Easter Lilies

Easter lilies (Lilium longifolium) are unarguably, the most popular plant this time of year.  The home stores, grocery stores, and even gas stations have had racks of lilies in various stages of bloom for the past few weeks. 

Getting the most enjoyment out of an Easter lily begins with the selection process.  It's tempting to choose one whose bright white, trumpet like flowers are open in their full glory.  If your lily is for "right now" enjoyment, that is a good way to go.  If you are looking for a longer term commitment from your lily, choose one that has buds in various stages of development, from tight bud to partially open flower.  Look for a plant with dark green leaves the entire length of the stem and and a plant that is about twice as tall as the pot in which it is planted.  A lily planted in a pot too small is likely to be stressed, even if the foliage and flowers are not yet showing signs of it.  Inspect the leaves and stems carefully for eggs, webbing, bugs, or chewed leaves, all signs of insect infestation.  Look also for signs of disease, such as dark spots, crinkling or wilting of the leaves.  Leaves that are beginning to yellow are often signs of stress from being kept in too cool or too dark storage for too long and may affect the long term health of your plant, including keeping buds that are partially formed from completing their life cycle.

Once your Easter lily is home, place it in a spot with bright, indirect light and free from drafts.  If you can keep temperatures around 60 to 65 degrees, the blossoms will last longer.  Another way to extend the life of each bloom is to remove the anthers with the yellow pollen on the ends as soon as the flower opens.  Removing them will also keep the pollen from dropping on your furniture or getting on your clothes and causing staining.  And I can tell you from first hand experience that lily pollen is one of the best permanent clothing dyes you can find - especially if you don't want it on your clothes or table clothes.  :) 

Water the lily when it becomes dry to touch and don't ever allow it to get overly dry.  If the pot is in a decorative foil cover, make sure water does not stand in the foil.  Either remove the foil completely, punch holes in the bottom of the foil to allow drainage, or remove the foil and empty the water from it after each watering.

Remove all flowers as they wither to keep your plant healthy and looking nice.  This will also help extend the life of the other blooms as the plant won't be trying to put energy into seed pod development on the spent stems.

Easter lilies grow from bulbs and they can be saved and re-bloomed from year to year.  They are hardy outdoors to zone 4, so even as far north as North Dakota, they can be planted in the garden just like other lilies.  Their natural bloom time is June to July, so you'll never have an "Easter" lily grown that way, but you will have a beautiful, snow white lily growing amongst your other lilies.

All parts of the Easter lily are toxic to animals, especially cats.  Ingesting of any part of the plant can cause kidney failure and death.  Most animals are savvy enough to know not to eat things that will kill them, but if your Fido or Garfield find green stuff irresistible, you may want to reconsider bringing an Easter lily home, or at least keep it in a room where your pets can't get to it.

In honor of Easter (and because I will be busy with sunrise services at church and Easter brunch), there won't be a new blog posting tomorrow.  Happy Easter to all of you!

More on Theme Gardens - Zoos, Dr. Suess and World Travels

Wiese Acres "Christmas Carol" daylily

There are a few more theme gardens at Wiese Acres, but I will introduce you to them over time, as they begin to produce all their glory for this growing season.  The snow is beginning to melt - slowly but it's melting - so I am hopeful that we will actually have a growing season this year...

Today, I want to mention some ideas for theme gardens that we don't have at Wiese Acres.  Yesterday we talked about the children's themed garden at Wiese Acres, that was designed around children using it, small statuary of children in various forms of play, and plants with a children's theme.  There are many other ways to create a children's theme in the garden. 

 

Tiger lilies and phlox - Wiese Acres gardens

A zoo garden, incorporating statuary of animals and plants, such as Elephant's ear (colocasia), Hens and Chicks,  Lamb's ears, Monkey flower (mimulus), Tiger lilies, Kangaroo's Paw, Turtle Head (chelone), Ostrich fern - the list goes on and on.  You can find a nice selection of hardy and warm zone perennials and annuals that will fit
the zoo animal theme. 

Another idea for a children's garden might be a Dr. Suess garden, incorporating some of the most beloved characters from Dr. Suess's many books.  There are a number of weeping and contorted trees and shrubs which can set the tone.  Contorted hazelnuts, twisted  and pruned Dwarf Alberta Spruce, and weeping cherry, or in colder zones weeping carragana, will make you smile.  Green and red zinnias can reflect green eggs and ham,  large football type mums or the seedheads of clematis can give you that shaggy hair look so often associated with Dr. Suess characters, and catnip can remind you of the Cat in the Hat.  Creeping rosemary can look almost like spiky fingers crawling across the surface of your garden.  A ground cover juniper can be trimmed to resemble a snuffleupagus.  Add to those plants a little bit of Dr. Suess whimsy in the forms of garden statuary and you can create a garden that is fun for children and adults alike.

Wiese Acres "Thunder Patch" daylily

On a more grown-up track, a traveling daylily garden might be a good fit for other daylily addicts like me.  A friend of mine created this garden using daylilies named after locations she's visited on her travels around the world.  She built a replica steamer trunk out of cedar, in which she plants annuals that are allowed to spill out of the trunks like swaths of fabric and then adds strands of "pearls" and other jewels that she purchases in bulk at craft stores.  This is surrounded by daylilies aptly named City of New Orleans, Irish Veil, Mandalay Bay, Hollywood Lights, Mauna Loa, Broadway Phantom, and many others.  It is a great way for her to commemorate her travels and share them with anyone who visits her lovely garden.

