Fall 2007 Mary's Plant Farm Newsletter
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"When clouds pour out, and I've not toiled in vain,
you've got to be a gardener, to appreciate the rain."

     As I write this fall newsletter, I am truly looking forward to fall and cooler weather, also surely rain. If I never pick up another hose, I won't mind, as I try to keep six acres watered. Many plants and trees have had to stand on their own. Its also the hundred degree days that have taken their tole. In the field our cut flowers for bouquets are lovely. They should be. Sherri pulls 800' of hose down there twice a week and waters ten 100' rows. I got my feet tangled up in all the hose and took a nose dive. I felt like a ball player sliding into home base. The dried grass is not soft. I now have a black forehead eye and cheek, and a sore replaced knee. Now for the good news. The native plants are proving one of the reasons we grow them. They are weathering the drought and heat. The south border has never been watered, the best performers are matricaria (including the double white 'Bridal Rose'). When the bloom starts to go to seed, I cut back to 6 inches and the plant sends up new bloom shoots that soon have sprays of crisp white flowers. They do this from the first of June till Thanksgiving or a hard freeze. Centranthus Alba has continued to bloom all summer, Oenothera missouriensis (ground hugging in the front of the border) looks wonderful, as does the Echinecea including E.Tennesseensis. At the lower edge of the rockery two plants have become entangled and complimenting each other are Ruella humilis, which is a perennial petunia in bluish lavender standing 12 inches, and Saponaria 'Max Freis'. This saponaria is the most amazing plant, tumbling out over a rock, with flowers resembling a bright pink bouncing Betty (Saponaria officinalis) and has been in bloom for two months or more. This is the year to appreciate the tall Verbena bonharensis. It always carries us though August to October with such airy beauty! The tall phlox have been a disaster. The Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum' in the shade have done well, but in the sun areas they have whimped badly. But I have not watered them. The annuals that have done well without water include an old favorite Star of Texas (Xantheres) with crisp bright yellow 1 1/2" daisies that cover the compact plants. Some are planted by the clear blue flowering cynoglossum. Good heavens, I just read someone in Colorado wants cynoglossum put on the invasive list. I sure wish it were invasive here. The silver leaved blue eye daisy, Arctotis grandis, has always been heat and drought proof. Incidentally this is an example of why I abhor common names. I lost my seed of the Star of Texas and searched catalogs and finally found something called 'Sleepy Daisy'. The description was right, so I tried and it was the plant. I wondered why not use its proper name. Arctotis grandis is called African Daisy, but if you order that seed you get a short lived annual with red and/or yellow flowers. Very confusing for new gardeners.

     Shrubs that are great for late summer bloom and into fall include my beloved Caryopteris. I don't think I could do without this shrub. The sprays of soft blue flowers in the border with white Phlox pan. 'David' or the continuous pink blooming rose 'The Fairy' (you can have your 'Knock Out' rose) is beautiful. For cut flowers it is superb. Plant this shrub in the driest location you have, it does not like wet feet. Since it should be trimmed back to one foot in March, it can be planted near Oriental poppies, Lycoris or other early dormancy plants. The Elsholtzia stauntonii alba or the pink blooming rubra gives you September bloom spikes. It's called mint shrub because the foliage has a minty fragrance. Also holding up well is Indigofera 'Rose Carpet' with sprays of small pink bloom from June to the end of September for a low front of the border plant or in a rockery.

     The bulbs will be arriving from Holland the first week of September for fall planting. I'm remembering the spring freeze the first week of April. All week, no higher temps than 33 degrees. YET! I think even after the freeze the daffodils were the loveliest ever and they lasted well into May with the later varieties. I really had time to look at the hundred of blooms (actually thousands) and mark clumps for digging. Some haven't been separated in over twenty years. If you're in need of large amounts of daffodils for landscaping or in woodland areas, these will be a good buy. All are wonderful varieties. The tulips that froze with hung heads, recovered looking great. I could not believe it. This has totally renewed my faith in why I'm so dedicated to bulbs. Next we'll see how the colchicum come up this fall with their masses of pink, lavender and white bloom. The large mixed pots around the terrace area have done well. I used wine colored foliaged cannas in the center. Nice. I'm thinking of planting boxwoods in them for winter appeal instead of them sitting there empty. The two large pots at the back terrace entry have had alberta spruces in them for years and they look so nice in the winter. Don't forget it is also time to dig and plant Peonies. I'll start digging all the varieties including the fernleaf Peony Tenufolium, the single Early April Hybrids, the large double estate peonies and the May blooming tree peonies in September for our customer's who placed orders. There is also time to order if you need peonies for next springs bloom. Hopefully we'll have rain to make the digging easier.

     Remember our fall scheduled seminars:

Easy Maintenance Landscaping: Color with Native Trees and Shrubs - How to maximize the color in your garden for all 12 months by using low maintenance native varieties. All size gardens will be discussed. Saturday, September 22, 10:30 a.m. Free with reservation.

Making Hyper Tufa Trough Class - Materials and instruction are included to make a 12" to 18" trough with your choice of mold shape. Saturday, October 6, 10:00 a.m. Pre-paid $35.00 per person.

Don't forget to visit our web site at: www.marysplantfarm.com

Summer and Fall hours (July-Oct)
Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 am - 5:00 p.m
CLOSED SUNDAY & MONDAY
Winter hours by appointment (513) 894-0022

-- Mary

©Mary Harrison 2007