The Day After

The day after Christmas sort of feels like the day after the Pittsburgh Steelers loss against the Titans. Just not quite as bad.

I hope Santa brought you those season tickets you've been longing for and the plant of your dreams.

Now that the hectic holiday season is almost over I hope that I will have more time to blog daily. There is lots to discuss now that the Winter solstice has passed. It's time to get those last minute seed orders in and prepare our peat pots. And lets not forget the upcoming NFL playoffs. My gardens will be all decked out in black and gold.

Oh, and I need to share some pictures of my family's recent trip to Phipps Conservatory for the winter flower show. We had such a great time! I was very impressed by the new tropical rain forest addition. No matter how many times you go to Phipps, there is always something new to see. I will share our trip with you in an upcoming post.

I wish you all the happiest of holidays!

Splash of Pink

If you haven't finished your Christmas list yet, I have a great new plant that you may want to add. This Heuchera is new for 2008 and I purchased it back in the Spring so I know firsthand how cool it is....

Heuchera 'Midnight Rose'

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.

It's a herbaceous perennial hardy in zones 4-9. It forms a fast growing mound that looks stunning with some of the chartreuse colored Heucheras. This amazing compact plant has burnished black leaves, thickly spotted hot pink in spring. During Summer the leaves lighten and cream and pink dots adorn the foliage.

That is one hot Heuchera!

Arona Road Greenhouse

With a Winter Weather Advisory upon us Springtime seems so far away. While the flakes are falling, it's great to take advantage of the gardening down time to map out a new annual bed.
When I think of lush hanging baskets and beautiful annuals, the first place that comes to mind is Arona Road Greenhouse, located near New Stanton, PA. It is hands down my favorite place to shop for baskets, annuals, and herbs & veggies. They even have a nice selection of perennials.
It is not only a tradition, but a must to visit the greenhouse before Mother's Day. That's when I get the best selection of their amazing hanging baskets. The Fuchsia and Petunia baskets are my favorites. You have to see them to believe!
They grow quite a few varieties of tomatoes, along with lots of peppers, melon's, and even kholrabi.
The rows upon rows of vibrant bedding plants are so beautiful and healthy you will want one (or more!) of each. You will find several varieties of Coleus, tons of Geraniums, Angelonia, Alyssum, Snapdragons, Marigolds, Salvia, and the list goes on and on.
They have a very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful staff. I have always appreciated that and i'm sure you will too.

My words do not do Arona Road Greenhouse justice. You have to experience it for yourself.

They are closed for the season now, but are most likely busy preparing for Spring.

Click on this post title for a link to their website, which includes directions.

You won't be disappointed!

Winter Wonderland

Winter Flower Show- Phipps Conservatory
November 28, 2008 to January 4, 2009
"The Winter Flower Show returns in all of its glamour. Stroll through the Conservatory to see the playful animal topiaries, poinsettias, and lights in this Pittsburgh tradition."

I plan to attend, hopefully before Christmas.

If you've never been to Phipps, it's a must see. It's a great way to get warmed up this Winter!

http://phipps.conservatory.org/

Gameday fun in the garden

Who doesn't need one of these?? Perfect Christmas gift for the Black and Gold gardener in your life. I found it at Sugar Plum Gifts.

Yummy

I mentioned some new and exciting Echinacea's in a previous post and thought i'd share a few with you this morning.

Echinacea, or "coneflower", is a herbaceous perennial that is generally hardy in zone's 4-9. Some of the older and more common varieties are 'Magnus' and 'White Swan', but there are quite a few new stunners available in 2008 and 2009.

Two of my favorites are E. 'Tomato Soup' and 'Mac 'n' Cheese', both new for '09.

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.

E. 'Tomato Soup' is such a magnificent, tomato red and 'Mac 'n' Cheese' is the perfect complement for a delicious summertime display. Enjoy!

Winterizing

Goodbye Fall.
It seems as though Mother Nature has decided to skip the slow progression into Winter. We are in the thick of it already. Freezing temperatures combined with the few inches of snow this week have made it feel like January.
I need to winterize. So long, swimsuits. See ya' later, shorts and flip-flops. Hello, hat and mittens. Welcome back, boots. My garden is winterized, but I am not. I guess I have no choice but to bundle up.
Something I find very important to the Winter gardener is a good pair of gloves. I'm not talking about the ladybug covered, floral print wastes of money that you can find at any discount store. I need a heavy duty glove that will keep my fingers warm and dry without being too bulky. I want something that will keep the thorns out and the heat in. And what better place to test them out than the tundra that is Western Pennsylvania?
I am now on a mission to find the best garden glove for Winter. Stay tuned.

New and Unusual

One of the things you'll find me chatting about often is new and unusual plants. I especially love variegates and exciting foliage, but that's certainly not a requirement for me to fall head over heels. Plants are being bred with interesting textures, bold blooms, miniature growth habits, etc. I am on a mission to track down all of these brand new varieties and will profile many of them here. I'll focus on perennials that can survive Pittsburgh winters, but you may also find me talking about unusual houseplants, veggies, tropicals, and annuals.

New varieties of Echinacea are a big deal right now. I will share a few of those with you in an upcoming post.

But today I wanted to show you this plant. Acanthus mollis 'Tasmanian Angel', otherwise known as "variegated spiny bear's breeches", new for 2008. It's a herbaceous perennial that is only hardy in zones 7-10, but I am going to give it a try and see what happens. I'll detail that later, but for now I just wanted to show you these cool pictures......

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.

Right now i'm growing mine in a container, as the plant transitions to the ground better with a larger root system. This first ever variegated form was found in Tasmania, hence the name. What do you think? Would you grow this in your garden?

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Dawn and I was born and raised here, just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. Although it would be nice to live in a warm climate, I love this city and all of it's seasonal gardening challenges. I hope to share with you my love of gardening by offering up tips, design ideas, product and local business reviews, as well as showcasing some of the Steel City's finest gardens.
From time to time I may also ramble on about my own garden and share with you the gazillions of pictures that I take.
If you would like to see a product, nursery, or garden profiled on this blog, please email me!

Thanks for stopping by. Happy gardening, n'at!