Rotary Botanical Gardens

I've enjoyed growing this perennial for many years and photos like the one above will make any gardener appreciate the value of the late season coloration on these fanned, maple-like leaves of mukdenia (Mukdenia rossii'Karasuba'). This coral bells (Heuchera) relative is native to rocky slopes and ravines in China, Manchuria and Korea. Preferring moist, fertile and well-drained soils, this hardy perennial (to Z4) blooms in early spring (see below) and the foliage starts with red pigmentation on the leaf tips in summer with an increasing degree of red until frost. It is important to note that the variety 'Karasuba' is identical to 'Crimson Fans'. Reaching 16" or so in height and ultimately 24" in width, this plant has thrived for us in part sun which it seems to prefer. Ample moisture is again important but the ornamental merit of this plant is quite evident in both Spring and Fall. It is important to note that these first three photos (taken at the Walters Gardens Trial Garden in Zeeland, MI) are the best shots I've taken of this perennial later in the season. The degree of red seems to vary each year and those with more sun seem to have stronger coloration. Regardless, this perennial has a bright future in our partly shaded garden!

As I type this blog, the Chicago area is getting pounded with snow but we were spared from this recent system. The cloudy day, while cool, still allowed for lots of progress out in the gardens with the take down of the massive Holiday Light Show (HLS). Both Larry H. and Big John headed right out to continue retrieving many of the lights, cords, luminaries and other elements of the show that had been trapped in ice for the last six weeks. Myrt and Gena came in for some painting today. Janice was in to work on research for the Spring Plant Sale. We also saw Cindy, Bill O., Dick H. and our Horticultural Therapy Committee (Cindy, Darcie, Janice, Art and Karen) was at the Horticulture Center for their monthly meeting. We continue to plan for our July 27th Horticultural Therapy Symposium (more details to follow). I continue to prepare for Spring out in the gardens as well as our Spring events like the Compost Sale and Spring Plant Sale. We do have some early bulbs up in the gardens (snowdrops and winter aconite) which I'll photograph soon. Spring is in the air!

emergence in early May (all bloom photos taken in late April or early May)

We had another relatively mild day with temperatures well about freezing. Big John and Larry continued work on the continued take down of the Holiday Light Show (HLS). Marv B. later helped out with this process. Ron P. continued repairing lights and both Alan and Ron R. headed out to start cutting back some of our ornamental grasses. Alan also swept and helped with the HLS. The cooler season grasses may start actively growing in March if we get more warm weather which makes this cutting vital right now. We still have plenty of tidying to accomplish out in the gardens and I want everything looking nice for our March 19th Spring Symposium (Plantaholics Retreat). We still have plenty of room at this event which should be a blast. See information on the program and registration details at www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org. Vern, Dave and Jim continued on some carpentry projects and Dr. Gredler continues to be our main painter and had plenty of work today. Dick H. was working on some of our mowers and Kathy came in to help out with some office work. Gary continued making plant labels for some of our spring orders. Bill O. came in later to help wrap up cords from the HLS We also saw Rollie and many others today.

I think we've grown cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) every year at RBG as an annual (hardy to zone 7). In short, I love the rugged, silvery contribution out in the garden from this plant. The imposing architecture of this plant is impressive and silver can be excellent in the garden (see cardoon with "backlighting" above). Native to portions of the Mediterranean and Europe, this member of the sunflower family has a long history of cultivation as an ornamental plant and an edible. The celery-like stalks may be harvested, blanched, steamed or braised...then eaten. Blanching (excluding sunlight) tenderizes and improves stalk flavor. Introduced to North America in the mid 1800s, this plant will get 4' tall and 4' wide during our warm growing season (larger in warmer climates). This plant is considered invasive in California and has naturalized in other warmer climates. The close cousin to cardoon is the artichoke which has a similar look but is used in a different fashion. We plant cardoon in full sun in nice soils. Providing ample watering and continuing to remove the oldest leaves on the outside of the plant as they arch downwards makes for a happy plant. We have seen some mildew problems on occasion and unfortunately, aphids seem to enjoy them as well and can be found in profusion on the underside of the leaves. Slug damage is occasional too. Regardless, the strong architectural contribution of this silver plant is excellent in the garden and the "real estate" dedicated to cardoons brings back a strong "visual return"!

Cynara cardunculus at Olbrich Botanical Gardens (Madison, WI) above and below

nice use of Cynara cardunculus at Allen Centennial Gardens (UW-Madison) above

showy blooms of cardoon (above and below) - they necessarily bloom each year though...

light frost on cardoon (above)

cardoon and bronze fennel (above)

'Porto Spineless' cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) above and below

One of my favorite, taller perennials for full sun is the 'Henry Eilers' sweet coneflower (Rudbeckia subtomentosa) seen in all of these photos. This selection of the native species differs in that it has "quilled" petals that are rolled over and fused...creating a "tubular" look to these pinwheel shaped, 3" wide blooms. Sweet coneflower is a native plant, hardy to zone 4, that thrives in full sun and shrugs off our hot and humid summers. Exhibiting drought tolerance as well as adaptability in clay, this tall perennial adds color for over two months from late July until mid September. Normally the flower petals are flat but this unique selection was found by Henry Eilers, a well known horticulturist and retired nurseryman, in Southern Illinois along a prairie remnant adjacent to a railroad. This varietal selection was introduced in 2003 by Larry Lowman. Rudbeckia subtomentosa'Henry Eilers' will typically reach heights of 5' and taller and we've seen it get 7' or so during years with ample moisture. Incidentally the "sweet" reference in the common name had no relation to the flowers but to the foliage which smells lightly of vanilla when rubbed or bruised. Seedlings are not reliably like the parent plant so spring division is recommended for consistency in appearance. While I feel there is ample opportunity for this plant in the back of a full sun border, there is now a variety called 'Little Henry' that has the same look but on a more compact plant that tops out at 36" in height. Both selections will attract butterflies and are also commonly used in a naturalistic plantings and rain gardens.

