Linder's Garden Center

Need Plants? Use Our Plant Search to Find Them

proven winners watermelon charm supertunia Looking for a particular plant to fit into your garden, maybe one that has a certain height, flower color or light requirement?

Search thousands of plants using Linder's 'Plant Search' to find just the right one. This extensive list of trees, shrubs, vines and perennials is an easy and exciting new way to get information about the plants we carry. Although this database does not contain all the products we sell, information is continually being added as it becomes available.

If you are looking for a more extensive listing of the plants & products we carry, select from one of the lists located on our 'Plants & Products' page or call our Customer Service desk at 651-488-1927 for more information.

While we do our best to remain fully stocked at all times, please call (651) 488-1927 to check for availability.

Posted on June 5, 2013

Showy Shade Perennials

Mature trees have the advantage of saving you significant money on summer energy bills, but they do provide a vast amount of shade. However, this shade does not have to limit what can be planted in certain areas of your yard. While the options available for shade gardening can seem limited, they do exist!

Perennial Gardening Tips

Plant in masses – if you love a certain kind of perennial, grab a bunch of them! There are a limited number of perennials that are impressive enough to stand out from the crowd, but if you plant 3, 5 or even 12 of them in a big happy family, they just might take your breath away.
Pay attention to the bloom time – Planning your garden around the time of bloom for each plant is a great way to guarantee a colorful shade garden all season long.

The following are just a few of our favorites. If you’re looking for more shade perennials ideas check out our Perennial Plant Lists or use our Plant Search to find perennials by their specific characteristics (height, width, flower color, etc).

Hostas and Ferns

These two are very obvious options and are very dependable in shade. They are available in many different textures and shades of green, blue-green or yellow-green color. There are also varieties with white or yellow accents. Most tolerate a wide range of soil conditions. While they certainly have a place in the shade garden, there are also other fascinating options out there to add to your shady areas.

Astilbe These are very popular in the world of shade gardening. You can find Astilbe flower plumes in just about any color you can imagine. They prefer a moist soil rich in organic matter. The foliage and flowers offer a beautiful fine texture in the garden.

Coral Bells or Heuchera

These shade loving plants are right behind Hostas and Ferns in variety and popularity. There are more and more varieties being introduced all the time with new colors and sizes available. I highly recommend planting these beauties in mass and using as many different colors as possible for a striking shade garden!

Anise Hyssop or Agastache

This one may surprise you, it is typically listed as a plant for full sun, however, thrives in full shade! Beautiful spikes of lightly-scented, blue flowers bloom in mid-summer and last through the middle of fall. The foliage is a dark green color and also lightly fragrant.

This perennial is highly adaptable to many growing conditions; the only thing it will not tolerate is standing water. (is that too much to ask?) It is drought tolerant as well.

Pigsqueak or Bergenia

How can you not love a plant with a name like Pigsqueak?

These plants are as adorable as their name. The foliage forms a rosette of large, glossy and somewhat leathery leaves. It offers season long interest with clusters of pink flowers rising above the foliage from late spring into summer. The foliage turns a gorgeous burgundy in the fall as the temperatures begin to cool.

If that’s not enough, these plants are also highly adaptable to just about any growing condition.

Bugbane, Snakeroot

or Cimicifuga racemosa

These plants have a lot to offer!

The foliage is deeply serrated and will emerge burgundy in the spring, lightening to a dark green with burgundy tips as the season progresses. In late summer, spikes of fragrant white flowers rise above the foliage for a beautiful show. The brown fruits following the flowers will cling on until late winter.

Try growing these plants in a garden that is usually pretty moist. These plants can even tolerate some standing water.

Lenten Rose or Hellebore

These perennials are one of the most underutilized perennials on the market. They are most unique in that they bloom late winter to early spring. The cup-shaped flowers are very showy and available in a variety of different colors, even black! These beauties prefer a moist soil, rich in organic matter. Take note that parts of these plants are known to be toxic.

