I watch this channel as much for the love story between Aaron and Laura as I do for the gardening content. Their interaction with each other speaks volumes about compatibility and mutual respect without ever discussing it. So nice to experience every Sunday!
Laura, thank you. I’m one of the ones that ordered from Nature’s Willow. I love the products. My mom at 81 is always complaining about her aches and pains and I give her one of the pain relief creams and she was like where did you buy that and when I asked her why, she said because my hands don’t ache anymore. Since she lives with me I can tell you she slathers herself in it every night…😂😂😂. So thanks from my mom too ❤
My Lilac and Crape Myrtle pruning experiences: I have an old White Double Lilac that was here when we built our House in 1995. I'm sure it's pushing 70 years old, according to neighbors. I cut 1/3 of the limbs (some 1-2" Dia) about 3,4,5 feet from the ground and they sprout new growth and flower the next or 1 season after. Same with another 15 year old Lilac and with my Crape Myrtle that's about 15. A slower rejuvenation than cutting all, but it works for me. I'm in Zone 6, Paris suburbs. 😊
Juel Clyne; I am going to have to try that Nature’s Willow. I had major surgery on my hand 2 months ago where they removed part of the bone and the tendon in my arm. Both my hands are bad and I am not looking forward to surgery on the other hand. 9-12 months recovery and 2 years recovery for the nerve. Which did you order and does your mom get swollen hands? Does it help with that?
Lantana! Lantana in the cold frames. Not too tall. Annual. Heat loverrrssss. Drought tolerant. Bush shape with tons of blooms. Lots of colors to choose from.
I love Lantana! It does well at my moms in the Mojave Desert Victorville I’m in zone 8b PNW and so sad that they don’t do well for me here- probably due to all the rain. However we have droughts in July-August…climate changes over the last decade have been crazy and had record breaking highs at 109-111 a few years ago. I’ll try again 😊
It's always amazing to me when someone asks if tours will eventually be given of your place. First of all It's big, but no offense, not that big. And it's your home! It's refreshing to see keeping your family safe comes first. ❤❤❤
There have been organized tours there before. I had paid to go to one a couple years ago, but it got cancelled. I respect their decision not to have any more, though.
I have been watching your channel from when you were still at the townhouse and have learned so much from your fabulous videos….. ….but have to say I particularly love the conversational aspect of your “Highlight” videos… The banter between you too is such a nice humanistic touch brings such joy in this Chaotic world. 💕🙏💕
Oh do I remember your lilac trimming ! I made my husband sit and watch that video how to tackle an overgrown bush. We had one here on the farm that was so badly neglected and I could not do the trimming under it. What a difference that trimming made to that old Lilac I look at it from my kitchen window, now I smile and think 💭 That’s what Laura did ! Thank you
Great recap. I especially enjoyed Laura's careful attention to answering questions & her & Aaron's discussion of hose link installation, complete with flashback videos. What a nice thing to do for the lady who asked about Alyssa's fountain: pulling the previous video from years ago!
2020 was my first year and I've learned so much watching Laura. This year I was going to prep my soil with compost as well, but never got to it. So maybe next season.
To the person asking about brunnera. I am in zone 9b, and I'm growing Brunnera Garden Candy 'Sea Heart'. It's still going after our wet winter and chilly spring. Keep in mind the snails and slugs appreciate it, so be prepared to do battle. I think it's such a pretty plant it's worth it. Hope you are able to get one or two or three...🙂
Same experience here in my 9b zone. I let them have 3-4 hours of morning sun, then shade the remainder of the day. They do great season after season, and come back every spring looking lovely. I grow these Brunnera: Sterling Silver, Jack Frost, Alexander's Great, and verigata. Often times, I do well with zone 8 plants, so I am willing to try many. With replacing all my sprinklers with in line emitters tubing, my snail and slug population has gone down considerably. I use Sluggo Plus.
Phew... what a relief, I live in Boise and my young butterfly bushes and rose of Sharon both died, both easy to grow in our area historically. Thank you for also sharing the struggles.
for the cold frame that could handle the heat would be Lantana. I lived in Arizona and they handle the heat so well and you don't have to do much but water and let them go. Hope this helps and love the videos!
I chuckled when Arron mentioned "Asian Squat". When I first started gardening 30 years ago, I was amazed that there's such a product called "Kneeling Pad". We simply squat down when planting. So when I watched Laura as a young woman and carry her kneeling pad around I thought that was weird. But now as a 69-year-old woman, I found it useful though.
What about planting a bunch of dwarf marigolds in mass in your cold frames?! Marigolds are so underrated for the landscape I mostly see ppl use them as a companion plant to veggies but they are awesome for the landscape! They don’t need much water and bloom nonstop! 😍
I agree! And, if you grow from seed (one of the very easiest plants from seed) they come in SO many colors other than the big box store's yellow and orange. I grow all the white varieties every year to tuck in everywhere, and they look fantastic the whole season til frost.
I plant every year, collect the seeds in the fall and sow in the spring. I haven’t had to buy marigolds in years. I label envelopes with the variety & date collected. I love seed collecting. I do my columbine seeds in containers as it looks like clover when it comes up and one spring I accidentally pulled them thinking they were weeds coming up. I had forgotten to mark and label the area.
You probably won’t see this but here goes anyway. If you hade the Arctic blast like everyone else did many plants, trees and shrubs didn’t have enough time to prepare for that amount of cold so soon, usually there is a gradual cool down but we went from unusually warm weather to Arctic blast overnight. 🌷💚🙃
We had that in AL, had an unusually cold blast in early Fall, then a warm up in Feb, followed by a week of freezing temps. That really did a number on my crape myrtles. They're coming back, but lost a lot of growth from the previous year. Had to cut out a lot of dead.
That arctic blast did a number on most of the shrubs in my gardens. I’m in zone 7. I did a severe prune on them and while it all looks pretty bad right now, they are almost all coming back! I just need patience! 😂
I'm in zone 8b, GA. That December arctic freeze is what caused all the plant damage, here...everything that came back has been delayed. But, some things died.
In the December freeze we had here in Alabama, we lost some landscape bushes that were 10 years old and my favorite hydrangeas that was less than 5 years old. Last year they all look fabulous!
