Hello friends! This is the first in a series of a new blogging campaign launched by gardening expert C.L. Fornari. On the fourth of every month, I am joining fellow gardening bloggers who will create informative blogs in support of the phrase “You can grow that!” By participating in this great campaign, I hope to encourage fellow gardeners to grow new plants that they may not have considered before and, at the same time, grow themselves.

 

Recently, the USDA released its new USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map adjusting many of the zones throughout the United States to reflect a slow change in minimum winter temperatures. The new map reflects a minimum increase of 1/2 zone and as much as a full zone higher, depending on where you live in the country. For many of us here in western Massachusetts, getting less-hardy plants to survive winter temperatures, this is great news indeed! A new selection of plants will now be available to us.

For years, I’ve been reminding gardeners to buy Zone 5 plants and now I believe it’s time to consider Zone 6 plants as well. For me, that means no more hilling up the soil around butterfly bushes, clematis and other favorite temperamental perennials in the Fall to ensure that they make it to Spring. On this season’s shopping list will be a few new shrubs and perennials that I’d always wished were more hardy.

So, stay tuned! Each month I will be introducing you to Zone 6 plants that I hope you will work into your garden beds and borders. Spring is just around the corner!

Our crazy winter — on again, off again . . .

On this last day of February I am looking out the window at a blizzard of snow! Earlier this week I made note of robin song first thing in the morning, delighted in gold finches starting to show their spring gold color, saw a lone yellow crocus blooming at the Hadley post office and thought that maybe winter will pass us by this year. Not so I’m afraid.

That’s fine with me. It’s only 20 days until the first official day of spring and I’m making my plant shopping lists, beginning to pot up dahlia tubers, enjoying new amaryllis blossoms that open every day, and have already been out cutting back my ornamental grasses. This winter has been just one long spring as far as I’m concerned and I’m not going to let a snowstorm dampen my spirits!

“May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day.

May songbirds serenade you every step along the way.

May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that’s always blue.

And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through”.

~Irish Blessing

NEW GARDENING BOOKS OF NOTE

 

While at the Connecticut Spring Flower and Garden Show last Friday, I spoke with a wonderful photographer by the name of Ellen Hoverkamp who has collaborated with one of my favorite garden writers, Ken Druse, on a new book titled Natural Companions – The Garden Lover’s Guide to Plant Combinations’. Ellen is a botanical photographer who creates her work using a flatbed scanner. Her flower photos are stunning. I highly recommend this gorgeous book showing creative plant pairings throughout the seasons.

Another must-have book for anyone who is interested in sustainable gardening and using native/indigenous plants should pick up a copy of Carolyn Summers’ book Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East. I found it as thought provoking as Doug Tallamy’s recent book Bringing Nature Home and use both books as reference for my garden design work.  I worry about the destruction of our native wildlife habitat and appreciate books that educate the public about how and why this destruction is happening and what we, as gardeners, can do to make a positive difference.

PLEASING PERENNIALS FOR 2012

Karen Olsen from Sunny Border Nurseries gave a great talk a few weeks ago on New and Noteworthy Perennials at Hadley Garden Center. I’m really excited about many of the plants Karen showed us and include my five favorites here.

Coreopsis ‘Galaxy’ – a member of the ‘Big Bang’ series of cold-hardy sturdy coreopsis, this selection has bright yellow, semi-double flowers that bloom from June to October on compact plants that grow 12” tall. I will be using this plant along the front of my borders for sure.

‘Virgin’ Echinacea purpurea – always on the lookout for a good, reliable white coneflower, this fragrant white variety blooms mid-summer through fall, has a green center and has a nice upright habit with no staking.

 

Geranium sanguineum ‘Sweet Heidi’– this hardy geranium has large pink saucer-shaped flowers with white eyes. This low-maintenance mounding plant will grow in sun or part shade (pictured here).

‘Beaujolais’ Heuchera – I’m always on the lookout for plants with non-green foliage to add interest and variety to my gardens. This selection has large burgundy leaves with a sliver cast and burgundy venation throughout. The plant will grow 12” tall and about 14” wide. I can’t wait to try it.

Salvia pratensis ‘Rose Rhapsody’ – who can resist a perennial with such a name? The hooded pink flowers bloom on dark green stems from June to August and with deadheading, will rebloom in the fall. It should be a great hummingbird magnet!

UPCOMING GARDENSCAPES LECTURES

March is a busy month for garden events. The spring bulb shows run from March 3 – 18 at both Mt. Holyoke and Smith colleges – both are must-see events guaranteed to bring on spring fever. In addition to ongoing talks at local garden centers, we round out the month with the Western Mass Master Garden Symposia in Deerfield, Holyoke and the Berkshires. For those of you who don’t mind traveling down to U-Conn in Storrs, CT, the Perennial Plant Conferences for professionals and home gardeners occurs mid-month.

I hope to see you at one or more of my talks later in the month:

Saturday, March 24 at Annie’s Garden & Gift Store — 10am: Creating a Garden For All The Senses (this is a new topic – first time presented). Free

Saturday, March 31 at the 16^th Annual Western Mass. Master Gardener’s Spring Gardening Symposium at Dean Technical High School in Holyoke – 8:45am to 3:30pm. I will be presenting 2 topics: Creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat and Creating a Garden For All The Senses. Registration for workshops is required. Classes fill up fast so register early. Visit the Western Mass. Master Gardener site for more information.

