You don’t need to focus just on plants that bloom at night. Foliage plants can do the same, or scent the air. Plants with white variegated foliage can also brighten up an area with their soft reflective glow. Many plants flower exclusively at night. Many more wait until evening to release their wonderful scents.

Plan your garden in layers with vines and tall plants in the back and shorter perennials and spreading groundcovers and annuals in the front. Each of these elements, individual or combined, will produce a beautiful garden anytime of the day, but especially at night.

Some excellent choices for taller background plants include clematis, honeysuckle, hibiscus, hydrangea, lilac, magnolia, mock orange, rhododendron, viburnum and white climbing roses. For smaller shrubs consider azalea, bridalwreath spirea, rockrose, roses and Russian sage.

For great perennial color consider achillea, astilbe, boltonia, cuphea, daylily, dianthus, euphorbia, gallium, gaura, geranium sanguineum 'album', heuchera, Iberis, Iris, penstemon, peony, phlox, physostegia, salvia, Shasta daisy and veronica. Consider incorporating dusty miller, variegated hosta, lamb's ears, lamium, licorice plant and silver artemesia for added foliage interest..

Complete your Moonlight Garden with annual color such as alyssum, caladium, calla lily, cosmos, impatiens, nicotiana, pansy, poppy and violas; or groundcovers such as bacopa, cerastium, verbena or varieties of fragrant thyme.

Overall remember, the idea behind a moonlight garden is to reflect the glow and stillness of nighttime, and to create a peaceful refuge that really offers its best qualities at night. So instead of coming home and watching TV, kick off your shoes and step out into the cool, quiet evening and enjoy your garden in the reflective light of the moon.

Among nature's greatest miracles are flower bulbs. They go into the ground as crusty brown bulbs, and over the course of four to five months burst through the soil and become beautiful blooming flowers. And who doesn’t love to see daffodils or tulips and other flower bulbs in their full blooming glory? For many of us, it’s the first sign that spring has finally arrived.

Tulips, crocus and daffodils are the traditional standby bulbs. But for those that like the unusual, there are many spectacular varieties to choose from. They can be layered in containers or in your flower bed so that the colors just keep popping up. It’s best to consider how many layers (or rows) you want to plant and work from low bulbs in the front of your planting bed (or outside edge of container) and then gradually increase the height towards the back of the bed (or inside of the container).

The lowest growing bulbs are crocus, which are also the earliest blooming. Other great border bulbs that stay in the 6-8” inch range include anenome, chionodoxa, and puschkinia. For the back of the bed or middle of your containers plant allium, daffodil, Dutch iris, hyacinth, lycoris, narcissus, or tulips to complete your layered design.

Three bulbs--crocus, hyacinth and tulips--need to be chilled for 4-6 weeks prior to planting in order to replicate their natural native growing environment. Simply place them in a paper bag in the back of your refrigerator and do not remove until your holes are dug and you are ready to plant. Drop them into their holes and cover them immediately.

Two spring blooming bulbs that perform better on their own are bearded iris and amaryllis bulbs. Bearded iris re-produce themselves and spread out over time so give them lots of room. The giant Dutch amaryllis perform better forced indoors in containers where their beauty can be enjoyed without venturing outside.

So don't be disappointed when your neighbors have beautiful flower bulbs popping up in their gardens next spring and you have bare ground. Plan and plant ahead! Choose your bulbs now and plant in the fall to see the treasure of their blooms in spring.

Lilies, narcissus and hyacinths need to be planted in the fall as well. Don't forget that hyacinths and Oriental lilies are fragrant. Plant them where your nose as well as eyes can appreciate their beauty.

Don't be disappointed when your neighbors have daffodils and crocus popping up in the yard next spring and you have bare ground. Plan and plant ahead! Choose your bulbs now and plant in the fall.

It's Pumpkin Time!

It's that time of year that so many of us look forward to. Next to Christmas, Halloween and the fall harvest season is the most popular time of year, and we want to celebrate it with you!

We offer a great selection of pumpkins and gourds in many shapes and sizes in addition to ornamental corn, straw bales, corn stalks and fall décor to help turn any home into a fall harvest paradise. We are the perfect place to shop for all of your Halloween and fall decorating needs. Hurry in while supplies last!

How do I get sweeter fruit on my fruit trees?

Answer:

First, fruit trees need a minimum of at least half a day of sunlight each day during the growing season. The more sun, the sweeter your fruit will be. If your trees are in a bad location, consider transplanting when they are dormant in winter.

That said, many times the fruits on trees are not as sweet as they could be, because the soil they are planted in is lacking phosphorus and potash. It is important to apply a 0-10-10 fertilizer to the soil around your trees in November and again in January to provide these vital nutrients.

During the growing season, feed once after the blooms are finished, again in June and one more time in September with a complete fruit tree food. Make sure not to overwater, either. Allow the soil to dry out a little between waterings.

Established fruit trees respond best to deep and infrequent watering.