Viette.com
November E-News from Viette's               Volume 11: No. 11

Lori Jones, Editor                                                                                          November/2015

Ornamental grasses stand out against brilliant fall foliage.
November is the time
to get ready for the
winter season
!


There are loads of late fall
garden chores to keep you busy
on these crisp November days
!
   
What a glorious time to be out working in the garden!
Quick Links
Plant of the Month
Anemone September Charm
Anemone 'September Charm' -
Even the buds are interesting!
Anemone japonica
 
Beautiful & colorful fall bloomers!

 
Japanese anemones add a graceful dimension to the late summer and fall garden with their profusion of light and airy blooms. André uses mass plantings in many of his berm gardens and they are truly spectacular!
Anemone Honorine Jobert planted en masse
Anemone Honorine Jobert planted
en masse in beautiful in the garden
A pink hybrid anemone planted en masse is stunning
A pink hybrid anemone planted
en masse is stunning

Colorful Blooms 
Japanese anemones come in a wide range of colors from white to pink to deep rose and in single flowers or semi-double to double flowers. These hardy perennials produce a mass of silvery buds and colorful blooms which rise on well-branched stems above their attractive foliage.
In the late fall after their flowers fade, the cottony seed heads of many Japanese anemones add additional interest to the late season garden.
A beautiful single_ light pink anemone
A beautiful single, light pink anemone
Japanese anemones fill the Viette gardens with color in autumn
Masses of colorful flowers
brighten the fall garden 
Anemone Honorine Jobert
Anemone 'Honorine Jobert'

Great Companions
Japanese anemones are wonderful in combination with Astilbe, hosta, and ferns in a woodland setting or mixed with the beautiful Heuchera cultivars in a lightly shaded border.
Bright pink Japanese anemone
Bright pink anemones grow under the light shade of a crape myrtle.

They make a lovely transition plant where the shade meets the sun. Plant Japanese anemones around Dicentra spectabilis - as the Dicentra begins to go dormant in the heat of the summer and is cut back, the beautiful anemone foliage will fill the void.
Japanese anemones combine well with hosta
Japanese anemones
combine well with hosta
 
Easy Culture  
Japanese anemones are very easy to grow. All they require is bright or partial shade, and fertile, well-drained soil. They spread and naturalize nicely and will reward you with charming flowers in late summer through fall. 
Anemone robustissima seedheads
The cottony seed heads of many Japanese anemones create an interesting display in the fall.
 
Beautiful Cultivars
There are many beautiful Japanese anemone cultivars available for your garden!
Here are some great ones to look for:

'Honorine Jobert' - lovely single white blooms
'Pamina' - beautiful, upward facing deep pink double flowers
'Party Dress'
- 3 1/2" perfectly formed double, deep pink blooms stems are almost twice the size of other Japanese anemones.
'Queen Charlotte' - beautiful semi-double silvery pink blooms on 30" stems
'September Charm' - striking single blooms with rose-pink petals alternating with deeper pink petals to create a bi-color effect.
'Whirlwind' - semi-double white blooms
Anemone Pamina
Anemone 'Pamina'
Anemone Whirlwind
Anemone 'Whirlwind' 
                      
Many of the anemone blooms have faded now with the hard freeze we had last weekend but the gardens are still beautiful and well worth a visit!
     
Join Our List
Gardening Questions?
Andre  answers a listener's question during a broadcast of 'In the Garden'

Listen to Andre
on the radio every Saturday morning from 8:00-11:00 on 
 
"In the Garden  
with Andre Viette"
 
Click for a station list or  listen live from our flagship station WSVA.  
    
Listen to podcasts.  

 

Viette Discussion Board
Tip of the Month
It's not too late to PLANT!
 
Get children involved in gardening
Fall (even late fall) is one of the best times of the year to plant perennials, trees, and shrubs.
          
Over the past few weeks we have been getting a number of calls and e-mails asking if late October or November is too late to plant. The answer is no - for most regions. Even as the air temperatures drop, the soil still holds a lot of warmth. In many areas, planting can continue into December - as long as the ground is not frozen and the soil can be worked.

