Welcome
to Well Sweep Herb Farm!
Our
farm, a family endeavor, is located in the picturesque mountains of
Warren County and is home to one of the largest collections of herbs
and perennials in the country. Germinating from the seed of handed down
tradition and hobby - to a business that has flourished, 2008 proclaims
our 39th year.
From around the globe, with a breadth of Acanthus
to Zatar, our selection spans from the familiar and unusual to the rare
and exotic. This season we are introducing 106 intriguing new plants
to our collection which now tops 1,906 varieties. Whether you’re
a collector, designer, dabbler, or windowsill gardener ... we hope to
arouse the curiosity of all.
Our Farm
Come
Visit! We invite you to bring a picnic lunch, play with your children
on the swings, visit our farm animals, enjoy a leisurely stroll along
our garden paths, or just relax and enjoy the beauty of the day.
The farm features a multitude of herbs and
perennials, display gardens, and a gift shop. Our shop is filled with
a wonderful assortment of dried flowers, wreaths, statuary, hard-to-find
potpourri supplies and unusual gifts for all ages. We also stock a selection
of craft, garden, plant and medicinal herb books.
Our butterfly, herb, medicinal, perennial
and rock gardens burst forth with breathtaking displays throughout the
farm and have been featured in national magazines and books. Our brick-pathed
formal herb garden boasts a knot garden, as well as a display of the
37 basils, 75 lavenders, 54 rosemarys, 108 thymes, and 72 scented-leaf
geranium varieties that we stock. Whether for pleasure, inspiration,
or ideas ... come see the possibilities.
Our Guarantee
With
39 years in the trade, we want you to experience the same gardening
rewards that we do, and for this reason we strive to provide you with
high-quality robust plants.
If you are less than pleased with your order,
notify us within 10 days; if we were in error a full refund of the merchandise
will be issued accordingly. We reserve the right to request return of
the iems prior to adjustment.
Although a few leaves may be damaged during
transit, this usually will not effect the vitality of the plant. If
excess damage has occurred however, please contact us immediately. We
trust that you understand, we are not responsible for loss due to improper
care.
Our Hours
The
farm is open year-round, Monday through Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, and closed
Sundays and Holidays. January through March, please call before stopping
by.
2008
Special Openings - April 27 to June 1 only: Sundays,
11 - 4, & Thursdays, 9 - 7.
Our Plants
All
plants are shipped properly labeled and well-rooted in three inch pots,
or quart containers as noted in the catalog by (Qt.).
Weather permitting, our widest selection of
herb plants and perennials is available for purchase around May 15th.
What makes our plants unique; why are they
your best investment?
We enjoy what we do and care about our plants
and customers. Your success in the garden is our success.
We don’t believe in the “one size
fits all” approach - we not only offer the common but the exotic
for our discerning clientele. What gardener isn’t charmed with
the question, “What is that, it’s beautiful, where did you
get it?” comment. Our plants are also true to name, we invest
hours making sure that what it’s labeled - is what it is.
Many nurseries now fertilize at a low rate
every time they water - this means that when you take their plant home
and it’s no longer getting that constant ‘juice,’
it stagnates. We’ve found that fertilizing every three weeks during
the growing months is enough for container grown plants; in turn, this
doesn’t create a fertilizer junkie, but encourages the plant to
grow when its planted.
The majority of our perennials are home grown.
They come in quart containers that are easy to transplant and due to
the smaller root system, establish quickly. Have you ever tried to dig
a hole to transplant a one or two gallon container, you feel like borrowing
the neighbors backhoe! No, our perennials aren’t an instant full
fledged plant, but they grow with you and your garden, maturing to their
prime in a few years. Best of all, you’ll find that compared to
those larger grown containers, our plants are actually a better value.
Finally, our customers themselves are our
best critics and tell us that they have more success with our plants.
What’s our secret ingredient ... we give them all a little love.
Find out for yourself why our plants are the
best choice for your gardening needs. Have a question, we’re here
to help.
Our Special Events
For
your enjoyment Well-Sweep Herb Farm offers special events, as well as
guest speakers, lectures, slide shows, and craft classes scheduled throughout
the year. These educational and entertaining events are listed in our
catalog under “Special Events,” with the majority of classes
published in our annual fall newsletter - come have some fun! Please
call or e-mail for details.
Our Story
In
1966, husband and wife, Cyrus and Louise Hyde, purchased an old run-down
house and a piece of property. With a background in farming and a passion
for gardening, what began as a homestead gradually transformed and grew
into a national attraction.
Louise, author of the hit cookbook Favorite
Recipes From Well-Sweep, a mother of three, and at one time a licensed
physical therapist, orchestrates and sustains the farm’s dynamic
symphony of events. Walks and constructing the farm’s stone-bordered
gardens occupy her free time, and just look for her ever attentive Border
Collies if you need to find her. Cy, a collector of herbs and rare poultry,
is filled with the lore of the land. If you have a question, you’ll
usually find him in his garden happy to chat. Well-known as a lecturer
and for the development of his own plant varieties, in 1991 he received
the Herb Society of America’s Nancy Putnam Howard Award for excellence
in horticulture. In 2001, the International Herb Association presented
him with a professional award for his outstanding contributions to the
herb industry.
Our crew, the majority seasonal and a handful
of faithfuls, help keep the farm’s mechanism in motion. In the
greenhouses - Maria is our expert plant propagator, Susan and Laura
have transplanting down to an art, and Brian lends a helping hand wherever
needed. David, our eldest son, wears many hats and if it needs doing
... he gets it done.
Our News
Several
distinguished plants compliment our selection this year: hardy clumping
non-invasive bamboss, tough as nails and extremely long-blooming Mountain
Laurels - Kalmia, rarities such as the Arabian Farankincense,
and interesting new native varieties.
We have always strived to not only provide
you with a listing of our plants but also a catalog that is a gardeners
reference - enjoy! Don’t miss our handy Gardener’s Guide
- helpful lists of plants by their noted uses, see page 74.
In some respect every plant known to humankind,
whether common or rare, shares a useful purpose, either in the aesthetic
appeal of their foliage or blooms, their culinary or medicinal virtues,
or their diverse variation of fragrance or flavor. By including some
of this information, it is our wish that we may enlighten you, enhance
your lifestyle, or broaden your horticultural interests.
While it is our pleasure to share this information,
ultimately you are responsible for the way that you use your plants.
We encourage you to continue your own research before experimenting
with herbs. It is our hope that you will be inspired to expand your
collection with some of these extraordinary specimens.
The Perennial Plant Association has chosen
‘Rozanne’ Geranium, as the 2008 Plant of the Year, while
the International Herb Association has designated Calendula, as the
Herb of the Year. We will celebrate this delightful herb at our Midsummer
Herb Festival, on Saturday, June 28th. Come see our selection!
Our Thanks
Your
patronage helps support a small family business that provides personal
service, as well as an enjoyable place for you to visit and relax. We
thank you for choosing Well-Sweep Herb Farm for your gardening needs.
Plants are our passion - we hope our love and fascination with them
encourages you to feel the same. We look forward to your visit or order,
and hope to see you soon.
The Hyde
Family and Staff
