I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a rose of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green. Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mosses from and Old Manse

A Gardening Plant Is a Wonderful Sight


There are many wonderful sights around the world including both natural and man made wonders. A stroll around the neighborhood or even your backyard will demonstrate that wonderful sights are close at hand in the form of gardening plants. These come in different shapes, sizes, colors and temperaments, but these plants are truly wonderful. A careful look at the houses in the neighborhood will demonstrate that the most attractive homes are the ones that are festooned with plants. The gardener that planted and raised these gardening plants arranged them to enhance the beauty of the entire property.

One of the most beautiful gardening plants is the rosebush. These come in different shapes, colors and sizes, and they can be used in different ways to enhance the beauty of the home. Roses are plants that can take the place of a small fence in the front yard. These gardening plants produce gorgeous blooms and dark green leaves that will be much more attractive than a plain colored fence. Roses bushes placed around the perimeter of the yard will delineate your yard in a stunning manner. A beautiful rose bush placed strategically around the borders of your yard will keep intruders out without building an unattractive barrier.

Gardening Plants Come in Many Varieties

Roses are wonderful gardening plants that immediately come to mind when planning a garden, but there are many plants to add beauty to the home. Hydrangeas are magnificent gardening plants that are hardy and easy to care for through the years. Once hydrangeas are planted they will bloom for many years. These stunning plants come in many different colors and types. A dedicated gardener will find that others will comment favorably on a striking hydrangea growing in the garden.

There are many other gardening plants that add class to any home. Zinnias are attractive flowers that add color and interest to the look of a home. These are fairly easy to care for so once planted the busy gardener does not have to spend hours caring for the plants in the garden. Once a gardener has some experience with gardening plants that are easy to care for, he or she might venture into growing other plants. Orchids are magnificent, and although more difficult to cultivate, these gardening plants do grow in the proper conditions in home gardens. A gardener can find plenty of advice to help with cultivating gardening plants.

Latest News:

Five Great Things To Do With Coffee (Besides Drink it!)
By Hannah Jennings

 I have developed quite a sophisticated palate in my older age. I like my beer dark (Guinness), my wine strong (Zinfandel), and my coffee dark, but not burned.

I also like to not waste things. It pains me to toss the last drops of coffee down the sink. Coffee doesn't grow on trees (Well, it does actually, but not here in the US). I have found several uses for the remainder of the pot after my slightly-over-doctor-recommended- acceptable 3 cups of coffee.

Use #1 - Freeze in ice cube trays to make iced coffee with. Watery coffee is gross. Especially when you start with the perfect mixture of coffee and milk. Then the ice melts and it is just, well, yuck. Frozen coffee all but eliminates that problem. Sure, the coffee is a bit stronger toward the end, but oh, so preferable to the alternative.

Use #2 - Use instead of water in all chocolate and desert related recipes. Chocolate cake with coffee in the mix is like having a dark, rich, indulgence that doesn't require you clean up after him. It is just that good.

Use #3 - Occasionally waters your plants with a 50/50 water/coffee mix. The caffeine is good for acid loving plants. Other houseplants like African Violets can benefit from the nutrient-rich compounds. All of my plants, from the violets to the roses, are always a little perky a few days following the once-a-week mix.

Use #4 - In the morning use a little coffee in your facial wash to both awaken your senses, lift your mood, and tighten those lines that formed during the night. The acid will help slough off dead skin cells, and create a more radiant you. Then you can drink your cup of coffee (or three) and feel how great you look.

Use #5 - If you use organic coffee, then saves those grinds. I use an old sour cream container and then once-a-week deposit the remains in my garden. Our soil here is very calcium rich so the acid in the coffee seems to really balance things out. If you find that you have a lot of acid in your soil naturally, then save the grounds to add to a neighborhood compost pile.

See, coffee isn't just excellent for drinking. There are a lot of really great uses that will help you stretch every dollar you spend. Waste not, want not and all that sort of a thing that our grandparents knew about. Besides, it means that I get to create more reasons to go to my "Happy Place."

Hannah Jennings is the Co-Founder of Nectar of Life Organic Coffee Company. Nectar of Life is a gourmet coffee roaster that specializes in shade grown, certified Fair Trade organic coffees. Visit their website at www.nectaroflife.com to learn more.