SUMMER SALE SERIES
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SEDUMS 30% OFF
SEDUMS 30% off
There are over 400 species of sedums, in the family Crassulacea. They are known for their succulent foliage and drought tolerance. Sedums are easy to grow, hardy perennials that come in a range of sizes, colors and shapes and flower beautifully. Plant them in full sun and well drained soil and they will be happy campers. Some even do fine with afternoon shade.
Sedums are terrific low maintenance plants which really stand out in late summer to fall.
Sedums grown at our on site production location
SEDUM PLANT TYPES
Creeping Sedum: Groundcover that can spread up to 3 feet. This low growing sedum usually spreads quite wide like a carpet. Many of them have little rosettes for foliage which look like flowers but are actually foliage. The Sedum major is a great example of foliage that resembles flowers.
Tall Sedum: Upright habit that can reach 2-3’ tall and wide. These taller sedums are like small shrubs. They can even work as hedges.
Trailing Sedum: Used in containers, hanging baskets or spill over rock walls.
Vineyard Gardens usually divides Sedums into the low growing, spreading type referred to as rock garden sedums and the taller more upright type many of which are in the species spectabile, which means showy.
SEDUMS AT VINEYARD GARDENS
Sedum rupestris Angelina: A rock garden spreader with yellow foliage and yellow flowers.
Sedum reflexum Blue Spruce: Great in rock gardens and have bluish gray foliage.
Sedum Steel the Show: This sedum is the perfect ground cover for a sunny garden. It has bright blue green foliage.
Sedum dasphyllum Major: A rock garden type whose foliage looks like tiny little blue flowers.
Sedum Sunsparkler Series: This series is medium size and the foliage ranges from plum purple to green with cream variegation.
We carry Dazzleberry, Plum Dazzler, Cherry Tart, Lime Zinger, Firecracker and Blue Elf.
Sedum Munstead Dark Red: A spectabile type that grows 15-18” tall with greenish foliage and dark red flowers.
Sedum Mojave Jewels Saphire: A plum colored upright sedum.
Sedum Night Light: Flower color in shades of yellow to gold. 22-26” tall; 30-36” spread.
Sedum blooms attract pollinators. Birds, butterflies and many insects love them!
Sedum in a planted container
Flowering yellow sedum with Butterfly Bush and Hydrangea paniculata
ECHINACEA 30% OFF
Echinacea purpurea illustration by karen blackerby logan
ECHINACEA 30% OFF
CONEFLOWER
Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos meaning hedgehog or sea-urchin in reference to the spiny central cone.
Natives Vs Hybrids
We grow several species of Echinacea, such as Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida and Echinacea paradoxa. Starting plants from seed adds new DNA combinations to the species and the population. This is thought to increase chances of populations being able to adapt and fight off disease. Thus the hybrids may not be as adaptable. The native cone flowers exist in pink and yellow.
We sell countless hybrids that the horticultural industry has created from mostly Echinacea purpurea. It can take several years for a hybrid to be stable enough to be sold in the market. It is possible that some of the hybrids, which are mostly asexually propagated by cuttings or tissue culture, may not be as adaptable or hardy as the species but boy are they beautiful. The hybrids now exist in all sizes and colors including orange, red, pink, yellow or even bicolor. We carry the Sombrero series, like Salsa Red and Adobe Orange which are two of our favorites. We love many of the Echinacea hybrids like Green twister and White Swan.
*If food for pollinators is your #1 reason for planting Echinacea, either plant the native species or pick the single hybrids. The doubles are not believed to be good food for pollinators. Many of the doubles are sterile and produce no seed.
Coneflowers come in a rainbow of colors!
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ECHINACEA AVAILABLE AT VINEYARD GARDENS
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SOMBRERO SERIES
(Continues to be one
of our favorites!)
Salsa Red
Adobe Orange
Hot Coral
Lemon Yellow
Rosada
Summer Solstice
Tres Amigos
Sangrita
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SUNSEEKER SERIES
(Tall with beautiful flowers that
often transition to other colors as
they mature. Some can be
double.)
Rainbow
Salmon
Perfection
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Green Wizard
(The flower petals are
yellow-green
on the tips and
bleed into a pale
pink closer to
the cone.)
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Old Fashioned Hybrid
Ruby Giant
(Quite tall with
large pink flowers)
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Ruby Giant
Green Twister
(Very hardy)
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New this year!
We are testing for hardiness.
Dark Shadows Wicked
Orange You Awesome
The Fuschia is Bright
One in a Melon
Summer Song
Fire Finch
Baja Burgundy
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USES
Attracts all types of butterflies, birds, bees and other pollinators!
Let the later blooms stand throughout winter, where the characteristic central cone swollen and full of seed offers an excellent food source for birds. Once spring arrives, simply cut back your coneflowers to the ground.
Medicinal use: to help boost the immune system and shorten the duration of the common cold and flu. Echinacea flowers are often associated with health and healing.
GROWING CONDITIONS
Herbaceous perennial that is native to the mid west prairies of the US.
An adaptable plant that is tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil.
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun.
Coneflowers are not fussy. They aren’t particularly bothered by pests and do not require fertilizer.
Mid-summer bloom
Echinacea Sombrero Salsa & Sangrita
An excellent, long-blooming flower for massing in the border, meadow, native plant garden, naturalized area or wildflower garden. Often massed with black-eyed Susans.
NATIVE SUMMER BLOOMING SHRUBS
Native summer blooming shrubs offer immeasurable benefits. Shrubs are considered the bones of the landscape, creating habitat for birds and small mammals in all four seasons. Shrubs offer protection, nectar and pollen for a wide range of fauna, bees, butterflies, insects and nesting and feeding songbirds. Growing season is lengthened from the early bloomers through the fall berries. In Nature’s Best Hope and Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy describes keystone plants as “native plants that are essential to our ecosystems because they support 90% of the caterpillar species that enable our terrestrial birds to reproduce, as well as all of our specialist native bee species.”
Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis
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Cephalanthus occidentalis
BUTTONBUSH
If you live along a wetland, have a soggy area in your yard or are considering a rain garden then buttonbush is the shrub for you. It is an excellent wetland shrub that requires consistent moisture, can tolerate clay soil and standing water.. They flower abundantly in the summer with fuzzy ball shaped flower clusters backed by glossy leaves. Their aromatic flowers attract bees, hummingbirds and butterflies, such as tiger swallowtails. Nearly two dozen butterfly and moth larva are drawn to buttonbush. Bright red seed heads that follow in the fall provide food for songbirds, small mammals and waterfowl.
USES: Rain gardens, retention ponds, erosion control
Its fast-growing root system helps with water quality near marshes, streams or wetlands. Since it can grow in water it is a favorite for wetland conservation.
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Hydrangea arborescens
SMOOTH HYDRANGEA
Hydrangea arborescens, our native hydrangea, is found along rocky wooded slopes, ravines, streambanks, and bluff bases in the eastern United States. Smooth hydrangea is the host plant of the hydrangea sphinx moth and attracts butterflies, moths, pollinators and songbirds. The blooms are on new wood and can be pruned back close to the ground in late winter. Several cultivars have flowers that make a ball-shaped bloom. This low growing hydrangea fits nicely beneath taller trees and shrubs.
USES: Mass planting, native specimen, pollinator garden, rain garden, shade garden, grows well on a slope, naturalized area or in a woodland
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Clethra alnifolia
SWEET PEPPERBUSH
Clethra is a wonderful addition to any garden, a versatile shrub that can thrive in most conditions. Typically found in open woodlands or swamps along the Atlantic coast this workhorse can flower from full sun to shade. Clethra prefers moist soil but can even adjust to dry, compact soil. It is a sweet scented native shrub that is a pollinator magnet. The white spire blooms lure butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. In addition, to being a hardy shrub, Clethera has year round interest. The deep green summer leaves turn yellow in autumn and in winter clusters of attractive seed pods remain.
USES: Seaside plantings, mass plantings, hedges or rain gardens
[PLANT PROFILE] HYDRANGEA PANICULATA
Hydrangea paniculata[illustration by karen blackerby logan]
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HYDRANGEA PANICULATA
Panicle Hydrangeas
Panicle Hydrangeas are the no fuss hydrangea with long lasting blooms. They range in size from large to compact depending on variety, allowing for many planting options in the landscape. A late blooming shrub, they become the autumn stars when most other shrubs are no longer blooming. Triggered by air temperature fluctuations and day length Hydrangea paniculata go through a color transformation starting with an early summer white that fades to shades of pink or red before drying to beige in the winter. Their nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies and bees late into the season, providing them with a vital food source.
