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In business since the fall of 2006, Trout Lily Greenhouses provides certified organic seedlings to markets, stores and garden centres in Guelph, Toronto, Fergus, Orangeville and the surrounding areas. The nursery specializes in a wide range of herb, tomato, pepper, eggplant and other vegetable seedlings, including many heirloom varieties. Pictured at left are some of the heirloom tomatoes and different types of eggplants produced by Trout Lily. The seedlings were grown out in the garden of Trout Lily owner Vera Top. For a full listing of the seedlings available, please consult our 2011 catalogue. The plants are primarily available for sale in May and June of each year.

Trout Lily focuses on providing healthy seedlings adapted to the local environment. Having found commercial organic soil mixes to be lacking, we make our own compost and use it as the base for our own specialized growing media. This involves an attention to quality and provides the nutrition required for robust, disease-free seedlings.

Shown at right and below are just a few of the organic seedlings grown by Trout Lily - including Sugar Baby watermelon,red and green leaf lettuces, Old Brook heirloom tomato, Brandywine heirloom tomato, Greek Oregano, dark green zucchini, Dark Opal basil and Munstead lavender.
(photo credit - Laura Berman, GreenFuse Photos)

Contact us at:

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Tel: 519-856-2333
Fax: 519-856-9611
E-mail: vera.top@troutlily.ca
Address:
5877 4th Line, RR#3
Rockwood, ON
N0B 2K0

Directions:

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NOTE: For some reason, Google Maps seems to have difficulty accurately locating our farm, meaning that if you type in our address as noted above it will take you to any number of locations depending on exactly how you input the information - none of which are actually Trout Lily Nursery. If you want to use Google Maps, please copy and past the following GPS address into the search bar as this seems to be the only reliable way to get the right location – or simply follow the directions given below. The GPS location is: N43 41'11.52" W80 15'48.19"

From Guelph:

Take Eramosa Rd./Hwy 124 to the traffic light at Brucedale (tiny village consisting mainly of a few houses and an Esso Gas Station on your left). Turn left onto County Road 27 and go to the four-way stop with a flashing light at the village of Oustic (~6 - 8 km from Brucedale). Turn left at the four-way stop, then turn left at the first intersection you come to after that (4th Line) and turn left again at the first driveway - you have arrived!!

From the 401 - you have two options:

a) If you're okay with traveling a gravel road, simply turn north at the Guelph Line exit. Stay on Guelph Line, which eventually becomes 4th Line, until you get to our farm at 5877 4th Line - about 20-25 minutes from the 401. The last six or eight kilometers are gravel road, after you cross Hwy #124.

b) Take the Guelph Line exit. heading north. Stay on Guelph line until you get to the lights at Hwy 7 (about a 15 min. drive). At Hwy 7 turn right and go into the town of Rockwood. At the lights in Rockwood turn left. Continue north, going straight through the lights at Hwy 124 and on to a four-way stop with a flashing light at the village of Oustic (~10 or 12 km from Rockwood). Turn left at the four-way stop, then turn left at the first intersection you come to after that (4th Line) and turn left again at the first driveway - you have arrived!!

2012 Catalogue coming soon....

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2011 Catalogue (similar varieties will be offered in 2012, with a few changes to pepper and tomato cultivars, etc.)

VEGETABLES

Arugula - spicy, cool weather green lends a rich taste to salads
Broccoli, Gypsy (hybrid) - variety excels in hot weather relative to others, produces side shoots after main head is cut
Celery, Utah – good market or home garden variety with tall, dark green stalks
Chard, Ruby - crumpled leaves with crimson-red stalks & veins, prolific producer

CUCUMBERS:
Marketmore Slicing - standard slicing cucumber with dark green 8" fruits, productive & disease tolerant
Telegraph English - dark green, mostly eedless fruit, 15-17" long fruits, high yielding
Pickling - firm, tasty flesh is good for fresh eating or pickling

EGGPLANTS:
Black Beauty - standard deep purple Italian- American variety, high yields & no spines
Casper - delectable white eggplants with ivory skin & flesh, early, heavy producer of 5-6" long fruits
Little Finger - very tasty, small, Oriental-style slender fruits with black glossy skin, harvest when young & tender
Long Purple - long, slender, light purple fruits, mild flavoured, wonderful for adding to stir fries or any eggplant dish

Kale, Dinosaur - narrow, bumpy, tender leaves, variety dates back to the 18th century
Leek, Broad London (heirloom) - 8 to 10" tall stems, vigorous plants with mild onion flavour

LETTUCE:
Jericho (Green Romaine) - full flavoured, tall heads, bolt resistant for summer production
New Red Fire (Red Leaf) - terrific, full size leaf lettuce, forms ruffled red leaves atop a bright green base
Optima (Butterhead) - soft, thick, butter-textured leaves form large frame & dense head with long shelf life
Red Salad Bowl (Red Oakleaf) - bronze tinted oak-shaped leaf, matures early & is slow to bolt, grows well in all seasons
Rouge de Hiver (Red Romaine) - red tinted leaves, great for harvest at baby leaf stage, good re-growth, prefers cool weather
Tari (Green Leaf) - produces frilly, bright green leaves on a full head, very slow to bolt

