E-Newsletter: August 2006
The
Phoenix Perennials E-Newsletter
August 2006
Hello from Phoenix Perennials!
It's the dog days of summer. I hope everyone is relaxing
in their gardens and finding some time to make it to
the beach.
At Phoenix the colour continues and the nursery looks
great. In this issue of the newsletter you'll find a
sneak peak into our first offering of fall bulbs, our
regular Fabulous at Phoenix installment, info on an
Echeveria sale and an announcement of two workshops
in September: one on ornamental grasses to be held at
the nursery and one on weird and wonderful plants that
I'll be presenting at Van Dusen.
As well, I would like to get some more contributions
to our Deer Proof Draw. Here's your chance to help other
gardeners by sharing your experience and be entered
for one of three chances to win a $50 gift certicate
at the nursery. Please send in your entries!
Cheers, Gary and the Phoenicians
In this Issue
1. Sneak Peak: Fall Bulbs at Phoenix
2. Got Deer?: The Phoenix Perennials
Deer Proof Draw -- Deadline Extension
3. Upcoming Workshop: Grasses that
Captivate
4. Weird and Wonderful Plants of the
World: a lecture at VanDusen Botanical Gardens
5. Fabulous at Phoenix: New, Notable
and Luscious Plants
6. Echeveria Sale: 2 for 1
1.
Sneak
Peak
Fall Bulbs at
Phoenix!
In early September a new addition to the
Phoenix Perennials line-up will be arriving at the nursery:
Fall Bulbs. As you've come to expect we'll have on hand
a selection of more uncommon and unusual bulbs such
as botanical tulips, camassia, fritillaria, cyclamen,
erythronium and much more. Here is a sneak peak of a
few bulbs we'll have available.
Tulipa 'Little Beauty': Mini botanical tulips
are smaller than your standard tulips but they're perennial
unlike the big hybrids which are more or less annual.
Botanical tulips are like little jewels perfect for
the front of the border.
Fritillaria michailowskyi: This beautiful fritillaria
has chocolatey red bells with bright yellow bases.
Hyacinthus 'Hollyhock': We sold this new double
hyacinth as potted plants in the spring and boy were
they stunning. The pink is so dark that it's almost
red and the colour so saturated, so intense that you
couldn't help but notice it right away when you walked
into the nursery.
Erythronium 'Purple King' has beautiful mottled
foliage topped with purple-pink downward-facing lily-like
flowers in spring. This is an elegant woodland plant
for dappled shade.
Hippeastrum 'Papillio': This uncommon amaryllis
called 'Papillio' is my absolute favourite. The burgundy-red
striping over the pale green petals is simply stunning.
2.
Deadline
Extension
Got Deer?
The Phoenix Perennials Deer Proof Draw
If you garden with deer here's your chance
to benefit from all the trials and tribulations that
you face in your gardening life. We want to hear from
you about the plants that you've found to be deer "proof"
as well as the plants you've found to be delectable
deer delicacies. We'll compile a list of everyone's
findings and publish it in the next email newsletter,
on our website, and make this list available at the
nursery for perplexed gardeners. As an added bonus everyone
who contributes their findings will be entered in a
draw for a chance to win:
One
of Three Fabulous
$50
Phoenix Perennials Gift Certificates
Short of eating venison every night for dinner, here's
your chance to get back at Bambi, to share information
with fellow gardeners, and to have a chance at actually
benefitting from your experiences!
Instructions: To contribute and be entered for
the draw simply email us with the following three items:
1. A List of Deer Proof Plants -- Plants you've found
to be universally shunned by deer in your garden.
2. A List of Deer Favourites -- Plants that the deer
love to munch in your garden.
3. The location of your garden. The name of your island,
or nearest village, town or city will do.
Extended Deadline:
Please email your lists by August 30th, 2006.
If you have
friends who garden with deer, please forward this email
on to them so that they can participate as well.
3.
Upcoming Workshop at the Nursery
Grasses
that Captivate
The transformative powers
of ornamental grasses
Plus
A Season in the Garden: Fall Perennials
with
Cliff Thorbes
The popularity of ornamental grasses
continues to grow as gardeners discover their many virtues.
Don't get it yet? Come to this informative talk and
learn what grasses can do for you and your garden. Already
love ornamental grasses? You'll love this workshop too.
You'll get tips on using them for best effect in your
garden design. As well, you'll be introduced to cultivars
you might not have seen before.
Saturday September 16th, 10am-12pm
$10
Please book your space
in advance by calling the nursery at 604-270-4133.
