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| April/May Newsletter Spring Has Sprung |
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| Spring is always an exciting time for us here at Ginkgo Gardens - flowers shooting up, perennials coming back to life, color returning to the yard, and especially seeing all of you. Without you, we wouldn't be here, so we would like to say how much we appreciate your support.
Read on for some tips to aid you in deciding what houseplants are best for your low light room, what annuals to put in a window box, as well as ideas for tree boxes. Also, don't forget to cut out the coupon at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
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 Treebox Tips
First and foremost, liriope is an excellent choice for a treebox. It is very hardy and withstands being trampled quite well. There are two species of lirope available in our area: liriope muscari and liriope spicata. The muscari forms clumping mounds, and is therefore better suited to treeboxes (the spicata is a better choice for groundcover, as it spreads via underground roots). Liriope muscari thrives in both shade and full sunlight, and comes in many varieties. Liriope produces small stalk of blue-purple flowers in midsummer. It comes in many different cultivars, including variegated to give your treebox an extra shot of color.
Mondo grass is another option. This plant is related to liriope and can withstand full sun to partial shade. One interesting cultivar is 'Black Knight', noteworthy because of its black color, which is rare in the plant world. Use this plant to add a bit of contrast in your tree box, perhaps alongside some hosta.
If grassy plants, aren't your cup of tea, you might want to consider Ajuga, also called Bugle Weed. This plant does well in shady areas and comes in a variety of shades and shapes.
Check out the link at the bottom of the page. It leads to the website for The Perennial Farm, and can give you even more suggestions. |
 Low-light Houseplants
First up is Aglaonema, commonly called Chinese Evergreen. This one comes in a wide variety of cultivars, cuh as 'Emerald Bay' and 'White Lance'. What this means is that you could theoretically have nothing but Chinese Evergreen in your living room and no one would be the wiser. Furthermore, it needs very little water compared to other houseplants. Once a week at most ought to do it.
Another great option is Peace Lily. This one you may have seen in shopping malls or office buildings. It is easily identifiable by its large green leaves and the white fronds that grow out of the center. This plant requires more water than the Chinese Evergreen (tip: if the plant is wilted and the soil feels dry, its time to water it), but it does have its own bonus: it acts to purify the air by filtering out harmful chemicals.
Our next plant is called Pothos, or Devil's Ivy. This plant is superb in hanging baskets or placed on a shelf and allowed to cascade over. It is extremely easy to take care of and tolerates some occasional neglect. Pothos is also available as a "pyramid" meaning that it has been tied to converging stakes and allowed to grow vertically, which gives the plant a very unique look.
Finally, Aspidistra, or Cast-Iron Plant. The name says it all. This plant is tough. In fact, in Victorian times, it was referred to as barroom plant, because of the way it thrived in dark, dingy taverns. Cast-Iron plant also comes in a variety called 'Milky Way' which has the appearance of being speckled with stars.
Follow the link below for more information on low-light houseplants. Please note, however, that although snake plant is on the list of plants that you will be lead to, we cannot recommend it for a permanent low-light location. They simply hold up well for a long time in low light, but they will not thrive.
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 Lighten Up
Now for another common question about light: what to plant in a window box that receives full sun? Bear in mind that not all annuals like to be in the full sun. With that said, here are some recommendations. Geraniums are always a safe bet. They come in a wide selection of cultivars, with some having flowers that exhibit a mix of white and red, some having variegated leaves, and even some that give off a sweet aroma when the leaves are crushed. For a different look, consider planting verbena, which is one of the few plants available as both an annual and a perennial (the care is the same for both, of course). Verbena has long trailing branches, with clusters of flowers at the end. The flowers can be white, pink, purple, and red.
An article on full-sun plants wouldn't be complete without mentioning petunias. These plants can give any window box a classic look, with thick greenery and big colorful flowers. There are two types of petunias, depending on your preference: wave petunias, which give a more cascading effect, and regular petunias, which have a bushier appearance. Similar to petunias is calibrachoa, or million bells. The flowers have a similar shape, except smaller and sometimes with a splash of yellow in the center. The leaves are smaller as well.
Of course, tropicals are another great bet for our hot, sunny DC summers. Hibiscus is one option, with a variety of color options ranging from red to pink to orange to white. These plants won't survive the colder months, so they would need to be brought indorrs and kept in a sunny location if you want to keep them. Lantana is also an excellent way to go regarding tropicals. Unlike hibiscus, lantana has long branches with clusters of flowers at the end. What makes it interesting is that there are several colors on one flower cluster. One variety has purple, pink and yellow, while another produces red, orange, and dark yellow.
Last but not least, portulaca is a smart choice for full sun. It does quite well in hot dry environments and is very drought tolerant. Some even say that it does better when slightly neglected. Do yourself a favor and check out the link below for more suggestions!
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As always, thank you for taking the time to read this edition of our newsletter. Hopefully, you have some new ideas for what goes where - both inside and out. Also, don't forget to take a peek at our new furniture section, located upstairs. There you will find benches, umbrellas, tables, and much more. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
The Staff of Ginkgo Gardens | |
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conveniently located on Capitol Hill.
