Shade Is Not Boring

2 August, 2011 Reply

Clown Flower, my favorite shade annual. Grew these from seed myself.

For most people, when they think of shade, they get a picture of ivy, vinca major, or pachysanra as their only options. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Shade can be as alluring as sun, if you use the right combination of plants.

Earlier I wrote about knowing your shade. Is it dense, spotted, or partial? All of this will have a bearing on which plants will do well in your particular shady spot.

There are two kinds of interest in a shade garden, flowers and foliage. Many people are familiar with hostas and ferns, but there are others as well. Coral bells (Heuchera) have really come to the forefront in the past decade. Once a paltry little plant with uninteresting green foliage and tiny white or pink flowers, it now comes in a plethora of foliage colors, from green, to lime green, to dark purple, to green with red veins, etc. These can be grown in such dense darkness that one person I know put one in a closet and came back later only to find it blooming! One of my all time favorites is lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis). It is pretty as it is, but when it rains the water beads up on it and looks like diamonds scattered amongst the leaves, very pretty indeed.

There are dozens of flowers that do well in shade. For perennials some of my favorites are bleeding heart (dicentra spectabilis), the fringed bleeding heart blooms repeatedly, but doesn’t put on nearly the show of the “common” one; jacob’s ladder (Polemonium caeruleum), it comes in green and variegated foliage; primroses (Primula); astilbe (Astilbe); foxglove (Digitalis purpurea); lenten rose (Helleborus), comes in many beautiful colors, not just white; hardy ageratum (Eupatorium coelestinum) watch out, this one will freely seed itself in; ligularia. For annuals of course there is always impatiens (Impatiens wallerana), but my favorite is the wishbone flower, also called clown flower (Toernia fournieri), and coleus is a favorite for its bright foliage.

Most spring bulbs can be planted where there’ll be shade in the summer, but summer and fall bulbs that do well include African lilies (Agapanthus hybrids); caladiums (Caladium x hortulanum); and Turk’s cap lily (Lilium martagon).

There are also a few understory trees; dogwood and witch hazel which can tolerate shade. There are more shrubs and our well-known azaleas, rhododendrons and hydrangeas all do well in shade. There’s also a pretty little deciduous shrub kerria (Kerria japonica), that has dainty yellow flowers on it in the summer, to check out.

There are even more plants available for your shady garden. These are the ones I’m familiar with and have found are pretty good troopers, as long as you place them in the correct shade and water level. So, now go take that boring spot under the trees or back in the woods and make it a dramatic wonderland!

Preparing For A Shade Garden – Defining Your Shade

14 July, 2011 Reply

Foamflower, great in the shade

In many old, established neighborhoods finding sun is the main concern of gardeners. Shade is in abundance. Knowing how to use that shade can lead to replacing barren dark patches with lovely foliage and flowers. So, get to know what kind of shade you’re looking at, so that you pick the correct plants for the location.

Deep Shade – All day shade, with no direct sunlight reaching the ground. The sites can be dry to moist, so you need to keep that in mind. There are a few plants that will do well in this heavy shade, even fewer if your soil is dry.

Partial Shade – Some direct sun, between 4 to 6 hours. Watch for what part of the day is in shade as morning shade with afternoon sun is hardest on true partial shade plants.

Light or Filtered Shade – This is the dappled sunlight effect, where the sun hits the ground in an ever changing pattern. A large selection of plants do well in this sort of shade.

Open Shade – This is the shade on the north side of a building. There will be no direct sunlight, but light may be reflected from light colored walls or the ground. Open shade often remains damp.

Remember that having your trees professionally trimmed by an arborist (not a tree trimming service, but a true arborist) can help lighten some heavily shaded areas to allow for a larger variety of plants to be thrive.

