It’s a great time to start planning your spring garden and flowerbeds.  You can go to the library or get on the internet and do some research on what plants, flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables do well in the area you live in.  You will have more to choose from the further south you live but that doesn’t mean you have to give up color all together.

I could list a bunch of my favorites but they may not work for your region. Instead, don’t forget to look at the large variety of grasses and shrubs that have some beautiful rich colors that can enhance your typical blooms from perennials and annuals.  Also do some research on climbing vines and roses and other great plants that can be used to accent walls or other areas like arbors, pergolas and decks.  Having a great garden is not being lucky; it’s learning what grows in your region and sticking to those indigenous species that are native to your area.  If you want to plant some other types, you will find having a greenhouse to be invaluable.

When you think about garden paths what comes to mind first is high priced paving stones, flagstone or brick.  However, there are some less pricy choices that can be made.  One is wood mulch.  This choice is for a much more casual path or informal setting.  You can find it for free in some areas that have municipal composting site.  Gravel is not free but can be bought in bulk at a good price to give you a nice garden path at an affordable price.

If you’re looking to put in a specific walking path that covers any slope on your property, recycled railroad ties work very well.  They blend into wooded settings and are a recycled material.  The bad news is that they can be pricy and are hard to work with.  However, you may have the perfect garden path right out in your yard.  Consider bringing more of your garden out into the yard and turn the grass into the path.  Consider your lawnmower’s ability to turn when mapping out the path.  Have fun and be creative!

An idea you may want to try in your ever improving and growing garden paradise is the inclusion of little garden rooms.  It’s a simple but brilliant way to create small enclosures and alcoves of your favorite outdoor structures, features and treasures.  You may think that you need a really large garden or yard to do this and that is true to some extinct.  However, you can do less rooms and more focused areas for a smaller yard.

Doing this allows you to gather together grouping of items to make every room perfect for you.  Using one or more small to medium greenhouse kits is also fun so you can incorporate your beautiful flowers in those areas and keep them blooming year round.  It’s wonderful to walk through the snow in the garden and see those colored blooms in the mist of winter.  Just fun and stunning.

Whether you are visiting relatives during this Thanksgiving Holiday or staying at home, think about doing something that you don’t normally do this time of year; visit a public garden.  There are some very interesting gardens that are open year round and many of them are FREE!

Of course you will need to check either the internet or by phone to find out if they are open year round and check their schedule, but this is a great way to get outside or stay indoors as many gardens feature growing houses or large greenhouses during the fall and winter months.  Who knows, you may just have a lot of fun.

I haven’t talked about this in a little while but thought I would bring it up again as I continue to hear that people are putting off healthcare and eating at McDonalds to save money in the current economy.  Eating right is a great way to hedge your bets with your health and fast food is not the way to eat well.  That’s not to say that I am against enjoying a Big Mac from time to time but there are ways to eat well without spending a great deal of money.  You can also go in with family members and invest in a garden that will let you grow your own vegetables and herbs and share among yourselves.

When it comes to your health, you can’t get started soon enough and if you don’t have room for a garden you have a couple of other options.  One is a raised bed that you can put on patios or landings that work well.  The other option is to eat locally.  Find farmers markets or vendors that sell produce at their place of business since these are normally a little bit less expensive due to not having transportation costs tacked on top.  Coupon shop and save where you can but if at all possible, please don’t sacrifice your health.

So you want a fantastic garden year-round?  You can have it as long as you understand that the shape and look of your garden, just like your body, is highly dependent upon the underlying bones that support the wonderful flora.  Winter will expose those bones and give you an entire season to envision keeping what you like and changing what you don’t.

Look at the framework of your garden; the structures that you either use or would like to use along with the trees, shrubs and vines that grow in and around your yard.  You can use the style of your house to pick and choose what will look best in your garden, either man-made or natural.  Using natural plants is wonderful and you will need to keep in mind the size and expansion of the plants as they reach full bloom or full growth.  Whatever you do, choose your bones carefully so when they are laid bare they still look incredible in the dreariest dead of winter.

Every once in a while you run across and great resource that you just want to share with everyone you come in contact with.  Well, I have found such a resource at GardenGuides.com.  This website is divided into sections to help you get right ot your topic as quickly as possible.

The topics right off the bat are Garden Plants; Garden How-Tos; Garden Resources, Garden Pests; and Garden Supplies.  Another great resource is the Garden Community Section and the Garden Forums where you can find answers to most any garden related question you may ever have.  It’s just a great place to start no matter if you are a garden pro or a beginner.

Check with your favorite home and garden store to find out what kind of plants do best throughout the seasons in your area as well as those that flower at different times during the same season.  Varying the planting during the season varies the blooming times.  Incorporate long and short flowering perennials as well as foliage plants, trees and shrubs.  Once these are put together within your planting beds you should have a wonderful sustaining garden throughout the seasons.

Many people brush the idea aside due to the time and effort involved.  That is especially true for winter gardens but winter gardens are entirely doable and have wonderful benefits.  In fact, winter produce grown by you will simply taste better than its store-bought equivalent and typically contains more sugars by being exposed to the colder climate.  That is what makes it taste so much better!  It is also higher in vitamins because of the rate at which it is eaten after production (hopefully right out of the garden) and won’t incur any damage through the labored and long shipping process.

Another huge benefit to winter garden is that you’ll be able to control how your food has been handled and grown – if it’s been doused in pesticides or not.  You won’t be able to get over how enjoyable it is to plant, tend and harvest delicious foods in the midst of the dreary days of winter.

Have you ever heard a Realtor talk about showing a home?  They often tell their client to bake cookies or bread right before someone comes to the showing.  This wonderful fragrance reminds them of home and childhood.  Just like that fragrance, flowers bring the smell of freshness and wonder into your home and it’s so easy to do.

There are species that enjoy shade; cineraria, salvia and hosta’s that can be placed in entry ways or breezeways or anywhere where they improve the interior of your home. You can bring in the fragrant bulbs of freesia or hyacinth when they bloom if you have planted them in planters.  Why you can even makeover a room by placing few planters at suitable locations.

Having plants in the house also improves the air quality in our home through the plants natural processes thus giving us better air to breathe.  This can all be possible by using planters for your plants both inside and out.