AUBRIETTA

PLANT OF THE WEEK

The 2003 Plant of the Week feature on our website is matched by a display at our Shop and Nursery, and there is usually a discounted sale on the Plant of the Week, selected by Pat Kerns. 

LEUCANTHEMUM superbum "Alaska"
SHASTA DAISY

July 18 - 24, 2003

We offer three shasta daisies at Kerns Nursery.  Alaska is our standard Daisy and has been available here for the past 16 years, so we think pretty highly of it. Blooming in June  and reaching a height of 2-3'.

Leucanthemun Snow Lady is a very long blooming dwarf (12") dwarf with a nice compact form.  A great border plant.  Try repeating along the garden edge for a view line of consistency that draws you along through the garden.

Leucanthemun Crazy Daisy is one of our new plants this year.  WE normally have a double or semi-double shasta daisy in stock.  Crazy Daisy seems like a real winner with giant full and frilly flowers. Reaching 2-3' in height.

ARMERIA RUBRIFOLIA

July 25 - August 1, 2003

ARMERIA rubrifolia

This great border or rock garden plant is neat and easy to grow in full sun where soil has good drainage.  We recommend with all plants of this type to add a good deal of sand to the soil.  The bronze-red foliage makes this armeria unique.  Pink ball-shaped flowers are held above the foliage.  Flowers abundantly for a long period of time.

AQUILEGIA
COLUMBINE  LITTLE LANTERN

A hybrid of the north American native species of columbine, Little Lanterns is a bit more short and compact.  Full of pendulous red and yellow flowers in the spring this plant is a welcome sight.  Great for woodland gardens or garden beds - reaching 18" tall.  Will take sun, but  prefers part shade.

AUBRIETTA

AUBRIETTA HYBRIDS:  These early spring blooming plants can brighten up any garden border or rock garden.  They need good drainage and will spread in a mat.  Flowers are violet, blue or fushia.  Prolific flowers cover the plant in May.

Early Spring to late Spring
Attractive foliage, alpine gardens, borders, ground covers, woodland gardens, attracts butterflies.  

CAMPANULA posharskiana
"BLUE WATERFALL"

A great, relatively new campanula that spreads quickly and is literally covered in blue flowers for an extended period of time.  Height is about 4in.

Campanula "Blue Waterfall"  has a cascading habit and is reasonably drought tolerant.  Low light green foliage is covered with blue bell-shaped flowers in summer.  Some repeat bloom in the Fall. Low-growing, vigorous plant that is great as a border or rock garden plant. Likes full sun to partial shade.

Campanula rotundifolia White Gem

Prolific, delicate sprays of beautiful white bell flowers from June to September. Popular with bees. Excellent white flowers (and white seeds) make this British native ideal for the Catskill Mountaintop. 
Sun or light shade. Any good soil. 12 inches tall.
 

Coreopsis AURICULATA "NANA"

A very low growing coreopsis covered with many bright golden yellow, daisy-like flowers in the spring.  With nice dark green foliage, Coreopsis auriculata Nana grows 7-9” and spreads into mats. Great for the border or for rock gardens.

Bright golden-yellow daisies in May and June and again in fall. Dark green, spreading evergreen foliage that turns burgundy in fall. Native. Excellent as a border plant for average to poor soil. Drought tolerant.                                                   

DELPHINIUM

July 4 - 10, 2003

Delphiniums are probably one of the  most loved summer garden plants with their bold flowers held high above the garden border.  Though they also come in whites, lavenders, purple and pink shades, it is the beautiful blue flowers that are so coveted in the garden.  Not many plants do blue so well. 
Delphiniums are quirky plants that are often termed short lived, yet you often hear of some that persist  for longer periods.  We find that good and well drained soil is the best benefit for keeping the crowns form  rotting.  

Planting this plant at the right soil level is crucial.  Check your plants in early spring to press heaved plants gently back into the soil for protection.  During the growing season staking is  necessary, especially before windy rain storms and angle prune spent stems.   Why bother?  Well because some things are just worth it.   

GERANIUM sanguineum ALAN BLOOM

Growing to 12” tall this “Blooms of Bressingham” introduction is Adrian Bloom’s tribute his father, the patriarch and founder of the famous Blooms of Bressingham nursery in Norfolk, England. 
All the cold and heat tolerance of the species, with a more compact habit and larger, pinker, more abundant flowers all summer.  Luxurious dark green foliage turns red in the Fall.  Ideal for rock gardens, front of border in garden beds, and as a ground cover.

Its attributes include the heat and cold tolerance typical of the species. However, Adrian selected this particular cultivar for its more compact foliage and habit, and for its large, bright pink flowers, with moderate magenta tendencies. The flowers are produced more abundantly and are significantly larger than those of the unimproved species.

HEUCHERA “Silver Scrolls”

Early Summer to early Fall.  Attracts birds, pink color, green silvery leaves.  One of the better new hybrid Heucheras. 

HEUCHERA Canyon Pink  
 
    

A compact form with small shinny rounded leaves  producing bright pink flowers  on 6” stems. 

HEUCHERA “Silver Scrolls”

Early Summer to early Fall.  Attracts birds, pink color, green silvery leaves.  One of the better new hybrid Heucheras. 

HEUCHERA Canyon Pink  
 
    

A compact form with small shinny rounded leaves  producing bright pink flowers  on 6” stems. 

Scabiosa Japonica

An extremely long blooming compact plant producing many cornflower blue flowers throughout the summer.  Often re-seeds and maintains a neat appearance

Many bright blue flowers rise on wiry 12" stems. Blooms begin a rich lavender-blue and age to violet. Blooms a long time, from summer to frost.   Also Scabiosa Japonica Alpina, for rock gardens, a dense, evergreen perennial. Dark, glossy green,  spoon shaped leaves make a dense, weed suppressing, mound forming ground cover. Throughout the warmer months copious quantities of lavender, pincushion-like, flowers are present. An very tough plant tolerant of most conditions.