| What to do now | In the flower garden: Mid May is the time to plant annuals, which provide continuous blooms all summer.
Once the soil is warm, plant the tubers of Canna, Dahlias, and Caladium, These will provide interesting foliage and blooms in mid-summer.
Remove the spent flowers from spring bulbs but remember to let the foliage die naturally.
Prune spring flowering shrubs right after they bloom. Apply new mulch around perennials, shrubs and trees. Be sure not to pile up mulch around the trunk of trees or shrubs and never let the mulch touch the stems as this can damage the bark and become an entry spoint for disease.
In the edible garden: Set out your tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and other vegetables that you have started or purchased. We have sets available in the garden center for many favorites.
Plant squash, cucumbers and beans. Be sure to allow adequate space for squash plants and climbing apparatus for pole beans and cucumbers.
Harvest the leaf lettuce and spinach you have planted early by cutting near the base. In this way, the plant will continue to grow until the weather becomes too hot and the plants "bolt."
Harvest herbs just before they flower when their flavor is strongest. Herbs also should be cut rather than pulled. |
| In our next issue |
What to do in June
Rain chains
Plants for wet areas
and more! |
| Contact us | |
Lurvey Landscape Supply & Garden Center
2550 E Dempster St.
Des Plaines, IL
847-824-7411
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| Featured plant: Ornamental flowering trees |
 | Eastern Redbud
Photo Courtesy of Northscaping |
Gardens are alive with flowering trees right now. We are seeing the Redbud, Magnolia, Crab Apple, Dogwood, Serviceberry, Cherry, Pear and Plum all blooming. Ornamental trees generally grow 15 to 25 feet tall. Certain varieties of all these trees grow only 8 to 10 feet, and can be used in city gardens. They are best used as anchor plants in these settings, combining well with a variety of small shrubs, perennials and annuals.
In larger gardens where shade trees provide the structure, ornamental trees provide color and depth when combined with larger shrubs to fill the "middle space," between large trees and smaller shrubs.
When selecting a flowering tree, think about the colors you want, but also the location. If your tree will be in shade, select Redbud, Dogwood or Serviceberry, all of which do well is shadier locations. Crab Apples, by contrast like a sunny location, as do Cherry, Pear and Plum. |
| All about roses |
 | | Rugosa Flowers |
Roses are such a favorite in the garden, popular because of their beautiful blossoms, color variety, fragrance and success as a cut flower. We carry hybrid tea roses, climbers, rugosas, a variety of shrub roses, and more. Here's a quick guide to the different types:
Hybrid Tea: These roses have long flower stems, typically with a single shapely blossom with a high petal count on each.
Floribundas: This rose bears several blossoms on each stem and provides colorful, reliable and long lasting color in the garden. Blossoms not as large or shapely as hybrid tea roses.
Climbers and Ramblers: These roses have long stems which can be made to climb. Ramblers have flexible stems and bloom once each season. Climbers have stiffer stems, larger flowers than ramblers and many are repeat bloomers, providing color all summer.
Shrub Roses: Bush style roses which have been bred for easy care and repeat blooming. They do well even in midsummer heat, and bloom all summer long. Shrub roses exhibit a wide variety of bloom types and colors. Best if you are new to growing roses!
Flower Carpets: Repeat blooming ground cover rose, bred to be disease resistant.
 | | Rugosa Hips |
Rugosas: A type of shrub rose known for its unique deeply ribbed foliage and old fashioned flower types, though many flower types are available. Easy to grow and disease resistant, these shrubs do spread by suckers. Rugosas produce large decorative hips that add winter interest. |
| Contain your garden | May is also the right time to plant containers filled with colorful annuals, small evergreens or whatever you can imagine. Here are some tips:
Use a container mix in your pots. Container mixes are lighter in weight than regular potting soil and some have fertilizer already mixed in.
Choose a container with a drainage hole. Cover the hole with small stones, a coffee filter or landscape fabric so that your soil doesn't wash away.
Choose plants that will complement each other in color, texture and size. Combining both upright and trailing plants in the same pot will result in a lush, full arrangement. Our container workshops this month are a great opportunity to learn and have fun!
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