Okay, when are you going to do the hayracks? I can't wait to see where you put them and what you plant in them! I know that I will never have something like this, so i dream of what if I had something like this. I would have loved to see Samantha Grace playing in the dirt!! I think she takes after her mom about playing in the dirt...😊
I ordered my annuals this year from Garden Crossings! I spent my whole budget there and everything arrive beautiful in perfect condition! I highly recommend!
Please Aaron demonstrate the “hook” with the hoselink! I have a similar area as the raised garden beds. You all really inspire me to think outside the box!
What about planting an annual lavender variety in the cold frames (like Spanish lavender)?! Oh that would look so beautiful with the white frame and the red brick, and would really suite the formality of that area... and also, they love the heat! 💜🤍
Spanish lavender is a perennial in my area… zone 8b PNW I have a whole border in my backyard. I have Mustead and French also and I shear them back 3/4th of the way every fall. It keeps them from getting straggly. They are in full bloom right now.
Sunflowers! The one you planted as a hedge in front of the cutflower shed a few years ago. Those would do amazing.. imagine how beautiful it would look along the Hartley Botanic greenhouse.
I love Nature's Willow products so much. We now carry a collection in the retail flower shop where I work. I shared some of my first order of pain relief products with my boss... she loved them. I shared itch relief products from my second order with a good friend who suffers from a chronic rash on her arms and legs and she loved it. I reached out to the company and they responded within minutes about selling retail. We ordered on a Friday and had the products in by Tuesday to sell in time for Mothers Day. I can not sing enough praises of Nature's Willow! Thank you, Laura for telling us about this amazing company!
In response to the butterfly bush not coming back, I too have experienced more plant loss this year. I live in Middle TN, zone 7a/b, and even our most hearty of plants have suffered. We have a ton of die back in shrubs and trees as well. It’s been really odd, and have zero clue as to why this occurred.
I am in Florida and have trouble getting Proven Winner’s Plants. I have been ordering from Romance Gardens in Michigan, and Bluestone Perennials in Ohio for years. Their shipping and packaging are amazing. I have never had a problem with any of our deliveries. Keep in mind that as the summer gets hot some plants will look stressed. I try to get the majority of my orders in the spring and fall. I have also ordered Proven Winners from Home Depot. Their selections are limited, but have also arrived in great shape. Good luck, happy gardening!
I have to chime in on Nature's willow ... it has been a game changer for me as well. I cant say enough about it! Love your videos and learn so much every time. Thank you for doing what you do!
JiF Peanut Butter, PERK: Aaron, my newly wed husband demanded only Jif peanut butter when I shopped. Then during the lean years and needed to stretch a dollar I would buy generic peanut butter and just transfer it to his empty Jif jar. This went on for quite some time, he never knew. He would often comment "Yeah no one makes peanut butter like JiF." P.S. when we divorced, I told him what I did to his peanut butter! < true story
On the other hand, I did a taste test about 25 years ago, when I was first on my own an needed to figure out what peanut butter was the best. I bought all 3 major brands and tested them one by one, and JIF won every time. Since I had all 3, I also tested a friend, and this was a blind test, and they also chose JIF.
I ordered the Nature’s Willow patches and a tube of the bug cream which I haven’t used yet. I had really good results with the patches on my foot and gave a pack of the patches to my brother who was visiting at the time I received my order from Nature’s Willow. When he went to see my sister he gave the patches to our sister for her aches and pains. Still haven’t heard how it’s working for her. Awesome that we received 20% off with the discount code from Garden Answer! I will be ordering more.
Totally agree! No fabric in garden beds!🤨 I weed really well in spring then plenty of hard bark mulch. I find I have less weeds every year if I weed weekly so it never gets out of hand. I have mixed results when I use Preen.
I work at TSC and I have people coming in looking for the Natures Willow patches and cream. They swear by them! It is very helpful for an alternative way to reduce pain
QUESTION: wondering if wrapping rope/string around your arbs just before each winter would save the branches from being bent outward by snow, and then removing by spring?
My son wrapped his blue spruce here in Alaska and they look great. We had so much snow this year! But I know Blue Spruce may handle winter better. His Dwarf Alberta Spruce weren't wrapped, they are pretty small, and they do have a few areas their tops aren't together.
I love that you keep it real by letting us know what fails. Thank you! I lost my beauty berry Pearl Glam and was highly discouraged. I’m going to go out to the garden and bow to all my Heuchera in gratitude for making it through another winter! 😊
Such a beautiful garden evolution, sad to hear so many perennials not making a comeback. I’m learning so much from you and streamlining what to keep in my garden and what to give up on 🙂.
Some may do better in your area unless you’re same zone as Laura. I’m in 8b and I’ve learned getting native plants from your area work best if you’re thinking perennials or biennials.
Zone 4 here, my Bloomerang Lilac is just covered in blooms, baptisia covered in buds, hardy geranium and hostas spreading but lost a Little lime planted next to a Limelight. The ninebarks I planted last year are growing fast. Nearly everything in my garden was mentioned by Garden Answer. Peonies seem to have sprung up overnight and the yellow one I divided a few years ago should bloom this year. I mention your channel to everyone I know who gardens. Thank you for everything.
Regular brunnera grows really well in shady areas in zone 9b Northern California. I'm going to try the PW brunnera in my garden. Regarding tying up arborvitae vs pruning... The previous owners of our home planted a couple arbs on either side of the front walk & the variety they chose was way too big for the space so they just tied them up with wire. The only issue with them being tied up for years was alot of dead inside the interior. I removed the wire & pruned them back hard. They looked pretty rough for the first year after pruning but looked great the 2nd year. I'm going to take them out & put in something that is a more suitable size but for now pruning has bought us a few years to make a decision as we work on redesigning the space.
☕️Good morning Laura and Aaron and GA friends. This is so interesting, such great questions and/or observations. It’s going to be a stellar season in gardens everywhere. Thank you Laura and Aaron for sharing your time and your lovely home and gardens 👏🏻💚🤗🌼
Stepped on a screw. After the visit to the Doctor, mega antibiotics and tetanus shot I used Natures Willow soak. It was so pleasant and I feel helped with the healing. The cream for aches and pain have also been wonderful. Thank you for introducing us to them. Also as an aside, my parents had Red Emperor tulips that they dug every spring after blooming, separated any babies and replanted. They did beautiful every year. A lot of work, but it payed off.
