GMG's Friday Find: Welcome Pollinators to Your Backyard!

Don't bee fooled, we need bees. Just about every fruit and vegetable you can imagine is dependent on the pollinating services of bees.

Apple orchards, for example, need one colony of bees per acre to be adequately pollinated.  Honeybees contribute $15 billion in annual agriculture revenue to the U.S. economy alone, as a full one-third of the American food supply depends on them pollinating crops.

Yet sadly, the bees are dying.  Sometimes the answer is apparent, as in the bee die-off in Oregon last week where 50,000 bumblebees were sprayed with a pesticide to combat aphids on blooming linden trees. More often, the bee decline is subtle, precipitated by a lack of natural foraging, like native plants.  One thing is certain, bees and other pollinators are necessary for all seed and fruit production by flowering plants--the plants we need to survive. We can help the bees survive, so we do.

One of the things we can do is put a habitat hotel in our yard or garden to invite beneficial insects to rest and nest.  The shelter is not only a beautiful landscape accent, it is a welcome mat for pollinating butterflies and bees, as well as lacewings and ladybugs that help control insect pests.  Built specifically for these beneficials, this particular one also offers space for bird nesting materials. You can also encourage bees to nest with man-made bee condos made from bundles of hollowed sticks.

Cultivating native plants is crucial for the survival of our pollinators.  Using plants native to your area, and ones that bloom from early spring to late fall, is the best way to ensure the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds feel at home and continue working on what they do best--helping plant reproduction by the transfer of pollen among flowers.

Of course, the biggest offender to the bee population and other beneficial insects is pesticides.  For an all natural pest control, check out RESCUE!® products for their complete line of deterrents that work based on scientific research.  RESCUE!® products are eco-friendly, recyclable and kind to the environment.

Whatever small part we do impacts the larger ecosystem that nourishes us all.  When we take care of the bees and other pollinators, we contribute to the success of our food supply as well.  We'd love your thoughts on other ways to help our pollinator friends. Bee-cause it's not just important, it's vital.

~Peggy
Garden Media Group

Grains of the Desert Borderlands

During our recent Garden Writers Association Symposium in Tucson, AZ, we toured local gardens. Of particular interest to me was an organization whose mission is to "conserve ancient heirloom [seeds], strengthen local food systems, and educate communities about seed saving and sustainability.

Native Seeds/SEARCH, is a 30-year old non-profit dedicated to preserving the native crop diversity of the Greater Southwest. Founded by the "father of the local food movement", Gary Paul Nabham, the organization maintains a collection of nearly 2,000 unique crop varieties of aridlands, many rare and endangered, and brings conserving our heritage seeds into the news.

From "Seed School" that trains people to build sustainable local seed systems rooted in ancient traditions, to Seed libraries and the Heritage Grain Alliance, focused on revitalizing heritage grain production, Native Seeds/SEARCH, was a fascinating eye-opener and gratifying to visit.

As we toured the displays of seeds and collection of  plants collected from natural settings, we came away impressed and inspired by this small band of dedicated people working diligently to gather, safeguard and distribute seeds to farming and gardening communities.

Do you have a similiar organization near you or know of one that helps preserve crop heritage? If so, we'd love to know. And share your thoughts on this growing movement!

Lynne, Garden Media Group

For the love of birds in your backyard habitat

Ah, fall. A glorious patchwork of vibrant colors splashed like a sunset across landscapes. I'm a fall junkie. Love the changing leaves, hearty soups, fall bounty and harvest celebrations. Plus, it's a great time to plant before old man winter visits.

When planning your landscape, consider plants that provide habitats for birds and other wildlife that are integral players in the delicate ecosystem. 

The National Audubon Society suggests planting native plants that provide nuts, seeds, fruit and nectar.  Browse the site for shrubs, grasses, vines and trees that provide shelter and food sources for specific birds along with great tips and resources you and your family can enjoy together.

Chickadees, cardinals and finches love seeds found in coneflowers, asters, grasses, fir and maple. 

