Butterflies Flutter By

The small meadow in our backyard is a butterfly paradise.

I can hardly believe it’s nearly August. I took a walk yesterday, looking for inspiration and I found yellow swallowtails, lots of them I’m happy to report. We have a small meadow and they seemed to be everywhere at once, hanging on Silphium blossoms at perilous angles and flying around each other in little circles. I may not always like the heat but high summer is a great time for butterfly watching and the perfect time to start working on your butterfly garden. Take advantage of late season sales and make sure you have nectar plants to help the monarchs that will begin their migration soon. Here are a few thinks to keep in mind.

Swallowtail butterflies love Rattlesnake Master
and coneflower - so do I!

Plant in Full Sun – Many flowering plants thrive in full sun and butterflies need warm temps to warm up their bodies.

Plant Native Plants – If you aren’t sure which plants attract butterflies you can search here.

Plant in Groups – It makes it easier for butterflies and other pollinators to locate nectar plants if you plant them in groups of three or more.

Plant Host Plants – Butterflies need specific plants to lay their eggs on. Here is a list of host plants from the United States Botanic Garden. 

Don’t Use Chemicals – Pesticides kill butterflies, caterpillars and other beneficial insects.

When you add native plants to your garden to attract butterflies you’ll be attracting hummingbirds too. Hummers love the same bright flowers and will be looking for their nectar just like butterflies. If you leave the spent flowers, you’ll be attracting birds. Many small birds like finches love to dine on the flower seeds. If you have children, there is no better way to get the Xbox out of their hands and introduce them to nature.  Take them on a trip to the garden center today and see what’s flying around. You just can’t lose!

Bringing Life to the Garden

Have Fun Out There!

Peggy Anne

Hibiscus

     The hibiscuses are bursting with their dinner plate size blooms in a wide range of colors. Pinks, reds, whites, and combinations are lining our front shelves right now. The blooms are so fantastic I had to take some pictures and highlight two of my favorite varieties. 

'Jazzberry Jam' Hibiscus

- 7' wide x 5' tall at maturity 

- hardy in zones 4-9

- fast growing

- bloom size = 10"

- full sun exposure

- good for both wet and dry spots 

- attract butterflies

- native to U.S.

'Blue River II' Hibiscus

- full sun exposure

- 4' wide x 8' tall at maturity

- attracts butterflies and hummingbirds

- blooms midsummer to early fall

- looks great in mixed perennial or shrub plantings

Suburban Ecosystems

Our precious land is being developed at an alarming rate. We all know this is true whether you're for, against, or don't really care about development. Regardless of your point of view, I think we can all agree that our local ecosystems are fragile and that we need to do everything in our power to help sustain or improve them. Most of us are not the ones making the choices to build a neighborhood or a shopping mall so most of the time we have to manage the situation we are dealt. This means we have to maneuver around obstacles sometimes to promote healthy ecosystems. We don't all have to plant hundreds of trees to make an impact (even though that would be awesome!). There are small simple things you can do at home to help your area and in effect help the surrounding area.

-Direct rain water to plantings in your yard to avoid frequent hose watering.
-Plant trees to shade your house and block wind which will lower your energy usage and bills.
-Scale down your total lawn area by making more planting beds. More lawn = more grass to cut = more fuel usage = more harmful emissions.
-Planting native plants reduces the probability of pest and disease issues which will decrease the amount of chemical controls. Birds will love them too!
-Test your soil and add necessary nutrients to promote growth.
-Incorporate water into your landscape to invite more wildlife into your ecosystem. Flowing water provides a great sound for both you and for the critters as they get a drink or take a dip.
-Plant for function to truly enjoy the space and reap the rewards! Grow your own food. Make it an area to entertain. Landscape it to be a play area for the kids. Photograph and document the beauty!

There are so many ways to make your landscapes beneficial to the environment. Not only will you be helping the surrounding ecosystems but I bet you'll have a good time doing it and, in the end, enjoying the hard work!

Workshop: Bonsai 201

Pretty cool huh? Well, you could be on your way to achieving something similar after taking Bonsai 201 with professor Sandy! Read the description below from our website.

