Wolcott Garden Treasures
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Seashore & Salty Areas
Those of you who vacation or live by the shore know that certain plants simply don't do well in the salty soil. By the same token, many people who live inland have trouble with soil that has absorbed road salt used during the winter. However your problem occurred, here are some plants that will tolerate the extra salt.
Trees, Shrubs & Bushes
Andromeda, Blue Ice Bog - at 1-2' tall and wide, this manageable shrub has steel blue needle-like foliage with late April to early May blooms of small, pink-tinged, bell-shaped flowers.
Apple Trees - we regularly stock Cortland, MacIntosh and Red Delicious varieties. Each type will grow to about 12-15' tall and will bloom mid-season, making them good pollinators for each other (although MacIntosh is considered self-fruitful).
Arborvitae, occidentalis varieties - we usually offer three separate occidentalis varieties. Dark American is a larger tree, maturing to 20-30' tall and 6-8' wide; Emerald Green Western is slightly smaller at 18-20' tall and 5-6' wide; Rheingold is much smaller, growing to only 4-5' tall and 3-4' wide, with a globular shape. All three are hardy and easy to care for, and make great privacy screens.
Bearberry, Kinnickinnick - This reliable ground cover will grow to about 6-12" tall and 4-6' wide. With dark green foliage that turns reddish-bronze in autumn and persistent red berries in the winter, it's a colorful addition to the landscape all year. It's very hardy and does best in poor, sandy soil, especially in seashore conditions.
Barberry, Crimson Pygmy - this barberry variety has medium to deep red foliage and a low, slow growing form that thrives in poor soil. It will grow to 2' tall by 4-5' wide.
Blueberry Bush, Blue Jay Highbush - this is a very fruitful, medium-sized blueberry bush, standing 5-7' both wide and tall. Tolerating poor soil and shade, this robust and rounded bush will produce lots of deep blue, sizeable berries in August and will put on a purplish-red show of fall foliage.
Butterfly Bush - we routinely carry over a half-dozen varieties of this garden favorite. Depending on your selection, your butterfly bush will grow to between 4-9' tall and wide and will bloom in late summer in any number of colors including shades of blue, purple, red and pink.
Cotoneaster - our Willow Leaf variety grows to about 12-18" high and 6-8' wide with semi-evergreen, willow-like foliage that will turn puplish-red in fall. With a nice autumn show of red berries, this cotoneaster is rapidly spreading, easy to grow and pest-free.
Cypress, Boulevard - a larger variety, Boulevard will grow to 10' tall by 6' wide. It is strong-growing and colorful, with silvery-blue foliage in a pyramidal form.
Cypress, Gold Mop - much smaller than the Boulevard variety, Gold Mop will grow to 3-4' tall and 4-5'wide. This slow-grower has a year-long yellow color and will not scald in the sun.
Dogwood, Wolf Eyes Chinese - this longer blooming variety has creamy, white, star-shaped blossoms that last up to six weeks beginning in late May. Growing 6-9' tall and 10-12' wide, its beautiful foliage has a white band surrounding a deep green center.
Euonymus, Burning Bush - known for its intense scarlet fall foliage, this hardy and versatile hedge-like shrub has a dense, compact growth habit and will reach 6-8' tall and 8-10' wide.
Euonymus, Canadale Gold - this smaller variety will grow to 4' tall and 4-5' wide, with light green foliage enclosed by golden yellow edging.
Holly, Green Lustre Japanese - excellent for hedging, this super hardy, widely spreading variety has dark, lustrous foliage that will reach 4' tall by 6-7' wide.
Honeysuckle - we generally carry a few varieties of honeysuckle. Hardy and long-blooming, these vines are fragrant and pretty additions to any trellis or arbor.
Hydrangea - our two most popular varieties are Endless Summer and Pee Gee. Endless Summer is hardy and reliable, with big, traditional blue pom-pom flowers that emerge in July and last late into the summer. It will mature to about 5-6' in both height and width. Pee Gee is a tree form variety that will reach 10-15' tall and wide. It is also extremely long-blooming, with huge, white pom-pom flowers that bloom in July and persist into the late fall. Super hardy and easy to grow, Pee Gee offers a ton of late summer and fall appeal.
Inkberry, Shamrock - at 3-3.5' tall and 4-4.5' wide, this handsome and compact native inkberry is slow-growing and very hard, with lustrous dark green leaves.
Lilac, vulgaris varieties - we usually carry four vulgaris varieties, all French hybrids. Charles Joly, President Grevy and Primrose all grow to 12-15' tall and 8-12' wide, with mid May blooms of double red, double blue and single light yellow flowers, respectively. Yankee Doodle is a little smaller at 8-10' tall and wide, with profuse early May blooms of the deepest, darkest purple of any other lilac.
