May is upon us, which means we get to celebrate our mothers - though shouldn't we do that all year long? We cannot think of a better way to do so than giving her the gift of replenishing vases. We're talking about plants that are great for cutting gardens, which will allow Mom to stock her vases all season long and for years to come.

The newest episode of Carrie's Quick Tips is available, where she discusses bark mulch. This is sure to invigorate you to get outside and put in some quality time with your landscape and garden. This month's Leaf Lore explores the history of Mother's Day, which was originally intended as a day for women to promote peace.

We have some great events planned this summer! Make sure to mark your calendars; Johnson's Nursery will host a recycling event to collect the landscape and garden plastics that you've been saving. After you drop off your containers, stick around for our annual Wild Ones native plant sale that same day. Enjoy 15% off all container native plants and join us for nursery tours.

Sincerely,


Retail Hours
Monday-Friday
8:00am-7:00pm
Saturday
8:00am-6:00pm
Sunday

10:00am-5:00pm

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FEATURE ARTICLE
Thanks Mom!
by Carrie Hennessy, Horticulturist/Landscape Designer

When I was a child, every year on Mother's Day I would present my mom with a bunch of Jonquils from the yard, clutched in my grubby little hand. Then we would pick more Jonquils (or sometimes Lilies of the Valley and Violets if it was an early spring) wrap the stems in wet paper towel, and drive to my grandmother's to present her with this simple gift.

 

Only second to Valentine's Day, flowers on Mother's Day are the most popular gift. 66% of Americans will buy flowers for May 11th this year. Carnations are the traditional floral offering, but even carnations will only last about a week in a vase. This year consider giving mom flowers that will last all season. Imagine how her face will light up if you surprise your mom (or the mother of your children) with an armful of containers filled with plants that will remind her of your love day after day, year after year. I've done the work of compiling a list of plants with flowers that can easily go from garden to vase. All you need are some gloves, a shovel, a little compost, and a lot of love to install mom her own cutting garden.

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PLANTS FOR SUN

Strawberry Seduction Yarrow 
Achillea 'Strawberry Seduction'

Sky Blue Aster
Aster azureus

Butterfly Bush

Buddleia species

 

Magnus Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' 

  

Munstead Lavender 

Lavendula augustifolia 'Munstead'
 

Becky Shasta Daisy

Leucanthemum x superbum 'Becky'

 

Kobold Original Blazing Star

Liatris spicata 'Kobold Original'

  

Peony

Paeonia species

  

Caesar's Brother Iris

Iris siberica 'Caesar's Brother'

 

Star Gazer Lily 

Lilium 'Star Gazer' 

  

Garden Phlox 

Phlox paniculata

 

Caradonna Salvia 

Salvia nemerosa 'Caradonna'

  

Russian Sage

Perovskia atriplicifolia

 

Hummelo Lambs Ear

Stachys monieri 'Hummelo'

  

Black-Eyed Susan 

Rudbeckia species

  

Knockout Rose 

Rosa x 'Radrazz' PPAF

  

Milwaukee's Calatrava� Rose

Rosa x 'Radfragwhite' PPAF

COLOR

Red


Blue


Varies


Bright Pink


Lavender


White


Pink


Varies


Purple


White/Pink


Varies


Purple


Lt. Purple


Pink


Yellow


Cherry Red


White
BLOOM 

June-Aug


Aug-Oct


June-Sept


July-Aug


Aug-Sept


June-July


July-Aug


Spring (var.)


June-July


July-Aug


Summer(var.)


June-Aug


July-Sept


June-Aug


July-Sept


June-Sept


June-Sept 
Butterfly Bush
Black Eyed Susan
Hummelo Lambs Ear
Milwaukee's Calatrava� Rose

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PT. SUN - SHADE
 
Fragrant Bouquet Hosta
Hosta 'Fragrant Bouquet'

Annabelle Hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

 

Endless Summer™ Hydrangea 

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' PPAF

Ruby Spice Clethra

Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'

  

Fanal Astilbe

Astilbe x ardensii 'Fanal'

  

Black Lace Elderberry

Sambucus nigra 'Eva' PP15,575
*The lacy black leaves of 'Black Lace' can also be used in vase arrangements. 

