Fond farewell to fall--and preparing for next season!

As autumn gracefully concedes to the next season, I thought it might be fun to take a look back on the season that was. As evidenced in the photos that my friend sent me a few weeks ago, fall leaves were stunning this season:

Now that winter is nearly upon us, make sure you've put your garden to bed and tidied up all your horticultural tools so they'll be in tip-top shape come Spring. Clean all your implements with soap and water, then wipe down blades with a rag coated in veggie oil. Just like work-worn hands, garden tools need moisture to stay fresh and useful.

Now's the time to prune bearded iris, catmint, beebalm, crocosmia, daylily, peony, liatris and corydalis (to name just a few). Remove the spent leaves to reduce the chance of attracting fungus and other diseases.

Although most perennials can indeed be cut back in fall, there are always exceptions. The obvious ones that jump into my mind are chrysanthemum, butterfly weed, iris and coral bells. These plants all prefer to stand through the winter, using their own foliage to protect themselves and provide a food source for next year's bloom.

As I've often mentioned, perennial grasses look divine when dusted with snow, so let them stand until they get beaten down under inches of the white stuff--then cut them back to a few inches above ground level. Leave hydrangeas alone. Next year's blossoms (blue and pink bloomers) will take place on existing stems (you can always remove spent flowers). NEVER prune rose bushes in fall. Wait until new growth begins each Spring, then carefully cut back old wood.

A little TLC now will go a long way toward making your garden glorious next year, and beyond.

Fond farewell to fall--and preparing for next season!

As autumn gracefully concedes to the next season, I thought it might be fun to take a look back on the season that was. As evidenced in the photos that my friend sent me a few weeks ago, fall leaves were stunning this season:

Now that winter is nearly upon us, make sure you've put your garden to bed and tidied up all your horticultural tools so they'll be in tip-top shape come Spring. Clean all your implements with soap and water, then wipe down blades with a rag coated in veggie oil. Just like work-worn hands, garden tools need moisture to stay fresh and useful.

Now's the time to prune bearded iris, catmint, beebalm, crocosmia, daylily, peony, liatris and corydalis (to name just a few). Remove the spent leaves to reduce the chance of attracting fungus and other diseases.

Although most perennials can indeed be cut back in fall, there are always exceptions. The obvious ones that jump into my mind are chrysanthemum, butterfly weed, iris and coral bells. These plants all prefer to stand through the winter, using their own foliage to protect themselves and provide a food source for next year's bloom.

As I've often mentioned, perennial grasses look divine when dusted with snow, so let them stand until they get beaten down under inches of the white stuff--then cut them back to a few inches above ground level. Leave hydrangeas alone. Next year's blossoms (blue and pink bloomers) will take place on existing stems (you can always remove spent flowers). NEVER prune rose bushes in fall. Wait until new growth begins each Spring, then carefully cut back old wood.

A little TLC now will go a long way toward making your garden glorious next year, and beyond.

Get in shape!

Wandering past Rainbow Row in Charleston, I turned toward the Battery and peered into the beautiful gardens lining the park. The one above particularly caught my eye. At first glance it appears not only opulent and beautifully tended, but intricate. The kind of outdoor space that draws us in, yet at the same time deflates us. How could we possibly have such a lovely landscape without a full-time gardening staff?

We can! By incorporating the right materials into a clever design, any garden can look lush without extravagant cost--in cash or time. If you look closely at the layout you'll see basic principles at play. First we'll look at garden style. This one is fairly symmetrical, in keeping with the traditional nature of the historic Charleston area.

Next, let's break down the design. It appears the landscape architect cut the yard into curved rooms, each one surrounded by boxwood walls. Breaking up a large area into various shapes adds character to a space. Ovals and circles create interest in square or rectangular yards. Outlining each shape in evergreen hedging is rather like putting a frame around a photograph--it highlights what's inside and manages to look properly presented.

Finally, we'll focus on materials. Flowerbeds appear to be edged in reclaimed bricks, a natural selection for this stately landscape. Traditional garden statuary, wrought-iron gates and a brick wall enclose the area and ramp up the charm factor, while crushed stone defines the garden paths.

The initial cash outlay is considerable, since it takes a few hundred plants to produce the hedging effect, yet each boxwood plant in the heart of the space is small (only the mature hedge along the left side of the yard has attained 3-4 feet). Many nurseries sell in bulk, so check into the possibility before purchasing plants. It's possible to get each 1-2 foot plant for five or six dollars. The good news is, if planted and tended properly, a good hedge will last for many years. As for plants inside each hedged area...be creative. Go formal with roses or crazy exotic with yucca and prickly pear. Your designs are limited only by your imagination.

Bricks, stone, concrete statues and wrought iron gates can be costly, so incorporate them into your garden a little at a time. Peruse quarries and plant nurseries in the off season in order to score some bargains. Hit up the discount home goods stores in search or special outdoor finds.

As for maintenance, hedges are deceptively easy to keep in shape. Invest in a good electric trimmer and hit your hedge once a month to keep stray branches at bay. It may seem like a lot of work, but spending an hour or so each month equals a four-hour investment per summer. Easy peasy.

Hardy Halloween herb

     What better plant to pick up this week of Halloween than Skullcap? Properly known as Scutellaria lateriflora, this hardy perennial herb of the mint family is a North American native--guaranteed to flourish in the northeastern U.S.
     Its upright growth reaches, on average, about three feet, with rich, ridged leaves and delicate, bi-lobed blue flowers (which resemble the military helmets worn by early European settlers, and are, therefore named for them). The interesting thing about the buds is that they grow along the main spike--not on top of it--producing a "nodding" effect, which fills in nicely between other plants. 
     Another plus, in my opinion, is that this wetland-loving species thrives in meadows, and near marshes and other wet habitat--places that aren't always conducive to flowering plants. Is there a better place for a Halloween plant to flourish than in a swamp? Well, maybe a graveyard.
     Historically, the plant was used to treat insomnia and spasms--even rabies! In fact, settlers in the late 1700's promoted the herb's effectiveness as a rabies cure, giving rise to one of its common names: mad dog weed. This claim was later discarded. Ya think? I wouldn't suggest using it medicinally for any kind of bite...perhaps a vampire bite....
    Seriously though, the plant is known to have substantial medicinal value. I don't promote products on this site, or make medical claims of any kind. If you want to use this herb as a remedy of any kind, you're on your own. But if you want to plant it in your shady, boggy garden, I'm right there with you. In fact, I plan on hunting for this gem now, before the first frost hits my region.