What’s New at Van Wilgen’s

Tour Van Wilgen’s Display Gardens.

At Van Wilgen’s we want you to be a successful gardener. Sometimes just looking at a plant in a pot just doesn’t cut it. That’s why we created several display gardens throughout the farm so you can see what plants look like in the landscape. From ornamental trees, to hydrangea’s of all varieties, we try to show you what a year or two’s growth can look like in your yard. Next time you visit, ask us about our display gardens. If you have a question regarding a specific variety and if we have it planted on the property just let us know.

Fresh Cut Flowers : Van Wilgen Grown

Who doesn’t love fresh cut flowers in summertime?

At Van Wilgen’s, there is no shortage of flowers. Our North Branford store is now sharing them! Beautiful Hydrangeas, Buddleia, Zinnia, Marigolds and more. Fresh cut from our fields and display gardens. Grown just for you. Want to dress up your tabletop, grab a jar full of summer blooms today.

Firefly Solar Lanterns

Light up your outdoor parties, cookouts or camping trips with this Firefly solar lantern, Built with an impact resistant plastic top and flexible silicone bulb, this light is ready for any application. Perfect for kids and families. Charge it up via the sun or the included USB adapter and use any of four settings to light up your life.

• Flexible silicone outer bulb
• Impact resistant plastic top
• Charges via the sun or included USB adapter
• 4 light settings
• Waterproof
• Top handle for holding or hanging
• Dimensions: 4.05 in. x 4.05 in. x 5.19 in.
• Weight: 6 oz.

Tri – Color Butterfly Bush

An explosion of color erupts in the summer landscape with this combination of bright pink, claret purple and pure white flower spikes. Tri-Color  consists of three different varieties of the Lo & Behold Buddleia series that produces a lovely patio ready butterfly bush that is repeat blooming from early summer to fall,  fragrant, and  one of the best butterfly attractants.  Prune back to new growth in spring.

Flamingo Kolorscape Rose!

We could not resist a Flamingo Rose, what could be more perfect for Pink Week! Compact, mounded rose has stunning flower power, glossy green foliage and a bloom cycle that will continue from mid-spring until the first hard frost. Long-lasting hot pink blooms of medium size with 20-25 petals. A self-cleaning rose that is very heat tolerant and has exceptional resistance to black spot.

Pistachio Hydrangea!

How about this for a mix…red, purple, bronze and green all in varying degrees on each flower? It’s a kaleidoscope of varying colors this is made all the more impressive by this selection’s ability to rebloom and to bloom onld and new wood. You’ll be wowed by ‘Pistachio’ for all these outstanding traits but the one you might like best is its carefree nature. Pistachio Hydrangea has a dense rounded form, and is fast becoming a staff favorite!

Ready Made Metal & Rope Patio Containers

Love cottage style? Then our new metal and rope patio containers are perfect for you then! We found these containers and knew they would be great for butterfly attracting annuals, kitchen herb gardens and even patio veggie gardens. Pick one up to deck out your patio this summer!

Cool Tree Alert!

Endless Summer Kiosks are filling up !

Endless Summer^® is the world’s first and best-selling collection of reblooming hydrangea. These mop head hydrangeas flower in the summer  and are among some of our most popular plants in the nursery.  Endless Summer blooms continuously on old growth and new growth. Endless Summer collection consists of four distinctly different varieties that will fill your garden with endless possibilities all summer long.

Jack Daniels Whiskey Barrels

True oak, Whiskey Barrels are now available at our North Branford location. The perfect addition your container garden.

Mandevilla has a few new colors!

If you stop by our North Branford store, a walk through Tropical Paradise does not disappoint.  Our greenhouse is filled to the brim with flowering tropicals!  You can smell the scent of the Gardenias all the way outside in our perennial department! This year we have added a few new made villa’s with colors that we haven’t seen before. A bright sunshine yellow and a soft apricot would be beautiful to adorn your porch or patio!

Bushel and Berry

Bushel and Berry is a unique collection of compact ornamental and self-pollinating berry plants for your garden. Simply put these are plants that are easy to grow, exceptionally beautiful and delicious. They have  lovely ornamental qualities and amazing fruit, these are berry plants that belong front and center in decorative patio containers and in the landscape.

