When the air begins to get cooler, and the leaves start to fall from the trees, most people immediately think of storing the gardening supplies for the winter and getting ready to bundle up. But Wait! Before packing away your gardening equipment, don't forget to pick up some tulip bulbs to plant in your garden. Fall is the perfect time for planting tulip bulbs.

Tulip bulbs are easily the most recognizable bulb flower in the world today. Most people think first of a tulip, when they are asked to name a flower bulb. Tulips are easy to grow, and require very little care, which is one of the reasons that they are so popular.

There is a very large variety in the color selection of tulip bulbs. The colors of tulips typically follow the color trends that are generally popular. Right now, pastel tulips are extremely popular color choices. The most popular tulip color has always been, and remains to be red. However, red is followed closely by yellow as the second most popular color.

Of course, you can find tulips in a variety of color as there are over 3500 varieties of tulips. You can purchase traditional tulip bulbs as well as fancy bulbs, which have a feathered, frilly petal. You can find tulips in solid colors as well as striped petals, or variegated colors.

You can purchase tulip bulbs that are early bloomers, maturing early in the springtime, or you can find tulips that will bloom later. So you can plan your bulb flowers so that you will consistently have flower blooms all spring, until your perennials begin blooming. Tulips come in tall varieties as well as shorter varieties, this can be important when you are planning a garden design. As well, you will have a choice between single blooming tulips and double bloomers.

With so much variety and selection, it is no doubt why tulip bulbs are such popular flowers. Coupled with the excellent selection and the ease of care and planting for tulips, they make an excellent addition to any garden design. Tulips look wonderful in both formal garden designs as well as informal styles.

Gardening is a hobby that brings joy, entertainment, and a better quality of life. It is a creative activity, the result of which is a more aesthetically appealing home.

Thoughtful planning of a garden starts with the type of garden you would like to have. Deciding on a type of garden is essential defore choosing which design elements to include. Will your garden be just a place to plant a bunch of flowers, which will blossom only during the growing season? Or would you rather have a thoughtfully-chosen herb garden? Or maybe just a vegetable plot?

Another issue to consider is the climate in your location. It can be surprising how little we know about the facts, figures and statistics of the weather where we live. You may want to consult an online map to get statistical data regarding climate elements like rainfall per month or average temperatures.

The next step, after having decided about the type of garden and after investigating the local climate, is to figure out the plants that you would like to grow in your garden. Think of plants that are suitable for the duration of the growing season in your location and that will survive the changes in temperature, typical for your location.

The thoughtful planning of a garden involves one more factor to consider - how much shade is necessary for each of the plants. You need to make sure that there is enough light all over the places you plan to plant your garden.

When you have finished with planning in theory, it is time to start planning the plots in your garden. Again, think for a good plan - one that brings joy, is easy to keep to, and at the same time efficiently uses the available space.

Think about where to place plants that require a lot of sunlight. The best place for such plants is away from buildings and taller trees because these block the light at daytime.

Deciding which plants to grow near the house, and which should be in the open also requires some thought. If you prefer the sunshine streaming through your windows, then you are best not to have bulky trees or bushes near the house, where they will block the sunlight.

If you have decided that you will be growing herbs and vegetables, the best place for them is near the house. When they are near the house, it is more likely that you will be using them for cooking. Besides convenience, you should also think about the location of vegetables as far as their needs for sunlight are concerned. This is especially true if yours is mainly a vegetable garden.

Last, but not least, take into account your personal preferences, when designing a garden. If there are particular extras you would like to have, for instance winding pathways or gazebos, include them in the initial design of the garden. Your outdoor garden is constrained only by the limits of your creativity and the growing season in your location.

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TREE PRUNING TIPS There are two kinds of winter gardening. The first method usually starts in January as the gardening catalogs begin to arrive in the mail. This type of gardening is as easy as sitting in your favorite chair, browsing the catalogs, and either dreaming about what you're going to do this spring, or actually drawing designs for the gardens you intend to work on.

The second type of winter gardening is to actually get out in the yard and do a little work. Of course if it's bitter cold, you'd be better off waiting for a good day. Winter is a good time to do some pruning if the temperatures are around 30 degrees or so. I don't recommend pruning if it's considerably below freezing because the wood is brittle and will shatter when you make a cut.