July 28, Gateway Garden Center

Sunday Noon to 1:30

This workshop will apply the information that Sandy covered in Bonsai 101.  The workshop will begin with a discussion of Bonsai soil mixtures. You will select from 3 different types of plants, either deciduous, coniferous or flowering, then work on your plant with Sandy's guidance.  He will cover pruning, training techniques, long-term care, re-potting at the proper time for the type of plant selected (spring or fall), and offer ideas to make the display more interesting.  Sandy will also demonstrate wiring techniques, and Bonsai pots and soil will be available for purchase.  The actual varieties of the Bonsai plants will be subject to availability. Participants will need to bring scissors, pruners, and wire cutters.

Prerequisite: Gateway’s Bonsai 101 workshop, or some prior bonsai knowledge. Please call us if you have questions.

The cost depends on particular plant the participant chooses, and start at $15.00.

This workshop will be held outside.  If rainy weather is in the forecast the day of the workshop, please call us that morning for more information.

We'll see you there!

The Winner is - Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' - and the crowd went wild!

Northwind Switchgrass

Each year the Perennial Plant Association (a trade association composed of growers, retailers, landscape designers and contractors, educators) chooses an exceptional perennial plant to promote. It’s sort of like the Emmys for horticulture. The 2014 winner was just announced and it is an outstanding native grass called Northwind Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'.) It has a strong, upright form with steel blue foliage that looks fantastic in the border or in a meadow. It can be used for mass plantings or erosion control and it’s drought tolerant to boot. It also provides excellent cover and food for ducks, upland game birds, songbirds and small mammals.

Threadleaf Bluestar

This got me thinking about how many other Perennial Plant Association winners fell into the native category. Looking back just ten years I found four winners and two “almosts”. The 2011 winner was Threadleaf Bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii). This plant is tough as nails but delicate in form. Light blue flowers adorn the plant in May and June and it steals the show in autumn with pure yellow fall color.

Blue False Indigo

In 2010, Blue False Indigo(Baptisia australis) took the honor. Tall blue spikes of flowers resemble racemes of lupines in May and early June. Charcoal black seedpods follow and are valued in dried flower arrangements. Plant them in cottage gardens, prairie gardens and meadows. It is also A host plant for a wide range of butterflies.

Black-eyed Susan

Now come the “almosts” Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldstrum’) 1999 winner and Mangus Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea ‘Mangus’). 1998 winner.  The species of both these plants are terrific native plants for your sunny border, especially  if you want to attract hummingbirds, butterflies and birds.

Mangus Coneflower

Last but not least, is the 1996 winner Tall White Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red)  It sports burgundy-red foliage and stately stems covered in white blossoms. It's a favorite of butterflies and songbirds.

Tall White Beardtongue

It’s not surprising that when you look at plants that have won awards that a significant number of them are native plants and their cultivars. Plants that have evolved to grow in your area are not only adapted to the weather and annual rain fall, they also add biodiversity to your garden by attracting all of the wildlife that has evolved with them. One thing is for sure, all of these plants, even the “almosts” would make a fabulous addition to your garden.

Bringing Life to the Garden

Have fun out there!

Peggy Anne

How to Recover your Garden from a Storm

What a storm last night! I got home after punching out at the garden center and was inspired (for some unknown reason) to clean up my tomato plants (now the neighbors have a little less to talk to about). It was pretty nice out. The sun was on its way down bringing the temperature with it. I was in a good place to say the least. I even branched out to other plants because I have an addiction to weeding and deadheading my plants. When all was said and done, I felt accomplished and it was a great way to end a productive day. I put the plants to bed and went indoors for the rest of the night. An hour later I thought a pipe burst as the sound of water came down upon the house like a waterfall! Out of nowhere the strong storm surged through our area with rain and wind knocking my plants back and forth. I made it through the night but I'm not sure how well my plants fared. I'm not looking forward to going home today to see the potential damage. But thinking about it inspired me to write a quick to do list for storm damage recovery in your garden.

1) Take a deep breath and tell your self everything is going to be okay.

2) Grab your wheel barrows, gloves, rakes, pruners, etc.

