The Idaho Botanical Garden is Open Year Round

If you are looking for something to cater to your gardening sensitivities, why not take your vacation to hot garden spots. Spots such as the Idaho Botanical Garden are open year round for today’s gardener that may not be able to enjoy the love of gardening in the long Winter Months.

The mission of the Idaho Botanical Garden is stimulate interest in, appreciation for, and an understanding of gardening, horticulture, botany and conservation of natural resources.

Today, the Idaho Botanical Garden is not just about the beauty of their on-site gardens. It is also a living museum that will provide you with stimulating selections of nature in exotic communities of plants, theme gardens, display gardens, and a myriad of educational programs. Some of the features in the Idaho Botanical Garden Collections include:

• Alpine Garden

• Children’s Garden

Don Dick Outdoor Classroom is an arena-shaped grass outdoor classroom surrounded by trees.

• Garden Woods – trees planted by Idaho State Penitentiary inmates for the picnic grounds
• Herb Garden

• Herbaceous Border & Historical Iris Collection

• The Jane Falk Oppenheimer Heirloom Rose Garden

• Labyrinth Garden

• Lewis & Clark Native Plant Garden

• Meditation Garden
• Muriel and Diana Kirk English Garden was designed by world-renowned English landscape architect John Brookes.

• Outlaw Field

• Peony Collection

• Water Features

The Idaho Botanical Garden is not just an extravagant garden setting with many living museums on site. It is also a place where public events and attractions occur where your gardening sensitivities will be tickled to your hearts content. In November for example, you can see the Winter Garden Glow, a feature of light and color, with many garden features highlighted on display and creatively arranged. There is nothing more spectacular seeing a live garden lit up for Christmas with nothing but the joy of celebration of living things as the key focus of such a beautiful event. This event is just one of many that can be enjoyed at the Idaho Botanical Garden.

If you are the sort that gets down in the dumps over your garden in the winter months, dump no more. Take a lively vacation to a garden that is open year round and will leave you so excited and full of new ideas for your next planting season.

Explore the Vatican City State Gardens

If you happen to be traveling in Italy, no doubt that the Vatican City State will be on your to-do list, particularly if you are a first-timer. While you are there, you can simply not make the trip without touring the gardens of the Vatican. The gardens here are horticultural masterpieces that have literally stood the test of time. Anyone is permitted to visit the gardens, so when you are in the Vatican, take a stroll through this lush land, you will almost think you are in Eden.

The gardens in Vatican City are literally a United Nations of trees. Here you will find trees donated by countries all over the world, Israel, the United States, Canada, and Australia. And when the gardens are blooming, the fragrance is overwhelming in the most delicious of ways. The strong scents of the blooms will transport you back in time when Popes would walk through the gardens to ease their stress and tension, and find their own tranquility and peace.

In the gardens you will find paths, and water fountains that never seem to stop. The gardens themselves encompass fifty-eight acres and you will see something new with every turn. The exquisite Italian lawn and the infamous statue of a sphere are two noted elements of the elite Vatican Gardens.

Impulsively you will feel compelled to reflect on your own life, and wonder at what has brought you to this magical place. Though anyone can attend, you will need an appointment, so be sure your travel agent or concierge takes care of this for you. Many say that gardens are the closest way to be to God, and there is no garden on Earth that can perform this task better than that at the Vatican.

The History of the English Garden

Every garden designer comes to each landscape with their own signature style of design. Some you have seen are complex and abstract, while others are neatly organized and manicured. The English garden is one type of garden that is considered neat and manicured, and is inspiring to many gardeners around the world.

The beauty of English garden landscaping is that it combines an appealing blend of both groomed and natural beauty. English designs are characterized by simplicity, but are pleasing to the eyes. In fact, many English designs are used in the corporate world in famous places and prominent public buildings.

English landscaping began in Europe, naturally. And the garden design was initially inspired by paintings depicting the European landscape. William Kent was the first garden designer to apply this notion into sculpting gardens, and Humphrey Repton and Capability Brown were influential designers that followed in his footsteps.

Kent took his influence direct from European culture, whereas Repton was looking more for a garden that would embody the English countryside. Brown on the other hand was wanting to implement traditional flowering plants into the structure of the landscape. This idea with flowers was one that at the time, was not the norm for the everyday gardener.

Today, traditional English gardening involves a landscape that has both curve and wind around the area of the entire space. You will see winding paths, and focal points in statues and benches. You will also see variety in botanical life, a true variety will enable a natural feel, as if you are sitting right in the middle of nature, and not in the middle of a manicured garden.

Famous English gardens today include Stourhead (pictured above), Stowe and Rousham House, Blenheim Palace, and Castle Howard.

What to Put in Your Japanese Garden

Today’s gardener is consistently looking for new ideas and new ways to implement their creativity in the garden, and with that Japanese gardens are a frequent choice. Japanese gardens when done properly can create a lush retreat that will be both beautiful and creative. Keys to an effective Japanese garden include exotic flowers, lighting, and ornamental décor.

Many people opt for paper lanterns in their Japanese garden as these create subtle glows for the ideal romantic and peaceful ambience. Paper lanterns are made of a specific parchment paper painted with an Asian theme and the lanterns themselves are constructed with woven wire. You will see them often in spherical shapes and white in color, however if you want something more unique, you can search and find a huge selection of both colors and shapes.

Cuboid lanterns are also very popular and these consist of a strand of mini lanterns made of similar parchment paper. You will find these in a large pallet of bright colors. Because these lanterns run on low watts, nightlight type bulbs are ideal for these lanterns and will not create an overpowering light for these delicate shades.

Silk lanterns are also very popular in the Japanese garden. These features are very beautiful and just as delicate. You will want to use silk lanterns in an area that will be protected from the elements. The touch of a silk lantern symbolizes the feminine touch to a Japanese garden and are often found in rich colors. Mount these on the ceiling, or attach them to a standing pole, and you will find a soft light that is incredibly romantic.

There are many other ways to add Japanese ambience to your garden outside of lantern choices. Implement touches of bamboo through furniture, incorporate Asian inspired, and set out Asian prints throughout your garden. Use your creativity to explore the many ways you can add subtle touches of Japanese flair to your garden or patio.

Attack of the Patio Eating Lantana

I don’t know about where you live, but down here in Orlando, every nursery sells these cutesy little lantana sprigs. They come in little peat pots for like a dollar and the flowers are SO cute. The butterflies LOVE them, so it’s a great selling point. I’m sure the Lantana nurseries get a secret giggle just knowing what’s going to happen to every hapless person that sees the little cutey and thinks, “ooh! I could have so many beautiful butterflies in my garden! I think I’ll buy a few…”

Look at the pretty blooms…

I’m sure that was what the previous owners of my house were thinking when they planted 6 of those suckers around the property. I’ve been in this house for 8 years now and for 8 years I’ve been trying to kill these things. I’ve chainsawed them, I’ve poisoned them, I’ve yelled at them, pulled them, threatened them, etc. They just laugh at me and grow back stronger than ever. I am positive that the roots wrap all the way around the foundation of my house.

Don’t get too close… this bush eats medium size dogs and small children…

Just as a total unrelated sidenote, amazing the difference in picture quality and color when I switch from my cellphone camera (picture 1) to my digital camera (the rest of the pics). I really should use the better camera more often!