Beautiful gardens Archives - The Micro Gardener

9 Reasons You Should Grow Cosmos Flowers

Cosmos flowers (Cosmos bipinnatus, C. sulphureus, C. caudatus or Mexican aster) are showy annual flowers that offer you SO many benefits. If you’ve never grown these ornamental beauties, you may be surprised how useful these cheerful flowers can be.

Cosmos Flowers

Cosmos is a member of the Compositae or Asteraceae family, just like their ‘cousins’: sunflowers, marigolds, yarrow, daisies, zinnias, lettuce and dandelions.

These easy care flowers are perfect for a full sun position in your garden or a pot, growing through spring to autumn.

Not surprisingly, the name Cosmos comes from the Greek word ‘kosmos’ which means ‘beautiful’. Aww! These flowers come in many colours and grow tall with attractive feathery leaves. I encourage you to find a pot or tiny space to sow a few seeds.

“Texture and foliage keep a garden interesting through the season. Flowers are just moments of gratification.”– Kevin Doyle

So why grow these beautiful blooms?

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Anne Gibson2022-10-17T12:08:00+10:00Categories: Colour & Fragrance|Tags: Beautiful gardens, Bees & Pollination, Companion plants, Cosmos, Edible flowers, Flowers, seeds & seed saving|14 Comments

17 Garden Goals for Your Health and Wellbeing

Do you want to improve your health and wellbeing? If you want a garden that feeds your mind, body AND soul, what should you focus on? Want to avoid repeating the same mistakes from last year? Start fresh with these easy goals!

The process of setting your garden goals each year is easy, fun and rewarding.

A New Year is always a good time to look back, reflect and plan ahead. But you can do some planning at any time of year.

Setting goals can help you:

improve your health and wellbeing;
learn from your garden as you grow;
make more sustainable choices; and
find greater enjoyment.

Whether you’re a beginner gardener or experienced, there is always so much to learn. A garden is a great teacher! I call my garden ‘Nature’s Classroom.’ Every year there are new lessons and discoveries. I hope these goals will help YOU plan an edible garden you really enjoy.

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Anne Gibson2020-01-16T10:58:54+10:00Categories: Garden Maintenance, Planning & Design, Health and wellness, Problem Solving, Tips & Tricks|Tags: Beautiful gardens, garden plans, pollinators, sanctuary, small garden design, small garden design ideas, Soil, tools, watering|6 Comments

6 Easy DIY Container Garden Projects

Looking for creative DIY container garden projects? Micro Gardening in containers offers you SO many benefits. If you are a beginner or need some ideas to get started, I’ve compiled these tutorials to inspire you – regardless of your space, skills or budget!

Easy DIY Container Garden Project - I change the flowers in these bright pink gumboot planters seasonally - an easy way to upcycle outgrown boots. I also plant in my adult pairs when they split. Just drill holes in the soles! I put tiny pots into the top of this pair & they sit nicely with a clay worm as garden art.

I change the flowers in these bright pink gumboot planters seasonally – an easy way to upcycle outgrown boots. I also plant in my adult pairs when they split. Just drill holes in the soles! I put tiny pots into the top of this pair & they sit nicely with a clay worm as garden art.

4 Steps to Create your DIY Container Garden

You can make a new or repurposed planter for a herb, vegetable, ornamental or flower garden in just a few easy steps: (more…)

Anne Gibson2018-04-19T11:50:36+10:00Categories: Container Gardening, Container Ideas, How To DIY Projects & Recipes, Portable Gardens, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Beautiful gardens, Cachepot, Container gardening, DIY, Getting started, Micro gardening, Pots & containers, repurposed planters|17 Comments

Herb Spiral Design

Do you have limited sun, space or time to garden? Want a highly productive, energy efficient way to grow food? Then consider a herb spiral design in your garden. Creating a Herb Spiral close to your kitchen might be your perfect solution.

The Herb Spiral design is easily accessible from all sides: to plant, water, fertilise and harvest. This large long herb spiral has a dry microclimate at the top and a moist zone at the bottom.

What is a Herb Spiral?

