Mysterious Large-Scale Landscaping Project

For those of you who have visited our retail nursery and garden center in the past month or so, you may have noticed some remarkable changes occurring in our landscape. With all of the landscaping projects we have been completing for our customers, we thought we might work on a few of our own.

Because we are situated above a small rise, our beautiful bedding plants are really not visible from the road. To draw attention to our presence, we decided to create a dramatic display that will cause passersby to do a double (if not triple!) take.

Step one was to terrace the front lawn. Using large, geometric boulders, most of which are approximately three feet long and 14-18 inches wide and tall, we created three distinct arcs at graduating heights leading up the front lawn. Placed two blocks high, each level is clearly visible from the road below. Two sets of stone steps lead up to the top course, the site of our next step.

Step two was to begin construction on a rustic pergola. With rough-cut locust trees serving as its frame, the pergola was originally envisioned to support a number of large flowering vines, such as wisteria. This would be a dramatic focal point from the road, as well as an excellent site for special occasion photo opportunities, once the flowers planted around the structure and on the lower levels have filled in. The entire garden structure was to be gabled and measure about 34 feet long and 16 feet wide, with a wall height of 9 feet and the peak being around 12-13 feet. This is not a small pergola!

Step two-a: Since we are still in the early stages of this aspect of the project, we are allowing it to evolve in a slightly different direction than we first envisioned. One change is that we are considering modifying the roof from being an open log frame, whose purpose is to support vines, to being closed in, perhaps with a thatched roof. This would allow the structure to become much more functional, whether as a retail display or as a sheltered site for events. We are also changing the design to include unique, artistic panels of patterned boughs and twigs on the back wall. These will be visible from the front through wider and much more simplistic openings.
The long-range plan is that once it is completed and the surrounding property is thoroughly landscaped, we will be more than happy to accomodate your wedding or special event.

Look for pictures in upcoming posts as this project continues to take shape!

Mid-Summer Landscaping & Greene County Youth Fair

With the summer temperatures and local humidity reaching an unusually unbearable height for most homeowners, many residents of Greene, Albany, and Schoharie counties have reached out to us this year for their landscaping and home beautification projects.

From formal foundation plantings to naturalized bird and butterfly gardens, rock gardens, perennial beds, stone patios, water gardens, rustic pergolas and other garden structures, we offer a full range of gardening, landscaping, and hardscaping options. Unlike most commercial landscaping services in our area, we do not offer a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we work closely with individual home and business owners to understand their needs and help them to realize the garden spaces of their dreams.

While we have always offered landscape design, we are still working to spread the word about our installation and maintenance services. Thus, we were thrilled by the invitation to participate in the 2008 Greene County Youth Fair, where we will be installing temporary floral and landscaping displays for the duration of the fair and offering further information at our booth beneath the main tent.

To request a free consultation, or for more information about our garden services, nursery and greenhouses, seasonal fresh produce, or year-round gift shop, please contact us at:

(518) 966-8470 or info@mosswoodgardens.com

Memorial Day Weekend Planting Frenzy

While I've never been able to wait longer than May 15th to plant annuals and vegetables, many of our customers traditionally hold off until after Memorial Day, which falls particularly early this year. At Mosswood Gardens, this means a flurry of activity, as eager gardeners vie for specialty annuals.

This weekend, our customers can expect to find a huge selection of our unique hand-combined designer hanging baskets--never planted by using a "formula" and all at the same low price. Our annual staging area is overflowing with specialty annuals, including angelonia, diascia, persian shield, iresine, nemesia, double petunias, and much, much more, as well as conventional annuals in packs of 6 and trays of 48.

Our 12 varieties of tomatoes (red, orange, yellow, heirloom, cherry, and more!) are only the beginning of our enormous selection of vegetable and herb plants, which we are pleased to offer along with expert planting tips.

Since our opening day in 2006, our collection of perennials has tripled, both in quantity and variety. Savvy gardeners are delighted at the maturity of our ornamental bedding plants, knowing that they'll soon be enjoying the benefits of an affordable "instant" landscape, while connoisseurs are thrilled by the large number of rare cultivars and hard to find specimens.

Given the tremendous number of gardeners we've seen on this weekend in the past, I would recommend stopping by early for the best selection, although we'll also be open all day on Memorial Day itself.

Mosswood Gardens celebrates Earth Day by helping Cub Scouts earn merit badge

Mosswood Gardens takes great pride in supporting environmental awareness and ecologically sound growing practices year-round. Thus, when local Cub Scout leaders asked us to work with their scouts on Earth Day, we were more than happy to help.

