August Care for Annuals & Biennials

Cary, NC

Our Carolina summers sure can take a toll on the average homeowner's yard and landscape. Although a few small signs of cooler days are starting to make an appearance, we still have a little more summertime weather to get through. If your annual and biennial planting beds and containers are looking a little worse for wear right about now, here's a few gardening tips and tricks to keep them looking in top form during this last bit of summer heat and humidity.

Care For Your Annuals

Do not disturb the soil in your flower beds during these hot August days. Loosening the soil due to cultivation can damage those tender surface roots and increase water loss from the soil. You may notice that after you break up the soil around them, plants often look much worse. So just leave well enough alone for now.

Inspect the mulch in flower beds. If wind, rain, and natural decay have reduced its thickness to an inch or less, apply more mulch to raise the level to 2 to 3 inches between plants, but only about 1/2" around the bases of the plants.

If your bedding plants look bedraggled, clear out the annuals that have finished blooming or are overgrown.

Watering

Check the soil in flower beds to determine if you need to water. Water deeply to wet the entire root zone of the plants.  Avoid wetting the leaves to reduce the risk of fungal diseases such as leaf spots and powdery mildew.

Container-grown flowers can dry out quickly, especially when located in full sun. Check the moisture level in pots daily and water when needed. Be sure to water long enough so that it runs out of the drainage holes. Keep in mind that porous clay pots will dry out more quickly than plastic or glazed pots. Also, small pots will dry out faster than large planters.

Check on the water needs of hanging pots and baskets daily. Wind and sun dry them much more quickly than plants in other kinds of containers.

Fertilizing

If they haven't been fertilized in over six weeks, leggy plants that have been cut back will benefit from a light feeding of fast-release fertilizer. Use a water soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20, following label directions.

Pest Control

Be on the lookout for aphids and spider mites. You can remove these pests with a strong spray of water, or resort to a pesticide if their numbers are too high and damage is great. However, if these plants are going to be removed and replaced by cool-season annuals, spraying with a pesticide may be unnecessary. Simply remove and discard heavily infested plants instead.

Weeds

Control weeds by hand-pulling and maintaining a shallow layer of mulch. Prevent weeds from going to seed by removing the flowers. Keeping the beds weed-free will prevent competition for water and nutrients, and will also remove overwintering sites for those nasty spider mites.

For more gardening advice and tips, ask the friendly experts at Garden Supply Co. They are on hand seven days a week with help for all your gardening questions. Hope to see you all soon!

Dividing Perennials

Winter sure seems cold and long for those of us who dream of lush green gardens and colorful flowers.  Feels like there's nothing to do but sit and wait, stare out the windows at those bare trees, and dream of the spring to come. But although it may not be prime spring planting time yet, there are things that can be done in the garden now in preparation for the days ahead. Perennial Dividing

It may seem like the ground is awfully hard due to some of the freezing temperatures we've been having lately, but now is actually a fabulous time to start dividing and re-planting any mature perennial plants in the garden. What feels like frozen ground is, in reality, only a thin crust, and dividing and re-planting perennials now will give your plants plenty of time to re-establish themselves and develop strong roots before the heat of next season kicks in.

Why Divide?

Perennials are divided to control their size and to increase their numbers. Short-lived perennials or old perennials that have become crowded with sparse flowers can be kept vigorous and blooming through division. After dividing, the younger sections will flower more prolifically.

A general rule-of-thumb for Piedmont gardeners is to divide spring and summer blooming perennials in the fall, and fall-flowering perennials in late winter/early spring when the new shoots have emerged. It is most important to divide the plants when they are not flowering.

How To

Garden Supply Co. owner, Keith Ramsey, recently shared with me a few tips and tricks for easily and successfully dividing perennials. Step one: carefully dig around the base of your established plant with a pronged pitchfork or sharp-tipped shovel, digging up the entire plant in one piece.

Once the plant is out of the ground, you can now divide your perennial into smaller clumps. Depending on the original size of the plant, you may divide your new plants into 2, 3, 4, or more pieces. Keith divided his one-gallon plant into 4 new sections.

Use a sharp cutting tool to separate the roots of your old perennial. Keith recommends using a Soil Scoop, as the edges are ideal for cutting roots, while the scoop is also useful for filling and general potting. For thicker or more stubborn roots, try the Flex Rake Pruning Saw.

Planting

Now your newly-divided perennials are ready for re-planting. Dig a hole as wide as the root-ball and the same depth. Set the plant in the hole so the crown is at or slightly above ground level. Cover and firm the soil lightly around the plant. And to give your new plant a good head start, add a shot of starter fertilizer when planting.

We highly recommend Bio-Tone Starter Plus all natural plant food. This fertilizer won't burn or harm your plants because it's completely organic. Perfect for starting new plants or transplanting old.

For more tips and tricks on dividing perennials, replanting, or garden design, stop by the garden center. Our friendly and helpful staff is here 7 days a week to help you with all your gardening needs. If you've got questions, we've got answers.

Hope to see you all soon!

Fall Bulbs

The fall season is officially here, and down at Garden Supply, we are in full autumn mode. Not only is the Greenhouse bursting with fun fall and Halloween home decor and gift items, the Garden Center has also been fully loaded and re-stocked with glorious plants, just in time for your fall planting. It looks gorgeous down here. We've got all your fall favorites, whether it's mums or pansies, ornamental grasses or cabbages. We've got trees and shrubs and perennial tables full of bloom. There are cold weather vegetables for those of you who like to grow your own. And we also have a wonderful selection of fall bulbs that are sure to fill your gardens with flowers come spring.

Spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips and daffodils must be planted in the fall or early winter to bloom in spring because they require a long period of cool temperatures to spark the biochemical process that causes them to flower. In fall, it's important to get them into the ground before the ground freezes. This will give them time to develop strong roots.

Planting times vary, depending upon the climate zone, but as a general rule, planting earlier is better than later. Bulbs need to establish strong root systems, before the frosts of winter set in and the bulbs enter a new cycle in preparation for spring blooming. Remember to plant bulbs in an area that drains well and water newly planted bulbs to help those roots get going!

When digging holes for your bulbs, the general rule of thumb to follow is plant large bulbs 8 inches deep, and 6 inches apart and small bulbs 5 inches deep, 3 inches apart with all pointed ends up. Add fertilizer or bulb food before replacing soil. Top with 3 inches of mulch to retain moisture and protect the bulbs.

Come talk to our friendly experts about adding spring-blooming bulbs to your existing planting beds or pick up tips on naturalizing smaller bulbs directly in your sodded areas. Your efforts now will pay off with bounties of blossoms late next winter and well into spring.

