Mahoney's Garden Centers Blog

Ask the Experts - This Saturday in Falmouth!

Jennifer Runciman — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:51:00 +0000

Is your lawn looking lame? Are trees giving you troubles? Are your annuals anemic? Want prettier petunias? Are bugs bugging you? Are you perplexed by perennials? Are your string beans scrawny? Whatever your garden question, we’ll have the answer at Mahoney’s “Ask The Expert” event in East Falmouth. Join us and over a dozen garden experts as they answer all your questions and help you succeed in the garden. No question is too easy or too hard. Rain or shine. Bring all your questions! Admission is free!

Meet experts from:

Pearl’s Premium, Grass Seed
Grandpa D’s Worm Farm, Worm Castings & Composting
Bonide, Plant Solutions and Lawn Care
Damminix, Tick Tubes Tick Control
Actinovate, Root Enhancer
Neptune’s Harvest, Organic Fertilizer
Espoma, Holly-tone, Tomato-tone and Organica lawn care
Sunny Border, Perennials
Pleasant View, Annuals
Conard Pyle, Knock Out Roses
Uncle Mike’s Herbs & Vegetables
Mahoney’s Landscape Design Service
Plus meet James Redding, Mahoney’s own “Plant Doctor”

Finding the Perfect Gift for Mom

Jennifer Runciman — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:18:50 +0000

Garden Gifts

Struggling to think of a mother’s day gift? If your mom likes gardening or is thinking of getting into gardening, just walk through one of our stores and you’ll find plenty of great ideas that are useful for all levels of gardeners. Grab a basket, pick a few things you like and put it together for a great, unique gift.

Succulent Dish Gardens

These slightly funky gardens are a terrific conversation starter. Perfect for indoors or out. Super easy to care for. Choose one of our pre-made designs or design one yourself. We have everything you need to create a one-of-a-kind garden for the mom who has everything.

Couronne Decorative Glass Rooting Jars

The perfect gift for indoor plant enthusiasts! These lovely recycled glass vases help start cuttings quickly, while the shaded glass shields the roots from direct sun & keeps algae to a minimum. Great for starting ivy, pothos, begonias, coleus, philodendron, herb cuttings & even African violet leaves. Winchester & Falmouth only.

Boulder Owls

Remember Pet Rocks in the ‘70s? Here are the pet rocks for the new millennium! These adorable owls bring their own personality & pizzazz, whether they’re accenting a garden or hiding around the home. Adopt one or a whole family. Each owl is unique, so you’ll be sure no other mom will be getting the same gift.

Margarita Bistro Table

The ideal place for a morning cup of coffee, afternoon tea, or evening cocktail. Give Mom a spot to sit outdoors and enjoy her garden, the company of a friend, or just the peace and quiet. Our Margarita Bistro Tables are small, so they’ll fit in most any space you choose. They come in both bright and neutral colors, so there’s sure to be one to suit your backyard’s personality. Colors vary by store, not available in Brighton & Osterville.

Mahoney’s Florist {Winchester, Tewksbury, Chelmsford}

Who doesn’t love fresh flowers? Our talented designers are sure to wow you & Mom! Give one of our three florists a call to get something special made up, or stop by and pick up a pre-made arrangement. As always, delivery is convenient and affordable. Add on a gift card for an extra special gift. Don’t forget about all the other “moms” on your list – wives, sisters, daughters, godmother’s all love fresh cut flowers, too! Winchester, Tewksbury & Chelmsford only.

Orchids

Orchids have the same “wow” factor as a florist arrangement, but they’ll last months longer! Whether it’s one statement orchid in a designer pot or three mixed together in a gorgeous container, we have everything you need to impress mom with these magnificent pieces of art, perfect for any home. Come in to see all the amazing varieties, some that you’ve never seen before!

Premium Rose Bushes

We just got a huge shipment of new premium rose bushes, in bud & bloom available just in time for Mother’s Day. Come see the new 2012 varieties like Ketchup & Mustard, All a’ Twitter (pictured above), Sugar Moon and more. Why not start a new tradition? Get mom a rose introduced this year and then every year going forward, she’ll have years of memories to go with all those roses!

