Colorwork Nursery

Author: Lisa

  • Travels

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    I traveled the last few days to Maryland to vend at a fiber show as part of Ewetopia and love to see the transition of blooming spring as we go. First lots of Redbuds through Illinois and Indiana, then Black Locusts as we veered south, and into Flowering Dogwood, Amur Maackia, Fringetree, and fully leafed…

  • Bareroot Trees are Fun

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    I think bareroot trees look intimidating. I have been handling them a number of years but when I really look at them in their naked glory it seems like they couldn’t ever live. But they do. And they thrive. And you can definitely fly by the seat of your pants and drive it home and…

  • Hellebores

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    Hellebores. Every spring I’m out there pulling aside dried up debris from winter to look for the fresh green growth and FLOWERS! They are tough perennials and they are also–happy as anything in the shade (even full shade)-deer resistant (actually dear hate them)-very hardy and bloom for a couple months-nearly evergreenTo some, hellebore flowers aren’t…

  • Moving Out to the Greenhouse!

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    Growing in the house has been so enjoyable this year that it doesn’t even seem like it’s time to move out to the greenhouse, but a check on my photos and texts from last year suddenly makes me feel late!! There’s been a good start to updating the plant lists on the website. As more…

  • Plant Shopping

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    Last week I had to bring my lawnmower to Coon Valley to be repaired. It’s far enough away I thought I’d run errands while it was being worked on. “Errands” meant plant shopping. I hadn’t been anywhere all year! I mean there’s lots to plant here and so many of my favorites, but off I…

  • Sweating Bareroot Trees

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    Handling bareroot trees and shrubs is easyish, kind of. Sweating is a technique that helps ensure the success of some species. Sweating is not necessary for all bareroot, just certain species. if you skip this step you risk allowing the buds to harden and either not open or take so much energy for the leaves…

  • The Trees page gets some attention 🙂

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    Lisa
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    https://colorworknursery.com/trees/ I have to say, this work has been such a beautiful remembrance. I lived and worked at Read’s Creek Nursery with Bill Kappler and my two children for over twenty years and they were very happy years indeed. I was immersed in a world of plants! Having a website in the “old days” was…

  • Not your typical February day

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    Is this what a day in zone 7 feels like? I don’t know about you but middle February makes me think of more wintry activities than this – like knitting. And baking. But I hauled myself outside and it was beautiful, and here’s what happened: Getting a shockingly early start on some new garden beds!…