Planting Orchids

Planting orchids is a common passion for people around the earth.

These kinds of flowers are usually a favorite among horticulturists. For the natural beauty which that they present is a lot of hard jobs that the gardener will have to put in. If you are planting orchids, you will certainly have to have a quite a bit of diligence to ensure that the flowers may be impeccably attractive. Here are essential issues which you need to hold in the head if planting orchids.

Orchids tend to be the perennial plants which belong to the genus identified as "Orchidaceae". Orchids are the most passionately grown plants in the globe and moreover, have been symbols for the exotic and mysterious and signify romance, extravagance. Orchids are some of the most bizarre and also diversified flowers on the globe, and they generally grow in almost every colour and any form.

There are different ways of planting orchids. In order to help the orchids grow proper all of materials provide need to be well aerated and have good water flow. Take, for instance, pot, bark of woods' trunk, coconut shell, etc. Different components like as cracked bricks, charcoal, coconut husks, etc. are most quite good for planting orchids as to offer the plants to be firmly anchored.

Certain of the orchids are demanded to become shield to grow very well. Few instances of that is the Cattley, Phalenopsis and the Dendrobium. In contrast to Vanda, Renanthera, and Morakar as they consistently need direct sunlight. Almost all the seedlings will certainly generally improve better underneath a shade because it often will help to secure from heat and raindrops.

Most of the commercial flowers are demanded to be replanted once each 5 year as then plants and flowers are no longer strong and also balanced. Fertilizer is actually essential in planting orchids.Orchids need more nutrition through their active growth and also through their different growth phase. The inorganic chemical compounds may be used. But it needs to be dissolved in water. After dissolving it, you need to spray on to the plant, both at the root and also leaves of the plants two times a 30 day.

There is definitely no specific timing for watering, but you can harm the flower by over watering. So remember not to over water the flower. Always water the plants depending upon the situation of the conditions. It is usually the extremely crucial task when planting orchids.

Sheron is an orchid enthusiast and self proclaimed orchid lover. Check out her website for tips caring for orchids and advices on pruning orchids. Make sure grab a Free copy of orchids care mini course.

Caring For Knockout Roses, Properly Planting and Pruning

Knockout Roses

Knockout roses are the most disease resistant rose on the market today. William Radler developed these resilient roses in 1988 after many years of work that started in his basement with a fluorescent shop light around the mid 70s. He started this development by crossing the best of the best with each other, then crossing that one with another best of the best rose. After years of doing this, with a number of roses, he then crossed two completely unrelated roses and so was born the knockout rose. A rose that is one of the most widely planted rose in rose gardens today. Caring for knockout roses is a breeze and they are one of the best plants to start off with if a novice rose gardener.

The knockout rose family only consists of 7 different kinds of knockouts. You may check your local nursery for what is available in your area. The mother and the original of the family is the Knockout, and then there comes the Pink Knockout, Rainbow Knockout, Double Pink Knockout, Sunny Knockout, Double Knockout, and Blushing Knockout.

Planting Your Knockout Rose

According to William, the best way to start caring for knockout roses is to make sure to plant the rose bush about 2 inches deeper than what it was originally in the pot. In other words, the soil in which you plant your knockout rose should be set higher on the rose cane than what is was in the pot. This will bury some of the canes of the rose, which ensures your plant will make it through the winter, especially in the northern regions. This also helps with rabbits, which all rosarians know how much of a pain they could be. When the new season starts there will be more than one cane than emerges from your soil ready to grow.

When caring for knockout roses, the trick to help keep them blossoming all season long is to cut the hips off before they start going to seed. By doing this many have seen them bloom for 3 weeks, rest for 3 weeks then repeatedly bloom for the rest of the season.

Pruning

When caring for your knockout roses, properly pruning before the new season starts is the best way to go. Pruning at the end of the growing season is highly not recommended since you are never quite sure how far the plant is into dormancy. Pruning or cutting back their foliage at the end of the season will not let the rose properly go into dormancy for the winter season since it needs its leaves to enter into a full state of dormancy. Always prune your plant before the growing season just above a union to help promote new growth. Be sure to use a very sharp blade or gardening sheers and cut on a 45 degree angle.

Caring for knockout out roses is easy and perfect for any backyard or landscape. All the rose gardeners and enthusiasts that I have spoken to will agree that once you start planting knockout roses in your garden, you will be hooked, and want to grow all 7 kinds. Remember deep planting and proper pruning in part with properly caring for knockout roses throughout the season will help ensure a beautiful rose garden for many years to come.

