Blog topics (and the enclosed photos) like this keep me from remembering that it was -6 degrees F this morning with more blowing snow. I don't mind the winter but am not a fan of winter driving or shoveling. It looks like we'll continue to have some "dustings" through Wednesday and we'll tidy up the Holiday Lights Show (HLS) paths on Thursday. I was warm and cozy inside though and continue to prepare for 2014. I've sifted through five catalogs in between other tasks and am starting to finalize collection ideas for next year. Aside from our usual "eye candy annuals", I'll be adding plenty of perennials including ornamental perennial grasses like the 'Blonde Ambition' blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) seen above with 'Vintage Wine' purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and 'Little Spire' Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia). I've included some of my favorites in this blog but keep in mind that there are countless other species and varieties. Ornamental grasses shouldn't just be selected for winter interest as many also offer superior foliage color during the growing season, showy inflorescences (flower/seed head) and potentially fall color. Know your grass features (and growing preferences) before planting but remember that a grass should offer multiple seasons of interest as specimens, focal points and role-players in other compositions. Grass form (upright, arching, rounded, etc.) should be a consideration as well. Grass needs will also include division at some point which can be quite involved for larger specimens. Larry had some brief jobs to do out in the gardens (HLS adjustments) but came back to warm up quickly. Dr. Gredler came in for more painting and Bill O. stopped by to help out here and there as well. Janice was in to call and confirm our trailwalking volunteers for the HLS and she also worked on some projects for next year. We had our monthly Garden Development & Maintenance Committee Meeting this morning and had some closure for 2013 while discussing thoughts for an exciting 2014 (our 25th Anniversary!). Committee members in attendance included Maury, Dr. Gredler, Dick P., Hal R., Iza, Christine R. and Larry H. It was a cold, quiet and productive day. Below are more grasses of potential interest... 'Mega Blue' big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) - pinkish/orange fall color too! 'Red October' big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) - in September 'Red Baron' Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica) - spreads! (at Olbrich Botanical Garden - Madison, WI) Korean feather reed grass (Calamagrostis brachytricha) in summer Korean feather reed grass (Calamagrostis brachytricha) in late fall 'All Gold' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'All Gold' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'River Mist' variegated Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) 'Bowles' Golden' sedge (Carex elata) - not a "true grass" but a relative good for damp, part shade 'Cheyenne Sky' switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) - late summer maroon highlights Ruby Ribbons switchgrass (Panicum virgatum 'RR1') - late summer maroon highlights 'Gold Bar' dwarf porcupine grass (Miscanthus sinensis) 'Purpurascens' flame grass (Miscanthus sinensis) - fall color 'The Blues' little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) winter coloration of above ('The Blues') Consider perennial grasses for the garden!

The cold weather had finally descended upon us with a high temperature today around 17 degrees F. The morning was chilly enough that we were all inside the Horticulture Center … Continue reading "Serviceberry (Amelanchier)"

Helleborus niger (Christmas Rose) is an evergreen perennial with dark green, leathery pedate leaves carried on stems. It grows up to 12 ...

Having brown tips on spider plants? Don’t worry because in this article, you’re going to learn why your lovely spider plants’ tips are turning brown or

