ADDING FRAGRANT PLANTS TO YOUR LANDSCAPE

Most of us are familiar with the wonderful sweet fragrance of an old fashioned lilac in the spring. A gentle breeze carries the fragrance through out a whole neighborhood.

 Would you like to add some other varieties of plants that add fragrance to your yard?

Here are some Natural Plus favorites:

Trees:

All fruit trees (apples, pears, cherries, plums) have a wonderful fragrance in the spring when blooming. Plums are especially fragrant. 

Some other ornamental trees that give a sweet fragrance in spring when in bloom are flowering crabs, serviceberries, hawthorns, Japanese tree lilacs, fringe trees, and dwarf Korean tree lilacs.

Lindens are an upright pyramidal shaped shade tree with a heart shaped leaf. In June they produce very small yellow blooms that are barely visible unless you get up close to the tree. However, those blooms are very fragrant and you may be able to smell them from a half a block away.

 Shrubs:

Many shrubs are fragrant when in bloom. Some you may want to consider are: lilacs, (bloomerang lilacs rebloom to give a second set of fragrant blossoms mid-summer), mockorange (dwarf and standard size), snowberry, and elderberries.

Roses may or may not be fragrant. Newer hybridized varieties often have beautiful bloom colors and are more disease resistant, but have little fragrance. Older varieties such as rugosa roses bring back memories of fragrant rose gardens. One of our favorites is Purple Pavement.

 Perennials:

Most people are aware of the fragrance of peonies – a sturdy perennial that goes back generations. At Natural Plus we have a row of peonies that are over 50 years old and still produce hearty blooms every year.

Some other perennials that will add fragrance to your yard include:

Garden phlox (come in many colors), lavender (there is now a variety hardy for zone 4), iris, hyssop, astilbe, dianthus, most coneflowers, helleborus, bee balm, and sweet autumn clematis.  

Bulbs and Woodland Plants

Hyacinths (bulbs) and Lily of the Valley are spring bloomers that are particularly fragrant.

EVERGREENS

Evergreens add year round beauty and interest to your yard. They add shade, habitat, and protection for wildlife. Evergreen windbreaks slow down winter and summer winds to reduce heating and cooling bills.

Years ago choices were limited and evergreens planted around home foundations often became over-grown and unruly. Today we have hundreds of varieties to choose from.

Here are a few common varieties of evergreen options today:

Low Growing Evergreens

Some low growing evergreens may get only 6 inches tall but spread 6-8 feet. These are useful on banks or wherever you want to fill in an area with a low growing shrub. Some varieties include Blue Chip Junipers  and Icy Blue Junipers. 

For evergreens around a foundation, there are new dwarf varieties that stay small and compact and require little or no trimming. Some of these include Hetz Midget Arborvitae, Danica Arborvitae, and Blue Star Junipers.

 Mid-size Evergreens

There are many new varieties of mid-size evergreens that grow anywhere from 3 to 6 feet tall. They come in a variety of foliage and colors. Mint Julep junipers are deep green and are a good foundation plant. Sea of Gold Junipers are green with golden tips for added interest. Globe Blue Spruce grow 4-5 feet tall with a rounded shape, a very blue color, and require little or no trimming. Dwarf Norway Spruce also grow into a similar size and shape but are a deep green color.

If you have a lot of shade, Yews are your best option. These are deep green, soft needle evergreens that tolerate full or part shade. Taunton Yews grow 3-5 feet tall and wide and can be trimmed.

Upright Evergreens

For some added height, upright evergreens are a good choice. Emerald Arborvitae are deep green and grow 12-15’ tall but only 3-4’ wide. Blue Arrow Junjpers grow 12 feet tall but only 2 feet wide. Techney Arborvitaes are often used on farm windbreaks. They grow about 15 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. There are many varieties of upright junipers, yews, and other arborvitaes to choose from.

Evergreen Trees

There is nothing more stately than a 100 year old, 100 foot tall  drooping Norway Spruce. These have survived the test of time. Unfortunately some tall evergreens have become susceptible to disease. 20 years ago Colorado Spruce were a favorite, but these have now become prone to a disease and are no longer recommended.

