It's Bloomin' Beautiful at Valley View Farms

The summer-blooming shrubs are on full display and absolutely gorgeous! There is the City Line series of hydrangeas, 'Paris Rapa' whose lime green lace caps become cerise-colored inflorescences.

Hydrangea 'Paris Rapa'

'Mars' deep blue and pink flowers with cream edges looks as if it's made up of dozens of blueberry and cherry tarts.

'Mars'

 'Abracadabra' with hot pink flowers stand atop nearly black, satiny stems. The oak leaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers', with subtly fragrant flowers, start out white then slowly become deep rose.

'Ruby Slippers' oakleaf hydrangea tolerates shady sites

The Endless Summer series lace cap 'Twist and Shout' and the mop head 'Bloomstruck' blooms in cool blues and soft pinks.

'Endless Summer' blooms on old and new wood

There are butterfly and beneficial insect magnets--the diminutive and graceful native Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' and 'Merlot' with translucent light green foliage providing a delightful backdrop to cascading racemes of white flowers.

Henry's Garnet Itea is a butterfly favorite

  

Our signs offer tons of information

And then the butterfly bushes whose powdery fragrance evokes the quintessential Baltimore summer. We have 'Black Knight', 'Miss Molly', 'Miss Ruby' and 'Adonis' to name a few.

The crape myrtles are beginning to flower now. 'Purple Magic' and 'Plum Magic' feature lavender and purple flowers, while the newer Black Diamond series, 'Crimson Red', with its chocolate foliage grows vibrant ruby in the sun, blooming raspberry colored flowers that we think would have been more aptly named raspberry truffle.

Look at those luscious blooms

A recent shipment of Knockout roses has provided us with vibrant shrubs just covered in single and double pink and red flowers.

This gentleman is looking for summer color. We think he found it!

There is Hypericum inodorum, (Saint Johns's Wort) 'Kolmapuki' whose sulfur yellow flowers turn into pale orange-colored fruit resembling miniature pumpkins; it makes beautiful cut flowers.

"Bees visit this plant every morning in the nursery" says Taylor

If you are not looking for a flowering shrub but instead want something with outstanding foliage, we've just received fabulous specimens of Salix integra 'Hakuro-nishiki' (Dappled Willow). Its arching branches of new dusty pink growth age to white and green giving it a tri-colored look. The graceful willow requires good soil moisture, ample space and some shade in the afternoon.

We know it's hot, but bring a tall, iced drink and come feast your eyes on the beauty of summer-flowering shrubs in Valley View's nursery.

In addition to Teresa Schiano, who wrote today's blog, our other nursery experts are here to help gardens grow better.

Taylor and Wyatt are ready to assist

The Magic of Vines

As a small child, I loved the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. The idea of following a vine into the clouds and finding a exciting world full of magic and adventure stimulated my imagination.

Vines grow through a pergola at Phipp's Conservatory in Pittsburgh

So it is no wonder that vines still fascinate gardeners. But we've learned to be cautious. While the iconic Wrigley Fields' ivy covered outfield walls are beautiful, they require constant maintenance to keep the ivy trimmed and in check.Were it allowed to grow, Chicago's baseball park would have been buried decades ago. English Ivy is one of several vines to be wary of, but there are other beautiful vines that should be considered around our home gardens and landscapes.

 Here are a few of our favorites.


Clematis is a perennial; most prefer at least 6 hours of sun. There are hundreds of varieties from which to choose, and many are compact, great for pots and patio planters.

The clematis Giselle, bred by Raymond Evison, is at home in a pot or in the ground

Honeysuckle has a delicious fragrance and blooms that are very attractive to hummingbirds. The perennial vine can get out of hand; steer clear of Lonicera tatarica and L. Japonica as they can be too aggressive.

Honeysuckle can be tamed in a pot

Mandevilla remains a personal favorite. A tropical vine, Mandevilla blooms all summer, thriving on full to part sun. The old-fashioned favorite, Alice du Pont, is a vigorous grower. Mandevillas  are available in pink tones, red, white and, occasionally, yellow.

Of the many mandevillas available, the tried and true Alice du Pont is exceptional

Vegetable plants in the cucurbit family include cucumbers, squash, melons and pumpkins.

Trellises help keep fruit up off the ground and allow air to move through the plant decreasing the chance for disease on the foliage. Vegetables grown along fences are a wonderful way to save space in the garden.

Vines are at home in the vegetable garden, too

Annual, tropical, or perennial, vines serve the garden well. They create vertical interest, hide service areas around the home and provide nectar for many of our pollinators. And I still maintain that they can be a magical element in any landscape. Fee, fi, fo, fum...

Tomato Tornado II

Yes, this is the weekend of our second annual Tomato Tornado. Last year's event was a success, but we realized that we'd cut a few corners, not on the tomato plants, but on offering information about the individual varieties.

Take home a handout and check off your favorites

We have an updated handout featuring information on the tomatoes, including whether or not they are heirlooms, what colors, shape and size the mature fruit will be, what to expect with taste and other information to take home.

We've trialed many varieties in our own gardens

Each of the 66 varieties offered this year also has a sign indicating some of the same information. The aisle is set-up to be browsed, and the tomato information is easy to compare to allow our gardeners to make sound decisions. And, two of our favorite tomato aficionados, Dotty and Sheila, are available for questions and advice.

Plant benches full of tomato transplants

If you love tomatoes and are curious about growing them, this is the weekend for you to explore our tremendous selection. Our farm greenhouses have delivered the plants. About half of our tomato plants will just be available until we sell out, but, don't worry. If you are unable to check in with us this weekend, we will continue to have almost 40 varieties that are grown in in Valley View Farms' own greenhouses. In the meantime, enjoy growing your plants. Here are some recipes provided for us last year by Chef Tom Schwarzweller.

