DAYLILY SALE - Buy Three - fourth one FREE -

Daylilies are ON SALE - one free for every three that you buy at $7.99 each.  (Your choice, of course.)  A few are sold out for the season, but below are photographs of some of the many still in stock.  These are large field-dug plants in gallon pots.

Dublin Elaine 

Condilla 

Lilting Lavender

Buttered Popcorn

Golden Chimes

Holiday Song

Crimson Shadows

Trahlyta

Siloam Betty Woods

Siloam David Kirchoff

Respighi

We are closed Monday and open every other day - 9 am - 5 pm.

Perennial Sale

It has been a VERY busy season and my poor blog goes on the back shelf while I post occasionally on Facebook.  The daylilies are just starting to seriously do their thing.  I will have a sale in a week or  so, but at $7.99 for BIG plants in large pots, it's still a good deal.  This is 'Moses Fire' photographed last night.



Meanwhile, (see below) I am having a sale on perennials in 4.5 inch pots.  They are robust and ready for new homes... three for $10.



Above (back left and then  clockwise) - Jacob's Ladder, Coral Reef bee balm, rudbeckia goldsturm (black-eyed daisy) two Fire Witch dianthus and Rozanne geranium.

It's a mix and match sale - the cultivars include:

Delphinium
Campanula carpatica clips blue
Echinacea - Pow Wow Cherry
Bee Balm - 'Blue Stocking'
Heuchera - 'Palace Purple'
Sedum - John Creech
Hens and Chicks



Happy Summer to all.

BLUE Blooms?

I have written about “blue” perennials and annuals before.  Typically, they are not blue - rather they are shades of purple or lavender.  

I am trying Scabiosa ‘Butterfly Blue’ again this year because I LOVE the flower and the annual scabiosas are long lasting in bouquets.  This cultivar is a perennial, but years ago when I grew the plant, it did not overwinter.  I am going to grow and sell it as a “hardy” annual this year, and perhaps with global warming, it will make it to 2019.

‘Butterfly Blue’ (above) won the Perennial Plant of the Year for 2000.  It does not like wet soils and needs full sun here in northern Vermont.

By the way, below is a photo of supposedly the same plant offered in a catalog, with a lot of help from photo shop.

A  plant with similar blooms that does overwinter, and one that I will offer, is Stokesia ‘Honeysong Purple’ (below).  This is a late bloomer and the flower is more aster-like.  

Campanula ‘Rapido’ Blue (below) is a new bellflower I will try this year.  It is similar to the ‘Clips’ series, but is supposed to bloom earlier and for a longer period.

I always grow ‘Blue Jay’ Pacific Giant delphinium (below) - love the color.

For annuals, the best blues can be found in lobelias, particularly ‘Cobalt blue,’ which is grown from seed or laguna sky blue, which is grown from cuttings.

Looking Ahead - 2018 Growing Season

The steady sleet this morning (March 2) has turned into snow.  I have a few things under the grow-lite and more growing elsewhere for me.  Typically I buy in tiny plugs of begonias, pansies and impatiens, because I have difficulty growing them from seed consistently.  (Begonia seeds are the size of dust!)

Two years ago in spring I had open heart surgery (get out your violin!) and last spring I had some kind of mini heart attack that landed me in the hospital for four days.  I wasn't sure if I would continue the business, but I have some determined helpers who really want to pitch in and keep the old gal going .... so here we go again.

My hesitancy is starting to change into excitement as I clean up the greenhouse and get ready to start the heat going.

Bacopa Gulliver Blue

I'm giving bacopa (spellcheck always turns that word into "bacon") "Gulliver Blue" a try this year.  I will probably use it mostly in combination plantings.

I really like the "Delta" series of pansies and this year they are offering "Wine and Cheese."

Delta Wine and Cheese Pansy

"Blueberry Thrill" will be another new pansy on the shelves.

Blueberry Thrill Pansy

Growers are coming up with all kinds of calibrachoas (million bells) and one of several I will be trialing this year is "Candy Bouquet."

Candy Bouquet Calibrachoa

During the winter months I sell vintage clothing and accessories on eBay and Etsy.  The greenhouse turns into my photography studio.  It's time to bring the clothes and jewelry back inside and get ready for another gardening season.