Hello again,
The last week of July, and it seems like the weather is cooperating with us a bit.  Temperatures haven't reached over 100 for a couple days and we've had some spattering of rain showers to brighten up some of the plants.  So on Friday this week, I had the great pleasure of going to Boerner Botanical Gardens in Milwaukee and Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, WI.  Brent Gustason and I were dropping off Allium Summer Peek-a-Boo™ to these two gardens for them to place in their trials. Here are some of the things we saw. And they all happen to be New for 2013 for Midwest Groundcovers!

Echinacea Sombrero™ Hot SalsaI think I've become harder to please when it comes to coneflowers. There are just so many out there on the market. This one is truly different than anything else I've seen.  For one thing, the size is great.  Short and sturdy branching so flopping doesn't occur makes this a great improvement over other reds out there.  Plus, this color is so red and exciting that I'd beg you to show me a coneflower with longer lasting red color.  I don't think it exists yet.  And, look at how many blooms are on this beauty. In a container, I counted 21 flower buds yet to open.  Not bad for a baby plant.

Physocarpus Amber Jubilee™

It was quite exciting walking up to this plant at Olbrich yesterday.  I had only seen pictures of the plant and what we had in production.  In the ground, in a part shade situation, the colors really popped.  Bright orange and yellows aging to chartreuse.  Physocarpus is the new Heuchera.  There are new colors and sizes coming out all the time.  This seems to be a winner to me.  Who doesn't want a little orange pop in their garden?

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Pee Wee'
Have you noticed that it is the year of the oak leaf hydrangea? Everywhere I see them, they just look spectacular.  Maybe because of the gentle winter we had, there was little die back, so they have quickly risen to spectacular.  I've always liked the plant, but I have a new appreciation for it now.  This is the largest 'Pee Wee' I have ever seen. Since it topped out at almost 4', I would say that it is about as large as it gets.  For the shrub border, in part shade, I'm not sure I can recommend much better than this plant.

The New World of Groundcover
We've spent years and years looking for the best new groundcovers.  Some candidates were great, some not so much.  But as we approach the 2000 teens, it appears that the best new groundcovers have been under our nose the whole time.  Or maybe, underneath our oak and crabapple trees.  They say sedges have edges, but if you are a landscaper right now, you can get an edge on the competition by using this amazing group of plants.  In this picture, you can see the fabulous groundcover of sedges that leads you to the bench.  Behind the bench was a Tricolor beech. With Solidago 'Fireworks' to the left and Anemone to the right, this little path walked us into a garden of calming influence.  It really made both of us take a breath and relax. 

Thanks again for taking the time out to read the blog.  To the many visitors that have come to our gardens in July, thank you.  We've had a great time having you all out here.  Other than my birthday and wedding anniversary, there is nothing better to me than to have you out here touring our grounds and learning about plants.  A personal thanks from me to you.  Until next time, have a great day!

Hello again, and happy May!

I decided to peruse the more shady areas of the landscape this week.  To my delight, there were many things looking great. 

Osmunda cinnamomea with Hyacinthoides hispanica

This was an unintentional combination that occured because of the Hyacinthoides naturalizing in the landscape.  The color contrast of the light green fronds of the cinnamon fern with the dark strap-like leaves of Hyacinthoides is great.  But what you can only slightly see in the picture is how they contrast so well with the Heuchera 'Blackout' behind it.  The three plants together make for an attractive combination.

Carex pensylvanica with Hyacinthoides hispanica
This is where the original plantings of  Hyacinthoides began.  Most of the year, the Carex fills this spot out and looks great.  But this time of year, the bulbs are the best.  A lawn-like area is transformed into a bloom festival.   There are concerns in some parts of the country where Spanish Bluebells have become aggressive.  I could see that happening over time.  In an area that is maintained, I think it's worth planting. 

Polygonatum 'Prince Charming'
This is a plant being introduced by Chicagoland Grows, but it was bred by Brent Horvath at Intrinsic Perennials in Hebron, IL.  I've had it in the landscape for a good amount of time now, and it has thrived in two spots.  Both with a lot of shade, like you see in this picture and with partial sun.  The blue-green leaves are stunning all growing season, and now are decorated by white flowers that look like hanging earrings.

Heuchera 'Palace Purple' with Hosta 'Halcyon'

Classic combination of the week here.  Purple and blue look so good together in the shade.  I may have posted this before, but I'm recycling thoughts.  I used to scoff at those who used 'Palace Purple' over some of the other Heuchera.  There is a reason so many Heuchera have come and gone, and this one remains.  It is the best in all my trials.  It always comes back strong, and can even perform in some sun.  Hosta 'Halcyon' is another favorite of mine.  For the smaller sized blue Hosta there is no better in my opinion.  One step further, it is the parent to some of my other favorite Hosta like 'June' and 'First Frost'.  Classic plants can look amazing together, and knowing they are classic can also help you to know that they are qualified performers in even the toughest situations.

Thanks again for taking the time at the blog.  I hope you have enjoyed, and until next time, have a great day,