Gardens Gems Purchased for 2013

Wowzer, you guys are going full steam! Love all the choices!

I just took a look at Stanley and Sons online. The catalog had a huge list. Just the Abies concolor list was huge! Good to know about an inexpenisve source. I'd love to buy the large ones at the nursery but just can't justify it in most cases.

I'm still making my lists of shrubs and little trees, concentrating on creating the garden structure.

For me this is a period of self-discipline while the want list grows My purchases this week are more burlap protection, and plant supplements, earthworm castings and such.

You're taking it slow & planning.....good for you!

Just don't want to waste money and time, I guess. I have to like something well enough to nurse it in a patio pot for awhile. Except for a few lucky areas, the sandy soil just gobbles up all the additives and then the predators start their journey. I'm at the point now where I will plant in raised beds, almost exclusively It's not like living in fertile Dekalb Co. Illinois where there was a foot of topsoil above clay.

Seems the local ecology has really changed, too. Most years, we would have to sweep away piles of fallen mulberries. Last year just as many fell, but they were eaten up very quickly. We also gained a resident redtailed hawk that frequented our ash tree. I don't see where anyone writes about this, but i wonder if the apparant loss of our crow population to disease a few years ago plays a part.

Just ordered from Diana at Topiary Gardens the following little guys. Patti

HANA MATOI
$32.00
Very colorful dissectum with spring leaves emerging red-brown with pink-red variegation and white/cream. In the summer, the red-brown leaves will have a greener appearance. Fall colors are oranges,yellows and reds. Best color in dappled shade. Will look washed out in full sun. Very showy when planted against a dark background. Dwarf, mounding habit becoming 2-3 ft high and 4-6 ft wide in 10 yrs. Well-drained soil. Zone 5.

KURO HIME
$32.00

Cute, tiny leaves are pinkish-red with an orange hue and darken to green with reddish edges. Summer color is dark green. The clumps of leaves look like flowers sitting above the dense,shrub-like tree. Red fall color. Upright with a rounded form to 2 ft. in 10 yrs. Nice for rock gardens, patio planters, bonsai. Sun/part shade in well-drained soil. Zone 5.

HUPP'S DWARF-2g
$35.00
Very popular compact miniature maple with tufts of leaves arranged tightly on top of each twig. New growth comes out pink and turns a dark green though out the summer months. Reddish orange fall color. 1 ft tall and wide in 10 yrs. Excellent

IRISH LACE
$35.00
Very pretty new small dissectum from Japan reaching 3 ft. New leaves are pink with gold veining. As the leaves age they become green. The pink new growth splashes the tree though out the summer. Branches are lime green in color. Nice contrast with the pink new growth. Gold to red fall colors. Very nice for small gardens or containers. Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil. Zone 5.

they all sound pretty

Not only do they sound pretty, I am impressed at how small and spreading they are.

I was only looking for short kids for by our front walk and the endless stream. Deer will probably eat them, though I will plant them in a safe place for a couple of years until they are bigger if they are really tiny. We lost too many when I uncaged a mess on May 1 to some greedy deer. I moved some of them to behind the deer fence last fall. Some of those look good, albeit smaller than they were on April 30th as they never really recovered from their demolition. But some are dead. Sad as I was too eager to take off their cages. Patti

nice patti - those look like the new 2-gallon trees she is offering now so they should be an ok size.

Today. Not much snow, but it is icy and we have had fair bit of wind. Spent part of the day making a Gillfeather turnip, carrot and Vt apple soup with a touch of Maple syrup that was tapped by a friend. We picked the carrots and turnips from the garden yesterday. I meant to pick some kale to crisp for a garnish, but forgot and I am not going out today. We were having a dinner party tonight, but cancelled until tomorrow. Driving isn't the best. All transportation cancelled. Fine with me. DH went out to see how the little reticulated Iris were doing and to feed the birds and took a shot of the fearless I.r. Gordon. Patti

The JMs sound very colorful....wish mine had better fall color.

Soup sounds awesome....

Jen, Santa Rosa has 35% off on their Fairy Garden Package.

