White Flower Farm Spring 2015 catalogue arrives

Bloomerang lilac 'Pink Perfume'

www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Happy Holidays!

Happy Christmas December 2014 newsletter from Plant Delights

Plant Delights is highly recommended by The Green Man for plants that are new, fresh, and exciting. Read their December 2014 newsletter here: http://www.plantdelights.com/index/page/static/subpage/Newsletter_2014December

Oakleaf hydrangea in Autumn

About those 12 days of Christmas....

"After Christmas" is not after Christmas. If it were, it would fall on January 6th instead of the commercial December 26th. One reason it is important to celebrate Christmastide as a season is that celebrations and festivities can be spacedout over nearly 2 week rather than crammed into 1 day. Celebrate Christmas as a season. Read all the fascinating details here: http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/12daysofchristmas.shtml

Still a small window to plant hardy Fall bulbs for Spring

If you're located where the ground has yet to freeze, there are still fall bulb bargains to enjoy. This purveyor is new to TGM, but they may still be shipping at this late date.....Come March, you'll want cheerful flowers blooming outside your door. http://www.hollandbulbfarms.com/

Christmastide approaches

December continues its flight to the New Year 2015 at a rapid clip. Christmas Day is mere 10 days away by which time all of your holiday preparations are to be in flawless order. Much better to recall that Christmastide is a 12-day-long season and not a sprint to a finish line and so to celebrate it in a relaxed manner. For example, TGM sends his holiday cards after New Year's Day as it's still Christmas through January 5th. As a bonus,the cards as well as everything else are 50 to 90% "off." Long ago, Christmastide gifts were distributed on "Twelfth Night," January 5th Eve....with Epiphany following on December. Remember Epiphany? That's the day the Magi arrived in Bethlehem after a 12- day journey. They didn't jet in from the East on December 25th. So, consider reviving Christmastide in some way in your life this season.

Plant flowering quince 'Toyo Nishiki' for special Spring color

Chaenomeles japonica'Toyo Nishiki' 'Toyo Nishiki' has been available for awhile, but it is a remarkably under-used delight of a shrub. Japanese quince blooms in early Spring. Besides being gorgeous, its special attraction is that it features light red, white, and pink blooms on one plant. It's much more subtle than the popular red and red-orange cultivars, so situate it where it can be seen. One specimen is good, but an asymmetrical triangulation of 3 is spectacular. Read more about this variety here: http://www.thehighline.org/blog/2013/04/08/plant-of-the-week-toyo-nishiki-flowering-quince

A perfect, healthy, and thoughtful gift: A citrus sampler

You can almost smell the aromas wafting from this fruit....and the sampler is bargain-priced.

Available now from White Flower Farm www.whiteflowerfarm.com

For early Winter color try amaryllis

Check out the delightful collection of over 50 amaryllis varieties at White Flower Farm!

www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Bluestone Perennials Spring 2015 catalog available now

Hosta 'Old Glory' Check out these exciting new introductions: http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/new_varieties.html

Christmas robins and St. Stephen's Day wrens by impressionist painter Vitec

English Christmas robin by Vitec Vitec is a brilliant impressionist bird painter in Windsor, England. We have been featuring his work for several years as it is simply outstanding. His bird miniatures make wonderful holiday gifts as well as festive decor for your home. If Renoir or Degas had painted birds, Vitec's work would be what they look like. Visit his web sites here: http://vitec-art.com/ http://vitec-painting.blogspot.com/ http://vitec-painting.blogspot.com/2010/02/birds-for-sale-at-etsy-today.html

Paperwhite narcissus 'Ariel' for the holidays & "Christmas in Connecticut"

Paperwhite narcissus 'Ariel' "Paperwhites belong to a group of Daffodils that are not hardy for us, but are easily grown in a pot or vase indoors. Their large clusters of pure white flowers arch above graceful, blue-green foilage, and their perfume fills a room with fragrance. Paperwhites require no preparation and are absolutely foolproof. When bulbs are planted in early December, they will flower in 4 to 6 weeks with seldom a miss. We ship Paperwhites from September into January, with an occasional pause for foul weather." Available from www.whiteflowerfarm.com =BONUS!= Here's a link to a Hollywood classic Christmas film you may have not yet discovered. It's one of The Green Man's favorites, full of charm, comic situations, and most importantly, love: Here's the link: http://watch32.com/movies-online/christmas-in-connecticut-1945-868

