Category Archives: Flowers

Cosmos & Marigolds: Go-To Fall Blooms

Cosmo flowers in a field

Ready to give your garden a fall facelift? Well, you’re in luck. We’ll focus here on two beauties for us that are easy to care for and are absolute CHAMPS in pots and garden beds alike. Here’s a little more information and a few tips to jazz up your garden this season.

Cosmos: Bringing Mexico’s Magic Right to Your Backyard

Okay, so let’s talk cosmos. These beauties are native to the meadows and scrubs of Mexico, but they’re now flaunting their vibrant colors all over South and Central America. The colors range from sunny yellows and oranges to dreamy pinks, whites, and even a deep maroon – they’ve got it all.

Po-tip? Get them some good sunshine and make sure the soil drains well. And DO NOT FORGET to snip off those old blooms. It keeps them looking fresh and encourages more of those lovely petals to pop up. I know it’s a little bit of work, but trust me; you’ll thank me later.

Marigolds: The Jack of All Trades in the Garden

And then, it’s over to the marigolds. These little sunbursts come in all sorts of shades – we’re talking orange, red, gold, and even white. And they really do light up just about any space they’re in. Whether in pots or planted in the ground, they aren’t fussy, just make sure they don’t sit in waterlogged soil.

DO deadhead your marigolds, like with cosmos. When you remove spent blooms, the plant will produce more buds, and boom – more color.

If you don’t want to deadhead your marigolds, it’s fine – it doesn’t necessarily hurt anything, but I don’t believe you’re getting as much out of the plant that you could. Up to you. (But I tell everyone to do it, so there you go.)

CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO ON COSMOS & MARIGOLDS!

All About Cosmos and Marigolds This Fall

As summer waves goodbye and fall starts to roll in, we can’t help but fall head over heels for the warmth and color that cosmos and marigolds bring to the garden. Whether you are newbie gardener or a seasoned pro, marigolds and cosmos won’t let you down. Cheers to a colorful fall!

Don’t Forget Your Winter Arrangements

We’ve been so happy to get some rain this week! We even have a poppy blooming in our front planter—a testament to how hardy they are. Even 23-degree temperatures don’t phase them! We’re hoping to have more poppy plants in soon. Meanwhile, it is time to sow seeds, and we still have some available on our seed rack.

We’re still waiting on more pansies and violas to be large enough to be shipped from our local grower’s greenhouses. Don’t worry, though; when the time is right, we’ll have them in stock again and more companion plants as well. We’re so lucky to have winter gardens, aren’t we?

The holiday season has been keeping us busy in the greenhouse creating beautiful containers and gifts. Thank you all for choosing us for your special arrangements for the people you love. If you need centerpieces or gifts for Christmas or Hanukkah, please come in soon.

Enjoy these rainy days, and we’ll see you soon!

The Holiday Season is Here 🎁✨

It’s hard to believe it’s the beginning of December already, and before long, we’ll be celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year. Where does the time go?!??

Before that, though, we’ve got things to do! Our final shipment of magnolia garland, Fraser fir wreaths, specialty wreaths, and more arrived this week, as well as mantel pieces and bunches of greenery. It’s fun to see all the beautiful decorating being done around town!

If you need new bows for your wreaths or for indoor decorating, we have lots of ribbon available for sale by the yard or by the roll. We can also make bows for you out of our ribbon, so if you haven’t checked out the selection, it’s not too late.

If you like to plant your own paperwhites timed for Christmas bloom, we still have bulbs available—get them planted soon! We also have paperwhites already potted up and ready for gifts or for you!

Don’t forget about our delicious food offerings – they make great hostess gifts. We have Ginger Clark’s local honey in the cutest bottles, the best peanut brittle from Seven Winds Kitchen, and many more delectable foods they offer. We happen to think their cheese hooies are amazing!

We know it’s a hectic time of year, so thank you for taking a moment out of your busy day to read about what’s going on in our world.

Hope to see you soon.

From Pansies to Pecans: Seasonal Essentials for Your Garden and Pantry

A customer came in the other day saying she’d been waiting to plant her pansies until it got colder. Well, this week fits the bill, so if you haven’t planted your planters and beds yet, it’s time!

This week, we’ll be getting in more veggies that are good for eating and ornamental, too. These include chards, mustards, and beets. If you haven’t tried them in your pots or beds, give them a go and see what you think.

Another plant many of you may not have tried yet is acorus. It goes out fast because the upright grass–like leaves add a different shape and good color to containers. This week we’ll be getting in white and green variegated and the gold acorus.