The weather continues to be fine for outdoor work with temperatures in the mid 30 degrees F and overcast skies. Big John continued processing Holiday Light Show (HLS) supplies for storage. Bill O. came in to organize some of the items we are currently painting for a fresh look this year. Vern worked on a carpentry project. We also saw Jim H., Mark S., Dr. Gredler and many others today. I ordered some more seeds and am almost done with that process. I'm moving on shortly to our perennial and woody plant orders and continued preparations for the myriad events and educational opportunities here at the gardens. I always when people ask if winter is my "down time"! Last night we had a nice turnout of 37 attendees at the second of our eleven monthly Lecture Series topics; New Plants. The next topic is Emphasizing Foliage in the Garden on Tuesday, March 29th at 6:30 pm ($3 for RBG Members and $5 for non-members).

the grass in the foreground (above and below) is 'Sioux Blue' Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) - perennial

The weekend was almost balmy with daytime temperatures close to 60 degrees F. Today is still warmer than usual but the snow arriving tonight and tomorrow will be our "reality check!" We did have a nice turnout of volunteers though. Big John, Terry and Larry H. headed out to bring in more elements of the Holiday Light Show (HLS) which is coming down very efficiently. Most lights and cords are in although John and Terry still have plenty of displays to collect. Keeping in mind that we expanded the route by 50% this past winter and really bulked up on lights, we're right on track for packing this event away. Ron R. was out cutting back more grasses while Alan M. helped process cords inside. Gene and Dr. Gredler were each painting multiple projects. Dave, Jim, Vern and Ron Y. continued on their carpentry projects which included some repairs as well. Dick H. made a gas run and helped with some other projects. Bill O. was in later to help out as well. We also saw Kathy P. and many others today.

At multiple trial gardens this past summer, I enjoyed seeing a new, compact selection of South American verbena (Verbena bonariensis) called Meteor Shower (see above). We've grown the standard Verbena bonariensis for many years (photos further below...) and have always enjoyed the profusion of bloom as well as the number of bees and butterflies that will visit this plant. At 4'-5' in height though, you have to account for that size. Meteor Shower (PPAF) at only 30" tall, makes for a durable, mid-height selection that has more applicability in containers and in the mid-portion of the sunny border. Native to Columbia, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, the "straight species" is known for heat and drought tolerance and also deer resistance. This plant does drop a lot of seed though...However, Meteor Shower is almost seedless and certainly not the problem the taller form can be with thousands of seedlings. Meteor Shower has not only a more compact height but denser, "lollipops" of lilac blooms that are quite clustered. This selection is offered as a plant (vegetatively grown) and while I still see value in the taller form, Meteor Shower has a bright future and should be included in any garden for pollinators!

Verbena bonariensis Meteor Shower (PPAF)

directly above and all the photos below are of the standard Verbena bonariensis

Photo above and below from Ken Tapp

With some "white stuff" floating down last night to a depth of 3", I wanted to include a different white in the blog today. This silver sage (Salvia argentea) seen above is addressed further down with plenty more "visuals." The weather should warm shortly and this snow will disappear by the weekend. I think we were pampered with a warm weekend but March can be a brutal month as Mother Nature will frequently be undecided....Regardless, after some snow removal by Big John and Larry H., the guys had plenty of Holiday Light Show (HLS) processing inside with piles of cords and lights yet to be processed, packed away and stored. Dick H. did a nice job plowing at the Horticulture Center parking lot and Bill O. stopped by as well. Janice had plenty of projects and desk work today as well. Continued snow/sleet this morning has made for some slick roads I'm sure.

We've grown silver sage for over 10 years (replanted annually) and have always enjoyed the "strong silver contribution" in the garden. This plant is a short-lived perennial or biennial that we grow as an annual. Oddly enough, it is almost hardy but we're not interested in the tall white flowers the second year any way. I also think a wet winter would wipe them out. We want this bold, fuzzy foliage on a plant that looks like lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina) on steroids! The downy, silvery rosettes of foliage are very showy and combine well with blues and other dark colors. This clump of foliage will reach 12"-15" and silver sage doesn't mind heat, humidity, drought and even alkaline soils. Overwatering in heavy soils can be the "kiss of death" so keep it in a well-drained location with plenty of sunlight. Native to the Mediterranean region from Southern Europe and Northern Africa to the Eastern Mediterranean, silver sage has seen increased use in containers and sunny borders domestically. There is a variety called 'Hobbit's Foot' which seems identical to the straight species. I had no shortage of photos to share as this plant is very photogenic. See further down for a variegated mutation we found at RBG a couple years ago. Regardless, I anticipate ordering and using this plant every year. There is not enough silver in our gardens as it is...consider silver sage for silver but also the fun of rubbing the soft leaves. What a great plant for a sensory garden and/or for children to enjoy as well!? Place it in a container or along a wall where it can be engaged in a "tactile fashion"!

