This piece is sponsored by Landscape Garden Centers.
The peak of summer might be here, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to beautify your landscape.
“Spring is not the only time to plant,” said Laura Kalfs of Landscape Garden Centers. “Sometimes, there’s a perception that when you stop seeing parking lot garden centers up and running, the season is done, but that’s far from true.”
Landscape Garden Centers continues to get new shipments of fresh perennials and shrubs weekly, for instance.
“There are a lot of hardy plants you easily can add to your landscape right now,” Kalfs said. “We’ve seen some timely rains lately, so we’re thankful for that, and it’s been a really good summer overall.”
Landscape Garden Centers curates its selection for high-quality trees, shrubs and plants that fare well in this area’s volatile and sometimes extreme weather.
“These are plants that will perform well in all of our ever-changing elements,” Kalfs said.
“If you have a really sunny hot spot in your landscape, we suggest anything that has a more thick and succulent-type leaf with more of a waxy coating. This helps hold in moisture during dry periods. Allium and sedum are the first that come to mind, along with perennial grasses, coneflower, yarrow, lilac and ninebark.”
A new hydrangea, Flowerfull, is designed to be more shade tolerant “and has a lot more blooming capabilities than the older variety people are familiar with,” Kalfs said. “Hydrangeas are really popular in this area because they have such a long bloom season, so this is an exciting one to have in stock that’s been popular with our customers and designers.”
If you find some of your annuals haven’t thrived this season, there’s still time to upgrade those too.
“If you’re looking to replant or add containers to the deck, patio or lake house, we still have lots of options,” Kalfs said. “We’re selling a lot on our summer sale, so you’ll find good value, and there’s still a lot of time to enjoy containers, herbs and vegetables.”
If recent storms were tough on your tomato plants, for instance, the growing season hasn’t left you behind.
“Our vegetables are seasonal, so the tomatoes are large with a lot of flower buds and even small fruit already — you’re not buying a little starter plant,” Kalfs said.
This also is a great time to tackle those bare spots in the landscape, she added.
“If you’re looking to replace boulevard trees, we still participate in the city of Sioux Falls’ voucher program related to ash tree removal, and we have the best selection of trees in size, price point options and variety,” Kalfs said.
“Remember as you plant now that we still have a good portion of the growing season left, plus the fall ahead of us with cooler soil temperatures. So it’s a great time to plant now and get a head start going into the fall months.”
Special events
There are tons of fun reasons to stop into Landscape Garden Centers in the weeks ahead.
July 17: Succulent Workshop
Stop in from 5 to 6 p.m. July 17 for a hands-on workshop all about succulents and cacti! Bring your own container, or purchase one here, then fill it with your choice of heat-loving plants. Learn how to design, plant and care for your succulent and cactus, plus enjoy special pricing on succulent and cactus soil. Registration is $15 plus the cost of materials, and space is limited. Click here to learn more and sign up.
July 19: Lemonade Stand Showdown
Put your entrepreneurial kids to the test when they compete for prizes as lemonade stand owners from 10 a.m. to noon July 19. Kids age 6 to 14 are invited to set up their own lemonade stand and compete for prizes. There’s a $10 entry fee. Event-goers will vote for their favorites in three categories: best-tasting lemonade, most creative recipe and best stand design.
Event-goers who sample five lemonades and cast their vote will earn a $5-off coupon to use on a Garden Center purchase. To learn more, click here.
July 24: Flowers After Hours
Shop late and save when you stop by Flowers After Hours from 6 to 8 p.m. July 24. Enjoy 20 percent off everything in the greenhouse and nursery while you sip, shop and soak in the summer vibes. Visit here to learn more.
Aug. 2: Greenhouse Safari
Bring the kids from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 2 for a wild day of fun, beginning with an hourlong visit from the ZooMobile at 2 p.m. Then at 3 p.m., head to Kids Corner where kids can enjoy crafts, a scavenger hunt, safari snacks and a plant-your-own mini palm activity for $10. Plus, shop up to 90 percent off annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs during the End of Summer Sale! Click here for details.