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Gardeners' Dirt: Fall Master Gardener Plant Sale Saturday

  • Photo by Lupe Cook/Victoria County Master Gardener •
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Turk's cap
  • By Beth Ellis - Victoria County Master Gardener Edited by Charla Borchers Leon
  • Originally published October 13, 2011 at midnight, updated October 13, 2011 at 4:45 p.m.

  • Turk'S Cap Featured Plant Of Sale

  • Native Texas Superstar plant

    Blooms face up; usually less than 2 inches long

    Five petals on bloom swirl tightly like a turban

    Attracts pollinators, especially hummingbirds

    Can be planted spring, summer or fall

    Blooms ...

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  • IF YOU GO

  • When: Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m (or until sold out)

    Where: VEG Pavilion, 283 Bachelor Drive, Victoria Regional Airport

The Victoria County Master Gardener Association fall plant sale is here. The sale is Saturday at the Master Gardener VEG pavilion, 283 Bachelor Drive, at Victoria Regional Airport, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or until the plants are sold out). We've got lots of plants to add to your fall landscape, and by planting now, you will give your new floral treasures time to become established before next summer's heat.

So whether you are looking for trees, shrubs or perennials, we've got 'em. Below is a sampling of what you can expect to find at the sale.

TREES

Pecan - Everybody needs to have the state tree of Texas growing in their own yard. Not only does it show your Texas pride, but also you also get to harvest your own pecans. Our little trees were planted several months ago, so they are well established in pots and ready for transplanting.

Bur Oak - Bur oaks are large, drought-tolerant trees, they like our alkaline soils, and are very long-lived. Open spreading crowns provide perfect sun/shade conditions for flowerbeds planted underneath.

Golden Rain Tree - Want some eye-popping fall color? Then golden rain trees are for you. During late spring, the dark, green leaf canopy is decorated with bright yellow 12-inch long flower spikes, followed by ornamental reddish-brown seed pods. During fall months, the foliage turns brilliant gold. What's not to love?

SHRUBS

Green Cloud Sage - This variety of cenizo has beautiful green foliage and lavender-purple blooms. It grows more vigorously than other varieties, and can reach 6 to 8 feet in height.

Dwarf Pomegranate "Nana" - This lovely shrub matures at about 5 feet. Densely branched, it produces single, vivid red-orange flowers in summer, followed by ornamental fruits in fall. This versatile shrub can be used in the landscape or in pots and works well for bonsai.

Compact Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - This fine evergreen shrub has fragrant spring flowers and tops out at four feet. The charming name reflects the changing colors of individual blooms as they age - yesterday (deep purple), today (lavender), and tomorrow (white).

Pink Abelia "Edward Groucher" - This shrub is a butterfly magnet, with lovely, fragrant pink flowers covering graceful arching branches in summer. This semi-evergreen will grow from 3 to 5 feet in height.

Scarlet Bottlebrush - This hummingbird and butterfly favorite can be left "as is" or pruned into tree form. It will grow 10 to 15 feet tall and produce masses of scarlet bottlebrush shaped flowers that appear from spring through summer.

Leather Leaf Mahonia - If you are looking for a striking dark green foliage plant, this one is for you. It can grow four to 6 feet in height, and the pointed leathery leaves provide striking contrast to golden yellow blossoms that appear in spring. The ornamental blue grape-like fruit clusters that follow are much loved by birds.

Pride of Barbados - Who hasn't noticed this showy beauty growing in our area? Its open growth, vivid orange/yellow blooms, and ease of care make it a favorite of both butterflies and people.

Bush Morning Glory - Yes, this is indeed a morning glory, except it's in bush form. The heart shaped leaves frame lovely, large pink flowers. It's another butterfly and hummingbird favorite.

Turner's Flirt Oleander - A dwarf shrub, this oleander grows 6- to 8-feet tall with pink flowers.

Hardy White Oleander - An erect, open shrub with white flowers, it blooms in spring and summer.

PERENNIALS

Bleeding Heart - This shade-loving old fashioned favorite produces beautiful heart shaped blooms during spring. This is a good one for that pop of spring color in your shade garden - once finished blooming the plant will make way for later performers by going dormant until next spring. We have both the pink and purple varieties.

Blue Sage - Plant this beauty in your yard, and you'll be dodging hummingbirds and butterflies left and right. Another name for this drought tolerant plant is Black and Blue sage, reflecting the bi-color look of the flowers. It can grow up to 5 feet in height.

Butterfly Weed - Topped by orange-yellow bloom clusters, this plant is a favorite food source for the caterpillars of monarch butterflies. It has an upright growth habit with narrow lance-shaped leaves.

Butterfly Iris - The sword-shaped leaves of this vigorous perennial grow to about 2 feet. Pretty iris-like white flowers accented with gold and lavender appears atop tall stems during the spring.

Peter Pan Dwarf Lily of the Nile - This blue flowering lily is ideal for borders and rock gardens, growing 8- to 12-inches tall. Needless to say, this is only a tiny sample of what all will be available at the sale with more than 2,000 plants expected.

SO COME ON OUT TO THE PLANT SALE

Finished with your last-minute landscaping preparations - or not - head on out to the VEG pavilion Saturday morning for some fall plants. Come early for the best selections - we anticipate selling out fast.

The Gardeners' Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas AgriLife Extension - Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.