Spring has sprung and many of us are getting serious about our gardens again. Anyone from beginner to master gardener can use a little help sometimes. Here are some websites that might hold just the information you’ve been looking for.
BloomIQ. This website contains an enormous pictorial plant list, searchable by type of plant, type of light, zone, and other factors. A good way to begin dreaming.
The Butterfly WebSite. Butterflies and moths are the stars of the show, and the “Gardening” tab will lead you to lots of suggestions for attracting and keeping butterfly visitors.
Dave’s Garden. A sort of gardening Wikipedia, this site features contributions from members. PlantFiles, BugFiles, and BirdFiles will help you identify things in your garden, while Gardenology will help you sort through gardening terms, and Botanary will even help you pronounce the Latin botanical names!
Grows On You. “The community for garden lovers.” This social site is packed with photos from gardeners around the world, giving ideas for different kinds of gardens including Drives and Entrances, Pond Ideas, and Urban/City Gardens.
Kitchen Gardeners International. Loads of ideas for kitchen gardens, including a garden planning tool for those who are looking to get serious about it.
Mother Earth News and Organic Gardening. This is a “two-fer.” Two earth-friendly magazines offer lots of organic gardening hints on their websites.
National Gardening Association. This site includes how-to projects and videos, a weed library, and a seed swap. School gardening and family gardening are supported by the kids’ gardening section.
North American Native Plant Society. Interested in choosing native plants for your yard or garden? This site’s “Cultivation” tab includes a plant index, gardening tips, and instructions for creating a rain garden.
Tiny Farm Blog. If you want to live vicariously through someone else’s experience in micro-farming, check out this daily photo journal that shows the details of farming two acres for the local food market in southern Ontario.
About the Author
Kristy Quist is Tuned In editor for The Banner and a member of Neland Ave. CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich.