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Fall 2010 Newsletter
By Harlequins Gardens | August 15, 2010
Dear Friends and Fellow Gardeners,
Welcome to Fall and to Harlequin’s Gardens Fall Plant Sale.
The pain and glory of spring 2010 was so “Colorado.” Various plants, roses and trees died or died back this year, perhaps because of the mid-October 2009 11 degree freeze and end of Oct. below zero hit. (Plants would prefer to adjust slowly.) And then we had this beautiful moist, cool and long spring until June, keeping the bulbs and spring flowers in bloom for a long time. In Colorado, the weather report should always begin, “Don’t be surprised if…”
As usual, our Fall Sale will be the Best Deals of the year on plants that are healthy and strong. Fall is a good rooting season. And because fall is also a great time for soil building and organic fertilizing, we have a good supply of organic composts and organic fertilizers. In addition, this year we started brewing our own compost tea, and we assume our “brew” is a high quality. But what is compost tea, really? Is it:
a) a highly concentrated population of beneficial bacteria and beneficial fungi that build healthy soil? b) a nutrient-rich brew that feeds soil life naturally? c) brown water that charlatans sell for a huge profit? d) a compost concentrate that reduces compaction, aerates and improves water retention? or e) who knows? You can’t tell anything by looking at the tea. You have to watch how the plants respond.
So let your plants “taste and see” as the saying goes. And we’re going to make it easy to try our tea. During the sale we’re going to reduce the price of our compost tea to $3 a gallon (regularly $5), and purchases over $75 will get a gallon free, so you can use it on your new plants. Tell us if you see any value in our brew, and tell us if you see no results.
So please come to our Fall Sale which begins with the Members Sale:
Members, for your special support, you get first pick of the plants at the Members Sale, August 24, 25, 26, 27,28, 29 with 20% off all plants and 25% off books. (For info on membership, ask one of our staff, or see our website.)
The next week, August 31,September 1,2,3,4,5 the Fall Sale begins for everybody with 15% off most plants except roses. 10% off books & 10% off soil products in big bags. Also the Deep Discount section will be opened.
The third week September 7,8,9,10, 11, 12, enjoy 25% off perennials, shrubs & trees and 20% off most roses And 10% off books and soil products in big bags.
The fourth week, Sept.14,15,16, 17,18, 19, take 30% off all perennials, shrubs and trees and 20% off most roses and10% off books and soil products in big bags.
The fifth week, Sept.21,22,23, 24, 25, 26, take 35% off perennials, shrubs and trees and 20% off roses, and 10% off books and soil products in big bags.
The sixth week, Sept.28,29, 30 and Oct.1,2,3 there will be a 40% discount off perennials and shrubs, 20% off roses and 50% off trees. And 25% off soil products in big bags, 10% off books
We will continue to offer these prices every Thursday, Friday & Saturday in October.
Gift certificates will be available for the holidays and year-round by calling the nursery, 303-939-9403.
Open: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9-5; Thursday 9-6
October: Thursday,Friday and Saturdays only 9-5
www.harlequinsgardens.com 303-939-9403
Sincerely,
Mikl and Eve Brawner
Here is a taste of some of the great plants available at our Fall Sale
Erodium chrysanthum-Ferny Storksbill, a blue-gray mound of finely dissected foliage and pale yellow flowers, needs very little water, elegant, 4”-10” x 12”-18”, a Harlequin Favorite
Sedum cauticola ‘Lidakense’- let’s call it Blue Cascade Sedum: stunning draping over the edge of a wall, stone or container, in Sept-Oct plum-gray foliage sings with red-pink flowers
Ajuga ‘Catlin’s Giant’-large purple leaves with blue flowers, 4” high dense, weed-smothering ground cover for dry shade; aggressive in moist shade, but useful
Penstemon pinifolius-a tough selection of Pine-leaf Penstemon. 12” x12” with orange-red flowers, excellent evergreen winter appearance. Hummingbirds will stoop to savor.
Blue Mist Spirea-Caryopteris ‘Dark Knight’- Great xeriscape favorite for beautiful blue flowers in the dead of summer; 4’x4’, shear in the spring by 30%; the Econo-Shrub
The Hardy Geraniums are extremely useful for sun or dry shade. Clay is OK. Some are happy in sun, others thrive in dry shade, flowers white to magenta, many with red fall color
We have 4 or 5 kinds, all are wonderful, but do check out ‘Biokovo’ and ‘Splendens’
Desert Four O’Clock-Mirabilis multiflora: lavender trumpet-flowers with purple throats in profusion late day/early am, very drought tolerant; 12”x36”+; fabulous xeriscape plant
Culinary Sage-Salvia officinalis: gray foliage is good in soups, stuffing etc; two by two, flowers blue, wouldn’t you, like a few? Makes a deer-proof hedge or specimen
Diascia ‘Coral Canyon’ Twinspur- here’s a perennial that blooms all summer with coral-pink flowers; great in containers or in the ground; maybe short-lived, but worth it
Barnebyi Columbine-This native yellow and pink columbine is the most xeric columbine, the flowers are small, but attractive; the blue foliage is dome-shaped and resists aphids
Native Gayfeather-Liatris punctata: Totally drought tolerant butterfly magnet, purplish-pink spikes of flowers in the heat of summer; 12”-16”; great addition for your meadow
Arp Rosemary: A woman called the nursery and asked if we carry a rosemary that can grow outside in Colorado, tastes good, called ‘Arp’. “Yes, we do.” “Then would you hold one for me?” “OK, what is your name?” She replied “Rosemary Arp”. Not eternal, but 3-6 years
Provence Lavender-imagine growing a hardy lavender 30”-36” tall with 16” long wands with a fabulous fragrance that can be dried or braided with ribbon, not just in France
Grasses: we have many varieties in top condition including: Autumn Embers Muhly (Muhlenbergia reverchonii) graceful, showy xeric grass introduced by Lauren Springer-Ogden, modest size, easy, AND Giant Sacaton-Sporobolus wrightii-best tall xeric ornamental grass, 5’-7’ tall, dramatic not overwhelming, SW native, screen or focal point
Black Elderberry-Sambucus nigra: 10’ fast-growing shrub; dark green leaves and clusters of white flowers; immune-building elderberry syrup is made from berries; need 2 for fruit
The Thymes are not as drought-tolerant in Colorado as they are in England, but they are good summer-blooming ground covers where they’re watered once a week and some in winter. Reiter Thyme is a favorite, tough, weed-smothering variety; 3”x30”; Ohme Gardens Thyme is a heat-tolerant, mauve-blooming thyme 3”x24”, vigorous; Back Wall Thyme is very low, good between flagstones, more durable than Elfin; Wooly Thyme-vigorous old standby, somewhat shade tolerant, we have two selections, one that blooms
“Tough as Nails”-Paronychia kapela- looks/ functions like creeping thyme, but is more tolerant of drought and of our winter sun, showy white bracts, good between pavers
Dianthus simulans-low, very tight foliage makes a large bun in the open or a “starfish” between rocks, very pettable, long-lived; you’ve been asking, it’s finally ready
Penstemon Pikes Peak Purple-purple flowers on 16” stems, long-blooming, Plant Select
Russian Sage-3’-5’ tall, blue-violet flowers in summer, long-blooming, xeric & easy
Silver Edge Horehound-M. rotundifolium: beautiful foliage, 8”x24”, very xeric, behaves
Big Sedums: great for late summer color in the garden/xeriscape, honeybees love them; Neon-deep purplish-pink flowers on 15” stems, zone 3; Red Cauli- masses of bright red flowers Aug-Oct on 10” purplish foliage; Matrona- sturdy 20” reddish stems with dark bluish-green leaves with rosy-pink edges and pink flowers summer thru fall-a winner
Our remarkable Clematis selection includes showy, large-flowered vines; lovely, bell-flowered climbers and scramblers; herbaceous perennial varieties and even xeric shrubs:
Mrs. Robert Brydon is a vigorous scrambler, covering the ground and winding through shrubs; covered with small, light blue and white starry flowers for 4-6 weeks July/Aug
Ramona-6” lavender flowers with maroon anthers, early/late, easy, vigorous, sun/pt sun
ROSES: By now we are known as THE place to go in Colorado for hardy, sustainable roses
And we have a great selection including: “Fairmount Proserpine”-a superb rose found in Fairmount Cemetery-very fragrant, purple-pink flowers that repeat well, and is tough.
