A well-versed plant enthusiast will tell you that forsythia is the first blooming shrub of the season. But, do you know of a flowering shrub that soon followings? Its the honeyberry! As we begin our pre-season set up at the garden center, we were amazed to find that our Berry Blue, Borealis, and Cinderella honeyberries in full bloom. Click on the links to view each variety and their need to know information.
In normal Wisconsin spring weather, one can expect to see the honeyberry bloom mid to end of April and fully ripen by early summer. The honeyberry fruit, as was once noted, looks like a grape in shape but tastes sweet like a blueberry. Honeyberries are great for fresh eating and are also great for making jams, jellies, and baking. Honeyberries do require a pollinator so make sure you have the space to bring at least two plants home.
Let 2024 be the year to try something new! Stop at the garden center and give it a try, or just come and say ‘hi’!
We have a new weigela in stock. My Monet Purple Effect Weigela gets abundant pink flowers in late spring. Its’ neat variegated leaves start off green with white edges and eventually takes on purple tones as the growing season progresses. This plant is great for borders, mass plantings and containers as it only grows to about a foot and half in height and two feet wide. Click here for more information on this plant.
My Monet Purple Effect Weigela. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners or www.provenwinners.com
My Monet Purple Effect Weigela. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners or www.provenwinners.com
Hydrangeas are perhaps the most showy, prolific and easy growing shrub around.They come in many sizes, colors and appropriateness for different soils.The shrubs are long living and extremely vigorous. The mopheads offer up some astonishing huge blooms that you can see from some distance. Some want only morning sun whereas others want full sun.They make great foundation plants or look terrific in pots.Some of the types of hydrangeas that grow in our area are the big leaf mophead (Endless summer), the smooth (Annabelle), and the panicle (the woody type like Limelight).Because there are so many varieties we recommend you talk to a staff person who can direct you to the right hydrangea to plant for your conditions. The following plants are some of the hydrangeas that we have carried. These plants may or may not be in stock.
Do your roses look as good or better then the following pictures? If not, perhaps next year, or even this year yet, give them a scoop or two of Fertilome Rose & Flower Food. I was always skeptical about using fertilizer, except for Miracle Grow, as a waste of money. Well this spring when it was time to prune my roses, I put two scoops of this fertilizer by each rose bush and what a difference! My roses, and I have about 15, all look wonderful this year and as of today, June 5th, they have started blooming. I also used this same fertilizer around many of my perennials and they, too, are looking fantastic. At first I was wondering why everything looks so good this year, then I remembered that I used this fertilizer. Well from now on I am a believer and will be using this every spring and whenever else I think a flower needs a boost. It is recommended to reapply every 30 days. Stop in at Trees Today and pick up a bag of this fertilizer. It is a systemic, meaning that it is taken up by the roots of the plant, PLUS it is an insecticide.
Hellebores, or Lenten Roses, typically bloom late winter or very early spring in Zone 4. They are among the very first flowers to bloom, sometimes around the time Lent starts, thus the name Lenten Roses. The foliage is thick and very low to the ground. Flowers are about 2″ wide and the thick foliage is pretty much deer and rabbit resistance which is good, as the foliage tends to stay green year round. When planting, it is important to keep the crown of the plant above ground. If the crown is planted below ground, there is a good chance the plant will die. Once established, hellebores live up to the sleep, creep and leap motto. The first year planted they do very little, the second year they are establishing roots, and the third year and beyond they really start leaping, providing tons of flowers. Plant them close to your house so you can appreciate their beauty. They will bloom even if there is snow on the ground. A few of the Lenten Roses we carried last year are below:
Cascade Picotte Lenten Rose Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery
First Kiss Moondance Lenten Rose Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery
Winter Jewels Black Diamond Lenten Rose Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery
Forst Kiss Pennys Pink Lenten Rose Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery
Another growing season is almost in the books as we near the middle of October, but there is still time to plant. Here are a few fall favorites our staff highly recommend adding to the landscape. Check out the links for more information on these fall favorites!
Viburnums
This plant definitely fits into almost any landscape. Great on their own or combined to create a hedge or screening, viburnums provide interest spring through fall. Flowers, fruit, and fall color are some of the attributes you can expect among the different varieties of viburnum available at the garden center.
Lo Scape Mound Chokeberry Compact and sturdy plant. Dainty spring flowers precede a small fruit ideal for jams and jellies. Berries are persistent, making this plant a spectacular four-season interest plant.
Hydrangeas
Although recognized for their summer blooms, hydrangeas continue to bloom well into fall. Not only do they maintain their blooms late into the year, but their fall foliage is also worth their weight in gold.
Dwarf Burning Bush Boasting brilliant red foliage, the burning bush will be the spotlight of your fall landscape! Neighbors and passersby will stop to enjoy the vibrant color this plant offers.
Grace n Grit Roses
There are many different roses at the garden center, but the current showstoppers are the Grace n Grit Roses. They are currently available in pink, pink-bicolor, red, and yellow. These plants are still covered in buds and waiting to bloom!
Stop by the garden center and let us introduce you to our favorite plants for fall! Maybe you too will find your new fall favorites!
