Tag: Plants & Seeds

Obedient Plant: Everything You Need to Know About Growing Physostegia

[ad_1]

Any article about Physostegia begins with the acknowledgement that this plant’s most-common common name, obedient plant, is a misnomer: Physostegia is anything but complying. The name obedient plant refers not to its behavior in the garden, but to the nature of the plant’s stems. “You can move the flowers from side to side, and they stay put—a welcome trait making this a fun cut flower,” explains Christina Koether, a garden and floral designer based in Weston, Connecticut.

While obedient plant’s blossoms are snapdragon-like (it’s also known as false dragonhead), it is a member of the mint family, and like mint, it spreads quickly by stolons—hence its reputation for disobedience, something Chris Liloia, the habitat gardens curator and the North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG) has experience with. While the plant now grows in NCBG’s Piedmont habitat, Liloia says, “It’s actually a remnant of the perennial border that I can’t get rid of. It has just cropped up in different spaces.”

But Koether says, “Its disobedience, or toughness, is what I love most.” Marissa Angell, a landscape architect based in Brewster, NY agrees, noting, “When I use Physostegia, it’s because I want a more aggressive plant to fill a space quickly, which is ideal for restoration or seeded meadow settings.”

Here’s everything you need to know about this tough and beautiful native:

Photography courtesy of North Carolina Botanical Garden, unless otherwise noted.

Where should you plant obedient plant?

Above: P. angustifolia is seen here in Norris’s prairie garden. He grew the plant from seed, which is available through Prairie Moon and Missouri Wildflowers Nursery. Photograph courtesy of Kelly D. Norris.

All the experts we spoke to say obedient plant does best in a damp, sunny spot in a naturalistic design with other native species. “Like any plant, they require context for maximal appreciation,” says Des Moines-based ecological garden designer Kelly D. Norris, who is the author of New Naturalism. “These plants evolved to compete in grass-dominated environments. You can commonly find P. virginiana in wet ditches growing cheek-to-jowl with cattails, sedges, and tall grasses. Is it any wonder when gardeners remove them from that context that they sprint in every direction?” Place obedient plant in spots with poor drainage, in bioswales, or any place where spongy, absorbent vegetation has value. One place never to use it? In more “curated” gardens where you want plants to stay in one spot, says Angell.

Is obedient plant invasive?

“Tough natives like this are sometimes accidentally called invasive, a term reserved for non-native plants that are monitored by individual states and are bad for biodiversity and pollinators,” says Koether. Physostegia virginiana is, in fact, helpful to pollinators. “Long blooming from summer to frost, the blooms are loved by hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies,” Koether adds. Obedient plant’s thuggishness can also crowd out invasive weeds.

What are the different varieties of obedient plant?

Above: Physostegia virginiana at the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

There are purple, pink, and white-flowered varieties of Physostegia. Physostegia virginiana is the species most commonly available at nurseries, but Liloia notes that there are actually two subspecies of virginiana, a northern and southern one. There are also a few cultivars, including ‘Miss Manners,’ which is advertised as a less aggressive, compact, and white-flowered version of the plant. Koether hasn’t had much luck growing it and Angell notes “it’s not as delicate or nice but you get some of the same feeling as the native, straight species.” Norris has both Physostegia virginiana and P. angustifolia, which is native to the central United States, in his garden and says, “P. angustifolia has been comparatively less aggressive than P. virginiana in my experience, and its paler flowers add an ethereal quality to the garden.” Koether adds, “The renewed interest in this plant is exciting. I’m hoping to try more cultivars soon.

What plants are good to grow next to obedient plant?

Above: Physostegia virginiana grows next to ‘Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’ in the Piedmont habitat of North Carolina Botanical Garden.

[ad_2]

Source link

July 30, 2024
Lavender: Everything You Need to Know About Growing the Plant

[ad_1]

3. But go with French lavenders for a longer bloom.

If you are trying to chose between English and French, know that while English varieties are more fragrant, French varieties have a longer bloom time.

4. Choose carefully if you’re using lavender as an herb.

Above: Spanish lavender-flavored soda. Photograph by Marla Aufmuth for Gardenista, from DIY: Lavender Soda.

French lavender is not the choice for scented, herbal, or culinary uses because of its low oil content. “I like ‘Provence’, as it’s a favorite savory culinary herb used worldwide, especially in the Mediterranean and Middle East,” says Terry. She also likes ‘Royal Velvet’ for any lavender confectionery or mixology recipes.

5. Lavender can be loved to death.

No need to pamper this drought-tolerant plant; it actually prefers to be ignored. Excess fertilizer, water, and rich soil will eventually kill it. That said, lavender does need irrigation during its early months of root establishment, but once established, it requires only minor supplemental water later during the driest periods.

6. Bathing with lavender is an ancient practice.

Above: Photograph by Aya Brackett, from Flower Delivery: Lavender Bundles for Valentine’s Day.

The fact that the name lavender is derived from the Latin verb lavare—to wash, says it all. The Romans were said to have used this herb to scent their public baths. Also, in Medieval and Renaissance Europe, women who washed clothes were known as “lavenders” because of how they dried the laundry by laying the wet clothes over lavender bushes, which scented the clothes. Royalty, most notably Louis XIV, enjoyed bathing in lavender-scented water.

7. Lavender hates wet feet.

These Mediterranean plants enjoy the hot, dry, rocky slopes of southern France, eastern Spain, and western Italy. What they don’t like is soggy, poorly draining soil. “One thing our customers are surprised to learn is how important it is NOT to use high quality soils and water-retaining compost when planting lavender. Lavender hates to have its roots kept wet,” shares Terry.

8. Lavender isn’t a fan of mulch.

Above: English lavender growing in gravel. Photograph by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista, from Landscape Architect Visit: Vineyard Views in Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Valley.

“We never mulch or gravel our lavender. Some growers do use gravel, weed cloth, and cover crops, like grass, between rows to help with weed control. But never heavy mulch because lavender likes to breathe!” says Terry.

9. Some lavenders can be grown from seed.

While some lavenders, like lavandin hybrids, can be grown only from cuttings because their seeds are sterile, there are varieties that can be started by seeds. “Some people report great success with seed germination, especially with the Angustifolia varieties. Most commercial farms use plant plugs from rooted plant cuttings.”

10. Lavender can be more than purples and blues.

Above: Different varieties of lavender, including white lavender (Lavandula dentata ‘Blanc Dentelle’). Photograph by Leslie Santarina, from Everything You Need to Know About Lavender (Plus 5 Kinds to Grow).

While the most common and popular varieties sport purplish hues, lavender flowers also come in white and pink. ‘Little Lottie’ is an English lavender known for its creamy white flowers and Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote Pink’ blooms with delicate pink blooms.

See also:

(Visited 6 times, 2 visits today)

[ad_2]

Source link

July 24, 2024
Fragrant Snowbell: A Shrub with Scented Flowers that Make a Delicious Cordial

[ad_1]

Above: Turbinado sugar gave this snowbell cordial ferment a darker hue.

After the first fizzing of fermentation happens, you have the cordial, a concentrate that you strain and bottle and refrigerate to drink diluted. Or you return that fragrant, sweet liquid to the loosely covered jar to invite the acetobacter to do their work, with time. This stage of the ferment turns into a deeply fruity and complex vinegar, in anywhere from four to 12 weeks. It is deliciously versatile, from a restorative summer beverage sipped with ice and chilled water, to a comfort-food braise of duck legs or root vegetables in the middle of winter.