Christmastide holiday greens and decorations from White Flower Farm

www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Narcissus 'Lemon Merengue' on sale now at John Scheepers

We give our landscape an early holiday gift each year before the ground freezes: an end-of-season bulb special. Today, it's Narcissus 'Lemon Merengue.' Check John Scheepers for more tulip and narcissus bulb specials. Recall that daffodils are deer-resistant while tulips will need protection. http://www.johnscheepers.com/6663.html

Narcissus 'Lemon Merengue'

Heirloom white daffodil favorite "Thalia"

Here's an informative article on the small, elegant, white daffodil "Thalia," an heirloom favorite. Use it as a transitional drift of daffodils between the miniatures at the entry and larger drifts further out in your landscape.

Narcissus 'Thalia' http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/27/narcissus-thalia-bulb-bucket-alys-fowler Available from John Scheepers: http://www.johnscheepers.com/narcissus-thalia.html "Circa 1916, the fragrant award winning "Orchid Narcissus" has up to five pendant, white flowers per stem with recurved petals and a cup-shaped crown. A versatile heirloom selection, she is as well-suited for classic boxwood parterres as she is for iridescent all-white gardens and naturalized woodland drifts. Narcissus Thalia is spectacular used with other varieties, like interplanted with tulips and Fritilaria imperialis rubra maxima, or in a meandering 'river' flanked by thick ribbons of electric-blue Muscari armeniacum. Bulb size: 14/16 cm. April/May. 16" to 18". HZ: 4-9."

Vitec English Christmas robins, St. Stephen's Day (Dec. 26th) wrens, and chickadees for Wintertyde available now

Friday, November 7, 2014 Vitec birds available for Christmas, St. Stephen'sDay (Dec. 26), and Wintertyde

An English Christmas Robin by VITEC The brilliant Anglo-Russian impressionist painter, Windsor's VITEC has his glorious bird paintings for sale at several websites. These paintings are small enough for table top English Christmas robin displays for the holidays. And, consider a companion English wren painting to celebrate December 26th, Saint Stephen's Day. In England the blue tit is the equivalent of the black-capped chickadee for your Wintertyde displays. Check here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/VitecArt/reviews?ref=l2

A Saint Stephen's Day wren by VITEC

Miniature daffodils enhance the entry area in your Spring landscape

The Green Man recommends this charming collection of miniature daffodils, timed to bloom all Spring. Plant then in small drifts of each variety close to your entry areas where they may be viewed optimally. They make the perfect complement to your drifts of larger sized daffodils in the landscape away from the house, and they also complement drifts of mixed daffodils in transitional areas between yard and the woods beyond. Miniature daffodils near the entry or along footpaths in small drifts of one variety. Full-size daffodils in the yard surrounding the house in drifts of one variety Full-size daffodils in transitional areas between yard and woods and also in "challenge" areas where there is sun in mixed varietys http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/113698-product.html "Award-winning Miniature Daffodils The Daffodils in this mixture may be diminutive, but they have all won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Many are fragrant, and they will provide a long season of bloom, beginning with the early, all-yellow Trumpet 'Little Gem', followed by midseason 'Minnow', 'Chit Chat', and 'Segovia', and finishing with pale yellow 'Hawera' and 'Sun Disc'. Bulbs are not labeled individually. Exclusive. Daffodils reliably provide the first large flowers of spring, often putting on their colorful show against a backdrop of late season snow. And they are largely immune to voles and deer. Daffodils are easy to grow. They need good drainage and perform equally well in full sun or partial shade. They will also force their way up through turf, turning a banking or a meadow into a garden. Once bloom is complete, there is no need to remove spent blossoms, but do allow the leaves to remain in place until they yellow (6–8 weeks). This ensures the following year's display. We also recommend a top-dressing with Daffodil Fertilizer after planting, with repeat applications every fall thereafter. Follow this regimen and you will be buried in Daffodils, a high-class problem if ever there was one."