3) Clear out all debris to make it easier to assess the situation.

4) Decide if it's manageable by yourself, if you need a small crew (friends & family), or if it's worth hiring a company to take care of it for you.

5) If you decide to hire someone else then you can stop reading and go about your day. Have a good one!

6) You're now dedicated to fixing it yourself so we're in this together now!

7) For broken branches of trees, simply prune the broken limbs back and trim the rough edges with a sharp knife so it will evenly heal.

8) Unreachable damaged foliage can remain and will be pushed out as new growth occurs.

9) For other foliage and damaged plants that you can reach, up to one third of the plant can be removed without high risk of killing the plant entirely. So bust out the pruners and get to work but keep an eye on how much you're doing. Take a mental picture or even a real one to compare sizes as you go.

10) When you're done pruning, mulch might be necessary since some may have washed away depending on your situation. Plus, a fresh layer of mulch makes everything look better so it could put your mind at ease.

11) So you're clean up is done and repairs are made where needed so now it's time to sit back, relax, grab a drink, be proud, and wait...

12) Be patient! Imagine how you feel after a workout or an unfortunate fall. It takes time to recover and plants need that time too.

So if your plants aren't looking so hot after the storm last night, don't worry! Do your research and be confident that you can make most of the repairs yourself! You can give us a call on our crisis support line at (302) 239-2727 or you can stop in and vent all of your troubles. We're here for you!

Deadheading

It's deep into July and let's face it, some of our gardens are not looking their best. The July heat can be tough on a lot of plants and even if you stay on top of the watering game, browning foliage and flowers are inevitable. We all have our tricks for sprucing up the landscape this time of year. We can apply fresh mulch, clean up dead foliage, or maybe even replace a few things to freshen the area up. One of the best things to do to promote new flowers is to pinch or deadhead your plants. By deadheading your plants, you're promoting the plant to use it's energy to put out new flowers, foliage, or roots instead of cycling through seeding and fruiting which would happen if you were to let it go. If you are looking for more blooms this season, try deadheading the material that has the spent flowers on it. You'll be amazed at the results! For woody plants, deadheading won't cause more blooms within the season but it will encourage new growth and buds for next season. Is there a special technique you ask? Easy! Simply pinch off the dead flowers with your hand or use a pair of sharp pruners for harder stems to make a clean cut. We are doing it here at Gateway to ensure you have the best looking plants on your block!

Brotherly Love

Pot Man & Me

     Pot Man, for those of you who don't know, is a celebrity here at Gateway. He is made of terracotta pots, garden hose, nuts, bolts, washers, and a tree face. Pot Man's construction was one of my first projects when I started working at Gateway. I was a bit perplexed when I was asked to assemble a human looking figure out of pots and hose. The assembly was fairly simple but the time it took to measure out where each nut, bolt, and washer went made it a labor intensive task. During the time consuming process, I was thinking to myself that this better be worth it! 

    It took a couple of afternoons worth of work but when he was finally completed, I knew he was going to be something special. What a character! Since then he has cycled through displays throughout the garden center. He had some mossy boots one year and each Christmas he represents Santa donning a hat and some flashy decorations. He is a cool guy who adapts to any environment he is put in. With only a couple of broken pieces throughout the years and easy hair transplants, he is a low maintenance individual. Right now, in all of this heat, he is out front enjoying some wine on his whiskey barrel bar top table. 

     Pot Man likes company and is kind of an attention hog so stop in and see him. Maybe he will share some of his wine with you! Also, you can learn a little bit more about his construction and other possibilities to create using the same materials. I'm thinking Pot Man will need a Pot Man's Best Friend soon!

Happy Gardening,

Ben 

Got Wilkweed!

Carrie from North Creek in our shared booth at the OFA in Ohio

I’ve just returned from a trip to Ohio to attend and exhibit at the OFA Short Course a trade show for Horticulture Professionals. I always enjoy going to see what’s new and catch up with old friends. As expected the Echinacea are even wilder than last year and pot colors are vibrant and strong, a trend blowing over from Europe I believe. My favorite part is getting to talk with scores of garden center owners and employees. They are my eyes and ears at the retail level and keep me in touch with what consumers want. Business was brisk at the American Beauties Native Plants booth as more and more garden centers are seeing an increased demand for native plants.

