Happy February! As we approach a month themed by love, we just have to admit how much we’ve loved the warmer past month, even despite the rain. It’s amazing how much easier it is to enjoy winter without frigid fingers and a wind-chilled face! As for what’s popping- there are buds GALOR across the gardens and we’ve got lots of little bulbs starting to peak out and debate their entrance. Our Camellia japonicas are recovering from the December cold and striving for another round of blooms- make sure to stop by Stanly and Jones House Gardens to choose your favorite variety! The winter honeysuckle, fragrant winter sweet, and fragrant tea olive have been absolute garden workhorses this winter with both dainty flowers and amazing fragrance- they can be found in the Commission House, Stanly House and Jones House Gardens as well as the Wilderness Garden. For my favorite incoming blooms to watch, peep the Stanly House hellebores in the circles- a great darker foliage and white bloom that maintains well into the summer.
This month, we are excitedly clearing out and cleaning up the greenhouse and nursery as we look forward to ~1500 little plant babies coming in early March for plant sale! We’re also getting ready by planting herbs, perennials and heirloom veggies that will soon grace our gardens and maybe even your yard! Late winter is a great time to start designing and researching what to add to your garden so you’ll be ready when the plants are available! It’s also a great time for big clean up and mulching projects- which we’re working on across our site.
Our March garden lecture series, Saturday, March 11th, focuses on “Garden Planning- A Plant Sale Sneak Peak and Plants in Practice”, led by Hadley Cheris, Tryon Palace Gardens and Greenhouse Manager. This garden lecture will focus on plants best adapted to face the weather challenges of Eastern North Carolina with a sneak peek of the plants available at the Tryon Palace Spring Plant Sale, and how they can be used in your home landscape! This lecture begins at 10:30 a.m. in Cullman Performance Hall at the North Carolina History Center. Suggested donation $3.
If you’re looking for a New Year’s Resolution, consider joining us as a garden volunteer later this spring! We are looking for Master Gardeners, Horticulturists, Garden Enthusiasts, General Yard Workers, and Carpenters. Some background in gardening is great but none is necessary, just a willingness to learn. We are looking for volunteers for raking, mulching, weeding, fence and trellis repair and MORE! If that sounds like your cup of tea, please contact me at hadley.cheris@ncdcr.gov.
We hope to see you soon! Happy Gardening,
Hadley Cheris, Tryon Palace Gardens and Greenhouse Manager
Annuals
- Artemisia Sea Salt
- Batchelor’s Buttons (Centaurea cyanus) blue, black, purple
- Dianthus- Super Parfait Raspberry, Zing Rose; Jolt Pink Magic; Jolt Cherry
- Dusty Miller ‘Silver Dust’
- Flowering Kale “Redbor” “Crane Red” “Black Magic"
- Johnny-jump-up (Viola tricolor) purple and yellow
- Mustard “Japanese Giant Red” (Brassica juncea)
- Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) Snaptastic Mix- various; Opus™ III Early Bronze- orange
- Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus): Telstar Mix; Sweet White, Sweet Black Cherry
- Violas: Frizzle Sizzle Mini Mix; Sorbet XP Spring Select
Perennials
- Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea montana)
- Bath’s Pink (Dianthus gratianopolitanus) pink
- Bears foot Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) yellowish
- Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia) pink/white
- Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) white
- Carnation (Dianthus sp.) various
- Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia numularia) yellow foliage
- Creeping Veronica (Veronica umbrosa) blue
- Lenten Rose/ Hellebore (Helleborus X orientalis) pink, white
- Mountain pinks (Phlox subulata) pink, lavender, white
- Ornamental Grasses (Various)
- Poet’s Laurel (Danae racemes) orange berries
- Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) red, white, pink
- Yarrow (Achillea millifolieum) white, pastels
Bulbs, Corms and Rhizomes
- Algerian Iris (Iris ungularia) blue
- Bearded Iris "Immortality" white, reblooming
- Crocus (Crocus vernus) various
- Daffodils, Jonquils and Paperwhites (Narcissus sp) yellows, white
- Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) pink, white, purple
- Paperwhite Narcissus (Narcissus papyraceus) white
- Poppy Anemone (Anemone coronaria De Caen) various
- Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) white, green
- Snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum) white
Trees and Shrubs
- Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) purple berries on bare stems
- Bridal Wreath (Spirea prunifolia) white
- Camellia (Camellia japonica) cultivars:
‘Pink Perfection’ pink, double
‘Professor Sargent’ deep rose, double
‘Debutante’ clear, light pink
‘Lady Clare’ carmine rose, semi-double
‘Alba plena’ white with pink cast
‘Lovely Surprise’ pink
‘Dr. Tinsley’ pink, semi-double
- Camellia (Camellia sasanqua sp.) white & pink
- Chinese Mahonia (Mahonia fortunei) yellow
- Fatsia (Fatsia japonica) white flowers, black berries
- First Breath of Spring or Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) white
- Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume) pink
- Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) apricot pink, red
- Fragrant Osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans) yellow **Smells AMAZING**
- Fragrant Wintersweet (Chimonanthus nitens) cream
- Fragrant Winter Sweet (Chimonanthus praecox) yellow
- Himalayan Sweetbox (Sarcococca hookerana) white, black drupe
- Leatherleaf Viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum) white
- Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) pink to white
- Red Maple (Acer rubrum) tiny red blooms (find by the sound of honeybees!)
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) purple
- Tea plant (Camellia sinenses) white/yellow
- Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorium) yellow
- Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) white
- Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) yellow to reddish brown
Bird Food (Seeds and Berries)
- Hollies (Ilex sp.): Yaupon (I. vomitoria) red, yellow; Winterberry (I. verticillata) red; Dahoon (I. cassine) red; Dwarf Burford Holly (I. cornuta) red berries
- Nandina (Nandina domestica) red, yellow
- Japanese Fatsia (Fatsia japonica) green to black
- Poet’s Laurel (Danae racemosa) orange-red
Wildflowers/ Bee Food
- Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) lavender
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) yellow
Kitchen Garden:
- Beets, carrots, lettuce, mustards, kale, parsley, Swiss chard, spinach, arugula, fava beans, leeks, artichoke, cardoon, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, collards, mints, oregano, thyme, salad burnet, yarrow
- Cover crops for overwintering.