Indholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2020 i Garden Gate

We all have our own expectations for the fall garden. Are you looking for an entirely new scene filled with fall-blooming flowers? Or do you seek to appreciate summer plants’ transition from lush and lively to wizened and waning? I love to combine both. Nothing is more celebratory than seeing vibrant flowers against turning foliage and aging seedheads. Take advantage of these unique characteristics and play up the colors and textures the late season has to offer. LET SEDUM SHINE One plant to consider is tall sedum. Sure, we might relegate it as a filler plant, just a placeholder among other, showier flowers. But I have a few examples to show you how it can be a star performer in the late-season landscape. The thick, succulent leaves are key to…

Frame your art Press a few ½-in. staple gun staples into the back of the leaf while the concrete is wet. Then you can use mono-filament to attach a smaller sand-cast leaf to masonry mesh that’s secured to an old picture frame. Outdoor acrylic paint in earthy tones gives this sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) leaf a rustic look. The DecoArt ™ Patio Paint Outdoor ™ doesn’t require a sealer. Use leftover concrete Make a small catch-all dish for your desk with leftover concrete. To get this crisp ribbon of color, leave the hosta (Hosta hybrid) leaf in place when you spray paint the back and front edge. When you remove the leaf you’ll have a crisp line. This leaf was made using charcoal liquid concrete dye and spray paint. Critter deterrents…

Asymmetrical designs aren’t equally balanced — one side is usually larger or visually heavier than the other. Designs like this are dynamic and make a great focal point that adds drama wherever you place it.…

As summer sinks into fall, colors fade, foliage dries and seedheads ripen, and it’s easy for gardens to droop into dullness. But there’s one plant whose lush mound of foliage sits quietly all summer patiently preparing to release an anthem of gleeful and glorious flowers in the late season. To witness these buoyant beauties reaching skyward is heartening—and motivation enough to linger a little longer outdoors. The elegant, saucer-shaped flower of Japanese anemone is charming like its cousin, the spring-flowering windflower, and the wide, delicate petals are unlike most other fall-blooming flowers. It begins blooming mid- to late summer and can last for up to two months, often until the first frost. Look how ‘Whirlwind’ adds a playful touch when combined with ‘Henry I’ New York aster at left. The…

Migratory birds traveling long distances need food to fuel their flight. And hardy year-round residents require food to provide them with the energy necessary to survive winter’s cold and snow. Birds that migrate make their flights not on what they eat, but on what they have eaten. Before they depart from one continent on their way to another, they stuff themselves, building up significant reserves of fat. Songbirds actually double their body weight with this additional fat, which serves as their “gas tank.” As these birds prepare to make their marathon flights, they need food-rich stopover sites. And nonmigrating birds store fat during the short days of winter to keep warm during the long nights. Here’s a roundup of helpful tips and plants to help all our feathered friends as…

A sphere (from the Greek word sphaira for globe or ball) is any round geometric object in three-dimensional space. Cast in stone or shaped with shears, spheres definitely make a statement in any garden. That’s because the graceful shape of a circle has a calming and soothing appeal all its own. Globes don’t have to be large or dominate the space. Small ones can create contrast and elevate the design of a garden without taking up too much space. Shape living spheres by clipping small-leafed evergreens like boxwood into topiaries. Move your topiaries around depending on the season or where your mood takes you.…

Common fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus What it looks like There are a number of species of fleabanes. They all have numerous asterlike rays of typically white to pinkish petals (up to 1 inch in diameter) surrounding flat yellow disks. Common, or Philadelphia, fleabane blooms in spring. Spatula-shaped leaves clasp the stems, which reach about 30 inches in height. Where to find it A wildflower native to almost all parts of the United States and Canada, common fleabane is a perennial and prefers moist, disturbed areas, but it is not particular and tolerates clay. It occurs in roadside ditches, edges of marshes, fallow fields, open woods and vacant lots. How to get rid of it Since it spreads by reseeding, common fleabane may become weedy or aggressive in some regions or habitats…

