Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The American Gardener - July August 2017
The American Gardener - July August 2017
GARDENER
The Magazine of the American Horticultural Society
®
creating a
Crescendo
of Color
All-American Poppies
Bold-Leaved Perennials
Native Plants with Herbal Pasts
GARDENS OF ARGENTINA:
BUENOS AIRES, MENDOZA & SALTA
October 30-November 8, 2017
F E A T U R E S D E P A R T M E N T S
6 MEMBERS’ FORUM
42 HOMEGROWN HARVEST
page
page 14
14 Colorful carrots.
European and Asian poppies are common in American gardens, 46 GARDEN SOLUTIONS
but there are many beautiful North American poppy family Best practices for hedges.
members to consider growing.
48 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK
U.S. growers recall genetically-modified
20 A CRESCENDO OF SUMMER COLOR BY CHARLOTTE ALBERS
petunias, monitoring bee populations
Reaching peak bloom in late summer, the display garden at the based on flight buzzes, ginkgos to provide
von Trapp Greenhouse in Vermont provides a wealth of ideas for climate change insight, plant architecture
how to design for non-stop color. inspires better flexible technology, Garden
Conservancy selects new leader.
26 NATIVE PLANTS WITH HERBAL PASTS BY RITA PELCZAR 52 GREEN GARAGE
Many North American perennials commonly used in ornamental Watering the garden.
gardens also have long histories of medicinal use.
54 BOOK REVIEWS
Essential Pruning Techniques and
32 GO BIG WITH FOLIAGE BY C. COLSTON BURRELL
Gardening with Foliage First.
Make an impact in any garden by incorporating hardy perennials with Special Focus: Do-it-yourself garden
oversized leaves. project ideas.
ON THE COVER: With the Green Mountains as a backdrop, the display garden at the von Trapp Eastern wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus).
Greenhouse in Waitsfield, Vermont, is a veritable explosion of color in summer.
Photograph courtesy of Tobias von Trapp
July / August 2 0 17 3
Keep
AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens
Our Friends
Safe CHAIR
Board of Directors
Amy Bolton Falls Church, Virginia
FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN Jane Diamantis McDonald, Tennessee
SE C O N D V I C E C H A I R M A N Mary Pat Matheson Atlanta, Georgia
SECRETARY Nancy Hargroves Manakin Sabot, Virginia
TREASURER J. Landon Reeve, IV Woodbine, Maryland
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. Falls Church, Virginia
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Marcia Zech Mercer Island, Washington
Skipp Calvert Alexandria, Virginia Tim Conlon Dubuque, Iowa Q Laura Dowling Alexandria, Virginia
Q
Terry Hayes Woodinville, Washington QTom Johnson Washington, D.C. Q Rachel Muir Arden, North Carolina
Nancy Ross Englewood, Florida Q Holly H. Shimizu Glen Echo, Maryland Q Erich Veitenheimer Alexandria, Virginia
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE ($25,000+) Mr. and Mrs. Richard Davison Q Mr. and Mrs. George Diamantis Q Ms. Katy Moss Warner Q Mr. and Mrs.
Klaus Zech
Call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646)
savethemanatee.org LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY CIRCLE ($10,000-$24,999) Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Conlon Q Mrs. Elisabeth C. Dudley Q Ms. Catherine M. Hayes Q
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Nicolai Q Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Rissetto, Esq.
3KRWR'DYLG6FKULFKWH
HAUPT CIRCLE ($5,000-$9,999) Ms. Amy Bolton and Mr. Philip Schoene Q Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Calvert, III Q Mr. Thomas E. Johnson and
Ms. Julianne Mueller Q Mr. and Mrs. Neil Morris Q Mr. J. Landon Reeve, IV Q Mr. C. Hugh Stephens
SUSTAINER’S CIRCLE ($2,500-$4,999) Mrs. Leslie S. Ariail Q Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Burke, III Q Mr. James R. Cargill, II Q Mr. and Mrs. Andy
Daniel Q Mr. and Mrs. Scott Ernest Q Mr. Joseph Errington and Mr. William Pullen Q Ms. Inger Fair Q Mr. Thomas Gibian and Ms. Christina
Grady Q Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove Q Mrs. Rebecca Hartness Q Dr. David D. Parrish Q Mr. and Mrs. Donald H. Ross Q Mr. and
Mrs. Osamu Shimizu Q Dr. Erich E. Veitenheimer and Mr. Andrew Cariaso Q Ms. Katherine J. Ward
COUNCIL MEMBER’S CIRCLE ($1,000-$2,499) Mr. and Mrs. Frank Allocca Q Ms. Ellyn Brooks Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baillie Q Ms. Ann Bailey
Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Barnes, III Q Dr. and Mrs. William E. Barrick Q Mr. Robert A. Bartlett, Jr. Q Mrs. Katherine M. Belk Q Dr.
Sherran Blair Q Mrs. Joan April Blazich Q Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Bradshaw Q Dr. Karen Davis and Mr. Richard Davis Q Ms. Katherine B.
Edwards and Mr. John A. Ronveaux Q Mr. and Mrs. Walter Eccard Q Ms. Megan Evans Q Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Farrell Q Mrs. Cherie H.
Flores Q Dr. and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. Q Ms. Mary Ann Franklin Q Mr. and Mrs. Herbert F. Hargroves Q Mrs. Martha Harris Q Mr. and
Mrs. Paul A. Hess Q Mr. and Mrs. Albert Huddleston Q Mrs. Virginia Korteweg Q Ms. Mary A. Lambert Q Mrs. Carolyn Marsh Lindsay Q
Dr. and Mrs. Louis B. Lynn Q Ms. Mary T. McConnell Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert Murray Q Mr. and Mrs. Al Osman Q Mrs. Lynn C. Rhomberg
Q Mr. and Mrs. James A. Runde Q Mr. and Mrs. Doug Scovanner Q Mr. Carroll L. Shry Q Mr. Richard P. Simmons Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Henry Smith, Jr. Q Ms. Sherril Smith-Scharf Q Ms. Kathleen A. Smithgall Q Mr. and Mrs. Tom Underwood Q Mr. Joe Viar, Jr. and Ms.
Bonnie Christ Q Mr. and Mrs. John P. Vikesland Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Volk Q Mr. and Mrs. Michael Volpe Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles F.
Walton Q Mrs. Dudley B. White Q Dr. John A. Wott
HONORARY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL (in memoriam) Ms. Louise Fruehling Q Mrs. Enid Haupt Q Mrs. John A. Lutz Q Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Miller
Q Ms. Wilma L. Pickard
Corporate Members
The Care of Trees Q Chapel Valley Landscape Company Q Corona, Inc.
