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…
I recently read an article on designing with foliage in the garden by a local author, Christina Salwitz. Her main point is that while flowers are ephemeral, foliage can last all season and therefore should be the first consideration in any garden design - be it in the landscape or simply in our containers. As we move into the fall and winter season…
Ornamental grasses are an interesting class of perennials. They have some unique qualities that make them an essential part of my borders, as they should yours. Unfortunately, many gardeners still see them as weeds that either need to be sprayed with Roundup or trimmed with the Weed-Eater. This column will hopefully find some converts…
Last week I mentioned that August was a good time to plant all sorts of plants, but I failed to mention vegetables. It might seem hard to imagine that in the heat of August we would be planting vegetable crops that thrive in the cooler time of the year, but in reality this is the time to get them established…
There is an old expression that goes like this: “Doctors bury their mistakes, architects plant ivy”. Admittedly, this is a crude analogy but it is very true that vines can cover a multitude of sins. Perhaps a more positive way to put it is that vines have the ability to soften the edges of our structures, be they buildings or fences, and in the process create a more pleasant environment in which to recreate. A classic example of this would be ‘Boston Ivy’ or ‘Virginia Creeper’, both of which…
Anyone who has followed me over the years knows that one of my many mantras is “There is always room for one more plant”. No matter how packed my garden is, on any given day I can find a little patch of bare earth that is just screaming for something to be planted in it. My wife often fondly refers to me as her “hortiholic with a planting addiction” and I suppose it is true…
I know I mentioned last week that I always hesitate to spend too much ink on just one variety of plant, so it was my intention to discuss some summer chores for us to complete this month…. However, I found myself distracted by an article in the September edition of my wife’s ‘The English Garden’ magazine about the glories of the perennial Echinacea, or as we Yanks prefer to call them, cone flowers. That got me to thinking about this wonderful late summer bloomer…
It is always hard for me to focus in on one variety of plant this time of year. There are so many fabulous summer blooming perennials (and a surprising number of shrubs) that are strutting their stuff in the months of July and August, that to dedicate a whole column to one variety seems impossible and maybe even a little unfair. But fair or not, this little treatise is going to zoom in on the genus Crocosmia - mostly because they are coming into full bloom now and there isn’t a day that goes by that someone doesn’t come into the store with a sample flower (that they probably liberated from someone’s garden) and want to know what it is….
The Golfing Gardener
Trevor Cameron
We dove into oxygenating our indoor spaces with houseplants a couple of weeks ago, and now let’s continue our indoor discussion by investigate some superior pet-friendly options. As the weather continues to cool and the wind and rain ramp up, it becomes easier and easier to garden indoors and work outside a bit less. Many of us have…