1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: Broadcasting from Studio A Here at proven Winns Color Choice Shrubs. 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:11,119 It's time for the Gardening Simplified Show with Stacy, Hervella me, 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:16,079 Rick weisst and our engineer and producer Adrianna Robinson. Well Stacy. 4 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:21,440 Today we talk about designer plants, designing with plants. One 5 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,760 of the characteristics I love of certain plants to design 6 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:31,160 with would be big leaves. Love big leaves. You can 7 00:00:31,199 --> 00:00:36,280 make a real impact. There's great variety in leaves. And 8 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:41,359 it's interesting to me how monsterra became a designer plant. 9 00:00:41,719 --> 00:00:46,719 How monstera came along and everybody used it in their marketing. 10 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,240 But it was a popular houseplant back in the nineteen seventies. 11 00:00:51,719 --> 00:00:55,119 I remember that when we had lava lamps and shag 12 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,359 carpet in the house and we had a Monsterra. The 13 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:03,159 NBC television show Golden Girls featured a giant monster a 14 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,319 plant right in the sets living room, right in the 15 00:01:06,359 --> 00:01:09,760 middle of the living room, and the plant became a star. 16 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:14,760 I guess what I wanted to say by this, Stacy, 17 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,480 is that I believe Instagram and social media has created 18 00:01:19,519 --> 00:01:23,840 these stars and has created something we now know as 19 00:01:24,599 --> 00:01:25,719 a designer plant. 20 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 2: That's a good point. 21 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:28,519 Speaker 1: Yeah. 22 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, And we're not just talking about interior plants here. Obviously, 23 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,480 when you talk about designing, most people's you know, minds 24 00:01:34,519 --> 00:01:38,480 immediately go to the interior. The interior design and plants 25 00:01:38,519 --> 00:01:40,680 are certainly a part of interior design in a way 26 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:45,760 that they weren't even twenty years ago. But afteroor, designing 27 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,120 with plants is just as important. And I think it's 28 00:01:48,159 --> 00:01:51,799 so crucial that people realize that if someone is a 29 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:56,959 garden designer, they almost certainly did not just come to 30 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,560 it with some sort of you know, sixth sense of 31 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:05,719 combay plants. Anytime someone is a quote good designer with plants, 32 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:08,360 they've gotten it by learning. I mean, some people will 33 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:10,280 have a natural instinct or they'll see plants in the 34 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,159 oh that will look good with that. But really, I 35 00:02:13,199 --> 00:02:15,560 have found I do not consider myself a designer by 36 00:02:15,599 --> 00:02:20,000 any stretch, but I have found that any design skills 37 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,080 that I have acquired have simply come from being around plants, 38 00:02:24,599 --> 00:02:28,960 getting to know them, thinking about how they look, how 39 00:02:29,039 --> 00:02:32,319 things can look with each other. It's not like a 40 00:02:32,479 --> 00:02:36,159 special you know, knowledge that people are just imbued with 41 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,520 and then you know, I have to go out there 42 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,879 and you know it takes experience to become a good 43 00:02:42,879 --> 00:02:45,319 designer with plants, just like it would be to be 44 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:46,439 good interior designer. 45 00:02:46,599 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: I agree with you, and that's what's been interesting for me. 46 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,919 I've mentioned previously my neighbor who's great at interior design 47 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,360 and flipping houses and that type of thing. He goes 48 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,400 out in the landscape, knows nothing about plants, but has 49 00:03:00,439 --> 00:03:04,599 a feel for putting them together within a landscape, and 50 00:03:04,599 --> 00:03:08,599 it's something you get from experience. I've also mentioned in 51 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:13,400 a previous show that interior design is somewhat universal. I mean, 52 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,800 you've got whether you're in Calgary, Canada or Miami, Florida, 53 00:03:17,879 --> 00:03:20,560 you've got a ceiling and you've got walls, right, But 54 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:26,680 the concepts of design like balance, unity, rhythm, emphasis, scale, proportion, 55 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,039 all of those things come into play within a landscape. 56 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,280 The three five seven rule working with the odd numbers, 57 00:03:35,759 --> 00:03:40,439 or the seventy thirty rule in interior design, as I 58 00:03:40,599 --> 00:03:46,120 understand it, basically, you take a dominant design element for 59 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,479 seventy percent of the room and a contrasting complementary element 60 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,400 for the remaining thirty percent. Whether or not you apply that, 61 00:03:54,599 --> 00:03:59,919 the point is that whether it's interior design or exterior design, 62 00:04:00,479 --> 00:04:05,439 all of those issues like repetition come into play. So 63 00:04:05,479 --> 00:04:08,800 if you find a good designer plant that you really 64 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,800 really like and is beautiful in your landscape. I saw 65 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:19,160 someone do it last week with allocacia, where they used 66 00:04:19,199 --> 00:04:25,240 it repetitively throughout the landscape. So if you can repeat, repeat, repeat, 67 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,639 it makes a real impact and kind of ties everything together. 68 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,639 You do the same thing with groundcovers. Groundcovers, of course 69 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,680 help suppress weeds that sort of thing, but a good 70 00:04:37,759 --> 00:04:40,560 groundcover can tie a whole landscape together. 71 00:04:40,759 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 2: You know. There's a great lesson in there for people 72 00:04:42,959 --> 00:04:47,040 who like to shop for plants and typically don't have 73 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,000 an idea of what they're going to do with them 74 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,879 when they get home, which you are in good company. 75 00:04:51,519 --> 00:04:55,240 Every plant lover is like that. But if you are 76 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,040 in love with a plant, like unless it's a great 77 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,560 big tree or shrub or something like that, don't just 78 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,920 buy one. Buy three. You will find that you have 79 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,079 so many more options for what to do with them 80 00:05:07,319 --> 00:05:09,600 when you do get home, because a group of three 81 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,519 typically looks way better than just a single plant, unless you're, 82 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,240 you know, using it as a specimen. If you buy 83 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,240 three plants, you save yourself a return trip to the 84 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:20,360 garden center, which you almost certainly want to do. And 85 00:05:20,519 --> 00:05:23,000 you know you can plant those three together as one grouping, 86 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:25,720 or you can you know, do a theme in variation 87 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,160 thing where it's reoccurring throughout your garden. 88 00:05:28,319 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly. It's all about the esthetic characteristics of plants. 89 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:38,040 So we talk about form, texture, contrast, size, and color 90 00:05:38,439 --> 00:05:42,959 even before you talk about the specific plants that you're 91 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,439 going to utilize for that purpose. I found a great 92 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:51,120 thing from the University of Florida. Will put the link 93 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:56,720 at our website, but it addresses exactly that focal points. 