Spring Newsletter 2010

Spring Has Sprung In The Country!

Country Calendar May 8 & 9   Spring in the Country Open House Round up your gardening friends and visit In The Country for special Mother’s Day weekend discounts and a chance to win a shopping spree! June 12   Hosta & Dessert Social Mingle with fellow hosta lovers while enjoying dessert in the hosta garden! Bring a named, healthy plant if you’d like to participate in the Hosta Swap (1 pm sharp, no exceptions!). Test your hosta knowledge to win hosta prizes! Biggest hosta leaf contest and a NEW seedling contest. See website or call for details. June 23-26   National Hosta Convention Minneapolis, MN We will be CLOSED June 22-27 July 8-10   Midwest Regional Hosta Convention Des Moines, IA We will be CLOSED July 7-10

Just when we thought we could not tolerate one more day of winter, Mother Nature flipped a switch and the copious blanket of snow melted in about one week. Spring arrived in a hurry and we haven’t looked back!

The Savages have Returned!

The carnivorous “bug eating” plants were such a hit last year, we are bringing them back for 2010. We’ll gladly help you learn how to plant and care for your own mini bog of Venus flytraps, Pitcher Plants, and Sundews!

Calling All Hosta-holics!

2010 is turning out to be an incredible year on the hosta front. You hosta-holics are going to have a hay-day when you see all the new hostas we have to tempt you!

Without a doubt, ‘Rhino Hide’ is going to be the most sought after hosta of the year. It is being touted as the thickest leafed hosta ever...you have to feel it to believe it! Slugs won’t dream of chomping on these beautiful blue leaves that are accented by a gold central splash. 'Ripple Effect' is a sport of ‘June’ that is sending ripples of excitement through the hosta crowd with its elongated yellow leaves that have narrow green, wavy margins. We are one step closer to the red hosta of our dreams with ‘Beet Salad’. The leaf tips are flushed with red as it emerges in the spring and a fine red line follows the entire leaf edge. If you like the giants, ‘Gentle Giant’ (a huge, upright blue) and 'Devil's Advocate' (large blue leaves with green edges) will appeal to you. Miniature hosta lovers will find plenty of enticing little ones, too, including the four newest additions to the adorable ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ family: ‘Mighty Mouse’, ‘Pure Heart’, ‘Mouse Trap’, and ‘Snow Mouse’. ‘Tropical Storm’ is the reverse sport of ‘Rainforest Sunrise’ with rounded green leaves edged in bright gold and ‘Alakazaam’ is a lively mini with narrow green leaves trimmed by a ruffled yellow margin.

Whew...and that is just a start! You’ll just have to come out and see all the new hostas, because there are just too many to list here.

Hosta 'Ripple Effect'

Hosta 'Devil's Advocate'

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Hosta of the Year – 'First Frost'

Over the years we have grown Hosta ‘First Frost’, it has proven to be one of those “love at first sight” plants. As a sport of ‘Halcyon’, ‘First Frost’ has some stellar relatives including one of my all time favorites – ‘June’. ‘First Frost’ greets us in the spring with a rich, buttery-yellow edge and a strong blue center. Like its parent, the blue coloring is among the best of any hosta and the color holds most of the season. By early June, the gold margin fades to creamy white, but in either combination the colors always offer a striking contrast. The superb leaf substance keeps the plant looking fresh until the first frost of autumn. This hosta grows steadily into a 30” wide mound that has lavender flowers in July. See our article Hosta 'First Frost' - 2010 Hosta of the Year for more details on this hosta.

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Perennials

To complement our hostas, we have beefed up our selection of shade tolerant companion plants. Hellebores are some of the longest (and earliest!) blooming perennials you will find. The large, colorful blooms often open in late March and persist for months. We have five different varieties to choose from, including two spectacular double flowered forms. ‘Burning Hearts’ Fernleaf Bleeding Heart is another shade perennial that blooms forever, it seems. The deep red heart-shaped flowers open off and on throughout the summer. For some late fall blooms, the golden orchid-like flowers of Golden Glory Toad Lily will be a welcome sight. The variegated foliage adds an interesting accent throughout the season. Of course, you will also find an array of the newest selections of the ever popular Heucheras (Coral Bells).

Water Gardening

Exotic is a good description of the new water plants you will find this year at In The Country. Four new Taros will add a bold splash of color to your pond. ‘Midori Sour’ has gold leaves speckled with green. ‘Elena’ has vivid golden leaves. ‘Lime Aide’ is deep green with random splashes of lime green. And my favorite, ‘Mojito’, has green leaves that are heavily freckled with purple specks. All of these plants will transform your pond into a tropical oasis!

Important Dates for Pond Owners May 1 Water Hyacinths & Water Lettuce available June 5 Tropical Water Lilies & Mosaic Plant available

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Gardening Gone Vertical

"Vertical gardening" is a hot buzz word in the gardening industry right now. Living walls are becoming popular features in fancy, mega million dollar buildings, but there are other forms of vertical gardening that are just as interesting and much more affordable! Phytopods are new tower-like raised gardens that are compact enough to fit on a deck or patio, but the 365 degree planting surface can accommodate a surprising number of plants. You can grow an entire vegetable garden in just a couple square feet! Phytoquilts are a fun and easy way to turn a boring wall or fence into a lush garden of flowers or veggies. Vertical gardening is a fun way to add an unexpected twist to your garden!

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