DianaDigs Balloon Flower

The balloon flower (above)is commonly known in the landscape world, but its cousin is definitely worthy in my garden.

 Botanical name, Campanula glomerata is low maintenance and blooms for 2 months, at least.

This perennial needs some shade from the hot afternoon sun, drought tolerate, deer resistant and if deadheaded, will bloom again. It is not invasive and works well in cottage style gardens or other informal landscapes in the backyard.

The size of this perennial is about 18 inches around and fits into the front of a perennial bed nicely.

DianaDigs Campanula glomerata!

at Cornerstone Garden 414 State Street in Greensboro

 

Cleaning with Herbs in Greensboro

Diana Digs Dirt, but cleans with Green-The Clean G

    Harness the power of nature to clean!  Blending essential oils with vinegar and a bare touch of a surfactant (to mix oil with water in a manner in which it will not separate), these cleaners are natural, safe and effective  Eco-friendly or “green” cleaning is a truly pleasant experience with the aroma-therapeutic properties of the essential oils.

 

Some of the cleaners I have tried are:

• Citrus-Orange and Tea Tree Scent(this blend is proven to stop the spread of airborne viruses)
• Herbal-Basil and Thyme  Scent 

• Fresh-Rosemary and Spearmint Scent

They are fantastic, especially for those touched by S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) in the winter months. This type of aromatherapy can be enjoyed through the year.

The Clean G also offers beeswax candles. Couple of my favorites are Lavender Dream 

and Vitality

They firmly believe in the Reduce Reuse Recycle school of thought and work to decrease our consumption of packaging materials by buying in bulk as much as possible.
They reuse anything possible, including; shipping materials, packing peanuts and bubble wrap. If they cannot reuse something, they make every effort to Recycle it.

Nothing will go to the landfill that can be Recycled.

Thank you to The Clean G for supporting Just a Cloud Away, Inc.™ Journal

 

Changing Pink Hydrangea to Blue Flowers

Hydrangea macrophyllas are spectacular in bloom and are show stoppers within the landscape. Pink or Blue, this early summer blooming shrub will last for weeks.

People are always wanting the hydrangea color they do not have. It is much easier changing the color from pink to blue rather than vice versa. So take a good look at your lovely hydrangea plants and determine if the color is appropriate for the space. The two hydrangea shrub pictures are of the same plant, but installed in 2 different locations.

This large hydrangea shrub, probably Nikko Blue, has bloomed this color for many years. 2 years ago a cutting was taken and planted on a different property. Below is the bloom of the cutting.

Quite a difference in color.

Absolutely fabulous that from one plant 3 or 4 different shades of pink/lavender/periwinkle can be enjoyed.

How do we go about changing color? First, the change from pink to blue. These amendments can be added to the soil to increase acidity or lower the pH number:

• peat moss
• ammonium nitrate
•  ammonium sulfate
• sulfur coated urea
• iron sulfate

Pink hydrangeas favor a high phosphorus content and a more alkaline soil with a higher pH, try adding:

• dolomitic lime
• ginger
• kidney beans
• calcium
• sand
• baking soda
• fertilizer such as 25/10/10
• ripe bananas
• planted by a concrete walkway or garden ornamentation (lime from concrete leeches into the soil)
• mix 1 tablespoon vinegar with 1 gallon of water

Hydrangea macrophyllas can be used as filler plants, foundation plants, hedges or for cutting flowers, especially weddings. They prefer morning sun only and like a good drink of water each week. So if you do not have an irrigation system, plant your hydrangea by the house in close proximity to a water source.

Happy Planting!

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

 

Natural Evergreen Holiday Centerpiece

Cut your own holiday centerpieces  for your dining room tables. They are free and unique adding colorful warmth to the festivities. Select a container and insert floral foam. You will want some foam exposed for a more grandiose flower display.

Once you have cut the foam to the desired size, gather evergreen foliage, twigs, berries, and other natural elements you may want to incorporate.

I choose Japanese Snowbell Tree twigs because of their fine texture. Consider the size of your container when selecting items. For example, magnolia foliage would overwhelm this small container.

Coarse textured evergreens I selected were Indian Hawthorn and Osmanthus.

Use what you have in your own garden and make sure you select fine, medium and coarse textures.

Cedar was inserted around the rim of the container to soften the edges. I snipped a few rose buds for the center.

Cranberries were inserted into toothpicks and placed throughout for color. You could use nandina, pyracantha or holly berries.

Make sure you water your centerpiece.

Yuletide Camellia is blooming in my garden and is perfect for this holiday centerpiece. If nothing is blooming in your garden, purchase a few flowers from your local florist and insert into the floral foam. They will last 1-2 weeks depending on the flower selection.

Yuletide Camellia is available for purchase, please contact diana@justacloudaway.com. This plant is perfect for December weddings.