94 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,879 For example, Stacy, when you're going to pick out a tree, 95 00:06:00,079 --> 00:06:02,000 and let's say you're going to buy three of them, 96 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:07,079 what are you going to go for? They shape, columnar, round, weeping, 97 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:12,040 or pyramiddle. You have all of those options available to you. 98 00:06:12,319 --> 00:06:16,759 Speaker 2: Right, I'm probably picking on flowers more than anything else 99 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:18,879 in space. There you go, but it is nice to 100 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,399 know then I have all those options, and probably I 101 00:06:21,439 --> 00:06:24,199 have most of those options represented in trees and shrubs 102 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:25,680 in my garden, I think pretty close. 103 00:06:26,199 --> 00:06:34,319 Speaker 1: Speaking of shrubs, you could pick from arching, irregular, cascading, upright, spiky, rounded, mounding, 104 00:06:34,439 --> 00:06:38,560 they shaped, again, all these different types of choices, and 105 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,439 then if you pick that form or that shape, if 106 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:46,399 you're able to repeat it through the landscape. I really 107 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:51,800 do think that that creates an incredible landscape almost this 108 00:06:51,959 --> 00:06:55,759 spatial feeling within the landscape where you feel comfortable to 109 00:06:55,879 --> 00:06:59,199 be in it. It's not a hot mess, so to space. 110 00:06:59,079 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 2: Right, it brings a lot of you know, direction and cohesiveness. 111 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,000 And I'll tell you, if you feel like your garden 112 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,000 is a hot mess, you're in good company. But taking 113 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,680 a tip like that helps a lot to make sense 114 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,480 of the hot mess. So that's why I've done things 115 00:07:14,519 --> 00:07:17,079 like imposed hedges around my herb garden, which is a 116 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,160 hot mess inside, which I like it that way, it's 117 00:07:19,199 --> 00:07:21,800 supposed to be that way. But just implying a little 118 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,800 bit of structure or these kind of overarching design principles 119 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,519 in some areas lets you get away with so much 120 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:29,839 more in the rest of your guard Again. 121 00:07:30,319 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, so a landscape designer will love diversity. We've got 122 00:07:34,839 --> 00:07:38,480 a lot of plants at our disposal, and yet most 123 00:07:38,519 --> 00:07:42,480 of them have a go to list, plants that have 124 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:49,759 performed for them that give long season interest, diversity, seasonal longevity, 125 00:07:49,879 --> 00:07:53,279 so to speak. That's their their go to list, and 126 00:07:53,319 --> 00:07:57,360 of course some projects that they work on they have 127 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:02,720 jurisdictions with approved plants. You can only use certain kinds 128 00:08:02,759 --> 00:08:05,480 of plants, So when they find a good one to 129 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:12,560 create that cohesion, they'll use that plant repetitively throughout the landscape. 130 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,120 And I think that that makes a world of difference 131 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:21,959 for the structural value of your landscape. I've got a 132 00:08:22,079 --> 00:08:26,519 limb a rick to share with you, a designer, Limerick, 133 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,000 and I want to encourage people who say, you know, 134 00:08:30,199 --> 00:08:35,360 I can't design, you can. There are some basic things 135 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,799 that you need to do. Dare to be a designer. 136 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,720 Not all woe is my landscape winer. You're in charge 137 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:48,279 around your home. If the looks you bemoan, transform them 138 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:53,200 into something finer, planting ideas in your head for technique 139 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:58,120 for a subtle but intriguing tweak. You're just like your plants. 140 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:03,159 You need to take a stance and remember that you're unique. 141 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:06,039 Speaker 2: Oh I like that. Yeah, I mean you have every 142 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,679 right to design with plants in a way that makes 143 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,120 sense to you and you enjoy as much as you 144 00:09:11,159 --> 00:09:14,200 do with your throw pillows and rugs and home accessories. 145 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 1: There you go. 146 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 2: There are no right or wrong answers. It's all what 147 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,720 you like. And the great thing about gardening, much like 148 00:09:21,759 --> 00:09:24,360 your throw pillows, is you can always dig stuff up 149 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:25,559 and move on. Of course, you don't have to dig 150 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,720 up your throw pillows, but you know that's why I 151 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:30,960 reckon and I are moving stuff around, because you don't 152 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,320 necessarily get it right the first time. And it's not 153 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,799 short of a tree, it's not a life sentence. You 154 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:36,759 can move things around. 155 00:09:36,879 --> 00:09:39,399 Speaker 1: It's more fun that way. I think it's much more, 156 00:09:39,919 --> 00:09:42,279 much more fun. How do you feel about the ratio? 157 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:47,000 You'll you'll go out there and see design advice and 158 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:51,240 you'll see, okay, the ratio should be thirty percent evergreen, 159 00:09:52,039 --> 00:09:56,000 seventy percent deciduous. How do you feel about ratios like that? 160 00:09:56,159 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 2: I mean, I think it's a good starting point for 161 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:02,759 someone who maybe is inclined to go too much one 162 00:10:02,759 --> 00:10:04,679 way or the other. But of course, if you live 163 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,200 in like the South, you kind of can't not have 164 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,720 an ever If you live an hot, mild climate, you 165 00:10:09,799 --> 00:10:11,799 kind of can't not have an evergreen. So there are 166 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:15,240 still deciduous plants, but you would obviously have much more 167 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,080 evergreen stuff in a mild climate than you would in 168 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:18,840 a gold climate. 169 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: We'll see how Stacey ties this in and plants on 170 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,720 trial and segment four we'll talk more about designer plants 171 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,799 and designer aspects in your landscape. That's all coming up 172 00:10:29,799 --> 00:10:31,799 here on the Gardening Simplified Show. 173 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,879 Speaker 2: Beautify your home and community with proven Winn's Color Choice 174 00:10:40,919 --> 00:10:44,039 Shrubs with over three hundred and twenty five unique varieties 175 00:10:44,039 --> 00:10:46,720 to choose from. There's a flowering shrub or evergreen for 176 00:10:46,759 --> 00:10:49,960 every taste and every space. Just look for the distinctive 177 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,720 white container your local garden center or learn more at 178 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:58,000 proven Winner's Color Choice dot com. Creating's Gardening friends, and 179 00:10:58,159 --> 00:11:00,200 welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show, where or the 180 00:11:00,279 --> 00:11:03,360 order of the day is all about designing with plants, 181 00:11:03,399 --> 00:11:08,000 designer or plants and being a plant designer. And I 182 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,519 did want to mention, you know, there's a lot of 183 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,559 different terms that go around with all of this. So 184 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,639 someone might call themselves a landscaper, That to me kind 185 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,240 of means that they will do installation, but they're you know, 186 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:26,200 also providing regular maintenance type of services, right trimming your shrubs, weeding, mulching, 187 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:28,480 maybe even lawns and that kind of thing. Then you've 188 00:11:28,519 --> 00:11:32,039 got a garden or landscape designer. These are also just 189 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,679 kind of general terms that anyone can call themselves. To me, 190 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,279 this means that they focus more on the planting side. 191 00:11:38,279 --> 00:11:40,720 They're not necessarily going to do like a lot of maintenance. 