by Emily Vogler | Dec 20, 2022
Caring for a Bonsai tree is not nearly as hard as is commonly thought. However, as Bonsai trees are planted in small pots a few basic guidelines have to be followed when watering, fertilizing and repotting your trees.
Watering Bonsai trees
- Water your trees when the soil gets slightly dry. This means you should not water your tree when the soil is still wet but only when it feels slightly dry; use your fingers to check the soil at around one centimeter deep. But never let a tree dry out completely! Once you get more experienced you will be able to see (instead of feel) when a tree needs watering.
- Use the right soil-mixture. The soil-mixture greatly influences how often trees need to be watered, for most Bonsai trees a mixture of akadama, pumice and lava rock mixed together in a ratio of ½ to ¼ to ¼ should be fine. However, use a mixture that retains more water (by using more akadama, or even potting compost) when you cannot water your trees that regularly. Read the Bonsai soil mixtures article for more information.
Fertilizing Bonsai
- Fertilizing regularly during the growth season is crucial for your Bonsai to survive. Normal trees are able to extend their root system looking for nutrients; Bonsai however are planted in rather small pots and need to be fertilized in order to replenish the soil’s nutritional content.
- Most Bonsai trees should be fertilized during the entire growth season of the tree; from early spring till mid autumn.
Location for your tree
- Indoor Bonsai location
- In most houses the only place where a Bonsai will do well is right at a South facing window, as lots of light is crucial for the health of your tree. When placed even just a few feet away from a window the light intensity will drop significantly, slowing down growth and ultimately killing your Bonsai.
- Outdoor Bonsai location
- Depending on where you live, most trees need to be placed outside year-round. The annual cycle is crucial for the health of most trees; overprotecting your tree in the winter season for example will weaken your tree. Make sure to establish what tree species you have.
Shop bonsai on our website!
by Emily Vogler | Dec 15, 2022
Gifts for Gardeners
Gardens of Babylon continues to bring in new items that make perfect gifts for the gardeners and nature-lovers on your Christmas list. Check out these ideas for specialty gifts and everyday surprises:
Gemstones: For collectors or for those who merely enjoy small, lovely objects, there is a wide range of gemstones to choose from in the garden center and online. Citrine, quartz, amethyst. Labradorite, azurite, selenite. Small and large polished geodes.
“We have a lot of new and unique gemstones, and special species gemstones, some that are larger and more rare,” says Garden Center manager Neil Anderson.
Candles & fragrance: Soy candles from P.F. Candle Company offer the giftee the fragrances in a home: Amber & Moss, Sandalwood Rose, Patchouli Sweetgrass, Piñon and more. Candles in the P.F. collection are made with 100% domestically- grown soy was and are vegan, cruelty-free and phthalate-free, and come in small (3.5 oz.) or larger (7.2 oz.) sizes. Incense cones and hand-dipped incense sticks are other fragrance options.
Holiday plants: A blooming amaryllis brings cheer to any home during the holidays. Or for the DIYer, present amaryllis bulb planted in an attractive pot, ready to bloom later to bright a winter day.
For something more long lasting, a Norfolk Island pine is the perfect house plant that, carefully decorated, doubles as a tiny Christmas tree.
Specialty plants: Bonsai can be a striking addition to home décor, and an absorbing hobby for plant lovers. Bonsai specimens at Gardens of Babylon include outdoor and indoor species, and range from the fairly common juniper to the more exotic European olive trees. A pair of bonsai shears helps keep the tree in good shape.
Other specialty plants, from air plants to orchids to Venus flytraps, can be welcome gifts for indoor gardeners. Monsteras in all sizes, philodendrons in various shapes and shades, delicate palms and ferns are among indoor plant gift-able favorites.
The garden center features a wide selection of glazed and terra cotta pottery to display the plants at their best.
Tools & Accessories: If your giftee is among the record number of gardeners who started gardening during the pandemic, recent research indicates that they’ll likely still be enjoying a garden in 2021. Maybe they have all the tools they need now, but would still appreciate a different weeding tool or a new pair of pruners. And you can never go wrong in gifting new gardening gloves.
Stocking stuffers: Seed packets tuck nicely into a Christmas stocking, and a selection of flower and vegetable seeds may be the perfect small but special gift for the dedicated kitchen or cutting-garden gardener. A display of Teeny Tiny Terra Cotta in the garden shop, planted with moss or a tiny plant for your friends or yourself, is too cute to resist.
And as always, when in doubt, you can never go wrong with a Gardens of Babylon gift card. Gift card amounts range from $25 to $1,000, and can be redeemed for either garden center products or landscape services.
Christmas trees and wreaths are available in the Online Shop; garland is available in-store. Gift-able items continue to arrive at the Gardens of Babylon Garden Center from now until Christmas.
by Emily Vogler | Nov 10, 2022
The holiday season is full of events and celebrations but also can be very stressful while you are trying to find a unique and special gift. Orchids are a perfect holiday gift for your family, friends, host or hostess of the party you are invited to. Watch as Brennan walks you through orchid care tips and tricks to help them stay happy and blooming after you receive one as a gift (or treat yourself to a new plant)!
They are a long blooming gift.
Orchids can bloom anywhere from weeks to months
Striking, elegant, exotic and unique – perfect gifts!
These plants are stunning and you can arrange them quite nicely to become an extraordinary and very impressive gift!
Orchids need very little care.
