Gardening is one of life's most fulfilling and nurturing endeavors. It can be challenging to get it all right, though, especially when all our plants have different needs and care requirements. Knowing when to feed, prune, mulch, and divide your garden is time-consuming enough without having to worry about your plants' individual watering schedules. That's why we've put together this guide full of the best watering tips for Utah gardens and landscapes: to help you keep your garden healthy and your water consumption under control without all the headaches!

The Best Watering Tips for Utah Gardens

The best way to keep your garden's watering needs on track and improve your water consumption and overall plant performance is to ensure you're grouping your plants according to their similar watering needs. Many perennials and wildflowers, for instance, are drought-tolerant plants and can be planted together in a perennial border or container garden, while annuals should be grouped with water-loving plants—like hydrangeas—due to their higher water demands. Not only does this ensure everyone gets what they need, but you also won't give soggy feet to plants that like it dry and hot! 

Millcreek Gardens-Salt Lake City-Utah-Watering Tips and Techniques for Utah-adding mulch

Keep in mind that container plants and hanging baskets will need more water than plants grown in the ground, especially in hot, dry weather. During Utah's extreme heat waves, move your containers and hanging plants out of direct sun to prevent too much moisture from evaporating out of the soil. For garden beds, mulching will help your soil retain moisture and reduce the need to water frequently during our frequent droughts. 

When watering your flower beds, veggie gardens, and containers, make sure you soak their roots, not their leaves. Water containers and hanging baskets until water drips from the bottom, and try to water in the early morning or late evenings to avoid evaporation.

What is The Best Way to Water My Utah Lawn?

Your lawn might take a beating during the drier months, and gardeners are often tempted to keep their sprinklers running to achieve that lush, green look. As a general rule, however, the average Utah lawn only needs about 1-2 inches of water per week in the spring and 2.5-3 inches in the summer. Make sure you water your lawn early in the morning to give its roots more time to absorb any moisture before the sun's heat dries it up. Also, pay attention to the soil under your grass to make sure you're not overwatering some areas. Don't be fooled by your lawn's color; even dry, brown grass can sometimes have wet soil underneath. 

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The Rest of the Best: More Top Watering Tips for Utah Landscapes

To keep your lawns and gardens supplied with a high-quality water supply all season, we recommend collecting rainwater in rain barrels during the wetter months. Rainwater contains more oxygen than tap water, among other benefits, making it the best choice for your plants. Nobody waters better than mother nature, after all! Try placing a water barrel near a downspout to catch water runoff and use it in your garden's irrigation systems throughout Utah's sweltering summers.

Another great tip to ensure your garden gets what it needs is to set up a timed, automatic irrigation system, especially for larger gardens where access can be difficult or for landscapes that are left unattended for extended periods of time. Automatic irrigation systems are also a great way to schedule separate watering schedules for different parts of your garden, ensuring optimal watering levels for each section of your landscape, whether you're home or not. Overhead sprinklers are fine for grass lawns, but make sure you install sprinklers close to the ground for flower beds so water will reach the base of your plants and not get trapped in spreading, fanning foliage.

Millcreek Gardens-Salt Lake City-Utah-Watering Tips and Techniques for Utah-dog drinking water

These watering tips for Utah gardens and lawns are also excellent guidelines for keeping your landscapes thriving no matter the weather. If you ever find yourself in doubt about your watering schedule or a specific plant's needs, stop by our garden center in Salt Lake City, UT, for some friendly advice to help your landscape make it through Utah's dry summers!

The best part about gardening is watching our favorite perennials and bountiful annuals reach for the sun, trail over the sides of containers and window boxes, or maybe even climb a trellis for a romantic show. However, while these long-reaching beauties often take our eyes skywards, it's also important to put a bit of pizzazz into the often forgotten parts of our gardens: the ground! Not only does groundcover look gorgeous and delicate, but it also does some pretty amazing things for your garden. Read on for the inside scoop on groundcover plants and their benefits. 

What is a Groundcover Plant and Why Should I Plant Them in Salt Lake City?

Groundcover plants are low-lying plants with a spreading or creeping growth habit. Many gardeners find these groundcovers helpful in many areas of the garden for their ability to prevent soil erosion, stop weeds from popping up, and cover up patches of exposed dirt between other plants. Groundcovers can also be used instead of grass in your lawn, creating a low-maintenance alternative with less watering and feeding requirements. Places that are hard to mow, like slopes, are great places to plant perennial groundcovers like Blue Rug Juniper, creeping phlox, and stonecrop. Daylilies are also a favorite for this application.

