I wanted to take some time to again thank everyone for your support during our 10th anniversary sale and celebration. The response was phenomenal!
Throughout our ten years, I have noticed that our customers seem very invested in our success and you certainly showed that during the past week. The turnout and sales exceeded our expectations. We also felt good offering a savings to our loyal customers since we know how carefully everyone is watching their budget now. Thanks for all your positive comments on our plants, the blog and our anniversary.
Don't forget that if you bought plants from in the greenhouse that they should not be planted int he ground until about Mothers' Day, unless you are willing to cover them if necessary.
It's also a good idea to harden them off before planting. Put them outside on nice days, starting in a protected spot. Bring them in at night if temperatures dip. Gradually expose them to more sun over a 7-10 day period. This will toughen them up and acclimate them to outside conditions before planting. It makes planting much less stressful for the plants. After 7-10 days. you'll know if the temperature is safe for planting.
Special anniversary thanks to Maryanne & Tina for the soap samples, to Ramona for all her help, to Sandy for her office and newsletter expertise, to Zach for helping to amuse Lucy and mostly to John for all his help and support.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Our Spring Celebration!
This Spring, we're celebrating the 10th anniversary of the opening of Cloverleaf Herb Farm.
To show our appreciation, we're holding a Flashback Sale during our anniversary celebration. From April 22 to 26, our plant prices will roll back to 1998 levels. You'll save 50 cents each on small plants (excluding bay laurel) and $1.00 each on large perennials.
During our Anniversary Open House, April 25 & 26, we'll feature sale items in the shop, along with refreshments and prize drawings. Please stop by and join in our celebration.
Wow - ten years! We've learned a lot, met so many nice people and planted loads of plants. Please visit and help us celebrate this spring.
To show our appreciation, we're holding a Flashback Sale during our anniversary celebration. From April 22 to 26, our plant prices will roll back to 1998 levels. You'll save 50 cents each on small plants (excluding bay laurel) and $1.00 each on large perennials.During our Anniversary Open House, April 25 & 26, we'll feature sale items in the shop, along with refreshments and prize drawings. Please stop by and join in our celebration.
Wow - ten years! We've learned a lot, met so many nice people and planted loads of plants. Please visit and help us celebrate this spring.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Almost April!
Have you noticed all the signs of life in your garden?
I'm surprised as I walk around the yard at how much is showing already. Although we had lots of ice, overall, temperatures this winter were not too bad. "We didn't have extended periods of cold weather. I guess that's the reason all my rosemary plants survived. Most have die-back at the tips, but the plants survived.
I had fresh parsley and cutting celery throughout the winter. There was always fresh, green foliage underneath the old. I see tiny, curled leaves of sorrel waiting to unfurl. I've had fresh, young chives for several weeks.
I've spotted tiny tips of tarragon poking through the soil. Burnet and Clary sage are fresh and green, and the chamomile foliage never died off this winter. Stepping on it releases that delicious apple fragrance.
The knot garden looks good already. The plants in it - germander, lavender and santolina do not die back in fall, but often suffer die-back or freeze-out in very bad winters. Even the thyme walk is perking up early, although a lot of the green is weeds which never died out.
If you didn't clean up dead foliage last fall, there's a good job to start on some of these nice days. I know there's new foliage underneath the old on my catmint. Even cutting back the old is a fragrant job. Also, cut back butterfly bushes hard between mid-March and mid-April. They will push out new foliage which is sturdy, avoiding the top-heavy, lanky branches which are found on untrimmed bushes.
I'm surprised as I walk around the yard at how much is showing already. Although we had lots of ice, overall, temperatures this winter were not too bad. "We didn't have extended periods of cold weather. I guess that's the reason all my rosemary plants survived. Most have die-back at the tips, but the plants survived.
I had fresh parsley and cutting celery throughout the winter. There was always fresh, green foliage underneath the old. I see tiny, curled leaves of sorrel waiting to unfurl. I've had fresh, young chives for several weeks.
I've spotted tiny tips of tarragon poking through the soil. Burnet and Clary sage are fresh and green, and the chamomile foliage never died off this winter. Stepping on it releases that delicious apple fragrance.
The knot garden looks good already. The plants in it - germander, lavender and santolina do not die back in fall, but often suffer die-back or freeze-out in very bad winters. Even the thyme walk is perking up early, although a lot of the green is weeds which never died out.