The Espoma Company Q Osmocote
Horticultural Partners
America In Bloom Q Bellingrath Gardens & Home Q The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Q Cox Arboretum Metropark
Q Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens Q The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America
Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium Q Inniswood Garden Society Q Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation
O
VER THE last few months, a committee headed by our Board of Directors EDITORIAL INTERN
Chair, Amy Bolton, has conducted an exhaustive national search for the Stephanie George
American Horticultural Society’s next leader. I’m so pleased to share the CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
news that in October, Beth Tuttle will become the 33rd president in the AHS’s 95- Rita Pelczar
year history! She has an outstanding professional background that includes more CONTRIBUTING WRITER
than 25 years of experience as a nonprofit leader, organizational consultant, and Carole Ottesen
brand strategist. She is also a Master Gardener with a lifelong passion for plants and E D I T O R I A L A D V I S O R Y B O ARD
nature. You can read more about Beth’s background on page 8. Until she officially CHAIR Ethne Clarke
joins us at River Farm this fall, I will stay on as Interim Executive Director. Colorado Springs, Colorado
Another role I play for the Society is chair of the awards committee, which pre- Linda Askey
Birmingham, Alabama
sides over the AHS’s national awards pro-
gram. In this capacity, one of my favorite Julie Chai
Mountain View, California
events is our annual Great American
Mary Irish
Gardeners and Book Awards Ceremony, San Antonio, Texas
held at our beautiful national headquar- Panayoti Kelaidis
ters at River Farm in June. It’s always an Denver, Colorado
inspiring and emotional evening, during Charlie Nardozzi
which we honor the year’s recipients of Burlington, Vermont
our awards. For me, meeting these people Denny Schrock
and celebrating all the phenomenal work Ames, Iowa
Or you might consider an excursion to Vermont after reading our article in this Botanical nomenclature is based on The American Horticultural
Society A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, on A Synonymized Check-
issue about the von Trapp Greenhouse and its spectacular garden on page 20. You’ll list of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada and Greenland
and on the Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants. Opinions
also find plenty of inspiration for your own garden with articles on big-leaved plants, expressed in the articles are those of the authors and are not necessar-
ily those of the Society. Manuscripts, artwork, and photographs sent
American natives in the poppy family, and herbal perennials with American roots. for possible publication will be returned if accompanied by a self-ad-
And if you’re feeling the heat and looking for a cooling summer project, consider the dressed, stamped envelope. We cannot guarantee the safe return of
unsolicited material. Back issues are available at $8 per copy.
article on how to create a water garden in a stock tank. Copyright ©2017 by the American Horticultural Society.
Holly H. Shimizu
Interim Executive Director
FACEBOOK:
www.facebook.com/american YELLOWWOOD VS. WOODPECKER Also, the photo labeled as ‘Aloha’
horticulturalsociety
I enjoyed the article about yellowwood rose on page 36 is incorrect. The ‘Aloha’
Q Find seasonal gardening tips, beautiful in the May/June issue. I had a beautiful described in the article, the one used by
gardens around the world, yellowwood, but after it had bloomed David Austin to create the Leander Hy-
photos of native plants
blooming in our members’ one glorious year, it was killed by the re-
gardens, and more. Message us peated visits of a yellow-bellied sapsuck-
with photos of your home garden. er. How do I humanely protect my trees
from this woodpecker?
Eva Pratt
TWITTER: Inman, SC
www.twitter.com/AHS_Gardening
Q Follow @AHS_Gardening for Editor’s note: As soon as you notice holes
breaking garden news and created by this migratory bird, wrap the
eye-catching photos. Join
us here once a month for affected part of the tree in hardware cloth
#plantchat, when we host or burlap to discourage further damage.
a one-hour open discussion with an You can also hang aluminum pie pans
expert garden guest, along with our or commercially available bird deterrents
corporate member, Corona Tools. on the tree to scare the bird away.
If you miss a #plantchat, read the
transcripts on our website at www.ahs.
org/plantchat. ROSE RAMBLINGS
In “Beguiling Climbing Roses” (May/
June 2017), the discussion of ramblers and
INSTAGRAM: climbers could use revision and expansion.
www.instagram.com/am_hort_society
Ramblers are derived from many species,
QEnjoy photos from our not just Rosa multiflora. The major histor-
travels around the U.S., along ical cultivars were bred from R. luciae, R.
with year-round views of the sempervirens, R. setigera, R. multiflora, and
gardens at River Farm, our
headquarters in Virginia. the musk roses. And many R. multiflora
hybrids are not ramblers. “Rambler” indi-
cates a growth habit rather than a lineage. The rose incorrectly labeled as ‘Aloha’ on
PINTEREST: It would be better to think of ramblers page 36 in the May/June issue, top, is ‘Aloha
www.pinterest.com/amhortsociety this way: They are part of the wide spec- Hawaii’. The real ‘Aloha’ is shown above.
Q We’re always creating trum of climbing roses. They have thinner,
new boards with images and more flexible canes and tend to grow taller brids, is entirely pink. There is no yellow
information to supplement
our articles in The American than other climbers. And the distinction or apricot. The rose pictured appears to
Gardener. Check out the boards to see between climbers and ramblers belies the be a variety bred in Germany by Kordes
what we’re highlighting in this issue! fact that many climbing roses fall in the called ‘Aloha Hawaii’.
Other popular boards include Container middle of the pack when it comes to cane Ben Whitacre
Gardening, Gardens to Visit, and characteristics. All ramblers are climbers Lynchburg, VA
TOP : JANET DAV IS . B OTTOM: CO UR TE SY O F DA VI D AUS TIN R OS ES
Upcycling.
then, but not all climbers are ramblers.
Any definition not based on growth habit CORRECTION
FLICKR: and context runs the risk of becoming arbi- In the article about Brie Arthur in the
www.flickr.com/photos/ trary and not helpful as a descriptive label. May/June 2017 issue, the caption on page
the_american_horticultural_society Some clarification on the role of rose 21 for a group photo from the 2015 Mon-
Q View images from prickles (usually referred to as thorns) is also ticello Heritage Harvest Festival misspells
our national events due. They offer no meaningful support to Peggy Cornett’s name.
and get a look at River a rose growing into a tree or shrub. Other
Farm’s grounds through the seasons.
factors, such as flexible canes that tangle into WRITE US! Address letters to Editor, The American
branches, play a far larger role. Hence many Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria,
VA 22308. Send e-mails to editor@ahsgardening.
Join the Conversation! nearly thornless species and varieties climb org (note Letter to Editor in subject line). Letters we
into trees without human intervention. print may be edited for length and clarity.
from Sea to
Shining
Sea
• Saturday, September 23, 2017 •
6–10 p.m.
River Farm, Alexandria, VA
PhotoBotanic.com
Holt, PhotoBotanic.com
Saxon Holt,
Join us for an
of Saxon
unforgettable
evening under the stars!
Courtesy of
photo: Courtesy
www.ahsgardening.org/gala
for more information,
Background
including advertising,
sponsorships, and
tickets.
Honored Guests:
The Honorable Donald S. Beyer, Jr.
