Dahlias

Dahlias

This is the time of summer when dahlias begin to show buds and and make us reach for shears or a garden knife to cut bunches of colorful stems for a vase.  The American Dahlia Society is a wonderful resource to use to learn more about growing dahlias. I am growing a few dozen dahlias for the first time in over twenty years.  I'll keep you posted on how I make out. The first blooms began today at the flower farm. Stop by and see how we are doing.

American Dahlia Society

https://dahlia.org

Hydrangeas

HYDRANGEAS

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Vermont Flower Farm has the largest collection of hydrangeas in Vermont with 25 varieties for sale and many more on display in our fields and gardens. These are all New England hardy plants that will grow well in your gardens. They are coming into bloom now. 

Here are pictures of Incrediball, the very large flowered hydrangea some gardeners grow, Bobo (my favorite) just coming into bloom, Quickfire growing in our daylily display garden, and Incredibelle Spirit, a wonderful plant with a color that draws attention from afar. Stop by and see the rest. Have questions about how to plant and care for hydrangeas? We're happy to explain how easy they are to grow.

Visit us at 2263 US Route 2, Marshfield, Vermont. Open 9-5 seven days weekly through October. Call us at 802-426-3506. Visit us on Facebook at our Like page, Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and learn about gardening in the north at my personal George Africa page. If you garden, I know you will find something of interest. Want to walk the fields with us? Call ahead and schedule a time.

Post Bloom Peony Care

Post Bloom Peony Care

Many, many thanks to the dozens and dozens of gardeners who stopped by to purchase peonies this spring. We grew +50 varieties and still have a good assortment which can be planted in your gardens any time between now and mid-October. Stop by and discuss availability with Gail. No blooms left of course but Gail has good pictures and descriptions for planning color and garden height. There are two Bartzella left for those who want a very nice yellow. Yellows are more expensive but are not always available at nurseries as a result.

Hollingsworth Peonies in Missouri has been in business for a long time. They most always have peonies you have been looking for. They just posted this piece about post-bloom care which is worth reading. Larger plants and bountiful blooms next year means good care now. Read on. #peonies; #bartzella; #vtflowerfarm;

"Summer Care of Peonies

Summer! We are now in the later part of the growing season for peonies. Maintaining healthy leaves not only provides for attractive “foliage plants” in your garden, they give structure and dimension to the flower bed and serve as a backdrop for other flowering perennials and annuals. Summer is a critical time during which peonies accumulate food reserves in form of complex sugars (starch) to be used in the fall and early spring to grow new roots, a larger crown and if successful more stems and flowers. Here are some tips to ensure your peony plants will grow and prosper for years to come.

Foliage - Maintain your foliage as long as possible and don't cut it off unless it is badly infected with mildew or has started to turn brown. Some peony varieties actually go dormant early especially the species hybrids. The Itoh hybrids and most lactiflora hybrids maintain their foliage until the end of the growing season. The longer you can maintain healthy foliage the more food the peony plants can store in their roots. The more food stored the better.

Water - During the first year and to some degree also in the second year after planting check your young peonies frequently. Peonies have coarse and thick foliage. The stems are stiff. For the untrained eye it is difficult to observe wilting. Use your fingers to test the soil. Moist soil is usually darker and clings to your skin. Dry soil is grayish in color, dusty and does not cling to the skin of your finger. Observe companion plants and if they wilt your peonies should also get water. When irrigating, water deep, provide an ample amount of moisture that penetrates deeply into the soil. Always irrigate in the morning so the foliage can dry off during the day. Moisture during the night is an invitation for fungal disease such as mildew.

Dead head - Spent flowers and seed pods should be cut off. Many peony varieties are quite fertile and will produce seed. This seed, if allowed to fall to the ground, may sprout. New seedlings will start growing and over time compete with your original peonies. It is not uncommon for open pollinated seedlings to be more vigorous and stronger growers then their parents. We sometimes get Email from people wondering why their pink double flower form peonies are all white (single flower form). That’s the reason why. Most peonies grown from seed are quite different from their parents - often not very attractive.

