Lilies

Fall Planting Is for All Seasons

As Ms. Hepburn said, a garden is truly to believe in tomorrow — a happy tomorrow full of color. 

And there’s no better time than now to begin exercising that belief. Late fall is the perfect time to plant bulbs. 

When the temperature in fall has dropped to about 55 degrees F and the overnight drops to between 40 and 50, this is the ideal time to plant bulbs for spring.

So let’s get to which plants thrive and grow best in our neck of the woods.

 

Which Bulbs to Plant in Fall

Deer-Proofing Your Garden

Deer-Proofing Your Garden

 

“We have a considerable deer population on Long Island,” says our own Dave Stockwell. “And we agree recommend choosing bulbs that the deer tend to avoid.”

Such plants might include daffodils, allium (ornamental onion), hyacinth, grape hyacinth and crocus. 

And though not actually bulbs, you can venture into some of the other tuberous perennials like peony and tall bearded iris as well.

 

 

 

Grape Hyacinth: These beauties can make beautiful edging to other spring flowers.

Grape Hyacinth:

“We often use these beauties to make lovely edging to other spring flowers,” says Dave.

 

Crocus: These beauties are often the first flower you see in spring. And they return year after year.

Crocus:

These delightful plants are often the first flower you see in spring. And they return year after year.

 

Best Soils for Bulbs

Bulbs grow nicely  in many different soil types, but not in heavy, poorly draining soils. Ideally you should plant in soils that are organically rich, slightly acidic, well-drained sandy loams or loamy sands.

 

Parrot Tulips

Parrot Tulips

Inexpensive bulbs provide very early color in your garden beginning in early March through late mid-June.

“The ideal time to plant bulbs is late October, early November,” says Dave Stockwell. “Tulips, Daffodils, Allium, Hyacinths, Crocus, Lilies, etc. offer their own unique color, texture, height. Each require their own sun and shade tolerance; and some have fragrance, for example., Hyacinths.”

The way you install bulbs is probably the most important aspect of ensuring they flower in the following spring, say our experts. 

Each type of bulb has its own specified planting depth and spacing (see below). It is extremely important that you follow the proper depths — otherwise, the bulbs will not flower or may not leaf out. 

 

Crocus bulb:flower

Crocus bulb:flower

In addition, the pointy tip of the bulb must be planted straight up; otherwise the bulb will definitely not perform as intended.

 

Planting Depths for Spring Bulbs

Alliums: 8 inches

Crocus: 3 inches

Daffodil: 6 inches

Hyacinth: 7 inches

Tulips: 6 inches

 

 

 

Spring Flowers Inspiration:

Spring Flowers Inspiration:

 

 

Audrey Hepburn said ‘To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.’ When you plant this little brown bulb in the soil, you plant the hope that you’ll see it break ground and bloom in the spring.

 

 

 

 

 

Tulips, Tulips, Tulips:  

Tulips, Tulips, Tulips:

Note from Deck and Patio: These beauties are some of the first heralds that spring has arrived. It’s no wonder that Ms. Hepburn and the producers of “Gardens of the World..” chose them as a focus of an episode — and that they are one of the horticulturist’s suggested bulbs.

 

By |2022-10-20T11:48:28-05:00October 20th, 2022|fall maintenance, Gardening, outdoor maintenance, Seasonal Landscapes, Updating Landscape|Comments Off on Fall Planting Is for All Seasons

Finding Peace In Your Summer Garden

When the cares of the world are all around us, what is it that draws us to our gardens? 

Flowers Are for Everyone 

Flowers Are for Everyone

Perhaps, as someone suggested, gardens teach us grand lessons. Flowers, for example, do not judge — they respond to everybody the same way. Plant them at the right time, in the right soil, with the right amount of water, etc., and they grow and blossom for you.

Even better. A plant doesn’t care what neighborhood it’s in — whether its home is a lush landscape or a tiny window box. 

And a flower or plant doesn’t even care if it’s alone. Nurtured right, it will smile its bright colors, wave gently in the breeze, and feed visiting pollinators — all on its lonesome. 

As for this summer’s garden, if you waited too long, and didn’t get around to planting bulbs this spring, no worries. Even though long hot summer days will soon be upon us, there’s lots of beautiful summer-loving flowers you can add. And since weather in the northeast over the next week or so should remain reasonably temperate, there’ll be plenty of time to spend in your gardens.

 

 

Contact your local nursery

Contact your local nursery

Nurseries and COVID-19

If you are concerned about purchasing flowers during COVID-19, and you are not using a landscaper such as Deck and Patio which supplies the plantings, you can phone your local nursery and see how they are handling sales. 

Hicks Nurseries, a well-known Long Island nursery, says it is practicing safe distancing and all their staff wear masks. They also tell us that those who do not wish to go inside their greenhouse can shop outside where they have also set up a check out.

 

 

 

Now for some beautiful summer plant ideas:

Lilies

Lilies Bloom from Early June

Lilies Bloom from Early June

Lilies are perfect summer plants. They come in lots of colors and have a lovely symbolism. 

To enjoy them all summer long, you can plant a variety of the bulbs. Here’s the bloom times for some varieties:

Madonna Lilly blooms in early June.

Asian Lilies: Mid-June

Trumpet Lilies: Late-June

Oriental Lilies: Early August

Nepalese Lilies: Mid-August

Speciosum Hybrids: September

 

 

Coneflowers

One of our favorites is a wildflower — the black-eyed Susan, a.k.a., coneflower. These plants are tough and take heat and bright sunshine well. They add gorgeous bursts of color to any garden, including around water gardens. But they don’t just turn the outdoors lovely. As cut flowers, they make great bouquets.

The following two photos celebrating coneflowers are Deck and Patio projects.

