Category: garden gifts

Sweet Winter Daphne – A Fragrant Winter Bloomer

Daphne odora or Sweet Winter Daphne is a prize in the winter landscape.  It’s the sweetest smelling plant you will find in the garden this month. Fragrant and also lovely looking; forming a shrub to about 3′ high, it requires bright shade and excellent drainage. Daphne is a great container plant – use our Master Nursery Professional Potting Soil.

Daphne comes in a few different forms, but the Daphne odora, “Aureo-marginata” is a favorite. Its leaves are delicately edged in cream. The leaves do a nice job of framing the dark pink buds. 

Daphne needs perfect drainage, but it should not go dry. This may seem an impossible combination. Let’s just say it needs both air and water. Experienced gardeners say it’s not as finicky as gardenias. One plant was observed suffering when it transitioned from hand watering “as needed” to automatic sprinklers that water all the time whether needed or not.  It’s better to water by hand.

Daphne is rewarding and worth a try. Come smell for yourself.  It’s on display now.

10 Last Minute Gift Ideas

Alden Lane Nursery is the perfect place to visit for your last minute gift needs. We have gifts for gardeners experienced and novice! Take a look at some interesting options.

1. Amaryllis Kit

Ready to go for the gardener and non- gardener alike. Grows easily indoors.

2. Seaglass & Stone Garden Art

Sometimes you need to add a little art to the yard in addition to your wonderful plant “collection”.

3. DeWit Garden Tools

These tools are handmade in Holland and last a lifetime. Some even have a handy bottle opener like the one pictured at right!

4. Garden Decor

We have fun garden sculptures if you are looking to give some “character”.

5. Fountains

We have fountains for indoors and outdoors. The sound of water is always a soothing addition.

6. Felco Pruners

Felco tools feature ergonomic handles & stainless steel cutting blades. Swiss precision makes snipping & pruning a breeze!

7. Foldable Kneeler Seat

Easily flips from kneeler to padded bench. Long handles give an assist to getting off the ground.

8. Meyer Lemon

There is nothing like the ability to pluck fresh citrus from your own garden. Meyer lemons are a favorite!

9. Gourmet Goodies

Enjoy now, plant later! We have a wonderful selection of gourmet jams & sauces. Maybe you will enjoy one so much, you decide to add a plant or tree to your garden, so you have your favorite fruits direct from your yard!

10. Alden Lane Gift Card

Not sure what to get? Give an Alden Lane Gift Card for a gift that is sure to please.

Growing Paperwhites Indoors

One of the simplest and most rewarding winter gardening projects to take on is forcing (coaxing) paperwhite narcissus to bloom indoors.  In just 4 to 6 weeks after planting, you will see slender stocks produce intensely fragrant and delicate blooms.  We are planting up paperwhites now for the holidays ahead and you can too. By planting additional pots of paperwhites every ten days to two weeks, you can have continuous displays of blooms all winter long.

Forcing Paperwhites in Pots

In a 6-8″ glass dish, or terracotta cactus dish, (preferably without a drainage hole) place 5 to 7 paperwhite bulbs pointed side up over a layer of sand, pebbles, or florist’s marbles.  (Place enough sand, pebbles, etc. under the bulbs so that the shoulders of the bulbs are just below the rim of the dish.)

Partially cover the bulbs with an additional layer of sand, pebbles, etc. and add water. Maintain the water level just below the bottom of the bulbs, so they are not soggy wet, just moist.

You can also plant them in a pot with drainage. Nestle the bulbs into Master’s Professional Potting Soil, add water and enjoy – add decorative rocks as a top layer.

Keep the bulbs in a cool place (55 to 60 degrees) for a couple of weeks, watering as needed to keep them from drying out. When the sprouts are about 4″ tall, bring them into the light and warmth of your home where they will continue to grow and bloom.  Pinch off spent blooms so you can continue to enjoy the unfurling beauty.

November Garden Checklist

checkbox[1] Indoor Bulbs – Start paperwhites, hyacinth, or amaryllis now for showy blooms in the weeks ahead. They bloom indoors and make an ideal housewarming gift. We have instructions along with an assortment of bulbs suitable for forcing at https://www.aldenlane.com/paperwhites.

checkbox[1] Outdoor Bulbs – Thanksgiving marks the ideal weekend in our climate for planting fall bulbs. Select bulbs, including tulips, hyacinth, Muscari, and narcissus, etc. Refrigerate Tulips & hyacinth until Thanksgiving when the weather outside has cooled. Plant your bulbs out in the landscape to the required depth and fertilize with Master Nursery Bulb Food. Your investment will reward you with timely displays of spring color.