Mildew - If you have mildew problems get rid of the dead foliage and burn it. If your area does not allow burning put it into the trash. Don't put sick material into the compost since the spores will survive there until next year. All infested material (including any nearby plants) should be removed off-site or burned. It doesn't take a lot of dead leaves for spores to find a winter refuge. If you have a lot of problems contact your Extension Service, they can point out fungicides approved for your state. The Master Gardeners in your area can be a great resource as well. "

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Back around 2007 when the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden was finishing up construction, I paid special attention to how they planted masses of the same flower near the parking lot lights and carried the use of mass plantings through the entire garden. At the time I was trying to figure out the piece of swampy land that would become our hosta display garden/shade plant garden. After I drained the area and removed the cattails and alders, I added lindens, yellow locusts and half a dozen hybrid maples. That's when it became obvious that planting 6 different daylilies in masses between each tree along the edge of the garden would give a great look from Route 2. I planted 25-30 daylilies between each set of trees as you can see from this picture of Daylily Lemon Lollypop. Over time we sold out popular daylilies such as Wayside King Royale but the timing was consistent with the growth of the trees and the extra shade they provided which was more than the daylilies preferred. Today the shade opportunities are more conducive to hostas and since the +600 hostas has maxed out the initial planting area, the new space is working well. If you stop by you'll see how the mass of daylilies works and also see the new hostas we are adding to the understory. If you are contemplating a new or restored garden, keep these thoughts in mind. If you need help with a garden design, Gail does excellent design. Don't expect to come away with a CAD presentation, expect a garden design with plants that are low maintenance and Vermont hardy. Give Gail a call at 802-426-3506 or email at vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com and she'll set up a time for you. #hostadisplaygarden; #shadegardens; #massplantings; #vtflowerfarm;

George Africa
Vermont Flower Farm
2263 US 2
Marshfield Vermont 05658

http://vermontflowerfarm.com
On Facebook as George Africa and also as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

LILY OF THE VALLEY

Lily of the Valley

Another soggy morning here at the flower farm after another 2.4" of rain over the past 30 hours. This time the Winooski River did not come over the banks but the ground is wet just the same. I just dug 50 holes for sunflowers which I have postponed planting for as long as I dare wait. I am hoping that the wet soil and a couple 80 degree days coming this Sunday and Monday might push them along. I plant hills of the giant flower types just as attention getters but plant the Pro-Cut series in different colors for cut flowers. I always buy my seed from Johnnys in Maine but the way spring has been in the East this Spring, it might still take more than great seed to get nice flowers.

I am writing a quick note this morning after having the fourth person stop here in three days asking for Lily of the Valley. When I was a kid I remember my Dad picking bouquets for my mother as soon as they bloomed. She loved the fragrance and loved to have little vases here and there around the house. When we moved to Vermont in the early 50s I remember my Dad shoveled clumps into cardboard boxes and brought them along. They are probably still doing well up on Church Hill Road in Woodstock where we lived.

My point in writing about them today is to remind everyone that Lily of the Valley (Muguet de Bois), is in the top 5 list of poisonous plants in the east. They have beautiful little white or pink bells and wonderful fragrance, but they are poisonous and will cause spontaneous trouble leading to death. On top of that, they are on the invasive list in many states and over a short time will take over your gardens. People use them as a ground cover but I ask that you consider the less favorable attributes before planting them. Please. If you have children, think again about growing them.

Writing from Vermont Flower Farm where summer is welcomed but a few days of warmer weather would be nice. Come visit us at 2263 US 2, Marshfield Vermont. We are here 7 days a week through October.

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Spring Arrives Differently

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Spring arrives differently depending upon where you live. I always read the latest home and garden notes from the University of Connecticut's newsletter because Connecticut is just far enough from Vermont that it often lends encouragement that spring really is coming soon. Here's the URL for that blog.

 https://uconnladybug.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/yellows-of-spring-and-a-few-other-colors

This has been a terrible winter in Vermont, unless I suppose, you like outdoor winter sports. The snow totals this winter were exceptional and even after fours days of warm weather and heavy rains, our highest mountain, Mt. Mansfield, still has over 100 inches of snow at the top. As I write, many places in Vermont are flooded as Lake Champlain surpassed it's 100 foot flood stage yesterday and the main rivers that flow into it including Otter Creek, the Winooski River, the Lamoille River and the Missisquoi have flooded roads, homes and businesses in many locations. Emergency management folks and insurance adjusters will be busy for some time. 

