Car Trunk Trees: Parrotia persecia (Persian Parrotia)

Here is another exciting installment of our Car Trunk Cars series. We are profiling some amazing trees, all of which we have in stock right now (in small 2 gallon containers, which will fit in the trunk of your car)!

And now is the perfect time to plant a tree. Arbor Day is one week away!

Parrotia persecia (Persian Parrotia)

Why we love it: Fireworks from spring to fall, plus stunning exfoliating bark.








Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Height: 20 ft to 40 ft Spread: 15 ft to 30 ft
Form: ascending branches
Type: deciduous tree
Annual Growth Rate: 6 to 12 inches
Flowers: Maroon Blooms Late March

Prefers full sun to partial shade. Likes acidic soil and is drought tolerant. Does not like wet feet. Flowers appear before the leaves in very early spring. Leaves emerge purple-bronze and then mature to a deep green. Unbelievable fall color: purple, orange, umber, and yellow. A great cool region tree with brown, gray, green, and cream exfoliating bark that stands out in a winter garden.

This tree is a true individual. It can be trained to grow with one trunk, or it can have many stems. It is in the Witch hazel family, and blooms at the same time as many witch hazel varieties. A garden star all year long.

more info

Car trunk trees are what we are calling young trees in 2 to 3 gallon pots, small enough to bring home in the trunk of your car. There are many advantages to planting trees on your property: They can provide shade in the summer (trees can help keep your your house cool), trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen (cleaning the air and fighting global warming), well-chosen trees add value to your home.

If you are on our email list, you received our newsletter and our special secret sale. Car Trunk Trees are the small, easy to carry, easy to plant trees we have in stock.

If you are not on our email list, sign up! Send us an email with "Mailing list" in the subject heading, and you will receive notices of special sales and discounts all year long!

Car Trunk Trees: Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood)

We are profiling a series of fantastic trees we have in stock in small 2 gallon containers. Every Northern gardener should have one of these:

Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood)

Why we love it: This native tree blooms when no other tree is blooming in summer, and with the panicles still on the tree, the fall foliage will knock your socks off.






Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Height: 25 ft to 30 ft Spread: 20 ft to 25 ft
Form: pyramidal
Type: deciduous tree
Annual Growth Rate: 8 to 15 inches
Flowers: White Blooms Mid- to Late Summer

Prefers full sun to partial shade. Can grow in acidic, infertile soil.. The primary attraction of this small deciduous tree is the drooping clusters of fragrant, white blossoms are borne on 4" to 10" long panicles. Flowers open over a three to four week period, and then the panicles remain on the tree while the leaves turn yellow, orange and red for a spectacular fall show. The persistent fruit remains on the tree through winter.

more info

Car trunk trees are what we are calling young trees in 2 to 3 gallon pots, small enough to bring home in the trunk of your car. There are many advantages to planting trees on your property: They can provide shade in the summer (trees can help keep your your house cool), trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen (cleaning the air and fighting global warming), well-chosen trees add value to your home.

If you are on our email list, you received our newsletter and our special secret sale. Car Trunk Trees are the small, easy to carry, easy to plant trees we have in stock.

If you are not on our email list, sign up! Send us an email with "Mailing list" in the subject heading, and you will receive notices of special sales and discounts all year long!

Car Trunk Trees: Halesia carolina (Carolina Silverbell)

Number five in our "Car Trunk Trees" series is a showy, hard to find flowering tree that will grow in the shade. We have these hard-to-find beauties in stock in easy-to-carry, easy-to-plant, 2 gallon containers. Really, what more can you ask for?

Halesia carolina (Carolina Silverbell)

Why we love it: Striated bark, showy bell shaped flowers, AND it can grow in the shade!






Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Height: 30 ft to 40 ft Spread: 20 ft to 35 ft
Form: arching
Type: low branch profile with a rounded crown
Annual Growth Rate: 12 to 15 inches
Flowers: White Blooms April/May, seeds ripen in September/October

This tree grows in shade or sun. Prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soil. Dirr says the Halesia carolina makes "a great tree for understory planting along a stream, in the back of the shrub boarder, against a background of large conifers, or as a single specimen, yet [it is] not common anywhere in America."

Halesia carolina has striated exfoliating bark and bright yellow fruit in the fall. This tree is often confused with the Styrax japonicus fargesii (Japanese Snowbell) (profiled in the previous entry) because both have spring-blooming, white, downward-facing flowers, but the Halesia has the exfoliating bark and is more shade tolerant.

more info


If you are on our email list, you received our newsletter and our special secret sale. Car Trunk Trees are the small, easy to carry, easy to plant trees we have in stock.

If you are not on our email list, sign up! Send us an email with "Mailing list" in the subject heading, and you will receive notices of special sales and discounts all year long!

Car Trunk Trees: Stewatia pseudocamllia (Japanese Stewartia)

Here is the 2nd of our Car Trunk Tree Series

Stewatia pseudocamllia (Japanese Stewartia)

Why we love it: The dramatic exfoliating bark and great fall foliage.









Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
Height: 20 ft to 40 ft Spread: 20 ft to 40 ft
Form: pyramidal/oval in youth - more rounded in maturity
Type: deciduous tree
Annual Growth Rate: 6 to 12 inches
Flowers: White with yellow center Blooms in July

Prefers full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. Soil should be moist and ideally acidic. Dry soil will limit this trees growth. The real appeal of this tree is its stunning exfoliating bark. When branches reach 2" or 3" in diameter, the gray, gold, and brown pealing bark is a real stand-out as a winter interest. Plus the Stewartia has fantastic fall foliage.

more info

Car trunk trees are baby trees, small enough to bring home in the trunk of your car. There are many advantages to planting trees on your property, and whatever challenges you face on your property, we have so many different varieties that will stay small, grow large, flower, tolerate wet, etc.

If you are on our email list, you received our newsletter and our special secret sale.

If you are not on our email list, sign up! Send us an email with "Mailing list" in the subject heading, and you will receive notices of special sales and discounts all year long!

New Japanese Garden Tools

A few years ago we had this really great claw tool, which disappeared off the market, and nothing like it was ever to be found again. Until now! These Japanese tools are exactly what we've been looking for.

The three pronged tools are great for planting, pulling weeds, or pulling sod. The smallest of the claw tools are nice and light, especially nice for women.

The Victoria Gardens Landscape crew is field testing these tools, and we'll keep you updated on how they survive the daily pummeling they are subjected to. They look very well made, so we have high hopes that they will hold up well.

Terrariums Are Oh So Now!

Terrariums are very trendy right now, and pretty easy to put together. Here is an easy to follow how-to.

Or if you prefer, we have pre-made terrariums that you can just take home with you. Uber-easy and oh so stylish!

Books and Birding Supplies

We have a new supply of new gardening books by Timberland Press including Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs, which is one of Victoria Gardens' favorite reference books. Other titles we are carrying are Armitage's Native Plants for North American Gardens, Essential Garden design Workbook, Family Kitchen Garden, 50 High-Impact Low-Care Garden Plants, Planting Green Roofs, 400 Trees and Shrubs for Small Spaces, and Perennial Companions.

We also have a new selection of bird houses, bird feeder's (squirel resistant), and bird seed.

Easter Countdown: Plants and More!

This week we have a stunning assortment of indoor and outdoor plants that make perfect gifts.

We will be open on Easter from 10 am to 2 pm, so on your way to your mother-in-law's stop in and pick her up an indoor hydrangea, a pot of campanula, or a friendly frog!

Easter Count Down: One week until Easter!

Spring means Tulips