Storing Spring Bulbs For Fall Planting

11 July, 2011 Reply

Tulip in garden in Germany

June and July are the months to dig up your spring bulbs if you need to move them or separate them. Soon after the leaves have died down you can start the process. If you know where you want to put them you can plant them in that area immediately, you don’t have to wait. However, if you need to move them to an area that’s not yet prepared or are not sure where you want to put them, then you can follow these easy directions to keep them until the fall to plant them.

First you’ll want to dig up the bulbs. Start digging with a garden fork far enough away from the actual bulbs that you won’t damage any of them. Then gently lift them up out of the soil. Don’t separate the bulbs right now, just rinse them off, put them in a box or on a tray, and then let them set for 1-2 weeks to dry out and cure.

Once they are good and dry (not shriveled dry), pull any bulbs that are damaged or show signs of molding out of the batch. Then put them in a mesh bag and hang them in a cool, dark, relatively dry, but not arid place. It should have good air circulation. Many people hang them in their garages or garden sheds, but if you live in an area with hot summers, like I do, then opt for a more temperature-controlled space in a closet or basement (but only if the basement is dry).

You don’t need to keep bulbs in the refrigerator. As a matter of fact the new fridges with their dehumidifying effect can actually suck all the moisture out of bulb and shrivel it to nothing.

In the fall, usually October or November, check the dates with the extension office in your area, you can plant the bulbs back in their new location.

When planting make sure you plant them at the proper depth, with the blossom end up. Add proper nutrients to the hole, so that you’ll end up with healthy blossoms and bulbs for years to come.

Organizing A Garden

30 June, 2011 Reply

You’ve decided to put in a new garden. You’ve picked a location. Now, what to do from here? First you need to decide the size and shape of the garden. Try to plan gardens so that you don’t have to do extensive standing on the soil once planted. You can plan a couple of key stepping places, but compacted soil is hard for roots to live in.

When considering shape remember that curved lines are more appealing. If it a purely utilitarian garden for grapes or berries, then straight is not a problem, but gardens, especially ornamental gardens look softer and more inviting when the edges are curved. You can play with a hose or rope trying out different shapes until you get one that you like.

When picking plants for the garden consider several things:

  1. Do you want evergreen plants in the garden?
  2. What about deciduous shrubs or trees?
  3. Are perennials in order?
  4. Will you want to include any annuals?
  5. How tall do you want plants to grow?
  6. How wide can they spread?
  7. What is their water requirement?
  8. What is the soil requirement?
  9. How much sun or shade do they require?
  10. How much sun or shade does the garden area get? If you’re growing evergreens you even need to consider sun and shade throughout the year.

If you are including perennials:

  1. What is their bloom time and blossom color?
  2. Is it hardy in your zone?
  3. How tall does the mature plant get? Often plants in nurseries are not as tall as they’ll get once planted in the ground. They often don’t get as tall when grown in pots.

Plant your plants so that the tallest are in the back or center of a garden and then layer them down to short plants along the border, otherwise, the short plant will be overshadowed by its taller neighbor.

Remember you are not buying mature plants at a nursery, so read the plant tags carefully.Don’t be afraid to ask the staff for help in making a choice. A nursery is a place where babies live, same thing with plants. Nurseries are where baby plants are born and brought up until they are big enough to be adopted by us plant enthusiasts.

 

Focus Plant: Catnip

28 June, 2011 Reply

Honeybees on catnip

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is well known for its affects on cats. Anyone who’s ever seen a cat given a catnip toy knows that they lose all their reserve and act like they’re totally uninhibited, drunk possibly.

Catnip seems to have that same affect on all the pollinators. Right now my catnip is in full bloom and it is covered in every sort of flying nectar drinker I’ve ever seen. There are bees, green flies, butterflies, etc. They just don’t seem to be able to get enough of the nectar.

I originally planted catnip, because it was supposed to repel ants. Well that didn’t work at all. I was about to pull the plants up, as I didn’t really see any use for them since they failed to eradicate the massive ant population on our property.