Just the same, better weather is coming and the spring ephemerals will make us feel happier. The Connecticut Home and Garden Newsletter mentions some flowers and shrubs that are flowering down there but it will be a month in some parts of Vermont before we see the same colors. Across the Winooski River at our flower farm, there are 4 feet of snow on the ground and the river itself is less than  1.5 feet from coming over the banks. Down the road from us only a half mile, the fields have been flooded for two days. The fields have become waterfowl habitat which represents the fun part of watching those floods. All sorts of ducks, Canada geese, and Great Blue Heron are common. Two days ago I spotted a mature Balf Eagle fly by as I drove across the flat entering Plainfield from the west. I have never been that close to an eagle in Vermont.

Bloodroots, both single and double flowered are a favorite of mine. They are often found along the banks of rivers where soil tends to be moist and alluvial with a seasonal replenishment of organic material thanks to the high waters. They are one of many spring flowers that will show color in coming weeks. If you get a chance when this rain passes, get out and about and witness the beauty of spring. If you pass Vermont Flower Farm and the gates are open, stop by and say hello. We don't open until Mothers Day but we're happy to discuss flowers and answer questions any day.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the fog is forming and the temperatures are decreasing. Be well and Happy Easter!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
2263 US 2
Marshfield VT 05658

I write regularly on Facebook as George Africa and also on a Like Page, Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens. I write monthly on some aspect of gardening for The North Star Monthly and follow gardening media from around the world. If you have questions, write me at vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com or call at 1-802-426-3505.

Impatiens Downy Mildew

Friday, March 29, 2019

During the past year and especially last spring when gardeners were thinking about what annuals they usually grow or purchase for their gardens, I mentioned that progress was being made with Impatiens Downy Mildew which in previous years knocked out impatiens in much of the East Coast but also in many points worldwide. I mentioned how the plant industry was recommending many other plants as substitutes which like impatiens could tolerate some shade. New Guinea Impatiens were recommended as were various seed begonias and coleus.

I am offering this research update because I don't want to leave folks thinking that the problems are gone and impatiens purchases will be completely fine this year. Obviously, there is a wide chain of seed and there is always the possibility that seed that grew plants that were susceptible to IDM is still out there and might be used. 

This article from one of Ball Seed's publications says that things are looking better in the research arena but final research and testing, eventual seed production, growing and testing, are still required. I was interested to see mentioned that the disease was in the soil for a long time but only in very recent years did it begin to multiply. I will never be a scientist but I do know that half a degree in temperature change has taught me how quickly new insects make their way to Vermont and invasive plants or plants we never before saw as invasive are suddenly overtaking areas where we previously planted them intentionally after purchasing them from dependable nurseries and greenhouses we had used for years. 

Check out the news release and keep a good eye on all your plants!

https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=23505

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Bumblebee Watch

Friday, March, 29, 2019

It might be strange for me to be talking about bumblebees when there is still 4 feet of snow on the ground outside my office window but bumblebees are a bee I will be studying this summer. I have always been interested in bumblebees and for years at the flower farm, I have intentionally grown a few rows of Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' which appears to be a regional magnet for various pollinators including bumblebees. I joined up with the Xerces Society last month and just noticed a blog about a study being conducted by York University in Toronto, Canada. Part of the project is identifying Pacific Northwest bumblebee species in the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho.  Long haul from Vermont and the east, right????

Take a look at  https://www.bumblebeewatch.org/ and click on the Bumblebee Species tab and when it opens, on the top right is a drop down for bee species. As you click through each one you'll notice a map of the Continental US at the bottom which is shaded for each bumblebee's geographic presence. Surprisingly, many of the bumblebees which live in the west also live in the east.

My experience so far is that from year to year there are more or fewer bumblebee species at the flower farm. This past summer it was exceptionally dry and the bee populations were very high in number. This was true of all insects including butterflies and moths. During springtimes when snowmelt has been slow and snow was deep, to begin with, bumblebee numbers have been down. I have always attributed this to rodents seeking out queens and eliminating the opportunity for a ground hive early in the summer season. I may be wrong on that but Spring 2019 will be a great year to test the theory after all the snow we have received. If you notice a queen flying around your gardens, check the species pictures and try to identify which one you have.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where +40 evening grosbeaks are cleaning up birdseed right now.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
vermontflowerfarm.com
On Facebook as George Africa and also as Vermont Flower Farm & Gardens
Just today wrote about migratory birds returning to western Vermont

Old Tires

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

When fall approaches farmers including flower farmers have a number of things which have to be covered for the winter. With beef and dairy farmers it's often bunker silos filled with corn silage or hay silage while with flower growers like me there are thousands of pots that need to be covered. Historically everyone used commercial plastic held down with old tires. At Vermont Flower Farm we always used tires too.

