Gardening Blog

Tell us what the Himmel’s Holiday Village is, exactly. What can attendees expect?

Himmel’s Holiday Village is a five week attraction featuring family-friendly holiday activities and artisanal shopping. We are showcasing over 70 local vendors, visits with Santa Claus, a magical unicorn, face painting, book readings by local author Nate Whiting, great food, free cocoa and crafts, and festive music in a beautiful winter wonderland atmosphere.

What types of attractions will there be? Will attractions/entertainment vary by date?

Attractions will vary according to the audience. The main attraction for shoppers is the opportunity to source unique and meaningful holiday gifts from an outstanding selection of over 70 vendors! We encourage multiple visits to catch the new vendors on site each date of the event. Attractions for families and children include Free photos with Santa, Free visits with his magical unicorn, Free face painting, Free hot cocoa, Free crafts for kids, and more, in a festively decorated wonderland filled with lights and holiday decor. Attractions vary by date.

What are the wooden structures (that are currently being built in the front) meant for?

The beautifully handcrafted sheds are for our anchor vendors, the ones who will be on site the duration of the event, to set up shop. Those vendors include Twin Valley Distillers; Goldfinch Home, Heart, and Garden; E.L. & Company; Washed Up Art; and Diplicious.

What types of activities/attractions will there be for children?

In addition to the daily crafts, cocoa, book readings, and visits with Santa, we are partnering with Dun-Pikin Farm, Swede-Art Professional Face Painting, Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company, Anne Arundel County Public Library, Historic London Town and Gardens, and other local businesses to provide an unforgettable holiday experience for local children and families.

Will there be food available for sale?

Rumor Has It! that Rumor Reel’s NEW food truck, “Rumor Wheel 1” will be serving up the grub each day at Himmel’s Holiday Village, with great selections available to please the whole family, at a great value.

Is there a cost to attend?

Attendance is free!

Where will parking be available?

We have plenty of free parking in the back lot, and parking attendants on site daily to manage the flow of traffic.

When does the Holiday Village officially open?

We officially opened November 21st. We will be closed Thanksgiving and reopen 3-9PM on Friday, November 29th.

What will the days and hours of operation be?

Hours are Thursday 3-9PM, Friday 3-9PM, Saturday 2-9PM, and Sunday 2-8PM. We may shift the hours to accommodate earlier visits, and will keep our sites updated with information as quickly as possible.

What sets this Holiday attraction apart from others? Why – in your opinion – should the community check it out?

This is an event focused on building community and providing an atmosphere for families and friends to connect, have an enjoyable experience, and make memories, without spending a fortune on entry fees. We also believe that this fun event will support the local economy by introducing newcomers to our great local businesses, vendors, artisans, and restaurants.

Anything else the Pasadena community should know about the Holiday Village?

Himmel’s Holiday Village would not be possible without the support of our Partners: Jaw Drop Productions, and The Rumor Reel; Sponsors: Renewal by Andersen, The J.F. Johnson Lumber Company, Dun-Pikin Farm, 89.7 WTMD, Bay Area Mosquito & Tick Service, Hammock Island Marina, Nicole Watts Studio, Arundel Federal Savings Bank, Swede-Art Professional Face Painting, Scott Laumann Plumbing, Laumann Enterprises; Laumann and Company, Fruitful Farmers; and the tireless work of Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center staff who went above and beyond.

Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center recently completed a custom outdoor kosher kitchen, including custom-fabricated Kashmir White granite countertops, a pizza oven, two cooktops, two sinks, and a kamado charcoal grill. The structure, including the island and dining table, was constructed out of cinder block and finished with Ocean Blue Ledgestone veneer by Natural Facing, which tied in seamlessly with the existing garden walls. A gorgeous patio crafted out of Blu 60 MM Patio Slabs in Shale Grey with an Onyx Black border by Techo-Bloc completed the design. Contact Himmel’s today to make your outdoor living dreams a reality.

David Culp, the visionary behind the gardens at Brandywine Cottage in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and author of ‘A Year at Brandywine Cottage: Six Seasons of Beauty, Bounty, and Blooms’, has been sharing his garden wisdom for over 25 years. Now, his passion and expertise, expressed in the new Brandywine Cottage™ Collection of plants, is available to you!

The Brandywine Cottage™ Collection showcases a range of classic plants alongside new and innovative varieties. These exquisite selections, grown exclusively by Cavano’s Perennials, focus around six seasons of interest and correspond to the themes and experiences expressed in ‘A Year at Brandywine Cottage’.

