We are making steady progress here at the nursery in preparation for the Spring rush. My hat goes off to the many men and women here working tirelessly so we can share their success with you!
Historically, January is considered one of the coldest months throughout the year. (Unless you’re living it up in the southern Hemisphere where I am assuming they are ready for a break in the heat by now.) Just because it’s cold where we are doesn’t mean we won’t have a few surprises ahead. Two of my favorite evergreen perennial flowers shine during this time: Heucheras and Hellebore! I am fascinated in the myriad of colors that Heuchera’s foliage are grown in and transition to throughout the year. Their lobed, rounded leaves provide a tremendous amount of coloration and even shine in shadier locations. Hellebores dark green, lustrous leaves are only then complimented later next month by their sepals which are often mistaken for petals. These two choices have many cultivars to choose from all of which have phenomenal colors that will warm the soul.
My favorite companion plant for these two have to be the Galanthus sp. This hardy, yet perfectly elegant looking perennial is seen often poking through snow making it one of the first flowers we see before spring sunlight and heat create an explosion of color within the gardens. What’s great about the snow drop is that their bulbs can be propagated and used to fill in empty space within the beds. Mixing these bulbs with other early spring favorites like Tulips and Daffodils can certainly help fight off adventitious spring weeds from their early attempts at taking over! Plus, using all three plants also have quite the advantage in the winter garden: They are all known for their deer resistance!
Fun Facts: Snowdrops are the official flower for January and are actually named after earrings and not drops of snow! A naturally occurring substance with in the plant, galantamine, is used when treating the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease. Galantamine helps those suffering by slowing down the processes of this disease and is shown to increase one’s ability to think and remember. Just do not eat the bulbs as all portions of this plant is toxic!
Find more fun facts at: https://wildabouthere.com/snowdrops-10-fun-facts-to-tell-kids/
Guest Blogger
Joshua Clawson, Account Executive at Johnson Nursery
The Garden Center at Johnson Nursery Blog 