Is it time to shake things up in your container gardens? After all, modern container garden trends have evolved, the same as modern foundation plantings and shrub borders.  Not only have the plant varieties changed, so have pots and soil mixes. Now, people are using an enormous variety of plant materials, including improved cultivars. They are also combining plants together in exciting new ways. Homeowners and renters alike demand the “curb appeal” that beautiful container gardens lend to their doorway, staircase, garage door. They want the “wow factor” on decks, patios and kitchen windows. Today’s containers may include shrubs, perennials, grasses, annuals, succulents, evergreens, and even cactus or tropicals.  The mix of plants, colors and textures is endless.  Learn what does best in your area and pay attention to see if those favorites are grown in the sun, shade or somewhere in between.  Don’t forget to take your lead from the professionals in your area.  See what they are using in the downtown areas or commercial projects in your community and which plants and ideas inspire you for your own yard.  Select Pots to Match Your Style and Space There is tremendous flexibility in options and choices of the pots.  Designers are using clay, ceramic, recycled plastic, fiberglass, Styrofoam, hollowed out logs and much more.  The colors, sizes and shapes of the containers are also endless.  Pick your pots based on the look you want to create.  Formal styles demand symmetrical pairing of classic shapes. For a modern look, use the “Rule of 3”. Choose three different heights of the same pot. Modern-minded gardeners can also use monoculture as a very effective “curated” collection. Purchase multiples of the same pot, then place them in a straight line. Odd numbers seem to work better, so buy 3, 5 or 7 of the same pot. A unified series of galvanized metal, creamy glazed ivory and even concrete planters tie this fresh design together. If you prefer an informal style, anything goes. Try using found objects as unique planters and place a mix of pots together in a happy bunch. Include outdoor sculpture, signage and traditional yard art like blue bottle trees. Scale is Critical Success Factor Scale is how the relative size of the pot looks against the backdrop. If a pot is too small, it will be overlooked. If it’s too big, you may be spending extra money on soil and plants to fill it. Just like Goldilocks, you want to find a pot that is “just right.” First, measure the available space where you want to place the pot. You need to have enough room for the width of the pot and matching saucer. Give yourself adequate space to walk around the container. Your visitors should be able to easily see the pot from a distance. If you have foundation bushes nearby, select a tall pot that is within a visitor’s line of sight as they approach. Consider using small, medium, large, and tall boxes as props to see what size you prefer. Taking time at this point will really pay off! Technical Guide to Pot Selection If you are container gardening in Zones 6 - 3, you need to use pots that can tolerate heat in the summer and freezing temperatures in the winter months.  Those of you in warm climates need to consider lighter colored pots, which will reflect the heat instead of absorbing it.  There are several adjustments you can make to help moderate the temperatures of the soil mix in the pots.  Consider lining larger pots with some Styrofoam insulation along the inside walls of the pots before putting in the soil mix.  After selecting the pots you like, choose a good quality soil mix.  Many of the new soils have a slow release fertilizer incorporated in the mix for a vigorous and healthy start.  Don’t put gravel in the bottoms of the pots.  The soil above that gravel will remain soggy and may cause some root rot.  Instead, use some folded paper or coffee filters to cover the drainage holes and keep the soil mix in the pots.  This way, you are using the entire volume of soil to allow the plants you are growing in those pots to perform at their best. Container Garden Plant Selection Guide When selecting plants for containers, color, height, width and growing conditions are all important considerations. Use the plant facts on Nature Hills plant descriptions to see how large the plants will get. If you intend to replace on a seasonal basis, you may choose annuals, or plant multiples of perennials to mass together to create a fuller look faster. Have you ever heard of the “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” formula? This is a fool-proof way to put together great looking containers. Thrillers are tall plants such as Ornamental Grasses with unique foliage, blossoms or a vertical growth habit. Place them in the middle of containers that will be viewed from all sides. Or, if you’ll only see one side of the planter, place your Thriller in the back of the arrangement. Fillers are the unsung heroes of containers. These are round, mounding plants that help provide softness and fullness to the arrangement. Here’s where you can have fun selecting harmonizing plants in the same color palette. Try showcasing different textures in a monochromatic color selection. Hot colors mix well with other hot colors. Cool pastels work beautifully together in groups. Try something new each season! Plant the Fillers around your Thriller almost to the edge of the planter. Leave enough room for Spiller plants, such as vines or trailing plants to grow over the edge of the planter. This really softens the overall look and gives a very professional look. Arrange your plants in the containers before planting them to ensure you have them in the right places to accommodate the mature size of the plants as the season progresses.  Learn what does best in your area and pay attention to see if those favorites are grown in the sun, shade or somewhere in between.  Protecting Your New Container Garden Once you have planted the plants in your containers, it is a great idea to put a few inches of mulch over the top of the soil and around the plants. This will hold moisture, keep the soil from splashing up on the plants (possibly creating some soil born fungus) and keep the plants clean. Use mulch for aesthetic reasons, as it unifies the whole design. The mulch you use can be of interest too. Have you ever used cocoa bean shells?  They are a great dark color, and just imagine smelling chocolate when arriving at your front door or sitting on the patio!  Shredded wood mulch is excellent too. For cactus and succulents, you may consider using stone or small gravel sprinkled over the top of the soil in those containers. Decorative glass is being used now, and we’ve even seen glow in the dark glass. You’ll love your containers throughout each season. Stay tuned for our next blog post on inspiration for each season. Happy Gardening!