Above: PH test strips are helpful for deciding when to bottle the vinegar.

Above: Fragrant snowbell vinegar, pine cone jam, ice, and sparkling water.

Above: Fragrant snowbell vinegar, bottled in July, from May’s flowers.

Recipe: Fragrant Snowbell Cordial and Vinegar

Makes 6 – 8 cups.

A large jar is best for this type of ferment. I use 64 oz Ball Jars, organic granulated sugar, and Brooklyn tap water.

4 packed cups fragrant snowbell flowers, stripped from their stalks (about 20 racemes, but it depends on their length)
2 cups sugar
6 cups water, or enough to reach the 6-cup mark on the jar

Do not wash the flowers or you will lose their scent.

Place the flowers in the clean jar. Add the sugar and the water. Either stir very well with a long-handled wooden spoon or screw a lid on and shake the jar to dissolve the sugar. Loosen the lid, if using, or cover the jar’s mouth with cheesecloth or a piece of paper towel secured with a rubber band or string. The ferment needs air, and the cloth or loose lid allows it in. Never keep a lid firmly screwed on, as fermentation will release gas that needs to escape. If it can’t escape, a sealed jar can explode.

Leave the jar at room temperature in a place away from direct light, and stir the contents once a day.

From around Day 2 to 6 (this varies a lot), you will notice small bubbles forming, and more when you stir. Your ferment is on its way. At this stage it will taste sweet and very appealing. When a lot of bubbles rise after stirring (usually another couple of days), allow another two days before straining this cordial into a large bowl through a fine-mesh sieve. Strain again (if you like, but it’s not essential) through doubled cheesecloth or linen. For a sweet cordial, you can now bottle it and keep it in the fridge for drinks or desserts (it makes wonderful ice cream).

If you want to continue and make vinegar, return the strained liquid to the rinsed jar, cover loosely again, and keep at room temperature in a spot without bright light. Stir or swoosh daily, making sure that your hands and any implement that touches the vinegar is clean. After a couple of weeks I taste the cordial every few days, noticing how its flavor transforms. Sometimes a vinegar mother forms on the surface, although not always. When it tastes like vinegar, it is vinegar. I test it with pH strips, and bottle when it hovers around the 4-mark.

Bottle, and keep at room temperature. Once a bottle is open, keep it cold in the fridge.

See also:

(Visited 3 times, 3 visits today)

[ad_2]

Source link

July 8, 2024
Best Viburnum Shrubs: Our List of 10 Flowering Bushes
[ad_1]
If you want to start a horticultural fight, opine loudly at your next plant party about the best viburnums to grow. These flowering shrubs provoke strong opinions among the botanically inclined, and things could get ugly, fast. Dessert might be thrown. But consider our disciplined list of ten and hear us out. And bear in mind that there are almost 200 species to choose from, let alone cultivars and hybrids. Whether you want fruit, flowers, fall foliage (or all three), there is probably a viburnum for your gardening personality: extrovert, shy, down-to-earth, elegant, rambunctious, shape-shifting, or fragrantly alluring?

Here they are.

Photography by Marie Viljoen.

Above: Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum ‘Summer Snowflake’.

But first: Why plant viburnums at all?
- A range of sizes means that viburnums can stand in for trees in small spaces.
- Multiple seasons of interest, from spring flowers to fall foliage and fruit (except in sterile species).
- Flowering times that range from late winter to early summer, so you can build a collection.
- The shrubs have interesting foliage with texture that rewards the detail-oriented gardener.
- Viburnums that bear fruit offer ornamental interest in fall and winter, as well as food for the birds (and humans).
- Kaleidoscopic fall colors, depending on the species you choose, and how much sun it receives.
- Persistent winter fruits that feed birds when there is little else available.
1. Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’

Above: Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’ blooming as winter lingers.

At the end of winter, the exceptional fragrance of this tree-like hybrid viburnum is sweetly uplifting. It is a cross between V. farreri and V. grandiflorum, whose clusters of flowers start as deep rose-colored buds before paling in full bloom. The tubular flowers make you look twice, wondering whether a lilac has gone mad and erupted while there is snow on the ground. Flowering on bare branches, this earliest of viburnums is elegantly dramatic and more tolerant of frost than its grandiflorum parent. Usually sterile, few or no fruit will form, helping to ensure that this non-native viburnum does not spread. Viburnum × bodnantense is hardy from USDA zones 4 – 8.

2. Korean spice viburnum, Viburnum carlesii

Above: V. carlesii buds are pink, before opening into full-white bloom.

Above: The perfumed pom-poms of V. carlesii.

If scent is your thing, a must-have viburnum is the intensely fragrant Koreanspice. In mid spring its deep pink buds open into pale pink flowers that shift gradually into pure white. The flowers can be turned into an equally fragrant syrup, fermented wild soda, or perfumed honey (simply substitute the flowers in our Lilac Honey Recipe). Koreanspice is a slow-growing shrub that responds well to clipping (like a boxwood) and makes a showy ball of flowers when spring rolls round. Be sure to prune and shape it right after blooming, since all viburnums bloom on new wood (so, if you prune in fall, you will miss the next spring’s flowers). Extremely cold-hardy Viburnum carlesii is hardy from zones 2 – 8.
[ad_2]

Source link
July 1, 2024
Blue Flax: How to Grow and Care for Linum Lewisii, A Wildflower Native to the Western States
[ad_1]
Blue Flax, Linum lewisii

I can’t get enough of the blue flax in my yard, but it wasn’t always this way. With most other perennials, it’s a binary case of love or hate. With blue flax, though, it was more complicated.

Above: Blue flax’s five-petaled flowers range from a pale blue to a bright cerulean. Photograph by Debbie Ballentine via Flickr.

I’m newish to Central Oregon, where I relocated after a lifetime of living on the East Coast, and unfamiliar with the plants native to this high desert region. Hydrangeas, a landscape leitmotif on the East, are rarely seen in these parts, but Linum lewisii, another plant with vividly blue flowers, peppers the landscape. I see blue flax thriving in the wild on the trails; swaying in the wind next to the the chain-link fence that surrounds the local high school track; and growing in my own front yard, where it was planted by the previous owners.

Above: Once established, one blue flax plant can generate many, many petite flowers. Photograph by Philip Bouchard via Flickr.

While I was immediately smitten with the delicate blue flowers (measuring just 1 to 1.5 inches across) that float over thin stems, I was less than happy to learn that they wither by day’s end. I have always had a bias for durable, long-lasting blooms, and these ephemeral flowers, with an expiration date that measures in hours (not even days), offended my practical sensibility. The thing is, the spent flowers are replaced the next morning with a flush of new blooms. All summer long, this 24-hour cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is repeated.

Above: This flower will die by the end of the day, but new buds are standing in the wings, ready to bloom the next morning. Photograph by tdlucas5000 via Flickr.

I’ve come to admire blue flax. Every morning, like a child waking up to look for fresh snow, I eagerly grab a cup of coffee and peer out our front window searching for the new blooms. Throughout the day, I check on them. And early evening, I do one last inspection to see if, by some miracle, they’re still around, gently swaying in the breeze. They never are. But come morning, I fill up my cup again—and delight in their rebirth.

