The latest “Plant of the Week Specials” from Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road):

SHRUB Special of the Week
‘INVINCIBELLE SPIRIT’ HYDRANGEA Arboescens‘
Invincibelle Spirit’ HYDRANGEA arborescens is the first PINK Annabelle! This hot new mop-head hydrangea was introduced this year, and developed by Dr. Thomas Ranney right here in WNC. It is a NATVE plant, and Invincibelle Spirit produces pink flowers right up until frost. It is very adaptable, but prefers to be planted in rich, well-drained, moist soil in part shade. Looks great in mass plantings, perennial beds, woodland settings, and as a specimen plant. Cut back in early spring. Moderate to fast growing, blooms mid-summer to fall, and provides habitat for songbirds and butterflies. 4’ T x 4’ H.  Zone 4-9.

1 Gallon $10.20 ~ Regular $16.99
While supplies last through September 2 ~ Limit 5 per Customer

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PERENNIAL Special of the Week
HOSTA, Assorted ~ 1 Gallon
HOSTAS are one of the most-loved shade perennials in this area. Their elegant leaves come in many shapes and colors, from blue to green to variegated. Different hosta colors and shapes work beautifully together in the woodland garden, and they produce flowers that attract hummingbirds. This tough plant faithfully returns every year, and fits seamlessly into the shady areas of your landscape.  Some are sun tolerant as well. Zone 4-8.

$5.99 Per Gallon ~ Regular $9.99
While supplies last through September 2 – Limit 5 per Customer

The latest “Plant of the Week Specials” from Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road):

SHRUB OF THE WEEK
Cinnamon Clethra ~ 3 Gallon…an awesome native plant!
CINNAMON CLETHRA or Clethra acuminata is a sizable shrub, or small understory tree, that grows 8 to 12 feet tall and wide, sometimes taller.  The bark is a striking reddish brown color that resembles cinnamon, and peels in patches to reveal a dusty grey underbark.  Small ivory flowers appear in early summer, and the leaves turn a glowing golden yellow in fall. Cinnamon clethra is a good choice for a woodland garden, where the tiered branches and elegant stems look captivating against new fallen snow.  Cinnamon Clethra is NATIVE to our MOUNTAINS, and is often found in rich mountain woods and streamsides.  Enjoys full sun to light shade, and moist soil. Early settlers used the spicy-tasting seeds as a substitute for black pepper, so it is sometimes called Mountain Pepperbush.  Zone 5-8.

NOW $14.99…Regularly $24.99
While supplies last through August 12 ~ Limit 5 per Customer

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PERENNIAL OF THE WEEK
‘Delosperma cooperi’ HARDY ICE PLANT ~ Quarts
HARDY ICE PLANT or ‘Delosperma cooperi’ is a perennial EVERGREEN succulent with 2” purple flowers that bloom from late spring until fall.  This is a great low-growing, succulent groundcover for rock gardens or for slopes, and to tuck into spots along a patio or walkway.  It takes heat well and (once established) needs very little water to keep looking good. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil.  Water well and allow to dry thoroughly before watering again.  Zone 5-11.

NOW $2.99 per Quart…Regularly $4.99
While supplies last through August 12 – Limit 5 per Customer

The latest “Plant of the Week Specials” from Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road):

PLANTS of the WEEK:   2 Great Specials this week!

‘Blue Chip’ BUTTERFLY BUSH ~ 1 Gallon
‘BLUE CHIP’ Low and Behold ® Butterfly Bush is the first in a new series of miniature Butterfly Bushes.  The blooms are bluish-purple, the foliage is grey-green, and the compact plant forms a tidy mound about 24″ – 30″ tall.  And YES!  Butterflies love it.  We have seen multiple butterflies on one bush, and it blooms continually from mid-summer to fall.    ‘Blue Chip’ does not need pruning or deadheading, and is drought resistant (once established) and deer resistant.  It can be used as a ground cover or for a low hedge.  Plant in containers to attract butterflies to your deck.  Hardy to Zone 5.  Prefers full sun and well-drained, moist, fertile soils.

