Newsletter from Le Jardinet

Le Jardinet Newsletter

September 2011

What makes a garden memorable? What transforms it from just a collection of plants into something special?

Guthrie

Design by Jim Guthrie

I am often invited to help homeowners answer this. They know that 'something isn't right' but can't see how to improve things. I can quickly explain what the problem is and offer a number of solutions to help you realize the full potential of your garden. It may be as simple as moving around existing plants to get a more cohesive look, editing what is already there (how often have you added yet more plants in an effort to make things look better?) or establishing a focal point.

September is the perfect time to assess your garden and get answers to your questions. You have observed it over several months and can now pinpoint those problem areas. If you would like some professional design assistance, call or email me to set up an appointment for a landscape consultation. Let's get things ready for 2012!

September Sales!

This is the time of year when you can score some great bargains at the nurseries. Typically all deciduous trees, including Japanese maples are reduced up to 50%. What better way to be sure you have some late season interest?

We found a lovely paperbark maple (Acer griseum) to plant near our little cabin

As perennials begin to die down they are also sold at discount prices. These are always snapped up by knowing gardeners, since despite the dying foliage, if the roots are healthy you'll have a good looking plant next spring. You may even be able to divide some of these perennials to get a few 'free' extras. Daylilies, iris and certain grasses are ideal for this.

The soil is still warm in September but the days are cooler and with more rainfall than summer so this is a good time to get new plants established. Their roots grow into the surrounding soil easily and settle in before winter.

A great tip I was given for planting (or transplanting) larger trees and shrubs is to sink a length of perforated drainage pipe into the hole alongside the roots. Face the holes towards the roots then pour half a bucket of water directly into the pipe as needed to be sure that water is reaching deep enough. We've been doing this with all our large trees this year with great success.

We both fell in love with the 'Koto-no-ito' Japanese maple (the translation means harp strings)

A final stop for bargains is the 'stump alley' section of nurseries where less than perfect plants are sold at ridiculously cheap prices. If conifers are partially brown, don't buy them as they rarely recover. But if a deciduous tree takes your eye which has a funky shape due to a branch missing it may be worth buying. Most trees continue to grow considerable branching structures throughout their life so in a couple of years you'll never notice that gap. We found a lovely paperbark maple this way.

Have fun!

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Shrubs can offer just as much color as perennials but without all the work

Garden Adventures - for thumbs of all colors, is a lighthearted, information packed blog for all gardeners and garden lovers. Laugh while you learn, pick up new ideas and be inspired by others.

The most popular post this month was Reducing Maintenance (and backache) in the Garden. Click on the title to enjoy it again.

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My Seminars this Month

Trilogy Garden Club, Redmond, WA
September 7th 7.00-8.00pm

Designing Garden Memories.

Gardens should be experienced, not just observed. Learn how to design a memorable garden journey with ideas for entrances, pathways, garden 'moments' along the way and destinations which lure you deeper into the landscape. Using beautiful photographs you'll gain confidence whether you need to add interest and a new look to existing gardens or start from scratch, no matter how large or small your space.

A 1 hour PowerPoint presentation.
By invitation only.

Bastyr University, Kenmore

September 24th 9.00am-12.30pm

Inspired Design for Gardens Large & Small

Enjoy a PowerPoint presentation on creating stunning plant combinations and vignettes, learning how professionals use color cues and texture in garden design. Using these techniques I will then demonstrate how to plant up two unique container gardens that will continue to look fabulous until spring before giving a final inspirational look at some of my other designs. Beautiful photography and new ideas will give you confidence to create the garden of your dreams, no matter how large or small the space.
Fee; $49 before Sept. 9th, $64 after Sept. 9th

Print out this flyer

Registration details

Le Jardinet in (another) New Publication

Click on book to purchase

Tips for Container Gardening from the editors and contributors (including me!) of Fine Gardening magazine.

This latest collection is brimming with 300 essential tips, savvy shortcuts, and tried-and-true techniques, celebrating the growing popularity of container gardening. Tips for Container Gardening promises to bring out the bountiful best in all containers, large or small.

September Garden Events

Sat September 10th, 10-11.30am Inspiration from World Class Gardens. Seminar by my good friend Marianne Binetti Molbaks
Fri September 16th (noon-6pm) - Sat. 17th, (9am-2pm). Northwest Horticultural Society Plant Sale, North Seattle Community College. The unusual and the fabulous at great prices. Don't miss this one! Directions
Sat September 16th - 17th, 10-4pm. Whidbey Island 6th Annual Farm Tour. Free self guided tour of 18 working farms featuring locally grown food and products. Details.
Sat. September 17th, 10-11am Adding Beauty and Structure to your Garden Design. Seminar by another good friend (!) Don Marshall Molbaks
Fri September 23rd, 6-7pm.Designs for the Fall and Winter Garden. Seminar by renowned plantsman, author and designer Dan Hinkley. Molbaks $10 (includes a glass of wine)
Sat. September 24th, 10-11am Living and Gardening with Deer. Seminar by Jessi Bloom (I'd better go to this one!) Molbaks
Sat September 24th, 10am-2pm. Piper Orchard's Annual Fall Festival of Fruit and Tour, Seattle. Tour the orchard, watch cider being made, enter an apple pie contest and more! Details.