Natives Outshine the Competition

Hello again, I've never been one to run through the sprinklers. At least at work that is.  But lately, if there is water in the air, I'm trying to get under it.  This is hot folks!  You didn't need me to tell you that though.  After the forth consecutive day above 100 degrees, I had a tough time getting the urge to go out and take pictures.  If you are outside all day like a lot of you probably are, I'm not complaining.  I have it made being able to work in an air-conditioned office.  If the weatherchannel.com report is correct, we should be back into the 80's by Sunday.  That will be a relief. 

Liatris spicata
If there were ever any reason to promote natives, times like these really market them well.  While walking through the gardens this morning, I noticed that most of the plants that looked best were native plants.  This picture has both the Liatris and the Eryngium yuccifolium otherwise known as Rattlesnake Master.  This combo borders our native area.  These were planted three years ago now, and are doing a great job turning this area into a somewhat designed native garden.

Parthenium integrifolium
I think I talk about this plant every year.  I also think that it's probably because it fills a time when not much else is looking great.  Sure the Echinacea are blooming everywhere, but you already know about those.  I have this planted in many areas now, but I like it best mixed with the Liatris and in another area with Geranium 'Bevan's Variety'.  The bold textured foliage looks great with fine textured plants like grasses as well.

Monarda Grand Marshall™

While it is very dry outside, there are some parts of our landscape that get plenty of moisture.  Water running from our Yard Shoppe display area filters into the garden that has Grand Marshall™.  This keeps this area well watered without having to put the labor into hand watering it.  When designing this garden, it was my intent on putting things there that I don't have enough water for in other gardens.  Ligularia, Carex elata 'Aurea', and various Astilbe have done well here.

Hopefully the next week we'll have some refreshing temperatures out there.  Right now it seems like a dream.  Until next time, have a great day!

Life in the Prairie

Hello again,
I don't typically post two blogs in a week, but I couldn't resist mentioning something about our prairie. Last year, the prairie pictured was actually a planting of Juniperus and Flower Carpet® roses. We made the change so that the prairie that existed would have a "designed prairie" next to it. I didn't expect to see the life that I see in just one year. Yesterday, I was literally startled by the amount of butterflies that flew into the air as I approached the garden. Swallowtails, Monarchs, and others flew off in every direction. I only wish I was walking up with my camera ready to go, but sadly, I was changing lenses at the time. I was able to capture some of the critters before they left.

Eupatorium maculatum was blooming in the creek bed, with Tiger Swallowtails all over it. Unfortunately only a couple remained after my approach, and this is the only one that was feeling photogenic.






Liatris spicata seems to be what most of the butterflies are going to though. This is a black version of the Tiger Swallowtail. Apparently, only the females have the black version. There were several of these black ones in the garden as well.





The prairie to me looks stunning. Although, I'm a little biased as I got to choose which plants to place there. Cassia hebecarpa, Liatris spicata, Pycnanthemum virginianum, and Parthenium integrifolium constitute the majority of what is planted. I've also noticed some Giant Swallowtails in the garden that seem to be infatuated with the Pycnanthemum, or Mountain Mint, as I seem them frequenting these often. Overall, even though the roses and junipers looked nice, they did not attract the amount of life that currently resides here.

Thanks again for browsing the blog. Until next time, have a great day!

What's Hot in the Shade and Prairie

Things are sure hot around here. New plantings in the Piet Oudolf garden have been temporarily suspended until we can get heat indexes below 100 degrees. So I perused the gardens for other things looking good in the sweltering heat, and found some nice surprises.

Liatris spicata with Parthenium integrifoliumThis was part of a renovation from last year. This area was formerly Flower Carpet® Roses and Junipers. Junipers are still surrounding the area, but we replanted the rest of it with native prairie plants.

Another view of this area shows Eryngium yuccifolium and in the background Cassia hebecarpa. The beautiful Quercus bicolor, or Swamp White Oak makes a nice transition from our older prairie to the newly planted one.

