All the Dirt on Gardening

We have a grove of trees on our back acre and have planted dozens of plant varieties back there. Based on our soil type, rainfall amount, and lack of attention (zone 7 NE OK) I can recommend some real winners. We've gardened on these 2 acres for 20 years now and these are the plants that have thrived with minimal attention. All of these are blooming now - photos taken yesterday. Viburnum shrub Daffodils planted under shade trees return every year Flowering quince in half shade  Native Phlox blooms, spreads Shasta daisies do quite well around shrubs Iris of course bloom before trees leaf out Rue Anemone spreads very slowly and blooms every spring Spicebush shrub blooms every spring and feeds Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillars Virginia bluebells - native - incredible! Spanish bluebells - thrive here Native violets feed bees, butterflies

Spring almost requires that gardeners have a few blooming bulbs in front door flower beds, in outdoor pots and on windowsills. Now that cooler weather and soil are settling in, it is a perfect time to get started on bulb projects. In our area we can plant garlic, allium, tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, fritillaria, crocus, squill, snowdrops and others, as late as December and January, as long as the ground is not frozen by then. The prettiest displays are planted in groups rather than in rows. To plant an entire bed, the bulbs can be tossed and planted where they land so there will be clusters of flowers with spaces in between. Plant bulbs twice their length. For example a 1.5-inch tall bulb is planted in a 3-inch deep hole. Plant Oriental and Asiatic lilies 3-times their depth because they root along the stems. Madonna lily is planted with the top of the bulb at the top of the hole. Be sure that the fat end of the bulb is actually sitting on soil. A planting hole dug with a trowel or...