Summer Perennial Favorite---Echinacea

 Echinacea, commonly known as coneflower, is a hardy perennial, native to central and eastern North America. It is grown for its striking appearance and herbal properties. We will concentrate on its use as an ornamental perennial that blooms from mid-late summer in the garden. 

Echinaceas love full sun and well-drained soils. Once the roots are established, they tolerate periods of drought. Most are hardy from USDA Zones 3-9. 

Benefits beyond their appearance include attracting bees, butterflies, and songbirds. Seeds feed birds like goldfinches in the fall and winter. They are also deer-resistant. 

To keep flowers fresh, deadhead the plant to prolong blooming. Coneflowers can be propagated by division and may self-sow if allowed. 

We carry more than 50 varieties of Echinacea, including straight species Echinacea purpurea and scores of cultivars in a range of colors, including white, orange, yellow, red, and green.  See the full list of what we may carry this season on our Plant Finder Echinaceas, with descriptions and attributes of each plant. 

Click Mount Cuba Center evaluation trials for results of their 2020-2022 trials. 

 

National Pollinator Week has arrived! Now is the perfect time to celebrate hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, beetles, moths, birds, bats, and other pollinators that keep our environment thriving and our gardens blooming. Here are some great ways to act in your own gardens and communities.

Have your habitat registered for Monarch Butterflies

1.      Plant native plants like bee balm, black-eyed Susans, milkweed, clethra, and scores of other plants that have naturally evolved alongside soils, birds, and other animals, and our environment.

My backyard Clethra was a magnet for Swallowtail butterflies

          Annuals can also be used for attracting pollinators. I love Black and Blue Salvia for attracting hummingbirds, lantana for butterflies, and zinnias for bees and other pollinators.

3.     Build a bee hotel. I did not have to do that; I noticed bees living in my firewood stack and in some old fence posts, providing their own ‘construction’ for a hotel.

Our signage identifies pollinator attracting plants, and natives

4.      Avoid pesticides, especially when plants are in bloom. If you must use pesticides, look for safe organic options and always follow the label instructions.

Many pesticides are labeled for pollinator protection

5.           Include a water source in the garden. A shallow dish with pebbles or a birdbath can provide a habitat for healthy pollinators. A small pond is another way to attract pollinators to the garden. 

A new pond and the surrounding landscape will be a wonderful habitat for pollinators

     

K      Gardens can be a little messy. Pollinators use leaf litter and hollow stems for egg laying and nesting.

This Black Swallowtail caterpillar keeps my parsley from growing too large.

For your community:

1.      Host a pollinator garden installation at a local school, park, or business.

Host a butterfly release

2.      Volunteer and learn with local nature groups, including Oregon Ridge Park, Cromwell Valley Park, Cylburn Arboretum, Green Towson Alliance, The Wild Ones of Greater Baltimore, and other nature-affiliated groups. 

3.      Provide seminars to local groups and/or join with local garden centers to reach out to the community. We worked with The Wild Ones of Greater Baltimore and the Baltimore County Master Gardeners to provide several seminars in 2024 and 2025. 

Learn more through books like Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy.

Most importantly, enjoy this week and take notice of the many pollinators that help provide us with beauty, food, and an amazing world. 

 

Happy Father's Day

Dad is manning the grill

Father's Day for the gardening Dad means gifts of plants, a nice shovel or trowel, or, most importantly, spending time gardening side by side with his kids. My dad was not a gardener until he got a tractor with a backhoe that he used to dig up the out-of-control forsythia. He helped me plant a tiny nursery of shrubs I would use for some light landscaping jobs. Truth be told, he'd rather have tools to work on his Fords and Alfa Romeos. 

Dad would rather work on his cars

On the other hand, my former father-in-law, Max, spent a lot of his free time in the garden. A German immigrant, he purchased his home in Cockeysville with his wife, Eloise, where they raised two wonderful children, Maria and David. Max passed his passion for gardening to his son, who enjoyed vegetable gardening just as his dad had. David found his way to growing wonderful crops of tomatoes, peppers, beans, and other vegetables and flowers in his gardens. 

