March 1999 Newsletter

This year there are four 1999 All American Selection Winners and we will have all four of them available in plants:

Squash F1 Hybrid - 'Eight Ball'
Unlike the billiard ball, this 'Eight Ball' tastes great and is the first round summer squash with dark zucchini green skin. Improved for earliness, gardeners can harvest round baby squash in about 5-6 weeks. Because of the improved compact habit, even gardeners with limited space can grow 'Eight Ball' plants. Plants grow about 3 feet wide. This may be the first squash that you can't have too many of. Scoop out the inside and use the squash as a bowl for serving salads or dips.

Pumpkin - 'Wee-B-Little'
This true miniature orange pumpkin is a totally unique size weighing about 8 to 16 ounces. It is a typical, round pumpkin shape, perfect for interior fall decorations or the right size for small children to handle. Easy to grow from seed, 'Wee-B-Little' plants are a bush habit easier to fit into small space flower or vegetable gardens. Plants spread only 6 to 8 feet. Expect mature pumpkins in about 120 days from sowing pumpkin seeds. The whole family will enjoy growing 'Wee-B-Little' pumpkins.

Tomato F1 Hybrid - 'Juliet'
The red, one ounce tomatoes are produced in clusters like grapes on the long vigorous indeterminate vines. The fruit shape is unusual, an elongated cherry type. 'Juliet' has a sweet flavor with attractive glossy skin but the most important quality is the crack resistance. 'Juliet' tomatoes hold on the vine with little cracking so gardeners can harvest and eat more 'Juliet' tomatoes. You can expect ripe fruit in about 60 days from transplanting into a full sun garden site. 'Juliet' may become your favorite cherry size tomato.

Watermelon F1 Hybrid - 'New Queen'
'New Queen' is a unique, gourmet watermelon with bright orange, sweet flesh. The sweet flavor and crisp texture was noted by AAS judges. Easy to grow from seed or plants, 'New Queen' is early to mature in about 75 days from seed or about 63 days from transplanting. The strong vigorous vines need space in the garden since they can spread up to 9 feet. 'New Queen' melons are icebox size weighing about 5-61/2 pounds. if you like your melons sweet and colorful, 'New Queen must be in your garden this summer.

Tomatoes - Burpee Bunch
65 days. Now you can grow in your own garden tomatoes that cling to the vine. These tomatoes hang in clusters of 5-7 fruits that ripen all at once. Excellent flavor, color and keeping qualities make this an excellent tomato. Indeterminate.

Tomatoes - Enchantment
70 days. 'Egg tomato.' This is a delicately flavored, great eating quality tomato, with 3 ounce egg-shaped, red fruits, perfect for salads. One of the first hybrids to display resistance to Bacterial Speck. Vigorous, highly disease resistant vines produce high yields without pesticides. Indeterminate.

What's New in Annuals for 1999?

Begonia F1 Hybrid - "Pin-Up Flame'
The first Begonia to earn the AAS Award, 'Pin-Up Flame' is a unique, dramatic bicolor, previously unavailable. The large single flowers are yellow, edged and shaded red/orange. The orange/red edge can vary, adding diversity to the bicolor design. Bloom size can be 2 to 4 inches. Desirous of shade, this tuberous rooted begonia will attain a height of only 10 to 12 inches so plant it in the front of your garden for maximum visibility. The arrow like leaves should point towards the audience for the most colorful performance.

Marigold - 'Bonanza Bolero'
'Bonanza Bolero' is an improved dwarf, french marigold, distinct because of its irregular gold and red bicolor pattern. The large 21/4" double flowers are primarily gold with red petal tips. Earliness to bloom is another superior trait. 'Bonanza Bolero' plants will attain a height of 8 to 12 inches and spread 12 to 24 inches when given adequate moisture and nutrients. Maximum flower production will occur in the full sun garden. This easy-to-grow annual is adaptable to container culture.