When the Zika virus first made the news I wrote a piece on this same blog about the mosquitoes involved. It infuriated me that government people with excellent credentials said that the Aedes mosquito, originally documented in the Ziika Forest of Uganda, would not live in Vermont. That theory lastest less than a season.

As soon as I heard this I changed over to using sand bags like those pictured above. They are readily available from companies such as Gemplers, Uline, Traffic Safety, from Amazon.com sources, and from places local to us such as EJ Prescott up by the Montpelier airport. 

Yes, there's tons of snow on the ground now but if you have a pile of old tires laying around, or if you use them commercially like I used to, consider replacing them with sand bags. Mosquitoes like the Aedes mosquito need only a tablespoonfull of water to breed and the consequences are not good. Think about others while you garden!

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

Marshfield, VT

Garden Rebirth

 Sunday, February 17, 2019

Gardens are like people, they experience changes as they age. And sadly, just like people,  catastrophic events can occur which rapidly change the life of the garden or the life of the person. Our hosta display garden is no different. One year while I was hiking in Maine, a quick mountain summer storm with wind shear followed the Winooski River up from Burlington on the western side of the state. It grew more powerful as it got to the flower farm and in minutes it ripped the top off a shade house, took down trees along the road and throughout the hostas display garden and then headed southeast, plowing down thousands of trees in its wake. To this day you can see that devastation if you head up Depot Street here in Marshfield and then onto the old railroad bed. Gail rallied some friends and the clean up was underway when I returned home but it took weeks to clean up the mess. The biggest impact on the hosta garden was the missing trees that had provided appropriate shade but suddenly were lost and could not be replaced. 

In 2011, a tropical storm followed the Connecticut River from the ocean and did a  number on New England. I barely made it to the flower farm that morning as I followed a log truck through a foot of water that became ten feet of water over the daylily fields and the hosta display garden. This was the third storm that summer which taken together left the hosta garden missing about 150 hostas and companion plants.The first two pictures here show where we have replanted over the past three years but from the two big willows, everything behind them had been flooded away.

I postponed rebuilding the garden for several years. It was a constant reminder of the loss of time and energy and plants that kept pushing me away from the job. The plants were my friends.  I finally convinced myself that a 100 year flood, let alone a 500 year flood  probably would not visit me again in my life. I knew it was a gamble but I wanted to continue with the vision I had for this garden before I got to the point I could no longer garden. The last picture here is a portion of the rebuild. 

This picture is adjacent to the two giant willows. In the background is a fence and our property line. A portion of an old service road crosses in front of the fence. The area served as a staging place for a gravel and sand stockpile back in the 50s when Route 2 was under construction. The land tapers sharply from the edge of the old road to what appears mid-picture here.  That bank is now planted with a variety of plants which will provide "verticle" to the backdrop. The tallest are Cimicifuga atropurpurea, Ligularia 'The Rocket', some native eupatorium, a couple locust trees, now 9 years old, two aralias for yellow contrast to similar hostas, and some 5 foot tall veronicastrum. I'll add Cimicifuga Pink Spike and Hillside Black Beauty this summer.

Working down the slope you will notice a row of Astilbides tabularis with their giant leaves which make you feel like you're in Jurrasic Park.  They were in their second year in this picture. To the left you can see their 5-6 foot tall, creamy white flower scapes. These plants temper the edge of the slope and will allow for hostas to fill in to their base.

Since I took these pictures I have added turtlehead, various tall astilbes, Japanese primroses, and cardinal flowers. The walkway has been coated with a new layer of crushed granite and the area was flagged last fall for some additions I'll make this spring--more hostas, more astilbes for color, and more prmroses and ferns.

To lose a garden is difficult but bringing it back seems to offer the garden---and me-- far more strength than before. If you're in the area this summer, stop by and we'll walk together. There is a peacefulness there that you will feel right away!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond!

