Every time of year – every season – there is always something new and different to do in your landscape, garden, flowerbeds and even indoors.
And we’re not exaggerating! With a little imagination, inspiration, and effort there is more and more to learn about this fascinating hobby. Some of you may be new to gardening and we applaud you for expanding your horizons. You have opened the door to benefits beyond your wildest dreams. Many of you already know how rewarding it is to garden. Sitting on the ground, getting up close and personal with good, rich soil is a great experience that we can all relate to. Letting the sun warm your face while filling your flowerbeds with blooms that you get to enjoy all season is more than satisfying. It is a deep, down soul-inspiring kind of satisfying. We recommend it!
Fabulous Fall Gardening
Mother Nature beckons us to get outside and connect with nature. We are going to start with autumn because that is where we find ourselves. Autumn and pansies are synonymous. If this is a new concept to you, we are here to help! Matrix® Pansies from Calloway’s & Cornelius Nurseries will change the way you think about color in your flowerbeds during the cooler months. We are talking about a tapestry of colors including soft yellow, white, and lavender.
You’ll discover them in a solid color – which is called a clear face. If your pansies have a dark center – that is referred to as a blotch face. Once planted, sit back and enjoy those big, beautiful blooms!
Give your Matrix® Pansies a top coating of mulch and frequent nourishment for stunning blooms for weeks and even months. Calloway’s Premium Mulches will insulate these pretty additions and is nutrient packed for your soil and Pansies. Calloway’s Premium Flower Food has the essential nutrients they both crave. Matrix® Pansies grow and bloom so much that you’ll want to make this a part of caring for them. Sprinkle the soil with this incredible flower food each month to keep them happy and vibrant.
Next Up – Assuming you have all your pumpkins, gourds, and mums displayed on your patio, you can turn your attention to Shrubs.
It is time to get up close and personal with your shrubs. You love them and so do birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Shrubs can line your driveway or sidewalk, act as a backdrop in your flowerbeds, and provide color, texture, and seasonal interest. Many shrubs are great for pollinators because they can provide food and refuge for them. Blooming shrubs will attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and birds. You may find that birds will take up residence in your shrubs giving them needed shelter. Take advantage of the cooler days and plant any new shrubs now. This will give the roots time to get established before Old Man Winter shows up. For existing shrubs in your landscape, take a stroll around your yard and see if they need a little trim. It’s best to trim off any dead branches when you see them. A little trimming now can really keep your shrubs in shape and encourage growth.
The holiday season is a time to bring your skills and passions inside. Just because it is cold outside doesn’t mean you have to find a new hobby. You can turn your full attention to your indoor and Christmas plants. For a little extra inspiration, you will want to visit your neighborhood Calloway’s or Cornelius. The atmosphere, the friendly people and the plants, are sure to spark some creativity! Explore our lush collection of Dracaena, Sansevieria, or Pothos Ivy. Add in a few Peace Lilies so you can impress your friends and family when you call them Spathiphyllum. All beautiful options. Be sure to ask one of our Texas Certified Nursery Professionals how to care for your new selections. They absolutely love talking about plants and you will learn so much!
Remember reading about getting your hands into some good, rich soil? Good potting soil is essential for indoor plants!
Calloway’s Premium Potting Soil for Containers is just what you want and is what your houseplants need. It is a nutrient-packed blend, providing the perfect foundation for flourishing plants.
There is no shortage of inspiration when it comes to indoor plants (for you or as gifts) any time of year. Not only will you find fresh, fragrant wreaths and garlands but you’ll have your choice of tabletop plants shaped like tiny Christmas Trees. Rosemary Cones look so much like a tiny Christmas tree and will be a fragrant centerpiece in your container combinations
Get Ready for Christmas Cheer
The Fresh Christmas Trees at all our local stores will enchant you. Picking the family tree from our Tree Forest has become a family tradition for so many. Put on your holiday sweaters and bring the family in to start your own tradition. Flocked or green, big or small – we have them all.
This is how you will feel too!
It just wouldn’t be Christmas without Poinsettias. And did you know that they are loved so much that December 12th is National Poinsettia Day. Joel Roberts Poinsett is credited with bringing this incredible holiday plant to the United States in 1851.
