Backyard Gardening Tips

If you’re an avid gardener, like so many millions across the country, you’re probably already a ”regular” at the local nurseries and garden supply stores. In fact, if you’ve got a free afternoon on the weekend, that’s probably where you can be found.

On the other hand, if you’re a beginning or lukewarm gardener, you may be unaware of the fun and treasures to be had at garden supply houses. Some are big DIY type places, with everything under the sun pertaining to gardening. Other garden supply shops may be specialty nurseries with smaller but select “gourmet” garden supplies.

If you’re in the novice or ho-hum group of gardeners, read on to see how simply visiting garden supply houses can become a hobby all on its own! You’ll find that, sooner or later, your interest and enthusiasm will grow and you’ll find yourself spending more time at this enjoyable hobby of all things garden.

Let’s look first at the larger type of garden supply store. These are usually the backbone of a strip mall, dominating the scene in a can’t-miss-it sort of way. Once you step inside, you might not know where to begin. These are organized like department stores, with patio furniture and cute little bistro tables having their own section. You’ll find patio table umbrellas, hammocks, gazebos, potting benches and lounge furniture.

Hydroponic equipment will have its own area, with everything you’ll need to begin a soil free garden indoors or in a greenhouse. Hydroponics is still not exactly mainstream, so the big garden supply stores have racks of brochures on the how-to’s to familiarize you with this interesting method of gardening.

You’ll start to wish your wallet would accommodate more of these goodies as you browse through the selection of fountains, DIY fish ponds, statuary, gazing globes and sundials. If nothing else, it’s food for thought: “That would be perfect in my rose garden.”

Seasonal flower bulbs in their bins, with colorful pictures above each showing the resulting display next season is enough to make you grab a basket.

In the actual nursery area, the large garden supply store carries something for everyone, from herbs and cacti in little pots to fruit trees in 15-gallon containers.

Of course you’ll find every garden tool you could think of, with garden hoses, sprinklers and irrigation systems to suit every style and method of gardening.

Smaller garden supply stores tend to specialize in their plant selections and carry unique and hand made garden accessories. Their book selections are often hand picked by the owner to be useful in the context of their stock. For example,a small garden supply specializing in orchids and ferns would tend to have their bookshelves stocked with books you’d have trouble finding on the subject.

If you have any interest in gardens and gardening and a free afternoon, take yourself window shopping at a garden supply. I can almost guarantee you’ll be back again.