September is for Solidago

Last week, we celebrated the arrival of our native aster blooms as they begin to unfurl around the nursery. As promised, this week we’ll be exploring their phylogenic cousins, the goldenrods. It’s almost like September is designed exclusively for the parade of yellows, purples and blues that categorically make up the perennial palette of autumn, all belonging to the second largest flowering family worldwide: Asteraceae. The golden plumes of our native goldenrods, which are considered critical keystone species, are identifiable beacons of the end of summer, recognizable to even the most novice plant lovers.

Compositely Yours, Aster

Now that September has officially arrived (also known as the unofficial start of autumn, if you’ve been eagerly counting down the days to spooky season like I have), both us lowly humans as well as our plant companions are ready for well-deserved break from the summer heat. As the nighttime emerges more quickly and the sun seems wont to rise in the brisk early mornings, the purples, blues, and yellows that signal the arrival of autumn slowly begin to unravel. Asters and goldenrods are the champion perennials of late summer to early autumn, their complimentary hues playing against one another in the landscape. At a time when many other native perennials are at a standstill, these two provide critical nectar sources for pollinators late in the season.

Happy Labor Day!

Please note that we will be closed in observance of Labor Day on Monday, September 2nd.

We will return on Tuesday, September 3rd at 7am to assist you with all of your plant needs and help you get ready for all of your fall projects - please be patient as we try to catch up on pulling orders that morning. Prepare to pick up any plant material that day in the late morning to early afternoon hours.

Coneflower Crazy!

With its oldie-but-goodie status long established since the early 1700s upon classification, Echinacea purpurea really needs no introduction. Instead, we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Good Golly, Great Grasses!

It’s been a while since we’ve taken a meander through our grassy knolls... or, at the very least, the masses of grasses we have patiently waiting in their production houses for their forever homes. With the demand for native species increasing, we wanted to take the time to highlight some wonderful graminoid options for the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. Move over, Miscanthus!

Ruderal Rhexia, Rhynchospora, & Rubus

This week has been an inventory extravaganza, with new items going onto our availability left, right, and center. Amongst the slew of new and returning plants are some lesser known and even lesser utilized species that deserve their chance in the spotlight. While we frantically attempt to broaden our materials list before the busy fall season hits, let us implore you to dive deeper into some plants that demand your attention. These plants are chosen specifically for their ability to thrive in a variety of site conditions, including recently disturbed areas, and represent textures and colors that are unmatched in the landscape.

As with anything in the botanical world, there’s a term for hearty plants that can thrive in primordial landscapes: ruderal, derived from the Latin root, rudera or ruderalis, meaning “rubble”. We want to introduce you to three selections specified for landscape areas of concern, specifically those requiring soil stabilization and pioneering by tough, gritty plants.

Re-Imagining Indigofera

If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly trying to figure out ways to get the most out of your leafy landscape companions. Whether it be eating the literal fruits of their labor, cutting fresh flowers for indoor arrangements, or learning how to make natural dyes from various plant materials, the ethnobotanical uses of our beloved garden buddies are seemingly boundless. Unfortunately, many of our traditional practices have gotten lost with time and the evolution of technology and synthetic materials – our fruits harvested thousands of miles away in different countries, last-minute bouquets of cut flowers purchased for loved ones at grocery stores, pre-made fabrics and man-made dyes that adorn our bodies day in and day out. Sometimes, the disconnect gets so overwhelming that there’s only one thing to do: return to nature. This is the season of berry-picking, frolicking through wildflower fields, and experimenting with the natural world around us, should we allow ourselves the whimsy with which to explore. The most curious of inquisitive horticultural minds may find themselves mashing and boiling plant materials to discover a heavily pigmented end result. But, where to start?

Vibrant Vitex

Summertime is in full swing all around the perimeters of Pleasant Run. Bees are buzzing, butterflies are flitting about, goldfinches are happily lapping up coneflower seeds on spent flowerheads. We’re adding new inventory left and right, getting ready for a fall season that is anticipated to be just as hair-pullingly busy as spring, and rediscovering some of our favorite selections that have proven themselves to be timeless garden workhorses.

Amongst these, our crops of Vitex agnus-castus, which I am perhaps a bit partial to, are magnificent in all of their glory. Standing proud and regal, seemingly unbothered by neither pest nor disease, with a pleasingly quick growth rate and the ability to withstand heat, salt spray, and drought, Vitex agnus-castus is as beautiful and intriguing as it is multi-functional in a variety of landscapes.