I live in Arizona zone 9b. Hot hot hot. 🔥🔥🔥 I think you will find the following annuals will work well in the Hartley beds: - PW ladybird sunglow primrose - PW Truffula pink or any other gomphrena (I”d recommend a shorter less stinky variety) - PW Angelface - any sweet potato vine - Vinca/periwinkle - celosia
Another TH-camr recommends planting a variety of shrubs/trees for screening your neighbors out, so if you have any issues with a certain kind of plant, it won't affect the entire screen. I think this would be a good idea for your arborvitae issue.
As I walked through a garden center this morning I was shocked that I could name about 1/2 of the plants without looking at their tags~!!! I said to myself... that's because you've watched Garden Answer consistently since about 2019! Thank you for all the 'knowledge' and true appreciation for good plants and a beautiful garden!
Thanks Guys - for the Fun Recap! Hey Laura, Why not Super Bells in the Cold Frames? Low water needs and love the Sun! They wouldn't explode like the Vista either.
Hallo ihr Zwei, ich finde die Idee super, die Bepflanzung aus unterschiedlichen Jahren von den gleichen Stellen zu zeigen ! So ein Vergleich ist mal sehr interessant ! Alles Gute für Euch und eure Lieben aus Deutschland 🙋♀️👌🌺🪻🌷☕️🌞👍👍👍👍
I appreciate soooo much you talking about all the things you lost in your garden, it is so nice to see that even and experienced gardener loses some plants and you may never know why.
I got a couple boxes of the patches and a tube of the cream with the last discount. I haven’t used the cream yet but have used the patches. I twisted my knee very badly a couple months ago and any time I work in the yard it hurts a lot. The patch relieves the pain so I’m able to sleep and the next morning I’m ready to get a bit more done outside. 👌👏👍 Since I shared the second box with friends and my daughter, I’ll be ordering more now…just for me! 😊
Lol Laura, when you put your hands on each side of your face when talking about seeing your neighbor through the Arbs, reminded me of the holes we cut in our stockade fence to talk to our sweet neighbors in our last home! Sure miss them! 🥲😊😄
I'm in Oklahoma and I never got to do much outside. Weather has been crazy everywhere I think. 1. I never got to preparing my soil this year. 2. My willow tree finally grew due to all the rain and now my full sun front garden is turning into shade part shade. 3. Temps weren't above 50 until it was too late to plant spring annuals. Now I'm just going to plant summer containers. I'm hopping our summer is not over 100 too much this year. We shall see.
A comment on ordering PW plants. I’m in Michigan and get lots of annuals and perennials from Garden Crossings in Zeeland Michigan and they come beautifully and safely packaged, and the plants are great! Rod and Heidi have a fascinating business , they make videos and explain their operation.
I bought a TON of the natures willow in support for myself and to share and I’m AMAZED!!! It works so well and helped on a rigorous birding trip I took with a friend. The patches are MAGIC and the creams smell great and work. I’m so happy
I have learned so much since finding your channel 3 years ago! I've always loved my flowers and all the pollinators. I moved into my home in Indianapolis 13 years ago and since then planting perennials. Some of which were by you talking about them. My bulbs have all bloomed this year, but yesterday I noticed I will have a 2nd flush of tulips, nice surprise! Thank you for helping my garden to grow so beautiful!!
I have had rheumatoid arthritis since I was a little kid so I have tried A LOT of different pain creams so I can say with certainty that Nature's Willow is FANTASTIC for me! I had flare up two weeks ago because I overused my hand. 😔 I have teas and tinctures I make that helps manage the swelling and pain enough but I bought some nature Willow pain balm to help heal at night, and sure enough it helped my hand get over the finish line. I plan to buy some more for my travels and my parents.
Here in the lower FL Keys (zone 11b-12) Big Pine Key, I can't grow any bulbs like cooler states can. But I have a whole side yard of naturalized Zephyranthes aka Rain Lillies and they look just like snowdrops and beautiful after a big storm here the next day the entire lawn is full of the white blooms and I'm so thankful whomever planted these over 50 years ago bc they've spread throughout the entire area.
I’d try Lantana in h cold frames. It’s beautiful, requires little water and maintenance and the pollinators love it. It would easily fill them up and be beautiful.
Greetings Laura & Aaron, from Windermere, Florida 9b 🇺🇸 Lovely of you to visit ❤ I'm having my coffee ☕️ and enjoying your chat and little banter 😂 Aaron, you so gently coax Laura. Remember that it's easier to pull a chain than to push it👍 Happy Gardening Everyone 👩🌾👍 ❤Peggy❤
I ordered the Willow Balm pain relieving cream after your sponsored video by them. I got the discount and they threw in 6 full size pain patches!! I was so impressed and love the pain relieving cream!
Looking forward to trying Nature’s Willow. I’m a weekly client at the chiropractor to keep my joints and muscles in check with all the bending, kneeling and carrying during the Spring season. I hate taking Rx or OTC pain meds.
Thanks for mentioning your plant loss. This helps make gardening real for all of us. Zone 5b WI here. I lost about $200 in shrubs and perennials this year. This has never happened before and I was shocked. Had to tie up my arbs this year. Not sure they will straighten up.
I lost 8 of 9 rose of Sharons that were beautiful during summer too. My mower guy said it was that the weather went from summer to winter without a dormancy period. Many leafy trees did not lose their leaves until Spring. Also our clematis flowers are curled this year and many other plants and shrubs are growing weird this Spring. Love your videos.
Funny when you ask how long we’ve been watching I have to stop and think because I was around for some of your very first ones AND I’m still here and still loving it
A great annual alternative to fancy (expensive) heucheras would be proven winners “charmed wine” purple oxalis. They’re stunning, so brightly coloured, short in stature, affordable and they love the same conditions as heucheras. I brought mine in for the winter, it lost plenty of leaves but lived and looked beautiful over the winter.
I love the oxalis. Both the green (very old variety dug from my mothers garden) and the big leaf purple. Sadly, lately, my purple oxalis had Bern plagued by rust.
