Know Your Zone

When creating or revising your 2012 landscaping plan be sure to check out the new Plant Hardiness Zone Map recently released by The United States Department of Agriculture. The new map might not be the zone envy cure that many Minnesotans growers and landscapers long for – but most of the Twin Cities metro area saw at least a half zone increase (from 4a to 4b) and one South Minneapolis/Richfield pocket, called a micro-climate, is even classified as a 5. Other parts of the state saw as much as a whole zone shift.

We have to remember it is still Minnesota, and we are susceptible to all kinds of unusual weather patterns from one year to the next, but this new map should at least encourage some fun plant experimentation in 2012. Maybe there is a Japanese maple in your future?

This is the first change to the map since 1990 – and reflects a general warming trend across Minnesota for the past 30 years. The map is based on average annual minimum winter temperatures, and divided into 10-degree F zones. It is the standard way to predict which plants are most likely to grow and thrive in a particular area. Click here for interactive version of the map available at the USDA website, allowing you to search by zip code and zoom in on your own neighborhood.

Our Strange Winter

It’s been a strange winter in Minnesota this year. Conditions – like the fall drought, extreme temperature fluctuations, and light snow cover – are posing some unique gardening concerns. Julie Weisenhorn, master gardener with the University of Minnesota Extension School was recently on the Mid-Morning Show on Minnesota Public Radio to address these issues. You can hear the complete January 19 broadcast here.

In the meantime, here are some tidbits from the program:

Fall Drought and Severe Cold Temperatures: Minnesota started winter this year with a precipitation deficit. Unless we watered our evergreens, shrubs and plants well in the fall the drought may mean that their roots are not hydrated well enough. This plus the lack of an insulating snow cover may result in some winter die back.

Combined with the periods of severe cold, evergreens may be especially susceptible to winter burn. Some of the early spring blooming shrubs (i.e. magnolias, azaleas) may also see some winter damage on their buds and foliage. However, when spring arrives it is best to take a wait and see approach. Foliage damage does not necessarily mean permanent damage to the branch. It may still push out new growth and make a nice recovery in the spring.

Warm Winter: This is a welcome oxymoron to Minnesotans – but it is causing some alarm for gardeners who are seeing their bulbs and plants putting up green shoots much too early. Higher temperatures can kick plants out of their usual winter dormancy. The truth is no one knows if this is a temporary aberration or a death knell. Buds may die back and some foliage will display with black edges. However, the bulb, rhizome, or plant may recover in the spring and produce new buds and eventually its beloved blooms – and if not this season then perhaps the next. Hope springs eternal!

Light Snow Cover and Mulching: The lack of snow this year means that we do not have our usual frost insulator for the ground. Some of our more fragile plants may not survive this kind of winter.

Mulching though is a good remedy – and it is not too late consider doing some mulching now, especially for the more tender perennials. The purpose of mulching is to slowly put plants into dormancy in the fall and then slowly bring them out of dormancy in the spring. It may be too late given the bitter cold we had earlier – but mulching now may still help with that critical emergent time – keeping plants from putting out shoots too early or offering protection to new growth against sudden, last minute cold snaps. If you still have bags of leaves from last fall that makes great mulch. Some nurseries may still have straw available.

Amazing mulching fact: Mark Seeley, University of Minnesota climatologist, noted that in their testing unprotected winter soil temperatures dropped as much as 41°.  But in mulched areas the soil temperature dropped only 8°. Mulching works!

In the spring be cautious about removing mulch. As plants starts to grow, gently pull away mulch from the base of the plant but mound it up nearby in case you want to recover for the inevitable Minnesota cold snap, winter’s last hurrah.

Go Native: Next year consider planting more Minnesota native plants, trees and shrubs as they have already adapted to our odd weather patterns. But bear in mind the new zone map – our warming climate is bringing new native plants into our area and some are not as well suited as they once were. If you have questions, ask Tom.

