Mulberry Creek Herb Farm: Herbs, Recipes, Stories, Ideas and other things A-Z

Herbs, Recipes, Stories, Ideas and other things A-Z

Delphinium, Dwarf Electric Blue

Delphinium grandiflorum 'Blue Butterfly'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Shade-Sun
Height: 12in. x 6
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer to Middle Spring to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Butterfly, Fragrant, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

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Picture electric blue butterflies dancing in your flower beds, altitude 1 foot high! Grown for 7 years in upright, unearthed, land tiles at the entrance to the greenhouse, it never fails to stop customers in their tracks. Re-blooms throughout the growing season. Will re-seed sparingly for years of enjoyment. Longer life than its taller delphinium cousins.

Dianthus, Grey Stone

Dianthus simulans

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b
Light: Full Sun Only
Height: 2in. x 5
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

The foliage is so tiny and compact, that this Dianthus, as the name implies, appears as a blueish-gray rock that (not) only a collector could love. Super hardy with well drained soil. Occasionally surprises us with pink spring flowers.

Dianthus, Pink Thrills

Dianthus 'Well-Sweep Pink Thrills'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Full Sun Only
Height: 2h x 4w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Shrub

Mark still has the pleasure of swapping plants and visiting other fine horticultural destinations. During a visit to Well-Sweep Herb Farm in 2012, he procured this tiny, trough loving, classic, fine bladed dianthus. He was surprised by its large pink, airy flowers that seemed pleasantly loud for a demure rock garden.

Dianthus, Tiny Rubies

Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Tiny Rubies'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 2in. x 12in. spreading
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bedding Plant, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Commonly grown alpine because of it's easy culture. Bright ruby-pink faerie flowers smother the bluish grass foliage in spring. Can eventually form a 2 foot across mat.

Dill, Gold Crown

Anethum graveolens 'Goldkrone'

Light: Full Sun
Height: 40h x 24w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Culinary, Ornamental

Make room for this old-fashioned sized dill “weighing in” at 40 inches tall with the modern touch of later blooms, giving you plenty of time for harvesting the foliage. You can also just let it be, stand back and admire the grand display. This is not a meek dill.

Double Daisy, Red

Bellis perennis 'Rominette Red'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b
Light: P.Sun- P.Shade to Full Sun
Height: 3in.x 6
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Butterfly, Container, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

These are the red, double english daisies that were carefully illustrated along with the faeries of Cicely Mary Barker. Each spring, 3-4"" mounds of dark green leaves appear followed by 6"" tall, double red daisy flowers during the summer. Divide and share every other year to prevent rotting.

Draba, Bristle-Tipped

Draba aizoides

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 1in. x 3
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy
Flowers: Early Spring to Late Winter to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Container, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Appears as a 1/2"" wide, green Hen-n-Chicks-like alpine exhibiting bright yellow flowers each spring. Tiny individual chicks form clusters of about 5-inches across. Looks great in between rocks and fills in pockets in a mini landscape.

Draba, Crete

Draba brunifolia ssp. olympica

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 1in. x 3
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Container, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Draba, Crete

Draba brunifolia ssp. olympica

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Full Sun
Height: 2h x 4w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Shrub

Stacked! Miniature red and green "Hen & Chick" leaves, tightly stacked, anchor butter yellow, spring flowers, though sporadic summer encores are not out of the ordinary. Divide individual rosettes and place in a straight line for a cabbage look for any mini landscape.

Draba, Crusted

Draba oligosperma

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Full Sun
Height: 2h x 4w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Shrub, Alpine Garden

Drabas are best appreciated up close. This variety displays a white crusting, like webbing, all over the bluish leaves. That's not a diplomatic way of saying an alpine that “only a mother could love” for Drabas are Mark's favorite group of miniature alpines. In fact, this one has spectacular, bright yellow spring flowers. .

Draba, Moss Mound

Draba dedeana

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Full Sun
Height: 2h x 4w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Shrub, Alpine Garden

Make your hills come alive with masses of white flowering, mossy green rosettes, strategically plunked among rocks to boulders. It does best in gritty, though evenly moist soils from full sun to partial shade.

Draba, Teenie Weenie

Draba rigida bryoides

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Full Sun to Full Sun
Height: 1/2in. x 4in.
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Ironically, this Draba stands out because it is the smallest of our offerings. It appears as a miniature ""Hen & Chicks"" which are small themselves! Clusters of teenie weenie, lemon yellow flowers make complimentary partners with cool blue sedums as they all enjoy sandy, dry situations.

