Blog

It’s time for Viburnum to shine in the spring landscape. The Korean Spice Viburnum are in bloom now and the 6/7′ V. carlesii ‘Aurora’ are no exception. The domed flower clusters are made of hundreds of tiny pink buds that open to fragrant white flowers, and the stiff branches hold  Read more
Bunchberry makes an interesting native groundcover (clean foliage, fresh white flower bracts in spring and fall berries), and as you may have experienced, it can be finicky. Maybe its time to read the directions on this coveted native: -Plant in partial to full shade -Needs moist, acid soil, rich in  Read more
These Ornamental Strawberries (Fragaria ananassa ‘Lipstick’) are an unusual addition to your list of go-to groundcovers – Large rose-pink flowers bloom off and on from spring to fall. Produces small ornamental berries – try them in your patio containers or in the ground, they spread slowly so they’re manageable in  Read more
Shrubs that pitch in with long bloom time, have more than one season of interest or an outstanding feature are a big plus for any successful planting. They make the A List for designers, landscapers and homeowners because they come to the rescue time and again. For those reasons we’re  Read more
Perennial gardens should have interest from the first Crocus to the last of the Ornamental Grasses. Early in the season that interest often comes from fresh emerging growth – the earlier the better! These quick risers are a group of tough perennials that have no problem pushing through matted leaves  Read more
Spring brings on some mighty powerful bloomers, like the flashy Saucer Magnolias and Kwanzan Cherries, but some spring gems are over-shadowed by these flamboyant bloomers and Serviceberry is one of them. We feel Serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora) is anything but generic. First – the light gray, smooth bark is highlighted  Read more
Pansies have a long history of being cultivated starting 2,500 years ago in Greece. But the vibrant colorful flowers we’re now familiar with were hybridized in England in the 1800’s by Lord Gambier and his gardener William Thompson – and we’re glad they did! The hardy Pansies that have developed  Read more
Welcome back to the Weekly Picks and our 46th year of growing great plant material for you and your customers! After a short and mild winter we’ve started to uncover the houses and load up the tree blocks in both sales yards. Peter’s crew has started cutting holes in the  Read more
Aronia arbutifolia Red Chokeberry is a hard worker in the landscape providing food for birds and insects from spring through winter – what else would you expect from a native plant! April’s flower clusters turn to red berries that rival the fall foliage, making it a great alternative to Burning  Read more
One of the often overlooked aspects for over-wintering Roses is to encourage them to go completely dormant. First avoid late season fertilization, second, stop dead-heading mid-fall allowing for the development of the rose hips. They provide hormones that help signal the plant to go dormant along with other factors. The  Read more