With a rated size of 18″-24″, Magic Carpet Spirea is very useful in smaller spaces in the landscape.  In very good quality soils, Magic Carpet may grow a bit larger, but it is very easy to cut back aggressively in the spring to keep it as manageable size.

Each spring Magic Carpet Spirea starts out as a bright reddish burgundy shrub that lights up its part of the landscape.  Over a period of weeks, the burgundy new leaves change to gold, and soon violet / pink flowers cover the whole plant.  Once the blossoms fade in mid-summer, you can re-create the burgundy to gold color phases by lightly pruning enough to remove the spent blossoms.  New burgundy growth will push out and a light second set  of blossoms often follow.  The third color phase takes place in fall when the leaves that have aged to a gold/chartreuse once again become a vivid burgundy.

Magic Carpet Spirea  will  grow in a wide variety of soil  types and has its best color when planted in a location with 1/2 day to full sun.  An “old standby” shrub – it’s economical and will perform well.  (Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries)

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Cardinal Red Twig Dogwood grows to  8′-10′ tall and is  a selection made by the plant research program of the University of Minnesota.  Hardy to  frigid zone 3, Cardinal’s green leaves turn to a pleasing purple-red in fall.  When the leaves drop they reveal the twigs which  have turned from summer green to  flaming scarlet.  Cardinal Red Twig dogwood is also very versatile with  a demonstrated ability to  grow in soils from poorly draineed to well drained upland soils.

Plant some Cardinal Red Twig Dogwood now, enjoy it now and wait for the magic to start this fall!

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With a compact and mounded shape, Bloomerang Lilac fits well as a foundation plant, small hedge or an accent to larger shrubs/small trees/perennials.  A vigorous spring bloom is followed by a “rest” period in the heart of summer, and more blossoming in late summer and through fall right to the first heavy frost.

Bloomerang Lilac prefers 1/2 day to full day sun, properly drained soils, and can even prosper in alkaline soils.  As with all other lilacs, avoid water logged soils and heavy shade.  With its wonderful re-blooming characteristics, Bloomerang Dwarf Lilac will please for years to come.  Mature size is rated at 4′-5′ tall by 5′-6′ wide compared to 10′-15′ tall and wide for standard lilacs.

Photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries.

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Aglo Rhododendron - photo courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

With the memory of our mild Minnesota winter rapidly fading and the grass growing greener by the day, you may be feeling the need for a little something to chase away the last of the winter blahs.  A color burst from the Rhododendron family may be just the thing to perk you up!

Winter hardy Rhododendrons and Azaleas have long been a lovely spring fix for avid gardeners.  Rhododendrons such as Aglo and PJM have proven themselves able to prosper in southern Minnesota provided they are planted in a moderately to strongly acidic and well drained soil. 

Aglo Rhododendrons grow to 3′-4′ tall and wide and PJM’s grow slightly larger – 4′-6′ tall and wide.   Green leaves turn mahogany in the winter.   The Aglo sports clusters of pink flowers while the PJM’s flowers are a more vibrant, darker pink.

The Northern Lights series of winter hardy Azaleas has been devloped by the University of Minnesota and have become very popular.  Some of my favorite colors are Mandarin Lights, Rosy Lights, Golden Lights and Northern Lights.  These winter hardy azaleas grow to 4′-5′ in height and width.

Be sure to provide a location with 1/2 day to full day sun and acidic soil for your winter hardy Rhododendrons and Azaleas.  They will reward you with color beyond compare.   I just walked out to the sales deck and the Rhododendrons are beginning to blossom, and the buds on the Azaleas are swelling.  Prices range from $14.99 to $26.99.

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Royal Star Magnolia and Merrill’s Magnolia sport pure white blossoms, while Leonard Messel Magnolia delights the eye with a delicate pink and Ann Magnolia – a rich deep reddish purple.

These Magnolia varieties have proved themselves very hardy, even in tough Minnesota winters.  Mature sizes range from 10 feet up to 40 feet, depending on the cultivar your choose, so allow enough space for these magnificent small trees to reach their full potential.  Magnolias are able to prosper in locations with 1/2 day sun to full sun.

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Once an avid gardener has contracted Forsythia fever, the treatment protocol is fairly straightforward.  Proceed directly to Knecht’s Nurseries where you will find Forsythia in stock, select the variety that suits your fancy, and plant in a highly visible location in your landscape.  Next, allow the rich yellow burst of the first spring blossoms to soothe your soul and elevate your energy.

