Destination Gardens: Missouri Wildflowers Nursery

Situated just off hwy 54 outside Jefferson City, Missouri, the Missouri Wildflowers Nursery is a natural magnet for the flower garden enthusiast, but it's so much more than that!  The nursery sells native Missouri perennials, both seeds & plants. All plants are nursery propagated. Missouri is the genetic origin, so they are best adapted to states east of the Rockies. (Last two sentences paraphrased from their website, www.mowildflowers.net )

I went there recently (Spring 2013) What a trip!  Being in Mid-May, their new office just looked like a little enchanted cottage in the forest. Actually the nursery IS sort of located in the forest!  You'll see what I mean. Let's get into the pictures, shalll we?

This is the path that leads to the office building as you come out of the nursery/woods. Isn't it lovely?

 Just a few sights of everything blooming!

Here are a few views around the nursery. Even the wildlife like it (see the turtles.) :)

I was so impressed! I had ordered a few plants from there last fall. I think all but one lived, and on this day, I bought 21 more plants including some butterfly plants shown in the first collage.

**Note: You can see a complete slideshow of full-sized images by clicking here:

I recommend a stop to anyone, whether you are looking to enhance your outdoor space for your butterflies, hummingbirds, or other wildlife, or if you just want an enjoyable stop to learn something new and see something beautiful on your way somewhere else!  It is conveniently located, although I will say when I first turned off I wasn't sure, it seems a world away from anything there in the gorgeous wooded setting.

Have a great day, wherever you garden. ~JB was here.

Update: What I planted......whew!

Corn: Peaches and Cream, Early Sungold, Silver Queen.

Tomatoes: Finished up with Arkansas Traveler, Cupid, Golden Jubilee, and 1 Black Krim just for fun.

Planting more cucumbers this weekend: Marketmore. Already planted Straight Eight.

Planted 9 plants of a variety of sweet peppers, green, red, orange, & yellow.

Cantaloupe: Minnesota Midget

Beans: Blue Lake and Yellow Wax!

Wow. I'm tired just looking at that!  Planting some more stuff this weekend!

Have a good Memorial Day weekend, everyone!  More later! ~ JB was here!

What I Planted: Hydrangeas

Well! Someone has gone crazy for Forever and Ever Plants hydrangeas this year! These are the new dwarf varieties, and they handle partial shade to full sun in some zones. Here I elected to give them a mixed bag, shade and sun. They need well drained soil and good fertility, is my understanding.  I planted four varieties:

Pistachio, Peppermint, Whiteout and Blue Heaven!

This one is Pistachio. I planted TWO of them. one each of the others. 

Right now, I only have pictures of three of the varieties. Here they are together in one:

 Have a wonderful day of beauty, wherever you garden! ~JB was here.

Dedication

I have a new bearded iris variety, pale and lovely,ruffled, gentle, soft and beautiful, that is opening today. I would like to share it with you and honor those affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma. We live with this threat always in the heartland here. May they be comforted by the care of us all. We are thinking about them, and lift them in thought at this time. Everyone will be pitching in to help in their own way, I know.

Wishing everyone a safe and good week. ~JB was here.

Color Brings the Spring Season to Life

I have been really enjoying this spring, we have had good rain here. Even the trees and sky are telling the landscape that it's time to wake up:

This is a Pin Oak I planted in the mid nineties. I have taken to planting trees every year now. I always felt it was a good thing to do, and important but I read a book last winter that made me feel even more strongly about it. Written by the originator of the "land ethic" movement, Leo Aldopold, I still can't get many of the passages from that book out of my mind. I need to share some on this blog.

I will, though, and I digress.  :-D  I have been planting more trees each year, to include some evergreens, and some natives here, like the oaks, that so much of our wildlife depend on for food and homes.

Also, I have been in full planting mode with my vegetable garden. Nothing to see there yet, so we'll move on to something where there is something to see-Containers!  So excited about my plan for this year. Get a look at this color pallette:

 Of course, you may imagine, at least if you know me, and you'd be right, I can't leave my favorite pinks, reds, purples, and maroons out of the entire picture, as you will see later.

But I loved the way all these limes and corals went together so a lot of my containers are going to reflect that this year. I have beocme a real fan of container gardening the last two years. They are just easier for me to handle, and .....well. I can't afford a full time gardener on retainer, so I'm a one woman show!

Maybe I'll buy a lotto ticket today, it's enormous in Missouri. If I suddenly hire a gardener, you'll know why! *giggles*  Have a great day and get out into the outdoors wherever you are! ~JB was here.