Travel Destinations & Culinary Adventures

green thumb

Welcome Spring with a Visit to Kansas Gardens and Plant Stores

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Nothing says spring like the rows upon rows of beautiful plants and flowers. Kansas is home to several bountiful gardens open to the public to enjoy. And for those with a green thumb who enjoy caring for their garden, there are plenty of plant stores to inspire their landscapes.

TAKE A GARDEN TOUR

BOTANICA, WICHITA

Get lost in the stunning beauty of nature as you tour over 18 acres of plants and statuary at Botanica Wichita (701 N. Amidon). Even after several visits, you will discover something new every time you walk through the gardens. Don’t miss the children’s garden and the Koch Carousel Gardens.

I love walking the paved paths as they wind through different thematic garden spaces. Keep your eyes peeled for Kansas native flowers and birds. Sculptures dot the landscape. You can walk through the gardens or schedule a seasonal tour or carousel experience here. Wear comfy shoes or inquire about golf cart personalized tours.

BARLETT ARBORETUM, BELLE PLAINE

Bartlett Arboretum (301 N. Line Street) is a 20-minute drive from Wichita in Sumner County. Popular events like the TreeHouse Concert Season, Tulip Time, and Art at the Arb keep die-hard fans returning yearly. It’s a natural wonderland for photographers hoping to catch colorful backdrops of tulips in the spring or fall foliage in the fall. Photographers are encouraged to schedule a Thursday evening session.

The nature sanctuary and historic landmark are seasonally open on weekends from 9 am-5 pm. Check the Facebook page to view updated information about craft workshops and events.

OVERLAND PARK ARBORETUM & BOTANICAL GARDENS, OVERLAND PARK

As soon as the first crocus bulb blooms, it’s time to plan a visit to Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (8909 W 179th St.). I enjoyed touring its many gardens via paved pathways and groomed hiking trails. arden areas have something for all ages, from wildflowers to wetlands plants at Margaret’s Pond. Bird watching stations, a sculpture garden a miniature train display with a life-sized train car deliver wow factor.

Night at the Arboretum and Wine Tasting on the Terrace events in the spring are worth checking out. Check the Facebook page for details.

Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

TED ENSLEY GARDENS, TOPEKA

What could be better than panoramic views of Lake Shawnee near a garden filled with nature’s vibrant colors? Ted Ensley Gardens (3650 SE West Edge Rd) are open to the public on nearly 37 acres of well-manicured land. Bring your camera, your leashed dog, and the entire family for a stroll through the gardens.

Over 1,500 species of flowers and plants, trails, and rock gardens are maintained by volunteers. Visitors will lose track of time as they meander through tulip-lined paths. Plan your visit from 6 am-11 pm during peak season, and don’t miss Tulip Time, a popular event.

The following Kansas walk-thru gardens are on my travel bucket list: Dyck Arboretum of the Plains (Hesston), Parsons Arboretum (Parsons), and K-State Gardens (Manhattan).

STORES FOR PLANT LOVERS

VALLEY FLORAL CO., KECHI

In an inconspicuous warehouse building in the heart of Kechi sits one of the largest plant stores I’ve ever seen. Valley Floral Co. (6200 N. Oliver) is well-praised on social media for its vast inventory of every kind of plant imaginable. They were known as a greenhouse with rows of baskets and plants to sell to commercial stores, but now they also are open to the public for retail sale most days of the week.

Prepare your car with a blanket because you’ll leave the store with potted plants and flower baskets. It’s a nice place to shop for a gift for someone, especially for Mother’s Day. View their hours here before heading to Kechi.

FAMILY TREE NURSERY, SHAWNEE

Whether you’re a novice gardener or a plant expert, Family Tree Nursery (7036 Nieman Rd) is the place to shop for botanicals and garden tools. During the holiday season, the retail store becomes a winter wonderland with a magical display of decorated Christmas trees. Visit during their fall event to enjoy live music and food. Since 1981, the Shawnee location has attracted customers to the garden center.

Café Equinox serves coffee drinks and locally baked pastries.

Family Tree Nursery Shawnee

THE STONE CHIMNEY, MCPHERSON

If you’re someone who doesn’t like the upkeep of live plants, I recommend shopping at The Stone Chimney (1500 E. 1st St.). The popular McPherson store carries a large inventory of silk plants and flowers. They are known for taking special orders for silk floral arrangements.

The backroom is filled with high-end candles and more home decor. You’ll discover bath and body products, jewelry, and battery-operated candles and lanterns in the main retail spaces.

