Finke Gardens and Nursery

• Sunset Anise Hyssop

• Bicolor Butterflybush

• Stephanie Prairie Clover

• Purpleicious Veronica

• Southernwood

• Knockout Rose

Designing color combinations is an art as well as a science. Many people love classic blue and yellow combinations. They work because these colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. For a twist on the classic, spin the color wheel and try complimentary colors orange and purple in the garden.

Some of our favorite perennials combine shades of purple and orange in the same flower. Try Sunset Anise Hyssop and Bicolor Butterflybush and let Mother Nature do the color work for you. Highlight the silver foliage of these plants with feathery Southernwood. For colorful bloom throughout the season, add shades of lavender and deep rose and you are sure to delight in this great combination.

• Pasque Flower

• Fireland Yarrow

• Missouri Primrose

• Lead Plant

• Color Guard Yucca

• Fireworks Goldenrod

• Kobold Blazingstar

• Butterfly Milkweed

• Prairie Splendor Cone Flower

Nothing is more whimsical than butterflies flitting around the garden. This great combination of native Nebraska plants is sure to delight all of your garden visitors throughout the year. Look forward to Pasque Flower’s exotic purple flowers blooming in March. As the summer heats up, a fiery collection of purple and orange flowers come into blossom. Fireworks Goldenrod carries color well into October and Color Guard Yucca’s striking spiky form is effective year round.

Join Us for Our Hands on Trough Gardening Class!
Saturday October 17th, 2009 at 10 am

This is your chance to create a unique container for unusual and small plants that might be lost in the landscape. Luann Finke & Cindy Humann will lead a hands-on workshop to construct a 16-inch round trough. Gloves will be provided; outdoor work clothes are recommended. Pre-registration is required along with a fee of $25, which includes materials to make one container.

Troughs are constructed of a light, porous material, mixing Portland cement, peat moss, perlite and water, and resemble stone. Each trough container is unique; when filled with a combination of small plants, the trough is a beautiful alpine or rock garden in miniature to use on your patio or deck.  Trough gardens are particularly great for growing the vast array of succulents now available at Finke Gardens. In this class you will learn the technique so you can spend your winter months creating great containers for spring planting projects.

Trough gardens have been incorporated into a patio setting, making a perfect environment for growing rock garden plants.  Learn the basics of trough garden production and spend your winter developing your own.

Click here for our complete class schedule.

Shantung Maple
Acer truncatum
We were excited to see this tree promoted by the Re-Tree Nebraska program, but were dismayed when we realized how hard it was to find a commercial source last year.  We have since found a source and have several sizes available.  This durable tree has excellent fall color and its small stature lets it find a home in any landscape

Tecumseh Compact River Birch
Betula nigra ‘Studetec’
In the past, this tree was only available balled and burlapped in shrub form.  We are excited now to offer it as a multi-stemmed tree in a #15 container!  It has the same exfoliating bark and wet soil tolerance of its bigger counterpart, but only grows 15 feet high and wide.

Crimson Dawn Hornbeam
Carpinus fargesii ‘Crimson Dawn’
We have long promoted hornbeams as durable small trees for Nebraska.  Crimson Dawn is similar to our native version, except the new growth is rusty burgundy color.  The bark adds winter interest with its smooth, fluted appearance.  Plant it in part shade and moist well-drained soil, and it will grow 25 feet high and wide.

Ace of Hearts Redbud
Cercis canadensis ‘Ace of Hearts’
This is an interesting form of redbud.  It was selected for its compact growth habit.  It only reaches 10 feet high and wide and the leaves are packed closely on the branch resembling shingles.  Flowers are typical magenta of the species.  Prefers part shade and well-drained soil.

Russian Hawthorn
Crataegus ambigua
Russian hawthorn deserves more attention for its beautiful, irregular branching habit.  The early bloom, finely textured foliage, and bright red fruits are valuable assets.  We have seen very little foliar disease on this hawthorn.  Hardy and drought-tolerant, it grows to 15 feet high and 20 feet wide.

Wireless Zelkova
Zelkova serrata ‘Schmidtlow’
Selected for its low height and broad width, this zelkova is ideal for planting under utility lines.  Its red-orange fall color is another distinguishing feature.  Wireless zelkova will tolerate less than ideal growing conditions and grows 25 feet high and 35 feet wide providing lots of dense shade.