Here's why fall is such a great time to plant:
  • Cooler air temperatures mean it is more comfortable to be outside working in the garden, but more importantly, since the blooming time is over for most plants, they are putting all their energy into root and vegetative growth.
  • Soil temperatures will remain warm long into the fall even though the air temperature has dropped. Though some above ground growth occurs at this time of the year, most of the energy goes into promoting good strong root growth. Root growth will continue as long as the soil retains some warmth.
  • The likelihood of rain also increases in the fall and cooler air temperatures mean that moisture will be retained in the soil longer because less is lost through evaporation and since photosynthesis is slowed, less is lost through the leaves.
  • Far fewer insect and disease related problems occur in the fall. Most insects have either died or found overwintering sites and are no longer a threat to newly planted trees, shrubs, evergreens, and perennials. The same holds true for many diseases - most are in a dormant stage at this time of the year.
Plan a new garden this fall! 
SedumButterfly
Sedum are easy to grow perennials that the butterflies love
Gardening is an activity that the whole family can become involved in. When you involve your children in gardening, you are not only spending good quality time together, but they too are getting outside in the fresh air and enjoying the many health benefits of working in the soil.

           
Gardening is a great opportunity to teach children about seeds, plants, and nature. Plan a garden project together, for instance creating a butterfly garden. Children are fascinated with butterflies! Imagine their excitement and sense of accomplishment when the butterflies begin to flock to "their" garden!
           
A word of caution about late fall planting:
December can be a time of fluctuating temperatures; one day freezing and the next warmer. This cycle of freezing and thawing can cause newly planted perennials and winter annuals to heave from the ground. Mulching your new bed will help to prevent heaving because it reduces
fluctuations in soil temperature. However, it is important to periodically check for signs of heaving and push or "heel" these plants back in place.
                  
Beautiful hybrid daffodils are a welcome sight in spring! Don't forget about spring bulbs!
It's not too late to plant these bulbs. If you have any bulbs that you haven't gotten in the ground, get them planted now. They can still be planted as long as the ground is workable. Be sure to amend the planting hole with Espoma Bulb-tone according to the label directions.   
Holiday Decorating Workshops are Coming!
One of Andre's beautiful outside Christmas displays
             
  What could be more fun and rewarding than creating your own
holiday decorations and arrangements?
          
Learn
from the experts and see how fun and easy it is to create fabulous holiday decorations.
           
Join Andre, Jef Naunchik from Village Garden Center, and Sam Harris of Sam Harris Designs as they demonstrate a variety of decorating techniques. 

Choose from three different workshops ... 

Friday, 12/4 - 10:30 AM
Jef demonstrates an easy way to make a kissing ball
Artistic Christmas Designs with Jef Naunchik
 
Jef has 35 years of experience in creating beautiful artistic arrangements and displays for the holidays. Come to this great workshop and Jef will teach you some unique techniques for decorating at holiday time.
Learn how to make:
Della Robbia wreaths, topiary trees and miniature Christmas trees, swags with fresh greens, boxwood balls, candle rings, and more! 
Learn the art of gilding, how to use a glue pot, and how to make beautiful ribbons.
 
Saturday, 12/5 - 1:30 PM 
Sunday, 12/6 - 1:30 PM
Learn the Basics of Christmas Decorations with Andre Viette 
Holiday arrangement from the garden
Andre will demonstrate the basics of decorating for the holidays including working with greens to create attractive wreaths and table arrangements. Andre also will demonstrate some easy, 5-minute decorating tips for swags and the best way to preserve magnolia leaves and branches.
Learn about:
Preserving greens and Christmas trees, live vs. cut Christmas trees, basics of wreath making including how to make a giant 6 foot wreath, making kissing balls, creating swags and arrangements, making fresh roping.       
Wednesday, 12/9 - 1:30 PM
A Fresh Look at Poinsettia, PLUS ...
  Wintery, "After Holiday" Tabletop Designs
  with Sam Harris 
Some of the new poinsettia varieties are stunning with unusual coloration!
Poinsettias aren't just red anymore!
Recent hybridizing has produced a multitude of variations on the traditional red poinsettia. Sam will feature some of the beautiful new poinsettia hybrids just bursting with color! He will demonstrate how to enhance the beauty of these and other holiday plants using evergreens and houseplants.
        
Sam
will also show you how you can transform your holiday arrangements into beautiful wintery showpieces perfect for cheery "after holiday" tabletop decorating. Discover the elegance you can add to paperwhites, amaryllis, and orchids by combining the color and texture of ... the unexpected! 
  

 

After each workshop, Andre will give you a personal tour of his beautiful home and gardens all decorated for the Christmas season. 

