Wild Ginger Farm on YouTube

The fall and winter months are when I have time to work on our website.  This year I wanted to add interest to the site by adding some slideshows and videos.  It turns out that the easiest way to do this is to create a YouTube Channel and then upload the videos onto our site.  The videos can then be viewed both on our site and on YouTube.

So far I have put up three videos, all of which are narrated slideshows.  I plan to post actual "how-to" videos at a later time.  And I hope to create better productions with practice, perhaps learning to inject some "Sham-wow!" into my voice.  Or maybe not :)

Take a look at our new YouTube Channel and see what you think.

2010 Mail Order Shipping Ends Nov. 16th

Our 2010 Mail Order Season ends Nov 16th and any orders placed online during the winter months will be shipped next Spring.  Please check our website to learn when the Spring Shipping Season begins in your region.  If want your order shipped earlier or later than our schedule indicates, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

The Lewisia mound at Wild Ginger Farm

The 2011 Mail Order Catalog will be posted online in January.  Thank you to all our mail order customers for making 2010 another successful year and we look forward to hearing from you in 2011 !

Dry Shade: Hardy Cyclamen

Those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest often garden beneath large, thirsty trees where the soil remains relatively dry year-round.  This can make it difficult for plants to become established and is a source of frustration for many gardeners.  Fortunately certain plants such as hardy Cyclamen thrive in this situation.  Cyclamen grow during the fall and winter months and are a bright spot in the off-season garden.

Cyclamen hederifolium

Cyclamen hederifolium 'Album'

Cyclamen hederifolium needs a dry summer dormancy and grows happily tucked in the dry soils at the base of trees and shrubs.  Pink or white flowers are produced in fall followed by interesting foliage in a range of colors from pewter to shades of green and in interesting and variable shapes and patterns.  Over time plants reseed and colonize an area, creating a charming woodland effect.

Cyclamen hederfolium foliage

Cyclamen coum is another hardy species that flowers in late winter to early spring.  Its rounded leaf can be solid green or heavily marked.  We grow a striking silver leaf form that produces dark pink flowers.  

Cyclamen coum

Cyclamen coum Silver Leaf form