Plant of the week

If you're as ready for Spring as we are, we have some good news for you!  While Spring isn't here yet, there is a way you can bring the season to your yard a little sooner.  Early blooming shrubs can give the feel and look of warm, sunnier days before they're actually here.

Of all the early blooming shrubs, none can compare with Daphne Odora or Winter Daphne.  Winter Daphne is a small, evergreen shrub that blooms in late Winter and can handle frosts well.  The shrub can be a little finicky but the flowers make it all worth it!  The flowers are small, but beautiful and incredibly fragrant.  Be sure to plant Winter Daphne in a sunny spot where you can enjoy the view as well as the scent.  Also make sure you plant it somewhere that it will not be disturbed.  Once planted, the Winter Daphne does not like to be transplanted or have it's bed disturbed.  It's truly a great addition to any yard or garden!

Are Your Plants Ready for the Freeze?

We are expecting a freeze this weekend! Our friends at Homework Solutions have some great ways to protect your home from the plummeting temperatures. Once you've got that handled, it's time to think about your plants. We have some simple steps to shield your plants from the harsh weather.

• Bring any potted plants inside, if you are able to. Make sure they are in a sunny window and leave them indoors as long as the temperature is at or below freezing. Because they are in pots, their roots are less insulated than underground plants which puts them at a higher risk.
• If you are unable to bring potted plants inside, you can cover them with a blanket or cloth. Secure covering with duct tape, rocks, bricks or anything heavy. You want to trap the heat in and keep the wind out, so simply draping won't be as effective. Remove or vent covers during the day if the weather is warm.
• Don't use plastic. Any part of the plant that touches the plastic, can freeze to it.
• For more severe freezes or prolonged temperatures below freezing, providing a heat source under the cover improves protection. Wrap or drape the plant with strings of small outdoor Christmas lights before you cover it. The traditional lights, not the new LED ones, will generate some heat.
• Make sure plants are well watered prior to the freeze to prevent added stress. If the freeze is predicted that night, water earlier in the day.
• You can protect plants that are in the ground by placing four inches of mulch over the soil and around the base of these plants. The mulch acts like a blanket and traps the heat. Pine straw is best, since it stays fairly loose, which improves it's insulating qualities.

Now that your home and plants are ready for the freeze, it's time to get yourself ready. Grab some hot-chocolate and a cozy blanket and enjoy the snow!

plant of the week Red Twig Dogwood

Last week I wrote about a newer variety of dogwood that is now available to us. Since I have received so much interest in the Evergreen Dogwood, I thought I would feature the red twig this week to stay with that theme. While the Red Twig Dogwood is a shrub instead of a tree, it deserves just as much attention. This is a wonderful accent to the landscape and can really give you a lot of impact year round. The best impact from this plant is going to occur in the winter after the leaves have dropped. Yes, thats what I said. This plant has the most striking red branches that add a much need contrast to the winter garden. While the stems are one of the main reasons this plant is chosen, it also has wonderful dogwood white flowers in the spring followed by berries that attract birds. If that isn't enough of a reason to choose this plant, how about the fact that it loves moist sites. If you have an area that things just wont grow due to the amount of water, this might be just what you are looking for. They will tolerate some shade making them a wonderful addition to a woodland garden. They also would work well if you have an area that is prone to erosion due to their large root system.

The Red Twig Dogwood looks best when mass planted and should be planted as a focal point. This plant can stand alone of stand out in large bed. There are a few varieties with growth to 10' so they fit in just about anywhere in the landscape. The Red Twigs do benefit from pruning to encourage the new bright red growth. Aside from some pruning and shaping they are relatively low maintenance shrubs. I believe they look best when the top of the branches are pruned to the same height giving a hedge type appearance.

Look for the the varieties Cornus Sericea Bailey for heights to 10' and Kelseyi for a lower compact growth to 3-4'. If red isn't quite your color, try Flaviramea for yellow twigs and heights to 10'. All of these make great lower maintenance additions that will really set your landscape apart from the neighborhood.

plant of the week

Durning the winter is such a great time to think about your landscaping. There are always new uses for old plants as well as better developed old favorites. I recently came across this one on a trip to a landscaping trade show. I was so surprised by the foliage that I had to stop and chat with the owner of the nursery that was growing it. The leaves were a dusty eggplant purple with a bit of green on them. I thought right then I needed this tree for my landscaping. I was shocked to learn it was a dogwood.

