June is Perennial Gardening Month

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	1) Geranium 'Rozanne' at 18-24" high and wide this mounded perennial boasts large blue flowers that bloom until frost. It's easy to see why this plant was chosen as perennial plant of the year.
	2) Daylilies They're not just yellow anymore. Though the happy gold flowers of Stella D'Oro are a landscape staple, there are many new varieties of reblooming daylilies. Try out 'Purple D' Oro' 'Ruby Stella' 'Rosy Returns' or the almost black 'Pygmy Plum.'
	3) Coral Bells With striking foliage in every color of the rainbow, coral bells are the perfect mounded plant for edging pathways or accenting your other perennials. In the shade try 'Key Lime Pie' or Citronelle.' In the sun try the brilliant purple foliage of 'Obsidian' or the new 'Mahogany.'
	4) Catmint 'Walker's Low' This 2007 Perennial Plant of the Year certainly earns its kudos with months of light blue flowers, a mounded habit and wonderfully fragrant foliage that even the bunnies won't eat.
	5) Lenten Rose The perfect shade plant. This early bloomer is 100% deer resistant and blooms for nearly 2 months. A must-have for the shade garden.
	6) Lamium 'Purple Dragon' Another must-have for the shade. 'Purple Dragon' is a ground cover plant with silver foliage and dark purple flowers that stand out all the way until frost.
	7) Shasta Daisy 'Becky' No garden is complete without a daisy in it. 'Becky' sports the happy white blooms with sunny yellow centers that can make anyone smile. This plant will bloom itself silly and loves to be divided and shared with friends.
	8) Coneflower 'Pixie Meadowbright' A shorter version of the popular purple coneflower. This little guy stands at 15-18" with bright pink flowers that bloom for most of the summer.
	9) Knockout Shrub Rose It's not technically a perennial but this easy-care rose will earn its place in any landscape. Bright, cherry red flowers cover this 3' plant from spring until frost. Available in red, pink, rainbow, double red and double pink.
	10) Feather Reed Grass 'Karl Foerster' This best selling grass is easily over-wintered and the first to bloom in our climate. Standing at about 4 feet tall, the wheat-like plumes of this grass add texture and motion to the garden.

Try planting shrubs around your air conditioning unit to shade it from direct sunlight -- it can help reduce your air conditioning bill by up to 10 percent!

June is a great month for planting trees and shrubs in the landscape. (Hint: Look for special savings on trees and shrubs in our ad in the Quad City Times) Trees and shrubs give structure to the landscape and can add as much as 20% to the value of your home. Allow Wallace's Nursery Professionals to help you select the right plants for your space and then grab your shovel. Planting a tree or shrub is pretty simple but can be intimidating to even an experienced gardener. Follow these easy steps for perfect planting every time.

	1) Prepare the site. Site preparation is critical to the success of your tree. Choose a well-drained site and remove any weeds, grass or other vegetation that is undesirable. Water the site well about 24 hours before planting. This will give the soil time to settle.
	2) Use a sharp spade to dig your hole. As a general rule, it should be about 3 times as wide and 4-6" deeper than the container or root ball.
	3) Now that you have dug your hole, you should have a small pile of backfill soil. Amend the backfill soil with cottonbur compost at a rate of 2/3 native soil to 1/3 compost.
	4) Create a small mound in the center of the hole. Tamp it down so the soil will not settle. This is where the root ball will sit.
	5) Remove the container from your tree/shrub and examine the root ball. If the roots are beginning to circle the root ball, you should score the root ball in 4 places and then butterfly the roots outward to encourage new root growth.
	6) Place the plant on top of the mound that you created. Check to make sure that the top of the root ball is 2-3 inches above ground level.
	7) Once the plant is straight and at the right level, begin backfilling the whole with the native soil/compost mixture. For large plants, saturate the soil when the hole is half full and then continue filling.
	8) Do not compact or tamp the soil. Water the area thoroughly to eliminate air pockets and to help the soil settle around the roots.
	9) Water in your plant with at transplant fertilizer like "Root & Grow" to stimulate root formation and reduce transplant shock.
	10) Apply a 3-4" layer of mulch over the top of the root zone. Take care to keep the mulch 1-2" away from the trunk of the tree/shrub
	Following these 10 easy steps will ensure the best start for your new plants. Happy planting!

Featured Product: Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control

Protects plants from Japanese beetles and Emerald Ash Borer QUICK FACTS Provides 12-Month Insect Protection with One Application Easy-to-Use - No Spraying, Just Mix in a Bucket or Sprinkling Can and Pour Stops and Prevents Insect Damage KILLS: WHERE TO USE: WHEN TO USE: Aphids, birch leafminers, Colorado potato beetles, elm leaf beetles, holly leafminers, leafhoppers, leafminers, mealybugs, Mexican bean beetles, pine bark adelgids, sawfly larvae, scales, skeletonizer caterpillars, spruce gall adelgids, whiteflies, and wooly balsam adelgids. Outdoor Trees and Shrubs Once a year or when insects are present. HOW IT WORKS: The insecticide dissolved in water moves down through the soil, where it is absorbed by the roots. Once absorbed, it moves up through the tree or shrub providing year-long insect protection. Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Insect Control even moves into new growth after application, thus protecting it, too! To get complete protection, the insecticide must distribute completely through the tree/shrub. Depending on the size and health of the plant, this may take one week to three months (for very large trees). Rain or water cannot wash off this internal protection.

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Island Chicken

What you need: 1 tsp. grated lime rind 1/4-cup fresh lime juice 1 tbsp. ground allspice 1 tbsp. brown sugar 1 to 2 tbsp. finely chopped jalapeño pepper 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 cup chopped onion 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 3 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves Cooking spray Step by Step: Combine the first 12 ingredients in a blender; process until well blended. Pour mixture into a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; add onion and chicken. Seal bag; marinate in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill chicken, with grill cover on, for 10 minutes on each side or until done. Yield: 6 servings