THE FLOWER SHOPPE, PRATT

A short jaunt from Main Street, I encourage you to visit The Flower Shoppe (201 E. 4th St.). Florist Lou Lynne Moss has been designing silk and fresh floral arrangements for happy customers for years. After you place your custom order, cruise through the shop to select from the beautiful decor.

Every store corner has something you’ll want to add to your shopping haul. It’s a delightful store! Don’t be surprised if you’re greeted with puppy kisses from the story’s mascot, Louie, the pug.

WORLDWIDE CACTUS AND EXOTICS, WICHITA

It’s a small space, but many plants are ready for a new home at Worldwide Cactus and Exotics (2630 E. Central). Specializing in “cool plants and good vibes,” the store has tiered rows of new arrivals.

The owners are generous and often give away free plants and cuttings. So check their Instagram or Facebook page for details before driving to the store to stock up on all your favorites.

GROW, WICHITA

Grow (320 S. Market Suite S), with every kind of plant you can imagine. It’s a houseplant lover’s dream, plus they serve botanical-infused drinks at the bar.

Think of Grow as a one-stop shop for succulents, houseplants, and cacti. She doesn’t sell the typical plants you’d find in a big box store but caters to green thumbs wanting unique plants. The shop is well-stocked with gifts for plant enthusiasts, from notecards and magnets to coffee mugs and jewelry. View the Facebook page to view the store’s hours.

FREE STATE FLORA, WICHITA

Free State Flora (2910 E. Douglas Ave.) carries plants, fresh flowers, and dried and artificial flowers. If it blooms, you may find it there. You can’t miss the storefront as you drive by. It’s usually covered in flowers.

Even though the store’s website says it’s open by appointment only, I walked in and shopped without issue. The inventory consists of more flower bouquets and single stems than plants.

Free State Flora

WELL GARDEN INDUSTRIES, WICHITA

Located in the heart of the historic Delano district, Well Garden Industries (1440 W. Douglas Ave.) is a plant lovers oasis. Nearly every square inch of space is covered in indoor plants and cactus. Thanks to addition of an outdoor hoop house, the store will expand its inventory.

The owners are knowledgable about all types of plants, so bring your questions. They often host sales, so refer to the store’s Facebook page for updates.

Well Garden IndustriesOther Wichita stores to add your indoor plants shopping list include Dutch’s Greenhouse and Tree Top Nursery.

Do you know of a scenic public garden that should be added? Where do you spend your dollars locally when shopping for houseplants? Drop a comment below.

If you love plants but are not the best at keeping them alive like me, check out 10 Hard to Kill Houseplants You Can Leave While on Vacation. Are you ready to try indoor gardening? Follow my step-by-step instructions for How To Grow An Indoor Garden.

 

How to Grow an Indoor Garden

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Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. 

Last year, I killed most of my plants. This year, I’ve graduated to Plant Lady. If I can learn how to keep plants alive (and grow them!), you can as well!

I was curious about how to grow vegetables and herbs indoors, I had no idea how to get started. I watched a ton of YouTube videos and I asked employees at a nearby garden center questions. I purchased the supplies. Then, I got my hands dirty.

lettuce

It turns out that it is actually quite easy to garden indoors once you do your homework and follow the instructions. The process of gardening teaches you patience, a trait that carries over into other areas of your daily life. Gardening takes time, especially when you start vegetables from seed, but the results are truly incredible. The magic formula is good soil + light + water + patience = leafy greens!

I was so impressed with the results from growing tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in my first outdoor raised garden bed, that I decided to try my hand at indoor gardening. If you would have asked me five years ago if I had a “green thumb,” I would have laughed and told you to look at my indoor plants. But something changed when I took the time to research soil composition and each plant’s growth behavior. For my indoor garden, I decided to grow lettuce, kale, and herbs.

I want you to experience the joy of indoor gardening, too! Use the supplies list to shop for the items you need for your indoor setup. (I simplified the equipment as much as possible since I didn’t want to overly invest in expensive supplies.) Each item listed below is linked making shopping easy.

SUPPLIES

Sylvania Gro-Lux Bulb Housing Unit (here is a similar one)

Sylvania Gro-Lux 40watt LED bulbs x2

Steel Double Loop Chain

S Hooks

Small Fan

Indoor Plug-In Mechanical Timer

Spray Water Bottle

Seed Starting Tray

Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix

Burpee Organic Leafy Greens and Herb Plant Food 5-5-3

Botanical Interests Starter Seeds

Seed Tray Warmer (optional)

Plastic Container Pots with Drainage Holes (I also used plastic salad containers.)

