New Perennials for 1999

New varieties of perennials are introduced each year. These plants are often improvements or new variations of existing cultivars. They may have better disease resistance, longer bloom times, more flowers, new flower colors, new leaf variegation patterns and more. Each year we choose some of these new plants and add them to the selection we offer. Among the over 900 perennial plants included on our 1999 plant list are about 200 exciting new items. Here is a sampling.

New Varieties for Sun

Aster lateriflorus 'Lady in Black'
Calico Aster
An aster with striking deep plum-purple, almost black lacy foliage providing color and contrast long before its late summer bloom. White daisy flowers with raspberry centers dance above the dark foliage on 2 to 3 foot stems into the fall.

Callirhoe involucrata
Purple Poppy Mallow
Beautiful large 2" wine-red cup shaped flowers on 18 to 24 inch stems. It has a main flush of flowers in early summer and blooms intermittently until fall frost. Its delightful cascading habit looks great over a rock wall or raised bed.

Campanula punctata 'Kent Bells'
and 'Wedding Bells'
Spotted Bellflower
A charming bell flower with pendulous tubular flowers on 2 to 3 foot stems. The plants form handsome upright clumps with loads of flowers during summer. 'Kent Bells' has glossy violet-blue blossoms. 'Wedding Bells' has white, hose in hose, double flowers (similar to Canterbury Bells).

Coreopsis X 'Tequila Sunrise'
Variegated Tickseed
A coreopsis with wonderfully variegated foliage. Leaves are olive green with cream and yellow. In spring the foliage is splashed with red. In fall the foliage turns mahogany. Bright yellow blooms with a reddish eye zone appear in May through June and sporadically into September. Grows 14 to 16 inches tall.

Euphorbia amygdaloides var. Robbiae
Wood Spurge
In the past few years many excellent Euphorbias have been introduced. This selection is a great ground cover for poor dry soil in full sun or full shade. Beautiful glossy dark green foliage in whorls. Spires of green-yellow flowers appear in late spring to early summer.

Filipendula ulmaria 'Variegata'
Variegated Meadowsweet
Deeply serrated green foliage with a handsome central yellow stripe. Creamy white flowers in soft clusters

Geranium 'Phillip Vapelle'
Cranesbill
Vibrant purplish-blue flowers with dark veins over a long season from late spring to mid summer. The large leaves are lovely blue-gray with a soft, almost felty texture. This truly outstanding geranium forms a neat 10 to 15 inch mound.

Geranium phaeum
Mourning Widow
Another outstanding new perennial geranium. This one has dark purplish-maroon, almost black nodding flowers. Its leaves are attractively blotched with maroon at their base.

Heuchera americana 'Cathedral Windows'
Coral Bells or Alumroot
Among the many red leaved coral bells we will be offering is 'Cathedral Windows.' The distinctive foliage of this variety is reminiscent of stained glass windows in historic cathedrals. Each leaf is a work of art. Dark purple covered with large silver metallic patches across a network of mahogany-black veins. The metallic leaves are reflective.

Meconopsis betonicifolia
Himalayan Blue Poppy
Sky blue 2" poppy flowers on strong 3 foot stems. Blooms in summer and self seeds. Grayish green hairy foliage.

Oenothera fremontii 'Lemon Silver'
Sun Drops
Stunning silver foliage. Large clear cup shaped lemon yellow flowers. Low growing, 6 to 8 inches tall.

Sedum telephium 'Arthur Branch'
Stonecrop
Stunning dark purple foliage topped with rosy-pink flowers in late summer and fall. Grows 2-21/2 feet tall. Strong stems do not flop like many other sedum

New Varieties for Shade

Brunnera macrophylla 'Variegata'
Servian Bugloss;
False Forget-Me-Not
A variegated Brunnera! Dramatic, large leaves with wide creamy white margins provide a magnificent show all season. Abundant airy sprays of blue flowers resembling forget me nots in spring combined with this beautiful foliage creates a breathtaking display.

Cimicifuga racemosa
'Hillside Black Beauty'
Black Snakeroot
Dramatic dark bronze-purple ferny foliage and stems are effective in the shade garden from spring to frost. In fall beautiful foot long bottlebrushes of creamy white flowers are held on stout 5 to 6 foot stems. The flowers stand out against the rich dark foliage and exude a sweet powerful fragrance.

