Site change

Hello all of my readers. I have recently renovated my website and would like you all to stop by and go for a tour. I have been updating the blog rather consistently on the web site.

Thank you for your interest and I hope you are happy with the new setting for my blog!
Gregory
www.nativerootdesigns.com

A time for shears

My shears get a lot of work in January. Not that there are no weeds but in the last three days I have used my shears and my rake more than any other tool. Shearing down ornamental grasses, Astilbe, Coreopsis, Fuchsia, Iris, ferns, Helleborus, Epimedium and many other perennial plants that I left to over winter for their form, structure, winter color, or wildlife benefits.

In the case of Fuchsia shearing is a little rough. For the larger woody varieties I will usually shear them down to 12-18 inches then cut out all of the canes that are smaller than a pencil with my hand clippers. I may take out the canes that are oldest as well and clean up any cuts that the shears mangled. If they are beginning to show new growth at the base you may usually get away with cutting them clean to the ground. Leaving the canes reminds you that they are there and insures that they have some established growth to help pull them through.

On the Iris, ferns, Epimedium and Helleborus they have been providing lovely intense greens in the beds for months now and will begin to shoot new growth in the center from their base. It is easiest to shear them now just before the new growth begins because if you wait too long you need to do it with your hand clippers which takes exponentially more time. You can wait longer however in these gardens (including my own) it's seize the moment! The Epimedium and Helleborus will be sending up their flowers next, before leaves, which look fabulous if the old foliage is cleaned up.

Why we love Sword Ferns

It is just the type of thing that defines me as a complete plant geek.
As we were cleaning up a side garden full of snow melted Day lilies, trimming the dead canes from the Heavenly Bamboo and raking the piles of weeds we'd pulled I saw them sitting there. Three of them sitting like they had always been there yet never noticed until everything else was pulled, cut, raked away. Three sword ferns perched at the back of the narrow bed just below the top of the deck and perfectly drawing my eye into them, rather then the mess that was under the deck behind them.
They hold their own. Especially right now it seems that unless they have been beaten down by the snow they stand three feet tall. Their size and form are pronounced this time of year as is the deep green that glows from them. From now until march when the new growth unwinds from the center is the sword ferns glory! Just remember to cut them down when that new growth is starting, just before is easiest, so that it can take the center stage. One advantage to the snow flattening them for you is that you don't have to cut them to see the new growth rise alone!