property and save time and money in attention to its upkeep. The keys are good plant selection and the proper establishment of the plants in their places.

The first thing to do is choose plants that require very little maintenance. For those who dislike raking leaves or pine needles, trees that frequently shed are not desirable. Plants like spruce and Alberta pine are moderate growers, and they do not drop leaves or needles as often as other trees. Avoid fruit-bearing plants that make a mess. Crabapple trees with resistance to apple scab hold their fruit well (even against birds) and are not prone to summer defoliation. Flowers such as rhododendrons, pansies, tulips, and wildflowers do not need much care. Most bulb flowers (irises, tulips, crocuses, etc.) are fairly self-sufficient, as they store up nutrients in their bulbs. Choose perennial flowers that bloom every year rather than annuals that last one season, die, and then require the purchase of more plants. Shrubs and low bushes (like mugo pine and juniper) are also hardy varieties that do not require much attention and make very little mess.

When you choose plants, search out quality plants. Find reputable nurseries and suppliers. This saves money in the long run, as you will not have to buy new plants when the first do not survive their plantings. Planting is a stressful time for any plant, and if is already weakened by disease, environmental issues, or pest problems, then it may not recover. Choose plants that look vigorous and healthy, and check them closely before purchase for things like pest problems and disease. Some home improvement warehouses, like Home Depot and Lowe’s, actually offer guarantees on their plants, as do many nurseries: these warranties last anywhere from 6 months to 1 year. Purchase from a store or nursery that offers these guarantees at no extra cost, and then if you encounter a problem down the road, your place of purchase will replace the ailing plant for free.

One of the best things that you can do to keep your landscaping costs down and your involvement in it minimal is to choose plants adapted to the growing conditions in your area. A visit (usually for free) to the local master gardener will allow you to find out which plants grow best in your area. Keeping up your landscape is much easier when you are not fighting nature to ensure the survival of your plants. Choose native plants, or choose plants that are native to a climate similar to the one in which you live. Ornamental grasses, trees, and shrubs that grow well in your climate and with the conditions of the soil in your yard make excellent choices for low-maintenance landscaping.

Finally, it is imperative that you follow sound planting practices when you begin your landscaping. Any initial landscaping will take a certain amount of work, but once you complete the proper installation of plants on your property, you will find that, if you have chosen wisely, they need very little of your attention to properly thrive. When planting, it is best to make the hole shallow and wide. Do not plant your flowers, trees or shrubs in holes deeper than the planting container. If the soil is of a harder variety, you should dig the hole deeper than you want (the hole should be two or three times as wide as you need it in any case) and then fill in with a planting mix or loosened soil to the desired depth. This will make it easier for your new plants to take root. It is important to remember that you will need to ensure adequate water at first, until the root system is fully developed.

For your Rose Garden

Deciding where to plant your rose garden is one of the most important decisions you can make regarding your future rose bed. Conditions can determine whether or not you have well formed, admirable roses or wilting, weepy ones. If you want gorgeous roses that keep you and others in awe, don’t take the location of your rose grade lightly.

Choosing a location for your rose garden may take some thought. Where is the best place to plant your future prize winning roses? You may have a huge yard stretched out before you, or a little nook in the corner of a big city. Whatever your space situation is, you can find a suitable location for your rose garden.

The first vital step in choosing the location for your rose garden involves pinning down a bright, open area of your yard. Most roses need a ton of sunlight. Choose an area that will receive many hours of sunshine. Do not plant roses in a spot that will be shaded for most of the day. You want to plant where there will be five or more hours of sunlight a day. With that in mind, also be aware of areas where the roses will bake. Find a happy medium. You want ample sunlight but your roses don’t need to fry.

Once you have chosen a suitable spot to plant your roses, get rid of any turf. Extract a few oil samples to determine the grade of soil you have. Soil that has a high level of acidity will be drained of nitrogen quickly making it unsuitable for growing roses.

You won’t need a biologist to help you determine the pH balance of you soil. Testing the level of acidity is simple. Dig 3-4 inches into the soil and gather a few small samples. You can buy a soil evaluation kit from a gardening store or nursery. If you do not understand the results, have a knowledgeable Rosarian translate them.

Once you know the pH balance of your soil you will know if you need to add dolomite lime or not. A pH balance of 6.0 to 6.5 is excellent for growing roses. Check another area if the first chosen one is less than favorable. You could end up having a thriving rose bed in the most unlikely of places.

Roses are not big on sharing. They need room to grow and thrive in their own private space. Besides, you want your beautiful rose bed separate from your other plants. When you step into your garden you will be able to admire the breathtaking cluster of roses you have. Steer clear of tall buildings and shrubs.

