Fall Garden Party!!!

Since last week's newsletter, fall has arrived! I can feel the difference.
Steve and I spend some of our favorite moments sitting outside in the
evenings after work just talking and enjoying our garden. This has to be the
perfect time of year for outside dinner parties. Invite a few friends and
celebrate fall.

Just like when you entertain indoors, entertaining outdoors requires some
sprucing up as well. Take an objective walk through your garden area and
decide where you want everyone to congregate. The garden or landscaping
should be the backdrop for this spot.

You will need to pull out large weeds, clip out dead branches, remove dead
plants, repair, remove or replace anything damaged and dead head plants with
spent blooms. Just like inside, adding a few well placed splashes of color
such as newly planted containers, mums that you just found at the farmer's
market or sunflowers in tall containers or baskets will make a huge
difference. If you can't find fresh cut sunflowers, don't feel worry about
picking up some silk ones from your local craft store. The newer silk ones
are looking quite real these days and it's the color and atmosphere that
you're going for anyway.

Sweep or hose off any stone, wood or concrete walkways, patios or decks the
day of the gathering. If you don't have time to put down a fall layer of
mulch, pick up a large bag of aged compost from the hardware store a day or
two before and put a few handfuls here and there where the ground is
visible. This will give the garden or landscape a fresh, well kept
appearance and will really make the plants stand out more.

A folding table or two will be perfect. No tablecloth? Use an old sheet or
burlap and tie off the corners at the table legs. Quilts work nicely too.
Some potted herbs on the table make for interesting and wonderfully fragrant
mini-centerpiece spread throughout the table.

What to serve. Keep it simple and quick. Fall is the time for singe pot
dishes such as chili, hardy soups, coq au vin or beef daube. A few
garnishes, bowls and spoons allow the guests to help themselves. And, what
better way to end a hardy fall meal than brownies, apple pie, pumpkin rolls
or spice cake? Hmmmmm. I am such a foodie.

Here are a few suggestions for bringing to life some of your empty flower
pots. All you need to do is select one plant from the first group, one to
two plants from the second group and one to two from the third group. Do be
mindful of your selected colors when pairing though. Try to select plants
with contrasting colors and textures.

Group 1 (Spotlight Plant): green giant, Hameln ornamental grass, Karley Rose
ornamental grass, Morning Light ornamental grass, Magnolia Jane, Barberry
Sunjoy Gold Pillar, Boxwood, Russian Sage, Nandina Firepower, Japanese Red
Maple, Sambucus

Group 2 (Filler Plants): Hellebore Ivory Prince, Heuchera Lime Ricky,
Heuchera Hollywood, Heuchera Plum Pudding, Autumn Brilliance Fern, Japanese
Painted Fern, Ameria, Sungold Cypress, Spiraea Magic Carpet, Dianthus,
liriope (both variegated and solid), Ogon Grass

Group 3 (Draping Groundcover): Angelina Sedum, English Ivy, Baltic Ivy,
Creeping Rosemary, Elfin Thyme, Golden Thyme, Corsican Mint, Red Creeping
Thyme

Especially in Group 1, these suggestions are based on younger plants. After
a couple of years in the container, they will be ready to be transplanted
into a permanent location.

Oh, and don't forget to add some twinkle lights. The clear ones with a
golden tint are almost like candlelight. And a few well placed candles are
also great. Put some tiny gravel or sand in the bottom of some old glass
jars and then steady some chunky candles in them. If becomes a little
breezy, they won't blow out.

I hope this gives you a few ideas on making your garden and your fall
evening special.

Don't forget to visit our Falltacular Page for specially priced plants on
grower's surplus and close-out items.

See you on the Greenwood Nursery Facebook page!!!

Until next time...Cheryl

Desert Gardening

Well, finally, the "new" site is up and running smoothly. We will be making
tweaks and additions to it over the next few weeks. Next up is a makeover
for our sister site www.landsteward.org .