The Herb Spiral is a highly productive and energy efficient, vertical garden design. You can stack plants horizontally AND vertically to maximise space. It’s a practical and attractive solution for urban gardeners. A herb spiral design is typically 1.5 – 2m (5 – 6.5ft) wide in diameter at the base and rises to 1.0 – 1.3m (3.2 – 4.2ft). The centre of the spiral is at the highest point. The spiral ramp provides a planting area large enough to fit in all your common culinary herbs.
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Anne Gibson2023-02-07T16:59:56+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Herb Gardens, Problem Solving, Vegetables & Herbs, Vertical Gardens|Tags: Beautiful gardens, Clever design ideas; Tips & Tricks, Drainage, Herbs, Micro gardening, Problem Solving, small garden design ideas, Vertical gardens|10 Comments

20 Reasons to Grow this Amazing Herb

Do you grow herbs? They can provide a whole heap of benefits from culinary to medicinal uses and even a splash of colour and fragrance. Some flowering herbs like nasturtiums really earn a special place in the garden because of the added value they provide. So check out these 20 uses for nasturtiums – they may surprise you!

20 reasons to grow nasturtiums

Colourful nasturtiums are one herb that’s easy to fall in love with. This plant is an absolute winner in my book. Whilst many think of nasturtiums as just pretty flowers, these attractive herbs have an amazing array of benefits to offer you.

There are several types of nasturtium. The one I can never get enough of in our garden is ‘Tropaeolum majus’ (commonly known as Indian Cress). Not ‘Nasturtium Officinale’ that grows in water and is often referred to as watercress!

Nasturtiums – More than just a pretty face!

Aside from stealing the limelight in any garden with their dazzling display of colour, nasturtiums are one of the most multi-functional plants you can grow. They are an ideal plant for every survival food and medicinal garden.

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Anne Gibson2023-03-13T18:12:26+10:00Categories: Colour & Fragrance, Herb Gardens, Vegetables & Herbs|Tags: Beautiful gardens, Companion plants, Flowers, Herbs, Medicinal plants, Nasturtiums, Pest management, vegetable & herb gardens|12 Comments

Create a Relaxing Garden Sanctuary . . .

Having a garden is not all about doing. One of the most enjoyable things in life is finding a nook to sit and reflect. A garden sanctuary is vital to your health and wellbeing. A place to observe, sip a glass of wine, grab a mug of steaming coffee, a book … and just ‘be.’

A garden sanctuary provides many health benefits.

“The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.” – Hanna Rion

Whether you love formal, country charm, something modern, simple or rustic – in this busy life, a place to relax is essential. A spot to restore your soul, health, wellbeing and take time out. (more…)

Anne Gibson2022-11-25T11:07:12+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Colour & Fragrance, Garden Maintenance, Planning & Design|Tags: Beautiful gardens, Clever design ideas; Tips & Tricks, small garden design, small garden design ideas|1 Comment

Ten Tips for Creating Beautiful Gardens

Do you want to create a beautiful garden? No matter how small your space, there are design principles you can apply to beautify your balcony, porch or yard.

Beautiful gardens appeal to our senses. The colours and immense diversity of design combinations, fragrance, flavours, sounds from birds and insects attracted to the plants and variety of textures.

Go for a drive around your neighbourhood and take notice of the gardens that catch your eye or next time you visit a friend’s garden, be observant and tune in to what you love about it. No doubt they will be applying some design principles and elements that apply whether they are used in art, graphics, building, interior or garden design.

“A garden is a thing of beauty and a job forever.” – Richard Briers

Simple concepts can make a HUGE difference to the enjoyment of your garden space and particularly so, when it is a micro garden. Designers use these principles all over the world to make spaces really stand out and visually beautiful. Less really can be more if you know how.

An elegant terracotta planter is used as a focal point with purple and white petunias. Understated beauty and a simple garden feature.

An elegant terracotta planter is used as a focal point with purple and white flower theme. Understated beauty and a simple garden feature.

10 Tips for Beautiful Gardens in Small Spaces

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Anne Gibson2019-03-29T09:29:44+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Colour & Fragrance, Garden Maintenance, Planning & Design, Garden Themes, Tips & Tricks|Tags: Beaut, Beautiful gardens, Clever design ideas; Tips & Tricks, Colour, Garden Planning & Design, small garden design, small garden design ideas|27 Comments

9 Reasons You Should Grow Cosmos Flowers

Cosmos Flowers

“Texture and foliage keep a garden interesting through the season. Flowers are just moments of gratification.”– Kevin Doyle

17 Garden Goals for Your Health and Wellbeing

6 Easy DIY Container Garden Projects

4 Steps to Create your DIY Container Garden

15 Benefits of a Herb Spiral in Your Garden

Herb Spiral Design

What is a Herb Spiral?

20 Reasons to Grow this Amazing Herb

Nasturtiums – More than just a pretty face!

Inspiring Small Garden Spaces

Create a Relaxing Garden Sanctuary . . .

Ten Tips for Creating Beautiful Gardens

10 Tips for Beautiful Gardens in Small Spaces

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