Jeff Sorenson loves to grow things, and his sister, Kristy, loves to sell growing things. She also has a knack for building a rustic trellis out of fresh-cut willow boughs or putting together a miniature fairy garden using the delicate ground covers and diminutive topiary trees her brother nurtures to life. Together they own Rabbit Shadow Farm, a pastoral Loveland greenhouse specializing in herbs and topiary, trained treelets of creeping fig, ivy, angel vine, rosemary, lavender, African mallow and other amenable vines and shrubs.

They sound like a tight team, and they are, but as Jeff points out, "I enjoy the rural setting, while she loves the city." Hungering for a more permanent urban buzz, Kristy set out on her own this spring to open Sage, an outdoor plant stand featuring high-quality Rabbit Shadow Farm products in the side garden at Five Green Boxes, 1705 South Pearl Street.

"We're a bit off the beaten path, so she decided to bring a little of it down here," Jeff says. It's a beautiful little bit, indeed, with Kristy overseeing a gloriously healthy stock of scented geraniums, culinary herbs, perennials, vegetable starts and unusual annuals, as well as a sweet selection of pre-planted hanging baskets, mixed containers and gorgeous signature topiaries, all tagged with reasonable prices.

Open on weekends since April 1, Sage switches to a daily schedule in May, and Kristy hopes to keep it open at least for the summer, although seasonal themes could keep the stand going into December (think wreaths and holiday greens); stop by Tuesdays through Sundays to peruse the plants. For more information, call 1-970-412-9101 or log on to www.rabbitshadowfarm.com.
April 7-Oct. 1