One of the advantages of pruning during the winter is that you can see much better what needs to be cut out and what should stay. At least that's true with deciduous plants. The other advantage is that the plants are dormant, and won't mind you doing a little work on them.

Ornamental trees should pruned to remove competing branches. Weeping Cherries, Flowering Dogwoods, Flowering Crabapples etc. have a tendency to send branches in many different directions. It is your job to decide how you want the plant to look, and then start pruning to achieve that look.

But first stick your head inside the tree and see what you can eliminate from there. This is like looking under the hood, and when you do you'll see a lot of small branches that have been starved of sunlight, that certainly don't add anything to the plant. They are just there, and should be cut out.

Any branch that is growing toward the center of the tree where it will get little sunlight should be cut out. Where there are two branches that are crossing, one of them should be eliminated. Once you get the inside of the plant cleaned up, you can start shaping the outside.

Shaping the outside is actually quite easy. Just picture how you want the plant to look, and picture imaginary lines of the finished outline of the plant. Cut off anything that is outside of these imaginary lines. It is also important to cut the tips of branches that have not yet reached these imaginary lines in order to force the plant to fill out.

For the most part plants have two kinds of growth: Terminal branches and lateral branches. Each branch has one terminal bud at the very end, and many lateral branches along the sides. The terminal buds grow in an outward direction away from the plant. Left uncut they just keep growing in the same direction, and the plant grows tall and very thin. That's why the trees in the woods are so thin and not very attractive.

When you cut a branch on a plant, the plant sets new buds just below where you cut. When you remove the terminal bud the plant will set multiple buds; this is how you make a plant nice and full. Don't be afraid to trim your plants, they will be much nicer because of it. The more you trim them, the fuller they become.

Lots of people have a real problem with this. They just can't bring themselves to prune. Especially when it comes to plants like Japanese Red Maples. It kills them to even think about pruning a plant like this. Just do it! You'll have a beautiful plant because of it.

Look at the plant objectively. If you see a branch that looks like it's growing too far in the wrong direction, cut it. If you make a mistake it will grow back. Not pruning is the only mistake you can make. I hope this helps and doesn't get you in trouble with your significant other. Many a family feud has started over pruning.

Don't force yourself out of the most profitable hobby in the universe because you think it's too hard to learn ...It isn't! Gardening is fast becoming the world's number one hobby, and with all the latest 'alternative' information we have to hand, gardening as a natural science is fun to learn about and rewarding in the extreme...

Produce your own fruit and veg - cut the shopping trips.

Keep it organic!- be nice to the planet, and your body.

Stay fit and healthy with exercise and fresh air.

Spend quality family time in the outdoors.

Turbo boost your creative spirit

And if that isn't enough to be going on with, learn about plant-kind in all it's glory. From trees through to fungi, there are millions of plants to research, grow and eat- no chance of getting bored!

First you have to take your first step.

Start gardening, be a gardener, enjoy your garden.

Starting from scratch? Let your imagination run wild. Stand in the centre (-ish) of your garden and imagine..close your eyes if you like.

Don't hold back. Let your creative thoughts flow. How much can you do with your space? Don't imagine for one minute that a simple lawn will let you off the hook here. A lawn needs maintaining, and mowing regularly - for EVER..and it can get kind of boring to look at as well!

How about creating

a butterfly patch

a wildflowers corner

a vegetable plot

a herb garden

a water feature

Then you will need a shed to store your tools. Where would that be best placed in your garden? Don't waste a sunny position with a garden structure. Sheds don't need to be in full sun to survive!

Is there enough space to place garden furniture? Rather than going for the table-and-four-chairs-on-patio style, can you place benches and small tables in semi-shady spots near the honeysuckle or round the herbs?

When you think you have a reasonable idea of all you want from your garden, take some notes and think about it for a while. Don't leap in too soon-more often than not you'll land up doing the same job twice. Browse through garden catalogs, take a little time and do a little planning.

But not for too long! Don't let the ideas wither into another was-gonna-do-one-day file.

