2021 brings on new, exciting landscaping/ gardening trends while revitalizing some older ones. After the particularly long (and odd) year that was 2020, many people feelt ike 2020 couldn’t come to a close sooner. In the last year many people found themselves spending more and more time at home and with that also using there backyards more then in the past. Studies show an increase in gardening & time spent outdoors in 2020, and continuing threw this year.
Outdoor Living Spaces offer privacy while also adding a vibrant landscape of color (with the right plants!) to your home or business
Adjusting to the new way of life brought on by 2020, things like; practicing social distancing, early curfews, buffering zoom meetings, choppy video calls etc became normal & are now common in many peoples lives. This makes having a place to relax & unwind more desirable then ever. Enter outdoor living spaces. Outdoor living spaces in particular are going to be one of the most sought after landscaping trends in this new year. Gardening, outdoor-living spaces, family garden projects, even something as simple as going out for a walk can be great sources of relaxation and or stress relief. If you can do all of these things in your backyard, why not?
Summers coming to an end, falls around the corner and with it comes Vibrant sunsets, blooming flowers, Garden harvests, Leaves and….bugs. There are simple ways you can keep bugs off of your property in order to protect your family, gardens & any upcoming harvests. One method is by adding plants that also repel insects. Learn how to rid your garden & home of pesky insects, while also adding color to your home with plants that repel insects.
Best plants to repel Insects & add color to your home (2020)
Chyrsanthemums
Take Chrysanthemums for example. A vibrant annual flower and one of the best plants to deter bugs. Deters:
Ants,
Japanese beetles,
Roaches, Bed bugs
Spider mites, Ticks,
Silverfish, Harlequin bugs, Lice
These annual flowers can help keep your backyard a fun, safe, and vibrant place this season:
Marigolds
One of the most well-known plants for repelling insects, growing African marigolds or French Marigolds around vegetable gardens to repel harmful insects, rabbits and deer is a gardening habit that goes back for centuries.
French marigolds repel whiteflies and kill bad nematodes. Mexican marigolds are known to offend a host of destructive insects and wild rabbits as well. Fun fact: The Marigold was regarded as the flower of the dead in pre-Hispanic Mexico and is still widely used in the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Petunias
This perennial is sometimes known as “nature’s pesticide,”. It not only deters some common garden pests, this plant adds a burst of color with its puple hue and keep bugs at bay. Note: Petunias requires very little maintenance, making them great for garden beds, hanging baskets, and containers.
Deters
Tomato horn worms,
Aphids
Leafhoppers,
Squash bugs
Asparagus beetles
Herbs
Thyme
This herb will help repel harmful pests like whiteflies, cabbage maggots, corn earworms, tomato hornworms,, and small whites.
useful in the garden as shrubs or groundcover. The best-known species, garden thyme is usually cultivated for ornamental use or a culinary herb. Its a bushy wood based evergreen shrub can reach grow 6-12 inches tall, and spread 16 inches wide.
Mint
Some varieties of mint, such as peppermint and spearmint, also have insect repellent properties. Note that not every type of mint causes a reaction in the same insects. Spearmint and peppermint are reputed to work well against insects like mosquitoes, flies, and spiders, making them ideal for the backyard garden.
Lavender – Bay leaves – Citronella – Lemongrass
Note- Article is still in progress. This list will be updated soon with more info
Sprays & Traps
Household items Methods
Fortunately there are ways to rid your plants (indoor&outdoor) of bugs without using chemicals. The following methods contain products readily available in your home.
Fortunately, there are ways to rid your plants (indoor and outdoor!) of bugs without using chemicals. The following methods contain products readily available in your home.
1. Spray soapy water
Soap dehydrates aphids and spider mites. Mix 5 TBLspoons of dish soap w/ 4 cups of water in a bottle and spray plants with the solution.
2. Neem oil spray
Made from the seeds of neem trees native to India, this age-old, natural insecticide and anti-fungicide repels aphids, mites, scale and other small, soft-bodied insects.
3. Pyrethrum spray
This natural insecticide is made from dried chrysanthemum flowers. Mix the powder with water and dish soap to create a spray. Pyrethrum spray paralyzes flying insects on contact, so many pest control companies use it to control mosquitoes.