Yellow-rumped warblers and bluebirds will flock to fruit-bearing shrubs like elderberry, blueberry and pokeberry and hummingbirds hover for nectar around columbine, lobelia, Bee Balm and the new Bloomtastic! butterfly bushes Lavender Veil and Purple Splendor. 

Majestic trees like walnut, hickory, chestnut and oak provide shelter and nuts for nuthatches and more.

Prepare your garden now and you can have spectacular year round color and beauty and a perfect habitat for wildlife.

                                                 

Let us know your favorite birds and what you've planted to attract them to your backyard habitat

Lynne
Garden Media Group

photos: landscapes: American Beauties Native Plants; Bloomtastic! Buddleia Lavender Veil; Nuthatch: WikiCommons

Roof Top Gardens flourish from Hong Kong to Philly

Green roofs are springing up from Hong Kong to Philadelphia as more and more cities and communities realize the benefits green roofs provide for people and the environment.

From growing edibles to planting colorful perennials and natives that attract beneficial wildlife, green roofs provide a relaxing escape from the noise and pollution of city life. As an added benefit, roof top gardens reduce rainwater runoff that contributes to flooding and pollution, and help cool buildings by absorbing heat.

With so much to offer, even big corporations like Philadelphia based PECO Energy have jumped on the green roof bandwagon.

They partnered with  PHS (Pennsylvania Horticulture Society), known for the prestigious Philadelphia International Flower Show, to design and maintain PECO's 45,000 square foot green roof  perched eight stories high above the crowded streets.

PHS provides plans, plants and maintenance, and conducts walking tours where visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the city along with areas that feature large planters filled with a variety of native grasses and perennials.

This fits nicely with PHS's green initiatives to educate and grow stronger communities by supporting urban farming and community gardens, restoring vacant land, planting trees and more.

Around the world, rooftop farms are springing up on top of skyscrapers like in Hong Kong, where urban dwellers of the modern asphalt jungle grow fresh fruit, veggies and herbs for better health and wellness and the incomparable fresh taste of homegrown food.

From walking tours to a peaceful escape from a harried day, nothing beats the simple pleasure of enjoying Mother Nature where green meets blue.

Let us know if your city is planning to add rooftop gardens and if not, why not? Cost to build and maintain? Or not enough interest?

Lynne
Garden Media Group
photos credits: NYC Rockefeller Center rooftop gardens by David Shankbone, Wikipedia Commons

Get Ready for National Planting Day on September 8th

Let's hear it for the first ever National Planting Day!  Hosted by Keep America Beautiful and its affiliates, National Planting Day celebrates the value and power of native species in our environment.

Do your part and plan to plant natives at home or join in a volunteer effort with your friends and family to beautify your community. It's that easy!

Why natives you ask? According the National Planting Day website, they're actually losing ground to suburbanization, fragmented habitats, ornamental plants and

invasive species. These plants are really critical to attracting pollinators and insects, which in turn provide food for birds and ultimately many more animals up the food chain. What's great about natives is that they're hardy, low maintenance plants that require less water than other ornaments. If you want to learn more about natives, check the American Beauties website at www.abnativeplants.com.

And to get involved in your area on National Planting Day, visit  http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Get_involved.

Happy Planting!

-Stacey

Garden Media Group

May is Garden for Wildlife Month

Who doesn't love becoming one with nature! Our friend and master gardener Nancy Bell, from Gateway Garden Center, paid a visit to NBC's The 10! Show to help viewers transform their backyards into a habitat for wildlife.

Nancy shared some great native plant options from American Beauties that will help invite birds and butterflies into your garden. Watch her here...



-Stacey @StaceyGMG
Garden Media Group

TODAY Show Celebrates Earth Day with American Beauties

Yesterday American Beauties Native Plants was highlighted on the weekend edition of NBC's TODAY Show! The Earth Day segment featured David Mizejewski from the National Wildlife Federation and how to Garden for Wildlife! Watch it below or click here!



-Karen
Garden Media Group

Spring Ushers in New, Easy to Grow Plants to Color Your Garden

It’s the first day of spring and time to take a lesson from Mother Nature’s palette to create a garden masterpiece with new easy to grow, low maintenance plants.

