The weather has turned just enough towards warmth and my schedule has turned just enough towards leisure that I can now find time to do my own gardening projects. Early June is when I get to planting all the containers around our house and the heat loving crops in the raised beds and greenhouses at Red Wagon. I have had lots of help this year, from Sara, Rachel and Uli which has been most welcome and fun.

Here is what is new in the greenhouses that I am finding fun and exciting.

Huge Dahlias in big pots
New Guinea Impatiens for shady spots
Perennials for naturalized, native meadow plantings grown from seed that Chad has collected from his own meadow plantings.
Fun herbs like a frilly Parsley called ‘Minuette’, Culantro which tastes like a stronger cousin of cilantro but it does not bolt and it is a cool looking plant; Curry Leaf which is very ornamental with a tight, silver, thread-like appearance; dwarf sage which would be adorable in a tiny clay pot on a patio table.
Our current generation of zinnias includes my favorites, Oklahoma Salmon and Aztec Sunset
New generations of broccoli, lettuce, chard, melons, cucumbers, summer squashes and winter squashes.

This week’s hot tip - if you are looking for some budget perennials to fill in some spots or make a new bed, look at the herb selection in the plant shop. Anise hyssop, regular hyssop, oregano, thyme, sage, lavender, chamomile, garlic chives, lemon bergamot are all great additions to a perennial garden. They don’t need to stay in the herb garden. There are also some really fun annual herbs that self-seed and add a great splash texture, fragrance and color to all kinds of gardens. These include bronze leaf fennel, chervil, cilantro, dill, chamomile, and summer savory. Let them flower for some airy and delicate edible blossoms and let them make seed so that they will come back next year.

Happy gardening!

Julie