NOW $7.79…..Regularly $12.99
While supplies last thru August 5, 2010 ~ Limit 5 per Customer

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’Heritage’ RED RASPBERRY
‘HERITAGE’ Red Raspberry is an EVER-BEARING raspberry with a big crop in June and larger crop from September through fall. It produces high-quality fruit with a sweet flavor that has great holding ability on the vine. Excellent eaten fresh, or made into jellies and jams.  Heritage won’t fall to pieces if you delay picking the ripe fruit a day or two; it stays firm, and is juicy and super-flavorful. Plants are very vigorous and resist Powdery Mildew.  Plant in full sun, in moist, well-drained soil, and space about 2-3’ apart.  Fast growing.  Zone 3-8.  A favorite of home gardeners.

NOW $8.99…..Regularly $14.99
While supplies last thru August 5, 2010 – Limit 5 per Customer

Butterfly Gardening Seminar at Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road) tomorrow (Saturday, July 10, 2010). Info:

Butterfly Gardening Seminar
Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 10 a.m. 
It only takes a few essential elements to create your own little oasis to attract butterflies into your yard and garden.  A container on your deck will bring in the butterflies too.  Learn about butterflies, what sort of habitat they like, and nectar & host plants (including natives) that combine beautifully to invite butterflies in for your enjoyment. 
Free, but please pre-register at 828-645-3937.

Gardening program at the Weaverville Library on July 13:

Reems Creek Nursery will present a program at the Weaverville Library (41 North Main Street) on “Late Summer and Fall Gardens” on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 7 p.m.  Learn how to plant specifically to attract butterflies, new design ideas, which native plants will fit in your space and much more.  For more information, call the Library at 250-6482.  Sponsored by the Weaverville Library Friends.

Current specials at Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road):

BLACK-EYED SUSAN ~ ‘Goldsturm’ ~ Beefy 1 Gallon Plants
Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldstrum’ is a wonderful easy-care border perennial.  Its bright golden daisy-like flowers bloom midsummer into fall.  They spread nicely, make an excellent cut flower, and the large flowers look great in mass plantings.  This BUTTERFLY and pollinator plant is also a North American NATIVE wildflower.   Adaptable 23-29” plants enjoy sun to part-sun.  Rabbit & deer resistant.  Zone 3-9.
NOW $5.99, Regularly $9.99
While supplies last thru July 1 ~ Limit 5 per Customer

BLUEBERRY ~ 3 Gallon ~ All Cultivars & these are super-nice plants!
BLUEBERRIES make an excellent edible addition to any landscape…or start a blueberry patch!  The bushes have pretty bell shape flowers in spring, berries in summer, showy fall color, and exfoliating bark for winter interest. That’s just about perfect, isn’t it?  You will need two DIFFERENT cultivars for fruit pollination.  Plant in sun to part-sun; you will get better fruit production in full sun.  Blueberries require acid soil and good drainage (amend your native soil 50/50 with Natures Helper). Most bushes will be 4-6’ tall at maturity.
NOW $17.99, Regularly $29.99
While supplies last thru July 1 ~ Limit 5 per Customer

This week’s specials at Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road):

PERENNIAL of the Week: DAYLILY ‘HAPPY RETURNS’ ~ 1 Gallon
Hemerocallis ‘Happy Returns’ has lemon yellow flowers that bloom all summer.   This pretty daylily looks great in borders or containers, is somewhat deer-resistant, and can even take wet areas.  The 15-20” plants enjoy well-drained soil, and sun to part-sun. Zone 4-10.  Attracts butterflies.
NOW $5.99, Regularly $9.99

SHRUB of the Week: VITEX ‘SHOAL CREEK’ ~ 3 Gallon
Vitex ‘Shoal Creek’, also called CHASTE TREE, is a lovely large shrub/small tree that is covered with aromatic lavender blooms.  It blossoms over an extended season, is striking in the landscape, and thrives in heat once it is established.  Exceptional patio tree, reaching about 12’T x 12’W. Deciduous grey-green foliage.  Zone 6-9.  Full Sun.  Seen locally at the I-26/UNCA Exit.  Attracts butterflies.
NOW $14.99, Regularly $24.99

More SALES:
ALL ANNUAL CELL-PAKS are 50% OFF
ROSES ~ 25% OFF one Rose, OR buy 2 & get the third rose FREE.
HERBS ~ 50% OFF for a limited time
BLUEBERRIES, One Group ONLY, 50% OFF

The latest “Plant of the Week Specials” from Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road):

Shrub of the Week: 3 Gallon HYPERICUM ‘Sunburst’
$14.99, Regularly $24.99
While supplies last thru June 17 ~ Limit 5 per Customer
Hypericum frondosum ‘Sunburst’, or Shrubby St. John’s Wort, is a native plant that is admired for its blue-gray deciduous foliage and neat growth habit. The bush is gloriously covered with golden yellow 2″ flowers, each glowing with a puffy ball of stamens in the middle. Blooms midsummer into fall, with fruit and reddish-brown bark for winter interest.  ‘Sunburst’ is more COMPACT than the straight species and makes a brilliant addition to a sunny border, or can serve as a showy mass planting. Light pruning after flowering encourages a new flush of leaves.   3-4’T x 3-4’W.  Zone 5-8. Likes full sun to part shade, and moist, well-drained soil.  NATIVE to the Southeastern USA.