192 00:11:40,759 --> 00:11:43,840 They might have like a container maintenance program, but they're 193 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,799 more about getting you the garden that you want and 194 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,240 then you do most of the care for it. And 195 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,919 then there's landscape architects. And landscape architects are a totally 196 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,519 different thing. You have to go to school, a lot 197 00:11:54,519 --> 00:11:56,639 of schooling. You have to pass tests to be a 198 00:11:56,759 --> 00:12:00,679 landscape architect. So if you're just looking for plants a 199 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:05,240 planting design don't call a landscape architect. They also are 200 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,240 very not often not They are often not super well 201 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:10,799 versed in plants. You know, they might have a small 202 00:12:10,879 --> 00:12:13,720 but usually they're relying a small palette that they that 203 00:12:13,799 --> 00:12:17,120 they use, but usually they're relying on more planting designers 204 00:12:17,159 --> 00:12:20,320 within their firm to help them out with the plant stuff. 205 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,399 And they're more concerned about drainage and structures, and you 206 00:12:23,399 --> 00:12:25,360 know a lot of the stuff that you know, to 207 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,159 be honest, doesn't really appeal to me that much. You know, 208 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:33,600 like landscape architects have like entire semesters devoted to drainage. 209 00:12:33,519 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 1: You know, it's true, and retaining. 210 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 2: Ones and retaining walls all right. 211 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,799 Speaker 1: Retaining walls is a big one and patios, Stacy, While 212 00:12:41,799 --> 00:12:44,639 you were talking there, I was thinking about a garden 213 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,919 center owner who's a friend of mine and I talked 214 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:50,759 to him this spring. He said he's amazed at the 215 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:54,919 number of customers that come walking in, some who just 216 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:59,720 want native plants. Other people that he refers to as 217 00:12:59,759 --> 00:13:03,720 his designers. Okay, they're just into design. In other words, 218 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,159 don't bore me with the science on these plants, and 219 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,960 you know, chlorophyll, bora, phyl that kind of thing. I 220 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,320 want this color and I want that shape, And you know, 221 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,159 they're designers and that's what they like to do. Put 222 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,240 plant material together, make it appealing. 223 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 2: They're both very valid ways to go through life. I 224 00:13:20,639 --> 00:13:22,399 think if you're missing out on the science part, you're 225 00:13:22,399 --> 00:13:25,240 missing out on a lot myself, because I find that fascinating. 226 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,759 But today's Plants on Trial is going to be a 227 00:13:28,759 --> 00:13:32,080 little bit different because I wanted to, instead of just 228 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,320 focusing on one plant, talk about some of the proven 229 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:39,360 winner's color choice shrubs that have become staples for garden 230 00:13:39,399 --> 00:13:43,919 and landscape designers across the country. You know, typically when 231 00:13:44,159 --> 00:13:47,759 someone is designing a garden for someone or installing a landscape, 232 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,080 you know, they don't necessarily want something. They want everything 233 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:54,639 to be predictable. They want to know how everything is 234 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,399 going to perform. They don't want calls from the client saying, 235 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,240 oh this looks weird, please come back, or is this normal? 236 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:02,960 And then they have to say, well, I don't know 237 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:04,919 if it's not normal because I've never grown it before. 238 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,240 And the result of all of this means that they 239 00:14:08,279 --> 00:14:11,320 tend to have they can have a very narrow focus, 240 00:14:11,759 --> 00:14:14,559 and you keep using the same plants yes, over and 241 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,480 over again. And then what happens. Someone calls a landscape 242 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:19,639 designer to do their house. They do an amazing job. 243 00:14:19,679 --> 00:14:21,960 The neighbor says, oh, hey, your lawn looks your yard 244 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,000 looks great. Who did you call? And then they call 245 00:14:25,039 --> 00:14:27,519 that person and now this person takes their palette and 246 00:14:27,919 --> 00:14:30,480 reconfigures it for the next door, and then you end 247 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:35,039 up with these, you know, very same landscapes. So we 248 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,279 have a full time landscape outreach manager and her job 249 00:14:39,399 --> 00:14:43,440 is to really help people in the landscape industry, whichever 250 00:14:43,519 --> 00:14:45,320 of those levels that I just went through, that they 251 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,399 are at to understand how our plants are different and 252 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:52,360 can make their jobs easier and make them look like 253 00:14:52,879 --> 00:14:54,159 superstars at their job. 254 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,759 Speaker 1: The genetics are important. 255 00:14:57,039 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 2: So I think the perfect example of one has really 256 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:05,799 upended the landscape design industry is Incredible Hydrangea. So everyone 257 00:15:05,799 --> 00:15:08,519 knows Annabel, we've talked about it before. You know, it 258 00:15:08,559 --> 00:15:11,600 was a very common plant because it was reliable, it's beautiful. 259 00:15:11,639 --> 00:15:14,399 People love those big flowers right in the middle of 260 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,399 summer when they're spending the most time outside. But Annabel 261 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,519 flops as soon as we get a big summer storm. 262 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,600 Those flowers are on the ground, and you know, landscape 263 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,840 designers probably get pretty tired of hearing from clients that 264 00:15:25,879 --> 00:15:27,759 they want them to come out and stake them or 265 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,879 do something about it, when it's really just an inherent 266 00:15:30,919 --> 00:15:35,240 liability of the Annabel hydrangea. So Incredible was really the 267 00:15:35,279 --> 00:15:39,159 first smooth hydrangea so like Annabel to come out that 268 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,639 had stronger stems and bigger flowers, and so it really 269 00:15:43,679 --> 00:15:45,919 solved a problem as much as it solves a problem 270 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,759 for homeowners, like you know, the gardeners who listen to 271 00:15:48,799 --> 00:15:51,840 our show. It also solved a problem for landscape designers, 272 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:56,720 and now it is probably in our top five go 273 00:15:56,799 --> 00:16:00,399 to plants for landscapers. Landscape designers of all stre have 274 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:05,279 switched from Annabelle to Incredible because it really again resolves those. 275 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:06,799 Speaker 1: Liabilities and maintenance is easy. 276 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 2: Another great example, if you ever go down south, you 277 00:16:11,399 --> 00:16:15,720 will see Laura pedlum, also known as Chinese French flower everywhere. 278 00:16:15,799 --> 00:16:20,799 It is such a staple of warm climate landscapes. And 279 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:25,080 we brought over jazz Hands variegated Laura pedalum. So really 280 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,600 in the US there hadn't been a variegated Laura pedalum. 