The Quest for the Perfect Rose

Rose Lion’s fairy tale with Clematis Huldine

Every year I focus on updating a different section of my garden, and 2016 was the year of the rose bed. I have always grown roses in my garden—in fact they were the first flowers that I planted when we moved into our house in 1992. Six roses came on the moving truck with us from the city. I grew them in pots on the porch of our rented apartment in Somerville, and overwintered them in the unheated stairwell. They went into the ground in a circular bed in my front yard, created by the previous owner's leaf pile that had been left there over the winter. Most of them did not survive that exposed, windy location, pummeled by northwestern winds all winter long. I was a novice gardener, and did not realize that my tender hybrid teas needed winter protection. But despite my lack of success, I was determined to grow roses in my garden.

Aloha Rose was one of the roses that I brought from my city apartment, and it blooms to this day on my trellis.

Rose aloha, now 34 years old

I created new beds in sheltered locations, and ordered barefoot rose collections—hybrid teas from Jackson and Perkins for the bed bordering my stone garage, fragrant David Austin roses to grow along the fence. The roses were undoubtedly fussy plants, ravaged by aphids and Japanese beetles, and stripped of their leaves due to blackspot and other fungal diseases. Despite winter protection, some reverted to their Blaze rootstock, so instead of a yellow shrub rose, I ended up with another red climber that bloomed only once a year.

But when they were in bloom, the roses were gorgeous. Every year, my children lavishly decorated the table with roses for my Mother's Day breakfast, and made elaborate bouquets for my June birthday celebration. They even brought me a bouquet of my roses when I was in the hospital one November. So even as I debated whether I should continue growing these beautiful, fussy flowers, I knew that I could not give them up. I decided to go on a quest for roses that were winter hardy, disease-resistant, fragrant, re-blooming, and had the "cabbage-rose" look of old-fashioned roses that I love.

a birthday bouquet made by my daughter

At the Connecticut Flower Show, I attended a wonderful lecture by Mike and Angie Chute (RoseSolutions) entitled "Twenty-Five Fabulous Roses". Mike and Angie just published a book of 150 easy to grow, sustainable roses: Roses for New England: A Guide to Sustainable Rose Gardening. I was delighted to learn about roses that could be grown here in Massachusetts without winter protection and without constant fungicide or pesticide application. Most of these are hybrids that have been developed in the last 15 years. While Mike shared his list of 25 favorite roses, I asked him to point out those that were also fragrant. Sadly, in an effort to hybridize for hardiness, disease-resistance and a long season of bloom, modern hybridizers had sacrificed fragrance. Of the 25 roses on Mike's list, only 6 were fragrant.

I also found a second excellent guide to disease-free roses by Peter E. Kukielski, Roses Without Chemicals. Peter is the former curator of the rose garden at New York Botanical Garden, and this book highlights 150 tough new varieties of roses that perform well in all kinds of conditions. Each rose in the book has a detailed description along with a point rating which includes scores for disease resistance, bloom, fragrance and an overall score.

Cross-referencing both lists, culling out only fragrant roses and those with full, cabbage-rose heads, choosing those hardy to our zone and those that grew in a particular size range, I came up with a list of about 15 roses. Now the challenge was to find them for sale. I decided to order them via mail-order so that I could get them in the ground early. Nurseries often do not have roses until May. I was also looking primarily for bare-root, because I think that it's easier to establish bare-root shrubs in the garden. Some nurseries have already closed bare-root orders for the season. In the end, I was only able to find about half of my list, and placed my orders at White Flower Farm, Heirloom Roses, and Palatine Roses in Canada.

rose pink martini

rose first crush

My final selections were Pink Martini, Ascot, First Crush, Lion's Fairy Tale, Mother of Pearl, Pomponella, Summer Memories, and Cinderella.

Rose cinderella

Rose mother of pearl

It has been eight years since I purchased the new roses and they are all going strong. The best plants were from Palatine Roses and came bare-root. They grow to about 5 feet, bloom from June to October, and the foliage remains blemish-free all season long. My annual maintenance includes pruning and adding compost in spring, and monthly fertilization with Epsom Rose fertilizer monthly from May to August.

The best time to order plants from Palatine Roses is in January as they sell out very quickly.

I hope that you’re inspired to grow disease-free roses. They will reward you with years of bountiful flowers!

rose ascot

rose summer memories

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Redvein Enkianthus

By Joan Butler

photo by kenpei

Recently, I came across a list of Cary Award-winning plants. https://nebg.org/cary-award-past-winners/ The Cary Award program, named after Shrewsbury plantsman Ed Cary, was designed to highlight relatively uncommon plants that New England gardeners can choose with confidence as good performers for their home landscapes. The program was administered by the Worcester County Horticultural Society from 1997-2019. In its first year, five plants were selected as winners. One of these is a favorite of mine, Redvein Enkianthus.

I first encountered this plant many years ago, on a garden tour of a remarkable rhododendron garden in Concord, MA. The garden was full of towering rhododendrons, mountain laurel and azaleas. As I walked along the woodland paths, I found myself beneath a tall, smooth-barked shrub with dangling creamy pink flowers. Later, I asked the owner about the plant and learned it was a Redvein Enkianthus.

photo by joan butler

Redvein Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus) is an upright deciduous shrub that is native to the open woodlands of Japan. It has a slow to moderate growth rate, but can eventually reach the size of a small tree (15-20 feet).  It is hardy in Zones 4-7, making it an ideal selection for New England gardens. It has a graceful branch pattern, with elliptical leaves clustered at the branch tips. The bluish-green summer foliage turns to show-stopping shades of brilliant red, orange and yellow in autumn.

Bloom time is late spring/early summer. The half-inch long bell-shaped flowers hang in clusters (racemes) near the branch tips and are creamy white accented with red veins. The flowers are followed by dangling brownish seed capsules that are not particularly showy, but which add an element of distinction to the winter landscape, especially when frosted with a light coating of snow or ice.

Enkianthus c. ‘Showy Lantern’ by avant gardens

Hybridizers have introduced new cultivars with an increased range of flower color, such as the red-flowered ‘Red Bells’, and the dark pink-flowered ‘Showy Lantern’, introduced by Weston Nurseries. There is also a naturally occurring white-flowered form, ‘Albiflorus’.

Redvein Enkianthus prefers cultural conditions similar to those required by rhododendrons: acidic soil, with good drainage and moderate moisture. It is useful in the woodland garden, in the shrub border or as a specimen plant. It prefers part shade to full sun. It is considered pest- and disease-free, and is rarely damaged by deer.

photo by joan butler

My own Enkianthus is now nearly ten feet tall and functions as a small, multi-trunk tree in my landscape. It is planted next to my deck, where we can enjoy its dainty spring-time flowers at eye-level. Right now, in late March, its pointy little buds are yellow at the base and rosy pink at the tips, announcing that spring really is here!

Redvein Enkianthus is easily grown and deserves to be more widely used in the home landscape. It is a valued addition to the woodland garden or the shrub border, and is ideal for small gardens due to its slow growth rate. It offers four-season interest with its delicate spring flowers, rich green summer foliage, brilliant autumn color, and the winter prominence of its seed capsules and smooth gray-brown bark. I wouldn’t be without this graceful, distinctive shrub.

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Plant Colchicum Now for Blooms This Fall

by David Burdick

Last fall, I saw that Jana was presenting a program at the Berkshire Botanical Garden on FallScaping. Thinking she might somewhere in the presentation mention the autumn flowering bulbs of the genus Colchicum, I sent her the list of the ones I grow commercially in Western Massachusetts for mail order sales. After taking a look at it, she must have realized that I am a bit obsessed with them. Because many gardeners remain unfamiliar with them or are unsure of how to use them in their landscapes, she graciously offered me the opportunity to share a bit of what I know about these marvelously weird bulbs through her blog.

As a gardener in New England, I dread the coming of the first killing frost. All the tropicals in pots have to be moved in, and much of the riot of annual flowers that has made the growing season so colorful is abruptly gone. I soon realize though, that by no means is the garden or gardening finished for the year. Fall brings some of the bluest skies and nicest weather for working outside. Beautiful perennials like Sanguisorba canadensis, Vernonia and a number of asters continue to bloom. Others like Amsonia hubrichtii and Lysimachia clethroides have foliage that turns fantastic colors. We also see the appearance of the Colchicums, with their clusters of  4”-8” stemmed wine goblets in every shade from rosy-pink to purple and white magically mushrooming out of the ground seemingly overnight. Their flowers resemble Crocus, hence their common name of “Autumn Crocus.” They are marvelous.

colchicums at stonecrop garden in new york

Now for the weird. The fall-blooming Colchicums send up their blooms without any accompanying foliage. This has given rise to one of their common names “naked ladies”. Their wide, green, Hosta-like leaves arise from the ground very early the next spring, and continue growing until they yellow and die down in July. The flowering portion of their life cycle begins with flower buds poking through the ground starting in late August and continue through early October depending upon the cultivar/species.

During the dog days of August, very few gardeners are thinking about planting bulbs. It usually takes a few of those aforementioned frosts and a series of colder nights to get us warmed up to the idea. Yet it is the ideal time to plant the fall blooming Colchicum, and if done now or in the earliest part of September, one will reap their floral rewards in just a few weeks’ time (and so will the butterflies and bees that flock to them). Planting as soon as you can get them also helps with another bizarre aspect these autumn bloomers possess, which is that the bulbs will start the flowering process whether placed in the ground or on your windowsill, no soil or water needed. In fact, some people will occasionally choose to enjoy the flowers inside before finally incorporating them into their gardens. (I guess now is the time to mention that they also make nice cut flowers).

colchicum gioia brown

Be aware that if you are just noticing these bulbs for the first time and then head to the local nursery to purchase some, they may already have spent their bloom while sitting in their display boxes. They’re still viable, but you will have to wait until the following fall to see the floral show.

Up to now, I’ve been referring to the Colchicum as a bulb. To be botanically correct, it should really be called a corm. I’m not eager to go into specifics as to what the differences are, other than that corms (gladioli and the true crocus are also examples) completely replace themselves annually. The object you plant this fall will be totally used up, and if should you dig it up come the following July it would only be represented by a slim, slimy wafer of tissue with one, two, sometimes three-four replacements in its stead. The oddly shaped corms often have an extension from the bottom called “the foot”. Roots of newly planted corms do not come from the central bottom of the corm as one might expect, but rather emerge from the base of this “foot” and any other additional sprouting floral tubes the corm may produce. These shoots also include the rudimentary buds that will produce the leafy stems in early spring. Two floral tubes from a corm mean two new corms will develop to replace the original, three means three replacements will form, etc.