If you didn't clean up dead foliage last fall, there's a good job to start on some of these nice days. I know there's new foliage underneath the old on my catmint. Even cutting back the old is a fragrant job. Also, cut back butterfly bushes hard between mid-March and mid-April. They will push out new foliage which is sturdy, avoiding the top-heavy, lanky branches which are found on untrimmed bushes.
Early March...
Early March (Sorry we're late in getting this posted!)
The march toward spring continues. The basement has been filled with an assortment of seedlings, and small, starter plants have arrived, so in early March, we reopened the greenhouse. It's great to see it fill up with plants and to enjoy all the familiar herbal smells. There are other chores, but most of my time in is spent potting plants. It's hard to believe, but the greenhouse reopens April 1! That keeps me on track.
John and I pulled all our stock plants which are buried in the garden for the winter, and put them in the greenhouse. In a short time, they'll be ready to divide into new plants.
Lucy was a great help with this project. We had rows of holes where we pulled out plants, so she had a great time digging in the dirt. Mostly, she liked running back and forth between the garden and greenhouse over and over. She was good and tired the next day.
Many of you know we've had a toad living in the greenhouse since we opened. He (or she, I don't know) digs into the dirt and hibernates for the winter. Once we turn the heat on, he digs out during the day and reburies at night. Right on schedule, he appeared last week. Luckily, Lucy hasn't seen him yet. I've blocked access to him for now. He never moves too fast, but I'm sure he's really lethargic till things heat up. Figure I better keep dog and toad separated for now.
The march toward spring continues. The basement has been filled with an assortment of seedlings, and small, starter plants have arrived, so in early March, we reopened the greenhouse. It's great to see it fill up with plants and to enjoy all the familiar herbal smells. There are other chores, but most of my time in is spent potting plants. It's hard to believe, but the greenhouse reopens April 1! That keeps me on track.
John and I pulled all our stock plants which are buried in the garden for the winter, and put them in the greenhouse. In a short time, they'll be ready to divide into new plants.
Lucy was a great help with this project. We had rows of holes where we pulled out plants, so she had a great time digging in the dirt. Mostly, she liked running back and forth between the garden and greenhouse over and over. She was good and tired the next day.Many of you know we've had a toad living in the greenhouse since we opened. He (or she, I don't know) digs into the dirt and hibernates for the winter. Once we turn the heat on, he digs out during the day and reburies at night. Right on schedule, he appeared last week. Luckily, Lucy hasn't seen him yet. I've blocked access to him for now. He never moves too fast, but I'm sure he's really lethargic till things heat up. Figure I better keep dog and toad separated for now.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Spring 2008 Class Schedule
DRIED FLOWER WREATH: Thursday, April 17, 7 p.m. $20.00
Design and craft your own dried flower wreath. Starting with a 10" grapevine base, participants will create a wreath, using a wide variety of dried herbs and flowers, including many grown on our farm. Bring a glue gun and plant scissors / shears.
EDIBLE FLOWERS: Thursday, May 15, 7 p.m. $15.00
Bring the beauty of flowers into the kitchen. Learn what flowers to use and ideas for adding them to various dishes. We'll learn to candy flowers and participants will take home several examples.
MAINTAINING YOUR GARDEN: Thursday, June 5, 7 p.m. $15.00
This class will give you step-by-step instructions for maintenance tasks throughout your garden. When to harvest herbs, deadheading flowers and cutting back perennials will be covered. Specific instructions and a timetable for accomplishing your tasks. Free plant to add to your garden.
SWEET ENDINGS — DESSERT HERBS: Thursday, June 19, 7 p.m. $15.00
Many people say they don't know how to use herbs in the kitchen. This class will give you lots of ideas. In addition to main dishes, herbs can enhance many desserts. Learn which herbs to use, culinary tips and lots of recipes.
Classes are limited in size, so please register early. Your payment is your reservation and is due in full when registering. If you're unable to attend, you may send a substitute in your place. Complete the attached registration form. Make checks payable and mail to:
CLOVERLEAF HERB FARM
1532 Cloverleaf Road, Mount Joy, PA 17552
Design and craft your own dried flower wreath. Starting with a 10" grapevine base, participants will create a wreath, using a wide variety of dried herbs and flowers, including many grown on our farm. Bring a glue gun and plant scissors / shears.
EDIBLE FLOWERS: Thursday, May 15, 7 p.m. $15.00
Bring the beauty of flowers into the kitchen. Learn what flowers to use and ideas for adding them to various dishes. We'll learn to candy flowers and participants will take home several examples.
