What's Happening

This is a place to focus on what's currently happening in the gardens. I want to share fun seasonal garden stories & events with you. Josh is going to archive the posting as seasons evolve. We hope you will embrace it with a fun-filled spirit.

May 2007

Iowa State Flower
Wild Prairie Rose
Rosa pratincola
found throughout the state
bloom June through late summer
flower - shades of pink / yellow stamens in the center

www.50states.com/flower/iowa.htm

May 2006 began my 'Flower of the Month' postings. Now it's done! I learned a lot and it was fun. Hopefully it was enjoyed here on the What's Happening Pages.

I've been thinking about what to do next. Learning about the flowers of each state in the USA seems logical. Now trying to decide which state flower to begin the series with is the next dilemma. Logically, alphabetical order is well boring but orderly. I really want to present the wild flower of my home state - Iowa first and since I make the rules for my website I guess I can do whatever I wish.

I can reiterate information learned from the internet or I can share the information handed down to me by grandparents and learned by me along life's pathway. The first thing I need to tell you all is don't go sledding on a round plastic saucer sled and end up in a sprawling wild rose bush. The canes will trap you and attack you even through multi-layers of warm winter clothing and stiff brown-duck overalls. And your daughters will roll around in the snow laughing their heads off while you lay helplessly impaled by thousands of claw-like thorns of a Wild Iowa Rose. Your 3 dogs will come running to save you but stop short of the barbed canes. They are suppose to be dumb animals but they are smart enough to avoid the talons of wicked wild rose bushes.

The second thing that is important to know is - if you live in Iowa, and if you have wild roses growing on or near your home, there will be Bluebirds all around the area. Bluebirds love the wild roses. The shrubs provide shelter, safety, and food for bluebirds, or maybe it's just the wonderfully sweet smell of the blowers that attract the bluebirds. I don't really know and since I don't speak "Bluebird" I can't ask what the real attraction is. All I can do is repeat what has been told to me by wise old farmers.

The third thing I know about wild roses in Iowa is they enjoy being sprayed with Round Up (weed killer) and scoff at the notion that the poison might actually deter them from growing where they may. There is, of course, sprays that will kill them eventually.

The fourth thing I know about the vicious shrub is at one time they were actually used as fences to keep cattle from roaming too far from home. The wild rose is a formable foe and an impassable barrier to the other side of the pasture. Always skirt their perimeter. Never try to take a short cut to anywhere near a wild rose and watch out for them while out mushroom hunting in May.

Flora Japonica, 1870 / published by Kurt Strueber

Alabama State Flower - Camellia japonica

Camellia

hort.ufl.edu/shrubs/CAMJAPA.PDF

Camellia tea is made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis. Tea oil is a sweet seasoning and cooking oil made by pressing the seeds of Camellia sinensis or Camellia oleifera.

Let's have a nice cup of tea.

Finally, today I was able to work out in the gardens for several hours without interruption. The day was perfect, the sun reddened my exposed winter-white skin, my finger nails got dirt under them, and the smell of the soil intoxicated my soul. As I began clearing winter debris from the garden beds I was amazed how the plants are recuperating from nature's cruel freezing temperatures in April.

Weather in March was too nice and too warm, deceiving perennial plants and early deciduous trees into waking from winter hibernation. They were laid vulnerable to pending doom to be delivered by hard frost, cold, ice, snow, and frigid temperatures. It was too much to hope for that the weather would hold until the real spring arrived. Predictably doom and gloom arrived shattering the gardens and spirits of Iowa gardeners. It was ugly out there after several days of temperatures in the 20-s and ice, and snow, and damaging winds. It was down right depressing.

Though the plants were devastated hope prevailed. After all it is an act of faith every time a seed is planted. In Pella (town I live near) the big question was, "Will there be any tulips for Tulip Time this year?" Miraculously there are. Many of the city park beds are not nearly as nice as usual and a few were ruined but there will be brave tulips for Tulip Time - May 4, 5, & 6th. www.pellatuliptime.com/tulip-time/ My spirits rejuvenated while out in the garden. Soon I found myself crawling around with camera in hand clicking spot shots of spring in my gardens. Yes, I got distracted again but it was still a very good day.

Spring in the Garden

Hosta 'Barbara Wing'

NR - Marlys Anderson
mini - small
yellow
wavy leaves
mound shape
sport of H. 'Lucky Charms'

Several years ago a little mini hosta named 'Lucky Charms' was given to me as a bonus plant when purchasing lots of other hostas from Jim Schwartz. I do not believe Lucky Charms is a registered plant. In a couple of years a slightly larger, all yellow sport developed out of Lucky Charms. After division, the sport was so yellow (blonde), and so cute, and so sassy, and such a petite little thing, it reminded me of my aunt, Barbara Wing. So just for fun I named it in her honor and shared the plant with her. Hey, it's all about having fun!