Cryptotaenia japonica 'Atropurpurea'
Japanese Hornwort
Brilliant bronze-red foliage on 2 foot stems provides great contrast in the shade garden. Easy to grow, will thrive in dry soil. Self seeds.

Helleborus orientalis
'Royal Heritage Strain'
Lenten Rose
A Hellebore with a unique wide range of sumptuous flower colors: black, red, pink, white, green and yellow. Saucer shaped flowers are 2 inches across and appear in winter! Long lasting flowers persist through spring. Evergreen glossy leaves are attractive all season. Plants are easy to grow and tolerant of heat, drought, and substantial shade.

Hosta

Many new excellent hostas have been introduced in the past few years. We will be offering 15 new varieties in 1999. Here are a few:

• 'Brim Cup'
  Rich green cupped seersuckered leaves with wide irregular white margin. 1 to 11/2 feet tall. Rapid grower. Lavender flowers.

• 'Carnival'
  Dark green heart shaped leaves with irregular wide yellow margins and streaks in the center. 2 to 3 feet tall. Lavender flowers.

• 'Fire and Ice'
  Pure white leaves with very dark green wide margins. Heavy leaf substance. Flashy! 11/2 to 2 feet tall. Lavender flowers.

• 'Strip Tease'
  Rich green leaves with narrow gold center and white strip between gold and green. 11/2 to 2 feet tall. Lavender flowers

Omphhalodes cappadocica
'Starry Eyes'
Two Toned Forget-Me-Not
A charming relative of the forget-me-not. Airy sprays of bicolored sky-blue forget-me-not flowers. Each petal is outlined with a distinct white margin. Blooms in mid to late spring. The dark green foliage makes a lovely ground cover through the summer. Creeping habit.

Pulmonaria rubra 'David Ward'
Red Lungwort
One of the many new lungworts to hit the scene. Huge mint light green leaves with ruffled bold white edges. Coral-red flowers in spring. Absolutely stunning!

Tellima grandiflora'Forest Frost'
Fringecups
A coral bells relative. Forms handsome clumps of silver splashed evergreen leaves. Foliage turns a brilliant bronze red in winter. Chartreuse bell flowers in spring turn pastel pink.

New Ornamental Grass

Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'
Red Switch Grass
A really red Panicum! Blue green foliage quickly turns bright red by late June. Airy open red flower panicles in late summer through fall.

You can now visit Ashcombe on the web at www.ashcombe.com. Our goal is to fill this website with a wealth of information designed to help our customers and friends become better gardeners. We update this site weekly with current specials, photos, and our newsletters, filled with pertinent information for successful gardening!

Our web site also features 'Karen for your Garden." This informative page of our website is devoted to perennial gardening with Ashcombe's own perennial manager, Dr. Karen Olson.

Each month, Karen will provide seasonal advice and helpful gardening tips that will guide you to success. Discover some new perennial plants for your garden and gather inspiration as Karen shares her passion for these hardy plants.

You can also ask Karen for advice on your own gardening concerns. E-mail Karen at karen@ashcombe.com.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas are long lived, woody evergreens that are both in the genus Rhododendron but in different plant families. These shade tolerant shrubs have extremely showy spring flowers, which are uncommon in shade loving plants, and attractive foliage that makes them ornamental even when they are not in bloom. Generally, Rhododendrons have long, broad, leathery leaves, although some do have small, 'Azalea type' leaves. Their large bell-shaped flowers grow in clusters on branch ends and because of their massive upright growth, Rhododendrons grow best when given lots or room in informal settings. In contrast, Azaleas usually have small, narrow pointed leaves, small flowers that grow in large numbers to cover entire branches, and a short, spreading growth habit. They look especially beautiful massed together to create an ocean of color. Rhododendrons and Azaleas both can be used to create beautiful hedges and colorful accents in flower beds and borders, and they are indispensable in woodland settings!

LOCATION:

With few exceptions, Rhododendrons and Azaleas should be planted in lightly shaded locations or areas with morning sun and afternoon shade. A few varieties will tolerate full sun. Avoid sites where hot sun is reflecting from light colored houses and paved areas. Avoid sites exposed to extreme winter cold or wind - such as the corner of your house. Do plant where there is good air circulaton to reduce potential for fungus diseases. Avoid dry sites under roof overhangs or under trees, and very dense shade. If your landscape is sloping do not plant in low lying frost pockets.

SOIL:

Rhododendrons and Azaleas require moist, acidic, well-drained soil that is rich with organic matter. They both have shallow fibrous roots that spread close to the soil surface. These roots have an unusually high requirement for air in the soil. Because of these root growth characteristics, soil must be moist, because roots are incapable of deep growth to find water. But soil must also be well-drained, for standing water in the soil will displace the oxygen that Rhododendrons and Azaleas crave badly. Planting in the proper soil, therefore is extremely important! Clay soil or soil compacted by new construction has poor drainage and is not suitable for Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Plant only in soil rich with organic matter. If you need to improve very poor soil, be sure to amend a nice large area around each planting spot - NOT just the planting hole. Roots must be encouraged to grow wide spreading - not just pampered in a small spot of rich soil. Also, soil texture differences between poor clay soil and rich organic soil will cause drainage and water flow problems which are disastrous to plant roots. It is best to leave average soil unamended. Poor soil can be improved with 35-50% organic matter such as decayed leaves, aged manure or well-rotted compost. A small amount of peat moss can be used as part of the organic matter - but be aware that very peaty soil does not drain well, and does not rewet readily when it becomes very dry. Remember, if you choose to improve soil, dig up a nice wide area around each planting spot.

SOIL PH

Soil pH is important because it determines which nutrients a plant can take up from the soil. Rhododendrons and Azaleas prefer acidic soil with a pH of 5 or 6. Use a pH Test Kit or take a soil test to determine your soil pH. To modify an alkaline soil (soil with pH above 7) add lots of organic matter to the soil and use an acidic fertilizer. Use a bark mulch also to increase soil acidity. If your soil is very alkaline, it is better to choose plants other than Rhododendrons and Azaleas that don't mind the higher pH, for trying to drop soil pH by too much is impractical. A very acidic pH (below 4 or 5) can be modified by adding pulverized limestone to soil. Follow soil test recommendations. Be aware that minerals leaching from concrete foundations, patios and walks make soil alkaline, so avoid these planting sites if possible.

PLANTING:

Rhododendrons and Azaleas are easily damaged by planting too deeply. When planted, the top of the root ball should be at the surface of the ground or above it - never deeper. In naturally rich organic soil, dig a hole at least 2 times as wide as and only as deep as the root ball. In clay soils that are less porous and have poorer oxygen and water flow, plant in a raised mound made up of a mixture of soil, compost, aged manure, peat and bark mulch.

Before planting, soak roots very thoroughly then pull apart pot-bound roots so that they will fan out into the soil. As you plant, firm soil around root ball and be sure to leave no soil air pockets behind. Water deeply, 2 times during planting to settle soil. Add a 2 inch layer of mulch to keep roots cool and moist. Be sure not to mound mulch around base of shrub border for this, as well as planting too deeply, will kill your plant.

WATERING:

Rhododendrons and Azaleas should be moist but never too wet for long periods of time, for they cannot tolerate stagnant, water logged soils with little oxygen. Remember that Rhododendrons and Azaleas are shallow rooted and may dry out during the summer when deeper rooted plants show no ill effects. During the first year, water deeply once a week with the equivalent of 1 inch of water (lay a hose at the base of each plant and let it drip for an hour or so at a time). Water a little extra during the first week after planting, during bloom time and prior to dormancy. Water extra if Rhododendrons and Azaleas must compete with nearby thirsty trees. Because of this, a newly planted Rhododendron or Azalea will get its water out of its original root ball first. If this root ball dries out - it is almost impossible to get it wet again. The native soil surrounding the plant can be wet, while the plant's root ball itself is bone dry! This a common reason for failure or poor growth of many newly planted Rhododendrons and Azaleas - so be careful. The use of too much peat moss as a soil amendment will cause similar problems. If peaty soil becomes very dry - it also, is almost impossible to rewet and plant roots growing in it will die of thirst.

