I love Villosa Lilacs. I think they are a best kept secret. At my place, I have found that the Villosa Lilacs grew faster and thicker that the common lilacs. And they bloomed at an earlier age. Now, at my place, I have a few variety of lilacs planted right next to each other- same age, same planting. I can fairly easily tell the Villosa from the others.
If you’ve lived in this corner of the world for more than a week, you know the old saying: If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. But even for us seasoned South Dakotans, this winter has been—for lack of a better word—wonky. As I sit here in the nursery office, AKA the living…
Winter Warriors: Essential Plant Care for Your Black Hills Garden As the crisp air settles in and the first dusting of snow graces the peaks around the Black Hills, the gardening season officially shifts gears. For those of us living in this unique landscape (USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4b to 5a, generally), winter doesn’t mean…
I know I say this all the time, but it’s true. I love walking around the nursery and my property and seeing all my plants and seeing what is still asleep and who might need a drink and just what everybody is doing. The Japanese Magnolias (both Ann and Jane) are just forming blooms.
If you’ve been scrolling through my 2026 catalog or visited the nursery last year, you might have noticed something a bit “wonky” about one of our favorite shrubs. It’s a question I get every single season: “If this is called ‘Java Red,’ why are the flowers so… pink?” It’s a fair question! In the world…
