Plants Nouveau News
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth…Killing All the Bugs?
I don’t know about you, but if I see one more Bayer ad for “TOTAL” tree and shrub or lawn care prevention, I think I’ll cry.
If you have not seen it, here’s a video.
Why is it that preventative medicine for humans and animals has a completely different meaning than preventative care for the living things in our gardens? With the exception of vaccines, which target specific diseases and infections, we humans take medicine to cure our ailments OR, if we are in tune to our health and our bodies, we do things in our daily life to prevent diseases and infection, Things like eating healthy foods, exercising and taking supplements to enhance our immunity and improve the way our bodies handle the stress of daily life have been preached and practiced for 1000’s of years.
But…
For plants, preventative health care is preached by teaching people to treat their plants with toxic chemicals that kill (mostly) every possible disease and insect- even the good bugs like fireflies, ladybugs, lacewings and praying mantis…even bees and butterflies. This can’t be good. It would be like giving babies a 12 month dose of antibiotics “just in case” they catch something. We won’t do that to ourselves because we KNOW bugs that infect us build tolerance to antibiotics. Doctors are now (thank goodness) becoming very strict in prescribing antibiotics for that very reason.
Do you think these same rules of resistance are somehow not applicable to plants? Any plant scientist will tell you diseases and insects that affect garden plants ARE becoming resistant, so why oh why would anyone spray their plants with something that treats things the plant may or may not ever get?
How about we apply the same rules of good health to caring for our gardens?
Let’s try giving the plants a happy home (good soil), feed them a well balanced diet (lots of compost and adequate water) and plant them in the right spot (somewhere they’ll thrive - not suffer). Now see if you ever need to spray for anything…I’d be surprised. I spray only when necessary. My plants don’t get diseases or insects. If they do, they overcome it because I’ve grown them strong. Roses get black spot, so spray for black spot. Don’t give them food laced with chemicals that treat all sorts of fungal diseases and insects.
Remember - we need the good bugs and if you read Doug Tallamy’s Book, Bringing Nature Home, you’ll get what I’m saying. Seriously…
Healthy, well bred plants make better gardens, that’s why I work with breeders like Arie Blom of AB-Cultivars and Sinclair Adam of Dunvegan Nursery. These guys know how to breed strong, sustainable plants that make for better gardens. My favorite (this week…) from Arie is Echinacea ‘Hot Papaya’, especially since it has come into full bloom this week in Baltimore. My favorite from Sinclair is Tiarella ‘Octoraro’ because it grows the hugest leaves (up to 6″) I have ever seen on a Tiarella. Talk about happy, healthy plants!
OR…
Maybe I’m just a really good gardener…na!
Attention Homeowners:
Buy Plants Nouveau new plant introductions from the following mail order nurseries:
Plants Delights |
Great Garden Plants |
Dutch Gardens |
White Flower Farm |
Park Seed |
Klehm’s Songsparrow Farm |
Angela’s Weekly Garden Solution
Another great plant for dry shade - Epimedium ‘Purple Pixie’ from Dr. Richard Lighty, former Director of The Mount Cuba Center in Greenville, Delaware. a tandum introduction between The Conard-Pyle Co. and Plants Nouveau.
Purple Pixie is a clumping selection with the best purple flowers I’ve ever seen on a barrenwort. It fills an area quickly, but never takes over. It has lovely red markings on the new foliage and it can take the driest, shady spot you have.
This plant is perfect for that shady spot that you have no time to maintain!
About Plants Nouveau
Have You Discovered a New Plant?
Let Plants Nouveau Introduce Your New Plant to the World! Plants Nouveau is company about plants, fueled by the introduction of novel, innovative selections from real plant people. Royalties collected by Plants Nouveau are shared with the plant’s originator and re-invested into the program’s marketing efforts.
Why Plants Nouveau?
We have the expertise and worldwide contacts to successfully introduce your new selections to the World. Negotiating legal issues, creative marketing, researching production protocols and establishing and maintaining world wide relationships is what we do.
Evaluation Is a Top Priority!
Plants Nouveau will evaluate your selection in many different regions of the U.S. and abroad to achieve maximum exposure to extreme climatic conditions.
We Pay for Everything!
When you choose Plants Nouveau, we pay for all costs associated with protecting and marketing your new selection. There is no cost to you. Just sit back and collect your share of royalties.
At Plants Nouveau we realize they are YOUR plants and we know we would not have the honor of introducing them for you if YOU hadn’t given them to us so, PLEASE…call every day, email every hour, request visiting rights. Don’t be afraid to ask ANYTHING! Our main goal is to have open communication with our breeders and for them to be happy. If they are happy, they keep coming back to us with new plants. See, it’s easy to do that when that’s your main goal, so choose Plants Nouveau for that very reason – We LOVE our BREEDERS!
And finally since the motto of Plants Nouveau is “Responsible introductions. Sustaining tomorrow’s gardens”, we will not EVER introduce a plant that may harm or have the potential to harm wild lands. We will make every effort to avoid introducing invasive plants (in accordance with the Center for Plant Conservation regulations).
Here’s a bit valuable information on what NOT to do if you think you’ve discovered a new plant
Attention Growers!
Buy our new plant introductions from the following wholesale nurseries:
Skagit Gardens |
Holtex Enterprises |
GET Group, Inc. |
North Creek Nurseries |
Walters Gardens |
Creek Hill Nursery |
Pioneer Gardens |
Emerald Coast Growers |
Angela’s other love …
Angela has been directing the Native Plants in the Landscape Conference @ Millersville for the past 6 years. If you’re eager to learn more about using native plant in the landscape and you’d like to meet over 300 people who are doing the same, attend the 2010 conference.
Conference dates will be posted soon!
For more on the conference, please visit the conference website.
New for 2009! Echinacea 'Hot Papaya'
Echinacea ‘Hot Payaya’ crowned hottest new plant for 2009! by American Nurseryman Magazine
Echinacea ‘Hot Papaya’ , our most recent addition to the Cone-fections line from the breeding brilliance of Arie Blom of AB Cultivars in The Netherlands was featured on the cover of the December 15th, New Plants issue of American Nurseryman Magazine. This super-hot media coverage will prompt sales all over the world!
According to Chris Hanson, Great Garden Plants famed plant guru - “Guaranteed - You’ve never seen another coneflower like Hot Papaya!”
Reserve your plants now at Great Garden Plants
To see the latest, greatest new plant introductions, stop by our booth at the following 2009 trade shows and symposia:
OFA Ohio Short Course
Columbus, OH
July 11-14, Booth 962
IGC (Independent Garden Center Show)
Chicago, IL
August 18-20, Booth 2315
Garden Writers Association Symposium
Raleigh, NC
September 23-26