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Blog

Behind the Scenes: Early Veggie Production

March 18, 2024

Knowing when to plant early spring vegetable plants can be tricky. Mother Nature does not always play nice, like this February & March. We have had days near 80°, then next night it is 15°, then near 80° again. How and when do I or don’t I protect my plants from Mother Nature? What do I need to do to prepare my garden for harvest success? This...

Behind the Scenes: Flower Production

February 26, 2024

Have you ever wondered what it takes to grow the irresistible hanging baskets and planters you see at Colonial Gardens? In this blog series, I hope to enlighten you on the challenges and processes of growing quality healthy plants for you to beautify your home! There are many steps in the process of growing these gorgeous hanging baskets...

Sowing Success: A Quick Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden

January 20, 2024

As winter's chill really begins to set in here in January some folks are thinking thoughts of sledding, ice skating, and keeping the steps by their front doors from being a death trap. On the other hand, us gardeners and farmers are eagerly turning page after page of seed catalogs, and binging reel after reel of our favorite green-thumbers...

Trav the Tree Guy: The Top 10 Trees

January 15, 2024

There’s something that is so satisfying about planting a new tree in your lawn or in your landscape. It can be a large tree to provide shade, a small blooming tree for a flowerbed, or a lovely tree to mark a special occasion. No matter what the reason, planting trees has long term benefits to creating biodiversity on your property. While...

A Mycological Adventure

January 4, 2024

It might be an understatement to say that I’m a Plant Nerd. Between working in the industry, having a small greenhouse at home, and more plant babies than any sane person should have; plants take up a large portion of my time. A few months ago, I came across a Netflix documentary called Fantastic Fungi. I was enthralled at the process of...

Is it Really Winter? And What Are these Plants Doing?

December 18, 2023

It is now the 3rd week in December and for the most part the grass is still green, and some of the shrubs and the underbrush still have not lost all of their leaves. There has been only one light snow event, and the coldest overnight low so far was in the low twenties. Many perennial plants still have some green leaves, and I have seen some...

Deciduous Conifers

December 11, 2023

People often ask, “What are the trees in Colonials courtyard?” Well, it’s a curiously beautiful type of tree called the Debonair pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens “Morris”) This particular tree, under proper growing conditions will reach roughly 60’ tall and have a spread of 20’. This tree is part of a genera of plants known as deciduous...

Christmas with Living Trees

December 6, 2023

You love the smell of fresh evergreen, but you're still struggling with the idea of what to do with that cut tree once the holidays are over? We get it... What if you could plant your tree afterwards? You can! And here is how: Start a New Family Tradition Purchasing live trees that you and your family can plant brings a new element...

Landscaping: The Fifth Pillar

November 27, 2023

If you live in Kansas City, you live in a city within a forest. Just look up slightly beyond the horizon...oh wait, can't see the horizon? Well, all those trees do obscure views! We are a blessed gaggle of humans here in 'flyover country'. We dwell in one of the densest urban forests in the U.S. Promoting the diversity and the...

All Potting Soils Are Not Created Equal: Part 3 in the Soil Series

November 20, 2023

There are potting soils on the market in almost every store you walk into, including supermarkets and sometimes gas stations. There are many varieties of potting mixes too. How do you know which one is right for your needs? What are the ingredients in potting soils and what is their purpose? Why is it important to your success in growing your...