After discussing the variety of ways in which plants can be propagated, learning the difference between annuals and perennials, and reviewing the various purposes for which plants are grown, the two groups of mostly boys were shown the steps and tools used by commercial growers to bring their plants from seed to sale. By the end of the visit, each scout had successfully transplanted annual plugs to their retail-ready packs. In honor of Earth Day, each child received a potted specialty annual with detailed care instructions.

April's unsually warm weather not only allowed our young visitors to work outside, but has also caused many perennials to break bud early. For eager gardeners, this is great news, as they get a jumpstart on the growing season. With moderate night time temperatures, even most annuals can be safely planted weeks earlier than usual. Nevertheless, between now and Memorial Day, keep a close eye on the weather, and protect tender plants by covering them or bringing them inside when frost is in the forecast. Additionally, while the sunny forecast is a welcome relief after a long winter, the lack of rain means that gardeners must keep a watchful eye on new plantings, checking them often for dryness and hand-watering as needed.

* * * Due to the current dry weather conditions, please refrain from starting any controlled or outdoor fires at this time * * *

Spring Growth at Mosswood Gardens

Despite the unexpected snow that is still falling, Mosswood Gardens is bursting with new growth. Greenhouses #1 and #2 filled to the brim with choice perennials, herbs, and a luscious assortment of annuals that are already beginning to bloom; our gorgeous and unique dish gardens will be making an appearance at the Cairo-Durham high school in support of the junior class fundraiser; our handcrafted faerie habitats have excited national interest; and, most exciting of all, greenhouse #3 will be arriving today to accomodate our stepped-up production in response to our acceptance into the Kingston Farmer's Market!

For the time being, greenhouse #3 will serve as a cold frame to house younger perennials and half-hardy annuals. In the future, it will also function as an unheated germination chamber. Seed flats will be warmed from below by heat mats and protected from cool nighttime temperatures by globed covers. To preserve the natural aesthetics of our location, this greenhouse will be placed to the left of our other two greenhouses, leaving the graded area to the right available for our impressive display of annuals from the spring through the fall, surrounded as it is with trees and the trill of birds.

Curious? Stop by on April 4-6 or April 11-13 for a look, and save 15% on everything in our gift shop in our two-weekend-only spring sale!

Unexpected Stress in the Greenhouse Industry

Owning a nursery is usually one of the most rewarding experiences I can imagine. I would not hesitate to recommend this profession to anyone who seeks true quality of life, as being around growing things for the better part of each day is truly a zen-like experience. Nevertheless, just as in any business, there are unexpected moments of intense anxiety that can arise, and about which the would be nursery owner should be aware.

Apart from the constant battle against the ravages of pests and diseases that can quickly decimate a whole season's earnings is the fear of loss of heat. Successful growing depends on careful monitoring of the temperatures within your greenhouses. Not only do some plants require highly consistent temperatures, which are usually regulated by thermostats, but nearly all of the plants grown in a commercial greenhouse, particularly during germination, are tender enough to sustain heavy damage or be lost entirely if the temperature drops below 55 degrees. Should the thermostat fail or a fuel delivery be delayed, this can happen very rapidly, especially if this occurs during the middle of a frigid winter night (note: do not rely on automatic delivery schedules for your greenhouse fuel; instead, keep an eye on your fuel levels and contact your provider immediately if you consume fuel more rapidly than their schedule predicts). Therefore, most serious growers possess remote alarms that monitor the temperature within the greenhouse and deliver a sharp alert to the sleeping owner should it drop dramatically. More than one nursery owner has consequently spent a sleepless night of anxious vigilance out in the greenhouse, armed with a slew of space heaters.

One of the greatest stresses for the typical grower can involve crop failure. When seeds fail to germinate, or a provider of live plant material such as cuttings or plugs fails to deliver, a real problem arises, particularly in the case of plants that are in high demand or that have been specially ordered by request. Assuming the seed for a lost crop is even still available by the time the failed germination is confirmed (which is often not the case), some seed companies can take several weeks to ship your order. By the time the seed arrives, there may not be enough time left in the season to grow the plant in time for its demand. The same is true when an expected shipment of live plants is not forthcoming or arrives damaged. Unfortunately, while these orders must typically be placed at least six months in advance of the expected delivery date, the provider may not feel compelled to provide any advance notice of failure in return, and the nursery owner may not discover the loss until the shipment is actually received. Because of the lead time required to fill such orders and the heavy demand at the time of year the issue arises, the lost plants may be impossible to replace at a later date.

