MAY GARDENING TIPS

MAY

GARDENING TIPS

May brings warmer sunnier days, cooler nights and springtime rains, the perfect combo to get your newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials established! Here are some timely tips to make the most of your May garden.

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Malus Crabapple photo by keith kurman

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Viburnum burkwoodii photo by Keith Kurman

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Bleeding Hearts photo by Keith Kurman

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SOIL CARE: Feed the Foundation

Nourish your soil! Healthy soil = happy plants. Now is the time to enrich your soil with nutrients that support strong roots and vibrant growth. Whether you’re using bagged compost like Coast of Maine or Fafard, or creating your own from kitchen and yard waste, your plants will thank you.

Pro Tip: Test your soil! We’ve got easy-to-use soil testing kits in stock, so you can give your plants exactly what they need from the ground up.

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FERTILIZE: Give Last Year’s Plantings a Boost

Time to fertilize last years new plantings. Sprinkle organic fertilizer around the drip line (not too close to the base), where roots are actively growing. Organic fertilizers are best for slow, steady feeding and include secondary nutrients like calcium and magnesium, along with the essentials: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

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MULCH: Nature’s Blanket

Leaf compost is a great island resource to use in your garden beds! This imitates the annual forest leaf fall and provides established plants with all the nutrients they need. Use leaves from your own yard and and/or leaf compost (shredded leaf mulch) that we carry to return local island nutrients to your gardens. We carry shredded leaf compost (island grown) as well as bagged Coast of Main mulches.

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Front Garden, Camisitas

Lupine

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ANNUALS: Cool-Weather Favorites Are Ready

Get planting! These hardy varieties love the cooler weather, so take advantage while spring is in full swing. Ready to brighten your beds and containers.

Pansies, Violas, Alyssum, Calendulas, Bachelor Buttons, Argyranthemum Daisies, Osteospermum, Lobelia

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PERENNIALS: Time to Plant and Divide!

It’s prime time to start planting your perennials. Already have some in the ground? If they bloom in summer or fall and are starting to emerge, now is a great time to divide them and spread the beauty.

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VEGETABLE GARDENS: Plant Now, Harvest Later

Prep and plant those garden beds! May is the season for cool-weather veggies, small fruits, and fruit trees. These are available at the nursery now! And a heads-up, mid to late May we will be bringing our basil and tomatoes out from our production facility to the nursery, but hold off planting them until nighttime temps warm up a bit more.

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Cool Weather Greens

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Blueberry flowers

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TREES & SHRUBS: Perfect Planting Weather

Now is a great time to add trees or shrubs to your property. Early May brings sunny day, cool nights and springtime rain which are all great ingredients to get your trees and shrubs established! It’s the sweet spot to help them settle in and thrive through summer and beyond.

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PRUNE: Out With the Old

Now’s the time to prune away dead or diseased wood from trees and deciduous shrubs. Focus on plants that bloom on new growth.

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LAWN CARE: Out With the Old

Want a lush lawn all summer? May lawn tips:

• Water less often, but deeply, to encourage deeper roots.

• Mow a bit higher to prevent browning in the heat of summer.

• Apply fertilizer if you skipped April.

• Lime your lawn if you missed it in the fall, this helps balance soil pH over time. Lime now to ensure a healthy fall lawn.

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Always think ahead when gardening. Timing is everything!

Black Chokecherry

APRIL GARDENING TIPS

APRIL

GARDENING TIPS

Kickstart Your Garden for the Season!

Spring has arrived, and with it comes the excitement of a new gardening season! April is the perfect time to prep your yard, nourish your soil, and start planting for a lush and vibrant summer. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting, here are some essential tips to get your garden in top shape!

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Viburnum burkwoodii photo by keith kurman

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In the greenhouse photo by andrew wiley

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Chiondoxa photo by karen blackerby logan

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Garden Clean-Up

Before diving into planting, clear away the remnants of fall and winter—dead leaves, broken branches, and debris that can harbor pests and diseases. We have a variety of gardening tools at the nursery to make clean-up easier!

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Soil Care

Healthy soil = healthy plants! Give your soil a boost by adding nutrient-rich compost and manure. We carry Coast of Maine compost and manure as well as Fafard products. Not sure what your soil needs? Use a soil testing kit (available at our nursery) to check its composition and adjust accordingly.

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Spring Annuals

Brighten up your garden beds and containers with spring annuals! Pansies are now available, and Sweet Alyssum will be ready soon. Plus, we’re excited to introduce a new selection of fall-sown Hardy Annuals, grown from seed by Andrew Wiley. Look for poppies, bachelor buttons (Centaurea cyanus), Queen Anne’s Lace (Ammi majus Select White), and more! Want to learn how to extend your blooms? Check out our blog post on Hardy Annuals.

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Edibles: Time to Plant!

April is the season to plant cool-weather vegetables, small fruits, and fruit trees. Whether you’re dreaming of homegrown lettuce, berries, or apples, we have everything you need to get started. Learn more about Cool Weather Veggies.

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Trees & Shrubs

Now is an ideal time to plant trees and shrubs! Adding them to your landscape provides beauty, shade, and long-term benefits for the ecosystem.

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Pruning

Spring is the time to prune any diseased or dead wood from your trees and deciduous shrubs. This keeps them healthy and encourages strong new growth.

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Lawn Edging

A crisp lawn edge isn’t just for looks—it also keeps mulch, rocks, and soil neatly separated from your grass. We carry heavy-duty black plastic edging in 10-foot sections to help define your garden beds.

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Winter and early spring are great times to clean and sharpen tools.

Tool Maintenance: Sharpen & Clean

Before tackling your garden projects, take a moment to clean, sharpen, and oil your tools. This makes your work easier and extends the life of your equipment.

Tool Care Essentials:

• A good pair of gloves, bypass pruner, lopper, disinfectant spray, and anti-bacterial wipes will make a big difference.

• Need help sharpening your pruners, loppers, hedge shears, or pruning saws? Bring them to Vineyard Gardens, and Jeremiah Brown will sharpen them for you! (Fee applies.)

• Don’t forget your spades and shovels—keeping them sharp ensures smoother digging.

• Pro Tip: Store your tools in a 5-gallon bucket filled with sand and old motor oil to clean and prevent rust.

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Lawn Care: April is Prime Time!

April is the best month to fertilize and reseed your lawn. Grass thrives in cool weather, making spring the perfect time for new growth.

Fertilization Basics:

• Grass needs a balance of macronutrients (N-P-K: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) and micronutrients.

• We carry organic fertilizers that release nutrients slowly and inorganic options with higher N-P-K concentrations.

• If you skipped liming your lawn in the fall, now is the time! Lime lowers soil acidity, but it takes months to take effect.

Weed Control & Seeding:

• Apply pre-emergent weed control before Forsythia blooms.

• Looking for an organic option? Try Corn Gluten, which prevents weed seeds from sprouting while adding nutrients.

• For best results when seeding, add a layer of rich soil under the seed and keep it moist.

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**Important Fertilization Law on Martha’s Vineyard**

🚨 Reminder: Fertilizers cannot be applied until April 15. This law helps protect local water sources by ensuring nutrients go into the growing grass instead of leaching into the groundwater.

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April is a month full of gardening possibilities—clean up, plant, and prep for a beautiful season ahead. Stop by the nursery for all your gardening needs, and let’s grow something amazing together!

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[PLANT PROFILE] HELLEBORE

HELLEBORES

LENTEN ROSE

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On a walk through Coastal Maine Botanical Garden last year at the beginning of May, one of the many surprises I stumbled upon were the enormous array of Hellebores dappled throughout the shade gardens. I was mesmerized by their range of colors from deep red to shades of pink and white. In the shade of the Giles Rhododendron and Perennial Garden, swaths of Hellebores were groundcover for the Rhododendrons and Azaleas. I have always been in awe of Hellebore’s unique flower structure and evergreen foliage but witnessing it in these numbers was just glorious.

Hellebores awaken in mid April when they begin to put on a show with their abundant blooms. Their flowers last for several weeks and once the petals have faded, the sepals, which look like a flower, remain attractive for several months. The sturdy evergreen foliage is appealing well into the winter months. With all their different stages they are the plant that keeps on giving from spring to winter.

Hellebores are perfect in woodland gardens and in shady areas under deciduous trees.

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Helebore at Maine Coastal Botanical Garden

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GROWING CONDITIONS & CARE

• Easy to grow

• 12 x 24” H. Spreads over time

• Drought tolerant but thrives in slightly moist conditions

• Sensitive to poor drainage

• Cold hardy and tough

• Rabbit and deer resistant

• Perfect along shaded borders and woodland gardens

• Beautiful when planted under deciduous trees as a ground cover

• After a long winter, the large evergreen leaves look flattened and tattered. Remove the worst of these before the flower stalks begin to grow. Do not remove leaves prior to that or may harm plant.

