In its first year, the Chelsea Fringe features gardens, art installations and performances, which are mostly free and open to all ages.

The Independent on Sunday last week got its hands dirty by helping to create one of the centrepieces of the Fringe: the Oranges and Lemons Garden in Shoreditch, east London.

A young designer, Daniel Shea, has transformed the courtyard of St Leonard’s Church – renowned for the Bells of Shoreditch in the nursery rhyme “Oranges and Lemons” – in the edgy east London quarter into an oasis of citrus fruit, bay and olive trees, where passers-by can sink into deckchairs and eat French-Vietnamese food. The church is also the setting for the BBC 2 comedy Rev.

Created with the support of volunteers from the New Hanbury Project, a rehabilitation centre in the grounds of St Leonard’s, the local Women’s Institute branch, Shoreditch Sisters, and Clifton Nurseries, the garden encapsulates the community-inspired spirit of the Fringe.

Mr Shea, 28, said: “Chelsea Flower…………… continues on The Independent

Fairy gardens have steadily been growing in popularity as a fun, whimsical enhancement for both novice and veteran gardeners. Not only are they unusual and eye-catching, they are extremely adaptable as they can be created indoors or out, in containers or in the ground.

A fairy garden is simply a mixture of miniature plants and flowers, but the element of surprise and wonder lies in the details. Of course a fairy garden requires a fairy to nurture and look over the plants, but small enhancements and accessories can really make an impact in the scenery.

Containers/Plants

Any planter, container, terrarium, flower bed or garden can be converted into a fairy home. Once the location is determined, visit a local nursery and look to purchase small or miniature plants and flowers, such as mini Hosta, ground covers or terrarium plants, which are basically smaller versions of their sister bigger plants.

The Garden

Any isolated area would create a wonderful mini landscape, but if there is a secluded spot under a tree or tree stump is the perfect location to create a little wooded scene with the fairy living in her own natural habitat.

Soil

For a container, regular potting soil is suitable and in the garden, enhance the loam with compost and all-purpose fertilizer.

Th…………… continues on Patch.com

You often realize you want a garden but do not have enough space? Ever thought of doing a garden with containers?

This is becoming more popular with limited space.

Did you know you can grow a tomato from an old potato sack or a 5-gallon bucket or plant lettuce in window flower boxes? You even can plant a vined cherry tomato plant in hanging basket.

The key is to have a large enough container for the size of the roots. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants would take at least a 5-gallon bucket. Green beans could be grown in a medium-size flower pot. Radishes and onions can be grown in small pots.

I have seen whole container gardens grown in plastic kiddie pools no longer used for play.

With container gardens you will want to have a clean container free of any chemicals or other issues that are not for a garden. You will want to clean out the container. You will need to cut some holes in the container with a punch or drill. You will want to fill the container with a mixture of regular soil and bagged soil from your lawn and garden center.

Container gardens will need to be watered daily in most cases, but you need to check it. Make sure you buy healthy plants that can set roots quickly. You also can plant from seed, but it will take you a little longer to get the product……………. continues on Plainview Daily Herald

My friend Sheryl spent the end of her holiday weekend up to her ankles in lettuce. Unfortunately she was not in her garden…but in her kitchen.

The garbage disposal had clogged up. Sheryl found her trusty plunger, and with the strength built from years of motherhood, attacked the problem. Two strong pushes, and it was out! It, meaning the lettuce and assorted garbage company, and Out, meaning all over the under-the-sink contents and then quickly all over the kitchen floor. Sheryl’s efforts had blown apart the joints in the pipes. What a gal! What a mess.

I could have saved my friend this messy end to a lovely weekend. I could have told her what I have learned, although it sounds completely un-American: do NOT put anything in your disposal.

Now before you think I’ve set us back 30 years, you need to know it’s not my opinion. This is the sage advice of the last five plumbers who have visited my home, who not only unclogged my pipes, but also sold me new garbage disposals. This, which I am sharing with you, is commonly called “highly paid research.”

