Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fall 2006
fall sanctuary
spruce up your outdoor spaces
Enjoy this Complimentary Issue of the Lowes Garden Club newsletter. To sign up for your FREE membership, see details inside on page 2.
your turn
Planting: Its best to plant in fall or spring. Soil: Well-drained, slightly acidic soil is ideal, although kousa
dogwood will tolerate dry, compacted soil.
Melissa Birdsong Vice President, Trend, Design & Brand Lowes Companies, Inc.
P.S. Get a jump start on seasonal gardening and be the first to know what
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Anchorage Omaha San Francisco Denver
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Minneapolis New York Richmond Charlotte Memphis Atlanta
Chicago
St. Louis
By relying on regional and local growers for quality plants and plant products, Lowes is able to provide you with varieties that are best suited to your climate. All the plants mentioned and shown in this issue may not always be available at your local store, but your Lowes Live Nursery Sales Specialist can help you find comparable varieties.
to develop a strong structure and often grows multiple trunks. It can grow as wide as it is tall (the branches are upright when the tree is young, and then they droop as it matures). This selection may require pruning of the lower branches for clearance beneath the canopy or to show off the trees ornamental trunk(s).
Landscaping: You can use kousa dogwood as a specimen, border, or patio tree, or place in small groups 25 feet apart. Planting more than one will encourage summer berries to form. Seasonal interest: Spring flowers with large bracts turn to dark- or medium-green leaves in summer with dangling red fruits. Gorgeous fall foliage ranges from brick red to reddish purple in color. And winter showcases the decorative bark. Special considerations: Kousa dogwood does not perform well in highly urban areas with tall buildings reflecting the sun. However, among the dogwood selections, it is especially resistant to diseases and pests.
PHOTOS: JUDY WHITE/ GARDENPHOTOS.COM NATIONAL
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Honolulu
Dallas
10 11
8 9 10 11
ZONE
Lowes Garden Club newsletter is published by SPC Custom Publishing, Inc., 2100 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209. Copyright 2006 SPC Custom Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the publisher. Lowes and the gable design are registered trademarks of LF, LLC. Address all correspondence to Lowes Garden Club newsletter, Attn.: Sandy Culver, P.O. Box 523-G, Birmingham, AL 35201. Lowes Garden Club newsletter is staff produced and cannot be held responsible for any unsolicited material. Printed in the U.S.A.
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-40 to -30
4
-30 to -20
5
-20 to -10
6
-10 to 0
7
0 to 10
8
10 to 20
9
20 to 30
10
30 to 40
11
ABOVE 40
The map above is based loosely upon the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The United States Department of Agriculture bases this information on years of low temperature readings. Gardeners should note that it does not take into account summer heat, soil, or moisture extremes. It is intended as a guide rather than as a guarantee.
FALL 2006
planting for
Transform an open yard into a more intimate garden where you can secretly snooze in a hammock or enjoy a private supper beneath the stars.
FALL 2006
LOWES.COM/FALL
related products
planting 101
Follow these steps to create beautiful screens.
GIVE EM ROOM
planting for
six secrets
to successful privacy
Gather the right tools to make planting a breeze.
1. LAWN MOBILITY
A GardenPlus lawn and garden cart (#129180) makes it easy to haul shrubs, trees, tools, and more to planting sites. Plus, its four-wheels-on-the-ground design reduces the potential for tipping. Side panels fold down to accommodate long tree trunks or tool handles.
Space hedges to accommodate mature height and width. Locate holes using stakes and a tape measure. Position plants near fences so theyre accessible for trimming or pruning. Many flowering selections make excellent hedges, such as dwarf Korean lilac, Endless Summer hydrangea, oakleaf hydrangea, shrub roses, or viburnum.
LAYER UP
To achieve instant screening with slow-growing trees, under-plant them with a row of shrubs, which will fill in quickly. Kousa dogwood planted with azalea and loropetalum forms a layered screen with multiseasonal interest, as does redbud paired with shorter Chinese holly selections. A shrub combination with year-round flowers is camellia and oakleaf hydrangea. In northern climes, try Endless Summer hydrangea for season-long blooms.
