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Gill Garden Center + Landscape Co.

Corpus Christi, TX Garden Center

(361) 992-9674
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mikeChinese Hat aka Holmskioldia tettensis (that’s a mouthful☺)

The Chinese Hat has become one of our favorite plants since we purchased one to try 5 or 6 years ago. It grew 3 to 4 feet its first year, and another 3 to 4 feet the following. It now stands above our 6 foot fence covered with clusters of pink and purple flowers resembling the conical Chinese hat worn in many Asian cultures. It responds well to trimming, no bugs, grows fast, long bloom season, and unique that not everyone has it, are reasons enough to try one! Hope you enjoy as much as we do.

-Mike

If you’ve evenoticed at the bottom of our advertising, we say “Over 400 Collective Years of Gardening with Gills!” This comes from the number of years we have worked here combined…I think we are at just over 40 staff members so we average around 10 years per person although some of us are 20 years or more.  You know why? It’s because we love gardening. It’s in our blood and we have learned A LOT over our years of sharing garden stories with each other. So how can we share our success with all of you? Garden Talks! As we start this new gardening season…the best in my eyes…so we start our new garden talks beginning September 12th. They are full of fun, new, interesting topics fitting for all kinds of gardeners. New to the area? These are a perfect way to learn about what lives (and dies) in south Texas. They are packed full of good information, practical suggestions, & we welcome questions. We love to have them outdoors weather permitting but we can move indoors as needed.  They are held at our Airline location on Saturdays. Peruse our upcoming topics below, come to one or all! See you soon. Oh did I mention they’re free? Just one more reason to come! 

Garden Talks

September-October 2015

Saturdays 10:00 to 11:00am, 2810 Airline
Free – questions always welcome!!

September 12th
“A Garden For Hummers”

Speaker Marta Swanner, mgr. Gill Landscape Nursery

Hummingbirds are one of nature’s most fascinating creatures with their brilliant colors and supersonic speed. They migrate through South Texas twice a year seeking food and shelter. Join Marta as she talks about the best plants to attract and provide a natural food source for them throughout the seasons.

September 19th
“Veggies For Fall Gardens”

Speaker Debbie Pinkerton, buyer for Gill Landscape Nursery

Fresh homegrown foods are always the best for you and the most delicious! Fall is the perfect time to plant a food garden with a plethora of choices sure to bring a feast to your table. Come learn about basics of growing food from the soil to the harvest.

September 26th
“Ireland-Edibles & Garden Designs”

Speaker Kathy Hubner, Landscape Designer, Gill Landscape Nursery

From the ordinary to the extraordinary, Kathy will take you on a journey across the Atlantic to the isle of Ireland! See through her eyes their fantastic gardens filled with flowers, food, and then how you can apply these design ideas to your landscapes. This slideshow presentation brings the weaving of food plants into the landscape creating seamless garden designs.

October 3rd
“Fall Planting For Trees & Shrubs”

Speaker James Gill, owner, Gill Landscape Nursery

We love the fall weather with its cool nights, warm days, and added rainfall and so do all the plants in South Texas! It is the very best time to plant hardy trees and shrubs. Join James as he talks about the best plant selections, planting practices, and maintenance during the fall and winter seasons.

October 10th
“Lawn Care & Weed Control For Fall”

Speaker DeAnna Baumgartner, mgr. Gill Landscape Nursery

Lawns hold a top spot in our landscapes…we want them to look good and be free of pests and weeds. DeAnna gives out good sound practices for your lawns during the fall season. From fertilizing, weed control, and watering, she will help “weed out” those questions of what, when and how much.

October 17th
“More Fun With Containers”

Speaker Merlien Wilder, artist, Gill Landscape Nursery

Join Merlien as she plays with plants perfect for fall patio gardens. Come learn about great combinations, seasonal ideas, new creative projects, and practical tips for small and large containers.

debbie
-Debbie

That first cool front in September sure does feel good. And with the new season comes new flowers and time to get back outside and garden. In south Texas September and October is the best time to spread wildflower seeds. With the prediction of a wetter and cooler fall, this is a perfect time to start planning that little bed or large meadow of spring blooming wildflowers. Texas Bluebonnets,(the state flower), Alamo Fire, (the maroon bonnet) , Texas Paintbrush, Indian Blanket, Black-eyed Susan or Lemon Mint are all excellent single varieties to be planted. We also carry a wildflower mix which includes Coreopsis, Indian Blanket, Black-eyed Susan, Lemon Mint, Drummond Phlox, Cornflower, and Corn Poppy for a mixed show of spring color. There are also low growing varieties or a Butterfly/hummingbird mixture. For shady areas, we have a shade mix and also a water wise mix. Pick a spot in the yard, a flowerbed, or the easement strip and go wild this fall. It will reward you with beautiful blooms come spring.

