My Love of Garden Catalog from Plant Delights

Caution: this blog is aimed at the TRUE gardeners...

Here it is, the middle of January, and I'm ready to get outside and work the soil. It's too bad the ground is covered with 6" of snow.

My gardening need is somewhat satisfied by the arrival of one of my favorite garden catalogs from Plant Delights Nursery. I have a puddle of drool on the floor just thinking about (and lusting for) the pictures and descriptions of the thousands of plants that are featured .

This catalog is far from the ordinary. I'll try to explain a little about why I love it so much...

First of all, you don't have to send money to get a catalog. Instead, the original-thinking owners ask that you send either a box of chocolates or a book of stamps to be put on their mailing list. I sent a box of Fannie May Trinidads (more drooling and lusting) last year and have been blessed with a couple of their catalogs. Each one comes with a politically incorrect cartoon cover which laughingly applies to the ardent gardener, as well as the issues of the day. The covers are a hoot. They are so funny, in fact, that you are able to purchase them as a t-shirt!

Open the catalog and find a plethora of information. There's a "welcome" section that tells you a little about the Juniper Level Botanic Gardens, their policies, and gift certificates, to name a few of the paragraphs.

Page 6 & 7 hold a handy guide of "Hostas Grouped by Color, Width and Fragrance". There are charts that boasts the merits of each hosta in the group (Blue, Bluish Green W/Gold-Cream Edge, Green w/Gold-Cream Edge, and much more.)

Pages 8 & 9 contain a "Guide to Plants by Group or Common Name" which is worth its weight in gold. If you need to find groundcovers, for example, you can look under that title and find a list with the variety name, common name, and Latin name.

There's a delicious picture for every plant listed in this catalog. Smart move for the nursery; who can say no to such beautiful pictures?

I have to admit that I have a fondness for echinacea. Plant Delights offer 15 echinacea in the most recent catalog. Out of that 15, I absolutely, positively MUST have 'Coral Reef', 'Hot Papaya', 'Avalanche', 'Fatal Attraction', 'Green Envy', 'Milkshake', 'Pink Poodle', 'Tiki Torch' and 'Tomato Soup'. Prices are from $16 to $18 each. Will I get them? Nope, no matter how blue I turn from holding my breath, or how hard I kick, I will not be able to purchase them all. I will have to remind hubby that Mother's Day is coming up, and that he didn't get me anything for our anniversary, so I deserve at least three or four of the coneflowers!

I enjoy reading the descriptions of the plants. Tony has that wild and crazy sense of humor that really carries over to his writing. An example: Helicondiceros muscivorus (Pig Butt Arum) "You can bet this common name wasn't coined by a Wall Street marketing firm....The open flower resembles the backside of a flatulent pig...in image and in fragrance. If you grow this, it's best not to mention it on your eHarmony profile." (page 59) The entire catalog is full of surprising wit, making the literature worth reading cover to cover. Kudos for the original thinking behind the marketing!

If you decide that you simply cannot live without getting a copy of this catalog, go to www.plantdelights.com or write to them at 9241 Sauls Road, Raleigh, NC 27603. Tell them Shelly sent you!

Happy drooling,
shel

A Little of This, A Little of That

I'm on break at work, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to play catch-up with my blog. Since I grow such a wide variety of plants, I thought it would be fun to write about some of my favorites.

'Limelight' hydrangea is a true marvel. I planted a rather puny start last year in the late spring, hoping that it would thrive despite my poor clay soil. The bush has far exceeded my expectations, blooming in a rather show-offish manner and putting my 'Endless Summer' to shame.

I used the blooms of 'Limelight' in three different centerpieces in the height of growing season. In late fall I cut quite a few of the blooms to use as dried flowers. I have four glorious clumps of blooms as the focal point (along with a huge maroon bow) in my antique wicker planter box that resides on the front porch. Frasier fir boughs and cedar form the backdrop and twigs cut from my red stemmed dogwood add height and interest.

I have many hydrangea....'Lady in Red', 'Endless Summer', and a few others that shall remain nameless (in other words, I have forgotten the names....but I'll remember them tonight as I'm trying to sleep!) None have performed as well as my 'Limelight'. It's a definite must-have for long-lasting beautiful blooms and vibrant green leaves.

When I have some free time at home, I will try to download a picture of my beautiful 'Limelight' shrub.

In the meantime, it's back to work. I hope you all have a chance to grow this proficient plant.

shel

DOVE Garden Walk in Clinton, IL

My best friend and neighbor, Becky, has one of the gardens that are featured in this year's garden tour. DOVE hosts the tour as its fund raiser every-other year. What a wonderful way to spend $10...you get an entire day of touring spectacular gardens (you can always steal ideas from the talented gardeners!), have a tasty free lunch, and give to a worthy cause.

I've spent a day or two helping Becky with some of the usual garden chores. The poor girl has two bulging discs in her neck and is limited in her activities. My gardens are overflowing with interesting hosta, so I've dug up clumps to replant down there.

Tomorrow morning I'll be dropping my resume off at a local business, then going to the movie theater with my niece and her three children. After that, I plan on spending the day helping Becky again. She is very talented with "extras" for the gardens. For example, she has a life-size wire frame dress form that we will stuff with moss and plant with pink impatiens. It will be a unique touch to her paradise.

In the meantime, money has gotten really REALLY tight around here, so I'm trying to sell clumps of daylilies and hosta. I've spent thousands of dollars and have hundreds of varieties of each, most of them named. (I have wonderful plant labels that I always put out.) No bites yet, but maybe once people see the flowers blooming they'll change their minds.

I'm tired, and need to rest up for my big day tomorrow. Sweet garden dreams, everyone.

shel