This Month in the Garden: Alluring Alliums!: Fall Planting, Care & Maintenance

Allium Planting, Care & Maintenance

Allium is a genus consisting of over 850 species of plants which includes ornamental forms used for gardening and those cultivated for food, such as onion, garlic, chives, scallion, leek and shallot. Allium can be found growing in the Northern Hemisphere, with a few species occurring in Chile, Brazil and tropical Africa. Originally classified by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753, allium were considered a plant with valuable attributes. By the late 1800’s Russian botanists began collecting species of Allium from Central Asia and introduced them to horticulturists through the Imperial Botanical Garden. Soon after, Britain had heard of this new family of garden-worthy plants and continued to expand the number of available selections through hybridization. Allium has gained increased recognition over the years for its ornamental qualities and was named bulb of the year in 2016 by the The National Garden Bureau and the Perennial Plant Association has voted Allium 'Millenium' as the Perennial Plant of the Year for 2018! 

Globemaster Allium

Allium (Ornamental Onion) are hardy in USDA hardiness zone 3-9, depending on the species, and prefer to be grown in full sun. Allium are drought tolerant and should be planted in a well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.5) which is kept on the drier side. Bulbs should be planted in early autumn (September-November) at a depth of approximately four times the diameter of the bulb. Smaller growing Alliums should be planted at 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) apart, while taller species need at least 8 inches (20 cm) between the bulbs. A sprinkle of bone meal around the bulbs at time of planting (but not near the root) will give them a good start. As mentioned, Allium bulbs are best planted in autumn (by late November) but can be planted in late winter/early spring for late May/June blooms. Flowers may not be as large in the first season, so the application of a balanced fertilizer once foliage emerges will encourage plant strength and blooms.

Allium Mont Blanc

Allium bloom time starts in late spring into early summer and plants are available in a wide variety of sizes and colors, ranging from the white Allium (example 'Mont Blanc'), to blue (Allium caeruleum), yellow (Allium flavum) and purple (Allium giganteum). Plant heights vary between 10 inches (25.4 cm.) and 50 inches (127 cm.) and produce rounded blooms that form at the top of a leafless stalk. Many Allium have basal leaves that commonly wither away before or while the plants are in flower, but some species have persistent foliage throughout the season. Generally, species that hold onto their foliage typically bloom later into fall and form dense clumps rather than individual blooming plants. Varieties that lose their foliage tend to form individual stalks with larger blooms. Allium can be planted as seed, but is best planted as bulbs, which vary in size between species from the smaller 2–3 mm bulb to the larger 8–10 cm bulb of larger blooms. 

Allium Globemaster (Allium giganteum)

Allium require little to no maintenance and are mostly pest and disease free. They are members of the onion family, so the foliage and blooms and are not preferred by deer, rabbits or squirrels. They are also an attraction to butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Removing spent blooms after blooming can encourage plants to store more energy for the following year, but it is not necessary, and some gardeners prefer to leave dried blooms for the remainder of the summer for interest and to encourage re-seeding. There is no need to dig Allium up in the fall, since they do not require any dividing, but can be moved to other locations at that time.

Allium caeruleum Blue

Allium have a wide variety of uses in the landscape and can be planted among evergreen or flowering shrubs and along with other perennials. This versatile plant is easy to plant and maintain and will bring years of enjoyment to your landscape. The possibilities are endless!

Photo Credit: Longwood Gardens (Flowering time Left to Right: Late Spring-Early Summer)

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2018. All rights reserved

Autumn at Old Westbury Gardens, Long Island

Old Westbury Gardens

This past autumn I had the pleasure of spending a day at the beautiful Old Westbury Gardens, located in Old Westbury, on the north shore of Long Island.  Every visit is just as amazing as the last with garden walks, individual garden rooms and natural woodland paths.  The 1900's Charles II-style mansion and former home of the Phipps family beholds a wealth of local history and is complemented by the meticulously groomed grounds it is located on. The gardens change seasonally, always supplying something new to experience and appreciate.

Old Westbury Gardens 1900's Mansion (Marble, Brick and Wrought Iron with Gold Foil Trim)

Rose Arbor and Walk

Heading towards the gardens, a brick path surrounded by a natural arbor with intertwining climbing roses and clematis leads the way to the rose garden.  

Old Westbury Rose Garden

 Brick pathways and Boxwood hedges surround tea roses which are still in bloom going into October.

Old Westbury Rose Garden (Tea Rose)

One of my favorite times of year to visit the gardens is at the end of September/beginning of October when the Dahlia garden is at its peak.  Here are a couple of the many varieties of Dahlia that are present at Old Westbury and maintained by the Dahlia Society and community volunteers.