HOW TO GROW LETTUCE & HERBS INDOORS

The key to giving seeds a good head start is to germinate them in water for 24 hours and then plant each individual seed in a small well of slightly moist soil (cake-like consistency). Of course, you should also read the sowing directions on the back of each seed packet to optimize results.

I placed the grow lights 4″-6″ above the soil’s surface. As the plants grew, I adjusted the lights to keep them the same distance from the tallest leaf. Setting a timer to control the on/off lighting schedule is important. I had success running the grow lights and rotating fan for 12 hours and then off for 12 hours. Why use a fan? Just as outdoor plants are exposed to circulating air, indoors plants need the exposure as well.

seed starting trays

Indoor grow rooms need to be at a comfortable temperature to give plants the best chance for success. I didn’t have to use a seed tray warmer since the basement room stays at approximately 65 degrees at all times. If you check your room’s temperature and it ranges between 65 degrees and 80 degrees when the grow lights are off, the seed trays should be okay without a warming mat underneath them.

After filling the seed trays with a seed starting soil and a bit of Burpee plant food, I used a pencil to create a well for each seed. Then, I carefully dropped one seed into each well and covered it with more soil. To keep them hydrated, I watered the seed trays from the bottom for the first couple of weeks. Later, I switched to top-down watering alternating between using a spray bottle and a watering can. I kept the soil moist but not saturated.

Soon, the seeds grew into fragile seedlings. A few weeks later, they were ready to be transplanted into larger pots until they were harvest two months later. During every stage of growth, I watched the leaves change in color and size as they grew taller all the while reaching for the light. I had the best luck growing heirloom kale, dill, romaine lettuce, and arugula. But I have to be honest, growing vegetables and herbs indoors wasn’t without challenges.

lettuce seedlings

One day, I was tending to my plantings and noticed small, black gnats flying around some of the pots. Fungus gnats! My research proved correct. The gnats came from the store-bought potting soil. Ironically, I spent a pretty penny on the best potting soil in town. But, such is the gardener’s life! To get rid of the pesky gnats, I filled shallow bowls with apple cider vinegar, a few drops of Dawn dish soap, and a bit of water and placed them around the pots. Voila! The gnats flew into the bowls and died. Mission accomplished. (After I harvested the lettuce from those pots, I tossed the soil in the trash.)

lettuce indoor garden

The learning never stops when you’re growing food from seed. Each time I was perplexed by something, I read about it or watched my favorite YouTube channel “Growing a Greener World” or searched Google. In the end, it was all worth it. The feeling you get when you harvest food from your indoor garden is beyond words.

“I’m going downstairs to get some lettuce for our salad,” was never a sentence I thought I’d say out loud. I still consider myself a beginner gardener.

I suspect you’re one of those people who appreciate where your food comes from and want to know its path to your plate. I encourage you to try gardening. You will have successes. You will experience small fails. It will all be worth it the moment you taste the vegetables you’ve grown.

Please comment below if you have questions about my indoor growing setup. If you have indoor gardening stories to share, I’d love to hear from you!

Bonus! Click Properly Fill a Raised Garden Bed to learn how to grow massive garden plants outdoors. If you dream of having your own garden house, be sure to check out Garden House Showcase to see how my mom took the idea of a potting shed to a new level.

Garden House Showcase: A Special Place for Mom

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My mom is quite talented at a lot of things. When guests come over she rolls out the red carpet with the some of the most delicious meals. Even if you’ve dropped by the house mid-day, she’ll serve you a delicious cheese and fruit platter and pour you a glass of Chardonnay. Yea, she’s that kind of hostess.

But don’t be surprised if you knock on the door and she doesn’t answer. She’s most likely outside in her custom built garden house doing what she does best…gardening. Make no mistake. This is no She Shed. She refuses to let people label it as such. This is a real-deal garden house where she spends time cultivating her craft – making her gardens flourish. Whether she is sitting in the screened in porch chair reading about rose bushes or potting plants in the stainless steel sink, her green thumb is at work.

Located behind my parent’s home, mom’s garden house often entices strangers driving by to stop and ask to see it.

It seems only fair that my step-dad, who has his own woodworking shop, would build a garden house for her, right? The 8’x12′ house (not including the 5’x12′ screened in porch) includes the same amenities that any home would have including running water and electricity. During the winter it houses plants she wants to keep alive from the outdoor elements and during the summer the sun beams in on oversized house plants.

