shantasia…
November 30, 2009
Happy Holidays!
Come on in and see us in our December home in Bristol village next to Almost Home Market on North Street.
Every Saturday in December we host an Open House with Almost Home, with a special Wine Tasting on Saturday, December 12th from 2-5pm to sample bubbly and sparkling Holiday Wines!
Our Christmas Shanty is filled with a wide selection of beautiful hand-made ornaments from Europe and a selection of hand-blown glass ornaments from John Chiles Glass in Cornwall, VT.
We have fresh wreaths and garlands of balsam, pine and a mix of cedar-pine-fraser in several sizes. We also have numerous loose greens for arrangements including black spruce tips, berried juniper, incense cedar, and silver fir. Also available- boxwood tree arrangements and boxwood kissing balls, amaryllis and paperwhites.
We can help you with any custom work and we’re happy to ship these Vermont wreaths for you.
We hope you have the time to stop in and enjoy this brief festive time, gather ’round the fire and share in some Holiday Cheer.
We hope you enjoyed the sounds of A French Christmas- Andre Claveau singing “Noel Sans Vous”
it’s beginning to look a lot like…
November 13, 2009
Rocky Dale has set up its Christmas Shanty next to Almost Home Market in Bristol Village. This is a tradition in the making- marking our 5th season with the Christmas Shanty this year. We decided to spruce it up with a new paint job.
Kathy touches up our paint job- her theme for the Shanty this year- “Shantasia”.
We have great Amaryllis that we’ve started forcing in eco-friendly rice pots. They’ll be available for purchase inside Almost Home Market.
We create a number of floral pieces from small boxwood trees, to an assortment of greens and berries arrangements. We use a number of greens from our own garden.
Each wreath is unique. We start with a fresh wreath assembled from balsam, pine, fraser fir, and/or cedar from the Northeast Kingdom. We then add Rocky Dale greens and an assortment of other decorations.
Inside the Shanty, we have beautiful and unique European hand-made glass ornaments, as well as items from our store including Felco Pruners, hand tools, and garden ornaments.
Even it you can’t make it to the Shanty- we’re happy to help you share in the festivities. Let us know if you’d like us to ship something to you.
If you need something special made up- let us know in advance.
Every night we have a fire going and all the ingredients for s’mores. It’s a festive time and even though it’s cold outside- we’re warm on the inside! Hope to see you in town!
Michael Dirr at Middlebury College tomorrow!
September 30, 2009
I thought I’d pass along this announcement from Greenworks, (Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association). If you’ve got the time- it would be a rare opportunity to hear Dirr speak- he’s the preeminent expert on trees today.
- Tomorrow: October 1, 2009 Green Works-VNLA; VT Urban & Community Forestry Program & NE Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture present:
- TREE TIME WITH MICHAEL DIRR at Middlebury College – Dana Auditorium from 9-11am.
- SPACE STILL AVAILABLE FOR THE MORNING and we will be taking walk-in registration! Take the day off and come hear the fabulous and famous Michael Dirr speak about his passion.
- Directions and Parking: From Rte 7 (north or south) follow the signs for Route 30. The Center for the Arts is about 4/10 mile down Rte 30 to the left. To park – turn at sign: Parking-Center for the Arts. Then walk northwest, up towards Route 30 and pass a giant Burr Oak. Cross Rte 30, pass a Serbian Spruce, turn right and walk down Old Chapel Road, heading north. Pass the state’s largest Littleleaf Linden at the end of this road. Dana Auditorium is the building on the right across Route 125.
final fall sale…mmmm
September 28, 2009
Is time running out for planting? Well soon. We recommend planting through mid-October. Of course there is plenty of planting done past that date, but one must really be keen with watering, spraying evergreens with an anti-desiccant, wrapping burlap around sensitive evergreens, and mulching over perennials. We recommend “mudding in” new plantings. After you dig the hole, place the plant in the hole, and water thoroughly- two or three times, before gradually filling in the hole with a soil/compost blend- water, fill, water, fill- until it’s just soggy. This will get out any air pockets and fully saturate the root mass- aiding in overwintering.