Bulbs are still available, but you need to purchase them soon. Remember, tulips must be chilled, away from any fruit, in your refrigerator for at least 6 weeks prior to planting. (You’re making them think they’re going through winter.) Though daffodils don’t need chilling, they will benefit from being planted when the soil is cold so they don’t begin growing too soon.

Our holiday food shipments have begun to come in, and it’s time to stock up! Cheese hooies can be frozen for use later as hostess gifts if you don’t eat them all first! Peanut and pecan brittle, pepper jelly and other jams, a new offering, squash relish (Delish!), and more are available now. Gather what you’d like and let us create a gift bag for friends and neighbors!

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon.

Seasonal Selections and Confections!

It’s been fun seeing all the decorated front yards around town dressed up for Halloween. We love being a part of your celebrations, and if you have any need for more pumpkins and gourds look to us for inspiration!

In the greenhouse we have sweet and savory for you. A new shipment of Ginger Clark’s We Bees Working honey has arrived, as well as the perennial favorites, Cheese Hooies from Logan, Alabama. The hooies go particularly well with football parties!

Many of you are beginning your fall planting, and we want to point out the many complimentary leafy plants available to add to the usual pansies and violas. Just a few include frilly-leaved ornamental kales and the beautifully colored cabbage selections. Include in your plantings the chartreuse colors of the many carex grasses and acorus, rich reds of mustard greens (They’re edible too!), and perennial red veined sorrel, and you’ll have a varied and gorgeous winter palette even when flowers aren’t in bloom.

So many of you commented this past spring on the blooms in the O’Neal Garden across the street from the shop that we donate to the city of Mountain Brook and maintain. Did you know you can also have the larkspur, poppies, and bachelor buttons that shine in it March through May? We have the seeds available for many of them now. The key to this winter garden is to sow the seeds when the ground is cold, so wait to plant until after the leaves fall — November. We’ve sown these as late as January for spring bloom.

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon!

The Best Bulbs to Plant in Fall for a Gorgeous Spring Display 🌷🌼

Fall might seem like the end of the gardening season, but it’s actually the perfect time to plan for a breathtaking spring garden! Planting spring-blooming bulbs in the fall gives them the cold dormancy they need to thrive when the weather warms up. Here are the best bulbs to plant in Northern Alabama this fall to ensure a stunning display next spring.

Daffodils

A classic favorite, daffodils (Narcissus) are one of the easiest and most reliable spring bulbs. They come in a variety of colors—yellow, white, and even pink. Daffodils are deer-resistant, making them a great choice for Alabama gardeners. Plant bulbs 6 inches deep in well-drained soil for the best results.

Tulips

Tulips provide bold, vibrant color to any garden. While they can be a bit trickier in warmer climates like Northern Alabama, choosing heat-tolerant varieties like Darwin hybrids or Species tulips can give you great results. Plant tulips 6-8 inches deep in well-drained soil for a striking spring display.

Grape Hyacinths (Muscari)

If you love fragrant flowers, hyacinths are a must! These early bloomers offer rich, heady scents and a range of colors from deep purple to white. Plant hyacinth bulbs 3 inches deep in groups for maximum visual impact and fragrance.

Lycoris (Surprise Lillies)

Lycoris, often called Surprise Lilies or Spider Lilies, add an exotic touch to the garden with their tall, striking blooms. It’s not too late to plant Lycoris bulbs—they prefer sunny spots and well-drained soil. Plant them with the top of the bulb about 5 inches below the soil line and 1 bulb per square foot, and they’ll reward you with gorgeous, unexpected blooms when you least expect it.

Tips for Success

Plant bulbs in well-drained soil to avoid rot over the winter.
Choose a sunny spot for the best blooms come spring.
Add a little bulb fertilizer when planting to give them a head start.

Plant these bulbs now, and when spring arrives, your garden will burst into life with color and fragrance!

On the Changing Season and Plant Selections

Wow! The temperatures this week are perfect for working outside. If you aren’t able to get a jump on your fall planting though, don’t worry. We will continue to offer the best plants for the season.

Fun fact:

Our growers are like farmers. They have “crops” of plants that they plan to have ready for certain times. Always ask if you don’t see something you’re looking for! That grower might simply be “between crops”!

If you’re not quite ready to plant your pansies and other winter flowers yet, try to give yourself a break and do things in stages. Perhaps you have planters that are looking bedraggled—get those summer plants out of there and add fresh potting soil so you’re ready to go when your schedule allows. Do the same things with beds, and your life will be a little easier!

