Chrysanthemums and pansies are shining stars of fall. They both add cheerful, bright, and long-lasting color. People all over the world enjoy flowers, and these two specifically have been cultivated to create a seemingly endless array of varieties.
Chrysanthemums have a rich history across many cultures. Today, their immense popularity in the United States has led to the nickname “queen of fall flowers.” The earliest known documentation of chrysanthemums is in China. They were cultivated as a flowering herb and all parts of the plant were used! The flowers, leaves, and roots were used to make everything from festive drinks to headache remedies and salad ingredients. There are writings going all the way back to 15th century BC describing the chrysanthemum, and they were featured on pottery of that period as well.
Depending on what part of the world you are in, mums can have significantly different symbolism. Happiness, love, joy, and longevity are common associations with the flower. However in some European countries, mums are given as a token of comfort, commonly for death, grief, and bereavement.
Pansies are the other star for this season, and they too, have an interesting history. The pansies that we know and love today are ancestors of the similar but smaller viola. Violas have been enjoyed and grown by people since at least the 4th century BC. In the early 1800’s, Lord Gambier of the UK and his gardener, William Thompson began to cross breed different species of violas. The result of their work is the pansy! Within the past fifty years, most of the newer colors and varieties of pansies have been bred in Germany, Japan, and the US.
Between all the pansies, violas, and mums available here at Ashland Greenhouses, your gardens will be so colorful! But what about veggies? We have those ready too! Lettuce, brussels sprouts, kales, cabbages, onions, herbs, and broccoli are just some of the starts we are growing this year. We have new stock of soil conditioners and amendments, so that you will be able to get your garden beds ready for this planting season. Harvest Supreme from G&B Organics is really popular for growing vegetables and comes highly recommended! Using a fertilizer that works for you is also really important for a successful vegetable garden (and for flowers too). We have several different types of fertilizer, ranging from granular to liquid to pellets to water-dissolvable. If you need help picking one out that will work best for you, reach out to a staff member while you are here and we will help to figure it out.
If you are curious about what is currently available, check out our availability list on our website www.ashlandgreenhouses.com. You can also call us at (541) 482-2866, or come visit us! We love helping you find what you need for your garden. Feel free to send questions our way grow@ashlandgreenhouses.com. See you soon!
