Collier's Garden Scoop

August 2013

In This Issue

August Sampler

New Shipment of Boxwoods

Mid-Summer Maintenance

August Garden Maintenance

What dreadful hot weather we have!

It keeps me in a continual state

of inelegance.

~Jane Austen

On hot, sunny days,

when we are wilted and dabbing our foreheads,

we take a look around and marvel at the plants' perpetual elegance

in spite of it all.

Come in this month

and marvel with us;

there is surprisingly

much to see!

August Hours

Monday - Saturday

9 to 5

August Sampler

Here's a look at new and interesting plants that are in-store right now. Things are a bit quieter at the nursery during August, but we have plenty of fun finds for plant lovers.


*Little Leaf Angelvine* Tiny leaves make this evergreen to semi-evergreen vine especially adorable. Shade to part sun.	*'Ogon Nishiki'* *Asiatic Jasmine* This fast-growing groundcover sports multi-colored foliage that lasts all year. Best in partial sun.	*Crow's Nest Fern* Related to bird's nest fern, the small fronds of this fern are delicately fringed. Grow indoors in bright light or outdoors in shade.


*Crested Leopard Plant* This shade perennial, also known as pie-crust ligularia, is a new item for us. Yellow daisy-like blooms in fall. Shade or filtered sun.	*Curly Mint* We have a great selection of mint right now, including this wierdling. Also in stock: spearmint, mojito mint and Kentucky colonel mint.	*Eastern Snowball Viburnum* This native shrub produces fabulous 3" 'snowball' blooms in mid-May. A true heirloom plant and old-fashioned favorite. Excellent for cutting.


*'Autumn Sweetheart'* *Encore Azalea* We have a good selection of Encore azaleas, which bloom in spring and fall. Will grow in mostly shade (2-3 hours of sun) or full sun.	*Eucalyptus* A rare item for us, this perennial shrub sometimes dies back to the ground in winter, but will re-emerge in spring. Excellent for cutting! Full or partial sun.	*Perennial Euphorbias* Fabulous foliage and unusual blooms for the garden. These are evergreen! Pictured here: 'Blackbird' 'Ascot Rainbow' & 'Tiny Tim.' Full or partial sun.


*East Indian* *Holly Fern* Two-toned fronds of dark and light green add rich color to the shade garden. Perennial.	*Teardrop Ivy* This little cutie was named the ivy of the year in 2002. Looks great as a groundcover or in containers. Shade or partial sun.	*Curly Rush* Great choice for containers or water gardens. Very tolerant of damp soils. Perennial and usually evergreen.

Boxwoods Fresh Off the Truck from Oregon!


1 and 2 gallon dwarf English boxwoods grow well in containers or window boxes for several years, or can be used as a low hedge.	Pyramidal American boxwoods are striking in a large container by themselves or under-planted with flowering annuals.

Need a quick but beautiful hostess gift for that party you're headed to? Or maybe you want to freshen up a porch or patio for your own summer gathering. We have cute containers in a variety of sizes and styles, and gorgeous plants to go in them!

Are some of your annuals looking tired and leggy?

Early August is a great time to give these a 'haircut' in order to rejuvenate them & keep them going until pansy planting time. If your annuals happen to be a little too far gone, stop by the nursery for fresh & healthy plants to replace them with.

Coleus, impatiens, million bells, trailing petunias, torenia, narrow-leaf zinnias and verbena are a few of the best candidates for trimming back right now.
Cut plants back by 1/2 to 2/3.
Trim stems right above a leaf or set of leaves.
Fertilize with Osmocote or fertilome Start-n-Grow after pruning to encourage quick and healthy re-growth.
If the sun stays out and we don't have a lot of rainy days in a row, the plants should be full of leaves in 2-3 weeks and blooming shortly after.


This leggy coleus can look like new in a few weeks if cut back now.	Use scissors or pruning shears to trim stems right above a leaf or set of leaves. Generally, the plant will branch out from wherever you cut it.	Be sure to fertilize your newly pruned plant and keep it watered well, but only as needed, while it grows back.

August Garden Maintenance


June and July were unusually cloudy and wet, creating a paradise for snails and slugs. Treating for these is a cinch with Hi-Yield Snail & Slug Bait (keep away from pets). For a natural solution, place shallow saucers of beer at soil level in problem areas, or dry and crush eggshells and sprinkle them around susceptible plants.	Cloudy, wet weather also fuels fungal problems in the garden. Treat and prevent insect infestations and fungal infections, such as leaf spot, with Bayer Rose & Flower Care (also includes fertilizer). This product is applied as a drench, so mix with water and pour around plants- no spraying involved!	Now is a good time to fertilize trees, shrubs and groundcovers. Give them a boost for the rest of the growing season with Hi-Yield Grower's Special (granular & time-released). Fertilize annuals & perennials, that haven't had any since spring, with Osmocote or fertilome Start-N-Grow (both granular & time-released).