The possibilities for theme gardens are endless.  Simply think of what you like and then let your imagination soar!

Theme Garden Design - Children and Butterflies Garden

Wiese Acres Children and Butterflies Garden

Butterfly gardens are fairly common.  Who doesn't love the sight of butterflies flitting through the air, stopping for a sip of nectar at every petal?  To me, they seem so carefree, which  made it a natural to combine the butterfly theme with a children's theme.

A successful butterfly garden requires two commitments from the gardener:  the right plants to attract the butterflies and restraint in the use of chemical pesticides.

As nasty as those grasshoppers, flea beetles, or spider mites become, spraying pesticides to rid yourself of them will also kill all your butterflies and other beneficial insects.  A butterfly gardener has to be willing to put up with some imperfections - ragged leaves, stripped stems, pock-marked petals.  In exchange, you'll be rewarded with many beautiful butterflies.

The Wiese Acres Children and Butterflies Garden is made to meander through.  There are lots of pathways and seating areas for children and adults.  There are a few statues of children playing and some child-sized gardening tools left lying about.  Under the large cottonwood tree, two children run a sack race, mother and baby rest on a park bench beside gramma and grampa, while dad gives a piggy-back ride to another youngster.  I keep a large shallow bowl filled with play sand covered with water and a few small rocks for butterfly resting places setting in amongst the flowers for the butterflies to stop and sip water from.  Otherwise, most of the decor in this garden comes from the flowers and the butterflies themselves.

Choosing the right plants is the key to  draw butterflies.  Virtually any flower that provides fragrance and nectar for them to drink will bring butterflies to your garden, but there are some plants that are more attractive to our winged friends than others.  Asters, Monarda (bee balm), Rudbeckia (black-eyed susan), Gaillardia (blanket flower), Hemorocallis (daylilies), Eupatorium (Joe-Pye weed), Lavender, Phlox, Echinacea (coneflower), Salvia, and Coreopsis all attract several different species of butterflies to Wiese Acres.

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) is a beloved flower for all butterflies.  One time I looked out the window and saw my Sweet William swaying to and fro like it was in a gale force wind.  Since everything else was still, I had to go investigate.  The plant was actually standing still like all the others around it, but the blossoms of the Sweet William plant were so covered with butterflies that when they flitted around, it looked like the entire plant was moving.


Asclepias, or butterfly weed, is aptly names.  It is the host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars.  I have several of these planted throughout the garden.  The caterpillars generally strip the plant bare of everything but its stems by early August.  The plants don't look very attractive at that time, but I console myself with knowing what will happen in just a few short weeks.  When the monarch butterlifes begin to hatch, they fill the yard with color.  When they first emerge, they are a little slow moving and voraciously hungry, so you can get very close to them without scaring them off.  I can spend hours watching them flit around, drinking deeply.  They especially seem to love Joe-Pye weed for one of their first meals. 

The children's theme of the garden is carried through in plants such as "Children's Festival"  and "All God's Children" daylilies and fun flowers, such as "Mexican Hat" (ratibida) and snapdragons.  I believe the key to a successful children's themed garden, though, is to make it kid friendly.  There are plenty of trees for children to play around, pathways to walk on, and durable plants that won't complain too much if little feet stray off the path. 

Theme Garden Design - Nostalgia Garden

Wiese Acres Nostalgia Garden

The older I get, the more nostalgic I become.  A stroll through the Nostalgia Garden brings memories of many happy times and has at least one thing to remind me of something I didn't like so much - just in case I ever become so nostalgic that I think I might like to relive that part of my early years.

Wiese Acres Nostalgia Garden

A nostalgia garden should be filled with things that evoke memories of simpler, happy times in life.  Most of the things in the Wiese Acres Nostalgia Garden are remnants of our childhoods.  There is the cast iron pumpjack like I used to wrestle with at the windmill, the galvanized tub that served as my husband's bath tub until they moved to a house that had a fully equipped bathroom, and the log bench formed from the remains of the ancient, massive cottonwood tree my brothers and I played around as children.  An old cream can stands sentinel in the garden and reminds me of trips to town to the Arrow Creamery, where there was always sure to be a dish of ice cream out front for me after the week's cream production was delivered to the back.

Wiese Acres Nostalgia Garden

Most of the memorabilia in the Wiese Acres Nostalgia Garden are readily identifiable to anyone who sees them and for many, it evokes similar memories.  The meaning of other things, such as the stepping stone path, are known only to a few, giving it a special touch for those who recognize it.  (My mother was the ultimate "make do" person and created much beauty from whatever was available to her.  Thus, the pathway through the Nostalgia Garden is a "make-do" pathway, created from an assortment of other projects' leftovers.)

The trees and plants are also reminders of simple, happy times.  The Golden Willow tree is surrounded by lilies of the valley, reminding me of visits to an elderly friend's garden as a child.  In the spring, when those lilies are blooming, I can close my eyes, take a deep breath of their wonderful fragrance and almost hear Mom and Mrs. Hannan visiting about the gardens and what their plans for the day would be.  The quaking aspens offer their rustling sound in the slightest breeze, reminding me of times spent camping with my sister and her family in the Colorado mountains. 