We would be remiss if we did not mention that Boxwood have been used as trimmed hedges as far back as 4,000 BC, in the gardens of Roman villas.  Boxwood have been used in Italy, France, Germany and England - all throughout Europe because it makes incredible clipped hedges.  Boxwood remain wildly popular today.  Their popularity comes from the innate ability to train this plant into many different forms.  They were used to create English knot gardens, topiaries, creating pieces of sculpture in the landscape.  Boxwood can be easily sheared in to tight forms.  The small, rounded leaves are evergreen and remain on the plant year round.  How to Use Boxwood in the Landscape Not only do Boxwood make classic low hedges-- governing direction and movement through the landscape with the structure they bring – they do so year round because they remain green year round. Taller growing selections make outstanding screening plants, create outdoor garden spaces, and define areas beautifully – much nicer to look at than a fence. Foundations scream for Boxwood and can be allowed to grow untrimmed allowing new growth to remain on the plant.  It’s a unique look-soft and feathery.  Others like to shear their boxwood into rounded forms or low hedges. Using boxwood as hedges, it is important to keep the top of the plants a bit more narrow and wider on the bottom.  The reason for keeping hedges a bit wider at the bottom is so the foliage remains healthy and in place right to the ground.  If the top is wider than the bottom, the foliage can get shaded out and drop leaves and could become leggy at the bottom. Upright growing boxwood make great vertical accents or corner anchors, again left natural and un-sheared for a softer more natural look or sheared into pyramids or columns.  It is true… no gardens should be without boxwood.  Whether they are used as a backdrop, accents or used in groups in varying sizes for an interesting look.  They are many times used as container plants sheared into spirals and pom poms, pyramids or spheres.  Boxwood are easily trained and pruned into most any shape.  Improved Varieties – It’s Not Just English Boxwood Anymore There are many different species of Boxwood.  Some of these plants grow slowly and stay smaller, while others are much more robust.  There are leaf color and size variations and certainly hardiness factors to consider as well.  Nature Hills offers many different hybrids including these variations.  Many people ask us for Dwarf English Boxwood not realizing that many new options exist.  Many of these newer selections take the best attributes of these varieties and roll them into some of these other selections.  The important thing to do is look at the mature size of the plant and the hardiness zone it will be grown in.  Then use the plants that fit into your landscape.   Pruning your Boxwood Plants is Simple Light pruning can be done at any time of the year.  In general, it is best not to do too much pruning late in the fall of the year.  Boxwood put on a big flush of new growth in spring, and a lighter flush later in the summer. The more natural pruning method is to use a hand pruner to hand select out the longest shoots and simply snip them back into the body of the plant-- leaving the nice feathery growth in place.  It is an attractive, soft look.  For the sheared hedges, globes, spirals, pom poms or any sheared forms it is best to remove the first flush of growth keeping the formal look of your plants.  A light clean up may be necessary later in the summer.  Try and blow or rake off all of the trimmings and remove them from the plants to keep their dark, clean look.  Older plants that have been sheared for many years may need to be thinned out to keep the plants healthy.  They can become too dense and may appreciate more air circulation.  Planting Tips for Boxwood Boxwood are shallow rooted plants that love having a few inches of organic mulch over the roots to keep in moisture and offer them cooler soil temperatures during the heat.  They do require soil that is well drained.  In warmer climates, it is a good idea to have some protection from the hot afternoon sun.  Part sun is going to be ideal for healthy, vigorous Boxwood. In colder climates, keep the plant out of areas that might be exposed to drying winter winds to prevent winter burn.  Boxwood grown in cooler areas can be successfully grown in full sun or part shade.  We have also seen Boxwood used in areas that do eventually develop more shade and they continue to perform quite well.  Provide even moisture to establish new plantings in well-drained soil, and mulch over the shallow roots will ensure you have beautiful plants.  Boxwood is one of the few plants that is truly deer resistant.     There is a place in your yard for Boxwood.  They remain incredibly popular because they are one of the most handsome plants in the landscape. Now is an excellent time to buy Boxwood.  Nature Hills grows them in containers ready to transplant at any time of the year with complete success.  Beautiful landscape grade plants-- ready for their new home.

