Planters' Choice Weekly Picks! 

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Friday, May 13, 2011   
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In This Issue
Perennial of the Week: German Iris
Dwarf Butterfly Bush and Lilac!
NOW
We Need the Connecticut Experiment Station!
As many of you may be aware, due to the State budget crisis, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is in danger of being shut down. As a friend and integral support agency to the nursery, landscape, tree protection, and agricultural industries, we urge  you to give them your support.

Introductions: Buddliea Flutterby Series

Buddleia Flutterby
Buddleia 'Blueberry Cobbler' and 'Low and Behold Blue Chip' at left.

Some exciting spring and summer blooming shrubs have landed at Planters' Choice. It's the Flutterby series of Buddleia called 'Flutterby'. Sought after because they can easily fit into any design - perennial gardens, foundation plantings and mixed borders. The dwarf forms are great for your container gardens!

Buddleia 'Blueberry Cobbler' (Butterfly Bush) will grow 4-6', has large, powder-blue flowers which fade to yellow. There is less viable seed which means you'll have less maintenance! It's heat and drought tolerant (once established, of course) and deer resistant!

 

Others from this series: 'Flutterby Pink' 3-4' x 4-5', 'Flutterby Peach Cobbler' 4-6' x 4-6' with peach colored flowers,  and the Petites: 'Blue Heaven, 'Snow White' and 'Dark Pink'. These will grow approximately 2-4' tall and wide depending on the cultivar.

B. 'Lo & Behold Blue Chip' was developed at the University of North Carolina. It is an even smaller grower at 2-3' with even branching and long bloom time. Excellent for the small garden and containers. (currently limited supply)


Pair with other sun lovers like Roses, Spiraea (S. 'Magic Carpet'  or 'Alpine' for example), Hibiscus (Rose of Sharon), Hydrangea petiolaris 'Little Lime' (another dwarf!), Iris, Ornamental grasses...

Check them out the next time you're in!
 

Perennial of the Week:  Iris germanica 
Iris germanica 'Best Bet'
German Iris 'Best Bet'
common name
: German Iris
size: 30-36"
interest: Bearded flowers in many colors, many are reblooming.
culture
: Full sun, very well-drained soil
time of year: May-June and sporadic rebloom
companion plants: Peonies, Lilac, Mountain Pinks

The flowers are definitely the attraction on Bearded Iris. Many are re-bloomers carrying the interest into the fall and dead-heading the spent flowers will encourage this. As stated above, full sun and very well-drained soil is best. Plant them no deeper than they are in the container. Division will be needed every couple of years to keep them vigorous.

Cultivars available: 'Again and Again', 'Best Bet', 'Beverly Sills', 'Immortality', 'Speeding Again' and others.

Come see them in bloom!

NOW
rosa knockouts
'Knockout' & 'Blushing Knockout' Roses 10 gallon
In this week: A lot of evergreens, annuals and more!

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs
Betula jacquemonti (Himalayan Birch)
B. nigra 'Dura Heat', 'Heritage' (River Birch)
Buddleia 'Lo & Behold Blue Chip' (Dwarf Butterfly Bush)
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Endless Summer', 'Nikko Blue'
H. paniculata 'Limelight' (Hardy Hydrangea) 20 gallon
Hypericum frondosum 'Sunburst' (St. John's Wort) 2 gallon

Kerria japonica 'Golden Guinea' (Japanese Kerria) 2 gallon Single golden flowers in spring.

Rosa 'Knockout', 'Blushing Knockout' 10 gallon 'New Dawn' trellised. Other roses: 'Blaze', 'Apple Blossom' (Flower Carpet), 'The Fairy', 'White Out'
Stewartia pseudocamelia (Japanese Stewartia)
P. abies Acrocona
Young cones on Norway Spruce 'Acrocona'

Broadleaf and Ornamental Evergreens
Buxus (Boxwood) 'Green Mountain', 'Green Velvet', 'Justin Browers','Newport Blue', 'Vardar Valley' assort. sizes
Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese Cedar) 'Yoshino' 8/10', 10/12'
Ilex crenata (Japanese Holly) 'Hoogendorn', Schwoebel Upright', 'Sky Pencil', 'Steeds' assorted sizes
I. glabra (Inkberry) assorted sizes
I. opaca (American Holly) 'Satyr Hill' 4/5', 5/6'
I. pedunculosa (Longstalk Holly)
I. pernyi (Pernyi Holly) 5/6', 6/7', 7/8'
I. verticillata 'Red Sprite' (Winterberry) 24-30"
I. x mes. (Meservae Holly) 'Blue Maid', 'Blue Princess', 'Blue Prince', 'China Boy', 'China Girl' assorted sizes
Juniperus chinensis (Juniper) 'Blue Point', 'Hetzi Columnaris' 15 gallons, 'Mountbatten', 'Robusta Green' 7 gallon.
Picea abies (Norway Spruce) 'Acrocona', 'Pendula' (Weeping) 3-4' low spread
P. pungens (Colorado Spruce) 'Fat Albert' 6/7', 8/10' limited, 'Hoopsi' 6/7', 7/8' (consider also 'Bizon Blue', so blue!)
Rhododendron maximum 3-4' (Rosebay Rhododendron)
Cedrus libani pendula
Weeping Cedar of Lebanon 14/16'

Evergreen Screening
Abies balsamea phanerolepsis (Canaan Fir) 6/7', 8/10'. 10/12'
Picea abies (Norway Spruce) 5/6', 6/7'
P. orientalis nigra compacta (Dwarf Oriental Spruce) 4-5'
Pinus nigra (Austrian Pine)
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir) 8/10', 10/12'
Thuja occidentalis (Eastern Arborvitae) 'Emerald Green' assorted sizes
T. plicata (Western Arborvitae)'Green Giant' 5/6', 6/7'
Tsuga canadensis (Canadian Hemlock) 10/12', 12/14', 14/16'

Specimen Trees
Cedrus libani 'Pendula' (Weeping Cedar of Lebanon) 14/16' limited. A must see! Spectacular.

Annuals are in and more to come! And don't forget our Hanging Baskets!



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  Summer Color - Annuals are Here!



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