This is an exciting time of year to get mail. There is sure to be a plant/seed catalog received every other day and reading them gets the creative juices flowing. Not to mention the bank account flowing. I love them all, but there is one that takes it all to another level. One that makes me consider selling all of my baseball cards or renting out my kids as cheap labor. Here she is:
RareFind Nursery is located in my home state of New Jersey (Jackson) and I’ve been purchasing from them for about five years now and THEY KICK ASS. The funny thing is that they are best known for their rhododendron and azalea collection – and I have no interest in either. Rhodies because they die instantly with my poor drainage and azaleas because I have bad childhood memories of them. OK, that might be an exaggeration, but all I remember are the hideous and obnoxious azalea blooms in May each year. Anway, if you like rhodies and/or azaleas, this place will truly blow you away.
Here are some of the plants I’ve added to my online shopping cart. I’ll let them sit there and marinate for a while until I can scale the list back enough and not have to get a second job to pay for them:
The bark on this Acer Griseum (Paperbark Maple) needs no further explanation.
I might struggle to find a companion to match the bloom color on these Baptisia ‘Midnight Prairieblues’ but hot damn they are phenomenal.
A variegated River Birch (Betula nigra ‘Shiloh Splash’)? Um, yes please!
As usual, I am a sucker for the foliage shape and color of this Cercis canadensis ‘Hearts of gold’ (Redbud).
I do not own a Hamamelis (witch hazel) and I’m still a bit sketchy on them, but there is no denying their unique blooms, color and most importantly, the fact that most bloom this time of year. There was a Hamamelis festival at RareFinds this past weekend and one of these year’s, I’ll make it.
More foliage love on this Oakleaf Hydrangea ‘Little Honey’. Of course, I do need some more shade for these and will have to get creative.
Ninebark ‘Coppertina’ has been on the must list for a while now.
You friggin kidding me? A viburnum (‘Park Harvest’) with that foliage color? Color me impressed.
There are so many more to check out and I’m sure my list will grow longer. The true fun is in the planning and dreaming.
ONG
Great choices! I love oakleaf hydrangea too, and have two viburnums already (and can’t fit any more into my small garden).
For me, rose catalogs are impossible to resist…
Oh John… you MUST come by the Nursery this Spring.. I mean really “Come IN” to the nursery.. We have changed alot of our vendors and have gone to the ends of the earth to bring in some spectacular plants this year… You want PaperBark Maple.. we have them coming in as multi branched, like a clump! Hark! Do I hear NineBark? Yup.. got BIG ones coming in too! Smoke bush TREES, that’s right up your alley! Get your tissue.. you’re drooling on your keyboard…. Hope to see you in the Nursery! Oh.. by the way.. Witch hazel.. cool plant, but once it’s done flowering.. well, it’s OK by me.. nothing too fantastic.. It is nice that it blooms so early though.. Want something different? Try a Harry Lauder Walking Stick!
I don’t even start dreaming until late March. Sometimes I look out there and say why do I bother, then the hostas start popping and all that is flat becomes flush with green. I used your word for the day.
Thank goodness we are not on any mailing lists for catalogs or we’d go bankrupt – I have no will power when it comes to buying anything that might grow!
I like reading reviews for mail order nurseries…I just ordered from bluestoneperennials…hope their plants kick ass! You have some nice ones picked out here..most of the oakleaf hydrangeas around here get several hours of sun…
Hi John, thanks for stopping by my blog. That’s a fabulous array of foliage – and bark – I can see why you have been seduced. Good luck resisting extending the list still further, I think it may be a challenge too far!
Such a funny blog name – I consider myself a little OC in the garden about color and a few other things. Rhodies and azaleas are a continual disappointment around here, since we lack enough acidity in the soil to keep them happy. I wish people would just put the poor things out of their misery and plant something else instead!
Masha – there was a time I felt the same way about rose catalogs … until I realized I would end up killing them every time I tried to grow them. Still love the blooms though.
Leslie – I’m ready to camp out in your parking lot at the nursery in anticipation. Sounds awesome!
LD – thanks for stopping by.
Byddi – You are right. Takes a lot of patience to not go nuts and buy it all. But what a welcome sight this time of year.
Darla – My Bluestone order is already in. Stayed calm this year and didn’t order too much. Have always loved everything I received from them.
Plantaliscious – Seduced is the perfect word. And I’m sure the list will honestly never shrink.
VW – I have to admit, some of the rhodies at Rarefinds are impressive. I just know they won’t survive. I have my doubts about the blog name but I think I’m too far in to change. It does describe my gardening philosophy accurately though. Thanks for stopping by.
You have got to get a witch hazel! You will love the winter bloom! Find one with excellent color and great fragrance! Trust me you will adore it…gail I love Hamamelis vernalis
Oh man, that looks like a nice nursery… we have Niche Gardens and Plant Delights within an hour’s drive, so even if I can resist the catalogs… but, resistance is futile, right?
Ha ha, I see those “pizza with everything” azalea plantings here every spring ~ it can be jarring.
Gail – I would love some winter blooms so I really need to just take the plunge already and get a witch hazel. Any growing tips?
Sweetbay – love the “pizza with everything” term. Might have to steal that one from you.