From the earliest days of the Roman Empire, purple has symbolized royalty and nobility. Fortunately you don't have to be wealthy or royal to enjoy purple in your garden. Purple foliage plants used in combination with other blooming plants can create harmony and excitement in your landscape. An additional value to using purple foliage plants, unlike purple flowering plants, is that many will remain in color throughout the growing season. Purple foliage plants are also becoming increasingly available in a wide variety of textures, forms and sizes. Look for these plants this spring in our store:

Annuals ...

CANNA
Annual bulb; full sun; 3-5 feet tall.
"Wyoming" - purple-bronze leaves with orange flower.
"Black Knight" - purple-burgundy leaves with red flower.

SUN COLEUS
Annual; full sun; 1-3 feet tall.

SWEET POTATO VINE
Annual; full sun; creeping.
"Blackie" - deep cut purple vine; great in containers.

HYACINTH BEAN
Annual vine; full sun; creeping purple leaves with purple pods; needs a trellis

RED RUBIN BASIL
Annual/herb; full sun; 15 inches tall. Dark reddish-purple leaves; great in containers

PERSIAN SHIELD
House plant; sun-partial shade; 4 feet tall. Purple and green variegated foliage.

PURPLE HEART
House Plant; full sun -partial shade; creeping. Deep purple foliage with lavender flowers.

Perennials ...

Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing'
Perennial Chervil or Purple-leaved Cow Parsley - NEW for 2000! Bronzy purple ferny foliage bears beautiful white flowers on 2 to 3 foot stalks April to July. Flowers resemble Queen Anne's Lace. Performs best in full sun.

Cimicifuga racemosa 'Atropurpurea' or 'Hillside Black Beauty'
Bugbane or Fairy Candles - Dark copper-purple, ferny foliage all season long. In fall these elegant 5-6 foot tall plants produce long, graceful, bottlebrush -like creamy white blooms. The dark stout purple stems that hold the flower spikes contrast dramatically with the bright flowers, and are sturdy enough to require no support despite their height. Plants perform best in shady areas with adequate moisture.

Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate'
White Snakeroot - Attractive, shiny, deep purple stems hold interesting chocolate-colored leaves. In late summer and fall, abundant clusters of small, bright white flowers are produced that are set off handsomely by the dark foliage. Blossoms persist for a long time. This 3-4 foot native is easy to grow in sun or shade.

Euphorbia dulcis ''Chameleon' Purple Spurge - Gorgeous bronzy-purple leaves that are arranged in whorls on purple stems. Plants for tight tidy mounds of 12 -18 inches. Plants blossom in late spring or early summer producing rounded clusters of charming lime -yellow bracts at the end of each stem that contrast nicely with the rich foliage. A great choice for striking contrast in your garden. Easy to grow in sun to part shade. Cut plants back hard after reblooming to regenerate new rich colored foliage.

Heuchera americana Cultivars
Purple-Leaved Alumroot or Coralbells - A large number of purple leaved hybrids have been developed. They all form beautiful 1 -11/2 foot mounds of clean tidy dark foliage that look great all season. The first cultivar developed, 'Palace Purple' was named Perennial Plant of the Year in 1991.

Viola labrodorica
Labrador Violet - Dark purple, heart-shaped foliage all season forms a carpet. Charming blue violet shaped flowers in spring. Excellent strong ground cover for shady sites.

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'
Red Fountain Grass - A stunning annual grass with long red foxtail plumes over reddish-purple cascading foliage. Blooms June until frost. Grows 3-4 feet tall. Excellent in containers. Will not survive the winters in our area, since it is only hardy to zone 9. It should be grown as an annual.

New Annuals for 2000

Proven Winners are the latest, most exciting hybrids from around the world. They have been trialed and tested here in North America and are found to be more colorful, faster growing, versatile and vigorous than any other plants on the market today. In every category, Proven Winners beat the competition to insure outstanding performance

Anagallis - 'Skylover Blue'
These intense blue flowers grow on plants that reach a height of 14 -16 inches. Nice in combination planters.

Argyranthemum - 'Harvest Snow.'
This heat tolerant and abundantly blooming white daisy will tolerate both very hot and very cool temperatures. Nice alone or in combination with other annuals.

Bacopa - 'Lavender Storm' and 'Giant Snowflake.'
'Lavender Storm' has light lavender flowers and dark green foliage. 'Giant Snowflake' has much larger white flowers than any other Bacopa. Both varieties love direct sunlight. Use in mixed pots of annuals or hanging baskets to waterfall over the sides.

