A Miracle in a Bottle

Remember the stories of snake oil salesmen coming around and promising that if you bought their "magic in a bottle" you would be cured of all your ailments. There may have been some truth in those tales but for the most part it was just a great scam. I haven't found the newest snake oil treatment, but I have found something in a bottle that will cure the ailments of your beloved plants.

Daniels Plant Food is my new best friend! This past winter provided my Madison, Georgia street containers with major challenges. Freezing temperatures, high winds and no time for me to give them personal attention. When the weather did clear up enough for me to check on them, their condition was stressed to say the least. Some of the pansies were hosting a major aphid party so their decline was even more pronounced. I decided to give Daniels an opportunity to show its worth.

This first photo shows a container struggling just to give a few blooms. After spraying for the aphids, I dosed it with Daniels. Within three days I had a significant turn around...the pansies were putting out new blooms. I checked on the container every few days and daily I could see the difference driving by in my car!!

This next photo was taken after a second application of Daniels (about 10 days later). A quick check today showed the container full of pansies and the blue spruce sedum challenging them for space. Everyone was happy!!

But for sheer flower power, check out this container. It had not suffered from the aphid attack so the fertilizer applications really worked its magic. Daniels is so easy to apply in its liquid form that I don't see it as a chore but more of an application of LOVE.

It is time to change out the color for summer so I'll be able to see more benefits from my new "Best Friend".

The Scented Garden

At long last, it is finished. The idea was born many months ago, and like most of our “children” it seemed to take forever to arrive. And just like little babies, the Scented Garden has some growing to do before it can be fully appreciated for what it is meant to be…..in this case, an evergreen garden with fragrance and color for all four seasons.

This small garden (approximately 21’x21’) sits next to the Madison, Georgia, Welcome Center and is meant for visitors to sit and consider what they want to see while visiting our town. It started its life quite a few years ago with a beautiful concept. As often happens with gardens over time, this one needed some changes to bring it back to life. Due to the small size of the plot, every plant had to make a big impact; and I also wanted each plant to have some historical value. So….this is what we have today.

There are a couple plants that just had to be there! The Confederate Jasmine ‘Madison’ was named after our town because it was found here and proved to tolerate some of those colder winters we experience. And no southern garden can be without a gardenia so for summer fragrance we have the traditional Gardenia radicans; but a new shrub gardenia has been added. Gardenia ‘Heaven Scent’ grows to approximately 4’x4’ and will bloom all summer.

It is proving to be one tough plant because it has been blooming steadily despite harsh cold temperatures and high winds of spring.

Another southern standard is Daphne odora. If you have ever smelled this plant in early February then I need say nothing more.

Behind the Daphne is a very special camellia called ‘Tiny Princess’.

It is special because it is fragrant!! The blooms are white fringed with soft pink and the open, loose structure provides softness to the corner.

In the opposite corner is a new Osmanthus called ‘Fudhingzu’. This guy will bloom on and off through three seasons, with a more prolific flower showing.

The third corner holds a Banana Shrub (Michelia figo). And, yes, the blooms really do smell like bananas. They aren’t showy but they make up for it in fragrance.

Standing next to the Banana Shrub is a very special rose called ‘Old Blush’.

This China rose has delicate pink flowers that have a fruity fragrance. It is nearly evergreen and blooms all summer long. Not to be forgotten by any means is the climber rose that will run up a trellis against the Welcome Center wall. In the spring, ‘Zephrine Drouhin’ will give off a beautiful scent from its profuse pink blooms. The bronze new leaf growth will compliment the bricks of the building.

In the last corner I have planted a very different hydrangea. This one has variegated leaves and it too will have a delicate fragrance. Hydrangea scandens is not easily found but has been around a long time. It has an open structure that will allow it to grow gracefully over the gardenias.

Not to be forgotten, even the ground cover is fragrant. Sarcoccoa humilis is planted around the base of one of the benches. And last but not least, we have ‘Fragrant Bouquet’ Hosta planted around the water fountain.

There is still a lot of blank canvas in which to plant some annual color to help fill in the open spaces. More thinking to do in that area, so check in again soon to see how it all comes together.