Millcreek Gardens-Groundcover plants

The Best Perennial Groundcover Plants 

If you've got some unsightly bald spots in your Salt Lake City garden, try some of these perennial favorites to add beauty and visual interest to an otherwise empty space:

  • Creeping thyme: Creeping thyme is a great lawn alternative, though its small purple flowers and edible sprigs also make it a fantastic addition to rockeries.

  • Creeping jenny: This vigorous fast-grower has round light green leaves and blooms with stunning yellow flowers in the summer.
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  • Creeping phlox: Creeping phlox is available in varying shades of white, pink, and purple and is tolerant of both hot, dry conditions and extreme cold, making it an excellent evergreen for groundcover and rock gardens. 
  • Lamb's ear: The gorgeous and aptly-named lamb's ear is known for its velvety, silver leaves that bloom tiny purple flowers in the spring. 
  • Blue star creeper: The blue star creeper is an incredibly easy-to-grow garden groundcover with gorgeous pale blue flowers. It grows best in filtered light but will take full sun, too. 

  • Honeysuckle vine: The honeysuckle vine blooms white, yellow, or red flowers. It prefers full sun and is heat-resistant, making it perfect for our Salt Lake City backyards! 

Let these beauties add dimension and charm to your garden, whether with an abundance of flowers peeking out from a perennial border, as a unique gap filler in your rockery, or while lining the edge of a stone pathway. Many of these groundcover options are also cold-tolerant and will stay green year-round, meaning you get to enjoy their subtle beauty day after day!

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Winter Interest Groundcovers

Groundcover plants look amazing during the spring and summer months, though some of them shine brighter during the fall and winter months by adding visual interest when all other flowers and plants have gone dormant. They also provide shelter and cover for hibernating insects and other critters, making them valuable additions to your Salt Lake City garden. Here are some of our top groundcover plant picks that are perfect for the colder months:

  • Hens and chicks are a perfect addition to any Utah garden. This succulent is available in a range of colors, from greens to reds to purples, and is prized for both its heat and cold tolerance. 

  • Bugleweed/Ajuga comes in burgundy, green, and bronze varieties and can survive harsh cold winters, making it an excellent creeping groundcover for year-round interest. 

  • Creeping juniper is incredibly well-suited for Utah gardens. This fast-growing evergreen dwarf shrub retains its beautiful silver-green foliage during the fall and winter months.
Millcreek Gardens-Salt Lake City-Utah-Groundcovers for A Gorgeous Garden-stonecrop sedum
  • Angelina stonecrop sedum is a beautiful mat-forming perennial that is perfect for a fall and winter garden. The leaves turn bronze in cold weather, which contrasts quite strikingly with any surrounding evergreens. 

Adding groundcover plants to your garden is one of the best ways to fill space, keep your soil healthy throughout the year, and give overwintering critters a place to sleep until spring. It's also a great way to keep your Salt Lake City neighborhood looking amazing and adds rich diversity to the local Utah landscape. Whatever your groundcover needs for a gorgeous garden, Millcreek Gardens is here to help!

The curb appeal of your front yard is one of the most important aspects of your landscape. As the first thing people see when approaching your house, your front yard shows the world how much pride you take in your property and allows you to share your unique sense of style and beauty. It's also the first thing YOU see every time you come home, significantly affecting how comfortable and relaxed you feel in your space. If your front yard could do with a little makeover this spring, here are some of our favorite design tips to help you put it on the map!

How Do You Design a Front Yard for Utah?

There are plenty of design elements you can use to add a bit of "wow" to your front yard, even if "wow" just means making it more functional and pleasing to the eye than a patch of grass. Here are a few of our favorite front yard design trends, along with some ideas to help you incorporate them into your unique landscape:

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Flower Beds

Building flower beds in your front yard is a great way to add texture, dimension, and color. Whether you're simply planting a flower bed in front of your house or extending one right out into the yard, adding some arrangements of perfect perennials and abundant annuals will instantly make your front yard more dynamic and visually interesting. Try using natural stones or pre-made blocks to edge your garden beds, and experiment with plants of different heights and foliage for dramatic effect in your front yard. If you're into variety, you can also plant seasonal flower beds that constantly change throughout the year. 

Shrubs for Privacy

We love the look of perennial shrubs in a front yard landscape, and there are so many great choices for Salt Lake City that will give you both seasonal beauty and a ton of privacy! While we recommend planting native plants where you can, some of our other favorites for the Utah climate include Japanese rose, boxwood, Cliff rose, hardy hydrangeas, and Apache plume. Just be sure to stay up-to-date with your annual pruning to keep your shrubs from growing unruly. 