You'll find descendants of iris and peonies that were brought to North Dakota from Missouri by my grandmother in the early 1900's.  There are daylilies divided from Mom's garden and a duplicate of the Hansa rose she grew just outside the dining room window of the old farmhouse.  You'll see an occasional wood violet tucked in among the other plants, a reminder of Dad's love of walking along the river on the farm and enjoying their perky little violet colored flowers.

North Dakota native sunflowers and native tall grasses form a "wall" across the north side of the garden, creating a cozy "room" for the seating area.   Those sunflowers and grasses waving in the breeze serve to remind me of the pastures and hayfields where I spent many wonderful hours playing and working as a kid.

And the reminder of the things I didn't like so much?  A poultry waterer and feeding trough - just to remind me how much I disliked the chores of caring for chickens.

There are no right or wrong things to incorporate into a nostalgia garden.  Whatever creates a sense of happy nostalgia for the gardener is the right thing for that garden.  Of course, with plant materials, you need to be mindful of their light, water, and soil needs, but otherwise, the sky's the limit.

Theme Garden Design - Sun, Moon and Stars Garden



Wiese Acres Sun, Moon and Stars Garden

We have the Music garden in honor of our daughter.  That was easy.  It’s a little more challenging to build a garden theme around our son’s chosen profession.  There just aren’t a lot of plants or garden décor developed around anthropology.  Thankfully, he has a passion for a hobby that does lend itself to a garden theme.  Since he was just a couple years old and Grandpa took him outside to look at the sky one late summer evening, he’s been enthralled with stars, planets, galaxies, and moons.  So, the Wiese Acres Sun, Moon and Stars Garden is in his honor.

 The central feature of The Sun, Moon and Stars Garden is the fire pit where we enjoy roasting hot dogs and savoring the gooey, sticky mess of S’Mores on quiet summer evenings.  It’s where we all have front row seats to watch fireworks on the 4^th of July.   And, my son and I make it an annual event to stay out late, drinking hot chocolate or tea and watching the Perseid meteor shower one night in mid-August.

The perimeter of the garden is lit with solar lanterns, and glow-in –the-dark miniature moons held on stakes pop up in various locations within the planted area.  Star-shaped solar lights are strung in the small maple tree that anchors one corner of the garden.  A cast iron sundial keeps track of time and a Mr. Sun plaque spins lazily in one corner.  Gazing balls under the maple tree form a replica of our solar system.

 

Wiese Acres Sun, Moon and Stars Garden

When you step off the cedar bridge which marks the entrance to the garden, you are greeted by the bright yellow springtime blossoms of “Northern Sun” forsythia.   Just off to the right, the beautiful “Sunrise Sunset” and “Harvest Moon” roses bloom their hearts out much of the summer.  “Center Glow” ninebark  shrubs form the back border of the garden and “Rosy Rocket” barberry are planted in the front.  In the hotter, drier area of the garden, “Moonlight Serenade” sedum does well, next to “Ice Star” daisies and “Baby Sun” coreopsis.    “Siloam Sunburst” and “Spacecoast Freaky Tiki” daylilies complete the arrangement.

 

Choices of plants with sun, moon or star names are nearly unlimited.  The Wiese Acres Sun, Moon and Stars Garden is a xeriscape garden in full sun,  so my plant choices are from a selection of drought resistant, heat tolerant plants. 

 

A sun, moon and stars garden could be adequately furnished with shade plants, such as pulmonaria “Mrs. Moon”, "Sunset" fern, and hosta “Blue Moon”.  For gardeners who prefer annuals, there are choices such as moonflower, sunflower and star flower.

Likewise, garden décor fitting this theme is relatively easy to find or to create by using your imagination, such as creating a solar system with gazing balls.

I’m looking forward to evenings spent by the firepit, either enjoying the fire or just lying back in the lounge chair and watching the moon and stars drift through the sky.
 

                                          Ice Star daisies

Theme Garden Design - The Music Garden

Wiese Acres Music Garden

Wind chimes tuned to Mozart's Piano Concerto #21 in C Major set the tone for the Music Garden.  Now, I couldn't tell you if my wind chime plays Mozart or Bach, in C or F, Major or Minor, but the young lady to whom the garden is dedicated certainly can.  She inherited musical talent from someone other than her mother and is a phenomenal clarinetist as well as a great music educator.  So, it seemed only natural that we should have a garden at Wiese Acres honoring our daughter's abilities and her passion for music.

Daylilies with musical names, such as "Bama Music", "Chorus Line" and "Country Melody" join irises "Cajun Music", "Cherry Blossom Song",  "I've Got Rhythym" and "Jazzed Up".  Coral bells of any kind are a match for the music theme, but "Canyon Melody" adds yet another layer of music to the setting.  Gaillardia "Fanfare" adds a bright splash of color throughout the summer.  Violas grow as a groundcover and Angel's Trumpet adds a dramatic splash of white to brighten the garden.

Wiese Acres Music Garden
 

A cherub playing a flute joins a harpist fairy in one section of the garden.  Stepping stones with music notes on them stand upright in a wire plate stand for better visibility.  A music stand  holding a piece of sheet music (formed out of clay) and a shepherd's hook which resembles the treble clef sign holds the wind chime, both adding an element of height to the garden.

I am on a mission to find old, worn-out musical instruments which could be placed throughout the garden to carry the theme on a "real-world" level.    I'm hoping that will be this year's addition to the Music Garden.

