Loomis Creek Nursery News

Plant of the Week - December 6, 2008

rhyland — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:23:50 -0500

WINTER FLAME DOGWOODCornus sanguinea ‘Winter Flame’ Cornus sanguinea 'Winter Flame' in front of Thuja plicata 'Green Giant'

It’s early December but there’s still color in our gardens at Loomis Creek. Thank heavens! Colorful fruit, stems, bark, and evergreen foliage help maintain my sanity and provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife during the shortest days of the year.

One of the standout plants in our borders right now is a cultivar of Cornus sanguinea (bloodtwig dogwood). ‘Winter Flame’ sports stems that are fiery orange-yellow at the base grading to pink and red at the tips – like they were exactingly dipped in paint. Golden yellow fall leaf color precedes the winter twig extravaganza. Plant a thicket of ‘Winter Flame’ next to Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Gold’ (winterberry holly) for a blazing solstice celebration.

HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATE SPECIAL – thru December 15, 2008

Purchase a $100 gift certificate for the adventurous gardener on your list for $90 – a 10% savings. Call the office at 518-851-9731.

Happy winter gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

Plant of the Week Correction - October 17, 2008

rhyland — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:31:47 -0400

Loomis Creek Nursery hours thru Friday, October 31st -- Yes, we are open the next 2 weekends!

Tuesdays - Sundays (closed Mondays); 9am - 5pm

Plant of the Week - October 17, 2008

rhyland — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:15:29 -0400

PERENNIALS FOR FALL FOLIAGE

There are some standout perennials that vie for attention in the colorful parade of fall foliage. In my Plant of the Week post of May 10, 2008, I praised the plant genus Euphorbia – particularly Euphorbia palustris. Its sturdy stems rise 30” tall providing great architecture in mixed borders; stems also turn a dramatic reddish-orange in autumn. Here it is! Other perennials on my fall foliage hit parade include: Amsonia hubrichtii (Arkansas bluestar), Miscanthus sinensis ‘Graziella’, and Heuchera (coral bells) ‘Obsidian’, ‘Citronelle’ & ‘Caramel’. Get them now -- 30% OFF SALE PRICES continue -- or put them on your "must have" lists for 2009!

Loomis Creek is OPEN until Friday, October 31, Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-5pm.

Happy gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

P.S. Check out the Historic Claverack Old House Tour, sponsored by Historic Hudson, Saturday, October 18. Seven architectural gems close to Loomis Creek Nursery in our home town! For info: www.historichudson.org

Plant of the Week - October 11, 2008

rhyland — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:12:39 -0400

Tripping out on Toad Lilies

It’s Columbus Day weekend and I’m charmed by the orchid-like flowers of Toad lilies (Tricyrtis) in glorious bloom in our fall shade gardens. These Asian natives sport waxy exotic-looking creamy white to pinkish purple flowers often speckled ruby red, purple, and maroon. They keep blooming through the first frost and well into fall – perfect companions for Japanese anemones, autumn snakeroots (Actaea), and Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur' Loomis Creek stocks: Tricyrtis hirta ‘Miyazaki’, T. x ‘Sinonome’, T. formosana ‘Samurai’ & T. ‘Taipei Silk’

FALL SALE PRICES: 30% off Perennials, Shrubs, Trees & Pottery

Happy gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

Plant & Pottery of the Week - September 29, 2008

rhyland — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:09:30 -0400

A BOUQUET OF ASTERS

Tired of those sheared cushion-type garden chrysanthemums gracing garden centers, big box stores, and farmstands this time of the year? Then check out our hand-chosen selection of perennial New England, New York and hybrid asters (Aster novae-angliae & A. novi-belgii). Daisy-like pinwheels of color explode atop sturdy stems and fit naturally into mixed autumn borders. Happy gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

Loomis Creek favorites include:Aster novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’ – deep purple daisies on compact 15” plants. A. ‘Little Carlow’ – blue daisies on shorter, sturdy 18-24” stems. A. novae-angliae ‘Raspberry Tart’ – delicious raspberry daisies atop 3-4’ stems.

