Book Launching: Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden

While the world has been in disarray, I have been spending more time in the garden than ever and decided to put some of my energy into writing again. I had been working on a personal reference for some time, which took off by storm during the pandemic. I had done research trying to find a gardening book that listed plant interest by month, and after much searching, I could not find anything that would do just that. There are references that list plants in alphabetical order or by type, but the search came up short when looking for interesting features by month. This resulted in my fourth book.

I am very excited to announce the publication of Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden. As a landscape designer for over 25 years, my focus always is to create a garden that has something of interest twelve months a year. I have added elements that focus on blooms, bark, berries or foliage to my own garden over the years to create something to look forward to during every season, and I now have a 12-month garden to enjoy. I have created this book so that you too can experience continuing interest in your space throughout every month of the year.

Description: Have you ever wondered if you could have interest in the garden twelve months a year? The answer is a definitive yes!  Through years of experience as a landscape designer, I have accumulated a list of plants which are hardy in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions that will provide ongoing interest for your outdoor space. Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic Garden will take you on a journey through each month of the year, while providing that perfect mix of gardening interest along the way. Colorful photographs are followed by descriptions of each plant according to bloom time, foliage color or other notable characteristics, so that you can enjoy your outdoor space during every season. Additionally, environmental needs, plant care and maintenance tips are provided for each selection with any other important information. Finally, gardening tips and a summary of gardening chores are provided for each month. Are you ready for a twelve-month interest garden? Then come along and plan away!

• Organizes plant interest by month for easy reference. 
• Plan with over 120 plant selections to choose from. 
• Colorful photographs are supplied with plant descriptions and care requirements. 
• Monthly gardening chores are suggested for each month.
• Plant maintenance and care tips are recommended to help you maintain a healthy garden. 
• Helpful pointers on soil types, characteristics and identification are given.
• Achieve the 12 month all season garden you have been looking for. 

Visit Amazon for further details and purchase and thank you for your support.

Visit My Author Page

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

Gardening by Month: A Monthly Guide to Planning the Northeastern & Mid-Atlantic Garden

Author:  Lee @A Guide to Landscape Design & Maintenance, 2021 All Rights Reserved.

Fall Gardening Tip: Pruning Ornamental Grasses & Liriope

Fall Clean-up Tip: GRASSES: Cutting back ornamental grasses in fall can be harmful to them since freezing temperatures and cold snow lying on the crown on the plant can “hollow” them out. Grasses should be cut back in late March/early April once the threat of frost is gone and before new growth appears. If you want to tidy up your ornamental grasses, cut them back half-way in fall and leave the remainder of cutting back to spring. Leaving the grass during the wintertime also provides interest to the garden while preventing damage to its center.

The same technique should be used for maintaining Liriope (Lillyturf). Prolonged freezing temperatures can do damage to the crown of the plant, so it is best to leave the pruning until early spring when first signs of new growth appear.

Other ornamental grasses such as Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) die back in winter but do look attractive in the landscape The same principles apply and pruning is best when performed in late winter/early spring.

For more gardening information and tips…

Visit My Author Page/Purchase My Books

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer Zones 3-9

Landscape Design Combinations 

Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

Lee Miller@Landscape Design By Lee 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Late Winter Bronzing of Evergreens-Is it Normal?

What is “winter bronzing”? While approaching the end of winter, some of your favorite evergreens may appear to take on a bronze appearance. You may be wondering. “Is this normal or is my plant dying?” Changing foliage color is a normal phenomena that affects some evergreens near the end of winter while seasons are transitioning. Freezing temperatures, followed by a warming trend, longer hours of sunlight, then more cold can trigger foliage to discolor. The color change is a reaction to low temperatures, winds and sunlight, causing mild desiccation of the needles or leaves, allowing the underlying colors to show through. This dulling of green foliage is more pronounced on plants that receive more sunlight. The result is commonly known as “winter bronzing”. The longer the ground is frozen and the more water that is evaporated from the plant than it can take in, the more pronounced the foliage will appear to turn from green to brown, bronze, or even orange or purple. This process is similar to why deciduous leaves change color in the fall. While the tree is going dormant for the winter months, chlorophyll production subsides and the true underlying colors of the leaves are revealed. 