• Dark Purple African Daisy
• Dark Eyes Fuchsia
• Magilla Perilla
• Raspberry Swirl Impatiens

Purple is the hot color for spring 2009.  Catch the trend with new Dark Purple African Daisies.  Bright purple petals surrounding a striking dark center are sure to dazzle.  Try Dark Purple African Daisy in this spicy combination that accentuates purple with jewel tones of red and magenta.  Dark Eyes Fuchsia and Magilla Perilla combine purple with red while Raspberry Swirl Impatiens inject a light-hearted magenta.  This great combination is sure to be the fashionable highlight of a part-shade patio, garden, or front door container.

Three new perennials at Finke Gardens, Pica Bella Coneflower, Sweet Joanne Penstemon and Maestro Sedum, have many shared characteristics:  compact, tidy form, strong growth in hot, dry locations and a long season of color. This pink palette of flowers grow well and look good together so consider adding this trio to your garden

The flowers of Pica Bella Coneflower have thinner petals than the typical coneflower, along with a long season of bloom.

Sweet Joanne Penstemon, developed by Dale Lindgren in North Platte, has larger flowers than most penstemon and will bloom till frost if cut back through the summer.

Maestro Sedum has blue green foliage on purple stems and showed the strongest form in a comparative planting of tall sedum.

Blue Cloak Weeping Concolor Fir
Abies concolor ‘Blue Cloak’
Weeping and dwarf varieties of concolor fir have been hard for us to find, but we did it for 2009!  Blue Cloak is a gracefully pendulous variety with powdery blue needles.  If staked, it will slowly grow to 25 feet high and 15 feet wide.  If left unstaked, the leader will grow horizontally.  Grows best in sun and well-drained soil.

Spartan Juniper
Juniperus chinensis ‘Spartan’
Upright junipers are popular as fast growing accent and screening plants.  Spartan is wider at the base for more efficient screening and the foliage is deep emerald green.  It is drought tolerant and will thrive in poor soil and full sun.  Grows 15 feet high and 8 feet wide.

Dwarf Oriental Spruce
Picea orientalis ‘Compacta’
Dwarf oriental spruce is an excellent candidate for use as an accent or visual barrier.  At only 15 feet high and 8 feet wide, it combines the majestic branching and form of the bigger varieties with a more manageable size.  The needles are dark green and are tightly arranged in the branches.  Performs best in full sun.

Chalet Swiss Stone Pine
Pinus cembra ‘Chalet’
This tree forms a loose tear-drop shape and has soft powdery-blue needles.  At only 20 feet high and 10 feet wide, it can find a home in any landscape setting including rock gardens, conifer collections, and mixed shrub and perennial beds.  Plant in full sun with well-drained soil.

Graceful Grace Douglasfir
Pseudotsuga menziesii ‘Graceful Grace’
We have known about this rare weeping form of Douglasfir for several years, but until now, we haven’t been able to find any.  As it matures, the tree develops a truly graceful habit as the branchlets cascade down, one over another.  With staking it will reach a height of 20 feet and width of 15 feet.  Plant in full sun and provide a thick layer of mulch to keep the roots cool.

Home vegetable gardening is “in” for 2009, and while growing tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, and herbs is great, don’t overlook the fruits grown on hardy shrubs.  Here is a brief overview of this year’s offerings.  See a Finke Gardens Staff Member for specific recommendations on growing any of these crops.
Learn more about free edible gardening classes offered at Finke Gardens!

Chipman’s Canada Red Rhubarb
Rhubarb is known for its tartness and can be used in pies, jam, and even wine!  Rhubarb “stalks” have the best flavor in the spring, but can be used all summer.  The bold foliage can make a dramatic statement in the perennial border as well!

Pixwell Gooseberry
You asked for it!  After lots of requests for gooseberries, we have them available this spring.  They are traditionally used in pies, but also work well in jams and jellies.  Will bear fruit after the second year.  Nearly thornless, heirloom variety from 1932.

Red Lake Currant
Clusters of large, bright red fruits are borne on semi-erect, vigorous plants.  Fruits are great for jams and jellies.  An heirloom variety from 1933.

Chester Thornless Blackberry
This is a high quality and high yielding variety that will not soften or lose its color in hot weather.  Canes are thornless and semi-erect for easy harvest.

Heritage Red Raspberry
Back for 2009!  The medium-size fruit have excellent flavor and quality.  This everbearing variety bears its first crop in July, the second in September.

Northern Blueberry Combo
We planted one ‘Northblue’ and one ’Northcountry’ plant in each pot for cross-pollination and increased yield.  Fruit of both is dark blue, large and has a balanced blueberry flavor.  Plants grow 3 feet tall and wide and have excellent red and orange fall color.