<…………… continues on Newsolio

These days the news is full of food trends. Most of them, including eating locally, eating more healthfully, eating organic food and vegetarianism, encourage us to use fresh ingredients – advice that leads us into the garden.

“Grow, Cook, Eat: A Food Lover’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening” is a book that will help a modern cook make the transition from buying to growing some of those fresh ingredients. It pairs a nice introduction to organic gardening with recipes that will help make the shift to eating what you grow.

Portland author Willi Galloway has a long background in gardening, from her childhood in Wyoming to work as a test gardener and then West Coast editor for Organic Gardening magazine. So for her, the gardening came first. But as she began to explore new ideas in the kitchen, she realized that for many, the direction would be the reverse. One day, whe…………… continues on San Francisco Chronicle

As afternoon storms start to become common, thoughts turn to the trees around our homes.

You may be wondering if they are safe, or if they can hold up against the wind of a thunderstorm, tropical storm, or even a hurricane.

There is no “risk-free” tree; however, there are strategies that we can undertake that can create a more wind-resistant tree canopy. They are: plant more wind tolerant trees, prune properly, and conduct routine tree inspections.

WIND-TOLERANT TREES

Research by the University of Florida performed in communities that received hurricane force winds from 1992-2005 identified several trees that appeared to be somewhat resistant to wind damage. It is thought that the growth form of the trees helped them resist wind better.

The trees that appear to do better are lestnut oak, bald cypress, sabal palm and blackgum. There were also several trees that were identified as trees with poor wind resistance. Those trees include laurel oak, water oak, red maple, pine, Southern red cedar and queen palm.

Creating a wind-resistant tree canopy includes planting more of the wind tolerant trees and removal of the wind intolerant trees if they are likely to cause property damage.  

PRUNING TREES

<…………… continues on Florida Times-Union

For gardeners and other plant-lovers, here’s a sampling of regional events:

Bucks County Designer House & Gardens Premier designers & landscapers revitalize an 1850s Dutch Colonial house, barn & pool into a timeless Bucks County estate. Bucks County Designer House & Gardens, 3864 Spring Valley Rd., Doylestown; Reservations recommended: 215-345-2191. www.buckscountydesignerhouse.org/. $ 20-$ 25. 5/18.

” Burlington County Gardeners Association Plant Faire Plant sale featuring vegetables, herbs & ornamentals. New Albany Road Recreation Center, 109 New Albany Rd., Moorestown. www.burlcogardeners.com. 5/19. 9 am-1 pm.

” Call for Gardeners Help deadhead, weed & trim the rose gardens. Glen Foerd on the Delaware, 5001 Grant Ave. 5/19.

” Community Garden Days 10% of your purchase will be donated to a registered community garden of your choice (see the website to register a garden). Greensgrow Farms, 2501 E. Cumberland St. 5/18.

Composting Workshop Class on making & using compost to improve garden soil. Awbury Arboretum, One Awbury Rd. 5/19. 10 am-12 pm.

” Container Gardening Class on the basics of creating & tending an attractive container garden. Linvilla Orchards, 137 W. Knowlton Rd., Media; 610-874-4678. 5/18.

” Container Gardening: Herbs & Veggies Presentation by Tina Sottol…………… continues on Philadelphia Inquirer

For 23 years, Tom McNutt has taught central Ohioans how to pick, plant and prune their gardens.

Along the way, he has donned wigs, “interviewed” bumblebees and waded into a fishing pond dressed as Huck Finn.

As the gardening expert for WCMH-TV (Channel 4), McNutt has served as one of the last quirky amateurs of central Ohio broadcasting — hired for his expertise in horticulture, not journalism.

His folksy habits of clowning around, telling corny jokes and wearing costumes mark a throwback to an earlier era of broadcasting.

On Saturday morning, that era will end when McNutt delivers his final gardening segment for the station.

He’ll go out on top: His show is No. 1 in its time slot.