Hellebore

Hellebore

Helleborus orientalis 'Pink Lady' Lenten Rose

Helleborus x hybridus

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HELLEBORES AVAILABLE AT VINEYARD GARDEN

• Hellebore Ice N' Roses® Bianco (Monrovia)

• Hellebore Ice N' Roses® Red (Monrovia)

• HelleboreIce N' Roses® Rosado (Monrovia)

• Helleborus x iburgensis Ice N' Roses® Merlot Hellebore (Monrovia)

• Hellebore Ice N' Roses® Rose (Monrovia)

• Helleborus Paris in Pink (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Rio Carnival (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Romantic Getaway (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Maid of Honor (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Wedding Bells (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Spanish Flare (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus New York Night (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Rome in Red (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Snowbells (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus French Kiss (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Sandy Shores (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Ivory Prince (Walter’s Garden)

• Helleborus Irish Luck (Walter’s Garden)

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A hardy, deer resistant perennial with evergreen foliage, long-blooming flowers and multi seasonal interest!

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MARCH GARDENING TIPS

MARCH

GARDEN TIPS

Vineyard Gardens Landscaping is available to help with your gardening needs!

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PRUNE

• Its a good idea to sterilize the pruning shears with a 10% bleach solution to avoid passing diseases from cut to cut

• Good time to prune fruit trees, raspberries and grape

• Grapes should be pruned now before the weather warms up as they will “bleed sap” if done during warmer weather

• Fruit trees should be pruned now to maintain healthy branch structure and to reduce the total number of fruits per branch. If a branch has too many fruits they will tend to be small and often fall off. If allowed to reach maturity the branch could break from too much weight.

• It’s easier to see the branch structure before the plant leafs out. Remove damaged or crossing branches, and especially for fruit trees waterspouts which are small branches growing straight up through the tree.

• Prune any trees damaged by winter storms

• Prune PG Hydrangeas but NOT macrophyllas

• Prune Crape myrtles and any late season blooming plants, like hypericum, caryopteris

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Winter or early spring is the best time to prune most deciduous trees and shrubs. Removing dead wood and reducing their size. A couple of exceptions being lilacs and Hydrangea macrophyllas.

Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ needs to be cut back before they start to awaken in Spring, now is a good time to do it if you haven’t already.

SPRAY

• One spray to prevent Peach leaf Curl (Sulfur or Copper based fungicides). Peaches should be sprayed with a lime sulfur solution which is organic and highly efficient at stopping peach leaf curl, a very common disease that weakens the tree.

GARDEN CLEANUP

• If you haven’t cleaned up your garden beds definitely do it now

DESIGN

• Plan and design your plantings and garden beds

TOP DRESS

Add a 1-2 inch layer of compost, rich in organic matter, over the top of your garden beds. Plants will come up right through it. The organic matter in compost is already broken down. The nutrients will slowly leach down with the spring rains and be available to be up taken by roots when plants are ready to grow. Do not use mulch as a top dressing as the larger bark chunks rob the soil of nitrogen in the breakdown process. If you are going to mulch on top of the top dressing of organic matter, spread some fertilizer under the mulch to supply nutrients for decomposition. For new beds or vegetable gardens waiting to be planted you can add more than 1-2 inches of organic matter on top, or the organic matter can be rototilled in, mixing it a few inches into the soil.

• Top dressing bulb areas and lightly fertilize bulb areas before they come up any further

• Top dress your veggie garden

• Its still a bit early to fertilize as the plants aren't actively taking up nutrients and with a lot of rain the fertilizer could leach or run off instead of being used by the plants.

SEEDLINGS

• Start cool weather seedlings indoors to be planted out by the end of March or beginning of April

• Later in the month start your warm weather seedlings indoors. These will get planted out in May

• There is still time to order flower and vegetable seeds

• Do not work wet soil in vegetable gardens as that leads to compaction the last thing you want to happen to your soil

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Vineyard Garden Greens

Giant Red Mustard

plant of the year 2025

Clustered Mountainmint

spring checklist

need help this spring?

FALL TREES & SHRUBS

FALL TREES

& SHRUBS

Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs! The combination of the weather cooling down and fall rain allows plants to establish their roots. Planting in the fall also gives trees and shrubs an extra growing season before the stress of summer heat and drought.

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TREES

• Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin Tree): Native to US. Typically grows to 15’x10’. Showy fragrant white flowers in August. Great fall color! Plant in full sun with light shade in moist soil.

• Lagerstroemia indica crape myrtle: Multi stemmed trees with beautiful late season color. Blooms late summer into fall. Exfoliating bark which continues to be showy into winter. Great diversity available.

• Maple Trees: Known for their fall color. {10 best Maples for fall color}

  • Acer palmatum: Japanese maples are easy to grow, cold hardy and remarkable adaptable. Their green leaf forms have the best fall color!

  • Acer ginnala: This smaller maple can be used as small specimen, patio tree and even works well in a container. It has a particularly fabulous fall color!

• Myrica pensylvanica (Bayberry): Native to Martha’s Vineyard. Typically grows to 10’ x 8’. Plant in full sun. It tolerates drought once established. Deer resistant.

• Nysa sylvatica (Beetlebung Tree): An island native that grows where there is quite a bit of water. Often found growing in low points and bogs on the island. Has beautiful fall color and a distinguished shape. We have some young beauties for sale at the nursery.

• Osmanthus heterophyllus (False Holly): An evergreen shrub that typically grows to 10’ x 10’. Blooms late fall into the winter (Oct-Nov) with small fragrant white flowers. Shade tolerant and deer resistant.

• Oxydendron arboreum: Native tree known for its fall color.

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Nyssa sylvatica fsll color

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Hydrangea paniculata "‘Quickfire’

Vaccinium corymbosum_ highbush blueberry

Clerodendron trichotomum in fall

SHRUBS

• Callicarpa dichotoma: Beauty Bush with beautiful lavender berries.

  • Early Amethyst: A smaller variety

  • Pearl Glam: A new Proven Winner cultivar, with dark foliage.

• Callicarpa japonica Leucocarpa: An upright beauty berry with white berries. Pale pink-white flowers in summer.

• Clerodendron trichotomum: Once the fragrant white flowers have passed the red calyces and purple berry are a showy season extender.

• Fothergilla: A native shrub known for its fall color. It blooms in June and later lights up your yard with red and purple fall color. If you need a large shrub the species to get is major. There is a dwarf species available called gardenii, for a smaller shrub.

• Hamamelis (Witch Hazel): Large native shrubs known for their fall color.

  • Hamamelis virginiana: A fall yellow bloomer

  • Hamamelis vernalis: Blooms in February

• Hydrangeas: Many of the panicle hydrangeas fade to pink and hold the dried blooms way into the fall. There are some late summer bloomers that bloom into fall.

• Symphoricarpos (Snow Berry): A season extender. This shrub has large white berries.

• Vaccinium Corymbosum (High bush blueberry): Native to Martha’s Vineyard. Typically grows to 8’x 6’. Great fall color! Plant in full sun. Deer resistant.

• Viburnums: There are many which have fabulous fall color and berries.

  • Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum): Native to Martha’s Vineyard. Non-fragrant flat-topped white flowers appear in late spring. Flowers give way to blue-black, berries which are quite attractive to birds and wildlife. Tolerates light shade.

  • Viburnum dilatatum: Known for their drooping berries. We carry Cardinal Candy with red berries and Michael Dodge with yellow berries.

  • Viburnum plicatums: These are Chris Wiley’s favorite Viburnum in flower.

Viburnum dilatatum Michael Dodge and some Virginia Creeper

late season spent flowers of Hydrangea macrophylla

Callicarpa dichotoma Beauty Berry

monrovia

September Garden Tips

AUGUST GARDENING TIPS

AUGUST

GARDENING TIPS

Some perennials are winding down but there are many other late blooming shrubs and perennials that can flourish into the fall.

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• Annuals & Containers: Reinvigorate your annuals and container plants by deadheading and pruning. Add a weak solution of liquid plant food when watering your container plants.

• Trees, Shrubs & Perennials: You can fertilize until the end of August especially trees and shrubs. Do not fertilize past the end of August for shrubs, trees and perennials.

• Garden Maintenance: Cut back your spent perennials, you may even get a second flush of leaves and flowers. Deadhead blooming perennials to keep them fresh. Stake plants that are fallen over from bloom weight or rains.

• Vegetable Gardens: Keep picking your warm weather vegetables, they will produce more and prevents them from going to seed. It’s also time to start planting your cool weather veggies, like lettuce, spinach, arugula, carrots, beets, beans, kale, and peas to be planted now for fall harvest.

• Weeding: Make sure to stay on top of the weeding. Crab grass and blackberry like the warmth and can spread quietly and quickly.

  
  ENJOY WATCHING ALL THE LATE SUMMER POLLINATORS BUSILY MOVING FROM BLOOM TO BLOOM!

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native shrubs

native summer blooming shrubs

vineyard gardens

august sales

ECHINACEA 30% OFF

ECHINACEA 30% OFF

CONEFLOWER

Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos meaning hedgehog or sea-urchin in reference to the spiny central cone.

