Magnolia Gift and Garden

Hydrangea 'Phantom'
Thank you
Hi, It's me Courtney! It's hard to come up with words to share about the last few months and all that has happend with the new state of our world living with COVID-19.
Grateful is what word comes to me first. Admittedly we were very concerned about the future of our business and if and how we could continue. Thankfully Chris leaped into action and arranged an online auction through BidCal.com which we were extremely grateful to them for allowing us to do. The auction gave us a nice boost along with the ' appointments only' visits we were having at the nursery. I must mention our amazing, hard working ladies, Holly and Melynn who were so wonderful with all their work behind closed gates.
This was also a time of connection and coming together. Both Ken Hodge of Hodge's Nursery and Denise Kelly of The Plant Barn reached out to me. Denise was especially supportive, kind and gracious. Her optimism was inspiring. Frankly, I was like a deer in headlights
and having a difficult time processing everything! More so than ever I felt the support of our fellow business owners, and once  we decided to open our gates we were overwhelmed by all of the support from our gardening community. Chris and I feel very grateful!
Thank all who have been so supportive during this time.
  WE HAVE A  NEW FRESH WEBSITE
Please check it out!

Lotus bloom and dragonfly in nursery 
 We have new Lotus, Water Lilies, floating Hyacinth and Lettuce too!
Crape Myrtle Season
Come check our great selection of Crape Myrtle shrubs new to Magnolia. Crape Myrtles naturally are large shrubs but there are now many
Lagerstroemia Rhapsody in Pink
dwarf forms that can come in various sizes with white, pink, or red flowers. Though they are quite popular as asingle trunk tree, consider starting them as a shrub that can be pruned up to expose
Lagerstroemia Red Rocket
the trunk as it grows:

-Having multiple stems will create a larger canopy, providing more shade

-Putting all of the energy into one stem can create imbalance between the trunk size and canopy size, making the trunk more susceptible to breakage in windy conditions.
Lagerstroemia Moonlight

 

 

Crape Myrtles have exquisite, naturally twisted smooth, colorful bark that is not as noticeable on a single trunk tree. Striping the trunk of branches and leaves as it grows
Lagerstroemia Double Dynamite

can create an airy specimen that can be seen through, creating beautiful silhouettes perfect for outdoor uplighting. Pictured the Lagerstroemia 'Moonlight' is one variety we are especially excited about this summer. It has dark foliage spring until fall and the white blooms are a perfect contrast giving it a strikingly beautiful look. Crape Myrtles love the heat and the sun making it on of the North Valley's perfect choices for the gardens in our area.
  CLOSED JULY 4th
Wishing you a safe holiday weekend!
Successful  Gardening in the Summer Heat
Hibiscus 'Hollywood Firecracker'
Fall is the absolute best time to plant however you can successfully plant in summer with some extra care. Here are some tips-
Start with planting the right plants! If you are planting in full sun areas, you absolutely have to buy plants that are acclimated to our blistering heat. 

If you do buy plants during hot periods, pay more attention to the placement of the plant in the nursery than what it says on the tag. Nursery tags can be misleading as they are informative, for they are usually produced by the vendors and not the local nursery. If a plant tag says it takes full sun, but it is under our shade cloth, it needs to either be planted in a shady area or put into a pot in the shade, and planted into more sun at a more appropriate time. And of corse we are always happy to help if you need us and are unsure about what ask us if you are unsure!

Some other suppliers of plants may sell plants this time of year, but don't expect great results from a plant that is used to being in sheltered or cooler conditions. Box stores have a very high turnover since their plants are guaranteed by their vendors, so they just send back the old ones and get new fresh ones (usually from southern California), and they are not used to this heat!
 Magnolia Gift and Garden does not order in and sell plants that are not acclimated to our summers. Once a plant is able to sit in a hot black pot in 100 degree heat, it is easy to see that putting our plants into a cooler hole in the ground would in fact be a step up for them! 

Always add additional soil and mulch to your plantings. Your native soil can get pretty parched in summer, so add some Eureka! Planting Mix or Bumper Crop to all plantings. Also be sure that the soil is not extremely warm when you use it. Planting in the early morning or evening will help. Adding a layer of mulch or bark will also help to insulate the roots from heat. 

Agapanthus 'Black Pantha'
If you do buy a "drought tolerant" plant, you need to know that it takes a plant time to develop this trait in your garden. If you plant this late in a season, just about any plant is going to require daily water to make it through our hot summers. Drought tolerant plants can be weened off water more effectively in cooler seasons. 

Once you've planted, be sure to water your plant everyday for at least two weeks to get it settled into its new home. 

Nursery Kitty Peaches
Peaches Says July To Dos
Garden Wisdom from our nursery kitty, Peaches
-Pinch back your summer herbs such as Basil and Thyme to keep them from flowering and reseeding
 -Be careful when turning your hose on. Water may be hot if hose has been in the sun
-Watering your garden in the morning is best it helps to to reduce chances of fungal problems
-It's Crunch Time! It's not unusual this time of year for the leaves on some of your plants to be dry and crunchy. Typically because of a missed watering or dry, hot winds. To help encourage re emergence of new foliage, run your hand along the branches and remove dry foliage.
-Are your garden tomatoes splitting? This is usually a sign of inconsistent watering. A period of drought or over watering can cause this to happen. Practicing more consistent watering should remedy the problem. Most minor cracking is harmless and the fruit still tastes great!
-Prune and deadhead Crape Myrtle, Salvia, and Butterfly Bush to encourage repeat blooming
 Peaches is our nursery cat. She has picked up lots of knowledge while lounging around the nursery.

 

Ian sent us this photo of his family's favorite place to be in their garden. He says, 
"We love our patio and appreciate the fantastic pottery and plant life every day.  Loving our outdoor space has been especially important given how much time we have all been home lately. Thank you and everyone there for all of the help over the years."
-Ian, Kim, and James
Wow! Thank you for sharing Ian! Looks so inviting and fabulous! 

Want to show off your hard work in your garden? 
Please email me your pictures so we can add it to next months newsletter. Even if you have sent in pictures before send more! Every garden evolves and we would love to include it in our newsletter.
 Email me at [email protected] 
Please include your name and a little info about your garden

Hours 
Monday-Saturday 10-4
Sunday CLOSED
We will be closed July 4th