Visit Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center to explore the collection, perfect for all gardening preferences and skill levels.

Learn more and discover the entire collection.

Outstanding outdoor gathering spaces are designed for comfort, convenience, and entertainment. Start with a patio large enough to accommodate seating for family and friends. Patio trends this year include large format pavers in monochromatic colors, porcelain pavers, permeable pavers, and bluestone. Do you enjoy cooking outdoors? Consider a grill nook with a few built-in stone planters for handy access to fresh herbs and veggies, or go bold with a complete outdoor kitchen and bar area beneath a custom pergola.

Carefully designed seating areas bring the comfort of indoor living to the outdoors, whether it’s a book and coffee nook for two, an outdoor bar for a few, or a bench and firepit combo for your whole crew! Trends in outdoor seating include bold sitting boulders that double as accents, and cozy Adirondack chairs with pillows situated close to the firepit for long nights hanging out with family, friends, and neighbors.

Fire features are trending more than ever, and are available in a wide range of sizes and finishes to suit your unique style. Oversized firepits and fire tables are very popular for those who love entertaining larger groups. Want to try something different?

Consider a cauldron style firepit that doubles as a grill.

The soothing sound of splashing water adds a touch of Zen-like tranquility to your outdoor space. Trends in water features include small scale fountains, bubblers, reflecting pools, and tiny ponds that incorporate interesting materials.

Don’t forget lighting! Color-changing LED lights controlled with an app on your smartphone are the latest in landscape lighting, and can transform your yard with fun and festive seasonal color!

Formal Gardens with Classically Inspired Architectural Elements

Carefully manicured landscapes in cool shades of green and white can bring a sense of peace and elegance to your surroundings, separating your space from the hectic outside world. Crisp hedges create privacy, while a few well-placed topiaries or carefully pruned trees add a three-dimensional quality that draws the eye. Stone paths and thoughtfully selected statuary add architectural interest. Columns, pillars, and urns in marble tones are timeless elements! The whole effect is enhanced by a few touches of whimsy – either with pops of perennial color in shades of purple and pink, a small water feature, or an ornate mirror or sundial as a focal point. Even the smallest spaces can benefit from the classic elements of a formal garden.

Native Plants to Attract Pollinators

The native trend is no longer a trend… It’s here to stay! Native plants benefit the environment by creating food and habitat for beautiful birds, precious pollinators, and local wildlife. The many varieties of native trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials create 4-season interest, featuring outstanding flowers and fragrance, evergreen interest, edible berries, gorgeous fall color, and more! Even a small patio planter full of flowering native perennials can benefit bees and butterflies. Enhance your outdoor space with a few native selections and draw nature into your oasis!

Make it Happen

Wherever your daydreams take you… let the friendly experts at Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center help you transform your yard into a uniquely beautiful habitat.

Contact landscaping@himmelsgardencenter.com or call 410-255-7730 to schedule a free consultation.

Evergreen Screening Trees:

• Eastern Red Cedar [Juniperus virginiana] including the ‘Burkii’ and ‘Emerald Sentinel’ cultivars
  • Use these in place of ‘Emerald Green’ and ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae in heavy deer traffic areas
• Japanese Cedar [Cryptomeria japonica] ‘Radicans’ and ‘Yoshino’

Small, Ornamental Trees:

• Crape Myrtle [Lagerstroemia indica] ‘Magic’ Series
• Japanese Maple [Acer palmatum]
• Weeping Redbud [Cercis canadensis] ‘Pink Heartbreaker’ and ‘Ruby Falls’ varieties

Small Shrubs:

• Arborvitae [Thuja occidentalis] including ‘Anna’s Magic Ball’, ‘Bobozam’, and ‘Fire Chief’ varieties
• ‘Blue Rug’ Juniper and other [Juniperus horizontalis] cultivars
• Deutzia [Deutzia x.] ‘Nikko’ and ‘Yuki Cherry Blossom’ varieties
• ‘Sargent’ Juniper [Juniperus chinensis]

Medium Shrubs:

• Dwarf Mugo Pine [Pinus mugo var. pumilio]
• ‘Goshiki’ Osmanthus [Osmanthus heterophyllus]
• Spirea [Spirea japonica] including ‘Candy Corn’, ‘Goldmound’, and ‘Shirobana’
• Threadleaf False Cypress [Chamaecyparis pisifera] ‘Gold Mop’

