First and Finest

With our last frost date still four weeks away, our first mail order plants arrived today as planned.  We will re-pot them and spend the next four weeks moving them outside during agreeable days and sheltering them in the basement on cool nights.  When June first arrives the plants will go into the garden.  This order is from High Country Gardens in New Mexico.  Low moisture plants are their specialty but we order from them because of the quality of their stock and the care that is evident in their packing.

Here is the second layer of our order exactly as it was when the box was opened.  A well designed box liner securely holds each pot by its rim edge.  No pot can move in any direction regardless of the orientation of the box.  Each plant is in a plastic bag or paper sleeve with a soft foam inset across the top of the pot to hold the potting medium in place.  Every plant arrived here in excellent condition.

This Iris Pallida division was grown in this deep pot.  Its condition just out of the box is apparent in the picture.  Our success with this plant is a sure thing because of the skill of the plants man in growing it out and the unique packing system.

In my opinion any one that sell plants by mail order should place an order with High Country Gardens so that they can see how to prepare plants for safe shipment.  A part of their success is this box liner.  The tabs that secure the pot rim in place show in the picture.  The liner can accommodate both sizes of pots used.  A strip of transparent tape across the row of pots holds everything in place.  I plan to order from High Country Gardens every year.  This loyalty is a result of the excellence in packing and the superior quality of their plants.  I expect to pay for quality.  My fourteen plants cost just over one hundred dollars delivered. Disappointment free plants are a true bargain.

Surprise Package

My box of plants from Roots and Rhizomes arrived this week during 80+ degree our heat wave. Each plant was encased in brown paper and the box was packed with packing peanuts. It was a real surprise package since we ordered these plants the first week in February and had pretty much forgotten what was coming.



Here they are released from their solitary confinement, looking a little pale and pathetic. The Echinacea, "Arts Pride" and the Siberian iris, "Roaring Jelly" were sealed in plastic bags. We planted these immediately since they are still dormant, even though the weather seems to be returning to normal. This of course meaning that our June 1 frost safe date is still in force. Siberian iris, "Butter and Sugar " are on back order.

After their photo op, Ed transplanted these plants into slightly larger pots. They will be joining our carry out during the day, and carry in at night brigade for the next month. I'm sure they will perk up and green up in no time. I can use the month to decide where to plant them. I must have had some idea in February,but now my vision is less clear.

These are the exciting garden days with so much growth and promise of things to come. There are weeds to pull, flowers to deadhead, beds to prepare, seeds to plant, and the lawn to mow. We stay outside and play until we are good and tired. It makes for a deep and peaceful sleep with a few sore muscles thrown in. We couldn't be happier!

Plants On The Move

Our spring ritual of carrying plants outside during the day has begun. I am so encouraged by the new green growth on the lemon verbena plants. They don't look at all like dead sticks this year. Now that they can get out for some sun and rain they should do great. We just have to bring them back inside when the weather turns cold.

Many more plants will be joining them there. We had a box hanging from the mailbox yesterday. At first I thought it was some yarn I was expecting,but it was too soon for that. Then I thought it was my onion plants, they can be planted outside now. Nope,it turned out to be some perennials that I ordered during those dark cold days of February. Apparently then April seemed like far distant spring to me. May 15th would have been a better arrival time for this surprise package. I'll try to be more careful about that next year. In the meantime my new plants will have to be placed in pots and sent to join the lemon verbenas on the wall.

When it warms up today the plants will get to be out in some real rain. I know they will love it.

We started some of our seeds today. Basil, parsley, peppers,and some lettuce all got their start today.