So how does one use them in the garden? Colchicums require a well-drained soil and prefer sunny locations. Incorporating them into herbaceous borders can be tricky, as the mass of leaves from established clumps can be quite substantial. I have successfully used them next to some of the classic late season perennials, especially ones like the ornamental grasses, Japanese Anemones, Russian Sages, or the smaller Joe-Pye Weeds, all plants that wait until the weather starts to warm before beginning their rapid growth stage. Place the corms at the perimeter of the foliage spread of their neighbor. The sunny spots at the bases of trees and in between shrubs display them well, and they will perform happily here provided that competition with surface roots is not an issue. Please, please do not fall victim to the old horticultural saw still being regurgitated that an ideal situation for them is amongst vinca minor, where “the green of the groundcover’s foliage provides the perfect foil for the emerging Colchicum blooms”. That design may look great the first time the newly planted corms flower, but be aware that the light conditions where vinca grows well does not grow colchicum well; they will soon dwindle away.

The nuances between all the kinds I choose to grow may involve their depth of color, whether the petals are checkered or not, time of bloom, length of flowering time, and foliage size. Here are a few of my favorites:

‘Disraeli,’ with bright, rich rosy-purple tulip shaped flowers treasured for their intense tessellation (darker lines of color that create a very attractive checkering pattern on the petals).

‘Poseidon,’ a bear of a grower with the longest flowering period of any we grow. Deep lilac.

‘Innocence,’a beautiful white that often will begin with petal tips colored with apple blossom pink.

‘World Champion’s Cup,’ broad lilac petals and what I call “walk by fragrance”. We are the sole US producers of this one.

Cilicicum, last to start blooming with short, funnel-shaped flowers and a delightful fragrance.

I only wish that I could get my hands on even more varieties, as there are lots of beauties in European gardens that I would like to trial, but sourcing from overseas has become almost impossible. As of now, I offer 20+ types through our mail order listing, and believe I am the only U.S. grower of a few of the varieties. My premier advantage is that I can begin shipping by the second week of August, where those coming from Dutch suppliers are never available before Labor Day. Ask for a list of everything we offer in the late summer/early fall by emailing me at david@daffodilsandmore.com or check out the website www.daffodilsandmore.com.

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Big Rhodys

heritage museums and gardens, photo by jana milbocker

By CJ Patterson

A number of years ago, I was selling a rhododendron to a citizen, and he was thrilled with it.  It was Calsap (Catalgla X Sappho), a large frilled white with a dynamite purple-black blotch, very showy. He had seen it in our flower show and was smitten.  He had asked about it, and was told “it will be hard to find”. As he picked it up to head for the cash register, I remarked “it gets big, so be careful where you site it.” He froze in mid-lift and turned.  “What do you mean, big?”

calsap, photo by jana milbocker

And so it begins. Breeding with R. yakushimanum, R. brachycarpum, and other compact, slow-growing hybrids has changed our aesthetics in the garden. Nowadays, if it isn’t a little green toadstool, no one knows what to do with it. We really do need to cultivate some creativity in our garden design. One of the most fun things about Rhododendrons is their sheer variety. Every natural plant form from hedging, groundcovers, and foliage accent to small trees can be found amongst the rhodys right along with the standard rounded green shrub. All it takes is a little imagination to use them.

photo by jana milbocker

My Calsap loving customer had a small suburban garden, and I think the term “gets big” suggested a giant shambling mound that would eat the dog. I admitted that Calsap could indeed fill that description, but that it would take it a number of years to make it to the dog-eating stage, and in the meantime, if he gave it a good site with a half day of sun, and regular deadheading, he could look forward to being the envy of the neighborhood for two weeks every year for quite a while. Personally, I like a really big rhododendron. Something about a tree-form rhododendron that you can stroll under is irresistible to me. Like an evergreen magnolia, only better because it’s a rhododendron. And then once a year, it blooms gloriously, not a flower here and there like the magnolia, but great masses of bloom. Anyone who owns a mature “Andy Paton” will know what I  mean. 

heritage museums and gardens, photo by jana milbocker

And they can be so useful.  Big rhododendrons can be used as accent plants, or hedging, or blocking a nasty view.  They are good for anchoring beds, be they wildflower, perennial, or rhody collection.  I speak here of the varieties that have a naturally upright growth habit, with a solid scaffolding of branches that can be pruned up a bit to allow for air circulation and “head space” for underplantings. But which to choose?  There are so many fine varieties to choose from!  In no particular order, here are some suggestions for a “big” rhody.  All are dependable healthy solid citizens, hardy to at least USDA zone 6, and several to zone 5 or lower.

cadis, photo courtesy cornell university

Cadis (Caroline X R. discolor) is an old Gable hybrid that has stood the test of time, and is now considered a standard. A sturdy upright grower with strong crotches, it will reach 6-8 feet in ten years and bears copious masses of candy pink flowers in late midseason, as shown in the picture to the right. It takes good disease and drought resistance from the pod parent Caroline (an earlier hybrid of Gable which is famous for its ability to turn away the slings and arrows of outrageous weather) and an upright tree form habit and later bloom period from the pollen parent, R. discolor.

Wyandanch Pink, courtesy ARS

Wyandanch Pink is one of the fastest and largest growing Dexter hybrids.  A mature specimen can have multiple upright trunks 4” or more in diameter. Add to this hardiness to at least USDA zone 5, and you have a good candidate for the colder garden.  It is one of the hardiest Dexters we can recommend for western Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Its main flaw is that because it is such a fast grower and grows so large, that it can have brittle wood.  For this reason I do not recommend planting it under white pines or where it will catch the wind.

Spellbinder, photo by CJ patterson

Spellbinder is a very large growing hybrid by Leach {(R. maximum X Russell Harmon) X (R. calophytum X sutchuenense)} that was bred for a tree form plant. It has plenty of hardiness from the pod parent, and a solid tree form from the pollen parent to give a sturdy tall upright plant.  It does not root easily from cuttings, so it may take a little searching for, but I have seen it in nurseries. It is hardy in zone 5 and should have at least a few hours a day of sun to bud up well.

katherine Dalton, courtesy Cornell university

Katherine Dalton is a Canadian hybrid of R. smirnowii and R. fortunei and taking the best from each parent.  A healthy hardy strong growing plant, with good clean foliage and well clothed, a dense upright plant with a shared leader, very resistant to snow load and windstorms.  It does not set many seedpods and so does not need much deadheading, a happy characteristic in a plant you need a stepladder to deadhead.

Now we reach the varieties that, while splendid, may take a bit of searching, but they are totally worth the trouble.

Babylon, photo by CJ patterson

Babylon (R. calophytum X praevernum). This is a famous plant, found in many collections, but almost unknown in the standard nursery trade, probably because it takes a while to mature to a flowering specimen. To become a convert, try looking at the specimen plant at Sakonnet Gardens in RI shown in the picture to the right. It needs a sheltered position as it blooms very early, with enormous trusses of white with a large jewel red blotch cascading over the plant. It is hardier than you would expect from the parentage, and I have seen trusses from west of I-495 and from southern NH, but their growers have been careful to provide both light shade and good air drainage. Even so, late frosts may ruin your show, although it seldom injures the plant.

babylon, photo by CJ patterson

Atroflo I and II (R. atrosanguineum X floccigerum) Another antique from Gable that is an ideal beginner’s plant for a tall rhododendron. It is an excellent foliage plant with long slender leaves of dark green with fairly thick indumentum beneath. It flowers freely with at least a half day of sun, bright rose in a medium sized truss, and the petals look like they were made of crinkly tissue paper. Habit is upright to a fault, growing up before filling out.  Branches that touch ground layer easily and then reach for the sky, forming a separate leader.  An Atroflo neglected in a large planting will form a little woods of its own, shading out its neighbors. Unfortunately, mine never seem to get much more than 15 feet or so tall, but perhaps they are not ideally situated. Atroflo I was the first to be selected from the seedlot for floral characteristics, but later Atroflo II was selected as being not quite as tall, but hardier.  Other than that, they are nearly identical in the garden.

hardy giant, photo by cj patterson

Hardy Giant (R. fortunei X fictolacteum) One of the earliest attempts to produce a hardy tree rhododendron, this uses R. fortunei as a pod parent for hardiness and fictolacteum as a pollen parent for size, as it is a true tree species related to R. rex. Unfortunately, the enormous leaves of the pollen parent did not come through, but it did yield a handsome sturdy upright plant with good foliage (though not overlarge) and a growth habit that grows up about twice as fast as it grows sideways. It blooms in early midseason with ample trusses of white flowers tinged pink. Solidly hardy to zone 5b and probably more, given a sheltered position with good air drainage. Our first plant grew to 12 feet in 20 years from a cutting, almost twice as tall as wide.

Russell Harmon, photo by cj patterson

Russell Harmon is a hybrid of our two native broadleaves, R. catawbiense and maximum and was introduced by La Bar’s nursery in the 1950s. It is about as hardy as you will get in a large rhododendron, down to -25F or better, and once established, is pretty bulletproof for a tall rhododendron. It roots easily and does not seem to be much discouraged by drought, once established. Personally, I think this rhody would be the poster child for the term “abundanza”, growing ten feet tall and fifteen feet wide, and once it reaches its maximum height it will continue to grow sideways. When it reaches its allotted space, it should be pruned.  It will reward good light with very large trusses of magenta tinged flowers, not individually large, but plenty of them. It blooms late in the season, too late for most shows which is unfortunate, as its tall triangular trusses are much loved by judges.

duke of york, photo by CJ Patterson

Duke of York (R. fortunei X Scipio) Last but not least, one of my all-time favorite rhodys, an antique from the early days of hybridizing.  Large flowers of pink with a slight tinge of magenta in lax but copious trusses, on a taller than wide plant, it is a healthy and long-lived vigorous variety bred in England but completely hardy in zone 5b here. When I was still working at the Arnold Arboretum, I found three of them at the base of Hemlock Hill that had been planted nearly 100 years earlier and were still in wonderful shape, at least twelve feet high and still blooming prolifically. I was thrilled to find that it roots easily and grows like a weed, and brought cuttings to P4M, where others shared my enthusiasm. Unfortunately, I made the major error of mentioning the plants to a garden designer, and she enthusiastically rerouted a major footpath right over them. In vain did I point out that rhododendrons do not like having their roots pummeled by traffic and that a stream of callous visitors would pull the plants down and rip off their stems (“there are so many flowers, no one will mind if I take a few” and rip them off they will do. I never mentioned a plant to upper echelons again.) I have not been back in many years, so I do not know if they are still there, but if they are, they are worth the extra hike when you visit the arboretum. The variety is so tall growing that I decided to experiment with it. I planted four rooted cuttings as a little grove, and then stood back to see how they would grow. The good news is that they grew into a wonderful grove that I could walk unimpeded under as though it were a grove of trees. The bad news is the closed canopy is very dense, allowing little light to filter down, and you cannot even tell when the plants are flowering except from a distance. And, of course no wildflowers or companion plants will grow under them.

scintillation, photo by jana milbocker

So I recommend tall rhodys to you as an accent plant, a boundary fence, or a visual screen from the neighbors. Use your imagination. A friend and chapter member, Berta Atwater had a superb garden and grew many unusual rhododendrons, but she also grew many standards, but with extra flair. She grew a row of Scintillation and limbed them up when they got big enough, and planted a group of clipped white R. kaempferi underneath. Come bloom time, the effect was stunning, and out of bloom was very elegant. Unfortunately, eventually a hurricane came and trashed the planting, but it was glorious while it lasted.