Thriller Lady's Mantle 

Alchemilla mollis 'Thriller'

 

Jack Frost Brunnera 

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

 

Wild Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

  

Zig Zag Goldenrod 

Solidago flexicaulis

  

Golden Tiara Hosta

Hosta 'Golden Tiara' 

 

Bleeding Heart 

Dicentra spectabilis

 

Virginia Blue Bells

Mertensia virginica

COLOR

White


White


Blue/Pink


Pink


Red


White/Pink




Yellow/Green


Blue


Red/Yellow


Yellow


Lt. Purple


Pink


Blue
BLOOM

Aug-Sept


June-Oct


June-Oct


July



June-July


May




May-July


May


May-June


July-Sept


July-Aug


May-June


April-May
Endless Summer Hydrangea
Jack Frost Brunnera
Thriller Lady's Mantle

PLANT OF THE MONTHPOM
Tor Birchleaf Spirea - Spiraea betulifolia 'Tor'
Mature Height: 2-3'          Mature Spread: 3'
Exposure: Full Sun to part shade. Zone: 3
Glow Girl™ Birchleaf Spirea 

Tor Birchleaf Spirea 

Spiraea betulifolia 'Tor'  

 

By the hammer of "Tor"...why would we choose a spirea as the plant of the month? Because this is a spirea that doesn't look like your typical spirea. No dry crispy leaves here! The lush, blue-green leaves of Tor Spirea create the perfect backdrop for the clusters of tiny, clean white flowers. This Swedish selection has a mounded, compact habit that works nicely as a specimen, in groups, or as a low hedge. Depending on the amount of sunlight the shrub receives, its fall color can range from yellow, orange, and red to deep burgundy and purple. A spirea so impressive that the Wisconsin Nursery Association named Tor Spiraea as the 2014 Woody Ornamental Plant of the Year.

 

Proven Winners� Color Choice� series has introduced a new cultivar of Birchleaf Spirea called Glow Girl™ with bright lime green leaves. The buzz on this new plant is positive so we are excited to be carrying it at Johnson's Nursery this year

HEY! DID YOU KNOW?TIPS


Carrie's Quick Tips
Bark Mulch

Bark mulch suppresses weeds, maintains soil moisture, protects roots, and adds nutrients. Watch more.

Subscribe to Carrie's Quick Tips on YouTube and follow her on Facebook.

LEAF LORELORE
Mother's Day

The history of our modern Mother's Day begins after the Civil War. A young Appalachian mother named Anna Jarvis organized "Mother's Friendship Day" events to promote peace and mourn soldiers lost in the divisive war. Around the same time, Boston poet and women's activist Julia Ward Howe (composer of The Battle Hymn of the Republic) wrote the widely read piece "Mother's Day Proclamation" that encouraged women to promote peace. But it was Anna Jarvis's daughter, also named Anna, who has earned the most credit for promoting a day for mothers. Following the death of her mother in 1905, Anna made it her life's work to encourage people to spend one day of the year celebrating their mothers. It was a day intended to travel back home to your mother and thank her for all she did. The popularity of this annual celebration spread throughout the states until President Woodrow Wilson declared in 1914 that the second Sunday in May would be set aside as a national holiday to revere mothers. One hundred years later, more children and husbands will be treating mom to brunch than on any other day of the year.


Anna Jarvis, Founder of Mother's Day



Soon-to-be Momma Duck's clutch of eggs in our container range in Menomonee Falls
WHAT'S GROWING ON?DATES
Mother's Day - Sunday, May 11
Memorial Day - Monday, May 26
Menomonee Falls Retail Hours 5/26/14: 8am-2pm 
 
Hanging Basket Sale at Johnson's Gardens in Cedarburg
May 2-11 during posted store hours.
Enjoy 2 for $29.99 on select varieties, while supplies last. Sale ends on Mother's Day. Hanging baskets make great gifts!
Recycle Your Landscaping Plastics in Menomonee Falls  
Saturday, June 14 from 8:00am-Noon
Recycling centers do not accept most forms of landscaping plastics such as containers, We are pairing with Waukesha County Recycling to collect your old pots piling up in your garage.

6th Annual Wild Ones Native Plant Sale in Menomonee Falls 
Saturday, June 14 from 9:00am-5:00pm
During the sale, ALL Wisconsin native plants in containers will be 15% off. Along with the native plant sale to benefit local Wild Ones chapters, nursery tours and concessions are planned.
More Information Here

Emerald Ash Borer at Johnson's Gardens in Cedarburg  
Saturday, June 7 from 10:00am-12:00pm 
EAB has arrived in Wisconsin. Learn how these insects are impacting your yard, along with other tree health care issues. Event is free, however space is limited.
Please RSVP here

Sincerely,

Johnson's Nursery, Inc.
Nature's Best to You.
www.johnsonsnursery.com
p. 262-252-4988  e. [email protected]