Wardian Glass Cases

Invented by Dr. Nathaniel Ward around 1829, the Wardian Case was originally used to protect foreign plants during their overseas import to Europe. The case became popular in well-to-do city homes for growing ferns and orchids. Our Wardian cases are beautifully made and come in several sizes. They are ideal for open- or closed-top terrariums, as well as Mom’s favorite collectibles. You can give one fully planted by our designers, or give Mom the opportunity to express her own creativity.

Garden Glass Art

Come see how spectacular garden art glass can be when nestled among lacy ferns, soaring palms, etc. Lots of options to choose from: fountains, free-standing fronds, bird baths, gazing balls, and more. Spectacular, yet surprisingly affordable. Some even feature solar powered lights for a lovely nighttime glow. Bonus: the glass pigments will not fade. Give Mom one to place in her garden as you would a specimen plant, and these garden accents elevate both art and plants to a new light. A unique gift! Not available in Brighton & Osterville.

Lechuza Self-Watering Designer Planters

The perfect solution for a busy mom, or a mom that likes to “kill her plants with kindness”, no need to worry about over- or under-watering. Lechuza is the perfect low-maintenance solution that looks great and provides the best results for your plants. So easy: just check the red float and add water when low. Go weeks between watering! Perfect for summer or weekend homes, too! Winchester, Falmouth & Wayland only.

Discovering Ferns

Jennifer Runciman — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:47:48 +0000

Posted by:

James Hohmann

Ferns conjure images of lush and verdant forests and jungles. Waterfalls, streams, and quiet woodland pools come to mind. Slippery stones, mossy paths, and lichen covered logs seem to appear as well. It’s interesting that when one stops for just a few seconds, and ponders ferns, silently, in your mind, what surfaces are all kinds of associations of place. Nice places. Quiet places. Beautiful places. Places that transport you from where you are, to where you want to be! Ferns do that for me.

Using Ferns Indoors

Inside the house, ferns require a little more care, but are still quite easy. The trick to success with indoor ferns is moisture. Soil should be kept evenly moist, which does not mean wet. Humidity in the air is very helpful, which is why many people succeed with ferns in bathrooms, kitchens, and under glass (terrariums). Ferns will also do fine under most normal household conditions, but don’t place them in the dry air generated from forced hot air heating vents or fireplaces. Misting your plants is always appreciated.

A great way to use ferns indoors is to place a single choice specimen (like a Nevada, Maidenhair, or Bird’s Nest) in a singularly beautiful cache pot, like a hand painted Chinese porcelain bowl, or piece of mid-century pottery, on a dining, coffee, or side table. Ferns seem to enhance any vessel you put them in, where other plants may not. Ferns are also especially wonderful used in groupings on plant tables, or in Wardian cases, terrariums, and under cloches (glass bells). Whole collections of ferns can be found in what we call “itty bitty” sizes (about a 2” pot), and these are just perfect for planting under glass! The environment under glass is high in humidity, and mimics the ferns natural habitat… they will THRIVE.

A few indoor types to watch for are the Nevada type Boston fern, the mother fern, and the aspleniums, or bird’s nest ferns. The Nevada is a new introduction that is even more hardy and vigorous than the old but wonderful true Boston fern. It appears to be more compact and not quite as floppy. The mother fern is a new to the trade plant that grows large and has a graceful form. It also produces wonderful little “babies” on the backs of the fronds, that can be plucked off and potted on their own! Finally, the asplenium group are super easy and VERY interesting in form. They are almost sculptural in appearance, and look great on their own, or grouped with other types.

Using Ferns Outdoors

Ferns can be incredibly rugged and hardy additions to your outdoor space. Mostly shade loving, they can thrive where many plants would perish, turning a simple backyard corner into a Japanese Zen garden, a Coastal Maine cottage garden, or if you prefer a Costa Rican jungle garden. That’s the fun and amazing transformative power of these plants. They can change your world!