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Rock Features

Using rocks in front yard garden settings is a top design choice for many gardeners and designers alike. Not only can you use them to make fantastic retaining walls for flower beds, but you can also get creative with rockeries, stepping stones, or stone pathways. For extra dimension and a bit of playfulness, use rocks and pebbles to break up flower beds, or make your own Zen garden using pebbles, sand, and statuary. Rock areas also pair nicely with water features, like small streams to divert rainwater, waterfalls, and ponds.  

Wildflower Patch

A great way to add interest and a touch of eco-friendly fabulousness is to ditch the lawn and plant a wildflower garden! A growing trend among gardeners, planting a wildflower patch increases the health of Utah's ecosystem by attracting local pollinators and offering the local wildlife a diverse range of food sources. Perennial wildflowers are also quite drought tolerant, making them excellent water-wise additions to your front yard design!

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Trees  

Planting a tree or two in your front yard instantly adds character, stature, and a sense of permanence to your property. If you have a single larger tree, build a flower bed around its base for a bit of country charm, or plant a trio of smaller trees in their own garden bed surrounded by lush foliage, pollinator-friendly perennials, and a border of rocks. Large trees planted in your front yard are also perfect for privacy and offer shade during the warmer months. Choosing a tree with colored leaves or blossoms, like the Red Horse Chestnut, Crabapple, and Eastern Redbuds, also adds great texture during seasonal changes. 

Cottage Garden

Nothing compares to the look of a quaint country cottage, its front yard bursting full of blooms that climb, twist, and compete all the way to the front door. Cottage gardens are great space savers because you can plant perennials, annuals, fruits, and veggies together in true English style. 

If you've enjoyed our front yard design tips, stop by and visit us at Millcreek Gardens in Salt Lake City, UT, for more tips and supplies to help you take your landscape to the next level.

It can be tricky to peel your kids away from their screens and enjoy some good old-fashioned outdoor activities. However, if you provide them with the freedom to explore and get creative, you’ll be amazed at what it does for their energy levels and focus! Playing in nature is so important for your kids’ physical and mental health, and spending time outdoors each day has a profound effect on their school performance. Plus, over the summer holidays, parents always need some fun activities to keep the kids occupied and engaged.  

These Activities Get Kids Away from the TV and into Nature!

Minecraft is great and all, but kids learn a lot more from actual nature rather than the pixelated kind! Here are four nature activities that will get them out in the sunshine. 

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Help Them Start Their Own Container Garden 

Gardening is such an amazing nature lesson for kids, and you’ll be surprised by how excited they get! Every new leaf and flower is a victory worth celebrating, and they take so much pride in knowing their plants are thriving thanks to their efforts. 

Bring your kids to Millcreek Gardens and let them pick out a few plants, or ask about grabbing a lily bulb they can plant! Choose plants with similar sunlight and watering needs so they’ll be happy in the same pot. Teach them ways to take care of their favorite plants, maybe share monstera care tips with them! To make things easy and fun, give them a list of things to buy (like a scavenger hunt) such as:

  • One or two flowers to attract bees and butterflies
  • One red, tubular flower to attract hummingbirds
  • One vegetable
  • One smelly herb to attract ladybugs
  • One edible plant they didn’t know they could eat (we can help with that!)

Spend an afternoon helping the kids pot their plants in their containers, and fill out a calendar with them so they can keep up with their garden duties. This is a great time to help them learn, too. When they find out that tuberous begonias taste like sour patch candy or that they can munch on chocolate mint leaves you’ll have them hooked! Don’t worry—it’s much easier to convince kids to help with garden chores than regular household chores if you find some exciting new things to show them. Watering with the hose and getting their hands dirty in the mud always makes for a fun afternoon activity.

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Decoupage Leaf Candleholders 

Head out into nature with your kids and ask them to collect the prettiest leaves they can find. Then, put them between two sheets of newspaper and let them dry out for two weeks. Once they’re all dry, grab some clean mason jars, paintbrushes, and a container of satin or gloss Mod Podge. Get your kids to paint sections of their jar with the Mod Podge, press a leaf onto the adhesive, and then paint another layer to seal it. Once it’s all covered, let them dry, and then add a tea light to each jar. The light will glow through the leaf, highlighting all those pretty veins and crinkles.

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    Decorate a Birdhouse with Colors from Nature

    Painting birdhouses is such a fun way to get your kids interested in nature and they love the chance to see birds using something they’ve made. Make sure you buy a wooden birdhouse with open panels or ventilation holes so birds don’t overheat in the summer. Instead of super bright rainbow colors—which can attract predatory birds—opt for natural colors, like green, brown, and cream. Stick to lighter shades—dark colors heat up in the sun.

