Top Picks for 2009!

Add Some Flair to Your Garden This Year

First up is the
Digitalis Giant Shirley Mix
a colorful range that provides years of pleasure. This beauty is an outstanding English Foxglove with magnificent flowerheads crowded with big, bell-shaped blossoms. The blooms simply cover the top part of the sturdy, 3-foot stems, offering a gorgeous range of colors. This biennial variety also flaunts lovely foliage that forms a neat rosette, and it reseeds itself freely, providing years of ongoing beauty for garden and vase.


Next is the 'Amethyst Falls'
Like other Wisteria, is a strong grower, reaching 30 feet or more. It is, however, not invasive like its Asian cousins. This native variety is less vigorous and easier to manage, refraining from choking out trees over time, as some Wisteria are wont to do -- a distinct advantage in the South, where Wisteria can run wild! All of these things make it an ecologically sensitive choice.

The 'Amethyst Falls' flowers sooner than the Asian types (some of which can take 10 years or more), blooming its first season with fragrant, vividly blue flowers on 4- to 6-inch racemes that appear in spring and repeat all summer. Its bloom also arrive about two weeks later than others, so late-winter frosts seldom affect flowering.

One of the many that I like about this one is that you don't have to have a tree or trellis for it to grow on. Place a pole with about six feet extended above ground and train the vine to give the appearance of it's own little tree. It looks great and the butterflies will love it all summer long.




Now comes.....

Asclepias 'Hello Yellow'



A Hardy Native, Topped with Gold and Utterly Carefree!
Exciting new separate color -- golden-yellow!
One of the finest native American perennials, Asclepias brightens the mid- to late-summer sunny garden with massive bloomheads, followed by handsome seedpods that are unequalled in dried arrangements. Now this coppery-orange species has a bright yellow cousin with the same great drought resistance, free blooming habit, and irresistible appeal to butterflies and bees!

'Hello Yellow' is just about the sunniest color I've ever seen outside a Marigold! The 3-inch flowerheads are simply jammed with blooms, and as they open, the butterflies and bees begin arriving. This Asclepias contains an essential food for Monarch butterflies, and apparently everything else with two wings finds it yummy as well!

Check back for more "Top Picks" From here on out, I plan to list a "Top Pick" with each post. What do you think? Let me hear from you.

Til next time,

Poppy

More Daylilies Anyone?

The Stella D'Oro
Picture by Denise

Daylilies are a tough brood. They are one of the easiest bloomers for me to work with while giving back beauty 100 fold. Even though a bloom lasts only one day, a bed of daylilies will give plenty of blooms every day during their blooming season.

Better yet, they multiply very well. They are easy to divide to extend an existing bed or use in another.

The best time to divide is in early Spring or in the Fall after they have ceased blooming. I have divided them at different times of the year but they do best when divided as suggested. Either way, it will take a year for the transplants to become prolific bloomers as they are known to be.

Divide when clumbs start to show signs of becoming over crowded or their blooms are shy (less blooms). I've used different methods of dividing. When the ground is soft, I've used a fork by working around the entire clump to losen the soil from the roots. Then sink the fork under the clump and lift it out. You will loose more roots if you try this when the ground is hard.

The other method is using a spade to encircle the plant to a depth of about eight inches. Bear in mind that the roots extend several inches beyond the foliage. Once circled, shove the spade under the clump and lift out. This method is best if you plan to transfer the entire plant intact to another location. In my opinion, this is not really dividing, you're just moving them.

Dividing the clump can be done one of two ways. If the soil is lose around the clump, you can easily remove the soil by shaking- taking care not to destroy more roots than necessary. If the soil is compact and not wanting to release from the roots, use a water hose to wash away the soil leaving the roots exposed.

Separate the individual fans by gently teasing and tugging to separate their roots. Each new division should consist of a fan with attached roots. This method will produce many more lilies than cutting the clumps into quarters.

Once removed, trim away any dead growth. Replant the new divisions about eight inches apart in well prepared soil tilled to about eight inches deep. Mix in about two inches of organic matter and about two pounds of 10-0-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet of area. Use your favorite organic fertilizer if you are an organic gardener.

There you have it! Nothing to it. Right?

Til next time,

Poppy

For more info click on photo below.

Is It Time to Re-engineer Your Landscape?

