Author Archives: Jessica Snell

the Sweet Spot of the Gardening season

It’s the first cup of coffee enjoyed on the patio while the garden wakes up around you. It’s watching bees move from bloom to bloom. It’s the excitement of spotting the first tiny tomato or harvesting a handful of lettuce for dinner. It’s children searching for frogs near a pond or helping plant flowers in a container.

Gardens have a way of slowing us down.

The world often encourages us to move faster, but a garden asks something different. It asks us to observe. To notice. To wait. To appreciate small changes that happen one day at a time.

And right now, those small changes are everywhere.

Hydrangeas are setting buds that will become spectacular summer blooms. Peonies are putting on their annual show. Roses are preparing for months of color and fragrance. Pollinator gardens are beginning to hum with activity as butterflies, hummingbirds, and native bees return in greater numbers.

This is also one of the best times of year to add beauty to your landscape. Trees and shrubs establish quickly in the warm soil. Perennials settle in before the heat of summer arrives. Containers are filling out and beginning to show their true potential.

Most importantly, it’s a wonderful time to simply enjoy what you’ve already planted.

Take a walk through your yard this week. Notice what is blooming. Sit on the porch a little longer. Invite friends over. Eat dinner outside. Cut a few flowers for the kitchen table.

The garden doesn’t need to be finished to be enjoyed.

In fact, gardens are never truly finished. They evolve, change, surprise, and teach us year after year.

Perhaps that’s why we love them so much.

So while the weather remains cool and comfortable, spend some time outside. Dig in the soil. Plant something new. Pull a few weeds. Watch a butterfly. Listen to the birds.

These beautiful days won’t last forever, but they are one of the greatest gifts of the gardening year.

Enjoy every minute of them.

How to Grow the Most Flavorful, Best-Tasting Tomatoes

How to Grow the Most Flavorful, Best-Tasting Tomatoes

(Just like we do)

There’s nothing quite like the taste of a homegrown tomato at peak season—warm from the sun, rich, complex, and bursting with flavor.

But here’s the truth most people miss:
Great tomatoes aren’t just about the plant… they’re about how you grow them.

If you’ve ever wondered why some tomatoes taste incredible while others fall flat, it comes down to a few key things: soil, minerals, water, and care.

Let’s walk through exactly how to grow tomatoes with real depth of flavor.

🌋 It All Starts with Minerals

Some of the best tomatoes in the world come from the region surrounding Mount Vesuvius in Italy.

Why?

Because volcanic eruptions left behind mineral-rich soil, and those minerals are what give tomatoes their deep, complex flavor—that balance of sweetness and acidity you just can’t replicate with basic soil alone.

That’s exactly why I always recommend adding Azomite when planting tomatoes.

Azomite is a natural mineral amendment that helps recreate that mineral diversity right in your own garden soil. It doesn’t just help your plants grow—it helps them taste better.

🌿 Build Rich, Well-Draining Soil

Tomatoes want soil that is:

  • Rich in organic matter
  • Full of nutrients
  • But still well-draining

Heavy, soggy soil leads to weak plants and diluted flavor.

Before planting, I like to amend with:

  • Compost (for structure and organic matter)
  • Tomato-tone for balanced, slow-release nutrition
  • Azomite for trace minerals and flavor

This combination gives tomatoes everything they need—not just to grow, but to thrive.

💧 Watering: The Secret to Flavor

This is where a lot of people go wrong.

Tomatoes don’t want constant, shallow watering.

Too much water = diluted flavor
(Think watery, bland tomatoes)

Instead, you want to water deeply and less often.

Here’s how to do it:

  • Water slowly at the base of the plant
  • Let the water soak down 6–8 inches into the soil
  • Then allow the top layer to dry slightly before watering again

This encourages roots to grow deeper, creating stronger plants and more concentrated flavor in the fruit.

Deep watering also makes your plants more resilient during heat and dry spells.

🌱 Set Your Plants Up for Success

Stake Early

Tomatoes grow fast—and they need support.

Use stakes or cages at planting time so you don’t disturb roots later. Keeping plants upright:

  • Improves air circulation
  • Reduces disease
  • Keeps fruit clean and off the ground

Prune the Lower Leaves

As your tomato plants grow, remove the bottom 8–12 inches of leaves.