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HYDRANGEA PANICULATA ATTRIBUTES
Panicle Hydrangeas thrive in full sun or morning sun, a place in the garden that mophead hydrangeas don’t flourish.
They bloom on new growth each summer so prune early in spring. There is also no risk of flower buds being harmed by the cold winter or late frost because they bloom on this years growth.
As the rest of the garden winds down, the fall panicle hydrangeas take center stage.
Flowers can even be left to dry on the plant in the fall and can stay looking good into the winter.
Quick Fire Hydrangea
hydrangea paniculata
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Limelight
Limelight Prime
Little Lime
Quick Fire
Little Quick Fire
Bobo (dwarf variety)
Grandiflora
Phantom
Fire Light
Hydrangea paniulata Bobo
USES
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* Variety of sizes means
there’s a perfect fit for
most situations
* Smaller specimens
ideal for foundation,
mass or container
planting
* Larger specimens ideal
for hedges and
back of the garden
POETIC GARDENS
Andew Wiley, working on Vineyard Gardens display bed
A PASSION FOR PLANTS
Vineyard Garden’s Andrew Wiley, a creative plant ‘genus’
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It’s not just a job for Andrew Wiley, his passion for plants is infused in his bloodline. As a child he grew up at Vineyard Gardens, watching his horticulturalist parents, Chris and Chuck Wiley develop a singular greenhouse and lawn mowing business into the vibrant establishment it is today. Not only did Andrew soak in the atmosphere and information as a boy, he now embraces everything about plants, landscaping and design. After an unmatched year at Great Dixter House & Gardens, Andrew’s plant knowledge and creativity in the landscaping world has been unleashed. His ethereal and poetic gardens are a wonderful demonstration in succession planting, filling garden beds with continuous blooms throughout the year. His front bed display at Vineyard Gardens is constantly evolving, never a dull moment from one plant finishing it’s bloom cycle to a new one opening up. Within the display bed there are many beautiful vignettes that seamless work together as a whole.
Next time you are at Vineyard Gardens take a meditative walk along the display garden and you will notice something new, fresh and exciting each time.
“This photo is reminiscent of my time in England at Great Dixter All three of these plants can be found in the garden there. This Phlox was originally a seedling given to Christopher Lloyd by Margery Fish and is known at Dixter as Phlox paniculata ‘Margery Fish.’ Piet Oudolf decided to name the phlox ‘Dixter’ as it was never given a trademark name, something Great Dixter does not do with their plants for various reasons. The Salvia is one of my favorite biennials, best practice is to always plant all biennials in the fall. This will always give you bigger and better plants with much longer bloom time than if planted in Spring. The Marigold (Tagetes) was used on the Long Border at Dixter where Fergus received the seeds from a conference in France. I collected and brought back seeds from these plants. A true scrambler this Marigold gets huge and is best planted where it can tumble over and sprawl around.” Andrew Wiley
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Guided tour through Andrew’s July display bed
Have you ever had the chance to walk through a garden with Andrew? His energy and excitement for designing with plants is unmeasured. Spewing off latin names and talking about the evolution of gardens and biodiversity you feel like you just had a master class in horticulture. Andrew’s contagious spirit will have you walking away from Vineyard Gardens with a million plants because he made you fall in love with every single one of them!
Take a virtual walk to learn about July’s display bed.
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EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS FOR SHADE
Camellia illustration by Karen Blackerby Logan
EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS FOR SHADE
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Broadleaf Evergreens are known to tolerate shade and many will also grow well in full sun. With their year round foliage they can add interest to your beds, woodland borders or create screening in a shady spot between you and your neighbor. Broadleaf evergreens can give you the privacy you need. They can also create fabulous backdrops to deciduous plants that flower. Plant them young and they will grow larger every year. We also carry several species of smaller broadleaf evergreen shrubs that can take shade. These work well in foundation plantings or in your shrub or perennial beds.
Deer resistant broadleaf evergreens we like to recommend are Pieris japonica, Mahonias and Osmanthus heterophyllus.
Pieris japonica illustration by karen blackerby logan
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Prunus schipkaensis (Skip Laurel)
EVERGREEN TREE & SHRUB VARIETIES
Azaleas
Leucothoe
Osmanthus heterophyllus (False Holly) : Seldom severely damaged by deer. Looks like holly. We have found the species heterophyllus to be hardy, able to survive in dense shade and they are deer resistant. The flowers are fragrant! We carry a popular variegated variety called Goshiki.
Pieris japonica (Andromedas): Blooms in spring with panicles of beautiful bells mostly in white. We do carry a pink blooming one. Can grow 6-8ft tall and 5-6ft wide. We carry dwarf ones as well. Deer resistant.
Skimmia japonica: Needs a male and a female to be planted together for the female to berry up.
Skimmia reevesiana: Rarely damaged by deer. Does not need a male to cross pollinate like Skimmia japonica.
Prunus schipkaensis (Skip Laurels): They will easily get 6-8ft tall. Good for flowers and for screening.
Photinia fraserii: At the margins of its hardiness zone. It has handsome evergreen foliage. The new growth is reddish and in cold weather the leaves turn reddish again. It can grow over 6ft tall and wide.
Leucothoe, Skimmia and some Pieris japonica are examples of smaller broadleaf evergreen shrubs that can take shade.
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Camellia japonica
CAMELLIAS & AUCUBAS
Camellias and Aucubas should be planted near foundation plantings or by a stone wall for the heat they absorb during a sunny day. They may get some die back during a very cold winter. Prune the dead ones out in the spring. Camellias have shiny lovely evergreen foliage and flowers that look like Peonies. Aucubas need a male to berry up. Aucuba Mr. Goldstrike will pollinate Aucuba serratifolia, which is known for producing large red, berry like fruit.
Aucuba japonica
serratifolia
Mr. Goldstrike
Camellia April Pink
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Buxus Green Gem
BUXUS
(Rarely damaged by deer)
Buxus Winter Green
Buxus Green Beauty
Buxus Variegata
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Rhododendron Catawba
RHODODENDRONS
Roseum Elegans & Catawba Rhododendron get over 10ft tall. Plant them young and they will grow larger each year. Great for flowers and for screening.
Catawba Rhododendron (Native)
Maximum Rhododendron (Native)
PGM Rhododendron
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Mahonia Winter Sun
MAHONIA
(All Native) (Rarely damaged by deer)
Mahonias are also known as Oregon Grape Holly. They bear panicles of purple fruit after flowering that look like grapes.
Mahonia repens
Mahonia Winter Sun
Mahonia Charity
Mahonia Arthur Menzies
Mahonia nervosa
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Ilex crenata Steeds
HOLLIES
Hollies are always a good choice for shade. We carry American, English, Japanese Chinese and hybrid Hollies. Several of the Japanese Hollies (Ilex crenata) are smaller shrubs. Blue Hollies (Meserve Hybrids) are like shrub Hollies instead of tree Hollies and can be pruned and kept a bit shorter. The Hollies need a male to pollinate the female to get the berries. We also grow specialty Hollies from cuttings. Ask at the nursery about our collection.
Meserve Hybrids (Blue Hollies)
Ilex Dragon Slayer
Ilex mes Blue Maid
Ilex Robin
Ilex x Greenleaf
Ilex crenata
Ilex Steeds (Ocassionally severely damaged by deer)
Hoogendorn
Soft Touch
Sky Pencil
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In general we do not recommend you plant conifers in shade. They may not die but they will grow long and leggy. Your much better off planting a Holly, Mahonia or Osmanthus (if you have deer).
for trees and shrubs
for landscacping
[PLANT PROFILE] HIBISCUS
Rose of Sharon illustration by karen blackerby logan
HIBISCUS
Hibiscus plants add a bold, tropical effect to the garden with their huge, dinner-plate colorful flowers.
There are over 100 species of Hibiscus in the family Malvacea. They are mostly found in tropical areas but a few are hardier and will overwinter in our climate. Due to their tropical nature they are later to emerge and most bloom in mid to late summer. We grow both annual, perennial and shrubs in the hibiscus family. We carry other popular ornamental perennial plants in the Malva family that have similar flowers to Hibiscus, such as Hollyhocks (Alcea)and Sidalcea.