Susan McCoy, gardening expert for the Garden Media Group, a Philadelphia area firm specializing in green living and garden trend spotting says, break the rules when choosing colors. “You learned to color with crayons and experimented with mixing paints, so take that sense of play and extend it to the garden.”

Design and Photo by Margie Grace Associates, APLD

McCoy says to take cues from Mother Nature’s color wheel. “Mother Nature is daring,” explains McCoy. “She mixes amazing color combinations, from bright hues to soft pastels.”



Gardening experts say it’s easy to have a show stopping garden with continuous color spring through fall by picking the right plants for the right spot. New plants out this spring prove to be just what the gardener wants: easy to grow, full of blooms, and low maintenance. 

“The first thing you want to do when planning this year’s garden is to determine the “feel” of the garden, where you want your plants and the overall color scheme,” says Margie Grace, Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) member. “Then select plants that will create balance and draw the eye.”

Tropic Escape Hibiscus from Costa Farms

“Those looking for a backyard oasis can bring it home with the new Tropic Escape Hibiscus Collection from Costa Farms,” says McCoy. The over-sized flowers almost the size of dinner plates come in a dozen tropical colors like Caribbean Cocktail yellow and Tiki Temptation orange, and bloom twice as long as traditional hibiscus. These easy care hibiscus take the heat in sunny locations and add punch to any outdoor décor and quickly turn a deck, patio or balcony into a party.

 

Bambino Bougainvillea
from Hines Growers



“Bold colors are dominating this spring,” says McCoy. Purple, red and orange are showing up in many new plants, like the new dwarf Bambino Bougainvillea from Hines Growers. These new plants are more compact than traditional bougainvillea and produce abundant flowers. Plus, they’re drought tolerant once established. “They give spectacular color in the landscape, are ideal for containers and create a colorful spot in small outdoor spaces.” 



American Beauties Native Plans

Another planning idea is attracting birds and butterflies to the garden. McCoy loves native plants from American Beauties Native Plants for beautiful flowers and plants that are ideally suited for regional conditions. Plus a portion of each sale supports the National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat program.



Herbs in the landscape, in pots or in the kitchen garden are also hot this spring. Grace uses herbs to add color and texture in borders and mixes them in containers with veggies or perennials. 

Using herbs. like this wall of rosemary,
in the landscape gives gardeners beauty and function

McCoy agrees. “It’s so easy to pot up herbs indoors and out for fresh ingredients year round.” She loves the rare and traditional new herbs like stevia, lemon grass and bee balm, the herb of the year, she’s found at The Growers Exchange. “Perennial herbs like rosemary look stunning cascading over walls or out of containers,” says McCoy.

If planning a garden is challenging, it may be time to call in a professional. She says that professional landscape designers like Margie Grace, a recent International Landscape Designer of the Year, can help bring life to a garden with beautiful native and low-maintenance plants and natural materials. To find a local, professional landscape designer, check out APLD’s website.

 -Karen

Garden Media Group

Five Fall Garden Tips from Landscape Design Pros

It’s finally feels like fall here in Kennett Square. It was a gorgeous weekend, and as I walked around my yard cleaning up the last of my plants and bringing my houseplants indoors, I remembered what some of our good friends at the Association of landscape Designers suggested to do this fall for a fabulous garden next year.

And since that is what we all want, I wanted to share these tips from the landscape designers:

1. Plan now, bloom later. Judy Nauseef, APLD, to take stock of your garden now to see what worked and what didn’t, where you have holes and what needs to be replaced or moved.

I like to take a photograph from the second floor window to get a bird’s eye view of the yard.

2. Give your containers a fall facelift.
Give your tired containers a fresh look by adding bright fall annuals and colorful foliage in bold fall colors of red, orange, deep purple and gold. Peter Cilio at Campania fills birdbaths with apples and gourds for a festive look.

