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.

Thanksgiving Holiday Hours & Seasonal Gratitudes

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

This Thanksgiving we’re grateful for:
Customers who love plants – we love them too!
Our shop cat, Liam – and all of our visiting pups!
Changing seasons – which one is your favorite?
Rainy days – just when we need a little break
The beautiful things we get to create and are surrounded by every day – we are so fortunate!
And, of course,
All of YOU!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!

We will be open this Sunday from 12-4pm for your shopping needs the weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday, and our weekly hours are Monday – Saturday 9am-5:30pm. We have the freshest wreaths, swags, bows, and so much more for you! We’ll also do our very best to have things pre-made for last minute pickups. For everyone hosting parties, giving hostess gifts, or decorating, the greenhouse is filled with inspiration.

A reminder: Please give us ample time through the holiday season to design your containers/gifts, and remember, we deliver within the area!

Enjoy this holiday week, and we’ll see you soon.

Thanksgiving Arrangements 🍁🦃

Next week is Thanksgiving, and we know you’ve been planning your menu… remember, we can help with the centerpiece! Just bring in a container of yours for us to fill with plants, or browse through our offerings. Please be sure to get your order in soon though, so we can take the best care of you. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Our select grower of quality pansies and violas is working on a new crop of these cool-season beauties. They’ll be available soon, so we’ll have a good selection for any of you still looking to finish up your winter plantings. The temperatures this week should be perfect for them—and us!

We’re getting excited about the offerings we’ll have through the upcoming season. Garlands, mantel pieces, wreaths, and bunches of greenery are just the beginning of the options that will be available. It might look a little different without the Christmas trees, but we hope you’ll enjoy your experience here even more!

We’ll be able to continue to keep perennials, herbs, and all the wonderful ornamental greens—think mustards, kale, chard, and more—in stock this year. We also still have some beautiful camellias and other shrubs, including juniper and boxwood topiaries, for any larger containers you have.

This week, we’re also getting a truckload of rosemary topiaries, trees, and other evergreens from a new supplier. We weren’t able to carry these in years past, so we hope you’ll check them out, too.

We look forward to seeing you soon and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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.

Amaryllis Bulbs & Brittle Treats!

Our amaryllis bulbs have arrived! Many of you have already spotted them in the shop, but for any who haven’t, you’ll notice we have some varieties you might not find later. They’re right up front; take a look next time you’re in!
Maybe you’d rather start some paperwhites – they only take about 4 weeks to grow and come into bloom – just in time for the holidays and party season! If you don’t want to start your own, we’ll have them and amaryllis already potted up to give as gifts or for you to enjoy!
We’re also beginning to get in our holiday food offerings. Need some cheese hoolies to take to a party as a hostess gift? Stock up! They can be frozen and used as needed. Another great holiday offering in stock now are both of our brittles—peanut and pecan. (Which is your favorite?) We think the brittles make great gifts and party treats, and the reviews of them have been stellar!
We hope you’re beginning to plant your winter garden. We have the best pansies, snapdragons, foxglove, and so much more in stock now. Fall planting ensures healthy root growth and beautiful spring blooms.
Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon.

Winter Offerings at Oak Street

We’re exploring new plant and planter options this fall and winter since we aren’t clearing the nursery area for Christmas trees this year. For any of you who missed the news, we made the difficult decision not to offer trees this holiday season, and the owner and our fearless leader, Billy Angell, sent out an email last month with a personal message to everyone.
If you missed it, you can read the announcement here.
We’ll offer everything else we always have had though, including wreaths, garland, greens,mantelpieces, arrangements, berries, and more for your celebrations!
One thing we’re excited to bring in for fall and winter are more planters than we’ve ever had this time of year. Our supplier out of Pennsylvania offers the highest quality cast stone pots, and you’ll find them displayed across the front and throughout the shop. Can’t haul a pot home? We deliver!
We’re also changing things up in the greenhouse for the holidays too. This year our Santa display will be a gingerbread house with all the trimmings. Everything will look a little different this year!

Our ribbon display is coming together too. We’ll post on our social media accounts when it’s set up for any of you who’d like to shop a little early for your ribbons and bows.
November is right around the corner and with it one of our favorite holidays, Thanksgiving. Please be thinking about containers you might want to use on your table and bring them in at least a couple weeks prior.
Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon.

A Message From Billy

I hope you’re all enjoying the beautiful fall season. With the holiday season quickly approaching, I wanted to be sure this message got out to everyone. After much thought, we made the announcement to our email subscribers and are uploading it to the blog just in case anyone missed the original post.