ONIONS:
Red Baron - lovely red shanked bunching onion, can also be left to grow out as a medium-sized bulb onion
Red Wing (hybrid) - storage onion, glossy red skin & interior rings
Sturon Yellow (hybrid) - large bulbs, strong skins & tight necks, good storage variety

SWEET PEPPERS:
California Wonder - blocky, large fruits with a mild, sweet flavour, green to red, 68 days to green, 85 days for red
Marconi Italian Red (heirloom) - sweet green to red fruits are up to a foot long, 3" at the shoulder, high yielding, 70-90 days
North Star (hybrid) - very early (65 days) green to red pepper, sweet & flavourful at maturity
Sweet Chocolate - medium to small, chocolate-brown peppers with brick red flesh underneath, early & tolerant of cool nights

HOT PEPPERS:
Cayenne - produces many bright red, long & thin fruits, ideal for cooking & drying for chili powder
Chinese Five Colour - fiery hot fruits turn a rainbow of colours, from purple, through to cream, yellow, orange & red
Early Jalapeño - great for salsa, stir frying & slicing, blunt-shaped fruits mature early changing from dark green to red
Hungarian Hot Wax - abundant yields of medium hot, tapering fruits, ideal for pickling, roasting & frying, yellow to red

Squash, Burgess Buttercup - dark green skin with thick orange flesh with sweet, rich flavour, stores very well
Squash, Waltham Butternut - 4-5 lb fruits with smooth, easy to peel tan skin & orange flesh, keeps into winter if cured
Tomatillo - a staple in Mexican foods, harvest when husk loosens & fruit turns pale yellow

SLICING TOMATOES:
Big Beef (hybrid) - excellent flavour, large, smooth red fruits, disease resistant, mid-season, indeterminate
Black Prince (heirloom) - orange-red, uniform fruits with brown shoulders, approx. 3", rich flavour, indeterminate
Black Sea Man (heirloom) - medium-sized, brownish-red fruits, delicious rich flavour, early to mid-season, determinate
Black Zebra (heirloom) - striped 2" fruit with strong sweet-tart flavour, gorgeous dark tomato, mid-season, indeterminate
Bonny Best (heirloom) - popular home garden variety, medium size fruit with old-fashioned flavour, mid-season, indeterminate
Brandywine, Pink (heirloom) - large beefsteak type tomato, juicy with mild flavour, indeterminate, potato-leaf variety
Cherokee Purple (heirloom) - dusty rose to chestnut colour with a sweet, smoky flavour, heavy crops of good size fruits
Earl of Edgecombe (heirloom) - lovely 3-inch round, mango-coloured fruits, meaty with fruity flavour, indeterminate
Green Zebra (heirloom) - tangy, green fruits with dark stripes, pick when fruit has a yellowish hue, mid-season, indeterminate
Mennonite (heirloom) - orange, beefsteak tomato, a favourite with sweet flavour, heavy yields, indeterminate, mid-season
Mountain Princess (heirloom) - red to slightly orange with good flavour, does well in containers, very early, determinate
Old Brook (heirloom) - delicious old-fashioned tasting red fruits, good for canning due to high acidity, early season, indeterminate

PLUM/PASTE TOMATOES:
Black Plum (heirloom) - mid-season, oval 2" fruits with dark colour & rich flavour, great for sauces & salads, indeterminate
Roma - plum tomato with great disease resistance, heavy yields of thick-walled fruit with deep red color & mild flavour, determinate

CHERRY & SALAD-TYPE TOMATOES:
Black Cherry (heirloom) - dark purple coloured 1" fruits with sweet, rich flavour, very productive & early, indeterminate
Blondkopfchen (heirloom) - name means "little blond one", produces clusters of tasty small gold fruits, very productive, indeterminate
Chadwick Cherry (heirloom) - largish red cherry tomato with mouth-watering flavour, borne in clusters, indeterminate
Matt's Wild (heirloom) - possible originator of the modern tomato, heavy yields of tasty, small tomatoes, some growers are finding it more blight resistant than other varieties, indeterminate
Sun Sugar (hybrid) - golden fruits with unparalleled sweetness & flavour, higher in Vitamin A than red types, early & indeterminate
Sweet 100s (hybrid) - extremely high yields of well rounded ¾-1" red fruits, early & indeterminate, provide good support
Sweet Olive (hybrid) - sweet red grape tomatoes on tall, vigorous & determinate plants, tolerant of heat & adverse weather
Tiny Tim - very early dwarf patio tomato, grows about 15" tall & is covered with ¾" red fruits, can be grown in pots or in the garden
Yellow Pear (heirloom) - pear-shaped, sweet yellow fruits, low in acid, very productive, late-season variety, indeterminate

Watermelon, Sugar Baby - medium-sized fruits for short season areas, pink flesh
Zucchini, Dark Green - strong plants produce early, heavy yields

