H-CK Gardening & Outdoors Page


Welcome to the
Homespun-Country Kitchen
Gardening and Outdoors Page

Flower and garden events and attractions
submitted by our members...

Wildflowers of Western Kentucky
Nottingham, England
Daffodil Hill, Amador County, CA
Views of Derbyshire, England
Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington, DC
Poppy Reserve, Antelope Valley, CA
Bluebonnets, the hill country of Texas.

Virtual Garden Homepage
Horticulture Solutions
The WWW Virtual Library for Gardening

Nan's Hibiscus Links

The Gardening Launch Pad Hibiscus
Hibiscus Links
Tropical Hibiscus Home Page
Hibiscus Hut Home Page
Strictly Hibiscus Home Page

Get Gardening Help On The Internet

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http://www.wowpages.com/nga/
At the first sign of the ground thawing in the spring, gardeners rush outside to work in their flowerbeds or vegetable gardens. Though considered "work" by many, to a gardener, there's nothing more relaxing than piddling around in the dirt and working with tender new plants.

At the National Gardening Association's Easy Seed-Starting Guide, you can "get your garden off to a good start" with their step-by-step instructions and tips from the pros. Learn the germination temperature, the number of days to germinate, plant spacing, and the amount of sunlight required. Access the National Gardening Magazine to learn about new vegetables, fruit, or roses for 1998.

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http://www.gardenguides.com/
By far, one of the best gardening sites on the Web is GardenGuides, where
you'll discover anything and everything "green." Learn how to prepare herbs, how to force bulbs, and how to grow gardens in a container.

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http://pathfinder.com/vg/
At Pathfinder's Virtual Garden, you can click on Armchair Gardener for the best gardening articles from publications such as SOUTHERN LIVING or SUNSET magazines. If you don't have a lot of time for gardening, maybe the Weekend Projects section would be perfect for you, where you can access categories such as Instant Gardening, Gardening Basics, or Backyard Builder.

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http://www.taunton.com/fg/
Fine Gardening Online Magazine offers a guided web tour of their favorite seed starting resources. Or, learn that every year, the Heirloom Daffodils signal the return of spring. Under Design, you can learn how to have a great garden in just one year, or learn how to have spring-to-fall color in a shady spot. Access a flower bloom chart, or learn how to design a water garden.

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http://www.bhglive.com/gardening/index.html
Typical of their outstanding magazine, Better Homes & Gardens offers a Gardening Home Page full of helpful features such as Gardening Maps, where you can check out the most detailed plant hardiness maps on the Internet.

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http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/problems.html
Are you having problems with your garden? Visit the no-nonsense Problem
Identification Aids and see if you can find a solution. Categories are flowers, ground covers, shrubs, and trees.

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http://www.flowerweb.nl/flowerbase/
If you're interested in flowers, Flowerbase is the place for you. The database offers over 7,000 pictures of flowers, plants, and garden plants.

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http://www.rose.org/
Rose gardeners need to stop by the Rose Resource page. Find the perfect
award-winning rose for your garden, or learn rose gardening tips.

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http://learning.lib.vt.edu/garden.html
We'll close with a comprehensive listing of gardening sites, Internet
Gardening, where you'll find links to publications, other gardeners, reference sites, gardening discussion groups, and a listing of impressive gardens to visit. If you travel, be sure to click on the Calendar of Garden Events to learn of gardening happenings in areas where you might visit.

Lowe's Home Improvement Newsletter

How to Test and Improve Your Soil
A good lawn and garden begins with good soil.
How much do you know about the
quality of the soil in your yard or garden?

How To Plant a Moon Garden
If you need a great place to unwind,
spend some quality time with loved ones or
just get away for awhile, try the moonlit
darkness of a garden.

How to Fertilize Your Lawn
If you love thick, green, beautiful lawns,
and want to have a lawn like that of
your own, you'll need to become very
friendly with fertilizer.

Chain Saws, Chippers Safe
When Handled With Care

One of the most popular tools rented by
"weekend warriors" doing yard work is
the 16-inch chain saw. If you're planning to use
one for spring or fall yard cleanup,
we've got a few safety rules to consider.

6 Service Tips to Assure
Good Lawn Mower Engine Performance

By properly maintaining your lawn mower engine,
you'll extend the life of the machine,
improve your lawn's health,
and enjoy less hassle each time you mow.

Visit the Lowe's Plant Guide
to Plan for Spring Planting

Our plant guide provides color photos
and care information for
over 600 common plants.

Burpee Seeds

Regional Gardening Reports

Virtual Garden Tour

Gardens - Neighbors

Gourmet Recipes



GardenGuides

Creating Colorful Container Gardens
Celebrate the arrival of spring with bright,
colorful flowers cascading over the edges
of your favorite container. With so many
different styles, shapes, colors, and sizes
of containers available, and a boundless
variety of flowering plants to choose from,
the sky is the limit!

Tomatoes
Newly updated guide to growing tomatoes
includes all the information you'll need
to grow top quality tomatoes, including
a handy chart that will help you
diagnose and correct your tomato problems.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas
Rhododendrons and azaleas can be planted
almost any time of year except winter, but
many gardeners prefer to purchase shrubs in
early spring when they are beginning to bloom.

Composting
Everyone seems to be talking about composting
these days. It’s no wonder. Composting provides
an environmentally sound way of transforming
biodegradable waste products into microbe
thriving "black gold."

GARDENER'S RIDDLES

MYTHS AND FACTS
OF VARIOUS FLOWERS

KEEP YOUR HOME
ENERGY EFFICIENT

It may be spring, but there's still a chill to the air.
Here are some tips to help you keep your home
snug and more energy efficient.

CALIFORNIA GEOGRAPHY
FACTS

GARDEN-GUIDES NEWSLETTER

1. Hotbeds and Coldframes
2. Thyme
3. Using Last Year's Seeds
4. Okra



BURPEE GARDEN NEWS -- FEBRUARY

Solving Seed-starting Problems

1. Solutions to Poor Germination
2. Solutions to Spindly Growth
3. Preventing Disease

Question of the Week



Garden.com

A Multi-dimensional Garden Resource

Interactive -- Innovative -- Informative



GLOSSARY OF HERBS

A Glossary of Herbs and Spices for Culinary Use



SCENTED GERANIUMS

1. Characteristics
2. Culture
3. Popular Scented Varieties
4. Craft Ideas & Cooking Recipes



HERBAL HARVESTS --
SAVING HERBS FOR LATER USE

An All-Purpose Herbal Seasoning Blend



LAVENDER SUMMER POTPOURRI



ATTRACTING BIRDS

1. Groundcovers
2. Vine Tangles
3. Thickets
4. Low Plants, Ferns
5. Perennials
6. Small Shrubs
7. Small Trees



WATER MAGIC

1. Design and Materials
2. Location
3. Safety
4. Special Magic

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This page was last updated June 24, 2002.