Biden - 'Peter's Compact Carpet.'
Single golden yellow flowers bloom all summer until the first hard frost. Spreads vigorously and grows to 24" high. This is an aggressive American native with a spectacular summer/fall show. Sun and heat tolerant. Great for containers and window boxes.

Lamium - 'Golden Anniversary.'
This variety of Lamium is part of the Proven Winners "Blooming Visions" collection and has variegated gold and green foliage with pink flowers. It can be used as a ground cover, container plant or in a hanging basket. It is shade tolerant and can withstand dry shade conditions.

Million Bells - 'Terracotta.'
This yellow/orange petunia-like flower is the latest in the Million Bells series. This is a self cleaning variety that you will enjoy from spring to fall. It prefers full sun and looks great in a combination container or hanging basket.

Nemesia - 'Bluebird' and 'Compact Innocence.'
These tiny snapdragon like flowers come in two new colors this year: violet-blue and white with a yellow center. Both are semi-trailing, fragrant and tolerant of cooler temperatures. Can be used in baskets, containers and landscapes.

Petunia - 'Sheer Double Madness.'
These double flowers are pink with dark veins and are great in pots, as bedding plants, or in baskets.

Verbena - 'Babylon' series and 'Temari Patio' series.
'Babylon' is a new type of trailing verbena that has an excellent branching habit which means less pinching and more flowers. Large flowers in rose, pink or lilac bloom from spring to fall. Sun and heat loving. The 'Temari Patio' series is a prime choice for patio container gardening. With its bushy and slightly upright habit, it overflows, out of the container and features deep colored blossoms in hot pink, blue and pink.

The AAS winners will provide the most reliable plants for beauty in your garden. These plants have been tested and have proven their superior performance at various judging locations across North America. Each AAS winner has a unique set of traits or qualities that set it apart from all others. Look for these two new AAS winners this spring:

Vinca - 'Stardust Orchid.'
This annual has large 11/2" orchid blooms with white centers. Vinca is heat and drought tolerant and requires minimal care in the garden. Also look for 'Stardust Pink.'

New Herbs for 2000

We have added 8 new herbs including, 'Hall's Wooly' Thyme, 'Rubin Red' Basil and 'Silver Dwarf' Lavender.

2000 marks the 'Year of the Rosemary,' and Ashcombe will be introducing five new types of Rosemary in celebration of this old favorite.

Rosemary, or 'Dew of the Sea,' as it's name translates, naturally grows in two basic forms: upright and creeping. Many of the upright varieties like 'Dark Blue,' 'White' and 'Pink' can reach a height of four feet and are often shaped into topiary trees. 'Creeping' Rosemary and 'Collingswood' are low growing varieties and can add a unique look to baskets and containers.

In this area, most Rosemary is a tender perennial, meaning that a heavy mulching is needed to overwinter outdoors. 'Arp' is one of the hardiest varieties, as well as 'Salem' which is to be perennial as far north as Salem, Massachusettes.

Throughout history herbs have been assigned special meanings. The ancient Greeks named Rosemary for Remembrance. It's been used at weddings to help remember vows and at funerals to remember loved ones. In Medieval times, students rubbed Rosemary oil on their temples before examinations.

New Vegetables for 2000

This year we will be adding 14 new varieties of fruits and vegetables; two of which have been named All America Selection Winners for 2000. Look for these this spring:

Cabbage - 'SAVOY EXPRESS'
This early, compact variety matures in almost half the time of other savoy cabbages. The small head size (under two pounds) is perfect for smaller sized families.

Eggplant - 'MILLIONAIRE'
One of the earliest eggplants to mature, these 12" fruits are smooth and very tender. This is a type of Japanese eggplant that grows on upright plants.

Lettuce - 'MESCLUN MIX'
Mesclun is a mixture of lettuces, endives, pak choi, kale and other leafy greens. Crops of tender, young green leaves are clipped and then regrow. This is quickly becoming the most popular salad mix.

Pepper - 'BLUSHING BEAUTY'
AAS Winner for 2000. The beauty of its pastel color combinations distinguishes this pepper from others. Maturing from pale green or ivory to pink and finally to a deep rosy red, gardeners are sure to enjoy watching this vegetable grow. These thick walled peppers can be harvested at anytime and do best in containers.

Tomatoes - 'BUCK'S COUNTY'
One of the most popular heirloom tomatoes has been refined and improved. The result is an 8 oz. deep red beefsteak with the same great flavor and texture, but gorgeous crack-free skin and much higher yield potential.

