Why Plant Milkweed for Monarch Butterflies?

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Why Plant Milkweed for Monarch Butterflies?

Monarch butterflies are currently facing population declines due to habitat loss, climate change, pesticide use, and other factors. Planting milkweed helps to restore and maintain their breeding habitats, contributing to the conservation efforts for monarch butterflies.

Planting milkweed is crucial for butterflies, particularly monarch butterflies, for several important reasons:

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The 3 different bloom times of Clematis (and when to prune them)

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Spring-blooming Clematis alpina

Spring, Summer, and Fall!

Spring-blooming Clematis:

These varieties typically bloom in early to mid-spring on the previous year's growth. They often produce large, showy flowers. Examples include Clematis montana and Clematis alpina. Pruning for these Clematis types is best done after flowering in late spring or early summer to ensure prolific blooms the following year.

Summer-blooming Clematis:

This group includes a wide range of cultivars that bloom from late spring to late summer. They bloom on new growth, so they can be pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Examples include Clematis 'Nelly Moser' and Clematis 'Jackmanii'.

Late-blooming Clematis:

These varieties typically bloom from mid-summer to fall on new growth. They are pruned in late winter or early spring like the summer-blooming types. These include a Victoria Gardens’ favorite, Clematis 'Sweet Autumn’.

When pruning Clematis, it's important to identify which group your particular variety belongs to, as pruning at the wrong time can result in reduced or delayed flowering. Generally, it's best to prune lightly until you're familiar with your specific Clematis's growth habits.



PLUS A NEW VARIETY: Long-blooming Patio Clematis 


Clematis Bijou


Bijou and Elodi Patio Clematis are long-blooming, dwarf, mounding clematis specifically bred for container gardens, but also thrive in the garden. They are "spillers" as opposed to "climbers."

With their compact growth habit and prolific flowering, patio clematis add elegance and color to balconies, porches, and compact outdoor spaces. They can even be used in rock gardens!

These petite clematis varieties showcase an abundance of delicate blooms, typically in shades of blue or purple, providing a delightful focal point in any container garden. Their versatility, low-maintenance nature, and long bloom time (June to September) make them a popular choice for gardeners looking to enhance their outdoor living areas with beautiful, space-saving blooms.

Clematis Elodi

Spring Clean Up Q&A: How to prune hydrangeas and when

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Spring Clean Up Q&A: How to prune hydrangeas and when

Q: Should I cut back my hydrangea plants now?

A: First of all, you are not going to kill your hydrangea if you cut it back or prune it at the wrong time, but you will lose the blooms that you would have had this garden season. So we want to be mindful about when we are pruning, so that we enjoy the maximum number of blooms.

Second, prune-time depends which hydrangea bush you have.

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Your Expert Guide to Early Spring Gardening in the Hudson Valley

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Your Expert Guide to Early Spring Gardening in the Hudson Valley

Hudson Valley Magazine did a great article on early spring gardening advice.

They interviewed local professional Gardeners and Garden Designers, including Victoria Coyne from Victoria Gardens. :) The advice she gave is something she also talked about on the March episode of the Garden and Home Show with Sally Spillane on WKZE: Divide but be “quick and quiet.”

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For the Birds: Fall Fruiting Plants

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For the Birds: Fall Fruiting Plants

As we move into autumn, there is a way to bring more color, more interest, and more drama into your backyard. By planting fall-fruiting bushes you will have the double benefit of colorful berries and the colorful birds that the berries attract. Many bird species gorge on fall berries before they migrate south and many other species, like cardinals, nuthatches and blue jays stay for the winter and continue to feed off the berries in your garden. Want to attract more birds to your backyard? Start with these attractive, fall-fruiting favorites.

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Spongy Moth Invasion

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Spongy Moth Invasion

Spongy moths are incredibly destructive!

They defoliate trees and in some circumstances, that defoliation can kill the affected trees.

"Spongy moth populations rise and fall in cycles of roughly 10-15 years. Populations vary during the cycle, from years with few caterpillars and very minor damage, to years with large numbers of caterpillars and very noticeable leaf damage and tree defoliation. These population cycles are driven by predator-prey interactions, specifically the interactions between spongy moth, small mammals, and acorn production."

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Modern Accord Depot: Before and After

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Modern Accord Depot: Before and After

This was a really fun and interesting project for Victoria Gardens in partnership with Shawn McCloskey of Aurora Landscape Design. The owners of the Modern Accord Depot, Choreographer Chase Brock and Conductor Rob Berman already had renovated this historic Train Depot into a fun, colorful, modern structure, which is an arts residency space and luxury vacation rental. We transformed the outside space into a colorful garden with a rolling meadow feel.

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Why fall is the perfect time to plant: 

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Why fall is the perfect time to plant: 

At Victoria Gardens, we find the best growers, we take vigilant care of our plants, and we continue to stock fresh, healthy plants throughout the fall. We stay open later in the season than most nurseries (because of our busy landscaping division, we continue to plant until the ground temperatures fall below 41 degrees Fahrenheit), which means we will have a wide and healthy selection through mid-November. And, yes! We ourselves are planting right up until Thanksgiving*, weather permitting. Not only that, but our staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and we will always take your plants to the parking lot and help you load.

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