Eastern Red Cedars are the only native evergreen to Iowa. These have also survived the test of time and can be seen growing wild in ditches and along roadways. Although they are not the most beautiful shape, they survive the tough Iowa winters and thrive here.

Ornamental Evergreens

One of the most fun new additions to the plant world are ornamental evergreens. A Globe Blue Spruce Tree is basically a Globe Blue Spruce on a 3 to 5 foot stem. Some old traditional evergreens are now trimmed into pom pom shapes, spirals, and other interesting forms. These all add interest and some fun to your landscaping.

Globe Blue Spruce in the snow

Care and Maintenance of Evergreens

Care and maintenance of evergreens will extend their life and keep them looking beautiful. New plantings should be watered 2-3 times a week for the first season. Established plantings are usually self sufficient but still need to be watered in prolonged periods of dryness. Be sure plants are well watered going into winter. This helps prevent winter burn.

It is good to fertilize evergreens with Miracid fertilizer at least 2-3 times during the early growing season. It is best to not fertilize in the fall. Trim evergreens to keep a nice shape. Most can be trimmed in the early spring. For evergreen trees it is often recommended to trim one half of the “candle” as new growth emerges.  

If you have a special need for an evergreen or have questions, feel free to call the nursery.

PLANTING WINDBREAKS AND SCREENS

planting windbreaks and screens

Planting Windbreaks and Screens

Now is the time to plan for and order windbreaks.

If you need help designing a windbreak, give us a call, we are happy to help!

What is a windbreak?

A windbreak or screen might be one tree strategically placed on your property or it may be several rows of trees and/or shrubs planted on a property line to slow down winter winds block snow and offer shade.

When should I plant a windbreak?

Spring is always a good time to plant. Trees planted in the spring usually require less watering as spring rains reduce hand watering. In addition, they have the whole season to develop a root system which will be beneficial for over-wintering. Typically oaks and birch trees do better if planted in the spring than in the fall.

What are some common windbreak trees and shrubs?

Some common trees currently being recommended for large windbreaks are Norway Spruce, Eastern Red Cedars, Arborvitae, Oaks and Hackberry. Some common shrubs are dogwood, lilac, viburnum, and ninebark.

Because of the risk of disease, we always recommend diversity, whether you are just planting a few trees or a few hundred, and natives are always a good choice.

Where do I start?

We recommend giving your local NRCS office a call, as they have cost share options available that may significantly reduce the expense for you. They can also help you design a plan for what will work best for your area and property. Next, give us a call so we can discuss your options of what types of plants are available and what they will cost this year!

Want to know more…Let us know!

I like this article for more information, just remember we are zone 4— so choose plants zone 2-4!

Our quick trip to the Northern Green Expo

Last week, Dave and I took a quick day trip up to the cities to visit the Northern Green Expo, one of the trade shows we like to attend. It’s great to connect with our vendors, and browse the new plants and products. We continue to dream and explore ways we can improve the nursery, and are constantly tossing around ideas to expand our inventory and learn a new area of the plant business.

This will be our 6th season as owners of Natural Plus Nursery. It’s hard to believe and also amazing to think about everything I’ve learned along the way. Before buying Natural Plus, I was in healthcare, working as an Occupational Therapist. I had no knowledge of plants OR being a business owner. Thankfully, we had Dave and Linda by our sides every step of the way teaching us how to navigate this nursery business. Every year, they step back a little more, and we step forward, making small shifts to make this business work for us. I had no idea what to expect from business succession, but I am thankful that we have Dave and Linda as mentors.

At the Green Expo,I loved seeing all the GREEN and COLOR. Spring is coming friends!!

Here are just a few of the NEW plants I’m excited about!

I’m planning on putting together a potting station at the nursery this year. For several years we have carried succulents and even done a few succulent potting workshops here.

At first we will offer succulent potting, so you can pick your plant, then pick your pot, and use our space to give your new succulent friend a new home, leaving the mess with us! I will be doing many more workshops this year (so stay tuned for that —and be the first to know by signing up for our email list!) Click here to get the dirt.

I explored some different types of small pots to have on hand and I cannot wait to see what our customers will create with some of these fun new pots! Also, join in the discussion of which kind of pot you prefer.. over on facebook!