Bountiful Baptisia

After a cooler Halloween, we have warmed right up into ideal gardening weather. The leaves are putting on a show of rich jewel tones, from striking golden oranges to deep plums. Mother Nature’s palette inspires the artist within us all. To garden is to be both the artist and the paintbrush. Whatever landscape you are trying to achieve, we are here to help you make it happen. What better way to help with that than to extend our perennial sale AND bump it up another 5%? That’s right, 25% off ALL perennials* is extended through Thursday November 13!

This week I would like to highlight a stunning perennial that I recently heard called “redneck lupine”. Baptisia, also known as false or wild indigo, is a plant with many varieties native to our region. Their blooms in the wild go from sapphire blue to white to creamy and bright yellow. Intentional hybrids have even yielded deep rich purples and pinks, as can be seen in the Decadence series. In the winter their seed pods add visual interest in a textural landscape, and in Spring you can add their bright sprigs to arrangements. This beautiful bushy grower gets anywhere from 3 to 5 feet tall, making it a perfect backdrop for smaller perennials.

A wise word of advice came in from our beloved friend and former coworker Terry Kevlin this week. She pointed out something that can go overlooked this time of year — rain gauges. While we rely on these useful implements during the warmer months, it’s easy to forget them this time of year. Whether they’re glass or plastic, now is the time to bring those rain gauge tubes inside before you awake to find them frosted and cracked.

Lastly, this week you may peruse our aisles and see a little something new — Monrovia pots adorned in holiday jackets. Not every offering from them is dressed up, but regardless of attire, they make exceptional host gifts for the upcoming holidays. To continue our food drive from last week, we are offering a $10 coupon for all guests who bring in 3 items or donate directly to Second Harvest! We’re collecting right at the register, so please bring in shelf stable non-expired goods in cans, not glass.

Stay tuned to Gardening Inside Out, Saturday mornings at 8am or after hours on YouTube or the podcast. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for behind the scenes fun. We hope to see you out this week!

Happy Gardening,

Sara Bates

*Perennial sale excludes ornamental grasses, flats of groundcover, and vines; in store only