Archive for April, 2009

This month in the garden – May

April 30, 2009 at 5:32 pm · Filed under This Month in the Garden ·Tagged

GARDENING WITH CONFIDENCE™

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Mid-Atlantic Region

May Maintenance Guide

INTRO

May brings the end of pollen and summer begins – at least Memorial Day weekend – the official kick off of summer.

2008portland-or-096

CONTAINERS

  • Every garden has room for container gardens. Find some fabulous pots and fill them with whatever you fancy. Know the amount of sun you get and when. It matters when you select your plants. Remember they need extra watering and fertilizing.

BULBS

  • It’s safe now to plant the Amaryllis from Christmas. It will not likely bloom again this year, but should do so next year. Mine from previous years bloom mid month.  Here’s a little Amarylis planting how-to.
  • Now that the soils have warmed, plant Caladium bulbs or those potted and already in leaf. They like it warm and can be damaged by a cool weather, not just a frost. They are also big feeders so they will need consistent watering and fertilizer during the growing season.
  • Actually, any tender summer bulb such as cannas, dahlias, ginger lilies, and tuberoses can be planted now.
  • Oh, the Irises are blooming their little heads off. Recently, I cut some for a friend. She took a whiff and realized for the first time, bearded Irises have a lovely scent. They are nice to bring inside to enjoy the smell. After blooming, cut flower stalks to tidy up the plant.
  • Cut the flowers stalks of daffodils. Try to ignore the leaves as they die a natural death.

ANNUALS

  • With the frost behind, annuals can be planted with abandonment.
  • Visit public gardens to see the variety available for planting in our area. The JC Raulston Arboretum is an All-American Selection (AAS) display garden exhibiting the most recent selection winners.
  • Direct sow zinnia seed at intervals to have cut flowers through frost.

PERENNIALS

  • May is not the ideal time for planting perennials, but they are oh, so available. Plan to plant, but pamper. They will require extra watering to help get established.
  • English Ivy is leafing out. English ivy sure seemed like a good idea at the time it was introduced to the USA, but this non-native is very invasive.
  • Seeing the Chinese wisteria escaped in the wild brings a feeling of wonder. Yes, the color and flowers cascading down from the trees is beautiful, but they ain’t supposed to be there. Think twice about planting one. Instead, the American wisteria, ‘Amethyst Falls’ blooming a little later, is a good choice.

TREES AND SHRUBS

  • May is Southern Magnolia’s bloom time. They give so much and we need to do so little for them in return. I like to pluck a Magnolia bloom and float it in a bowl of water near where I read or enjoy the magnolias-21garden at the end of the day. It last but a day, but what a day it is.
  • The Endless Summer Hydrangea is the first Hydrangea to bloom on old and new growth with the ability to rebloom all summer long. I planted my Endless Summer in 2005 and I find the reblooming ability to be weak. Perhaps it will improve with age. To encourage reblooming, cut the blooms for drying or to put in vases for a fresh arrangement. This will also encourage the plant to set new buds.
  • Prune rhododendron and azaleas right after flowering.

ROSES

  • Roses are in full swing right now. Let your roses flush out and take shorter pruning tactics in May so they grow taller. This is usually good advice for the first couple of cuttings. Then you can prune at will remembering to cut at an angle at the next 5 leaflets. Remember, Roses are heavy feeders – both food and water. I fertilize once a month and give each rose about 5 gallons of water each a week or about an inch a week. Water at the base of the plant and in the morning to help discourage black spot.

HERBS

  • Plant an herb garden! If not for you, then for your garden friends. The Tiger Swallowtail butterfly larvae love parsley and fennel. Let those ‘green worms’ eat it all. Or plant enough to spare. If you don’t want them, call me at 781-0199 and I will rescue them to my gardens.
  • May, in my garden, is Lavender peak bloom time. Each May, I’m lavendar-april-27-2008-0621reminded of why I grow Lavender. It can look ratty many month of the year. After it flowers, cut back and shape.

FERTILIZER

  • To encourage flowering, a fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus is best. The fertilizer’s 3 main ingredients are N-P-K with N for Nitrogen, P for Phosphorus and K for Potassium. 10-10-10 means there is an equal proportion of each N-P-K. Hydrangeas like a low N and a high P, thus a combination of 10-40-10 would be ideal. My general rule of thumb to remember what the numbers mean is to start with the first number and apply from the top of the plant to the bottom. As such, N – is for the green; P – is for the bloom; and K- is for the root.
  • To refresh your understanding of pH, pH refers to the acidity of the soil and is measured by the number of Hydrogen ions present in the soil. pH is a logarithmic scale based on the power of ten. As such, pH of 6.0 is 10 times more acidic than pH of 7.0! Thus, even a little change in pH can make a big difference. A pH of 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acid, greater than 7 is alkaline. Most plants like a pH between 6.5 and 7. All hydrangeas like it more acid than most plants.