Dreartexoticblend Dryfert

Drearthpotofgold Pottingsoil

Drearthseaweedextract

Drearthsi Bonemeal1

Drearthvegetablespray

DWARF CONIFER

Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Container, Garden Railroads, Hedges/Shrubs, Miniature/Faery Garden, Rock Garden

A fine selection of differing shapes and sizes, all reasonably priced. All are hardy to at least Zone 5-10. All prefer as much sun as possible, unless otherwise noted, (especially any golden variety) in any type of garden soil. However well drained soil, will always increase their winter hardiness. All mini-landscapes are best achieved by using at least 3 of the same variety. “Forests” are best created by using 7 or 9 of the same variety and mixing in an odd-ball to break it up. Most importantly- HAVE FUN!

DWARF CONIFER- Arborvitae, Tiny Tim

Thuja occidentalis 'Tiny Tim'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 18in. x 18in.
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

When this is small, it roughly resembles a miniature scaled oak. Expect a lifetime height of maybe 3 feet from this fine textured, tough little variety.

DWARF CONIFER- Arborvitea, Hetz Midget

Thuja occidentalis 'Hetzi Midget'

Cold Tolerance: Zone Zone 3-9
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Sun
Height: 2 x2 Feet
Water: Normal- Dry
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Eventually this slow growing green globe will mature to 18""x18."" In trough gardens, we like to plant it in clumps of 3 or more to represent a knee high, oak tree forest, with a little pruning.

DWARF CONIFER- Arborvitea, Linesville

Thuja occidentalis 'Linesville'

Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Sun
Height: 2 x2 Feet
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Yes, this is a linear ""Arborvitae"" that begins as juvenile green foliage with blue cast and matures to a fine textured, 2 by 2 foot globe often with a plum wash as the season progresses. We suggest you plant several to imitate a mini-forest.

DWARF CONIFER- Hinoki Cypress, Blue Feathers

Chameocyparis obtusa 'Blue Feathers'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 3' x 2'
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

DWARF CONIFER- Hinoki Cypress, Golden Sprite

Chameocyparis obtusa 'Golden Sprite

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Sun-P.Shade to P.Shade
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Sprite is right! This is a quarter of the size of ""Gold Fern Hinoki"", perfectly content to live out its life as a golden, bun-shaped conifer. Great foundation plant outside a railroad building.

DWARF CONIFER- Hinoki Cypress, Kosteri

Chameocyparis obtusa 'Kosteri'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 3' X 4' wide
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Dwarf form of “Hinoki Cypress” with olive-green foliage that cups downward forming an irregular pyramid with age. Self pruning “Alberta Spruce” shape

DWARF CONIFER- Hinoki Cypress, Mariesii

Chameocyparis obtusa 'Mariesii'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Short thin creamy variegated foliage form irregular globe shapes. One of Mark’s favorite dwarfs for its unusual foliage. With bottom pruning, it makes a great mini tree.

DWARF CONIFER- Hinoki Cypress, Meroke Twin

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Meroke Twin'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 3' x 2' wide
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

You will enjoy watching the foliage mature from bright yellow, to gold and dark green in the center of this cone-shaped mini tree.

DWARF CONIFER- Hinoki Cypress, Nana Gracilis

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 3' x 3'. wide
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

For the first 5 years, use this ancient variety as a miniature garden, emerald green, glossy, broadly cone-shaped Christmas tree. In its lifetime, growing an inch or two a year, it will graduate to a larger space.

DWARF CONIFER- Hinoki Cypress, Reisii Dwarf

Chameocyparis obtusa 'Reisii Dwarf'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

One of the best dwarf conifers for creating a grove a trees. Upright and narrow growing with its fine texture, it forms “self-bonsai-ing” clumps of bright green foliage.

DWARF CONIFER- Juniper, Dwarf Japanese

Juniperus procumbens 'Nana'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 6in. x 24in. wide
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Container, Garden Railroads, Hedges/Shrubs, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary

Whether you need a trained dark green, coarse needled tree specimen or a tough evergreen to cascade over rocks, this miniature fills many needs. Popular bonsai plant sold for twice is amount. Get it now, get it cheap!

DWARF CONIFER- Sawara Cypress, Baby Blue

Chameocyparis pisifera 'Baby Blue'

Cold Tolerance: Zone Zone 5-9
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Shade
Height: 5 x3 Feet
Water: Normal- Dry
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

This 5 x 3', half-sized ""Boulevard Cypress"" forms a blue, coned-shaped bonsai or stands in as ""Blue Spruce"" in mini-forests. As it matures, I enjoy its silvery winter foliage in the door swags we assemble.

