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By Painters Co-Owner Dana Owen, featuring advice and photos by Angela Esmond PLANTING TIPS FOR IDEAL WILDLIFE BENEFIT & AESTHETIC ENJOYMENT A wildlife garden can be just as attractive to people as it is to wildlife!” --the National Wildlife Federation A well-designed wildlife garden can enhance your wildlife habitat, benefit pollinators, and also improve ground water quality through natural filtration. When planned according to your naturally occurring conditions and using mostly natives, it can be relatively low maintenance, being more likely to flourish with less amendments or irrigation. We have a lot of beautiful native plants that do great in our native clay-rich soils without any amendment. Identify and work with what you have and use the appropriate natives for those circumstances, and you will save yourself a lot of aggravation, money and wasted resources!  (Don’t do what I did and try for years to convert a field of blue clay into a rich, garden soil! Be smart about it and instead plan for a beneficial wetland/rain garden!)  RIGHT PLANT FOR THE RIGHT PLACE First, you do of course need to do your research to determine what type of environment you have for each of your garden spaces --maybe you have a mix! You could have a forest environment with almost full shade and rich mulchy soil, or a full sun area with sandy soil, and/or even possibly a wet, clay dense area with poor drainage. You want to reduce your frustration, time and expenses by determining this first so that you are planting the right plants for the right location. You may have limited space with all of the same sun exposure and soil type, but most yards contain several different microhabitats and you therefore need to plan several different gardens accordingly. If you’re new to this, just choose one space to start with … it’s easy to get overwhelmed and be unrealistic about the amount of work each garden can involve, especially if you need to amend your soil, work with a lot of rock, or remove a lot of invasives! Do a soil test, perform a basic test on how long your soil holds water, observe how many hours of direct sun you get in the location, and take the time to do your homework up front - trust me, it pays off! Work with what colors and shapes you already see occurring in your space - if you have a lot of certain color or texture already occurring naturally (or with your home or other structures), amplify that with complimentary textures or patterns. Mass plantings are very critical for pollinator support - we need to ensure that the insect has enough food. The added benefit is that all plants look best planted en masse - you get a big impact with a large swath of red bee balm, and it looks even better and provides even more ecological benefit if you repeat that species in several mass plantings through the space. If you don’t have a giant yard, choose just a few of your favorite pollinator plants and plant in groupings of 5+ plants rather than mixing a huge variety of beneficial plants in just ones or twos (many pollinator plants do well in container gardens also - just make sure to read how large they get at maturity and plan appropriately). Be sure to incorporate multiple heights , even if working with a small space. Ideally, you incorporate a few native trees as well as a variety of native shrubs of varying heights, but this will depend on the size of your space. Focus on more low to medium height plants with the taller plants as your backdrops and highlights. Make sure you are aware of the mature size of each plant when designing - it may start small, but next season it could block out some lovely shorter species behind it. Some native herbaceous plants can get very tall and sometimes a bit floppy (you can stake them, but you can also plan to plant sturdy shrubs nearby or shorter, stockier plants and grasses around them to help support them). Vines are a wonderful way to add height to your gardens and are great for smaller spaces; native honeysuckle, clematis or crossvine can provide excellent food sources for moths and hummingbirds as well as add a lot of color and beauty to your space. (Space is important but you can have a lot of impact with good selection. Remember that that one oak tree can feed over 500 species of caterpillars and support hundreds of birds and other wildlife! Native pawpaws, persimmons, black cherries, and serviceberries are all excellent support for birds, caterpillars, and butterflies as well as creating tasty produce!) In addition to planning for a variety of heights (and placing plants appropriately), we encourage you to play around with texture . I never was a fan of grasses until I visited some native landscapes with mass plantings of a variety of mature grasses, or saw them planted as a border. Grass seed heads can be more beautiful than many flowers, and many have a wide range of colors presented on their foliage, creating some lovely contrasts. They also create movement in the garden, swaying and sometimes creating soft sounds in the wind. Grasses are essential habitat for overwintering native solitary bees, and provide food and shelter for a range of wildlife. You can also increase textural interest by including a range of flower shapes - this is not only beautiful, but helps support a range of bee and other pollinator species (long-tongued bees love foxglove, while short tongued bees prefer plants like forget-me-nots). Water features of any type add great visual interest to the garden as well as providing an essential resource to wildlife of all kinds. A basic birdbath or bee bath is extremely helpful, and you don’t have to dig a massive water garden to enjoy a variety of aquatic plants and attract and support aquatic insects, amphibians and other wildlife that feeds on them. We encourage you to play around with water gardens, but incorporating a bird bath is something very simple and inexpensive that everyone should do - make sure to keep the water only about an inch deep and check it daily as it will dry up quickly in the heat. Placing some pebbles throughout is helpful for bees. If you have an area where moisture collects, work with it - dig the space out and allow water to pool, then plant the edges and moist soil surrounding it with species such as willows, buttonbush, winterberries, sedges, and rushes as well as blooming moisture lovers like cardinal flower, obedient plant, turtlehead and flag iris. Plan for blooms and seed heads or colorful bark and leaves throughout the seasons - this not only means you will have a diversity of plants which can support a diversity of wildlife, but also provides garden interest throughout the year for you to enjoy. Consider adding more of certain colors based on their benefits to wildlife - for instance bees are attracted to blue and violet shades (they see in ultraviolet!). If you prefer a more tidy and formal appearance, consider edging your gardens, creating paths, and sticking with more limited color palettes (you can still create a highly beneficial garden with only a few colors if you choose a range of beneficial species within that palette). Hedging can be beneficial for wildlife while also providing a more formal or organized appearance. We encourage using native plants for the hedge so you provide the best food sources for wildlife as well as shelter - a hedge of mixed species with different periods of flowering and fruiting will be most beneficial, and you can also incorporate small hedges or mass border plantings with species like lavender or rosemary which provide great nectar sources as well as a beautiful border option. When planting native /a majority native, then you want to plant the way they would naturally occur - this means planting more densely than you may have otherwise planned or been trained. Yes, you may sometimes get some mildew, but in general most natives are used to growing densely and in a great diversity of species - they support one another structurally, create a natural ‘mulch’/defense against invasives, and overall work well when planted thickly if done so in the appropriate light and soil. An additional critical benefit of planting more densely is aiding in groundwater filtration and creating cleaner water for our communities. National Wildlife Federation’s guidelines for height groupings when planning: Structural plants (backbones of your design - trees, shrubs and taller perennials), should take up about 10-15% of your space. They provide shelter and food sources for birds and insects as well as general physical structure, shade and possible screening/privacy benefits. A variety of colorful flowering plants providing pollinator benefits and beauty should be varied based on early/mid/late blooming periods and take up about 25-40% of your area. Groundcover and border plants should act as the ‘green mulch’ of your gardens - these can act as a natural weed prevention (though some natives useful for this are often thought of as weeds such as clover), and they play a very important ecological role and can provide not only pollen sources but erosion control. Ideally these should consume up to 50% of your space (especially if replacing some lawn). Filler plants are shorter lived/annuals that serve to fill in gaps, helping to suppress weeds/unwanted plants and providing color and nectar sources - these should take up to 10% of your area… likely less as the perennials mature, but these often create a nature seed bank for a beautiful long-term pollinator garden. WHAT WE NEED FOR AN IDEAL POLLINATOR HABITAT Nectar sources can include many annuals, non-natives and herbs Larval Host Plants : natives species that can feed a range of caterpillars and other larvae Water sources --you wouldn’t believe how much a single small water garden or bird bath will do to increase your pollinator and bird diversity! Shelter are ideally native plants such as grasses, shrubs, and trees