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July 10, 2003 |
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www.CarrollGardens.com |
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Featured Items |
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A few words about Boxwoods
before we begin...
We have had a number of inquiries
about boxwood developing light brown-colored patches. It is extremely
difficult to determine whether these patches were caused by the winter,
nematodes or root rot. I encourage gardeners with this situation to refer
to our newsletter dated April 24th, entitled “Spring Care for Boxwoods” in
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Garden Club section of our website. If
you have not already done so, it’s not too late to follow the treatment we
recommended. Even if you applied the spring tonic, I feel a supplemental
application of Chitin (Neptune’s Harvest crab shell) is appropriate.
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Pink Clouds Hibiscus
Anne Arundel Hibiscus
(PP 5209)
Endless Summer hydrangea (PPAF)
Kerria japonica pleniflora
SeaMate™
Neptune's Harvest Crab Shell |
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Low-Maintenance Roses |
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I was pleased to see more recognition for the merits of low-maintenance
roses. Recently a major newspaper in New York featured an article about
roses that do not require spraying. I was even more
pleased to see that Carroll Gardens was listed as a source for these roses.
The article was based on a botanical garden study that was done in central
New Jersey, a climate very similar to ours (in Westminster, Maryland at
our Garden Center). In general, I agree with the
list of roses that was published, although I feel there were some
significant omissions.
We are finding that the 2003 AARS winner
Hot Cocoa is proving as disease
resistant as promised at introduction, and that once again
Traviata is
proving to be just about as disease resistant a hybrid tea as you will
find. It has quartered centered, old-fashioned-type blooms of bright
currant red that are borne on long stems - excellent for cutting.
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New, & In-Stock at Carroll
Gardens |
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We are anticipating delivery of the re-blooming, super winter-hardy
Hydrangea Endless Summer (PPAF) on Friday, July 18th. They should be available
for pick-up that weekend (July 19th and 20th). Weather permitting, UPS
orders should go out on July 21st and July 22nd, unless you requested
another date. These hydrangeas will not ship when the temperatures are
into the 90’s. If hot weather delays shipping, we will ship as soon as the
weather cools - making sure that your hydrangea does not sit with UPS over
the weekend.
I was able to obtain a last minute addition of 40 more Hydrangea Endless
Summer. So if you have not yet reserved one, there are still some
available. Incidentally, the New England edition of People, Places and
Plants magazine is featuring Endless Summer on the cover of the current
issue.
On the same shipment, accompanying H. Endless Summer will be a few plants
of the double flowering
Kerria japonica pleniflora which has been out of
stock since spring. Kerria is great for a difficult spot in dry shade
where a 6-8 foot shrub is called for. The arching green stems are
particularly effective in the winter when the leaves have fallen. The
blooms on this variety look like miniature golden yellow (almost tangerine
colored) roses in April and May with some sporadic light re-bloom in
summer.
Because of the outpouring of comments about the Hibiscus from last week’s
newsletter, we have been able to add two more fabulous hibiscus:
Pink
Clouds and
Anne Arundel. These are both now listed, with pictures, on our
website.
We also have back in stock
Asarum europaeum, (evergreen ginger)., an
excellent
petite ground cover for shade.
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Perennials, Butterfly Bush &
Mums… |
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I often get asked about how to cut back perennials to encourage more
re-bloom. Many perennials have a basal rosette with a long stem that have
flowers on the top. I have discovered if you just remove the flowers from
the top of certain perennials and leave the stem and its foliage standing
you will often get more re-bloom than if you cut off the stems level with
the basal rosette. Some perennials that seem to be encouraged to re-bloom
with this top pruning are: Salvias, Shasta daisies, large-leafed
Coreopsis, hollyhock, malvas, perennial hibiscus and tall growing
Veronicas, such as Sunny Border Blue. Re-bloom will be further encouraged
with an application of SeaMate™ at the time you dead head.
Butterfly bushes also will have an excellent re-bloom if you give them a
light haircut just as the initial bloom starts to pass.
Reminder: This is the last weekend to cut back mums. At this late time,
remove only 1/4 of the top growth.
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Featured Plant - Pink
Clouds Hibiscus |
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This hibiscus also fits into the category of hardy hibiscus plants we
discussed last week. It features intense deep pink flowers that
catch the eye from a long distance. This 4-5' tall and robust Hibiscus
blooms over a long period and has beautiful mature leaves that are the
size, color and shape of Norway maple.
Click here for more information or to
place an order for this
new addition to our online catalog.
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Pink Clouds Hibiscus
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The Garden Club Radio Show |
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Every Saturday morning from 7:00 am to 9:00
am you can listen to the highly acclaimed Garden Club Radio Show online
through WCBM's website.
Click here for more information about the radio
show, including how to listen online.
If you live in or will be
traveling in the Maryland or Washington DC area, you can also listen to
the show by tuning your radio to 680 AM. Any local listeners that may be
traveling out of the area can still tune in to the show online, as
mentioned above. Feel free to call in with your questions at 410-922-6680
or toll-free at
1-800-922-6680.
Happy Gardening,
Alan Summers
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