281 00:16:28,039 --> 00:16:31,200 We brought that over from a very talented breeder in Japan, 282 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:36,480 and you know, again, it just completely took the Southern 283 00:16:36,559 --> 00:16:40,440 landscape industry by storm because it's so different. So instead 284 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,799 of just being purple, it has this variegated foliage all 285 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,320 through the season. It's really splashy. It's really different, and 286 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:52,120 that has given people that landscape designers another plant in 287 00:16:52,159 --> 00:16:54,639 their palate for when they want to do something a 288 00:16:54,639 --> 00:16:58,039 little bit different, mix it up. It's a great choice. 289 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,440 Same thing with double plate candy corns, Spyria. Now, if 290 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:04,400 there is a plant that is a landscape designer staple, 291 00:17:04,519 --> 00:17:07,880 it's probably spyria, and for good reason. You know, they're 292 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,480 very pretty, they're very appealing. They have that, you know, 293 00:17:11,079 --> 00:17:15,640 tidy rounded look, so that when a landscaper does a job, 294 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,079 they leave that plant in the ground and the home 295 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:21,079 owner says, oh, look how nice and tidy this is. 296 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:24,240 I can't wait. This is colorful. So double play candy 297 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,640 corn spiria is the most colorful spiria. It's smaller than 298 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,440 most The color on this thing you really have to 299 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,160 see to believe. It may even be dare I say 300 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,119 too colorful for some people because it is that colorful. 301 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: They're very reliable, very reliable. And I would say that 302 00:17:39,759 --> 00:17:44,920 those spireas are to flower and shrubs what nepetta is 303 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:47,319 to perennial. Oh yes, same kind. 304 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:51,279 Speaker 2: Of Definitely, Neputa is like the go to for landscapers 305 00:17:51,599 --> 00:17:55,559 in the perennial world. And similarly to double play candy corn, 306 00:17:55,599 --> 00:17:58,359 double play doozy again a plant that people are familiar 307 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:01,680 with Japanese spiria, but it's sterile, so no worries about 308 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,880 its spreading seed and it reblooms, so it's going to 309 00:18:05,079 --> 00:18:08,240 keep flowering. So these are plants that were pretty easy, 310 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:12,079 you know, for a landscaper to make the switch. Another 311 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,000 good example, though, is low scape mound or the low 312 00:18:15,039 --> 00:18:19,000 scape arronias in general. So landscapers were already using a 313 00:18:19,039 --> 00:18:21,640 variety called Viking. It was a go to plant. You 314 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:27,160 see it in parking lots a lot and they you know, 315 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,519 it was popular and it was good, but it didn't 316 00:18:29,559 --> 00:18:32,400 have optimal flowering, it didn't have optimal fall colors. So 317 00:18:32,799 --> 00:18:36,359 along come the low scape arronia series. We've got new forms, 318 00:18:36,759 --> 00:18:40,240 we've got new shapes, we've got improved color, improved flowering, 319 00:18:40,319 --> 00:18:43,319 improved fruit set as a result of that improved flowering, 320 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:48,559 and you know, the lowscaper ronias have really in some 321 00:18:48,759 --> 00:18:52,079 areas dethroned. Grow low sumac, which was sort of like 322 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,200 this ultimate parking lot plant. You could just plant it 323 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:55,680 and let it go and it would do its thing 324 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,400 and it was virtually indestructible, but tended to be pretty 325 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,599 expensive because it was hard to propagate and slow growing, 326 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,319 whereas the erronia's easy to propagate, fast growing, so it 327 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:09,480 makes it a much more cost effective substitute. So sometimes 328 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,559 the plants that landscaper professionals. Gravitate towards aren't even necessarily 329 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,000 the same kind of thing, but they do serve a 330 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:23,119 similar role in the landscape. So, you know, when limelight 331 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:25,799 hydrangea came out, of course it changed everything. And that's 332 00:19:25,839 --> 00:19:30,200 why there's limelight everywhere because homeowners and professional landscapers alike 333 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,680 have planted it everywhere. But much like going back to 334 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,960 what I was saying about incredible, it has some liabilities. 335 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,160 It's late blooming, so it doesn't you know, you could 336 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:40,920 have a cool summer here in Michigan and it doesn't 337 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:45,000 even start putting on flowers until late August. And you know, 338 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,480 because it was one of the earliest selections of panicle hydrangeas, 339 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,680 the stems were not optimally strong like we have now 340 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:57,240 with limelight prime. So now, even within a plant where 341 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,799 limelight had changed the industry, Limelight prime is upending that 342 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,200 part of the industry along with all of our dwarf 343 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,000 panicle hydranges. You know, for years people might have wanted 344 00:20:07,039 --> 00:20:10,799 to use a panicle hydrangea in a project, but they 345 00:20:10,839 --> 00:20:14,240 didn't have anything small enough, you know, because they're big plants. 346 00:20:14,279 --> 00:20:17,319 They get to be ten twelve, twenty feet as they mature. 347 00:20:18,039 --> 00:20:23,440 So having a huge variety of dwarf panicle hydranges like Bobo, 348 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,640 like little lime, like little lime punch, a little quick 349 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,079 fire has also really changed the industry. Not it's a 350 00:20:30,079 --> 00:20:33,079 plant that they already loved using and now they're able 351 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:37,680 to use those in new ways. So there's lots of 352 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,680 these kinds of you know, I guess features that we're 353 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:45,759 looking at to expand the selection for professionals, which of 354 00:20:45,799 --> 00:20:48,519 course then expands the selection for all of us who 355 00:20:48,799 --> 00:20:53,039 look at the landscapes that they design. So I am 356 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,680 going to give Adriana this little list. I worked with Jane, 357 00:20:56,839 --> 00:20:59,960 our landscape design manager, on this list of the plant 358 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:02,200 that landscaper is like the best. We will make sure 359 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,039 to include it in the YouTube version, so please do 360 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,759 check that out, and of course look for Proven Winner's 361 00:21:08,799 --> 00:21:11,759 Color Choice shrubs at your local garden center. We're going 362 00:21:11,839 --> 00:21:13,279 to take a break. When you come back, we're opening 363 00:21:13,319 --> 00:21:22,759 up the mailbags, so please stay tuned at Proven Winners 364 00:21:22,799 --> 00:21:26,079 Color Choice Shrubs. We know that a better landscape starts 365 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,920 with a better shrub. Our team of experts tests and 366 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:31,920 evaluates all of our flowering shrubs in Evergreens for eight 367 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,160 to ten years to ensure they outperform what's already on 368 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:39,559 the market. For easycare, reliable, beautiful shrubs to accentuate your 369 00:21:39,559 --> 00:21:42,599 home and express your personal style. Look for proven Winner's 370 00:21:42,599 --> 00:21:45,720 Shrubs in the distinctive white container at your local garden center, 371 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,480 or learn more at proven Winner's Color Choice dot