For a more complete list of area garden-related lectures, workshops and annual flower and garden shows, please visit my Events and Workshops Page.

Until next month, keep those snow shovels nearby, but get your garden tools cleaned and ready. Have you checked your bulbs in storage and do you have your seed supplies ready? Spring is just around the corner!

Seeing Red in the Landscape . . . .

In honor of American Heart Month and Valentine’s Day,
I’m dedicating this mid-month update to the color red and how we can incorporate more red into our winter landscapes.

WINTER GARDENING

Here are my five favorite ways to enjoy red in the landscape –

Add these shrubs and perennials to your 2012 wish list so that next February at this time, you’ll be seeing red in your own landscape!

• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) – the brilliant red berries of winterberries stand out so well and can be seen from quite a good distance. This shrub is deciduous and the berries cling to the branches after the leaves fall off. Another bonus of this shrub is that it attracts birds to your yard! Hollies also have bright red berries while the dark leathery green leaves stay on the shrub year-round. Both a male and female variety are needed for winterberries and other hollies to produce berries.

• Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus alba)
  I cannot imagine my landscape without my favorite red-twig dogwoods. On a sunny day when snow is on the ground, there aren’t many plants that can supply this warm red color on a cold winter day. Even without snow cover, the twigs of this beautiful shrub just glow in the sun.

• ‘Winter Fire’ Pieris japonica
  The new foliage of this evergreen shrub is a fiery red and covers the shrub at this time of the year. In the spring, clusters of drooping red flowers appear. A beautiful choice for a part-sun location.
  

  'Mountain Fire' Pieris japonica

• Perennials – although these perennials offer more of a burgundy color than warm red, the evergreen foliage of ‘Dark Towers’ Penstemon and the many varieties of Heuchera (‘Purple Petticoats’ is a favorite of mine) offer good foliage color throughout the winter months.
• Cardinals – seeing a pair of cardinals out in my bird sanctuary just makes my heart sing. The bright red plumage of one of my favorite birds is a delight at all times of year, but particularly seen against white snow.

In Honor of President’s Day

“No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth . . . and no culture comparable to that of the garden . . . But, though an old man, I am but a young gardener.”  –Thomas Jefferson

PERENNIALS LECTURE – THIS SATURDAY, 2/18

Mark this lecture on your calendar — 1pm at Hadley Garden Center, Karen Olson, a horticulturist with Sunny Border Nurseries, will be doing her annual update of new and improved perennials. Her slides are always wonderful to view on a winter afternoon and besides, you need to keep adding to your 2012 plant wish list! Karen always provides a great handout too!

For a more complete list of area garden-related lectures, workshops and annual flower and garden shows, please visit my Events & Workshops Page.

 

 

It won’t be long now . . . .

Hasn’t this been an easy winter so far? Once we get November, December and January behind us, I always feel that I can say that spring is just around the corner. Although February can be quite “wintery”, March can often provide good days for early spring garden work. With a forecast for the mid-50’s and rain mid-week, the month isn’t starting out too badly!

I’ve been reading up on all of the 2012 plant introductions in garden magazines, browsing daily arrivals of gardening catalogs, and attending a weekly garden lecture to keep me in the gardening mindset. February is the month for spring flower and garden shows too – a great way to get a garden fix! Check my Events page for a listing of New England shows.

At this time next month, we’ll be saying, “in just a few more weeks” . . . . . I can’t wait, can you?

“To own a bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch the renewal of life – this is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing a man can do”
Charles Dudley Warner

BIRD GARDENS IN WINTER

As always, my bird viewing area on the north side of my house is one of my favorite winter garden spots! A lone robin and red-bellied woodpecker have taken up permanent residence in my crabapple trees snacking on the few remaining dried fruits! I’ve been putting out raisins as an extra treat for the robin and keep the suet feeders filled for the woodpecker.

 

Did you know that when birds puff up their feathers they are doing it to hold in their body heat? Our state bird, the chickadee, looks like a little fluff ball and is so comical to watch. These perky little birds are constantly at my feeders enjoying black oil sunflower and safflower seeds! They add such joy to my day.

INDOOR WINTER GARDENING

I’m enjoying all of my windowsill plants — my amaryllis bulbs have been brought up from the cellar, fed, and are showing new growth – several with buds already! Watching the daily changes in plant growth and blooms satisfies my connection to Nature during the winter months.

Fragrant Primroses — Did you ever notice that some primroses have a lovely sweet scent? Pick up and sniff a yellow primrose the next time you are shopping. They seem to have the most pronounced fragrance – very similar to freesias.

DEBBIE’S TOP FIVE — New Plant Introductions for 2012

I always look forward to reading about new and exciting plant introductions at this time of the year and watch for small easy-care shrubs that can be worked into the garden border. Here are five new compact shrubs that will be on my “can’t do without“ list!

