I f you are an uber-organized laptop jockey with overstuffed schedules, do I have a solution for you! Garden for the challenge of it and make your mark.
And while you are at it, dream. It’s one of gardening’s big payoffs.
Surrounded by heady fragrances, listening to insects doing their thing while catbirds flit close by, admiring a newly opened rose and just being there, in this particular spot, does not allow other thoughts to penetrate and interfere. It truly is your own garden therapy and helps you to slow down and savor the essence of summer.
How much sun do my plants need? Full sun means six hours or more of direct sunlight. Part sun/part shade means three to six hours, preferably in the morning or early afternoon. Full shade means less than three hours of direct sunlight, with filtered sunlight the rest of the day. Interesting to know that fullshade plants also require a certain amount of sunlight to thrive. Keep this in mind before you inadvertently ban your newly purchased treasures to the horticultural equivalent of Siberia. I have just planted a group of Superbells Calibrachoa hybrids in urns to take advantage of the nine hours of sunlight on our patio. There is a huge selection of vibrant new cultivars on the market. With names like Saffron, Flambé, Peach, Cherry Star, Grape Punch and Sweet Tart, can you just imagine their electric look?
Each year major growers debut their best new cultivars, and even though you still will be looking for past seasons’ winners, go and try their new and improved selections.
And if you love foliage flair (and who does not), coleus can’t be beat for versatility. They require little care and can thrive in full sun or light shade. They make their statement by giving you a wonderful blast of texture and color all summer long. But watch out, unless you regularly pinch them back, they will soon overshadow any other annuals. A newcomer is Coleus Signature “Smallwood Driveway,” elegant with rose-fringed orange and brick colored leaves. But also keep looking for old favorites like “Kong,” “Alligator Tears” and “Black Magic.”
Over the years, my perennial plants have achieved significant height, and I am always looking for companion plants at their feet. Euphorbia Bling “White Princess” is just one of these ideal frontrow stunners, and who does not love coreopsis, Big Bang series? Their daisy flowers bloom tirelessly all summer, drought tolerant, easy to grow and blooming in a variety of colors, white with magenta or small purple flecks. Very unique! Your friends will stop and admire Gaillardia Commotion “Moxie” with its golden yellow, fluted petals and vivid orange center. A robust and longseason winner. It was designated Best New Perennial at the 2010 Farwest Show.
A surprise in my garden: Eremurus Himalaicus (Foxtail Lily), the tallest plants in my garden with the oddestlooking tuberous roots, like spokes on a wheel. I had forgotten that I planted this rhizome years ago, because I never saw any sign of it emerging during the past three years. Suddenly I have 8-foot-tall spikes with 26-inch-long clusters of white florets with finches swaying on it. It’s a graceful plant with lots of panache, not to be ignored.
What to do now:
Check your plants for insect damage or disease
Replenish mulch to conserve water and suppress weeds
Subdivide spring-blooming iris, lily of the valley, oriental poppies and bleeding hearts
Keep lawns at least 3 inches high.
Water deeply early in the day and less frequently to develop stronger roots
Pinch or cut off dead and spent flowers, rid foliage of unsightly growth.
Throughout growing season, prune liberally to create a compact plant.
Use liquid fertilizer on annuals; feed only late evening or very early a.m. Gotti Kelley, past president of the Navesink Garden Club, serves on the board of the Garden Club of New Jersey and the Central Atlantic Region of National Garden Clubs Inc.