that providing nesting habitats and safe shelter for everything from bees to birds to mammals A wide range of blooming plants that provide a variety of flower shapes and bloom from early spring to late fall. (Most of this is required to be licensed as a Certified Pollinator Habitat .) While doing this, we also of course want to limit if not eliminate pesticides - if you must use some, at least focus on organic-safe, but keep in mind that you may be killing at risk native species such as monarchs along with those pesky Japanese beetles. (Try being selective and doing your research about host plants - you could spray an organic-safe pesticide on select veggies but not your herbs as so many herbs serve as food sources for native moths and butterflies). We also want to remove invasive plant species that are taking over natural spaces, and it’s very helpful to leave piles of leaf mulch and dead branches/tree snags for shelter and nesting . We encourage you to leave your grasses up all winter for habitat (it adds texture and winter visual interest also), and if you deadhead plants that may provide beneficial seeds, consider collecting the stems and bundling them into a food bouquet to hang from a tree or porch, where birds can easily feed on them. OUR FAVORITE POLLINATOR PLANTS FOR VARIED CONDITIONS General methods for pollinator gardens: start by planting your potted items or bare root items, then sprinkle in the seeds throughout remaining space and cover with a thin layer of soil. Don’t thin seedlings when they emerge, just let them fill in. FULL SUN + DRY TO AVERAGE SOIL Spring Blooming Perennials: Salvia nemorosa (such as May Night), Winter Jasmine, Hellebores, Green and Gold, Coreopsis Nana, Columbine Summer Blooming Perennials: Joy Pye Weed, Penstemon, Agastache, Autumn Sage, Coneflowers, Black-eyed Susans, Butterfly Milkweed, Goldenrod, Blazing Star, Catmint Late Summer-Fall Blooming Perennials: Autumn Sage, Pineapple Sage, Helianthus (we love Autumn Gold), Heliopsis, Helenium, Goldenrod, New England and New York Aster, Hardy Mums (we love Sheffield Pink), Autumn Joy Sedum Summer Blooming Annuals: Cosmos, Tithonia, Zinnias, Annual Sages (Black & Blue is a favorite) Herbs (mostly summer blooming): Lavenders, fennel, dill, basils, chives, parsley, borage, marjoram, thyme (Herbs are particularly loved by bees!) Shrubs (late spring-summer blooming): Itea, Viburnum, Clethra, Shrubby St. John’s Wort, Ninebark, Lacecap Hydrangeas FULL TO PART SUN + MOIST SOIL/SLOWER DRAINING (CLAY) SOIL Summer-late Summer Blooming Perennials: Turtlehead, Obedient Plant, Cardinal Flower, Swamp Milkweed, Bee Balm Shrubs: New Jersey Tea, Willows, Spicebush, Redtwig Dogwood, native Hibiscus PART SHADE + AVERAGE TO RICH (COMPOST/LEAF LITTER) SOIL Perennials: Hostas, Bears Breeches, Astilbe, Hellebore Shrubs: Annabelle Hydrangeas, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Flame Azaleas Resources How to Design a Better Wildlife Garden From NFW.org , this is an excellent summary of ecological benefits, breakdown of different design elements and suggestions for varied aesthetics. www.xerces.org/ The premier organization focusing on insect conservation. Beecityusa.org This esteemed organization works with Xerces and Asheville Greenworks. Asheville was one of the inaugural 'Bee Cities and in 2022 celebrated their 10th anniversary. ‘10 Ways to Start Building a Garden for Wildlife’ , by Doug Tallamy 'Create a Lovely Wildlife-Friendly Garden in a Yard of Any Size’ , An excellent breakdown from Claudia De Yong at houzz.com https://www.mcdowellbeekeepers.org/ Our local group offers some great tips on ensuring honeybees have food all season! Native Pollinator-Friendly Plants and Local Suppliers NC Native Plants by Season and Color Top 25 Native Pollinator Plants for North Carolina Native Pollinator Plants by Season of Bloom

Summer is here and before long you can expect 90-degree days. Living in North Carolina, we all know how hot summers can get so we put together some of our favorite ways you can conserve water while keeping your garden looking great all summer long! WATERING TIPS Prepare your garden for high temperatures by keeping plants well-hydrated leading up to and through the heat. Water deeply one to two days before the onset of a heat wave to lower the air and soil temperature around the plants as well as provide much-needed moisture. Water in the early morning or evening as less water is wasted due to evaporation. For mildew-prone plants such as garden phlox or bee balm, watering in the morning is best as it prevents moisture from sitting on the leaves all night. Water your gardens deeply rather than daily; frequent shallow watering encourages shallow roots/less healthy plants and also can increase weeds. If you travel frequently or really don’t have the time for regular watering, try installing efficient drip irrigation systems or sprinklers on timers. We also recommend purchasing some watering tubes/pipes or watering rings for your larger trees and shrubs - this enables slow deep watering, in particular if you use a pipe that gets water further down the root zone. These are especially helpful if you have trees and shrubs that need planting mid-season and will therefore require more water. Keep in mind that containers and hanging baskets need more water in general and will likely require water one to two times a day during periods of extreme heat and as plants mature. Note that watering containers more frequently will wash nutrients out of the soil, so you may also need to increase the frequency of your fertilizing or mix in some slow-release pellets to keep things blooming and happy. MULCHING Improve your soil’s water retention by mixing in compost and then topping it with mulch. Mulching can save a lot of work in the long run – choose natural mulch without chemical treatments (finely ground cedar or pine bark is good), and insulate the surface of the soil with about 2-3 inches of mulch. Mulching can reduce weed problems by up to 90% and watering needs by up to 50% if done properly and maintained. You are protecting the soil and shallow roots from direct sun exposure and reducing evaporation when applying mulch. For an in-depth guide on how to mulch, pros and cons, different types, and things to avoid - for instance, it’s crucial not to mulch up to the base of trees and shrubs as that can suffocate them! Read more here: RAIN BARRELS The average roof collects up to 600 gallons of water per 1" of rain - that's a lot of potential water for collection, saving homeowners money and significantly aiding with freshwater conservation efforts! With increasingly problematic droughts, rising costs of municipal water, and more environmental awareness, rain barrels are becoming more popular. They have also proven very helpful in reducing erosion in homeowner's yards and decreasing flooding and erosion damage caused by stormwater runoff - thereby benefiting the surrounding area. With endless styles and sizes to choose from, we highly recommend considering rain barrels as a simple way to reduce your environmental footprint and provide free water for your gardens! This article by the World Wildlife Fund covers it all! ADD SHADE TO YOUR YARD The simplest way to keep your plants cool is to manage the sunlight that hits them. You can do this through strategic planting under trees, decks, or whatever else may create shade in your garden. Adding native shrubs and trees to your yard is not only a way to provide much-needed support to wildlife and pollinators but also a great way to provide partial to full shade in areas of your yard for water conservation and cooling of your gardens as well as shade/cooling for personal enjoyment. You can also add shade to your garden with sheets, tarps, or patio umbrellas. XERIC GARDENING In addition to mulching, there are other ways to conserve water and create a garden that has low water needs--and therefore requires less time! Try grouping plants with similar water needs to save water and time, and dig a shallow depression for those that require more water to help collect rain and water runoff. One obvious tip is to plant heat and drought-resistant plants. For vegetables, try eggplant, mustard greens, okra, peppers and green beans. Some varieties of tomatoes and squash are also bred for drought resistance. For herbs, try chives, catmint, thyme, chamomile, lavender, oregano, rosemary, and Russian Sage. Some of the showiest drought-tolerant perennials include yucca, black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, coreopsis, and salvia. Note that many of the more drought-tolerant perennials are natives, and there’s a reason for that. Natives have evolved to do well in our specific region, so they, therefore, are much more tolerant of drought (and also of heavy rains) than most non-natives. We always advocate planting gardens over big expanses of lawn, as smart gardening can require less water than a lawn and is of course, much better for the environment and local wildlife--supplying food for pollinators and birds, reducing CO2 emissions from lawn mowers, etc. However, we do of course recognize that most of us still have some grass to deal with, and one way to reduce the water needs of your lawn is to mow no shorter than two inches in hot weather as it will need less water and stay greener when allowed to grow a bit taller. (Longer grass is also better for insects and wildlife!) LEARN MORE Check out this excellent guide to gardening with water conservation in mind, including ideas for low-maintenance plantings, easy ways to set up automatic watering, and ways to save water on your lawns: https://www.fix.com/blog/growing-drought-tolerant-plants/   FINALLY, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF TOO! With increased heat please take precautions to stay hydrated and cool. During extreme heat, we recommend tending your garden in the morning or evening and taking breaks as needed!