A perfect solution for those of us with limited space, or just prefer a berry bush that is low maintenance. At Van Wilgen’s we are offering selections in Raspberries and Blueberries. Here a just two of our favorites:

Raspberry Shortcake,  dwarf and rounded, this thornless beauty tops off at only 3′ in height while producing a boatload of sweet tasting mid season red Raspberries in June and July. While it does spread like other Raspberries in the ground, it is perfectly suited for growing in a container on a deck so that you can pick delicious fruit at your leisure. Gone are the Raspberries that take over the landscape!

Blueberry Glaze is unlike any other blueberry variety. With its small stature and incredibly glossy, dark green leaves, Blueberry Glaze is reminiscent of a boxwood and can easily be sheared as such. The white with pink spring flowers beautifully contrast the deep foliage color. Small, little dark (almost black) berries present in little bundles mid-summer. The small berries have intense flavor much like the flavor of wild blueberries. With their deep flesh color, these berries pack a healthful punch with their antioxidant-rich qualities.

They’re are many reasons why we think these plants are so great, with their compact size,  fresh berries are perfect for decorative containers – bringing color, beauty, fruit and fun to your outdoor living spaces. We love to place them into patio pots to create an intimate space for any event –and as an added benefit,  informal healthy snacking for your kids! We can’t forget about the decorative benefit these beauties bring.  These plants offer a rainbow of color, from red to peach to purple to emerald green, providing a perfect palate to mix with your flowering perennials, shrubs, and annuals.

The uses for the berries are endless and the rewards are plentiful. These are just great plants that will provide you year-round beauty and bumper crops of amazing summer fruit.

Bird in Hand Collection

Our store manager Elaine searches everywhere to bring our customers new bird houses every year. This years find does not disappoint! These beautifully hand-crafted bird houses and feeders are all hand made with reclaimed & recycled wood material.  Each piece of The Bird in Hand Collection has individual characteristics and irregularities and no two pieces are the same. The finishes are earth friendly traditional stains and they are all made in the USA.  Find your birds a new home and feeder in our North Branford store.

Soilution by Sweet Peet

Each year we review  new products in search of what is the very best for our gardeners. This year we have added a great new soil enhancer brought to us by our friends at Sweet Peet, called Soilution.

Add a bag of Soilution to your flower & veggie gardens. There are so many nutrients in Soilution that your plants will thrive. The new organic buzzword is Biochar. This type of carbon is an extra treat for your garden soil, making it a growing powerhouse!

Formulated from the finest organic compost, enviromentally harvested from oceans, farms and forest.

Includes :

Biochar Carbon

Worm Casting

Sphagnum Peat

Pro-biotic (MycoApply)

Ecto & Endo

Mycorrhizae

Kelp

Blood Meal

Aged Bark Fines

Dolomitic Lime

Van Wilgen’s Lightweight Potlite Pottery

Versatile and lightweight planters that can be used in a variety of contemporary or traditional settings, indoors or Potlite tag in outdoors.

Portable

Frost Resistant

UV Resistant

Indoor/Outdoor

Fiberglass & Clay Composite

We have a pot for any indoor or outdoor setting. Whether your style is clean contemporary, or traditional shapes we have just the pot to brighten your porch, patio, or deck. Van Wilgen’s Potlite Pots come in natural colors and a variety of textures.  Crafted from a lightweight fiber material, these planters are sturdy, but relieve you of the burden of real stone and clay, which are too heavy for many  projects. For even more convenience the line is frost & UV proof. Included in the collection are Urns, squares, rectangular and round planters of all shapes and sizes.  We are confident we have one that’s just right for you!

Spanish Pottery

Bold color and intricate beautiful patterns. Something new in our Pottery collection! We know the smaller pots stand out as perfect herb gardens for your kitchen or deck.

Our larger pieces will be perfect for your tropicals. Picture a beautiful yellow or red Hibiscus in one these patterns. Stop by our greenhouse today as we unpack more boxes there will be more color and patterns to explore.