deanna
-DeAnna

Pop Quiz! How often should you change the nectar on a hummingbird feeder? Is red food dye good or bad? How are you supposed to clean it? Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers. We’ve got you covered. A hummingbird feeder is a great supplement for nectar-rich plants like Turk’s Cap and Firebush, but if you don’t take care of them properly they can do more harm than good. South Texas is hot, and bacteria love to grow in warm sugar water, so make sure you take down your feeder, clean it and replace with fresh nectar every 1-3 days. To make fresh nectar, boil 1 cup of water and add ¼ cup of granulated sugar (not artificial sugar please!) then let it cool and Voila! Now red food dye is controversial. Some experts say it is harmful, and there are some specific kinds of dye that are. Honestly, most hummingbirds will be attracted by the flowers painted/molded on your feeder, not the color of the nectar, so don’t bother with it. Cleaning is a breeze if you have the right tools, like a bottle brush and a port cleaner (like a clean mascara wand). You can use weak vinegar or bleach solution to disinfect your feeder after it air dries. Keep your feeder clean and fresh, and your hummingbirds will be sure to thank you!

marta
-Marta

Fall will be here before you know it! So now’s the time to prepare your beds for fresh Fall color. We have garden mums, marigolds, dianthus and petunias, and we’ll be getting cooler season annuals in soon. So if your Summer flowers are looking spent, make sure you put fresh compost down, like Cotton Burr Compost (or Nature’s Blend, on sale), and use Biotone to add great microorganisms to your flower beds. martaGo ahead and get your fertilizers now too (while getting some lawn food)! Blood meal is a staple for pansies, and Rocket Fuel does wonders for Marigolds to get them started. If you plan now, your plants will thank you for it!


-Marta

This past Saturday, I gave a quick talk about attracting Hummingbirds into your garden, so I figured I’d give a quick recap of hummingbird gardens in case you missed it! We are lucky enough to have 18 different kinds of hummingbirds in our area when they migrate, so make sure you add these plants to your garden. Turks Cap is my number one pick for a hummingbird plant. It’s nectar rich, native, colorful, and tough as nails. Fire bush is another great addition. Its tubular flowers make it a hummingbird magnet. And don’t forget about Anisacanthus, or Hummingbird Bush. The name really does say it all! It gets covered in bright orange small tubular flowers on a shrub that gets about 3 to 5 feet tall. Always change your nectar on your feeders at least every 1-3 days, especially in the heat, and don’t add food dye or use artificial sweeteners. And enjoy them while they’re here!

marta
-Marta

Dublin-SignThis sign outside a Dublin flower shop reminded me it’s time to plant my favorite flower, Sweet pea!  Sweet peas are the official flower for April and very easy to grow.  Just remember to plant seeds in September or October in South Texas and ignore the package directions to plant in spring. My dad started me planting Sweet peas when I was a little girl.  He put nails in the fence slats so I could wrap twine over each nail in a zigzag fashion to support the fast-growing vines.  The result was a solid fence line of colorful, fragrant flowers to snip and arrange in little bouquets indoors. I was thrilled to find Sweet peas in almost every garden I visited in Ireland.  They usually adorned the veggie/herb garden, twining on a variety of supports such as bamboo pole teepees and iron arbors. If you want to try growing these beauties buy seeds now and find a sunny spot in the garden where you can provide support for the vines.   Work good compost into the soil.  I use Nature’s Blend.  Then, fill a shallow pan with enough water to cover the seeds and soak them overnight.  Next day, remove the seeds from water and roll them in inoculant powder. Plant at depth and spacing per package instructions and water regularly. 

-Kathykathy

It is time to get all your fall flowers planted before the days become shorter and weather gets cooler. October is the perfect month to transition your flowers for a new season. One of my favorites is geraniums. Geraniums make a great winter flower. Most of us think of geraniums for the spring,  but they do not like hot weather. In order to get 6 months of color out of them, plant them in the Fall for color all winter through spring.  They come in red, rose, salmon, violet and white.  Plant super 6 packs now spaced 8-10 inches apart, feed with Rocket Fuel at planting, then use Medina Growin Green monthly or Hasta Gro liquid every 2 weeks to get them established and maintain healthy leaves and blooms all season. Top dress with your favorite mulch  to hold moisture and reduce weeds.  Then sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty.

deanna-DeAnna

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