Home : Previous Specials

Here is a selection of our previous weekly specials. Please email me at barry@sunfarm.com to inquire about current availability. Ordering couldn't be easier! Just download and print our order form and send it along with your check to: Internet Order Department Sunshine Farm & Gardens HC 67 Box 539 B Renick WV 24966 USA Allium tuberosum Late Summer, early Autumn is a time of year when there isn't much of anything going on in most gardens, so permit me to introduce you to one of my favorite "Shade Brighteners", Allium tuberosum. I've been growing this reliable plant for over 20 years now and that period of time encompasses many droughts and several bitter, well below zero, no snow cover Winters. The 12" - 24" tall, erect stems have never failed to yield a bounty of large, round, snow white flower heads that last for weeks. I have it growing in full sun, as well as in full shade and it doesn't seem to have any preferences as far as light or soil type goes. [More...] Arisaema_triphyllum You remember "Jack" from those walks in the woods with your grandfather, those really intriguing, curious flowers that nobody seemed to understand. Arisaema triphyllum, aka "Jack in the Pulpit" is one of the most mystical native plants that I've ever grown. There's nothing like a colony of these guys in the shade garden to stimulate conversation, considering their large Philodendron like leaves (They're in the same family - Araceae), the magical flowers and the dark red seed heads that form in early to mid-Autumn. Not many other plants give you so many seasons of interest. [More...] Aster divaricatus Snowstorm in September -- that's what your shade garden will look like when you plant a drift of the very easy to grow, reliable native woodland Aster, Aster divaricatus. The glistening, pure white snowflake shaped flowers have bright yellow centers that fade to a deep rich burgundy as they slowly age over their long, long bloom period during late August through mid October. Here's one of my very favorite plants for interest at a time of year when there isn't much happening in the garden. [More...] Camassia scilloides Exceptionally rare! But... exceptionally easy to grow, and exceptionally rewarding. Camassia scilloides may just be one of the very rarest plants that I've ever grown, but it's also one of the easiest. Native to almost every state east of the Rocky Mountains, I can't imagine a climate where it wouldn't thrive in an average to well drained, shady to dappled sunlight spot in the garden. [More...] Claytonia sibirica The commonly spoken name for plants in the genus Claytonia is "Spring Beauty", and with good reason. The species in this genus are know for their early Spring flowers and also for a very brief display and an ephemeral nature. Then along comes Claytonia sibirica, the Russian cousin to our native Claytonia virginica and Claytonia caroliniana. Not only is Claytonia sibirica a long bloomer in the Spring, but it blooms off and on all Summer and Autumn. The foliage stays with us the gardening season long. An easy to grow perennial for the shade garden, it also seeds itself into a dramatic colony in just a year or two. The foliage is thick, supple and seems almost succulent. Five white notched petals on each flower are tinged with a pinkish lavender striping that emanates a soft glow for weeks. [More...] Clintonia umbellulata Even if Clintonia umbellulata didn't have pure white globular umbels of long lasting flowers with the cutest little green dots at the tip of each petal, the lush, thick, supple, tropical looking, orchid like foliage would be enough to satisfy the desires of even the most demanding of gardeners. [More...] Crocosmia 'Elizabethan Gardens' Crocosmia is a small genus of perennial species in Iridaceae, the Iris family. They're primarily native to grasslands of the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. The name Crocosmia is derived from the Greek words krokos (saffron) and osme (smell), referring to the saffron-like scent when dried flowers are dipped in water. [More...] Claytonia virginica I've really never been a big fan of "Common Names" for plants, but every once in a while, one really hits the nail on the head and "Spring Beauty" is a resoundingly perfect tribute to Claytonia virginica, the earliest of the early, ephemeral Spring wildflowers. Claytonia virginica is native to over half of the US and to several provinces