'Hobbit's Foot' (above)

interesting variegated form of Salvia argentea

We still have a snowy landscape although the expected warm up over the weekend should melt everything off by early next week when temperatures start to reach 60 degrees F and warmer! That should get some more early bulbs in bloom as well as our earliest of perennials. We had a cozy day at the Horticulture Center which included lots of volunteer help. Kathy and Cindy helped with processing our seeds for the growers. I'll be dropping off most of our seeds to our excellent growers in the next week or two. Kay came in to prepare some handouts for me. Gena and Myrt did a nice job painting a wide range of objects. Big John and Larry H. continued processing our Holiday Light Show (HLS) cords and lights for storage. Bill O. worked on wrapping up cords and cleaning up our garbage bins for repainting. We also saw Tina B., Maury F. and many others today. I continue to prepare for a busy spring and a quick return to prioritizing garden clean up as the weather gets better.

I always enjoy seeing the Golden Spirit European smokebush (Cotinus coggygria'Ancot'). This cheerful large shrub is a beacon in the full sun garden with foliage emerging chartreuse with hints of orange, aging to a nice summer gold and then transitioning to fall colors that might include coral, orange and red. While we grow many smokebushes quite well, including all the maroon-leaf forms, this one has been a bit tricky at times. Introduced in 2002, this selection is hardy to zone 4 and is adaptable to a wide range of soils with the exception of damp, poorly drained sites. Sharp drainage is important as is full sun for the best coloration. Summer leaf scorching only occurs on those specimens that are in dry locations so consider the benefits of a nice soil and/or additional watering as needed. I've rarely seen this variety flower although it will (see below) nicely on old wood. The foliage is certainly the primary "attribute of interest." Cutting back this shrub results in the loss of flowers but a strong response with new stems and larger, brighter foliage. We use this "severe cut back" on the 'Royal Purple' smokebush (Cotinus coggygria) and the growth response is amazing! Some stem dieback in winter is not unusual. I've not seen this variety over 10' tall yet but imagine it will get larger in time and certainly will grow faster in warmer climates. The "spot of gold" in the landscape provided by this variety is quite a focal point so place it accordingly!

orange tinting on early spring foliage (above)

Golden Spirit smokebush (Cotinus coggygria'Ancot') at Olbrich Botanical Garden (above)

Golden Spirit smokebush (Cotinus coggygria 'Ancot') at Boerner Botanical Garden (above)

Golden Spirit smokebush (Cotinus coggygria 'Ancot') at RBG (now deceased unfortunately)

early spring growth (above and directly below)

fall coloration above and two below

After another dusting of snow arrived last night to maintain our white landscape, I thought some summer color was in order for the blog. This 'Blazin' Rose' bloodleaf (Iresine hybrida) is an exceptional performer in the part sun garden. We use this seasonal (non-hardy) for the extremely colorful foliage which is evident in all of these photos. Bright pink veins on a dark maroon leaf really catch the eye. I first saw this plant at the Ball Seed Trial Gardens (West Chicago, IL) many years ago where it was used in a partly shaded garden with ferns, hostas and other perennials (see further below). This plant really needs some degree of shade as it will get "crispy" by late summer in full, blazing sun. They can never be allowed to "dry out" either! Dappled light and part sun are ideal for showcasing this colorful seasonal plant that will reach 30"+ in one season. This shade of pink/magenta is amazing in the shadier garden and the variety 'Blazin' Lime' (seen in the fourth photo down) is also quite nice with bright cream veins on green foliage. The impact is more subtle than with 'Blazin' Rose' but certainly not without merit. I will continue to use both of these varieties every year. Moisture is very important although bloodleaf (Iresine) is forgiving of a wide range of soil types. Extra fertilization on a three week schedule will really make these beautiful plants grow!

We had a busy day at the Horticulture Center today. There were some forays out in the the gardens but most of the work was inside today. Big John and Larry continue to "stay the course" with packing away elements of the Holiday Light Show (HLS). Ron P. worked on repairing lights for the HLS. Marv B. and Alan M. helped wrap up cords and lights as well. Gary B. and Dr. Gredler had painting projects and Gene started sanding the next bench which will also be re-stained once ready. Ron Y., Dave, Jim and Vern continue to have no shortage of carpentry tasks and worked on a couple of different projects. Dick H. helped here and there and worked with Maury on sizing up a donation to the gardens. Bill O. had plenty of projects in the Horticulture Center and continues to help prepare items for painting. We also saw Polly, Maryam and many others today as well.

