Rose Care

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Do your roses look as good or better then the following pictures?   If not, perhaps next year, or even this year yet, give them a scoop or two of Fertilome Rose & Flower Food.  I was always skeptical about using fertilizer, except for Miracle Grow, as a waste of money.  Well this spring when it was time to prune my roses, I put two scoops of this fertilizer by each rose bush and what a difference!   My roses, and I have about 15, all look wonderful this year and as of today, June 5th, they have started blooming.   I also used this same fertilizer around many of my perennials and they, too, are looking fantastic.  At first I was wondering why everything looks so good this year, then I remembered that I used this fertilizer.   Well from now on I am a believer and will be using this every spring and whenever else I think a flower needs a boost.  It is recommended to reapply every 30 days.   Stop in at Trees Today and pick up a bag of this fertilizer.  It is a systemic, meaning that it is taken up by the roots of the plant, PLUS it is an insecticide.

Fertilome Rose & Flower Food

 

Red Double Knock Out Rose

 

Pink Double Knock Out Rose

 

Niitty Gritty Yellow Rose

 

The Itoh Peony

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Have you seen the new Itoh peonies yet?  They are a cross between the tree peony and the common herbaceous peony.   The main differences are that the Itoh stems are much sturdier, the Itoh’s bloom for 3-4 weeks and can have 30-60 blossoms per plant and up to 6″ wide,  depending on the variety.   Itoh blossoms are exquisite, coming in more colors like yellow, apricot, coral, purples and then the usual array of pinks.  If Itoh flowers are protected from the hot afternoon sun, they can last as long as 14 days in your garden.  They are very fast growing, maturing to about 3 ft tall by 3-1/2 ft wide.  Planting in the morning sun is preferable although they can be planted in filtered to full sun.  The lush mound of Itoh foliage is another plus as it makes a nice looking shrub and often turn color in fall.  Deer generally avoid them.  It is recommended that for a real WOW, plant 3-5 in a cluster although one single specimen alone, or in a pot puts on quite the show also.   The downside is that they are more expensive then the herbaceous peonies, but once established they viturally are carefree and can last up to 50 years.  Consider them an investment.

 

Itoh Takara Treasure peony

Itoh Keiko pink peony

 

Itoh Cora Louise peony

Itoh yellow peony

 

Itoh Singing in the Rain peony

Itoh Julia Rose peony

Delosperma Alan’s Apricot Ice

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Delosperma ‘Alan’s Apricot

This hardier succulent is perfect for higher elevations and more northernly areas of the western US. An excellent, waterwise, flowering groundcover, with softs shades of pink, yellow, and apricot. A 2016 Plant Select® Winner. Evergreen.

Light:  Full sun
Bloom:  Late spring thru summer
Size:  2″ tall x 15″ wide
Zone:  4-10

Information courtesy Monrovia Nursery

Lenten Rose / Hellebores

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Hellebores, or Lenten Roses, typically bloom late winter or very early spring in Zone 4. They are among the very first flowers to bloom, sometimes around the time Lent starts, thus the name Lenten Roses. The foliage is thick and very low to the ground. Flowers are about 2″ wide and the thick foliage is pretty much deer and rabbit resistance which is good, as the foliage tends to stay green year round. When planting, it is important to keep the crown of the plant above ground. If the crown is planted below ground, there is a good chance the plant will die. Once established, hellebores live up to the sleep, creep and leap motto. The first year planted they do very little, the second year they are establishing roots, and the third year and beyond they really start leaping, providing tons of flowers. Plant them close to your house so you can appreciate their beauty. They will bloom even if there is snow on the ground.  A few of the Lenten Roses we carried last year are below:

          Cascade Picotte Lenten Rose
Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery

 

First Kiss Moondance Lenten Rose
Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery

 

Winter Jewels Black Diamond Lenten Rose
Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery

 

Forst Kiss Pennys Pink Lenten Rose
Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery

Christmas Decor

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Merry Christmas.  Stop in at Trees Today Nursery for all your Christmas greenery needs.  We have:  Christmas trees, balsam garland, spruce tops, boughs, swags, wreaths, porch pots and red dogwood branches.  Some items sell out fast, so if you want something in particular, we suggest you stop in soon.  Our hours have changed so make sure you check out the new hours on our home page.

 

Porch Pot 2022

 

Porch Pot 2022

 

Christmas Trees 2022

 

 

Cut back perennials in fall or winter?

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

We have prepared a chart for you in hopes it may help you determine which perennials you should cut down before winter.   If you still are uncertain, you can always “google” your perennial for more information.

 

Click on the “cut back perennials in fall or winter” below and the chart should appear.

 

Cut back perennials in fall or winter?

