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WHEN IS A SECOND A FIRST?
To test your tolerance for our monthly e-newsletter, we're doubling its frequency. In case your calculator's broken, that means two (2) times per month - and this is our first second issue. Will it make you love us twice as much -- or half? RSVP. DOWN ON THE FARMS
Florida:
Production crews are doing a bang-up job on the crops you'll need for fall and spring 2011.
Check our availability and take advantage of our Hosta sale (See What's Hot at right).
The best news here is, of course, that the oil leak off Louisiana appears to have been plugged. We can't speak for the whole Gulf coast, but Pensacola's beaches and water are clean and inviting, and the seafood is fine. C'mon down!
Pennsylvania:
We're gearing up for a big September push on Hakonechloa, starring 'Aureola', co-starring 'All Gold', with cameos by 'Naomi' and 'Nicholas'. PA weather: Hot. Stinkin' hot & sticky humid. Our temps have been all but interchangeable with theirs, but naturally, we get no sympathy from our Floridians: Wimps!, they say. It's way hotter here, and it doesn't cool off at night - so there! OK, OK. You win. Boy, misery may love company, but it hates competition.
DEJA VU ROAD TRIP
After the Perennial Plant Association symposium, we're psyched for another visit to lovely Portland, OR, for the FarWest Show (Aug. 25-27). Traditionally among the biggest green galas, FarWest '09 felt deflated: Fewer attendees & exhibitors, less swagger. Compounding the national - nay, global -- recession is regional reality. The Pacific Northwest's output is largely trees & shrubs, which are tied to housing starts, which are hamstrung by the recession. Eastern shows are seeing renewed confidence after a couple of nervous seasons. Here's hoping FarWesterners are feeling feisty again, too. If you're around, swing by Booth #2068 and compare notes.
Leo: Someone is reading over your shoulder. Roll your chair back quickly right now and they'll learn to be less annoying, unless they read faster than you do. Tonight: Loosen up, paint the town, but tuck that hose under the bench first. A wary alliance forms with an Aquarian who knows all about your injector.
Speaking of natives, wonders and overdue honors: The 2011 Perennial Plant of the Year is Amsonia hubrichtii, a splendid native and personal fave. It blooms for about 20 minutes every spring, but flower power isn't everything. This wonderful upright accent plant's fine foliage sways gracefully in the slightest breeze, bringing movement to the border. Come autumn, its gorgeous golden hue is a traffic stopper.
So, back to the experiment. Here's the deal: We'll put out two (2) issues per month only when we have something to say. Things change quickly, so every couple of weeks doesn't seem unreasonable. We hope you'll agree. Grab a fish taco and a cold one, and let us know what you think.
John Friel
Marketing Manager
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Back by popular demand: Dianthus 'Bath's Pink' wins admirers below the Mason-Dixon line because it shrugs off Southern summers. Named for garden designer & author Jane Bath, it's a Georgia Gold Medal winner.
Our yearly buildup has us amply endowed with Hosta liners. Get 'em while they're What's Hot, build some bulk for early sales in 2011, AND save $$: Now through September, take 25% off any quantity of six popular varieties: 'Blue Cadet', sieboldiana 'Elegans', 'Francee', 'So Sweet', 'Sum & Substance', and 'Wide Brim'.
Restless about natives? Explore the expanded Native Wonders™ collection in our new catalog. We're fussy about that list. Our key criterion is not authenticity as defined by provenance purists; it's garden worthiness, i.e., real ornamental value. Our natives are at home in American gardens not only because America is home, but because they're beautiful, landscape-enhancing plants, welcome anywhere. If you've grown Chelone 'Hot Lips', Stokesia 'Colorwheel', Schizachyrium 'The Blues', Gaura 'Crimson Butterflies', and/or Polemonium reptans 'Touch of Class', you know whereof we speak. And if you haven't, it says here, it's time to try 'em.
Pictured below:
Hakonechloa macra 'Naomi' |
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