Well we survived winter and most of this awful spring. Soon it will be summer. Cheer yourself up and put a smile on your face. Buy some beautiful perennials or shrubs to perk up your yard. Presently our tables are full of perennials. We have many, many different types of shrubs and trees. The last couple of years hydrangeas and coneflowers have been the big sellers. We have at least 15 different types of hydrangeas, maybe even more as we get trucks every week. Last week over 200 blooming or budded coneflowers arrived and more will be coming this week. However, there are so many other plants that will bring color and joy to your garden. The new variety of phlox bloom for weeks; day lilies are improved every year so that many more are becoming rebloomers; grasses are still hot and we have lots of them, hardy habiscus plants plus so, so many more; shrubs like winterberry, new varieties of spireas, cheesehead potentilla, viburnums, ninebark, lacy elderberry, shrub roses, etc. Stop in and spruce up your garden and thoroughly enjoy it before winter hits us again.
This is the first year we are carrying the Jane Magnolia tree. It is quite similar to the popular Ann Magnolia tree, but there are some differences. The Jane Magnolia tree has larger flowers with more purple-pinkish-white petals whereas the Anne Magnolia flowers have fewer petals and are deep pink. Jane Magnolia blooms in late spring which is a bonus as earlier blooming varieties may have their buds nipped by late frost. Magnolias bloom before foliage appears so you will see a tree in blossom with no leaves to hide the flowers. The leaves are large and deep green in summer, turning to yellow in fall. The growth rate is about a foot a year but I have seen magnolia trees grow much more then a foot per year. Usually this tree produces sporadic blossoms throughout the summer. The tree does best in morning sun and filtered afternoon shade and will grow in just about any type of soil. In spring, when you see the Jane Magnolia tree in bloom and smell the perfume of the flowers, you will be extremely happy you purchased this tree. Please “Google” Jane Magnolia tree and you will see how beautiful this tree is in bloom.
Happy Spring! Finally spring has arrived. However it will still be weeks before you should begin to uncover your plants or work in your garden. In the meantime we will highlight a few plants that are new to our inventory this year or perhaps we added them last year. Hopefully one or two of these plants may be of interest to you and work in that spot where you need something alive and growing.
This week we have chosen Walberton’s® Plumtastic spirea. This compact plant is perfect for low borders or edging pathways. Plant it as a single species or in masses. It works well planted in a small, skinny area that you may have between your sidewalk and house. Plumtastic only gets around 16″ high and wide. Outside of being small, it has flushes of pink-cerise blooms that flower continuosly from summer into fall. The foliage opens to a rich purple and ages to green. It likes full sun. Like most spireas it is very easy to grow. Butterflies and bees love it. Google this plant and you will see some gorgeous pictures. We predict this plant to be a hot seller.
There may be frost on the rooftops in the morning, but that doesn’t mean plants stop blooming. There are some great plants still in bloom as we enter the end of October. Here are just a few late season bloomers that are still available. Stop in and grab one today!
The weather may be cooling down but there is still plenty of time to get those last few additions installed in your landscape. Here are some of our staff picks for fall. Check out the links for more information on these fall favorites!
Wentworth American Cranberrybush Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries®
This specimen poses excellent in the landscape by itself or as a hedge or screening. Petite early season flowers precede large red fruit which can be used in making preserves or fresh eating. Wildlife will love this plant and so will you!
The Rainbow Sensation oozes decadence. This medium sized shrub checks in with a height and spread of three to four feet. Light pink flowers “pop off the page” in contrast to the variegated green/yellow foliage. When fall makes an entrance, the foliage begins to take on a pink tone that stands out and pairs superb with perennial grasses or dark colored shrubs.
What a beaut! A great compact plant that has multiple seasons of interest! Aside from the beautiful yellow fall foliage from Berry Poppins, the main eye-catching event is the flourish of berries that decorate the winter landscape.
There are several plants, trees and shrubs alike, that are well known for their early season attributes, but go amiss when it comes to their fall foliage. As we turn the calendar to September and prepare for fall, the garden center is beginning to transition to reds, oranges, yellows, from the typical greens that gather the rest of the season. As you walk around, you can see its more than just the maples, oaks, grasses, and dogwoods turning color, there are common spring and summer staples that are also pulling double duty as we head into fall.
Crabapples
Crabapples are commonly known for their showy spring flowers, but did you know they also have fabulous fall foliage? Flaunting tones of red and orange, crabapples do not receive enough attention for their fall foliage which should be equal to their spring flower. So the next time you are seeking a new tree for your yard don’t forget about the dueling seasonal opportunities a crabapple can provide!
Serviceberry
An under utilized garden gem! Available as a tree or shrub, this specimen boasts beautiful spring florals that lead to edible small purple-black berries. The tree form ‘Autumn Brilliance’ is a beautiful medium sized ornamental tree if you are looking to add diversity to your landscape. The shrub form, ‘Regent’ is a great addition for feeding wildlife in your yard or creating a small hedge or screening. Not only will these plants bring spring color and edible fruit, the blaze red/orange fall color is a show stopper for sure!
Azalea/Rhododendron
Prolific blooms fill these plants early season. Bright pink, purple, white and orange are colors you can expect from these spring flowers. Many people desire the spring impact that the azalea and rhododendron bring to the landscape but many are unaware of the bonus fall color they are in for. Broad, thick leaves bring copper and bronze hues into fall with the next season’s buds adding a depth of texture, what a sight to behold!
So, as we make our way to the end of another year, planning for the next begins. Consider adding a few of these double duty plants to your landscape and enjoy an eye catching spring and fall landscape.
