Estate Gardeners

30/08/2018

We garner pride and happiness in making the world a greener more beautiful place. That feeling expands exponentially as our son stands in front of one of our gardens on his last first day of high school!

28/08/2018

The beauty of the grape arbor makes up for the fact that the majority of the grapes were enjoyed not by us, but by the natural wildlife instead.

22/05/2018

Such a wonderful time of year to stroll through our woodland garden. There are so many different varied plant sizes, textures, and colors to please the eye!

11/05/2018

Wellesley friends, have you ever wanted to compost food waste, but don't have the space or time to manage your own system? Here's an easy way to join in the composting lifestyle! Our fabulous RDF is doing a waste drop off pilot program and the starter kit is free to Wellesley residents. Click below to learn more and sign up to participate in keeping food waste out of the landfill and generate local renewable energy.

10/05/2018

Lots of beautiful sights to see in our woodland. Please let us know if you’d like to join us for a stroll through our gardens.

06/04/2018

As you prepare to plant your vegetable garden this spring, be sure to know the proper planting times for your crops. Planting too early or too late can result in stunting, disease, and death. When it comes to planting times, vegetable crops belong to one of three categories: cool weather crops, intermediate crops, or warm weather crops.

Cool weather crops can often be planted as soon as the soil is workable. They can usually handle a light frost and include peas, greens (such as spinach and lettuce), and onions. Intermediate crops, such as basil and squash, should be planted later than cool weather crops as they are more sensitive to damage by a late frost. Finally, there are the warm weather crops like tomatoes and peppers. These crops should be planted last after the soil has warmed and all chance of frost has passed.

For a full list of vegetables and their proper planting times, refer to this chart http://ag.umass.edu/home-lawn-garden/fact-sheets/vegetable-planting-chart produced by the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment at UMass Amherst . The Center houses The Umass Cooperative Extension, which is tasked with the dissemination of knowledge and research to the citizens of Massachusetts. The UMass Extension Service provides educational material for many fields, including agriculture and horticulture. For more information specific to vegetable gardening, check out the resources on their Home Lawn & Garden webpage http://ag.umass.edu/resources/home-lawn-garden.

Planning a new or larger vegetable garden this year? Use this chart to help plan when to sow seeds or set out seedlings.

16/03/2018

This week's Plant Profile is about Hydrangea quercifolia!

H. quercifolia, also known as Oakleaf Hydrangea, is a deciduous shrub growing 6-8’ tall and wide. Oakleaf Hydrangea gets its name from its broad, deeply lobed leaves which closely resemble the leaf shape of Red Oaks. These large uniquely shaped leaves lend a great texture to the shrub layer and make Oakleaf Hydrangeas a valuable component in many gardens. In late spring to early summer, Oakleaf Hydrangeas produce long, pyramidal blooms that start off creamy white and turn a soft shade of pink as they age. During fall, the foliage is once again the focus, as the leaves turn deep shades of purple, red, and orange. Oakleaf Hydrangeas are a real stand out during the winter, when the leaves fall away to reveal stems covered with cinnamon colored, exfoliating bark much like that of a River Birch. The branching structure is additionally enhanced by the dried tan blooms, which the Oakleaf Hydrangeas will continue to hold through the winter.

20/02/2018

Magnolia virginiana, commonly known as Sweetbay Magnolia, is an understory tree (growing 10 – 20’ tall and wide). It is native to the eastern US and is a great addition to many landscapes. At Estate Gardeners, we have found this tree to be incredibly versatile, as it can establish in both sunny exposed sites and shady sheltered sites. This time of year, Sweetbay Magnolias stand out as one of the few broadleaf trees that still hold at least some of their leaves. The leaves have a pleasing oblong, lanceolate shape with a glossy green top and a matte, silvery-olive underside. In the spring and early summer, Sweetbay Magnolias boast large, creamy white blossoms that fill the air with their sweet fragrance. Come fall, cone shaped fruits sporting brilliant red seeds add interest by peeking out of the canopy.

12/01/2018

With winter settling in, now is the perfect time to begin planning the new year’s vegetable garden! Nothing quite says summer like homegrown produce, and with some planning and forethought you can greatly increase your chances for a bountiful harvest. First, gather any notes you have taken from previous years on plant performance and use them to inform this year’s selection. If you have decided to grow your plants from seed, you might consider checking to see what regional seed companies are offering, such as Johnny's Selected Seeds. Sometimes the cultivars available from regional seed companies will be better tailored to your region’s climate.

Once you have decided what you will grow, you must decide where you will grow it. It is helpful to first sketch out your vegetable garden’s layout, and then pencil in where different crops will be grown. We recommend crop rotation. Crop rotation is the practice of changing the type of crop grown on a defined patch of land to reduce disease and insect occurrence. Many insects and pathogens are host (crop) specific. By changing where each crop is grown from year to year, you can interrupt the life cycle of pests and pathogens.

Keeping these tips in mind while planning your vegetable garden now will increase your chances of a vibrant, healthy, and delicious growing season!

15/12/2017

Although the landscape is now coated with a layer of snow, we are still hard at work creating for our clients. We’ve been busy little elves designing and delivering orders of holiday cheer! Our unique holiday displays are individually designed for each client and are filled with fresh and dried materials to brighten stoops and doorsteps around town.

Please keep us in mind for next year if you would like to have a container of cheer greet you and your guests throughout the holidays!

06/10/2017

With fall here we want to remind you of some very important watering facts! Proper watering for new trees and shrubs is critical for the first growing season. For this reason, you should be watering new trees and shrubs well into the fall and early winter so that the plants have enough water until the ground freezes. In New England, the ground usually freezes in the middle of November, so keep checking the soil and watering as needed until then. This is especially important for broadleaf and needle evergreens (such as rhododendrons and arborvitaes).

Don't forget, a good rule of thumb is that plants need 1” of water per week (about 20 gallons for a new 1” caliper tree), whether it’s rain water or mechanical watering.

The arborvitaes in this photo are one year in now and thriving thanks to diligent watering!

07/04/2017

It looks like spring is finally here to stay as indicated by the many plants bursting into flower as the weather heats up and the days become longer. We’ve been enjoying the appearance of Snowdrops, Lenten Roses, and Crocuses as they brighten our days with their colorful blooms.

A larger plant that is a wonderful harbinger of spring is the Cornelian Cherry Dogwood. Our tree has just hit its peak with cheerful clusters of yellow flowers. This particular specimen is quite upright, but many often form rounded shrubs or smaller trees. Full grown, these Dogwoods and can reach up to 20’ in height.

Although most prominent in the spring while flowering, this plant offers great four season interest. Summer brings bright red berries that the birds love to eat. In the fall, the leaves change to a lovely purplish-red. And in winter, the tree still continues to delight by showing off its unique exfoliating bark.

At Estate Gardeners we keep ourselves educated and up to date on not only the old faithful plants, but also new varieties that continue to emerge. Please feel free to contact us if you need our assistance on installing, renovating, or tweaking your landscape to give you more 4 season interest.