Cheat Sheet

Above: Its stems can look messy and leggy, so best to plant them en masse or crowd them next to tall grasses and wildflowers. Photograph by George Wesley and Bonita Dannells via Flickr.
- Discovered by Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis and Clark fame) in the Rocky Mountains, Linum lewisii is commonly known as blue flax, wild blue flax, prairie flax, Lewis flax, and Lewis’s flax.
- The drought-tolerant, deer-resistant perennial is native to Western North America, growing wild in prairies and mountain trails.
- Grows to 18 to 30 inches tall, with needle-like blue-green leaves.
- Will readily self seed once established.
- Exhibits a clumping habit; looks best en masse or mingling in a dense planting with tall grasses.
- The cultivar commercially grown for its fibers, seeds, and oil is common flax (Linum usitatissimum), but blue flax’s seeds are edible, too, as long as you cook it first.
- Its bloom period covers a long span, from April to September (though in Central Oregon, where the last frost date was in late spring, mine didn’t start blooming until early June).
Keep It Alive

Above: Blue flax happily mingling with coast sunflower, California fuchsia, Sulphur buckwheat, California sun cup, and ‘Margarita BOP’ penstemon. Photograph by Debbie Ballentine via Flickr.
- Hardy from USDA zones 5 – 8.
- Extremely easy to grow, the wildflower is both cold-hardy and heat-tolerant.
- Fairly shade-tolerant but happiest in full sun.
- Drought-tolerant, it has low to medium water needs.
- Best planted in well-draining soil; preference for rocky or sandy conditions, dislike of clay soil or wet conditions.
- To prevent self seeding, prune almost down to the ground at the end of the growing season; if not a concern, leave them standing for birds to snack on during the winter and cut back in early spring.
See also:

(Visited 3 times, 3 visits today)
[ad_2]

Source link
June 26, 2024
Marsh Marigold: A Native Alternative to Invasive Lesser Celandine

[ad_1]

In summer our thoughts turn for refuge to cooling streams and pond edges, and to memories of a spring blaze of marsh marigold and moving water. Early to bloom, and in lush leaf through summer, marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) are a cold-hardy and water-loving perennial. They are also a native alternative to their diminutive lookalike, the highly invasive lesser celandine (Ficaria verna). Differentiating between the two plants is helpful to curb the spread of one, and to encourage the cultivation of the other.

Photography by Marie Viljoen.

Above: Marsh marigolds have between 5 to 9 petal-like sepals, and have a mounding habit.

Above: Lesser celandine has 8 to 12 petals, and a carpeting habit.

Both marsh marigolds and lesser celandine have buttercup-perfect, iridescent yellow flowers that signal their kinship: they belong to the Ranunculus family. But in North America lesser celandine, a transplant from Europe (it is also occurs natively in North Africa and West Asia), has mastered the insidious creep, smothering regional swathes of riverside and forest floor, altering habitats as it spreads its low but impenetrable canopy. Lesser celandine’s invasive status is mostly associated with the Northeast, but it is moving into the Midwest and occurs in the Pacific Northwest, too. In places where it grows beside moving water, flooding carries parts of the plant downstream, where they take root.

Above: Marsh marigolds at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Marsh marigold’s species name palustris means “of marshes.” Varieties of marsh marigold have an unusually wide native distribution, described as circumboreal: The plants occur across the northern part of the planet (boreal means north), in North America, Europe, and Asia. The plant’s flowers are larger and more showy than lesser celandine’s. In terms of function, marsh marigold can stabilize stream banks, forming mounded, clumping colonies over time. The flowers’ pollen and nectar are a rich food source for native pollinators, and small mammals and ducks eat the seeds.

Above: Lesser celandine is very difficult to remove where it is widespread.

Lesser celandine removal sidebar: The removal of lesser celandine is not easy. If you have a few clumps, remove them at once. By the time a carpet has formed, the task is daunting, and complicated. Methodical mechanical removal, by hand, is best (although difficult), and vigilance is essential. Personally, I cannot recommend glyphosate (usually sold as Roundup).

Why not use glyphosate? There is its implication in the evolution of so-called super-weeds, for one thing. And while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers glyphosate “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) does classify glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Quite the contradiction.

For your own rabbit hole research consider that the studies that the IARC relied on seem more in keeping with real-world situations and exposure than those employed on by the EPA. Glyphosate has been banned by California, and in 2020. New York banned the use of glyphosate on state property. Its use is especially problematic near water, or when associated with water tables (everything lands up in the water table). Glyphosate has been showing up in stream and air samples since 2011, and its knock-on effects on life forms other than the target-plant (from soil microbes to aquatic invertebrates) are being studied.

Above: Marsh marigolds favor flowing or oxygenated water.

[ad_2]

Source link

June 24, 2024
White Flowers: Our Favorite White Blooms to Bring a Garden to Life, Especially at Night

[ad_1]

One of the realities of enjoying a garden is that there’s not always a lot of time to do so. We work, we commute, we parent, we scroll. By the time we step outside it might be late, so it is with twilight in mind that we bring you the brightness of our 14 favorite white flowers. They are all perennials, and they are all North American. Many of these blooms are pollinator-friendly, and each is easy to care for, so long it’s in the right spot. From petite ephemerals that will appeal to your inner wood sprite, to big-statement drama plants, our list will set you on the path to a soothing evening escape. You might even sneak out to enjoy them in daylight.

Photography by Marie Viljoen.

1. Foam flower, Tiarella cordifolia

Above: Foam flower

The frothy exuberance of aptly named foam flower begins early in spring, the flowers floating above maple-shaped leaves. The blooms last for about two pleasing weeks. This woodland native grows well in full spring sun if it receives some summer shade (under deciduous trees, for example). It naturalizes easily, by sending out questing runners in late spring and summer. Foam flower makes a very low maintenance ground cover and is an effective green mulch, protecting the soil beneath. It is hardy from USDA growing zones 3-9.

2. Canada mayflower, Maianthemum canadense

Above: Tiny Canada mayflower

In shady gardens, diminutive Canada mayflower (or false lily of the valley) will naturalize to form a lush, low green carpet that produces a shower of snowy blossoms in mid-spring. It needs consistent moisture to become established, but will then spread and naturalize via rhizomes. By fall the flowers will have formed red fruits that are attractive to birds. Canada mayflower is hardy from zones 3-6.

3. Starflower, Lysimachia borealis

Above: Starflower growing among Canada mayflower.

Another small jewel for light shade and woodland-friendly gardens is starflower, whose identifying whorl of leaves frames the exquisite bloom, or blooms. This is a good companion plant for Canada mayflower, as it is summer-dormant, and fades from view as nights begin to grow longer after the summer solstice. Starflower is hardy from zones 3-7.

4. False Solomon’s seal, Maianthemum racemosum

Above: False Solomons seal

Unlike its tiny Canada mayflower, false Solomon’s seal grows to about three feet tall, and its plumes of fluffy white flowers can be elegantly dramatic if planted in swathes in dappled shade. It has a very wide native range in North America, and blooms in mid-spring. It, too, will produce attractive, non-toxic red berries in fall that are appealing to migratory and resident birds. False solomon’s seal is hardy from zones 3-8.

5. Doll’s eyes, Actaea pachypoda

Above: The perfumed flowers of doll’s eyes.

