November at the Nursery...

Cooling temperatures, clear blue skies and colorful leaves mean November is here and there is still plenty of time to plant your winter garden or tackle that landscaping project! 

We still have a good selection of pansies and violas, so there is no reason not to have atleast a pot or two for winter!  Since the garden is often viewed from inside during cold weather, place colorful plantings where you will see them through favorite windows.

New shipments of trees and shrubs have arrived, with some interesting choices for plant lovers.  Often mistaken for hydrangeas, fall-blooming Chinese Snowball Viburnum are in stock and in bloom!  Are you a plant collector seeking a new acquisition?  Stop by the nursery this month and check out these unusual selections: 'Blue Ice' Arizona Cypress, Deodor Cedar, Ginkgo, Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, Climbing Hydrangea, Isu Tree, Orange Tea Olive, 'Goshiki' Osmanthus, Sassafras and Smoke Tree.

We have a great selection of budded and blooming camellias and our best selection of boxwoods this year!

Christmas greenery and poinsettias will arrive the week of Thanksgiving.

FALL HOURS:

through November 6th:   Monday-Saturday  9-5:30

                                     Sunday 1-5

November 7th-December 23rd:   Monday-Saturday 9-5

                                                Sunday 1-5

Planning a landscape project?  

Fall is the best time of the year to plant trees and shrubs, but do you know

what you're about to dig into? 

Call Alabama 811 to have all of your utility lines marked for free! 

Boxwoods
Man's Oldest Garden Ornamental

Boxwoods (Buxus species) have been in cultivation possibly longer than any other garden ornamental.  Pollen grains found in the United Kingdom date back to 7,000 B.C. and the Egyptians used clipped boxwood hedges as far back as 4,000 B.C.  To say they are a garden classic is an understatement!  Boxwoods found their way to North American gardens in the mid-1600s and have been a favorite ever since.  If you would like to add these green beauties to your landscape, you are in luck!  Several thousand years of cultivation have produced hardy choices for our area and we have a great selection in stock!

Planting & Care

Plant boxwoods in part to full sun, although all types will benefit from some afternoon shade.  Soil must be well-drained, wet feet will be poorly tolerated!  Boxwoods have shallow, surface root systems, so avoid heavy cultivation directly under and around them and add a 3-4 inch layer of mulch for extra protection from heat and cold.  Cold temperatures cause boxwood foliage to turn bronze, this is normal and no cause for alarm.  Site plants where they will be protected from winter winds to lessen the effect.  Prune in late winter and fertilize in spring when new growth begins to emerge.

Best Boxwoods for the South

Buxus microphylla 

     Japanese Boxwood (B. microphylla japonica).  The most tolerant of sun, heat and humidity.

     Korean Boxwood (B. microphylla koreana).  Very cold hardy (to -25 degrees F).  'Wintergreen' and 'Winter Gem' are excellent varieties, the latter maintains its dark green foliage through winter months.

Buxus sempervirens

     American Boxwood (B. sempervirens).  Although called American, these boxwoods are native to Europe, Africa and western Asia.  Given proper conditions, they are faster growing than B. microphylla.

     Dwarf English Boxwood (B. sempervirens 'Suffruticosa').  The true edging boxwood.  Very slow growing to 3 feet tall & wide, but even this modest size takes years.

Buxus hybrids

     (B. microphylla var. koreana x B. sempervirens).  This cross combines the compactness and hardiness of Korean boxwood with the fine, dark foliage of American boxwood.  'Green Velvet' is an excellent and easy-to-find variety.

Leaf Hunter
Resources for Leaf Identification

November is a great time for kids of all ages to get outdoors and enjoy the last warm days before winter sets in.  And, if you happen to find yourself with a rake in your hand, knee high in fallen leaves, this is a way to infuse some fun into that chore.  Check out these great resources for identifying plants from a single leaf.  The most common and user-friendly method for leaf identification is called a dichotomous key.  The user is asked a series of questions about the leaf and given two possible answers for each, narrowing the possibilities down until you arrive at the answer.

Auburn University Leaf ID

(Choose leaf type first.)

Arbor Day Foundation Tree Identification

Virginia Tech Tree ID

Leafsnap

Got an iPhone?  Then check out this revolutionary new app for nature lovers.  Developed by researchers from Columbia University, the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian Institute, Leafsnap utilizes visual recognition software to identify trees from a picture of a leaf.  Amazing!