Captivating Carpinus

Maybe you’ve noticed the extreme heat we’ve been dealing with lately. We previously talked about heat-tolerant selections that are capable of thriving even in the hottest of Mid-Atlantic conditions. Still, us lowly humans need to beat the heat somehow, especially if most of our time is spent outdoors whether professionally or recreationally. Where better to find reprieve than under the shelter of a large, shady tree that also has the capacity to house and sustain wildlife? This week, we’re going beneath the cool, shadowy canopies belonging to two members of the Carpinus genus and uncovering some of the lesser-known attributes and interesting facts that make these trees so fascinating.

Out with the Old Classics, in with the New Epics

Pushing the boundaries of garden design with interesting and unique ornamental plants is a foolproof way to not only keep your clients thrilled, but to also keep your own brain from spilling over with images of the same plants time and time again. Surely, there is a place for the Endless Summer® bigleaf hydrangeas and dwarf fountain grasses of the world, but they are certainly not the end-all-be-all of landscape plants. This week, let us take you on a journey of new plant selections that are designed to become the next generation of garden classics.

Landscaping for Lightning Bugs

Fireflies, lightning bugs, whatever you call them, you may have noticed an influx of the glowing evening insects this year. States throughout the Mid-Atlantic are reporting higher quantities of lightning bugs than years past. I, personally, can attest to the silent rave that happens in my yard every evening now, tiny yellow strobes composing a tapestry of starry light throughout the darkness. My childhood, as I’m sure many of yours are, is filled with memories of chasing lightning bugs around the yard, collecting them in my yellow plastic bucket with a red plastic screen top, and shaking them to encourage them to glow (my parents still chuckle about my ignorant brutality to this day).

Who's Afraid of Hemerocallis?

Let’s face it, daylilies have gotten a pretty bad rap in recent years. Hemerocallis fulva is a notorious landscape bully, disregarding smaller, more delicate plants and bulldozing its way from its original location to… well, everywhere else. After all, it’s called ditch lily because of its lack of fussiness regarding where it settles itself, often taking over low-lying roadsides, moist woodland edges, and dry, disturbed soils with ease. Naturally, this known invasion of space has led many to stray away from utilizing daylilies in the landscape, especially native plant enthusiasts who fear complete Hemerocallis havoc amongst endemic species, such as our tender native spring ephemerals.

Heat Tolerant Plants for the Sizzlin' Summer

As we brace for the heatwave that’s about to ring in the summer season and hope that it’s not a dark omen for weather to come, we wanted to take the lighter approach to embracing the oppressive warmth by celebrating some of our favorite heat tolerant selections available here at the nursery.

Magenta Mayhem

Mingling amongst the chartreuses, blue-greens, emeralds and olives, pops of bright magenta tones seem to be the predominant contrasting color throughout the gardens and production houses. Perennials and woody plants alike have begun to appear as reddish-purple beacons, fluorescent in the balmy morning fog and sparkling in the mid-afternoon sunlight. Although “magenta” is actually a term coined from colorists in the mid-19^th century, originally called by its chemical name triaminotriphenyl carbonium chloride (try say that 5 times fast), it is very certainly a color that not only exists in the natural world, but is one of the primary floral hues worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical species. Interestingly, the magnificent red-purple we’ve come to know as magenta received its name from the famously gory 1859 Battle of Magenta fought in Italy between French and Austrian battalions. The pigment, derived from coal-tar, was discovered almost simultaneously, with scientists choosing to name it after the bloody battle in an act of reverence. One’s perception of this special hue may range widely, at once appearing more purple than red, at other times redder than purple, sometimes bright, sometimes dark, but always magenta.

Poetic Poaceae

Now that the magic of May has faded, with much of the springtime color we’ve come to enjoy around the nursery ending while we linger on the cusp of summer blooms, the time to celebrate the variances of green textures, tones, and shapes is upon us. We’ve talked before about the important ecological role that our Midwestern-American grasslands play in maintaining the balance of so many critically endangered mammalian and avian species. This week, we’re getting a little closer to home, talking more about the geographical, ecological, and, of course, ornamental properties of three strappy garden sidekicks (that hopefully after today will become more than just sidekicks in your installations).

For all intents and purposes, when we say “grasses”, this week we really do mean good ole true grasses – those belonging to the family Poaceae. We’ll get to the sedges and rushes of the world at a later date, but today we’re getting into the nodes and culms of it all.

