Enjoy the fall display... and plan now for spring color!

It's been a great display of fall color this year. One of the best I can recall. Each day brings new color combinations in the landscape. To replicate these colors in your gardens and landscape you have to plan ahead, in the spring and summer months. The same can be said for spring bulbs. You have to plan ahead. Now is the time to plan for spring color. Those harbingers of spring color, daffodils, crocus, scilla, tulips, etc. have to be planted now. Garden centers, mail order catalogs, even big box stores have numerous varieties and colors to personalize your own garden. Bulbs are inexpensive, only have to be planted once and return year after year. Talk about low maintenance.

Most bulbs are grown overseas in Europe and shipped over to the U.S. The one exception is Brent and Becky's out of Gloucester County, VA. I met Brent Heath two years ago at the annual APLD (Association of Professional Landscape Designers) convention. I was impressed with his passion and knowledge, I guess that comes from 30 years of bulb growing. W.D. Wells has ordered from them for years and have never been let down on service, quality or results. Take a minute and plan for spring, I know I am even as the leaves just begin to fall. http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/

If you have deer in your area the safest bet are daffodils (narcissus). Other least preferred include Scilla siberica (scilla), crocus (although rabbits like them), Winter aconite (Eranthis cilicica), Grape Hyacinth (Muscari), Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis), Alliums, and Glory-of- the-snow (Chionodoxa forbesii). If you want to feed the deer plant tulips!

photo from Brent & Becky's bulbs website; Narcissus 'Carlton'

Late summer flower color

As the summer season winds down, color still remains in the garden.

'Stella d'oro' daylilly, Sedumn 'Autumn Joy' , Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva'

'Tardiva' Hydrangea, 'Winter Red' Winterberry fruiting up, 'Northwind' Panicum

Heliopsis helianthoides, native species

Heliopsis helianthoides paired with Eupatorium maculatum 'Gateway'.

The bees and butterflies are loving them!

Environmentally Safe Weed Killer

I often heard and recommended vinegar as a 'greener' weed control alternative to chemical herbicides. Although I have never tried it some additional information on the topic is below.
(from natorp's garden center weekly newsletter/ blog http://natorp.com/wordpress/#tmp)

“Tell me more about killing weeds with vinegar. Does it matter what type of vinegar? Will it also kill the grass?” -No and yes. Doesn’t matter what type of vinegar is used, but the higher the percentage of acidic acid the better it works. And it is a non selective vegetation killer, meaning it kills what you spray it on, weeds, grass, and all. Vinegar is strictly a foliar kill, and does not kill the roots.

Echinacea in the garden

Photo above is a garden in Landenberg, PA one year after planting. Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' with Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' behind and Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' to the left for some late summer blooms. All deer and drought tolerant!

In a different clients garden, Landenberg, PA. Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High'

Same residence, rear hillside garden one year after garden installation. Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High' in center of photo.

Echinacea purpurea, or Purple coneflower, is a eastern and central North American native flowering perennial that every sunny garden must have. They are drought tolerant and deer seldom bother. In recent years plant breeders have developed rather interesting cultivars. These newer varieties showcase yellow, orange, red and even white flowers. They make great cut flowers, butterflies and bees love them and when the seed heads are left in tack over the winter season the birds will appreciate the meal! When designing my clients gardens I often sneak a few in mix, they liven every garden up. Plant some today and everyone wins!

Summer, Finally!

It's been a gloomy, rainy, June however we are being rewarded with plenty of sunshine and flower blooms the past few days. June is perennial gardening month, (according to the Perennial Plant Association ) and driving around visiting several of my clients gardens I can see why! The PPA is a valuable online resource for perennial plants. If you are a beginner gardener the perennial plant of the year list is great selection to start with.

Photo to the right is from 1 year old garden in West Chester, PA. The purple flowering perennial is the 2007 plant of the year, Nepeta 'Walker's Low'. A constant plant in my garden design, nepeta, or catmint, is fantastic when used in a sunny location, preferably at the border of the garden. They are drought tolerant once established and after the first wave of flowering occurs, trim back to 6" and watch them perform again! Oh did I mention they are deer resistant and the bees and butterflies love them! Combine with spiraea and ornamental grasses for a winning trio. Other plants in this photo include 'Gold Star' junipers, 'Bailhalo' red stem dogwood shrub, 'Gateway' Joe-Pye weed (not really a weed but a terrific native late summer flowering butterfly magnet), and the large evergreen is 'Yoshino' Japanese cryptomeria, which also is deer resistant.

Visit the PPA for additional perennial plant information and their plant of the year list at http://www.perennialplant.org/index.asp

Brake for the Turtles

While stopping by one of my clients last week I noticed a large object in the road up ahead. As I approached I slowed down and was surprised to see this snapping turtle. The turtles mate from April through November, with their peak egg laying season in June and July. So be careful out there on our roadways and remember to slow down a give a turtle a break!

guerrilla gardening???

A few nights ago I caught the tail end of the evening national news. I was delighted to see a report on a British gardeners efforts to beautiful the world around him. It is catching on all around the globe. Check it out! http://www.guerrillagardening.org/index.html