Theme Garden Design - Memorial Garden

Wiese Acres Memorial Garden

I love to stroll through the Memorial Garden, savoring the sights and smells and the memories.  As I walk past the small patch of corn with its stalks rustling in the breeze, I remember Dad walking through the farm yard whistling "Darling Clementine" or "Red River Valley".    The bright red "Christmas Carol" daylily, with the statue of the little girl and her dogs and cats tucked beside it, reminds me of my sister Carol's love for the holidays and her affinity for collecting animals of all sorts.  The entire garden is a reminder of Mom's love for gardening, but there are still some specific reminders of her tucked in there, like "Broadmare's Wilma" and "Quilt Patch" daylilies.

A memorial garden can help with the grief we feel after losing someone we love.  It gives a special place to remember them and reflect on how they touched our lives.  It does not need to be an entire garden.  You can designate a corner of an existing garden as a memorial section.

You can use plants that the loved one enjoyed.  My mother-in-law loved the scent of roses, so there is a highly fragrant rose planted in one area.  Herbs, such as lavender or lemon balm, can also be used to incorporate a person's favorite fragrances.

There is no rule that flowers and edible fruits and vegetables can't be mixed in the same garden, so a person's favorite food can be incorporated into the memorial garden.  Dad loved growing and eating corn, so every year, I find a small spot somewhere in the Wiese Acres Memorial Garden to plant a few kernels of corn for him.  Strawberries, tomatoes, chards, and many herbs are attractive plants that fit nicely with flowers.

Memorial gardens can also be designed around a specific color theme.  For example, if a loved one had strong military ties, a red, white and blue garden might be in order.   An avid sports fan might be memorialized with the colors of his or her favorite team.

Any plant that reminds you of a person is a candidate for a memorial garden.  "Prairie Blue Eyes" daylily reminds me of the beautiful, sparkling blue eyes of Aunt Lu.  The Whitney Crabapple tree  that anchors one corner of the garden reminds me of my father-in-law, who made a family event of apple-picking time each fall.

Plants that bear the name of your loved one can be used.  Daylilies are a good choice as there are thousands of cultivars, many of which are named after a person.  That's where the "Broadmare's Wilma" comes in for Mom, or the "Prestor John" for Grandpa.    Plant names can also be used to evoke a certain feeling in the garden, such as iris "Immortality" or the daylily "Spiritual Corridor".

Another source of memories might be the plants fondly remembered from the loved one's garden.  There are iris, peonies, tulips, roses, violets, and gladiolus in the Wiese Acres Memorial Garden to remind me of special times with other gardeners.

A small corner of the garden is dedicated to the furry folks who've been a part of our family over the years.  This section is anchored by "Cat Dancer" daylilies and a small dogwood tree.

Garden art or statuary that evokes the memory of a loved one can be used in the garden.  There's the little girl surrounded by dogs and cats, a replica John Deere tractor, and a bear that make me stop and smile as I remember in my garden.

If there is space, it is nice to have a small seating area where people can sit and remember, either by themselves, or with other loved ones.

One of my favorite activities is to stroll through the Wiese Acres Memorial Garden with my cup of coffee, enjoying my memories of wonderful times.

Theme Garden Design - Woodland Fairy Garden

Wiese Acres Fairy Garden

One of my favorite gardens at Wiese Acres is the Woodland Fairy Garden.  As the name implies, it is a shade garden.  It is also the oldest garden at Wiese Acres and is used for outdoor entertaining, reading, relaxing and even napping on a regular basis.  It became the fairy garden because the shaded, tree-lined setting can easily make you believe that a fairy is hiding under one of the large fern leaves or sitting on the branches of the lilacs that form the eastern border.

Fairy gardens are usually thought of in miniature and are found in a container of some sort.  You can produce a similar feeling on a large scale, creating an entire garden location around that theme.



Wiese Acres Woodland Fairy Garden

 I use a number of ways to create the fairy theme in this garden.  Plants that can be found in fairy lore are used throughout. Said to attract fairies are ferns, lilacs, forget-me-nots, bluebells, and pansies.   The violets that grow under the apple tree are likely the home of the Fairy queen.  Primroses are believed to allow the fairy to make itself invisible.   These all do well in the shady setting. 

Other plants that are said to attract fairies but require more sun than my spot provides are roses, calendulas, daffodils, dogwoods, daisies, flax, hollyhocks, lavender, morning glories and rosemary.  If you want to create a fairy garden in a sunnier spot, these plants are sure to lure fairies to your location.

I've also used plants whose names reflect the fairy theme.  Elfin pink penstemon, Fairy snapdragons, Fairy cranesbill and Elfin Thyme all grow on the sunnier side of the Woodland Fairy garden.  Foxglove, which is also known as "Fairy petticoats", make a wonderful background plant for the fairy garden.

Statuary and other structures make the fairy theme more obvious to the casual meanderer.  Fairy statuary on a larger scale than that normally found for the container or small scale fairy gardens are readily available at most garden centers.  The secret to making them fit the fairy culture is to tuck them in amongst the leaves, rather than leaving them fully in the open.  Fairies are playful tricksters, and they would rarely ever make themselves readily visible to humans. 



Wiese Acres Woodland Fairy Garden

Fairies are said to live in hollowed out logs or mounds of soil, sawdust or leaves.  These can easily be created amongst the plants.  I use a concrete planter, tucked in amongst perennials and turned on its side, as a fairy home.  It's  filled partially with dirt and impatiens or other shade-loving annuals are allowed to grow close around the edges of the planter.  A small fairy peeks out from inside the planter, welcoming people to the seating area of the Woodland Fairy garden. 