‘Sapphire Surf’ Caryopteris x clandonensis – this dark blue flowered bluebeard will grow only 2’ tall x 3’ wide – a perfect addition to the garden border. Very low-maintenance and deer resistant.

‘Baton Rouge’ Cornus alba – a small red-twig dogwood providing four seasons of interest. Compact at 3’ – 4’ tall and wide. The vibrant red stems in winter are the real bonus!

‘Starburst’ Kalmia– maroon banded star shaped flowers with small leaves, this Mt. Laurel will slowly grow 5 – 6’ tall and wide.

‘Pancake’ Thuja – a low, mounding arborvitae with blue-green winter color growing about 2’ wide by 1’ tall.  A good evergreen plant for front of the border.

‘Sugar Baby’ Forsythia – this miniature forsythia grows only 1 ½ to 2 ½ ‘ tall and is covered with golden yellow blooms.

UPCOMING GARDENSCAPES LECTURES

I’ve been spending the last few Saturdays going to gardening lectures and I always run into friends and gardeners who I haven’t seen in awhile. I also pick up a new flowering plant in the greenhouse at Annie’s or Hadley Garden Center  – both places have several more Saturday workshops scheduled. It’s such a pleasant way to spend part of my Saturday. I hope to see you at one of my lectures between now and spring:

Saturday, Feb. 4 at Hadley Garden Center –1pm: Creating Easy-Care Gardens. Free.

Saturday, March 24 at Annie’s Garden & Gift Store — 10am: Creating a Garden For All The Senses (this is a new topic – first time presented). Free

Saturday, March 31 at the 16^th Annual Western Mass. Master Gardener’s Spring Gardening Symposium at Dean Technical High School in Holyoke – 8:45am to 3:30pm. I will be presenting 2 topics: Creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat and Creating a Garden For All The Senses. Registration for workshops is required. Classes fill up fast so register early. Visit www.wmassmastergardeners.org.

For a more complete list of area garden-related lectures, workshops and annual flower and garden shows, please visit my Events & Workshops Page.

Until next month, have fun reading all of those gardening catalogs, start making your seed list, enjoy watching and feeding the birds, and create your own windowsill garden with beautiful primrose, mini-daffodils and other colorful spring plants available at our local nurseries. Spring is getting closer!

Happy February!

Debbie

 

Growing Our Gardens, Growing Ourselves . . . .
Each January I evaluate the previous year’s gardening endeavors and wonder what I might offer you that will be new, helpful, and make a positive difference in some way. When I look back at the past few years, two important “growth” areas for me stand out. I’ve come to realize how important gardening in harmony with Nature really is, not only as a way to give back to Mother Earth, but to also lower my carbon footprint, provide more habitat for wildlife, and to reap the healthy benefits of gardening ecologically in Zone 5.

I have also witnessed how much I have grown as a person by connecting with Nature on a regular basis. Both areas have made such a positive impact on my life that I want to share them with you.

So, for 2012, in addition to my garden design and coaching services, you will see an increased emphasis on ecological gardening. I will continue to teach how to build backyard wildlife habitats using native plants, and will show you how to create your own garden sanctuary and contemplative garden spaces. I‘ll be promoting the healing aspects of gardening and showing you how to grow better herbs, vegetables, and flowers for cutting and crafts. Not only will you be growing your own gardens better, but you’ll be growing yourself as well!

For those of you who attended and enjoyed my Garden Tour and Tea last year, I plan to hold one again in May or June and will be posting the date soon. As always, my gardens are open to anyone who would like to stop by for inspiration or education and I look forward to sharing my love of gardening with you in some way in 2012!

“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour. ”  -  John Boswell

 

SIMPLE PLEASURES OF WINDOWSILL GARDENING

Gardening, for me, doesn’t end when I put my outdoor gardens to bed. My sunny plant window and south-facing windows in my home are filled with plants – many with colorful blooms and sweet fragrance.

Have you tried the new ‘Inbal’ paperwhites that bloom with a delicate fragrance? Many people are turned off by the strong, sweet fragrance of most paperwhites so these are a nice alternative. I grow mine in tall, narrow glass jars to keep the foliage from flopping.

Are you wondering if those old bulbs that you purchased last winter will grow? Plant them in fresh soil, fertilize them and set them on a sunny windowsill. What do you have to lose? I did the same with some old bulbs I found and now have sweet, fragrant hyacinth blooms and some grape hyacinths sending up fresh, new foliage.

The tender French lavender plants and flowering geraniums that I brought inside a few months ago are providing great color and fragrance. I also tried overwintering a tarragon and rosemary indoors and have been rewarded with fresh herbs for cooking.

Of course, I wouldn’t be without my favorite amaryllis bulbs that provide non-stop color all winter. I’ve enjoyed several of my bulbs for 10 years or more and have perfected the way to get them to come back each year.

Tending my houseplants allows me to get my fingers in the soil during the winter months and feel that I am nurturing living things while receiving the gifts of their beauty in return.

Primrose Alert! I spotted the first pots of primrose at the grocery store this morning and will be adding them to my plant collection as soon as I can clear some space!! Be sure to do a sniff test before buying. Many have a delightful fragrance!