If you have enough of a budget to buy your garden structures and furniture, do this first, and position them in your garden. Then create your flower beds, vegetable plots and wildlife patches around these structures.

If you don't have cash up front, don't worry. The things you need will come to you. For now, prepare the space as if you DID have the shed, or bench or whatever, and work around these areas.

Start all the patches and work on them as and when you can, or start one patch and get it finished before moving on to the next. How you work in your garden depends on a number of things...

size of land and budget

helping hands available

seasons and the weather

time slots and energy levels!

Treat gardening as an ongoing hobby rather than a project to be started and finished. Plants are growing life forms and will always be changing the shape and feel of your garden. Go with it where you can, and prune heavily where you have to!

Get the kids involved with quick-germinating seeds, and fast-growing plants. Many retailers offer special seed mixtures for kids. Pumpkins are great for getting the kids interested in gardening.

Learn about edible flowers and teach the children what can and can't be eaten - and why.

Don't let the grass grow under your feet. Get in on the action now. Turn off the TV, put your wellies on and leap into nature!

Give the same plants to several people, you will see several arrangements. Each one distinct and different, yet, using the same plants.

This is the ultimate reward of gardening- a means to express, to create with the help and inspiration from the gifts of Nature.

Gardening is not just physically and aesthetically rewarding.It enriches the spirit. It awakens one' creativity that lies dormant from neglect, or lack of motivation, or a popular excuse, not enough time.

Gardening is fast becoming a popular hobby of the times. From the tropics , to the frigid climes, gardening centers are offering more choices to tantalize even the most conservative taste.

Each year, gardeners look forward with excitement to their gardening; a hobby they take passionately. What new plants are being introduced? What variety of surprises awaits them? The ornamental gardener will be glorious with the new plants or hybrids for the present growing season. The vegetable/herb gardener looks forward with anticipation at harvest time.

With so much variety to choose from, what factors determine which plants to buy? After considering the soil, weather, sun/shade location factors, the choice is all about self- expression.

No two gardens are alike, given the same set of plants.

Colors are as revealing as the plants. A conservative gardener will opt for traditional plants. At times, you see the same plants, the same arrangements year after year. Aha!! Perhaps the gardener does not adapt to change too quickly. It may be lack of time, or change of physical health.

Vibrant colors in the garden reflect a vibrant gardener. A garden bursting with colors is very attractive and pleasing to look at. It is inviting.

What about passion? They say red is a color of passion, of energy and courage. Add white to the reds, and the garden beckons the passer-by to take a look. Someone said this combination looks like a candy cane.

My garden is overcome by burst of yellows and orange, not really by choice. Somehow, it gives out a golden glow as the blooms bask in the sun. It reflects my enthusiasm for life. Many of my plants are gifts from friends, treasures for my garden. Yellow flowers remind me of my mother.

Purples and blues in the garden are colors of reflection, of peace and calm. Add white flowers to this and it invites a meditative mood.

After colors, the arrangements of the plants reveal something of the person. I have a friend whose flowerbeds are symmetrical, weedless, picture- perfect, right out of a magazine. Indeed, this expresses her organized way of thinking and living.

A gardener who loves to re-arrange the plants and loves to add new plants and ornaments shows an enthusiastic and energetic spirit, ready to welcome change, eager to experiment.

What about an overgrown garden? Perhaps it reflects someone with scattered energies, at times, a full plate, or one who does not have the time or energy to tend the garden. It may well show one who starts with a burst of enthusiasm that wanes quickly after the planting is done.

No matter how you plan your garden, it is a creative tool that allows you to express yourself. Gardening is therapeutic,physically, mentally and spiritually.

Happy gardening.Don't forget to talk to your plants.

Bonnie Moss writes about spirituality, tools available to all to walk the path. Visit her website , a metaphysical site that offers information on tarot, crystals, aura,angels, journalling and other topics. She is the Executive Secretary of Tarot Canada International, contributes articles to the newsletter

Gardens come in different varieties like the plants you find in them. There are several gardening tips that can be used for all type of gardens.