Landy Centeno has been a rose gardening enthusiast for over 10 years. He loves to plant his rose garden in spring with his wife and daughter in the Wi area. For more information on properly caring for knockout roses please visit http://www.roselanding.com

Orchid Health

3 Important Things You Must Do For Optimum Orchid Health


You've found a beautiful orchid at the store and brought it home. But now it's looking droopy and one of your other orchids appears to be a little sick. Do you know why? What has happened? What three things must you always do in order to ensure your orchids have optimum health? This article discusses those questions and provides three clear, easy to follow tips for growing orchids indoors that everyone interested in orchid gardening needs to know.

Tip number 1: Ensure your new orchid isn't contagious:

The minute you bring a new orchid into the house put it in a room by itself and plan to isolate it for 3 weeks or longer, keeping it well away from any other plants you have.. This allows you to make sure that if pests or diseases came in with the new orchid, that they won't spread to any other plants you own. Nothing fancy is needed,just place your new orchid or orchids in a separate room and check frequently, at least once a day, for any signs of disease or insects Examine the leaves, buds, and every part of the plant closely, taking special care to look at the underneath side of the leaves. If no insects or signs of illness show up after three weeks then you will know that it is safe for your other plants to place your new orchid where you actually want it to grow.

Tip number 2: Don't bother it

Once you have decided where you're going to place your orchid in your home, turn the plant so that the flower spike is getting the correct amount and kind of light - and then leave it there. You'll be tempted to turn it around as the spike begins to grow, but please note that it is important not to move the way the plant is facing as long as the flower spike is growing. If you do, the spike will twist and turn in order to face the light again, and this surely will result in a warped, distorted spike. Be patient and wait until the orchid is finished blooming. Plants grow toward the light and you want your orchid to look natural, not bent or resemble a pretzel.

Tip number 3: Provide the right pot

NEVER place an orchid directly in a decorative pot. Orchids are highly sensitive to glazes used in ornamental planters. So much so that they can become extremely ill if not die all together. However orchids are usually sold in pretty, attractive glazed pots. Such pots look good when on display and the retailers don't intend to keep them on the shelves for very long. But this practice almost guarantees that the consumer is going to wind up with a dead orchid - which they likely will blame on poor watering or other causes instead of what really happened - the orchid absorbed toxins from the glaze in the pot it was planted in and expired.Always make sure that your orchids are planted in orchid pots, and then place that container in a larger decorative pot if you wish to use one. If you have any orchids that are growing in decorative pots now, repot them at once.

Orchids aren't difficult to grow if you know what you are doing and the first step is to realize that they aren't normal houseplants. They do need a bit more care and are more picky as far as their environment goes. But with a little research and some time you can have a houseful of marvelous orchids - or at least one stunning specimen sitting on a table.

For more healthy orchid tips and information on growing orchids indoors please visit Indoor Orchid Gardening. You'll find information on topics such as orchid diseases and pests, the proper way to water orchids, orchid lighting and much more.

Orchid Gardening

4 Basic Things Your Orchid Wants

Many people new to orchid gardening find it unexpectedly easy, you really don't have to have lots of gardening experience. Everything you need to know can be picked up as you go along. Of course some people also find that their orchid simply will not bloom or even worse dies and they don't know why.

You can avoid the pitfalls many of us have fallen into, including myself, by starting out with one of the easier varieties of orchids. This is going to give you more opportunity to learn as you go and give you more room to make those simple mistakes we all make.

The last thing I want is for you to be put off gardening orchids early on by a bad experience, as I know how much enjoyment myself and others get out of it and I know you will too.

Finding the perfect orchid for you

There are some orchid varieties that can be very temperamental, in fact some are difficult for even seasoned experts to bloom. So we want to avoid these to begin with at all costs. Oncidium, Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum and Dendrobium are all families of orchids that are considered to be easy to grow. They require the same basics as every other orchid variety but are a little more forgiving if you don't get it quite right first time.

What your orchid wants

1) Water

Providing your orchid with the correct amount of water is a tricky area, there are no hard and fast rules. It depends on many factors including the species of orchid you're gardening, the potting medium it's growing in (if it's potted of course), as well as the type of container it's grown in and the surrounding temperature and humidity.

A good rule of thumb though is to only water once the roots or potting media are dry or nearly dry. You can check this fairly easily if you use a stake or a label in your pot. Pull the stake or label out and check to see if the end is dry to the touch. If it is you're probably good to go.

Some species will grow pseudobulbs which allow them to store water and nutrients to be supplied to your orchid over time. A survival mechanism they've developed to cope with prolonged absence of water. These species will require less frequent watering from you than those without.

2) Light

Again this factor varies dependent upon your species of orchid, but the majority of orchids are fairly light hungry. They will enjoy long periods of shaded or diffused daylight, 10 to 12 hours in some cases, about the same as summer time daylight hours in a temperate region.

If you are growing your orchids indoors, placing your orchids near a eastern or western facing window should allow you to make the most use of the natural daylight without exposing them to too much strong midday sun.

If your growing your orchids in your garden try to make use of the natural shade provided by plants or structures. If you're struggling to provide enough light for your orchid you could invest in some grow lights to enhance the length of available light.