MULCH

  • Keep your gardens cool, less thirsty, and reduce the amount of weeds,  top dress your garden beds of mulch. I can write volumes on the benefits of mulch. I am really mulch crazy. I believe in the power of mulch.
  • For my Roses, I use mini-nuggets, but for my perennial gardens, I used composted leaf mulch.
  • Picking up a load reminds me of how important it is to make sure your yard waste is separated from your trash. This is not only good stuff once it is composted, but the conservation practice is in all our best interest! Confessions of a Stainable Gardener – Part 3 Mulch

WEEDS

  • Spring is prime growing time for weeds too.  The best advice is to stay on top of them with a weekly weeding event.

WATER

  • Now that we are past the last frost, irrigation systems are firing up. My appeal to you is not to water if you don’t have to. Most people OVER water, not underwater.
  • Remember, don’t water because it’s Tuesday or Saturday or any particular day of the week. Water when the top 2 or 3 inches of soil feels dry and then only if the plant looks thirsty.

WILDLIFE

  • Keep your wildlife coming back for more. Fill your feeders, replenish the water in the birdbaths, don’t spray pesticides.

FOR YOUR CONTINUAL EDUCATION

  • For Your Continual Gardening Education, look for garden tours going on this spring, summer, and fall. There is also a fantastic winter garden tour at the JC Raulston Arboretum in February each year. Garden tours are a great way to see how others use certain plants and garden accents, and they can give you endless ideas. If you are new to this area, this is a must for practical purposes and pure pleasure. Garden owners opening their garden are putting their hearts on their sleeve to share with you their passion and giving back to the gardening community.  Support our local gardeners who are giving us so much. During the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days tours also benefiting the JC Raulston Arboretum, you may be surprised to know all the notable gardeners and garden writers who come. Even some the most veteran gardeners attend, those who are smart enough to know there is always someone new to learn from and new pleasures to be found.

philbrookraleighyoest-47

Guide and photos by Helen Yoest

Gardening With Confidence

Comments (5)

Guest Speaker on Ask Farmer Phoebe – Creating a Wildlife Habitat

April 27, 2009 at 5:28 am · Filed under Wildlife ·Tagged ,

I’m excited to be Ask Farmer Phoebe’s guest for her weekly show, Wednesday April 29, 2009.  The topic – creating and certifying your home wildlife habitat.  It would be fun; I hope you can join us!
Header Graphic
What If You Could Certify Your Garden As a Wildlife Habitat? Learn How & Get Your Questions Answered!


Sign Up & Submit Your Question
Name (First & Last)*:
E-mail Address*:
Your Question:

*Required
When I learned that backyard gardens can be certified as wildlife habitats, I couldn’t wait to learn more about how to go about doing it. I can’t think of anybody more qualified to share her love and knowledge of gardening than the Gardening  with Confidence gal, Helen Yoest.

Helen’s organic garden is certified as a wildlife habitat AND a Monarch butterfly watch station. She is going to teach us how to certify our own gardens, as well as answer your general organic gardening questions. Please join us!

Next FREE Teleclass: 2 pm CDT (-5 GMT) Wednesday, April 29, 2009


The FarmerPhoebe Organic Gardening Speaker Series are free* weekly teleclasses with a theme. This week is no exception.


Helen Yoest is a professional writer and garden coach with a half-acre plot in suburban Raleigh, NC. Through her business, Gardening with Confidence, Helen works with clients to help them reach their full gardening potential.

In addition to producing articles for publication, Helen serves as a garden scout, field editor and stylist for Meredith Corp., parent company of Better Homes and Gardens. Her name is featured on the masthead of Better Homes and Gardens and their garden Special Interest Media as Country Gardens, Nature’s Garden and others.

Helen’s passion for gardening and love of writing has earned her a number of plum assignments. Her work has appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Country Gardens, Nature’s Garden, Fine Gardening, Carolina Gardener, Metro Magazine and many others.

Helen practices organic, sustainable gardening methods. Her garden, Helen’s Haven, is a certified wildlife habitat and Monarch watch station.

Visit her blog through her Web site: GardeningWithConfidence.com

April 29 will be a great time to get your questions answered about growing your own food– organically. Please plan on joining us. Can’t be on the live call? No problem! Sign up anyways and you will have 48 hours to download the audio file and listen any time you want–absolutely free!

