The Inside Dirt at iloveplants.com for May 2005

In This Issue:
* Rate Your Tulips
* Bulbs for Summer Gardens
* Garden Pathways
* Wildflowers in the Garden
* The Heirloom Gardener
* Plant-A-Row for the Hungry
* Garden Bargains
* From My Garden...

Greetings fellow gardeners and a warm welcome to all of our new subscribers!

May is traditionally known as the month of flowers, and in keeping with that tradition we've included websites with information on summer bulbs and wildflowers. We're also introducing a new feature on iloveplants.com this month. You can now rate and review the different tulips that you grow in your garden. Your ratings will help other gardeners choose the very best performing or most beautiful tulips to include in their own gardens.

We've also included a website with great tips for creating garden pathways and information on a really fabulous and beautiful magazine on heirloom gardening.

Don't forget to check out this month's "garden bargains, and the latest "From My Garden..." where you can see a garden pathway in my zone 9 garden! This is a busy time for gardeners. We�re up to our elbows in dirt and loving every minute of it. Have fun creating the garden of your dreams!

Susan
Susan Myers

You can donate excess produce from your garden to help feed the hungry in America?
The Garden Writer�s Association has teamed up with Second Harvest and other local organizations that will gladly accept homegrown fruit and vegetable donations from local gardeners. Click here to learn how you can participate!


Each month we feature the BEST garden information on the Internet.

RATE YOUR TULIPS
We�ve added a new feature to iloveplants.com. You can now rate and review the tulips that you grow. Your ratings and experience with different tulip varieties will help other gardeners decide which tulips to plant in their own gardens. Click here to review and rate our list of tulips.

BULBS FOR SUMMER GARDENS
Summer bulbs are not as well known as our spring favorites. But with summer right around the corner, it�s time to plant canna, caladium, dahlias, begonias and other beautiful summer blooming bulbs. The University of Illinois Extension provides plenty of tips and advice in their Home Hort Hints Publication: Think Summer, Buy Summer Bulbs Now. Click here to read Think Summer, Buy Summer Bulbs Now.

Gather your friends together and save money on a great selection of summer bulbs at Breck�s Bulbs. First-time shoppers can save $25 on an order of $50 or more! Click here to visit Breck's Bulbs.

GARDEN PATHWAYS
Pathways in the garden invite us to wander and wonder. Creating inviting pathways in your garden is easy with the suggestions in GARDEN PATHWAYS provided by the Missouri Agricultural Engineering Extension. Click here to read Garden Pathways.

WILDFLOWERS IN THE GARDEN
Wildflowers make a great addition to any home landscape. They�re easy to grow and require minimum care. The Nebraska Cooperative Extension�s NebGuide article, WILDFLOWERS FOR THE HOME LANDSCAPE provides site preparation, planting and maintenance advice, as well as a list 42 common perennial wildflowers for use in home landscapes around the country. Click here to read Wildflowers For the Home Landscape.

THE HEIRLOOM GARDENER
If you love growing heirloom flowers and vegetables, then you will love THE HEIRLOOM GARDENER MAGAZINE created by the folks at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. It is loaded with lots of great articles, information and wonderful pictures. Click here to find out more about The Heirloom Gardener Magazine.

Garden Bargains Online
Shop now and save money!

All garden tools and ornaments at Collections, Etc. for $14.99 or less.

Save $10 on orders of $100 or greater at Plow & Hearth when you enter the promo code PHASPR. Offer ends May 31.

Free Shipping on orders of $25 or more at JoAnn.com.
Use Promo Code MAYFSA525 at checkout. Nice selection of
garden ornaments and decorations.

Great selection of bonsai trees from Bonsai Boy for under $30.

Spring Hill Nursery�s One Cent Sale. Buy one plant and get another for one cent.

Purchase summer bulbs now at Breck�s Bulbs and save $25 off a $50 order!

Reserve your fall bulbs now at Blooming Bulb and save 10%.

Get $5 off any purchase over $50 at the Better Homes and Gardens Store! Use coupon code: SAVE5

Save $20 on a $40 order for environmentally friendly garden supplies from Gardens Alive

Click here to visit Garden Bargains Online to take advantage of these specials and for more money-saving offers!

From my garden...
We've had the pleasure of experiencing a long spring this year, but any day now the heat and humidity will come to stay for awhile. Our tomato plant is producing smaller than normal tomatoes and will soon be finished altogether. I have planted a summer tomato called 'heat wave' which is supposed to keep setting tomatoes during hot and humid weather. I'll let you know how it does.

We replaced our nasturtians with cosmos that we grew from seeds, and we're nurturing a batch of sunflower seedlings that we will transplant outdoors very soon.

This month I've included a picture of a pathway in my garden. Originally this was a muddy path leading to a deck. My husband did a great job creating this path with bricks. Along the pathway we have planted bromeliads, crotons, peace lily, impatiens, aztec grass and begonias. Soon peacock ginger and caladiums will appear for summer color. Enjoy your time in the garden this month. Susan