Iresine hybrida'Blazin' Lime' in the background (above)

above and below at the Ball Seed Trial Gardens (West Chicago, IL)

This week was very productive in terms of bringing in more of the Holiday Light Show (HLS). Above is Larry H., who along with Big John, have spearheaded the efforts to retrieve, process and store the show which is a monumental task. MANY cartloads of lights, cords and luminaries (as seen above) have come back to the Horticulture Center. We still have some items to bring back in but should be done in the next two weeks or so. This is not a one month event for us...with three months of set up prior to December and three months of take down after the New Year. Directly below are just some of our cords going in to storage. The second photo down shows a typical "nest" of drop cords that volunteers and staff have been wrapping up and sorting by size. We've said that the HLS has 6 miles of cords if hooked end to end....I think that is pretty accurate! The third photo down represents the other big task that has been occurring over the past two months. Our seed ordering is complete and we are now distributing seeds to our growers. Today I'm hauling the seeds for our plant sale vegetables (tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, basil, etc.) to our growers. It always amazes me how my 3 lb. box of seeds will result in over 22,000 vegetables! Get seed packets in to the hands of our children so they can enjoy this fun process! We'll have a list of the veggies and herbs that we'll be offering on the website very soon. Processing these seeds is an art form as they receive a color coded label that follows each pack to the greenhouse and when the flat(s) of plants return, we can sort and organize them by colored label. I also have seeds to deliver throughout next week.

If you are reading this blog and it's not March 16th, 2016 yet...please consider signing up for our March 19th Spring Garden Symposium. See www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org/education/garden-symposia for more information on the program and how to register. Entitled Plantaholics Retreat, this annual education opportunity features some great speakers, a silent auction, book signing, our Cottage Garden Gallery (fully stocked) and much more! Above is Andrew Bunting from the Chicago Botanic Garden who will be one of our speakers. Andrew, Assistant Director and Director of Plant Collections at the Chicago Botanic Garden, is an internationally known horticulturist and formerly worked at the Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College (near Philadelphia) which is amazing. Andrew will be talking about Underutilized Woodies and Perennials in the Midwestern Landscape. Below is Christina Salwitz, THE Personal Garden Coach and award winning author of the book Fine Foliage (with Karen Chapman). Christina is a well-known horticulturist and photographer who will be presenting POTS of BOLD - Designing Containers for DRAMA. Christina's book will be available for purchase and she will be on hand to sign copies as well! Yours truly is seen at the bottom. I'll be presentingFlowers & Foliage: Exciting New Annuals which will be lots of fun. While I've spoken on this topic already this winter, this presentation is brand new for this event. Check out our website at www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information on our other educational opportunities and events.

End of the day distractions yesterday (Tuesday) caused me to forget to post this blog! I had loaded the photos of this wonderful shrub and simply "spaced out". The shrub is Chardonnay Pearls slender deutzia (Deutzia gracilis'Duncan') which we have found to be an excellent performer in the full sun landscape. This shrub is in the hydrangea family and is native to Japan and portions of Asia. The golden/chartreuse foliage is eye catching (and brightest in full sun) and the tight, white, spring buds ("pearls") open to some showy flowers in late May. We have used this shrub in some tough locations and it has done well with a mature size of roughly 3' tall by 3' wide. The flowers last about 2 weeks and are lightly fragrant. Full sun locations will result in more flowers. While drought tolerant (and deer resistant), this shrub does prefer more moisture as prolonged dry periods may result in some leaf burn in full sun. Light shearing is easily accomplished after flowering and consider the value of this selection as a replacement for the ubiquitous Japanese spireas and potentillas that continue to dot the Midwest landscape. Late season fall color (November) can also be spectacular as seen further below.

Both today and yesterday saw plenty of action both at the Horticulture Center and out in the gardens. Warm weather and temperatures around 60 degrees F have caused all of us to think about spring. However, the last remnants of the Holiday Light Show (HLS) still linger out in the gardens and both Big John and Larry H. have been committed to finishing this monumental task. Yesterday we also saw Janice, Gary, Vern, Bill O. and members of our Garden Development & Maintenance Committee (Maury, Hal, Big John, Iza, Christy, Larry, Gary and Ron). We also saw many others. Today was busy as well with Alan M. and Bill O. heading in to the gardens for various tasks. John and Larry continued with their HLS"kung fu". Ron P. repaired more lights from the HLS prior to storage. Kay was in to staple lots of handouts for me including some for the upcoming Plantaholics Retreat which is our Spring Symposium on March 19th. It's not too late to sign up! Check out www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information on this event. Myrt, Nancy and Gena did some painting and we also saw Barb C., Bev D., Karen B., Dr. Gredler, Maury and many others today.

I was finally able to get out in the gardens today for a comprehensive tour. The fact that it was sunny and in the mid 50 degrees F was certainly a factor. I saw some early color like the winter aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) seen both above and below. Snowdrops (Galanthus sp.) seen further below were also blooming in abundance. Unfortunately, deer poop could also be found in abundance. The Holiday Light Show (HLS) has almost disappeared from the gardens after the work done today although just a couple larger cords and some odds and ends remain for retrieval over the next week or two. Big John and Larry have been working on this project for over 10 weeks!

