Vermont Perennial SALE - $2.50 each

How is it possible that I have gone since March without posting anything?  I see other growers writing just about every day.  I'm simply too busy.  It has slowed down now and I find myself with a surplus of perennials in quart pots.  They have all been overwintered and will bloom this year, but it is next year that they will really show their stuff.

You know the saying about perennials?  "First year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap."  They are creeping now, getting ready to leap.   And they are all on sale for $2.50 each!

I have plenty of one of my favorites - sidalcea.  This is often called a miniature hollyhock.  I started them from seed last year and here's a photo from the seed company.

I use them a lot in bouquets.  We also have echinacea 'magnus' (coneflower), delphiniums, perennial sweet peas, Nora Barlow aquilegia (columbine) and loads more.  Here's a photo of our creeping phlox for sale.

And the Jacob's Ladder on sale is particularly robust.  The pretty foliage is some of the first you see in the spring. 

We are open every day EXCEPT for Monday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Vermont Daylily Sale

The daylilies have started to open and mine are ALL offered at $6.50 a piece. AND - if you buy five, the sixth one is free - your choice. This is retail only, as I don't ship plants. We grow all our daylilies in the field and pot up large plants. Many of the pots have more than five fans.

- Here's a quick sampling from the more than 100 cultivars offered -

CHARLES JOHNSTON

BURNING INHERITANCE

BARBARA MITCHELL

BUTTERFLY KISSES

NILE NIGHTENGALE

RUBY SPIDER

HOLIDAY DELIGHT

HOWARD GOODSON

We are closed Monday, so it's nice to have the time to pop outside (in the drizzle) and take these photographs. I hope everyone is having a lovely summer.

Vermont - Sale on ALL Annuals

Finally I have a moment to post. How do people maintain their blogs?

All annuals are on sale at the greenhouses. Six-packs are $2, as are 4 inch pots. Terra cotta 4 inch pots (things like 'Wave' petunias) are $1. All quart (4/5 inch, deep pots) are $3 and this includes some neat perennials that were planted last summer and overwintered in the pots.

The customers continue to roll in, many returning year after year and some visiting for the first time through "word of mouth." I like to think it's a combination of quality and low prices. That's what I'm told anyway! Now here are some quick photos I took yesterday afternoon. First, a shot outside the greenhouse. I am often advising customers to concentrate on foliage, not the flowers, for contrast. This is an example, although the hosta in front ('Sun Power') is blooming I notice, and I left the allium standing, because I think their seed pods are kind of cool.



Last year a customer asked me to sell 'Morden Centennial' rose. The online photos make it look like a double light pink, and mine is more glowing rose. That could be the first blooms. At any rate, it's a beauty.

MORDEN CENTENNIAL ROSE

I mentioned in another post that I didn't care for the double wave red petunia, because its spent blossoms are so messy. I won't grow it next year. But I do like 'Double Wave White' which is not quite so full, carnation-like, and has a pretty, clean white airy look to it.

'Double Wave' White Petunia

I have an elderly customer who comes back year after year for one flower - 'Twinkle' phlox. I usually end up planting the rest for myself, as they seem under appreciated. They are short and adorable.

TWINKLE PHLOX

Marigolds are always good sellers - not the most exciting of flowers, but you can count on them. I try and offer some unusual varieties along with the standard yellow and orange. 'Mr. Majestic' marigold is a dwarf, consistently striped marigold.

'Mr. Majestic' Marigold

And for bright and flashy - I like 'Bonanza Bolero' Marigold.

'Bonanza Bolero' Marigold

I still have some 'Phantom' petunias left, but the all black and 'Pinstripe' sold out right away.

'Phantom' Petunia

As if running four greenhouses and perennial gardens wouldn't keep me busy, I also attend two wonderful farmers' markets, one Wednesday in Danville (see below) and one Saturday in St. Johnsbury. Poor old Danville is undergoing road construction so we have moved to a new (lovely) spot.



Loading the truck, setting up, breaking down and then unloading is a lot of work, but it pays off later in the summer when visitors to the greenhouses slow down. And there's great food at those markets!

HEAT and HUMIDITY and Daylilies on Sale

I do not understand how folks survive “down south.” I am OK in 30 below weather - toss another piece of wood in the fire, perhaps find a thicker turtle neck and make sure you are wearing good wool socks.

When the temperature goes above 90 degrees and the humidity is high, as it has been the past week, I switch into a low gear.

Once again, the returning power of new guinea impatiens astounds me. One hot day I neglected to water this big pot in a display garden and it looked the way I felt.




But it bounced back after a good dose of water -




With the help of my son I have been keeping the daylilies watered in pots. They are on sale now (ALL $6.50 each, buy five and the sixth one is free.)

MIDNIGHT MASQUERADE

YOU WIN

GENTLE SHEPHERD

GUS BLANKENSHIP

I am hoping for less humidity in the future. Farmers' markets have been slow and folks are generally dragging. A friend gave me a wonderful birthday gift - a used air conditioner in the kitchen.

LET THE DAYLILIES BEGIN

I am having a HUGE daylily sale. Every single variety is on sale for $6.00 and if visitors buy ten or more, the plants are $5.00 each. These are all top notch plants with many fans and I have well over 200 varieties from which to choose. Now if we could just have more sun to get them to show their colors. Here are a few samples of what I am offering.

Brocaded Gown is a nice light lemon yellow with lots of ruffling on the petals. It has won the Stout Silver Award, which is the highest award a daylily can receive and only one variety is chosen for this honor each year. This one has is 6 inch blooms.



Chicago Weathermaster is a pretty dark lavender daylily with 6” blooms.




‘Flycatcher’ is what is called a ‘spider’ daylily. It has long narrow flower petals and to officially be labeled a “spider” the petal length to width ratio must be 4 to 1 or greater. This particular flower is 7.5 inches across and a nice strong red with a large yellow to green eye.




I like the name of this last one - ‘Scatterbrain’ (so apropos) and it is a lovely flower. It is a light peach pink semi double, 6 inches across.



All the daylilies I sell are grown here and are offered in one gallon containers.