Visiting local nurseries is a great way to learn about the plants and trees that thrive in one's area. It's also a wonderful opportunity to get expert advice on selecting, planting, and maintaining those specimens.
Earlier this week, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, paid a brief visit to one of my favorite nurseries, Select Horticulture Inc. in Pound Ridge, New York to check on its current inventory. Select Horticulture offers an extensive collection of premium quality trees and shrubs, unusual and rare specimens, with both stand-alone and mature espaliered options. There's always something new and interesting to see.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
It was a mild and overcast late summer day – perfect for a quick stop at Select Horticulture Inc., to see what was in stock. Every row of trees and shrubs is always neat, tidy, and every item is properly identified. This is Tilia cordata Greenspire Cylinder, a Greenspire Littleleaf Linden. It’s a medium sized deciduous tree with a pyramidal growth habit that matures to an oval or spire shape.
The trees are always displayed with their best sides facing out for visitors to see. Many of the taller trees can be seen from the road.
Select Horticulture Inc. has locations in Lancaster, Massachusetts and here in Westchester, New York right off route 137. It is owned by Scott Richard and Jim Freeborn who are extremely knowledgeable and often at the nurseries ready to answer any questions.
This is Acer palmatum ‘Kiyohime’ also known as a Kiyohime Japanese maple or spreading Japanese maple. This is a dwarf, spreading maple cultivar in the Sapindaceae family and well known for its interesting leaf coloring. Japanese maples are native to southeast Korea and central and south Japan.
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Seiryu’, also known as the Laceleaf Japanese Maple, is a Japanese maple tree with a unique upright growth habit, growing in a vase-shape rather than weeping or cascading. In the spring, the leaves have red tips, and in the fall they turn gold, light yellow, and crimson.
All the trees at Select Horticulture Inc. are meticulously wrapped and tied. Always look for well maintained root balls which are crucial for good transport, handling, and planting at its new location.
Pinus thunbergii, the black pine, Japanese black pine, or Japanese pine, is a pine tree native to coastal areas of Japan and South Korea. It grows 20 to 60 feet tall and 12 to 20 feet wide and features a shrubby habit and somewhat curved trunk when mature.
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ or Weeping Nootka Cypress is a medium to large pyramidal tree with drooping branchlets and dark gray-green foliage that drape. This evergreen tree thrives in cool, humid summer climates with above average rainfall.
You may recognize this one from a recent blog post – I just repotted one at my farm. it’s Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’, also known as the Hinoki Cypress – a slow-growing, evergreen shrub that is a popular dwarf conifer.
There are lots of lush evergreen shrubs in all different sizes. It is nice to see such a well organized nursery. Picea abies Hillside Upright is a rare and unique form of Norway spruce. It has distinct green foliage over rust colored stems that does best in full sun.
Select Horticulture Inc. also has a beautiful selection of boxwood. This is the pom-pom topiary form of the American Boxwood, Buxus sempervirens, a soft-textured shrub that grows well in sun or part shade. The foliage is glossy, deep green and rarely requires pruning. Each plant has about six to 10 pom-poms.
With fall officially starting this weekend, it is not unusual to see some of the trees already showing off their autumn colors. This deciduous Parrotia persica obelisk or Persian ironwood is breathtaking with its large, smooth, wavy-edged leaves that turn to vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red, and sometimes even pink in autumn.
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Claudia Wannamaker’ is the tree-form version of the vigorous Southern Magnolia which grows upwards of 50 feet tall.
These Southern Magnolia trees show off glossy green foliage with 12 inch pure-white flowers each summer.
Tilia Euchlora, or Crimean Linden is a medium size to a large deciduous tree that is thought to be a hybrid of Tilia cordata and Tilia dasystyla. The tree grows from 40 to 60 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide and has a pyramidal shape. The tree is also known as Caucasian Linden and Causcasina Lime.
Abies koreana Silberlocke, commonly called Korean fir, is a compact, conical to pyramidal evergreen conifer that grows slowly up to 50 feet tall.
These are the showy bluish branches of Cedrus atlantica Glauca or Blue Atlas Cedar. This tree is an evergreen conifer that needs plenty of room to grow. It typically grows to a height of 60 feet tall, but can reach up to 100 feet.
Cedrus deodara ‘Aurea’ is a very old cedar variety. It has striking horizontal branches with long green gold needles.
And these are the branches of Picea orientalis ‘Nigra Compacta’ commonly called oriental spruce – a medium to large, densely-branched, narrow-pyramidal evergreen conifer that typically grows 50 to 70 feet tall. It is native to mountain areas from the Caucasus to Turkey. It has flattened, glossy, dark green needles that are shorter than the needles of other species of spruce.
When selecting any new planting for a garden always be sure to consider the plant’s preferred hardiness zone, its care requirements, and the specimen’s size at maturity. And, if you live in or around Pound Ridge, New York, or Lancaster, Massachusetts, be sure to visit Select Horticulture Inc. You’re sure to find something. And yes, this trip was successful. I’ll share what Ryan brought back to my farm in an upcoming blog.
