July 2012

Your guide to Great Lakes gardening a July 2012 a MichiganGardener.com

Please thank our advertisers

in this issue

Inside:garden profile Gator Garden Club

plant focus Sanvitalia

feature New Shrubs for 2012

weed watch Queen Anne’s Lace

perennials A sizzling summer grouping

Inside:garden profile Gator Garden Club

plant focus Sanvitalia

feature New Shrubs for 2012

weed watch Queen Anne’s Lace

perennials A sizzling summer grouping

SummerColorYear after Year

MICHIGAN’S BEST: NURSERY • GARDEN CENTER • FLORIST • LANDSCAPING • PATIO SHOP • SEASONAL CHRISTMAS CENTERA Michigan Family Business Since 1954

Award-Winning Landscape Services: 248-874-1400www.EnglishGardens.com

All Perennials20-30% OFFOur entire selection of � owering perennials, hostas, ferns, ornamental grasses, groundcovers and vines.Aquatic plants and starter perennials not included.

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FREE In-store Presentation Creating a Water GardenSat., July 7, 2012 at 10 a.m.All Seven English Gardens Stores

FREE Kid’s WorkshopLeaf & Flower PrintsTues., July 10 at 10 a.m.All Seven English Gardens Stores

FREE In-store PresentationCaring for Your Summer GardenWed., July 11, 2012 at 7 p.m.All stores except Ann Arbor & BrightonSat., July 14, 2012 at 10 a.m.All Seven English Gardens Stores

FREE In-store Presentation All About HydrangeasWed., July 18, 2012 at 7 p.m.All stores except Ann Arbor & BrightonSat., July 21, 2012 at 10 a.m.All Seven English Gardens Stores

FREE In-store Presentation A Shady SituationWed., July 25, 2012 at 7 p.m.All stores except Ann Arbor & BrightonSat., July 28, 2012 at 10 a.m.All Seven English Gardens Stores

July In-store Presentations

For more information on these presentations or to sign up for the Kid’s Workshop: www.EnglishGardens.com

Visit our website for store hours!

w w w . b o r d i n e s . c o mROCHESTER HILLS ................... 1835 S. Rochester Rd .................. 248-651-9000CLARKSTON ............................. 8600 Dixie Highway ..................... 248-625-9100GRAND BLANC ......................... 9100 Torrey Rd .............................810-953-1111BRIGHTON ................................ 6347 Grand River Ave ...................517-552-9300

Go to bordines.com to find incredible summer values!

Go to www.midaylilysociety.com and click on Calendar of

Events for more details!

2012 Daylily Exhibition

ShowHeld at Bordine’s in Rochester Hills

Saturday, July 21st

Join us for the Southern Michigan Daylily Society’s

Daylily show held at Bordine’s in Rochester Hills. This is the largest Daylily show in

Michigan! If you appreciate Daylilies, this show is definitely for you! Show hours are from

9:00am to 5:00pm.

4 Michigan Gardener | July 2012 | www.MichiganGardener.com�

contentsJuly 2012

Garden WisdomPraise a large estate, but cultivate a small one.

—Virgil

Publisher/Editor Eric Hofley

Design & Production Jonathon Hofley

Advertising Eric Hofley

Circulation Jonathon Hofley

Editorial Assistant Carrie MacGillis

Contributors

Karen BovioCheryl EnglishMary Gerstenberger Julia HofleyRosann KovalcikJanet MacunovichSteve MartinkoBeverly MossSteven NikkilaGeorge PapadelisSandie ParrottJean/Roxanne RiggsJim SlezinskiLisa SteinkopfSteve TurnerJoseph Tychonievich

16291 W. 14 Mile Rd., Suite 5 Beverly Hills, MI 48025-3327 Phone: 248-594-5563 Fax: 248-594-5564 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.michigangardener.com

Publishing schedule 7 issues per year: April, May, June, July, August, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec. Published the first week of the mo.

Subscriptions (Please make check payable to Michigan Gardener) 1 yr, 7 iss/$15 2 yr, 14 iss/$28 3 yr, 21 iss/$37

Back issues All past issues are available. Please send your request along with a check for $3.00 per issue payable to Michigan Gardener.

Canadian subscriptions 1 yr, 7 iss/$22 US 2 yr, 14 iss/$42 USCopyright © 2012 Michigan Gardener. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or used in any form without the expressed, written permission of the publisher. Neither the adver-tiser nor the publisher will be responsible for misinformation, typographical errors, omissions, etc. contained herein.

Michigan Gardener is published by Motor City Publishing, Inc.

find us on

TROY3301 John R–1/4 mile north of 16 Mile248-689-8735

SHELBY TWP4343 24 Mile btwn Dequindre & Shelby Rd.248-659-8555

Summer Hours (both locations):Mon-Sat: 8am-9pm Sun: 9am-6pm www.tellys.com

Echinacea 'Raspberry Truffl e' 'Purple Haze' Butterfl y Bush

Heuchera 'Georgia Plum''Huckleberry Candy' Daylily

'Dimension' LilyHibiscus 'Summer Storm'

In July, perennial gardenersare just getting started.At Telly’s, there is always something fresh

to add color to your summer garden.

Come see why we are a favorite summer destination

for so many Michigan gardeners.

25% OFFALL Ceramic Pottery

Excludes bonsai pots • Sale ends July 31, 2012

Clippings ....................................................................6

To-Do List ..................................................................8

Ask MG ....................................................................10

Vegetable Patch .................................................... 12

Healthy Lawns .......................................................14

Books for the Michigan Gardener ................15

Thyme for Herbs ..................................................16

Perennial Partners ...............................................18

Places to Grow .....................................................20

New Shrubs for 2012 ..........................................21

Calendar ..................................................................24

Where to pick up Michigan Gardener ..........26

Advertiser Index ..................................................26

Classified Ads .......................................................27

Subscription Form ..............................................27

Weather Wrap .....................................................27

Profile: Gator Garden Club ..............................28

Weed Watch .........................................................31

Janet’s Journal ....................................Back Cover

On the cover: Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ explodes with massive blooms.Photo: Jonathon Hofley/Michigan Gardener

Cohen Propagation Nurseries

Plant Focus: Sanvitalia ........................22

TIRED of messy sprays fromyour tree & shrub care company?

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✔ Control of Anthracnose (premature leaf drop) on Sycamores, Maples and Oaks (fun-gicide injection provides control for 1 year)

✔ NEW! Protection of Nematodes (helps pre-vent premature death) on Pines (insecticide injection provides control for 3 years)

✔ NEW! Control of Verticillium Wilt (Example: help prevent branch death in Japanese Maples)

✔ Control of Applescab Disease (premature yellowing of leaves) on Crabapple trees (fun-gicide injection provides control for 1 year)

✔ NEW! Control of Diplodia Tip Blight (browned tips of needles) on all Pines, espe-cially Austrian and Scotch (fungicide injection provides control for 2 years)

✔ NEW! Control of Phytophora Root Rot (Example: scraggily-looking Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and Hollies)

✔ NEW! Control of invasive Calico Scale (sticky honeydew raining down on cars, patio fur-niture, and more) using an enzyme blocker (100% control with 1 application)

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clippingsBrightmoor Garden provides opportunities to Detroit youth

As part of the nonprofit group called Neighbors Building Brightmoor, the Youth Garden is an opportunity for kids in one Detroit neighborhood to run a community garden and sell the pro-duce at local farmers markets. Located on the west side of Detroit, this is a neighborhood with almost 70 percent vacant land. The Brightmoor Youth Garden has helped organize the neighbor-hood, spreading to several sites in the area since 2006.

Brightmoor Youth Garden has volunteer adults who train youth to grow vegetables, harvest them, and sell them at markets. The youths share the profits while they learn many invaluable skills. In 2011 they grew over 1500 pounds of 25 varieties of vegetables and herbs. They sold the harvest

at the Northwest Detroit Farmers Market and through the Greening of Detroit’s “Grown in Detroit” market gardeners’ co-op. The pro-gram trains 12 to 25 children each summer, preparing beds, planting seedlings, weeding, watering, and harvesting and storing vegeta-bles. The children are trained and given the opportunity to sell their products at markets, interact with customers, educate people about vegetables, handle money, and work as a team.

The group’s mission statement is to “seek to use market gardening as a vehicle to pro-vide youth, ages 9 to 18, with the opportunity to obtain and build skills, knowledge, and ex-perience necessary for a healthy, prosperous, purposeful, and sustainable life.” Visit the Brightmoor Youth Garden Facebook page for more information.

Location: MSU Horticulture Gardens & the Veterinary Medical Ctr in East LansingCost: $75 for 2012 MSU Garden Members, $85 for non members,

and $95 for all registrations sent in after July 22. Registration includestwo workshops, two keynote addresses, parking, lunch and materials!

Information: Website: hrt.msu.edu/garden-day-2012E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 517-355-5191 x1339

• Two keynote speakers • Garden Marketplace• Plants for sale• 12 workshops to choose from:

- Herbal First Aid- Dividing Perennials- Green Side Up – Plants on Rooftops- Garden Sized Trees- Native Plants & the Modern Land Ethic:

The Power of Community- Rain Gardens – Clean Up Our Rivers,

One Garden At A Time- Floral Design From the Vegetable Garden- Hostas, Hostas, Hostas- Organic Gardening Essentials:

Composting & Effective Weed Control- Horticultural Therapy- Cultivating Creativity in the Garden- The Garden-Kid Connection:

Experience the Magic

KEYNOTE SPEAKERSStephanie Cohen: “Cutting Edge Perennials-No Bandages Provided!”Stephanie Cohen has written several popular books, includingPerennial Gardener’s Design Primer, a bestseller. She has expressed her love of herbaceous perennial plants on popular TV shows and has received many prestigious awards for her work. She is full ofenergy and a barrel of laughs! This nationally-known “perennial diva” tells it like she sees it. Prepare to watch the dirt fl y!

Jessica Wright & Val Albright:“Quick Tips and Tricks for Getting Herbs from Garden to Table”Val Albright and Jessica Wright turn up the heat as they teach tips and tricks to get kitchen herbs from the garden to your table.In previous years, this mother/daughter team has had standing room only for their workshops. This year they take center stage to share their knowledge, recipes and tasty samples!

Evening Garden Walk & Reception with Stephanie Cohen! Join Stephanie Cohen, best-selling author and perennial design ex-traordinaire, for an exclusive tour of the MSU Horticulture Gardens. She will teach and tell her own special stories about plants and gardening. In this small group setting, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the “Perennial Diva” herself!Tour Begins at 5pm. Hors d’oeuvres reception to followin the MSU Garden Conservatory. Fee: $100.00. Space is limitedto 25 participants. Register at hrt.msu.edu/garden-day-2012

Get inspired with new ideas & practical tips for your garden. Friday, August 3, 2012, 8am-4pm

Learn more, including garden descriptions at TheGardenCruise.org

Detroit Garden Works is proud to present thefi fth annual Garden Cruise, a tour of gardensdesigned, planted and/or inspired by Deborah Silver.The landscapes themselves are varied in style and approach, but all refl ect an ownership for whomthe beauty of a garden is an important part of life.Our most serious mission as a business is to fosterthe idea of stewardship of the environment—a duty The Greening of Detroit embraces every day.

All proceeds will benefi t the planting andeducational programs of The Greening of Detroit.

DateSunday, July 22, 9am-4:30pm

Purchase ticketsTour only: $35/personTour & Cocktail Reception:$50/person

In-store or by phone:Detroit Garden Works248-335-8089

Online (processing fee applies):TheGardenCruise.org

Learn more, including garden descriptions at TheGardenCruise.orgLearn more, including garden descriptions at TheGardenCruise.org

Pick out new pots. Plan a garden party. Give a pot of herbs to a friend.Find the right bench. Think water in your garden. Try a topiary.

DO WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU AND YOURS—GROW A GARDEN!

DetroitGardenWorks.com248-335-8089

1794 PONTIAC DRIVE, SYLVAN LAKE 48320One block west of Telegraph Rd.

on the north side of Orchard Lake Rd.

Stone Cottage GardensSpecializing in Hybrid Daylilies

Huge selection of daylilies, hostas, ferns, perennials, grasses, vines, herbs, groundcovers & Felco pruning tools

~ Garden art & accessories ~Going “Up North” for the weekend?

Check the Michigan Gardener calendar or our website for special events

Open May 1 - Oct. 13 Mon-Fri 10-6 Sat 9-4 or by chance or appointment

3740 West Willford Rd. Gladwin, MI 989-426-2919

www.stonecottagegardens.com

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2000+ varieties of Annuals,Perennials, Vegetables, Trees & Shrubs!

Excellent quality at low, northern prices!Come relax and enjoy spring by our waterfall with a free bag of popcorn!

5940 Cooley Lake Rd • Waterford • 248-681-7955

Annual Daylily Dig & Garden PartyYOU PICK ‘EM, WE DIG ‘EM – Thousands to choose from

July 14-15, July 21-22, July 28-29

Perennials, Hostas,Hydrangeas & Peonies

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Whites, Yellows, Pinks, Reds, Oranges & Purples

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734-944-8644 • 6400 E. MICHIGAN AVENUE, SALINE 48176

Now offering:Fairy Gardening ClassesLEARN ABOUT FAIRY LORE, MINIATURE PLANTS ANDCREATE A CONTAINER FAIRY GARDEN TO TAKE HOME.

Sign up NOW! july 12 & aug 14: kids class: $1299 adult class: $2299

Now offering:Fairy Gardening ClassesLEARN ABOUT FAIRY LORE, MINIATURE PLANTS ANDCREATE A CONTAINER FAIRY GARDEN TO TAKE HOME.

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SINCE 1982

Back By Popular Demand…Daylily Dig!Saturday and Sunday, July 21-22, 9am-5pm

Walk the field and choose your favorite daylilies! Our staff will dig and package yourplants for you. You’ll find nearly every color of the rainbow, including gorgeous bicolored

and eyed varieties. Potted daylilies and perennials of all types will also be available.

1pm Presentation: Dividing DayliliesAt 1pm each day, gather under the tent for owner Karen Bovio’s presentation, Dividing

Daylilies. Karen will discuss the how’s and why’s of dividing daylilies. She will explain and demonstrate tips and techniques so that you will have a clear understanding of how to properly

divide daylilies in your own garden.

Open House Hours: 9am-5pm, Presentation at 1pm on both daysPRESENTATIONS ARE FREE OF CHARGE

10% OFFyour entire plant purchase

valid at the nursery only — July 1 - July 20, 2012

Also visit us at theBrighton Farmer's MarketMay 5 - July 28, Saturdays, 8am-1pm

Our complete catalog is now online!www.specialtygrowers.net

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Bulbs •Support tall-growing plants like dahlias,

lilies, and gladiolas with stakes. Removefadedbloomsfromplantstoencouragere-blooming.

•The foliage from spring-flowering bulbscanberemovedasitdiesback.Thesebulbscanalsobedividedandreplantednow,orwaituntilthefall.

Vegetables & Herbs•Continue fertilizing, following the manu-

facturer’sdirectionsforfrequencyandap-plicationrates.Applyingmorefertilizerormorefrequentlywon’thelpplantsgrowanybetterorfaster.

•Thebiggestissuesnowareweedsandbugs.Checktheundersideofplantsatleasteveryweekforsignsofbugs,butdon’tworryifyoufindthem.Bringasampletoyourlocalgar-dencenterandgohomewithanappropriatecure.Therearemanyoptions,includingor-ganicones,toniptheprobleminthebud.

