The Early Bloomer - August 2014

The Early Bloomer seven acres of inspiration

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

AUGUST 2014

Dog Days The Dog Days of Summer of Summer

in this issue Dog Days of Summer Creative Touches to Enhance Your Outdoor Living Space She Sells Seashells Annual Garden Boutique Sale Special Events How Does Your Garden Grow?

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gardening

Dog Days of Summer Those sultry, summer days. The hottest days of the year – from late July to early September – are upon us. We commonly refer to these days as the dog days of summer, but do you know what that means? No, it doesn’t mean dogs respond to the heat in unusual ways. The term originated from the ancient Romans. For the Romans the dog days arrived with the appearance of the star Sirius.

Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Major, large dog. It’s also the brightest star in the night sky. Derived from the Greeks, Sirius translates to scorcher. The star’s appearance brought on hot weather along the Nile River in ancient Egypt and this time period became known as the dog days of summer. The Old Farmer’s Almanac actually lists the traditional period of the dog days as the 40 days beginning July 3rd and ending August 11th, coinciding with the ancient heliacal rising of the dog star, Sirius.

For those of us living in the Florida region known as “where the tropics begin,” it’s that time of summer when a dip in the pool or the ocean offers sweet relief before the afternoon storms roll in – leaving us longing for cooler fall weather. Until then, we offer you a few tips for selecting the right plants and flowers to withstand the heat of summer.

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gardening

Choosing the right plants for our summer climate is important to ensure their survival and beauty. There are several flower varieties that thrive, some of which prefer shade and others that can withstand full or partial sun. At Rock City Gardens, we have a host of heat tolerant plants available in a multitude of colors, including coleus, caladiums, hibiscus, purslane and periwinkle.

A good rule of thumb is to simply keep your plants evenly moist.

Although plants require more watering in the summer months, take care not to overwater them, as this can cause the roots to rot. Remember to prune your plants regularly by snipping off dead blooms and leaves.

Hibiscus

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Purslane

Caladium

Preparing for Storm Season The height of storm season coincides with the dog days of summer. It doesn’t take a hurricane or tropical storm to damage your beautiful landscaping. A strong afternoon thunderstorm can also do damage, but you can be prepared by following these helpful tips:

• Inspect trees on your property in August for necessary pruning work. Prune and thin your trees to decrease wind resistance. This will lessen the risk of trees being uprooted and dead branches becoming flying missiles.

• Lightly fertilize quarterly and water well during drought periods to maintain healthy growth and a strong root system.

• Native trees, particularly those with wide spreading branches, strong deep penetrating root systems, and small leaf size seem to hold up better in tropical storms.

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hardscapes

Creative touches to enhance your outdoor living space Many of us invest countless hours rearranging and remodeling the interior of our home. But it can also be refreshing to step outside and spend some time in the great outdoors. Spending time outside doesn’t mean you have to forfeit your creature comforts. With a few small adjustments, you can make your outdoor space comfortable and inviting. Turning a yard, patio, porch or other outdoor area into a functional living space can be a rewarding task. With the right setup, you can spend more time in the fresh air and host events al fresco for friends, family and neighbors. Read on for creative outdoor living space ideas.

Colorful chairs will add a pop of personality Earth tones might look nice in your living room, but in the outdoors they’ll blend in with the surroundings. And while black furniture can be chic, it will become very hot in dire sunlight. To complement the greens and browns of the outdoors, you can add a splash of whimsy by choosing bold, brightly colored accessories.

For a touch of excitement, you might consider swapping out those faded cushions on your outdoor furniture for bold and colorful ones.

Bright blue, red and yellow can add an element of playfulness and fun.

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“Thanks to Wade and his team, our entry courtyard “jungle” has been transformed into a jaw-dropping piece of art, worthy of a magazine cover.

Anyone considering landscaping should look no further than Rock City Gardens.

They listened to our likes and dislikes, then proceeded to ‘wow’ us. Their attention to detail was so appreciated and professional. All work was completed in weeks, not the usual months other contractors seem to take. Thank you Rock City Gardens for your expertise! “

—Tammy and Ken Buettner 7

hardscapes

Outdoor kitchens are the ultimate for entertaining The kitchen is the heart of any home, so it should follow that outdoor kitchens would be where the action is in any outdoor living space.

Creating a second kitchen won’t just save you from constantly making trips back and forth between the grill and the indoor stove or refrigerator; it will create a great space for entertaining. With outdoor kitchens, al fresco feels less like a chore and more of a pleasure.

The grill is typically at the center of any outdoor kitchen, but with the right setup you can do much more than cook in your outdoor space.

You can build your open-air kitchen around a refrigerator, sink, food prep areas, or even a wood-fired pizza oven. Another key ingredient to any outdoor kitchen is seating, which can range from standard tables to a full bar complete with working beer taps.

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The right lighting can add drama and create a soft glow When the sun goes down, you’ll want to set the mood with tasteful and dramatic outdoor lighting. Effective lighting can make your space safer because it will prevent missteps in the dark. It can also transform your yard or patio into an inviting place to spend time after dusk.

Good landscape and patio lighting can accent the assets of your outdoor space, while allowing the less attractive elements to fade into the shadows.

As a general rule, lighting around the outside of a house pointed upward can dramatically accent the architecture of the structure, while light pointed downward will create a softer, cozier glow.

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hardscapes

Pergolas add shade while creating a platform for beautiful climbing plants A pergola is a great way to add shade and an interesting feature for your outdoor living space. They can form a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area and provide vertical focal points to your garden. Varying heights of plants and flowers add depth and character.

Climbing vines like bouganvillia and jasmine can be trained to wrap your pergola with year-round greenery.

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container garden of the month

She Sells Seashells Most people think of container gardens as large pots filled with tall and cascading plants and flowers. However, container gardens can also be lovely tabletop arrangements like our August seashell beauty. Planted within a shell container are low-maintenance, lush plants, including aloe, Pepperomia, Portulacaria, Cryptanthus, Kalanchoe Thrysiflora, Echeveria, and jade.

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garden boutique

Annual Garden Boutique & Home DĂŠcor Sale Now through August 7th It only happens once a year, and the time is now! So that we can make room for exciting new collections coming this fall, all merchandise in our garden center is on sale. Everything is marked down 20% to 75% off regular price. No limits. No exclusions. And no excuses for you to miss this opportunity to pick up new home and garden accessories or those special gifts.

Holidays, hostess gifts, teacher appreciation gifts, and other occasions are coming up, so stock up while you can. Merchandise includes silks, furniture, pottery, plant stands, fountains, art work, statuary and more. Sale ends August 7th. We look forward to seeing you soon!

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special events

Special Events Watch for Rock City’s special event announcements in our emails, newsletters, website and Facebook postings. Here’s a sneak peek to what’s coming!

• The Indian River Land Trust is celebrating its 25th anniversary and, once again, Rock City Gardens will host the annual fundraiser in November. This event has gained extraordinary popularity and Rock City Gardens is an exquisite backdrop for an evening under the stars.

• Our annual Orphan Sale starts August 8th. Watch for more details coming your way soon.

• New seminars are in the works for this fall and will continue throughout the winter season.

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How Does Your Garden Grow?

With all of the rainfall we’ve been having, one should keep an eye out for slugs and snails. Holes in the centers of the leaves rather than the edges is a tell-tale sign of these critters. To control them we recommend using Deadline®, which is available at Rock City Gardens.

seven acres of inspiration

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

Hours Monday through Friday Saturday and Sunday

8:00am – 6:00pm 9:00am – 5:00pm

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