One Sunday morning a customer came in and told me that she had recently been to a restaurant in San Francisco in which the chef cooked everything for the meal directly from the herb and flower garden. She had fallen in love with the flavor and mystery of fresh herbs and wanted to begin her own culinary herb garden here in Dallas but did not know where to begin.

My first question was, “From this meal, what were your favorite herbs?” Growing what you like to eat is a good place to start. We soon began exploring the basils, thymes and rosemarys. Basil is a great beginner herb because it grows so easily from seed or transplants and there are many varieties to choose from. North Haven Gardens now carries Renee’s Garden seeds which has a wonderful line of herb seeds. A new one to try is “Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil” which has bigger leaves and is less leggy than traditional lemon basil. Lemon Basil is also a great addition to flower arrangements in the summer, especially with zinnias. These heat lovers make great companion plants.

Another deliciously lemon herb is Lemon Thyme. My favorite has been “Variegated Lemon Thyme” which adds sparkle beneath my roses and tastes great in roasted chicken. We have a new variety however, that is sweet and flavorful called “Lemon Mist Thyme.” This low growing variety smells clean and fresh and makes a great tea. Thyme tea is good for cold season as it is reported to boost the immune system.

The herb of the year 2000 is Rosemary. Every cook should have at least one variety in their garden. North Haven Gardens has access to as many as 15 varieties of Rosemary (although all varieties may not be available at one time). The upright varieties of Rosemary such as Arp, Hill Hardy and Furneaux’s Hardy are more cold hardy. Rosemary has a strong flavor, great for pork and chicken as well as soups.

To start your own herb garden provide a well prepared bed or containers of high quality potting soil. We suggest GardenVille Potting Soil for herbs because it drains well which is a primary requirement for most herbs. For more ideas and recipes attend Herb Days at North Haven Gardens on April 8 & 9 or join us at on May 20 at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens for the 14th annual Fort Worth Herb Society Herb Festival.

That's the way my puppy saw it before I had a chance to plant my dogwood years ago. But even with a few branches missing and some teeth marks, it's still going strong. Blooming before they leaf out, the flowering Dogwood signals springtime in the south. I've always enjoyed the big white showy flowers of the Cornus florida, and now there are pink and red cultivars, too.

These beauties enjoy acidic, well drained soil with lots of compost added and protection from the afternoon sun in the summertime. But there's more choices! The Kousa Dogwood, smaller and vase shaped, has the characteristics of the traditional Dogwood with it's large flowers, but blooms later in the spring after the leaves unfurl. And the Rough-leaf Dogwood...it's a native that has clusters of small white flowers which appear after the leaves arrive, and it tolerates our alkaline soil. All the Dogwood varieties, the traditional Cornus florida, the Kousa Dogwood, and the Rough-leaf Dogwood have fruits that are attractive to birds (and the occasional puppy) and beautiful crimson fall color...such a big show in a small tree!

Many Dallas homeowners are faced with the dilemma of gardening beneath the canopy of large trees. There are several perennial options that will add color and interest to these areas.

The most common of these shade lovers is the hosta lily. Hostas come in a wide variety of colors and textures. They combine with ferns well and make a nice addition to any shade garden. North Haven offers a vast selection of hostas, over one hundred varieties. And if you need help in matching your needs and the varieties, grab one of several free hosta information sheets offered in the store.

Columbine is a delicate flowered perennial that thrives in shady areas. This is an easy to grow perennial that multiplies by re-seeding. Columbine comes in a variety of colors with the most dependable being the yellow. Columbine is a wonderful spreading perennial to highlight any shady area.

A Texas native that does well in the shade is Turk’s Cap. Turk’s Cap produces a red mallow-type flower and grows well in the sun or shade making it great for the transitional areas along the edge of the shady areas. Turk’s cap also attracts Hummingbirds well, making it one of the most versitile of the plants for the garden.

Hypericum is a shrubby perennial that does well in shady areas. Commonly known as St. Johns Wort, it has blue-green foliage with fuzzy yellow flowers in the spring and summer.

The plants that I have listed are but a sampling of those that will perform well in a shady area. North Haven carries a large selection of perennials, many of which are suited for the shade. We also carry a number of books on both shade gardening and perennial gardening that might help you in the selection of varieties for your garden. So, don’t let those large trees discourage you, North Haven has your plant solutions for a beautiful landscape.

Every year, hundreds of ornamental cultivars are introduced to the market. We at North Haven stay abreast and offer the best available.

