We have the perfect little plant for Mothers’s Day. Spread the love with our ‘Queen of Hearts’! Take a close look and you’ll see there are five striking red hearts on each bloom. Blooming from early spring until late autumn, this spectacular petunia will perform its heart out in pots, baskets, and mixed containers. We have paired this sweet petunia with an I Love Mom cover pot, which makes the perfect gift. ‘Queen of Hearts’ has a semi-trailing habit that will transform your patio or terrace into a colorful summer haven.

Give the Mom in your life a flower that says it all with hearts. Queen of hearts petunia will surely make any Mom’s heart smile.

 

Darlene Granese, Greenhouse Manager

Forget the thermometer, you know when the warm weather’s coming when you see the return of thehummingbird hummingbirds! They’ve been spotted already in Connecticut gardens!

Hummingbirds are incredibly smart, little birds. To attract these little birds, here are a few ideas and a few suggestions. These birds are capable of navigating great distances and are clever enough to
return to their previous summer’s feeding grounds. Their diet is basically nectar and small insects, with flower nectar their preference. Hummingbird feeders are great for photo ops but not a true substitute
for nectar-rich flowers. Planting a yard full of their favorite nectar-rich plants is the best way to get started. Below are three great annual picks that hummingbirds love.

Salvia guarnanitica ‘Black and Blue’ is a fabulous summer performer for full sun and an excellent hummingbird magnet. 2 to 3′ tall spires of rich, cobalt blue flowers begin in May and continue until October. This salvia dispels the myth that hummingbirds only frequent red flowers. Yes, these little birds are attracted to reds but forage from countless other colors too.

Cuphea ‘Vermillionaire’ or the “cigar” or “firecracker” plant is another great choice. Orange, tubular flowers (the cigars) cover the bushy plants starting in summer and continue until frost. Cigar plants have hundreds of flowers and are nectar-rich. More flowers mean more visits. This annual can be used as a bedding plant or in containers. Also expect to see Cupheas attracting butterflies.

Fuchsias, in their many different forms, are a great addition to the garden and great hummingbird magnets! Hanging baskets filled with Fuchsias are perfect for shady gardens and upright Fuchsias work great in window boxes. Hummingbirds love the pendant flowers and bird lovers love the eye-level show right outside their windows. Fuchsias also show that hummingbirds frequent more than just tube-shaped flowers.

All three of these annual picks are easy to grow. Of course, hummingbirds love many other picks! Visit us in our greenhouses and we can share even more great selections with you.

Finally, mother nature is easing up on us just a bit.

With the sun finally shining and warmer temperatures you can’t help but feel the energy here at Van Wilgen’s. Every day we have more and more plants making their way up from the growing department. Billy and his crew have done their job, growing the most amazing crop of spring/summer color to fill our greenhouse. With the temperature on the warmer side these days, we need to be mindful that we are still in the month of April. So, even though temps are warm during the day, the nighttime temps can still be a little cool for some of the plants we grow in the greenhouse. Look for the signs that will remind you if a plant needs to be above a certain temperature, or just ask one of us, we are here to help make your gardening experience as easy as possible. Mid May is usually when it’s safe to plant outside worry-free. Until then if you are buying a plant such as geranium, you will need to protect it if the temperature drops below 50 degrees at night.

I generally say there are 3 stages of spring/summer plants.

If you really want to feel spring fever stop in and walk through our tropical paradise, enter through the back of our greenhouse. Take a deep breath and enjoy. Remember tropical temperatures are 50 degrees and above day and night.

March sure came in like a lion this year. But I think we are all ready for it to go out like a lamb, right? As we get closer to April we all have spring on our mind. There is nothing like the smell and colors of the spring season.

Our greenhouse is filled with just that. With Easter, right around the corner, we have lots of extra colors to brighten your smile and warm your heart. The daffodils are so alive with the brightest yellow blooms, and the hyacinths hit your senses as soon as you walk into the greenhouse. You can’t help but say what smells so good! The smell of the hyacinths reminds me of going to the greenhouses with my grandmother when I was young. It was the only plant I wanted around the Easter season. Plus, they were purple, my favorite color.

Now to the true spring flower. The pansies have taken over our greenhouse! There’s nothing like filling the greenhouse with all that color. Just try and pick a favorite. I bet you can’t. They all look truly amazing and are waiting to find a new home. Remember pansies are not only pretty, they are one tough little plant. They can handle temperatures as low as 28 degrees, and any April showers that mother nature decides to send our way. So, If you need a spring fix before mother nature is ready to release it to us, stop by and say hello. The greenhouse is the perfect place to get your spring on.

Darlene Granese, Greenhouse Manager

You just can’t help but smile and believe spring is just around the corner when you walk into the garden center this week.

The colors of all the pansies definitely brighten any day. Our front patio along with the greenhouse is alive with colors of spring.

With the pansies’ arrival and the spring-like weather, I decided it would be a great time to plant up our display pots. It was so nice to get my hands in the dirt again! While planting, many customers stopped by to chat about what I was doing. The number one comment by far was, “Isn’t it too early to be planting the pansies?” Of course, my answer was NO. Pansies are not only pretty, but they are also one tough little plant. Did you know that pansies like it chilly and can handle temperatures as low as 28 degrees? This is what makes them the perfect spring plant in Connecticut.

Whether planting in a cute spring pot, or in a border garden, the pansy is sure to put a smile on your face and brighten your day.

Like pansies, we all want to think and feel Spring!

Darlene Granese

After a long winter inside most of us want nothing more than to get outside and get our hands dirty and plant some gorgeous color in our homes to help us feel alive again. But what should you plant? What plant can handle the cold temperatures? Especially a temperature that at times can possibly drop under 32 degrees. Pansies are the answer to those questions.

Pansies are one tough little plant. Not only are they gorgeous and come in a vast array of colors but did you know that pansies can handle a low temperature of 28 degrees. These plants actually thrive and look their best in the cooler temperatures, so relax come visit us here at Van Wilgen’s and pick out some pansies to brighten up your home and your heart. Pansies are a great start to the gardening season. Have fun with them.

Darlene Granese, Greenhouse Manager