Portulaca F1 Hybrid - 'Sundial Peach'
This is the first portulaca to win an AAS award. The unique, glowing peach color is unmatched as a single color and the flower size is improved to 2 inches. There are more flower petals increasing the doubleness of blooms. 'Sundial Peach' flowers resist closing and so provide more garden color. The thick, fleshy leaves and stems retain water so that the plants are quite drought tolerant once established in the full sun garden. The small plant spreads 8 to 12 inches and is highly recommended for container gardens.

Verbena - 'Quartz Burgendy'
A deep wine red color with small white eye is one of the new features of this verbena. The flower umbel is large and early to begin blooming. Once flowering, 'Quartz Burgundy' will continue to flower throughout the growing season. Noted for its length of bloom, mature plants can be about 6 to 8 inches tall and spread about 15 inches. A full sun annual, 'Quartz Burgundy' will perform best with adequate moisture and nutrients. The spreading plant habit adapts well to patio containers or urban gardening.

Zinnias - 'Profusion Orange' and 'Profusion Cherry'
These two new varieties achieved the highest recognition, the AAS Gold Medals. The Gold Medal is reserved for breeding breakthroughs. 'Profusion Cherry' and 'Profusion Orange' exhibit tolerance to many foliar diseases such as powdery mildew and bacterial leaf spot. They set a new standard for garden zinnias. Because of this and superior garden performance, 'Profusion Cherry' and 'Profusion Orange' won AAS Gold Medal Awards. It has been ten years since AAS recognized a variety with a Gold Medal.
These zinnias produce single flowers 2 to 3 inches wide. The plants reach about 12 to 18 inches tall and will spread slightly more than the height. Free flowering all season, no deadheading is needed. The new plant growth hides unsightly, older blooms. Best plant performance will be achieved in full sun with draining soil. These carefree AAS Gold Medal zinnias are ready to grow from seed or bedding plants. 'Profusion Cherry' and 'Profusion Orange' are adaptable to container culture for urban gardens.

Temari Verbena 'Burgundy'
Burgundy is the latest in a series of Bright Pink, Bright Red & Violet. Temari (meaning flower ball in Japanese) thrives in heat and full sun and it even does well in partial sun. It grows vigorously and is resistant to powdery mildew. It's petals feel like velvet.

Million Bells (Calibrachoa hybrid) 'Trailing White'
This white petunia like flower is the latest in a series of Million Bells. This a self cleaning variety that you will enjoy from spring to fall. It lilkes full sun and is great in a combination pot.

Argeranthemum 'Summer Melody' double pink daisies.
'Sugar Buttons' white daisy flowers with a yellow center.

Geranium 'Pillar Salmon' is extremely vigorous, yet branches well and produces clouds of large billowy flowers. It's uniquely suited to growing as a pillar or pyramid. Plants should be supported as they grow up a tomato cage or a rose pillar support.

Wave Petunias
We have added 2 more varieties to the wave series 'Misty Lilac' & 'Rose.' Both are easy to grow, spreading to 4 feet and are weather tolerant. They make ideal ground covers and are especially showy in containers.

See these along with a lot of other new annuals this spring in our garden center.

1999 Spring Open House

Why not turn your patio into an outdoor garden room? Ashcombe's Annual 1999 Spring Open House is featuring patio gardening. Come get ideas for planting containers that will enhance your patio with color and texture. See how the surrounding gardens can bring butterflies and birds into your living area.

Five different patio settings filled with planted containers will be displayed. Each patio is shown outside an entrance door complete with patio accessories.

An irregular stone patio is planted with drought resistant plants. The dry southwest theme is carried through with a clay fireplace and containers. Planted are yuccas, sedums, and other drought tolerant plants which are virtually maintenance free.

A flagstone patio features a wall fountain and perennials for the border in sun and shade. Bleeding hearts and spring bulbs can be interplanted with summer perennials or long blooming annuals.