Ground cover plants are just beginning to ship out for fall planting. We are
now offering vinca, pachysandra, ivy and purple wintercreeper as bare root
plants. Bare root ground cover plants make a more economical purchase and
when planted properly establish just as quickly as the more expensive potted
plants.

A few of our low growing shrubs that are quite popular this fall are Spiraea
Magic Carpet, Nandina Dwarf Firepower, the City Line Hydrangeas and the
Crimson Pygmy Barberry. Two of our more popular evergreen shrubs this fall
are the Bamboo Sunset Glow and Sungold Cypress.

This week, it seems I am responding to a lot of questions about gardening in
the desert areas. The University of Nevada Extension site offers a wonderful
article that covers everything from explaining the soil and composting to
fertilizer use, planting, lawn care, raised beds, mulch, and watering. All
geared toward the desert garden.
http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/ho/2001/sp0115.pdf

Here is a listing of Greenwood plants that will grow in many of the desert
regions:

Fruit Trees-Apple and Peach
Russian sage
Yarrow
Buddleia
Herbs-Thyme, Rosemary, Chives, Lavender, Oregano
Black Eyed Susan
Dianthus
Gaillardia
Phlox
Lilies
Shasta Daisy
Asters
Salvia
Vinca

I hope everyone finds our site's new look friendlier and easier to use.

Don't forget to visit our Falltacular Sale Page and Landscaping Ideas
Slideshow. We have some great items featured on both the Falltacular Sale
Page and our Homepage so be sure to check them out.

See you on Facebook.

Until next time...Cheryl

Garden For Your Health

How we can reduce stress and anxiety, and, at the same time make our homes
more pleasant to come home to? Gardening! Have you ever noticed that some of
the calmest people are dedicated gardeners? Most of them don't have large
gardens, but they are committed to being outside in their "space" on a
regular basis.

Gardening is one of the best kept secrets around for a complete workout. I
hear you saying, "But, Cheryl, how does it work?" No expensive equipment
required. A hoe, a rake and a desire are mostly what are needed to start.
Thirty minutes and longer of continual gardening is equal to a good workout
at the gym. You will get in your aerobics, weight training, running, and
stretching.

Gardening, also, allows for a wonderful level of meditation which is like a
spa for your mind. Don't forget that being in the sunshine provides your
body with vitamin D and helps to maintain bone mass.

A couple of things to remember: Apply sunscreen and wear a hat and work
gloves. Bend from the knees when raking and lifting anything to reduce the
stress on your back. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. If you feel
tired, it's time to take a break and rest for awhile.

The first thing to do is to remove clutter, so anything that you really
don't need or want should be thrown out. Whether it's broken furniture,
brush piles, or dead plants, toss it! Now you can go in and begin raking
leaves, mowing the grass and hoeing around plants to break up the compacted
mulch. Once all of this is done, look around and decide what new plants you
can add this fall that will provide your garden with new spring color and
fragrance. For long growing season color look at plants such as the Double
Red Knockout Rose, Nishiki Willow and the new Incrediball Hydrangea and for
fragrance, why not add in some thyme, rosemary, chives or oregano, which
will also do double duty in recipes.

Take a portable radio or cd player outside with you and play your favorite
music while you are gardening. Nature provides its own music, but sometimes,
especially if you are new to gardening, the quiet might be awkward. So
adding the music is a good way to move into gardening comfortably.

Be cautious, though, taking up gardening and reducing clutter in your
landscape might create a chain reaction and before you know it, you'll be
reducing clutter in other aspects of your life. All of a sudden that corner
of the room filled with boxes of items you haven't seen in years, may find
itself remade into a relaxing reading area.

Gardening can be the beginning in helping to create a simpler, more
enjoyable lifestyle.

Don't forget to visit our Falltacular Sale Page for specially priced plants
on grower's surplus and close out items.

Until next time...Cheryl

Leaf Spot

Recently I have received a lot of emails from people with the same issue and
I thought it would be a good topic for this week. Leaf spot seems to be a
big problem this growing season. It seems to be on mostly older more
established trees.