Staff at Painters are frequently overheard raving about their beloved coffee plants at home. These plants are among some of the hardiest and easiest houseplants to grow, and the dwarf variety, which will only grow to 12", is especially suited to be a houseplant. Coffea arabica, Arabian coffee plants, like bright indirect light, consistently moist but not soggy soil, and high humidity. We recommend a humidifier or pebble tray. They appreciate cooler temperatures (64-72 degrees) so our mountain air is not a detriment! Meet these needs and they will reward you with glossy leaves and quick growth. After a few years they may even produce small white flowers and berries--containing seeds that we know as coffee beans--every spring! What a treat! As with many houseplants, do be mindful of placement for kiddos and furry ones. Coffee plants are entirely toxic to pets, and all parts other than fruits and beans are toxic to humans.

One of the many virtues of gardening is patience. Have you heard the saying, “First year it sleeps, second year it creeps, and third year it leaps”? This is a general rule of thumb when talking about establishing perennials, trees and shrubs in your garden. I remind myself often of this phrase as I impatiently anticipate a lush garden within the first season of planting. I’ve found some tips and tricks to help establish a pollinator garden quickly and for less money by utilizing some underused or spreading perennials, and speeding along the fullness by dividing plants. WHAT IS A POLLINATOR GARDEN? As a basic reminder, the key to pollinator gardens is to have a variety of plants that provide a valuable source of nectar or pollen at varying times of the year. You can even hone your plant selection by researching plants that are favored by specific caterpillars or species of insects in order to provide “host plants” or nesting/overwintering. A pollinator friendly garden can’t be too small or too big–regardless of the space’s size, I try to make sure that it is packed with plants within reason. If you’re starting a garden this year with limited resources, then it is best to start in a small space and build the garden out each year as you acquire more plants. This allows you to plant densely to provide larvae adequate protection during the growing season and to offer overwintering habitat. A denser garden also shades the ground to provide micro-habitats and suppress weeds. It's important that you avoid using chemicals/pesticides in your pollinator garden. WAYS TO EXPAND YOUR GARDEN SEEDS It’s important to remember that pollinators and plants have formed a symbiotic relationship that benefit both parties (mutualism)–the insect or animal gets its fill of food, and the plant is pollinated for fruit and seed production to occur. With pollination comes seeds - and this is a great opportunity to leave seedheads for birds in the winter or to allow seeds to self-sow in your garden. I try to collect seeds from my annuals (zinnias, calendula, nasturtium, etc) and save them to sow in spring the following year. One plant can produce hundreds of seeds! I can’t think of a better (or cheaper) way to bulk up a pollinator garden and spread the love to neighbors and friends than by sharing seeds. I try to sow in seedling trays so I can keep an eye on watering and avoid loss from rabbits and crows. I’ll transplant the starts in the garden once they’re large enough to hold their own and establish quickly. I will also take the time to mention the importance of seed saving because of sexual reproduction (which happens when a flower is cross-pollinated). Sexual reproduction is a powerful means of plant propagation–it ensures diversity and new genes–this is ever so important for the survival and future success of our gardens and pollinators. Start your own revolution by saving seeds, sharing seeds, and germinating seeds! DIVISION This means of propagation is the quickest way to beef up your garden! There are many plants that grow and reproduce asexually via rhizomes (underground runners), bulbs/tubers/corms, and through a clumping habit. Each year a plant can put on more and more growth and will eventually benefit from division. Overcrowded plants compete for water, nutrients and space and can lead to limited airflow and increased susceptibility to disease and dieback. Dividing plants can give you numerous individuals of the same species which is beneficial in a pollinator garden. Most pollinators focus on one color and shape bloom to pollinate at a time before switching to another type of plant. Planting “en masse”, or groups, allows pollinators to efficiently obtain food without burning too much energy hopscotching along the garden for one specific flower. Spring Division of Fall-Blooming Plants: It’s easier to divide these plants in the spring since there’s only small newly emerging leaves and the plant can bounce back quickly from transplanting since the roots are stored with energy and cool, rainy weather is in the forecast before summer comes. Fall Division of Spring/Summer-Blooming Plants: Time division to occur 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes to allow for the plant’s roots to become established ahead of time. This is a great time to divide those plants that form bulbs, and another perk of dividing at this time?–there’s not much other garden work going on 😊. General Guidelines: Divide plants on a cloudy day, not in the hot afternoon sun, so plants experience less stress from the heat. Thoroughly water the transplanting site and water in your newly planted divisions. Treat these newly divided plants as if they were new plants in your garden, as it may take a few weeks for them to become established. PLANTS Now that we’ve got our methods of how we can expand our garden from year to year, let’s take a look at some plants to include in a pollinator-friendly garden. PERENNIALS These are the plants that come back each year with increased vigor and size. Agastache 'Blue Fortune" Agastache (Hummingbird Mint, Anise Hyssop): This plant is in the mint family and provides fragrant foliage and colorful blooms. Because of the fragrance, it has excellent resistance to browsing deer and rabbits. Highly attractive to bees–often referred to as a “honey plant” in reference to the support it provides to apiaries. Skippers, fritillaries, and hummingbirds visit these plants. Division is the best means of propagation. Currently at Painters: 4” pots of Anise hyssop, Agastache 'Arizona Mix,' 'Bolero,' 'Sangria,' and 'Apache Sunset' 6” pots of Agastache 'Blue Boa,' 'Blue Fortune,' 'Apricot Sprite,' 'Guava Lava,' 'Kudos Mandarin,' 'Summerlong Lilac,' 'Pink Pearl,' and Purple Haze For current sizes, prices, and seasonal availability, see our website Growing and Availability Lists: https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/growinglist Black-eyed Susans, Rudbeckia Black-eyed Susan: A favorite nectar source for butterflies since the large flowers provide a sturdy resting platform. What looks like one solitary flower is actually several individual flowers at the center of the bloom that provide nectar and pollen. Native bees also frequently visit Black-eyed Susans. Leave seedheads on the plants through winter as this plant self-seeds readily and goldfinches and other birds will eat the seeds in fall and winter. Sowing seed is the best means of propagation. Varieties of Rudbeckia currently at Painters: 'Goldsturm,' Sochan, Brown-eyed Susan straight species and 'Prairie Glow' Brown-eyed Susan Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers' and 'Little Henry,' Rubeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan straight species, 'Cherry Brandy' and 'Cappuccino.' For current sizes, prices, and seasonal availability, see our website Growing and Availability Lists: https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/growinglist 'Golden Baby' Goldenrod Goldenrod: Important fall/late-season pollinator plant and attracts flies, bees, beetles, wasps and butterflies. These blooms are nectar rich and many