Soquel Nursery Growers
March 2008 Newsletter
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Soquel Nursery Growers 3645 North Main Street Soquel, CA 95073
(831) 475-3533 (800) 552-0802 (831) 475-1608 fax
Same Great Deals

We are pleased to announce our prices have not increased for 2008!  For 2007 prices you get the same great
quality, selection and service.  Take advantage of this great value for your plant buying needs.
Our delivery minimum is still $400 with a 3% delivery charge.
Roses are Coming
We have our 5-gallon grafted roses planted.  They are just starting to leaf and
root out. We don’t recommend planting them now, because the loose potting soil will
tear off the delicate new root hairs as it spills out of the can. Most retailers
prefer to wait to purchase roses until they are fully rooted. However, once we
advertise our roses they can sell out very quickly. We do not hold roses on reserve.
All sales are first come, first served. If we have a variety you simply must have,
you might want to buy it now and keep it in the can until it is fully rooted -
probably in April.  See our rose page for photos of the roses we are growing this
year. We have old favorites and some exciting new varieties, including rose trees.
Ajuga ‘Catlin’s Giant’


Ajuga ‘Catlin’s Giant’ has beautiful shiny dark bronze foliage
year round. In spring it has spikes of vivid blue flowers.   This
is an easy and adaptable groundcover for sun or shade. It will
spread by underground runners to form a dense mat about 1’
wide.  It can be easily controlled. In deeper shade the leaves
will be greener. For a fascinating combination of textures and
colors, plant it with Artemesia ‘Oriental Limelight’ and grey,
mossy Sedum reflexum. Ajuga ‘Catlin’s Giant’ does best with
good drainage and regular water.
Ajuga Catlin's Giant
 Artemesia 'Oriental Limelight'
 Sedum reflexum
Lithodora ‘Star’

The ever-popular Lithodora diffusa ‘Grace Ward’ has produced two new varieties, ‘Blue Star’ and
‘White Star’. We are listing them together in our catalog as Lithodora ‘Star’ until we decide which one we
like best.  ‘Blue Star’ has an electric blue star in the center and white edges.  ‘White Star’, has a white
center and blue edges. Like their parent ‘Grace Ward’, the Stars have narrow, dark green leaves and a
trailing habit to 1’ x 1’. Grow them in full sun or light shade with moderate water. This is a great plant for
a rock garden or to cascade over a retaining wall. We sold out before I could get a photograph of them.
We are growing another crop.
Thymus citrodorus aureus

Thymus citrodorus aureus or Golden Lemon Thyme has a
wonderful lemony smell and dark green leaves with bright
yellow margins. The flowers are pink. The lemon flavor is
fun to experiment with in cooking. Try it in boutonnieres or
tiny flower arrangements. Sprigs of lemon thyme hold their
shape, color and aroma beautifully when dried. Plant it with
Lithodora for a vivid contrast. Plant in full sun with low
water and good drainage.
Sisyrinchium bellum
Sisyrinchium bellum is called Blue-eyed Grass, but it is a member of the
Iris family. This starry-eyed California native is commonly seen in
meadows or near the edges of forests. Its blue-green leaves are
arranged in elegant little fans. The six-petaled blue flowers have bright
yellow centers. Sisyrinchium tolerates a wide variety of soils and
seasonal flooding. It will survive without any summer water by going
dormant. If you water it, it should stay green all year. The flowers
appear in spring and summer. Deer don’t usually eat it.
Plant in full sun or light shade.
Impatiens ‘La Vida Rosa’

We have an unusual cultivar of Impatiens oliveri called ‘La Vida Rosa’. The flowers
are large and white with a deep rosy-pink spot.  Like the common pink variety, it
blooms all year. It brightens up a shady garden with fresh-looking light green foliage.
This is a very tough and reliable shrub for coastal gardens. It grows to about 5’ x 5’.  
Impatiens oliveri is often called the  “Poor Man’s Rhododendron”.

Here’s a good combination of plants for a tropical looking shade garden with
relatively little water and care:
Impatiens 'La Vida Rosa'
 Zantedeschia aethiopica
 Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri'
Artemesia 'Oriental Limelight'
 Ligularia 'Othello'
 Bergenia cordifolia