Jazzy Jewel Ruby Hibiscus (Tropical Hibiscus)
Hardy Hibiscus, Shrub Hibiscus & Tropical Hibiscus
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HARDY HIBISCUS
Hardy Hibiscus primarily includes the species native to North America such as Hibiscus moscheutos. These plants are true perennials, tend to have the largest flowers and die back to the ground each year. The species Hibiscus is known as Rose Mallow or Swamp Mallow and is native to Martha’s Vineyard. They are highly valued for their beautiful flowers late in the season. The pink flowers grow around ponds on the south shore and bloom profusely in mid to late summer. At Vineyard Gardens, we sell the species, as well as many hybrids with a wide range of flower colors (pink, purple, white, red & bi-color), large flower sizes and green to deep dark foliage. These perennials die to the ground in winter and emerge from the crown of the plant the following season.
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CARE OF HARDY HIBISCUS
Hardy hibiscus needs frequent watering, especially when young and new. When watering, do so deeply and thoroughly, drenching the plant.
Mulch around the plant to retain moisture and to provide winter protection for the roots.
To encourage rebloom, either remove the spent flowers before they form seed heads or prune plants back by one-third after a flush of bloom is finished.
Perennial hibiscus will freeze back to the ground each winter; cut old stems to the ground.
Hibiscus bloom on new wood (this year’s growth), so pruning is best done in the spring.
In early spring, remove dead stems from established plants and apply a balanced fertilizer.
Mature plants can be divided in the spring, not fall.
Plant them in full Sun.
Varieties available
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Hibiscus mosheutus
Kopper King
Perfect Storm
Berry Awesome
Holy Grail
Candy Crush
![Hibiscus 'Berry Awesome' [photo credit Walters Gardens, Inc]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/581a4aee8419c21ac8e2a58f/1721184861844-DEORC3R0F76KLRQFY25J/Hibiscus+%27Berry+Awesome%27+PP27936+CPBR5647+0001+high+res_waltersgarden.jpg)
![Hibiscus 'Berry Awesome' [photo credit Walters Gardens, Inc]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/581a4aee8419c21ac8e2a58f/1721184873731-T9TMW5MLVHJR7IHM3RZO/Hibiscus+%27Berry+Awesome%27+PP27936+CPBR5647+0002+high+res_waltersgarden.jpg)
![Hibiscus 'Candy Crush' [photo credit Walters Gardens, Inc]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/581a4aee8419c21ac8e2a58f/1721184873328-XDJQOX1NMIOCNLIL52Q6/Hibiscus+%27Candy+Crush%27+PP32587+CPBRAF+0000+high+res-waltersgarden.jpg)
![Hibiscus 'Dark Mystery' [photo credit Walters Gardens, Inc]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/581a4aee8419c21ac8e2a58f/1721184875920-V9A6T09VI7TWQOHKPYNS/Hibiscus+%27Dark+Mystery%27+PP32036+0001+high+res.jpg)
![Hibiscus 'Holy Grail' [photo credit Walters Gardens, Inc]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/581a4aee8419c21ac8e2a58f/1721184884774-AMGUI6E09XHJNL95I3OC/Hibiscus+%27Holy+Grail%27+PP31478+CPBRAF+0005+high+res.jpg)
![Hibiscus 'Marshmallow Moon' [photo credit Walters Gardens, Inc]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/581a4aee8419c21ac8e2a58f/1721184881911-H4SMV7QWEE6DZATXPBBK/Hibiscus+%27Marshmallow+Moon%27+PP35990+0001+high+res.jpg)
![Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel' [photo credit Walters Gardens, Inc]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/581a4aee8419c21ac8e2a58f/1721184884818-SL37C4I1W1F8OW2KI013/Hibiscus+%27Midnight+Marvel%27+PP24079+0001+high+res.jpg)
![Hibiscus 'Perfect Storm' [photo credit Walters Gardens, Inc]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/581a4aee8419c21ac8e2a58f/1721184888055-55KI3BZMLO5FXZKYFJBX/Hibiscus+%27Perfect+Storm%27+PP27880+CPBR5648+0003+high+res.jpg)
[1. Hibiscus ‘Berry Awesome 2. Hibiscus ‘Berry Awesome 3. Hibiscus ‘Candy Crush’ 4. Hibiscus ‘Dark Mystery’ 5. Hibiscus ‘ Holy Grail’ 6. Hibiscus Marshmallow Moon’ 7. Hibiscus ‘Midnight Marvel’ 8. Hibiscus ‘Perfect Storm’ 9. Rose Mallow ‘Mars Madness’ . All photos above credit to Walters Gardens, Inc]
Midnight Marvel
Dark Mystery
Marshmallow Moon
(LUNA SERIES)
Luna Red
Luna White
(DISCO BELL SERIES)
Pink
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SHRUB HIBISCUS
The most popular shrub is the Rose of Sharon also known as Hibiscus Syriacus. Rose of Sharon has a woody habit and bloom on the same structure each year. It has beautiful hibiscus like flowers in mid to late summer and is valued as an ornamental in landscapes. These tend to be the largest in size with some varieties getting 15′ tall.
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CARE OF ROSE OF SHARON
Full Sun woody shrub
A little late to emerge in spring because of its tropical roots
Blooms on new growth, therefore best pruned in spring when buds start to swell and plant comes to life
Prune out a few of the biggest oldest stems as low as possible. Encourage young stems as these will produce the most flowers, and growth from down low in the shrub. That helps keep it looking full. Rose of Sharon grow from the tips so they can lack growth down low if not pruned properly.
Fertilize new plantings with a slow release complete fertilize
Rose of Sharon
Varieties available
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HIBISCUS SYRIACA
(ROSE OF SHARON)
(Single Flowers)
Diana
Aphrodite
Fiji
Red Heart
Minerva
Blue Satin
(Double Flowers)
Chiffon Blue
Chiffon Lavender
Chiffon Pink
Hibiscus syriacus
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TROPICAL HIBISCUS
The annual hibiscus we carry is the tropical hibiscus also known as Hibiscus rosa sinensis. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, are from southeast Asia and are technically a shrub but less hardy than Rose of Sharon. This plant makes a lovely garden or container plant and will bloom all summer long. We usually carry it in both shrub form and as a topiary patio tree. The tropical hibiscus is not frost tolerant.
Hibiscus Tropical Jewel Ruby
Varieties available
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HIBISCUS TROPICAL
The Path
Cherie
Hula Girl
Red Dragon
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Jazzy Jewel Series
Opal
Ruby
Amber
Gold
Hibiscus Too Hot To Handle
Hibiscus illustration karen blackerby logan
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GROWING CONDITIONS
Prefer full sun. They will grow in partial sun but will not flower as well.
Prefer well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter, and neutral to slightly acidic soil.
To avoid breakage of the long stems, plant hibiscus where they won’t be exposed to strong winds.
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Hibiscus Brilliant (Tropical Hibiscus)
Hibiscus Hula Girl (Hibiscus Tropical)
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PERENNIALS FOR SHADE
Gorgeous combination of Thalictrum ‘Elin,’ Aquilegia, Euphorbia and the leaf and seed pod of Paeonia delavayi. The glowing spikes on the right are from a bedding pocket of a pale yellow Digitalis [photo by Andrew Wiley]
PERENNIALS FOR SHADE
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SUMMER BLOOMING PERENNIALS FOR SHADE
Even if your yard is shady, you can still have beautiful flowers and foliage! If your yard needs more sun but you don’t want to cut down trees you can limb up or thin out a few trees to let in more sun. On the other hand, If you have a very sunny garden and want to grow some of these wonderful shade perennials, plant a few small trees or large shrubs in the beds. Not only will they provide a little shade but height and size will add interest to perennial beds.
Alchemilla
Anemone
Asarum
Astilbe
Cimicifuga
Clematis
Dicentra
Epimedium
Euphorbia
Ferns
Foxglove
Galium
Ferns, Heuchera & Columbines
Geraniums (perennial)
Hackonechloa
Heucheras
Hostas
Ligularia
Pachyhsandra
Polygonatum
Rodgersia
Sanguisorba
Thalictrum
Vinca
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Perennials that thrive in shade often do quite well with more sun, as long as they get enough water. The reverse does not apply. Perennials that need sun often grow long and leggy in the shade. Plants that evolved in shade, usually in the understory of other plants, often have larger leaves to capture as much sun as possible. Some good examples are Rodgersias, Hostas, Astilboides and many Heucheras, like the popular Autumn Bride. These plants usually like a rich moist but well drained soil.