Have you gotten your classic Jack O’Lantern yet? Come see us! We have gorgeous, big Jacks ready to go on your porch or front steps to welcome Halloween!

We hope you all have been enjoying the O’Neal Community Garden across the street from the shop. As you’ve probably noticed, it’s beginning to “go down” for the season. We will let the zinnias, cosmos, and the tall orange tithonia naturally die down so seeds drop into the soil for next year. This is the cycle of nature, and the pollinators are still enjoying it! We hope you’ve been as well.

It’s dry out there, and your landscape may be showing signs of stress. Stressed plants can exhibit all of the following:

Wilting leaves (Leaves not returning to normal the next morning)
Leaf edges looking scorched
Leaf drop
Branch dieback

We’re hoping for rain soon, but until then, continue to water existing plants slowly and deeply and make sure plantings are mulched. The cooling temps will at least help!

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon!

Autumn Planting Tips for a Beautiful Spring Garden 🌸🍂

Serious gardeners know that a gorgeous spring garden starts with fall prep! Here are our best tips to make sure your garden is ready to burst with color come springtime:

1. Amend Your Soil for Strong Spring Growth
Think you’re done after spring’s soil work? Think again! Summer’s heat depletes nutrients, so it’s crucial to keep adding organic matter like compost, soil conditioner, or PlantTone. Healthy soil is the foundation of a healthy garden, and loose, well-amended soil helps plants thrive. 🍃 Pro Tip: Don’t toss those fallen leaves—shred them with your mower and use them as free organic mulch!

2. Watering: Keep Plants Happy Before Planting
If you’re not planting right away, keep your new transplants watered. For smaller plants in 4” pots or cell packs, water them at least once daily, especially in warm, sunny weather. As it cools down, you’ll need to water less, but be sure the plants stay moist until they go into the ground. 🌱

3. Fertilize the Right Way
Early in the fall, when the soil is still warm, you can use a slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote. But as the winter months approach, switch to Calcium Nitrate, especially if you notice the leaves on your pansies turning a reddish hue. This ensures your plants stay nourished and ready to bloom in spring. 🌼

4. Mulch to Protect Roots
As temperatures drop, mulch becomes your garden’s best friend. A good layer of shredded mulch or pine straw insulates the soil, keeping roots warmer and protecting your plants as they settle in for the colder months.

5. Water Wisely After Planting
Once your plants are in the ground, give them a deep watering to settle their roots. Keep watering regularly while the transplants establish, but be careful not to overwater as the days get cooler. Overwatering in cold weather can lead to root rot and other issues.

6. Deadhead for More Blooms
Deadheading is a small task that makes a big difference, especially with pansies and violas. Removing faded blooms prevents the plant from wasting energy on seed production, and instead encourages new flowers. Make a habit of walking through your garden once a week, and pinch off any fading blooms or forming seed pods. This simple step will ensure your garden is bursting with flowers all season long!

Planning ahead is the key to a vibrant, colorful spring garden. By taking care of your soil, watering properly, fertilizing at the right time, and staying on top of maintenance, your garden will be primed for success. Happy planting! 🌷🌼

In Time for Fall Planting: Shrubs, Camellias, Veggies & More 🌿

Fall is the second season of planting for gardeners, and the best time to plant many shrubs. We have some beauties in stock now!

sasanqua camellia

First and foremost, camellias! Two types of camellias are commonly found in area gardens: Sasanqua, or fall-blooming camellias, and Japanese, or winter-blooming camellias. We have great selections of both now. High shade, well-drained soil, and protected locations are perfect for these staples of southern gardens.

If your home is formal, a topiary plant can be just the ticket. We have some gorgeous boxwood topiaries of various sizes in now for just this purpose, and if you just want an evergreen shrub, the hollies, arborvitae, and junipers are lovely. Accent them with some pansies or violas, and you’ll have a stunning entrance to your home.

red lettuce

Fall is also vegetable planting time! With lettuce, arugula, kale, mustard greens, collards, broccoli, and more, you can have fresh veggies into the winter months. Come browse our kitchen garden and create your own potager!

Did you know we have Oak Street Garden Shop T-shirts? Available in all sizes, they are $25 and feature our very own Liam kitty on the back. We have a sample hanging at the front of the shop, so take a look next time you’re in.

Enjoy the fall temps this week and we’ll see you soon!

It’s Already October!

Welcome to October and fall—the transition to cooler temps and, hopefully, more rain. This is the time of year we all enjoy being outside in the garden!