The proper watering of nursery stock can also be a source of stress, although many owners actually find the process, which can consume all day, every day, to be relaxing. Growing beautiful plants depends on even watering. Should a drought or long period of heavy rains occur, outdoor plants may wither or rot. The same is true where an improperly trained employee is set to the task of watering, as it involves far more than simply waving a sprinkling hose back and forth over pots or trays. Each variety has its own particular moisture needs. Some, such as succulents, should not be watered until they are completely dry. Others, such as ligularia, should never be allowed to dry out completely. Geraniums flower heads will be quickly destroyed when wet, and asters will be far more prone to powdery mildew when the leaves are wet. Where plants are grown under cover and watered with dripline irrigation, soaker hoses, or other automated systems, many of these problems can be avoided, although this may not be practical or possible for the smaller grower.

While temperature control, crop failure, and watering issues are some of the most common concerns of the typical nursery owner, they are far from the only ones (the effect of the economy could well be the subject of many lengthy articles to come). Nevertheless, most small nursery owners will tell you that they continue to grow not because they expect to get rich, but for the love of the process. I, for one, can think of nothing more enjoyable than to see the first tiny sprouts break through the walls of the seeds in which they are imprisoned, spreading their new leaves eagerly to bask in the warmth of the sun.

Plant propagation and the law

We at Mosswood Gardens grow all of our own plants. This is not to say that every one of them is started from seed, as this is not always the easiest or most expeditious place to start. In many cases, growing from seed may not even be an option, as many of the beautifully colored and disease-resistant strains of plants such as geraniums or chrysanthemums are only available to us as cuttings.

Propagation, or the creation of new plants from an original plant, can be accomplished in a number of different ways. The most common methods used by the average home gardener are division or by sowing seeds. Seeds may be collected from many plants from their flower heads, after they have bloomed, or in the form of pods or berries.

Another method is to plant bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, or corms, which are treated similarly but are not the same thing (the difference between these terms will be the subject of a different article). These underground growths store the food the plant will need in order to grow in successive years. As the plant matures, the storage tanks begin to produce smaller offshoots that may be divided or separated from the parent and planted intheir own right. In the case of flowers like tulips or daylilies, such separation is essential to prevent overcrowding and ensure continued future blooms.

When it comes to plants with woodier stems, propagation is usually achieved by taking cuttings. In this method, a short section of an actively growing portion of the plant is cut from the parent, usually at a diagonal to create the maximum rooting surface area, after which it is treated with a rooting hormone and placed in a rooting medium such as moist sand (more on cuttings in a future article).

Another propagation technique is called layering. This may be accomplished in one of two ways. The traditional method is to stake down branches, vines, or canes, so that they are partially covered with soil at a distance from the parent plant. Over time, they will begin to produce their own roots, at which point they may be severed from the parent and planted independently. An alternative method, called air layering, is to cut partially through a branch, vine, cane, or stem, apply a rooting hormone, and then affixing a plastic bag containing a rooting medium over the cut.

Regardless of how a plant is propagated, home gardeners (and especially nurseries and garden centers) who do not first do a little research into the original plant may be inadvertently breaking the law. Many of the fabulous new colors and strains of plants that have been developed and brought to the market are patented and their propagation by any technique is prohibited without a specific license. Nurseries who seek to offer these plants must pay royalty fees, most often on purchased rooted or unrooted cuttings that they intend to grow on for the consumer. These fees go to support the vast amounts of time and painstaking research that went into the development of the new plant variety, so that scientists and growers may continue in their efforts to introduce exciting new strains for growers, producers, and home gardeners.

While it is unlikely that the typical home gardener will be visited by the "patent police," it is ultimately in their best interest to avoid propagating patented plants, which undermines the work that goes into plant research and can compromise the market. In the case of seed, efforts to propagate patented plants may even be an exercise in frustrating and time-consuming futility, as some of these plants are bred to have sterile seed. Even where the seed is not sterile, the offspring of the parent plant frequently bears little, if any, resemblance to the parent.

Thus, despite the somewhat hefty price tag even for us, just as we are dedicated to promoting fair trade in our gift shop, we at Mosswood Gardens are proud to showcase the most beautiful and improved varieties of plants available, and encourage our customers to support the work of plant developers so that we may continue to bring you the most luscious new plants on the market.