We recently installed a Hoselink to use in our front yard (pots, supplemental water for shrubs and flowers, etc.). As is typical on most houses, our hose bib is on the SIDE of our house, at the front/garage corner. We had to mount the Hoselink amidst all the utility-related boxes and cables, AND a downspout. For that reason, it can't pivot completely and it's not "pointed" in the right direction to walk the hose straight out. I have to pull it all out at the corner, which YES, does require some strength. Then I drag the hose around to the front where I need to water. It has tangled and kinked a bit doing it this way but I'm figuring out how to avoid that. Retracting isn't an issue, though rather than "walking it back", I stand at the corner and guide it in. I share all of this for anyone considering a Hoselink because it's not the ideal solution for all settings. I'm still glad I have it, as it's so much easier to put away, and looks so much more tidy, particularly with 82'. Previously I used a "magic"/shrinking hose but with the Western exposure, it deteriorated in the direct sun. Since you have several, you could mount one in the vegetable garden and try it out at no real cost, but I think you're likely to find that the real benefits of a Hoselink will be lost in that setting. For those who are considering a Hoselink, the points you brought up are really important to consider: it does require some strength and for maximum effectiveness, consider whether you have the necessary space to walk it out/in. For the price, I probably could have bought a new shrinking hose every year, and I may eventually decide to return to that option - and use the Hoselink somewhere else on our property where we can pull it straight out.
My hostas got shredded from a hail storm here in South GA. I'm so sad. I know how that feels. I had people over and just showed them. They still felt everything looked beautiful.
About weeding: I’ve had success and seen other gardeners at my community garden have success with putting down a layer of compost before fall and winter set in. It smothers all of the weed seeds that fall during the growing season and wait to germinate in late winter and spring. (Then don’t till in the spring in order not to disturb all of the weed seeds.) You’ll still have weeds but much more manageable. No crop of spring weeds like I see in other plots. You could try the same thing in a flowerbed.
I use either jute twine for tying things up (here, it tends to break down over the winter), or old T-shirts, cut into strips. The T-shirts are softer, but you do have to remove them. I use them for peppers, tomatoes, etc., as well.
I would say not Viburnum "Mohawk". I believe they bloom more up and down the stem, not in clusters. Mine does. I would think, if highly scented, maybe V. carlesii, my favorite for wonderful smells.
I specifically look for proven winner pots when buying plants. They have perfected my favorite varieties improving on color, performance and ease of care. I’m thankful for their branded pots.
I tired out the Natures Willow patches, cream and bath salts and they have been amazing. I’ve been having pain in my wrist for 3 weeks with nothing that helped, it even came to the point of getting an X-ray to see what was going on, but ended up ordering this products and since then my wrist pain is gone. My son also uses the bath salts because he’s a gymnast and has muscle soreness all the time, this is the best bath salts I’ve ever purchased. The bathroom was like a spa with the essential oils mixing in with the steam. Looking forward to trying out the bug bite balm.
Winter wet might have gotten them. You kept talking about all the rain and snow you had. I too have had mature rose of sharon just up and die. Most buddleia only survive in the rare spots with better drainage and agastache you can pretty much consider annuals here in Indiana. Blue Fortune usually does great, comes back the next year, looks even better and then dwindles rapidly and vanishes. None of the red or pink coreopsis return either.
I was ruthless, this year. I dug up all my Colorblend tulips and reclaimed those spaces for summer and I'm so glad! New bulb order is in. I only left the daffs. Even some of those don't come back even when foliage is left alone. Peach Cobbler....only half came back 2nd year. None on third.
For the Arbs when they have sladed after a rain, if you only have a few of them then I would recommend that you in the fall you wrap them in burlap, or I would do what Aaron did. I know that in the areas that get lots of rain or lots of storms I would make sure that they are tied with something that won't damage them.
I watch this channel as much for the love story between Aaron and Laura as I do for the gardening content. Their interaction with each other speaks volumes about compatibility and mutual respect without ever discussing it. So nice to experience every Sunday!
Exactly! It’s so lovely 🥰
Editing is a beautiful thing! 😂
Very true. I love to hear their conservations. Aaron is very respectful and a true gentleman.
Aaron’s face when Laura said not in the veggie garden, no…I love seeing a married couple handle conflict so graciously…
😂 yes!!!!!🎉
Hah-larious 🤣 29:20
O
We probably all would if we had to video record it and put it out in the world 😂
@@LoraFlowers1475, this is very true, but they are really open to saying they do argue loudly sometimes about certain things.
Laura, thank you. I’m one of the ones that ordered from Nature’s Willow. I love the products. My mom at 81 is always complaining about her aches and pains and I give her one of the pain relief creams and she was like where did you buy that and when I asked her why, she said because my hands don’t ache anymore. Since she lives with me I can tell you she slathers herself in it every night…😂😂😂. So thanks from my mom too ❤
My Lilac and Crape Myrtle pruning experiences: I have an old White Double Lilac that was here when we built our House in 1995. I'm sure it's pushing 70 years old, according to neighbors.
I cut 1/3 of the limbs (some 1-2" Dia) about 3,4,5 feet from the ground and they sprout new growth and flower the next or 1 season after. Same with another 15 year old Lilac and with my Crape Myrtle that's about 15. A slower rejuvenation than cutting all, but it works for me. I'm in Zone 6, Paris suburbs. 😊
White PW pots are great for garden centers because it doesn’t absorb the heat and sun like black pots do!
Juel Clyne;
I am going to have to try that Nature’s Willow. I had major surgery on my hand 2 months ago where they removed part of the bone and the tendon in my arm. Both my hands are bad and I am not looking forward to surgery on the other hand. 9-12 months recovery and 2 years recovery for the nerve. Which did you order and does your mom get swollen hands? Does it help with that?
Lantana! Lantana in the cold frames. Not too tall. Annual. Heat loverrrssss. Drought tolerant. Bush shape with tons of blooms. Lots of colors to choose from.
And the bees, butterfly’s and hummingbirds love them too🍸
Agree, I have some lantana that stay small (18-24 inches tall) & they thrive in our hot dry summers.
Agreed!! They’re beautiful and hardy - I’m zone 9b and even grow them in pots!
I love Lantana! It does well at my moms in the Mojave Desert Victorville I’m in zone 8b PNW and so sad that they don’t do well for me here- probably due to all the rain. However we have droughts in July-August…climate changes over the last decade have been crazy and had record breaking highs at 109-111 a few years ago. I’ll try again 😊
Yes Thalia, Lantana is very pretty & drought tolerant. But only good as as annual in Zone 6... 😢
It's always amazing to me when someone asks if tours will eventually be given of your place.