Concord Seedless Table Grape
This is the traditional favorite grape for making juice, jam, jelly, and even grape pie!  The vines are quite vigorous and can be trained to a trellis and pruned for increased yield, or be allowed to cover their structure for screening and privacy.

Edelweiss Wine Grape
Make your own wine with Nebraska’s most popular wine grape!  They have a sweet “grapy” taste when eaten fresh, but they do contain seeds.  The vines are disease resistant and cold hardy.  They can be trained to a trellis and pruned for increased yield, or be allowed to cover their structure for screening and privacy.

Lo & Behold Butterfly Bush
Buddleia davidii ‘Blue Chip’
Butterfly bushes are among the most popular garden plants, but one drawback is that most grow 6 feet tall or more!  Lo & Behold is a new dwarf version deep purple flowers and silvery gray foliage.  Grows 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide.  Full sun.

Golden Glory Dogwood
Cornus mas ‘Golden Glory’
Back by popular demand!  Golden Glory is one of the first shrubs to bloom in early March with clouds of little yellow flowers.  The fruits are glossy red in the fall and the mottled bark provides winter interest.  A large shrub; it can be trained into a small tree.

Jade Butterfly Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba ‘Jade Butterfly’
A ginkgo shrub?  This rare dwarf version has an arching habit and only grows to 5 feet!  Tolerant of poor growing conditions and resistant to insects and diseases, this is a truly unique plant.  Fall color is golden yellow.

Seven Sons of China
Heptacodium miconoides
This plant is at the top of Ryan Luckey’s (Finke Garden Tree & Shrub Manager) list of underused plants.  It blooms with a unique flower cluster in September, followed by colorful seed capsules.  The shaggy peeling bark adds winter interest.  Grows to 12 feet and is adaptable to sun or part shade.

Cool Splash Diervilla
Diervilla lonicera ‘LPDC Podaras’
Cool Splash Diervilla finds its home in part shade gardens and holds up under the dry soil conditions found there.  Fast growing and 3 feet in height and 5 feet in width makes this accent plant for the shade a must-have for the 2009 gardening season.

Bonfire Patio Peach
Prunus persica ‘Bonfire’
Take a trip to the tropics with this rare find!  Forming a 5-foot diameter globe of gracefully drooping purple leaves, it is sure to grab your attention.  Plant in full sun with some protection from winter winds.  Quantities are very limited!

Crandall Clove Currant
Ribes odoratum ‘Crandall’
Crandall was developed in the late 1800’s for fruit production, but the fragrant yellow flowers make this durable shrub very ornamental as well.  The shrub grows about 5 feet tall and will thrive in most soil conditions and light exposures.  It was the most frequently requested shrub in 2008.

Orangeola Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum ‘Orangeola’
The new growth of this new laceleaf maple emerges a rusty red color and matures to deep green.  In Autumn, the leaves turn to a glowing orange.  This variety grows to 8 feet with a mounding, semi-weeping habit and it makes a fantastic focal point in a shady garden.

Coralbark Maple
Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’
The bark of this Japanese Maple turns a radiant coral red at the onset of winter and is especially vibrant against a blanket of snow or a backdrop of mature evergreen trees.  The tree is slow growing but will eventually reach a height and width of 20 feet.  Prefers some afternoon shade.

Royal Raindrops Crabapple
Malus x ‘JFS-KW5’
With so many crabapples on the market, it’s hard to get too excited about another new one, but this is worth it!  The spring flowers are magenta, and the foliage is a deep burgundy throughout the summer.  Small red fruits persist through the winter providing food for cedar waxwings and robins.  Grows 20 feet high and wide.  Very adaptable.

Corinthian Rose Ornamental Peach
Prunus persica ‘Corinthian Rose’
Corinthian Rose is an exciting new tree with a somewhat upright habit.  In spring, the tree explodes with pink flowers, followed by wine-red foliage providing a tropical appearance for the rest of the summer.  Fruit is inedible.  Grows 20 feet high and 10 feet wide.  This tree may be susceptible to borers.  Ask a Finke Gardens Staff Member for current treatment options!

Snow Fountains Weeping Cherry
Prunus x ‘Snow Fountains’
You asked for it, and here it is!  Weeping cherries make magnificent focal points, especially in the spring when loaded with white blossoms.  These trees are trained into a tree form rather than being grafted.  This makes them look more natural and adds extra winter hardiness.  Grows 12 feet high and wide and is fruitless.  This tree may be susceptible to borers.  Ask a Finke Gardens Staff Member for current treatment options!