 

Ben from Gateway was there too attending classes and checking out the latest trends

We shared our booth space with our good friends from North Creek Nurseries. They were honored at the Greenhouse Growers award ceremony as one of three finalists (in the whole country!) for Operation of the Year. Steve Castorani is the President of North Creek Nurseries, owns Gateway Garden Center with his wife Peggy and is co-owner of American Beauties. Congratulations to Steve and all the staff at North Creek!

Steve, Carrie and Kevin finalists for the Operation of the Year Award!
Maybe the best part of going away is coming home. It felt good to sleep in my own bed and to walk around the garden this morning with my cup of coffee. I feel recharged and fortunate to work in the horticulture industry. I also reaffirmed my faith in human beings. There are so many people out there doing the right thing for our environment and sharing those ideas with others. One lady walked by and called out “Got Milkweed!” I think we should make that into a t-shirt.

Bringing Life to your Garden

Have fun out there,

Peggy Anne

OFA Short Course Convention & Marketplace

So, if you have noticed, there has been a small gap between today's post and the last. I do apologize for that but, believe me, it's for a very good reason! I was lucky enough to be able to visit the OFA Short Course Convention & Marketplace in fantastic Columbus, Ohio. First, I would like to give you a little bit of history.

OFA stands for the original name of the Ohio Florists' Association. The organization started as a group of Ohio State University graduates who decided to meet each year to talk about current issues. This was in 1929. Things have changed a bit. Today, after many name changes, the branded intention is to recognize the organization as OFA - The Association of Horticulture Professionals. This change was necessary to incorporate all of what this organization stands for!

Garden centers, landscapers, growers, florists, merchandisers, advertisers, engineers, woodworkers, etc. Everything you could imagine that relates to horticulture in the slightest way is on display here at the convention. The individual booths fill up the entire convention center and there are deals being made along with some oohs and ahhs targeted at the new plants, equipment, pottery, etc. 

Not only is there the enormous convention, but there are classes held everyday led by some extremely knowledgeable speakers. The classes range in topics from insecticide usage in nurseries to end cap displays for garden centers. There are classes on advertising as well as florist focused ones. There were so many choices it was hard to limit myself to the ones I ended up choosing.

What classes did I choose you ask? Well, the best way to find out is to keep visiting Gateway and stay social with us as I implement the positive additions and changes that I have discovered here! Everything from product choices to displays, events to layouts, etc. It will make us an even better garden center and will provide an even better shopping experience for all of you!

Happy Gardening,
----- Ben

Whiskey Barrel Wonders

This is Gateway's version of a whiskey and water! Whiskey barrels can be great additions to gardens. They have a variety of uses including being used as planters, as small water gardens, or even as waterfalls like we made here. 

For a planter, simply cut the whiskey barrel in half (if you get one at Gateway, we have some cut already for you!) and fill half way with a mulch material to keep it light. If you fill the entire barrel with soil it will be too heavy to move and won't drain as well. We have a product called Pine Bark Nuggets that we use in our custom pots and they work wonders! Simply put, it is a very chunky mulch that is a great space filler. Once your lightweight space filler is in, cut a piece of landscape fabric to lay on top of the mulch. This will help keep the soil from draining through the space filler material. Then all that is left to do is fill up with your favorite potting soil (our favorite is from Coast of Maine and it's called Gardener's Gold) and plant! 

For a small, non-waterfall water garden simply take a half whiskey barrel, insert a liner, and fill up with water! If you plan to keep fish in it and are using tap water that could have various minerals in it, make sure to use a dechlorinator like our Aquasafe product to make sure the conditions are suitable for fish. When putting in your plants, you may want to put some of  the smaller potted ones on top of an upside down terracotta pot or a couple of bricks to elevate the plant to an appropriate height. Place it on your patio or deck and enjoy!