Maple, October Glory (Red) - this native variety is quick-growing, hardy and pest-free. Growing to a mature size of 50-60' tall and wide, it has deep green, lustrous summer foliage followed by brilliant orange-red fall color.
Pine Tree, Mugo - as a rule, we carry only the Dwarf Mugo Pine, although we can order the Slowmound shrub form. The dwarf variety 3-4' tall and 6-8' wide and works great by itself or in groups. Texture and touchability make this durable, slow-growing conifer extremely popular.
Plum Tree, Sandcherry Ornamental Flowering - at 7-9' tall and 5-6' wide, this hardy, smaller ornamental has small, single pink flower blooms before its purple-red foliage flushes in April.
Other salt tolerant trees, shrubs and bushes you may want to consider are: Scotchbroom, Dwarf Alberta and Dwarf Blue Globe Spruce, Blue Muffin Viburnum, Willow Trees, and Wisteria.
Perennials & Ground Covers
Achillea (Yarrow) is a very popular, upright growing perennial with aromatic, finely cut, gray-green foliage and flat flower heads. You can choose from a number of varieties ranging in height from 15-30" and with summer blooms of white, red, pink and yellow.
Ajuga or Bugle Weed is a vigorous, mat-forming groundcover that is ideal for areas in which a lawn is not needed. We have several varieties with bloom times from mid spring to mid summer. Flowers range in color from violet to blue and stems will reach between 3 and 10".
Arabis (Rock Cress) - this low-growing, spreading perennial has attractive, gray-green foliage and is beautiful as a groundcover or for edgings, rock gardens and pattern plantings. Depending on the variety, pink or white flowers bloom in spring or summer, and stems reach 4-10" in height.
Aster - we carry the Wood's varieties of Aster, which are long-blooming, highly mildew resistant and grow to 12-15" tall and 18-24" wide. Blooming for about six weeks in the late summer through fall, Wood's Blue has blue flowers with yellow centers, Wood's Pink has pink flowers with radiant yellow centers and Wood's Purple has pinkish purple flowers.
Columbine - a compact, hardy perennial, columbine is available in a number of varieties. Flabellata varieties are shorter, at 5-7", bloom from spring to early summer and come in both single and double color blooms. Hybrida varieties range from 18-36" in height, bloom from spring to summer and also come in both single and double color blooms.
Wormwood - also known as Artemisia, this attractive perennial makes a lovely accent, container or borer plant. Its ferny, silvery mounding foliage blends well with colorful, flowering plants.
Other salt tolerant perennials to consider are Juniper, Hollyhocks, Thrift (maritima varieties) and Astilbe.
Andromeda, Blue Ice Bog - at 1-2' tall and wide, this manageable shrub has steel blue needle-like foliage with late April to early May blooms of small, pink-tinged, bell-shaped flowers.
Apple Trees - we regularly stock Cortland, MacIntosh and Red Delicious varieties. Each type will grow to about 12-15' tall and will bloom mid-season, making them good pollinators for each other (although MacIntosh is considered self-fruitful).
Arborvitae, occidentalis varieties - we usually offer three separate occidentalis varieties. Dark American is a larger tree, maturing to 20-30' tall and 6-8' wide; Emerald Green Western is slightly smaller at 18-20' tall and 5-6' wide; Rheingold is much smaller, growing to only 4-5' tall and 3-4' wide, with a globular shape. All three are hardy and easy to care for, and make great privacy screens.
Bearberry, Kinnickinnick - This reliable ground cover will grow to about 6-12" tall and 4-6' wide. With dark green foliage that turns reddish-bronze in autumn and persistent red berries in the winter, it's a colorful addition to the landscape all year. It's very hardy and does best in poor, sandy soil, especially in seashore conditions.Barberry, Crimson Pygmy - this barberry variety has medium to deep red foliage and a low, slow growing form that thrives in poor soil. It will grow to 2' tall by 4-5' wide.
Blueberry Bush, Blue Jay Highbush - this is a very fruitful, medium-sized blueberry bush, standing 5-7' both wide and tall. Tolerating poor soil and shade, this robust and rounded bush will produce lots of deep blue, sizeable berries in August and will put on a purplish-red show of fall foliage.
Butterfly Bush - we routinely carry over a half-dozen varieties of this garden favorite. Depending on your selection, your butterfly bush will grow to between 4-9' tall and wide and will bloom in late summer in any number of colors including shades of blue, purple, red and pink.
Cotoneaster - our Willow Leaf variety grows to about 12-18" high and 6-8' wide with semi-evergreen, willow-like foliage that will turn puplish-red in fall. With a nice autumn show of red berries, this cotoneaster is rapidly spreading, easy to grow and pest-free.
