The weather is warming up, and Bountiful Gardens is bursting with the most gorgeous blooms of the season. It’s time to set the stage for Summer, and we’ve got everything you need and more. Let’s dive into the best blooms of the week, starting with Geraniums! Geraniums have hairy leaves, making them unattractive to deer, so if you want a deer-resistant annual in your yard, look no further. This year, we’ve got more incredible varieties than ever before. We have the eye-catching Brocade Geranium, which is grown for its colorful, whimsical foliage. We’ve got ‘Willhelm Langguth’, ‘Vancouver Centennial’, and Ike’s favorite, ‘Mrs. Pollock’. Of course, we also have our huge selection of classic Zonal Geraniums in every hue you can imagine. Another classic deer-resistant bloom is Vinca. These work best when planted in groups to cover a large area of a planting bed, and they flower continuously throughout the Summer. This next flower is bananas: it’s Monkey Flower (Mimulus)! They come in some crazy colors with some really interesting patterns, and they’ll thrive in a sunny annual bed with good drainage. Another deer-resistant fan favorite is the Zinnia. These blooms are going to last all the way through October, so if you want full saturation in the garden all Summer long, get them in the ground now! Up next is Argyranthemum, or Marguerite Daisy. This is another annual that will keep blooming all Summer long, and they come in a variety of colors and textures. Perfect for the cottage garden! We also have some amazing Dahlias in stock right now, like ‘Starsister Scarlet & Yellow’, with its jaw-dropping firework-like blooms that’ll keep popping all Summer. If mom has been asking for a new bag, we’ve just gotten in our customer favorite Calceolaria, otherwise known as the Pocketbook Plant or Slipperwort. These plants have pillowy, pouch-shaped flowers that are sure to grab attention. If you have more of a shaded garden, our flowering Begonias have just arrived! These classics are beloved for their lush, dark foliage and dazzling blooms that come in a wide array of shapes and colors. For a more foliage-focused annual bed, we can’t recommend Coleus highly enough! We have a vast variety of incredibly colorful Coleus in any shade or shape you can imagine. Another fantastic foliage plant is the Polka Dot Plant, or Hypoestes. They grow best in a shaded area, and they can bush out as they grow, making them a fantastic “filler” plant. For a slice of the tropics in your own backyard, you can plant Colocasia, also known as Elephant’s Ear. If you start planting them now, their leaves can be absolutely massive by the end of the Summer! We’ve covered plenty of perennials for their attractive foliage, but it’s always better when you get a bloom, and that’s where Heuchera comes in with its brilliant leaf coloration and graceful spikes of puffy flowers. Our huge assortment of deer-resistant Dianthus is finally starting to bloom, allowing us to appreciate their Carnation-like flowers. They come in almost any color you can imagine, and they’re perfect for bud vases and arrangements. Another great deer-resistant perennial for cut flower arrangements is Avens, or Geum. Their delicate blooms dance above lush, green foliage, and they flower through the entire Summer. If you want a shade of blue that looks almost unreal, you should check out our Lithodora. It’s a sun-loving creeping ground cover that’s naturally deer-resistant and makes a perfect companion plant for Moss Phlox, Sedum and more. The next deer-resistant perennial is named just as cutely as it looks: Bergenia, or Pigsqueak. This is a really hardy perennial that works best as a ground cover in part shade, and it’s named because the leathery leaves produce a squeaky sound when you rub them between your fingers. One of Ike’s favorite deer-resistant perennials is the Iris, with its overwhelming and lightly fragrant blooms. They work beautifully in cut flower arrangements, and grow best in full sun. This is also the time of year when Azaleas explode with color! We have a full spectrum of colors for you to choose from—they’re sure to be a variety you’ll love. Our Aronia is blooming! Also known as Chokeberry, this native shrub produces berries that are crucial for our migrating birds! Finally, ornamental trees like Flowering Dogwoods and Redbuds are blooming up a storm right now. We even have some near-neon varieties like ‘Hearts A Fire’ and ‘Rising Sun’ that are leafing out alongside their flowers. Believe it or not, there’s even more to come! Stay tuned! Come down to any of our three locations--Ewing, Lawrenceville or Hillsborough--and start Planting More today! