In a recent news letter, I published this series of photos detailing how I put together a holiday window box for our sales office here at the nursery. This design is a good jumping off point, but it’s just one take on Holiday window boxes, so, experiment! Have fun with it!
In this video, Brad discusses a major trend in Landscaping today: Integrating edibles into the landscape. Check it out!
In this video, Brad explains how to prune Wisteria vines during the summer. Check it out!
Brad explains how to do winter prune Wisteria Vines while dormant. Check it out!
Brad explains how to prune Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ Trees in this YouTube post. Check it out!
There are few trees that have such a long recorded history as the Oak. And it’s no wonder, considering that oaks are one of the longest living trees in the Northern Hemisphere. Astonishingly, the “Major Oak” growing in Sherwood forest in Nottinghamshire, England is touted to be between 800 and 1000 years old! There is a long standing tradition that Robin Hood actually used the tree as a hiding place while on the run from the Sheriff of Nottingham! Isn’t that cool? Yes it is!
Most oaks prefer slightly acidic, evenly moist, average soil. They are not generally fast growing, but eventually can become very large. The species following are all considered large trees when mature, and are often planted in parks and larger landscapes off island. Luckily, as with many trees, there are cultivars that will fit into smaller gardens. Upright cultivars like ‘Fastigiata’ and Regal Prince (r) are equally hardy and perform well on Nantucket
Sawtooth Oak, Quercus acutissima is a broadly pyramidal tree that might reach 40 to 60 feet tall on the mainland, likely somewhat shorter on Nantucket. It’s leaves don’t have a classic oak shape. They look much more like hornbeam or beech tree leaves to me. They open yellow in spring, mature to a glabrous green in summer and, in good years, will turn a clear yellow in November, before aging to tan. They are very easy to grow and resist pests and diseases. Like all oaks, they are slow to mature, and juvenile trees will tend to hold their leaves all winter. Sawtooth Oak can produce very heavy crops of acorns, and they are generally the earliest to ripen of the genus.
Swamp White Oak, Quercus bicolor, is a broad tree tree that will reach 50 to 60 feet tall on the mainland. The overall shape is a wide, round-topped crown, with a short trunk. The leaves of this species are much more recognizable; deep green, lustrous and lobed, with a grayish fuzz on the underside. Naturally occurring in moist areas with acidic soil, they are an ideal tree for a low area on your property in need of a majestic shade tree.
English Oak, Quercus robur, is also a broad tree with a height and spread of 40 to 60 feet on the mainland. The canopy is broad and rounded. The dark blue/green leaves of English Oak have a typical Oak-shape, with rounded lobes.
Russian sage is a fantastic plant for us on Nantucket, having all the qualities we look for in a great perennial:
Although many of us have been taught to leave Russian sage standing and prune it in spring, I’ve also had perfect results pruning it in fall, when I cut down my spent perennials. Just be sure to wait until it is dormant, preferably after a frost.
Objectives for pruning Russian Sage are: Removing dead twigs, removing broken or damaged branches, stimulating strong growth from a balanced framework of stems that will flower the following summer.
Follow these steps to prune Russian Sage while dormant:
Now that we know the right way to prune Russian Sage, I’ll let you in on a little secret. This plant is extremely forgiving; most landscapers on the island use the “Hair Cut” method of pruning. Just gather up the twigs in one hand and prune them all off evenly with the other. Or, if you prefer, take to them with your hedge trimmers! New growth next summer will quickly cover any dead twigs remaining.
As deciduous trees and shrubs begin to drop their leaves, evergreens become more and more visible around the island. There are many species of evergreen trees that grow well on Nantucket. Pine trees are one of the most widespread.
Eastern White Pine, Pinus strobus, Scot’s Pine, Pinus sylvestris, Pitch Pine, Pinus rigida, and Jack Pine, Pinus banksiana can all be found growing in different areas of Nantucket. The majority of pine trees seen in our forested areas are Pitch Pine. This is a medium-sized tree that is native to eastern North America. Pitch Pines have shortish needles, in bundles of three, that are often slightly twisted. Although Pinus rigida is a sturdy tree with good salt tolerance, there are many better pines for landscape use. For this reason, it is not readily available in the trade.
We sell a variety of Pines at the nursery, however the following species are the most commonly planted today:
•Austrian Pine, Pinus nigra, is much more available and often used for screening and windbreaks. They are densely pyramidal in youth, and broad, flat-topped when mature. They can reach 30-50 feet tall, inland, but will tend to remain on the shorter side close to the shore. They are often the tallest trees in a given area, due to their salt and wind tolerance. They do well in average soil as long as it is well drained and prefer not to be on automatic irrigation, once established.
•Japanese Black Pine, Pinus thunbergii, is another common pine tree that we sell at the nursery. Like Austrian pine, they are tolerant of salt spray and wind and can survive coastal conditions. These trees have been widely planted on the island for years, and have become naturalized in some areas. Because this tree is not native to North America and produces viable seed, some consider it to be problematic, and it is being removed in several areas. Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’ is a highly ornamental cultivar that is worth a try. This tree is irregularly pyramidal, with long white buds that contrast well with its dark grey-green needles. More compact than the species, ‘Thunderhead’ reaches 10 to 15 feet tall in ten years with a dense habit.
•Bosnian Pine, Pinus heldreichii aka leucodermis, is of increasing popularity. It may be a good alternative for gardeners that prefer not to plant Japanese Black Pine. Trees in the nursery are arguably more ornamental than Japanese Black Pine, and denser in habit. They are touted to have comparable salt and wind tolerance of Pinus nigra and thunbergii and are suitable for planting in dry soils. Several landscapers on the island have found Bosnian pine to be less likely to suffer infestation by black turpentine beetles than others.
Have you ever noticed the difference between an apple you buy at Stop and Shop in June and a fresh-picked Massachusetts-grown apple in September? It’s remarkable how much better the flavor and texture is this time of year! If you are tempted to plant your own, why not take the opportunity to sample the range of fruit that might be available to plant.
When choosing apples to grow at home there are a number of important considerations:
We stock many apples at the nursery, and are happy to source individual varieties you might be interested in. Whether a mature tree is needed for your project or a young containerized plant is ideal, we can provide a plant that will fit the need.
September on Nantucket is punctuated by a few really special plants. One of these is Clematis paniculata. Although this species of clematis does have a reputation for being somewhat aggressive, many gardeners consider it well worth the time spent pruning and tying.
Sweet Autumn Clematis bursts into growth in spring and will easily grow to cover a story-tall trellis in a season. It is beautiful trained along a fence, or up a pergola or down spout. Or let it sprawl along the ground in open areas as a ground cover. Plant it in full sun to part sun in average soil and this clematis will reward you with dark green growth all season and thousands of delicate white flowers in September. Even the soft, silvery seed heads are attractive, after the flowers fade.
Here are a few pointers to get the most out of Sweet Autumn Clematis in the Garden:
