SPRING 2004

NEW IN OUR NURSERY FOR 2004!

Ilex 'Yule Brite' is a distinctly upright pyramidal female holly that, in 5 years, reaches 4-6 feet in height and 21/2 feet in width, then grows on to mature at 30' x 20' in many years. This fabulous evergreen has dark green, glossy foliage and very showy, bright red, large and abundant berries. What a great substitute for old-fashioned American Holly! Be sure to plant a male Blue Holly nearby for pollination. Try NEW, compact - Ilex, 'Blue Baron' (only grows to 4' tall!) or use traditional favorites like Blue prince or Blue Stallion.

Kalmia 'Meteor' is a new addition to our wonderful collection of Mountain Laurels. This mid-sized broadleaf beauty fits into the landscape at 3-4 feet tall and wide. It's pink buds open into cinnamon-pink flowers edged in white in May. What a way to brighten a shady corner!

Syringa 'Josee' will knock your socks off! This remarkable, compact
4-6 feet Lilac blooms in May with lavender pink flowers, then repeats bloom throughout the summer! Look for 'Josee' and other new Lilacs such as 'Betsy Ross' with its huge abundant, snow white flowers and 'Redwine' - a real beauty with deep magenta buds that open into late blooming magenta pink flowers. In all, Ashcombe has over 25 lilac selections this year. Get 6 weeks of blooms with early, mid and late season varieties!

Deutzia 'Chardonnay Pearls' looks like a real gem! This new, compact, deciduous shrub grows 11/2-3 feet tall and wide. Its attractive, crisp, lime green foliage sets off pure white, pearl-like buds and fragrant, snowy spring flowers. This frothy cutie is perfect for edging, massing and mixing with perennials and other shrubs in a colorful, sunny border.

Yes, we will have it again this year! Hydrangea 'Endless Summer' will be 'officially' released this season and we will have plenty in stock - at least until the word gets out! This outstanding hydrangea is super hardy to -30°F and blooms 'endlessly' all summer with stunning blue or pink flowers, depending on the soil pH. Flower buds form on new growth, so winter cold and early spring freezes can't damage them. If you've had trouble in the past getting your hydrangeas to bloom - look no further - this is the cultivar for you! Look for this hydrangea and 39 others in our nursery this summer!

Hummingbirds love Trumpet Vines - and you will too when you see Campsis 'Summer Snowfall' this summer. Big, tubular orange, long blooming, July flowers are set off by green foliage that is splashed with white on this easy to grow vigorous, 'hot' new trumpet vine. For sun or part shade. Wow!

Look for other great selections this spring and summer in our nursery including: Unusual Japanese Maples, native Wisterias, NEW Crape Myrtles, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Conifers and more! Visit us to find many wonderful new shrubs, trees, roses and vines or contact us. We'll be happy to save some for you!

Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum' - 2004 Perennial Plant of the Year

HARDINESS: Grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8

LIGHT: Part to full shade. The best frond color results in light shade.

USES: The Japanese painted fern makes an outstanding combination plant for adding color, texture, and habit to the shade garden.

UNIQUE QUALITIES: This low-maintenance fern is versatile and provides impressive contrasting foliage that brightens landscape beds and containers. Fronds are 12 to 18 inches long and are a soft, metallic, silver-gray with hints of red and blue.

PLANTING: Performs best in well-drained, moist soil with added organic matter or peat moss. It flourishes where moisture and humidity abound.

NEW VEGGIES FOR 2004

What goes around, comes around...right? Well, Heirloom tomatoes are back in style!

Heirloom tomatoes have flavors, colors and textures that are quite different than regular store bought tomatoes. These are the varieties that our grandparents and great grandparents grew many years ago. They are full of anti-oxidants, vitamins and cancer preventing agents. The color of the tomato normally determines the amount of acidity -- darker colors are more acidic and lighter colors are less acidic. We have added to our collection a few of these time tested varieties: Brandywine, Rutgers, Cherokee Purple, German Johnson, Giant Belgium, Pineapple, Tangerine and Brandy Boy.

Heirloom varieties often don't produce as many fruits as hybrids and they can be more disease prone, but they make up for it in taste!

