Meet the Nursery

Remember the nursery beds we finally completed on 8/8?

Over the weekend, my mentor brought a bunch of European ginger plants over to fill up one of the beds.  They look a little chaotic after being divided and planted, but they'll look tidier after they get settled.  In spring, they'll put out little flowers, then I'll collect the seeds and plant those in the neighboring bed to propagate more plants.

Here's a closeup of their shiny, heart-shaped leaves.  European ginger is a popular ground cover in this area because it's attractive, hardy, low-maintenance, and resistant to deer and rabbits.  And no, it's not related to the ginger you eat.  In fact eating it would make you sick.  It's related to a plant that tastes like ginger, though, so the name has stuck.

My mentor also gave me a bunch of bleeding heart seedlings.  Bleeding hearts are fun, popular plants, but they're also easy to grow, so a lot of other growers may be selling them next spring too.  They may end up being an interesting experiment in supply, demand, and my ability to identify and connect with buyers.  We'll see how that goes.

Last but not least, my mentor encouraged me to plant two things I had never heard of at the edge of my seed bed, because she believes they have good potential for propagation and sale.  I'm going to trust her judgement and give them a try.  The one growing in tiny clusters along the edge of the bed is called thalictrum.  The big plant with the flower stalk is anemonopsis.  Its name is a mouthful . . .

. . . but its flowers are pretty. :)