Heliopsis helianthoides, oxeye, is an easy to grow, showy native plant of the Minnesota prairies. About 4’tall, its bright yellow flowers are similar to tiny sunflowers. (University of Minnesota)

Need a last minute holiday gift idea for a gardener in your life? Or just planning to settle in for a good January read by the fire? Here are some great garden reads Magnolia has chosen for your enjoyment. They cover a range of design topics including landscape design, English cottage gardens, gardening up instead of out for small spaces, and low maintenance gardening practices for older gardeners. There’s even something for the literary minder gardener.

What Tom is Reading

The Garden Book
Phaidon Press (January 2000)

This book will take you on a visual garden journey through time and space to some of the most beautiful and famous gardens of the world, from Ancient Persia and China through classical Europe and into contemporary garden design. The A-Z format presents 500 gardens each represented with a full-page photo and brief text noting its historical and design significance and providing some background information on the designers and their patrons. This is a great book to dream over – and mine for inspiration.

Garden Design Magazine

If you are a gardening and landscape design enthusiast then this is great magazine to check out. Its focus is modern design concepts rather than practical how-to gardening tips. It is published 6 times per year with a bonus issue published once a year. This is the type of magazine that you will savor for its eye-candy garden photography, and then archive for future reference because the garden descriptors include plant lists and design plans.

Other Notable Books

Great Gardens of America
Tim Richardson
(Francis Lincoln, 2009)

This is another survey book. It looks at 25 notable American gardens from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello to the Donnell Garden in Sonoma, California with the “most beautiful swimming pool in the world”. The British author, Tim Richardson, identifies the American design principle as being about opening outward toward the vastness of the land and the surrounding wilderness. He contrasts this to the classical European design principle of creating enclosures. It is an intriguing idea-based book – and Richardson is an engaging writer. The photography by Andrea Jones is stunning.

Home Outside: Creating the Landscape You Love
Julie Moir Messervy
(Taunton Press, 2009)

This book was called “One of the year’s best gardening books” of 2010 by the Boston Globe, and awarded the 2010 Gold Award by The Garden Writers Association. Messervy writes for the homeowner, outlining a 6-step landscape design process. She is realistic in the way she writes about such everyday concerns as a tight budget, limited time or neighborhood association rules. Readers are sure to find a wealth of ideas and landscaping inspirations.

Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older
Sydney Eddison
(Timber Press, 2011)

The physical demands of a garden can begin to wear on the aging gardener. Sydney Eddison knows all about that from her own life experience. In this well written book she shares her own story as well as tips for low maintenance gardening that continues to make the results as rewarding as ever.  For instance, she deals quite extensively with plant selections. She suggests replacing fussy plants, such as delphiniums, with plants that need less constant tending like sedums or daylilies.

Fifty Plants That Changed The Course Of History
Bill Laws
(Firefly, September 2011)

Since time immemorial plants used as fuel, medicine or even weapons have impacted human lives and civilizations. This book is full of interesting tidbits of information and historical note about the usual suspects (tea, rice, wheat, etc.) as well as the unusual (agave, pineapple, hemp, eucalyptus). An enjoyable read, with beautiful botanical illustrations and photography.

Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver
Diane Ott Whealy
(Seed Savers Exchange, July 6, 2011)

The author and her husband, Kent Whealy, co-founded Seed Savers Exchange in 1975, a non-profit dedicated to preserving and distributing heirloom seeds. The project began with seeds that Ott Whealy saved from her paternal grandparents. The organization now has over 13,000 members. She also founded the Flower and Herb Exchange where members offer over 2000 heirloom flowers and herbs for exchange each year. More than a story of preservation, this book is a well written memoir of farming in several states, raising five children and following a passion for gardening. A good book to sink into.

English Cottage Gardening: For American Gardeners
Margaret Hensel
(W. W. Norton & Company; Revised Edition, July 2000)

As a photographer and contributor to Horticulture Magazine, Hensel has brought the art of the English Cottage Garden to the page – and to America. The book features 10 gardens, 8 in England and 2 in the United States – all beautifully photographed and presented. The book contains design information, source lists and specific plant information. But more than an invaluable resource, it is the ultimate armchair garden tour. If you weren’t an Anglophile before reading it you will be afterwards.

