Stokes' Aster Daisy Perennial
Stokes' Aster, Stokesia laevis 'Purple Parasols' Perennial
GREEN THUMBS UP: Time to put our perennial gardens to bed
November is typically the gloomiest month of the year, but sunny days, mild temperatures, and a glorious pre-Thanksgiving weekend offered local gardeners a welcome opportunity to enjoy the fleeting beauty of the fall landscape and begin preparations for the chilly days ahead. Homeowners were out in force, raking and blowing leaves into mountainous heaps, which often became targets for playful children and the young-at-heart reliving childhood memories. Lawnmowers were quickly put into action to trim the turf before gentle breezes buried the lawn beneath another layer of amber-tinted foliage. While this process may have to be repeated several times before the snow flies, there was an exhilarating sense of accomplishment to view the manicured landscape.
Once the current leafy carpet on the lawn has been raked, shredded, and stockpiled, the focus shifts to our perennial gardens. While many gardeners view drifting leaves and the declining foliage of their plants as Mother Nature’s way of providing a beneficial, protective winter mulch, experienced gardeners know that this decaying refuse may invite many unwanted winter guests including slugs, snails, insects, mice, voles, and chipmunks that feed on bulbs, roots, and lingering foliage. Soggy debris may also lead to suffocation or diseases if allowed to accumulate and decompose throughout the winter months. Most established perennials will easily survive our winters without a cover of mulch.
aster perennial - News
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E is for eupatorium: Joe-pye weed spells dependable beauty for perennial gardens Eupatorium or joe-pye weed is a lovely Zone 4 perennial that graces many summer and fall gardens. It falls into the Aster family and is a North American and more » |
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Let perennials tell when it's time to divide Let perennials tell when it's time to dividePerennials that should be divided every two to three years: aster, coreopsis, sedum “Autumn Joy,” garden mums (Dendranthema), helenium, heuchera, |
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Spring into gardening: dividing perennials The early spring weather has beckoned like the mythical Sirens, and I am lured to my perennial beds. The frost has left the ground, and the first few early and more » |
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Do it now These seeds can be started inside by now: ageratum, aster, calendula, hollyhock, lobelia, petunia, salvia, snapdragon, strawflower and black-eyed Susan vine |
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Experiment with color combos in your garden The beautiful pink peony will not bloom at the same time as a fall aster. Other plants, such as Diascia integerrima 'Coral Canyon' blooms for most of the |
