Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Sonia Uyterhoeven is the NYBG‘s Gardener for Public Education.

Monet’s garden was a living canvas. In this space he experimented with his love of color and form. His knowledge of color theory and his artist’s eye informed the choices he made in his garden design. In turn, they offer good suggestions for the homeowner who is about to embark on their own planting project.

Last week we mentioned how one of Monet’s prominent concerns was capturing light and atmosphere. His garden was no different from the scenes he painted on his canvas. The color sequences that he created in his garden echoed changes in light and weather that he observed in the space. He used his artist’s eye to accentuate these changes and enhance the atmospheric quality of the place.
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In April we celebrated Spring Color Week as a rainbow of blooms burst forth.

Spring Color Week

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Belgian mum 'Cockatoo'

Weather generally has the upper hand when it comes to gardening. There are lots of things we can do to foster the care of our plants, but ultimately we end up at the mercy of Mother Nature. This year was no exception. The New York-area had a wet spring, baking hot July with no sign of rain, and then a record-breaking, near-constant deluge in August.

And now we’re seeing the effect of this weird weather around the Garden; many of our fall bloomers are one to two weeks behind schedule, most notably our late September rose display and our chrysanthemums. It has also been a lousy year for tomatoes.

In July, when the temperatures rose into the high 90s and we lacked any rain, our plants responded by shutting down. This is a protective response which helps them survive difficult times. If the plants had continued to push growth under these conditions they would have lost too much moisture and wasted a dangerous amount of energy. In this respect, plants are just like people; they get sluggish and slow down in the heat.

Learn how to get amazing color in your fall garden with hardy mums below.

Coleus ‘Big Red Judy’ in the Perennial Garden (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)

The rosy-hued beauties didn’t get the memo that Summer Color Week was last week!

Echinacea purpurea ‘Vintage Wine’

Coreopsis ‘Garnet’

Hibiscus ‘Sweet Caroline’

Photos by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education.

Rhododendron 'P.J.M.'

Pruning

The best pruning jobs begin with a goal, a determination of what needs to be accomplished–reducing size, controlling shape, rejuvenating growth. As with all pruning jobs, removing the dead and diseased wood is the first call of order. Then take a step back and look at the framework before moving ahead with your mission.

See also: Native Azaleas

The best time to prune azaleas and rhododendrons is immediately after bloom into mid-July. If you wait too long, buds will already have formed for the following year. In general, azaleas and rhododendrons need minimal pruning.

Reducing Size

To reduce the height of an azalea while allowing it to retain its natural appearance, follow the branch targeted for removal down to a lower lateral branch, and make a cut just above the point of intersection. The cut should be slightly above where the two branches intersect so as not to cut into the tissue of the branch that will remain.

Another way of reducing the size of an azalea is to cut it back to just above a whorls of leaves. Also look for circular scars around the stem, where leaves once were. Cutting just above these areas should create good bud break. In either case, make the cut just above new buds, whether they are visible or latent.

Controlling Shape

Evergreen azaleas can be sheared back to form nice mounds if desired. If you are pruning the azalea into a mound, remember to occasionally open up the plant and let some light penetrate into the dense mass of foliage so that it doesn’t get too congested.

See also: Azalea Planting Tips

If you’d like to make a young azalea or rhododendron more compact and well-branched, the easiest thing to do is to pinch off the vegetative buds in spring. First take a look at the plant to familiarize yourself with the bud system. The fat swollen buds are flower buds. These form in the previous season and overwinter, and you’ll want to leave these alone. They are generally twice the size of the vegetative buds, which are the narrower, pencil-like, smaller buds.

Learn more about keeping your azaleas healthy below.

Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education.

Rhododendron austrinum

The majority of azaleas native to North America hail from the states running down the Appalachian mountain range; from Maine to Florida. All of the North American natives are deciduous, tend to have open, loosely branched habits, are known for their hardiness, and for their exquisite fall foliage. Many are scented, with perfumes ranging from sweet to spicy.

Though azaleas in general prefer part sun and moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil, among species there is a broad spectrum of tolerance for heat, moisture, and hardiness. Flowering times are also wide ranging: from early April into August.

Following are some native species and their cultivars that can be found in the Azalea Garden.

See some of North America’s native azaleas after the jump.

These colors are entirely real.

Rhododendron ‘Hinomayo’ in the Azalea Garden (photos by Ivo M. Vermeulen)

If early spring had an official color, I would nominate that it be yellow. And mid-spring? Pink. Definitely pink.