Shade-loving plants add color, texture and beautiful scene-setting to those darker corners of your property…and as your trees have grown and gotten fuller, you might have different shady spots than you did when you first moved in.

We have some new shady circles beneath our mature trees, and an entire shady section in the back of our house, thanks to our neighbor’s new, tall fence. So instead of bemoaning our lost light, we see the opportunity to put in gorgeous shade-happy plants and flowers. Lighter-colored green plants (including more silvery hostas) brighten those shady spots better than deeper-hued plants, so keep color in mind.

Here are some of the top shade-loving plants you might wish to put in now, or keep in mind for next year’s garden design:

Astilbe: These feathery plants come in bright colors such as reds and pinks, and also in fall-friendly tans, adding some height and an interesting texture to your shade garden.

Brunnera: The shimmering silver foliage of the Brunnera adds nice color to a shady-spot, is known to grow well in tree root areas, and isn’t a favorite of deer.

Ferns: Ferns love the low light, and add soft, delicate texture to your shade garden. They pair very well with hostas. They need consistent watering, so watch out for drying leaves, and get that mister on them often.

Heuchera: One of the most colorful shade to sun perennials, this plant likes a little bit of sun during the day to bring out the shine in its foliage, but otherwise is used as a groundcover between larger plants. Chartreuse/ lemon – green colors prefer shade.

Hostas: Hostas provide large leaves with multiple variations of leaf colorings and striping, white or cream-colored leaf borders and lots of bang for your buck. They grow well under trees, but they do need really great drainage and good spacing to keep them healthy.

Hellebore: This shade plant provides year-round evergreen foliage that deer don’t like to eat, and you may get late-winter blooms from this plant as well.

Ornamental Grasses: Talk to The Farm’s staff about choosing the perfect grasses for your garden shape, so that you know which ones spread out and which ones grow taller.

Pulmonaria: This plant, especially in its Raspberry variety, provides fuzzy silver spotted leaves.

Tiarella (Foamflower): A slow-grower, this plant provides colorful leaves right through until winter, and works as a great groundcover.

Ideally, your shade garden will become a work of art, with a mix of color and texture, growing thick and lush through each season.

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 books on family celebrations, including weddings, bridal showers, vow renewals, and more. She is beyond thrilled to be the new guest blogger for The Farm, and she will be posting inspirations and tips for your parties, get-togethers and big family moments throughout the year. Visit her website www.sharonnaylor.net for more on her books and articles.

Don’t let this snowy New Jersey weather destroy your outdoor container plants.

Container Plants

Your outdoor container plants do not enjoy the same kind of protection during the winter months that ground-living plants do. Plants situated in ground beds have roots located far below the ground’s surface where temperatures remain much more constant than the above-ground dramatic temperature swings that container plants must endure. So it becomes an important task for the health and survival of your winter container plants and other dormant outdoor container plants to insulate those planters, or switch them to more protective outdoor garden containers or garden urns.

Simply put, the larger the garden container, the more soil present within it to insulate roots, and the more space available to pile on organic mulch as an effective temperature protectant. So you may wish to re-pot your existing garden plants to larger pots or ceramic garden décor urns, bowls, or other planters. At the same time, you may refresh the planter’s soil by adding a mix of additional potting soil, peat and other organic planting supplies to give the soil additional nutrients.

Which types of containers provide the best insulation for plants? Look for wood planters, which provide enough insulation from temperature surges, and look also at impermeable materials such as metals and concrete. Even thicker plastics provide good insulation against the winter cold. But be sure to move your outdoor plant containers off of porch surfaces that can get ice-coated and conduct colder temperatures into and through more permeable planters such as those made from ceramic. In harsh winter cold, some ceramic planters can crack or shatter, exposing your plant’s roots to the elements.

For any outdoor container, provide a healthy layer of insulation on top, in the form of added mulch, and organic tree trunk wraps may also add an extra layer of protection for younger trees and more delicate plantings.

Of course, smaller and lighter outdoor container plants may be moved into your garage for a bit of extra protection from harsh winds, ice, snow and plunging winter temperatures that our New Jersey region has been experiencing lately. It may not be 70-degrees in the garage, but your plants will thank you for giving them a break from the elements.

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 books on family celebrations, including weddings, bridal showers, vow renewals, and more. She is beyond thrilled to be the new guest blogger for The Farm, and she will be posting inspirations and tips for your parties, get-togethers and big family moments throughout the year. Visit her website www.sharonnaylor.net for more on her books and articles.