call goldenrod the single most valuable perennial plant for pollinators! It is important along the Atlantic coast for fall monarch butterfly migration. Native goldenrod can become rather tall and can benefit from pruning in early summer to promote a bush/shorter habit with more blooms. We carry “dwarf” varieties that are more garden friendly if you don’t have the space for the larger ones. Division is the best means of propagation. A few favorites are 'Golden Baby,' Showy goldenrod, and Wrinkleleaf goldenrod. Coneflower, Echinacea Coneflower/Echinacea: Attracts birds, butterflies, dragonflies, bees, and other pollinators by supplying a great source of nectar and pollen. The brightly colored landing pads make it very visible and accommodating to pollinators. Leaving seed heads on the plants during fall and winter provide birds with seed. Can be propagated by seed or division. Currently at Painters: Straight species Echinacea pallida and Echinacea tennesseensis 'Rocky Top' Straight species Echinacea purpurea, plus ' Green Twister,' 'Magnus Superior,' 'Mellow Yellows,' 'PowWow White,' and 'Prairie Splendor Deep Rose' Hybrids 'Cheyenne Spirit,' 'Butterfly Rainbow Marcella,' 'Moodz Imagination,' 'Flame Thrower,' 'Kismet Red,' 'Sombrero Poco Hot Coral,' and 'Tangerine Dream' For current sizes, prices, and seasonal availability, see our website Growing and Availability Lists: https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/growinglist Short-toothed Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum (Photo: NC State Extension) Short-toothed Mountain Mint: The flowers of this plant are unassuming, but their nectar entices some of the greatest numbers of pollinators when in bloom in the summer! Attracts bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, and beetles. The fragrant silvery leaves contain pulegone, which is surprisingly an insect repellent and can be used by rubbing leaves on clothes. Give this plant some room to roam. Division is the best means of propagation. Liatris ‘Kobold’ – Blazing Star (Photo: NC State Extension) Liatris ‘Kobold’ – Blazing Star: Beautiful, mid-summer spikes of purple blooms that attract butterflies and bees. ‘Kobold’ is a shorter variety and benefits from being planted en masse to help create a lofty stand of blooms. Divide corms in early spring. Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata Milkweed: Did you know that monarch caterpillars and immature butterflies can ONLY eat milkweed? It provides all the nourishment the caterpillar needs to transform into a butterfly while its flowers also provide nectar to other butterflies, bees, and beneficial insects. The Xerces Society recommends planting milkweed native to your area. Native varieties of milkweed in WNC include Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed), Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed), and Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed). Read our blog post, Milkweed: How You Can Help Save the Monarchs, to learn more about choosing the right variety for your location. Currently at Painters: Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly milkweed, straight species and 'Hello Yellow' Asclepias incarnata Swamp milkweed, straight species plus 'Milkmaid' and 'Soulmate' Asclepias verticillata Whorled milkweed, straight species For current sizes, prices, and seasonal availability, see our website Growing and Availability Lists: https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/growinglist Little bluestem (photo: NC State Extension) Grasses: Don’t forget about the native grasses! Over 70 different butterflies and moths depend on native grasses as part of their life cycles. Little bluestem, Big bluestem, and Switchgrass are all larval hosts for many species of butterflies and moths, especially skippers. Many native grasses provide habitat for overwintering insects. Bumblebee queens nest at the base of bunch grasses where they will be protected during the winter before emerging in spring. Other Great Perennials to Note: Coreopsis 'Nana' - great for dividing and adding along borders Monarda/Bee Balm - great at spreading, responds well to annual division Penstemon - attracts bees Yarrow - easy to grow, loved by butterflies and bees Perennial herbs - Catnip, Chives, Oregano, Lavender, Mint, Sage, & Thyme. SHRUBS Another great way to help fill out a pollinator garden quickly is to add some plants that get larger in size! They will also offer the “bones” to the garden in the winter. Please consult our Tree & Shrub Availability List for varieties, sizes, and pricing. Here are some great ones: Caryopteris Caryopteris – Bluebeard: Long bloom period from summer through fall. Attractive periwinkle blooms attract butterflies and bees. Fragrant silvery foliage is resistant to deer and rabbit browsing. Clethra a.k.a. Summersweet Clethra – Sweet Pepperbush: Provides late summer color and fragrant and yellow fall color. Flowers are magnets for butterflies, hummingbirds, bumble bees and native bees. Buttonbush Buttonbush: Showy white balls of blooms are attractive to butterflies, and it's a host plant to Titan sphinx moth, hydrangea sphinx and the royal walnut moth. Great source of nectar for bees and a variety of other pollinators. Viburnum nudum, Possumhaw viburnum Viburnums: White umbels of blooms attract pollinators, especially butterflies, flies and bees. Blooms give way to berries which attract birds in the fall. Several varieties and sizes of Viburnums available! 'Brilliantissima' Red chokeberry Chokeberry: April blooms provide nectar and pollen to native bees and butterflies including mason, miner, and bumblebees and even some lesser known flower flies. Aronia is also a host plant for larvae of several species of moths and hairstreak butterflies. Berries provide a food source for mammals and birds later in the season. New Jersey Tea New Jersey Tea: White, airy, summer blooms are highly attractive to many different types of bees and butterflies. Even hummingbirds will be attracted to the flowers, both for the nectar and to catch the small insects visiting the flowers. NJ Tea is a host plant for caterpillars of the spring azure, summer azure, and mottled duskwing (a type of skipper), as well as a few moth species. ANNUALS While they won’t come back year after year, I do find that they have a place in my pollinator garden as they help fill in any bare spots at an affordable price. Some of my favorites include: Tithonia (Mexican sunflower) African basil Calendula Zinnias Sunflowers Salvia (especially Pineapple sage) Sunflowers Dill Nasturtium Cosmos Pentas

In celebration of our bird-friendly gardening talk on May 29, 2022, dedicated birder and Audubon North Carolina’s 2018 “Volunteer of the Year” Tom Tribble was happy to provide us with his top five favorite birding spots in the WNC area! Blue Ridge Parkway Especially north of Asheville between mile markers 377 (Craven Gap) and 372 (Lane Pinnacle Overlook). Parkway south can also be good, especially Graveyard Fields and Black Balsam. Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary A great resource in north Asheville Jackson Park In Hendersonville Green River Cove Road Polk County. Road starts at the Saluda exit off I26 and goes all the way to Lake Adjer. This is my first spot in early spring. Lake Junaluska Excellent for waterfowl. Waterfowl are really only in WNC in the winter and can be found on almost any lake but results can be spotty. This is probably the easiest lake for people to walk around. Let's Support NC Native Flora & Fauna! Audubon North Carolina and Blue Ridge Audubon are strongly supporting Senate Bill 628, which will be the strongest native plant legislation yet in North Carolina. The bill will ensure that native trees, shrubs and flowers are used for landscaping and on all state property and state funded projects - one of the best possible ways to support continued diversity of native wildlife and pollinators in NC! We hope you'll join us in supporting this bill - click here to quickly sign a form!