U.S. Representative, Virginia 8th District
and his wife, Megan Beyer
TRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM Visit spectacular When the garden starts going to seed, that’s
private and public gardens around the world a good thing, especially for AHS members.
through the Society’s acclaimed Travel Study
Program. For information about upcoming
It means it’s time to collect some to send in
trips, call (703) 768-5700 ext. 127, e-mail to the AHS Members-Only Seed Exchange.
development@ahsgardening.org, or visit the Those who donate seeds to the program get
Gardening Programs section of www.ahs
gardening.org. first pick of the entire catalog of seeds on
offer next January. The deadline to send in
WEBSITE: www.ahsgardening.org The AHS web-
site is a valuable source of information about seeds is November 1. Look for more details
the Society’s programs and activities. Users and a submission form in the September/
must set up a username and password to ac- October issue of this magazine.
cess the member’s-only sections.
$1,000+ Gifts
AUG. 5. Tree Fest. River Farm, Alexandria, VA. (AHS partner event.)
SEPT. 5–15. Gardens of Genoa, the Italian Riviera & Florence.
AHS Travel Study Program.
SEPT. 23. AHS Annual Gala. River Farm, Alexandria, VA.
OCT. 5–7. America in Bloom Symposium and Awards Program.
Holliston, MA. (AHS partner event.)
DEC. 9. Holiday Open House. River Farm, Alexandria, VA. surviving Liberty Tree of the Revolutionary War that was felled
in 1999 in Annapolis, Maryland. For further details, visit www.
2018 ahsgardening.org/treefest. To find information about all Tour des
JAN. 6–28. Gardens, Wine & Wilderness: A Tour of New Zealand. Trees events, go to www.stihltourdestrees.org.
AHS Travel Study Program.
News written by AHS staff.
AMERICAN
HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETY
2018 GREAT
AMERICAN
GARDENERS
AWAR DS
2017 Emerging Horticultural Professional Award recipient
Brienne Arthur, center, with Interim AHS Executive Director
Holly H. Shimizu, left, and AHS Board Chair Amy Bolton, right
by Stephanie George
R
O U G H L Y H A L F the young people to “get healthy and
world’s population lives engaged with nature,” Tai thinks
in urban areas that are they can serve a broader purpose
devoid of nature, according to of encouraging kids to value
the United Nations. By 2050, the and protect the environment.
number is estimated to be near Whether she’s teaching others or
70 percent. Numerous studies creating her own designs, she em-
show that nature deprivation can phasizes using natural elements
have all sorts of negative impacts such as water and structures made
on human well-being, partic-
ularly for children growing up
without access to green spaces.
Increases in violence, depression,
and physical health problems are
among such impacts.
For landscape architect Lolly
Tai, there’s no doubt that “con-
necting to nature is important
to every facet of our health.” She
believes that sustainably designed
gardens offer an effective solution
to the increasing lack of nature in
urban areas. She champions this
message through her design work,
her books, and in her role as a pro- Landscape architect Lolly Tai is the
fessor of landscape architecture at author of The Magic of Children’s
Temple University in Philadelphia, Gardens, published this year.
Pennsylvania.
of wood and stone to prompt
MAGICAL PLACES FOR EDUCATION teachable moments about envi-
AND EXPLORATION yards, Gardens, and Playgrounds, which ronmental issues such as resource
Both before and after emigrating to she coauthored with three other land- conservation. Tai believes that momen-
Queens, New York, from Taiwan at the scape architects. Published in 2006, tum for creating these kinds of inspiring
age of nine, Tai spent many hours explor- it has become a seminal handbook for green spaces is growing in part because
ing her family’s backyard. This sparked her landscape designers and educators. “the AHS and many other organizations
life-long passion for plants and nature and Tai’s recently published second book, are focusing on children and environ-
played a large role in her path to landscape The Magic of Children’s Gardens: Inspir- mental issues,” she says.
architecture. “I have always had an appre- ing through Creative Design, explores the She especially enjoys attending the
ciation for the natural world,” she says. “So relationships between design, children’s AHS’s annual National Children & Youth
for me, it’s never like work.” development, and environmental stew- Garden Symposium, which she feels is “an
Children’s relationships with gardens ardship. Each of the 19 innovative chil- invaluable resource for learning and shar-
became a greater focus of her work when dren’s gardens profiled—including the ing ideas with others.” In fact, at this year’s
she got involved with a schoolyard design one at the headquarters of the American symposium in the Pacific Northwest, she
for Clemson Elementary in South Carolina Horticultural Society (AHS) in Alexan- will be giving a talk on designing children’s
COURTESY OF MARTY DUCKENFIELD
several years ago. During the research phase dria, Virginia—“has something special gardens using concepts discussed in her
of the project, she discovered “there was about it,” she says. She hopes the book new book. When she returns home, she’s
really nothing out there” about designing will “inspire people to build their own re- looking forward to seeing where her love of
children’s gardens and natural play areas. warding relationships with nature.” nature will take her next.
This realization resulted in the idea
for her first book, Designing Outdoor VALUING NATURE Stephanie George is an editorial intern for
Spaces for Children: Landscaping School- While gardens can be magical places for The American Gardener.
GREAT
COURSES.
Plant Science
An Introduction to Botany
European and Asian poppies are common in American gardens, but there are many
beautiful North American poppy family members to consider growing. BY NAN STERMAN
S
AY THE WORD “poppy” and most gardeners immediately envision the bright red or pink flowers of corn pop-
pies, Iceland poppies, or breadseed poppies, all of which are in the genus Papaver. Or, you might think of the
lusted-after but difficult-to-grow sky-blue Himalayan poppies in the genus Meconopsis. But these are just a few
of the 24 genera and more than 200 species of mostly annuals or herbaceous perennials in the family Papaveraceae.
Approximately 90 poppy species are native to North America, many from the western United States. While not all these
plants are suited for garden conditions, there are a number of interesting, unusual, and beautiful American poppies well
worth growing, especially if you are planting natives or looking to add diversity to your plant mix. I grow many different
poppy family members in my Southern California garden. The best of them—along with a few grown by friends and col-
leagues elsewhere—are profiled here. These plants all share the classic poppy characteristics: showy, papery flowers, lobed
or dissected leaves, milky sap, capsulelike seedpods, and a reliance on insect pollinators.