Please consider posting a review of this speaker series on one–or more–of the popular bookmarking sites below. Hover your cursor over the SHARE button and choose StumbleUpon, Delicious, Digg…or any of YOUR favorites. Thanks for spreading the word about my fun, free, educational teleclasses!

var addthis_pub=”bizlady08″;Bookmark and Share

New to FarmerPhoebe’s Organic Gardening Speaker Series?

Previous Experts Have Shared Gardening Secrets Like…


  • How to Grow More & Healthier Vegetables with Less Work


  • Dispelling Myths About Compost (Your Compost Pile Doesn’t Have to Be a Stinky, Sticky Mess)


  • How to Make Compost Tea that Will Fertilize Your Garden and Your Lawn


  • Easy-to-Use Tips on How to Control Pests Without Chemicals (The secret is in the soil)


  • How You Can Have Compost Ready to Use in as Little as 4 Weeks!
  • How to Extend Your Growing Season with Hoop Houses

And Much, Much More!

Did you miss previous events?
Get your instant downloads here!

 Download Now

FarmerPhoebe Organic Gardening Teleclasses Now Meet Weekly!
Join me at 2 pm CDT (-5 GMT) every Wednesday when, with your questions in hand, I interview a top organic gardening/lifestyle expert who shares tips and tricks that will help you grow bigger, more luscious fruits and vegetables–without chemicals!

Register below for an educational hour with my next special guest. After confirming your registration, you will receive an e-mail with a link to the telephone-based conference service. Once registered you will get a weekly invitation to the upcoming teleclass, a periodic FarmerPhoebe Organic Gardening Tip newsletter and an occasional survey–but that’s it! You can opt-out at any time.

Teleclass Sign-Up Form
Name (First & Last)*:
E-mail Address*:
Your Question:
*Required

I don’t like spam any more than you do. I will NOT rent, trade, or release your name to any third party for any reason–ever. I respect YOUR e-mail privacy.

AskFarmerPhoebe.com was created by Phoebe King, an organic gardener who, until recently, tended a garden patch behind a Catholic girls school in Chicago USA. She is currently breaking ground on a patch at her new home in Menomonie, WI. She’s been playing in the dirt most of her life.

Questions? Compliments? Complaints? Drop FarmerPhoebe a line: phoebe@askFarmerPhoebe.com

You can also track her down at her blog askfarmerphoebe.wordpress.com
on Twitter http://twitter.com/FarmerPhoebe and on her Facebook FarmerPhoebe Fan page!

*Long distance telephone charges may apply.



© 2009 MBD Communications. All Rights Reserved.

Leave a Comment

Sunday, April, 27 2009 – A week puttering in Helen’s Haven

April 26, 2009 at 1:24 pm · Filed under Helen's Haven

Geyna's First Don Juan

What at week!  A gorgeous week to scout gardens at the coast.  The best part, I found two gardens that ROCKED!  Can’t wait to share them.

With no rain in 4 days, panic is setting in.

We have had so much rain, there is no reason to worry; however, I just wish it would come at a steady pace.

It’s a given we will have little or no rain in July or August – it’s usually a given we have spring rain, but after the drought of 2007, anything can’t happen.  The worry begins when there is a slowing of regular showers….Ugh!  As such, I am so glad Helen’s Haven is a waterwise design, watered with harvested rain; however, even she has new plantings that must be water to get established.  The spring rains are needed for this.

april-19-2009-0151

Liz Driscoll, 4-H Youth Extension Specialists at in NC State University in the Department of  Horticulture Science, brought a group of 45 to tour Helen’s Haven today.

It was an enjoyable experience showing the future horticulturists of America Helen’s Haven.  Highlighted were the gardens sustainability, mulching techniques, rain harvesting, and of course, the plants.  Not your typical southern spring garden, but defiantly much to see.

A great group – way to go Liz!!!!!april-27-2009-junior-4-h-059

During this week, before and after the scouting trip, here is what happened in the garden:

  • Filled the feeders and added fresh water for the birds
  • Weeded the Red Bed edge.
  • Sunk large stepping stone that was set in the lawn to enter the new garden path.  I couldn’t get the mower over it.  Now all is good.
  • Photographed the gardens.  I love this time of year, seeing the beginning of each new season’s plantings.  The first rose on Stairway to Haven emerged.  This is a stunning climber on the arch as you enter the Children’s Garden.
  • The palm is still in bloom.  Funky looking, but interesting.
  • Mowed

millsmanteoyoesst-023

millsmanteoyoesst-040

Comments (3)

Right plant, right place: five essentials to Gardening With Confidence

April 24, 2009 at 7:59 am · Filed under Garden Coaching ·Tagged

april-27-2008-062

Gardening with confidence can be achieved with one simple mantra:  Right plant for the right place.  Seems simple enough.  Yet, not following this mantra is often times why gardening goals are not met.   Here’s my take on right plant, right place.  Understanding these five essential elements will help you garden with confidence.

