TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 01, 2011

Aster 'Purple Dome'

DWARF ASTER

Lots of folks wondering about the pretty light purple flowers proliferating in Chittenden County this October. They are the Aster dumosus 'Danny Boy', also known as Michaelmas daisies; or Aster novae-angeliae 'Purple Dome'. The latter is a darker colored variety; the 'Danny Boy' is more lavender.
Home Depot has been selling the 'Purple Dome', which might explain the increase in sightings.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2011

October (section I)

by Louise Glück

Is it winter again, is it cold again, didn't Frank just slip on the ice, didn't he heal, weren't the spring seeds planted didn't the night end, didn't the melting ice flood the narrow gutters wasn't my body rescued, wasn't it safe didn't the scar form, invisible above the injury terror and cold, didn't they just end, wasn't the back garden harrowed and planted-- I remember how the earth felt, red and dense, in stiff rows, weren't the seeds planted, didn't vines climb the south wall I can't hear your voice for the wind's cries, whistling over the bare ground I no longer care what sound it makes when was I silenced, when did it first seem pointless to describe that sound what it sounds like can't change what it is-- didn't the night end, wasn't the earth safe when it was planted didn't we plant the seeds, weren't we necessary to the earth, the vines, were they harvested?

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011

'Sunny Day' Coreopsis - Can you spot the bumblebee?

  Lots of luck this summer with various Coreopsis, or is the plural Coreopsi, or maybe Coreopsisis. Ha- ha. Who knows.
These plants are one of the workhorses of the garden, with long-lasting blooms and very low on the "needy" scale. Just plop them somewhere with a lot of sun, deadhead 'em once in a while, and they'll do the rest. This particular cultivar is hardy to 30 freaking below. Man!
Now that I'm thinking of it, A lot of my customers don't grow Coreopsis. Maybe this snappy little plant will be moved up on my recommendation list.
If you love the color yellow, go for it!

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011

Cosmos in an Essex Center field

One of the pleasures of being a working gardener is plying my trade in the most beautiful of locations. On a stunning early fall day in Essex Center, I had the pleasure of dividing old treasured Peonies, a family of such going back generations.
The roots were the size of Baby Ruth candy bars, some of them, and the flowers back in June were not spectacular, meaning it was time to cut 'em up. At the end, I was honored with a few divisions, which is a great perk in my business.
Throwing Peonies back in the ground can be tricky; plant too shallow and the eyes freeze, plant too deep and you might not get great blooms, if any at all.

Here's a link to a cool Peony place on the web. Peony's Envy is a well known nursery in New Jersey.