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Harlequins Gardens

Harlequins Gardens

Boulder's specialist in well-adapted plants

Harlequin’s Gardens reopens March 4, 2021

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Home | Plants

Plants

Cutting Back Ornamental Grasses

Historically February is one of Colorado’s snowiest months, and finally we’re beginning to see evidence of that this year! Additionally, the forecast indicates more to come.  It remains to be seen how some of our marginally hardy garden plants have suffered from the below zero temperatures.

Many of us may have the tops of ornamental grasses and various perennials peeking out of the blanket of the snow, which provides habitat for overwintering beneficial insects and it helps to keep the plant roots and crowns warmer. But very soon it will be time to cut back Cool-Season ornamental grasses before their active growth begins, which will allow light to penetrate the entire clump.  See Eve’s instructions, below. [Read More]

Clematis Pruning Groups

Despite the access we have right now to our snow-free gardens, in general it’s not time to begin garden clean up. Undoubtedly (hopefully!) we will receive more snowfall in February and March and it is beneficial to keep leaves on the ground and last-year’s stalks on our perennials because this cover provides habitat for overwintering beneficial insects and it helps to keep the plant roots and crowns warmer.

In late February and early March it will be time to cut back certain Clematis vines, depending on their category. Here is an in-depth guide to the three Clematis Pruning Groups.  [Read More]

Solstice Cheer from the Garden

Attractive Evergreens for Colorado Gardens

At the time of the Winter Solstice, we can be grateful for the evergreens in our Colorado gardens. Not every region of the temperate northern hemisphere can grow so many different beautiful plants with year-round presence.

There are so many evergreen (and eversilver, everblue, red and purple) hardy perennials, groundcovers, shrubs, herbs, and trees (and not just conifers!) we can grow here. They go above and beyond in their service as ornamental plants in all four seasons. [Read More]

Amaryllis Bulbs have arrived!

We have some new varieties of Amaryllis, a long-time symbol of the holidays, as well as some classic favorites.  We’re offering traditional red, white, and several blended, pink, and apricot varieties – a fun way to change-up your holiday decorating!  (Pictured: Amaryllis Apricot Parfait, left, and Apple Blossom, right. Photo credit: Holland Bulb Farms.)

Our top-size Amaryllis bulb selections in bags include Apple Blossom, Apricot Parfait, Black Pearl, and Red Lion.

Our decorative gold-boxed holiday sets include the bulb, a white plastic growing pot, soil disc, and planting instructions. Boxed set options include Minerva, Mont Blanc, Red Lion, and Vera. Highly fragrant Ziva Paperwhite Narcissus are also available in gift-boxes and as individual bulbs.

Our spring flowering bulbs have been very popular and are moving quickly – stop by soon for the best selection!  See our 2020 selections.

Lycoris squamigera (Resurrection lily, Surprise lily or Naked Ladies)

The most cold-hardy of the species of Lycoris available in commerce today (Zone 5), L. squamigera is often called Resurrection lily because the leaves disappear in summer with the flowering stalks seemingly rising from the dead in late summer. Thick naked flower scapes rise to 18-24” tall in August or September, each bearing 4 to 7 large, showy, funnel-shaped, lilac-rose pink flowers that are very fragrant!

A member of the Amaryllis family, in appearance it resembles Belladonna lily (Amaryllis belladonna), but its flowering habit is reminiscent of Colchicum. Strap-like grayish-green leaves to 12” long and 1” wide appear in spring and must be allowed to die back in summer.

Though native to Japan, it is easily grown here in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun or part shade. Plant the bulbs 8-12” deep and 6” apart in fall and mulch well in winter. Resurrection Lily naturalizes by bulb-offsets. A low-maintenance beauty with no serious insect or disease problems, water sparingly during the rest period and moderately when growing. Avoid transplanting as this plant dislikes being disturbed. Use in borders or containers, or in open woodland gardens, meadows, or wild areas where the late spring foliage is not a concern.

