Dear Friends,
We hope all of you had a chance to relax and enjoy the holidays, and maybe you were able to reconnect with family and friends. Now that the holidays are over, things tend to slow down a little bit for the winter, and this is certainly true for us at the garden center, or for any gardener for that matter. However, there are things that can be done in the garden, depending on how tolerant you are of cold weather. Click on the Monthly Garden Checklist link above to see how you can busy yourself outside. One thing you can do is take care of our feathered friends, and Margie has written a timely piece for this newsletter on which seed suits which birds best. Les is enjoying the bright color from mahonia in his garden and shares what he knows about this winter-blooming shrub. For the indoor gardener, Ann has written an article about Chinese evergreen, a very reliable houseplant that has recently donned some new looks.
Though we don't offer any classes for the month of January, our spring classes have recently been uploaded to our web site. As usual, we are repeating some of our more popular classes, and we have several new ones as well. You can click here to see what we are offering each month. You may also want to mark your calendar for the Virginia Flower and Garden Expo which will be January 20th through the 22nd at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. There will be classes, demonstrations, landscape and floral displays, plus a chance to peruse a well-stocked garden marketplace. On February 2nd there will be a day-long seminar titled What's Buggin' You?" at the Newport News Oyster Point Marriott. We know that few people like to talk about bugs, but check out the line-up of topics and speakers. This seminar includes lunch.
So maybe there are a few things to keep you busy over the winter, and before you know it signs of spring will be popping up. This spring will be special for us. 2012 will mark 40 years that Smithfield Gardens has been in business, and it is you, our customers, that have made this possible. We thank you!
Your Friends at Smithfield Gardens |
Upcoming Events and Classes at Smithfield Gardens
We do not offer any classes for the month of January, so the following is our February schedule.
Basic Home Landscape Design
February 18th (Sat.) 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Whether you are looking to establish a new garden, or are trying to breathe life into an existing landscape, this popular class will help you get started. Jeff Williamson will be teaching.
Proper Pruning Techniques
February 19th (Sun.) 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
We receive more inquiries about how plants should be pruned than any other topic. Les Parks will answer many of those questions, and just in time for one of the best seasons to prune.
Winter Garden and Hellebore Festival
February 25th (Sat.) 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Join us throughout the day as we celebrate one of our favorite perennials, the easy to grow hellebore. We will also highlight some other winter favorites, and we will be providing refreshments, as well as having a great wintry sale.
Hellebores and Other Winter Gems
February 25th (Sat.) 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Many gardeners do not realize just how many plants look their best in winter, and we are fortunate to be able to grow many of them here in Hampton Roads. The hellebore is one of those, and this class will introduce you to them and other winter gems. Ann Weber and Jeff Williamson will be teaching.
From the Ground Up - Wake Up Your Garden for Spring
February 25th (Sat.) 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Good gardens begin with good soil, and in this class Margie Cooper will tell you all about soil structure and how to improve it so your garden will be ready for spring.
Would you like to save 10% on your purchases at Smithfield Gardens? Monday is Military Discount Day and active duty military, Coast Guard, police, fire and rescue personnel all are entitled to this discount. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are Senior Days. Also, anyone who attends one of our free classes is entitled to a discount on the day of the class. All of our discounts apply to any item not already on sale and can not be used towards landscaping services or bulk materials.

Other Events
The Virginia Flower and Garden Expo
January 20th - 22nd (Fri., Sat., Sun.)
This event will take place at the Virginia Beach Convention Center and will offer classes, demonstrations, floral and landscape displays, plus a home and garden themed marketplace. For more information click here.
What's Buggin' You?
February 2nd (Thu.) 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
This day long seminar will take place at the Newport News Marriott at Oyster Point, and a hot lunch is included. To see the complete agenda please visit here.
The Norfolk Botanical Garden has classes and events throughout the month. Please click here for more details. |
Aglaonema: Reliable Houseplant to the Rescue
 |
'Maria' Aglaonema shows the traditional coloration and patterns of this easy-to-grow houseplant. |
We recently received some eye-catching new varieties of Aglaonema, often called Chinese evergreen, and the especially attractive patterned foliage on these new arrivals peaked my curiosity. If you already grow one of these houseplants you know that they are quite tolerant of low light conditions in the home or office. And, even if your plant is now far less spectacular than when you purchased it, you cut it some slack for this fact alone.
 |
The varieties with pink or white on the foliage need a little more light than traditional Aglaonema. |
Aglaonemas are native to tropical Asia and Africa, and they are members of the Araceae or Arum family. Online I learned that the basic solid green-leaved variety is able to thrive in the lowest light conditions, whereas the cultivars with white or yellow variegated foliage need slightly brighter locations. Aglaonemas occasionally produce a calla-like flower during the summer months, but it is not as showy as one of its relatives, Spathiphyllum or peace lily. (I would tell customers to purchase the plant because they are attracted to the foliage.) They are also related to Anthuriums which have showy, waxy red flowers.
 |
Easy-to-grow houseplants are a great way to liven the winter home after the holidays. |
Now, let's figure out the light conditions. According to one of my favorite houseplant books, The Houseplant Expert by Dr. D.G. Hessayon, these houseplants can be placed well away from a window as long as there is enough light to read a newspaper. Anything brighter is also okay as long as no direct sun falls on the plant. Spider mites may move in if the light is too bright. You'll have to experiment a little bit if you sense the plant is not happy. If the leaves shrivel and brown tips appear, air that is too dry may be the culprit. Curled leaves with brown edges can signal damage from cold air or drafts from a cold window ledge location. Just cut off the worst leaves and adjust your routine. Don't forget that wherever they were growing when you purchased them the plants were getting some fertilizer to keep them looking healthy.
 |
Although their foliage is showier, the flowers of Aglaonema are a nice bonus. |
Now, how nice are these photos that Les took of the newer pink arrivals? They warrant at least a peek while you are visiting us on one of those dreary January days when you need a "plant fix". We also carry silver and green-leaved varieties like 'Maria' if pink isn't your thing. Remember that January is also a great month to visit greenhouses and conservatories because you'll often see very unusual specimens, and we are fortunate to have two wonderful local opportunities---Norfolk Botanical Garden and Lewis Ginter Garden in Richmond.