If you can plant bulbs outside in fall, then you can plant them in a container, too! Start with a plastic nursery pot that fits inside a more decorative container. Add some soilless potting mix, then alternate layers of bulbs and the mix until you’ve filled the pot. (You’ll find bulbs that do well in containers in “Spring showstoppers,” below right.) Don’t worry about planting bulbs three times as deep as they are tall. In the illustration below, you’ll see how to place larger bulbs near the bottom, medium bulbs in the middle and small bulbs near the top. Dig a trench in the garden big enough to hold the nursery pot and a layer of leaves on all sides. In spring when the tree buds start to swell, uncover…

3-step fall lawn care Prepare your turf for winter now and you’ll have a gorgeous lawn next spring. It’s as easy as one, two, three. 1 Rake Clean up fallen leaves and dried grass. Decaying leaves can smother the grass and cause dead spots to develop. Add the leaves and grass to your compost pile 2 Mow For the last cut of the season, drop the mower blade ½ to 1 in. lower than where you had it for summer. Mowing lower on the last run reduces the chances of turf diseases. 3 Fertilize Fall fertilizing helps roots grow deep into the soil so your lawn can get off to a good start in spring. If you only feed your lawn once, now is the time. Apply fertilizer as the…

A pair of long-handled tongs makes planting bulbs with a bulb auger even easier: Bill removes clods of soil when the hole clogs, and he can turn bulbs right side up without having to bend all the way down.Bill Hosek, IA Name in lights Judith Baynes, MA Have some fun with this garden word board idea. Judith came up with this creative way to use a piece of plywood and rope lights to write simple messages to garden visitors or for her own personal enjoyment. Drill screws every 3 to 4 inches into a grid pattern on a piece of plywood that’s 3 to 4 feet wide. She calls this “the template” Then wind rope lights on the grid to spell short words, numbers or shapes. Sometimes she greets visitors…

Using concrete, a few easy-to-find materials and a leaf from the garden you can create a birdbath that’s also a one-of-a-kind piece of art. And when you’re done with that you might want to make some more garden ornaments that are just as unique. I’ve made a lot of sand-cast leaves over the years. They’re simple to make, fun to decorate and can last for years if you’re careful—I still have one that I made 17 years ago. One trick I’ve learned is that while you can use plain old concrete, a vinyl patcher mix is better at picking up a leaf’s small details because of its finer texture. Everything you need to make a cast of one medium-sized rhubarb leaf (Rheum rhabarbarum) like the one at right is in…

Dahlias are late-season showoffs in the garden and the backbone of gorgeous fall bouquets like the one at right. That’s why I was so happy to visit Trout Lily Farm’s Michael Russo a couple of years ago. He’s been a floral designer and organic cut flower grower specializing in dahlias for more than 15 years and has some great tips for growing and arranging with them. Here’s what he shared with me: GROWING BASICS Dahlias, Michael says, grow best in full sun and well-drained soil so the tubers don’t rot. While regular watering is important, they don’t need a lot of fertilizer: He works a shovelful of compost into the planting hole in spring and that keeps plants growing strong. Dahlia tubers can go in the ground after the average…

In that somewhat narrow sliver of time between the close of summer’s floral show and winter’s reprise comes a most brilliant time of year. Tree-lined streets become flushed with fluorescent yellows and oranges, and the sound of migrating geese draws our gaze skyward. It’s a time to enjoy bonfires, late harvests and hosting one last family gathering outdoors to enjoy the garden. Stop for a moment and paint a mental picture of what a spectacular fall garden looks like. Vibrant fall foliage is in its prime while late-blooming perennials and shrubs with brightly colored fruits add to the fall follies. Earlier-blooming perennials like catmint and perennial sunflowers that you’ve taken the time to cut back earlier in summer reward you now with an additional round of blooms. Color-saturated fall landscapes…