MAINTAINING YOUR GARDEN: Thursday, June 5, 7 p.m. $15.00
This class will give you step-by-step instructions for maintenance tasks throughout your garden. When to harvest herbs, deadheading flowers and cutting back perennials will be covered. Specific instructions and a timetable for accomplishing your tasks. Free plant to add to your garden.
SWEET ENDINGS — DESSERT HERBS: Thursday, June 19, 7 p.m. $15.00
Many people say they don't know how to use herbs in the kitchen. This class will give you lots of ideas. In addition to main dishes, herbs can enhance many desserts. Learn which herbs to use, culinary tips and lots of recipes.
Classes are limited in size, so please register early. Your payment is your reservation and is due in full when registering. If you're unable to attend, you may send a substitute in your place. Complete the attached registration form. Make checks payable and mail to:
CLOVERLEAF HERB FARM
1532 Cloverleaf Road, Mount Joy, PA 17552
Spring is on the way
Spring is on the way.
It stays light later, there's an occasional spring-like day and there are bits of green in the garden.
To me, spring arriving means a shipment of soil and pots. So, Lucy is learning to amuse herself in the greenhouse while I fill pots. On a sunny day, it's deliciously warm in the greenhouse. And there's the damp, earthy smell of warm soil.
Lots of seedlings growing under lights. They go from tiny little stalks to filled-out, recognizable little plants in a couple of weeks.
I like plants like swamp milkweed with big seeds. After germinating, the seed sits on top of the little stalk for awhile before dropping off. So you can see the seed and plant stage together. Swamp milkweed is a host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars (and a moth too) so it's worth growing. We've had monarchs every year since we planted it in the garden.
Easter's early this year, daylight savings time is already here - spring will be here soon.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
GARDEN DESIGN TIPS
Many people shy away from 'designing' their gardens because they believe things must be drawn precisely to scale and in great detail. Actually, a fairly simple sketch can be quite helpful in planning a bed, border or an entire garden. Your design must take into account your individual site and conditions and of course, preferences for specific plants. Keep in mind the following design principles and apply them to your plan.
1. Unity – The various parts or rooms in your garden should be tied together as a cohesive whole. Repeating color themes or plant combinations helps to achieve this goal.
2. Proportion and scale – Very small plants in a large bed or large trees in a tiny yard won't be in proportion. Keep things in scale within beds and overall in your garden.
3. Texture and form – Contrast pays off here. Broad leaves next to finely cut foliage provide an attractive contrast. Different forms - vertical, rounded and trailing, should be combined within a planting.
4. Color – Use your favorite colors as a guide. Or provide contrast by using colors that are opposite on the color wheel - like purple and yellow. Green as a garden neutral fits in with any color scheme.
5. Focal points – Your eye will instinctively search for a focus. Use an impressive specimen plant, a vine trained on a trellis or an architectural element - a bench, fountain or bird bath.
6. Flow – This is a tough one for many people because it asks you to limit the number of varieties you plant. Choose a few varieties and plant in multiples (odd numbers are best). This will create a flowing design that is pleasing to the eye.
7. Style – Formal designs are symmetrical and use straight lines and geometric shapes. Informal designs are less symmetrical, use curved lines and a mixed color palette.
1. Unity – The various parts or rooms in your garden should be tied together as a cohesive whole. Repeating color themes or plant combinations helps to achieve this goal.
2. Proportion and scale – Very small plants in a large bed or large trees in a tiny yard won't be in proportion. Keep things in scale within beds and overall in your garden.
3. Texture and form – Contrast pays off here. Broad leaves next to finely cut foliage provide an attractive contrast. Different forms - vertical, rounded and trailing, should be combined within a planting.
4. Color – Use your favorite colors as a guide. Or provide contrast by using colors that are opposite on the color wheel - like purple and yellow. Green as a garden neutral fits in with any color scheme.
5. Focal points – Your eye will instinctively search for a focus. Use an impressive specimen plant, a vine trained on a trellis or an architectural element - a bench, fountain or bird bath.
6. Flow – This is a tough one for many people because it asks you to limit the number of varieties you plant. Choose a few varieties and plant in multiples (odd numbers are best). This will create a flowing design that is pleasing to the eye.
7. Style – Formal designs are symmetrical and use straight lines and geometric shapes. Informal designs are less symmetrical, use curved lines and a mixed color palette.
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