Hosta 'Halcyon'
This is one of my all time favorite Hostas. It holds up very well even in intense heat. The plants further back are in full shade, while the ones in front do get some afternoon sun which is why they have a green tint to them. This variety of Hosta has been one of the best for sports. Some of the plants that have come from this include, 'June' and 'First Frost' to name two.

Astilbe Color Flash™Color Flash™ Astilbe looks great in the landscape right now. The flowers are light pink with a pleasing light fragrance. Not pictured, is the partner for this planting, Carex elata 'Aurea'. Together, this makes a nice combination for wet shade. The area in which these are planted gets wet everyday from us watering our display yard and perhaps is why this has been so successful.

Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'Hidden below a Washington Hawthorn is this nice stand of Hakonechloa. This year, this is the only variety that we carry. But next year, watch out! We'll be carrying two other varieties of Hakone grass. They will be 'Fubuki' which is a white and green variegated plant. Those also look nice in the landscape right now. And we will also be carrying 'All Gold'. These are nice plants for the shade, but usually require some moisture. In this area, they are under a tree and rarely get watered, so there is some drought tolerance there as well.

I hope everyone is staying cool and healthy out there. This weather is brutal. Thanks again for taking the time to read, and until next time, have a great day.

Perennials in Late Summer

Hello again,
It's been a while since I've posted a blog. My apologies. Hopefully I can make up for it here. There is a mixture of plants that we either grow and will have as new 2011 and some that are still in the trials stage. There are also some nice tried and true plants that were too stunning to pass up. This edition will be the perennials. Shrubs will be coming next week.
Euphorbia 'First Blush'
This is a plant that I've been watching for a couple years now. Two years ago they were planted as small plugs, and now I have some really nice plants in the landscape. Euphorbia in general is not always hardy for this area. Sure there are some like the native E. corrolata that are hardy, and there are some weeds like E. esula that you can't get rid of. But this one shows promise for the garden. Nicely variegated with more pink in spring than now. It grows to 12" tall in a shady location. Interested? Post comments. I'd like to see us do this, but we need some interest first!
Gentiana andewsii
The native Gentiana that we used to carry was such a nice plant. The problem is that it is very difficult to grow. We have a solution for you. While what you see is in fact the native, we are now carrying a variety called Gentiana 'True Blue' which is very close to start blooming in the pots. It shows an incredible amount of potential in the containers, and if you are interested in this type of plant, I highly recommend it. It is available now, and will be new in our catalog for 2011!
Geranium Rozanne
I was always a 'Jolly Bee' backer, but now I'll get with the program and back up Rozanne. Truthfully, she is a non-stop bloomer as well. I've tried planting her with Geranium 'Biokovo' to see how the combination will work. 'Biokovo' has a much shorter bloom time, but I think the fall colors of 'Biokovo' are going to really compliment the blue-purple flowers of Rozanne. Stay tuned!
Parthenium integrifolium
This is a very underutilized native plant. When I first saw this at the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park I fell in love. Bright white flowers act like beacons to bees in the daytime. This image was taken in the morning before the bees were awake. We have this in combination with Liatris spicata and Eryngium yuccifolium and they make a great combination together. These plants can handle the drought, so it offers up something nice for those difficult areas.
Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride'
I've always loved the large panicle flowers of 'Autumn Bride'. Every year when I see this plant, I wonder why it isn't used more often. This is pictured in an area that is half day sun and they are very successful. Also at the Lurie garden in a similar location, this can brighten up a semi-shady spot and look great in combination with Anemone 'September Charm' or for Spring blooms, Geranium 'Bevan's Variety'.

Allium senescens glaucum
One of the last Allium to bloom in the landscape here at Midwest. Allium 'Ozawa' being the last. I've tried a planting of this with Stachys minima. The Stachys will begin to bloom in late June early July. They are spent now, but the seed heads are very attractive. The flowers of the Allium float above the twisted foliage and in this image aren't fully open yet. When they are, they are a site to see.

