Growing your own fruit trees can prove to be much more long-term cost effective than simply buying fruit as you need it from the grocery store. For the ambitious gardener living in the ideal climate, it can also be uniquely rewarding in the sense that fresh, homegrown fruit is always at arm's length

Aloe leaves are edged with soft spines.aloe image by pix29 from Fotolia.comAloe barbadensis is also commonly called aloe vera. The plant is native to Africa and grows outdoors only in zones 9 through 11 in the United States. Its leaves are about 12 to 18 inches long and are green with...

Passion Flowers are flowering vines that are native to South America. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the passion flower is an herb used to treat anxiety, often in combination with other herbs. It's name is derived from its resemblance to the crown of thorns worn by Christ on

The banana is actually an herb. However, the plant is also regarded as a fruit because the plant seeds are contained within the yellow, red, green or purplish banana fruit. Edible bananas are classified into a few main groups and subgroups. The tree's sheath, or outer trunk layers, are dark-brown an

Lime trees are an attractive addition to your landscaping. With proper care, lime trees can be grown in nearly any climate. In colder areas, trees will need to be moved to a greenhouse or brought indoors during the winter months. When growing indoors, containers with wheels are available to make mov

Also simply called dogwood, flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a small flowering tree commonly cultivated for its profusion of early spring flowers, dense crown of shade-giving deciduous foliage and brilliant red ornamental berries. The diminutive height of the dogwood makes it a popular tree for

Most birds can't resist black-oil sunflower seeds.Michael Hitoshi/Digital Vision/Getty ImagesFill the bird feeder with black sunflowers seeds and watch birds flock to it. Experienced backyard bird watchers recognize that when feeding mixed birdseed, the black sunflower seeds are the seed...

Houseplants bring a touch of nature wherever they're placed, brightening up any indoor space. These plants come with specific requirements, just like plants in the garden. They need the right amount of light, correct pot, good potting soil and the correct temperature if they're to survive indoors. S

Lotus seeds produce beautiful aquatic plants that bloom even more alluring flowers. A fully bloomed flower stands high above the water's surface with beautiful petals that can come in an array of colors. These plants are nice adornments for your personal water garden and can be easily grown in a gre

Lilium is a genus that includes plants in the lily family, which are typically grown as hardy or half-hardy bulbs. Lilies usually flower anywhere from the end of spring to summer's end. Varieties of lilies include the annunciation lily, bamboo lily, and even the lemon lily. Lilies are relatively eas

Fresh hydrangea bouquets are popular not only because of their gorgeous colors ranging from bright purple to more subtle hues, but because they do not wilt and die as quickly as more delicate blossoms. It's not hard to maintain hydrangea bouquets, but you cannot just stick them in a vase and hope fo

Cherry trees (Prunus sp) are flowering deciduous trees that grow sweet or sour cherries, depending on the cultivar. Cherry trees can grow up to 30 feet and the bark of a cherry tree is reddish dark brown with patches of horizontal markings. The wood is fine grained. Many homeowners cherish their c

Viburnum opulus shrubs yield showy flowers and bright red berries that enhance the ornamental value.Arrow-wood (Viburnum sargentii) 6 image by Valeriy Kirsanov from Fotolia.comViburnum opulus, a deciduous shrub more commonly known as European cranberrybush viburnum, features multiple...

Columbine is remarkably cold-hardy.garden aquilegia (columbine) over white background image by Tamara Kulikova from Fotolia.comSevere nighttime temperatures and cold winters are often a death sentence for flowers, as many species are highly cold-sensitive. Gardeners living in a cool...

Comice pears, properly known as Doyenné Du Comice, were first propagated near Angers, France, in the mid-1800s. The sweet, melt-in-your-mouth flesh of this stocky pear makes it one of the top grown fresh market pears in the world. Commercial growers propagate this succulent pome fruit primari

Angel trumpets are beautiful and elusive plants that bloom only at night. Also known by the names datura and brugmansia, these plants have trumpet-shaped blooms and release a sweet scent. Angel trumpets are tropical plants that bloom year round in warm climates. Although they require little care oth

Sambucus nigra is a species of shrub or small tree commonly called European black elder, European black elderberry or European elderberry. Subspecies of this plant include the common elderberry and the blue elderberry.

Bamboo is both an effective and ecological choice for fencing. It is easy to grow and takes minimal care, all the while providing you and your family a barrier that gives you privacy.

The Bing cherry tree is a cultivar of the sweet cherry or Prunus avium. Cultivators developed this cultivar in the Pacific Northwest during the 19th century. Bing cherry trees are commercially valuable and account for the great majority of sweet cherry production in the United States. Private garden

The jade tree consists of beautiful leaves and can be grown by beginning gardeners. The tree is accentuated by its single trunk and fleshy, beautiful leaves. The official name for the jade tree plant is crassula ovate. The stem of the plant is barky and will have numerous branches. The leaves have a