 

THE WINTER GARDEN

On New Year’s Day, I was amazed to find blooms on my Pink Frost hellebore and my Mediterranean Pink heath out in my gardens. I’ve been continuing to pick parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme and I don’t ever remember a January 1^st when I could wander through my gardens and observe green shoots and healthy new growth!

I know the weather can change very quickly so I enjoyed adding chopped leaves to some of my tender perennials and savored the warm sun on my face while I contemplated adding a moon garden in the spring.

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING GARDENSCAPES LECTURES

I’m looking forward to sharing my gardening expertise with you at 3 different venues this winter:

Saturday, Feb. 4 at Hadley Garden Center –1pm: Creating Easy-Care Gardens. Free.

Saturday, March 24 at Annie’s Garden & Gift Store — 10am: Creating a Garden For All The Senses (this is a new topic – first time presented). Free

Saturday, March 31 at the 16^th Annual Western Mass. Master Gardener’s Spring Gardening Symposium at Dean Technical High School in Holyoke – 8:45am to 3:30pm. I will be presenting 2 topics: Creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat and Creating a Garden For All The Senses. Registration for workshops is required. Classes fill up fast so register early. Visit www.wmassmastergardeners.org.

For a more complete list of area garden-related lectures, workshops and annual flower and garden shows, please visit my Events & Workshops Page.

Until next month, be sure to pot up some fragrant bulbs, give a primrose a home on your windowsill, remember to feed the birds, and cuddle up with a good gardening book and a hot cup of tea!

Happy 2012!

Debbie

Putting Gardenscapes to Bed

As I spend the final days putting my gardens to bed, I am thankful for unseasonably warm weather and the blessings of butterflies, bees and grasshoppers still buzzing around me as I work!

I was also quite surprised to find a bright yellow primrose blooming on Sunday as I cut back surrounding hosta leaves.

My goal is to have all plants cut back, bulbs planted, pots stored, dahlias and cannas buried in peat moss, veggie garden cleaned up, and my pond winterized by Thanksgiving (3 weeks later than I normally do my fall cleanup!). For those of you who know how much area I have to cover, it’s a big task, but the fresh air and exercise exhilarates me and I am now looking forward to a few months rest for my weary body.
Here are 5 final tips for those of you who are putting the finishing touches on your garden cleanups –
1. As you can see in the photo above, I don’t cut my plants close to the ground, because I want foliage and stems to catch leaves to provide some insulation throughout the cold, winter months.

2. Remember to support the birds and wildlife on your property. I leave coneflower seed heads, some grasses and other plants standing to provide food and shelter for wildlife. Don’t be too tidy.

3. Be diligent about cutting back diseased foliage and remove it from your property. Don’t put it in the compost pile! Any foliage that shows signs of mildew, black spot, rust, or other questionable problems needs to be disposed of.

4. Remove as many visible weeds as you can to get a head-start for next spring.

 

5. If you’ve been making compost all season, now is a good time to top-dress your gardens and work it into the top few inches of soil.

Wishing all of you a safe, healthy and Happy Thanksgiving and blessings from the garden.

Debbie

NOVEMBER – My Dogwood Teaches Me a Lesson

Who would ever expect that I’d be writing about the effects of a major snow storm on our Zone 5 gardens at the end of October? Since we’ve already experienced an earthquake, tornadoes and a hurricane this year, why not? We can add it to our long list of strange weather events for 2011!

Upon initial inspection of the damage on Sunday morning, I found several trees and shrubs with branches laden with heavy wet snow, pinned to the ground. I thought for sure my ‘Cherokee Princess’ dogwood was a goner. I wrote it off as a storm casualty and was thinking about the replacement I would buy next spring. After a day of sunshine, however, I’m happy to report that all branches are back to their regular outstretched positions. As with other storms this year, I’ve been astonished at how flexible many plants can be. To have the ability to bend and sway under such harsh conditions, but not to break, is a lesson in flexibility that we can all learn from.

Despite the damage I witnessed all around me, and going through a 24-hour period with no power or heat, I found many things to be grateful for. The sunny, blue skies provided welcome heat, gas kept us in hot water and the ability to cook, cell phones let us communicate with the outside world, and the roof over my head let me practice my nesting techniques with a good book, numerous cups of tea, and yummy zucchini bread I had stored in the freezer!

5 REASONS NOT TO PROCRASTINATE WITH FALL CLEANUPS

Shame on me! I for one should know better! I got caught this year, enjoying the fact that a frost had not arrived earlier in the month – telling myself I had more time. Now I’m hoping for enough warm temperatures to melt the snow this week so I can do the work in my gardens I should have done 2 weeks ago! I will use this lesson as a learning experience and share with you my 5 new garden resolutions for fall.

1. Do major fall garden cleanup in mid-October.
“Typically” our first frost occurs around Columbus Day. However, what has been typical about any of our weather for the past few years? From now on, I am not going to be swayed by the actual weather and will let the calendar guide me.

