Favorite Flowers

One of my favorite flowering trees is the Cornus kousa or Dogwood.  They are in full bloom here in Maine right now and they are spectacular!  This morning I was doing a little pruning on one at a client's house in Portland to separate it out from a Hydrangea tree it was starting to overtake.  I snagged a few branches before off-loading my truck at the dump and created a nice vase for my kitchen table.

Flowering Dogwoods do well in full sun, but I think they look best when used in partially shady areas.  Many nurseries around here will not guarantee them as certain varieties are not generally hardy here in Maine (especially inland areas).  Closer to the coast however you'll find some really nice specimens that do very well when planted in protected locations.

Plants in Pots

These window boxes of pansies that I planted back in May for a client in Cape Elizabeth have filled in nicely and add a bright spot to an otherwise shady backyard.

Whether it is a pot full of herbs right next to a kitchen window or a hanging basket of flowers on a porch, I love using plants in pots.   For me they are great because I have limited outdoor space at my apartment in Portland so I like to have a few pots filled with herbs, one for tomatoes, and another for annual flowers.

A few other benefits of plants in pots….

-Pots can be moved as needed.  To coincide with the trees filling out or the angle of the sun, you control how much sunlight and water your plants receive.

-You control the soil that goes in so if you are eating from your pots (herbs or veggies) you know it is safe and that Fido hasn’t relieved himself in it!

-When the temperatures drop you can moves your plants indoors to protect from frosts.  Some herbs do well all winter long (like rosemary) on a sunny window sill.

Have fun and experiment!  Containers, potting soil, and plants from your local nursery, farm stand, or farmers market are fairly inexpensive and can really add a lot to your outdoor space.