Narcissus, forcing ‘Ziva’ (high scent) Paperwhites

Potted Paperwhites bring intoxicating fragrance to your home in winter, and make wonderful holiday gifts. Bears trusses of heavily-scented, pure white flowers on up to three stems per bulb. They may be planted in all kinds of decorative pots, vases and trays, either in soil or pebbles, September through February. Rodent-proof.

Place the bulbs about 1” apart and cover 2/3 of the bulb with stones, marbles or pebbles, or completely cover the bulbs with potting soil. Water, then place them in a light, cool place in indirect sunlight until the foliage stands 3” to 4” high. Move to a sunny location at room temperature and keep them well watered. They will bloom in four to six weeks from planting. If not potting immediately, store bulbs in a dry, dark spot at 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Available as individual bulbs and in our decorative gold-boxed holiday sets, which include the bulb, a white plastic growing pot, soil disc, and planting instructions.

Bulbs, for a Fragrant & Colorful Spring

One of the earliest harbingers of spring are flowering bulbs, which people and bees all seem to welcome. One aspect of bulbs that may be underrated is their scent. Many bulbs are fragrant, bringing an added dimension to their enjoyment.  Some of our most fragrant bulbs include:

  • All Hyacinth varieties
  • Iris reticulata Blue Hill, Carolina, and Harmony
  • Lycoris squamigera

[Read More]

2020 Bulbs

We are filling our shop with new bulbs for fall planting, including lots of new varieties! We have nearly all of our bulbs in stock,  and will let you know as the others arrive.  Supplies are limited and some bulb selections are selling out fast, so although it’s best to wait to put most in the ground, come and get them while they last!  

Listed below are all the selections we’re expecting this year. Click on names for descriptions and photos, or scroll down past Eve’s “Bulb Tips” article for a comprehensive alpha display.

2020 BULB LIST

ALLIUM

aflatunense ‘Purple Sensation’

caeruleum

christophii

‘Graceful’

moly[Read More]

Declining Daffodils

Have you noticed that your daffodils and narcissus have been struggling and lost their vigor?  Here are several possible reasons why and ways to address reviving them.

FERTILIZER ISSUES

As with perennials, many flowering bulbs do best with fertilizing when planted, as their leaves emerge, and as they bloom, with a slow-release organic fertilizer such as Root Rally, from Age Old. [Read More]

Bulb Tips from Eve

Species Crocus are the earliest Crocus to flower, at least two weeks before their Large Flowering siblings, and are the best for early spring lawn tapestries: hold off mowing the lawn until the foliage has died back. Drifts are also lovely in garden borders and rock gardens. Plant 4” deep and 3”- 4” apart, about nine bulbs per square foot for a dense planting. (Crocus are also good for forcing indoors over the winter. Pot them up in mid-October and pre-cool them at a consistent, dark 38 to 45 degrees F for eight to ten weeks with moderate watering. Bring them into the house ~ they will bloom about four weeks later.)

 

Narcissus (Daffodil) Culture

Narcissus are easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in organically rich, sandy to loams that drain well. Plant bulbs 4-6″ deep and 3-6” apart in fall. After the flowers have bloomed, the top portion of each flower stem may be removed, as practicable, to prevent seed formation, but foliage should not be cut back until it begins to yellow. Flowers usually face the sun, so bulbs should be grown with any shade areas at the rear of the planting. Bulbs can be left undisturbed for a number of years.

Allium aflatunense ‘Purple Sensation’ (Giant Purple-flowered Onion)

Dense, four-inch diameter globes of starry red-purple florets atop stems up to 24” to 36” tall. Very showy, and the earliest large-flowered ornamental onions, blooming in mid-spring. Thrives in full sun to part-shade, and naturalizes by self-sowing. Stunning, long-lasting cut-flower. The dry seed-heads are also highly ornamental in the garden and in flower arrangements.