Perennial of the Week: CONEFLOWER ~ 1 Gallon Echinaceas ‘Magnus’ & ‘White Swan’
$5.99, Regularly $9.99
While supplies last thru June 17 – Limit 10 per Customer
ECHINACEA PURPUREA has big, bright flowers that appear from late June into September, thrives in average soils, and enjoys full sun to partial shade. ‘MAGNUS’ has purple flowers & ‘WHITE SWAN’ has fragrant white flowers.  Loved by BUTTERFLIES, the blooms last well as cut or dried flowers, and the large cone at the flower’s center turns black as the seeds mature ~ adding winter interest and providing food for birds. Coneflower is a rugged species that is a North American NATIVE Plant, a Butterfly Plant, and a Medicinal Herb.   About 40” Tall.  Zone 3-9.  Deadhead to prolong bloom-time.  Beautiful planted in groups of 3 to 5.

ROSES
25% OFF one rose; or buy two roses, and get the third one FREE (excludes Knockout Series).

The latest “Plant of the Week Specials” from Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road):

SPECIAL PLANTS OF THE WEEK
While supplies last through June 8, 2010

PHLOX ‘Purple Flame’ l-gallon
$5.99, regularly $9.99
Limit 10 per customer
A beautiful native plant & butterfly flower. Purple blooms are 12-18” tall.

SPIREA ‘Goldcharm’ 3-gallon
$14.99, regularly $24.99
Limit 5 per customer
The bright chartreuse foliage and pink flowers are striking in any garden.  The small size makes them versatile.  Use singly, or in groups for a dramatic affect.

Looks like “Plant of the Week Specials” are going to be a regular feature throughout the gardening season, if the last couple newsletters from Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road) are any indication:

Plant of the Week Specials at Reems Creek Nursery

Coreopsis
1 Gallon size, very nice selection of varieties.
Regularly $9.99 NOW $5.99 thru June 1 while supplies last
COREOPSIS are sunny flower border work-horses. BUTTERFLIES love them & they make cheerful additions to any garden design, blooming most of the summer.  These NATIVE wildflowers make great garden edging, as well as nice cut flowers.  Deadhead, or shear the plant occasionally to keep the blooms coming.  They love full sun and can take the heat!  Once established they are drought tolerant; water them regularly until well established.

Hydrangea
‘Quickfire’ ~ 3 Gallon size & blooming
Regularly $24.99 NOW $14.99 while supplies last through June 1st.
HYDRANGEA paniculata ‘QUICK FIRE’ blooms months earlier than older H. paniculata varieties, extending the bloom time from early summer thru autumn.  Blooms open a creamy white and change to rich pinkish-red.  This deciduous shrub is hardy in Zones 3-8, unaffected by pH, and very adaptable.  Plant in full sun to part shade, 6-8 ft. tall x 3-5 ft. wide, or prune to maintain desired size.  Very tolerant of hard pruning, and cutting the plant back 1/2 to 1/3 will produce larger flowers.

The latest deals at Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road). From their newsletter:

ROSES
Jackson and Perkins Roses (excluding Knockouts) are on sale at a great deal.  Buy 1 Rose, get 25% OFF. Buy TWO Roses – GET ONE FREE!  While supplies last.

SHRUB OF THE WEEK
HYDRANGEA Mac. ‘Penny Mac’, 3 Gal.
$14.99 each (Regularly $24.99) thru May 25
HYDRANGEA macrophylla ‘Penny Mac’ is a superior plant that will flower in the coldest zones because of its ability to produce flowers on both old and new wood. It is known for quantity of blooms, fast growth rate, and disease resistance. Flowers are abundant and make beautiful dried flowers. Best placed in borders, groupings and masses. Ideally, wait to prune until just after first flowering. Provide well-drained acidic, moisture-retentive soil and organic mulch. Plant in partial shade. Generally cold hardy from -20° to -10° F, USDA Hardiness Zones 5 – 9.  Grows 5’T x 5’W. Space 3-6’ apart. Depending on soil, produces pink (alkaline soil) or blue (acid soil), mophead flowers.

