Discover the Fun of Gardening |
June 30, 2011 |
My mother recently gave me a really
cool book, that is especially appropriate for the 4th of July. It is called
Founding Gardeners, by Andrea Wulf and it chronicles the passion for
gardening and agriculture that many of our founding father's had. For
instance, George Washington wrote many correspondences during the
revolutionary war back to his estate to check on the condition of his
fields and gardens. He is also reported to have encouraged his troops to grow
regimental gardens both to fill rations and to provide some stress relief.
Even the continental congress would take breaks for garden visits during the
negotiations that led to the writing of our Constitution. In many ways
gardening and agriculture shaped early America and are embedded in our
American spirit.
One really cool way that the founding fathers used gardening to display their independent spirit was by embracing the new native plants of America, rather than the old plants of classic English gardens. Today, planting native plants is a great way to create a tough, hardy landscape (see some of our favorites below) but it can also link us to the past and the passion American settler's had for their gardens. We hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July, celebrating America's independence and your independent spirit in your garden. Happy Fourth of July, Kim, Joey and Mark |
In This Issue
Summer Sales
Daylilies
Fortuniana
Roses
Fruit Sale
Fruit
Clearance
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Celebrate your independent spirit and create an easy-care garden along the way by using Florida Natives. They are tough and already know how to handle Florida's fickle weather. Below are some of our favorites for creating cool landscapes.
Sea Grape - A native that loves sandy soil (you often see it planted near the beach), the sea grape has large beautiful leaves and makes a nice privacy hedge.
Saw Palmetto - This plant is so tough that it can survive fire! The silver variety makes an exceptionally beautiful landscape centerpiece in spots where you don't need something too tall. Plant it in sun or shade and in just about any type of soil.
Beautyberry - We've seen this plant growing wild out in Flatwoods, Lettuce Lake and many local parks. It likes some shade and grows into a medium sized shrub. White flowers appear along the branches and then form these beautiful purple berries. They aren't poisonous (though they aren't edible), but birds and other wildlife do seem to like them.
Sunshine Mimosa - This cute little groundcover has delightful little pink flowers throughout the summertime. It is a Florida native and quickly fills in sunny areas. It is great as a replacement for grass. Another name for it is sensitive plant because when you touch the leaves, it folds up. How cool is that?
These are only a few Florida natives that can get your garden started.
There are so many more, including sea oats, beach sunflower, simpson's
stopper, wax myrtle as well as many beautiful shade trees like river birch
and red maple. Use these plants to make your landscape tough and
beautiful. | |||||||||
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Kerby's Nursery 2311 S. Parsons Ave. Seffner, FL 33584 (813) 685-3265 www.kerbysnursery.com |
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