•Remove weeds promptly. A good layer of

mulch makes weeding easier and helpspreventsoilcompactionbetweentherows.When watering, water deeply and let thesoil dry out a couple inches down beforewatering again.This gets oxygen into therootsandhelpskeeprootscoolintheheat.

Annuals• If annuals aren’t looking fabulous, the

problemisusuallywater,lightorfertilizer.Make sure annuals planted in the gardenreceiveatleastaninchofwateraweek,ei-ther from rain or supplemental methods.Fertilize every other week with a water-soluble fertilizer. Ifbothof thosearehap-peningandtheystilldon’tlookgood,checktoseethatannualsaregettingatleast6to8hoursofsunlighteachday.Mostannualsneedatleastthatmuchsunshinetothrive.

•Containergardensneedwatereveryday,andsomemayneedwatermoreoftenthanthat.Besuretowaterthoroughly,soalittlewaterrunsoutthebottomofthecontainer.Ifplantsaredryingout tooquickly,move them intojustalittlebitmoreshade.Ifyou’regoingonvacation andnobodywill bewatering, givethe plants a good soaking and move themintotheshade.It’snotaperfectsolution,butitmaykeepthemaliveuntilyourreturn.

Proper light, fertilizer, and water are the keys to making sure your garden performs its best.

Ensuring plants get the right amount of water is one of the trickier aspects of plant care. We can’t rely on Mother Nature to provide the right amount of rain for our pre-cious plants. Supplemental water from an ir-rigation system, sprinklers, or even watering cans may be necessary from time to time.

Many in-ground irrigation systems were set up to water the lawn, not taking into account garden beds filled with annuals or perennials. It may not be practical to set up sprinklers to reach these areas that are close to the house. Hand watering with a hose can be time-consuming. Consider installing soaker hoses or drip irrigation to help save time.

Soaker hoses are ideal for vegetable, annual or perennial gardens. Lay the hoses down at the beginning of the season and plants will grow up around them. Hoses can be connected end to end to achieve the ap-propriate length, and placed wherever water is needed. End caps and connectors with shut off values make it easy to connect the water source with a series of hoses.

Drip irrigation is ideal for container gardens on a deck or patio. Kits are available with everything needed to water many pots from a single faucet. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses need half the water sprinklers do—there’s no evaporation before the water hits the ground.

Follow these easy steps to set up a sys-

tem in your garden:1. Determine the areas where you’ll install

soaker hoses or a drip irrigation system. Soaker hoses work best on the ground, while drip irrigation is designed for con-tainers.

2. Determine how much hose you’ll need. For a garden area, the hose will need to wind around the base of plants to ad-equately provide enough water. The hose is filled with tiny holes all around, which spray water directly into the ground and up a few inches into the air.

3. Determine how you’ll connect the soaker hose to the water source. Typically it’s with a regular garden hose stretched across the lawn and connected to the soaker. It’s best to connect the hoses (without the water running) and position the soaker into place. That way you’ll be sure you have enough hose to connect them together, and you’ll have the right ends to connect.

4. Plan to leave the soaker hoses in place all season. Simply connect the hoses, turn on the water, and leave it running until the ground is thoroughly saturated.

5. A drip irrigation watering system will typi-cally consist of a connector that hooks to the faucet or hose, plastic tubing, drippers to be inserted into the pots, and stakes to hold the drippers. Installation is similar to a soaker hose in the garden. A pre-pack-aged kit is easy to install and contains everything you’ll need.

Feature Task: Soaker hoses and drip irrigation

to-do list

Come and browse ourexcellent selection of

Collector’s Hostas


Collector’s ’s ’ Hostostos as


Collector’s Hostas

Home of The WeekenderWATER-SAVING Hanging BasketHome of WATER-SAVING

❖ NEW Hosta varieties:Autumn Frost,Hudson Bay,Rainbow’s End,Rhino Hide,Regal Supreme,Seducer and Wheee!

❖ David Austin English Roses

❖ Floribunda, Hybrid Tea, Climbing and Shrub Roses

❖ Perennials

❖ Clematis, Vines

❖ Annuals

❖ Geraniums

❖ Hanging Baskets

❖ Flower Pouches

❖ Native Plants

❖ Alpine Plants

From the rareand unusual to thepreferred & popular

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• PERENNIALS FROM $2 & UP

• TREES, SHRUBS & ROSESPiechnik’s Greenhouse13172 MCCUMSEY RD, CLIO, MI 48420

810-686-9211www.ClioGreenhouse.com

NEW THIS SEASON!

Fairy GardensA Fantasy Gardenyou can Have and Hold!We also sell fairy garden accessories

$5 OFF $25 PURCHASEExpires 7-31-2012 • Not valid for Gift Cards & soils. Cannot be

combined with other offers. Must be presented at time of purchase.

QUALITY, LOCALLY-GROWNPLANTS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES

Piechnik’sGREENHOUSE &

GARDEN CENTER

� www.MichiganGardener.com | July 2012 | Michigan Gardener 9

•Waterdeeplytopromotedeeprootgrowth,andpinchoff spentflowers on theplants,suchasgeraniums,toencouragenewflow-erdevelopment.

Perennials•Severalvarietiesofplants,likehardymums

orasters,needtobepinchedbackstartinginearlyJulytoproduceshorterandfullerplants.

•A2-to3-inchlayerofmulcharoundplantswill help reduce weeds and decrease theneedforwatering.Besuretowaterdeeplytohelpkeeptherootscoolandplantshap-pier. Organic fertilizer is great for peren-nialsbecauseithelpsimprovethesoilovertime.

•Make notes in your gardening journalaboutplants thatmightneed tobemovedordividedthisfallornextspring.Regulardividingwill keep many varieties healthyandblooming.

Lawn•Apply the third lawn fertilizer treatment

inearlyJuly,or6to8weeksafterthelasttreatment. Ifweedsare aproblem, simplyspottreatwithaliquidweedkiller.Remem-ber that a healthy, properly fertilized andwateredlawnisthickenoughtocrowdoutweeds.

•Mow the lawn properly, never taking offmore than 1/3 of the blade at a time. Re-movetoomuchatonetimeandthecrownofgrassplantswillbeexposedandthey’llsunburn.Theseweakenedplantswillsoonbeovercomebyweedsjustwaitingfortheirchancetotakeover.

•Keepthemowerbladesharp.Usingadullblade rips the grass blades, leaving jaggededgeswhicharepronetodisease.

•Grass can actually wilt, especially duringhot,sunnydays.Ifyouwalkacrossthelawnand leaveflattened footprints, that’s a sig-

nalthelawnneedswater.Generallylawnsneedone inchofwatereachweek, spreadoutoveracoupleofapplications.Usearaingaugetoaccuratelymeasurehowmuchwa-terthelawnreceives.

Houseplants•Houseplantswillbenefitgreatlybyspend-

ing the summeroutside.Even if youkeepthem indoors, they’ll like the longer daysandmorehumidconditions.

•Plantsoutsidewillprobablyneedwaterev-eryday.The insideoneswon’t need tobewateredquiteasfrequently,butmoreoftennowtheninthewinter.

•Maintain a regular fertilizing program sothey’ll growstrongandhealthy.With fre-quentwatering,nutrientsarebeingwashedoutofthesoil.

•Use a granular systemic insecticide every6weeks toprotect yourplants frompestsduring the growing season and preventthemfromcomingintothehousethisfall.

•Prunehouseplantsbackintoshape.Re-potplantsifthey’reroot-bound.

Water Gardens•Test the water regularly for pH, nitrate,

nitrite, and ammonia levels, especially iftherearefish.

•Cleanthepondregularlyofstringalgae,andadd beneficial microbes to maintain pondhealth. Floating pond plants provide coverforfishandhelpkeepalgaebloomsdown.

•Fertilize pond plants with tablet fertil-izerspecificallydesignedforwatergardenplants.

•Tohelpcontrolmosquitoes, introducefishinto the water or add mosquito dunks topreventeggsfrombeinglaid.

Provided by the professionals at English Gardens.

There’s No Place like Home...Paver Patios & Walkways • Fireplace & Fire Pits • Retaining & Sea Walls

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Water Features Don’tHave to be Complicated

Pondless water features are popular because they are a great way to add the sight and sound of water to your property.

Water Features Don’tWater Features Don’tWater Features Don’tHave to be ComplicatedHave to be ComplicatedWater Features Don’t

Have to be Complicatedway to add the sight and sound of water to your property.

Come Tour Over 40Display Water GardensPond Supplies • Gold Fish & KoiWater Plants • Water TreatmentsPumps • FountainsInstallation • Service

1. Hydrangea ‘Preziosa’Gorgeous pink summer fl owers fade to a rich

crimson. Part sun to light shade. 4’ tall & wide.

2. Dahlia ‘Thomas Edison’Deep purple fl owers up to 8 inches wide. Full sun.

Bush is 3-1/2' tall. Stunning!

3. Sorbaria ‘Sem’Pinkish-red fern-like foliage in spring. Creamy white

fl owers in summer. Beautiful low hedge or speci-

men. Easy to grow. Part to full sun. 4’ tall & wide.

4. Samaritan DogwoodA small specimen tree, 20’ tall & wide.

Variegated green and white foliage turns pink in

fall. Creamy white fl owers. Part sun to part shade.

5. Aralia ‘Sun King’Bright foliage for the shade. Emerges mid-spring

with bright gold leaves. With a few hours of sun

each day, leaves will remain bright gold in summer.

4’ tall, 3’ wide.

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ask mg

Tree roots near houseWe have trees, at least 10 years old,

planted close to our condominium. I am concerned about the roots’ continued growth and eventual damage to our base-ment walls. Are there companies that spe-cialize in situations like this? B.L., Novi, MI

Different species have different root sys-tems. Some, such as maples and pines, have very shallow roots, growing in the top two feet of the soil base. Others, like native redbud and oak trees, have a significant tap root.

As all trees continue to age, their lateral roots will spread outward past the drip line of the leaf canopy. A root is flexible and will follow along a hard surface like a basement wall rather than try to penetrate it. It is seek-ing moisture and nutrients from the soil, not home entry.

At 10 years old, the trees are still young enough to be moved professionally by a tree company that uses either a mechanical tree spade or specializes in hand-digging to relo-cate. Contact those near you, find out what methods they use, what they charge per tree, and what they would advise for your situation. If you want to relocate the trees further away from the building, then the sooner the better.

Often times commercial and residential landscaping is installed without thinking about the long-term growth habits of trees and shrubs. The payoff is in the immediate curb appeal and not what the tree or shrub will look like in 10 or 20 years. It often leads to compromising the plant’s profile with abor-tive pruning, having to relocate the plant as you may be doing, or even having to remove the plant all together and start over.

Dealing with common reed grassI have created 3 small ponds with plant-

ings and stonework over the past 20 years. When I started, there were cattails in the area which provided a perfect accent to the landscaping. Over the past 5 years the cattails and the entire area have been taken over by a plant that I have now iden-tified as the common reed (Phragmites). Attempts to physically remove it have been unsuccessful, and the phragmites is spreading wider, deeper, and taller. I un-derstand burning is one method of trying to eradicate them, but my local fire mar-shall will not allow burning. Any sugges-tions? D.P., Bloomfield Twp.

Common reed (Phragmites australis) is a perennial, wetland grass that can reach a height of 15 feet. There is also a common reed that is native to Michigan. Before you attempt to eradicate it, you need to know whether it

is the native plant or the invasive, non-native variety that is becoming a widespread threat to the ecological health of our wetlands and coastal shoreline.

The invasive variety creates a dense, tall stand which degrades the wetlands by crowding out native plants and animals. It spreads rapidly because it has vigorous rhi-zomes that can grow more than six feet a year and 60 feet in length. New plants grow read-ily when the rhizomes are fragmented. The plant has no known predators for biological control. Burning is one method of control, but because the reeds are so combustible, many communities will not permit burning.

The State of Michigan recommends con-trol through herbicide treatments and me-chanical methods. Glyphosate and imazapyr are two non-selective herbicides that have been effective in controlling phragmites. Phragmites should be treated in early to late summer using imazapyr or late summer us-ing either glyphosate or a glyphosate/imaza-pyr mixture.

There are a number of methods used to apply these herbicides depending on the size of the stand and the site conditions. The her-bicide can be applied to scattered plants or isolated plants stands by injecting the stems, hand swiping or selective hand spraying. The use of a licensed or certified applicator is rec-ommended to ensure safety requirements and minimize the damage to other plants. Two weeks after the herbicide is applied, re-moval of dead plant material is recommended by hand pulling or mowing. A brush cutter is recommended for large, dense stands, but hand-cutting can remove individual plant stems in small stands. Mowing at the wrong time can actually stimulate growth and con-tribute to further spread of these invasive plants. The blade of the mower should be set higher than four inches to prevent damage to small animals and native plants. All dead plants should be immediately removed and disposed of properly (not composted) be-cause seeds can survive the herbicide treat-ment. Answer provided by Michele Dunham

Pressure-treated lumber in the landscape

I used Wolmanized lumber to box in a tree and now I can’t get grass to grow around the box. It is bare about a foot or so out from the wood and I was wondering if the lumber has something to do with it. R.P., Novi, MI

“Wolmanized” lumber is a brand name for pressure-treated lumber. Originally, lumber was treated with chromated copper arsenate

Have a question? Send it in!Go to www.MichiganGardener.com and click on “Submit a question”

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to reduce its decomposition (fungicide) and susceptibility to insects (insecticide). It is the arsenate, a form of arsenic, that has proven to be a carcinogen. In December 2003, the EPA mandated chromated copper arsenate no lon-ger be used for preserving wood for residen-tial or general public use. The wood industry voluntarily stopped using this chemical and went to alternative preservation products.

Treated lumber is still saturated with a fun-gicide. The fungicide is applied to the wood under high pressure so that there is little movement of the fungicide out of the wood. However, some leaching is possible. There are two camps of thought. The chemicals that do leach out of the wood become bound to soil particles in all but very acidic soils (pH 4.0 or lower). So even when leaching does occur, the chemicals are not likely to be taken up by a plant’s root system in quantities sufficient to harm plants or people. The second camp sug-gests staying away from any treated lumber in the residential landscape. Alternatives such as cedar or redwood are recommended.

It is possible the treated lumber is respon-sible. However, if your tree has roots close to the surface, like a maple, grass will be diffi-cult to grow under it anyway. Secondly, as the tree canopy matures, grass is shaded out from the light it needs to thrive. Examine your tree roots and canopy, as both may be contribut-ing. Lastly, remove the treated wood and re-place with one of the alternatives.

Messy bird seedWhat is the best way to deal with oiled

sunflower seed shells dropped from a bird feeder on an upper deck down onto a path and the plants below? We love the vari-ety of birds that come to our feeder, but I would like to minimize the mess below. The cost of pre-shelled or “clean” seeds is too high to be practical for the quantity of seed we use. A.S., Ann Arbor, MI

If changing seeds is not an option then consider adding a seed catch tray to your bird feeder. Duncraft and Droll Yankee are two well-known brands that specialize in wild bird feeding. Check their product lines for a retro-fit tray for your feeder which will help reduce the amount of dropped debris. You may need to replace your feeder with one that has this feature built in. Your current feeder may be too open, allowing birds to throw seed every-where in their search for the perfect meal.

Some birds will pick seeds and take them elsewhere to eat. Others will discard a seed simply because it is cracked. Make sure your source for large quantities of oiled sunflower seed maintains good storage for their unpur-chased product. Birds can smell tainted seed and will quickly cast it aside.

