One of the best ways to avoid the use of chemical pesticides in your garden is to invite birds.  Birds dine on bugs, and their tastes vary by species.  The more varieties of bird species present in the garden, the more insects will be consumed.

So how do we promote this avian diversity? By planting a large variety of plants. Birds also differ in their plant tastes, so the more varieties your garden holds, the more varied the bird population.  Native plants are best, but non-natives work too.  Adding bird houses is another way to provide a habitat for your feathered guests, and they’ll earn their keep!

Sterling’s certified landscape designer can help you design the plantings that will not only bring birds and decrease insects, but will provide pleasure throughout the season as well.

These photos show the garden space that we will be re-creating for the Mansion in May showhouse in May 2012.  The first photo is looking through a garden to the lawn area that will be our design space.  Note the sculpture in the far left corner.  What is left of this sculpture will remain in our newly designed garden.

The second photo is the view of the Glynallyn mansion as it is seen from our garden space.  We will install a sitting area from which to enjoy this view as well as the view of the surrounding woodland.

Don’t miss this exciting event, where designers, both landscape and interior, will showcase their best work for the enjoyment of all visitors.  for more info: www.mansioninmay.com

Sterling will be designing and installing a garden space at the 2012 Mansion in May (www.mansioninmay.com)

Our garden space, # 4, will be titled “The Lady’s Garden”

Concept / Inspiration:

The high tree canopy and green under-story of the surrounding forest sets the mood for a restful retreat. The existing aged sculpture of Our Lady inspired the creation of a garden where the lady of the house might escape the stress of daily living.

Additional inspiration came from early 20^th century garden designer Vita Sackville West’s ‘White Garden’ at Sissinghurst, in England, where white blooms amid varying shades of green foliage provide a comforting palette that calms the mind and pleases the senses. Visual interest from variegated foliage lasts throughout the season.

A bluestone patio provides a sitting area from which to enjoy the woodland view while listening to the soothing trickle of water from a nearby fountain.  A raised bed was constructed with a low fieldstone wall to protect the roots of the ancient Oak trees.

Before pictures of space # 4:

The October snowstorm has devastated our beautiful gardens and landscapes with crushed and broken trees.  Once the trees, or what’s left of them have been removed, we can look at it as a new beginning. Think about that pretty pink flowering crabapple tree you’ve always admired, now you have a spot to plant it!

Some trees took the worst hit, such as Bradford Pears, which are weak-wooded, or Magnolias, which have huge leaves that were so weighted down with the heavy wet snow.

It’s not too late in the season to plant new deciduous trees.  Trees that drop their leaves in the fall can be planted as long as the ground is not too frozen to dig in.  These trees go dormant for the winter, but their roots are still actively growing.  The additional moisture in the soil over winter helps them to establish good roots without the worry of watering.  It’s actually the best time to plant them!  For evergreens, it’s better to wait until spring.  They are more susceptible to winter burn if their roots are not established by the time the cold drying winds of winter set in.

Whether you want to plant now, or wait till spring, call us now to help you choose the best trees for your property that will bring you cool summer shade,  lovely blooms and beautiful fall color for years to come!

  September is probably my favorite time in the garden.  The cool mornings give way to the afternoon sun’s warmth, which is pleasant rather than punishing. The lower angle of the sun softly backlights foliage and the plumes of ornamental grasses. September evenings provide just enough chill to light that fire pit, unused all summer due to the heat and humidity.

There is little that really needs to be done in the garden in September.  Weed growth has slowed, and if you’ve pinched and dead-headed through the season, you can stop now and let the last blooms remain for the birds and for winter interest.  It’s time to sit and enjoy the fruits of your labor and your garden’s last hurrah of the season.

But if you feel the need to stay active, or if you prefer your garden extra tidy, here are a few tasks that can be done at this time:

• Prune early summer-blooming shrubs as needed to control size.  Fading Hydrangea flowers look nice into fall and early winter, so only prune if necessary.
• Dead-head (remove spent flowers and stems) Hosta and Daylilies, or any perennials that do not have erect flower stems, others can be left as seed heads for birds and winter interest. Cut back any dead foliage.
• Prune Boxwoods and other evergreen shrubs as needed to control size and shape.