Wiese Acres Woodland Fairy Garden

Fairies also love to play and dance, so tucking tiny fairy "toys" such as miniature gazing balls, or picnic tables under some of the leaves will help give the cheerful, carefree fairy feeling to the garden.

Fairies are said to fear iron, so rather than using cast iron or steel benches in the garden itself, I use concrete to give the fairy theme a more authentic feel.  In the human seating area, I use metal legged tables and chairs, which should protect my human companions from the trickery of the fairies. 

It must work, because any tricks that have been played on me have been purely my own doing.

 

Theme Garden Design, part 3

Wiese Acres All Creatures Great and Small Garden

A garden theme can be anything you want it to be and expressed in any manner that is pleasing to you.  There is no right or wrong way to design a theme garden.  There are some rules that must be adhered to if you want to successfully grow plants in your theme garden, however.

Living plants have specific requirements for soil, light, water, and space for its mature size.  Some plants don't care if the soil is clay or sand or something in between.  Others are much more particular.  Plants are usually even more particular about water than they are about the soil their feet live in and if you give them either too much or too little water, they will fail to thrive and may even die from the incorrect moisture conditions. 

Light is another critical component and too much or too little is not good.  Read the plant label.  If it says "full sun", the plant will only do its best in an area where it receives at least six hours of bright, direct sun each day.  "Part sun" or "part shade" both mean four to six hours of sun or bright, indirect light each day.  If the label says "part sun", I opt for closer to the six hours.  If it says "part shade", I, and the plant, are generally happy with closer to the four hour side of the range.  "Full shade" means that plant never wants to see direct sun.  Dappled sun coming through the tree canopy, or early morning sun may be ok but anything more than that can burn the tender foliage of shade plants.

Space is a little bit harder to manage.  Most of us like our gardens to look full and lush, so when we plant a teeny, tiny plant fresh from the nursery, it's tempting to plant it very close to its neighbor to fill the garden a little faster.  But, if you don't pay attention to the adult size of the plant and space accordingly, you'll end up with too crowded conditions which promote diseases and death of the plant, or you'll end up moving it.  Now, perennials are very forgiving about being moved,  in fact, many of them really appreciate division and transplanting every few years.  Trees and shrubs, on the other hand, are home bodies.  They want to stay just where they initially settle themselves and will sulk or even die if they are moved (although they can be and I will talk about that in a future blog).  But, to save yourself work and make your plants happy, it's best to give them the space they need right from the start.  You can fill in the empty space around your new perennials, trees and shrubs with annuals or garden art until the plant reaches maturity.



Tiger lily

After considering soil, light, water and space, you can begin to think about plant color, structure, bloom time, name or anything else you want to incorporate into your theme.

At Wiese Acres, we love animals of all kinds.  Well, maybe not so much with the pesky rabbits who think the pansies are their very special dessert or the deer and raccoons who come to the corn feed every year.  But, generally, animals are loved and welcomed here, so we've created an All Creatures Great and Small garden to honor our furry friends. 

The theme has been created with plant names that reflect the theme.  There are Lamb's ears, dog-tooth violets, catmint, Crimson Pygmy barberry, leopard's bane, staghorn sumac, and Little Kitten maiden grass.  The theme is further defined with garden sculptures.  There are pigs, lambs, lions, raccoons, kittens, puppies, and bears frolicking amongst the plants.  This year,   I'll add some Zebra grass and another type of catmint to the gardens.  And I'll enjoy sitting there sipping my morning coffee, with my collie lying at my feet and my kitties nestled on my lap.

Theme Garden Design, part 2

Wiese Acres Children and Butterflies Garden

Once you've answered the questions about what you want your garden to look and feel like and have decided on a theme, there are a few other decisions yet to be made.  How do you want your theme to be stated?  Do you want your theme to be bold - something that makes it immediately known to anyone looking that this is your theme?  Or do you want it more subtle - something that becomes known to the guests wandering through your gardens only as they spend a little more time there?

Wiese Acres Nostalgia Garden

Once you've decided that,  you can proceed to create a list of elements that will define your theme.  Colors, materials, objects, symbols, and plants can all be used to define a theme.  Things that are immediately visible, like colors and objects will tend to give you a bolder theme.  In the Wiese Acres Angel garden, the numerous angel statues tucked in amongst the plants loudly state the theme of this garden.  Materials used to create hardscaping within the garden may or may not give a strong sense of the theme.  In my Nostalgia Garden, the stepping stones used are part of creating the theme.  That is not what first indicates that theme to most people, so it is a more subtle part of  the definition.  Plants are most often a subtle indication of the theme.  In the All Creatures Great and Small garden , I know that the Crimson Pygmy barberry and the Little Kitten miscanthus are part of the theme, but the meanderer has to stop and look at the names of the plants to begin to recognize the theme.

You can decide to use just a few features to define your theme, or you can carry your theme throughout all aspects of the garden, incorporating theme elements in your hardscaping (walkways, structures, walls, etc.), planting bed shapes, plant materials, and garden decor.  The more elements of your garden into which you incorporate your theme, the stronger the sense of theme becomes for anyone entering your garden.

Hardscaping is really a matter of personal choice, regardless of the theme you choose.  A rule of thumb, though, is that brick and wood hardscaping will give you a more traditional theme, while stone and metal produce a more contemporary feel.