CJ Patterson is Vice President of the American Rhododendron Society, Massachusetts Chapter, and District 6 Director of the American Rhododendron Society. She and her husband have been hybridizing rhododendrons since 1986.

The Longstalk Holly

By Joan Butler

Longstalk holly (Ilex pedunculosa) is a unique and beautiful addition to the home garden. This large evergreen holly, native to China and Japan, was first grown in North America from seeds planted at the Arnold Arboretum in 1907. It has proven to be long-lived and extremely cold tolerant, with some of the original specimens still gracing the Arboretum landscape. It is dependably hardy through Zone 5. In my garden, it has survived temperatures as low as -10 degrees with ease.

Like all hollies, it prefers a well-drained, slightly acidic soil. It thrives in partial shade and has no serious pest or disease problems. Its smooth, green leaves are 2-3 inches long x 1 ½ inches wide, with a satiny sheen and gently rippled edges that catch the light.

Its most unique feature is the bright red berries that hang from one- to two-inch long slender stalks (pedicles), resembling tiny cherries. These fruits (drupes) are one-quarter inch in diameter and ripen in early fall. They persist on the plant well into winter, until they are eaten by birds and other wildlife. As is common in hollies, both male and female plants are needed in order for the female to set fruit.

My own longstalk hollies were planted over 25 years ago. They were slow-growing at first, then hit their stride and are now 12-foot tall beauties that add grace and distinction to my shrub border (upper right in photo). Their long branches are very supple, and it is amusing to watch squirrels as they try to inch their way along the swaying branches to nibble on the tasty fruits. Towards the end of winter, the only berries left uneaten are at the very tips of the branches, and I have seen robins on the ground attempting a weird jump/fly up to a low branch to grab a berry on their way down.

The longstalk holly is surprisingly under-used in the home landscape. Its lustrous, wavy leaves add depth and motion to the garden as they catch the light of the sun. Its shiny red, dangling berries add unique beauty and provide food for birds. Its graceful form adds elegance to the shrub border. In his book, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, Michael Dirr calls it “the most handsome of the evergreen hollies that can be grown in northern gardens”. Easily grown, with few pests or diseases, and beautiful in all seasons, longstalk holly deserves a place in every home garden.

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Rhododendrons with Attractive Foliage

By Joe Bruso, President, Rhododendron Society of America, Massachusetts Chapter

Rhododendrons are very popular spring-blooming shrubs with flowers in most colors.  The larger-leaved types available at garden centers bloom primarily in May, while most of the smaller-leaved types bloom in April.  Once the colorful blooms have faded, these plants are generally thought of as just green bushes.  What if they could be a focus of attention for more than the 2-4 weeks during which each individual plant is blooming?  Fortunately for those of us who love this genus, there are many plants that have attractive new growth and foliage that makes them a focus of attention all year.  While most long-time rhododendron growers know this, it may not be so well known among our newer members. This article provides an introduction to some of these plants.

New Growth

For some rhododendrons new growth can rival the blooms themselves for color and attractiveness.  It can be equivalent to a second bloom period, except sometimes lasting much longer than the blooms themselves.  For such plants, attractive color and texture can be seen on new shoots, bracts on those shoots, and hairs on the stems and leaves.  Bracts are modified leaves that originate as inner bud scales – the small, overlapping structures that protect dormant buds.  When these buds begin to grow, the bracts expand to look like small leaves, becoming very colorful, typically pink to bright red.  Bracts are temporary, withering and falling off as the new growth continues to expand and mature.  Some of my favorites include hybrids that have the species Rhododendron rex, R. macabeanum, and R. strigillosum in their parentage.  Although these species themselves are too tender for much of New England, they pass their colorful attributes on to their hardy hybrid progeny.  R. auriculatum can be grown as-is in much of New England, providing very dramatic late new growth.

R. auriculatum (left) and R. macabeanum hybrid (right) new growth showing colorful bracts

Foliage Shape and Size

A number of rhododendron species and hybrids have distinctively shaped leaves.  At their extremes, leaves can range from perfectly round to extraordinarily long and narrow.

Large Leaves

Some rhododendron species have leaves significantly larger than those of most rhododendrons grown in our area.  Although they are not hardy enough to grow in the colder parts of New England, many hybrids between these “big leafs” and hardy rhododendrons have been made, resulting in hardy hybrids that approximate the look of the species.  Mostly robust growers, these hybrids need space.  One of the features found in some of these hybrids is an interesting texture to the leaves.  One of my favorites is an R. rex hybrid with the hardy species R. brachycarpum.

R. sinogrande – very large leaves but tender, in UK garden (left), R. brachycarpum x R. rex (hardy “Big Leaf” hybrid) with textured leaves (right).

Round Leaves

Several rhododendron species have almost perfectly round leaves.  They range in size from less than 1” for the tender species R. williamsianum to several inches in diameter for two recently introduced and hardier species, R. yuefengense and R. platypodum.  One of the best williamsianum hybrids for our area is ‘Minas Grand Pre’, which is a hardy, slow growing mound with attractive, pink bell-shaped flowers.  Hybridizers are working hard with the other species mentioned and are producing some very attractive, round-leaved plants with much larger leaves than ‘Minas Grand Pre’.

Rhododendron ‘Minas Grand Pre’, R. yuefengense (left) and R. yuefengense x R. platypodum (right).

Narrow Leaves

Several species have long, narrow leaves.  The best example of this characteristic is found in R. makinoi.  It is very hardy in our area, and has many other desirable characteristics besides the leaf shape, including silvery hairy new growth, compact habit and retention of leaves for several years.  It is one of my favorite species, both as-is, and for use in hybridizing.

R. makinoi (left) and R. makinoi x R. strigillosum (right) showing narrow leaves and colorful, hairy new growth.

Hairy Foliage

Attractive hairs on stems and foliage (called indumentum) is perhaps the trait that most excites rhododendron foliage enthusiasts.  These hairs come in a wide range of colors.  They can appear on all parts of the new growth:  expanding and mature stems, and both the upper and lower leaf surfaces.  On the upper surfaces, hair color can be a bit muted, ranging from pure white, silvery, blue-green and muted burgundy, but also through light rusty-orange. 

Hairs on the upper leaf surface can last for several months with rain gradually wearing them off.  Examples include R. yakushimanum and R. makinoi and their hybrids, and R. bureavii and R. pachysanthum hybrids.  R. yakushimanum was one of the first species introduced into New England that showed these characteristics.  It has been extensively hybridized so there are many hybrids available, some of which can be found at local garden centers.  Two of the more common and attractive hybrids are ‘Mist Maiden’ and ‘Ken Janeck’.

Rhododendrons grown for foliage showing range of hair color on upper leaf surfaces. R. ‘Golfer’ appears in the foreground, R. makinoi behind that.

In contrast to hairs on the upper surface, the color of hairs on leaf undersides can be intense.  A favorite group for this characteristic is R. bureavii hybrids which have a thick layer of orange-rusty-colored indumentum.  The hybrid ‘Cinnamon Bear’ is an outstanding example.  Some types hold their leaves at an angle or even upright, allowing the colored undersides to be viewed from a distance.  Hairs on the leaf undersides are permanent, changing in color over time from pure white or light-colored to a darker color, often orange or reddish.

‘Cinnamon Bear’ (left) and ‘Cinnamon Bear’ x ‘Jade ‘n Suede’ (right).

Pigmented Mature Foliage

Some rhododendrons have deeply pigmented new leaves.  A subset of these retain this pigmentation for an extended period of time.  A great example is a form of the species R. fargesii called ‘Rudy Berg’.  Its leaves retain their burgundy color for up to 2 months.

 Another group of rhododendrons, selections of our native R. maximum and some of its hybrids, show what I call the “Red Max Effect”.  Decades ago a small colony of R. maximum was found in the Appalachian Mountains showing an unusually high degree of red pigmentation in stems, leaves and flowers.  These traits are passed on to some of its hybrids.  Particularly noticeable are reddish leaf centers.  This trait is visible all year long.

R. maximum (left) and R. maximum x R. adenopodum (right) foliage showing “Red Max Effect”.

“Red Max Effect” as seen in the flowers:  bicolor pink truss in foreground, red truss in background, on the same plant.

A selection of the species R. neriiflorum called ‘Rosevallon’ maintains red leaf undersides throughout its life.  This trait is passed on to a high percentage of its hybrid offspring.  Several named hybrids have been marketed, including one called ‘Everred’.  While this and similar hybrids may be marginally hardy in parts of New England, I’ve made successful crosses between ‘Rosevallon’ and hardy plants such as R. ‘Janet Blair’ that produced fully hardy plants with red foliage.

R. fargesii ‘Rudy Berg’ (left) and ‘Janet Blair’ x ‘Rosevallon’ (right)

Fall Color

Some rhododendrons display spectacular fall color before dropping some or all of their leaves.  Deciduous azaleas, which are within the genus Rhododendron, often develop bright yellow to crimson color in the leaves before they drop.  Similarly, many of the small-leaved type of rhododendrons (PJM being an example of this type) also develop bright colors in the older leaves before they are lost.  R. quinquefolium, a species from Japan, often has picoteed leaves, both on new spring leaves and on fall foliage.

Fall Color: R. quinquefolium (left), R. vaseyi (right).

Conclusion

Rhododendron flowers are beautiful and are the primary reason most people grow rhododendrons, but consider selecting and growing plants for foliage as well.  Colorful new growth can provide a second “bloom” season.  Colorful hairs, leaf shape, texture and leaf size can add many additional months of interest to your garden.  Of course, all of these rhododendrons bloom as well.  Unfortunately, many of the foliage plants discussed here are not readily available from garden centers, but they can be obtained from some specialty growers, mail-order companies and from the Massachusetts Chapter’s Plants for Members (P4M) program.  To find out more about P4M, contact one of the P4M chairmen listed on our website (MassRhododendron.org), including me at jpbruso@aol.com.