3. GREAT FOOD
Give newly planted trees and shrubs a handful of bonemeal (#233160)* or a slowrelease nursery (#115055)* or tree/shrub (#95997)* fertilizer. Mix the product into the soil you use to backfill the planting hole. Dont overfeed, or you might burn the roots.
2. DIGGIN DUTIES
A round-point shovel (#94322)* breaks through the hardest soil for quick planting. Its important to precisely position trees and shrubs when creating a hedge. Use a measuring tape to space the holes, and remember to take into account mature plant width. Dig a hole thats twice as wide as the plants root ball or container, but no deeper.
THINK HORIZONTAL
Cloaking fences with vines softens structural lines and makes your yard feel like a secret garden. Deciduous vines provide seasonal screening and require appropriately timed pruning, while their evergreen counterparts demand trimming to keep them in bounds. While establishing perennial vines, plant annual vines, such as black-eyed Susan vine or morning glory. Where space doesnt accommodate perennials, train annuals onto supports.
4. SOIL SOLUTIONS
Improve the soil by adding a few shovels of compost to the planting hole. If your site is in a grassy area, reserve the soil from the planting hole on a tarp so its easy to toss back into the hole.
P H O T O : B R YA N J O H N S O N
5. MULCH MATTERS
When youre finished planting, surround the tree or shrub with a layer of mulch, pulling it away from the trunk or main stem to form a basin. Organic mulch will break down over time and build up the soil.
6. IRRIGATION STATION
Water trees or shrubs well after planting. Continue to water plants regularly, providing 1 inch of water (through irrigation or rainfall) per week. Gilmour nozzles (#228740)* direct water to fill mulch basins. Try sprinklersoscillating (#142445)*, stationary (#19002)*, or small rotary (#142753)* make watering a hands-free task.
* AVA I L A B I L I T Y VA R I E S B Y M A R K E T.
FALL 2006
LOWES.COM/FALL
patio pizzazz
Escape to an outdoor paradise featuring year-round color and seasonal surprises.
ow is the time for working on an open-air project. By planting plenty of annuals, evergreens, shrubs, and perennials, your entertaining area is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Here are some simple steps to help you complete your outdoor look. And for our favorites, see the checklist on page 10.
Surprise!
The fire bowl featured in this story has a space underneath for a warm-season water garden. Visit Lowes.com/Gardening and click on All-Season Entertaining to find out how to create a year-round outdoor area complete with an interchangeable water garden.
FALL 2006
LOWES.COM/FALL
K K K K K K K K K K
Crimson Pygmy Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii Crimson Pygmy): Zones 68 azalea (Rhododendron selections): Zones 49 strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus): Zones 69 florists chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium): Zones 59 Autumn Joy sedum (Sedum Autumn Joy): Zones 310 Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha): Zones 711 purple beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma): Zones 58 red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia): Zones 49 Sparkleberry holly (Ilex Sparkleberry): Zones 39 burning bush (Euonymus alatus): Zones 38
paradise found
Lowes teams up with SeaWorld Orlando in Florida to create a stunning new space where park revelers can relax. Heres how you can get this look at home.
Fire Pit
The fire bowl invites guests to warm up in cool weather. For tips on creating an entertaining area with a fire bowl, look to the September/October 2006 issue of Lowes Creative Ideas for Home and Garden.
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patio pizzazz
FALL 2006
LOWES.COM/FALL
11
how to
earching for the inspiration to transform your landscape? Look no further than SeaWorld Orlandobest known for Shamu, but now sporting a brand-new tropical garden and weatherproof deck area. Every gardener wants a backyard haven. This durable deck tucked into beds of colorful foliage and framed with a pergola perfectly fits the bill. Even if you live outside of the tropical zones, refer to this design plan for ideas you can use in gardens anywhere in the United States.