PERENNIAL OF THE WEEK:
ROSEMARY ‘Arp’, 2-Gal. Pots & very beefy
$11.99 each (Regularly $19.99) thru May 25
Did you lose your Rosemary last winter?  We consider ‘Arp’ to be the HARDIEST ROSEMARY for the mountains, so it is our staff favorite.  Rosemary enjoys good drainage in its root zone, and plenty of sunshine.  Amend your soil at planting time with a 50/50 mixture of native soil and Nature’s Helper /Compost to ensure good drainage.  Rosemary is a popular herb for cooking and grilling.  Try Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, or Rosemary Grilled Lamb (great with Minted Green Peas).

Free gardening seminar at Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road) this Saturday:

Design Considerations for Successful Home Landscapes
Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 10 a.m.

Alison Arnold, former Director of Horticulture at the NC Arboretum, landscape design consultant, and commentator on WCQS’s Garden “Conversations” will lead this seminar.  Alison is so super-knowledgeable; this is an amazing opportunity to hear from one of the area’s true garden gurus.

This seminar will be excellent for any homeowner who wants to maximize the beauty of their landscape.  Alison will discuss various considerations that are critical in directing your home landscape-design decisions ~ plus plant & soil health, water run-off, and more.  Followed by a Q&A session.

Free, but please pre-register at 828-645-3937.

Free gardening seminar from Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road):

The ABC’s of RAISED BED GARDENING
with Jim Daubert
Reems Creek Nursery
Saturday, April 17 at 10 a.m

LEARN everything you need to know in order to have a successful Raised Bed / Square Foot Garden ~ such as location, soil mix recipes, planting & maintaining your garden, vertical gardening, successive plantings to maximize yield, and building your raised bed.  About 2 hours.  Free, but please pre-register at 828-645-3937.

Jim Daubert is the former Educational Program Director at the Chicago Botanical Garden, a Residential Landscape Designer, and has taught Horticulture at Haywood Community College.

There are four grapevine pruning demonstrations scheduled around WNC, including a March 30, 2010 date at Dillingham’s Commercial Vineyard in Weaverville. Info:

Chuck Blethen, Executive Director of the Southern Appalachian Viticulture Institute in Marshall, has just announced several grapevine pruning demonstrations that have been scheduled around Buncombe, Yancey and Madison Counties.  There is no charge to attend, but pre-registration is required. Contact Chuck Blethen at (828) 606-3130 or Blethen@GrapeSAVI.org to register and get directions to the various locations.

Tuesday, March 30
– 10 a.m. at Dillingham’s Commercial Vineyard, Weaverville. Potential commercial grape growers may want to attend this demo and see a few acres of wine grapes and table grapes being grown commercially.

– 2 p.m. at Grapevine test plot in Marshall at the Preserve at Little Pine. This pruning demo will show backyard gardeners how to prune first-year growth on four different cold hardy grapevines (GR7/Rubiana, Leon Millot, Vignoles/Ravat 51 & Edelweiss) that were selected for their ability to withstand the cold weather and their disease resistance in WNC.

Tuesday, April 13
– 10 a.m. at vineyard test plot just off the Burnsville highway. Four different cold-hardy, disease-resistant grapes (Baco Noir, Esprit, Frontenac & La Crescent).

– 2 p.m. at small backyard vineyard near Burnsville of what appears to be Concord grapes that have not been pruned in 10-15 years. Here is your chance to learn how to get those neglected grapes growing out back along your fence or barn revitalized and producing more grapes!

The Weaverville Tailgate Market, which starts up again Wednesday, April 14, 2010, has launched a new website.  There’s a photo gallery, food and vendor sections, and even a section for recipes (there’s only one recipe now but they promise more).  Check it out at www.weavervilletailgate.org. The market will again take place on Wednesdays, 2:30-6:30 p.m., at the Community Center parking lot above Lake Louise.