Monarch populations have plummeted over 80% in the last 15 years and today only a fraction of the population remains. This population decline is tied to overuse of herbicides and pesticides, climate change, urban and rural development, and loss of natural environments. Monarch species are reliant on milkweed plants throughout their lifecycle and one of the best ways you can ensure the survival of the monarch is by planting milkweed. Every spring monarch butterflies make the trek from Mexico north and return south from their summer breeding grounds each fall. Its a journey of over 6,000 miles and spans 4-5 generations. Monarchs are reliant on milkweed throughout this journey. Did you know that monarch caterpillars and immature butterflies can ONLY eat milkweed? It provides all the nourishment the caterpillar needs to transform into a butterfly while its flowers also provide nectar to other butterflies, bees, and beneficial insects. That is why female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed - it's a necessity! CHOOSING THE RIGHT VARIETY OF MILKWEED The Xerces Society recommends planting milkweed native to your area. Native varieties of milkweed in WNC include Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly milkweed, Asclepias incarnata Swamp milkweed, and Asclepias syriaca Common milkweed. NOT ALL MILKWEED IS CREATED EQUAL Tropical (annual in WNC) milkweed can be toxic to monarchs - if grown in a warm climate where it can winter over, it supports a harmful parasite, and if grown in hot areas like ours, the concentrations of cardenolide can be harmful to the caterpillars feeding on them (cardenolide is the chemical that turns the monarchs orange, and while they can tolerate some of it, tropical milkweed can produce toxic levels). Finally, tropical milkweed usually blooms later in the year than native species, and therefore may confuse monarchs and cause them to breed when they should be migrating. So please opt for native perennial milkweed when planting! Here  is a great blog post from the Xerces Society with more info. PLANTING Also be sure to assess your growing environment to see which variety will grow best for you. Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed) is drought tolerant and likes good drainage, Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed), and Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) like more moisture. Swamp milkweed in particular lives up to its name and thrives in wetland environments and wet clay soil. The Xerces society recommend one full sized milkweed for one caterpillar. If buying plants from us (mostly 6" size), we recommend 3-4 per caterpillar to ensure they have enough food! Be sure to plant your milkweed in a location where it will receive full sun! MILKWEED AND PESTS It is essential to not treat pests such as aphids found on milkweed - not even organic safe options like Neem oil should be used. If monarch caterpillars eat milkweed that has been sprayed with Neem they will be killed. Anything stronger, such as systemic pesticides, are even more potentially fatal to the monarchs. Aphids may not be pretty, but they won't kill your milkweed, so just ignore them! LEARN MORE The Xerces Society has a wealth of information on supporting monarch populations, planting milkweed, and supporting other pollinators - check out their many informative articles: http://www.xerces.org/milkweed

Drawing of a tulip poplar by Brad Owen In our Digging Deeper features, we invite you to take time out of your day to marvel at nature, applaud biodiversity, ooh and ahh over scientific facts, and admire the world around you! This week co-owner Brad Owen turns our eyes to the sky as he points out some stunning, yet under-appreciated native trees in bloom. Take a Moment to Notice the Native Trees in Bloom At Painters we sell many species of native flowering plants, but it is easy to forget how many more spectacular blooms can be found in the wild! Our area of the country is well known to be one of the hotspots of biodiversity. But while we look to the ground and shrubs for beautiful blooms, we often overlook what’s overhead! Early spring is when most trees bloom, and I am amazed at how few people are aware of this. Sure, we all see the flowering cherries, redbuds, dogwoods, and cultivar or non-native magnolias, bradford pears, etc., but many other blooms are equally beautiful, if not often noticed. The earliest blooming trees in this area are predominantly the red maples – usually in late February the hills around us start to exhibit reddish tinges in areas where the maples are abundant (they recently dropped their seeds, otherwise known as samaras or helicopter fruit). As spring advances, other trees bloom, mostly at the same time they are developing their new leaves. As in most cases in nature, there are plenty of exceptions such as our beloved sourwood trees that bloom in early summer, and others such as witch hazel that postpone blooming until late fall when most leaves are gone. But in my opinion there are two exceptional local tree blooms that many people fail to notice – the fraser magnolia and the tulip tree. Fraser Magnolia, aka Mountain Magnolia The Fraser magnolia, often called mountain magnolia, is a smallish tree that displays foot wide (!!) whitish blossoms about the third week in April at lower elevations, and are often lost in the riot of leaf development of the time, but are truly spectacular. However, in my mind the undisputed king of the forest, is the tulip tree - locally called “poplar”! This tree is not a poplar at all, but a magnolia, and is the tallest hardwood of our eastern forests. Fast growing and straight, it has wood comparable to white pine and is a dominant tree in much of our local forests. The tulip tree blossoms are near peak locally and I encourage you to look up, up to see them. The problem is that these exotic blossoms which truly look like huge tulips, are usually at the tops of our tallest trees! Nevertheless, you may have seen the shed petals on the forest floor in mid-May, and you may be aware of the importance of this abundant flower to the local honey industry. Don’t let this great display go unnoticed this spring!

Native to Japan, these deciduous perennial trees known for their striking fall foliage were introduced to the US in the 19th century and have been bred into hundreds of beautiful cultivars since. Japanese Maples make a great low-maintenance addition to any landscape, though be sure to plant them somewhere with dappled or afternoon shade. There are currently over 300 hundred known cultivars of Japanese maple and we source new and different varieties each season at Painter s. (For sizes, prices, and current stock, see our Tree and Shrub Availability Page: https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/tree-shrub-availability ) A Deeper Look at Four Favorite Cultivars: 'Inaba Shidare' Weeping Red Laceleaf Japanese Maple Acer palmatum dissectum A great medium sized cascading red leaf maple for full sun! This variety is a landscaper's favorite with beautiful weeping branches with dainty laceleaf foliage. The leaves range in color from deep red-purple to scarlet and the fall color is a fiery scarlet red. In 10-15 years the tree will get 4-5' tall and 5-6' wide and will have an umbrella shape. Works well in full sun and as a container grown tree. Zones: 5-9 'Crimson Queen' Weeping Red Laceleaf Japanese Maple Acer palmatum dissectum A great medium sized cascading red leaf maple for shade! Crimson Queen holds great color in shade -truly one of the best options out of these four varieties for shady areas. Fiery red fall color. In 15-20 years 3-4' tall and 5-6' wide. Prefers late day shade as protection from the hot afternoon sun. Low cascading umbrella shape with very dense foliage. A great focal planting. Zones: 5-9 'Sango Kaku' Upright Coral Bark Japanese Maple Acer palmatum An upright maple with bright red trunk and limbs for superb winter interest! 'Sango Kaku' means 'Coral Towers' and this is a classic Coral Bark maple. This tree will reach 20-25' in height and has an upright form with bright red trunk and limbs. Chartreuse green leaves in spring with red edging, and fall color is a golden-yellow which contrasts beautifully with the bright red bark! The cold weather intensifies the bright red color. Plant in your garden where you can enjoy the winter view! Zones: 6-9 'Tamukeyama' Weeping Red Laceleaf Japanese Maple Acer palmatum dissectum The best cold and heat tolerant red weeping maple! It's name translates to 'Hands Folded on a Mountain'. A cold hardy selection because it leafs out two weeks later than other Japanese maples and then usually misses late freezes. This cultivar also grows great in high heat areas and is very sun tolerant, which makes 'Tamukeyama' a perfect addition to any location! Makes a low cascading umbrella with its weeping limbs. In 15 years, 'Tamukeyama' reaches 4-5' in height and 5-6' spread. Great as a patio or deck container plant. Zones: 5-9 PLANTING If you have heavy clay soil, it's best to plant your Japanese maple 2-4 inches shallower, to allow a raised mound to ensure drainage. Also incorporate 10-20% organic matter into the soil to help with drainage and aeration. Typically Japanese maples prefer dappled or afternoon shade, especially when young, to avoid leaf scorch in hot and dry locations in full sun. Make sure to water newly planted trees thoroughly through the summer to prevent stress. Prefers protection from late spring frosts (especially when young) and protection from strong winds. CONTAINERS If growing in a container, Japanese maples prefer for their containers to be somewhat snug - don't go larger than twice the diameter of the rootball and no deeper than the existing root ball. The best container soil for Japanese maples is a mixture of half potting soil and half aged bark (vermiculite or perlite can be substituted for the bark). FERTILIZING Newly planted trees often get fertilized too soon. This leads to increase in unnecessary above ground growth inviting disease and dieback in the stems. Only after the Japanese maple becomes establish (1-2 years), should fertilizing even be considered. Do not put large amounts of nitrogen on your tree the first couple years, instead apply a small amount of organic slow release fertilizer in the spring (5-5-5 works well). PRUNING Pruning of trees is often done in winter, but during this time Japanese maples are prone to "bleed" or ooze sap. This flow of sap can lead to disease invasion and weakening of the tree. Instead, it's suggested to prune your Japanese maples in mid-summer (between mid-July and August) when the sap won't run from cuts. Touchup prune annually, and thorough prune every three years. MULCHING Mulch heavier than you would other trees and shrubs - 6" of mulch will help protect and cool the maple's shallow root system. This will also help with water retention. TIP Maples are often grafted - make sure to remove any shoots growing from the base of the plant whose leaves look different from the rest of the plant. Usually the rootstock on grafted trees are very vigorous, and if left to grow these shoots can over take your preferred variety that's grafted onto it.