The secret to a finished look is in the plant placement. Dramatic, single-colored borders are necessities for stunning gardens. At right, an arc of burgundy-red crotons frames the deck, adding vibrant hues to the landscape. This garden is layered in semiformal rows, which makes weeding easier. The look is calculated, yet versatile, and the curving lines complement the hardscape. With mature trees already on the property, selections that have shallow root systems (such as vermillion or Aztec grass) are ideal under-plantings because they wont disturb the trees roots.
Plants at SeaWorld Orlando are ideal for tropical zones. However, if you live in a cooler region, try some of these selections to get the same look.
if you like:
bromeliad (Bromeliaceae selections), Zones 1113
if you like:
Red Sister cordyline (Cordyline terminalis Red Sister), Zones 911
if you like:
begonia (Begonia selections), annual
try:
Aztec grass (Ophiopogon intermedius Argenteomarginatus), Zones 410; or plantain lily (Hosta selections), Zones 39; or Variegata big blue lily turf (Liriope muscari Variegata), Zones 410
try:
Dark Delight New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax Dark Delight), Zones 711; or Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), Zones 68; or Ruby Chinese fringe (Loropetalum chinense Ruby), Zones 79
try:
annuals of one kind in a mass planting
LOWES.COM/FALL
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topiary
PHOTOS: TED TUCKER
prout some family togetherness with a topiary thats sure to draw delighted squeals and giggles. Creating the artful form requires adult help, but planting it is the perfect job for little hands. Topiaries thrive with minimal attentiona gardener at any level can keep the animal lush and healthy. As vines begin to grow, direct them to cover the wire form. Remember to apply an all-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer monthly. And if you like this little piggy, check out Lowes.com/Gardening to create a rabbit topiary.
step-by-step
Step 1: Roll a piece of poultry netting into a
10- to 12-inch-diameter tube (see photo at right). Overlap the ends of the netting, and then wire the ends together. Cut the tube into two pieces one slightly larger than the otherto create the head (the smaller piece) and the body. Note: Always wear leather gloves when working with wire. Step 2: Make four 4-inch cuts in one end of the body. Overlap the sections and wire them together, closing up this end (the pigs backside). Repeat the process on one end of the head, leaving an opening for the small pot (the pigs nose). Insert the pot, rim first, fitting the netting snugly around the pot to hold it in place. (You also can attach a few extra pieces of wire behind the pots rim.) Adjoin the remaining open ends of the head and body using wire. Step 3: Shape pieces of netting to form two 3-D triangles (the pigs ears). Wire the pieces to the top of the head. Step 4: Create four 5-inch-long, 3- to 4-inch-diameter 3-D hexagons from the netting (the pigs legs). Wire these pieces to the bottom of the body. Step 5: Cut the copper tubing to 24 inches. Bend the tubing into a corkscrew shape (the pigs tail). Attach it to the body by sliding the tubing between the holes in the netting (see photo above), and then wiring part of the tubing to the body. Step 6: Fill the large pot with potting mix. Remove the plants of your choice from their containers. Gently knock the soil from the roots to create small root balls, and then plant the selections around the outer edges of the pot. Step 7: Secure the pig to the middle of the planting area by inserting the soft copper tube through the center of the pig and into the soil. Cut off any excess tube that sticks up above the pig.
september
fun
Zones 911
Plant cool-season vegetables: beets, broccoli, carrots, and lettuce. Dig and divide flowering perennials and ground covers, such as ajuga, ivy, and lily turf. Sharpen your mower blade monthly to avoid tearing grass and providing an entry point for diseases. Trim evergreen shrubs to keep them in scale with the size of your home. Remove and replace overgrown shrubs.
Fertilize roses six weeks before frost. Clean up fallen leaves from beneath plants, and dont compost leaves infected with black spot. Plant spring-flowering bulbs. Squirrels wont eat daffodil bulbs, but they love to feast on tulips. Protect tulip plantings with a layer of chicken wire. Apply a winterizer lawn fertilizer. Treat broadleaf weeds, and aerate your lawn.
