2410 Lanes Mill Road Hamilton, Ohio 45013
phone: 513-894-0022 fax: 513-892-2053 email: marysplantfarm@zoomtown.com
| 2410 Lanes Mill Road Hamilton, Ohio 45013 phone: 513-894-0022 fax: 513-892-2053 email: marysplantfarm@zoomtown.com |
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Spring 2000 Mary's
Plant Farm Newsletter
“ — so I grow flowers -- in a high spirit of
adventure.”
J. Smith
As I write
this, it is mid-February, Fern, Sherri, and I am enjoying the
‘forced’ bulbs, Sherri potted for us last fall. The paper whites have
finished blooming, now I am enjoying the fragrance of pots of white and blue
hyacinths. It smells like Spring. The snowdrops began blooming in January. Then
the snows came, but as soon as the snow melted, they were still there to greet
me. The hellebore were all showing lots of buds by mid January, and are growing
upward now that the snow has disappeared. Incidentally, deer do not like
Hellebore. The rabbits can sometimes eat the older leaves, usually leaving the
buds alone. The snow crocus are blooming in yellow, cream and blue pearl, along
with the lovely little winter aconite (Eranthus) with their ruffled collars of
green. The first flowers I’ve picked are the Iris dandefordi, so fragrant
in a tiny vase, as I sit here drinking my tea and writing.
In mentioning deer, I’m reminded of
the complaints I hear of deer eating plants. Interspersing a few plants they
don’t like can make them move on. They usually do not like fuzzy leaved
plants, so the Ieatherleaf viburnums are a bit of a deterrent. Also the
Rudebeckia including the gloriosa daisy types. They don’t like the tall
grasses, although they will chew on the short fescues (Festuca ovina).
I’ve heard a lot of complaints that they eat daylilies (Hemerocallis), yet
with the hundreds we grow in two different fields and borders, we’ve had
no damage. At least, not that I can see. I’ve used daylilies in
landscaping around two different swimming pools, because I’ve been told by
the homeowners (in rural areas) that the dayliles were the only think the deer
didn’t eat. I have a booklet about reducing deer damage and a couple of
pamphlets on resistance to deer and I.P.M. management, I ordered from Cornell
University Resource Center. These will be in the sales barn if you would like
to read them, or I have the address if you would like to order a copy. Frankly
I have much more loss from rabbits pruning down my roses, chewing the bark off
ornamental trees, and eating the tops off my true lilies (where the bloom buds
are) as they come through the ground. I mentioned IPM before. This refers to
Integrated Pest Management, which I practice. It’s more organic and can
save you from a lot of problems. I wrote of it in my 1994 newsletter and of
spraying dormant roses with superior oil, inquire if interested. Perennials are
such a rage now. I grew up with them in my parent’s garden, and have grown
them all my life. Yet no garden is complete without some annuals. Last August
12th, I wrote myself a note after gathering cut flowers for bouquet orders. It
might help you plan your annual selections this year. The following flowers
were cut during the dreadful heat and drought and had no water. The fragrant
blooms of Nicotiana in pink, rose and white. The Zinnia varieties with no
mildew, such as the small ‘cut and come again’ type (2 1/2’
tall), also the large cactus flowering types. I especially appreciate the
chartreuse of Zinnia ‘Green Envy’, a more formal type, and the
Persian’ and ‘Chippendale’ varieties. These last two varieties
along with other bedding types are not hurt by early light frost and continue
to bloom into late fall. That reminds me of the lovely Calendulas, which will
still be blooming when the mornings are frosty. In November 1 always have them
arranged in a cobalt blue vase, plus the petals are great in salads. Celosia
plumosa spikes give a different shape for bouquets. The blue eyed white daisies
of Arctotis grandis with it lovely silver foliage loves the heat and drought.
It is a true species, so I must remember to save seed, Another true species
annual is Star of Texas (native xeranthemun), with its crisp lemon yellow
blooms on 18” rounded plants. The Gloriosas love the hot weather. The
brilliant patch edging the woodland is a real show stopper, and has caught
everyone eye. The Cosmos are not quite as tall in the drought, which might be
better, although C. Sonata variety can be used if shorter plants are preferred.
I tried a new double (really semi-double) Cosmo ‘Psyche’ last year
that were really nice and must start more for 2000. I also love the Cosmo candy
stripped and seashell varieties. The cream (so-called white) marigolds were a
lovely surprise, or 18” compact mounds of bloom. I’ve always knocked
the hybrid Marigolds as too formal and too gold and orange. But I love the
cream color and of course the lemon M. Tagetes, that I can put in salads. The
malvas and/or lavateras bloom well with their pink and purple colored cups that
look so ethereal, yet are so tough. And in the midst of the drought springing
up everywhere (that’s really what they do) are the Lycoris squamegeri
(Mystery Lily). You must have a large bulb to get bloom. We sell only blooming
size bulbs that multiply lavishly. And what would I do without the lovely
clusters of small white daisies of Matricaria, blooming from June till
Thanksgiving and sometimes beyond. I just keep trimming them back. I must not
forget the August blooming shrub Caryopteris ‘Blue Mist’, whose azure
blue bloom spikes are so great in bouquets. Plant a tall yellow Tithonia behind
the Caryopteris for a beautiful look.
We
may be able to plant our annuals a bit earlier this year if the Spring is mild.
But around Mother’s Day is the safest for annuals and bedding plants.