Cypress, Boulevard - a larger variety, Boulevard will grow to 10' tall by 6' wide. It is strong-growing and colorful, with silvery-blue foliage in a pyramidal form.Cypress, Gold Mop - much smaller than the Boulevard variety, Gold Mop will grow to 3-4' tall and 4-5'wide. This slow-grower has a year-long yellow color and will not scald in the sun.
Dogwood, Wolf Eyes Chinese - this longer blooming variety has creamy, white, star-shaped blossoms that last up to six weeks beginning in late May. Growing 6-9' tall and 10-12' wide, its beautiful foliage has a white band surrounding a deep green center.
Euonymus, Burning Bush - known for its intense scarlet fall foliage, this hardy and versatile hedge-like shrub has a dense, compact growth habit and will reach 6-8' tall and 8-10' wide.
Euonymus, Canadale Gold - this smaller variety will grow to 4' tall and 4-5' wide, with light green foliage enclosed by golden yellow edging.
Holly, Green Lustre Japanese - excellent for hedging, this super hardy, widely spreading variety has dark, lustrous foliage that will reach 4' tall by 6-7' wide.
Honeysuckle - we generally carry a few varieties of honeysuckle. Hardy and long-blooming, these vines are fragrant and pretty additions to any trellis or arbor.
Hydrangea - our two most popular varieties are Endless Summer and Pee Gee. Endless Summer is hardy and reliable, with big, traditional blue pom-pom flowers that emerge in July and last late into the summer. It will mature to about 5-6' in both height and width. Pee Gee is a tree form variety that will reach 10-15' tall and wide. It is also extremely long-blooming, with huge, white pom-pom flowers that bloom in July and persist into the late fall. Super hardy and easy to grow, Pee Gee offers a ton of late summer and fall appeal.Inkberry, Shamrock - at 3-3.5' tall and 4-4.5' wide, this handsome and compact native inkberry is slow-growing and very hard, with lustrous dark green leaves.
Lilac, vulgaris varieties - we usually carry four vulgaris varieties, all French hybrids. Charles Joly, President Grevy and Primrose all grow to 12-15' tall and 8-12' wide, with mid May blooms of double red, double blue and single light yellow flowers, respectively. Yankee Doodle is a little smaller at 8-10' tall and wide, with profuse early May blooms of the deepest, darkest purple of any other lilac.
Maple, October Glory (Red) - this native variety is quick-growing, hardy and pest-free. Growing to a mature size of 50-60' tall and wide, it has deep green, lustrous summer foliage followed by brilliant orange-red fall color.
Pine Tree, Mugo - as a rule, we carry only the Dwarf Mugo Pine, although we can order the Slowmound shrub form. The dwarf variety 3-4' tall and 6-8' wide and works great by itself or in groups. Texture and touchability make this durable, slow-growing conifer extremely popular.
Plum Tree, Sandcherry Ornamental Flowering - at 7-9' tall and 5-6' wide, this hardy, smaller ornamental has small, single pink flower blooms before its purple-red foliage flushes in April.
Other salt tolerant trees, shrubs and bushes you may want to consider are: Scotchbroom, Dwarf Alberta and Dwarf Blue Globe Spruce, Blue Muffin Viburnum, Willow Trees, and Wisteria.
Perennials & Ground Covers
Achillea (Yarrow) is a very popular, upright growing perennial with aromatic, finely cut, gray-green foliage and flat flower heads. You can choose from a number of varieties ranging in height from 15-30" and with summer blooms of white, red, pink and yellow.
Ajuga or Bugle Weed is a vigorous, mat-forming groundcover that is ideal for areas in which a lawn is not needed. We have several varieties with bloom times from mid spring to mid summer. Flowers range in color from violet to blue and stems will reach between 3 and 10".
Arabis (Rock Cress) - this low-growing, spreading perennial has attractive, gray-green foliage and is beautiful as a groundcover or for edgings, rock gardens and pattern plantings. Depending on the variety, pink or white flowers bloom in spring or summer, and stems reach 4-10" in height.Aster - we carry the Wood's varieties of Aster, which are long-blooming, highly mildew resistant and grow to 12-15" tall and 18-24" wide. Blooming for about six weeks in the late summer through fall, Wood's Blue has blue flowers with yellow centers, Wood's Pink has pink flowers with radiant yellow centers and Wood's Purple has pinkish purple flowers.
Columbine - a compact, hardy perennial, columbine is available in a number of varieties. Flabellata varieties are shorter, at 5-7", bloom from spring to early summer and come in both single and double color blooms. Hybrida varieties range from 18-36" in height, bloom from spring to summer and also come in both single and double color blooms.
Wormwood - also known as Artemisia, this attractive perennial makes a lovely accent, container or borer plant. Its ferny, silvery mounding foliage blends well with colorful, flowering plants.
Other salt tolerant perennials to consider are Juniper, Hollyhocks, Thrift (maritima varieties) and Astilbe.
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