Martha’s favorites are free.

These are the famous old hollyhocks called “Chater’s Mix”.  As you can see, they’re fully double, and the plants often top out at over 6 ft.  We’re giving three of them (one of each color) free with all our perennial orders, so I was clicking around the web the other day to see exactly what “Chater’s Mix” is.  Well, for one thing, I read somewhere that they’re “Martha Stewart’s favorites”, and “she grows them for fall arrangements.”  I imagine Martha has very big vases, since these beauties would really be monumental in an arrangement! 

The Wildflower Wave hits California.

The hills are alive with wildflowers. From the Anza-Borrego State Park down by the Mexican border (photo at left taken there March 12), all the way up the state, California’s magnificent spring has begun.  While the east shivers in snow and cold, just look what’s happening!  Reports from Joshua Tree (west of LA), and Lake Elsinore say it looks like a “good year” which on the west coast all depends on recent rains. Check out the Hotlines (See Blogroll at right.) for daily bloom reports and photos from all the usual spots, and plan a trip!

Free Drawings for $300 Shopping Sprees.

We’ve just announced that we’re having two $300 Drawings this year, both to be drawn May 15th.  You’re automatically entered for one if you’re on our email Member List, so if you’re not, go here and sign up now.  The second drawing will be for anyone who orders (any order) now through May 15th.  Winners will choose from everything on the site in May, and that means practically everything we sell. We’ll announce the winners on the homepage, in our regular email newsletter, and right here.  Good luck!

While the snow flies up north, the flowers bloom.

“The Wildflower Wave” we follow each spring has begun. The Southwestern deserts are lighting up with color while snow and cold continue in most of the country.  If you’d like to follow along, here are two fascinating sites that are updated daily, with reports and photos of what’s happening. Yes, the wildflowers are in bloom:  Carol Leigh’s “California Wildflower Hotsheet” A photographer’s guide with up to the minute reports for all over the West Coast and deserts. Desert USA “Wildflower Reports”  Day by day reports and photos from photographers “chasing the flowers.”  The photo was taken by “Jared” on Feb. 19, 2008 

Woodland Wildflowers, Trees & Shrubs

This is the time of year any gardener who’s familiar with the native woodland flowers starts dreaming about spring.  For over 20 years in Vermont, we tended a 2-acre woodland garden, and this flower, The Great White Trillium, was the mainstay of our bloom.  You can have a look at our own woodland wildflower garden here.  In any case, we never sold these plants until we found a really good certified source a couple of years ago in North Carolina. 

What’s New for Spring 2008

Since we’re wildflower enthusiasts, we’re not as fixated on the “new” as most gardening sites, but who can resist the latest and greatest?  Right now, there is a new info page on our site called “What’s new” showing just 20 of the new things in our Perennial and Spring Bulb Departments, now on sale for spring. My favorite is the red Louisiana Iris ”Bold Pretender” that you see here, since it’s been created from a North American wildflower.

The Wildflower Wave has begun.

Each spring, we follow the bloom of No. America’s wildflowers that begins in the Southwestern Deserts–yes, in February–and rolls across the continent .  At Anza-Borrego State Park in California, down beside the Mexican border, the flowers are already starting to open. After lighting up the Southern California hills (photo), the “Wildflower Wave” will roll eastward. During March and in early April, Texas’ famous species are at their best.

The new Lilies for spring

Every year, there are new ones–Orientals, Asiatics, and new crosses of the crosses. One of the most startling that’s new to me this year is “Salmon Star.”  It brings a whole new color to orientals which have always been mostly red, pink and white.  On the site this year, we have more lilies than ever, all kinds of new combos and collections.  But to me, Salmon Star is well-named. It’s the star.

New Tree Peonies for spring.

Have you seen them? We have an expanded selection of “Tree peonies” in this year’s perennial sale, now on the site.  As lovely as regular peonies are, these really make them ordinary. I’ve personally grown tree peonies, and I remember how exciting it was to see them bloom the first spring. They are really like no other plant in the garden. Unlike their sprawling cousins, they are simply well-shaped little “trees” that look elegant and unimportant until the flowers begin. And then it’s like floral fireworks.  They open flowers so large

Happy 2008!

The entire staff of AmericanMeadows.com wishes you a very happy new year.  And a great year of gardening. Welcome to 2008!