in Canada - http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CLVI3 . It's one of our most beloved harbingers of Spring with its dark green, supple, almost succulent foliage and five petaled white flowers with soft pink veining. [More...] Dentaria laciniata That's only two of the complimentary adjectives that spontaneously pop into my mind and best describe our beloved, native Dentaria laciniata, one of the earliest plants to flower in the Spring. Known to legions of wildflower lovers worldwide as "Cutleaf Toothwort", the bloom can be so prolific that the ground seems carpeted by snowfall when the long lasting white flowers open. [More...] Diphylleia cymosa Diphylleia cymosa is one of the most striking plants I've ever grown. Native to 5 southeastern states it seems to be hardy in all 50. The common name of "American Umbrella Leaf" is quite apropos as her beautifully scalloped leaves can grow up to 24" and provide a dry spot for all the little critters that seek refuge in your garden during a rainstorm, hence the umbrella reference. [More...] Dodecatheon meadia Meteoric!! Well, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but "Shooting Stars" is the common name for Dodecatheon meadia and you really don't have to stretch your imagination too far to see how folks arrived at that moniker. Here's a very unusual, easy to grow early Spring ephemeral wildflower that's native to 27 states east of the Mississippi, yet will find itself happy and at home just about anywhere. Dodecatheon meadia is a member of the Primula family, closely related to Cyclamen and Primrose. [More...] Erythronium americanum I still haven't figured out the origins of the four most popular "Common Names" for Erythronium americanum, "Dog Tooth Violet", "Fawn Lily", "Trout Lily" and "Adder's Tongue". Hell, I don't even know what an "Adder" is! However, I have an inkling that the name "Trout Lily" has something to do with the colorful marbling of the foliage resembling the markings on a trout. Or perhaps the way the pendulous flowers hang resembling a canine's uppers? In any case, here's a plant that everyone needs to have in their garden. One of the first flowers to bloom in a long series of native ephemeral wildflowers, Erythronium americanum lights up the garden with its curious, pendulous, bright yellow, long lasting flowers.  [More...] Euphorbia 'Jessie' Euphorbia 'Jessie' is the first plant that I've felt was worthy of patenting. She's an interspecific Euphorbia hybrid, a cross between E. griffithii and E. polychroma and she brings the best qualities of both her parents into a dramatic 48" to 60" plant. I'm zone 5 here and we know she's hardy here for the last 7 years. I'd venture a guess that she'll grow well in any state of the US. As far as heat tolerance, my friend Jimmy Turner at the Dallas Arboretum in Dallas TX reported that she didn't blink an eye in 100 degree sun with 100 % RH, now that's one tough plant. I grow her in full sun and the height is over 6 feet. In shade, you can expect 4 feet to 5 feet. A mature clump can be up to 3 feet in diameter. Bloom time is the entire month of June here and it's now August and the plants all still look great. [More...] Galtonia candicans I don't know why this extremely hardy, bulbous perennial from South Africa isn't in everyone's garden. A lovely, deer-proof member of the Hyacinth family and formerly a member of the Lily family, Galtonia candicans has been at home in my gardens for over 20 years and seems to uncannily coordinate the commencement of its long bloom period with the Summer Solstice, almost to the day. I have it growing in full shade and in full sun, in average soil, in dry soil and in moist soil. It seems to do equally well in all of the aforementioned locations and conditions although it grows noticeably taller in full sun. [More...] Gladiolus 'Boone' I LOVE apricots, but I've NEVER seen an apricot-colored flower until I saw Gladiolus 'Boone'. This unusual plant has been the cornerstone of my cut flower garden for over a decade now. It was discovered by Jeff Owen, a County Extension Agent in Avery County, NC at an abandoned homestead in Boone NC, and given to Dick Bir, the native woody plant guru and author of "Growing and Propagating Showy Native Woody Plants". [More...] Helleborus x hybridus 'Sunshine Selections' No matter where you live, whether you make your home in the snowy American Heartland, warm subtropical Florida, the