Garden Parties to Wedding Favors - Plants as Gifts

Spring is THE time to plant in much of the United States. Any earlier or
later and it becomes off-season in either the North or South.

Garden Parties, which were common during the Victorian Period, can run the
gamut from a dressy afternoon tea to everyone arriving in their gardening
ware to help work in the hostess's garden. The garden party is, also, an
excellent idea to bring people together for gardening clubs, a wedding
shower or for the first time homeowner. Each guest brings a plant (small
shrubs, ornamental grasses or other perennials) and a tool, or other piece
of gardening equipment, whether new or a gift from the guest's own tool
shed.

For parties with gift exchanges, guests can bring items relating to
gardening such as a plant, tool, container, garden ornament, etc... The
hostess will need to somewhat define what types of items that guests should
bring such as indoor, outdoor, flowering, non-flowering, tools, etc.

One way of giving away plants as favors is to use small potted plants on the
tables as all or part of the table decorations or tiny potted plants can be
used as place card holders. The nursery pots can be covered with tissue
paper, burlap or other fabric and tied with a colorful ribbon or twine or
even repotted into inexpensive decorative or plan clay pots. Plants that
work great for this are: herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender), mini
palms, mini schefflera, perennial plants such as Shasta daisies, sunflowers seedlings, young
ornamental grasses or bamboo as well as starter plants such as tomatoes.

Handing out seedlings as wedding favors has been popular for quite sometime.

However, there are some considerations to keep in mind.

• Seedlings are seasonal and only available November through May. During the summer months, one would need to select small potted evergreens or potted herbs. 
• Plants need to be ordered 6 to 8 weeks in advance from the nursery or greenhouse so that delivery can be timed for the week before the wedding. 
• Designate a person, or persons, to be responsible for separating the seedlings and bagging each one with a handful of moist peat. This needs to be done within a couple of days before the ceremony so that they are still fresh and then kept in a cool, dark area such as garage, basement or pantry.
• Where will the plants be held (at the ceremony or reception) before being handed out? It should again be a cool, dark area out of the way. Heat and sun will dry them out possibly causing the plants to wilt severely or kill them. Depending on how many guests are expected, these boxes can take up valuable space.
• The most commonly used plant varieties for handing out as favors are: pines, spruces, dogwoods, lilacs, red maples, even late spring/summer flowering bulbs.
• Be sure to keep in mind your guests lifestyle. If most of your guests are city dwellers residing in apartments, they are not going to have anywhere to plant most shrubs or trees, so herbs or flowers would be quite thoughtful.

As noted in last week's newsletter, I am continuing on with ideas on
creating your own outdoor habitat where you can be found...or not!

Pictures do so much more at describing than words ever seem to do. This
article in Fine Gardening Magazine covers several of the things that make a
habitat special. The article's author, a landscape architect, not only forms
firm boundaries for his property, but utilizes the entire backyard with walk
ways, colorful mini-gardens, and, even carves out cozy, intimate areas. You
will see before and after pictures, which I enjoy. I like the way he has
achieved total privacy from the street with his use of both plants and
fencing. Keep in mind that this landscape was not established overnight. It
took years for it to look as it does in the article.

http://www.finegardening.com/design/articles/create-backyard-private-haven.a
spx

Here are more ideas that you can take and begin creating your special
habitat:

Define the purpose for your habitat. An area for weekend naps will differ
from an area used more for reading as would an intimate area.

For sunny, mostly sunny, or dry areas plant herbs in groupings of 3.
Lavender, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano and chives shouldn't be limited to
kitchen gardens. They play well with all landscapes. If you allow chives to
bloom and go to seed they will spread around your garden sprouting new
plants later in the season. For these herbs, the drier the soil, the better
they seem to grow. I recommending mixing in some coarse sand at planting if
the soil should be on the clay side. This will help with drainage. Thyme and
rosemary will even grow in partially shaded areas, too.

Define the borders for your habitat. This can be done many ways, such as
fence or lattice panels, trees, shrubs, or ornamental grasses, basically
anything that will separate your habitat from the rest of your yard.

Once you have defined the borders, establish pathways or patio areas. Then
you can begin layering plants towards the center of your habitat. It is easy
to get carried away here, but do leave room for your hammock, chaise lounge,
or table and chairs. Layer with the tallest plants at back coming inward
with a mixture of shorter and semi-taller plants. On the inside area of your
habitat, set around plants in containers. These can even be incorporated as
part of the layering area itself if space is really limited.

Don't forget to add in some whimsical items as well such as wind wheels,
concrete statuary, bird feeders, unusual rocks, pots, bird houses, fun
hangings or lighting fixtures. I like the fun critter solar lights. This is
where you can really put your own personality stamp on your habitat.

Add in some lighting even it if is a strand of clear (okay even
multi-colored) Xmas lights. At night, even minimal lighting makes the
habitat a magical place.

Well, these are the basics on creating your own special outdoor habitat
where you can disappear to.

Don't forget to check out our new Free Spring Bonus Plants available only to
our Greenwood Members. Over the next week, I'll be adding more pictures to
our Landscape Idea Slideshow and our Landscape Idea Album on Facebook.

