If you're looking for some new ideas for your garden, go to a flower show. I just went to one in New Jersey, and for me it starts to get the juices flowing. Flower shows are a great source for new ideas, and to get some of the new plant varieties that are starting to appear now for this coming season.

This year, I got a new plant to try, Japanese Wonderflowers. One tube produces 30 to 50 flowers and grow to 12 to 19 inches. And the best part-they flower all season from March through October! How great is that? These flowers grow in sun and partial shade, they're suitable for containers and they make great cut flowers. Through cross pollination they will change into mixed colors. For more information on these flowers, check the website. www.wonderflowers.nl.

 

Flower of the Month
Do you know what flower this is?

Hellebore - is a genus of approximately 20 species.
This flower blooms from January through March. They range from white to green to a deep purple. They are particularly valued by gardeners for their winter and early spring flowering period; the plants are surprisingly frost-resistant and many are evergreen.

This flowers have five petals surrounding a ring of cup-like petals. The flowers of some species (Helleborus orientalis) resemble wild roses and commonly known as "Christmas Rose" and "Lenten Rose." Hellebores do not belong to the rose family.

Planted in mass, they make a wonderfully cheery show for late winter and early spring. Mixed with Snowdrops, Red Stemmed Dogwoods, or some of the many winter blooming Witchhazels, all the strains create a beautiful spark of color in the winter garden.

Aside from locating them with winter interest companions, all Hellebores require a well-drained location and prosper with afternoon shade. All are drought tolerant, provide ample seedlings for naturalizing, and best of all - deer resistant!

 

The Good, Bad, and Buggy

Fungus gnat

Have you noticed tiny flies that take flight from your house plants when you water? They may be fungus gnats. Fungus gnats are actually small dark gray flies about 1/8 in. long. They thrive in moisture and in decaying organic matter. The good news is that they live only three to four weeks. The bad news is that they spend most of their life feeding below the soil surface on decaying organic matter and plant roots. After pupating, female adults emerge and live seven to 10 days to lay up to 300 eggs.

Adult gnats are generally only considered a nuisance. But the larvae, in large enough numbers can be a real problem. They feed on small roots, which causes stunted growth and off-color leaves or, in cases of severe infestation, leaf drop.

Tip - To control these pests - limit overwatering, and use a sterile potting mix when planting. If you see the fungus gnat around your plants, push a potato cube into the soil and remove it after a few days. Continue to do this until you don't see the gnats flying around your plants any longer.

Garden Wisdom
Winter Warmth - Is it bad for the plants?

Will the unseasonably warm temperatures of February and early March prove harmful to plants? Yes. If flower and leaf buds begin to emerge early, those tissues will be subject to frost damage and dieback. In addition, a number of the alien pathogens and insects will not be killed by the warmer season, leading to additional insect and disease problems.