2. Don’t put off bulb purchases.
Although I buy many of my unique bulbs by catalog, I like to support local nurseries and garden stores by purchasing bulbs from them. Bulbs for fall planting are offered earlier every year, it seems (kind of like seeing Christmas merchandise arrive in the stores right after Labor Day!). As soon as I see bulbs in the stores next year, I’m shopping early for the best selection. The same tactic applies to planting them. I have buckets of bulbs to plant, still! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will accommodate my tardiness this year.

3. Take cuttings of favorite garden plants early.
I love to make bouquets of my favorite coleus plants, waiting for them to root in vases of water. Once the roots form, I pot them up and enjoy these wonderful plants throughout the house all winter. I simply pinch back any stems that become leggy to keep the plants compact. Next spring, I will share cuttings with friends and have my favorite plants to put out in the garden again. It’s hard to pick them once they are buried in snow!

4. Give sale shrubs and perennials time to establish roots.
When people ask me “how late can plants be put in the ground at this time of the year”?, I always reply – “give them several weeks before a good hard frost to give them time for good root development”. Did I follow my own advice? Of course not! I won’t tell you how many plants I have sitting out in my gardens still in pots ready to go into the snow-covered ground! You’ve heard the famous saying “the shoemaker’s children go barefoot” – that’s me!

5. Don’t put off fall pond care.
For those of you who have water gardens or garden ponds, this is absolutely one area that must be attended to before freezing temperatures occur! If you are overwintering fish in your pond, you need to get your heaters in the water and apply your fall pond care solutions early. I hadn’t moved my small fish from my upper pond yet and was trying to keep a hole in the ice with a birdbath heater yesterday!! Thankfully, it worked

AN UPDATE FROM THE VEGGIE PATCH

I think I’ve picked my final harvest. Early Saturday morning, with snow approaching, I picked a lovely bowl of fresh raspberries and about four dozen sweet peppers – ever wary of the increasing damp coldness in the air. If the cold weather hasn’t adversely affected my raspberry bushes, there is still the promise of many more berries waiting to ripen.
Friday I was able to dig up all of my dahlia tubers and let them dry on a tarp in the warm sun – (they’re still sitting in the garage in a wheelbarrow!) and all of my containers got either emptied and stored, or moved inside so they wouldn’t get covered with snow and possibly crack in the cold overnight temperatures.

As much as I’ve enjoyed this area of my gardens, I’m ready to come inside for a few months of non-gardening activity. There are plenty of months ahead to dream of next year’s vegetable, cut flower, and herb selection, but for now, I plan to enjoy the bounty stored in my freezer and put my feet up (after the fall cleanup, that is!)

 

BACKYARD WILDLIFE ACTIVITY

During the past few weeks, I’ve witnessed a change in bird activity in the sanctuary. A migrating yellow rumped warbler spent nearly two weeks foraging crabapples right outside my window. The white crowned and white throated sparrows have returned, flocks of starlings attacked the fruit on my trees, and the snowbirds (juncos) are back.

I’ve switched out some of my summer feeders for suet stations and have noted an increase in woodpecker activity. My ceramic birdbaths are stored away in favor of large, heavy-duty plastic plant pot saucers. I began putting whole shelled peanuts out for the blue jays and squirrels, and I’m buying larger bags of black oil sunflower seeds and cracked corn to stock up for the cold weather ahead. My binoculars and nature journal are positioned next to my favorite viewing chair, faced toward the window, looking out into my bird sanctuary. It’s a time of year I always look forward to.

PARTING TIP FOR NOVEMBER
Be sure to put aside (in a warm spot) a few pails of loose soil (or buy a few bags of topsoil) to use later in the month. You’ll want to hill up your roses, butterfly bushes, clematis and other tender plants for winter protection. Be sure to contact me if you need some tips on how to do this important end-of-the-season garden task.

Be sure to check Cheryl Wilson’s weekly gardening column on Friday evenings in the Daily Hampshire Gazette to keep track of area happenings.

Note: All of my monthly garden blogs are archived here on my site. To read step-by-step advice on what to do in the garden each month, check here.

SEPTEMBER – My Gardens Survived Hurricane Irene!

What a month it has been! Who would ever imagine that we could experience an earthquake and a major hurricane in one week here in New England? As Irene made its way up the coast to Massachusetts, I feverishly brought in all things breakable from the gardens and did a last minute harvesting of vegetables and blooms. I picked so many dahlias that I delivered two large bouquets to friends and found vases for the rest throughout the house.

I’m happy to report that although we had steady, hard rain and heavy winds, nothing was damaged beyond repair. I continue to be amazed at how resilient plants can be under such stressful conditions! It was so nice to be rewarded with perfect weather for five days following the storm. What a roller coaster of weather we’ve had this hardy Zone 5 garden!

MY TOP 5 SHRUBS FOR THE GARDEN BORDER

Many of you have heard my talk on “Creating Easy-Care Gardens”. One of the major changes I’ve been making in my gardens here in Hadley is to replace high-maintenance perennials with small to medium-sized shrubs that require very little care. Four of the five shrubs on this list have resided successfully in my gardens for the past few years while the Boomerang lilac is a new addition. I hope you’ll give some of these a try in your own gardens.

