Growing Great Hostas!

Friday, June 1, 2018

Announcement

This Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3d at 1 PM each day, Vermont Flower Farm, 2263 US Route 2, Marshfield, Vermont will offer a program on growing great hostas. The farm grows and sells over 500 different hostas and displays them in a special shade garden with companion plants. Owner and grower George Africa will discuss growing and dividing hostas, and garden design. The program will be held in the garden so wear appropriate footwear and consider insects and weather. If you have special accessibility needs, please advise in advance.

Questions? Call us at 802-426-3505

Rural or Urban Tree Loss

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

It's been a rainy day here in Marshfield today and as I write,  there's a rain delay in Boston on the Red Sox baseball game. A big storm is going through Massachusetts and once again we are experiencing storms like we have not seen before. Storms are relative to a heated atmosphere and as tree coverage declines, heat has a way of increasing.

In the past few years we have had to become more cautious in our daily review of weather reports. There have been many more serious wind storms and floods. The winds dry the fields and slow the growth of the flowers we raise. The water loss means we have to draw more water from the river to raise the same number of crops which require more labor to reach the same goal. In the process, our net revenues shiver, not from the cold but from our attempt to manage a profit.

Scientific American Magazine recently published an informative article on tree loss. The article mentions heat but also the human losses we don't often think about. It's worth  reading. Try to apply  what you read to your family and your community. There's a great deal to consider!

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-cities-lose-tree-cover-just-when-they-need-it-most

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm

Marshfield, Vermont 05658

802-426-3505

vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com

Polymerous Daylilies

Monday, April 30, 2018

A very white morning here on the mountain above Peacham Pond. I am not surprised about it but that doesn't mean I like it. I have a ton of things to do at the flower farm and all of them require outside work which is difficult with 6" of heavy, wet snow on everything. By tomorrow it will be gone as rain is on the way by this afternoon.

I can tell when the weather is bad based on the email questions that I receive. I just received the third question this week about polymerous daylilies. I suspect gardeners are reviewing last year's garden photos and wondering in this case about daylily blooms with more than usual petal counts. 

Here's an explanation from the American Daylily Society. Read on!

https://www.daylilies.org/ahs_dictionary/polymerous.html

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

Find us on Facebook as my personal page, George Africa, or the Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens page.

We're always here to help you grow your green thumb!

Epimediums

Epimediums

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Epimediums are becoming more and more popular each gardening season. We have been growing a few varieties for 10 years now and are just now receiving regular requests. Some things take a while to get established in Vermont!

Here's a very nice blog from Karen Chapman. You'll pick up some new thoughts and some picture ideas which will perhaps help you in your own gardens. Sign up for her blog.

https://lejardinetdesigns.com/2018/04/03/a-spring-perennial-you-need-epimedium

Best gardening wishes!

George Africa

Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

2263 US Route 2

Marshfield Vermont 05658

Peonies

Bowl of Beauty

Thursday, April 12, 2018

A nice morning on the mountain above Peacham Pond. The sun is out now and the temperature has risen 5 degrees in an hour. Rain is predicted for later this afternoon but for right now, there is a suggestion to get outside and do some clean up work.

I want to post a copy of this recent newsletter from Garden Design Magazine about peonies. With two feet of snow still on the ground here around the house, it seems premature to talk about peonies but the fact is, they will be with us by late June and that's coming quickly.

Here's the article. Peonies are wonderful perennials, easy to grow and they are very nice cut flowers too. And no, they do not need ants to be nice flowers. Ants are on peonies at times because they use the waxy coating on the buds to build their colonies. Try some!  Peonies, not ants!

https://www.gardendesign.com/peony

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

Marshfield, Vermont 05658

Always here to help you grow your green thumb!

802-426-3505

vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com