First of all It's big, but no offense, not that big. And it's your home!
It's refreshing to see keeping your family safe comes first. ❤❤❤
There have been organized tours there before. I had paid to go to one a couple years ago, but it got cancelled. I respect their decision not to have any more, though.
@@cynthiafisher9907 Times are a changing.
@@marmaladesunrise Yep
not to mention, we do get tours all the time. I can truly feel it and nearly smell it. It is satisfying.
I love Aaron’s responses. He’s so frank and states the obvious. The pot comment, “take them in” 😂
It's amazing how much you can actually get done when you commit to doing a little bit every day.
You could plant hot peppers or ginger in the cold frames.
Good morning, Everyone!!
Aaron’s face when Laura rejected his offer to install the Ely hose hook. Priceless!!!
I have been watching your channel from when you were still at the townhouse and have learned so much from your fabulous videos…..
….but have to say I particularly love the conversational aspect of your “Highlight” videos…
The banter between you too is such a nice humanistic touch brings such joy in this Chaotic world. 💕🙏💕
Agreed! Perfect to watch on a weekend!
Oh do I remember your lilac trimming ! I made my husband sit and watch that video how to tackle an overgrown bush. We had one here on the farm that was so badly neglected and I could not do the trimming under it.
What a difference that trimming made to that old Lilac
I look at it from my kitchen window, now I smile and think 💭 That’s what Laura did ! Thank you
I too remember her removing all those lilac suckers seem to remember it took more than one go…
Great recap. I especially enjoyed Laura's careful attention to answering questions & her & Aaron's discussion of hose link installation, complete with flashback videos. What a nice thing to do for the lady who asked about Alyssa's fountain: pulling the previous video from years ago!
I would have NEVER thought to use compost as mulch. This is my first year trying it and it’s AMAZING! It’s so dark and wonderful.
2020 was my first year and I've learned so much watching Laura. This year I was going to prep my soil with compost as well, but never got to it. So maybe next season.
I have learned that with my soil I need to use a raised bed mix as mulch because the winds blow the compost away.😢
To the person asking about brunnera. I am in zone 9b, and I'm growing Brunnera Garden Candy 'Sea Heart'. It's still going after our wet winter and chilly spring. Keep in mind the snails and slugs appreciate it, so be prepared to do battle. I think it's such a pretty plant it's worth it. Hope you are able to get one or two or three...🙂
What do you do for slugs.
I use Sluggo. I'm going to add chopped eggshells for good measure.
Same experience here in my 9b zone. I let them have 3-4 hours of morning sun, then shade the remainder of the day. They do great season after season, and come back every spring looking lovely. I grow these Brunnera: Sterling Silver, Jack Frost, Alexander's Great, and verigata. Often times, I do well with zone 8 plants, so I am willing to try many. With replacing all my sprinklers with in line emitters tubing, my snail and slug population has gone down considerably. I use Sluggo Plus.
Phew... what a relief, I live in Boise and my young butterfly bushes and rose of Sharon both died, both easy to grow in our area historically. Thank you for also sharing the struggles.
for the cold frame that could handle the heat would be Lantana. I lived in Arizona and they handle the heat so well and you don't have to do much but water and let them go. Hope this helps and love the videos!
Same!
I chuckled when Arron mentioned "Asian Squat". When I first started gardening 30 years ago, I was amazed that there's such a product called "Kneeling Pad". We simply squat down when planting. So when I watched Laura as a young woman and carry her kneeling pad around I thought that was weird. But now as a 69-year-old woman, I found it useful though.
Lantana for the Hartley cold frames...loves heat and drought tolerant..I love the yellow and pink combo
What about planting a bunch of dwarf marigolds in mass in your cold frames?! Marigolds are so underrated for the landscape I mostly see ppl use them as a companion plant to veggies but they are awesome for the landscape! They don’t need much water and bloom nonstop! 😍
I agree with the Marigolds. I just wish they came in other colors... I'm not a yellow/gold fan.
I agree! And, if you grow from seed (one of the very easiest plants from seed) they come in SO many colors other than the big box store's yellow and orange. I grow all the white varieties every year to tuck in everywhere, and they look fantastic the whole season til frost.
@@seaduster8347 I’m not either but I love the red marigolds
@@payton8613 yesss I love the white cream colored ones and the red ones :)
I plant every year, collect the seeds in the fall and sow in the spring. I haven’t had to buy marigolds in years.
I label envelopes with the variety & date collected. I love seed collecting.
I do my columbine seeds in containers as it looks like clover when it comes up and one spring I accidentally pulled them thinking they were weeds coming up. I had forgotten to mark and label the area.
You probably won’t see this but here goes anyway. If you hade the Arctic blast like everyone else did many plants, trees and shrubs didn’t have enough time to prepare for that amount of cold so soon, usually there is a gradual cool down but we went from unusually warm weather to Arctic blast overnight. 🌷💚🙃
We had that in AL, had an unusually cold blast in early Fall, then a warm up in Feb, followed by a week of freezing temps. That really did a number on my crape myrtles. They're coming back, but lost a lot of growth from the previous year. Had to cut out a lot of dead.
That arctic blast did a number on most of the shrubs in my gardens. I’m in zone 7. I did a severe prune on them and while it all looks pretty bad right now, they are almost all coming back! I just need patience! 😂
I'm in zone 8b, GA. That December arctic freeze is what caused all the plant damage, here...everything that came back has been delayed. But, some things died.
I lost almost every evergreen in my new garden. It was a terrible year to invest in “the bones” of the garden 😢
@@taylorswf23 😢
Hahaha 🤣 😅 Aaron’s face when you said no to hoselink in the garden 😂
In the December freeze we had here in Alabama, we lost some landscape bushes that were 10 years old and my favorite hydrangeas that was less than 5 years old. Last year they all look fabulous!
Okay, when are you going to do the hayracks? I can't wait to see where you put them and what you plant in them! I know that I will never have something like this, so i dream of what if I had something like this. I would have loved to see Samantha Grace playing in the dirt!! I think she takes after her mom about playing in the dirt...😊
And grandmom!! 😂 👨🌾
Looking forward to seeing these mysterious hayracks people keep mentioning - I don’t think I know what they are 🤔
I ordered my annuals this year from Garden Crossings! I spent my whole budget there and everything arrive beautiful in perfect condition! I highly recommend!