I wanted to let you all know how much I’ve appreciated your patronage over the past 48 years I’ve been in this business, almost 35 of them in Crestline Village. (And no, I’m not retiring!)

But this message is to let you know that after much thought and many sleepless nights, I’ve decided that Oak Street Garden Shop will no longer sell Christmas trees beginning this year. What a difficult decision this has been! Over the years, we’ve enjoyed providing the most beautiful trees, and we have so many wonderful memories, including being shown pictures of your decorated trees, the holiday jewel in countless living rooms, each and every one of them described as the “Best Tree Ever.”

I still have the drawing one little girl made, addressed to me, that hung on the tree she and her family had picked out after hours. Attached to it was a handwritten note asking, “Please, Mr. Angell, save this tree for us.” I proudly had it laminated and hung it in my office. How special finding that was, and how good it felt to know she will probably never forget that Christmas either.

Or the customer who each and every year would browse the trees on Thanksgiving Day (their special tradition). We always knew to look for their tree the day after Thanksgiving… and there it would be, the red luggage tag with their name on it, affixed as high as they could reach.

It’s truly been 48 years of happy memories, but I won’t deny that the last few years, due to labor shortages, it has become more difficult. I could also see it wasn’t as happy an experience for you either. I know no one wants to stand in line to pick out a tree still wrapped on the ground, no matter how pretty you know it will be in the end, or wait in line for hours while trees are drilled.

The stress of this carried over to me and my staff, and, unfortunately, the holiday season became longer and harder each year. We always prided ourselves on the precision with which sales and deliveries were carried out, and I knew that we had come to a point where a decision had to be made.

However, the good news is that we will continue to offer the most beautiful wreaths, garland, new products, and mailbox decorations just as we always have. We hope you’ll still look to us for all of that and more this holiday season!

We’re also excited that we’ll be able to, for the first time in so many years, truly have a fall season in the nursery. This means that in addition to everything we’ve always carried through autumn and winter, we’ll also be adding more shrubs, natives, and interesting plants for your fall garden. We are having fun planning this new avenue!

I’ll end this by thanking you for coming along with us as we enter a new chapter in Oak Street Garden Shop’s almost 35 years – we can’t do any of this without you! I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but now I’m ready to pass the Christmas tree baton to a new generation.

With much appreciation,

Billy Angell

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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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!

Embrace Fall with Pumpkins and Gourds: Your Seasonal Inspiration Starts Here! 🎃🍂

As the temperatures finally start to dip, we can’t help but smile and say, “We’re so lucky to work outside!” This is the time of year we’ve been waiting for—when pumpkins, gourds, and all those autumn decorating staples make their grand entrance.

For a classic and easy display, try grouping pumpkins and gourds along your front steps. Choose a mix of colors, shapes, and sizes to create a welcoming, layered look that draws the eye. Add in some potted mums or trailing ivy for extra fall flair. It’s an effortless way to showcase the beauty of the season right at your doorstep!

For something simpler, try stacking pumpkins in front of your home. Mix up the colors, or keep it monochrome for a clean look. Add some moss between the layers for an extra touch, and suddenly you’ve got the most welcoming entrance in the neighborhood!

And let’s not forget about those mini gourds—they’re perfect for cozy spots like your bedside table, coffee table, or as part of a fun tablescape. Surround them with angelvine or moss, and you’ve got a beautiful, nature-inspired display.

Whether you’re creating gifts or centerpieces, there are endless ways to get creative with the various sizes, shapes, and textures of gourds and pumpkins. Pair them with organic accents like lichen, branches, or even other organic elements for a personal touch. (One of our favorite customers even brings us fallen acorns to use—talk about thoughtful!)

And, yes, our succulent-topped pumpkins are back! If you’re local and want to grab one, give us a call. They won’t last long! 🌿🎃

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

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!

Autumn Arrivals: Pumpkins, Fresh Blooms, and Seasonal Updates

Pumpkins & Gourds

Fall is here, and to prove it, our first loads of all things Autumn have arrived. We have the most beautiful pumpkins and gourds for your decorating needs, for adorning a porch, or for creating groupings at your front entrance. Come see our selection – the colors and shapes are amazing, and we’ll continue adding to it as the season progresses.

Petunias

We know many of you have had difficulty keeping your plantings looking good through August. But not to worry; this is normal. As we mentioned in a previous post, fresh marigolds, and cosmos have been available to remedy this dire situation. Now, we can also add celosia and petunias to the mix, herbs, and other annuals and perennials.

Unfortunately, it is too early to plant pansies and violas, as the temperatures need to be consistently cooler for them to be happy and do well. We anticipate getting the first shipments of them at the beginning of October.

