April 2018
MichiganGardener.com
Your guide to Great Lakes gardening
Plant Focus
Tricolor Beech
To-Do List Feature Task Get ready to garden
Perennials
Hostas, Part 1 of 3
Profile
Historic home and garden
Vegetable Patch
Seed starting & hardening off
Please thank our advertisers in this issue
Plants don’t get to choose, but you do. Osmocote® Smart-Release® Plant Food Flower & Vegetable feeds continuously and consistently for up to 4 full months. If you grow your own, grow with Osmocote®. © 2018, The Scotts Company, LLC. All rights reserved
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
Garden Wisdom Hoe while it is spring, and enjoy the best anticipations. It is not much matter if things do not turn out well.
BL O SSO M S
— Charles Dudley Warner
Ask MG............................................................6
Places to Grow...........................................26
To-Do List........................................................9
Advertiser Index........................................28
Vegetable Patch..........................................10
Where to pick up Michigan Gardener....28
Tree Tips........................................................12
Through the Lens......................................29
Weather Wrap............................................14 Subscription Form......................................14
Spring Events
Calendar.........................................................16 Classified Ads..............................................19 Perennial Perspectives: Hostas...........20
TROY EVENTS
Garden Profile: Historic House and Garden..................30 Plant Focus: Tricolor beech: Back Cover On the cover: Tricolor beech trees display brilliant leaf variegation. Photo: Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener
Six Steps to Jump Start Your Roses - $10 We will share simple guidelines taking the fear out of spring pruning, fertilizing, and disease prevention. Weather permitting we will do a short live pruning demo. Saturday, April 7, 10am
New Perennials for 2018 - $50 ($70-$90 value) includes samples of 10 new Perennials Saturday, April 21, 10am
To Our Readers...
New Annuals for 2018 - $40 ($45-$60 value) Includes samples of 10 new annuals Saturday, April 28, 10am
Bonsai Workshop - $39 Attendees will plant and create their own bonsai tree to enjoy for years to come. Instruction will include plant and pot selection, root combing, root pruning, potting, basic styling techniques, and aftercare. Saturday, April 14, 1pm Saturday, May 5, 1pm
As we were preparing to launch the 2018 season, our 23rd year publishing Michigan Gardener, we wondered, “How many copies of the magazine have we published since 1996?” If you guessed 4,341,000 copies, you are correct!
Every Garden Deserves A Rose - $10 Learn about the different types of roses and how to integrate them into the landscape by considering their habits and cultural needs. Saturday, April 28, 1pm Dahlia Tuber Sale Saturday, May 5, 9am-Noon Container Gardening Workshop Saturday, May 5, 1pm
Our winter was a busy one, as we recently moved to a new address. So please note our NEW ADDRESS on our subscription forms or other correspondence you might send us. We thank all of our advertisers for making Michigan Gardener possible. We ask that you do the same. Just a brief mention to the manager or owner of your local garden center goes a long way: “I like picking up Michigan Gardener here—thanks!” or “We saw your ad in Michigan Gardener.” Good gardening in 2018!
SHELBY EVENTS New Perennials for 2018 - $50 ($70-$90 value) includes samples of 10 new Perennials Saturday, April 21, 1pm
New Annuals for 2018 - $40 ($45-$60 value) Includes samples of 10 new annuals Saturday, April 28, 1pm
Visit tellys.com for more event information & online registration Class fee $5 unless otherwise noted (materials not included). Registration required— Please call 248-689-8735.
Publisher/Editor Eric Hofley Design & Production Jonathon Hofley Advertising Eric Hofley
TROY • 248-689-8735 3301 John R • 1/4 mile north of 16 Mile Rd.
Circulation Jonathon Hofley Editorial Assistant Anna Doman
SHELBY TOWNSHIP • 248-659-8555 4343 24 Mile • Btwn Dequindre & Shelby Rd.
www.tellys.com
find us on
Contributors Brian Allnutt Karen Bovio Cheryl English Emaline Fronckowiak Mary Gerstenberger Julia Hofley Rosann Kovalcik Steve Martinko Beverly Moss George Papadelis Sandie Parrott Traven Pelletier Jean/Roxanne Riggs Deborah Silver Jim Slezinski Lisa Steinkopf Steve Turner Emily Wilson
30747 Greenfield Rd., Suite 1 Southfield, MI 48076 Phone: 248-594-5563 Fax: 248-594-5564 E-mail: publisher@MichiganGardener.com Website: www.MichiganGardener.com Publishing schedule 6 issues per year: April, May, June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec. Published the first week of the mo. Subscriptions (Please make check payable to Michigan Gardener) 1 yr, 6 iss/$14 2 yr, 12 iss/$26 3 yr, 18 iss/$36 Back issues All past issues are available. Please send your request along with a check for $3.00 per issue payable to Michigan Gardener. Canadian subscriptions 1 yr, 6 iss/$22 US 2 yr, 12 iss/$42 US Copyright © 2018 Michigan Gardener. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or used in any form without the expressed, written permission of the publisher. Neither the advertiser nor the publisher will be responsible for misinformation, typographical errors, omissions, etc. contained herein. Michigan Gardener is published by Motor City Publishing, Inc.
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
Have a question? Send it in! Go to MichiganGardener.com and click on “Submit a question”
Japanese maple held its dried leaves all winter Why didn’t our Japanese maple shed its dried leaves last fall? Is there anything we need to do this spring to help the tree? S.M., Clinton Township November 2017 was warm. Highs throughout the month ranged from 40 to 60 degrees F, occasionally dropping at night to the mid 30s. This stalled the natural shutting down process for trees in their leaf drop, giving a false sense of security. The leaf drop process is called abscission. As days shorten and temperatures gradually cool, leaves stop producing chlorophyll and expose the pigments that give Japanese maples their bright red fall color. At the same time, the branches start to form “abscission” cells that push off the dying leaves and seal the little openings where the stems attach. A sudden drop in temperature can short-circuit that process. The leaves stay attached because abscission tissue hasn’t sufficiently developed. Beginning in early December 2017, there was a significant temperature drop in the daily average. The
Transplanting a hydrangea Can I transplant an Annabelle hydrangea and, if so, when is the best time? M.H., Fenton The best times to transplant existing Annabelle hydrangeas are early spring (March and April) when the soil is workable and the plant is still dormant, and mid fall. Long-
highs were only in the mid 30s range and the lows were in the teens to single digits through January 2018. This is a key reason ornamental Japanese maples are sometimes protected with windscreens and shrouded in burlap for the winter. If a strong wind blows through, pulling the leaves off before they are ready, the openings that are not quite sealed will be exposed. This leads to tip winterkill. Consequently, do not manually pull the leaves off. Don’t fertilize or spray anything on the tree while it is dormant and the soil is still frozen. During the winter, there has been a decent amount of snow cover and melt to help with soil moisture. The tree will drop the leaves naturally when new leaves start growing and pushing through the abscission tissue. The brown crinkly leaves serve as protection, like a bandage to raw cells being prematurely exposed. When the ground has thawed and there is active leaf bud growth, augment natural rain and snow melt when the soil is dry and lightly fertilize with a granular, balanced tree and shrub fertilizer. established Annabelle hydrangeas develop massive woody root clusters, making them strenuous to remove. They are colonizers, spreading from underground roots and sending up new growth. They are multi stemmed, so shearing can be done lightly to maintain shape. Annabelle hydrangeas bloom on new wood. Fall is a good time to remove the older woody dead canes.
When transplanting an established Annabelle, it is opportune to divide the roots into the healthiest sections, composting those that show age damage. Prepare the hole to the same depth as previously planted, taking care not to overplant the crown. Add a slow-release granular fertilizer in the backfill. Top dress with about two inches of organic compost.
Getting rid of crown vetch Our property is being overrun by crown vetch. How do we get rid of it? D.A., Clarkston It’s important to understand how crown vetch (Coronilla varia) grows and spreads. A perennial herb in the pea/legume family with long, creeping stems that spread outward 2 to 6 feet, it also seeds prolifically. It has an active rhizome component underground, which makes pulling it out or tilling it under prohibitive. It loves full sun and can survive temperatures down to 0 degrees F. It’s meant to survive in harsh conditions and will do so at the expense of more desirable plants. Herbicides are currently the most effective means to control large infestations of crown vetch. Higher rates of effectiveness can be obtained if the herbicide treatment follows the removal of the accumulated plant litter by burning or mowing. In early spring, products with glyphosate can be applied. Triclopyr is an alternative. Reportedly it kills 99 percent of crown vetch in large infestations. Products containing clopyralid are an even more target-specific herbicide. All of these are broadleaf vegetation killers. Care must be taken to read labels as to application amounts and protecting nearby plants. Always read and follow herbicide label directions and protect nearby plants, children and pets from making contact with the poisoned foliage. Manual or mechanical methods can also be used to control crown vetch. However, these methods are time consuming and labor intensive, as all pieces of the stems, roots, and rhizomes must be carefully removed. Mowing can eventually control crown vetch if it is repeated several times a year for several years, assuming the plants are in an area that is mower accessible. Prescribed burning may also be effective in late spring but should also be repeated for several years to make sure all lurking rhizomes have been treated.
