Planters' Choice Weekly Picks! 

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Friday, June 17, 2011   
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In This Issue
Spotlight on Fuzzy Deutzia
Perennial of the Week: Hosta
A Peek in the Greenhouse
CNLA Summer Field Day
NOW
Spotlight on: Fuzzy Deutzia - Deutzia scabra 'Pride of Rochester'
Deutzia Pride of Roch.
Deutzia 'Pride of Rochester'

Here's a gem of a plant that shouldn't be over looked - Deutzia scabra 'Pride of Rochester'. It is a tall graceful shrub with arching branches growing about 8' x 6' with a profusion of pure white, double flowers late May/June. Its bark will start to peel with age, adding an additional interest.

A cousin to the dwarf spreader D. gracilis 'Nikko', it likes the same conditions - rich well-drained soil in full sun-part shade. Easy to care for and long lived, just prune after flowering to shape.

Use as a taller foundation plant, in the shrub border, as a single specimen or as an informal screen.
Plant with Azaleas and Blue Mist Shrub for season-long color. With its upright habit it's easy to underplant with the early blooming spring bulbs such as Scilla or Crocus.

FYI: The name Deutzia comes from an amateur 18th century Dutch botanist named Johann van der Deutz.

Perennial of the Week: Hosta  
Hosta June
Hosta 'June' - a favorite!
common name: Plantain Lily/Hosta
size: ranging from 8"- 32" H and W
interest: grown mostly for lush bold foliage
culture: Part shade - shade. Moist soil.
time of year: May - Frost
companion plants: Astilbe, Ferns, Helleborus and other Hosta

Here's a genus with many, many cultivars. The leaf is the attraction here, though they do have lavender or white flowers in June/July that are sometimes fragrant. The leaves come in all combinations of variegation like 'June ' seen here with the darker green margin surrounding a wide chartreus center. Some have small narrow leaves like 'Kabitan' or larger more rounded leaves like 'Krossa Regal' which is a blue without any leaf patterns.

What about deer you ask? Use a good deer repellent such as Bobbex when the leaves first come out, again a week or two later and once fully leafed out. Planting with other plants the deer don't usually like, such as Astilbe and Helleborus may help deter them. Some say the heavier corrugated leaves are not as enticing to them... either way, it's best to protect the investment with a few shots of repellent. If your customers' homes are fenced in then consider a hosta garden. Play the varied foliage shapes, color, textures and sizes against each other - a beautiful way to enjoy the shade! Stop by either location to see a wide range of fabulous Hostas!

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Geordie Gives us a Peek into the Greenhouse

Greenhouse in June
The Big Greenhouse in Newtown.

We have quickly forgotten all the snow of last winter. However, back in February we dug our equipment out of snow drifts to pot up this crop of Rhododendron, Kalmia and Leucothoe.  These represent the pipeline we use to produce the three, six and ten gallon Rhododendron crops you will start seeing as soon as next fall.

Take time to stop by and see them the next time you're in!

 

CNLA Summer Field Day - Don't Miss Out!  

Time to sign up for CNLA's Summer Meeting! CNLA Summer Field Day Logo
JULY 13th  8am-3pm

Planters' Choice is the proud host this year!
Come hear some informative lectures. Our own Mark Kokinchak will talk about Fall Turf Renovation and some other speakers including John Hunt - Maintaining the Landscape with Organics and Joan Nichols - How to Deal With Local Officials. Also play some volleyball, bid at the CNF Silent Auction (always fun!), eat some great food (breakfast and lunch, including UCONN Dairy Bar Ice Cream!) and tour our farms and the Watertown sales yard as well as visit nearby Hosking Nursery which has been in business for more than a century! It should be a really fun time!

Held at Veterans Memorial Park in Watertown, there will  be shuttle busses to visit our growing fields and sales yard. Register asap! Only 3 1/2 weeks to go! Hope to see you all there!

 MORE INFORMATION/REGISTER HERE!

 

NOW

Hydrangea 'Twist and Shout'
Hydrangea m. 'Twist n Shout' 10g

In This Week: Boxwood, Hydrangea and more Roses!

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs
Acer x freemanii  'Autumn Blaze' 4.5-5" Down from our farm.
Azalea 'Delaware Valley', 'Gumpo Pink/White', Pleasant White, 'Hino Crimson', 'Renee Michelle'
Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' (Summersweet) 10 gallon
Hydrangea a. 'Annabelle' (Smoothleaf Hydrangea) 10 gallon limited
H. mac. (Bigleaf Hydrangea) 'Blushing Bride', 'Endless Summer' 5 g., 'Twist N' Shout' 10 gallon A reblooming lacecap. One of our customers uses them in containers with great success!
H. paniculata 'Limelight' 20 gallon. Gorgeous!

Malus 'Snow Drift' 3-3.5" Down from our farm.
Roses - Drift Roses: Peach, Red and Sweet (double clear pink), 'Fairy', Knockout Family including tree form. 2, 3 and 10 gallon assortment
Vitex agnus castus 'Shoal Creek' (Chastetree) Budded and ready to show off it's large lavender flower spikes. Fragrant palmate leaves. Deer resistant!

 

Weeping Hemlock
Don't forget our larger specimens including this stunning Weeping Hemlock -
Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula' 7/8'

Broadleaf and Ornamental Evergreens

Buxus microphylla (Boxwood) 'Green Gem'
B. sempervirens (Common Boxwood) assorted sizes
Cephalotaxus h. 'Fastigiata' and 'Prostrata'
Chamaecyparis pis. f. 'Aurea'
Ilex crenata 'Soft Touch', 'Steeds'
I. glabra 'Shamrock' (Inkberry)
I. pernyii (Pernyi Holly) 5/6', 6/7'

Kalmia lat. 3/4', 4/5'

 

Evergreens for Screening

 

Rhododendron maximum 3/4', 4/5', 5/6' 

Tsuga can. (Canadian Hemlock) assorted sizes.

 

 

Looking Good and Not to  be Missed!

 

Ulmus 'Morton Glossy' (Triumph Elm)

2-2.5", 3.5-4", 4-4.5", 4.5-5" An excellent hybrid Elm with glossy, dark green foliage that turns yellow in fall. 55'H x 50'W. Upright, vase shape with arching branches. Check out this older article on The Return of the Elm. It gives a little history and describes the effort to bring this stately tree back.

 

Grasses are also looking great - get them in the ground soon to enjoy now and their upcoming fall show. Just down from our perennial farm are Pennisetum rubrum 'Fireworks' 1 gallon. In the ground or in containers they add a little fire to the landscape or containers!


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Coreopsis 'Jethro Tull'
Coreopsis x 'Jethro Tull'

Have a Happy Father's Day!

 

Summer officially begins on Tuesday, June 21st. YAY! 

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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
Hours:
March 14th - June 25th  Mon.- Sat. 7 am - 4:30 pm
June 27th - Nov. 19th  Mon. - Fri. 7 am - 4:30 pm & Sat. 7 am - 1 pm
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