Minnesota Gardens: An Illustrated History
Susan Davis Price
(Afton Historical Society Press, April 2000)

A past winner of Minnesota Book Award for Best Minnesota Book, this chronicle of Minnesota gardening takes the reader on a garden tour from pioneer and Victorian times to the present. Using her skills as a research librarian Price went to a variety of original sources (newspaper articles, diaries, interviews and photo archives) to compile her comprehensive and compelling book. Our state is home to hundreds of plant varieties, a flourishing seed industry, and gardens worthy of note. Minnesota gardeners will be beaming with pride in their distinguished legacy.

Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces
Susan Morrison and Rebecca Sweet
(Cool Springs Press, March 2011)

When garden space is limited the only direction to go is up! This book proves how beautifully and imaginatively it can be done. Each chapter examines an existing garden and explores how/why it chose to go vertical in order to overcome a particular design challenge. Trellises, arbors, and living walls are not just trendy design elements. They are here to stay. This book offers a great start in vertical gardening.

Writing The Garden: A Literary Conversation Across Two Centuries
Elizabeth Barlow Rogers
(David R. Godine, October 2011)

Literary-minded gardeners will savor Rogers’ discussions and exploration of the English world’s best garden writers. From the first chapter on “Women in the Garden” (Jane Loudon, Frances Garnet Wolseley, and Gertrude Jekyll) to the last chapter, “Philosophers in the Garden” (Henry David Thoreau, Michael Pollan, and Allen Lacy) the reader will see Rogers’ views on how these great minds influenced the ways we design, plant and enjoy our gardens today. This book also opens the door to endless reading possibilities for months and years to come.

If you have a favorite gardening book let us know about it. In the meantime…

Happy Reading and Happy Holidays from your friends at Magnolia Landscaping and Design!

Magnolia Plant Pick of the Month

Arctic Fire Dogwood
(Cornus sericea ‘Farrow’)

This fast growing, compact, hardy shrub will attract birds to your yard. It does best in full sun to partial shade and tolerates a wide variety of growing conditions. At maturity it will grow to 4’, with a 4’ spread. It has clusters of creamy white flowers in late spring, and dark green foliage throughout the season. It produces white berries in late summer. In the fall its pointy leaves turn burgundy. In winter its scarlet branches are showy – especially against the snow.

When gardeners can’t garden they love to plan. Will the irises need to be divided next summer? Should the day lily be moved to a sunnier location? Would a tree look nice where the kids’ sandbox used to be? But how often do we wonder, “How will my garden look throughout the winter months?”

It’s an important question for the northern gardener. For one–fourth of our year, from the first flurries of November to the wet, heavy snows of March, we are winter gardeners.

So now that the summer garden has been “put to bed” with adequate mulch, the tools are cleaned and neatly stored away, and the first snowfall of the season is blanketing the yard, it is time assess and plan to enhance the winter garden.

The garden elements to choose for the winter landscape are those that add unexpected pops of color, offer a variety of sizes and textures, make attractive snow catchers or silhouette beautifully against a snowy backdrop or against the amazing quality of light in our winter skies – especially during those majestic moments just after sunrise or sunset. It’s also important to consider perspective. The winter garden is often observed from indoors looking out so when you are planting new trees and shrubs pay close attention to how your view of them is framed by windows and doors. Another consideration is how to best utilize garden elements so they create a welcoming entry into your home.

There are many ways to add texture, color and form to the landscape with planters, trees, evergreens, shrubs, lingering summer plants and architectural features.

Planters

Repurpose your planters, if they are frost resistant, with winter arrangements to create a landscape focal point or a welcoming home entrance. Start with fresh greens and then scour your yard (or garden center) for natural materials to add color, interest and texture. Some of nature’s embellishments to consider are red dogwood branches, clusters of red sumac, winterberries, pinecones, hydrangea heads, milkweed pods, rose hips, leathery magnolia leaves and fern fronds. Ornamental grasses add height. You might even add oranges, lemons or pomegranates.

Magnolia Landscaping and Design Co. created the arrangements shown here.