We had a nice turnout of volunteers as well. Ron R. and Peg were out helping tidy and clean up in the gardens. Kathy P. did a nice job sweeping the gazebo garden patio and helped tidy up the woodland walk garden. Terry helped John with HLS tasks. Gary B. and Dr. Gredler painted while Dave, Vern, Ron Y. and Marv B. worked on building some Adirondack chairs that will be for sale shortly from our Cottage Garden Gallery. Dick H. and Maury worked on a project and Gary spent significant time on preparing new labels for the garden including interpretation for the new Heirloom Garden and many plant labels. Jim and the RECAPPERS did a nice job continuing our tidying efforts this afternoon. We also saw Rollie, Polly, Maryam, Joe B. and many others today.

Terry, Ron R., Larry H. and Big John (left to right) lowering a "Tower of Power" (HLS element)

snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) seen above

double snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis'Flore Pleno') seen above

the colorful coralbark willow (Salix alba subsp. vitellina'Britzensis')

the mosses are greening up nicely (above and below)

'Gold Coin' Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)

'Hillside Winter Gold' white pine (Pinus strobus)

'Carsten's Wintergold' mugo pine (Pinus mugo)

Nice shot above of cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and 'Gateway' Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum). More on cardinal flower later....Today was another beautiful one with sunshine and temperatures in the mid 50 degree F. I'm seeing a lot of shorts and t-shirts around town which is sure a sign of spring; as are the motorcycles and guys out on the adjacent driving range. Next week looks quite mild too which will make for some nice gardening weather with a strong focus on clean up and tidying out in the gardens. Big John and Larry moved on to some other projects (both inside and outside) as the Holiday Light Show (HLS) is roughly 97.3% retrieved and packed away. John did a lot of organizing in the Horticulture Center and Larry moved on to some serious pruning on our crabapples (Malus) before they break bud shortly! Janice was in to work on preparations for our Spring Symposium which is coming up soon on March 19th! It's not too late to sign up for our Plantaholics Retreat which looks like a great event that day. See www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information on this symposium with additional details on how to register. Do it before March 16th please! Kathy and Kay were out tidying in the garden as were Jenny and Dave E. This foursome did a great job and we're thankful for the "March opportunity" to get out there. Chuck was in for some recycling and Maury ran errands and bought some paint which will be used next week. We also saw Bob K., Mark S., Bill O. and many others today. I worked on a couple projects but my focus is on competing our orders for the Mother's Day Spring Plant Sale and for the gardens as well.

I've always enjoyed seeing cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) at peak bloom as that red is just vibrant. However, we've had some challenges growing the perennial forms as they are quite moisture dependent. Native to a wide range of North America, cardinal flower (in the Campanulaceae family) blooms in mid summer with tubular flowers that feature an upper lip (2 lobes) and prominent lower lip (three lobes). Preferring part sun (tolerant of full sun with ample moisture), this hardy perennial (Z3) again prefers rich, humusy, medium to wet soils. It can also be short-lived which is not unusual for this species. Hummingbirds and butterflies enjoy this plant although cardinals are indifferent! There are some fun varieties of Lobelia cardinalis including white blooming forms, pink forms, salmon forms and maroon-leaf selections. The mature height of cardinal flower is related to available moisture but most will range between 24" and 48" in height at flowering. In the photos below, note that the healthiest patches are in part shade lowlands with plenty of moisture! There are some interesting hybrids further below and while most are not quite hardy, they can be enjoyed as annuals too. We'll have both 'Starship' selections seen below in our Hummingbird Haven garden this year. Despite the quite specific needs for this plant, the additional TLC and consideration for their happiness will reap some colorful rewards!

cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis, Z3) - above and seven directly below

'Golden Torch' cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) - above and two below

'Chocolate Truffle' cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) - above and below

'Starship Scarlet' cardinal flower (Lobelia x speciosa, Z6, tender) - above and two below

'Starship Deep Rose' cardinal flower (Lobelia x speciosa, Z6, tender)

'Compliment Scarlet' cardinal flower (Lobelia x speciosa, Z6, tender)

'Fan Blue' cardinal flower (Lobelia x speciosa, Z6, tender)

'Fan Salmon' cardinal flower (Lobelia x speciosa, Z6, tender) - above and below

'Monet Moment' cardinal flower (Lobelia hybrida, Z4) - above and below

The warm weather pattern has continued after some overnight rain which was drizzle most of Sunday as well. Today was overcast all day (60 degrees F) but showers will return tomorrow. We still had a solid crew of staff and volunteers today. Janice was in to work on preparations for our Spring Symposium which is this Saturday. It's not too late to sign up for the Plantaholics Retreat (see our website at www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information)! Big John and Larry H. had plenty of other projects both inside and outside. John continues to work on organizing as we'll really need to maximize our space this year with so many items going in to storage right now. Larry did a nice job preparing our four front containers with colorful willow branches and grasses. This will be a nice entrance for the event this Saturday as well. Alan, Lloyd, Ron R., Kathy, Peg and Kay were all out in the gardens doing a nice job of tidying which included cutting back ornamental grasses, collecting debris, straightening signs, etc. Vern, Dave and Ron Y. continued on carpentry projects with Dr. Gredler nearby for painting. Gene worked on some projects as well. Terry helped Dick H. and Maury with unloading many pallets of cardboard flats that we'll use for our future plant sales for many years! Gary continued producing more signs including many for our new Heirloom Garden this year.

