Planters' Choice Weekly Picks!
Archived E-mails
 Friday, October 8, 2010
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In This Issue
Spotlight on....Hornbeam
Staff Picks! Steve likes Purple Love Grass
NOW
Spotlight on Hornbeam
Carpinus 2
Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata', on the left, and C. caroliniana on the right.
Consider a Hornbeam when your customer says "I want a tree...but something different..."

European Hornbeam - Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata'. A beautiful, elegant tree that will fill the need for many situations. As a single specimen in a lawn, in groupings for an effective screen, in rows trimmed as a hedge, or pleached for a formal look - this tree does it all in an understated way. No flashy flowers or firey fall color needed - European Hornbeam has a very symetrical shape thanks to its even branching habit that birds love for nesting and cover. The leaves, simple and alternate, turn yellow mid-late fall. It will slowly reach 40-60' tall x 20-30' wide. The branches fan upwards with no central leader.  Narrower than the species, but wider than most people think at maturity. It is effective as a screen, even in winter without its leaves!

American Hornbeam (Ironwood) - Carpinus caroliniana. Our native Hornbeam is smaller than its cousin reaching about 20-30' high and as wide. Found in the woods as an understory tree, it likes moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, but can tolerate drier conditions. It has respectable yellow fall color as you can see above, top right.  It is also known as Musclewood for it's trunk resembling flexed muscles, seen above, far right.

Also available is the straight species of European Hornbeam - Carpinus betulus - a stately tree becoming oval at maturity. "One of the very finest landscape trees" says M. Dirr. Also available is the variety 'Franz Fontaine' which has a central leader and inward turning branches. 35'h x 18'w at maturity. It is ultimately narrower than 'Fastiagata'.

Stop by and take a look at them all.

Staff Picks!  Steve loves grasses, especially this one...
Eragrostis
Purple Love Grass

Steve has been working for us since 2006, first in Newtown and now up in Watertown. He is our Perennial Grower.  He enjoys a natural garden using plants like our native Purple Love Grass.

"Eragrostis spectabilis is a wonderful shorter grass that has a big, airy, inflorescence in fall. It's the low pink cloud you see along the highways this time of year. It will tolerate poor soil, full sun and is drought tolerant. Planted in a mass it will really show off its pink seedheads which measure about 16"h x 8"w!  Zone 5."

Thanks Steve!
NOW
Boxwood
Blocks of Boxwood!


Incoming this week:

Buxus sempervirens (Common Boxwood), assorted sizes, both hedge and specimen grade.
B. 'Green Velvet' & 'Winter Gem'
Hydrangea mac. 'Endless Summer'
Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess' (Blue Holly)
Rosa (Rose) Flower Carpets and 'Knockouts'

Watertown:
Beautiful blocks of Roses, Burning Bush 5ga, Arborvitae, Grasses...Stop By Soon!




Perennial HOT List!
Looking Good and in Good Supply!
Dendranthemem 'Sheffield Pink'

Chelone 'Hot Lips' (Turtlehead) Red stems, rose-pink flowers, 24-36"H. Full sun to part shade.
Coreopsis 'Red Shift' (Tickseed) Creamy yellow flowers turn to red, 24-30"H. Full sun.
Dendranthemum 'Sheffield Hybrids' (Hardy Chrysanthemum) Fragrant pink flowers, 30-36"H. Full sun. Foliage forms a nice groundcover - not many weeds get through this tough fall-bloomer!
Echinacea 'Harvest Moon' (Coneflower) Golden petals, orange-gold cone. 24-30" H
E. 'Ruby Star' Stiff carmine red petals, long lasting cut flower, 36-40" H. Full sun.
Nepeta 'Blue Wonder' (Catmint) Lavender-blue flower spikes, 6" H. Full sun.
N. 'Walker's Low' Compact, mounded foliage. 10 H" Full sun.
Salvia 'Caradonna' (Meadow Sage) Blue-violet flowers on dark stems, early-mid summer, 24" H. Full sun.
Stachys 'Countess Helen von Stein' (Lamb's Ear) Leaves are longer and broader than species. Great for softening hardscape!
S. 'Silver Carpet'  Low maintenance groundcover, 12" H. Full sun.

FYI:
We are well stocked with grass seed and starter fertilizers! Give your customers fast results with Fast Establishment - Perennial Tri-Rye for their overseeding needs. It usually germinates in 4-7 days with adequate conditions. Click for detailed information on overseeding and lawn renovations from UMASS Extension.

Help your customers protect their investment - it's time to start thinking about  deer spray! Keep in mind we carry Bobbex in Ready to Use spray bottles to offer your customers as well as the larger sizes of concentrate.


coffee

Remember to stop by either location Saturday mornings for a caffeinated jump start!

"Coffee and..." will be available 7:00am - 11 am.
Stop by - Say hi!

Have A Great Fall Weekend!!!
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Visit our two locations:
140 Huntingtown Rd.  Newtown, CT 06470  Tel. 203-426-4037  Fax 203-426-8057 
496 Bunker Hill Rd.  Watertown, CT 06795  Tel. 860-945-6588  Fax 860-945-9282
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