Close your eyes and breathe. The sweet, citrus-blossom scent of doll’s eyes is reason enough to plant this shade-loving perennial. Its tall slender stems are topped with perfumed puffs of flowers in mid-spring. By fall, they have morphed into ghoulish white berries that resemble a horror-flick’s idea of a botanical Halloween. They are eye-catching and as toxic as they look. Doll’s eyes are hardy from zones 3-8.

6. Bunchberry, Chamaepericlymenum canadense (formerly Cornus canadensis)

Above: The bright white bracts of bunchberries resemble broad petals.

[ad_2]

Source link

June 17, 2024
Our Favorite Flowers to Sow in June for an Autumn Bloom

[ad_1]

Even though Memorial Day is behind us, we’re still technically in the midst of spring (summer solstice falls on June 20 this year). This means you still have time to direct-sow seeds in your garden to fill in the gaps and guarantee color come autumn.

Note that different varieties of flowers may have different days to maturity, so please check the back of the seed packet to make sure it has a short maturity date. And as always, don’t forget to meet your plants’ needs with full sun, good soil, and the right amount of water.

Here are five flowers you can start from seed in June that will bloom before frost.

Photography by Joy Yagid.

Nasturtiums, Tropaeolum majus, 28 to 42 days to bloom.

Above: Nasturtiums come in at first place for their ability to bloom in as little as a month after sowing. Cheerful, edible flowers, they’re loved by bumble bees and available in different shades of red, orange, yellow, and a mix of the three colors. Plant in your garden beds as a green mulch under tomatoes.

Zinnias, Zinnia elegans, 55+ days to bloom.

Above: Zinnias can bring a riot of color to your garden by August and are a hit with butterflies and bees. They also make great cut flowers. Choose your variety carefully; some grow to less than two feet tall and others can reach over four feet! They are very susceptible to mildew, but it doesn’t stop them from flowering. They will keep blooming until frost.

Marigolds, Tagetes spp, 56 days to bloom.

Above: Marigolds are another happy flower that can do double duty as both a cheery welcome in a container on your front steps and an insect repellent in the vegetable garden.When their blooms fade, you can use the petals to make dye. (See 5 Flowers to Grow for a Starter Natural Dyes Garden.)

Cosmos, Cosmos bipinnatus, 65 to 70 days to bloom.

Above: Tall and wispy, cosmos add movement in addition to color to your garden. Their feather-like foliage moves in the slightest breeze. Another bonus is they don’t mind the heat and deer don’t like them. In New Jersey, they are planted on highway medians for beautification.

Sunflowers, Helianthus annuus, 70 days to bloom.

Above: The quintessential happy flower, sunflowers can be started in June and will bloom by September. And while their flowers are associated with summer, their coloring makes them the perfect fall bouquet flower. Better yet, don’t cut them and leave them for the soon-to-be migrating birds, who love to snack on their high-calorie seeds in preparation for the flight south. (See In Praise of Hulled Sunflower Seeds (the MVP of Bird Food).

See also:

(Visited 2 times, 2 visits today)

[ad_2]

Source link

June 6, 2024
Olive Trees: Everything You Need to Know About Growing Them

[ad_1]

5. Olives are not tasty off the tree.

Above: Photograph by Sarah Lonsdale, from DIY: Home Cured Olives.

Ever tasted a fresh olive? If you have, then I’m so sorry. Fresh, raw olives are surprisingly very bitter and need to be fermented, cured in a vinegar or salt water brine, or dry-cured with oil in order to be delicious.

6. Olive trees are slow-growing.

Above: An olive tree stars in a Texas pebble garden. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista, from Genius Garden Ideas: 10 Landscapes with Olive Trees.

When a tree, like an olive, is slow-growing then it pays to buy the largest one you can afford to avoid frustration and disappointment. I usually recommend nothing smaller than a 15-gallon tree.

7. …and slow to fruit, too.

On average, an olive may take four to five years before it fruits. This production is also dependent on whether the growing conditions are warm and sunny enough. If these requirements aren’t met, then fruiting might not occur at all.

8. Olive trees need proper pruning.

Above: Photograph courtesy of Art Luna Garden, from A Mediterranean Idyll on the Pacific Palisades.

Italians say that you should prune the olive tree in such a way that a bird can fly through the middle of it. Pruning is needed to reduce the density of the foliage and allow sunlight to infiltrate every part of the tree. Also, olive trees produce fruit on the previous year’s branches, so in order to have fruit every year you must make sure that adequate growth occurs every year. In general, prune fruiting olives after harvest. If you are growing a non-fruiting olive, proper pruning is still strongly encourage to avoid a gangly or lopsided tree; plus it’s always a good idea to remove dead, diseased, or damaged limbs. This can be done in the spring or early summer. Pro tip: watch out for snacking deer who also like to “prune” young olive trees. You may need to net the lower branches or spray a deer repellent on newly planted trees.

9. Olive trees can be a houseplant.

Above: Olea europaea ‘Arbequina’ is a Spanish olive tree that makes a great indoor specimen. Photograph via Terrain.

Looking to add a little Mediterranean style to your home decor? A potted olive tree might be the addition you need—for a little while at least. Long-term these trees are best grown outside. But a potted olive can thrive for a year or so indoors as long as you make sure it gets lots of light—a south-facing window or under a skylight works. Maintenance-wise, water your indoor olive when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch. If you see leaves yellowing and dropping, then either it is receiving not enough or too much water. Use cacti/palm soil for good drainage, as soggy soil can be detrimental. Pest-wise, be on the lookout for scale invading leaves and stems. Pro tip: An early scale invasion can be handled by simply picking off the critters.

10. Olive trees are considered sacred.

Above: Photograph by Chelsea Fuss, from Olive Branches: Rethinking an Underappreciated Symbol of Peace.

Amazingly, almost all parts of an olive tree have significance. The trees themselves symbolize wisdom, peace, power, fertility, and purity. The branches symbolize peace and abundance and were once ritualistically offered to deities and powerful people as signs of purification and blessings. And olive oil has long been considered sacred and is still used today in many religious ceremonies.

See also:

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)

[ad_2]

Source link

June 4, 2024
Best Australian Flowers to Plant in the US: Here Are Our Favorites to Try

[ad_1]

While I have never visited Australia (yet), I use plants from there so often in my garden designs in the Bay Area that I almost feel like I have. But of course, my knowledge is only so deep, given I’ve never stepped a foot inside the country, so for this story, I reached out to […]

[ad_2]

Source link

May 29, 2024
DIY Outdoor Planters: A Cool Palette for Hot Weather – Gardenista
[ad_1]
I garden in pots on my front porch, and by the time summer arrives, I just want my containers to look good…and I don’t want to spend a lot of time on them. So I always create at least one lushly planted pot filled with low-care plants, since that’s all you need to keep a small space looking gorgeous for the season.

Photography by Julie Chai for Gardenista.

Above: I like to garden in larger pots–at least 14 inches or more in diameter–and I usually use a container I already own. I replant my containers as the seasons change.

Above: When I’m shopping at the nursery, I like to know my container’s size. But I’m not about to lug heavy pottery with me, so I came up with an easy way to measure: take a large piece of scrap paper (newspaper or a paper bag work well), place it over the pot, and cut out a circle that’s about the same size as the container’s opening.

Then, I take my paper disc with me to the nursery so I can arrange plants on it while I shop. This helps me estimate how many plants will actually fit in my pot without overcrowding, and also gives me a chance to play around with the plant arrangement.