Grow amid perennials that will mound over the foliage when it has dried, such as Saponaria ‘Max Frei’, or among tall, ‘architectural’ perennials such as ‘Moonshine’ Yarrow. Alliums are resistant to browsing by deer and rabbits.

Plant 6-8″ deep, 6-12″ apart. Zone 4.  18”-36” tall.

Allium caeruleum (aka A. azureum) Blue-flowered Ornamental Onion

Inch-and-a-half globes of gorgeous true-blue flowers are borne abundantly atop 12”-18” stems in May and June.  Native to Siberia, this easy-to-grow flowering onion is very accommodating, and will grow in sun or part-shade almost anywhere, including xeriscape gardens and at high elevations. Dry seed-heads are also attractive in the garden and in dry bouquets, but this flower re-seeds readily, so if you want to maintain population control we recommend dead-heading.

Looks great planted with Aquilegia chrysantha (Denver Gold Columbine), Pineleaf Penstemon, or Malva moschuta ‘Alba’.

Plant 3″ deep, 2″-4″ apart. 12’-18” tall, Late Spring, Summer (May-June), hardy to Zone 3.

Allium christophii (syn. Allium albopilosum) (Star of Persia)

A most surprising, outrageous flower for xeriscapes! The giant globes, to 10” diameter or more, are held on fairly short stems, 8”-18” tall, blooming in mid-spring. The hundreds of starry, silver-lavender florets each have a green ‘eye’ are arranged so that their petal-tips touch to form a perfect sphere. This easy naturalizer has been highly successful in our xeriscape display gardens, eliciting lots of interest. Also spectacular in large flower arrangements, fresh or dried.

Deer and rabbit resistant, and very drought-tolerant. If you don’t want it to naturalize, dead-head before the seeds mature.

Zone 4.  14”- 24” tall. Plant 6”-8” deep and 8”-10” apart.

Allium amplectens ‘Graceful Beauty’

Circa 1857, this delicate-looking yet easy-growing North American native has composite 3″ globes of star-shaped, sparkling white flowers with pale lavender stamens tipped with purple anthers and sturdy stems.

Bloom time: May/June. 12″ to 16″ tall. Zone 4-8.

Allium moly (Golden Garlic or Lily Leek)

Known as Golden Garlic or Lily Leek, this species is an exceptionally cheery border perennial. Its golden yellow, starry flowers appear in clusters on 10-15″ stems above handsome, dark green foliage. The late May bloom is a burst of sunshine regardless of the weather. Plant closely together in clumps (5-10 bulbs per sq ft.) among perennials. The leaves of the Allium will go dormant later in summer when the perennials are in their prime.

Cold-hardy to Zone 3.

 

Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’ (Blue Grecian Windflower)

An enchanting, early-blooming member of the Buttercup family that grows from a tuber. Where happy, it spreads to form a carpet-like groundcover with ferny deep green foliage and 1”- wide open-faced sky-blue daisy flowers with yellow eyes. Provides a long-lasting display in early spring.

Works well under daffodils and tulips, in rock gardens, or in masses under deciduous shrubs and trees. Prefers a humus-rich soil, average moisture and good drainage in a sunny or partly shaded location.

Hardy to Zone 5, 3-4” tall.

Camassia leichtlinii caerulea

A large and beautiful species native to western N. America, Leichtlin’s camass is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial that typically grows wild on moist slopes and moist mountain meadows but can be allowed to go quite dry after flowering. The bulbs were an important food source for native Americans and early settlers.

Strap-shaped leaves form a 2’ by 2’ clump of foliage. Stout flowering stems tower above, densely clothed in showy purple-blue 2” wide six-petaled star-shaped flowers.

Plant bulbs 4-6” deep and 6” apart in full sun or morning sun. Camass tolerates a wide range of soils including clay, but prefers fertile, humusy soil. They are low-maintenance and best left undisturbed.

Chionodoxa forbesii

Blue Glory of the Snow is a deer proof bulb with compact 6-8” spikes of cheerful, white eyed, bright blue flowers in early spring. Chionodoxa is very attractive when planted in large drifts of many bulbs, and naturalizes readily.

