The Big Dipper Farm News-ette is an occasional gardening e-newsletter for discussing new plant introductions, gardening tips, quotes, poems, ‘things-to-do-in-the-garden-now’, seminar reminders and much more.  It’s free, kept private, spam-less and fun!     Share it with a friend.     Happy Gardening!    

-Deidre Finley, Big Dipper Farm

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come,
and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs,
and the vines with the tender grape, give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
 Song of Solomon

Shipping is gearing up to full swing!   Some varieties are already sold out. Don’t wait too long. Check the shipping schedule on the policy page for your approximate shipping week.

Catalog Page Here

I have mail-ordered plants for 20 some years. 

Yours were the most well packed, beautiful, healthiest plants I have ever received.

THANK YOU   Annie V. - Decatur Georgia

‘DORMANT PLANT’

That’s the stick tag going into many pots and bags as we pack up our sleeping beauties to spirit them off to their new homes. Dormancy is by far the best possible time to ship plants. As they wake up and begin their early root growth in their permanent home, there will be no set back from transplanting. No shock from cutting back foliage or flowers and a quicker establishment period so they are better prepared for summer heat and drought. Don’t fertilize your new plants for at least 30 days after planting to allow root growth that can actually absorb the nutrients. There’s always a hole that needs filling every month of the year but make an attempt to bring in most of your new plants as early as you can and preferably when they’re just about to come out of dormancy.

 

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:
when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

-Charles Dickens

New – Monthly Web Specials   Orders placed before the end of March will get the special pricing on the following plants. Orders will be scheduled to ship by your growing zone. Shipping schedule is on the policy page.

Variegated Japanese Forest Grass  - Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'     Go to

One of the most popular, beautiful and elegant of all grasses, let alone those that are shade loving. Growth habit is arching and graceful. The brilliant yellow leaves have green stripes and the tawny-pink fall color is an added bonus. The wonderful cascading foliage is gorgeous around water features, by pathways, under trees and even in mixed containers.  Full or part shade.   Zones 5-8  -  Height 12-18” Reg $8.99  Now $5.99

Crimson Glory Vine  -  Vitis coignetiae     Go to

Crimson Glory Vine is a perfect name for this breathtaking vine from Japan and Korea. A rapidly growing ornamental grape that can climb to the tops of trees. It has very large, heavy leaves that can be up to a foot wide, and is known for its stunning, long lasting fall colors ranging from all shades of yellow and crimson to fire engine red. Small green flowers develop into purple-black fruit for your feathered neighbors. This can be a very hard-to-find plant. For your own safety, don't stand still too long near this vigorous beauty! A well deserved ‘Great Plant Pick’.   Zones 5-9  -  Height 50’   Reg $9.99   Now $5 .99! 

Hardy Calla Lily  -  Zantedeschia aethiopica    Go to

The classic, large, creamy white, fragrant flower cup. This calla is very different from the more colorful flowered cousins. Hardy and a superb garden plant it also adds a tropical appearance to the garden yet remains tough as nails even down to below 0 degrees F. They thrive best in moist, rich sites, but callas are amazingly durable. Excellent pond plant. Crown can be submerged 2 inches.  Zones 7-11  -  Height 2-3’    Reg $8.99  Now $5.99!

Hello, I just placed an order from you last night and am looking forward to getting the plants.

You have a wonderful website--clear, very informative, easy to

navigate, and a great selection of plants.

I came across your "Crissimus Grandiflorus" I just rocked back in my chair with delight. <very big smile> 

- Sharon S., Colchester, Illinois

The Struggle of the Slime

Slugs and snails are active in our garden and many areas now. Sluggo or beer traps are both earth-friendly ways to deal with these ravagers. A trap or bait are a must for protecting certain jewels especially in the shade garden. A beer trap is very quick and easy to make for those of us that have no trouble sharing our beer with slimy creatures.

Any can with a lid or a used soup can with duct tape over the top will work. Cut a hole in the can about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Set the trap on the surface of the soil. Put a couple of inches of beer (or water and yeast) into the can. The odor from these liquids is very attractive to slugs and they happily slime in and drown. Remove the slugs daily, and replace the beer every three to four days.

