Plant trials

I love getting mail. And I love getting new plants. I'm nearly beside myself when I'm getting new plants in the mail.

Today, I'm nearly beside myself.

One of the perks of this job is that I occasionally receive free plant samples. It doesn't happen often, but when it does I get excited. So, when I opened an email from Blooms of Bressingham earlier in the week telling me a shipment was on the way, I got excited.

They're sending several Achillea ('Saucy Seduction,' 'Strawberry Seduction,' 'Sunny Seduction' and two from the Tutti Frutti series, 'Pink Grapefruit' and 'Pomegranate'). I'm also getting Buddleja 'Butterfly Heaven,' Erysimum 'Jenny Brook,' Euphorbia 'Bonfire,' Helianthemum 'Hartswood Ruby' and Lithodora 'White Star.'

I've never grown Erysimum before (always thought my soil would be too heavy and not wild about the standard orange color), but 'Jenny Brook' blooms in soft pastel shades of pink, peach and lavender, which are more to my liking. They also say that she will bloom from spring to fall if deadheaded - a definite plus for any perennial.

The other plant that I have no experience with whatsoever is Lithodora. It's hardy just to Zone 6 and is also a plant that requires excellent drainage.

Luckily for me, I'll share these plants with O&E's designer, Kim Carpenter. She gardens in sandy soil and should have better success with them.

We'll keep you posted.