Hello! And welcome to my blog on growing perennials for shade.
Overwintered Seed Flats
I have been in the nursery industry for many years and have always dreamed of owning my own nursery. Now here I am starting up a very – and I mean VERY– small enterprise at my home in Vermont. I won’t be opening a retail operation and I will be growing in small batches, mostly from seed. My focus is on native wildflowers for the woodland garden, which is mainly where I garden on a small lake with a stream running through our small property.
My plants will be for sale at various horticulture events around New England. Check back often for news of more opportunities to purchase my special plants.
Primula kisoana at APS Show '10
I am also focusing on growing Primula of all sorts that are hardy to zone 4. I’m a board member of the American Primrose Society where I am also the seed exchange manager. The New England chapter of the APS is a large and active group of which I am also the membership chair. If you have any questions on Primroses just drop me a line in the comments and I’ll be happy to talk Primroses!
I work for a small specialty nursery Rocky Dale Gardens in Bristol, so between my job, this new nursery at my home and the Primrose Society I am quite busy, but I still get out hiking whenever I can with my husband, camera in hand just in case we come across another incredible wildflower or seed collecting opportunity!
Thanks for stopping in and please share your experiences or just say hi!
hey, momcat, good opening, says alot, and shows you are who you say you are. I always tell my friends, my mom doesn’t have a green thumb, so much as a glowing green arm!
I can’t wait to go hiking, and visit. you gotta know I’m really proud of your adventures into sales. I really hope that in time, you will be working for yourself, making your own rules, and your own hours, and making more money than you need. make money to grow, to flourish, to take care of yourself
*raises a glass of mango peach fruity juice in a mason glass* here’s to your future, today. give ‘em hell, and hella good plants!
*hugs*
Awwww thanks Matt! It has been fun selling my plants and hearing the good comments folks have given them. I’ve been wanting to do this for such a long time..as you proably know.
Steve & I want the same thing as far as ‘growing’ my own business. I want to keep it small enough to take care of it all myself but large enough so that I don’t have to work full time for others. We’ll see how it goes and I’ll be having lots of fun, learning and keeping my hands dirty in the process!
Love you!!
I own a nursery specializing in perennials for shade so feel free to ask me questions as you are starting up. I also love primroses and sell a lot of them. I especially like P. sieboldii. Have you registered your blog on Blotanical.com, the garden blogging registry. It’s a great way to increase readership.
Thanks Carolyn! I appreciate the offer of mentoring. I work in a specialty nursery here in Vermont and have worked in the plant biz for over 30 years and am only now getting up the gumption to try out growing plants for sale. One question I have is how do you control the squirrels & chipmuncks? They are continually digging up seed pots and newly potted plants and driving me nuts!
Ingredients:
3 cups unbleached bread flour 1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey 2 teaspoons instant yeast or 1 packet active dry yeast*
1 ½ cups lukewarm milk (110oF to 115oF) ¾ cup raisins or currents
If you use active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk with 1 tablespoon of the sugar or honey until it foams before combining with remaining ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, or bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients, mixing to form a shaggy dough. Knead dough, by hand (10 minutes) or machine (5 minutes) until it’s smooth. Place dough in a lightly oiled/greased bowl, cover, place in a draft free place and allow to rest for 1 hour; it’ll become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk.
Transfer the dough to lightly floured surface and incorporate flour to make the dough smooth. Shape it into a log and place the log in a lightly greased (non-stick cooking spray can be used) 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, cover the pan lightly, and allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, till it’s crested 1 to 2 inches over the rim of the pan.
Bake the bread in a preheated 350oF oven for 35 to 45 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190oF. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final baking time.
Enjoy,
Ed
Thanks ED! I think I’ll try this today…sounds really good! I’ll let you know how it turns out and post a photo to FB.
Have a grand day!