George Africa
Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

Consider Raised Beds

Friday, February 15, 2019

A windy morning here on the  mountain above Peacham, Pond. Wednesday morning we had a foot of new snow, yesterday we had three inches more, last night the temperature dropped to 6 degrees and this morning as I write to you it has gone from 26 degrees to a current 19.2 degrees as the wind is rising to 12 mph and the little chickadees are flying sideways. The morning news showed California awash wih floods, 1000 lightning strikes and missing property and people. Climate change.

So even though there are now five feet of snow on the ground here at the house, I know gardeners are thinking about gardening. And those who have never gardened before are thinking about garden and flower shows and maybe are thinking they should give flowers and/or vegetables a try too.

Raised bed gardening is a great way to break into your first garden. Here's a good video that covers the basics to get started. If you live within a reasonable distance of Montpelier, Vermont, Fontaine Lumber in East Montpelier often mills hemlock and they will cut 6" X 6" timbers for  you. I like hemlock and worry about its demise because of the hemlock wooly adelgid, an insect that is slowly taking down hemlock forests. If you are not familiar with hemlock it's a wood that can handle moisture and has been used for making boats and bridges historically because it does not rot. What it is when it's freshly cut is very heavy so plan accordingly when you ask for it. The good news is it stays in place and lasts a long time. The following  video mentions other choices but hemlock is the one for me. Questions? Write me at vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxijbIcUeLY

Georeg Africa

Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

I write regularly on Facebook at my George Africa personal page--with lots of pictures--and a great Like Page--Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens. Join me!

That New Garden

Here are some thoughts about fall planting that I wrote about recently for an area newspaper. I describe our current customer profile at the flower farm and some considerations as you plan for a new garden--either by your own design or with design assistance from someone with different experience. Give us a call if you have some ideas that need our confidence 802-426-3505. Leave a message if you miss us.

THAT

 NEW  GARDEN

November 2018 was an unusually different kind of month as rain and winds turned white and cold early, and record setting snow piled higher than we remembered. Gail and I received many phone calls and emails from gardeners who had ordered bulbs and perennial plants including peonies which never arrived until we were well into November. Some called with questions such as “There’s snow on the ground, can I plant bulbs? Can I still plant peonies that just arrived? Can I still dig my dahlias and glads (or are they dead)? Is it still ok to prune my hydrangeas? When can I prune my apple trees? We said “yes” many times along with words of encouragement to get going.

As I reflect on questions gardeners asked during the past summer, I keep returning to thoughts of the people with the gardening questions…the actual people themselves. At the flower farm I try to track where people come from, their age and their gardening experience.  When we first moved our flower farm down from Peacham Pond Road to Route 2, I was taken by visitors arriving in cars and trucks with Maine license plates. Over time I determined that more than 15% of our customers were from Maine and many had used Route 2 to travel to Burlington to visit the airport, the hospital, one of the educational institutions (kids in college) or to work at remote offices. The numbers were significant because they represented more people from far away Maine than from nearby Montpelier or Barre. In addition to my findings on source of customers, I confirmed what many in the horticultural field had already determined—that the average customer to a modern day nursery is a 55 year old woman. Finally, I tracked new homes, either newly built or newly purchased homes. Significant was that it was usually in year two or three after arrival that homeowners visited the nursery to seek landscape design advice and begin making purchases. To us this was important because of the number of new property owners we regularly met from the towns of Newbury, Barnet, Peacham and Danville, Vermont as well as Hanover, Orford, Haverhill, Monroe, Woodsville, Bath, Lisbon, Littleton and Lancaster, New Hampshire.

The customer profile might not seem important but the inherent message to you the gardener might be. It’s a message I try to tactfully work into garden design requests. In a world where age discrimination is well known to us, I ask realistic questions about the gardener, who will build  or renovate the gardens if we design them, and who will handle the maintenance to keep things looking nice after the initial planting. I also try to get a handle on how long people intend to stay at their property, is the home a permanent or seasonal home, and is the landscaping plan really intended to encourage resale at increased profit in the short term.

Attractive gardens which bring us nice compliments require an investment of time and other resources. As such it’s best to do things correctly from the start. If you are thinking about doing some landscape work at your home next year, do you want to do most or all of the work or do you prefer to hire the work done for you. Consider whether you will provide ongoing maintenance or whether this is something you also wish to hire out. Define what you would like to see in general terms and ask a designer to give you a ballpark cost estimate. This will narrow the opportunity for surprises.

