Plants – Earth’s Valentine’s Present to Us!

Reasons to love February abound! Ground Hogs’ Day on the 2nd, Valentine’s Day on the 14th, Do a Grouch a Favor on the 16th, and Carpe Diem (seize the day) on the 26th.

Here, though we never know what weather is around the corner, it doesn’t matter if the groundhog sees his shadow or not – it’s still a great time to ‘Carpe Diem’ and get those plants in the ground! Seize your landscaper and bring them with!

Earth’s Valentine’s always gives more than we ask. A specific purpose in the landscape? I can top that they say!

Looking for large screening to be a good neighbor (soothe the inner grouch, or the one next door??) Evergreen Texas Mountain Laurel is great, attracts butterflies, and has a grape scent. Sweet viburnums are fast-growing, have scented blooms, and help birds. Evergreen magnolias provide food and shelter for birds, have wonderfully large scented blooms in late spring, and add beauty to any landscape. Cherry Laurels are great for large hedging and benefit wildlife as well. Hold the bees and attractive? Use Leyland Cypress or upright Juniper! Leaf Landscape Supply carries all these and in sizes to fit any plan!

Smaller options include evergreen Indian Hawthorn with flowers benefitting pollinators and Rosemary with fragrant leaves of many uses. Other ideas include evergreen Duke Gardens Plum Yew, a low growing Juniper, or an evergreen Fern. And, an additional benefit of these is they do not attract pollinators if bees are not welcome visitors.

For evergreen vines that provide screening options, scented and pollinator friendly, blooms, add Carolina Jessamine, Star Jasmine, or Lady Banks Rose. And, an evergreen screening vine that does not attract pollinators, the Fig Vine is perfect for sturdy structures.

Your ‘Carpe Diem’ doesn’t include big stuff? Don’t worry! Leaf has plenty of smaller double and triple duty plants as well. Grasses, perennials, hardy succulents, and more. Tuck a few into a prominent bed. Or, use these to make a Thriller-Spiller-Filler container!  Go bold with Evergold Sedge, or Dianella, add a spiller like Creeping Jenny, or try Strawberry for an edible choice, then fill with colorful evergreen Heuchera. Try a beautiful drought tolerant container with slow growing Agave like Squid, Schidigera, Victoria, or Artichoke. Add Golden or Foxtail Sedum for the filler and spiller. For annual containers, mix Cabbage/Kale, with Viola (February’s flower), and finish with trailing Alyssum.

Leaf has combinations to fit any style! A Valentine for your hardworking plants and soil? Add compost! Mid-February is one of two best times to apply soil friendly, weed preventative, Corn Gluten to your lawn. Grouchy because of weeds? Hit them with 20% Vinegar Solution and kill them before Corn Gluten gets applied! Finally, MicroLife Humates Plus is the perfect addition after your weed treatments.  It loosens heavy Texas Soils and reduces plant water use during the growing season by helping the roots grow deeper. Use it anywhere in your landscape! Leaf Landscape Supply is proud to be your Central Texas DIY and where your landscaper shops! Carpe Diem! Come on in and stay awhile!