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@myseedneeds
Start a gothic garden this Spring!! Add shades of black and red to the mix. Use coupon NEW30 on your first order for 30% off!! Myseedneeds.com ——— #gothicgarden #gothgarden #gothicgardenseeds #gardening #gardenseeds #viola #rudbeckia #cherrybrandy #blackpansy #blackvelvet #nasturtium #peony #peonypoppy #seedneeds #myseedneeds #seeds #seedpackets
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Lupines (lupins) have been in cultivation in both the old and new worlds for more than four thousand years. Lupine seeds have been found in Egyptian tombs and in Peru, the National Museum of Lima displays leaf imprints of Andean pearl lupine (also called ”Tarwi”) as evidence of use in pre-Incan cultures.
There are hundreds of wild and cultivated varieties of lupines in nearly every corner of the earth. Most modern cultivars used for landscape gardens retain the alkaline characteristics of wild lupines, making them unsuitable for use as a grain but an excellent green manure and nitrogen fixer for depleted soils. Lupine's history of cultivation and its ability to thrive in many environments allows for a wide and often whimsical palette, and gardeners can select subspecies in a variety of colors.
Like other legumes, lupine root systems have nodules of bacteria on their root systems. These bacteria (Bradyrhizobium, in the case of lupines) store nitrogen from the air to help feed the plant, which then returns the nitrogen to the beds when it is plowed under or otherwise reincorporated into the soil. Lupines thrive in poor soils, preparing nature's flower beds for future diversity.
Some varieties are deer and drought resistant, and all lupines attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other native pollinators. Due to lupine's ability to thrive in poor, acidic soils, they are fantastic additions to rock gardens and brighten up the far corners and back borders of garden beds.
Lupines are upright plants, growing as tall as two or three feet in height. Their trumpet-shaped flowers emerge from slender, cone-shaped spikes, above graceful, compound leaves.
Following are a few of the most popular lupine cultivars.
Russell Hybrids
English horticulturist George Russell improved upon Lupinus polyphyllus, a subspecies native to the American west. The results are commonly called the "Russell hybrids" or "garden lupines". This robust variety blooms in various shades of pink, blue, red & yellow.
Pixie Delight
If you're looking for an annual, the diminutive Pixie Delight (Lupinus hartwegii nanus) is more subtle in stature and coloration. Its colors are more muted than many of the lupine varieties, and the plant itself rarely grows beyond 18 inches in height.
Pixie Delight's blooms and foliage tend to outlast its bolder, larger cousins and naturalizes easier than most. They say big surprises come in small packages. With its ability to send up branched flower spikes, this fast-growing, easily-cultivated lupine never fails to please.
Arroyo Lupine
Horticulturist George Russell tried to breed the blues out of his lupines. For those of us who adore deep blues and indigos, Arroyo is our answer.
A stunning, often multi-branching annual, Arroyo lupines (Lupinus succulentus) offer the same, fast-growing qualities of Pixie Delight, but with a larger-than-life growth habit of up to 48 inches.
Wild Perennial Lupines
The perennial counterpart to Arroyo is Lupinus perennis. Native to the eastern half of North America, where it has been in rapid decline since the Industrial Age, this variety is a favorite food of the endangered Karner blue butterfly.
Also known as Sundial Lupines, these graceful, tall (up to 36") perennials bloom with graceful, airy spacing between each flower. These perennials concentrate their energy on deep roots for the plants the first year; blue, lavender and sometimes pale pink flowers reward patient gardeners after the first season.
Annual Yellow Lupines
Nothing brightens the garden as do annual yellow lupines (Lupinus densiflorus aureus), whether planted alone or mixed in to complement the blues and indigos of Arroyo or Wild Lupines.
Growing to 36 inches, these bolts of sunshine grow as rapidly and bloom as profusely as other annual lupines.
If you can't decide upon a single variety, look for a quality mix of annual and perennial lupines. Layering different flower colors, leaf textures and plant heights in your garden will draw attention from a wider variety of pollinating insects and hummingbirds, but be prepared for the fawning attention of neighbors and guests.
Aside from their spectacular flowers and showy foliage, the soil-building benefits of lupines make them an excellent choice for the wilder, uncultivated corners of your garden. Don't coddle these beauties; lupines do best in well-drained, clay-type soils.