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12 Terrific Seed Companies for 2022

Will you be growing vegetables this year, or starting a cutting garden? Here are ten terrific companies to order seeds from this year. Warning: you will have a tough time choosing a company to order from and narrowing down your seed selections!

(1) Park Seed

Founded in 1863, Park Seed has a long history of supplying vegetable and flower seeds to customers all over the US. You will find cutting and bedding flowers, organic vegetables, heirloom varieties, herbs, as well as garden-ready plants, fruits and seed-starting supplies.

parkseed.com

(2) Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Baker Creek promotes and preserves our agricultural and culinary heritage by offering one of the largest selections of seeds from the 19th century, including many Asian and European varieties. A family business located in Missouri, you feel find their personal touch and photos of family and employees on their website and in the catalog. All orders have no shipping and handling charges in the US.

rareseeds.com

(3) Hudson Valley Seeds

Hudson Valley Seeds is best known for their Art Packs, which unite practical aspirations in the garden with the universal human desire for beauty, meaning, and joy. The company has its roots in the public library of Gardiner, New York. Co-founder Ken Greene, then working as a librarian, had been interested in the local food movement and, realizing there was little discourse about the seeds that grow our food, started the country's first seed library program in 2004. The more he delved into the subject, the more he realized that working with seeds was a way to work with issues concerning the environment, health, history, culture, and more, and Hudson Valley Seeds was born in 2008. The company offers heirloom and open-pollinated organic garden seeds only.

hudsonvalleyseed.com

(4) Pinetree Garden Seeds

A family-owned business operating out of a 300 year old farmhouse in Maine, Pinetree offers more than 1300 varieties of seeds at low prices for the home gardener. Their seeds are sold in smaller packets so that you can try a larger variety of flowers or vegetables. All seeds are non-GMO. Their Bring in the Butterflies Collection includes annuals and perennials that will lure the butterflies to your garden. In addition to seeds, the company sells spices and teas, essential oils, soap-making supplies and other crafting materials.

superseeds.com

(5) Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Also located in Maine, Johnny’s has been selling a diverse selection of vegetable and flower seeds for 45 years. In addition to seeds, they offer an impressive array of seed-starting and gardening supplies and tools for both homeowners and professional growers. The website has a terrific grower’s library section with lots of tips and resources.

johnnyseeds.com

(6) Renee’s Garden

Renee’s Garden is a company run by gardeners, for gardeners. Renee harvests and uses the vegetables and herbs in her kitchen to choose the most delicious, and cuts the flowers for bouquets to select the finest colors, forms and fragrances. She offers only non-GMO varieties of vegetables, herbs and flowers that are very special for home gardeners, based on great flavor, easy culture and exceptional garden performance.

reneesgarden.com

(7) Swallowtail Garden Seeds

Located in California, Swallowtail has an impressive collection of flower seeds - both perennials and annuals. They even have a separate web page for flowering vines, if you want to try clematis, passion vine, cardinal climber, cup and saucer and many others from seed. You will also find heirloom vegetables and herbs. Shipping and handling is $5.99 for all orders.

swallowtailgardenseeds.com

(8) Burpee Seeds

When W. Atlee Burpee began selling seeds in the 1880s, he toured Europe every year, beginning in the south in early spring and making his way north, obtaining seed stock as he traveled. He found that most of the best vegetable breeders of the time were German, Dutch, and Scandinavian. By late summer he was in England, where he found the best flower breeders. He kept a field book of data and observations, and during the voyage home he studied all his notes. The field book, with corrections and deletions, became that year's Burpee catalogue. Not all European seeds performed well in America’s climate, so in 1888, Burpee bought a farm near Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and transformed it into a world-famous plant development facility. Successful plant hybridizing by Burpee has led to some of the best vegetable and flower seeds for American growers. Burpee also acquired The Cook's Garden 10 years ago, and now offers some of the best gourmet veggies, greens, and herbs from around the world.

burpee.com

(9) Floret Farm

If you are familiar with Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden book, then you will enjoy browsing through their extensive selection of cut flower seeds. Floret Farm is a small family-run flower farm in Washington that has earned accolades from numerous gardening and lifestyle magazines. I was bowled over by their gorgeous varieties and color selections of cut flowers that no other company seems to order.

shop.floretflowers.com

(10) Botanical Interests

Owners Curtis and Judy started Botanical Interests because they believed that gardeners were not getting the information they needed on seed packets. Their created a unique seed packet that includes art, garden history, landscape ideas, organic gardening know-how, recipes, fun facts, and of course, high-quality seed. Botanical Interests’ website is also very user-friendly. You can search flowers, herbs and veggies by attributes such as cold tolerance, good for containers, attract hummingbirds or pollinators, color, height, and exposure. You can also download a seed-starting e-book from their website.

botanicalinterests.com

(11) Fruition Seeds

Located in the Finger Lakes region of New York, Fruition Seeds specializes in organic seeds that are adapted to thrive in the short seasons of Northern gardens, with early maturity, cold hardiness and disease resistance. With the exception of a few tomato varieties, all their seeds are open-pollinated heirlooms for you to save and share. Selections include both historical heirlooms as well as develop their own varieties.

fruitionseeds.com

(12) Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Baker Creek offers one of the largest selections of 19th century heirloom seeds from Europe and Asia, and its catalogs feature about 1,000 stunning heirloom varieties. Founder Jere Gettle started Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. in 1998 as a hobby, and it has since grown into North America’s largest heirloom seed company. In addition to seeds, the company sells, fruiting plants, flower bulbs, and garlic/onion starts.

rareseeds.com

10 Outstanding Mail-Order Nurseries for 2021

Once the holidays are over, I begin thinking about new plants for the garden. Here are some of my favorite mail-order nurseries for perennials, trees and shrubs that you will want to peruse in 2021, organized by plant specialty. For more nursery recommendations, see The Garden Tourist, and The Garden Tourist’s New England books in the Shop.

Perennial selection

Bluestone Perennials

Bluestone Perennials was one of the first mail-order nurseries that I purchased perennials from when I began gardening. Most of those perennials -geraniums 'Wargrave Pink' and 'Johnson's Blue', lobelias and astilbes, to name a few, are still growing in my garden 20 years later. Bluestone carries a huge selection of perennials, as well as bulbs and shrubs, from reliable standbys to exciting new hybrids. If you need help with plant combinations, you can order pre-planned theme gardens, such as a Butterfly Garden, Cutting Garden or Lamp Post Garden. Robust plants are shipped in 3-1/2" x 4" plantable pots. The nursery has been family-owned and operated since 1972, and provides excellent customer service. Catalog available. bluestoneperennials.com

Clematis and other vines

Brushwood Nursery

If you are looking for clematis or other climbers, Brushwood Nursery is an excellent source. Brushwood offers hundreds of clematis varieties as well as honeysuckles, trumpet vines, passion flowers, wisteria and jasmines. The informative website is a virtual encyclopedia of clematis - you will have a hard time narrowing down your choices! I was inspired to try clematis after hearing Cheryl Monroe's lecture, and she recommended Brushwood. Since then, I have ordered plants for myself and as gifts for friends, and they have all done beautifully. Owner Dan Long takes great care in selecting, growing and shipping healthy, vigorous plants. They now sell all the vines in one-gallon pots with free shipping. brushwoodnursery.com

Roses

Palatine Roses

When I replanted my rose bed three years ago, I was determined to use hardy, disease-free roses. I ordered bare root rose bushes from several sources, and the best plants came from Palatine Roses in Ontario. The roses had well-developed root systems and strong canes, and flourished during the entire season with no signs of black spot or other diseases. I had blooms through November. Palatine has a minimum order of 3 roses, and the mail order deadline is March 15 for spring shipping. palatineroses.com

Peonies

Peony’s Envy

Peony’s Envy is home to more than 700 varieties of tree, herbaceous, and intersectional peonies that enjoy cult status among aficionados. In addition to ordering online, you can visit Peony’s Envy from May to mid-June to see and smell the luscious blooms in person. The seven-acre production garden is also a beautiful display garden, with formal flower beds, stone walls, and meandering paths through the woodland. peonysenvy.com

Hellebores

Pine Knot Farms

Hellebores have a special place in my heart, and there is no better place to look for new varieties than Pine Knot Farms. Judith and Dick Tyler have been breeding hellebores for more than 25 years, with stock plants from the UK, the Balkans, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The couple authored a comprehensive book on Hellebores in 2006. I hope to visit their North Carolina nursery someday, but in the meantime, I try some of their new offerings every year. pineknotfarms.com

Hostas

New Hampshire Hostas

If you have a shady garden or just love to collect hostas, you will enjoy ordering from New Hampshire Hostas in South Hampton, New Hampshire. There are more than 900 hostas on offer, along with companion plants such as ferns, epimediums, hellebores, astilbes and other perennials. Plants arrive with good sized root systems and are ready to be planted in the garden. The website is informative and well-indexed. nhhostas.com 

Spring and summer bulbs

Van Engelen

Located in Connecticut, Van Engelen offers a wide range of spring and summer-blooming bulbs at wholesale prices. What that means is that quantities begin at 25 of one bulb, and range up to 1000. The selection is excellent, with 28 varieties of alliums, Orienpet, Asiatic, Chinese Trumpet and naturalizing lilies, 15 varieties of fritillary, and much more. vanengelen.com

Rhododendrons and magnolias

RareFind Nursery

RareFind prides itself on selling plants that you cannot find in your local garden center. Special collections include witch hazels, azaleas, magnolias (including unusual yellow-flowered varieties), hydrangeas, and carnivorous and bog plants. rarefindnursery.com

Tree peonies & unusual fruits

Cricket Hill Garden

Cricket Hill Garden was one of the first nurseries to collect and propagate tree peonies imported from China. Their vast collection has grown to include herbaceous and Intersectional peonies, as well as unusual fruit trees and berries such as PawPaw, mulberry, medlar, elderberry, persimmon and more. treepeony.com

Mountain Laurels & Japanese Maples

Broken Arrow Nursery

Broken Arrow Nursery is widely acknowledged in gardening circles as a source for rare plants, particularly trees and shrubs. Owner Dick Jaynes is a world expert on Mountain Laurels, and you can purchase many of his hybrids as well as unusual firs, Japanese Maples, magnolias, and variegated and weeping varieties of virtually any tree or shrub. brokenarrownursery.com

Unusual plants

Plant Delights

Owner Tony Avent collects rare and unusual plants from all over the world during his frequent plant hunting expeditions and from other prominent collectors. He also conducts his own plant breeding programs with special focus on hostas, trilliums, cyclamen and other perennials. These plants are trialed for several years in the nursery’s field beds before they are introduced to the public. There are more than 1700 varieties available on the website. plantdelights.com

Epimediums

Garden Vision

Garden Vision has specialized in epimediums since 1997, and offer more than 200 hybrids for sale. Like other plant species, epimediums have developed collector status, and Garden Vision is fondly referred to as the “Epi-Center of the Universe.” Most of the epimediums were collected or hybridized by plant hunter Darrell Probst. epimediums.com

Planting Natives for Wildlife

Guest Post by Trista Ashok

For the next two years, garden clubs across Massachusetts are joining an initiative to encourage the planting of native plants. There are some great reasons to choose native plants for our gardens.  Native plants are adapted to our local climate and soil conditions and thus can be easier to grow.  They are also a very important part of the local food web, providing seeds, pollen, nectar, and forage for our wildlife.  The leaves of native trees and plants play host to many butterflies and moths, and many birds rely on those caterpillars for food, especially for their babies.

