An Evergreen for Winter Structure and Beauty
Everyone views evergreen plants from different perspectives. Some prefer their garden to consist of mostly unusual and colorful evergreen shrubs, providing a more consistent appearance throughout the year. Others prefer evergreens to serve as the slender backbone of a garden, providing winter structure through foliage and form while allowing other plants to take center stage throughout the remainder of the year. I must admit, I am a member of the latter design philosophy and the palette of evergreen plants for providing this winter backbone is substantial. However, with its glossy deep green foliage, Plum Yew or Cephalotaxus as it is known botanically has rapidly become one of my favorite evergreens for the winter garden.
Bruce Crawford
The hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season is finally upon us! The fall provided ample moisture, minimizing worries of watering newly installed plants this winter. Although there were frosts in the north, the temperatures remained reasonably warm, sparing many tender plants. The chilly temps and sunshine providing good conditions for great fall color too. This is the time to properly prepare the garden for winter as autumn truly bids us farewell and the sub-freezing temperatures of winter are just around the corner. As time permits between baking and ‘online’ shopping, continue your ledgers with notes on the weather and how plants are performing. Wishing everyone a very Happy and Merry Holiday Season!
A Holiday Plant for Many Seasons to Come
November is here. The cool nights combined with the ample rainfall in October has allowed our trees to erupt into a bonanza of spectacular colors. In addition, the soil is adequately moist to bring plants safely into the start of winter without the worry of drought. The light frosts of October have started to impact our annuals but very soon, they will need to be removed with the onset of colder weather. Even though the weather is becoming cooler, there is still much to do in the Garden before it can be put to bed for winter!
Itea – A Plant in Need of Rediscovery