SAXON HOLT
MATILIJA POPPY
Without a doubt, the biggest and showi-
est native poppy is Matilija poppy (Rom-
neya coulteri, Zones 6–10, 10–6), aka fried
egg plant. Its stout stems emerge in late
winter and grow quickly to seven or eight
feet tall, lined with lobed, blue-green
leaves. In early spring, stem tips develop
five or six marble-sized buds that begin
opening in April. Each bud reveals stark
white, papery petals that expand to six or
eight inches across with a bright yellow
Easy to identify by its distinctive “fried egg” flowers, Matilija poppy thrives in this mixed center. Carol Bornstein, director of the
border, above. Opposite: The bright orange petals of California poppies are just beginning Nature Gardens at the Natural History
to unfurl in this planting with the forget-me-not selection ‘Rosea’. Museum of Los Angeles County, likens
their fragrance to that of fresh apricots.
petals. While the classic bright orange of before summer’s heat. In regions with These poppies are native to lean, po-
the straight species is stunning, selections summer precipitation like at the Denver rous soils in Southern California’s gravelly
ranging from white to pink to purple are Botanic Garden in Colorado, Senior Cu- washes, canyons, chaparral, and coastal
readily available. rator Panayoti Kelaidis reports they “are sage scrub habitats. Under the harsh con-
California poppy’s common name extraordinarily xeric. We get just enough ditions of the wild, the spread of the
understates its wider native range—from plants via their rhizomes—underground
southern Washington to southern Baja, USDA Hardiness and AHS Heat stems—is likely limited by the lack of
Mexico; and from California’s Channel Is- Zones are included with the plants moisture. In irrigated gardens, however,
lands west of the mainland, east to Nevada, listed in this article, but these are shoots often emerge many feet away from
Arizona’s Sonoran desert, and New Mexico. very rough guidelines at best. For the mother plant, especially in lawns and
Where there’s enough moisture, these pop- western species, Sunset Climate irrigated beds. One plant can eventually
pies grow as short-lived, summer-dormant Zones at www.sunset.com may pro- form a thicket eight to 10 feet in diameter.
SAXON HOLT
perennials. In drier areas—and in temperate vide more specific guidelines. Attentive gardeners can simply pull out
regions like the Northeast—they grow as the happy wanderers, but it’s less work to
WIND POPPIES
Years ago, a friend brought me a gift
of an unfamiliar poppy with two-inch,
burnt orangy-red blooms atop tall, spin-
dly stalks. We eventually identified the
mystery poppy as a wind poppy (Papaver
heterophyllum, syn. Stylomecon heterophyl-
lum, Zones 8b–10b, 10–7). This species,
which taxonomists recently reclassified
to the genus Papaver, forms mounds
of ferny green leaves that grow six to
18 inches tall. Wind poppies bloom in
The burnt-orange flowers of wind poppies bloom on wiry stalks above a basal rosette of March and April, with a single row of
JANET DAVIS
foliage. These dainty poppies thrive in part shade, and in the wild are often found growing stamens surrounding each flat flowers’
among native grasses in scrubby woodland settings. white pistil.
With bright yellow flowers set off against blue-green foliage, Channel Island bush poppy is a good option for screening or an informal hedge.
purple. A Texas native, A. sanguinea, bears blooms with a ring of golden stamens and Cullina cautions against confusing the
burgundy-red flowers. prominent pistil at the center. The beauti- native celandine poppy with Chelidonium
While flatbud prickly poppy is the most ful flowers are only an inch or two across. majus, an invasive European poppy that
commonly available species, seeds of other Plants go dormant in summer. has the same common name. The Euro-
prickly poppies are sometimes offered by According to William Cullina, execu- pean celandine has smaller flowers and
local sources. Years ago I bought seeds of tive director of the Coastal Maine Botan- upright seedpods.
a variety that has deep green or blue-green ical Gardens in Boothbay and author of
foliage with stark white veins at a botanical several books on native plants, the blooms LOOKING FURTHER AFIELD
garden in the desert and sprinkled them fade to fuzzy, pendant seedpods that split These poppies are a good place to start, but
onto my garden’s sandy soil. They return and drop large seeds, each with a fleshy, there are many more possibilities for any ad-
on their own, spring after spring. protein-rich structure called an eliaosome. venturous gardener including Arizona pop-
Ants carry seeds back to their nests to feed py (Kallstroemia grandiflora), Mexican tulip
CELANDINE POPPY the eliaosome to their young, in the pro- poppy (Hunnemannia fumariifolia) and bear
Celandine poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum, cess dispersing the seeds. poppies (Arctomecon spp.). These all have
Zones 5–8, 8–1,) is a spring ephemeral na- In the wild, celandine poppies grow relatively small native ranges and may be
tive to moist woodlands in the Midwest with wildflowers such as trilliums (Tril- challenging to grow. But to me, finding and
and the eastern Appalachians. Early in lium spp.) and meadow rues (Thalictrum experimenting with new plants is part of gar-
the year, plants develop 12- to 18-inch-tall spp.). Cullina particularly likes the combi- dening’s allure. I suspect I’m not the only
mounds of lobed, toothed leaves that are nation of sunny yellow celandine poppies gardener who thinks that way.
green on top and hairy gray-green below. with brilliant blue-flowered Virginia blue-
Leafy, fuzzy flower stalks arise from the bells (Mertensia virginica). Plant celan- Nan Sterman is a garden writer, designer,
foliage, bearing clusters of equally fuzzy dine poppies with these and other natives and host of the award-winning PBS televi-
flower buds. These open in spring to re- in rich, moist, free-draining soil. They do sion show “A Growing Passion.” She lives
veal yellow to golden orange, four-petaled best in a site that gets dappled shade. in Encinitas, California.
The von Trapp garden abounds with contrasts from layers of perennials, annuals, grasses, and shrubs. Here, Amsonia hubrichtii, Filipendula
rubra ‘Venusta’, and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Huron Sunrise’ provide height and fine texture, while Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, Allium sphaerocephalon,
Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’, Phlox paniculata ‘Becky Towe’, and yellow daylilies (Hemerocallis sp.) contribute vivid color.
W
ITH VIEWS to the Green Mountains in northern Vermont’s Mad River
Valley, the von Trapp Greenhouse is both an award-winning retail nursery
and garden destination. The greenhouse is known for offering a wide selection
of perennials, annuals, herbs, and vegetables—all grown onsite from seeds, cuttings, and
TOP: COURTESY OF TOBIAS VON TRAPP
divisions. The nursery, which was recognized as Retailer of the Year in 2013 by the Vermont
Nursery and Landscape Association, includes a lush, half-acre display garden designed to
showcase unusual plant combinations and celebrate the changing beauty of the landscape.
In summer, the expansive mixed borders explode with color and texture created by The setting for the von Trapp gardens
eclectic combinations such as feathery pink, white, and red astilbe (Astilbe japonica) incorporates scenic views of the Green
and pink queen of the prairie (Filipendula rubra ‘Venusta’) in bloom, punctuated Mountains, top, and a neighbor’s iconic red
by the bright blue blossoms of agapanthus (Agapanthus sp.) and mixed contain- dairy barn, above.
Large mounds of Hubricht’s bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii), foreground, planted decades ago, are still thriving in the von Trapp garden.
A CHANGING PALETTE
Since the beginning, the garden has been
a work in progress and a testament to les-
sons learned from trial and error. “We’ve
experimented with just about everything
you can imagine,” says Tobi. “If you
combine the right plants, you can have
plants that emerge early and then fade
away as a second group of plants starts
to grow.”
