The Early Bloomer - April, 2016 by TAA

The

Early Bloomer APRIL 2016

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Summertime is Calling Purple Passion By Air or By Sea Special Events How Does Your Garden Grow?

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seven acres of inspiration

gardening

Summertime is Calling Around here, spring arrives like a welcomed guest, teasing us with near-perfect temperatures. But good company never stays too long, and just as we’re settling into those pleasant mornings and glorious afternoons, summertime starts to call. Locals know that steamy months bring gardening challenges. But take heart! Your summer plantings can still bloom and thrive in the Florida heat. After more than 50 years of gardening, Rock City has summer down to a science. Our hearty and lush, homegrown plant and flowers can beat the heat, and produce all summer long.

Caladium – A summertime classic, caladiums can be grown in sun or partial shade. Their translucent, heart-shaped leaves illuminate your garden. Lush and easy to grow, they are ideal for both novice and experienced gardeners. Gaillardia – A member of the sunflower family, these sun worshippers will blanket your garden bed with bold shades of yellow, orange and red.

Gallardia

Babywing begonias – Babywings are ideal for our area, as they are high performance flowers that love the shade. A favorite of Rock City’s clients! Lantana – Lantana comes in a mix of red, orange, yellow, and white. A member of the verbena family, they are heat and drought tolerant. continued

Babywing Begonia

Lantana

Gardening Sanctuary

You who walk, maybe with troubled thoughts, come, enter here and rest; And may the sweet serenity of growing things, and the heavenly peace be mirrored in thy soul. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Doxis M. Palmer 3

gardening

Periwinkle

Periwinkle – Also known as vinca, periwinkle is perfect for Florida gardens. It can be planted in beds or containers for showy displays of color. It also grows fast, attracts birds and is low maintenance. What’s not to love? Purslane – An annual succulent, these small clustered flowers grow in full sun and show best during morning hours. Purslane is sometimes called pigweed or little hogweed. We’ll stick with purslane, thank you!

Torenia – or “wishbone” flowers perform best in partial sun or shade. Its blue, white or pink flowers have yellow markings and perform well in containers and baskets. Torenia have a slightly delicate appearance, but don’t let that fool you. They grow very well in summer.

Purslane

Torenia

April Flowers Showing at Rock City Gardens

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Laurentia >

< Gerbera daisy

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< Angelonia

Marigolds >

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Zinnias >

< Salvia Splendens

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plant of the month

Purple Passion Introducing: Dwarf Tibouchina ‘Jules’ The shrub your garden has been waiting for all winter! With it’s dominative size (a modest 2’ tall x 2’ wide) and its relaxed growth habit, open and informal without even a hint of “prune-me-now hedge-osity”, ‘Jules’ is a playful addition to any landscape. It will provide a welcome touch of whimsy amongst your foundation plantings or as a prima donna in a container arrangement. Tibouchina (tib-a-CHEE-nah) is native to the steamy tropics of Brazil. This dwarf hybrid was developed in the brutal climate of Australia, making for a tough little cultivar. ‘Jules’ is quite at home even in our July afternoons. On the flip side, be sure to protect this gem in the winter – no frost! Location. Location. Location. Plant ‘Jules’ in partial shade. The shifting shade under the canopy of oaks or palms is ideal – plenty of sun to maximize blooming, but just enough shade to provide a respite from the harsh Florida sun. So undemanding, ‘Jules’ is almost too easy: • Amend your garden soil with plenty of organic matter • Use a fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants, like gardenias or azaleas. We recommend Nurserymen’s Sure-Gro 14-14-12 once a month, March through October. • ‘Jules’ detests extremes in moisture levels, so water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist – but NOT waterlogged. • Like most tropicals, ‘Jules’ blooms on new growth, so prune gently to shape and encourage new branching, but avoid a heavy-handed cutting back. Spring arrives in a riot of colors, but none so vibrant as the velvety purple of ‘Jules.’ This rich hue is an absolute stand-out in the garden. You’ll wonder why you hadn’t discovered this “jewel” of a bloomer to your landscape sooner!

