Fordhook Farm Meets Plant Geek

Walking a beautiful garden with its designer while meeting great people was cool.  But seeing what’s new at the historic Fordhook Farm, was beyond cool.  The experience ramped-up to inspiring to this plant geek.

Fordhook Farm is the historic home of W. Atlee Burpee seed company.  And it’s right here in our backyard.  Fordhook is in Doylestown.  Firmly in zone 6.

What’s great about that for us here in Central PA is that any plant testing they do at Doylestown applies, pretty much, directly, to us.  And they have acres of plant tests.

Couple thoughts.  First, I have to admit to being a hard core Burpee fan.  It is a VERY OLD seed house. And FOLKS…  seriously, Burpee is not owned by Monsanto.  It is privately owned by George Ball who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several times and I once walked a Rose Garden with him in Raleigh.  But I digress.  Second, you need to know that all sorts of fun is happening in Burpee land.

One not so new change but something you might not know is our historic PA seed company now is affiliated with some other great companies.  Two of these are Heronswood, which specializes in unique plants and The Cook’s Garden which specializes in kitchen garden yummy veggies.

The synergy of these groups gives Burpee the punk rock edge.  The experience and savvy within these three established horticulture companies, creates the ability to offer gardeners plants to die for.  And a great mix of trendy veggies with edgy perennials, shrubs and trees.

There’s too much to share all of it here, but just a hint…..  in 2011….They will offer  a sweet green tomato, black petunias, frilly sunflowers,  red peppers to drool over, and zinnias that surpass sentimentality and progress to just fabulous. .  Ummm  too.  A true white hellobore.  I know???  Finally.

Check out their newly designed website.  I almost hate to tell you about it.  I don’t want to share it because I’m afraid you’ll go there instead of here!  But if that would happen, I’d be just a bit proud too, because a few of my words grace their site.  Thanks Y’all!

I can show you better than I can tell you.  Here are some images from Fordhook.

Look at these great hydrangeas they are testing!

Perfect for mixing with ornamentals!  Red Swiss Chard.

More from the Cook’s Garden

Very sweet.  I ate some of these right off the vine just after photographing!

A compact astilbe.

NATIVE hibiscus! Very tall and nice

Gotta have! What great foliage with this pink turtlehead

Check this color!