GardenDesignOnline

Happenings April 2023

SELECTED EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY:

ORCHID SHOWS:

Thru April 9, Orchid Daze, Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Thru April 23, Orchid Show: Natural Heritage, Bronx, NY
NY Botanical Garden
Thru April 30, Discover the World of Orchids, Washington DC
US Botanic Garden

EVENTS:

April 1, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tour: Essex County, NJ

April 2, "Experiencing Olmsted," Bloomfield Hills, MI
4-5:30pm Lecture, TCLF CEO Charles Birnbaum, Cranbrook Center
April 6, "Curating a New Nature," ONLINE
2pm Eastern, Lecture, Emilio Ambasz, The Garden Conservancy

April 12, "The Language of Flowers: Pollination," Cambridge, MA
7-8:30pm, Lecture, Cambridge Public Library, GROW Native Massachusetts
April 13, "Piet Oudolf at Work," ONLINE
2pm, Pop-Up Webinar, The Garden Conservancy
April 15, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tour, Spartanburg Cty, SC
April 15-22, 90th Historic Garden Week, Virginia (various locations)

April 17, "Plants for the Future," San Marino, CA
7-8:30pm, Lecture, The Huntington
April 22, Earth Day, Bronx, NY
11am-noon, Lecture, "Re-Orcharding New York," NY Botanical Garden

April 23, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours, Pasadena, CA
April 27-30. Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium. Williamsburg, VA
"Digging the Garden," 76th Annual Symposium.
April 29, Design for the Conifer Garden, New Hope, PA
10am-noon, Lecture & Tour, The Garden Conservancy
April 29, Garden Dialogues, Montecito, CA
10-11:30am, Glen Oaks residence & garden, TCLF.
April 29, Garden Dialogues, Santa Barbara, CA
3-5pm, Thomas Church Landscape, TCLF

April 29-30, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CA, CT, NJ, NY, PA
CA: Pasadena, San Mateo Cty; CT: Fairfield, Windham Cty; NJ:Somerset Cty: NY: Westchester Cty; PA: Bucks Cty; SC: Spartanburg Cty.
April 30, Garden Dialogues, Kentfield, CA
10-11:30am, John Marsh Davis residence, TCLF
April 30, Garden Dialogues, Pasadena, CA
2-4pm, The Hill, TCLF

LOOKAHEAD:

May 2-Oct 15, Chihuly in the Garden, St. Louis, MO
Exhibition, Missouri Botanical Garden
May 23-27, Chelsea Flower Show, London, UK

July 12-15, National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, Knoxville, TN

August 11-12, Speaking of Gardening Symposium, Asheville, NC

Sept 9, Garden Study Weekend, Washington, CT
Sept 20-21, Landscape Expo, Anaheim, CA

Oct 27-30, ASLA Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN

Philadelphia Flower Show 2023

 

Click to enlarge

Don’t miss this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show with a theme of “The Garden Electric.” It’s back in it’s normal location at the PA Convention Center, and it is one of the best I’ve seen.

 The entrance begins with just a hint of what lies ahead…an electrifying array of colors and textures from top to bottom.

The show’s creative director Seth Pearsoll told reporters the Entrance Garden is called Florastruck, representing the human urge to communicate through flowers. “It’s an extraordinary moment,” he said, “when you are overcome with joy or awe in seeing this unexpected view.”

One of my favorite gardens was designed by TREELiNE DESiGNZ of Portland, Oregon in honor of Ukrainian children confronted by war.  It’s designed as a beautiful flowering forest where children can live happily ever after.

And you’ll want to check out Newfields, where designer Jonathan Wright has installed an artfful exploration of flora and fauna filled with vibrant colors and textures. 

And not to mention the accompanying floral murals by artist Kyng Rhodes. 

There is much, much more to the show, so do go to also see the wondrous displays of garden rooms, windowsills, container gardens, and the very best plants in many different categories.

Happenings March 2023

SELECTED EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY:

ORCHID SHOWS:

Jan 28-March 12, Orchids Forever, Cleveland, OH
Annual Orchid Show, Cleveland Botanical Garden
Feb 11-March 26, Orchid Show: Magnified, Glencoe, IL
Chicago Botanic Garden
Feb 17-April 30, Discover the World of Orchids, Washington DC
US Botanic Garden
Feb 18-April 9, Orchid Daze, Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Feb 18-April 23, Orchid Show: Natural Heritage, Bronx, NY
NY Botanical Garden

EVENTS:

March 1, "The Well-Gardened Mind," West Palm Beach, FL
2-3pm, Lecture, Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith, Norton Museum of Art.
sponsor: The Garden Conservancy
REPEATS:
March 3, Lincoln, MA, 6-7pm, deCordova Sculpture Park
March 7, Bronx, NY, 4-5pm, NY Botanical Garden
March 10, Woodside, CA, 11am-noon, Filoli
March 13, Los Angeles, CA, 4-5pm, The Ebell of LA

