All about Roses

April 13, 2017 I’d like to talk about how to help your roses thrive. Some people tell me that their plants are healthy but don’t flower well. Roses need 6 hours of sunlight to do well. There are a few exceptions, one of which we will be getting this season. Another thing that roses need is slightly acidic soil. Roses like a range of 6.5 to 6.2 PH. You will find that roses are fairly heavy feeders. Using Miracid every …

All about Roses

April 2, 2017 It’s April and this is the time to start thinking about your roses. Begin removing any extra winter protection you added to your rose beds. Remove any leaves or soil. In the next couple weeks, you may begin pruning your plants. Climbers should be pruned about 1/3 of their height. Shrubs and Knockout Roses should be pruned to give them good form. Hybrid Teas, Floribundas & Grandifloras need to be pruned about 2/3 of their height. You should …

Plant your own Container Garden – April 22 at 10am

Thursday, April 20th at 6pm Join us to get a jump on Spring and be the envy of your neighborhood. We will work with you to create your very own masterpiece. Bring in a favorite container or patio pot. We will also have pots available for purchase. We will care for your creation here at the retail store until the 5/6/17 pick up date. Fees for this workshop will be determined by size and amount of plant material used. Space …

Wine and Roses Weigela

Add Season Long Color to Your Gardens Wine and Roses Weigela is one of those “boy I wish I would have planted this sooner” shrubs. Its striking dark burgundy leaves provide a fantastic enhancement or background to your garden or entry way. The leaf color continues to intensify as summer progresses. Its rosy-pink trumpet shaped flowers bloom in spring and then again throughout the summer. Hummingbirds love the flowers. A cut branch of Wine and Roses Weigela in a flower …

Strawberries

Strawberries – the Luscious Taste of Summer! Strawberries are delicious!  And when they come from your own garden, they taste even more delicious.  Now’s the time to get your strawberries started.  The information tells you to wait to harvest the second year but we won’t tell anyone if you harvest and eat them the first year instead!  The strawberry’s incomparable sweet fragrance, fresh red color and superb flavor are the essence of summer.  One of the few fruits that originated in …

Fuchsia for new and old fashioned beauty!

Fuchsia are beautiful, delicate plants loved by many.  They’re known for cascading out of hanging baskets and attracting hummingbirds. The botanical name for fuchsia is pronounced FEW-shah.  It’s a diverse genus of plants where some are cascading types and some are more upright.  Some do well in sun but most prefer shade.  Fucshia have beautiful flowers for sure!  They are typically double, tubular types of flowers that hummingbirds and people both love.  It’s a favorite for many. So why do …

Fabulous Ferns

Fabulous perennial ferns add texture and contrast to any shade garden. Their names are complicated and there are many different varieties – but don’t let that scare you!  I”m pretty comfortable with annuals and many perennials but when it comes to ferns, I still have a lot to learn.  The good news is that most of the ferns we offer are pretty easy to grow.  The hardest part seems to be deciding what type of ferns will work best for …

Ensete – The Dramatic Tropical

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me what “that” plant was… I’d be almost rich!  “That” plant is Ensete.  It’s dramatic and so much more. Ensete is frequently called a banana plant because it looks like a banana plant.  The real name for the redish variety we are coming to love is Ensete Ventricosum Maurelii.  In Michigan, these plants grow and grow and grow.  In a single summer, ensete can grow over 5 ft tall.  They …

Bruschetta

This delicious and easy to make bruschetta recipe will put your fresh tomatoes to good use. This tomato bruschetta is the most wonderful appetizer during fresh tomato season. Simple to make and packed with the vibrant flavors of summer, it’s a fantastic choice as a snack, appetizer, or side dish. Give it a try, and you’ll be hooked! Ingredients 10 plum tomatoes, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced ¾ cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional) 1/3 …