Until next time...

Cheryl

Vegetable Gardening

(March 13, 2009 Newsletter) We are only 4 weeks away from Good Friday, which
many of us associate with planting our gardens. Even though the weather is
still fluctuating like night and day, we still need to plan for our
vegetable and herb gardens as well as for new additions to our relaxation
gardens.

Our vegetable garden seed kits are ready for shipping and the herb garden
seed kits should be ready for shipping after next week. It is the perfect
time for planting wildflower seeds, so if you have a large area that you
would like to see lots of summer color go ahead and order. Remember,
wildflower seeds should be planted when there is still a nip in the air.

My daughter, Cyd, wants to plant a vegetable garden this spring. Cyd and her
husband plant tomato and pepper plants in pots around their patio every
year, but this will be their first actual in the ground garden. She has her
vegetable garden seed kit which became available over the past few days. So,
then, her next question to me, "But Mom, now what do I do?" We either have
children that have asked that or maybe we, too, have done that. Well, you
know me; I emailed her the perfect link to give her all the information she
needs right from the start. She liked it and said that was exactly what she
needed. I thought this might be the year that some of you tried your hand at
planting a vegetable garden, too, and will find this link quite helpful. It
goes to Fine Gardening Magazine (one of my favorites).

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/plan-a-vegetable-garden.aspx

We use the words environment and habitat interchangeably, so I wanted to
know exactly what the difference is between the two. I mean, I know their
definitions, but what are their actual differences. Well, at Dictionary.com,
environment is listed as the external factors affecting an organism or in
respect to landscaping, an indoor/outdoor setting designed to be site
specific, while habitat refers to a natural environment for the life and
growth of an organism or a special environment or place where a person or
thing is usually found. Between the two, I like habitat because when I can't
find Steve in the house, I always find him walking through the garden
visiting with the plants (oh, yes, he does visit with the plants.). He
enjoys being in the garden even more than I do and as the weather warms it
becomes our favorite spot to unwind after work.

Some of the things I believe that make our garden habitat special for us
are:

Privacy and protection from the outside world
Intimate areas only large enough for a tiny table and 2 chairs
Plants with varied textures and color
Use of different materials in creating pathways and edging
Plenty of seating in the open areas
A fire pit for cooler evenings

It seems that around mid June the garden magically comes alive with blooms.
There isn't anything much more relaxing as sitting in the garden on a lazy
weekend afternoon watching the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds fly from
bloom to bloom.
That's nature at its best!

Next week, let's talk more about habitats and how you can create your own
place where you can be found.

Until then check out the Monthly Members Value Page, our new landscape idea
slideshow and find out what the new Spring Bonus Items are for Members Only.

Visit our idea album on Facebook, too.

Later..

Cheryl

New Home Landscaping

(March 6, 2009 Newsletter) This is a question that I get a lot from new home
owners or those new to a home in need of landscaping. They want to know
where to start and I thought that there might be others out there who want
to know also.

Well, here are some things to take into consideration when planning or
redesigning your landscape.

First, I recommend living in your new place for about a year before
beginning any major gardens or landscapes. This time allows for you to keep
a notebook on how you and your family use the areas and live through the 4
seasons at your new home, which will give you ideas on how you would like to
use color throughout each season, as well as being able to see any potential
problems such as any seasonal drainage, lighting and privacy issues.

When you find pictures of landscapes or articles in magazines that you like,
put them in the notebook as well. Hardscaping generally refers to fences,
walks, drives, retaining walls, patios, decks, or anything that would be
built to add to the landscape. Any major hardscaping project should be done
before landscaping so that plants are not damaged.

Your lifestyle will be a major factor in landscaping. If you have children,
they will need a play space and what will it include, a play set, sand box,
open space for sports, etc. Are pets part of your family? Yes? Then, they
will need a special place to run and relieve themselves. Do you entertain a
lot? Then, you may need to extend the patio or deck areas to accommodate
more sitting spaces. Are you a homebody? You will probably want quite
tranquil spaces for reading, relaxing or soft conversation all with privacy.

If you look out at an area and don't know what you would do with it, then
don't do anything with it. Sometimes a good landscape comes out of patience.
Steve and I still have a couple of spots around our house that still aren't
landscaped and we've lived there a long time. I don't feel bad about that.
Honestly, we enjoy the other areas so much that we don't even notice it. I
refuse to plant something just 'cause.

Two things that you should go ahead with are lawns and foundation plants.
This will give you a good base to build the rest of your landscape on. Basic
evergreen and deciduous foundation plantings can be livened up with
ornamental grasses, smaller flowering shrubs, herbs, and season perennials.

I have started a photo album on our Facebook page with landscape ideas. Be
sure to check it out. Also, soon, we will be adding to our web site a photo
slideshow of even more planting ideas. So, be sure to watch for it. Also, if
you haven't logged onto your members homepage since mid November, you may
need to rejoin. We have found that our newer system doesn't recognize some
of the older membership information.

