Paw Paw Everlast Labels: A Reputation for Excellence

I wish my plants could talk. Instead of calling them 'the purple plant by the pink rose', they would speak up to remind me of their name and exactly what growing conditions they'd like. If they could also tell me where I left my pruners, that would be awesome. But because I doubt this will happen, the Everlast Plant Label company had solved the problem for me by creating amazing metal labels designed to withstand the harshest weather Mother Nature can throw at us. 

Made in the USA, Everlast Labels are made from 99.6% zinc and are available in a variety of sizes. Labels in heavy duty zinc and copper are also available. Everlast Labels blend in while offering the visibility needed to identify each plant. All orders are shipped for free within the continental USA. All questions can be answered by their excellent customer service dept.

Everlast Labels are the original garden label company. Started in Paw Paw, Michigan in 1937, the first labels were made in Leon Cassler's garage. They are still located in Paw Paw and use only American made products. Check them out!

High Country Gardens: From Agastache to Zauschneria

I'm a sucker for an amazing agastache. Maybe it's all the hummingbirds fighting over the nectar or the butterflies that hang from the flowers, but I stuff my containers and garden with as many varieties as I can. High Country Gardens is a leading source for agastache and other unique xeric plants.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on 'Ava' agastache

Introduced to agastache and all the other amazing drought tolerant plants sold by High Country Gardens when a catalog came in the mail several years ago,  they've become a go-to resource for xeric plants not available locally. 

Agastache thrives in containers.

One of my favorite features of the catalog and website is the attention to detail and excellent information provided about each plant. Instead of vague descriptions, they supply precise information about the water and light needs and the expected size of each plant as well as the wildlife it supports or repels. Plants that only thrive in the western portions of the United States are indicated with a cowboy hat icon, which saves me from trying to grow them in the humid southeast. 

High Country Gardens certifies that all of its perennials and wildflower seeds are neonicotinoid-free. Along with amazing plants, you also receive clean plants free of pesticides. Thanks, High Country Gardens!

The Franciscan Monastery Gardens: Sanctuary and Serenity

There is something about a garden that transcends the muck of daily life to remind us that our choices are bigger than we are. Gardens offer common ground, regardless of political or religious beliefs and have long functioned as places of refuge and solitude. Chosen to highlight the need for peace and sanctuary, one of the stops on the Fling itinerary is the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, a quiet oasis in the midst of politics and power. 

Filled with roses as well as perennials, lush annuals, and mature trees and shrubs, the gardens also feature grottos, sculptures, and a chapel. Come with us as we enjoy a garden often overlooked by tourists but much loved by the locals.

American Meadows: Wildflower Warriors

It's a beautiful thing to love a wildflower but even more so to dedicate your life to their preservation. American Meadows started as a wildflower farm and has expanded to carry perennials, grasses, bulbs, groundcovers and gardening tools, all of which are available online. But wildflowers and wildflower seed mixes are at the heart of their business. Seed mixes from American Meadows have been designed to meet the needs of a diverse clientele. Mixes for shade, deer resistance, specific colors, etc, are all available. Over 110 annual and 75 perennial seed mixes are available, as well as many native seeds.

Staffed by expert gardeners, the customer support at American Meadows is a point of pride and the staff is available to help you by phone, live chat, and email. Unsure of what to plant or how to tackle that weird area where nothing will grow? Give them a call! 

Specializing in seed mixes that attract pollinators, American Meadows is excited to be a part of the Wild for Pollinators campaign in Vermont to help introduce wildflowers and pollinators back into open spaces. Ethan Platt and Mike 'The Seedman' Lizotte have turned a passion for sustainable horticulture into a thriving business that puts the environment and the customer first.

Garden Design: The Ultimate Gardening Resource

I stand staring at the stack of magazines in my living room, dividing them into piles of Keep and Toss. Many will be thrown into the Free Bin outside the used book store while others, such as Garden Design, will be carefully organized and kept. To say all gardening magazines are the same would be like comparing a drive through burger to the finest farm fresh steak. There is no garden magazine finer than Garden Design, a thick 148 page ad-free plate of gardening delicousness.

Packed with in-depth stories often ranging from 8 to 20 pages in length, Garden Design gives you a behind the scenes look at topics relevant to gardeners passionate about the art of horticulture. Delivered quarterly, Garden Design is more like a beautiful book than a magazine. Packed with stunning photography, Garden Design shares stories and photos of gardens from around the world as well as profiles of the people behind the gardens.

The Winter 2017 issue featured expert advice on creating a stunning garden during the dormant season. 
Photo by Richard Bloom

Garden design also features informative how-to articles from leading experts and useful information applicable to every gardener on topics such as designing with plants, landscape design, kitchen gardens, container gardens, etc. To get a free issue, call 855-624-5110 (PST) or visit their website.