Dear Friends and Fellow Gardeners,
2009 has been a good year for gardening-mostly. Hail was devastating in some areas and the coolness which was so pleasant, wasn’t so good for tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. It was an excellent year for xeriscape since even the hills were green all summer. And we all had a lot of successes in planting.
It’s really hard to second-guess Nature, like to plan for certain weather, but it seems obvious that if we support Nature, Nature will provide, and support us. But if we keep burning things to make energy, it may take years to recover from the climactic changes. So our choices matter: reduce, reuse, recycle, and harvest home-grown energy where possible. See www.350.org to help on Oct.24.
Fall is the best time to plant for me. The energy of the plants is going to the roots and that process is enhanced when we support the soil life with our recycled plant wastes like composts and mulches. There are now reliable sources of beneficial fungi and bacteria that can help increase soil life and broaden the diversity of microorganisms. Fall is also an excellent time to fertilize with our organic fertilizers to strengthen plants for winter and for next spring. And, of course, we have lots of plants we would rather you take care of this winter.
So we would like to invite you to our FALL PLANT SALE. This sale is not our strategy to dump the half-dead dregs of our inventory. This is your best opportunity to get our healthy Harlequin’s plants at discounted prices.
Members,for your special support, you get first pick of the plants at the Members Sale, August 25,26, 27,28,29,30 with 20% off all plants and 25% off books. (For info on membership, ask one of our staff, or see our website.)
The next week, September 1,2,3,4,5,6 the Fall Sale begins for everybody with 10% off most plants except roses. 10% off books & 10% off soil products in big bags. Also the Deep Discount section will be opened.
The third week September 8,9,10, 11, 12,13, enjoy 20% off perennials, shrubs & trees and 20% off most roses And 10% off books and soil products in big bags.
The fourth week, Sept.15,16, 17,18, 19, 20, take 25% off all perennials, shrubs and trees and20% off most roses and10% off books and soil products in big bags.
The fifth week, Sept.22,23, 24, 25, 26, 27, take 30% off perennials, shrubs and trees and 20% off roses, and 10% off books and soil products in big bags.
The sixth week, Sept.29, 30 and Oct.1,2,3,4, there will be a 35% discount off perennials and shrubs, 20% off roses and 50% off trees. And 25% off soil products in big bags.
We will continue to offer these prices every Thursday, Friday & Saturday in October.
Gift certificates will be available for the holidays and year-round by calling the nursery, 303-939-9403.
Open: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9-5; Thursday 9-6
October: Thursday,Friday and Saturdays only 9-5
www.harlequinsgardens.com 303-939-9403
Sincerely,
Mikl and Eve Brawner
Here is a sampling of the great plants you will find at our Fall Sale:
Excellent Xeriscape Perennials:
Hidcote Lavender-rich, purple flowers; 16″ high, very fragrant; one of the hardiest
Veronica oltensis-evergreen, thyme-like leaves, ½” mat x 24″, blue flowers, low water
Cold-hardy Ball Cacti-7 species including Mt. Ball, Claret Cup, the local Coryphantha etc
Papaver pilosum-toughest of the soft orange poppies, self sows but not suckering
Salvia grandiflora-4′-6’tall native, true sky blue flowers, late summer, xeric
Thymus ‘Clear Gold’-4″ tall creeping thyme, beautiful golden leaves, lavender flowers
Penstemon Pikes Peak Purple-purple flowers on 16″ stems, long-blooming, Plant Select
Russian Sage-3′-5′ tall, blue-violet flowers in summer, long-blooming, xeric & easy
Reiter Thyme-Rich green, 2″x30″ steppable ground cover, or “lawn”; lavender flowers
Penstemon pseudospectabilis-Nevada/NM native, hardy, hot pink flowers, 3′, hummers
“Tough As Nails” Paronychia-1″ high groundcover; like thyme, more xeric, white bracts
Teucrium cossonii-very silver Germander is evergreen, 8″x14″; purplish-pink flowers, xeric
Silver Edge Horehound-M. rotundifolium: beautiful foliage, 8″x24″, very xeric, behaves
GRASSES: Not rootbound. Many reports of success with Sept. planting of our grasses.
