By Lynn R. Mitchell
With sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80s, it was time for a run to Milmont Greenhouse in Stuarts Draft, the Mennonite-run operation that features premium annual, perennials, trees, shrubs, and just about anything else needed to make a pleasing palate of colors in your yard.
Not only do they have hundreds of varieties of summer annuals but they also post growing conditions and instructions for enjoying the most amazingly lush flowers in the Shenandoah Valley. Their greenhouses and grounds are showcases of masses of red, pink, yellow, purples, and blue blooms with a fleet of helpful and cheerful workers ready to answer questions, direct to the asked-for plant, and generally be there for customer support.
After being out of town for a week and returning yesterday, I was up early this morning and headed to Stuarts Draft for summer flowers and garden vegetables. Even so, the crowds were already pouring into the parking lot and aisles were blocked with carts overflowing with plants.
We have another week before being past our safe frost date but the long-range forecast looks to be clear sailing. After the long winter, many are eager to plunge their hands into the dirt. It’s growing season in the Shenandoah Valley!
Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
May 8, 2014
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