Winter is a good time to work on design ideas you have in mind. If the snow isn’t too deep yet, take some pictures of the areas you want to change. Always include any adjacent buildings and trees in pictures so shadows and summer light conditions can be calculated. Make notes of any underground services such as water lines, electric, gas, sewer, telephone/television cable, electric generator, and solar array lines. If you have any experience with underground ledges or large boulders that you are aware of, make note of them before beginning to design. Be confident that you can collect much of this information yourself and that it’s all important to whoever you might work with to finalize a plan. If you have questions, give us a call at 802-426-3505 and we’ll help. We love to see great gardens—and smiling gardeners!!

The Vermont Flower Show

Every other year the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association sponsors the Vermont Flower Show. For Vermont gardeners,  this is a big event. It comes at a time when Vermont is often snow covered. It strikes a fancy with attendees  through a collection of  equisite landscape architecture, the fragrances of flowers, trees and shrubs in bloom or coming into bloom, a trade show with all sorts of vendors, and two and a half days of seminars and workshops.

Gail and I have gone every year since the show's inception and now we find ourselves going for a couple days to be able to attend the seminars and workshops that interest us. You're not likely to see  us there together as we each have individual interests. I like clivias, bee keeping, pollinator gardening,  and berries while Gail goes for container gardening, garden design, underused perennials, and wildflowers.

Plan on attending, March 1-3, 2019 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, Vermont. The excitement is overwhelming! Say hello if you see us.

Other Thoughts

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

A blustery day here on the mountain. I just came in from cleaing off the car and trucks and getting the tractor plugged in so I can move more snow in half an hour. It rained from 6 PM last night until  4:30 this morning when it changed to snow and it offers no sign of stopping yet. Estimates range but over the next 24 hours we may receive a foot of snow.

I do writing for social media and for an area newspaper. I have copied some of those pieces before and will add a few here. They may seem out of date according to their titles but there are some great rescources between the lines. Here's one from November. Tell what you think. Questions are always welcomed. 

Holiday Gardening Thoughts

45.1° with 9.8 mph wind gusts and a cloudy morning as I prepare for what will probably be the last day without snowflakes on the ground or in the air as November takes over. By the time you read this, winter will be more certain and you might already have left home without a warm enough coat.

When you live and garden in the northeast, summers seem too short but if you garden, you take pride in what you grow and share with others. When the land turns white some folks turn to indoor plants or birdwatching to fill that gardening void and either pursuit has a large following. Years back I collected begonias and these got me through the winter. For a few years Alex collected pots and pots of cactus and I learned a great deal from his interest. As for birdwatching it’s a funny recollection that when my family moved to Vermont in the early fifties, even at age 5 I thought that feeding the wild birds was something you had to start doing every fall because everyone seemed to do it. That’s when I found out about suet and cracked corn and sunflower seed and chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays and woodpeckers.

With the holidays close by, thoughts of gifts for gardeners, either friends or family, rise in importance. We sell lots of gift certificates redeemable at our flower farm for any of the perennials we sell. We make the certificates ourselves and each one includes a picture of one of our display gardens. They always seem popular. When I am asked about other gifts I always start by recommending a pair of Felco pruners. If you garden you always have clean-up to perform and Felcos are the best pruner out there. They handle well, stay sharp and clean up well after use with conifers that produce sticky pitch. Buy a pair with a holster and really make a gardener smile!

Books bring mixed reviews about the creativity of the gift giver but they have always been part of the holidays and I love receiving them. There are tons of really special gardening books on the market now and you can find one specific to your plant interest. Give a book and include a note saying that a complimentary perennial plant will arrive in springtime too.

Every plant has a well-organized society and membership to such a plant society is an excellent gift. All the societies have newsletters during the course of the year and these are great because they describe upcoming tours or training events, gardens that are open to the public for viewing and growers and vendors who sell that specific plant. They might seem expensive at first but for the amount of information provided, they are excellent. We belong to plant societies for about everything we grow as it’s the best way to keep up on changes. Here are some web addresses of some of the societies we belong to.