com 372 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,000 readings Gardening friends, and welcome back once again to the 373 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,960 Gardening Simplified Show wherever you are joining us, whether that 374 00:21:58,039 --> 00:22:00,640 is through radio, podcast, or YouTube, where we're so glad 375 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,039 you're here and we would be happy to help you 376 00:22:03,079 --> 00:22:06,599 out with your garden questions, quandaries and conundrums, or of 377 00:22:06,599 --> 00:22:09,880 course celebrations. If you just been dying to tell someone 378 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:11,960 who is on your same wavelength when it comes to 379 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,279 plants and gardening, you can reach out to us with 380 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,599 those as well, or leave them as comments on YouTube, 381 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,200 just as it Gardening Simplified on air dot com. That's 382 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:23,599 our website, and click the contact button to send us 383 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,680 a message. It's just that easy. And I know there's 384 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:28,799 a lot of stuff going on right now, like this 385 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:30,079 question from Tom. 386 00:22:31,079 --> 00:22:33,400 Speaker 1: Tom writes to us, I have a four year old 387 00:22:33,559 --> 00:22:37,720 Jane tulip magnolia in Baltimore, Maryland' zone seven. It has 388 00:22:37,759 --> 00:22:41,079 started to have dry gray stuff on the tops of 389 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,480 some of the leaves. Then the leaves get dark brown 390 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:48,079 turn yellow. We've never fertilized it. It's in well draining soil, 391 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,839 lives next to a false cypress and perennial flowers and shrubs. 392 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:57,119 It had two blooms this year. Any suggestions, love listening 393 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,480 to your podcasts inspirational. 394 00:22:59,839 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 2: So Tom did include some photos of what he is 395 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:04,880 seeing on his magnolia, so you can check those out 396 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:08,279 on YouTube. And you know, I wanted to answer Tom's 397 00:23:08,319 --> 00:23:10,599 question today because I think that what Tom is seeing 398 00:23:10,599 --> 00:23:13,799 on his magnolia is something that people are seeing on 399 00:23:13,839 --> 00:23:17,039 their magnolias as well as all sorts of different plants, 400 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,039 which is simply that at this point in the season, 401 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:25,079 the stresses have piled up, you know, all of the 402 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:29,279 things that kind of went wrong in terms of plant health, 403 00:23:29,279 --> 00:23:32,319 whether that was a very hot and dry period or 404 00:23:32,319 --> 00:23:35,640 a very very wet period, or any number of things 405 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:37,680 that can happen to a plant during the course of 406 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:42,960 the growing season. They've all accumulated now. And I find 407 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:47,799 that very often leaf spots become much more noticeable in 408 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:52,599 full some for some in some cases that's simply because 409 00:23:53,559 --> 00:23:57,319 that's what has had. That's enough time for the fungal 410 00:23:57,400 --> 00:23:59,720 leaf spots, which actually make the leaf spot. The fungus 411 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,559 is in the leaf, not leaving any signs of its presence, 412 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:06,759 but then by the time fall comes around, it's like, 413 00:24:06,799 --> 00:24:09,920 oh hey, I'm you know, a fruiting body now and 414 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,119 making those leaf spots. I think the gray on magnolias 415 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:15,279 that they sometimes get at this point in the year 416 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:21,519 are just it's just stress, just from you know, drying heat, whatever. 417 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,079 It's not a problem. I mean, plants get stressed, just 418 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:26,319 like we get stressed. We can still be happy and 419 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:30,559 healthy and undergo various levels of stress throughout our day 420 00:24:30,599 --> 00:24:33,119 for all sorts of different reasons, but it doesn't mean 421 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:35,680 that there's something like actually wrong with us. So I 422 00:24:35,759 --> 00:24:38,920 don't think that that's any cause for concern. Again, you're 423 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:40,880 gonna see this happen on all sorts of plants. I mean, 424 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,680 I think the tar spot on Norway maple is a 425 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,680 classic example that a lot of people see. So don't 426 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:49,680 be alarmed when you see spots coming onto your foliage 427 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:53,960 in full. Fungal diseases are not in the plant, they 428 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,759 are on the plant. So once that foliage drops, it 429 00:24:57,799 --> 00:25:00,240 doesn't have that fungus anymore. And the best thing you 430 00:25:00,279 --> 00:25:02,000 can do as a gardener is just to do your 431 00:25:02,039 --> 00:25:06,200 best to remove and discard any infected foliage. Just try 432 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:09,000 to put it, you know, in the garbage instead of 433 00:25:09,079 --> 00:25:11,839 in a compost pile where those funkal lese wars can 434 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:16,359 potentially you know, proliferate and spread. But it's really that 435 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,759 simple and trying to reduce the stress for the plant. Now, 436 00:25:19,799 --> 00:25:22,839 why your plant isn't flowering super well, I don't know. 437 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,559 It looks very healthy, you know. Again, there's pictures of 438 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:27,759 the close ups of the spots that you're seeing as 439 00:25:27,799 --> 00:25:31,680 well as the whole plant. I have seen that it 440 00:25:31,799 --> 00:25:35,200 does have buds on it right now, because magnolias start 441 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:37,920 to set their flower buds for next year in late summer. 442 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,359 So when you see all those nice fuzzy kind of 443 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,039 buds on the plant, that is all flowers for next year, 444 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:45,720 and you're you know, from some of the pictures that 445 00:25:45,759 --> 00:25:48,240 you included, Tom, I could see it does have some 446 00:25:48,279 --> 00:25:53,920 good flowers. Some plants very often have off years, you know, 447 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:56,440 they'll bloom relaiers like a mass year with acorns. They 448 00:25:56,519 --> 00:25:59,400 just will have some years where they're just super abundant. 449 00:26:00,279 --> 00:26:03,839 Probably the biggest issue with magnolias if they don't bloom well, 450 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:09,000 is very often because they get a frost. Magnolias bloom 451 00:26:09,079 --> 00:26:13,440 early and are very susceptible to cold and frost and 452 00:26:13,759 --> 00:26:18,200 ice in that early spring time period when they bloom, 453 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:22,240 and there are times where, yeah, if the buds are 454 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,359 just open enough to show color and you get a 455 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,559 really bad froster freeze, it can fry the entire bloom for. 456 00:26:28,519 --> 00:26:31,079 Speaker 1: The year, not only the blooms, but the foliage. Also, 457 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:34,680 when the foliage is tender in early spring, we get rain, 458 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:39,119 cold weather, that's when those spots will start. But they're small. 459 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,039 You really don't see it. As you approach fall, they 460 00:26:42,079 --> 00:26:45,240 coalesce and actually start to become one big space. Yes, 461 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:49,039 and the foliage is unsightly, So I would agree with you, 462 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:54,000 Agree with you, Stacey, and I would recommend that if 463 00:26:54,039 --> 00:26:57,640 this tree is getting rather large, maybe look at possibly 464 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,519 doing some pruning. And when I say pruning, I'm talking 465 00:27:01,559 --> 00:27:06,680 about taking out some branches completely to open up the 466 00:27:06,799 --> 00:27:11,000 light and air penetration into the canopy. If that's necessary. 