If you only have one large feeder, consider having two or three of slightly smaller capaci-ty. This offers different species alternate feed-ing locations. Too many birds all trying to feed at one station can throw seed unneces-sarily. During the growing season, when for-

aging food is plentiful, fill your feeders only twice a week to encourage them to search your yard for alternatives. They won’t forget your feeders are there.

Plant shrubs and small trees that provide berries. Offer suet feeders which all birds like, and which produce little to no mess. Use a va-riety of methods to reduce debris and supply additional food stations, and your feeder ac-tivity may actually increase.

Weeping giant sequoiaDoes weeping giant sequoia (Sequoia-

dendron giganteum ‘Pendulum’) grow and survive reliably in Southeastern Michi-gan? L.M., Huntington Woods, MI

Weeping giant sequoias are hardy to zones 6 through 9. The USDA has recently revised the Hardiness Zones Chart for the U.S. Your location is now zone 6, indicating a warming trend of the general climatic conditions.

The weeping sequoia needs regular weekly watering—even more frequently in high heat. Watering is key to this plant developing a strong root system. Once established in one to two years, water needs are reduced. Feed with a general-purpose granular fertilizer in spring before new growth starts. If properly protect-ed and cared for with mulch at the base and consistent water, this weeping sequoia should survive. It is a slow grower, originating in the Pacific Northwest in areas where moisture is seldom an issue. It enjoys all the conditions of a rainforest, like part-sun to part-shade, and acidic, well-drained soil. They have the added benefit of being nearly pest free.

Considered a specimen tree, plant it where its growth needs are readily met and provide protection from desiccating winter winds which rob the needles of moisture. This is im-portant for any conifer. If you locate the tree wisely, allowing enough space for its eccen-tric weeping habit, and provide the growing conditions it likes, a weeping giant sequoia will provide a unique focal point in your gar-den for many years.

Unless otherwise indicated, answers provided by Beverly Moss, owner of Garden Rhythms.

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vegetable patchSummer vegetable garden maintenance

With the dog days of summer upon us, it’s important to keep a good eye on our vegetable gardens. Watering, fertilizing, and weeding are necessary to maintain plant vigor. Moni-toring for pests and diseases should be done regularly. Harvesting as crops ripen will en-courage further production. Planting for the fall season should be underway.

Watering the vegetable garden is always a primary concern. Too much or too little cre-ates problems. On the average, vegetables need about one inch of water per week. Adjust your watering to accommodate any rainfall and do the watering early in the day. Deep watering less frequently is better than shallow watering daily. Consistent watering to keep soil moist, but well drained, will help control problems such as blossom end rot of tomatoes or cracking from sudden growth spurts. Consider us-ing mulch to help retain soil mois-ture and keep down weeds.

Nitrogen fertilizer can be applied in early July, but wait for peppers, eggplant and tomatoes to set some fruit before fertilizing them. Nitrogen applied at the wrong time can lead to an overabundance of greenery and not as much fruit development. Always follow package directions when applying fertilizer.

Weeding should be done regularly to re-duce competition. If using a hoe, cut through the weed plants near the surface to avoid damaging vegetable roots. While out weed-ing, check the soil around carrots, potatoes and onions. If their “shoulders” are exposed, cover them with soil or mulch to prevent green color from developing.

Keeping your vegetable plants healthy is a major step in helping to control pest damage and diseases. Watering early in the day and close to the ground to avoid splashing on leaves can help reduce fungal problems. Keeping tools clean will help prevent spread of disease. Natural predators help control unwanted pests. Some

insects can simply be handpicked off the plant to control leaf damage. Chemical sprays are the last choice and should always be checked to see if they are meant to control the problem you are treating. If your vegetables have a problem and you are not certain what it is or how to treat it, take a sample to the local MSU Extension office for diagnosis and recommendations. It is never a good idea to spray a broad range pesticide that could harm beneficial insects. Know the spe-cific problem and treat accordingly.

Many crops are bearing or beginning to bear fruit in July and August. Harvesting fre-quently will encourage continued production. Harvesting as fruits ripen will usually provide

the greatest flavor and highest nutri-tional value as well. After harvesting the central head of broccoli, allow the plants time to produce side heads for an extended harvest.

July into early August is also a good time to sow more of the cool weather crops or do a last planting of early-maturing, warm weather crops. There is still time to sow carrot, bean, beet, radish, lettuce, kohlrabi, and turnip seeds. Transplants of cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli can still be

set. Many of the cool season crops will still be harvestable into October and November.

As the summer progresses, keep a record of your garden: what you have planted and where, how well it grew, and what you liked or disliked about the vegetable. Keeping good records will help when you make plans for next year.

Mary Gerstenberger is the Consumer Hor-ticulture Coordinator at the Michigan State University Extension in Macomb County, MI. For gardening information from MSU, visit www.migarden.msu.edu.

Call the toll-free Michigan State University Lawn and Garden Hotline at 888-678-3464 for answers to your gardening questions.

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While the weekly chore of cutting your grass is rarely on the Top Ten list of fun things to do, it remains an essential part of caring for your lawn. Furthermore, try not cutting the lawn for 2 or 3 weeks and see what your neighbors say, not to mention how much work it is to cut the next time!

How much of the grass blade to remove. The general rule you should follow is to not cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade at any one time. If you cut the lawn each week, that guideline is usually met. However, at times of peak growth, such as in the spring, you may need to cut every 4 to 5 days. Only cut with a sharp blade. The blade of your mower should be sharpened at least once each year, if not more. If the tips of the blades of grass are frayed after you mow, the blade of the mower needs to be sharpened.

Early spring mowing. The earlier in the spring you can make the first cut of your lawn, the sooner the lawn will green up. Ex-perience has shown that the lawn will look greener quicker with an early cut in late

March or early April. Simply lower the mow-er one level from your normal setting for the first cut and then raise it back up to the higher settings for the rest of the season.

How tall to mow. One of the most com-mon mistakes people make when mowing their lawn is to cut it too low. The kinds of grasses found in Michigan lawns are meant

to be cut at heights of 3 to 3-1/2 inches tall at all times. If they are routinely cut lower than that, they will not be as healthy and may be-gin to thin out, thus becoming more vulnerable to damaging diseases and even dying. Set your mower at either the highest or second highest setting available to achieve the cor-rect height of cut.

Fall mowing. While everyone gets tired of mowing the lawn by the

time fall rolls around, proper mowing in the fall will help the lawn look even better the follow-ing spring. The turf grass plant ideally needs the full length of the leaf tissue to conduct photosynthesis and maximize energy stor-age to survive the winter and prepare for next

spring. If the grass is cut too short in the fall, the plant will take energy out of the root system to re-grow, thereby depleting critical reserves it will need. After a few hard frosts, however, the lawn will stop growing and that makes it an ideal time to lower your height for the last mowing to 2 inches. If left taller over the win-ter, the grass blades tend to fold over, resulting in areas that need to be raked out in the spring to encourage new grass to grow easily. Taller winter grass blades can also contribute to mold.

Grass clippings. Finally, allow the grass clippings to remain on the lawn. Between the restrictions on yard waste disposal and

the great benefits your lawn will receive, al-lowing clipped grass blades to stay on the lawn makes good sense. The blades will not contribute to thatch because they all decom-pose within about six weeks, adding benefi-cial microorganisms and about seven percent more fertilizer to the soil. The key to the ideal mulching, or “grass-cycling,” is to cut your lawn a little more often (roughly every 5 days) to keep the grass clippings smaller and neater.

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Designing with Conifers: The Best Choices for Year-Round Interest in Your Gardenby Richard L. Bitner

Designing with Conifers (Timber Press, 296 pages, $34.95) is about using conifers as garden plants and selecting them for their habit, foliage, and color. It helps readers make better choic-es when selecting conifers for landscapes or integrate them into mixed borders.

Since conifers are commonly misused in gardens and land-scapes, homeowners can end up with plants squashed against a house or rows too close to sidewalks. When used correctly and creatively, conifers can be beautiful, long-lasting plants. Chapters

of the book cover shape, color, choosing a location, and soil conditions.Conifers can be used near front gates, as hedges and screens, in shade gardens, and in spe-

cialty gardens like bonsai, Asian, or miniature railroad gardens. A useful appendix lists conifers for various problems and conditions, like areas plagued by deer and the best plants for Christmas trees.

The Complete Guide to Saving Seedsby Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough

The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds (Storey Publishing, 320 pages, $24.95) shows you how to collect, save, and cultivate the seeds from more than 300 vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers, trees, and shrubs. The authors thoroughly explain every step in the seed-saving process. Descriptions of seed biology; tips on how to select plants for the best seeds; and advice on harvesting and cleaning, proper storage and care, and propagating and caring for new seedlings are all presented with easy-to-follow instructions.

Chapters dedicated to individual plants contain species-spe-cific directions and detailed information. The chapters organize

the information based on the types of plants. An appendix covers the history of seed saving and selling in North America. The book concludes with several resources for the reader to connect with others who save seeds. Gardeners of any experience level will find information they need to extend the life of their favorite plants to the next generation and beyond.

What’s Wrong With My Vegetable Garden: 100% Organic Solutions for All Your Vegetables, from Artichokes to Zucchiniby David Deardorff & Kathryn Wadsworth

Vegetable gardeners deal with a variety of common problems, including bugs, diseases, and other mysterious ailments. What’s Wrong With My Vegetable Garden (Timber Press, 252 pages, $24.95) offers help by teaching the reader how to keep vegetables healthy so they are less susceptible to attack, and when problems do occur it explains how to recognize them and find the right so-lution.

Highlights of the book include information about how to team with nature to create the best growing conditions for vegetables, portraits of the most commonly grown vegetables, illustrated problem-solving guides, and discussions of the most effective or-ganic solutions. The vegetable portraits provide growth habit, plant seasons, temperature, soil, light and water requirements, best garden uses and planting techniques, along with color pho-tographs of each. The problem-solving guide is in a table format and refers the reader to various pages within the book for solutions regarding water and light, soil, insects, and fertilizers.

arrowheadalpines.com • 517-223-3581 • Wed-Sun 11-5 Closed Mon & TueTake I-96 to the Fowlerville exit, go south 100 yards to Van Buren Rd, turn west on Van Buren and

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16 Michigan Gardener | July 2012 | www.MichiganGardener.com

Fresh from the garden: Making your cucumbers into delicious pickles

When you have cucumber plants that are super productive, here are a few ideas on how to use them. They are so very tasty and easy—two of our favorite words in recipes. We in-cluded one green bean recipe too.

For the last couple of summers we have in-dulged in making refrigerator pickles. These are easy to make since there is no big canning hassle, and they taste so good with summer dishes. And since more and more markets are now carrying “salad cucumbers” and bunch-es of fresh dill, you can make the pickles year round. We now have lots of experience, so let us share some of the best tips and our favorite recipes with you.

We quarter the dills for spears and slice the sweets with a mandolin slicer to readily tell one from the other. Wash the jars, lids, mea-suring cups, and spoons in hot soapy water, or in a dishwasher. Since these are not being canned in a canner, they must be refrigerated. They keep for four or five months. We always use new lids.

Dill picklesWe have tried these with fresh dill heads,

fresh dill weed (the leaves of dill), and dried dill heads and weed. Fresh is best, dried dill heads aren’t bad, and dried dill weed is not so good. Whole dill seed is pretty good too. We found that gently pounding the dried heads and dill seeds released a lot of good flavor, and we even gently pounded the fresh dill weed for more flavor. We did this step right in the jars, so as not to lose any of the flavor. We have used both cider vinegar and plain white vinegar, and really can-not taste much difference in flavor.

Dill is an easy-to-grow herb in the home garden. It grows in patches, in rows, in planters, and in window boxes from seeds. It is an an-nual and the plants only last about 3 months or until the first frost. There are several varieties, includ-ing one that is slow to bolt to seed and thus produces lots of “weed,” as well as tall variet-ies and short ones that are really good grown in pots. The flower heads with seeds that are not quite ripe produce the best dill flavor for pickles, in our opinion. Every recipe we read said to avoid using the seedless varieties so popular in supermarkets. We found a lot of recipes, and in the end we adjusted the best ones for us.

The best dill picklesThis is our favorite dill pickle recipe, with

our comments and adjustments. You will need:•1dozenpicklingcucumbers,cutintoquar-

ters. Makes about 2 quart and 3 pint jars. Wide mouth jars are easiest.

•1or2clovesofgarlicineachjar•1 grape leaf for each jar (not essential, but

traditional for crisper pickles)•2headsofdill foreach jar,

plus seeds and weed if de-sired. If you just have dill weed,useat least10good-sizedstems.Pack each jar with cucum-

bers, garlic, grape leaf, and dill.

Next, boil together:•2quartswater•1cupvinegar

•1/3cupkoshersalt•1/4cupsugar

Stir until everything is dissolved and there is a good rolling boil. Remove from heat. Pour solution, slightly cooled, into jars to com-pletely cover cucumbers. Cover with lids and allow to cool completely before placing in the refrigerator. They are ready in a couple of days to eat.

The best sweet picklesOur favorite sweet pickle recipe is sort of a

cross between sweet pickles with a touch of bread and butter pickles. Our family is especial-ly fond of the onions in this one. Pack into jars:•1or2largesweetonions,sliced

•7or8picklingcucumbers,sliced Simmer together:•1cupvinegar•1-3/4cupssugar•1TablespoonKoshersalt•1teaspoonceleryseeds

Add vinegar mixture to jars to cover cu-cumbers and onions. Put on lids. Cool com-pletely. Refrigerate for a couple of days and then enjoy!

Dilly beansThese are really wonderful on a mixed rel-

ish tray, or as a “wow” factor in martinis or Bloody Mary’s! You will need:•About 2 pounds straight green beans or

mixed green and wax beans, washed and trimmed and packed into jars.

•2 heads of garlic, peeled. One clove intoeach jar.

•Smallchilepeppers,ifdesired.1intoeachjar.

Jean & Roxanne Riggs

P h oTo g R a P h s by J e a n a n D R ox a n n e R i g g s

All the materials needed for making sweet pickles.

Materials for dill pickles.

Sweet pickles in jars.

www.MichiganGardener.com | July 2012 | Michigan Gardener 17

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Dill growing in a pot, and in the dill weed stage of growth.

Updated and Redesigned!

www.� .com

• See current garden events in our Event Calendar

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• And much more!

The print edition of Michigan Gardener is still your exclusive source for

gardener profiles, features, how-to articles, Plant Focus and much more.

Dill pickles done and packed in jars, now in the cooling process.

•2Tablespoonswholeblackpeppercorns.1/4teaspoonintoeachjar.

•Dill heads and weed. 1 head and few dillsprigsintoeachjar.

Boiltogether:•6cupsvinegar•2cupswater•1/4cupKoshersalt•1/4cupsugar

Pour intopacked jars to coverbeans.Putonlids.Coolcompletely.Refrigerateforacou-pleofdaysandtheyareready!

None of these recipes tookmore than anhour,starttofinish.Wewereusuallydoneinlessthan1/2hour.Wetriedseveralotherveg-etables,butthesewereourfavorites.

Jean and Roxanne Riggs operated Sunshine Farm and Garden in Oakland County, MI and now enjoy retirement in northern Michigan.


I always marvel at nature’s use of color through the seasons. Spring brings soft, gentle colors: pea green, pale yellow and soft blue, the subtle colors that just begin to wak-en the senses. June, the month of romance and weddings, gives us lavender and pink a-plenty, accented by white and blue. In July, the brightest colors come on the scene, cel-ebrating our joyful mood and the boisterous-ness of high summer. It’s easy to have a riot of color in your backyard now, without a lot of fuss or trouble.