Here in northern New England, snow
can persist on the ground until early May,
F
OR CENTURIES , Native Ameri- medicinal usefulness than their orna- Certain ornamental North American
cans used a wide variety of indig- mental qualities. Several of these species trees and shrubs have medicinal uses, but
enous plants to treat whatever ailed still grace gardens across the country to- this article will focus on herbaceous pe-
them. Early European settlers followed suit, day, though many people don’t realize rennials. The following are some of the
learning medicinal uses for the unfamil- the significant role they played in health most garden-worthy, widely available,
iar flora they encountered either by trial and healing before alternative pharma- and historically interesting among them
and error—a risky business—or from the ceutical options existed. (see the chart on page 31 for additional
locals. This herbal lore passed from gen- selections). Please note that how to use
eration to generation until the advent of Many common perennials grown today for them as herbal remedies and their me-
JANET LOUGHREY
modern medicine about a century ago. their ornamental value, such as magenta- dicinal efficacy are not the focus of this
Before then, many native plants were flowered beebalm and purple coneflower article; it is intended to be informational
grown in home gardens more for their (foreground), have rich medicinal histories. rather than instructional.
Left to right: Purple coneflower, goldenseal, and hummingbird sage all produce intriguing flowers as well as compounds that combat diseases.
narrow-leaf coneflower (E. angustifolia, species across its native range from New Indigenous peoples in that region used it
Zones 4–9, 9–1). Health products labeled Hampshire and Minnesota, south to Al- to treat colds and sore throats, and scien-
LEFT TO RIGHT: JANET DAVIS; JOSEPH G. STRAUCH, JR.; SAXON HOLT
with “echinacea” often contain extracts abama and Georgia. Fortunately, many tific analysis has revealed that it contains
from at least two of these species. Studies reputable nurseries now propagate and antimicrobial compounds.
have found that each of these plants pro- sell goldenseal for both home gardens This plant grows about two feet tall and
duces various chemicals with antioxidant, and commercial production. It’s one of spreads to about three feet across. Its spikes
antimicrobial, and immune-boosting my favorite plants for a woodland gar- of fruity-scented, magenta blooms begin
properties. den, forming a groundcover of large, pal- appearing in winter in warmer regions, and
Native across eastern and central North mately lobed leaves on short stems that continue through summer. As the common
America, these coneflowers are easy to reach six to 12 inches tall. Small, white, name implies, they attract hummingbirds.
grow, drought-tolerant, and make love- tufted flowers appear in spring, followed It prefers dappled shade, but also will adapt
ly additions to sunny spaces. Their showy by a showy raspberrylike fruit that ap- to full sun. Though quite drought-tolerant,
flower heads, composed of pink-purple rays pears to sit atop the leaf. Best growth oc- a bit of irrigation helps extend the flowering
surrounding distinctly raised cones, attract curs in a moist, moderately shady spot season and keep the plant evergreen where
butterflies, bees, and seed-eating birds. with slightly acidic soil. winters are mild.
Resources
American Household Botany:
A History of Useful Plants
1620–1900 by Judith Sumner.
Timber Press, Portland, OR, 2004.
Growing and Marketing Ginseng,
Goldenseal and Other Woodland
Medicinals by Jeanine Davis and
W. Scott Persons. New Society
Publishers, Gabriola Island, British
Columbia, Canada, 2014.
Growing and Propagating Wildflowers
of the United States and Canada by
William Cullina. Houghton Mifflin,
Boston, MA, 2000.
Herb Society of America,
www.herbsociety.org.
Sources
Crimson Sage Medicinal Plants Nursery,
Orleans, CA. www.crimson-sage.com.
Las Pilitas Nursery, Santa Margarita,
CA. www.laspilitas.com.
Mulberry Creek Herb Farm, Huron,
OH. www.mulberrycreek.com.
Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN.
www.prairiemoon.com.
Sandy Mush Herb Nursery, Leicester,
NC. www.sandymushherbs.com.
In woodlands across eastern North “moist but well-drained, slightly acidic soil ans, California. “It does not do well un-
America and west to the Rockies, one in a partially shaded area.” der firs, redwoods, or pines, but can do
of the first signs of spring are the pure And while it can be grown west of the beautifully under maples, fruit trees, oaks,
white flowers of bloodroot (Sanguinaria Rockies, “it is somewhat challenging,” and other hardwoods,” she adds. In ideal
canadensis, Zones 3–9, 9–1). Each three- says Tina Glaessner, owner of Crimson conditions, bloodroot will slowly spread
inch bloom, with its narrow petals sur- Sage Medicinal Plants Nursery in Orle- by rhizomes to form a tidy groundcover
rounding yellow stamens, lasts only a few about one foot tall and about as wide.
days, but the glossy, lobed leaves are at- Western wild ginger (Asarum cauda-
tractive as well, and persist into fall. tum, Zones 5–8, 8–5) also makes an at-
Certain Native American tribes prized tractive groundcover for shady gardens,
it for its red sap that could be used as a and historically it has been used to treat
diuretic, emetic, and antiseptic. A rela- infections and clean wounds. During the
tive of poppies (Papaver spp.), bloodroot Voyage of Discovery, Meriwether Lewis
contains opiumlike alkaloids that inhib- wrote that when one of the expedition
it the growth of certain bacteria. It also members suffered a swollen and inflamed
can be toxic to humans when ingested in leg wound, “We applied the pounded root
TOP: ALEKSANDRA SZYWALA. BOTTOM: JOSEPH G. STRAUCH, JR.
large doses and caution is advised when and leaves of wild ginger [A. caudatum] &
handling the roots because the sap causes from which he found great relief.”
rashes on some people. This woodland wildflower is found in
Another caveat for gardeners: Bloodroot redwood and pine forests from British Co-
may “suddenly start thinning out and in lumbia to California and western Mon-
a few years can disappear,” says Extension tana. It is distinguished by shiny, evergreen,
specialist Jeanine Davis, who coordinates heart-shaped leaves and purple-brown
research on several native medicinal herbs for flowers with distinctly long tails that appear
the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research in late winter or early spring. All parts of the
Center in Mills River, North Carolina. This Western wild ginger’s distinctive flowers plant have a distinct ginger fragrance.
seems to occur most often when it’s grown can be hard to spot because they appear Its slightly taller counterpart, Canadi-
in deep shade, so she advises planting it in beneath the heart-shaped foliage. an wild ginger (A. canadense, Zones 3–8,
8–1), reaches six to eight inches in height 4–9, 9–1) also inhabits woodlands across of stems from mid to late spring, followed
and thrives in rich woodlands from New North America. And it is a veritable pan- by green berries that mature to bright red.