March 2-5, Nashville Lawn & Garden Show, Nashville, TN
The Fairgrounds Expo Center, "Sounds of Spring,"
March 3-5, Vermont Flower Show, Essex Junction, VT
Champlain Valley Expo: Exhibits, Seminars, Lectures & More
March 4-12, Philadelphia Flower Show, Philadelphia, PA
PA Convention Center, "The Garden Electric"
March 4, ARK Gardens, ONLINE
1-2:30pm Eastern, Designer Mary Reynolds
sponsor: GROW Native Massachusetts

March 7, 37th Davidson Horticultural Symposium, Davidson, NC
9am-4:30pm, "Exploration of Styles & Purposes," Davidson College
March 10-12, 75th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, Santa Barbara, CA
Earl Warren Showgrounds

March 16, "Dry Matters," Philadelphia, PA
6pm, Lecture, LA Danika Cooper, Penn Weitzman School of Design
March 18, Japanese Flowering Cherries in America, Washington DC
1pm-4:30pm, Seminar, US National Arboretum

March 20-April 16 National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC
March 21, Contemporary Gardens of the Hamptons, Bronx, NY
1pm-2pm, Lecture, LA Christopher LaGuardia, NY Botanical Garden
March 23, "Before Central Park," Philadelphia, PA
6:30pm, Lecture, Historian Sara Cedar Miller, Penn Weitzman School of Design
March 25, Lahr Native Plant Symposium, Washington DC
9:30am-3:45pm, 36th Annual Symposium, US National Arboretum

March 28, The Gardener's Palette, Bronx, NY
11am-noon, Lecture, British designer Jo Thompson, NY Botanical Garden
March 30, The Spirit of Place, Bronx, NY
11am-noon, Lecture, Harris Bugg Studio of Britain, NY Botanical Garden
March 30-April 2, Rhode Island Home & Flower Show, Providence, RI
Rhode Island Convention Center: "Galleria: Living Artfully,"

LOOKAHEAD:

April 15-22, 90th Historic Garden Week, Virginia (various locations)
April 27-30. Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium. Williamsburg, VA
"Digging the Garden," 76th Annual Symposium.

May 23-27, Chelsea Flower Show, London, UK

Sept 9, Garden Study Weekend, Washington, CT

Perennial Plant of the Year 2023

Photo: Richard Hawke, Chicago Botanic Garden

The Perennial Plant Association has named Rudbeckia 'American Gold Rush' as it's 2023 plant of the year.  According to the PPA, it's a reliable substitute for the popular 'Goldsturm', which is susceptible to leaf spotting.

'American Gold Rush' has bright gold flowers with arching rays and a reddish halo around the dark chocolate-colored cones.  It's rather compact, just 22-27 inches tall and spreading to 40 inches wide if given enough planting room.  The green leaves take on a silvery cast on sunny days due to the hairs that cover the foliage.  It's also resistant to Septoria leaf spot, which causes decline on some black-eyed Susans. 

This cultivar is terrific for massing, a great choice for perennial borders or meadows.  It also attracts butterflies and when the flowers are gone, seed heads provide plentiful food for birds.

NYBG Orchid Show 2023

photos: NYBG - click to enlarge

The Orchid Show: Natural Heritage
February 18-April 23
NY Botanical Garden

The orchid shows returns this year for its 20th showing, designed by award-winning landscape artist Lily Kwong.  The design for the show is inspired by classic Chinese paintings of mountainscapes that explore the healing power of nature.

Kwong said she thought about her ancestral roots dating back generations to Shanghai and wanted to "celebrate an Asian-centered perspective in the midst of this charged and precarious moment." She added, "At a time when we are all starved for connection, the prayer of this installation is to offer a sense of community, reciprocity, and grounding into ancient wisdom and traditions that have guided us for millennia.  In traditional Chinese culture, flowers are the carriers of rich cultural information and have been revered by scholars for representing integrity, peace, and refinement."

Check out the NYBG website for more info on "Orchid Nights," orchid classes, as well as plants, books, and other orchid-related items in the NYBG Shop.

Philly Flower Show 2023 Preview

images courtesy PHS

Philadelphia Flower Show March 4-12, Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia Convention Center

This year's theme, "The Garden Electric," conveys the exhilarating feeling one gets when encountering vibrant floral displays and dazzling colors in lush and thrilling garden displays and landscapes. 

The entrance garden, shown above, includes a transparent mesh scrim that offers just a hint of what lies ahead.  For the first time, the show guides visitors along a winding promenade through gardens and floral displays.  Several garden designers, also for the first time, will exhibit gardens ranging from 2200-2900 square feet, the largest in show history.