POTTERY SALE, 20-40% savings – check out our end-of-season sale on pots! Buy them now for next season – they will be a welcome sight when you re-open the potting shed doors in spring.

LOOMIS CREEK NURSERY IN THE NEWSCheck out the very flattering feature article on Loomis Creek Nursery in Hudson Valley Home in the October 2008 issue of Hudson Valley Magazine. Come visit and tell us you read it!

Plant of the Week - September 5, 2008

rhyland — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:53:56 -0400

A RAVE FOR ROSES

My partner Andrew and I prefer carefree roses. We have grown too many difficult ones for clients and rose gardens in botanical gardens across the country. At Loomis Creek, we’ve handpicked a small group of shrub roses with good habit, rich flower color, ease of pruning, cold hardiness, and continuous bloom (the photo above was taken yesterday!). We like roses with good resistance to black spot and powdery mildew that combine naturally in mixed border designs.

Here are 3 great roses available at the nursery. 50% off while they last - come and get them!

‘Carefree Sunshine’ – fragrant single to semi-double yellow

Knockout – single magenta with good resistance to Japanese beetles

‘Nearly Wild’ – single pink with yellow center; the name says it all

Keep on planting, Bob Hyland, 518-851-9801; www.loomiscreek.com

FALL SALE PRICES THIS WEEK

20% off pottery

30% off perennials & shrubs

50% off all roses

75% off discontinued plants

Plant of the Week - August 29, 2008

admin — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:58:28 -0400

GROOVING ON GRASSES

I love ornamental grasses. I’m looking out my office window early this morning at the pinkish red flowertops of Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ playing with the sturdy, upright blue-bladed Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ and Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum ‘Gateway’). The sun is rising, air is still, crickets chirping, and the hazy colors are a magical start to my morning.

The gardeners at Loomis know grasses and will steer you with expert advice. We have a nice assortment of Panicum, Calamagrostis, Miscanthus, Elymus, and Pennisetum.

LOOMIS CREEK LABOR DAY WEEKEND EXTRAVAGANZA

Friday, August 29 thru Monday, September 1^st

20% off pottery

30% off perennials

40% off shrubs

75% off discontinued plants

See you at the nursery, Bob Hyland; 518-851-9801; www.loomiscreek.com

Plants of the Week, August 9, 2008

rhyland — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 15:35:18 -0400

Sensational Summer Shrubs

Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' (Ruby Spice summersweet)

Some of my favorite shrubs are August- bloomers which give our borders a mid-summer lift. I live for the moment Clethra alnifolia (summersweet) perfumes the nursery. The sweet, heady aroma of the spikes of white or pink flowers is on par with gardenias for me. Your nose may differ on its fragrance, but I wager you’ll love this shrub.

Right now I’m also in hydrangea heaven everytime I walk by our big bold colonies of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond’ and ‘Kyushu’. In the nursery we also sell Hydrangea paniculata Limelight, Quick Fire and The Swan.

Don't overlook other shrubby August bloomers: Callicarpa japonica ‘Early Amethyst’, Hibiscus syriacus Blue Satin & L’il Kim, and Senna (Cassia) marilandica. Check out these beauties at the nursery!

Happy gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

MARK YOUR CALENDARSSeptember 5-7: Hollister House Garden Study Weekend, Washington, CT; a weekend seminar "Transatlantic Connections" with keynote speaker Dan Pearson, acclaimed English garden designer, plantsman & writer. Also includes a garden festival and connoisseurs' plant sale at Hollister House Garden, a preservation project of the Garden Conservancy. www.gardenconservancy.org to register.

Plant of the Week - July 19, 2008

rhyland — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:52:16 -0400

DISHING UP DAYLILIES

Left to right: Hemerocallis citrina, 'Punk', 'Congo Chant', 'Lady Fingers', 'Cinderellas' Dark Side'

‘Cinderella’s Dark Side’, ‘Pardon Me’, ‘Punk’, ‘Autumn Minaret’, ‘Berkshire Star’, ‘Corky’ – you’ve gotta love these names! They are some of the hand-selected daylily cultivars that we offer at Loomis Creek. T’is their season, so come check them out!Names aside, we choose our daylilies according to some of the following criteria:

1. Great bud count for extended bloom time. 2. Smaller flower size (3 to 4.5” diameter) that fit the look of our naturalistic border designs. 3. Interesting flower form + fragrance. 4. Strong flower colors with saturated hues and tint. 5. Tall, sturdy flower stems (36” and taller) that punctuate borders with aerial theatrics.

