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