For whatever reason I never got to it last fall and then didn’t have the heart to do it once it started growing this spring.  Now that I know that it draws pollinators I’m going to keep it in the landscape. The past couple of years I’ve had a hard time with pollination of my vegetable garden. Now things seem to be much better. I’ve got lots of baby vegetables coming on.

Now that it is going to be a part of my landscape I decided to see what other uses it has other than cheap entertainment for your cat, and you watching your cat.

There’s a long list of ailments catnip is supposed to help. The main being that it is a relaxant. It’ll help you get to sleep when you are restless. So, don’t drink it before driving as it causes drowsiness. It also helps with respiratory infections, fevers, cold or flu, colic, gas, headaches, indigestion, menstrual cramps, etc. As with any herb if you are pregnant consult with a knowledgeable herbalist before using.

Catnip growing specs: 3-5’ tall, Zone 3a to 9b, full sun/part shade, water regularly, don’t overwater. Will freely self sow in some conditions (like my garden) deadhead if you don’t want seedlings (I have lots).

 

Drowning In Weeds

16 June, 2011 Reply

We all have the best of intentions. We see our yard beautifully landscaped, not a blade of grass out of place. The flowers are blooming happily, raising their faces to the sun. Funny, we never envision our garden choked with weeds, or the grape trellis breaking and our grapes now lying on the ground. We don’t see the reworking of the deck taking weeks, instead of hours.

Gardeners are optimists. If we weren’t we’d never plant a seed, because planting a seed is an act of faith. You believe that the seed will grow. You trust that not only will it sprout, but that it will grow up to be a beautiful healthy plant that will either flower or produce food abundantly.

We never imagine the innocent little plant that we put in the garden, could be invasive in our climate (or maybe even just our yard). We don’t ever envision our garden being eaten by deer, or insects or plundered by fungal diseases.

Even when things like this happen we continue on. Hardships are taken in stride. They are a part of being a gardener. It’s almost like childbirth, we don’t remember how bad it was even a few days after the event. We’ve turned our attention to another new project, or plant.

I just spent approximately 12 hours weeding the berries and grapes. I got up this morning and my fingers are swollen from all the intense pulling, digging, etc. But do I stop the plans I have to increase the berry and grape patch. NO! I’ve got bigger and better plans that will keep them free from weeds and growing beautifully on trellises that are strong.

I still have other gardens to rescue from being choked alive with weeds. I’ll dutifully clean them out, over and over, until I get ahead of the onslaught. I love gardening, even when there are pitfalls. When the first bachelor button opened its beautiful purple blossom I’m still just as enchanted as I was when I was 5.

 

Birth Of A Daylily

10 June, 2011 Reply

A year or so ago I noticed a new little daylily plant coming up. I hadn’t planted it there and it was obvious it had come up from a seed, as it was tiny. I decided to just leave it and see which plant it was from. I expected to look like one of the two daylilies nearby, either yellow or peach.

This morning I opened the door and it was blooming. A big glorious bloom that doesn’t look much like either of the two daylilies I have. I was pleasantly surprised, as I was expecting it to be a copy of one of the two. It does have some yellow in it, but it has the deep rusty red of the native daylilies in it. So, it must be a cross between the two of them.

The markings on it are unique and unlike either of the parents. After looking at about a dozen daylily sites I couldn’t find one that was very close to this one. I was shocked. I may have a truly unique flower going here! That would be exciting and fun.

Daylilies are easily bred, but I had no idea they could do such spectacular things all on their own. Hopefully I’ll be putting in my daylily bed this year and then this little gal will have a new place to show off from. I’m going to call it Blissfully Victorious, that’s what my name means. All this from a little patience, allowing a stray plant to grow to maturity.

 

Focus Plant: Zinnias

7 June, 2011 Reply

This is the year of the zinnia! Zinnias (Zinnia elegans), are super easy to grow annuals, that will provide a plethora of blooms perfect for cutting the entire summer season. There are dozens of varieties of zinnias. They range from tiny to gigantic, and just about every color in the rainbow can be found.