Brunswick and Alberta south to Georgia acea, according to data gathered by the
and Louisiana. It has been used to treat Native Medicinal Plant Research Program MORE THAN JUST PRETTY
respiratory and digestive issues. The plant at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. This collection of plants illustrates that
does contain a number of antimicrobial Out of 922 species of plants in the pro- there’s more to native perennials than
compounds, but also produces a poten- gram’s Prairie Ethnobotany Database, meets the eye—even showy ones now
tially carcinogenic chemical, so ingesting false Solomon’s seal is among the 10 spe- popular in gardens around the world.
any part of it is not recommended. cies with the largest number of medicinal Their long histories of medicinal uses by
However, this deciduous spreader uses, based on accounts from more than Native Americans and others add cultur-
does make a carefree groundcover in 250 Native American tribes. The list of ail- al seasoning to our gardens, along with
woodland gardens. For Jim Long, own- ments runs the gamut from constipation their beauty. And while scientists may
NEIL SODERSTROM, AT MT. CUBA CENTER
er of Long Creek Herbs in Blue Eye, and coughs to rheumatism, stomachaches, have barely scratched the surface of their
Missouri, it does well with “mayapples, and headaches. pharmaceutical potential, for gardeners,
goldenseal, and native ferns. It likes fair- Growing one to three feet tall, false these plants provide a sense of connec-
ly moist soil and shade, although mine Solomon’s seal spreads by rhizomes into tion to all those who have nurtured the
grows in a partly-sunny location beneath a sizeable clump. Its arching, zigzag stems plants of this land.
garden phlox,” he adds. are cloaked in light green leaves that turn
False Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum yellow in fall. Clusters of tiny, fragrant, Rita Pelczar is a contributing editor for The
racemosum syn. Smilacina racemosa, Zones creamy white flowers appear at the ends American Gardener.
Baptisia
Baptisia australis
australis Eutrochium
Eutrochium fistulosum
fistulosum Heuchera
Heuchera micrantha
micrantha
CULTIVATION CONSIDERATIONS
Big leaves are as functional as they are fanciful. They serve as solar collectors, spreading
LEFT: ALEKSANDRA SZYWALA. RIGHT: DOREEN WYNJA
wide to absorb the most light from the sun’s rays. Large leaves have a greater surface area for
photosynthesis: the more photosynthesis, the more growth. Some trade-offs exist, however.
Big leaves require a lot of water to keep them turgid and in prime condition. For this rea-
son, some plants with vast foliar real estate prefer to grow beside streams, with their feet in
water. Most thrive in sites where a sheltering canopy of trees or shrubs protects them from
the most intense rays of the sun and from strong winds.
Given sufficient moisture and a sheltered spot, big-leafed plants can reach enormous pro-
portions. Always keep in mind their mature size when placing them in the garden so that they
will have enough space to spread out without encroaching on neighboring plants. —C.C.B.
H Cinderblock
D F G
1. Tape off paint lines. To create a two-tone paint job, mask off the areas of the tank you
won’t be painting. First, decide where you want to paint. We used the existing ridges
on the tank as our guides. If your tank doesn’t have ridges, simply measure from the top
and mark every few inches to ensure a straight line. Then go around the tank slowly with
painter’s tape, pressing the tape down firmly as you work. Do the same for the bottom edge.
4. Spray on primer. In a well-ventilated area, spray one light, even coat of primer.
Stay far enough away from the tank that the paint doesn’t go on thick and cause
drip marks. Follow the primer manufacturer’s instructions for dry time before proceeding.
O
NE OF THE most versatile of
root crops, carrots (Daucus
carota ssp. sativus) are delicious
raw or cooked and deliver an impressive
list of nutrients, especially beta-carotene,
in colorful packages—from the familiar
orange to purple, crimson, pink, white,
and yellow as well as two-tones such as
purple with an orange core. Cultivated in
the Middle East for more than 3,000 years,
carrots were first grown for their greens
and seeds, which resemble celery seeds in
size and flavor. The popular orange veg-
etables we know today can be traced to
17th-century Dutch plant breeders, who
focused on developing stout, sweet roots.
Now, gardeners can grow stalwart
heirloom varieties alongside hybrids
bred for disease resistance, enhanced
nutrition, or color. Although success-
fully growing carrots can sometimes be
challenging, the incomparable sweetness
and flavor of a carrot freshly pulled from
the ground is well worth the effort.
GROWING GUIDELINES
Carrots grow best in moderate weather, so
sow seeds in spring after the soil has warmed soil smooth, mark off rows, and incorporate
to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a some balanced organic fertilizer into the
summer sowing for harvest in fall. Carrots bottom of four-inch-deep furrows. Avoid
that mature in cool fall soil develop more high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can cause
sweetness; in areas that don’t experience roots to fork. Refill the furrow with loose
extremely low temperatures, they can also soil, and plant the seeds a quarter-inch deep.
be left in the ground throughout winter. Be sure to use fresh seeds. Seed tapes or pel-
Although carrots can adapt to any rea- leted seeds make sowing carrots easier.
sonably fertile soil, for optimal growth, Maintaining moisture is crucial to ger-
plant them in deep, sandy loam with a mination and the formation of uniform
slightly acidic pH. The soil should be roots. In summer, cover newly planted
as free of rocks, clods, and other ob- carrot beds with an old sheet, or a double
structions as possible to avoid misshap- thickness of row cover, weighted around
en roots. Raised beds are ideal because the edges. Water daily, and remove the
they increase the depth of available root covers after the seeds germinate, which
space, but deeply dug in-ground beds can take seven to 21 days.
also benefit carrots by providing cooler Top: In addition to iconic orange, carrots are Carrots require attentive weeding and
LAURA BERMAN (2)
soil temperatures below the surface. available in a veritable rainbow of colors. need to be thinned to about three inches
Before planting carrots, cultivate the soil Above: Seeds may take up to three weeks to apart to develop straight roots of good size.
in the bed at least 12 inches deep. Rake the sprout after sowing. Eventually the plants will grow large enough
to shade out weedy invaders. Fertilize car- Black-yellow-and-green parsley ‘Purple Haze’ (73 days) is a 2006
rots lightly with a balanced organic fertilizer “worms” are often seen munching carrot All-America Selections winner. This hy-
when they are about eight inches tall. foliage. These are the larvae of eastern brid develops seven- to eight-inch-long,
black swallowtail butterflies, which are purple roots with orange cores.
PESTS AND DISEASES valuable pollinators, so many gardeners ‘Rainbow’ (75 days) and other blends like
Grooves or shallow tunnels in carrot roots tolerate light damage. You can also plant ‘Harlequin’ (73 days) are mixes of named
may be caused by wireworms, which parsley nearby to lure the caterpillars away. varieties with different colors, so you can
are the larvae of common click beetles. Fungi may cause leaves to develop dark grow several from a single seed packet.