Zone

There is a lot of talk about zonal denial, micro-climates, and changes in our zones due to global warming.  If you are a risk taker and know your garden well, then by all means push the limits with your gardening zone.  In my garden, Helen’s Haven, Zone 7b in Raleigh, North Carolina, I no longer take these risks.   I’m perfectly happy in the zone I own.  I know plenty of  folks that plant zone 8 and even zone 9 plants in our zone 7b gardens and are thrilled with their philbrookraleighyoest-13success, even if it may be short lived.   I use to, but don’t anymore.   I find it is even risky planting plants on the zone’s edge.  Ideally, I like to wrap a zone around a plant, putting me into choosing plants for zone 7a, but not always.  This year, I will be replacing a Clematis armandii, zoned for our 7b gardens. But, alas,  we had a particularly hard winter.

Soil

We need to accept the soil we’re dealt or be prepared to amend.  I have yet to garden in perfect soil, and still, I find gardening success.  I’m a heavy amend-er and believe in the power of mulch.  In our area of the Piedmont region of North Carolina, there is clay and sand.  In the heart of Raleigh, where I am, it is all clay.  As you move outside of Raleigh, you’ll find sandy soil.  So when I read a plant label that recommends planting in well drained soils, I know they are not talking to me.  But planting these plants in my garden is a risk I’m willing to take.  Why?  Because here I have some control;  december-25-2008-090I can amend my soil.  I have amended all my garden beds, one planting hole at a time.  Adding composted leaf mulch or other organic matter to the hole and blending it with the clay with some added insurance of a permanent clay buster such as PermiTil, I can make my sticky clay soil friable.  In any garden soil type, you cannot go wrong adding more organic matter.  Then top dress the garden beds with a lush, thick layer of mulch each year to moderate the soil temperature, suppress weeds, retain water and generally tiding up the garden.  By doing so, you’ll have a happy garden.

Sun

Full sun, part sun, part shade, dappled shade, full shade, afternoon sun, morning sun, winter sun, more sun.  Know your sun.  If the plant tag says full sun (6 hours or more a day) then that means it needs full sun.  Anything less, and the plant will not perform at its best.  However, having said that, you can use the sun requirements to “tame” plants as well.  As an example, I like Akebia quinata commonly know as five-leaf Chocolate vine.  This is an invasive vine.  However, I grow this sun lover in the shade where it is well behaved.  Remember this:  The north side will have the least sun, the south side the most.  The eastern side will have cool light, the western side hot.  Of course all this depends on what’s above and if it is deciduous.   There is nothing mysterious about this.  Take the time to identify areas in your garden and track each hour.    To see the effects of the suns angle, track around March 21, June 21, September 21 and December 21. The results may surprise you.  Also good to repeat every few years as your plants (and your neighbor’s plants) mature.

Water

The last thing I want to do is deny myself is a plant based on watering needs.  But I’m also prudent.  I garden water wisely.  By that I mean, I have my gardens grouped into three watering zones:  Oasis, Transitional, and Xeric.   I’m also fortunate in that I have most sun types covered in each of my helenyoestgarden-1watering zones.   When I garden shop, the plants watering needs are a high priority for me.   But because my garden is designed in zones, it narrows down where I will plant it in the garden.  This also makes my garden purchases easy.  I wont waste money on a thirsty plant requiring shade if the only area in my Oasis zone is sun.  Also, it allows me to have a mental map of my garden with me at all times.  I do not want to spend any more time than I have to on watering.  The thought of dragging a hose around, past 10 drought tolerant plants to reach one thirsty plant is not part of my makeup.  I’m way smarter than that.