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DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS FOR SHADE
Ferns, Thalictrum, Rodgersia, Bleeding Hearts and Heucheras are all good choices for summer blooming shade if deer are a problem in your garden. Astilbes can add color to shade beds with their plumed flowers available in many colors and sizes. Many Heucheras also called Coral Bells, can add color with their foliage which comes in reds, bronzes, deep purples and green. The Heucheras will bloom for 3-4 weeks in summer and their foliage will last all summer. Everblooming Bleeding Hearts start blooming in early summer and continues blooming until late summer. Unlike it’s cousin, Dicentra spectabilis, only blooms in spring and goes dormant in summer. It will thrive in partial shade and spread and is also deer resistant.
Bleeding Hearts
PERENNIALS GROUNDCOVERS FOR SHADE
Plant ground covers and fill up the spaces with plants instead of mulch! Perennial groundcovers thrive and spread in partial shade. Pachysandra is the most shade tolerant. Vinca minor, Asarum and Epimedium are all good choices as well.
Perennial Geraniums and Campanulas will bloom in partial shade. Geranium Rozanne is our best selling Geranium. Geranium sanguineum Album, with white flowers and Geranium cantabrigiense Karmina, with pink flowers and fabulous fall color, are also great plants. The peach leaved Campanula persicifolia comes in blue and in white, both tall and short. The Takion series is the more compact one. We also carry Campanula poscharskyana, Campanula portenschlagiana Blue magic and Campanula rotundifolia, all shorter wider plants that can handle more sun and thrive in walls and cracks in walks. This always indicates they don’t need rich soil. New this year is Campanula cocchlearifolia in both white and Blue. We grew these from seed which was seeded in June of 23
plant profile
national wildlife federation
[PLANT PROFILE] ASTILBE
Astilbe illustration by karen blackerby logan
ASTILBE
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GROWING ASTILBE
Astilbe are perennial flowers that bloom in spring and summer. They grow well in shady areas where other flowers won't thrive. They add swaths of color to shade beds with their plumed flowers available in many colors and sizes. Their soft feathery blooms come in shades of purple, lavender, red, white or pink. Their glossy fern like foliage comes in shades of green, bronze or deep brown. Astilbe are usually deer resistant but we are finding that at times deer are snacking on them as well.
ASTIBLE ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES!
COMBINATION PLANTINGS
We recommend planting Astilbe in combination with plants that have similar cultural requirements. Astilbes require plenty of water and some afternoon shade. Some combinations we recommend are shrubs like hydrangeas or Hypericum and perennials such as Rodgersias (Roger’s flower), Snakeroot, Cimicifuga, Thalictrum or ferns.
PLANTING TIPS
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* Plant in shade to
part shade
* Plant in a loamy
humus rich soil
* Water deeply
to promote
deep roots
* Protect from hot
afternoon sun
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CARE
Regularly check Astilbes to make sure they are moist.
Astilbes spread quickly and form broad clumps.
Apply organic fertilizer in the spring.
Divide the overgrown clumps every 3 to 4 years in the spring.
Typically you can remove spent flower blooms to encourage
more blossoms but Astilbe are the exception.
Astilbes spent flowers have ornamental value.
They can be left standing if desired or cut down at any time.
Astilbes continue to provide attractive foliage until fall.
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VARIETIES
Vineyard Gardens we carry 25-30 different cultivars.
Astilbe chinensis Pumila: Forms a ground cover. Height: 10” tall.
Astilbe Hennie Graafland: Dwarf Astilbe. Height: 12”-18” tall.
Astilbe Superba: One of the tallest pinks. Height: 24”-48” tall.
Astilbe Mighty Red Quin: Height 39”-47” tall
Astilbe Montgomery: Height 20-24” tall
Other Varieties we carry:
Astilbe Erika, Mighty Pip, Purple Candles, Bressignham, Beauty, Delft Lace, Little Visions in Pink, Straussenfetter, Dueschland, Visions & Mauve
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low maintenance groundcovers
JULY GARDENING TIPS
JULY GARDENING TIPS
As the heat ramps up there are many ways to keep your garden looking beautiful.
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Season Extenders: Plant late bloomers and season extenders in your garden now. They will grow in nicely and then extend the color in your garden late into the season. Try adding tender salvias like Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue, Pineapple sage, or the new Dalvia uliginosa with a baby blue flower color. Also plant asters and mums or the more unusual chrysanthemum pacificum.
Spent bulb foliage: Now is the time to cut back any yellowing daffodil foliage. It should be left intact as long as possible as the plant photosynthesizes and stores energy for the next season in the bulb underground.
Shaping perennials: The last pinch to shape and encourage branching on asters, chrysanthemums and some late summer perennials should occur in early July. It’s still ok to thin stems on congested perennials to improve air circulation. Don’t be afraid to give a hard cut to catmint (Nepeta), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and perennial geraniums (Geranium sp.) after the spring flowering.
Container plants: Consider compost tea, organic liquid feed like fish emulsion or seaweed extract for container plants. Feed every 7-10 days. As the summer heats up, they may need to be watered every day if it is sunny. We recommend once per day deep watering and make them hold because it makes for a tougher plant. If plants are not wilting and look happy they do not need water. They will let you know if they need water by starting to wilt or lose their turgidity, then no question it’s time to water. It’s better to have tough plants than spoiled ones!
Weeds: Catch weeds before they go to seed and continue to add organic mulch to spots left bare or plant another plant, like a season extender. Shredded leaves held over from fall cleanup make a wonderful mulch for annual and perennial borders as well as vegetable gardens. It’s natural, free, local and breaks down over the course of the growing season to add organic material to the soil.
Peonies: Remove spent flowers from peonies once flowering is finished. If plants were staked or tied up to prevent flopping during bloom, the stakes and strings can now be removed which will make the stems stronger to stand on their own.
Vegetable garden: Direct sow succession crops in your vegetable garden for the next round of harvest, such as radish, lettuce, carrots, chard, and beets. Side dress heavy feeders and long season crops like corn, tomatoes, squash, peppers, potatoes, onions and eggplant with a balanced fertilizer now.
Biennials: Sow seeds of biennials like foxgloves, Angelica, Salvia sclarea, Lunaria and Dianthus now for planting in the garden in late summer. These will produce leaves this year, overwinter and flower next year, ending their life cycle when they set seed in their second season.
Irrigation: Irrigate borders and lawns infrequently and deeply. Generally, lawns and gardens need 1” of water each week, or a deep irrigation that penetrates to 6”. Keep track of rainfall using a rain gauge and supplement only as needed. Consider converting parts of your lawn to lower maintenance groundcovers, shrub or perennial borders, or meadow plantings.
Japanese beetles: Depending on your location, Japanese beetles begin to emerge from the soil around July 4th. Keep a close eye out for them, scouting in the morning when they are sluggish and knocking them into a pail of soapy water. The solitary fly, Istocheta aldrichi, is an internal parastite of adult Japanese beetle. Female flies lay eggs on the thorax of female beetles. Upon hatching, the maggot bores into the beetle, killing it. Japanese beetles observed with these eggs on them should be saved to encourage this natrual control method.
-Joann Vieira, Director of Horticulture, Trustees (UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program)
Always think ahead when gardening. Timing is everything!
Echinacea ‘White Swan’
Lobelia Starship Scarlet
Rudbeckia fulgida Goldsturm
creating habitat
Garden Ideas
PERENNIAL GROUNDCOVERS
Virginia Bluebells [photo by keith kurman]
PERENNIAL GROUNDCOVERS
Low-growing, ground-hugging perennial plants are the best low-maintenance ground coverings. Groundcovers bring color, textural interest, plant food/shelter for insects and a great replacement for mulch. They can even be an alternative to lawns. Native groundcovers require no fertilizer and only supplemental watering. There are evergreen groundcovers that cover throughout the winter and help with erosion control. Some groundcovers thrive under canopy of shade others do well in full sun.
WOOD SPURGE (Euphorbia Robbiae): A deer-resistant evergreen groundcover that is spread stoloniferously. A vigorous spreader, blooming in spring on 18” tall stalks. They prefer a little afternoon shade.
PERSICARIA: A taller groundcover with late season flowers, spanning four months from July to October. A vigorous, stoloniferous spreader. We have available Alba, Amethyst Summer and Fat Domino.
SWEET WOODRUFF (Galium odoratum): Sweet Woodruff is a lovely plant that will spread like a groundcover in your garden. It has small white flowers in spring through early summer. It’s vigorous but not aggressive and can coexist nicely with bulbs that will come right up through it. They spread stoloniferously by sending out stolons or side shoots just beneath the soil surface. An ideal ground cover around shrubs and/or as a border accent in woodland gardens. It thrives in rich garden soil, in part to full shade.