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Mum's the Word-Care Tips

Good morning everyone! Yesterday I shared with you some of the beautiful autumn mums we've received this week at the Garden Center. Mums are, without a doubt, one of our most popular fall bloomers. They look equally great in containers on your front porch as in borders in your mixed beds, and come in a rainbow of autumn colors. The garden mum just cannot be beaten for beautiful fall color. And now that you've picked up a few mums for your yard, I have a few tips and tricks for keeping your new plants looking in tip-top shape.

Fall planted mums need a little attention to help them make it in the landscape through the winter. Get these fall-blooming perennials in the ground as soon as possible. If using mums as container plants, it’s unlikely they will make it through winter, so enjoy their seasonal color as you would annuals.

Plant mums in full sun, in well-drained soil that is moderately moist. If the soil is too wet or too dry, the mums will suffer. Keeping the soil moist will ensure good root development on the plants as they go into winter, even after the tops have gone dormant. They tolerate part shade, but if it is too shady, the mums will get leggy and have smaller flowers. If your area receives at least half a day of sun, your plants should do fine.

Plant the mums in your flower bed at the same depth that they were growing in their pots and mulch them to help stabilize soil moisture and temperature. Be sure to cut and loosen the outer root system of the plant to maximize root growth before planting. Do not plant chrysanthemum flowers near street lights or night lights: the artificial lighting may wreak havoc with the mums' cycle.

Do not fertilize your plants until you see new growth next spring. Use a general purpose fertilizer such as 5-10-5 at the rate of 1 lb. per 100 square feet. Fertilize once per month through July.

Removing the spent flowers, called deadheading, will keep your plant looking neat and tidy and will help promote more blooms. Once your plant has gone dormant, do not cut back the dead growth. The dried flowers and stems serve as insulation to protect the plant during winter. When you see new growth in spring, cut the dead stems as close to the ground as possible.

Be sure to give your mums plenty of space in the garden. They can grow and multiply rather quickly. An added benefit, in my opinion. By every third spring, divide your mums to rejuvenate them.

With these care tips, you'll be enjoying glorious fall color from your garden mums for years to come. Enjoy!

Fescue Lawn Care for August

Hello everyone and happy Thursday to you! I'm sure most of you have noticed the slight dip in temperatures we've been enjoying these past few days. Looks like we've rounded the corner from 90+ degree hot summer days and can look forward to beautiful cooler weather instead. What a welcome relief! Could it be that fall is in the air?

Fall is the perfect time to be in the garden. It's sunny and warm, yet cool enough to work. And best of all, there's no bugs! Even though we're still a few weeks away from the true fall season, there's plenty we can be doing in the yard right now to get our gardens in top shape for next year. Now is a great time to start tackling lawn care and re-seeding projects. As soon as the night-time lows drop into the 60's, like they already have, it's time to get started. But before we talk about seed, we may need to tackle some nasty weed issues.

I don't know about you, but the weeds have really taken over my lawn this past month. Things were in pretty good shape, and suddenly the weeds have just exploded. That's because they just thrive in our hot and humid summers. I've got crab grass and chickweed as well as Bermuda grass, infiltrating my fescue sod. So if your lawn is anything like mine, you'll want to tackle those weeds before turning your thoughts towards reseeding.

If your grass is less than 50% weeds, we recommend treating the area with Weed Out with Q by Fertilome. This ready-to-spray treatment kills crabgrass, dandelion, clover, plus 200 other listed weeds. It kills even tough weeds-roots and all.

Fertilome Weed Out with Q spray contains three proven weed killers that target lawn weeds and crabgrass. This product enters the lawn weeds through their leaves and moves throughout the plant to provide control. Recommended for cool season turf-grass such as Kentucky bluegrass, rye-grass, tall fescue, and mixtures of cool season grasses containing fine fescues. Also for warm season turf-grasses such as bermuda, zoysia, and buffalo grass. Application to bermuda grass may cause temporary yellowing or discoloration, but full recovery can be expected.

Note that this product should be used only when daytime temperatures drop below 90 degrees (85 for bermuda grass). And since we're in the 80's now, go ahead and give your lawns an application or two of this. Once treated, let your lawn sit about 2 weeks before re-seeding. Be careful not to over-apply which may cause burning to the grass.

If your lawn area is more than 50% weeds, you'll need to go ahead and apply Round-Up to the entire area. And if you're like me and have bermuda grass coming up in your fescue lawn, you'll need to use Round-up on that, as well.

Now that we've talked about weeds, it's time to think re-seeding.  Fall is the best time for re-seeding, and actually should be the only time you re-seed. Planting fescue seed in the fall allows the seed to fully root in and get established before the heat and stress of the summer hit again. Once night time temps dip into the 60's, like now, you can get started. And you can safely seed until mid November.

For fescue lawns, we recommend Shady Nook lawn seed mixture from Wyatt-Quarles. Shady Nook is locally blended so it is perfect for our Piedmont growing conditions. And it is tested here at NC State to provide a better blend with fewer weed seeds. It is also perfectly suited for full sun into part shade, giving you a better mixture of drought tolerance and wet growing conditions.

We offer Shady Nook in 25 lb. bags, as well as  5 lb. bags for smaller areas.

If you have areas of full shade, we recommend mixing Creeping Red Fescue in with your Shady Nook blend. Creeping Red Fescue is shade tolerant, and it's dark green color and finely textured blades will mix in perfectly with the rest of your lawn.

I hope these helpful hints will get you on your way to beautiful looking grass in no time. Remember, our helpful experts are on hand 7 days a week to answer all your lawn care and gardening questions. Stop by and pay us a visit! We're always happy to see you down at Garden Supply!

Caladiums

Hello everyone and happy Thursday to you! Today I am excited to share a really beautiful and easy to grow plant with you all, the caladium.

The caladium originated in the Amazon jungles of South America. It is a summer bulb (tuber) that will thrive in hot temperatures like ours, and it's gorgeous heart-shaped leaves of red, white, pink, and green will paint your garden in color until the first cold nights. Caladiums offer a fabulous way to insert color and beauty without the use of flowers,  providing continuous interest in the landscape well beyond a limited blooming period.

Caladiums are easy to plant and are wonderful as a ground cover or border, or in pots, hanging baskets and planters on your deck and inside your home. Mix several varieties in your landscaping for a colorful contrast. Look at some of the gorgeous arrangements of caladiums you'll find down at Garden Supply.

Caladiums can be grown as annuals, or may be over-wintered as tender bulbs. Remember that they are a hot-weather, summer bulb. The bulb will be damaged, causing dwarfed leaves, if the temperatures reach below 60 degrees for a prolonged period of time. Lightly fertilize every six weeks with the fertilizer you normally use (or 6-6-6 slow release fertilizer). In the fall, let the leaves die back, then before the first freeze, dig up the bulbs, leaving the leaves on. Store in mesh or paper bags between 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Or better yet, bring your potted caladiums indoors during the cooler months and enjoy their colorful foliage as houseplants. You'll not be sorry!

