Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Look of Spring 2016

The  LOOK of Spring 2016..

Another odd start to Spring I have iris blooming early, some Asiatic lilies almost three feet tall.
Maybe my lot will have an ocean view as it did in past eons, LOL?!?!


One of many types and plants of Iris cristata.
Canadian Anemone and violets.

White pasque flowers.
Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris

Bleeding Heart "Valentine"


Veronica In the Rock Garden


Nice Sedum

Tight clusters of sedum
Shooting Star

Tall Asiatic Lilies

Trollius ledebourii

Variegated periwinkle

Woodland Phlox


Another SDB

Blooming Bearberry

Wild Ginger and Anemone canadensis


Peonies in bud
SDB "Juiced up"

Monday, May 2, 2016

MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! Beginning of the gardening season 2016.


MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! 2016 gardening season begins.

Our last frost date is around May 10th, just after Mother’s day. My local nurseries are burgeoning with plants some are still receiving shipments but most perennials are available; STICKER SHOCK, STICKER SHOCK! Many perennial quart pots were selling around $12.95, I saw shrubs from Bailey’s, Monrovia and Proven Winners selling above $35.00 many on the average of $45.00 to $50.00 apiece. Now some of these nurseries may be over priced with high overhead and survived with landscaping projects and volume.
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Personal disposable income is expected to increase 1.9 % over the next five years.  The recession killed many nurseries in my area as discretionary income fell, large businesses and the waterfall flow of wealth into the hands of the super-rich few continues to drain everyone’s pocket.

Maybe it’s time to offer volume discounts? Offering younger plants in 4” pots etc. This trend cannot continue. The largest sale of plants in my area is the Friends Plant Sale where thousands are sold in smaller containers. This is a very viable option for gardeners on a budget.


Since I wrote this blog a few days ago I have visited some more local nurseries. Again quart pots were from $8.00 to $12.95. But they also had a large selection of young native perennials in 2 1/2 inch pots at reasonable prices. I picked up Sweet Woodruff, Veronica and Wild Geranium.