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Natives Vs Hybrids

We grow several species of Echinacea, such as Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida and Echinacea paradoxa. Starting plants from seed adds new DNA combinations to the species and the population. This is thought to increase chances of populations being able to adapt and fight off disease. Thus the hybrids may not be as adaptable. The native cone flowers exist in pink and yellow.

We sell countless hybrids that the horticultural industry has created from mostly Echinacea purpurea. It can take several years for a hybrid to be stable enough to be sold in the market. It is possible that some of the hybrids, which are mostly asexually propagated by cuttings or tissue culture, may not be as adaptable or hardy as the species but boy are they beautiful. The hybrids now exist in all sizes and colors including orange, red, pink, yellow or even bicolor. We carry the Sombrero series, like Salsa Red and Adobe Orange which are two of our favorites. We love many of the Echinacea hybrids like Green twister and White Swan.

*If food for pollinators is your #1 reason for planting Echinacea, either plant the native species or pick the single hybrids. The doubles are not believed to be good food for pollinators. Many of the doubles are sterile and produce no seed.

Coneflowers come in a rainbow of colors!

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ECHINACEA AVAILABLE AT VINEYARD GARDENS

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SOMBRERO SERIES

(Continues to be one

of our favorites!)

Salsa Red

Adobe Orange

Hot Coral

Lemon Yellow

Rosada

Summer Solstice

Tres Amigos

Sangrita

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SUNSEEKER SERIES

(Tall with beautiful flowers that

often transition to other colors as

they mature. Some can be

double.)

Rainbow

Salmon

Perfection

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Green Wizard

(The flower petals are

yellow-green

on the tips and

bleed into a pale

pink closer to

the cone.)

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Old Fashioned Hybrid

Ruby Giant

(Quite tall with

large pink flowers)

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Ruby Giant

Green Twister

(Very hardy)

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New this year!

We are testing for hardiness.

Dark Shadows Wicked

 Orange You Awesome

The Fuschia is Bright

One in a Melon

Summer Song

Fire Finch

Baja Burgundy

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USES

• Attracts all types of butterflies, birds, bees and other pollinators!

• Let the later blooms stand throughout winter, where the characteristic central cone swollen and full of seed offers an excellent food source for birds. Once spring arrives, simply cut back your coneflowers to the ground.

• Medicinal use: to help boost the immune system and shorten the duration of the common cold and flu. Echinacea flowers are often associated with health and healing.

GROWING CONDITIONS

• Herbaceous perennial that is native to the mid west prairies of the US.

• An adaptable plant that is tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil.

• Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun.

• Coneflowers are not fussy. They aren’t particularly bothered by pests and do not require fertilizer.

• Mid-summer bloom

Echinacea Sombrero Salsa & Sangrita

An excellent, long-blooming flower for massing in the border, meadow, native plant garden, naturalized area or wildflower garden. Often massed with black-eyed Susans.

pollinator plants

POETIC GARDENS

A PASSION

FOR PLANTS

Vineyard Garden’s Andrew Wiley, a creative plant ‘genus’

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It’s not just a job for Andrew Wiley, his passion for plants is infused in his bloodline. As a child he grew up at Vineyard Gardens, watching his horticulturalist parents, Chris and Chuck Wiley develop a singular greenhouse and lawn mowing business into the vibrant establishment it is today. Not only did Andrew soak in the atmosphere and information as a boy, he now embraces everything about plants, landscaping and design. After an unmatched year at Great Dixter House & Gardens, Andrew’s plant knowledge and creativity in the landscaping world has been unleashed. His ethereal and poetic gardens are a wonderful demonstration in succession planting, filling garden beds with continuous blooms throughout the year. His front bed display at Vineyard Gardens is constantly evolving, never a dull moment from one plant finishing it’s bloom cycle to a new one opening up. Within the display bed there are many beautiful vignettes that seamless work together as a whole.

Next time you are at Vineyard Gardens take a meditative walk along the display garden and you will notice something new, fresh and exciting each time.

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“This photo is reminiscent of my time in England at Great Dixter  All three of these plants can be found in the garden there. This Phlox was originally a seedling given to Christopher Lloyd by Margery Fish and is known at Dixter as Phlox paniculata ‘Margery Fish.’ Piet Oudolf decided to name the phlox ‘Dixter’ as it was never given a trademark name, something Great Dixter does not do with their plants for various reasons. The Salvia is one of my favorite biennials, best practice is to always plant all biennials in the fall. This will always give you bigger and better plants with much longer bloom time than if planted in Spring. The Marigold (Tagetes) was used on the Long Border at Dixter where Fergus received the seeds from a conference in France. I collected and brought back seeds from these plants. A true scrambler this Marigold gets huge and is best planted where it can tumble over and sprawl around.” Andrew Wiley

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July’s Display Bed

Have you ever had the chance to walk through a garden with Andrew? His energy and excitement for designing with plants is unmeasured. Spewing off latin names and talking about the evolution of gardens and biodiversity you feel like you just had a master class in horticulture. Andrew’s contagious spirit will have you walking away from Vineyard Gardens with a million plants because he made you fall in love with every single one of them!

Take a virtual walk to learn about July’s display bed.

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EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS FOR SHADE

EVERGREEN TREES &

SHRUBS FOR SHADE

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Broadleaf Evergreens are known to tolerate shade and many will also grow well in full sun. With their year round foliage they can add interest to your beds, woodland borders or create screening in a shady spot between you and your neighbor. Broadleaf evergreens can give you the privacy you need. They can also create fabulous backdrops to deciduous plants that flower. Plant them young and they will grow larger every year. We also carry several species of smaller broadleaf evergreen shrubs that can take shade. These work well in foundation plantings or in your shrub or perennial beds.

Deer resistant broadleaf evergreens we like to recommend are Pieris japonica, Mahonias and Osmanthus heterophyllus.

Pieris japonica illustration by karen blackerby logan

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Prunus schipkaensis (Skip Laurel)

EVERGREEN TREE & SHRUB VARIETIES

• Azaleas

• Leucothoe

• Osmanthus heterophyllus (False Holly) : Seldom severely damaged by deer. Looks like holly. We have found the species heterophyllus to be hardy, able to survive in dense shade and they are deer resistant. The flowers are fragrant! We carry a popular variegated variety called Goshiki.

• Pieris japonica (Andromedas): Blooms in spring with panicles of beautiful bells mostly in white. We do carry a pink blooming one. Can grow 6-8ft tall and 5-6ft wide. We carry dwarf ones as well. Deer resistant.

• Skimmia japonica: Needs a male and a female to be planted together for the female to berry up.

• Skimmia reevesiana: Rarely damaged by deer. Does not need a male to cross pollinate like Skimmia japonica.

• Prunus schipkaensis (Skip Laurels): They will easily get 6-8ft tall. Good for flowers and for screening.

• Photinia fraserii: At the margins of its hardiness zone. It has handsome evergreen foliage. The new growth is reddish and in cold weather the leaves turn reddish again. It can grow over 6ft tall and wide.

  Leucothoe, Skimmia and some Pieris japonica are examples of smaller broadleaf evergreen shrubs that can take shade.

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Camellia japonica

CAMELLIAS & AUCUBAS

Camellias and Aucubas should be planted near foundation plantings or by a stone wall for the heat they absorb during a sunny day. They may get some die back during a very cold winter. Prune the dead ones out in the spring. Camellias have shiny lovely evergreen foliage and flowers that look like Peonies. Aucubas need a male to berry up. Aucuba Mr. Goldstrike will pollinate Aucuba serratifolia, which is known for producing large red, berry like fruit.

• Aucuba japonica

  • serratifolia

  • Mr. Goldstrike

• Camellia April Pink

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Buxus Green Gem

BUXUS

(Rarely damaged by deer)

• Buxus Winter Green 

• Buxus Green Beauty 

• Buxus Variegata

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Rhododendron Catawba

RHODODENDRONS

Roseum Elegans & Catawba Rhododendron get over 10ft tall. Plant them young and they will grow larger each year. Great for flowers and for screening.

• Catawba Rhododendron (Native)

• Maximum Rhododendron (Native)

• PGM Rhododendron

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Mahonia Winter Sun

MAHONIA

(All Native) (Rarely damaged by deer)

Mahonias are also known as Oregon Grape Holly. They bear panicles of purple fruit after flowering that look like grapes.

• Mahonia repens 

• Mahonia Winter Sun

• Mahonia Charity 

• Mahonia Arthur Menzies

• Mahonia nervosa 

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Ilex crenata Steeds

HOLLIES

Hollies are always a good choice for shade. We carry American, English, Japanese Chinese and hybrid Hollies. Several of the Japanese Hollies (Ilex crenata) are smaller shrubs. Blue Hollies (Meserve Hybrids) are like shrub Hollies instead of tree Hollies and can be pruned and kept a bit shorter. The Hollies need a male to pollinate the female to get the berries. We also grow specialty Hollies from cuttings. Ask at the nursery about our collection.