We now have shaker cans of Sluggo available. Another safe and easy way to fight back.      ‘Sluggo’ 

Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.
-Luther Burbank

The Pre-emptive Prune

There’s a tip I always give on growing Tricyrtis (Toad lilies). When the new growth reaches about a foot, cut it back in half. The resulting plant will be better branched, fuller, more compact, will resist flopping and will have many more flowers. This early pruning or pinching works very well for many perennials, shrubs and some trees. It is an absolute must for some like Asters. An early prune can take some extremely tall bloomers like Eupatorium (Joe-Pye Weed), Helianthus (Perennial Sunflower), Veronicastrum (Culver's Root), etc. and make them bloom at half the height with much more attractive, denser, self-supporting foliage. An entire book has been written on the concept as well, ‘The Well Tended Perennial Garden’ by Tracy DiSabato-Aust.

So get the pruners out in Spring for better looking summer and fall perennials.

 I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.

-Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

‘Red Star’  or   Rhodohypoxis

A new addition to the farm, Rhodohypoxis (row-doe-hye-POX-is) doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue but take a moment to get to know this little gem. Also called ‘Red Star’ this one will charm your socks off with flowers from May through September.

You rock garden collectors may already know this cutie but it’s easy enough for anyone to find a place for it in a sunny spot close to a path or in a dish garden or trough where it can be enjoyed close up. Very attractive, short, grass-like leaves spike up in between a profuse bloom of tightly packed bright flowers. A very nice bonsai companion plant in a small pot and many are delightfully fragrant!

A bulbous South African alpine wildflower that will spread itself happily, yet not obnoxiously, around your sunny areas and has somewhat unusual watering needs. Will flower more profusely if watered well during the growing season. But needs dry conditions during dormancy in fall & winter. Therefore, container gardening suits it well. When the plants begin to fade, stop watering and bring the pot into a coldframe, shed or garage and keep it dry over the winter. Start watering again in March and the show starts all over again.          Zones 7(6?)-10    Height 4”   Full Sun

 

Rhodohypoxis baurii 'Dulce'  -  Creates a snow-white carpet of blooms.

Rhodohypoxis baurii 'Fred Broome'  -  Clear lilac-pink masses of flowers.

Rhodohypoxis baurii 'Lily Jean'  -  Gorgeous, double pink blooms.

Rhodohypoxis milloides  -  A fine deep red flowering species with narrower and longer leaves, usually flowers later than most.

See the Rhodohypoxis

 

And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees,
books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
-William Shakespeare  

 

Naturally Native – Americans of the Month

Sitka Spruce  -  Picea sitchensis

Unsurpassed in majestic beauty. Northwest native conifer commonly found at low to middle elevations on moist, sandy or swampy soils. It's particularly valued for its fast growth on poor soils and exposed sites where few other trees can be grown successfully; in ideal conditions young trees may grow 4 feet per year. Good choice for winter cover, nesting areas, and wildlife food. The most disease and insect resistant spruce available.

Zones 5-8   Height 90-140’   See the Sitka Spruce

 

Pacific Rhododendron  -  Rhododendron macrophyllum

The Washington State flower boasts beautiful clusters of 15 to 20 funnel-shaped, pinkish-purple flowers over leathery, evergreen, dark green, 7 inch long leaves. The 1893 vote for the official State Flower was open only to women. The Pacific Rhody won for its “wild profusion, great beauty and the evergreen leaf.” Still a winner today for its simple, natural form and classic elegance.

Zones 6-9   Height 15’   See the Pacific Rhody

 Can't wait to see what you will be adding, I frequent a lot of online nursery sites and you offer a large number of things that I have seen no where else, including other places that specialize in the unusual and the hard to find... 

Steve F. - Houston, Texas

 Brand new to the Farm!

I hope to cover some of these new 2006 additions in more depth over the months but wanted to at least list some of the new plants we’re thrilled to include in the offering this year. For space and time constraints, I’m listing botanical names only here but all additional info can be accessed from the links on the Catalog page:

Acanthus mollis 'Tasmanian Angel'

Acer circinatum 'Pacific Fire'

Adlumia fungosa

Agapanthus 'Purple Cloud'

Agastache 'Red Fortune'

Agave virginica 'Spot'

Allium moly

Alstroemeria ligtu

Alyssoides utriculata

Amsonia illustris

Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus

Anemone nemorosa 'Green Fingers'

Anemone nemorosa 'Flore Pleno'

Anemone nemorosa 'Rosea'

Anemone tomentosa

Anthemis tinctoria 'Sauce Hollandaise'

Aquilegia 'Colorado Violet & White'

Aquilegia flabellata 'Nana Alba'

