Lucky Find

The display at Crate and Barrel had a wire- framed basket on a dining table filled with decorative fruit. What got my attention was the markdown sign: 70% off. Of the basket that is. I'm always on the hunt for great containers and, bargain lover that I am, there was no way I was going to pass this one up. The sales associate suggested various ways of displaying it in the house. I told him, "No way, I'm planting flowers in it and putting it in my garden!"

Since I had not yet planted my annual foliage-only arrangement, I decided this would be the container I'd use. I first put in a large round coconut liner and filled it with potting soil and a scoop of Osmocote time-release fertilizer. Here are the plants I chose:

Heuchera sanguinea "Bressingham Hybrids', zone 3

Heuchera 'Plum Pudding', zone 3

Juncus 'Unicorn', zone 4

Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip', zone 4, (two plants)

Origanum 'Kent Beauty', zone 5

Stonecrop sedum, zone 5

Green santolina, zone 7

Purple sage, annual (two plants)

Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books

Whew, That Was Close!

I was back at the nursery yesterday, in pursuit of a plant that I loved last year but had been unable to find so far this year: Coleus "Fishnet Stockings". I mentioned it in a post last year. I've seen it written about twice already this year. The first article I saw appeared in Fine Gardening magazine and, at that point, I wasn't worried because that's not a magazine that reaches the gardening masses. But then the plant was featured in the Sunday Washington Post a couple of weeks ago. Oh boy. Good luck finding it now.

Off to Merrifield Gardening Center I went yesterday. They had rows upon rows of every kind of coleus imaginable. There were hundreds. You can bet I looked at every single one. And you know how it is when your desire for something increases exponentially in relation to the dimishing probability that you'll ever find it. Desperate, I finally did what I rarely do at nurseries--I asked for help. The people that work at this nursery are so friendly and know what service is all about. The sales assistant offered to check the back stock. Given the tens of thousands of plants on display at this place, I found it hard to believe there even was a back stock. Anyway, she trotted off, leaving me to cool my heels for a while. I told her if she found any, I'd take three. Originally, I only went looking for two but that whole scarcity thing took over.

After about 10 minutes she returned--plants in hand. She said she had almost given up hope but she managed to find four of them mixed in with some other types. Keeping my word, I only took three. I wanted to leave one for the next person who might come in all wild-eyed, looking for Fishnet Stockings.

Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books

Shopping Day

I usually plan my first big shopping trip right around this time because I'm fairly certain that the cooler evenings are behind us. When I first started gardening, I'd make a beeline for the nursery on the first warm spring day (usually early April) because my hands were itching to plant something. And I was never alone. As with most important lessons though, I had to learn the hard way. Invariably, we'd get hit with a blast or two of cold air in the following weeks, leaving me with a bunch of dead plants and fewer dollars in my bank account.

No more. I now wait until Mother's Day. It's worked so far.

I went shopping today. Here's the cart before and after. This is a little more than half of what I'll need to complete my garden this season. Many plants returned this year. I also ordered some things via the Internet. Still on my shopping list: mandevilla, red Abyssinian banana plant, lots of herbs, and some miscellaneous fillers. That will be next weekend's shopping trip.

Stay tuned for more frequent postings and some review material on planting technique. Meanwhile, get those pots cleaned out--it's time to start planting!

Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books

Virginia is for Lovers

That's according to the Travel and Tourism Board. Whether it's true or not is a topic for debate but one thing I can tell you is Virginia is definitely for Gardeners. By my count, three out of every five Virginians are sporting a green thumb. The remaining two have the makings for one, even if they don't yet know it. That's where I come in because I think anyone can put together a simple, attractive garden in a container and keep it alive all season long without much effort.

So for my friends and neighbors here in Virginia who are ready to release their inner gardener and have asked me where to go to get started, I have a few places to recommend:

Merrifield Garden Center: I shudder to think of what the final amount would be if I were to tally up all of my receipts over the years. Merrifield has managed to round up some of the smartest gardening folks I've ever come across. And what's even better is that they are always so eager to help experienced and novice gardeners alike. Their enthusiasm never wanes. Although they have a website, nothing can equal a personal visit to one of the three stores. I'm loyal to the one in Fairfax because it is just huge. If they don't have the plant, pot, tool or gardening product you're looking for, my guess is, you just don't need it.

Big box stores: Some of the more accomplished gardeners I know are quick to dismiss the big box stores. There was a time when that snobbery might have been legitimate. But believe me, Home Depot and Lowe's are not stupid. They have seen how the gardening industry has exploded in recent years and they have been particularly responsive to the increasing number of people who have developed an interest in container gardening. Now I will say that I've noticed they don't quite give their plants the same tender, loving care that you might find at a local nursery so midway through the season you are liable to see some pretty sad looking specimens. My advice is always to shop carefully no matter where you plan to spend your money. And if you want lightweight, fantastic looking faux terra cotta planters and aged urns, the selection has improved dramatically in recent years.

Target: Most folks have a store nearby and it is a great place to pick up some gardening supplies and containers--especially if you are new to gardening. I say this because it won't cost you an arm and a leg so you can tiptoe into the gardening waters to see if you like them (you will, I promise). After that, you can graduate to the fancier supplies if you wish. There's also a great selection of planters and containers in the store and on the website.