While most might think that a garden full of plants with pristine, uneaten leaves is prettier and more desirable, this is a detrimental environmental landscape. We actually need leaf-munching caterpillars and other insects in our garden. Dr. Doug Tallamy, the author of Bringing Nature Home, found that a pair of Carolina Chickadees feed their babies up to 9,000 caterpillars before they fledge. Most songbirds do not reproduce on a diet of berries and seeds, but instead need a protein-rich diet of caterpillars and insects during the breeding and nesting season. And the vast majority of our native, plant-eating insects only feed on particular plant species that they have adapted to over time – which means they need native plants. Our native oak trees are hosts to over 550 different species of caterpillars, for example, while the non-native ginkgo only hosts 5. Our native trees and shrubs act as giant birdfeeders in addition to being hosts for our butterflies and moths. Unfortunately, it is estimated that the average urban/suburban American garden is made up of only about 20% native plants – far less than the 70% that birds such as the Carolina Chickadee need to provide enough insects to sustain their population.

So what are the best plants for wildlife to put in your garden? The National Wildlife Federation has built a database of plants and the number of butterfly and moth species that use them as host plants.  You can go to their website at www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/Plants to see which plants support the highest number in your zip code.  For example, here are the top five plants listed in each category for Holliston, Massachusetts, along with the number of butterfly and moth species that they host:

Flowers and Grasses:

1.  Goldenrod (Solidago) – 125

2.  Strawberry (Fragaria) – 81

3.  Sunflower (Helianthus) – 58

4.  American Trefoil (Lotus) – 32

5.  Joe-pye Weed (Eupatorium) – 31

Trees and Shrubs:

1.  Oak (Quercus) – 473

2.  Beach Plum, Cherry, Chokecherry (Prunus) – 411

3.  Willow (Salix) – 399

4.  Aspen, Poplar (Populus) – 335

5. Crabapple, Apple (Malus) – 291

What about cultivars?  Many of the native plants we find at nurseries are not straight species, but are instead cultivars, often called ‘nativars’.  These nativars can be a particular variety found in the wild, or they can be bred for a particular feature. But are they as attractive to wildlife as the straight species?  Research is ongoing, but they have found that it really depends.  Plants that were bred to have different leaf colors, such as leaves altered from green to red, were found to deter insect feeding, as different colored leaves have different compounds in them. Also plants that were chosen for showier flowers or doubled flowers with more petals were often found to be less attractive to visiting pollinators. Take for example the ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea.  ‘Annabelle’ is a naturally occurring cultivar of our native Hydrangea arborescens that was discovered in the wild near Anna, Illinois. It was chosen for its huge flowers, but those ‘flowers’ are actually full of sterile bracts and even the few fertile flowers they have are very poor in nectar.  It is found that pollinators visit ‘Annabelle’ and other mophead varieties much less than they do the lacecap varieties that more resemble the straight species and are full of tiny, fertile flowers in the middle of the showy, non-fertile bracts.

 Another issue is that some of these nativars are developed by European breeders, and resistance to North American plant diseases is not considered. This is how we end up with Bee Balm (Monarda) varieties that are so prone to powdery mildew. Researchers at several botanical gardens are now starting to investigate which varieties of nativars are best for our garden and for wildlife. Many of the cultivars that are chosen for size or compactness are found to be just as beneficial, but much more information is needed about plants bred for different flower sizes or colors.  Many nativars still support more local wildlife than a lot of non-native plants, however.

So should you tear all of the non-natives out of your garden and plant only straight native species? While some may choose that route, I am personally going a more balanced approach, as it was the non-native Clematis ‘Rooguchi’ that sparked my gardening passion in the first place.  When choosing new plants for our garden, however, we should consider native varieties that will benefit our local wildlife and ecosystem.

Trista Ashok is past president of the Holliston Garden Club.

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Hakone Grass - A Four Season Stunner

It can be tough to find perennials that dazzle in all four seasons,  but Hakonechloa macra, commonly called Hakone grass, is a plant that fits the bill. Hakone grass is a beautiful perennial grass with gracefully arching leaves that sway in the breeze. It grows slowly to form a cascading mound of eye-catching foliage and has a strong presence in the garden year round.

Although most grasses prefer full sun, Hakone grass is a shade-loving grass native to moist mountain and woodland areas in central Japan. Mt. Hakone, gives it both its genus name and common name, and it is also commonly referred to as Japanese Forest Grass. Its native habitat also gives a clue to its water requirements. Although this grass can grow in full sun and deep shade, it needs consistent moisture – not wet feet, but regular watering. 

Garden of Wayne Mezzitt.

Hakone grass is a tough, long-lived perennial that is easy to grow and has no serious insect or disease problems. It performs best in part shade and humus-rich, well-drained soil. Leaves may scorch in hot summers, particularly when consistent moisture is not maintained. A winter mulch is recommended, but I have found no need for this. Clumps spread slowly by rhizomes, but are not invasive. The plant ultimately grows to about 24” wide by 18” tall, and produces delicate sprays of green flowers in summer. The leaves have a papery texture that resembles bamboo. Hakone grass is best divided in spring, but because it is a slow grower, division will not be necessary for many years.

The foliage turns a soft copper color in late fall, and can be left on the plant to provide winter interest. It should be trimmed to the ground in early spring before new shoots emerge.

There are two popular varieties of Hakone grass. Just as its name implies, ‘All Gold’ gleams in the garden and holds its brilliant color from spring through fall. It will be chartreuse in shade, and yellow gold in full sun.

‘Aureola’ is a golden-striped form that grows to 15” tall and features gracefully arching green leaves variegated with gold longitudinal striping. It is slower growing and less winter hardy than the straight species or ‘All Gold'. Leaf variegation color is affected by the amount of sun exposure and the growing climate. 

Hakone grass has many uses in the garden. It can be grown as a specimen in a container.

It can be massed as a ground cover in the landscape.

"Grass Painting" at Bedrock Gardens.

Shady entrance area at Tower Hill Botanical Garden.

Hakone Grass makes a perfect focal point in the shade garden.

At the Elizabeth Park perennial garden.

Hakone Grass is brilliant in all four seasons. It adds bright color in early spring, and is a brilliant companion to spring bulbs.

Early spring with ajuga at Elm Bank.

Mid-spring with tulips at Tower Hill Botanic Garden.

It adds softness to paved areas and stone elements, and drapes beautiful on slopes and over garden edges.

Garden of Joyce Hannaford

Garden of Joyce Hannaford

Its fine texture makes a lovely contrast with hostas and shade perennials, including heucheras, epimediums, ferns and hellebores.

Once you start growing hakone grass, you will continue to find new ways and new places to use it!

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Peony Partners

From early childhood, peonies had a special place in my heart. Perhaps it was that their bloom time coincided with my June birthday. Or my mother's often recounted memory of the lavish peony bouquet that Dad had gave her in the early days of their courtship. I loved the soft colors, full blooms and heavenly scent of peony blossoms. Like other June brides, I included peonies in my wedding bouquet, and they were the first perennials that I planted in my garden.

Although gorgeous on their own, peonies can be paired with other perennials and shrubs that will serve as complements or offer contrasts in shape, form or texture. Below are examples of peony partners from my own garden and others that I have toured.

Pale pink peonies in my garden are paired with purple heuchera, geranium 'Biokovo' and the colorful foliage of weigela 'My Monet', which is only 2' tall at maturity.

The spiky form and soft blue color of catmint complements all types of peonies, as seen at The Mount.

Digitalis offers a strong architectural form that contrasts well with peony flowers.

On the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, peonies are paired with pale pink poppies and alliums.

I enjoy underplanting peonies with purple heucheras and  Geranium 'Johnson's Blue'.

Siberian and bearded irises provide a strong complement to peonies with their large flowers and statuesque form.

Baptisia, with its spires of blue, white, purple or yellow flowers, creates a great backdrop for peonies.

The large flower heads of alliums balance the prominent flowers of double peonies at Ambler Arboretum in Pennsylvania.

This lovely combination of coral peonies and purple alliums was a prominent planting feature at Longwood Gardens this spring.

Light pink peonies cascade over the fading blooms of hellebores and perennial geraniums. Hellebores thrive in sunny spots as long as they are watered regularly.

A boxwood hedge creates a stately and serene background for peonies in a Delaware garden.

Shrubs that flower at the same time as peonies, such as mountain laurels (above) and rhododendrons, provide pleasing counterparts. At Winterthur, the peony garden is framed by several old fashioned 'beauty bush' (kolwitzia) shrubs, which can be trained into a tree form or left as a weeping shrub.

A gold smoke tree, Cotinus 'Golden Spirit', provides a stunning backdrop for coral peonies at Longwood Gardens. In my garden, weigela 'Wine and Roses' sets off the dark blooms of peony 'Karl Rosenfeld'.

The maroon foliage of a 'Crimson Queen' Japanese maple provides a stunning backdrop to peonies in bud and bloom.

In my cutting garden, the peonies are backed by an ivy-covered stone wall that has both aesthetic and functional benefits. It shields the peonies from wind and radiates warmth on cool spring days.

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Spring Ideas from Blithewold

Joan and I had the pleasure of presenting our lecture "Spring Ephemerals and Other Delights" at Blithewold last April. For those of you that have never been there, Blithewold is a 33-acre estate with a 45-room mansion framed by a series of lovely gardens overlooking Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. The property was purchased in 1895 by Augustus and Bessie Van Wickle, and served as the family summer home. The gardens were designed in the late 1800s, and feature a 10-acre lawn, an arboretum of specimen trees, perennials gardens, and a "bouquet" or scenic woodland. Bessie and her daughter Marjorie were ardent gardeners and turned the estate into a horticultural showplace. 