Perennials protected by snow Will the frigid temperatures this past December and January affect zone 5 perennial plants this upcoming season? C.Z.N., Whitmore Lake Perennial plants have adapted their tissue structure to go dormant and store energy in
the roots during cold periods, helping them to survive frozen ground. They stop photosynthesizing and drop leaves, reducing the amount of water in aboveground tissue susceptible to freezing. They cease to grow when they have no chlorophyll and the top portions die back. Plants are deemed “perennial” if they live more than two years, as opposed to annuals and biennials. Perennials include woody plants like trees, flowering shrubs, and evergreens. Snow cover is the biggest protection for perennials’ successful return the following season. It insulates the ground against winter’s desiccating wind and unfiltered sun. Many gardeners water key trees and shrubs late into the fall to give as much moisture as possible. They also add extra protection with fallen leaves and evergreen boughs around the bases of susceptible plants. What snow, leaves, and mulch do is keep the ground temperature consistent and prevent stored moisture in the soil from evaporating. After the significant snowfalls this winter, temperatures frequently dropped for several days to hold it in place. As we enter the seasons’ change in the next two months, the snow that remains and that which can still come will provide good moisture for the perennial roots to use as they wake up and begin their annual process of breaking leaf bud and starting new growth.
Vines for north-facing walls I need a vine for a north-facing wall. Any suggestions? J.J., Ann Arbor Probably the best vine for a north-facing wall with little sun is the Japanese hydrangea vine (Schizophragma hydrangeoides). It grows quickly and attaches with small, hair-like roots to a brick or masonry wall. It produces white, flat-top flowers in summer. The spent flower bracts provide additional interest as well. This shouldn’t be confused with the more common climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) which needs full sun to part shade, and grows more slowly. If you are not interested in flowers, then with those light conditions an English ivy variety (Hedera) can provide green interest and sculptural pattern. It too uses hair-like roots to attach to walls. If there is a small amount of sun reaching this north wall, you could also try Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). This five-leaf vine has small inconspicuous flowers which yield blue-black berries that are attractive to birds. The deciduous leaves turn a dark red to burgundy in fall before dropping, providing some additional color interest. Answers provided by Beverly Moss, owner of Garden Rhythms.
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MichiganGardener.com | April 2018 | Michigan Gardener
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to-do list Bulbs: Spring-Flowering • After blooms are spent on your springflowering bulbs, wait until the foliage dies back completely before removing it. Foliage must die back naturally so the bulb stores food for next year’s growth. • Add some color to your garden with ready-to-sprout bulbs like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and grape hyacinths. They’re perfect if you missed planting spring-flowering bulbs last fall or simply to fill in bare spots.
Bulbs: Summer-Flowering • It’s too early to plant gladiolas, elephant ears, dahlias, and begonias directly into the ground. Pot them up in the house and plan to transplant them outside with other tender annuals.
Evergreens • Fertilize evergreens with a slow-release, organic fertilizer. • Trim any dead branches or winter-damaged areas.
Fruit Trees • Consider adding a fruit tree to your garden this year. Plant fruit trees early in the season to reap a harvest the following year. • Most established fruit trees will benefit from an early fungicide treatment, before they’re in full bloom.
General • The first beautiful day of spring is coming and everyone is itching to get into the garden. Be sure to wait until the ground is dry enough to work. To test the soil, simply pick up a handful and squeeze—if the soil stays in a ball after you open your fist, it’s too early. The soil should be loose and friable, and crumble from the ball shape when you open your hand. Working in the garden too soon can lead to soil compaction, especially with clay soil. • By mid-April, check to see if protected plants have any tender growth emerging. If so, continue to protect plants from frost. If not, take down your winter protection devices, like burlap screens and rose cones.
Houseplants • On nicer days, bring plants outside for a clean-up and soaking, if they need it. Don’t bring them outside if the temperature is below 55 degrees and windy. • If plants develop a rust-colored crust on the top of the soil, it’s due to a buildup of salts in the soil. Scrape off the crust and leach the pots. Place plants in a tub or bucket and
Feature Task: Get ready to garden fill the container with water, just under the rim of the pots. Leave them in the water for a few hours, then empty out the water and let the pots drain. Repeat this whenever needed, the more fertilizer used or the harder the water, the more often leaching is necessary.
Lawns • Set up a rain gauge in your yard to measure the amount of water your lawn receives. A healthy lawn only needs one inch of water each week (rainfall and supplemental sprinkling combined). • To help prevent weeds like violets, plantains, and dandelions, you can use a broadleaf pre-emergent treatment. • Begin mowing once the grass starts growing. Don’t cut too early; wait until the grass is growing before it gets cut. When mowing the first time, cut the lawn shorter than normal, about 1/2 to 1 inch shorter. This helps clean up the lawn after winter and helps get a little more warmth into the soil. Remember to never take off more than 1/3 of the grass height in any one mowing.
Perennials • Prune back perennial ornamental grasses, but don’t be surprised if you don’t see new green growth until late May or June because of the long winter. You may see sparse growth, but grasses need warm temperatures to completely fill out. Trim grasses to about 2 to 3 inches above the ground, and be patient. • Put down an application of organic, slowrelease fertilizer in perennial beds to get plants off to a good start. • If you didn’t clean garden beds last fall, this is the month to take care of that task. Wait until the ground is dry enough before spending a lot of time on the soil. Walking in garden beds and across the lawn when it’s wet will create compacted soil and can damage plant roots.
Your brain says it’s time to start digging in the dirt, but the weather says otherwise. There are still many things you can do to get ready for the gardening season, even if you can’t stick a shovel in the ground. Start this year’s garden prep by reviewing your notes from the last gardening season. What worked well? What didn’t? What are you going to repeat and what needs to be changed? Developing a plan for the season will make your time more efficient, plus you’ll save money by only buying things you want or need. Check your tools—sharpen mower blades, pruners, spade and shovels. Use a stiff wire brush to remove any rust on blades and use a little machine oil to help prevent further rust from starting. Inspect the wooden handles on your favorite tools. Use sand paper to
Soil • Test your soil to determine how much and what type of fertilizer is needed for your plants. If you’re doing any planting, getting a soil test is the best way to reduce over-application of fertilizers that can pollute the water, ruin plants, and waste money.
Vegetables • When the soil temperature is above 45 degrees F, you can start planting. Consider adding a few edibles in April. Strawberries, perennial herbs such as chives and oregano, and even onions can be planted now. Helpful tip for onions: Plant bulbs half out of the ground and you’ll develop a larger onion than covering the bulb with soil. • Vegetables like full sun and well-drained soil. Many varieties will also do well in containers.
smooth away any splinters or rough spots and apply linseed oil to seal the wood. Organize your garage or the garden shed. This is a great time to hang new shelving or hooks so you can find your tools easily. Create a place for everything and put everything in its place. Garden indoors and get a head start by planting seeds and summer-flowering bulbs for transplanting outside later. Wait until the ground is completely thawed before planting in the soil. Add spots of color in the garden and entranceways by enjoying cold-tolerant annuals and perennials, such as pansies, primrose, heuchera, columbine, cabbage and kale in containers. Take a little time now to get ready for the season and you’ll hit the ground running once you can dig in the dirt!
• If you’re not planting directly into your vegetable garden beds this month, till in some compost to help feed plants this summer.
Water Garden • Clean the water garden by removing any leaves and debris that may have blown into the pond during the winter. • Don’t feed the fish yet. Wait until the water temperatures are in the high 60s, and nighttime temperatures are in the mid to upper 40s. • Apply spring-formulated microbes that will help keep the water clean and healthy. It’s best not to change the water in a water garden unless absolutely necessary. Provided by the professionals at English Gardens.
Shrubs & Trees • Check tender shrubs such as hydrangea and butterfly bush for winter damage. • Prepare your spring dormant oil or lime sulfur treatment as your spring-flowering trees are breaking dormancy. Weeping cherry and flowering crabapple will benefit from a well-timed early application. Stop apple scab on your crabapple and shothole blight on your weeping cherry this year before the leaves get ugly. • Apply an organic shrub fertilizer; it will break down as the soil warms, not as the rain falls.