Blue Grama-CO State Grass, 1′-2′ clumps, seed heads curl downward like eyelashes, xeric
Little Bluestem- 2′-3′ tall native, blue-green foliage turns copper-red in fall, xeric
Alkali Sacaton- 2′ tall with bluish foliage and airy seed heads, good in dry, poor soil
Wrights Sacaton-very ornamental native grass, 4′ with showy seed heads to 6′, xeric
Sand Love Grass-Lovely, native 3′-4′ tall with showy reddish pink seed heads, xeric
Miscanthus ‘Gracillimus’ (Maiden Grass)-narrow leaves arching 5′-6′, coppery tassels
Pennisetum ‘Hameln’-perennial fountain grass, 2′-3′, white, foxtail seed heads, showy
Eragrostis ‘Wind Dancer’-graceful 2′-3′ narrow bluish foliage, airy seedheads , xeric
Sideoats Grama-curly 3″-6″ leaves; delicate pendant seed heads; xeric native
Calamagrostis brachytricha-3′-4′ arching form,large purple-pink plumes, ’09 Plant Select
Boulder Blue Fescue-the bluest 12″ fescue, selected in Bldr Co., very attractive
NATIVES
Gayfeather-Liatris punctata-spikes of feathery lavender flowers 16″ draw butterflies
Wine Cups-trailing stems from big taproot, wine-red poppy-like flowers all summer
Clematis ligusticifolia-10′-20′, masses of white flowers, showy seed heads, tough
Agave parryi-bold blue-green blades, 12″x18″, dark maroon spines, sculptural
Cercocarpus intricatus-Littleleaf Mt. Mahogany, fabulous dwarf 5′ xeric evergreen
Aster porteri-showy white flowers in fall, 12″-24″, xeric aster, grows around Boulder
Chocolate Flower-copious yellow daisies with dark eyes, chocolate aroma, 12″x30″, xeric
Sphaeralcea sp.-upright very xeric perennials, 3′-5′, soft orange, pink or lavender flowers
New Mexican Privet (Forestiera)-8′-12′ shrub/tree; beautiful screen or specimen, xeric
Tall Blue Rabbitbrush-blue foliage, yellow flowers in late summer, dramatic, xeric
Desert Mahonia-M.haematocarpa-blue, evergreen foliage, yellow flowers, red fruit, 6′-8′
Fern Bush-4’x5′ shrub with fern-like leaves, clusters of creamy flowers, very xeric
Apache Plume-4′ high, spreading, white flowers with plume-like seed heads, very xeric
Sand Cherry-3′-5′ high with white flowers-spring; black fruit, reddish fall color, xeric
Douglas Hawthorn-25′ tree, white flowers-spring; red fruit, red fall color, low water
Penstemons:pseudospectabilis, linarioides, strictus, secundiflorus, pinifolius & Mersea Yellow, rostriflorus, mensarum, nitidus, eatonii, clutei, cardinalis, jamesii and more
GREAT PLANTS FOR DRY SHADE:
Geranium cantabrigiense-weed smothering, xeric, beautiful; fragrant foliage turns red
with medium pink flowers, ‘Biokovo’ with light pink, ‘St. Ola’-wine buds, white flowers
Geranium m. ‘Bevan’s Variety’-12″ high, deep magenta & red, fragrant foliage-deer resist
Anemone tomentosa-rose pink flowers in fall on 2′-3′ stems, good cut flower
Euonymus f. ‘Kewensis’-compact dwarf, mounding, can climb, tiny evergreen leaves
Plumbago-true blue flowers in summer, great red fall color, spreading ground cover
Hardy Boxwoods-evergreen, round leaves; compact to 3′, deer and rabbit resistant
Plus: Geranium “Johnson’s Blue”, Sweet Cicely, Coral Bells, Baltic Ivy
VINES
Honeysuckle Lonicera ‘Old Dutch’-vigorous to 15′; fragrant pink and gold trumpets
Monkshood Vine-20′, very attractive cut leaves, fast growing, orange berries, at Teahouse
American Bittersweet- woody, vigorous, xeric, grows in any soil, to 20′, showy orange fruit
‘Aunt Dee’ Wisteria-hardy, drought-tolerant, blooms more reliably than others, violet-blue
AND dozens of varieties of Clematis grown tough at Harlequin’s Gardens
And more vines
TREES
Hackberry, Burr Oak, Western Catalpa, May Day Tree, Thunderchild Crab, Scotch Pine; Radiant & Spring Snow Crabs, Aspens, Arizona Cypress, etc.(Apples, Plums and Peaches are available now, but Not On Sale)
We have the best selection of hardy ROSES on their own roots in the state with too many varieties to list here: Heirloom, Shrub, David Austin, Minis, Species and Canadian
PLUS: many, many other great plants like: New colored Echinaceas, Gambel Oak, Red Kansas Hawthorn, Cutleaf Black Elderberry, Solidago rigida from Boulder County, Eight kinds of Sedums, Goldflame Honeysuckle, 2 kinds of miniature yuccas, a low-water Black-Eyed Susan, Norton’s Gold Oregano, Organic Herbs, Native Asters and more and more.
And we have: great tools, gloves, books, organic supplies and seeds for fall-sown, cool-weather greens like kale, chard and lettuce
Landscape Consultations:Eve and Mikl are available for consultations year-round. If you schedule a consultation to take place between Nov 1 and Feb 28, we will give you 15% off a one-time purchase of plants at Harlequin’s Gardens.
We can help you to 1) clarify the use of the space 2) identify site opportunities and limitations 3) evaluate health and value of existing landscape and make non-toxic recommendations for pest and disease problems 4)make plant lists for specific areas 5) make design suggestions with rough sketches 6)help to xeriscape and save water 7) identify, evaluate and make recommendations for tree care. We do not do complete garden designs or installations. Call 303-939-9403 or 720-291-7826 to schedule.
Newsletters by Email: Please choose to receive our newsletters by email. As the cost of printing and postage goes up and as our forests continue to come down, we are hoping you will like to receive our mailings and special offers by email. Please go to our website @ www.harlequinsgardens.com and click on the Subscribe link in the left margin of the home page, enter your name and addresses and press submit. Or leave your information at the front desk at Harlequin’s Gardens any day except Monday.
Visit five of the best private gardens in the Denver Area (including Marcia Tatroe’s, Rob Proctor’s, Dan Johnson’s): Sept. 12, 10am-4; 1-888-842-2442; www.opendaysprogram.org