It takes a lot of time and patience to develop a garden. Here at my farm, I pay close attention to all the beds and planting spaces - how the specimens grow, what varieties work best, and what areas need filling. And then, every so often I plant a few more colorful and interesting additions.
One area I've been working on is the stone wall outside my Winter House. It is planted with different stonecrop sedums. These hardy ground covers grow rapidly and can thrive with very little soil. Yesterday, my gardeners filled in more of the cracks, softening the stones with colorful sedum foliage.
Enjoy these photos.
Sedum is a large genus of flowering plants, also known as stonecrops. Sedums are members of the succulent family. They have fleshy, water-storing leaves and are drought tolerant.
I first planted sedum in walls many years ago at my Connecticut home on Turkey Hill. I wonder how it is doing now?
Sedum adds nice soft texture to hard stone and is considered very low maintenance.
I had trays of sedum left over from other planting projects, so I planned these for the wall and steps surrounding the terrace outside my Winter House kitchen.
Sedum will thrive where other plants do not. It is native to parts of eastern Asia.
They can be used in slopes, tight spots, embedded in or tumbling over walls, rock gardens, and hanging baskets. I also use sedum as under plantings in large urns or just planted in a shallow pot on their own.
Our NYBG garden intern, Matthew, is tasked with planting this tray of sedum along the wall.
Matthew divides the plants into smaller sections to fit some of the crevices and between the stone steps.
The roots of sedum plants are shallow and fibrous, and they help the plants take anchor and absorb water and nutrients.
Many sedums are grown for their bold and colorful foliage and for their draping form.
Matthew selects an adequate void between the stones and places the sedum securely into the crevice.
Next, he simply tucks in the roots. Sedum, like other succulents, retain water in their leaves and can thrive in dry climates. They need little soil and water to survive, which makes them excellent for planting here.
My Chow Chows Empress Qin and her younger brother, Emperor Han, watch with some curiosity – or maybe hope that something edible will fall their way. What do you think?
Once sedums become established, they need little else to develop and flourish.
After the roots take hold, the plant wedges itself and begins to spread.
Most plants have a trailing nature and will begin cascading down the side of the wall as it grows.
I’ve also planted sedum in between the stone pavers.
And in corners, where the steps meet.
Sedums do well nearly anywhere as long as they get good drainage and full sun.
The sedum along this wall was first planted in 2012. And every so often, we add more and more. It is growing so nicely and looks as if it has been here so much longer.
As an impassioned gardener, I have many ornamental urns filled with lush, green plants around my home. Some of them needed a little extra maintenance care and attention.
A selection of these plants are small evergreen specimens such as Hinoki Cypress, white spruce, balsam fir, and creeping juniper. This week, my head gardener Ryan McCallister, pruned and groomed them, separated those that had gotten too big, and repotted all in fresh, nutrient-rich potting mix.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I always instruct my crew to gather all the necessary tools and supplies before starting any project. This area is located just outside my main greenhouse and head house. It is set up for repotting several evergreens.
The planter housing this balsam fir and juniper is timeworn and in need of replacing. Some of the other evergreens have also grown too big for their containers.
Ryan removes all of the plants to assess what pots they would go into next.
To prepare the pot for planting, Ryan first covers the drainage hole with a shard. I save all clay shards from broken pots so they can be repurposed in this way.
The shard keeps soil from falling through the hole and also allows for better drainage.
I use Scotts Organic Potting Mix, which can be used for potting or repotting foliage, tropical and flowering houseplants as well as potted vegetables and herbs.
A quality potting soil must have good water retention capacity and good porosity. It should also feel light, airy, and not show any signs of mold.
Ryan also sprinkles a generous amount of fertilizer and mixes it in with the potting soil.
Ryan removes these plants from the container and separates them. The two had been planted together but are now big enough to be planted separately.
Before putting it in its new pot, Ryan grooms it and removes and dead, diseased, damaged or deranged branches. This specimen is in excellent shape and just needs a bit of trimming.
Here it is in its new pot. Ryan positions it firmly before backfilling.
Ryan does the same with this cypress. Proper trimming rejuvenates mature plants and encourages new growth.
This one is cut in two. It is crucial that any cutting be done with a sharp knife to reduce any risk of crushing or tearing the plant’s tissues.
When selecting a pot, consider plant size and growth habit as well as root size. The pot should be at least one inch wider than the plant’s root mass.
This dwarf Hinoki cypress is a charming evergreen shrub prized for its rounded and compact habit and soft fernlike foliage.
There are different types of Japanese cypress. Most are slow growing and great in full sun. It is most loved for providing year round bold green color.
Ryan places the plants in pots to see if they are the right size and shape for the specimens before planting. I use clay pots which are very sturdy and durable.
Ryan sprinkles a little more Scotts fertilizer on top of the soil. Be sure the food used does not burn the foliage. This food will encourages vigorous root growth and lush foliage and feed for up to two months.
The right pot for the right plant provides the right amount of space and stability for proper watering and feeding. These evergreens will continue to thrive here at my farm.
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