The proper selection and ensuing cultivation of hydrangeas remains a mystery to many gardeners. At Rainbow Perennials, we have spent the last 20 years refining our selection of hydrangea hybrids and, fine tuning our growing on instructions to customers. For a long time, the hydrangea was thought of as old fashioned. However, in the last 10 years, many new varieties have been introduced. New hydrangeas exhibit exciting flower shapes and colors. They flower over a much longer period. As a source of summer and fall color, the Hydrangea has become one of our most popular plants. The hydrangea catalog contains good descriptions of the differences between the plants we have selected for this season. All 1 gal. hydrangeas $29.95 each.

We sell over 1,000 hydrangeas every year. Now, hydrangeas are often sold for more than twice as much elsewhere. To justify the $60 to $70 price tag, retailers must sell the plants in huge pots which makes planting them needlessly difficult. We can confidently say that there is no reason whatever to buy a hydrangea in a pot that is bigger than we produce here at the farm. Though our plants are indeed smaller to start with, they have a great root system, and will catch up to the bigger ones in a year or so. Landscapers have all said our hydrangeas are one of the best values in our entire nursery.

(All Shrub Roses Discontinued) New Peony information section Under construction

But the plants are already 3 years old!

Under construction

See Flowering Perennials catalog for all 31 Peony varieties available.

Almost any perennial plant, that spreads even a little, can be made into a ground cover. So we have only included the most commonly asked for and popularly used varieties in our list of ground covers that we produce here at Rainbow Perennials. We have ground cover plants for both sunny and shady areas. You may not realize that even several Hostas and some Perennial Geraniums, along with Ostrich and other Native Ferns, several grasses in the Carex family along with the Liriopes, and the Hakonechloa grasses are all superb ground covers. We grow traditional favorites, Pachysandra and Myrtle, along with Ajuga, Lamiastrum, Plumbago, Creeping Thyme and a large selection of creeping sedum. Some of the plants are in different sized pots, which make them economical to use as either a specimen or ground cover plant.

Sedums are the perfect starter plant for those of you who kill everything! The planting instructions can be summarized by saying,"Plant it out in the sun, and you will probably never have to touch it again!" They have been steadily gaining popularity over the years because they thrive in full sun, and dry conditions away from the house and the hose. We grow different varieties every year usually about 15 creeping, and 10 or more upright sedums.

Prized for their interesting colored foliage, sedums also offer an array of blooms from pure white, varied yellows and pinks to hot pink thru red. Bloom times vary by cultivar and are from early spring thru late fall. The upright sedums are striking in their form even before they flower, and the colors they produce in fall are the perfect accent in any New England garden. Add hens and chicks to your order for tucking into walls between rocks where there is almost no soil. These are a must for any rock garden.

All of our creeping sedums are produced in 2 sizes. Both can be used for specimen plantings. The 3 quart (taller-narrower) pot is used for ground cover sedums that are sensitive to too much moisture. In rainy years, the smaller amount of soil drys out better, protecting the roots. The plant is happier, and you will save money on the smaller pot.

Why should I add ferns to my garden, when I see them growing in the woods? You may have to make a visit to our raised bed- stone shade garden to appreciate the variation in texture and form that different ferns can lend. Contrary to popular belief, most ferns do not spread uncontrollably, rather they occupy a neat space, displaying fabulous rich colors and an almost infinite variety of leaf types. There are so many that we would like to grow that our list keeps changing every year.

This year we are growing 15 different varieties of ferns that range in size from 8 inches to over 4 feet tall. It takes at least 2 years to get our ferns out of the growing area and ready for sale. This includes, of course, two full winters outside. Ferns purchased elsewhere cannot really be counted on to exhibit the hardiness of the ones we raise. (For the most part, those others are raised in the deep South and potted only for a few weeks.) You'll see the difference in our ferns when you pop them out of their pot exposing the 2-year old root system. And the growth you will see in the 1st year and beyond will be extraordinary! Ferns $16.95 and $19.95.

What makes astilbes so popular is the delicate and striking beauty of their feathery blooms in combination with their beautiful and unique foliage. Astilbes possess finely divided, glossy, sometimes fragrant leaves, that are resistant to most insect pests and deer. Their roots are ignored by rodents. They can survive minus 30 degrees and still grow and flourish in a wide variety of moist shady environs. We have some astilbes on our property in the same spot for nearly 25 years!

This year, we're proud to offer our best astilbes ever! As always, the plants are exceedingly full and healthy and will make an abundance of flowers every year from now on - lighting up that shady area with brilliant colors! Astilbes $16.95.

If all you want are Stella d'Oro daylilies, we produce over 250 of that one alone. But if you want to see more than 50 of the most intensely colored and free-flowering new varieties, you will have to come visit Rainbow Perennials in July and August. Every year we grow over 2,500 daylily plants here at the farm. These will be the biggest clump of daylilies you can purchase anywhere in New England for any price.

Our crop of reblooming and long-blooming daylilies include all of your favorites from years past such as Happy Returns, Stella and Purple d'Oro, Pardon Me, Catherine Woodbury, Gentle Shepherd, and many other landscaping stalwarts. Our collector's series includes 40 cultivars that represent a fabulous array of the hottest new colors ever to be developed. Among them are "El Desperado", "Blackthorne", "Raspberry Suede", "Earlybird Cardinal", "Handwriting on the Wall", "Uncharted Waters", "Apricot Sparkles", Marque Moon", "Daring Deception", "Stephanie Returns", and others.
All daylilies $16.95.

See Flowering Perennials catalog at top of page for Hemerocallis (Daylily) varieties available.