Seed Sprouting

It doesn’t matter what the temperature is outside, you can always count on sprouts to give you a bounty of healthy, fresh food all year long right from your kitchen counter! Growing your own indoor sprout “garden”  is super easy and fun. All you need is seeds and water, we like the ease of using a seed sprouter, like the one below by Botanical Interests. But you can also make your own at home with a jar and a screen lid.  Sprouts a great for us kitchen gardeners who like to have freshly grown food right at our finger tips. For an easy sprout salad recipe click to our recipe page and let us know what you think!

Pantone 2017 Color of the Year….Greenery!!

It’s no secret that at Van Wilgen’s that our favorite color is GREEN!

Whatever the shade, whether warm or cool, the color green contains an inherent connection to the natural world and helps us feel grounded and relaxed. So we were of course in agreement with Pantone that Greenery is the best choice for 2017 color of the year! Pantone is a company responsible for the widely used Pantone Color Matching System, which helps standardize the many color used in the print world and other industries. Each year, Pantone chooses a color of the year, which forecasts (and sets) color trends in a wide range of industries, from print, to web design to fashion. This year, Pantone’s choice is a shade they’ve called Greenery. Take a peek at the swatch we think it looks like your favorite indoor plant!

According to Pantone ” Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.

We couldn’t agree more. GO GREEN!

Florasol Plant Mister

This is our new favorite ultra fine mist sprayer. A simple and super handy tool for the indoor gardener. The reason we love this new sprayer for our houseplants is that it generates a delicate, aerosol-like mist without the use of propellants. This is the perfect tool when you have delicate plants or flowers ( like airplants ) that need thorough yet gentle watering, feeding or treatments. With multiple pulls on this sprayer, you get a continuous spray with little or no dripping.  This handy sprayer actually makes air plants even easier to care for!

Stop by our North Branford store and glasshouse to learn more about sprayers and houseplant care.

Poinsettia Wraps

Everyday our team in the greenhouse works hard to make sure our poinsettias are well cared for so we can provide you with the healthiest plant possible.  Poinsettia care begins with proper light, water, and temperature conditions. After that we sleeve your plants in paper so that they don’t get chilly in the car on the way home. This year we have added the option to add a festive wrap to the bottom of your pot! We have 5 different colors to choose from and each comes with a gold bow. These add a nice touch for gift giving and as a bonus the wraps are water resistant and will help keep your holiday table neat and dry! To make them even better they are made from Eco -Friendly plastic film. So, they are recyclable!

Kandy Kane Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe is one of the prettiest of the succulents family. It’s dark foliage topped with tiny flowers bring a pop of color to desktops and windowsills everywhere you go.  Kalachoe can be found in many colors from orange to yellow to pink. The new Kandy Kane Kalanchoe is a real treat this time of year. White varigated foliage and tiny red flowers are perfect as a holiday gift for co-workers and friends alike.

Kalanchoes are easy to grow, need warm temperatures and minimum care. Kalanchoe is very sensitive to cold and it takes only a few hours of near 40 F for the plant to die. This plant loves and needs plenty of light to grow, if light is adequate its leaves will develop a beautiful reddish outline. During summer do not allow direct sunlight because its leaves who contain lots of water will get sun-burned. Direct sunlight from fall till early spring will not harm your plant.

When your flowers start to die back, cut them off and let the plant rest. Soon you will notice new buds and your plant will bloom again. This change in blooming and resting cycles will go on throughout the year!

Waxz Amaryllis

Super fun and easy, Waxz  Amaryllis needs no planting and no watering!  A coiled wire embedded in the wax coating on the bottom of the bulb makes it freestanding. Place the bulb on any flat surface, and have fun with decorating! Whether you like a modern glass vase, or  prefer  to surround  your Amaryllis with natural holiday greens the choice is yours. Shoots will begin to emerge from the bulb. In about four to six weeks the stunning red flowers will begin to bloom. No watering, fertilizing or staking required. You can expect one or two flower stalks, each with up to four blooms. Enjoy

Poinsettia Kits and Self Watering Holiday Pot Covers

We just made gift giving a whole lot easier! New holiday pot covers have arrived at all Van Wilgen’s locations. These self watering plastic covers come in 3 styles, perfect to dress up a teacher gift! Just pop a 4″ poinsettia into these cute containers and you have an instant gift.