frozen mountains of Maine, sunny southern California, or the moist Pacific Northwest, you can grow flowers like these in your own backyard. Even if you believe that you're cursed with a "Black Thumb", you will succeed. That's how easy they are. Not only will they grace your table with beautiful cut flowers, they'll provide color in your landscape at a time when there virtually is none. And....they're such long lived perennials that they'll still be thriving when they plant you in the ground. [More...] The "Other" Hellebores Discover Helleborus foetidus, the pure species, plus Helleborus foetidus'Miss Jekyll', 'Silvertooth', 'Sopron', 'Frenchy'. Poor, poor Hellebore foetidus! Their common name, "The Stinking Hellebore", has caused them to be overlooked as the fantastic garden plants that they are. This incredibly variable species has the most graceful palmate foliage of any of the species within the genus Helleborus and are very easy to grow. Hellebore foetidus is hardy in every state of the U.S. and are perhaps the hardiest of all Hellebores. In most areas, a couple hours of sun are appreciated and only in the deep South do they require full shade. [More...] Hemerocallis thunbergii Imagine a daylily 84" tall. That's 7 feet! And imagine one that has sturdy flower stems with brilliant yellow flowers and an intense sweet fragrance. Well, imagine no more, because it exists. I'm describing Hemerocallis thunbergii, a native of Japan, and an essential, worthwhile addition to any perennial garden. As with most Hemerocallis, this is quite the easy plant to grow. I grow it in full sun and it makes a 24" -36" wide clump in just a couple of years. [More...] Hepatica acutiloba I've been breeding and selecting Hepatica acutiloba and Hepatica americana for the last eight years now, specifically for silvery marbled foliage. In the process, I've accumulated a very large stock of lovely, white flowered Hepatica acutiloba with medium green foliage. Hepaticas are one of the most reliable, durable, desirable and perennial early Spring native wildflowers. [More...] Hydrastis canadensis Golden will be the first word to enter your mind when you see the roots, rhizomes and dormant buds of Hydrastis canadensis. You'll understand immediately why the common name is "Goldenseal".  This very useful native woodland plant will not only charm and entertain you Spring, Summer and Autumn, it can even heal you. [More...] Hypoxis hirsuta There aren't very many plants that would conjure up the use of the adjective "adorable" to describe them, but in this case I deem it justifiable. Put on your sunglasses!!! "Yellow Star Grass" is a VERY appropriate name for Hypoxis hirsuta, although the yellow color of the flowers is so brilliant, you may want to call it "Golden Star Grass".  [More...] Iris verna Iris verna is one of my very favorite spring wildflowers. I so look forward to the bright, bold yet delicate three dimensional blooms held tightly against the plant. The vivid colors stand out from a great distance and draw you ever closer. Being a very vigorous clump forming, long lived perennial, you never have to fret about it becoming a nuisance in the garden. [More...] Jeffersonia diphylla Jeffersonia diphylla is an early blooming, long lived, shade perennial that's extremely hardy and very easy to grow in virtually any climate. One glance at the image and you'll instantly understand why the common name is "Twinleaf". At maturity, the height is 12" - 24". Its spread can be up to 24" and its imposing stature is almost shrublike. The pure white flowers are about an inch across and although very ephemeral, they are produced in abundance and make a striking display. [More...] Kniphofia thompsonii snowdenii The genus Kniphofia is primarily a South African native, but they're easy to grow in virtually any location in the U.S. There are many named hybrid cultivars of Kniphofia available on the market and most of those commercially available are cultivars of Kniphofia uvaria. Kniphofia thompsonii snowdenii, in addition to being extremely hardy, is very rhizomatous and in a year or two, you'll have an attractive, large clump that produces multiple flowering stems. The pendulous, tubular 1-2" flowers on 12-36" rigid stems make GREAT cut flowers as they open slowly over their long flowering period in early to mid Summer. [More...] Lamiastrum galeobdolon 'Herman's Pride' I wish I knew who Herman was to thank him for this