PLATFORM FEEDER What is it? Also commonly referred to as tray feeders, these can sit on or right above the ground, or mounted on a pole, where the seed that falls fuels ground-feeding birds. A screen enables drainage from rain, snow and bird droppings. Because squirrels may get into them, some may have covers. Place them a couple of yards away from a tree or shrub to allow birds to escape predators. Who benefits? Sparrows, juncos, doves, blue jays and many other frequent ground feeders. HOPPER FEEDER What is it? Also referred to as “house feeders,” they are often most distinguished by a perching ledge. Many hoppers can contain several pounds of feed at a time, making them a convenient choice for the birder who has many bird feeders to…

There’s something magical about circles. They have, after all, been in our landscapes for thousands of years—just think of the stone rings of Stonehenge in England. Circles continue to shape our gardens today, both formal and informal. They may lie flat on the landscape, frame vistas, create doorways, or even appear in our gardens as three-dimensional spheres. Circles are a perfect fit in any garden. Designers depend on circles to define spaces and to break up the sharp lines of a garden. Circles can actually change the geometry of a space and your experience of it. That’s because circles are approachable and embracing, while squares and rectangles are more formal and businesslike. Circles have no sharp points. They always make sense. “Most gardens start out with straight lines and angles…

1 | Metalbird Art We love this American-made, stencil-like outdoor art that’s made of durable metal and is a breeze to install. Choose from a variety of birds — chickadees, cardinals (in photo), owls or even exotic ones. Each design includes a branch that doubles as a stake. Tap it with a hammer to secure the art to a tree or fence post to add an intriguing and refined look to your outdoor space. Metalbird, metalbird.com ($39.99 and up) 2 | ‘Yellowstone’ Hyacinth ‘Yellowstone’ adds an appealing new color to a flower family prized for its fragrance. The plump flower spikes of rich butter-yellow are accented by washes of darker yellow at the floret centers and on the petal flipsides. As the flowers age, the soft yellow fades to a creamy…

Hate replacing bulbs every fall? Choose some that will come back over and over again. Hybrid tulips are often short-lived, but here are five that will come up every spring, including the charming ‘Heart’s Delight’ , right. Daffodils and minor bulbs usually last for many years, so check out the daffodil list below, as well as the photos of smaller bulbs on the next page, for great spring color that you can plant now. Tulips that perennialize These tulips will bloom beautifully for many years to come. ‘Apricot Emperor’ Apricot-pink; 14 to 16 in. tall; early spring; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 ‘Big Chief’ Rosy pink; 14 to 16 in. tall; midspring; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 ‘Come Back’ Blood-red; 14 to 16 in.…

MATERIALS • 1 medium to large leaf • 1 50-lb. bag of sand • 1 10-lb. bucket of Quikrete® Vinyl Concrete Patcher • Water • Paint (get some ideas on the next page) • Eco-friendly sealer, such as AgraLife Kennel Seal • A sheet of plastic large enough to cover sand and concrete (this one’s an old shower curtain liner) TOOLS  Mixing tray for concrete, garden trowel, disposable gloves for mixing, garden pruners, plywood or large tray for holding sand, stiff-bristled brush, paint brush…

Staking dahlias keeps plants upright in the border and helps long flower stems grow straight. The most important thing to do is get the stake in the ground at planting time to avoid tuber damage later. It’s easy to provide one stake for each plant when you have just a few but as your dahlia collection grows, give Michael’s techniques a try. WHEN YOU GROW A CLUMP Have two dahlias share one stake that’s positioned between the planting holes. Tie it to the stake at 15- to 24-inch intervals using a loose figure-eight so the stake doesn’t rub the stem and cause damage. WHEN YOU GROW ROWS Pull Hortonova vine trellising (find it at johnnyseeds.com) between stakes at either end of a row. Adjust the height as needed. Roll it…