It’s also the season for coneflowers (Echinacea) species and new hybrid colors + summer phlox (Phlox paniculata) mildew-resistant cultivars.Happy gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Sunday, July 20: Garden Conservancy Open Days, 2 gardens in Columbia County, NY + 1 garden in nearby Berkshire County, MA. www.opendaysprogram.org

September 5-7: Hollister House Garden Study Weekend, Washington, CT; a weekend seminar & garden festival at Hollister House Garden, a preservation project of the Garden Conservancy. www.gardenconservancy.org or www.hollisterhousegarden.org to register

Plant of the Week - July 1, 2008

rhyland — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:31:27 -0400

SEXY SALIX

Shrubby willows are featured in Loomis Creek Nursery's 4^th of July Shrub Sale (see details below).

Salix purpurea 'Nana' (Dwarf arctic willow) in Loomis Creek border - right side of photo

So what is so sexy about willows, you ask? My shortlist of answers:

1. Quick growth – particularly in moist soils. 2. Gray-green to silvery variegated foliage that enlivens borders. 3. Flexible stems (some with a twisted, corkscrew habit) offering good wind play. 4. Colorful bark & fuzzy pussies for winter/early spring interest.

Loomis Creek currently stocks Salix purpurea ‘Nana’ (Dwarf Arctic willow), S. chaenomeloides (Japanese pussy willow), Salix ‘Hakuro Nishiki’. Happy gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

Now taking propagation orders for Salix ‘Swizzlestick’ + S. alba ‘Britzensis’ (coral bark willow). Minimum: 10 with down payment. Inquiries: info@loomiscreek.com

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

July 4, 5 & 6 – Loomis Creek’s 4^th of July Shrub & Annual Sale; 25% off shrubs, 50% off annuals

July 12 – Hidden Gardens of Spencertown; 4 private gardens open at the height of summer glory with plant sale by Loomis Creek Nursery. 518-392-3693; www.spencertownacademy.org

Plant of the Week - June 27, 2008

rhyland — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:10:47 -0400

Awesome Astilbe

4th of July fireworks for your garden!

Astilbe chinensis var. taquetti 'Purpurkerze' (Purple Candle)

It’s hard to beat Astilbe in shady June gardens – particularly if soils remain consistently moist. Here in the Hudson Valley, June 2008 has been a wet month in many locations setting the stage for a great astilbe season.

Loomis Creek Nursery favors Astilbe chinensis (Chinese astilbe) and its cultivars because of their tall, sturdy habit, coarse foliage, magnificent plumes of color – and better sun and drought tolerance. We offer: Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions’ (lilac-rose plumes), ‘Visions in Red’ (red-purple plumes on red stems), var. taguetti ‘Superba’ (huge purple-rose plumes) & ‘Purpurkerze’ (aka Purple Candle with dark purplish red plumes) -- among others. Happy gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Friday to Sunday, July 4-6 – July 4th Shrub & Annual Sale at Loomis Creek Nursery; 25% off shrubs, 50% off annuals

Saturday, July 12 – Hidden Gardens of Spencertown; 4 private gardens open at the height of summer glory + plant sale by Loomis Creek Nursery. Info & tickets: 518-392-3693; www.spencertownacademy.org

Plant of the Week - June 14, 2008

rhyland — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:15:40 -0400

Dishing up Dianthus

Photo: Dianthus Raspberry Swirl

My nursery colleagues rib me about growing so many different Dianthus, commonly called pinks or carnations. They have an old-fashioned appeal likely stemming from my work experience with antique plants at Old Salem, the restored Moravian historic site in Winston-Salem, NC.

I particularly love cheddar pinks (Dianthus gratianopolitanus) with their low-growing, compact mats of spiky gray-green to silvery foliage, pinked petal edges and patterned flowers. I plant them at border edges where their flowers and heady fragrance are easily enjoyed.