Caladiums make a wonderful addition for floral arrangements, too. Cut leaves will keep indoors for 2-3 weeks and are odorless and non-allergenic. Leaves should be soaked for 24 hours before using in arrangements.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope I've piqued your interest for adding color and interest in your homes and landscape through the use of bright and unusual foliage.  And join me back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

July Fescue Lawn Care

Hello everyone and happy Monday to you!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are ready to start a brand new week. We have just experienced a "new beginning" down at Garden Supply with the completion of a new roof in our garden Greenhouse. Not a pleasant job by far in the heat of July, but we are excited to have that task now out of the way.  Look for new items to start filtering into the Greenhouse soon, as our big buying trip is coming up next weekend. And in the meantime, there are still a few deals to be had on remaining pink tagged items. With this intense Piedmont summer heat, many lawns and gardens are starting to take a beating.  We recommend continued use of Drought Defense to aid in water absorption and retention in planting beds and sodded areas.

Simply attach this easy-to-use nozzle to your garden hose and spray as directed.  You'll notice a definite "greening" up after a couple of applications.

And for fescue lawn care in July, you can reduce stress on your lawn and enhance a dark green color with a little PH correction. PH refers to the acidity of your soil. Contact your agricultural extension to find out how to take a soil sample and retrieve the results. After determining your PH you can use pelletized lime to correct it.

Hope these tips get your lawns and gardens in tip-top shape in no time.  As always, our experts are standing by with answers to all your questions.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hot Summer Sale

Hello everyone and happy Saturday!  The temperatures are sure rising these days.  It has been one hot June, and we've got some hot summer deals to match down at Garden Supply that you will not want to miss. Stop by the garden center and enjoy 20% savings off all trees, shrubs, and home & garden decor. And in addition, for this weekend only, we have some extra special deals to throw into the mix. We have added Hydrangeas, (excluding "Limelight" variety), Rhododendrons, and Green-leaf Hypericums, Buy one, Get one free. Those shrubs are great in afternoon shade if you are lucky enough to have some!  Also, ALL perennials, mix and match, are on SALE. Choose 10 Perennials, get 20% off, choose 20 and get 30% off!

Believe or not, this still a great time of year to plant because plants "root in" quicker.  Our only caution is that if you are going out of town for more than 7 days, have a friend come by to water, as everything needs an inch a week.

The upcoming forecast shows some promise of relief from the heat, so come in this weekend while it's hot and the sales are even hotter! Hope to see you all soon down at Garden Supply!

June Bugs

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday to you! With the solstice yesterday, summer is finally officially here.  It's time to enjoy all the offerings of this wonderful season, from longer days and vacations, to a slower pace and plenty of fun in the sun. Yes, summer is a wonderful time of year, but along with the onset of this warmer period often comes an unwelcome slew of garden pests. From deer eating your precious flowering plants to mosquitoes driving you crazy, these pests may have you abandoning your yards for the relative peace of the indoors. But don't let these pests drive you inside.  We have some solutions for handling these pesky critters that will help you beat the bugs and enjoy your yards again. One of the most prevalent garden pests we have to contend with in our area this month has got to be the Japanese beetle. Japanese beetles were first found in this country in 1916, after being accidentally introduced into New Jersey. Until that time, this insect was known to occur only in Japan where it is not a major pest. Unfortunately, it has flourished in the Eastern United States where it has found vast areas of turf and grassland in which the grubs develop, hundreds of species of plants for the adults to feast on, and no effective natural enemies. It is probably the most devastating pest of the Eastern urban landscape.

Adults emerge from the ground and begin feeding on plants in June. Activity is most intense over a 4 to 6 week period, after which the beetles gradually die off. Individual beetles live about 30 to 45 days. Japanese beetles feed on about 300 species of plants, devouring leaves, flowers, and fruit. They usually feed in groups, starting at the top of a plant and working downward. The beetles are most active on warm, sunny days, and prefer plants that are in direct sunlight. Although a single beetle does not eat much, this group feeding by many beetles results in severe damage.

Here's a few of the pesky bugs now dining on my Crape Myrtles.  So what can you do when these devouring bugs hit your yard? There are solutions, but in order to attack the problem at hand, one must truly understand the life-cycle of the Japanese beetle.

Although the adult beetle is only present for about 30 days in the month of June, their life-cycle continues underground for most of the year. Egg laying begins soon after the adults emerge from the ground and mate. Females lay their eggs 2-3 inches down in grassy areas, and usually lay a total of 40 to 60 during their life. The developing beetles spend the next 10 months in the soil as white grubs. Grubs feed on the roots of turf-grasses and vegetable seedlings, doing best in good quality turf in home lawns. However, they can survive in almost any soil in which plants can live.

As Japanese beetle grubs chew off grass roots, they reduce the ability of grass to take up enough water to withstand the stresses of hot, dry weather. As a result, large dead patches develop in the grub-infested areas. If the damage is allowed to develop to this stage, it may be too late to save the turf. Early recognition of the problem can prevent this destruction.

In order to fully battle the Japanese beetle, it is best to take a multi-step approach. Put a stop to the egg laying cycle by treating your infected plants and adult insects with Sevin or Sevin Dust, in concentrate or ready-to-use formula. Fertilome Natural Carbaryl is equally effective.  Both treatments are natural and are safe to use on your fruit and vegetable plants. Know that although these beetles can travel and infect an area several miles wide, they tend to lay their eggs in close proximity.  So you can bet that if they are in your yard, they are laying eggs there.

Next stop the grub cycle with an application of Milky Spore Grub Control or Bayer Grub Killer Plus. This will rid your lawn of unsightly brown spots that may be caused by grub damage, and will control Japanese beetle grubs in the soil.  Use it on grass, in gardens, and in mulch beds.  It can be used at anytime.

Another complaint we often hear at the garden center is that deer are eating your tender blooming plants down to the ground.  And although it can be tricky to combat these beautiful yet pesky animals, here is an option for keeping them out of your yard.

I Must Garden is an earth-friendly, people and pet-friendly company out of Chapel Hill that offers a  line of repellents based on essential oils that provide a safe way to protect your plants without the stench of other repellents. Their deer repellent is easy to use, effective all year round, smells pleasant, and is even safe for the deer.  They also offer a full line of rabbit, snake, mole & vole, squirrel, cat & dog, mosquito, flea & tick, and insect repellents. We've got them all down at Garden Supply.

We are also proud to carry EcoSmart brand insect killer and repellents. Based on essential oils, EcoSmart offers a line of insecticides that are 100 % safe for use around children and pets.

