A special Saturday at Song Sparrow

Mark and I spent a couple of delightful hours shopping and socializing at Klehm's Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery in Avalon, Wisconsin on Saturday.  

This is a special benefit that we enjoy as members of the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society. Klehm's is a mail-order nursery and does not normally have on-site shopping for the general public.

But in the last few years the WHPS has been one of a group of organizations that has been favored with a unique shopping experience at the nursery. There is a limited time slot for shopping and we're on our own for transportation to Klehm's which is about an hour away from Madison.

Once we arrived Klehm's well-oiled machine swung into action. Staff were outside directing us where to park and telling us it was OK to take a shortcut across the grass to the shipping room where we would begin our shopping experience.

The pictures above show Klehm empolyees signing us in on their computers. Then they gave us a list showing all the plants, the hoop houses where they were located, prices, and a map of the set-up. These "shopping lists" were attached to clipboards along with a pen. 

If that wasn't enough, there were coffee and doughnuts available to fuel us up before we began our shopping spree.

If you noticed, in the first image, the sign says "Welcome Ed and Friends." Ed (above and below right) is UW Horticulture Professor Emeritus Ed Hasselkus, the link between Klehm's and the WHPS. Ed, a longtime member of WHPS, has also had a long professional and personal relationship with Roy Klehm, Vice President of both Beaver Creek Nursery and Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery. 

This is how Rotary Botanical Gardens described Roy (above left takling with Ed): 

"Roy Klehm represents the fourth generation of his family to work in the nursery business. His grandfather was a founder of the American Peony Society, and in the plant world, the Klehm name is practically synonymous with peonies because of the number he and his family have hybridized and that they grow and sell.He has hybridized and selected peonies his whole career, naming about 300 new varieties and growing between 700 and 800 named varieties of peonies." 

Ed and Roy are two of the pre-eminent men in the horticulture field, both are generous with their time and knowledge. And the Wisconsih Hardy Plant Society is lucky to share in the largesse of both.

Ed Hasselkus, age 80+, got the ball rolling as he headed toward the hoop houses with Jane LaFlash, WHPS Membership Coordinator and Trip and Tour Co-Coordinator.

I exit the starting gate with my list, my pen in my mouth and my embroidered Hmong bag with checkbook and credit cards at the ready. I had also downloaded photos and info about the plants I was interested in and printed them out, in essence creating my own mini print catalog. 

Adjacent to where we started was a flatbed truck with special sale plants including White Tigress maple trees. These are the first boxes filled with the purchases of folks who started buying before they even made it to the hoop houses.

Klehm staff were outside the hoop houses putting together boxes to hold our plants and writing our names on them so no boxes got confused. They even took them up to the check-out area to await our arrival if we didn't want to be burdened carrying them ourselves.

There are shade and sun houses, spots for evergreens and woodies, and multiple dwellings for the tree peonies.

Cindy Fillingame, current president of the West Side Garden Club and a friend and gardening neighbor of ours, was one of the many serious shoppers we saw on Saturday.

Everywhere you looked, there was Ed Hasselkus chatting with folks. I corralled him to ask a plant question. Always nice to have an expert on hand!

It didn't take long before folks begin to load up their purchases for transport (above and below).

This year Klehm joined the chorus of nurseries who no longer send out a print catalog. While I spent a lot of time pouring over their on-line catalog, there were still plenty of plants that were a surprise to see in person. I was so dazzled by this evergreen that I forgot to note its name; though Mark is of the opinion that it may be too bright for our garden.

Sometimes the way a plant is captured in a picture by Mark gives me a whole new appreciation for its attributes as well as new ideas about how to use it in the garden. Typically I use these colorful-leaved Heucheras as single accents but I love how they look in this photo: big broad swaths of contrasting color. I can imagine them in a checkerboard pattern in the right location.

We are not in the market for tree peonies but they were in full flower during our visit so we stopped in every peony hoop house. I kept ooohing and aaahing and pointing out my favorites to Mark.

He was enamored of this dark red one as big as his hand.

I liked this slightly smaller one that was the same color as my hand! I did write down their names just in case we decided we need them in our garden.

This is probably the most famous tree peony in the world: Joseph Rock. This is the double version.

As you might imagine, Klehm's has row after row of hoop house complete with heaters and sprinklers.

They are lined with plastic and covered with netting. So they can be kept warm or airy as needed.

There are also massive plant-growing fields as well as farm fields as far as the eye could see.

We came home with four trees and two shrubs, a pretty modest haul. And most of the trees are small enough that it will be a good ten years before they provide any serious shade. I've decided that I will enjoy watching them grow in my newly sunny garden. By the time they're mature I'll be ready to enjoy a mini forest with a lot fewer plants — surn or shade varieties — and less maintenance. At least that's the plan for now.

A big "Thank-you" to Roy Klehm and all the friendly, helpful folks at Klehm's for another wonderful Saturday shopping spree. 

Comments

[mamaraby]

Oh, what wonderful plants! I have three heucheras planted up front underneath the big silver maple. I inherited them from my mom who bought them as decorations for my sister's wedding. Unfortunately for my mom, they would not appreciate her very sunny location so they made their way here. I don't know for sure which variety mine are, but their lemon-limey green leaves really are a nice accent. I just lve the way they stand out with their ruffle-y leaves. I saw another variety this past weekend and now two more on your blog. I think I could plant several more.

Love the peonies, too. I have two pink ones planted, one for each of my older two children and a third one (white w/pink streaks) waiting to be plantedfor my youngest.

It looks like you and Mark had a wonderful trip! :0)

[Julie Siegel]

Thanks for this report and the photos of Ed H. whom I recall from a memorable class my first year in the biz, almost 15 years ago!
Really like Mark's Hoop House photos.

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

It's such a treat to visit Song Sparrow. I'm debating going this weekend when they have their open day. Part of me is hesitant to go as I know it will be a shock to the credit card! It is still the best mail order nursery on the planet in my book and their plants are worth every penny.

Looks like a chilly day there though. I'd love to hear more about what you brought home. Also, I don't agree with Mark ... I think that evergreen would be stunning in your garden!

[Eslyon]

That conifer is Abies nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader', Linda. It's a zone 5 and the bright color is due to the new growth. It"dulls down" once the new growth hardens. It is a lovely conifer, low growing with no leader, grows much wider than tall. Looks great over a rock.

[Frank]

Thanks for a great summary of a great plant filled trip. I don't know how you were able to narrow down your choices as well as you did! So what exactly did you bring home with you? I'm curious since I'm not sure if I could have left all the peonies behind.

[Les]

I hope their plants were as lovely in person as they are in their catalogs. I am glad you were able to see the peonyies, I have drooled over their images repeatedly.