Inspiration for Your Garden and Medicine for Your Soul at Shades of Green

Sunday, July 2, 2017
'The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature.  To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. -Alfred Austin

Every season holds tradition.  For me one of the highlights of the warm weather is the growing season, particularly visiting my favorite sources for plants for my garden.  While I have a good long list of places I can count on for healthy and gorgeous greenery, there's only one place where I can not only fill my trunk but also fill my senses all in the same trip.  That someplace is Shades of Green in Charlton, NY.  You may recognize the name because I write about it every year, but that's because no matter how many times I go, it never gets old and there's always room for one more plant. Shades of Green is not just a retail source, it's a botanical paradise that makes you forget you came to shop.  Not to worry, you'll remember soon enough - I always do!

Our visit this season happened a little later than usual but we finally made our way to Charlton this past week and it was plain to see this crazy weather has been kind to every living thing at Shades of Green.  Large and lush would be a perfect way to describe things, a tranquil and scrumptious slice of heaven where your mind wanders and your troubles fade away.  Every year I tease Wynne Trowbridge, owner and gardener extraordinaire, that she really needs to charge admission.  But that would go against Wynne's grain, because creating this inviting and relaxing experience for her customers is exactly her plan.  In fact, on her website she even encourages visitors to bring a picnic lunch.....which isn't a bad idea since Shades of Green is the kind of place you'll want to stay a while.
As the name suggests, Shades of Green specializes in shade gardening.  With hundreds of varieties of hosta and too many other shade plants to count, you'll be able to fill every shady corner of your yard in one trip!  Besides the obvious appeal of choosing Shades of Green to fulfill your garden needs, one of the great advantages of selecting your plants here is the benefit of seeing your selections in their mature state - thriving in Wynne's yard.  Seeing a plant in a pot is sometimes deceiving.  I, for one, have on more than one occasion purchased too large a specimen for a location or planted said specimen too close to its fellow companions.  Not only do Wynne's gardens inspire, they guide beautiful and complimentary combinations.




















I don't know about you, but I've never seen as many hosta varieties anywhere, much less in such a gorgeous setting.  But whether it's hosta or heuchera, foam flowers or fern, Shades of Green will provide you with exactly what you need to have your shade garden spectacular in no time.  You might think shopping in such a setting would translate to pricey purchases but nothing is further from the truth.  In fact, Wynne's prices are actually very reasonable and her plants are always healthy and un-stressed, unlike those in the big box stores.
 Shades of Green is open Tuesday-Friday, 10:00-5:00 and Saturday, 10:00-4:00 BUT is closed this week for a family wedding.  They will re-open on July 11th. They are located at 2036 Cook Road in Charlton, NY.  For more information, check out their website and Facebook page:  http://www.lotsahosta.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/Shades-of-Green-Nursery  I know that once you've been, a visit to Shades of Green will be an annual tradition of yours for many years to come.    For even more inspiration and a peek at previous posts from about Shades of Green:
http://www.lifeasiseeitphotography.net/2016/06/shades-of-green-soothing-place-to.html
http://www.lifeasiseeitphotography.net/2015/05/when-in-need-of-little-therapyi-have.html

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