North Haven Gardens March-April Newsletter

North Haven Gardens Newsletter
March-April 1997

In this issue:

The Thyme is Here by Don Miller
Rose Care by Bob McLaughlin
Book Nook
New Greenhouse
The Gift Corner by Betty Hargrave
Purple Martins by Carolyn Oldham

The Thyme is Here by Don Miller

Thyme has been designated "Herb of the Year 1997" by the International Herb Growers Association. Having so many culinary, ornamental, and medicinal properties, no plant is more deserving of the honor.

At North Haven Gardens we grow and sell over 15 different varieties this versatile perennial. Throughout history thyme has symbolized courage and activity. In fact, thyme gets its botanical name Thymus from thymus which means courage in Greek. Many civilizations have recognized these fragrant plants for their culinary and medicinal properties. English thyme, Thymus vulgaris, has been used in Europe in cough preparations and to reduce bronchial congestion. Currently it is being scientifically studied for its antioxidant properties. English thyme is prized everywhere for its uses in the kitchen, to season all kinds of meats, vegetables and soups. French thyme, a variety of Thymus vulgaris has a more slender leaf than English and is said to have a more intense flavor. The vulgaris thymes, which reach a height of about 10" stay fuller when pruned back after the flowers fade in the spring and a second time in early fall. If you enjoy a hint of lemon in your meals, try one of our four varieties of lemon thymes; Green, Golden, Silver or even ‘Doone Valley’, a low growing variety with gold mottled leaves. It has a sprinkling of golden leaves in with the green. One of my favorites is Caraway Thyme, Thymus herb-barona, a beauty for falling over raised beds or rocks. Each spring it is covered with pink blossoms. For centuries it has been used to season beef roasts, and it is excellent for that "rye-bread" flavor in breads, cheese or cream sauces, and with cabbage.

Orange Balsam thyme, Thymus vulgaris `Orange Balsam’, is a strong flavored thyme that adds the flavor of orange peel to your recipes. Oregano thyme , Thymus pulegioides,can be used as you would oregano to add flavor to tomato based marinara,pizza and Creole sauces. Most of the low-growing thymes are popular for ornamental purposes. Golden Creeping thyme, Thymus sp., with a height of about 4" is great for borders and spectacular when its golden foliage is covered with soft pink spring flowers. An absolute delight between stepping stones is the tiny creeping thyme, Thymus praecox-articus, which stays neatly about 1’ or 2’ tall, even when covered with its bright pink spring flowers. To grow their best all thymes need full sun, or at least a half day, and well drained soil. In Dallas mix coarse sand, such as lava sand, with some compost to improve our clay soils. Then come to North Haven Gardens to smell"em, taste’em, and admire’em. Select the thymes for your life and take’em home and plant’em

Rose Care:

Plant roses in native soil mixed with at least 1/3 organic compost then cover with 2-3" of organic mulch, such as composted cotton burrs or shredded bark, with bark add extra nitrogen. Renew mulch each year, keep roses well watered, but not soggy, and fertilize at least twice annually with a mixture of 3-5 organic nutrients: mix your own or purchase packaged products. Such as the following Alfalfa Meal, Bat Guano, Blood Meal, Bone Meal, Composted Cattle-Horse or Poultry Manure, Cottonseed, Feather Meal, Fish emulsion, Kelp, Worm Castings.

Rose Care by Bob McLaughlin

With the advent of spring we must once again turn to fertilization and spraying to ensure maximum beautiful rose production. Let’s look at both the organic and synthetic approaches:

Organic

Rose Defense - This is a combined fungicide and insecticide. It is made from the oil of Neem tree leaves.

Bioform - This is a combination of seaweed and fish emulsion, an excellent fertilizer.

Liquified Seaweed - An excellent fertilizer as a fouler spray; won’t burn

Synthetic (Manufactured)

For fungus control - Alternate between copper fungicide and Daconil.

For insect control - This can vary with the insect; however Orthene is a good all round spray.

Fertilizer - Carl Pool Acid Rose Food is a well balanced fertilizer used once a month. Always read and follow label directions.

Book Nook

From a gardening standpoint, spring is just around the corner. This is the prefect time to read up on some project you may have in mind. North Haven has a wide spectrum of books in subjects including Roses, Perennials, Birds, Water Plants, Trees and Shrubs.

Two of our newest would be: Native Texas Gardens by Sally Wasowski This book includes conversion to a native garden design, installation and a common and scientific name reference. Herb gardening in Texas by Sol Meltzer. This covers more than 90 different herbs used for cooking, lotions, oils, Teas and potpourri.

