There are several categories of hydrangeas and knowing what type you have will help you choose the best pruning method for your plant and your goals. The major types of hydrangeas are: Bigleaf hydrangeas/Hydrangea macrophyla (including the subcategories of mophead, lacecap, and mountain); Panicle hydrangeas/Hydrangea paniculata; Smooth hydrangeas/Hydrangea arborescens; Oakleaf hydrangeas/Hydrangea quercifolia and, Climbing hydrangeas/Hydrangea petiolaris. There are also several pruning methods and picking a method should be based on your garden goals. Examples of pruning goals are: controlling size, renovating a shrub, deadheading, or tidying and shaping. Generally, hydrangeas are ... Read More
Winter Flower Box Recipe
Looking for plants that can be used in flower boxes or containers and look great all winter? Here's a combination that will have lasting flowers and color, and will also be hardy enough to withstand the outdoor temperatures of the Pacific Northwest. These are the plants used in order from left to right, based on the above photo: Coral Bells: Heuchera 'Lime Marmalade' Wire Vine: Muhlenbeckia complexa Pansy: Pansy 'Delta Premium White' Hardy Cyclamen: Cyclamen 'Laser Synchro Purple' Hardy Cyclamen: Cyclamen 'Laser Rose' I personally like using slight variations of similar colors, which is why I chose to use two different pink/magenta Cyclamens. The Cyclamens and ... Read More
How to Sheet Mulch
The traditional method for transforming grass or weeds into a garden bed involves removing all the plants that are currently there, adding organic matter and nutrients, and then planting. Unfortunately, many grasses and weeds can rapidly regenerate themselves from tiny bits of roots that are inevitably left in the soil. There may also be a collection of weed seeds in the soil waiting for a good opportunity to sprout. Your beautiful new bed is quickly overrun by the same plants you just worked so hard to remove. Sheet mulching is an alternative method, in which layers of organic matter smother existing plants. This is a popular method in permaculture design. Not only are the old weeds ... Read More