3) Fertilizer

This will be largely down to the type and quality of water and the species of orchid. Some potting mediums may also have an impact on how you feed your orchid too. Fir bark for example contains bacteria which will leech nitrogen from the water and potting media, so you should use a fertilizer with a higher nitrogen content to compensate for this.

4) Air

Orchids are largely epiphytic, although there are still many terrestrial species, which means that they grow above ground nestled on trees and branches. Their roots remain exposed to the air and are specially adapted to absorb moisture this way.

You can recreate these conditions in your home or garden by either mounting your orchid or using a potting medium. Potting mediums are course loose materials supplied in different grades of either natural or man made materials. Of course it's important that you supply your orchid with a potting mix suitable to it's requirements but the principal remains the same. The mix should allow for good drainage and air flow.

Happy orchid growing!

For more information, you can visit his website at http://www.orchidgrowingcentre.com/ more more tips and info on orchids and orchid gardening

Rose Garden - Hot Ideas

Tips and Tricks To Growing A Better Rose Garden

A lot of people love roses, and that's hardly surprising. When your rose bushes are thriving and covered in blooms, they look absolutely stunning. But if you're just starting out with a rose garden, it's not always easy to know how to arrange your garden to make it as attractive as possible. There are many difference factors that you need to take into consideration when planning your rose garden, including more than just what color the flowers will be.

Start by taking a look around at the various resources available to you. This can include rose gardening books, magazines, and websites on the Internet. Browsing can give you lots of good ideas, but here are a few to get your started.

First, how much space do you have available in your garden for roses? Once you know the space available, you will be able to work out how many rose bushes you need to plant. This is also dictated by the type of rose you choose, and some can be placed quite close together, whereas others, such as climbers, may need to be as much as twelve feet apart. If your rose garden area is small, it may be wise to choose miniature roses for the best effect. These are very attractive when they are planted closely together in a garden bed.

Next, think about colors. Do you have a favorite rose color? You might want to design your rose garden around that color there. Perhaps you want to create a pattern with different colored roses, or just find roses that will complement the color of your house. Many people find growing red and white roses alternately in a rose garden makes a pretty, patterned effect. If your house is a shade of peach, however, you might like to choose a mixture of peach and yellow roses instead.

Also, think about what plants you want to put around the base of your rose bushes. For part of the year roses are not particularly attractive and can even be a little bare, so it's good to have some other plants to fill in the gaps in the rose garden. Choose plants with flowers that blend well with your roses. They don't necessarily have to be the same color, just complementary. For example, a low growing purple flower would go well underneath a row of peach roses. Red blends well with pink or white filler plants.

Now that you've worked out exactly what effect you want in your rose garden, it's time to begin the preparation process.

Maintaining Your Rose Garden With Beautiful Roses


The sweet smell of roses presents an overwhelming reason to start a rose garden. Some roses bloom for several months at a time, and have a strong and beautiful scent. Not only The sweet smell of roses entice you to start a rose garden but the beauty and color of roses. .

Roses symbolize love, beauty, war, and politics but mostly love. Poets have written about the rose, singers have penned songs in its owner. But the Rose stands on its own as a testament to the greatness that is nature.

The rose that carries the name of William Shakespeare is an extraordinarily beautiful rose. There are several categories of roses. This particular species is a shrub rose. The bloom is very large and very fragrant. The individual blooms are 4 inches across and have full petals. The rich fragrance has a hint of the smell of violets. This a beautiful much sought after rose. However, the rose requires a high maintence gardner.

'"William Shakespeare' is one of the Austin roses that has been relegated to the "collectors item" group. This shrub produce some magnificent blooms. If you are willing to give this rose the special care it needs, it can be a most beautiful rose.

There are as many variations of roses as there are reason for stating a rose garden. The decision comes down to what are your personal preferences With such a large choice for the kinds of roses you can grow, the real choice is how much work are you willing to devote to growing roses?

The following questions can be answered to make your final choices.

What colors do you like best. Choose the color of roses based on your preferences for color and combinations of colors. You can match the surrounding scenery. You can create a unique new color scheme. Roses come in so many variations of color that your choices are unlimited.

Surprisingly, size is a consideration when choosing roses for your garden. You want to calculate the height that the rose will be at maturity. Some roses bushes can grow up to fifteen feet in height. Will your fence or house accommodate this size? If space is limited you can always choose miniature roses.

Decide the climate requirement for the roses of your choice. The rose catalogues will provide you all the information you need to make a wise choice regarding the ideal climate for the rose you want to grow. Choosing the right roses for your particular climate and soil conditions is a very important consideration. Purchase roses that can accommodate the climate where you plan to plant them.

