Bonus Workshop Weekend!

One workshop a weekend just doesn't seem to cut it sometimes so we are offering two workshops this weekend and both are FREE! I think we may be losing it. Details are listed below. 

Saturday, June 29 11 a.m. to noon

Ergonomics for Gardeners

Gardening can be a physically tough job. You're on your hands and knees putting pressure on joints all over. You wake up with sore muscles that you didn't even know you had. You bend down at the waist only to find you can't straighten back up. We've all been there but we will share a few ways you can prevent these things from happening. 

This class will focus on proper posture and care of your spine when gardening in your yard. We will discuss common lower back, leg, foot, and wrist injuries associated with gardening and how to prevent them from occurring. We will also discuss how chiropractic care can help with both prevention and crisis management. Wear comfortable clothing. Dr. Ross Fialkov is our instructor for this class.

Sunday, June 30 noon to 1 p.m.

Water Garden in a Container

So you're sitting on your deck or patio, enjoying your wine or beer. You're soaking in some sunshine or taking a breather in some shade. You're watching the bees do their thing and your plants moving in the wind. Then you notice something. It's so quiet! Maybe a little too quiet. Think about how nice the sound of water would be while relaxing on your patio or deck! It's easier than you think and we'll show you how this Sunday.

Tiffany and Susan will show you how easy it is to bring the peaceful sound of water to your outdoor spaces. At this workshop, we will show you how to turn an ordinary container into a water garden, review appropriate plant choices, discuss pond critters, and demonstrate how to put in a small pump.

Remember to call (302) 239-2727 or stop in to reserve a spot! Space is limited.

Daydreaming of Daylilies

One of my favorite times of day is my drive to work in the morning. It's only a 5 minute drive but the conditions this time of year ignite my senses like no other time. With the windows down, I can feel the warm summer morning breeze. In that breeze I smell a combination of the cut grass and the mushroom farms getting to their early work. I hear my country music playing on the radio mixed in with the early birds chirping away. As I taste my New York blend coffee, I see one of my favorite sights to see for this time of year. A single strip of orange daylilies that lead out from a wooded part of the road into an open area of sunshine. It's simple and only lasts a couple seconds but it's simply splendid how they poke out from this small bank on the side of the road and lead you into sunshine. It is a small part of my day that always starts me off in a good mood!

I was reminded of this feeling showing up to work today and seeing our grand selection of daylilies that line our front shelves. What a sight to see! I had to share them with you so here are a few photos.

Happy Ever Appster daylilies are the greatest! They come in many different varieties and bloom basically non-stop from Summer to Fall!

A Tough Question

What is a Native Plant?

That may sound like an easy question to answer but it isn’t. There are almost as many different definitions as people you ask. Our environment is an extremely elaborate system, with endless inner connections between its parts and that makes it impossible to speak in generalizations. Climate change is also affecting nativity as plants are beginning to move because of rising temperatures. 

Echinacea, Coneflower
Definitions will always vary depending on the way people or groups of people want to interact with nature. However, most people accept the idea that we are talking about plants that were here before the European colonization (approximately 1500) of North and South America.

Baptisia, Blue False Indigo

There will always be at least slight variations in plant populations from place to place. That is why conservationists and habitat restoration workers try hard to use local ecotypes. An ecotype is a subgroup of a species and the more closely you can match your plant material to a specific site, the better they will grow and support local wildlife. This effort to preserve not only native species but also the natural diversity within a species is commendable work indeed and we applaud them.

Symphyotrichum, Smooth Aster

At American Beauties Native Plants our definition is this: “We define natives as straight species and their cultivars, with cultivars being selections of straight species that have not been hybridized with other species.” A cultivar is a plant that has been selected and cultivated because of some unique quality it has such as: disease resistance, cold hardiness, height, flower form or color. Sometimes interesting varieties are found in nature and brought into cultivation making them cultivated varieties or cultivars.            

          

Trillium, White Trillium

The fact that many breeders are patenting and trade marking plants often leads to confusion about the term cultivar. The definitions can get quite complicated but it isn’t necessary to become a taxonomist to enjoy native plants. The idea behind the American Beauties Native Plants brand is to help people identify what plants are native in their area and to make it easy for them to incorporate native plants into their landscapes and attract wildlife. That’s why we partnered with the National Wildlife Federation. We are proud to support them and work together to encourage gardening for wildlife. Gardening after all is about enjoying life, all life!