I went mobile today with our truck and trailer to Ahrens Acres (Brodhead, WI) to pick up some of our plants for the gardens. The good news is that I brought back about 5,000 plants, the bad news is that most of what you see above (another 30,000 plants) still has to be picked up and planted! We get our own dedicated greenhouse! That's exciting though and Audra (below) and the gang from Ahrens did a great job helping me load up. They have a wide variety of excellent plants in their garden center and nursery. Check it out. I spent a portion of the day getting ready for our first Saturday Volunteer Workday (tomorrow from 8 am until 12 noon) and am wondering about the weather. Not sure what the weather will be like and while I rarely know how many folks will show up, we'll be ready. The grounds staff also assisted in preparations as we want to be ready to rock and roll in the morning and have some fun tasks planned. Further below are some additional shots from the gardens including some of our newly arrived plants. 'Sunset Boulevard' coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) - annual 'Oompah' coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) - annual Painted Paradise 'Orange Improved' New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) - annual 'Blazin' Rose' bloodleaf (Iresine hybrida) - annual variegated fiveleaf aralia (Eleutherococcus sieboldianus 'Variegatus') - shrub variegated knotweed (Fallopia japonica 'Variegata') emerging - perennial golden meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria 'Aurea') - perennial We had a nice volunteer turnout today. Above is the 'Gold Heart' golden bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) at peak. Bill O. came in for some mowing and Vern was in for carpentry projects. We saw Bob K. and his wife as well as Elsa, Russ, Lois, Mary Kay T. and many others. Kathy and Eva did a dynamite job weeding in the woodland walk garden and sunken garden. Kay tidied up her portion of the shade garden and did some planting as well. The grounds staff had a busy day. Big John (half day) and Terry push mowed, put up some hanging baskets and did some other odd jobs. Terry moved on to helping get ready for the work day and he sure hauled a lot of mulch to stage for use tomorrow. Cheryl worked on tidying up the rose garden (wedding tomorrow) and helped water among other projects. Cindy did some serious weeding and tidying, did a nice cutting display and helped get ready for the work day tomorrow too. It was a productive day and despite the weeds starting to really poke up...the gardens are extremely colorful right now (more photos from today can be seen below...). 'Ghost' fern (Athyrium hybrida) - perennial 'Cotton Cool' lungwort (Pulmonaria hybrida) maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) - perennial 'King's Ransom' false forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla) - perennial neat new chairs near the gazebo foggy and sticky this morning...

After waking up and seeing my driveway, I was concerned that the rain would miss us. By the time I left for work, it was a deluge. We ended up with about 1" of rain (see gauge to the right) and it was a nice, invigorating rain. It rained until 10 am or so and then some drizzle returned in the afternoon. The top picture shows the McHenry County (IL) Master Gardeners that came in for a tour. They were a fun group and most had not been to the gardens. Their tour was mostly dry and we spent some significant time out in the gardens. They mentioned their favorite gardens which included the Ornamenental Edible & Compact Vegetable Collection, sunken garden and Japanese garden. The photo to the left is the 'Fireworks' purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) which has a reliable pink variegation and nice inflorescences later in the season. With all the morning rain, the grounds staff stayed inside for some projects. Big John worked on peeling labels, cleaning up a bit and went for a gas run after fueling up all our vehicles. John also worked on myriad other small jobs including edging and mulching once the weather cleared. Larry spent most of his day pouring concrete in 16 oz. cup forms to make our new woody plant label stands. He also went out to clean-up some washouts on our gravel paths that occur when we have a significant rain. Pat was in to work on edging as well and did a great job yesterday tidying up the vines that were overpowering the Parker Pen archway (between the reception garden and sunken garden). Janice spent some time out in the yard later today but worked on many indoor projects that were awaiting her attention. To the right is a bloom close-up for the black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata). This is the variety 'Susie Orange Clear' that is along our orange wall planting and doing well climbing up the orange obelisks. Despite the rain, we did have a nice turnout of volunteers. Dave, Vern, Jim and Bob came in to work on their shed project and stayed fairly dry during their work morning. Gary came in to work on producing more labels and Maury was in to run some errands and pick up supplies. We also saw Dr. Yahr and many others. Directly below are Ron Y. (left) and Ron W. who came in later this morning to put up tents in the Smelly Garden for some upcoming programs in that space. We appreciate their expertise as they have mastered the set-up of these frustrating tents. To the left is a shot of our yard-long beans (Vigna unguiculata) looking yummy. This bean species is also called the asparagus bean or Chinese red noodle bean. They aren't quite a "yard long" but there are some well over 24" in length. This is one of the 20 or so different beans we have growing in our Ornamental Edible & Compact Vegetable Garden. Later this evening, I gave a walking tour with a focus on Fragrant Plants. We had about 20 people attend and we had lots of fun in the Smelly Garden. We enjoyed the scents of lemon, lime, licorice, pineapple, vanilla, chocolate, pine, rose and many others. To the right is our most compact growing tomato called 'Micro-Tom'. This entire plant is the size of a fist. Granted, it's not high in productivity but sure looks cute. Since I hadn't photographed the arched bridge in awhile, I took the shot further below during my tour today. My talk on Vertical Gardening went well at Olbrich Botanical Gardens (Madison, WI) last night. I arrived early and was able to explore and photograph the gardens for about an hour. Ironically, the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society (check it out at www.wisconsinhardyplantsociety.com/) was having their potluck meeting at the gardens so I popped over to say 'hi' to some of the members that I knew. Below are just some of the many images I took at the gardens which were looking good.