Magical May Medicinals

Maybe I’m biased as a late-May baby (the 23^rd, if you’re wondering), but the middle to end of the month of May is quite possibly one of the most magic-filled moments in the natural world. At this point, irises of all colors have made themselves known, trees are pretty much completely leafed out and full of color, and tentative summer flower buds are beginning to emerge above lush, green basal foliage. The birdsong is plentiful, bees are back to buzzing about, and tiny discoveries await hidden amongst the foliage and flowers of Pleasant Run and beyond.

Count on Clematis

Recently, my best friend and her husband moved into a charming suburban townhome that had previously been owned by an elderly woman with a penchant for perennials, having adorned her garden beds with black and brown-eyed Susans, various mints, a healthy Amsonia hubrichtii specimen in the middle of the yard that I (somewhat obnoxiously) begged and pleaded my friend’s husband not to remove (with the help of Mt. Cuba’s recent trials, they’re now both fully on board with its presence), and even poke weed as a fruiting ornamental for the birds.

May the Fourth be With You

For all you Star Wars fanatics and sci-fi nerds, May 4^th is a great day to make one of the oldest calendar-appropriate dad jokes as relentlessly as you can while annoying friends, colleagues, and loved ones all at once. Perhaps you’d like to take it one step further and cultivate a space-themed garden or outdoor space that subtly encompasses the otherworldliness and ethereal qualities of the great unknown beyond our atmosphere. Here are some out-of-this-world plant selections that not only shoot for the stars, but go to infinity and beyond with their landscape performance and beauty.

Arbor Day

Happy Belated Arbor Day! Really, who says you can’t celebrate all weekend long? We hope you’re getting up to some serious tree planting and gardening this weekend, with some time set aside to admire your local sun-dappled canopies that are coming alive with greenery. Arbor Day is celebrated across multiple continents after being conceived in the 1870’s by a hopeful journalist named Julius Sterling Morton, who managed to successfully inspire the citizens of Nebraska City enough that they planted approximately one million trees around the city. It wasn’t until nearly 100 years later that President Nixon would proclaim Arbor Day a National Holiday, after which it would claim its place on the calendar, falling on the last Friday of April. In honor of the traditions and legacy of Arbor Day, we’re highlighting some of our favorite tree selections that we have breaking dormancy around the nursery.

All Roads Lead to Rhododendron

We’ve made it to azalea season! With spring fully underway, the nursery is bustling with pops of color appearing everywhere from the canopies to the understories, killdeer frantically attempting to make gravel nests along the edges of the newly plastic-less production houses, and the fluctuating warm and cold weather that seems to be keeping us on our toes constantly. As deciduous trees and shrubs unfurl leaf buds and evergreen plants start to push new growth, amongst them are some of the most notorious and recognizable species to even the greenest of plant novices. The Rhododendron genus is comprised of true rhododendrons, or “rhodies” as we’ll affectionately call them going forward, as well as the azalea group which share a genera name and some physiological attributes with true rhodies but for all intents and purposes are completely different plants. In fact, deciduous azaleas are actually a subgenus of rhododendron, which means that all azaleas are rhododendrons, but all rhododendrons are not azaleas – kind of like how a square is a type of rectangle, but rectangles are not considered squares. You get it.

All-American Asimina triloba

We’re giddy with excitement about our containerized pawpaw patch that’s full of mature, fruit-bearing-aged trees looking for their forever homes. These mature specimens are loaded with the odd-looking bronze-purple flowers that are, apparently, being actively pollinated when our backs are turned. Night-pollinating beetles and daytime flies, most likely, are the culprit for the tandem emergence of the tiny, fingerlike baby fruits that likely give this native tree several of its other common names: dog banana, Indian banana, and false-banana, to name a few. The immature fruits do, in fact, resemble tiny bananas, while the mature fruits have a texturally similar pulp that could be likened to the soft innards of an overly ripened banana. Exotic looking, large, edible fruits grow in clusters of 4-5, and are an important nutrient-and-fat-dense food source for various mammals such as squirrels, black bears, raccoons, and opossums. Or, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to harvest some of the fruits for yourself to enjoy in baked goods, ice cream, and even summery mixed cocktails.

April Brilliance

To celebrate the arrival of April, we’re taking a deep dive into a spring-blooming favorite, Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ – but don’t let the name fool you. This versatile multi-stemmed shrub (or tree form, if you so desire) is so much more than just a flowering, fruiting, bird-beloved ornamental specimen. As the offspring resulting from the cross of its North American native parents, Amelanchier laevis and A. arborea, ‘Autumn Brilliance’ apple serviceberry seems to inherit the best of both worlds.

Bloomin' Blues to Buzz About!

