Gardens to Go: A flat of perennials that suits your garden’s needs

by Connie Oswald Stofko

Want more color throughout the season? Have a problem with deer? What native plants are good for a garden? How can you attract hummingbirds or butterflies?

There’s an easy answer to all these conundrums: Gardens to Go.

Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses in Williamsville is creating flats of perennials on different themes, such as Constant Color, Western New York Natives, Deer Resistant and Butterflies. Each flat contains 12 different varieties of plants on that theme, for a total of 48 plants.

The sale of Gardens to Go will start Monday, April 12. Information will be on Mischler’s site then.

The plants in the Gardens to Go flats are the size that you get during Mischler’s 59-cent Perennial Sale. The 59-cent Perennial Sale doesn’t begin until Friday, April 23, so Gardens to Go also give you a jump on planting.

It should be safe to install your plants as soon as you get your Garden to Go, said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s.

“It seems a little early, but I’m going by the weather,” Yadon said. “We’ve had a good spring. The ground is warmed up.”

But you never know about the weather, so check the 10-day forecast.

“Your plants might need a little frost protection if temperatures dip into the 20s (Fahrenheit), but you shouldn’t have a problem if it’s in the 30s,” he said. “Even a frost should be okay.”

With Gardens to Go, you don’t have to know Latin names of plants or even which plants to select– Mischler’s has done that for you.

For example, if you want colorful blooms from May to September, choose the Constant Color Garden to Go. The primrose and arabis will be the first to bloom. The Russian sage, heliopsis and rudbeckia are late-season bloomers. The rest of the selections in Constant Color are mid-season and they bloom for a long time. See the list below.

Some of the varieties will be exclusive to Gardens to Go; they won’t be offered in the 59-cent Perennial Sale. All of the specimens in the Gardens to Go flats will be hand selected by the staff, so you’ll get the cream of the crop.

Gardens to Go are convenient, too. Order online, then pick up your order at Mischler’s. You can also have your plants delivered in Mischler’s delivery area for a fee. Either way, there is no line and no traffic.

With Gardens to Go, you get 48 plants for $48 (plus tax).

Here’s a sneak peak at what’s planned for Gardens to Go. Varieties may vary depending on availability.

Constant Color

• Primula polyanthus ‘Supernova’ (primrose)
• Arabis ‘Spring Charm’
• Delphinium ‘Blue Butterfly’
• Coreopsis ‘Early Sunrise’ (tickseed)
• Leucanthemum superbum ‘Alaska’ (Shasta daisy)
• Veronica ‘Sightseeing Mix’ (speedwell)
• Veronica spicata ‘Blue Carpet’ (speedwell)
• Nepeta ‘Pink Cat’ (catmint)
• Penstemon barbatus ‘Dwarf Cambridge Hybrid’ (beardtongue)
• Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susans) Goldsturm
• Perovskia atripliciflora (Russian sage; color is blue)
• Heliopsis ‘Summer Sun’ (false sunflower)

Butterflies

• Liatris ‘Kobold’ (gayfeather)
• Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly flower)
• Digitalis (foxglove; Mischler’s will choose the variety)
• Coreopsis (Mischler’s will choose the variety)
• Leucanthemum (Shasta daisy; Mischler’s will choose the variety)
• Delphinium ‘Blue Butterfly’
• Kniphofia uvaria ‘Flamenco’ (red hot poker)
• Ratibida columnifera ‘Red Midget’ (Mexican hat)
• Alchmillia (lady’s mantle)
• Buddleia ‘Butterfly Hybrids’ (butterfly bush)
• Heliopsis helianthodes ‘Summer Sun’ (false sunflower)
• Veronica spicata ‘Blue Carpet’ (speedwell)

Western New York Natives

• Liatris pycnostachya (prarie blazing star)
• Rudbeckia fulgida (black-eyed Susan)
• Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)
• Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)
• Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly flower)
• Tiarella wherryi (foam flower)
• Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)
• Lobelia siphilitica (blue cardinal flower, great blue lobelia)
• Desmodium canadense (showy tick trefoil)
• Elymus virginicus (Virginia wildrye)
• Penstemon digitalis alba (beardtongue)
• Conoclinium coelestinum (mistflower)

(Correction: Two hybrid plants were listed. Rudbeckia fulgida and Lobelia cardinalis, which are natives, will be be in this flat.)

Hummingbird

• Agastache ‘Arizona Mix’ (hyssop)
• Aquilegia ‘McKana’s Giants’ (columbine)
• Buddleia ‘Butterfly Hybrids’ (butterfly bush)
• Digitalis purpurea ‘Camelot’ (Mischler’s will choose the color)
• Heuchera sanguinea ‘Firefly’ (coral bells)
• Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ (lavender)
• Lobelia cardinalis ‘Queen Victoria’ (cardinal flower)
• Malva sylvestris ‘Zebrina’ (mallow)
• Penstemon barbatus ‘Dwarf Cambridge Hybrid’ (beardtongue)
• Primula ‘Supernova’ (Mischler’s will choose the color) (primrose)
• Monarda fistulosa ‘Panorama Mix’ (bee balm)
• Veronica ‘Sightseeing Mix’ (speedwell)

Deer resistant

• Armeria ‘Splendens’ (common thrift or sea pink)
• Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly flower)
• Digitalis purpurea ‘Camelot’ (Mischler’s will choose the color)
• Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’ (coral bells)
• Lavandula ‘Munstead’ (lavender)
• Leontopodium alpinum (edelweiss)
• Liatris ‘Kobold’ (gayfeather)
• Origanum rotundiflora (ornamental oregano)
• Perovskia atripliciflora (Russian sage; color is blue)
• Primula polyanthus ‘Supernova Mix’ (primrose)
• Ratibida columnifera ‘Red Midget’ (Mexican hat)
• Juncus ‘Twister’ (rush)

Rock garden

• Agastache ‘Arizona mix’
• Arabis blepharophylla ‘Spring Charm’
• Armeria ‘Splendens’ (common thrift or sea pink)
• Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’ (lavender)
• Leontopodium alpinum (edelweiss)
• Sempervivum tectorum (hardy hens ‘n’ chicks)
• Sedum ‘Angelina’
• Sedum ‘Coral Reef’
• Sedum ‘Dragon’s Blood’
• Sedum ‘Orcale’
• Sedum ‘Silver Frost’
• Sedum mix

Shade loving

• Aquilegia ‘McKana’s Giants’ (columbine)
• Alchmillia (lady’s mantle)
• Astilbe ‘Grande’ (false goat’s beard)
• Bergenia (pig squeak)
• Digitalis ‘Camelot’ (Mischler’s will choose the color)
• Digitalis ‘Strawberry Foxglove’
• Heuchera ‘Bressingham hybrid’ (coral bells)
• Heuchera ‘Firefly’ (coral bells)
• Heuchera ‘Marvelous Marble (coral bells)
• Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ (coral bells)
• Polemonium ‘Heavenly Habit’ (Jacob’s ladder)
• Verbascum ‘Rosetta’ (mullein)