Fall Plant Sale Highlights

It’s hard to think about the Fall when the weather is a constant reminder that we are still in the midst of summer, despite Pumpkin Spice being back at your favorite coffee shops. Despite the heat, the Horticulture Department has been preparing for the upcoming Fall Plant Sale on October 13th. In honor of the occasion, I wanted to share some Plant Sale highlights, especially the ones that have been propagated on site from plants in our gardens.

Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’ is about five feet tall with long, attractive spikes of purple flowers, lasting from the summer through the fall. This is a pollinator favorite! The one you see pictured is in the Upper Right Wing and enjoys the full sun.

Can you believe the foliage on this?! Caryopteris divaricata ‘Snow Fairy,’ aptly named, has green leaves with attractive white variegation. This herbaceous perennial is grown in full sun here in Anne’s Garden. It’s even in flower now, at the end of summer, with very sweet purple blooms.

Jasminum mesnyi ‘Sunglo’ is another resident of the Upper Right Wing. New growth emerges as a vibrant yellow, adding interest to the plant as it grows throughout the season. With such attractive foliage, you could almost forget that it also has vibrant, fragrant yellow flowers in the late winter. Although it may appear a little wild as a spreading shrub, you could easily allow it to gracefully pour over a wall.

Nestled in the dappled shade of the Upper Left Wing is Packera aurea. If you’re looking for a groundcover plant for some shade, look no further. In the spring, Packera gets showy yellow flowers that cover the plant. Nothing quite brightens up a shady spot like some vibrant golden blooms!

Let me apologize right off the bat. I am head over heels, the biggest sucker for Anemone. These plants are gorgeous! Anemone x hybrida is an herbaceous perennial, this one is in the Children’s Garden. This fall flowering shade plant boasts a gorgeous purple bloom. Hopefully our sale plants will be in flower so you can see them in all their glory; as you can see, ours are starting to bud up now.

Although Salvia ‘Fuji Snow’ has green leaves now, when its new leaves emerge, they are lined with an eye catching white. These Salvia prefer part shade, which they are enjoying here at the Welcome Center, as to not burn in the sun. This is another great groundcover that produces spikes of pale, yellow flowers.

While we will have plenty of strictly ornamental offerings, we will also have a nice array of edible plants too! “Cut and come again” lettuce mix bowls will be available two ways:  salad and braising mix, or arugula.

What’s better than plants that not only put on a show in the garden, but can also double as part of dinner? Pictured above is Swiss Chard; ‘Bright Lights’ and ‘Rhubarb Chard’ varieties will be available – both are attractive additions to your garden too! ‘Red Giant’ Mustard, awesome for containers, will be offered alongside the frilly leafed ‘Red Splendor.’ Lest we forget Kale, keep an eye out for ‘Black Magic’ and ‘Red Russian’ varieties. You can find these in a four pack, because really, one is just not enough.

In addition to the vegetables and lettuce mixes, you can also find edible flowers. Nasturtium, pictured above, are not only attractive for both their flowers and their foliage, but they can add a spicy (and pretty!) element to your salad. Calendula, besides being a nifty garnish, is a great companion plant that will help attract beneficial insects to your garden. The lettuces, vegetables, and these flowers are all staples for the cool season planting in Bethea’s Garden.

Hopefully this preview will allow you some time to start thinking about where you can add some of these pieces of Brookgreen to your own garden. But don’t worry, there is plenty more; this is only a small sampling of what will be available for sale on October 13th.

Christy Anouilh, our Curator of Plant Collections, will give an even greater look into what you can expect for sale at her Dirt N’ Details lecture On September 18th at noon in the Frye Classroom, located in the Welcome Center. For more information on upcoming Brookgreen events, including the Fall Plant Sale (starting at 9:30am), be sure to visit  our Events Calendar.

See you in the gardens!