4. Beer trap.
Beer is a favorite for Snails & slugs specifically. Place a few saucers of beer to trap and prevent these bugs from reaching your plants leaves / roots. An alternative to beer is Grape juice; grapefruit or orange rinds also make good traps.
5. Garlic
Garlic’s strong smell repels bugs & vampires. Consider putting a garlic clove into the soil of plants to keep bugs away.
6. Herbal water spray
Essential oils from sage, thyme, basil, rosemary, mint, rue and lavender repel some insects. To create a spray, take crushed leaves or trimmings, soak in a bucket of water overnight and strain. Or, dilute store-bought essential oil with water. You can also plant these herbs in your yard to detract insects.
7. Alcohol spray
Create a solution by mixing 1 or 2 cups of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol with a quart of water. The solution will repel insects from houseplants and tropical foliage.
8. Nicotine
To repel leaf-chewing insects, make a nicotine tea by soaking 1 cup of dried, crushed tobacco leaves in 1 gallon of warm water and one-fourth teaspoon of dish soap. Strain after 30 minutes, and spray the mixture directly on the leaves.
9. Water
Much like a heavy downpour, a strong spray of water from a house can remove bugs from plants
10. Tomato Leaves natural insecticide
Tomato plants are part of the nightshade family that contain alkaloids such as the aptly named “tomatine,” which can effectively control aphids and other insects. To make tomato leaf spray for a natural insecticide, chop 2 cups of fresh tomato leaves (which can be taken from the bottom part of the plant) into 1 quart of water, and let steep overnight. Strain out all plant material and spray the solution on plant foliage.
Other:
Spices Repel Insects
Draw a boundary line along door frames or windowsills with a mixture of turmeric powder and cinnamon or cayenne in equal quantities to keep ants from entering the house.
Baking Soda Kills Cockroaches Red Wine Vinegar Kills Flies
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in a bowl and set it in a place that is frequently visited by flies.
Note:
Killing off all of the insects in your garden is not the desired result here, as any healthy ecosystem requires an abundance of beneficial insects, microbes, and fungi, both in the soil and on the plants themselves, so introducing other predatory insects (ladybugs, praying mantis, etc.) or creating good habitat for them, as well as building soil fertility, can also be an effective pest management approach.
Contact Hidden Leaf Landscaping for your next home project
That’s it for Hidden Leaf Landscapings guide to repeling insects with colorful plants & household spray remedies ” for now. Thanks for reading & get to planting! Check back with Hidden Leaf Landscaping for more Gardening, lawn care, & landscaping help and don’t forget to contact us for your next home project or lawn care needs.
Creating a flower bed from scratch is cost efficient & gives both the customer and client a sense of pride after watching their garden grow and seeing the completed project. There are 2 main categories of plants, Annual & Perennial. Perennial flowers will re-bloom year to year while annual flowers will only bloom once. Some popular Perennial flowers include:
Red Columbine
Exposure:
Sun / light shade
Bloom Time:
Summer
Zones:
4 to 8
Height:
15″ to 20″
Width:
10″ to 15″
A long time Jersey favorite, Blooms in springtime, as late as early summer. limestone rich soil that drains well. Reaches heights of about 3 feet, grows taller rather than spreading, Due to its tendency for tall growth, works in a bed with most other flowers(provided that they don’t overshadow the Red Columbine)
Cutleaf Cone Flowers
Exposure:
Sun / light shade
Bloom Time:
Summer – Fall
Zones:
4 to 8
Height:
1′ to 7″
Width:
10″ to 15″
An herbaceous perennial plant is 3-8′ tall; it branches occasionally in the upper half.The alternate leaves are up to 12″ long and 12″ across, becoming gradually smaller as they ascend the stems. With a Long bloom period- up to 2 months This plant is a sunshine spectacle in the garden when it reaches 7 feet. Produces a bounty of beautiful blooms. No serious pest issues.