When the flowers have faded, just replace with a fresh bouquet and your centerpiece will last till Valentine’s Day, if watered.

Happy Planting and Happy Holidays

Diana Gardner-Williams www.dianadigsdirt.com

Landscape Design and Installation

Divine Weddings and Beyond™

 

November Thanksgiving Landscape Flowers

If you are having guests over for the Thanksgiving holiday or wedding photographs taken at your home, make sure your landscape is bursting with color.

You will notice I have many favorite plants, but this tree really is one of them! The Autumn Cherry Tree. If a plant blooms more than one season, it is a favorite. Autumn Cherry Trees bloom in spring and in October/November.

Lovely

Some annuals with a very long bloom time. This double petunia is fantastic.

My white blooms on the begonias are still strong. Perfect for wedding photographs.

Salvia, Rhea is really a show stopper! This annual is also called Mealycup Sage.

Yellow marigolds are hanging in there.

Below is a hanging pot filled with the annual, verbena.

Another hanging pot annual.

This is an amazing perennial/annual vine. Yes, it is invasive and I love it.

The black-eyed susan vine is behind the potato vine. Removing it is quite easy too.

A few perennials, like this yellow canna lily ready to give us one last bloom.

Perennial geranium below has been sporadically blooming the entire growing season.

Hardy garden mums are just about finished blooming.

“Baths Pink” Dianthus has a few flowers left. I did shear these perennials after their showy display in spring.

This perennial verbena blooms from April to Frost and is only available at Gethsemane GArdens. Janice has named this beauty, Barnyard Verbena.

Shrubs with autumn blooms like Camellia sassanqua. This will bloom for several more weeks.

Knock out roses are another favorite of mine.

There will be another round of blooms before they go dormant.

Gardenia shrubs have a few flowers.

Red knock out roses.

“Little Gem” Magnolia trees with flower buds, fragrant too.

Have a wonderful holiday and think about incorporating some of the autumn blooming plants within your landscapes in early spring.

Happy Planting!

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

 

Pressed Foliage Craft at Clapps Nursing Center

Jennifer Nichols of Clapps Nursing Center in Pleasant Garden was looking for volunteers to head up a few activities for the residents. So we made a date and it was one of the best dates I’ve had in a long time.

The prior month I collected some of my favorite foliage from maple, sassafras, and fig trees, rose and euonymous leaves.The autumn colors were in their prime with gorgeous red, green and yellow autumn striations. I  pressed the foliage between wax paper and placed 30 pounds of books on top for a few weeks. Then packed up my leaves and card making supplies and headed to the nursing home.

Holiday Card Making is a wonderful craft for everyone. There is no right way, it’s created from the heart and to me, a great stress reliever. The residents seemed as excited as I was to be there.

Fortunately, I had the help of two staff members to assist with cutting, printing, glueing and glittering. The artwork was all very unique and just beautiful.

They selected their favorite pressed leaves, paper and glitter color. Also suggesting  the words for the inside of the cards.

Janie loved the glitter.

Fabulous.

There was one fellow named Gene, who took an interest in the craft and created a masterpiece.

All so different.

A pretty blue.

I love the tiny euonymous leaves.

 Their family and friends will receive an extra special card this holiday season. Thank you for having me:)

Happy Planting!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

 

Fresh Greenery for Wedding Decorations

Weddings, rehearsal dinners and outdoor bridal parties are all events needing decorations reflecting the essence of the wedding. This can be done with color, texture, flowers, hobby or another unique element of the wedding while using fresh greenery.

Fresh greenery is an affordable way to incorporate earthy elements and dress up the landscape, while having fun. Below on the front of the pergola hangs fresh greenery consisting of 4 plants; scotchbroom, magnolia, pink yarrow and oak leaf hydrangea.

These plants are simply tied together with twine and hung on the pergola with string and bound with pink ribbon on top.

These are great decorations for the homes where out of town guests will be staying too.

If you would like to decorate for the rehearsal dinner or before, look at the same fresh greenery 3 days after being in 90 degree whether here in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The trick is to combine different textures so there is an obvious contrast. Foliage from evergreen plants hold up quite nicely for days. The oak leaf hydrangea flower is very durable as well.

Fresh greenery for your weddings and other parties can be attached to candle holders, trees, pergolas, fences and doors.

Take inventory of the plants your family, friends and neighbors have before you plan the outdoor decorations. Iwould strongly suggest foliage from magnolias, pine, holly, scotchbroom, helleborus, lavender, osmanthus, rhododendron, ligustrum, gardenia, cypress or eleagnus.

When you have selected what plants you are going to use, incorporate elements of the wedding into them. Adding ribbon the color of the bridesmaid gowns, string seashells into the greenery for a beach theme wedding or glue craft butterflies onto them if releasing butterflies at your wedding is planned.