Lowes list
materials & tools
leather gloves 10-foot-long, 20-gauge poultry netting (chicken wire) (#77472) wire cutters 20-gauge galvanized wire (#62934) 3-inch terra-cotta pot copper tubing (#25028) 10-inch terra-cotta pot Miracle-Gro Enriched Potting Mix (#93762) Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food (#93102) soft copper tube (#43974)
Mulch beds after the ground freezes. Surround fall-planted garden mums with a 4-inch layer of mulch to increase survival rates. Dont use ashes from fireplaces, fire pits, or wood-burning stoves around acid-loving plants, such as azalea, blueberry, mountain laurel, or rhododendron. (Its okay to spread a thin layer of ashes around other plants or on planting beds.) Add structures, such as a gazing ball, to your garden before winter arrives. Youll have something to enjoy during those snowy days.
Continue to remove leaves from Dig and divide spring-flowering your lawn; either rake or chop perennials. Plant narcissus for them with a mulching mower. spring blooms and annuals Remove leaves that fall into (ageratum, begonia, petunia, or water gardens. sweet alyssum) for winter color. Prepare tropical plants for moving Clip spent caladium leaves, indoors by washing foliage with and plant the area with a soap-and-water solution (no festive Jerusalem cherry antibacterial or degreasing plants or ornamental peppers. Feed citrus trees with a citrus formulas). If pests are present, spray foliage with horticultural oil. fertilizer at a rate of 1 pound Sow seeds for spring flowers per foot of tree spread. (bachelors button, dames rocket, larkspur, poppy, or sweet pea).
october
plants
4 small-leaved ivy (Hedera selections) OR 4 creeping fig (Ficus pumila)*
*Availability varies by market.
After a hard freeze, mulch garden beds, and clip perennials to 3 inches tall. Keep mulch away from tree trunks. Winterize your mower. Disconnect the spark-plug wire, drain the oil and gas, clean or replace the air filter, add clean oil, and sharpen the blade. This prepares your mower for spring use. Water evergreens until the ground freezes. If you need to surround shrubs with burlap windbreaks for winter, drive supports into the soil before it freezes.
november
Now is the time to plant springflowering bulbs. Include early bloomersaconite, crocus, snowdropfor color in February. Dig and store canna and dahlia tubers. Clip stalks to 1 inch above the tuber, shake off loose soil, and let the clump dry before storing for winter. Remember that pansies and snapdragons are heavy feeders. Treat them with a bloom-booster fertilizer every two weeks.
Use a bloom-booster fertilizer on cool-season flowering annuals to keep blossoms coming. Treat vegetables either with a slow-release fertilizer at planting or weekly with a water-soluble fertilizer. Add trees to your landscape. Support trees in windy areas using guy wires passed through pieces of a garden hose. Water vegetable gardens, annuals, and newly planted trees and shrubs. Plants need 1 inch of water per week to thrive.
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FALL 2006
15
take it outdoors
elcome family and friends to your home by outfitting the yard for gatherings. Autumn evenings beg for crackling fires, roasting marshmallows, and nightly stargazing. Fill your landscape with items designed to take the chill off of cool nights, and youll be able to enjoy your yard well past Labor Day, no matter where you live. Incorporate warmth into your outdoor room with a patio heater (shown above, #236270), fire pit, chiminea, fire bowl, or fireplace. Include seating options near the site, such as comfy chairs or benches. Install outdoor speakers, and you can host a tailgate party thats complete with live sportingevent broadcasts.
For entertaining, a set of table and chairs accommodates large or small partiesselect a size that suits your style. Outdoor lighting puts safety first, dispelling shadows from paths and patios. Planters dressed for fall add color and beauty. And if your focus is on using your open-air space after dark, fill pots and beds with selections that boast white flowers and leavestheyll reflect light and brighten the area. Include a few bold-colored plants to enliven the daytime scenery (see our plant checklist on page 10 for ideas). Look for these products and many more when you log on to Lowes.com/Gardening. Or visit your local Lowes for all of your outdoor-living needs.
2006 by Lowes. All rights reserved. Lowes and the gable design are registered trademarks of LF, LLC. Lowes Garden Club 2006 LF, LLC.
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