Loomis Creek offers: Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Bath's Pink', 'Firewitch', 'Bewitched', D. 'Spangled Star', Raspberry Swirl & D. carthusianorum & amurensis

Mark Your Calendars!

Saturday, June 14: Garden Conservancy Open Days in our region including 5 great gardens of friends Peter Bevacqua & Stephen King, Margaret Roach, Susan Anthony & Richard Galef, Gerald Moore & Joyce Nereaux, and Owen Davidson & Mark Prezorkski. www.gardenconservancy.org or www.opendaysprogram.org

June 21: Summer Solstice

Plant of the Week - June 1, 2008

rhyland — Sat, 31 May 2008 08:51:30 -0400

Heartleaf Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)

Brunnera macrophylla 'Hadspen Cream' -- Loomis Creek Nursery shade borders

This beefy, coarse-foliaged shade perennial from the Caucasus is valued for its heart-shaped leaves and bright blue forget-me-not-like spring flowers. Its popularity in recent years has skyrocketed with the introduction of new leaf patterns.

I am so enamored with the etched leaves of Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' that it inspired the graphic design of our nursery logo and background screen on our website. This cultivar--leaves with exquisite netted silver overlay on green background--is made for the shade!

'Looking Glass' (a sport of 'Jack Frost') offers an almost solid silver, heart-shaped leaf with much less pronounced veining. It glows in dappled shade.

'Hadspen Cream' (pictured above) introduces an irregular creamy Dijon mustard to white-edged leaf to the mix.

Mark Your Calendars

Saturday, June 7 - Hudson Bush Plant Sale & Garden Exchange, 10am-2pm, Clermont State Historic Site. For info: 518-537-4240, www.friendsofclermont.org

Saturday, June 14 - Garden Conservancy Open Days, Columbia County, 10am -4pm, six fantastic private gardens open for visits. For more info: www.gardenconservancy.org

Happy gardening, Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

Plant of the Week, May 10, 2008

rhyland — Sun, 11 May 2008 09:50:18 -0400

Sensational Spurge

Euphorbia palustris

The plant genus Euphorbia is high on my list of spring beauties. I spent many years gardening in the Mediterranean climate of the San Francisco Bay Area where bold, upright euphorbias of all sorts were staples. My favorite hardy species in the Hudson Valley is Euphorbia palustris. Its sturdy stems rise 30” tall providing great architecture in mixed borders; stems also turn a dramatic reddish-orange in autumn. Most of all I delight in the apple-green foliage topped with glowing chartreuse floral bracts in May. Here in the northeast, many taller Euphorbia species simply do not prove hardy. So I am ecstatic about Euphorbia palustris and sing its praises. Loomis Creek also stocks Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon', E. amygdaloides var. robbiae, E. 'Efanthia' and 'Helena's Blush' -- test their hardiness in your gardens!

Euphorbia palustris at Loomis Creek

Mark Your Calendars

Saturday, May 17, TRADE SECRETS, a special rare plant and garden antiques sale at LionRock Farm in Sharon, CT. Trade Secrets is a benefit for Women’s Support Services. For more info – www.tradesecretsct.com Loomis Creek Nursery is participating again this year – so visit us at our Trade Secrets booth or at the nursery!

Saturday, May 24, 11am: CONTAINER GARDENING WORKSHOP at Loomis Creek Nursery with staff experts Andrew Beckman and Robert Anderson. Many of you have admired the artistry of our nursery container plantings. We’re pleased to share our insights and planting tips. Register at 518-851-9801 or info@loomiscreek.com

Happy gardening,

Bob Hyland, www.loomiscreek.com

Plant of the Week, May 1, 2008

rhyland — Sat, 03 May 2008 20:45:52 -0400

High on Hellebores!

Hellebores (Lenten roses) get my vote for plant of the week -- hands down! This sturdy, indestructible perennial provides my first dose of colorful flowers. Bloom begins in early April and continues for 4-6 weeks here in the Hudson Valley, despite the early spring curve balls thrown by Mother Nature. This past week our nighttime temperatures plunged to 27 degrees for many hours after a week of unseasonable summer weather. Hellebores were unfazed.

