Update on the Greenhouses

There's plenty to do in the greenhouses now: seeding, cutting, plugging, potting, basketing, etc. We had some neat perennial starts to arrive a couple of weeks ago, and as they come into their own I'll post some pictures and more information. Last week we received plugs for our Wave petunias, trailing vinca, and gerbera daisies which saved a lot of space in the germination room. This, however, is what some of them looked like when they came in:

"This Side Up" is apparently just a suggestion.

Seedlings were scattered all over the trays and had to be planted immediately, but all is well now.

Our biggest order arrived yesterday, and the starts look great. Most are going to be put into hanging baskets, such as double begonias and impatiens, bougainvillea, lobelia, verbena, and calibrachoa, but there were a few herbs too, such as Provence lavandin, lemon thyme, French tarragon, Salem rosemary, and pineapple sage (which actually does smell like pineapple!). And we also got what I was most excited about:

Stellar Geranium 'Vancouver Centennial'

Isn't it beautiful? 'Crystal Palace Gem' had better watch out! Unfortunately, that's probably the only other unusual geranium I'll get until the summer when I'm planning a scented geranium hunt to expand our stock.

We've plugged out over five thousand tomato, pepper, and dianthus seedlings this week, but there's much more to go and heated space is at a premium right now. In the germination room we have bedding begonias, hardy hibiscus, variegated heliopsis, asparagus ferns, thyme, Greek oregano, Munstead lavender, and some rather pungent chives coming up. And that's still just a fraction of what we have planned.