A rose is a perennial flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colors. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. It is a common error to refer to roses having thorns. But thorns are modified leaves, whereas these sharp protrusions on a rose are modified epidermal tissues (prickles). Most are native to Asia, with smaller numbers of species native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Natives, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance.

Enjoy this image gallery with all kind of roses.

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Kalanchoe/Bryophyllum is one of the genera under the leave succulent family Crassulaceae. The other genera, such as Echeveria, Crassula, Pachphytum and Aeonium, from the same family are far more popular. Their diversity of compact and symmetrical forms (compact rosettes or 4-angled column) make them very very attractive to succulent collectors. While Kalanchoes/Bryophyllum may not have such geometrical neatness in their form, they win many of the hearts of succulent lovers by their wide range of leaves shape and colour. They are also more robustness. Kalanchoes/Bryophyllum can tolerate more neglect, more water, and of course one of the easiest to raise from stem or leave cuttings. Several species are so robust and propagate themselves so freely that they are considerated notorious weed in the tropics and subtropics. Several examples come to mind: Bryophyllum delagoensis (syn. K. tubiflora), B. daigremontianum (syn. K. daigremontiana), B. ‘Houghton’s hybrid’ (a hybrid of B. delagoensis and B. daigremontianum created by A. D. Houghton in the 1930s), are all commonly named ‘Mother of Thousands’1,2. Others such as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and its many varieties are very common popular indoor flowering houseplant.

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Strategically located at Dubai International Airport, the Dubai Flower Centre is a new hub of growth for the floriculture industry in the 21st century. With the explosive growth in global trade of flowers and perishables, there is an increasing demand for innovative logistics and commercial solutions to enable the industry to reduce transit times, improve quality and grow profits.
The Dubai Flower Centre has been designed to meet these needs. With construction on this ultramodern facility already underway, the first phase of operations, capable of handling up to 150,000 tons of flowers and perishables, is scheduled to go live in Autumn of 2004.
The Dubai Flower Centre is committed to delivering on this opportunity by providing:

Increased capacity and connections to and from major global trading points
Rapid consolidation and trans-shipment
The world’s best cool chain management
Resources and facilities to enable cost effective value-addition
Facilities and support to enable efficient commercial transactions

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A new blog about cancer

Justin was diagnosed with AML Leukemia on 5-5-08

Paul:I was born in a small village in southern Ontario, Canada in 1934 to bilingual French parents (both now deceased) and had 6 sisters and 3 brothers.

Do you want to now their stories?

www.blogagainstcancer.com - A blog against cancer.

This is the month for pruning shrubs and roses, dividing perennials, sowing tender plants and mulching fruit trees. Follow our guide to keep your garden looking its best.

Order bedding plants

Order fuchsias, geraniums, marguerites and other young plug plants from mail-order suppliers. It’s also a good time to order summer-flowering bulbs, such as dahlia, gladioli and eucomis.
Pruning roses

Remove any dead, diseased or damaged stems from roses this month. On bush varieties, cut stems back to an outward-facing bud, shortening them by about a third or half. Watch our video clips of rose pruning to get more tips.
Pruning shrubs

Prune away one or perhaps two flowering shoots from large mahonias each year, after flowering. This will encourage a succession of new replacement shoots to grow up from the base. Old, leggy shoots can be cut right down to ground level or you can stagger the length of stems to create a more interesting shape. The stems of dogwoods, willows, hardy fuchsias and ceratostigma should also be pruned back hard this month to encourage fresh, brightly coloured new growth. Cut down tall stems on Buddleia davidii to emerging shoots lower down the plant, shaping the shrub to control its size.

Read the rest of the article on BBC Website

Flowers Growing learns you how to say Happy New Year in different languages around the world.

 A
Afrikaans: ……………….…Gelukkige nuwe jaar
Arabic:…………………….…Antum salimoun
Austrian………………………A guads Neichs Johr olle mitanand!

