If you are starting a new garden or replacing an existing one, here is some general information that may help you decide what to plant and where to plant it.

What is the difference between an annual, a perennial and a biennial?
An annual is a plant that completes its entire growth cycle in one season.  In the temperate climates, annuals are killed by freezing temperatures in fall and winter.  Depending on the species and variety, annuals may produce viable seed, which drops and germinates the following year.  This process is referred to as self-sowing.  Often gardeners mistake self-sowing annuals for perennials, because they are “back again” the following year.  Some examples of self-sowing annuals are cosmos, cleome, larkspur, Euphorbia marginata and Verbena bonariensis.  Many annuals do not produce viable seed in temperate zones, and, hence, cannot be depended on to “return” the following year. 

Perennials are plants that have “hardy” roots and can survive freezing temperatures. The leafy portion of the plant usually dies down to the ground each fall/winter, and new shoots emerge the following spring.  Examples of this type of perennial are numerous and include astilbe, bleeding heart, daylily, peony and hosta. Some perennials do not die to the ground in the winter, but retain some foliage all year long.  Examples include candytuft (Iberis) and creeping phlox. The foliage of these perennials should not be cut to the ground during routine fall garden clean-up.  Doing so will reduce the flowering of these plants in the spring.
 
Another group of perennials produces woody or semi-woody stems, which may remain over the winter.  These perennials are sometimes referred to as sub-shrubs and include lavender, Russian sage, butterfly bush and certain varieties of Artemisia.  Pruning of these perennials is usually done in the spring.
 
Tender perennials are plants that, though perennial by nature, are not hardy in our zone, and are usually treated like annuals.  If proper over-wintering conditions can be provided, they may be dug, held over winter, and re-planted in the spring.
 
A biennial is a plant that takes two full years to complete its life cycle.  During the first year, the plant produces only vegetative growth and does not flower.  The foliage that forms is often referred to as a “rosette” because of its circular, low-growing habit.  During the second year, the plant enters the reproductive phase and produces flowers.  After maturation and dispersal of the seed, the lifecycle has been completed, and the original plant usually dies. 

Gardeners are often confused by the growth cycle of the biennial, and are additionally disappointed by the short lifecycle.  However, there are a several ways to handle biennials that are much more satisfying for the gardener.  Since the goal of the biennial is to reproduce through the spread of its seed, the gardener can remove the flowers just as soon as they have faded, preventing the plant from maturing its seed.  In this way the gardener may “trick” the plant into “believing” that it has not accomplished its goal in life.  It may return for a third year to bloom and attempt to produce seed again.  At Specialty Growers, we have kept common biennial foxgloves alive for five years, simply by never allowing the plants to form seed.  The same can be accomplished with the biennial Sweet William. 

Another satisfying way for gardeners to handle biennials is to allow the plant to form seed and establish colonies through self-sowing.  In order to provide a continual display of flowering-stage plants, the gardener should purchase young non-blooming vegetative plants for two successive years.  In this way, there will always be some blooming and non-blooming plants in the garden.  The non-blooming plants will, of course, bloom the following year.

I would like to attract butterflies to my garden.  How can I create an attractive garden that also suits their needs?

Plant your butterfly garden in a sunny location.  Butterflies need both warmth and sunlight.  If possible, avoid windy locations, because butterflies prefer to feed in a calm environment.  Like all creatures, butterflies need a source of water.  In nature, you’ll notice that butterflies congregate around mud puddles. In the garden, provide a shallow dish of water or create a depression filled with sand or soil that is constantly kept wet.  Butterflies prefer nectar-rich flowers, particularly those with wide, open-shaped blooms that can serve as a landing pad or pedestal.  Flat-topped corymbs, like Yarrow and Sedum, and daisy-like flowers are good examples of flower shapes that attract butterflies.  Butterflies seem to prefer brightly colored flowers. 

Never use pesticides in a garden designed for butterflies.  Since caterpillars are the immature stage of the butterfly, it’s essential that you do not harm them, or you will have no butterflies!  Butterflies themselves require a source of nectar, but their larvae may require a totally different plant as a food source.  Remember, the larvae eat leaves, so expect some damage to foliage.  Many weeds, trees and shrubs also provide food for the larvae. The following lists will help you choose perennials that suit both life stages.

Food sources for Butterflies:

These perennials will attract butterflies, which use the nectar as a food source:
Achillea (Yarrow)
Allium (Ornamental onion, Chives)
Alyssum
Armeria (Sea Pink)
Asclepias species (Butterfly Weed)
Aster
Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
Catananche (Cupid=s Dart)
Centranthus ruber (Jupiter’s Beard)
Cephalaria (Pincuchion)
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Dianthus (Pinks)
Dictamnus (Gas Plant)
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Echinops (Globe Thistle)
Eupatorium (Joe-Pye Weed)
Gaillardia (Blanketflower)
Helenium (Sneezeweed)
Iberis (Candytuft)
Lavandula (Lavender)
Leucanthemum (Shasta Daisy)
Liatris (Gayfeather)
Lilium (Lily)
Lobelia (Cardinal Flower and hybrids)
Lupinus (Lupine)
Malva (Mallow)
Monarda (Bee Balm)
Phlox
Physostegia (Obedient Plant)
Primula (Primrose)
Salvia
Scabiosa (Pincushion)
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Tanacetum (Painted Daisy and Feverfew)
Teucrium (Germander)
Verbena
Veronica (Speedwell)

Food sources for larvae (caterpillars)
To create a perfect habitat for butterflies, provide a source of food for larvae as well.  These plants are usually different species than those used as a nectar source.
 