Critters

We all have our critter challenges.  For some it’s deer, others moles, voles, and armadillos.  For me its rabbits.  Bunnies are my nemesis!  I have voles and moles too and once when a new development was going in two miles away, I saw evidence of displaced deer.  Then I actually saw the critter.  A sight common to many, but not to me.  That deer was so out of character in my garden, it might as well have been a kangaroo.  I’ve given up worrying about critters.  If I don’t have a chance at winning, I’m not going to play.   I do what and where I can, but I will not be a slave to sprays.  I don’t have the time or the where-with-all that requires an exact spray schedule.  I get no pleasure from it either.  These critter repellent sprays work fine, but need to be kept up.  When I look back at what I had to give up, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I first thought.  I can only have a few Hosta, because the voles love them.  I have voles.  But I also love Hellebores, so I grow Hellebores – the voles don’t bother them.   The bunnies will have to go elsewhere to Echinacea because I will no longer provide these favorites of mine as a favorite for them.  As for the Rudbeckia, I’m trying them in a tall pot this year.   I may try to put some Echinacea in a pot as well.

So you see, understanding these five essential elements will give you what you need to Garden with Confidence.  Follow the mantra of the right plant for the right place, do what you can and except what you can’t and you’re good to go!

Comments (2)

I Want a New Plant – A quest for my 200th blog posting

April 22, 2009 at 6:53 am · Filed under Garden Coaching ·Tagged

I WANT A NEW PLANT

It may not be a big deal for other bloggers who blog daily, but for me, today is a big day. This is my 200th blog posting.

I thought I would post a quest and perhaps get some input. I have a very dear and long term client with the prettiest garden I know, and not just because I care for it. It’s because it is meticulous. Always colorful and well groomed. I like that.

When people say that the gardens in magazines aren’t real, that people don’t really garden like that, they should come see this one.

However, each year I have a problem looking for the perfect performing flower that needs no care – especially deadheading. You see, this client is so meticulous, she even deadheads her impatiens.

We strive each year to find a better performing plant for a certain spot in her front garden each year.  So I want a new plant, one that won’t make me sick, one that won’t make me scratch my car, or cover a path three feet thick. Hmm, this is sounding familiar. Here is what I’m looking for, I want a new plant – to the beat of Huey Lewis And The News song “I Want a New Drug.”

I want a new plant
One that won’t make me sick
One that won’t scratch my car
Or cover a path three feet thick

I want a new plant
One that won’t hurt my beds
One that won’t make my plants too dry
Or make my eyes too red

One that won’t make me nervous
Wondering what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I view you
When I’m viewing you

I want a new plant
One that won’t go to seed
One that don’t cost too much
Or one that makes me bleed

I want a new plant
One that won’t go away
One that keeps me up at night
Or one that won’t made me sleep all day

Repeat

One that won’t make me nervous
Wondering what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I view you
When I’m viewing you

When I’m viewing you baby

I want a new plant
One that does what it should
One that won’t make me feel too bad
Or one that makes me feel way good

I want a new plant
One with no doubt
One that won’t make me cut too much
Or make my face break out

Repeat

One that won’t make me nervous
Wondering what to do
One that makes me feel like I feel when I view you
When I’m viewing you

When I’m viewing you baby

OK, WOW.  Who knew?  Only a handful of words were changed in this song to take it from being about drugs to being about plants. What does that tell you?

As for my client, I really do need a new plant.  A porch planter, western sun, flowers needed, no deadheading, water available.  It also has to be upright and perky.  In the winter, I put pansies and tulips.  Oh, and yes, she deadheads the pansies!

spring-reaves-0191


Comments (14)

Gala in the Garden at the JC Raulston Arboretum

April 21, 2009 at 8:07 am · Filed under Public Service Announcements ·Tagged ,

jcraraleighyoest-11

This is a much anticipated event and a great way to spend an afternoon in the garden.

On Sunday, May 3, 2009 from 3 – 7, the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University will once again hold it’s annual Gala in the Garden

Enjoy music by the Southern String Band, gourmet hor d’ oeuvres including a special dessert reception and bid on a variety of unique plants and other special items in a silent auction

The proceeds from the event will benefit the JC Raulston Arboretum, a working research and teaching garden of North Carolina State University. Tickets are $60.00.

For more information, please visit JC Raulston Arboretum

Leave a Comment

A List of Helen’s Favorite Links

April 21, 2009 at 3:34 am · Filed under A List of Helen's Links

For a full list, please refer to my website Gardening With Confidence

Invasive List

Carolina Outdoors Guide

Garden Conservancy

Herb Society of Wake County

Hometown Seeds

JC Raulston Arboretum

Lasting Impressions

Natural Stone Sculputres

Raleigh Garden Club

Thomas Sayre

Leave a Comment

Six Plants I Can’t Live Without

April 20, 2009 at 7:55 am · Filed under Garden Coaching

Six Plants I Can’t Live Without

When I was asked by my friend Steve Bender, a.k.a. Grumpy Gardener, at Southern Living magazine to participate in listing the six plants I can’t live without, the usual suspects ran through my mind; notably flowers. Somehow, the list fell short in expressing how I felt. This surprised me. I thought for sure my list would be all flowers; flowers bring me and the wildlife I attract great joy.

