Summer Shows

Summer is a great time for all of us at Valley View Farms to catch up with growers, plant breeders and other garden centers. We ask each other how the season has been, what winning plants and products were hits and continue to look for ways to help people be better gardeners. Trade shows abound in the summer as owners and managers get a chance to preview new items for next year. We're lucky to have some growers that will let us trial perennials and annuals to see how they are accepted by our customers. Pictured above are three of the folks from Hillcrest Nursery in Millers, MD. Hillcrest grows herbs, annuals and perennials for us most of the year. Jimmy, Jim and Karen deliver to us as needed, helping us serve the community with fresh, healthy plants. The second photo is from the OFA trade show held in Columbus, OH every year. The show is attended by plant professionals from around the world. A black petunia is featured in the third photo. We may grow a few this fall with some purple pansies for all of the Ravens fans. What do you think? Will a black petunia sell this fall and next spring? We'd love to have your comments.

Hot, Hot, Hot

A look to the weather forecast this week reveals that we're in for another hot spell! For those of us that garden, that can only mean more watering chores.
Container gardeners should check their pots daily for water. Flower and vegetable gardeners with garden plots can put a rain gauge out; most of the garden would like an inch of water a week. Water at the root zone to avoid splashing water on plants' leaves. Pictured above are Billy's beans being watered by a garden hose connected to a soil soaker hose with straw over the top to retain moisture. It is better to water early in the day to allow foliage to dry out before evening. Give plants enough water to encourage plants to root deeply; watering lightly will keep the roots too close to the surface causing them to dry out faster.
Most lawns will go dormant for the summer, giving us a break from mowing.
Check the garden center for all sorts of watering tools and supplies, from hoses and rain wands to automatic drip watering systems.

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.