What’s new in Chattanooga gardening?
Local, organic, Knock Outs, winter color, topiary rentals, rescued teak benches, unusual species, freestanding fountains and yard art, according to vendors at the Down to Earth Lawn and Garden Show last weekend.
“People are looking for whimsical, different yard art, and everybody’s looking at fountains.” said Pattie Dial, owner of Scapes Creations in East Brainerd.
Here’s a heads-up on area garden fashion today.
NATURAL AND LOCAL
Look for a big display of locally grown, organic herbs from Possum Creek Herb Farm (www.possumcreekherb. com) in Soddy-Daisy at The Barn Nursery on South Hickory Street this year, said farm owner Michele Brown.
Popular varieties include Blue Cushion lavender, short, mounding and drought-loving, an early show sellout.
KNOCK OUTS
These hardy, beautiful, long-blooming, no-spray roses have been a big hit in local gardens, said Tri-State Rose Society (www.chattanoogarose.org) past presidents Jeff and Cindy Garrett.
Climbing Knock Outs also arrived in catalogs this year. Winner’s Circle was also available at Holcomb Garden Center in Fort Oglethorpe but is selling out fast, Mrs. Garrett said.
Home Run, produced from Knock Out genes, is also a great area choice, especially for containers, Mrs. Garrett said.
For a tour of local rose gardens, pencil in the May 17-18 Rose Garden Tour, sponsored by the society.
TEAK-ROOT BENCHES
After teak trees are felled in Indonesia, a team of folks from Teak22.com wrests the roots from the ground, carves benches and ships them to the United States. In Albertville, Ala., they’re sanded and oiled. Indoors or out, the benches suggest a range of nature creatures or plants.
“It’s kind of like a wooden cloud — you look at it and see fish or horses or dinosaurs,” said co-owner Sharalee Sherman. “And you want to find the one that fits you.”
WINTER COLOR AND
TOPIARY RENTALS
Landscaping clients are savvy these days.
“They want year-round color — they’re getting a little smarter,” said Janet Phillips, owner of Landscape Arts Inc. (www.landscapeartsinc.com) in Ooltewah.
Camellias and colorful foliage plants meet the demand for winter color, she said.
And if you’re throwing a wedding or bar mitzvah, Dream Gardens Landscape Design & Installation (www. dreamgardensusa.com) in St. Elmo offers a new live plant and topiary rental service, in addition to landscaping.
UNUSUAL SPECIES
At Custom Landscape & Design in Dayton, Tenn., Japanese maples reign.
“Last year, with its late freeze and drought, was a hard year for Japanese maples. But they’re such a beautiful, specimen plant, they’re well worth replacing,” said owner Jeff Skinner.
A 7-foot tall Orange Dream, with yellow leaves tipped in blood-orange, sold immediately ($250). More affordable are the Red Dragon ($95) or tiny lime-leaved Shishigashira, Mr. Skinner said.
Ponds and Plants (www. pondsnplants.com), also in Dayton, specializes in rare and unusual plants.
Owner David Mansur hunts for plants around the world and from this country’s botanical gardens.
A compact cypress sporting flame-yellow leaves, Thuja Van Hoey Smith ($10 for a one-gallon) can’t be found elsewhere in the area. The cuttings were taken, with permission, from the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s specimens, Mr. Mansur said.
He also offers palms, Venus flytraps and pitcher plants and hardy bananas.
FOUNTAINS AND GARDEN ART
With freestanding fountains, you’ve got a “water feature in an hour,” Mr. Skinner said. Choices range from a 5-foot-tall contemporary stone corner piece with three levels ($1,200 at Custom Landscape) to a doit-yourself “secret spring” ($5-$25 at The Water Garden in Hixson).
Put a pump in a plastic plant pot, dig a hole, cover it with a pond liner, put the pump in the hole and pour gravel around it, said Lisa Lemza, a Master Gardener.
“The ground-feeding birds really like it,” she said.
High-end fountains are available at My Back Yard in East Ridge, Scapes Creations in East Brainerd, Ponds and Plants, Custom Landscape and many other local stores.
And what’s new in art? “Whimsical,” Ms. Dial said.