You know you love to get your hands in the dirt come springtime. Even before the weather turns nice, avid gardeners are out there finding jobs to do: winter cleanup, pruning your dormant oak or fruit trees, mulching beds, and most importantly, planning for all the new plants you want to try this year. We totally get it! Now, in fall after a wonderful growing season spent enjoying your garden, you may find yourself not quite ready for your long winter rest. So, what can you do now? Take a close look at your garden. Are there any late-blooming perennials that could be divided to fill in bare spots? Have you been thinking about adding a garden bed? Or are you tempted by some of the fabulous new cultivars on the market? Would you like to add more spring color? Texas Scarlet Flowering Quince   Lynwood Gold Forsythia Dolgo Crabapple Tree September is a Great Time to Plant! Why September?  Well, the soil is warm, and the air is cool which is a great for encouraging new roots to grow for any newly planted plant.  Many areas have been getting rainfall and September typically brings more opportunities for additional moisture. More dew making it easier on you having to water less. As the plants prepare for fall, they will use less water too.     Take advantage of this excellent time of the year to establish new plants in your landscape.  You’ll be ready for spring! Be sure to keep an eye on the many specials that Nature Hills offers on your favorite plants at this time of the year.  

The most important thing to know about deer is that when they are hungry, and food is limited, they may eat just about anything. Please keep in mind that deer tastes change with the season, with the region, and with what is available to them.  Deer Resistant Trees Deer Resistant Shrubs Deer Resistant Perennials Here’s How To Train Deer We hear about it all the time …  a plant that is listed as deer resistant gets damaged by deer browsing on that plant.  What we have learned is that when you plant new plants at your home – and you are in an area that has lots of deer pressure, it is important to let the deer know that your plants do not taste good from the start.  How do you do that?  First of all, pick plants that are not considered a delicacy to deer (plants that are not preferred by deer).  Next, right after you plant your new plant - spray it with a deer repellent.  That way, when the deer make their way through your yard on their regular tour and they sample your enticing new plant – the repellent will give it a bad taste and they should not destroy it. Remember with deer repellents, they will need to be re-applied as time and weather wear off the effectiveness of that bad tasting spray.  Follow the directions on the spray to know when to reapply a “reminder” to those deer that your new plant is not going to taste good to them.  Good luck with your new plantings.  Happy gardening!