If you want to create your own arrangements, Veronica Sliva of HGTV, offers the following tips:

Proportion is important: At its tallest point the arrangement should be at least two thirds the height of the container. Too short and it will look squat. Too tall and it will look top heavy. As for shape, the arrangement should be narrower at the top and wide at the bottom.

Next, continue the outline using evergreens, making sure that they drape nicely over the edge of the container. After that, work in layers, filling in the shape by inserting different types of evergreens in different lengths, and making sure that they are securely anchored well into the soil. The idea is to make a very full arrangement. Repeat items for continuity. Think in groups of three, five or seven. Once your arrangement is well formed, add the embellishments.

Trees

Leaf-bare trees are kings in the winter landscape, especially those with arching branches that catch the snow and create intriguing silhouettes against a gray-blue sky. Many varieties of oak trees are native and abundant in Minnesota. With their commanding size and gnarled branches they dominant the skies and cast intriguing shadows on the snow covered ground.

Younger oaks that retain their rusty-red leaves look striking in the landscape and they add a wonderful rustling sound as an added benefit.

Other good tree choices listed by the University of Minnesota include:

* Weeping willows with their umbrellas of yellow weeping stems
* Silver maples, red maples and Freeman maples that retain their flower buds giving their branches a beaded look.
* River birch with their cinnamon and ivory curling bark
* Crabapples cultivars that keep their red, orange and gold fruit through the winter.

Better Homes and Garden: http://www.bhg.com/gardening/design/test-garden-secrets/winter-landscape-tips-from-the-test-garden/#page=5

Evergreens

Evergreens are perhaps the most familiar way to add color and mass to the winter landscape – and also the most perplexing. There are hundreds of choices, and it is not always clear when buying a young plant just how tall or filled out the adult version will be. First decide on the size and shape evergreen you want for your spaces then consult with a professional to determine the right choice for your plan and growing conditions. But certainly consider Dwarf Globe Blue Spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca Globosa’) – Magnolia’s Pick of the Month.

University of Minnesota

Magnolia Pick of the Month: Dwarf Globe Blue Spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca Globosa’)

This evergreen is dense, neatly compact and rounded. It is well suited as a foundation planting, in a shrub border, or as an accent plant. It has stiff, prickly, light blue, ?” needles that require little pruning. Rarely produces cones. Deer resistant. Some salt tolerant.

Height: 3-5′
Spread: 3-6′
Habit/Form: Rounded
Growth Rate: Slow
Zone: 2-8?

Cultural Requirements: Best in well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers slightly-acidic pH soil containing some organic matter, but will tolerate a wide range of soils, if well-drained. Established plants can tolerate short periods of drought. Little, if any, pruning required. Some salt tolerant. Zone 4: Plant in spring to prevent winter heaving; plant in full sun; apply extra mulch after first hard frost; avoid contact with salt; avoid exposure to harsh winter winds.

Shrubs

Deciduous shrubs that lose their leaves create eye-catching silhouettes in winter light. Lilacs not only branch out beautifully, but they have lovely green flower buds, like little green pearls. The Dogwood, with its characteristic red branches is an excellent option for bright color.

Photo: Lindsay Bond Totten

Hydrangea crowns with their papery brown flowerets are attractive all winter and pair well with evergreens.

There are also many shrubs that hold their berries through the winter – unless the birds get to them first. The University of Minnesota recommends:

* Highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum). It produces clusters of red fruit that persist all winter. They are slightly acidic, so birds tend to ignore them until spring forments them.
* Staghorn sumac and smooth sumac
* Barberries
* Winterberry
* Bittersweet

Lingering Summer Plants

Many summer plants and their seedpods can be left on the stem to add interest to the winter garden.

* Coneflowers
* Black-eyed Susans
* Sedums
* Martagon lilies
* Balloon flower
* Fern fronds
* Rosehips
* Ornamental grasses

Better Homes and Gardens: http://www.bhg.com/gardening/design/test-garden-secrets/winter-landscape-tips-from-the-test-garden/#page=3

Architectural Features

The same architectural features and structures that enhance the summer garden can become beautiful snow catchers and focal points in the winter garden.  Arbors, trellises, gazebos, garden benches, rocks and retaining walls all help to define spaces and create focal points. Consider additional enhancements like lighting or ice candles or even creative ice sculptures.