Sometimes it is a good idea to just step back and take a critical look at your landscape. Questions you may want to ask yourself concern freshness, functionality, and maintenance.

"Re-enginering" is a term used by many corporations. It can take on different meanings, but overall it refers to using what works and doing away with what does'nt work. Rather than start from scratch, it is much more cost effective and saves a lot of effort.

The landscape is constantly changing. Plants mature often outgrowing their original space provided. Trees grow taller casting shadows in areas that need more sunshine. The thing to remember is the landscape is dynamic, not static.

So, lets take a look at the points of consideration I mentioned earlier. Does your landscape give a feeling of freshness? Or does it look drab? You may want to liven it up a little with the use of some of the latest perenials, add some different colors, or use a different edging. Odds are that most of the hard work of soil conditioning has been done naturally. Try swaping some plants around. Add some new mulch. Before you know it you will have a new fresh look!

Life styles change which can hamper the landscape's functionality. We find ourselves having to go around a flower bed to get from point A to point B. Maybe trees have grown much taller now and shading areas that once called for sunshine. The mature garden spot now may block a view that we treasured at one time. Do you still need the play area that is no longer being used? Take a hard look at how you use your outside areas.

Lastly, maintenace should be a major consideration. Open up your areas to allow room for weeding, fertilizing, and triming. Our original plan may not have considered how large some of our plants can get. This can restrict the amount of area avilable to perform needed maintenance. It can be very difficult to avoid injuring plants (or yourself) while tending to others.

Consider "rounding out" landscaped areas to allow for easier mowing. A good flow to allow the mower to make the necessary turns with out having to stop can make mowing a lot easier and faster. Hving to stop, back up or repositioning the mower just to get to an out of the way place can be very frustrating and takes time away from other things you might enjoy more- a break resting and admiring your handy work for example.

Back to the original question, is it time to re-engineer your landscape? If you haven't done the above lately, I would venture to guess that the answer is yes. Go ahead, it will be worth it!

Til next time,

Poppy

Gardener's Supply Company: Save up to 50% in our Garden Outlet

Looking For a Real Beauty?

Try the Astilbe "Visions in Red"

It is compact, has cut flower plumes, and is drought tolerant! This compact perennial is easy to grow and even easier to maintain, providing long-lasting beauty with its intensely colored midsummer blooms that are stunning in both garden and vase. And its lush, glossy foliage makes it a delight for containers or borders even when it's out of bloom.

The fat, intensely colored red plumes arise in early summer on compact plants. They begin as pinkish buds, then simply burst into brilliant bloom! Measuring 6 to 8 inches long, these blooms make fabulous cuttings for indoor arrangements, or you may want to let them dry right on the plant as "outdoor Everlastings"! As they dry they age to a rich, deep lavender that's every bit as attractive as the original red! Very long-lasting in the garden or the vase, these flowers are not to be missed!

The plant is compact and handsome even when not blooming, with glossy dark green leaves. It stands just 12 to 15 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide -- a good size for containers and edging as well as the front to middle of the border. In addition to its drought tolerance, 'Visions in Red' is also extremely adaptable to heat, humidity, and cold -- just about anything Nature throws its way, in other words! It even handles up to about a half day of sun without losing a petal!

If you like Astilbes in general, you must also try 'Rheinland,' a deep pink. And if you're looking for companion plants, Hostas, Bugbane, and Ferns all make good neighbors. This Astilbe is easy to grow and even easier to maintain, with minimal needs for water and very long-lasting blooms! Do deadhead the spent flowers promptly, though, to encourage new ones to spring up in their place!

Plant 'Visions in Red' in rich, well-drained soil, and water it generously the first few seasons to get it well established. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart, depending upon how lush you want the group display to look. Zones 4-8.

Til next time,
Poppy

Beautifull Gardening Weather!

Azaleas In Full Bloom

We have enjoyed some beautiful gardening weather over the past two weeks. I'm trying something new this year. A row was tilled up around the entire outside perimeter of the vegie garden and planted with Zinnia seed saved from last year's flower garden. Within five days, the Zinnia had sprouted up!


The Zinnia makes a beautiful bloom that will dress up the garden and is good for cut flowers as well. You can count on having blooms until early fall.

The seed came from a mixed variety of colors that I had planted last year. When the blooms eventualy died, they were picked and crumbled up into a paper bag. I just stored the bag of seed on a closet shelf for the winter.