Phlox, the-old fashioned type called gar-den phlox (Phlox paniculata), is a plant most of us remember from childhood. Nothing evokes summer memories better than the distinctive, sweet scent of phlox. Fragrant, easy to grow, and prolific, this is a plant that

belongs in every gar-den. Phlox comes in nearly all the colors of the rainbow: pink in all its shades, laven-der, purple, near-blue, white, red, salmon, cor-al, and some with eyes of contrasting colors. The only color not well-represented is yellow—no loss, as other sum-mer bloomers drench

us with sunny yellow flowers!Phlox performs best in full sun to partial

shade, with moist, well-drained soil. If rain is lacking, keep phlox watered in order to avoid moisture stress, which predisposes the plants to unsightly powdery mildew. The best defense against this disease is assuring suf-ficient soil moisture and plant nutrition, plus good air circulation. This can be achieved by thinning the number of shoots in the phlox clumps each spring. Simply remove half to two thirds of the stems, by cutting them off right at ground level during early May. This seemingly brutal tactic is effective in reduc-ing disease incidence, with the added benefit of increasing the size of the flower heads. Re-cent breeding efforts in phlox emphasize mil-dew resistance, so it’s smart to check for this trait when choosing phlox for your garden.

Most older phlox varieties reach a height of about 3 to 3-1/2 feet tall. This height works well in large perennial borders and is the per-fect size for combining with summer bloom-ers like bee balm, Shasta daisy, false sun-flower, daylily and Oriental lily. Newer, more compact varieties, anywhere from 18 inches to 2 feet tall, are also plentiful. These shorter plants work well in smaller gardens or in the mid-section of big borders, and also make

nice additions to potted combinations.Bee balm (Monarda) makes a fine com-

panion to phlox because it prefers the same growing conditions. And like phlox, it comes in a wide range of colors and heights. Red is probably the most popular color because people associate it with attracting humming-birds. Truth be told, hummingbirds will also visit the other bee balm colors (pink, laven-der, purple) because they are primarily seek-ing tubular flowers. Any brightly colored tubular flower will attract them and that includes phlox, which has a narrow, funnel-shaped center that perfectly accommodates their narrow bills.

Like phlox, bee balm has enjoyed a lot of attention from plant breeders working to impart better mildew-resistance and shorter

stature. These goals have been achieved, and in addition to your favorite tall types (3 to 4 feet), it is now possible to enjoy bee balm as a dwarf border plant. Look for the Petite series (12 to 15 inches) and the new Grand series (15 to 28 inches depending on the cultivar). In ad-dition to dwarf or compact habit, these vari-eties also exhibit good mildew resistance.

Our luscious summer scene is completed by two perennials, Shasta daisy (Leucanthe-mum) and anise hyssop (Agastache), which provide a cool contrast to the two bold stars of the show. White is always the peacemaker between disparate colors, and classic white daisies are effective in any style of garden. Look for the tall varieties ‘Becky’ or ‘Bright-side,’ which rebloom when deadheaded.

Anise hyssop deserves wider use, and is

just starting to gain popularity due to its long, June-through-frost bloom time. For a traditional border such as this one, be sure to choose non-xeric varieties, such as ‘Blue For-tune’ (shown), ‘Black Adder,’ or ‘Purple Haze.’ These varieties are hybrids of Agastache ru-gosa and/or A. foeniculum, which are hardy and long-lasting in southern Michigan, being more tolerant of moisture-retentive soils and high humidity. Cultivars deriving from the Southwestern U.S. species Agastache auran-tiaca, A. cana, and A. neomexicana (usually orange, pink or sunset shades) require very sharp drainage and typically do not live long in wet, humid climates.

Karen Bovio is the owner of Specialty Growers in Howell, MI.

perennial partners A�sizzling�summer�combination—Midsummer is the time of year when color explodes in the garden

KarenBovio

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

Clockwise�from�top�left:�anise�hyssop,�garden�phlox,�bee�balm,�and�Shasta�daisy�weave�together�to�create�a�colorful�summer�scene.

8930 South Custer Rd. (M-50)Monroe, MI 48161734-269-26605 mi E. of Cabela’s on M-50 • M-F 9-5 Sat 9-4

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See our Bonasi and Water Garden photo gallery at www.FlowerMarketDundee.com

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A collection of stores and gardens to shop and visit. Please call ahead for hours, as they may vary from season to season.

PortHuron

Detroit

Flint

Lapeer

Pontiac

AnnArbor

Bay City, Clio, Gladwin,Midland, Roscommon,

Saginaw

Columbiaville,Davison

North Branch Emmett

Imlay CityLakeport

Dryden

Hadley

MetamoraGrand Blanc

Fenton

Highland

Hartland

Holly

Waterford

Ortonville Oxford

Orion

Oakland Washington

Macomb

Clinton Twp.

Sterling Hts.

St. ClairShores

GrossePointes

Grosse Ile

Rockwood,Monroe

Flushing

Lennon

New Boston

Romulus

DearbornDearbornHeightsWayne

Westland

Livonia

Farmington

Southfield

Royal Oak

Berkley

Birmingham

Troy

Auburn HillsSylvan Lake

WestBloomfield

CommerceMilford

WixomWalled Lake

Oak ParkFerndale

Eastpointe

Warren

FarmingtonHills

Redford

Southgate

Trenton

Taylor

BrownstownTwp.

Tecumseh

Manchester

Dexter

Brighton

South Lyon

New Hudson

WhitmoreLake

Novi

Plymouth

Ypsilanti

Canton

Northville

Howell

East Lansing,Fowlerville,

Grand Rapids,Haslett, Lansing,

Mason, Williamston

Cement City,Chelsea, Jackson,

Stockbridge

Tipton

NewBaltimore

Rochester

RochesterHills Shelby Twp.

Utica

Addison Twp.

Clarkston

Bancroft,Owosso Almont

White Lake

Ray

Roseville

BloomfieldHills

MadisonHeights

White Lake

SalineBelleville

CantonCanton Floral GardensClink NursCrimboli Landscp/NursKeller & Stein GreenhseH Wild Birds UnltdCement CityH Hallson GardensChelseaH Garden MillThe Potting ShedClarkstonH Bordine’sCountry Oaks Landscp ILowrie’s LandscpH The Pond SourceClinton Twp

H English Gardens 44850 Garfield Rd, MI 48038 586-286-6100 www.EnglishGardens.com

H Tropical TreasuresClioH Piechnik’s GreenhouseColumbiavilleHilltop BarnCommerce TwpBackyard BirdsZoner’s GreenhseDavisonH Wojo’s Gard Splendors

H DEnoTEs MG ADvErTisEr

Addison TwpH Yule Love It Lavender FarmAlmontAmerican TreeAnn ArborH Abbott’s NursAce Barnes HardwareDowntown Home/Gard

H English Gardens 155 N. Maple Rd, MI 48103 734-332-7900 www.EnglishGardens.com

HillTop Greenhse/FarmsLodi FarmsH The Produce StationTurner’s Greenhse/Garn CtrWild Birds UnltdAuburn HillsDrake’s Landscp & NursH Haley StoneH State CrushingBancroftGrand Oak Herb FarmBay CityH Begick Nursery & Garden Center 5993 Westside Saginaw Rd., MI 48706 989-684-4210 www.begicknursery.com

BellevilleBanotai GreenhseGardeners ChoicePinter FlowerlandZywicki GreenhseBerkleyGarden CentralWestborn Flower MktBloomfield HillsBackyard BirdsBirminghamH Blossoms 33866 Woodward Ave, MI 48009 248-644-4411 www.blossomsbirmingham.comPlant StationTiffany FloristBrightonH Beauchamp Landscp SuppH Bordine’sBrighton Farmer’s MktCowbell Lawn/Gard

H English Gardens 7345 Grand River, MI 48114 810-534-5059 www.EnglishGardens.com

Grasshopper GardensH Meier FlowerlandBrownstown TwpElegant Environ Pond ShopRuhlig Farms & Gard

DearbornFairlane GardensWestborn Flower MktDearborn Heights

H English Gardens 22650 Ford Rd, MI 48127 313-278-4433 www.EnglishGardens.com

DetroitAllemon’s Landscp CtrDexter GardensH Fraleigh’s LandscpEastpointeAriel’s Enchanted Gard

H English Gardens 22501 Kelly Rd, MI 48021 586-771-4200 www.EnglishGardens.com

Semrau Gard CtrFarmingtonBackyard BirdsFarmington HillsAngelo’s Landscp SuppFarmer John’s GreenhseLoeffler Stone CtrH Steinkopf NursFentonGerych’s Flowers/GiftH Heavenly Scent Herb FarmFerndaleCasual Modes Home/GardGreen Thumb Gard CtrFlushingFlushing Lawn/GardFowlervilleH Arrowhead AlpinesGladwinH Stone Cottage GardGrand BlancH Bordine’s

H The Weed Lady 9225 Fenton Rd, MI 48439 810-655-2723 www.theweedlady.com

Grosse ileH Westcroft GardensGrosse PointeAllemon’s Landscp CtrMeldrum & Smith NursGrosse Pointe WoodsH Wild Birds UnltdHadleyH Le Fleur DécorHartlandH Deneweth’s Garden CtrHaslettH Christian’s GreenhseH Van Atta’s Greenhse

PlymouthBackyard BirdsGraye’s GreenhseLucas NursH Plymouth NursPlymouth RockRock ShoppeH Saxton’s Gard CtrSparr’s GreenhsePontiacH Goldner Walsh Gard/HomerayVan’s Valley GreenhseredfordPinter FlowerlandSeven Mi Gard CtrrochesterH Fogler’s GreenhseH Haley StoneSherwood Forest Gard Ctrrochester HillsH Auburn Oaks Gard Ctr 3820 West Auburn Rd, MI 48309 248-852-2310 www.auburnoaksnursery.comH Bordine’sH English Gardens Patio ShopShades of Green NursWild Birds Unltdrockwood

H Marsh Greenhouses Too 31820 W. Jefferson, MI 48173 734-379-9641 www.marshgreenhouses.com

romulusBlock’s Stand/GreenhseH Kurtzhals’ FarmsH Schoedel’s NursH Schwartz’s GreenhseroscommonThe GreenhouserosevilleDale’s Landscp SuppWorld Gardenlandroyal oakH Billings Lawn Equip

H English Gardens 4901 Coolidge Hwy, MI 48073 248-280-9500 www.EnglishGardens.com

H Wild Birds UnltdsaginawH Abele Greenhsesaline

H nature’s Gard Ctr 6400 E. Michigan Ave., MI 48176 734-944-8644 www.naturesgardencenter.com

Saline Flowerlandshelby TwpDiegel GreenhsesEden Gard CtrH Hessell’s GreenhseMaeder Plant FarmPotteryland

H Telly’s Greenhouse 4343 24 Mile, MI 48316 248-659-8555 www.tellys.com

south LyonHollow Oak Farm Nurssouthfield3 DDD’s StandH Eagle Landscp/SuppLavin’s Flower LandMain’s Landscp SuppsouthgateH Ray Hunter Gard Ctrst Clair shoresHall’s NursSoulliere Gard Ctrsterling HeightsDecor StatuetteH Eckert’s GreenhouseFlower Barn NursPrime Landscp SuppstockbridgeGee Farmssylvan LakeH AguaFina Gardens IntrntlH Detroit Garden WorksTaylor

H Beautiful Ponds & Gardens 20379 Ecorse, MI 48180 313-383-3853 www.skippysstuff.com

H D&L Garden CtrH Massab AcresH Panetta’s Landscp SuppTecumsehMitchell’s Lawn/LandscpTrentonCarefree Lawn CtrTroyMaeder’s West

H Telly’s Greenhouse 3301 John R Rd, MI 48083 248-689-8735 www.tellys.com

Tom’s Landscp NursH Uncle Luke’s Feed StoreUticaDale’s Landscp SuppStone CityWalled LakeH Suburban Landscp SuppWarrenH Beste’s Lawn/Patio SuppGarden Ctr NursYoung’s Garden MartWashingtonLandscp DirectRocks ‘n’ RootsWaterfordHoffman NursH MerrittscapeWayneArtman’s NursWest Bloomfield

H English Gardens 6370 Orchard Lake Rd, MI 48322 248-851-7506 www.EnglishGardens.com

H PlanterraWestlandArtman’s Westland NursH Barson’s GreenhseBushel StopPanetta’s LandscpJoe Randazzo’s NursWhite LakeH Bogie Lake GreenhseMulligan’s GardSunshine PlantsWhitmore LakeH Alexander’s GreenhsesWilliamstonH Christian’s GreenhseWixomBrainer’s GreenhseAngelo’s Landscp SuppMilford Tree FarmYpsilantiColeman’s Farm MktLucas NursMargolis NursMaterials Unlimited

Gardens to VisitAnn ArborH Matthaei Bot Gard/Nichols ArbBloomfield HillsH Cranbrook GardensDearbornArjay Miller Arboretum at Ford World HQHenry Ford EstateDetroitAnna S Whitcomb ConservtryDrydenSeven Ponds Nature CtrEast LansingH MSU Horticultural GardensW.J. Beal Botanical GardEmmettH Sunny Fields Botanical PkFlintApplewoodGrand rapidsFrederik Meijer GardensGrosse Pointe shoresH Edsel & Eleanor Ford HseLansingCooley GardensMidlandH Dow GardensnoviTollgate Education Ctrroyal oakDetroit ZooTiptonH Hidden Lake Gardens

Higgins LakeThe GreenhouseHighlandColasanti’s Produce/PlantH FragmentsH Highland Garden CtrOne Stop Landscp SuppHollyH Rice’s Garden OrnamentsHowellH Howell Farmer’s MktPenrose NursHowell

H specialty Growers 4330 Golf Club Rd, MI 48843 517-546-7742 www.specialtygrowers.net

imlay CityEarthly Arts GreenhseJacksonThe Hobbit PlaceSchmid Nurs/GardLake orionLake Orion Lawn OrnH Orion Stone DepotH Wojo’s of Lake OrionLapeerH Iron Barn Gard CtrLennonKrupps Novelty ShopLivoniaBushel MartSuperior Growers SuppWestborn Flower MktMacombAltermatt GreenhsesBoyka’s GreenhseH Deneweth’s Garden CtrH Elya’s Village GardensLandscape SourceJoe Randazzo’s NursWade Nurs

H Wiegand’s nursery 47747 Romeo Plank Rd., MI 48044 586-286-3655 www.wiegandsnursery.com

Madison HeightsGreen Carpet SodManchesterMcLennan NursMasonWildtype NursMetamoraGilling’s NursMilfordOne Stop Landscp SuppMilford GardensH The Pond PlaceMonroeH The Flower Marketnew BaltimoreMeldrum Bros Nursnew BostonH Gorham & Sons NursGrass Roots NursMums the Wordnew HudsonH Milarch Nursnorth BranchH Campbell’s GreenhseOldani Landscp NursnorthvilleH GardenviewsnoviH Dinser’s GreenhseGlenda’s Gard CtrStone CityH Wild Birds Unltdoak ParkFour Seasons Gard CtroaklandGoodison Farms DayliliesortonvilleCountry Oaks Landscp IIH Wojo’s GreenhseowossoH Everlastings in WildwoodoxfordCandy Cane Xmas TreesOxford Farm/Gard



Little Devil NinebarkFor those of you who love the colorful look

of ninebarks but don’t have room for their large size, say hello to Little Devil (Physo-carpus opulifolius ‘Donna May’). This com-pact shrub features deep burgundy foliage throughout the season and small white-pink clusters of flowers in June. Little Devil is a versatile choice because of its smaller size. It is a great addition to perennial, mixed, and shrub borders. This low maintenance plant keeps its compact shape without pruning. 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Full sun to part shade.

www.provenwinners.com

Little Lime HydrangeaA dwarf form of the popular ‘Limelight’ hydrangea, Little Lime sports the same great flowers

and coloration as ‘Limelight’ but in a more compact plant. As a result, this new Hydrangea pa-niculata can be used even in small gardens. It is excellent for both mixed borders and foundation plantings. Summer flowers open soft green and turn pink and burgundy in fall. 3-5 feet tall, 4-6 feet wide. Full to part sun.