Code: PLAN35

http://www.santarosagardens.com/Fairy-Garden-p/plan-faigar.htm

I just sent an order off to Deer-resistant landscapes. I have gotten some good stuff from Dave in the past. I heard about him from our Victor. Patti

Blechnum spicant $ 8.65
Amsonia hubrechtii $ 4.75
Magnolia x 'Ann' -- 25% off $ 8.28
Lavandula angustifolia 'Potpourri White' $ 7.25
Ligularia przewalskii 'Dragon's Breath' $ 9.75
Salvia pratensis 'Eveline' 2@$ 5.75 $ 11.50
Salvia nemorosa 'Marcus' 2@$ 5.25 $ 10.50
Salvia nemorosa 'Sensation Rose' $ 6.65
Verbascum 'Plum Smokey' 2@$ 7.75 $ 15.50
Verbascum ‘Caribbean Crush’ $ 12.65
Salvia koyamae -- Japanese Yellow Sage $ 4.35
Helleborus argutifolius 'Silver Lace' $ 13.25
Aconitum napellus 'Album' $ 9.25
Genista lydia 'Bangle'(TM) -- Lydia woodwaxen, Dyers greenwood $ 6.33

Oh, those sound so pretty, Patti! I'm still droolin' over the orders you all are sending. I have to know where we will be (which of 3 states) to receive an order before I let myself indulge. LOL

Give my regards to Dave, Patti. Good guy. Have not ordered from him in a while.

DonnieBrook, just send them to me. Patti

Let me think about that, Patti....LOL. After all, we do have plans to meet up somewhere when we return! One pre-requisite on hiring a mover down here is that they must take plants on the van! Fat chance.....we ran into that issue when we moved some of our stuff down here when we retired in '06. 🙏

yeah salvia!!!!

Verbascum is one of my favorites......grew V. phonecium hybrids last year from seed....the plants looked great in the fall, so I'm hoping for blooms this year.

I have some Verbascum Mullein under lights right now. Southern Charm, Rosetta and Violetta. Easy to grow and so far the Southern Charm comes up every year. Flowers first year from seed.

Oh my gosh these are the cutest solar lights EVER!!!! http://www.plowhearth.com/set-of-4-gnome-home-solar-path-lights_p1011793_s2004_d3058_c1089.html

They sure are, Jen. Unfortunately, we use about 3 dozen solar lights all around and spend a lot less for them although they are definitely not as good looking.

placed my last order of the spring from prairie moon nursery. ordered rhizomes of wild ginger and rhizomes of queen of the prairie (filipendula rubra) that was so stunning when we saw it growing wild in maine last summer.

also identified a plant that was left behind at the RU here a couple years back while looking through roots and rhizomes, it is persicaria that has very unique foliage and small red flowers on spikes in the late summer/fall. i believe the variety is painter's pallette. no one ever pleaded guilty to leaving it behind or providing an ID so happy to come across it.

funny PERENNIALLYME had it as a 'want' but no one had it as a 'have'..... interesting.....

and i thought it was her who left it behind - are you looking at the old will bring what to the ru? wouldn't a want listing mean someone was going to bring it?

anyway a really nice plant - i remember brian trying to talk celeste into taking it - it looked cool to me and i was hoping it would be left behind - celeste has no interest in it:)

If you have something on the want list for the RU means you "want" someone to give you 1
If you "have" it that means you "have" it available to give to someone

really? thx for the explanation:) thought she may have put a want for something someone had. this is not a common plant so strange she would just ask for it.

wasn't me

Hmmmmmm....that must be the plant I saw you slip into your garage when no one but me was looking......I'm just sayin'. It was right after you distracted everyone with those killer hot dogs....remember?....oh, of course you do. As I remember it, Brian turned around to find Celeste, and the plant just went away. Hmmmmmm

I didn't get a hotdog

:(

I never saw people scarf down hotdogs so fast in my life!!!!

They were the best! Wasn't me that brought the persicaria, never have seen it. My art teacher is planning a plant swap in May, she asked me for suggestions....I have lots of phlox to divide.

Ooooh, sounds like time for a couple RUs this summer with phlox and hot dogs on the agenda! Allison has her name on 3 dogs! After all, we owe her a few! I hope my Red Riding Hood phlox will soon be ready to share. It is a beauty...and not too tall so it stands up nice and straight.

Sounds pretty Louise! I didn't get a hot dog either. :(

sounds like a plan Louise

I've admired Red Riding Hood phlox since I saw it in last year's Bluestone catalog....may have to get some if I can find room! The face of my garden has changed because 2 trees are no longer there....

Yep, starting in May in NJ.

I just ordered Wedding Phlox 'Miss Lingard' from Heritage Flower Farm.