HYPERICUMS CALCYNUM (St. John’s Wort): A ground cover with large yellow flowers. It can take partial shade but likes a little afternoon shade. With this groundcover more sun equals more flowers! Hypericums calcynum spreads stoloniferously (through underground stems). If it likes the spot, it will spread vigorously. A pollinator magnet!
PACHYSANDRA: We carry the Japanese spurge, pachysandra terminalis. Our favorite is the native one, Pachysandra procumbens. Pachysandra is considered an evergreen groundcover.
VINCA: We carry Vinca minor Bowles, with the early summer blooming blue flowers and the white flowering Vinca minor. We also carry Illumination, a vinca cultivar with yellow variegated foliage and a blue flower.
EPIMEDIUM, BARRENWORT: A less common groundcover that thrives in shade. This year we have Sunny and Share, Ellen Willmot, Pink Champagne, Red Beauty and Nanum.
FERNS: Ferns can spread nicely like ground covers such as Matteuca struthiopteris (the Ostrich fern), Dennstaedtia punctiloba (Hay Scented Fern) and Onoclea sensibilis. Dennstaedtia punctiloba and Onoclea sensibilis are both hard to find. We don’t have either in stock right now.
GEUM: The native Geum is a good ground cover. Geum triflorum has beautiful seed pods.
THYME: Creeping and wooly thymes are ground covers we like to recommend for sun. Creeping thyme comes in white flowers (albiflorus), red flowers (coccineus) or pink chintz with pink flowers. We also carry creeping lemon and Elfin thyme.
LAURENTIA fluviatilis ‘BLUE STAR CREEPER’ and PRATIA: Two other interesting plants that spread like ground covers.
Gingers bloom in early spring. The flowers are hidden beneath the foliage, rarely seen and are pollinated by ants! They are grown for their foliage which spreads and in certain species is evergreen, like the europeum.
EUROPEAN GINGER (Asarum europeum): a spreading perennial ground cover with shiny rounded leaves.
In my opinion there isn’t a prettier flower than a Blue Bell. They spread and form large clumps with beautiful blue flowers in spring. They don’t bloom all summer so it’s a good idea to plant in combination with a later emerging and blooming perennial. The later blooming perennial will fill in the space nicely when the Virginia Blue Bells are past their bloom and dormant until the following spring.
MERTENSIA virginica ‘VIRGINIA BLUEBELLS’: They do best with a little afternoon shade.
Try planting ground covers at the base of your shrubs instead of mulching. Ground covers are very effective at keeping weeds out!
Virginia Bluebells
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SUCCESSION GARDENING
Succession Gardening is a new concept in groundcovers where one plant replaces another one that is gone by in the same area. These ‘groundcovers’ may not spread stoloniferously but they will cover the ground where another plant has passed.
Alchemilla, Perennial Geraniums, Hostas, Euphorbia, Lupine, Rodgersia, Cimicifuga, Aruncus, ornamental rhubarb (Rheum), Bronze Fennel, (Foeniculum vulgare), Sanguisorba , Aconitum, Foxgloves and Thalictrum, can all be used as plants that emerge late and will cover up earlier blooming plants. They will grow up, over and fill in the space when early bloomers and cool weather annuals finish blooming and go dormant, like Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)or Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis).
Enjoy the bulbs in spring and then cover up their foliage with Ladies Mantle(Alchemilla mollis) or Geranium sanguineum album.
Hostas are late to emerge and are also often planted in areas where you have early bloomers that don’t last all summer, like Trilliums, Shooting Stars(Dodecatheons) or bulbs like Crocus or Chionodoxa.
It may take larger plants such as Thalictrum to cover up larger bulb foliage like daffodils or Fall crocus (Colchicum). Even Cammasia foliage can be hidden away after it’s done blooming! The Thalictrum will come right through the messy bulb foliage and cover it right up. You don’t even have to cut it back.
This is an old concept that is being perfected at Great Dixter House and Gardens in England, where Andrew did an internship. This concept also serves to increase the biodiversity of the garden.
for beauty & biodiversity
share your habitat
[PLANT PROFILE] HYPERICUM
Hypericum illustration by karen blackerby logan
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HYPERICUM
ST JOHNS WORT
Hypericum is a compact, mounded, deciduous shrub. During midsummer this outstanding pollinator shrub is adorned with vibrant yellow blooms with abundant pollen bearing stamens, backed by gray blue fine textured foliage. Hypericum is a perfect speciman for any sunny or part shady garden. During the winter the attractive cone shaped seed pods remain, offering food for birds and late season visual interest. St John’s Wort prefers moist well drained soil but can adapt to most soil types, drought, soil compaction and salt. They grow naturally on rocky ledges, in sandy areas and woodland openings. They bloom on the new growth.
This long blooming shrub is a great addition to any garden!
Hypericum mass planted as a hedge
Hypericum integrated into a perennial garden
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We carry five cultivars:
Hypericum hidcote: A very popular variety with blue foliage and a long blooming period. Larger yellow flowers than the Floral Berry but not as impressive of a berry display.
Floral Berry: Multi season interest. The yellow flowers are followed by amazing berries in the fall
Hypericum calycinum: A ground cover with large yellow flowers. It can take partial shade but likes a little afternoon shade. With this groundcover more sun equals more flowers! Hypericums calcynum spreads stoloniferously (through underground stems). If it likes the spot, it will spread vigorously. A pollinator magnet!
Hypericum Blue Festival and Sunny Boulevard
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Use:
Mass plantings along borders, hedges and good for stabilizing slopes
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SUMMER BLOOMING PERENNIALS
Nepeta Walker’s Low & Fothergilla
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JOIN US THIS SATURDAY MORNING
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GARDEN WORKSHOP
PLANTING FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE
SATURDAY JUNE 22ND // 11:00AM // VINEYARD GARDENS NURSERY
We are very excited to welcome Andrea Berry, Executive Director of Wild Seed Project in Maine. She will share her knowledge about planting climate resilient habitats in northeast landscapes.
Scrub Oak Barren- Sandplain Grassland : Scrub oak, little bluestem, sweetfern,Northern blazing star, butterfly milkweed, wood lily & flax leaved aster. Illustration by karen blackerby logan
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SUMMER BLOOMING PERENNIALS
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SUMMER BLOOMING PERENNIALS AT THE NURSERY
* Salvia Purple Rain
* Nepeta Walkers Low
* Nepeta Prelude Blue
* Monarda
* Stachys
* Coreopsis Gold
Standard, Zagreb
& Uptick Red
* Filipendula Kahome
* Alchemilla mollis
Thriller
* Lobelia Queen
Victoria, Starship
Scarlet
* Clematis Boulevard
Acropolis & Nubia
* Hibiscus Ballet Slippers
Asclepias tuberosa Orange ‘Butterflyweed’
* Rudbeckia Herbstone
* Gaura Sparkle White
* Gaura Belleza Dark
Pink
* Rudbeckia Goldblitz
* Asclepias tuberosa
Orange & Hello Yellow
* Incarnata Ice Ballet
& Cinderella
* Kniphophea
* Thalictrum flavum
glaucum
* Thalictrum
rochebrunianum
* Thalictrum black
stockings
* Thalictrum elin
Lady’s Mantle
[PLANT PROFILE] ECHINACEA
Echinacea purpurea illustration by karen blackerby logan
ECHINACEA
CONEFLOWER
Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos meaning hedgehog or sea-urchin in reference to the spiny central cone.
Natives Vs Hybrids
We grow several species of Echinacea, such as Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida and sometimes Echinacea paradoxa. Starting plants from seed adds new DNA to the species and the population. This is thought to increase chances of populations being able to adapt and fight off disease. Thus the hybrids may not be as adaptable. The native cone flowers exist in pink and yellow.
We sell countless hybrids that the horticultural industry has created from mostly Echinacea purpurea. It can take several years for a hybrid to be stable enough to be sold in the market. Then it must be propagated asexually, by cuttings or tissue culture to become that hybrid. The hybrids now exist in all sizes and colors including orange, red, pink and yellow. We carry the Sombrero series, like Salsa Red and Adobe Orange which are two of our favorites. We also carry the shorter Pow Wow series, Pow Wow Wildberry and Pow Wow White. We love many of the Echinacea hybrids like Green twister and White Swan.
If food for pollinators is your #1 reason for planting Echinacea, either plant the native species or pick the single hybrids. The doubles are not believed to be good food for pollinators. Many of the doubles are sterile and produce no seed.
Coneflowers come in a rainbow of colors!
