As more homeowners re-landscape gardens, there is an increasing desire for something out of the ordinary. This is a direct departure from the traditional foundation shrubs that came to be the standard look in most front yards of the 1970's and 1980's.

It's important to realize that an entryway garden is normally the first impression that your visitors will have of your home. Rather than blind them with multiple colors of blooms or boring them with a sea of plain green foliage, consider something more elegant, understated and inviting.

This can be accomplished by using shrubs and perennials with white flowers or that bloom in the neutral or pastel color range, such as pale blue or yellow, light pink or lavender shades. Sticking with these color options makes designing an entryway garden simple since one doesn't need to worry about clashing colors.

We have an excellent selection of plants that will make any front yard the talk of the neighborhood. Most of these plants will make a greater impact when planting in groups of three or more. As with all planting, make sure to add a soil amendment, such as Master Nursery Bumper Crop, to the hole and add some plant food like Dr. Earth All Purpose  to help get your plants off to a healthy start.

Come down and visit us today. Our staff of nursery experts is available to help you make a great first impression with all your friends and neighbors.

Click here to see our gallery of some ideas that will leave you with a lasting impression!

The flowering quince has become famous for the beautiful flowers it produces at a time of the year when little else of interest is happening in the garden. Depending on the zone in which it is grown, flowering can occur as early as late February in warmer areas and as late as May in colder areas. Branches cut in the winter can be forced into bloom indoors.

Native to eastern Asia and prized in gardens of Japan, flowering quinces can be used as individual specimens or in mass plantings and borders with stunning results. They can also make an effective hedge or security barrier, thanks to the dense, thorny tangle of stems they produce. Quinces are also popular as bonsai specimens.

The early blooms precede the foliage on these deciduous shrubs each spring, so they can be seen in their entirety. The standard quince produces blossoms in red, white, pink, and orange. We also have some unusual varieties like 'Cameo' (which is cameo-colored) and one that blends red, pink and white blooms on the same shrub. Come and take a look!

The quince blooms are not only beautiful to look at but also attract butterflies. In addition, most quinces produce small fruit that attracts birds. While these are not the true edible quinces, their hard aromatic fruit can be used to make delicious marmalades and jellies.

Flowering quinces prefer to be planted in full sun locations and should be planted in areas where their beauty can be seen and enjoyed from all areas of the garden. For a neat and tidy appearance, prune annually after the flowers have finished blooming. The cut branches are also good for indoor arrangements.

Take home one of these spring-flowering beauties today!

Spring is the time to fertilize your permanent plantings. Most ornamental trees, bushes, lawns and ground covers will respond well to fertilizer right now. In good years, abundant spring rains green up the hillsides and bring out wildflowers, gardeners don't have to water as much, and salts are leached out of our soils. On the other hand, heavy rains also wash soluble nutrients, especially nitrogen, down to lower levels--sometimes out of reach of roots. So fertilize the basic landscape with a complete granulated fertilizer high in nitrogen. If you have a straggly ground cover that's never quite covered the ground, a sprinkling of granulated fertilizer in early March will do wonders. Water it in thoroughly or apply it when the weatherman says that it's going to rain.

This doesn't mean you should simply fertilize everything in sight. Many plants fall into the broad category of specialty plants because they require special handling. Some specialty plants, including cacti, succulents, and native plants, have little or no need for fertilizer. Others, like azaleas, ferns, roses, fruit trees, and vegetables have unique requirements. Ask one of our knowledgeable garden center experts about the best amendments for your own garden's individual needs.

There are other exceptions, too. Old over-grown gardens in rich soil sometimes become virtual jungles, feeding on their own refuse. To fertilize a garden when there's no sign of nitrogen deficiency--like stunted growth, yellow leaves, or disease--may simply contribute to more growth. Growth requires constant pruning, and once invasive plants have become established, you will wish you had never planted them at all. Feeding them would make their growth even more unrestrained.

Plant new permanent specimens. March is one of only two optimal planting times each year, when gardeners plant almost anything grown in the permanent landscape, such as trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers. The other is October. Planting in fall is traditionally considered to be just a bit better than planting in spring, but after a year or two you'll never know the difference. Now through mid-June is the time to look your garden over: objectively look at its strengths and weaknesses; replace troublemakers you don't like; and add permanent specimens where needed. Choose drought-tolerant plants over heavy water users if you can, and be sure to group plants according to their needs for water, sun shade, and soil type. Before purchasing any plant, research its requirements and growth habits.

If you have had weed problems in your garden, March is also a good time to put down pre-emergents for weed control. We recommend Monteray Weed Impred or Lily Miller Casoron.

We would be happy to help you select the best plants, amendments, and fertilizers for your specific landscape. You'll be on your way to building a better garden this year!

Fire blight, peach leaf curl, and shot hole fungus can all be problems to your trees--sometimes major problems. If your trees had leaves like those shown above last summer, now is the also time of year to protect your trees from these diseases this summer. Ask us about the best treatment for each disease, and get going on it now.

Gardeners, note that aphids and frost damage can both cause damage that looks similar to peach leaf curl, and hard-blowing sand can put holes in leaves. So, while it's a good idea to practice prevention anyway, please bring in samples if you see symptoms, so we can be sure what is causing the problem.

Also, if you haven't yet done so, make sure to clean up any of the fallen leaves around any trees that have shown signs of disease and dispose of them in a tightly sealed bag--not in the compost pile.

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34th Annual Scavenger Hunt
March 23rd at 11:00 AM