Lo & Behold Ice Chip Butterfly Bush

This dwarf, wide-spreading butterfly bush (Buddleia ‘Ice Chip’) has pure white flow-ers that combine nicely with a backdrop of silvery foliage. The fragrant flowers attract butterflies. This shrub is not only seedless, it’s also continuous-blooming and requires no deadheading. Its neat, low-spreading habit makes it an excellent ground-covering plant. 1-1/2 to 2 feet tall, 2-3 feet wide. Full sun.


Oregon Association of Nurseries

Little Rascal Improved HollyThis small holly (Ilex x meserveae ‘Mon-

Nieves’) provides excellent, low-growing bright green foliage to gardens. The spiny fo-liage matures to a burgundy red in fall. Its di-minutive stature makes it valuable to garden-ers with small gardens needing an evergreen shrub. Little Rascal Improved is excellent for shrub borders and foundation plantings. Use in irregular groups for a natural look or line up for an informal, low hedge. 3 feet tall and wide. Full to part sun.


My Monet Sunset WeigelaThis dwarf weigela (Weigela florida ‘Sun-

set’) has attractive gold foliage in spring and summer, changing to beautiful red tones in the fall. Grown primarily for its colorful, var-iegated foliage, it will occasionally produce soft, rosy pink flowers. Plant it in the front of beds and borders for multi-season color. 1 to 1-1/2 feet tall, 1-1/2 to 2 feet wide. Full sun.

Bailey Nurseries


Kieft-Pro-Seeds

‘Sprite�Orange’

Ball Horticultural Co.

‘Tsavo�Yellow�Ice’


‘Tsavo�Double�Gold’Cohen Propagation Nurseries

‘Solaris�Compact�Yellow’


�‘Tsavo�Golden�Yellow’

I have a plant list on my computer at home. I have given it a few different names but perhaps the most fitting one is “high per-

formance annuals.” I am often asked to create landscape designs in situations that require low maintenance, high impact annuals. I go to my list and start eliminating options until I create the best combination for the site. My list contains about 45 annuals for sun and about 20 annuals for shade. One of my favor-

ite options for the sun is Sanvitalia, also known as creeping zinnia.

Sanvitalia produces a myriad of small (about 3/4 inch across) yellow to gold flowers resem-bling tiny zinnias; even the leaves resemble those of zinnias. It usu-ally grows about 6 to 10 inches tall and spreads 14 to 18 inches wide,

with the flowers positioned perfectly above the foliage. It is native to the hotter parts of North and South America so it thrives in sun-ny, hot locations. Plants that are offered today are typically grown from cuttings. They root easily in about 4 weeks and are almost always offered in 4-inch pots along with other annu-als that are usually used in container combina-tions.

In containers, sanvitalia can be used as a spiller. Like fan flower (Scaevola), verbena, and trailing petunia (Calibrachoa), it will trail or “spill” over the sides of a container. And like these, sanvitalia makes an excellent bed-ding plant as well. It is low maintenance—plants do not require the removal of the spent flowers. They are also very heat, sun, and drought tolerant once established. They will thrive in well-drained, organic soils but will also tolerate less fertile or sandy soil. Plant them in spring, after the last frost date and they will flower effortlessly until fall’s first frost. I have used them in many high profile sites where they have repeatedly received rave reviews.

The readily available cultivars include ‘Tsavo Yellow Ice,’ ‘Solaris Compact Yellow,’ and ‘Sunbini.’ These are quite similar, pro-ducing bright, yellow petals on flowers with green centers. ‘Tsavo Double Gold’ has mul-tiple rows of gold petals and more brownish-centered flowers. It performs just as well as the single-flowering varieties.

There are some seed-grown sanvitalia but the plants are rarely offered in garden cen-ters. They are, however, worth trying if you like to grow your own plants from seed. San-vitalia ‘Sprite’ is a series that includes ‘Sprite

Orange,’ ‘Sprite Yellow,’ and ‘Vanilla Sprite’—an orange, a yellow, and a creamy white re-spectively. They all have a double row of pet-als and brown centers. They are a bit delicate as seedlings but will grow beautifully once

established in the garden. You are probably asking yourself, “Why

aren’t sanvitalias more popular?” There are two reasons. First, they only come in shades of yellow. Not everyone needs a low-spread-

ing, high performance yellow annual. Sec-ond, 4-inch annuals grown from cuttings are typically sold for $4 or more. This makes it financially impractical for mass plantings on a budget.

I can’t tell you about sanvitalia without mentioning an incredibly similar plant in an entirely different genus. Zinnia maritima ‘Solcito’ resembles a “creeping zinnia” so much, that I would argue most gardeners could not tell the flowers apart. The 3/4-inch, single gold flowers have brown centers and flower profusely all summer long. They grow about 10 to 12 inches tall and 18 to 20 inches across. The good thing about ‘Solcito’ is that it is grown from seed. As a result, I have seen it offered in flats of 18, thus making it a more economical alternative to sanvitalia for mass plantings.

If you are thinking about making your own list of high performance annuals, you can start with sanvitalia. And don’t forget it’s nearly identical relative Zinnia maritima ‘Sol-cito.’

George Papadelis is the owner of Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy, MI.


plant focus


‘Tsavo�Yellow�Ice’

George Papadelis

Sanvitalia

SanvitaliaBotanical name: Sanvitalia procumbens

(san-vih-TAL-ee-ah)

Common name: Creeping zinnia

Plant type: Annual

Plant size: 6-10 inches tall, 14-18 inches wide

Habit: Low-growing, creeping mat

Flower color: Yellow, gold, orange

Flower size: 3/4 inch wide

Bloom period: Summer to early fall

Light: Sun

Soil: Well-drained; can be moderately to less fertile

Uses: A “spiller” for containers; annual bedding plant

Companion plants: Upright plants to contrast sanvitalia’s low-growing habit

Remarks: Low maintenance—does not require the removal of spent flowers. Very heat, sun, and drought tolerant once established.

Proven Winners

‘Sunbini’


H Denotes Michigan Gardener advertiser

H 4th of July FestivalWed, Jul 4, 10am-5pm, Hadley. At LeFleur Decor. Artists, vendors, garden walks, more. 810-797-4745, www.lefleurdecor.com.

Pavers, Walls & StepsSat, Jul 7, 10am, Washington. At Rocks ‘n’ Roots. www.rocksnroots.com.

H Sunrise in the GardenSat, Jul 7, sunrise, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. Tour, collect plants, propagation tray, $100.517-431-2060, www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu.

H Daylily ShowSat, Jul 7, 11am-5pm, Grand Rapids. Displays, Q&A, chil-dren’s projects. www.meijergardens.org, 616-957-1580.

H Creating a Water GardenSat, Jul 7, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At all English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Tea Thyme in the GardenSun, Jul 8, Lapeer. By Lapeer Master Gardener Association at Display Gardens on Suncrest. 810-667-1994.

Clematis Care, Culture & CompanionsMon, Jul 9, 6:30-8:30pm, Novi. At MSU Tollgate Educa-tion Center. $20. 248-858-0887, [email protected].

Learn About Herbal TeasMon, Jul 9, noon, Mt. Clemens. By Mt. Clemens Garden Club at Mt. Clemens Library Community Room. $5, register: 586-226-0124.

H Fenton Garden ToursTue, Jul 10, 11am-1pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. 1 hour tour, lunch, discounts, $26.75. www.heaven-lyscentherbfarm.com, 810-629-9208.

H Leaf & Flower PrintsTue, Jul 10, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At all English Garden locations. FREE kids workshop. Register: www.English-Gardens.com.

H Harvest & TeaTue, Jul 10, 9am-noon, Leonard. At Yule Love It Lavender Farm. FREE. 248-628-7814, www.yuleloveitlavender.com.

Northville Garden WalkWed, Jul 11, 9am-4pm, Northville. By Country Garden Club of Northville at Mill Race Village & 6 gardens. $10. www.cgnv.org.

Clarkston Garden WalkWed, Jul 11, 12-7pm, Clarkston. By Clarkston Farm & Garden Club. $18. www.clarkstongardenclub.org.

H Caring for Your Summer GardenWed, Jul 11, 7pm, Metro-Detroit. At five English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Gardens ‘n Glass Troy Garden WalkWed, Jul 11, 9:30am-3pm & 5-8pm,Troy. By Troy Garden Club at 6 Troy gardens. Hat contest, plant sale, raffle, art exhibit, boutique at Troy Historical Village. www.troygar-denclubmi.com.

H Music in the GardensThu, Jul 12, evening, Bloomfield Hills. At Cranbrook Gar-dens. 248-645-3149, www.housegardens.cranbrook.edu.

H Fairy GardeningThu, Jul 12, Saline. At Nature’s Garden Center. Kids: $12.99, Adults: $22.99. 734-944-8644.


H Daylily Dig & Garden PartySat, Jul 14, 9am-6pm, Waterford. At Merrittscape. You pick ‘em, we dig ‘em. 248-681-7955, www.michmerritt-scape.com

Summer Photo SafariSat, Jul 14, 1-3pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Center. Guided hike through woods and gardens to find wildflowers, fungus, animals. Bring camera. Register: www.lesliesnc.org, 734-997-1553.

Romeo Garden WalkSat, Jul 14, 10am-5pm, Romeo area. By Friends of Romeo District Library. 9 gardens, speaker: Nancy Szerlag at Graubner Branch Library 12:30-2pm. www.romeodis-trictlibrary.org/friends.

Livingston County Garden TourSat, Jul 14, 9am-4pm, Livingston County. By LACASA. 9 gardens, $20. 517-548-1350, www.lacasacenter.org.

H Caring for Your Summer GardenSat, Jul 14, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At all English Garden locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Brick Paving & Retaining WallsSat, Jul 14, 11am, Orion. At Orion Stone Depot. Do-it-yourself seminar by Unilock. 248-391-2490, www.orionstone.com.

H Shelby Garden WalkSat, Jul 14, 10am-4pm, Shelby Twp. By Shelby Gardeners Club. Rain or shine, 7 gardens, $10. www.shelbytwp.org/shelby_gardeners_club.jsp, 586-739-7848..

* Art in the GardenSat, Jul 14, 1-4pm, Metamora. Visual, culinary, perfor-mance & healing arts in elite garden estate. $15. Info: www.gallery194.com.

Stone Covered Projects for Yard & GardenSun, Jul 15, 11am, Highland. By Garden Angel Art Works at Colasanti’s Market & Greenhouse. Register: 248-887-0012, www.GardenAngelArt.com

Fenton/Holly Garden TourSun, Jul 15, 10am-5pm, Fenton/Holly. By Open Gate Garden Club at 7 area gardens. www.opengategarden-tour2012.com.

H Harvest & TeaTue, Jul 17, 9am-noon, Leonard. At Yule Love It Lavender Farm. FREE. 248-628-7814, www.yuleloveitlavender.com.

Promote your events! Send us your information!

Website: Go to MichiganGardener.com and click on “Garden Event Calendar”

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Upcoming Issues & Deadlines: Issue� Deadline

August 2012 July 15, 2012

Sept/Oct 2012 August 15, 2012

For inFormation about Public Gardens, please visit MichiganGardener.com. Click on "Resources" then "Public Gardens."

calendarJuly / August

continued on page 26

110 S. MAIN • DOWNTOWN CHELSEA • 734-475-3539 • www.thegardenmill.com

Visit us during Sounds & Sights Every Thursday night throughout the summer: 6:30-8:30pm

Unique Garden Features Hand Crafted by ArtisansChimes • Fountains • Birdhouses, baths & feeders Planters • Wrought iron arbors, trellises & topiaries

$10 OFFany $50 purchase

with this adCannot be used with any other offer.

Cannot be used to purchase gift certifi catesExpires July 31, 2012

Howell’s Sunday Farmers’ MarketMay 6 through October 28 9am-2pmLocated in Downtown Howell at State and Clinton Streets, adjacent to the historic Livingston County Courthouse.

Over 60 booths • Weekly live entertainment

Take I-96 to exit 137. Go north to Grand River Avenue. Make a right one block to State Street.

Hosted by the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce 517-546-3920

Major Sponsor

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In Partnership with

howell

Large Selection of Fountains

Rice’s Garden OrnamentsProducers of Quality Concrete Statuary

Hundreds to choose from • All of Enriched Cement • Unique Selection • Low Prices Many new & old world finishes including permanent colors

810-694-291510510 N. Holly Rd. • Holly • 1-1/2 Mile S. of I-75

May-July: Mon-Sat 9-6pm August–April: Mon-Sat 9-4:30pm

www.ricesgardenornaments.com

Baldwin Rd.

Grange Hall Rd.

County Line Rd.

I-75exit108

N. H

olly

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HUGE variety of

NEW items coming in early July!

Come, step intoour garden

33866 Woodward at Adams • Birmingham248.644.4411 • blossomsbirmingham.com

EXCEPTIONAL flowers, artistically arranged Weddings & Special EVENT FLOWERS

Scented CANDLES • Lifelike SILK flowersDecorative ACCESSORIES

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CHILDREN’S GARDEN DAYCHILDREN’S

Hidden Lake GardensB O T A N I C A L G A R D E N & A R B O R E T U M

755 Acres of Gardensand Natural AreasFlower Gardens • Plant Conservatory • Hosta HillsideDwarf Conifers • Picnic Area • Lake • Hiking TrailsWeddings and Tours by appointment

6214 Monroe Rd. (M-50) in Tipton • 8 Miles W. of Tecumseh517-431-2060 • hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu • OPEN DAILY

Saturday, Aug 11, 10am-4pmNature crafts, food and fun activities for the entire family

4888 Joslyn Road - Orion, MI 48359 (1/2 mi North of I-75.)

(248) 391.2490www.orionstone.com

9 varieties of premium mulchesdecorative stone • flagstone • wallstone • topsoil • sand • gravel

brick pavers & retaining walls • natural stone pavers • slabs & steps • boulders

Orion Stone DepotYour one stop to beautify your home!

Stop in and attend one of our do-it-yourself brick paving and retaining wall seminars by Unilock®:

Saturday, April 24, 11amSaturday, May 8, 11 am

Saturday, May 22, 11 am

OrionOrions t o n e d e p o t

Stop in and attend one of our do-it-yourself brick paving and

retaining wall seminars by Unilock®:

Saturday, July 14, 11am

Wednesday, July 11, 2012 Rain or shine: 9:30am-3pm & 5-8:30pm

Wear your favorite garden party hat! Visit our web site for hat contest & other details: TroyGardenClubMI.com OR call 248-540-4249

6 private gardens featuring Plein Air Artists painting in the gardens & custom botanical glass by Furnace Design Studio, Dearborn

Activities at Troy Historic Village, 9am-7pm: Arts & Crafts Boutique, Plant Sale, Fabulous Finds Sale, Raffle, Student Art Exhibit

Ticket pre-sales: Auburn Oaks, Uncle Luke’s, Telly’s Greenhouse, Troy Historic Village

Ticket price: $10 in advance. $12 on day of walk (at the Village only)

TRoy GARdEn Club’S 38Th AnnuAl GARdEn WAlk

Gardens ’n Glass

Uncle Luke’s

t Natural pest & disease control products

t WIDE variety of bagged soils & mulches

t Dog, cat & pet supplies: Food, accessories & more!

t Cocoa mulch (great price!)

t Complete outdoor bird feed & supplies

t Backyard chicken and livestock feed & supplies

OrganicSoil amendments & Fertilizers

featuring

Uncle Luke’s Feed Store6691 Livernois, Troy • (1/4 Mile S. of South Blvd.) 248-879-9147 • www.unclelukes.comMon-Fri 9-6:30 • Sat 8-6 • Sun 9-5

Visit our 2nd location in Flushing:Flushing Lawn & Garden • 810-659-6241

Fresh, local produce arrives frequently—Come visit often!

