A good time to plant is when temperatures are mild, so roots can get established without the stress of summer heat.
Last week, it was pleasant enough to get some potted azaleas in the ground. The plants came from First Editions Shrubs and Trees, a brand of premium evergreens and perennials from the fifth-generation, family and brand owner Bailey Nurseries in St. Paul, Minnesota. I decided to add the 15 specimens to an existing azalea garden outside my Summer House where I know they will flourish.
Enjoy these photos.
As a serious and curious gardener, I am always looking for ways to add more beauty and texture to all my garden beds, so I was excited when a delivery of plants arrived at my farm from First Editions.
This delivery includes a selection of Electric Lights Red Azaleas. These azaleas are the first true red azaleas for cold climate gardens – they should thrive, here, at my farm.
This variety has deep green foliage and an upright mounding habit.
Azalea leaves are typically elliptical or oval-shaped. They also have a glossy finish. The length of azalea leaves ranges from as little as a quarter-inch to more than six inches. Healthy azaleas will be free from any leaf spots or wilting.
Matt starts by digging all the holes. When planting, dig a hole at least twice the size of the plant. Azaleas thrive in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter.
The hole sides should be slanted and the hole should be no deeper than the root ball is tall, so it can be placed directly on undisturbed soil. Digging a wide planting hole helps to provide the best opportunity for roots to expand into its new growing environment.
Matt tests the potted plant in the hole to make sure it is deep enough.
Next, Matt sprinkles a generous handful of good, water-soluble fertilizer to the existing soil.
The food is granular, supports strong root development, and feeds plants for up to three months.
Always scarify before putting plants into the ground. Scarifying stimulates root growth. Essentially, one breaks up small portions of the root ball to loosen the roots a bit and create some beneficial injuries. This helps the plant become established more quickly in its new environment. Matt removes the plant from its pot and using a hori hori, scarifies the sides of the root ball.
Matt does this to the bottom also.
Cuts don’t have to be deep – just enough to cut through the root ball. Don’t be afraid to be a little rough.
The plant is tested in the hole again and checked to be sure it is at the right depth. This is important. Planting too deep could eventually cause deterioration at the soil line and kill the plant.
Once Matt is sure the plant is placed properly, the azalea is backfilled. Also ensure the best side is facing the outside – that’s what passers-by will see. Azaleas have short root systems, so they can easily be transplanted in early spring or early fall.
Matt also tamps down to make sure there is good contact between the soil and the root ball.
Azaleas should be planted at least two to four feet apart depending on the variety’s mature size. These will be about three to four feet wide and four to five feet tall.
These azaleas are also fragrant and are sure to be great additions to the garden. I’ll be sure to share more photos when they’re in full bloom next spring. I can’t wait.
Another outdoor chore is checked off my long list - so much is getting done this season.
My farm sits on 153 acres of gardens, pastures, and woodlands. Every year, I work hard to design new garden spaces and enhance existing ones. I take into consideration a plant's growing needs and mature size and plant accordingly. This week, I took down some old pussy willows in an area behind my main greenhouse to make room for a a collection of wonderful pink and white hydrangeas from Star Roses and Plants, a company of brands that focuses on breeding and introducing specimens offering longer-lasting, disease resistant blooms. This garden will look so stunning when these plants are mature.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I’m so proud of all the many bare-root plants I am able to nurture here in pots before they are planted in more permanent locations. These bare-roots are Sweet Starlight Hydrangeas, Hydrangea paniculata. Its bright white blooms age from light to dark pink. These were potted up last April.
I decided this area behind my main greenhouse needed a change. There were some old willows here that needed replacing. Once the space was cleared, it was leveled and prepared for planting.
And here are the hydrangeas this week just before planting in this new garden bed.
This variety features bright white flower panicles that bloom every year and age from light to dark antique pink. Strong stems keep the showy blooms from flopping over and the compact size fills in nicely when planted in numbers.
Here’s a closer look at a panicle bloom which contains both light and dark pink.
Ryan focuses on placing the plants in the bed. As with all new plants, the potted hydrangeas are carefully positioned where they will be planted to ensure good spacing and arrangement. Hydrangeas should be at least four feet apart when planted in groups.
It was all hands on deck to get the 90 hydrangeas planted before lunch. Here’s Pasang digging one of the holes.
The crew works in a production line process. The holes are dug first before any planting begins. Placing the plants in their designated holes also helps to keep track of the holes dug.
Each hole should always be twice as wide as the plant’s root ball and several inches deeper than the original pot. This ensures that the roots have enough room to grow and spread properly.
Fertilizer is sprinkled generously inside the hole and on the surrounding soil. I use Miracle-Gro fertilizers that help with transplant survival, increase water and nutrient absorption, and encourage vigorous root growth and lush foliage. Ryan also sprinkles fertilizer around the entire bed.