Another patio of concrete pavers is surrounded with colorful annuals and perennials. The borders feature plants that attract butterflies bringing them right into your living space.

An outdoor playroom, the family patio is designed around family activities. This patio is created to be used throughout the spring, summer and fall seasons. Raised beds are planted with edible vegetables, herbs and flowers for the cook in the family. Children can enjoy the sandbox while adults relax in the shade of the pergola which supports climbing vines.

A wooden deck will feature clusters of foliage and other bold plants to create a tropical effect.

New Plants For 1999

Our 1999 plant selections will feature some of the hottest, new varieties available. Come check them out.

New annuals will include The 1999 All American Select Winners such as Begonia 'Pin-Up Flame' and Zinnias 'Profusion Orange and Cherry'. 1999 Proven Winners include Million Bells 'Trailing White' and new Wave Petunias 'Misty Lilac and Rose'.

New Nursery plants such as the Weeping Red Bud tree (Cercis canadensis 'covey') and the new dwarf Virginia Sweetspire shrub (Itea virginica 'Little Henry') are sure to be a hit.

New Perennials you won't be able to resist include Omphaloides 'Starry Eyes' (a two-tone, blue and white forget-me-not relative) and Echinacea 'Kim's Knee High' (a dwarf purple coneflower). Our selection will also include many exciting new Hosta's ('Striptease,' 'Brim Cup,' 'Summer Music,' 'On Stage' and more) which have finally become available.

Also get a sneak peak at the exclusive new Blooms of Bressingham and Sunny Border Gold Perennials. Ashcombe's will be offering this season. Visit with members or the perennial staff to learn more about the new plants available in 1999.

Container Gardening with Hardy Plants
Herbaceous perennials and woody nursery plants can make great container plants. Discover which of these hardy plants are suitable for growing in pots and how to fertilize, water, prune and overwinter them.

Small Fruits and Vines

Dave Devine from Pennisula Nurseries will return to share his knowledge on culture of small fruits and vines. He will also provide tips for using vines in container gardens for vertical accent.

Favorite Plants of Birds and Butterflies
Food preferences vary among our winged friends. We can attract certain species of birds and butterflies by providing them with the plants they like to eat. Learn about the palletes of specific birds and butterflies from our local fauna. Discover which varieties you can plant to increase the diversity in your yard.

Rehabitat 9:00am - 4:00 pm
Rehabitat is an organization from Dillsburg, PA dedicated to rehabilitating injured birds of prey and returning them to the wild. Staff members and volunteers will bring live owls and hawks that have been rehabilitated but are not capable of surviving on their own. Come visit with these birds and their handlers. Learn about these magnificent birds and the efforts of Rehabitat.

Butterfly Gardening with the North American Butterfly Association
March 27 only 9:00 - 4:00 pm Do you want to create a haven for butterflies in your own yard? Come learn how to design and plant a butterfly garden. Members of the South Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association will share their love of butterflies and provide you with the critical information needed for successful butterfly gardening.

The North American Butterfly Association is a non-profit organization formed to promote enjoyment, knowledge and conservation of butterflies. Come find out about the activities of our local chapter.

11:00 AM  New and Underutilized Perennials for 1999  Karen Olson  No Fee
Come learn about some of the exciting new perennials that have recently been introduced. Our perennial manager, Dr. Karen Olson, will present a lively slide show of plants you won't be able to resist.

1:00 PM  The Potted Garden  Dan Benarcik  Fee: $10.00*
Container gardening is one of the hottest trends today. Useful on patios, decks, steps, porches or for accents in existing gardens, these potted gardens can add beauty to any outdoor living space. For those who don't have room, they create additional space to garden. They also look great when pots are clustered.

11:00 AM  Gardening With Berry Bushes - Eat Your Yard Out  Jane Warner  No Fee
Small fruit bushes have many advantages for the homeowner. In addition to providing tasty fruit throughout the summer, they have great ornamental value. Learn the benefits of growing blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries and more with Jane Warner from the Virginia Berry Farm.

