Garden Care & Design Tips
Design Tip for Ornamental Grass
NOTE TO SELF: SWITCH OUT HAKONE GRASS. This has been such an unusual winter so far. We have had very little snow cover. Everything looks so brown and dreary. I need to do more to brighten up the winter landscape in front of my condominium when we have snow-starved winters. I already have dwarf Mt…
Read MoreNarrow Upright Evergreens and Flowering Shrubs
The Leaning Tower of Arborvitae. I know better! When I lived in Upstate NY I always tied up my ‘Emerald Green’ Arborvitae with jute twine in late fall to prevent heavy show or freezing rain from damaging them. But when I moved to Maine, I let my guard down. Bad idea. This is what I…
Read MoreHydrangea Tuff Stuff is a WINNER
If I had a penny for every time someone comes into the garden center where I work (Estabrook’s) and asks me why their big-leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), such as ‘Endless Summer’, isn’t blooming, I would be a wealthy lady. But let me clarify – this common frustration is primarily isolated to hardiness Zones 5 and…
Read MoreGarden Makeovers: Before and After
I love designing gardens for clients. Below are three existing gardens in Kennebunk/Kennebunkport that had radical makeovers. All of these gardens were designed in fall and planted this spring. Two are shade gardens, one is full sun. ‘After’ photos were taken shortly after each installation. I also love to do Virtual Garden Design Consultations for…
Read MoreClassy White Gardens
White gardens, also called moon gardens, are actually not all white as foliage contributes additional colors. Silver along with variegated green and white foliage are especially valued in white gardens. Another design factor to consider is that most white flowers are not pure white – they have very subtle shades of yellow, pink, green, or…
Read MoreDivide and Conquer Perennials
If some of your perennials are starting to overstep their bounds and invade the space of neighboring plants, then it’s time to put your foot down (on a garden spade) to divide and conquer! Your intervention will not only restore order and create more plants, it will also rejuvenate the perennial that has been divided.…
Read MoreSMALL GARDENS WITH BIG ATTITUDES
Small is the new BIG for many gardeners. Millennials and Baby Boomers are the two largest age segments in the United States. And the majority of individuals in these groups live in smaller living spaces. Research shows that more than 50% of Millennials are choosing to live in cities, while many Baby Boomers are downsizing…
Read MoreRoses Damaged by Rose Sawfly
In recent years I have been waging war against rose sawfly. And it appears I am not alone, based on the number of garden center customers that ask me what is happening to their roses! Rose sawfly lays its eggs on the underside of the leaves in early spring. The larvae – that look like…
Read MoreOverwintering Containers with Perennials and Shrubs
Some folks head south for the winter; my woody plant containers head into an unheated garage. Granted the setting isn’t as glamourous but they’re dormant and don’t know the difference. When they ‘wake up’ in early spring, they will be outside again in fresh air. I overwinter many deciduous shrubs and dwarf trees this way,…
Read MoreGardening with a Pry Bar
I’ve added a new tool to my gardening arsenal – a pry bar. This tool comes in handy when planting gardens in ledges and rocky soil. Just the other day I was adding some perennials to my sister Kim’s ledge garden when I hit a stubborn rock. Kim raced to the barn and came out…
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