Fresh, fragrant Christmastide greens ready to install

The Green Man loves the holidays, and decorating both indoors and outdoors enhances the joys of Chritmas. Take a look at the greens and wreath offerings from White Flower Farm here: http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/all-wreaths-and-greens.html "NEW! Boughs & Berries 12' Garland Good designers see new possibilities every year, and we are pleased to offer a selection of fresh arrangements that are lush and elegant. Boughs of fragrant Noble Fir and Incense Cedar, interspersed with sprigs of delicate small-leaved Oregonia, form a varied green background that is accented with bunches of red Canella berries and snow-tipped Ponderosa Pine cones. These greens are responsibly harvested for us in the Pacific Northwest. Approximately 12' long. Display indoors or out."

Getting more gold into your autumn color palette

Middle Virginia is in the midst of fall tree color change, and it's glorious to observe. Lots of red and orange predominate, and TGM was thinking about how to get more gold and yellow into the display. Here are some choices that add value to your investment: Consider white redbud for brilliant white blossoms in early Spring and yellow leaves in the autumn. Works well as an understory tree around the perimeter of the landscape:

Cercis canadensis alba - white redbud in early Spring Photo courtesy www.finegardening.com

Redbud fall color Photo courtesy www.davesgarden.com A large tree that is trouble-free is the male Ginkgo, which provides a golden yellow contrast for maples:

Ginkgo biloba 'Autumn Gold' Photo courtesy www.plantplaces.com Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' is a superb shrub for yellow display in the autumn:

Fothergilla fall display Photo courtesy www.davesgarden.com Here are more selections from The Green Man's palette: Prunus 'Hally Jolivette' shown here in Spring:

Photo courtesy www.odla.nu Also, consider planting these treasures: Clethra alnifolia or Summersweet Viburnum sargentii Spirea thunbergii These are easy to find in garden centers.

Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird'

Time to hang holiday greens

TGM will be hanging our holiday greens on November 10th. Thanksgiving has been subsumed into Christmastide, so it's not too early to begin to celebrate. Check here for wreaths: www.whiteflowerfarm.com

The joy of new snow-drop (Galanthus) cultivars

Galanthus 'Livinia' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/plants/10619528/10-beautiful-double-snowdrops-to-try.html?frame=2812825

Spectacular new lavender 'Phenomenal'

Lavandula x intermedia 'Phenomenal' Lavenders and catmints are really hot right now, and every season brings exciting, new cultivars. Check the outstanding features of this new lavender from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 'Phenomenal.' "With over 30 years of herb and vegetable growing experience, Peace Tree Farm has never seen a lavender as excellent a performer as 'Phenomenal'. One of the hardiest lavenders seen throughout Europe and the United States, 'Phenomenal' has exceptional winter survival, as it does not have the winter die back that other varieties like Munstead and Hidcote commonly demonstrate. Lavender 'Phenomenal' has also shown tolerance to extreme heat and humidity, and is resistant to common root and foliar diseases. Most commonly popular for its silvery foliage and consistent growth with uniform, mounding habit, 'Phenomenal' has an elegant flower presentation and fragrance, perfect for fresh and dried arrangements and oil uses. Both ornamental and edible, Lavender 'Phenomenal' is a deer-proof variety that can be enjoyed in the garden and in the home year-round." Available Spring 2015 from Peace Tree Farm: http://www.peacetreefarm.com/

You're invited to become a Wintertyde "early adopter"

Wintertyde is a new season that The Green Man invented to ease the transition from Christmas to early Spring. (Precedents exist for new season and holiday creation.) Wintertyde runs January 7th through March 6th each year. Wintertyde has its own protocols for celebrating this useful mini-season. Become a Wintertyde early adopter. For additional information, visit our website at www.wintertyde.blogspot.com

Fall inventory plant sale at Plant Delights

- 2014 Fall sale - 20% Off "We've just completed our fall inventory and as often seems to happen, some of the coolest plants didn't sell in the numbers that we'd hoped so we're left with extra inventory…the nature of offering so many non-mainstream plants. Consequently, and because we need space to propagate and pot new plants for spring, we're offering those over 150 plants at 20% off. The sale plants must be ordered by midnight Sunday November 2, 2014 and scheduled to ship or be picked up no later than Friday November 7, 2014. Quantities are limited on some items, so sale prices are only valid while current stock lasts." - See more at: www.plantdelights.com

