Posts made in October, 2007

Gift certificates allow you to give the perfect gift–because they choose it themselves, your friends and family get exactly what they want. Gift certificates are a very personal gift because they show that you are aware of the person’s interests. It is the perfect gift for those people who seem to have everything. If you have a friend who is a gardener, loves plants, or just seems to spend a lot of time on their yard, a Wayside Gardens Gift Card may be the perfect gift.

Wayside has a huge selection of rare, high-quality trees, shrubs, roses, perennials, and flower bulbs that any gardener would love to browse. A gift certificate would give your beloved gardener the opportunity to browse our plants, and choose the perfect new addition to their garden.

Fruit trees are always popular, but often it takes several years before a tree produces a substantial amount of fruit. But there are a few fast-growing fruit tree varieties that allow you to be growing your own fruit within a couple seasons.

Dwarf citrus trees are small, and mature very fast, but you can only grow these in containers unless you live in a very warm place. Trees from the genus Prunus, like cherries, apricots, plums, and peaches, all grow fairly quickly, and they are so diverse that any gardener will be able to find exactly what they need.

Most pines, cypresses, and thujas grow incredibly fast, and make a great quick fix for most of your garden needs.

A tall pine like a Loblolly or rock pine can reach impressive shade tree heights in a third of the time that it might take many deciduous trees to reach the same height. And, the long dark green, wispy needles give an ephemeral look, making your garden feel like the setting of a great fairytale.

Thujas, also known as "Arborvitae," are the fastest growing evergreens around. There dense green foliage is perfect for blocking outside sites, sounds, and wind–turning your garden into a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle.

Just in time for Halloween–it’s Amaryllis Zombie.

Don’t let the gruesome monicker fool you! These ivory colored blooms with salmon and pink stripes Are far from ghastly. Their looks will surely catch your attention if the name doesn’t do the trick. Rarely growing above a foot high, these minitiatures have a one-of-a-kind look to go with their super unique name.

This year’s selection of amaryllises is really stunning. With favorites like ‘Apricot Beauty’ and ‘Merry Christmas’ in the line-up you really can’t lose.

To protect your roses this winter:

1. Begin at the end of fall by mounding soil or a good mulch around stems about 1 foot deep.  Remove the mound gradually with your garden hose as new growth starts in the spring. 
2. Feed your roses with a handful of a complete fertilizer per bush. 
3. Water thoroughly, and  Mulch with hay, straw, or bark to conserve moisture and hold down weeds which will give your roses a better chance to bounce back as the weather warms. 
4. Fertilize monthly during the active growing season until mid-summer to make your plant stronger and ready for the next hard winter.

Roses are naturally hardy vigorous plants, with some wild climbing varieties reaching 60 feet or higher and thriving in the harshest conditions. And, since the introduction of the Knock Out Rose in 2000, breeders have focused on bringing out the innate strength of roses, making some of the hardiest disease resistant roses ever seem. But, there are some conditions that even the strongest plants struggle to surmount. If you are a rose gardener in a colder area, you know how hard it can be for roses to thrive in the spring following a hard winter.