We Are Back!

Computer Crash

We are back up and running! I'm thankful for having some back-up which saved documents, but all of my pictures were lost. I will have to rely on Denise's "flicker pictures" which is better than what I had anyway.

So, where did we leave off? Is your garden ready for planting? What about seeds versus seedlings from your local nusery? You can save a bundle by propagating from seed. Below is a chapter from an Ebook I have been working on but haven't had the time to complete:

Seed Purchased or Collecting

Seed purchased from seed suppliers or garden centers usually provide useful information on the package. The information may include best time to plant according to the hardiness zone, how to plant, expected germination rate (% you can expect to germinate), and when the seed was packaged. When the seed was packaged is important because the germination rate of some seed decreases dramatically over time. Look for seed that has been packaged for the current season.

Need to know information on the package includes variety or cultivar, color, size, and other requirements. All is helpful in planning garden design. Not only for attractiveness, but for the amount of sunshine required, soil conditions, bloom time, and the like. Any specific germination requirements are given as well.

If you have received seed from a friend or through a seed exchange, try to obtain as much information about the plant (seed) as possible. Gather the type of information given on packaged seed purchased from suppliers. This will improve your chances of germination, plant development, and where best to place it in the garden.

Seed collected from individuals rather than a supplier may not produce the same plant expected. Random pollination by insects or other means will impact the seed produced in the home garden environment. Random pollination will often affect almost every aspect of the plant such as color, size, and disease resistance. Seed suppliers are careful to produce seed in areas surrounded by the same variety/cultivar which decreases possibilities of random pollination. Suppliers will also treat their seed for protection against certain diseases that can occur during the germination period.

Saving your own seed or collecting from a seed exchange does have advantages. Big savings and obtaining seeds that are not available commercially. These are usually common self pollinated, non-hybrid varieties.

Seed starting supplies can be found at http://www.parkseed.com

Is It Time To Plant?

Have You Prepared?

I've answered a question with a question. Sorry about that, but have you prepared needs to be answered (or done) before the first. Or maybe you are one of those super organized types that is merely laying out your time table for getting things done.

It takes a while to get your garden area or beds ready for planting. I'll take my veggie garden as an example. There were several things that had to be done before I could even think about planting anything in it. Winter weeds had taken over during my winter siesta. That was a chore in itself. It is hard to believe how well established weeds can become during the winter.

After the weed removal process, the soil needed to be tilled and the rows laid out. I used the same area as last year, so the tilling wasn't all that difficult. The tilling also allowed me to judge what kind of condition the soil was in, i.e compacted?, ph level? sandy? etc. From those observations, it was determined that compaction was not a problem therefore no need to add any organics to losen the soil. However, there was a need to get a better balance to the ph level so I added some lime. BTW, it can take several months for lime to do its job.

Now that the garden is ready, is it time to plant? There are at least two ways to answer. Hopefully you have decided what to plant. Right? The old saying of "different strokes for different folks" holds true for plants as well as people. If you are propagating from seed, check the recommended time and other instructions on the seed packet. The internet is a super good source for information. The USDA produces volumes of information.

Now, maybe we can address the original question- is it time to plant? Check out the Frost Map below. The frost map is a guide, not a guarantee that a killer frost won't happen.




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Add Some Sun Loving Plants to Your Landscape

Buxus 'Green Velvet'is a wonderful evergreen shrub that combines the hardiness and compact growth habit of Korean Boxwood with the luxuriant, green leaf color of English Boxwood. The best feature of this vigorous Buxus is the deep, velvety foliage, which keeps its rich shades through even the most difficult winters.

It's full-bodied, dense, and rounded, growing to just 18 to 24 inches high and about 24 inches wide, and can be sheared to any form, from topiary to a low, neat hedge.


Buxus are slow growing and require little care. They do tolerate pruning and shearing (remove dead or damaged branches every year to improve air circulation), but avoid cultivating around the plants as they have shallow roots. Plant in full to part sun in well-drained soil, preferably in a sheltered location that will protect against strong winds.

Companion Plants for Buxus

The Berberis Sunjoy makes an excellent accent plant in conjunction with the Buxus.

The Ilex "Sky Pencil' workd great for accents or corners.

Buxus makes a fine border for rose gardens and other plant beds.

A Fantastic Weekend!

The Pontiff
Yard Art by Denise Mason (my daughter-in-law)

This was a fantastic weekend- beautiful weather and a working visit by my son Tim and his wife, Denise. Both love gardening as you can tell by Denise's photo site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/flinky23.

They arrived after a 3 1/2 hour drive loaded with their gardening tools and ready to dig in the dirt. And ,boy, did they! We managed to finish the tilling needed in the vegie garden. Now there are 10 rows, each 35 ft. long. That may not be enough for everything I want to plant, but that is about all I'll be able to handle.

We managed to mulch all of the flower beds and till a rooting bed. Also a surprise, we found enough "Hidden Lily" tubers to fill a five gallon bucket. Now, where will I plant them is the question.

Til next time,

Poppy

My Latest Creation

Thrill'm, Fill'm, Spill'm

This was a fun job! Using a clay pot, potting soil, Variegated Flax Lily, Blue Mistral Delphinium, and "White Magic" trailing Verbena. The Flax Lily was not quite as tall as I wanted, so I placed it in a separate pot and elevated it slightly above the others.

The pots of blue delphinium contained three plants in each pot. I divided them up and placed them around the lily pot. The verbena was in a hanging basket that I separated and placed around the outside edge of the clay pot.

I added slow release fertilizer at two levels as the soil was placed- halfway and at top. I also made sure that there were no voids in the soil as the plants were placed. Air pockets around the roots can retard good root development. A thorough watering followed the completed job.

As I stood back to admire my creation, a major "boo boo" glared at me. Can you guess what it is? Take a good look at the picture and leave a comment as to what you think.

Peas and Cukes Are In the Ground!

First Daffodil of 2009 stolen from the collection of D. Mason- http://www.flickr.com/photos/flinky23

The weather was fantastic for gardening yesterday. A little breezy, but just enough to keep the perspiration in check.

In eager anticipation of getting something growing, I planted the first two rows of my garden before finishing the layout as mentioned in my last post. A row of sweet peas and a row of cucumbers.

I read an article recently that said it is a good idea to soak the peas in water overnight prior to planting. The soaking adds moisture to the seed to promote germination. Also, inoculate the seeds using Rhizobium which trials have shown that seeds inoculated with it produce 77% more pods. Rhizobium can be purchased at nurseries or through mail order.

Inoculation is done by dusting the water soaked seeds prior to planting. Stir the dusted seeds thoroughly to ensure they are totally covered. Sprinkle some of the Rizobium in the furrow with the seed as well. Don't put off planting after you have inoculated them. Rhizobium is a bacteria that will die if not placed in the soil immediately.

A four foot "hog wire" fence will be erected over the row. The fence provides a trellis for the pea vines to climb and for easy harvesting.

Til next time and please leave some comments.

Poppy

Laying Out the Garden

I'm a little sore but feeling good. Cold weather kept me out of the garden for the first part of the week. Then a wave of Spring like conditions moved in as if to say "get out of that recliner and go play"! And that is exactly what I did.

My garden area needed some overhaul. Winter weeds had decided to homestead. Their roots had penetrated deep into the soil to resist any challenge to their removal. They weren't prepared for Poppy's determination to reclaim his territory however. One by one the weeds surrendered after being attacked with Poppy's arsenal of weapons of mass destruction- hoe, rake, and shovel (I wanted to use some explosives but that would have alarmed the neighbors- they know I'm a Vietnam vet).

With the weeds gone and able to see the layout of the plot, it was quite obvious that the whole parcel was "out of wack". It looked as if a drunken ------ had laid it out with one side going one way and the other side going in the opposite direction. Much like the outline of a box that had been stepped on with bulges along the way.

So, with stakes, tape measure, and good nylon string in hand, I set out to straighten it out. Of course it had to be "squared" to my warped sense of perfection. That required making sure that opposite sides matched the other in length and the diagonal measurements matched (whew).

But wait, that is not all! Who would go through the trouble of making sure that the plot was "squared" only to install rows at odd angles or crooked. Here we go again! Stakes, string, and tape measure in hand to lay out the rows. The rows were laid out to allow for a two foot walkway between each row and a row width of 30 inches. Each side was measured at these intervals to match the other side. Stakes and string were then used to lay out each row to be tilled. Results-perfectly straight rows!

Let me hear about some of your lay out tactics.

The "Pinot Gris"

Pictured here is one of the plants mentioned in the "Thriller, Filler, Spiller" post was the "Pinot Gris" that Lori used as a "spiller".

