THE PLANT OF THE MONTH
The Plant of the Month will be available the first of each month, starting in April, at the nursery … just ask a staff member for its location! These plants are carefully chosen to feature current bloom times and to serve as an accent in your garden. Try something new!
April: Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)
Zone 3-8 Height 1.5-2' Spread 1-1.5'
This showy blue flower says “Spring is here”! Easily grown in well-drained soils in shade or partial shade, Bluebells are best left undisturbed. The flowers actually start as pink buds but quickly open to blue, pendulous flowers which will bring many pollinators including bees and the first butterflies. The plants will increase in size each year and form a colony with no care from the gardener. The plants go dormant during the summer and can be overplanted with annuals.
May: Cerastium (Snow-in-Summer)
Zone 3-7 Height 6-12" Spread 1'
Cerastium is a low-growing, silver-leaved ground cover, happiest grown in full sun. Noted for its tolerance of a wide range of soils, the plant produces white flowers in late spring. Plants spread rapidly by runners and will self-seed if spent blooms are not removed. Many gardeners grow Cerastium in rock gardens and stone wall pockets.
June: Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker)
Zone 5-9 Height 3-4' Spread 2-3'
This unusual plant gives your flower bed a two-toned appearance: emerging flowers red but mature to yellow! Flowers bloom from late spring to early summer and mark an easy transition from spring bulbs. Deer, in general, avoid this plant but hummingbirds and bees are drawn to it. Deadhead faded flowers and divide every 2-3 years in order to minimize over-crowding.
