Brad MacDonald, Author at Surfing Hydrangea Nursery, Inc.

Vines as Groundcovers

September 27, 2010November 9, 2010, Posted by Brad MacDonald

Clematis paniculata

When most gardeners think of vines, they picture them growing on tuteurs and trellises. But there is no need to pull out your hammer and nails every time you bring home a vine to plant!

There are plenty of vines that happily scramble along the ground, filling gaps and smothering weeds. Many of these will produce far more flowers grown horizontally. Clematis are a perfect example of this. Plant them at the front of the border and train them along areas often reserved for bedding plants, and they will reward you with a long show of flowers. Or let them flow around your shrubs, in waves of color. A Sweet Autumn Clematis in full flower is much like a wave cresting in the garden!

Vines can be a great solution to filling in shady areas, too. English ivy makes a fantastic green groundcover for deep shade. Why not use a Climbing Hydrangea along the ground? We’ve planted it below our welcome sign at the entry to the nursery. H. anomala petiolaris var. tilifolia has much smaller leaves than the species and will tightly hug the ground. Other options to consider are Schizophragma hydrangeoides, Akebia quinata or the ever popular Vinca minor.

We have a wide selection of vines in stock, why not consider one the next time you need to cover the ground in a hurry?

Dividing Daylilies

September 8, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

The humid days of August can take their toll on the most avid of gardeners. A lot of maintenance tasks become overly routine -deadhead, weed, water, mow — REPEAT. But as September rolls around, there seems to be a surge in enthusiasm for many of us. We want to get out there and do something. Something big! If you’re feeling frisky, dividing might be just the chore for you!

Daylilies are a pleasure to divide. First, cut back the foliage to a few inches. Then press a perennial fork into the ground a half a foot or so from the edge of the clump. Work your way around, pulling back on the fork to tease the plant out of the ground. If the clump is very large, feel free to dig it up in sections. Once you have it out of the ground, you can simply pull apart the clump into divisions with 2 or three growing points.

Divisions are easily planted. Just poke them into loose soil!

Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Early Amethyst’

August 26, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

Using plants that have colorful fruit is a great way to interject long-lasting color into your landscape. Especially in fall, when we feel comfortable with the focus of the garden shifting away from flowers. The unusually purple fruit of Callicarpa will bring a welcome burst of energy to any landscape in late summer and well into the fall.

These graceful shrubs can reach 5 feet tall in ideal conditions. Full sun is best, but they lend themselves very well to planting at the edge of a wooded area where they will do well in part sun. They prefer an evenly moist root zone, but don’t require overly fertile soil to perform. And they are easy care, too. Maintenance is limited to removing dead branches in spring. If they do become overgrown, or overly twiggy, they will respond well to a major rejuvenation, by cutting back to within a foot of the ground. With no pest problems or disease issues to speak of, Beautyberry is a great plant for Nantucket!

Anemones

August 18, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

Anemones are among the most beautiful flowering plants for fall. They flourish in moist, humusy soil in part sun. If you must add them to your sunny border, be sure to keep them well watered.

‘September Charm’ and ‘Pink Saucer’ are some of the more common pink Japanese anemones. Or if you need a dainty white, ‘Honorine Jobert’ will fit the bill.

Grape leafed anemone –Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’ is one of my favorites. The foliage emerges in mid spring, and forms a wide clump of fuzzy leaves. In late summer, it sends up 3 foot tall, wiry stems topped with round buds that open into the classic pink anemone flower.

Roses for Cutting

August 10, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

Technically, Modern roses are those roses bred after 1867. There are 14 categories for Modern roses, but Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, and Floribundas are the best for cutting. They produce long stems with showy flowers that hold up well in a vase. David Austin’s English roses are a great choice as well.

Unfortunately, it is true that Modern roses suitable for cutting require more work. Your reward for all that spraying, fertilizing and pruning is spectacular form, color and fragrance, that cannot be matched by Landscape Roses (or possibly, your florist!)

Take your time to meander through our rose section to see a wide variety of roses that will make your home and garden all the more beautiful.

Landscape Roses

August 10, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

Rosa 'Pink Knockout' — Rosa ‘The Pink Knock Out’

Although roses have a reputation of being difficult to grow, there are many roses that will perform even under less than ideal conditions with minimal care.

