Monty's month of flowers: jobs for the September garden

Hi GPODers!

Happy Monday GPODers!

Andrew Bunting is vice president of horticulture at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), where he promotes gardening for the greater good. PHS supports healthier neighborhoods through horticulture by cleaning and greening vacant lots, planting and maintaining street trees, partnering with community gardeners to share resources and conserve productive open space, and demonstrating ecologically sound gardening practices in public gardens throughout the greater Philadelphia area. Andrew’s extensive public gardening career includes time spent at Chicago Botanic Garden, Chanticleer, and 27 years at the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College. His Fine Gardening articles have covered topics like autumn-flowering trees, shrubs for shade, and selecting trees for structure. In this episode, he discusses the evolution of his home garden, the lessons learned from the many gardens his hands have touched, and the potential for making our shared landscapes more sustainable and inclusive.

You've likely heard that burying banana peels in your garden is a good way to add important nutrients to the soil to grow healthy plants. Banana peels do contain nutrients, but not as many as you may think. Plus, it's not as simple as placing them in the soil and skipping fertilizer or compost.

James Nathan Schroder

As a first-time homeowner, you might be excitedly making plans for major renovations, minor cosmetic alterations, or just decorating with new furniture and home accessories. But before embarking on any such plans or shopping sprees, you should consider prioritizing certain items—both basic and big-ticket—that every home needs at one point or another.

The arrival of autumn is the perfect time to get plants in the ground. Early-season rainstorms and cooling temperatures can help plants establish roots, meaning your outdoor fall to-do list isn't limited to just raking leaves.

A Goldfinch perching on teasel

Dutch Boy

Collaborative post

With growing interest in waterwise gardening and water conservation, homeowners are looking for alternatives to water-hogging lawns, which are not always necessary or practical. Turfgrass can often be replaced by native grass species, ground covers, or hardscape materials and still meet your individual needs. When selecting lawn replacements, it is important to consider the various roles lawns play in the landscape and plan accordingly. Lawns provide valuable environmental services such as soil stabilization and erosion control, and they have a cooling effect on the local environment. From a design standpoint, lawns play an aesthetic role, creating openings or voids that help shape the landscape. Finally, lawns provide an area for kids, pets, and adults to play.

It seems like the majority of the most popular native garden perennials are sun-loving meadow denizens. It can be difficult to find native flowering plants to brighten shadier spots. The following selection of perennials are not only vigorous shade growers, but also appeal to both people and pollinators alike, and look good while doing it.