Plants from Endless Summer and First Editions
For anyone passionate about gardening, it's always so rewarding to plant new specimens and watch them flourish.
Recently, I received a large delivery from the First Editions and Endless Summer Collections by Bailey Nurseries in St. Paul, Minnesota. These plants will be stored in a fenced in area where they can be properly maintained until they are added to existing gardens and borders around my farm. This grouping of plants includes several varieties of hydrangea, cotoneaster, ninebark, birch trees, lilacs, shrub roses, and others.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
- It’s always so exciting when a delivery of plants arrives at the farm. As a serious and curious gardener, I am always looking for ways to add more beauty and texture to my garden beds.
- Here’s Ryan transporting a selection of Parkland Pillar® Betula platyphylla ‘Jefpark’ – a beautiful birch tree variety with a narrow, upright, dense habit. It features white bark and dense, dark green foliage that turns a beautiful gold in late fall.
- Pete and Phurba from my hardworking outdoor grounds crew unload every palette carefully. They learn a lot from all the different plants I add to my gardens.
- Right away, the plants are placed in organized rows according to type so they are easy to see, count, water, feed, and access when it is time to plant.
- Many in this collection are hydrangeas. Hydrangea, commonly named the hortensia, is a genus of more than 70 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. Hydrangea flowers bloom from early spring to late autumn. This lush green variety is Endless Summer ‘Twist-n-Shout®.’ It has lacecap flowers that bloom in deep pink or periwinkle blue.
- These First Editions Little Hottie® panicle hydrangeas are in such excellent condition. They have white flowers that bloom from late summer to early fall on shrubs that grow three to five feet tall and wide.
- Endless Summer® The Original Reblooming Hydrangea is a mophead hydrangea with the classic blue or soft pink flowers, depending on one’s soil pH. The Original Hydrangea was the first to bloom both on the previous year’s branches as well as the new season’s growth.
- Ryan brings in another variety. The Endless Summer® Blushing Bride Hydrangea is a bigleaf hydrangea that was introduced in 2006. It features large, mophead flowers that bloom repeatedly from late spring through fall.
- DreamCloud® Reblooming Hydrangea has bright white blooms that cover the plant and then age to deep pink in certain climates.
- First Editions Eclipse® Hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmacseven,’ is the first true dark-leaf mophead hydrangea. It shows off season-long dark purple leaves that hold their color, even in warm climates. The striking foliage, paired with gorgeous cranberry-colored blooms are striking in any space.
- Lotty’s Love® Rose is an ever-blooming rugosa rose that has beetroot purple, semi-double, cup-shaped blooms that have a strong cinnamon fragrance.
- The Easy Elegance Champagne Wishes rose, Rosa ‘BAIcham’, has clusters of soft apricot blooms that fade to white and contrast beautifully with dark green foliage.
- Many may recognize the foliage of arborvitae. This is Technito arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis ‘BailJohn.’ This plant has attractive dark green color that stays through winter. It grows up to 10 feet tall and five feet wide.
- Little Lady™ Lilac blooms in late spring when dark pink buds open to lilac pink fragrant flowers. Its mature size is four to five feet tall and wide.
- Pinktini™ Lilac is a cold and drought tolerant shrub perfect for small spaces, reaching just three to four feet tall and three to four feet wide at maturity. Rich pink flowers bloom from late May through early June.
- Here’s Jimmy transporting more potted plants into the enclosure. When buying plants in large numbers, be sure to know your garden’s climate zone, soil type, and timeline for planting. It’s also important to plan how many plants are needed for the space. And always shop at reputable nurseries where staff can help answer questions.
- Physocarpus, commonly called ninebark, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to North America and northeastern Asia. Ninebarks are large shrubs that grow to about 10 feet tall and wide. They get their common name from the bark, which sheds in reddish-brown strips. This one is Spicy Devil Ninebark with a fiery combination of orange and yellow leaves that mature to a vibrant reddish-purple.
- In comparison, this is Lucky Devil Ninebark with vibrant, bright yellow leaves that hold their color even in full sun. In the spring, white flowers provide contrast to the leaves, and in the fall, orange leaves stand out.
- Autumn Inferno™ Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster ‘Bronfire,’ shows clean foliage all season long. It forms small red berries in fall that stay on the branches until visiting birds enjoy them.
- Early in the season, Spring Fling® Forsythia provides an explosion of yellow flowers that covers the plant from top to bottom. Maturing up to six feet tall and wide, Spring Fling® is perfect as a back-of-garden border, hedge, or foundational plant. Growing best in full sun, Spring Fling® is not picky about soil type and can be planted almost anywhere.
- Planting season is now in full swing. I hope these plants inspire you to try something new in your garden.