checkbox[1] Plant onions and garlic from bulbs now.  Bare root onions arrive this month.

checkbox[1] Prevent Peach Leaf Curl! Protect fruit trees and deciduous shade trees from overwintering diseases and pests. Use Monterey Liqui-Cop, or Bonide Liquid Copper Spray now, even before leaf drop. For more details, to go Dormant Spray to Protect Your Fruit Trees Starts in Fall – Alden Lane Nursery

checkbox[1] Protect frost-tender plants before frosts arrive. Water plants ahead of a freeze and for added protection cover with “Fleece Bags” or drape plants with fabric frost blankets. String ­non-LED Christmas tree lights on your frost-tender plants. The warmth from the bulbs will provide another measure of protection.

checkbox[1] Set out winter-blooming annuals for a garden filled with color. Choose primroses, pansies, Iceland poppies, ornamental cabbage, and kale. Check with the staff.

Style Your Garden with Garden Accessories

A well-decorated garden sparkles with interest and becomes more inviting when architectural accents and interesting decorations are included. Furnish your outdoor living space just as you would the inside of your home. Add personal touches to enhance its beauty, make a personal statement or add a point of interest. Garden fountains and statuary date back to ancient Egyptian, Greek & Roman civilizations. Gazing globes, sundials and wind chimes were popular during Victorian times.

Keep in mind these 4 style rules when decorating your garden:

  • Proportion – Keep the decorations in scale with the size of your garden.
  • Unity – Select a style – formal, natural, cottage or contemporary.
  • Placement – Choose locations that will accent your garden or draw interest to a specific area.
  • Creativity – Have fun and let your imagination run wild!

Here is a look at what is new and not-so-new to embellish your landscape and garden.

Garden Statuary – Wide range of styles and colors to choose from. Select whimsical or realistic figures, froliking children, religious figures or angels.

Fountains – Add the soothing sound of water to your garden and create a focal point at the same time.

Fairies – The wee fairyfolk deserted Earth years ago for a far fairy realm…or did they? Add a touch of magic to your garden and home. Serenely beautiful or impishly silly, fairies are available in many colors and styles.

Gazing Globes – Place them in a sunny area for a dazzling effect or in a shady spot for a mysterious aura.

Critters – Available in statuary or metal, animals add some “character” to your yard.

Lighting – Extends the time you can enjoy your garden.

Structures – Trellises, arbors and pavilions can be used to create separate garden rooms and privacy. Choose the classic look of wrought iron, a natural setting with cedar or easy care with long-lasting vinyl. Add a birdbath to give our feathered friends a place to visit. Consider statuary, obelisks or statuary for interest.

Sundials, Thermometers, Rain Chains & Wind Chimes – Once depended on for time and weather information, now quaint garden accents available in many styles and finishes.

Add Words – Make your garden more inspirational or remember a special person by adding a quote or sign.

Flags – An easy way to add color and make changes seasonally is to add a garden flag. Available in several sizes.

Bird Feeders – Encourage even more friends into your yard and add a decorative touch.

Colorful Pots – Another quick way to add color is to find the right color pots. Pots can also be used to add a plant to an area or to raise the height of plants. An arrangement of several plants with varying colors and textures can be a nice way to soften up an area of your garden.

Succulents – Beautiful & Water Wise

What is not to like about succulents? Succulents are the rave right now, and that’s not hard to understand when you see all the advantages they offer.

Low Irrigation
Generally, little irrigation is needed. Succulents can withstand drought better than wet soil. These plants thrive where others wilt from lack of water. Include these plants as an important part of water conservation while landscaping and gardening.

Low Maintenance
These plants are about as close to “plant it and forget it” as you can get. Many are native to harsh environments with little or infrequent watering.

High Versatility
These plants are equally happy to be in your garden, landscaping, containers, and inside your home as houseplants. As long as you keep in mind, they do have some special needs. Most require at least 6 hours of sunlight and fast-draining soil, so location is important, and some will need protection during the colder months.

Good Looks
Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice appearance for all these benefits. Cacti and succulents are some of Nature’s most beautiful and exotic plants. Outdoors, your succulents will liven up your garden and give your home an original look. Few plants attract as much attention as these. You can use them as exciting accents or go all out and create a complete desert garden motif. Inside, dish gardens with succulents can provide an attractive tabletop decoration that is sure to be a conversation starter.

Off-Season Blooming
When most other plants are in their dormant cycle, and the rest of your landscaping has the winter color blahs, many of these plants are at their colorful best. The aloes are in their glory from December to January; the puyas, yuccas, and agave flower from April to June. A well-chosen selection and placement of succulents will give your landscaping a year-round color look your neighbors will envy.