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and everything is in bloom right now—it must be April at Bountiful Gardens! We have so many incredible plants to share this week, so let’s dive right in! Starting off in our annual section, now is the perfect time to start transitioning over from early Spring annuals like Pansies and Ranunculus into early Summer annuals like Lobelia, African Daisies and of course… Some gorgeous Wallflowers (0:18)! There’s nothing standoffish about these blooms, and they’re sure to add a perk to your planters. Moving right along, we’ve got our first batch of sweet, fragrant Nemesia (0:35) in. These colorful blooms are packed with a fragrant punch. This is also the time of year when we can say hello to plants like (0:45) Marigolds, Dahlias, Lantana, Verbena, Coleus, Calibrachoa, Bacopa, Begonias, Salvia, Sweet Alyssum and so many more. And of course, we’ve got our first “wave” of Petunias (0:55). Ike’s favorite is the ‘Cascadias Purple Ice’. If you know Bountiful, you know we’re known for our incredible perennial selection (1:01), and now is the time of year they’re all bursting into bloom, like deer-resistant Dianthus, clouds of Phlox, both creeping and woodland, Salvia, Ice Plant and so many more. Let’s go back to the Phlox (1:14) for a moment, because just look at how stunning it is! If you want a perennial ground cover that’s going to carpet your beds in flowers, Phlox is your answer. It’s deer resistant, drought tolerant, and a great way to add a carpet of color to any of your flower beds, and it’s so fluffy you almost want to nap right on it! But there’s no time for naps now, because we have so many more perennials to cover, like gorgeous Sea Pinks (1:33), with their pom-pom shaped flowers that are ready to dazzle you into Summer. Or Sweet Woodruff (1:42), with its attractive star shaped foliage and cottony clouds of white flowers. Or Leopards Bane (1:47), with its Summery—yellow hues, sure to get you ready for Summer. And before we move along, let’s stop and smell the Rock Cress (1:52), which is mildly fragrant and drought tolerant once established. It’s also finally time to celebrate blooms from things like (1:59) Sandwort, Speedwell, Lady’s Mantle, Perennial Verbena and Forget-Me-Nots! If you’re looking for a natural alternative to mulch, we’ve got you covered with things like (2:08) Scotch Moss, Irish Moss, Sedum, and or course, Creeping Thyme, which is naturally fragrant and smells fantastic. Let’s take a moment to appreciate some Spurge (2:19) dancing in the breeze. We have ‘Ascot Rainbow,’ which became a customer favorite last year, and the Euphorbia polychrome, which holds a secret! In Autumn, the foliage’s golden and green hues change to a brilliant red, perfect for a transitioning landscape. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our gorgeous Cornflower (2:35). ‘Amethyst Dream’ blooms continuously through early Summer, making it a fantastic addition to your sun garden. If you’re planting in more shade than sun and are looking for hues of blue, look no further than Jacob’s Ladder ‘Heaven Scent’ (2:45), which is lightly fragrant. Ike’s favorite perennial for shade this time of year is Bugleweed, or Ajuga (2:53). This is a hardy ground cover that pollinators can’t get enough of. And if you want a bloom to reach up out of the shadows, look no further than Columbine (3:00), with its hypnotic star-shaped blooms. We’ve covered so many blooms it’s easy to feel dizzy, and it’s only the middle of April! As the days go on, we’re going to have so many more annuals, perennials, flowering shrubs, evergreens, herbs, fruits, vegetables, pottery and so much more to help you get planting this season! Come down to any of our three locations--Ewing, Lawrenceville or Hillsborough--and start Planting More today! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

The weather is finally starting to warm up, and some of the best blooms of the year are bursting once again! Spring is a spectacular time to get out into the garden and take in the beauty of the natural world around us, and when it comes to beauty, it doesn’t get much better than flowering trees! In this post, we’ll be taking a look at three different kinds of trees you can plant NOW for early season splendor: Cherries, Magnolias and Redbud! Timestamps: Cherries - 0:35 Magnolias - 2:49 Redbud - 4:25 Ornamental cherries are beautiful specimen plants to have in your landscape in early Spring. They range in size from 15-30 feet tall at maturity, though some can be a bit bigger or smaller. They mostly come in shades of whites and pinks. They prefer full sun, though can handle a little shade, and they do best in average to moist well-draining soil. Cherries can be used as specimen, or standalone plants, or they can be planted in masses, like along driveways or roadways. In general, cherries bloom from late March through early May. Some of our early blooming varieties are ‘Yoshino’ and ‘Weeping Snow Fountain’. Later bloomers include ‘Kwanzan’ and ‘Flagpole’ cherries. One of our favorite cherry trees is the ‘Kwanzan,’ which is also known as ‘Kanzan’. These are the famous trees that you’ll see all around the basin in Washington DC and all over Central Park. Petals from flowering cherry trees are edible, and are commonly used to make a tea, traditionally called Sakura tea. The tea has calming, peaceful effects with a soft, delightful flavor. Go out to a cherry tree near you and brew up a cup! No matter what variety of flowering cherry you choose, you’ll be getting yearly bursts of Spring splendor for years to come. If you’re looking for cherry trees that actually produce fruit, you’re in luck! Bountiful Gardens has a full selection of fruiting cherry trees, featuring favorites like ‘Bing’ and ‘Montmorency’, as well as an enormous assortment of other fruits, veggies and herbs to fill out your food forest. Magnolias Magnolias come in