This simple step:

  • Prevents soil-borne diseases from splashing onto foliage
  • Improves airflow
  • Keeps plants healthier overall

🌼 Companion Planting for Better Tomatoes

Tomatoes don’t have to grow alone—they actually benefit from a few garden companions.

🌿 Basil

Plant basil near your tomatoes to:

  • Help repel certain pests
  • Potentially enhance flavor (and they pair perfectly in the kitchen)

🌼 Marigolds

Marigolds are a must:

  • Help deter nematodes and harmful insects
  • Add bright color to your vegetable garden

It’s a simple way to create a healthier, more balanced garden ecosystem.

☀️ A Few Extra Pro Tips

  • Full sun is non-negotiable (6–8+ hours daily)
  • Don’t over-fertilize with nitrogen—you’ll get leaves, not fruit
  • Mulch around plants to regulate moisture and soil temperature
  • Harvest at peak ripeness for best flavor (not too early!)

🍅 The Takeaway

If you want truly incredible tomatoes, think beyond just planting.

Focus on:

  • Mineral-rich soil (hello, Azomite 🌋)
  • Deep, intentional watering
  • Proper structure and pruning
  • Healthy companion planting

Because when you get these pieces right…

You don’t just grow tomatoes.

You grow tomatoes that people talk about.

Garden Tasks for Early May

🌿 Garden Tasks for Early May

Early May is a transition time in the garden—cool-season plants are thriving, warm-season planting is just beginning, and there’s a lot you can do now to set yourself up for a strong, beautiful season ahead.

🌸 Annuals: Start the Color, but Stay Weather-Aware

Early May is perfect for getting color in the garden, but frost risk can still linger in Central Maryland.

  • Plant cool-tolerant annuals now: pansies, snapdragons, diascia, and nemesia can handle cooler nights.
  • DONT Wait on heat lovers: Just watch weather when tender annuals like lantana, petunias, and tropicals
  • Harden off plants: if you’re bringing plants from a greenhouse, gradually acclimate them to outdoor conditions over several days.
  • Prep containers: get pots ready so they’re waiting for warm-season color later this month.

🌿 Perennials: Clean Up & Encourage Growth

Perennials are emerging quickly—this is a great time to guide and support them.

  • Cut back winter debris: remove dead stems and foliage from last year’s growth.
  • Divide early bloomers: if needed, split crowded clumps before they fully leaf out.
  • Stake early: plants like Delphinium or peonies benefit from support before they get tall.
  • Watch new growth: some perennials may still be slow to emerge—mark their spots so you don’t accidentally disturb them.
  • Feed for Health: Fertilize with Flower-Tone to keep soil healthy and plants happy!

🥕 Vegetables: Cool Season in Full Swing + Warm Season Prep

Early May is prime time for cool crops and early planting of warm-season vegetables.

  • Thin seedlings (especially carrots!)
    Once carrots are a few inches tall, thin them to about 2–3 inches apart. This gives roots room to develop properly and prevents crowding.
  • Continue planting cool-season crops: lettuce, spinach, peas, kale, and radishes are thriving now. Choose short season varieties and ones that can handle heat better.
  • Begin hardening off warm-season plants: tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers can start transitioning outdoors.
  • Watch soil temps: warm-season crops need consistently warm soil before planting outside safely.
  • Weed early and often: young weeds are easiest to control now before everything fills in.

🌳 Trees & Shrubs: Planting Window is Open

Early May is one of the best times to plant trees and shrubs as long as you can keep them watered.

  • Plant new additions: container-grown trees and shrubs establish quickly in spring soil.
  • Hydrangea, viburnums, and spireas are excellent spring additions.
  • Water deeply and consistently: newly planted material needs regular, slow watering to build strong roots.
  • Mulch properly: 2–3 inches of mulch helps hold moisture and regulate soil temperature—just keep it off the trunk.
  • Skip heavy pruning: focus on planting and establishment rather than shaping right now.

🌼 General Garden Tasks

  • Edge beds for a fresh, defined look
  • Top dress with compost where needed
  • Check irrigation systems or hoses before summer heat arrives
  • Stay ahead of weeds—small effort now saves hours later
  • Hummingbird Feeders out and ready 

🌱 The Early May Mindset

Think of early May as “setup season.” You’re not just filling the garden—you’re preparing it. The choices you make now determine how well everything performs when summer arrives.

A little attention to spacing, timing, and watering now leads to a healthier, more beautiful garden all season long.

The Secret to a “Sunday Garden”… Starts with Boxwood

The Secret to a “Sunday Garden”… Starts with Boxwood

There’s a reason the most beautiful gardens feel so calm, so put together… so effortless.

It’s not just the flowers.

It’s the structure underneath—the quiet, evergreen backbone that makes everything else shine.

And that’s where boxwood comes in.Right now, we’re fully stocked with better boxwood varieties—including Skylight, Babylon Beauty, and Renaissance—and to make it even better:

🌿 Why Boxwoods Are the Foundation of a Beautiful Garden

Think of your garden like a perfectly styled room.

Flowers are the accessories…
But boxwoods? They’re the furniture.

They create:

  • Clean lines and definition
  • Year-round structure and color
  • A sense of calm, organized beauty

That “Sunday Garden” look everyone is loving right now?
It’s built on structure + softness.

Boxwoods give you the structure.

✨ The Look: Structured, Soft, Timeless

Picture this:

Clipped boxwoods lining a walkway…
Soft white hydrangeas billowing behind them…
A simple, cohesive palette of greens, whites, blush, and lavender…

It feels peaceful. Elevated. Effortless.

And the best part?
It’s incredibly achievable.

🌿 Meet Our Better Boxwoods

We’ve carefully selected varieties that perform better in our region:

Skylight – A beautiful upright form, perfect for adding height and elegance to entrances or corners.

Babylon Beauty – Dense, rich, and classic—ideal for low hedges and foundation plantings.

Renaissance – Vigorous and resilient with excellent disease resistance, great for mass planting and structure.

These aren’t just any boxwoods—these are modern, improved selections that handle our conditions better and stay looking good year-round.

🌱 Where to Use Them

Boxwoods are one of the most versatile plants you can add to your landscape:

  • Frame your front walkway
  • Line garden beds for a polished edge
  • Anchor corners of your home
  • Create symmetry around entryways
  • Build a simple hedge that elevates everything behind it

Even adding just a few instantly makes your garden feel more designed.

🌼 The Perfect Time to Plant

Early season is one of the best times to plant boxwoods.
Cooler temperatures and spring rains help them establish quickly before summer heat arrives.

Just remember:

  • Water deeply after planting
  • Add 2–3 inches of mulch (but keep it off the stems)

 

Lilacs – Foundation of Beauty & Structure

A Foundation of Beauty and Structure

Lilacs bring more than flowers—they bring presence.

Classic varieties like Common Purple Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) and ‘Monge’ offer that timeless, full-bodied look—tall, upright, and generously filled with blooms. These are the shrubs that anchor a border, frame a property, or create a flowering privacy screen that feels anything but ordinary.

For a slightly more refined structure, ‘Ludwig Spaeth’ delivers deep, rich purple blooms with a more tailored habit, making it a perfect choice for adding depth and contrast to a layered planting.

When designing with these larger varieties, think of them as your architectural backbone—the shrubs that hold everything else together.

Designing with Fragrance in Mind

Lilacs are meant to be experienced up close.

To truly enjoy their signature scent, place them where life naturally happens:

  • Along a front walkway
  • Near a patio or outdoor dining space
  • Outside a kitchen window
  • Beside a bench, swing, or quiet corner of the garden

A variety like ‘Beauty of Moscow’, with its soft blush-to-white blooms, feels especially magical in these intimate spaces—its fragrance subtle, elegant, and unforgettable.

This is where lilacs move beyond landscape and become lifestyle.

Color, Contrast, and Garden Mood

Your selection offers a designer’s palette of color possibilities.

  • Deep, saturated purples like ‘Ludwig Spaeth’ and ‘Monge’ create richness and drama. Pair them with silvery foliage or white perennials for contrast that feels intentional and bold.
  • Soft, romantic tones from ‘Beauty of Moscow’ bring a lightness that works beautifully in cottage-style gardens.
  • Crisp white blooms like ‘Mount Baker’ add brightness and elegance—especially striking in evening light or moon gardens.
  • And for something unexpected, ‘Sensation’ offers its signature bi-color blooms—deep purple edged in white—adding a touch of whimsy and visual intrigue.

Repeating these tones throughout nearby perennials—salvia, nepeta, peonies—creates a cohesive, layered look that feels curated but effortless.

Designing for Season-Long Interest

One of the secrets to designing with lilacs is extending their moment.

Traditional varieties like Common Purple, ‘Pocahontas’ (an early bloomer), and ‘Ludwig Spaeth’ naturally stagger bloom times, giving you a longer window of spring color.

But the real magic happens when you layer in a reblooming variety like Bloomerang® Purple Pink (‘PurPink’).

This newer introduction offers a flush of spring blooms followed by repeat flowering throughout the season. Tucked near patios or high-traffic areas, it keeps the lilac experience going well beyond its expected season—something customers truly appreciate once they see it in action.

Layering Lilacs into the Landscape

The most beautiful gardens don’t rely on a single moment—they build layers.

Use taller lilacs as a backdrop, allowing their blooms to rise above waves of perennials. In front, soften their base with plants like catmint, salvia, or hardy geraniums to create a seamless transition from shrub to ground layer.

For a more natural, relaxed look, plant lilacs in loose groupings. A trio of ‘Mount Baker’ or ‘Sensation’ can feel like a blooming cloud in spring, while still offering structure throughout the rest of the year.

And don’t overlook their role as informal hedges—especially with varieties like Common Purple—where they create privacy with seasonal beauty woven in.

Beyond Bloom: The Quiet Strength of Lilacs

After their spectacular spring display, lilacs settle into a quieter role.

Their heart-shaped foliage provides a clean, classic backdrop for summer blooms, while their branching structure maintains the integrity of your design. They are steady, reliable—never demanding attention, but always contributing to the whole.

A Garden That Holds Meaning

Lilacs have a way of becoming part of a home’s story.

They mark seasons, frame memories, and often outlive the gardens they were first planted in. There’s something deeply personal about cutting a few stems to bring indoors, or watching children play beneath their branches as petals fall softly around them.

Planting a lilac isn’t just a design decision—it’s an investment in feeling.

A Final Thought

If you’re designing a garden that you want people to remember, start with lilacs.

Layer them with intention. Place them where they’ll be experienced. Choose varieties that extend the season and enrich the palette.

Because long after the blooms fade, it’s the feeling they created that lingers.

Top Mulching Tips: How to Mulch Like a Pro (and Why It Matters)

Mulching is one of the simplest ways to transform your landscape—but the real magic happens when it’s done the right way and at the right time.

If you want healthier plants, fewer weeds, and better soil, follow this step-by-step approach used by the pros 👇

🌱 Why Mulching Matters

Mulch does so much more than make your beds look fresh:

  • Locks in moisture (less watering in summer)
  • Suppresses weeds before they start
  • Regulates soil temperature
  • Prevents erosion
  • Improves soil over time

Think of mulch as a protective layer that helps your entire landscape thrive.

🌳 Why Pine Bark Mulch is a Smart Choice

When it comes to mulch, pine bark stands out as one of the best options.

  • Improves soil health as it slowly breaks down
  • Holds moisture while allowing airflow to roots
  • Long-lasting, so you don’t have to reapply as often
  • Gently supports acid-loving plants like hydrangeas, evergreens, and blueberries

It’s a natural way to build better soil year after year—while keeping your beds looking clean and professional.

🛠️ The Right Order: How to Mulch Like a Pro

This is where most people go wrong—mulching is the final step, not the first.

✔️ Step 1: Prune First

  • Trim back dead or damaged branches
  • Shape shrubs as needed
  • Cut back perennials from last season

👉 This keeps your beds clean and prevents trapping debris under mulch

✔️ Step 2: Fertilize Your Plants

  • Apply a slow-release fertilizer around trees, shrubs, and perennials
  • This gives plants the nutrients they need right before the growing season kicks in

👉 Mulch will help hold those nutrients in place

✔️ Step 3: Weed Thoroughly

  • Remove existing weeds completely (roots and all if possible)
  • Edge your beds for a sharp, finished look

👉 Mulch prevents weeds—but only after you start clean

✔️ Step 4: Apply Pre-Emergent (If Needed)

If weeds have been a problem in your beds:

  • Apply a pre-emergent herbicide like Snapshot Pre-Emergent Herbicide
  • This creates a barrier that prevents new weeds from germinating

👉 Best applied before or just after mulching, depending on your preference and label directions

✔️ Step 5: Mulch at the Proper Depth

  • Apply 2–3 inches of mulch evenly
  • Keep mulch a few inches away from trunks and stems

🚫 Avoid “mulch volcanoes”—they can cause rot and pest issues

💡 Pro Tips to Make Mulching Easier

  • Water your beds before mulching to lock in moisture
  • Dump mulch in small piles, then spread evenly
  • Use a tarp to move mulch quickly across large areas
  • Smooth by hand for a clean, professional finish

🌸 When to Mulch

  • Spring: retain moisture + prevent weeds
  • Fall: insulate roots + improve soil

Both are great times to refresh your beds.

🌼 The Bottom Line

Mulching isn’t just about looks—it’s about setting your plants up for success.

When you:
✔ Prune
✔ Fertilize
✔ Control weeds
✔ Then mulch

…you create a landscape that’s healthier, easier to maintain, and beautiful all season long.

And for the best long-term results?
🌿 Pine bark mulch is one of the smartest choices you can make. Read more about the benefits of Pine Here.

Don’t Miss Out on These Early Blooming Perennials

Don’t Miss Out on These Early Blooming Perennials

Your garden’s first color, and your easiest wins

After a long winter in Maryland, nothing feels better than those first blooms pushing through the soil. Early-blooming perennials aren’t just beautiful—they’re hardworking plants that solve real garden challenges. From brightening shady corners to feeding early pollinators, these varieties set the tone for a successful season.

Let’s break them down by where they shine best—and why you’ll want them in your landscape this year.

🌿 Shade Garden Stars

Color where you need it most

Shady areas can feel limiting—but these early bloomers turn them into some of the most magical parts of your landscape.

Lenten rose (Helleborus)

If there’s one plant that defines early spring, it’s the Lenten rose.

What makes it special:

  • Lenten Rose – Helleborus orientalis. A Spring flowering hellebore with cerise pink flowers.

    Blooms as early as late winter—even through snow

  • Elegant, nodding flowers in soft pinks, whites, purples, and greens
  • Evergreen foliage adds year-round structure

Solution gardening benefits:

  • Deer and rabbit resistant (a huge win in Maryland landscapes)
  • Thrives in dry shade once established
  • Long-lived and low maintenance

Where to use it:
Plant near entryways, walkways, or under trees where you’ll catch those early blooms up close.

Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

A true shade garden gem that brings both flowers and foliage interest.

What makes it special:

  • Speckled or silver-washed leaves that brighten dark spaces
  • Unique flowers that often shift from pink to blue
  • One of the earliest nectar sources for pollinators

Solution gardening benefits:

  • Excellent for illuminating deep shade
  • Naturally resists deer
  • Helps support early-emerging bees when little else is blooming

Where to use it:
Tuck along shaded paths or beneath shrubs where its foliage can shine all season.

 

Tiarella (Foamflower)

A soft, woodland native that feels right at home in naturalistic plantings.

What makes it special:

  • Airy, bottlebrush-like blooms in white or blush tones
  • Attractive, often patterned foliage
  • Spreads gently to form a lush groundcover

Solution gardening benefits:

  • Perfect for erosion control on shady slopes
  • Native plant = supports local ecosystems
  • Low maintenance and adaptable

Where to use it:
Ideal for woodland edges, under trees, or filling in between larger shade plants.

☀️ Sun-Loving Early Bloomers

Bold color when your garden needs it most

Sunny beds come alive early with these vibrant, reliable performers.

Dianthus (Pinks)

“Close up shot of some Spring time Dianthus Gratianapolitanus ‘Firewitch’ plant. 

 

A classic favorite that delivers both charm and fragrance.

What makes it special:

  • Frilled blooms in pink, red, and white tones
  • Sweet, clove-like scent
  • Compact, tidy growth habit

Solution gardening benefits:

  • Drought tolerant once established

    Courtesy of Proven Winners – www.provenwinners.com

  • Great for edging and small spaces
  • Attracts pollinators while resisting deer

Where to use it:
Perfect along walkways, in containers, or at the front of sunny borders.

Speedwell (Veronica)

Vertical interest that wakes up the garden early.

What makes it special:

  • Spikes of blue, purple, pink, or white flowers
  • Adds height and structure to early-season beds
  • Long bloom time with potential rebloom

Solution gardening benefits:

  • Pollinator magnet
  • Easy to divide and spread throughout the garden
  • Great for layering with other perennials

Where to use it:
Mix into perennial borders to break up mounded plants with vertical lines.

Creeping phlox

A true spring showstopper—this is the plant people stop their cars for.

What makes it special:

  • Carpet-like coverage of vibrant pink, purple, blue, or white blooms
  • Completely blankets the ground in color
  • Evergreen, needle-like foliage

Solution gardening benefits:

  • Excellent for slopes and erosion control
  • Suppresses weeds naturally
  • Low water needs once established

Where to use it:
Spill it over retaining walls, edge pathways, or plant on slopes for a dramatic spring display.

🌸 Why Early Bloomers Matter

Planting early-blooming perennials isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s smart gardening.

They help you:

  • ✔ Feed early pollinators when resources are scarce
  • ✔ Fill the “color gap” before summer perennials emerge
  • ✔ Reduce maintenance with hardy, reliable plants
  • ✔ Solve tough spots (dry shade, slopes, poor soil)

🌱 A Simple Planting Strategy

For a landscape that feels full and intentional from day one:

  • Pair Lenten rose + Lungwort + Tiarella for a layered shade garden
  • Combine Creeping phlox + Dianthus + Speedwell for waves of color in sun
  • Repeat plants in groups for a natural, cohesive look

Early-blooming perennials are one of the easiest ways to elevate your landscape—and once they’re in, they’ll reward you year after year with very little effort.

7 Reasons to be growing ‘Blackhawk’ Bluestem Grass

1.It’s a Native—Refined for Today’s Gardens

‘Blackhawks’ Andropogon is a nativar—a carefully selected cultivar of Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem), a grass native to Maryland and much of North America.

That means it brings the ecological benefits of a native plant—resilience, adaptability, and wildlife value—while offering enhanced ornamental traits like richer color and a more refined habit.

It’s the best of both worlds:
nature’s wisdom, designer polish.

2. It Delivers Show-Stopping Color Without a Single Flower

Who says flowers get all the attention?

‘Blackhawks’ foliage evolves beautifully through the seasons:

  • Fresh green in spring
  • Deep wine and purple tones in summer
  • Nearly black foliage by fall

Backlit by the sun, brushed by wind, or kissed by frost, it looks like living art—adding drama and depth without deadheading or constant care.

3. It Adds Structure That Elevates the Entire Garden

Great gardens have bones—and ‘Blackhawks’ provides them.

Its strong, upright form brings vertical architecture that anchors planting beds and gives landscapes intention. It pairs effortlessly with softer, rounded plants, making everything around it feel more designed and cohesive.

Use it as:

  • A bold backdrop in mixed borders
  • A repeating element along walkways
  • A statement plant in naturalistic or modern designs

4. It Looks Incredible in Every Season

‘Blackhawks’ doesn’t have a short moment—it has a long performance.

  • Spring: Clean, upright emergence
  • Summer: Movement and deepening color
  • Fall: Peak drama with dark foliage
  • Winter: Textural interest when left standing

Even dormant, it adds beauty and structure to the winter garden.

5. It’s Tough, Reliable, and Low Maintenance

This plant works as hard as it looks good.

Once established, ‘Blackhawks’ is:

  • Drought tolerant
  • Heat loving
  • Deer resistant
  • Long-lived and dependable

Plant it in full sun, give it room to grow, and simply cut it back in early spring. That’s it.

6. It Supports Wildlife and Natural Systems

As a native-derived grass, ‘Blackhawks’ contributes to a healthier landscape.

Its roots improve soil structure, while its seed heads can provide food and shelter for birds. It fits beautifully into pollinator gardens, meadow plantings, and eco-conscious landscapes—without sacrificing style.

7. It Pairs Beautifully with Garden Favorites

One of the greatest strengths of ‘Blackhawks’ is how well it plays with others.

Stunning pairings include:

  • Coneflowers for soft, meadow-like contrast
  • Rudbeckia or Coreopsis for golden brightness
  • Sedum for rich late-season color
  • Russian Sage or Catmint for airy movement
  • Ninebark or Smokebush for layered drama

No matter your style—natural, modern, or classic—this grass belongs.

A Perennial Worth Building Around

‘Blackhawks’ Andropogon isn’t just a plant you tuck into the garden.
It’s one you design around, season after season.

Native at heart.
Bold by nature.
Chosen for a reason.

