Azalea Time

If you think shrubs in North Carolina, one plant that  will almost assuredly come to mind is the Azalea.  Azaleas are definitely one of the most sought-after plants in our area.  And why not?  Azaleas and rhododendrons are shrubs for all seasons. In winter some stand out with large evergreen leaves. In spring the flowers are showy; throughout the summer and fall the leaves add a pleasing, deep green color to the garden. Some deciduous azaleas add bright fall color before the leaves drop. The spectacular spring flowers of azaleas and rhododendrons make them among the most popular garden shrubs. Yes, springtime in the Carolinas means Azaleas in full bloom, and do we ever have a ton to choose from down at Garden Supply.  From white to hot pink and orange to red, we've got options in every color, including the ever popular Encore Azaleas offering blooms spring, summer and fall.  Check out this stunning Wolfpack Red Azalea, released by NCSU.  Perfectly adapted for growing in our area, this little charmer packs a lot of punch.

These Carla (North Carolina-Louisiana) Hybrids originated at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., with the goals of better resistance to root rot diseases, drought and cold. These hybrids, whose parentage includes Kurume, Kaempferi, Belgian Indian and Satsuki hybrids, are medium to large evergreen shrubs with a vigorous growth habit. Flowers are borne in mid spring in showy trusses of up to four blooms. Plant as you would any of the other azaleas: high and in well-drained, acid soil, rich with organic matter.

For a bright pink/magenta variety, how about the Formosa Azalea.

These Azaleas are spring blooming and the foliage is evergreen. They have an upright growth habit and are the best choice for a high light area. The Formosa has beautiful magenta deep colored flowers that grow profusely during the spring. The flowers are 3 inches in diameter, Azalea indica 'Formosa' can get up to 6-8 feet in height and does best on acidic soils.

Another beautiful pink variety is this Coral Bells azalea.

Abundant coral pink hose-in-hose blooms with darker pink centers and veins make a wonderful spring show.  A hose-in-hose azalea is one for which every trumpet-shaped flower has a second trumpet-flower inside it.  Flowers are backed by tiny evergreen foliage on a low spreading form.

Or how about something completely different?  Say a stunning orange azalea to spice up your shady nooks?  Then be sure to check out this Azalea x Goldstrike species which boasts striking gold flowers with orange blotches.

And for the serious Azalea lover, be sure to check out our selection of gorgeous Encore Azaleas. People who adore spring blooming azaleas can now enjoy an explosion of Encore Azalea color season after season. Encore Azaleas are the only patented brand of azaleas to bloom in spring,summer and fall. Each of the Encore varieties begins their performance with the spring flowering season. Once this “first act” of blooming concludes, new shoots begin to grow and set buds. The Encore Azalea's "second act" opens when these buds begin blooming into full flower mid-summer. This unique bloom season continues through the fall, the curtain dropping with the onset of cold weather. But, the show goes on. As an "encore," these exceptional azaleas flower again with traditional spring azaleas and the process starts over.

The red variety on the left is Autumn Sunset, and the pink bloomer on the right is called Autumn Belle.  We also have the white Autumn Moonlight variety.

And this last little charmer for today is a variegated pink species appropriately entitled Autumn Twist.

Come on down to the garden center and let our friendly experts advise you on picking the perfect azaleas and shrubs for your home landscape.  We are open 7 days a week and are ready to help you get your gardens in tip-top shape this season.  Hope to see you all soon.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I'll be back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Tomato Lovers

Tomato lovers, have we got plants for you!  With the huge variety of tomatoes we have down at Garden Supply, from teeny-tiny cherries to grandiose Beefsteaks and everything in between, there is sure to be something for every gardener and culinary taste out there.  We have all your popular favorites, as well as harder to find heirlooms, in a large range of sizes, shapes, and colors.

Amish Paste, Moonglow, Beefsteak, Hungarian Heart, Kelloggs Breakfast, Cherokee, Pineapple Hawaiian, Mexico Midget, Celebrity, Lemon Boy, 'Juliet Hybrid', Better Boy, Roma, Patio, German Johnson, Grape, and Sweet 100s..we've got them all down at the garden center.

We also have everything you'll need to grow bigger, more abundant tomato plants from potting soils, soil amender, compost and mulch to slow release tomato fertilizer to several problem-solving planting containers for those with little or no yard space.

The Bosmere Tomato Planter Bag is ideal for decks, patios, and balconies.  No need for a garden.  No digging required!  The planter can hold 1 or 2 plants, depending on type and variety of tomato chosen.

Another unique planting option is the Topsy Turvy Upside Down Tomato Planter, which allows you to grow delicious vegetables right outside your door.  The planter hangs on decks, balconies or patios and eliminates the need for weeding, caging and staking.  With the Topsy Turvy, you can grow fresh tomatoes in 3 easy steps:

1. Put the plants into the ports 2. Put soil in the bag 3. Add water in the top

I was so curious about the idea of this unusual growing method, that I've decided to try the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter myself.   Topsy Turvy's statement that this planter will solve nearly every problem associated with tomato culture sounds too good to not give a try.  "No more soil to prepare, holes to dig, cages, stakes, typing up, wedding, no more on-your-knees work and no more ground animals, insects, fungus, bacteria or nematodes".  By golly, I'm excited to see how it works!

I've decided to try two planters with two different varieties of tomato.  For my experiment, I've chosen a smaller species, the Grape tomato, as well as a medium-sized grower, the Patio tomato.  The Topsy Turvy planter comes with a helpful gardening tips guide and step-by-step instructions.  I was able to quickly and easily set up the planters on my own.

