Plant of the Week
Itea virginica, also known as Sweetspire, is a Virginia native—hooray! On the scruffier side, this shrub is not ideal for a formal look. However, it serves as a great transitional plant at the edge of your wood, leading into the wild beyond. Because it’s native to swamplands, it will thrive in your yard’s pesky wet spots. Growing up to 3 feet, it is both deer resistant and a great pollinator. Currently in bloom, it sports 2-3 inch racemes that dangle from its bright green leaves like fuzzy white caterpillars.
Guest
Matt Berry of Dos Amigos Landscaping joins me to talk about hardscaping—the only permanent features in our otherwise ever-changing gardens. Hardscaping includes everything from fountains, patios, sidewalls, house drainage, stonework, masonry and more! Both ornamental and practical, hardscaping is key to the foundational and visual success of many gardens. Most hardscaping is practical in nature, serving to prevent erosion and divert unwanted water through drainage systems. The bonus? Hardscaping can improve your house’s resale value! Tune in for Matt’s tips on DIY hardscaping and hardscape maintenance.
Playlist
Jenny Hopkins’ (Big Arms Farm) life-prolonging potion for cut-flowers:
¼ cup water
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice
1 ½ tsp bleach
Consider “flopping” Baptisia and Amsonia for your garden, both native plants with great foliage. Prune towards the middle of summer and enjoy fresh green foliage in August.
Listen
“Sweet Virginia Breeze” by Steve Bassett and Robbin Thompson (1978).