I have been getting lots of calls for
native plants since we are listed as a source in the book Go Native, which was
reviewed by a garden writer in the Cincinnati Enquirer. I first wrote of
growing native plants in our 1995 newsletter, after Ken Druse listed us as a
source in his book on natives. I think many gardeners regard native material as
wild things that are weeds. When actually many of our favorite garden plants
are native in some part of America. The following are examples of native
flowering understory trees and shrubs. The first to bloom is Witch Hazel
(Hamamelis vernalis), Shadblow (Amelanchier), Wahoo (Euonymus Atropurpureas or
Americanus); even my beloved holly (Ilex Opaca) is native. Although I like many
of the hybrid Ilex, I use a species Ilex Opaca growing native in Kentucky. I
dug it and planted it here to pollinate my hybrids. Our beloved Redbuds (Cercis
Canandensis) and Buttonbush (Cephalanthus) are native. Cephalanthus is the most
amazing shrub I have grown. I grew it originally because I loved the clean
foliage and round 1” to 1 1/2” white ball blooms in the summer. I
first saw it growing in a foot of water at Kentucky Lake. I planted mine in the
dampest part of the garden, which in the summer is dry, unless water runs there
after a rain. The last two years of drought, when everything was so limp and
dying back, this was the best looking bush in the garden. Still crisp as ever
and no insects. Another good-looking shrub was of course the beautiful Vitex
Agnus Castus that nothing seems to bother. Also in native shrubs are the Iteas,
which turn scarlet in the fall, even in shade. Clethra ‘Hummingbird’
with its lovely white spikes in July and now the newly introduced Itea
‘Little Henry’ was all found in the wild. The other fragrant Clethras
with their August blooms are all native. All our lovely wildflowers are native,
and hurray for the birds that seeds them everywhere. My first Goldseal appeared
under the bird’s favorite tree, and I have collected seed from it for many
years. I have to grab fast, because soon as that big red berry is ripe the
robins gulp it down and then reseed it in someone else’s garden. The
native Spring blooming perennials such as, Amsonia Taber., that I have grown
for thirty years with its beautiful golden fall color (and I’ve never seen
a bug on it), our black or brown eyed susan’s, Echinecea, the lovely
Digitalis Lantana (Foxglove) and on and on. A native that I started cultivating
several years ago, and we now list in our catalog, is Ironweed (Vernonia). If
picked at full bloom, it dries a lovely amethyst. A plant came up in a Garden I
had landscaped. I somehow had missed it when we’d do our monthly
maintenance. I saw it when in bloom in September and was about to remove it
when the garden owner said he liked it and thought it was a perennial I had
planted. I stood back and stared, and it was lovely, purple against a gray
stone wall. Needless to say it is still there. I dug some from the edge of our
field and planted it in our border. It has a good growing habit by not
spreading, and does not reseed near as much as I’d like. I do prune it
back in July to keep it a bit shorter, since they can reach 5’ tall. Now I
have seen it listed in many garden books.
Having all these lovely natives
doesn’t mean I’m going to give up growing my wonderful Beeches,
Cornus Kousas, Magnolias (oops, another native ‘Sweet Bay’ Magnolia),
Nandina, and the lovely old roses.
Ah,
roses. The Dr. Griffith Buck roses held their own in the heat and drought. The
light yellow of Prairie Harvest’ was a bit creamier in the heat, but such
lovely buds. Rose ‘Ballerina’ and ‘The Fairy’ bloomed very
well. The climbers ‘Dortmond’ with masses of single red blossoms and
Dr. Buck’s ‘Carefree Beauty’ are always full of flowers. The
fragrance of ’Magnifica’ with its gorgeous fall colored foliage and
hug red hips all summer are a bonus with this rose. In January I was clearing
out some old garden magazines (never got finished as I kept stopping to read
articles). In a 1970 Flower and Garden issue (I know, I know, I even found some
1959 issues, it’s either clear things out or move) there were two articles
on new roses. Out of the 31 hybrid tea varieties described, there were only two
that I think are still listed today. The other article was by Dorothy Stemler
(now deceased) of Roses of Yesterday and Today. Many of the roses she
suggested, which I purchased in the 70’s are still growing here today and
blooming. Come look at the Belinda, Blanc Double de Coubert, Rosa Rubrifolia,
Magnifica, Cornelia, Lavender Lassie and the first Dr. Buck roses I ordered.
I’ve been writing these newsletters
since 1982 and I try not to repeat information, just answer questions
we’re asked during the year. A few years ago we stapled the newsletters
into booklets, we still have a few copies at $1.00. I’ve written of so
many things. How and when to trim shrubs (1987); slugs and what their eggs look
like (1986); when what and how to fertilize (1989); the new smaller disease
resistant crabapples (Malus) that hold their fruit all winter (1989); advice on
growing seeds (1990); groundcovers (1991 & 1994); how to grow gladiolas
without fall digging; also herb use and rhubarb whiskey (1993).
It’s now March 6th, as Sherri says
that’s enough. I could ramble on. Anyway, after the last few warm days the
lawn looks like someone dumped piles of Easter eggs all around with all the
bloom from the little bulbs of blue, lavender, gold, purple, and pink. Happy
Gardening and remember it should be fun. Last Fall I was surprised when a young
gardener said to me “You’ve made gardening so much easier for me.
I’m not afraid of doing things wrong anymore”. I never really stopped
to think about it, but gardening should be fun, that is why we do it. I know we
break our backs, but it is insidious. It gets in your blood and your
hooked.
©Mary Harrison 2000