Variegated Lily of the Valley (Convallaria)

'Lily of the Valley' is the "flower of the month" for May (see May 2006 - What's Happening Page). I wrote about it last year but didn't have a photo available yet. Lily of the Valley appears to be enjoying life in my Iowa garden since I imported it from Ohio in 2005. I suppose one day I'll be cussin' it and trying to murder it when it tries to take over the entire area. Remember one definition of a weed is "a plant out of place" & "the difference between a flower and a weed is a judgement".

"A blue-green sport of hosta 'Striptease'. Stunning, vigorous hosta with excellent substance. Beautiful frosty-blue leaves have golden centers turning to bright creamy-yellow bordered with flashes of white. Soft lavender flowers. Available 2001."

"Long awaited blue-green sport of hosta 'Striptease - emerges with frosty blue leaves that have a blue-green center surrounded by a white line (same as Striptease). The center later turns to bright gold. Topped with lavender flowers. Excellent substance and good vigor are also evident. Rapid multiplier. One of the prettiest hostas."

Comments copied from "The Hosta Library - Database"

May Newsletter - 'At the Garden Gate' (pdf file)
Mahaska County ISU Extension Service
Oskaloosa, IA

'At the Garden Gate'
May 2007 - Inside this Issue

Rabbit proof plants
Planting Trees in the Landscape
Planning a Butterfly Garden
ISU Extension Publications
Revised & of Interest
Gardening Guide
Pizza from the garden
At Family Gardening
Junior Master Gardeners
Is it possible to grow peanuts in Iowa?
Upcoming Events

If you create enough gardens and mulch beds, you may be able to chuck the power mover (no more sharpening blades, tune-ups, or wasted time mowing the lawn). Large mulch beds around trees promote healthier growth, better moisture retention, and reduce the use of expensive fertilizers and environmentally unfriendly herbicides.

(I didn't make this up.)

May 15th 2007 - Plant Shopping Trip
Knoxville Federated Garden Club

Nila finds daphne 'Carol Mackie' & heuchera 'Citronelle'. Will she pay the price?

May 19, 2007
Marion County Master Gardeners - Habitat for Humanity - Landscaping Project

The heart of the Master Gardener Program is education coupled with volunteer service hours. Marion County Master Gardeners combined the two aspects with our spring landscaping project for a new Habitat for Humanity House in Knoxville, IA.

Slices of the project plan were delegated out to members who might be considered experts in that area. The experts gave impromptu presentations on compost, mulch, & soil, favorite garden tools, tomatoes, transplanting & dividing perennials, shade plants, and annual flowers. Garden tips & secrets were shared among friends. Knoxville Federated Garden Club donated a flowering tree to the project. Many area businesses gave garden gifts to the new home owners. Everyone worked hard and together we got the job done. It was a good time, and a good feeling to have done such a good thing.

Spring was challenging. I didn't take time off from my real job like I normally do in May so I felt 'behind' all month long. I did play in the garden all my days off work.

Somehow, I managed to tend to 3 flower beds as my Master Gardener volunteer project at the Bessie Spaur Butterfly Garden 15 miles away in Knoxville, IA. My daughter, Robin helped me with my 2 Master Gardener volunteer project flower beds at Wallashuck Camp Grounds on the shore of Lake Red Rock. I got to my local garden club meetings / tours / my Master Gardener project meetings / plant shopping / plus planting, & cleaning, & maintaining, my own gardens. I also had opportunity to help a friend design & plan a large new flower garden at her farm. Somehow I managed to work extra at my real (paying) job too. Gotta support that hosta habit!

I did not accomplish getting pictures posted for these projects. Maybe later in the year I'll get to it, or maybe not.

Perennials began to appear in early April this spring much to gardener's dismay as we all knew, sure as shootin' a killing frost would devastate the plants. Well, it happened! But we persevere and wait to see what happens. In the beginning of May what wasn't frozen & rotting, robustly emerged thumbing their noses at Mother Nature. Some plants suffered terrible damage & crown rot has been an on-going life threatening situation. Some plants ended up dead. But some things just never looked better or grew stronger. Just a few days after poking up above the ground - 'boom' they were unfurled and such a lovely sight to see. Evidently the early April warm weather stimulated the underground growth process to begin early. The plants are about an month ahead of 'normal' growth cycle IMHO (in my humble opinion). Hostas began sending up bloom stalks at the end May.

What a difference just a few days can make in the garden. One thing is for sure - the garden is ever-changing!

Now one might wonder - what will the plants be like in August?

And how will they contend with such an extended growing season?