Shrubs
“It’s Out of Control!” The Too Large Hydrangea
Your hydrangea has gotten too big. It is growing up over the windows or spilling out into the walkway. Your hydrangea is covering nearby shrubs, or blocking the driveway. “How do I prune this to make it small again?” you ask. The simple answer is that you don’t. Plants grow to be the size and…
Read MoreA Shrub For Foliage Color
As you prepare to plant in your yard and garden this spring, consider using one of the colorful ninebark shrubs. There are many varieties of Physocarpus opulifolius, our native ninebark, that have purple, copper or lime-green leaves. When you plant a Physocarpus, you get two for one: flowers and foliage color. This shrub is also…
Read MoreWhy Didn’t My…..Have Fall Color
Or, “Why did my…..turn brown and look dead so suddenly this fall?” I’ve gotten emails, phone calls and text messages from all over Cape Cod with this question. For many it’s their Japanese maples or Hydrangea shrubs that are in question. But others ask about Viburnum, Weigelia, burning bush, beech trees and other shrubs or…
Read MorePlanting Large Containers For Winter
Whisky barrels, troughs and other large containers are perfect for filling with small evergreens in the fall. Plant them in October and enjoy their beauty into early May. And if you stick some bulbs around those plants you’ll have winter shrubs and spring flowers. In early May, transplant these small evergreens to a spot in…
Read MoreHow Late Can I Plant In The Fall?
From October through December we hear this question from our customers. In fact, we find that on Cape Cod there are many people who are planting in the fall. Some have recently purchased a home and want to get a jump on the landscaping. Others suddenly need a privacy screening or are now ready to…
Read MoreWhat Should I Do To Hydrangeas In The Fall?
Short answer? Not too much! But we know that this answer isn’t very helpful to people who wonder if they should cut them back or trim off the dried flowers. So here is what you need to know as your hydrangeas move from summer into fall. 1. If you want to pick the blue or…
Read MoreWhite Hydrangeas – The Paniculata Group
In July the blue or pink mophead and lacecap are the stars of the show on Cape Cod. But as we move into August, it’s time for the panicle hydrangeas to take center stage. Those in the Hydrangea paniculata group come in all sizes and they are bone-hardy shrubs that reliably flower from late summer into…
Read MoreCelebrating Hydrangeas and the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival
As people all over Cape Cod begin touring gardens during the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival, we thought it appropriate to post a few hydrangea facts this week. Here are a few facts and tips about Cape Cod’s favorite shrub: There is a hydrangea for every garden! If you have a sunny yard, plant one of the…
Read MorePlants For More Landscape Color
One of the things that many of our customers request is “More color!” Usually they are talking about flowers, of course. We all want something that’s in bloom in every month of the year. But along with planning for plants that will flower, remember to look at foliage color and texture. If your garden is…
Read MoreCan I Plant My Gift Hydrangea Outside?
Before Easter and Mothers Day our greenhouse is filled with beautiful potted Hydrangea plants. These make lovely gifts but since they are raised in a greenhouse, and are in flower months before their natural blooming time when grown outdoors, many wonder if it’s possible to keep them and plant them in the landscape later. Here…
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