 

Coneflowers/Curb Appeal  (Deck and Patio project) 

Coneflowers/Curb Appeal

 

Coneflowers/Backyard Beauties.

Coneflowers/Backyard Beauties.

 

 

Red Coleus

Again, we have a plant here that thrives in the sun. These beautifully leafed flora are great as container or bedding plants. It’s certainly a good time to add them to your gardens — or anywhere you’d like a spot of color — as they don’t survive during frost and cold climes unless you take them inside.

If you plant them now they’ll thrive through the warm months…just pinch the tips from the stems regularly to help growth.

The following Deck and Patio project shows coleus we planted near a water feature.

Red Coleus for drama.

Red Coleus for drama.

 

 

Globe Amaranth

This lovely annual looks like pom-poms; their flowers come in purple, red, and white and last into fall. Hardy as it is, do water it from the soil, not overhead, which can cause a powderly mildew to grow.

These plants will die back when frost appears but their seeds will germinate after winter.

Globe Armaranth/Three cheers for pom-poms

Globe Armaranth/Three cheers for pom-poms

 

 

Hibiscus

People often think of hibiscus as a tropical flower — which it is. But it will thrive surprisingly well elsewhere, including the northeast. They do need lots of space, rich well-drained soil, and plenty of water but are worth the coddling.

Some varieties of hibiscus can grow into trees. How about that.

Hibiscus/worth coddling 

Hibiscus/worth coddling

 

 

Verbena

Talk about saving the best for the last. Verbena shows its stuff (beautiful blooms) during the hottest of summer heat. Available in annual and perennial varieties, they are long lasting spreaders. They come in 250 varieties so there’s lots of color to choose from, including white, pink, or purple.

Some of the species are drought resistant, too, if that’s on your mind. They are often used in herbal teas…and as if all this wasn’t good enough, butterflies and hummingbirds love them.

Verbena/Ideal summer plants  

Verbena/Ideal summer plants

 

 

By |2020-06-04T13:51:31-05:00June 4th, 2020|Backyard Escapes, Gardening, outdoor maintenance, Plantings/Pondscapes, Plants, Seasonal Landscapes, Updating Landscape|Comments Off on Finding Peace In Your Summer Garden

Fall Planting Tips: Color Interest for All Seasons

The color and the delicacy of flowers inspire us in every season. As winter fades, for example, even when leaves haven’t yet appeared on the trees, blasts of color from Crocuses, Daffodils, and Tulips lift our spirits.

The best time to plant the bulbs that will raise up such spring glory is just around the corner — late October to early November. However, you might want to first ensure there’s color and textural interest right now.

For tips on how to ensure color for all seasons, Deck and Patio’s own Marc Wiener, ASLA, Director of Sales and Construction, offers some key planting tips:

 

Why Fall is the Best Time of Year to Plant:

Foreground: Purple Allium Sphaerocephalon

Foreground: Purple Allium Sphaerocephalon

Fall is the ideal time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials when floras slowly begin their dormancy process. “They require less watering because the temperatures are cooler during the day and overnight,” says Marc.

“In addition, watering is typically less because they are using less energy to push foliage and roots; although the first two weeks are critical to ensure they get proper watering to ‘heal’ themselves in for the winter.”

 

Adding Fall Annual Color Interest Right Now

Hardy Mums outside The Deck and Patio Design Center

Hardy Mums outside The Deck and Patio Design Center

 

Decorative Peppers (Photo Hicks Nursery)

Decorative Peppers (Photo Hicks Nursery)

“Many of us use annuals to provide color when certain plants are no longer in bloom,” says Marc.  “Kale, Cabbage, Decorative Peppers, Mums, Cyclamen, etc. are great color producers for fall and will last well into several frosts before dying back to the ground.”

Marc adds that it’s important to add compost to these plants so they get plenty of food while they are blooming. If you are planting cold hardy mums, they require water every other day as they have profuse flowers and use up a lot of energy and will require additional watering if there’s isn’t sufficient rainfall.

 

Housekeeping Your Plants

Photo: Berkshire Botanical Garden http://bit.ly/1KWYPW2

Photo: Berkshire Botanical Garden http://bit.ly/1KWYPW2

“Early fall is also a good time to prune your plants,” says Marc. “Be careful not to prune too late into the fall as frost can damage the stems that have been cut if they haven’t calloused over — inadvertently causing the tree and/or shrub to not bloom or have significant die back.”

 

Planting Bulbs in Fall for a Beautiful Spring

Parrot Tulips

Parrot Tulips

Bulbs are a inexpensive solution in providing very early color in your garden beginning in early March through late mid-June.

“The best time for planting bulbs is late October, early November,” says Marc. “Bulbs, such as Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths, Allium, Crocus, Lilies, etc. all add their own unique color, texture, height, sun and shade tolerance; and some have fragrance (i.e. – Hyacinths),”  says Marc.

He adds that how you install bulbs is probably the most important aspect of ensuring they flower in the following spring. “Each type of bulb has it’s own specified planting depth and spacing. It is extremely important that you follow this rule (see following depths) — if not, the bulbs will not flower or may not leaf out. In addition, the pointy tip of the bulb must be planted straight up; otherwise the bulb will definitely not perform as intended.

Planting Depths for Spring Bulbs

Alliums: 8 inches

Crocus: 3 inches

Daffodil: 6 inches

Hyacinth: 7 inches

Tulips: 6 inches

 

Hyacinths

Hyacinths

 

Tulips

Tulips

 

Thanks to Marc Wiener, Deck and Patio’s Director of Sales and Landscape Construction,  for his tips today!

 

Marc Wiener, ASLA

Marc Wiener, ASLA

 

(Note: All photos are by The Deck and Patio Company except where indicated.)

 

 

 

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