Amy's Flowers

Amy's Flowers, 757 Mecox Road in Watermill (south of highway)

It's that time of year again when I start shopping the local nurseries for annuals to plant in my containers.  On of my favorite stops is Amy's Flowers on Mecox Road in Watermill, NY.  It's off the beaten path, but worth the trip.

Amy has been running this nursery/greenhouse for about 18 years.  She's very knowledgeable about the plants she grows and carries.  Amy proudly finds and stocks a wide variety of plants, including new varieties of the usual suspects.  You can tell this business is a passion for hers.

Greenhouse is full of healthy plants

This season, I found there a yellow fan flower (Scaevola 'Suntastistic') along with the usual purple/blue kind. There were quite a few hybrids of annual salvia so I was able to find the perfect shade of purple I wanted.  I also bought Scabiosa and Gaura that are considered perennials in my zone but also make nice container companions.  I may transplant these to planting beds in the fall.

Her collection of Sedum is the largest and most diverse I've seen at any Hamptons nursery. Sedum are great drought tolerant plants for sunny areas.  Perfect for weekend houses where you may not be around to water constantly.

Amy's favorite potting soil

I love the Black Gold potting soil Amy carries.  It contains ground nut shells along with the typical sphagnum moss.  I feel these shells keep the soil from being too light and from drying out too fast.  However, I still create my own container soil mixture. I believe all bagged potting soil dries out too quickly.  I mix two bags of Black Gold with about 6 shovels of leaf compost then blend in a shovel of crushed pine bark mulch.  For me, this provides a rich yet light soil that holds moisture well.

I've been to Amy's twice this season and am going back again today.  I need a few more flowers to finish my annual container plantings.  Can't wait to see what's new or what I missed on my last buying spree.

Amy stocks a huge selection of plants perfect for containers

Update: Amy’s Flowers has moved under the roof of the Milk Pail Fresh Market location at 1346 Montauk Hwy in Watermill, NY.