Nature Hills fields a lot of calls from our customers who are looking for something to grow in a specific spot in their yard...and with the huge palate of plants offered, there is really no better place to call than Nature Hills Nursery to find something that will work for you.   Use the Nature Hills Plant Facts listed on every product page to help you determine if a plant will tolerate the conditions of the spot you have in mind.  During this post, you’ll get an in-depth understanding of the most important factors to consider. Use Nature Hills Plant Facts to understand exactly what a specific plant can tolerate.  The Plant Facts provide details about the specific conditions a plant needs to survive and thrive (which is what we want for your new plant!) Study Your Landscape to Make the Best Plant Selection As you research your Plant Facts, you’ll want to think about specific growing conditions in the exact spot you want to place your new plant. For instance, if you plan on planting an Oak Tree in your yard, you’ll study how much sunlight your yard gets during different parts of the day.  Plants that list “Full Sun” in their Plant Facts won’t perform as well in areas of deep shade. Let’s think about a few typical site considerations that will really influence your decision when selecting a compatible plant for your landscape: Are there places in your yard that flood easily? Do you have any areas in your landscape that always dry up quickly after a rainstorm?   Is your yard exposed to strong winter winds and drifting snow? Is your home located in the city or urban environment? Are you planting by a swimming pool?  Do you live near a highway that uses lots of road salt in the winter to melt the ice -- how will that affect your plants?  Critical Plant Site Selection Considerations For your plants to grow and thrive, there are three things to pay close attention to:  Plant Hardiness, Soil Type, and the amount of Sun or Shade the plant will receive.   1. Know your USDA Growing Zone Each plant needs to be able to tolerate the temperatures (both high and low) where it will be planted.  You’ll see the Growing Zone range listed on all the plants we offer for sale our website.  This will really take the guesswork out for you.  Some varieties may be more cold-hardy than others, so you can also search for plants by a Growing Zone, if you prefer.  Find out your USDA Growing Zone at the very top of our home page. Just enter your Zip Code and tap Go to see your Growing Zone. 2. Know Your Soil Type The type of soil you are growing in will dictate how much food and water you will need to add to your plant.  Get to know your soil type to be able to best select plants that will grow at your home.   When it rains, does the water drain away?  Or does the water sit for a while before it soaks into the ground?  Generally, many plants will prefer “well drained soil”.  For instance, heavy clay soils stay saturated after rains.  This really affects plants and how they grow, as it reduces the amount of oxygen in the soil and could cause the roots to rot.  Planting into clay soils will change the frequency of watering (less frequent in clay soils) as the soil will stay saturated.  Choose plants to thrive in clay soils or can tolerate standing water.  There are plants that can tolerate clay soils better than others. Plants for Clay Soils Black-Eyed Susan Daylilies Hosta Ornamental Grasses  Potentilla  Viburnums Yucca There are workarounds to improve drainage in heavy clay soil.  In severe cases of heavy clay, it may be worthwhile to build up the area before planting.  If you build raised areas (called “berms”) to plant on, you will give the plants enough drainage to grow and develop.   On the other hand, some homeowners have sandy soils.  Establishing new plants in soil that is very sandy requires a very different approach than the soils that are heavy clay.   Planting into sandy soils will require more frequent watering, being careful that the plants don’t dry out, especially at the start.  Plants in sandy soils can dry out daily.  Eventually, newly planted plants will make new roots into that sandy soil and grow to find both food and water and become less dependent upon you for all of the water they need.  But you need to get them to that point before you cut back on your watering.  When working with sandy soils, remember that when there has not been enough rainfall, additional moisture for some plants may be needed.  Selecting plants that need less water after they are established is the way to go.  Most of the plants that we offer that tolerate drier conditions are called “xeriscape” plants.  Be sure to look for those plants in the descriptions when making your selections. 3. Know the Amount of Sun and Shade.   It’s very important to amount of sunlight or shade a plant will need is very important to know when making plant selections.  Look carefully where in your yard you want to plant and observe the amount of sunlight a plant will get in that spot.   Sometimes customers ask if we have a plant that gets “full sun” but that area of their yard may only get full sun for part of the day.  Look to see the direction your home faces.  Are there trees overhead that will affect the exposure to sunlight?   Roses for instance, will need full sun for the best flowering.  If they get planted in an area that only receives a few hours of sunlight, the numbers of flowers is greatly reduced, the next round of flowers takes longer to develop, and the flowers are not as well developed.  Instead of selecting a rose bush to plant in that spot, maybe there is an everblooming Hydrangea or one of the new reblooming Azaleas that might be a better option for that location. Plants for Partial Sun Trees for Partial Sun Shrubs for Partial Sun Perennials for Partial Sun Plants in the Wrong Spot Get Stressed Plants that do not receive the proper growing conditions can become stressed.  Stressed plants will be susceptible to other problems too.  Any plant that is planted in the correct growing conditions for that particular species will be vigorous and healthy and will be able to ward off disease or insect infestations easier.  They can recover quicker and easier from problems should they arise.  Healthy plants need less chemicals or sprays to correct disease or insects.  Plants that are planted at a site that they love will have better leaf color, flower best, set more fruit, have better form, and grow like they are supposed to. As the saying goes… “Bloom where you are planted” … but if you plant me where I will do well, I will perform beautifully for you. Need more help? Give us a call at 888-864-7663.