Winter Bronzing of Evergreens

When can I expect my trees to look more normal? Once the temperatures rise and new growth is stimulated, the foliage will turn back to a more vibrant green. Broken or dead branches are different in that they are completely dried out and brown. Those branches should be pruned off the tree in late winter/early springtime to prevent any further damage. Any falling or divided tree leads can be arbor tied to secure them and encourage upright growth. Split branches can also be arbor tied together, and if caught in time the cambium growing layer of the tree can mend. In the photograph above, the center upright Western Arborvitae are displaying signs of bronzing with no evidence of  any completely browned or broken branches, both indications of a normal and healthy tree.

For more gardening tips and design ideas: My books on Amazon:

 Visit my Author Page

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer  Landscape Design Combinations
Dream, Garden, Grow!-Musings of a Lifetime Gardener

Author:  Lee@Landscape Design By Lee 2018. All Rights Reserved.

Snow Warnings and Care of Landscape Plants

March Snowstorm

The seasons have been shifting in the northeast, leaving many homeowners in much dismay when it comes to winter garden maintenance. Winter storms can hit late winter into early spring, causing more distress to plantings once they have experienced warmer than normal temperatures. As we await another winter storm, there are some precautions you can take to ensure the vitality of your landscape plants and protect them from possible damage.

SNOW WEIGHTED TREE BRANCHES: Most evergreen trees and shrubs can handle snow build-up on their branches, but in the instance of a heavy snow, the branches may become weighted down. Certain Arborvitae are susceptible to the weight of snow pulling down on them and may have already experienced sagging branches. Further damage can easily be avoided by wrapping the branches together with arbor tie. The cloth tie cannot be seen from the outside, will prevent future damage from another snow, and the tree will look unscathed.

Arborvitae and Snow Care

BROKEN OR DAMAGED TREE BRANCHES: Before an approaching storm, try to walk outside and inspect trees and shrubs on your property for any broken or damaged branches. If you do spot a damaged branch, tie the two split halves together by wrapping them tightly together with arbor tie. Start by wrapping the two halves tightly together and continue wrapping above and below the crack for extra support. If caught in time, the cambium (or growing layer) of the plant will repair itself and fuse the two parts of the damaged branch together. I have personally saved split branches on holly, azalea and arborvitae using this technique and the plants have recovered beautifully. Identifying these issues now and tending to them prior to the snow can mean the survival of your plant.

Arbor Tied Split Branch on Holly

SNOW REMOVAL: While it is tempting to go outside and start removing snow from weighted branches it is also a good time to exercise caution. Under the snow-covered branches could also be a frozen layer of ice.  Any manipulating of the frozen branches could result in easy breakage and permanent damage to your tree.  A helpful tip is to very carefully dig snow from around trapped branches and allow them to spring back up on their own. Never shake branches with ice.  It is best to let nature take its course and allow thawing to occur. The branches will gradually regain their shape as the ice melts preventing any harm to your landscaping.

Snow Removal From Branches

SPRING BULBS AND SNOW:  Just as your spring bulbs are emerging, a late winter snow storm in March can cause much distress and uncertainty. Besides having to tend with the snow, there is some reassuring news!  While mulch protects dormant bulbs from cold, once they start blooming, a covering of snow will act as an insulator. The snow will help to hold in the natural warmth from the soil and provide protection. Once the snow is gone, you can continue to enjoy your bulbs!

Spring Bulbs and Snow Cover

As mentioned previously, plants are very resilient, and with a little care can bounce back and recover nicely after a major snow. With a March snow on the way, warmer days may not look promising at the moment, but Spring is right around the corner!

Informational Links:

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening on Facebook
Landscape Design by Lee on Facebook
A Guide to Northeastern Gardening Blog

NEGardening on Twitter

My Published Books: 

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer

Landscape Design Combinations

Author:  Lee@Landscape Design By Lee 2017. All Rights Reserved.

Protecting Broad-leaved Evergreens for Winter: Anti-Desiccant Spray

The temperatures are dropping rapidly here in the northeast and it is time to apply anti-desiccant spray to your broad-leaved evergreens to protect them from winter damage.

What is desiccation?:   Certain broad-leaved evergreens are susceptible to winter burn and drying from harsh winter winds here on Long Island and anywhere where winter temperatures drop below freezing. Desiccation, or extreme drying is caused by moisture loss from the leaves by transpiration. A precautionary measure for this drying is the use of an anti-desiccant, which can help to prevent damage to your landscape plants.  Anti-desiccant spray is an organic based spray application that lasts for approximately three months throughout the winter, and helps to prevent water loss from your evergreens.