Helleborus x hybridus 'Kingston Cardinal'

Get Your Cool-Season Annuals

Don’t wait until Memorial Day to plant your pots. We offer a fantastic selection of annuals for early color spots in your garden – Arctotis ‘Killerton Red’, Diascia Flying Colors Red and Coral, Lobelia Laguna Sky Blue, Nemesia ‘Blue Bird’, Osteospermum Orange and Peach Symphony, and an out-of-the-ordinary range of Violas and Pansies.

Mark Your Calendars

Saturday, May 24, 11am-1pm: Container Gardening Workshop at Loomis Creek Nursery with staff experts Andrew Beckman and Robert Anderson. Register at 518-851-9801 or info@loomiscreek.com

Tip of the Week

Check out the new garden blog of our friend and colleague Margaret Roach – www.awaytogarden.com

And be sure to visit www.loomiscreek.com

See you at the nursery!

Bob Hyland

Plant of the Week, September 14, 2007

rhyland — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:59:03 -0400

We love ornamental grasses at Loomis Creek Nursery! September is one of the best times to observe them at mature height in full flower in our gardens.

We have a full inventory of grasses, perennials, and shrubs during our Progressive Nursery-Wide Sale, where the discount gets better each week through Columbus Day. Here's the schedule:

Sept 14-20: 35% off perennials and shrubs; 25% off pottery

Sept 21-27: 40% off plants; 30% off pots

Sept 28-Oct 4: 45% off plants; 35% off pots

Oct 5-8 (Columbus Day weekend): 50% off plants; 40% off pots.

See you at the nursery and happy gardening. Bob

PLANT OF THE WEEK - ORNAMENTAL GRASSES

Photo: Calamagrostis brachytricha (Korean feather reed grass) in bloom. All website photos by Bob Hyland

In my opinion, Calamagrostis brachytricha is one of the best grasses for use in mixed borders. It's sturdy, 4-foot stems sport airy, silvery-mauve feather dusters during September - the perfect complement to fall-blooming asters.

Loomis Creek Nursery is open 6 days a week, Tuesdays-Sundays, 9am - 5pm. Make us a destination!

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Plant of the Week, September 7, 2007

rhyland — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:31:34 -0400

September and October are perfect months for planting perennials and shrubs.

To promote fall planting, Loomis Creek Nursery is staging its 1st Progressive Nusery-Wide Sale.

Discounts began Labor Day weekend at 25% on most perennials and shrubs; 15% on pottery. Discounts increase 5% weekly through Columbus Day weekend when the steepest savings of 50% on plants and 40% on pottery are offered.

Here's the schedule:

Sept 7-13: 30% off plants; 20% off pottery

Sept 14-20: 35% off plants; 25% off pots

Sept 21-27: 40% off plants; 30% off pots

Sept 28-Oct 4: 45% off plant; 35% off pots

Oct 5-8 (Columbus Day weekend):50% plants; 40% off pots

SALE ENDS! Hope to see you and happy gardening. Bob Hyland

PLANT OF THE WEEK - Dahlia

Photo: Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff' + Tithonia rotundifolia (Mexican sunflower) + praying mantis (Mantis religiosa)

Our lush display borders reach a crescendo in autumn with dahlias, salvias, asters, grasses, and hydrangeas taking center stage. Fall is one of the best times to visit and stock up on plants and design ideas.

Loomis Creek Nursery is open 6 days a week, Tuesdays-Sundays, 9am - 5pm. Make us a destination!

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Plant of the Week, August 20, 2007

rhyland — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:48:16 -0400

Yes, summer is winding down -- but not Loomis Creek Nursery! We are getting ready for our Progressive Sale which starts Labor Day Weekend. Discounts begin at 25% on many perennials and shrubs, 15% on pottery, and get progressively steeper each weekend until Columbus Day. Watch for more details via postcards and emails. Happy gardening, Bob Hyland

PLANT OF THE WEEK - Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed); photo: Helenium (Sneezeweed) cultivars

Sneezeweeds are exceptional "color makers" in late summer borders. Pinwheel flowers come in shades and patterns of fiery red, burnt orange, and yellow. Cultivars offer a range of heights from 3 to 5 feet.