1. ’Pee Wee’ Oakleaf Hydrangea
We’re all familiar with the ever-popular mop head and lace cap varieties that bloom in the summer. This fairly new, dwarf variety of oakleaf hydrangea is at the top of my list for small shrubs that make a 4-season statement in the garden. The small size (4’ tall by 3’wide) is perfect for any garden or border.

The deeply lobed oak-like leaf keeps its dark green color from spring through late summer and provides the perfect backdrop for nearby plants. The showy bright white flower sepals really stand out in the garden. When nights begin to turn cooler, the leaves begin to take on hues of bronze and maroon that eventually turn a beautiful burgundy. The flower panicles will turn a pleasing dark beige and persist on the plant all winter. It’s a winner in my gardens! .

2. ’Fine Wine’ Weigela
I’ve been using this wonderful burgundy-leafed shrub in many of my designs for customers and everyone loves it. With tubular pink blooms in the spring (very popular with hummingbirds!), the colorful foliage provides a wonderful contrast to other plants in the garden. The shrub grows no taller than 2-feet and the foliage has kept its shiny appearance all summer with very little damage from insects. An even smaller weigela with dark purple foliage and pink flowers is ‘Midnight Wine’. This miniature weigela grows only 10 to 12” tall and is very easy to fit into small flower beds and borders.

3. ‘Cool Splash’ Diervilla.
I’m always looking for a small shrub with variegated leaves to work into my borders. This compact bush honeysuckle can be grown in sun or part shade and has dark green centers surrounded by creamy white to yellow margins and has trumpet-like yellow flowers in late spring to early summer. It grows between 2 to 3 tall and wide and can easily be worked into the front or mid border for contrast.

4. ‘Bloomerang Purple’ Reblooming Lilac.
Finally, a smaller lilac that can be worked into the border that provides color and fragrance in the spring and then again in mid-summer. My first year plant has spent the garden season in a beautiful cobalt blue pot in the middle of my garden. In the next few weeks, I will plant it in a permanent spot in my border where I can enjoy this compact (4 to 5’) lilac for years to come.

5. ’Magic Carpet’ Spirea.
Combining green, burgundy and gold foliage is a signature design element that I use here at Gardenscapes and in many of my designs. Even when my flowers aren’t providing color or interest in the gardens, the foliage on many of my shrubs is. The bright gold leaves and small pink flowers of ‘Magic Carpet’ add a splash of color where I need a “punch” in my borders. Beginning in early spring, this neat and compact shrub (18” tall x 2’ wide) really makes a statement in full sun right up until a hard frost in October.

AN UPDATE FROM THE VEGGIE PATCH

My tomatoes and peppers are still supplying me with delicious produce. I’ve put up many containers of marinara sauce, roasted tomato soup, spiced tomato jam, and ratatouille to enjoy in the middle of winter. I’ve chopped up sweet bell peppers for the freezer to pull out and add to soups and chili, and have stuffed my larger peppers several times this summer. Just yesterday I harvested about two dozen acorn squash to store for the months ahead and my cantaloupe patch has provided non-stop sweet and juicy melons that are better than any I have tasted. The pole and bush beans are done and lima beans are slow to form the fat beans inside the shells that appear on each bush. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a good harvest in the next week or two.

Each time I visit the garden, I pick a handful of ripe, red raspberries that are such a delicious snack. I can’t wait for my bushes to mature so I can pick enough to top my yogurt or cereal in the morning and freeze several containers for mid-winter baking.

As you can see from the photo, my veggie garden is filled with flowers and herbs too. What a joy! I highly recommend building raised beds and using stone dust for your paths. It has made the maintenance in this large garden so much easier!

BACKYARD BIRD ACTIVITY

There is so much bird activity in the gardens right now. My favorite perky goldfinches are busy harvesting the seeds of my sunflowers and coneflowers and they are such a delight to watch. The tall sunflowers really took a beating from Irene’s winds last week but I managed to tie the bent branches to my fences and the finches are still flocking to them even though they are no longer standing upright. This has been a great year for dragonflies and the bees have certainly been abundant – particularly on my sedum plants. I have a bumper crop of crabapples and mountain ash berries this year and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a flock of cedar waxwings to stop by for a meal.

UPCOMING GARDENSCAPES LECTURE

Wednesday, October 12: Florence Congregational Church, Florence, MA – at 7:00pm. I will be giving my talk on “Creating Easy-Care Gardens”. This event is free and open to the public.

Join me and learn to design gardens and foundation plantings with low-maintenance in mind. I’ll be sharing valuable tips on how to select, place and plant my favorite easy-care perennials and shrubs. You’ll go home with fresh ideas and maintenance secrets to make your gardening easier. Handouts will be provided.

Be sure to check Cheryl Wilson’s weekly gardening column on Friday evenings in the Daily Hampshire Gazette to keep track of area happenings.

Note: All of my monthly garden blogs are archived here on my site. To read step-by-step advice on what to do in the garden each month, check here.

AUGUST – The Garden is Buzzing With Activity!

Mid to late summer in the garden can be such a rewarding time. The gardens are abuzz with plenty of winged activity as butterflies flutter from plant to plant, bees are busy pollinating, hummingbirds gather nectar, and all forms of wasps, katydids, grasshoppers and other insects seem to be everywhere. If you have planned correctly, your gardens should still be filled with blooms to attract these winged wonders.