Creative Director Seth Pearsoll says garden designs "are intentionally being made to mimic the feel of being outdoors in nature" with gardens that surround guests.   He added that every designer is creating "a unique, spectacular interpretation of the 'Garden Electric' theme, filled with bold color and interesting design elements that will really captivate our guests, while the promenade-style path ensures that all visitors can closely enjoy these stunning works of art."

Among the designers:

Designer Jonathan Wright of The Garden and Fairbanks Park at Newfields in Indianapolis (formerly at Chanticleer Garden) is offering his first showing at Philadelphia.  Known for his elegant, contemporary approach, he's creating a 360-degree mixed media garden with projections, music, and florals that remind one of an art show. 

Treeline Designz is paying tribute to children in Ukraine who have been exposed to war, according to his belief that landscape design makes the world a more resilient place. He's designed a home for the Peace Fairy, who watches over and protects children, using locally-grown trees and plants.

The show will also include A Kids Cocoon, a play area for kids to explore and learn; Design & Dine, where visitors can create an electric floral display while taking in a light meal; Bloom Bar: guests can purchase pre-assembled floral crowns, wearable pieces of floral art. 

Also, Butterflies LIve!, Early Morning Tours, Guided Photo Tours, Fido Friday (bring your dogs), and Flowers after Hours, an after-hours dance party.

And ... can't wait to get back to the show's original location at the original time of year.

Happenings February 2023

SELECTED EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY:

ORCHID SHOWS:

Jan 28-March 12, Orchids Forever, Cleveland, OH
Annual Orchid Show, Cleveland Botanical Garden
Jan 28-Feb 26, Orchid Show, St. Louis, MO
Missouri Botanic Garden
Feb 11-March 26, Orchid Show: Magnified, Glencoe, IL
Chicago Botanic Garden
Feb 17-April 30, Discover the World of Orchids, Washington DC
US Botanic Garden
Feb 18-April 9, Orchid Daze, Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Feb 18-April 23, Orchid Show: Natural Heritage, Bronx, NY
NY Botanical Garden

EVENTS:

Feb 3, Today's Horticulture Symposium, Kennett Square, PA
8am-4:15pm Eastern, Longwood Gardens
Feb 3-5, Nashville Antiques & Garden Show, Nashville, TN
Music City Center, "Home is the Tapestry of Your LIfe"
Feb 3-12, Great Big Home & Garden Show, Cleveland, OH
Cleveland I-X Center

Feb 9, "The Crevice Garden," ONLINE
2-3pm Eastern, Lecture, The Garden Conservancy

Feb 15-19 Northwest Flower & Garden Show, Seattle, WA
"Spring Vibes Only," Seattle Convention Center
Feb 16, 23rd Land Ethics Symposium, New Hope, PA or ONLINE
8am-1pm, "Creative Approaches for Ecological Landscaping,"
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve 215-862-2924
Feb 17-20, Great Backyard Bird Count
Help Cornell & Audubon keep track of our birds!

Feb 21, "The Art of Chanticleer," Bronx, NY
1-2pm, Lecture, Chanticleer's Dan Benarcik, NY Botanical Garden
Feb 22-23, Ecological Landscape Alliance Winter Conference, ONLINE
Feb 23, "An Ode to the Land," Bronx, NY
11am-noon, Lecture, Estudio Ome  LA, NY Botanical Garden
Feb 23-36, Connecticut Flower & Garden Show, Hartford, CT
Hartford Convention Center
Feb 23, "Beauty of the Wild," ONLINE
2-3pm Eastern, Lecture, The Garden Conservancy
Feb 24-26, New Jersey Home & Garden Show, Edison, NJ
NJ Convention Center

 LOOKAHEAD:

March 4-12, Philadelphia Flower Show, Philadelphia, PA
PA Convention Center, "The Garden Electric"
March 20-April 16 National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC

April 27-30. Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium. Williamsburg, VA
"Digging the Garden," 76th Annual Symposium.

May 23-27, Chelsea Flower Show, London, UK

New Plants 2023

From the US National Arboretum:

image: USNA

Tsuga 'Crossroad'
(Tsuga (caroliniana x chinensis) 'Crossroad')

This is second adelgid-resistant hemlock released by the US National Arboretum to the nursery trade, but with limited availability. 'Crossroad' was specifically bred for resistance to hemlock wooly adelgid, which has devastated stands of native hemlocks since its accidental introduction into the United States. 

The tree has an upright, symmetric pyramidal habit and a modest rate of growth, reaching about 36 feet tall and 18 feet wide after 15 years of field growth.  It has just a few large green cones that appear in late summer and open to light brown around October. 

Use as a specimen tree or for informal screening. 