Occasionally we have the opportunity to access some interesting “new” plants through the sharing of friends and customers. This week I’d like to share the attributes of Sochan, aka Rudbeckia lacinata , also known as the green-headed coneflower or Cut leaf coneflower. One of our generous master gardener customers recently dug up some of her Sochan to share with us. Long gathered and used by Native Americans, and most specifically in our area by the Eastern Band Of the Cherokee Indians on lands now part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this plant is native, edible, medicinal and beautiful. The Cherokee harvested the young greens in the spring from local riverbanks and creeks. The flavor can be described as zesty, mildly bitter (similar to arugula). According to Emily Glaser in her 2018 article in WNC magazine, its nutritional benefits are similar to kale and it has high levels of vitamins and minerals. The leaves get tougher and more bitter with age, so it’s best to enjoy the new spring growth and then allow plants to mature (to about 5’ tall) and then admire the clusters of yellow blooms in late summer. In her very interesting and informative December 2021 Blog (CASTANEA), Juliet Blankespoor of the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine shares the history, medicinal uses, cooking suggestions and more: For any who like to try growing and eating native plants, this plant requires full sun/part shade and are also loved by pollinators. Sochan can be started by nursery plant (often carried in the spring and/or fall at Painters). Sochan is also successful by seed. For best results, plant them in the fall since they need the winter cold to germinate. If you miss fall planting you can stratify the seeds in the refrigerator and plant in early spring. Seeds can be purchased from Sow True Seeds in Asheville. (We love them!) Check our Growing Lists to see what will be available for you this season! https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/growinglist

Intimidated by the thought of repotting your houseplants? Not sure what soil to use? Afraid you might hurt the roots? Need help picking the right pot? While repotting houseplants can be a relaxing activity for some, for others it can be an intimidating task filled with lots of uncertainty. We want to answer all of your questions and take the fear out of repotting so you and your houseplants can thrive. WHEN Timing matters! This sets them up for a successful growing season. Repotting can put extra stress on plants (remember how stressed you were the last time you moved), so that's why spring is the ideal time to repot your plants - it gives them ample time to adjust and fill in during the growing season (early fall isn't bad either, especially with fast-growing plants or those you are only bumping up slightly in pot size). Fall is a common time to repot as folks are often bringing plant babies in from the porch and giving them a makeover for winter. If you wait to repot a plant till winter it may not be quite as happy, but this is not an automatic death sentence (especially if it's struggling or you just brought home a new plant from a big box store that is in 100% peat moss and never dries out!). Do try to avoid repotting after a recent watering as it will make things extra messy! SIGNS IT'S TIME TO REPOT - Roots are growing out of the bottom of the pot, are changing the shape of the pot (literally making it bulge), or have even busted through the pot (yes, that happened with one of our display Monsteras at the greenhouse!) - When you check to see if it's time to water your plant, and you can barely get your finger in the dirt/it feels like mostly roots - Your once fast-growing plant no longer seems to be thriving and no other conditions have changed - Your plant is suddenly needing to be watered much more frequently - Your plant is top heavy or has a disproportionately small container compared to its overall size. - Your plant is root bound - if you remove the plant from the current pot, are roots circled tightly around the plant? - You just brought a new plant home and it's planted in100% peat moss with no aeration? Wait at least a week, allowing it to acclimate to its new environment, then repot. WHAT YOU NEED CONTAINER : You don't necessarily need to change the container - sometimes refreshing the soil is sufficient. If you're going up in pot size, try to find a new pot that is approximately 2" bigger in diameter (a few plants want significantly more space due to fast growth, and some actually like to be a bit root bound - do a quick search online to see if you can find any details about your specific specimen!). We STRONGLY recommend using a pot with drainage. In love with a planter but it doesn't have drainage? Invest in an affordable set of ceramic drill bits and drill your own, or keep your plant in a plastic pot inside the decorative planter (this allows you to easily lift the plastic pot out, then dump old water from the exterior decorative pot, treating it as you would a drainage tray). Terracotta wicks water, tends to be more affordable, and is a great option for many houseplants - especially if you tend to over water. (If you err on the side of being a little neglectful of your plants, you may want to think twice before you plant in terracotta - its moisture wicking properties mean plants dry out faster than in other pots.) Check out some of our favorite locally made terracotta pots here! CHOOSING THE RIGHT SOIL: This can be one of the most intimidating aspects of potting houseplants, and there are a million opinions out there. You want to make sure you have a well draining soil mix above all else. At Painters we sell bags of the same soil that we grow most of our plants in which is a great option, but if you have a plant wanting a little extra drainage, you may need to mix your own or purchase a cactus or orchid mix (e.g. succulents, epiphytes, orchids, citrus, etc). To Amend or Not Amend? Because of the importance of having a light, well draining soil for the majority of houseplants, we do recommend amending almost any soil mix you purchase. While some people have their own artisan mixes with up to 10 ingredients, we like to keep it simple and accessible. Typically if amending soil for houseplants, we recommend adding perlite and orchid bark. For most aeroids (think pothos, philodendron, alocasias, etc.), we use a 2:1:1 mix, meaning 2 parts soil to one part perlite and one part orchid bark. In fact that is our standard mix for most of our houseplants (excluding succulents, ferns, and water loving plants that dry out quickly). Do I really need to buy these extra bags of stuff? It's what we do at home, and so we stand by it, but there are houseplants out there growing in straight peat moss (which is very heavy and retains water) that can still thrive. Regardless of whether you choose to amend your soil, what's most important is listening to what the plant is telling you and monitoring the soil moisture to know when its time to water. ADD ONS: - Plan on using a moss pole or trellis to totem your plant? Be sure to have it on hand so you can secure it in the pot as you are repotting and allow extra space for it. - If you're repotting inside your home, we strongly recommend investing in a tarp of some kind. There are lots of options out there to help you keep the mess contained. - These scoops are a real help! STEPS - Remove the plant from its current container. Be gentle but firm - it may take some coaxing, but never force it. - Tease out the roots (see below video). - Lay a layer of soil a few inches thick down in the new container. - Place the plant where you want it, and begin to fill in the sides (it is not necessary to tightly pack all the dirt down, but you do want to make sure you are filling in all the empty pockets). - Don't fill your new pot up to the top - leave a little bit of an edge above the soil so you can easily water your plant without things overflowing. - Water in your plant. This is a great time to create a seal in the new pot. If done right, the water should suck the soil down, filling in any extra holes, and you can then add extra soil if needed (making sure to not pack it down too tightly). Note: There are alternatives to repotting in a new pot such as top dressing, which we hope to discuss in the future!