Hopefully these tips will keep the nasties out of your yard so you can get back out there and relish these beautiful summer evenings.

Enjoy!

Lawn and Garden Care for June

Hello everyone, and happy Sunday!  All of us at Garden Supply would like to wish you dedicated, hard-working, fabulous dad's out there a wonderful Father's Day.

The greatest gift I ever had Came from God; I call him Dad! ~Author Unknown

We appreciate each and every one of you!

Also a big thank-you to everyone who attended our Annual Auction yesterday. We had a wonderful turn-out, lots of lovely garden items up for auction, and food and fun for everyone. A good time was had by all, and we couldn't have done it without you.

Today I would like to share with you a few care tips for your June lawn and gardens. For those with fescue grass, June is the month to treat and prevent brown patch which appears as a browning area in the lawn typically in the summer months when conditions are favorable. Brown patch is caused by a fungus, and if your lawn is showing signs, you will need to treat with a fungicide. We recommend that you apply Hi-Yield Lawn Fungicide to prevent brown patch.  Two applications may be necessary if rain has been heavy.

While brown patch does cause patches of dead grass, other things can cause the same symptoms. If the area is poorly drained and water stands on a spot for more than 24 hours, the grass roots will rot, causing a dead patch. Also, in areas where the sod has rooted poorly, brown patches will develop as dry weather sets in. So what are the true symptoms of the disease? True brown patch spots are small to begin with but in warm weather they can enlarge rapidly. Seen from above, the patch will look like a doughnut - a ring of tan grass having a patch of green grass in the center. Individual grass blades will be brown down to the crown - where the blade emerges from the ground - but the crown will be green. Early in the morning during hot, damp weather you might see a white fungal web at the edge of the dead grass patch.

Never water in the evening. The best time to water is in early morning. Fescue is much more susceptible when it has lush, green growth plus warm nighttime temperatures.  The second step is to water at the right time. Since brown patch needs 14-16 hours of wet leaf surface to reproduce itself, water only after the dew has dried in the morning. An alternative is to water after nightfall. Since the grass is wet with dew anyway, watering in the dark does not unnecessarily extend the wet period.

So what if you have brown areas in your sod or planting beds due to poor rooting mixed with our hot summer temperatures? We have help for that, too.  Garden Supply owner,Keith Ramsey, recommends treating with Drought Defense by Soil Logic to reduce water consumption and enhance growth.

Drought Defense reduces the amount of water needed to irrigate lawns, groundcovers, trees, and other plants. This soil moisture management product helps prevent plant-available water from evaporating or draining past the root zone.  It is super-concentrated, long-lasting, helps lower watering bills and is safe for use on fruit and vegetable plants.  Drought Defense is environmentally friendly and is safe for use around children and pets.

This easy-to-use concentrate is ready to go.  Simply connect the sprayer to your hose and spray evenly over measured area.  Be sure to irrigate all treated areas after application to wash the product into the soil.  After two applications of the product, normal watering time and quantity can be reduced up to 50%!

For those of you with warm-season grasses like Bermuda, Centipede and Zoysia, June is the time for over-seeding your bare spots and laying down an application of fertilizer.

We have everything you need down at the Garden Center, and our experts are standing by with answers to all your lawn care questions.  Stop by and pay us a visit and get your June lawns and garden looking in tip-top shape in no time.

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

More Perennial Gardening

Good morning, everyone!  In honor of June being Perennial Gardening Month, I thought I would share a few tips and tricks for successful perennial gardening as well as more of my favorite perennial plants down at Garden Supply.  We have so many beautiful plants to choose from, as always, and the display of color coming from the perennial tables is truly a site to behold right now. Guaranteed we have a ton of great choices to inspire some summer gardening at your house, just in time to catch the peek of warm-weather blooming.

Mona Lisa lilium

Dramatic Oriental lilies add interest to the summer garden. Their large flowers bloom atop tall stems with a powerful fragrance that intensifies as the sun goes down. These stunning Mona Lisa lilies offer soft pink flowers with darker pink veins and a deep blush in the center, and dark, showy speckles. The shorter size and prolific blooms of this lily make it an excellent choice for containers. They perform best in full sun in rich well drained soil either in the gardens or in patio containers. They make great companions with other bulbs, perennials and are great butterfly plants.

Lilies can be successfully planted March-September in Zones 3-9.

Sights of Summer dahlia

Isn't this Sights of Summer dahlia a real eye-catcher?  This yellow and red bloomer boasts 4" blossoms that will light your garden with color. Sights of Summer grows only 20-24" tall, making it an excellent border plant.

With a blast of different colors, shapes and sizes, Dahlias bring life and beauty to your landscape in summer and into the fall months. The diversity of Dahlias allow you to use them in many different aspects of your landscape design, from low growing border plants to stately background plantings which may reach six feet in height.  Dahlias make excellent cut flowers, which typically last about a week in the house.

These tender tubers bloom best in full sun and will tolerate most soil types, but prefer a sandy, well draining soil.  If you have a heavy, clay soil try adding sand or peat moss to lighten it. Dahlias are summer blooming tubers which are generally only hardy in Zones 7-11. In the majority of the country, they must be planted each spring and then cut back and dug each fall after the first killing frost.

Blue Stocking monarda didyma

Blue Stocking monarda didyma was chosen perennial of the month in July 1998.  Hummingbirds and butterflies can't resist this plant! It is easy to grow and is mildew-resistant.  It can be somewhat invasive in the South, so don't be afraid to trim it back.  The leaves give off a pleasant aroma and can be steeped in boiling water for tea. Monarda is best used in the border in combination with other plants of similar height.

When planted in rich, moist soil monarda are easy to grow and relatively trouble free. They will spread quickly, so individual plantings are encouraged. To control the spread, trim small shoots around the edges of the plant. Deadheading is helpful on young, vigorously growing plants to prolong blooming, but may not be as effective on older plants.

And now here are a few tips for successful perennial gardening for the month of June. Herbaceous perennials are highly prized for their ornamental features and their ease of culture.That, however, does not mean that they require NO maintenance. Adherence to a summer schedule of maintenance duties will enhance the beauty of the garden and allow perennials to flourish.

June is the month to shear the tops of spring bloomers to ensure uniform and ornamental foliage for the remainder of the season. Grass shears can be used for this task.  At this time you should also cut back the foliage of spring-flowering daffodils and tulips that bloomed at least six weeks previously.

Early to mid-June is also a good time to cut back by half tall late season bloomers to control height and eliminate the need for staking. Perennials treated in this manner will mature at a shorter height and may flower slightly later than unpruned perennials. Plants that respond to this treatment include aster selections, artemisia, boltonia, Joe-pye weed, rudbeckia and Autumn Joy sedum. During June and throughout the summer season, plan to deadhead spent flowers as the need arises. This practice has the effect of improving the overall appearance of the plant, eliminating an abundance of unwanted seedlings, and promoting a continued bloom period or later re-bloom. Plants that require deadheading include coreopsis, daylilies, garden phlox, and others.