Dahlia Garden (Dahlia Barbarry Ideal)

Dahlia Garden (Dahlia Aitara Caress)

Thatched Cottage Old Westbury

This charming Thatched Cottage was constructed for the Phipps youngest daughter as a playhouse with gardens surrounding it of many blooms. Bright yellow Helianthus angustifolius (Narrow Leaf Sunflower) can be seen at this time of year.

Scenic Bridge

Autumn is a nice time of year to take in a view of the lake by crossing over the bridge  to the other side.

Lake Trail Old Westbury

Temple of Love Old Westbury

Once you get to the other side be sure to stop by the romantic Temple of Love, a marble and wrought iron gazebo overlooking the pond. If you look closely you can see the reflection of the mansion in the distance.

Fall Foliage 

Fall Blooming Crocus

Along the woodland Lake Trail, a variety of plants can be seen including these Fall Crocus, fully in bloom for the months of September through October.

Beech Tree Old Westbury Grounds

Old Westbury Wall Garden Lotus Pond

Following the path back around you will encounter the magnificent Walled Garden with wrought iron gazebos and evergreens for structure, a beautiful lotus pond and an abundance of every kind of bloom you can imagine.  The gardens are carefully planned with a constant and ever changing sequence of color. 

Old Westbury Walled Garden Autumn

Lotus Flower

Beauty on land and in water.

Old Westbury Walled Garden Gazebo

Autumn Blooms Old Westbury Gardens (Purple Asters)

Around this bend are colorful mass plantings of Solidago, Asters, Dahlias, Chrysanthemum, Heleniums, Salvias, Snakeroot and more...true beauty highlighting the Walled Garden in autumn.

Autumn at Old Westbury Gardens-Solidago 'Fireworks' (Goldenrod)

Autumn at Old Westbury Gardens

Japanese Lily

This was an interesting bloom so I just had to photograph. The marker in front of it identified it as a Japanese Lily. It looks somewhat like a cross between a hibiscus and a poppy and I have not seen it anywhere before.  I enjoy running across species I am not familiar with so it's always a learning experience at the gardens.

Old Westbury Gardens

Autumn at Old Westbury Gardens

If you are looking for a relaxing day strolling through colorful gardens with a little local history thrown in, then Old Westbury Gardens could be the place for you.  The estate has something to offer for every time of year, including gardening lectures, musical entertainment and holiday events. It's a bit chilly here on Long Island right now but if you check out their calendar there may be an event to experience...or just put it onto your list for next spring! I hope you enjoyed the virtual visit!

For more information on operating hours and upcoming events visit their website at 
 Old Westbury Gardens.

Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2015. All rights reserved

October Garden Chores - 10 Helpful Tips

October Garden Chores

Autumn has arrived in the northeast and there are several important chores to get accomplished in the garden before winter arrives and to give your landscape a good start for next spring. Here is a to-do list to help get your started.  These tips apply to USDA zone 7 but can be useful for other gardening zones as well.

(1)  Remove those weeds!  There is nothing more annoying than starting up a new gardening season and being inundated with weeds.  Removing weeds now in the fall will rid their seeds so they won’t be able to multiply over the winter season. Dandelions have long tap roots that can be difficult to remove, but I have found the perfect tool! This garden weeder to the left effortlessly removes the entire root.  It also works well with those nasty clover that have been widespread this season. Being proactive now will save time later.

(2)  Plant Spring Bulbs & Wildflowers: Now is the time to plant those spring flowering bulbs and wildflowers!   Some popular bulbs planted in the month of October are Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Allium and Hyacinths. Some northeastern wildflowers include Rudbeckia, Coneflower, Cornflower and Poppies.  For self-sowing perennials, biennials and annuals leave the seed heads on existing plants so they can drop to the ground and re-seed for next spring.

(3)  Tree & Shrub Protection: Remove any diseased or dead branches from trees and shrubs to prevent winter damage.  Also remove water sprouts and sucker growth. 

(4) Insect Control: Now is the time to apply dormant oil onto trees and shrubs for winter protection from insects.  Insects such as scale and aphids lay their eggs in September which overwinter causing early infestations in spring.  Dormant oil is prepared to be safe for beneficial insects, birds, mammals and humans and smothers out harmful insect larvae before they hatch. Certain plants are sensitive to dormant oil so be sure to read all specifications carefully.

(5)  Clean Up Garden Beds: Remove infected leaves from perennials and herbaceous shrubs. Faded peony, roses, hosta, daylily and coneflower leaves are very susceptible to fungal infections and powdery mildew.  Once the foliage has died back for the season cut it completely back to the ground and make sure the ground is clean around the plant.  Cover with a fine layer of mulch after clean-up to protect the roots and dispose of the infected leaves into the trash, not the compost pile.