There are so many varieties of ferns suited to your garden, but let me mention just a few of my favorites. Hay scented is my number one pick. This groundcover type, works in sun or shade, in wet or dry situations. It creates this lovely two foot tall blanket of green, that on a warm summer day, emits this wonderful melon like fragrance that just hangs in the air. Ostrich ferns are the “queen” of the outdoor hardy ferns. They grow four feet or more tall, and have a truly regal vase shape. Also, the Japanese painted ferns are found in ever increasing new varieties, every year, and they will charm you with their often silvery, pink and purple colored markings.

Whichever ferns you choose, whether inside or out, I’m sure you will be transported away to some fine memory of place.

Photos Courtesy of Emily Covino

James Hohmann

James Hohmann is the general manager of our Brighton (formerly Cambridge) store. He’s been with Mahoney’s Garden Centers since 1990, after graduating from Cornell University, where he studied landscape architecture and horticulture. His expertise is in perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs,...

Brighton Exclusive - Rustic Chinese Pottery

Jennifer Runciman — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:25:31 +0000

Posted by:

James Hohmann

The Rustic Chinese Pottery has arrived in Brighton! We have not carried this incredible line since our Cambridge days. It is difficult to come by because of its expense and nightmarish logistics. The amazing glazes are so beautiful and change all day as the sunlight hits them from different angles. These pots are really special, with interesting forms too. The Rustic Chinese Pots are very strong and heavy; perfect for outdoor use. They can be left outside even in the winter as long as they are raised off the ground plane with pot feet (or bricks) and drain properly. If you find one without a drainage hole, we will be happy to drill one for you. I have collected these pots for over ten years, and have used them in my garden in many different ways. I have thrown glass on the tops to make garden tables, have used them as sculpture next to my pool, and have planted them with all kinds of plant collections around my garden. I have never, in ten years, had one break or crack over the winter! And I have NEVER been able to say that about ANY other earthen pot line, even impruneta from Italy. Come by and take a look… you’ll fall in LOVE!

Only available at our Brighton location. Please call 617-787-8885 with any questions.

James Hohmann

Water Smarter for Healthier Lawns and Gardens

Jennifer Runciman — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:58:34 +0000

Watering is perhaps the most misunderstood part of gardening. So, considering the surprisingly early spring temperatures and the inevitable summer that lies ahead, here are some helpful tips to keep your plants and lawn properly watered, happy and healthy.

For Lawns:

Water lawns deeply but less frequently – it saves lots of water and encourages grass roots to grow deeper: a good thing to help lawns tolerate future heat, drought conditions and the dreaded water bans. A common rule of thumb is to give your lawn 1” of water every week.

Never let new grass seed go dry. Water daily (or several times a day) until the grass plants germinate and become established.

To prevent wasting water to evaporation water early in the morning.

For Trees, Shrubs, Annuals & Perennials in the Ground:

Add mulch around the base of trees, shrubs, perennials and vegetable gardens. Mulch reduces evaporation and protects plants’ roots from the hot sun. Reduces weeds too! (Warning: Even though you see it done all the time, do not mound it high around the trunk – this can rot the trunk!)

Use soaker hoses to slow water trees, shrubs and planting beds. Soakers deliver water directly to plants’ root zones, so less is lost to evaporation.

Add organic compost to bedding plants (lawns, too). Soil with biological activity holds more water where the roots can get it.

Water slowly, and deeply to avoid run-off and to ensure the soil absorbs the water.

Warning: lawn irrigation systems do not provide enough water for trees or shrubs! Your trees and shrubs may “look” wet, but they’ll need much more water than your lawn!

For Containers:

When first planting, make sure to cover the container’s drainage holes with stones so dirt is not able to clog the hole. A container without drainage can drown the roots and cause them to rot.

Consider adding Soil Moist when first planting to keep water more available to plant roots.

Check out our Lechuza line of self-watering planters – they work and look great!