Category Archives: Annual Color

New Plants To Lust After

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Ann Lovejoy
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Last summer I got to try out a new sauce tomato called ‘Saucy Lady’, a cuore di bue type that “melts” into robust sauces when cooked, skins and all. The flavor is just about perfect for a sauce tomato; full bodied and rich with just enough tartness to keep it tasting lively even when cooked and canned. A rather amazing tomato called ‘Get Stuffed!’ has no guts; the stippled red-and-tawny-gold skin covers a sturdy, cup-shaped container for your favorite stuffing mixtures. Slice the top off, fill ‘em up with what have you and bake them until bubbly, or stuff them with salad (pasta or chickpea) for a very pretty brunch dish. As an ardent gardener with very little space these days, I’m especially intrigued by a new category of tomato, the 3-4 foot dwarf indeterminates. Any of this new Super Dwarf series will thrive even in large containers and as we saw last year, they really do continue fruiting well into autumn. Continue reading →

Posted in Annual Color, Early Crops, Easy Care Perennials, fall/winter crops, Growing Berry Crops, Pollinators, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living, Tomatoes | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Planning A Low Pollen Garden

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy
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After seemingly endless rain, warmer, brighter days feel especially welcome. Our flowers seem to feel the same way, for blossoms on practically everything are bigger and more abundant than ever this year. However, lots of flowers also means lots of pollen, which spells acute discomfort for many people and even some pets. As pollen fills the air and dusts our cars and garden furniture and even us, we may be tempted to rip out the borders and turn them all to lawn. Well, except perhaps those of us who are allergic to grasses. (!) Fortunately there are more rewarding alternatives, since living without gardens hardly bears consideration. Continue reading →

Posted in Annual Color, Easy Care Perennials, Health & Wellbeing, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Farewell To Orange Petunias?

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy
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GMO In The Garden Petunias are among the most popular of garden plants and no wonder. Prolific, long blooming and increasingly easy to please, these tropical belles are among the most reliable of basket fillers. In my young days, petunias … Continue reading →

Posted in Annual Color, Genetic Engneering, Health & Wellbeing, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Amazing Annuals

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy
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Petunias have come a long, long way since the days when they came in red, pink, or muted purple. I’m crazy about velvety Black Magic petunias, especially partnered with Surfinia Heartbeat, whose gentle white petals are each marked with a baby-ribbon-pink heart (seriously). The Crazytunias have boldly striped or parti-colored petals in vividly contrasting colors, like a floral mardi gras constume, while the Glow series do indeed have a gentle glow about their more muted shades. If you like things on the hotter side, the Hells Bells gals are brazen blazers in a sizzling range of fiery tints.
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