B
Bengali:………………………Shuvo Nabo Barsho

C
Cantonese……………………Sun nin fai lok!/Sun Leen Figh Lok!
Chinese:……………………..Chu Shen Tan
Czechoslovakia:…………..Scastny Novy Rok

D
Dutch:………………………..Gelukkig Nieuwjaar

E
English:………………………Happy New Year!
Eskimo:………………………Kiortame pivdluaritlo

F
Finnish:………………………Onnellista Uutta Vuotta
French:……………………….Bonne Annee

G
Gaelic:………………………..Bliadhna mhath ur
German:……………………..Prosit Neujahr
Greek:………………………..Kenourios Chronos/Chronia Pola!

H
Hawaiian:……………………Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew:……………………..L’Shannah Tovah
Hindi:…………………………Subh Nab Bars
Hungarian:………….………Boldog Uj Evet Kivanok/Boldog Ujevet!

I
Iraqi:………………………….Sanah Jadidah
Irish:………………………….Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit
Italian:……………………….Buon Capodanno

J

K
Kisii:…………………………..Somwaka omoyia owuya
Khmer:……………………….Sua Sdei Chnam Thmei

L
Latin:……………………………..Volo omnes felicem novum annum habere!
Laotian:.……………………..Sabai dee pee mai

M
Mandarin:…………………….Xin nian kuai le!

N
Norwegian:…………………Godt Nyttar

O

P
Papua New Guinea:………Nupela yia i go long y
Philippines:…………………Manigong Bagong Taon
Polish:…………………….…..Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
Portuguese:…………………Feliz Ano Novo
Punjabi:………………………Nave sal di mubarak

Q

R

Russian:………………………S Novim Godom

Romania:………………………. La multi Ani!

S
Serbo-Croatian:……….…Scecna nova godina
Singhalese:………………….Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak:………………………..A stastlivy Novy Rok
Spanish:………………………Feliz Ano Nuevo
Swahili:……………………….Heri Za Mwaka Mpya
Sudanese:……………………Warsa Enggal

T
Telegu:………………………..Noothana samvatsara shubhakankshalu
Thai:……………………………Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish:……………………….Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

U
Ukrainian:……………………Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku
Urdu:………………………………..Nayya Saal Mubarak!

V
Vietnamese:………………….Chuc Mung Tan Nien

You  can also read How to say Merry Christams in different languages. 

Flowers Growing wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Enjoy this wallpaper!

Maybe the most important part in growing strawberries is to know and understand the differences in the three strawberry types: June Bearing Strawberries, Ever Bearing Strawberries, Day-neutral Strawberries. Then strawberries are easy to grow, because you “treat” strawberries how they deserve. You’ll enjoy more strawberries!

June Bearing Strawberries

June Bearing Strawberries are voluptuous fruits producing in the Spring. They are very popular strawberries also because of the abundant harvest. You’ll be sad because won’t get a crop the first year. This can be a disadvantage in growing June Bearing Strawberries. You can grow these voluptuous strawberries in either matted rows or hills.

Very known are matted row system and hill system to grow June Bearing Strawberries. It’s not difficult and you’ll learn how to do it all by yourself.

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Strawberries are the number one fruit crop for home plant­ings. Strawberries may also be grown as a cash crop in large home plantings.

On the other hand strawberries are a versatile, highly nutritious fruit. One cup of fresh berries supplies more than the recom­mended daily adult requirement for Vitamin C.

You should be able to harvest at least a quart of berries per five feet of row, if follow good strawberries cultural practices. Usually, an initial planting of about 125 plants will provide plenty of fresh strawberry and enough for freezing or preserving for a family of four. Strawberries are tasteful fruits and you can prepare many recipes with strawberries for your family or kids: strawberry ice cream, strawberry salad, strawberry jam, strawberry muffins or strawberry pie and the list can keep going. What do you say? I think we have just convinced you to plant strawberries in your home garden, thus can be sure of strawberries freshness.

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Voles, deer, and birds are the three major vertebrate pests of fruit plantings. Voles are mouse-like mammals that eat the bark and roots of young fruit trees and thorn less blackberries in winter and are frequently a serious problem. Deer consume the new shoots of fruit trees. Birds damage the fruits of blueberry, cherry, gooseberry, and grape plantings.

Two different vole species cause problems: the meadow vole (which lives aboveground) and the pine vole (which lives belowground). During the spring, summer, and fall, voles eat vegetable matter and seeds. But in the winter they feed on the bark and roots of young trees, often girdling and killing them.