The spring foliage is bright ginger-orange with touches of blue and a silvery sheen. Plant Patent Applied For. One of the most spectacular color changes in all the colorful Heuchera family occurs on this exciting Thierry Delabroye introduction. Tolerant of heat, humidity, and sun, this native species is a fine choice for warm climates, and its remarkable color combinations make it essential for the border, containers, and accent plantings.The new spring foliage of this compact plant emerges a bright gingery shade of orange, with touches of bright blue and a silvery overlay. Unlike anything around it, it "pops" from the border, creating a sensation among garden visitors. Then, as the weather warms and summer approaches, the leaves become a rosy shade of pink, darkening to smoky intensity, the veins standing out nearly black. A pewter-like overlay of silver mutes the rosy tones, but the underside of each leaf is bright grape-purple. And the foliage remains this way through autumn!Creamy bell-shaped blooms arise on slender 20-inch stems from the center of the plant in early to midsummer, but the foliage is so lovely that you may just want to cut the blooms for use indoors to concentrate on the leaves. Reaching about 10 inches high (when out of bloom) and 14 inches wide, this plant achieves a layered look, thanks to the nearly horizontal hold of the foliage. Elegant!Truly a spectacular show, 'Pinot Gris' is one of French breeder Delabroye's most triumphant achievements. For more of his Heucheras, take a look at Tiramisu, Pistache, Encore, and Beaujolais. H. villosa is a native American species found from Virginia to Georgia. Compared to other Heucheras, it is larger and later to bloom, with rounded foliage reminiscent of maple leaves in shape and magnificent color changes. Evergreen and very well-branched, these plants tolerate our hot, humid summers better than other Heuchera species, and fare well in dappled shade. Add a few to your shade border this season and discover the carefree pleasure of these adaptable, vigorous perennials. Zones 4-9.

Thriller, Filler, Spiller

Designing Mixed Containers


I enjoyed attending the 2009 Gulf Coast Garden & Patio Show yesterday. Part of the show was a seminar conducted by Lori Hitchcock, co-owner of Natchez Trace Gardens in Kosciusko, MS. Lori and her husband, Mark, was recognized as the Mississippi Nurseryman of The Year 2007, featured on the covers of national magazines Ornamental Outlook and Greenhouse Grower. Lori is sought as a speaker on the topic of Designer Containers and I can understand why.


Lori’s presentation was very interesting and informative. I am eager to use some of her tips like her technique- “Thriller, Filler, Spiller”. In other words, start out with the tallest plant you are going to use (thriller), surround it with shorter, fuller plants (filler), add smaller plants that have a tendency to spill over the edge of the container (spiller). To me, the finished design is much like a living floral arrangement.

Here are some of the important details that Lori shared with us:

1. Choose a large enough container for plants and roots to grow through the season and not get root bound. Lori's rule-of-thumb is "the larger,the better". Plant roots need room to breathe. Don't be a "POTH" (Prisoner Of The Hose)

2. Choose and use the best quality (most expensive) potting soil you can afford. Lori said that the cheaper versions do not have all the necessary ingredients that nurtures the plant properly.

3. Don't forget adequate drainage! Soil must be able to dry out between watering for plants to thrive, and cannot do so without proper drainage. The container needs to have a hole(s) in the bottom to allow the water to drain out.

4. If you don't know your plant material, ASK! If they cannot answer you, go somewhere where they can. Read all plant labels...most important is sunny or shady exposure and growth habit of the plant so you can decide if it will be the thriller, the filler, or the spiller!

5. Have a pot that is on the smaller side? Plant for shade and you will be much more successful.

6. Don't forget to have fun! Container gardening can be very therapeutic and enjoyable when done properly...plant it right, don't be a "POTH" and you will be successful.

Lori made some container designs during her presentation that were absolutely beautiful. I had planed to include some pictures with this post, but the lighting in the area was poor and none of the photos came out usable.

Some plants Lori used for "thrillers" included Jancus, Scooter, and papyrus. Her fillers included the "Joey" (ptilotus exaltatus). It is the plant pictured above. It originated in Australia and is brand new on the market. Some "spillers" included cora bells,diamond frost, and the "Pinot Gris" (Heuchera villosa).

If you have any pictures or experiences with garden container design, please share them with us.