Posts from — September 2008

I wanted to let you all know that I’m now writing at a new site–Blissfully Domestic. It’s funny because I don’t think of myself as particularly domestic. I’m a workaholic who hates cleaning! But I am domestic in many ways, I love crafting, cooking, and especially gardening. I love the idea of being blissful, it reminds me of Joseph Campbell and following your bliss. One of the things I have learned to value and appreciate is what a difference it can make in my own life if I can come home to a place that I love, with people I love and beautiful, bountiful surroundings. Blissfully Domestic has gathered an amazing group of bloggers to write about all aspects of home life, so go check it out!

I love coming home to cheery flowers on my patio or front step. Geraniums are great easy perennial plants for patio gardening. When I say geraniums are great for a patio garden, I don’t mean actual Geraniums, although they might be nice as well, I mean pelergoniums. What’s the difference?

photo credit: Mommy of Five

Here’s an actual geranium. It’s a member of the genus Geranium, sometimes also called “cranesbill.” Geraniums are a great plant for the front of a perennial border, but they aren’t what most people think of when one says “geranium.”

photo credit: TANAKA Juuyoh (????)

Here’s what most people think of as geraniums. This plant is a member of the genus “Pelargonium.” It is a great plant to grow in pots on a sunny patio because it tolerates hot, dry conditions well. Pelargoniums also bloom over a long period, brightening up your patio all summer.

The common pelargoniums found at your local nursery will most likely come in bright colors such as hot pink, orange, or fire engine red. If very brightly colored flowers aren’t your style, you might consider planting “scented geraniums” on your patio instead. Scent geraniums are pelargoniums bred so that their leaves give off familiar scents. My favorite is “rose geranium” which has a wonderful scent of roses, soft fuzzy leaves, and lovely light pink flowers. Scented geraniums can actually be used as an herb to a their scent to sugar or baked goods. Once you discover how easy to grow and beautiful pelargoniums are you might even start collecting different varieties for your patio garden.

photo credit: shimgray

Technorati Tags: geraniums, growing geraniums, growing pelergoniums, pelergoniums, scented geraniums

photo credit: themissiah
One of the most difficult things about getting settled in a new home, is getting your garden restarted. I like to start with areas near the house, like patio gardens. Patio gardening can be very different than gardening in larger spaces because you need to be very conscious of the microclimate of your garden. One of my favorite things to grow on my patio is succulents, like the jade plant pictured above.

Plants in pots are much more sensitive to variations in temperature and moisture than plants whose roots have room to spread and find the nutrients and water they need. Because of this you have to plant your patio garden carefully, paying attention to sun and shade, wind and water.

Succulents such as jade plant, aloe, and hens and chicks seem to prefer to be neglected. (Whenever I pay too much attention to a succulent plant I manage to kill it with over watering.) They tolerate hot dry conditions extremely well, which is exactly the type of microclimate that tends to prevail on most people’s patios. I have also grown succulents well in partial shade, so don’t worry if you don’t have a super sunny spot.

The important thing is not to overwater your patio succulents! Water about every two weeks. I’m sure I have let my plants go longer without water and I have never killed them from lack of water. If you live in a colder climate, you will have to take your succulents inside when the weather turns cold, but they make fabulous easy care houseplants in a sunny spot.

Succulents are also traditionally associated with positive qualities. Most people know that aloe is a great remedy for burns and skin irritations. Jade plant is also called “money plant” because growing it is suppose to attract wealth to your home. Hens and chicks is a plant that was grown by the ancient romans to ward off lightening strikes. Including these lucky plants in your patio garden can’t hurt. Growing such easy plants will make you feel lucky to have discovered them.

Technorati Tags: growing succulents, Patio Gardening, succulents