That Christmas Feeling!

I love getting packages in the mail. This one brought a new shipment of xeric plants from High Country Gardens. Some of these are going in the bed by the concrete, which tends to bake in the afternoon, though I have a soaker hose under the mulch to help things along. Some are going under the crabapple as part of the renovation of that bed.

I also made a stop at Nichols Garden Nursery for some herbs and a few more border plants. Nichols has one of the best selections of herb seeds and plants you can find anywhere.

Okay, I'm set. The rain can stop now... anytime... please...

Contents of this package:

• Aquilegia x Caerulea "Red Hobbit," a brilliant red and white dwarf columbine.
• Aubrieta x "Cascade Purple," a lovely spreading groundcover.
• Heuchera Sanguinea "Firefly," a Coral bells with brilliant red flowers.
• Penstemon procumbens "Claude Barr," a creeping purple penstemon.
• Agastache rupestris, also called licorice mint or sunset hyssop, a wonderful hummingbird plant.
• Nepeta x "Walkers' Low," a lovely drought-tolerant catmint.

And from Nichols, I have:

• Pineapple sage, with brilliant scarlet flowers and pineapple-scented leaves.
  
• Sicilian oregano, one of the best for cooking.
  
• French tarragon, which must be bought as a plant, since plants grown from seed lack flavor.
• Creeping lime thyme, which had the most marvelous citrus scent.
• English thyme, the common thyme for cooking.