Spring is almost upon us, and very soon you will be blissfully working on your garden beds, preparing your organic vegetable gardens, planting organic bulbs, working side-by-side with your partner and kids as you prepare for your spring plantings…and a gift card to The Farm can help you outfit your kids as well as yourself in colorful new garden boots and garden shoes for those family gardening afternoons.

It’s a fun and colorful way to start looking forward to the spring gardening season ahead, and kids especially enjoy picking out their own favorite colors and designs of gardening shoes or boots, as well as gardening gloves. Our Chatham, Madison, Morristown and other local customers say that it brightens these bleak winter days to trek to The Farm for a shopping spree centered on wardrobe-centric gardening gifts for their families and themselves, and here’s a creative idea for presenting kids with their gift card to The Farm: make it a reward for a great report card, or a birthday gift from far-away grandparents and other relatives who may ask you for creative gift ideas for the kids…as well as for you. And grandparents love getting photos of the kids in their vibrant new gardening gloves, shoes and hats, especially if grandparents are avid gardeners themselves.

Using our gift cards allows you to choose your own new, bright accessories as a well-dressed gardener, and also pick out the garden accessories you’ll need to garden in comfort as well as style. Kneeling pads in colors coordinating with those new garden shoes let you and the little ones undertake organic gardening steps such as garden seeding and manual weeding without straining yourselves or bruising little knees.

You’re almost through this winter season. A gift card to The Farm lets you get into the springtime spirit sooner!

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 books on family celebrations, including weddings, bridal showers, vow renewals, and more. She is beyond thrilled to be the new guest blogger for The Farm, and she will be posting inspirations and tips for your parties, get-togethers and big family moments throughout the year. Visit her website www.sharonnaylor.net for more on her books and articles.

Your snow-covered property can help you envision a new plan for your spring garden layout. If you stand at a distance from your front, back or side gardens, you’ll see where the snow blankets your evergreen trees and azalea trees, and you’ll also clearly see the ‘blank spots’ in all of your garden landscaping designs. Ideally, your landscaping will look impressive all year round, not just in spring and summer when the brightest organic flowers and fullest trees are in bloom. So looking now at what you can plant in the spring and summer to be full and beautiful next winter puts a positive spin on all of this record-breaking New Jersey snowfall. That blanket of snow points out where you could use some evergreen plantings.

The green foliage of evergreens looks especially attractive in a white-blanketed landscape, and their ranges of colors and subtle variegations provide attractive detail to your garden design year-round. In warmer months, when those evergreens and sturdy winter plants are revealed, their beauty is shown in the streaks of color and the textures of their leaves and needles.

Some evergreens deliver flowers and berries in several seasons, adding a pop of color your landscape year-round as well.

Here are some evergreens to consider for your gardens’ blank spaces and balance of design:

Blue spruce trees – They grow to be both a strong focal point, a guard against wind, and may also be decorated with winter holiday lights.

Wintergreen plants — These provide a range of colors and textures in your garden beds, with red and purple groundcover often spotted with red berries and broadleaves, and many of our local Morris County home gardeners pick this organic wintergreen to brew teas.

English-ivy – An evergreen that retains its color year-round, and that some people include in their gardens because it’s a plant that legend says symbolizes ‘marital happiness.’

Boxwoods — One of the more popular evergreens, boxwoods create an attractive garden border.

The Farm’s knowledgeable staff can advise you on pairing the right evergreens with your property’s layout, so bring photos of your home and gardens and be prepared to share each section’s exposure to light and drainage information, so that The Farm’s experts can guide you to the right variety of evergreens and winter-hardy plantings to enhance your garden design right away, and look spectacular next winter as well.

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 books on family celebrations, including weddings, bridal showers, vow renewals, and more. She is beyond thrilled to be the new guest blogger for The Farm, and she will be posting inspirations and tips for your parties, get-togethers and big family moments throughout the year. Visit her website www.sharonnaylor.net for more on her books and articles.

This is a guest post by Lance Williams

Planning the landscaping around your home so that it looks beautiful even during the dull months of winter is a challenge, but being able to look out the window at artistically placed walks, walls, groundcovers, and shapes all year ‘round is a visual treat of which no gardener should deprive himself. Whether your area gets significant winter snow cover or lies within a sub-tropical or tropical zone, making smart choices in plants and hard landscaping can mean the difference between dull and dreary or lush and elegant.

The trick, for those whose gardens either languish into browns and grays when they are not covered by a thin coating of snow or are blanketed with snow for most of the months between October and April, is to think in forms. Most garden plants are pretty much done and gone, so the plants you choose will be those that keep their shape, color, or both during the winter months and are hardy enough to withstand freezing temperatures. When these are integrated with cement, stone, or tough wooden statuary, walls, benches, bird baths, plant containers, and other ornamental garden jewelry, your garden suddenly becomes much more interesting. For instance, hardy ornamental grasses and tightly shaped evergreens provide form under snow. Small walls that border curving walkways add geometrical interest next to the more free-flowing shapes of the plants, and statuary and benches can be added either individually or in groups to vary the height and keep the eye traveling from one side of the view to the other.