Japanese Spurge or Pachysandra

Japanese spurge is an excellent groundcover in deep shade. Plant this one underneath your mature trees in your most acidic soil and watch it thrive. In the spring time it will bloom with tiny white spikes rising above the foliage. This shade lover is an evergreen providing year round interest.

Japanese Spurge

Lungwort or Pulmonaria

This hardy perennial blooms with beautiful clusters of bell shaped flowers at the ends of stems from mid to late spring. The leaves are narrow and green with interesting white spots throughout the season. This plant is quite low maintenance and is attractive to hummingbirds. And for those with deer problems, plant this perennial for problem free color.

Rodgersia

Rodgersia is a spectacular perennial that will make a major statement in your garden as a focal point. The leaves are palmate, highly textured, and very attractive all season long, turning a brilliant red in the fall. The flowers form large plumes that stand above the foliage almost as if to say, ‘Look at me!’ There are a variety of different flower and foliage colors available. This plant has a strong preference for rich, organic soils with a neutral pH.

Posted on May 29, 2013

Add Height & Color with Annual Vines

Adding a vine to your garden can be great way to add height and depth to your garden. Although they may be able to grow 20 feet tall, most of them will only grow as tall as the support you provide them with.

Grow them on your railing on the deck of your apartment, on your chain link fence to screen that neighbor’s unsightly yard, or just use them as another source for beautification! These are some of the most common annuals that you can find at Linder’s Garden Center or our Flower Marts:

Black Eyed Susan Vine Height: 6-8 feet Spacing: 2-3 feet Exposure: Sun-Partial Shade Bloom Color: Red, Orange, Yellow Bloom Time: Late spring/early summer, midsummer, late summer/early fall Foliage: green Average water needs. Can be grown indoors, suitable for growing in containers.
Hyacinth Bean aka Lablab Height: 10-20 feet Spread: 9-12 inches Exposure: Full Sun Bloom Color: Purple Bloom Time: Mid Summer, Late Summer, Fall Foliage: blue-green, aromatic, smooth textured Seeds: Seed is poisonous if ingested. To collect seeds, allow pods to dry on plant, break open to collect seeds. Attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. The flowers are fragrant. The seed pods are a beautiful metallic purple color. Self-sows freely, dead head to prevent volunteer seedlings next season.
Moon Flower Height: 8-10 feet Spread: 12-15 inches Exposure: Full sun Bloom Color: White Bloom Time: Late Spring, Summer, Fall Foliage: blue-green, smooth textured Seed Collecting: Collect seedhead/pod when flowers fade, allow them to dry or allow pods to dry on plant, break open to collect seeds. Flowers have a delicate fragrance. Buds open in the afternoon and close up by morning. Self-sows freely, deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings. Hummingbird moths are attracted to the blooms and can be seen buzzing around them all night.
Sweet Pea ‘Knee Hi Mix’ Height: 24-36 inches Exposure: Full sun-partial shade Bloom time: mid spring-mid summer Sweet Pea flowers are very fragrant and come in a wide range of colors. In order to keep the plant blooming prolifically throughout the season, be sure to cut the flowers. Allowing the flowers to go to seed will greatly reduce the amount of flowers. The tendrils may need to be attached to supports early on to provide support.
Morning Glory Height: 15-20 feet Spread: 2-3 feet Exposure: full sun-light shade Bloom color: Red, white and blue Bloom time: summer though fall Seed Collecting: allow pods to dry on plant, break open to collect seeds. Seed is poisonous if ingested. Morning Glories are suitable for growing in containers, they are fast growing and will quickly take over a fence. These plants are very low maintenance and easy to grow. Water regularly.
Nasturtium ‘Jewel Mix’ Nasturtium isn’t actually a vining plant, however you will find it right next to our vining plants at our stores. It is such a wonderful, easy to grow plant, yet it often gets over looked. Height: 12 inches Spread: 16-18 inches, forms a mounded clump Bloom Time: spring-summer Exposure: Full Sun Easy to grow from pre-started plants or from seed. The colorful flowers and leaves are edible having a bit of a peppery taste. The flowers are a great addition to liven up a salad or dinner plate. Butterflies are attracted to Nasturtium. These plants are fairly drought tolerant and will readily re-seed themselves.