The first introduction is the “Dragon Wing” begonia a shady, wing-shape ,leafed annual with large, red flowers. It performs well in garden beds but is also very effective in outdoor containers. Another shade loving annual is the “Stardust Mix” variety of impatiens; available in shades of rose, violet, salmon and raspberry. The brightly colored petal edges dust into a solid, star-shaped center. It is said to be an exceptional performer.

In the Petunia family, the “Madness” series welcomes a new member. Yellow Madness is offered this season and is a soft yellow color to set off the darker colors in your garden.

The “Butterfly Series” of pentas is another new offering this year. It is available in shades of blush, cherry, red, deep pink and light lavender. A wonderful sun-loving annual that grows from about 15”-20” is, as the name suggests, an important butterfly attractor.

The Mediterranean Series of Periwinkle has two, new, apricot colors to present this year; “Apricot Broadeye” (Large rose eye on a light, apricot petal) and Apricot with pink center (small pink center with light apricot petal). The above are a sampling of new and exciting plants found this first year of the new century. There will certainly be more annuals and perennials to discover this millennium.

New Perennials for 2000

by Mary Boltwood

Every gardener loves to make a new discovery. Sometimes the plants that catch your eye are truly new to horticulture. At others times you fall for the charms of heirlooms cherished by our ancestors. In either case adding something new to your garden can give it the spark that makes it really special. This year there are many exciting new perennials and herbs here at North Haven.

For variegate lovers we have three standout perennials: variegated 'Jewels of Opar', 'Desert Blaze' Salvia greggi, and variegated 'Turks Cap'. The creamy white variegation of their foliage makes these perennials showy even when they're not in bloom.

In the herb department we have 'Golden Feverfew', an heirloom with ferny golden foliage and white flowers, 'Melissa' Lavender, a new variety with unusually lovely pink and white flowers, and 'Lemon Carpet' thyme, a ground hugger that's perfect for planting between paving stones.

For shady spots we have a good new supply of the much-requested hardy ground orchid, Bletilla striata. For hosta lovers there is a new golden leafed variety 'Fried Bananas' with exceptionally large fragrant white flowers. And check out 'Crested Leopard Plant' a plant collector's dream with amazing, ruffled gray-green leaves.

These are just a few of the exciting new choices that will make shopping at North Haven an act of discovery

The Gift Corner

by Betty Hargrave

Step into North Haven and welcome spring with our dazzling new gift selections. The new look for the garden or patio is galvanized metal furniture and accessories. The collection is made up of tables, several sizes and styles, arm chairs, arm-less chairs, love seats and a cafe set. Small containers and planters complete the collection.

The blooming chair is a new artistic approach to the traditional Adirondack style garden chairs. Choose from Cone Flower, Iris, Sunflower or Tulip designs. The perfect addition for a casual garden seating area.

Beautiful ceramic containers are a popular gift item and the designs for spring are outstanding. Celadon crackle, oriental, and a collection of wooden Victorian style boxes are a few of the choices. These come in many sizes and colors.

Spring bunnies are hopping in. Made of ceramic or stone these darling styles of straw puff rabbits or a beautiful cement garden rabbit. Lettuce leaf ceramic containers with small bunnies clinging to the side top off this collection.

“Caramba” is the name of our new ceramic wind chimes. Several outstanding designs of glazed and bisque finish stars, leaves, Star-of-David and contemporary design. These are tuned very pleasantly and will add a touch of art to the patio or garden.

New spring fragrances of Bridgewater candles are Woodleaf and fern, Indian paint brush, Walk in the garden, Citrus sorbet, Lavender, Magnolia, and Gardenia join the traditional fragrances. Also, Swan Creek spring candles are Geranium, Lavender, Lemon grass, Patchouli, Rosemary and Eucalyptus tea. Fill one of the Victorian boxes with fragrant herbal and matching herb plants for an enjoyable gift.

A perfect Spring gift is a beautiful preserved wreath. These are made of herbs, lemon leaf, roses, straw flowers and statice. The wreaths are in several sizes and styles. Spring wedding and birthday gifts would be great with one of these wreaths. Wheat sconces are a beautiful accessory for the casual room.

Won’t they be surprised to see a Moose over four feet tall keeping guard on their landscape? These rust finished steel plate sculptures also come in whimsical metal butterflies, fish, birds, frogs, rabbits, and squirrels. These are outstanding gifts for the gardener who has everything.

New table-top fountains have arrived. There are many new designs in both table top and garden fountains. The sound of water is so relaxing, so plan to add one to your patio or garden this year.

And as always, the North Haven gift certificate, is always in style.