Wilsonara is an intergeneric cross between three genera (Cochlioda, Odontoglossum and Oncidium (Cda. x Odm. x Onc.)). Wilsonara orchids are known for their quick growth habits and reliable yearly flowering. Any fragrance that comes from Wilsonaras is usually a direct result of the Oncidium parent fragrance. Wilsonara Opalescent 'On The Edge' has unusual white and purple ruffled blooms. Our Orchid Farm is located in Hilo Hawai'i family owned we love selling Orchids to all our Ohana Live Orchids are grown in a perfect environment in Hawai'i Orchids are not in buds or flowers FREE SHIPPING FROM HAWAII. All of our plants are grown in a certified Hawaiian nursery and has proper U.S. Department of Agriculture stamp for shipping to the US mainland

PLANT MORE COLEUS - they are beautiful! Here is a quick guide for growing this delightful annual. Coleus has an amazing variety of leaf colors and textures. New

Erythrina crista-galli (Cockspur Coral Tree) growing south of the greenhouses at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA 7May14 BushPhoto Fabaceae Faboideae

Happy Monday, friends! Hope you had a great weekend! If you are on the east coast, I know you have been battered with a ton a rain. I am praying for your safety. It has been dry and sunny over here on the west coast, and I have to admit that I am missing...

Regardless of whether you think hydroponic production can be organic, the bottom line is all methods of food production should be considered when trying to feed a growing world population. There is…

This is a view of our raised veggie garden from our bedroom window which I have just this last Saturday planted out. From left to right t...

Due to another brutally cold day (-1 degree F wind chill) and the fact that my camera froze (before I dropped it), I thought I'd show som...

As we enter this time of short, mostly wet days it’s the plants I can see from the windows and doors (as I come and go) that get the most admiration. This is the view from one of our bedroom windows as I make the bed each morning… Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace' or as I’ve read it called on UK plant forums Fatsia Polycarpa Edward Needham form. Here’s the view from the driveway into the back garden. There’s no missing this plant whether you’re inside the house or headed out to the car! The reason it’s planted so prominently (literally “in your face” if you’re walking into the back garden) is because it was only a tiny thing when I brought it home in March of 2011 (below, a gift from Sean at Cistus Nursery) and I wanted to be able to see those gorgeous leaves…clearly not a problem anymore! This plant seems to still be rare and as such it was hard to track down much information to share with you. However in my experience it’s quite comparable to the better known Fatsia japonica, in other words easy schmeezy. Here’s a description I found from the UK, on eBay of all places - auction ended May 19, 2013: RARELY SEEN HERE IN THE UK - Edward Needham Form Fantastic unusual plant new to cultivation in the UK, endemic to the high hills of Taiwan this hardy evergreen is a must for all those who know and love plants. Like the more easily found Fatsia japonica, it can grow tall (perhaps 3-5 metres like a small tree) in sun or partial shade. There are 2 plants in the picture - my own larger one which is to give a good idea of how yours will be after it ages a bit more and to see the beautiful dark leaves which become huge with about 5-10 lobes per leaf divided nearly to the base. The plant I'm selling is the one next to it which is well rooted in a 3.5" pot. Apologies for the damp photo - this is Cornwall at the moment! Grown predominantly for its exotic year round leaves there are small white flowers which appear in dense panicles in the autumn. (the auction photo is still up if you want to see it, I wasn't able to copy it) Why do I love this plant? The deeply cut leaves primarily, but the color variations in the foliage is lovely as well. The new leaves emerge a bright fresh green… And eventually age to a darker green which makes the yellow veins all that more prominent. Heck I even love the trunk, now that it has one. I’ve been toying with the idea of moving it this spring, since it is a little close to the walkway. Then again as it grows taller and loses its lower leaves it won’t be a problem. So what plants are you grateful for in your garden this week? All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

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Beleef de mooiste tuinen!

