The Buddleias or “Butterfly Bush” has been extremely popular this season. And for so many reasons! They come in an array of many colors – dark purple, lavender, fuchsia and white. Additionally, they emit a very sweet fragrance. There are a wide range of sizes available. Two of the taller varieties are ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Royal Red’. Both have arching stems growing 6 to 8 ft. long. The ‘Buzz’ plants have flowers in sky blue, velvet and hot raspberry with heights of 3 to 5 feet. ‘Miss Molly’ and ‘Miss Violet’ grow to 4 or 5 ft. ‘Pugster’ is the dwarf of the bunch reaching only 2 to 3 feet with flowers pink, amethyst, periwinkle and white.
One of the really popular Zinnias is ‘State Fair’ and unfortunately they have been basically unavailable in 6 packs. The almost identical one is ‘Benary’s Giant’. These, however, are only sold as 4″ plants. We do have a pretty good replacement for ‘State Fair’ in 6 packs called ‘Zesty’. The plants are not as tall, 18 to 24″ but they have very large, colorful flowers and should be good for cutting.
Vegetables and herbs are still available – the supply a bit more limited as the planting season for summer is almost over. This week we expect a variety of sweet peppers – red, yellow and orange, including some of the small, ” lunch box” type. We have finally been able to acquire the grape tomato ‘Juliet’ which has a large following. ‘Stupice’ is a small, great tasting tomato which fruits very early and produces for a long time. Look for starts of melons, pumpkins and squash.
It seems we have lots of gourmet cooks in our midst – herbs have been selling furiously! Basil most certainly tops the list. Parsley and chives are also much sought after. Tarragon is popular but we can only find it occasionally. The most decorative variety of Thyme is the variegated lemon; we also have plain lemon plus English and French. Lime Thyme can also be used as an attractive ground cover. Doesn’t everyone have Rosemary?
Amongst our roses you will find two charming ones with clusters of small, bright red flowers. ‘Red Ribbons’ is a ground cover type, 24″ to 30″ tall with a spread of 5 to 7 feet. The flower clusters contain small 2″ double ruffled bright red flowers. The disease resistant rose has glossy, dark green foliage. A new variety from Monrovia, ‘Grace ‘N Grit’ is an upright shrub rose, It is advertised to endure a long, hot summer with unwavering blooming zeal! This disease resistant rose is grown on its own roots and is considered to be self-cleaning – no deadheading!
Maximize your plants! Treat them to some nurturing fertilizer. ‘Ferti-lome Blooming and Rooting’ will help produce abundant flowers. Use organic and organic-based vegetable food for a bigger, better crop. Green up those yellow leaves with iron or nitrogen and add some acid food for your blueberries. Don’t forget to indulge your roses every 6 weeks. You will be surprised at the improvements!
Dahlias are here! Lots of colors, including bi-colors and many with dramatic, dark leaves. Expect them to bloom for the season – keep dead heading. and feeding. Most will return next year unless you have heavy soil. Then it’s best to remove the tubers and keep in a dry, cool place to avoid rot. A new and unusual variety is ‘Mega-Bloom Berry Blast’. A tidy, well-branched plant topped with massive blooms for a dense display. A perfect fit an 8″ container or larger.
Chilopsis is a lovely native shrub. It will eventually reach 15 to 20 feet tall. The small, colorful flowers are similar to cattleya orchids. In time it will develop shaggy bark and a twisting trunk. It can be pruned to enhance a picturesque shape. Our native selection changes weekly. In time of drought, what better things to plant?
A new rather elegant bird feeder. We also carry humming bird feeders. Other aids to help the wild creatures – native milkweeds for the Monarch butterflies and a handout with information for bee friendly plants.
Can’t take the heat? Step into the shade house. View the Hydrangeas, ferns, Heucheras (Coral Bells) and more. Atop the tables you’ll find Coleus in 4″ pots and 6 packs, Begonias, Impatiens, Ipomoeas (Sweet potato vines) in two colors plus Pelargoniums (Geraniums). What used to be called ‘Martha Washington’ Geraniums has been revised to ‘Regal’. A new variety arriving this week is called ‘Pinkerbell’.