Pennisetum 'Piglet'
This is one of the best Fountain Grasses on the market. Reliably hardy, it blooms fairly early and looks great long into the fall. While some Pennisetum are known to be seedy, this one has not shown to be so. I have not seen any seedlings anywhere near the plant. Hopefully it remains this way. There are several types that are supposed to be dwarf in the industry, but not all of them are reliably hardy. Try this and be satisfied!
Sorghastrum 'Indian Steel'
We used to carry an Indian Grass named 'Sioux Blue'. That became increasingly difficult to produce and find liners for. Therefore, we have switched over to the very similar 'Indian Steel'. In my opinion, the foliage of 'Indian Steel' is more blue overall. The flowers are now just starting to emerge, and this grass, is in a bit of shade. Therefore, with complete confidence, I can recommend this for a part shaded location. It still gets a majority of the day in full sun, but mornings are completely shaded.

Phlox arendsii 'Babyface'
We are always searching for good Phlox cultivars that are mildew resistant. This variety, being from a different species than P. paniculata seems to fit the bill. I have not seen any mildew on this plant this year even though it is surrounded by varieties loaded with mildew. This one only grows to 24" tall and also has the opportunity to rebloom. This flowered all the way back in June and the deer ate all the flowers off. Now they are back for another show. This will be new in the catalog for 2011, but we do have some available to you now in 2010!
Phlox paniculata 'David's Lavender'
Here is a P. paniculata that has seriously outperformed expectations. This has been in our catalog, but I don't think it has really caught on yet. The color of the blooms in morning is magical. Of all the cultivars in the landscape, this one demands attention. They have grown to 3' tall, but are completely free of mildew. Others nearby are covered in mildew. The flowers of this mixed with Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers' is stunning. That combination in the back of a border with Sesleria autumnalis up front could be a real show stopper!

Thanks again for taking the time to read. You will be seeing a lot more from this blog in the near future. Until next time, have a great day!

The Lurie Garden at Millenium Park

Good day everyone,
Last Friday, I had the great pleasure of accompanying Roy Diblik at the Lurie Garden in Chicago. This garden never ceases to amaze me. There was so much to photograph this day and so little time to write about it. So here goes!

Here is Roy Diblik talking with a group of people from the ASLA touring the grounds. Each group had very good questions. The speaker is always interesting when it is Roy! It's always fun to see the groups listening to him. Even when event coordinators were trying to move the group along, everyone waited in line to talk with him. Even if they miss the next presenter, they were still waiting for Roy. And if Roy was still there today, I bet he'd have a line.


Agastache 'Blue Fortune'
I remember when everyone was afraid that this plant wasn't hardy. I was one of the skeptics. But now, it grows everywhere. It does not require the drainage of the next plant, which is also an Agastache, so it does great in most any Midwest landscape. A really wet area may not be appreciated. Butterflies love it, and so do I. The anise scented foliage reminds me of small hardy candy I was given as a child.

Agastache rupestris
This is an Agastache you only want to plant if you have great drainage. I can't believe it lives at the Lurie Garden, but they do have excellent drainage. And it is a green roof, so that should help. Typically this is a plant that excels in the west. It is an interesting color, and if breeders want to keep trying, I'm sure the Chicagoland public would welcome this plant or something similar that would do well here. Yes, that's a challenge!
Parthenium integrifolium
A new addition to the Lurie Garden is Parthenium. It really shows up when you look at the garden as a whole. I tried to show it here with Panicum 'Shenendoah' behind it to give you an example of how nice it looks with a reddish background. Other then weedy asters, there isn't much in the landscape this time of year with clean white flowers. This shines like a beacon in a landscape covered with the colors of fall.