Ice Sculptures: Jennifer Hedberg - Photo: Todd Buchanan - Midwest Home Magazine

Better Homes and Gardens: http://www.bhg.com/gardening/design/styles/the-many-moods-of-garden-benches/#page=18

Recommended for further reading:

The Garden in Winter: Plant for Beauty and Interest in the Quiet Season, Suzy Bales, Rodale Books, 2007.

Wonders of the Winter Landscape: Shrubs and Trees to Brighten the Cold Weather Garden, Vincent A. Simeone, Ball Publishing, 2005.

The Garden in Winter, Rosemary Verey, Timber Press, Incorporated,1995. (zoned for US gardeners)

The University of Minnesota, Extension Service

Magnolia Plant Pick:

Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora)

Photo courtesy of Northscaping.com

This open multi-stemmed deciduous tree retains its rounded shape throughout its 40-year lifetime, growing as tall as 20 feet, but maintaining a low canopy (4 feet from the ground.) Excellent for planting under power lines. It is also a good choice for attracting birds, but not deer. Adorned in spring with showy white flowers, followed by blue berries, and dark green foliage, and decked in fall with brick-red leaves this tree is a three-season stunner.

Photo courtesy of Northscaping.com

Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry is generally low maintenance although it does like moist conditions so it is important to keep it well watered. It is highly tolerant of urban settings and pollution. Plant in full sun to partial shade. Prune in late winter when the threat of extremely cold temperatures is over.

BUCKTHORN BUSTING

It’s late fall. If you are still seeing green leaves in your backyard or nearby woods you are probably looking at buckthorn – a nonnative, invasive species of shrubs or small trees.

The Problem With Buckthorn

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, there are many good reasons to actively remove buckthorn:

• It outcompetes native plants for nutrients, light and moisture
• Restricts or eliminates wildlife habitat and food sources
• Contributes to erosion by shading out other plants that grow on the forest floor
• Hosts other pests such as crown rust fungus (which attacks oak trees) and soybean aphids.
• It also creates a dense sub-canopy in wooded areas making them difficult to walk through – and boring to look at. The thorns are no fun either!

The state of Minnesota has designated buckthorn a restricted, noxious weed. It is illegal to import, sell, or transport it. So even if does make a nice hedge (which is how many of us came to have it in our yards) do not buy or plant it.

The plant is a prolific reproducer. According to John Moriarty, “The ground under mature buckthorn trees can have about 75 seeds per square foot. (In comparison, corn is planted at less than five seeds per square foot.)” Birds, especially cedar waxwings and robins, eat the berries and further scatter the seeds.

Identifying Buckthorn

Fall is the best time to identify buckthorn because its leaves stay green almost longer than anything else. During the summer buckthorns are often confused with other small trees, like wild cherry or some cherry trees. The blue-black berries can stay on the trees through March.Two species of the plant are common in Minnesota:

Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) was a popular hedge planting brought here from Europe. The leaves are egg-shaped, dark and glossy. It grows to be a tall shrub or a small tree up to 25 feet tall.

Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), also from Euprope, has two forms. One tall and narrow, growing up to 18 feet high. The other spreads up to 10 feet and has narrow leaves giving it a fern-like texture. This plant aggressively invades wetlands including fragile arctic bogs, fens and sedge meadows.

Buckthorn Removal

It is best to control the problem early and often when only a few shrubs or trees are in evidence and before a major infestation can take over an area. The Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, Minneapolis Park Board, and Hennepin Parks in recent years have launched major control efforts on their properties. But it is a difficult and wide-spread problem involving private as well as public lands – and so far there are no economically cost-effective solutions.

Removal is a labor intensive process involving several steps:

1. Cut down trees greater than 3 inches in diameter with a handsaw or chainsaw.
2. Within 2 hours (because the stumps resprout with incredible vigor) either dig out the stumps or treat them with an herbicide. The two proven chemicals are glyphosate (Roundup) and triciopyr (Brush-B-Gon).
3. Pull up small trees (less than 1 inch) by hand and remove seedlings with a hoe.

