Home Renovation Blog

Make sure you like Plant Care on Facebook to be updated every time we find a great tutorial along with exciting and innovative ways to use and care for plants.

Too few gardeners know or grow Mertensia virginica, the Virginia Bluebell. Yet, it is an early, low-growing perennial thats hardy, content with average soil in semi-shade or full sun, requires no special skill to cultivate and is not bothered with insects.

Mertensia virginica has a purple tube and blue bells and theres a variety (rubra) that is pink. A combination of these two against the dense, deep greens of foundation plantings is a sight thats delicate and rare.

Used for edging driveways, walks and perennial beds, Virginia blue-bells are lovely. But loveliest of all are these flowers planted against ferns or when grown in great, rich masses. For arrangements, my favorite combination is bluebells, blue and pink, with daffodils.

Virginia Bluebells Early Spring Clusters of Blue

The Virginia Bluebells is one of the most delightful flowers in my garden in early Spring.

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“Attaboy” to the window installers: A good window install will shed water and save energy.

The flashing tape applied around the perimeter of this window is lapped in all of the right places: under the housewrap at the top, over the housewrap at the bottom, and bridging the flange and housewrap on the sides.

At the top of the window, the housewrap is lapped over the window flange and the corners are taped to seal against water infiltration. Flashing tape along the sides covers the window flange and seals it to the housewrap, which will keep water out. Placing the bottom flange outside the sill flashing and housewrap allows any water that does get into the rough opening to escape.

What you cannot see in this photo is that the perimeter of the window is sealed with canned foam on the inside for an airtight seal.

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How to Cut Clean Lines

Some people think that painting clean lines requires a surgeon-like steady hand. While that does certainly help, understanding how the eye works is more of the trick than anything.

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Design thought for the day I just love certified kitchen designer Susan Serras attitude toward trends:

Copyright Susan Serra 2013

You know whats cool about blogging for a long time? Getting to meet bloggers online and then in person. Every now and then I have the great pleasure of meeting someone Ive known online for years.

Copyright Susan Serra 2013

I think I bumped into Certified Kitchen Designer Susan Serra online about eight years ago, following her kitchen design blog. We later became Facebook friends and I always felt like I knew her, but it wasnt until yesterday at Coverings in Atlanta that we actually got to meet in person.

I am now kicking myself for not getting a picture of the two of us, but the reason I bring up Susan is because before heading off to Coverings this busy lady was down in New Orleans covering The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, a.k.a.

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Make sure you like Plant Care on Facebook to be updated every time we find a great tutorial along with exciting and innovative ways to use and care for plants.

A while ago I bought several camellias; but not until recently did I notice that the plants had only a few buds. What can I do now to insure a bigger crop of camellia flowers next year?

Its not the number of buds that determines the plants health or value. Some varieties, for example, tend to set many buds; others do not. To make sure that your plants bloom well this year youll have to work a year ahead give the plants lots of water during the summer, three feedings of liquid fish fertilizer, protection against soil pests and a mulch of peatmoss. This is good advice in the Pacific Northwest, California and other favored camellia-growing spots. In Arizona and other alkaline areas be sure that the soil is sufficiently acid.

Whats the best way to keep house plants from becoming covered with a white film?

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Projects by Michael G. Imber Architects

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  Michael G. Imber

  concept study for ranch on the Sabinal River in Texas

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  Michael G.

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