Aquilegia, Columbine

.

Other definitions include:

“All indigenous, terrestrial, and aquatic plant species that evolved naturally in an ecosystem.” - US Forest Service

“Native plants should be defined as those that have evolved and adapted to a specific location and have remained genetically unaltered by humans.”  - Wasowski in The American Gardener”

“A plant that lives or grows naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention.” - USDA and US National Arboretum

Giving Back

Support the National Wildlife Federation. A portion of the proceeds from every plant sold goes supports NWF educational programs.

American Beauties partnered with the National Wildlife Federation in 2005. A portion of the proceeds from every plant sold goes to the NWF. As of January 1^st, 2013 American Beauties Native Plants has been able to give $198,047 back to the National Wildlife Federation to fund children’s educational programs. That’s something we can all be proud of. You can make a difference - today!

Bringing Life to your Garden!

Have fun out there,

Peggy Anne

Hot Hot Hot

The heat is on! Summer has officially arrived and we are feeling it here at Gateway. Before this small storm, it was hot hot hot here at the garden center and our plants were ready for their drinks. In this heat, we are extra cautious about the attention we give our plants. The moisture leaves much quicker in temperatures like today's than cooler days. Our plants are still in their pots so they require even more care but don't think that just because your plants are in the ground that they are safe from the heat! Newly planted material needs its moisture as the ground it's in dries out under the hot summer sun.

When it comes to gardening in hot and dry conditions, many of us face obstacles in striving for the picture perfect plant. Hot and dry conditions aren't the best conditions for a lot of plant material so when the heat is on, know that there are ways to not only maintain your gardens when the heat comes but to help prevent damage that could be caused. We will list a few ways below.

-Block your garden beds from the wind. Plant a few trees or construct some kind of barrier to deflect some of the wind that could dry out the soil quicker and even damage sensitive plant stems.

-Don't over water! This is seems like an odd warning to give when talking about hot and dry conditions but it's true. People tend to overcompensate and do not allow their plant material to breathe! The majority of plant material want to cycle through drying and wet stages. How do you know you ask? Dig into the soil a couple of inches. If it's still moist, no need to water but if it's dry, bust out the hose!

-Size matters. Consider what you can manage. Think about the amount of plants you are planting and where they're going. Planting a lot of new stuff that is scattered throughout your property could increase the chances of missing pieces!

-Mulch. You know why. Moisture in. Weeds down. Looks good.

-Pick your plants wisely. Native species adapt to the conditions much better. Also, be careful of what you pair together in a bed. Try to plant specimens that enjoy similar conditions.

When it gets hot and dry, no need to cry, your garden can still look spry! Come on in and enjoy some cold water while walking the grounds. We can help you out with your summer gardening efforts. We can't wait to see ya!

Shady Characters

 You know those plants. The ones that are hanging out in that dark corner. They don't like a whole lot of sun. They're outcasts in many gardens. They sit back and go unnoticed. They have a reputation of being dull and their living quarters are famous for being tough to makeover. Many people consider their shady spots lost causes when it comes to trying to add vibrant color combos. But fear not gracious gardeners, Nancy will help you find your way to brightening up that shady area!
Nancy will show you many of the lovely plants with beautiful texture and foliage color to make your garden sing with color! Bring your notebooks and pencils because you'll want to jot down the highlighted plants she selects to plan your shady spot.

This is a FREE workshop but space is limited so give us a call at (302) 239-2727 or stop in to reserve a spot today!

Mt. Cuba Center Inc.

For those of you who are from around the Hockessin area, you are probably aware of Mt. Cuba and their efforts. For those of you who are not from the area or are simply not too familiar, we would like to take the opportunity to highlight the great things they do and send our praises their way.

Mt. Cuba Center Inc. has hundreds of acres dedicated to the conservation of our native ecosystems. They seek to gain universal appreciation of the benefits of native plantings through wonderful educational opportunities and the most beautiful display gardens one could fathom.