After given many choices a good consideration, my list of 6 was not about the flowers. It was form that excited me; a plant that I would stare at in wonder. Another was a smell that offered an escape. Others, deep in southern traditions; plants that reined well before my family became southerners. Another for the shear joy of seeing it and never tiring.

Although there were no rules, I chose an herb, a shrub, a perennial, a specimen tree, a large tree, and a bulb.

My choices are bronze fennel, dwarf butterfly bush, hardy begonia, Japanese umbrella pine, Southern Magnolia, white rain lily. For purposes of this post, we stopped at six. I’m comforted in knowing the list goes on…

Bronze Fennel

Name: Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’

Zones: 4 to 9

Size: 3 – 4 feet tall and 18 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil.

fennel1

Bronze fennel is grown in my herb garden for several reasons, but the biggy is because it is a host plant for the Black swallowtail butterfly. The plant itself is very lusty looking with a robust size, seductive color and a soft touch. Bronze color adds interest in an herb garden that can be heavy on green. The feathery foliage looks good all summer, as long as it is not allowed to go to seed. To avoid this, feel free to cut it back during the summer, or just let the larvae do it for you. In some areas, bronze fennel can be invasive. Keeping it going to seed will lessen the worry.

Dwarf butterfly bush

Name: Buddleia davidii ‘Blue Chip’

Zones: 5 to 9

Size: 24 to 36 inches tall and 30 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil

buddliea-015-cropped

Parts of North Carolina deal with the exuberance of some Buddleia species; but there a new Bud on the block.  Buddleia daviddi ‘Blue Chip’ is now widely available. ‘Blue Chip’ was hybridized by Dr. Dennis (Denny) Werner, former director of the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University and a plant breeder in the NCSU College of Agriculture and Life Science. An unusual dwarf butterfly bush, ‘Blue Chip’ is a very, very low seed setter. As such, it is unlikely it will produce unwanted seedlings – also producing blooms all summer until frost with no deadheading.

Hardy begonia

Name: Begonia grandis

Zones: 6 to 10

Size: 18 inches tall and wide

Conditions: Part shade; moist, well-drained soil.

allison_raulston_back_06-cropped1

Hardy begonia is very easy to grow and offers a cooling effect located in the shade of the trees. Most of what I have came from plants passed along from my friend Brooks’ garden. The triangular-shaped leaves and blush-pink flowers keep thriving from summer through frost. Hardy begonia is often passed along from gardener to gardener or purchased from a quality nursery. The cultivar ‘Heron’s Pirouette’ offers especially huge, abundant rosy pink flowers.

Japanese umbrella pine

Name: Sciadopitys verticillata

Zones: 5 to 9

Size: 25 to 40 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; acidic, fertile, moist, well-drained soil.

february-2007-7

A good plant will offer 2 seasons of interest or purpose; a plant with three seasons is even better. Add in a forth season, and it’s a winner through and through. Japanese umbrella pine always looks interesting. Lush, exotic, deep green needles in whorls give rise to its common name. With neither disease nor pest problems to deal with, this tree also meets my low-maintenance requirements. It is a very slow-growing however, so invest in a sizable plant to keep your patience from getting the best of you.

Southern Magnolia

Name: Magnolia grandiflora

Zones: 7 – 9

Size: 60 – 90 feet tall and 20+ feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; rich, well-drained, acid soil. Once established, extremely drought tolerant.

magnolias-2

Quintessential southern landscapes include southern magnolias. Unfortunately, not all of us have the land to hold one. Thankfully, I do. My neighbors have 5 on their half acre lot! We have one on the south side of the house; it shades our home from the hot summer sun. Waxy, glossy leaves, with a brown under belly, drop each spring landing within her skirt. Their May and June blooms look and smell heavenly. I’ll pluck one and float in a bowl near where I read in the morning. It last but a day, but what a day it is.

White rain lily

Name: Zephyranthes candida

Zones: 7 to 10

Size: 6 to 12 inches tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; rich moist soil.

october-23-2008-red-bed-001

The white rain lily was one of Elizabeth Lawrence’s favorite little bulbs. These fall bloomers like moist loam and don’t want to compete for water. Lovely white crocus-like flowers will open after it rains; the rest of the year, they offer a pleasing, grass-like leaf. Mine are located in an area made moist from receiving overflow water from my rain catch basin. Rain lilies have a magical quality in that they just seem to know from where the water comes: Rain lilies will bloom to the occasion of rain.