fantastic groundcover. Formerly in the genus Lamium, but moved to the monotypic genus Lamiastrum, Lamiastrum galeobdolon 'Herman's Pride' may be a mouthful to pronounce but it's an extremely useful groundcover. Even when not covered for weeks in brilliant canary yellow flowers, its silvery variegated foliage illuminates the shadiest of areas. [More...] Lilium superbum The specific epithet for Lilium superbum is one of the most appropriate I've encountered - SUPERB, as the images below will speak for themselves without any embellishment from me. Just about the entire eastern half of the US is home to natural populations of this plant - http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LISU but there isn't a garden anywhere in the world where this beauty wouldn't find itself happy to grow. [More...] Maianthemum canadense Maianthemum canadense is one of my all-time favorite native groundcovers. It forms a dense mat of glossy green foliage that emerges through the leaf litter in my garden very early in the spring. Even after the long flowering period, the foliage is persistent the growing season long. Maianthemum canadense spreads by underground runners (stolons) to quickly form a natural colony. I would never consider it invasive or even aggressive. [More...] Meehania cordata When Thomas Meehan, a Philadelphia Botanist, died in 1901, I'm sure he went to the big forest in the sky feeling proud that Nathaniel Lord Britton (1859-1934), named a genus of plants in his honor. I'd also bet that he didn't now how wonderful his namesake plant was. [More...] Mertensia virginica America's favorite wildflower is sound asleep right now, tucked in under a lovely white blanket of snow, my favorite mulch. But before you know it, the snow will melt, the ground will warm and tight little purplish-green buds of Mertensia virginica will be pushing their way up towards the heavens. These buds gently unfold into 12" - 24" medium green stems over the following week or two and reveal clusters of pinkish-blue, pendulous flower buds that burst open into the softest, pastel blue flowers. As the flowers age, they ever so slowly and magically turn a subtle shade of light pink. [More...] Mitchella repens And a partridge in a pear tree... Forgive me for borrowing a line from that little ditty that some wily Jesuit priests penned in the 16th century, but I couldn't think of a more clever way to introduce you to Mitchella repens, aka "Partridge Berry". Yes, it's only the middle of November, not even Thanksgiving yet, but already my local Walmart has rolled out the Christmas decorations. [More...] Ophiopogon planiscapus nigrescens Often referred to as "Black Mondo Grass", this cool little plant is actually a member of the Lily family and not a grass at all. I've been growing it for over 15 years now here in zone 5, although many of the books say it's hardy only to zone 7. [More...] Osmunda claytoniana My Very Favorite Fern. I love all ferns, but pressed to come up with a favorite, I'd have to say that it's Osmunda claytoniana, the "Interrupted Fern". This extremely easy to grow native fern makes up one third of the US Osmunda family. Osmunda claytoniana is easily grown in medium to moist, even wet soils in part shade to full shade. In its native habitats, it usually is found in moist, rich, humusy, acidic soils, but happily adapts to much lesser conditions. [More...] Pachysandra procumbens In most cases, I've discovered the Asian counterpart of our native plants to be much showier, more robust and, in many instances, more floriferous than our native species. Take Claytonia for example. Our native Claytonia virginica and Claytonia caroliniana are very early, beautiful little plants. However, although their flowers are lovely, they're very small and the entire plant is extremely ephemeral. On the other hand, Claytonia Sibirica has thicker, more deeply veined foliage and it flowers for months. One major exception to this rule is Pachysandra procumbens. It's an East Coast member of the Buxaceae (Boxwood) family and is commonly referred to as "Allegheny Spurge". This plant is superior to the more commonly used (Asian) Pachysandra terminalis in virtually every respect. [More...] Phlox paniculata 'Jeana' I guess you could say that I have a Love/Hate relationship with Phlox paniculata . That was until my friend, Jeana Pruitt emerged from a colony of over 100,000 Phlox paniculata near her home in Nashville TN with