Maintaining your rose garden will be easier if you have taken the color, size and climate requirement into consideration. Some roses are bred to be very disease resistant. Although the William Shakespeare Rose is a very beautiful roses, it is not disease resistant and would not be a good choice for a low maintenance rose garden.

A new rose landscaper may want to choose landscape roses as your first project. Landscape roses are easy to care for and disease-resistant. These roses will grow lush petals. The will grow up the garden trellises to enhance the beauty of the area. Add climbing roses to the landscape roses to create a beautiful and colorful landscape. Although climbing roses look similar to landscape roses, climbing roses have been trained to grow upward like vines. Your first rose garden will a beautiful tribute to the Barb.


For more helpful rose gardening tips [http://www.rose-gardening-made-easy.info] to growing a beautiful rose garden be sure to visit Rose-Gardening-Made-Easy.info where you will find an abundance of information to include autumn, spring and summer rose gardening tips [http://www.rose-gardening-made-easy.info/Summer-Rose-Gardening.html].

Floral Arrangements: Silk Orchids, Hydrangea and Roses and How to Use Them

Flowers can make a stunning difference to any room's decor, but they do more than that, they lift the spirit at the same time. Not long ago, silk flowers were only a poor imitation of the originals, but in the last two years stunning, botanically correct silk flowers have hit the market and it is changing the way we look at floral arrangements. No longer poor cousins, silk flowers are an art form in their own right, floral arrangements large and small set the mood in any room and can compliment any decor.

Amongst the first flowers to become truly realistic were orchids. These precious hot house flowers were once used to adorn hats and expensive garments. Now silk orchids, in stunning colors from red through rust, orange and yellow to the always popular white, pink and lilac, can be used to decorate rooms in quite different ways. For a country house look choose orchids in deep rust in a brown or oriental container. For a modern, minimalist look, a tall floor standing orchid is ideal, while for sophisticated settings white moth orchids, in pots or vases, will always be the perfect choice.

Hydrangea are the latest flowers to become truly realistic. While gardeners are generally familiar with the blue, pink or white varieties, silk hydrangeas can be found in far more colors. a search through flower catalogues will show that these are often true to life, green and deep red hydrangea do occur in nature, most real blooms change color quite a bit as they age. Hydrangea's are ideal for silk florists as their large, showy blooms can create beautiful arrangements, but they can also be divided and wired to add to other flowers. Hydrangeas can be sophisticated in red or white, while blue and pink varieties are ideal for cosy cottage style decor. Use deepest burgundy for Christmas centerpieces and pale blue wherever you have the need for blue flowers, they'll always look far better than other varieties in colors nature never thought of.

New realistic, real touch silk roses are nothing short of amazing. Botanically correct in their details many pause to touch and smell them. They are available in a wide range of colors and configurations and unlike most other flowers roses are suitable for almost every decor. But, while open, full blown roses are wonderful for county house arrangements or a cottage style, closed or bud roses are more suitable for a formal floral arrangement.

The most versatile of silk flowers, a white rose, looks wonderful alone in a small glass jar on your kitchen counter, as a summer table-center, or mixed with berries and ivy on your Christmas buffet display. White is a versatile color, but white silk flowers can also be painted using paints and markers. If you need to complete your room decor with a floral arrangement that picks up just the right shade from your drapes, consider tinting the edge of a white silk rose and creating your own, new variety.

Silk floral arrangements are ideal for every modern home. They need no maintenance, they wont leave water marks or drop dead petals, they just brighten corners and bring smiles.

About this Author

Jane Alexander Ogilvie is a self-confessed flower enthusiast and certified interior designer who enjoys everything to do with flowers, whether natural or artificial. She particularly enjoys searching out the best silk flowers and floral arrangements in order to make them available through  website Certain Style Flowers

Rose Arrangement The Professional Way

Roses are the most universally loved flowers.

They are used in all types of floral arrangements, from a single rose in a bud vase to large mass arrangements, centrepieces, gift boxes, tributes and wedding designs.

Roses look wonderful used in traditional and modern floral arrangements.

There are literally thousands of different varieties, ranging from tiny miniature roses to large full roses.

Roses come in almost every shade imaginable including white, pastels such as pale pink and soft peach, bright colours such as yellow and orange and deep tones such as dark burgundy.

Red roses are traditionally used to say "I love You".

Roses are ideal for weddings, because they come in so many shades, that it is relatively easy to match the colours worn by the bridal party. Roses are generally available year round. Roses can be in short supply in Winter, but this is not a problem, as they are flown in by air from other countries all around the world.

Roses are named after famous people, and it is considered a great honour to have a rose named after you.

People who have had a rose named after them include Queen Elizabeth, President J F Kennedy and Barbra Streisand.

Roses can be arranged in a vase on their own or with foliage such as leather fern, ivy or eucalyptus gum. Using foliage will make the arrangement look fuller and will help hold the rose stems in place.

