Author: ilexfarms@gmail.com

Well, here we are halfway through Spring, and we finally have an update opportunity. We’ve been quite busy for a couple of months now, with barely a moment here or there to catch a breath. Typically, this kind of business slows after Mother’s Day, but so far we’re still busy – even after the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle!

And just so you know, we have included the houzz article about how to include some of the royal wedding’s flowers and more in your own yard or garden. Find it here: You Can Grow Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Flowers

Being a relative newcomer to this state, I have been learning that Alabama is not the state in which to reside if I want to see Winter again. Having grown up in the great north lands of the United States, I was intimately acquainted with cold, snow, ice, and other winter accoutrements.

After living in the tropics for some time, though, I had thought that returning to the States – even a southern state – would give me an old fashioned taste of winter again.

Well, my sixth winter here has finally produced cold. I’m still waiting to see any snow beyond a dusting, or ice. BUT… Fred and David were headed to Mobile for the annual horticultural trade show Wednesday, and couldn’t make it the last  little way because of icy roads; they had to turn around and come back to Tuscaloosa! We didn’t have any such road conditions here in the north central part of the state, of course – they were way down south!

But we got the cold here. The coldest morning so far (Wednesday, the 17th) was 11° F from 4:00 a.m. to shortly after sunrise, when it dipped 10° F for a while before returning to 11° F for another couple of hours.

So, yes, I finally got a taste of Winter again – and in the deep south – during my sixth winter back in the States!

Well, here we are at the beginning of Winter. I’m writing this during the week between Christmas and New Year.

We finally got some much needed rain, although, as usual, it’s a lot less than the prognosticators prognosticated. No snow or sleet yet, either, but they have both been forecast.

So, isn’t it great, though, that we have business this week! Not all of our customers have hibernated. Those who venture out to take care of business are making up for the recent expenditures, I’m sure. We ‘re glad to be here to help them!

Don’t forget that this is the beginning of the best transplanting season. And if you haven’t yet winterized your gardening or landscaping, there is still time to do this here in central and southern Alabama. Our article on the subject is courtesy of Southern Living; the link is here: Winterization of Your Plantings

We had a week, or so, of cooler weather, but have already been back to the high temperatures of Summer for the last couple of weeks. Neighboring Tennessee, though, has seen tree digging weather for a month now, and we’ll have more happy customers over that development.

It seems like a good time to post more local color, so here goes…

As Harvey, the biggest rainstorm in the history of the continental United States, moves on after leaving behind unprecedented flooding, we wonder how much more he will do, and how much longer he will last. At this writing, Harvey is again on land in the Gulf Coast as a tropical storm, but still spilling massive amounts of rain.

With tales of snakes and sharks in the flooded streets of Houston, and the very real danger of 400 penned alligators being turned loose because rising flood waters would make containing them impossible, we’re very glad we’re not in the Houston metro, or any of the surrounding, areas.

To help brighten our outlook as the sun returns – and before Irma arrives – we have added an article courtesy of Southern Living Plants to our “How To” sub-section under “Resources”. Check it out; it’s entitled “5 Dynamic Border Plantings“. Since borders are a very important aspect of our gardens, it’s great to have an expert of Kim Toscano’s reputation giving us ideas and instructions. Here’s a direct link to the article. Enjoy!

Garden Center Magazine from GIE Media Horticulture Group has shared this product spotlight.  For fans of phlox, we had to share, as well.

Phlox ‘Fashionably Early Lavender Ice’ PPAF

‘Fashionably Early Lavender Ice’ produces pale lavender flowers with a lavender pink eye, and is the perfect height for the middle of the border.

Phlox ‘Fashionably Early Flamingo’

The tallest and darkest member of the series, ‘Fashionably Early Flamingo’ produces light lavender pink flowers and grows 30 to 36 inches tall.

Phlox ‘Fashionably Early Crystal’ PPAF

With a height of 28 to 32 inches, ‘Fashionably Early Crystal’ is the perfect replacement for the popular tall white Phlox.

Just for fun, here is part of our plant material acquisition process when we need to bring in special order for customers, or quickly replenish depleted stock. Some have asked about this as it usually happens when no customers are shopping.