Porcupine or Zebra...what's the difference anyhow?

Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' or Porcupine Grass is a favorite of Warner Nursery staff member Jessica Duncan. She is pictured here with some samples of this seriously striped plant. Porcupine Grass is a 6-8' upright grass with alternating yellow-gold bands on its' medium green foliage. These can reach a height of 9', including the plumes, in the Fall. Porcupine Grass "gives great structure to a garden space due to its' non-floppy, upright habit" according to Jess. This is one of the reasons she loves it!

A close relative to Porcupine Grass is Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus', another New England cold hardy species of maiden grass. Zebra Grass maxes out at 5-6' tall and its' foliage, similarly banded to Porcupine Grass, has distinct gold horizontal bands. It reaches 7-8' including its plumes or flowers in the Fall.

Zebra Grass does not have the same erect structure as Porcupine Grass, as it tends to want to fall outward from the center a bit. Both grasses have very sharp leaves and can be divided in early Spring once they have been cut back, for the least amount of contact with the foliage.

Fauna at Warner's

Daily life at Warner's has its memorable moments. Although it can be a calm place to work, every day holds something new and different. On one recent August afternoon, our neighbor Robb had to come and collect his chickens. They had gotten loose and wandered over to our perennial sales area, looking for food and a cool place to chill out! We were more than happy to host them for the time they were here!

Hanging Handiwork!

Pictured here see some of our hanging handiwork. These hanging baskets are located at Simsburytown Shops and the Fitzgerald's Plaza here in town. We are pretty darn good at putting together planter combinations for hanging baskets or patio pots. Whether you are a homeowner or a shop owner, let us help you adorn your indoor or outdoor spaces.

Hibiscus Heaven

Perennial Hibiscus, or Rose Mallow as it is sometimes called, has the largest, most luscious flowers of any perennial that will grow in this area!! These large, flying saucer sized blooms attract butterflies and make wonderful showy accents in any garden. Pictured here is Hibiscus 'Lady Baltimore', which blooms from August to October and reaches a mature height of 4'-5'.

We have plenty of Hardy Hibiscus here at our nursery to choose from, depending on your color preference, but one consistent necessity is full sun. In order for these plants to bloom well, they need full sun. They are, however, not so picky about soil conditions. Hibiscus will grow in average garden soil, but also do well in semi-moist areas or dry soils. They do prefer a well-drained spot. For late summer to early Fall color...try one today!

Beautiful Butterfly Bush!

There are lots of Buddleia, or Butterfly Bush, here at Warner's. They are butterfly magnets and wonderfully fragrant. So many colors and sizes to choose from! Buddleia are easy-care, fast-growing semi-shrubs which thrive in full sun locations.

Seen here in the photo is pretty much a constant at the nursery: adult swallowtails feeding on the often 6" long flower panicles of Butterfly Bush. Some of our strong and sturdy butterfly bush can have close to 30 blooms at one time!!

Buddleia are a must have for a sunny location in your yard...especially if you have nature-loving children interested in butterfly and bird-watching. It is so fun to learn about the different butterfly species in Connecticut and to see how they feed. Planting dill, fennel or parsley nearby is helpful in providing an important food source for butterfly larvae, which like to feed on such plants. Be careful before picking 'caterpillars' off of your herbs, sometimes they are butterfly larvae!!

A great resource for butterfly information is the Connecticut Butterfly Association. Check out there website at http://www.ctbutterfly.org/, where you can download a Connecticut butterfly checklist. This non-profit organization promotes the awareness and appreciation of butterflies and moths. They also encourage the presence of butterfly and moth habitat. For only $15 you can become a member!!

Collectibles, Vintage Items and Antiques

This year we have an expanded section of our store dedicated to collectibles, vintage furniture and antiques. We are always bringing in fresh items and unique treasures. There are some really great finds and most items are extremely affordable. Unusual vases, lamps and art to choose from...all of which make great gifts! Come see us next time you have an occasion and don't want to go empty-handed.

Lovely Lupines

Here is a photo of a Nursery customer's garden, featuring his lovely lupine.

Lupines belong to the pea family and are mainly native to North America, southern Europe and North Africa. They generally bloom from April - July and prefer open dry sites, sometimes woodlands. Lupines are beloved for their long, erect spikes of showy pea flowers. Lupines have the added benefit of being nitrogen-fixing plants.

I have some gorgeous memories of the wild lupine growing in Maine and Eastern Canada. What a lovely sight!!

Many thanks to Brian of Barkhamsted for sharing this photo of his gardens. Brian's Lupine is a Russell hybrid, which is a hybrid introduced by George Russell back in the 1930's.