Blithewold is beautiful in all seasons. In the spring, the rose garden, framed by an Asian-inspired moon gate, blooms with colorful bulbs and early perennials.

Tulips, leucojum, grape hyacinths, bleeding hearts, euphorbia and other perennials welcome you to the Blithewold estate. 

Century-old trees present a sculptural beauty even in early spring, before they leaf out. Some are underplanted with shade and drought-tolerant perennials such as epimedium (below).

The chartreuse leaves of ginkgo trees are a delight when viewed against the mature deep green conifers.

The Bosque is planted with thousands of daffodils and a carpet of spring ephemerals including mayapples (above) and erythronium, also known as trout lilies (below). These woodland plants bloom while there is ample sunlight before the trees leaf out, and become dormant in the summer.

The Van Wickles used stone from their property to create rock gardens and garden ornaments such as the whimsical stone bench below.

Flowering crabapples frame the view of Narragansett Bay. In April, you can view more than 50,000 daffodils in bloom. In May, see the Magnolias, Flowering Cherries, Honeysuckles, Weigelas, Lilacs, and Viburnum, along with hundreds of blooming perennials.

Joan and I will be back at Blithewold on Monday, May 8 at 1:00 pm, presenting our "Propagating Perennials" workshop. Hope you can join us!

10 Favorite Mail-Order Nurserie

February is a terrific time to choose new plants for the garden. Here are some of my favorite mail-order nurseries for perennials, trees and shrubs. Do you have other favorites? Please share them with others in the comments section!

Bluestone Perennials

Bluestone Perennials was one of the first mail-order nurseries that I purchased perennials from when I began gardening. Most of those perennials -geraniums 'Wargrave Pink' and 'Johnson's Blue', lobelias and astilbes, to name a few, are still growing in my garden 20 years later. Bluestone carries a huge selection of perennials, as well as bulbs and shrubs, from reliable standbys to exciting new hybrids. If you need help with plant combinations, you can order pre-planned theme gardens, such as a Butterfly Garden, Cutting Garden or Lamp Post Garden. Robust plants are shipped in 3-1/2" x 4" plantable pots. The nursery has been family-owned and operated since 1972, and provides excellent customer service. Catalog available. bluestoneperennials.com

Brushwood Nursery

If you are looking for clematis or other climbers, Brushwood Nursery is an excellent source. Brushwood offers hundreds of clematis varieties as well as honeysuckles, trumpet vines, passion flowers, wisteria and jasmines. The informative website is a virtual encyclopedia of clematis - you will have a hard time narrowing down your choices! I was inspired to try clematis after hearing Cheryl Monroe's lecture, and she recommended Brushwood. Since then, I have ordered plants for myself and as gifts for friends, and they have all done beautifully. Owner Dan Long takes great care in selecting, growing and shipping healthy, vigorous plants. They now sell all the vines in one-gallon pots with free shipping. brushwoodnursery.com

Flowers by the Sea

I love the spiky form and delicate flowers of salvias, but you rarely find any varieties other than 'Caradonna' and 'May Knight' at local nurseries. Luckily, there is a California nursery called Flowers by the Sea, which specializes in beautiful salvias and has 52 varieties that are hardy to Zone 6. Last year I added salvias in periwinkle blue, soft pink, magenta and white to my perennial border and they bloomed until November! Plants are large and healthy and the website offers a wealth of information about growing salvias. If you sign up for their newsletter, you receive weekly Salvia deals. fbts.com

Santa Rosa Gardens

Santa Rosa Gardens offers an extensive selection of perennials with an emphasis on ornamental grasses - there are 182 varieties of grasses on offer! Most of the plants are sun lovers, and you will be pleased with the number of varieties to choose from - 13 types of agastache, 32 varieties of coreopsis, 14 Gaillardias, 44 Sedums, and more. In addition to standard 3-1/2" pots, you can also order perennials in flats of 72 if you are doing a mass planting. Santa Rosa Gardens is family-owned grower that has been in the horticulture business for four generations and offers excellent customer service.

Santa Rosa Gardens has also started a new subscription service called My Garden Box. The nursery assembles a custom crafted collection of plants and gardens goods that you can receive on a monthly basis or send as a gift. The plants are beautifully packaged and arrive as a lovely surprise.  santarosagardens.com

Pine Knot Farms

Hellebores have a special place in my heart, and there is no better place to look for new varieties than Pine Knot Farms. Judith and Dick Tyler have been breeding hellebores for more than 25 years, with stock plants from the UK, the Balkans, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The couple authored a comprehensive book on Hellebores in 2006. I hope to visit their North Carolina nursery someday, but in the meantime, I try some of their new offerings every year. pineknotfarms.com

Palatine Roses

When I replanted my rose bed last year, I was determined to use hardy, disease-free roses. I ordered bare root rose bushes from several sources, and the best plants came from Palatine Roses in Ontario. The roses had well-developed root systems and strong canes, and flourished during the entire season with no signs of black spot or other diseases. I had blooms through November. Palatine has a minimum order of 3 roses, and the mail order deadline is March 15 for spring shipping. palatineroses.com

High Country Gardens

If you are looking to develop a drought-tolerant perennial garden, look for plants at Santa Fe's High Country Gardens. The nursery has been dedicated to improving the environment "one garden at a time", and has been a pioneer in the concept of xeriscaping - gardening with plants that need minimal water once established. Founder David Salman has introduced unique hybrids for water-wise gardens, and all plants are grown neonicotinoid-free. This nursery is a great source of sun lovers such as liatris, agastache, lavender, coreopsis, monarda and more! The site is also rich with plant description and gardening advice. highcountrygardens.com

Geraniaceae Nursery

One of my earliest "favorite plants" were the hardy cranesbill geraniums for their long-lasting dainty blooms and ease of care. I recently discovered a book devoted to this family of plants written by Robin Parer which led me to her specialty nursery in Marin County, Cal. While local nurseries sell less then 5 varieties, Geraniaceae offers close to 170 hardy geraniums hybrids, as well as erodiums and pelargoniums. If you love this family of plants, there is no better source! geraniaceae.com

Mason Hollow Nursery

If you have a shady garden or just love to collect hostas, you will enjoy ordering from Mason Hollow Nursery in Mason, New Hampshire. Owners Sue and Chuck Anderson opened the nursery in 2001, and offer an impressive array of more than 800 hosta varieties, as well as ferns, epimediums and other perennials. Plants arrive with good sized root systems and are ready to be planted in the garden. You can also visit Mason Hollow and see their lovely display gardens. masonhollow.com

Lazy S's Farm Nursery (now closed)

A family-owned nursery in Virginia, Lazy S's Farm offers a huge range of perennials as well as many hard-to-find hybrids of shrubs. Do you like callicarpa? You can find 13 varieties at Lazy S. All plants come in quart pots, so it is an inexpensive way to purchase an unusual shrub if you have the patience to grow it on for a few years before it makes a significant presence in the garden. When delivered, plants are healthy and vigorous and ready to take their place in the garden. lazyssfarm.com

For more nursery recommendations, see The Garden Tourist, and The Garden Tourist’s New England books in the Shop.

Growing Mushrooms at Home

Winter is a great time to focus on the tender tropicals, citrus trees, herbs, and other plants that can thrive indoors, and to do some horticultural experimentation. If you love mushrooms, it’s a wonderful time to try growing mushrooms at home.

I had ordered a mushroom growing kit as a gift for my husband many years ago. It was a total failure, so I was skeptical about investing in another one. At the same time, I was still intrigued by the idea. I visited the booth of MoTown Mushrooms at the Conn. Flower Show last winter, and spent a long while learning about their products and asking a lot of questions. MoTown Mushrooms is a small husband and wife mushroom farm in Morristown, Vermont, that is trying to educate New Englanders about the benefits of “applied mycology” and introduce them to delicious gourmet mushrooms.

A month later, I took the plunge, and bought their FungiPail at the Boston Flower Show. Mushrooms need a damp environment to grow, and I happen to have a very humid basement with a 100 year old stone foundation that stays at an even 55 degrees year round. MoTown Mushrooms sells 12 pound FungiPails that come spawned with several different types of mushrooms. Given my growing environment, they recommended Blue Oyster mushrooms, which prefer a temperature of 40 – 65 degrees F. Though I wasn’t familiar with this variety, I decided to give it a try and purchased the bucket.

blue oyster mushrooms

Cooking and eating mushrooms is in my Czech blood. Hunting for wild mushrooms is a national sport in the Czech Republic — a drive in the country to forage for mushrooms is a favorite weekend activity. The most prevalent mushroom is the Boletus edulis, or porchini mushroom.

When we emigrated to the US, my parents tried to indulge their mushroom hunting hobby here. Driving on country roads, we were always on the lookout for wild mushrooms. I remember a couple of very bountiful and memorable mushroom hunts, particularly during vacations on Martha’s Vineyard. I have fond memories of fresh mushrooms made with scrambled eggs, and the rest of the bounty carefully sliced and left to dry on sheets of newspaper on the backyard picnic table.

My dad and brother after a successful mushroom hunt on Martha's Vineyard

So I was excited to try my hand at growing mushrooms at home. I placed my new FungiPail in the basement, and carefully monitored it for signs of life. The FungiPail is filled with a spawned substrate in a plastic bag, and has several openings cut into its side. Several weeks passed, and nothing had happened. I was beginning to think that I had wasted my money, when the first little bulges appeared in the cut openings of the bucket. I began misting twice a day. The mushrooms grew at an incredible pace. Within a week, the bucket looked as if it had exploded with mushrooms and I began harvesting. The blue oyster mushrooms were delicious sautéed with butter and onion. I enjoyed their earthy flavor, and dried some for future use in soups and stews.

First fruiting

Once the mushrooms were fully harvested, it was time for the Intermission, a period of about 3 weeks when the bucket rests before fruiting again. Sure enough, about a month later, more mushrooms burst forth. The second fruiting was smaller than the first, but equally delicious. The bucket fruited a total of 4 times with virtually no effort on my part except for the daily misting during fruiting. I definitely harvested the 3 lbs. of mushrooms that were promised, and will purchase a bucket refill at the Conn. Flower Show in February.

Third fruiting

MoTown Mushrooms sells FungiPail kits inoculated with Pearl Oysters, Blue Oysters, Gray Oyster, Pink Oyster, and King Oyster, and Chestnut Mushrooms. In addition to FungiPails, they feature a cute tabletop kit, jars of glow-in-the-dark mushrooms, and inoculated logs and spawn plugs so that you can make your own mushrooms logs or stumps – my next project! 

Tabletop mushroom kit

The plug spawn can be ordered with other types of mushrooms, Shitake, Lion's Mane and Chicken of the Woods.

