When to plant, really.

You know every spring I hear myself telling my customers, "I've never seen so much rain!" or "they are predicting snow" or pick a springtime woe for your landscape and we've had it.

This year I can honestly say that we have never experienced a spring like this one.  Some major stand out moments:

- I have tulips in raised beds that did not bloom because the temperature of the soil did not fall below the recommended 62 degrees F for a long period of time.

- We began mowing grass, because it needed it, 4-5 weeks early.

- I have seen grub activity (or animals feeding on grubs) as early as the first week in April.

- Our wholesale nursery started releasing material as ready to plant in March, which is 3 weeks early.

Because this winter and spring has been so unpredictable, I offer a cautionary word to those who are thinking about planting annuals, herbs and vegetables sooner than later.  Normally our last day of frost does not go past May 15th.  I would stick to that date.  With conditions precarious at best, it seems best to wait.

If you are excited and anxious what you can do instead is try starting seeds inside.  It can be done in something as inexpensive as an egg carton!  You can start some vegetables as well as some annuals, and this activity is great for teaching children about biology on a small accessible level.  Just remember to wait until after May 15th to bring them outside.

My favorites to start from seed:

Vegetables
Zucchini
Squash
Cucumbers
All herbs

Annual flowers
Zinnia
Alyssum
Cosmos
Marigolds

Check out this great article on growing annuals from seeds:
http://www.gardeners.com/Growing-Annual-Flowers-from-Seed/5663,default,pg.html 

My 3 favorite shrubs

They say that a parent has no favorites when it comes to their children, and really when you are a landscape designer, horticulturist or gardener your plants are kind of like your kids. 

You patiently nurture them to help them reach their own pinnacle of performance and potential.  Like parenting, sometimes the road is challenging and frustrating, but ultimately all of the effort is worth it when you achieve your end result.

The difference is though...you can choose your plants. 

I have three shrubs that I adore, covet and try to use whenever I have the application.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva'
There are a lot of great paniculata varieties, but I'll stick with this avid performer that does well in both full sun and light shade.  It has very showy white flowers that turn pinkish in August.  Its structure is upright which makes it perfect for hedges or as a structure piece in a perennial garden.  My experience is that it is much more drought tolerant than its arborescens and macrophylla cousins.  Plus you can use the flowers in arrangements, fresh or dried.

Rhus 'Gro-Low'
A lot less sexy than Tardiva, Gro-Low Sumac is my go to plant when you are looking to create a fluffy pillow of green in hard to grow areas.  It is extremely drought and salt tolerant.  But utility isn't its only attribute.  As most Sumac its fall display of red is spectacular and not to be missed.

Viburnum prunifolium

I have a long list of viburnums that are battling to be in my top three list, doublefile, koreanspice, judd, but there is something so elegant about the vase-like structured blackhaw viburnum.  They provide this great filtered quality.  And the flowers are almost a layered look.  We used them as screening in our yard underneath a Honeylocust and we have not pruned them in 4 years because we love their natural form, they are perfection.