Lessons from Nature
Plant List for Perennial Sale
May 18, 2024

 
Thanks to the prolonged spring I have a record number of plants available. Some
varieties there are only 1 or 2 of, others quite a few. First come first served.
 
170 Pine Street, E Aurora
Sat, May 18 – 9:00-2:00
 
 
Lessons from Nature
                           Plant List for Perennial Sale, May 18, 2024
 
Thanks to the prolonged spring I have a record number of plants available. Some varieties there are only 1 or 2 of, others quite a few. First come first served.
 
170 Pine Street, E Aurora
Sat, May 18 – 9:00-2:00
 
Shrubs:                                   
Pussy Willow                                                     Potentilla Golddrop
Lynwood Gold Forsythia                                 Bridal Veil Spirea
Spicebush                                                          Red Twig Dogwood
Flowering Raspberry                                       Red Sprite Winterberry
Anabelle hydrangea                                         Doublefile Viburnum
Drooping Leucothoe
                                   
Sun:                                                                                                                                        
Perennial geranium                                  Shasta daisy 
Sundrops                                                   Zig-zag goldenrod
Variety of asters                                        Bouncing Bet
Monkshood                                               Apple mint
Black-Eyed-Susan                                    Daisy Fleabane
Filipendula                                                Crainsbill Geranium
Sunflower                                                  Phlox, white & deep pink
Mini Cranesbill Geranium                       Lemon balm
Gray goldenrod
                                   
Part Sun:                                                         
Forget-Me-Not                                      Anemone – white, & ruffled
Dwarf  Solomon’s seal                       Candelabra primrose                  Ladies Mantle                                                   Shredded Umbrella
Astilbe (dwarf)                                     Stary Solomon’s Seal
Corydalis –Yellow & white                 Sundrops
Blue lobelia                                          Bouncing bet                          
Golden ragwort                                    Foxglove
Bachelor buttons                                 Blue Wood Aster        
White Wood Aster                               Ajuga                               
Gold Star                                               Bleeding Heart
Clematis                                                Solomon’s seal
Brunnera                                               Chocolate snake root
Big leaf aster
                                                                                               
Shade:    
                                            
Dwarf Comfrey                                               Hosta – a few varieties, minis
Persicaria                                                        Primrose
Christmas fern                                                Pulmonaria –
European Ginger                                            Lenten Rose, white, pink & deep purple 
Curley Ginger                                                  Native ginger
Primula kisoana – rare variety                     Candelabra primrose                                      
Corydalis                                                         Dragon Arum
Wood Poppy                                                   Bloodroot, single & double
Brunnera                                                         Twin leaf
Early Meadow Rue                                        Trillium; white, purple & double green
Ostrich Fern                                                    Hosta
Early meadow rue                                          Woodruff
Double green trillium                                     Pink lily of the valley
Goldenseal                                                     Sweet woodruff
Water leaf                                                        Upright ginger                                                                                                                                 
            Natives:

Evening Primrose                                       Chocolate snake root
Solomon’s Seal                                           Twinleaf
Ginger                                                          Golden Ragwort
Gold Star                                                      Goldenseal                             
Blue Wood Aster                                         Early Meadow Rue
Ostrich fern                                                  Clematis
White Wood Aster                                       Wood Poppy
Bloodroot                                                     Marsh marigold
Filapendula                                                  Trillium; white, purple & double green
Christmas fern                                            Waterleaf
Flowering raspberry                                   Lobelia – blue
Waterleaf                                                      Double Bloodroot
Zig-zag goldenrod                                      Daisy fleabane
Monkshood                                                 Starry Solomon's seal
Big leaf aster                                              Gray goldenrod
 
                                   
                                               
                                                           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dear Gardening Friends, 

• Weeding is also best done when the soil is not very wet. It’s harder to get all the roots out of the soil when it is a clump of mud.
• Mowing is another issue in this wet weather. If you leave a footprint on the lawn it’s best to stay off. Just think of the tracks your riding lawnmower (if you have one) will make in the soft soil.
• Unless your grass is long enough to leave big piles of grass clippings, it’s best to leave the clippings on the grass. It will decompose, feed the grass, and not cause thatch.
• It’s much too soon to put out annuals or vegetable starts.  For example, tomatoes planted too soon don’t do as well as those planted at the end of May. Remember Patience! The final average frost isn’t until late May so don’t get fooled by a few warm days.
• Due to the fluctuating temps many perennials are up early. Be careful when you are working in your gardens as there are a lot of plants that aren’t up yet and stepping on one or digging a shovel into the crown are things you want to avoid.
• If you are tempted and purchase plants that can’t be planted now, keep them in a sheltered place. If the annuals are in flats spread them out so there is good air circulation. Storing them crowded in a flat invites fungal disease. 
• Once the soil warms and is workable May is an ideal time to divide or move perennials already in your gardens. Signs they need dividing are: overcrowding, lower bloom the previous season, and if plant has a bare spot in the center known as the donut hole. If after 3 years in a location a plant isn’t thriving, try moving it to a more suitable spot or share it with a friend.
• If you have problems with deer, rabbits and other critters start your spraying, fencing, caging or whatever you do. I’ve already had damage and quickly put up some caging and got out the deer spray. Since the plants are growing fast now, I spray susceptible plants every week until they reach full size then cut back to every 3-4 weeks. It’s a battle!
• When buying plants look for ones that are deer resistant. There are many excellent lists online including the one from Cornell below: warren.cce.cornell.edu › gardening-landscape › deer-resistant-plants
• RECYCLE pots & trays. I can use pots 4 inches and up and flat carrying trays. No 6 packs. Also, if you are discarding any Venetian blinds or see some in the garbage, please save them for me. I use the blinds for price tags for the plant sale.
• When plant shopping look for resistant plants. Ther are tomato plants resistant to blight, Phlox resistant to powdery mildew & roses resistant to black spot to mention a few.
• When looking for native plants be sure to look for the species name in Latin. If there is an English name (usually in parenthesis) after the name that means it’s a cultivar and may not produce the nectar, pollen and seed that pollinators and birds need. An example is Echinacea purpures, “Autumn Sunset”. The more we ask for true natives the more nurseries will offer them.