PLANT OF THE WEEK: Panama Pacific Tropical Water Lily

Tropical water lilies offer fragrance and beauty to the water garden all summer long. Varieties like Panama Pacific, introduced in the United States in 1914, bloom in a reddish-purple color not available in hardy lilies. Their stems extend up from the water's surface. The flower's yellow stamens contrast nicely with the purplish petals. The Panama Pacific's bronze-green leaves float on the pond, showing off it's saw-toothed edges.
The Panama Pacific is just one of the many water lilies blooming now in our ponds at Valley View Farms. Our large, informal pond has a gorgeous lotus just starting to open. The display ponds are located at the end of our entrance and are surrounded by an incredible butterfly garden.
We offer seminars in the spring and fall for water garden enthusiasts. Check our seminar schedule for more information.

GROWING GARDEN READY PLANTS

We look forward to new plants arriving everyday at Valley View Farms. Many of our plants, including annuals, hanging baskets and vegetables, are grown in our own greenhouses at the Foard family farm in Hydes, MD. We are lucky to have a facility and dedicated growers working year round to bring great plants to our store.
Each season, we meet to adjust our growing schedule and variety offerings. The order will be tweaked as we visit plant trials in our region to see how plants grow in real world conditions.
"Growing our own" is just one of the many ways we strive to offer the best plants for area gardeners. Our managers and buyers visit growers weekly to keep our greenhouse,water gardens, perennial area and nursery full of healthy plants chosen with care for gardens throughout our region. Gardeners can continue to grow all of the plants knowing that they will perform well in their yards, patio pots and landscapes.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: Black & Blue Salvia

Pictured above: Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue'

Black & Blue salvia has rapidly become a favorite among area gardeners. This annual plant sports large, cobalt blue flowers above dark green velvety leaves that bloom all summer long. Its growth is vigorous and the Black & Blue is extraordinarily heat tolerant. The flowers grow upright on well-branched plants,allowing hummingbirds easy access to the nectar. Hummingbirds LOVE this salvia! I've enjoyed watching them dodge one another other to gain an advantage in reaching the flowers.
In addition to attracting hummingbirds, Black & Blue, like most salvias, also attracts butterflies. As an added bonus, salvias are deer resistant.
Plant Black & Blue salvias in full sun. Space plants about 12-18" apart, closer in pots and window boxes. They will grow to 24-30" tall in a terrific mounding habit.
Valley View Farms grows the Black & Blue Salvia in two pot sizes for spring and summer planting. It is just one of many beautiful and fragrant salvias, both annual and perennial,to grow in the garden.
Stop by Valley View Farms to pick up our informative handouts on gardening to attract hummingbirds and butterflies as well as our list of deer resistant plants.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: Bonfire Begonia

Bonfire begonias have attention-grabbing fiery red blooms. They are great in hanging baskets, growing beautifully in full sun or part shade.
We initially spotted Bonfire begonias at flower trial gardens a few years ago. They were introduced to the horticultural world by Anthony Tesselaar International, an Australian company that specializes in environmentally-friendly, disease-resistant plants.
Our grower, John Miller, grows the Bonfires in our greenhouses in Hydes, MD. Starting from a small plug, the begonias take about eight weeks to grow before they are ready to sell at Valley View Farms; but, believe me, this is only the beginning. These eye-catching plants continue to get bigger, blooming all summer and well into fall. They will grow in hanging baskets, window boxes, patio pots,and in the garden border. Like many begonias, the Bonfires will grow indoors as well, offering gardeners the option of over-wintering their plants.
Bonfire begonias are available in individually potted plants and in two styles of hanging baskets right now at Valley View Farms.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: Knock Out Roses

Knock Out Roses have changed the way we think about roses.
Not too long ago, growing roses meant maintenance; keeping diseases at bay and pruning regularly to keep new blooms coming. Bill Radler, the breeder of Knock Out Roses, has produced a new class of roses that will thrive in most of the country. Here in Maryland, they easily withstand the extremes of our cold winters and hot summers. They even put up with the humidity here in the mid-Atlantic area.
More importantly, Knock Outs look great. They provide the WOW power the garden is looking for. In our butterfly garden here at Valley View Farms, the roses engulf an old split rail fence and act as a backdrop for some of the other plants that attract the butterflies. In my own garden, I've learned to cut Knock Out Roses in early spring to keep them from getting too tall along the narrow pathway to my back yard. I wish I had more space so that I could plant a beautiful hedge in full sun along the property line somewhere.
Knock Out Roses are now available in many colors, including the original Cherry Red, Pink, Rainbow, Blush, Sunny (yellow), White and Double Knock Out Pink and Red.
Bill Radler is sure to continue breeding for more colors and disease resistance.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: Raymond Evison Clematis

pictured above: Clematis 'Evijohil' (Josephine)

When these beauties were introduced in 2004, they were hailed as "the next generation of clematis," boasting bold, long-blooming flowers, and showing no "tempermental" qualities as some clematis are rumored to do.

Well, they certainly have proven themselves to be "all that" since then, and we ADORE them. They truly are the longest blooming clematis, flowering from late spring into fall, with some blooms even lasting until frost. The colors are spectacular, and cover the vines from top to bottom.
Read more about them on the Raymond Evison (UK) site.

This blog writer personally has never had a spot of trouble growing clematis, but everyone tells me that these are "easier to grow", less prone to diseases and just all-around heartier than other older cultivars. It's the macho clematis. But pretty.

pictured above: Clematis 'Evipo 016' (Rebecca)

And one of the best qualities of these RE Clematis is that they have a compact growth habit of up to 7-9 feet when mature (with some only getting 3-4 ft), so you can grow them successfully in pots and smaller trellises. I love to grow them right in the center of my perennial borders on small ironwork or a shrub.

Right now we have a bunch of these beauties in stock and flowering: Rebecca, Rosemoor, Ice Blue, Arctic Queen, Josephine, Picardy, Franziska Maria and Bourbon. As soon as you see them, you'll want one, so come on in and pick yours up!


That's the man we have to thank for these lovelies, above. And here's a brief article about Raymond, his Clematis breeding and "his engagingly quirky nature", if you want to learn more.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Mohawk'

Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Mohawk'

Burkwood Viburnum are some of the best all-around Viburnum--nice foliage, attractive, fragrant flowers, good upright, rounded growth habit, and all-around reliable plants. We love them!

But 'Mohawk' has to be one of the absolute best. It starts with clusters of glossy, dark rosy-red flower buds (tons of them) that open to white flowers with red blotches on the undersides of the petals. They're very, very pretty, no doubt, but it's the fragrance of this extraordinary shrub that is so spectacular. If only we had a little "smell-evision" on this blog.

This blog's author has two gorgeous specimens behind her large house that she can smell when she opens the front door. Truly one of the best smells on the planet.

It grows well in many exposures and soils, but performs best in sun, or in light shade where it's super hot. Grows to 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide. You gotta plant one.