To assess whether or not you might have vole problems before they do damage, place half an apple under a shingle or a 1-foot-square piece of plywood in a grassy area near your trees. Check it the next day. If the apple is completely gone, you’ve got problems that need treating. If there are only a few nibbles, voles are probably present, so you should keep monitoring and consider control measures.

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A home fruit planting carefully selected, properly located, and well managed can enhance the home landscape, provide high‑quality fruits and serve as a satisfying hobby.

Though is about Apple, Pear, Peach, Plum, Cherry, Apricot, or Strawberry, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Grapes, Persimmon, the home fruit garden requires considerable care. Thus, people not willing or able to devote some time to a fruit planting will be disappointed in its harvest.

Growing fruit at home can be fun and provide your family with fresh, flavorful and nutritious food. The benefits are many:

• You can grow large amounts of fruit in a relatively small area

• Fruits are a good source of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and fiber

• If you carefully choose the kinds and cultivars (varieties) of a fruit before you plant, you can harvest dessert-quality fruit from early summer through the fall

• As an added bonus, the fruits you grow will taste much better than the fruits you find in the grocery store.

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Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a member of the lily family. It has been grown for more than 2,000 years and is quite popular in the home garden today. On the other hand Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin A and contains significant levels of calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, thiamine and Vitamin C.

Asparagus characteristics:

Asparagus is a perennial and will produce for many years when properly planted and maintained. It has underground storage roots and compact stems called rhizomes. The roots store food and the rhizomes produce edible shoots or asparagus spears. If the spears are not harvested, they rapidly develop into fern-like bushes 4 or more feet tall. The foliage produces carbohydrates, which is again stored in the roots.

Asparagus has both male and female plants. Both sexes flower and the female plants produce small, round, red berries in the fall. Female plants do not live as long or produce as well as male plants.

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The Rose is a flowering shrub of the Rosa genus, being a part of the Rosaceae family. We admit the rose’s distinction as the “queen flower”, so called because of its symbolism and variety.

By hybridization, the specialists had made the greatest change on the rose’s aspect, adding more petals. A rose had had only five petals, as the wild roses and those who are growing on the end of the road are having now. Except them, all the roses’ species have numerous petals. That’s why the Greek origin of the “rose” word means “30 petals”. And it’s not all: there are more than 30 thousand rose’s species with different colors and flavor.

We have to point out that, after a laboratory work, was created the blue version of the rose. So called “blue roses” were traditionally made from dyeing white roses. But the true blue colored rose appeared in 2004 using a genetic process, by conventional hybridization methods.

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Spring flowering bulbs are planted in the fall. Late September is the time to begin, but spring bulbs can be planted up to December as long as the soil is not frozen solid.

In spring, nature unlocks her treasure chest to reveal the beauty of bulbs. The glorious displays in gardens and parks are the result of gardeners who plan ahead: Tulip, Daffodil, Hyacinth, Alium bulbs (Flowering Onion), Amaryllis, Anemone (Windflower), Chionodoxa (Glory of the snow), Crocus, Erythronium Pagoda (Trout lily), Galanthus (Common snowdrop), Ipheion (Spring Starflower), Leucoium aestivum (Summer Snowflake), Muscari armeniacum (Grape Hyacinth), Pansy.

How to plant bulbs

· With bulbs, it pays to buy the best. Smaller, low quality bulbs may be somewhat cheaper, but the effort of planning and planting is the same. The results are much more rewarding if top-quality bulbs are planted.

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Fruits look so good that are irresistible. Further their leaves shine in the sun and the flowers radiate a sweet and seducing scent. The citric are one of the most ornamental and fascinating houseplants. The citrons, oranges and other citric grow well even on sunny terrace, beautifying and flavoring it. If well placed and correctly attended, the citric become splendid houseplants.

Orange (Citrus sinensis) needs a lot of space. Different orange species are easily to care.

Variedated Calamondin Orange (Calamondin variegata) is a citric species whose leaves are creamy spotted and young fruits have a decorative streaky face.

Orange – Calamondin (Citrus mitis), widely known as calamondin or miniature orange: small evergreen trees with beautiful shape, many orange fruits and easy to care. Speaking about soil, the calamondin needs a well-drained and fertile ground, dislikes alkaline soil. What a pity, its fruits are too sour to eat.

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