Hostas are tried and true foundational plants in a shade garden. If you are looking to affordably fill a large shady area this is the plant for you! What excites us most about hostas is the tremendous variation among these plants. There are inumerable varieties of hostas in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, including ground cover hostas, miniature hostas perfect for containers, giant hostas with massive leaves, variegated hostas in a variety of colors and patterns. There are hostas grown for their flowers, hostas grown for the scent of their flowers, and hostas with beautifully textured leaves. You could create a stunning garden from hostas alone! A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER Deer love hostas so if you are already struggling to keep these animals out of your yard we do not recommend planting them. Because hostas are such prolific spreaders it is advisable to divide them every 3-4 years in the fall as they go dormant. Hostas have spiky purple or white blooms - fun fact: the white flowers tend to have a stronger and sweeter scent than the purple ones! Most hostas do not tolerate sunlight well, though the more fragrant and yellow-leafed varieties tolerate sun, heat, and humidity the best. Variegated varieties will become more yellow the more sun they receive. Follow planting guidelines on tags for hostas, because they fill in so quickly and planting them too closely together can cause foliage problems. Hostas like well draining soil. When planting hostas consider characteristics such as size, leaf texture, color, flowers, and overall shape. A FEW WAYS TO INCORPORATE HOSTAS INTO YOUR LANDSCAPE PAIR WITH OTHER SHADE LOVING PLANTS Often known as the queen of the shade garden, hostas are a beautiful accent to other shade loving plants such as columbines, heuchera, rhodedendrons, astilbes, and camellias. Big Daddy Hosta (Photo: Favoriteperennials.com) GO BIG OR GO HOME There are giant varieties of hostas available that can grow up to 3ft high (4ft with their flowers). These massive plants certainly make a statement! Varieties to consider: Big Daddy Hosta - this one lives up to its name and is beautiful on its own or accented by other plants. Blue Mouse Ears Hosta (Photo: Pinterst) JAZZ UP A CONTAINER Miniature varieties such as Blue Mouse Ears are great container plants. Their round growing habit and symmetrical form also make them great in the ground! Wide Brim Hosta (Photo:https://www.gardenia.net) MIX & MATCH Play around with different leaf colors, patterns, and silhouettes. We did not exaggerate when we said you could create a stunning garden from Hostas alone! (Don't like how you planted them? Hostas are robust enough that you can carefully dig up them up and relocate them without causing damage). Varieties to consider: Wide Brim - blue/green leaves with a buttery yellow border; Ben Vernooy - offering some of the thickest variegated leaves of any Hosta; Colored Hulk Hosta - chartreuse with dark green borders this Hosta adds colors to any shady space; El Nino - thick, heart-shaped blue-green leaves with white margins; Fried Bananas - change it up with these golden-colored leaves that almost look neon! Abiqua Drinking Gourd (Photo: hostalibrary.org) DON'T FORGET ABOUT TEXTURE Some hostas have beautiful seer-suckered leaves, while others appear cupped and draw the eye in. Varieties to consider: Abiqua Drinking Gourd - an extremely distinctive variety with thick, dark blue-green textured leaves, its stunning! LEARN MORE ABOUT HOSTAS https://www.favoriteperennials.com/hostas/ https://www.theplantman.net/hostas https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-plant-hostas-3963861

Love succulents and can't resist the savings at Painters, but not sure what to do with all of your new plant babies? Below are a couple of our favorite ways to display succulents that make for a fun afternoon project. You can find many of the materials necessary at Painters.

After a long winter, early March blooms are always a welcome treat. Trees & shrubs that bloom in cooler months are a great way to incorporate late-winter flowers into your yard for years to come. Below are some of our favorite trees & shrubs that typically bloom this time of year. Winter Daphne Winter Daphne An evergreen shrub with VERY fragrant blooms - a great shade garden option. Ann Japanese Magnolia (Photo: NC State Extension) Japanese Magnolias We carry both Ann (with slightly fragrant red-purple blooms) and Star Magnolias (with fragrant white blooms), which both bloom before leafing out. These large shrubs are a beautiful statement to the yard! Eastern Redbud (Photo: NC State Extension) Eastern Redbud This native small understory tree blooms pinkish-purple flowers on old wood and all along the branches. The blooms are rich in nectar and pollen - an important food source for early bees! Japanese Andromeda, aka Pieris A small to medium sized evergreen shrub in the heath family with long chains of blooms. A bee magnet, the blooms have a light, sweet smell. Flowering Dogwood We carry many varieties including 'Spring Grove' (large white blooms) and 'Cherokee Brave' (red blooms that fade to soft pink with white center). Check our Tree and Shrub Availability page to get specifics for any season: https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/tree-shrub-availability These showy native trees are a favorite for people and animals alike - in addition to the amazing spring blooms, they provide bright red berries for birds and the foliage turns a lovely deep red in fall. Evergreen Azalea (Photo: Missouri Botanic Garden) Evergreen Azalea A great foundation plant with many different blossom colors to choose from. The south's favorite shrubs! Forsythia A deciduous shrub with early yellow blooms, this is a tough and reliable option and a wonderful harbinger of spring! Serviceberry (Photo: NC State Extension) Serviceberry Any given season Painters carries Allegheny Serviceberry, Shadblow Serviceberry, and/or Downy Serviceberry. All are small trees with lovely white blooms. The fruits are reminiscent of blueberries and quite tasty for humans as well as birds! Camellia This evergreen shrub is prized for its stunning blooms reminiscent of peonies, and we love it for the glossy foliage as well as such large showy blooms when most surroundings are still brown! Some varieties bloom late fall into early winter while others start in late winter to early spring. Flowering Cherry Painters is carrying several ornamental flowering cherry options this season. All bloom before leafing out and attract a wide range of pollinators. Loose blooms often "snow" down on the landscape on breezy days. The leaves of cherries turn shades of yellow/orange in the fall. A great specimen to add to your yard! Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan' - Some of the showiest blooms of all the flowering cherries, deep pink double-blossoms. Upright tree form. Prunus serrulata 'Snowgoose' - Clusters of fragrant white blooms. Upright tree form. Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis' (aka Higan Cherry) - White/pink blooms on upright tree form. Prunus x 'Okame' - One of the most desirable flowering cherries - this is the star of the "Cherry Blossom Festival" in Washing D.C.! Clusters of pink blooms with a soft fragrance on upright tree form. Prunus x yedoensis 'Shidare-Yoshino Weeping Cherry' - Graceful weeping habit with clusters of bright white blooms. Prunus subhirtella var. pendula 'Weeping Higan Cherry' - Graceful weeping habit with clusters of soft pink blooms.