American Daylily Society   https://daylilies.org/

American Bamboo Society   http://www.americanbamboo.org/

American Bonsai Society   http://absbonsai.org/

American Conifer Society   http://conifersociety.org/

American Hosta Society   https://www.americanhostasociety.org/

American Daffodil Society   https://daffodilusa.org/

American Dahlia Society https://dahlia.org/

American Hydrangea Society   http://americanhydrangeasociety.org/

American Peony Society http://www.americanpeonysociety.org/

American Primrose Society http://americanprimrosesociety.org/

International Lilac Society   http://www.internationallilacsociety.org/

North American Rock Garden Society  https://nargs.org/

A final gift idea is a membership to an actual garden club. Chances are there are clubs close by regardless of where you live. I always promote the Hardy Plant Club of Northern Vermont which I joined 25 years ago—maybe longer. It was originally gathered by a number of botanists and University of Vermont botany/plant and soil science professors and grew to include gardeners and growers like me and Gail. It is a great group which has quarterly newsletters, an annual plant sale, and a number of lectures and many visits to private gardens. It’s an incredible experience which puts you in touch with the most experienced growers and collectors out there so no question goes unanswered for very long. And for $10 annually, how can you miss?

That’s it for 2018. Best holiday wishes from your friends at Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens! Thanks for following us!

THE DAYLILY DISPLAY GARDEN

THE DAYLILY DISPLAY GARDEN

A below zero morning with wind gusts in the 15-22 mph range. Not a nice day to travel as the wind is blowing the snow so hard that visibility at times is difficult. Just the same, memories of summer and gardens makes everything seem a great deal better. Here are some pictures of our daylily display garden from mid July when the daylilies were just beginning to look nice.

Years ago Gail hired a young college aged guy for a couple-three summers. This was when we were getting the  flower farm set up and Austin got this daylily display garden started after Brien Ducharme layed out some incredible stones. Austin was like Alex, he had no fear of using a shovel and he planted a couple hundred clumps of daylilies to get us going. Now twelve years later the garden is still not what I want it to be but it's getting closer. It's certainly worth a look-see if you come to visit.

The garden now has well over 300 clumps of the +700 daylilies we raise and those daylilies have plenty of company. 20 varieties of astilbes (we grow 55 varieties)  join 5 varieties of vernonia/ironweed  and three varieties of veronicastrun which add some height. Ninebark Diabolo, some Dolgo crab apples, and half a dozen different dwarf conifers add to the mix. Hollyhocks in whites, dark reds, roses, and yellows are planted here and there. Garden phlox are coming along and should look great in 2019 in the company of butterfly weed, 400 liatris, helenium 'Salsa', a turtlehead name 'Hot Lips', and three varieties of monarda/bee balm. Jacob Cline, Raspberry Wine and Gardenview Scarlet.  Jody and Michelle planted a couple bushels of daffodils this fall so they should catch your eye as you pass along Route 2 this spring.It's coming!

Gail is our authority on Hydrangea paniculata and she has this habit of laying out pots of new-to-us varieties she thinks will look nice incorporated with the daylilies. I'm the planter! Little Quickfire, Zinfin Doll, Invincibelle Wee White and Pillow Talk are some I remember planting this fall. There may be others. One thing is certain.... in 2019 this will be one  very nice garden. Come visit!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
Marshfield Vermont

MAYAPPLE

PODOPHYLLUM  PELTATUM

Sometimes it takes me a while to catch up with a plant I have been looking for. Last summer I found a Vermont wholesaler and I didn't even ask the price, I just bought myself some. Mayapple. I wanted to add some to the perimeter of a shade garden but especially wanted them because they pop up early, have a nice shape, a noteworthy little flower to which a fruit follows. Buying them created trouble from those who, like me, were looking for them for a while. I could tell what the question would be whenever I saw lips pursing "Where....?" (did you find those? I did not sell many last year and may not have any for sale this year. Too early to tell. The plants are poisonous but I still think they are neat! Still interested?

Here's a link from the University of Wisconsin which will provide a few more details. I am intrigued by mention that it belongs to the barberry family too.  Read on!

https://wimastergardener.org/article/mayapple-podophyllum-peltatum

Best gardening wishes!

