Nancy's Picks : Spring
Nancy has agreed to give us a list of her favorite perennials, by season.
Here is her (by no means all-inclusive) Spring list:
Phlox divaricata
(Woodland Phlox)
Phlox divaricata is a spring blooming woodland flower native to North America. It bears lovely highly fragrant lavender-blue flowers on slender 15"-18"stems, blooming at the same time as tulips.
After blooming it all but disappears, with only a few low growing leaves and stems remaining. If conditions are right it will seed pleasantly.
Partial Shade
Click HERE
to read our feature on this plant
Stylophorum diphyllum
(Woodland Poppy)
An abundance of yellow poppy-like flowers on stiffly upright sturdy 18"-24" stems over lobed foliage. After blooming the foliage remains attractive all season. Occasionally re-blooms lightly in late summer and fall.
Partial Shade
Click HERE
to read our feature on this plant
Tulipa tarda
Upfacing star-like yellow & white bicolor flowers adorn this plant on 3"-6" stems in late spring. Visitors often ask us about it in our display gardens and are inevitable surprised to find out that it is a Tulip. Unlike many hybrid Tulips, however, this one is long lived and not favored by deer.
Full Sun / Partial Shade
We will have this plant available as bulbs in autumn of 2016
Iris spuria
Unique tiered blossoms and impressive height (to 48") make this Iris a standout. We grow both the blue and the white forms.
Full Sun / Light Shade
Uvularia grandiflora
(Giant Merrybells)
Yellow pendant blossoms in spring. Summer foliage is most attractive. Will seed modestly if it likes your soil. North American native.
Partial Shade / Full Shade
Click HERE
to read our feature on this plant
Lathyrus vernus
(Woodland Bush Pea)
Purple-blue pea-like flowers on a tidy mound of foliage in late spring. A favorite here at the Farm.
Considered by rabbits to be a gourmet treat so will need the protection of barriers or repellents, especially early in the season.
Full Sun / Partial Shade
Click HERE
to read our feature on this plant
Trollius
(Globe Flower)
Post spring...but a delight! Golden yellow flowers. Glossy foliage. Thrives in moist or even wet soil.
Full Sun / Partial Shade
Epimedium
(Bishop's Cap)
Often described as the Aristocrat of the Shade Garden,
this plants bears small but beautiful flowers in early spring followed by graceful foliage. Truly a sophisticated addition to any shade garden.
Partial Shade
Zones 5-8
Plan ahead for autumn...
Aster 'October Skies'
Aster (now known as Symphyotrichum) are an invaluable addition to the autumn garden. The older varieties had the weakness of often losing their leaves on the lower third of their stems and the resulting "brown ankles" had to be concealed behind mounding foreground plants. Not this one!
'October Skies' forms a luscious dense mound entirely blanketed in lavender colored daises in fall. A really great garden plant!
Click HERE
to read our feature on this plant