The following are available at Loomis Creek:

Helenium 'Coppelia' - warm copper-orange; 3'

'Kanaria' (Canary) - bright canary yellow; 3'

Mardi Gras - tied-dyed yellow splashed orange-red; 4'

'Moerheim Beauty' - copper-red with shades of yellow and orange; 3'

'Zimbelstern' (Cymbal Star) - golden yellow with orange stripes; 4'

***SUMMERTIME SPECIALS*** continue on Phloxes, Echinacea (coneflowers), Achillea (yarrows)

***FALL SALE*** STARTS, Saturday, September 1st

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Plant of the Week, August 10, 2007

rhyland — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:49:09 -0400

There are perennials and shrubs galore that provide flower power in August borders. If your gardens are looking a bit lackluster, come check out the many possibilities at Loomis Creek Nursery. We promise to inspire you! Happy gardening, Bob Hyland

PLANT OF THE WEEK - Phlox paniculata (Summer phlox); photo: Phlox paniculata 'David' with Polygonum polymorphum in background, Pycnanthemum muticum (mountain mint) foreground

Summer phloxes are hard to beat for color, fragrance, and exuberance in August. Newer flower colors are brighter and more suffused; leaf mildew resistance is markedly improved.

The following are available at Loomis Creek:

Phlox paniculata 'David' - I have a reputation for hating white-flowered perennials, but I admit to adoring P. 'David'. Its bright white flowers stand 3 to 4' tall, offer delicious fragrance, and light up a garden at dusk.

'David's Lavender' - a brand-new selection from seedlings of 'David'; flowers are deep lavender-pink.

'Katherine' - soft lavender flowers with white eyes; 2 to 3' tall.

'Nicky' - a knockout with deeply saturated magenta flowers; 3 to 4' tall.

'Robert Poore' - rose-pink flowers; robust 4 to 5' tall.

***SUMMERTIME SPECIALS*** 10% off Phloxes, Echinacea (coneflowers); 3 Achillea (yarrows) for price of 2

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Plant of the Week, August 1, 2007

rhyland — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:35:24 -0400

The heat is on here in the Hudson Valley! There's still lots of foliage and flower color on our tables and in our borders. Check it out. Happy gardening, Bob Hyland

PLANT OF THE WEEK -- Hemerocallis (daylily)

Move over Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'! At Loomis Creek Nursery we have handpicked a group of daylilies for late-season bloom, statuesque architecture, excellent bud count, and strong color. Our offerings integrate, puncutate, and add drama to any mixed border design.

The following are available at Loomis Creek (some in limited supplies):

Hemerocallis 'Autumn Minaret' - 5" dusty gold flowers on towering 6-7' stems; August

H. 'Berkshire Star' - 6" bright yellow flowers on beefy 5' stems; mid-July to mid-August

H. 'Cinderella's Dark Side' (how can you resist this name?) - 3" purple-black flowers with green throats; mid-July to early August

H. 'Lady Fingers' (pictured above) - elegant, yellow-green with narrow, spider-like, flared petals; mid-July to early August

H. 'Statuesque' -- 3" golden yellow flowers on wiry 4' stems; late July to mid-August

*** SUMMERTIME SPECIALS *** 10% off Echinacea (coneflowers); 3 Achillea (yarrows) for price of 2

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Plant of the Week, July 24, 2007

rhyland — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:03:02 -0400

Midsummer greetings from Loomis Creek Nursery.

We've had nice rains during the month of July here in the Hudson Valley (hope you have, too, wherever you garden). Soil moisture and temperatures are ideal for root development -- so keep on planting and come visit us.

Happy gardening, Bob Hyland

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea & new hybrids) -- they're not just purple anymore!

Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are native perennial mainstays in the summer border. Erect, well-branched flower stems rise 2- to 4 feet above coarse, hairy basal foliage. Plants are toped by dozens of flowers from midsummer to early fall. Stocky, dark cones of fertile disk flowers are surrounded by a showy skirt of drooping red-violet, petallike, sterile ray flowers.