Arabis x arendsii 'Compinkie'

Arbutus unedo 'Oktoberfest'

Aristolochia contorta

Arum italicum ssp. italicum 'Winter White'

Asclepias physocarpa

Astilbe simplicifolia 'Hennie Graafland'

Astilbe simplicifolia 'Pink Lightning'

Astilboides tabularis

Astrantia 'Moulin Rouge'

Astrantia major 'Temptation Star'

Bambusa multiplex v. riviereorum

Barbarea v. 'Variegata'

Begonia grandis 'Heron's Pirouette'

Begonia sutherlandii 

Bergenia 'Appleblossom'

Bergenia 'Pink Dragonfly'

Bignonia capreolata

Buddleia davidii 'Purple Emperor'

Buddleia davidii 'Silver Frost'

Buddleia d. 'White Profusion'

Calluna vulgaris 'Red Fred'

Calluna vulgaris 'Spring Torch'

Calocedrus decurrens

Carpinus japonica

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus 'Zanzibar'

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis

Cheilanthes tomentosa

Chiastophyllum oppositifolium

Cistus x purpureus

Clematis x cartmanii 'Avalanche'

Clematis tenuiloba 'Pixie Parasols'

Clematis 'Toki'

Clematis 'Vyvyan Pennell'

Clematis 'HF Young'

Clematis rehderiana 'Temple Bells'

Clerodendrum trichotomum fargesii

Coleus 'Kong Series'

Convallaria majalis 'Bordeaux'

Cordyline australis 'Red Star'

Coreopsis 'Autumn Blush'

Coreopsis 'Cherry Lemonade'

Cornus kousa 'Satomi'

Cornus kousa 'Milky Way’

Cotinus obovatus 'Grace'

Cotinus cogg. 'Velvet Cloak'

Crocosmia (8 new varieties)

Cryptotaenia japonica f. atropurpurea

Decaisnea fargesii

Delphiniuim elatum 'Blue Lace'

Delphiniuim elatum 'Green Twist'

Delphinium nudicaule 'Laurin'

Delphinium Pacific Giant 'Astolat'

Dianthus plumarius 'Dad's Favourite'

Dicentra 'Candy Hearts'

Dicentra 'Ivory Hearts'

Dicentra 'King of Hearts'

Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls'

Digitalis 'Spice Island'

Disporum hookeri

Disporum smithii

Dracunculus vulgaris

Echeveria 'Topsy Turvy'

Echinacea purpurea 'Green Eyes'

Echinacea purpurea 'Mars'

Echinacea 'Big Sky Sundown'

Echinacea 'Big Sky Sunset'

Erythrina herbacea

Eucalyptus neglecta

Eucomis comosa 'Tugela Jade'

Eucomis comosa 'Reuben'

Euphorbia 'Jade Dragon'

Fallopia japonica 'Variegata'

Fragaria 'Pink Panda'

Fuchsia 'Firecracker'

Fuchsia 'Rose Quartet' (16 new Fuchsias)

Gaillardia aristata 'Oranges & Lemons'

Gaura l. 'Passionate Rainbow'

Gloriosa 'Superba'

Gunnera monocia

Gypsophila paniculata 'Pink Festival'

Hamamelis x int. 'Gold Crest'

Helianthemum 'Henfield Brilliant'

Heliopsis 'Bressingham Doubloon'

Helleborus 'Ashwood Black Hybrids'

Helleborus x hyb. 'Peach Hybrids'

Helleborus x hyb. 'Winter Queen Speckled'

Helwingia chinensis

Heuchera 'Rave On'

Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'

Hosta 'Climax'

Hosta 'Hope'

Hydrangea anomala anomala

Hydrangea seemanii

Hydrangea macrophylla serrata 'Little Geisha'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Penny Mac'

Hydrangea m. serr. 'Purple Tiers'

Hydrangea m. 'Taube'

Hydrangea m. 'Fasan'

Ipomoea batatas 'Blackie'

Ipomoea batatas 'Marguarita'

Ipomoea batatas 'Tricolor'

Iris german (6 new varieties)

Jasminium fruticans

Juncus effusus 'Frenzy'

Kalmia latifolia 'Peppermint'

Kalimeris yomena 'Variegata'

Kerria japonica 'Chiba Gold'

Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora'

Kniphofia northiae

Lathyrus latifolius 'Pink Pearl'

Lathyrus latifolius 'Red Pearl'

Lavandula a. 'Goldburg'