These self watering pots are simple to use and take the guess work out of watering. Once you have chosen your Poinsettia and pot cover simply insert the watering stick into the bottom of your pot. Next, fill your pot cover with water, you will notice a clear level gauge along the side to tell you how much water to add. The watering stick acts like a wick drawing moisture into your plants root system. It’s that easy! Stop in and pick out your cover!

It’s time to plant your Amaryllis bulbs!

We know many of our gardeners love to have flowering Amaryllis at Christmastime. A variety of bulbs have arrived in our retails store in North Branford!

A few quick tips for planting:

Planting Period: October until the end of April.

Flowering Period:  Late December until the end of June.

Flowering time is 7-10 weeks.

Larger bulbs produce more flowers.

Always store un-planted bulbs in a cool place.

Plant the bulb, or place the potted bulb in a warm place with direct light since heat is necessary for the development of the stems. Water sparingly until the stem appears, then, as the bud and leaves appear, gradually water more.  At this point, the stem will grow rapidly and flowers will develop after it has reached full growth.

Getting Creative with Funky Pumpkins & Decorative Squash

We know this time of year is meant for apple cider, pumpkins, Mums, and getting creative! Whether you like decorating your front steps, tabletop displays or just getting crafty with your kids, we are confident we have something for you!   This year why not try something new?   Our team searched for something we haven’t seen or carried before, and this year we found Orangemon! A brightly marbled mini pumpkin that’s a funky little addition to our large haul of specialty pumpkins and gourds. Stop by, pick out your favorites and try something new!

NEW! Mini Shrubs for Fall Containers!

Last fall, we went out on a limb and started carrying heather in our annual department. We couldn’t resist the urge to add these heathers to our fall containers. Calluna vulgaris, commonly called heather, is a hardy flowering shrub perfect for that sunny-dry spot in your garden. We work with a grower who offers small 4″ pots of heather in full bloom for the fall season. Anyone decorating for fall should consider how fantastic heather is for a filler in your container mixes! It’s a hardy evergreen shrub when planted in the ground; however when planted in a pot, it may not last until next spring.  Heather will hold its color for the whole fall season, and also provide winter interest to add texture to your winter displays! Since you guys were just as enthused as we were by these great little fillers, we’ve decided to try out a few more varieties of heather. With colors ranging from pinks, purples, reds, and whites, there are even more great plant pairings with heather this fall. It’s been an exciting new venture for us in the greenhouse to coordinate with Jason; with his advice we’ve picked out all the best heather varieties.  We’ve also added some gold mop cypress, a bright yellow pop for fall interest, as well as some dwarf alberta spruces, which would be great thrillers in any container planting to take you right into the Christmas season! A few less common, but equally as exciting, new additions to our fall container plant line-up include American Wintergreen, a great spiller with festive red berries for fall and winter interest, as well as Goshiki False Holly, which has thrilling and filling potential, with creamy-golden variegated foliage.

Spring Bulbs are IN!

A few things to think about when planting.  To make a great impact plant larger bulbs in groups of 12 and smaller bulbs in groups of 50 or more. Keep in mind their blooming time. You will want to enjoy a succession of color all spring.  Limited for space? You can plant in the same hole. Start with alliums or tulips, then hyacinths or miniature daffodils, followed by small bulbs like crocuses or grape hyacinths. Bulbs are easy to plant.  Pick a sunny spot (remember you can plant under deciduous trees), loosen the dirt, plant point side up, put in a handful of bulb tone or bone meal and water.  Done!  An easy rule of thumb on the depth of the hole is height of bulb x 2.5”.

Remember to pair them with perennials or annuals to disguise the leaves as they die back. It is important to let this happen because this stores the energy for next year’s blooms.  A few minutes of time in the fall, creates a lot of spring beauty.

Outdoor Furniture, or indoor if you like!

 At Van Wilgen’s we know how hard you work on your yard and garden. Isn’t it time you took a break and enjoyed all that hard work?

