View as Webpage

E-News

Mid December 2024

We are now closed for the winter season except by appointment. Please email us. 

We will reopen with the Hellebore Hurrah! Opening Week on February 28th, 2025

In this Issue

1. Paloma Gardens
2. LAUNCHED! The Grafted Veggie Pre-Order
3. The Great Citrus Pre-Order
4. The Rare Flowering Tree Pre-Order
5. The Clematis Conundrum Pre-Order
6. The Hellebore Hurrah! Pre-Order
7. The Great Rose Pre-Order 2025
8. Gift Certificates for Christmas
9. Ground Cover Book Updates

Postcards from New Zealand

Paloma Gardens

Almost a year ago I lead a garden tour to New Zealand. Of the many amazing gardens, Paloma was a stand out.

Clive and Niki have spent much of their 50 years together creating their amazing garden with thousands of species including countless palms, bamboo, succulents, and other subtropicals - a collection to rival many of the best subtropical botanical gardens. The garden is also filled with many pieces of sculpture and elements of fun and whimsy. A new area under development is the Garden of Death or “GoD” filled with poisonous plants. And they take care of these many acres all by themselves! Enjoy the photos!

Phoenix Perennials owner and tour leader Gary Lewis with a large Agave

Human sculptures contrast with botanical sculptures throughout the garden including the Chilean wine palm at centre (Judaea chilensis).

The gorgeous and exotic Fuchsia boliviensis

The stunning blue fronds of the cycad Macrozamia macdonnellii

At the entrance to GoD: the Garden of Death

At the entrance to GoD: the Garden of Death and the start of things that can kill you

In the Garden of Death with a white angel's trumpet (Brugmansia)

In the Garden of Death with a spectacular and apparently poisonous cactus

The signature red bridge over the lake

A pergola and palm trees near the red bridge and the lake

Clive and Niki have spent much of their lives building this amazing garden filled with thousands of different plants.

LAUNCHED!

The Grafted Veggie Pre-Order

For pick-up or shipping in May 2025

Welcome to our Grafted Veggie Pre-Order offering hand-grafted edible plants that will produce at least 2-3 times more fruit than own-root veggies with more disease resistance, cold tolerance, and longer seasons of production. With good fertilizing, many customers get 50-100 pounds from a single tomato plant! These plants are revolutionary and worth it, especially for small spaces.

In 2023, which was the best year for tomato growing in BC for the last 30 years, the crops were incredible. But even in 2024, which was lacklustre on the coast for tomatoes with a short season and not much heat, the crops were still bountiful.

Grow them in the ground or in large pots (10 gallon and up). And give them space. In pots they can be 6 feet high and 4 feet wide. In the ground they can reach 8-9 feet high! Imagine all the tomatoes plants of that size will produce. And you'll get similar large crops from the other grafted vegetables.

Back by Popular Demand

‘Brad’s Atomic Grape’ produces amazing clusters of large, multi-coloured, elongated cherry tomatoes striped with lavender, purple, green, brown, orange, yellow, red, and black!

‘Epic’ (‘Dusky’) offers plump, oval, purple-black eggplants that can be picked at 3-5 inches long or harvested when fully mature at 8-10 inches long.

New Grafted Veggies

‘Big Bertha’ is a delicious elongated bell pepper with fruit that can be seven inches long – the longest of any cultivar!

‘Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry’ is a stunning mini bell pepper with both variegated foliage and fruit! 

An improved King Arthur type bell peppe, ‘Red Knight’ is an early-maturing, high quality, blocky bell pepper with a sweet, fruity flavour bred to be eaten red when ripe at 77 days but can also be eaten green at 57 days.

‘Mad Hatter’ is a crazy, exotic pepper offering new flavours for your summer cooking! It is a relative of our garden pepper known as C. baccatum from South America commonly used in Bolivian and Peruvian cuisines. 

‘Katrina’ produces an early to midseason crop of small, slender, high quality, nicely ribbed cucumbers on compact plants.

‘Big Brandy’ is a cross between two top heirloom tomatoes: the famous ‘Brandywine’ and ‘Big Dwarf’. 

‘Black Pear’ is a distinctive Siberian heirloom tomato with pear shaped fruit that is rich red on the bottom with mahogany-black shoulders.

‘Chocolate Cherry’ is a delicious burgundy red cherry tomato with excellent sweetness combined with deeper, richer flavours than a typical cherry.

‘Harvest Moon’ is a gorgeous modern tomato in an heirloom style. It produces beautiful, firm, consistently sized (7-10 oz.), golden fruits often flushed with red on the skin.

‘Japanese Black Trifele’ is one of the favourite tomatoes from the days when we used to do tomato tastings at the nursery. 