Chrysanthemum
Exposure:
Full sun
Bloom Time:
September to frost
Zones:
4 to 8
Height:
1.50 to 2.00 feet
Spread:
1.00 to 1.50 feet
Popular perennial all over the world, Chrysanthemum thrives in New Jersey gardens. Outlasting even most annuals this flower blooms in colors ranging from white, yellow to orange. Important planting tips: These particular perennials have a wide spread, leave room for them spread out asthey can clump together if planted too closely and stunt growth.
Achillea ‘Firefly Amethyst’ (Yarrow)
Exposure:
Full Sun
Bloom Time:
Summer
Zones:
3 to 8
Height:
18″ to 22″
Width:
32″ to 36″
This new Achillea variety is one tough plant! It is drought tolerant, doesn’t like rich soil, and resists deer and rabbits. As an added bonus, it isn’t invasive like some varieties of Yarrow can be. One standout variety is ‘Firefly Amethyst’. It’s flowers start out bright pink and fade to a lighter color, giving a multi-shade of pink effect. If pink isn’t for you Achillea is also available in yellow, white and peach
Allium ‘Serendipity’ (Ornamental Onion)
‘Serendipity’ is a low-growing Allium it’s long bloom time of 4 – 6 weeks will provide your garden with color all summer long.
Exposure:
Sun / Part Shade
Bloom Time:
Summer
Zones:
4 to 8
Height:
15″ to 20″
Width:
10″ to 15″
A low-growing Allium that forms a mound of round purple blooms in the summer. This Allium attracts butterflies and resists deer and rabbits. If you leave the flowers on the plant, it may self-seed. However, if you prefer a more orderly garden, removing the spent blooms & will prevent self-seeding.
Pink flowers and leafy blue-green leaves. Grows well in sun, blooms twice yearly in the spring and fall.
While Dicentra ‘Pink Diamonds’ does have the same pink flowers and leafy blue-green leaves that Dicentra are known for, that’s where the similarities stop. It grows well in the sun and does not disappear in the summer. And to top that, it re-blooms. So you can have those pretty pink blooms in your garden in the late spring and the early fall. Just be sure to plant them in well-drained soil. It doesn’t like to keep its feet wet
Salvia ‘White Profesion’ (Perennial Salvia)
A spiky forming Perennial that re-blooms.
Exposure:
Sun
Bloom Time:
Spring / Summer
Zones:
3 to 8
Height:
16″ to 20″
Width:
16″ to 20″
You may be thinking “What’s so new about Salvia? They’re everywhere!” While this may look like your average perennial salvia, it has one distinct advantage. It’s re-blooming! Which means you can have perennial salvia adding its spiky blooms to your garden for a longer period. It’s only available in white as of now.
Echinacea ‘Orange You Awesome’ (Coneflower)
Beautiful tangerine orange flowers with dark cones that are just stunning.
Exposure:
Sun
Bloom Time:
Summer – Fall
Zones:
4 to 8
Height:
18″ to 22″
Width:
16″ to 20″
Looking for a flower that is easy to grow and will add a ton of color to your garden? Check out these new Coneflower varieties. They love sunny and hot locations which is perfect for those tough spots in your yard. Not a fan of deep orange? There’s also a yellow variety called ‘Yellow My Darling’ that you may like better.
Blanket Flower
Low maintenance cut flowers with low water needs that grows in Sand, Chalk, Loam. Perfect for borders.
Exposure:
Full Sun
Bloom Time:
Summer – Fall
Zones:
3 to 8
Height:
1′ to 2′
Width:
2′ to 3′
Also called Gaillardia, this perennial is a drought and heat tolerant member of the wildflower family. Blanket Flowers are an excellent choice for creating flower bed borders in poor quality soil, and they typically form 3-inch daisy-like blooms in red, gold, or brown. Despite its short lifespan, Blanket Flower is a simple seed-to-flower in a year perennial that thrives in a temperate climate.
Contact Hidden Leaf Landscaping for your next home project
That’s it for “2020 Best Perennials” for now. Thanks for reading & get to planting! Check back with Hidden Leaf Landscaping for more Gardening, lawn care, & landscaping help and don’t forget to contact us for your next home project or lawn care needs.