Black spot and other diseases occur when there is not any proper air circulation through the rose plants. The amount of space needed between each plant depends on the rose. Hybrids will need about 5 feet while miniatures will need, 6 to 12 inches and Floribunda’s will need about 2 to 3 feet.

Remember, your roses will be growing so you need to take into account what their mature size will be. What height and width will your roses reach? Have you chosen small roses that will not take up much more room than they do now? Or have you planted larger roses that will burst out of their space?

Climbing roses work well with other plants but most roses do not. Roses thrive with other roses but they must be planted simultaneously. Don’t plant a new rose in the same soil your old roses are using. Begin fresh and start growing a new rose bed.

Another mistake that new gardeners often make is planting too many rose bushes. If you are new to gardening, take it easy. No need to become a master gardener over night. Take your time and get acquainted with your rose bed first. Start out small and learn all of the responsibilities of caring for roses.

Remember, the spot you plant in should be open and easily accessible. You will need to water the bed deeply; 2-3 times a week and proper drainage is necessary. Make sure other plants will not be in the way of you maneuvering easily around your rose bed.

One of the main elements of the landscape is the use of plants. Plants provide interesting places for the eye to dwell, as well as providing soothing scenery and even contributing to the energy efficiency of a home. Unfortunately, the costs associated with purchasing plants for use in your landscape can be rather steep. In order to save money and use you landscape budget wisely, it is important to buy cheap plants.

Just because a plant is cheap, however, does not mean that it is quality. Be sure that the plant you are buying is free of disease, and that it is in generally good health. Purchasing a plant for a rock bottom price may only result in you having to go out and buy another plant if your wilted or diseased “find” dies shortly after planting. Planting can be a traumatic thing, so you want a plant that will survive and then flourish. Another thing to keep in mind when purchasing inexpensive plants is to think about the maintenance costs on down the road. A cheap plant may in actuality end up having a great many care needs. You may spend more taking care of the plant than is worth the savings of an initial bargain.

Inexpensive plants can be found in a variety of places. Most people buy them at big box home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot. There are even plants available at some WalMart and Kmart stores. These plants are often very cheap, but many of them have not received proper care, and may not be healthy enough to survive planting. One sliver of peace of mind that stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s offer is that these places offer guarantees of up to one year, so if your plant dies, you can be compensated.

Nurseries are great places to find healthy, professionally cared for plants. These are a little more expensive, but they are often of a higher quality. If you are looking for a bargain at a nursery, they can still be found, however. Many nurseries have a clearance table full of unpopular plants or plants that they plan to discontinue carrying. These are often discounted dramatically. Additionally, going to end of season sales can help you find good prices on the plants that nurseries have to offer. Most nurseries also provide plant guarantees, and you can receive expert help and advice if you are a novice.

The Internet also offers cheap plant deals. It is possible to order online and have your plants shipped. Online providers often provide a variety of seeds and starts that can be shipped without incurring too much damage, and that are very inexpensive. Check to see if your online plant provider has a guarantee, however, and make sure that the costs of shipping do not make the plants more expensive.

Other ways that you can reduce your plant buying costs is to choose plants that are seeds or starts. These are available online or in stores and nurseries. A packet of seeds costs less than a start, and starts cost significantly less than plants that are already growing. Choosing smaller plants not only reduces the amount of money that you pay up front, but it also reduces the amount of money you pay later in maintenance. Mature plants require more care when they are first planted, and they also require more water and maintenance. So, while you do not have to purchase tiny plants, you can purchase plants that are off to a good start but that have not reached maturity.

Related to the idea of choosing plants that are smaller, is selecting slower growing plants. While these may take longer to fill in your landscape, if you plan accordingly you can save a great deal of money and still have an attractive yard. Rapidly growing plants require more care and the maintenance costs are often much more than the costs associated with their slower growing counterparts. Choosing slow growing plants is a great way to save money in the long run.

Looking for cheap plants for landscape can be a fun adventure as you search for the best deal. Just remember that the best deal is not always the cheapest plant. The best deal is a plant that is reasonably priced, healthy, and has low cost maintenance requirements.

Roses have gotten a bad wrap over the years for being difficult to grow and maintain.  If you are thinking of rose gardening don’t let this rumor stop you.  While rose gardening can prove to be challenging, once you get the hang of it, it really isn’t that bad.

When you first start rose gardening, you will have to choose what type of rose you wish to plant, and no, I’m not talking about the color.  You will have to choose between bare-root, pre-packaged, and container-grown roses. Bare-root roses are sold in the winter and early spring.  They should be planted as soon as frosts are over and the ground is warm and workable.  Pre-packaged roses are bare-root plants that are sold in a bad or box with something around the roots to retain moisture, such as sawdust.  Container-grown roses are grown, you guessed it, in containers.  They will be either budding or already in bloom when they become available in the early spring.