They hold classes with subjects ranging from blooming meadows to dividing overgrown perennials. Various events are held on the premises with focuses on the flora and fauna of their forests and gardens. You can visit to check in on their Bluebirds or take a guided walk in the forest.

The display gardens are truly sights to behold! A few of the many viewing pleasures include luscious lilacs, terrific trilliums, and a dashing dogwood path! Their trial gardens are experimenting with different plants to test not only their ornamental value, but their disease and pest resistance as well.

We recommend you take a walk around the gardens and look into their educational opportunities to make yourself a well rounded gardener! A link to their website is provided below.

http://www.mtcubacenter.org/

How to Build an Ark

All the gardeners I know are weathermen wannabe’s. We all check our rain gauges like we check our iPhones and morning talk around water cooler is always about the weather “ Did you know we broke the 118-year record for state wide rain fall yesterday?” We really did. So even though the weather in Delaware is perfect today, I’m still going to build an ark or maybe a rain garden.

 

Residential Rain Garden

We live on top of a little hill so when I ventured out to get the mail yesterday it looked like our street had turned into a river. It was amazing to see how much storm run off there was. So, what’s wrong with that you might be asking. Storm water runoff is considered one of the main sources of water pollution in our nation. As the water runs off it becomes polluted with things like: oil, salt, fertilizer, pesticides and pet waste. Most of the time that water isn’t treated and runs right into our ponds, lakes and rivers.

Another Lovely Example

 There are many things you can do to help curb rain- and snowfall runoff, no pun intended. Collecting water in rain barrels is a great way to start. If you need to replace your driveway like we do, think about replacing concrete or asphalt slabs with pavers. Water can seep down into the spaces between the individual pavers, thus reducing the amount of runoff. Last but not least, think about installing a rain garden.

 

Large Scale Project Called a Bioswale

A rain garden is a natural or manmade depression filled with moisture loving, native plants. It is designed to capture runoff water from impervious surfaces like roofs and driveways. The water that collects will be filtered and absorbed back into the ground in one or two days. It will not always have standing water like a pond. Building a rain garden will help you keep runoff to a minimum. Besides that, they are beautiful and provide habitats for birds, beneficial insects like butterflies and maybe even a frog or two. Best of all, you won’t have to mow it!

Bringing Life to Your Garden!

Have Fun Out There,

Peggy Anne

Click here for Rain Garden Designs from American Beauties Native Plants

Early Summer Beauty

 

     All hope is not lost for those of you looking for some beautiful fillers for those empty spots or the spots that just did not work out through the spring. The dead heat of summer has not approached us yet so there is still a safe window of planting. We are taking care of these nice selections but they want homes of their own! Pick up some day lilies or some hydrangeas...they'll be thanking you and will be honored to provide some color to your gardens! Take a look at some of these plants below to get just a small taste of what's in bloom this time of year here at Gateway.

Summer Container Workshop

Does all this cool rainy east coast weather have you in a gardening slump? Too much moisture and not enough sun and heat can be tough conditions for us gardeners. A good way to get your garden fix and avoid the conditions (to some extent) is to spruce up your container gardens! Containers that drain well can help beat the swampy conditions we have been experiencing. So, bring your pots under cover and get to work on these rainy days! The work you put in now will provide you with beauty to enjoy once the skies clear. Who wants to spend a beautiful day working? Put the work in now and spend the nice days enjoying the scenery!

Oh, by the way, if you're wondering what to plant in your summer container or how to maintain/spruce up what you already have, we can help you out this Sunday during our summer container workshop from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Amelia and Susan will show you how to create chic combinations for your sunny or shady containers. The cost for the workshop is $10.00 which includes potting soil and mulch. Be the trendsetter in your neighborhood! Space is limited so reserve a spot today by calling us at (302) 239-2727 or stop in.

Good luck and happy gardening!

