Spring is truly the glory time for rose growers. Spring rains, cool temperatures and the strong flush of growth all contribute to the larger more fragrant blooms found best in the spring. – There are, in fact, several steps you can take to encourage your roses to their best performance:

• Roses are heavy feeders, fertilize monthly with commercial rose food or organic "Rose Glo", a cottonseed meal/alfalfa meal fertilizer. Be sure the soil is moist prior to application and water in well afterwards.
• Frequency of watering depends on soil type. However, in the Dallas area the soil tends to be alkaline and roses will require at least 1" of water per week. If you don't have a sprinkler system, a soaker hose is excellent. The worst method is several light waterings a week. This causes the roots to migrate to the soil surface. When you water, do it deeply. You can pulse irrigate to manage run off.
• Mulching is an excellent way to help your roses through a long, hot summer. You should apply at least 2" of mulch. This will hold the soil moisture, keep weeds from germinating and breaks down into useful compost later.
• A regular spray schedule should be followed beginning with the onset of new growth in the spring and continued every week to ten days. There are a number of chemical or organic sprays that will do. Consult our sales experts.
• As flowers fade and petals fall, remove the spent heads. This is known as "Deadheading". It keeps the roses blooming.
• Hygiene is important to rose health. Cleaning up fallen leaves and blooms will prevent the spread of disease.

Having so many culinary, ornamental, and medicinal properties, it’s no wonder this herb is one of the most popular.

At North Haven Gardens we grow and sell over 15 different varieties of this versatile perennial. Throughout history thyme has symbolized courage and activity. In fact, thyme gets its botanical name Thymus from thymus which means courage in Greek. Many civilizations have recognized these fragrant plants for their culinary and medicinal properties.

English thyme, (Thymus vulgaris) has been used in Europe in cough preparations and to reduce bronchial congestion. It has been scientifically studied for its antioxidant properties. English thyme is prized everywhere for its uses in the kitchen, to season all kinds of meats, vegetables and soups.

French thyme, a variety of Thymus vulgaris has a more slender leaf than English and is said to have a more intense flavor. The vulgaris thymes, which reach a height of about 10" stay fuller when pruned back after the flowers fade in the spring and a second time in early fall.

If you enjoy a hint of lemon in your meals, try one of our four varieties of lemon scented thymes; Green, Golden, Silver or even ‘Doone Valley’, a low growing variety with gold mottled leaves. It has a sprinkling of golden leaves in with the green.

One of my favorites is Caraway Thyme, Thymus herb-barona, a beauty for falling over raised beds or rocks. Each spring it is covered with pink blossoms. For centuries it has been used to season beef roasts, and it is excellent for that "rye-bread" flavor in breads, cheese or cream sauces, or with cabbage.

Orange Balsam Thyme, Thymus vulgaris `Orange Balsam’, is a strong flavored thyme that adds the flavor of orange peel to your recipes. Oregano thyme, Thymus pulegioides, can be used as you would oregano to add flavor to tomato based marinara, pizza and Creole sauces.

Most of the low-growing thymes are popular for ornamental purposes. Golden Creeping thyme, Thymus sp., with a height of about 4"is great for borders and spectacular when its golden foliage is covered with soft pink spring flowers. An absolute delight between stepping stones is the tiny creeping thyme, Thymus praecox-articus, which stays neatly about 1’ or 2’ tall, even when covered with its bright pink spring flowers.

To grow their best all thymes need full sun, or at least a half day, and well drained soil. In Dallas mix coarse sand, such as lava sand, with some compost to improve our clay soils. They will benefit from a raised bed. Then come to North Haven Gardens to smell’ em, taste’ em, and admire’ em. Then select the thyme of your life.

These graceful, understory trees are always a wonderful addition to any landscape with their delicate texture and brilliant fall colors of the foliage. Their small size are excellent for use near entryways and as companion trees in azalea beds. Fall colors range from bright reds to intense yellows.

North Haven Gardens has several varieties to choose from:

‘Ribbonleaf’ that grows about 20 feet tall. Turns red in spring and early summer, bronze in late summer changing to red in fall.

‘Bloodgood’ is the most heat tolerant from our selection that holds its foliage color the longest.

‘Burgundy Lace’ gets about 15 feet tall that has a very lacy texture.

‘Oshio Beni’ that has a spreading canopy and foliage that turns a bright scarlet red in the fall.

‘Coral Bark Maple’ is known for it’s beautiful bark characteristics in the winter.

‘Crimson Queen’ is one of the smallest that can be grown in a container.

‘Inaba Shidare’ or Red Select has beautiful deep tone of purple red in the spring, becoming a crimson in fall.

If you love to cook, North Haven Gardens would like to introduce you to two herbs that will spice up your recipes in no time.

Garlic Chives are a tasty addition to soups and salads. Try chopping some into canned or homemade soups to add a slightly garlicky, mellow onion flavor. Try adding garlic chives to cream cheese and bread crumbs for delicious stuffing for chicken breasts. The plant becomes a clump of long beautiful stems approximately 18 inches tall with lovely white blossoms appearing in June. Because they are in the alium family and fend off aphids, they also make a nice companion plant for roses. You will want to make sure you either use the blossoms as cut flowers for the house or deadhead them before they go to seed as the plant freely reseeds in your garden.