Anemone 'Konigan Charlotte'
'Queen Charlotte' for those who do not speak German. I have a real hard time not writing about at least one Anemone this time of year. Also blooming in the garden were 'September Charm', 'Praecox', 'Honorine Jobert', and 'Pamina'. What a sight to see.



Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride'
If there were a vote for the most underutilized plants for the landscape, 'Autumn Bride' would definitely get some votes. Look at how nice these plants look in late September! The foliage is very clean and the flowers are mighty attractive. This is in most day sun, but it can handle just about anything you throw at it.

Gentiana andrewsii
Okay, I was very excited two weeks ago to show you the picture of the Gentian in our landscape, and then I go to Millennium Park here where it is prolific. Here, it doesn't act like a plant that is difficult to grow. In fact, there had to be close to 100 plants thriving in the garden. It really catches your eye. Here it is combined with Sporobolus(Prairie Dropseed) and Amsonia hubrichtii(Narrowleaf Blue Star) with a little Origanum sneaking itself into the picture.

Scutellaria incana
We tried to grow this plant as well for a little while with little success. When I see the seed heads of this plant, I wonder why more people don't ask for it. They are cup shaped, which has given it the common name of Skullcap. Maybe that's why more people don't ask for it. Who wants a skullcap? What people may have wanted was the fact that mammals don't eat the plant because it doesn't taste good. This is especially good for a garden that is loaded with rabbits. I saw three small ones playing together at the end of the day.

Pycnanthemum virginianum w/ honeybees
This is a plant that I didn't see a use for just three years ago. I was asked to plant it in our landscape and did. I'm so glad I've been able to enjoy it's beauty. On this day at Millennium Park, it was swarming with honeybees. If you click on the picture to make it bigger, you can see a small swarm of two bees. I really like the gray, hairy foliage and the scent of the plants when crushed. The common name describes the smell of the plant best; Mountain Mint.

Molinia 'Transparent'
Who wouldn't like this plant? Unfortunately a lot of you don't. We don't sell much of this. But it is truly a gem. This is one of the best shots I could get. A difficult plant to photograph because of it's transparent seed heads, but I found the way. The city in the background with a blue sky. Brilliant! Think of this as the ultimate separator of a landscape. Place this where you would want people to be interested in what's around the corner. It creates a screen, but not a view blocking screen. Perfect for the fence near the neighbor that you don't want to talk to, but you also don't want to completely shield because your kid plays with their kids.
Salvia azureus w/ Monarch
Not a plant I think Midwest Groundcovers would grow, but I thought the picture was nice. He only would pose for me for the briefest of moments. The Salvia is a nice plant, but not quite like your brothers Salvia. These were 4' tall and a little wispy. They looked great scattered around the landscape in groups of three, but a specimen, it is not.


I leave you today with a couple of garden shots. It is hard to believe that such a garden could be as successful as this one in the heart of a city. Chicago is very lucky to have such a great landmark. For a short time, I was able to people watch around the garden. I was surprised to see people's reaction to the garden. Did they appreciate it? What are they feeling?




The one thing I noticed most, was that almost all the people were afraid to touch the plants. I find it very rewarding and interesting to walk a path with my hand out and feel the different textures of grasses and Agastache and all the other great plants. Why would these people feel differently? I mentioned this to Roy and he recalls seeing people at his place walking a path and looking around the tall grass along his path rather than walking through it. It would only take a quick brush with a hand to move them out of the way. In the process, that person would then know more about that plant and maybe even have a better connection to it. So why are people afraid to touch plants? Is it because we give ownership to the site and we've been cultured to not touch other peoples property? Is it because people really are afraid of plants? Maybe they get poison ivy really bad, and they don't know what will give them a rash and what won't? I'm not sure. If you are one that walks the garden without touching the plants and have a good reason why, I'd love to hear it. Email me at mgplanttrials@gmail.com and I'll post any really good reasons why you wouldn't touch a plant. Thanks again for reading and until next time, have a great day!