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Spring Newsletter 2011
Spring Has Sprung In The Country!
Find all the details on our Spring in the Country Open House!
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Spring in Iowa is a real rollercoaster ride of ups and downs and this spring has been no exception. With any luck the wild rollercoaster is gliding into park, so we can bask in the sunny warmth and dive into our gardens with the enthusiasm we have had pent up all winter!
This is Hosta Country!
With so many different hostas on the market, it is hard to imagine that there could possibly be something new and different to excite us year after year. Yet, 2011 has no shortage of interesting new hostas for the hosta collector, hybridizer, and casual gardener.
One of the most beautiful new hostas for 2011 is Hosta ‘Lakeside Paisley Print’. This plant has it all...a wide and wonderfully ruffled dark green margin, an unusually patterned creamy-white center, good substance and growth rate...what more could a host-holic ask for?! This one is going to be hot!
The soft colors of Hosta ‘Luna Moth’ give a serene aura to this sport of ‘Parky’s Prize’. This exceptionally vigorous plant features extra wide, chartreuse-gold margins around a narrow green leaf center. The colors match its regal namesake perfectly!
‘Ripple Effect’ and ‘Goodness Gracious’ were late additions to last year’s line-up, and we feel they are both standouts. Hosta ‘Ripple Effect’ is an unusual sport of ‘June’ with long, wavy leaves trimmed by a narrow, blue-green edge and Hosta ‘Goodness Gracious’ is a stunning wide margined sport of ‘Satisfaction’.
Red continues to be a highly sought after color in hostas and we have the two debut introductions out of the famous “Bronze Age” plant. Hosta ‘Purple Heart’ has bright green leaves and Hosta ‘Raspberry Sundae’ has ivory leaves edged in green. Both plants have deep red petioles and show red well into the leaf.
In addition to ‘Lakeside Paisley Print’, we have several other new introductions from Mary “Lakeside” Chastain. Hosta ‘Lakeside Tee Ki’, with its wavy gold leaves and trim creamy edge, is quickly becoming a favorite. Also notable is the large, green Hosta ‘Lakeside Full Tide’ and the exquisite Hosta ‘Lakeside Prophecy Fulfilled’, with its corrugated, gold edged leaves and ruffled margins.
Hosta hybridizers and serious collectors will find several streaked hostas available for 2011. Hosta ‘Royal Mouse Ears’ is the original streaked form of ‘Blue Mouse Ears’. Hosta ‘Sparkle’ is one of the few streaked hostas with red petioles, as is Hosta ‘Vivacious’. The blue and gold streaked Hosta ‘Dorset Clown’ is legendary in the hosta world.
 Hosta 'Purple Heart' |
 Hosta 'Raspberry Sundae' |
Goodbye Deer & Rabbits
If you have pesky deer, rabbits, or other hungry critters making a salad bar out of your garden, you now have a new repellant to add to your bag of tricks. Repellex Systemic Repellant makes any plant taste like hot pepper. This product is absorbed through the plant’s roots, so it works from the inside out. A single application lasts for months. No more messy, smelly sprays that have to be reapplied every time it rains!
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Hosta of the Year – 'Praying Hands'
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In most any plant family, there are often a few odd-balls in the bunch. Family members that you would never guess were related, just judging from their appearance. Hostas are no different and one of the most un-hosta looking hostas is 'Praying Hands'. Hosta 'Praying Hands' is a one-of-a-kind plant that is instantly recognizable. It has long, waxy, dark green leaves that have a narrow, wavy cream margin. The leaves are folded almost into a tube-shape to give the appearance of “praying hands!” It forms a stiffly upright clump about 18 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Pale lavender flowers open in mid summer. 'Praying Hands' is unlike any hosta you've ever seen! Whether you love it or hate it, it is definitely an odd-ball. See our article Hosta 'Praying Hands' - 2011 Hosta of the Year for more details on this hosta.
Shade Perennials
Sometimes the hosta garden needs a bit of jazzing up and we have a beefed up selection of jazzy companion perennials that flourish in the shade garden. The new Winter Thrillers series of Hellebores offers huge, rich colored flowers that last for over a month in the early spring. Even better, Hellebores are deer proof! Aralia ‘Sun King’ forms a shrub-like mound of brilliant gold foliage that will brighten any partly shaded area. Heucheras (Coralbells) add a rainbow of colors to the garden. Among our many new varieties are two new trailing hybrids that can be used as groundcovers or cascading over the edge of mixed containers. Just imagine the possibilities ‘Redstone Falls’ and ‘Yellowstone Falls’ Coralbells will bring to your garden! With miniature hostas being so popular, it seemed logical to add a couple mini companions for 2011. Alchemilla erythropoda is a Mini Lady’s Mantle that blooms with frothy yellow-green flowers. Mini Goat’s Beard (Aruncus aethusifolius) blooms with fuzzy spikes of white flowers over small mounds of ferny green foliage.
Water Gardening
Ponders will find a few new plants for 2011 that will add some real character to your pond. Iris ‘Black Gamecock’ blooms in May with deep, black-purple flowers. Easy and hardy! If you need some drama, Taro Thailand Giant is just what you are after. As a young plant, this taro looks innocent. Give it some heat, moisture, fertilizer and a little time, though, and it will grow into a monster up to nine feet tall! The green leaves can measure five feet long. This is a “wow” plant that is happy in the pond or out! Banana ‘Siam Ruby’ is another high drama plant that can be grown in or out of the pond. The big, bold leaves are rich red with random green stripes.
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The Book of Little HostasMiniature hostas have never been more popular and now there is finally a guide dedicated to these tiny jewels of the hosta world! Whether you are already a fan of little hostas or are just getting started, The Book of Little Hostas offers sound cultural advice and an informative overview of 200 of the newest, most desirable small and mini hostas. See our exclusive interview with the authors! |
Succulents
Succulents are hot and we have never had such a large and diverse selection! The array of colors, textures, and plant shapes is bewildering and with names like Calico Kitten, Ox Tongue, and Medusa Plant, how can you resist?! The best part is how easy they are to grow. Succulents are as care-free as a plant can be! We have many clever design and planting examples to inspire you, and you will also find a number of pre-planted succulent gardens for sale.
Bubble-scapes
If you read gardening magazines or watch gardening shows on TV, you may have noticed that terrariums are all the rage right now. Our bubble-scapes are a fun and unique spin on this! These delightful miniature worlds provide a beautiful and unique touch of green where you least expect it! Designed with succulents or fascinating air plants, bubble-scapes make fantastic gifts!
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All content and images © 2010 by In The Country Garden & Gifts unless otherwise noted.