Thorough soil cultivation kills many spots or dry, curled edges in wet, humid ‘Red-Cored Chantenay’ (70 days) has
wireworms. They also can be trapped by weather. Minimize problems by growing been around for over a century and is still
burying pieces of raw potato just below disease-resistant varieties and keep plants a top choice for growing in the fall. The
the soil’s surface in your carrot bed. The properly spaced for good air circulation. thick, flavorful roots often prosper when
worms will tunnel inside the potato to grown in improved clay soils.
feed. Insert some type of skewer into the RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
potato pieces before burying so they are ‘Flyaway’ (75 days) and ‘Resistafly’ (68 ENJOYING THE HARVEST
easy to find and remove after a few days. days) are orange carrots that get high rat- Carrots can be harvested when young as
In cool climates, the larvae of carrot ings in taste tests and provide some resis- “baby” carrots, but most varieties taste
rust flies can devastate a carrot crop. The tance to carrot rust flies. best at full maturity, evidenced by their
best defenses are crop rotation and keep- ‘Kuroda’ (82 days) is a productive Asian root tops pushing up at the soil’s surface.
ing the plants securely covered with a variety that tolerates heat spells and also To harvest, carefully loosen the outside of
lightweight row cover. makes a great fall storage carrot. the row with a digging fork and pull up the
roots. Cut the foliage to a quarter inch and
rinse the roots in water. Indoors, lay the
LEFT: COURTESY OF DAVID B. LANGSTON; UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA; BUGWOOD.ORG. RIGHT: LAURA BERMAN
A
N HOUR’S drive to the south-
west of Minnesota’s Twin
Cities sits St. Peter, home to
Linnaeus Arboretum at Gustavus Adol-
phus College. Since its founding in 1973,
the arboretum has grown steadily and is
now flourishing as both a horticultural
haven and wildlife preserve. Its design
mirrors the natural landscape of Minne-
sota, featuring the three major biomes of
the state: conifer forest, deciduous for-
est, and prairie. It also includes several
themed gardens and plant collections,
giving visitors the chance to experience a
harmonious blend of cultivated and wild
Additional Information
Linnaeus Arboretum, 800 W. College Ave-
nue, St. Peter, MN, 56082. (507) 933-
6181. www.gustavus.edu/arboretum.
H
EDGES ARE versatile land- plant species and clipped frequently to dwarf purpleosier willow (Salix purpurea
scape features that can be keep them symmetrical and uniform. If ‘Nana’), ornamental grasses such as
used to mark property lines you have the space, and don’t relish the feather reed grass (Calamagrostis acuti-
or paths, define “rooms” in a large space, chore of hours of trimming, plant a mix flora ‘Karl Foerster’), and even subtropi-
hide undesirable views, and act as a pri- of trees and shrubs where a screen or vi- cal plants such as clivia (Clivia miniata).
vacy screen. Sure, a fence could do all sual barrier is desired. Aside from the re-
this, but hedges also can provide wildlife duced maintenance, you’ll also reap the PLANTS TO AVOID
habitat, sequester carbon, and control soil benefit of being able to remove a dead Plants that adapt to a wide variety of con-
erosion, all while looking more attractive or dying plant without compromising ditions have often been chosen for hedging
than any fence could, particularly if you the whole planting as would be the case and screens. The dark side of this adapt-
keep a few do’s and don’ts in mind. with a formal hedge. You can use single ability is their tendency to invade wood-
specimens of trees, but plant shrubs in lands and meadows. Old standbys such as
STYLE AND SITING CONSIDERATIONS groups of three or five. Avoid planting privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) and cultivars
DOREEN WYNJA
Do consider which style of hedge would both trees and shrubs in a straight row of barberry (Berberis spp.) have fallen from
work best for you. Traditional, formal to give the planting a more natural and favor for this reason, but fortunately there
hedges are usually composed of a single flowing appearance. are plenty of good alternatives available.
Plants that grow rapidly—such as screen. And Leyland cypress becomes a achieve best results. With proper plant
white pine (Pinus strobus) and Leyland troublesome hedge plant as it matures selection and care, your hedge will prove
cypress (Hesperotropsis leylandii)—are into a 60-foot-tall tree with a spread of far more rewarding and long-lasting
commonly chosen for hedges, but they 20 feet. Canker disease also routinely than most fences.
can be poor performers in other respects. kills Leyland cypresses that are planted
For example, as pines mature, they nat- close together. Scott Aker is head of horticulture and
urally lose their lower branches, gradu- So do some research on the plants you education at the U.S. National Arboretum
ally compromising their usefulness as a are considering for a hedge. Check with in Washington, D.C.
‘Trilogy
‘Trilogy Red’
Red’
U.S. GROWERS RECALL their entire stock of these plants and re-
GENETICALLY-MODIFIED PETUNIAS call any they sold. Consumers who have
Put down the trowel and back away purchased the petunias do not need to
from the petunias! Several cultivars such take any action because these plants don’t
as ‘African Sunset’ and ‘Trilogy Red’ have sexually compatible wild relatives in
have been found to contain genes from this country, nor are they considered pest
a plant virus commonly used in genetic plants or noxious weeds.
engineering (GE). The origins of these For further updates and a list of the re-
TOP AND BOTTOM: COURTESY OF PENN STATE UNIVERSITY. CENTER: COURTESY OF DAVID CAPPAERT, BUGWOOD.ORG
genes have been tracked back to GE ex- called varieties, visit www.aphis.usda.gov. Analyzing bumblebee buzzes facilitates
periments done in Germany 30 years ago. population-monitoring efforts.
The resulting plants were never intended
for commercial production, yet somehow This new buzz-monitoring method
found their way into breeding programs provides a more accurate picture of bee
that produced cultivars with orange, red, populations in a given area over a longer
or purple flowers that have been market- duration and with less disturbance than
ed in Europe and North America. visual observation alone. According to the
The U.S. Department of Agriculture study published in PLOS ONE in June,
(USDA) released a statement in May as- “Passive monitoring of the buzz sound-
serting that these petunias are “not con- scapes provides the opportunity to mon-
sidered to pose a risk to human health or itor bees in an efficient and cost-effective
the environment.” However, the plants way, potentially improving our ability
have not been registered with the agency to understand the complex nature and
in compliance with its strict regulations global implications of bee declines.” The
regarding GE organisms. Because of this, researchers assert that this new technique
the USDA has asked distributors of pe- could also help scientists and farmers re-
tunia varieties that tested positive for ‘African
‘African Sunset’
Sunset’ spond more quickly to declines in local-
the foreign genes to voluntarily destroy ized pollinator populations.
LEFT: COURTESY OF WAVE HILL. RIGHT: BRIAN JONES. COURTESY OF THE GARDEN CONSERVANCY
ION OF STA
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UMMER HEAT can dry out any
garden. When there isn’t enough
rain to satisfy your plants’ needs,
you have to bring the water to them. As
with any garden task, delivering water to
parched plants is easier and more effi-
cient when you have the right tools.