At Van Wilgen’s we can make that happen for you, we now feature full sets and individual pieces of  indoor/outdoor furniture. Made from durable faux wicker in  2 styles with weather resistant cushions. For a little more coziness we have 30 different styles of throw pillows, also made with weather resistant fabric, we are confident we have just the one you like! If you purchase a full set, we would be happy to deliver it to you, for free! So if your interested in taking a break and putting your feet up by the fire, stop by our North Branford store and see what we have have in store for you!

Orchid Pots : Plastic pots in 3 sizes for repotting.

Our customers spoke, and we listened! Clear plastic orchid pots are here!

Repotting your orchid is a regular and important part of their health and beauty. Clear plastic orchid pots are our favorite in part because you can easily see what’s going on with the roots and moisture content.

These new pots have multiple drainage holes,  which are critical for orchids because you want to avoid roots standing in water or sopping wet media; airy environments are what orchids love. We now carry plastic orchid pots in 3 sizes, so you can still fit them in your favorite decorative pot!

Garden Sundials

 Sundials are the oldest known instruments for telling time, and also a lovely decorative addition to the garden.

The markings found on the flat surface of a sundial represent each hour of daylight. As the sun moves across the sky from east to west, the vertical rod at the center of the dial casts a shadow across this flat surface. The position of the shadow on the hour markings tells you the current time of day. In order to tell time as accurately as possible, a horizontal sundial should be placed on a completely flat surface or on a pedestal.

Many of us here at the garden center simply enjoy them as an artistic addition to our garden, as an accent in our outdoor living space. We have a variety of styles and materials. We are confident there is one just perfect for you.

Speckle and Splash Solar Wasp Catcher

New this year in our North Branford Store!

Form and function come together with these wasp catchers. These lovely glowing glass catchers are designed as a safe and non-toxic way to control wasps and yellow jackets. The wasp catchers also have a small solar powered light inside so they will illuminate beautifully at night. The tops include a solar panel. They come in colorful blue and green designs. You can hang these or place them on an outdoor table.

Dr Earth Supernatural Lawn Fertilizer

This organic fertilizer feeds turf naturally and promotes an  ultra-green and vibrant lawn anytime of the year. Super Natural is great for all new & established, warm & cool season lawns. Great for assisting seedlings and sod to become established anytime of the year. Easy to apply with a hose end bottle. It even has kelp to enhance much needed moisture in this very hot weather. Make sure to spray your turf thoroughly until the grass blades are dripping wet. Please spray early in the morning or after 4:00 PM to avoid any grass blades from burning.

People and Pet safe. You can’t get any more organic that this!

Van Wilgen’s Organic Root Boost

When is comes to planting, Strong roots = Strong plants.

All of us here at Van Wilgen’s work hard to ensure that our customers are successful gardeners. Van Wilgen’s Organic Root Boost helps you lay the groundwork for strong plants with  Beneficial MicroOrganisms®.  It never burns and is scent free. These MicroOrganisms®  create an extensive fibrous root system that dramatically increases your plants ability to absorb nutrients and water from the soil. Strong roots help protect your plants from disease, pests and drought. For the best plants on your block along side Van Wilgen’s Slow Release Fertilizer or Van Wilgen’s Organic Fish and Seaweed.

Ingredients so good, we put our name on it!

Alpine Dish Gardens

If you stroll through our perennials section at Van Wilgen’s in North Branford, you might notice a large selection of alpine plants. These little beauties are perfect for those gardeners with rock challenged yards. Some of us however,  just love the look of alpines. If you would like to take home your own outdoor alpine garden, we have variety, handmade- just for you! Planted in our lightweight pottery, these miniature landscapes are perfect for that sunny and dry spot on your porch or patio. Each container hosts a mini specimen shrub, they are low maintenance and easy to care for.  These can remain outdoors year round, just mulch into your landscape for extra care in winter. Have questions? Let us know, we’re here to help!

Lightweight Fountains, from a Connecticut Company

The soft splash of a fountain brings life and motion to the backyard. It attracts more birds than still water alone, and its soothing sound track transforms your space into a peaceful retreat.

At Van Wilgen’s it’s important to us that we support local Connecticut Business’s. This year we have partnered with Tom’s Home & Garden in Wilton, CT and grown our collection of lightweight fountains.

These water features come in a variety of styles, one for everyone’s taste. Why not add sound to your garden this year?