David is harvesting early lettuce

One day's tomato harvest

Another dad who relished his time in the garden was my late boss, Bill Foard. His tomato gardens are legendary. He would have me and other Valley View Farms' staff over to see his garden. Billy was very transparent; while he was the most successful farmer-turned-backyard gardener that I'll ever know, he wasn't shy about showing us the challenges he faced in growing perfect tomatoes. He and his daughter, Lisa, spent time canning the tomatoes for their almost-famous Bloody Mary mix, a prized gift to family and friends. Billy brought in buckets of his vine-grown tomatoes to be shared by his Valley View Farms family. 

Billy's garden in mid-July

Bill passed his knowledge of gardens to 
his children and the Valley View Farms family


To all the gardening and non-gardening dads out there, Happy Father's Day!!!

Transitions

 Garden centers go through transitions as the seasons change. This year, we are experiencing many of those changes now, with the added transition of dropping one department as we increase the footprint of several others. 

Our long-time patio manager, John Hessler, decided to retire after a 50-year career at Valley View Farms. We miss him and wish him the best! The space that previously held the patio furniture has been turned over to our pottery department, which had been relegated to the back of the store and outside. Wow, the selection of pottery is impressive!

All shapes, sizes, and colors

What amazing colors and designs

With the move, our flower and vegetable seed area has been expanded, and potting mix displays have been enlarged. 

HUGE seed selection

All of the supplies gardeners need

Outside, tropical plants will eventually take over much of the old pottery space.  Best of all, we will expand our areas of perennials, trees, and shrubs to include hundreds of Native Plants. 

Well-labeled Native plant signs

Last year's display with perennial expert, Jane. 

A great way to help our pollinators.

We are excited by these transitions and moving forward with new ideas, terrific plants, and unique merchandise.  Stop in and let us know what you think of the changes. 

We're Going Bananas!

 

We received our annual order of banana plants this week. While it is way too early to put them outside, banana trees sell fast so we get them this time of year to guarantee delivery from our Florida growers. 

Caring for a banana tree in Maryland can be tricky, but so much fun! Here are some basic care instructions. For more details on their care, go to our Plant Finder App and put bananas in the search box.

Choose the right variety. The Musa basjoo is best suited for in-ground planting for our area in Maryland landscapes as it is hardy in our zone. Plant in a sunny spot with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Provide well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Use the transplant fertilizer Bio-tone and soil amendment LeafGro for good results. 

Plant when all danger of frost has passed in the spring.Water slowly with a soaker hose to encourage deep roots. Use a balanced fertilizer monthly throughout the growing season. 

The Musa basjoo should be reduced to 1-2 feet after the first frost. Mulch heavily with straw or leaves to insulate the roots. 

The other banana trees we sell are great for planting in pots in late spring and summer to avoid frost. They are all tropical and need to over-winter indoors or be treated as an annual. 

Dwarf Cavendish bunch

The Dwarf Cavendish banana is ornamental and will produce fruit in a greenhouse setting. We've seen them in the Rawlings Conservatory in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore and in Longwood Garden's Conservatory. 

Grows to 10' 

We recommended bananas in large pots as a great accent plant to provide a tropical feel. 

The Red Banana has stunning green and red leaves. Grown primarily for its ornamental qualities, the red stems contrast beautifully with the wide, long leaves of the Banana tree. 

Striking container garden

Stop in to see all of our bananas in large containers now. We will continue to receive bananas in smaller pots as the weather warms later this spring. 

Enjoy tropical and hardy banana trees in your yard or patio this summer. 

These photos have been used with the permission of the folks who run our Plant Finder app. 

Groundhog Day 2025

 I must admit, I love groundhogs! While it probably has to do with my birthday being near Groundhog Day, and I don't have groundhogs getting into my garden daily, I love the critters. All the critters. But groundhogs, deer, etc. are garden-eating machines.

 

Will he see his shadow this year?

Herbs work great as repellents, but no repellent will work 100% of the time. We say, "deer repellent, not deer proof." If your critters are hungry enough, they will eat it.

 

As he grows, this 4-foot fence won't keep him out

Some of the best advice I have ever heard is that if they know that food is there, they will go to it, so you must break the habit of them going to it. Start with this:

 

Animal Stopper has a lovely herbal scent

1. Use a repellent. My favorite is Animal Stopper because it smells like herbs. But I've also had success with Liquid Fence and Bobbex. Other options include fencing, netting, decoys, and motion-sensing sprinklers.

 Be consistent with using the repellent and switch every year or two so they don’t get used to it. Break the habit of the animals using your garden as a buffet.