(6)  Prune Perennials:  Prune certain perennials to a couple of inches above the ground once they are done blooming for the season. Perennials that benefit from winter pruning include salvia, coreopsis, sedum, gaillardia, nepeta and daylily.  Liriope is somewhat sensitive to cold and can be pruned half way but not all the way down.  Some perennials are very cold sensitive such as Heuchera (coral bells), astilbe, liatris, lavender, perovskia (russian sage) and lupine are best to be left until early spring.

(7)  Clean up Leaves: At the end of the month remove leaves from the lawn and garden. Leaves left over winter can harbor fungal disease and damage your lawn or perennials.  Either add your leaves to a compost area or shred them.  A fine layer of shredded leaves can add valuable organic matter to your garden and can be used as mulch protection for your plants.

(8) Dig Up Tender Bulbs: Dig up tender bulbs such as gladiolus, canna lily and dahlias that do not survive the winter at the end of the month (before frost) and store them in a cool dry place such as a crawl space or garage in either a paper bag or in a container of vermiculite.

(9) Mulch Garden Beds:  Check and apply mulch to your gardens around perennials and shrubs in areas where the temperatures fall below freezing for long periods of time. The mulch serves as insulation for the plants and provides some important protection during winter freezes and thaws and also helps to prevent moisture loss.

(10) Continue Watering: Continue to water evergreens, trees and shrubs until freeze warnings (end of October-beginning of November). It is important that prior to winter that there is significant moisture around your plants before the ground freezes in order to ensure their health. Evergreens are especially prone to desiccation and winter burn caused by drying winds and lack of moisture during the cold season.

Have you started your fall garden chores?  I hope you find the above October gardening tips to be helpful.

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening, Copyright 2014. All rights reserved

Fall-planted Flowers for Extra Splendor

Planting Bulbs and Wildflowers

Fall is an excellent time for planning the spring garden. I hope you enjoy this guest post and find the information to be useful! 

The first and most important step to having a beautiful garden full of flowers is their planting. If you do not properly plant the seeds and then perform the required care it is very unlikely that the flowers will grow as beautiful as you want them, if they grow at all. That is why it is very important to follow certain rules when planting your flowers, especially if you are not an expert in this field. Most people underestimate the fall, but it’s the perfect time to plant many wildflowers, long-lived flowers and flowers’ seeds. The following tips are aimed at helping you to plant the flowers you want during the fall so they will delight you with their beautiful blooms and scent next season.

The first step is to define whether your flowers are annual or perennial as the two types of flowers require different types of maintenance. For example annual flowers such as forget-me-not and violets can grow only from seeds while perennial flowers can grow either from planting seeds, bulbs or cuttings from the stable, the roots and even from the leaves of another, already grown flower of the same kind. And flowers that cannot form seeds for some reason can be planted only in a vegetative way.  

Purple Crocus

Planting bulbs
Plant your bulbs early enough (late September-October) or before the first frost. Don’t forget that the winter is coming and your bulbs need time to grow roots before the temperature falls. When planting your bulbs it is better to use a garden spade as the bulbs look their best when planted in groups. Lesser the space-bigger the effect!  Bulbs grow best in a well-drained organic soil and the best depth for planting is two and a half times the bulb’s height. While planting, mix some fertilizer (bone meal or super phosphate) in the soil around and under the bulbs and water. Maintain light watering to keep the soil moist but do not over water. Daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, allium and tulips are good examples of fall-planted bulbs.

Coreopsis

Wildflowers

Autumn is the time when Mother Nature plants, so it’s the best period to sow your seeds. Take your time and choose a sunny spot. You need to ensure that the growing season is over so plant your wildflowers around the same time you would plant bulbs. Any type of soil is suitable for planting (except a completely sterile one) and it helps to plant your wildflower garden near a water resource. Clean the chosen area from roots, grass and other plants. You need to choose the right wildflowers for your garden. Pay attention to the fact that most of them are annuals and “self-sowing”; for example: cornflowers, poppies and cosmos. If you want perennial wildflowers, you will have plants that will come back every year and can last for decades. Daisies, coreopsis and purple coneflowers are good examples of perennial wildflowers.

How to sow your seeds?

The seeds should be spread on bare soil. To achieve a more natural look, you can leave a little grass. The best way to plant wildflowers is to mix the seeds with clean white sand (the type that is used in children's sandboxes) and distribute evenly onto the soil. You should remember not to cover the seeds. You only need to press them into the bare soil, which can be achieved by walking on it or using a roller for larger spaces. Once your seed is “squashed” into the ground, your work is finished. Birds may arrive and start eating the seeds but don’t worry. They won’t ruin your project.

And do not forget – if you are hesitant about about a certain kind of flower you can always visit the local flower shop or simply search online.

Bio: Christine is a professional blogger who is engaged in organizing her household and raising her 2 kids. She has extensive experience in writing about different matters related to home maintenance. Currently she is sharing useful garden care and maintenance tips.