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
vegetable patch How to start seeds and harden them off
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nce again the gardening season is stem is then too long and weak to properly upon us. Unfortunately, the soil outsupport the top growth of the plant. Suppleside may still be too cold to germimental lighting suspended about four inches nate the seeds for many of the plants we wish above the plant should provide the intensity to grow. Or perhaps the particular plants we of light needed for healthy development. Cool want to grow need a longer time to mature white fluorescents will work, or purchase than our season may allow us. The solution is grow lights if you prefer. Move the lights as to start the seeds indoors and then transplant the plants grow so that you maintain the four outside when the temperatures permit. So, inches above the top growth. Do not use inhow do we start our seeds to get the healthicandescent bulbs—they give off too much est transplants possible? heat at that distance. First, start with the right growing meNext, pet your plants. Remember that out of dium. A soilless seed-starting mix is usually doors, plants are subject to wind as they grow. best. Soil can allow the growth of a fungus This helps develop a strong, sturdy stem. Inwhich can cause damping off in small seeddoors you need to provide the air movement, lings. If you’ve ever had a seedling constrict so periodically run your hand lightly over the at the soil line and then fall over and die, it growing plants. Another option is to direct a has succumbed to damping off. Using a seedfan on low speed toward the plants to provide starting mix without soil avoids a gentle breeze for a little while. On that problem. Once the plant has warm days (above 50 degrees F), developed a pair or two of true you may be able to simply move the leaves, it can be carefully transplants outside for part of the day. planted into regular potting soil. Lastly, when the time comes to If for any reason you cannot transtransplant outside, be sure to hardplant out of the seed-starting mix, it en off (acclimatize) your plants to may be important to add a bit of fertheir new growing conditions. Give tilizer to your water to provide nuthem a couple days in light shade, trients to your plants, as some seedthen move them to a higher light Mary starting mixes do not contain any. level for a few days, and finally out Gerstenberger Check the bag you purchase for ininto full sun for transplanting. The formation on fertilizer content. process usually takes 1 to 2 weeks Second, pay attention to the moisture. It and allows the young plants to slow their may be necessary to moisten the growing megrowth and adapt to the change in their endium prior to putting in the seeds or young vironment. Water them well the day before transplants. Once planted, keep the medium transplanting. Also, it is best to put in your moist but not wet. Be sure the containers you transplants late in the day to avoid stressing are potting in have drainage holes. them out from the afternoon heat (you can Third, light is very important. Sitting the plant earlier if it will be a cloudy afternoon). plants on a windowsill will not be enough. If you have questions, you can call the Inadequate light can cause etiolation, or the MSU Extension Lawn and Garden Hotline at stretching of the stem toward the light. The 888-678-3464 to get assistance. For more details on starting seeds indoors check out this article on starting vegetable seeds: tinyurl.com/yaffrvmv. Another good resource on starting seeds is from the University of Minnesota Extension: call tinyurl.com/jz7xrmq. “the little gardener Information on hardening off your transthat could” plants can be found at: tinyurl.com/y8o5q4nt. 15 Years Experience at Botanical Gardens FREE Estimates
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Mary Gerstenberger was the Consumer Horticulture Coordinator at the Michigan State University Extension in Macomb County, MI. For vegetable and gardening information from MSU, visit www.migarden.msu.edu. Call the toll-free Michigan State University Lawn and Garden Hotline at 888-678-3464 for answers to your gardening questions.
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
tree tips Insects and diseases that come from the U.S. to other countries
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onsidering all the pests and diseases that we receive from other parts of the world, like emerald ash borer (EAB) and Dutch elm disease, a reader recently asked the reverse question: do other areas of the world get invasive pests from the United States? A logical question, and the answer is a definite “yes.” A few of them came to my mind, but I decided to post the question on a worldwide arborists’ forum to see what else might be out there. It turned out to be pretty informative.
to satisfy their hefty appetites. Our red-eyed slider turtle is a big hit in the pet trade and now they are everywhere, including Japan. While not really a pest on their own, they are a vector of a disease that is fatal to other turtles. Wherever they are released, native turtle populations decline. Some of our introduced invasive species worldwide are sport fish like pike, trout, bass, and even some panfish such as bluegill and sunfish. I hope none of them are as serious there as Asian carp or snakeheads are here.
Europe
As far as our trees go, two in particular seem to be an issue in Europe: black locust and honeylocust. Interestingly, out in the open fields, a certain rhododendron species is like a weed there. On a recent trip to Ireland, my mother was surprised at how much the locals hated this rhododendron for its invasive nature. I can’t find any reference to tree issues in Asia relating back to America. Oddly enough, Japan only lists one invasive plant species at all—a wildflower herb from the South. Initially, I thought Europe would have the most invasives and they did, until China became an international trading superpower starting in the 1980s. Decades later they now lead the world in invasives with more than 550 types, from viruses to mammals. When combined, they are causing annual losses equivalent to many billions of dollars. China did not really recognize the issue of invasives until 2000 and is now catching up on technology and quarantine procedures. I would think our red turpentine beetle and pine wood nematode—which have killed tens of millions of their pines during the first 15 years of the 21st century—helped create a sense of urgency to improve their systems. China still willingly brings in many exotics, from fish to over 100 types of grass seed from the U.S. Odds are that another invasive is already there, but yet to be discovered. There are thousands of invasives worldwide. I noticed Australia had many self-inflicted invasives; many introduced species there have gone awry. The one thing all invasives have in common is mankind. Invasives are spread by humans, either purposely or accidentally. One might even argue that we are the most invasive species of all.
Just by looking at history it is easy to assume that Europe would be the Mecca of invasives since explorers have been bringing plants back there to study for centuries. They get invasives from us as well as from every continent. In fact, one of our most infamous invasive diseases, Dutch elm disease, is from actually from Asia. The only thing the Dutch did was isolate it and name it in the early 1900s, before they knew where it actually came from; now they have been Steve blamed for it ever since. Turner One of our most damaging exports to Europe is also an issue here in southeastern Michigan: the bronze birch borer. They are like the EAB of birch and devastating to European birch species. Another Michigan native pest that is wreaking havoc worldwide is the pine wood nematode, which is fatal to European and Asian pines. In China it is called “pine wood cancer.” You can’t treat it once it infects a tree but you can treat trees preventively to guard against infection. That is fine if you live here and have a couple Austrian or Scots pines in your yard, but how do you protect an entire forest over there? Another interesting story is the Colorado potato beetle, which popped up near U.S. military bases in France during World War I. The beetles slowly spread across Europe and reached East Germany in the 1950s, causing crop failures. The Russians used it for propaganda, calling it the “Yankee beetle” and claiming the U.S. was dropping them from planes.
Other invasives Not all the invasives are insects or diseases, and some were even introduced there on purpose. One example is our American bullfrog, which was coveted as a food source. They easily establish in many ecosystems and quickly become top frog by eating all their competition
Trees
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Campbell’ s G
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
Precipitation February 2018
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NORMAL Monthly 2.02 1.48 1.47
Detroit Flint Lansing
ACTUAL Monthly 4.27 4.02 4.63
February 2017 DEVIATION from Normal +2.25 +2.54 +3.16
2018 Year to Date: Jan 1 - Feb 28
NORMAL Yr. to Date 3.98 3.11 3.12
Detroit Flint Lansing
ACTUAL Yr. to Date 5.63 5.88 6.61
NORMAL
ACTUAL Monthly 1.90 2.42 2.63
Monthly 2.02 1.48 1.47
DEVIATION from Normal -0.12 +0.94 1.16
2017 Year TOTAL: Jan 1 - Dec 31
DEVIATION from Normal +1.65 +2.77 +3.49
NORMAL Yr. to Date 33.47 31.37 31.77
ACTUAL Yr. to Date 35.46 35.71 39.62
DEVIATION from Normal +1.99 +4.34 +7.85
Temperature February 2018
15% OFF any single item under $50 OR 25% OFF any single item above $50 n.
February 2017
Detroit Flint Lansing
NORMAL Avg. High 35.2 32.8 32.6
ACTUAL Avg. High 39.1 36.1 36.8
DEVIATION from Normal +3.9 +3.3 +4.2
ORMAL N Avg. High 35.2 32.8 32.6
ACTUAL Avg. High 47.4 43.6 44.0
DEVIATION from Normal +12.2 +10.8 +11.4
MI Gardener April 2018Visit WANTED poster_9x.qxp_MI. Gardener May 05 JJ LG TAP 3/15/18 3:43 PM Page 1 Detroit our website Flint and check out our (Halfway between M-53 & M-24 in North Branch) Lansing 2018 classes! April Hours: Open 7 days, 9-6 May Hours: Open 7 days, 9-7
NORMAL Avg. Low 21.0 16.9 15.4
ACTUAL Avg. Low 22.9 19.4 21.3
DEVIATION from Normal +1.9 +2.5 +5.9
ORMAL N Avg. Low 21.0 16.9 15.4
ACTUAL Avg. Low 28.5 25.3 27.0
DEVIATION from Normal +7.5 +8.4 + 11.6
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Van Atta’s has one of the largest selections of garden accents, trees, garden toys, annuals, shrubs and perennials in Southeastern Michigan.
We grow an enormous variety of perennial species and cultivars. There’s a good chance we have that one plant you’ve been searching for or the garden ornament that will set your yard apart. Come on out and stroll our grounds. You’ll be amazed any one item at what you’ll find, as well as the friendly Offer valid through May 31, 2018 Not to be combined w/other offers service and expert advice you will receive.
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Spring Open House Sat, April 28, 9am-5pm & Sun, April 29, 10am-5pm Step into spring planting! Take self-guided tours of our growing area and see what’s new for 2018. Discounts will be offered and refreshments will be served.
Spring Events 2018 Succulents Workshop Saturday, April 7, 11am Getting the Garden Ready for Spring with Janet Macunovich Sunday, April 8, 2pm Cooking with Herbs Saturday, April 14, 11am Vegetable Gardening Basics Sunday, April 15, 1pm Fibers & Flowers Sale: Black Sheep Weavers Fiber Art Sale Saturday, April 21, 9-5pm Sunday, April 22, 10-4pm
Container Gardening Weekend Saturday, April 21, 11am Sunday, April 22, 1pm Class information: • Classes are FREE; materials available for purchase • 15% OFF any materials used in containers related to discussion • Feel free to bring in any materials you have from home • Refreshments served during classes • All ages welcome
248-887-5101
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
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FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC GARDENS, please visit MichiganGardener.com. Click on "Resources" then "Public Gardens."