26 Michigan Gardener | July 2012 | www.MichiganGardener.com� �

H All About HydrangeasWed, Jul 18, 7pm, Metro Detroit. At five English Garden locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Traverse City Garden WalkThu, Jul 19, noon-8pm, Traverse City. By Friendly Garden Club of Traverse City. 989-995-0282.

Master Gardener Garden TourSat, Jul 21, 9am-5pm, Swartz Creek. By Genesee County Master Gardeners at gardens in Swartz Creek area. $10/adults, $2/children. www.GCgardentour.weebly.com.

Watergardens & PondsSat, Jul 21, 10am, Washington. At Rocks ‘n’ Roots. www.rocksnroots.com.

H Frogs & SalamandersSat, Jul 21, 6-9pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. $12/adults, $10/children. 517-431-2060, www.hiddenlakegar-dens.msu.edu.

Lapeer Garden TourSat, Jul 21, 9am-5pm, Lapeer. By Lapeer County Master Gardener Association at N of I-69, between M-15 & M-24. 10 gardens, including 2 public, $10. 810-664-8317.

H Daylily Dig & Garden PartySat, Jul 21, 9am-6pm, Waterford. At Merrittscape. You pick ‘em, we dig ‘em. 248-681-7955, www.michmerritt-scape.com.

Livonia Pond TourSat, Jul 21, 10am-5pm, Livonia, Garden City & Westland. By Michigan Koi & Pond Club & The Pond Place. Self guided tour of 10 gardens. $10. 734-646-7607, www.mkpc-se.com.

Tollgate Gardens Open HouseSat, Jul 21, Novi. By MSU Tollgate Volunteers. 20 gardens, presentations, master gardeners, quilt exhibit, refresh-ments, FREE. 248-347-3860 x251, www.tollgate.msu.edu.

Genesee County Garden TourSat, Jul 21, 9am-5pm, Genesee County. By Genesee County Master Gardeners. Rain or shine, $10. www.GCgardentour.weebly.com.

H Daylily Exhibition ShowSat, Jul 21, 9am-5pm, Rochester Hills. By Southern Michi-gan Daylily Society at Bordine’s. www.midaylilysociety.com.

H All About HydrangeasSat, Jul 21, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At all English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Daylily DigSat, Jul 21, 9am-5pm, Howell. At Specialty Growers. Walk the field & staff dig/package plants for you. 1pm: Dividing Daylilies FREE presentation, Karen Bovio. 517-546-7742, www.specialtygrowers.net.

H Tropical Plants, Potions & PoultiSat, Jul 21, 1pm, Leonard. At Yule Love It Lavender. Herbal-ist: Jim McDonald, FREE speaker. 248-628-7814, www.yuleloveitlavender.com.

Belleville Area Garden WalkSun, Jul 22, 11am-4pm, Belleville. By Belleville Library at gardens in Belleville. $12, theme: The Decorated Garden. www.belleville.lib.mi.us, 734-699-3291.

What You Need to Know About InvasivesTue, Jul 24, 6:30-8:30pm, Novi. By MSU Extension Oakland County at MSU Tollgate Education Center. www.oakgov.com/msu, 248-858-0887.

H A Shady SituationWed, Jul 25, 7pm, Metro-Detroit. At five English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.


Detroit Garden TourSat, Jul 28, 10am-4pm, Detroit. By Grandmont Com-munity Association Garden Club at Douglas Ramsey Playground. Rain or shine, $10. 313-585-2499.

H Daylily Dig & Garden PartySat, Jul 28, 9am-6pm, Waterford. At Merrittscape. You pick ‘em, we dig ‘em. 248-681-7955, www.michmerritt-scape.com

H Summer RocksSat, Jul 28, 11am-5pm, Fowlerville. At Arrowhead Alpines. Rock dealers, rare plants, more. 517-223-3581, www.arrowheadalpines.com.

H A Shady SituationSat, Jul 28, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At all English Gardens locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Bonsai WorkshopSun, Jul 29, 2pm, Troy. By Four Seasons Bonsai Club of MI at Telly’s Greenhouse. Beginners & experienced welcome. www.fourseasonsbonsai.com.

Insect IDThu, Aug 2, 6:30-8:30pm, Novi. By MSU Extension Oakland County at MSU Tollgate Education Center. www.oakgov.com/msu, 248-858-0887.

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continued from page 24Allen ParkACO HardwareAlmontAmerican TreeAnn ArborH Abbott’s Landscp NursAce Barnes HardwareDowntown Home & GardH English GardensHillTop Greenhse & FarmsLarry’s Mower ShopLodi FarmsH Matthaei Botanical GardNicola’s BooksH The Produce StationTurner’s Greenhse/Gard CtrWhole FoodsWild Bird CtrWild Birds UnltdAuburn HillsACO HardwareDrake’s NursH Haley StoneH Oakland Community CollegeH State CrushingBellevilleBanotai GreenhseGardeners ChoiceHollow’s Landscp SuppPinter FlowerlandZywicki GreenhseBerkleyGarden CentralBirminghamACO HardwareH BlossomsMT HunterNeighborhood HardwareH Plant StationTiffany FloristWatch Hill AntiquesBloomfield HillsACE HardwareCoastal Outdoor Living SpaceBrightonH Beauchamp Landscp SuppH Bordine’sH English GardensH Grasshopper GardensMain’s Landscp SuppH Meier FlowerlandBrownstown TwpRuhlig Farms & GardCantonCanton Floral GardensClink Landscp & NursCrimboli NursKeller & Stein GreenhseH Wild Birds UnltdChelseaH Garden MillThe Potting ShedClarkstonACE HardwareACO HardwareH Bordine’sCountry Oaks Landscp Supp ILowrie’s LandscpThe BirdfeederH The Pond SourceWeingartzClawsonACO Hardware

Clinton TwpACO HardwareEnglish GardensH English GardensMichigan KoiMSU Extension-Ma-comb CtyH Tropical TreasuresClioH Piechnik’s GreenhseCommerce TwpBackyard Birds @ ACE HardwareZoner’s GreenhseDavisonH Wojo’s Garden SplendorsDearbornACO HardwareFairlane GardDearborn HtsACO HardwareH English GardensDetroitDetroit Farm & GardDetroit Gard CtrDexterDexter GardH Fraleigh’s NursEastpointeH English GardensFarmingtonACO HardwareFarmington HillsACO HardwareFarmer John’s GreenhseH Steinkopf NursWeingartzFentonGerych’sH Heavenly Scent Herb FarmFerndaleCasual Modes Home & GardGreen Thumb Gard CtrFostoriaH Iron Barn Iron WorkFowlervilleH Arrowhead AlpinesGladwinH Stone Cottage GardensGrand BlancH Bordine’sH The Weed LadyGrand RapidsMeijer GardensGrosse IleH Westcroft GardensGrosse PointeACE HardwareAllemon’s Landscp CtrMeldrum & Smith NursGrosse Pointe ShoresH Edsel & Eleanor Ford HouseGrosse Pointe WoodsH Wild Birds UnltdHadleyH Le Fleur DécorHartlandH Deneweth’s Gard CtrHaslettH Van Atta’s GreenhseHighlandACO HardwareColasanti’s Produce & PlantsH FragmentsHollyH Rice’s Garden Ornaments

HowellH Howell Farmer’s MktPenrose NursH Specialty GrowersImlay CityEarthly ArtsLake OrionLake Orion Lawn Orna-mentsH Orion Stone DepotH Wojo’s of Lake OrionLivoniaACO Hardware (5 Mi/Middlebelt)ACO Hardware (6 Mi/Newburgh)Bushel MartSuperior Growers SuppMacombACO HardwareAltermatt’s GreenhseBoyka’s GreenhseH Deneweth’s Gard CtrElya’s Village GardLandscape SourceOlejnik FarmsH Wiegand’s NurseryMadison HtsGreen Carpet SodMidlandH Dow GardensMilfordACO HardwareMilford GardensOne Stop Landscp SuppH The Pond PlaceMonroeH The Flower MarketNew BaltimoreMeldrum Bros NursVan Thomme’s GreenhsesNew BostonH Gorham & Sons NursGrass Roots NursMums the WordNew HudsonH Milarch NursNorth BranchH Campbell’s GreenhsesOldani Landscp NursNorthvilleBegonia BrosH GardenviewsNoviACO HardwareH Dinser’sGlenda’s Gard CtrTollgate Education CtrH Wild Birds UnltdOak ParkFour Seasons Gard CtrOrtonvilleCountry Oaks Landscp Supp IIH Wojo’s GreenhseOwossoH Everlastings in the WildwoodPlymouthBackyard BirdsLucas NursH Plymouth NursPlymouth Rock & SuppRock ShoppeH Saxton’s Gard CtrSidewaysSparr’s GreenhsePontiacH Goldner Walsh Gard/Home

RayVan’s Valley GrenhseRedfordPinter FlowerlandSeven Mi Gard CtrRochesterCasual ConceptsH Fogler’s GreenhseH Haley StoneSherwood Forest Gard CtrRochester HillsACE HardwareACO HardwareH Auburn Oaks Gard CtrH Bordine’sBordine’sH English Gardens Patio ShopShades of Green NursWild Birds UnltdRockwoodH Marsh Greenhses TooRomulusBlock’s GreenhseH Kurtzhal’s FarmsH Schoedel’s NursH Schwartz’s GreenhseRoscommonThe GreenhouseRosevilleDale’s Landscp SuppWorld GardenlandRoyal OakACO HardwareBillings Lawn EquipH English GardensEnglish GardensFrentz & Sons HardwareLa RocheManus Power MowersH Wild Birds UnltdSaginawH Abele Greenhse & Gard CtrSalineJunga’s ACE HardwareH Nature’s Gard CtrSaline FlowerlandShelby TwpDiegel GreenhsesEden Gard CtrH Hessell’s GreenhsesMaeder Plant FarmPotterylandH Telly’s GreenhseThird Coast Garden SuppSouth LyonACO HardwareHollow Oak Farm NursSouthfield3 DDD’s StandACO HardwareH Eagle Landscp & SupplyLavin’s Flower LandMain’s Landscp SuppSouthgateH Ray Hunter Gard CtrSt Clair ShoresACE HardwareACO Hardware (Harper/13 Mi)Greenhouse GrowersHall’s NursSoulliere Gard CtrSterling HtsACO HardwareDecor StatuetteH Eckert’s GreenhseFlower Barn Nurs

Prime Landscp SupplyStockbridgeGee FarmsSylvan LakeH AguaFina Gardens InterntlH Detroit Garden WorksTaylorH Beautiful Ponds & GardH D&L Garden CtrH Massab AcresH Panetta’s Landscp SuppTiptonH Hidden Lake GardensTrentonCarefree Lawn CtrKeck HardwareTroyACO HardwareMaeder’s WestH Telly’s GreenhseTelly’s GreenhseThe Home & Gard ShopTom’s Landscp NursH Uncle Luke’s Feed StoreUticaDale’s Landscp SuppStone CityWeingartzWarrenH Beste’s Lawn & PatioYoung’s Garden MartWashingtonLandscape DirectMiller’s Big Red GreenhseRocks ‘n’ RootsWaterfordACO HardwareBreen’s Landscp SuppJacobsen’s FlowersWaterford H MerrittscapeWayneArtman’s NursWest BloomfieldH English GardensH PlanterraWhole FoodsWestlandACO HardwareArtman’s Westland NursH Barsons GreenhsesBushel StopJoe Randazzo’s NursPanetta’s Landscp SuppWhite LakeH Bogie Lake GreenhseMulligan’s Gard CtrSunshine PlantsWhitmore LakeH Alexander’s GreenhsesWilliamstonH Christian’s GreenhseWixomAngelo’s Landscp SuppBrainer’s GreenhseYpsilantiColeman’s Farm MktLucas NursMargolis NursMaterials UnlimitedSchmidt’s Antiques

Look for at these fine locations:

Advertiser IndexAbbott’s Landscape Nursery .........12Abele Greenhouse & Garden Ctr ...7Aguafina Gardens International ...12Arrowhead Alpines..............................15Auburn Oaks Gard Ctr .......................12Barson’s Greenhouse ..........................11Beauchamp Lawn & Landscape ....9Blossoms ..................................................25Bogie Lake Greenhouses ..................13Bonide ......................Inside Back Cover

Bordine’s ..........................................Page 3Contender’s Tree & Lawn ...................5Detroit Garden Works ........................6Eckert’s Greenhouse ............................8English Gardens .......Inside Frt CoverThe Flower Market ...............................19Garden Mill.............................................24Garden Rhythms ....................................11A Garden Space .....................................17Garden Videos .......................................12Gordon’s Landscaping .......................19Guardian Tree Experts ........................11Haley Stone Supply ..............................17

Hidden Lake Gardens ........................25Hodges Subaru ......................................19Howell Farmer’s Market .................24Merrittscape .............................................7MSU Garden Day ...................................6Nature’s Garden Ctr ..............................7Orion Stone Depot ..............................25Piechnik’s Greenhouse .......................8The Pond Place ........................................9The Pond Source .................................. 14Rice’s Garden Ornaments ..............24Saxton’s Garden Center ....................19Schuman Landscape Lighting ........17

Specialty Growers ..................................7State Crushing ........................................15Steinkopf Nursery ..................................9Stone Cottage Gardens ......................6Suburban Landscape Supply ..........19Telly’s Greenhouse ...............................4Tropical Treasures ................................13Troy Garden Club .................................25Uncle Luke’s Feed Store ....................25The Weed Lady.....................................10Wiegand’s Nursery .............................13Wild Birds Unlimited ..........................10Yule Love It Lavender Farm............. 14


Classified�AdsART IN THE GARDEN – Saturday, July 14, 2012. An afternoon of visual, culinary, performance, and healing arts in one of Metamora’s most elite garden estates to support Gallery 194, the Lapeer Center for the Arts. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 the day of the event. For more information, and for tickets contact Gallery 194 @ 810-667-1495 or visit www.gallery194.com. LIKE US on facebook.

NEED A HAND IN THE GARDEN? Planting, weeding, garden maintenance. Jenny: 248.219.3976 or email [email protected].

HYBRID DAYLILIES – Thousands of varieties, all colors, sizes, shapes. On M-15 2 miles north of Goodrich. Call for hours 810-444-9333.

POISON IVY – We get rid of it! That’s all we do. Call us—we are experts at identifying and removing poison ivy from your property, from single homes to large parks. Licensed and Insured. Poison Ivy Control of Michigan. 248-842-8095. www.poisonivycontrolofmichigan.com.

MICHIGAN GARDENER E-NEWSLETTER - Sign up for our free e-newsletter! Go to Michigan Gardener.com and simply enter your e-mail address.

