Home Improvement

Coffee Tables

The furniture was inspired by Tudor’s design going back to Queen Elizabeth for in the bedrooms. Coffee tables grew in popularity from Victorian times and came out from the bedrooms. The tables that were part of the furniture were basically made from mahogany, rosewood, and oak. These settings often included the finest china, linens, and silver tea service on a marble tabletop. A nice tradition that has gone in the past. Today the wooden coffee tables may also be used in a more informal setting. Refreshments during a movie or sporting event in a family room or living room are common.

Victorian coffee table

Today, coffee tables in more formal settings are used for decorative accents. These tables may be made of wood, glass, wicker, marble or stone. They often display a floral arrangement, books or knick-knacks. Some families choose to use a coffee table to store books, magazines, newspapers or puzzles. Others may use it as storage for a homework center and for organizational space for families. Children may have fun spreading out their puzzles or games on a coffee table. Displayed models or puzzles can be shown off in a family room. A simple game of cards or checkers can be enjoyed by parents and children on a coffee table.

Marble topped coffee table

Unless you started a living room revolution and got rid of your coffee table, there’s a good chance it’s one of the most important pieces in your space. Nowadays your coffee table is so much more than a surface to kick up your feet or place a glass of wine. As the focal point of your living room, it acts as an anchor for your ottomans, armchairs, and sofas.

Your coffee table is such an important part of your living room, so it’s important it is designed, as you would your wall. Does stacking art books on your coffee table feel lackluster? Use your imagination by adding a plant and an art piece that has a personal touch to your living room. Or you could personalize it to suit your style. Do not forget to save space in case you want to invite some friends over to have coffee!

Container gardening, House Plants

Begonias make Excellent Houseplants

I’ve been personally perennializing my begonias for many years indoors. I can say from experience that it is super easy. Taking them in their pots in the fall, begonias make excellent houseplants. But before we get into the details, we should mention that there are two distinctly different types of begonias.

Wax begonias growing in a south window in the winter.

Actually, there are 1600. But that’s species; we’re talking about the two main types of fibrous-rooted begonias here. The “Dragonwing” begonias and wax begonias are the popular line of hybrids with big leaves and very colorful flowers—are an example of the ‘bedding plant’ type, sold as seeds or small plants and meant to be displayed in shady gardens from spring until fall, when the first frost kills them—same as other annuals like marigolds and impatiens.

The other type is the tuberous begonias. These fall into the category of ‘ summer blooming bulbs’. Like dahlias, tuberous begonias are sold as big bulbs or rhizomes (the ‘tubers’) and are typically planted in containers, so that you can easily take the root out before the first hard frost and store it indoors for the winter as they will go dormant and regrow sometime in the spring. It may be easier to buy new ones (either tubers or the actual flowering plant).

As for the fibrous-rooted begonias, I just bring the whole pot inside. If you can provide bright enough light either east or south window, they’ll bloom indoors all winter.

Flowers (annual and perennial)

Unusual Perennials

There are the usual perennials we plant in South Dakota, knowing the cold winters will not harm them. The standards, hollyhocks, hosta, peonies, etc. There are the unusual perennials than the standbys, try planting different kinds of perennials with their own allure.

Monkshood (Wolf bane)

Spikes of large purple-blue hooded flowers are held above, shiny, green, dissected foliage. NOTE: All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the roots. Deer AND rabbit resistant. Long blooming. Prefers partial shade to shade. Plant in fertile, cool, well-drained, moist soil.

Monkshood

Allium

2″ globes of purply-pink blooms flower in early summer over clumps of deep green, flattened grass-like leaves. Grows (depending on variety) 2-3 foot tall. Grown from bulbs.

Allium

Aster

Purple, white, and pink flowers for 4-6 weeks over compact clumps of dark green foliage that is disease resistant. Best in full sun to light shade and normal moisture. Blooms in later summer to freeze. Much tougher than mums.

Aster

Globe Thistle

These perennials are one of the easiest plants to maintain. They tolerate drought conditions once established and have few pest or disease problems. You can cut back the basal foliage to encourage re-bloom. The catalogs say if you do not want any reseeding problems, take off the flower heads after the color fades. I have never had one seedling that grew. Globe thistle care is minimal and you will enjoy watching the bees.

Globe Thistle

Bee Balm

The bee balm plant is a North American native, thriving in woodland areas. Also known by its botanical name of Monarda, bee balm is very attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The bee balm flower has an open, daisy-like shape, with tubular petals in shades of red, pink, purple and white. Bee balm plants are perennial, coming back year after year to add cheerful color to your garden. There are many varieties now coming in white, red, pink, and purple. The leaves can be steeped and made into a tea which the colonists used as a tea substitute.

Bee Balm

Chinese lantern

If you see a resemblance between Chinese lanterns and tomatillos or husk tomatoes, it’s because these closely related plants are all members of the nightshade family. The spring flowers are pretty enough, but the real delight of a Chinese lantern plant is the large, red-orange, inflated seed pod from which the plant gets its common name. These papery pods enclose a fruit that is edible though not very tasty. While the leaves and unripened fruit are poisonous, many people like to make use of the pods in dried flower arrangements.

Chinese Lanterns

Goldenrods

Goldenrods spring up en masse in the natural summer landscape. Topped with plumes of fluffy yellow flowers, goldenrod is sometimes considered a weed. Goldenrod plants are clump-forming perennial wildflowers that exist on rainwater and add a golden beauty to the landscape. Often thought of as the cause of summer allergies, the species is falsely accused, as the pollen from allergy-creating ragweed is present at the time of goldenrod blooms. All goldenrods are late bloomers, flowering in late summer throughout fall with stunning bright yellow flowers.

Goldenrod

Obedient plant

Growing obedient plants in the garden add a bright, spiky flower to the late summer and fall flower bed. Physostegia virginiana, commonly called the obedient plant, produces spikes of attractive flowers, but beware of your interpretation of obedient. Growing obedient plants got the common name because stems can be bent to stay in place, not for the plant’s habit in the garden. Being a relative of the mint, give it space. Varieties come in white, pink, and purple colors.

Obedient Plant