Pansies and Violas

We have the first shipments of pansies and violas in stock now, and the selection of these hardy winter flowers will only increase as the weeks go on. They are considered “cool season” bloomers, which is why we plant them in the fall for blooms now and the promise of a splash of color next spring. Gardening always gives us something to look forward to!

Now is a great time to remind you that we will have more shrub offerings this fall. The first shrubbery shipments arrive this week. We’re excited to give you more fall planting options this year and will offer more details in the next email.

Another harbinger of fall is the beautiful variety of pumpkins and gourds displayed out frontthat we’ve mentioned on our FB and IG accounts. Swing by and get a collection for your front steps or porch—we have everything to make your home fall-ready!

Decorated Pumpkin

Finally, speaking of pumpkins, we’re having great fun creating our annual decorated pumpkins. They’re truly one of a kind and make great gifts or a wonderful complement to your seasonal décor. Come by and pick up one we’ve made, or choose your own pumpkin and let us design one just for you.

Have a great week and weekend, and we’ll see you soon!

Best Plants for a Stunning Fall Display

We’ve made it through the summer heat—congratulations! By now, those spring plants are probably looking a little tired. After months of blooming, even with the best care, your garden might need a refresh. But don’t worry—this is the perfect time to reimagine your space with fresh plants! We’ve got plenty of late summer and fall options to bring new life to your landscape.

Summer Annuals That Shine in Fall
Some summer annuals can still thrive as the weather cools. Here are a few to consider:

Marigolds

Gomphrena – Thrives in heat and transitions beautifully into fall.
Marigolds – These cheerful flowers offer vibrant fall colors. Plant them deep for extra support as they grow.
Cosmos – Add whimsical charm with these delicate blooms. Just keep them deadheaded for the best display.

Mums (Chrysanthemums)

Fall Favorites
Certain plants that just scream “fall”:

Chrysanthemums (Mums) – Choose mums with buds just starting to show color for the longest bloom time. Handle with care, as their stems can be brittle.
Petunias – They love cooler fall temperatures and need less trimming than in summer.

Ornamental Kale

Transitioning to Winter Plants
As it gets cooler, think about classic cold-weather plants like:

Pansies
Snapdragons
Ornamental Cabbage and Kale

These will keep your garden vibrant even as temperatures drop.

Asters

Perennials for Fall Color
Don’t forget perennials! They can add late-season interest:

Salvias – Many varieties are perennials and will return year after year.
Asters – Great for adding purple or blue tones.
Goldenrod (Fireworks) – Offers a burst of yellow blooms in late summer and fall.

Don’t Forget to Mix and Match
Combine these plants for stunning fall displays. Mums with marigolds, petunias with cosmos—the possibilities are endless! Need advice or fresh inspiration? Come see us at Oak Street Garden Shop, and let’s keep your garden beautiful all year round!

Amaryllis – Beauty In A Bulb

Amaryllis, unquestionably, are one of the most dramatic and elegant of flowers. That bold, beautiful blooms of all colors and sizes can emerge from such a drab, unassuming brown bulb is amazing. They are truly a wonder of nature!

Decorative moss and pebbles dress up this amaryllis bulb…

Amaryllis in the greenhouse…

Amaryllis arrangement…

So, you want to purchase an amaryllis bulb (or more than one) for yourself or as gifts for friends? First, you need to know that the size of the bulb corresponds to the size and amount of blooms. Their sizes range from “miniature” amaryllis bulbs to jumbo amaryllis and there are midsize bulbs as well.

Large blooms of this amaryllis offer a contrast to the fragrant jasmine…

Beware of gift boxes and bags already prepackaged. I’ve stopped carrying them because, inevitably, the bulb begins to grow in the box prior to purchase. Believe me, there’s nothing sadder than an amaryllis, stem bent toward the light, growing sideways out of a box. It’s just not right!

Potting them up is quite simple. Find a pot that is no more than an inch or so wider than the bulb and fill it with good quality potting soil (We use Fafard.) about half way up the pot. Next, position the bulb on the soil, pushing the roots firmly in place. The “shoulder”, or widest portion of the bulb, should be above the soil. Fill in around the bulb, push down gently, and water with some of the remaining manure tea.

The hardest part is the wait for the bud to begin to emerge. It may take just a few days in a warm, sunny room, but it can just as easily take longer. Amaryllis don’t always cooperate with our timetables. Take a look at this “Holiday Flowers” post from last year and you’ll see what I mean. When you do see new growth starting to emerge, begin to water just so the soil stays slightly moist and watch the magic happen! You can also “dress up” the top of the soil with decorative moss or pebbles.

