Marty Ansley of Cinebar has carved out a comfortable niche for himself, growing more than 100 varieties of colorful heathers. Hundreds of gallon-sized plants are neatly grouped by variety covering about three acres of his 10-acre farm on Burnt Ridge Road. He propagates them in his nearby greenhouse, a process taking about two years of patient watchfulness.
His success has evolved into a wholesale nursery with deliveries to some 15 stores between Poulsbo, North Bend and Longview, hauling 1,500 to 2,000 gallon-sized plants for a day of deliveries about once a week.
He enjoys doing it all himself, with a variety of jobs going on day to day. Friends describe Ansley as independent, smart and a hard worker.
Ansley, 57, has lived here some 20 years and worked seasonally seven years at the Salkum salmon hatchery for the Department of Fish and Wildlife before retiring in 1996.
"I've been in the nursery industry all my life as a retailer or grower," he explains.
His interest in growing plants came from his father's conifer seedling business in Puyallup, and Ansley started a general nursery in 1992. He then recognized he needed to specialize.
Owners of one of the largest heather-growing operations in North America, Bob and Alice Knight of Elma, were retiring, and invited Ansley to take cuttings.
"They have been very kind and supportive," says Ansley.
Strictly speaking, heather only applies to the genera Calluna, although in general terms we group Erica, Daboecia and Calluna all as heathers.
His biggest niche is having a wide selection of the hardy little plants, having a low wholesale minimum for deliveries, and a flexible delivery schedule, as he does it all himself.
"You can have heather growing with something blooming every month of the year, and that's in addition to their foliage colors," says the grower.
These rugged plants with fine roots require excellent drainage and plenty of sun. They can handle some shade, but full sun is preferred.
If planted by February, they'll be pretty established by summer and need a regular watering once a week; more often on really hot days.
The heath family includes rhododendrons, lingonberry and blueberry. All like our maritime climate with comparatively cool summers and acid soil. Once established, they're very rugged and require little care.
Ericas
Ericas pretty much take care of themselves once established, Ansley says. They're exceptionally beautiful in the dead of winter, with winter to spring or summer flowering. Ericas are the ones blooming now.
Erica "Valerie Griffiths" is spectacular, says Ansley, who tries to grow about 1,000 annually. It has color interest all year, with some variation of golden leaves all year; more chartreuse in fall, turning more gold in winter. Flowers are pale pink early to mid-summer.
"White Perfection" offers pure white flowers mid-winter to spring, while "Furzey" has dark lilac pink blossoms November to May and dark green foliage on a vigorous, bushy plant.
Others he points out include "Ghost Hills," "J. W. Porter," "Kramer's Red" and "Margaret Porter."
Callunas
Calluna or Scotch heather generally offers great winter foliage color and blooms mid-summer to autumn. They benefit from a trimming right after flowers have faded.
Ansley says he has too many favorites to list. This group tends toward blue-green foliage and summer bloom.
They include "Jan Decker," a flat, low-growing ground cover with silver-gray foliage and purple bloom, and "Velvet Fascination," with outstanding blue-gray foliage and white blooms in the fall.
Those with outstanding yellow or gold foliage include "Hillbrook Orange," Firefly," "Wickwar Flame," "Winter Chocolate," "Blazeaway," "Gold Cup" and "Sunset."
"Beoley Gold" and "Gold Haze" are two favorite gold foliage plants with white flowers, and "Cuprea" has copper foliage and mauve flowers.
Daboecias
Also called Irish heath, this smaller group handles wet conditions and heavier soil than its relatives. Once established they are very carefree plants, blooming early to mid-summer.
"Alba" has urn-shaped, white flowers, while "Atropurpea" has rich dark pink or purple flowers early summer to autumn, with bronze-tinted foliage.
Soil means success
For heathers, rich organic soils will kill them, so go for lean, sandy, even gravelly soil with good drainage. Even good general soil is all right as long as it has reasonably good drainage and is not rich.
"They're pretty adaptable if these parameters are kept in mind," he adds.
He uses Osmocote time release fertilizers in his container plants, and says it's better none than too much. They really don't like rich compost.
Ansley has written a screenplay and enjoys reading, especially history. He finds farming both intellectually and physically challenging, and says not many jobs have both. He likes the great sense of accomplishment, and adds, "I never get bored."
Mary Fran Fryer is a Lewis County Master Gardener, and invites reader comments and suggestions. Contact her by e-mail at maryfran@sysmatrix.net, or by telephone at 807-0775.