White hyacinths adds elegance to the Spring landscape

White hyacinths add grace and elegance to the Spring landscape. Yes, for greatest effect do not use in straight lines but rather juxtapose them in odd-numbered drifts with other Spring perennials. Then, use white only, and avoid other colors. Also, consider white grape hyacinths, and, of course, Galanthus, snow drops. Finally, recall that 'Mount Hood' is a spectacular white narcissus to use. "Hyacinthus Carnegie Densely packed, white flower spikes touched with cream have that captivating scent. Interplant 'Carnegie' with ‘Blue Jacket’. Over centuries of breeding to increase the size, abundance, and color range of Hyacinth flowers, one thing remained the same - their rich perfume. Modern varieties can look a little stiff if they're lined up in the garden, so spread them around, combining them with Pansies and shorter Tulips, such as 'Rosanna'. Plant the bulbs in full sun and rich, well-drained soil that stays warm and dry in summer when the bulbs are dormant. Order extra to enjoy indoors in winter (we provide full instructions for forcing cold-hardy bulbs)." Available from www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Peony 'White Towers" mediates colors

Elegant and useful, 'White Towers' makes the perfect color mediator in your peony bed. Use between colorful peonies to make colors 'pop' and to enhance appreciation of the subtleties of each of your color cultivars.

Available now from www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Hydrangea 'Blue Billow' adds understated charm to the landscape

Hydrangea 'Blue Billow' $38.95 each - 3 for $92.85 Save 20% When You Buy 3 "The versatility of this singular shrub is matched only by its hardiness. One of a species of vigorous Mountain Hydrangea, this Lacecap variety has the distinction of blossoming in conditions ranging from deep shade to full sun. The flowers maintain their metallic blue color in most every soil, regardless of pH."

Available from www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Check out the "Sparkling Species Tulip [Web] Special" at John Scheepers

Species tulips bloom early and are hardy. See what else is new and exciting at John Scheepers www.johnscheepers.com

Black tupelo 'Wildfire' adds new colors to your autumn

The Green Man recommends highly this new cultivar of our native tree black tupelo. This tree's fall color change is possibly the most spectacular of all trees, and the intense and varied colors add greater aesthetic charm to the landscape panorama:

Nyssa sylvatica 'Wildfire' Photo courtesy: Saunders Brothers Nursery Black tupelo is for larger sites as it needs room, and it looks especially good in groups of 3. Provides a contrast with maples as the reds and oranges are different. Plant along with 1 Ginkgo 'Autumn Gold' for a spectacular autumn leaf-change display Available from www.saundersbrothers.com right here in Virginia.

'Cat's Meow' catmint stays compact

Nepeta 'Cat's Meow' Today, The Green Man has for you a new catmint variety and a new supplier to visit. 'Cat's Meow' is a new introduction from Proven Winners. It's a prolific bloomer, but it stay compact like a small shrub.

Catmints are becoming popular, and many new cultivars are being introduced. Where to use them in the landscape? With roses. Catmint is the traditional companion. Please visit this supplier, where you can probably get every catmint variety currently available: www.lazyssfarm.com

Michaelmas daisies add late fall color in the landscape

Michaelmas falls on September 29th each year, and for The Green Man, the date marks the beginning of the fall holiday season. Halloween is already upon us and only a month away. Now, the Michaelmas daisy is actually an aster, the New York aster, Aster novi-belgii

The Michaelmas daisy This perennial is a prolific and tough performer and easy to grow. It will bloom up to Thanksgiving in this zone 6. Check here to see when they will be available: http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/145/index.htm

For information on Michaelmas, check here: http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Michaelmas/

Optimize the use of mixed daffodils on your site

The Green Man recommends using drifts of one variety of daffodil. Do this near the entry and the immediate vicinity. For areas such as slopes or glens around the perifery of the grounds, mixed daffodils work well. Got that? Single drifts near the house and in highly visible spots;mixed drifts around the edges of the property or difficult areas.

