As we sit knee-deep in the midst of another beautiful California summer, it is always a great time to reflect on our privileged existence in the gentle Mediterranean Climate. Watching the evening news reminds us that we are beyond lucky to avoid dealing with things like torrential downpours, heat waves, tornados, hurricanes, humidity, and the list goes on. We sit back and bask in the countless sunny days, occasional fog, and cool and refreshing ocean air. And as much as we appreciate it, the huge multitude of garden plants that our Mediterranean climate fosters appreciate it even more. Ahhh the joys of summer gardening, with blooms abound and pollinators on cloud nine!!! Please help us carouse in the summer garden celebration at a huge array of garden markets this August. On Saturday August 10, Crescent Hill will be helping bring in the Golden Anniversary of the Benicia Peddlers Faire in Benicia, Ca. The long standing event quickly became one of our favorites last year, and includes antiques, great food, throngs of quality vendors, and the gentle and charming waterfront location. On Sunday August 11, we will be displaying at the Artzfest in Burlingame, Ca. As always, we will happily share the floor with live music performances and a whole bevy of wonderful local artisans in the quaint downtown setting. Crescent Hill rounds out the month on Sunday August 25 with the always fun Niles Antique Fair, just east of Fremont, in historic Niles, Ca. Wake up early, and enjoy antique hunting as the whole town opens up shop in the annual event!!

Maps and directions to all events are available on the CALENDAR page of the website linked below. www.crescenthillnursery.com

New for 2013
Crescent Hill is pleased to announce that we will be accepting credit/debit cards at all of our local garden markets. Thanks in advance for your patience as we navigate the waters of the new process.

Please don't forget to check out our constantly changing color collage on Facebook. The frequent updates feature a who's who of the present bloomers at the nursery, plus special updates and promotions. Find us at www.facebook.com/pages/Crescent-Hill-Nursery/207330655953337)
or click on the link below on this page.

In response to the numerous requests by our gardening family and partners, we are pleased to announce that an E-NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE link is now available on our website www.crescenthillnursery.com. Please take a moment to check it out, and also tour the newly updated PLANTS section and increasing content of color photos for all our selections!!

Nursery tours are encouraged. Please come out and see our 2 acre facility in Watsonville. With over 250 varieties grown, the growing grounds are turning into a little botanical park. Please call for an appointment. Groups are welcome.

Please remember Crescent Hill recycles all 1,2, and 5 gallon plastic containers. Drop off available at all markets, or here at the nursery. Thanks again!!

Dwarf Russian Sage
Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Little Spire'

As we look for perennials to harmonize with the heat of our dry summer climate, the Crescent Hill Nursery August Plant of The Month certainly deserves a place at the table. Perovskia 'Little Spire' puts an interesting twist on an old garden favorite by reducing the sometimes cumbersome and flopping framework into a tidy and cheerful dwarf package. Dutch breeder Herbert Oudshoorn selected Little Spire due to its compact nature and bountiful blooms, and patented the plant (PP11,643) in 2000. Since then it has proven itself to be a tough and rugged perennial that can fill any garden with knock-out summer color. Russian Sage is a member of the Lamiaceae (Mint) family native to Central Asia from Afghanistan in the West to China in the East. It was named after the Russian General Perovsky who frequented the regions during his military tours, and not its origin on Russian soils. The plant quickly became a garden favorite due to its elegant form; soft light spikes of lavender/blue flowers perched proudly atop silvery green softly-toothed foliage. Add to this its fragrant leaves/blooms and strong butterfly attraction, and one can see why it received so much acclaim. The one drawback gardeners encountered was its size, as the traditional Perovskia atriplicifolia grew to 5 feet tall and beyond, and had the tendency to flop if grown in anything but full sun. Great for large estates, but tough for the small home gardener. Mr. Oudshoorn has solved this predicament, and the neat 2' tall X 2-3' wide Little Spires is his creation. While still preferring a full sun aspect, Little Spires will still thrive (flop free) in a part sun situation. It favors well draining soils with good fertility, but this tough perennial will tolerate a whole range of soils, excluding marshy constantly wet conditions. Russian Sage's toughness also applies to the natural conditions, and has proven to be drought, heat, rabbit, and deer resistant in the California landscape. It is hardy to USDA Zones 5-9, and can withstand winter lows of -20 degrees F. It is also a butterfly and bee attractor whose scented blooms can be used in both cut and dried floral arrangements. As an element of design, Little Spire's upright form and strong accent color permit its use in a myriad of landscape applications. From rock gardens to cottage gardens, in a Mediterranean or classic style, Russian Sage prospers along the front border where its airy blooms can pillow over edges. This lightness or airiness of the floral cluster gives texture to the garden, and is amplified when planted in mass and combined with bolder leaf perennials. The silver tone of the foliage also pairs well with deep red/purple leaved plants, where the 'Spires' are literally lit aglow. Combinations with Loropetalum chinense 'Purple Majesty' , Sambucus nigra 'Eva' would fit this bill, or even an airy themed garden with the deep burgundy leaved Smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'). Let's also not forget that the tidy frame also begs Little Spire's inclusion in the patio mixed arrangement planter for that punch of bold fragrant summer color. No matter where it is placed, Dwarf Russian Sage always appreciates a good cutback before it takes its winter rest. So if you are looking for a tough and rugged summer burst of color, whether you live in deer country in the cold Sierras or on the calm and cool coast, the Crescent Hill Nursery August Plant of The Month would love to fulfill!! We are happy to offer full, blooming specimens of Little Spires at all of our August Garden Markets.

Special E-Newsletter Price: $7 per 1-gallon container. Compare at other nurseries for $10 and above. Mention this review to receive discount.

We thought we would let the photos do the talking for a change, and highlight client's pictures of their gardens in peak summer expression. Thanks again to all of you for sending in those photos of your Crescent Hill plants "in the wild", and please keep them coming!!

phone: 831-246-1128
website: www.crescenthillnursery.com
email: nathan@crescenthillnursery.com