Spread the Word

Tell your neighbors about buckthorn – or better yet, organize your neighbors for a buckthorn bust. Local Lake Associations and other environmental groups, may already have a buckthorn removal day set aside. Check with your local community leaders.

Friends of Diamond Lake, Lake Association, Minneapolis

Alternative Plantings

Finally, replace buckthorn with environmentally friendly native trees and shrubs. Some suggestions include:

• Red Cedar
• Northern white cedar
• Speckled alder
• Dogwood: especially, Grey dogwood (Cornus racemosa), Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
• American hazelnut (Corylus Americana)
• Viburnums: especially, High-bush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum), Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
• Chokecherry (Prunus virginlana)
• Black chokecherry (Aronia melanocarpa)
• Serviceberry or Juneberry (Amelanchier laevis)

Thank you to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for providing this information and more on their website.

LATE FALL GARDENING TIPS

Tree and Shrubs

September and October have been very dry, so watering your trees and shrubs throughout the fall, especially those planted within the last five years, will go a long way toward ensuring their survival over the winter – and providing year-round health. They need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. Replenish mulch that may have decayed. According to Deb Brown, small shrubs benefit from mulching to a depth of 3 inches. The threat of a harsh winter and foraging animals makes it advisable to wrap the trunks of young, thin-barked trees, like fruit trees, with plastic tree protectors or hardware cloth. (Just remember to unwrap them in the spring at the first sign of a thaw.)

Final Clean-Up

Clean up the lawn and garden to prevent weed and disease concerns in the spring. Remember to bag up diseased plant materials for removal. Do not compost them in your home compost. Remove any overripe fruits from the garden that might attract insects or animals.

Magnolia Plant Pick:

serenityinthegarden.com

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Little Bluestem is a great native grass for the garden! A clump-forming grass with slim blue-green leaves, the foliage turns a red-orange in the fall. It’s very easy-to-grow and looks great in massed plantings or mixed with other native grasses and wildflowers. It’s drought tolerant and is easy to grown in full sun.

Fall Lawn Tips

redrockslawn.com

According to the master gardeners at the University of Minnesota Extension fall is one of the best times of the year for lawn renovation and reseeding. Here are some of their tips:

Aerating and dethatching. 

safelawns.org

Fall is a great time to aerate and dethatch your lawn because it can take some abuse and recover easily. Regular dethatching forces buds to grow near the base of the grass stems, preventing the grass plants from being dead underneath and only green on top. Thatching frees new grass shoots to grow in thick and lush.

Seeding

gardeninfozone.com

Since the soil is warm from the summer heat, it’s a good time to seed your lawn. According the University of Minnesota Extension, grass seed germinates and establishes more quickly, increasing the chances of winter survival. In addition, at this time of year there’s no competition from annual weeds.

Fertilizing

lawncareottowa.com

After seeding, fertilizer will give the seed an extra boost and help the lawn survive through the fall. Be sure to water the seeds thoroughly through the fall!

Fall Planning for Spring Beauty

bhg.com

Sure, it’s hard right now to think ahead to spring, but after surviving another Minnesota winter, there’s nothing more beautiful than seeing spring’s beautiful blooms! Fall is the time to get into your garden and plant some bulbs. Here are some tips to ensure beautiful blooms:

High-quality bulbs

bhg.com

Look for bulbs that plum and firm and avoid those that are soft or mushy. Also, the bigger the bulb, the more likely they’ll bloom.

Pick the right location

bhg.com

Most bulbs do the best in full sun and in borders or beds with good drainage.

Timing is everything

bhg.com

According to bhg.com, spring-blooming bulbs, like tulips and daffodils, should be planted in September or October when the soil temperatures have cooled. Summer-blooming flowers, like dahlia and gladiolus, are best planted in the spring after the danger of frost has passed.

Plant them deep enough – and up

bhg.com

A good rule of thumb is to dig a hole two to three times deeper than the bulb. If you have 3-inch-tall bulb, dig a hole 6 to 9 inches deep. Also, be sure to place them pointy side up. If unsure, look for where the roots come out – that end goes down.