Alcea (Hollyhock) - Checkered Skipper, Painted Lady
Anaphalis (Pearly Everlasting) - American Painted Lady
Antennaria (Pussytoes) - American Painted Lady
Arabis (Rock Cress) – Falcate Orangetip
Artemisia – American Painted Lady
Asclepias incarnata (Milkweed) - Monarch
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) - Monarch
Aster - Northern Checkerspot, Pearl Crescent
Baptisia (False Indigo) - Gray Hairstreak
Chelone (Turtlehead) - Baltimore
Dill - Black Swallowtail
Fennel - Black Swallowtail
Leontopodium (Eidelweiss) - American Painted Lady
Lupinus (Lupine) - Orange Sulphur
Malva (Mallow) - Gray Hairstreak, Checkered Skipper
Parsley - Black Swallowtail      
Sunflower  - Silvery Checkerspot, Gorgone Checkerspot
Violet - Great Spangled Frittilary
 

We have a Black Walnut in our yard.  Are there any plants that can be grown in its vicinity?

Gardening beneath or near a black walnut tree can be challenging.  The roots of the black walnut exude a substance called juglone, which is toxic to many plant species. This property is known as allelopathy and is a protective devise used by plants to help preserve their resources.  Plants growing near an allelopathic plant absorb the toxins and fail to thrive. In some cases, they are killed outright.  In this way, the allelopathic plant has less competition for soil moisture, nutrients, and sunlight. 
 

The following plants have been shown to grow reasonably well near a black walnut.

Perennials
Achillea (Yarrow)
Anemone
Antennaria (Pussytoes)
Arisaema (Jack-in-the-Pulpit)
Asplenium (Spleenwort Fern)
Aster
Athyrium (Lady Fern)
Dennstaedtia (Hay-Scented Fern)
Dryopteris marginalis (Wood Fern)
Erigeron (Fleabane)
Eupatoirum coelestinum (Mist Flower)
Eupatorium purpureum (Joe-Pye)
Gallium (Sweet Woodruff)
Geranium
Geum (Avens)
Helenium (Sneezeweed)
Helianthus (Sunflower)
Heuchera (Coralbells, Alumroot)
Lespedeza (Bush Clover)
Lobelia syphilitica (Great Lobelia)
Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive Fern)
Podophyllum (May Apple)
Polystichum (Christmas Fern)
Pycnanthemum (Mountain Mint)
Rudbeckia (Brown-eyed Susan)
Sedum
Sisyrinchium (Blue-eyed Grass)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Verbascum (Mullien)
Vernonia (Ironweed)
Veronica (Speedwell)

Trees and Shrubs
Acer rubrum (Red Maple)
Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple)
Amelanchier (Serviceberry)
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Celastrus scandens (Bittersweet)
Cercis canadensis (Redbud)
Chionanthus virginicus (Fringetree)
Clematis virginiana (Virginsbower)
Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda Dogwood)
Cornus floridus (Flowering Dogwood)
Crataegus (Hawthorn)
Fagus grandiflora (Amer. Beech)
Gleditsia triacanthos (Honeylocust)
Halesia carolina (Silverbell)
Hamamelis virginiana (Witchhazel)
Hypericum prolificum (St. Johnswort)
Ilex opaca (American Holly)
Liquidambar (Sweetgum)
Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree)
Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum)
Picea abies (Norway Spruce)
Pinus strobus (White Pine)
Platanus occidentalis (Sycamore)
Quercus coccineus (Scarlet Oak)
Quercus rubra (Red Oak)
Thuja occidentalis (Arborvitae)
Tillia americana (Basswood)
Tsuga canadensis (Canada Hemlock)
Viburnum prunifolium (Blackhaw)

I would like to put in some perennial beds, but my soil isn’t very good.  What is your suggestion for amending the soil?

One of the best amendments for soil is available for free, right in your own backyard.  Here at Specialty Growers, all of our beds are amended each fall with what I call “leaf-mulch.”  Fallen autumn leaves are put through a shredder, and the resulting mulch is applied to the beds. (You can also run over the leaves with a lawn mower to achieve the same effect.)  We put the shredded leaves around the perennials, not over them. As the leaves decompose, they add nutrients and improve soil structure.  Leaf mulch is effective in improving both sandy and clay soils.  In sandy soils, it adds organic matter, which increases the soil’s moisture-holding capacity.  In clay soils, the decomposing leaves break up tight clay particles and improve aeration.  In both cases, decomposing leaves add valuable nutrients.  This enriched soil also provides an ideal environment for beneficial microbes, further enhancing the health of the soil.  Do not be overly concerned about the type of leaves available. Almost all leaves (including oak leaves) are beneficial when shredded before use.


Each year my Hostas become riddled with holes by late summer.  What can I do to prevent this?

In most cases, the damage you have described is caused by slugs.  Hostas are a particular favorite of slugs, although other perennials also are affected, particularly in wet seasons.  In order to reduce slug populations, clean up all plant debris in the fall each year to reduce the habitat for over-wintering slugs.  Slugs become active in early spring, mating and laying their masses of round, clear eggs while the temperatures are still quite cool.  Continue clean-up measures in the spring and cultivate the soil to destroy egg masses.  Then begin applications of slug bait during May and continue throughout the summer.  Read the label on the package of slug bait you intend to purchase – some (but not all) baits are toxic to pets.  The practice of setting out shallow containers of beer to attract the slugs has been proven to be effective, although emptying and re-filling the containers can become a nuisance.  Gritty materials (such as crushed egg shells, finely ground limestone or chick-grit) placed around the plants will deter the soft-bodied slugs.  You also can trap slugs by placing wet boards near the plants.  The slugs will crawl under the boards, where you can collect and destroy them.


I would like to grow my own herbs.  Are herb plants easy to grow?