Please Aaron demonstrate the “hook” with the hoselink! I have a similar area as the raised garden beds.
You all really inspire me to think outside the box!
What about planting an annual lavender variety in the cold frames (like Spanish lavender)?! Oh that would look so beautiful with the white frame and the red brick, and would really suite the formality of that area... and also, they love the heat! 💜🤍
Spanish lavender is a perennial in my area… zone 8b PNW I have a whole border in my backyard. I have Mustead and French also and I shear them back 3/4th of the way every fall. It keeps them from getting straggly.
They are in full bloom right now.
I love the back and forth between you two. Aaron had me laughing out loud when he was talking about the Jif peanut butter.
Sunflowers! The one you planted as a hedge in front of the cutflower shed a few years ago. Those would do amazing.. imagine how beautiful it would look along the Hartley Botanic greenhouse.
I love Nature's Willow products so much. We now carry a collection in the retail flower shop where I work. I shared some of my first order of pain relief products with my boss... she loved them. I shared itch relief products from my second order with a good friend who suffers from a chronic rash on her arms and legs and she loved it. I reached out to the company and they responded within minutes about selling retail. We ordered on a Friday and had the products in by Tuesday to sell in time for Mothers Day. I can not sing enough praises of Nature's Willow! Thank you, Laura for telling us about this amazing company!
In response to the butterfly bush not coming back, I too have experienced more plant loss this year. I live in Middle TN, zone 7a/b, and even our most hearty of plants have suffered. We have a ton of die back in shrubs and trees as well. It’s been really odd, and have zero clue as to why this occurred.
I am in Florida and have trouble getting Proven Winner’s Plants. I have been ordering from Romance Gardens in Michigan, and Bluestone Perennials in Ohio for years. Their shipping and packaging are amazing. I have never had a problem with any of our deliveries. Keep in mind that as the summer gets hot some plants will look stressed. I try to get the majority of my orders in the spring and fall. I have also ordered Proven Winners from Home Depot. Their selections are limited, but have also arrived in great shape. Good luck, happy gardening!
I have to chime in on Nature's willow ... it has been a game changer for me as well. I cant say enough about it! Love your videos and learn so much every time. Thank you for doing what you do!
Came to say the same thing, their products have quickly become a part of my morning routine.
JiF Peanut Butter, PERK: Aaron, my newly wed husband demanded only Jif peanut butter when I shopped. Then during the lean years and needed to stretch a dollar I would buy generic peanut butter and just transfer it to his empty Jif jar. This went on for quite some time, he never knew. He would often comment "Yeah no one makes peanut butter like JiF." P.S. when we divorced, I told him what I did to his peanut butter! < true story
Funny !!
Sooo funny!! Lol😂
On the other hand, I did a taste test about 25 years ago, when I was first on my own an needed to figure out what peanut butter was the best. I bought all 3 major brands and tested them one by one, and JIF won every time. Since I had all 3, I also tested a friend, and this was a blind test, and they also chose JIF.
I ordered the Nature’s Willow patches and a tube of the bug cream which I haven’t used yet. I had really good results with the patches on my foot and gave a pack of the patches to my brother who was visiting at the time I received my order from Nature’s Willow. When he went to see my sister he gave the patches to our sister for her aches and pains. Still haven’t heard how it’s working for her. Awesome that we received 20% off with the discount code from Garden Answer! I will be ordering more.
Totally agree! No fabric in garden beds!🤨 I weed really well in spring then plenty of hard bark mulch. I find I have less weeds every year if I weed weekly so it never gets out of hand. I have mixed results when I use Preen.
I work at TSC and I have people coming in looking for the Natures Willow patches and cream. They swear by them! It is very helpful for an alternative way to reduce pain
Hoselink, YES. Ours was broke too and they said the same thing and sent out a new one within the week! Awesome. I am ready to order another one,
QUESTION: wondering if wrapping rope/string around your arbs just before each winter would save the branches from being bent outward by snow, and then removing by spring?
My son wrapped his blue spruce here in Alaska and they look great. We had so much snow this year! But I know Blue Spruce may handle winter better. His Dwarf Alberta Spruce weren't wrapped, they are pretty small, and they do have a few areas their tops aren't together.
I have a row of 26 arbors and use twine during the Michigan winters. Works fantastic!
I love that you keep it real by letting us know what fails. Thank you! I lost my beauty berry Pearl Glam and was highly discouraged. I’m going to go out to the garden and bow to all my Heuchera in gratitude for making it through another winter! 😊
I lost two beauty berry Pearl Glam too, and three Molly (butterfly bushes)😔. My heucheras also made it:))
Aaron’s side eye when she said not in the vegetable garden was clastic. 😂
Such a beautiful garden evolution, sad to hear so many perennials not making a comeback. I’m learning so much from you and streamlining what to keep in my garden and what to give up on 🙂.
Some may do better in your area unless you’re same zone as Laura.
I’m in 8b and I’ve learned getting native plants from your area work best if you’re thinking perennials or biennials.
I love how you focus on organic and sustainable gardening practices. It's inspiring to see someone so dedicated to the environment
I’ve tied my arbs after a rare snow storm years ago. Works fine 👍🏼
"Good fences make good neighbors..." Robert Frost. The poem is worth reading. Keep up the good work !!
Zone 4 here, my Bloomerang Lilac is just covered in blooms, baptisia covered in buds, hardy geranium and hostas spreading but lost a Little lime planted next to a Limelight. The ninebarks I planted last year are growing fast. Nearly everything in my garden was mentioned by Garden Answer. Peonies seem to have sprung up overnight and the yellow one I divided a few years ago should bloom this year. I mention your channel to everyone I know who gardens. Thank you for everything.
Regular brunnera grows really well in shady areas in zone 9b Northern California. I'm going to try the PW brunnera in my garden.
Regarding tying up arborvitae vs pruning... The previous owners of our home planted a couple arbs on either side of the front walk & the variety they chose was way too big for the space so they just tied them up with wire. The only issue with them being tied up for years was alot of dead inside the interior. I removed the wire & pruned them back hard. They looked pretty rough for the first year after pruning but looked great the 2nd year. I'm going to take them out & put in something that is a more suitable size but for now pruning has bought us a few years to make a decision as we work on redesigning the space.