Plant in full sun or morning sun, 2-4” deep, 16 bulbs per sq. ft. or 4” apart. Cold hardy to Zone 3.

 

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Gipsy Girl’

In full bloom mid-February through mid-March, this heirloom variety with golden-yellow blossoms, feathered on the outside with bronze or plum markings, sports one of the toughest blooms of any crocus cultivar. It is “bunch flowering” in that more than one flower arises from a single corm, and a handful of corms can look surprisingly flowery right from the first year. One of the least floppy, with stronger flower stems.

It will naturalize well, and increase in number for years to come, being especially long-lived, persistent and hardy to Zone 3, 2-3” tall.

 

Crocus chrysanthus, mixed

A cheerful mix of many colors and forms of super-early ‘snow crocus’!

Hardy to Zone 3.

Crocus isauricus (or biflorus ssp isauricus) ‘Spring Beauty’

Spring Beauty is an elegant and hard-to-find variety with bright lavender blue flowers marked with striking deep violet flames on the outer petals, a paler lavender-purple interior, pale yellow anthers and grass-like foliage with narrow, median silvery stripes.

Outstanding whether planted in large drifts or small clumps in the rockery. Late winter/early spring blooming. A bit shorter than other Species Crocus, Spring Beauty stands about 3-4″ tall with graceful six-petaled flowers that open and close on sunny days.

Deer-resistant, they naturalize readily in well-draining soil and in full to partial sunlight. Hardy to Zone 4

Crocus sieberi ‘Firefly’

Crocus seiberi ‘Firefly’ is a tiny treasure 2-4” tall that multiplies rapidly and lights up the late-winter garden with lilac-violet flowers accented by golden throats and orange anthers.  The grass-like foliage has narrow, median silvery stripes.

Plant ‘Firefly’ corms 3″ deep and 2″ to 3″ apart, in full sun to part shade. ‘Firefly’ is among the earliest-blooming crocus, a great performer that naturalizes quickly. Cold-hardy to Zone 3.

Crocus sativus (Saffron Crocus, fall flowering)

This fall-blooming crocus emerges as a cheery surprise in October or November with bright violet-purple open cupped petals and brilliant orange stigmas, the source of the precious spice, saffron. The blooms are accompanied by short blades of dark green, grass-like foliage which elongates after the flowers have finished and may re-appear in spring.

Wonderful in the sunny rock garden, and among low, xeric groundcovers such as Turkish Veronica or ‘Tough-as-Nails’ (Paronychia kapela). Saffron Crocus prefers a location that is warm, sunny and dry, with very good drainage and only wants moisture when it is in flower and active growth.

Plant 2-4″ deep, 3″ apart. Zone 6.   4”-5” tall

Crocus speciosus ‘Conqueror’ (‘Conqueror’ Autumn Crocus)

A superb selection of the blue Fall Crocus, Conqueror blooms in early to mid-autumn, arriving to brighten the garden at a time when many other plants have finished blooming.  Conqueror’s very large, deep sky-blue flowers with golden-orange stigmas and anthers stand 5 or 6” tall and emerge without the narrow grassy foliage that will follow bloom. They will naturalize, and over the years, the clumps increase in size and duration of bloom.

‘Conqueror’ provides a stunning surprise rising out of a mass of perennial groundcover such as Plumbago, Evergreen Candytuft, ‘Harlequin’s Silver’ Teucrium, or any of the Geranium x cantabrigiensis selections!

Average soil and moisture, full to part sun, most soils except heavy clay, cold-hardy to Zone 4.

PLANT THESE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE to enjoy flowers this fall! For drifts, plant 10 bulbs per square foot.