There are many other mushroom vendors online as well– Mushroom Mountain is another great source. You can also find mushroom growing kits at retailers including Amazon and William-Sonoma. If you have other mushroom vendor recommendations, please leave them in the comments below. Give mushroom-growing a try – it's easy, fun, and very satisfying!

Mushroom Log from William-Sonoma

The Surprising Beauty of Hosta Flowers

I had the pleasure of touring several Hudson River estates after settling my daughter for her senior year at college. One of the places I visited was the Beatrix Farrand Garden at Bellefield in Hyde Park, NY. Beatrix Farrand was one of the first women landscape designers, whose work defined the American taste in gardens through the first half of the 20th century. She championed the use of perennial plants instead of annual bedding, using color harmony, bloom sequence and texture to create beautiful herbaceous borders. Bellefield is one of the earliest examples of her private work - a small walled garden with long flower borders that show single color combinations from pink to blue, purple and white.

Beatrix Farrand Garden at Bellefield

Seeing the garden in late August, I was struck by the white border, because it showcased a beautiful combination of white phlox and the flowers of Hosta plantaginea. I have many hostas in my own garden, and appreciate them for their strong, lush foliage in a myriad of colors and patterns. But I had never thought of planting hostas en masse,  purely for their flowers.

There are more than 58 varieties of hostas that have evolved from Hosta plantaginea. They all bloom in August and are prized for their lovely pure white flowers and strong, sweet fragrance. They need ample sun to bloom, and the flowers open in the late afternoon instead of early morning like most hostas. Some of the most well-know culitvars of H. plantaginea are 'Honeybells', 'Aphrodite', 'Cathedral Windows', 'Fragrant Bouquet' and 'Guacamole'.

Hosta 'Fragrant Bouquet'

'Venus', another cultivar of H. plantaginea, has striking flowers that are fully double.

Since hostas are members of the Liliacea family, they produce funnel-shaped blooms on scapes that arise from the center of the plant. Like day lilies, individual flowers last for only one day. The plant may produce ten or more scapes with up to 50 flowers per stem, so the bloom time can last of 3-4 weeks. By planting different cultivars, you can have hosta flowers in your shade garden from May until frost.

Photo by Joan Butler

Most of us are unimpressed with the lanky scapes and violet blooms of common green hostas. But hosta flowers can range in color from deep purple to white infused with pink.

Photo by Joan Butler

If you look at hosta flowers closely, you may see colorful striations.

Others feature unusual flower scape forms, almost resembling scepters, like those of the 'Blue Dolphin' hosta.

Photo by Joan Butler

One of the latest hybridizing trends has been to create branched flowers, as seen in this example created by Tony Avent of Plant Delights nursery.

So as you plan future gardens, give some thought to including hostas purely for their floral display. They can make magnificent additions to your landscape!

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Spanish Bluebells Welcome Sprin

Also known as Wood Hyacinths, Spanish Bluebellls (Hyacinthoides hispanica) are charming additions to the spring garden. The pale blue, dangling bells complement yellow daffodils, red tulips, white lily-of-the-valley, and many other spring flowers.

Spanish bluebells are bulbous perennials native to Spain, Portugal and northwest Africa. Each bulb produces a clump of 2-6 strap-shaped leaves and a flower stem with 12-15 hanging, bell-shaped flowers. The plants are 12-18" tall. The bulbs are inexpensive, readily available, and easy to grow, so if you are new to bulb gardening, they are great plants to try.

Hardy in zones 3-8, Spanish bluebells will grow in full sun to part shade, and are not fussy about their soil requirements. They are good naturalizes, spreading both through bulb offsets and seeds. Here in New England, they will spread discreetly but steadily, making a cheerful community. Like other spring bulbs, they should be planted in the fall, and will bloom in early April to early May. The leaves will disappear as the plants go dormant for the summer.

Spanish bluebells are versatile additions to the garden. In addition to the classic blue form, there are pink and white varieties available. They look great sprinkled among other spring bulbs in a sunny garden, or combined with bleeding hearts, geranium macrorhizum and epimediums in a shady border. You can plant them around the bases of hostas, and as the hosta leaves unfurl, they will hide the bluebells' yellowing foliage in late spring. They also complement spring-blooming shrubs, and look great massed in a woodland or naturalized in large drifts under deciduous trees. No matter where they are planted, Spanish bluebells create a delightful, cottage-style garden.

White Spanish Bluebells with Bergenia, Ajuga, and Geranium macrorhizum

Sources: Breck's, White Flower Farm

More Hellebores, Please

Hellebores have become one of my favorite plants since I began growing them about 10 years ago. They bloom at a time when the garden is mostly dormant - from late fall to early spring - and bring a smile to my face every time I see them bravely holding up their blossoms against the harsh weather. They are easy to grow, virtually care-free, and there are wonderful new varieties introduced every year.

This hellebore Niger began blooming in early December due to our warm winter this year.

Hybrid hellebores are expensive to purchase (about $17 for a one-gallon pot) because it takes three to five years for them to bloom, and growers generally only sell blooming plants. You can buy smaller plants through mail order. But the most economical way to increase your collection is to propagate your own plants. You can divide all hellebores except the caulescent varieties (H. argutifolius, H. livius and H. foetidus).

Unlike other perennials, hellebores are long-lived plants that do not need to be divided to remain vigorous. In researching hellebore division, I have found a range of recommendations as to when to divide your hellebores - from dividing them in early spring, to mid spring while they are still in bloom, to waiting until mid-summer, to early fall (September to October). Since opinions on this vary so widely, I think that it is safe to do the division in any of these seasons. I have done it successfully in early summer, while the flowers were still visible on the plant, but after their beautiful display in early spring. The keys to successful division seem to be:

1. Make sure that there are flower buds in each division

2. Divisions should not be allowed to dry out after replanting

3. Divisions should have enough time to establish a healthy root system before winter 

To divide a hellebore, dig up the entire plant, wash the crown free of soil in order to better see what you are doing, and then cut between the growth buds with a sharp knife. Try to leave at least three buds in each division so that the plants will recover quickly.

For your first experience, select a plant that has 5-10 flowers on it. Older plants are very woody in their center. Make sure that you have a very sharp knife. I keep a small pruning saw with a serrated blade just for the purpose of dividing perennials. Make sure that each division has a portion of the center along with the newer growth from the edge of the plant. 

Plant your divisions in full shade to almost full sun. Add compost to the planting hole, firmly tamp down the soil, water, and mulch. I also water with a high-phosphorous fertilizer to encourage good rooting. Divisions should be kept moist throughout their first growing season until frost.

One of my hellebore gardens with divisions from my own plants.

Another way to add hellebores to your collection is to grow on any seedlings that have rooted around the mother plant. Not all hellebores produce seeds - some are sterile hybrids. But many of the orientalis type do set seed every year, and if you look carefully, you will see little seedlings growing around the mother plant. These seedlings should be moved to a nursery location after they have developed a true set of leaves, so that they will not be shaded out by the mature plants. I grow them on for about two years in a nursery bed, and then plant them out in the garden, eager to see what these babies will look like when they bloom.

Seedlings with fully formed leaves at the base of the mother plants.

Two-year old seedlings in the nursery bed where they enjoy beautiful soil and no competition from other plants.

Hellebore foetidus produces many seedlings in my garden, and I find them in random places where they have planted themselves. Since foetidus is not a long-lived plant, you should keep some seedling growing by the mother plant so that you continue to have hellebores in that spot. Because they have finely cut foliage, these hellebores do not shade out their babies.

Hellebore foetidus seedlings

I have so enjoyed slowly collecting new cultivars, dividing my plants and growing on hellebores from seed, that I now have about 50 hellebore plants throughout my garden. And when I see them blooming every winter, I know that I will add more!

Sources: White Flower Farm, Pine Knot Farms, Plant Delights, Broken Arrow

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I’d Rather Be Blue: 10 Blue Perennials for Your Garden

Virginia bluebells, daffodils and celandine poppy in the spring

The color blue is overwhelmingly chosen as the most popular color by both men and women, so it is no wonder that we are drawn to blue flowers. Blue is a soothing color that evokes feelings of calm, trust, honesty and loyalty. Blue flowers add a touch of tranquility and cool elegance to the garden. They make excellent bedfellows in the garden, blending and complementing other hues. I love combining blue flowers with violet, pink and white hues and silver foliage in a sunny summer border, or juxtaposing them with bright yellows and oranges for a dynamic “pop” in the spring garden.

blue campanulas, geraniums and catmint in my summer perennial bed

Since they are less prevalent than white, pink and yellow flowers, blue flowers appeal to all gardeners. Here are some of my favorite blue perennials for Zone 5-6 gardens: 

1. Aconitum ‘Arendsii’

Blue flowers are particularly rare in autumn, and the deep indigo-blue flowers of Monkshood punctuate the oranges and golds of this season.

3-4’ tall, part shade, blooms September-October

2. Baptisia

Also known as False Indigo, this late emerging, statuesque perennial with spires of pea-like flowers and handsome blue-green foliage is a focal point in the perennial bed.

3-4’ tall, sun to part shade, blooms May-June 

centaurea montana

3. Centaurea montana

This perennial bachelor button is a cottage garden favorite, with furry gray-green leaves similar to lamb’s ears, and large, brilliant blue flowers.

12-18” high, full sun, blooms in May

Related post: Centaurea Montana: A Cottage Garden Favorite

Geranium 'Rozanne'

4. Geranium ‘Rozanne’ or ‘Johnson’s Blue’

Perennial geraniums with their delicately cut foliage and low spreading habit are beautiful companions to tall, upright perennials, roses and shrubs.

Rozanne: 24” tall, full sun, blooms June-frost
Johnson’s Blue: 20” tall, full sun to part shade, blooms late May-June

Related post: Geraniums: Delicate Beauty for the Perennial Garden

geranium 'johnson's blue'

pulmonaria 'trevi fountain'

5. Pulmonaria ‘Trevi Fountain’

One of the earliest flowers to bloom in spring, pulmonaria sports showy, lance-shaped leaves with silver spots, and deep blue flowers that change to violet and rose as they age.

11” tall, part shade, blooms in April

Related post: Pulmonaria Pops in the Shade

6. Lobelia siphilitica

Spires of brilliant blue, trumpet-shaped flowers on a perennial that gently seeds itself in the garden.

24” tall, part shade, mid to late summer

iris cristata

7. Iris cristata

A charming little plant, Dwarf Crested Iris is easy to grow, pest-free, and provides amethyst-blue flowers for the shade garden.

3-6” tall, part shade, blooms May

 Related post: Dwarf Crested Iris Brightens the Spring Garden

8. Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’

This catmint sports compact mounds of aromatic gray-green foliage with lavender-blue flowers.

