finding just the right plants
planning your best garden ever
I love this time of year! There is so much happening and so much to look forward to. While I gently uncover emerging ephemerals and become reacquainted with the garden, I can’t help but think, ‘what if I put (name of yet to be acquired lust plant) here ~ certainly there’s room for one more!’
Today, it’s the hellebores that are absolutely sparkling and glowing. And they will remain so for months. Did you know that the petals are actually not the colorful parts of the flower? What look like petals are actually called sepals, and persist for months after the true petals and anthers in the center of the flower drop to the ground. I have been gradually adding more hellebores into the shady woodland areas of my property, and never regret this investment. The foliage is semi-evergreen and persists even throughout the winter months. When new foliage emerges in late March, simply cut back last year’s leaves to reveal this year’s plant. And, I think I found a few spaces where I can add more hellebores this year!
the best plants for your garden
Amsonia hubrichtii in October
I am often asked ‘what are your favorite plants?’ Well, that is an impossible question to answer and depends upon the obvious things like sun/shade, spring/summer/fall, soil type, etc. etc. But my go-to plants are listed on this website under the ‘perennials’ link at the top of the page and include the stunning native amsonia which will make an appearance soon.
If you have a large space in need of structure, amsonia might just be the perfect choice. The beautiful icy-blue blooms of late May and early June feed our pollinators and the impossibly delicate foliage hosts various insects, including the fantastic hummingbird hawk-moth. In autumn, the foliage turns a variety of butterscotch and gold. Growing to almost 40” tall x 30” wide, amsonia is so easy care, it’s almost ‘no care’. I let this beauty stand all through winter months and will be cutting it back over the next week as new growth will soon emerge through the leaf litter. We will have amsonia for sale at the Community Hospice House plant sale on May 31st! More info below!
I was recently invited to contribute to the Redfin real estate blog about the best perennials for the home landscape, and amsonia is one of my recommendations. This article includes great suggestions from garden designers around the country and I was pleased to be a part of it! Read more here!
non-toxic lawn care
We are not ‘lawn people’. Our lawn is basically a border that frames extensive gardens. It serves the purpose of giving visitors a walking path from one garden to the next. And, the back lawn is mostly mini clover to feed the rabbits. Over the years, we have learned that traditional lawn care products do more environmental harm than good. The only products we have used in the last 10 years are the Blue Seal ‘Safe ‘N Simple’ pre-emergence and lawn food. Made from corn gluten, these products do a fine job without polluting our air and water. We can walk barefoot without fear of toxic exposure. Now is the time to apply the pre-emergence, so for my Nashua area friends, head on over to Nashua Farmers’ Exchange and they will answer all of your lawn questions! Tell them Barb sent you! Your 2-legged and 4-legged friends will thank you.
is this tree alive or dead?
This is the burning question for many gardeners at this time of year. Especially for owners of our native redbud tree, cercis canadensis. Until we see evidence of bud break, it can be difficult to tell if a specimen has survived the winter months. Redbuds are notorious for appearing dead this time of year. My sure fire method for confirming life is to scratch a small section of twig with my thumbnail. If I see the green cambium layer, then it’s indeed alive! To all redbud owners, you should be seeing the tiny buds swelling along the woody stems now, and expect to see the delicate pink blooms opening within the next week or so.
pruning butterfly bush
Another life or death challenge is to know when it’s time to cut back buddleia. Today, my butterfly bushes are just starting to show new growth at the base of the plant. I will wait another week or so before tackling these. While much of last year’s structure will not return, it’s not uncommon to see buds breaking along some of the lower stems. Pruning down to this new growth next week will stimulate the plant to produce new growth. Don’t worry, you can prune quite severely and the plant should entirely regrow this spring.
I follow this same approach for Russian sage and lavender plants. If we tackle them too soon and too aggressively, they might be unable to come back.
when trees die
Sadly, trees do die and it can be heart breaking. This is especially true when our majestic Keystone trees like oaks, white pine and maples perish. There is a growing movement to not immediately cut down dying or dead trees. As Doug Tallamy has taught us, oak trees are as useful and beneficial to wildlife in death as they are in life. If you haven’t read his book ‘The Nature of Oaks’, I highly recommend it!
There is a magnificent garden in Villanova, PA that is gradually being turned into a naturalistic landscape. Read how the stewards of this property are managing the death of a massive London planetree, and incorporating its beautiful structure into their landscape!
If you do have trees in need of care, I can recommend a fantastic master arborist, Lee Gilman & Associates. Let him know that I sent you!
plant sale reminder
Things are really beginning to heat up as we prepare for an incredible plant sale to benefit the Community Hospice House gardens. I took delivery of hundreds of native plugs today that our volunteers will help me pot up and grow on for the May 31st event. I am also growing dozens of zinnias from seed as well as other fun and funky plants. Stay tuned for updates!
Until next time, stay calm and garden on!
~ Barb