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A Dynamic Duo
This blog is just a small effort to communicate the important role that Marv and Marianne have contributed to RBG for 23 years (and beyond). Marv and Marianne are retiring from their grounds positions...
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First Snowdrop Appears
Last winter, my first photograph of a bloom in the garden was a snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) in the woodland walk garden. That photo was taken on February 1st which was the earliest that I've ever...
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Go Away April!
As I type this blog around the lunch hour, the temperature is 50 degrees F with a projected high temperature of 63 degrees F. I heard the thunder last night and it was raining pretty good this morning...
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Snow Arrives
As I came in this morning, it was still drizzling but that soon changed to wet, heavy snow. We ended up with about 4" which was predicted with more accumulation further north. The roads seemed clear...
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Classy Cosmos
Today was frigidly cold and the temperatures were around -10 degrees F with the windchill. It warmed up in to the teens but wasn't conducive to outdoor garden work. The photo above shows the Parker...
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Obelisks, Icicles and Fireworks
If anyone does a future GOOGLE internet search using the words obelisks, icicles and fireworks, my blog will probably be the only thing that comes up. After writing the previous sentence, I performed...
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Snow Is No Obstacle
We had about 2" of fluffy snow overnight on Friday and then another 3" or so for this morning. At least it was light and easy to clear both at the gardens and at home! Larry and Dick H. dealt with...
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Taste of the Tropics
With all the cold weather recently, I thought I'd share some "collectively cool Colocasias", better know as elephant ears. I wasn't motivated to go outside and take pictures of icicles, deer damage...
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Perennial Plant of the Year - 2013
The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has just announced the Perennial Plant of the Year for 2013. The winner is the variegated Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum') which is featured...
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Looking Forward To The Hellebores!
Big John, Denise and I delayed our plans to head up to the Alliant Exhibition Hall (Madison, WI) to set-up early for the WPT Garden Expo (www.wigardenexpo.com/) today. When we heard about patchy ice...
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The WPT Garden Expo Begins!
Today was a long one for me but certainly lots of fun. Big John, Denise and I drove up to Madison this morning (two vehicles) to set up our Garden Expo (sponsored by Wisconsin Public Television) booth...
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The WPT Garden Expo Ends
I'm back home after day three of the Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) Garden Expo. It was a long weekend but well worth being there and participating. There was some concern about the possibility of...
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Barrenwort Accumulation
One of the many benefits of attending the Wisconsin Public Television Garden Expo this past weekend was to get the 2013 Flower Factory catalog. The Flower Factory is one of many wonderful nurseries in...
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Barrenwort Foliage
After I did my blog posting yesterday and featured many beautiful, blooming barrenworts (Epimedium sp.), I felt that I had cheated that entire genus by not giving more photos that show the wonderful...
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Seeds Galore!
"All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today." Swedish Proverb. Well, most of the annual flowers that will be blooming out in the gardens this year were processed today by the...
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Bold Snowdrops
I was able to take a tour of the gardens today and was lucky to not have a spill with all the "wet ice" out there. The weather was overcast and drizzling to start although I think it will turn to snow...
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A Sun Tribute
Yeah we all shine on, like the moon, and the stars, and the sun. John Lennon. My blog title is actually not referring to a tribute to our actual sun; giver of all life, but our appreciation of the sun...
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Brunneras for Fun (and Function)!
With some recent winter blogs, I've been including some of my favorite perennials and false-forget-me-nots (Brunnera macrophylla) certainly fall in to my "favorites list"! Brunneras are native to...
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Awesome Angelonias (Summer Snapdragons)
I've already given some winter presentations on new, exciting and trendy annuals. We usually plant around 150,000 annuals here at RBG each spring which represent between 700 and 900 varieties. I'm...
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RBG Welcomes Brent Back!
We're excited to have Brent Heath coming back to RBG this April. Brent and his wife Becky own Brent & Becky's Bulbs (www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/) and have been long supporters of the gardens....
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