GardenDesignOnline

Dying Beech Trees

image: Mary Pitts/Holden Forests and Gardens

It was first noticed in Ohio in 2012, but a disease that's ravaging beech trees -- both American and European cultivars -- is now spreading in the Midwest, throughout New England, and also into some of the mid-Atlantic states. Called Beech Leaf Disease, it's caused by a foliar nematode. a microscopic worm.  In spring, affected trees sport leaves with noticable dark bands and buds that fall off.  The leaves eventually wither and die, and the trees themselves succumb within several years. 

Scientists have not yet found an effective treatment to combat the disease, and it is spreading rapidly, attacking both saplings and mature trees. If you notice beech trees in your neighborhood that appear to be struggling, report it immediately to your state's forest service.

Memorial Day Rose

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

And what better way to celebrate than with a Memorial Day  Rose? This orchid pink hybrid tea was an All-America Rose Selections  winner in 2004. One bloom is said to be enough to fill an entire room with its strong damask scent.  It's a medium-tall, upright shrub, about five feet tall and four feet wide. Long stems, low thorns, and clear green leaves make it a good candidate for the cutting garden.  The blooms are about five inches in diameter, with a petal count of 50-plus.

In addition, it's said to have very good disease resistance and it's also quite heat-tolerant.

This rose was developed by Tom Carruth, then of Weeks Roses of Upland, CA. Memorial Day is a cross between Blueberry Hill and New Zealand, and it was Carruth's fifth AARS winner.

You should be able to buy the rose at most garden centers or from mail-order sources.  If not, you can check Weeks website by clicking on the link above to find a nursery that carries it. 

(photo: Gene Sasse (c) 2007 courtesy Weeks Roses)

 

Happenings May 2023 Update

EVENTS:

May 15, "Connecticut Gardens," Garden Conservancy Webinar, ONLINE
2pm Eastern, Author Caryn Davis profiles 44 Gardens.

May 20, Garden Dialogues, TCLF, Washington DC
10-11:30am, Tour & Talk, LA Jay Graham of Moody Graham

Books: Small Meadows, Arid Garden Design

This is the perfect book for getting rid of that unsustainable lawn and replacing it with beautiful, year-round plants in a tiny meadow inspired by nature.  In Tiny+Wild, (Cool Springs Press, 2023), author and designer Graham Laird Gardner.  As he explains in the introduction to the book, large, natural spaces characterized by "texture, energy, and seasonality" can be transposed into a "container, corner, or entire lot."  He adds, "The sum of these small efforts is greater than their individual moments of beauty.  Together, they offer a patchwork of habitat, forage, and cover--pathways for pollinators, food for songbirds, and delight for humans."

Gardner takes you through the process of creating, designing, planting, and caring for your small meadow in the following chapters, accompanied by gorgeous photos of gardens and plants. At the back of the book, there are a number of very useful lists of meadow-appropriate plants for all conditions (ie, bulbs, part-shade plants, dry sun plants, annuals, grasses, groundcovers and more).

Another plus is a list of gardens, books, and designers where you can find more info, but particularly more inspiration. If you didn't think you could ever have a meadow, this is the book you want.

 

If you live in a dry climate region, you need water-wise plants and planting design.  In Dry Climate Gardening, (Cool Springs Press, 2023), author and horticulturist Noelle Johnson (known as the "AZ Plant Lady") shows you how to design, install, and maintain a garden with minimal water.

As she explains in the introduction, dry climate gardens can be much more than rocks and cacti. "You can have a garden filled with flowering shrubs and groundcovers or one filled with unique shapes of cacti and succulents, or a combination of both....a beautiful outdoor space that will shrug off the stress of low humidity, drought, and intense heat."

In the following chapters, she explains how choosing the right plants can prevent water loss, how to design for impact, how to reduce fire risk, and much more.  Plant profiles accompanied by photos illustrate the possibilities for beauty, and gorgeous photos of gardens throughout the book are truly inspirational. Resources at the back of the book include additional books and online resources on the subject and a list of arid climate botanical gardens where you can see the results yourself.

Commissions earned.

 

 

 

Happenings May 2023

SELECTED EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY:

Exhibitions:

May 2-Oct 15, Chihuly in the Garden, St. Louis, MO
Missouri Botanical Garden

May 27-Sept 17, Artist Ebony G. Patterson, Bronx, NY
Art & Nature: sculptures, horticultural displays & more, NY Botanical Garden

EVENTS:

May 3, Garden Edibles, Greenwich, CT
10am-1pm, Garden Tour of Sleepy Cat Farm & Demo,
The Garden Conservancy
May 4, Film "Master Gardener" Sneak Preview, Bronx, NY
6-9pm, film screening starring Sigourney Weaver, NY Botanical Garden
May 6, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CA, MA, NJ
CA: Los Angeles; MA: Middlesex Cty; NJ: Essex Cty
May 6, "Restoring an Overgrown Garden," East Orange, NJ
10am-noon or 2pm-4pm, The Garden Conservancy
May 6-7 Mary Lou Heard Memorial Garden Tour, CA
10am-5pm, Self-guided, various locations. 40+ gardens
May 6-7 Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, CA
10am-5pm, 50 + gardens, Self-guided, Alameda & Contra Costa counties.