Hope these tips will get you on your way to a successful perennial garden in no time.  As always, our friendly experts are on hand 7 days a week to assist you in all your gardening needs. If you've got questions, we've got answers.

Be sure to mark your calendars for this Saturday, June 19th for our Annual Auction. Join us for a full day of fun at our best sale of the year by participating in our absolute auction. Plants, trees, flowers, pots, urns, iron pieces, fountains and lots of other gift items will be auctioned off. It's easy, just register and get a number, bid and be competitive, finish up your landscaping and get it all at a great price.

We will be grilling hot dogs and firing up the pizza oven again. Also look for some other great deals throughout the nursery and gift area.

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

Perennial Gardening Month

Hello everyone and happy Friday! Is everybody ready to start the weekend?  I know we sure are down at Garden Supply.  We always love to see so many of you filled with the excitement of working in your yard, and starting tomorrow, we have a little extra incentive for you. We are offering 20% off trees, shrubs, and home and garden decor. (That's 20% off your entire purchase, not just one item, so if you've had your eye on something big, this is the sale for you). Just mention this blog post and you can start shopping tomorrow for the best selection. This month is very special to us at the garden center, as June is Perennial Gardening Month. June is a perfect month to plant new perennials that will flower in June and beyond into summer and fall. At one time gardeners did most or even all of their perennial planting in the early spring season. Summer environmental conditions were considered too harsh for new plantings. This is not true any more! The use of plastic containers presently sold in the garden center allows plants to be easily acclimated to their new surroundings, as opposed to the past practices of marketing perennials either bare-root or field-dug.

We are celebrating Perennial Gardening Month with a huge selection of plants with a diversity of bright and colorful blooms and interesting foliar texture and variety that are perfectly suited for our tough Piedmont growing conditions. Here is just a small sampling of some of the beauties that caught my eye this week.

David Garden Phlox

This showy, clump forming perennial is prized for the profusion of enchanting white flower clusters that rise above the foliage.  This plant is great in borders, rock gardens, formal beds, and meadows.  The flowers are fabulous for cutting.

Chapel Hill Yellow Lantana

Chapel Hill lantana will brighten up any sunny area of your garden. Plant atop walls or in containers and allow it to cascade over the edge. Great for a mixed tropical border of vivid colored plants. Can be used as a ground-cover or as an accent plant in hanging baskets. This is a beautiful butterfly and hummingbird attracting plant. Chapel Hill lantana is exceptionally cold hardy and best of all, is deer resistant.

Omega Skyrocket and Color Wheel Stokes Asters

The Stokes' aster is a tall long-lived perennial with slender, upright stems and blue flowers.  These are very striking with silver or yellow plantings. Use Stokes' aster at the front of perennial borders; the deep green basal leaves are evergreen and, when not covered by snow, provide some color and texture all winter. This is an adaptable and easy to grow perennial, considered by many as one of the most attractive late-flowering perennials. Cut flowers remain attractive for a week or more.

Homestead Pink Verbena

Homestead Pink displays blazing rich pink blooms amplified by deep green lacy foliage.  It attracts butterflies and hummingbirds and blooms May through October.  Also available in purple.

Homestead Purple Verbena

The Homestead's low, spreading habit makes it a natural as a ground-cover or perfect as use for edging.

We have lots more gorgeous perennials to choose from down at the garden center.  Stop by and have our friendly experts help you make the perfect selections for your home landscape.

Daylillies and Deals From the Greenhouse

Hello everyone and happy Thursday to you! Hope you've all been having wonderful weeks and are gearing up with big plans for your weekend.  For many of you with children on the traditional calendar, this week marks the end of this school year and the official beginning of summer! Hope you'll take a moment to stop in Garden Supply and capture a real burst of the summer brightness and color that is blooming throughout the nursery grounds. Don't forget that the 2010 NC Triangle Race for the Cure is this Saturday, June 12th at Meredith College.  We want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined our Gardener's for the Cure team to help raise money for breast cancer research.  We are so excited to announce that we have met our goal of raising $10,000, and we owe it all to you!  We couldn't have done it without you!  For those of you who would like to register still, today is the last day for online registration.  Everyone who registers by midnight tonight will receive a special 12% discount card for all your Garden Supply purchases for the rest of this year, and will be entered in our drawing to win a $500 gift certificate from us.  It's our little way of saying thanks. Go here to register for our team.

After today, you can still register for the race at one of the Komen pick up sites.  You can see all the important race day information here.

And now I have a burst of summer color to share with you, fresh from the perennial tables down at Garden Supply.

Just look at this lovely selection of daylilies that are just waiting to add a touch of brightness to your summer gardens. Daylilies are rugged, adaptable, vigorous perennials that endure in a garden for many years with little or no care. Daylilies adapt to a wide range of soil and light conditions. They establish quickly, grow vigorously, and survive winters with little or no injury. Each daylily plant produces an abundance of flower buds that open over a long period of time. There are many varieties, a wide range of flower colors, and the flowers continue during the heat of the summer.

Suncrest daylily

The Suncrest daylily grows 3-4 feet tall and produces large butter-yellow blooms that are splashed and speckled with maroon.

Daylilies belong to the genus Hemerocallis and are not true lilies. This Greek word is made up of two parts: hemera meaning day and kallos meaning beauty. The name is appropriate, since each flower lasts only one day.

Rosy Returns daylily

This beautiful Rosy Returns daylily produces masses of rose colored flowers from summer to fall.

Daylilies grow best in full sun. They will tolerate light shade, but flower best with a minimum of six hours of direct sun. Light shade during the hottest part of the day keeps the flowers fresh. Daylilies should not be planted near trees and shrubs that are likely to compete for moisture and nutrients.

KoKomo Sunset daylily

KoKomo Sunset offers clusters of large 4" wide deep gold flowers with a burgundy-red eye, light ruffle, and a green throat.

Although daylilies are adaptable to most soils, they do best in a slightly acidic, moist soil that is high in organic matter and well drained. Daylilies can be planted almost any time the soil can be worked. Till the soil deeply before planting. Work in well-rooted manure or compost to increase organic matter. Apply fertilizer based on a soil test. Dig a hole large enough for the roots without bending or crowding them.

Landscaper's Best Purple (left) and Little Wine Cup (right)

Dominic daylily

Dominic has deep maroon-red, almost-black blooms with just a bit of ruffling.

