New Stock

We've got lots of new stock here today. I've got a few morning and early afternoon appointments but I will be in the garden from 3:00 until dark if you would like to stop by.

Punch up your foliage beds with this amazing golden Hosta 'Sun Power'. They're just about ready to burst into bloom.

Although the Brunera is just about finished with it's forget-me-not like blooms, it has such lovely foliage that I had to pick up some pots for you.

While the large Dicentra spectabilis (old fashioned Bleeding Hearts) are just winding down, the smaller fern leafed Dicentra eximia's are in full bloom right now. Even though they do just fine in shade, they can take quite a bit of sun too.

Working on that tapestry effect? We've got lots of foliage combinations to weave together. These two Astilbes show that even the same plant family can have very different foliage.

Hope to see you later. Remember, we'll be open for sales on Saturday but I won't be here so no questions allowed :-)

I've also picked up troughs for those of you who ordered them.

See you soon!
Melanie

Schedule Changes

The next two weeks are just chock full of events here at Melanie's Perennials. Right now we are experiencing the calm before the storm. There's so much green in the garden but the late spring/early summer perennials are about to explode!

This Friday evening I'll be driving down to Maryland with my daughters to attend a wedding shower on Saturday. We will be home again late Saturday night so I won't be here if you planned on stopping by. My husband will be home and will sell plants but won't be able to answer questions about them. So if you want to purchase things while I'm here, we'll be open on Sunday June 7th and just possibly Thursday (tomorrow) late afternoon and evening (check here first).

As for the weekend after this one, I will be open for business but in a different location! I belong to the local garden club, the Nathan Hale Garden club to be exact and we are holding our flower show in Huntington village at the Kissam House on Park Avenue. I'll have a sales booth there with all kinds of cool plants. You can visit me there on Friday June 12th 1:30 - 7:00pm and Saturday June 13th 10:00am - 2:00pm.

That same weekend we'll be open here on Sunday for tours, bring a friend, bring a cooler, bring your camera and note pad. By then the hardy Geraniums (first photo features Geranium nudosum) and the Tradescantias (second photo is Tradescantia 'Little Doll') will be in full swing!

Placing perennials

When you look for the perfect spot to plant your new perennial what do you consider first? Do you look at the bloom or do you look at the foliage?

As a beginning gardener I only looked at the bloom but as I've gained experience, I've learned to consider the foliage first and then if possible also look at the bloom.

Since perennials bloom for a shorter time period than annuals, my goal is to form a tapestry of foliage color, form and texture so that even if the plants aren't in bloom, they create a pleasing picture.

Some plants are just so easy to work with. If I had 100 pots of the bright Hakonechloa macra 'All Gold' I could find 100 great combinations. Unfortunately this plant is hard to find and when you do find it, it tends to be very pricey.

The hardy Geranium sanguinium at the bottom of this photo is a bit easier to find and quite a bit less expensive but just as easy to make wonderful combinations with.

An excellent foliage plant that is not at all expensive is Lamium. A gardening friend Joan found a six pack of these beauties at one of the local box stores. I might have to go and get some more for myself.
When working with the succulents in my little rock garden, it's easy to mix and match foliage colors and forms. While there are blooms here it's easy to see how the foliage is the big picture.

Off to play in the garden ;-)
Melanie