There is no way to sugarcoat the challenges many of us in the Mid-Atlantic region have faced this summer. The inconsistency of rainfall and the extreme high temperatures have greatly impacted our efforts to garden successfully. Even with valiant efforts to apply supplemental irrigation, I have witnessed a wide range of plant material showing signs of drought stress that I have rarely witnessed in my 15-plus years of gardening in this region. To say it is cause for concern would be an understatement. As a result, in the last few months I have been repeatedly asked how we can prepare our beloved gardens to reduce heat and moisture stress for future growing seasons. One answer to this conundrum is to add organic matter to the soil in the form of compost.
Rock Gardening Basics with Panayoti Kelaidis
07.08.2024 - 17:34 / finegardening.com
Panayoti Kelaidis is the senior curator and director of outreach at Denver Botanic Gardens , a founding member and collaborator with the Plant Select plant introduction program, and an active member and past president of the North American Rock Garden Society .
In his article on rock gardening for the October 2023 issue he says, “The dynamic juxtaposition between plants and well-placed stones has an intrinsically artistic, sculptural effect. And to top it all off, a rock garden will often persist with far less cutting back, deadheading, and fussing than a bed filled with perennials or annuals would require.”
If you are interested in taking up rock gardening, Panayoti recommends starting with species that are native to your region, combined with plants from similar climates around the world. For example, Panayoti’s latest crevice garden is filled with plants from the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, supplemented with species from Central Asia, South Africa, and even Patagonia. The species used were chosen for their ability to survive Denver’s hot, dry summers and cold winters. These require less effort to establish and maintain than alpine plants from the European Alps, which have traditionally been used in rock gardens.
While Fine Gardening staff was visiting Denver to shoot photos for Rock Gardening 101, Panayoti took a few minutes to record this video sharing some basic rock gardening pointers for beginners. The biggest take-away lessons:
Learn more
To read Panayoti’s recommendations for adaptable Western native species that can be grown more widely.
For a fun tour of another great Denver garden, check out this video.
If you’d like to substitute some Western native plants for commonly used, non-native
Should gardeners welcome all wildlife to their gardens?
I heard a rustling behind me and turned to see a huge tortoise disappearing under a shrub! That was 25 years ago in South Africa. I was thrilled to see the creature but my fellow gardeners quickly loaded it onto a wheelbarrow bound for the veld (the open grassland) beyond the garden.
Why You Shouldn't Buy Ladybugs for Natural Pest Control in Your Garden
Got pests? Encourage native ladybugs to inhabit your garden instead of buying wild-harvested ladybugs to manage unwanted insects. Purchased ladybugs are expensive and potentially disease-carrying, threatening native bug species already living in your garden and the surrounding area. Your best bet is to attract and encourage native ladybugs to thrive and flourish, which will responsibly deter unwanted pests.
19 Trees that Start with R
We like it when anything and everything around us reminds us to rush to the garden and love up the flora in our space—even letters of the alphabet! Today, we’re focusing on trees that start with the letter R.
Build a $300 Underground Greenhouse for Year-Round Gardening
Growers in cold climates often utilize various approaches to extend the growing season or boost their crops, including cold frames, hoop houses, and greenhouses. Greenhouses—typically glazed structures— are often expensive to construct and heat throughout the winter. But, they have their benefits, which is why underground greenhouses can be viable alternatives.
Download a Free Native-Plant Garden Plan for Your Specific Region
Native plants, as the name indicates, grow naturally in an area or region. There is a growing shift among many people away from a manicured garden with non-local species in support of more natural areas, and especially, for embracing native plants.
Bitterroot Secret Garden Tour: A Nurseryman’s Expansive Garden
Happy Monday GPODers!
2-for-1 Gardens to Visit - Summer holiday special
Join us this summer as we explore some of the UK’s best 2-for-1 Gardens to visit in August, for fun days out with all the family. Whether it’s an adventure playground or woodland trail for the kids, or a rose garden or restored Elizabethan garden for the horticulturalists, there is plenty to enjoy at these gardens. Visit using your 2-for-1 Gardens card to save money on your trips to all these wonderful gardens.
Coping with extreme weather, with cornell’s daniel weitoish
I SUSPECT I’m not alone when I say that weather extremes in recent growing seasons have made me feel a bit like a stranger in a strange land in my own garden, wondering what will bloom when and when to do what. And most of all, wondering what madness is coming next.
How Much Should You Water Your Garden in Extreme Heat?
Extreme heat waves are stressful for almost every type of plant in your garden, from flowers and vegetables to shrubs and trees—but especially for container-grown plants.