Over the next seven weeks I’ll post seven suggestions for activities that can liven up winter and bring you ever closer to spring. We hope you’ll enjoy these projects that will make the dormant season less dreary!  #1 Plant a Think Spring Container Remind yourself or someone else that spring will come again. Create a…

It may be winter outside, but that don’t let that stop you for planning for the coming growing season. At this time of year many gardeners make plans for starting seeds. In fact, those seeds that require more time to germinate, or those seedlings that take longer to grow, can be started early and grown…

Peonies are a perennial favorite. Many of our customers love this plant as a landscape plant and cutting flower. But not everyone has enough sun or space to grow them successfully. One solution is to grow them in large pots. That way you can position the containers on a deck or driveway where there’s enough…

Although many think of decorating a tree for the birds at Christmas, it might be even more welcomed later. In the depth of winter it’s good to supply suet and seed for the birds to eat. It’s also cheering for us to do something creative and fun. At Country Garden’s Holiday Open House in 2011…

You say you usually kill the colorful plants people give you during the holidays? Don’t despair…here are some of The Garden Lady’s hints for keeping them alive. 1. Poke a hole in the bottom of that foil wrapping. Better yet, pull the foil off and throw it away. You want the water to be able…

A houseplant that doesn’t need soil? You can grow that! We have our Tillandsia plants displayed with seashells because they look like they could be undersea creatures. In truth, these plants are most often found attached to trees or rocks. Tillandsia are epiphytes, meaning that they don’t take nutrients or water from the trees they…

I helped a customer this morning who came into the store looking for a gift. “I need something for someone who doesn’t want any more stuff,” she said. She isn’t alone. Many of us know people who don’t need additional doodads. Fortunately there are several great alternatives for these folks. Here are a few suggestions:…

Back in the dark ages when I was a teenager, I babysat for a woman who had a blooming orchid on her piano. It was the talk of the neighborhood. Such exotic beauty! Such long-lasting flowers! She grew this plant in her greenhouse window above the kitchen sink. Everyone knew that orchid plants were rare…

Although boxwood trees made in Oasis floral foam continue to be popular with our customers, many love the way mixed greens give these arrangements a different look. We create these trees for the holiday season and here’s how you can make one too. Here’s what you’ll need: Some wet floral foam such as Oasis, waterproof…

You can grow that! Last winter my Gold Collection hellebores came into flower in December and continued flowering to mid-March. When they weren’t covered by snow, they made me smile every time I went in my kitchen door. The Gold Collection Helleborus niger, aka Christmas rose, typically start flowering in early December. The hybrids in…

A customer wanted some small herb wreaths intending that the herbs would dry and be able to be snipped off for cooking. Due to our mild fall many herbs in the garden are still wonderful, so we created two wreaths for her using organically grown herbs. Here’s how you can make one yourself. First cut…

At Hyannis Country Garden we embellish plain, balsam wreaths for our customers. Here’s a series of photos that shows how you can do this too!