Garden structures, such as arbors, pergolas, gazebos, fences, and garden sheds can be used as design elements in the theme.  Decorative elements, such as bird baths and houses, statuary, and lighting are also useful in weaving the theme throughout the garden space.  It is often helpful to select one main element and build your theme around it.  In the English Tea garden, I used an old English looking sculpture of a "courting" boy and girl, and built the rest of the theme around that one element.

Tomorrow we'll talk about some specific types of theme gardens and elements that can be used to define the theme.

Theme Garden Design

Wiese Acres Nostalgia Garden

After a recent talk I did on gardening, I was told that I had "inspired" many gardeners that day.  There is no greater compliment for an avid gardener than to hear that something they have done or said encouraged others to participate in the great activity of gardening.  At Wiese Acres, some things that seem to capture the attention and the imagination of people who meander through are the various theme gardens.

I like theme gardens.  Not only do they capture the imagination, they provide continuity within the garden.  A landscape designed around a theme has identifiable characteristics, such as specific architectural features, distinguishing construction materials, specific plant types, or a signature form.  They can be formal, with geometric balance and finely manicured, controlled growth; or they can be informal, with a more casual feel. 

The theme is the topic for the garden and should fit the style.  A formal garden is probably not the place to plant self-sowing, casual flowers like echinacea or hollyhocks.  An informal garden design doesn't lend itself well to being surrounded by well-tended, sharply manicured boxwoods.  

The theme can be designed around whatever the gardener wishes it to be.  There are single species theme gardens - rose gardens, lily gardens.  There are theme gardens focused on a feeling - nostalgia gardens, memorial gardens.  There are theme gardens based on animals, birds, or butterflies.  There are fragrance gardens, native gardens, color gardens.  Wherever your imagination goes, so can a theme garden.

A garden theme should provide the inspiration needed to create a pleasing garden sanctuary.  Deciding on a theme can help you make decisions by putting structure and focus to your design.  You can find a theme in any number of ways.  You can copy someone else's design if it suits you (and the gardener whose work you are copying).    You can drive around and look at landscape designs and adapt what you see to your location.  You can browse through catalogues and books or talk to other gardeners whose work inspires you.  You can hire a professional landscape designer to create the garden for you.

Much of garden design should be purely personal - you are, after all, creating this garden primarily for your own enjoyment.  Even if working with a professional landscaper, you should be prepared to answer some questions, such as,  what makes you feel good when you are in your yard?  What do you want your landscape to say about you?  What shapes, forms, colors, textures do you like?  Is there a special “feeling” you want to invoke with your garden? 

Once you've answered those questions, you'll be ready to move on to the finer details of designing your theme garden.  We'll talk more about that tomorrow.

Anthurium



Anthurium

Yesterday one of our local florists delivered a gorgeous Anthurium plant to my office, a birthday surprise from a dear friend.   It is so beautiful and I really want to keep it looking that way.

Anthurium is a tropical plant that grows easily as a houseplant in most homes.  The foliage is a shiny, waxy-appearing dark green which is beautiful just by itself.  Top it with heart shaped red, pink, lavender or white spathes, each of which can last for up to eight weeks , and you have wonderful addition to your houseplant family.   Anthurium is also known as Flamingo flower, which is a pretty descriptive name, and by the not so glamorous name of Pigtail plant.  I tried to find the origin of the “pigtail” plant but couldn’t find anything specific.  I suspect it might be because of the round, fleshy spike that emerges from the “v” of the heart shaped “flower” and looks something like a pigtail, especially when they develop “curls”.   

Cut blooms of the Anthurium can last as long as three to four weeks in a vase.  With the right conditions and proper care, Anthurium plants can bloom almost continuously.

Similar to the poinsettia, the part of the Anthurium that provides its beautiful color is not truly the flower, but a spathe, or a modified leaf.  The spathe curls around a round, fleshy spike called a spadix, (that “pigtail”) which is where the true flowers develop, appearing as a roughness on the surface of the spadix.  This is what allows each “flower” to last for such a long period of time.

Anthuriums must have approximately six hours of bright, indirect light each day but should not be set in the direct sun.   They are a jungle plant and are accustomed to bright shade.  If light levels are too low, the Anthurium will stop blooming.  In direct sun, the leaves will sunburn, turning yellow and brown.

Anthuriums in nature are epiphytes, or air plants, so they need a light, well-drained potting mix.  A mixture of 1:1 peat moss and vermiculite, or 1:1:1 peat moss, vermiculite, and pine bark  is a good mix.  Pots with drainage holes are a must when growing Anthuriums.  Too moist an environment will cause stem and root rot.

Anthuriums should be watered thoroughly each time, and allowed to dry slightly between waterings (the surface of the soil should be dry to the touch).  Standing water should not be left in the drip basin.  Over-watering causes the leaves to turn yellow.  Dark, crispy areas around the leaf margin are an indication the plant has gotten too dry.

To get continual blooms, fertilize every other month with a high phosphate fertilizer, such as a 12-55-6 formulation.  The more light it receives, the more foliage it grows, and the more water you give your Anthurium, the more plant food it will require.

Anthuriums like warm temperatures and should be kept in a place where temperatures do not drop below 68 to 70 degrees.  They prefer even warmer temperatures during the day.  It is important to keep them out of drafts and avoid significant fluctuations in temperature.

Keep the Anthurium well groomed by trimming faded or brown flowers and removing any dead or tattered foliage at the base of the plant.  This will not only keep the Anthurium looking nicer, it prevents disease and pest problems.