You’ve likely heard the expression “fall is for planting.” This isn’t just an advertising slogan. Warm soil temperatures, cool air and ample rainfall all promote strong root growth this time of year. As long as you plant at least six weeks before the ground freezes, trees, shrubs and perennials will have plenty of time to get established so they can burst forth with new growth the following spring. Fall weather is also perfect for dividing and transplanting the perennials in your garden and moving shrubs that need more space or a different spot. There are a few exceptions to keep in mind: broadleaf evergreens like rhododendrons and azaleas, butterfly bush, ferns and marginally hardy plants are risky to plant in fall, so wait until spring for those.…

Imposed on the landscape, circles contrast with more angular lines to form a pleasing geometric juxtaposition. Or, they can add a more intentional form to a naturalistic design. In gardens, a planted circle is often the centerpiece of an enclosed space or a pivot point to mark the convergence of pathways. Circles add visual interest by adding structure, leading the eye and connecting other elements. Circles can be full circles or they can be divided into segments and combined with lines to create tangents, like the water feature in the photo at right. Circles are a strong design form because the eye is always drawn to the center, emphasizing a focal point.…

‘Arabella’ clematis Clematis hybrid Perennial Blooms Large, upturned flowers begin deep-blue mauve and fade to a pretty pale blue up to 3½ inches across from summer to fall Light Full sun to part shade Soil Moist, well-drained Pests Leaf miners can be a problem Size 3 to 6 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide Cold hardy USDA zones 4 to 9 Clematis is the indisputable Queen of the Climbers. And for good reason. From dainty bell-shaped varieties to ones with great-big blowsy blossoms, there’s a clematis to suit most any vertical garden situation. But there’s a new clematis on the block that is not a climbing vine at all. A DIFFERENT SORT ‘Arabella’ clematis is a rambler rather than a climber (that’s because it doesn’t use its leaves like…

“You can never have too much of a good thing” is definitely true with these small flowering bulbs. The more, the better! In late winter a handful of the winter aconite at right is charming, and a carpet of them is breathtaking. You’ll often see these little guys referred to as “minor bulbs.” But what does that mean? To many of us, they’re small flowers that look great planted between large daffodils or tulips. But you’ll also find them in rock gardens and perennial borders. Better yet, let these long-lived bulbs naturalize, or multiply and spread, in grassy areas. They’re also great in containers — find out more about planting bulbs in containers on page 70. Whether you grow them in pots or in the ground, be sure to add…

Dig a trench If you’re doing a mass planting in a small area, plant bulbs in a trench like the one above. Dig out the area to the required depth (usually three times the height of the bulb) and set the soil aside in buckets or on a tarp so it’s easy to scoop back into place. Set the bulbs in the trench, then refill with soil. You can layer different types of bulbs, too. Put large bulbs like tulips or daffodils at the bottom. Add soil back in until the trench is the right depth for smaller bulbs. Pop them in and finish refilling! Drill and drop Love the look of bulbs scattered through your perennial beds or tucked around shrubs? A trench won’t work there, but that doesn’t…

The best protection Frost is predicted, but your annuals have never looked better, and you’d like to get a couple more weeks out of them. Do you cover them with an old plastic shower curtain or a cotton bed sheet? Fabric wins every time. Plastic transmits cold temperatures to plants wherever it touches them, and the leaves will “burn.” Fabric is a better insulator and even if it gets wet from the frost, it won’t conduct the cold. Uncover your plants after the danger of frost has passed.…

Lost Coast Plant Therapy Natural plant wash protection for your garden and house plants. Safe and effective plant based, organic, natural and non-gmo ingredients that work by suffocation and dehydration of soft body insects, mildew, mold and fungus. Get your 2 ounce free sample today! www.lostcoastplanttherapy.com WOW!® Supreme From Gardens Alive!® Stop weeds this fall before they start. This 2-in-1 lawn solution has a pre-emergent herbicide plus an all-natural, slow-release fertilizer that feeds your lawn all season long. Unlike most synthetic weed-and-feed products, there are no reentry restrictions with WOW! Supreme. People and pets may enter the area immediately after application. Apply WOW! Supreme once in fall and again in spring before new weeds emerge. For established weeds, try Iron X!™ Selective Weed Killer, which controls already growing broadleaf plants…