Prized in England since the late 1700′s, these hardy treasures are now in bloom and available at the nursery ! They are easy to grow, and so charming up close. Hardy, perennial, and easy to please, both Gold-laced and Silver-laced strains like to be kept moist.
I transfer them from their plastic pots into aged clay pots and presto ! Magic !
We are selling them in bloom for only $3.99 each. A much better value than a latte !
February 21, 2010
Gold-laced Polyanthus
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February 18, 2010
Giant Fishing Floats
I’ve always loved these, and they are never easy to find. I remember them in my good, late friend Susan Ryley’s elegant pond in her stunning backyard in Victoria, BC. They will always remind me of her….
They vary in size and colour, most are greenish, and are about 9″-10″ spheres. They do float. I think they would look just as good used in a succulent arrangement, or even on gravel. All are $50.00 each .
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February 16, 2010
Extreme Makeover, Nursery Edition
After 20 years of heavy cart and foot traffic, I felt our retail perennial area was shot. The paths had become roller coaster-like bumpy torture tests for carts full of plants. Although I still like our wooden tables , many were rotting and it was time to come up with a new look.
One rainy winter day, a neighbour (who was having some backhoe work done) dropped in
and before long , I hired him to clear away everything ! Treacherous blacktop paths were removed, land was scraped and levelled, and many dumptrucks full of ‘crush’ were spread and rolled until they felt ‘hard’. I like the feeling underfoot, and the rain really settled things down quickly. Then, the fun part began – reinventing the area.
With such an early spring this year, we have to get things ready immediately. I am still setting up this area, and it is much more open and spacious than before. Lots of new galvanized metal shelving should display our plants better. Drop by and see the difference !
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February 10, 2010
A Touch of Glass
With so much bad ‘Garden Ornament’ available, it is quite rare for us to actually want to sell something that is not a plant. But, these handblown glass ‘icicles’ appealled to me instantly. Each is one is completely handmade and every one is different. They come in two sizes , small ($60.00) and large (99.00) .
A sturdy copper tube acts as a stem, and they would look amazing tucked into a Phormium plant , or other bold foliage. Perfect for patio pots, deck gardens, balconies… anywhere away from curious children or strong winds (they are glass !)
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February 7, 2010
Hellebores are Here !! And they are early !
Wow ! We are lucky to be old friends with Ernie and Marietta O’Byrne, of Eugene, Oregon. They breed incredible hellebores – and Southlands was their first client in Canada.
The very mild winter this year has allowed us to import a bunch of these plants in bloom. We are selling them for $39.99 for a large pot, and $29.99 for a 1 gallon size, in bloom !
Look at the photos….I will add more soon. Most of these seedlings are one-of-a-kind and every one is a dream !!!
We also have a load of blooming hellebores from Charles Price and Glenn Withey. These Seattle boys pioneered hellebore breeding in the Pacific Northwest. Blooming Nursery, also of Oregon, does the growing for them. This allows Charles and Glenn to make hundreds of crosses and collect thousands of seeds from their very select stud plants.
Locally, Valleybrook Gardens of Abbottsford, BC is offering a not-really-for-the-Olympics selection called ‘Vancouver Medallion’. we have a stash of these blooming plants to sell at $19.99. This clone looks (to me, anyway) like one of the H.x nigercors type crosses. The love-child of a deliberate crossing of H. niger and H. argutifolius. This cross was thought impossible to make, just a few years ago. the result is a stocky, sturdy evergreen with large, rounded flowers that face outwards and often upwards. The colour of the flowers is a parchment white with a greenish blush and a bit of a mahogany flush.
We have hundreds of other hellebores in right now….come and see !
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February 2, 2010
Magical Asarums
Those of us lucky enough to live in Zone 8 (Vancouver, Seattle, Victoria etc) are able to grow these kooky woodland treasures. We have a few blooming plants of Asarum splendens available. They are bursting out of their one gallon pots (even coming out of the side drain holes), and are now at their peak. The very strange flowers are hard to spot….. a reward for those who look closely at things. Sinister, gorgeous monsters of black and brown velvet look like Masdevallia orchids lying on the ground. For those who really know orchids, look up ‘Dracula vampira’ and see what I mean.
The Japanese are wild about these plants, and stage entire flower shows devoted to these incredible little monsters!!
Exceptional selections can sell for hundreds of dollars. Ours are 24.95 !
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