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OPEN HOURS
8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Every Day
Watering Tip
Keep watering containers and newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials in the cooler hours of the morning or evening. To avoid powdery mildew fungus, water the soil and try to avoid splashing leaves.
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Protect Tomatoes and Potatoes from Late Blight with regular applications of protective fungicide
Don't forget your staking supplies and re-may, spun polyester, to protect against flying insect pests and flea beetles.
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Long-blooming Summer Perennials
Good Alternatives to Invasive Purple Loosestrife
You know those vibrant waves of pink spikes that are just starting to bloom along Berkshire waterways and wetland edges? It's the extremely invasive Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). It eliminates habitat for native plant species and thus drives out native insects, amphibians, waterfowl and mammals. Please don't plant it and don't allow it to grow in your gardens.
We sell lovely alternatives for that spiky pink or purple color in heights from 2 feet to 4 feet.
At right is a selection photographed on July 13.
Clockwise from the bottom:
Salvia 'Caradonna' - dark blue blooms in spring and fall.
Agastache 'Blue Fortune' (Anise Hyssop) - pale blue blooms into fall.
Liatris (Gayfeather) - blooms into fall.
Agastache 'Tutti Frutti' (Anise Hysssop) - up to 4 ft blooms into fall.
Sanguisorba obtusa (Japanese Burnet) - bottle-brush pink flowers July into fall. See the flower close-up below.
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Alternatives to Purple Loosestrife
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Close-up: Sanguisorba obtusa 'Japanese Burnet'
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Not Purple Loosestrife & Great in Moist Shade-
Astilbe add a nice bright plume of color to join your hosta and add pizazz to your impatiens.
They like it moist and shady.
What's great is they add that height so often missing in the shade.
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Astilbe
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Patio Planters of Annuals for Summer-long blooms
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Hanging Baskets for Sun, Shade, Dry or Damp locations...
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Have you thought about Starting a Pond Garden?
We offer pond forms, liners, pumps and a variety of pond plants to get you started.
Water features can provide a new dimension to your garden.
Floating plants we carry:
Lotus - Nelumbo - $49.99
Hardy Water Lily - Nymphaea - $39.95
Water hyacinth - Eichornia crass - $4.99
Water lettuce - Pistia stratoide - $4.99
plus you'll find marginals for different depths in prices ranging from 11.99 to 29.99.
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Nelumbo - Lotus flower from 2005
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Have You Voted Today? The more you enter the better your chances!
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We can help.
If you have a specific problem area in your garden:
1- please note what plants grow well there,
2- what time of day the garden gets direct sunlight and for how long, and
3- maybe a bit about the soil-- is it always moist or always dry?
We'll help you find the right plant for your location or the right pest solution.
Especially helpful: Send an e-mail through the contact us link below and attach a jpeg photo of the problem. Explain your problem or question and we can have an answer for you when you come in.
Saves you time and helps us help you!
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Nancy helps find the right plant
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Gift Cards for Your Favorite Gardener - Available Online!
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We can hold your gift here for your recipient
mail it to your recipient,
or mail it to you. We're happy to help:
Just Click at Left Above or
Click Here for Order Form.
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Grow Your Own Blueberries & Tree Fruits
It tastes best from your backyard. Consider starting a small orchard or blueberry patch to assure access to great fruit at it's peak.
You'll want to plant a variety of blueberries to get good pollination. In addition to fruit, the blueberry has multi-season interest with bell-like spring flowers similar to lily-of-the valley and vibrant red fall color. Ward's also offers peach, apple, pear, cherry, plum and apricot trees!
Link to More information on Specific Care Requirements.
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Blueberries Ripen in July
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Bird Gardening
When planning your garden, research the favorites of the birds you want to attract.
Flowering or fruiting shrubs and perennials offer food.
Dense evergreens or shade trees provide safety for birds.
Plant a variety!
Click to Learn More about Bird Gardens
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Frequently Asked Questions
Ward's keeps a growing collection of gardening issue topics that confront gardeners all the time.
If you don't find your question answered among our tips, please let us know. We'll do some research and get answers to you and probably post them, too!
Ward's Nursery Tips Page
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Plan Your Gardens
A long-blooming perennial garden depends on a variety of perennials that bloom at different times in succession through the season.
Some perennials put on brief shows and disappear altogether until next year. Put these 'ephemerals' near bolder later bloomers who will cover the leaf dieback of your early bloomers.
Others have foliage that adds to the drama of the perennial bed even without flowers - we love Heucheras!
Sedum rupestre for rocky dry soils bloom in spring and provide great ground-cover through the season or Sedum spectabile blooms late and the color deepens into fall.
Below find the link to our blooms-by-month handout. You can pick up a copy in the perennial yard when you visit as well.
Perennials by Bloom Time
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Sedum spectabile - Early foliage - Late Bloom
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