Has Our Catalog Reached You Yet?

        We mailed our brand-new catalog July 2. Woo-hoo!
        So, even though bulk mail can be painfully slow, it should be in your mailbox soon — if you've bought bulbs from us in the past two years or paid for our catalog any time since last October. (And if you haven't, why not order one now?)
        If you don't have yours by Wednesday, July 25 (Tuesdays are big bulk-delivery days), give us a call and we'll send you another right away.

Can't Wait? Everything's Online Now, Including 29 New Treasures!

Rain Lilies for Elizabeth Lawrence's Grave

        This past May we were proud to be a small part of a ceremony honoring Elizabeth Lawrence, patron saint of Southern gardening and one of America's most revered garden writers. At the 25th annual meeting of the Southern Garden History Society, members made a pilgrimage to Lawrence's unadorned grave in a colonial churchyard outside Annapolis where they planted white rain lilies we had donated for the occasion. Lawrence grew these tiny flowers and wrote about them in her classic A Southern Garden. In the right spot, they multiply happily into a permanent, ever more beautiful display. With Miss Lawrence looking on, we're sure these will thrive.
        Efforts are currently underway to save Lawrence's house and garden in Charlotte, NC. To learn more or help, visit www.elizabethlawrence.org .

What's Eating My Dahlias?

        We're always learning from our customers, and several recent calls for help led us to a small pest that's new to us — and which you may find attacking your dahlias, too. It's called the potato leaf hopper, and apparently it's enjoying a boom this year. It feeds on some 200 plants, including dahlias (which do seem a lot like potatoes). To learn more, check out http://ipm.ncsu.edu/AG136/leafhop1.html .

Save Water: July is Smart Irrigation Month

        July is a peak month for watering, so it's a good time to think about using water wisely. Here are some tips from the Irrigation Association:
        "Water only when needed. Saturate root zones and let the soil dry. Watering too much and too often results in shallow roots, weed growth, disease and fungus.
        "Consider drip irrigation which allows water to seep into the soil, minimizing runoff and putting moisture at the root zone where plants can use it.
        "Water when the sun is low or down, winds are calm, and temperatures are cool to reduce evaporation." Mid-day watering can waste up to 30%!
        For more, click on "Fast Tips" at www.smartirrigationmonth.org.
       (Our sympathies to our friends in Texas and Oklahoma. We know the last thing you need right now is watering advice.)

Book of the Month: Scott’s "Best Books" List Is Now Online

        To make our website an even better resource for everyone who cares about historic plants and gardens, we recently added a recommended reading list. It’s called "Best Books for Antique Gardeners" and as Scott explains it’s his "short list for beginners, drawn from 25 years of studying historic landscapes and plants." The books are divided into four sections: American Garden History, Researching and Restoring Landscapes, Historic Plants, and Reprinted Works.
        Summer is for reading (and garden projects), so give it a look at www.oldhousegardens.com/BestBooks.asp. And if there’s a book or two you think we ought to add to the list, please email us!

Bad News for Tulip Lovers: Euro at All-time High

        Once again we managed to hold the line and even reduce prices for many bulbs in this year's catalog. Unfortunately, we also ended up raising more prices than we'd like, mainly for varieties grown in the Netherlands where the euro continues to soar. Not so many years ago the euro was worth about $.85, but as the Associated Press reported just last week, "The euro shot to an all-time high against the US dollar Tuesday, [reaching] $1.3738, its highest level since the 13-nation currency started trading in 1999."

Your Garden Memories: Popping Balsam Pods

        Our good customer Rita Rzeszutko of Orland Park, Illinois, writes:
       "When I was a little girl, I loved my grandmother's Chicago garden. She really had a green thumb and tried to save as many seeds as she could. One plant that she never collected seeds from was the pretty little balsam plant, the annual with the green pods that pop when the seeds are ready. The reason was my brother and I would pop them before my grandmother could get to them. It was great fun for us, and guess what? The plants still re-bloomed every year because even though we didn't realize it we were actually helping the planting process!"

Our Customers' Kind Words of the Month

        At GardenWatchdog.com recently, Maggie Brown of Ridge, NY, wrote:
        "I planted bulbs from OHG when I lived in Maine and the cut flowers were ALWAYS the talk of my officemates. Then I moved to New York. Sigh.
        "Let me just say that getting a box of bulbs to plant from OHG has made the transition so much more enjoyable! What a great group — and who can beat a personal note from the owner himself?!?
        "Say it with me: Yay for old bulbs! Yay for Old House Gardens! Keep the bulbs of old alive — bring horticultural history to a garden near you!

Did You Miss Our Last Newsletter? Read It Online!

        June's articles included idiot-friendly bulbs, vintage garden books, "Mardi Gras lilies," family news, hollyhock dolls, and more. You can read all 62 of our back-issues at http://oldhousegardens.com/newsArchive.asp .

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