Payment is required at the time
of booking.
For all workshops please dress
for the day's weather. We will be either outside or
in the greenhouse.
Other Workshops This Season with Cliff Thorbes
Winter Containers: Plant up a container to create winter
interest plus A Season in the Garden: Fall and Winter
Perennials | Saturday October 7th, 10am | $15 | At the
container workshops, each participant will plant up
and take home their own container. Please bring your
own large pot with enough space for at least 3 to 5
one gallon perennials. Large black plastic pots can
be provided on request.
4.
VanDusen Botanical Gardens presents
Weird and Wonderful
Plants of the World
Botanically Intriguing
Options for Your Garden
Join Gary Lewis, owner of Phoenix Perennials,
for a whirlwind trip around the world to discover a
multitude of weird and wonderful plants to add botanical
intrigue to your garden. In this colourful, image-rich
and dynamic PowerPoint presentation you'll discover
amazing plants from every continent (except Antarctica!)
including Cobra Lilies from Asia, acacias and bottlebrushes
from Australia, broadleaf poker from South Africa, bear
grass from North America and much more.
Monday September 11th, 2006
7-9pm
Van Dusen Botanical Garden
Please visit the VanDusen
website to register.
5.
Fabulous
at Phoenix
Gary's Picks of New, Notable and Luscious
Plants at the Phoenix Candy Store
There are so many amazing plants available
at the nursery right now that it's hard to decide what
to highlight. Here is a simply photo essay of some of
my top pics of the moment.
Eupatorium dubium 'Little
Joe' -- Joe-Pye Weed -- Eupatorium dubium
is a little known dwarf species of Joe-Pye weed native
to moist soils of eastern North America. This selection
has four foot tall stems clothed in whorls of green
leaves and topped in midsummer with large, dome-shaped
heads holding masses of lavender flowers...a real bonanza
for keeping butterflies at eye level. If you don’t yet
know the Joe-Pye weeds, here’s an excellent place to
start. Tolerant of light shade.
Corylus avellana contorta 'Red Majestic'
-- Corkscrew Hazlenut -- This stunning new selection
has dramatic burgundy-red leaves that fade very slowly
toward dark green.
Lilium nepalense -- Nepal Lily --
This beautiful, rare lily has large, lime-green to yellow,
bell-shaped, downward-facing, fragrant blooms with a
dramatic deep burgundy throat and dark pollen. The stoloniferous
bulb can travel underground but is not invasive. Widespread
across the Himalayas. The trick to growing this plant
treasure in our climate is to protect it from fall and
winter wet - grow it outdoors under an overhang or in
a well-drained bed below coniferous branches. Part shade,
slightly acid soil.
Clerodendron bungei 'Pink Diamond'
-- Rose Glory Bower -- This luscious cultivar has
leaves variegated with white and four shades of green
on a branching, spreading shrub. The domed clusters
of large rosy-red flowers are very fragrant, long blooming
and attractive to butterflies. If mulched and protected
‘Pink Diamond’ will be hardy in zones colder than zone
8.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Gold Bar' --
Maiden Grass -- ‘Gold Bar’ has the boldest variegation
you’ve yet seen in a miscanthus. In fact, there may
be more gold than green in this cultivar. It also has
a compact and upright habit to only four feet making
it good for pots and small gardens. Burgundy flower
plumes rise just above the foliage in fall. Great for
winter interest since the decorative form, albeit straw-coloured,
usually lasts until spring.
6.
Echeveria
Sale!
2 for
the price of 1
Echeveria
are great in pots on the patio and make good houseplants
in the winter. Mix and match for a stunning combination
of succulent foliage.
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E-Newsletter with a Friend
So many of our new visitors come to
us through word of mouth. If you like what we're doing
at Phoenix Perennials, please consider telling your
gardening friends about us.
If you have any other questions please
contact us at phoenixperennials@shaw.ca.
Phoenix
Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.
One of the largest and most exciting selections of perennials
in the Lower Mainland
Specializing in distinct perennials, fragrant shrubs,
hardy subtropicals and the botanically intriguing
3380 No. 6 Road, Richmond (Between Bridgeport
and Cambie)
604-270-4133
www.phoenixperennials.com
Please visit our web page for information
on the nursery, driving directions and a map.
We are near the south end of the Knight Street Bridge
and very easy to get to from all of the surrounding
municipalities and beyond.
Seven Days
a Week 10am-5pm
March 3rd through October 31st, 2006
Copyright Phoenix Perennials and Specialty
Plants Ltd. 2006
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