☕️Good morning Laura and Aaron and GA friends. This is so interesting, such great questions and/or observations. It’s going to be a stellar season in gardens everywhere. Thank you Laura and Aaron for sharing your time and your lovely home and gardens 👏🏻💚🤗🌼
Stepped on a screw. After the visit to the Doctor, mega antibiotics and tetanus shot I used Natures Willow soak. It was so pleasant and I feel helped with the healing. The cream for aches and pain have also been wonderful. Thank you for introducing us to them. Also as an aside, my parents had Red Emperor tulips that they dug every spring after blooming, separated any babies and replanted. They did beautiful every year. A lot of work, but it payed off.
I live in Arizona zone 9b. Hot hot hot. 🔥🔥🔥 I think you will find the following annuals will work well in the Hartley beds:
- PW ladybird sunglow primrose
- PW Truffula pink or any other gomphrena (I”d recommend a shorter less stinky variety)
- PW Angelface
- any sweet potato vine
- Vinca/periwinkle
- celosia
I live in Arizona too and i would love a list of preferred or successful plantings you have had.
Both Heuchera varieties you mentioned, Spearmint and Black Pearl are villosa heucheras and usually handle heat better than other types.
Another TH-camr recommends planting a variety of shrubs/trees for screening your neighbors out, so if you have any issues with a certain kind of plant, it won't affect the entire screen. I think this would be a good idea for your arborvitae issue.
As I walked through a garden center this morning I was shocked that I could name about 1/2 of the plants without looking at their tags~!!! I said to myself... that's because you've watched Garden Answer consistently since about 2019! Thank you for all the 'knowledge' and true appreciation for good plants and a beautiful garden!
Thanks Guys - for the Fun Recap! Hey Laura, Why not Super Bells in the Cold Frames? Low water needs and love the Sun! They wouldn't explode like the Vista either.
Hallo ihr Zwei, ich finde die Idee super, die Bepflanzung aus unterschiedlichen Jahren von den gleichen Stellen zu zeigen ! So ein Vergleich ist mal sehr interessant ! Alles Gute für Euch und eure Lieben aus Deutschland 🙋♀️👌🌺🪻🌷☕️🌞👍👍👍👍
Always love the Sunday videos 💗💙
I appreciate soooo much you talking about all the things you lost in your garden, it is so nice to see that even and experienced gardener loses some plants and you may never know why.
I got a couple boxes of the patches and a tube of the cream with the last discount. I haven’t used the cream yet but have used the patches. I twisted my knee very badly a couple months ago and any time I work in the yard it hurts a lot. The patch relieves the pain so I’m able to sleep and the next morning I’m ready to get a bit more done outside. 👌👏👍 Since I shared the second box with friends and my daughter, I’ll be ordering more now…just for me! 😊
Lol Laura, when you put your hands on each side of your face when talking about seeing your neighbor through the Arbs, reminded me of the holes we cut in our stockade fence to talk to our sweet neighbors in our last home! Sure miss them! 🥲😊😄
I'm in Oklahoma and I never got to do much outside. Weather has been crazy everywhere I think. 1. I never got to preparing my soil this year. 2. My willow tree finally grew due to all the rain and now my full sun front garden is turning into shade part shade. 3. Temps weren't above 50 until it was too late to plant spring annuals. Now I'm just going to plant summer containers. I'm hopping our summer is not over 100 too much this year. We shall see.
I’m so excited. I ordered 3 Hoselink for my yard and can’t wait to get them set up. No more rolling up hoses. Yea!!!! Thank you so much.
LANTANA in the cold frames! They don’t need much water and are so pretty! Mine LOVE the heat and don’t need deadheading. Hope you try it! 💐
I had a horrible amount of loss this last winter. I personally lost 11 plants. The vortex in December did a number on all us.
A comment on ordering PW plants. I’m in Michigan and get lots of annuals and perennials from Garden Crossings in Zeeland Michigan and they come beautifully and safely packaged, and the plants are great! Rod and Heidi have a fascinating business , they make videos and explain their operation.
I bought a TON of the natures willow in support for myself and to share and I’m AMAZED!!! It works so well and helped on a rigorous birding trip I took with a friend. The patches are MAGIC and the creams smell great and work. I’m so happy
I have learned so much since finding your channel 3 years ago! I've always loved my flowers and all the pollinators. I moved into my home in Indianapolis 13 years ago and since then planting perennials. Some of which were by you talking about them. My bulbs have all bloomed this year, but yesterday I noticed I will have a 2nd flush of tulips, nice surprise! Thank you for helping my garden to grow so beautiful!!
Leaf mulch is an awesome soil additive. I don't let my husband burn leaves. I tell him rake it in the yard and mow it towards the beds.
I love these videos, thank you Laura and Aaron! I have learned so much from them and you have definitely inspired me o get out and plant! ❤
I ordered Nature's Willow last time they sponsored also. Two of the bundles-
I have had rheumatoid arthritis since I was a little kid so I have tried A LOT of different pain creams so I can say with certainty that Nature's Willow is FANTASTIC for me! I had flare up two weeks ago because I overused my hand. 😔 I have teas and tinctures I make that helps manage the swelling and pain enough but I bought some nature Willow pain balm to help heal at night, and sure enough it helped my hand get over the finish line. I plan to buy some more for my travels and my parents.
I bought the patches and the cream they are amazing , I also was showing it to my back doctors office they wrote it down to try it out also !
Just ordered from Nature’s Willow! Can’t wait to share the order with my Mother!!
Here in the lower FL Keys (zone 11b-12) Big Pine Key, I can't grow any bulbs like cooler states can. But I have a whole side yard of naturalized Zephyranthes aka Rain Lillies and they look just like snowdrops and beautiful after a big storm here the next day the entire lawn is full of the white blooms and I'm so thankful whomever planted these over 50 years ago bc they've spread throughout the entire area.
I’d try Lantana in h cold frames. It’s beautiful, requires little water and maintenance and the pollinators love it. It would easily fill them up and be beautiful.
Greetings Laura & Aaron, from Windermere, Florida 9b 🇺🇸
Lovely of you to visit ❤ I'm having my coffee ☕️ and enjoying your chat and little banter 😂
Aaron, you so gently coax Laura.