HERBS

BASILS:
Genovese - standard pesto basil, heavy yields of glossy leaves
Cinnamon - sweet cinnamon flavour & aroma, leaves retain flavour when dried
Italian Large Leaf - larger leaved variety, flavour similar to Genovese
Mrs. Burns Lemon - sweet, tangy lemon flavour, vigorous plant with bright green leaves & white flowers
Red/Dark Opal - deep purple leaves & stems, lilac flowers, excellent as a garnish, in salads or for adding to basil vinegars
Spicy Globe - sweet basil that grows as a tidy, compact bush, great for small gardens & pots
Rama Tulsi Holy - highly aromatic plant, commonly grown around temples in India
Siam Queen Thai - anise flavoured, used in a wide range of Thai, Vietnamese & other cuisines

Chives (P) - lends a mild onion flavour to salads, meats & soups, edible purple flowers
Chives, Garlic (P) - flat leaves with delicate garlic flavour, white flowers are also edible
Cilantro - becoming one of the most popular fresh herbs, great in Mexican & Asian food, easy to grow & tolerates cool weather
Dill, Hera - essential pickling herb, edible seeds & greens flavour many foods, an improved slow bolting variety
Fennel, Florence Type - delicious root fennel can be eaten raw, roasted or steamed, baseball sized bulbs mature in ~80 days
Lavender, Munstead (P) - best lavender for winter hardiness, compact, bushy habit
Marjoram - oregano relative, leaves add strong, spicy flavour to soups, sauces, stuffings & stews
Mint, Black Peppermint (P) - strong peppermint for use in tea & a variety of dishes, refreshing scent
Mint, Chocolate (P) - a lovely, mild & clean-tasting mint with no aftertaste, discriminating noses may note a hint of chocolate…
Mint, Pennyroyal (P) - strong minty aroma, used to flavour puddings & sauces, aids in keeping rodents out of garden
Oregano, Greek (P) - use fresh or dried in tomato sauces, marinades or on pizza
Parsley, Curly - curled leaves are great for garnishes, salads & cooking
Parsley, Italian - flat, glossy leaves, strong flavoured for use fresh or dried
Sage, Garden (P) - culinary herb used to season meats, sauces & stuffings
Sage, White - grey-white foliage, ceremonial sage burned for purification & cleansing
Thyme, German (P) - classic culinary & ornamental herb, use fresh or dried to season meats, vegetables, soups & sauces

FRUITS & RHUBARB

Gojiberry (P) - aka Chinese Wolfberry, sweet red berries can be eaten raw or dried, or added to soups & stews
Rhubarb, Victora (P) - very fast growing, green-stemmed variety, produces thick, tart pie & crispable stems
Strawberry, Alpine (P) - tangy berries taste like wild strawberries but are larger, compact & runnerless plants, everbearing
Strawberry, Temptation (P) - compact with few runners, great in hanging baskets, 1½" berries, larger than Alpine, everbearing

EDIBLE FLOWERS

Chamomile, Roman (P) - traditional ground cover for English paths & gardens, can be cut like grass, tea made from flowers
Heartsease Viola (P) - self-seeding annual, old-English favourite with small purple, lavender & yellow flowers, flowers are edible
Nasturtium, Empress of India - dark foliage & red flowers, blooms have a mildly spicy flavour, peppery tasting foliage
Nasturtium, Trailing - flowers in red, orange & yellow, blooms have a mild spicy flavour, peppery tasting foliage is also edible
Pansy, Mulberry Shades - rich rust & purple shades with yellow centres, tolerates hot & cold weather better than other pansies

ORNAMENTAL FLOWERS

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) (P) - highly fragrant flowers attract butterflies & bees, 60" tall, dies to ground each fall
Echinacea purpurea (P) - very large purple-pink flowers with bronze centres
Marigold, French - double gold, yellow & red blossoms, insect-repelling properties
Morning Glory, Heavenly Blue - beautiful large sky blue flowers, stunning climber
Nicotiana, Aztec - pure white flowers produce an intoxicating jasmine-like fragrance from dusk to dawn
Sweet Pea, Old Spice (heirloom) - lovely mix of old varieties, strongly scented flowers, plant with feet in shade & heads in sun

Vera Top
Phone: 519-856-2333
E-mail: vera.top@troutlily.ca
Address:
RR#3, 5877 4th Line
Rockwood, ON
N0B 2K0
Web: www.troutlily.ca

AVAILABLE AT:

- Guelph Farmer’s Market in May & June - Stores in Elora, Guelph, Fergus & Orangeville
- Direct from the farm north of Rockwood, though we prefer for customers to purchase at the Guelph Market as we are not really set up properly for retail at the farm and are at times away on deliveries
- via Urban Harvest (www.uharvest.ca) in Toronto

PRICING & Other Info.:

Perennials (P) & tomatoes - one plant/bunch per pot
Annuals - most two or more plants per pot
Tomatoes - $2.75/pot
Perennials - $4.00/pot
All Others - $3.50/pot

A 10% discount applies on purchases of 18 or more pots

Certified Organic by ECOCERT CANADA

- your source for certified organic herb, vegetable and flower seedlings

Contact us at:

Directions:

2012 Catalogue coming soon....