As lavender harvest winds down, we are getting ready for our fall plant sale. We’ve been busy as bees growing lavender and pollinator-friendly perennials in our nursery. Starting September 6 and going through October 13, the farm and nursery will be open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10 AM to 4 PM. Want to get a jump start on planting before September? Order through the Online Store now.
Fall is a great time to get perennials in the ground. You’ll get a few more months of bloom and give the plants time in the warm fall soil to build roots so they can come back strong and ready to bloom next year! We have both 1-gallon and/or 4.5″ pot sizes for most plants. For lower cost and ease of planting, go with the smaller pots, but be ready to water more frequently to get them started. For more extensive root development and immediate gratification(!), go for the 1-gallon pots. Here’s what we have available.
English Lavenders
English lavenders (Lavandula angustifolia) come in a range of sizes and a variety of colors, from deep blue-purple to pink and even white. They are typically smaller than the French lavenders. In Northern California, their peak bloom is in early June. English lavenders are great for culinary uses and add a touch of elegance to gardens with their soothing purple hues and delightful fragrance. Most of the Lavender Labyrinth circles are English Lavenders. Right now, we have Folgate, Betty’s Blue, Hidcote Blue, Jean Davis, Munstead, and Twickel Purple available. Order online here.
French Lavenders
French lavenders (Lavandula x intermedia) are large, showy plants that have classic lavender colors and tend to have longer flower spikes than English lavender. In Northern California, their peak bloom is late June through mid-July. French lavenders are great for essential oil production, making sachets, and for their classic beauty. At Bees N Blooms, the 1-acre lavender field used for U-Cut is a French lavender, Grosso. It has the highest essential oil content of any lavender. Hidcote Giant, the outer ring of the labyrinth, is another outstanding variety of French lavender. In the innermost circle of the labyrinth, we have just started replacing the Royal Velvet with Gros Bleu, an amazing French lavender with beautiful long dark purple spikes that make beautifully decorative bundles. Our current favorite! Right now in the nursery, we have Grosso, Provence, Gros Bleu, and Hidcote Giant available. Order online here.
Pollinator-Friendly Perennials
Blooming perennials create a spectacular and welcoming environment for all types of pollinators, from honey bees to native bees to hummingbirds. We recommend creating a garden that has bloom most of the growing season, especially during the dry months where pollinators are reliant primarily on gardens for sustenance. Right now, we have Purple Coneflower, Frikart’s Aster, several varieties of Agastache, Gaillardia, New Gold Lantana, Verbena lilacina (Cedros Island Verbena), Indian Summer Rudbeckia, Bee Balm, several varieties of Catmint, Hot Lips Salvia, Indigo Spires Salvia, several varieties of Yarrow, several varieties of Germander, and Passionflower Vines available. Order online here.
California Natives
Native plants are adapted to the local climate, soil, and ecosystems, making them resilient, waterwise, and low-maintenance. They provide essential habitats and food sources for native pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds. Right now, we have California Buckwheat, several varieties of Monkeyflower, California Fuschia ‘Catalina’, Western Goldenrod, and two varieties of Coyote Mint. Order online here.
Trees and Shrubs
We also have a few pollinator-friendly trees and shrubs available, including American Beautyberry, Butterfly Bush, and some young Red-Flowering Gum trees. The bees LOVE these fast-growing trees, which bloom in late summer with clusters of red or orange flowers. Reaching only about 20-25 ft tall at full height, these trees make a lovely addition to a pollinator garden. Order trees and shrubs here. We also have Triple Crown Blackberry bushes—thornless and super-productive! Order Online here.
Tour the Flower Gardens
West of the Lavender Labyrinth are the flower gardens, where we have planted many of the varieties of pollinator-friendly plants that we sell in the nursery. It’s a great place to discover new plants for your own landscape design, as well as watch the pollinators at work. We invite you to walk around to get some ideas for your own gardens! Put the fall plant sale on your calendar!
See you on the farm!