When you receive a bunch of roses or pick roses from the garden, there are a few tips to help them stay fresh for the longest possible time.

Buy or pick roses when they are half open. Very tight buds may never open, and the petals may fall after a day or two with roses that are picked when they are too open.

Carefully remove any damaged outer petals by holding the base of the petal between your finger and thumb and gently lift the petal out.

If just the edges of a petal are damaged, you can carefully trim off the damaged part with a pair of sharp scissors, just inside the outer edge of the petal carefully following just inside the petal for a natural look.

The flowers will have the maximum life if you re - cut the stems under water. To do this, fill a deep bowl or sink with water. Hold the ends of the rose stems under water on an angle and cut about 5cm (2") from the ends of the stems on a slant with a sharp pair of cutters or a knife.
A small drop of water will cling to the end of the stems and help prevent air bubbles forming that can shorten the life of the flowers.

Remove the lower leaves from the bottom third of the stems. Leaves standing under the water line will pollute the water. It will become cloudy looking and the flowers will not last nearly so long.
Place the flowers immediately in a bucket half filled with water, preferably with a flower preservative added to the water, and allow them to have a long drink for at least 4-5 hours before arranging them.
Flower preservative are usually available at garden centres.

By using foliage such as leather fern or eucalyptus gum with the roses it will make the arrangement fuller and help hold the rose stems in position. Strip off the lower pieces of foliage that will come under the water line and give them a long drink in water before using them.

A vase, about (18-25cm)7-10 inches high, is a good size for an arrangement.

Half fill the vase with water and, if possible, add flower preservative to help cut down on bacteria.
Cut the foliage stems to the desired length. They should be at least one and a half times the height of the container and place the stems in the container crisscrossing them on an angle so the foliage tips extend over the edges of the container. Fill in the centre with foliage.

Add the roses cutting each one to the desired length. For good balance, if the flowers are different sizes, place the smallest ones to the outer edges and have the largest flowers in the centre.

Leave a space between the flowers heads, so they are not over crowded. Spray the arrangement lightly with water.

If using florist foam, soak it in water for a few minutes and secure it in the container with a plastic gaud or pot tape, crisscrossing it over the top of the container and down the sides of the container for about 5cm (2") and then arrange the roses in the foam following the same guidelines above .

Place the arrangement in a cool place away from direct sunlight, heater, draught or air conditioner.

After Care -Top up with water every couple of days.

Some of the roses will last longer than others, as they wither remove them.

When you only have few roses left, you can re-cut the ends of the stems and re-arrange them in a smaller container.

By following these simple care tips, you will have received the maximum amount of pleasure from your roses!

About this Author

Fay Chamoun is the principal of Floral Art School of Australia and International Floral Design School. For details of our Floristry Diploma Classess and Home Study Correspondence Courses please click onto http://www.floral-art-school.com.au

Fay Chamoun(c) Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. You are welcome to publish this article as long as you use it in its entirety with our live web site link and contact details intact.

The Art of Orchid Arrangement

Orchids have got the stature of becoming the most renowned flowers that are since ages used in beautiful flower arrangements largely owing to their fragrance, colorful beauty and the poised elegance that it airs.

Orchid arrangement is also used increasingly, due to its prolonged existence along with freshness. It mesmerizes the environment in which they are adorned and create an atmosphere of soothing beauty that rejuvenates the soul. The orchid arrangement serves both as a flower to beautify the interiors of a hall and also, as a gift item, especially orchid bouquet in wedding ceremonies. Moreover, the orchid arrangement can be utilized to adorn the outdoor ceremonies as such nuptials or perhaps a party. Flowers are considered to be the best way to make an individual feel good and orchids are perhaps the ideal ones for accomplishing this goal.

Guidelines for Orchid Arrangement:

Few of the finest kind of orchids are phalaenopsis, dendrobium and vanilla orchids. For creating rare and very elegant orchid arrangement, these finest types of orchids are united with several other beautiful and exotic flowers. The fact that orchids are just blessed with so much of exquisiteness makes it appear splendid, with any kind of floral arrangement. However, few flowers that simply look excellent with the orchids are lilies, roses, carnations and daffodils. In essence, these gorgeous flowers add a touch of beauty to the already exotic orchid flowers and the arrangement simply complements the orchids. The orchid arrangements as per the symbolism stands for luxury, wealth and most importantly love. The orchid arrangements comprises of very dazzling hues that serves the best purpose of a get well soon gift. The arrangements of orchid flower are accessible through the local florists at any time of the year. Though, it is very simple to make the orchid arrangement on own. The basic pre-requisite for this is a container, few fresh orchids, water, greenery akin to ferns or palm leaves and a beautiful orchid arrangement is ready to spellbind the soul. In fact, orchids are so full of innate beauty that it does not even require any special arrangement. Simply, pose them in bunch and there they are ready to roll.