The waterfall is a fantastic feature to have in your backyard because of the great sounds it provides. The sound of a small waterfall mixed in with the bird and bug noises creates quite the symphony that will put your mind at ease! The whiskey barrel waterfall needs three halves. One for the water basin that is simply a half barrel with a liner in it. The next one you can flip over so it is upside down and is close enough to the other barrel that it touches it.The third barrel will need some modifications. The barrel will need to be to be cut at the top so it has room for the lip of the overflow waterfall liner to fit in to. Put the barrel on top of the upside down one and put the liner in it so the lip is over the first barrel. Find a pump (probably around a 350 gph) and about 7 feet of hose. The pump goes into the bottom barrel and the hose goes into the top barrel. You will probably want to attach the hose to the side of the barrel so it can be hidden a little better (we used screws and wires). Then fill it up, plug it in, and enjoy! 

If you would like more instructions or want to lay your eyes on some examples, stop in and we can go over this all together!

I have a Touch of Biophilia

My fix this week - short grass meadow studded with Asclepias on Martha's Vineyard

 I don’t think of myself as a hypochondriac but I do suffer from Felco Separation Anxiety and I think I have a touch of Biophilia too.

bi·o·phil·i·a – n

(Psychology) an innate love for the natural world, supposed to be felt universally by humankind

Harvard University myrmecologist and conservationist E.O. Wilson put forth the hypothesis that humans are hard-wired to need connection with nature and other forms of life. More and more studies are showing us the benefits of nature such as its ability to reduce stress, to aid recovery from illness, to enhance cognitive skills and academic performance, to aid in moderating the effects of ADHD, autism and other child illnesses. And, I would venture a guess that that it cures Nature Deficit Disorder in record time.

Our family lives have become so “busy” that we often forget to take time to smell the roses and I’m no different than anyone else. Let’s make a pledge that we make an effort to get out into nature this summer whether it’s a park or your own back yard and reconnect. I hope it’s contagious!

We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.

  ~Franklin Delano Roosevelt~

Bringing Life to Your Garden

Have fun out there,

Peggy Anne

Center-Punch Dwarf Crapemyrtle

It's getting to be that time of year that planting seems to take a backseat to other summer activities like beach going or barbecuing. It's time to enjoy your hard work that you did during the spring. However, it is also the time of year you notice that some plants might not be holding up in certain areas or in the summer conditions. You see those holes or soon to be holes and you will want to start planning for replacements or additions. If you are looking for that hardy plant that will bloom from summer to fall with vibrant color and an easy maintenance plant, look no further than at Center-Punch Dwarf Crapemyrtle. 

This plant is great! It should grow to be around four feet tall and three feet wide as long as it's in a nice sunny spot! It's a salt tolerant plant that will do well in urban environments. This South Jersey crapemyrtle shoots out six to eight inch long red flowers from summer till fall. In Fall, the foliage ranges from deep red to light orange and is quite a sight to see. What's even more nice about this dwarf variety is that little pruning is necessary. All you need to do is remove the dead wood in late spring. 

Stop in to check one of these exceptional plants out. There are many varieties of crapemyrtles on display back by our pond. We have plenty to choose from so there are numerous opportunities to dress up your garden now with some summer color!

4th of July Recap

The 4th of July is a big holiday in our small town. Hockessin holds neighborhood relay races in the morning where the neighborhoods in the area form teams and compete in running, throwing, and jumping events. It has been a great tradition and with the spirit this little town has, I see no end in sight. Other traditions are the parade in the afternoon and the fireworks at night. The fireworks are always a nice way to cap off the fun filled day and with much credit to the community for contributing funds so it can happen every year! The biggest event of the day has to be the parade that runs down Old Lancaster Pike. There are so many things to see! Antique cars, tractors, fire trucks, police on Clydesdales, local business' floats, and so much more continue to come down the road for the whole community to see.

We have a great time here at Gateway getting our floats together. It is a chance to let our creativity go beyond the garden and a great opportunity to hang out outside of the workplace. We try to come up with unique ideas each year that can somehow tie into using plants for the majority of the float. We have had The Wizard of OZ, Alice in Wonderland, and The Lorax, just to name a few. This year was great as it was a theme near and dear to our hearts...BUGS! Our goal was to not only impress visually but to educate the general public on how bugs can be good for our ecosystems. We had people dress up as bugs, we had plants everywhere, and our nursery golf cart/pickup was decked out to look like a butterfly. We have a great time putting in the work and seeing all the smiles and laughs when we roll by make it all worth while! 