April / May / June April Shell Flower Craft Mon, Apr 2, 1pm, Farmington. By Farmington Gard Club at Spicer House. Lois Johnson shares her creative crafts using shells. fgc1932@gmail.com, 248-477-3854. Hardy Plant Society Meeting Mon, Apr 2, 7pm, Bloomfield Hills. By Hardy Plant Society at Congregational Church of Birmingham. $5. Virginia Froehlich: “Founding Fathers, Green Thumbs”. Livonia Garden Club “Hands On!” Tue, Apr 3, 6:45p, Livonia. By Livonia Garden Club at Livonia Senior Ctr. Program: flower design. Four Seasons Garden Club: Julia Hofley Tue, Apr 3, 7pm, South Lyon. By Four Seasons Garden Club at Salem-South Lyon Library. FREE. Julia Hofley shares Michigan’s hidden garden centers. 248-437-8539. Preschool Nature Storytime Wed, Apr 4, Select Wed & Sun, 10-11am, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. $5. Ages 1-5 w/caregiver. Indoor/outdoor activities. info@lesliesnc.org. Nature Tykes Preschool Program Wed, Apr 4, Apr 11, Apr 18, Apr 25, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Ctr. $30. Ages 4-5 without caregiver. Indoor & outdoor activities. Register: lesliesnc.org. Demystifying the Mysterious Bonsai Wed, Apr 4, 7-9pm, Traverse City. At Traverse City Botanic Gardens. Speakers demystify bonsai. www.thebotanicgarden.org. MSU Tollgate: Critters in the Garden Thu, Apr 5, 6:30p, Novi. At MSU Tollgate Farm. $20. Register: www.canr.msu.edu/tollgate/events/ evenings-in-the-garden. H Grow Your Best Garden Sat, Apr 7, 10am, all locations. At English Gardens. FREE. www.englishgardens.com. Tropical Plants & Flowers in the Summer Landscape Sat, Apr 7, 10am, Pontiac. At Goldner Walsh. Learn about creating an exotic look in your garden. Register: www.goldnerwalsh.com. H Basic Pruning of Trees & Shrubs Sat, Apr 7, 1-2pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. FREE. HLG Director Paul Pfeifer discusses all things pruning. Register through Tecumseh District Library 517-423-2238. H Succulents Workshop Sat, Apr 7, 11am, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. www.bogielakegreenhouses.com. H Detroit Garden Works Spring Fair Sat, Apr 7, 9am-5pm, Sylvan Lake. At Detroit Garden Works. Topiaries, flowering bulbs, cut flowers, spring containers, annuals & perennials for spring & beyond. 248-335-8089. H 6 Steps to Jump Start Your Roses Sat, Apr 7, 10am, Troy. At Telly’s. $10. Learn the simple guidelines & take the fear out of spring pruning. www.tellys.com. H Getting Ready for Spring with Janet Macunovich Sun, Apr 8, 2pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. www.bogielakegreenhouses.com.
The Endangered Flower: American Lotus Mon, Apr 9, 12:30pm, Dearborn. By Garden Club of Dearborn at First Presbyterian. Its beauty, growing conditions, propagation, environmental benefits, & advances in medical research. 313-565-1266. Growing & Using Herbs Mon, Apr 9, 7pm, Royal Oak. By Royal Oak Garden Club at Royal Oak Public Library. Presented by English Gardens. 248-398-4996. Magical Monarchs Mon, Apr 9, 7pm, St Clair Shores. By The Yardeners of St. Clair Shores at St. Clair Shores Public Library. Learn about Monarchs & how to help them. scsyardeners@gmail.com. Growing & Caring for Orchids Wed, Apr 11, 7-9pm, Traverse City. At The Botanic Garden. www.thebotanicgarden.org. MSU Tollgate: Controlling Pests Naturally Thu, Apr 12, 6:30p, Novi. At MSU Tollgate Farm. $20. Register: www.canr.msu.edu/tollgate/events/ evenings-in-the-garden. Ferndale Garden Club: Bee is for Beneficial Thu, Apr 12, 7pm, Ferndale. By Ferndale Garden Club at Kulick Community Center, 1201 Livernois. Guests are welcome. 248-541-6427. Annual Dahlia Tuber Sale Sat, Apr 14, 1-4pm, Ann Arbor. By Michigan Dahlia Assoc at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. 734-429-5796, www.midwestdahliaconference.org/MDA/index.htm. H Bonsai Workshop Sat, Apr 14, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $35. Plant & create your own bonsai tree to enjoy for years to come. www.tellys.com, 248-689-8735. H Cooking with Herbs Sat, Apr 14, 11am, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. www.bogielakegreenhouses.com. H Spring Vegetable Garden Sat, Apr 14, 10am, all locations. At English Gardens. FREE. www.englishgardens.com. Airplant Sculpture Class Sat, Apr 14, 1pm, Fenton. At Gerych’s Greenhouse. $40. Create your own unique art piece using live air-plants, wire & other accents. Register: 810-629-5995. Fit & Healthy at Home & in the Garden Sat, Apr 14, 10am-Noon, Taylor. By Taylor Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at Perf. Arts Ctr. $10. Winter Wellness Series: Cynthia Nemon, Occupational Therapist. 888-383-4108. H Kids Club: Create a Worm Garden Flag Sat, Apr 14, 11:30am, all locations. At English Gardens. FREE. Adult helper must attend with child. Sign up in store or online. www.englishgardens.com. H Spring Pond Cleaning & Start-Up Sat, Apr 14, Apr 21, Apr 28, 10-11am, Milford. At Pond Place. FREE. www.pondplace.com, 248-889-8400. Michigan Orchid Society Meeting Sun, Apr 15, 2:30pm, Birmingham. At the First Baptist Church of Birmingham. Guest speaker, plant sales & raffle. Public welcome. www.miorchidsociety.com.
Promote your events! Send us your information! Website: Go to MichiganGardener.com and click on “Garden Event Calendar” E-Mail: calendar@MichiganGardener.com Upcoming Issues & Deadlines: Issue
Ask for OrganiMax at your local independent garden center! For more information: Call 248-760-9342
May 2018 June 2018
Deadline April 15, 2018 May 15, 2018
Self Watering Raised Gardens Mon, Apr 16, 6-7:30pm, Jackson. By JCMGA at East Michigan Ave Branch Library, 3125 E. Michigan Ave. FREE. Presentation followed by panel of MGs for Q&A. Edpeterson@live.com, 517-748-1973. Straw Bale Gardening Wed, Apr 18, 7-9pm, Traverse City. At The Botanic Garden. Learning the secrets of straw bale gardening— a variation on container gardening. www.thebotanicgarden.org. H Make It & Take It Workshop: Plant a Themed Herb Garden Thu, Apr 19, 7pm, all locations. At English Gardens. Plant a salsa themed herb garden with help from our experts. www.englishgardens.com. Living Wreath with Succulents Thu, Apr 19, 6pm, Fenton. At Gerych’s Greenhouse. Enjoy fun & easy living wreath planting. Class size limited. Register: 810-629-5995. H Auburn Oaks Spring Open House Fri, Apr 20 & Sat, Apr 21, 8am-6pm & Sun, 10am-5pm, Rochester Hills. At Auburn Oaks. New products, discounts, plant info & more. www.auburnoaksnursery.com. H Michigan’s Magnificent Trees Sat, Apr 21, 10am-Noon, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. $18/person. Learn about large shade trees, evergreens, & smaller flowering; all native! Register: 517-431-2060. H Container Gardening Weekend Sat, Apr 21, 11am & Sun, Apr 22, 1pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. FREE. Class covers the basics of container gardening. www.BogieLakeGreenhouses.com, 248-887-5101. H Plants We Love Sat, Apr 21, 10am, all locations. At English Gardens. FREE. Our experts will share their favorites. www.englishgardens.com. H Van Atta’s Spring Open House Sat, Apr 21 & Sun, Apr 22, Noon-4pm, Haslett. At Van Atta’s Greenhouse. New products, sales & more. Enormous variety of perennials; species & cultivars. www.vanattas.com. MSU Student Horticulture Club Spring Show Sat, Apr 21, 10am-1pm, East Lansing. By MSU Horticulture Club at MSU Horticulture Gardens. H New Perennials for 2018 Sat, Apr 21, 10am, Troy & 1pm, Shelby Township. At Telly’s. $50. Includes samples of 10 new perennials. www.tellys.com. H Growing & Cooking with Herbs Sat, Apr 21, 10am-1pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $29.75. Be a successful herb gardener & learn to use your herbs in the kitchen. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com. H Growing Heirloom Tomatoes Sat, Apr 21, 11am, Southgate. At Ray Hunter Florist & Garden. FREE. Paul Rodman shares techniques & tips to help grow stellar tomatoes in our crazy climate. 734-284-2500. Dahlias: Starting Dahlias from Cuttings Sat, Apr 21, 3-5pm, Troy. By SE Mich Dahlia Society at Telly’s. Members will demo propagating dahlias from cuttings, dividing tuber clumps for the annual sale. www.semds.org, 248-689-5947. H Black Sheep Weavers Sat, Apr 21, 9am-5pm & Sun, Apr 22, 10am-4pm, White Lake. Black Sheep Weavers Fiber Art at Bogie Lake Greenhouses. 248-887-5101, www.BogieLakeGreenhouses.com. H Earth Day at English Gardens Sun, Apr 22, 10am, all locations. At English Gardens. FREE. Receive a package of flower seeds created by SMART, a program serving adults with developmental disabilities. www.englishgardens.com. Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival Sun, Apr 22, Noon-4pm, Ann Arbor. At Leslie Science & Nature Center. FREE. Family-friendly event. Live animals, activities, entertainment & much more. www.lesliesnc.org.