Above: For summer, a simple color combination of cool blue, white, and silver balances the heat. This month’s container is a mix of four hardy summer workhorses:
‘Blue Bird’ Nemesia. It’s is an upright plant that grows to a height of 12 inches and blooms until frost.

‘Gulliver White’ Bacopa has pure white flowers on trailing stems–perfect for the front of a container.

Lamb’s ears have large, fuzzy gray-green leaves. It’s technically a ground cover–so it will eventually spread and you’ll need to reduce the clump or replant in another pot. It also forms lavender flower spikes (bees love them, but you can cut them down if you don’t like the way they look).

‘Glacier Blue’ Euphorbia. It can reach 18 inches tall, and has thin, silvery leaves edged in white along with blooms in late winter or spring.
Above: I generally aim for five or fewer types of plants in a pot because I like to let each plant stand out. When creating combos, it’s important to mix growers that have the same water and light needs so that everything will thrive–this grouping likes full to part sun, and regular water.

Above: I always use a container with a drainage hole, and before planting I gently loosen any matted roots. It’s best to fill your pots with fresh potting soil because it drains well and is packed with the nutrients your plants need.

Above: Water thoroughly after planting, and then again whenever the top inch or so of soil feels dry.

Above: You can also feed your plants with a liquid organic fertilizer (just follow the instructions on whatever product you buy) to keep everything happy from now into fall.

N.B.: This post is an update; it was first published June 2013.

See also:

(Visited 2,768 times, 2 visits today)
[ad_2]

Source link
May 17, 2024
Yellow Jessamine: A Species of Gelsemium That’s a Very Toxic Plant

[ad_1]

What native flowering vine is perfumed, profuse, and in bloom in early spring just when we need floral encouragement the most? It’s yellow jessamine, or Carolina jasmine—Gelsemium sempervirens. (Its species name—“always living”—refers to Gelsemium’s glossy, evergreen foliage.) This is a cascading, fast-growing vine that makes a spectacular bower over doorways, softening hard fence edges, and stopping passersby, even in their preoccupied, city tracks. It is also one of the most toxic plants on the planet.

But don’t panic. Unless you’re a Russian whistleblower.

Photography by Marie Viljoen.

Above: Yellow jessamine might be the ultimate curb appeal.

Growing natively from Guatemala through Virginia, yellow jessamine’s first stop in the US is Texas, where it is often the first flower to bloom in the new year. It is widely distributed in the Southern US but also in the nursery trade, which has spread it beyond its natural range. It shows remarkable cold hardiness for a plant also at home in Central America. (There are three Gelsemium species: the others are G. rankinii, native to Southeastern US, and which has no scent; and G. elegans, native to East and Southeast Asia.)

Above: Packed clusters of flowers are heavily scented.

While European honeybees are drawn to the nectar-rich flowers of Gelsemium, especially if there is no other food source, the nectar in high doses may be toxic to them. At least, this is the chatter in concerned bee-keeping circles, but it is hard to find a study that confirms this—because there is no such study. Still, with ancient, anecdotal stories circulating via cut-and-paste (and cemented into truth by an entry on Wikipedia with a cul-de-sac of a citation), they are hard to dismiss completely.

But what about native pollinators and yellow jessamine?

Above: A bumblebee visiting a flower.

Yellow jessamine might actively benefit native bumble bees: A 2010 study concluded that “gelsemine, a nectar alkaloid found in Gelsemium sempervirens, lessens the severity of gut pathogen infections in bumble bees.” Self-medicating bees. I have seen fat carpenter bees besieging yellow jessamine, and “robbing” the flowers by puncturing the base of their nectaries from the outside, to suck out sweetness, leaving less food for the slimmer Eastern bumble bees that enter politely from the flower’s mouth.

Above: A statement plant for weeks in spring.

Gelsemium Toxicity

The toxic alkaloids in all Gelsemium species include gelsemine, but dozens of other alkaloids have been isolated from the genus, which has been studied extensively, pharmacologically. For humans and other animals, all Gelsemiums are harmful (and may be lethal) if ingested in very high, very unlikely doses. These could be self-administered deliberately. Sometime in the second half of the 18th century, the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle purposefully overdosed on Gelsemium in order to observe its effects in different quantities. He documented his findings and submitted them to the British Medical Journal in 1879.

The poison may also be ingested via foul play: In 2012, after he died unexpectedly in Surrey, at the age of 44, an autopsy report showed that Russian whistleblower Aleksander Perepilicchnyy had traces of Gelsemium elegans in his stomach.

Above: Like a beacon to lead you home on an early spring day.

[ad_2]

Source link

May 13, 2024
Best Blue Flowers to Grow in the Garden: My Favorite Blue Perennials and Annuals

[ad_1]

Recently, one of my clients asked if I would add some blue flowers to her garden. Her young daughter had learned that dogs are color-blind and can see only blues and yellows, and now she wanted to make sure their garden had blue flowers in it so that their dog would be able to enjoy them. Naturally my heart swelled and my list of blue flowers grew. I bolted to the nursery and picked up some favorites.

Because of this project, I learned to truly appreciate how blues add a cooling and calming splash of color. I also learned, after reading the book, How the Rose Got its Thorns and Other Botanical Stories, by Andrew Ormerod, that few plants produce anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for the blue hue, which is why blue flowers are relatively rare in nature. “They are most commonly found in environmentally impoverished habitats where pollinators are scarce—with its short wavelength, the color blue stands out and attracts bee pollinators,” he writes.

Here are eight of my favorite blue flowers (and possibly dog and bee favorites, too).

1. Lobelia, Lobelia erinus ‘Magadi Compact Dark Blue’

Above: Photograph by Kier Holmes.

Sometimes you need a fast-growing annual to add to pots, containers, and window boxes that are in a sunny spot. This lobelia is so good at filling planting gaps with color. With a trailing habit, it’s slightly upright, slightly relaxed, and produces vibrant blue flowers in the spring through summer if deadheaded. In mild climates this annual can reseed—in a good way. Hardy in USDA Zones 8-11. I like to plant mine from six-packs or from seed.

2. Siberian bugloss, Brunnera macrophylla

Above: Photograph by Patrick Standish via Flickr.

What makes this perennial extra cute are the heart-shaped leaves and the tiny baby-blue flowers that arrive in the spring and continue through the summer. Add this deer-resistant, easy-to-grow ground cover to a partly shaded cottage or woodland garden and pair it with hellebores, bleeding hearts, and ferns. Grows to 1 to 2 feet high and as wide. Hardy in USDA Zones 3-9.

3. Baby blue eyes, Nemophila menziesii

Above: Photograph by Joe Decruyenaere via Flickr.

Native to California, this darling annual gifts you with bright blue dainty flowers in the spring. Easy to sow from seed, it is commonly added to wildflower seed mixes. Pro tip: Sow your seeds in a partly sunny spot and provide them with ample water. I sowed my seeds in the fall for my spring bloom, but I live in a warm-winter areas. In cold-winter areas, sow your seeds in the spring. The flower grows to a petite 10 inches high and in a container, will tumble playfully over the edges. You can purchase seeds through Larner Seeds.

4. Pincushion flower, Scabiosa Caucasica ‘Fama Deep Blue’

Above: Photograph by Kier Holmes.