Do we have animal repellants? The answer is a resounding yes 

 

2. Plant "resistant" plants. Again, no plant is animal-proof, but texture and scent play a big part in deciding what is edible and what is not. Herbs work great! Lavender, rosemary, sage, mint, chives, basil, oregano, thyme…in fact, most herbs will work as a resistant plant. The same smells that attract us repel the critters. 

Many herbs are perennial, coming back year after year. 

Most herbs prefer sunny spots with well-draining soil. Some herbs, like mint and oregano, can handle some shade. Determine if the light the area will provide will be enough for the plants. You can mix the ornamental plants with resistant plants to help protect them. 

Sage, Thyme, and Rosemary

 Stop in and pick up a copy of our Deer Resistant Plants handout, and this year, let’s keep the critters out of our gardens.

Jen KostickValley View Farms 

 

The Lunar New Year: Good Luck Plants

 The Lunar New Year begins this Wednesday, 1/29/2025. In many cultures, plants symbolize good luck, prosperity, and happiness. A gift displayed in your home or given to a friend is a way to bring blessings for the years ahead. Here are some popular choices currently available in our greenhouse at Valley View Farms:

Anthurium, Lucky Bamboo, Money Tree

Lucky Bamboo, Dracaena sanderiana, can be grown in soil, pebbles, or water. Lucky Bamboo symbolizes strength, resilience, and good fortune.  Grow 3 stalks for happiness, wealth, and long life, or 5 for wealth. 

Moth Orchid

Orchids represent fertility, abundance, and refinement. Bright colors, especially red, purple, and pink, are the most sought-after. 

Money Tree

Money Trees, Pachira aquatica, sold all weekend. It must be that they are associated with prosperity and wealth. Most have braided stems to symbolize stability and growth. 

Money Plant

Another plant, Pilea peperomioides, nicknamed the Money Plant, symbolizes wealth and prosperity with its rounded, coin-like leaves. 

Miniature Orange

Calamondin orange trees are symbols of wealth and good fortune. The more fruits that are present, the better. 

Red Bromeliad

 Red decorations are important elements for celebrating Lunar New Year. Red symbolizes happiness. luck, and, celebration. Red-blooming houseplants including Bromeliads, and Anthurium, could also celebrate the holiday. Red pots are another way to bring luck to your home. 

In this Chinese Year of the Snake, consider bringing good luck to your home with some beautiful houseplants!

2025 Herb of the Year

 

The International Herb Association has chosen Chamomile as the 2025 Herb of the Year.

Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, is native to southern and eastern Europe and western Asia. Over time, it has naturalized in other meadows and fields adjacent to those areas. Chamomile is derived from the Greek chamos and melos, translating to ground apple as the leaves and flowers have an apple-like scent. 

Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla

Chamomile's history: Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks used chamomile as a medicinal herb prized for its effect as an anti-inflammatory agent. It has been used to treat various skin conditions, digestive issues, and allergies. Chamomile has been used in salves, lotions, vapors, and compresses but is known mostly as a tea. 

Daisy-like flowers attract bees, hoverflies, and, ladybugs

Chamomile flowers are a much sought-after tea ingredient to aid in sleep and anxiety-filled dreams. I remember it as the primary ingredient in Celestial Seasoning's Sleepy Time tea. Making a cup of tea was a part of my nightly ritual for years.  

Blend other herbs and spices for delicious and soothing teas

Chamomile has many other uses according to a fact sheet from the Herb Society of America. Chamomile oil, a blue color, is used in shampoos to bring out highlights to blonde hair. Flowers can also be used to create a yellow-brown fabric dye. 

Harvest

The petals are edible and can be used in foods and beverages. Use chamomile to make sleep pillows, potpourri bath blends, and other craft and cosmetic uses. 

Botanical drawing

In the Victorian era, the small, bright white daisy-like flowers symbolized patience in adversity.

Chamomile is grown as an annual in our area. According to the Strictly Medicinal seed packet, "the plant prefers full sun and cool soils for germination. Prepare a fine seed bed, mix fine seed with sand, strew on the surface, and press in hard. Sow in early spring for flowers in early summer. It is unnecessary to thin the plants, they grow fine in close association." 

Recipes for teas, syrup, a sleep pillow, and soothing bath tea are from the Herb Society of America website.

Our seed selection is HUGE

Chamomile and other herbs

Visit our store where we sell Chamomile seeds from Strictly Medicinal and Southern Seed Exchange. We will have herb transplants available this spring.