We are so thankful for the recent rains and hope your landscape has benefited from them.

Ozzy & Liam

Finally, if you are in the neighborhood, please keep a lookout for Liam and give him some extra love… We lost his buddy Ozzie a short time ago to cancer, and we’re all still missing him tremendously. Liam and he were very close, and we know he’s grieving too. Thank you for your love and support of our special fur baby. 

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

Avoid These Common End-of-Summer Gardening Mistakes

As summer ends, it’s easy to let garden maintenance slide. But if you want your garden to thrive into fall and winter, avoiding some common end-of-summer mistakes is essential. Here’s what to keep in mind as you prepare your garden for the cooler months.

Weeds

🌱 Mistake 1: Letting Weeds Take Over
Weeds are still active in late summer, and if you let them go to seed, you’ll have more trouble next year. Stay on top of weeding, especially in garden beds, to save yourself work down the line.

💧 Mistake 2: Not Adjusting Your Watering
After a long summer, many continue warm-season watering habits into fall but keep in mind that plant needs change with the seasons.

  • Adjust your irrigation – As fall rains arrive, cut back on automatic watering. If you have a rain sensor, use it to avoid watering during a storm.
  • Watch new plants – Pansies and violas need consistent water as they get established. Avoid overwatering snapdragons.

Boxes of Bulbs

🌷 Mistake 3: Forgetting to Plan for Bulbs
Most people don’t think about bulbs until spring, but fall is the time to plan:

  • October is bulb season – Get your daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths now to ensure a beautiful spring display.
  • Chill your tulips – Tulips need to be chilled before planting, so store them in the fridge before they go into the ground.

🍂 Mistake 4: Neglecting Garden Sanitation
Diseased plant material can lead to more significant problems:

  • Remove diseased foliage – Clearing infected leaves helps prevent fungus or disease from spreading to healthy plants.
  • Rework mulch after the leaves fall – Old mulch can harbor pests or diseases. Replace it, especially under shrubs, to keep your garden healthy. When tidying up, compost spent plants and old mulch (but not weeds!) to help beneficial insects overwinter.
Zinnias and Marigolds

Zinnias and Marigolds

🌻 Mistake 5: Not Prepping for Fall
A little TLC before winter can go a long way. Whether weeding, removing diseased plants, or prepping bulbs, these tasks keep your garden healthy and ready for next season.

Need help? Visit Oak Street Garden Shop for everything you need to prepare your garden for fall and winter!

See you soon!

Advice for New Gardeners: 11 Tips from Oak Street

Kris’s Garden

Gardening is more than just a hobby. It teaches patience, fosters creativity, and has been shown to improve mental health!

Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or just starting out, cultivating a garden can bring immense joy and satisfaction. But where do you begin? There is no shortage of information in books and online that will help you through your gardening journey, but we decided to make it easy. Read below for our list of tips for new gardeners.

  1. Start with the Soil A great garden begins with healthy soil. If you haven’t already, get a soil test to understand your garden’s needs. 

    Kris’ Garden

    Amend accordingly, and consider starting a compost pile for better soil nutrition.

  2. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Dirty There’s something therapeutic about getting your hands in the dirt. Gardening isn’t just good for your plants—it’s good for your soul. Studies show that it can reduce stress and improve your mental health.
  3. Choose Plants with Care When selecting plants, especially groundcovers, be mindful of their growth habits. Certain plants can overrun others or grow too large and create too much shade. It’s a good reminder to consider how plants may behave in your specific space.

    Kris’ Garden

  4. Consistency is Key Spend a little time in your garden every day.
    Even a few minutes of weeding can make a big difference, and your garden will be neat and well-maintained.
  5. Regular Grooming Pays Off Deadheading and grooming your plants regularly will encourage healthy growth and keep your garden looking its best.
  6. Support Your Local Nurseries Frequenting a good independent garden center is one of the best ways to ensure you get healthy plants and expert advice. Local shops are here to help you grow your garden and knowledge.
  7. Embrace Experimentation One of the joys of gardening is trying out new and unfamiliar plants. Don’t be afraid to experiment—there’s always something new to learn, and you might discover a new favorite.
  8. It’s Okay to Start Small There’s no need to invest in large plants immediately.

    Kris’ Garden

    A small shrub in a one-gallon pot will grow just as well, and you’ll get to watch as it grows and matures. In the meantime, you can fill the space with colorful annuals to brighten up your garden.