Echinacea ‘White Swan’
GROWING CONDITIONS
Herbaceous perennial that is native to the mid west prairies of the US.
An adaptable plant that is tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil.
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun.
Coneflowers aren’t fussy. They aren’t particularly bothered by pests and do not require much fertilizer.
Mid-summer bloom
USES
Attracts all types of butterflies, birds, bees and other pollinators!
Birds also enjoy coneflowers in the garden. Let the later blooms stand throughout winter, where the characteristic central cone swollen and full of seed offers an excellent food source for birds. Once spring arrives, simply cut back your coneflowers to the ground.
Medicinal use: to help boost the immune system and shorten the duration of the common cold and flu. Echinacea flowers are often associated with health and healing.
An excellent, long-blooming flower for massing in the border, meadow, native plant garden, naturalized area, wildflower garden or part shade area of woodland garden. Often massed with black-eyed Susans.
SUMMER BLOOMING TREES & SHRUBS
September Border filled with blooming shrubs and perennials: Vitex (purple), Crape Myrtles (white and pink), Rudbeckia & Hibiscus.
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JOIN US THIS SATURDAY MORNING
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GARDEN WORKSHOP
FUNDAMENTALS FOR GARDEN DESIGN
SATURDAY JUNE 15TH // 11:00AM // VINEYARD GARDENS
Please join us in a hands on garden design workshop discussing how to plan a garden. Bring pictures to get questions answered. We look forward to seeing you there!
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SUMMER BLOOMING TREES & SHRUBS
Shrubs and trees offer numerous benefits to your landscape
Shrubs and trees are the living structures that make a garden more dynamic. They add depth, weight, height and multiple season interest to a space. Not only do they enrich the landscape with colorful vegetation, flowers, fruit and winter interest, they provide food and shelter for a variety of species. Creating habitat and maximum biodiversity is essential to providing for pollinators. Adding native shrubs and trees transforms environments into climate resilient landscapes through erosion control, drought tolerance and flooding.
Hypericum & Hydrangea paniculata
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Clethra alnifolia
SWEET PEPPERBUSH (Native)
Clethra is a wonderful addition to any garden, a versatile shrub that can thrive in most conditions. Typically found in open woodlands or swamps along the Atlantic coast this workhorse can flower from full sun to shade. Clethra prefers moist soil but can even adjust to dry, compact soil. It is a sweet scented native shrub that is a pollinator magnet. The white spire blooms lure butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. In addition, to being a hardy shrub, Clethera has year round interest. The deep green summer leaves turn yellow in autumn and in winter clusters of attractive seed pods remain.
USES: Seaside plantings, mass plantings, hedges or rain gardens
Clethra alnifolia
Clethra (in foreground and flanking the stairs)
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Vitex castus-agnus
CHASTE TREE
Vitex is a beautiful summer blooming shrub. A deciduous, multi-trunk shrub with fragrant lilac blooms backed by unique aromatic gray-green foliage. Bees and many other pollinators are attracted to its flowers and foliage. In addition, Vitex are deer resistant, moderately salt tolerant and have good drought tolerance once established. Full sun.
USES: Shrub border or train for use as a small tree to accent the landscape or patio.
Vitex castus-agnus with a Rose of Sharon
Vitex castus-agnus
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Lagerstroemia
CRAPE MYRTLE
Crape Myrtle is a deciduous tree that performs best in full sun. Loved for their showy, long lasting summer flowers and their naturally sculpted trunks with attractive exfoliating bark. Crape Myrtle comes in a range of sizes from dwarf 2-3’ tall shrubs to standard tree size of about 20-30’ tall. The larger ones are often pollarded, a type of hard pruning that keeps the plant smaller and blooms more profuse.
USE: Focal tree, a hedge or as part of a border
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Hypericum
ST JOHNS WORT
Midsummer this outstanding pollinator shrub is adorned with vibrant yellow blooms with abundant pollen bearing stamens, backed by gray blue fine textured foliage. During the winter the attractive three chamber seed pods remain, offering food for birds and late season visual interest. St John’s Wort prefers moist well drained soil but are highly adaptable and can withstand drought and soil compaction. They grow naturally on rocky ledges, in sandy areas and woodland openings. Prune hard in spring . They bloom on the new growth.
We carry 3 or 4 cultivars. Hypericum hidcote is very popular with it’s blue foliage and longevity.
USE: Mass plantings borders or hedges
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Hydrangea paniculata
Panicle Hydrangeas are the no fuss hydrangea with long lasting blooms. They are the autumn stars when most other shrubs are no longer blooming. Hydrangea panicle goes through a color transformation starting with early summer white that fades to shades of pink or red before drying to beige in the winter. Their nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies and bees late into the season, providing them with a vital food source. They adapt to full sun or part sun. Some popular panicle hydrangeas we carry are Limelight, Limelight Prime, Little Lime and Bobo. Check out our latest blog with all the varieties of hydrangea we carry.
USES: Natural fence or border, focal point, erosion control or containers.
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[PLANT PROFILE] HYDRANGEA
Nikko Blue Hydrangea [illustration by karen blackerby logan]
HYDRANGEAS
If you have a garden then most likely there is a good spot for a hydrangea. There are so many different varieties, sizes and light requirements that there is something for everyone. Panicle hydrangeas are your late bloomers that can withstand full sun; mopheads are shade loving hydrangeas; there are dwarf options for smaller gardens; large ones for back of garden; and most of them do well in containers. Oak leaf hydrangeas are bee magnets and there is even a northeast native that provides a valuable food source for the hydrangea sphinx moth. Hydrangeas mix well in both the cultivated and natural garden with their broad leaves complimenting the finer foliage textures of other plants and shrubs.
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HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA
Big Leaf, Mophead or Lacecap
The genus name Hydrangea comes from hydor meaning "water" and aggeion meaning "vessel", in reference to the cup-like flower.
A deciduous shrub with a rounded habit that typically grows 3-6’ tall and as wide unless damaged by harsh winters or pruned smaller.
Mophead Hydrangeas produce ball shaped flower clusters
Lacecap Hydrangeas produce small flowers surrounded by a ring of larger flowers
Lacecap Hydrangea
Endless Summer, a newer macrophylla(mophead) that blooms on new growth instead of last years stems, so flower buds don’t get frosted in a severe winter or late spring frost.
GROWING HYDRANGEA MACROPHYLLA
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Best grown in rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade. Tolerates full sun only if grown in consistently moist soils.
Soil pH affects the flower color of most cultivars except white (blue in highly acidic soils and lilac to pink in slightly acidic to alkaline soils). Add aluminum sulfate to the soil to make the flowers bluer or add lime to the soil to make the flowers pinker. Begin soil treatments well in advance of flowering, as in late autumn or early spring.
Plants generally need little pruning. If needed, prune immediately after flowering by cutting back flowering stems to a pair of healthy buds. Prune out weak or winter-damaged stems in late winter/early spring.
Best to mulch plants year-round with 3" of shredded bark, peat or compost.
Winter hardy but planted in sheltered locations gives additional winter protection. Regardless of protective measures taken, most bigleaf hydrangeas simply will not bloom (or will bloom poorly) in some years due to a variety of winter conditions. Some newer cultivars have been selected that flower on both old and new wood.
'Hydranges Bloomstruck' blooms on both old and new growth, has strong stems and is resistant to powdery mildew.
Nikko Blue
hydrangea macrophylla
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Nikko Blue
Endless Summer
Bloomstruck
Blue Enchantress
Penny Mac
Glowing Embers
Lanarth White
Blushing Bride
Hydrangea Seaside Serenade Cape Lookout
USES
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* Group or mass in the
shrub border.
* A specimen or accent
for foundations and
other locations
near homes or patios.
* Hedges
* Containers
Late season spent flowers of Hydrangea macrophylla
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HYDRANGEA PANICULATA
Panicle Hydrangeas
Panicle Hydrangeas are the no fuss hydrangea with long lasting blooms. They range in size from large to compact depending on variety, allowing for many planting options in the landscape. A late blooming shrub, they become the autumn stars when most other shrubs are no longer blooming. Triggered by air temperature fluctuations, hydrangea panicle go through a color transformation starting with an early summer white that fades to shades of pink or red before drying to beige in the winter. Their nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies and bees late into the season, providing them with a vital food source.
Panicle Hydrangea Little Lime
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA ATTRIBUTES
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Panicle Hydrangeas thrive in full sun or morning sun, a place in the garden that mophead hydrangeas don’t flourish.
Bloom on new growth each summer so there is no risk of flower buds being harmed by the cold winter or late frost.