I grow this flower in my garden and and am rewarded with mega large ruffled blue blooms—4 inches across! I swear, these flowers are constantly buzzing with bees and butterflies from spring to fall. It also makes an excellent long-lasting cut flower, and the more I cut, the more blooms I get. Grows to 2 feet tall and wide and likes full sun and well-draining soil. Perfect when added to pots or edging a perennial bed or cutting garden. Hardy in USDA Zones 4-9.

5. Germander sage, Salvia chamaedryoides

Above: Photograph by Seán A. O’Hara via Flickr.

[ad_2]

Source link

April 30, 2024
Taylor Johnston: An Interview with the Founder of Gamine and Issa.

[ad_1]

For most people, getting photographed by legendary New York Times lensman Bill Cunningham was a source of pride. For Taylor Johnston, though, Cunningham’s shot of her installing the famous nasturtium vines at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum decades ago, led to a reckoning. Embarrassed by the outfit she wore that day, she decided she would “make the kinds of work clothing Bill and I adored—simple, utilitarian, handsome elements of a uniform,” she says. Those designs for herself have since grown into cult workwear label Gamine. Taylor’s first love, though, remains gardening. “I’ve been working with plants and in gardens for over 20 years—public and private projects, from building meadows in remote places to installing gardens at big city art museums. For the last seven years I’ve been toiling with esteemed nurseryman, Ed Bowen in our collaborative nursery, issima. It’s just the two of us and we propagate everything in house,” she says. Both Gamine and issima are based in Tiverton, RI.

Below, the former philosophy major shares the plant that never fails to stop her in her tracks, the best garden to visit in all of New England, and the most artful DIY seedling dibber we’ve ever seen.

Photography courtesy of issima, unless otherwise noted.

Above: Taylor at issima wearing Gamine’s Deck Sweater. All Gamine pieces are made in the USA. Photograph by Hope Millham.

Your first garden memory:

When I was little, I was “helping” my father clear the land around the house he built; the land was at one time an old orchard in this storied part of Maryland where the Underground Railroad ran through town. I found an antique diamond ring in the muck and ran to show my mom, who took it to an antique dealer who said it was incredibly old and likely slipped off a finger…. The mystery (both the dark and light sides of the equation) and curiosity of that encounter lingers and is forever a part of my connection to gardens. (I still have the ring.)

Garden-related book you return to time and again:

The garden literature of interest these days tends to be related to specific taxa we’re playing with at the nursery—Maurice Foster’s recent manuscript, The Hydrangea: A Reappraisal, and John Massey and Tomoo Mabuchi’s unbelievable tour of Hepatica, My World of Hepaticas. I will admit to occasionally picking up Katherine S. White, especially for her ramblings on nursery catalogs. A somewhat necessary reminder that I’m not doing something completely insane with my life.

Plant that makes you swoon:

Above: Sanguisorba ‘Drama Queen’

Sanguisorba ‘Drama Queen’—a selection made by my partner, Ed Bowen, when he was operating as a one-man show under the nursery name, Opus. Sanguisorba ‘Drama Queen’ was selected from var. parviflora, but with clear tenuifolia influence in its taller stature and longer inflorescences. It has an incredibly sturdy, upright habit with many pendulous white bottlebrush flowers on 4- to 6-foot stems in early summer. It’s easy and floriferous in a range of conditions, but especially where it’s not too wet or too dry. The plant is incredibly beautiful and as luck would have it, stubbornly slow to propagate. Every year when it flowers, it stops me in my tracks. At various points of the day I find myself standing in front of the planting admiring its dynamic movement in the breeze and the number of winged insects that hover in its ether.

Plant that makes you want to run the other way:

For the past few years, most Dahlias. It’s not that I dislike Dahlias, I just feel bludgeoned by their incessant presence. We can’t live on a diet of twinkies alone…

Gardening or design trend that needs to go:

Dogmatic thinking.

Favorite gardening hack:

Above: Her partner Ed artfully upcycled a dinner fork into a seedling pricker.

It’s probably too crass to say pee-cycling, so let’s instead go with any number of propagation tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way, one of my favorites being the way Ed coils a fork’s prongs for pricking seedlings.

Favorite way to bring the outdoors in.

Above: Cut Sanguisorba cultivars in a vase. Photograph by Phillip Huynh.

Cut flowers. Nothing feels more luxurious than cutting a special bouquet from your own garden to bring indoors.

Every garden needs a…

Gardener. For without a gardener, a garden can’t exist. The impermanence of a garden is both vice and virtue.

Favorite hardscaping material:

Found and antique stone.

Tool you can’t live without:

Above: Taylor often uses her pencil to show scale in images of plants. Here, it’s placed on top of a Saxifraga ‘Master Blaster’, one of issima’s new offerings this year.

A pencil. A proper pencil is the best thing to write on plant tags if you need them to stay legible for many years. Every gardener I know has a little scribble sheet for notes/ideas–ink will bleed when it gets wet and unlike my notes app, a pencil doesn’t require a battery. Beyond the obvious uses, the tip of a pencil can push seeds that land in a pot too close together, and it’s the perfect scale in photos. In a pinch it can even hold my bun.

Favorite nursery, plant shop, or seed company:

The Sakonnet Plant Fair, which happens the first Saturday of May in Little Compton, RI. Just shy of 30 specialist nurseries gather on the town commons for an epic day of ornamental and culinary treasure.

Not-to-be-missed public garden/park/botanical garden:

Sakonnet Garden in Little Compton, Rhode Island—if you can only go to one garden in New England, this is the one.

Thanks so much, Taylor! You can follow her on Instagram @issima_ and @gamine_co.

See also:

(Visited 6 times, 1 visits today)

[ad_2]

Source link

April 14, 2024
Buckwheat: All About Growing Eriogonum, a Native California Plant
[ad_1]
Buckwheat, Eriogonum

If you’re trying to plant more responsibly and sustainably, and also want your garden to thrive with less fuss, consider adding some wild buckwheat to your beds. I was introduced to these useful shrubs and sub-shrubs when I brought home a few 4-inch pots of red buckwheat from Annie’s Annuals & Perennials. I planted one in my garden and the rest in my clients’ gardens, and have, along with the pollinators, continued to admire them.

Before we jump in, I need to clarify that the buckwheat I am writing about is not the gluten-free buckwheat that you might bake with (that’s the European cultivated Fagopyrum esculentum), nor is it the wild buckwheat, Fallopia convolvulus, that is commonly called black-bindweed. I’m talking about the California native buckwheat, Eriogonum, that supports over 250 different species and is hardy is USDA Zones 7-10. What draws me to these plants is that they not only have charming blossoms in a range of colors (yellow, creamy white, pink, or red), but they also provide important food sources for bees, birds, butterflies, and other pollinators from spring through fall.

Above: Red buckwheat (Eriogonum grande rubescens). Photograph by JKehoe_Photos via Flickr.

And whether in bloom and out of bloom, these plants can hold their own in a garden setting that receives a good amount of sun, receives minimal amounts of water, and has well draining soil. I like to pair these unthirsty shrubs with plants that have the same temperament—think sage, yarrow, ceanothus, and penstemon.