Fall Favorites

Posted on by Beth

Another growing season is almost in the books as we near the middle of October, but there is still time to plant. Here are a few fall favorites our staff highly recommend adding to the landscape. Check out the links for more information on these fall favorites!

Viburnums 
This plant definitely fits into almost any landscape. Great on their own or combined to create a hedge or screening, viburnums provide interest spring through fall. Flowers, fruit, and fall color are some of the attributes you can expect among the different varieties of viburnum available at the garden center.

Lo Scape Mound Chokeberry
Compact and sturdy plant. Dainty spring flowers precede a small fruit ideal for jams and jellies. Berries are persistent, making this plant a spectacular four-season interest plant.

Hydrangeas
Although recognized for their summer blooms, hydrangeas continue to bloom well into fall. Not only do they maintain their blooms late into the year, but their fall foliage is also worth their weight in gold.

Dwarf Burning Bush
Boasting brilliant red foliage, the burning bush will be the spotlight of your fall landscape! Neighbors and passersby will stop to enjoy the vibrant color this plant offers.

Grace n Grit Roses
There are many different roses at the garden center, but the current showstoppers are the Grace n Grit Roses. They are currently available in pink, pink-bicolor, red, and yellow. These plants are still covered in buds and waiting to bloom!

Stop by the garden center and let us introduce you to our favorite plants for fall! Maybe you too will find your new fall favorites!

 

Pumpkins Galore

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Have you done your fall decorating yet? Or need a pumpkin for Halloween carving?   We have pumpkins:  Colored, Warty and Large and Small.   Stop by soon, especially if you are after the colored ones as they are selling fast.   Enjoy fall with decorations that may include pumpkins, mums, witches, etc.  Also before you know it Halloween will be here, so get your carving pumpkin now.

September has Arrived

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Some of us are happy and some of us are sad to be leaving summer behind. How did your garden do this summer? Lots of mildew due to all the rain we had? The heat and torrential rains were hard on gardens this year. Some of us even had to deal with hail.

Currently roses are blooming, (after August 15 they should no longer be fertilized as they need to go dormant), asters are just beginning their fall show, Black Eye Susans are still blooming, and grasses are spectacular (especially the Shenandoah). Coneflowers are fading fast. Be sure to leave some dried coneflower heads on the stems for the goldfinches to eat over winter.

Were you satisfied with the way your garden looked this summer? If you feel it was missing something, it may be that your garden needs some shrubs. Monrovia Nursery says that experts agree that shrubs are essential to a beautiful garden design. If you are starting a new yard/garden, trees and shrubs should be the first things to be planted. It is also recommended to plant a couple evergreens, shrubs or trees, in your garden for winter appeal and for some summer texture. Also, your house will probably have more curb appeal if you add a few evergreens to the foundation plantings. So, take a look around your garden and if you need some shrubs, Trees Today Nursery has a multitude of shrubs. September is a great time to plant as they will have plenty of time to take root before winter. Come see us for some shrubbery ideas to make your garden look spectacular next year.

 

 

 

HYDRANGEAS

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Hydrangeas have become a top seller for many nurseries.  The newer generations are looking for color in their yard with easy maintenance.   Growers are steadily working on improving hydrangeas so that they blossom more and survive Zone 4 winters.   In the last few years several new varieties have been developed for our zone.  We currently have over 400 hydrangeas in stock, with about 20 varieties to choose from.   If you are unsure of what will grow best in your yard and location of the sun, please talk to the staff and they will put you in the right direction of the ones that will do best.   Following is a slideshow of some of our hydrangeas in stock.

 

Blue Enchantress

Pink Splendor

Seaside Fire Island Hydrangea
Photo courtesy of Monrovia Nursery

 

Berry White

Incrediball

 

 

Quick Fire

Vanilla Strawberry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twist & Shout

 

Summer Crush Hydrangea
Photo by Trees Today Nursery

 

 

Pink & blue hydrangeas
Photo by Trees Today Nursery

 

Sea of Hydrangeas
Photo by Trees Today Nursery

 

 

Spectacular Tiger Eye Coneflower

Posted on by Marietta Buchner

Almost every week we get in around 200 coneflowers.   They are our number one perennial seller.   Customers flock to get them as they really perk up a garden.   The colors they come in are amazing:  the purples, pinks, oranges, whites, reds and it seems like each week we get a new variety.  The one that really struck our eye in this last shipment is the Tiger Eye coneflower. It is just a wow orange with a rustic brown center.   This is a Zone 4 hardy and reaches 18″ tall and wide.   If you want one of these we advise you to stop in very soon as we are certain they will not be around long.

Tiger Eye Coneflower

Tiger Eye Coneflower