Chicago Apache daylily

Daylilies typically grow one to four feet in height and produce numerous flower buds that are showy over a long period. They are useful in the perennial flower border, planted in large masses, or as a ground cover on slopes, where they form a dense mat in just a few years. And as you can see, we have a fabulous assortment of daylilies to chose from in every color range.  Other varieties we have available include Conca d'Or, Stella d'Oro, Ann Warner, My Reggae Tiger, Sunday Gloves, Hyperion, Happy Returns, and Pardon Me. Come talk to our friendly experts on making the perfect selection for your garden.

And now, as promised, a little deal for you from the Greenhouse.

fabulous Tyler candles are now on sale, buy one, get one free! The Tyler Candle Company offers you many great ideas for gift giving regardless of the occasion. The perfect gift for you or someone special, Tyler offers a wide variety of scents to suite every personality. The diverse fragrances and products offered by Tyler Candle Co. will help you to enhance your homes ambiance and aesthetic.

Thanks so much for stopping by everyone!  Hope to see you soon down at Garden Supply.

Hydrangea Heaven

Good morning everyone!  What a beautiful week it is.  It is so gorgeous down at the garden center right now.  I hope you all get a chance to stop by and stroll the gardens and drink in the beauty down every path.  The roses are blooming, the perennial and annual tables are absolutely bursting with color, and the tropicals from Monrovia are radiant and bright.  Everywhere the eye can wander at Garden Supply is a sight to behold, indeed. Some of you may have noticed on your drives around town that the early Crepe Myrtles are beginning to bloom. Crepe Myrtles are wonderful additions to your home landscape offering colorful and long-lasting flowers along with sinewy, fluted stems and branches with a mottled appearance that arises from having bark that sheds throughout the year.

Zuni Crepe Myrtle

We are pleased to bring you this Zuni variety early-blooming Crepe Myrtle down at Garden Supply.  The Zuni is a special introduction featuring larger dark lavender flower trusses, improved hardiness, and handsome peeling bark. A must-have for the garden for early summer blooming.

And if you are ready for some truly gorgeous blossoms, you must come and see our hydrangeas.  We have a huge selection of flower type and color, from the standard globe-like mop form to delicate lace caps.  My absolute favorite variety and top find of the day is the 'new for 2010' Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea.

Invincibelle Spirit

The Invincibelle Spirit has rich pink flowers that bloom from early summer to the first frost.  This hardy and native plant even re-blooms without deadheading, and the fragrance is out of this world.

Blushing Bride & Twist-n-Shout

In the foreground here is the Endless Summer Blushing Bride hydrangea.  This lovely plant blooms with radiant pure white, semi-double florets that gradually mature to a sweet pink blush.  This newest member of the Endless Summer Collection reliably blooms on both old and new growth, producing more blooms all season long. Blushing Brideʼs full yet compact habit makes it an ideal plant for decorative containers, elegant as a stand-alone shrub or combined with other garden plants.

Beyond the Blushing Bride hydrangea in the above photo and below is the Endless Summer Twist-n-Shout.  Twist-n-Shout boasts gorgeous season-long blooms, vivid color, sturdy red stems and deep green foliage.

Twist-n-Shout

This stunning lace-cap hydrangea is available exclusively to independent North American nurseries in limited quantities, with European distribution to follow later this year.  So hurry in and get your hands on one while they last.

Another outstanding hydrangea is the Big Daddy variety, offering 12 – 14 inch flower heads which radiates blue and pink in tightly-clustered masses of gigantic blooms. Big Daddy features some of the largest flowers of any hydrangea. The plant has strong stems, making the blooms ideal for cutting.

Big Daddy

Or how about the lovely Light of Day which bears green leaves festively edged in white and  flattened lace-cap flowers in shades of blue and pink.

Light of Day

The inner blooms are either pink or blue, depending on the soil acidity. Surrounding the inner blooms are bright white flowers. 'Light O' Day' will reach about four feet tall and four feet wide. It prefers moist soil (not wet) in a place with afternoon shade and morning sun. 'Light O' Day' makes an excellent choice for the woodland garden or along the north side of the house or garage.  For maximum bloom production, choose a spot that is lightly shaded, has dappled shade or is shaded in the afternoon with morning sun.

For gorgeous repeat blooms look to the Endless Summer the Original hydrangea.

the Original

The repeat blooms of Endless Summer the Original truly offer gardeners an endless summer of incredible color. This hardy plant is perfect for everything from foundation planting to container gardening. They even make an ideal floral arrangement or table setting as cut flowers.  And speaking of color – that's also one of the remarkable aspects of this plant. You can alter the color from pink to blue. LEARN MORE

For a eye-catching white blooming variety, check out the Anabelle arborescens hydrangea.

Anabelle

'Annabelle' is one of the most popular hydrangeas, growing under a wide range of conditions. It has very symmetrical large flowers on erect stems. Elegant best describes this plant. Welcomed, mid to late summer flowers are white to greenish-cream and 6-inches across.

Come on down to Garden Supply and see these stunning hydrangeas for yourself, along with all our beautiful plant selections.  Our experts are standing by to help you create the yard of your dreams this season. And I'll be back here soon for more snippets from the garden. Thanks for stopping by, everyone!

TLC for Container Plants

Good morning everyone!  The gloomy weather continues this week, but that doesn't slow us down at Garden Supply.  We are bursting with activity and beautiful plant selections, with choices to please any gardener, from beginner to expert.  Stop by and check out our fabulous array of stunning Knock Out Roses. The Knock Out Family of Roses are easy to grow and do not require special care. They are the most disease resistant rose on the market. They have stunning flower power with a generous bloom cycle (about every 5-6 weeks) that will continue until the first hard frost. All of the Knock Out Roses are self-cleaning so there is no need to deadhead. We are happy  to be able to offer the shrubs, as well as gorgeous topiary forms, and even a brand new climbing variety that we are particularly excited about.

Monrovia Knock Out Rose topiary Rosa x 'Radrazz'

Over the last week, I've been sharing tips and techniques for growing outstanding container plantings, and today I'd like to share a little TLC for your container garden.  You've chosen your plants and planted them in quality potting mix.  Now, proper care will keep them happy.

Pots in full sun often require daily soaking, especially in our hot Piedmont summers.  Shade pots, however, are easy to overwater.  If the soil is wet to the touch, wait another day.

Regularly snip off spent blooms and brown leaves to keep your containers looking in tip-top shape. Deadheading flowers often stimulates extra blooming, as well.

Place pots where they'll receive the amount of sun or shade appropriate for the plants in them.  All the plants in a pot should have similar sun and water needs.

With just these few simple tips, you'll be growing a fabulous container garden in no time.  Our friendly experts are always on hand to answer any questions and help you make the right selections for your yard, too, so come on down and pay us a visit.