The key to planting buckwheat—and come to think of it, planting any plant—is to first understand the plant’s origins and then see if your garden replicates those conditions. So for example, red buckwheat is native to the Channel Islands in Southern California, so it appreciates exposed rocky conditions with lean soil. In the beginning of my buckwheat journey, I made the mistake of babying them (I’m a mother, after all) and added too much compost to the planting area. Quickly my little buckwheats suffered from pampering and died. What I quickly learned is that these plants like lean soil and actually thrive on some neglect.

Pro tip: If after several years your plants get too rangy looking, simply replace them with new small starts. The best time to plant/replant (as with most natives) is in the fall, when rainy days will help your plants develop a hardy root system.

Favorite Buckwheats

Above: ‘Ella Nelson’s Yellow’ Buckwheat is $13.95 at Annie’s Annuals & Perennials.

I purchased my first buckwheats at Annie’s Annuals & Perennials, which carries quite a few wild buckwheats, including these three favorites:
- ‘Red buckwheat’, Eriogonum grande rubescens. This magnificent low shrub (1′ x 3′) sports spoon-shaped leaves and bursts with dark pink/crimson red pompom blooms in June and continuing through October if deadheaded. This plant looks lovely massed along a path edge or border. Hardy to 15 degrees F.
- Giant buckwheat, Eriogonum giganteum. This grey-green evergreen shrub is commonly called St. Catherine’s Lace and is considered the grande dame of the species. Give this showy plant plenty of space to reach its full potential (4-8′ tall and almost as wide). Expect extra large sprays of creamy white flowers heads that resemble lacy doilies and that attract bees, butterflies, and other tiny beneficial insects. Added bonus: birds snack on the seeds plus use the large plants for shelter.
- ‘Ella Nelson’s Yellow’, Eriogonum nudum. Growing to 3′ high and 2′ wide, this plant explodes in the spring with the cutest yellow pompom flowers. Makes a unique cut flower.
Cheat Sheet

Above: The combination of white sage and buckwheat is on this list of 11 Favorite Native Plant Combinations.
- Great in dry, native, habitat, or cottage gardens. Also useful massed on hillsides as they are great for erosion control.
- Attracts bees and butterflies by the bunches and provides important late summer food for pollinators.
- Mostly deer-resistant but I have seen the flower tops munched off by desperate deer.
- Prune fresh or dried flowers to hang upside down for later use in flower arrangements.
Keep It Alive

Above: A 4-inch pot of Red Buckwheat is $12.95 at Annie’s Annuals & Perennials.
- Most prefer a sunny spot for full growth and less legginess.
- Once established they need very little water. Pro tip: overwatering will definitely push them over the edge.
- Fast draining soil is important, meaning sandy, rocky, or gravelly. Too much rich compost is disliked.
- A gravel mulch is preferred to avoid stem rot.
- After flowering, the blooms fade to attractive fall-hued colors.
- Prune to shape when they are young.
- Sow seeds in sand or potting mix and keep moist until germination. Next, let seedlings dry out between waterings and then transplant into larger pots before setting out in fall.
See also:

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)
[ad_2]

Source link
April 10, 2024
Favorite Native Plant Combinations: Experts Share the Best Plant Pairings

[ad_1]

“My current favorite combination is white-blooming pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), sideoats grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis), purple love grass, and burgundy ‘Red Midget’ upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera ‘Red Midget’). These are all functional and resilient native perennials. Tough as nails, drought tolerant, long bloom times, understated, textural, and gorgeous.”

4. Foxglove Beardtongue + Native Grasses

Above: Hummingbirds and bumblebees love foxglove beardtongue, planted here among native grasses. Bonus: They grow well in clay soils with poor drainage. Photograph courtesy of Grace Fuller.

Grace Fuller Marroquin, Founder and Creative Director of Grace Fuller Design, New York:

“I love to combine foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) and native grasses, like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis). They’re beautiful, romantic, and are great for pollinators. Plus, they’re drought-resistant and require minimum water to get them started.”

5. Coast Live Oak Tree + Island Alumroot

Above: The coast live oak tree is a keystone species in the Mediterranean region of California (ecoregion 11). It serves as a host plant for 275 caterpillars, including Propertius Duskywing, Mournful Duskywing, White M Hairstreak, and Northern Hairstreak butterflies. Photograph by Caitlin Atkinson, courtesy of Terremoto.

David Godshall, principal and co-founder of California-based Terremoto.

“We’ve slowly come to the realization that landscaping under coast live oak trees (Quercus agrifolia) is almost a different genre of garden-making. In their native habitats, very little grows in these dry, part sun, part-shade environments. Additionally, we have to be very sparing about adding irrigation to these trees, as they don’t like summer water! Luckily for us, Island Alumroot (Heuchera maxima) co-evolved to fill this very particular botanical niche, and we’ve had great success using them as drought tolerant, partial shade loving groundcover to make oak woodlands feel a bit more cultivated or purposeful. They push beautiful pink to white flowers in spring to boot.”

[ad_2]

Source link

April 4, 2024
Ask the Experts: Where Do the Pros Go to Source Native Plants? – Gardenista
[ad_1]
- Were these plants grown with any types of pesticides? This is crucially important, as no one wants to unwittingly poison the very insects you are looking to attract.
- Can you tell me a bit more about what wildlife interacts with this plant? Just because you saw a bee on it does not necessarily mean it’s good for all pollinators. About a quarter of our native bees in the Northeast are specialists, meaning they require the nectar and pollen of specific plants in order to survive. Wouldn’t you want to know what those plants are? The ability for native plants to support insect life is tremendous, orders of magnitude more than nonnative plants. Who eats all those insects? Hungry baby songbirds do, one of the best reasons to use native plants.
- Where was the plant sourced? Locally sourced plants are better adapted to the timing and emergence of flowers and insects. This exquisite choreography between plant and insect has evolved over countless generations and is tightly synced. Using locally sourced plants helps keep both sides in step together.
Should you buy seeds, plugs, or pots?

Seeds are the least expensive option, followed by plugs, and then larger pots. If you have the time and interest, go with seeds. “Seeding is best for those who are patient and enjoy getting into the ‘weeds’ of plant biology and the growing process. Preparation is key, growing is slow, and weeding is ongoing—especially in the first couple of years,” says Abby Lawless, principle of Farm Landscape Design. “Each species of plant has specific germination requirements. For example, some may require periods of cold, moisture, exposure to light, oscillating temperatures, and so on.” (Read: The Garden Decoder: What Is ‘Cold Stratification?’)

Her recommendation? “Work with native plugs, which are small, young plants that can range from 2- to 2.5-inch-wide and 2- to 5-inch-deep. Growing plugs requires far fewer resources than larger potted plants, and because they are being planted at such a young age, they adapt quickly to environmental conditions and grow to be strong, vigorous plants.”

What are some trusted nurseries for native plants?

Above: Producing yellow flowers in early spring, golden ragwort attracts small native bees. Jacob’s ladder is a pale blue bloomer that reaches a foot in height, is deer resistant, and is loved by native bumble bees. Both are sold at Prairie Moon. Photographs courtesy of Prairie Moon.
Jeff Lorenz, founder of Refugia Design: “For retail, I look for the American Beauties line, which is available at many retail nurseries. For mail order, there’s also Ernst Seed, Roundstone Native Seed Company, Pinelands Nursery & Supply, Prairie Moon Nursery, and the Wild Seed Project.” (Read: Refugia’s Quiet Revolution in Philadelphia’s Suburbs.)

