Blog

It’s Pollinator Week everybody! And that means it’s an impeccable time to cover the importance of pollination and name off a few favorite plants that prove to be excellent pollinators.

Looking to make a full-blown Butterfly Garden for local bee and butterfly populations? Or just want to add native plants that are great at attracting beneficial insects for your vegetable garden? Read on.

First, Why Make Pollinator Friendly Gardens for a Variety of Pollinators?

About 13 years ago, the U.S. Senate made the step to designate a solid week in June each year to raise more awareness about the declining pollinator populations. It has now grown to be an international celebration!

It’s the age-old question, what’s the difference between all these cherry tree varieties? Ok, so maybe it’s not considered an age-old question, but it’s certainly one many ask and for good reason.

Cherry trees are beloved across the world. Partly because of their beautiful blossoms and partly their scrumptious fruit. Picking a few off of the backyard tree makes the perfect snack for warm summer days lounging on the patio.

However, you’ll want to make sure you’ve picked the best cherry tree for the job at hand. Will you be snacking right off the tree or are you hoping to bake a county fair award-winning pie? The answer will determine which variety you want.

I Want a Pie Cherry Tree for my Cherry Pie Filling

Ok, great! Pies are superb and cherries are certainly a key ingre

Don’t let cramped apartments, downsized yards, or rented homes keep you from growing the garden of your dreams! There are an abundant amount of ways that you can achieve being an urban gardener without a vast amount of planting space. 

From small fruit/vegetable gardens to growing your favored flowers in compact spaces, we have you covered. Let's get started!

Start Using Hanging Plants 

There is no going wrong with adding hanging plants to your mini garden! Saves space? Check. Grows beautiful flowers? Check. A fun DIY project? Check! 

There are endless possibilities with starting a hanging garden and it is the p

Just getting started? Read our Selection Guide for the best Citrus varieties for container culture.

Already ordered your new Improved Dwarf Meyer Lemons, Bearss Limes or Calamondin Oranges? Congrats!

Let's get started early to prepare for the arrival of your new tree.

Finding a Suitable Pot or Fabric Grow Bag

Making good choices about containers doesn't have to be expensive. People are getting really creative in their Victory Garden designs. Go fancy if you can, or "cheap out" if you need to.

Either

Join the Victory Garden movement! It seems like everyone is adding fruiting trees and plants to their landscape, no matter how large or small. After all, one of the best things in life to enjoy the taste, fragrance and health benefits of homegrown fruit.

There is also something very satisfying about the feeling of being prepared. People all across the country are realizing how fulfilling it is to grow food for themselves, family and friends.

Beyond sowing the seeds of a vegetable garden, why not add Citrus trees in your Victory Garden design? Growing your own lemons, limes, oranges and other Citrus varieties save you a lot of money over the long haul.

Here at Nature Hills, we get asked a lot of questions about planting trees. People want to know if tree roots will grow into and damage pipes, water and sewer lines.  

Sure, it’s true that some plants have aggressive roots and some trees are very surface-rooted. Certain soil conditions may cause a tree to adapt their typical style.  

And of course, everyone's pipes are different. An old, cracked Orangeburg or clay pipe certainly tells a different story than new PVC pipe and steel pipes. 

Tree Root Growth 101

All roots are there to find food, oxygen, and water, and to anchor the plant in the soil

Harvest season is the real payoff from planting fruit trees and plants. Here are some easy tips for home gardeners interested in increasing their yields.

Imagine a continuous stream of super-fresh fruit for an entire season! The secret is planting your backyard orchard for successive ripening.

Adding Variety to Your Edible Landscape

You can buy specialty trees that have been multi-grafted. Growers graft several different varieties to a single rootstock.

Who wouldn’t want to plant a single fruit tree and then have it continually provide fruit for the entire season?

It’s a great concept and can be successful. However, please note that this does requires careful pruning to ensure that no one variety “takes over”.

Perhaps an easier and more effective solution is to incl

We almost named this blog post “How Not to Kill Your First Landscape”, but at Nature Hills, we like to focus on the positive. Whether you are getting started with Houseplants, live in a cute little condo, or rent/own your first house; caring for plants makes life better. 

Growing a successful garden is a rewarding experience. However, it can be tough to know where to start, especially if it’s your first time.

Our 10 helpful tips for developing a successful landscape design will set you up for long-term success. You got this!

1. Know Your Space

It might sound strange, but the first thing you need to do ISN'T choose plants. Instead, the first step is to get to know your physical space.

All plants have special requirements for light, air, and water. Take a loo

Biodiversity (n). the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Most of us think of our gardens as peaceful places to spend time and quite literally “smell the flowers,” but what if our gardens brought us a little closer to nature?

Biodiversity in the garden is a hot trend; the result of a crossover between gardening and ecology. Biodiverse gardens, also known as cottage gardens, wildlife gardens or mixed plantings, are all about bringing back a little more “nature” into our lives.

Unlike traditional gardens that may have five or fewer species, these nature-based gardens boast a dozen or more species. Everything is all planted together in a way that mimics their natural habitat.

As a result, the plants in these gardens are much more resistant to comm

The demand for locally grown fruit is red hot these days. It seems like everyone wants to enjoy the incredible taste, health benefits and experience of growing their favorite varieties. After all, there is nothing so satisfying as eating a piece of homegrown fruit, still warm from the sun.

Modern plant hybridizers have been inspired to create new varieties. Growers are likewise searching to revisit older varieties that might be more widely adaptable.

Here is a rundown of some of the best varieties. But first, let’s talk about what “Low Chill Hours” is and what they mean for your garden.

Chill Requirements Definition

In simple terms, chill requirements are the approximant number of cold hours (below 40 degrees and above 32) that accumulate between the start of fall and late January. There are a numbe