March 24, 2011 Newsletter

Southern gardens are known for azaleas, camellias and gardenias. These classics make it possible to sip sweet tea under a grandfather oak and enjoy the beauty of spring. This week Kerby's is featuring plants from the Southern Living plant collection including Obsession Nandina, Purple Diamond Loropetalum and Rosalinda Indian Hawthorn trees along with older favorites like azaleas and gardenias. To learn more about classic southern gardens and all the wonderful shrubs just for our southern climate, come out to the workshop this Saturday at 10am. Sip some sweet tea and picture how beautiful your garden can be.

It's already an exciting year at Kerby's. Check out the event calendar for the fun workshops and events we have planned, including our first ever kids event, the Easter Egg Hunt and our tantalizing Tropical Fruit workshop. It's a great year to Discover the Fun of Gardening.

Happy Gardening,
Kim, Joey and Mark

In This Issue
Classic Southern Gardens

Upcoming Events

Classic Southern Gardens

There are so many beautiful plants, but there are some that are just classics. When you think of southern gardens, you always think of blooming azaleas under grandfather oaks and magnolia trees, picture perfect camellias and gardenias that smell so wonderful. Put it together and you have a classic southern garden. Come out this Saturday at 10am to learn all about the great classic plants that can make your garden colorful and hardy, sweet tea will be served! Below are some of Kerby's favorite Southern Garden Classics.

Magnolias and Oaks

The scent of magnolia blossoms (pictured) fills the air in early summer and the shade from either magnolias or oaks is the perfect place to have a picnic or just unwind after a long day. A new variety of oak the Cathedral Live Oak, is a sturdy tree with a slightly more compact canopy. Great for shading your yard or house.

Camellias, Gardenias and Azaleas

Three of our favorite hardy plants, each one of them is happiest in the shade of a big tree (plus they love the acidity that the leaves add to the soil). Gardenias are about to bloom now with a sweet fragrance that soothes the soul. Azaleas (pictured) come in a variety of colors, and with the newer Encore Azaleas, you can enjoy the blooms three times each year, in the spring, summer and fall. Camellias classic flowers and upright growth make a wonderful centerpiece for a landscape in a shady area.

Holly

Don't forget about holly trees! In bush or tree form, a holly can be a great landscape specimen, providing color in the form of berries through the year. Birds often use holly trees either to roost and as food. Smaller hollies like the dwarf burford can make a rich green formal hedge in sun or shade. Oakleaf or Oakland hollies have nicely shaped leaves that add another dimension to your landscape.

Roses

For sunny areas, roses are a classic flower and a classic in the making is the double knockout rose. In dark or medium pink the double knockouts have the disease resistance of their cousins, but blooms with at least twice the petals, for twice the show when they bloom. Blooms all year round doesn't hurt either, the knockouts haven't been around long enough to be a true classic, but they are on their way.

And that's not all. At the workshop this saturday, we'll talk about some of the lants from the Southern Living plant collection that are great in gardens too, and the nursery is full of flowers, like daylilies and foxgloves that will add a classic, colorful touch to your garden.

Upcoming Events

Kerby's has lots of fun planned for the garden in 2011, including workshop favorites on vegetables, herbs and roses, as well as some new kids gardening events that will get the whole family involved. 2011 will be a great year to Discover the Fun of Gardening.

Workshop: Classic Southern Gardens
Saturday, March 26th at 10:00 am

Want to create a classic southern garden with camellias, gardenias and azaleas. Come out and learn about the best way to plant, prune and care for these classic shrubs.

Kerby's Kids Gardening Activity
Saturday, April 2 from 10am - 2pm

Little hands, a little dirt and lots of fun; it's the first ever Kerby's Kids event. Come out with the family for this fun event that will let everyone get their hands a little dirty. The kids will get to learn a little about plants, and create their own masterpiece to take home and watch grow.

Workshop: Tropical Fruit Trees
Saturday, April 9th at 10:00 am

Juicy and delicious, there is nothing like picking fruit from a tree you've grown and eating it on the spot. Whether you like mangos or jakfruit, kiwi or papaya, or jaboticaba and custard apple, there is a fruit to fit every taste. After the workshop, you'll be able to sample some of the delicious fruits that can be grown in our area.

Kerby's Kids Workshop: Butterfly Gardening
Saturday, April 16 at 10am

The delightful flutter of butterflies in your yard - it's like nature is trying to show off. Come out to this workshop to learn how to create your own beautiful butterfly garden. The workshop will include a demo planting and will be kid-friendly, so bring the whole family for a little fun in the garden.

Kerby's Kids Event: 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 23rd at 10:00 am

Bring your Easter basket and get ready for a whole lot of fun . . . it's the 2nd annual Easter Egg Hunt at Kerby's. Starting right at 10:00am, be ready to hunt and see how many Easter Eggs you can find amongst the beautiful flowers.

Workshop: Growing Roses
Saturday, April 30 at 10am
Presented by the Tampa Rose Society

A rose by any other name . . . can grow in your garden. Discover everything you need to plant and care for beautiful roses at this workshop presented by the Tampa Rose Society.

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