Don’t cut back too soon

bhg.com

After the flowers bloom, remove the flower head,keep the soil evenly moist and let the foliage die back.  Don’t cut back the leaves until they have completely turned brown and pull away. This will store up energy for the next season’s bloom.

Magnolia Plant of the Week: Desdemona Ligularia

cottage-gardens.net

Desdemona is a striking perennial! In the spring new leaves are a dark red and then fade to greenish-bronze on top and remain purple on the backside. Taller stems appear midsummer along with golden yellow, daisy-like flowers.

Garden Inspiration

If you’re looking for inspiration or ideas when planning your garden, or just want to get out and enjoy the outdoors, there’s no better way to get started than with a visit to one of the Twin Cities’ beautiful public gardens. Here are just a few of our favorites.

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska

MN Landscape Arboretum

The University of Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum features more than 1,000 acres of beautiful gardens, model landscapes and natural areas – from woodlands to wetlands to prairies. You can tour the Arboretum’s 12.5 miles of garden and hiking paths. It’s a great place to get inspired and has an extensive collection of Minnesota-hardy plants. It’s also a great garden resource. There are ample ways to learn through its myriad of educational opportunities, including a gardening school, camps for kids, cooking and winemaking classes, and more.

Noerenberg Memorial Gardens, Orono

Noerenberg Gardens

Located on the shores of Lake Minnetonka’s Crystal Bay, this beautiful public formal garden was bequeathed to the Three Rivers Park District in 1972 by the family of Grain Belt Brewery founder Frederick Noerenberg. In addition to its vast variety of perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, and vines, the garden features ornamental shade trees, an extensive daylily collection and “Northern Lights” azaleas.

Lake Harriet Rose Garden and Lyndale Peace Garden, Minneapolis

Lake Harriet Rose Garden

Located on the northeast shore of Lake Harriet, the rose garden is the second oldest public rose garden in the United States, showcasing 3,000 plants in 100 different varieties. Be sure to check out the beautiful Heffelfinger Fountain on the north side of the garden.

Lyndale Peace Garden

Afterwards, head across the street and check out the Lyndale Peace Garden where you can visit the beautiful Spirit of Peace bronze sculpture and walk across the Peace Garden Bridge. According to Japanese tradition the bridge’s unique zigzag construction keeps evil spirits, who can only walk in straight lines, from following people into their gardens. Also, the bridge features granite peace stones from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, found in the rubble of the 1945 atomic bomb blast.

Como Conservatory Japanese Gardens, St Paul

Como Japanese Garden

The gorgeous Como Ordway Memorial Japanese Garden at Como Park Conservatory was a gift from the people of Nagasaki, Japan, the sister city of St. Paul, and designed by renowned Japanese landscape architect Masami Matsuda. The garden stays true to its Japanese traditions, using the elements of rock, water and plants to create a tranquil experience for visitors. Be sure to check out the tea house!

Magnolia Plant Pick of the Month: Cool Splash Bush Honeysuckle

Northscaping.com

Cool Splash Honeysuckle has become a popular garden accent in Minnesota landscapes, and it’s easy to see why — its bright, showy white-variegated dark green foliage looks great in any space and is a good choice if you want to attract butterflies, birds and hummingbirds. Landscape designers at Gertens suggest planting it next to plants that have maroon or purple leaves, such as Ninebark, Barberry, Coral Bells and sedum. It’s a versatile plant and looks great in mass planting, hedges, containers and woodland gardens.

Backyard Composting

green2go.org

Even if you’ve heard from friends or in the news about the benefits of composting, you still might be intimidated to try it yourself. But it’s easier to do than you might think, and the payback is astounding. According to the EPA, yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 26 percent of the United State’s municipal solid waste streams. That’s a lot of waste to send to landfills. Here’s some basic information to help get you started.

What is Compost?

greennews.lizearle.com

Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants. It’s made with material such as leaves, shredded twigs, and kitchen scraps from plants. Many gardeners call it “black gold” because it has so many benefits in the garden, from making clay soils easier to work in to improving the water capacity holding of sandy soils to helping overall plant growth and health.