1.Mulching protects your garden topsoil from being blown away. It also provides nutrients as it decomposes and improves the appearance of your gardens. Mulching has other benefits and is one of the most recommended gardening tips by gardeners and farmers alike.

2.Healthy plants are more disease resistant. Plants are like people, a person with a strong immune system can combat diseases. A healthy plant does the same.

3. Pests can be eradicated by cleaning the plant with a watery solution of soap. Just make sure to rinse after. This gardening tip is best heeded for fruit bearing trees or edible plants.

4. Using compost fertilizers are a great way to have healthy plants. It is also a great way to save money on expensive fertilizers. Non -organic fertilizers also tend to leave chemical residues that can accumulate in garden soils and harm not only the plants but the gardeners as well. They cause toxins to go to the water supplies. Another gardening tip recommended not just by farmers and gardeners but also by environmentalists.

5. There are several plants that are only suitable for a specified climate, a certain kind of soil or can only grow with certain plants. You have to know what plant grow in the conditions you have in your area this is for you to avoid unnecessary purchases. This is a money saving gardening tip.

6.Landscaping is a good investment which can double the value of your home. This is one gardening tip that can earn you money.

7. Growing grass on bare ground is an easy way to make your home look better and appreciate in value. This is one gardening tip that promotes earning money while growing grass legally.

8. Aside from looking great in your home, trees also provide some sort of protection from direct sunlight exposure and strong winds.

9. Vines on the walls, fences and overhead structures also would offer some protection and would also look great.

10.Flowers are beautiful, but they are also expensive. Get one that is resistant to many elements. Flowers from your local community already have developed resistance to conditions present in your area.

11.For most gardens plants, their roots go only as deep as 6 inches. Putting fertilizer deeper than that would be a waste of money. Put them shallower as they seep down when the plants are being watered.

12.Earthworms are important to plants. They till and aerate the soil for the roots to breathe. Non-organic fertilizers can kill them. This gardening tip dates back to the old days of gardening.

13. Having several kinds of insects that are beneficial to your garden would be good. These insects can be encouraged to stay by having diverse plants in your garden.

14. Spot spraying weeds with household vinegar, instead of using commercial weed-killers, can eradicate them. This is another environment friendly gardening tip.

15. Avoid putting too much mulch on tree trunks; this would encourage unwanted pests to reside on them.

16. Use plant varieties that are common to your area or have been taken from an area with similar conditions.

17. Be sure to know the plants that are poisonous. If you are intent on growing them, make sure to have the necessary cure available in your household. Take note of this gardening tip, it can save your life.

18. The best time to water plants is during mornings.

19. Before planting a new plant in your garden, you must consider its height and size when it matures. This garden tip can help you save money in the future.

20. Newly transplanted plants may require special attention during its first week. This is to reduce the stress and shock it got during transplantation.

And last but not the least of the gardening tips...

21.Plants are living entities. If you want them to grow in your garden you have to treat them as such. They need to be taken care of. They are like your pets, you look out for them. In return you get that feeling of contentment watching them thrive.

A good way to take care of them is to consider that plants might have some feelings too.

So you have finally decided to have your own garden. That is a very good decision. Having a garden is one of the joys in life that everyone on planet earth can practically accomplish. Seeing your plants grow, as you care for them, can be both gratifying and fulfilling.

We all understand the saying that - 'Man does not live by bread alone', gardeners also say that - 'Plants do not live by watering alone'. The message that both maxims are trying to convey is quite simple- they need something else. Man needs lots of things that are sometimes hard to find.

However, almost all of the necessities that plants require are called garden supplies, which can be bought in your nearest garden supply store or in some cases can be made by yourself.

Gardening is like painting, painting may require you to have a brush, paint and a canvass, gardening may require you to have a shovel and some fertilizer and soil. Gardening is also like sculpting. To make a sculpture you may need a gavel, a chisel and wood. To tend to a garden you may need cutters, trimmers and seeds.

For the millions of true blue gardeners, gardening is an art.

To help them further this art, they would need garden supplies.

'Different folks, different strokes', another saying that is fitting for gardeners. There are gardeners who have made their own Garden of Eden on their rooftops, in their backyards, inside their houses and even in their living rooms. Make no mistake about it; gardening can be done almost everywhere.