McNutt was preparing to retire as chairman of the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Service at the end of 1988 when Channel 4 officials asked whether he was interested in a regular gardening segment.

The job he figured he’d do for “a year or two” has made him a central Ohio gardening institution.

“You need to reach people before you teach them…………… continues on Columbus Dispatch

I am relatively new at being a Master Gardener, but have always had a love of gardening.

Maybe it’s in my blood, or it could just be the country way of life and the desire to provide for yourself. Growing vegetables has provided delicious, healthy …

Although we like to grub in the ground and swing a paintbrush now and then, we have our technical side, too. And we’ve found a few goodies that other gardening, home decorating technocrats might enjoy as well.

• Sherwin-Williams has struck gold (and orange, teal and aqua) with a little online gadget called “Chip-It.” You start by downloading a Chip-it widget to your favorites bar and then while scrolling through your favorite home decor website or Pinterest boards, you click the Chip-It and it magically gives you a collection of paint chips that match all the colors in your chosen picture. To save the selections you have to register with the Chip-It site; otherwise, just write down your favorites.

  A friend who is mad for painting turned us on to Chip-It and we’ve been Chipping the tropical flowers on our Pinterest board like crazy. We now have an overwhelming desire to paint our living room in Saguaro, Invigorate and Roycroft Copper Red with accents of Tricorn Black and Bamboo Shoot.

  Get started by going to http://letschipit.com.

  Molly Mclaughlin, senior editor of ConsumerSearch.com, an award-winning website that helps consumers make informed choices, has p…………… continues on San Jose Mercury News

When is your lawn’s trouble time? After the winter? After the hot, dry summer? As with most problems, ignoring your lawn’s needs will not make them go away. There are as many kinds of lawn problems as there are types of grass. I will focus here on a few of the more common lawn woes.

The time of year to repair your lawn varies in the US. In the North, you should repair your lawn in the fall. Spring or early summer is the best time for repairs if you live in the South.

First and foremost, before you start working on your lawn, you need to do some basic clean-up. Remove all trash, rocks, and organic debris such as dead leaves, sticks, twigs, etc. Next mow your lawn. You should cut slightly lower than the usual recommendation for your type of grass (see Caring for Your Healthy Lawn) so you can more easily observe trouble spots.

Bare spots

Bare spots are probably the most common lawn dilemma. However, they are relatively easy to fix, too. Start by tur…………… continues on Newsolio

Remember second grade? Growing tomato plants on the window ledge to prove that plants need three things to survive: water, soil and light. I clearly remember the carton that we did not water never even sprouted (as opposed to the one we kept in the closet to deprive it of light — that one grew like crazy!)

Well, second grade science experiments aside, plants do need three things to survive. And while your plants will most likely grow, if not thrive, once they are in the soil outside, nothing will live long without water. Letting a plant, even a hearty, well-established one, go without water for even a short time can result in severe damage, or even kill it.

Ideally, nature would alleviate our need to water by providing us with 30 minutes of gentle rain six mornings a week. However, since some areas don’t even get 30 minutes of rain all summer, counting on Mother Nature is chancy at best! And, of course, as a responsible gardener, you know that overwatering is unnecessary, unhealthy for the plants, and a waste of a valuable resource. Conserving water should be a goal for all gardeners.

By KATHY VAN MULLEKOM

Daily Press (Newport News, Va.)

By KATHY VAN MULLEKOM

Updated: 2012-05-17T12:07:37Z

May 17, 2012 in Washington Voices

Pat Munts

CONCORD — Susan Morrison says that while her garden may be small, it’s filled with huge possibilities.

It’s a sanctuary and retreat at the end of a long workday for Morrison and her husband, or when she’s looking for inspiration during solo time. Surrounding her are a variety of flowers and plants, including “Betty Boop” roses, Rhododendrons, succulents and herbs. In the middle of the garden stands a metal sculpture by artist Chad Glashoff.