I think I've planted and enjoyed love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) every year for the past 25 years or so. This classic annual has such excellent character in the full sun border and always invites closer inspection including touching those soft flower panicles. Native to Africa, India and Peru, this plant is also called pendant amaranth and foxtail amaranth and will reach heights between 3' and 7' in height. The drooping panicles come in all shades of pink as well as green and can reach lengths of 12"-24". Sometimes staking is required although this plant will tolerate both arid or humid environments. The green form, 'Viridis', is equally attractive and offers some nice texture as well. The variety 'Dreadlocks' seen further down has the arching and dangling panicles but the flowers are clustered making for a very interesting appearance. These can all be found easily from a wide range of seed sources and vendors.

above at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Amaranthus caudatus 'Viridis' - above and two below

'Dreadlocks' love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) - above and three below

The moon carrot (Seseli gummiferum) is pretty cool! I first ran across this biennial (two years from seed to bloom) about 10 years ago and we've grown it RBG many times. It has always thrived in a full sun location and we've purchased established plants that will bloom the same year as being planted. The lacy, silvery blue foliage is exceptional and the flower clusters emerge pink and mature to a nice white umbel over the course of many weeks in mid summer. This plant is an actual member of the carrot family (Apiaceae) and sends down a decent root system. See further below for the nice pink coloration on the earlier flowers. This plant, hardy to zone 5, is native to the Mediterranean and doesn't mind tough soils and heat. It doesn't care for overly damp soils or "winter wetness" but seems pretty tough and quite drought tolerant. Reaching heights of 24-36", this plant would look exquisite in the "moonlit garden" and the cut flowers are long lasting as well. While not easy to find, this plant is worth the quest!

Today was overcast with a very fine mist drifting down in advance of some heavier ran showers this afternoon. The temperature is still not too bad although we'll see a return to "real March" weather later this week with some light snow. Big John and Larry H. had plenty of work out in the gardens today which included turf repair, tidying, pruning and hauling back more obelisks for painting. Kathy P. was out in the Japanese garden tidying up the paths. We're trying to get the gardens all tidied up before the Plantaholics Retreat (Spring Symposium) this Saturday. Today is the last day to register so consider checking out our website at www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information on this popular event including instructions on how to register. Dick H. continues to run to the dump which is open 15 days early due to the warm weather. Bill O. worked on myriad indoor tasks as well. We also saw Bev D., Deanna and many others today. I am finishing orders for the big Spring Plant Sale (Mother's Day weekend!) and had a focus on herbs today. Enjoy the moon carrot images below...

moon carrot (Seseli gummiferum) just starting to bloom (above and below)

With St. Patrick's Day looming, I thought some "ornamental shamrocks" would be in order. The first three ornamental clovers (Trifolium hybrida) have some excellent leaf detail and will thrive in the border or container in both sun and part sun. Above and below are Trifolium'Limerick Isabella' which is quite showy with two other selections further down. I've also included some of my favorite Oxalis selections further down which we continue to use for foliage color in the full sun and part shade garden. None of the fancy shamrocks I'm showing here are hardy for us so would be used as annuals or brought in as "low light" houseplants and incorporated in to the garden the next season.

It was a darn windy day with gusts up to 40 mph. The morning started rainy but it cleared up fairly nicely. Larry H. and Big John had some indoor projects to start the day and transitioned outside as the weather cleared. Janice was in to work on Spring Plant Sale vegetable lists and some other projects associated with our Spring Symposium this weekend. Today is the last day you can register for the Plantaholics Retreat so check out our website at www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org and give us a call ASAP! Nancy, Patty, Myrt and Gena all came in for some major painting projects. We also saw many others including Dr. Yahr and Bill.

Trifolium hybrida'Limerick Jessica' (above and below)

Trifolium hybrida'Limerick Estelle' (above)

Charmed Wine ornamental shamrock (Oxalis hybrida'JROXBURWI') - above and two below

Charmed Velvet ornamental shamrock (Oxalis hybrida'JROXACHVEL') - above and below

Molten Lava ornamental shamrock (Oxalis vulcanicola) - above and four below

'Burgundy Gold' ornamental shamrock (Oxalis articulata)

Zinfandel ornamental shamrock (Oxalis vulcanicola)

I thought this blog topic would be appropriate for St. Patrick's Day. As a member of the O'Dwyer clan, I always celebrate this holiday in some fashion or another. Greenish flowers can certainly be welcome additions to the garden. The Bells of Ireland (Molucella laevis) above is actually showing off apple green calyces as the tidy light pink/white flowers have already occurred in the center of each of those structures. Regardless, enjoy this tribute to green/greenish flowers in this blog. Today involved a lot of activity and preparations for our Plantaholics Retreat (Spring Symposium) this Saturday. It looks like we'll have a crowd of almost 140 attendees! The weather looks chilly but nice and we continue to tidy the garden in advance of folks touring the gardens soon.

We had a busy day today with lots of volunteer help. Larry H. and John worked together on some projects with Larry later shifting to pruning and John helping me with some other tasks. Marv B. tidied up his moss garden areas which are looking vividly green. Terry was out to cut and collect more ornamental grasses and we had Peg, Alan and Lloyd all out to tidy up in the gardens. Dr. Gredler did some painting while Gene worked on sanding another bench for re-staining shortly. Gary produced more signs and Dick H. ran to the dump and fixed one of our trucks. We also saw Maury, Phil G. and many others today. Marleen and Mary D. came in to process the folders for the symposium this afternoon. It was a sunny and productive St. Patrick's Day.