Within hours, winter malise should melt away, and all will be right with the world.  Enjoy the wild and whacky spring of 2012, and a Forsythia feast for your winter weary eyes.

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The Gold Tide Forsythia trees come in a #7 container and are on sale at $59.00.  A great ornamental tree – it brightens up your yard when there is hardly any other color around.  After the flowering is over – its bright green color provides a great backdrop to other plants taking center stage. 

The crocus bulbs that we have in small containers for sale just started blooming.  You can bring spring inside – or plant them outside for a splash of color.   To accent your spring displays – add a stem or two of pussy willow branches.  We have a limited supply that I just cut this week.  If you want your own pussy willow shrub – we have those on sale at $19.99 and they just started blooming as well.

We are open early this season!  Stop in and just browse around for your early gardening fix!

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Red Sprite Winterberry

Winterberry is one of my favorite shrubs for great winter color.  During a time of year when color is usually in short supply, a nice mass of winterberry can light up the landscape with beautiful red and orange colored berries.

As summer draws to an end, the 1/4″ inch berries that cluster in large numbers along the stems begin to turn from light green to bright orange or red.  Partially hidden bybeautiful green foliage, the beauty of winterberry shrubs really becomes evident when the leaves drop off as they enter dormancy in preparation for winter.

From mid-September to late January each year, my heart feels a little lighter as I walk past the beautiful Red Sprite Winterberries framing the right side of my front entry at home.  Perhaps winterberry can add a smile to your face if you include this fix of color to your winter landscape.

The female winterberry shrubs are the ones that have the showy fruit displays.  To produce the colorful berries, they must be pollinated in springtime by the pollen from a male winterberry.

The varieties we have seen do well in southern Minnesota are Red Sprite, Afterglow, Berry Heavy and Berry Nice.  These are all pollinated by a male variety named Jim Dandy.   Winterberries are native in Minnesota.  We have been watching a cluster of native Winterberry on a portage in the Boundary Waters now for years.   The size of winterberry shrubs can be from 3′ in height to 8′ – depending on the variety.  Width 3′ up to 8′ as well. 

Check out a complete listing of the shrubs we carry on our Plant page.  When doing your plant “wish lists” keep in mind the definite need to winter interest in your landscape.

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Most winterberries have a welcome tendency to tightly hold their red berries until spring clean up time in early April.  This habit of providing an eye-popping display of red color for months on end makes winterberry a plant to seriously consider for inclusion in your landscape.

‘Berry Heavy’ and ‘Berry Nice’ are two larger sized winterberry that also hold abundant colorful berries for long periods.  Winterberry can handle full sun to 3/4 shade, and grows well in many soils, and is quite hardy!  I have seen wild winterberry growing in the canoe country where winters dip to -50 degrees F, so hardiness is not an issue.

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New plantings are especially vulnerable until they have extended new roots into the surrounding soil.  While balled and burlapped trees and shrubs can do well with one or two good waterings per week during their period of establishment – 1 to 2 years – trees, shrubs and perennials that were purchased in plastic nursery pots can dry out and be severely damaged in just one or two days in hot, windy and low humidity conditions.

The reason potted plants dry out so quickly when placed into your landscape is that potting soil is formulated to drain and dry out quickly to avoid root rot while they are in the pots.  They also dry out quickly when planted in your yard  that is until new roots have grown out into the soil surrounding the planting site.  This can take from 6-12 weeks, depending on how compacted the soil is.

If the tree, shrubs or perennial receives aggressive root pruning prior to planting to completely shred any matted roots on the outside of the root ball, AND if there is lots of loose, unpacked soil filled in around the root ball, the rooting out process can happen much much faster.  Allow water and gravity to settle the crumbly soil around t he shredded root ball rather than packing the loose soil.

For more details on precision watering you can check out our instructions page on watering.  Keep in mind that most trees and shrubs purchased in nursery pots will need a little water everyday the first 4-6 weeks, every other day the next 4-6 weeks, and every third or 4th day until a year has passed (take the winter off from watering).  Do not allow the hose  to  trickle on the plant.  You will have no idea how much water you gave it, and you may drown the plant.

Successful planting can be done even in a heat wave  if you give them enough water, but not too much water on a daily basis.  Keep ‘em happy and keep ‘em hydrated!

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