As the rest of the garden winds down, the fall panicle hydrangeas take center stage.
Flowers can even be left to dry on the plant in the fall and can stay looking good into the winter.
Quick Fire Hydrangea
hydrangea paniculata
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Limelight
Limelight Prime
Little Lime
Quick Fire
Little Quick Fire
Bobo (dwarf variety)
Bobo
USES
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* Variety of sizes means
there’s a perfect fit for
most situations
* Smaller specimens ideal for
foundation, mass or
container planting
* Larger specimens ideal for
hedges and back of the
garden
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HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oak leaf hydrangeas have beautiful large leaves similarly shaped to an oak leaf. The flower panicles are large, white and attract many bees. In autumn the leaves turn to a reddish hue. foliage transitions from green to maroon, falling off in winter to reveal beautiful exfoliating bark. Beyond its impressive foliage, the flowers also put on an exquisite show, changing from white to a stunning pink or red as the plant matures. Oak leaf hydrangeas prefer partial shade.
Oak Leaf hydrangea on the highline in NYC vibrating with bees.
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HYDRANGEA ANOMALA PETIOLARIS
Climbing Hydrangea
“First it sleeps, then it creeps and then it leaps.” This old adage seems to speak directly to the climbing hydrangea. This vine is slow to start but once it gets establish after a couple years it leaps! A vigorous vine with lush green foliage blanketed by beautiful lace cap white blooms. This hydrangea has year round interest, with their long lasting summer blooms that dry beautifully on the vine in autumn and when the leaves have fallen gorgeous exfoliating bark is revealed. Climbing hydrangea can thrive in full sun to shade. It can be planted on sturdy structures, like stone or brick walls, chimneys, and houses
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HYDRANGEA ARBORESCENS
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens, our native hydrangea, is found along rocky wooded slopes, ravines, streambanks, and bluff bases in the eastern United States. Smooth hydrangea is the host plant of the hydrangea sphinx moth and attacts butterflies, moths, pollinators and songbirds. The blooms are on new wood and can be pruned back close to the ground in late winter. Several cultivars have flowers that make a ball-shaped bloom. It is low growing and stacks well beneath taller trees and shrubs.
Hydrangea arborescens cultivars we carry:
Annabelle and the newer Invincible Spirit
Hydrangea Annabelle
USES
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*Planted in mass
*Native specimen
*Pollinator garden
*Rain garden
*Shade garden
*Grows well on a slope,
naturalized area or
in a woodland
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FERTILIZE HYDRANGEAS IN EARLY SUMMER
All hydrangeas tend to grow better when they are fertilized, even the native ones.
If you missed feeding your plants early in the season when you did your spring clean up, you can make up for that now (before August 1). The plants that respond best to fertilizer this time of year are the rebloomers: big leaf (macrophylla), mountain (serrata) and woodland/smooth (arborescens) varieties. You may want to help them produce those reblooming flowers to carry your garden through to the end of the season
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Hydrangea [illustration by karen blackerby logan]
HERBS & CONTAINER GARDENS
Chives illustration by karen blackerby logan
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JOIN US THIS SATURDAY MORNING
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GARDEN WORKSHOP
CONTAINER GARDENING
SATURDAY JUNE 8TH // 11:00AM // VINEYARD GARDENS
Please join us in a hands on workshop to learn how to make your own long blooming planted containers. We look forward to seeing you there!
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CONTAINER PLANTING
Add annuals to your perennial beds, containers & hanging baskets
Annuals long bloom season offers a consistency in color and blooms that keep your containers looking fresh through the fall. Try adding annual vines to containers and hanging baskets like Mina lobata, Thunbergias, Cobaea scandens (Cup and Saucer Vine) & Mandevilla.
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Tips for Planting Containers
Plant your flower pots now! They are a welcoming splash of color at your entrance, on your deck or patio. Pots can vary in size and can be combinations of sizes and heights arranged together to make a dynamic display. Sometimes just one kind of plant in several pots arranged together can be simple and elegant, such as one large hosta in a shade pot next to an impatiens pot. Or an acanthus plant in an urn. An advantage of utilizing planted containers allows you to be flexible with the arrangement.
In mixed containers the plants will be married together for the whole season so be sure they have similar requirements. Group full sun plants or shade plants together depending on your spot.
We usually recommend annuals for pots because they bloom all summer, perennials usually only bloom for 4 or 5 weeks. Although do consider perennials because some have beautiful foliage and do very well in pots, plus their flowers can be an extra bonus for a little while. Some examples are Heucheras(Coral Bells) or Brunnera Jack Frost (Forget me nots) or even one large Hosta in a pot can be very effective in shade.
Geraniums are an old time favorite. They are drought tolerant once established. Combine them with other drought tolerant sun lovers like Euphorbia Diamond Frost instead of the traditional vinca major.
Great container plants for sun include Verbenas, Calibracoa ‘Million Bells’, Petunias, Zinnias, Euphorbia Diamond Frost, Salvias, Sweet Alyssum and Sweet Potato Vine. A simple pot can just be Cosmos sonata, dwarf series. You could also try something new like Browallia americana or Cephalophora aromatica.
Great container plants for shade include Impatiens, Begonias, Fuschias, Four O’ Clocks, Nicotiana, Rudbeckia hirtas ‘Black eyed Susan’, Coleus, Lobelia, and Sweet Potato Vine.
Plant the taller plants in the center and the trailers around the outside.
An easy way to insure proper fertility is to put some Osmocote fertilizer on the soil surface when you finish planting your pots and then water with the hose. Otherwise mix a few tablespoons of water soluble fertilizer into your watering can and water them with fertilizer about once a week.
It is still early in the season and annuals grow quickly so don’t overcrowd them.
Most importantly have fun designing and planting your pots and watching them grow.
COLOR COMBINATIONS
______________
In combining annuals
and perennials watch
your color combinations.
Different tones of the
same color look great
together. The contrast
between dark and white
works well. Blues, grays
and greens help tone
down the louder colors
like orange and red.
Keep it simple but
effective.
Trachymene caerulea (the blue lace flowers)
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HERBS
Come check out our herb house & herb garden. Now is the time to plant some perennial, annual and edible herbs! They are a wonderful addition to container gardens!
ANNUAL HERBS (6 packs / $5.95 & 2” herb pots / $3.95): Cilantro, Parsley, Dill, Chervil
Chevril
Parsley curled
Cilantro
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PERENNIAL HERBS
Sage, Thyme, Lavender, Chives & Tarragon
Perennial herbs tend to live longer that two years. They go dormant in the winter and return in the spring sending up new stems and leaves from the crown. Chives are usually the first to pop up in March. Most herbs in the mint family are perennial, such as oregano, thyme, sage, lemon balm and mint
PERENNIAL HERBS (4" pots / $6.95): Thyme. Sage, Mint, Tarragon, Lemon Verbena and Lemon Balm
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SAGE
Sages are known for both their ornamental and culinary qualities. On top of that, they are drought tolerant and deer resistant. Sage grows best in full sun, well draining soil and can withstand frost.
Sage ‘Berggarten’
Sage 'Purpurascens’
Sage ‘Tricolor’
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CHIVES
Chives are cool-season, cold-tolerant perennials best planted in early to mid-spring for an early summer harvest. They are a wonderful companion plant that deters pests. Plant alongside carrots, celery, lettuce, peas, and tomatoes.
Chive
Chives
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THYME
A hardy low growing evergreen herb with small, fragrant leaves and thin, woody stems. Thyme has ornamental, culinary and medicinal qualities.
Wooly Thyme
Lemon Thyme
Creeping Thyme
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LAVENDER
Munstead Lavender
English Lavender
Hidcote Lavender
TIMING IS KEY IN GARDENING! DON’T WAIT TO GET STARTED!
[PLANT PROFILE] SALVIAS
SALVIAS
Salvias are North American natives in the mint family. There are over 900 species, both annuals and perennials and a few biennial.
Salvia Leucantha
Salvia Blue Monday
Salvia nemorosa (perennial)
GROWING SALVIA
Salvia flowers come in a variety of colors, but mostly blues and purples. There are some varieties of pinks, fuchsia, white, red and a yellow one we are trying this year. They are easy to grow, easy to care for, deer resistant, bloom abundantly and have long lasting blooms. They do best in full sun and well drained soil. We have a wonderful selection of perennial and annual salvia at the nursery.
THINK OF LATE SUMMER AND FALL EFFECT WHEN PLANTING NOW. THE LATER BLOOMING SEASON EXTENDER SALVIAS CAN DO THAT FOR YOU!