• Meserve Hybrids (Blue Hollies)

• Ilex Dragon Slayer

• Ilex mes Blue Maid

• Ilex Robin

• Ilex x Greenleaf

• Ilex crenata

  • Ilex Steeds (Ocassionally severely damaged by deer)

  • Hoogendorn

  • Soft Touch

  • Sky Pencil

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Pieris japonica

Pieris japonica

Ilex Dragon Slayer

Ilex Robin

Azalea 'PJM'

Rhodendron screening

Winter Sun Mahonia

Buxus

Skip Cherry Laurel

Camellia

Camellia sasanqua

In general we do not recommend you plant conifers in shade. They may not die but they will grow long and leggy. Your much better off planting a Holly, Mahonia or Osmanthus (if you have deer).

native plant finder

for trees and shrubs

evergreen shrubs

for landscacping

PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

PERENNIALS

FOR SHADE

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SUMMER BLOOMING PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

Even if your yard is shady, you can still have beautiful flowers and foliage! If your yard needs more sun but you don’t want to cut down trees you can limb up or thin out a few trees to let in more sun. On the other hand, If you have a very sunny garden and want to grow some of these wonderful shade perennials, plant a few small trees or large shrubs in the beds. Not only will they provide a little shade but height and size will add interest to perennial beds.

Alchemilla

Anemone

Asarum

Astilbe

Cimicifuga

Clematis

Dicentra

Epimedium

Euphorbia

Ferns

 Foxglove

Galium

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Ferns, Heuchera & Columbines

Geraniums (perennial)

Hackonechloa

Heucheras

Hostas

Ligularia

Pachyhsandra

Polygonatum

Rodgersia

Sanguisorba

Thalictrum

Vinca

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Perennials that thrive in shade often do quite well with more sun, as long as they get enough water. The reverse does not apply. Perennials that need sun often grow long and leggy in the shade. Plants that evolved in shade, usually in the understory of other plants, often have larger leaves to capture as much sun as possible. Some good examples are Rodgersias, Hostas, Astilboides and many Heucheras, like the popular Autumn Bride. These plants usually like a rich moist but well drained soil.

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Hosta

Sanguisorba ‘Lilac Squirrel’

Astilbe

Alchemilla, Lady's Mantle

Astilbe Pumila

Anenome

Clematis Boulevard Acropolis

Clematis Sweet Autumn

Ferns

Athyrium Brilliance

Osmunda regalis

Filipendula Kahome

Geranium Max Frei

Geranium Rozanne

Heuchera Dolce Cherry Truffles

Heuchera Berry Smoothie

Heuchera Primo Wild Rose

Heuchera Snow Angel

Hosta Frech Fries

Thalictrum Black Stockings

Thalictrum flavum glaucum

Euphorbia

Foamflower

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

Ferns, Thalictrum, Rodgersia, Bleeding Hearts and Heucheras are all good choices for summer blooming shade if deer are a problem in your garden. Astilbes can add color to shade beds with their plumed flowers available in many colors and sizes. Many Heucheras also called Coral Bells, can add color with their foliage which comes in reds, bronzes, deep purples and green. The Heucheras will bloom for 3-4 weeks in summer and their foliage will last all summer. Everblooming Bleeding Hearts start blooming in early summer and continues blooming until late summer. Unlike it’s cousin, Dicentra spectabilis, only blooms in spring and goes dormant in summer. It will thrive in partial shade and spread and is also deer resistant.

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Bleeding Hearts

PERENNIALS GROUNDCOVERS FOR SHADE

Plant ground covers and fill up the spaces with plants instead of mulch! Perennial groundcovers thrive and spread in partial shade. Pachysandra is the most shade tolerant. Vinca minor, Asarum and Epimedium are all good choices as well.

Perennial Geraniums and Campanulas will bloom in partial shade. Geranium Rozanne is our best selling Geranium. Geranium sanguineum Album, with white flowers and Geranium cantabrigiense Karmina, with pink flowers and fabulous fall color, are also great plants. The peach leaved Campanula persicifolia comes in blue and in white, both tall and short. The Takion series is the more compact one. We also carry Campanula poscharskyana, Campanula portenschlagiana Blue magic and Campanula rotundifolia, all shorter wider plants that can handle more sun and thrive in walls and cracks in walks. This always indicates they don’t need rich soil. New this year is Campanula cocchlearifolia in both white and Blue. We grew these from seed which was seeded in June of 23

astilbe

plant profile

pollinator month

national wildlife federation

JULY GARDENING TIPS

JULY

GARDENING TIPS

As the heat ramps up there are many ways to keep your garden looking beautiful.

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• Season Extenders: Plant late bloomers and season extenders in your garden now. They will grow in nicely and then extend the color in your garden late into the season. Try adding tender salvias like Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue, Pineapple sage, or the new Dalvia uliginosa with a baby blue flower color. Also plant asters and mums or the more unusual chrysanthemum pacificum.

• Spent bulb foliage: Now is the time to cut back any yellowing daffodil foliage. It should be left intact as long as possible as the plant photosynthesizes and stores energy for the next season in the bulb underground.

• Shaping perennials: The last pinch to shape and encourage branching on asters, chrysanthemums and some late summer perennials should occur in early July. It’s still ok to thin stems on congested perennials to improve air circulation. Don’t be afraid to give a hard cut to catmint (Nepeta), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and perennial geraniums (Geranium sp.) after the spring flowering.

• Container plants: Consider compost tea, organic liquid feed like fish emulsion or seaweed extract for container plants. Feed every 7-10 days. As the summer heats up, they may need to be watered every day if it is sunny. We recommend once per day deep watering and make them hold because it makes for a tougher plant. If plants are not wilting and look happy they do not need water. They will let you know if they need water by starting to wilt or lose their turgidity, then no question it’s time to water. It’s better to have tough plants than spoiled ones!

• Weeds: Catch weeds before they go to seed and continue to add organic mulch to spots left bare or plant another plant, like a season extender. Shredded leaves held over from fall cleanup make a wonderful mulch for annual and perennial borders as well as vegetable gardens. It’s natural, free, local and breaks down over the course of the growing season to add organic material to the soil.

• Peonies: Remove spent flowers from peonies once flowering is finished. If plants were staked or tied up to prevent flopping during bloom, the stakes and strings can now be removed which will make the stems stronger to stand on their own.

• Vegetable garden: Direct sow succession crops in your vegetable garden for the next round of harvest, such as radish, lettuce, carrots, chard, and beets. Side dress heavy feeders and long season crops like corn, tomatoes, squash, peppers, potatoes, onions and eggplant with a balanced fertilizer now.

• Biennials: Sow seeds of biennials like foxgloves, Angelica, Salvia sclarea, Lunaria and Dianthus now for planting in the garden in late summer. These will produce leaves this year, overwinter and flower next year, ending their life cycle when they set seed in their second season.

• Irrigation: Irrigate borders and lawns infrequently and deeply. Generally, lawns and gardens need 1” of water each week, or a deep irrigation that penetrates to 6”. Keep track of rainfall using a rain gauge and supplement only as needed. Consider converting parts of your lawn to lower maintenance groundcovers, shrub or perennial borders, or meadow plantings.

• Japanese beetles: Depending on your location, Japanese beetles begin to emerge from the soil around July 4th. Keep a close eye out for them, scouting in the morning when they are sluggish and knocking them into a pail of soapy water. The solitary fly, Istocheta aldrichi, is an internal parastite of adult Japanese beetle. Female flies lay eggs on the thorax of female beetles. Upon hatching, the maggot bores into the beetle, killing it. Japanese beetles observed with these eggs on them should be saved to encourage this natrual control method.

  -Joann Vieira, Director of Horticulture, Trustees (UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program)

  Always think ahead when gardening. Timing is everything!

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Echinacea ‘White Swan’

Lobelia Starship Scarlet

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Rudbeckia fulgida Goldsturm

hellstrip gardening

creating habitat

pollinator containers

Garden Ideas

SUMMER BLOOMING PERENNIALS

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JOIN US THIS SATURDAY MORNING

_______________

GARDEN WORKSHOP

PLANTING FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE

SATURDAY JUNE 22ND // 11:00AM // VINEYARD GARDENS NURSERY

We are very excited to welcome Andrea Berry, Executive Director of Wild Seed Project in Maine. She will share her knowledge about planting climate resilient habitats in northeast landscapes.

Scrub Oak Barren- Sandplain Grassland : Scrub oak, little bluestem, sweetfern,Northern blazing star, butterfly milkweed, wood lily & flax leaved aster. Illustration by karen blackerby logan

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SUMMER BLOOMING

PERENNIALS

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SUMMER BLOOMING PERENNIALS AT THE NURSERY

* Salvia Purple Rain

* Nepeta Walkers Low

* Nepeta Prelude Blue

* Monarda

* Stachys

* Coreopsis Gold

Standard, Zagreb

& Uptick Red

* Filipendula Kahome

* Alchemilla mollis

Thriller

* Lobelia Queen

Victoria, Starship

Scarlet

* Clematis Boulevard

Acropolis & Nubia

* Hibiscus Ballet Slippers

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Asclepias tuberosa Orange ‘Butterflyweed’

* Rudbeckia Herbstone

* Gaura Sparkle White

* Gaura Belleza Dark

Pink

* Rudbeckia Goldblitz

* Asclepias tuberosa

Orange & Hello Yellow

* Incarnata Ice Ballet

& Cinderella

* Kniphophea

* Thalictrum flavum

glaucum

* Thalictrum

rochebrunianum

* Thalictrum black

stockings

* Thalictrum elin

Clematis Boulevard Acropolis

Clematis Boulevard Nubia

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Lady’s Mantle

[PLANT PROFILE] ECHINACEA

ECHINACEA

CONEFLOWER

Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos meaning hedgehog or sea-urchin in reference to the spiny central cone.