one plant that she deemed to be radically different than all the rest. And... after growing her Phlox for over 10 years, this skeptical, yet optimistic gardener is unequivocally convinced that this is the best selection of Phlox paniculata EVER!!! [More...] Phlox stolonifera Phlox stolonifera carpets the earth in a particularly colorless area in my shade borders. During the several weeks that it's in bloom, the brilliant clouds of magenta light up the woods. In the wild, her flower color can be very variable, from white to a light violet blue to a deep cerise and every shade in betwixt and between. My chosen selection (shown) falls somewhere in the middle of that grand color scheme. There are also several named cultivars. [More...] Polystichum acrostichoides It's time that you heard more about what is most likely the most indestructible fern in the world, the "Christmas Fern". Known in botanical circles as Polystichum acrostichoides, here's an evergreen native fern that can take almost anything you can throw at it. This is a native fern that can be found growing naturally in every state east of the Rocky Mountains. [More...] Primula japonica The plant family Primulaceae is home to many genera (plural of the word genus) of plants. The most well known, of course, is the genus Primula, commonly known as "Primroses". Too many people think of the annual primrose that you buy at Walmart, Primula obconica, when they hear the word Primrose. Truth be told, most Primroses are long-lived perennials. The genus Primula is separated into 18 sections. The plant I'm singing the praises of today, Primula japonica, is in the Proliferae, or "Candelabra" section, so named for its flower form. [More...] Ruellia humilis "Wild Petunia" is the common name for a genus of plants in the Acanthaceae family known as Ruellia. The charming plant pictured below is Ruellia humilis, a very easy to grow, native, flowering perennial. It can be found growing wild in exactly half of the states in the US - http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RUHU The specific epithet "humilis" refers to the low growing habit of the plant. In that respect, I've used this colorful, long flowering plant as a ground cover. The deer pay no mind to it, and it can take full sun to full shade quite well. I grow Ruellia in average soil but have trialed it in various conditions and the only habitat this plant seems to object to is wet soil. [More...] Sanguinaria canadensis Yes, the common name for our beloved Sanguinaria canadensis is "Bloodroot". This makes perfect sense as a break in the surface of the plant, especially the roots, reveals a reddish, bloodlike sap. The plant was once used as a dye and for an herbal remedy by early Native Americans. Sanguinaria canadensis is native to every state in the US and to every province of Canada east of the Rockies. Consequently, it's considered hardy down to Zone 3. [More...] Saruma henryi Seems like the taxonomists that were assigned to name a rare plant discovery from China were either bored, suffered a lack of imagination, were just plain lazy or had a brilliant sense of humor. Whatever the case may be and "A rose by any other yada yada yada", what we have here is a superb garden plant. I've enjoyed Saruma henryi in my garden for about 12 years now and season after season, it never fails to impress all who behold it. [More...] Solidago caesia Solidago caesia happens to be one of my very favorite Autumn blooming perennials. The bright, Primrose yellow brilliance of its unusual zig-zag, axillary, long lasting flower heads never fail to garner praise from garden visitors. One of the most commonly asked questions, after I answer the "WOW...what is that?" question is "Doesn't it make you sneeze?" Poor, poor Goldenrod, taking the heat for Ambrosia artemisiifolia just because it coincidentally shares the same window of time in flowering. Ambrosia artemisiifolia is the dreaded allergen, "Ragweed!" Goldenrod pollen DOES NOT cause an allergic reaction. [More...] Trillium cuneatum Despite their exotic, magical, mystical appearance, most Trilliums are quite easy to grow and Trillium cuneatum is no exception. There are at least one or more Trillium species native to every state in the US but four. I've been growing and propagating many species of Trillium over the last 38 years and the only one that I wouldn't recommend for the average gardener is the lovely [More...] Back to top.