Planters' Choice Weekly Picks! 

Archived E-mails
Friday, August 12, 2011   
Useful Links
In This Issue
Native Solutions
Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi (Bearberry)
Perennial of the Week: Kalimeris incisa
NOW
Handy Information for Your Native Plants' Needs
2011 Native Brochure
Updated Native Solutions bi-fold.

 

Look for our newly updated Native Solutions brochure the next time your plans call for native plants whether it's for a wetland reclamation project or your eco-conscious customer's landscape. It lists many of our homegrown native trees, shrubs & perennials (including grasses and ferns) with a handy chart with their moisture requirements.

Also included is an insert of three native plant lists for attracting hummingbirds, butterflies and songbirds. Helpful plantlists at-a-glance!

Pick one up the next time you're in!   

Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi (Bearberry)
Arctostaphyllos u.u.
Bearberry (Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi)

 

Looking for an alternative to Pachysandra and Vinca? If you have the right conditions, give Bearberry a try. It's a low growing, slow spreading evergreen with small pinkish-white spring flowers and bright red, persisting fruit. It needs the right soil conditions to excel in the landscape -  well-drained, sandy, infertile soil. Plant in full sun to light shade and once established it will form a nice weed-suppressing mat with a fine texture. It's a good plant to use near the beach as it is quite salt tolerant. Read more at the above link.  

 

Looking for other groundcover ideas? Check out 4/23/2010's Weekly Pick in the Archived Email link up top, or pick up a copy of  Covering Ground by Barbara Ellis the next time you're in! 

Perennial of the Week:  Kalimeris incisa 
Kalimeris
Kalimeris incisa
common name
: Blue Star Aster
size: 18" T x 18-24" W
interest: Pale blue daisy-like flowers.
culture: Full sun in average soil with medium to dry moisture.
time of year: Summer
companion plants: Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', Pennisetum rubrum, dark leaf Weigelas 

Here's a wonderful under-used perennial that may quickly become one of your must-use staple plants - and for good reasons. It's a fine-textured prolific bloomer with light blue, narrow-petaled flowers with prominent yellow centers and narrow serrated leaves. It's best planted in full sun in well-drained soil. It does well in heat and humidity and is quite drought tolerant. Use as a middle of the border in large groups or tuck them in here and there for that billowy texture. They are also great for container plantings. A very useful plant to know and grow!                                      

NOW
Rose Scarlett Carpet
Scarlet Flower Carpet Rose 2 gallon 

In This Week: Mountain Laurel Hybrids and more Boxwood!

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

Rosa Knockout Family and Scarlet Flower Carpet which is a nice groundcover Rose with glossy, deep green foliage that is disease resistant, self-cleaning and easy to shape any time in the growing season. Bright scarlet blooms are semi-double and very striking. Cutting it back late winter by 2/3rds will increase bloom. 24-30" T x 40" W.   

 

Boxwood in August
Freshly stocked Boxwood  

Broadleaf and Ornamental Evergreens

Buxus sempervirens (Common Boxwood) assorted sizes.

Chamaecyparis pisifera f. 'Aurea' (Goldthread Cypress) 15 gal.

Ilex x meservae (Blue Holly) 'Blue Maid' 10 g., 'Blue Princess', 'Blue Prince'

Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel) 'Nipmuck' and 'Olympic Fire' 15 gal. 

Picea glauca 'Conica' (Dwarf Alberta Spruce) 7, 10 & 15 gal. Spirals, too, call for their availability. 

 

Groundcover

Hedera helix (English Ivy) flats

Liriope 'Big Blue', 'Variegata' 1 gal.

Pachysandra terminalis (Spurge) flats  

 

Looking Good!

Perennials 8.9.11
Pick a color, any color! 

 

So many perennials are in bud and bloom right now that it makes it a great time to design a summer perennial or cutting garden. From the deep violet- purple Phlox 'Nicky' to the vibrant blue of Delphinium 'New Millenium Super Star' - you may even find it overwhelming!  

 

Need help with that? Ask your sales person or check out Tom Fischer's book Perennial Companions for more ideas the next time you're in!   

 

 

Fern book on shelf
Ferns for American Gardens by J. Mickel 

 

 

Speaking of ideas, we have just restocked our  shelves and have a few new books you should take a look at. Ferns for American Gardens by John T. Mickel is one of them. Written by the curator of the ferns at the New York Botanical Gardens, it is an excellent reference source. Great beach reading, seriously! Stop in and check them all out! 

 

Hope to see you soon!   

 

 


Heuchera in house
Is there a Heuchera in the house?

 

 

Enjoy the week's end!

 

Don't forget Hot Dog Wednesday!  

11:30 am - 1:30 pm

Both locations.

 

Have lunch on us! 

 

 


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