As a side note my friend Scott Kunst at Old House Gardens where I bought mine, donated a bundle for Elizabeth Lawrence’s gravesite. This white rain lily was her favorite. Thanks Scott!

Thanks, Grumpy, for organizing nine of us from the garden blog community.  For the list of six the others listed as plants they can’t live without, please visit the following:

Grumpy Gardener – Southern Living Magazine Steve Bender

Defining Your Home Garden Cameron
Diggin’ It Judy Lowe
Digging Pam Penick
Fresh Dirt – Sunset Magazine Jim McCausland
Fairegarden Frances
Hoe and Shovel “Meems”
Jim Long’s Garden Jim Long
Sweet Home and Garden Chicago Carolyn Choi

Helen Yoest

GardeningWithConfidence

Comments (23)

Sunday April 19, 2009 A week puttering in Helen’s Haven

April 19, 2009 at 12:15 pm · Filed under Helen's Haven

april-18-2009-1291

april-18-2009-1311

april-18-2009-1302

april-19-2009-013

april-19-2009-014

april-19-2009-015april-19-2009-016

april-19-2009-001

april-19-2009-006april-19-2009-009

april-19-2009-003

april-18-2009-1352april-18-2009-1361april-18-2009-1341

april-18-2009-1383

april-19-2009-004april-19-2009-0051

A good part of this week was spent in a gorgeous garden out of town on a photoshoot for Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  It poured!  I mean to tell you,  it rained hard.  And yet, we somehow were able to get the shots needed to make a great story.  We stayed wet, yet happy.  The paper reported two inches in a day.  I believe it.

better-homes-and-gardens-04142009-041

Scott Johnson, Helen Yoest, and Pete Krumhardt

Scott Johnson, Helen Yoest, and Pete Krumhardt

The pine pollen has subsided, the wisteria is growing out of control in the wild, and hardy columbine are dancing happily over the Mixed Border.   Spring is coming along.

While I was gone, my husband and the kids spotted the first black swallowtail.  april-10-2009-048As I sit here writing this, I see several more.  The birds,  bees and butterflies are abound.

I made it to the Lasting Impressions art sale today.  Took Aster as my date; we say lots of old friends.  We picked up some Bloodroot and Hellebore sternii.  Got one for kk.  He’ll love it!!!

Trying to stay ahead working in clients’ gardens, going on photo shoots, scouting gardens and playing in Helen’s Haven is always a challenge this time of year.  Often times it is my garden that get neglected.  Still, I gone some fun done:

  • Mowed
  • Planted wild Columbine augilena ‘Canadensis’
  • Planted a red Mandevilla sun parasol ‘ Pretty Crimson’
  • Filled bird feeders
  • Planted Amaryllis
  • Straightened up potting shed
  • Potted up Castor Bean for kk
  • Pulled out winter hold=over plants.  Looks like the coast is clear from future frost
  • Hung orchids in the “Orchid Tree”
  • Planted a white Lady Banks rose on a bird house post
  • Cut back Shenandoah grass
  • Pinched back front half of a stand of Monarda
  • Swept off pine pollen from back porch cushions
  • Candle pruned mugo pine
  • Traded out back porch planters with palms (Leyland cypress are used for the winter display)
  • Painted garden chairs

Next week, I’m posting with others from the garden blog community on the subject of ” Six plants I can’t live without.”   The postings will be from blogs across the country.  Check them out.  I’m interested to see what the others choose.  The other bloggist include the following:

Grumpy Gardener – Southern Living Magazine Steve Bender

Defining Your Home Garden Cameron

Diggin’ It Judy Lowe

Digging Pam Penick

Fresh Dirt – Sunset Magazine Sharon Cohoon

Fairegarden Frances

Hoe and Shovel “Meems”

Jim Long’s Garden Jim Long

Sweet Home and Garden Chicago Carolyn Choi

Gardening With Confidence HelenYoest

Helen Yoest

Comments (2)

Raleigh spring plant sale – a perennial event

April 17, 2009 at 9:36 pm · Filed under Public Service Announcements ·Tagged ,

plantsaleraleighyoest-4

A Perennial Favorite

Spring Plant Sale Held

On the Grounds of the NC State Fairgrounds

There are certain things in nature that just make sense. Like the early morning being the best time to water the garden, it also best time to be in the garden! It also makes sense with the arrival of spring, plant sales abound. For North Carolina gardeners, the mother of all plant sales is at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds each spring just when Carolina Gardeners are itching to plant.