'Green Jewel' purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) - perennial

'Starmaker Deep Lime' flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) - annual

flowering tobacco (Nicotiana langsdorfii) - annual

'Sophistica Lime Green' petunia (Petunia sp.) - annual

'Spring Green' cockscomb celosia (Celosia cristata) - annual

'Sylphid' plume celosia (Celosia plumosa) - annual

'Queen Lime' zinnia (Zinnia elegans) - annual

green love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus'Viridis')

'Green Ball' dianthus (Dianthus hybrida) - annual (above and below)

'Green Mist' toothpick plant (Ammi visnaga) - annual

'Lanai Upright Lime Green' verbena (Verbena hybrida) - annual

While the use of kale (Brassica oleracea) as an ornamental isn't new, I think many folks utilize this showy plant primarily late in the season because of intense colors and frost tolerance. That is totally valid although kale can be a contributor in the summer garden as well. Our front slope garden (2012) as seen above features large patches of dinosaur kale (Brassica oleracea'Lacinato') which was a very strong contributor to the white and blue theme we had that year. Directly below is the repetition of that same kale along a border at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, WI. While kale is certainly a nutritious edible, I think gardeners are seeing the potential of kale throughout the growing season. The coloration of kale also intensifies later in the summer as temperatures start to dip. We've had some fall planted kale add color in the garden well past Christmas with some even overwintering until Spring.

Our Plantaholics Retreat is tomorrow and we spent some time today getting ready for this annual Spring Symposium. We have a strong registration and are looking forward to a great day. Janice was in to work on lanyards and other preparations for this event. Larry H. worked on some more tidying and other garden-related tasks. John had some indoor work which included servicing our rototillers. We also saw Hal R., Bill O., Mary H., Dick H. (vehicle work) and many others today. Kay was in to tidy up her section of the shade garden. Maury picked up and assembled our large rental screen for the event tomorrow with Mark S. I spent time preparing for the symposium as well and continue to get our Spring orders completed and label information gathered and organized.

Brassica 'Lacinato' (dinosaur kale) - above and two below

Brassica'Redbor' (above and two below)

darkening color of 'Redbor' (above and below)

Brassica'Black Tuscan' (above)

Brassica'Greenbelt' (broccoli) with sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) - Chicago Botanic Garden

Brassica 'Songbird'

now that's a lot of coleslaw! (above)

Brassica'Alcosa'

Brassica 'Starbor'

Brassica'Ripbor'

Brassica 'Glamour Red' (above)

Brassica (miscellaneous) - above and all below

Today was nice and sunny although the weather looks like it will turn cold, wet and sour later this week. There wasn't much wind today as evidenced above with a nice clear reflection of the arched bridge on the pond this morning. We continue to see more blooms emerging daily with many of our earliest bulbs up and blooming. The winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), snowdrops (Galanthus), crocus (Crocus sp.) are all blooming strongly. Hellebores (Helleborus sp.) as seen below are opening up quickly as well. While the garden is still mostly brown and grey, hints of brighter colors continue to appear! Perennials and early season grasses are also starting to emerge.

We had a great event this past Saturday with our Spring Symposium having well over 130 attendees. This Plantaholics Retreat was well received and all of our speakers were informative and engaging. We had Christina Salwitz from Seattle (THE Garden Coach and author) and Andrew Bunting from the Chicago Botanic Garden. I finished off the day talking about annuals and our auction items from Klehm's Song Sparrow Nursery were quite popular as well. We're already promoting our November 5th symposium!

hellebore (Helleborus sp.) - perennial

our Chinese lions are looking happy?

these crocuses (Crocus sp.) have avoided the rabbits thus far...

'Hillside Winter Gold' white pine (Pinus strobus)

winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)

'Whitespire' birch (Betula populifolia)

hellebore (Helleborus sp.) - perennial

Our staff and volunteers were in full motion today. The photo of Larry H. (above) was from last week as he prepared our four front containers for the Saturday event using 'Flame' willow (Salix hybrida) and some other elements for color. Our Grumpies included Kevin, Bob C. and Lloyd all doing garden clean up at the East parking lot or mulching the main parking lot islands. Peg and Kathy P. were out tidying as well. Marv B. worked on his moss areas and planted some new moss as well. Terry helped John with securing some obelisks and containers as well as some pruning. Dave, Vern and Ron Y. worked on some carpentry projects while Gene continued to sand benches for re-staining shortly. Dr. Gredler did more painting and Maury ran errands for us. Gary S. made many more labels too including quite a few for our future Heirloom Garden which will feature 100+ varieties of pre-1900s perennials, vegetables, herbs and vegetables. We also saw Rollie, Janice and many others today. Larry H. had a full day of gardening in multiple locations too while I continue to finish up our spring orders.

Kevin C. and Bob C. (right) tidying up

Peg L.