All of a sudden, I saw the numbers going up–quickly–on my blog readership. I realized that tons of people were searching for things like “cucumber trellis” and “twine…

I've given many presentations on Ornamental Grasses over the years and always include Japanese forest grass, also called Hakone grass. Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) is native to Japan and prefers partly shaded sites and moist soils. It's important to note that some degree of lighting will allow for the best coloration of certain varieties as seen with the 'All Gold' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) seen above in a beautiful foliage composition with hostas (Hosta sp.) and 'Mocha' coral bells (Heuchera villosa). Moist, well-drained soil is preferred for this perennial grass and while the variegated and golden forms prefer some shading to avoid summer scorching, the greener varieties can tolerate more sun without the "summer burning." I think that Hakone grass has been my most photographed perennial ornamental grass over the last couple of years as it is so valuable for color and texture in the shadier garden setting. There are many options out there and look further down for some more information on this exciting grass and some fun varieties. We had a productive morning both inside and out in the gardens. Today was the warmest at 32 degrees F for the next two weeks. It will be bitter cold by tomorrow. It was perfect weather for Urban, Ron W., Terry, Pat, Larry and Big John to get outside and bring in more lights and other elements from the Holiday Lights Show (HLS). This is a long process, affected by weather, that will continue for months. Vern, Jim and Ron Y. continued work on their carpentry projects. Dr. Gredler came in for painting while Gary B. continued his priming efforts. Maury ran errands, Dick H. helped here and there and we also saw Rollie, Gary S. and many others. Mary W. was in to work on some horticultural therapy fact finding and Janice was in briefly as well. Some members of our Horticultural Therapy Committee met later in the afternoon as well. Notice directly above how nicely the cascading habit of the 'Aureola' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) works to soften the edge of a pathway. While any variety of Hakone grass will lend itself as a textural component as a solitary specimen or in a grouping, the varieties with additional coloration add more visual interest in shadier areas. We use lots of the 'All Gold' variety at RBG for some "illumination" and bright coloration in our shadier garden setting. Keep in mind that some dappled lighting or bright indirect light is essential for the best coloration of the brighter varieties. Hardiness for this grass is usually listed as Z5 but I've heard many examples of this grass in colder climates with some winter protection and/or screening. I've never observed insect or disease problems and struggling specimens have usually been the result of dry soils and/or too much sun. You'll note some varieties below that have summer tinting (red/pinks) that becomes more prominent in fall. These are nice but keep in mind that the best tinting is very late in the season and some of the other varieties ('All Gold' and 'Aureola') will also get some pinkish fall tinting. Regardless, there are about a dozen varieties of Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) out there and I like every one of them. Understand that mature size may vary with the standard green selection getting the largest at 30" tall with a similar width (see directly below) and 'Fubuki' (see below) at only 12" tall and 12" wide or so. I've seen Hakone grass used well as specimens, repeated textural components, container elements and as a mass groundcover with multiple clumps. the standard green Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'Albostriata' variegated Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) a textural carpet of Japanese forest grass 'Aureola' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) compared to the standard green form on the right specimen of 'Aureola' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) at Olbrich Botanical Garden (Madison, WI) 'Aureola' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) same as above in a container 'Aureola' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) repetition clumping groundcover of 'Aureola' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'Stripe It Rich' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'Sunny Delight' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'Fubuki' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'Beni-Kazi' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) - red tints in late summer (look for 'Nicolas' and 'Naomi' for two other selections with significant tinting) 'All Gold' golden Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'All Gold' golden Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) 'All Gold' golden Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) at RBG same as above in a container clumping groundcover of 'All Gold' golden Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) mass planting of above at Chicago Botanical Garden decent winter interest of Hakone grass (until buried by wet snow or ice)

Boronia crenulata 'Shark Bay', also known as Shark Bay Aniseed Boronia, is native to western Australia. It belongs to the Rutaceae family, which includes...

jardinage marocJARDINAGE MAROC AGADIR

This dioecious shrub has much to offer the garden.

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Creating Exemplary Gardens

La influencia de las fases de la luna en la productividad y en la calidad de los cultivos se manifiesta a través el ascenso o descenso de la savia (alimento de la planta), al parecer la luz proveniente de la luna, según la intensidad propia de cada fase, interviene en la germinación y crecimiento de las plantas,

