Cotoneaster...one of the most mispronounced plant names...ever!

Part 2 of the Fall Foliage Series is about...Cotoneaster apiculatus, or Cranberry Cotoneaster, which is a wonderful fall berry-producing plant! However, it is almost always mispronounced. We actually enjoy torturing our new employees by laughing at their mispronunciation of this plant! Kinda fun in a sick plant geek kind of way!

Anyhow, back to the subject at hand...All Cotoneaster falls into the Rose family (Rosaceae). Different varieties reach different sizes, but Cotoneaster apiculatus grows to about 3' high and 3-6' wide. It grows in Zones 4-7, but maintains best color in colder climates.

The habit of this plant is low, wide-spreading and stiff-branching. The foliage is alternate and simple, about 1/4" to 3/4" long and wide. Leaves are dark, glossy green and hold as such all summer long. In autumn the leaves turn an amazing bronzy red to purple and hold into late November oftentimes! Tiny pink flowers form in late May to early June up and down the arching branches.

In addition to the hot fall color on this plant, bright red fruits are borne in August and hold until October. They are often loaded up and can be spotted from a distance due to the heavy berry set and bright cranberry color of the berries.

Cotoneaster in general prefer full sun, well-drained soil, but will tolerate all but permanently wet areas. Cotoneaster is often used along a border or over a rock wall. Good in Japanese gardens and Native to Western China, this is a very useful and strong fall-interest plant!

Salt Marsh Hay Is In!

Time to come and pick up your Salt Marsh Hay today! We have oodles of bales ready to be used to winterize (sorry, I know, it's a terrible thought) your gardens! Salt Marsh Hay is a weed-seed free product which is harvested in Cape Cod.

This particular type of hay is very useful in protecting plants in perennial and shrub beds from being damaged by cold winter temperatures. It provides wonderful root protection for all of your favorite plants. If an entire bale is not needed, keep the hay for overseeding portions of your lawn or for keeping weeds down in the vegetable garden in the Springtime!

On a side note, it will be happily loaded for you by our helpful and friendly staff!

The King of Insects

Mantis religiosa or Praying Mantis is named for its prominent front legs which are bent together and suggest the position of prayer. Praying Mantids (pluralized) have a triangular head perched on a long neck, which allow the insect to turn their heads 180 degrees to scan for prey. Mantids use their front legs to snag their prey with lightning fast reflexes. Their legs are also equipped with spikes for ease of pinning prey. Mantids feed on moths, crickets, grasshoppers, flies and most other insects. They can achieve anywhere from 0.5" to 6" in length!

Praying Mantids do not have discerning tastes when it comes to their victims. They will even eat their own kind. Interestingly enough, the female mantis will often times eat her mate either during or just after mating.

If you see one of these cool insects in your garden, you will be amazed. Pictured here is a sample of the mantis population here at the nursery.

We're out of our Gourds!!

These beautiful gourds appeared in the compost pile and in other random spots around the nursery on healthy and vigorous vines!! Turns out the birds helped us to spread the seeds and therefore produce our own fruits throughout the late summer and fall! Nature rules!

Fall Foliage Series, Introduction

This is the first of a series of fall foliage highlights. I am going to feature 2-3 plants per week which possess amazing fall foliage color, strong berry sets or other fall interest points. I will show a photo of said plant from our very own nursery and discuss some of the significant features. These are plants that would make great additions to a home landscape by adding fall interest!!

Today's Fall Feature Plant is Viburnum plicatum tomentosum 'Mariesii'. Commonly known as a Doublefile Viburnum, Mariesii Viburnum possess a magnificent reddish purple fall color. The leaves are heavily corrugated and large. The plant has a wonderfully tiered horizontal branching habit, bearing white flat flower clusters in late Spring. Mariesii Viburnum bear a red fruit set in Fall followed by the foliage burst. Generally plants prefer moist but well-drained soil. Mature specimens can achieve a size of 8-10'H x 10-12'W.

See this informative article on Viburnum for more info. on this great group of versatile shrubs!
http://www.finegardening.com/plants/articles/viburnums-are-versatile-shrubs.aspx

Umbrella Factory

One of my favorite things to do on a road trip is to stop in and visit local nurseries and other funky spots in order to take photos and also to just feel the vibes of a location. Snooping around and seeing what other greenies do with their display space is very enjoyable for me. Pictured here are some planters found at the Umbrella Factory in Charlestown, RI.

These pots hold an assortment of truly magnificent tropicals, mainly Begonias, Caladium and Colocasia (Elephant Ears). These are all interesting foliage plants...good for part shade. Impressive!

The Umbrella Factory hosts several small shops and boutiques, ecclectic and unconventional in nature. It's a fun place to spend a couple of hours poking around. The property is reminiscent of an old hippie commune and the gardens hold much charm and many plant surprises, as they ramble past old farm equipment and broken down cars. This is all part of the draw here. There is a small nursery here as well.

'Totally Tubular!' Coneflower

This snazzy 'Plants that Work' selection is a great choice for a hot spot in your yard! Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers' has really cool petals that are tubular in nature, reminiscent of a lonicera or honeysuckle bloom. This preceding characteristic is one that makes this particular variety different from the majority of Rudbeckias. These quill-like petals are surrounded by a raised center cone which is a warm brown. The leaves of the plant are sweetly aromatic.

When people think of Rudbeckia, the most commonly thought of is Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm', or more simply put...Black-Eyed Susan! The Black-Eyed Susan is very overplanted and to tell you the truth...we are getting a little bored! So, we are now carrying 3 or 4 different varieties of Rudbeckias. All bloom summer to early Fall. Come check them out!!

The Queen of Cleomes

Cleome hassleriana, or Spider Flower, as it is often called, is an amazing, long-lived annual in the garden. Pictured here are 'volunteer' Cleome plants living at our nursery. Volunteers are plants that grow up from seeds left in the ground from a previous gardening season. They were unplanned and found themselves a perfect spot in our front garden bed.

This particular variety of Cleome is 'Pink Queen' and like all cleome of this particular species, it grows to 4 ft. tall and spreads about 18" wide. The plant has large palmate leaves and the hairy and very prickly stems are sturdy enough to hold up the huge, globe-shaped, spidery flowers for which this plant gets its' common name! Cleome needs full sun and well-drained soil to be most successful. Regular watering during summer is helpful to keep it blooming until after first frost!! We sell already started plugs in May-June and seeds throughout the season. We may even be willing to share seeds from our volunteers if you ask nicely!! They are still flowering now in early October and looking like the garden 'Queens' that they are!