Since this is an evergreen, it does not shed all of its leaves at one time, but will drop some of them through out the year. This variety blooms a bit later than the native varieties we are used to. The flowers last for a few weeks and can fade to a mauvy pink color. When the blooms are done there will be a fruit that will appear. This is a berry like fruit that turns red and is edible but not delectable . The fruit does attract wild life, especially birds if you are looking for that. In the winter the leaves turn to a dusty eggplant color with some green. The winter color is beautiful and a welcome addition to the drab winter landscape.

This dogwood is an evergreen variety that has been growing for awhile now. There are a few wholesale nurseries that have started growing them and they are now large enough and have proved themselves for our area so they are now available for landscaping in North Carolina. Cheap Scapes will be offering them in our spring line up of exciting new plants for you to enjoy.

linking all our social media together to be better connected. Hopefully it all works ok!

A new year in the landscape

January is here and the cold weather wont be going away anytime soon. While the ground is frozen the thought of spring seems very far away. As we all organize and clean out the year past this is a good time to start to plan the new year in your landscape.

Now that things are dormant and you can see the bones of your yard, look closely at the areas that need improvement. The corner of the yard where no one goes or the side of the house that no one sees might be great places to start. After you have located the area that needs some improvement, think about something different. Think about a plant you have always wanted to try or a great bench you saw at the store but didn't buy. Now use that thought for your inspiration and build on that.

There are many plants available that you might not have thought about that would work great with things you already have. Take cuttings of some of your existing plants and start new ones to save on the cost. Mixing some old favorites with some great new plants will make the area seem like an extension of your existing landscape while adding some new excitement.

Use those forgotten corners and far off spaces to create smaller gardens within your yard. Those areas just might become your favorite places to go afterwards.

Fall on a budget

Fall is a great time of the year. We all look forward to the cooler weather after a long hot summer. During the hot summer months most of us have neglected our gardens and lawns. Now is the perfect time to perk them up and give them some new life without breaking the bank. There are many things that can be done inexpensively and can make a huge impact.

Color is the first thing that will make a tired yard look new again. Start by reseeding and aerating your lawn. The new green growth will make your landscape look new and refreshed. To save some money use quality products. If you use a good product you will actually use less of it and see faster longer lasting results. A good time released fertilizer will last longer and you only need to apply it every 3 months. Look for a seed that is pure without weed seed and fillers. Buying pure seed means you aren't waisting your money on filler and you will get more seed per pound.

Now that your grass is on its way to being thick and green, lets look to the beds. Add some new mulch or pine straw will not only make them look good, it will also help protect your plants from the upcoming cold weather. By topping off your beds twice a year in spring and fall, you will use less per application saving you money. Keeping a good base of mulch means less is need to to top them off each season. Don't make the mistake of letting your mulch get bare and thin, that will create more weeds and make a bigger and more expensive chore for you to do later.

Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. By planting in the fall the trees and shrubs have all winter to get acclimated to their new home and you have less of risk of loosing your new plants to stress. When you plant in the fall you will be assured of a wonder spring with lots of new growth and a healthy plant. When choosing a tree be sure to check your site and choose the right tree for the area. Choosing a tree that gets to large means taking it out at a later date. Many trees have cultivators that will grow smaller but retain the beauty of that species.

The last thing to think about is color for your beds. Add some great annuals to fill in the areas when the shrubs go dormant. There are lots of things to plant that add color when all the leaves drop. These cool weather annuals will keep going all winter to give your garden a welcoming burst of color. Don't forget your walkways, porches and entries. These areas are what you and your guest see as they enter your house. Make it a welcoming site to come home to.

By using any of these examples you will surely have a great looking landscape and keep your costs under control too. By keeping your cost down you'll have more money in your pocket or more money to spend on your landscape.