Today had a cold start but warmed up to 20 degrees F or so. Looks like some possible snow later tonight and this weekend. I'm happy to see that travel conditions up to the WPT Garden Expo (Madison, WI) for both set-up (Thursday) and take down on Sunday look pretty good. I've had some harrowing driving in the past for this event and don't want to ever repeat a truck & trailer "jack knife" scenario! It was a productive day around the Horticulture Center with plenty of volunteer activity. Pat continued to process lights from the Holiday Lights Show (HLS) while Dr. Gredler continued painting obelisks and an old window...We have a funky, fun use of old windows out in the gardens this year. That's all I'll reveal... Bill O. came in to help Larry inside and Dick H. finished repairs on one of our utility vehicles (thanks Dick!). Larry and Bill continued to load up supplies for the Garden Expo trip on Thursday. I'm fortunate to be surrounded by handy people without a doubt! Urban came in for afternoon pruning and Rose stopped by as well. Maury ran some errands and we also saw Mark S. and some others today. I'm doing my normal winter "thing" and am ready for the Garden Expo this weekend. I've been giving some recent talks on shrubs and never shy away from shrubs with golden foliage. Keep in mind that while flowering can be a very ephemeral 2-3 weeks of interest, the foliage can carry the bulk of the ornamental interest from May until October. While some people feel that golden shrubs look sickly and Nitrogen deficient, I see them as beacons in a landscape that has enough green. Don't get me wrong. I love all shades of green and while visual texture (leaf shape, size, form) is important, the foliage coloration (yellow, blue, maroon, variegated, etc.) can be a vital component in a composition, border or foundation planting for a longer period of time. I wont have the time or space to elaborate on all the pros and cons of these selections (every plant has pros and cons) but enjoy these few selections for what they offer. Keep in mind that most golden-leaved shrubs will get their best coloration in full sun and in the spring. Some selections fade to a chartreuse (particularly in part shade) or perhaps get "crispy" in full sun without ample moisture. Know your plant! Both above and below is the Tiger Eyes sumac (Rhus typhina 'Bailtiger') which is a golden form of the native staghorn sumac. While getting a nice orange fall color, this selection also spreads by "root runners" and will colonize an area. I find it easy to keep controlled (annually) and is one of my favorite larger shrubs. 'Golden Nugget' barberry (Berberis thunbergii) - not many fruits which are certainly a problem with other selections in terms of being consumed by birds, pooped out and spread throughout woodlands near and far. Be wary of heavy fruiting barberries although they are a darn tough shrub 'Avalon Gold' dogwood (Cornus sericea) 'Hedgerow's Gold' dogwood (Cornus sericea) Golden Spirit smokebush (Cotinus coggygria 'Ancot') in spring Golden Spirit smokebush (Cotinus coggygria 'Ancot') in summer Dream Catcher beauty bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis 'Maradco') Dream Catcher beauty bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis 'Maradco') - spring growth 'Golden Sunshine' willow (Salix hybrida) - cut back severely to keep fresh and moderately sized one of the many golden bluebeards (Caryopteris sp.) - blue flowers in late summer Chardonnay Pearls slender deutzia (Deutzia gracilis 'Duncan') Chardonnay Pearls slender deutzia (Deutzia gracilis 'Duncan') golden forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia 'Gold Leaf') 'Briant Rubidor' weigela (Weigela florida) Mellow Yellow spirea (Spiraea thunbergii 'Ogon') golden cutleaf elderberry (Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland's Gold') 'Nugget' ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) golden bird's nest spruce (Picea abies 'Repens Gold') 'Saybrook Gold' juniper (Juniperus chinensis) golden falsecypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mops')

My Experience With Gloriosa Superba. I would like to feature today one of my favorite climbers – Gloriosa superba (flame lily) – one of my favorite summer flowering plants. Where I live…

Looking for the best trees for privacy screen? Let me just say, you’ve come to the right place. In today’s article, I’m going to share 17...

Who says a colorful garden is only for springtime?

I går blev det sått och utplanterat i vår fina köksträdgård! Vi köpte ett armeringsnät som vi (H) klippte till och satte i hop med två armeringspinnar som sedan slogs ner i lådan, ända ner i marken. I en annan av lådorna: En kon av några pinnar och ett grovt snöre. Där planterades små Rosenbönor. Mot armeringsnätet planterades tre olika sorters luktärtor. Armeringsnätet är 1,50 högt. Jag hade lite annat som jag förodlat i växthuset som också planterades ut mellan sådderna. Zinnia, Rosenskära, Kronärtskocka och några kryddväxter. Jag är lyckligt lottad som är gift med en man som också tycker att det är roligt att fixa i trädgården! Vi får idéer tillsammans, sedan är det han som är "fixaren", som bygger och gör grovjobbet. Efter det får jag ta över med planterandet och finliret. Den kombinationen är kanske inte helt ovanlig, men jag är så tacksam över att jag har just H! Vi är ett bra team! Nu är det bara att vänta och se om det gror och växer i lådorna! Väx, väx, väx!