Gardening could be of very importance and use at the same time. People that are carrying out gardening know how beneficial and advantageous it is for them and in what manners it affects their life routine and regime. Not only do people get time for the proper caring procedure for the plants but they could [...]

Growing orchids in a greenhouse or on the windowsill means that they are naturally isolated from the pests that abound in our gardens. However, once a pest has entered the greenhouse, the environment that has been paradise for the orchids becomes paradise for the pests. With no natural predators to control them, pests and diseases [...]

These are three distinct genera of orchids that must have come from a common ancestry but are now so distantly related that, although they look and grow alike and have much in common with each other, never interbreed. image source Cypripediums and paphiopedilums are very popular orchids in cultivation and those who grow one genus [...]

Encydias are widely distributed throughout tropical America, both north and south, and the islands of the West Indies. They are bulbous orchids producing either long and slender or short and fat pseudobulbs, with terminal foliage consisting of two, three or even four leaves. Flower spikes are always produced from the top of the pseudobulb, generally [...]

The Odontoglossum Alliance is a huge group of orchids, at the centre of which is the genus Odontoglossum. These plants will readily interbreed with many other closely related genera, producing some of the most complex hybrids in the orchid kingdom. Sometimes up to seven or eight different genera have been involved in producing a hybrid [...]

Calanthes are distributed throughout southern China, across Japan, most of India, down through Thailand, the Malaysian Peninsula and various islands of Southeast Asia. They are terrestrials, growing in various types of soil or on rocky outcrops, thriving wherever the conditions suit them best. This genus can be roughly divided into two groups, the evergreen and [...]

The genus Lycaste has always been popular with amateur growers. These Orchids are easy to grow, flower freely and have large decorative blooms. They are found mainly in the Andes of South America, with numerous representatives as far north as Guatemala and tropical Mexico. The plants grow either as terrestrial orchids or as epiphytes, depending [...]

A report in the newspapers in June 1990, highlighted the phototoxic effects of rue (Ruta graveolens) on the skin. The highly responsible article referred to a case where children playing with the flowers of plants in the garden on a hot, sunny day had broken out in painful blisters and brown stains. Doctors were baffled [...]

Rose arches have undergone something of a revival recently, though true rose lovers have always sworn by them. They were an essential feature of many gardens in the past, but nowadays tend to be found only in large parks and rose gardens. A climber or rambler grown over an arch, pergola or trellis can be [...]

Rhododendrons are exquisite flowers that boast colorful blooms atop sturdy foliage. Shades range from the palest of lavender to deep reds, even bright yellow. They are a welcome addition to any garden or landscaping project. While Rhododendrons are fairly easy to grow, they do require some special care to keep them beautiful and healthy. Here [...]