‘Pruden’s Purple’ produces juicy, dark reddish-pink fruits with a luscious, well-balanced sweet and tart flavour.

Available for: Shipping and Pick-Up – Select your preference at check out.

Estimated Date: Early to Mid May 2025

Plant Details: Plants are provided in 11cm pots.

Fertilizer Details: Don’t forget your fertilizers. PICK-UP ONLY. You will not get good yields without a good fertilizer regimen since annual veggies have high nutrient needs. Unfortunately, we cannot ship fertilizers. Please look for similar fertilizers at your local garden centre. If you require shipping within Greater Vancouver, we will likely send your plants via courier rather than Canada Post so you can order fertilizers with these local orders.

Local Pick-Up Customers: Pick-ups will be in early to mid May. Pre-orders are held for 2 weeks. If not picked up, your plants are returned to general inventory and no refund is given since these are annuals with a short sales season.

Mail Order Customers: Shipping will occur in mid to late May once plants are large and strong enough to ship to your region.

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFO



Please note that your customer details from our old website will not carry over to the new website. You'll need to create a new username and password and enter your contact details again.

If you have a gift certificate or credit on your old account, please let us know after you place your first order so that we can apply it to your new account.

LAUNCHED!

The Great Citrus & Rare Fruit Pre-Order

383 Amazing Edible Plants for Pick-Up or Shipping in May/June 2025

We are excited to offer our largest selection ever of Citrus – 106 different varieties! Beyond classic favourites, we have many rare varieties and many that can be grown outdoors year round in coastal BC in protected microclimates.

Our Citrus are joined by 277 other rare and choice fruits including avocados, paw paws, persimmons, passionfruit, figs, olives, mulberries, pineapple guavas, guavas, kiwi, tea, papaya, dragon fruit, jujubes, honeyberries, medlars, goji berries, pomegranates, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, elderberries, and more.

Highlights from the Great Citrus & Rare Fruit Pre-Order

Kiwi Fruit

15 different tasty and intriguing kiwi fruit, some hardy to zone 3!

Saskatoons

Five different Saskatoon berry cultivars for cold climate gardeners.

Paw Paws

14 different paw paws for tropical fruit flavours in temperate climates.

Tea Plants

25 different named cultivars of tea camellia.

Citrus

106 different types of citrus.

Persimmon

After a long hiatus due to Covid-related production issues we have 21 different persimmon available for 2025!

Pineapple Guava

9 different types of Feijoa.

Figs

14 different kinds of figs.

Honeyberries/Haskaps

11 different types of honeyberries/haskaps.

Mulberries

9 different kinds of mulberries.

Olives

21 different types of olives.

Maypops

4 different kinds of Passiflora incarnata or maypop.

Avocado

11 different types of avocado.

Pomegranates

11 different kinds of pomegranates.

Currants

11 different types of white, pink, black, red, and clove currants.

Rubus

13 different kinds of raspberries, blackberries, and relatives.

Dragon Fruit

8 different types of dragon fruit cactus.

Jujubes

5 different kinds of jujubes.

And much more!

Available for: Shipping and Pick-Up – Select your preference at check out.

Estimated Date: Pick-ups in May. Shipping in May and June.

Plant Details: Plants are available in various size pots. Sizes from 3 gallon to 10 gallon are pick-up or freight only.

Local Pick-Up Customers: Pick-ups will be in May. Pre-orders are held for 4 weeks after which time your plants are returned to general inventory, a 25% restocking fee is deducted, and the remainder is refunded.

Mail Order Customers: Shipping begins at the same time as pick-ups and continues for about four weeks as we integrate packing this pre-order with orders from the Main Mail Order Catalogue. Please note: Plants in this pre-order can be quite tall and require large boxes. For this reason, it is possible that for some orders, especially large orders that require large boxes or multiple boxes, that your shipping costs may be higher than your original quote. In this case, you will be asked to pay an additional shipping amount. We do not make money on shipping but we must charge appropriately to cover our costs.

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFO



Please note that your customer details from our old website will not carry over to the new website. You'll need to create a new username and password and enter your contact details again.

If you have a gift certificate or credit on your old account, please let us know after you place your first order so that we can apply it to your new account.

Rare Flowering Tree 

Pre-Order

90 Amazing Trees for Canadian Gardens

We are very pleased to offer a select group of rare and choice flowering trees focused on maples, dogwoods, and magnolias with a few additional surprises including Camellia, redbuds, and more!

Available for: Pick-Up or Shipping

Estimated Date: Mid March to Mid April 2025, as soon as weather conditions are safe for your region.

Plant Details: Most plants will be provided as fully rooted plants or plants with solid root balls. Some may be recently potted large plugs or bare root. Heights and pot sizes are estimates.