Which plants should be sprayed with an anti-desiccant?: Apply an anti-desiccant spray to your broad-leaved evergreens such as holly, rhododendron, cherry laurel, skip laurel, mountain laurel, Japanese skimmia, leucothoe, aucuba and boxwood when the daytime temperatures start falling below 50 degrees (around Thanksgiving here in zone 7 Long Island). Apply when the temperatures are above freezing and there is no threat of rain or frost within 24 hours. (This tip applies to areas going into their winter season-temperatures dropping below freezing: 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit.)

When to Apply: Apply anti-desiccant when the daytime temperatures start falling below 50 degrees (late fall/early winter). Apply when the temperatures are above freezing and there is no threat of rain or frost within 24 hours.

Dangers: Be sure to read all directions on the label since anti-desiccants can cause photo toxicity on some narrow needled evergreens such as Arborvitae and Spruce that could cause more harm than winter burn.  Spraying in freezing temperatures will do harm to the plant.  Do not spray in freezing temperatures and allow time to dry before temperatures drop below 32^oF or 0^oC.

How often should I apply anti-desiccant?:  Sudden warm spells can trigger your evergreens to open their pores allowing for more water loss. If there is a winter thaw part way through the season it is recommended to re-spray your plants but only if the temperatures are to remain above freezing for at least 24 hours.

Where do I purchase anti-desiccant?:  The most commonly used brands of anti-desiccant are Wilt-Pruf, Vapor Guard and Transfilm that can be found in nurseries and garden centers. There is a new brand of anti-desiccant on the market which requires only one application. Ask your landscape professional for more information.

Informational Links:
A Guide to Northeastern Gardening on Facebook
Landscape Design by Lee on Facebook
NEGardening on Twitter

My Published Book: A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer on Amazon

Author:  Lee@Landscape Design By Lee 2016. All Rights Reserved.

Book Announcement! My First Published Book!

After two years of working on my book I am excited to announce that it is finally published! A Guide to Northeastern Gardening: Journeys of a Garden Designer is a comprehensive guide to gardening in plant hardiness zones 3-9.  My goal for the book is to share information on a number of gardening topics based on my experiences as a landscape designer over the years.

A Little Bit About the Book:

A Guide to Northeastern Gardening is a comprehensive guide of valuable information on plants hardy in a range of zones from 3-9, and gardening techniques backed up by my own personal experiences as a professional landscape designer, along with answers to frequently asked questions. Learn about landscape design principles, butterfly gardening, deer resistant plants, long blooming perennials, globe and weeping evergreens, flowering trees and shrubs, native plantings, shade gardening and more. Whether you are a novice or experienced gardener, A Guide to Northeastern Gardening will help you to create your own dream garden. Come along on my journey into the world of gardening!

A Little Bit About the Author:

Lee Miller is a professional landscape/garden designer involved in the horticultural industry since 1996. Having started a gardening blog in 2010, she is the author of over 150 articles on general gardening, landscape design principles, gardening tips, planting, pruning, garden maintenance, feature plants and more. Her published book, “A Guide to Northeastern Gardening”, is an accumulation of information touching on a wide variety of gardening topics, all backed up by her own personal experiences.

Previews and further information are available on the following links:

Updated for 2016: Now in Amazon Softcover!

Amazon Kindle

Also here is a link to the full story behind the author and the book. I hope to share my gardening experiences with you!

As Always…Happy Gardening!

2015 Lee@ A Guide to Landscape Design & Maintenance.

Got Snow? – Winter Garden Maintenance

Snow Covered Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar

While winter is here and I look out at my evergreens buried under a blanket of snow, it is a good time to review some basic maintenance tips to prevent possible damage to your landscape plants.

SNOW REMOVAL:  While it is tempting to go outside and start removing snow from weighted branches it is also a good time to exercise caution.  Under the snow-covered branches could also be a frozen layer of ice.  Any manipulating of the frozen branches could result in easy breakage and permanent damage to your tree.  A helpful tip is to very carefully dig snow from around trapped branches and allow them to spring back up on their own. Never shake branches with ice.  It is best to let nature take its course and allow thawing to occur.  The branches will gradually regain their shape as the ice melts preventing any harm to your landscaping.

BROWNING OF EVERGREENS: You may be noticing browning on some of your evergreen trees. Browning in the center is perfectly normal and is how a tree sheds old needles to allow for new growth in spring.  Needle shedding usually happens in the fall but is frequently much more noticeable once the snow arrives.  Browning anywhere else on the tree such as on a leader or outside branches can be cause for concern.  If an entire branch turns brown it could be that the branch is broken and should be removed when the weather allows to avoid stress and disease to the plant. Browning could also be the result of “winter burn” which I will discuss below.

