The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof...
Psalm 24:1
Today I had the opportunity to attend the local Home and Garden Show out at the racetrack. Covering four exhibition buildings and featuring over 200 vendors, there was a great deal to see and explore. I was interested in two things: finding a good drywall man (or woman), and investigating the "Garden" aspects of the show.
The Herb Farm was in attendance again this year. Last year I bought some fantastic tri-colored marigolds from this company that were absolutely fantastic in one of my containers. Perhaps because this year's show was earlier in the season, they did not have any flowering plants available. The Ashland Berry Farm was also in attendance, but their emphasis this year was on water gardens and pond construction - a luxury I simply cannot afford. Colesville Nursery was the last live plant entry for the Garden part of the show - one of the companies that I specifically came to see.
The March issue of my Virginia Gardening magazine featured a wonderful article entitled Plant This! Not That! Featuring a list of great tried and true plants for Virginia gardens, the chosen specimens were selected around a unifying theme: Inject a little sunshine into your garden with the color yellow. I must admit that when I hit the local nurseries in the spring for annual bedding plants, I do not search for yellow flowering ones; I prefer a variety of pinks, reds and whites. I think perhaps the reason that I avoid yellow is because its most complimentary color is purple - a color (and a combination) that I do not care for at all when it comes to my garden.
There was one plant in the magazine, however, that really caught my eye - Japanese forest grass. I love ornamental grasses, and Hakonechloa macra "All Gold" grows in part shade as easily as in full sun, and even works well in containers. It's color is chartreuse in heavier shade and a brighter gold in more sun. A gold ornamental grass would be a spectacular addition to my new part-shade garden, and Colesville assured me that they have an abundance of this plant in stock (and at a reasonable price!). Although I was not able to walk out of the Home and Garden Show with live plants, I did leave with a list of resources and a real anticipation for the spring gardening season that is just around the corner.
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