Overview:

The grand orchid arrangement, especially the white orchids usually signified a time wherein only the few wealthy as well as discerning elite could afford such grandiose luxuries in their homes. Since long, orchids are associated to be the territory of few rich people, as these flowers are very exotic and add a touch of exquisiteness to the floral arrangements. The orchid arrangement was best utilized as a centerpiece of very grand places. Irrespective of planning to decorate the place as subtle or simply ravishing, an orchid arrangement can do the trick. Few orchids last long if cut, typically the thicker or waxier the flower is the probability of orchid lasting long is high.

If you would like to learn more about Growing Orchid and receive a FREE Newsletter on the subject visit the authors site http://www.growingorchidhelp.com

Secrets to Caring For Roses

There are very few flowers as gorgeous and well known as a rose.

They are recognized in almost every country, and have been around for thousands of years. With a little gardening knowledge you can start growing your own rose bushes. Having numerous roses in the garden is easy and rewarding. With some more understanding of garden care you can have great success with caring for your roses.

There are so many different types of rose bushes. There is a different type of rose to suit any preference, color, shape, taste, or anything you could imagine. When you understand the needs of a rose- it can be very easy to care for your rose bushes. Roses should be planted in a good, sunny place. They require at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day. Some rose bushes are rumored to grow well in shade, but even these roses need four to six hours of unfiltered, direct sunlight. Good soil is also needed when caring for roses. The soil can be enhanced with a little compost.

Pests will sometimes target your rose bushes. Rose bushes are susceptible to many different types of harmful pests like caterpillars, aphids, rose slugs, thrips, mites, Japanese beetles, rose midge larva, rose cane borer, stem girders, scale insects, and rose chafers. After identifying the type of pest on your rose bush there are a few different ways to correct the problem. If only a couple harmful bugs are on your rose bush you can try picking them off and disposing of them yourself. Just make sure to remove the leaf the bugs were on because they could have laid eggs. If your pest problem is more serious you can use natural or synthetic chemicals to help solve the pest problem. Always follow the proper directions when handling these kinds of chemicals. Natural or organic chemicals can also be harmful to people if they are misused. If you don't really want to use chemicals you can try getting some insects or animals to hunt the pests. Ladybugs and some wasps will eat the harmful pests without damaging the rose themselves. Check your local garden supplier for more options with pest control.

Pruning rose bushes is another big part of rose bush care. Also known as deadheading, this helps produce more blooms. If the bloom fades the rose will set seed and stop making new flowering shoots. Pruning also involves trimming the dead twigs and training the rose bush to grow a certain way. Pruning is a vital step to keeping your rose bushes healthy and beautiful.

No garden is truly complete without at least one type of rose bush. If a rose bush is taken care of correctly it can bloom from June until winter. Roses are beautiful additions to the home, and make wonderful gifts. With a little bit of care you can have a perfect rose bush giving unlimited roses


For more great tips and advice on Caring For Roses [http://expertrosecare.com/index.php?p=1_4_Caring-For-Roses] visit [http://expertrosecare.com/].

Caring for Orchids, The Flower of Beauty

Orchids are probably the most recognizable flowering plants on Earth. They are ingrained in American society and culture as much as roses, apple pie and baseball.

The biggest problem people have when taking care of Orchids, especially when just starting out is watering. Orchids like it damp, not wet and swampy.

Orchids do not need much attention. They need enough water to keep the growing media moist and they like to get dry between heavy watering.

The root network on an Orchid is its' foundation and this foundation will start to rot if they are constantly in standing water all the time.

Caring for Orchids is a tricky thing sometimes. They need it wet, but they also need to be dry. This sounds like an oxymoron or contradictory statement, but as you learn more and get more experience with Orchids this will make more sense to you.

The primary goal for anyone taking care of Orchids is to simulate the Orchids' natural environment. Orchids normally grow in an environment that only has two seasons; the wet season and the dry season. We on the other hand, live in an environment with four seasons.

If you are going to be growing Orchids you need to understand this. Orchids like moisture and dampness, but for a part of the year, they like to get very dry between heavy watering. They have a genetic predisposition to getting dry.

The root network of an Orchid is elevated. It is like that for a reason. The root network will rot if it stays wet and this network is elevated for the purpose of ventilation. If you want to be successful at growing Orchids then you need to be successful at caring for your Orchids' root network.

Do not go crazy with a bunch of electric fans, but it is a very good idea to make sure your Orchid has sufficient airflow over their exposed root network.

The water and food they take in should be inside the root itself while at the same time the exterior of the root should be dry. This a contradictory balance that needs to be met for anyone to be successful when growing Orchids.

Caring for and growing Orchids is not like keeping your lawn green, but it is almost as easy when you understand the principals. Water them, feed them, but do not over water or over feed them.

When your Orchid starts to spray out blooms, your patience and caring will be rewarded.