WINTER BURN:   Winter burn is the drying effect of winter winds which can cause evergreens to appear brown. I have been getting a lot of questions this winter season regarding winter burn on evergreens such as Arborvitae, weeping and upright Blue Atlas Cedar, Cryptomeria and Golden Oriental Spruce.  The narrow needles/foliage on these evergreens are even more susceptible to this effect.  The abundant snow and reflection of rays from the sun also serves to magnify this phenomenon.  This browning of the needles or “winter burn” should correct itself once the weather starts to warm and water is able to get to the cells of the plant and once again activate the chlorophyll within.  If the tree is well established it should most likely fully recover and start to push out new growth as the temperatures rise. As an extra note, your broad-leaved evergreens such as rhododendron, cherry and skip laurel, boxwood and holly (to mention a few) should be sprayed with an anti-desiccant spray before winter arrives.  See Anti-Desiccant on Broad-leaved Evergreens in November for more information.

Stay warm…winter is almost over.

As Always…Happy Gardening!

Author:  Lee@Landscape Design By Lee, 2014, All Rights Reserved

Long Island Blizzard Tree Care Tip

Well we finally got that snow we’ve been lacking and a lot of it!  We officially got 19.8 inches of snow here on parts of the south shore and more elsewhere on the Island.  If you have ventured out you will notice tree limbs drooping due to being over weighted with snow and the first reaction is to brush them off… but beware.

For the best care of your trees with snow-covered branches first allow the sun to start melting the snow and the branches will gradually start to pop back up.   If you are able to gently brush off the snow do so but if the snow is frozen on the branches let it melt naturally in order to avoid tree breakage.   The tree branches are very fragile right now and can be damaged easily.

Stay warm.  Spring is on its way!

Author:  Lee@Landscape Design By Lee, 2013, All Rights Reserved

Preventing Tree Damage from Snow & Ice

As winter progresses there is an increased threat of snow and ice build up on the branches of trees and shrubs in the landscape. If snow piles up on your evergreens try to carefully brush it away as soon as possible before freezing to remove the excess weight from the branches. If the snow does not remove easily do not shake the branches. This can cause breakage and damage. If the tree or shrub is covered with ice permit nature to take its course and allow the ice to melt naturally. If your landscape does suffer any damage from winter storms it is recommended to remove any broken limbs to avoid stress and disease to the plant. This can be done when the weather allows.  Preventive measures that can be taken to avoid winter ice damage include keeping your trees properly pruned throughout the year.  Fast growing trees and trees with horizontal branching such as ‘Bradford’ Pear are more prone to damage from excess weight.   Prune away any weakened or overweight branches in fall before snow arrives.

Frost Heaving: In freezing temperatures soil around your plants may be subject to frost heaving. This is when ice forms underneath the soil and expands upwards from the ground causing plants such as perennials to push upwards exposing the crown. Heuchera (Coral Bells) and Liriope are especially prone to this type of damage. As a preventive measure apply mulch finishing to your garden beds. To remedy, slightly tap the soil back down, and brush the mulch back around the exposed crown of the plant to protect it. Following these few simple steps will help to prevent any unwanted winter damage to your landscape plantings.

Author:  Lee@Landscape Design By Lee, 2013, All Rights Reserved

Winter Burn on Eastern White Pine

Pinus strobus (Eastern White Pine)

Hurricane Sandy caused damage to many evergreen trees here on Long Island and along the eastern coastline. The Eastern White Pines seemed to be most affected by the high winds and salt spray off the ocean and are showing signs of decline now in the month of December.High winds cause excessive transpiration (water loss) from needles of the pine causing them to turn reddish-brown, giving the tree a dead appearance.

There could be hope for the tree before it is taken as a lost cause.  Search for evidence of green viable buds.  If you see any green within the needles (see below) then the tree has a chance of bouncing back in the spring providing the winter isn’t too harsh. As water gets to the roots and needles of the tree there is a good chance that new growth will start to emerge.   Deep root feeding your damaged pines in late March (early spring) can also help to promote new growth.

Winter Burn on White Pine

Pines naturally shed their older needles once a year usually in Fall or Spring and go through a major shed every three years.

For your damaged pine it could take up to three years for the tree to fully recover as it drops old needles and replaces with new but the tree could eventually make a full recovery.

Author:  Lee@Landscape Design By Lee, 2012, All Rights Reserved