I LOVE this time of year. There are waves of spring flowers blooming, blossoms and leaves appearing on trees (seemingly when you blink), and plant retailers are gearing up for new and seasoned green thumbs to appear with their shopping lists and questions. I enjoy visiting all the local plant sales, garden centers, and plant nurseries in my area. They all offer something different—different varieties, different prices, different ideas, different container combos, different merchandise I didn’t know I needed. Heading out with intentions to fill a blank slate garden, or even a small area of an established one, can be overwhelming. So I thought I’d compile a few plant nursery and garden center tips I’ve gathered over the years that help me when I’m making one of my multiple trips.
Panicle hydrangeas: 3 no-fail choices for reliable blooms
Hydrangea-loving gardeners who live in growing zones where big-leaved hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) frequently fail to bloom are often a frustrated bunch. While the big pink or blue flower clusters of that species of hydrangea are beautiful, the plants are unpredictable bloomers in many regions. Gardeners can go years without seeing a single flower. Sometimes the overwintering buds freeze out, other times improper pruning is the culprit. And sometimes you do everything right, but the plants still fail to bloom. If you love hydrangeas and you want flowers each and every year without fail or fuss, skip the big-leaved hydrangeas and grow panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) instead. These spectacular hydrangeas never disappoint.
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The ultimate list of cottage garden plants
A cottage garden is an informal planting where flowers take centre stage. Imagine masses of hollyhocks, daisies, phlox, catmint, and foxgloves mingling together and spilling out of garden beds. Cottage gardens invite wandering and evoke whimsy. Their designs often include curving pathways, rose-covered arbors, and white picket fences. When planning your informal flower garden, start with a list of cottage garden plants like foxgloves, Shasta daisies, catmint, and hollyhocks. Read on to learn more about creating a beautiful, long-blooming cottage garden.
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Container rose gardening made easy
Container rose gardening is a stylish way to brighten up outdoor spaces. Use a potted rose to create a focal point in a garden or add bold color and fragrance to decks, patios, and entranceways. Planting roses in containers also allows you to control the growing conditions of the plant, a big benefit if your garden soil is less-than-ideal.
To show you just how easy it is to grow roses in containers, we’ve teamed up with the good folks at Easy Elegance® Roses. Easy Elegance® Roses are a gardeners dream! Not only do they have beautiful blooms that repeat all summer long, but the compact plants are tough, cold hardy, and disease resistant. No fussing required!
Narrow trees for small gardens and tight spaces
Let’s face it. Most gardeners aren’t working with an endless amount of space. We have small yards and gardens and a limited amount of time to dedicate to taking care of our outdoor spaces. Small-space gardening is a must for many of us in today’s fast-paced, urban world. All too often big trees are planted in small gardens and yards where they quickly outgrow the space and have to be drastically pruned or removed altogether. Today, I’d like to tell you about some absolutely amazing narrow trees for small gardens. These columnar trees are also perfect for tight spaces, such as the area between your home and driveway, along a fence line, or when planted in a row, they’ll even serve as a privacy shield against nearby neighbors.
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Pint-sized picks and ideas for a miniature plant garden
It was an enchanting hosta garden that got me thinking about the possibilities of displaying miniature outdoor plants. Tiny hostas were displayed both in the ground, with other shade plants, while others were planted together in pots, rocks and tree stump crevices, and in hypertufa planters. Now creating some type of miniature plant garden is on my radar and I’m excited to source my plants.
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