Crocus vernus Flower Record

‘Flower Record‘ Dutch Large-flowering Crocus has large six-petaled flowers with deep purple petals that form a cup around a ruffled bright orange pistil. It blooms in March or early April for ~3 weeks and grows 4-6” tall and wide, increasing and spreading easily. Flowers close at night and open up in the morning, but usually remain closed on rainy/cloudy days.

Plant 5″ deep and 4″ apart. Cold-hardy to Zone 4.

Crocuses are among the most widely grown early spring bulbs (actually corms). The genus name comes from krokos the ancient Greek name for saffron (Crocus sativus.) It is one of the most ancient plant names.

Crocus are also good for forcing indoors over the winter. Pot them up in mid-October and precool them at a consistent, dark 38°F to 45°F for eight to ten weeks with moderate watering. Bring them into the house, where they will bloom about four weeks later.

 

Crocus vernus Giant Mixed (Large-flowered ‘Dutch’ Crocus, mixed colors)

Crocus vernus varieties bloom later and have larger flowers than ‘botanical’ crocus.  They create a big, cheerful splash of color in the spring garden that few hardy plants can achieve. This mix contains a compatible blend of purple, yellow, white and striped varieties that will all bloom at the same time.

Grow in masses or drifts for the best effect.  The display will grow more spectacular every year, and is sure to cure your winter blues!

Plant 8 to 10 bulbs per square foot.

Crocus ‘Golden Yellow’

‘Golden Yellow’ (Crocus × luteus) is a cheerful, large-flowered bright yellow cultivar that grows 4-6” tall. Each corm produces several upright, cup-like, yellow to orange-yellow flowers with thin olive-green striping on the outside. It blooms in early spring shortly after snowdrops (Galanthus) and naturalizes readily.

Cold-hardy to Zone 4.

Crocus Pickwick

This distinctive large-flowered “Dutch” crocus bears goblet-shaped blooms with prominent white petals with vivid and intricate purple stripes. Stunning in drifts or mixed with Botanical Iris, Pickwick is a great favorite for early spring. Extremely cold-hardy, easy to plant, and naturalizing readily, it reliably returns every spring in increasing numbers.

4-6″ tall, hardy to Zone 3.

 

Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrop)

Pendant, bell-shaped white flowers with green-tipped petals are a classic harbinger of spring. They look wonderful planted in groups and may bloom as early as February. Commonly called snowdrop, this bulbous perennial is native to Europe and southwestern Asia.

Snowdrops will naturalize where happy. thrives in rich garden loam in part shade, making it perfect under deciduous trees and shrubs.

Zone 3,  3” tall.

Hyacinth ‘Aiolos’

 Dense columns of waxy, pure white florets appear in mid-spring on sturdy stems. Aiolos has an intense, sweet fragrance and is a long-lasting cut flower.

Grows 10” tall. Plant 6” deep and 6” apart. Hardy to zone 3.

Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’

All these highly fragrant Dutch Hyacinth varieties are perfect for spring gardens and for forcing indoors in pots or hyacinth glasses. They are long-lived in the garden if fertilized after blooming, and after the first year they will produce more flower spikes that are less densely packed and more natural-looking. Hyacinths are quite easy to grow in a sunny or partly shaded spot.

Hyacinth Mixed Colors

Description and photo coming soon!

Hyacinth ‘Peter Stuyvesant’

All these highly fragrant Dutch Hyacinth varieties are perfect for spring gardens and for forcing indoors in pots or hyacinth glasses. They are long-lived in the garden if fertilized after blooming, and after the first year they will produce more flower spikes that are less densely packed and more natural-looking. Hyacinths are quite easy to grow in a sunny or partly shaded spot.

Ipheion uniflorum ‘Jessie’ (Spring Starflower)

A spring gem for dry or moderately watered gardens in shade and part-shade. This long-blooming bulb from Chile and Uruguay sends up a mound of grassy foliage in autumn that persists over winter and begins blooming in early spring, producing a long succession of sweetly fragrant starry cobalt blue flowers through late spring, each atop its own 3”-6” stem. Multiplies to form a groundcover until summer when the foliage goes dormant. Also lovely planted under taller mid-spring bulbs such as ‘Tete a Tete’ miniature daffodils.