May 7, "Rewilding a Ranch & Garden," Somis, CA
10am-2pm, Rancho Santa Clara del Norte, Garden Conservancy
May 12, National Public Gardens Day, USA
Special events at public gardens throughout the country.
May 13, Georgetown Garden Tour, Washington DC
10am-5pm, 93rd annual tour, fabulous urban gardens
May 13, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CA, NJ, NY
CA: Alameda Cty; NJ:Bergen Cty; NY: Suffolk, Dutchess Ctys
May 13, Garden Evolution, Wainscott, NY
10am-noon, Biercuk-Luckey Garden, Garden Conservancy
May 13, Julie Newmar Garden, Los Angeles, CA
11am-1pm, Tour & Talk, Garden Conservancy
May 13, Drought Solutions, Albany, CA
2pm-4pm, Tour & Talk, author Keeyla Meadows, Garden Conservancy

May 17, Lecture, Designer Edwina Gal, Boylston, MA
7-8pm, Tower Hill Botanic Garden
"Biodiversity & the Perception of Beauty."
May 18, HIdden Gardens of Beacon Hill Garden Tour, Boston, MA
9am-5pm, 11 gardens plus ribbon gardens viewed from the sidewalk
May 20, Garden Dialogues, Washington DC
10-11:30am, Talk & Tour, TCLF
May 20, All About Containers Saturday, Bronx, NY
10am-5pm, Three Sections, NY Botanical Garden
May 20-21, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: CA, CT, ME, MA, NH, NY
CA: San Francisco, San Mateo; CT: New Haven, Windham Ctys; ; ME: York Cty; MA: MIddlesex, Worcester Ctys; NH: Cheshire Cty; NY: Westchester Cty;
May 20, Creative Garden Repurposing, San Francisco, CA
1pm-3pm, Tour & Talk, Garden Conservancy
May 20, Manitoga: The Power of Place, Garrison, NY
10am-noon & 4pm-6pm, Tour & Talk,
Home of Designer Russell Wright, Garden Conservancy

May 23-27, Chelsea Flower Show, London, UK
May 27, Garden Conservancy Open Days Tours: NY, SC
NY: Suffolk Cty; SC: Charleston
May 27, Three Dimensional Design, Hudson, NY
3pm-5pm, Tour & Talk, Garden Conservancy

LOOKAHEAD:

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

Easter Rose -- Happy Easter

Easter Basket Rose
(Rosa 'Meipoten')

A lovely rose for Easter ... Easter Basket from Star Roses.  This floribunda was hybridized by Meilland in 2007, and it's a continuous bloomer. The semi-double ruffled flowers are yellow, edged with pink, giving them a very old fashioned look, but they only have a slight fragrance.   The foliage is medium green, and blooms are on a medium height, bushy shrub. 

A nice spring plant that would make a lovely low hedge or it could be used as an accent plant in the border.  Nice color, as well, for Easter.

 

DC Spring

I went a couple of weeks ago to the US National Arboretum in DC ... the magnolia collection was almost in full bloom ... stars, saucers, many hybrids. It's one of the arboretum's "can't miss" collections in springtime.

Magnolia 'Galaxy'

This tree was bred and introduced by the arboretum in 1980, so it's been around for awhile, but definitely worth consideration. It has an upright habit, usually flowers late enough to avoid frost damage, 30-40 feet tall, 22-25 feet wide. Zones 5-9.

Magnolia 'Ivory Chalice'

This magnolia was hybridized by the late David G. Leach of Madison, Ohio. Gorgeous 6-inch blooms of an off-white hue.  Height around 30-40 feet, hardy to zone 4.  A great tree planted as a garden specimen.

And ...it was just a short drive over to the spring-blooming camellias.

Camellia japonica 'Hagoromo'

This is said to be a compact grower, but the one we saw was at least 10' high and simply covered with glorious pale pink flowers. Zone 7-9, usually 6-8 feet high and 4-5 feet wide.  A perfect choice for smaller gardens.

 

Flower Cascades

Gardner Museum, photo Siena Scarff

If you've never been to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, April is the time to go, as you'll be able to enjoy one of the great flower displays in the country: the annual show of hanging nasturtiums.

The nasturtium show only lasts for about three weeks, but if you don't catch it this year, it's an annual tradition that starts each year around Easter time.

photo Siena Scarff

According to the museum's blog, Isabella started growing the flowers at her home in Brookline by 1913 and placed them on the courtyard balconies in honor of her birthday.  She sold the property in 1919, but museum trustees bought new hothouses in 1926 and revived the tradition, which has goes on today.

photo: Gardner museum

The vines are started from seed every June, planted in late summer, and trained in greenhouses throughout the winter.  The nasturtiums require continuous care to ensure they reach their dramatic length of approximately 20 feet in time for their museum debut. 

 

 

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.