Burgundy Iceberg-sport of famous Iceberg with fragrant burgundy blooms, great repeat, 4’
John Davis- very long blooming Canadian with lovely flowers; you won’t find this elsewhere
The Gift-a star for difficult conditions, masses of white flowers, good repeat, 3’x5’
“Broadway Perpetual”-Eve and I found this sturdy rose with medium pink flowers and a rich old rose perfume, guess where?, and it repeats well, 7’x 5’, (real name unknown)
NATIVES: because sustainability is one of our goals, natives have always been a specialty. At our sale you will find wildflowers and dozens of native shrubs including: New Mexican Privet-not a true privet; a 12’-15’ small tree/shrub with light gray bark and light green leaves and blue berries on the female, good screen or specimen. Fern Bush-a 5’ xeric shrub that has ferny leaves and clusters of white flowers that support many beneficial insects
Sphaeralcea sp.-upright very xeric perennials, 3’-5’, soft orange, pink or lavender flowers
Desert Mahonia-M.haematocarpa-blue, evergreen foliage, yellow flowers, red fruit, 6’-8’
TREES
Hackberry, Burr Oak, Western Catalpa, Ginnala Maple, Thunderchild Crab, Scotch Pine; Radiant & Spring Snow Crabs, Chokecherry, Upright Native Juniper, Arizona Cypress, many hawthorns (Apples, Plums and Peaches are available now, but Not Discounted)
SOIL PRODUCTS-We have high quality organic fertilizers, composts & mulch at reasonable prices and to make your gardens more sustainable, the city of Boulder is offering REBATES for Boulder Water Customers up to 50% off local and 25% off other soil products.
BULBS: Many of you have been interested in the bulbs you’ve seen blooming in our xeriscape display gardens in April and May, so this fall we will offer, for the first time, small numbers of an interesting selection of bulbs that thrive in our xeriscapes, plus a few more. Many of them are early, short and naturalizing forms of tulips, daffodils, crocus, iris, and alliums, plus blue Grecian Windflower, Siberian Squill, Spring Starflower (Ipheion), Lavender Mountain Lily (Ixiolirion), the fall-blooming Saffron Crocus, and even Paperwhites for indoor fragrance in winter. Some are deer-proof. Look on our website in Plants/Bulbs for a complete listing with descriptions and pictures.
We’re very grateful to all of you who nominated us for Best Plant Nursery, Best Garden Center, and any other category in the Daily Camera’s ‘Boulder Gold’ competition. We haven’t been notified yet of the winners, but regardless of this year’s outcome, we sincerely thank you for taking the time to show your support and enthusiasm for Harlequin’s Gardens!
We have re-stocked our racks of Abbondanza and Botanical Interests seeds for fall planting of cool-weather greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, swiss chard, tatsoi and arugula. Most of these can continue to supply fresh greens at least through December with just a little protection. Ask us about our row-cover fabric and Loop-hoops. We have also produced a limited number of fall vegetable starts for these crops and for several types of broccoli.
We would love to hear from you about your experiences with the vegetable starts and seeds you purchased from Harlequin’s Gardens, what was delicious, productive, healthy, or not. So we are designing a Veggie Feedback section for our website and will soon notify you in our blog when it has been launched.
Landscape Consultations: Eve and Mikl are available for consultations year-round. If you could use a little help deciding which plants to chose for difficult locations, how to begin working on a brand-new homesite, how to adapt your garden to use less water, support wild-life, or produce more food, give us a call. We can also help identify pest or disease problems, make pruning and maintenance recommendations, or give you a personal tutorial in how to prune your roses, young trees, or fruit trees. Call 303-939-9403 for rates and to schedule with Mikl, Eve or both. If you schedule a consultation to take place between Nov 1 and Feb 28, we’ll give you 15% off a one-time purchase of plants at Harlequin’s Gardens
Newsletters by Email: Please choose to receive our newsletters by email. As the cost of printing and postage goes up and as our forests continue to come down, we are hoping you will like to receive our mailings and special offers by email. Please go to our website @ www.harlequinsgardens.com and click on the Subscribe link in the left margin of the home page, enter your name and addresses and press submit. Or leave your information at the front desk at Harlequin’s Gardens any day except Monday.
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