Copper Indoor
Watering Can
THIS BOOK builds upon the classic Pruning of Trees, Shrubs, I’VE NOTICED and appreciated beautiful foliage before, but
and Conifers (Faber and Faber Ltd, 1972) by the late woody Gardening With Foliage First really brings this dynamic garden
plant guru George Brown at Royal design element into focus. This book
Botanic Gardens, Kew. For this re- is a delightful guide to creating gardens
vised and expanded version, Tony that celebrate leaf and stem forms, col-
Kirkham—also from Kew—has up- ors, and textures rather than flowers
dated the text and new photography alone. Carefully observing these de-
by Andrea Jones has been added. tails “will help you transform a group
To his credit, Kirkham has done a of plants on a cart into a memorable
lot of research about our side of the vignette,” assert authors Karen Chap-
Atlantic. For example, he covers con- man and Christina Salwitz.
cerns that are significantly American, Most of the book is filled with
such as sudden oak death. Conversely, full-color photographs of the authors’
it’s enlightening to read about parallel subjects, such as acute design creations, accompanied by descriptive and explanatory
oak decline, more relevant to Kirkham’s side of the world. As text drawn from their many years of design experience. These
you would expect, a majority of the plants covered are those designs are organized into two main sections: one devoted to
common in British horticulture, but there’s plenty of crossover combinations at their showiest in spring and summer, and one
for North American gardeners. focused on those that shine brightest in fall and winter. Together
Of course I found a few things to quibble with, such as the de- these sections yield combos for sun, shade, dry soil, and moist
scription of native sweetbay magnolias as ungainly when, in fact, soil; there are frost-tender combos, frost-hardy combos; and
in the United States they often are spectacularly symmetrical and combos that make use of unusual and lustworthy cultivars.
attractive. And Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), an invasive Some combinations are as simple as two plants, such as the pair-
shrub across much of North America, is treated with dignity in- ing of ‘Blue Angel’ hosta’s hefty, blue-green leaves with the pink to
stead of as a thug in need of a single pruning cut at ground level. pale violet flower clusters of lacecap hydrangea. Others are more
Vines such as porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) and intricate, such as the design dubbed “Tropical Staycation” that fea-
Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica) are described without any ca- tures the huge bronzy-green leaves of ‘Red Abyssinian’ banana, two
veat on their status as noxious weeds in some states. kinds of gold-and-green variegated croton, heart-shaped, lipstick
Proper pruning techniques, as we define them in the Western red anthurium inflorescences, and the purple-and-white, triple-layer
Hemisphere, are described in clear detail. Somewhere, however, I blossoms of ‘Ballerina Purple’ angel’s trumpet.
would have liked to see a condemnation of the “hat-racking” or top- Among the plants that really jumped out at me was ‘Rain-
ping of trees that is so awfully prevalent in parts of North America. bow’ leucothoe, a five-foot-tall evergreen shrub whose oval, waxy
I did appreciate that Kirkham often promotes doing nothing at all. leaves are yellow and green in spring but take on additional spots
The book is written exactly as it should be read. The opening and streaks of purple and red in winter. Another surprise was
chapters read like a condensed manual on growing woody plants. ‘Kwanso Variegata’, a vividly white-and-green striped daylily
Digest the front 50 pages in their entirety before jumping back into with August-blooming double orange blossoms. The book’s
the alphabetical entries dedicated to individual genera of trees and index makes it easy to seek out specific plants like these to find
shrubs. I especially like the attention given to matters of cultivation combinations that include them.
that go beyond pruning. Overall, this book will be useful for anyone Whether you have 20 acres or a modest patio arrayed with
who wants to learn how to prune correctly. large containers, you’re bound to find exciting new design pos-
—Guy Sternberg sibilities in Gardening With Foliage First.
—Rand B. Lee
Guy Sternberg, director of Starhill Forest Arboretum in Petersburg,
Illinois, was the founding president of the International Oak Rand B. Lee is a freelance writer and garden consultant residing
Society. He has been pruning oaks and other trees since 1961. in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
RAP AUG. 2. Plants that Love Kansas Sun. RAP AUG. 26. Composting 101. Class. RAP AUG. 12. Inter-City Cactus Show and
Class. Botanica, the Wichita Gardens. Witchita, Missouri Botanical Garden. St. Louis, MO. Sale. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Bo-
KS. (316) 264-0448. www.botanica.org. (314) 577-5118. www.mobot.org. tanic Garden. Arcadia, CA. (626) 821-3222.
Come grow
with us!
The America in Bloom national awards program brings out the best in
hometowns and empowers communities to excel. Lead the way and
experience the benefits by registering today.
JULY/ AUGUST 20 1 7 59
C
PRONUNCIATIONS AND PLANTING ZONES
Most of the cultivated plants described in this issue are listed here
with their pronunciations, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, and AHS
Plant Heat Zones. These zones suggest a range of locations where
temperatures are appropriate—both in winter and summer—for
growing each plant. USDA Zones listed are still aligned with the
1990 version of the USDA’s map.
While the zones are a good place to start in determining plant
adaptability in your region, factors such as exposure, moisture,
snow cover, and humidity also play an important role in plant sur-
vival. The zones tend to be conservative; plants may grow outside
the ranges indicated. A USDA zone rating of 0–0 means that the
plant is a true annual and completes its life cycle in a year or less.
CLASSIFIED AD RATES: Al l classified advertising must be prepaid. $2.75 per word; mi nim um $66 per insertion. Copy and prepayme nt
must be received by t he 20th of the month t hree months prior to publicat ion date . Display ad space is also avai lable. To place an ad, call
(703) 768-5700 ext. 120 or e-mail advert ising@ahsgarden ing.org.
PLANT LABELS
JULY I AUGUST 20 1 7 61
C
PLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Sources
Easy Wild Flowers, Willow Springs,
MO. www.easywildflowers.com.
Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN.
www.prairiemoon.com.
Sheffield’s Seed Company, Locke,
NY. www.sheffields.com.
Eastern wahoo provides attractive fall color and hanging fruit clusters relished by wildlife. OBSCURE BUT WORTHY
Perhaps one reason this small, native
tree or large shrub is not better known
A
S A professor of horticulture, I flowers bloom on long, multibranched is that it is sometimes listed under oth-
spend a good bit of time intro- stems that emerge from the leaf axils. Al- er common names—spindle tree and
ducing students to hundreds though the flowers tend to be obscured burning bush—that are associated with
of plants during the school year. So it by foliage, the capsulelike fruits make notoriously invasive Eurasian relatives
was a pleasant surprise to have one of my up for it by turning from pale green or E. europaeus and E. alatus.
former students in turn introduce me to gray to pink and then splitting open in A more likely explanation is that it is
eastern wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus, late summer or early fall to reveal seeds not widely available in the nursery trade.
USDA Hardiness Zones 3–9, AHS Heat covered in a bright red coating known But the plant is worth seeking out be-
Zones 10–4) some five years ago, when as an aril. These dangling fruits are per- cause it grows on you as the season goes
he was working at a native plant garden sistent and, if not eaten by wildlife, re- on, starting out bright green in spring
in New York. main ornamental even after the leaves and early summer and then becoming
Like other euonymus species, east- have dropped. increasingly colorful from late summer
ern wahoo’s opposite leaves are oval through the end of the year.
with fine serrations along the margins. NATIVE RANGE AND GARDEN USES
The bright green summer foliage turns Eastern wahoo has a broad native range Eva Monheim is an assistant professor in
purple to red and sometimes yellow in that encompasses much of eastern North the Department of Landscape Architecture
BILL JOHNSON
fall. In early to midsummer, loose clus- America from southern Canada down to and Horticulture at Temple University in
ters of small, deep purple, four-petaled the Gulf Coast and Texas, but its prima- Ambler, Pennsylvania.
Spring Summer
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