In bloom amaryllis can get quite tall and will usually benefit from some type of staking. In addition to simple bamboo stakes, stems of red and yellow twig dogwood, birch, curly willow, or branches from your landscape can be used. Insert the staking material at the edge of the bulb and tie it with raffia or ribbon.

Amaryllis, budded, with ferns, and stems of pussywillow…

The pictures here show what we’ve done in the past using amaryllis. They make wonderful presents during the holiday season and simply watching the bloom stalk grow taller and the enormous buds begin to open is a gift in itself!

There’s also a video we’ve done on amaryllis available to watch on the Oak Street Garden Shop YouTube channel. If you enjoy it, subscribe for more!

In addition to bulbs that are available for you to plant, we also will be receiving many amaryllis already potted up from our growers. So, if you’re in the Birmingham area, there’s no excuse not to have one of these holiday favorites!

Foxglove – Plant It This Fall For A Beautiful Spring Display!

Foxglove…

Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, is the quintessential English garden flower. It’s beauty has graced landscapes of great gardeners for hundreds of years, as well as those of more modest means.

Considered a biennial, foxglove is purchased as small transplants in the fall, growing through the winter and reaching their peak flowering time as the roses begin to bloom here in Birmingham.

Plant them in a partially sunny spot, ideally one that will receive some shade in the afternoon. This is especially helpful as temperature begin to rise in the spring and will help them bloom longer. Be sure your soil is loose, and add soil conditioner, shredded leaves, or compost if necessary. Mulch them with shredded pine bark or pinestraw after planting and keep them watered during dry spells.

Foxglove and roses in my early spring garden

Foxglove look particularly lovely against an evergreen backdrop or a wall of some sort. Combined with other spring annuals and roses, they are reminiscent of a classic cottage garden.

Once they’re through blooming, plants can be left standing to drop seed, (You’ll see baby plants the following summer if this happens.) but they do get a bit bedraggled looking at this point, and I prefer to pull them out, replanting each fall.

Look for a video on our YouTube channel on foxglove in October, 2022. We’ll try to have other informative videos as well, so if you like them, subscribe!

By Kris Blevons

Late Summer, Early Fall Arrivals

August and September are usually hot and dry, but even so the transition into a new season has begun. Many summer garden beds are tired and planters are overgrown or just plain gone. In the nursery business we look forward to October and new offerings of plants, as well as the beauty of pumpkins and gourds. Just when we need a fresh start, it arrives with new selections for the autumn plant palette, mums, marigolds, and in October the first of the violas and pansies.

Marigolds come in all sizes, from tiny 4″ pots perfect for tucking into tired pots, to 10″ offerings big enough to fill a planter all on their own. Mums covered in buds come in 8″ and larger pots, in many colors and make a big statement where it’s needed. Be sure to handle them gently, as bud laden stems can break easily. Mums and marigolds aren’t available for long, but they offer transitional color and still allow you to plant pansies and violas when the weather is cooler.

More herbs will fill the nursery as well, including rosemary that will carry on through the winter. Curly parsley is beautiful in winter beds and planters, and soon ornamental and edible kale, and mustards will appear also. Late summer brings perennials too. Have you tried heuchera in the garden or pots? They’re beautiful in part sun or full shade. Just be certain not to over water.

The greenhouse goes through transitions too. From succulents to many types of ferns and more, the amount of plants stays constant, though the variety changes with availability. So if your plants need refreshing with the new season, come take a look!

If you follow us on Instagram or Facebook you’ve probably seen a new series of shop videos – if not, follow us and check them out! They’re also on our YouTube channel under Oak Street Garden Shop – if you’d like to see more, subscribe!

By Kris Blevons

Container Gardening Design Tips

Spring is for planting in the garden and in pots. Flowers, herbs, perennials, shrubs, and vegetables are all players in the annual game of “What will grow in this spot?” or “What can I plant in this pot?”.

Now that summer is here though, the pace is slower with fewer questions as more people slowly stroll the nursery for pleasure, picking up the odd plant here and there or gathering more varied selections for filling in garden spaces that need extra color.

Many of them come to see the planters we’ve put together, getting ideas for extra pots or to make note of a different combination of plants they might not have thought of.

We enjoy this time too (Since we’re all pretty much plantaholics!) and look on it as our play time with plantings, a reward for making it through another hectic spring season.

So, while our neatly lined tables are still filled with a good assortment of varied plants, you’ll also find our container plantings in various spots throughout the nursery too.

Some find their way onto our Facebook and Instagram pages, others make their way to new homes. Wherever they end up we hope they give you as much pleasure as they’ve given us creating them.