A member of the Onion family, the foliage smells like garlic when crushed (which makes it resistant to deer and rabbits!).

Succeeds in a wide range of soils, but like most bulbs, requires reasonably good drainage. Hardy to Zone 5,  3”-5” tall

Iris bucharica – NEW!

Photo Credit: Brent & Becky’s Bulbs

Iris bucharica (also known as Bukhara iris, Corn-leaf iris and Horned iris) is a bulbous herbaceous perennial, in the Juno iris group, from Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This stand-out species has arching blue-green leaves and a long succession of 2-3”-wide flowers in mid-spring, greenish white ‘flags’, and chrome yellow with green veins for the falls. Bukhara iris has a longer blooming and more solid presence in the spring garden than the reticulata/histrioides types. Its marvelous fragrance is a special surprise in the early spring!

Plant in a sunny or partly shaded position in soil that provides quick drainage year-round. Iris bucharica appreciates a hot, dry ‘baking’ in summer, but tolerates normal soil moisture during the cool and cold months.  8-12” tall x 8” wide, April, Morning sun or full sun, Hardy to Zone 5.

Iris x histrioides ‘Katharine’s Gold’

‘Katherine’s Hodgkin’ is a classic, award-winning, super-early, reliable, and tough botanical Iris that persists and increases for many years. Her flowers are larger than other miniatures, but still on stems only 3-4” tall. The soft powder-blue falls are decorated with distinctive deep blue veining and indigo and gold markings, while the standards are a couple of shades darker blue. Flowering soon after the snowdrops (often in February or early March), botanical iris quickly develop into gorgeous, densely floriferous clumps and excel in the rock garden or perennial bed, and add a lovely honey-scent to the early spring season.

Plant in part to full sun, in well-drained soil. Planting in very hot locations will shorten the duration of bloom. In heavier soil, add expanded shale to improve drainage. Cold hardy to Zone 5.

Iris reticulata ‘Blue Hill’ – NEW!

Iris Blue Hill is an outstanding recent introduction. This sweetly scented little gem has good-sized saturated blue flowers with darker blue and prominent yellow blotches on the falls. Flowers are held on strong 4-5” stems, and each bulb will produce a succession of blooms over a couple of weeks in late winter, along with a marvelous fragrance.

Botanical Irises form beautiful, floriferous clumps and can be divided every 3 or 4 years to maintain vigor. They mix well with other late-winter/early-spring flowering bulbs and are ideal for the front of the border, rockery or container planting.  Hardy to Zone 4.

Iris reticulata ‘Carolina’ – NEW!

Phot Credit: Brent & Becky’s Bulbs

This brilliant, fragrant beauty has bright sky-blue standards, while the violet-blue falls with deep blue tips sport canary-yellow centers edged in white ‘eyelashes’. Iris ‘Carolina’ will pop from the cold frozen earth in February or March, and its marvelous fragrance is a special surprise in the early spring! .

5-6” tall clumps can grow to 12” across. Hardy to Zone 4.

Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’

An irresistible little iris that grows no more than 5-6″ tall. Its dazzling, royal blue petals have showy white and yellow markings and the flowers are sweetly fragrant! Perfect for rock gardens or along a walkway where the soil is well-drained and relatively dry. Blooms in late winter along with the crocuses.

5-6” tall clumps can grow to 12” across. Deer-resistant. Plant 4” deep and 4-5” apart. Hardy to Zone 4.

Amaryllis ‘Apple Blossom’

The Apple Blossom Amaryllis produces a gorgeous flower, having pure white petals brushed with pink.

Available as individual bulbs.

Garlic – Inchelium Red (organic, soft-neck)

Large 3″ + bulbs produce 8-20 cloves of good size. Mild, but lasting flavor, with a hint of hot! Dense cloves store extremely well. Flavor can get stronger in storage. This vigorous soft-necked variety won a Rodale taste test of 20 garlic strains – named “Very Best of the Soft-Necks”. Inchelium Red is also exceptionally healthy, easy to peel, and easy to grow!