Jeff Lynch, director of horticulture at Wethersfield Estate & Garden: “A very good and mail order retail plant nursery is Wood Thrush Native Plant Nursery. Based in Virginia, they grow rare and unusual varieties. My best wholesale sources for native plants are Kind Earth Growers, New Moon Nursery, and North Creek Nurseries. Even though most homeowners can’t buy from them, they’re great resources with an incredible wealth of information on native plants.”

Toshi Yano, director of Perfect Earth Project: “For gardeners around the Hudson Valley, these nurseries are worth the trip: Earth Tones Native Plant Nursery, Tiny Meadow Farm, and Barkaboom Native Plants.

See also:

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)
[ad_2]

Source link
March 27, 2024
Clement Nursery: San Francisco’s Oldest Garden Store

[ad_1]

Aside from its rich history, Clement Nursery is also known for its inventory of particularly resilient and tough plants. The nursery sits just a few blocks from Baker Beach, basically in the harshest of city environments. “We specialize in plant material best suited for the Richmond District—species not minding the coastal winds and extra frigid temperatures. Fortunately for us, if a plant can survive here, it will thrive anywhere in the Bay Area.”

Above: Clement Nursery at times feels like someone’s private garden. Here, the blurry line between the nursery and a neighboring cottage.

Focusing on sustainability, the nursery offers a selection of California native plants that have low-water needs once established. The nursery also carries drought-tolerant species from South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand—places that have a similar climate to California. “We use large soaking trays to water as much of the inventory as possible, so that there’s no water wasted in the process,” shares Phillip.

Above: Clement Nursery is a resource for native California grasses.

What plants are trending at the nursery? Not surprisingly, houseplants are popular. Roughly 30 percent of their space is dedicated to tropical houseplants, with a huge greenhouse for climate control. Top sellers: the families of Dracaena and Ficus, including Dracaena Massangeana, Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta, Ficus lyrata, and Ficus decora.

Above: The indoor spaces at the nursery are filled to the brim with popular houseplants. Photograph by Kier Holmes.

In landscape plants, hardy hellebores for winter color and colorful fuchsias sell well in the shade section of the store. In the fern section, staghorn ferns are always trending, plus all varieties of maidenhair ferns. In their full sun section, phormiums and cordylines are very popular due to brilliant colors and low-water needs. “A favorite Cordyline is a newer introduction: ‘Charlie Boy’, which sports leaves striped with red and pinks,” says Phillip. And both California native and non-native Salvias are constantly desired due to their ability to attract pollinators.

Above: The exterior of Clement Nursery. Photograph by Kier Holmes.

Their best sellers, though? “Our top selling plant, year over year, in sheer quantity, are succulents.”

See also:

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)

[ad_2]

Source link

March 14, 2024
Ceanothus: A Guide to Growing California Lilacs

[ad_1]

California Lilac, Ceanothus

Are you a devotee of multitasking plants—meaning, you choose plants based on whether they serve many purposes? If your answer is yes, then I have a plant for you: California lilac. Not only are ceanothus colorful, but they are extremely low-thirst, low-maintenance, and pollinator-friendly. And though they burst forth with amazingly fragrant spring blooms, California lilacs are not related to true lilacs (Syringa).

Please keep reading to learn more about the other lilac:

Above: California lilac spotted on A Leisurely Stroll Through the SF Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

California lilac is a large genus of diverse, helpful, flowering trees, shrubs, and ground covers. Many are native to North America—with more than half a dozen native to Oregon, and many others only to California, which explains its common name. Adding to this diversity, some species are evergreen and other deciduous. You can generally tell them apart visually because the evergreen varieties have smaller (sometimes toothed), darker, and leathery leaves while the deciduous ones have softer, larger leaves. The flowers on both are most often fragrant, quite showy, and pollinator-attracting. Flower color ranges from white to pink to purplish-blue and electric blue. This explosion of blooms usually happens March into May. The other difference among them are their habit and ultimate heights. Some grow into spectacular trees 18 to 20 feet tall, while others creep along the ground and make great ground covers for erosion control and weed suppression.

Above: A Ceanothus in bloom. Photograph by Andy2boyz via Flickr.

While most gardeners believe that ceanothus suffer from a moderately short lifespan of 10 years or so, this is not totally accurate. These plants can live long lives—as long as you don’t kill them with kindness. Pamper these plants and you accelerate their demise. The culprits? Overly rich soil and too much water, soil amendment, or fertilizer. An interesting note is that the reason you don’t want to overfeed these plants is that some members of the genus are able to form a symbiotic relationship with soil fungi and microbes, creating nitrogen-fixing root nodules, meaning they make their own food. Plus, bad fungal diseases can arise from too much water and improper drainage.

[ad_2]

Source link

March 7, 2024
How to Grow Microgreens with the Back to the Roots Organic Kit
[ad_1]
Above: On Day 4 the arugula was green and the radishes just germinating.

Next time, I’ll sow arugula and radish seeds separately.

The seeds of any vegetable or herb can be used for growing microgreens. Brassicas, in the so-called cruciferous family (named for their cross-shaped flowers), have the pleasing peppery flavor I like in these tidbits, and they have the most nutrition, bite for bite. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, kohlrabi, mustards, arugula, brussels sprouts—each qualify. Spices like fenugreek and coriander are fun and flavorful, provided the seeds are fresh.

Above: Wild garlic mustard microgreens on a forest floor.

There is another seed option, which adds earth-friendly, invasivore fun to outdoor excursions: wild microgreens. Invasive mustards like garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in the Eastern states and black mustard (Brassica nigra) on the West Coast are environmental scourges, producing thousands of seeds per plant at the end of their flowering season. Gather handfuls of their mature, skinny seed pods in early summer, shake them out, and germinate your own, back home. Other feral seeds that work well include lamb’s quarters and amaranths.

Above: A sprinkle of microgreens delivers outsize satisfaction.

Feta and Yogurt Dip with Microgreens

This creamy, satisfying dip is excellent with crisp, raw vegetables, but it is versatile (see below). Feta that is packaged in brine has a better consistency than the crumbled versions. I am partial to sheep’s milk, and other white cheeses in brine can also be used, if you are lucky enough to live near the Balkan or Middle Eastern markets that sell them. You are unlikely to need additional salt, but always taste, to check.
- 6 oz feta, broken up
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon tahini
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 small celery ribs from the heart, finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- A flurry of microgreens
- Urfa biber (optional)
- Black pepper (optional)
- Raw vegetables (optional)
In a food processor combine the feta cheese with the yogurt and the tahini. Pulse until the mixture is smooth, scraping the sides down a few times to dislodge any whole lumps of feta. Spoon the smooth dip onto a serving plate, leaving some depressions on the surface for the olive oil to pool. Scatter the chopped celery across. Drizzle the olive oil over the surface, add the microgreens, and top with your raw vegetables before finishing with the urfa biber and black pepper, if using.

The dip, finished with the necessary bite of spicy microgreens, can also be:
- slathered onto toast and briefly broiled.
- tossed with warm, just-cooked vegetables, like carrots.
- spooned into a pillowy bed for beans or chickpeas.
- whisked into a thick dressing for chunky romaine or iceberg lettuce.
- piled up as a foundation for warm, poached eggs.
- mixed into egg salad in lieu of less-healthy mayonnaise.
See also:

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)
[ad_2]

Source link
February 26, 2024