The different types of garden that can be done anywhere will also be requiring different types of garden supplies that suites them. Indoor gardens may require a hand held shovel not a ditch digger. Living room gardens may require a specialized watering system not a water sprinkler.

There are stores for garden supplies that specialize in indoor gardens, rooftop gardens and all the others kinds of gardens. There are also stores for garden supplies that offer alternative garden supplies such as natural pest control methods, organic fertilizers and ergonomic garden tools.

To make purchasing of garden supplies more convenient, online garden supplies stores have been made available to consumers. Online stores offer the gardeners unlimited options on how to compare prices, shop for the best tools, get to know the latest trends in gardening and order for the merchandize without having to leave their homes. Some online stores feature tips on gardening. Some online stores for gardening supplies also offer gardening packages at discounted prices.

Gardening supplies may not be so expensive. There are other ways by which you can have garden supplies without having to spend much. You can water your plants without having to resort to having a complicated watering device.

You do not have to get expensive decorated pots, you can get a simple pot and have a beautiful flowering plant that can enclose the pot.

Garden supplies are a necessity when growing a garden, just like paint and canvass to a painter. A lot of would-be gardeners are just too excited to think about what they really need before making any purchase, making them pay more for what they really need.

To save on garden supplies you may only need your resourcefulness and a lot of imagination.

The reward of gardening is enjoying the fruits and vegetables of your labor. You may be overlooking a delicious and nutritious crop that right under your hoe - roast pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkins have been a popular part of vegetable gardens for centuries. The word comes from the Greek word "pompon," which means large melon. Native Americans ate roasted pumpkin and wove dried strips into mats. Today, we include pumpkins in our vegetable gardening mainly for their decorating and pie value. We often throw the seeds away.

Next time you carve a jack-'o-lantern or cook a pumpkin for pie filling, save those seeds. They make nutty-flavored snacks that are a good source of protein, fiber, iron and phosphorous.

Below is an easy, fun recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds. The whole family will enjoy making and eating this new treat from the garden. Some people like to wash the seeds before roasting. Others leave any pumpkin particles for added flavor and nutrition.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds
1 Quart Water
2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon Melted Butter or Vegetable Oil

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
2. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add the seeds and boil for 8 to 10 minutes
3. Drain the seeds in a colander and spread them on a paper towel to dry.
4. Melt the butter. Put the dry seeds and butter in a large bowl and toss until the seeds are evenly coated.
5. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until they reach a light, golden brown color. Stir seeds every 10 minutes during cooking.
7. Cool the seeds completely before eating.

You can remove the hulls from the seeds after roasting or eat the seeds hull and all. Keep roasted seeds in airtight containers.

Gardening Tip: Set a few seeds aside before roasting. These free seeds will start next year's pumpkin patch.

Hydroponics gardening is the perfect solution for anybody who wants a garden, but does not have enough space or dirt. Hydroponics gardening is, simply put, a method of growing plants using a nutrient solution instead of dirt. With hydroponics gardening, you are able to grow beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables virtually anywhere you want. In addition, hydroponics gardening requires much less maintenance than a normal garden would. In fact, you will usually spend less than five minutes a day maintaining your hydroponics garden. Every few weeks the nutrient solution will have to be replaced, but that too will only take a few minutes. While some heavy fruiting vegetables like tomatoes and peppers may not be able to thrive in the nutrient solution, almost all other types of flowers and vegetables will just fine in a hydroponics garden.

Tips for the person new to Hydroponics Gardening.

While hydroponics gardening might seem difficult to a person doing it for the first time, you will be able to quickly get the hang of it. Just like you need gardening supplies for a regular garden, you will need hydroponics gardening supplies for hydroponics gardening. The most common method of hydroponics gardening is the passive system. In the passive system, plants will sit directly in the nutrient solution. Because the solution might cause the plants to rot if not oxygenated, all passive systems come with an aquarium air bubbler, which will oxygenate the nutrient solution. If you find the hydroponics gardening method that is right for you, you will soon be enjoying all the gardening hydroponics vegetables, flowers and fruit that you could possible want.