Garlic planting instructions

Garlic – Lorz Italian (soft-neck)

Photo Credit: Long Shot Farm

Lorz Italian is an ‘Artichoke’ type garlic, brought to WA State’s Columbia River Basin around 1900 by the Lorz family when they immigrated from Italy. It is part of the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste, a program preserving endangered heirloom foods with unique tastes and characteristics.

This bold, spicy, and flavorful Italian garlic is hotter than most varieties and is a natural for Italian cuisine, and its easy-to-peel skin makes it popular with chefs and home cooks. It adds spicy flavor with medium heat to stir-fries, meats, roasted vegetables, tomato-based sauces and other dishes. Lorz Italian has an excellent stand-alone flavor that works well in simple pasta dishes and mashed potatoes, and makes delicious, rich roasted garlic. Stores 6-9 months.

Lorz Italian multiples very quickly. One pound of cloves at planting can easily become 8-10 pounds of bulbs at harvest. The large bulbs average 16 squarish cloves with a few small interior cloves. Soft-neck garlic doesn’t typically produce scapes, but occasionally Lorz Italian will develop a large scape with huge bulbils.

Plant the biggest cloves for the best results. Lorz Italian matures earlier than hard-neck garlic and is very easy to grow but prefers a well-drained soil. It’s a robust variety that grows rapidly, will tolerate the summer heat well and is resistant to Late Blight. Bulbs should be harvested when plants begin to ‘flop’ over. Lorz Italian is so large and ‘juicy’ that it must be carefully cured for the best storing times. Be especially careful with the biggest fattest bulbs to prevent rot. When curing this or any large soft-neck, clip off roots and spread the bulbs very thinly to ensure good air flow. Most years you can leave the garlic tops on until they dry, but if it is very wet and humid at harvest you may need to remove the tops for faster drying time. You can also direct a fan on the curing bulbs.

Garlic planting instructions

Garlic – Nootka Rose (soft-neck)

Photo Credit: Irish Eyes Garden Seeds

Nootka Rose is a beautifully colored ‘Silver-Skin’ garlic created at Nootka Rose Farm on the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound, WA and is considered an heirloom variety. Known for its rich, warm, bold flavor and exceptional aroma, it excels as a cooking garlic. Thick, creamy white wrappers cover beautiful, red-streaked clove skins that are easy to peel, and the large bulbs tend to yield anywhere from 15-24 cloves each. Nootka Rose is very long-storing, from 9 to 12 months, is ideal for braiding, and grows well in all parts of the country except those with the warmest winters.

Nootka Rose is usually the last garlic to mature and be harvested and is often, if not usually, the longest storing garlic of all. Because it is a long storing variety, you might want to grow some and save them for the time when your other varieties have already sprouted and are no longer in an ideal eating condition.

Garlic planting instructions

Garlic – Chesnok Red (hard-neck)

Photo Credit: Irish Eyes Garden Seeds

Regularly wins acclaim and awards as one of the best tasting baking/roasting garlics!

Collected in 1985 in the Rep. of Georgia, this highly productive, easy-to-grow ‘Purple-Striped’ garlic makes beautiful, large deep-purple bulbs. Eaten raw, its intense heat quickly dissipates, but cooking and baking truly bring out its earthy, rich garlic complexities, very aromatic with a rich, smooth sweetness and just a touch of heat.

The cloves are more numerous (~8-20) and elongated than most hard-neck types and are initially hard to peel, allowing Chesnok Red to store much longer than other hard-necks – up to a year! But cloves become easier to peel the longer they store. Like other hard-neck varieties, it also produces curling, edible ‘scapes’ in June. Garlic is a  heavy feeder, so feed your soil well!

