Looking great in the gardens this week is our 2021 introduction of Baptisia ‘Blue Bunchkin’ (available again in 2023). Baptisias are North American native perennials and are equally at home in a bone dry site or as a marginal aquatic…as long as they get at least 4-6 hours of sun daily. Hardiness in Zone 4a-9b.
Take a peek inside our baptisia breeding and trial beds with Tony.
Our favorite fall-flowering legume is looking fabulous now. While most daleas (baptisia cousins) flower in spring and summer, only one that we’ve grown waits until fall to produce its amazing floral show. Dalea bicolor var. argyraea is an easy-to-grow species, found in the dry alkaline sandy soils of Texas and New Mexico. Here at JLBG, it has thrived everywhere it’s been planted…all dry, un-irrigated beds. Native pollinators love it also.
Here’s a fun combination this week with Gladiolus byzantinus ‘Cruentus’ mingling with Baptisia alba. The European native glads, such as this and Gladiolus italicus are the earliest gladiolus to flower in our climate.
We first met the little-known Baptisia nuttalliana back in the late 1990s on a botanizing trip to the gulf coast, and found it fascinating. Unlike most baptisia species, it doesn’t produce terminal spike, opting instead for axillary flowers. It’s namesake is English botanist Thomas Nuttall (1786 – 1859), who discovered it back in the day. Most forms are a bit homely, compared to the modern hybrids, but this beanbag-shaped, dense plant is one we’ve selected for future clonal propagation under the name Baptisia ‘Nuttball’.
Our baptisia introductions are looking absolutely fabulous this week. Here are a few in case you missed the first weekend of our open house. Baptisia ‘Aspriing’ (top) with its long spikes of lavender blue flowers, followed by the incredibly dense flowering Baptisia ‘Blonde Bombshell’. Next is our Baptisia ‘Cherry Pie’, which brings a new color to the genus, and ending with Baptisia minor ‘Blue Bonnet’ with it’s enormous blue flowers. Baptisia are a North American genus of long-lived perennials that can grow equally as well with cactus or as a marginal aquatic…as long as they have full sun.
It’s hard to believe that spring open nursery and garden days is almost here. Spring is always a busy time of year and our nursery and garden staff have been working tirelessly making sure the gardens are in prime condition and our sales houses are brimming with beautiful plants.
Take advantage of shopping our sales houses for many unique and rare perennials, many exclusively available at Plant Delights Nursery. We are offering nearly 20 varieties of Baptisia this year, more than you will find at most garden centers. Many are from our own breeding program at Juniper Level Botanic Garden and include two 2019 introductions you will find no where else.
Join Tony, Friday, May 3 at 10am for a stroll through the gardens as he discusses baptisias, part of our Gardening Unplugged garden chat series.
The hardy orchids also look amazing this year, with seven different bletilla and over 30 varieties of ladyslippers and calanthe available, you are sure to find one for that special spot in your garden.
As part of our Gardening Unplugged chat series, our nursery manager, Meghan Fidler, will be discussing hardy orchids in the garden and how you can be successful growing them in your garden.
The pitcher plants are blooming and our hosta house is bursting with color that will brighten any shady nook. Be sure to mark your calendars and join Tony Saturday, May 4 as he explores the fascinating world of our native pitcher plants, and come back the following weekend as Tony showcases hostas in the garden and our hosta breeding program at JLBG.
There’s so much going on in the garden now, it’s hard to know where to start. The ferns are looking fabulous, and one of our favorites is the native Dryopteris x australis. Yes, “australis” means from the south. This 3-4′ tall fern grows well in moist or fairly dry soils. Here’s the clump beside our shipping office. 
Epimedium ‘Splish Splash’ is in its second flowering spurt of the spring. This re-flowering Plant Delights introduction is really quite special, both in foliage and in flower.
Here’s a fun color echo combination of Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy‘ and Verbena ‘Lavender Frappe’. The textural difference in the two plants makes this vignette visually appealing. 
Here’s our clump of Baptisia ‘Pink Truffles’ from the breeding work of our friend Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens. This is the first named pink flowered baptisia….we are very pleased with its performance.
Clematis recta ‘Lime Close’ has been amazing this spring. For years, I was under the mistaken impression that this wouldn’t grow in our heat…I was very wrong. The non-vining Clematis ‘Lime Close’ is often sold under the marketing name Serious Black. I love this plant!
Here’s Baptisia ‘Cherries Jubilee‘ in the garden…a unique butterscotch and brown flower…a Hans Hansen hybrid.
Here is another recent baptisia photo from the garden…Baptisia ‘Lemon Meringue‘ looking mighty fine. Baptisia thrive in either dry or wet soils as long as they have 6+ hours of sun.
The baptisias are looking fabulous in the garden now. Here’s Baptisia ‘Blueberry Sundae’, a hybrid from Hans Hansen of Walters Gardens. Baptisias are as drought tolerant as catus, but can also grow equally well streamside with their roots in standing water.
Here is our clump of Hans’ Baptisia ‘Cherries Jubilee’ with a nice bicolor brown flower.
This is Hans’ Baptisia ‘Lemon Meringue’ in the garden…pretty amazing.
If you want a more vertical accent, Here is our Baptisia ‘Blue Towers’ in the garden today. If you have full sun, we hope you’ll add these great native plant selections to your garden.