Also new this year is 'Amy'
Honeydew - a new, compact vine with sweet white flesh.

'Goldbar' is a straight-neck squash with a compact growing habit. 'Sweet Beauty' Watermelon won the 2004 award for early harvest and sweet red flesh.

NEW HERBS FOR 2004

Every year, we add new varieties to our ever-expanding list of herbs and this year is no exception. This year we have 9 newcomers.

BASIL, Green Gate
This annual grows to a height of 28-32 inches. It is fast growing with high yields and is fusarium resistant. Uses: culinary, medicinal, tea plant, house plant and aromatic.

LAVENDER, Bouton
This perennial lavender grows to 30" tall with mid-late summer blooms. Uses: culinary, medicinal, aromatic, cosmetic and industrial.

LAVENDER, Grosso
This perennial lavender grows to 30" tall with mid summer blooms. Uses: culinary, medicinal, aromatic, cosmetic and industrial.

MUSTARD, Asian Green Wave
This annual grows to 24" tall and takes 50 days to mature. Mild in flavor. Uses : culinary and ornamental.

MUSTARD, Osaka Purple
This compact annual grows to 12" tall with mild flavor for cooking and salads.

MUSTARD, Red Giant
This annual grows to 24" tall and has a mild flavor.

ROSEMARY, Barbecue
This tender perennial grows 30-42" with blue flowers. Stems make good BBQ skewers.

ROSEMARY, Santa Barbara
This tender perennial grows 12-18" tall and is used for culinary, medicinal and cosmetic purposes.

THYME, English Compact
This perennial grows 6-8" with pink/white flowers and is used for culinary, medicinal, cosmetic and as an everlasting.

Garden Splendor At Ashcombe

Available in 2004 in Ashcombe's nursery and perennial areas are
Garden Splendor Plants! These finest quality, branded shrubs and perennials include outstanding new introductions along with the 'tried and true' varieties. Add to all this splendor, the information and
educational support needed for gardening success and a permanent 'Remember Me' garden marker with each plant.

Garden Splendor plants are available only to selected, independent garden centers and Ashcombe is the only supplier in the area. Check this splendor out at www.gardensplendor.com, then visit us this season!

NEW ANNUALS FOR 2004

DWARF CANNAS - Cannas are always a unique accent plant that will grow just about anywhere. Dwarf varieties are popular and only grow to about 5 feet. New ones include: Black Knight (red), Journey's End (pink/cream), Pink Beauty (pink) and Tropical Sunrise (peach).

CELOSIA - Two of the 2004 All American Selections Winners were celosia! Fresh Look Red and Fresh Look Yellow.

PETUNIA - The All American Selection Winner this year is Limbo Violet. It was distinguished as the lowest growing variety of petunia. Other new petunias are Wave Salmon and Hurrah Lavender Tie-Dye.

PHLOX - We are offering 4 new varieties of this recently introduced annual. Intensia Lavender Glow, Intensia Lilac Rose, Intensia Neon Rose and Grammy Pink and White.

FUSCHIA - Normally we recommend fuschia for shady gardens. Not anymore! We will now offer a sun-loving fuschia called Gartenmeister that will tolerate sun and heat.

NEMESIA - Before this year, nemesia only came in pastel colors like purple and white. This year, there are two new colors: Sunsatia Cherry and Sunsatia Lemon.

Message From the President

With the advent of warmer weather, area gardeners are anxious to get out and clean up those gardens in preparation for the fast approaching planting season. Here at Ashcombe, we want to give you a preview of spring and have forced a number of plants in our greenhouses to excite your gardening senses. The event is our annual Spring Open House and our theme this year is, "Fun In The Garden" - something children of all ages can relate to. There is no better way to share time with your loved ones than watching things grow and reaping the rewards of the harvest; or just feasting your eyes on a panorama of beauty in your back yard.

We also want to help your children learn the vitally important aspects of growing from an early age. We offer children's programs for the 5 to 12 year age bracket.

Our business is growing and we want to help you grow both as gardeners and as people. Be sure to visit us this spring and see all that we do.