Blue Hills Nursery carries a large selection of high quality multi-spiked orchids in unusual, hard-to-find colors and markings.  These elegant plants make perfect host gifts--when you want to send the best....And be sure to keep one for yourself!

Buy amaryllis for yourself, but also think of a preparing a pot or basket as a holiday gift for your favorite gardener. And this isn't just for one season--these plants are long-lived.  You just need to repot every 2-3 years . Plant bulbs in a nutritious potting compost, pointed end up, top just above soil surface.  Water thoroughly.   Place in warm room (70-75 degrees F.)  Avoid direct sunlight (We'll give you additional care tips when you come in)

When most people think about drought tolerant landscaping they conjure up images of rock, cactus and succulents. And while they can have a place in some drought tolerant gardens (if you live in the desert) most modern drought tolerant designs don't rely on them and are filled with the beauty and color of many favorite mainstream plants.

Most existing landscapes already have plants that can survive periods of drought. The key is to select plants for your particular growing conditions when planning and designing (or re-designing) your landscape and then placing these plants together according to their water needs.

Your goal should be to create three basic divisions of plant groupings: a very low water zone, a low water zone and a moderate water zone. Each area should be irrigated separately, according to specific water needs. In this way you can have one area that uses more water than the environment naturally provides and another area where you might need no extra water at all.

Consider foliage texture and color, bloom period and the shape of each plant when selecting plants for your garden. Also incorporate some plants with grayish foliage; these have a natural reflective quality that allows them to survive in low-moisture, high-heat situations.

Along with proper plant selection are a couple of other very important principles which should be incorporated into any drought tolerant garden:

• Make sure to use a soil amendment like Soil Building Compost when planting.
• Cover open areas around plants and trees with a two inch layer of mulch, such as shredded cedar bark, to reduce evaporation, keep the soil cool, and help prevent weeds.

Last, a drought tolerant garden needs to be watered correctly in order for you to succeed in your water-saving goals. Each water zone should be on a separate station and timer. Make sure to irrigate in the early morning to help reduce evaporation. Be sure to pull weeds as needed to reduce competition for water, and feed your garden at least quarterly to help your plants stay healthy and strong.

Check out our gallery of drought tolerant plants.

With careful selection, planning and execution, drought-tolerant landscapes can be as pleasing as those needing heavy irrigation. We have a great selection of colorful drought tolerant plants, and our staff of garden experts is available to help you every step of the way.

By Tamara Galbraith

You see them all over the place during autumn: bales of hay used as fall décor. But once all the autumn decorations have been put away, what should you do with your bales of hay?

One option is: compost them. Hay is an excellent additive to the compost pile, and ideally, the heat of the pile will kill any weed seeds that might be languishing in the bales. Straw apparently breaks down even better than hay.

Hay and straw make great mulches and/or path covers too. First, though, break open the bales and let them sit outside for a couple of weeks. This will allow wild birds to come in and munch on any weed seeds that might still be present. When spreading hay or straw bales on garden beds, be sure they don't stay too clumpy as you break the bales apart.

Last, hay bales left intact make great cold frames--a kind of mini-greenhouse for housing tender plants during the colder seasons. Simply arrange the bales in a tight square and place your plants inside, either right in the soil or in containers. A piece of Plexiglas or an old window serves as the lid.

If you decide to give this easy cold frame a try, be aware that you must monitor the temperature frequently. Too much sun, and the plants inside will fry, so prop the lid open if necessary. If temperatures are going to drop too low for your plants, throw a blanket over the whole contraption and remove it when things stabilize.

No matter what, the hay will eventually break down, though, so keep an eye out for that--as well as the occasional mouse looking for a warm, fluffy place to spend the winter.

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Here we go into the holiday season, so here's a Thanksgiving question, sort of.  As always, thanks for your spirited participation.  Our customers are the best!

This Week's Question :  Who, in a letter to his daughter, proposed the turkey as the official United States bird?

This Week's Prize:  3 amaryllis bulbs of winner's choice

The New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) has become one of the most popular and versatile plants currently used in landscapes. With its wide range of color combinations, this beautiful grassy-type plant is not only tough but adaptable to many situations, including seashore plantings, wet or dry soils, hot windy situations and container plantings.

Flax was first discovered In New Zealand on Captain Cook's second expedition to the South Pacific in 1773, and new varieties have been discovered and propagated ever since. The toughness of this plant is evidenced by the variety of its habitats throughout the New Zealand landscape. From alpine lakes and river mouths to beaches and coastal cliffs with salt sea spray, this plant seems to have the ability to adapt almost anywhere.

Earlier selections, while attractive, were too large and bold for most average gardens. But beginning in the late '70s and '80s, a number of our growers have made available a colorful line of dwarf and intermediate selections, useful in a variety of garden settings. All have the compact, clumping habit and fans of narrow, folded leaves typical of this group.

Not only is the foliage attractive, but the flower stalks which form on older plants rise above the foliage producing clusters of red to yellow tubular flowers which are very attractive to hummingbirds. Many people choose to remove them, however, to promote continual production of the more ornamental leaves.

Flax plants enjoy sunlight but can also tolerate light shade. They adapt well to most soils and need only moderate to occasional watering. Occasionally, reverting green or bronze shoots will grow out of clumps with the desired leaf pattern and can overwhelm the plant if not removed. But the plants are basically pest free, and you couldn't ask for a lower maintenance plant in the landscape.

We stock a large selection of New Zealand Flax and invite you to visit the following link to get an idea of the color combinations available. Click here to view a list of our fabulous flax!

Poinsettias are a wonderful worldwide holiday tradition. In fact, next to a Christmas tree, nothing else says Christmas quite like poinsettias. Displayed alone or in groups, they can add a festive splash of color to every décor. From a centerpiece on a holiday table to a miniature plant decorating the corner of an office desk, to a colorful hanging basket that can brighten any room, the poinsettia is the perfect holiday gift.

So how did poinsettias become so popular at Christmas--and where do they come from? According to Mexican legend, a poor Mexican girl named Pepita who could not afford a gift to offer to Christ on Christmas Eve picked some weeds from the side of a road. The child was told that a humble gift, even if given in love, would be acceptable in God's eyes. When she brought the weeds into the church and laid them at the feet of the Christ child, they bloomed into red and green flowers, and the congregation felt they had witnessed a Christmas miracle.

Poinsettias are native to the tropical forest at moderate elevations along the Pacific coast of Mexico and some parts of Guatemala. They are named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Ambassador to Mexico, who introduced the plant in the U.S. in 1825.

Poinsettias have come a long way from their humble beginnings. For years only variations of red flowers were propagated and grown. But now there are hundreds of color varieties available ranging from traditional shades of red, pink and white to burgundy, peach, striped, flecked and hand-dyed varieties.

Poinsettias are fairly easy-going, and with proper care can last long past the holiday season. Just click on the link below for a complete care guide including tips for re-blooming the following season.

We have an outstanding selection of poinsettias in every color including a number of new varieties. The sooner you purchase your poinsettias, the sooner you and your friends will be able to enjoy the unique holiday beauty that only they can provide. So hurry in and pick some up today while supplies last!