Daphne

The bees are buzzing around the Daphnes at Wildwood Nursery.  The deer are nowhere to be seen.  The scent carries for miles.  Well the last is a slight exaggeration but even with allergies they are noticeable.

There are three foot wide five gallons and cute one gallons available right now.

New Planters

Now that the Hardieplank siding is painted, the planters are nearing completion.

Despite their size [1.5 yards of dirt in each], they blend in with their surroundings.

New artificial grass allows easy access to all sides.

Anatomy of a Planter

There are all types of containers and planters available for outdoor use.  Choosing a style is half the battle. Creating the correct mini growing environment is the other half.

All containers need good drainage, especially if they are on the tall side.  The wood planter to the left will have pea gravel in the bottom 2/3rds.  For a tree, the middle third would be half gravel and half soil.

Great drainage means lots of water [galvanized liner] and loss of nutrients quickly.  The soil on the top third will have to be changed yearly to maximize plant health.

Look for the finished photo next week!

December View

Staring into space is particularly important as a year winds down.

One can reflect on events from the past year and contemplate what the new year will bring. This forward and back outlook is unique any time. The circumstances always seem more unique in the moment.

The view of the mountainside across from Wildood is reassuring and energizing. We hope your view is similar.

Fall Pruning

As fall color wanes, the branching structure of all the trees starts to emerge.  The coral bark and paper bark maples begin to glow as the light hits their bark.  For most trees the bare outline of the canopy is what we appreciate.

Now is the best time to shape and prune trees into the look we want.  The branches are easy to see, the tree is practically asleep and the sunny weather is perfect for gardening!

Once all the dead wood and crossing branches are gone, continue to open up the canopy by removing branches that have minimal separation.  This will create depth and add light inside the tree.  Work around the tree on all sides evenly and look to create layers at different heights.

Call wildwood nursery at 707.833.1161 if you need a pruning service!

Waterfall

October was a good month for working outside of Sonoma.

We spent most of the month building a waterfall at a residence in Marin.  The waterfall stretches over 20' so it has elements of a creek as well as a small pond at the end. 

The pool and drop style of the feature is really reminiscent of many California rivers [versus continuous gradient rivers].  No room for rafts on this river though.

A new paver walkway and bridge make portages easier.

Fireglow

The firefighters did an amazing job preserving structures and open space.

Less than two weeks after the inferno started, the skies are blue and fall color is in full effect.  The Fireglow Japanese maple to the left is the kind of fiery red that we like.  It is one of our most popular plants.  And for good reason- it's sturdy, easy to train into a small patio tree, and red all year.

Fall color will probably only last a few weeks due to the hot dry conditions.  Take a moment and enjoy while it lasts.