Saturday, September 8, 2007

Hotter Than You'd Think

Look at what I found while digging in a Siberian Iris















Hey, free rock. I bet if you went to some nursery or landscape supplier this would cost you a nice lunch. I'd say it's 18x12x10 and weighs about 60lbs. So heavy I coulda barely didna do it, cap'n.

Last weekend, while in MN, visited Ambergate Gardens. I had approximately three Os while there. My dear mother and I figure that they must cater exculsively to landscapers and professional gardeners, because nothing is neat, tidy, or organized. Had a fun talk with the owners--husband and wife team--about NE, the UNL Arboretum, and the nice folks at Finke here in town. Everyone, Finke is the BEST nursery for getting anything different (I bought a Tiger Eyes sumac there yesterday--no one has these this late in the season, but they did, of course). No crap here. Prices aren't bad, but that's because the perennials tend to be smaller, so patience is required.

Here's what I got at Ambergate:

Variegated Jacob's Ladder
Angelica Gigas (wow wow wow)
Queen of the Prairie
Turtlehead
Loosestrife
Helianthus hybrid
Blazing Star Liatris
Meadow Cranesbill (geranium, two kinds)
Prairie Clover
Bluestem Grass
Zebra Grass
Ironweed
Mountain Mint
Siberian Iris
Allium of some sort
Prairie smoke
A unique little sedge (forget the latin name)
Tube clematis or clematis bush
Pulmanaria
and some other things (including tons of free leftover creaping sedum)

Here's how it all, mostly, looks now--try and imagine things bigger next June:















Lincoln Nurseries I Frequent, in Order, and Why:

1) Finke: unique stuff, always in stock, always good conversation, personable and helpful.
2) Campbells: pricier, but good selection of most everything you'd want to plant these days. Folks on 40th tend to be nicer and more down to earth than those at Pine Lake. Guess there's a reason: Pine Lake is where all the unhappy rich white folks are moving to.
3) Earl May: eh. I prefer the one on Hwy 2--better service. I sometimes find things here, but it's usually just the common stuff.
4) There are two more I'd like to try....

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