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Gardening News
For more information about soil, plants, garden history, botanical news, watering and much more. |
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New Plants for 2007
We have
39 exciting new plants this year. From perennials to cacti you can add many different textures and colors to your garden. We also have some splendid
new samplers and pre-planned gardens.
New to Gardening? Now's the Perfect Time to Begin
With the fresh start of a New Year, now's the time to plan for the coming growing season. Sitting inside when it's snowy and cold outside is the best time to imagine your first garden. If you're new to gardening, the following will help you get started.
Things to Consider
- What kind of garden do you want?
 --wild or formal
--flowers or vegetables
--xeric (water-wise) or oasis
- Is there a particular purpose or goal for the garden?
 --meditation
--to supply
culinary herbs and cut flowers
--as a back drop for
garden art
--
attract birds and
butterflies
--a plant collectors garden
- Are there restraints or extreme conditions to be dealt with?
 --small yard?
--narrow space?
--shady and damp or sunny, hot and dry?
--short, high altitude growing season?
More Things to Mull Over
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 Height of plants--put the tall ones to the back, plan for groundcovers that will readily spread
- Texture--vary feel and look of flowers and leaves. A garden is more interesting when you mix up the types of foliage; include smooth, fuzzy and variegated.
- Color--do you like all purple, then go for it? Or do you prefer blending colors from one end of the palette? How your garden colors up can become a very personal. There are really no rules here.
"The designed yard can have different kinds of gardens in it," says Katherine O'Brien, the director of the Landscape Consulting Program at
Santa Fe Greenhouses. "Just decide how the space will be used, what your interests are? Do you want a pretty entrance?"
 To the beginner even these simple questions can feel big. So do it the easy way. We have many
pre-planned gardens that make a no-stress way to begin gardening. Pre-planned gardens come with a list of plants that work together. They give you a diagram of where to place the plants to create a pleasing, professional look.
A few of our pre-planned gardens include--
These gardens bring instant success and boost confidence, something everyone needs when first starting to garden. Remember to start small and not overwhelm yourself with too many plants and too big a garden to maintain. A great garden is never finished; it's just in between new projects.
David's Helpful Hints: Using the High Country Garden Plant Finder
You've looked at our website or a copy of our catalog. The pictures are gorgeous, there's lots of choices, and you want one of everything. Making a realistic decision may be easier if you spend a few minutes using our
Plant Finder help tool.
Our Plant Finder Help Tool
- It's located on the left side of the screen on the
home page and other pages.
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Click on it then fill in as many of the fields as you like. Realize that the more you narrow the field, the fewer number of plants will appear.
- For example, select native shrubs with all day shade, average garden soil, and a growing region of over 7,000 feet. Two suitable shrubs appear. By changing just the sun requirements to morning sun and afternoon shade, 11 possible shrubs show up.
When to Use the Plant Finder
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 When you want to find a plant of a particular color, height, or bloom time.
- When you want plants for special soil types, sun and water requirements.
- When you want particular regions of the country.
- Also type keywords to see if something very specific is available.
The
Plant Finder is a great tool to help find perfect companion plants to fill in those gaps in an existing perennial border, create a new flower bed, or find something that will be well suited to a problem spot.
Use the Plant Finder to create a list of plants for a particular situation. Then go back to the catalog and study those plants a bit further before making a final decision on what to buy.
Plant Combinations
 The plants featured this month are from our new 2007 offerings. Together these plants made a striking addition to any xeric garden and both plants attract hummingbirds. Plant Zauchneria in back of Agave and let it spread. Be careful not to let the
Zauschneria overrun the
Agave during the first few years when the Agave is still small.
NEW! Zauschneria latifolia v. etteri Silver (Threadleaf Hummingbird Trumpet) is a native with an explosion of scarlet-red trumpets held over a haze of narrow-leaved silver foliage. New spring foliage is green that matures to silver with the heat of summer. Best planted in an infertile, well-drained loam soil with lots of sun. When doing fall garden maintenance, don't cut back the stems until spring. Occasional deep watering over the winter is needed if conditions are dry. Zones 5-9.
Agave parryi, (Parry's Century Plant, Flagstaff form) comes from seed collected on the brutally cold, exposed 6,800 ft. high plateau just south of Flagstaff, Arizona. Without question, this is one of the largest, most cold-hardy forms of Agave. It likes a lean, well-drained soil where it will get plenty of sun and heat. In time, the plant will bloom with a towering 12' tall, flowering candelabra that attracts hummingbirds from miles around. Zones 4-10.
Our 2007 Spring Gardening Series: Xeriscape Gardening with Style
 Our speaker line-up is a great one this year with experts in all areas.
1/06 -- Landscaping for Outdoor Living-- Katherine O'Brien, SFG Staff
1/13 -- At Home in the Natural Garden with Native & Xeric Plants-- Judith Phillips
1/20 -- Tips and Tricks for Garden Success-- SFG staff
1/27 -- Xeriscape Trees and Shrubs for Portals, Patio and Courtyards-- Jeff Clark, SFG Staff
2/03 -- Xeriscape Perennials for Portals, Patios and Courtyards-- David Salman, SFG Staff
2/10 -- Fun and Frugal Landscaping: Big Garden Ideas for Small Budgets-- Scott Calhoun
2/17 -- Texture in the Garden-- Kelly Grummons
2/24 -- Distinctive Gardens: A Western Sense of Place-- Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer
3/03 -- Four Seasons of Container Gardening-- Bob Ross, SFG Staff
Workshops are held on Saturday and start at 2 pm and are held on the grounds of Santa Fe Greenhouses. For more information, please call 505-473-2700, or toll free 1-877-811-2700 or visit us on the web at www.santafegreenhouses.com. Map
Coming Up: David Salman: 2007 Speaking Appearance
 David Salman, President of High Country Gardens, is the keynote speaker for the
Water-Smart Gardening and Xeriscape Expo in Denver.
Topic:
Exploring the Possibilities for the Water-Smart and Xeriscape Garden
When: Saturday, January 13, 2007 from 10 to 11:30am
Where:
Denver Botanic Gardens
For more information: Call (720) 865-3580 or look under education at
www.botanicgardens.org
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With the fresh start of a New Year, now's the time
