It pains me to see customers spending hundreds of dollars on new plants and simultaneously refusing to spend a few more on a bag or two of compost and a box of starter fertilizer. These two items are not unnecessary “add-ons” that the retailer is just trying to add to the sale, they are critical components of a successful transplanting process - or as I like to refer to them as “plant insurance”. Unless you have phenomenal soil, you should always add compost and starter fertilizers when you are planting new plants. Here is why…
The legendary nostalgia of Lilacs has graced garden across the world for hundreds of years. When I say the word “Lilac” I think most gardeners can close their eyes and picture the flower, and perhaps more importantly imagine the intoxicating fragrance that they fill the air with each spring. We now have…
Whenever I ponder summer blooming shrubs, two have been and always will be at the front of my mind… Roses and Hydrangeas – as nothing will beat either of these for length of flowering time, all the way until frost… There is never anything wrong with more of either, but what else can I choose that will add some seasonal interest to the summer garden?…
During the months of May and June one of the all-time favorite plants of local gardeners, the peony, is bursting into bloom. There are many excellent peonies available to utilize in our landscapes; including herbaceous cottage types in all sorts of colors (and varying fragrances) and larger growing tree peonies too. I would never scold anyone for growing either of these types (since I do as well), but I want to bring attention to another fabulous peony option… what is known as the intersectional or Itoh Peony.
The Golfing Gardener
Trevor Cameron
I thought it might be fun to kick off the new year in style with some gardening resolutions, a practice that may both motivate us and help to maximize our gardening potential. It goes without saying that there are many ways any of us can improve in our lives, community, relationships and even workplace. Setting goals is always useful (year around for that matter), but it seems like at the New Year holiday, resolutions large and small take center stage. I will skip the topics of…