Allen Stoner runs a website dedicated to orchids. For more information on caring for orchids, visit http://www.orchidideas.com.

Women and Flowers

Flowers and women have a very major relationship in between them that sometimes ignored creates problems and sometimes taken into consideration relieves a relationship from many problems. The woman - flower relationship has been taken into consideration from ages taking from the recent modern age to the medieval times of the kings. The kings used to develop very big gardens for the sake of pleasure of their queens. Flowers are the eternal symbols of love. In this modern era of technology, with mobiles and internet people have forgotten the significance of the flower.

If you are thinking of taking Flowers for your date on the first date, there can never be a wise decision than that. The flowers need not be expensive, but remember to take in a fresh bunch of flowers and it should not be red roses - Your date may feel a little uncomfortable. If you want to gift roses, you can take in a bunch of yellow roses. For flower varieties, it would be better if on the first date you would limit yourself to Tulips, Lilies, Asters, etc. Just pick up a fresh bunch of flowers and present it to her.

With increasing number of dates, when you feel that you are growing serious about her, just surprise her with a bunch of Orchids and you are directly going to land in her Good Diaries. But remember orchids are quite expensive but what does expensive have to do when you are going to filter into the mind of your beloved. Then who the hell cares about the money!

Now as I talked about flowers, don't just pick up any bunch of flower for your date. Like don't make a mistake of presenting a bunch of Poppy to your date as these flowers symbolizes death and that too at the beginning of a relationship. As I have already written about some flowers to be presented at which levels, let me give you a serial representation of which flowers are most suitable for which phase of relationship.

The first incarnation of love, I am going to talk about, is of course, the Red Rose. This red rose symbolizes love, longing and passion in the most clear-cut format possible. But remember, you should not give it at any moment of the relationship. It's better to give at the moment of time when you think that you are ready for the relationship and are serious for it. Next comes the White Jasmine. This is the best way of showing affection in the public. If it fails for its looks, the exotic fragrance of these flowers would make by showing the love and care. Next in the line comes the Carnations which has different meanings for different colors. The white Carnations stand for chaste and pure love whereas the dark red one stands for meaningful love and admiration. The fourth one standing for love is Ambrosia. This flower stands for mutual love and adoration. There can't be a better token than this for an engagement or after an acceptance of a proposal. Lastly, but one of the most important flower is the Orange Blossom which stands for ultimate fondness. This flower shows an everlasting love for the person and for genuine liking. This one should not be given for a casual date and if the affection is perfect it could be sent any day.

Almost 95% of the time we are confused about what we should do in our first date with an excellent woman. I hope that the little bit of information provided above would increase a little bit of confidence of yours on what flowers should you gift in your first date and more possibly afterwards too.

Now listen very carefully. If you want to get the full scoop of dating and seduction techniques get to UNDERSTAND DATING right NOW or you may regret it in the future. Act now to understand the unspoken secrets your partner behaves! What Does a Woman Think. Or if you want to turn yourself a magnet whom no one can resist, this is a Must Click for you.

A Red Rose - The Traditional Symbol of Love

The traditional symbol of love is to present a luxury red rose, thorns from the stem removed, and simply tied with a red ribbon to the one you love on Valentine's Day.

Although traditionally it has been men who send messages of love and affection via flowers in recent years many women are also choosing to openly acknowledge their love and affection to the men in their lives by sending them flowers.

Velvety red roses remain the most favourite flower to send on Valentine's Day, closely followed by deep red carnations. Modern growing methods and importing quickly via air freight has enabled florists to include the most luxurious exotic flowers and foliages from around the world into their Valentine's Day floral arrangements.

For an unusual and sensual contemporary floral arrangement why not opt for Anthuriums. Their waxy heart shape and suggestive creamy spike flowers with dark green foliage make for the most dramatic display. Available as a single flower arranged with a variety of foliages and berries, complete with a vase, offers a unique and stylish alternative to roses.

A hand tied trio of Anthuriums presented in a ceramic vase and interspersed with luscious foliages would make a real talking point in both home or office. For those who do not wish to be too daring by sending the passionate red variety of Anthuriums these stunning flowers are also available in the most delicate pink which look beautiful against their natural dark green leaves.

Vase arrangements comprising of a single red rose and beautiful yellowy coloured orchids skilfully arranged with a variety of green foliage offers a striking way to say 'I love you'.

Orchids with their Oriental appearance and long display life are becoming one of the most popular exotic varieties of flowers to send on Valentine's Day. Gorgeous cerise pink and creamy white Thai orchids presented with lime green coloured foliage makes for a truly striking display which is sure to please and brighten anyone's heart.

A variety of the most wonderful pale creamy yellow, palest pink and cream Cymbidium orchids with their deep red speckles offer a whole new dimension to sending and receiving flowers. Simply tied with raffia and complete with a stylish vase these exotic flowers are perfect for sending to both homes and offices to impress the recipient in a most spectacular way.