Ribbons in the Landscape

Twenty-five years ago when I was studying horticulture in the Netherlands I took a class in roadside maintenance. I thought it was going to be duller than watching paint dry. But, I was very much mistaken. I remember reading the book Linten in het landschap (Ribbons in the Landscape) and my thought pattern was transformed. I had no idea that by adjusting mowing cycles and maintenance routines, you could encourage both native flora and fauna. How had I missed it? With a bicycle as my sole means of transportation I had been riding through these ribbons every single day

Fast forward to today. I just read an article called Green Highways: New Strategies To Manage Roadsides as Habitat by Richard Conniff. “From northern Europe to Florida, highway planners are rethinking roadsides as potential habitat for native plants and wildlife. Scientists say this new approach could provide a useful tool in fostering biodiversity.” 

In Florida agriculture is second biggest revenue stream in the state and there are roughly 100 crops that rely on pollinators. The fact that feral honeybee populations have dropped more that 50% in the last half century is serious business. Florida DOT manages 186,000 acres of land that are either next door to or one lot away from almost every farm in the state. A $90,000 study to determine how changes in the DOT mowing regimen might benefit roadside pollinator populations is now underway.

In Iowa, there is little left of the original prairie habitat. Farmers who used to set land aside under the federal Conservation Reserve Program have withdrawn more than 1.5 million acres in the last 5 years to try and cash in on the market for ethanol. The tripling of herbicide use since the introduction of Roundup Ready corn and soybeans has eliminated milkweed and other native species and that’s caused monarch butterfly populations to crash, says University of Kansas ecologist Orley Taylor. 

The idea of attracting wildlife to roadsides isn’t one-dimensional of course, and safety issues need to be heard, as do pollution concerns with storm water ponds.  But, at least, the discussion is beginning. When you look at the big picture like this it can feel overwhelming but it isn’t hopeless. Many of these decisions about roadways will be made at the county level so, there is chance for you to be heard. We can also begin to create way stations for plants and animals in our own backyards and create our own beautiful ribbons running through our neighborhoods.

Bringing Life to your Garden!

Have fun out there,

Peggy Anne

Picture Perfect Pond Plants

We love our pond section here at Gateway. We think that every area has its own special attributes but it seems that the pond area is just so serene on both sunny and rainy days.

On the sunny days you get to walk around all of the ponds and take in the sights of the blooming beauties. You can stroll by our fish tanks to look at the tadpoles, snails, and the many varieties of fish.

On the rainy days, it's all about the sound effects. The rain drops hitting the lily pads and the surrounding water is sweet music to your ears. The rain drops sitting on top of the lily pads are a sight to see when the rain breaks for a bit.











If you look closely, you can spot some of our wild friends who like to hang out among the plants. They like to dance and sing so if you catch them at the right moment, it is truly a spectacle to behold.

We have everything your pond desires. Plants, pumps, animals, statues, filters, and so much more! Come and pay us a visit, we would love to show you around!

Orchid Workshop

     The workshop is booked full for this Sunday, June 9. The response we received was outstanding and we wish we could accommodate more of you! The topic must be on everybody's mind and we are glad that we can help some of you through your orchid issues.

     There are thousands of different kinds of orchids to choose from. Each has its own little quirks but we have some advice that will hopefully make all of your orchid woes go away!

     If you are new to growing orchids or are thinking about trying them out, this is the workshop for you! Tiffany will discuss how to promote healthy growth and cover ten easy tips to take the mystery out of getting them to re-bloom.

If you didn't reserve a spot, no need to worry. We are always more than willing to answer any questions you may have about your orchids. We will try to offer you any advice that we can to help you in your efforts. You can ask us in the comment section below, give us a call at (302) 239-2727, or stop in and see us!

 

   

Gateway Grown

          There is more to Gateway than most of you know! Not only do we have our beautiful retail garden center for all of you to pick those special plants out but we have a nursery where we grow some of our own perennials and annuals. It is a wonderful opportunity to provide our customers with high quality plants. We stand by all of our plants but the ones we grow we know were nurtured from the get go.

     We bring them in as tiny little plug size starter plants and carefully grow them to our high standards. We use a special blend of potting soil and pot up each plug by hand. No machines here! Once we have them all neatly potted up, they are placed in our greenhouses where they enjoy some sun or shade, depending on what their preference is. We keep a close eye on their behavior and do our best to fulfill their needs and desires. We have irrigation systems set up and we regularly fertilize to ensure nice full plants!

  Stop in to check out the plants we grow and see the difference!