Great Alternatives for Shade Garden Plants
During a recent shopping trip to one of my favorite wholesale nurseries, I overheard a woman (who I assumed was a designer) explain to her client, “Well you have shade options here…basically begonias and begonias.” I had to bite my tongue. Which I do frequently. For example, at one of the big box stores when I saw the person in line in front of me with a container and a bag of garden soil. My tongue wanted to say “Excuse me, you cannot use that soil in a container, it won’t drain well.” But one look at my daughter and I bit my tongue. Apparently being, what I consider “helpful and friendly” is actually “weird and embarrassing.” So I also bit my tongue when I heard another one of the salespeople remark to a customer, “Why you can put a mountain of this granular bug killer on your lawn and it won’t harm anything.” Really? Jaw clenched I retreated to the plumbing aisle.
But back to shade options. Begonias are fine, as are impatiens, but is that really the only material the aforementioned designer could offer her client?
Had she never heard of coleus?
Garden Quote: Closest to Being Present at Creation
“I think this is what hooks one to gardening: it is the closest one can come to being present at creation.”
– Phyllis Theroux
Garden Quote – Patriotism
A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle.
~George William Curtis
A Plethora of Pots
May and June have been a crazy, busy time; a “hair-on-fire” time for those of us in the gardening business. Or as my kids say a GYO time, which stands for Get-Your-Own, as in dinner.
I have lost track of the number of summer pots I have planted over the last two weeks. Each pot I planted was unique. While I know using a formula, for sun or shade, for instance, would make things go more quickly I would rather create custom work which reflects the style and preferences of my clients. I have one client who only wants green and white. Her container featured spathiphyllum, white verbena and New Guinea impatiens, helichrysum and lamiastrum.
A new client with a roof deck liked only vibrant colors – no pale pinks or lavenders for her. Some croton in her planters anchored the “hot” color palette on the sunny side of the deck….
Read More»Garden Quote – The Secret of Improved Plant Breeding
The secret of improved plant breeding, apart from scientific knowledge, is love.
~~ Luther Burbank
Container Garden Lecture
Deborah Trickett is often asked to share her enthusiasm, wisdom, and tips with other garden enthusiasts in lectures and demonstrations across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Trickett’s demonstration starts with “Containers 101,” selecting the right containers, soil mixes, and plants for different growing conditions. With the basics in hand, attendees then learn about new and unusual plant material and how to create one-of-a-kind combinations, including pairing annuals, perennials, and even vegetables. Trickett usually demonstrates two dramatic containers, which often end up going home with winning raffle ticket holders.
A recent attendee of one of Deborah’s lectures stated that “Deb adds a fourth dimension: ‘chillers,’ mind-blowing designs that send shivers of delight up your spine.”
Deborah Trickett is a Massachusetts certified horticulturist and a Massachusetts certified landscape professional. Her work has been featured in the CBS Boston, Boston Globe, Fine Gardening Magazine, Garden Tours New England, Garden Gate, and New England Home magazine and on the TV show “New England Dream Home.” She lectures at the Boston Flower & Garden Show, the Philadelphia International Flower Show, and the Arnold Arboretum.
Deborah Trickett has spoken at many shows and garden clubs on topics ranging from container gardens to urban gardening to garden design.
Got Dirt?
The most important thing you can do for your plants
Use Good Soil
It’s all your plants have to eat. Your plants are not in the ground so their roots can’t go out and get what they need. They can only depend on what you give them. Right? So do not forget about that.
Do NOT use garden soil. It’s too heavy. Sorry, you can’t go out and get a shovel full of dirt. Also, don’t go over to the Dollar Store because they’re having a big sale; their soil may not best. It’s a great place for greeting cards and wrapping paper
Always, always use really high-quality good soil.
People ask me what I use. Well, it’s really a matter of convenience for me. I may use Farfard, Miracle-Gro, or some others. For me, it’s whatever I’m going by that they have. I know we’re all busy, so sometimes you can even buy soil that already has the fertilizer included in the mix. This keeps it easy on yourself. These prepared soils have a slow released fertilizer.
Garden Design Inspiration
Sometimes an inspiration “bouquet” helps clients see my vision for their garden design.
We can play with the different plant combinations until we like the result.
A Thankful Gardener
I recently spent some vacation time with the kids in Turks and Caicos. What a beautiful spot. Especially for a gardener. I drooled over the amazing variety of tropical plants.
“Hedges” of lantana, colorful croton as tall as I am, masses of cuphea that mocked me with their exuberance. Ditto the setcreasea, which was like a groundcover on steroids.
My kids grew tired of my constant stopping the car to take “just one more picture.” I had to remind myself that the Bible says “Thou shalt not covet” so I tried really hard not to. But isn’t it human nature to want what we can’t have?
Across our country, there are gorgeous botanical gardens that truly are sights for sore eyes, boasting acres upon acres of luscious greenery, beautiful colors, unique plant-life, exotic butterflies, and even some fun activities for the kids. Read “55 Stunning Botanical Gardens You Really Need to See Before You Die”
What Can We Grow Here in New England?
While it’s true those of us in the colder zones will never be able to grow a hedge of bougainvillea, we can grow a hedge of beautiful ‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangea, which would melt in the heat of Turks and Caicos.
We may not have all the different types of palm trees but here in New England, we have the amazing fall foliage, which draws leaf-peepers from all over the country. The key is to be thankful wherever you garden. If you have clay soil, embrace it and plant daylilies, Japanese iris, viburnums or black-eyed Susans. If you have wet, soggy soil be grateful you have beautiful options like Black Snakeroot, Cardinal Flower, or Joe-Pye Weed. For more plant suggestions based on different conditions check out Plant Finder.
For those of you experiencing water bans why not try xeriscaping, which is design that uses various methods for minimizing the need for water use. Water Use It Wisely is a great site to get you started.
And if you don’t have any soil to garden in be thankful. You get to use containers!
Some of my favorite designs have involved grouping of containers on balconies and roof decks. Shrubs, small trees, perennials, vegetables….any of these will do fine in containers.
For the greatest chance of success, just make sure your pots are big enough and you have consistent irrigation.
True, the beautiful rustle of the wind through the palm trees seems to whisper “vacation” but I think of the wind through the pine trees at the sea captain’s house in Maine that has been in our family for generations. It whispers “home”.
I guess the key is to be content and thankful wherever you garden. After all, if you are digging in the dirt and not six feet under it, it’s all good.
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