"The Works Daffodil Mix - 100 bulbs for $65 Double Down on The Works - 200 bulbs for $109 The Works, our superb Daffodil Mixture for Naturalizing, consists of 100 top-size bulbs of at least 30 varieties, selected for the widest range of color, form, and bloom time. They will flower heavily the first year, increase their numbers in the future, and are immune to pests and weather. Better yet, deer won't touch them. Now is the time to order your bulbs for fall planting. The Works is the perfect solution for filling in bare spots and adding sweeps of color. Plant the bulbs in clusters around your property or use them to edge a border. Your lovely springtime display will last for weeks." Available from www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Hunt for tree and shrub bargains in Autumn

September and October are good months to visit your local garden centers to find tree and shrub bargains. Many nurseries do not want to hold stock over the winter, so they mark down items. However, do not select a tree or shrubs by the hefty percentage off retail. For example, 50% off a 'Crimson King' maple is not in any way a good deal. In fact, this tree is invasive, creates dense shade, and it is simply too large for most home sites, Here's a short-list of items to look for for your landscaping: For flowering trees, avoid crabapples and pears, and go with star magnolias, Kousa dogwoods, and serviceberry 'Autumn Brilliance" shown here:

Photos courtesy www.naturehills.com If you want a maple, try Japanese maples and paperbark maples, both of which max out at a medium size. You should have both of these on your site. Want a paper birch? Forget it because of the bronze birch borer. One species is resistant and that is the wonderful river birch 'Heritage.' Consider selecting lesser-known trees such as the goldenrain tree, Koelreuteria paniculata. For conifers, try smaller-size pines such as the Vanderwolf's and weeping blue atlas cedars.

Vanderwolf's pine Photo courtesy www.itrees.com Shrubwise, virtually any viburnum is a great purchase as long as it is at least somewhat VLB-resistant. Hydrangeas of all sorts are good, too. Go for doublefile viburnums, top of the line. Happy bargain-hunting.

Unique coneflower 'Fatal Attraction'

Everyone loves coneflowers in the garden, and here's a new variety for collectors and fans: Echinacea 'Fatal Attraction': "This new selection of our US native Echinacea purpurea is from garden designer Piet Oudolf's famed garden in Holland. Echinacea 'Fatal Attraction' is unique because of the 26" tall, sturdy wine-black stems that hold the intense pink flowers...a favorite of hummingbirds and garden visitors. Flowering begins in late June...be patient." This wonderful new conefloweris availablefrom Plants Delight Nursery www.plantsdelights.com

Mock orange 'White Sensation" adds fragrance and charm to the landscape

Philadelphus coronarius 'White Sensation' TGM recommends this new cultivar of an old-fashioned favorite. Blooms are double, brilliant white, and prolific. Good companions include hydrangeas and viburnums. www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Lavender 'Phenomenal" has an array of desirable traits

TGM recommends this hardy cultivar of Lavandula x intermedia, 'Phenomenal.' "One of the hardiest lavenders seen throughout Europe and the United States, 'Phenomenal' has exceptional winter survival, as it does not have the winter die back that other varieties like Munstead and Hidcote commonly demonstrate. Lavender 'Phenomenal' has also shown tolerance to extreme heat and humidity, and is resistant to common root and foliar diseases. Most commonly popular for its silvery foliage and consistent growth with uniform, mounding habit, 'Phenomenal' has an elegant flower presentation and fragrance, perfect for fresh and dried arrangements and oil uses." Available from Peace Tree Farm www.peacetreefarm.com

It's Michaelmas daisies for Autumn color

Michaelmas is the seasonal name for days around Saint Michael's Day, September 29th. Michaelmas daisies are actually asters, specifically Aster noaster nova-belgi variety belgii or New York asters, which bloom prolifically along roadsides and in farmlands in New York upstate in autumn. It's an underused garden flower, so make a space for them in your landscape Aster noaster 'nova-belgii'va-belgii (New York Aster, Michaelmas Daisy): These asters are similar to their New England cousins but shorter with smooth toothed leaves. Great cut flowers September to October. Growing 3-4’ high. Hardy to zones 3-9. Common varieties include ‘Purple Viking’ -dark purple flowers, ‘Loke Viking ’- hot pink, ‘Coombe Violet’ - lavender and ‘Margrethe Viking’ - white. Available from Portland Nursery portlandnursery.com

Photo courtesy Portland Nursery