My visit to the Lyman Estate perennial sale
I went to the Lyman Estate perennial sale today with Robert Mussey, who took these photos. The Estate at 185 Lyman Street, Waltham, is owned by Historic New England (SPNEA). The sale continues tomorrow, 10 a.m.-4p.m. and I highly recommend it for two reasons.
First, the selection of perennials is choice. I bought a highly sought after ornamental oregano, Origanum rotundifolium 'Kent Beauty,' which I have wanted ever since it graced the cover of Horticulture magazine. But I've never seen it for sale before today. And for less than $4! I also bought a Berggarten culinary sage, (another plant your rarely find for sale), which I hope will be more reliably perennial for me than most sages, a lupine and a divinely scented Thai basil. All in all I was quite impressed with the selection of really good plants which included many wildflowers and herbs.
The other reason you should go is because the greenhouses, which include the nation's oldest, are in the best shape I have ever seen them in. Once kind of run down and buggy, they are now immaculate and filled with gorgeous fragrant greenhouse plants, thanks to many years of hard work by SPNEA Horticulturalist Lynn Ackerman and her crew. And the sculptures and antique art, including the cherubs below, make this historic greenhouse complex dating from the 18th century a charming destination for visiting out of town relatives (if they like plants and history).
The greenhouses are open regularly Wednesday through Saturday, and there's usually someone there on Monday and Tuesday each week as well.
There are always plants for sale in the greenhouse but there are also six special sales a year. The next one after this weekend will be June 19-21. It's the Hosta Sale, with thousands of plants available in creams, golds, blues and mixes.
For more information visit www.HistoricNewEngland.org.
What to do in the garden this week:
Visit nurseries and plant sales while selection is good for tender herbs, annuals and vegetables to plant in the garden and in containers. It is now safe to buy those gorgeous hanging baskets of flowering annuals without worrying about frost.
Comment
Permalink
E-mail
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Carol Stocker has been writing about gardening for the Boston Globe for 30 years. She has won the top newspaper writing award of the Garden Writer's Association of American three times. Her newest book is "The Boston Globe Illustrated New England Gardening Almanac."
I thought this sale was mediocre at best. I was excited to see what they were going to offer, but wasn't impressed. Perhaps I was expecting more?