They’re very low-maintenance plants and need watering once every week or 2 to stay happy. Fertilize frequently during the growing season. Orchids thrive in bright, indirect sunlight. If you’re growing your orchids indoors, place them near a east- or west-facing window. One of the most common mistakes people make when caring for orchids is overwatering. Orchids don’t like their roots to sit in water, so it’s important to let the potting mix dry out between waterings. Water your orchids about once a week, or when the potting mix feels dry to the touch.
Safe for pets and people!
Orchids don’t have loose pollen grains and it makes them a safe gift for allergy sufferers. Also, orchids are safe for pets.
These plants make truly unique gifts that any plant lover would surely love to receive. We have tons in stock right now!
by Emily Vogler | Oct 22, 2022
The Nashville Scene has announced its Best of Nashville Award Winners, and Gardens of Babylon won first place for best lawn service and second place for best nursery/garden center.
From the Scene on Best of Nashville awards:
“A lot has changed here in Music City over the past three-and-a-half decades. Skyscrapers have risen. Restaurants have opened, closed and opened again. The national media has turned its eye on our humble burg, christening us an “It” city before moving on to the Next Big Thing. Publications have launched, others have folded. Floods. Tornadoes. Pandemics. James Beard Awards. Stanley Cup runs.
But for all that’s changed, we here at Nashville’s alternative-weekly newspaper have made sure one thing stays the same: Every year for 30-plus years, we’ve compiled our whopping Best of Nashville issue, rounding up everything that makes our city great with both our readers’ poll and our writers’ choices. In these pages, you’ll find who Nashvillians voted the city’s Best Band, Best Restaurant and Best Barbershop. You’ll also find who our team of writers christened the Best Collegiate Athlete, Best Chef and Best Pop-Up Market. All that and much, much more.“
At Gardens of Babylon, we know to have a healthy and happy life, you need to incorporate nature into your living spaces. The problem is that most people don’t know where to start when it comes to adding plants and landscaping to their in or outdoor spaces, leaving them feeling stuck and uninspired. We believe you should be connected to nature and draw life and strength from it. Over the last 20 years, we have helped thousands of customers across Tennessee turn their yards into beautiful retreats of inspiration. Our eco-friendly approach ensures you get nature’s full benefit – the way it’s intended.
Check out some of the five-star Google reviews we’ve received about our outstanding service:
“GOB is one of my favorite places to find rare exotic plants that I can’t find other places. Their Thai Constellation in the greenhouse is a thing of beauty! I also enjoy how seeing how much joy their staff working have for what they do. Highly recommended.” – Autumn
“We shopped around for a landscape design and build company when we were looking to add a patio to the front of our house. We are on a corner lot and wanted to make sure whatever we did was done right and additive to curb appeal. While Gardens if Babylon was not the lowest estimate, Ryan took the time to answer questions and share a portfolio of work in the design process. Other companies we’re more “take it or leave it”. It was clear from the start that Gardens of Babylon had deep experience and we could trust their work product. We were not disappointed! Communication was thorough throughout the process. The hand offs across teams were seem less to us – from design to project management to build to irrigation. Our build team of Carlos, Rene and Oscar were fabulous. It was clear that they have worked as a team in many projects. Similarly, Jon provided clear daily updates and checked in regularly. Since the work has been completed, we have received many compliments from neighbors with the best one being “it looks like it’s been there all along and fits right in!”. Again, highly recommend Gardens of Babylon for your landscape design and construction needs.” – Scott
by Emily Vogler | Oct 20, 2022
Fall planting is a sure way to have happy plants in spring! A variety of outdoor plants are perfectly happy with being planted in the fall, and even thrive if planted in the cooler autumn months. The following process can be used for a variety of outdoor plants. Plus, the best time to plant most trees, shrubs, and perennials in Tennessee is November through March, due to a lower risk of transplant shock!
Supplies you may need:
- Shovel or spade
- Watering can or hose
- Soil conditioner
- Fertilizer
- Mulch
(Be aware of underground utilities. Call 811 to have utilities marked before digging. It takes 2-3 days, so plan ahead. This limits the risk of breaking a utility wire or pipe which can be dangerous and expensive.)
1. Dig the hole
Dig a hole 2-3 times the diameter of the nursery pot and an inch or two shallower than the depth of the pot. Ex. A pot with a rooting depth of 10” should have an 8” deep hole.
2. Amend the soil
Mix the soil that was removed from the planting pit with soil conditioner/compost in an even ratio.
3. Prep & Place
Check that the soil is moist. If the soil in the pot is dry, water it before planting. Remove the plant from the pot. Massage or prune any circling roots to encourage outward root growth. Place the root ball in the center of the hole. Make sure 1-2” of the root ball is above the top of the hole.
4. Fill the hole
Backfill the hole around the root ball using the blend of soil/soil conditioner/compost. Gently tamp the soil down to remove air pockets.
5. Fertilize
Add slow release fertilizer. Espoma Bio Tone and Plant Tone are great options. Follow application instructions on the packaging.
6. Mulch
Apply mulch in a donut shape extending to the drip line to a depth of 3-4”. Leave a 4-8” ring around the base of the plant without mulch. Avoid piling mulch up on the trunk or stems. Mulch helps retain moisture and reduce weeds.
7. Water
Water the new planting(s) thoroughly. This will help it get established and eliminate unwanted air pockets in the soil. New plantings need to be watered frequently until the plant is established. This may be as often as everyday during the hottest months. It can take up to a year for a plant to become established. Once established, watering will only be needed during times of extended drought. Mulching will greatly reduce watering needs.