  9. Protect and Nurture Wildlife Creating a garden that supports local wildlife is incredibly rewarding. Always limit pesticide use, and if you have to use it, choose the least toxic options available.
  10. Keep Learning Gardening is a lifelong journey. There’s always something new to discover, so take advantage of classes, books, blogs, and online resources. The wealth of information out there is truly endless.
  11. Observe and Enjoy Finally, remember that gardening is meant to be enjoyable. Don’t stress if everything doesn’t happen according to plan—gardens are forgiving. Take time to stroll through your space and appreciate what you’ve accomplished.

For those of you who have joined us more recently, we hope these tips inspire you as much as they’ve guided us over the years. And for our longtime readers, we hope this serves as a reminder of the simple joys of gardening.

If you haven’t already, check out our Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube channels for more gardening inspiration and to stay up-to-date with what’s happening at Oak Street Garden Shop. 

As always, feel free to stop in and talk plants!

– The team at Oak Street

Myrtle Topiaries

Myrtle topiaries in pretty pots...

Myrtle topiaries in pretty pots…

Whenever we can find myrtle topiaries we try to get plenty, as they’re not always available.  Many moons ago we had a small specialty grower in Georgia who supplied us with these pretty plants regularly. She spoiled us!  When she retired, we found another supplier and still carry these special plants. They now  come to us in 5” or 6” pots, perfect for dropping into your favorite cachepot. We’re looking forward to getting some 8” pots in as well.

Myrtle, myrtus communis,  was an integral part of Roman gardens and is widespread in Mediterranean regions where it is cultivated as a large ornamental shrub.  The topiaries we carry are a dwarf myrtle, Myrtus communis ‘Compacta’,  and are happiest grown outside in containers  through the summer in a sunny to partly sunny spot. Kept watered regularly, the long, hot summers will bring on small flower buds that open to white blooms. With fall and cooler temperatures, it’s best to trim it for the winter and place it indoors in a bright, sunny room.  The glossy and pleasantly aromatic leaves are a beautiful shade of green, and the entire plant takes to shaping very well – simply trim it when it becomes shaggy.

myrtle has glossy, aromatic leaves...

myrtle has glossy, aromatic leaves…

Myrtle Topiary Care

Give them plenty of light – they prefer to be in sun in their native habitat, so a dark room indoor won’t give them the light they need. If you know you don’t have enough light where you really want them (on a mantel in a dark room) you may need to swap them out periodically, placing them in a sunny spot to grow well, then moving them back and forth.

Water! It’s important not to let them dry out, but be careful they’re not sitting in water too. If  your topiary is root bound, it will need more diligent watering. Repot it in the spring if, when you pull it out of the pot, you see a mass of roots. Myrtle is a plant that will not recover if left too long between watering.

During the growing season, March through September, fertilize your topiaries with a 20-20-20 fertilizer every couple of weeks.  When you bring it in for the winter,  cut back feeding to once a month.

When you trim your topiary, it’s best not to always shear the tips.  Try to cut back a bit into the plant. Remember wherever you cut, two stems will grow, creating a nice full head of foliage.

Note: We get many calls from people from around the country asking us to ship our myrtle topiaries when we have them in stock. Unfortunately we are not set up to ship at this time.

Preparing Your Winter and Spring Gardens

Big news – we’re all set with fall and winter seeds at Oak Street Garden Shop. With the recent heat wave, I’m sure we’re all longing for the cooler weather of fall. I’m here to tell you that now is the perfect time to be thinking of your fall garden!
The real key is getting fresh seeds to get your garden off to a strong start. That’s why I like to buy my seeds in the late summer/early fall and hold on to them until the right time to sow.
First we want to consider what plants we want growing in our gardens. Whether you’re looking for flowers like poppies and bachelor buttons, or crops like kale and spinach we have a large variety here to choose from.
Seeds

Check out our video on preparing for your Winter and Spring gardens.

Veggies
If I want vegetables to harvest in the fall, sow those in September and October. This ensures that our vegetables are ready for a fall harvest in November. Seeds that do well in this season include kale, lettuce, carrots, mustard, spinach, and more. It’s a perfect excuse to incorporate more greens into your diet leading into Thanksgiving.
Spring Flowers
For blossoming flowers in early spring, plant them November-January depending on when you have the most time to dedicate to your garden. Flowers like bachelor buttons, poppies, larkspur, orlaya, and sea holly are what we can see blooming in the spring. We sow these seeds in the winter so that by the time spring rolls around the plants already have a strong start and are ready to bloom.
So there you have it, gang. Fresh seeds and a game plan – we’re all set to make our winter and spring gardens bloom with beauty.
– Kris