October 2013 – MarvinGardensUSA

What Not to Do in Your Garden

gardening tips — Source: Marvin Garden Facebook

Gardening is a great way to relax, and many people that try it find a lifelong hobby. However, when you’re new to gardening it’s easy to make simple mistakes that can harm your plants. Use this guide to avoid big mistakes that are commonly made by beginning gardeners.

Using the Same Soil

Using the same type of soil for everything in your garden area can seem simple, and after all, soil is just soil, right? The short answer is no! When buying soil, especially if you’re going to use it for indoor plants, make sure you ask a garden professional for the right kind.

Staking All Trees

When planting young trees in really windy areas, staking is a good idea to keep them from toppling to the ground. However, if you’re not in a windy area, allowing the trees to sway actually helps roots grow deeper, making a stronger tree.

Always Using Mulch Rings

Not all trees need mulch rings. In fact, all they do for many varieties of trees is extend the drip line, making them need more water.

Visit us at Marvin Gardens for beautiful garden accessories to make your healthy garden even more beautiful.

Make the Most of Autumn Leaves When Gardening

Autumn brings with it the falling leaves, which are a rich source of nutrients that are often mistaken for a hassle rather then the opportunity they truly are. Leaves provide a rich source of nutrients that can easily be harnessed and used in garden care.

Mulch
Leaves provide a great mulch that can be stored or immediately used in gardens and lawns. Rather than tossing the leaves, use a lawn mower to chop them up. If you want to leave it on the lawn, remove the bag from the mower and let it blow out onto the lawn. Through the winter the pieces will settle into the lawn and disappear come spring thaw.
If the plan is to use it in the garden, you can place whole leaves or the chopped up leaves directly into the bed. Over winter they will decompose and come the spring they can easily be tilled into the soil.

Insulation
Piling leaves onto plants, even potted ones, is a great way to insulate the plants and pots from the winter months. Terracotta pots can be insulated well enough with leaves that they do not have to be moved indoors.

Great Container Plants That Survive Cold Weather

Gardening in the winter months can be tricky. Most plants can’t survive the frigid weather associated with the season, but there are some container plants that actually thrive in the cold and are perfect for keeping your green thumb active during the coldest part of the season.

The Autumn Fern

The autumn fern is one of those plants that can grow pretty much anywhere in the winter months – partly because it doesn’t have any flowers to get damaged by the snow, rain or any other kind of bad weather it could be exposed to. Best of all, it can easily be potted with more colorful plants to make a unique looking container suitable for small spaces.

Red Twig Dogwood

The red twig dogwood is perhaps the hardiest of all dogwoods, which means it can thrive in even the coldest climates and snowiest areas. Its beautiful copper-red foliage is also a sight for sore eyes in the winter months – especially in areas where big white patches of snow are the norm. Red twig dogwoods also pair well with ferns.

Contact Marvin Gardens for more information and to find garden design accessories and planters for your outdoor area.

Save Water by Planting Drought-Tolerant Plants Instead of Grass

designing an outdoor space — Source: Marvin Gardens Facebook

Keeping a lawn lush and green throughout the hot summer months can be an expensive proposition. To cut down on water usage and monthly bills, some homeowners have replaced parts of their traditional lawns with drought-tolerant plants.

Here are some suggestions for attractive, hardy and water-stingy plants:

Grasses – The fine fescue and buffalo varieties of grass are extremely drought-tolerant. Both also thrive in direct sun and create a soft carpet of blades that is very enjoyable to walk on.
Shrubs – For the more colorfully-minded homeowner, a lawn space can be filled with ground cover such as creeping thyme and an array of colorful, drought-friendly shrubs like Spanish lavender.
Flowering plants – The variety of colorful, flowering plants that are also drought-tolerant is staggering. Even an average garden can include reds, yellows and purples with the planting of daylilies, smoke bush and blue fescue.

For more information on using these drought-tolerant plants or other creative ideas for designing an outdoor space, please contact us at Marvin Gardens. We can be found online at MarvinGardensUSA.com or reached directly at 203-544-2020.