Salad Burnet is another great soup and salad addition. The taste of Salad Burnet is like that of cucumbers. Chop them up in chicken salad for a new twist or use with an oil and vinegar marinade for grilling salmon. Salad Burnet becomes 12 to 15 inches tall and 1½ foot wide. Soil conditions must be dry and well draining. This hardy plant prefers full sun, however can tolerate some afternoon shade.

For more complete recipes and ideas on how to use these herbs and many more try The Herb Garden Cookbook by Lucinda Hutson. This herb cookbook is unique because it is divided by the herb rather than menu item. A dish or windowbox herb garden along with The Herb Garden Cookbook would make a great Mother's Day or Father's Day gift for the chef in your house.

Golden Feverfew (Tanacetum parthesium ‘Aureum’ ) – This beautiful perennial herb has bright golden leaves. It will grow best in afternoon shade. Small white daisy-like flowers appear in spring. It gets 12-15 inches tall. Feverfew is good for nervousness, hysteria, insomnia, and low spirits.

True French Sorrel (Rumex scutatus). True French sorrel has small arrowhead shaped leaves and adds a stronger flavor than garden Sorrel. Leaves are used like spinach to brighten egg and vegetable dishes and in sauces for beef, chicken, or fish

Spring is knocking at our doors with all the excitement of new plants and early fresh leaves appearing on our trees and shrubs.

Gift giving is one of the immutable pleasures we have no matter the weather. Looking forward to being outside a little more always makes the selection of gifts change somehow. It is like a whole New World opening up with so many possibilities.

One great addition to the large ceramic container collection is the ones with a solid bottom for use as small water gardens on the deck or patio. Water gardening is so much fun and not everyone has the space or the desire for an in-ground pond. There is nothing more relaxing than the sound of water in the garden area. There will be a choice of color, size, and design.

'Pot feet' have become a very popular addition to the patio or deck. We have some that really look like feet! They are really cute and would be a different conversation piece. For the not so adventurous gardener, we have a lovely scroll design and are hoping to get in some other new designs.

A perfect gift for any gardener is a collection of summer blooming bulbs. These return every year and multiply thus adding more beauty each year. Don’t forget to select your caladium bulbs early so you may have just the colors you like best. The last few years there has been a shortage of this beautiful summer favorite.

Our new collection of garden statuary and planting pots should be arriving soon. Be sure to look at all the new additions for the garden. See our large collection of elegant wire garden trellises that will satisfy any personal style. Garden art continues to be a very popular addition to all gardens whether large or small. Statuary certainly adds to the beauty of any garden. North Haven has many interesting choices to suit your garden decorating needs.

Have you noticed the new large grow light we now offer? We have one in operation in the green house and display in the store for a close up look. These are very useful for anyone who likes to start their own seedlings or for a large African Violet collection if you are short of bright light areas.

Spring is the perfect time to select a piece of beautiful teak furniture for the garden room, patio, deck or garden. This wonderful furniture will stay lovely for many years. Teak is the perfect wood for outside in our climate. With your collection of cushions and a good book, the moment of relaxing is ready.

Our unsurpassed selection of plants in our garden center offer endless ideas for gift giving. Giving a tree, shrub, a collection of annuals, perennials, or herbs can be enjoyed for many years and as an added benefit of creating the right environment for a natural and beautiful landscape. If the person receiving the gift does not have a garden, consider one of the beautiful plants from our greenhouse. Growing plants add so many benefits to our homes.

It is so much fun for me to sell one person a gift certificate and then see the joy of the recipient when making their purchase of their gift. Our gift certificates are always received with pleasure.

We are looking forward to seeing all our customers this spring at North Haven Gardens!

North Haven Gardens' Florist is geared and ready to serve your needs anytime of the year. March and April are special months this year to serve your floral needs. Be ready to celebrate Easter holiday, whether you are entertaining or looking for a special Easter gift. Their floral designers can create a stunning centerpiece or a charming gift for any age.

If you've been straddling the proverbial fence about hiring a landscape professional, ask yourself a question –Would you install wiring without an electrician or bathrooms without a plumber? Landscaping is on par with other professional services you wouldn't do without. Evaluate these issues when contemplating the services of a North Haven Professional Landscape Designer.

1. Home value. Landscaping greatly impacts home value. A bare root twig planted near a window can grow into a 50-foot tree. A professional plan sites plants correctly so they won't become threats or obstructions and instead will become beautiful compliments to your home. Work with one of our landscape designers who know how plants develop and your dreams can become reality.
2. Peace of mind. Hiring a North Haven design pro before ripping up your lawn will save you headaches, not to mention dollars. Trust our landscape professionals with education and experience to guide your landscape project.
3. Know-how: Mass marketed plants can be non-hardy for your area. Also, the unsuspecting consumer may not be aware of varieties susceptible to pest infestations. A professional helps you avoid expensive mistakes. Our North Haven landscape designers can provide you with a whole spectrum of plant material, including the most recent introductions adapted to our area.
4. Long term maintenance. A professional will ask how much time you have to maintain your landscape and design accordingly. Garden ideas you've gleaned from magazines might be impractical for your lifestyle. Our North Haven professionals can select beautiful, easy-care plants well adapted to Texas heat and soil conditioners.
5. Investments in the future. Wise homeowners choose investments based on their return. If well executed and attuned to its surroundings. Landscaping has a recovery value of 100 to 200 percent, according to Money Magazine. The positive returns on landscaping, however, are as satisfying emotionally as they are economically. Make your yard a garden with the help of an experienced designer from North Haven Gardens.