Container Gardening Tips:

Know your light. Plants that want sun won’t perform well in shade and vice versa.

If you want a pot filled only with flowers, choose blooms with different shapes for added interest. An example: A spiky salvia, rounded blooms of zinnias, flatter blooms of lantana.

Make it even more interesting and add a foliage for additional texture or color. Begin by choosing it, then add some flowers to compliment the color or shape of the leaves. An example: A spiky grass, a round pentas, an airy euphorbia, a trailing vinca.

Bigger planters call for bigger plants. Use at least one eye catcher or “thriller”. Add intermediate or “filler” plants, then complete the picture with a trailing or “spiller” selection. This is the tried and true Thriller, Filler, Spiller recipe. It never fails. An example: A black elephant ear (thriller), sunpatiens (filler), scaevola (spiller).

Think about the setting the planter is in. What color is your house? What trees and shrubs will be in bloom at various times? Do you entertain at night? What are your favorite colors? Are you there to maintain and water regularly?

No matter how small your planting starts out, with proper care it may grow to enormous proportions. Be prepared to deadhead faded blooms at least weekly and clip back your planting as needed.

By Kris Blevons

Container Gardening – Pointers & Possibilities…

Early spring in Birmingham….the temperatures fluctuate up and down, and it’s still early to be planting the real heat lovers like caladiums and vinca in the ground – oh, but your fingers are itching to dig in the garden again…

Trailing pink vinca works well with sun loving herbs of lavender, sage and chives in this trough planting….

Here perennial lamb's ear mixes with lavender and a pepperomia - a common houseplant that also adds great texture...

Here perennial lamb’s ear mixes with lavender, sedum and a pepperomia – (a common houseplant that also adds great texture…)

This sun lover includes pentas, scented geraniums, vinca and a 'Red Rubin' purple basil as well as a variegated Swedish ivy to meander through the entire composition...

This combination for sun includes pentas, scented geraniums, vinca, purple basil, and variegated Swedish ivy meandering through the entire composition…

Happily, you can begin planning your summer container plantings, which can also be great springboards for future garden groupings – testing them in a pot first is a safe and fun way to experiment.

This hanging basket for sun includes a sun loving caladium, angelonia, pink fan flower, trailing silver dichondra, and an airy white euphorbia…

These pictures are container combos from seasons past – all lasted through the brutal heat of summer given water, deadheading and cutting back as necessary.

The old cliché of using a “thriller, filler and spiller” has been much used, (Maybe a little too much?) but don’t feel tied to it please! Designing creative plantings shouldn’t be absolute or bound by rigid rules.

‘Indian Dune’s’ fancy leaf geranium, cordyline and thyme work in half day or full sun…

However, do try to combine plants that appreciate the same amount of light and water and have growing habits that compliment one another.

If you can do that, any plant combo you like within those parameters is fair game. There are many plants that will handle a lot of sun but still appreciate a little shade, especially in the afternoon, when the heat is the most brutal. Others will need partial to full shade in our climate. The important thing is to choose the right plants for whatever conditions you have.

Elephant ears add drama, with a heat tolerant fuschia, ‘Gartenmeister’ and a trailing maidenhair fern – this one was planted with a shady area in mind…

The larger the container your space can accommodate the better! Not only will you be able to add more plants, but watering will be easier as well. Having said that, when maintaining large planters, if temperatures are in the 90’s every day and lows don’t get below the 70’s at night (July and August in Birmingham!), be prepared to water every day, even if your planters are in only half day sun. Of course, there are always exceptions…succulents, purslane, portulaca – these are a few plants that can take dry soil and heat, but even they will need water eventually!

Cordyline, fancy leaf geranium, baby tears…morning sun and afternoon shade or filtered sun suit this planting…

Plant choices change weekly during the height of spring and it can be overwhelming…we’re happy to help you come up with the right combinations of plants for your containers if you’re unsure. Just be sure you know how much sun (or not!) they receive and the sizes of your planters, and we can take it from there.

Another tip: Flowers aren’t always what adds the most pizazz. There are great foliage choices out there, many that add color with no blooms at all. Some of the most striking planters are those done with just foliage – try it sometime!

Foliage is as interesting as flowers!

A shade planter – all foliage!

By Kris Blevons

The Gardening Tool That Is Always With You

May 10th

Do you forget each year exactly what you planted the year before or have trouble keeping track of how many plants you used in a planter or bed?

There’s an easy answer, and it’s probably in your pocket or purse right now. Our phone cameras are a great gardening tool.