George Africa

Vermont Flower Farm & Gardens

Marshfield Vermont 05658

HOLLYHOCKS

Hollyhock Seed Pods Drying On The Stalk

Hollyhock Seeds

Hollyhock plant showing root system

Hollyhocks are admired, especially by older gardeners who remember them from their youth at times when hollyhocks were planted near every barn, outbuilding, outhouse, house door, woodshed. Rarely do I grow any for sale because they require care when transplanting because of their root system as evident in the last picture here. If the roots are injured when transplanting, they will look great for the balance of the growing season but probably will not overwinter. I hear questions all the time from people who have had repeated failures and tell me they must have a black thumb. The issue is the roots, not the color of the gardener's thumb!

The easiest way to grow hollyhocks successfully is to start with seeds. They need sun, benefit from good soil, and do not need a great deal of moisture. Plant them in the spring by sprinkling them on the ground and then covering the seed lightly. They will bloom the following year. Single and double flowering types are available.

If they are planted in a windy location, stake them early on or they might topple and be lost for the season. This happened to me last July. They typically produce copious amounts of seed as shown here and the seed can be picked  and direct seeded in the fall or saved until spring. If you want an individual color .....say white, dark red or dark pink....... order early as these flowers are not grown for seed as much as they were even 15 years ago.

Hollyhocks are best planted at the back of the border or some distance from walkways because they are a natural magnet to Japanese beetles and they are susceptible to rust. Neither of these problems will kill the plants but will discolor and misshape the leaves. If you plant them back a bit, neither problem will be obvious.

My mother used to dry hollyhock blossoms in a 50-50 mix of Borateam (boraxo) and corn meal.  Mix well and then layer the bottom of a container (she used to save shoe boxes for this)  with the mix and then spread out the blossoms so they don't touch. Cover with a layer of the mix, add another layer of the blossoms and continue on. In about two weeks they will be dried and can be used in dried flower arrangements by threading a plant wire through the center. They hold the color very well! Surprise!

Best gardening wishes!

George Africa
Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
Marshfield, Vermont

Welcome Back!

December 12, 2018

Welcome back to The Vermont Gardener.  We have completed another successful season growing flowers and have retreated to our home here on the mountain above Peacham Pond for the winter. We hope that you followed us during our programs at the flower farm or on our Facebook postings at either my George Africa site (https://www.facebook.com/george.africa) or at our FB business site Vermont Flower Farm & Gardens (https://www.facebook.com/Vermont-Flower-Farm-Gardens-198640921659). Perhaps you have begun reading our monthly article on The North Star Monthly (http://www.northstarmonthly.com) , or maybe you read the article  about growing astilbes that we contributed to in Fine Gardening Magazine's last Spring issue.  You might have seen some of our commentaries on other social media sites which discuss horticultural,  flower gardening in the northeast,  or Vermont hardy perennials including astilbes, baptisia, daylilies, hellebores, hostas, hydrangeas, iris, lilacs, monarda, primula, pulmonaria, trollius....on and on. We truly love flowers and hope you do to.

Now that the gardens are put to bed for a few months we are ready to get back to writing. If you have topics you wish to see developed, drop me a line at vermontflowerfarm@outlook.com or call 802-426-3505. Besides growing fine perennials for your gardens, we feel obligated to share good information with you. Growing green thumbs is part of that! Follow us!

Daylilies on Display

It was October 2007, when I decided to build a daylily display garden parallel to Route 2, the location of the "new" Vermont Flower Farm. I hired Marshfield native Brien Ducharme to bring in loads of large stones on the last day he owned his log truck. I always remember him driving up in his pick up about 2 in the afternoon and asking if I still wanted him to do the work. I said "Yes please" and hours later the design of the garden was mapped out in thousands of pounds of large stones. 

Today as I walk the garden, I'm ever so happy I moved on with the project. The garden is now home to well over 350 of the +700 varieties of daylily we grow-- as well as a few dwarf conifers, some ironwoods, garden phlox, wiegelea, ninebarks, and hydrangeas. These all grow near two acres of daylilies on one side of our office and sales center and another acre on the other side. It's worth a visit. The daylilies are wonderful right now but so are the astilbes, hostas, hydrangeas and an assortment of Vermont hardy perennials. July is the time for a visit, a walk, a tour. Come visit! We think you will agree that it was worth the drive!

George Africa

The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens

2263 US Route 2

Marshfield, Vermont 05658