What’s New for 2018? Mon, Apr 23, 7pm, Troy. By Metro Detroit Hosta Society at Telly’s Greenhouse. George Papadelis, owner of Telly’s, offers an exciting look at new annuals & perennials. Hgold2843@comcast.net. Elizabeth Sites Kuhlman Lecture Mon, Apr 23, 10:30am. Detroit. At Detroit Institute of Arts. $35. 10 arrangements will be crafted & Nordic floral design techiques shared. Tickets: tickets.dia.org, 313-833-4005. Master Lecture Series: The Layered Garden Tue, Apr 24, 7pm, Grand Rapids. At Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. A look into David Culp’s majestic 4 season garden. Learn how to achieve a nonstop parade of color in your garden by applying the technique of layering. 888-957-1580, www.meijergardens.org. Phenology & Garden Rhythms Fri, Apr 27, 10am, Rochester. By Meadow Brook Garden Club at Meadow Brook Hall. $5. Chuck Martin, Senior Horticulturist from Dow Gardens, presents. 248-364-6210, MBGCmembers@gmail.com. H Barsons Spring Open House Sat, Apr 28 & Sun, Apr 29, Westland. At Barsons. Sat Seminars: 10am: Pond Opening; 1pm: How to grow an organic garden. Sun: 11am: Questions about installing a pond; 1pm: Probiotic gardening. www.barsons.com. H Gardening & All That Jazz: Educational Gardening Conference Sat, Apr 28, Full day, Waterford Twp. By Master Gardener Society of Oakland Co. at Oakland Co. Schools Conf. Ctr. Speakers: Ken Druse, Vanessa Gardner Nagel, Craig LeHoullier, Kerry Ann Mendez. 5 hours of MG credits. $80. www.mgsoc.org. H Bogie Lake Greenhouses Spring Open House Sat, Apr 28, 9am-5pm & Sun, 10am-5pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. www.bogielakegreenhouses.com. H Arbor Day Celebration Sat, Apr 28, 10am-2pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. Family fun activities revolve around the celebration of Trees & Nature. www.canr.msu.edu/ hiddenlakegardens. H New Annuals for 2018 Sat, Apr 28, 10am, Troy; 1pm, Shelby Township. At Telly’s. $40. Includes samples of 10 new annuals. www.tellys.com, 248-689-8735. H Plymouth Nursery Spring Open House Sat, Apr 28, & Sun, Apr 29, 11am-4pm, Plymouth. At Plymouth Nursery. Sales on items throughout the store. www.plymouthnursery.net. H Every Garden Deserves a Rose Sat, Apr 28, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $10. Learn about the different types & how to integrate them into the landscape. Register: 248-689-8735. www.tellys.com. H Terrarium Workshop with Lisa Eldred Steinkopf Sun, Apr 29, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. $30. After a short program about terrariums, join Lisa in creating your own tiny world under glass. Materials provided. Register: 517-431-2060. Herbal Truffle Making Sun, Apr 29, 1-3:30pm, Traverse City. At The Botanic Garden. Adventure into the botany of the cacao tree & try your hand at making rustic herbal truffles. www.thebotanicgarden.org.
L E T U S M A K E YO U R O U T D O O R S B E AU T I F U L !
GREENHOUSE & GARDEN CENTER
Selection! Selection! Selection! 2000+ varieties of Annuals, Perennials, Vegetables, Trees & Shrubs!
Excellent quality at low, northern prices! Come relax and enjoy spring by our waterfall with a free bag of popcorn! Washington Rd. EXIT
Wadsworth Rd.
I-675
Janes Rd.
I-75
H Vegetable Gardening Basics Sun, Apr 15, 1pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. www.bogielakegreenhouses.com.
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Outer Dr.
MichiganGardener.com | April 2018 | Michigan Gardener
EXIT
Holland Ave.
3500 Wadsworth Rd • Saginaw 989-752-5625 At the corner of I-75 & I-675 www.abelegreenhouse.com Open 7 days a week
Annuals
Sun/Shade A to Z 36ct. Flats
Vegetable & Herb plants
Geraniums
Many varieties & colors
INSTANT COLOR!
• Heirloom Varieties • Seed Potatoes • 3 Greenhouses to choose from • Livingston County’s largest selection of vegetable & herb plants!
Yard Décor Gazing Globes Fairy Gardens Stepping Stones Much, much more!
Hanging Baskets
May Propagation by Cuttings Tue, May 1, 6:45pm, Livonia. By Livonia Garden Club at Livonia Senior Ctr. Judy Cornellier presents “Cuttings: A Form of Multiplication” & Jane Rubarth discusses the importance of frogs & toads. H Cranbrook’s Japanese Garden Lecture Series: Shin Abe Tue, May 1, 7pm, Bloomfield Hills. At Cranbrook Institute of Science. $10/lecture. Speaker Shin Abe, ZEN Associates, Boston, MA. Lectures on Japanese garden design & the gardens that each speaker has created or restored in North America. Register: center.cranbrook.edu. Spring & Summer Porch Pots with Terry Hooper Wed, May 2, 6:30–8:30pm, Traverse City. The Botanic Garden. $35. www.thebotanicgarden.org. continued on page 18
• Sun/Shade • Over 10,000 to choose from
Accent Plants
• Bacopa, potato vines & many Proven Winners
Wednesdays are Senior Day ALL YEAR LONG: 15% OFF Live Plants!
Patio & Deck Pots
Perennials • Bud & Bloom • Groundcovers • Shrubs & Bushes • Roses
8087 Grand River • Brighton Since 1955 • Family owned & operated • Open 8am everyday
www.MeierFlowerLand.com We are Greenhouse: 810-229-9430 worth Florist: 810-220-4848 the drive!
Warmbier Farms Everything for your Garden, Home, and You
Garden Center
Garden Shop
Outdoor-grown perennials & shrubs now available! Why does outdoor-grown matter? Our plants are hardy, healthy & well-rooted—ready to succeed in your garden from day one.
Our huge showroom is a decorator’s delight! Great selection of silk florals, boutique clothing & jewelry, resin statues & seasonal decor. Plus a huge concrete statue selection—all made by us!
5300 Garfield Rd. • Auburn, MI • Centrally located between Saginaw/Bay City/Midland
989-662-7002 • www.warmbierfarms.com
HEADING UP NORTH? We’re just 7 minutes off of I-75!
Auburn Oaks GARDEN CENTER
High quality plants & service for your garden success since 1964.