But all this can wait.  For now, sit, sip your coffee or your wine and savor the sweetness of the September garden.

Susan Olinger, APLD

Landscape Designer

In my garden, these are the best summer-blooming shrubs. They give the best bang for the buck in regard to great color, longest bloom time and least maintenance:

All Hydrangeas – bloom all summer!  If your winters are hard, substitute ‘Endless Summer’ or ‘Penny Mac’ for the old standard ‘Nikko Blue’.  They bloom on new growth so are not affected by harsh winter freezes.  Most only need light pruning in late spring.

For white flowers try ‘Blushing Bride’ or ‘Oakleaf’ Hydrangea (also has great fall color), and a large shrub (8-10 ft) with late summer-fall white blooms is Hydrangea ‘Tardiva’.  I find the white ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea beautiful but it’s large white flowers weigh down the stems and drop to the ground.

Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) – Bloom from mid-summer into fall and come in many colors, single or double flowers, shrub or tree form.  Prune only if needed to reduce size (or plant where they will have lots of space – 8 – 10 ft tall and wide if shrub form – taller in tree form).

‘Knock-Out’ Rose (Rosa x ‘Knock-Out’) – Blooms from June till Thanksgiving!  Once again, prune only as needed to reduce size in early spring, or plant where it can spread to  6 – 7 feet wide.  Come in Red, pink, or yellow – but I’ve found the red perform the best, single or double flower.

 ‘Flower Carpet’ Rose (Rosa x ‘Flower Carpet’) – June till hard frost bloom.  Light pruning needed to trim stray long stems only, or prune hard in early spring.  Come in shades of pink, red, white & yellow, grow 2 – 3 ft tall and wide.

Spirea (Spiraea bumalda or Spiraea japonica)  – Early summer bloom, but some varieties will continue to bloom lightly throughout the season.  No pruning unless you need to keep them smaller than 3 – 4 ft (depending on variety), then a simple hard-prune in early spring (March – early April, not too late as they bloom in June).  Blooms in various shades of pink, and some varieties offer yellow or chartreuse foliage.  My favorite is ‘Anthony Waterer’, which can reach 5 ft tall, but blooms most of the summer with dark magenta flowers.

Susan Olinger, APLD

Summer is a great time to think about Landscape Design Plans to have installed in the fall.  Fall is a great time for planting.  Plants perform better the following year when they have had a head start on root establishment.

Call now for a consultation about your Landscape Design Ideas:

Garden landscape plans

Front yard landscape plans

Back yard landscape plans

Landscape patio design

On Monday, April 4, 2011 Marc Zukovich, the president of Sterling Horticultural, gave a pruning demonstration to the Garden Club of Madison. He lectures and teaches many horticultural topics.

Marc holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Botany from Drew University and certificates from Harvard Graduate School of Design and the New York Botanical Garden.

If you would like to schedule a private demonstration of your own, contact us.

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Most summer-flowering shrubs (blooming after mid-June) should be pruned while dormant in late winter or early spring. The exception is the blue or pink ‘snowball’-type Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). These Hydrangeas bloom on last fall’s growth, which is why they sometimes do not bloom after a severe winter. The exceptions to that rule are some of the new varieties of Hydrangea that have been bred to bloom on the current season’s growth, such as ‘Endless Summer’ or ‘Penny Mac’.

Hydrangea Endless Summer

The following shrubs, in addition to thinning or removing dead branches, may be cut back within 12 – 18 inches of the ground if needed.

Abelia (Glossy Abelia)
Aesculus (Bottlebrush Buckeye)
*Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
Callicarpa (Beautyberry)
*Caryopteris (Bluebeard)
*Ceanothus (New Jersey Tea)
Clethra (Summersweet)
Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)
*Hydrangea arborescens (Annabelle Hydrangea)
*Hydrangea paniculata (Pee Gee Hydrangea)
Hypericum (St. John’s Wort)
*Lespedeza (Bush Clover)
Ligustrum (Privet)
Potentilla (Cinquefoil)
Rosa (Rose)
*Spiraea bumalda (Spirea)
Spiraea japonica (Japanese Spirea)
*Vitex (Chaste tree)

*should be cut back severely each year