Want to learn more about lupines? Are you looking to add biodiversity to your garden with plants that do more than please the eye? Reach out to us! We're proud to offer high-quality, fresh, non-GMO seeds, sourced from hardy, healthy plants.
What are the differences between Cumin and Black Cumin you might ask? We all know you’ve been dying to know for year....
https://www.myseedneeds.com/blogs/seed-needs/how-different-are-cumin-and-black-cumin
Get three free packets of zinnias when you order $15 or more. Just use coupon ZINNIA217 at checkout. Only at myseedneeds.com!
Lythrum alatum
Every packet is hand filled. Myseedneeds.com/vegetable-seeds
Get these peppers for free! Just purchase $20 or more and enter coupon PEPPERS213 at checkout. Sale ends February 28, 2017. https://www.myseedneeds.com/seeds/
Help save the declining monarch population. https://www.myseedneeds.com/seeds/flowers/asclepias/
Custom Seed Packets by Seed Needs
Personalized seed packets and seed favors are popularly used in many events such as weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, funerals & memorial services. They can also be used as a promotional giveaway, at corporate events, charities and fundraisers as well. With so many possibilities, it's no wonder personalized seed favors are becoming so popular.
Our easy-to-use editing tool allows you to quickly personalize your very own seed packets right on-screen. Choose the template of your choice to begin populating it with names, dates, quotes, images and more. After you are satisfied with the look of your personalized seed favors, choose a paper type & seed choice, as well as the quantity that you desire. Add them to the cart and begin the checkout process.
All personalized seed favors are printed to match the exact design that you submit through our editing tool. When the order is received we will package and ship your personalized seed favors within 24 to 48 hours. Expedited Shipping options are available upon request.
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Bees really are in trouble these days!
Magickal Edible Flowers, Part 1
Beautifully delicious ingredients are a unique culinary treat. Edible flowers may seem very odd to some, and perhaps this is why they become over looked.
Now that spring is here, many of us have plans for planting vegetable and herb gardens. If you are like me planting and maintaining a garden is part of your Magickal and spiritual practice. This year my household is going through a huge transition. We are moving and need to rebuild our garden in our new home. There are raised bed to construct, soil to move, and till… YEP! THE WORKS.
Read more…
Fleurs du Friday: Borage & Pansy Cocktail
When it comes to the change of seasons, patience has never been our strong suit… >
Fleurs du Friday: Borage & Pansy Cocktail
When it comes to the change of seasons, patience has never been our strong suit. Case in point: spring’s barely a-blooming and we’re already knee-deep in floral frocks and picnic plans, sipping into full swing via libations laced with fresh-picked flavors. After all, we believe the only thing lovelier than flowers in the garden is flowers in our cocktails. This week’s blossom-infused elixir blends crème de violette’s nostalgic notes with the graceful lift of cucumber-y borage and hint-of-mint pansies. Feeling stirred? Waste not a minute more and get shaking…
WHAT YOU’LL NEED For the simple syrup: 1 ½ cups sugar 1 cup water ¼ cup borage For the cocktail: 1 ½ ounces gin ½ ounce borage simple syrup 3 slices cucumber 1 slice lemon Soda water ½ ounce crème de violette Borage and pansies, for garnish
HOW TO MAKE IT… Combine all ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer until sugar is dissolved and lower heat. Cook another 10-15 minutes to allow borage to steep. Let cool and strain. Add gin, simple syrup, cucumber and lemon to the base of a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add ice and shake well. Strain into a glass filled with ice and top with a splash of soda water. Finish with crème de violette, allowing it to settle at the bottom of the glass. Garnish with borage and pansy flowers to serve.
Craving more petal-infused potions? Everything’s coming up roses, right this way.
Plant of the Day Wednesday 19 August 2015
The bright yellow foliage of this Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’ (Anise hyssop) really stood out in this productive garden. Along with the Borago officinalis (borage) flowers it created a winning combination of plants for attracting the bees in late summer.
Jill Raggett
May 4-10 is National Wildflower Week! What better way to celebrate with some images from one of our favorite local illustrators of wildflowers, Mary Vaux Walcott. Her remarkable illustrations of wildflowers, many of them illustrated from specimens that were found growing in nearby Rock Creek Park, were compiled into a series of books and published by the Smithsonian Institution: North American Wild Flowers (1925). These beauties from the first volume are but a mere sample of the rich illustrations throughout each volume, all of which you can find freely offered online at the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Nadezda Fava | MAGNOLIA
