Fun Foliage

When my interest in horticulture was developing a number of years ago, one of the projects I undertook was growing a coleus plant into an herbaceous ‘tree’. At that time, coleus was often used as a houseplant. The instructions were to take a single plant, pinch the young leaves off the top part of the plant and strip the leaves from the bottom part of the plant. Over time the base of the plant developed a slight woody stem and the upper part became the crown of the ‘tree’. It was great fun!

Of course now you see coleus used most often in gardens, landscapes and containers. It’s one of the few shade annuals around which provide a solution to many shady garden situations. More recently we’ve come to enjoy a number of new coleus varieties that’ll also tolerate partial to fun sun. That’s a great advancement in the horticultural world!

A new variety this year is a novel concept that’s combined two coleus varieties into a one pellet so that when you sow, the pellet dissolves and the seeds germinate and grow together, creating a lovely combination of color. Coleus Under the Sun is a blend of Versa Crimson Gold and Versa Lime. Fortunately the Versa varieties grow very well in both sun and shade. We grew it in a container that by summer’s end was fully filled out and gorgeous.

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Posted by Harris Seeds Ornamentals at 1:01 PM

Winter Chill Brings Warm Thoughts of Spring Flowers

Even in January, thoughts of spring planting come to mind. Truthfully, it hasn’t been much of a winter here in Rochester so far. A few minor freezes and some snow flurries here and there. But nothing of the magnitude that we’ve come to expect from living near one of our Great Lakes. Even so, my thoughts turn to garden color with ideas of what to plant outdoors in just a few months.

We trialed a number of new varieties this summer in our Harris Seeds and home gardens, many with great success. One in particular is a new Angelonia named Serena Blue. There are a number of Angelonia varieties available, but only one series is available from seed, and it stands apart from the rest by virtue of a shorter height (10 - 14") and more flower spikes on a squatty plant habit (12 - 14" wide). I planted Serena Blue last summer in a container by itself and also in a basket paired with Begonia Dragonwing Red. Both looked great and flowered all summer long.

I believe Angelonia is a genus that is underutilized. It loves full sun, is heat and drought tolerate and tolerate a slight frost. Who wouldn’t want to grow these beauties? Give Angelonia a try this summer – Serena Blue and Serena White are my two favorites.

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Posted by Harris Seeds Ornamentals at 11:44 AM

Growing Flowers of Hope

I woke up on Tuesday to the news of Joplin, Missouri, and the devastation they’ve recently endured. Joplin is just the latest in a string of debilitating weather this spring that has impacted vast portions of the mid-west, deep-south and south eastern parts of the U.S.

We’ve had record rainfall here in Rochester, NY, and I confess, we’ve been sighing and bemoaning the fact we can’t get our trial beds worked up or our plants put into the ground yet. Well the hand wringing stops now – because the poor spring weather we’ve experienced is inconsequential compared to the magnitude that people have endured in other parts of our country.

Recently I’ve been struggling with how to write about pretty flowers on this blog when all this devastation is going on around us. Then it occurred to me: Some of you are re-building your lives so you can’t even begin to think about flower gardening right now. But those of us who’ve been less impacted might be able to send a little cheer your way with flowers. If you know of someone who has been hurt by any of the debilitating weather this year, please consider growing them some flowers of hope this summer. It may be something as simple as growing them a few bouquets of zinnias or sunflowers. Or perhaps we can help them replant some of their gardens and include some flowers as a counter-offensive frontline of cheer.

Providing flowers for encouragement is only one of many opportunities to help. For those of us who are also vegetable gardeners, maybe we can grow a few extra vegetables to share with those who will be recouping their losses this summer. These are just a few thoughts that come to mind, I’m sure there’s lots more.

For any of my readers who’ve been hurt by this seasons destructive weather, please know my thoughts and prayers are with you. My hope is that having flowers in our lives helps to remind us all of nature’s beauty instead of its destructive power, and that life is a circle. Seeds germinate, plants grow, flowers bloom, and then new seeds are born. From every ending arises a new beginning, and with it - hope.

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Posted by Harris Seeds Ornamentals at 3:42 PM