“Landscape Rose” is a general term for shrubs that bloom over a long period, are disease resistant, have attractive foliage, will perform in a range of soil types, and don’t require loads of specialized pruning to look great for the entire growing season. Roses like this can be used as focal points in a mixed border, or as mass plantings. They are also a good choice as the central player in large containers. Some of the most common are:

‘The Fairy’ – a light pink double-flowered shrub, introduced in 1932
‘Bonica’ – a medium-pink, double-flowered shrub, introduced in 1985
‘Knock Out’ Series – The original is cherry red, and now this popular series offers ‘Double Knock Out’, ‘Sunny Knock Out’, ‘White Out’, ‘Pink Knock Out’, ‘Pink Double Knock Out’, ‘Blushing Knock Out’ and ‘Rainbow Knock Out’
‘Home Run’ – a medium red single-flowered shrub introduced in 2006

We regularly carry these roses and our inventory is constantly changing. Please inquire as to what we have in stock. If you need a particular variety, stop by and make a request, we are always happy to order any rose that is available for our customers.

Late Summer Color

July 30, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

When August is looming and the vibrant blooms of early summer are past, Nantucket’s gardens begin to feel the heat! The best way to guarantee splendid shows of colorful flowers late in summer, is to mix it up with annuals and perennials that bloom for a long period, or that start blooming later in the season.

Gardeners are always on the look out for perennials that flower freely. Some of the best are Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Gaura lindheimeri, Calamintha nepetoides, and Persicaria amlexicaulis. They bloom for months from the height of summer right into the fall.

Find places in the border for late summer bloomers like Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Echinacea, Hibiscus mosc., Sedum spec. ‘Autumn Joy’, and Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’. All of these plants are hardy and will have fresh blooms in late summer.

Fill in gaps between perennials with annuals. Or design spaces for these show stoppers into your gardens. Some of our favorite annuals for mixed plantings are Verbena bonariensis and Dahlias. T

he tall, narrow stems and purple flowers of Verbena bonariensis are a great filler for areas where hollyhocks have fizzled or foxgloves have finished flowering. And the vast aray of tall and decorative dahlias can be used to add color to nearly any area of the sunny garden.

Vitex agnus-castus

July 30, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

When we start getting questions about Lilacs in August, it’s sure that Vitex are blooming on the island. There are few flowering shrubs more beautiful than Vitex agnus-castus. Although this is one of the last shrubs to leaf out in the spring, it more than makes up for it in August. That’s when the entire canopy is covered in purple flowers, that are not dissimilar to French Lilacs.

Vitex loves to bake in the full sun, with its roots in well drained soil. Although it must not be allowed to dry out immediately after planting, Vitex is considered drought tolerant. Its fragrant foliage is seldom bothered by deer or insects. It’s just a great shrub for the late summer garden!

Maintenance is limited to annual pruning in spring. Remove any dead or damaged branches. Tip flowered branches back to 2 sets of buds, to encourage strong growth during the upcoming season. Remove any wispy twigs smaller than a pencil, cutting right back to their point of origin. Finally take a step back, and make any last cuts to form a rounded shape.

We carry Vitex in a variety of sizes. We likely have a plant in stock that will fit your needs.

Hibiscus syriacus

July 21, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

Hibiscus syriacus, or Rose of Sharon is one of the stars of the late summer shrub border. It’s hard to miss a large planting covered in tropical-looking flowers in August.

Rose of Sharon prefers rich, moist, well drained soil. But they will perform well in average garden soil as long as they get enough water in times of drought and at least 6 hours of strong sun during the day.

There is a variety of cultivars available with single, semi-double and fully double flowers. And their color ranges from pure white to deep fuchia with a range of bi-colors in between.

They are most often grown as a bushy shrub, but if allowed to grow naturally they can be used as small multi-stemmed trees. Standard Rose of Sharon trees are available, too. Grown this way, they make a perfect focal point in the landscape.

Because they lend so well to pruning and shaping, they can be used in a variety of landscape applications. They make a beautiful hedge for summer. They work very well in a mixed shrub border. Or mix them into a hedgerow at the property edge for screening. Or just plant one by itself to make a bold statement late in Summer.

Consider the cultivars below for you next planting.

Sedum spec. ‘Autumn Joy’

July 21, 2010March 15, 2016, Posted by Brad MacDonald

Gardeners are always looking for the perfect three season plant. Showy Stonecrop – Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’ fits the bill! It emerges from the ground in spring, looking a lot like small Brussels sprouts. As the stems lengthen, the leaves become broader and have a distinctive, succulent look. In mid summer, the flower buds begin to form, and cover the plant with open sprays of chartreuse. By September, the flowers tighten up into umbels and open to reveal tiny pink petals. As fall sets in, the color deepens to cranberry and then garnet. Even the seed heads are ornamental and look great covered with frost in front of the buff color of ornamental grasses.

Sedums don’t require much care during the growing season. If you find they get too tall and splay open in your garden, pinch then once or twice in early summer before flowers begin to form. This will force the plant to branch out and remain dense and compact.

Plant them with other late summer perennials like Perovskia, Rudbeckia, Echinacea, and Phlox. Frame the planting with Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ and you can’t lose!