Plant Preview


Welcome to Plant Preview, a blog dedicated to helping gardeners learn about gardening techniques and preview new plant cultivars. Read about new plants here first and hear how your "comrades in compost" are making use of new plant introductions in their gardens and landscapes. Blog author Geri Laufer is a life-long dirt gardener, degreed horticulturist, author and former County Extension Agent. Plant Preview is copyrighted by Geri Laufer.

Showing posts with label Garden Debut. Geri Laufer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden Debut. Geri Laufer. Show all posts

Monday, August 6, 2012

Columnar Urban® Apples Part of Edible landscaping




Tullie Smith House at AHC
Edible Landscaping
Throughout history, the most practical form of landscape “design” placed food-producing plants closest to the home, enclosed by fences to protect them from animals and passers-by.  One example, the Tullie-Smith House on the grounds of the Atlanta History Center, depicts a family farm of the 1840s complete with a sharp picket fence surrounding the flowers and fruit planted near the house.

MiesVanDerRohe-VillaTugendhat
Then gardens and grounds became more sophisticated, and food producing trees and shrubs were separated from foundation plantings and relegated to the orchard. Ornamental landscaping for urban dwellers came to mean plants with low maintenance, with no pesky fruit or seeds to pick or rake. Beauty, privacy screening, noise reduction, energy efficiency and shade became the main requirements for landscaping around the home. 

Today, with the increased interest in locally-grown produce and flowers, traditional fruits like apple and peach trees, pomegranate shrubs and grape vines are once again being included in borders, hedges, specimen plantings and arbors. Landscape architects are adding edible landscape plants to their designs.

Columnar Urban(R) Apples
Columnar apple trees like Urban® Apples by Garden Debut® are perfect to slip into even the smallest spaces while providing full-sized fruit. Growing these apple trees in large containers is yet another option. They stand stiffly upright, taking no more than a couple of feet square, and provide apple blossoms in spring and tasty apples in fall. Choose two for good pollination. 


Good Better Best! Apple Pie Tips for Urban® Apples

To enhance the delightful crisp flavor or Urban® Apples, add a cup of shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese and a little extra salt when making your favorite 2-crust pie dough.

Add a teaspoon cinnamon and a teaspoon of freshly-grated nutmeg to your favorite pie filling. Mound the apples in the center of the pie shell then top with the second cheese crust. 

What makes your apple pie special?