10” tall, sun to part shade, blooms from late spring until fall

phlox divericata 'blue moon'

9. Phlox divericata ‘Blue Moon’

Introduced by our own Garden in the Woods, this Woodland Phlox forms a meandering groundcover with violet-blue, fragrant flowers

8-12” tall, part to full shade, blooms in May

Related post: Woodland Phlox: A Natural Mingler

Platycodon 'fuji blue'

10. Platycodon ‘Fuji Blue’

With irresistible balloon-like buds that open to bright-blue, five lobed flowers, Balloon Flower is a late-emerging perennial that blooms in late summer.

20” tall, full sun, blooms July-August

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Favorite Nurseries in New England

Joan and I love to lecture about gardening and are often asked about where we obtain our plants. The short answer is “everywhere” – from specialty nurseries, local nurseries, plant swaps, big box stores, friends, mail order sources, plant societies and special plant sales. We both seek out nurseries when we travel, and almost always come home with souvenir plants. Some of my plants journeyed home with me from Cape Cod, Philadelphia, New York, New Mexico and Seattle. Some of the best nurseries in New England are destination nurseries with beautiful display gardens. Others are small home nurseries that grew out of a passion for a certain plant.

Here is a list of some of our favorite sources for plants in New England. 

Cochato Nursery

Cochato Nursery

Specialty nursery featuring unique plants and incredible display gardens. Great selection of unusual perennial shade plants (including hundreds of hostas), plus a variety of unusual trees and shrubs for all gardens. Owners Chuck Doughty and Sue DuBrava are welcoming and knowledgeable about all aspects of the plant world. Open May 2, 2015 to Labor Day, Thursday-Sunday. 373 North Franklin St, Holbrook, MA.  www.cochatonursery.com

New England Wildflower society

New England Wildflower Society

NEWS offers a wonderful range of native plants--with the genetic traits that make them hardy in the region and perfect for native wildlife--for home gardeners. Plants are available for sale at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Rd., Framingham, MA and Nasami Farm Nursery, 128 North Street, Whately, MA www.newfs.org

katsura gardens

 Katsura Gardens

Specialty nursery featuring rare trees, unusual conifers and specialty plants. Katsura Gardens is especially known for its large collection of Japanese Maples. 112 Carver Road, Plymouth, MA.  www.katsuragardens.com 

Weston Nurseries

Weston Nurseries

With a history of rhododendron hybridizing, including the ubiquitous PJM rhodie, Weston Nurseries is a favorite for its extensive selection of rhododendrons, shrubs and trees. Weston has always been an excellent resource for horticultural information – from the knowledgeable staff, to their catalogs and online plant library. 93 Main St. (Rte 135), Hopkinton, MA. 508-435-3414; 160 Pine Hill RoadChelmsford, MA. 978-349-0055 www.westonnurseries.com

Russell's Garden Center

Russell’s Garden Center

With an extensive gift and garden accessory shop, Russell’s is a fun destination year-round. I especially like their selection of perennials and roses, as well as water plants and pond supplies. 397 Boston Post Road, Wayland, MA. 508-358-2283  www.russellsgardencenter.com

Bigelow Nurseries

Bigelow Nurseries

Celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year, Bigelow Nurseries has a good selection of trees, shrubs and perennials at prices that tend to better than at other large local nurseries. 455 W. Main St., Northboro, MA. 508-845-2143 www.bigelownurseries.com 

Tranquil Lake Nursery

Tranquil Lake Nursery

Warren Leach’s Tranquil Lake Nursery is the largest grower is daylilies and Siberian and Japanese Iris in the northeastern U.S. Visitors are always welcome to stroll through the display gardens and more than 10 acres of growing fields and to choose from more than 2,500 cultivars of daylilies and 200 cultivars of iris.  45 River St., Rehoboth, MA. 508-252-4000 www.tranquil-lake.com

Briggs Garden & Home

Briggs offers a beautiful selection of annuals and perennials in addition to shrubs and trees. The nursery has expanded to include garden accents and home décor, and there is a café on the premises. 295 Kelley Blvd., North Attleboro, MA. 508-699-7421 www.briggsgarden.com

o'Brien Nurserymen

O'Brien Nurserymen

Specialty nursery. Incredible selection and quality: hundreds of hostas, plus conifers, Japanese maples, shade perennials. Beautiful display gardens. Definitely worth the trip! Owner John O'Brien is friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about plants! Mail order for hosta plants only. 40 Wells Road, Granby, CT.  www.obrienhosta.com

 Mason Hollow Nursery

Mail order and specialty nursery. Top quality plants for everyone from the novice gardener to the collector. Huge selection of Heuchera, hundreds of hostas, unusual shade perennials, conifers and small trees. Owners Sue and Chuck Anderson are a delight - and so helpful! Beautiful display gardens. Opens for the season May 9, 2015. 47 Scripps Lane, Mason NH.  www.masonhollow.com

Broken Arrow Nursery

Broken Arrow Nursery

Broken Arrow is best known for its mountain laurel collection, and has been featured in several gardening magazines. It features an unparalleled inventory of off-the-beaten-track and brand-new varieties of woody plants. Open April to October 31.13 Broken Arrow Road, Hamden, CT; brokenarrownursery.com

Snug Harbor Farm

Snug Harbor Farm

Lauded by Yankee Magazine as one of the top five nurseries in New England. Fantastic containers and topiaries created from uncommon botanicals elevate gardening to the level of fine art. Open year-round.87 Western Ave., Kennebunk, ME. 207-967-2414; snugharborfarm.com

Garden Sales

Conveniently located off of I-84 in Manchester, Conn., Garden Sales is a family owned nursery owned by the Turull family. Garden Sales has an excellent selection of hostas, as well as hard to find perennials, daylilies, roses, peonies, ornamental grasses, dwarf conifers and ornamental trees. 308 Oakland St., Manchester, CT  860-649-9406 www.gardensalesllc.com

Off the Beaten Path

Completely Clematis Nursery

As the name says, a small nursery specializing in all types of clematis, both retail and mail order. Completely Clematis focuses on small-flowered species and hybrids that are easy and rewarding to grow. 217 Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA. (978) 356-3197  www.clematisnursery.com

Boulderwoods Nursery

Boulderwoods Nursery

Boulderwoods is the home nursery of Joe Bruso, an active member of the Rhododendron Society and rhododendron hybridizer. His nursery is a wonderful place to visit in May, when hundreds of rhododendrons throughout his property are in bloom. Joe also propagates other woody shrubs and trees, including the native big-leaf magnolias. Available by appointment. 61 S. Mill St., Hopkinton, MA. 508-435-8217

Garden Vision Epimediums

Garden Vision Epimediums

Garden Vision Epimediums, also known as the “Epi-center of the Universe”,  is a small, retail mail-order nursery located in rural central Massachusetts. The plants offered represent the work of Epimedium expert Darrell Probst, who has discovered many of these plants through numerous collecting expeditions to China, Japan and Korea. The nursery is primarily mail order, but open to the public for only a select few weekends in May, during bloom season. 10 Templeton Rd., Phillipston, MA. 978-249-3863  www.epimediums.com

Do you have a favorite nursery? Add it in the Comments section!

Primroses for New England

The Primrose is among the first of the flowers to bloom in the spring garden. The Latin name, Primula, means “first”. Primula is a genus of about 425 species that occur in a wide range of habitats, from bogs and marshes to alpine areas. They are widely distributed in the Northern hemisphere, mostly in Europe and Asia. Most are extremely cold hardy, some to Zone 3.

Primula have linear to ovate green leaves in basal rosettes, and attractive flowers that are salvoform (thin tube with flat petals) or tubular or bell-shaped. Many are fringed. The flowers are often produced on slender to thick flower stalks in umbels, whorls or spikes.

Primula species that are native to the US are found in the western part of the country, primarily in mountain regions. They require thoughtful placement in garden settings in the New England.  Primula rusbyi, the Rusby Primrose (Z3), is native to the mountains of the Southwestern US. It has rosette-forming, toothed green leaves and salverform rose-red to deep purple flowers. It’s useful in alpine and rock gardens with reliable moisture.

Primula 'Cabrillo'

Other Primula species, however, grow very well in our area and provide unique beauty and brilliance to the spring garden. Primula veris, or Cowslip, native to Europe and West Asia, is very successful in my garden in dappled shade in rich soil. I have planted a cultivar named ‘Cabrillo’ in a slightly low area, not boggy at all, but never overly dry. It has sweet-smelling, brilliant yellow blossoms, and is the first primrose to bloom.

Cowslip has a long history of use in herbal and folk remedies to treat a variety of ailments. Its leaves have been used in teas to cure nerves and anxiety, its flowers to treat bruises, and its roots as an expectorant to break up mucus. In 17th century England, applying water distilled from cowslip, or an ointment made from cowslip flowers, was thought to make one more beautiful.

Primula seiboldii

Another primrose that is exceptional in our area is Primula seiboldii (Siebold Primrose, Z4). It has showy flowers in late spring held in umbels above attractive foliage. Colors range from white to soft pink to magenta or bluish lavender, and may differ on the petal reverse. Petals may be smoothly rounded or as intricately cut as snowflakes. Unlike most primroses, it can go summer-dormant to escape summer conditions that are too hot or dry for it.

I grow a cultivar called ‘Smooch’ and find it to be a beautiful, tough, trouble-free plant with gorgeous textured leaves. I love plants that make me get down on my hands and knees for a closer look – and ‘Smooch’ does just that. Its delicate complexity gets me every time – it is fascinating. It spreads from shallow, branching rhizomes, and has spread nicely in my garden.

Candelabra primrose

The Candelabra Primrose (Primula japonica, Z4) thrives in moist to wet areas in dappled shade. It can be grown alongside a water feature or pond, or near the house by a downspout that keeps the soil moist. It is a robust perennial with rosettes of finely scalloped or toothed light green leaves. Whorls of red-purple to white flowers appear in mid-May and June.

Candelabra Primrose sets seed readily, and forms lovely colonies that display substantial genetic variation as seen in this garden in Plymouth. New plants can be grown from collected seed and planted elsewhere in the garden, shared with friends, or sold at plant sales.

Primula vulgaris (English Primrose Z4) is native to the open woodlands and shady banks of Europe and W. Turkey. It adapts well to the home garden in locations that are not dry. The species has rosettes of bright green leaves and clusters of fragrant pale yellow flowers. It has many hybrids and cultivars displaying a wide range of colors, from purples and reds, to whites and yellows.

Primroses are beautiful additions to the spring garden. They combine beautifully with other shade plants such as hosta, bloodroot, and epimedium. Given the right conditions, they will add color to your garden for years to come!

By Joan Butler