Ask Doc Rock To reap the benefits of a beautiful garden, knowledge is key. This month, Doc Rock addresses those pesky little buggers youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been asking about. Q: What are those tiny bugs that I see on the tips of my shrubs and how can I get rid of â&#x20AC;&#x160;them? A: Aphids are most likely the culprit. They love to feast on the tender, fresh springtime growth of hibiscus, viburnums, gardenias and other shrubs. Pinhead size, they can be green, yellow or black and feed on the sap of plants. If left untreated, they can distort the new leaves and buds. Rather than spraying chemicals, ladybugs provide an environmentally friendly alternative. Release them at dusk after sprinkling the affected plants with water, the colorful ladybugs will quickly crawl to those nasty little critters and devour them! Each one can eat as many as 50 aphids a day! Both the adult and larval stage are effective at gobbling up aphids. The larvae look like little black baby alligators with orange spots and are voracious eaters!

Ladybug at adult and larval stage

garden boutique

By Air or By Sea Playfully stylized, our collection of life-sized fish and bird wall art brings the beauty of our coastal habitat to your home’s indoor and outdoor rooms. Available in a range of sizes and colors, these stunning metal sculptures deserve a special visit to appreciate their true artistic beauty. And whilie you’re here, don’t forget the gardening tools! Getting your garden summer-ready can be fun and colorful. Garden gloves, plant and herb identifiers, and bright-colored containers are among the many items that will help you get started.

reader quiz

Hey, Gardener!

Wha•da•ya•know?

Brad's Musings

In the spirit of Arbor Day (April 29th), tap into your gardening expertise and let your tree knowledge flow. 1. Which palm tree is the symbol of both Florida and South Carolina?

Summertime is here and it’s not getting cooler. So, it’s time to beat the heat! Take a trip to Rock City Gardens Where hot-weather plants are blooming And we always meet and greet!

2. This tree’s seed cleverly contains milk just in case it is planted somewhere too dry for normal germination. Can you name it? 3. Which is the oldest living known tree in the world? (bonus: how old is it?) master - gardener level

Now that you’re barking up the right tree, it’s time for the master-gardener challenge. If a tree is 150 feet tall, than how widespread is its roots underground? Check Rock City’s Facebook page soon for the answer.

about the poet

Source: The Secret Life of Trees, by Chiara Chevallier

Answers: 1. The Sabal palmetto, also known as Cabbage palm 2. A coconut palm. It will grow wild on the beaches of many tropical countries. The seed has a hairy shell on the inside that contains milk. 3. The oldest recorded tree in the world is a bristlecone pine. It’s believed to be more than 4,900 years old!

Brad is a Rock City Gardens’ associate. To meet Brad is to love Brad. Look for more of his poems coming up in The Early Bloomer.

special events

Special Events Edible Gardening was a Big Success Thanks to all who joined us for our Edible Gardening seminar. More than 65 garden enthusiasts attended Tom MacCubbin’s enlightening presentation. It was a clear indication that sustainable gardening with homegrown fresh vegetables and plants remains a healthy, fun and delicious alternative.

And the winner is… The Bloomin’ Breezeway is the winning name of the new addition to our Garden Boutique. Lee LaPointe’s submission was one of dozens of clever entries from which we had to choose. The selection process was tough! Congratulations, Lee and thanks to all who participated.

How Does Your Garden Grow? Earth Day is April 22nd. Since 1970, this day is set aside each year to demonstrate support for environmental protection. In celebration of National Earth Day and to show our support for raising environmental awareness, all plants are 10% off on Friday, April 22nd. One day only, while supplies last.

New Year, New Hours

seven acres of inspiration

9080 U.S. Hwy 1 Wabasso, Florida 32970 772-589-5835 RockCityGardens.com