Trees and shrubs that bear brightly colored berries late into fall and throughout winter provide bright splashes of color in a winter garden. Colors become even more noticeable at this time of year, pleasing the eye immediately when seen against a background of dull neutrals. Holly, dogwood, Nandina, and Pyracantha are all examples of this type of plant, with beautiful red or orange berries reminding you of the coming of spring’s glory.

For gardens that never or very rarely get snow, options are a lot more varied. Landscapers for luxury homes in Palm Beach, Florida, can plan gardens that maintain vibrant color year-round. The ubiquitous green swatch of lawn has been replaced with thoughtfully planned walks, outdoor rooms, hardscaping, and groundcover that continually opens itself to new vistas.

Wherever you live, in whatever type of climate, planning a garden that looks beautiful in the winter as well as in other seasons can be rewarding and spiritually uplifting every time you gaze out the window.

This is a post by Sharon Naylor

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 books on family celebrations, including weddings, bridal showers, vow renewals, and more. She is beyond thrilled to be the new guest blogger for The Farm, and she will be posting inspirations and tips for your parties, get-togethers and big family moments throughout the year. Visit her website www.sharonnaylor.net for more on her books and articles.

To mark your success with your New Year’s Resolutions, reward yourself for each milestone – each five pounds lost, each week without an unhealthy habit – with the prize of new garden supplies. Buying a fresh garden plant or a pack of flower seeds to reward yourself for your dedication and efforts creates an all-positive momentum that’s far better than choosing a reward of, say, brownies or a fattening latte.

When you know that you’re just a pound away from a fragrant new herb garden, your reward for ten pounds lost, the excitement of your reward can inspire you to skip that dessert temptation and put in an extra effort at the gym.

Here in Morris County, our customers love their gardens, and they miss working on them during the winter months. Bringing garden supplies into their New Year’s Resolution reward plans allows them to get back in the gardening mindset, dream of their springtime plantings, sketch out designs for their dream vegetable garden or tomato plant row…and they begin right now, in the depths of winter, to prepare for their dream gardens of the near future.

Here are some garden supply items that we recommend for your New Year’s Resolution rewards list:

• Organic vegetable seeds

• Herb garden planters

• Container herb garden

• Tomato garden supplies, such as stakes and planters

• Terra cotta pots for planting strawberries

• Organic herb seeds

• Herbal plants

• Gardening gloves

• Gardening shoes

• Gardening kneeling pads

• Bamboo plants

• Perennial seeds

• And additional garden supplies

Save the big prize, such as a raised vegetable garden or a garden pond or a palate of stones for a rock garden, for when you reach your ultimate goal, and you’ll further motivate yourself in your efforts…and when spring arrives, your healthier and happier self will be well on your way to the garden of your dreams.

Experienced gardeners know that vegetable or flower gardening begins in the cold months of winter, not with new growth in spring. Planning a garden takes work that beginners often do not realize. However, with a little organization and some creativity, this becomes a winter tradition that is as anticipated as Christmas to a child.

We all hate doing our autumn gardening chores, but you know they need to be done. Your list may include things like:

• Sharpening blades on clippers, shears, and lawnmower blades.

• Cleaning and servicing your mower, edger, and tiller and other large equipment.

• Washing dirt and grass from hand tools and putting them in their place in your garage or shed. Don’t forget to put away the garden hose.

• Replacing worn out tools or equipment during off-season sales.

• Pruning dead branches throughout the yard to prevent ice or snow build-up from pulling them down and causing damage.

Now the fun begins. To plan for your spring garden, you must get your seed catalogs from your favorite garden supply store. I always draw a scaled version of my garden to make sure that I take advantage of all my gardening space without over-ordering seeds and plants. This helps me to plan which plants I’d like in which locations in my garden or yard.

Take the time to research native plants, which often require little care and help foster local wildlife. It is also a good idea to study composting and perhaps start your own compost bin or worm farm. These are fun to do and a great learning experience for children. Determine where in the yard you would like to place your compost bin and perhaps locate plans to build one during the cooler months.

To help conserve water, consider getting a rain barrel. My sister put hers under a runoff spout from her roof to gather more water for her garden. You may also choose to move your garden to an area that is lower than the rest of your yard. Rain from other areas of your yard will seep into the soil of this lower area, making the most of each rainy day.

