Cottage Gardens Still Charm Us
A nursery Featuring Rare, Native and Cottage Garden Plants
Jun 29, 2009
She was passionate about a gardening hobby that now has become a 2 1/2 acre “growing” nursery in Northern California. The nursery has one of the largest selections of cottage garden plants, annual wildflowers and native perennials anywhere. Native plants are all the rage since many are drought tolerant, need minimal maintenance and all of them are attractive to native birds, butterflies and beneficial insects.
At the growing nursery, the team grows most of their plants from seed without a greenhouse. These seedlings survive wind, rain, and sun so your plants are basically hardened off, healthy and strong when you purchase them. All of the plants are grown without the use of growth regulating hormones, which are commonly used on plants bought from large-scale growers. The growth hormones slow down the growth and extend the shelf life at the store and can lead to substandard results later on. The philosophy at the nursery is organic gardening. “Good gardening is about good soil," says Hayes. "Topdressing your soil with compost regularly is all you really have to do. Rich soil and proper watering makes plants grow so healthy, vigorous and pest free. Who needs chemical fertilizer?”
Cottage Gardens
Many home gardeners share the same enthusiasm for the look of the dreamy cottage garden. Annie’s Annuals plants share the natural grace and charm of an old-fashioned garden. At the nursery, above each plant species, there’s a gorgeous color photograph of what your 4 inch plant will turn into come spring or summer. The plants look as Mother Nature intended them to be; tall, flowering, flowing in the breeze and looking happy! This is rarely found at the big chain store nurseries where plants oftentimes look unhealthy and neglected. And unlike many modern hybrids, a majority of Annie’s Annuals’ old-fashioned annuals self-sow easily again and again, year after year.
Ordering Plants Online
The growing nursery (the 'Mothership', as Annie calls it) in Richmond, California is open for shopping Tuesdays through Sundays. Plant-a-holics living far away can order online from the website and from the catalogue. The nursery is located in USDA zone 10, Sunset zone 17, but they're able to grow a vast number of plant varieties from both warm and cold climates that will thrive around the country. The website has all the information you'll need for a certain plant photo that you fall in love with. Right below the photo will be facts on which climate zones it will grow in and whether it's best growing in shade, sun, dry or water gardens.
Also available for sale are ergonomic hand tools, beautiful cloth bags for shopping, fashionable garden hats, sturdy gloves, organic skincare and Flower Floozy Tee-shirts.
To sign up for the catalogue online or to be mailed seasonally in the snail-mail, go to AnniesAnnuals. Once there, you can also view the lovely plant slideshow or the 'plant of the month' but be forewarned. You’ll want to buy everything, immediately.
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