• Purchase perennials later in the year: As the growing season winds down, there are inevitably nursery plant sales. Many perennials, including bushes, can be planted in the fall provided there is enough good weather to permit them to properly root before winter.
  
  
• Call on family and friends to help: If your family members or friends are interested in gardening, ask them to get involved in the development of your landscape. Remember to provide them with a just reward for their efforts.
  
  
• Hold a plant party barbecue: Invite friends to an outdoor event that includes the stipulation to bring a particular plant. You can even enlist their assistance in selecting its planting location. Your garden will benefit and you'll have a tie to that friend for as long as you own your home.
  

Ron Rossini
Master Gardener