467 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,519 I'm not saying that's the case here and then typical 468 00:27:13,599 --> 00:27:16,519 of any magnolia trees, make sure you check for scale. 469 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:17,799 Speaker 2: Yep, for sure. 470 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 1: If there are lichens growing on the tree. The lichens 471 00:27:20,759 --> 00:27:23,680 are not a problem. I love lichens, but it can 472 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,839 exhibit to us that there's slow growth on that tree. 473 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:29,759 So there's all kinds of things to be looking at. 474 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 2: Ye, But it's healthy. Yeah, And you know, sometimes plants 475 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:36,400 just have leaf spots and it's just the way that 476 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,559 it is, and it's not usually a big cause for concern. 477 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,519 So and soon enough that village will be gone and 478 00:27:42,559 --> 00:27:46,279 you'll have a fresh crop within you know, eight months. 479 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:51,559 Speaker 1: Look at this a question specifically for you. Stacy Lori writes, 480 00:27:51,599 --> 00:27:56,720 I have a question for the Hydrangea queen'stening the Hydrangeer queen. 481 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:01,160 I've received multiple answers from my extension off local nurseries. 482 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:06,079 I have a seventeen I have seventeen three year old 483 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:10,480 beautiful bobo hydranges eastern exposure. They get sun until about 484 00:28:10,519 --> 00:28:14,680 three pm and bloom beautifully until the beginning of August 485 00:28:14,759 --> 00:28:18,119 every year, at which time the blooms start browning. I 486 00:28:18,279 --> 00:28:20,960 water and dripped for sixty minutes a day. They don't 487 00:28:21,039 --> 00:28:26,720 feel dry. They get hit by a sprinkler overspray every 488 00:28:26,759 --> 00:28:29,640 other day for about fifteen minutes. No one can help 489 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:34,240 me point to why these are browning when the soil 490 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:35,960 is adequately hydrated. 491 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:36,279 Speaker 2: Help. 492 00:28:36,559 --> 00:28:39,319 Speaker 1: Here are a few pictures. It's pretty easy to tell 493 00:28:39,359 --> 00:28:42,079 when they were healthy in July versus August. 494 00:28:42,319 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 2: Right, So thank you Lauri for your question, And yeah, 495 00:28:47,279 --> 00:28:49,759 you're right, Laurie. The number one reason that a panicle 496 00:28:49,839 --> 00:28:53,200 hydrangel like Bobo will not develop pink or red color 497 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:58,160 is usually it dried out too much during its flower's 498 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:01,160 blooming season. If you live in a warm climate, then 499 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,039 the better reason would The reason most likely is because 500 00:29:04,119 --> 00:29:08,079 the nights are too warm. But it is also possible 501 00:29:08,119 --> 00:29:11,319 for panicle hydrangels even in well watered conditions, which is 502 00:29:11,359 --> 00:29:15,640 obviously one of to have browning on the flowers. And 503 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:17,920 I think that you stated the answer right there in 504 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:22,000 your sprinkler overspray, because what happens with these plants that 505 00:29:22,079 --> 00:29:25,119 I have seen even our own in our own trial 506 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:29,039 garden where we have everything on irrigation. We are right 507 00:29:29,079 --> 00:29:32,440 on the Grand River, and I think a combination of 508 00:29:32,559 --> 00:29:36,759 heavy mist, heavy humidity, and or sprinkler overspray when that 509 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:43,000 moisture sits on the flowers that delicate petal tissue when 510 00:29:43,039 --> 00:29:45,000 the moisture is just sitting there, and then you know 511 00:29:45,039 --> 00:29:48,559 that hot summer sun comes up over the horizon and 512 00:29:48,599 --> 00:29:51,240 it just fries them. It's almost like a kind of 513 00:29:51,359 --> 00:29:54,440 rotting effect. So it's not dry and crispy like a 514 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:56,799 plant that didn't get enough water. It's just kind of like, 515 00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:59,279 I don't want to say mushy. It's not that, but 516 00:29:59,319 --> 00:30:03,160 it's almost like the blooms are kind of rotting. And 517 00:30:03,319 --> 00:30:06,359 so yeah, I have definitely found that humidity plays a 518 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:10,119 big part of that. If you can adjust those sprinkler 519 00:30:10,119 --> 00:30:13,119 heads to not overspray your bobos, I think that you 520 00:30:13,319 --> 00:30:16,799 will be golden. But that is also something that's sometimes 521 00:30:16,799 --> 00:30:19,599 easier said than done. Although you know a screwdriver. Most 522 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:22,880 sprinkler heads are adjustable with a screwdriver, and so you 523 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,359 could see can you change the angle slightly or you know, 524 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:27,319 make it not go up as high so it's maybe 525 00:30:27,359 --> 00:30:31,759 not covering the bobos. But I've definitely seen it here 526 00:30:32,279 --> 00:30:36,400 where humid areas or anytime moisture sits within those blooms, 527 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:38,920 and especially with panicle hydrangels, they can hold on to 528 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:42,400 so much moisture because the blooms are so big because 529 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:43,039 of the problem. 530 00:30:43,079 --> 00:30:47,039 Speaker 1: If you want to determine whether or not overhead irrigation 531 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:52,160 and that humidity is a problem for future years, just 532 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:56,480 plant a few cucumber plants. They'll tell you real quick 533 00:30:56,559 --> 00:30:57,240 what's going on? 534 00:30:57,839 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 2: Yes, right, yeah, boy, speaking of leaf spots at this 535 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:03,240 point in the year. Please do not look at my computer, 536 00:31:03,319 --> 00:31:06,920 my cue my computers. Please do not look at my cucumbers. 537 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:11,599 Whatever you do, they are looking extremely, extremely sad. 538 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: So Laura writes to us. In one of the episodes 539 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:18,680 Rick and Stacey, we're discussing hydranges and if they are 540 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:22,240 beneficial for pollinators. I can't find the episode. Would you 541 00:31:22,319 --> 00:31:25,759 be able to tell me which episode the discussion was, Uh, right. 542 00:31:25,599 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 2: So I don't know offhand because we've talked about hydrange 543 00:31:27,759 --> 00:31:30,200 is so much. But I did want to answer your question, Laura, 544 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,200 because my answer would be the same in any episode, 545 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,960 and that is lace cap hydranges. So if you can 546 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,960 find any type of hydrange, whether it's a macrophilla, a panicle, 547 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:45,240 a smooth hydrangel like Annabel, and incredible if you find 548 00:31:45,279 --> 00:31:50,319 the lace cap version where those small sterary where those 549 00:31:50,359 --> 00:31:54,400 small starry fertile florets are more visible. They're not hidden 550 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:58,480 by those showy sterile florets. You can see those fertile florets. 551 00:31:58,599 --> 00:32:01,039 That's where the nectar is, that's where the pollen is, 552 00:32:01,319 --> 00:32:04,359 that's where the bugs want to get to. So anytime 553 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,440 you find a lace cap version, you are going to 554 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:09,400 have pollinators, no matter what type of plant that is. 555 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:13,519 The mopheads do tend to be more popular, and in fact, 556 00:32:13,519 --> 00:32:16,119 I think we had a hot take comment on YouTube 557 00:32:16,119 --> 00:32:18,559 where someone said why would anyone ever plant a lace cap? 558 00:32:18,599 --> 00:32:20,960 But you yourself said it here, Laura. The best reason 559 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,759 to plant a lace gap is because they are beloved 560 00:32:23,759 --> 00:32:27,079 by pollinators. So just look at the label or do 561 00:32:27,119 --> 00:32:29,799 your research before you go to the gardens center. But 562 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:32,880 pick a lace cap and as they say, if you 563 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:34,000 plant it, they will come. 564 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:37,119 Speaker 1: Lace caps are landing pads for pollinators. 