Make Your Garden More Low Maintenance – and Green!

garden design ideas — `Source: Marvin Gardens Facebook

With just a few simple adjustments to your routine, you can make your garden far easier to maintain and much greener – in both a color and environmental sense. Here are some quick and easy ways to accomplish this goal:

Place a Water Catch – Just add a wooden barrel or some clay pots at strategic places where they will catch rain water. This water is free and, according to many experts, superior to tap water for your plants.
Add Mulch – Mulch is a great addition to any lawn or garden for two reasons. First, it reduces the amount of mowing and weeding that you must do. In addition, it protects the damp soil underneath from the hot rays of the sun.
Mow Less – How great does this sound? Just extend the intervals between mowings. You’ll work less and pollute less. Your grass will grow a little longer, but evenly. Plus, the longer blades will cut down on water evaporation.

For more information on making your garden greener and other creative garden design ideas, please contact us at Marvin Gardens. We can be found online at MarvinGardensUSA.com or reached directly at 203-544-2020.

Embrace the Sphere in Your Garden

garden accessories — Source: Marvin Gardens Facebook

Since ancient times, the sphere has been considered one of the most perfect and beautiful shapes. These days, the sphere is not quite so mystically revered but it is still respected for its uniqueness. Here are some ideas for introducing this magnificent shape into your garden:

Plants – There are many plants that have spherical flowers most notably, the alliums. With their vivid colors and, for plants, unusual shape, they make a strong visual impact in any garden.
Shrubs – Boxwoods, dwarf blue spruce and Japanese cedar are just three of your choices that make excellent spherical shrubs. It does take a little practice to get the trimming just right but after one season, you will be a pro.
Stone & Metal – Whether an intricately welded, metal globe or a simple roughly hewn stone, spherical sculptures in the garden are irresistible. Add one – or three! – to create a fabulous focal point in the garden.

For more information about these and other creative garden design ideas, please contact us at Marvin Gardens. We can be found online at MarvinGardensUSA.com or reached directly at 203-544-2020.

How to Care for Your Garden This October

garden design tips — Source: Marvin Gardens Facebook

The month of October will most likely be your last chance to get your garden ready for the perils of the coming winter. Here are a few garden tips to help you get it ready:

Harvest your “Crops” Now – Even a slight frost will turn the hardiest flowers an ugly black so harvest them and use in a centerpiece. The same goes for herbs. Use them or lose them – or get them inside for a few more weeks of use.
Plant Your Garlic Bulbs Now – If you love fresh garlic – and who doesn’t? – you’ll want to get it in the ground in October so that it can establish itself before winter. Then you will have a great summer yield to flavor all your favorite dishes.
Take Pictures of Your Successes – Why reinvent the wheel? Take a picture of your floral arrangements, whether they are in pots or freestanding, so that you will gain a head start on a great garden next Spring.

For more information about this and other fall garden care tips, please contact us Marvin Gardens. We can be found online at MarvinGardensUSA.com or reached directly at 203-544-2020.

Add Some Storybook Charm to Your Garden

unique garden accessories — Source: Marvin Gardens Facebook

A great garden can turn an average home into a spectacular one, and a well-appointed garden space is an ideal place to spend time alone or with friends and family. To really put your garden over the top, try adding some charming pieces that are right out of a storybook. You’ll never want to leave your garden to go inside!

Add Charming Seating

Many backyard gardens don’t have any seating at all, which prevents people from enjoying the garden up close. To make your garden more appealing, try adding some interesting or whimsical seating to your outdoor space. Wood benches are ideal for an outdoor garden space because they’ll blend seamlessly with the nature around them, but other materials like stone and concrete can work just as well.

Create Unique Pathways

A garden that isn’t broken up by pathways is hard to navigate and may look unorganized. To make pathways, you don’t need fancy pavers–you can make pathway dividers from a variety of materials, including these decorative fish from Marvin Gardens, which give the garden a whimsical, fun look.

Contact Marvin Gardens for more information and for all your garden design accessories.