Victoria on the Garden Show with Sally Spillane

If you missed it this Sunday morning, you can listen to the podcast now:

http://www.wkze.com/node/3538

Victoria and Sally discuss fall favorites like Washington Hawthorns, Witch Hazel, PJM Rhodies, Toadlilies, Turtleheads, Monkshood, planting bulbs and more!

Victoria will also be on next Sunday too! (On WKZE at 8am.)

Fab, Fab, Fall Foliage: Hypericum kalmianum Ames (Dwarf St. John's Wort)

What is more fabulous... the delicate leaves of the dwarf Hypericum changing colors in a splendid gradation from green to peach to red or the dried seed pods adding even more fall interest to this compact shrub?



Ames is one of the hardiest of all the St. John's Wort varieties. Our grower says he has had reliable success even in Zone 4! This variety also gets big, bright yellow flowers July through August. Prefers full sun, and can take it a little bit wet. (We also noticed this year that it held up well even in very dry conditions too.)

Mature size: 3' tall by 3' wide. (So fab!)

Fab, Fab, Fall Foliage: Cornus Kousa 'Wolf Eyes'

What other fall foliage is looking fab-fab-fabulous?

Cornus kousa ‘Wolf Eyes’ is a broad spreading kousa dogwood. And as you can see, in the fall it blushes pink. The creamy white margined leaves hold up well in sun or shade.

Late spring blooms of four, pointed white bracts last for several weeks. In late summer, the plant is covered with raspberry-shaped fruit (for the birds - not for humans). 'Wolf Eyes' makes an excellent small specimen tree in just about any soil except very wet or very dry.

This is a specimen planted in full sun:



And here are the late summer fruit:

Fab, Fab, Fall Foliage: Rhododendron 'P.J.M.'

Three to six feet tall and wide, spring flowers, a second bloom in fall, minty scented leaves, and stunning fall color... too good to be true? No: Rhododendron 'P.J.M.'!

This is what it will look like in a couple weeks:

Fab, Fab, Fall Foliage! 'Green Cascade' Japanese Maple

As you can see, anything BUT plain old green now.

Our number one, top fall foliage pick in the nursery right now is 'Green Cascade' Japanese Maple! And the pictures don't do it justice. The variations and intensity of the color - reds, oranges and golds - are blowing our minds. With a mature size of only 6' tall by 10' wide, this small tree packs some serious autumn wow into a very diminutive form.

Watch Out For Frost Warnings!

Watch out for frost warnings. It will soon be time to bring houseplants back inside.


If your house plants' are rootbound when you pull them from their pots, they need to be stepped-up to a larger size pot with fresh soil. Victoria Gardens has everything you need to step-up any root-bound plants – planters, potting soil, plant stands, and plant caddies, as well as organic, pet-safe/ kid-safe, indoor fertilizers and pest controls to battle aphids and white fly.

Fall Bulbs: Plant into Fall, Spring into Color

When we choose which spring-blooming bulbs to bring into stock, we choose the flowers that have performed the best year after year here in Ulster county. We have the benefit of field-testing new varieties and watching some varieties naturalize and bloom again and again for the past twenty years. Here are just a few of our favorites:

For those of you with gardens in the middle of deer territory, not to fear, we have a wide assortment of deer resistant bulbs. One of the most under-used (but awesome) deer resistant bulbs is Allium ‘Ivory Queen.’ Every May when they bloom at the nursery, everyone asks, What’s that plant? We planted three bulbs in this spot three years ago in full sun, and every year they have multiplied and the foliage and flowers have gotten bigger. Read more about Allium 'Ivory Queen'.

Allium ‘Purple Sensation’, ‘Gladiator’, and ‘Globe Master’ stand as tall as their masculine names imply. Plant in groups of five or seven and the spherical clusters of blooms will be a focal point in your garden late spring to early summer.

Fritillaria persica (also deer resistant!) is very sculptural with tufts of green pineapple-like leaves on top of the large (2’ to 4’ tall) hanging bell-shaped flowers. A stunning companion to white tulips, hellebore or the coveted, greenish-white Fritillaria persica ‘Ivory Bells.’

Another deer resistant beauty, Camassia 'caerulea' which put up lovely spikes of lavender blue flowers. Ideal for heavy clay to loamy soils! Camassia can tolerate full sun to part shade and can grow pond side or stream side. The flowers are very long lasting making them ideal for cut flowers to be used in flower arrangements. Camassia 'Semiplena' produces tall spikes of large, white, semi-double flowers.

Both naturalizing and deer resistant, Daffodils are the reliable gold standard. Diminutive varieties like Tete a tete and Jet Fire can planted at the front of beds while taller varieties like Dutch Master and Hawera can be used throughout your perennial border. And not all Daffodils are gold in color, white, peach and and soft pink are also available.

Banja Luka is a wonderful tulip for cutting. The flower is incredibly, enchantingly big. Last year Victoria was stunned when the blooms opened even bigger as they sat in a vase on her desk. If you like cutting from your garden, you will love this tulip. Fantasy, Green Wave and Texas Gold are all exotic feather-edged, multi-colored tulips that will dress up your garden or your table. Tulips, unfortunately need to be protected from critters (see sidebar) and deer, so if you don’t have a fence you will have to diligently spray deer repellent.

Not all bulbs bloom at the same time, so you can choose a variety and have a constantly blooming show of bulbs from early spring to early summer. Stop by the nursery and we’ll help you plan your spring blooms.