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Plants

| July 1, 2021

Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’)

One of Our Favorite Plants for Shaded Gardens Hardiness Range: 3 to 8 Height: 18” Spread: 24” Exposure: Partial to Full Shade Leaf Color: Olive Green with Silver Variegation and Burgundy Stem Why We Love It: Japanese Painted Fern is a dense perennial with gracefully arching foliage that emerges burgundy in the spring and becomes […]

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Plants

| June 1, 2021

Texas Scarlet Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Texas Scarlet’)

One of Our Favorite Shrubs for Spring Blooms Hardiness Range: 5a Height: 5’ Spread: 5’ Exposure: Full Sun Bloom Color: Bright Red Why We Love It: Texas Scarlet Flowering Quince is an abundant bloomer of bright red flowers that bloom directly on the branches in early spring. This smaller shrub will make people stop and […]

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Plants

| May 1, 2021

Hyssop (Agastache)

A Favorite Perennial for Pollinators Why We Love It: Hyssop is absolutely fantastic at attracting pollinators – you will see a constant revolving door of bees, butterflies, and other welcome insects. This lovely perennial produces bold, aromatic flowers that bloom freely from mid-summer to mid-fall, and are excellent for cutting. You’ll want to deadhead the […]

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Tips & Tricks

| April 26, 2021

How to Handle Peat Starter Plants

There are many different methods to consider when starting vegetable and herb seeds, and we use several approaches here at Piala’s. Some plants do best in sturdy pots with stakes (tomatoes, peppers) and others require more delicate handling of the root system.  Some veggies such as summer squash, winter squash, cucumbers, and beans are very […]

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Plants / Tips & Tricks

| March 30, 2021

Beyond Burning Bush: Fall-Scaping for Gorgeous Late Season Landscapes

Fall in Wisconsin is a bittersweet season. The initial dread of the upcoming winter months can lead to a reluctance to embrace the beauty in the fall landscape. This is a huge missed opportunity! September and October can (and should) be two of our most spectacular months outdoors. Another reason fall color can be neglected […]

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Plants

| March 17, 2021

Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)

Our Favorite Trees for Waukesha Hardiness Range: 4 to 8 Height: 40’-70’ Spread: 20’-50’ Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade Bloom Color: White Why We Love It:  Huge, dinner-plate sized leaves with gorgeous white flowers in spring.  The Catalpa is underutilized in home landscapes and provides a great alternative to overused, popular specimen shade trees.  One of the RARE trees […]

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Tips & Tricks

| March 17, 2021

Don’t Drown Your Plants

When caring for your plants, you may think that the more water the merrier, but overwatering can be just as problematic as underwatering. Here are five common mistakes we see that can lead to overwatered plants in the landscape:  1. Site Selection:  Be observant/thoughtful when you select a site for your plants. Pay attention to the […]

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Plants

| March 15, 2021

Herbs That Don’t Die

Home Herbalism for the Black Thumb Crowd  Why bother growing herbs?  Flavor.  Everything we taste is controlled by our nose.  Well-flavored food draws you in before you even pick up the fork.  Herbs are the enemy of bland food, and FRESH herbs are king.  Once you’ve cooked with the fresh stuff, there’s no going back!  Chopped oniony chives on potatoes, […]

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Plants

| March 14, 2021

Back Off the Buzzcut

Back off the Buzzcut for a Healthy Lawn!  The most beneficial practice to maintain a healthy lawn is to set your mower height to a minimum of 2.5 – 3 inches, with 3 inches preferred. You may be shaking your head at this suggestion, but we stand by this advice. Keeping your grass at a […]

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