MULCHING:

A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is essential to keep shallow Rhododendron and Azalea roots cool and moist, and to eliminate the need for cultivation - which damages fine roots. Keep mulch away from the base of plants by just an inch or two. A coarse mulch of bark, pine needles or wood chips is best for it allows good water and air movement into soil. Avoid use of peat moss as a mulch.

FERTILIZATION:

In good soil, Rhododendrons and Azaleas usually don't need any more fertilization than that provided by decaying mulch. In poorer soil, an acidic type fertilizer may be applied in early spring. Young, established plants can also be fertilized after blooming - but no later than late June. Broadcast a light handful of fertilizer at the dripline of the shrub. Older Rhododendrons and Azaleas need less fertilizer - apply only if foliage indicates a deficiency or if plant is not flowering well. Be sure to maintain proper acidic pH to keep plants healthy. Be very careful not to over fertilize newly planted Rhododendrons and Azaleas - use only starter or slow release fertilizers the first year.

PESTS & DISEASES:

Healthy, well grown Rhododendrons and Azaleas are relatively free of diseases and pests. Avoid the most common problems by planting properly in well drained soil, mulching, providing moisture and nutrients based on soil tests, planting in protected spots away from wind, heat and excessive cold, pruning out dead wood and providing good air circulation.

WINTER PROTECTION:

If you wish to provide extra winter protection to Rhododendrons and Azaleas, erect a screen of burlap around plants to reduce affects of heavy wind and winter sun. Do not cover with leaves or straw

PRUNING:

Prune sparingly only to thin out dead or diseased branches, or to keep plant compact. Do all pruning in spring immediately after flowering and never cut back more than a third of the plant. Do remove spent flower buds to encourage better blooming next year and prune above rosettes of leaves to encourage branching, especially on young plants.

Ashcombe's Garden Supplies department offers a wide selection of items for use around homes and businesses.

From gardening tools, patio garden sets, garden benches in cast iron and wood to iron decorative arbors and trellises, and decorative containers in ceramic, clay and poly.

Bulbs and seeds are available in a huge assortment of hard to find items along with the traditional favorites.

This year, Ashcombe is proud to offer a nice collection of garden ornaments, including weather vanes, lawn ornaments, figurines, bird baths and outdoor containers

And...along with all the fun stuff, we can't forget that weeds will be a nuisance soon enough. Ashcombe is ready to help with a complete line of herbicides and helpful advice for applying them.

As always, new antiques are arriving on a daily basis: furniture, glassware, tin, crocks and tools to name a few.

If you have an herb garden, mints will most likely be the first plants thriving in your garden this spring...try one of these great mint recipes!

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. oil
1 1/2 cups milk

or 3/4 cup apple juice and
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the oil, milk and egg. Blend the mixtures together. Add the walnuts and mint. Bake in greased bread pans in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool and slice. Ages and freezes well.

Cook combined sugar and water for 5 minutes. Cool slightly and pour over mint leaves. Add lemon juice. Cover and let steep for 1 hour. Strain. Add grape juice. Just before serving add chilled ginger ale. Garnish with mint sprigs and add ice. Makes 2 quarts.

Spring has sprung in our gift and dried flower department. We have many beautiful silk flowers to fill your home with sunshine. Candle scents and Village Candles too.
New Village Candle 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.

Spring is a wonderful time of the year with many things to do in the garden and yard. Perennials show their faces, forms and textures with blooms following in their season. Annuals brighten up the drab parts of the garden and patio and make outdoor living more pleasant. With more than forty years of growing experience behind us we have selected the kinds of plants that not only survive in your garden but thrive. Our staff is dedicated to helping you be successful growers of flowers and vegetables. Kathy and her able staff at the nursery have many good selections for both sun and shade. Karen in our perennial department has many, many kinds of herbaceous plants and a staff who love perennials. In the annual greenhouse (Springtime) Deb has all the selection you could want in color as well as hanging baskets, vegetables and vining plants.

We know you'll be impressed that Ashcombe has it all together for your benefit and success in gardening. Try us this year.

Thanks and happy gardening,
Glenn Gross

Previous Newsletters:

• March 1999