You’re so vain! Narcissus & the Daffodil

Gardeners know the real name of the daffodil is Narcissus.  But do you know the story?  In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a young man so handsome the Gods forbade him to view his own image.  One day, he got involved wih a nymph named Echo, and couldn’t resist a quick glimpse of his face in a pond.  That did it.  The Gods turned him into a Daffodil.  It’s all in our History of the Daffodil.   Terrible things happened to Echo, too.

Sex, Power and a Flower

Flowers have been used for almost everything in history, but one of the grand stories is the one of the Hyacinth.  It was always popular, but made world famous at the French Court by none other than the beautiful mistress of Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour.  She was a highly educated beauty and always more than a mistress, followed by everyone in her tastes for art, fashion and of course, flowers.  Her No. 1 favorite

This flower has a story to tell.

Do you know the history of the tulip?  How about the daffodil?  Unless you know all about Tulipomania, Clusius, and the stories about a goddess named Echo and a handsome youth named Narcissus, you’ll enjoy our article on the history of these two flowers.  The perfect conversation starters for spring. Click here.

California’s Hills are alive.

This photo was taken at Gorman, CA.  According to the California Wildflower Hotsheet (See link at right.) Gorman is beautifully in bloom this year, right now.  The area may be a few days past peak, but compared to most places, it’s unforgettable.  Easterners, still with cold and mud, can only dream about such a magnificent display–one of the grandest natural wildflower blooms on earth.

California bursts into bloom.

Eat your heart out, Easterners.  This is when the California coastal hills put on one of the biggest natural wildflower shows in the world.  Several species of lupine (left), golden California poppies and other natives carpet the grassy hills made emerald green by spring.  This photo is by master photographer, Don Paulson.

Relax. One sunny day doesn’t mean spring.

It happens every year. The sun comes out, and gardeners all over the country start calling. “Where’s my order?  I’m ready to plant!”  We patiently explain that we really WILL send it at that magical time: “the correct planting time for your area.”  Tender bulbs, certain wildflower seeds and lots of our perennials will really suffer if planted too soon.  So even if you’re convinced about Global Warming, you may be planting a day or two early, but not weeks earlier than ever before.  Hold on.  Spring will arrive, and so will your order. 

The two Earth Days.

April 22 is the date most people recognize, but there’s another one.  When you do the research, you learn that April 22 is the date used by Sen. Gaylord Nelson, the man who is often said to be the “Founder of Earth Day”, based on the first celebration 37 years ago.  But an activist editor called John McConnell has always claimed that “I founded Earth day on March 21, 1970.”  Mr. McConnell’s group is also the one that designed the famous “Earth Flag.”   Both dates have major supporters.  You can read all about it in a new article we’ve

Lavender. Yes, you can grow it.

Everbody loves lavender, and Lavender “Munstead”, the best for the US,  is a best-seller every year with our perennials, now on sale.  There’s all kinds of detail on growing it on the site; click here for the details. But all you need to know is that lavender is really a desert plant–do not put it into “good garden soil”, or it will simply die.  Thousands of lavender plants are loved to death every year in the US, since so many gardeners plant them in rich loam,

It’s time to go to Texas.

Here it comes.  The Wildflower Wave hits Texas in April, and if you’ve never seen their unique wildflower bloom, plan a trip. The big show of bluebonnets, paintbrush, wild phlox and others is mostly in the “Hill Country” around Fredericksburg, and there are all kinds of maps, hotlines and other helps for flower chasers.  You won’t be disappointed. It’s one of the world’s most spectacular big blooms, and it doesn’t last long. Reports are good from the desert west, which usually means a big year in Texas as well.  So don’t miss it.

Free Iris with every order.

Well, Martha’s favorite hollyhocks were so popular, now it’s an iris.  Our choice of spring-planted irises this year is really wide, including the magnificent Siberian shown at left called “Roanoke’s Choice.” From the Siberians, Japanese, and Louisiana irises we have this year, we’ll choose one free root for every perennial order from now on.  Your free one won’t be Roanoke’s Choice, I can guarantee, but it’ll be beautiful. We have the big Bearded Irises now too, but they don’t ship until August.