Color coordinated planting of "White Midget" Stock, "KLM" nemesia and matching pansies.

Hello Plant Lovers,

We're formally open for the 2009 season, so be sure to come in for first pick of early spring plants. Remember Mother's Day on 10 May! We've got gift certificates and lots of memorable plants to give the special woman in your life.

Containers planted yet?

While there are a few weeks of potential frosty nights ahead of us that should be no deterrent to getting some early season color out at your front door. There are some really great frost tolerant, cool season bloomers that will easily handle a few degrees below freezing. And, if it looks like a night of unusually cold temps, containers are great because you can move them into the garage overnight for added protection. The best plants for early spring color are pansies, stock, senecio, snapdragons, allysum, calendula, chard, Osaka Purple mustard, the lettuces and nemesia. You can see the varieties of each we carry in the Plant List area of our new website.

Here are a few sample planters:

Spring Beauty. The upper right image shows a very simple (and very fragrant) example of spring beauty. The New York Botanic Garden displayed this color coordinated planting of "White Midget" Stock, "KLM" nemesia and matching pansies. A real breath of fresh air for early season.

Purple color in the upright wallflower blooms and the pansies unifies and harmonizes this planting.

Early Mix. To the left is an early mix from a private garden in De Pere, Wisconsin. This planter is expertly designed using thrillers, chillers and spillers. Plants include English wallflower, snapdragons, allysum, double nasturtiums, hebe and pansies. The color echoing between the upright wallflower blooms and the pansies unifies and harmonizes the planting.

Rhapsody in White is light and airy like an early May morning.

To the right is a Rhapsody in White that's light and airy like an early May morning. This classy planting is made up of nemesia "Shooting Star", "Bingo Clear White" pansy and "Snow Crystals" allysum.

"Snow Crystals" allysum is a cool weather charmer with real staying power. When revitalizing this container for summer, leave the allysum in place and complement with your summer plants. Unlike most allysum, "Snow Crystals" keep blooming even in the warmer months of summer.

Salad in a pot with lettuce, and edible pansies and calendula.

To the left is a Salad in a Pot. Lettuce loves cold weather as do the beautiful bi-colored "Etain" pansies. The pansies make a great edible garnish on your lettuce salad and so do the bright yellow calendula flowers toward the back of this cheerful spring container. These plants will look tired by mid to late June. Remove them and fill the pot with heat loving summer material.

Cool season bloomers matched with rustic looking hypertuffa troughs.

Cool Season Bloomers. In the inspiring May scene in the right side image from the Chicago Botanic Garden, a naturalistic combination of cool season bloomers is expertly matched with rustic looking hypertuffa troughs.

For lots more container ideas, check out the Pots 'n Stuff area of our new website. You can purchase containers and pre-planted containers, or bring in your own containers and topiaries for planting. We'll help you combine plants for your unique sun conditions and color desires.

Happy Gardening,

Jan Wos
Owner
Mayflower Greenhouse

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