Posted on May 27, 2013

SunPatiens For Full Sun!

sunpatiens

Looking for Impatiens that can take on the full effects of the sun? Check out SunPatiens! Not only do these annuals love full sunlight, but they also thrive in the heat and humidity that summer provides.

They have stronger roots for more vigorous growth and have a strong, sturdy frame that can stand up to the wind and rain. Looking similar to a New Guinea Impatiens, the thicker petals and foliage are less prone to disease and damage throughout the year. Awesome!

In addition to their ability to withstand the elements, they produce an abundance of flowers from spring to the first frosts of winter. Their many flowers ensure a full and decorative cover with large splashes of color in your gardens. You can also use them in containers and baskets!

And for those that are concerned about “Impatiens Downy Mildew”, unlike their cousins, these guys are resistant to the disease.

Posted on May 27, 2013

Combo of the Week: Waikiki Beach

The "Combo of the Week" is Waikiki Beach.

waikiki beach combo proven winners

This combo is available at all Flower Marts and the St. Paul Garden Center is the summer version of 'Bermuda Skies'!

Calibrachoa "Superbells Miss Lilac"

Petunia "Supertunia Bermuda Beach"

Calibrachoa "Superbells Yellow Chiffon"

Linder's 2013 Combo of the Week Program

Given the spectrum of colors available, do you sometimes have trouble deciding on a color scheme? What did you plant last year that worked and what didn’t? Most times it’s hard to decide on a color scheme for your garden or a plant recipe that will complement each other as they grow throughout the season. And what about the different planter sizes that you have at your disposal? Linder’s is here to help!

We spent the time looking over all the different container recipes to develop a foolproof schedule of Proven Winners recipes. You can be ensured success and peace of mind knowing that Proven Winners will grow and thrive in your gardens.

This season we offer those combination recipes in a full range of pot sizes to complement your outdoor space, from hanging baskets to container planters, a finished product to started combinations in smaller starter sizes. Every week we are featuring a new combination alongside other Linder’s fabulous creations. Each week we feature a different design.

Here are the previous week's combos still available:

main street usa combo

Main Street USA, reminds us of the patriotic spirit that our great nation provides. It combines three Supertunia varieties of petunias from Proven Winners for a combination that will continue to flourish and provide a bounty of flowers well into the fall season. Supertunia Royal Velvet, Red and White complement each other with their vigor and performance. As with all of the Supertunia varieties, no deadheading required!

Three popular plants on their own will be even more popular when combined to create Velvet Skies.

Chosen as the 2013 National Combination of the Year, Velvet Skies is a delightful blend of three popular and colorful annuals from Proven Winners^®

Blushing Princess^™ Lobularia
Supertunia^® Mini Silver Petunia
Supertunia^® Royal Velvet Petunia

and is a combination that is sure to appeal to gardeners.

Velvet Skies Combination

“Above & Beyond”. This week’s combination combines three Proven Winner Supertunia varieties for a pastel mix of pink colored petunias. The combination of Supertunia Vista Bubblegum, Vista Silverberry, and Vista Fuchsia create a massive ball of color that just keeps getting bigger and better all summer. This one is aggressive, be sure to fertilize weekly using Proven Winners water-soluble fertilizer. Be sure to apply a second application of Proven Winner time-released fertilizer in July, this is one hungry combination!
“Sweet Tart Punch”. It combines Grape Punch Calibracoa, Sweet Tart Calibracoa, and Babylon Deep Pink Verbena to spark your taste buds. This combo thrives in full sun and cascades down to fill your vertical space. Be sure to fertilize weekly with Proven Winners Time Released and Water Soluble fertilizers. The plants will often run out of energy as the end of July approaches.
"Bermuda Skies" This combo is a beautiful pastel mix of salmon petunias, yellow superbells, and blue lobelia. It loves a sunny position where the sun shines for 6 or more hours each day. Supertunia® Bermuda Beach Petunia hybrid Superbells® Yellow Chiffon Calibrachoa hybrid Laguna™ Sky Blue Lobelia erinus