The Time For Seeds

In the spring we enjoy the wonderful blooms of the woodland peonies. In the fall, we are amazed by the brilliance of their seeds and seed pods. As we collect seed from the many woodland plants we grow here at Fernwood, we find the diversity of color and texture of the seeds to be quite remarkable, each plant having its own design. Nature……truly amazing and always full of wonder.

Garden Beauties….

Peony banatica

We’re always overjoyed to see the woodland peonies blooming in the gardens….and the ladyslippers, oh my! These plants are available in the nursery, come check them out!

Cypripedium macranthem

Cypripedium pubescens

Cypripedium hybrid

Anemonella ‘Schoaf’s Double’

Love this time of year! Everyday a new surprise in the gardens. The spring plants that are already blooming…delightful. And do we ever tire of seeing them, have less anticipation, when a new season arrives? Never.

Anemonella thalictroides
( Fernwood seedling)

Omphaloides verna

The hellebore, the hepaticas, the anemonellas and uvularia, are all in bloom. Trilliums are everywhere. This season we are actually offering a few double trilliums for sale. Come soon if you have your heart set on one, I think we have only five left. Some of the woodland peonies are ready to burst open. Always spectacular when they do. This past weekend with the nursery opening we were able to chat with customers, both new and old, discussing gardens and plants, and yes, the long winter was also a topic of conversation. I think gardeners have been just itching to tend their beds, look for new choice plants to add to the landscape, and to just dig in the dirt!

Rhododendron ‘Candy Pink’

Paeonia veitchii

Tomatoes to be planted in the hoop house

This will be another busy week here at the nursery. The vegetable gardens are getting planted, and soon we will be harvesting the very first greens and spinach ( kale also, of course). The tomatoes will be planted in the hoop house. Up in the sales area we continue to divide and pot plants. The display beds need attention on a regular basis now, so this chore gets put into the daily mix. The sheep will move to their summer pasture by mid week. Wait til they see the lush grass that awaits them, I’m sure it’s been on their minds. The three sheep I board for Sally will go home, along with her eclectic flock of (mostly) roosters. Can you believe that no one called me about adopting Rooster Rod? Yes, that’s right, Mr. Fancy Pants is still here strutting his stuff amongst the hens. He’s a bit ridiculous. I really expect to go out there one day to find him wearing bell bottoms. Tomorrow, I will go to the bus station to collect up our WWOOFER for the season ( to find out about the wwoof program , check out this site). Cristina is coming from Italy to spend a little over two weeks with us helping out here on the farm. Italy! Imagine that! Once she arrives and settles in, we’ll introduce her to the blog. We are really looking forward to her coming.
Well, that’s where we’re at here at Fernwood these days. We hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather, the bird song, the gardens, and everything else that spring brings to us.

trillium erectum

trillium grandiflorum ‘George Young’

Hobblebush

This Morning At Fernwood Nursery

Cardamine glandulosa

We are busy getting the nursery tidy and ready for customers on May 9th. Every morning, after looking over our chore list, we go out to discover what’s coming up in the gardens. The Hepaticas, Hellebore, Eranthis hyemalis, and Leucojum are all in bloom. Cardamine glandulosa is also in flower. This low growing plant spreads, forming loose clumps of purplish green foliage and a deeper purple flower. Quite lovely.

Cardamine glandulosa

The woodland peonies are breaking ground. We love watching the transformation of these plants. They are truly attractive right through the season, from when they first come out of the ground, to their glorious blooms, and then right through to their highly ornamental seed pods in late summer, early fall. Both these plants will be available at the nursery this season, along with other garden treasures. It’s nice to be out in the gardens, wouldn’t you agree?

Paeonia veitchii