Pulmonaria saccharata 'Blue Ensign'

With all of the thousands of perennials that Planters' Choice grows, we thought we could at least highlight a different plant each week. Some will be more familiar than others, but our hope is to help you broaden your perennial palette, introduce new varieties and maybe remind you of some that have been forgotten! So here we go, starting with one of our favorite spring perennials, Pulmonaria.

common name:  Lungwort

size: 8-15" H x 18"W

culture: Part-shade to shade and moist soil.

interest: Long lasting early spring flowers., some varieties have initeresting spotted foliage.

best time of year: Early- late Spring

Pulmonaria is definitely one of the 'must haves' for the early spring garden. Our P. saccharata 'Blue Ensign' at the moment are loaded with plump, dusky purple buds and will start opening to an irridescent blue over the next several days. Once open they last for weeks! Great for the woodland as they like part shade and cool, moist soil.  However they would do equally well in a bed along a walkway or as underplantings in the shrub border as long as it's not in full sun.

We carry several varieties including 'Mrs Moon', 'Opal' and P. officinalis 'Sissinghurst White' and others. Many have interesting spotted foliage adding to their value in the spring garden. If the foliage looks tired, or if powdery mildew develops in the summer, simply cut the leaves back and keep it watered. New growth will emerge in about 2 weeks.

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News from Watertown

Douglas Fir, Pompom Austrian Pine  and freshly dug Pin Oak

The yard here is filling up nicely, especially with evergreen and specimen material.  The majority of our houses are uncovered and trucks are rolling in daily. In addition to the above, we have a nice selection of material including: Weeping Alaskan and Blue Atlas Cedars, Weeping White Pine, nice sized 'Degroot Spire' Arborvitae and Serbian Spruce.

Stop in soon and bring your plant list!

Roger 

Acer palm. 'Shishigashira'

In this Week:

Groundcovers Are In!

Pachysandra (Spurge) flats

Liriope 'Big Blue' and 'Variegated' 1 gallon pots

Hedera helix (English Ivy) flats

Trees and Shrubs  

Acer palmatum (Japanese Maples) 'Bloodgood', 'Katsura', 'Mikawa Yatsubusa', 'Murasaki Kiyohime', 'Peaches and Cream', 'Shishigashira' (at left), 'Tsumagaki', Viridis' (High grafted). Sizes range from 7 gallon to 4-4.5".  

A. shirasawanum' Autumn Moon  (Autumn Moon Maple) Will grow 7-8' in 10 years. Green fan-like foliage, great fall color.

Betula jacquemonti (Himalayan Birch) 1.75 -2" 

Betula nigra 'Heritage' (River Birch) 14-16'
Cercidiphylum magnificum 'Pendula' (Weeping Katsura) 3.5-4" Different from C. japonica 'Pendula' as it tends to grow up and then arch with a weeping habit. Very limited.

Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda Dogwood) 4-5'. A hard to find native understory tree.

C. florida (Flowering Dogwood) 'Cherokee Brave', 'Cherokee Princess' 

Crataegus viridis 'Winter King' (Hawthorne) 3-3.5" 

Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (Harry Lauder's Walking Stick) 5-6'

Fagus sylvatica (European Beech) 'Dawyck Gold', 'Purple Fountain', 'Red Obelisk'
Maackia amurensis (Maackia) 2.5-3", 4-4.5" 

Magnolia x loebneri 'Leonard Messel' 7-8' specimen

M. x soulangiana (Saucer Magnolia) 6/7' 

Malus (Fruiting Apple) Espaliered, 2 tier, dwarf, 15 gallon.  

Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood) 2-2.5" 

Prunus subhirtella 'Snow Fountain' (Weeping Cherry-Low graft) Shorter, Weeping white cherry. Limited.

P. serrulata 'Kwanzan' (Flowering Cherry) 2-2.5", 3-3.5"
Quercus rubra (Northern Red Oak) 6-6"

Sophora japonica 'Regent' ( Japanese Pagoda Tree) 2-2.5" Limited, check them out soon! 

Syringa x j 'James McFarlane' (Lilac) 4-5'  

Tilia cordata 'Greenspire' (Littleleaf Linden) 4-4.5"

Ulmus parvifolia (Lacebark Elm) 5-6" Large specimen, limited and must see!

Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) 'Bizon Blue'

Evergreens - Broadleaf, Dwarf and Ornamental 

Buxus semp. (Boxwood)Many assorted sizes incl.spirals (limited) 

B. x 'Green Mountain'   

Chamaecyparis noot. 'Pendula' (Weeping Alaskan Cedar) 12-14'

Ilex x 'Dragon Lady' (Holly) 5/6'

I. x 'Nelly Stevens' 8/10', 12-14'

Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Cedar) 6/7' specimens

Taxus x media 'Hill's Upright' 5-6'
Picea pungens 'Bizon Blue', 'Deitz Prostrate'

Pinus kwangtungensis (Kwangtung Pine) Native of China's Kwangtung Province, short needles in bundles of five. Closely related to P. parviflora in habit.  

P. mugo 'Fastigiata'

Tsuga canadensis 'Jeddeloh' (Dwarf Weeping Canadian Hemlock)  

Thuja plicata 'Green Giant' (Western Arborvitae)

Evergreens - Screening

Picea abies (Norway Spruce) 5/6', 6/7', 7/8'  

Picea glauca (White Spruce) 8-10', 10-12'

Picea omorika (Serbian Spruce) 6/7', 7/8', 10-12'

Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald Green', 'Nigra' (Dark American Arborvitae) 

Thuja plicata 'Green Giant'  (Green Giant Arbs.) 8-10' 

Tsuga canadensis (Canadian Hemlock) 4/5', 5/6', 6/7'

Hardgoods

***FYI  We have changed our production practices and are no longer using 4" square plastic pots (approx. 1 qt.). Let us know if you can use them! ***

You asked for it!  A nice line of Organic & Natural Fertilizers and Soil Amendments have arrived, so stock up!   

• Corn Gluten   
• Green Sand   
• Slug and Snail Control    
• Dried Blood
• Soil Acidifier 
•  Rose-tone
• Lawn Food (7-2-2)
• Gypsum  
• Plant-tone
• Holly-tone
• PHC Healthy Turf 8-1-9
• PHC BioTone Plus
• PHC Healthy Start 3-4-3 and 3-4-4 for Acid loving plants
• Lebanon's 9-2-5 plus 6% iron, organic-based  

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Cercis can. 'Slender Silhouette' Weeping Redbud

Have A Great Weekend!

Come check out what's blooming!

We are open Saturdays 7am-4:30pm.