What is leaf spot? It is a disease caused by a fungus or bacteria that forms
spots on the foliage. Color and size of the spots will vary and holes can
develop. Often leaves will turn yellow and drop before fall.

How is leaf spot prevented? You will want to avoid crowding your plants
(trees and shrubs). When an area is heavily populated with trees and shrubs,
thin out the branches to create better air flow. Plant an assortment of
plant varieties. In fall, rake up the leaves to compost or burn. Fertilize
in spring with a complete timed release fertilizer. Water deeply during dry
periods.

How to control leaf spot - If leaf spot continues for several years, then it
is time for fungicide use. However, you will need to identify the particular
leaf spot disease that is attacking your trees. Take several leaf samples to
your local agricultural extension agent for identification. Timing is
everything with the fungicide applications. Follow the directions on the
fungicide label.

Here is a link to the University of Missouri Extension site with an article
on leaf spot which includes pictures and detailed information on this
problem.
http://agebb.missouri.edu/pdc/diagnosticreports/leafspot01.htm

Don't forget to visit our Falltacular Sale Page and our Landscaping Ideas
Slideshow. We have some great items featured on our Homepage and New
Additions Page so be sure to check them out, too.

Visit us on Facebook for more landscaping and gardening tips.

Until next time...Cheryl

Fall Planting

July was quite hectic for us here at the nursery. I am still working with
Steve on our project for Africa, so I'm not back to the nursery full time
quite yet. If you have planting questions, drop me an email or phone the
office. Brenda and Indy are there full time and will be happy to be of
service.
Considering we are only a month away from fall, I thought it would be the
perfect opportunity to talk about fall planting. I know, I know. Some of you
are skittish about this very topic and may even cringe at the mention of it.
But, for most areas, (except the Deep South, who should wait for winter
months and northern areas, such as zones 3, 4, and some spots of zone 5),
planting in fall is truly the best and safest time.
Fall planting perennials, shrubs and trees will give them a stronger and
larger developed root system to kick off with new spring growth. During
September through early November (for zones 8, 7, 6, and mid/lower 5), the
ground remains warm allowing a freshly planted plant to produce new root
growth before the cold weather of winter hits. As the weather phases into
the cooler temperatures of fall, the plants will go dormant. However, the
root system will continue to grow until the ground begins to freeze. Once
the ground begins to thaw and warm in spring, this newer developed root
system will kick off with even more growth much earlier in the season.
Indy has been visiting with our growers and found some new items that we
will be adding over the next couple of weeks. Just to give you an idea, we
will be adding several varieties of trees, such as white dogwood and green
ash, which we will be offering as individual plants in a 2 to 3 foot height.
Fast growing trees in a size that are easily planted. Much easier and more
affordable!
Speaking of fall planting, we will also be adding a couple of Asiatic Lily
varieties such as Stargazer. They will be offered as bare root bulbs and
will be available on the site within the next week. These will begin
shipping in mid/late September and, unlike most summer flowering bulbs need
to experience the coolness of winter in the ground.
Our perennials, ornamental grasses, container-grown trees & shrubs and bare
root ground covers will all begin shipping in September. Bare root trees and
shrubs begin shipping in late October/early November. Our strawberry plants
will be available for shipping mid/late October. Other fruiting plants
(fruit trees and berry shrubs) will be available mid/late February for early
spring planting.
We keep planting instructions on the web site; so if you should need to
refer to them or see what's entailed before hand, check them out. You will
find them under the tab Plant Tips. Our site will be getting a fresher look
later this month. We've been working on it for a while and hope you find the
newer look cleaner and easier to mover through.
I hope your summer is going well and your garden is thriving. Our Greenwood
Team has been working hard over the past month and you will be seeing many
new and exciting plant varieties and tools on our web site that will help
make your landscape amazing. After all, whether it's on a farm, in a
subdivision, or an apartment, our homes are the only real sanctuary we truly
have.
Until next week.... Cheryl