Here’s a little more trivia about Poinsettias that you can work in to your holiday gatherings. Their colorful petals are called bracts. The very center part, often yellow, is actually the flower and, of course, the green leaves are below the bracts. Princettias® are similar but distinctly different because they are much more compact, great for table centerpieces & tabletops or beneath your Christmas tree.
Calloway’s/Cornelius is also THE gift destination for all the gardeners in your life. You may want to get two of everything: one for you and one for that someone special. You can fill their stockings with gloves, seeds, and pruners to list just a few items they’ll enjoy. Remember they love being outdoors so wind chimes or birdhouses, feeders and bird foods will just extend their joy. Gardeners are known for their big hearts so they will appreciate any gift that helps birds get through the winter. You simply can’t go wrong. Check out these great ideas and start making your list now!
New Year, New Garden Dreams
While your list of things to do outside may not be as long, you must protect your plants from the elements. It is a good idea to get your mulch in place and have frost cloth on hand so you will be prepared for those sudden cold snaps. Your plants will be as warm as you are when you are snuggled up by the fireplace on these cold days.
Spring, Glorious Spring
This time of year presents so many opportunities and everyone is anxious to get started on their plans. This is a great time to refresh your containers on your porches and patios. Let your imagination run wild and show off your new Container Creations. It is also time to start thinking about starting your own vegetable garden!
The grass is greening up, the days are getting longer, and you are outside more than ever. Your lawn is such an important part of your landscape, so it is important to care for it as well throughout the year. Apply your fertilizer once it starts to green up. You’ll want to apply it again in 6-8 weeks and one more time around September to keep it happy and healthy. You can follow the same basic schedule with your weed control. Bonide® Weed Beater Complete is an awesome product that works as a pre and post emergent. We’ve put together a great blog about watering your lawn as well – enjoy!
With the longer days, you’ll have more time and desire to add more blooms to your landscape to turn it into a dreamscape. Our stores are brimming over with annuals and perennials during this time. Geraniums, Begonias, Petunias, Tropical Hibiscus, and so much more. Go wild!
The same really goes for summer as well. More fabulous blooms to capture your attention. Cora® XDR Vinca, Pentas, Lantanas, and Sweet Potato Vines are just a few of the plants you’ll want to scoop up.
Our journey through the year is complete. Well, almost. A library is so much more than a collection of books. The same is true for gardening. It is so much more than planting, watering and caring for plants. There are so many benefits for your landscape, you, your neighborhood, and life in general. You will first get acquainted with these inner benefits on your visit to one of our nurseries. This will not be a typical retail experience. Our stores are all open-air which allows for the breeze to come through. You might be able to hear the nearby traffic but soon you will be transported. Those traffic sounds will soon be replaced by the chirping of birds and rustling leaves. Our team members are all plant-enthusiasts and are just as eager to make you one too. Strike up a conversation and soak up all their knowledge. The tables are always filled with your tried-and-true favorites, but you’ll want to venture off the beaten path to find some special hidden treasures. The depth and varieties are simply mind blowing. Plus, the sights, sounds, and fragrances all combine to take life down a notch or two.
It gets even better once you have made all your selections and are ready to get down to some serious gardening.
Gardening is certainly good exercise which can reduce stress levels. It can also boost your immunity with healthy doses of Vitamin D which has been shown to lower blood pressure and improve bone strength and even brain functions. We all know that a good hat and sunscreen are important too. You tend to breathe deeper, and this helps clean your lungs and improve circulation. In turn, better circulation provides you with more energy. This is a little nerdy but good to know: the beneficial microbes found in all that rich soil is beneficial to plants and YOU. Working with it when gardening can boost your immune system, suppress allergens and has recently been shown to act as an anti-depressant by activating the production of serotonin.
Even the vocabulary is uplifting: growth, nurturing, organic, pollinator friendly, abundant, lush, and thriving. You may want to take a few minutes to meditate on your own feelings of wellbeing as you let this hobby become part of who you are.
What other words come to mind?
All of this just goes to remind us of our own personal journey with our love of gardening. We hope you are inspired. ❤️
Check out the Seasonal Guide tab on our website to dive deeper into your all your gardening projects!