So- here’s a final offer for the season- come on in and buy us out!
- Perennials-30% Off
- Conifers- 40% Off
- Trees and Shrubs- 50% Off
- Cast Stone Fountains, Pots, and Statuary- 25% Off
- Glazed and Terra Cotta Pots- 25% Off
- DeWitt Tools (we never do this)- 10% Off
Have fun and enjoy the beautiful fall weather!
spring bulbs are here this week
September 22, 2009
Some of our bulbs arrived today and the bulk of them will be here by the end of the week. Most of the bulbs we’re carrying have been grown in our garden; since we liked them so much, we’re offering them for sale. And then a few are new for us- we were intrigued, and hope you are too!
Here’s a list of what we’re carrying this year with some of our own photos and some taken from that great library called “the internet”. If you scroll over the image and leave your curser there for a second, it will reveal the name of the bulb depicted in the photo. Enjoy the show and see you soon!
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Half Price Tree update…
September 12, 2009
The following is an update on our half price trees. Included are the varieties, the quantities, and the original price. These trees are on sale through the end of the season at half their original price. Be aware that quantities are limited and will change daily. I’ll try to keep the list updated regularly. Hope you see something you like!
Fruit Trees:
- 3 Gala Apples Original price: 79.00
- 5 Golden Delicious Apples Original price: 79.00
- 6 Granny Smith Apples Original price: 79.00
- 2 Liberty Apples Original price: 79.00
- 5 Macintosh Apples Original price: 79.00
- 6 Red Delicious Apples Original price: 79.00
- 2 Four-varieties on one Apples Original price: 125.00
- 1 Toka Plum Original price: 79.00
- 1 Superior Plum Original price: 79.00
- 1 Sungold Apricot Original price: 79.00
- 1 Bartlett Pear Original price: 79.00
- 3 Moonglow Pears Original price: 79.00
Acer pseudosieboldianum 3 LEFT Original price: 229.00
Acer tataricum ‘Hot Wings’ 4 LEFT Original price: 109.00
Acer tegmentosum ‘Joe Witt’ SOLD OUT
Acer triflorum 5 LEFT Original price: 79.00
Betula nigra ‘Summer Cascade’ 10 LEFT Original price: 69.00
Catalpa bignonioides ‘Aurea’ 7 LEFT Original price: 79.00
Catalpa bignoides ‘Variegata’ 2 LEFT Original price: 189.00
Catalpa bignonioides ‘Purpurea’ 2 LEFT Original price: 119.00
Cercidiphyllum japonicum 3 LEFT Original price: 2@ 89.00, 2@ 159.00
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Amazing Grace‘ SOLD OUT
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Titania’ 2 LEFT Original price: 189.00
Cladrastis kentukea ‘Arnold’s Pink’ 1 LEFT Original price: 109.00
Cladrastis kentukea ‘Perkin’s Pink’ 2 LEFT Original price: 69.00
Cladrastis kentukea 1 LEFT Original price: 95.00
Corylus avellana ‘Red Majestic’ 2 LEFT Original price: 269.00
Crataeguus laevigata ‘Crimson Cloud’ SOLD OUT
Liriodendron tulipifera 1 LEFT Original price: 109.00
Crabapples
- Adams 1 LEFT Original price: 79.00
- Golden Raindrops SOLD OUT
- Indian Summer 2 LEFT Original Price: 79.00
- Red Jade 1 LEFT Original price: 149.00
- Robinson 4 LEFT Original price: 79.00
- Spring Bride 5 LEFT Original price: 79.00
Parrotia persica 1 LEFT Original price: 189.00
Platanus occidentalis 2 LEFT Original price: 119.00
Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula Plena’ 1 LEFT Original price: 159.00
Prunus subhirtella ‘Snow Fountains‘ SOLD OUT
Quercus bicolor 1 LEFT Original price: 119.00
Quercus rubra 3 LEFT Original price: 119.00
Quercus x warei ‘Long” SOLD OUT
Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Purple Robe’ SOLD OUT
Syringa reticulata 7 LEFT Original price: 109.00
Tilia americana ‘American Sentry’ 3 LEFT Original price: 129.00
Ulmus americana ‘Valley Forge’ 1 LEFT Original price: 149.00
Ulmus procera ‘Argenteovariega’ SOLD OUT
Ulmus procera ‘Aurea’ 2 LEFT Original price: 139.00
Labor Day Sale- Sept 4th-7th
September 1, 2009
Sales Tax Holiday- this Saturday, August 22nd!