Linaria purpurea

Liriope spicata 'Silver Dragon'

Liriope muscari 'Royal Purple'

Liriope muscari 'Variegata'

Luma apiculata

Magnolia 'Galaxy'

Melianthus major 'Antonow's Blue' (June)

Melittis m. 'Royal Velvet Distinction'

Mentha x piperita citrata 'Eau De Cologne'

Monarda 'Fantasy'

Nandina domestica 'Firepower'

Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream'

Oenothera tetragona 'Fireworks'

Ophiopogon japonicus 'Silver Mist'

Origanum vulgare 'Hot and Spicy'

Papaver o. 'Salmon Glow'

Paulownia tomentosa

Fancy Leaf Geranium (6 varieties)

Penstemon 'Blackbird'

Penstemon x mexicali 'Sunburst Ruby'

Phlox paniculata 'Flame Series'

Phormium 'Platt's Black'

Picea sitchensis

Pinellia tripartita 'Dragon Tails'

Pinus monticola

Potentilla crantzii 'Pygmaea'

Potentilla reptans 'Pleniflora'

Primula florindae

Primula 'Elizabeth Killelay'

Primula 'Green Lace'

Primula sieboldii 'Pink Snowflake'

Primula vulgaris dbl 'Dawn Ansell'

Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida'

Rheum rhabarbarum 'Crimson Cherry'

Rhodohypoxis baurii 'Dulce'

Rhodohypoxis baurii 'Fred Broome'

Rhodohypoxis baurii 'Lily Jean'

Rhodohypoxis milloides

Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes'

Robinia p. 'Lace Lady'

Rodgersia podophylla 'Rotlaub'

Rosa 'Pink Knock Out'

Rosmarinus officinalis 'Roman Beauty'

Rosmarinus officinalis 'Majorca Pink'

Rubus idaeus 'Tulameen'

Rubus ursinus 'Marionberry'

Salvia lyrata 'Purple Volcano'

Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious'

Salvia elegans 'Scarlet Tangerine'

Sambucus nigra 'Frances'

Sandersonia aurantiaca

Sanicula caerulescens

Saruma henryi

Sauromatum venosum

Scabiosa atropurpurea 'Chat Noir'

Schizostylis coccinea 'Coral'

Scrophularia macrantha

Selaginella kraussiana 'Casa Flora's New'

Sempervivum 'Oddity'

Senna hebecarpa

Sisyrinchium c. 'Yellow Stone'

Solidago canadensis 'Golden Baby'

Sphaeralcea munroana

Thuja plicata

Tradescantia 'Blushing Bride'

Tradescantia tharpii

Tulbaghia violacea 'Variegata'

Vaccinium 'Jubilee'

Vaccinium vitis-idaea 'Balsgard'

Vancouveria planipetala

Viola grypoceras exilis

Woodwardia orientalis

Woodwardia virginica

Xanthosoma atrovirens albo marginata

Yucca rostrata

Dear Deidre and employees of Big Dipper:   I received my order from your nursery today.  Thank you so much for including the gift of a lemon thyme plant.  It was a pleasant surprise.  Everything was in great shape and I can't wait to order from you again.
I was so pleased with my plants that I felt like I had to write this even though I am sure you are very busy right now! 
Thanks again for your beautiful plants.   Yours,   Greg R., Massachusetts

 

Things to do in the March/April Garden;

ü       Tune up lawn mower and garden equipment before the busy season begins.

ü       Pull those pop-weeds now before the popping begins!  Pull one now… or hundreds later.

ü       Two words: SLUG BAIT    Use a non-toxic like ‘Sluggo’. (See article above)

ü        Ed Hume seeds are in! Make this the year for the best herb and vegetable garden you’ve ever had.

ü        Fertilize evergreen shrubs and trees.

ü        Prune deciduous summer-blooming shrubs and trees, clematis, and other vining ornamentals, fruit trees, blueberries, grapes, trailing berries and caneberries.

ü        Good time to plant berry shrubs, deciduous shrubs and roses.

ü        If weather permits and the soil is dry enough, spade or till compost into planting areas.

ü       Most lawns could use a spring feeding now and over-seed thin areas later in the month.

 

A garden, where one may enter in and forget the whole world,

cannot be made in a week, nor a month, nor a year;

it must be planned for, waited for and loved into being.

-Chinese Proverb

Big Dipper Farm 
360-886-8133
www.BigDipperFarm.com