Plants are vigorous and upright, can handle a little neglect, an are great multipliers, growing large bulbs from even medium-sized cloves.

Garlic planting instructions

Great Hummingbird Plants for Your Garden

Hummingbirds are zipping and humming and sipping around our gardens, partaking of the summer’s bounty of nectar-rich flowers, many of which are ‘color-coded’ specifically to attract them. And you’ll want hummers in your garden, not only because they’re beautiful, not only because some plants depend on them for pollination, not only because migratory birds are imperiled, but also because they eat prodigious numbers of small flying insects like mosquitoes!  And did you know, some hummingbird have been known to live up to 25 years!

Here are some of the plants we sell that attract and support these flying jewels. [Read More]

Prime Time for Selecting Roses

The shelves in our Rose section are ablaze with colorful and fragrant blooms, which you can smell, see, touch, select and plant now!

Hardy roses are a long-standing specialty of our nursery, which provides the region’s largest selection of roses grown on their own roots.  You may have thought all roses were difficult to grow and ‘high maintenance’, but we’d like to show you that roses can be very successful in Colorado with very little maintenance. An important key to rose survival lies in growing them on their own roots. This means that instead of being grafted onto a standard ‘root-stock’, the roses are grown from cuttings that are allowed to grow their own roots.  Why is this important? [Read More]

Edible Flowers

Incorporating edible flowers in your cuisine not only adds visual appeal, but also can offer high nutritional value and great flavors. Edible flowers have been used for millennia in many cultures to enhance everything from salad to beer and wine. A quick internet query on “ancient edible flower recipes” revealed many results.  It could be a fun family event to recreate a heritage recipe!

The flavor of many flowers is improved by removing the sexual parts – stamens, anthers and pistils. And, you will notice how a flowers’ flavor can vary as the plant ages throughout the season, and with variations in the soil, and climate (think terroir!) [Read More]

Narcissus ‘Chromacolor’

Award-winning ‘Chromacolor’ has a very large, intense coral-pink cup that contrasts beautifully with the surrounding pure white perianth, almost 5” across! To top it off, it exudes the scent of roses and raspberries! A real knockout, this American-bred cultivar stands 14-17” tall.

As with all Pink Narcissi, ‘Chromacolor’ benefits from filtered sunlight to develop its best pink coloration. Blooms midseason, Hardy to Zone 3.

Deer & Rodent -proof!

Amish Paste

Heirloom, indeterminate, 85 days
Very meaty, rich, sweet flavor intensifies in sauces. Consistent taste test winner, fresh or cooked into sauce/paste. Makes “tomato candy” when dried!  Droopy foliage is normal.

“Anasazi”

Open-Pollinated Indeterminate, 70-75 Days
A mysterious and delicious entry in our Taste of Tomato a few years ago, sharing second place (with Pineapple). You won’t find this tomato from seed companies, as we saved seed from the tomatoes donated by the participant who simply said that it came from the location of an Anasazi ruin. The very dark red/purple/black, 2″, round or oval fruit have rich, complex, old-fashioned tomato flavor and pleasing texture and begin ripening in mid-season. The productive plant is indeterminate, with regular leaves. It has been a star in Eve’s garden, and she collects and processes seed for us every year. If you grow this one, please let us know what you think and how it performs in your garden!

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Our plants are for sale ONLY at our Boulder location. We DO NOT ship plants. Come visit us!

Hours by Season

Harlequin’s Gardens is closed for
the season until early March 2021.

Due to COVID 19 we require
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Contact Us

303-939-9403 (Retail)
staff@nullharlequinsgardens.com

4795 North 26th St
Boulder, CO 80301

Join Our Email List!

Join our Email List to receive empowering gardening tips, ecological insights and to keep up on happenings at Harlequin’s—such as flash sales and “just in” plants.

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Please Note

We accept Cash and Checks AND Credit Cards. (now accepting Visa, Mastercard, American Express & Discover cards)

The plants we grow are organically grown. All the plants we sell are free of bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides.