Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Baldwin's is blooming nicely despite the wet spring


Despite it being a very wet and cool month of May so far, things are blooming nicely at Baldwin's Nurseries. It's been a very busy time, first with the successful and hectic Saltscapes Expo, and now with some changes to the nursery property.  
In the nursery trade, we often remark that cool, wet weather brings out the serious gardeners, the ones who like to take their time looking through nursery stock, chat with staff about challenges and interests in their garden, without a lot of rushing around. There's certainly lots to see around our nursery right now, from the early-blooming rhododendrons like the PJMs,
To the blazing colours of the quinces, with their showy pink, red, or scarlet flowers.
This seems to be an outstanding year for magnolia bloom around the province, as we're hearing reports of fantastic bloom on most people's trees and shrubs. The Leonard Messills have been fantastic for us this spring, with a rich display of colour.
We've brought in some new Japanese maples for those with a fondness for these handsome, colourful trees. The cutleaf varieties are especially popular.
We have a selection of hostas, which are beloved by many shade gardeners but also work well in container plantings, or as border plants around trees and shrubs.
One of our favourite flower-and-foliage plants this year is Dicentra 'Burning Hearts' bleeding heart. Its lacy, blue-green foliage contrasts nicely with the rich crimson-red heartshaped flowers. This is a low-growing variety that spreads gradually, and blooms for a long time.
Last year tree peonies were especially popular, and we have brought in more this year. These are magnificent plants, taking a few years to get well established, but even with only a few blooms they are showstopping and wonderful.

These photos represent only a very tiny portion of what's in bloom, or what's in bud, at Baldwin Nurseries. We're open 7 days a week, and we look forward to helping you get inspired about your garden landscape. Don't worry about the rain--it will stop one of these days. It always does. And we're always glad to see you, rain or shine.