The previous adelgid resistant hemlock, 'Traveler', was released by USNA in 2020.  It has slightly weeping branches, reaching 30 feet tall by 18 feet wide, and abundant large cones.

New from Spring Meadow Nursery

images: Spring Meadow; click to enlarge

Tuff Stuff Top Fun™ Mountain Hydrangea
(Hydrangea serrata 'SMNHSG')

If you like hydrangeas, this is one of the ones you definitely want to plant in your yard.  Mountain hydrangeas have evergreen leaves that turn burgundy in autumn, along with re-blooming lace cap flowers from summer into fall.  This one has pink to purple blooms and a tidy habit of two to 3.5 feet tall and two to three feet wide.  It takes full to part sun, zones 4-9, attracts pollinators, and is heat and salt tolerant as well.  What's not to like?

 

Cedar Rapids™ False Cypress
(Chamaecyparis pisifera 'RutCham1')

This particular false cypress is fast-growing and tall, 30 feet high and 12-15 feet wide.  Its feathery foliage is a lime-green color, and it has a dense, pyramidal habit.  Great as a specimen or if you plant a few of them, a privacy screen.  Evergreen.  Zones 4-8, deer resistant.

 

Berry Box™ Pyracomeles
(Pyracomeles 'NCXP2')

No, this is not a pyracantha, and I have to admit, it's a plant that I don't know.  But, it is pyracantha-like, with the addition of little white, showy flowers in spring and vibrant orange-red berries in fall.

It can be used as a front border plant, in a container, or massed for quite a show.  It's a heat and drought-tolerant evergreen that's easy to grow.  It's 2.5 to 3.5 feet high, two to three feet wide, takes full to part sun, and is hardy in zones 7(6b) -9.

 

New Roses 2023

These from Star Roses & Plants:

images: Star - click to enlarge

Buttercream Drift®
Rosa 'Meidevi'

Another in the Drift series of groundcover roses, and what's not to like about the very light yellow color.  The petals are small and cup-like, the leaves are dark green, and it's just 1.5 feet high by around two feet wide. It takes full sun, zones 4-11.  It has excellent disease resistance, attracts pollinators, and is great at the front of the border, on hillsides, or in open areas that need more plants! Bred by Meilland®

Top Cream™
Rosa 'Meiroguste'

This hybrid tea has large, old-fashioned blooms that are white, and sometimes with a little pink thrown in.  It has a strong fruity fragrance, which makes it perfect for cutting and bringing inside. It's upright and bushy, six feet high and two-three wide, with dark green foliage that contrasts beautifully with the flowers.  It takes full sun, zones (5) 6-10.  Bred by Meilland.

Raspberry Cupcake™
Rosa KORcarmsis'

Another hybrid tea with excellent disease resistance, this one has medium to light pink petals and medium green leaves, with a very strong lemon-raspberry aroma.  It re-blooms throughout the season and has a busy habit that's about four feet high and two-three wide.  It takes full sun, zones (5) 6-10, bred by Kordes®

Sunblaze® Lemon
Rosa 'Meilpiquet'

This miniature blooms from spring until fall, it's easy to maintain, and is perfect for containers.  The blooms are a creamy yellow, foliage is dark green, and it has just a very slight scent.  It gets 18 inches high and wide, with a rounded, bushy form.  It takes full sun, zones 5-11, and it also attracts pollinators. If you're not in the mood for yellow, you can try Sunblaze Peach.

Urban Tree of the Year 2023

images: courtesy Runa Leo@treesofbarcelona on Instagram

The Society of Municipal Arborists has selected Blue Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) as the 2023 Urban Tree of the Year. You may not be able to grow this tree if you live in a cold northern region, but although it needs a warm climate (USDA zones 10-11), mature trees can withstand a brief, mild freeze. So you might want to try it if you live in an area that only gets an occasional light frost.

The tree is native to southern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina, but it's also of note in almost every subtropical climate, including parts of Australia, South Africa, India, Myanmar, Spain, Chile and the United States.

click on images to enlarge

It's grown, of course, for its lovely violet-blue flowers in spring, which completely cover the tree following a brief deciduous period. The large, medium-green leaves are bipinnately compound and resemble those of mimosa. The jacaranda has an open, upright form and grows best in full sun, although it can take part shade.

Felipe Alberto Fuentes Ramirez, an urban planner in Chile, says the tree's "large, fragrant, violet-blue flowers make it one of the favorite species to planjt along the streets and avenues of Santiago.  That said, it should be noted that jacaranda's canopy provides a modest amount of shade."

Jacaranda is moderately fast growing and usually reaches around 35 feet high and wide, although with the right conditions it can grow much higher.

Certainly something to contemplate if you're in the right region and are looking for a tree that's a little different.