As my earlier day lilies begin to fade, late season varieties and the ever-blooming types, such as Happy Returns, take center stage with a supporting cast of gorgeous hydrangeas, fragrant phlox, bee balm, stalwart black-eyed Susans, sunny coreopsis varieties, purple coneflowers, Russian sage and roses.

My shade gardens are my haven from the hot summer sun and are filled with lush ferns of all textures including my favorite Japanese painted ferns and maidenhairs. I have hosta of all sizes and colors, supported with a solid structure of astilbe, epimedium, and hellebore foliage, and accents of burgundy heuchera leaves. For bright spots of color, I’ve tucked in colorful pink impatiens and bright begonias. These are the places in the garden where I seek refuge from the hot summer sun and happily spend hours pulling weeds and tending to my plants.

The heat and drought have brought back memories of last summer’s extreme weather and I begin and end most days, hose and watering can in hand, keeping my plants well-watered.

Although many parts of my gardens are looking stressed from the weather, they are still a source of wonder and joy for me. Witnessing the daily changes and enjoying nature sitings are the best part of my August days.

MY TOP 5 SUMMER SPRUCE-UPS

Plants in the August garden can begin to look quite bedraggled if not tended to on a regular basis. Here are my tips for shearing, shaping, snipping and replacing to give your garden a face-lift.

1. Off with their heads!
Deadheading the spent blooms of plants can be quite time-consuming although very necessary to keep the garden looking tidy and to encourage continuous blooms on many perennials. One of the easiest ways I’ve found to deadhead plants with numerous small blossoms is to use hedge trimmers. You can remove the dead flowers and shape the plant at the same time. This technique works great for dianthus, catmint, coreopsis, and lavender.

2. Shape up your shrubs!
I find that at this time of the summer, many of my shrubs have wayward branches that take away from the pleasing shapes that many are known for in the landscape. Once the summer blooms have gone by, it is a good time to shape shrubs such as spirea (a good candidate for hedge shears), ninebark, shrubby dogwoods, and potentillas.

3. Create new focal points.
Are you looking for ways to plug “holes” in your garden where not much is happening? You will find that many of the local nurseries have cleared away the tired spring and summer plants and are now offering large pots of annuals, early mums and asters, bright and cheerful Gerber daisies, and dazzling dahlias for color to take your garden right up to frost.

4. Update tired containers.
Keeping up with watering is difficult enough in the garden without having to worry about all of those individual containers. In the past few weeks, I’ve transplanted many of my pot plants into the garden, created groupings of containers near a water source to make watering easier, and have replaced combination plantings with larger, individual perennials and shrubs rather than continuing to use an assortment of individual plants. This is a good time to take advantage of sale shrubs and perennials that can reside in a pot until you transplant them into their eventual home in the garden border. Just be sure to be diligent about watering them.

5. A clean edge works wonders.
When the garden border is looking a little worse for wear, there is nothing like cutting a clean edge along the entire border to provide definition and give it a tidy look. Whether you use mulch or not, giving your garden border a good, defined edge will provide a face-lift that involves some time and energy, but will be so noticeable when you stand back to admire your labor. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

THE VEGGIE PATCH HAS BECOME MY FAVORITE DESTINATION IN THE GARDEN!

The bounty I am harvesting from my vegetable garden never ceases to amaze me. When putting my bean seeds in the ground on Father’s Day, I had no idea of the treat the outcome would provide. Yesterday I filled a colander full of the most beautiful haricot vert green beans, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, basil, my first ears of corn, the last of the peas, golden beets, and assorted edible flowers. I stayed inside all day, enjoying the air conditioning, and made ratatouille to serve on cheesy home-made polenta, roasted beets for a salad, and created an entire vegetable meal using everything I had picked earlier in the day.

It is such a wonder to me to plant a seed or young plant in the ground and have edible food a month or two later. To witness the process of seed to first leaf, to flower bud,and on to baby vegetable or fruit then to mature, ready-to eat produce is my new garden fascination. I’m already making my list of what I will plant in next year’s garden!

AREA EVENTS

There is always a gardening-related event going on in our area, whether it be a local lecture, tour, farmer’s market or local garden venue to visit. Take advantage of all that our wonderful area has to offer, including a visit to our many local public gardens.

As always, Sherry Wilson’s weekly column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette is a great resource to keep current on local garden-related events.

Note: All of my monthly garden blogs are archived here on my site. To read step-by-step advice on what to do in the garden each month, check here.

JULY – Garden color is glorious!

As the summer temperatures soar, my Zone 5 gardens in July take on the softer, more pastel colors of pinks, yellows and blues and they are so welcome to me in the heat and brilliant sunshine.

The dominant plants now are my day lilies, yarrow, tansy, lavender, delphinium, hydrangeas and roses.
Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and songbirds fly, flutter and buzz from bloom to bloom. The garden is alive with activity.

After the almost endless rains of June, my weeds are really thriving and it becomes a daily battle to recapture the garden from them. However, it is just a joy to be out among all the blooms and I marvel at what Nature offers us as reward for the work we put in.

