November 3, 2024

“November comes
And November goes
With the last red berries
And the first winter snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.”
– Elizabeth Coatsworth, 1893 - 1986, American poet and Newbery-award-winning author, November

Last Call for Fall Bulbs!

Winter is coming, and we need to find the last of our bulbs a good home. That means EVERYTHING we have left is now at amazing discounts - but don’t delay, bulbs will sell quickly at these prices, and we’re only taking orders till noon EST Wednesday Nov. 6, in order to ship before cold weather really sets in.

Choose from:

Animal-resistant, low-maintenance classic daffodils (40%, 50%, and even 60% off!),

Luxurious, long-lived peonies (all 25% off),

Colorful heritage tulips (25-60% off),

Fragrant hyacinths (40% off) and lilies (50% off),

Early-blooming crocus (40% off) and other little beauties (20-50% off) you can tuck in anywhere!

So go ahead, treat yourself to something you’ve been wanting to try! No room left in your garden? Bulbs also make perfect thank-you gifts for anyone with a patch of earth: teachers, bus drivers, office administrators, care-givers, lovely house-warming gifts for new homeowners, and just-because gifts for grandchildren, grandparents, and anyone you love! Or donate some to your neighborhood schools, community centers, nursing homes or places of worship. See everything on sale here, order ASAP . . . and remember – when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Have Shade? Consider “Indian Turnips” (a.k.a. Jack-in-the-Pulpits)!

In 1820 when it was listed in America’s very first bulb catalog, Indian turnip was the common name for the striking native plant that most of us today call jack-in-the-pulpit. Although its raw corms are poisonous, Native Americans learned to neutralize the poison by roasting or drying them for six months, after which they could be peeled and ground into a flour for making bread.

Jack-in-the-pulpit and Indian turnip are just two of this intriguing plant’s many names which include (so the internet says) Iroquois breadroot, starchwort, pepper turnip, bog onion, dragonroot, memory root, Indian cherries (for its red fruit), Indian cradle, brown dragon (to distinguish it from its native cousin, green dragon), petit precheur (in Quebec), aronskelk (in Dutch-settled areas), tuckahoe, cooter-wampee, wake robin (a name more often applied to trillium), Adam’s apple, devil’s ear, cobra lily, and – from its Old World cousin Arum maculatum – cuckoopint and lords-and-ladies.

And here’s another fascinating tidbit: jack-in-the-pulpit can change from male to female and back again. When they’re smaller, plants are generally male, but when environmental conditions are favorable and they grow large enough, they become female, producing seeds in a cluster of bright red berries. The year after fruiting or when conditions are challenging, plants often change back to male until they can build up the strength to set seed again.

This multi-talented native bulb is easy to grow in light shade, and you can order it now to plant this fall. (And you’ll find a variety of possibilities for your woodland edges here.)

In Honor of Halloween: Rita’s Not-Scary Spiderweb and Our “Pumpkin Eater” Daylily

Rita captured this lovely image earlier in October and saved it for you to enjoy this week:

And we are happy to finally have enough ‘Pumpkin Eater’ daylilies to offer for the first time! This 1965 beauty produces an abundance of 5”pastel flowers, needs little care, and can be grown in garden zones from chilly zone 4a through sweltering zone 10b! You can choose either April or July shipping to fit your own best time for planting, so take a look at it, as well as our other spring-planted bulbs, as you take a break from headlines, deadlines, and upcoming holiday planning.

And Lastly, We’re Giving Thanks!

We are so grateful to all of you, whether you just placed your first order or have been with us for 30 years, and wherever you garden! In fractious times gardeners create spaces that bring beauty and cheer to everyone who enters – or just passes by - and we’re honored that you’ve chosen some of our heirloom beauties to be part of your life. May they delight you – and those who come after you – for years to come!

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