Spring Open House Fri-Sat, April 20-21, 8am-6pm Sunday, April 22, 10am-5pm New Products • Discounts • Gifts Refreshments • Closeouts Plants • Information Lunch served Fri & Sat, 11am-1pm (Suggested $3 donation to Gleaners Food Pantry) CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR THE FULL SPRING OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE
3820 W. Auburn Rd. (2 blks E. of Adams Rd.) • Rochester Hills • 248-852-2310 Mon-Sat 8-6 Sun 10-5 • www.auburnoaksnursery.com
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
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H Straw Bale Garden Demonstration Sat, May 5, 11am, Southgate. At Ray Hunter Garden Center. FREE. Paul Rodman demos how to make straw bale gardens.734-284-2500. H Container Gardening Workshop Sat, May 5, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $5. www.tellys.com. Weedy Lawn & Garden Salad Sat, May 5, 10am-Noon, Ann Arbor. By Project Grow at Project Grow Gardens, County Farm. $5. Garden weeds that can impart delicious flavor & nutrition. www.projectgrowgardens.org. H Bonsai Workshop Sat, May 5, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $39. Plant & create your own bonsai tree to enjoy for years to come. www.tellys.com, 248-689-8735. Spring Meeting, Plant Sale & Garden Tours Sat, May 5, 11:00am–3pm, Jackson. By NARGS. Plant Sale at 1:30. Register: urdathom@aaps.k12.mi.us. Dahlia Society Annual Tuber Sale Sat, May 5, 9am-Noon, Troy. By SE Mich Dahlia Society at Telly’s. More than 700 tubers & cuttings available. A variety of sizes, colors & petal forms for your garden. www.semds.org, 248-689-5947. Four Seasons Garden Club Plant Exchange Sat, May 5, South Lyon. By Four Seasons Garden Club at 300 Dorothy St. Rain or shine. Trade plants, bulbs or seeds. Label each. 248-437-0154. Clematis Pruning Workshop Sat, May 5, Detroit. At Black Cat Pottery. 1 hour of instruction & 1 hour of demo/hands-on supervised practice. Register: www.blackcatpottery.com. H Faerie May Day Festival Sat, May 5, 10am-5pm & Sun, May 6, 11am-5pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $1. Fun, lore, treats, workshops & plants. www.HeavenlyScentHerbFarm.com. Flowers in the Garden Mon, May 7, 1pm, Farmington Hills. By Farmington Garden Club at Spicer House. Presented by Wendy Evans of the DIA. fgc1932@gmail.com, 248-477-3854. Principles & Plants to Use When Designing a Shade Garden Thu, May 10, 1pm, Shelby Twp. By Shelby Garden Club at Shadbush Nature Ctr. FREE. Presented by Arlene Welsh. Ferndale Garden Club: Show & Tell Thu, May 10, 7pm, Ferndale. By Ferndale Garden Club at Kulick Community Center, 1201 Livernois. Club Members & Flower Show. Guests are welcome. 248-541-6427. Habitat for Humanity Flower & Plant Sale Fri, May 11, 3-8pm & Sat, May 12, 9am-5pm, Lake Orion. At Culver’s. Flowers, annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, planters, houseplants & more. Micah Jordan: 248-338-1843 ext.231, micahj@habitatoakland.org. Project Grow Plant Sale Fri, May 11, 5-8pm & Sat, May 12, 10am-2pm, Ann Arbor. By Project Grow at Dawn Farm. Advance orders due by May 5. www.projectgrowgardens.org. H Hidden Lake Gardens Plant Sale Sat, May 12, 10am-2pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. Perennials, shrubs, trees, conifers, annuals, herbs, vegetables, & flowering plants for Mother’s Day. 517-431-2060. Chelsea Area Garden Club 20th Annual Plant Sale Sat, May 12, 8am-Noon, Chelsea. By Chelsea Area Garden Club at Chelsea Fairgrounds. Most plants under $5. Expert gardeners on hand to answer questions. Rain/shine. 734-475-9748. Michigan All-State Bonsai Show Sat, May 12, At Frederik Meijer Gardens. FREE. Enjoy stunning bonsai trees on display. Shop for plants & growing supplies & watch demos. Oak Openings Region Blue Week Sun, May 13 to Sun, May 20, Various Locations. By The Green Ribbon Initiative. Over 20 free family events celebrating the many blue species of plants/wildlife living in the oak openings. www.oakopenings.org/ blue-week/. Bringing Paradise Home Mon, May 14, 12:30pm, Dearborn. By Garden Club of Dearborn at First Presbyterian. Ed Blondin, historian/ horticulturist speaks on the influence of the Persian Empire on American backyards. 313-565-1266.
H Cranbrook Spring Plant Sale Tue, May 15, 10am-7pm & Wed, May 16, 10am-2pm, Bloomfield Hills. Native plants, perennials, greenhouse plants, tomatoes, herbs, fairy garden plants, gardening items & more. housegardens.cranbrook.edu. H Cranbrook’s Japanese Garden Lecture Series: Sadafumi Uchiyama Tue, May 15, 7pm, Bloomfield Hills. At Cranbrook Institute of Science. $10/lecture. Speaker Sadafumi Uchiyama, Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, OR. Lectures on Japanese garden design & the gardens that each speaker has created or restored in North America. Register: center.cranbrook.edu. Morel Mushroom Exploration Wed, May 16, 7-8:30pm, Traverse City. At The Botanic Garden. With Jim Moses & Linda Grigg of Forest Garden Organic Farm. www.thebotanicgarden.org. Meadow Brook Garden Club Perennial Plant Sale Thu, May 17, 8am-2pm, Rochester. By Meadow Brook Garden Club at MB Greenhouse. Large variety of Michigan-grown plants, including many from Meadow Brook Hall gardens. 248-364-6210, MBGCmembers@gmail.com. H Cranbrook’s Japanese Garden Lecture Series: Gregory De Vries Thu, May 17, 7-8:30pm, Bloomfield Hills. At Cranbrook Institute of Science Auditorium. $10/lecture. Gregory De Vries, Landscape Architect, Quinn Evans Architects, Ann Arbor presents “Creation & Rejuvenation”. An illustrated timeline of the history of Cranbrook’s Japanese Garden & documentation of its features & trees. Register: center.cranbrook.edu. H Tantalizing Moonlight Gardens Thu, May 17, 10am, Auburn. At Warmbier Farms. 10am: Paint a stepping stone. $20. 1pm: Learn which combos of plants/flowers can transform your nighttime garden. FREE. www.warmbier.com, 989-662-7002. H Japanese Garden Midwest Regional Workshop & Garden Tour Thu, May 17 to Sat, May 19, Bloomfield Hills. By North American Japanese Garden Association at Cranbrook Gardens. Explore the challenges & benefits of Japanese gardens in the Midwest through 6 case studies. Thursday: opening workshop. Friday: lectures on Cranbrook’s historic 1915 Japanese garden. Tour the house & garden of Charles Lang Freer, America’s first great collector of Japanese art. Reception at Minoru Yamasaki’s spectacular modernist water & stone garden at WSU. Saturday: Muedler Japanese Garden at MSU, the Shigematsu Memorial Garden & 8-acre DeVos Japanese Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens. Registration opens soon: www.najga.org. H The Soothing Whisper of Butterfly Wings Fri, May 18, 10am, Auburn. At Warmbier Farms. 10am: Paint a butterfly stone. $20. 1pm: Get ideas on how to create a magical habitat for butterflies. www.warmbierfarms.com. Wonderful Woodlanders: Ephemerals Fri, May 18, 10am, Rochester. By Meadow Brook GC at Meadow Brook Hall. $5. Glen Pace covers native & non-native plants for zone 5b. 248‑364‑6210, MBGCmembers@gmail.com. Fair Lane Garden Volunteers’ Spring Plant Sale & Garden Market Fri, May 18, 10am-3pm & Sat, May 19, 9am-1pm, Dearborn. At Fair Lane (Henry Ford Estate). All proceeds benefit the historic gardens. 313-668-3195; 313-668-3193, www.henryfordfairlane.org. Spring Plant Sale Fri, May 18, 9am-5pm, Waterford. By Waterford Garden Club at Waterford Senior Ctr. Perennials, herbs, succulents, houseplants & bake sale. waterfordgardenclub.org. Perennial Plant Exchange Sat, May 19, 10am-Noon, Troy. By Troy Garden Club at Aquatic Ctr. Parking Lot. Please label plants for type & time of bloom. Free compost, BYO containers. www.TroyGardenClubMI.com. H Pond Construction: Hands-On Workshop Sat, May 19, June 23, July 21, Milford. At The Pond Place. FREE. Hands on experience building an 11’ x 16’ pond w/ stream, waterfall & bog, as well as a pondless waterfall. www.pondplace.com
MichiganGardener.com | April 2018 | Michigan Gardener
H Pond & Waterfall Design Sat, May 19, June 23, July 21, August 18, September 15, Milford. At The Pond Place. FREE. Workshop will address the key issues associated with designing & building your own pond, stream or waterfall. www.pondplace.com. H 35th Anniversary Celebration Sat, May 19, 9am-7pm, North Branch. At Campbell’s Greenhouses. Sales, music & more. www.campbellsgreenhouses.com. Annual Dahlia Sale Sat, May 19, 10am-2pm, Dexter. By Mich Dahlia Assoc at Dexter Mill. Information on growing & caring for dahlias. 734-429-5796, www.midwestdahliaconference.org/ MDA/index.htm. Dexter Green Day & Plant Sale Sat, May 19, 9am-1pm, Dexter. By Dexter Garden Club at Monument Park. Perennials, native plants, grasses, shrubs, hostas, groundcovers, & perennial herbs. 734-663-7046, dextergardenclub.org. H Pressed Floral Bouquet Sat, May 19, 11am-1pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $28.75. Create a one-of-a-kind floral bouquet picture. Bring scissors & tweezers. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com. H MSU Gardens Spring Plant Sale Sat, May 19, 7am-2pm, East Lansing. At MSU Horticulture Gardens. www.canr.msu.edu/hrt/our_ gardens/garden_calendar. H Roses 101 Class Sat, May 19, 11am, Southgate. At Ray Hunter. FREE. Roses are easy to grow if you know a few tricks. 734-284-2500. Fair Lane’s Rouge Rescue Project Sat, May 19, Dearborn. At Fair Lane (Henry Ford Estate) grounds. Help remove invasive Garlic Mustard. All are welcome to participate. No tools required. Register: kmarzonie@henryfordestate.org, 313-668-3193. H Jubilant & Joyful Songbirds Sat, May 19, 10am, Auburn. At Warmbier Farms. 10am: Paint a delightful branch of birds. $40. 1pm: Learn how to bring the music of song birds to your garden. www.warmbierfarms.com. H Energetic & Beneficial Bees Sun, May 20, 10am, Auburn. At Warmbier Farms. 10am: Buzz in & paint a bee statue. $40. 1pm: Learn how you can help bees & other pollinators. FREE. www.warmbierfarms.com. Spring Swap Sun, May 20, Wolverine Lake. By Lakes Area Plant & Garden Swap at Clara Miller Park. Round Robin style. Bring labled plants, tools/supplies, yard art. 248-767-2490.