1:00 PM  Designing with Color in the Garden  Lynn Purse  Fee: $10.00*
Claude Monet, Gertrude Jekyll, Penelope Hobhouse, Pamela Harper: Gardeners known and unknown have been playing with color effects in the garden for over one hundred years. Learn the basics of color theory and the art of combining foliage and flowers for color effects that will lift your garden out of the ordinary and make it colorful from spring to fall.

11:00 AM  Create Your Own Lined Herb Basket  Joanne Ward  Fee: $15.00*
Creating and planting your own mixed planters is fun. This workshop will provide hands on experience in making your own planted container. Learn how to line a basket and pot up an assortment of herbs and edible flowers to take home. This demonstration will be conducted by our own herb grower, Joanne Ward.

1:00 PM  Gardening for Butterflies and Birds  Rick Mikula  Fee: $10.00*
If you are interested in attracting butterflies or birds to your garden you won't want to miss this lecture. Discover ways you can upgrade your habitat to create a haven for birds and butterflies. Find out which plants not only attract but keep them there. Learn the basics necessary for creating a home for our winged friends, and the specifics required for the different kinds of species you can invite to your yard.

*Receive a $5.00 coupon good with any $25.00 purchase at our store for each paid registration of $10.00 or more

• Pre-registration is required for all classes.
• Register in person at Ashcombe's customer service desk or by calling 766-7611.
• If program has a fee, payment by cash, check or credit card is required at sign up to guarantee your space.
• Cut off for registration is three days before a scheduled program.
• Ashcombe reserves the right to cancel a program if registration minimum is not met.

Bulbs will be arriving about the first week of March. Among them will be many summer flowering varieties including Gladiolas, Begonias, Cannas, as well as many rock garden varieties.

Seeds are here and we have a large, varied selection to choose from: Burpee, Rohrer, and two new companies: Botanical Interests and Johnsons, which has many hard to find varieties.

Many new garden decorating items will be arriving in March-April; in ironware, furniture and many other accessories.

We will have an ever-changing inventory of antiques arriving on a daily basis. Furniture, old farming items, woodware, tin; bottles; china, pattern glass and many other items of interest. This spring promises to have a large and varied selection of garden aides to choose from.

Spring Florals

Spring has sprung in our gift and dried flower department. We have many beautiful silk flowers to fill your home with sunshine. Our buyer has been to Atlanta and other shows and new merchandise is arriving daily. Come and smell our new Yankee Candle scents and Village Candles too.

New Village Candles scents include Spring Lilac, Summer Slices & Wild Huckleberry. New Yankee scents include Hydrangea, Mountain Lake, Storm Watch, Vineyard, Berry Bramble and Lemon Lime. Make sure you ask about our new Yankee Candle club card.

Our Easter merchandise has arrived and bunnies and chicks are peeping out of every nook and cranny! Think spring!

Job Opportunities at Ashcombe

Ashcombe will hold its second annual 'Job Fair' on

Friday, March 12th 4-7pm and
Saturday March 13th. 10-2pm

Seasonal Positions Are Available:

• Check out cashiers
• Retail Sales
• Deli/Produce Helpers
• Plant haulers & restocking clerks
• General laborers

Message From The President

Welcome to 1999 at Ashcombe! It is because of you we begin our 37th year of retailing. We want to dedicate this year to you, our valued customers. Our emphasis will be not only to give you the best products we can find and grow during this year, but also extraordinary service as well. We value your time and want to make your stay here with us productive and pleasant.

We have one of the best staffs of people we've had in a number of years and they are qualified to give you excellent service. If you don't experience this we have three suggestion boxes in the store to make recommendations, or call and let me know that you would like better service. I can be reached at 766-7611 extension 203. My best goes with this for a great 1999.

Sincerely,
Glenn M. Gross