I use mine to take pictures of new container plantings and garden beds and continue taking pictures through the season to track the progress of their growth.

May 24th

The pictures here are one example. These planters are on a busy street and are seen from some distance, so they need to grow large. I took pictures the day they were planted and a couple of times after to show the progression of their growth.

July 5th

Taking pictures as a reference is helpful if you’re asking for help choosing plants for your garden too. Simply take your pictures into the garden shop the next year and let them see what you did the year previous. Then you can recreate all or part of it – or none of it if it didn’t do well for you. It’s really a very helpful tool!

July 30th

These containers are tall and narrow, and they’re planted intensively, so consistent watering is a must. The first pictures were taken at the beginning of May and the final shots are at the very end of July.

After 3 full months they’re still looking great, and with some clipping to cut back the coleus they should continue well into September.

July 30th

This is also an example of choosing the right plants for the person. She’s a busy mom who doesn’t want to fuss over the pots and is lucky enough to have her mom help water when she’s out of town.

I chose the lime green coleus and big leaf begonias because I knew they’d grow large and accented them with the variegated leaves of cuban oregano and caladiums, then tucked in the airy white blooming euphorbia. The potato vine is another toughie that contributed more of the chartreuse green color to show up from a distance.

July 30th

If you have a difficult time keeping track of names of plants, using the Notes feature of your I-Phone can help. As a matter of fact, I have an entire list of most of the plants in my garden in my phone. Believe me, I’ve always depended on pen and paper jotting down info here and there, but more times than not I misplaced them. Now I keep notes on my phone and they don’t get lost!

By Kris Blevons

Snapshots of the Nursery In June…It’s Not Too Late For Flowers!

One cloudy morning right before a deluge of rain, the light was finally right to take a few pictures of the nursery. Usually the light is too bright, or we’re busy unloading trucks, helping customers, filling orders, and generally running around.

I’m certain the shots here would be better with a great camera (These are IPhone pictures.), but this gives you an idea of the amount of material still available, fresh plants from local growers ready to take on the midsummer heat.

Vinca

Some of the best annuals for summer planting and filling in tough spots are vinca. They come in a range of colors and once established are extremely drought tolerant. Trailing varieties are also available.

Upright pentas are another workhorse of the summer and are butterfly favorites too. This is another that hybridizers have improved upon each year, and one that also has a trailing version, perfect for sunny containers.

Pentas and Angelonia

Caladiums

We still have a selection of caladiums too, and the majority of them will tolerate sun as well as brighten shady spots in the garden. If you’ve ever looked at your garden beds and seen nothing but little leaves and a few blooms, caladiums might be just the thing to add that interesting and colorful foliage element to your design.

‘Canary Wing’ begonia

This year there’s a new begonia called ‘Canary Wing’ that’s been fun to play with in mixed containers, but it would also be stunning as a single specimen in a pot or massed in a shady garden bed. The red blooms on this large begonia contrast beautifully with the bright yellow leaves.

Angelonia and Canary Begonias in Nursery Late June 2018

Angelonia and ‘Canary Wing’ begonias

As you walk through the nursery, you’ll see a myriad of other choices including angelonia, a great bedding plant for sun. It’s best used in masses, and the spiky blooms add visual contrast when used with other blooming plants like lantana and vinca in sunny spots.

Nursery Late June 2018 - Silver dichondra

‘Silver Falls’ dichondra

Silver dichondra adds its silvery sheen to plantings, cascading down the side of pots, over walls and between plantings. It’s a tough plant and drought tolerant too.

Lantana

So, if you simply need a few fill-in flowers or have a larger area that still needs planting, we have plenty of healthy and beautiful choices for your garden. And, while you’re here, take a browse through the perennials and herbs and stroll through the greenhouse as well!

Garden Alert! Summer To-Do List

Rudbeckia ‘Herbstonne’

It’s July in Birmingham, time for weekends at the lake and trips to the beach or mountains (and aren’t we lucky to be so close to both?) So I promise not to make you work too hard in the garden… but remember, a little work now will mean less later – and a prettier garden too!

So, here are a few things to be thinking about – and you don’t even have to do them all at once! Simply walk through your garden at least every week and try to do at least a couple of the following tasks each time:

Pull weeds that may be coming up and dispose of them. Never put weeds on your compost pile unless you want more! Pulling weeds a bit at a time is so much easier than ignoring them and doing a marathon weed pull later. Trust me on this; I’ve been there. Did you see the post on mulberry weed? It’s one you need to keep out of your garden!

‘Becky’ daisies

Deadhead (cut off dead “heads” of blooms) any flowers that have passed their prime.