H Cranbrook’s Japanese Garden Lecture Series: Marc Peter Keane Tue, May 22, 7pm, Bloomfield Hills. At Cranbrook Institute of Science. $10/lecture. Speaker Marc Peter Keane, Ithaca, NY. Lectures on Japanese garden design & the gardens that each speaker has created or restored in North America. Register: center.cranbrook.edu. H Create Your own Butterfly Garden Tue, May 22, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. $20/person. How to select native, host, & nectar plants that are suited for SE Michigan gardens. Register: 517-431-2060. Bee Palooza Thu, May 24, 8am-5pm, East Lansing. At MSU Horticulture Gardens. www.canr.msu.edu/hrt/ our_gardens. MSU Tollgate Evenings in the Garden Thu, May 31, 6:30p, Novi. At MSU Tollgate Farm. $20. Roy Prentice presents MSU Tollgate Farms: Carrying on Novi’s Agricultural Traditions. Register: www.canr.msu. edu/tollgate/events/evenings-in-the-garden.
HARDY PLANT SOCIETY, GREAT LAKES CHAPTER - Events are at Congregational Church of Birmingham (1000 Cranbrook Rd., Bloomfield Hills). Guest fee: $5. For more info: julia@juliasbiglife.com or visit us on Facebook. DON’T LOOK. Oops, you looked. And so will 70,000 potential customers. Advertise in Michigan Gardener. Call 248-594-5563 or e-mail publisher@MichiganGardener.com.
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June Perennial Plant Exchange Sat, Jun 2, 8:30am, Clarkston. By Clarkston Farm & Garden Club at Clarkston Village Parking Lot. Rain/shine. Pot/label your plants. www.clarkstongardenclub.org. H Container Gardening Class Sat, Jun 2, 11am, Southgate. At Ray Hunter Florist & Garden. FREE. Master Gardener Paul Rodman will present techniques for useful & beautiful container gardens. 734-284-2500. 10th Annual Spring Garden Tour Sat, Jun 2, Detroit. At Black Cat Pottery. Register: www.blackcatpottery.com. Yardeners Native Plant Sale Sat, Jun 9, 9am-Noon, St Clair Shores. By Yardeners at Selinsky-Green Farmhouse Museum grounds. Deadline to order is May 25. Plant list & order forms: scsyardeners@gmail.com. MSU Tollgate Evenings in the Garden Thu, Jun 14, 6:30p, Novi. At MSU Tollgate Farm. $20. Mary Gerstenberger presents “Water: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly”. Register: www.canr.msu.edu/tollgate/ events/evenings-in-the-garden. Floral Wall Weaving Sat, Jun 16, 10am-Noon, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $48.75. Back after 30 years, you’ll create a one-of-a-kind piece of wall art. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com. H Frederik Meijer Gardens Rose Show Sat, Jun 16 & Sun, Jun 17, Grand Rapids. At Frederik Meijer Gardens. Enjoy a variety of rose blossoms on display, all locally grown & carefully prepped. www.meijergardens.org.
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GARDEN SPEAKER AVAILABLE for your club or group. Well-traveled garden writer does garden presentations & travelogues. This active collector gardener can speak on many subjects. Experienced to present at Garden Ctr open houses & conferences. For presentation list, biography, fee & references, contact Julia Hofley at Julia@juliasbiglife.com. 248-4972674. Find me on Facebook. MICHIGAN GARDENER E-NEWSLETTER Sign up for our free e-newsletter! We send out a few each year, and there are contests to win prizes as well. Go to www.MichiganGardener. com and simply enter your e-mail address.
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
Hostas
Part 1 of 3: A brief history, breeding insights, and growing tips
Hidden Lake Gardens
One of the best ways to learn about hostas is to visit public gardens with a wide variety of mature hosta specimens. Michiganders are lucky to have the Benedict Hosta Collection available for public viewing at Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton. I am excited to present hostas to you in this “Perennial Perspectives” column. Can we tackle that in one article? Impossible. So we have a great three-part series lined up for you, starting with this first article. Parts two and three will feature exceptional hostas, ranging from large to miniature sizes.
H
ostas are often considered the gardener’s number one choice of perennials for shade. In fact, the hosta is now America’s best-selling perennial, having recently surpassed the daylily, the previous holder of that title. According to world-renowned hosta expert Mark Zilis, the genus Hosta contains 43
species and over 7,200 different varieties, with new cultivars arriving each year. Garden centers offer dozens of varieties, while online vendors offer hundreds. Gardeners have an endless possibility of choices, but interest in hostas prior to the 1970s was negligible. Pre-1970s, the hostas in common Karen use were species hostas and simple Bovio cultivars. These included H. lancifolia, H. ventricosa, H. plantaginea and its hybrid ‘Royal Standard,’ along with a few cultivars such as H. sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ (introduced in 1905), H. ‘Fortunei’ and its variants ‘Albomarginata,’ ‘Aureomarginata’
and ‘Hyacinthina.’ Perhaps the most widely used were H. ‘Undulata’ and H. ‘Undulata Albomarginata.’ These produce medium-sized clumps with wavy, thin-textured green leaves bordered in white. They are still used today although they have been greatly surpassed. Generally, hostas of that era were green, blue-green or simple green and white variegated forms that were used as edging or massing plants.
A surge of hosta beeding Interest in hostas and hosta breeding surged during the 1970s and ‘80s, a period
also marked by increasing interest in gardening and renewed enthusiasm for perennials. Many great hosta varieties introduced during the 1970s have withstood the test of time and are still widely used. Among them are ‘Big Daddy,’ ‘Blue Angel,’ ‘Gold Edger,’ ‘Gold Standard,’ ‘Golden Tiara,’ ‘Hadspen Blue,’ and ‘Love Pat.’ By the 1980s, the hosta gene pool had increased substantially, simply because so many more hosta varieties had come into existence. Breeding efforts using newer cultivars resulted in even greater diversity in hosta introductions. In addition to the “typical” hosta continued on page 22
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
www.PerennialResource.com
‘Captain Kirk’ (pictured here) was discovered as a sport from the classic hosta ‘Gold Standard.’ continued from page 20
www.PerennialResource.com
Many great hosta varieties introduced during the 1970s have withstood the test of time and are still widely used, like ‘Big Daddy’ shown here.
form—mounded shape, largish ovate leaves— new forms including miniatures and giants emerged, with ever-increasing diversity, novelty, and distinction in leaf color and shape, mound size, flower color and fragrance, scape height and other characteristics. Many varieties registered during the 1980s are now considered classics. Among them are ‘Francee,’ ‘Frances Williams,’ ‘Halcyon,’ ‘Krossa Regal,’ ‘Paul’s Glory,’ ‘Shade Fanfare,’ ‘Sum and Substance,’ and ‘Sagae.’ These varieties frequently appear on lists of “best hostas” for garden use. Because they are older varieties, their price can be substantially lower than that of new introductions, making them a very good value for anyone wishing to start a hosta collection.
How new hosta varieties are developed
www.PerennialResource.com
‘Francee’ is among the many varieties registered during the 1980s that are now considered classics.
New hosta varieties can either be naturally discovered or actively created. Gardeners and growers with a keen eye may notice part of a plant that is different from the rest of the clump. This is referred to as a mutation or sport. The sport is separated from the mother plant, propagated, and observed for stability of the traits. If it proves stable, it may then be given a cultivar name, registered with the American Hosta Society, and propagated for sale to the public. A couple of good examples are ‘Captain Kirk’ and ‘Striptease,’ which arose as sports from ‘Gold Standard.’ Hostas can also be grown from seed, the result of naturally-occurring (unintended) cross-pollination or from planned hybridization efforts. Some varieties have been discovered “by chance” in seedling populations
and found worthy of introduction. However, planned hybridization—where the parent plants are carefully chosen for particular traits the breeder wishes to highlight or combine in the offspring—is the greatest source of new hosta varieties.
Tissue culture propagation In the 1970s, the laboratory propagation method known as tissue culture was developed, and during the 1980s the technique became established as a commercial industry. The advent of tissue culture—whereby millions of identical plants could be produced from small pieces of tissue—revolutionized the nursery world. Hostas proved to be one of the easiest perennials to produce via tissue culture, but along with it came a troubling—but at the same time beneficial—side effect. In the genus Hosta, not all of the resulting tissue cultured plants were identical; the producers of these plants had to carefully rogue them for “trueness to type” before sale. Troubles arose when nurseries and gardeners received plants that were different from what they were supposed to be. The benefit was that many of these atypical plantlets proved superior to the original, due to unique variegation patterns or other features deemed attractive. Hence, a new “chance” method of producing new (and potentially money-making) varieties was born. Propagators were quick to turn lemons into lemonade based on the high mutation rate of tissue-cultured hostas. ‘June’ (a tissue-cultured sport of ‘Halcyon’) and ‘Guacamole’ (a tissue-cultured sport of continued on page 24
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
continued from page 22 ‘Fragrant Bouquet’) are good examples of tissue culture mutations that proved superior to the original. Additionally, entire “families” of hosta cultivars have been developed from tissue culture sports. The “Tiara” series, which includes the original ‘Golden Tiara’ plus ‘Diamond Tiara,’ ‘Platinum Tiara,’ ‘Emerald Tiara,’ ‘Grand Tiara’ and others, is one of the most famous examples.
