VIDEO
We followed Annie around with a camera last Fall to see what she does to prepare for those stunning gardens you see here at the nursery each Spring. In this first installment in a series of four, Annie will walk you through what she does each month to prepare for that bodacious Spring flower explosion we all dream about!
November: Cutting Back and Cleaning Up PLANT LIST
Lupinus arboreus ‘Yellow’ “Tree Lupine”
Cosmos ‘Apricot’
Dahlia coccinea ‘Mixed Colors’
Verbascum species ‘Cotswold King’
Scabiosa caucasica ‘Fama Blue’
Geranium pyrenaicum ‘Bill Wallis’
Aquilegia chrysantha ‘Yellow Queen’
Adenophera potaninii
Fall blooming perennials
Plectranthus ecklonii
Pericallis papyracea
If you garden in temperate climes like ours, from now until December you can – no wait – you NEED to plant biennials, perennials and even some hardy annuals in order to have a spectacular and bloomiferous garden come Spring!
December: Planting Perennials PLANT LIST
Nicotiana alata ‘Lime Green’
Lathyrus odoratus “Sweet Peas”
Campanula persicifolia ‘Telham Beauty’
Scabiosa caucasica ‘Fama Blue’
Hollyhocks
Verbascums
Campanula medium “Canterbury Bells”
Aquilegia “Columbines”
Sluggo
Here in coastal California, we plant hardy annuals in January and February for a fabulous bloom-a-thon come April. Your garden will be in full and spectacular bloom just when everybody is rushing out to the garden centers!
February: Planting Hardy Annuals PLANT LIST
Nemophila menziesii “Baby Blue Eyes”
Papaver setigerum
Malcolmia maritima “Virginia Stock”
Sidalcea hendersonii
Eschscholzia caespitosa “Tufted Poppy”
Months in the making, all the steps we put in the previous videos paid off, with a grand explosion of our favorite Spring bloomers. Nuff said – just watch!
May: The Finale! PLANT LIST
LOVE that Cineraria…. I grew it this past spring and it was gorgeous! Just cut it down last weekend and it’s already growing back. Hope to one day make it up to Richmond and visit the gardens & SHOP!!
Nancy
Great tips! I LOVED the plant you highlighted before the Cineraria (the one from South Africa) – but I didn’t catch the name! Could you let me know what it’s called – would love to try it in my garden!
Darla
Thanks
Hi Darla! The plant you’re loving is Plectranthus ecklonii
Thank you for the name and link Megan! It is incredible!
What is the name of the plant that has reverse colors of cineraria? It was mentioned after the Plectranthus.
Loved the video. Makes me feel normal wacking away at my plants!
Hi Jean,
I’m pretty sure that’s Pericallis papyracea
I was wondering how to encourage the plants to self-sow while still dead-heading to encourage bloom. You suggest removing the poppy pods after the petals fall, for example. Should I put the pods directly into the ground? Or save them for later? Please advise. I’m really enjoying all the plants I’ve gotten from you – every day a new flower is coming out – so exciting!!
Hi Liz: with the poppies, you can deadhead to prolong the season and keep the bloom going as Annie demonstrates in the video. There will come a time, though, when the plant will be almost spent and just a few blooms remain with no buds in sight. Leave those pods to mature on the plant. They will dry out and become brown (and you should be able to hear the seeds rattling around inside). At the very top of the poppy pod, there is a little “crown.” When the pods ripen, little “windows” will open in the crown and you will be able to shake the seeds out into your hand or a paper bag. You can save the seeds and sow them in the Fall, or just let them fall where they may. Good luck!