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

Outdoor Containers- Basic Design

Good morning everyone!  We sure are getting a spot of rain this weekend, aren't we?  It's a bit gloomy for us, but just think how happy the dry landscape is right about now.  I know that my grass was feeling the strain of the heat already. Last post I shared with you all a few tips on selecting the right pots and potting mixes for your outdoors containers. Now that you've gotten started, here are a few hints on basic design principles to create a stunning impact with your pots.

For a good basic design, just remember three words- thriller, spiller and filler. Combine an upright plant, a trailer that spills down the pot's sides, and a filler to add fullness and color.

Good choices for your thriller plants include yucca, cannas, fountain grass, and the 'spikes' shown here, among others. Try ferns, hostas or heucheras for your shady container garden.

False Dracaena 'Spikes'

'Spikes'

Options for the spiller feature include creeping jenny, sweet potato vines, calibrachoa, and bacopa, to name a few.

Callie Brights Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa, available in multiple color choices, provide an abundance of brightly colored blooms all season long.  They are easy to grow and very rewarding.  Perfect for all kinds of containers, including window boxes, hanging baskets and combination planters.

Giant White (suteracordata) Bacopa

Hundreds of beautiful flowers cover the bacopa trailing plants all summer.  The Giant White variety continues to bloom even after other bacopas have stopped, making it another perfect choice for your containers.

Filler plants are available in all different color choices and foliar interest.  Look for flowers in the annuals section, any number of which will be perfect for the filler feature.

To make a real impact with your container garden, remember there is power in numbers.  Combine three, five, or even more pots in varying sizes and styles on steps, in a corner, or at an entry.  Containers that are unremarkable by themselves take on greater impact in groups.

If you're looking for a real star of the show, know that pots with single plants can be stunning accents.  Choose a larger container and a plant with striking features, and this stand-alone will take center stage.

Hope these basic design tips help you create the container garden of your dreams.  Remember that our helpful experts are on hand seven days a week to assist with all your planting needs, including tips on choosing the right plants for your containers.  I'll be back soon with hints about TLC for your newly planted pots.  See you all soon!

Wine & Design Container Gardening

Hi everyone! Tonight is Wine & Design time down at Garden Supply. Join us from 6-8 pm and let our experts help you pick out the perfect plant arrangements for your container garden.  Sip a glass of wine and enjoy a beautiful evening with us. This event is free, however RSVPs are requested at 460-7747 or email at info@gardensupplyco.com. Want a few tips on easy container gardening? Beautiful pots bursting with gorgeous plantings dress up your patio, entry, or garden, and they are a snap with these simple guidelines.

Dazzling containers reach their potential only if planted properly.  Here's the scoop on soil, pots, and the little things that help plants thrive. Plants need good potting mix to flourish.  But how can you spot a good potting soil?  Hoist the bag. If it's light and fluffy, like moist sawdust, it's probably fine.  If it's heavy and feels like wet dirt, keep looking. Also consider using a mix that already contains a slow-release fertilizer, like Miracle Grow potting soil. Always use potting mix, never garden soil.  And although it's tempting to reuse potting mix- it costs money after all- your plants will grow more robustly and have fewer diseases with fresh mix. If your soil doesn't already contain it, blend in slow-release fertilizer when you plant.

Pots must have a drainage hole for excess water to pass through.  A pan to hold the drain water prevents staining on your deck or patio. In larger pots- more than 12 inches across- you may want to add an upside-down plastic pot or packing peanuts in the pot's bottom to decrease the overall weight.  In smaller pots, fill completely with soil to allow for good root growth.

Finally, cover the surface with mulch.  Not only does it decorate the pot, it also reduces soil splashing and conserves water.  Simple bark mulch is fine, but try other materials such as rocks or moss for a more decorative look.

Now that we've got you started, you can move onto the real fun part...picking out your plants.  Stop by the garden center tonight and let our friendly experts guide you on making the perfect selections for your yard.  And come back tomorrow for more tips from me on basic design and TLC for your newly planted containers.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll see you all back here tomorrow for more snippets from the garden.

Mother's Day Weekend

Hello everyone and happy Sunday to you! All of us at Garden Supply want to wish you mothers out there a very wonderful Mother's Day.  How fortunate we are to have these special women in our lives! If you are lucky enough to have your mom in town with you, plan on a visit today and let her stroll through the gardens at leisure. And if you're a mom yourself, take a few minutes to unwind here.  It's so beautiful right now.  I hear so many times from you how nice it is just to "come and wander around".... I agree! I am one of the lucky ones to have my mother visiting, and for Mother's Day this year, we spent our time together at Garden Supply.  Of all the activities we could have planned for the weekend, we both chose to spend some quality time together strolling the gardens.  The excitement of all the beautiful plants in bloom is absolutely contagious.  Mom and I want to make a "Mother's Day Garden" in my backyard that we can watch flourish and grow in the years to come.  I can't think of a better Mother's Day gift.  Now I will have a constant reminder of Mom every time I look out my windows.

I would like to share with you our creative journey of  this garden to perhaps inspire you if you have a similar area at your home that could use a little special touch.  I am working with a border area up against the back foundation of my house.  The area receives a bit of morning sun, but for most of the day, this zone is in the shade.  So step one was to head to the shade plant area at Garden Supply, where there are so many gorgeous plants to choose from.  We decided on Hostas as our main focus. Hostas are extremely popular, hardy herbaceous perennials grown primarily for their beautiful foliage. They are easy to grow, shade-tolerant plants. Leaves come in a wide range of shapes, colors, sizes, and textures and may be solid in color or variegated in different combinations of blue, green, white, and gold. The plants are low maintenance and with the huge selection of choices at Garden Supply, your options are boundless.

After weighing all the choices, we decided to go with a variety of hostas in a chartreuse-green color palette.  Chartreuse foliage is highly visible, even from a distance, and brings light to low-light areas. Choosing a variety of cultivars brings some interest to the border, while sticking to a chartreuse color palette unites the border into a cohesive planting.

Our hosta selection included: Great Expectations, Stained Glass, Atlantis, Fragrant Bouquet, Guacamole, and Sum & Substance.  We then decided on a few companion plants for our border to add more depth and interest, sticking to the shade area plantings at the garden center. We paired the hostas with the dark purple foliage of the 'Plum Pudding' Heuchera (Coral Bells) which do well in sun or light shade, and the light and airy foliage of the 'Cinnamon' Fern.  The contrast of these 3 plants provides a ton of visual interest.

For my 20-foot border, we selected 9 hostas, 3 coral bells, and 4 cinnamon ferns. Allowing for adequate planting space, this was the perfect number of plants to fill the area.

I hope this has given you some ideas for those of you with similar planting opportunities in your yards.  Come back and visit soon to see our completed Mother's Day Garden.  And in the meantime, we'll see you down at Garden Supply.