Over the next few months, I'll share with you my results and observations  utilizing this unusual growing planter.  I do have to admit to being charmed so far.  A few tips I can pass along from the installation stage are to be sure to hang your planter from a very secure location, as the bag becomes quite heavy once the soil is added.  Also, find a small plant to get started, preferably one in a 6-pack cell, as the bottom insertion opening of the planter is not very wide.  I had to manipulate my 4" potted tomatoes to get them to fit through, which can cause damage to the fragile plant if you're not careful.

The Topsy Turvy also grows other vegetables, such as bell peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplants, and more.  Look for our Topsy Turvy strawberry planter and hot pepper planter, as well as the tomato planter, in the Greenhouse.

Besides tomatoes, we have quite a few other summer growing vegetables in stock  including yellow squash, sweet bell peppers, 'long red slim'  cayenne peppers, red sweet peppers, 'sweet banana' peppers, and jalapenos.

And we also have received an absolutely gorgeous shipment of sweet basil.

I'm heading back to the garden center for a couple of these beauties today! ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope to see you all down at Garden Supply soon, and I'll catch you back here tomorrow for more snippets from the garden.

Blooming Trees for Mid April

Hi everyone!  Looking to add some spring-flowering trees to your landscape and wondering what might be blooming in our area right now? This week?  Today?  Here are a few outstanding choices available for mid April blooming that reach their peek of beauty just as the Redbuds begin to fade and well after the Bradford pears have lost their luster. We've got them all down at Garden Supply. The first option, that I'm sure you've noticed while driving down almost any semi-wooded street in town, is the glorious Dogwood tree (Cornus genus).

• Beautiful white spring-time blossoms
• Adaptable to various soil types
• Drought tolerant

The Dogwood tree boasts a profusion of full white blooms every spring. Deep green leaves turn scarlet in fall, making your dogwood a beautiful sight in all seasons.

This breathtakingly beautiful blizzard of white blossoms is an excellent choice to plant along streets, near large buildings, next to patios or as a property border. An especially eye-catching tree when planted in rows.

This tree rewards all through the year!

•	Beloved blooms welcome spring from Massachusetts to Florida... from east to west
•	Stunning scarlet leaves add to the color show in the fall
•	Red berries appear in the fall and winter attracting songbirds – up to thirty-six species are known to be attracted to the dogwood’s fruit

Matures at 15-30 feet…grows in partial shade or full sun. Grows in most soils including acidic, loamy, rich, sandy or even clay.

Did you know?

– The White Dogwood is a native tree cultivated in 1731. – George Washington planted it at Mt. Vernon, as did Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. – Early Native Americans made medicinal teas from its bark

You’ll want to consider making this all-American tree part of your own landscape.

Another fabulous choice for mid April blooming is the Yoshino Flowering Cherry tree, a rapid-growing vase-like deciduous broadleaf tree.

• Stunning white blossoms • Adaptable to various soil types • Drought resistant

The Yoshino Flowering Cherry Tree is widely used as an ornamental tree; valued for its abundance of soft, white flowers in spring.

Its Oriental branching pattern displays a pure white cloud of delicate flowers that make your landscape look like springtime on parade…

Chose this tree to –

• Border driveways • Accent small areas in your lawn. • Highlight outdoor living areas

These trees line the streets of Washington, DC, and along with its cousin, the Kwanzan Cherry, are the stars of the city's Cherry Blossom Festival. Held each spring, this festival displays thousands of blooming cherry trees along the city's walkways.

When you plant this tree, you get the same effect at your home!

Plant in a row to give you a line of breathtakingly stunning white flowers. This tree is regarded by many horticulturalist as the best flowering tree you can find.

Did you know?

– The Yoshino is a native of Japan, – Was introduced to America in 1902. – There is a Japanese legend that each spring a fairy maiden hovers low in the warm sky, wakening the sleeping Cherry Trees to life with her delicate breath.

Another fabulous April-blooming cherry tree is the Kwanzan cherry.

• Hardiest of all cherry trees • Rapidly grows to a mature height of 30-40 ft.

The Kwanzan Flowering Cherry Tree is easily the showiest of all Cherry Trees. Its flowers aren’t just pink… but “Double Pink,” meaning you get twice as many blooms as found on other trees.

Your new Kwanzan Cherry Tree blooms in large clusters of 3-5 flowers! These clusters are the thickest of all pink flowering trees and look similar to carnations.

Your Kwanzans will begin to bloom in April. Also a delight in the fall, when it will give you golden autumn leaves that grab everyone's attention.

One of the easiest flowering trees to grow! Thrives in almost any soil and climate. Easily grown in zones 5-9. A tree for many seasons!

Stop by the garden center to find  these lovely trees in full bloom, ready to lighten and brighten your gardens this season.  Talk to our experts about the best tree planting guidelines for these species, and pick up our handy planting guide, available in the Greenhouse.  We have everything you need to ensure your new trees get off to a great start and get your yards looking in tip-top shape this season.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I'll see you back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Temperature Drop Tonight

Hi everyone!  I'm back with a quick post this evening.  With temperatures expected to drop into the 30's tonight, you may want to take a moment to protect any tender or young plants in your landscape.  Most plants will manage the chill with no problems, but if you've just brought home some tender plants  like basil or tomatoes, they could use a little extra TLC.  Bring them inside, if possible, but if not, a light sheet draped over top will work just fine. Overturning a clay pot on your young plants is a great way to shelter them while still allowing airflow. It's going to be a beautiful weekend, and the garden center is absolutely bursting with new arrivals.  Summer annuals and tropicals are filling the grounds with color, and the perennial area is just as amazing.  I can't wait to share with you some of the photographs I took earlier today.  Be sure to stop by tomorrow to take a peek.

See you all then!