DO YOU ENJOY SCRAPBOOKING? Then pick up a copy of Michigan Scrapbooker magazine. It’s free! Visit MichiganScrapbooker.com for more info and to sign up for the free Michigan Scrapbooker e-newsletter. Join the conversation at facebook.com/MichiganScrapbooker.

NEED A HAND? Call “The little gardener that could.” 15 yrs experience at Botanical Gardens. FREE Estimates. Pat: 586-214-9852, agardenspace.com.

Need help? Have help to give? Big event coming up? Have some items to sell? Need a cost-effective way to promote your business? Use Michigan Gardener Classified Advertising to let readers know! Go to MichiganGardener.com and click on “Classified Advertising.” Deadline for the August 2012 issue is July 20.

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Temperature

Data courtesy National Weather Service

NORMAL ACTUAL DEVIATION Avg. High Avg. High from NormalDetroit 69.9 76.4 +6.5Flint 68.5 74.9 +6.4Lansing 68.8 74.3 +5.5

NORMAL ACTUAL DEVIATION Avg. Low Avg. Low from NormalDetroit 49.4 54.2 +4.8Flint 55.2 50.9 -4.3Lansing 46.7 51.0 +4.3

May 2012 NORMAL ACTUAL DEVIATION Avg. High Avg. High from Normal 69.9 69.8 -0.1 68.5 69.2 +0.7 68.8 68.4 -0.4

NORMAL ACTUAL DEVIATION Avg. Low Avg. Low from Normal 49.4 51.6 +2.2 55.2 49.5 -5.7 46.7 49.8 +3.1

May 2011

Precipitation

NORMAL ACTUAL DEVIATION Monthly Monthly from Normal

Detroit 3.38 1.72 -1.66Flint 3.08 7.04 +3.96Lansing 3.36 2.28 -1.08

May 2012

NORMAL ACTUAL DEVIATION Yr. to Date Yr. to Date from Normal

Detroit 12.54 11.73 -0.81Flint 10.99 14.18 +3.19Lansing 11.57 11.22 -0.35

2012 Year to Date: Jan 1 - May 31

NORMAL ACTUAL DEVIATION Monthly Monthly from Normal

3.38 5.38 +2.00 3.08 7.61 +4.53 3.36 6.81 +3.45

May 2011

NORMAL ACTUAL DEVIATION Yr. to Date Yr. to Date from Normal

12.54 19.73 +7.19 10.99 20.61 +9.62 11.57 18.20 +6.63

2011 Year to Date: Jan 1 - May 31

H Garden DayFri, Aug 3, 8am-4pm, East Lansing. At MSU Horticulture Gardens & Veterinary Medical Center. $85 by 7/22, workshops, keynotes, lunch, materials, marketplace, plant sale, more. www.hrt.msu.edu/garden-day-2012, 517-355-5191, x1339.

Pavers, Walls & StepsSat, Aug 4, 10am, Washington. At Rocks ‘n’ Roots. www.rocksnroots.com.

H Sunrise in the GardenSat, Aug 4, sunrise, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. Tour, collect plants, propagation tray, $100.517-431-2060, www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu.

H Arranging Garden FlowersSat, Aug 4, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At four English Garden locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.


Farmington Garden WalkSat, Aug 11, 10am-4pm, Farmington. By Farmington Gar-den Club & Steinkopf Nursery. $10 donation, rain or shine. 248-477-3854, www.farmingtongardenclub.com

H Children’s Garden DaySat, Aug 11, 10am-4pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. Nature crafts, food & fun. 517-431-2060, www.hidden-lakegardens.msu.edu.

H Attracting Birds & ButterfliesSat, Aug 11, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At seven English Garden locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

H Fairy GardeningTue, Aug 14, Saline. At Nature’s Garden Center. Kids: $12.99, Adults: $22.99. 734-944-8644.

H Gee Farms TourThu, Aug 16, 10am, Stockbridge. By Association of Professional Gardeners at Gee Farms. 8-acre arboretum, thousands of plants, $5. www.associationofprofessional-gardeners.org, 248-727-2978.

Cobblestone Bench/Table ClassSat, Aug 18, 10am, Davison. By Garden Angel Art Works at Wojo’s Splendors Greenhouse. Register: 248-658-9221, www.GardenAngelArt.com.

Watergardens & PondsSat, Aug 18, 10am, Washington. At Rocks ‘n’ Roots. www.rocksnroots.com.

Ypsilanti Garden TourSat, Aug 18, 12-5pm, Ypsilanti. By Ypsilanti Garden Club at Ypsilanti Heritage Festival. www.ypsilantigardenclub.org.

H Preserving the HarvestSat, Aug 18, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At seven English Gar-den locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Eating Fresh from the GardenMon, Aug 20, 6:30-8:30pm, Novi. By MSU Extension Oakland County at MSU Tollgate Education Center. www.oakgov.com/msu, 248-858-0887.

H Owl ProwlTue, Aug 21, 7:30-9:30pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. $12/adults, $10/children. 517-431-2060, www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu.

H Summer Herb FaireSat, Aug 25, Sat, 10am-5pm & Sun, 11am-5pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. Lunch, Q&A, greenhouse, artisans, for all ages, $1. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com, 810-629-9208.


H Dahlia ShowSat, Aug 25, 11am-5pm, Grand Rapids. Displays, floral arrangements, Q&A. www.meijergardens.org, 616-957-1580.

H Plants for ScreeningSat, Aug 25, 10am, Metro-Detroit. At seven English Gar-den locations. FREE. www.EnglishGardens.com.

Bonsai AuctionSun, Aug 26, 2pm, Troy. By Four Seasons Bonsai Club of MI at Telly’s Greenhouse. Plants, pots, tools, lunch. www.fourseasonsbonsai.com.

Dahlia ConferenceSat, Sep 1, 12-5pm & Sun, Sep 2, 10am-4pm, Ann Arbor. By Michigan Dahlia Association at Morris Lawrence Building. Sale: Sun, 3pm. 734-753-5336.

Pavers, Walls & StepsSat, Sep 1, 10am, Washington. At Rocks ‘n’ Roots. www.rocksnroots.com.

Rhubarb Leaf Concrete Bowl with optional Fountain ClassSat, Sep 8, 10am, Ortonville. By Garden Angel Art Works at Wojo’s Greenhouse. Register: 248-627-6498, www.GardenAngelArt.com.

Remarkably, members of this garden club are only in second through fifth grade (about 7 to 10 years old). They wield trowels and clippers like seasoned gardeners. Planting, pruning, deadheading, and mulching—they understand what these terms mean. Just ask Sandy Paratore, current garden coordinator, volunteer for seven years, lecturer, and Mas-ter Gardener. After she used the term “dirt,” one of the children reminds her, “You said dirt is what comes out of a vacuum.”

Getting establishedA school Brownie Troop in-

spired Atwood’s gardens by plant-ing bulbs in the fall of 2005. The principal was so excited about the garden that she encouraged its expansion. Over the winter some planning occurred and mom volun-teer Jean Persely started the Gator Garden Club in the spring of 2006. She was also responsible for much of the original planning, grants, rules, teach-ing, and organization of the club for the first five years. She has since moved, but still helps with grants, composting, and volunteering when needed.

The club is for second through fifth grad-ers and meets September though June every Wednesday after school. There is also an in-formal summer class that meets mostly to weed and water. If the weather is good, the

children and volunteers work outside. In bad weather and through the winter, garden classes are held inside or sometimes in their new teepee. Things like safety issues and in-sects are covered on classroom days.

Paratore calls one classroom lecture “Good Bug, Bad Bug.” Her favorite is the bee and she dresses like a bee for the talk. “The kids usu-ally say bees are bad bugs and they are afraid of them. I talk to them about how cool bees are. I love bees!” Paratore exclaimed. “My

dream is to be a beekeeper.” “The club is limited to 30 mem-

bers and is so popular there is a long waiting list. We send out a let-ter annually inviting the children to join through their parents. Previ-ous year students get priority each year,” explained Paratore.

The school gardensThe youth gardeners have cre-

ated several gardens. The first year they created butterfly, victory (vegetable), “A”maze, teepee (for vines), and red, white, and blue “We Salute You” gardens. Over the last few years they have added more vegeta-ble gardens, a monarch way station, native gardens, ABC garden, and a sunflower house.

The gardens are for learning and fun, like the ABC garden located by the kindergarten building. Paratore is proud that they keep the alphabet in order and identified. Some exam-ples are fuzzy, touchable lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina) for “L,” marigolds for “M,” and eggplants for “E.” The maze garden is a gi-


Sandie Parrott

PhotoGraPhs �by �sandie �Parrott

Atwood Elementary looks like any other school, with low, sprawling buildings and a large parking lot out front. But wait, look a little closer. A keen eye may notice several gardens around the school buildings maintained by the Gator Garden Club, named for the school’s mascot.

James�dignan�(5th�grade),�drew�osad�(5th�grade),�eva�Paratore�(3th�grade),�taylor�Fanning�(3rd�grade),�Mia�osad�(3rd�grade),�Janeann�Paratore�(5th�grade),�and�april�Garcia�(5th�grade).�Who�can�pull�the�biggest�weed�or�the�longest�root?

three-year-old�Charlie�Wicker�loves�hauling�a�wagon�“train”�to�the�work�site�to�pick�up�soil�and�woodchips.�some�younger�children�come�with�their�parents�and�learn�to�be�helpful�in�the�garden.


ant “A” with two entrances at the bottom of the A. Pathways through all the gardens fas-cinate club members and other classes when they come out for “field” trips.

The education isn’t just about gardening; it includes math. “We weigh the produce we pick daily, figure out and define the perimeter for new gardens, calculate how many plants are needed for a space. One student told me he couldn’t understand perimeter from a piece of paper, but this way he got it,” related Paratore.

No chemicals are used in the gardens. They pile on all the compost they generate,

and utilize solar smothering and hand-pull-ing for weeds. Their biggest struggle has been watering and a local groundhog. They have to drag the hoses and return to the school sev-eral times in summer to water. Now the new soaker hoses are on timers thanks to grants from United Way, Macomb County MSU Extension, and the Atwood Parent Advisory Committee. The groundhog eats some of the produce, but Paratore said, “If the groundhog gets it, it gets it—so far we’ve been lucky.”

by Sandie ParrottThe first school garden in America was

installed in 1891 at George Putnam School in Roxbury, Massachusetts by Henry Lincoln Clapp, after visiting several gardens at European schools. By the early 20th century, school gardens or farms were very popular in America. They were initially introduced in urban schools for aesthetic rather than educational reasons. Van Evrie Kilpatrick, Director of the School Garden Association of New York wrote, “School gardens should be maintained by the city. The city owes it to the children whom it has deprived of breathing places and beauty spots through want of foresight.”

The school gardens across America declined over the years until Victory Gardens (also called War Gardens) were planted for a short time during and after World War II. They were meant to reduce the pressure of the war on the food supply and also provide a morale boost by showing that schools and homeown-

ers could contribute to the war effort.The school gardens declined again until

the birth of the “environmental movement” and the “war on poverty” provided a surge from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s. They declined again in favor of playgrounds and parking lots until the 1990s. The American Horticultural Society held its first youth gar-dening symposium in 1993, titled “Children, Plants and Gardens: Educational Opportuni-ties.” The goal was to demonstrate ways in which school gardens could support educational studies.

With the latest “green movement” in the United States, school gardens are once again experiencing a resurgence.

Adapted from “Garden-Based Learning in Basic Education: A Historical Review,” published in the Monograph, Summer 2002, University of California, Davis by Aarti Subramaniam, M.A. Graduate Research Assistant, 4-H Center for Youth Development.

A brief history of school gardens

“This�is�our�teepee—our�outdoor�classroom�for�the�garden�club,�and�a�classroom�during�the�school�day�for�math,�social�studies,�music,�science,�English,�reading,�etc.�It�holds�a�classroom�full�of�kids�and�protects�them�from�the�outdoor�elements,”�said�Garden�Coordinator�Sandy�Paratore.

Master�Gardener�Mary�McIhargey,�with�perennial�sunflowers�in�the�background.

Julia�Carpenter�(1st�grade)�found�a�worm.�“We�took�this�opportunity�to�teach�the�gardeners�that�worm�tunnels�allow�air�to�enter�the�soil.�Worms�break�through�the�muddy�soil�after�rain�which�allows�root�systems�to�grow�and�plants�to�be�successful,”�explained�Paratore.

continued on next page

Leah�DeBruyne�(2nd�grade)�and�Taylor�Fanning�(3rd�grade)�head�to�the�compost�bin�with�a�bucket�of�weeds.�Note�the�vegetable�gardens�in�the�background.

30 Michigan Gardener | July 2012 | www.MichiganGardener.com� �

Current and future projects

The Gator Garden Club donates all their produce to the Well Church, to be given direct-ly to needy families or for dinners served to the community. The children alternate delivering food and sometimes help in the kitchen doing tasks like cleaning trays. “It is good for them to see the cabbage they grew and picked to be used in a corned beef and cabbage dish served to the community,” stated Paratore.

The parents and volunteers have put up a shed with grant money, added pathways through the vegetable gardens so the chil-dren have easier access to the plants, built a compost area, and erected a large teepee in the courtyard.

Speaking of parents, they must commit to provide drinks and ensure the children will attend meetings weekly. Parents must pro-vide appropriate clothing for possibly dirty, wet, or cold gardening, support for extra gardening days if weather affects the garden and assist one week in summer to water the garden. They are requested to help with fun-draisers, Wednesday gardening tasks, and su-pervision of the children.

Some of the early gardening was ambi-tious, with limited time and help from par-ents, so Paratore said they need to renovate some of the gardens. Sunflowers for the sunflower house have crept away from their foundation and must be moved. Pallets in the

compost area have deteriorated in the ele-ments and need to be rebuilt. Native beds will be weeded and thinned. Paratore wants to la-bel everything in the gardens and make some sit-upon cushions for the teepee.

The garden club recently had a salsa party, inspired by Señor (Dan) Francis, their Span-ish teacher. They had to find a recipe, shop for ingredients, make the salsa, and compete for a prize. The judges were the principal, Señor Francis, and the children. Store-bought salsa was introduced, but the children weren’t fooled.

This year will be a time to renovate some of the gardens and add a pizza garden planted in a gigantic truck tire. Mary McIhargey (Mas-ter Gardener, personal gardener extraordi-

naire, and volunteer—her grandkids will go to Atwood) and Paratore found the truck tire by the side of the road and lugged it to the school.

Paratore enthused, “One of the best things that we see happening connected to the gar-den club is the children and parents are plant-ing vegetable gardens at their houses. We

think that is great—that the garden experi-ence is spreading to the families.”

Sandie Parrott is a freelance writer, blogger, photographer and Advanced Master Gardener living and working in Oakland County, Michigan.

V Website ExtraGo to MichiganGardener.com and click the “Website Extras” department for:• More photos of the

Atwood Elementary garden

continued from previous page

April�Garcia�(5th�grade)�and�Kayla�Fanning�(4th�grade)�deadhead�black-eyed�Susans.�In�back,�Emma�Semlow�(3rd�grade)�deadheads�the�perennial�sunflowers�in�the�ABC�garden.

Katie�Paratore�(8th�grade�mentor)�and�Emma�Semlow�(3rd�grade).�“Katie�gives�lessons�on�deadheading�our�perennial�sunflowers.�They�are�as�tall�as�our�middle�schoolers!”�exclaimed�garden�coordinator�Sandy�Paratore.

Dakota�Bartell�(3rd�grade),�Emma�Semlow�(3rd�grade),�and�Alexis�Carlson�(3rd�grade)�are�in�the�ABCs�Garden�cutting�back�the�“O”regano.