Throughout the year, you should keep a gardening journal and refer to it during winter gardening planning. This always helps me to remember which plants thrived and which ones died so that next year’s garden will be even more successful.

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Plant seeds can be difficult to grow, although plant seeds are quite manageable if proper steps are taken. Some wonder why people bother in planting from a seed since it takes more time and can be difficult. Planting with seeds can be more affordable and it may feel more rewarding when your plant begins to emerge. I have planted my share of both, seeds and plantings. I agree that it is more rewarding, knowing the time spent, planting something as small as a seed and watching it form into something so grand.

Now that you are aware of some of the benefits that come from planting seeds, listed are simple steps to follow in planting seeds:

• Record keeping – keep records of what worked and what didn’t work whenplanting from seeds. Make sure you label everything; you want to be sure to take proper care of the seeds you’ve planted.

• Follow package directions – some seeds require chilling or light to germinate. Generally the smaller the seed then the closer to the top of the soil it should be.

• Use containers – use small containers to start with, make sure your container has air holes at the bottom. Containers need holes for air flow and proper drainage. Adding holes will prevent disease to your plants. Plant a few seeds per container, some seeds won’t take and this will give you a higher success rate.

• Cover trays/containers to lock in moisture – seeds are delicate, covering your trays or containers will help keep the plants warm and moist evenly. Be sure to remove cover when plants emerge.

• Proper care – make sure your seeds stay the right temperature, usually 65° to 75°F is needed to germinate. Again, follow package instructions.

• Acclimate seedlings – once your plants are ready to be planted outside, acclimate your seedlings. Introduce your plants to the elements of being outside several times before you plant them into the ground. This will help them adjust.

Following these tips will help you plant from seeds the right way and will lead you to successful gardening.

Back when our parents started their families, gardens and yards took on a different view from what we are now accustomed to today. Lawns appeared freshly cut, lush, green, and adorned with beautiful flowers along a structured pathway. Fruit and vegetable gardens were in perfect rows and were decorated with handy labels. Gardens sat at only one end of the backyard, while fruit trees were placed strategically in areas that needed shade most.

Today’s top trends in gardens and yards have a whole new approach. Low maintenance and wild array is what people are looking for this day and age. Many families are too busy with their careers, education, extra curricular activities, and with entertaining friends and family. Finding time to mow a large yard and to stick to a gardening regimen becomes harder and harder as we fill our days with more tasks. I’ve seen many front and back yards that posses a wild array of beauty, no structure, but speaking beauty in a way that our parents would only find at a botanical garden or like place.

Saying no to lawns is a big movement currently. Lawns take up too much of our water supply and this water supply can be used for better things. Sticking to a lawn free yard helps our environment and wildlife.

Organic, need I say more? All natural with no chemicals are what people want. Using no chemicals is better for our environment and our health. We aren’t limited to shopping at local farms and farmers markets anymore; we can find what we are looking for in our own organic gardens.

Fruit and vegetables aren’t just found in the backyard in one single corner any longer. A good friend of mine has a wildlife setting in his front and backyard. His yard consists of flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruits throughout. Edible plants are strewn about his property. What more could you want? Go out front and grab that perfect herb for the meal you are presenting for your family and friends!

Garden design can be a time consuming and expensive task. Hiring a consultant or DIY garden design can have its benefits and drawbacks. Knowing the primary elements of garden design, no matter which way you get the job done, is the key principle to saving your time and money.

Other elements of garden design:

1. Evaluate and measure – Know how location plays a part in your new garden, it could be the weather elements and the location of your home that could make or break your dream garden. How much space you have to work with is equally important.

2. Design concept – Sketches or photos will help you visualize your plans into the real deal or can help your hire a professional to lead you in the right direction.

3. Landscape plan – Ideas are drafted to scale at this time by a professional or by yourself. Discuss this plan and how your desired design will be laid out and what materials will be used with contractors and others who are involved.

4. Planting plan – Mapping out which plants will be planted in your garden and the location of where they will be planted, as well as the quantities of each plant is planned in this phase.

5. Lighting plan – Lighting up your garden to capture the pure beauty of your dream landscape is an important part in the planning process. Where will each light be placed and what will it capture?

6. Hire a contractor or DIY – Now that the plans have been drawn up by you or a professional it’s time to get busy.

7. Purchasing – It’s time to purchase all the materials, and plant life that you have decided upon for your garden.

8. Get Busy – It’s time for you or your contractor to get busy in creating your dream garden. Watch the beauty unfold, sit back, and relax.

A quick note, it’s best to only attempt designing a garden if you have experience in gardening. A trained professional knows best what elements will lead you to a prosperous or disastrous garden.