Remember that it's easier to pull a chain than to push it👍
Happy Gardening Everyone 👩🌾👍
❤Peggy❤
😂 Laura, your friend's duped you out of your tulips!!! Did they say "pull em, and hand them over" or what? Haha!😂❤
I throughly enjoy the Sunday highlights, and every day of the week Garden Answer.
I ordered the Willow Balm pain relieving cream after your sponsored video by them. I got the discount and they threw in 6 full size pain patches!! I was so impressed and love the pain relieving cream!
Looking forward to trying Nature’s Willow. I’m a weekly client at the chiropractor to keep my joints and muscles in check with all the bending, kneeling and carrying during the Spring season. I hate taking Rx or OTC pain meds.
Always enjoy the recaps. The gardens look amazing!!
Thanks for mentioning your plant loss. This helps make gardening real for all of us. Zone 5b WI here. I lost about $200 in shrubs and perennials this year. This has never happened before and I was shocked. Had to tie up my arbs this year. Not sure they will straighten up.
I lost 8 of 9 rose of Sharons that were beautiful during summer too. My mower guy said it was that the weather went from summer to winter without a dormancy period. Many leafy trees did not lose their leaves until Spring. Also our clematis flowers are curled this year and many other plants and shrubs are growing weird this Spring. Love your videos.
Funny when you ask how long we’ve been watching I have to stop and think because I was around for some of your very first ones AND I’m still here and still loving it
A great annual alternative to fancy (expensive) heucheras would be proven winners “charmed wine” purple oxalis. They’re stunning, so brightly coloured, short in stature, affordable and they love the same conditions as heucheras. I brought mine in for the winter, it lost plenty of leaves but lived and looked beautiful over the winter.
I love the oxalis. Both the green (very old variety dug from my mothers garden) and the big leaf purple. Sadly, lately, my purple oxalis had Bern plagued by rust.
Alternanthera is another low growing, cheaper, purple alternative to the purple heucheras.
We recently installed a Hoselink to use in our front yard (pots, supplemental water for shrubs and flowers, etc.). As is typical on most houses, our hose bib is on the SIDE of our house, at the front/garage corner. We had to mount the Hoselink amidst all the utility-related boxes and cables, AND a downspout. For that reason, it can't pivot completely and it's not "pointed" in the right direction to walk the hose straight out. I have to pull it all out at the corner, which YES, does require some strength. Then I drag the hose around to the front where I need to water. It has tangled and kinked a bit doing it this way but I'm figuring out how to avoid that. Retracting isn't an issue, though rather than "walking it back", I stand at the corner and guide it in. I share all of this for anyone considering a Hoselink because it's not the ideal solution for all settings. I'm still glad I have it, as it's so much easier to put away, and looks so much more tidy, particularly with 82'. Previously I used a "magic"/shrinking hose but with the Western exposure, it deteriorated in the direct sun. Since you have several, you could mount one in the vegetable garden and try it out at no real cost, but I think you're likely to find that the real benefits of a Hoselink will be lost in that setting. For those who are considering a Hoselink, the points you brought up are really important to consider: it does require some strength and for maximum effectiveness, consider whether you have the necessary space to walk it out/in. For the price, I probably could have bought a new shrinking hose every year, and I may eventually decide to return to that option - and use the Hoselink somewhere else on our property where we can pull it straight out.
Very interesting chat! After such a conversation, your Garden will be even more beautiful!
My hostas got shredded from a hail storm here in South GA. I'm so sad. I know how that feels. I had people over and just showed them. They still felt everything looked beautiful.
About weeding: I’ve had success and seen other gardeners at my community garden have success with putting down a layer of compost before fall and winter set in. It smothers all of the weed seeds that fall during the growing season and wait to germinate in late winter and spring. (Then don’t till in the spring in order not to disturb all of the weed seeds.) You’ll still have weeds but much more manageable. No crop of spring weeds like I see in other plots. You could try the same thing in a flowerbed.
I use either jute twine for tying things up (here, it tends to break down over the winter), or old T-shirts, cut into strips. The T-shirts are softer, but you do have to remove them. I use them for peppers, tomatoes, etc., as well.
I would say not Viburnum "Mohawk". I believe they bloom more up and down the stem, not in clusters. Mine does. I would think, if highly scented, maybe V. carlesii, my favorite for wonderful smells.
How about Lantanas for the cold frames? Jenny and Jerry in NC seem to have great luck with them in high heat.
I specifically look for proven winner pots when buying plants. They have perfected my favorite varieties improving on color, performance and ease of care. I’m thankful for their branded pots.
Greetings from Ontario, Canada
I am glad about the PW white pots. I get so excited when I see a whole bunch of them and I have to stop and see what they are.
I ordered their product and it is truly fantastic! 🌿 ❤️ 🌿
Maybe you could put some small cactus in the Harley cold frames. Thank you for your videos, love them.
I have not had good luck with the Ely hose hooks on corners. The hose just pulled them out of the ground. The Ely hose reel is wonderful, though!
I tired out the Natures Willow patches, cream and bath salts and they have been amazing. I’ve been having pain in my wrist for 3 weeks with nothing that helped, it even came to the point of getting an X-ray to see what was going on, but ended up ordering this products and since then my wrist pain is gone. My son also uses the bath salts because he’s a gymnast and has muscle soreness all the time, this is the best bath salts I’ve ever purchased. The bathroom was like a spa with the essential oils mixing in with the steam. Looking forward to trying out the bug bite balm.
Winter wet might have gotten them. You kept talking about all the rain and snow you had. I too have had mature rose of sharon just up and die. Most buddleia only survive in the rare spots with better drainage and agastache you can pretty much consider annuals here in Indiana. Blue Fortune usually does great, comes back the next year, looks even better and then dwindles rapidly and vanishes. None of the red or pink coreopsis return either.
I was ruthless, this year. I dug up all my Colorblend tulips and reclaimed those spaces for summer and I'm so glad! New bulb order is in. I only left the daffs. Even some of those don't come back even when foliage is left alone. Peach Cobbler....only half came back 2nd year. None on third.
For the Arbs when they have sladed after a rain, if you only have a few of them then I would recommend that you in the fall you wrap them in burlap, or I would do what Aaron did. I know that in the areas that get lots of rain or lots of storms I would make sure that they are tied with something that won't damage them.