Collier's Garden Scoop

October 2013

The tints of autumn...

a mighty flower garden blossoming

under the spell of the enchanter, Frost.

~John Greenleaf Whittier

October's arrival brings with it the fall planting season! This month's notoriously gorgeous weather, piercingly blue skies and cool mornings & evenings make it nearly impossible not to want to get outside and garden. Read on to find out what's in-store for October. And don't miss out on our weekly specials starting next week!

October Hours:

Monday - Saturday

9 to 5:30

Sunday 1 to 5

Color for Autumn Displays

It's officially fall and many enjoy celebrating by decorating

porches and patios with the colors and textures of autumn.

Combine this trio for an effortless but elegant harvest display!


CROTONS boast wildly colorful foliage & can be grown indoors in bright light during winter.	Tuck ORNAMENTAL PUMPKINS in and among blooms & foliage to complete your fall display.	It's not too late for MUMS and they can't be beat for fall color. Trim spent blooms to extend their flowering time.

It's Pansy-Planting Time!

Our first large shipments of pansies & violas arrive this week

and we are excited to see their happy 'faces' fill the greenhouse.

For maximum growth and blooms, plant these as soon as possible.


VIOLAS are the "original" pansy since they were used to hybridize their larger-blooming cousins. Good things come in small packages though, and while viola blooms may be tiny, they make up for it in sheer number of flowers produced. Discover more reasons to love them in our October 2011 newsletter.	PANSIES are the iconic winter bloom, with good reason. Available in nearly every color imaginable, they offer gardeners the chance to get creative with color schemes. The sooner you get them planted, the longer they have to put on some size before cold weather arrives. Find out more about planting & caring for pansies in our October 2008 newsletter.

Jewels of the Winter Garden

Ornamental cabbage & kale offer an alternative for spectacular color in the winter garden. Used in mass or as an accent to

pansies & violas their vibrant, wavy foliage is sure to turn heads! Shades of white, pink, red and purple intensify on the green leaves as temperatures drop.


ORNAMENTAL CABBAGE has a tight, roundish habit, growing wider than it does tall. They look particularly amazing when grouped together in the garden.	ORNAMENTAL KALE has a loose, upright growth habit. A favorite for winter containers, under-planted with pansies & violas.

Cool-Season Companions

These cold-hardy options can be used to accent

pansies & violas in beds and containers.


AUTUMN FERNS are perennial, so use them in containers in full sun in winter, then transplant them to shaded areas in your garden next spring.	CREEPING JENNY is also perennial. Not only does it look great cascading out of containers, it makes an excellent groundcover; spreads quickly but non-invasive.	CORAL BELLS can be treated like autumn ferns: used in sunny spots during winter and moved to the shade garden in spring. Try these in monotone plantings with similar shades of pansies.


CURLY & FLAT-LEAVED PARSLEY add mounding, bright green foliage to the winter garden. Plant soon so they have time to put on some growth before cold sets in.	SWEET FLAG can be used in containers and window boxes to add height and flowy texture. You can't go wrong with these and pansies or violas- it always looks good!	TASSLE FERNS boast handsome, dark-green fronds with an unusual coarse texture that makes them deer-resistant. For a subdued look, plant with white pansies.

Plant Now for Spring Blooms

Did you know that dianthus, foxglove, poppies and snapdragons perform best when planted in the fall? Given all winter to establish strong root systems, they will reward you with a much bigger show come spring.


Dianthus are sometimes called 'pinks' because the flower petals look as though they've been trimmed with pinking shears.	Snapdragons are called such because, when pinched correctly, the flowers "snap" open and closed like tiny dragon jaws.

Fall for Greens...

GREENS, such as lettuce, cabbage, kale and chard, rule the fall & winter veggie garden. They are surprisingly easy to grow, which makes them great for beginners. Plant a variety in full or partial sun, with well-drained soil. Lettuces are the easiest and most rewarding, with ornamental and edible qualities. Plant these at two-week intervals for a continual harvest and enjoy home-grown salads this season!

Shrubs for Autumn Interest

October through January are the ideal months to plant shrubs & trees. Luckily, our shrub yard is overflowing! We have an especially good selection of boxwoods, camellias and conifers

right now. Here's a sampling of shrubs that are perfect for

adding interest to the autumn garden...


The ABELIAS have been blooming all summer and are still going strong! Plant one of the compact varieties in front of evergreens to accentuate the blooms and distract from the bare branches in winter.	'ENCORE' AZALEAS are putting out their second flush of blooms for the year. Pictured here is 'Autumn Twist,' a variety that has a white and pink-splotched blooms, and dark pink blooms, on the same plant!	CONIFERS are a great way to add soft texture to the fall & winter landscape. Many can also be harvested for holiday greenery! Pictured here is 'Golden Mop' false cypress.


The 'LIMELIGHT' HYDRANGEAS continue to produce their snowball-like blooms. Plant these as a source for spectacular cut-flowers for autumn arrangements. And don't forget these are the sun & heat tolerant type!	Plant 'DRIFT' and 'KNOCKOUT' ROSES for blooms through October or early November (depending on how soon it gets cold). Shear these back at least once during summer for best flowering.	CHINESE SNOWBALL VIBURNUM is an old favorite that blooms in spring and fall. Coarse leaves make this one deer resistant. Grows into a large shrub, great for borders or as a focal point in the landscape.

Fragrance for the Fall Garden

Enjoy cool autumn breezes and the scents they carry with them when you plant one (or more) of these in your landscape.


'AUGUST BEAUTY GARDENIA' is named for its lovely habit of blooming in the fall, a nod to the fading summer season.	CONFEDERATE JASMINE is a very hardy, evergreen vine that blooms heavily two or three times a year. Light but sweet scent.	TEA OLIVES have such small, un-assuming flowers, but they pack a powerful fragrance-punch. Use these large evergreens as a 'scented screen.'

Japanese Maples In Stock

JAPANESE MAPLES are slow-growing and have small root systems, which makes them perfect for containers and small spaces. We have a great selection, including several new varieties for us, in 3 gallon pots that are affordable and easy to plant!