Like most tropical plants we grow as houseplants, Anthurium  attract some undesirable critters – especially those dreaded fungus gnats.  To help avoid them, allow the surface of the soil to dry out between waterings and  keep the drip basins clean and dry.    Keep a watchful eye also for signs of aphids (honeydew on the leaves, stems and flowers) , scales (small, brown, oval patches on the back side of the leaves or at stem junctures), and mealybugs (small, white cottony appearing flecks).  Keeping the foliage and the pot clean will help prevent these.

Anthuriums need a six week rest period in the winter to encourage blooming the following spring and summer.  Reduce the watering to minimal and place the Anthurium in a location where the temperature will be consistent and as close to 60 degrees as possible.

Anthuriums are “air cleaners” in our homes.  They remove chemicals that can be irritants or even toxic to humans that can be brought in through carpeting, cooking, wood, finger nail polishes or any other numbers of ways.  Anthuriums are great cleaners for removing ammonia, formaldehyde, toluene, and xylene fumes from our homes. 

The downside is that all parts of the Anthurium plant contain calcium oxalate crystals which can be fatal if ingested in large quantities, but even in small quantities can cause burning and blistering of the mouth and throat, as well as nausea and vomiting.  Anthuriums should be kept out of the reach of small children and pets.  The sap from Anthuriums can cause skin burning and rash where it touches, so handle the plant with care and immediately wash any sap off the skin with warm water and soap.

I’m looking forward to enjoying my Anthurium for a very long time.  For now, it will stay in the west window of my office.  When the weather is warm enough to assure that I can transport it home without sending it into shock, it will live in a nice, warm, light location where I can enjoy it year round.

Tubers, Bulbs, Corms and Rhizomes

Yesterday was spent painting - walls, not pictures - so there wasn't much thought given to gardening.  I did get the dahlia tubers and canna rhizomes out of the cold room so I can get them ready to plant in containers within the next week or so.  That will give them a head start so I can enjoy their blossoms for a longer period of time this summer.  I also have gladiolus corms stored in peat moss in the cold room, but those will stay for awhile.

It's confusing to hear about bulbs, tubers, corms, and rhizomes.  And even the experts can't always agree on whether something is a tuber or a rhizome.  They all store the nutrients the plant needs to grow and flower.  They all grow more or less underground and they all get their energy from photosynthesis that occurs through the leaves that are above the surface of the ground.  So, why do we care if it's a tuber or a rhizome? A bulb or a corm?

Well, they often need to be planted differently and they reproduce differently.

Tulips

True bulbs grow in layers and can be peeled off in plates.  They are usually covered with a papery protective layer (a tunic) and the bulb is held together by a basil plate, a flat round disk on the bottom side of the bulb that may have tiny "hair" coming out of it.  Those hair are the beginning of roots.  The center of the bulb is a miniature version of the flower.  True bulbs reproduce by creating offsets, little bulbs that are attached to the larger bulb.  Onions and garlic are true bulbs, as are tulips, daffodils, and amarylis.

 

Gladiolus

Corms look a lot like bulbs on the outside but they are different on the inside. They have the same papery protective covering and a basal plate like the bulb does, but they grow with a solid texture, rather than in layers. The corm is the actual base for the flower stem and as the flower grows, the nutrients in the corm are used up and the corm shrivels.   The corm dies, but only after producing new corms right next to or above the dead corm.  Crocus and gladiolus are two common flowers grown from corms.

"Arabian Nights" dahlia

 A tuber has tough, leathery skin and many eyes, from which the new growth will emerge.  There are many plants that we have commonly called bulbs, which are really tubers.  One that is familiar to everyone is the potato.  Sweet potatoes are also tubers, as are dahlias, begonias, and caladiums.  Tubers are well-behaved in the garden and can be propagated by cutting the tuber into pieces.  Each piece must have at least one eye, preferably two to three, and it will produce a new, identical plant.

Canna

Rhizomes are underground stems that grow horizontally just below the surface of the soil. Rhizomes produce beautiful flowers, but some of them can be pesty.  Rhizomes creep along under the surface of the soil and can spread pretty voraciously.  Cannas, calla lilies, bearded iris and asparagus are well-behaved rhizomes.   Water lilies, lily of the valley, and wild ginger are rhizomes that can take over the world in a very short time if left to grow unchecked. 

And that is probably the best reason to understand the difference between tubers, bulbs, corms and rhizomes.

Irish Shamrocks

Happy St. Patrick's Day.  I like to tell people that St. Patrick's Day is my favorite holiday - it's fun, it's colorful, and it is no work.  And, those cute little Irish shamrocks are the plant of the holiday.  What's not to like about it?

A few weeks before March 17, we start to see Irish Shamrocks show up in the stores.  These are not actually white clover, which the "shamrocks" seen growing wild in Ireland are likely to be.  White clover doesn't grow well indoors so most of the shamrocks we can buy for St. Patty's Day are Oxalis acetosella.  They have clover shaped leaves in beautiful green, red, or burgundy and are topped with white or yellow flowers.  With proper light, temperature and water, this plant will bloom all winter.

Shamrocks prefer cool temperatures, bright light, and they are very drought tolerant.  Temperatures should be around 65 degrees at night and no warmer than 75 degrees in the daytime.  Temperatures above 75 degrees may induce dormancy in the plant, evidenced by yellowing and dropping leaves.  They prefer a bright, sunny window with a southern or western exposure.  Oxalis should be watered only when the soil is barely moist throughout and the top one inch is dry to touch.  Fertilizing should be with a balanced 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 ferilizer once a month, only when the plant is actively growing.