Along the same vein as deadheading is cutting back. Planters benefit greatly from being cut back when they are geting “out of control” in size (usually around this time of year if you planted them in the early spring). It’s a difficult thing to do for folks, but try it. Cut back those weedy looking zinnias. That coleus that’s gotten enormous? Cut it back! Those trailing plants that are looking a little worse for wear? Cut them back by at least half.

There, you did it! Now give those plants a bit of fertilizer, keep them watered, and then stand back while they flush back out. You can thank me later!

Deadheading a phlox bloom…

Perennials in your garden will also appreciate a little attention here and there. When your phlox has pretty much bloomed out, trim the spent flower head off. It will usually rebloom a second time. Once they’re completely done blooming, cut them back by half to neaten things up a bit. Rudbeckias, daisies and coneflowers will also continue to bloom longer if you pay attention and deadhead them just as you do your annuals.

Deadhead individual blooms on balloon flower

Balloon flower is one perennial that you should never cut back while it’s blooming or you’ll lose out on a lot of flowers. Simply pinch off old blooms – this is best done daily. Confused about annuals and perennials? Refresh yourself by reading this post on them.

Do you see yellowing leaves on perennials or annuals? It only takes a few minute to “groom” a plant – simply remove the yellow leaves; after all, they’re not going to turn green again! Daylilys definitely look better if you pay attention to this after you’ve cut back the faded bloom stem. You can even cut their foliage back by half to neaten the plant up after it’s bloom period is completely over.

midsummer…perennials and annual share this bed.

Some late blooming perennials should be getting taller…inserting wide border supports keep them in line (They are one of my favorite support systems.). Take a look HERE if you missed the post on late blooming perennials and what to do with them early in the season. The Rudbeckia ‘Herbstonne’ shown in the picture at the beginning of this post is an example of a perennial I cut back in the spring to control it’s height and bloom time. They are in full bloom around town now.

See the mulch?

If you need to refresh mulch in beds, now is a good time to get this necessary task done. Not the most fun job, but it keeps the soil temperatures at the root zone of plants at an even temperature – especially important in our hot climate! Mulch conserves moisture, smothers weeds, and eventually will break down, contributing to the health of the soil too. Pretty good stuff all the way around.

Okay, that wasn’t so bad was it? Now you can pour yourself a glass of wine, pat yourself on the back and enjoy your beautiful, cared for landscape!

By Kris Blevons

A New Planting Season Brings New Possibilities…Don’t Be Afraid!

I read a piece that Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery wrote a few years ago about some people being “controlling” gardeners while others are “gambling” gardeners. I really thought it was spot on, and I can say I’ve worked with both types.

Of course, many of us gamble each year, planting marginally hardy plants that have done fine with our mild winters of past years. Boy, can some winters give us a whammy though!

Annual caladiums, coleus and pentas are added to this perennial bed

I really liked this comment from Tony Avent, “Controlling folks want everything to work out just as the gardening books say, and struggle when plants don’t do exactly that, while the gamblers take a chance, try new things and hope for the best.

For the gamblers if things don’t work out quite as expected, it’s an opportunity for something new, rather than a failure. Personally, I like the gamblers approach to gardening much better, and think it causes a lot less anxiety! So, what’s the point? The point is to relax and enjoy gardening, remembering that nature is always in charge.

Life and death in the garden are no different than life and death outside the garden. Our options are to dwell on the sadness of death or celebrate the life that passed and embrace the next life that lies ahead.”

With the beginning of a new planting season, my personal outlook is going to be that of looking on my gardening efforts as a joy and an opportunity to not only beautify my landscape and surroundings but to nourish my soul as well; and, if there are failures, that will be part and parcel of the process. Some of my best plant combinations have been happy accidents!

The pictures here are of my garden – plants are allowed to self seed, failures are yanked out, and plants that strike my fancy are tucked in here and there where I think they might look good. It wouldn’t make anyone’s list of a perfectly designed space, but it’s mine and that’s how you should treat yours too.

Above all, whatever the outcome of your garden, take time to appreciate the life you bring into it…a butterfly on a zinnia bloom, a hummingbird hovering over a salvia, and bees doing their important work with them of pollinating your flowers and vegetables.

My ultimate hope is that many of you adopt the gambler attitude. It doesn’t have to be the high roller, high stakes approach, but try to roll with the plant punches, knowing they’ll come, and treat your gardening efforts as what they should be – a relaxing, and therapeutic addition to your daily schedule rather than a chore that’s only done on the weekends.

Posted by Kris Blevons

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