Natives Vs Hybrids

We grow several species of Echinacea, such as Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida and sometimes Echinacea paradoxa. Starting plants from seed adds new DNA to the species and the population. This is thought to increase chances of populations being able to adapt and fight off disease. Thus the hybrids may not be as adaptable. The native cone flowers exist in pink and yellow.

We sell countless hybrids that the horticultural industry has created from mostly Echinacea purpurea. It can take several years for a hybrid to be stable enough to be sold in the market. Then it must be propagated asexually, by cuttings or tissue culture to become that hybrid. The hybrids now exist in all sizes and colors including orange, red, pink and yellow. We carry the Sombrero series, like Salsa Red and Adobe Orange which are two of our favorites. We also carry the shorter Pow Wow series, Pow Wow Wildberry and Pow Wow White. We love many of the Echinacea hybrids like Green twister and White Swan.

If food for pollinators is your #1 reason for planting Echinacea, either plant the native species or pick the single hybrids. The doubles are not believed to be good food for pollinators. Many of the doubles are sterile and produce no seed.

Coneflowers come in a rainbow of colors!

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Echinacea ‘White Swan’

GROWING CONDITIONS

• Herbaceous perennial that is native to the mid west prairies of the US.

• An adaptable plant that is tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil.

• Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun.

• Coneflowers aren’t fussy. They aren’t particularly bothered by pests and do not require much fertilizer.

• Mid-summer bloom

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USES

• Attracts all types of butterflies, birds, bees and other pollinators!

• Birds also enjoy coneflowers in the garden. Let the later blooms stand throughout winter, where the characteristic central cone swollen and full of seed offers an excellent food source for birds. Once spring arrives, simply cut back your coneflowers to the ground.

• Medicinal use: to help boost the immune system and shorten the duration of the common cold and flu. Echinacea flowers are often associated with health and healing.

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An excellent, long-blooming flower for massing in the border, meadow, native plant garden, naturalized area, wildflower garden or part shade area of woodland garden. Often massed with black-eyed Susans.

pollinator plants

[PLANT PROFILE] SALVIAS

SALVIAS

Salvias are North American natives in the mint family. There are over 900 species, both annuals and perennials and a few biennial.

Salvia Leucantha

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Salvia Blue Monday

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Salvia nemorosa (perennial)

GROWING SALVIA

Salvia flowers come in a variety of colors, but mostly blues and purples. There are some varieties of pinks, fuchsia, white, red and a yellow one we are trying this year. They are easy to grow, easy to care for, deer resistant, bloom abundantly and have long lasting blooms. They do best in full sun and well drained soil. We have a wonderful selection of perennial and annual salvia at the nursery.

THINK OF LATE SUMMER AND FALL EFFECT WHEN PLANTING NOW. THE LATER BLOOMING SEASON EXTENDER SALVIAS CAN DO THAT FOR YOU!

PLANTING

——————

- Salvias prefer full sun

and well drained soil.

- Dig a hole twice the

diameter of the

container the plant is in.

- Mix in a 3-inch layer of

compost. (Mix the

compost in with the

existing soil.)

- Remove the plant from

its container and place

it in the hole so the

top of the root ball is

level with the soil

surface.

- Space plants 1 to 3 feet

apart, depending on

the variety.

- Carefully fill in around

the plant and firm the

soil gently.

- Always water thoroughly after

planting!

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Salvia greggii Mirage Blue

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Salvia greggii Mirage Salmon

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Salvia Purple Rain

CARE

——————

- Add a thin layer of

mulch around the plant

to retain moisture

and control weeds.

- Water often and

deeply.

- Dead heading will lead

to more blossoms. Follow

the flower stem all the

way to the base and

cut there.

- Wait until new growth

begins in early spring

to remove old stems.

- Divide every 3 years.

The best time to divide

is in early spring, before

new growth begins.

Salvia are pollinator magnets! Wonderful plants for hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

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PERENNIAL SALVIAS

The perennial salvias mostly bloom in early summer and if deadheaded will give a second flush of bloom that same year. The perennial Salvias are blooming now!

Perennial Salvias Available this Year:

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Salvia Wind Walker Red

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A perennial species of

Salvia that is majestic

for it’s size, 4’ tall.

Graceful arching stems

with brilliant red flowers

bloom from late June

through fall. Cut this

Salvia back to 6” in

early summer to keep

stems shorter and

stronger. Hummingbirds

love it! On the Plant

Select Program, a native

plant group out of

Denver Colorado.

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Salvia nemorosa Species

• Savatore Blue: Aromatic royal purple/blue spikes adds depth and upright interest to garden beds and planters

• Dark Matter

• Caradonna

• Feathers Peacock

• White Profusion

• Blue by You

• Violet Riot

• East Friesland

• Blue Marvel

• Rose Marvel

• Snow Hill

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Perennial salvia

• Salvia greggi Mirage. A new perennial salvia series we are carrying. We have Mirage Salmon and Mirage Blue

• Salvia Midnight Model : striking violet blue flowers in a round, dense clump.

• Salvia Evening Attire : Huge, vivid violet blue flowers are packed tightly into a refined habit.

• Salvia Moulin Rouge : Huge, rosy pink flowers.

• Salvia verticillata ‘Purple Rain’: An oldie but Goody

• Salvia sclarea ‘Clary Sage’ : A biennial species of Salvia that we grow from seed. This one is native to the Mediterranean basin. It is very showy with big spikes bearing large colorful bracts that seem to last all summer. This is a big plant! The straight species is pink with darker pink edges.

  • Salvia sclarea turkestanica : this variety has white flecks with pink.

• Salvia argentea : Commonly called silver sage is a clump-forming biennial with silvery leaves and white flowers

• Salvia Lyrical Blue : meadow sage, indigo-blue petals and burgundy accents

• Salvia Lyrical Rose

• Salvia Rhythm and Blues

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ANNUAL SALVIA:

SEASON EXTENDERS

Plant them now and they will be gorgeous in the fall!

We also carry a vast selection of annual salvias. They are considered season extenders because they bloom all summer and into late fall. Sometimes the Pineapple Sage is still blooming in November! They benefit from being planted early so they can reach full size. Annual Salvia do great in containers or in your garden beds but remember they are annuals so will not come back next year. This year we have a wonderful stock of Salvia Indigo Spires, Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue, Salvia leucantha and Salvia uliginosa. They are referred to as tender Salvias and are good season extenders!

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Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue

Salvia Wendy’s Wish

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Annual seed grown Salvias are fabulous garden performers.

(4” and larger pots)

Clary sages (salvia) are grown from seed . These Salvias are a Vineyard Gardens favorite. The bracts are prominent making the flower large and exotic looking. Long lasting blooms. It grows at Monticello.

• Salvia horminium Blue Monday (a VG favorite)

• Salvia horminium Rose Sundae

• Salvia patens Patio Sky Blue

Salvia Blue Monday

Salvia patens Blue Angel

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Salvias grown from plugs

• Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue

• Salvia Indigo Spires: A deep blue. Will still be blooming in your gardens with the asters and mums in fall.

• Salvia Amistad (Andrews recommendation)

• Salivia Skyscraper Orange

• Salvia Skyscraper Pink

• Unplugged Pink

• Salvia Rockin Deep Purple

• Salvia Rockin Blue Suede Shoes

• Salvia Rockin Fuschia

• Salvia Wendys Wish: A customer favorite. A hot pink flower.

• Salvia Love and Wishes: A customer favorite. Antique shade of pink

• Salvia leucantha ‘Mexican Sage’: great season extender. Blooms in October.

Salvia Wendy’s Wish

Salvia madrensis

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Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’

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Salvia Love and Wishes

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Tender Salvia

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Salvias (sage) in the herb house

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Tricolor variegated Sage

• Salvia elegans ‘Pineapple Sage’ (annual): Elgens means it is tender and will not overwinter. A great season extender. Does especially well when planted in spring or early summer and allowed to reach full size before bloom. A 4” pot of Pineapple sage will reach 4-5 feet tall and wide in one season. It bears beautiful red spiked flowers in late summer and into the fall. It’s foliage smells like pineapple and can be brewed into a tea.

• Salvia officinalis or the culinary sages (perennial)

  • The species and Bergarten are the two most popular ones used for culinary purposes.

  • Purple Leaf Sage

  • Golden Sage

  • Tricolor Sage: An very ornamental sage with purple, pink and white leaves.

