Yucca Edges
Yucca Edges
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 Handcrafted Earthenware with woven Bowl Yucca edges  US $45.00
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 Handcrafted Earthenware Turtle Bowl Woven Yucca edges US $40.00
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Perennials - Why We Love Them
Many of our best loved flowers are herbaceous perennials that spring up afresh year after year and make outstanding features in borders.Whether you have a cramped backyard garden or a generous plot of land around a country home, there are always places to use perennials for the varied color and character of their flowers and foliage.
The terms "perennial" and "herbaceous perennial" are often used interchangeably to mean a plant that comes up year after year and in most cases dies down to dormant roots each winter, leaving only lifeless stems. The lupine, delphinium, phlox, and monarda are popular plant examples. A few, such as the yucca and dianthus, are termed and treated as herbaceous plants even though their leaves remain green all year. Tolerance to cold depends on the kind.
Some perennials, such as the hollyhock, centranthus, delphinium, and linum, have short lives of only four or five summers. This is something that some of us gardeners overlook, because we never think of plants growing old. Yet others, such as the aster, coreopsis, and anthemis, live longer but bloom with greater freedom if we dig them up and divide them every few years. And a small number, such as the peony, may outlast one's lifetime without attention.
In the days when estate gardens were common, life was more leisurely and gardening help more readily available and affordable, herbaceous borders were popular. Generally they were about 10 feet wide and at least 30 feet long, with a background of sheared evergreens.
While the border was magnificent for many months, it required considerable space and experienced workmen, two factors that led to its demise in this country. We can still see elaborate borders in a few public, botanical, or estate gardens.
Today, in our smaller urban and suburban gardens, perennials are regaining popularity. One reason is the development of the mixed border in which perennials are grown with other types of plants, for instance annuals, biennials, roses, bulbs, and shrubs, to provide a display over a considerably longer period.
The island bed has also become popular in gardens where long borders do not fit conveniently into the design or maintenance program. An island garden, accessible from all sides, is far easier to plant, cultivate, and weed than a wide, one-sided border. The taller plants should be set toward the center, with the shorter ones around the edges. Free-form shapes are usually more effective than circles or ovals. Star or diamond shapes should be avoided because their angles are awkward to plant and difficult to maintain.
About the Author
Barbara E. Volkov and her husband Gene are a retired couple who enjoys the at home time and also tinkering around in the garden. We are always learning new things to do for our garden and enjoy sharing the information with others. Check out our website www.gardenersgardensupplies.com for more interesting tidbits on gardening.
I need help saving my yucca plant?
This plant is over 10 years old and was given to me recently. When I received the yucca plant it was very top heavy and kept tipping over so I took it upon myself to move it to a larger pot. I put the plant in the larger pot and then filled it with a mixture of manuer and compost and I don't think that was the right thing to do and I need to know how to save/fix the plant if at all possible. The soil looks more like mud and the leaves are droopy and browning at the edges 
somebody please help. It's been repotted for 2 weeks. Thanks!
As an authority on succulent and desert plants, I can confidently say you indeed blew it in the soil department. It's not uncommon because desert plants prefer very poor sandy, gravelly soil and you gave it exactly the opposite. Its succulent tissues are rotting and there's no way to tell how far up the stem the rot has traveled. That will ultimately determine whether the plant is salvageable.
Take the yucca out of the pot and remove all the soil from the roots. My bet is they'll be soft, black and stink. Put the now bare rooted plant in the shade and allow the roots to dry out completely. Yes, this goes against all that we preach about plants, but succulents are different. Once it has dried out the tissues will stabilize after a few days to a week. Cut off everything that is soft or mushy. What remains will tell you if it will survive. Let the cut ends sit out a few more days to dry the wounds with a callus. Then plant in dry sandy cactus soil mix but don't water it in for a few days. Then keep your fingers crossed and allow many months for signs of recovery.
Bright Edge Yucca