565 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,359 Speaker 2: They sure are, and I happen to like them quite 566 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:44,839 a bit. Sure, but different strokes for different folks. So anyway, 567 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:47,400 thank you all so much for your questions. We're going 568 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:48,960 to take a little break. When we come back, we're 569 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:58,480 continuing our conversation on designer plants. Stay tuned. Thanks for 570 00:32:58,519 --> 00:33:01,559 listening to The Gardening Simplified brought to you by Proven 571 00:33:01,559 --> 00:33:04,759 Winners Color Choice Shrubs. Our award winning flowering shrubs and 572 00:33:04,759 --> 00:33:07,960 evergreens are trialed and tested by experts with your success 573 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:12,720 in mind. Learn more at Proven Winners color Choice dot com. 574 00:33:13,079 --> 00:33:15,799 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show. As we talk 575 00:33:15,839 --> 00:33:20,160 about designer plants, Stacey, an annual plant that I have 576 00:33:20,359 --> 00:33:25,000 watched through the years become a designer choice. A designer 577 00:33:25,119 --> 00:33:29,759 plant has been Colius. When you look at the new 578 00:33:30,039 --> 00:33:36,279 cultivars of Colius available today, the color Blaze, Colius proven winners, 579 00:33:36,839 --> 00:33:40,799 and I'm thinking specifically Wicked Witch. You will see them 580 00:33:40,799 --> 00:33:45,000 in containers out in public places, a variety of areas. 581 00:33:45,599 --> 00:33:48,480 Now that it has the sun tolerance that it has 582 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,880 has a tendency not to bolter go to seed. That 583 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:55,279 has become a real designer plant in my mind. 584 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:58,279 Speaker 2: Well, you know, as far as designers go, you know 585 00:33:58,359 --> 00:34:00,599 there's times where you're like, oh, if only I had 586 00:34:00,599 --> 00:34:04,559 something with like this color and you know these colors 587 00:34:04,599 --> 00:34:06,680 in it, And chances are you will find that in 588 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:10,639 Colius these days. Because there is just such a huge range. 589 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:13,239 I just I truly wish I could grow them. But 590 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:18,119 the deer love them. It is like a deer a 591 00:34:18,159 --> 00:34:21,119 parateief for the rest of the garden if I at 592 00:34:21,199 --> 00:34:22,960 least it's functioned that way when I've tried to grow them. 593 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:25,239 Speaker 1: But yeah, I have them in the compound. You're right. 594 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:29,920 You mentioned elderberry earlier, and I would agree with you. 595 00:34:30,119 --> 00:34:33,840 Japanese maples, of course a go to plant for designers. 596 00:34:34,679 --> 00:34:38,599 Anything foliage that has a tropical feel, in my mind 597 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:44,039 is a designer plant. Emerald isle, alocacia, of course, my 598 00:34:44,159 --> 00:34:49,719 beloved cannas, but any type of you know, cordillines, tropical plants, 599 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:53,440 foliage plants, and of course I've got to throw grasses 600 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,400 into the mix also. And I have a friend who 601 00:34:56,880 --> 00:35:00,159 has recently retired and was hired by a gol golf 602 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:06,159 course to fix up their landscape areas, and his go 603 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,760 to designer plant is hack and a cloaw. 604 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:11,039 Speaker 2: Oh, that's a nice one. 605 00:35:11,079 --> 00:35:13,119 Speaker 1: And it is, and I think you will see a 606 00:35:13,159 --> 00:35:17,360 lot of designers use hack and a kloa to a 607 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,119 large extent for some color, or if they have a tough, 608 00:35:20,159 --> 00:35:23,639 shady area they want to add something in with ferns 609 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,920 and hosta hosta. Again, some people don't like them. Some 610 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:31,480 people do, but there's great variety, and Stacey again, the 611 00:35:31,679 --> 00:35:36,559 size and impact of the texture of the foliage makes 612 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:38,719 hostas a designer plant. 613 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:40,960 Speaker 2: Well, you know, the great thing about Hakkonakloa also known 614 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:43,920 as Japanese forest grass, is it is one of the 615 00:35:44,159 --> 00:35:47,960 only somewhat shade tolerant grasses. So it's great on a 616 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,239 place like a golf course where you are going to 617 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:52,920 probably have some of those landscape areas with some shade 618 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:54,800 because it gets hot and sunny out there on those 619 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:56,599 golf courses. I'm guessing I don't know, I've never been 620 00:35:56,599 --> 00:36:00,760 on one. Seems like it in golf, and then it 621 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:05,079 will help to tie in all of the other, you know, 622 00:36:05,199 --> 00:36:08,039 ornamental grasses that are being planted around because you know 623 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,199 they have to be derresistant because you know, you can't 624 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:12,480 fence off a golf course. You know, it's a lot 625 00:36:12,519 --> 00:36:16,280 of space. So it's a good unifier that way that 626 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:18,199 they can kind of carry through from the sun to 627 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:18,840 the shade. 628 00:36:19,079 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 1: So he said that grasses and things like nepeta, Russian sage, 629 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:29,239 those types of plants were go to for those types of. 630 00:36:29,519 --> 00:36:31,880 Speaker 2: Well, ne but is another great choice because you know 631 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:34,440 all those golfers they come at different times of the season. 632 00:36:34,599 --> 00:36:36,960 None of them want to see the landscape looking less 633 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:40,400 than spectacular as they stroll the greens. I think it 634 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,719 makes some of them probably notice you know that that 635 00:36:43,039 --> 00:36:45,480 you know, the golfers love the azaleas at that golf 636 00:36:45,519 --> 00:36:49,360 tournament in the spring. So the masters, Yeah, the masters. 637 00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:55,800 Speaker 1: The masters, Augusta, Yes, that one, Yeah, that one phisocarpis. 638 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:59,079 Of course, we see a lot of box would used 639 00:36:59,199 --> 00:37:03,920 by designers. But again to your point earlier, Stacey, if 640 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:06,400 a landscape designer is going to put a plant in 641 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:09,000 a landscape, they need it to perform, and they need 642 00:37:09,039 --> 00:37:11,719 it to perform not for just one week, but they 643 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,400 need it to perform all season long reliably. 644 00:37:16,079 --> 00:37:19,119 Speaker 2: Yeah. The boxwood, Oh my gosh. When I worked as 645 00:37:19,159 --> 00:37:21,599 a rooftop gardener in New York and took care of 646 00:37:21,639 --> 00:37:24,800 a lot of buildings, boxwood is such a go to. 647 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:27,519 And it's partly because it is such a classic plant. 648 00:37:27,519 --> 00:37:30,599 I mean, you can't go wrong with boxwood. Pretty much 649 00:37:30,599 --> 00:37:34,079 always looks classy unless it's you know, half dead. But 650 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:36,880 they're also such a great problem solver for the city 651 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:39,440 because light can be very uneven. You want to have 652 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:41,760 a match set of something, but one side is shady, 653 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:44,760 one side is sunny. And boxwood. You know, it has 654 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:50,159 that classic look, but it's durability has helped it to 655 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:54,440 maintain that that stature. And I love them. I mean 656 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:56,599 my garden would be lost without boxwood. 