August 18, 2009
Vermont’s Sales Tax Holiday is a great time to shop. Come in this Saturday and enjoy 19% off in addition to the 6% savings by not paying tax. That’s a total savings of 25% on any order totaling $100 or more. Any already discounted items won’t be further discounted on Saturday, but they will count toward your $100 minimum purchase to get the additional 19% off.
All items at Rocky Dale are usually taxed at 6%, so on Saturday, we just don’t collect tax- it’s that simple. Can you pick out merchandise ahead of time? Sure- as long as we receive payment in full this Saturday. You can pick up the merchandise anytime after it’s been paid for.
Read more about the Sales Tax Holiday here.
We also have a $5 buck hosta sale going on through the end of August- great selection and large pots.
And we still have some trees discounted 50% available too, but they’ve been moving out at a steady clip. See the list here.
Now that the rain deluge is past and the short heatwave is past- (what?-we had summer for 4 days?) – it’s time to get back in the garden.
A few days in the mid 70’s sounds like great gardening weather to me! We’ve had a hard time keeping up with the weeds this year, but with any luck- it will be a late summer project to clean it all up!
Conifer, Shrub and Tree Sale
July 14, 2009
Tree Sale
May 22, 2009
We’re having a tree sale this weekend. We’ve been growing some of our trees in pots for over 5 years! Now it’s time to get them in the ground. We shift them up each year and give them feed, and guess what? They grow. Click here to get a coupon!
My earliest recollection of Rocky Dale Gardens was when I was visiting my family here in Bristol when I was living in Minnesota.
I had heard of this great nursery from friends before I had left Vermont, but I had never visited.
When I arrived and walked into the nursery, I was absolutely stunned with the selection of trees.
I happened upon Cornus alternifolia ‘Argentea’- a beautiful specimen of variegated Pagoda Dogwood, about 3 feet tall with a little burlaped root ball. This was a plant I had read about that was extremely hard to find. I seriously contemplated how I would get it on the plane, but alas it wasn’t going to be mine.
This is what we strive for- that you will have the same experience as I had when I first entered Rocky Dale Gardens.
Our plants are amazing and unique. We have some of the most unusual and hard-to-come-by plants that you can find in the region.
We have some beautiful trees at Rocky Dale. Many are just budding out with fresh spring growth. This year we have a nice selection of fruiting trees as well as shade and flowering trees. Some of the tree culitvars that are less known include:
Acer tartaricum ‘Hot Wings’. This small maple has bright red winged fruits that make the tree look like it’s flowering. It’s hardy to zone 3 and we have several that are already 12 feet tall.
Beeches. We have many varieties of beeches. These are not commonly planted in our area but we find them to be quite hardy. We have fastgiate, contorted and weeping varieties in red or green leaf.
Espaliered apple and pear trees. This French form of pruning creates a flat branching habit that is ideal for growing fruit in small spaces. Ideal for an east facing wall or as a fence.
Elms. Ulmus procera ‘Aurea’. A rounded, muti-stemmed golden-leafed elm. Spectacular golden spring color fading slightly in summer. Ulmus hollandica ‘Wredei’. A narrow- golden leaf variety, with leaves held closely to the branch, becoming pyramidal with time.
Cercidiphyllum japonicum. The Katsura Tree has heart-shaped leaves that turn beautiful orange and gold in the fall. A fast growing tree that slows down once it reaches about 30 feet.
Gingko. We have many culitvars of dwarf gingkos including Jade Butterflies, Mariken, and Chi Chi.