Large Shrubs:

• Cherry Laurel [Prunus laurocerasus], including ‘Majestic Jade’, ‘Schipkaensis’, and ‘Otto Luyken’ varieties
• Dappled Willow [Salix integra] ‘Hakuro Nishiki’
• Japanese Hollies [Ilex crenata] including ‘Hoogendorn’, ‘Helleri’, ‘Compacta’, ‘Brass Buckle’ [variegated], and ‘Soft Touch’ varieties
• Silverberry [Eleagnus ebbengei]
• Viburnum [Viburnum nudum] ‘Winterthur’ and ‘Brandywine’ varieties

Perennials:

• Actaea hybrid ‘Chocoholic’
• Catmint [Nepeta racemosa] – all varieties
• Coral Bells [Heuchera x.] ‘Zipper’, ‘Paris’, ‘Green Spice’, ‘Southern Comfort’, and ‘Rio’ varieties
• False Indigo [Baptisia australis]
• Ferns  – all varieties [native and otherwise]
• Lavandula [Lavandula x intermedia] ‘Phenomenal’
• Lenten Rose [Helleborus orientalis] – all varieties
• Russian Sage [Perovskia atriplicifolia] – all varieties
• Sedums and Stonecrops – select the creeping groundcover varieties for best results
• Spurge [Euphorbia martini]

Bulbs:

•  Alliums
• Daffodils
• Snowdrops
• Squill

Native Perennials, Sedges, Grasses, and Shrubs:

• Black-Eyed Susan [Rudbeckia fulgida] Perennial
• Bleeding Heart ‘Dicentra canadensis’ Perennial
• Carex appalachica (Appalachian sedge) Sedge
• Carex pensylvanica Sedge
• Clethra [Clethra alnifolia] ‘Hummingbird’ and ‘Ruby Spice’ varieties Shrub
• Coneflower [Echinacea purpurea] ‘Magnus’ Perennial
• Coreopsis [Coreopsis verticillata] Perennial
• Inkberry [Ilex glabra] Shrub
• Northern Bayberry [Myrica pensylvanica] Shrub
• Red Twig and Yellow Twig Dogwood [Cornus sericea] Shrub
• Sea Oats [Chasmanthium latifolium] Grass
• Sweetspire [Itea virginica] Shrub
• Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ Grass
• Viburnum [Viburnum dentatum and Viburnum nudum] Shrub
• Winterberry Holly [Ilex x verticillata] Shrub

 Plants to Avoid [in high deer-traffic areas]:

• Azalea and Rhododendron varieties
• Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua
• Hosta fortunei
• Tulips Bulbs
• Yew [Taxus sp.]

Deer Deterrent:

We use Deer Snap granular repellent as part of our landscape maintenance program.

The best results combine granular and spray applications. ‘I Must Garden’ Deer Repellent products are available at Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center in spray and granular applications.

Stop in and speak to our friendly and knowledgeable staff to learn about deer resistant plants and products!

Schedule a free landscape consultation and let our professional and detail-oriented team install a new deer-resistant landscape or…. an 8’ fence around your entire property. That will definitely keep the deer out!

Hydrangea arborescens

Hydrangea arborescens (Smooth Hydrangea, Wild Hydrangea): Native to woodlands in Eastern US. Large round flowers, usually white. Blooms on new growth. Provide afternoon shade. Prune in late winter or early spring during dormancy.

Hydrangea quercifolia

Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea): Native to moist woods in Eastern US. Pyramidal shaped flowers, usually white, blooms on old wood. Large oak shaped leaves with great fall color. Provide afternoon shade. Prune as flowers start to fade.

Hydrangea paniculata

Hydrangea paniculata (Panicled Hydrangea, Peegee Hydrangea): Large, pyramidal shaped flowers in summer. Blooms on new growth. Tolerates full sun. Can grow large and can be trained into a single trunk, small tree. Prune in late winter or early spring during dormancy.

Hydrangea macrophylla

Hydrangea macrophylla (Bigleaf Hydrangea, Mophead Hydrangea, Snowball Bush): Large round flowers range from pink, blue or purple shades based on acidity in soil. Acidity changes color to blue shades. Alkalinity changes color to pink shades. Older varieties bloom once on old wood. New varieties are reblooming and bloom on old wood and new growth. Provide afternoon shade. Prune as flowers start to fade.

• • Lacecap Hydrangea has flat clusters of small flowers surrounded by a ring of more prominent flowers.