For many of us, September is a transition month from summer to fall. We can get a head start on the cooler weather by accomplishing a few tasks in the landscape. Here are a few tips to get you started. Veggies and Herbs Trees and Shrubs Annuals and Houseplants Perennials and Bulbs Special Notes Also, less visible soil in the garden means less sunlight for weeds to germinate. However, there’s a difference between full and overgrown. A full garden bed will have plants that fill in the extra space without crowding out each other. Remember, there’s still time to enjoy […]
Category: Shrubs
Selecting Shrubs for Colorful Foliage
As I look through my old garden photos, I’m reminded of the impact of foliage plants on the landscape. Shrubs, in particular, can provide you with color that continues to draw interest. The color of these shrubs is often amplified by their unique leaf texture or plant structure. Today, we’ll look at shrubs that offer exceptional color on the leaves. In addition to striking foliage, many of these shrubs have attractive flowers. These shrubs range from small and compact to large and more spreading. Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla) A spreading shrub that fills in large sites and is often used to […]
An Easy Guide For Planting Trees & Shrubs
Trees and shrubs can bring structure and beauty throughout the year if you’re starting a new landscape or adding to your existing property. These plants also provide ecological benefits for your landscape and the planet. Before planting, it’s crucial to understand planting techniques to ensure long-term success for your landscape. Why Proper Planting Is Essential Before we examine the specifics, let’s focus on why proper planting is essential for trees and shrubs. A common problem in landscapes is trees that are planted too deep. As a result, these trees often deteriorate from excess moisture around the stem or develop circling […]
Amazing April Native Shrubs
Each year, in April, some of my favorite native Wisconsin shrubs are coming into bloom in Wisconsin’s woodlands and wetlands. Before their leaves appear, these shrubs bloom joyfully in the woods and wetlands of our state. Getting to know these amazing spring shrubs, as well as enjoying their short-lived bloom is a rewarding and enchanting journey. Eastern Redbud Eastern Redbud is another beautiful spring-blooming native shrub. Blooming on its bare stems, the tiny blooms appear in clusters all along the branches, rather than concentrated toward the end. This makes the redbud a magical shrub when in full bloom in late […]
Cutting Flower Garden: Planning, Maintenance, & Preserving
A favorite activity of mine is walking around the landscape on a summer morning and finding flowers and foliage to use as cut flowers. My garden is in northern Wisconsin, where the climate is cold, and deer are plentiful. These conditions make it difficult to grow many flowers. However, I can still find fun bouquets from plants like bleeding hearts, alliums, and even ferns. As gardeners, we have access to various types of plants with beautiful flowers and foliage. What Are Cutting Gardens? Cutting gardens are spaces dedicated to growing plants for floral decorations. These plants can include annuals, perennials, […]
Spring Gardening: March Garden Checklist Zones 3-6
March is a tough month for gardeners. Signs of spring are showing, with birds returning and bulbs emerging. Unfortunately, winter still appears and keeps us from getting carried away with planting. Regardless of the weather, there’s a variety of gardening tasks you can accomplish this month. Houseplants Pest Control At this point, your houseplants are used to being inside, but you should watch them for signs of insect pests. If your houseplants are becoming leggy, consider moving them to a sunnier part of your house or purchasing a grow light. Keeping your plants healthy will reduce pest and disease problems. […]
5 Must-Have Flowering Shrubs For Spring
It’s hard to believe, but spring is on the horizon. Soon the landscape will burst into growth, and the birds will return, allowing us to say goodbye to a long winter. One way to enhance your landscape is by adding spring color. Flowering shrubs offer many benefits to the landscape, including the year-round structure and a pop of color in spring. The benefits of flowering shrubs are endless. Each shrub has unique characteristics that provide value to you and your property. Today, we’ll be highlighting shrubs that flower in spring. Azaleas A favorite sight in late spring is the pop […]
Creating Winter Interest In Your Landscapes
Winter can be dreary but also beautiful. In the Midwest, we enjoy the snow that blankets our gardens, creating a peaceful scene for us to enjoy. However, our long winters often have us looking for additional beauty in our landscape. You can use a variety of trees, shrubs, and perennials to add interest to the garden using features that include peeling bark, seedheads, or colorful stems. One example is the River Birch (Betula nigra). My parents have this tree in their yard, and it always stands out when I visit them. The peeling bark is also multicolored, adding to its […]
Bareroot vs Potted Plants: What Is The Difference?
Bareroot or Potted Plants? That Is The Question. Just like Hamlet, who asks himself the simple question, “To be or not to be?”, we sometimes let our minds delve way too deeply into basic questions and we can slip into a sort of contemplative paralysis. Instead of allowing ourselves to be immobilized by such a simple choice, all home gardeners should rejoice at the sheer number of selections and wide availability of plants at our fingertips. A never-ending variety of edible and ornamental shrubs and trees have never been so available to us, thanks to the connectiveness of the internet. […]
Pruning Shrubs In Winter
The weather outside may be cold, but there is something that can be done in the garden this time of year. Winter is an ideal time to prune your shrubs, for several reasons. The lack of foliage on the shrubs allows you to view their structure, giving you an idea of how much pruning is needed. Pruning shrubs during dormancy is less stressful for the plant, compared to pruning during the growing season. Pruning in late winter allows the wounds left by the pruning cuts to heal quicker, reducing potential disease or insect problems down the road. Why Prune Shrubs? […]