“Earth laughs in flowers.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Custom Gardens, LLC welcomes you with an invitation to enjoy news, tips, and our monthly spotlighted plant! If you like what you see, be sure to visit us for more ways to beautify your life’s landscape.

Plant of the Month

I was working with a client recently who contacted me with big ideas, a small space — specifically, a walled patio — and limited room for plants. I selecteda crape myrtle (‘Zuni’) in one of her desired colors, which is now the focal point for her garden. Planted in a large container, it provides a great vertical accent with branches and foliage that do not overwhelm the space;  my client is thrilled with the result.

Crape myrtles are just wonderful because they are so versatile. A southern plant that is very happy our geographic area, a crape myrtle provides interest year round. The foliage is bright green with brownish accents. Flowers start in late July and into September and do not require deadheading. They are great magnets for butterflies and hummingbirds. In the winter, their exfoliating bark provides texture and interest. Crape myrtles may be found in a shrub size (check the Razzle Dazzle series) as well as short and taller tree size. We hope you enjoy the sample pictures included in this edition.

In the Garden with Ellen

With this heat, I am getting a number of inquiries through my site regarding the proper amount of watering for plants in the garden. Perhaps this is an issue you are facing as well.

Plants vary widely in their watering needs, so I recommend applying enough to moisten the plant’s entire root system — and then wait until the soil is slightly dried out before watering again. Be sure to apply water slowly so it’s absorbed by the soil rather than running off, and avoid daily light sprinklings, which encourage roots to grow near the soil surface where they’re vulnerable to drying out. The final note I will offer you here is this: rather than relying on a schedule, water plants when they need it.

If you have a question as well, please contact me through my site, linked above, and perhaps your question will be featured in next month’s article! Be sure to list your first name and town for recognition.

Did You Know…

We had the great pleasure this season of assisting another client who was renovating her home with a large addition. Plants that were labeled as “in the way” were moved before being damaged or destroyed. As we replanted post-construction, my client was delighted to see her old favorites put to good use in new locations where she could enjoy them alongside additional plantings. Allowing us to move plants before they were destroyed by new construction avoided her family the expense of an entire new landscape.

We frequently are able to move plants, including ones that are too large to be readily found at nurseries — as well as those that are readily found but expensive to replace. If you or someone you know is considering an addition, we offer a complimentary consultation

Oh Deer, What to Do

Crape Myrtles are not only a lovely addition to your garden for the reasons mentioned above; they are also deer resistant!

All the Time

Custom Gardens invites you to contact us at 610.613.7506 to schedule a complimentary consultation on your property. Available to discuss indoor plants (what and where) as well as indoor and outdoor specialty gardens and landscapes, we are in the business of making your home or office — your everyday view — more attractive and enjoyable.

Believe this newsletter may interest a neighbor, friend, or associate? We will be happy to add them to our contact list at your or their request.

Sincerely,

Ellen Covner
Custom Gardens, LLC