      Millcreek Gardens-Salt Lake City-Utah-Engaging Your Kids with Nature in Utah-studying nature

      Create a Sketchbook for Nature Art

      There are so many gorgeous plants and creatures to discover in nature out here in Salt Lake City. Go to an art gallery, and you’ll be surrounded by pictures of flowers, fruit, birds, and other wonders of the natural world! Pick up some pastels, watercolors, or a new artistic medium your kids haven’t used before. Collect flowers and leaves or take photos of the wildlife you see, then get them to recreate them in their nature art sketchbook. 

      If you’re looking for more activities to get your kids involved with nature in Utah, bring them to the garden center and explore! It’s a surefire way to get the creative juices flowing and find inspiration. Plus, it’s a chance to discover new plants and learn all about them. It’s basically a biology lesson disguised as a shopping trip!

        Herbs and veggies grown in a garden are not only delicious but also more nutrient-dense, free of dangerous toxins, and inexpensive organic food! However, not everyone has the space in Utah (or a yard) to grow their own delicious crops straight from their backyard. If you lack adequate space for vegetable gardening, consider growing fresh, nutritious, homegrown vegetables in containers. 

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        The Benefits of Container Gardening in Utah

        Switching to a container garden can reduce soil-borne diseases, nematodes, and weeds; if any do find their way into your garden, containers are higher and easier to access, so you won't strain your back dealing with them! It's also very easy to move containers around if your plants need more or less sun, and harvesting is quick and easy when you’ve got your vegetables closer to the kitchen and herbs within arm's reach near the barbeque.

        How to Start With Seedlings 

        The first step in growing your seedlings in pots is choosing the best container size, determined by the type of vegetable you're growing. Here at Millcreek we sell plastic trays and pots, soil blocks, and peat pots to house your mini herbs and veggies while they grow. Regardless of the size of the pot, drainage holes are essential for preventing waterlogging in your containers and avoiding root rot.

        Millcreek Gardens-Salt Lake City -Utah- Best Vegetables for Container Gardening-seedlings

        Before transplanting your veggie seedlings to a bigger container, you’ll want to ensure that they are about 2-3 inches high and that their two first true leaves have come out. You will also want to harden your veggie seedlings before you transplant them. Some best practices to follow in transplanting your seedlings are:

        1. The area you have prepared for the plant should be heavily watered.
        2. You should heavily water plants and seedling trays before transplanting.
        3. Hold it by the base of the stem, keeping as much soil around the roots as possible.
        4. Transfer the plant gently into your hole.
        5. Ensure that half of the transplant is below ground and the other half is above ground by covering it with soil.
        6. Refresh with water again.

        Best Container-Grown Herbs and Vegetables

        Some of the best vegetables that are suited for growing in containers include tomatoes, peppers, carrots, eggplant, green onions, beans, lettuce, and radishes. Herbs that likewise thrive in containers are mint, parsley, chives, basil, dill, fennel, garlic, and more! We've included some easy container-grown veggies for beginners below.

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        Tomatoes & Eggplants

        If you want to harvest tomatoes just as fruitfully as your neighbor's, container gardening is the way to go. Water your soil consistently and keep it moist but not too soggy. You may need to water your tomato plant twice a day during hot summer days, but be sure to keep these sun-loving container-grown vegetables in a spot with plenty of sunlight! They need 6-8 hours of sun daily, and if they are not getting enough light where they are you can simply move them around in their container.

        For eggplants, you will ideally want to use a container that has a 5-gallon capacity to support its heavy roots and provide optimal drainage. Like your tomato plant, your container-grown eggplant needs to be kept in an extra-sunny area, receiving at least six to eight hours of sun daily. 

        Leaves & Root Vegetables

        One of the most crucial aspects of container-grown vegetables is that the container is big enough; this is especially true for root vegetables, as they'll need deep soil to grow in, and for leaves, as they'll need space to grow back again and again. 

        When harvesting your greens, simply pick or trim the leaves, and they'll keep coming back all season for delicious fresh veggies on the table. Many root veggies have edible greens, such as carrots and beets!

        Millcreek Gardens-Salt Lake City - Utah - Best Vegetables for Container Gardening-container grown herbs

        Herbs

        Herbs have varying water requirements, but you can group them according to what they like. Plastic or glazed ceramic pots work well for growing herbs that thrive in consistently moist soil, such as basil, parsley, thyme, and mint. Herbs such as lemon verbena, rosemary, sage, and tarragon prefer dry soil between waterings. Most herbs require at least 4 hours of sunlight per day to grow well. Be sure to pinch off any blooms that sprout so your plants can focus on growing those delicious leaves!

        Vegetable container gardening in Salt Lake City is stress-free: it's affordable, saves space, and is easy to adjust if your plants don't thrive as expected. From tomatoes to squash to green onions, you will bring your kitchen pantry to life with your homegrown herbs and veggies, and Millcreek Gardens has everything you need to get started today!