Happy Mother's Day!

Earth Day- You Can Make a Difference

Good morning everyone!  Today is Earth Day, and it's the 40th anniversary of the holiday.  It's a great time to learn about our planet and how to take care of it.  Think you can't make a difference?  Not so.  Little things- like using a cloth shopping bag, or tossing potato skins and eggshells into a compost bin- can help the environment.  Teach your kids now, and they will develop good habits that endure throughout their lifetime.  Together we can see, just one person can make a difference. Here are a few ways you can go green this Earth Day, and every day.

REDUCE ELECTRICITY: Explain to your children that lights, televisions, computers and furnaces all use energy, and that energy is in short supply.  Turning off the lights when leaving the room or switching off the TV when you're done watching will save energy.

Also, appliances like coffee-makers, DVD and CD players, toasters, and hairdryers do use energy, even when turned off.  Unplugging your devices from the electrical outlet is the way to conserve energy when not in use.

RECYCLE: Every bottle and can that we use is waste, and will end up sitting in the town dump unless it's recycled.  The Town of Cary has a wonderful curb-side recycling program and yard waste collection making recycling a snap.  If there's no recycling collection in your area, find out where you can drop off items.

COMPOST: It's easy to collect your own food scraps and garden waste and turn it into healthy compost for your yard.  Get your kids involved in a little craft project to create a compost container, like this cute one here.

photo courtesy of Kaboose.com

This project isn't only fun- it's great for the environment and your garden too. With just a minimum of effort, you can help reduce waste and produce rich, healthy soil to spread around your yard.  Too see step-by step instructions for creating this project, as well as other fun Earth Day kids crafts and activities, check out this wonderful website.

TAKE SMALL STEPS:

• shut off the water while brushing your teeth
• use cloth or re-usable tote bags while shopping
• walk or ride your bike instead of taking the car
• take shorter showers and install water saving shower heads
• choose products with less packaging

PLANT A TREE: Trees not only will beautify your yard, they also help remove pollutants and dust from the air.  They also act as natural insulation-enough to cut your heating and cooling bills by 10 to 30 percent.  Planting a tree can commemorate a special event or anniversary and also acts as a natural jungle gym.  We have tons of trees to choose from down at the garden center.  A nice choice for this time of the year is the Fringe tree, in full bloom this week.

Fringe tree or Old Man's Beard is a beautiful, small tree when it is in full Spring bloom. It can grow nearly anywhere in the continental United States and it's white flower color kicks in just as the dogwood blooms are fading.

The upright oval to rounded form of Fringe tree adds dark green color in summer, bright white flowers in spring. The pure white, slightly fragrant flowers hang in long, spectacular panicles which appear to cover the tree with cotton for two weeks. As with other white flowered trees, they look best when viewed against a dark background.

I planted this Fringe Tree from Garden Supply in my own yard two years ago for Earth Day.  What a spectacular addition to my landscape!

If you're looking for some additional activities for this Earth Day, join us this evening at Cary's all green McDonalds on Kildaire Farm Rd. for a fun-filled schedule of events.

Thanks so much for stopping by everyone!  And don't forget that you, too, can do your part to help save the environment, today and everyday!

Earth Day

Earth Day falls in just two days from now, on April 22nd.  This year, do something good for the environment by planting a tree or shrub.  Not only will you be "greening" up your yard, but you'll help remove pollutants and dust from the air and provide natural insulation-enough to cut your heating and cooling bills by 10 to 30 percent.  And with so many plants blooming right now, you're sure to find one or two to fall in love with down at Garden Supply. Like this stunning Summer Snowflake Viburnum.

Summer Snowflake first blooms around the end of April or the first of May, about a week after dogwoods finish. The white flowers are individually about the size of a quarter, but borne in a flat head that is up to four inches across. The blooms splayed on the horizontal branches give the plants a wedding-cake kind of look when they appear.

Other than the upright growth form, the other thing that sets Summer Snowflake apart from other viburnums is that it is a repeat bloomer. Admittedly, the first bloom of the season is much more showy than the ones to follow, but about once a month, additional blooms pop out here and there on the ends of new growth.

Gardeners favor viburnums because they have multiple seasons of interest; showy flowers, bright red berries and good fall color. Summer Snowflake has two of the three - usually it sets few berries. Part of the reason for its ability to continue flowering during the growing season is because it does not have a load of berries to support.

Another personal favorite of mine is the Common Snowball Viburnum.

The Common Snowball Bush, Viburnum opulus 'roseum', produces white flowers in late spring. It is a deciduous thicket-forming Old World shrub. In the fall, the leaves turn a wonderful burgundy reddish-purple. About the same time, the bright red, attractive berries ripen, and persist on the plant throughout the winter. Birds are very fond of the berries, and can often be found snacking during the winter.

Another showy spring bloomer is this Vanhoutte Spirea.

This durable and easy to grow shrub is a sentimental favorite among many because it is remembered in our grandparents' gardens.  This is a tried-and-true shrub that can be grown with a minimum of fuss.  Space considerations should be pondered in advance- it can grow 6-8 feet tall and 12 or more feet wide.  It grows well in average, well drained soil and flourishes in full sun or partial shade.  It is a show-stopper in mid to late spring when its arching branches are covered with pure white flowers.  Can be grown as a hedge or used in shrub borders.

If you're interested in a blooming tree for this mid-April period, consider the Crabapple tree, like this Malus 'Firebird'.

Firebird Crabapple produces an abundance of white blooms in spring and is loaded with small red fruit in fall, less than 1/2" in diameter, which remain on the tree well into winter.  Firebird is a genetic dwarf grown on a grafted standard and is excellent for small locations.  The flowers are fragrant and are attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.

These are just a small sampling of the blooming plants available for a bit of Earth Day planting.  Stop by the garden center to see our full range and talk to our experts about planting guides and recommendations.

And in other Earth Day news:

Join us for Earth Day at the green McDonald’s

Thursday, April 22      5:00-7:00pm

1299 Kildaire Farm Road

Stop by and learn about all of the environmentally-friendly features that make this McDonald’s so unique.

Garden Supply will be there to answer questions about earth-friendly plants and landscaping. The first 100 kids will get to decorate a pot and plant something special to take home!

Bring your family and have a spring-time portrait taken by Erin May Photography.

Try samples and get more information from The Produce Box, a supplier of fresh, local produce delivered right to your door!

Create an Earth Day Bookmark with the Girls Scouts and benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Durham.

You won’t want to miss seeing Ronald McDonald and his Scoot Coupe!

For questions or more information please contact Julie Barberio at 919-244-9531 julie@mcdonaldsadvantage.com

Thanks for stopping by everyone!  I'll see you all back here tomorrow for more snippets from the garden.