Annie's Awesome Newsletter Archive

Whether you live here or just want to add a bit of color from the Golden State to your corner of the world, we have you covered! Here at Annie's, we take great pride in our home state and cultivate over 250 species of California natives right here in Richmond, CA for gardens near and far. Versatile enough for any garden setting from dry to high color country style. Give them a try and we are sure that our faves will be your faves soon too!

HAIRY GREEN FLOWERS! No Joke! This unusual Aloe native to Yemen produces numerous 3' tall multi-branching flower spikes topped with pyramidal clusters of WOOLY, sea-green blooms! Forms a 2' tall and 3-4' wide rosette of smooth, bright green leaves with toothed edges and a light powdering of blue-green – though some plants may have stripes or a mottling on the leaves. Makes a beautiful container specimen with the added bonus of bringing the fluffy flowers closer to eye-level. Blooms in Summer attracting bees and hummers. Provide excellent drainage for a happy plant.

A short list of our favorite tried-and-true indestructible perennials

Here at Annie's we have a special classification of plants that are not only beautiful, but so hearty that they are hard to kill even if you try! If you or someone you know is affectionately known as a "plant murderer" take note of these tried-and-true can't-kill-'em favorites that are also all perennials, perfect for planting now, and sure to reward you for years to come.

Although last week's storm was a doozy, we're not out of the drought yet, so water-wise perennials still top on our list of plants to grow for a more drought tolerant, environmentally sustainable garden. Achilleas, agaves, aloes and aeoniums all offer rich color, structure and texture that can integrate well into many garden styles. And since they are all perennials, now is a perfect time for planting so they can establish strong root systems and mature before the heat of summer.

This week we're dishing up some cool (weather) perennials and cool Annie's apparel which has recently "come back from the Dead." With the weather cooling, tis the season to plant perennials so they can leverage the lower temps and rains to establish strong root systems that will then help them survive heat with less water over summer. Tis also the season to grab one of our Dia de los Muertos hip skull and botanical print t-shirts and sweatshirts that were designed by the one and only Annie Hayes herself and have not been around for quite some time.

If emails sent scents, this one would offer an "AromaRama" of sweet and delicious smells. Fragrant plants add a wonderful sensory bonus to the visual beauty of flowers and foliage in the garden. The smell of a garden can be just as appealing as how it looks, and those smells also attract bees, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators. In addition to enjoying these lovelies in the garden many make excellent long-lasting cut flowers that let you bring the beauty and fragrance inside.

Our freesia bulbs are here! For 2021, we have a collection of customer favorites plus two brand new rare varieties you won't find anywhere else. These beautiful freesias will be the only bulbs we offer this season and quantities are limited, so if you want them, we recommend you act fast.

All of our freesias are a whopping 10 bulbs per bag. And, they naturalize and spread rather easily in our climate so you can enjoy FREESIA FREEBIES for years to come.

We've been touting the value and importance of planting natives for quite some time here at Annie's. So we were more than happy to partner with the California Native Plant Society's Bloom! California initiative – a statewide effort to educate and encourage Californians to plant more natives. Native plants are inherently climate conscious and, water-wise; and they provide invaluable habitat and food sources for native pollinators and wildlife. Oh, and did we mention they are beautiful and bloomiferous too! Bloom! California is focused on 11 plant groups including some of our favorites -- Clarkia, Salvia, Phacelia, Ornamental Grasses and Yarrow -- but at Annie's we grow over 150 native varieties and currently have over 50 in stock. Check out these California beauties.