657 00:37:56,840 --> 00:38:02,239 Speaker 1: Absolutely, river birch. You'll see a lot of river birch used. 658 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:08,159 In addition to that, juneberry, ferns, foam flour. And here's 659 00:38:08,519 --> 00:38:13,039 two perennials that have really elevated themselves in the area 660 00:38:13,159 --> 00:38:17,519 of go to plants for designers. And one would be 661 00:38:17,599 --> 00:38:22,920 Achinasia because of all the variety and long lasting blooms, 662 00:38:23,559 --> 00:38:27,159 the other being Baptisia. Those two I think have really 663 00:38:27,199 --> 00:38:31,159 elevated themselves on that list of go to plants for design. 664 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:34,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, Baptisia. A good specimen is basically a 665 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:36,840 shrub in the landscape. They can be so big and 666 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:41,960 contribute so much texture and structure before they go dormant. 667 00:38:42,199 --> 00:38:46,119 Speaker 1: I love broad leaf evergreens for designing. Of course I 668 00:38:46,199 --> 00:38:52,159 love rhododendrons. But Stacey the Paisley popp dog hobble, Now 669 00:38:52,199 --> 00:38:56,159 that plant I would consider that a designer plant and 670 00:38:56,360 --> 00:38:58,039 acts like a broad leaf evergreen. 671 00:38:58,159 --> 00:39:00,880 Speaker 2: It is a broad leaf evergreen yep. And so that 672 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:05,920 is a lukothawe and a native North American native plant, 673 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:10,199 but variegated purple and white green variegation not like anything 674 00:39:10,199 --> 00:39:13,599 else you've ever seen, and just a really fun take 675 00:39:13,639 --> 00:39:15,519 on it. But also because this is a very shade 676 00:39:15,559 --> 00:39:18,760 tolerant plant really brightens up the shade. That variegation. You know, 677 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,079 it looks great if you plant a green variety, of course, 678 00:39:21,159 --> 00:39:25,719 but the variegation really just helps to light up areas 679 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,400 under trees, which is where that plant is happiest. 680 00:39:28,519 --> 00:39:31,679 Speaker 1: You bet, sweet and low sweet box would be along 681 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:34,320 that same line definitely, and I think has to be 682 00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:39,039 on that list of go to plants. Loria pee as 683 00:39:39,079 --> 00:39:41,840 a groundcover, some people will shake their head and say no, 684 00:39:42,119 --> 00:39:45,880 not for me. But you know, groundcovers can get a 685 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:51,440 bad rap because some tend to get a little bit 686 00:39:51,559 --> 00:39:51,960 out of. 687 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 2: Hand, and Lariopi's one of those. It's not really a 688 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:58,119 problem for us too much in Michigan, but in milder 689 00:39:58,119 --> 00:40:01,800 climates it can be. But you know, it looks like grass, 690 00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:03,280 but you only have to cut it back, you know, 691 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:05,119 once a year in spring, and then it has these 692 00:40:05,159 --> 00:40:09,599 great purple flower spikes. That pollinators love and it's der resistant, 693 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,880 So in some ways, you know, it's all about Designers 694 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,440 have to solve problems, just like home gardeners have to 695 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:19,920 solve problems, but designers have the additional responsibility of doing 696 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:23,119 so beautifully. So that's why they're so good to listen 697 00:40:23,159 --> 00:40:26,320 to you is because they've really kind of discovered what 698 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:30,239 these solutions are in a plant that will make even 699 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:31,519 finicky homeowners happy. 700 00:40:31,760 --> 00:40:38,159 Speaker 1: No, I agree, many choices. So like any interior designer 701 00:40:38,719 --> 00:40:42,639 or a designer of landscapes, I think one of the 702 00:40:42,679 --> 00:40:44,320 things you have to do is you have to look 703 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:48,400 at your own quirks. I mean, who hasn't put some 704 00:40:48,599 --> 00:40:54,079 plants in place and the following year been surprised by, Wow, 705 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:57,800 that's really nice. I mean, that's that's happened to me. 706 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:00,920 Put tulip bulbs in the ground over a bed of 707 00:41:01,039 --> 00:41:03,800 pansies than that I planted and fall and then when 708 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:06,440 the tulips grew up through the pansies, it was just 709 00:41:06,519 --> 00:41:08,920 absolutely gorgeous and it was like I knew what I 710 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:11,000 was doing all along, but actually I didn't. 711 00:41:11,239 --> 00:41:13,280 Speaker 2: But you know, there, I think there's a case to 712 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:18,000 be made by having some instinct at play there. But 713 00:41:18,039 --> 00:41:20,199 you know, honestly, what I have found. If there is 714 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:24,000 one sort of thing that I have discovered in all 715 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:26,679 my years of gardening, it's kind of that if you 716 00:41:26,719 --> 00:41:29,599 put a lot of plants together, they're gonna look pretty great. 717 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:34,320 I mean it's you know, there's definitely levels of greatness 718 00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:38,079 visual greatness within it. But if you just like plant 719 00:41:38,159 --> 00:41:42,400 a bunch of stuff together that you like and it's 720 00:41:42,679 --> 00:41:45,599 different heights and different shapes, which you know typically they 721 00:41:45,639 --> 00:41:48,719 are going to be, it's gonna look awesome. I mean 722 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:51,880 there's you know, designers can pass it off as natural 723 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:54,599 all they want, but you know, really it's just a 724 00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:58,079 to me very much critical mass plays a role. 725 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:00,320 Speaker 1: I like that and I had that on my list. 726 00:42:00,440 --> 00:42:06,079 Lean into the proportions. Oh and just like interior design lighting, 727 00:42:06,519 --> 00:42:10,119 Oh yeah, think about it, the tree canopy, filtered shade, 728 00:42:10,719 --> 00:42:14,159 night lighting. These are all things that you can use. 729 00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:19,639 We talk about structures, whether it's a pergola or an archway, 730 00:42:20,519 --> 00:42:25,119 but basically they add dimension to your landscape. Can your 731 00:42:25,199 --> 00:42:28,039 landscape tell a story? I mean I can walk people 732 00:42:28,079 --> 00:42:32,440 through my landscape and tell stories about the plants as 733 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:35,599 you walk along. It all adds to the interest of 734 00:42:35,639 --> 00:42:37,840 the landscape. I can say, hey, that one right there, 735 00:42:37,880 --> 00:42:40,320 I pulled out of a dumpster behind a box stove. 736 00:42:40,679 --> 00:42:43,159 They dumped it, so I put it in the land Now, 737 00:42:43,199 --> 00:42:44,320 look how beautiful it is. 738 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:46,960 Speaker 2: And then you got all the fun scientific facts. You know. 739 00:42:47,159 --> 00:42:48,960 If you like we were talking about last week with 740 00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:51,320 the Osa Grange, you got an osage orange on your property, 741 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:55,000 you can tell everyone that visits that it's the seed. 742 00:42:55,159 --> 00:42:57,920 It was dispersed by mammoths. Yeah, love the exact to it. 743 00:42:57,960 --> 00:43:00,360 That's why I share them so that you can wow 744 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:02,639 people with your knowledge of your plans. 745 00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:04,920 Speaker 1: So if you think you didn't go to school to 746 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:09,320 become a designer, I want to encourage you to experiment. 747 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:12,280 And there are so many great choices. Like my good 748 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:15,360 friend Jill would always say to me, Rick, fake it 749 00:43:15,559 --> 00:43:19,719 until you make it right now, and you have free 750 00:43:19,760 --> 00:43:21,960 reign to do that in the landscape. I said you 751 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:22,440 can do that. 752 00:43:24,039 --> 00:43:25,639 Speaker 2: I say you can do it too, Stacy. 753 00:43:25,679 --> 00:43:28,960 Speaker 1: It's been fun fun. Thank you, Thanks Adriana. Thanks to 754 00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:32,480 you for watching us on YouTube, finding us along with 755 00:43:32,519 --> 00:43:36,239 your other favorite podcasts, and listening to the show or 756 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:40,079 listening to us on our radio version. Have a great week.