Planting in rose gardening is not that much different than any other type of plant.  The most important thing, as always, is good, healthy soil and a prime planting area.  It doesn’t matter whether your roses are bare-root or container-grown, the planting methods are the same as any other shrub.  Make sure the spot you choose has good drainage, gets plenty of sunlight, and will not overcrowd your roses.  Before planting, any dead leaves and thin or decayed shoots need to be cut off.  Any damaged or very long roots also need to be trimmed.  Soak bare-root roses in water about 10-12 hours to restore moisture in the roots before planting and water the soil before planting as well.  Make sure the hole you have dug is large enough for the root growth of the rose.  Also it is a good idea to use compost or mulch.  After all, roses like extra nutrients just like any other plant.

Roses need the same things as other plants, they are just a bit needier.  One of the most important things to remember in rose gardening is that roses are heavy feeders and will need several fertilizer applications.  Fertilizing should be started in early spring and discontinued in early fall.  Make sure not to over-fertilize (fertilize should come with instructions) and water after each feeding.  Roses require large amounts of water; a thorough watering twice a week should be enough.

Pruning is an essential part to flower gardening.  It increases blooms and encourages healthy plant growth. Different varieties of roses have different instructions for pruning, so you might want to read up on your rose types and see what is suggested.

The main thing to remember in rose gardening is to water, water, and water some more.  One other thing about rose gardening is the amount of fertilizer and nutrients you will need to use, and the pruning that needs to be done to keep your roses under control and healthy.  Even though rose gardening takes a little more time and roses are more work, they are one of the most unique and beautiful plants, and definitely worth the extra work.

A barefoot rose is not actually something that means you go barefoot in your rose garden. It is a descriptor that indicates that the roots of the rose are exposed. The rose is, essentially, barefoot. Such rose are also sometimes called bare root roses (but barefoot is a much more fun term).

Most people who choose to plant barefoot roses are those who are looking for that “one” rose, the rose that is “just right.” Sometimes a local nursery just will not have what you are looking for. This is where catalogs and the Internet come in. Most of these businesses that send your rose products through the mail will not send the rose in a container filled with dirt. Most of the time it will be a barefoot rose, roots exposed. Such plants, though they can turn out to be very successful and very beautiful, do require some special attention at the outset.

Barefoot rose gardening can be a very rewarding experience, as it allows you to personally choose the plants that you think better reflect your personality and the feel of your landscape. The following steps can help you ensure that your barefoot roses survive and thrive.

First of all, when the rose arrives, you should immediately look it over. Open the shipping container as soon as it arrives. Be on the look out for broken canes and roots. Trim off damaged sections of the rose with sterilized and sharp pruning shears. This can help prevent diseases like rot and crown galls. Next, you should soak the roots over night in water. Soaking the roots will help them rehydrate. If you would like, you can also add a diluted rooting activator solution to the water. If you do add rooting activator or add other mild supplements be sure to save the water to use when you plant the rose.

Proper preparation of the planting hole is important for your barefoot rose. Measure your root system and make the hole one and a half times as deep and as wide as the length of the root system. You should create a small mound of soil at the center of the hole. This mound is meant as a support to the root crown. A new rose bed or soil with a low nutrient value may require that you add a small amount of bone meal or of phosphate rock to the bottom of the hole. Powdered seakelp, though not necessary, sprinkled on the sides and bottom of the planting hole, can also provide the rose with more nutrients.

When you plant your rose, make sure that you do so according to your hardiness zone. It is possible to find this information on the Internet, at a local nursery, or from a local master gardener or horticulture professional. The depth at which you plant your rose is determined by the hardiness zone. For zones requiring more shallow holes, simply fill in the bottom and make your mound higher.

Place the root crown at the top of the mound and arrange the roots down and over the top of the mound. Try to get the roots as equally distributed around the mound as possible. Rose roots grow according to their placement at planting. You want them to be spread and to create a good system. Roots should never wrap around the rose. They should always be spread out. Hold the rose while you fill in the hole with soil. Carefully water the soil around the roots as you do so to ensure that air pockets around the roots are removed. Do not let the rose sink as you do this, as this will change its depth.

After, and only after, the rose has been watered in should you apply root stimulator. If you used the activator in your soaking solution for the rose, this is the time to use that water. Applying activator before the rose is watered in can result in root burn. After finishing with the watering, build up soil around the rose plants exposed canes (make sure the top two bud eyes are still exposed, though). When the first new leaves appear and the bud eyes begin swelling, take the soil away from the canes and create a watering well around the rose’s base.

Now it is time to enjoy the blooms of your labor.