Fresh greenery is one element worth spending time assembling. Another idea is to have someone else put them together for you. Brides have enough on their plates.

I am just a phone call away to help you with your wedding decorations and photogenic landscape.

Divine Weddings and Beyond™!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

 

A Guide to Installing Plant Material

The average homeowner may have questions about the best placement of plant materials. Not only is sun or shade a factor, so is the function of the plant. Let your landscape work for you and install plants where they will provide a function as well as aesthetics.

Specimen plants like Yoshino Cherry Trees can stand alone in the landscape because of their form, flowers, or other ornamental characteristic.

Even in the winter months Yoshino Cherry Trees make a statement because of the beautiful color of bark and the structure or growing habit.

Foundation plants are very functional because they should be used for year round interest in the front of your home. These are plants installed closest to your house. Foundation plants are the staple of curb appeal and 75% should be evergreen varieties. It depend on the style of your to determine what types of plants to use. Some excellent foundation plants I use are:

• Otto Luyken Laurel
• Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia
• Dwarf Hollies
• Indian Hawthorn

Anchor plants are those installed on the corners of your home. These plants are meant to marry or tie the home into the surrounding landscape. They have a taller growing habit and usually at neat in appearance. Some anchor plants I use are:

• Foster Holly
• Cleyera
• Emerald Green Arborvitae
• West Coast Schip Laurel
• Chindo Viburnum

Filler plants are those needed to fill in the bare spots after the staple plants have been designed into the landscape plan. Even though they have the name “filler”, they too serve other purposes. Filler plants can add needed color, a different texture or the purpose of  attracting butterflies. The yellow mums were obviously used as filler plants, adding color by the front walkway.

Happy Planting!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

 

Alzheimer’s Association in Greensboro’s City Park

Greensboro’s downtown City Park was the location for the Memory Walk for the Alzheimer’s Association. The turn out was fabulous.

The weather was perfect and people were sporting their purple t-shirts for the 1 mile Memory Walk.

The mist from the water feature was also popular for cooling off.

Snacks and refreshments were provided too.

We were invited by a volunteer for the Alzheimer event, Marty McFarling of Ameriprise Financial, who is now our financial planner.

I couldn’t help noticing the beautiful plant material within City Park. A Bald Cypress specimen caught my eye.

These trees grow perfectly pyramidal and are deciduous. the fine textured foliage adds grace to any landscape.

Several drought tolerate plants  throughout City Park provided color. Yarrow is a perennial and a great cutting flower for centerpieces.

Black-eyed susan is another drought tolerate perennial and also deer resistant.

A lovely surprise is this underused groundcover, creeping raspberry.

This full sun groundcover even turns red in the fall.

Blue Fescue (to the left) is a very small grass perfect for the petite, full sun landscapes.

Ferns are perennials which are either evergreen or deciduous. The Autumn Fern is evergreen and new growth has a copper color.

Autumn Ferns are perfect for woodland shade gardens and provide unique texture.

If you know of a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, think about donating or participating in events raising money to find a cure.

Happy Planting!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation

 

NC Zoo Growing Low Maintenance Plants

While strolling through the North Carolina Zoo, take note of all of the plants appealing to you. Most likely these types of flora are low maintenance and can be grown in your area or zone with little effort. All of the plant material suggested here should be installed in the backyards or rear gardens. These shrubs and perennials do not look great year round because they are deciduous.

The plant with yellow flowers above is a perennial, small in size called Coreopsis verticillata “Moonbeam”. This is a great plant for summer blooms and a fine, delicate texture flowering from June till frost. This little pretty is incredibly drought tolerate and can be divided every year to share with friends and family. In 1993 “Moombeam” Coreopsis won the perennial plant of the year.

Another low maintenance plant for residential landscapes are Buddleia or Butterfly Bush.

Butterfly Bushes are huge shrubs reaching to a height of 10 feet. Some other varieties may be more on the dwarf size, but I would recommend giving them enough space to spread out. Butterflies love this plant and it comes in an array of colors like; purple, dark violet, lilac, blue, white, pink, yellow and bi-color. Do not plant close to your stone patio or deck because bees love this one too.

Joe-pye weed or the botanical name, Eupatorium maculatum “Gateway” is not actually a weed, it’s a perennial.

It is not the prettiest perennial but attracts a large number of butterflies. Another wonderful trait of this plant is prolific blooming in August and September when not many plants are. It grows in part sun and loves a boggy or wet soil, great selection for pond side. It will need to be staked or lean on a fence or structure.

If you have taken a photograph of your favorites plants at the North Carolina Zoo and need help on identification, let me help you out.

Have fun at the Zoo and be sure to take pictures of the beautiful flora along with your favorite animals. These plants will proper in Greensboro Gardens and the Piedmont Triad area landscapes.

Happy Planting!  www.dianadigsdirt.com

Diana Gardner-Williams

Landscape Design and Installation