3. Plant in the fall.

Fall is an excellent time for planting and giving plants a jump start on spring. Plus the weather and soil conditions are better in the fall, as opposed to spring when it tends to be cold, muddy and wet. This new Solidago 'Golden Cascades' from American Beauties Native Plants is an excellent fall bloomer that the bees just love.

4. Deer proof your garden
Deer used to be so cute, until they started eating the fruits of my labor. Winter months are some of the deadliest times for deer destruction in the garden. I’m checking out some new high tech deer repellent “machines” from Havahart. One sprays water and the other gives them a static electricity shock on the nose to train them to go to your neighbors for dinner. Watch this very funny video for more information.

5. Winterize your accessories
I love my Campania containers and they have withstood some harsh winters here in Pennsylvania. I just raise my cast stone planters and statuary up on blocks of wood to let them drain and keep them from absorbing any moisture from the ground that tends to freeze and thaw. Terra cotta planters, which can absorb moisture and are subject to winter freeze-thaw cycles, should be stored indoors for winter.

For more fall garden tips, click here. Remember, fall is for more than watching football games and raking leaves. It’s the best time to protect your investment to ensure a glorious spring garden.

Suzi

Garden Media Group

WSJ Falls for Natives

It's always exciting to see a story that you've been working on with a magazine, newspaper or blog finally come to fruition. 

We were thrilled here at GMG to have the opportunity to provide The Wall Street Journal with some wonderful Campania containers and American Beauties Native plants for a photo shoot on fall planting. And I must say, they pulled it off nicely!

As you can see from the article above, they created some interesting fall planter combinations using mainly easy-care perennials. I'm especially loving the texture and colors of the Harvest Hue container, which features one of my favorite plants -- Purple Fountain grass!

Click here to the read full article online and let me know some your favorite fall container combos!

Enjoy,

Stacey

GMG

American Beauties Unveils Profit Planner

Karen and I spent a most pleasant evening with the American Beauties Native Plant growers at the Black Olive in Baltimore. Some 30 people were there, including American Beauties growers Pride's Corner Farms, North Creek Nurseries, MidWest Groundcovers, Spring Meadow Nursery, Quality Greenhouses, Willoway Nurseries and Fisher Farms.

Karen and Tim Kane, of Pride's Corner, had been working over the holidays on the presentation of the new American Beauties Profit Planner. Based on the success of several garden centers, the down loadable tool helps garden centers "educate, entertain and engage" customers and their community to inspire them to plant more native plants.

Gateway Gardens' natives hero, Nancy Bell, shared lots of secrets on how she drives demand for AB plants. From finding your "native hero" to brochures, banners and event ideas with local non-profits, it is an awesome program filled with great ideas to help everyone be more profitable.

And the folks from the National Wildlife Federation talked about the Certified Wildlife Habitat program, which benefits from the sale of all American Beauties plants, and how they are going to rally their ambassadors to join with local garden centers to stimulate usage for native plants and creating wildlife habitats. For $15, it's one of the best deals going for the environment.

Since "gardening with a purpose" is the major garden trend, planting natives fits right in and makes us all part of the solution.

Go native,

Suzi, Garden Media Group

Easy Earth Day Eco-Tips

You don't have to compost your kitchen waste or pick bugs off plants by hand to help the environment. From the red carpet to your favorite garden shop, "green" products are making it easy to have a beautiful yard while being good stewards of the earth in your own back yard. We here at GMG have gathered 3 surprisingly simple solutions for going "green" this Earth Day.

1. Plant, Plant, Plant!

Try 'Going Native' in your garden!

Long before cultivated gardens existed native plants ruled. Mother Nature designed these plants to thrive in specific places in the wild. "Natives should rule the garden," says Dr. Allan Armitage, world-renowned breeder and author of Native Plants for North America. "You pick the right plant for the right spot, and it will thrive for years with little to no care - and with a positive impact on the environment."

According to Armitage, native plants are perfect for low maintenance, environmentally minded gardens. After the first year, native plants give more reward with less work for the homeowner. You don't need to water or fertilize, spray with harmful herbicides and pesticides to grow a beautiful garden.

