Latest Gardening News
Flower power and diplomacy: Versailles perfume gardens transport public back in time
VERSAILLES, France (AP) — The Versailles flower gardens were once a symbol of the French king’s expeditionary might and helped water-deprived courtiers perfume their skin. Now, they have been reimagined to give today’s public a glimpse — and a sniff — into the gilded palace’s olfactory...
How to plant a container like the pros do
Have you ever gone to the grocery store for, say, milk, and left with a cartful of impulse buys? Well, I visited a couple of nurseries last week in search of one specific plant and left with nearly everything except that plant, which both retailers had sold out. As usual, I was...
Charcoal cooking, week-long queues for gasoline: Fuel shortages slam Cuba’s countryside
MARIEL, Cuba (AP) — Rosa López, a 59-year-old housewife, lit a charcoal stove to boil sweet potatoes and prepare scrambled eggs for her grandchildren. The gas cylinders she normally uses to cook her meals have not been available for almost two months in Mariel, a port town west of Havana. ...
Tips for growing herbs (you don't even need a garden)
Culinary herbs are among the easiest plants you can grow. They only need sunlight, water, and well-draining soil with a neutral pH. You don’t even need a garden. Many herbs, such as rosemary, basil, cilantro, lemon balm, oregano and mint will grow well in containers. In fact, mints...
Don't stress your plants when transferring them from indoors to an outdoor garden
It’s prime planting time in many regions, and gardeners are flocking to garden centers for annuals, and herb and vegetablestarter plants. Likewise, those who have grown plants from seeds indoors may be gearing up to transplant them in the garden now. But regardless of their...
No Mow May? Good intentions, bad approach, critics say
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve heard about the #NoMowMay movement that’s been gaining steam on social media and in eco-conscious circles these past few years. Started in 2019 by citizen scientists in the United Kingdom, the call for homeowners to abstain from mowing...
Man kills 3, self, in dispute among Portuguese pigeon racers
MADRID (AP) — A man fatally shot three people before turning his gun on himself, Portuguese police said Sunday, in what local media described as a dispute among rival pigeon racers. Andreia Gonçalves, police commissioner in the city of Setubal, south of Lisbon, described a dispute...
Gardening is strenuous. How to go gentle on your body
Gardening is widely regarded as a moderate to strenuous form of exercise. All that bending, lifting, digging and hauling burns calories and builds muscle. But it can also strain backs and leave even the fittest among us aching the next day. And when we’re less fit, or have...
Keukenhof, Halle: Flower power draws crowds to Low Countries
HALLE, Belgium (AP) — Rain or shine, there is no way to keep budding flowers down. From the world-famous Keukenhof garden in the Netherlands to the magical bluebell Hallerbos forest in Belgium, they are out there again, almost on cue to enthrall, enthuse and soothe the mind. All...
When planting a meadow, heed conditions in your garden, yard
Wildflower meadows have been growing in popularity among gardeners, and for good reason. They’re low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, provide food for birds, wildlife, pollinators and other insects, and they’re pretty. Wildflowers are native plants, so your options will vary...