How does your garden grow this month and what wonders of Nature do you see along the garden path?

MY TOP 5 GARDENING CHALLENGES FOR JULY

I always think of July as a time that I can scale back a bit on the frenzy of garden work – the planting, fertilizing, creating containers, getting the garden ready for visitors and all the work we associate with Springtime are behind me. Summer is my time for enjoying the gardens.

A gardener’s work is never done. Summer brings different concerns and problems that are unique to this time of the garden season.

1. Critters!!
Is it just me or do the woodchucks and rabbits seem to be more voracious this season? My morning walks can be quite frustrating — seeing tender shoots of peas nibbled to the ground by rabbits, and most of the stems chomped from my phlox and dahlias thanks to my resident woodchuck. We all have choices to make regarding how we deal with problem wildlife. Since creating my Backyard Wildlife Habitat, I try to live in harmony with the critters and study what plants they favor. Next year, I will make better planting choices. I’m also learning which plants will help deter the critters such as those with strong fragrance like marigolds, lavender and allium plants.
Check on-line for more information regarding these plants.

2. Watering.
In New England, we seem to go from one extreme to the other. We’ve endured long periods of rain and clouds when I was worried that my plants would drown. Now, we have the opposite extreme. I can’t seem to give them enough water. Every garden situation is different but I can tell your from experience that watering very early in the morning or early in the evening is best for the plants (and the gardener!). Find yourself a good hose spray wand attachment and direct it at the ground below your plants. For many reasons, it is best not to get the foliage wet or to water when the hot sun is shining.

3. Deadheading.
I may be in the minority of gardeners who truly enjoys the entire process of gardening — even the tediousness of deadheading. I enjoy getting “up close and personal” with my plants because it keeps me ahead of pest and disease problems. I find wandering through the gardens several times a week with a 5-gallon bucket and a nice pair of garden shears very relaxing. Many of you may not realize that deadheading or even shearing many of your perennials will keep them reblooming throughout the garden season. This is a good topic to study up on. A favorite book that covers this information plant by plant is written by Tracy DiSabato-Aust, aka “the Queen of Deadheading” , in her book– The Well-Tended Perennial Garden.

4. Bugs are Everywhere!
Gardening and bugs go hand in hand. The good news is that there are many good bugs or beneficial insects that will go after the bad bugs. During the past few years I’ve begun to pay more attention to this topic and have begun planting certain plants to attract good bugs that will naturally take care of the bad bugs for us. Some of these good bugs are parasitic wasps, ladybeetles, lacewings, and assassin bugs. Five of the best plants for attracting the good bugs are sweet alyssum, fennel, ornamental grasses, pussy willow and golden marguerites. Try your hand at this perfect all-natural pest control.

5. Staking.
Yes, sometimes it’s difficult to keep tall or bushy plants standing upright. I have quite a collection of bamboo poles, frames, string, chicken wire enclosures, trellising systems, tomato cages and assorted flower stakes that each have a place in the garden for this chore. The good news is that there seems to be the right “tool” for every situation. Our local nurseries have a great selection as do Gardener’s Supply Company and Kinsman Company. You can find their complete catalogs on-line.

I’M HOOKED ON GROWING MY OWN VEGGIES!

For years I’ve been growing my own tomatoes, peppers and herbs but this year, I’ve taken veggie gardening more seriously. My raised bed garden is home to lettuce, peas, corn, 13 different kinds of tomatoes (I’m not sure who is going to eat all of these!), peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupe, broccoli, eggplant, beets, green, yellow and lima beans, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. I also plant assorted herbs, edible and cut flowers as fillers and color.

We’re in the process of enclosing the entire garden with fencing and chicken wire to keep the critters on the outside. I’ll let you know if this works!! I’ve been enjoying rhubarb, a few strawberries, lettuce, tender pea pods and the first blueberries of the season. There is nothing like walking out into the backyard to pick your own fresh food!

AREA EVENTS

Now that the majority of plant sales and garden tours are behind us, we can venture out to many of the wonderful local Farmers Markets. Most of our towns and cities have a market at various times of the week. Amherst has been holding their Saturday morning market for 38 years! Become familiar with your local farmers markets. They give us the perfect opportunity to get to know some of our wonderful local farmers, bakers and craftspeople. Here are just a few of the most popular Farmers Markets in our area:

• Amherst, MA: Every Saturday in downtown from 7:30am to 1:30pm

• Northampton, MA: Tuesdays, behind Thornes Marketplace

• Greenfield, MA: Saturday morning, 8am to 12:30pm on the town common. In its 36th year!

• Florence, MA: Wednesday afternoon from 2 to 6pm in the Florence Civic Center parking lot.

OTHER AREA GARDENING EVENTS

Many area garden venues offer lectures, workshops and events.

See our Recommended Gardening Events page for a listing of upcoming happenings for gardeners.

As always, Sherry Wilson’s weekly column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette is a great resource to keep current on local garden-related events such as garden tours in Williamsburg and Pittsfield this month.

Note: All of my monthly garden blogs are archived here on my site. To read step-by-step advice on what to do in the garden each month, check here.