Local Pick-Up Customers: Pick-ups usually begin in mid to late March. Pre-orders are held for 4 weeks after which time your plants are returned to general inventory, a 25% restocking fee is deducted, and the remainder is refunded.

Mail Order Customers: Shipping will take place from mid March to mid April as weather conditions are safe for shipping to your region. Orders might arrive a few weeks before plants can be planted outside in which case they will need to be protected until weather conditions warm. Deciduous trees will most likely be dormant when shipped. While we attempt to pack as efficiently as possible, trees, even small ones, will require boxes of some volume which means there are unavoidable shipping costs. Depending on the size of your order and how we can pack it, there may be additional fees to cover the costs of shipping since our shopping cart system cannot properly calculate all eventualities when it comes to packing and shipping. We only charge to cover our costs and do not make money on shipping.

Highlights from the Rare Flowering Tree Pre-Order

Maples

Maples offer year round beauty that changes through the seasons. This year we offer our largest selection ever with 23 different cultivars including some real rarities and cutting edge cultivars.

Dogwoods

Dogwoods offer superb beauty with layered branches of gorgeous flowers. Choose from 14 different cultivars.

Magnolia

Few trees are as beautiful as a magnolia in spring. Choose from 20 of the world's best cultivars plus some rarities and species.

Camellia

This year Camellia join this pre-order rather than having their own. But these cultivars are more rare and more shippable in 1 gallon pots. Choose from 10 different kinds.

Unusual and Rare Trees

As always, we are excited to bring you some real rarities and oddballs plus some continuing favourites.

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFO



Please note that your customer details from our old website will not carry over to the new website. You'll need to create a new username and password and enter your contact details again.

If you have a gift certificate or credit on your old account, please let us know after you place your first order so that we can apply it to your new account.

Clematis Conundrum

Pre-Order

187 Choice Clematis, Passionflowers, and other Vines for 2025

Welcome to our Clematis Conundrum Pre-Order offering 187 different Clematis including old favourites, unusual species, and cutting edge new cultivars plus other choice vines like passionflowers, honeysuckles, jasmines, star jasmines, and more!



This year all of our Clematis come together in a single offering in this pre-order, not in two offerings (pre-order and main catalogue) as in previous years. Have fun exploring all the possibilities in one place!

Available for: Shipping and Pick-Up – Select your preference at check out.

Estimated Date: Late April to Mid May 2025

Local Pick-Up Customers: Pick-ups usually begin in late April.

Mail Order Customers: Shipping will take place in from late April to mid May as weather conditions are safe for shipping. Our plants are full-sized vines grown on 3 foot stakes. While we attempt to reduce the volume by partially cutting down the stakes and carefully packing the stems, it is unavoidable that shipping vines will require boxes of some volume which means there are unavoidable shipping costs. Depending on the size of your order and how we can pack it, there may be additional fees to cover the costs of shipping since our shopping cart system cannot properly calculate all eventualities when it comes to packing and shipping. We only charge to cover our costs and do not make money on shipping.

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFO



Please note that your customer details from our old website will not carry over to the new website. You'll need to create a new username and password and enter your contact details again.

If you have a gift certificate or credit on your old account, please let us know after you place your first order so that we can apply it to your new account.

Hellebore Hurrah! 

Pre-Order

60 Hellebores for shipping or pick-up in March/April 2025

Welcome to our Hellebore Hurrah! Pre-Order offering 60 of the best hellebores available in North America including cultivars from the Winter Jewels, Honeymoon, Wedding Party, Ice n’ Roses, Gold Collection, and Frostkiss series plus 14 hot new cultivars. In addition to these selected cultivars, we will also have more available for in-person shopping at the Hellebore Hurrah! Opening Week starting February 28th, 2025. Mark your calendars! To keep up to date on additions plus articles on hellebores, sign up for the Hellebore Alert.

Available for: Shipping and Pick-Up – Select your preference at check out.

Estimated Date for Pickup/Shipping: March/April 2025.

Local Pick-Up Customers: Pick-ups begin February 28th, 2025 and continue through March.

Mail Order Customers: Shipping occurs through March and April as soon as weather allows in your region. We must ship hellebores by early to mid April. If you live in a cold region, we will ship once temperatures are safe for hellebores to travel to you. However, they may arrive a few weeks before they can be planted outside. You may need to protect them until planting.

Highlights from the Hellebore Pre-Order

Double Hellebores

The double hellebores from the Winter Jewels and Wedding Party Series offer incredible beauty for the late winter and spring garden with their many layers of petals. The Lenten roses are good for shade to part sun.

Single & Anemone-Centred Hellebores

The single hellebores offer simplicity in form but not in colour or detailing! These vibrant and beautiful flowers will lighten up your early spring days. The Lenten roses are good for shade to part sun.