You can find American Beauties Native Plants® in distinctive pots with fact-filled tags at your local garden center.

2. Start with Healthy Soil

Pesticides and fungicides aren't safe for people, pets or even the planet. Eliminate the need for harmful garden chemicals by pampering your plants with healthy, nutrient-rich soil from the get go.

Healthy soil, rich in minerals, nutrients and 'good bugs,' maximizes a plant's own healthy immune system to let it naturally resist pests and diseases. Look for organic potting soils like Organic Mechanics available at your local garden center.

3. Water Responsibly

If you don't need to water your plants as often, you'll save time and money. But more importantly, you conserve water and protect the environment.

Substitute older cultivars with new and improved varieties bred to drink responsibly. Updated versions of classic plants like The Knock Out® Family of shrub roses require much less water than older cultivars while still offering the same great look gardeners love. Plus they are available at garden centers nationwide.

Happy Earth Day!

Stacey

American Beauties a Hit at MANTS

American Beauties native plant program was a hit at the 2010 MANTS Show. Looks as if the native plant program stood out for The Garden Center Group, too. Just saw this from Robert Hendrickson in his January Newletter:

"The timing couldn't be better for garden centers to add a program to the plant mix that focuses on native plants.

The program is a perfect tie-in to the "local is good" movement as well as being supportive of the backyard wildlife campaign thru the National Wildlife Federation.

Now there's merchandising tools like pots, bench wraps and tags available for retail growers as well as through suppliers of finished products.This is an easy, attractive and effective way to create a native plant department within your current perennial sales area."

Garden Media Group

2010 Perennial Plant of the Year

Natives are in for 2010! The new 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year is Baptisia australis. A wonderful, blue-flowering, sun-loving perennial native hardy in USDA zones 3-9.

Known as False Blue Indigo, the genus name comes from the Greek word "bapto" which means "to dye" because some of the darker flowered species were used as dyes.

It sports blue spikes of pea-shaped flowers resembling the tall racemes of lupines in May and early June. It's slow to mature, but very rewarding native garden perennial. Found in open woods, river banks and sandy floodplains, New York to Nebraska to Georgia.

According to North Creek Nurseries, this is the most cold hardy species and performs well over a wider range of environments than others. In the early spring, it is one of the first plants to emerge, and the gray-green leaves quickly fill out into a substantial sized bush.

The 10-12" long, flowering stalks arise in the spring, carrying 1" long, indigo-blue, pea-like flowers which last for about 4 weeks. Although the flowers are violet-blue, there is much variation when plants are raised from seed. Flowers will vary from light to deep indigo blue.

In partially shaded gardens the plants need support, but if grown in full sun, no staking is required. The plant spreads by rhizomes (slowly) and consumes considerable garden space. It does not require dividing from the plant's point of view, but division every 4-5 years may be beneficial to ease overcrowding.

Growing and Maintenance Tips
Grow in full sun average to dry soil. Baptisia has a very deep tap root, giving it the ability to survive long dry periods and making it a challenge to move once it is established. Move in the early spring if you must.

Garden Media Group

North Creek Holding Open House

Garden writers and landscape designers, want to see some groovy new plants? North Creek Nurseries is holding an Open House at its Landenberg, Pa., farm from 10 am to 4 pm this Thursday, September 3. Interested garden writers and landscpae designers are invited to attend.

North Creek is a wholesale nursery with a special emphasis on native plants -- you may have seen them at GWA symposiums -- and they'll be offering tours, presentations on new introductions, rain gardens, green roof garden, a native landscape plug meadow, lunch etc. You can look up the details at here.

The farm is at 388 North Creek Road in Landenberg, and directions are on the web site. For planning purposes, they'd appreciate an email if you plan to attend: info@northcreeknurseries.com

Great Plants Start Here

North Creek Nurseries in Landenbery Pa has been focused on native plants since 1988 when the nursery opened. Now it's the 'go to source' for seekers of eco-friendly, native plants. Their line of American Beauties benefits the National Wildlife Fund and Backyard Habitats. Click here to read the full story in the Wilmington News Journal. Suzi