If you just want a flush of color there are the “Profusion” series that are low growing, small flowered, but masses of them. Or you can make a statement with zinnias that get upward of 3-5 feet with blossoms 5-6” across. There is a zinnia for everyone.

Not only do they come in different sizes, but different shapes, too. There’s cactus petaled, with their pointed, twisted petals. Maybe you’d like the dahlia style. Maybe beehive shaped blossoms interest you. Or a simple pointed petal look. You can get single, double, and even pompom looks.

Colors range from white, to green, with pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, purple, bi-colored, spotted, or even changing color over time.

Only the most common zinnias can be found at garden centers and they are usually expensive, sold in 4” or larger pots. You can easily start zinnias indoors in early spring or outside once the soil has warmed. This gives you access to a diverse collection of beautiful, tough, long lasting flowers.

Zinnias attract both butterflies and hummingbirds and few pests really bother them much, maybe slugs on the low growing varieties. I always save lots of room for zinnias in my gardens. Mine have already started flowering.

Understanding Annuals

2 June, 2011 Reply

This is the big show for annuals. Summer months are when they get to show off. Since annuals only live one season, they bloom profusely in an attempt to set seed. Their goal is to see the next generation born.

From early spring until hard frosts in fall there are annuals that you can grow in your area. You just need to be aware of a few tips when purchasing annuals. There are some annuals that do best with cool, mild days. In some areas of the US they will bloom throughout the summer, due to the mild climate, however, the same annual planted in a hotter environment will either languish or die in the heat of the summer.

Other annuals love the heat and sun. These will not flourish in the milder climates, but will put on an amazing show in the hotter climates. You also need to look at humidity, because even some heat lovers, don’t care as much for humidity. In this case planting them in an area of the yard where they’ll get relief from the hot afternoon sun can keep them blooming throughout the summer.

It is a good idea to read up on annuals that do well in your area, before purchasing. Home improvement and department stores don’t necessarily send plants that are designed for your area of the country. So, to avoid disappointment, doing a little homework is worth it. You can also talk to employees at garden centers, as they know much more about the proper growing conditions for the plants they offer that non-specialty businesses.

Last, in order to keep those annuals blooming like crazy, don’t let them set seed. Since their sole purpose for blooming to perpetuate the species, if you don’t let them do it, they just keep trying. So, deadhead on a regular basis if you want continuous blooming out of your annuals. It is worth the little bit of effort it takes to clean the spent flowers.

And The Winner Is

27 May, 2011 Reply

‘Old Mexico’ zinnia by 2 days.  The ‘Thumbelina’ zinnia is now open as well. Both are yellow. Last year all the ‘Thumbelinas’ were pink, so I’m really glad to see that I have something other than pink this year.

This is one of the most exciting times of the year. Everything is popping into bloom or sprouting from the ground. Because the soil is nice and warm seeds are sprouting in just a few days. I planted corn, beans, squash, and watermelons less than a week ago and all of them are coming up.

The flower seeds I sprinkled in the front last week are up and going strong. The bachelor buttons are putting on buds, the strawflowers have doubled in size and the sunflowers are growing rapidly.

The summer perennials are in bloom. I went a little crazy last year and bought a bunch of plants before I had a garden so had to squeeze them in all together before our trip to India. This has made for a spectacular display of flowers already. It is fun to watch as the plants that were just tiny sprigs last year are putting on flowers for the first time. Seeing them in the catalog and seeing them in person can be quite different and I’ve found a favorite already in the Achusa azurea I bought on a whim last year. It has been blooming since sometime in April and doesn’t seem to want to slow down. It is clear blue, one of my favorite flower colors and about 4’ tall. I’ll be adding more of those for sure, once I get the cutting bed put in.

I think one of the things gardeners enjoy the most is watching the plants produce, whether it is flower or fruit. To see a seedling or tiny plant persevere and mature is so fulfilling. It is almost like having children.

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