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JUNE GARDENING TIPS

JUNE

GARDENING TIPS

June is here and gardening season is in full swing! We have longer days of sun, warmer temperatures and the flowers are abundant. Now while working in the garden you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor, picking fresh flowers, nibbling on fresh veggies and berries, watching pollinators at work and enjoying all the summer scents.

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VEGETABLE GARDENS

We are still in the midst of our planting season and this is a great time for planting! All the warm season vegetables can go in now: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans, corn and squash. A second crop of most of the spring plants can also go in now: lettuce, arugula, carrots and beets. Stake vines and veggies as needed. Mulch or top dress around vegetables to prevent weeds and conserve moisture. Our new favorite mulch is Leaf Mold. Ask about it at the nursery.

PRUNE

• Pinch terminal buds on rhododendrons for more flowers next year.

• Prune spring flowering shrubs immediately after they flower (lilacs for example)

• Lightly prune boxwood after they show new growth to get a pleasing shape.

WEED

Stay ahead of weeds! Fill in holes with more plants, that helps keep out the weeds.

MULCH

Apply fresh mulch if you have not done so already. Add or mulch with Leaf Mold. We carry bagged Coast of Maine mulches as well.

FERTILIZE

If not done so already it is a good time to feed anything that is already in the ground. Use a time release fertilizer to avoid burning plant roots and give gentle nutrients that will last for several months.
Use organic fertilizers.  The Espoma fertilizers break down slowly and are packed with micronutrients in addition to the three macronutrients Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.
For quicker nutrient availability, water it in using a liquid fertilizer. Ask about our organic liquid fertilizers at the Garden Center.

ANNUALS

Plant out your containers, window boxes and garden beds with annuals. Don’t forget to deadhead your flowers to encourage more and enhance the appearance of beds and containers. Add slow-release organic fertilizer when planting, then give them a weekly snack with a quarter-strength liquid fertilizer.

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Oenothers Siskiyou Pink

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Phlox divaricata (woodland phlox) with Euphorbia polychromatic

Delphinium, Foxglove with Yarrow and Oenothers Siskiyou Pink

WATER

Water consistently!

• All the newly planted or transplanted plants need to be watered deeply 1 to 2 times a week depending on whether or not we get rain and how sunny it is.

• The best rule of thumb for trees and woody shrubs is water once a day for the first week to get the soil good and moist around the root system. Then once a week for the first year if there is not a good rain. July and August are usually the most important months to water.

• A “deep water” depends on the precipitation rate, for example holding a hose full flow on a shrub would only need a few minutes while a sprinkler that covers a large area should run an hour as long as there is not run off.

• Morning is a good time to water because there will not be as much evaporation as when it is sunny and hot. It is a myth that watering in the heat of the day the water drops will be magnified by the sun and burn the leaves. If that were so it would happen every time there is a shower and then the sun comes out.

• A 1 to 3 inch layer of mulch helps slow down evaporation and is very beneficial for plants. The mulch also breaks down over time and becomes organic matter which helps hold moisture and nutrients.

Vineyard Gardens can help you out with your watering needs, from a basic watering service to installing an irrigation system. We’d be happy to evaluate your needs and give a quote. We do hand water, especially newly planted beds or trees and shrubs.

pollinator plants

perennials, shrubs & trees

learn more

deer resistant plants and shrubs

POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PERENNIALS, SHRUBS & TREES

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FLOWERING PLANTS

ARE POLLINATOR

PLANTS

Do you want your garden to come alive this summer with bees, butterflies, birds and beneficial insects?!

Imagine your garden buzzing with bees, fluttering with butterflies, and alive with birds and beneficial insects—nature in action, right in your backyard. Want to make it happen? Here's the secret: every flowering plant is a pollinator plant.

Pollinators—like bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beetles—are drawn to flowers because they offer nectar and pollen, their essential food sources. While feeding, these tiny visitors perform one of the most magical tasks in nature: pollination. As they move from bloom to bloom, pollen grains hitch a ride on their feet and bodies, landing on the female parts of the next flower and sparking the creation of seeds and fruit. The pollen grain grows a tube that travels all the way down the stigma to the ovary of the flower where it then fertilizes the female egg inside the ovary. It then develops into an embryo within a seed. The flower is the reproductive structure of flowering plants. The fruit is the swollen ovary of the female reproductive structure. And inside the fruit are the seeds.

Next time you bite into a strawberry, take a closer look—the seeds on the outside and the tiny hairs (stigmas) are the remnants of this beautiful process.

[Videos] Allium buzzing with bees. Oak Leaf Hydrangeas on the Highline in NYC.

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Why Native

Plants Matter

Some pollinators rely on very specific plants to complete their life cycles. That’s why planting native is so important—native plants have co-evolved with local pollinators, making them the best hosts for supporting their life cycles. At Vineyard Gardens, we’re passionate about helping you create vibrant, pollinator-friendly gardens using native and well-researched perennials. Whether you're starting fresh or enhancing an existing landscape, your choices make a real difference for pollinator health and biodiversity. There has been a surge of understanding around the importance of caring for the native ecosystem through native plants to protect our pollinators. Horticulturalists are continually doing research and trials on plants that stand out as pollinator favorites. More and more customers are looking to grow pollinator friendly gardens and to cultivate a healthy native landscape.

Not sure where to begin? Check out the Cape Cod Native Plants website for a fantastic online tool to help you select the right plants for your site conditions.

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St Johns Wort

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Echinacea purpurea

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Rudbeckia fulgida Goldsturm

More and more customers are joining this movement to support a healthier planet—and you can too.

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Pollinator

Power Plants:

Our Favorite Perennials

Here’s a list of powerhouse plants that will invite pollinators and energize your garden all season long:

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Mondarda, Spotted Beebalm

🌱 Native Pollinator Perennials:

• Ageratum (Coelestinum)

• Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

• Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium ‘Gateway’)

• Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum)

• Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

• Mallow ‘Rose’ (Hibiscus moscheutos)

• Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

• Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolius)

• Woods Purple Aster (Eurybia divaricata)

• Baptisia (Baptisia australis)

• Beebalm (Monarda didyma)

• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

• Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

• Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

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Lavender

🌿 Perennial Pollinators:

• Agastache (‘Kudos’ Coral, Ambrosia, Mandarin, Blue Fortune, Black Adder, Little Adder)

• Bluebeard (Caryopteris)

• Coneflower (Echinacea) – Sombrero Series, White Swan, Green Twister

• Coreopsis – Solanna™ Bright Touch, UpTick™ Gold & Bronze

• Goldenrod (Solidago)

• Lavender (Lavandula)

• Milkweed (Asclepias)

• Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

• Salvia

• Perennial Sunflower (Helianthus)

• Stonecrop (Sedum)

• Yarrow (Achillea)

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Asters

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Goldenrod, Rudbeckia photo by keith kurman

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Sedum, Butterfly Milkweed, Quickfire Hydrangea

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Swamp Milkweed

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POLLINATOR FRIENDLY SHRUBS

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Clethra, Sweet Pepperbush

Native Pollinator Shrubs:

• Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)

• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

• Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)

• Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)

• Inkberry (Ilex glabra)

• Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

• American Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis)

• Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)

• Sweet Fern (Comptonia peregrina)

• Willow (Salix)

• Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

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St. John’s Wort - Hypericum

Pollinator Shrubs:

• Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

• Double File Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum)

• Fothergilla

• Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)

• Ninebark (Physocarpus)

• Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

• St. John’s Wort (Hypericum)

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Buttonbush

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Purple Leaf Sand Cherry

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Elderberry

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POLLINATOR FRIENDLY TREES

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Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis Pendula) photo by keith kurman

Native Pollinator Trees:

• Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

• Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)

• Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

• White Oak (Quercus alba)

• American Holly (Ilex opaca)

• Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

• Magnolia virginiana

• Dogwoods – Gray, Silky, Red-twig, Pagoda, Flowering

Additional Pollinator Trees:

• Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem')

• Stewartia

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Ready to Grow a

Buzz-Worthy Garden?

Let your garden be a living, blooming, buzzing celebration of life.

• Visit us at Vineyard Gardens to explore our curated selection of native and pollinator-friendly plants.

• Talk to our team for personalized advice on what will thrive in your space.

• Start planting and be part of the pollinator movement—one flower at a time!

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Agastache, Allium, Rudbeckia

Foam Flower, Tiarella cordifolia

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Native Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Homegrown National Park

Doug Tallamy

native pollinators

resources

DEER RESISTANT PLANTS

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DEER IN YOUR GARDEN

Deer show distinct preferences to certain types of flowers. Plants that are soft to the touch with high water content (like hostas) are favorites, as well as buds and rhododendrons. Deer don’t seem to like plants with coarse, bristly, fuzzy, or spiny textures, nor do they enjoy those with intense aromas. That said, if hungry enough, deer will eat anything. They will leave jagged damage on your plant leaves so you will know they have been to your house for dinner. The heaviest browsing by deer will occur from October through February, especially during difficult winter months.

Note: Even “resistant” varieties can be vulnerable in the first few weeks after planting. If you have major deer problems, we recommend spraying new plants with a deer-repellent for 3 to 4 weeks after planting to prevent them from being nibbled on and damaged. The plants should survive even if they are feasted on, as long as the root systems of the plants are not damaged.

