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Weekly Picks! 

Friday, March 2 , 2012
In This Issue
Timing is Everything
Weekly Picks 2.0
Perennial Gem: Helleborus foetidus
NOW!
Save the Dates

March 7+8

Ecological Landscaping Association's Annual Conference & Marketplace, MassMutual Center, Springfield, MA

Click here for registration.

 

March 15

Perennial Plant Conference, UCONN Storrs, CT

 

 

Quick Links







2012 Catalogs are Here!

 

 

 

 

If you haven't received yours yet in the mail, stop in and pick one up or give us a call1

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Hamamelis 'Diane'
Timing is Everything

  

Red Maples in Newtown, fresh dug down from our farm

Thanks for reading our newsletter;  I certainly understand that time management as a landscape professional is quite the balancing act!

 

As proud members of the Connecticut Green Industry, we are working year round. We trim and fertilize our Connecticut grown plants, and maintain our facilities and equipment all winter long. We bring in material on a fairly rigid schedule, both for growing and resale, because there are certain timetables that are inflexible and must be met.  Loads start coming in the second or third week of  February regardless of weather.

 

Timing in many ways is everything. We have to keep a strict schedule to ensure that our product is as healthy and vigorous as possible, and is ready for sale at the appropriate time, when you need it. We pride ourselves in doing our absolute best to accommodate you, and are always striving to improve our customer service.

I personally welcome any feedback or questions, and can be reached at dnewman@planterschoice.com.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to read this;  here's to a great spring! 

-Darryl

Weekly Picks 2.0!
Yes, our weekly newsletter got an upgrade - just in time for  the 2012 season - we hope you like it!  

We plan on introducing a few new columns and features throughout the year. Charlie will keep you up-to-date on rose care - including the seasonal maintenance needed to give your clients beautiful, healthy roses.   Liz will keep us in-the-know with some plants you may have  overlooked called "Did You Ever Think of Using...?
As usual the 'NOW!' column highlights  the week's newly arrived plant material - fresh incoming stock plus our own Planters' Choice grown material as it becomes ready to sell. 

Best of all, we're happy to be offering Specials on a more regular basis this year so stay current by watching for them here in the Weekly Picks!  By being on our email list you will  be the first to know what we're featuring and first in line to save!

And that's not all...we'd like to hear about your successes with Planters'  Choice material - whether it's a great combination or a perfect choice for a difficult site - tell us about it! We will periodically choose one to highlight here, mentioning your company of course, and you will earn $$ off your next purchase!  Include a picture if you can!

Lastly, don't forget, you can follow us on Twitter!  We are tweeting out maintenance reminders, design ideas, cultural tips etc., all in 140 characters or less! We'll never include any pricing so tell your customers that they can follow us, too!
 
All this plus great information on what we do best - Plants!

Thanks all!    
Susan
Perennial Gem - Stinking Hellebore
Stinking Hellebore - a winter gem!
photo: J. Torello
Looking for a great plant that holds it own in winter? Take a look at Helleborus foetidus
or Stinking Hellebore.
It's definitely one of those under-used garden gems that deserve a chance in any landscape.

What makes this a good choice for the winter garden? The long-blooming two-toned effect of the foliage and bloom. The flowers are not like the better known Royal Hybrids - this flower is smaller with less color. What is noticeable are the chartreuse bracts which contrast nicely with the deeply divided darker leaves below. Growing to 30" in bloom, it can be seen from a good distance. They take a wide range of light conditions, but the more sun the better it'll bloom. It likes moist rich soil but is also pretty drought tolerant! So why the stinky name? It comes from smell you get when the leaves are crushed.

It is also good to know they have a reputation for seeding around rather freely, eventually making a small colony. The seedlings are easy to recognize making pulling easy if you don't want them to spread. You can also control them by dead-heading before they go to seed. Don't however, let this stop you from adding a few here and there.

Combined with early bulbs like Galanthus (Snowdrops) it will make anyone want to venture out early March and take a look.

NOW!
These have come in over the last 3 weeks - please call for sizes and pricing.
 
Deciduous B&B Trees
Newtown's yard is filling up
Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple) 'Bloodgood', 'Tamukeyama'
Acer plat. (Norway Maple) 'Crimson King'
Amelanchier x grand.  (Shadblow) 'Autumn Brilliance' , 'Rainbow Pillar'
Betula platyphylla 'Whitespire' (Asian White Birch)
Carpinus bet. (European Hornbeam)
Cercis canadensis (Redbud) 'Lavender Twist', 'Forest Pansy' 
Chionanthus virginicus (Fringe Tree)
Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood) Cherokee series, 'Cloud 9',  'Rubra'
C. kousa (Kousa Dogwood) 'Milkyway', 'Satomi',
C. x 'Stellar Pink'
Gledetsia triacanthos (Honey Lucust) 'Imperial'
Magnolia x soulangiana (Saucer Magnolia) 'Jane',  'Butterflies'
M. stellata (Star Magnolia) 'Royal Star'
Nyssa sylvatica (Blackgum) 'Red Rage', 'Wildfire'
Prunus cerasifera (Purple Leaf Plum) 'Thundercloud' 
P. serrulata (Cherry)  'Kwanzan', 'Snow Goose'
P. x (Cherry) 'Yoshino' , 'Okame'
Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford', 'Chanticleer', 'Cleveland Select'
Quercus bicolor (Swamp White Oak)
Stewartia pseudo. (Japanese Stewartia)
Ulmus americana 'Princeton' (American Elm)
 
Deciduous B&B Shrubs
Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet)
'Arnold's Promise' Witchhazel
Hamamelis x 'Arnold's Promise' (Witchhazel)
H. virginiana (Common Witchhazel)
Hibiscus (Rose of Sharon) purple, tree form
Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea) 'Snow Queen'
Ilex verticillata (Winterberry) 'Sparkleberry'
Syringa reticulata (Japanese Tree Lilac) 'Ivory Silk'
S. vulgaris (Common Lilac) 
Viburnum carlesii (Korean Spice Viburnum)
V. dentatum (Arrowwood Viburnum) 'Chicago Luster'
V. judii (Judd Viburnum)
V. macrocephalum (Chinese Snowball Viburnum)
V. plicatum tom. 'Maresii', 'Shasta', 'Summer Snowflake'
V. prunifolium (Blackhaw Viburnum)
V. wrightii (Wright's viburnum)

 
Evergreens  will be coming in later this month - call for availability, or watch this column over the next few weeks! 
 
Have a Great Weekend!

As always, we appreciate your business!

Sincerely,
Chuck and Darryl Newman
Planters' Choice, LLC