September Blooms: Coreopsis 'Sweet Dreams'

We continue our feature on fall flowering plants. There are more than you think!





Coreopsis 'Sweet Dreams' zone 5-9

Deer resistant and long blooming, we like the thread leaf varieties for their great texture. Deadheading helps all varieties of Coreopsis continue to produce blooms even longer. If yours is looking a little spent mid-summer, take a pair of sheers to the whole plant – take 4 or 5 inches all the way around, giving it a rounded haircut, and before you can say buzz-cut it will be covered with new buds.

September Blooms: ‘Knockout’ Roses

September blooms will knock you out:



‘Knockout’ Roses – zone 5-11

It seems that every time Victoria is on WKZE's Garden Show with Sally Spillane, she ends up talking about 'Knock Out' roses. Almost every show, all season long because they look great all season long!

We are not rose people. Traditional English roses are just too fussy and too much work. They are the Prima Donas of the plant world, BUT ‘Knockout’ roses thrive on neglect and pump out color and fragrance from spring to frost. Really! Drought-tolerant, disease resistant, and still blooming in November!

They grow about 5 feet high and wide, thrive in full sun to part shade, but don't seem to be too picky about any other condition EXCEPT wet feet. Plant in dry to well drained soil.

September Blooms: Viburnum 'Summer Snowflake'

A wall of white blooms in September:





Viburnum ‘Summer Snowflake’ zones 5-9

This shrub grows quite tall 10’ tall by 6’ wide and will provide a wall of white blooms all summer long. Yes! All summer long! When the flowers finally fade, they are replaces by bright red berries.

Very low maintenance! Deer resistant and an amazing performer from May to September.

Victoria Gardens is going to the dogs!

We're raising money for The Kingston Point Dog Park!

20% of the sales from these adorable felted, papier-mâché, and glass dog ornaments will be donated to help build The Kingston Point Dog Park, a safe, responsibly designed, well managed recreation facility with education programs to foster respectful and compassionate human/dog relationships!











Our dear friend and professional landscaper Angela Garnier is one of the organizers and champions of The Kingston Point Dog Park project. She has shared with us the many benefits dog parks offer both to the dogs and the communities where they have been established.

A dog park is a fenced-in, designated area where dogs may run "off-leash” under the supervision of their owners. The parks provide unique recreational and social opportunities for both humans and their canine friends. The dogs enjoy the open space, fresh air and exercise and their owners enjoy the bonding and community building that occurs between people who share a love of their pets. Our love of dogs gives our diverse community a great reason to come together as neighbors!

People from every demographic, cultural and ethnic background come together and share mutual interests and values through responsible dog ownership. The community also shares concern for handicapped and senior citizens who have limited ability or opportunity to exercise their pets. Dog owners and non-dog owners alike can enjoy the congenial atmosphere.

Public dog recreation areas are a proven attraction for vacationers traveling with their dogs. Increased patronage of local business in the vicinity of the park also generates additional sales and tax revenue.

Dog parks are frequently used by dog owners in early morning and late evening (before and after work) and reduce the incidence of vandalism and crime in nearby neighborhoods. Public demonstrations and expert instruction in effective and gentle dog training, veterinarian medical treatment, and information about dog protection laws improve living conditions and emphasize humane treatment for all dogs.

The Kingston Dog Control Office will supervise local compliance with NYS requirements for current dog license and rabies tags. In communities that have dog parks, statistically, there are reduced rates of dog bite incidents.

As you can see, this is a project that will benefit the entire community, not just pet owners. And it is so easy to give your support. These adorable ornaments available at Victoria Gardens in Rosendale, NY make great gifts for all the dog lovers you know, and you will be contributing to a good cause!

"Give dogs a new "unleash" on life!

For more information about this great project visit their website:
http://www.kingstonpointdogpark.org/

If you missed the Private Garden Tour 9/11/11

Last weekend's private tour to the extensive gardens of clients was so lovely - Thank you again Ande and Peter for allowing us to visit your beautiful property!



Ande and Peter have lovingly sculpted and nurtured their land. They have built ponds, bridges, stone walls and patios, each with a changing vantage point of rolling landscape.



This talented couple is artful and thoughtful about adding elements to their landscape, but they are also playful. When you crest the hill along driveway, the first vista of the main pond rises up in front of you. Across the pond, lays teepee village, with a big fire pit and a Paul Bunion sized skillet for entertaining guests under the mature oaks, at the edge of the woods, overlooking the main pond.


Seating areas through out the property invite you to stop and watch the water meander from pond to pond.




The extensive property is not fenced, so Ande uses Russian sage, Peonies, Lavender, grasses, and other deer resistant plants.





Whale tail sculptures again add a sense of movement, joy, and playfulness to the rolling meadow along the driveway.





Multi-leveled ponds, flow into waterways, and down multiple waterfalls - Peter quarries stone off the property and builds all of the stone walls and bridges. Ande and Peter do a wonderful job of blending country side, farm, and forest with gardens and hardscapes.













The couple raise bison on their property, and on the tour we spotted both the real and the artful imitations.





Thank you again to Ande and Peter for generously sharing their amazing property with us, and thank you to everyone who attended.

Proceeds from this garden tour were donated to the Phonecia food pantry to help those affected by Irene.

September Blooms: Persicaria ‘Firetail’

Persicaria ‘Firetail’ Zones 3-9

Upright spikes of long blooming light pink, hot pink, or white flowers, Persicaria can take wet feet and grows well pond side. Can grow in full sun or part shade, marshy or well drained soil. Very low maintenance perennial. Plant and ignore.

Blooms from June until October. 'Firetail' grows into big 3 to 4 foot wide and high, bushy clumps.

Other varieties include 'Pink Elephant', which is a lighter pink and stays much smaller only 12 to 15 inches.

September Blooms: Hardy Hibiscus

Create a lush fall garden with brilliant September blooms:



Hardy Hibiscus zones 4-9

Huge blooms grace the garden from late summer until the first frost. Although they look tropical, they are very cold hardy and they thrive in moist soil.

Very late to leaf out in the spring. Don't give up on them, just because they look like bare sticks in May! Once they get going in warmer weather, you can't believe how fast they grow! In June watch out for Japanese beetles, because we've see hibiscus leaves turned to lace by those rotten defoliators. Use a preventative oil based spray, or if you actually see beetles on your hibiscus use Captain Jack's Dead Bug Spray (approved for organic gardening).

If you're out in deer country, spray the foliage and huge flowers with deer repellent. Locally made Deer Defeat is our favorite.

During your fall clean-up when the hibiscus has dropped its leaves, trim the stems down to about 6" from the ground.