Cultivars and hybrid purple coneflower offer exciting new flower colors.

The following are available at Loomis Creek:

E. purpurea 'Ruby Star' ('Rubinstern') -- deep purple-pink, flat-topped flowerheads

E. purpurea 'White Swan' -- graceful, white reflexed flowerheads around orange-brown cones

E. Harvest Moon ('Matthew Saul') -- peachy orange flowers around orange cone

E. 'Sunrise' -- butter yellow flowerheads

E. Sundown ('Evan Saul') -- bright orange flowers around

E. tennesseensis -- upturned dark mauve ray flowers around greenish-pink cones

***SUMMERTIME SPECIAL*** 10% off on all coneflowers

***YARROW SALE*** Buy 2 yarrows (Achillea) at list price, get a 3rd FREE

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Plant of the Week, July 15, 2007

rhyland — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:03:46 -0400

Summertime, and gardenin' ain't over. Phlox are jumpin' and the grasses are high. Apologies to George Gershwin!

Loomis Creek Nursery is ablaze with plants for sun and shade. Watch for our weekly specials and plan a summer visit.

Happy gardening, Bob Hyland

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Hybrid yarrows are tough, easy-care perennials that herald summer in the mixed border. They guarantee an abundance of flower colors -- from soft yellow to earthy orange to deep desert red. Flowerheads rise on 2- to 3-foot stems from clumps of finely cut, ferny green to gray-green foliage. Full sun. Average, dry to moist, well-drained soils.

Achillea cultivars available at Loomis Creek

'Anthea' -- lemon to soft yellow flowerheads floating above fantastic gray-green foliage

'Fireland' ('Feuerland') -- brick red flowerheads fading to orange

'Summerwine' -- dark wine-red flowerheads with tiny white centers

'Terracotta' -- peachy orange flowerheads fading to yellow

***SUMMERTIME SPECIAL*** Buy 2 yarrow at list price, get a 3rd FREE!

Plant of the Week, May 7, 2007

rhyland — Wed, 09 May 2007 09:01:04 -0400

Greetings again from Loomis Creek Nursery! You received an email yesterday with incomplete text and no photo. Sorry about the technology glitch! I don't intend to clog your inbox. Let's try this again! Happy gardening, Bob Hyland

Plant of the Week: Helleborus hybrids (Lenten rose)

In my view, hellebores are underutilized in Hudson Valley gardens. They offer bold, dark green leathery lobed foliage, which persists through much of our erratic winters. Hellebores began blooming this year in our mild January weather, but normally start bloom in late March or early April -- just when I am most color-starved in my gardens. Upright flower stems carry 4-5 flowers that superficially resemble a buttercup (hellebores are members of the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae). Easy to grow in improved soils in lightly shaded spots in beds and borders or woodland settings. Remarkably drought tolerant with age. Deer resistant, too! Local Hollowville gardener Adele Slocum uses hellebores in her woodland garden for bold foliage effect where hosta would be deer food. Height: 12-18". Hardiness: USDA zones 4-8

Loomis Creek offers these hellebores -- come get 'em!

Helleborus x hybridus Brandywine -- a superior seed strain from Pennsylvania hellebore guru and breeder David Culp. Dark red, spotted pink, picotee mix.

Helleborus x hybridus 'Kingston Cardinal' -- one of the very first named clonal selections from Dan Hinkley of Heronswood Nursery fame. Large double, purple-flowers.

Helleborus x hybridus seedlings from dark purple and yellow parents in the amazing garden of friend and colleague Margaret Roach, Copake Falls.

GARDEN EVENTS that Loomis Creek Nursery supports. Mark your calendars!

Trade Secrets, Saturday, May 19 -- rare plant and garden antiques sale in sharon, CT. www.tradesecretsct.com

Hudson Bush Plant Sale, Saturday, May 26 -- locally grown plants for gardeners, collectors & horticulturists. Clermont State Historic Site. www.friendsofclermont.org

April Newsletter

rhyland — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:33:21 -0400

Loomis Creek Nursery is open for the season even though Mother might dispute that.