a wide range of colors and sizes, including pinks, purples, whites and even yellows! There are some that are evergreen, like our native Southern Magnolia, and others that are deciduous and give you a big pop of color in the Fall, including Star and Saucer Magnolia. Similar to cherry trees, Magnolias prefer moist to average well-draining soil and get about 15-30 feet tall depending on the variety. They do best in full sunlight, but can still thrive in a little bit of shade. Magnolias make a great feature plant, working as an anchor in the landscape. Not only are Magnolias a great food source for pollinating beetles, the petals are actually edible to us as well! They have a flavor that’s comparable to ginger crossed with cardamom. Magnolias evolved on earth approximately 90 million years ago, predating the existence of bees, so these prehistoric beauties were originally pollinated exclusively by beetles. Up next is a native beauty—Eastern Redbud! Redbuds come in a wide variety of shapes and foliage colors, ranging from yellow to red, purple, green, orange and white leaves. They typically flower in mid-April, blooming for about a month, featuring uniquely beautiful purple-pink flowers that can emerge straight from the bark! The tree ranges in size from 8-20 feet tall and wide depending on the variety you choose, and they do best in full sun, but can handle partial sun or dappled shade. After planting your Redbud, you’ll need to make sure to water them frequently to help them establish, but after that, they’re highly drought tolerant. Here’s a Redbud fun fact: Redbuds are a member of the Pea family, meaning they take nitrogen from the air and fix it into the soil, improving the fertility of the ground around the tree and greening up grass. Their membership in the Pea family also means Redbud flowers are fully edible. You can pop them onto a salad for a rush of fresh flavor, or you can even pickle them and use them as a substitute for capers thanks to their similar texture. When the Redbud blooms in Spring, their edible blossoms are a great snack for humans, and in Fall, their seed pods are a crucial snack for birds. Another thing that makes Redbuds a great fit for New Jersey is that they tolerate our heavy clay soil exceedingly well. Come down to any of our three locations--Ewing, Lawrenceville or Hillsborough--and start Planting More today! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

Welcome back to Bountiful Gardens! Spring is in the air! In this video, we're doing something special: taking a look at blooms out in the wild! Specifically, we're diving into some of our favorite Spring Ephemerals! But what's an Ephemeral? Like their name suggests, Spring Ephemerals are plants that come up in early Spring, while the trees are still bare and the forest floor gets more light and warmth. They have a spectacular bloom, and then they vanish until the following year. Despite their short appearance, their importance to early pollinators and insects is undeniable--they're some of the only food sources for those flower-friends. By planting Spring Ephemerals, you can have blooms in your garden as early as March! Some of the most classic examples of ephemerals are daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and crocus, but there are so many NATIVE ephemerals to choose from that can benefit local wildlife. Ike will introduce you to Dutchman's Breeches, Trillium, Trout Lily, Virginia Bluebells and Bloodroot--five of the finest native Spring Ephemerals you can add to your rich-soiled garden. And for those celebrating this Sunday, Happy Easter!! At our Lawrenceville location, you can find an incredible assortment of custom-planted Easter baskets full of Spring annuals and bulbs, as well as a whole forest of Easter Lilies to wander through--you have to smell it to believe it! And of course, our floral experts are always ready to craft up a fresh arrangement for you! Here are the timestamps: What's an Ephemeral? - 0:14 Dutchman's Breeches - 0:44 Trillium - 1:12 Trout Lily - 1:46 Virginia Bluebells - 2:07 Bloodroot - 2:31 Lawrenceville Easter Update - 3:12 Come down to any of our three locations--Ewing, Lawrenceville or Hillsborough--and start Planting More today! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

Welcome back to Bountiful Gardens! We’re back in Ewing this week to talk about another fantastic early Spring blooming perennial: the Pulmonaria! Last week we talked about how Hellebores are one of the first blooms of the Spring season, and soon after blooms the Pulmonaria! Their blooms start to pop open around the first or second week of March, and are one of the first food sources for honeybees and insects. Another feature that Pulmonaria shares with Hellebores is that they thrive in shade gardens. They do best in an area that is evenly moist and shielded from direct sun. A common name for Pulmonaria is “Lungwort,” because in the Middle Ages, people thought that the spotted leaves of the pant resembled diseased lungs. Curiously, they thought this meant the plant could be used to treat lung diseases. These days, we know that’s not the case, but those leaf spots sure are a pretty feature! These plants are closely related to Borage, so they have fuzzy leaves with raised flower stalks. And speaking