American Beauties Native Plants, Bringing Life to your Garden.

The American Beauties program is dedicated to promoting native plants to bring life to your garden. Native plant experts have teamed up with wildlife experts to bring you collections of plants that are guaranteed to bring life to your garden. Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Dry Shade and Moist Sun.

Why choose native plants? Native Plants are low maintenance, they require less water, fertilizer and work; they are also susceptible to pest and diseases. They also attract desirable wildlife, like songbirds, butterflies and other beneficials. You can feed your birds the natural way! And the most important thing is they contribute to a healthy Ecosystem. If you can provide food, water, cover and a place for wildlife to raise their young, you can create a Certified Wildlife Habitat in your own backyard! Visit our Americans Beauties Display in our Nursery yard in North Branford.

Organic Bug Repellents

At Van Wilgen’s it’s important that we bring you many options not only for plants, but for products too! This year our retail store in North Branford has a nice offering of bug repellents. And of course, we have an organic option available for our VW families. New this year is Bug Soother an all natural bug repellent that actually WORKS. Gnats, no see ums, mosquitoes and other bugs will not be a problem this year. This repellent is a blend of vanilla and fresh lemony scents that smells great, but bugs hate. It leaves no oily residue like other products. DEET free and safe for children and pets. Bug Soother is proudly made in America, a family owned business based in Iowa.

Another great option to keep the bugs away, is Nantucket Spider, a natural deet free insect repellent. This local company offers sprays for both kids and adults that are gentle to your skin, hair, and clothes.  Made with a unique blend of essential oils, but isn’t greasy, each bottle is topped with a fine mist trigger sprayer so you will be sure to get excellent coverage. You can apply this repellent wherever you need it—including your hair, clothing and gear. Nantucket Spider works great, smells great, and is gentle on our environment. You will love this stuff. Your kids will too!

Van Wilgen’s Potlite Planters

Versatile and lightweight planters that can be used in a variety of contemporary or traditional settings, indoors or outdoors.

• Portable
• Frost Resistant
• UV Resistant
• Indoor/Outdoor
• Fiberglass & Clay Composite

We have a pot for any indoor or outdoor setting. Whether your style is clean contemporary, or traditional shapes we have just the pot to brighten your porch, patio, or deck. Van Wilgen’s Potlite Pots come in natural colors and a variety of textures.  Crafted from a lightweight fiber material, these planters are sturdy, but relieve you of the burden of real stone and clay, which are too heavy for many  projects. For even more convenience the line is frost & UV proof. Included in the collection are Urns, squares, rectangular and round planters of all shapes and sizes.  We are confident we have one that’s just right for you!

DECORATIVE POT COVERS

We just made gift giving a whole lot easier! New decorative pot covers have arrived at all Van Wilgen’s locations. These self watering plastic covers come in a variety of styles, perfect for every occasion. Just pop a 4″ plant into these cute containers and you have an instant gift. We even offer a window sill herb covers to spruce up your kitchen garden.

These self watering pots are simple to use and take the guess work out of watering. Once you have chosen your plant and pot cover simply insert the watering stick into the bottom of your pot. Next, fill your pot cover with water, you will notice a clear level gauge along the side to tell you how much water to add. The watering stick acts like a wick drawing moisture into your plants root system. It’s that easy! Stop in and pick out your cover!

DECORATIVE SOLAR LIGHTING

Spring is almost here! At Van Wilgen’s we strive to bring you something fresh and new with each season! After a long (ok, not so long) winter we are ready to get back out in the yard and dig in the dirt. Here are a few of favorite (new) things  in our store, that Elaine has hand picked  just for you.

Save energy and add a touch of illumination to your garden, walkway or patio with our selection of decorative solar garden lights. These glowing garden accents will brighten your nighttime landscape. We have a variety of colorful Soji hanging lanterns, you can create a Japanese garden in any outdoor setting.  If you are looking for something eco-friendly, we carry  beautiful, Lumispheres  handmade  from sustainably harvested materials. For those looking for something whimsical, colored hanging bottles and jars filled with solar ‘fireflies’ .

Whatever your garden ‘style’ is, solar lights add warmth and personality. Stop in and see what accent light will add that special touch to your outdoor space.