Tomatoes - 'GIANT BELGIUM'
Huge, sweet fruits average 1-2 lbs. Dark pink fruits have smooth blossom ends and a low acid, mild flavor, so sweet that some gardeners use them to make wine. Solid meat and size means one slice per sandwich, making it a very popular variety.

Tomatoes - 'SANTA'
These prolific 1/2 oz. fruits mature to deep red, with a unique elongated shape. Firm and well-textured, with outstanding sweetness. Up to 50 fruits per truss.

Childrens Gardening Classes 2000

Ashcombe's gardening classes for children are underway for 2000. These classes are held the first and third Saturday of each month with two sessions each Saturday. The first runs from 9:00-10:00am and the second runs from 10:30-11:30am. It is recommended that you pre-register your children for these classes as class size is limited to 20. The following is a list of upcoming classes.

March 4th
"How Does A Seed Grow?"

March 18th
"All About Pine cones"

April 1st
"Fun with Pansies"

April 15th
"Let¹s Experiment"
Does cool or warm air make a difference to starting seeds?

May 6th
"Exploring Different Ways to Start Plants"

May 30th
"Planting Potatoes & Tomatoes"

Spring is just around the corner and we have a full supply of garden seed to choose from. We also have loose seed available in peas, beans and corn. Onion sets and seed potatoes will be arriving soon!

We are stocking our shelves full with new items including chemicals (more organic products), soils, pottery and garden accessories. We also are bringing in new styles of garden and patio furniture. They will be available in cedar, cast iron and aluminum - just to name a few!

Bulbs will be arriving in late February with our usual abundance of gladioli, dahlias and rock garden varieties. We even have some unusual varieties to add to your garden schemes!

In April, we will introduce a new line of mahogany furniture in Victorian design. Very exquisite looking!

Check out our antique area! Our supplies are changing frequently, as we have been adding merchandise on a regular basis ... furniture, crocks, jugs, tinware, glassware, iron, tools, bottles, jars and more!

Lilacs for Your Landscape

Modern lilacs offer a wealth of choices for the garden. Sizes range from 4 feet to 20 feet tall. There are early and late flowering cultivars that can extend the flowering season from late April through mid-June. There are 8 distinct colors: white, violet, blue, lilac, pink, magenta, purple and butter yellow. Check out these unusual lilac varieties in our nursery this spring.

Early Season (late April-Mid May)
Syringa x hacinthiflora 'Pocahontas'
This excellent, showy lilac has fragrant, true violet purple flowers that cover the entire plant. A strong grower of 10 to 12 feet!

Mid Season (Mid May)
Syringa laciniata 'Grate Stuff.'
This unusual 4 foot tall lilac has fragrant lavender flowers and finely grated, ferny foliage.

Syringa vulgaris 'Marie Frances.'
This small 5 foot lilac has pink shrimp-like multi-petaled flowers. It is compact and very fragrant.

Syringa vulgaris 'Sensation.'
This unusual bicolor has single purple flowers edged in white. This upright grower reaches a height of 8-10 feet.

Syringa 'Tinkerbelle.'
This lilac is the first in a new Fairy Tale series of lilacs. It is a 5 foot dwarf with wine-red buds that open to deep pink, spicy scented flowers!

Late season (Late May-June)
Syringa x prestoniae 'Donald Wyman.'
Dark purple buds on this lilac open into fragrant wine red flowers. Grows 8 - 10 feet tall.

Facts About Lilac Color

1.   Young, immature lilacs bloom in lighter shades than their adult counterparts; many do not show their true color for 4-6 years.

2.   Lighter, sandy soil gives lilac blossoms a more faded look; heavier clay or organic loam brings out darker color tones.

3.   Hot, dry, sunny weather at bloom time causes lilac flowers to fade to lighter shades; cool, damp weather causes blooms to be darker.

4.   A daily color change occurs in lilacs as flower buds swell, open and age. Often buds, the reverse of flower petals or outer petals are a deeper or entirely different color than that of an open floret.

Any combination of the above factors can give a lilac different shades from year to year.

Message From The President

Spring is near and we will have plants for making your home or deck the most colorful of all. For 40 years we have been growing spring plants for the gardening trade and have the latest and best varieties to choose from, including Proven winners, for your home and garden.

Our Spring Open House throughout the month of March and our Herbal Heritage Week in April will feature the new and exciting varieties we have this year to please you and your neighbors.

Best Wishes,
GLENN GROSS

Previous Newsletters:

• November 1999

• September 1999

• June 1999

• May 1999

• March 1999