Van Dycks

The Bulb Lady^®

General Tips

Using Tough Plants in the Garden

I'd rather fall in love with a tough plant - one that can take whatever I dish out (or fail to) and still thrive. It makes the entire gardening experience more rewarding, and inevitably gives better results.

Vertical Gardening – Looking Up in the Garden

Most gardeners today are dealing with patio or terrace gardens or other small-space gardens. For these gardeners, in particular, vertical accents are essential. When you begin to think vertically, it’s amazing how creative you can become.

You'll Wonder Where the Yellow Went

Yellow is the perfect color to bring life to the garden. Here’s how.

Garden Mysteries: What To Do With Overlooked Bulbs & Bare Root Perennials

Now, as we move out of wintry winds (and worse) towards the balmy breezes of spring, a common mystery that puzzles many of us comes to light, probably on a shelf in the garage or in a bag under the kitchen sink: It’s, uh, oh! What’s this bag of tulip and daffodil bulbs doing here?

A Practically Perfect Garden – Tips & Tricks

Gardeners as a breed are hopeful people. And luckily, as we gain experience, we learn a lot of helpful hints and tips that make the dream of having our own “perfect garden” all the more possible.

Plantings for Privacy

For many of us, the idea of a secret garden has a certain appeal.

Questions and Answers

Answers to customer gardening questions.

Too much rain

I never thought I'd be complaining about too much rain. But the rain this spring is getting to be too much of a good thing.

Gardening by the Rule of Threes

I’ve never actually run across an actual “rule of three” in gardening. The closest I’ve come is the rule of thumb that says that plants look best if planted in groups of odd numbers – 3, 5 or 7.

Sneeze-Free Gardening - For those with Allergies

Pollen is everywhere - you can't escape it, so the next best thing to do is to learn how to best live with it. With some careful planting, this is possible for even the most allergy-prone among us.

Creating Secret Gardens

I saw the movie “The Secret Garden” while sitting on an airplane, about as far from my own garden as I could get. And at the time, the notion that I could have a secret garden of my own seemed about as far from reality as I could get.

Spring Bed Preparation

The first step is to take a serious look at what plants will be arriving soon. Pay close attention to the conditions they require to grow. Do they need lots of sun or do they take shade?

Divide & Conquer & Share, of Course!

Gardening is wonderful! What other hobby can give you such an amazing return on your investment?

Avoiding the Midsummer Droop

There is a lot we can do in the garden now (nothing too strenuous!) that can keep it looking great throughout the season.

Gardening in the Drought Age

How do we deal with drought and still keep our gardens looking good?