I recognize quite a bit of my mom’s style in her garden house’s design from the upcycled screen door to the ceiling light fixture that she held on to for years until this house was built.

Mom’s garden house is an extension of her own home. The interior’s neutral colors, off-set by the bright white counter tops and trimmed windows, includes various green hues from decorative additions and dark black metal pieces. Having collected many of the sitabouts over time, she decorates in a style more sophisticated than rustic farmhouse but less stuffy than classic traditional. She has an eclectic sense of design style that is uniquely her own.

Once inside the screened in porch, glass French doors remain welcome you into a spacious window lit space.
Muted green wicker chairs flank both sides of the screened in porch to the east and the west.

When not busy nurturing plants, she uses the garden house as a quiet refuge to read or just watch her many bird feeders in the yard over a glass of wine. When friends visit on occasion, like her Bunco gal pals, it serves as a getaway space to venture to between games for a quick tour. You can hear the women audibly dote over each detail of the garden house. They want one too. Who wouldn’t?

A serious gardner needs a space to pour over the details found in gardening books. Always the humble student, my mom enjoys learning why some plants and flowers flourish and how she can attract or eliminate insects.

Mom’s appreciation of nature goes back as far as I can remember.

“It (gardening) feeds my soul in a way nothing else does. I’m connected to plants in new says every year,” she said recently.

My childhood was spent watching her in the yard with her hands in the dirt on weekends. After coming home from school we would drag around the hose to water thick, layered flower beds of all colors and varieties. Sunflowers towered over our heads and wildflowers nestled at our feet. She would tell me about butterflies that she adored and the grasshoppers that broke her heart.

Today, she still sees beauty in the colors of delicate flowers and enjoys the harvest of a vegetable or herb garden. Her accepted challenge each year is to learn about the needs of plant placement in her landscape while always attempting to attract birds, bees, and insects.

Antique pottery and her favorite pieces adorn a shelf above the door inside the garden house.
The east side of the garden house exposes an area behind it where she also pots plants and flowers.
The wooden table on the right was her only potting station at our old house.

Gardening is not easy. She admits that the challenge is to find the balance between what she wants to plant and what nature will allow. Admittedly, she says there are more failures to learn every season and enough small successes to keep her happy.

I love spring and wish it lasted longer, she says.

It’s true. She smiles the most in the spring (with college basketball season in a close second place). When the weather begins to warm up and the days spring forward, she is more outdoors than she is indoors. I often call her to wish her a “Happy Spring” only for it to go to voicemail because she’s outside playing in the yard.

While I love the outdoors, I’m not a natural gardener. I struggle to keep plants alive. I either over or under water them. Completely forget about them. I never installed the proper drip system. Can a person’s “green thumb” be learned? Maybe I just wrote it off as “mom’s hobby.” I should have really paid more attention when helping her in the yard as a teen. Just last week I called her seeking advice about our sad rose bushes. Before I knew it, I was at her house on my hands and knees pruning her rose bushes while she used wood glue on the stem ends to prevent bores for invading them again. Glue? Who knew!

A rusty garden tool serves as a door knocker on the exterior of the garden house.

I’m “foodie” thanks to my mom’s love of cooking. In fact, many of her garden harvests end up in her recipes. Ripe tomatoes are the star ingredient in her homemade gazpacho, a cool treat during a blazing hot summer day. Fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme find their way into many of her savory recipes. This year she has decided to trade her tomato plants for perennials because it’s just less to have to worry about and each year perennials come back stronger when given the space to spread out.

I’ve have so much to learn from her wisdom about nature, about plants and birds. As I mentioned before, I’m at best a wannabe gardener. In fact, I’ve killed so many house plants over the years that if there is every going to be any hope for me, I’m going to have to spend more time with mom in the garden house. If you’re more like me, you’ll appreciate a post she helped me write last summer 10 Hard to Kill Houseplants You Can Leave While on Vacation.

But not every day can be spent gardening. Sometimes the body needs a day of rest between the hours spent digging in unforgiving soil and pulling weeds away from flowers. On these days, she takes time to let her body relax but we all know she is still thinking about her next outdoor project.

A water drip system was installed for her window boxes, which extends to the container pots near the garden house entrance.

What can we learn from mom’s garden house? Every woman, every person, needs a space to call their own. Where they can go to escape the chaos of the day and appreciate some quiet time or just enjoy their hobby.