Until next time,

Cheryl

Heucheras Make Great Investment Plants!

(Feb. 13, 2009 Newsletter) Heuchera (pronounced Hue kah rah with emphasis on
Hue) is a species native to the U.S. and commonly referred to as Coral
Bells. You've probably seen it in your parents or grandparents gardens. They
are semi-evergreen to evergreen (depending on your location) and provide
such a great impact of color and texture in the landscape making them great
investment plants.
There are lots of great hybrids which will grow in many different situations
from full sun to full shade. Each variety will have its own requirements, so
be sure to read them carefully. Most Heucheras are cold hardy to zone 4 and
heat hardy to zone 9 and considered to be deer resistant. Over June and
July, they shoot out spikes with tiny bell shaped flowers whose colors will
vary according to the variety.
Heucheras grow best in soil that has been amended with organic matter (aged
compost mix and/or aged manure mix) in an area that is moist, but not wet.
Once planted, they are virtually maintenance free, although you may want to
dig them up, divide the crowns and replant them about every 3 to 4 years.
This plant species is found to grow under walnut trees.
For areas in your garden or landscape where you want to keep plants low
(under 3 feet), this is the perfect plant. Select several different hybrids
for variations in size and color. Wonderful companion plants for the
Heucheras are other Heucheras, ferns, hostas and ornamental grasses.
Don't forget the Knockout Sunny Roses will be released in early May and we
will begin shipping them out the week of May 4th just in time for Mother's
Day, so get your order in early!

Cheryl

Investment Plants

(Feb. 27, 2009 Newsletter) Steve and I are working a project that I believe
all of you will enjoy. We are adding slideshows to the site. This will
consist of pictures that we have taken over the years that contain
landscaping ideas. Some will be from private landscapes and others come from
commercial ones. You never know where your next great idea for a landscape
project will come from. I have always enjoyed reading gardening magazines,
but you know I really get them for the pictures. So, I thought Steve and I
have taken all of these pictures over the years and why not share them with
our fellow gardeners. I really hope to have it fully up and running by our
next newsletter.
On our Facebook page, there will be some pictures in the photo album, but
you will need to go to our web site for most of the pictures. Steve and I
will be including pictures of own garden as well. It is always a work in
progress. Just when some plants are reaching their mature size, it is time
to relocate them to another part of the yard. We plant something else in
that spot and wonder how we ever enjoyed the garden any other way. I know it
is a silly thought, but we all have those moments.
As all of you know, I am all about investment landscaping. This means
choosing plants that move into other seasons with color and interest. I try
to profile a couple of investments plants in each newsletter. This week, I
would like to make mention of the Cistena Flowering Plum shrub and tree
form. This plant is gorgeous. Plant it in full sun and its deep burgundy
shaded leaves will add a wonderful punch of color to the landscape. The
Cistena shrub form makes an amazingly colorful hedge. This color begins in
spring and carries on through frost when the leaves change to bronze/green
shading. Once it goes dormant and loses its leaves, the reddish brown bark
adds lots of winter interest putting the Cistena Flowering Plum on my list
of investment landscape plants.

I'll see you on Facebook. Until next week..

Cheryl

Japanese Cherry Blossom Trees and Pruning Crape Myrtles

Who is ready for spring time? I generally appreciate cold weather, but this winter has really lasted way too long with too much horrible weather. Each warm day (above 40 degrees), I peek out my
office window with hope that I will see blooms on the flowering pear or
flowering cherry trees here at the nursery. Alas, none yet. To me, flowering
pear and Japanese cherry blossom trees are the first sure signs of spring. By
planting different flowering cherry varieties, such as Okame, Kwanzan,
and Yoshino, you can enjoy these flowering trees throughout most of
March, April and sometimes into May.

When you see crape myrtles in bloom, you know summer is in full swing. If
you have any crape myrtles in your landscape, now is the time to prune and
shape them. They always produce the largest and brightest blooms on new
growth. Yes, they can bloom on old wood to some extent, but those blooms are
never as full and brilliant as the ones on new wood. We've all seen crape
myrtles that have been unattended for years and they still bloom, but the
blooms never look that healthy.

If you're looking to plant crape myrtles, then there are a few things you
should know. Crape myrtle trees are associated with southern landscapes.
Although, many varieties are cold hardy as far north as into zone 6 be sure
to double check the growing zones on the individual plants. Always plant
them in full sun. If they are planted in an area that is only limited sun or
is shaded part of the day by a building or other tree, they will not bloom
as well or at all. That is the number factor when this plant variety doesn't
bloom properly.

I have included a link to the University of Georgia Extension site with a
page full on information about pruning crape myrtles, watering,
and fertilizing. This is my favorite site on caring for crape
myrtles. It also mentions the many different varieties of this plant with
their height range and flower color.

http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/thomas/anr/documents/CrapeMyrtleCulture_C944.pdf 

Because of the longer blooming time of crape myrtles during summer and their
unusual bark adding great winter interest to landscapes, this plant species
is on my list of investment plants.

See you on Greenwood Nursery Facebook!
Cheryl