Most of you have already experienced a hard frost this March, but this week the night time temperatures are especially low! So what are we going to do at Painters with the beautiful plants outside? And what should you do at home? At Painters, we will be leaving perennials outside that have been thoroughly 'hardened off' (acclimated to the cold); our creeping phlox for example have been grown outside all winter. Ideally we'd protect every plant from potential frost burn, but we only have so much covered space (and time!). We do what we can to protect budding/blooming berry bushes and fruit trees as well as spring blooming trees if we have space in a cold frame. Frost cloth is typically enough to protect blooms on our acclimated pansies, violas and other cold-tolerant annuals if they've been outside for a while. Our cool-season veggies are housed on covered outdoor tables that have plastic we can pull down to make them small cold frames for cold nights. So what does this mean for you at home? Shrubs, evergreen vegetation, and plants that are well established and mostly dormant are all fine, but you may want to protect things with tender new growth or buds/blooms. Can you cover that giant Jane Magnolia tree that is your pride and joy, or the hundreds of daffodils lining your driveway--probably not! Do what is within your ability, and just emotionally prepare yourself for the likelihood that this is the last of your magnolia, cherry, or daffodil blooms for the season. Below are items we do recommend covering, or if in pots, moving to a covered porch or garage: YOUNG FRUITING TREES AND SHRUBS For those of you with a lot of fruiting shrubs and trees, especially if you're just starting your edible landscape and they're young/small enough to easily cover, it's definitely worth investing in some good quality frost blankets. This landscaping site has some great information on trees in general, and a helpful blog about covering fruit trees! If you don't have time/the funds to acquire specialized frost cloths that allow for ideal moisture exchange, try layering sheets or regular frost cloth to give extra protection to fruits and other items you're especially worried about, and just remember to open up the cloth during the day to allow some air exchange if keeping covered for multiple nights! BLOOMING PLANTS Anything that you’ve bought from us since we opened may get some light frost damage, even if they are cold-hardy plants like violas and pansies. Snapdragons, dianthus, columbine and lupines are some of the ones we are protecting and we recommend that you do so too if you can. The cold shouldn't kill these plants, (though how long you've had them outside and if they are in the ground vs in a pot may be a determining factor), so if you can't get them all covered don't panic. You may want to make some big bouquets with the blooms you are likely to lose - daffodils are quite cheery and you may not have any more blooming after this cold. If you purchased any of our beautiful lupines and aren't able to cover them all, these also make lovely cut flowers. NOTE: A lot of spring bloomers are toxic to pets and humans if ingested - lupines and daffodils are both quite toxic, so bouquets should be kept out of reach of pets (especially cats) and toddlers, and also note that daffodils need a vase to themselves as their sap is actually toxic to other plants! VEGGIES AND HERBS While some cold crop veggies can be pretty tough, we still recommend covering them for temperatures below 30 degrees. If you do end up with frost burn on your lettuce or kale, just trim off super damaged leaves - more will follow! Definitely try to protect freshly planted veggies or new sprouts emerging from direct sown crops such as peas. While a lot of herbs are hardy, many are very sensitive to the cold - if you have dill, basil, or other annual herbs it would be best to bring them inside. For perennial herbs such as rosemary, lavender or sage, they are likely OK outdoors but would be happiest with some protection/cover - especially if you bought them from inside our greenhouse or inside another protected/warm greenhouse (meaning they haven't been hardened off yet). POTTERY If a pot is considered frost resistant it should be OK (if purchased at Painters, anything outdoors is frost resistant). If you don't know if yours is (any pottery purchased from Painters indoor area is not), then it's best to tuck it under a covered porch or inside. Note that when pots do crack due to cold it's typically because of water expansion - good drainage is key in preventing this, so if you have a pot with really saturated soil and very little drainage it will be at more risk of damage. OK, so what do I cover things with?? Maybe you only have so much frost cloth, or maybe you have none. While frost cloth or a tightly woven blanket may give you the best protection, sheets can help, and so can old pots! Still have a bunch of pots left from planting? Place them over top smaller plants (ideally not touching the plant) with a rock on top - it helps! Most critically, when covering plants it really makes a difference when you prop the cover off of the foliage/blooms - if the cover is touching the plant, you will likely have some damage in those spots. Bamboo or garden stakes and lawn furniture can be helpful when propping cloth off plants! Good luck!

We're sure you've heard the buzz about native plants. And no, it's not just coming from the bees and other pollinators they attract. Planting native is a wonderful way to support a biodiverse ecosystem in your back yard from the bottom to the top of the food chain! WHAT IS A NATIVE PLANT? Native plants are those that were present in North America before human intervention (i.e. European settlement), and which have evolved to perform well in our specific climate, soils and temperatures. That also means they co-evolved with local birds, insects, and other wildlife for thousands of years, forming interdependent, specialized relationships that are necessary for each others' survival. The USDA PLANTS database recognizes over 3,900 plants as native to North Carolina!  BENEFITS OF NATIVE PLANTS Biodiversity & Supporting Pollinators Planting native plants is very important for local wildlife. Attracting bees and other beneficial insects will in turn provide enhanced pollination and improved garden health. Because regional insects and wildlife have co-evolved with native plants, many of these plants provide needed food and shelter for these species (you will also find that many native plants are more resistant than non-natives to mammal pests as a result of this co-evolution). Right Plant, Right Place Plants native to WNC were thriving in the area without the aid of fertilizers and pruners for thousands of years and have adapted to thrive in a variety of conditions - many in our red clay soil! That means once your native plant is established it should not require supplemental watering (except in drought conditions), fertilizer, or pesticides. It may take some trial and error to find the right plant for the right spot, but keep in mind the light, water conditions and soil when planting. Year-Round Interest Plant a wide variety of natives with varying bloom times for year-round interest in your garden. From bright pops of color throughout the summer to stunning seed heads on native grasses or berries on native trees in the fall. Protecting Water Resources Water scarcity is a global concern, and planting native plants can be a powerful tool in mitigating its effects. Native plants are well adapted to local rainfall patterns and soil types, requiring less water than non-native species once established. Their deep roots help improve soil structure, increase water infiltration, and prevent soil erosion, reducing the risk of flooding and enhancing water quality. Native plantings along rivers, streams, and wetlands act as natural buffers, filtering pollutants and preventing runoff, thereby protecting water resources. Combating Invasive Species Invasive species pose a significant threat to native ecosystems, outcompeting and displacing indigenous plants. By planting native species, we actively resist the encroachment of invasive plants, helping to restore the balance and integrity of our natural habitats. Native plants often have natural defense mechanisms that deter invasive species and can be a powerful ally in the ongoing battle against biological invasions. Enhancing Aesthetic and Cultural Value Native plants not only serve ecological purposes but also enhance the beauty and character of our surroundings. They can provide a sense of place and evoke cultural heritage, connecting us to the land and the history of our region. Native gardens and landscapes attract a diverse array of wildlife, offering opportunities for observation, photography, and interaction with nature. By incorporating native plants into our gardens and public spaces, we create unique and authentic landscapes that celebrate our local ecosystems. PLANT NATIVE Start incorporating native plants into your garden today ! Painters typically offers around 300 varieties of native plants which can be found here . You can also visit our resources page to learn more about planting native or come by the greenhouse and our knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you!