Why Compost

greennews.lizearle.com

• Reduces the amount of garbage your household produces
• Reduces the amount of water and fertilizer required for your yard and garden by suppressing weeds and holding moisture in the soil
• Improves soil quality and supplies essential nutrients for plant growth

What You Can Compost

GoingGreen-athom.com

Add food and yard waste, including:
• Vegetable and fruit scraps
• Coffee ground and filters
• Tea leaves and tea bags
• Egg shells
• Nut shells
• Plant trimmings
• Grass and leaves

What Not to Compost

Do not add fats or animal products, including:
• Butter, cheese or dairy products
• Meat or bones
• Gravies or sauces
• Pet wastes

Composting Basics

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Composting is easy. Common materials like chicken wire and bricks are all you need to begin composting. Or, you can purchase a compost bin at most hardware and garden stores. Maintenance is minimal, too — regular mixing or turning and a little water can ensure success! Here are a few tips from Hennepin County:

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• Keep your compost pile at the right moisture level. If your compost pile has a bad odor, it lacks air circulation or it may be too wet. Try turning the pile and/or adding dry material to the pile.
• If your compost pile is not heating up, it may need more nitrogen or “green” material. Add grass clippings or a nitrogen fertilizer to the pile.
• Bury kitchen scraps at least 8 inches deep in the compost pile to discourage critters.
• You can keep adding to your compost pile as it is composting. However, you may want to start a second pile if you have enough materials.
• Add a layer of straw or hay to the top of your compost pile in the winter to keep it warm.
• The best pile is made up of a variety of materials.
• The smaller the pieces of compost material, the faster the pile will decompose.

Happy composting!

Magnolia’s June Plant Pick:   ‘Karl Foerster’ (Feather Reed Grass)

This hardy reed grass provides great contrast to a garden of low shrubs and perennials and grows well in wet and dry conditions. Named the best perennial in 2001, it looks great through every season.

Best Plants for Tough Sites

What are the best plants that will grow on a slope, in the shade, in clay or in a drought? Well, the smart folks at the University of Minnesota Extension Service Master Gardeners can answer those and many other questions related to your landscape. Drawing on 30 years of teaching and experience, local master gardeners released a great booklet on the best plants for 30 tough sites. They’ve put together some great tips. Here are just a few!
 
Plants for Clay Soil

Clay soil is very common throughout the state and master gardeners are often asked which plants grow best in the heavy soils. Roberta Smith, a master gardener in Carver and Scott County compiled a list from her personal experience. “I have successfully used all of these plants in my Carver County clay soil for a number of years,” she says. Her suggestions include purple coneflower, New England aster, perennial flax, red osier dogwood, lilac, daylily and black chokeberry.
 
 
Under a Black Walnut Tree

While they provide beautiful shade, black walnut trees can be difficult because they produce a toxic juglone and many plants that growing in their vicinity are either killed or struggle to live, with yellowing, wilting leaves. Master gardeners have put together a list of plants that can grow under a black walnut tree that includes pan­sies, violets, daylilies, hostas, sedum, squash, melons, beans, carrots, corn, and black raspberries can grow under black walnuts.
  
A Small Tree for the Boulevard

Carol Krajewski, a master gardener in Wright County, put together a list of small trees that are great for city landscapes because not only are they hardy, but they don’t need pruning and can be used near power lines and other utilities. Her list includes Japanese tree lilac, crabapple, amur maple, nannyberry, common witch hazel, amur maackia, and white fringe tree.

Long-Blooming Perennials

Long-blooming perennials are usually the prized plants in your garden! This list includes plants that are not only hardy and low-maintenance, but can bloom for eight weeks or longer. The long list includes Russian sage, sedum, phlox, purple cornflower, bleeding heart, salvia and yarrow.
  
Fragrant Shrubs

There’s nothing more wonderful than fragrant plants and shrubs! Terry Yockey, a master gardener in Goodhue County created suggestions of plants that provide fragrant and beautiful flowers! Northern Lights azaleas, Star Magnolias, sweet fern, lilac, Korean spice, and shrub roses are just a few of their suggestions.