of those speckles, they’re actually caused by pockets of air that separate the top of the leaf from the bottom, acting like cooling chambers. This helps the plant make it through hotter temperatures. The flowers on Pulmonaria range from pink to violet and even silvery blue. On some varieties, you can even get multiple colors, with flowers staring pink and then changing to a blue or purple. Because the leaves and stems are covered in tiny little hairs, Pulmonaria is considered deer and rabbit resistant, but that doesn’t mean we can’t munch on them! The plant is edible to humans and kind of tastes a bit like a green bean. Plus, those fuzzy leaves really help to hold onto dressing in a salad. Whether you choose to call it Pulmonaria or Lungwort, these dazzling perennials are sure to add a breath of fresh air to your shade garden. Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

Spring is finally back here at Bountiful Gardens! We can finally step outside, take a breath of fresh air, and start planting some of our favorite Spring perennials, starting with the Hellebore! If you don’t know much about Hellebores yet, here’s a refresher: Hellebores are one of the most valuable plants that you can have in your shade garden. It’s deer resistant, evergreen, and it flowers at a time when you need blooms the most—late Winter into early Spring. Hellebores do well in moist, rich, well-draining soils, but they can become drought tolerant once established. We’ve actually seen Hellebores do well in a variety of conditions, as long as it’s not getting baked by afternoon sun. Right now we have over thirty varieties of Hellebore at both our Ewing and Hillsborough locations—the most we’ve ever had! Hellebores are a beautiful, compact, mounding evergreen perennial that have an average of 12-24” in height and width, with some varieties reaching up to three feet tall and others staying as short as 9”. They can bloom as late in the year as November and December, or as early in the year as February and March. These perennials attract a variety of early and late flying insects such as butterflies and bees, and the flowers can persist for up to four to five months! Though they’ll fade in color, the flowers provide a lot of focal interest in the garden for a long period of time. Hellebores are one of our most popular end-of-season perennials, and there are plenty of reasons why. For one, they have beautiful, lush dark foliage with beautiful leaf striping to them, and they come in all different patterns and shapes. Not only is their foliage gorgeous, they also put out delicate blooms during colder temperatures when most other plants aren’t flowering, like early Spring and late Fall. The flowers come in a wide range of hues, but what really makes them popular amongst New Jersey gardeners is their deer resistance—deer and rabbits won’t touch these! This makes them fantastic for border plantings or as a verdant feature for a container garden. Hellebores are known by many a name—Hellebore, Lenten Rose, Christmas Rose but one you may not have heard of is Oracle Rose. Back in the old times, they used use the flowers of Hellebores to predict the weather of the Winter and the transition to Spring by seeing when the blooms appeared! Since we opened our outdoor selection for the season, we’ve been getting so many phone calls from people trying to get their hands on these spectacular Spring bloomers, and as we mentioned earlier, we currently have more varieties in stock than ever before—from classics like ‘Merlin’ to some new and interesting varieties for the season! First up is ‘Charmer,’ with deep, rich magenta hues and upright flowers that let you really appreciate their beauty. They also have gorgeous leaf venation! Up next is ‘Pike’s Peak,’ which has a more understated green flower with a yellow center. What it may lack in showy flowers it makes up for in fancy foliage! It’s silvery, spiky leaves are sure to stand out in a shady area, and they kind of look like a ‘Spine Singer’ Epiumedium. When a lot of people think about Hellebores, they think about downward facing flowers, but we love getting varieties like ‘Cinnamon Snow’ that’s a bit taller and features upright flowers that are easy to enjoy. ‘Mahogany Snow’ offers stunning cream-white flowers that are just bursting with pollen, accented by pink-tipped anthers! Another variety with really tall, dramatic clusters of flowers is ‘Dana’s Dulcet,’ with its deep, rich colors and huge center sacks of pollen that add a pop of yellow. ‘Moondance’ is a variety where the foliage takes center stage. Its venation is incredibly pronounced, and its large, umbrella-like leaves make gorgeous ground cover swaths. ‘Penny’s Pink’ has a lot of the same appeal with its foliage, but with a pink hue! And of course, you also get tall, delicate flowers floating over top. Ike’s top pick this year is ‘Ivory Prince,’ which features white and green flowers with neon yellow-green centers, accented by anthers that resemble a little crown! ‘Cheryl’s Shine’ almost belongs in a cut flower garden. Its petals are fuchsia-tipped, fading to a light pinkish white near the center. We have ‘Winter’s Bliss,’ which has tons of variety between its individual flowers. Some can be deep green, while others are closer to Daffodil-white, and pollen amounts vary from bloom to bloom. And of course, we’ve got the classic ‘Pink Frost,’ which was a bestseller last year thanks to its tall stature and delicate pink blooms. No matter what variety you choose, Hellebores are the perfect perennial to add to the garden to help you get excited for the start of Spring and all the things you can be doing outdoors this year! Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/

