The Plant Hardiness Zone Map designated by the USDA, United States Department of Agriculture, is based on the range of average annual minimum temeratures. We used information provided by the National Weather Service in 1990 to determine the amount of BTUs required to maintain our greenhouse nighttime temperatures; the records go back 30 years. Our "annual minimum temperature" is -30°F placing us between Zone 3@ -40°F to -30°F and Zone 4@ -30°F to -20°F Adherence to the Zone Map is important to us when evaluating perennials and even more so when choosing our product line for shrubs. To make choosing plants even more helpful/confusing, depending upon your outlook, there is also a Zone Map based on average maximum temperatures. I don't know much about it so, for now, we are evaluating plants by light requirements with water wise notations if they apply.
Cultivar, variety, and species are words that are often used interchangeably within plant dialog in reference to the botanical name of a plant. We usally opt for cultivar since most plants that reach the mainstream trade via growers are from, but not the same as, plants found in the wild. Example: Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' is the genus, species, and cultivar of the Purple Coneflower we offer. Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan', same genus and species, different cultivar. There are also names that are patented, series of plants that include trademark names, and brand names of plants that are registered. A common example would be Wave® Petunias. For the most part, avid gardeners prefer to use botanical names and so do we; it avoids confusion. But, if a customer comes in looking for "daisies", I'll pass on calling them by Leucanthemum, and show them the Shastas along with the Rudbeckias, Tanacetum, Heliopsis, Gaillardias, and other "daisies" we have this season.
Hedges
Used in landscape designs for decades, hedges are a structural element intended to divide areas/rooms in the same way that walls serve the interior design. More recently, hedges are referred to as privacy screens, garden backdrops, and verticle elements. I advocate using a mix rather than single variety plantings in an effort to bring diversity into the overall landscape. Our most popular height ranges from 6'-10'.
Mixed Garden, also referred to as plant community, is the relationship between the trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals growing in an area together. Each planting impacts the development and care of surrounding plants. The opposite of mixed garden would be monoculture where a single planting dominates the growing area. This lack of diversity creates a range of problems not found when diversity exists. Biodiversity provides food and healthy conditions for a broader range of beneficial insects to thrive thereby reducing the need for chemical control/pesticides.
New for us is used to show that we have not offered this cultivar before. It may be a plant that has been available in the trade for decades, but we are trying it for the first time. Often these "new for us plants" are simply variations of plants we've had for several seasons; Hostas and Iris are classic examples. There are so many plants to choose from every season that we have decided to keep our 20:80 ratio of new:tried. It's important to differentiate these plants so customers understand that, like them, I am putting faith in a plant to perform the way the catalog describes. Every new season is an opportunity for us to try new plants, always hoping that it will be fantastic and find its way to our "tried and true" list of selections. I remind myself that many customers are planting perennials for the first time, so it's all new and I tend to guide them towards plants that I have had success with in our own gardens.
Full Sun at this elevation, 5,800'+-, refers to either a south or west directional facing that is not obscured by nearby structures or trees. Reflected light from proximate walkways or buildings can intensify the light compounding the need to select plants within this catgory. Full sun plants require a minimum of 4 hours of strong light.
Water Wise
Water wise refers to the plants, not the people who water them. It's my favorite listing because there is such a wide variety of plants available to choose from, but it is also a widely misunderstood concept in the home landscape. I believe that most mortalities in the landscape can be directed to the amount of water a plant needs vs the amount of water a plant gets. Through the month of July in 2008, I used 24,000 gallons of water to irrigate 5,000 sq.ft. of lawn area, 16 gardens that include a wide range of trees, shrubs, and perennials, annuals in container gardens, the plants in the nursery, and for our home use. I provide that number only as a guideline/marker to help new and exsisting homeowners determine estimates of the water required for a fully developed landscape in the Spring Creek area.
Xeric, derived from the term xeriscape, refers to growing conditions suited for water wise plants. It includes the seven xeriscape principles that make a low maintenance, water wise landscape attainable:
Thoughtful planning for beauty and water conservation
Improving/Amending the soil if needed
Limiting turf areas
Efficient irrigation; no more "set it, forget it"
Mulching with organic products
Select appropriate plants and group according to water needs
Maintenance; proper weeding, pruning, and fertilizing
Proper planning prevents poor performance. Choosing the plants is the fun part of gardening and since my job is to keep those plants looking great until you're ready for them, your job is get the area ready in advance. The time, energy, and money gardeners spend preparing the area/garden pays off exponentially and greatly increases success.
Amendments refer to organic matter that; feeds the soil, improves tilth, and increases the soil's ability to hold water and needed nutrients: Examples include peat moss and compost. One frequently asked question is whether to amend the planting hole or the whole bed. My quick answer is, the whole bed. By improving/amending the soil of the entire bed, the plantings are better able to develop a vigorous root system. This applies to beds, borders, hedges, and vegetable gardens. When you are ready to amend the soil or to plant the area, it is important that you work when the soil is neither too wet nor too dry. Clay soils compact easily, and working the ground when the soil is too wet will cause serious, long-term damage.
Acclimating plants is also known as hardening them off. The controlled environment of a greenhouse or even coldframe that exists under plastic is far removed from the environmental challenges the plants will face in this area. Setting plants out in or near the area they will be planted exposes them to environmental conditions they will face after they are planted. We recommend taking the time and effort to do this with all plants coming out of either the greenhouse or coldframe.
Every person who has worked in the sales area of a nursery has had the experience of a customer picking up a plant and asking if it will grow. Sardonic personalities must put themselves in check and determine the real question which may be: "What height does this plant reach at maturity?" Or, "Does this plant have an upright or mounding habit?" Or, "Will this plant spread slowly or aggressively through the growing season?" Or, "What light and water requirements does this plant need?" The United States Department of Agriculture, through whom we are licensed and inspected, requires that plants be clearly labeled with accurate information. The labels we use are often furnished with the plants and the information ranges in size from microscopic to picture tags four times the size of the container the plant's growing in. Our challenge is to respect the customer's question and provide needed information, through signage, this website, or by simply re-asking the question.
Groundcovers are those indispensable plants that do so much to improve the gardens at...ground level. Usually quick to spread, our challenge lies in providing the right plant with the area intended for planting; Full sun plants for full sun areas are a quick example. I am an avid gardener and have learned that preparing the area for planting is important and it's often the difference between plants that thrive and plants that don't. Most groundcovers are semi-evergreen and work year-round to: Prevent annual weed seeds from germinating, hold soil in place, protect nearby plants from extreem heat through summer and cold temps through winter, reduce the amount of evporation from summer and winter winds, and look great. We offer about a dozen varieties of groundcovers this year, and are always looking for new ones to try.