Black Chokeberry, a deer resistant native shrub

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Forget Me Nots & Bleeding Hearts are both deer resistant plants.

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CONTROL AND PREVENTION

How to Get Rid of Deer

There are many techniques you can try to deter deer from munching on your plants. Try some of these methods for your garden:

• Spray flowers and shrubs with a deer repellent that contains a mixture of dried bovine blood, sulfured eggs, and garlic. These repellents are available at most home and garden stores. They will not harm your plants and are usually effective in deterring deer.

• Scatter or hang bars of deodorant or cheap motel soap around the garden; if you leave the wrappers on, the soap will last longer. Irish Spring is particularly recommended.

• For your garden, choose flowers and shrubs that are unpalatable to deer, such as forsythia, lilac bush, marigolds, zinnias, daffodils, lavender and snapdragons. Contact your local cooperative extension for suggestions in your area. Here is the Almanac’s list of deer-resistant plants.

• Put strong-smelling plants that deer don’t like on the outside of your garden and smaller plants that need more protection on the inside. Deer tend to stay away from poisonous plants, strongly flavored plants, and plants with hairy or furry leaves.

• The most reliable method is to fence in your garden. We sell a black vinyl fence for keeping deer out. The fence needs to be at least 8ft tall. A strong 8ft metal fence would work nicely but that can get quite expensive.

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Plastic deer fencing

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Plastic deer fencing

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Wooded gate & plastic deer fencing

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Wooden gate & plastic deer fencing

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DEER RESISTANT ANNUALS

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Lantana ‘Sunrise Rose’

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Alyssum

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Calendula Bon Bon mix. A dwarf Calendula. Blooms all summer in full sun or part shade.

DEER RESISTANT ANNUALS

• Acroclinum (Paper Flower)

• Ageratum

• Angelonia: Dwarf Serena, tall Angelonias and our favorite tall one is the Angel Face Series

• Bachelor Buttons (Corn Flowers)

• Bracteantha (Strawflower)

• Brugmansia

• Calendula (Angel's Trumpets)

• Cleome (Spider Flowers)

• Cosmos sulphureus: Cosmos Xanthos,Cosmos Apricotta and our new Cosmos Diablo

• Datura (Trumpet Flower)

• Delphinium (Larkspur)

• Dusty Miller (Silver Ragwort)

• Euphorbia marginatá ‘Snow on the Mountain’

• Geraniums (Crane's Bill)

• Geraniums (scented)

• Gomphrena (Globe amaranth)

• Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)

• Heliotropium (Heliotrope)

• Herbs (annuals): cilantro / parsley / dill / chervil / lemon grass / lavender / lemon verbena / marjoram

• Lantana

• Limonium (Statice) (Sea lavenders)

• Lobularia maritima (Alyssum)

• Papaver  (Poppies)

• Salvias

• Tagetes (Marigolds)

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Heliotrope Fragrant Delight

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Lantana

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Salvia “Amistad” (annual and season extender)

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DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS

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Nepeta “Walkers Low’ catmint

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Pennisetum Moudry-black fountain grass blooms in late summer

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Bearded Iris

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS

• Achillea (Yarrow)

• Aconitum (Wolf's bane)

• Agastache (Anise hyssop)

• Allium Ornamental Onion)

• Alpestris (Forget-Me-Nots)

• Amsonia (Blue Stars)

• Ariseama (Jack-in-the-Pulpit)

• Arum (Arum Lilies)

• Aruncus (Goatsbeard)

• Artemesia (Mugworts)

• Asarum (Wild Gingers)

• Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)

• Aster

• Astilbe (False Goatsbeard)

• Baptisia (Wild Indigo)

• Borage

• Bronze Fennel

• Cimicifuga (Bugbane)

• Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’ and ‘Moonbeam’ (Whorled Tickseed)

• Corydalis

• Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)

• Digitalis (Foxglove)

• Dryopteris (Wood Ferns)

• Echinops (Globe Thistle)

• Epimedium (Barrenwort)

• Euphorbia (Spurges)

• Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue)

• Helleborus (Hellebore)

• Herbs (perennial): Rosemary / thyme / sage / tarragon / mints / Rue

• Iris: Bearded, Japanese and Siberian Iris

• Kirengeshoma (Yellow Wax Bells)

• Lavandula (Lavender)

• Liatris (Blazing stars)

• Lily if the valley

• Marrubium vulgare (Horehound)

• Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)

• Mint family perennials

• Monarda (Beebalm)

• Narcissus (Daffodils)

• Nepeta (Catnips)

• Oregano Drops of Gold Jupiter (new)

• Oregano: ornamental and edible

• Ornamental Grasses

• Osmunda Fern (Royal Fern)

• Pachysandra

• Paeonia (Peonies)

• Papaver (Poppies)

• Perovskia (Russian Sage)

• Salvia

• Stachys bizantina (Lambs Ears)

• Teucrium (Germanders)

• Yucca

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Echinops, Globe Thistle

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Dicentra Bleeding Hearts

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Hellebores

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Thyme Lemon Variegated

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Helictotrichon Saphirsprudel

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Foxglove

Amsonia hubrichtii

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DEER RESISTANT TREES & SHRUBS

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Lilac

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Pieris japonica

DEER RESISTANT TREES & SHRUBS

• Abelia

• Acer (Maple)

• Aesculus (Horse Chestnut)

• Amelanchier (Serviceberry)

• Aralia (Spikenards)

• Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry)

• Aronia (Chokeberry)

• Aucuba (spotted laurel)

• Betula (Birch)

• Buddleja davidii (Butterfly Bush)

• Buxus (Boxwood)

• Callicarpa (Beautyberry)

• Calycanthus floridus (Sweet Shrub)

• Calycanthus virginicum (Carolina Allspice)

• Caryopteris (Bluebeard)

• Cercidiphyllum (Katsura)

• Chaenomeles (Flowering Quince)

• Chamaecyparis (False Cypress)

• Chionanthus

• Clerodendron trichotoma (Harlequin Glorybower)

• Clethra (Sweet Pepperbush)

• Cotinus (Smoke bush)

• Cornus (Dogwood)

• Cotoneaster (Bearberry cotoneaster)

• Cryptomeria (sugi)

• Daphne

• Deutzia

• Enkianthus

• Forsythia

• Fothergilla

• Gleditsia

• Hamamelis (Witch-hazel)

• Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)

• Hypericum (St. Johns Wort)

• Ilex opaca (American Holly)

• Ilex verticillata (Winterberry Holly)

• Illicium floridanum (Florida Anise)

• Itea virginica (Virginia sweetspire)

• Juniperus (Junipers)

• Kerria japonica

• Kolkwitzia (Beauty Bush)

• Symphoricarpos (Crepe Myrtle)

• Leucothoe fontanesiana (Fetterbush)

• Lindera (Spicebush)

• Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree)

• Magnolia

• Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape Holly)

• Mahonia nervosa

• Mahonia repens

• Metasequoia (dawn redwood)

• Microbiota decussata (Siberian Cypress)

• Myrica pensylvanica (Bayberry)

• Nellia sinensis

• Osmanthus (Devilwood)

• Oxydendrum (sorrel tree)

• Philadelphus  (Mock oranges)

• Picea glauca (Alberta Spruce)

• Pieris japonica (Andromeda)

• Pines

• Potentilla (Cinquefoil)

• Prunus laurocerasus (Cherry Laurel)

• Prunus maritima (Beach plum)

• Prunus serrulata (Japanese Cherry)

• Rhus (Sumac)

• Rubus (Trailing Blackberry)

• Salix (Willows)

• Sambucus (Elderberry)

• Sarcococca hookeriana (Sweetbox)

• Skimmia

• Spirea (Meadowsweets)

• Symphoricarpos (Coralberry)

• Syringa vulgaris (Lilac)

• Viburnum dentatum (Arrowwood Viburnum)

• Weigela

• Wisteria

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Clethra

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Fothergilla

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Spirea

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Callicarpa

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variegated Boxwood

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oh deer!

Monrovia deer resistant plants

deer resistant plant rating

EAT LOCAL, GROW IT IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD

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JOIN US THIS SATURDAY MORNING

_______________

GARDEN WORKSHOP

SEED SOWING

SATURDAY APRIL 13TH // 11:00AM // VINEYARD GARDENS

Do you want to learn to sow your plants from seed? Chris Wiley, owner and expert horticulturist, shares her tricks of the trade.

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seed project

learn more

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GROWING EARLY

SPRING EDIBLES

SMALL FRUITS & FRUIT TREES

Spring is the best time to prune your fruit trees, grapes, raspberries and blackberries. It is also the best time to plant small fruits and fruit trees. We have a great selection of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. The early spring selection is best!

All these should be planted very soon!

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Rasberry Bare Root

Blueberry Vaccinium Top Hat

Strawberry ‘Fort Laramie’

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STRAWBERRIES

TIPS FOR PLANTING STRAWBERRIES

There is a small window of time in the spring to plant strawberries. Strawberries can be grown in garden beds, containers or hanging baskets. Strawberry flowers attract honeybees and butterflies who pollinate the flowers and ensure fruiting success.