Mossy Marv

Kathy doing her raking "kung fu"

Lloyd leaning on a broom (he's mastered leaning on a shovel)

Big John (left) and Terry

the daffodils (Narcissus) are really pushing up now

catkins have formed on the Harry Lauder's walking stick (Corylus avellana 'Contorta')

Today was mild with overcast skies. It looks the rest of the week will be colder with a significant chance of rain and possible wet snow later in the week. We had some great volunteer help today. Stan and Jim were out in the Japanese garden working on various projects. Alan was in for garden clean-up in the sunken garden. Marleen and Magda came in to tidy up their area which looks ready for more plants to emerge shortly! Mirjam and Marcia worked their "clean up kung fu" in the English cottage garden and did quite a bit of composting as well. Maury ran some errands and Jenny was in again to prepare labels for this spring. Dr. Gredler did significant painting and we saw many others as well including Cindy B. Janice, Big John, Larry and I all worked on various projects with the intention of getting ready for spring, both inside and outside. While we still have significant garden clean-up to accomplish, we should be able to finish that up as our spring color arrives over the coming weeks.

This blog is an informal approach to showing some "elevated growing opportunities" that may have merit for gardeners that have mobility issues that preclude them from getting up or down easily. Gardening as we age is a focus of our July 27th Horticultural Therapy Symposium this year (details TBD soon!). Bringing the garden "up" to a comfortable level is entirely possible but these situations also entail a certain amount of planning and preparation as well. Durable raised beds should accommodate wet soils and plants, allow for drainage and be relatively easy to empty and repair as needed. Soil depth is also a consideration as it will relate directly to what will thrive in that location. Deeper beds have a wider plant palette than shallow ones which will also dry out quicker. My few sentences on this topic don't do this concept justice but the photos below are meant to inspire some thoughts on modified garden situations for those that will utilize them and still enjoy the process and rewards of gardening.

modified work table to accommodate wheel chair access (above and below)

"planting desk" (above and below)

West Madison Agricultural Research Station (above)

Allen Centennial Gardens (UW-Madison) - above and two below

Rock County Farm (Janesville, WI) - above

Chicago Botanic Garden (above and five below)

With the advancing rain/sleet/snow storm on the way, the weather was cool and cloudy with light rain started this morning. Big John and Larry H. both had outdoor duties including more tidying, pruning and bed preparations. Myrt, Nancy, Gena and Patty were in for some major painting on our entrance garden pyramids which have A LOT of collective surface area. The ladies always do an excellent job although I'm wary of getting too distracted by the "girl talk" going on which is always interesting albeit disturbing at times.... Janice had some office work to accomplish and I continue to prepare for Spring which is already here if you look at the calendar (not outside the windows). Bill O. was in to repair some tires and work on other projects and we also saw Mark S., Cindy B., Jenny E. (label work), Dick H., Kay (processed handouts), Maury (errands) and many others today.

The photo above is of Dave Hunt (deceased) and Mary Hunt maintaining their garden space many years ago. Mary and her daughter Kathy are still very active here but the photo is the introduction to the concept of utilizing more adaptive tools that help us garden as we age. The ergonomics of many standard garden tools puts significant strain on hands, wrist, arms, elbows, etc. Tools can be purchased (like those directly below) that minimize strain on the hand and wrist although many existing tools can be actively modified for comfort, minimal strain but still, maximum productivity. This topic will be part of our July 27th Horticultural Therapy Symposium as we should all consider the benefits of minimizing strain on our aging bodies so we can enjoy gardening as long as possible! See many examples below.

The Southeast Wisconsin Master Gardeners have developed an excellent tool collection as part of their Life Long Gardening initiatives and have set up their display (above and most shots below) at RBG for various functions. What a great asset to see these tools and their importance.

these devices are neat as they can be a garden seat or kneeling pad!

I had some presentations yesterday and travel conditions fluctuated between ok and bad. I was watching the temperature alternate between 30 and 34 degrees F and noted quite a few cars off the road later in the afternoon. With heavier snows further north, we were spared the worst of it but still had some white stuff come down. All the photos here are from Olbrich Botanical Gardens (Madison, WI) last evening when I arrived for my presentation (The Sensory Garden). I couldn't resist a brisk (literally and figuratively) walk and had the gardens to myself. Above are some colorful dogwoods (Cornus sp.) featuring excellent winter interest with bright stems. The other photos below have captions.

We had a great crew yesterday although everyone was inside as the pounding rain turned to slush and ultimately light snow later in the day. Gary, Alan and Dr. Gredler were painting chairs and other structures inside while Ron Y. put primer on some new Adirondack chairs that will be for sale in our Cottage Garden Gallery soon. Vern, Dave and Marv B. worked on assembling more chairs and Dick H. had some projects. Jenny E. continued to work on processing labels and Gene continued sanding and staining benches. Larry H., Big John and Janice all had indoor projects and Maury F. ran some errands for us. I'm sure there were more folks in that I just didn't see.

Today we had help from Jim and four RECAPPERS who did some major digging out in the gardens. Bill O. and Maury F. and some projects as well. We also saw Patrea, Urban, Hannah and many others. Big John, Janice and I worked on a wide range of projects and the snow is now melting quickly. We're heading in to "full speed ahead" mode out in the gardens and we had Paulson-Kimball Construction come today to help load up our "Santa's Village" houses on to a trailer for storage (until November).