This mega plant sale has no official name, but rather it is made-up of five non-profit gardening and civic concerns. Independently, but coordinating the date of the weekend, each sets up at the NC State Fairgrounds to sell plants as a fundraiser for various interests, primarily horticulture interests.

This annual event started in 1980 when a younger Tony Avent (owner of Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh) suggested to his garden club, the Gardeners of Wake County, to hold an event – an azalea sale – to help raise money for scholarships for horticulture students at NC State. With Tony’s connections, as well as others in the garden club, they were able to offer many more varieties of azaleas than were currently available in local nurseries. This helped feed the wants of local gardeners and newcomers to the Triangle.

Over the years, other gardening concerns and a civic organization joined the plant sale with each selling a specific plant species so as not to complement each other and to attract a larger group of plant buyers. The first to join in the mid 1980’s was the Wake County Junior Master Gardeners 4-H Program selling Rhododendrons and Camellias. In 1990, the Pilot Club, a civic organization to help people with brain-related disorders and disabilities, joined selling germanium, other annuals and hanging baskets. In 1996, the Raleigh Garden Club, looking for a venue to also raise money for scholarships and to provide donations to other horticulture related activities, approached Betty Cook, then president of the Gardeners of Wake County.  The two garden clubs negotiated an arrangement allowing the Raleigh Garden Club to sell plants along side the Gardeners of Wake County as long as they sold plants that did not compete with their agenda – azaleas.  The Raleigh Garden Club focuses on native perennials and ground covers, as well a less common new plants and forgotten favorites. The latest to join this mega plant sale is the Herb Society of Wake County.

The common thread for this annual event is to raise money to aid the community. According to Carol Norden, who is in charge of the Wake County Junior Master Gardener 4-H program and chair of the plant sale on their behalf since1996, “We see approximately 60 young people a year; from all over Wake County and some from Johnston County. Our program is very diverse and includes youth of all abilities, ethnicity, and school situations (public, private, charter, and home-schooled.)”

In 2008, the Gardeners of Wake County were able to support six bachelor’s degree candidates in NC State University’s Department of Horticulture Science.

This annual event takes the entire year for planning and preparation. “If we added the hours spent on the sale and paid them a minimum wage our sale would not make a profit. Volunteers do make a difference.” Say past President Anne Clapp.

The azaleas sold by the Gardeners of Wake County, come from 5 nurseries offering some 6,500 azaleas for sale with 120 varieties including deciduous and Encore. Plant varieties are presented for sale in the flower show area of the Fairgrounds with signage showing a photo of the plant in bloom along with growing information. Recently, they began selling gardenias, as well.

Raleigh Garden Club members setting up before the sale

Raleigh Garden Club members setting up before the sale

The perennials come from nurseries but also from divisions from member’s gardens.  Each year, The Raleigh Garden Club plant sale committee ensures accurate handling of inventory and labeling.  Plant information is entered into a spreadsheet by common and botanical name, bloom color and season, size, light and moisture requirements, and landscape value such as deer resistance, drought tolerance, southern heirlooms, native plants and plants to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

There is also a wealth of information to be had from the member volunteers on-site who will answer your gardening questions. Members and volunteers at the plant sales are a variable who’s who in the gardening community and they are also just like us, buying plants!

Inevitability, not all the plants sell. Many of those that don’t sell are donated to various community concerns such as Habitat for Humanity. Again, there is the consistent common thread to aid the community.

Each group is passionate about the plants they sell, as well as, the concerns for which the money is raised. Mark you calendar for this most unique plant sale, support good causes, and enjoy a happy spring.

The annual plant sale is held the 3rd week in April. At the flower show area of the North Carolina Fairgrounds, Gate #6 at Youth Center Road, Raleigh.

2009 dates are:

Friday, April 17th from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 18th from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday, April 19th from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The GWC also offer a 20% discount to club members on the “members only” sell day on Thursday, April 16th from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.

With a cost of an annual membership of a mere $15.00 or $25 for two people at the same address, it is worth becoming a member just to take advantage of this sale.

To learn more about the Gardeners of Wake County, please visit Gardeners of Wake County

To learn more about the Herb Society of Wake County, please visit Herb Society of Wake County

To learn more about the Raleigh Garden Club, please visit Raleigh Garden Club

To learn more about the Wake County Junior Master Gardener 4-H Program, please visit Junior Master Gardeners Kids

To learn more about the Pilot Club, please call Betty Moore at 1-919-787-7467

By Helen Yoest

Gardening With Confidence

Leave a Comment

Older Posts »