• This year we are carrying 4 cultivars of strawberries

  Strawberries in 3"black pots / $3.95

  • Honeoye is our favorite, but all of them are good. Honeoye bears heavy yields of large fruit with a rich color.

  • Fort Laramie

  • All Star

  • Quinalt

• Growing potted Strawberries

  • Provide well drained soil with medium moisture. Amend beds in spring and fall with quality Coast of Maine Lobster Compost or Fafard Premium Compost (we carry both!).

  • Strawberries are heavy feeders- feed with organic fertilizer from spring to mid summer.

  • Mulch beds to retain moisture, keep down the weeds and to create a nice clean place for the strawberry fruits to lay on.

  • Thin beds every few years, favoring the strongest runners.

Strawberry All Star

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Strawberry Honeoye

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BLUEBERRIES

We have a wonderful selection of early, mid season and late variety blueberries. Now is the time to get them in the ground. We recommend planting early bearing variety, a mid season variety and a late season variety to extend your blueberry picking season.

Blueberries must be planted in early spring!!

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Blueberry Flowers

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Low Bush Blueberries

Blueberry Chandler

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GRAPES & FRUIT TREES

• GRAPES: Grapes should be pruned as soon as possible on cool days. If pruned much later they will “bleed” sap, much like a maple tree when its tapped for making maple syrup. Pruning for grapes and most fruit trees involves limiting the number of fruits produced as the tree or vine will try to make many more fruits than the tree has the energy to fully mature. Often excess fruits will fall off and the ones remaining may be smaller than on a tree properly pruned. This is also the best time to plant grapes!

• FRUIT TREES: We carry apple, pear, peaches, cherry and sour cherry. The sour cherries make the very best pies. Spring is the great time to plant them!

  • Pruning apple trees: When you are done pruning an apple tree there is usually more on the ground then left on the tree.

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ASPARAGUS & POTATOES

Now available bare root asparagus and potatoes! We have Asparagus Bareroot Millenium & Asparagus Purple Passion. The Potatoes we carry are Amarosa, French Fingerling, Russet Burbank, Russian Banana and Red Norland.

Asparagus Bundles of 5 / $12,95, Bundles of 10 / $19.95 & Bundles of 25 / $31.95

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Asparagus Millenium bundles of 5

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Asparagus Purple Passion Bundles of 10

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Asparagus Purple Passion Bundles of 25

Potato amarosa

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Potato Russian banana

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GREENS & COOL

WEATHER VEGGIES

Grow your own Greens

Salad material, lettuce, spinach, endive, mignonette

The lettuces and the cilantro, in particular, can be done by direct seeding in Mid April.

Start the other herbs and cool weather veggies inside first and then plant out as seedlings.

WE GROW ALL THESE IN PACKS FROM SEED . WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SELECTION OF SEEDS & WILL HAVE A GREAT VARIETY OF PACK SELECTIONS!

COOL WEATHER VEGGIES

Brassicas (like broccoli), Cauliflower, Cabbage, Kale, Swiss Chard, Mustards, Collards

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Red Leaf Salad

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Mesculin Mix Asian Salad Greens

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Mustard Greens

TIMING IS KEY IN GARDENING! DON’T WAIT TO GET STARTED!

garden tips

APRIL

events

garden workshops

[PLANT PROFILE] POPPIES

POPPIES:

SPRING FAVORITE!

We love our poppies at Vineyard Gardens! We grow a lot of different varieties. There are both annual and perennial poppies. Some are truly perennial, some are short lived perennial and some are annual poppies. The annual poppies love to colonize by reseeding and return year after year. We raise our annual poppies from seed and grow a fine selection for your garden. One perennial poppy we grow from seed is the Spanish poppy, Papaver rupifragum, Double tangerine Gem. It is the latest blooming of the poppies with pretty apricot blooms in late summer. It grows wild in the mountains of Spain along with Spanish lavender.

Poppies like a rich, well drained soil in full sun. Deer Resistant!!

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Iceland Poppy

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Iceland Poppies

PAPAVER ORIENTALIS/ORIENTAL POPPIES

The most famous of the perennial poppies are the Oriental Poppies. They are long lived perennials that bloom in early spring, go dormant in the heat of summer and then come back bigger and better the next year.

Oriental Poppies are known for their dinner plate sized blooms. The red with the black center is probably the best known. This year we have Crimson Red, Orange Red and Royal Wedding, a white one with a black center. We also have Turkenlouise, a red one with ruffled edges on the petals, and Princess Victoria Louise, a salmon colored one. Oriental Poppies are very dramatic flowers!

Make sure to mark the spot so that you don’t disturb the sleeping poppy!

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Oriental poppies photo by keith kurman

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Oriental poppies

PAPAVER NUDICAULE/ICELAND POPPIES

Icelandic poppies, Papaver nudicaule (meaning bare stems), are another type of poppy that is considered perennial, but seem to be shorter lived than the Oriental Poppies. Iceland poppies are just gorgeous! Their crepe paper like flowers are very delicate and bloom on tall, thin 1ft stems. Plant 2-3 in a pot and enjoy them all spring and into early summer.

We carry Iceland Poppies in the Champagne Series (individual colors) and the Wonderland Series (a mix of colors). We have the Champagne Series in scarlet, pink, yellow, orange, and red for the individual colors. These are hardy but short lived perennials. They are native to sub polar regions of Asia and North America.

Iceland Poppies are blooming now!

Iceland Poppy

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Iceland poppy

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Iceland poppies

ANNUAL POPPIES

Papaver rhoeas, Papaver commutatum, Papaver paeoniflorus, Papaver somniferum

The great reseeding poppies are the annual poppies. We grow these from seed, seeded in early to mid February and sell them in packs and 2” pots.

Following the spring through early summer flowering, annual poppies have beautiful seed pods that extend the season from summer into fall. These seed pods ripen and spill out into the surrounding soil and baby seedlings emerge the following year. I know of many sunny gardens where annual poppies have colonized and make a fabulous easy to grow display year after year.

This year we are growing:

• Shirley Poppies

• Papaver rhoeas, including Double Choice Mix

• Select Seed, White Bridal Veil

• We are growing the peony flowered poppy in Lauren’s Grape, Hungarian Blue and White Cloud.

• Ladybird Poppy, Papaver commutatum, a red flower with a black blotch at the base of each petal. It is a prolific bloomer.

• Papaver somniferum, in Imperial Pink and The Giant with a red flower.

  Ready to be planted now!

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GROWING & CARE

• Plant your poppies in a full sun garden with well drained soil.

• They have beautiful seed pods that extend the season beyond bloom.

• The annual poppies can be dead headed to extend bloom but at some point let the beautiful seed pods develop and let them ripen on the plant.

• Poppies will reseed and you may have lots of little poppy seedlings for years to come.

• If they are happy, they will colonize in your garden. It is wonderful when plants colonize! Other plants do this too!

Come to Vineyard Gardens to find out what other plants reseed and colonize in your garden!

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SUCCESSION GARDENING

LESSONS IN

SUCCESSION

GARDENING

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There is a time in early summer when groups of perennials are either ending their season or just starting their growth spurts. During this ‘in-between’ period in June, the addition of hardy annuals effectively bridges the blooming gap filling in the empty space of spent perennials. This strategic planting is known as succession gardening, a layered gardening style that has continuous blooms throughout the season. Succession gardening breathes more color, cut flowers, birds and bees into the garden.

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Vineyard Gardens Nursery

We seeded an assortment of hardy annuals last fall, such as Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus), Ladybird poppies (Papaver commutatum), Rose of Heaven (Silene ‘Blue Angel’), Larkspurs, Feverfew, Queen Anne’s Lace (Ammi Majus), Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) and some biennials like Lychnis coronaria, Digitalis purpurea (hybrids) and Verbascums that bloom early and will flower through June and some into July. In addition to blooming in June, these annuals knit together a beautiful planting scheme with the evolving summer perennials.

Hardy annuals can be used both in formal gardens and natural settings.

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Digitalis purpurea

Feverfew

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Verbascum thapsis

SUCCESSION GARDENING TIPS

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The flowers of hardy annuals can occupy negative space in June and then the foliage of neighboring perennials fill that space in July.

• Hardy annuals are best planted early, typically around mid march, depending on the weather. Planted early they will give you the maximum desired effect.

• Vineyard Gardens has a great selection of our fall sown hardy annuals that are available now and ready to plant.

• These plants can be directly sown in the spring but will not give you the size, vigor or highly anticipated jaw dropping display due to the warmer temperatures as spring progresses.

Alternatively, hardy annuals can be removed in July and replaced with tender annuals.

Tender annuals include Cosmos, Dahlias, Tagetes, Browalia, Ageratum, Coleus, Impatiens or Cleome. 

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Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus)

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Verbascum thapsis

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Digitalis purpurea ‘Apricot’

succession planting

Great Dixter

gardening tips

March

Digitalis purpurea 'Cream'