PLANTING
——————
- Salvias prefer full sun
and well drained soil.
- Dig a hole twice the
diameter of the
container the plant is in.
- Mix in a 3-inch layer of
compost. (Mix the
compost in with the
existing soil.)
- Remove the plant from
its container and place
it in the hole so the
top of the root ball is
level with the soil
surface.
- Space plants 1 to 3 feet
apart, depending on
the variety.
- Carefully fill in around
the plant and firm the
soil gently.
- Always water thoroughly after
planting!
Salvia greggii Mirage Blue
Salvia greggii Mirage Salmon
Salvia Purple Rain
CARE
——————
- Add a thin layer of
mulch around the plant
to retain moisture
and control weeds.
- Water often and
deeply.
- Dead heading will lead
to more blossoms. Follow
the flower stem all the
way to the base and
cut there.
- Wait until new growth
begins in early spring
to remove old stems.
- Divide every 3 years.
The best time to divide
is in early spring, before
new growth begins.
Salvia are pollinator magnets! Wonderful plants for hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
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PERENNIAL SALVIAS
The perennial salvias mostly bloom in early summer and if deadheaded will give a second flush of bloom that same year. The perennial Salvias are blooming now!
Perennial Salvias Available this Year:
Salvia Wind Walker Red
————————
A perennial species of
Salvia that is majestic
for it’s size, 4’ tall.
Graceful arching stems
with brilliant red flowers
bloom from late June
through fall. Cut this
Salvia back to 6” in
early summer to keep
stems shorter and
stronger. Hummingbirds
love it! On the Plant
Select Program, a native
plant group out of
Denver Colorado.
Salvia nemorosa Species
Savatore Blue: Aromatic royal purple/blue spikes adds depth and upright interest to garden beds and planters
Dark Matter
Caradonna
Feathers Peacock
White Profusion
Blue by You
Violet Riot
East Friesland
Blue Marvel
Rose Marvel
Snow Hill
Perennial salvia
Salvia greggi Mirage. A new perennial salvia series we are carrying. We have Mirage Salmon and Mirage Blue
Salvia Midnight Model : striking violet blue flowers in a round, dense clump.
Salvia Evening Attire : Huge, vivid violet blue flowers are packed tightly into a refined habit.
Salvia Moulin Rouge : Huge, rosy pink flowers.
Salvia verticillata ‘Purple Rain’: An oldie but Goody
Salvia sclarea ‘Clary Sage’ : A biennial species of Salvia that we grow from seed. This one is native to the Mediterranean basin. It is very showy with big spikes bearing large colorful bracts that seem to last all summer. This is a big plant! The straight species is pink with darker pink edges.
Salvia sclarea turkestanica : this variety has white flecks with pink.
Salvia argentea : Commonly called silver sage is a clump-forming biennial with silvery leaves and white flowers
Salvia Lyrical Blue : meadow sage, indigo-blue petals and burgundy accents
Salvia Lyrical Rose
Salvia Rhythm and Blues
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ANNUAL SALVIA are SEASON EXTENDERS
Plant them now and they will be gorgeous in the fall!
We also carry a vast selection of annual salvias. They are considered season extenders because they bloom all summer and into late fall. Sometimes the Pineapple Sage is still blooming in November! They benefit from being planted early so they can reach full size. Annual Salvia do great in containers or in your garden beds but remember they are annuals so will not come back next year. This year we have a wonderful stock of Salvia Indigo Spires, Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue, Salvia leucantha and Salvia uliginosa. They are referred to as tender Salvias and are good season extenders!
Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue
Salvia Wendy’s Wish
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Annual seed grown Salvias are fabulous garden performers.
(4” and larger pots)
Clary sages (salvia) are grown from seed . These Salvias are a Vineyard Gardens favorite. The bracts are prominent making the flower large and exotic looking. Long lasting blooms. It grows at Monticello.
Salvia horminium Blue Monday (a VG favorite)
Salvia horminium Rose Sundae
Salvia patens Patio Sky Blue
Salvia Blue Monday
Salvia patens Blue Angel
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Salvias grown from plugs
Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue
Salvia Indigo Spires: A deep blue. Will still be blooming in your gardens with the asters and mums in fall.
Salvia Amistad (Andrews recommendation)
Salivia Skyscraper Orange
Salvia Skyscraper Pink
Unplugged Pink
Salvia Rockin Deep Purple
Salvia Rockin Blue Suede Shoes
Salvia Rockin Fuschia
Salvia Wendys Wish: A customer favorite. A hot pink flower.
Salvia Love and Wishes: A customer favorite. Antique shade of pink
Salvia leucantha ‘Mexican Sage’: great season extender. Blooms in October.
Salvia Wendy’s Wish
Salvia madrensis
Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’
Salvia Love and Wishes
Tender Salvia
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Salvias (sage) in the herb house
Tricolor variegated Sage
Salvia elegans ‘Pineapple Sage’ (annual): Elgens means it is tender and will not overwinter. A great season extender. Does especially well when planted in spring or early summer and allowed to reach full size before bloom. A 4” pot of Pineapple sage will reach 4-5 feet tall and wide in one season. It bears beautiful red spiked flowers in late summer and into the fall. It’s foliage smells like pineapple and can be brewed into a tea.
Salvia officinalis or the culinary sages (perennial)
The species and Bergarten are the two most popular ones used for culinary purposes.
Purple Leaf Sage
Golden Sage
Tricolor Sage: An very ornamental sage with purple, pink and white leaves.
JUNE GARDENING TIPS
Achillea (Yarrow) & Purple Prairie Clover
JUNE GARDENING TIPS
June is here and gardening season is in full swing! We have longer days of sun, warmer temperatures and the flowers are abundant. Now while working in the garden you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor, picking fresh flowers, nibbling on fresh veggies and berries, watching pollinators at work and enjoying all the summer scents.
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VEGETABLE GARDENS
We are still in the midst of our planting season and this is a great time for planting! All the warm season vegetables can go in now: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans, corn and squash. A second crop of most of the spring plants can also go in now: lettuce, arugula, carrots and beets. Stake vines and veggies as needed. Mulch or top dress around vegetables to prevent weeds and conserve moisture. Our new favorite mulch is Leaf Mold. Ask about it at the nursery.
PRUNE
Pinch terminal buds on rhododendrons for more flowers next year.
Prune spring flowering shrubs immediately after they flower (lilacs for example)
Lightly prune boxwood after they show new growth to get a pleasing shape.
WEED
Stay ahead of weeds! Fill in holes with more plants, that helps keep out the weeds.
MULCH
Apply fresh mulch if you have not done so already. Add or mulch with Leaf Mold. We carry bagged Coast of Maine mulches as well.
FERTILIZE
If not done so already it is a good time to feed anything that is already in the ground. Use a time release fertilizer to avoid burning plant roots and give gentle nutrients that will last for several months.
Use organic fertilizers. The Espoma fertilizers break down slowly and are packed with micronutrients in addition to the three macronutrients Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.
For quicker nutrient availability, water it in using a liquid fertilizer. Ask about our organic liquid fertilizers at the Garden Center.
ANNUALS
Plant out your containers, window boxes and garden beds with annuals. Don’t forget to deadhead your flowers to encourage more and enhance the appearance of beds and containers. Add slow-release organic fertilizer when planting, then give them a weekly snack with a quarter-strength liquid fertilizer.
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Oenothers Siskiyou Pink
Phlox divaricata (woodland phlox) with Euphorbia polychromatic
Delphinium, Foxglove with Yarrow and Oenothers Siskiyou Pink
WATER
Water consistently!
All the newly planted or transplanted plants need to be watered deeply 1 to 2 times a week depending on whether or not we get rain and how sunny it is.
The best rule of thumb for trees and woody shrubs is water once a day for the first week to get the soil good and moist around the root system. Then once a week for the first year if there is not a good rain. July and August are usually the most important months to water.
A “deep water” depends on the precipitation rate, for example holding a hose full flow on a shrub would only need a few minutes while a sprinkler that covers a large area should run an hour as long as there is not run off.
Morning is a good time to water because there will not be as much evaporation as when it is sunny and hot. It is a myth that watering in the heat of the day the water drops will be magnified by the sun and burn the leaves. If that were so it would happen every time there is a shower and then the sun comes out.
A 1 to 3 inch layer of mulch helps slow down evaporation and is very beneficial for plants. The mulch also breaks down over time and becomes organic matter which helps hold moisture and nutrients.