March Madness Continues Into April

We've experienced our own March Madness this season at Valley View Farms. With temperatures going back and forth from freezing to the mid-eighties, our gardeners are as confused as our plants.

An April freeze had us running sprinklers to protect tender growth

Luckily, both always seem to know how to handle the weather, and our perennials, pansies, tree and shrubs are looking beautiful in the garden center for our customers.

Cool weather vegetable plants can handle the low temperature

 Having lost one of our growing greenhouse to that thirty-inch snowfall back in January,

our farm greenhouses have reset and are busy growing many of our vegetables, annuals and beautiful hanging baskets in the remaining eleven greenhouses.

John, Ryan and Vernon got an early start growing our young transplants at the farm greenhouses

One 30" January snowfall crushed a large greenhouse

  An early Easter, coupled with some above average temperatures, brought many people out early this season looking for color for their gardens. We're happy to have so many plants from which they may choose.

Pansies have been enjoying the cooler temperatures

Our garden shop has been checking soil temperatures to be able to accurately let customers know when to plant grass seed, prevent weeds, and get lawns in shape for spring.  The nursery is recovering from some freezing temperatures last week, and our planting crew is busy installing trees and shrubs in area landscapes.

Early Spring in Maryland is always a little challenging, but with our dedicated staff, great growers and suppliers, we are ready for this season to get underway. Thanks to all of our employees, vendors and our customers for their continued support.

Goodbye to a First Class Independent Garden Center

So long to our friends and competitors

Watson's Garden Center has been our friendly competitor for over 50 years. The Watson brothers began their garden center in Towson in 1955, while Valley View Farms' Foard brothers opened in Cockeysville in 1962. A recent article in Baltimore Magazine speaks to the closing of Watson's Garden Center and the future of the Fireplace and Patio Shop, which will remain open. We will miss the camaraderie we shared with Watson's over the years. Our staff would often see and meet their managers and buyers at trade shows. I got to know their greenhouse manager, Eric, over a couple of dinners we shared with mutual  houseplant suppliers Al and Sandy Hammer who visited us both from Florida. Occasionally we would even 'switch' employees when a coworker would trade one uniformshirt for another.

We wish the Watson and Marconi families well in their future endeavors. We hope to attract a few of the company's valued employees to Valley View Farms where they may continue to do the work and share the talent they have mastered at Watson's Garden Center.

MANTS 2016 Rings in the New Year

Baltimore welcomed people from 44 states and 9 countries to attend MANTS-"The Masterpiece of Trade Shows" in its own convention center near the Inner Harbor earlier this week. MANTS is an acronym for the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show. Started in 1970, MANTS was brought to Baltimore by the state nursery associations of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
The post-holiday schedule allows garden centers, growers, and other suppliers a chance to catch up on the past season and compare notes on expectations for our collective strongest season, spring.



Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Joe Bartenfelder tours the trade show.
Ornamental Horticulture is a huge part of Maryland's thriving agriculture economy.

New plants are introduced from plant breeders to growers and nurseries. Nurseries and greenhouses share information with garden centers, and we in turn share with our customers.



Maureen Murphy of Murphy Johns Greenhouses

Over 10,000 people attend this show, open only to those in the industry. 1,000 vendors line aisle after aisle exhibiting trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, herbs, landscape machinery, signage and tagging software, all sorts of gardening supplies and so much more. Take a look at just some of the products displayed.



Displays delight and inspire

You will see small pots of carnivorous plants in our greenhouse

Tillandsias were a big hit at the show

January and February are generally slower times for our companies, but everyone hits the ground running after the show to get geared up for April and May, traditionally our busiest months. A dozen of us from Valley View Farms attend the 3-day show to try and spot trends, look for cool, new items and to network with others in the business. We also get a chance to connect with people who write and talk about plants and gardening including this group of garden communicators known as the GWA.


Garden Communicators had a chance to gather during MANTS

We're glad to have this show as a transition from our Christmas season to our spring set-up at Valley View Farms. We'll take a deep breath, and, before you know it, spring will have sprung.

 

 

Christmas and Giving to the Baltimore Community

You never know who will stop in

This time of year, those of us who are lucky to have family, homes, food and clothing often look to ways we can help those in need. Especially poignant this year are images from around the world where children's most basic needs and freedoms are in limbo. We want to help the world, but also see the need present in our own communities every day.



Holidays and Family

In Baltimore, we are lucky to have many worthwhile charities that help and support children.  At Valley View Farms, are pleased to be associated with the WBAL Radio Kids Campaign' throughout the year, especially at Christmas. WBAL Radio has been broadcasting from Valley View Farms on the days leading up to Christmas for over 20 years. Companies and individuals have donated millions of dollars over that time. The personnel at the radio station distributes the monies directly to people who serve the children in our area. Click here to visit the WBAL Radio Kids Campaign website to see who has benefited from the generous donations. Its nice to know that WBAL uses 100% of the monies for distribution to those children in need. Postage, administrative costs and fundraising are all absorbed by the station.
On December 23 and 24 this year, WBAL Radio will be broadcasting live from Valley View Farms beginning at 5 am.


Keith, Mary Beth and Bryan

Bryan Nehman, Mary Beth Marsden, Brent Hardesty, Keith Mills, and others will be here to share stories, music and fun with everyone who stops in or listens to the show. Local choirs spread goodwill through song,

surprise guests are sure to stop in and the all important donations just keep coming. Classrooms of children who save coins for others, large groups and families come together and local companies give  much back to their communities on these days.
The stories are real, heartwarming and inspirational. We encourage everyone to be a part of this special event. We are reminded of all the good people in Baltimore and surrounding communities.