Depending on where you live, you might have a small local nursery near your neighborhood. It may be a permanent store or a temporary structure. For example, there is a huge tent that sets up in the parking lot near our local Whole Foods store in Springfield. The vendor is called GardenMasters and has no affiliation (that I know of) to Whole Foods. It is really a good sized operation for being temporary and they open up shop in mid-April and close in late June every year. It has a remarkable selection and I do quite a bit of shopping there. Driving around various parts of Northern Virginia, I see similar vendors everywhere though sometimes they may be in a parking lot near a school. Definitely check them out and if it's a temporary location, find out when they are going to close up shop because during the days leading up to that is when they start slashing prices.

Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books

Ways to Spend Your Stimulus Check

I've had some people ask me to talk about where I shop for my plants, containers and gardening supplies. Typically I do a combination of online shopping and bricks and mortar. In this post I'll talk primarily about Internet sources. I've ordered from all of these sites (with the exception of one--I'll get to that later) and so I am speaking from my own experience.

Antique Rose Emporium: This Texas company specializes in old roses and I have mentioned them in previous posts. I have been thrilled so far with the two roses that I bought this season: Graham Thomas and Cecile Brunner. The Emporium has an entire category of roses that are particularly well suited for containers. If you want to try growing roses but don't know where to start, these are the folks to call.

White Flower Farm: Based in Connecticut, this nursery has every plant, flower and bulb you can imagine and then some. I've shopped with them for years and I have never been disappointed. They stand behind their product and will replace your plant or refund your money without any hassles. Also, their catalog is so informative that you'll always want to keep a copy on hand for reference.

Logee's Tropical Plants: One of the editors from Fine Gardening magazine clued me into this website. Here you'll find exotic and unusual plants and flowers. Honestly, some of them do not even seem to be of this world so check them out if you are looking for attention-getters. They have a summer sale going on now through July 31st if you need any additional encouragement.

Smith & Hawken: This is the place for all of the gardening accoutrements. I'm fortunate to have an actual store nearby but their website is a great source for tools (including my favorite Felco pruners), trellises (if you have climbers), planters, watering cans and lots of other supplies.

The Felco Store: The website has the entire collection of Felco products. They even have pruners for southpaws and those with small hands. I love that all inclusive philosophy.

Seibert & Rice (for drooling purposes only): I add this to the list not because I can speak about them with any sort of authority because the pots are way (way) out of my price range. But these are the pots of my gardening dreams. This company imports handmade terra cotta urns and planters from Impruneta, Italy. They are said to be frost proof to -20F and they are utterly gorgeous. I'm not so sure I'd even want to put dirt in them. You'll have to email them for a pricelist and as the saying goes: "If you have to ask...."(well, you know the rest). Never have truer words been said.

Target: On the more economical tip, Target's website and stores have very large and attractive planters, many of which are made out of molded fiberglass and I know from experience that they can be left out all winter long (with plants in them). Also, the store carries a line of Smith & Hawken products. They are not quite the quality that I have found in the actual Smith & Hawken store but the prices are lower and I find that to be a very fair trade-off. Finally, they have Bionic gardening gloves. I bought a pair for my mom last year from a different website and I'm not sure what her final word is on them. So Mama, if you are reading this, send in a comment to let the readers know.

West County Gardener: The coolest (and most functional) gloves around. I don't wear gardening gloves often but when I do, these are the ones. I have the Classic Glove in a wonderful berry color and the Rose Gauntlet. They wash and dry like a dream.

Next post, I'll discuss some local shopping for readers who live in Northern Virginia.

Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books

First Big Shopping Trip

The rains have been relentless since Thursday. There was a little break in the clouds on Sunday so I made a quick trip to the nursery thinking I might be able to check a few things off of my shopping list. Once I arrived, I had to move quickly because it looked like the sky was going to open up any minute. Thank goodness I had a list otherwise I would have been distracted by the endless selection. If you are a gardener in Northern Virginia and you have never been to Merrifield Garden Center (the one on Lee Highway in particular), you need to drop everything, get in your car and go. But don't say I didn't warn you. As for me, I was fortunate on Sunday that the weather was begining to turn sour again because it caused me to cut my trip short so I got out of there with only one shopping cart full of plants. I did start to do a little planting today because we got another reprieve from the rain so I will be posting those pictures next time.

Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books

Save a Few Bucks

My recent order from Smith & Hawken just arrived. I ordered a trellis because I want to grow a couple of climbing plants for some vertical interest in my garden. I have found it to be a great way to make maximum use of a small space. This technique works not just for gardens but for housing which is how I got the idea in the first place because I live in Northern Virginia near D.C. where space is at a premium and townhomes are everywhere.

Anyway, with my order came some promotional codes that offer 10% savings on purchases through June 1st, 2008. If you order online, the code is WEB192. If ordering by phone, mention SPR308. I've been a customer for years and now am lucky to have a couple of stores within driving distance. The selection of pots and planters is very nice and they have an amazing array of tools and gardening supplies. I have my eye on that Rustic Mossy Urn......