We also have some of the "old stand-by’s" everyone needs on their reference shelf:

Plants for Texas by Howard Garrett

Neil Sperry’s Complete Guide To Texas Gardening"

Plants of the Metroplex III by Howard Garett.

Antique Roses for the South by William Welch

Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest by Miller

Dallas Planting Manual by The Dallas Garden Club

We are expanding our titles to include more technical Horticultural

books such as "Know it and Grow It by Carl Whitcomb. And How to Grow Native Plants by Jill Nokes.

Ideas and instruction from a good book can greatly enhance and simplify your gardening pleasure.

New Greenhouse

You’ll love our newly re-modeled greenhouse! Now more spacious and full of great plants to make your interiors beautiful. We have gorgeous floor plants like Draceanea, Bird of Paradise, and Scheffeleras. Our giant Euphorbias are like a taste of the Southwest. We have Cactus and Succulents, Ferns, Bromeliads and Orchids. Shop from our Low Light Plants area for Peace Lilies and Chinese Evergreens or maybe you need the strong accent that a Sanseveria makes. Shop from our huge selection of Begonias over 300 varieties! You’re sure to find everything you need to brighten your home!

The Gift Corner by Betty Hargrave

Spring gift buying is fun at North Haven Gardens. A new collection of beautiful table top fountains has arrived. A table top fountain is the perfect way to bring the sounds of water to your patio or garden room. Wind chimes make a great gift. The precision tuned, Woodstock Chines add the beauty of sound to every garden. We have a wonderful new collection of ceramic containers for the beautiful house plants from our newly decorated greenhouse. The collector of blue and white will find several new styles to add that special touch to a room. Be sure to see the new designs in our collection of Woodlink bird feeders and bird houses. We now have a great blue and white lighthouse design for the Finches. Owl houses, Bat houses as well as many different sizes and shapes for general bird feeding are also available. It is time to put your Purple Martin House. They will enjoy the new "condo" . Engraved Riverstones continue to be a favorite for gift giving and we have added many new words and a variety of sizes. Be sure to have a short rest on the new Riverstone Garden bench. Special orders are always welcome for that personal gift message. Our beautiful solid teak furniture will add a touch of the tropics to your patio or garden room. Piled high with bright pillows and let your mind wander to a "Tropical Paradise". The Spring bulb collection is here with some great new varieties of Japanese Iris, Garden Orchids, Garden Amaryllis and many varieties of Lilies. The North Haven Gift Certificate remains a great idea if you can’t decide what to give!

Remember our sales persons are always eager to help you with all your questions when choosing a gift for yourself or someone else.

See You Soon

Purple Martins by Carolyn Oldham

The attraction between Purple Martins and man can be traced back to the Native Americans. They we the first people to entice Purple Martins to nest within their villages by hanging hollowed out gourds from their dwellings. The early colonists were quick to adopt this custom which continues today. Martins are sought after for good reason. They are friendly birds, preferring to nest close to man. In fact, they are the only bird species in eastern North America totally dependant on human-supplied nest boxes. Purple Martins have fascinating social behavior, are extremely graceful in flight, have beautiful songs, and consume vast quantities of insects. While they do eat some mosquitoes, claims that they eat thousands of them daily are and exaggeration. Their diet mainly consists of moths dragonflies, winged ants, flies, wasps, bees, and some mosquitoes.

Here are the best tips for attracting this beneficial bird to your yard:

Place the Martin House on a pole 12’ -20’ tall in the center of the largest opening in your yard. There should be no trees or buildings within 30’ - 40’ in any direction. It helps if you live within a mile of fresh water -a pond, creek, river or lake.

House can be wooden or metal-the martins don’t seem to care. However, the house should be white to reflect the sun’s heat. The Martins even prefer white houses. Unquestionably, aluminum houses are lighter-weight and thus, easier to raise and lower. Starlings and House Sparrows must not be allowed to nest in your Martin House. Their aggressiveness will prevent the Martins for establishing a colony. You must clean out the intruder’s nest and plug the holes of the house if you notice their return. This is critical to your success.

In Dallas, older adult Purple Martins returning to previous nest sites typically begin arriving from South America in mid-February. These first arrivals are rarely attracted to new houses. The best timing for putting up a new house is 4-5 weeks after the first Martins arrive. At that time, the young Martin yearlings will return eager to find new nesting sites. New housing can even be put up as late as June and still attract nesting Martins. The house should be taken down in early September, then cleaned and stored for winter.

The return of Purple Martins in mid-February means for us that spring is on the way. With a little effort, Purple Martin majesty can adorn your backyard garden!