‘Blackhawks’ Andropogon 2026 Perennial of the Year

A Natural Work of Art in the Landscape

‘Blackhawks’ Andropogon grows with a strong, vertical habit—never floppy, always architectural. It brings structure, movement, and depth to gardens in a way few plants can.

Use it to:

  • Anchor a modern landscape with clean lines and bold contrast
  • Add drama to naturalistic and prairie-style gardens
  • Create a stunning backdrop for flowering perennials
  • Line walkways or driveways for a sense of rhythm and repetition
  • Stand alone as a statement plant in mixed borders or large containers

As the wind moves through its blades, the garden feels alive—whispering, shifting, and ever-changing.

The Magic of Pairing: Plants That Make ‘Blackhawks’ Shine

This grass truly comes alive when paired with the right companions. Think contrast, texture, and glow:

🌼 Golden Rudbeckia or Coreopsis

The bright yellows pop dramatically against the dark foliage.

💜 Echinacea (Coneflowers)

Soft pinks, purples, and whites create a meadow-like elegance.

🔥 Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ or ‘Firecracker’

Late-season color echoes the richness of ‘Blackhawks’ fall tones.

🌾 Little Bluestem or Switchgrass

Layer grasses for a sophisticated, prairie-inspired look.

🌸 Russian Sage or Catmint

Airy, silvery blooms float beautifully beside the grass’s bold form.

🌿 Shrubs like Ninebark or Smokebush

For landscapes craving depth and drama, this pairing is unforgettable.

Tough, Reliable, and Beautiful

Beyond its beauty, ‘Blackhawks’ Andropogon is a hard-working plant:

  • Thrives in full sun
  • Drought tolerant once established
  • Low maintenance
  • Deer resistant
  • Long-lasting winter interest

It’s the kind of plant that looks designer-chosen but grows effortlessly.

A Plant for Gardeners Who Dream

‘Blackhawks’ isn’t just something you plant—it’s something you experience. It changes with the seasons, catches the light, and gives your garden a sense of intention and artistry.

If you’re ready to elevate your landscape and plant something truly unforgettable,

this is the one.

Happy National Poinsettia Day—from Our Family to Yours!

Every December, right in the midst of twinkle lights, cinnamon-scented kitchens, and last-minute gift wrapping, a special holiday flower gets its very own celebration: National Poinsettia Day! And if you’ve ever walked into our garden center this time of year, you know exactly why. These cheerful blooms—whether classic red, soft pink, pure white, or one of the fun marbled or speckled varieties—feel like a warm hug from the holidays themselves.

But let’s start with a little story, because every good plant has a history.
The poinsettia traces its roots back to Mexico, where it was known as Flor de Nochebuena—the Christmas Eve Flower. Legend says its star-shaped bracts were a gift from a humble child who had nothing else to offer at church on Christmas Eve. In the 1800s, a gentleman named Joel Poinsett, America’s first ambassador to Mexico, fell in love with the plant and brought it back to the States. Fast forward to today, and poinsettias have become one of the most iconic holiday plants in America—so iconic that December 12th was declared National Poinsettia Day in his honor.

Around here, we see poinsettias do a little bit of everything: they brighten kitchens, add a festive glow to mantles, dress up porches and entryways, and instantly make any room feel holiday-ready. We especially adore them as hostess gifts—they’re the perfect “I’m so glad we’re celebrating together” gesture. No wrapping required, just a pretty pot cover or a bow and you’re good to go. They last well beyond the holiday dinner, too, giving your host a little cheer in the weeks that follow.

And let’s talk about one of the best updates in poinsettia news: they’re not nearly as toxic as people once believed.
For decades, poinsettias were unfairly labeled as dangerous to pets and kids, but modern research shows they’re only mildly irritating at worst—similar to many common houseplants. In most cases, a child or dog would need to nibble quite a bit to feel any effects, and even then it’s usually just minor tummy upset. So while we always recommend placing plants out of reach (toddlers and puppies love a good leaf!), there’s no need to fear having poinsettias around your home. They’re far safer than the old myths made them out to be.

So whether you’re decorating the house from top to bottom, grabbing a last-minute hostess gift, or simply wanting to bring a little color and joy into your home, poinsettias are one of the easiest ways to sprinkle in holiday magic.

Come celebrate National Poinsettia Day with us—we’d love to help you pick the perfect one for your home or your next gathering. From our family to yours, may your holidays be bright, merry, and filled with beautiful blooms! 🌺✨