This week at the store

.Spring is in the air, flowers are beginning to bloom, perennials are emerging, and new growth is appearing on trees, and shrubs. I love this time of year, and the promise of all that is to come.

I have hit a few of the local nurseries, and made my first purchases of the season. We have also been busy grooming over wintered plants, and setting up the propagation benches. I have quite a few surprises for this season.

I have purchased a line of named Iris that we will begin selling this Spring as well as holding some back for propagation and breeding. We will carry about 60 named varieties, and begin the process of breeding our own lines.

I also purchased a collection of Amaryllis Belladonna seedlings with red and orange-red parents. They should bloom as a mixture of reds (half or more) and dark pinks. Check out the link below for more info on the breeder and Amaryllis belladona.

http://www.edensblooms.com/product/AB3

Another exciting purchase I am trying because how could I not is a tree Dahlia from Strange and Wonderful Things Nursery; it really is up to 20' tall and has stalks which look like bamboo...WILD!

http://www.strangewonderfulthings.com/105.htm

We also will be germinating Hosta seedlings from a selection of breeders seeds for streaked plants out of Alttara Sheer genetics

http://www.foosf.com/alttara.php

An article on Streaked Hosta's

http://www.inthecountrygardenandgifts.com/articles/streaked_hostas.php

If you have never made the trip to visit Fraser Thimble Nursery I highly recommend it as a wonderful way to spend a day. I always love visiting Saltspring. We handpicked an amazing selection of Hosta's for Febuary /March sales, as well as a few other goodies, and lots of ideas for later. Here are the Helleborus we chose from their selection, they have many others available. If you like what you see, you must consider attending their Hellaboranza event Feb 19th.

Helleborus x hybridus 'Swirling Skirts'

Ht.30-45cm. Z4. Wonderful new selection of Double white lenten rose! This plant boasts large flowers with ruffled, light green outer petals while the inner petals are white with faint purple spots.

Helleborus x sternii 'Hot Flash'

Ht.30cm. Z5. A gorgeous evergreen variety with deeply serrated, silvery leaves with red stems and veins. Blooms in late winter/early spring with pale green flowers with a pink blush.

Helleborus x hybridus 'Mardi Gras Bicolor Mix'

Ht.40-150cm. Z5. A strain with bicolored blooms in a blend of violet and white, to reddish cream and warm pink. Single flowers typically with darker edges (picotee). From breeder Charles Price. Awesome picotee flowers.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Mardi gras Doubles’

Ht.45-60cm. Z4-5. From the breeder Charles Price comes this series from seed with very large double flowers ranging in color from deep reddish purples and pink through to light pink and white.

Helleborus X hybridus White Lady Spotted

Ht. 30-40cm. Z.4-5. White spotted red.The Helleborus X hybridus 'Lady Series was developed by Gisela Schmiemann these hybrids have superior colors, upright stems with large rounded flowers. These are the first seed strain to come over 80% true from seed! So expect some variation from plant to plant .Plant in sun to part shade in well drained soil.

Helleborus X hybridus Red Lady

Ht. 30-40cm. Z.4-5. Clear red flowersThe Helleborus X hybridus 'Lady Series was developed by Gisela Schmiemann these hybrids have superior colors, upright stems with large rounded flowers. These are the first seed strain to come over 80% true from seed! So expect some variation from plant to plant .Plant in sun to part shade in well drained soil.

Helleborus X hybridus Metallic blue lady

Ht. 30-40cm. Z.4-5. Powdery blue-purple flowers.The Helleborus X hybridus 'Lady Series was developed by Gisela Schmiemann these hybrids have superior colors, upright stems with large rounded flowers. These are the first seed strain to come over 80% true from seed! So expect some variation from plant to plant .Plant in sun to part shade in well drained soil.

Helleborus X hybridus Blue Lady

Ht. 30-40cm. Z.4-5. Bluish-purple flowers.

The Helleborus X hybridus 'Lady Series was developed by Gisela Schmiemann these hybrids have superior colors, upright stems with large rounded flowers. These are the first seed strain to come over 80% true from seed! So expect some variation from plant to plant .

Helleborus x hybridus `Double Queen Mix’

Ht. 40-60cm. Z4. This strain originates from Washfield Nurseries in England and is still overseen by Elizabeth Strangman. A great double flowered strain that self sows in the garden at almost 100% Doubles.

Helleborus x ericsmithii 'HGC Winter's Bliss'y buds that open to large creamy white flowers with dark pink reverse. aka HGC Champion

Here is a link to Thimble Farms, and their contact info.

Thimble Farms Nursery

Fraser's Thimble Farm

175 Arbutus Road
Salt Spring Island B.C.
V8K1A3

Phone/fax 250-537-5788

email thimfarm@telus.net

Another plant I fell in love at first sight with is Skimmia 'Magic Merlot' it will truly knock your socks off all year long.

Skimmia 'Magic Merlot'

Compact evergreen shrub sits perfectly in containers to give a wonderful display. Variegated foliage is medium green with a cream edge. Spring brings rich-flowering, white blooms. Early Fall produces green-white buds that turn wine red as the temperature drops. Tolerant of heat and dry soils. Available only in Canada. A mounded, upright, evergreen accent works for the border, garden bed or large/mixed containers.

It looks stunning next to Juniper 'Blue Star', I am planting it around our new display pond, alongside Gerhard Azalea 'Hot Shot ', Lithodora 'Grace Ward, an un-named variegated carex with a fine texture, and a specimen red weeping japanese maple.

The picture doesn't do it justice!