Featured Plant
CRAZY FOR CLEMATIS
Clematis are a popular choice for adding vertical interest to a landscape. There are so many stunning flower colors, shapes and sizes to choose from. You can find varieties that bloom in early spring, while others don’t start flowering until August. The majority of Clematis have green leaves but there are also knockouts with gold…
Read More2019 Perennial of the Year
Each year the Perennial Plant Association selects one perennial to be the gold medalist. This is based on the input of green industry professionals nationwide. Winners must meet a number of criteria including: *Suitable for a wide range of climatic conditions *Low maintenance *Pest and disease resistant *Readily available in the year of release *Multiple…
Read MoreFeatured Plants Peperomia and Witch Hazel
Peperomia. I am learning so much about houseplants and tropicals since working at Estabrook’s Yarmouth store this winter. The garden center has a huge greenhouse filled with these treasures. One plant that quickly made its way into my home is Peperomia. This tough, no-fuss plant is native to many tropical climates and like orchids, is…
Read MoreFeatured Plants: Amazing Holly, Hypericum and Rhododendron
Ilex glabra ‘Gem Box’ This lovely inkberry is a wonderful alternative to boxwood if boxwood blight has been an issue in your region, or if you simply want to plant something cool and different. Like Boxwood, ‘Gem Box’ is evergreen and grows in full sun to shade. ‘Gem Box’ has dense, dark green shiny foliage…
Read MoreFlashy Fall Alternatives to Burning Bush
Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) has long been acclaimed for its brilliant red fall foliage. But since burning bush is now banned as an invasive plant in many states, people are asking for a noteworthy substitute. No problem! Many outstanding alternatives are finally getting the attention they deserve! And many of these are native to North…
Read MoreStep Aside Sedum Autumn Joy
Step Aside Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ The demand for low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants that provide three, if not four seasons of interest, has generated a surge of new Sedum cultivars that are taking center stage. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is probably the most well-known Sedum BUT this ‘king of the hill’ status is about to be toppled. I…
Read MoreNONSTOP flowering Millionbells
Superbells DOUBLETTE ‘Love Swept’. I was swept away by how this lovely Calibrachoa kept on flowering, right into the fall, without any deadheading. And truth be told, I only fertilized it once, with Espoma Plant-tone, a slow release organic fertilizer. I paired it with another superstar Proven Winners annual, Isotoma ‘Beth’s Blue’. DOUBLETTE ‘Love Swept’…
Read MoreEye-Popping Purple Berry Clusters
Callicarpa Commonly called Beautyberry, this deciduous shrub is prized for its stunning fall fruit that encircles arching stems. The display is even more riveting after the foliage drops. Callicarpa americana is native to the Southeastern United States. Small pollinator-friendly pink flowers appear in summer that then transform to brilliant violet or magenta berries. It typically…
Read MorePlants that love sun and heat
The July weather in Maine was gorgeous – sunny and dry – just what the tourists love. But lawns are browning out and gardens are panting for water. As a garden designer, I like to work with plants that can endure stretches of inconsistent watering, although even drought tolerant plants need water at some point!…
Read MorePruning Bigleaf Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are the most googled shrub on the internet. And it seems that blue or pink mophead Hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) cause the most swooning. Except, that is, in colder zones where frustrated gardeners stare at large leafy shrubs with few or no flowers. Pruning at the wrong time could be the culprit (if pruning to…
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