Brunnera Silver Heart
Lighten up! You don’t have to get down in the dumps if you have a sunless garden! A little bit of bright green can add nice pockets of interest to a shady spot, and there are lots of plants to choose from — many of which we carry at our nursery. Here are a few to consider that are very shade tolerant.
Japanese Forest Grass
Japanese Forest Grass, variegated
Hostas – try Guacamole or Sum and Substance varieties.
Heuchera, Golden Zebra
Heuchera, Caramel
Japanese Painted Fern
Stressful weather conditions are inevitable factors that can harm your trees and shrubs. If you’re lucky, mother nature may grant your plant a second chance. Even with significant seasonal damage, you may be able to revive what’s left if there are signs of new growth. For example, take a look at the crape myrtle ‘bush’ in the foreground. Winter damage killed off the central trunk, but not the entire tree. New shoots came up from the bottom, yielding a more bush-like form, which still produced a multitude of gorgeous flowers in the summertime. This new form can be kept, or you may be able to achieve its former upright appearance. As new “suckers” begin to grow from below, you can select the 3-4 that look the strongest and let them grow, pruning the others away. To encourage the “suckers” to develop nice and straight, twine can be used to help brace the new young trunks upwards.
To learn more about how to revive a stressed crape myrtle, stop by our nursery — our knowledgeable staff is happy to help!
The colors of the season sure are shining bright! Kick it up a notch by adding festive pumpkins and gourds to accent steps, container planters and entryways. A customer recently shared with us how she carves pumpkins to make an au natural vase for fall flowers! Come stop by our nursery and check out our stunning collection of decorative pumpkins and gourds, many of which are grown on our farm!
To me, the specimens we carry in our Plant Gallery are those that serve more as artistic pieces. They both improve the landscape and intrigue the beholder.
As you might guess, it’s hard for me to pick just one! A few of my favorites include the Fernleaf Maple (Acer Japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’), Paperbark Maple (Acer Griseum), Japanese Snowbell (Styrax Japonica), and the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia) — whose foliage right now is quite spectacular!
Contrary to what one may think, they actually require less maintenance! You generally get the benefit of the slow growth and hardiness of a specimen plant — with the exception of the Dawn Redwood, which is hardy and grows exceptionally fast!
Like any plant, it truly depends on its needs as far as nutrients, light requirements, and pruning. Most are very easy to care for.
Attendees are welcome to bring pictures of their property to help assess which specimen might be a good fit. They are also welcome to take pictures as well!
For more information on plants carried or grown by Rutgers Nursery, click here.
Believe it or not, this showy flowering tree is native to our area, offering eye-catching color along with sweet, fragrant summertime blossoms. The Sourwood tree prefers acidic, rich, well-drained soil, and can reach heights of 20-40.’ As it’s typically an understory tree, it can handle part sun as well as full, making it quite adaptable to landscape location. The Sourwood tree gets its name because its leaves have a sour taste — which contradicts its sweet shades of peachy orange and red as it comes into fall color (another sweet fact is that bees love its blossoms, and sourwood honey is a delicious local treat).
This color is truly boldness to behold — stop in for a visit!
This gorgeous evergreen exhibits classic and beautifully decorative cones in the fall. Elegant and slender in habit, this tree is great in a grouping or as an individual specimen, reaching a mature height of about 30′ tall, and 10′ wide.
This majestic spruce produces compact cones of a deep purple hue. Combine that with a height reaching 50′ tall and 20′ wide, it’s not hard to see how this tree is a true show stopper.
This slow growing, stripe-needled pine is another tree that’s two-fold ornamental. Vibrant alternating yellow and green needles truly illustrate its name, and light, creamy green cones are wonderful cool season highlights.
This viburnum variety boasts showy white flowers in the spring which turn into super beautiful glossy blue drupes in the fall. This shrub reaches a mature height of about 8′ tall and 8′ wide, and attracts both birds and butterflies.
Bright, cheery berries adorn this deep, blue-green foliaged holly that reaches a moderate height of 10′ tall and 8′ wide. This is an excellent choice for a partially sunny spot that could use a little brightening up!
This festive, fall-berried viburnum has a sweet lacecap bloom in the spring that attracts a host of friendly pollinators! Come fall, blooms burst into gemmed bright cranberry red clusters.