Innehållsförteckning för Spring 2025 från Garden Gate

It’s time for a fresh start! Forget January 1. Spring is when gardeners resolve to finally divide the irises, paint the fence, stay ahead of the rabbit damage and stick to the shopping list at the garden center. One of my favorite local nurseries opens for the year on April 15, and while I try to wait until I won’t have to protect tender plants outdoors, if I wait too long to shop, there won’t be as many choices. Fortunately, it’s close enough to make several trips, even if I tell myself that the early visits are for reconnaissance only. (As if it’s possible to leave a garden center empty handed!) Before you peruse the aisles this spring, check out the plants in this issue. There’s something for everyone. After…

Hosta Hosta spp. and hybrids Hosta is a shade gardener’s best friend. With thousands of cultivars to choose from in a wide range of sizes, shapes and foliage colors, it offers endless ways to keep your borders fresh and exciting. WHERE IT WORKS BEST Most people grow hostas for their amazing leaves that make an eye-catching accent or subtle backdrop for shade-tolerant annuals and perennials. Hosta flowers have a lot to offer too. Their trumpet-shaped blooms give hummingbirds a reliable food source, and some varieties even have a sweet fragrance. HOW TO GROW IT A spot in full to part shade is the best place to grow hosta. Those with green or gold foliage tolerate more sun than blue-leaved varieties do. But six or more hours of sun each day…

If you’re searching for a shrub that can do it all, look no further than viburnum. Some types sport dramatic snowball-like flower clusters and steal the show in spring like the impressive Chinese snowball at left. Others’ flat-topped blooms give way to colorful berries and foliage. Whether you’re looking for a striking focal point or an anchor for a mixed border, there’s probably a viburnum to complement your garden style. Hardy and reliable, many species are resistant to deer and rabbits, drought tolerant, and even able to thrive near black walnut trees. Once you grow a viburnum, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without one. (Or you may start expanding your collection!) CARING FOR VIBURNUMS Most viburnum species thrive in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil.…

1 No-Show Seedlings Seeds planted outside when the ground is too cold often fail to germinate and may rot in wet soil. SOLUTION Before sowing seeds, use a soil thermometer. Insert the probe into the soil 1 to 3 inches deep and give it a few moments to get an accurate read. Do it in the morning for three days in a row to determine an average. Cold-tolerant crops can be planted when the soil is 45 degrees F, while crops like corn or beans need at least 65 degrees F. Consult a seed germination temperature chart, like ours using the code at left, to find the ideal range for your crops. 2 Wet Soil Woes When early spring rains or melting snow leave the ground saturated, stepping into a…

Bring On Spring! GardenGateMagazine.com How to Buy the Best Plants at the Garden Center Let us show you how to find the healthiest plants and good bargains. Easy Spring Container Ideas Brighten up entries and patios with containers full of cheery blooms and fabulous foliage. How to Direct Sow Seeds Outdoors This may be the easiest of all the seed-starting methods. Let us help you get started! DIY Rain Barrel Looking for your next garden project? Try this rain barrel made from a heavy-duty trash can. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Get smart seasonal garden tips and design ideas delivered to your inbox every week in our newsletter, Garden Gate Notes. Sign Up Online: GARDENGATENOTES.COM Plant Perennials in Four Easy Steps Give your perennials a strong start with our…

DIY Hummingbird Nectar Recipe 1 part granulated white sugar to 4 parts very hot or boiling water Pour the water over the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Cool, then fill the feeder, storing leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week. At the Feeder: ☑ Choose small feeders These tiny territorial birds get feisty when it comes to food, so hang several small feeders instead of a single large one. Space them 10 to 15 feet apart and 4 to 5 feet above the ground. ☑ Keep feeders clean Wash the feeder every 3 to 5 days with hot water and bottle brush. More frequently when temperatures are above 90 degrees F. ☑ Shade helps Nectar spoils easily in full sun, so position feeders in spots that get…

When you walk through the woods in early spring before the trees leaf out, you may be delighted to see lovely wildflowers blooming before anything else is even up and growing. These spring ephemerals are often woodland natives. They grow under deciduous trees and take advantage of the sunshine by blooming, setting seed and completing their life cycles before a full canopy of leaves shades the area. Flowers are fleeting, but fascinating. Bees, beetles and ants rely on them for early food, pollinating along the way. While only briefly in the garden, these short-lived flowers have a big impact while they last. The great thing is, you can also grow these in your garden. Spring ephemerals don’t need deadheading or pruning—just plant them in the ground and they’ll do their…

Q Robins built a nest on my porch near the doorway. Can I move the nest, or should I leave it alone? Anne Marie Byrnes, CT A The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 makes it illegal to move an active nest of a North American native species, which includes robins. Once the fledglings leave, you can remove the nest and block off the spot with a screen or piece of wood. However, invasive introduced species, such as house sparrows and European starlings, can be moved at any time. Q My weeping pussy willow tree isn’t getting taller, but the branches are growing to the ground. Do I cut that growth back? If yes, when? Perry Smith, OR A Your weeping pussy willow tree (Salix caprea) is grafted. The…

“Spring is made of solid, fourteen-karat gratitude, the reward for the long wait.”— Barbara Kingsolver Since I was a teenager and read Summer Sisters by Judy Blume for the first time, I have wanted to vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. A few summers back, I convinced my family that we should drive cross country and spend a week on the island. It was everything I hoped it would be and more, because Judy Blume would never steer me wrong. We did all the island things. We ate lobster rolls, jumped off the Jaw’s Bridge, picked up fresh seafood for dinner at the Menemsha Fish Market, ate our weight in ice cream, and may have accidentally stumbled upon the clothing-optional stretch of Moshup Beach (sans kids, thank goodness). HYDRANGEA LOVE But the…

Looking for a way to handle tricky potting tasks without breaking delicate leaves or poking yourself on prickly plants? Ellen found an old funnel helps her add potting mix beneath plant leaves without damaging the plant.— Ellen Wubbels, IA Terra-Cotta Top Dressing Patti Kitsch, PA Don’t toss those broken terracotta pots! Patti repurposes them as top dressing for her container plants. The porous shards absorb excess water but dry out quickly, helping prevent moisture from lingering against the plant’s leaves like some mulches can. They also insulate the soil, keeping it cooler on hot summer days, all while adding a rustic look. Patti uses a small ball-peen hammer on a hard surface to break up old pots into smaller shards and always wears safety glasses for protection. Allium Stakes Sandra…

During spring and early summer, everything in the garden looks fresh and new—not yet tangled and weathered. It’s easy to see an individual plant’s habit and branching patterns, with leaf shapes more evident. Large, solid leaves command attention and visually make a space seem smaller. In contrast, fine, petite foliage seems to recede, creating an open, spacious feeling. Grassy or swordlike blades lend exciting vertical lines. When combined, this patchwork effect of varied plant shapes gives a garden depth as light and shadows play amid the greenery. A garden with good texture is eye-catching, even if there are no flowers in bloom. The three gardens featured here use captivating patterns and subtle colors to create inspiring plantings in sun or shade. Layered Landscape Terracing on this slope helps to slow…