For those who prefer to remain with tradition a whole host of flower arrangements which include roses is widely available from high street and online florists. From simple striking bouquets made up entirely with a mixture of different coloured roses provides a delightful token of love and affection ideal for both men and women to send and receive.

Roses and lilies make a great combination when arranged together with an abundance of lush foliages. Offering the best of both worlds in keeping with tradition and introducing a touch of the more exotic. These beautiful hand tied bouquets or floral arrangements presented in stylish vases are the perfect choice of Valentine's Day Flowers to send to someone you love.

Flowers Direct is one of the leading florists delivering Valentine's Day Flowers throughout UK and around the world

Five Popular Orchid Species

There are virtually thousands of orchid species found throughout the world.

Dendrobium

You will likely want to choose a plant that produces beautiful flowers. However, you will also need to consider the type of environment that you can provide. This article will discuss some of the most popular orchid species.

Dendrobium

This is one of the most popular varieties. These plants produces either twins or triplets of three inch flowers. The flowers come in colors of red, white, orange, and purple. Dendrobium orchids can go relatively tall, so you need to make sure you provide stability with a stake. During the summer months, you need to give them full light, humidity, and provide warm temperatures. They like less humidity and heat during the winter.

Cattleya

Cattleya

One of the next popular orchid species is the Cattleya variety. These plants produce white, yellow, rose, or purple flowers. They are also well-liked because of their beautiful scent. It's best to grow them in temperatures ranging from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Vanda

Vanda

Up next are the Vanda orchids. They are quite exotic and liked because of their unique design. The flowers emerge from the bases of the leaves. The leaves themselves grow from the plant's single stalk. These plants can produce between five and 20 flowers each bloom.

Laelia

Laelia

Laelia orchids, cousins the Cattleyas, hail from Mexico. They flower in the fall and winter. The flowers range from white with yellow markings, yellow with red markings, and white with rose and purple lips. Laelias prefer plenty of light and temperatures ranging from 60 to 65 degrees.

Cymbidium

One of the final most popular orchid species is the Cymbidium. Flowers can be colored either white, brown, green, or red. After being cut, they last longer than most other types. Therefore, they are commonly used to create corsages. You should grow Cymbidiums somewhere that is no more than 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cymbidium

Now you know some of the most popular orchid species. If you want to try your hand at raising one of these beautiful plants, stop by care4orchids.com to learn all about caring for orchids. As you just read, there are many different species, each with their own requirements. So, stop by today to become an expert at growing orchids.

Orchids Versus the Traditional Rose

Orchids spark more emotion in more people than perhaps any other flower.

Yes, many of us might hold roses as the most emotion-inducing flowers. After all, roses are the flower most associated with romance in our culture. But in truth, most would consider an orchid to be a much more romantic gift. Who would not choose an exotic and wild orchid (and often rather expensive orchid) over a typical backyard rose?

There is much more of a culture behind orchids. There are so many people that are extremely passionate about orchids - whether these people collect and grow phalaenopsis orchids, cymbidium orchids, and dendrobium orchids in their homes, whether they travel around the world taking photos of wild orchids, or whether they spend years of their lives trying to find the perfect hybrid to make a truly black orchid... some people are just crazy about orchids and pursuing them is their life goal!

Of course, you do not have to be absolutely crazy about orchid plants just to love them. Perhaps you have just one orchid flower that you love and care for dearly. Or, perhaps you love and care for that orchid flower a little too dearly, and you end up over-fertilizing it or over-watering it. And, of course, such actions will surely lead to the demise of your beloved orchid plant!

Orchid care can be rather tricky, and sometimes, it seems, only seasoned orchid growers can master proper orchid care. In truth, though, there are quite a few species of orchids that practically anyone could grow - it is just a matter of providing the right growing conditions and the right orchid care.

Even if you are not growing an orchid plant of your own, you can surely appreciate the beauty of any orchids that you might see in photographs or in another person's home. There is just something hypnotic and tantalizing about orchids.

Again, there are likely some of us who prefer roses to orchids, but perhaps this is simply because roses are more common - roses are everywhere - and people have not yet had enough exposure to the beauty of orchid flowers.

Indeed, although there is much more of an orchid-culture than a rose-culture, it seems that references to roses appear in our overall culture much more often. Just take a look at poetry! Take a look at tattoos, even!

Nonetheless, the love of orchids is a love that will burn brightly in a culture for as long as orchids still exist. There are so many different orchids out there in the world, it is practically impossible to not fall in love with at least one species, or type. After all, there are dendrobium orchids, Thai orchids, white orchids, blue orchids, phalaenopsis orchids, cymbidium orchids, and so many more!

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on orchids,please visit Down Under Orchids.