 
Andre's beautiful
This Christmas wonderland takes Andre a full two weeks to complete and includes: 
  • A live Christmas tree with snow and colorful ornaments
  • A live Christmas tree with crystal, pearls, and crocheted ornaments
  • Loads of beautiful arrangements with live greens
  • Gold mantle arrangement
  • Antique, hand-made ornaments
  • Bell collection and colored glass collection
  • Santa collection with over 100 Santa's
  • Beautiful manger arrangement
  • Old Christmas card collection, and lots more . . .
  • Plus, many wonderful outside arrangements with beautiful greens and colorful berries combined with antique farm tools, sleighs, and sleds!
Viette Front Porch Christmas
Sign up early - space is limited!   
Sign up by November 20th and SAVE $5.00!

Each workshop is only only $40.00
       ($35.00 if you register by 11/20/15).

Each participant will take home workshop materials to create your own decorations, a $10.00 Gift Certificate for Viette perennials to be used next season, and loads of great ideas for your holiday decorating!

Pre-registration is required.
Call 800-575-5538 for more details & to register.

From the Viette's Views Blog ...    
Needle shedding on white pine 10-20-2015 12:42:40 PM

I have been noticing a lot of yellowing needles on the pine trees in our area this fall and it reminded me of the blog post I published in the fall of 2012. When a large number of pine needles start to turn yellow then drop, homeowners can become quite concerned and this may be [...]...»


A cheery red cardinal brightens a snowy morning! 10-13-2015 13:08:55 PM

Now that a chill is in the air, it's time to dig out all your bird feeders and get them cleaned up and ready for your winter bird visitors. We've actually been feeding the birds through most of the summer even though there is normally plenty of other food available. We enjoy watching them in [...]...»


Did You Know?  
Tent caterpillars
Act now to reduce insect pests next season! 
    
Late fall and late winter are great times to spray your trees and shrubs with a horticultural oil spray to kill many different overwintering insects!  
     
Many insects will overwinter in the egg stage on the branches of your trees and shrubs. Horticultural oils, such as Bonide All Seasons Oil, sprayed during the dormant season effectively smother these insect eggs by forming a coating of oil over them. Scale insects and certain mites that winter on plants are also suffocated when the horticultural oil blocks their spiracles, the air holes through which they breathe.   
Tent caterpillar eggs overwinter on branches and hatch out in spring.
Tent caterpillar eggs overwinter on branches and hatch out in spring.
                    
Horticultural oils may also be effective for smothering fungal spores, thus reducing the incidence of certain fungal diseases like rust or powdery mildew. 
                 
It is especially important to spray your fruit trees with horticultural oil during the dormant season. This helps kill the eggs of the codling moth and other insects which are so destructive to apples, peaches, pears, and other fruits.
                
For the most effective control of overwintering insect pests, it is good to make two applications of horticultural oil - once in late November after the leaves have fallen (be sure to rake up the leaves first) and again in February or March before the buds begin to swell. Be sure to coat all surfaces of the tree branches and trunk.
     
Always read the label before you spray and be sure to follow all the label directions! 
 
If you enjoy our newsletter, please pass it along to your gardening friends!

 

Travel with Andre and Claire Viette in 2016!  
Budapest on the banks of the Danube
Budapest on the banks of the Danube
The Imperial Gardens  
and Treasures Tour
    
September 18 - October 1, 2016

Featuring the Imperial worlds of the
German and Austro-Hungarian Empires
    
Visit Hungary, Austria,
the Czech Republic, and Germany

Tour highlights include:
Budapest - Enjoy a guided tour of this beautiful city on the Danube; visit a botanical garden; spend a day in the Puszta - land of the Hungarian cowboys and be treated to an equestrian show and gypsy music   
Vienna - From Budapest, we will travel up the Danube by hydrofoil boat to Vienna where you will see the famous Lipizzaner Stallions, the Schönbrunn Gardens, and enjoy a concert of Strauss and Mozart at the  Schönbrunn Palace  
Berlin's River Spree
Cruising on Berlin's River Spree
Prague - We then travel north to Prague by way of the scenic Wachau Valley. Tour Prague, its famous castle, the Charles Bridge, and magnificent gardens. End the day with a three-hour cruise on the Vltava River! 
Berlin - On the way to Berlin, we will stop at the city of Dresden. In Berlin, relax on a cruise on the River Spree, enjoy a candlelight dinner and concert at the Charlottenburg palace, and take a walking tour of Berlin. You can even opt to join Andre and Claire on a visit to the largest private botanical garden in Europe.
    
Andre will give a series of gardening presentations throughout the trip.

    
Space is limited to 42 persons so this trip will fill up fast!

    

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