Sandy�Paratore,�Jordan�Walsh�(8th�grade�mentor),�and�Leah�DeBruyne�(2nd�grade)�pull�weeds�in�the�ABCs�garden,�by�the�“U”nicorn�plant�(unicorn�rush, Juncus effusus�‘Unicorn’).


1 2

Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) is a non-native (from Europe), biennial herb that is common throughout the U.S. and most of Canada. It is found in disturbed areas, meadows, pastures, and along roadsides (photo 1). In some areas it is considered an invasive plant. Today’s carrots were probably cultivated, in part, from this plant. The fleshy root can be eaten, but make sure you are really

eating it rather than water hemlock (Cicuta maculata) which is very similar in appearance and one of the most deadly plants in North America.

As it is a biennial, it has basal leaves in the first year (photo 2) and then blooms, produces seeds and dies in the

second year. It will grow from 1 to 4 feet tall and has alternate leaves with a hairy, hollow, and stout stem. Small white flowers create a white lacy disk called an umbel (photo 3) at the tip of a stem. Each individual flower has 5 petals and the plant produces thousands beginning in May and continuing until frost. It reproduces only by seed and is a prolific seed producer. In its single blooming year one plant may produce up to 40,000 seeds. The seeds are small (1/8 inch or less), brown, and ribbed with bristly hairs that attach themselves to animals and people to help spread the plant around. There is a fleshy, long, and slender taproot and secondary fibrous roots (photo 4).

Queen Anne’s lace attracts many bees and other insects to its flowers. The Eastern black swallowtail butterfly’s caterpillar eats the leaves. Some gardeners plant it because it can help bring predatory insects to a garden. Aphids and other pests attack Queen Anne’s lace, then predators like green lacewing appear to feast. They will stay around for the plentiful pollen and nectar and perhaps help control pests on other plants.

Hand digging and pulling is the best way to control this plant (photo 5). The time to pull it is before seed production. Use gloves when handling this plant because some people develop a rash when handling it. Chemical control is possible with general use herbicides. Always read the label and follow directions if applying a pesticide.

Text and photos by Steven Nikkila, who is from Perennial Favorites in Waterford, MI (E-mail: [email protected]).

Steve Nikkila

3

45


Factors you can change, in order of im-pact: Light, water, soil type, acidity, and ex-posure.

Light: The most important factorCount the hours of sun the failed plant

received each day. Don’t guess. Observe the spot throughout a sunny midsummer day. Alternatively, stand in that spot and look over to the sunrise location, up to noon and then over to sunset. From that position, count only the hours during which you can see unobstructed sky.

Increase or decrease that amount by at least an hour, by setting the new plant into a different bed, pruning to remove overhang-ing tree limbs, etc. Move toward the objective stated in plant encyclopedias for this plant. Full sun ..............6+ hours of cast-a-shadow sun per dayPart sun .............4-6 hours of sunShade ..................2-4 hours of sunDense shade .....less than 2 hours of sun per day

Sunlight is energy for a plant. Without the level of energy requisite for its species, a plant slides or plummets downhill. Some species need all the light a growing season day can deliver, others need a more limited amount and may burn out if the sun strikes them full on for more than a certain number of hours.

If the plant receives too little energy, growth slows or stops. It will be stunted, with small, pale, widely spaced leaves and may die back if it has too little energy to sus-tain its nursery size. Meanwhile, its coun-terpart receiving too much energy may be a burn-out with pale or scorched leaves and woody parts that die over winter.

Water: Substance and raw materialPlants consist of water—it accounts for

more than 90 percent of their mass. Only wa-ter can carry minerals into a plant, and only water can supply the atoms needed to com-bine with air to create carbohydrates. Carbs become new cells and the sugars that fuel dark-time operations. Provide too little or too much water, deny roots an airy dry break, or let them remain dry too long, and essential processes in the plant are disrupted.

Many plants require consistently moist soil around and just beyond their root tips. For those, moisture in the ground should be topped up as it is depleted. Other plants require dry-down periods. Reference books or online databases such as Missouri Botan-ical Garden’s plant data describe each spe-cies’ moisture needs, or you can learn them by testing.

Feel the soil to gauge moisture. If it’s cool,

it’s moist. If it feels warm, it’s dry. Water your garden and then check the moisture level daily, both where the plant failed and around the replacement. Keep the new plant more or less moist by changing the frequen-cy of watering or mulching, or switching methods such as from occasional overhead shower to gradually applied trickle.

The depth of the moist soil layer makes a difference, too. How well water moves down and through an 18-inch depth of soil is called drainage.

Well drained: An 18-inch deep hole in the bed, filled with water, empties in 12-24 hours.

Excessively drained: An 18-inch deep hole in the bed, filled with water, empties in less than 6 hours.

Poorly drained: Water remains more than 24 hours in the 18-inch hole.

Most plants require good drainage. Check the drainage at the spot where a plant failed. If it is not well drained, improve it or find a spot with better drainage. Break up com-pacted subsoil, install drains or raise a bed to correct poor drainage. Add organic matter to slow water loss in excessively drained soil.

Soil typeSome plants prefer large-grained “coarse”

soil for its warmth, airiness and flex around root tips—that’s sandy soil. Others prefer

smaller-grained “fine” soil for its richness and moisture: clay. Wet your fingers and feel the soil to differentiate between sand’s grit and clay’s slickness. Then, look for or create a bed with the type of soil prescribed for this species. Replace or modify the soil to an 18-inch depth, using “sharp” or “builder’s” sand if that ingredient is needed.

AcidityWhen water drips through an acid soil,

some minerals that would not otherwise be released dissolve into the water and be-come available to plant roots. Some plant species cannot maintain their health unless they are growing in an acid soil, with a pH below 6.5. Test and amend your soil to alter the pH. Michigan State University offers in-expensive soil testing through the County Extension offices (visit MichiganGardener.com and click on “Resources” for a list of offices), and some garden centers sell test-ing kits or services. You might alter pH by mixing granular soil sulfur into the bed, spreading acid-reaction mulch such as cof-fee grounds over the plant’s roots, and using fertilizers for acid-loving plants.

Exposure Some plants need wind, others can-

not tolerate it. There are species adapted to grow where the temperature changes

rapidly at sunrise and nightfall, others that need protection so the warm-up and cool down is more gradual. Quite a few plants cannot set flower buds if nights are regular-ly over 70 degrees F, or if the night’s dark-ness is interrupted by artificial light.

Chemical warfare can come into play when an established plant of a type that produces growth-inhibiting substances has roots in the same soil to be occupied by a species sensitive to those toxins. Black wal-nut (Juglans nigra) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides) trees are known for this effect but there are probably many other plant-to-plant antagonisms.

If you are certain a plant has correct light, water and soil, then evaluate the exposure to wind, weather and antagonistic plants at the site where a plant failed and look for a new site with a difference.

You might find or create the difference. Useful in this regard: Windbreaks, moves away from heat sinks such as enclosed courtyards, baffles placed in front of heat-radiating walls, and temperature-moderat-ing covers such as frost cloth (floating row cover), overarching tree limbs or pergolas, etc. Regarding exposure to antagonis-tic plants: If you suspect this, consider all plants adjacent to or branching above the failed plant, and locate the new trial well beyond the root zone of those species.

Certainly daylilies will grow in shade. However when you observe the same daylily planted in more (left) and less light (right), it’s clear that even one extra hour of sun per day produces more flowering stalks, each with a higher flower bud count.

Janet’s Journal continued from back cover

Very Valuable Variables

www.MichiganGardener.com | July 2012 | Michigan Gardener 33

continued on next page

The usual suspects—resolved

Rose. Sure, hybrid tea roses are inherently unreliable. Yet poor drainage and infertile soil can speed the plant’s demise so look more closely at those conditions and possible changes the next time you replace a rose.

Heath (Erica) and heather (Calluna) form evergreen flowering mats in the sunny, hilly wetlands called moors in the Old World. Some species and varieties are cold hardy (zone 5) but particular about many other site aspects. Drought or sudden cold in winter, as well as summer heat can damage them. In a continental climate, airy mulch during winter plus mid-afternoon shade in summer may help. Aim for 6 hours of sun. On moors they are rarely dry as water continually works its way downhill through the well-drained, acidic, sandy peat.

Hydrangea. Mophead and lacecap, blue and pink hydrangeas. In non-coastal USDA hardiness zones 5 and 6, cold during winter and spring frosts frequently kills the branch tips. When that happens, it eliminates or greatly reduces that year’s bloom. Foliage grows but blooms don’t develop. Buy several small hydrangeas and place them where they might have natural protection in winter and spring, then observe which have live branch tips the following May. Or plant two side by side then treat one to special protection to judge the difference. Enclose and bury one in a leaf-filled cage for winter, uncover it as spring growth begins and keep a frost blanket at hand to cover it on any cold night.

Lewisia. Specialty alpine plants. Many high altitude natives have no problem with cold winters but also need cool summers, very well-drained soil that is mostly gravel and sand, and steady moisture. Imagine rocky rubble on a hillside wetted by a near-constant trickle of water from melt-ing snow. Lewisia is one that requires that moisture, great drainage, and also the warmth of gritty rock or coarse sand beneath its leaves.

Meconopsis. The unbelievable but true blue of Himalayan blue poppy (Meconopsis betonicifo-lia), plus its position on plant lists as “challeng-ing to grow,” has spurred many a collector’s urge. Cool nights during the growing seasons are essential to its health and flowering. Good luck figuring how to meet that essential need in the middle of a continent.

Daphne. The fragrance of a rose daphne (Daphne burkwoodii) often turns it into an impulse purchase. The buyer then finds out the hard way that it’s tough to maintain it in the hot humid, al-kaline Midwest. The plant is partial to cool conditions and moist, acidic, well-drained soil. So move your next try away from heat sources such as pavement and brick walls—maybe you have a spot next to the stream leading to a garden pond? Be sure the soil is very well-drained. Install a weeper hose that drips throughout the growing season. Mulch with cocoa hulls or coffee grounds.

Lawn. It’s no jest. Lawn may be the most frustrating, oft-replanted item in a landscape. Operat-ing on it may also bring us as close as we ever are to that nutty gardener designation, as we plop the same plant into unchanged conditions time and time again. Instead, try this: In the sun, check and improve the drainage in just a portion of one space, and loosen the soil well in another before reseeding or sodding. Perhaps when the next lawn renovation project comes up, the difference between the areas will provide direction for a more lasting fix. Over dead grass in shade, prune trees to lighten one area. Later, decide if that netted enough improvement in grass growth, or if it signals that it’s time to replace that turf with shade-loving groundcover.


continued from previous page

Delphinium is adaptable in many ways but intractable in one: it longs for great drainage and cool weather, day and night. Once weakened by hot weather, it falls prey to leaf and stem diseases that become entrenched in the crown. Thus it may be best treated as a biennial—replaced every two years—and disease recurrence held to a minimum by always planting where delphinium has not recently grown.

Crape myrtle. Many northern gardeners visit the South, admire crape myrtle (Lagerstro-emia indica, left), hear that there are varieties marginally hardy in zone 5, and add the tree to their wish list. It’s as common in the South as crabapple is in the North, for good reason—if the site’s well drained and sunny, it’s ame-nable to everything else. In zone 5, planted where it’s very well protected in winter, its branches may survive some winters. More often, it’s killed back like a butterfly bush. So the dedicated gardener may see it bloom in a zone 5 garden, but its beautiful, multicolored bark (right) won’t be a feature.

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) has been outlawed in Wisconsin for its invasive-ness. What a surprise, then, to hear from a Michigander: “I’ve planted it four times. It just disappears!” What do we say in reply? “Picky plant!, or Nutty gardener!”

Umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata) is from a cloud forest—partway up a mountainside among fog and clouds. Water condenses on the plants and drips to the ground almost con-stantly. So if you tried to grow it and failed, try another with drip irrigation, regular misting, and perfect drainage.

Foxglove, lupine, larkspur. Self sowers, including biennial lupine, left, (Lupinus polyphyllus), bien-nial foxglove, right, (Digitalis purpurea), and annual larkspur (Consolida ambigua), choose their own places, since they establish showy colonies only where their seed can sprout and survive. Frustrated gardeners should probably start with seed sown in place. If the seed sprouts and seedlings thrive, that site’s a winner.

Lady’s slipper. Acidity may be the prime factor toward success with yellow lady’s slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), which occurs in a variety of soils and moisture conditions in part shade as well as dense shade. So keep track of the sand-peat mixture you plant it into, and what measures you use to keep the soil acidified (soil sulfur dressing, coffee grounds mulch, etc.).

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janet's journal

| July 2012 | www.MichiganGardener.com

Let’s not live up to the reputa-tion we have among some non-gar-dening circles—that one summed up with a roll of the eyes and the words, “Nutty gardener!”

Where we come close to fulfill-ing this judgment is, ironically, in the course of doing what can also be admirable. It’s when we refuse to give up, when we try, try again to grow what’s failed.

This year, you will almost cer-tainly walk that line as you pursue some spe-cial flower, wonderful scent, collector’s item, or grower’s challenge. As you do, steer clear of the behavior that defines insanity: don’t ex-pect different results as you do the same thing

over and over.Here’s some help to remain on

the heroic rather than hysterical side as you make this year’s attempt to grow what’s eluded you.

Smart moves for the second (or twenty-second) time around

When a planting fails, there are times when it makes sense to simply replace the plant. If the first plant had an obvious physical defect from the

start or met with a singular, unusual accident, then it’s reasonable to take the failed plant out and drop the new plant into the same hole.

In all other situations, make a change. (See the sidebar on page 32, “Very Valuable Vari-

ables.”) If possible, change just one variable so you have a better chance of pinpointing the critical factor and increasing the value of in-formation you pass on to others.

To test a number of variables, find that per-fect place, or finally rule the plant out of your gardening life, buy several new plants and give each a situation with just one changed condition. Then, compare the lot.

Start with the smallest plants you can find, as they tell tales most quickly. If it had 10 leaves at planting time you will probably not miss an improvement to 12 or a decline to 8, whereas you may not recognize the downhill slide of a hundred-leaf plant until it’s lost half its leaves.

One last thing. Note the replanting date

in your calendar, journal or on a refrigera-tor magnet. Seasons are so fluid in a garden that tests have a way of stretching on for two or many years. All it should take is twelve months or less, and then you will know if your experiment has succeeded.

continued on page 32

Janet Macunovich is a professional gardener and author of the books “Designing Your Gardens and Landscape” and “Caring for Perennials.” Read more from Janet on her website www.gardenatoz.com.

Janet Macunovich

P h oto G r a P h s by s t e v e n n i k k i l a

Never Say Die: Plants we keep trying

Rhododendron species (including azaleas), Japanese andromeda (Pieris) and mountain laurel (Kalmia) need at least a half day of sunlight to bloom well, but can’t tolerate wind, dry soil, alkalinity, and big temperature swings in winter and early spring. if you garden in a place like the Uk, where summers are cool and winters mild, you might expect to grow them in the open as you see here. otherwise, place them as if they were Japanese maples, where tree branches overhead provide air-conditioning. acidify the soil, improve its drainage, and keep it steadily moist.

Japanese maples do not grow well when exposed to big, rapid temperature changes in winter and spring, or midday summer heat. leaves scorch, twigs die back, and the bark on the sunward side splits and dies. better to place it where larger trees act as a natural pergola, retaining ground warmth in winter and buffering summer heat. Do as done here and place it under a big, high-branched tree in the open. spare it life within a courtyard where it would be surrounded by walls which absorb heat all day and radiate it through the night.

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July 2012