About
Search for content
I can never get enough of Mt. Cuba in the springtime. My recent visit coincided with the flowering of mountain laurels, lady slippers, fairy wands, pitcher plants, and Stewartias. But, there is so much beyond blooms that inspires at Mt. Cuba. Perhaps it’s the timing of my visits, but I often think of the garden more in terms of foliage than flowers. Or, perhaps it’s because I’m so drawn to the plants along the Woods Path, instead of the showier formal gardens. I love the blue-green leaves of Fothergillas, the foliage of Pachysandra procumbens, the smooth and shiny leaves of Maianthemums. The silvery heart-shaped leaves of Viola walteri ’Silver Gem’ (a Mt. Cuba introduction) consistently makes me swoon.
Jenkins Arboretum
The interns and I took a field trip over to Jenkins Arboretum a couple weeks ago to see their late spring display.
The Rhododendron collection is the reason most people come to Jenkins in the spring. I couldn’t believe how many varieties we saw - apparently over 5,000 rhododendrons, azaleas, and hybrids from around the world!
Other plants of interest included a great old specimen of Buttonbush down by the pond - covered in moss and contorted like some lurking swamp creature. Jenkins has beautiful stands of native plants - huge swaths of wild ginger, tiarella, golden ragwort (Packera aurea), mayapple, maidenhair fern, cedaline poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), and native pachysandra. Plus, they’re all meticulously labeled, so it’s a great learning library of plants.
Tree Peonies!
I was in peony heaven this afternoon during a tour the Scott Arboretum gave of their tree peony collection. Director of Grounds Jeff Jabco gave a thorough survey of the peonies currently flowering on campus - predominantly tree peonies in addition to some intersectional (Itoh) and herbaceous types. The Itoh peonies were robust with gorgeous green foliage, and some of the standouts were ‘Scarlet Heaven’ and ’Black Panther.’
My favorites of the tree peonies included ‘Nike,’ a Saunders hybrid with yellow crepe-paper petals with magenta flares and many bright yellow stamens. The Japanese tree peony ‘Rimbo’ held magenta-purple double flowers above its foliage. ‘Chinese Dragon’ had wonderful cut-leaf foliage; ‘Vesuvian’ was a deep, dark double burgundy; and the species Paeonia rockii was a bright white with deep magenta flares.
The collection was stunning - over 80 varieties of tree peonies! The recent cool, wet weather had prolonged their flowering, while many others were just in bud. It’s well worth more visits to view the next wave of blooms.
My favorite daffodil at the moment: Narcissus ‘Actaea.’
There’s a big sweep of them along the orchard hill. The petals are a clean, near translucent white, like freshly starched shirts that almost shines against the dark foliage. And after the awe of a daytime bloom so similar to moonlight, you notice the delicate orangey-red rim along a deep yellow corona.
First April color at Chanticleer
Spring at Winterthur
In the season of cherry blossom festivals, I want to celebrate a few very handsome old cherries and other spring flowering trees at Winterthur in Delaware. There’s a scene that’s so magnificent that it needs revisiting every year. I toured the former du Pont estate for the first time last April on a rainy day, and I was breathless after coming upon a pair of Sargent cherries. It could have just been the hill leading up the them, but I had to slow myself to catch my breath. The rain had stained the thick, stout trunks dark, and they looked menacing against the clusters of white petals with soft pink centers. Such a stunning scene - the weighty masses and the delicacy hovering above them.
And thus when spring came early this year, I felt the pull to see those trees again. Three weeks earlier, but a similar day - cold, wet, and overcast - and the cherries were in full bloom and had begun to carpet the road below them. It was breathtaking all over again.
But, it wasn’t only the cherries that drew me to Winterthur. I was looking forward to the magnolias, winterhazels, Korean rhododendrons, and flowering quince in all their spring exuberance.
I’m returning to work at Chanticleer Gardens for a second season, so stay posted for my obsessive documentation of the garden during the changing seasons!
*Photo source: http://www.chanticleergarden.org/garden_guide.html
What it would look like if you actually got to watch your garden grow (in 2.5 minutes).
Have you seen all the bees hovering around the ground these days? Ever since the temperature rose above 60 last week, I’ve seen yards swarming with bees. “Well, should I get out the poison?” one homeowner asked me recently.
No no no no no!……These are solitary ground nesting bees! Known more scientifically as Andrenid bees, they come out when the weather warms up in the spring, and only live for about a month. Being solitary bees, they don’t attack like swarms of wasps do, and they rarely sting.
Andrenid bees build their nests underground, and you’ll notice where by seeing small holes surrounded by mini volcanos of soil (see photo above). They like to nest in sunny, dry sites without much vegetation, and where the ground is bare, like well worn paths or playing fields. I noticed them today in a client’s raised garden bed, where there was a large patch of exposed soil amidst their herbs.
These bees are busy pollinating your plants, so think twice before killing them (but please don’t kill them).
Read more here: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/efans/ygnews/2011/06/solitary-bees-with-a-twist.html
The Philly Flower Show
In its 184th year, the Philadelphia International Flower Show is the oldest and largest indoor flower show in the country. It spans 10 acres within the Philadelphia Convention Center with displays bursting in bloom. This year’s theme was Hawaii, and it being my first time at the show, I was floored. There were volcanoes, waterfalls, lettuce walls (see above if you don’t believe me), every bulb in bloom, vintage Subarus (a major show sponsor), surfboards, and complete tropical madness.
I was mostly overwhelmed by it all (convention centers and shopping malls are not such relaxing environments for me), but was able to focus on a few things, which is hard in a space whose main focus is visual overstimulation.
The PHS exhibit was the real highlight. It showcased edible gardening in a Terrain-meets-community garden setting. Rustic architectural elements and traditional raised beds paired with annuals and vegetables with bold colors and textures. A wall of lettuce drew astonished gasps and much intrigue. A rustic dining table bloomed down it’s seam with annuals and herbs. Cherry tomatoes hung like grapes from an arbor of repurposed materials. And, of course all the vegetables were in full fruit and ready to eat - the broccoli, tomatoes, kale, fennel, mustard. It really was stunning.
So, even though I only lasted 2 hours inside the show, I left inspired and ready to go back the next day (which I didn’t do). I wouldn’t have even lasted 2 hours if it weren’t for some sage advice: Go at night (5-9pm) to avoid the daytime crowds.
Now, how do I build a lettuce wall….?