If you missed the parade, here are some pictures... 

Escargot for Dinner?

I have never seen as many slugs in the garden as this rainfall record-breaking, wet year. I know that I am supposed to love all creatures great and small but I just can’t warm up to slugs and snails. It’s so disappointing to see your prized Hosta looking like Swiss cheese or to discover that tiny slugs have gotten to your strawberries first. Worst of all, you almost never even see the culprits. Slugs and snails are nocturnal and generally hide from the sun during the day. They leave irregular holes with smooth edges in flowers and foliage as their calling card. You will often see the shiny trail of mucus too. The eggs look like a small cluster of pearls and are found just below the soil surface.

The best plan to rid your garden of snails and slugs it to challenge them on several fronts. First of all, clean up any debris in the garden that they could be hiding under, rock piles, old wood, weedy areas and the like. Handpicking it is an extremely effective method if you do it on a regular basis. Go out to collect them just after dark with gloves and a flashlight. You can collect them in a bag and throw it in the garbage. Or, you could collect them in a bucket of soapy water and empty it in the compost bin after they’ve died.

Beer traps are successful but need to be refreshed every few days. You can make one by burying a small dish, like a yogurt container or half a plastic bottle in the ground so that the top is even with the top of the soil. Pour in the beer to within an inch of he top. The slugs are attracted to the yeast in the beer and will fall in and perish. Another home remedy that is often touted is the use of coffee grounds. The grounds wouldn’t be bad for your soil but alas; they won’t deter your slugs either. Sprinkling dry ashes and eggshells around plants is not very effective either. The ashes become moist too easily and eggshells get lost in the soil too quickly.

Copper barriers work very well but can be expensive. Copper reacts with the slimy mucus of the slugs and snails and gives them something equivalent to an electric shock. Copper foil (e.g. Snail-Barr) can be used on planter boxes, and pots, around raised beds or as collars around individual plants. Buy copper foil that is at least 4” tall so that you can press it into the ground part way.

There is a wide variety of slug and snail bait available. Baits that containing metaldehyde are most common but poisonous to dogs and cats!  Baits with iron phosphate (e.g. Sluggo and Escar-Go) are safe for use around children, pets, birds, fish and other wild life. Timing is important when using baits. Irrigate before applying to attract snails and slugs and put down the bait in the late afternoon or evening. In hot dry weather and cold weather, baiting doesn’t have much effect because snails and slugs are not active in those conditions.

Bringing Life to Your Garden

Have fun out there,

Peggy Anne 

Wet Weather Worries

This weather has been pretty tough on gardeners. Hot humid mornings with intense rain, wind, and thunderstorms scattered throughout the day. The obvious damages to your plant material is from the wind and hard rains beating your plants down. What a lot of us can miss is the quiet creeping problems caused by the moisture that doesn't seem to have a chance to dry up. Blackspot, leaf and fruit spot, fruit rot, late blight, etc. can all be a nuisance but rest assured, there is a way to treat them!

We have stocked up on products to help you in your efforts to fight the moisture born plant diseases! Today, we would like to highlight one in particular. The liquid copper fungicide from Bonide is a great product that we use ourselves. It can be used to control a wide range of plant diseases on flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The active ingredient is copper octanoate (copper soap) at .08%. 

The best time to apply is before the problem arises. How do you know you ask? Like most gardeners, who moonlight as weatherpeople, try to pay attention to the predicted forecasts. If there is a call for extended periods of moisture with no dry time, these fungal issues are more prone to pop up and by using the Bonide copper fungicide, you could help prevent it from happening! You will want to spray all plant surfaces including the underside of the leaves once every seven to ten days for as long as it takes to cure that nasty stuff! 

If you have any further questions, post them in the comments below, give us a call at (302) 239-2727, or stop in and pay us a visit! Good luck and happy gardening!