Capitata Yews

You can never have enough advise about properly maintaining evergreen hedges. Here are some general tips from Darryl:

 

Evergreen hedges, whether they are broadleafs (like Boxwoods) or conifers (like Yews) can be troublesome to maintain over time. Many end up thin on the bottom, only pushing new growth on top. We understand that customers want a hedge maintained at a very specific height. Here are some ways to make that happen for a longer period of time.

• For any type of pruning, make sure whatever tool you're pruning with is sharp and clean to reduce instances of infection and push new growth. Daily sharpening and cleaning is probably not enough, especially with gas powered shears.
• It's important to avoid trimming too late into the season. New growth needs to be completely hardened off before winter so foliage doesn't dry out excessively.

A few tips for keeping them full in the first place:

• Always make sure any dead and damaged twigs are removed from the inside when trimming the outside to the desired shape.
• Clean out any spent foliage resting in the crotches of the branches. This is particularly important for disease prevention in Boxwood.
• Remove as many interior branches as possible while still being able to maintain the desired shape. That way, latent (secondary) buds will push out growth further down the branches, creating a fuller plant.

If there are existing leggy plants:

• First, make it clear to your customer that it could take two years or more to completely rejuvenate the plants.
• If possible, cut out at least one third of the thickest stems/branches. This should allow more sunlight through, encouraging new shoots that will help fill out the bottom of the plants.
• Dependent on the species, it might not be a good idea to trim below the lowest visible foliage.
• It's even more important to utilize the above tip of trimming off as many interior branches as possible to help the hedge fill in as quickly as possible.  

 

  

Here is a dwarf semi-evergreen Azalea that is perfect for a rock garden, front of the border or container. Pretty, medium pink flower clusters  with small dark green leaves. Its habit is low, to about 3' and spreading. Prune them right after flowering so as not to cut off next year's flower buds. Plant high in soil rich in organic matter. They are usually trouble-free if they like the site. Native to the mountains on Kyushu Island in Japan. Also a great plant for bonsai.  Zone 6

  

  

Sweet groundcover - Sweet Woodruff!

If you're having a hard time growing turf grass in a shady area or under a tree canopy - try using some Sweet Woodruff. Galium odoratum is a fabulous woodland spreader with interesting foliage and white spring flowers. Ours are in bloom now and so is mine at home along the edge of the woods. They need to be planted in part-shade to shade in moist well-drained soil. Coming back year after year it will form a nice patch of weed-free texture.  A good alternative to Pachysandra and Vinca. 

  

A new colorful selection of annuals have just arrived in Newtown. Come by and plan your containers for  Memorial Day! 

  

Many customers are asking for organic weed preventers. Take a look at Espoma's Corn Gluten - it's not a quick fix, but it is a safe weed preventer for kids and pets - as long as you know how to use it and what to expect... 

  

  

 

A Geranium that wants to be up front!

Coreopsis grandiflora 'Early Sunrise'  (Tickseed) Nice,full budded and blooming. Awesome sunny color!

 

Geranium s. 'New Hampshire Purple' Full and blooming as seen here.

 

Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle)  Full in their pots with great light green foliage

 

Lamiastrum galeobdolon 'Herman's Pride' Full budded and blooming. Interesting foliage with silver veining and yellow flowers.

 

Paeonia 'Kansas' Fully budded and ready to bloom

    

Golden Fullmoon Maple (Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum'

  

Deciduous Trees & Shrubs
Acer palmatum 'Sharp's Pygmy'	Japanese Maple
Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum'	Golden Fullmoon Maple
Campsis x tagliabuana 'Madame Galen'	Trumpet Vine
Hydrangea arbor. 'Annabelle'	Annabelle Hydrangea
Hydrangea mac. 'Blushing Bride', 'Endless Summer', 'Twist-N-Shout'	Bigleaf Hydrangea
Parthenocissus tricuspidata 'Green Showers'	Boston Ivy
Rosa Knockout Family and Pink Flower Carpet tree form	Roses

 

Euonymus house in Newtown

Ornamental and Broadleaf Evergreens
Azalea 'Girard's Rose', 'Renee Michelle'	Azalea cultivars
Buxus 'Green Gem', 'Green Mountain', 'Green Velvet', 'Suffruiticosa', 'Winter Gem'	Boxwood
Cedrus deodar 'Snow Sprite'	Deodar Cedar
Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis', 'Nana Lutea'	Hinoki Cypress
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop', 'White Pygmy',	Threadleaf Cypress
Cryptomeria japonica 'Black Dragon', 'Rein's Dense Jade',	Japanese Cypress
Euonymus 'Ivory Jade', 'Aureo-Marginatus', 'Chollipo', 'Greenspire', 'Manhattan', 'Silver King'	Euonymus varieties
Ilex crenata 'Chesapeake', 'Compacta', 'Excelsa Schwoebel', 'Sky Pencil', 'Steeds'	Japanese Holly
Ilex glabra 'Shamrock'	Inkberry
Ilex x aquipernyi	Dragonlady Holly
Ilex x meservae 'China Girl'	Holly hybrids
Parthinocissus tri. 'Green Showers'	Boston Ivy
Picea abies 'Acrocona', 'Clanbrassiliana', 'Elegans', 'Pendula', 'Pusch'	Norway Spruce cultivars
Picea pungens 'Fat Albert', 'Montgomery', 'Procumbens', 'Sester Dwarf', 'St. Mary's Broom'	Colorado Blue Spruce Cultivars
Pinus leucodermis 'Emerald Arrow', 'Mint Truffle', '	Bosnian Pine cultivars
Pinus thunb. 'Thunderhead'	Japanese Black Pine cultivar
Thuja plicata 'Whipcord'	Western Arborvitae cultivar
Tsuga canadensis 'Cole's Prostrate', 'Jervis', 'Moon Frost'	Canadian Hemlock cultivars
Yucca fil. 'Golden Sword, 'Ivory Tower	Yucca

  

Nice selection of evergreens in Newtown

 

Screening Evergreens
Picea abies	Norway Spruce
Picea glauca	White Spruce
Picea omorika	Serbian Spruce
Picea pungens	Blue Spruce
Pinus strobus	White Pine
Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald Green'	Emerald Green Arborvitae
Tsuga canadensis	Canadian Hemlock