Pasang uses his hands to scarify the root ball and stimulate growth. Since these were just potted last spring, the root ball soil is still soft and easy to break up.
Hydrangeas have a fibrous root system, which means their roots are thin and branch out. The roots allow the plants to absorb water and nutrients from the top layers of soil.
Pasang plants the hydrangea similar to the way it was planted in the pot. Planting them too deep can bury the stems, which can promote root rot.
Nearby, Matthew plants another. The hole is backfilled with the existing soil as well as new composted soil made right here at my farm.
In the ground, the plant should sit at the same depth it was in the pot. Matthew spreads the soil evenly and tamps lightly at the end to ensure good contact.
Remember, perennials like hydrangeas generally grow slowly the first year, faster the second year, and then reach full size in the third year.
In just a couple of hours, all the hydrangeas are planted and looking great.
Cesar rakes the area, so it is neat and tidy.
And then Matthew gives each plant a thorough drink.
Hydrangeas prefer full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. I know these will do so well in this location.
A row of trees was also planted to offer some dappled shade over the hydrangeas once mature. These are katsura trees. what do you think? Following is a short clip showing the bed at the end of the day.
Another annual summertime task is checked off the list.
Along one side of my home overlooking the farm, I have a large stone terrace constructed with formal hedged gardens. For the upper parterres, I selected contrasting evergreen shrubs – boxwood, and golden barberry. To provide interest, these shrubs are sheared to different heights, creating a step effect. In the lower parterres, carefully designed and manicured boxwood hedges surround two hand-casted antique fountains. On one side, a low hedge shaped with an inverted V pattern, or chevron. Maintaining all these plantings requires extra maintenance and regular grooming, but I think it’s well worth the effort.
Enjoy these photos.
I am so pleased with how well these formal gardens have developed over the years. I’ve worked hard to maintain the detailed shapes of the hedges and shrubs. This is the lower terrace that is located just outside my Winter House kitchen. It’s a lovely place to sit and conduct meetings or enjoy summer meals.
This is what the hedges looked like before pruning began. It’s important to groom the specimens every few months when they appear overgrown.
Golden barberry, Berberis thunbergii, is a deciduous shrub that is compact, adaptable, very hardy and shows off striking small, golden yellow oblong leaves. Golden barberry takes on its brightest coloring when it gets at least six hours of direct sun a day.
Buxus is a genus of about 70 species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box or boxwood. The boxes are native to western and southern Europe, southwest, southern and eastern Asia, Africa, Madagascar, northernmost South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The leaves are arranged opposite from each other, making pairs. I use European boxwood all over my farm.
For trimming and grooming, I use a select group of tools for the terraces. These STIHL battery operated trimmers, shears, and blowers are durable, efficient, and gentle enough to use around this formal garden space.
These are Okatsune 30-inch long Hedge Shears. Okatsune shears are light and precise, and come in a range of sizes.
Phurba is my resident boxwood pruning expert. He’s been with me for many years. Here he is pruning and shaping the boxwood by hand using the Okatsune shears.
To get the top of the manicured hedges level and groomed, Phurba uses the STIHL HSA 140 T battery hedge trimmer. It’s excellent for trimming and sculpting.
Phurba is able to skim the top of the hedge removing the new growth with precision and ease.
Here, Phurba works on the upper terrace quadrants, again hand trimming the big boxwood shrubs.
Phurba makes sure to cover every side of the shrubs and hedges, sometimes carefully having to walk in tight spaces.
Phurba uses the STIHL hand-held HSA 26 garden shears to trim the golden barberry.
There are always a lot of clippings to clear, but that’s because these hedges are doing so well. Good, regular pruning stimulates new growth, controls unwanted growth, and removes dead or damaged branches.
Here is a finished section of a boxwood hedge. Boxwood is a popular choice for formal gardens because of its versatility, ability to be pruned, and year-round bold green foliage.
Phurba takes several days to do all the careful pruning and grooming. Here, one can see where he has trimmed, and where he still has work to do.
And have you seen my all-weather furniture by Polywood? These chairs and table are part of my Chinoiserie Collection. These pieces stay out all season long and are designed to withstand storms and strong winds. They are so durable and look perfect year after year.
My Chinoiserie Accent Tables by Polywood are great for displaying some of my potted plants. This outdoor furniture comes in a variety of colors including my signature Bedford gray.
It takes time to develop formal gardens. When planning, one must consider type of plants, their size at the time of planting and at maturity, the level of care, the environment, and local weather conditions. It can take up to 10-years for a formal garden to be fully established.
These gardens look so excellent after a good grooming.
This is my antique sugar pot in the center of the footpath of the upper terrace parterre. Sugar kettles were used on 19th century Louisiana plantations for the production of sugar. In the winter, I use it as a fire pit when entertaining.
All the hedges are now level around the boxwood. These plants have filled out the areas so nicely. Thanks Phurba! The terraces look wonderful.
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