Usually, various hues of green represent the true arrival of spring – from the budding of deciduous trees, shrubs, and vines, to the emergent basal foliage of many perennials, the livening of semi-evergreen grasses, and the fresh flush of new growth on broadleaf evergreens. Mingled amongst the emerald, chartreuse, Kelly, forest and hunter greens, rare jewel tones of sapphire, indigo, cobalt, lapis and azure bring an unexpected curiosity to the garden. Typically, it is our native Mertensia virginica, Virginia bluebells, and even blue-flowering Aquilegia canadensis selections that come to mind for this specific and rather scrupulous palette.

Primavera de Pieris!

Viva la Spring! We made it, folks. It might not feel like it, what with the evening and early morning temperatures dipping into the 20’s and 30’s, but before we know it our long-johns and insulated jackets will be replaced with loose, breathable linens and our skin will be kissed (or burnt to a spectacular crimson if you’re like me) by the summer sun. One of the first indications that spring is in fact underway is the emergence of the pendulous, tiny bell-shaped flowers that decorate the apexes of Pieris japonica’s evergreen branches, emitting a delicate and pleasant fragrance as they waver gently in chilly early spring breezes. Sure, most of the time Japanese andromedas are the functional evergreen shrub that works as a hedge, specimen, foundation planting – you name it. But it’s only for several weeks of the year that we get to enjoy its lovely, lethal little blooms. So, this week, we’re plunging into Pieris.

New Website Launch

Right in time for spring, we bring you the brand spankin’ new Pleasant Run Nursery website! We know how many of you love and utilize the classic layout and helpful plant descriptions, resources, and availability updates that you’ve relied on for many years since our first launch. All of the same features you know and love are now amplified in a visually engaging format, including more interactive features that allow you to curate your plant lists and orders as you see fit.

Just Juniper Things

How could we try to get through the rest of the winter without having at least one week dedicated to an all-time-classic conifer? The humble juniper, a staple in gardens and landscapes throughout the world, is no stranger to even the least knowledgeable plant people. The aromatic, evergreen needles, similarly fragrant, glaucous blue berrylike cones, and universally widespread range makes Juniperus perhaps one of the most recognizable genera in the plant kingdom. Why are junipers so special, though? It’s just a coniferous evergreen, after all – why and how have they developed such a loyal fanbase throughout horticultural history to become not only a landscape standard, but a collector’s item? Surely, there must be something beyond the branches that has enchanted and bewitched folks for centuries. Well, buckle up, buckaroos, because this week we’re going on a Juniperus deep dive.

Flowers & Fragrances of February

Believe it or not, there’s quite a bit to see around the Nursery right now – we have perennials gently emerging from their winter slumbers, pushing tentative basal foliage above the soil line, and winter-blooming shrubs performing their annual routine. If you know where to look, there are wintry happenings subtly making themselves known in preparation for what we are anticipating to be a very busy spring season. While the weather is still (kinda) cold and the trees remain bare, let’s take a look at some of the fun findings from this week in production.

Presidential Plantings

In probably what will become the longest-winded way of saying “we’re closed on Monday, February 19^th”, we thought, what better way to celebrate our founding fathers than by delving into some of the plants that define the gardens surrounding the White House. A continual, communal project amongst almost each of the 46 presidents in office, it can be said that plants and gardening are non-partisan activities with a shared enthusiasm nationwide, regardless of political affiliation.

Edgy Edgeworthia chrysantha

With so many of our plants currently working up their energy below the soil level, it might seem like there isn’t a whole lot to look at – unless you know exactly where to look, or you happen to be a big fan of winter garden specimens. One such specimen, Edgeworthia chrysantha, with its unique, delicately fragranced flowers coming into bloom, is quite the spectacle. Paperbush, as it’s commonly known, always seems to be a huge hit when it goes on the road with us to trade shows, attracting the attention of seasoned horticulturists and young, eager landscape architects alike.

Growing for Groundhogs

Hopefully you’re not waking up today in a Bill-Murray-style cyclical nightmare of the day before, but if you are, then you’ll be happy to know that this week, we’re helping you to kick the groundhog blues. With Punxsutawney Phil acting as the commanding officer of our Solstice/Equinox crossover, farmers, gardeners, horticulturists, and the seasonally-depressed alike, all eagerly await the emergence of the chunky brown mammal and his lack of a shadow signifying the early arrival of spring. Unfortunately, groundhogs tend to get a bad wrap in our industry, known for destroying carefully planned installations and decimating a plethora of plant material. In an effort to boost your knowledge, and dare we say, appreciation, of groundhogs, this week we’ll be exploring the tunnels and burrows of these sordid critters.