Oxalis acetosella

Irish shamrocks fold their leaves at night and on dreary, overcast days.  This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the plant.  If the shamrock becomes tall and leggy, it is an indication it isn't getting enough sun or needs cooler temperatures.  If the plant wilts, it needs water.  If the leaves start to yellow, it might be getting too much water.  If it stops blooming, it probably needs a period of dormancy to rejuvenate itself.

Irish shamrocks need a dormancy period of two to three months each year.  Since it doesn't like warm temperatures, spring is a good time to allow it to go dormant.  Simply stop watering and fertilizing and allow the leaves to die back.  Place the shamrock, pot and all, in a cool, dark place over the summer months.  In late summer, take it out, begin watering, and once foliage appears, place it in a bright, sunny window.

Oxalis are virtually pest free, a bonus in any houseplant.  It is susceptible to root rot if overwatered, but otherwise is pretty carefree.  Provided the right care, an oxalis will live for many years.

Tuberous Begonias

Mother Nature is having a hard time letting go of winter here this year.  It is cold and blustery this morning with a temperature of 19 degrees and with wind, it feels like it's only 2 degrees outside.  I need to do some tree pruning yet before the trees break dormancy for the season, but that will wait for a nicer day.  I love being outside, but I don't like being cold!

Wiese Acres tuberous begonias

So, today, I'm going to dig my tuberous begonias out of their winter storage place and give them a head start for the spring and summer.  There are several types of begonias, but the only ones I save from year to year are the tuberous begonias.  Tuberous begonias put on a glorious display all summer long.  There are varieties in red, yellow, pink, peach, salmon - just about every color you might like in your garden, except blue.  There are varieties with single flowers and varieties with double flowers.  The tubers can be kept for many years, making them a good investment. 


They are not winter hardy, though, so in any zone that experiences frost, they need to be lifted and stored in a frost free place for the winter.  Tuberous begonias must have a period of dormancy so they are not suitable to keep inside over the winter as houseplants. 

In the fall, after frost has spoiled the foliage but before it is cold enough to chill the soil much, I bring the pots of begonias in to the garage.  Begonias can be planted directly in the garden, but I prefer leaving them in pots.  It makes the job of bringing them in for the winter much easier.  I remove all the foliage and cut the stems back to just a few inches.  I leave the tubers in the pots until the soil has dried some.  That makes it easier to lift the tubers from the soil.  Then I remove the tubers from the soil, spread them on newspaper until the remaing stem and the roots have dried.  Then I remove the dried stem and roots and pack the tubers in layers in an apple box filled with peat moss.  That apple box then goes into the cold room, where it stays about 40 degrees and is dry, until about mid-March.  I check periodically over the winter to make sure there are no rotting or molding tubers and remove those as I find them.

Today, I'll take the tubers out, inspect them for any signs of rot or mold again, and plant the healthy tubers in their summer homes in well-drained, light potting soil.  I fill the pots with that well-drained potting soil to about 2 1/2 inches from the top.  I moisten the potting soil then place the tubers on top of it.  The tubers have a slight, dish-like depression on one side - that is the side that should face up in the planter.  Some of the tubers are over-achievers and have already begun to grow in their winter home.  These must be handled carefully to avoid breaking the new growth, which is very tender.  I'll carefully cover the tubers with about 1/2 inch of moistened potting soil and place the pot in a spot where the temperature stays about 65 to 70 degrees.  If the tubers have already begun to show signs of growth, I usually see leaves begin to emerge within 1 to 2 weeks.  Those who aren't quite such over-achievers will begin to peek their new leaves through the soil within about 3 to 4 weeks.  I can hasten their growth some by placing the pots on a seed starting mat or placing them closer to a heat register.  The tubers are very susceptible to rot during this time, so it is important to keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy.

Once new growth is visible, place the pot in a location that get bright light but never direct sun.  About two weeks before I expect the last frost, I'll start "hardening them off" by moving the pots outside into a protected, shady location, during the day and bringing them back in when temperatures start cooling off in the afternoon.  Eventually, they will be moved to their permanent summer home under the box elder tree in the front yard.

Begonias will tolerate early morning or late afternoon sun, but must have light or dappled shade the rest of the day.  They are a perfect plant for a shady location where it is otherwise difficult to have brightly colored flowers growing.  In pots, they will need water nearly every day, but it is important to test the soil before watering.  I'll use a high-tech test to determine if my begonia needs water.  I'll stick my index finger into the top inch of the potting soil and if it is dry, I'll water.  If it is still pretty moist, I won't.  If the soil is kept too wet, the tubers may rot.   If the soil gets too dry, the flowers will drop and the leaves will develop dry, brown edges, turn yellow and fall.  Once a month, I'll feed them with a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer.

The tubers that I start now should be blooming in all their glory by early July.  Earlier blooms that will last all summer can be achieved by earlier planting - tubers started in mid-February will be blooming by mid-June, or about 3 1/2 to 4 months after planting.  I wait to start mine because of the challenges of keeping the plants from getting too leggy if they are grown indoors for too long a time.  Even though I sacrifice a little of my bloom time by waiting, overall I have a much nicer plant for the entire summer.  Then, in the fall, after the first frost, I'll bring them back in and start the cycle all over again.