Ann Weber |
Mahonia Eases Gardeners Into Winter
I am not a huge fan of cold weather and couldn't imagine living any further north than Tidewater, where the winter is more than enough for me. However, I am a big fan of any plant that blooms in the winter, and we are lucky enough to have quite a few that offer up some color or fragrance at this time of year. One such plant that easily grows in area gardens is mahonia.
 |
Several mahonias grow in the front display at Smithfield Gardens, where they thrive despite getting more sun than recommended. |
There are close to 70 species of mahonia around the globe, but only a few are available to local gardeners, all of which are evergreen. Perhaps the most common is Mahonia bealei or leatherleaf mahonia. This Chinese native has coarse, leathery leaves that may remind one of a holly. In fact, a lot of novice gardeners think it is some kind of holly, at least until it flowers, then they realize this plant is something special. The bright, lemon-yellow blossoms can begin blooming as early as January and continue through late March, depending on the weather. The individual blooms are small, but there are many of them growing on stalks in sweetly fragrant clusters. These flowers usually produce an abundant crop of blue fruit that resembles a bunch of grapes and matures later in the spring. The fruits are very attractive, but usually not seen, as they are gobbled up by hungry birds as quickly as the fruit matures. Leatherleaf mahonia will reach 6-10' tall by slightly less in width. Like most mahonias, this species prefers shade, but will also survive in sunnier areas and is hardy in zones 7 through 9. Once established, this mahonia is generally tolerant of dry conditions.
 | Even with a dusting of snow Winter Sun mahonia blooms. |
In other parts of the country Mahonia aquifolium, or Oregon grapeholly, is widely grown, along with the closely related creeping mahonia (Mahonia repens). These two species are both native to the west coast, and my experience with these has not been good, mainly because I don't think they are as tolerant of our heat, nor are they as flexible with light conditions either. My favorite mahonia is a hybrid called Winter Sun (Mahonia x media 'Winter Sun'), and this is the one planted in my own garden. The flowers are a little more upright than other varieties and it is purported to be a brighter yellow, though I don't notice that. Winter Sun usually begins blooming for me in December, and depending on the weather, will have color in January and February as well. Mine is planted at the base of a mature linden tree, and after I got it through the first summer, it has asked for no special treatment. I have pruned it several times by cutting the stalks to my desired height. This task is best done in late winter or early spring, but I like to let the fruit mature and be eaten first. If you do not prune it, Winter Sun can reach 7-10' tall by 4-5' wide.
 |
Soft Caress mahonia add great texture to the shade garden. (photo from Southern Living Plant Collection) |
Two years ago I became smitten with a plant I first thought to be some kind of fern or palm, but it turned out to be another mahonia called Soft Caress (Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'). Unlike other mahonias, this one will not be confused with a holly, nor will the gardener run the risk of getting poked while working near it. This shade lover will reach about 4' tall and wide and is also hardy from zones 7 through 9. Soft Caress flowers a little earlier than the others, beginning in mid to late fall and continuing until January, again depending on the weather. I don't have one of these in my own garden (yet), but it is on the list. Even if it never flowered, I would grow this for its tropical-looking foliage alone.
Les Parks |
Winter Birdfeeding 101

Many of our favorite birds to not migrate for the winter and are year-round residents in our gardens. As the season progresses, it becomes harder and harder for the local population to easily find food. So it is a big help if you put out feeders to help our feathered friends make it through winter. Just like people, different birds have different preferences in what they like to eat, so I made the following quick list of which type of birds like which type of food.
Birds |
Food Type |
Feeder Type |
starlings, quail, grackles |
cracked corn |
ground or platform
|
songbirds, finches, sparrows, cardinals, titmice, chickadees |
hulled sunflower seeds |
tube or hopper feeder
|
small birds: finches, juncos, buntings, sparrows, towhees |
millet |
tube or hopper feeder
|
siskins, goldfinches, juncos |
niger seed |
socks or tube feeders
|
large songbirds: doves, cardinals, titmice |
safflower |
tube or ground feeder
|
cardinals, chickadees, sparrows, finches, jays, titmice, woodpeckers |
black or striped sunflower seeds |
tube or hopper feeder
|
doves, woodpeckers, all birds |
suet cake |
cage or ground |
Keep in mind the following tips to keep your backyard friends happy:
- You should know which birds frequent your yard and mix your own birdseed blends.
- It's a good idea to have fresh water available for drinking and bathing.
- Help protect birds by hanging feeders near shrubbery and trees where they can seek shelter and keep an eye out for predators.
- Hanging fruit and suet in trees and shrubs gives birds fresh food to eat.
- Feed squirrels away from bird feeding stations. This helps to keep the feeders full and undamaged.
- Place feeding stations where you can watch the birds from inside. Keeping them well fed and safe is a reward you will reap all year.
Margie Cooper |
|