Looking west from inside.

What is it that brings you peace? What do you enjoy learning about most? Tell me in the comments section how you pursue your hobby or where you like to spend quiet time.

10 Hard to Kill Houseplants You Can Leave While On Vacation

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It’s a fact that we hate to admit. Some of us just don’t have a green thumb.

How can keeping a plant alive can’t be that hard? How is that other people have lush indoor houseplants while yours are barely hanging on? I know your pain. I’ve killed many houseplants and garden botanicals since my college days. I almost feel guilty about it.

I’m turning over a new leaf. I’ve stop beating myself up about my inability to keep houseplants alive and so should you. I’ve gone straight to the most knowledgeable person I know about plants. My mom. Ask anyone who knows her; she is a walking, talking plant guru with two green thumbs, and I’m grateful for her advice.

10 Hard to Kill Houseplants You Can Leave While On Vacation. 

These plant types don’t need to be cared for up to seven days so book your vacation without hiring someone to come over and water them. Caring for these plants is easy and simple!

  1. Dumb Canes (Dieffenbachia) – a plant that doesn’t take a lot of watering. This botanical is no dummy and can take care of itself for week without worry. It doesn’t like direct sun near a window but medium light instead.

    dumb-canes
    Dumb Canes
  2. Mother-in-Laws Tongue  (Sansevieri; also knows as a Snake Skin Plant) – this plant likes to be crowded and grows upright in a container where it is most happy. It can grow as large as 4 feet high in some varieties. It doesn’t require a lot sun so you can place it in the corner of your room. Water the soil not the leaves.

    Mother-in-Laws Tongue
    Mother-in-Laws Tongue
  3. Rubber Plant (Hevea brasiliensis) – requiring minimal water, this plant comes in a variety of colors but it has a consistent oval leaf shape. Rubber Tree plants used to only come in a dark color, but not anymore. Match it to your room colors! Newer varieties have pinkish hues with some cream color on them.
  4. Jade (Crassula ovata) – a low maintenance South African plant that requires little watering. They don’t like their feet wet. Don’t overwater otherwise the roots will rot. Sold nearly at every plant store, but not most grocery stores. You can grow them in a covered, shaded portion of your deck during the summertime.
  5. Philodendron (Pothos) – this ornamental plant is happy in any room as long as it gets a little light. Many owners put them on top of their kitchen cabinets and let them grow long. If you position it near a window, the sun’s rays should not directly hit it. Its soil likes to dry out between waterings. It is easy to start a duplicate philodendron by making a cutting and planting it in a new pot. Another option is to root it in a vase of water to transplant later to a dirt pot.

    Philodendron
    Philodendron
  6. Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans) – this plant can get a little lanky and its stalk looks woody or trunk-like. Plant it in a large, heavy pot. My corn plant tends to grow at an angle because it’s seeking nearby window light. Want to keep it short? You can cut it low as long as there is a new leaf growing near its base.
  7. Calathea (aka Peacock Plant) – considered a “pretty” plant that came be left alone while on vacation. Water from the dirt level because watering top-down will rot the plant. They like humid conditions so a partially lit bathroom would be a smart spot for this beauty.

    Calathea
    Calathea
  8. Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podophyllum) – an inexpensive plant that loves to be left alone away from a front window. It flourishes in medium light conditions and likes to dry out between waterings so it’s the perfect candidate for a low maintenance houseplant.

    Arrowhead Plant
    Arrowhead Plant
  9. Spider Plant  (aka Airplane Plant) – a plant that can grow inside or outside, it gives off “babies” when it is in healthy condition. They do best in a hanging pot or stand. Trim off one of the newer “babies” you can regenerate it in a large glass of water. The lighter the stripe on the leaf, the more light it requires. Keep the soil slightly moist. Bonus: This plant detoxes your home.

    spider-plant
    Spider Plant
  10. Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis hyrids) – We saved you the best plant for last! This colorful plant is long-lasting and easy to care for if you follow a few tips. Despite what some say, you should not put ice on their bark to water them. This is a mistake because orchids are tropical plants. They will rot if over water them. Just give them a drink every 10 days. The easiest one to grow is called the Moth Orchid. Place them in medium light. Its pot requires drainage holes.

If you’re a plant lover, you may want to learn How to Grow an Indoor Garden or get inspired to build a garden house.

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10 Hard to Kill Houseplants You Can Leave While On Vacation

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