Newsletter for November 2026
Welcome to the bareroot season! The first to arrive are, surprisingly enough, not bare root at all. The growers in recent years have grown certain fruits in small quart pots. The plants are more expensive but they have a much stronger root structure and a greater chance at survival. Our newest arrivals include all our berries, pomegranates and figs.
Our bareroot fruit trees will be available in January, but we have a sale right now on last year’s trees at Bay Laurel Garden Center. All fruit trees including citrus and avocado are 20% off. That’s a year’s growth at a great price!
The Camellias are beginning to show their amazing blooms. Pictured here is a Sasanqua variety which is the first to bloom. Many have single blooms with Japanese names. ‘Noelii’ however, with its single red flowers is aptly names for its season. The Japonica varieties will bloom soon thereafter. These long lived, evergreen shrubs are a must for the shade garden and once established need only moderate supplemental water. Good drainage is crucial.
Cool season vegetables are loving the cool days! Lettuce is a perennial favorite, especially the 6 packs with a mix of different varieties. Add a little zest with some Arugula or a spicy Asian green mix. Try the golden beets for a more subtle beet flavor.
Fall color is usually found in Liquidambar trees, maple trees, or Chinese Pistache trees. But here is a popular shrub that is the epitome: Viburnum opulus ‘Snowball’. This deciduous shrub with its large white “snowballs” in summer can grow over 10 feet tall.
Fall bulbs are waiting for good homes at Bay Laurel Garden Center. The King Alfred type narcissus are extremely large and gophers avoid them! We have white Bella donna lilies (Naked ladies) again this year along with the pink varieties. These hardy lilies bloom so unexpectedly in the heat of summer with little or no care.
Chrysanthemums are fall favorites. Among the many colors, yellow, bronze and red seem to best portray the season. This particular one, ‘Newport’ has a lovely bicolor flower. After flowering, cut the stems back to the base where new leaves are emerging. The plants should last for many years.
A bright Yucca can liven up the drought tolerant garden. ‘Color Guard’ grows to about 2 or 3 feet tall and wide. Fragrant, white blooms appear in summer on stalks over 4 feet tall. ‘Color Guard’ is drought tolerant and deer resistant. We have a great selection of other drought tolerant succulent plants.
The gang of Heucheras are ready to invade your shade garden. The brightly colored leaves will display delicate bells in the early days of spring. The native variety, Heuchera maxima, has dark green leaves and is extremely hardy. The plant can grow 1 to 2 feet tall and over 3 feet wide. It’s a very useful ground cover for a shady area.
Ornamental oregano has a most unusual flower emerging from rose-tinted light green bracts. Leaves vary from smooth to woolly on specific varieties. The arching stems are best displayed in hanging baskets or perched on a wall. Long bloom time.