The Ice 'n Roses Series

The robust plants of the Ice 'N Roses series have big flowers and big, dark green foliage. Sometimes referred to as snow roses, they can begin to bloom in December or January and prefer full to part sun.

The Frostkiss Series

The gorgeous plants of the Frostkiss Series have beautiful flowers that begin to bloom in December or January and have awesome mottled foliage that continues the show for the rest of the year. Sometimes referred to as snow roses, they can begin to bloom in December or January and prefer full to part sun.

Christmas Roses

The pure white Christmas roses bloom from December to April and are great for holiday decoration. Plant in part sun to part shade. These are the hardiest of the hellebores and can be grown in zone 3 with protection.

New Series from Europe

Introducing the first cultivars from the Frozen and Glamour series from Europe. These beautifies are ready to make their North American debut.

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFO



Please note that your customer details from our old website will not carry over to the new website. You'll need to create a new username and password and enter your contact details again.

If you have a gift certificate or credit on your old account, please let us know after you place your first order so that we can apply it to your new account.

The Great Rose 

Pre-Order 2025

201 Spectacular Roses for Beauty and Fragrance

We are very pleased to offer pre-ordering for our full selection of roses for the 2025 season. In previous years we have launched in stages as we have received solid confirmations from our suppliers. But now that production has stabilized since the tumult of the pandemic, we can now be much more secure in our supply for the new year allowing you to order from more than 200 different roses starting from this first launch. 

We still hope to have a few surprise additions later in the fall and winter so make sure you're signed up for the Rose Alert to be the first to know!

This year you'll find some beautiful new roses including 'Tottering-by-Gently' from David Austin, 'Perfume Factory', 'Perfume Delight', and 'Sugar Moon' for amazing fragrance, 'Dmitri Hvorostovksy' from Brad Jalbert, and an expanded selection of patio tree and standard tree roses. Have fun!

New 35th Anniversary Roses from Select Roses

Be the first in the world to grow them!

Highlights from the Rose Pre-Order

David Austin

Classic English style with beauty & fragrance

Brad Jalbert

Gorgeous, BC bred & disease resistant

Super Hardy

22 Garden & Itoh Peonies

Tree Roses

Make a statement with standard and patio trees

Climbing Roses

Go vertical with beauty and fragrance

Container Roses

Grow the Veranda & Sunblaze series in pots

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFO



Please note that your customer details from our old website will not carry over to the new website. You'll need to create a new username and password and enter your contact details again.

If you have a gift certificate or credit on your old account, please let us know after you place your first order so that we can apply it to your new account.

The Complete Book of Ground Covers

Get your copy and transform your garden

After nine years of research, photography, and writing The Complete Book of Ground Covers by Phoenix Perennials owner Gary Lewis was published by Timber Press in Fall 2022, It is available at the nursery for pick-up or on the nursery website for shipping within Canada. You can also buy it anywhere in North America, Europe, and around the world from your local bookstore or the big online retailers.

It is an encyclopedia of more than 4000 different species and cultivars that is a textbook of ground covers for the temperate gardening world. It also includes sections on the practical, aesthetic, and environmental benefits of ground covers that discuss how to save time and money in the garden, how to make gardens more sustainable, and how to make gardens more creative and beautiful all by using ground covers.

Illustrated with 650 stunning photos taken by Gary on his travels around the world, this is a scrumptious and inspiring volume perfect for beginner, intermediate, and expert gardeners alike including garden and landscape professionals.

Order Your Copy of

The Complete Book of Ground Covers

You can order signed copies for pick-up or shipping within Canada from Phoenix Perennials. You can order from your favourite neighbourhood bookseller. Or you can order online around the world from your favourite online sources.

Now Available in Japanese!

The Japanese language translation was published in spring 2024! It can be ordered from Japanese online sources for shipping to Canada.

Help Us Spread the Word

Please tell your friends and family about Phoenix Perennials. Share this email with them, tell them about your mail order plants, or bring them with you to visit the nursery.

Thanks so much!

Check us out on Social Media!

請加入我們新的微信和小紅書社交媒體賬戶，獲取有關玫瑰、牡丹、亞洲食用植物等的信息!



For our Chinese customers, please join our new WeChat and Red Book social media channels for information on roses, peonies, succulents, Asian food plants, and much more!

Update Your E-Newsletter & Alert Subscriptions

You can manage your subscriptions to our E-Newsletter and occasional subject-based Alerts at any time by clicking on the "Update Profile" link at the bottom of every E-News and Alert. The E-Newsletter comes out twice a month. The 20 different Alerts come out occasionally when we have something exciting to tell you:

Happy Gardening!