Spring has Sprung here at Bountiful Gardens! In this video, Ike will guide you through some of the best early season annuals, bulbs and custom containers we have here RIGHT NOW in Ewing! When it comes to early season annuals, you'll find Pansies, Ranunculus, Primrose, Bidens, Bacopa, Alyssum, Brachyscome and more. Each has its own value in your garden: Ranunculus is a beautiful centerpiece, while flowers like Bacopa tend to "spill" over the sides of containers creating a wild, cottage garden effect. As far as bulbs, you'll see some gorgeous Daffodils, Hyacinths, Tulips, and Crocuses. Spring is the most exciting time of the year, and we have new plants coming out from our greenhouses each day! These bulbs can all be planted on your property now, or in the Fall, and make an incredible natural investment in your landscape. For a big splash of color, we also offer seasonal baskets of individually potted bulbs and annuals that can be planted outside once they're done beautifying your home for the season. We also have a vast selection of hanging basket arrangements, expertly planted and begging for a spot on your patio. There's so much to see here at Bountiful Gardens this Spring, and we're just getting started! Here are some timestamps for you: Pansies - 0:22 Ranunculus - 0:50 Primrose - 1:21 Spring Bulbs - 1:47 Custom Easter Baskets - 2:21 Bacopa, Bidens, Brachyscome, Sweet Alyssum, Stock - 2:36 Hanging Baskets - 3:28 Come down to any of our three locations--Ewing, Lawrenceville or Hillsborough--and start Planting More today! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!

It may be chilly right now, but a great way to beat the Winter blues is to look to the future and think of all the gorgeous flowers planters you can plan ahead! Keeping planters overflowing with beautiful annuals is a perfect way to add color and interest to your front porch, back patio, or anywhere around the home that you think could use a burst of vibrance. This lush entrance to our Ewing garden center was designed by Ross, and features thrillers, fillers and spillers—the three core elements of any successful planter. We always like to plant in layers, using thrillers to draw the eye up as a focal point, fillers of different colors and textures to catch the eye, and spillers, which will hang over the sides, softening the overall look of your arrangement. One of Dan’s favorite planters is potted in a converted fountain and features a great variety of complimentary flowers and foliage to visually feast upon. Some stand-outs include the golden-yellow pops of ‘Zahara Double Yellow’ Zinnia, the striking fuchsia of this ‘Fuego Pink’ Verbena, and the gorgeous tones of the Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ Joe’s favorite Summer planter also happens to be a converted fountain, but this time with two tiers, allowing for the imagination to run wild! Joes advice? Get creative! Your planter is your space to experiment—there are no limits to what you can plant, and so many innovative options to use as vessels for your creation! Planting with a mixture of Summer and Fall annuals is a great way to seamlessly blend your planters with the seasons. And again, get creative! Swap out your tropical annuals with Fall annuals for endless blooms. And while you can opt to use only annuals and perennials in your planters, evergreens like Boxwood, Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Inkberry, Dwarf Hinoki False Cypress and more offer year-round focal points when used as thrillers. Simply plant your fillers and spillers around your evergreen centerpiece and voilà! Some great annuals to dress up your evergreen focal point include multi-toned Dwarf Lantana, Bright colors like this Vinca ‘Cora Apricot’, the yellow-chartreuse of Creeping Jenny, and multi-toned Petunias! If you don’t want to plant in a pot, you can always spread some seeds or plant some seedlings like we do! And if you live in a colder climate, you can remove spent annuals when frost comes and dress up your evergreen planter with natural decor for the holidays. When it comes to planter placement, there’s no limit on where you can put them! As long as it gets sun and you can water it, your planter will thrive. Once Spring finally arrives in the Northeast, you can head over to our New Jersey locations in early March to find a full assortment of Pansies, Ranunculus, Primrose, Bacopa, Stock, Snapdragons and so much more. We hope this inspires you to hop out of those Winter blues and get excited for all the planting possibilities that come with the New Year! Come out to the nursery and start Planting More now! Our Website: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/ Our Rewards Program: https://www.bountifulgardens.com/rewards For Landscape Design Inquiries: Email landscaping@bountifulgardens.com We hope to see you soon!