We are in the middle of our fourteenth year and here are a few of the things to expect for this year:
Sure has been a warm (and dry) winter so far. Still, we should have plenty of chill hours (45 and below) for fruit production. If this keeps up, expect spring to get started early. I suggest getting frost hardy trees and shrubs planted as early as you can. Of course, a lot of us can still expect to have some frosty mornings into April (like those of us on the colder valley floors). As cold as we get at the nursery, it is always a surprise that there are pockets in the county that do not freeze.
We have added Renee’s Organic seed line to our seed offerings. There are some very cool looking varieties of vegetables and a few flowers also. We are continuing to carry her regular line of heirloom and gourmet veggies and flowers along with the economical Cornucopia line.
We ordered from Dave Wilson and L. E. Cooke for our yearly selection of fruit trees and other edibles. These are available in bare root form first, and the rest are potted for sale through the year. The best selection for fruit trees is at the beginning of the year. Roses are coming the first of February and as with the fruits, the best selection is early.
Here is to hoping Fairy Gardens remain popular as I think we ordered even more than last year. Due to arrive mid-Feb as are a lot of our fall show orders. We think we ordered 3 different Pacific Home and Garden pallets for a greater selection of their quality glazed pottery than ever before. Hoping to order some differently sourced statuary and spirit houses than we have had in the past. We do have statuary coming from Design Toscano and those popular metal chickens from Regal. Look for some new designs in the chickens. We stocked some unique metal wall art from Haiti and continue to favor all sorts of metal work from benches and arches to hanging baskets and insects.
The plug order has been placed so we will again have our homegrown baskets available for purchase in the spring. We grow on mostly Calibrachoas and Supertunias, but we might have a few surprises. Last year EuroAmerican here in CA went out of business, and our Proven Winner plugs come all the way from the East coast now.
Weeks Roses decided not to release one of their rose blocks this year due to some health issues so expect some rose shortages, like Iceberg, this year. L. E. Cooke has decided to close their doors after this bare-root season so expect some shortages there in the future. One of our bedding and 4-inch perennial growers, Blooms, was hit by the fire in Glen Ellen and I am expecting it to take a while for them to get up to speed.
Summer blooming bulbs like Glads, Cannas, Dahlias, and Begonias arrive in March, and Spring bloomers like Tulips and Daffodils come in September. Of course, we do offer them potted up and in bloom when they are in season. Our indoor space is small, and selection is limited. Houseplants are again gaining popularity and macrame is back. They are an excellent way to clean your air indoors and frankly, I never thought they went out of style.
Pantone’s color of the year is Ultra Violet, bright colors are in, but Sage is still hot. For some reason, we in the nursery biz are supposed to know these things. We are told that it is something to note from the fashion industry to what colors will be fashionable in home decor. We all know color sells, but purple has been the hottest selling color for years. The Perennial of the Year is Allium Millennium, touted to be a butterfly magnet. I will see if we can get our hands on some. Germany has declared Daylilies as the perennial of the year, and the herb society says Hops. (We have them.) Proven Winners has declared their PRIMO Black Pearl Heuchera as their perennial of the year and Supertunia Bordeaux as their annual. We usually order this one every year but wouldn’t you know, not this year. Heck, we are gardeners who love to get dirty and fashion is not our scene anyway. We still like a lot of the tried and true here and though new introductions can be cool they are not necessary to create a pleasing and soothing outdoor space. On the other hand, we do not ignore trends like succulents or fairy gardens or perennials being popular. Downsizing is also ‘in’ but we are rural so it is not as much of an issue. Of course, we have always supported growing your own food and are thankful it has been declared ‘popular’. We like the trend towards low maintenance and drought tolerant plants. After all, for some of us, our own yards receive little attention after working all day outside in the rain and cold or the heat and sun.
No big changes this year. The staff is all returning for another season. We did upgrade the entrance to the building and the rotating seed rack is new inside. For those of you unfamiliar with us, we sell plants of all kinds from 6 packs up to #15 trees. We stock vegetable starts year round. You will find mostly organic soils, fertilizers, and sprays. We have pottery and garden art along with iron decorations and functional pieces. Inventory includes wind chimes, bamboo fountains and hummingbird feeders. Tool selection is limited to hand tools. Stakes, gloves, ties etc. all fill up our small indoor sales area. What makes us special is our outdoor space.