The first gardening seminar of the year at Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road) is this Saturday, March 27, 2010. From their latest e-newsletter:

CREATE LIVING SOIL!
Fundamentals of Soil Fertility for the Home Gardener & Homesteader
Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 10 a.m.
With expert, Brett Gustafson

LEARN ESSENTIAL TECHNIQUES for building amazing, organic GARDEN SOIL TEEMING with beneficial microbial activity. Seen through the lens of the soil as a living organism, this talk will address fundamentals like tilth, structure, nutrients, soil amendments, composting and microbiology. Improving your soil in the short-term, and over the long-term will be discussed. About 1 ½ hours. Free, but please pre-register at the nursery or call 828-645-3937.

ABOUT Brett Gustafson: Brett Gustafson has managed farms in both North and South America, co-founded local farm Luce Goose Produce, and trained at the UCSC Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture in 1992. He has a passion for soil fertility, fruit trees, and perennial flower care. He has worked in many other areas of landscaping and farming, and does private consultations.

Some news from the latest Reems Creek Nursery (70 Monticello Road) newsletter. You can sign up for their e-newsletter here:

GARDEN SEEDS have arrived.  Our Livingston Seed shipment of vegetable, flowers, and wildflowers is here in force.  Local seed company, Sow True Seed, has delivered most of their 2010 rack of 100% open-pollinated seeds.  Seeds of Change organic seeds are expected any moment.  Buying seeds always encourages us that SPRINGTIME is near.

Our Landscape Department offers BRUSH REMOVAL.  Call David Penland at 828-776-6050 to schedule brush removal services, or to discuss landscape design and installation, or landscape maintenance.

SALE:  Bulbs are 50% Off including amaryllis and paperwhites.

Winter Hours:
8-5, Monday thru Friday
9-4, Saturday
Closed Sunday, and occasionally during inclement weather.

The Weaverville Tailgate Market wraps up the 2009 season tomorrow, Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 2:30-6:30 p.m. at the Community Center above Lake Louise. Here’s the info from this week’s Market newsletter:

Hello One Final Time For The Season!

This week will be our final market for this year, and we’re gonna do our best to end on a high note…

We’ll have kids’ activities from 3-5 p.m. or so:
– pumpkin painting
– cookie decorating
– scarecrow stuffing (farmer couldn’t get the interns to do this for him…)
– trick or treating
– wash your favorite vendor’s car

We’ll also have Sustainable Chef Michael Gentry on hand sampling tasty treats made with market ingredients, and live music (sorry, don’t know who but it is bound to be nice).  Face painting and a free pie pumpkin while they last.

The lovely pumpkins from last week will return, as will fresh greens, grass-fed beef, seafood, gluten-free baked goods, eggs, pork, and fall candies.  Maybe caramel apples unless someone decides they are too lazy to make them or can’t find the popsicle sticks.

So come see us one last time — spring is a long way away, you know you’ll miss us.  We will certainly miss you.  Thanks so much for making our first year in Weaverville really great, we look forward to celebrating the season with you Wednesday!

Pumpkins at the Weaverville Tailgate Market. They’re good for carving or baking, and cost $3-8. They’ll have them on sale again next Wednesday at the last market of the season.

Main Street Nature Park workday on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Info from the town newsletter:

A workday in the Main Street Nature Park is scheduled for Saturday, October 24.  Volunteers are needed. We will meet in the parking lot behind the Town Hall at 9:30 a.m. Landscape Architect Randy Burroughs will be on hand to direct the work. For additional information about the workday, call Mayor Bett Stroud at 645-3912 or Town Hall at 645-7116.  This park workday is provided by the Weaverville Tree Board and the Weaverville Garden Club.

This year’s Weaverville Tailgate Market is winding down, with only 2 weeks left before they’re done for the season.  Here’s the news from this week’s Market newsletter. The market is held 2:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, April-October, at the community center behind Lake Louise.

We will have pumpkins this week at Weaverville!  They are an heirloom variety - dark tan rather than bright orange, but they are quite lovely and are suitable for carving or cooking.  We’ll have a good selection of shapes and sizes.

Also fresh (well, it’s all fresh of course but I guess I mean making a new appearance) this week:  leaf lettuce, mesclun mix and radishes.

We will also have the return of pies and fish!  Okay, doesn’t sound that exciting put that way, but for any of you who have tried the pies and/or fish, you know how exciting that truly is…

Continuing to appear:  kale, chard & cabbage
head lettuce, carrots, potatoes
eggs, pork, beef, cheese
jams, jellies, pesto & pasta sauce

Next week will be our big season finale, but this week sounds pretty good – might as well shop with us until the very end. As always, thanks for your support, and we look forward to seeing you Wednesday!