DWARF CONIFER- Sawara Cypress, Cream Ball

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Cream Ball'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Shade
Height: 3' x 3' wide
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Hedges/Shrubs, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary

New for 2009
Not exactly the color of new fallen snow, but it is not hard to imagine a winterscape with this soft, creamy-white tipped, neat, rounded ball from Canada.

DWARF CONIFER- Sawara Cypress, Juniper Leaf

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Juniperioides'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Shade
Height: 3'x 3' wide
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Hedges/Shrubs, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary

You'll notice golden yellow foliage in early Summer eventually settling into a blue green hue by fall. Although dwarf (slow growing to 3 feet), it is an upright globe, just right for a tidy, well cared for railroad set-up...

DWARF CONIFER- White Cedar, Meth Dwarf

Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Meth Dwarf'

Cold Tolerance: Zone Zone 4-9
Light: Full Sun
Height: 6 x3 Feet
Water: Normal- Wet
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

I raid this plant as it matures to a 6 x 3', Alberta Spruce shaped specimen when we make holiday door swags because of its plum edged, green foliage and most importantly, soft texture. Try this easy bonsai alone or better yet, create another mini-forest candidate when planted with at least 2 other cedars.

DWARF CONIFER- White Cedar, Little Jamie

Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Little Jamie

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 4in. x 18in. wide
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Any Soil
Common Uses:Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Hedges/Shrubs, Miniature/Faery Garden

Create a forest of ""tall,"" narrow, grey-green foliage turning plume-purple colored in winter. Great miniature for tight spaces between railroad buildings or a miniature windbreak.

DWARF CONIFER- White Cedar, Top Point

Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Top Point'

Tired of ""Alberta Spruce"" christmas trees? This true dwarf form adapts to average, moist soils and offers bright green needled leaves.

Dymondia, Mini Gazania

Dymondia margaretae

Cold Tolerance: Zone 7a 7b 8a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Sun
Height: 3in. groundcover
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bedding Plant, Borders, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Walk About

If you can overwinter it, this is a colorful, coarse textured, groundcover with 4 inch wide rosettes of blue-grey foliage and silvery undersides. Or consider it an annual with 1/2"" yellow daisies, most of the summer.

Dad on Tractor

Melba & Robert Hemminger raised eight, college educated kids (Karen was last) on a sole income of farming. Mom created over 30K meals, with minutes-from-the-garden or canned (by her), organic vegetables. Dad saw farming change from work horses to horsepower and was never far from his JD.

VOLUNTEERS

DEBBIE BAHR, herb enthusiast & sales pro

My love of gardening started early. Benjamin Franklin (the elementary school I attended in Cleveland) owned acres of land at the school. Students were offered a garden plot for the summer and the school provided tools, seeds, plants, and education. I enjoyed several summers of bringing home vegetables I had grown. On the home front, my Ohio grandparents had a large garden and fruit trees. My Tennessee grandparents had gardens, fruit trees, and honey bees. They also raised their own beef cattle, dairy cows, pigs, and chickens. When I became a homeowner in Cleveland, I landscaped my ‘postage stamp’ yard. My current “country” home, is a ‘forever’ landscaping project. My herb garden has been limited to growing in containers, but I am looking forward to planning vegetable and herb gardens. I have learned much from the members of “Thyme for Friends,” a local herb club, where I also learned about Mulberry Creek Herb Farm. For years, I have attended Mulberry Creek classes and have enjoyed the annual Herb Festivals. I look forward to volunteering here and learning about the hard work of operating an organic farm.

DON JACOBSEN

When I was young my mom always gardened, so I used to help her. I dabbled here and there, but really did not get into it until I was in my late 20’s and early 30’s. Most of my experience was just learning as I went. I gathered most of what I know from working at Mulberry Creek. I’ve been a hairstylist for 33 years, and I work in the catering department at “Progressive Field”. I am currently in culinary school, and I cater on the side, specializing in gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and food allergies. I decorate, table scape, and do all the floral arrangments. When I finish my culinary degree, I plan to attend “Tri C” to get my event planning certification, as well as a degree to interpret sign language and Spanish. I have earned medals in culinary contests, as well as competitive Irish dancing. I got acquainted with Mulberry Creek after I learned about faery gardening. At first, I thought it was one of the stupidest things I had ever heard, but now I’m known as the faery garden guy, go figure. I design faery gardens and teach classes for Mulberry Creek and the MetroParks. I do home faery gardening parties for adults and kids alike. I also love doing crafty things, creating (decorative painting), and spending time with family and friends. What I love about gardening is it makes me feel close to God and nature. It’s like birthing living things that you know are good for you and the environment.