Here at Alden Lane, we have a large selection available for you to combine, or we can suggest combinations for you. With their wide variety of architectural forms, succulents are a great garden addition. We just received some beautiful planters.

These plants are among the most versatile of this year’s garden offerings. They can express your artful side or your whimsy, whatever you choose. Also, you might combine succulents with other low water use plants to make a lush garden display. Come in and explore the collection.

Tea Camellias

Call it a “hot cuppa” or “leaf soup” (thanks to Sheldon and Amy of The Big Bang Theory), tea is a perfect warming winter drink, and we can help you grow tea leaves at home. Tea Camellias, known botanically as Camellia sinensis, are the most widely grown Camellias in the world. Choose one from our abundant stock and make your own flavorful, aromatic green, oolong or black teas. They thrive in well-draining, slightly acidic soil in a light shade area. Periodic fertilizing will have these evergreens, white winter blooming shrubs thriving – and producing flavorful tea leaves – for many years to come.

Growing Climate

Camellia sinensis – or Tea Camellia grows in a broad variety of climates around the world. Tea is grown commercially in both tropical & temperate zones including China, Japan, and the US.

In our area, the Tea Camellia plant prefers a bright shade location.  The morning sun side of your house or under the dappled shade of a large tree would suit the plant well.

Soil should remain moist, not wet and drain should drain well.  It also needs to be kept on the acidic side. Therefore, plant all camellias in a mixture of Nurseryman’s Acid Planting Mixed 75% with 25% native soil. Feed with Azalea Camelia food and treat 2-3 times a year with Iron Sulfate to keep the pH on the acidic side.

Harvest

Tea is harvested as the first flush of leaves emerge in early spring.  Another can occur when a second and possible third flush of leaves appear in late spring/summer. Flowers arrive in fall; ours are blooming now.

 

Super Water Hoses

We stock beautiful and well-made garden hoses from Water Right that are lightweight and durable and built to last.

Water Right Hoses are made in the USA by a company in Oregon that set out to rethink/reinvent the garden hose.

  • Lightweight
  • Easy to roll up
  • Durable
  • Drinking water safe
  • And they happen to be attractive!

Polyurethane is said to make a better garden hose than the typical hose-making material, polyvinyl.  Polyurethane is more flexible and stronger so a hose can be made lighter. It is also lead-free.

Water Right Hoses claim to be the best quality coil hose ever made. These lightweight hoses are made for the homeowner, so they are easier to carry around than a standard hose.  They are made of virgin polyurethane, they roll up more easily, and they’re drinking water safe.  If you pick one up, you can feel a difference right away, and you don’t have to fight it to roll it back up again.

All the fittings are stainless steel. That’s part of what makes them very durable and lead-free. They’re also brilliant and beautiful, available in glossy colors including cranberry, eggplant, and olive. We have them in 3 sizes. Each hose has a full 5-year warranty. Having one provides that satisfying feeling, like owning new shoes. They are durable and beautiful, come check them out.

Wreaths & Greens

Fresh Green Holiday Wreath

Bring the Fragrance of Christmas Indoors!

Decorate the house with fragrant holiday greens. Boughs of fresh greens are a classic garnish for tabletops and mantels, and they make natural elements for garlands, swags, and wreaths.

Fresh greens are now in stock; we also have fresh-cut holly.

Stop in and pick up fresh pre-made pieces that are ready for you to customize with your favorite bows, cones, berries, and ornaments.

 

Enjoy Enormous Amaryllis Bulbs that Bloom Indoors

Amaryllis bulbs are a seasonal favorite for the Holidays and starting them now can mean blooms on the table in a month. We have boxed kits and also large bulk bulbs.

Plant the bulbs indoors in a pot of soil, water them and watch them bloom within as little as four weeks. They are so easy; sometimes they even bloom before they are planted. Plant them in succession for months of enjoyment.

Amaryllis make a well-liked housewarming gift or select one for yourself. They are prized as a gift by both giver and receiver. In addition to being low maintenance and forgiving, they are one of the most impressive flowering bulbs you can grow indoors as a houseplant both because of their large blooms and gorgeous colors. This year we have them in traditional holiday red and white as well as a pink and variegated pink & white No matter what color you choose amaryllis is a show-stopper that brings a warm welcome to any home.

After your amaryllis blooms, remove the spent stem but nurture the rest of the plant with regular care and feeding. Place the pot outdoors only after the danger of frost passes and keep it watered while the long, strap-like leaves replenish the bulb. At summer’s end, lay the container on its side so that it receives no water, allow the leaves to wither and just as winter approaches, pick the pot up, clean it up by removing all the foliage, re-pot, begin to water it and it will bloom for you year after year.