“That’s my peace lady,” said Morrison, a Concord resident. “I like to think she watches over my garden.”

As a landscape designer, Morrison has mastered the art of making use of small space to accommodate all sorts of plants using her simple design philosophy: creating unique and sustainable gardens that fit her clients’ lifestyles.

Now, she shares her vertical gardening designing tips with co-author and fellow garden designer Rebecca Sweet in “Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces,” an Amazon “Best Books of 2011″ selection.

The book introduces the concept of vertical gardening as well as gives inspiration to those who want to give new life to their existing — small or large — gardens.

Morrison will talk about ways to take advantage of vertical spaces in an easy way using different types of plants and flowers at 6 p.m. May 22, dur…………… continues on San Jose Mercury News

Like humans, plants have to cope not only with the heat but also with energy-sapping humidity, wind and drought. They grow more slowly, their leaves fade, wind batters them and, in areas of high humidity, they’re prone to insects and disease. High nighttime temperatures don’t let plants recover from heat stress.

The annuals and perennials on my heat-lovers list need very little special care. Start with great, compost rich soil, and then a good weekly soaking and deadheading to remove spent blooms is about all they ask.

Plants like coreopsis, rudbeckia, echinacea and liatris get a little ragged-looking as their blooms fade or they develop seed heads; others stop making new flowers once insects have pollinated the plant. Deadheading redirects energy into making new flowers.

In my book, zinnias are a favorite for taking the heat with the best of them. With a little deadheading or cutting back periodically, they’ll put on an amazing display all summer long.

Exactly where to snip when deadheading isn’t always clear. The plant’s appearance should be your guide. You could just pinch off coreopsis’ buttons, for example, but that would leave brown stalks sticking up above the foliage. Snip at the base of the flower stem, above a pair of leaves, instead.

There are also several annuals and perennials in the list, like the poppy, spider flower an…………… continues on Wicked Local

Congratulations to another new class of Master Gardeners. Last Friday, 15 students completed the last of their 14 week training sessions. This class wasn’t the biggest one ever, but they might be the busiest. Many of these committed interns have been so involved in ongoing Master Gardening projects that they have already completed their 50 hours of volunteer service needed to become full-fledged Master Gardeners. To top it off, they are chipping in this weekend to assist visitors at the 2012 Garden Tour featuring eight idea-filled local gardens in the Auburn/Opelika area.

The gardens have been selected for their diverse styles, interesting features and variety of plants that will thrive in our area. It will be another fantastic tour. Be prepared for surprises. The garden owners have done the hard part in getting their gardens ready. All that’s left is for you to come and enjoy the beauty and serenity of nature with a big dose of creativity added.

The tour is design…………… continues on Opelika Auburn News

TEST YOUR SOIL — To grow tomatoes, start with good soil. Have your soil tested so you know how much fertilizer to use. Feeding too much will give you big plants, but you won’t get many tomatoes. Photo by Connie Oswald Stofko.

There’s nothing like a freshly picked tomato. You can grow tomatoes, they’re easy. You don’t even need a garden. A simple container will do.

Thomas Mitchell, a horticulture teacher at Niagara County Community College, shared tips on growing vegetables during a presentation at Plantasia, Western New York’s premier garden and landscape show, earlier this spring.

Mitchell’s number one point was that you have to have good soil. I demoted that tip to number two because I want everyone to know that they can have tomato plants and enjoy fresh tomatoes no matter how little land they have.

1. You can grow tomatoes in small spaces: You don’t need a lot of room. You can grow tomatoes in containers and they don’t have to be fancy containers. Do you have room for a five-gallon bucket? Then you can grow tomatoes.

If even that is too hard, use a bag of potting soil as your container.

Use a big bag of potting soil according to Mitchell. Poke some holes in it for drainage. Flip it over and cut a hole in the top. Insert your tomato plant.

2. Start with good soil: “It’s important to have good soil,” Mitchell said. “You can…………… continues on Metrowny.com