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Back in 1997, Emerald Coast Growers was just six years old. Bill Clinton was in the White House. A new Honda Civic cost $10,000. The Marlins beat the Indians in the World Series, and the Packers whupped the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI.But the big news that year? The Perennial Plant Association chose Salvia May Night as its Perennial Plant of the Year. All other phenomena were just fighting for silver.May Night is a classic best-seller thanks to its long-lasting violet-purple flower spikes in lat

Isn’t it great when a bunch of friends drop by? You know, like two or three busloads?That was the situation at our northern growing location recently: We hosted a tour of our greenhouses and trial gardens as part of the Perennial Plant Association’s National Symposium in Lancaster, PA.A good time was had by all despite high temperatures and humidity. Growers, designers, educators, writers, bloggers, retailers, customers and competitors alike strolled the grounds until they felt at home. We made

Recently, the Perennial Plant Association held its Covid-delayed 2022 National Symposium in Lancaster, PA. Emerald Coast Growers is pleased to announce that the Association chose to honor our Marketing Manager, John Friel, with the Garden Media Promoter Award.PPA says, “This award distinguishes a nominee … whose educational and promotional efforts result in heightened public awareness of the work done by the perennial plant industry.” John’s efforts include the Emerald Coast Growers starter

It’s a Grass Grass Grass!The Perennial Plant Association has picked a Perennial Plant of the Year every year for over three decades. In all that time, only three grasses were so honored... until now!Next year, one of our favorite native grass species will join this elite group. Give it up for Schizachyrium scoparium, a.k.a. “Little bluestem!”We grow ten (10) outstanding varieties of this nifty number, and guess what? They’re ALL the Perennial Plant of the Year! The award is shared by the whole s

Salvia nemorosa May Night ranks among the most famous names in all perennialdom. But that well-known name isn’t its real name: Technically, it’s ‘Mainacht’, which means the same thing in German.In either language, it’s prized for its long-flowering stands of deep purple-blue spikes. Way back in 1997 it won the prestigious Perennial Plant of the Year award from the Perennial Plant Association. May Night loves to flower so much, it demands extra attention in propagation to root and branch – an iss