Author Archives: Colleen Meiring

Pets vs Pests

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Whitey Bulger

I found this little guy while watering begonias. I think I’ll name him Whitey Bulger. We love our frogs and toads! They’re beneficial to keeping the greenhouse pests under control. Although these little guys don’t eat the plants, they do eat the little pests greenhouse hate like aphids and whitefly. And, because we make a concerted effort to not use neonicotinoids and other harmful chemicals on our plants, we do need all the natural help we can get. Hmmm, makes you look at those toads and frog a little differently!

Salvia splendens ‘Grandstand’

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Salvia Grandstand

While attending a Cultivate15 for greenhouses, I notice this Salvia in a 6″ pot at the Green Fuse Botanical booth. Usually we sell this type of salvia in landscaper flats. I asked what made this salvia so special it should be grown in a pot. The rep from Green Fuse told me this salvia will finish 18″ to 24″ in early spring but what makes it special is that once in flower, this salvia will not cycle. What?! That means I won’t have to look at a green, naked plant during bloom cycles – it continuously promotes new flower spikes during the growing season. That’s crazy!

Instead of growing from seed, these are grown from a cutting. We are trialing them this year (2016) in our 4.5″ annual product line .I will say this much, these little buggers a quite vigorous. They’re already starting to throw up blooms and it’s only mid April!

Salvia Splendens Red     Salvia Splendens BiColorSalvia Grandstand Overview

Summer Survivors – Beat the Heat!

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SUMMER SURVIVORS!

 

When other annuals are wilting in the heat, Zinnias, Vinca Periwinkle, Portulaca, and Gazania love to bask in the sun.  These plants can be planted later, either as late plantings or replacement plantings, and will thrive if given at least minimal attention.

ZINNIA ‘Profusion Mix’

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We have Profusion Series Zinnias, an AAS award winner, known for its high degree of disease tolerance and offering a continuous flower canopy with a self-cleaning habit, and it blooms over an extended period of time.  These plants grow to 10-12” tall and have a 12-15” spread.  We grow Cherry, Fire, Orange, White, and Mix, please call for current availability.

VINCA ‘Periwinkle’

Pink VincaWhite VincaPurple Vinca

Vinca is known for its love of the heat, drought and disease tolerance, and colorful show (even in a shadier spot).  They will grow approximately 12-14” tall and equally in spread.  As of Mid-June we have White, Pink, Raspberry, Grape, and Red, please call for up to date availability.

PORTULACA

Portulaca Close upPortulaca Wide shot

Portulaca, a succulent ground-hugging plant is best used in a sunny location with well-drained soil.  It is the most drought tolerant of these plants and has vibrantly colorful flowers.  It works well in rock gardens and situations where deep root systems are not possible.  The colorful flowers do close up at night. As of Mid-June we have mixed flats available, please call for up to date availability.

 

GAZANIA

Gazania Close upGazania Wide shot

Gazania, although not technically a succulent plant, shows almost as much drought tolerance as Portulaca.  It is best used a sunny location with well-drained soil.  The 1-2” Gazania flowers will close at night and partially close on cloudy days.

Grave Blankets

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Below are pictures of our grave blankets.  We offer plain and decorated and can build a 3′ blanket (pillow), 4′ or 5′ blanket.  We also offer heart & cross blankets and try to accommodate special requests & designs.  We can assort the colors & decorations of the blankets and you can request certain colors for special orders. Contact us if you have any questions.

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5′ Grave Blankets decorated
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Just Like the Workshop at the North Pole

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This is the next best thing to Santa’s workshop. We are like the elves (although most are taller), working all day to build wreaths, grave blankets and anything else you can think of for holiday sales.  While poinsettias grow in the next greenhouse, we use all available daylight to get our orders out for our customers to sell in this short season.

 

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The Moose & Squirrel elves hard at work making wreaths & grave blankets.

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Decorated 10″ Patio Pots lined up like soldiers.

 

Greens Shipping

Patio Pots, wreaths & grave blankets ready for loading for next day’s ship.

 

Fall Decorations

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18" Fall Combination Mock Up

18″ Fall Combination Mock Up

We were approached by a customer to come up with a fall planter to be placed outside of an entrance.  It was their hope to have something specific for fall and Thanksgiving before bringing in a Holiday Greens Planter.  Above is the mock up we created for approval. Below is what the final product looks like outside of the entrance to the hotel.

Fall Combo Final

Begonia ‘Big’

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Have you heard about the Begonia ’Big’?  Begonia ‘Big’ is a great plant for the landscape and is usually offered in 4.5” and 6” pots because of its size.  Although it was introduced a couple of years ago, it is only now gaining traction with landscapers.

Begonia ‘Big’ is a hybrid which borrows the best features from several begonia species to give you a plant with larger flowers and foliage, prolific blooms and vigorous growth.  A single plant can be planted 12” on center because of its 12-15” spread.  It has a self-cleaning habit so there is no need for deadheading.  And, like other fibrous begonias, it will thrive in the sun or shade.

Due to its size, a landscaper could plant it in a bed for a massive hedge-like planting or use it in a container as a specimen planting using a crawler of ivy or vinca vine to drape over the edge of the pot.  Colors available include:  Bronze Leaf Red, Bronze Leaf Rose, Green Leaf Red and Green Leaf Rose.

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