Nancy Mellen Garden Design

Nancy Mellen Garden Design Why do need a garden designer? If you want a landscape with beautiful shrubs, trees, and perennials Landscape and Garden Design

01/08/2026

It's the icy time of year; therefore, be careful putting down deicer on your walks near your gardens. It's preferable to use kitty litter or stone dust, but if you have to use a salt based product, make sure to put gypsum into those gardens to help wash through the salt.

A walk through your yard at this time of year is beneficial to make sure none of your plants have frost heaved out of the ground, large branches haven't fallen into the gardens, or branches on ornamental trees and shrubs aren't broken. It is safe to cut off any dead or broken branches at this time. If there is so much snow on trees or shrubs that you are afraid that they will be damaged, remove the snow by gently lift the branches with a broom from below to gently shake off the snow.

February is when you can start pruning shrubs and trees. If they are spring bloomers, don't prune until after they flower. If they are summer or fall bloomers, you can prune in winter. It's always smart to double check online to see when is the best time to prune your special shrubs and trees.

12/02/2024

Good day fellow gardeners. I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season. It has been a busy fall for me with multiple designs, which resulted in my forgetting to update everyone on putting your gardens to bed. Therefore, here is some advice for garden clean up in the future. First, keep all your leaves as they are the best nutrient for your garden beds. If possible, run them over to mulch them before putting them in the garden, but if that isn't possible, just rake them into the beds to keep the gardens warm and let Mother Nature break them down. It is recommended to put the leaves in the garden after the ground freezes, so that animals aren't nesting under the leaves for the winter, but I can't do that as our garden often doesn't freeze. Second, only cut down and remove perennial plants that have diseases and also remove their leaves. Otherwise, leave the stems for insects to winter over in and birds to eat the seeds. Gold Finches are especially fond of echinacea seeds. In the spring, once we've had a series of 50 degree days, the insects will have awoken and left, allowing you to then cut down all of last year's perennial growth. Do not cut down your grasses until April, as they provide wind protect for the plants around them and look lovely blowing in the breeze and with snow on them. Enjoy the winter, and dream about new plants you want, and where they should go.

06/27/2024

For the last few weeks we've been having 90 degrees and thunderstorms. If you have planted any perennials, shrubs, or trees, you will need to make sure to water them if the rain stops and the 90 degree days continue. Any plant drooping should also be included. I recommend watering every other day for as long as there is no rain. My favorite way to water, as I don't have irrigation, is to put the hose at the base of the plant recently planted and let the water run slowly so it has time to sink in. For a perennial I let it run for 5 minutes, for shrubs 15 minutes, and trees 30 minutes. All times vary on size of plant. I set the timer on my phone and move the hose from one plant to the next when it goes off. I sit in the shade and enjoy the garden and a book waiting for the timer to ring. This gets you to look at your garden, get some exercise, plus spend some time relaxing.

01/17/2024

Winter has finally started. A walk through your yard at this time of year is beneficial to make sure none of your plants have frost heaved out of the ground, large branches haven't fallen into the gardens, or branches on ornamental trees and shrubs aren't broken. It is safe to cut off any dead or broken branches at this time. If there is so much snow on trees or shrubs that you are afraid that they will be damaged, remove the snow by gently lift the branches with a broom from below to gently shake off the snow.

09/07/2023

I hope all of you in New England have enjoyed the rain this summer after last year's drought, and your gardens are lush and beautiful. Leave any perennials with seed head for the birds to enjoy this fall and plant native shrubs with berries to help the wildlife get through the winter.

07/15/2022

For all of you who have plants on your property, we're in the middle of a drought; therefore, you need to water your plants and to water wisely. If your town allows, put a hose at the trees and shrubs that have been planted this year. Run the hose on a slow flow for 20 minutes a minimum of once a week, then move the hose to the next tree or shrub for watering until all new plants are watered. Now do the same with trees and shrubs planted a year ago, etc. Even established trees will need watering if the drought continues. Perennials can be watered with the hose, begin with all the perennials which are drooping and stressed looking, and soak them well as often as they need it.

04/13/2022

Spring is here in all its glory. Here are two easy tips for you. First, do not cut or mow the leaves of the bulbs. Let them turn brown on their own, as they have expended so much energy on flowering. They need the sunlight to help replenish their energy so that they will flower next year. Second, don't prune maple trees or pagoda maples right now as their sap will bleed which couple possibly draw harmful insects. Wait until they've bloomed before pruning.

10/11/2021

Any new plants that you have planted or moved to a new location in your yard this year, should be watered regularly until we have a hard frost. Enjoy the fall color, use your leaves as nutritious mulch to keep your plants warm in all your gardens, and only prune branches that are dead. Likewise, please think before you cut down perennials. If they are prolific self seeder you can dead head them, but remember native perennial's seed heads will feed the birds over the winter. Don't rake out your gardens as there are beneficial insects overwintering there. Let's all work towards ecologically healthy yards.

10/11/2021

I hope all of you with decorative grasses haven't cut them down as they look fabulous with ice crystals or snow on them. In addition, they protect other plants from damage by being a wind break. Likewise, I use Panicum virgatum to protect seaside gardens from salt spray as it is very tough and salt tolerant. Come spring I'll let you know what to put on your property near the ocean or the street to help flush salt accumulation through the soil.

09/03/2021

This is a great time to think about dividing or moving perennials that bloom in the spring and early summer. It isn't too late to plant shrubs and trees, but your must keep them well watered so that they get their roots in before winter. Also, I hope everyone has ordered bulbs for fall planting, or at least have a list of what you want to purchase locally. If you have to have tulips, which deer and rabbits love, you might want to consider the species tulips which have a greater survival rate and don't have to be thrown away after one year.

03/16/2021

On these spring like days, you should check to see if your bulbs are hiding under the mulch or leaves. Brush the leaves off the emerging greens to let them enjoy the sunshine. You can also cut down any perennials or grasses you'd left for the birds and insects in your winter garden. Put the cuttings in your compost so that insects which may be sleeping in the stems can emerge with the increasing warmth.

02/24/2021

This is the time to start pruning shrub and trees that bloom in the summer or fall. If the shrub or tree blooms in the spring, you prune after it flowers. You can prune off any dead branch or crossing branches at any time you see them. The pruning is to open up the center of the plant to let air circulate, improve the looks or shape of the tree, and improve blooming. Don't prune roses until you see the buds swell and can tell what is healthy or dead. If your trees and shrubs don't have any problems with health or shape, let them grow naturally. Make sure to always choose plants that won't overgrow their site. You don't want to always prune them to keep them in size. Get outside and enjoy the garden. Spring is almost here, and my hellebores are ready to open.

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Hingham, MA
02043

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