Choosing hostas for your garden
www.PerennialResource.com
In the 1970s, a laboratory propagation method known as tissue culture was developed. Here is a glimpse inside the tissue culture lab at Walters Gardens, a national leader in wholesale perennial production located in Zeeland, Michigan.
The development of new hosta cultivars has exploded from the 1990s to the present. There are many more hosta hybridizers, and all of them are working with an expanding gene pool of possibilities. Large nurseries with tissue culture labs are introducing new varieties from mutations at an ever-increasing rate. Making comparisons and picking favorites can be a bewildering task for the gardener. One of the best ways to evaluate and learn about hostas is to visit hosta gardens where large numbers of cultivars can be seen as mature specimens. Here in Michigan, we are fortunate to have the Benedict Hosta Collection available for public viewing (located at Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton). In Ohio, Wade and Gatton Nursery has amassed a world-class collection that has been called the world’s largest. Hosta collections can be found at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (the MacMillan Hosta Glade, Chaska, MN), Olbrich Botanical Gardens (Madison, WI), Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, PA), and many other public gardens.
Hosta culture
www.PerennialResource.com
Through tissue culture, millions of identical plants can be produced from tiny pieces of tissue— a revolution for the nursery world, and hosta production. Each one of these small tubes at the Walters Gardens tissue culture lab holds an individual plant.
www.PerennialResource.com
Entire “families” of hosta cultivars have been developed from tissue culture sports. One of the most famous examples is the “Tiara” series, which includes ‘Grand Tiara’ shown here.
Hostas are native to China, Japan and Korea but have become popular the world over in nearly all temperate zones. They need a climate with at least 400 hours of temperatures below 40 degrees F to satisfy their dormancy requirement. Gardeners associate hostas with shade gardens, but in the U.S., hostas grown in cooler northern areas can tolerate more direct sun than those grown in the South. In Michigan, hostas perform best in “light or open shade,” or a site receiving 2 to 4 hours of sunlight—preferably in the morning, with shade in the afternoon. They also thrive in “partial shade,” such as on the east side of a building. Some hostas will tolerate “partial sun,” a site that receives 3 to 4 hours of direct sun. At the other end of the spectrum, hostas will grow in total shade, but foliage tends to be thinner and less colorful. Some types will die out eventually if the site is too dark. In addition, there is a lot of variation among cultivars regarding how much sun or shade they can tolerate. Hostas do best in humusy, organically enriched soils with good drainage. Excessively sandy or clayey soils can be amended with leaf mold, compost, peat, or pine bark to improve soil texture. Like all plants, hostas ben-
efit from careful watering during their early years, but are quite drought tolerant once established. Mulching is very helpful in retaining soil moisture. Nearly all gardeners will do battle with slugs on their hostas. Slugs prefer hostas over many other plants, thriving in the cool, damp conditions of the shade garden. Some varieties, particularly those with thick leaves, are more slug-resistant than others. Slugs can be controlled with a variety of slug repellents. Some gardeners also use traps and barrier methods to keep slugs away. Animals, especially deer, love hostas and can do serious damage by chewing off the leaves, leaving only the petioles standing. The plants will grow new leaves, but their beauty is lessened while the new leaves are growing out. Also, repeated deer damage can weaken the plants over time, so if you live in “deer country” it is worthwhile to protect your hostas. There are many deer repellents on the market. Talk to other gardeners to find out which have been most effective in your area; deer populations become accustomed to some repellents, rendering them less effective. Hostas are relatively free of disease issues, but viruses (particularly hosta virus X) and foliar nematodes may create serious problems for gardeners and growers. Be aware that both can be transmitted on garden tools, particularly during division or transplanting.
Dividing hostas Some hostas grow rapidly, making sizeable clumps in a just a few years, while slowgrowing types may take many years to attain a mature size. If your hostas become too large for their location, or if you wish to share with a friend, it is easy to dig and divide them. Hostas are very forgiving and can be divided at any time during the growing season. However, dividing during their peak season will naturally affect their appearance for the rest of the year. Spring and fall are ideal times for dividing hostas. Some authorities recommend leaving the foliage intact during and after division—the idea being that the roots benefit from the photosynthesis provided by leaves. Others prefer cutting the foliage back when dividing. I have used both methods and haven’t seen any difference in recovery rate after division. Perhaps in the South, with hotter temperatures, removing the leaves would be beneficial to reduce transpiration and the subsequent stress on the plants during reestablishment. Anyone seriously interested in these amazingly diverse plants should take a look at the landmark hosta reference The Hostapedia by Mark R. Zilis. I’ve used that book as a resource for this article. Editor’s note: Stay tuned for Part 2 (“Exceptional Large and Medium-sized Hostas”) in the May 2018 issue of Michigan Gardener. Karen Bovio is the owner of Specialty Growers in Howell, MI.
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ann arbor H Abbott’s Nurs & Garden Ctr 2781 Scio Church Rd, MI 48103 734-665-8733 www.abbottsnursery.com Downtown Home/Gard H HillTop Greenhse/Farms H Lodi Farms The Produce Station H Turner’s Greenhse & Garden Ctr 4431 South Wagner Rd, MI 48103 734-663-7600 www.turnersannarbor.com Wild Birds Unltd
auburn H Warmbier Farms 5300 Garfield Rd, MI 48611 989-662-7002 www.warmbierfarms.com
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H Begick Nursery & Garden Ctr 5993 Westside Saginaw Rd, MI 48706 989-684-4210 www.begicknursery.com
H Beauchamp Landscp Supp Bordine’s Leppek Nurs H Meier Flowerland
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Banotai Greenhse Gardeners Choice H Pinter Flowerland H Zywicki Greenhse
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H Van’s Valley Greenhse
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birmingham H Blossoms 33866 Woodward Ave, MI 48009 248-644-4411 www.blossomsbirmingham.com
bruce twp burton H Walker Farms & Greenhouse 5253 E. Atherton Rd, MI 48519 810-743-0260 www.walkersfarm.com
Van Thomme’s Greenhses
clarkston Bordine’s Country Oaks Landscp I Lowrie’s Landscp Backyard Oasis Pond & Gard
clinton twp H English Gardens 44850 Garfield Rd, MI 48038 586-286-6100 www.EnglishGardens.com Michigan Koi H Tropical Treasures
clio H Piechnik’s Greenhouse & Garden Ctr 13172 McCumsey Rd, MI 48420 810-686-9211 www.cliogreenhouse.com
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commerce twp H Zoner’s Greenhse 2355 E. Commerce Rd, MI 48382 248-363-6742 www.zonersgreenhouse.com
davison H Wojo’s Gard Splendors 7360 E. Court St, MI 48423 810-658-9221 www.wojos.com
grosse ile H Westcroft Gardens 21803 West River Rd, MI 48138 734-676-2444 www.westcroftgardens.com
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H AguaFina Gardens International 2629 Orchard Lake Rd, MI 48320 248-738-0500 www.aguafina.com
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H The Flower Market
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H Meldrum Bros Nurs
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H Grass Roots Nurs Mums the Word
H English Gardens 22650 Ford Rd, MI 48127 313-278-4433 www.EnglishGardens.com
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dexter Bloom! Gard Ctr Dexter Mill H Fraleighs Landscape Nursery 8600 Jackson Rd, MI 48130 734-426-5067 www.fraleighs.com Guthrie Gardens
eastpointe H English Gardens 22501 Kelly Rd, MI 48021 586-771-4200 www.EnglishGardens.com
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highland Colasanti’s Produce/Plant Fragments Highland Garden Ctr H One Stop Landscp Supp Thornton Nurs
howell Howell Farmer’s Mkt Penrose Nurs H Specialty Growers 4330 Golf Club Rd, MI 48843 517-546-7742 www.specialtygrowers.net
new hudson H Milarch Nurs 28500 Haas Rd, MI 48165 248-437-2094 www.milarchnursery.com
north branch H Campbell’s Greenhouses 4077 Burnside Rd, MI 48461 810-688-3587 www.campbellsgreenhouses.com H Oldani Landscape Nurseries 2666 Tozer Rd, MI 48461 810-688-2363 www.oldanilandscapenurseries.com
H Superior Landscape Supplies 4805 Musson Rd, MI 48855 517-548-2068 Find us on Facebook
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H Heavenly Scent Herb Farm 13730 White Lake Rd, MI 48430 810-629-9208 www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com
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H Lake Orion Lawn Orn H Orion Stone Depot H Wojo’s of Lake Orion 559 S. Lapeer Rd, MI 48362 248-690-7435 www.wojos.com
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H Flushing Lawn & Garden Ctr 114 Terrace St, MI 48433 810-659-6241 www.unclelukes.com
H The Iron Barn
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gladwin H Stone Cottage Gardens 3740 West Willford Rd, MI 48624 989-426-2919 www.stonecottagegardens.com
grand blanc Bordine’s H The Weed Lady 9225 Fenton Rd, MI 48439 810-655-2723 www.theweedlady.com
grass lake H Designs by Judy Florist & Greenhse 3250 Wolf Lake Rd, MI 49240 517-522-5050 www.designsbyjudyflowers.com
Begonia Brothers Gardenviews H Willow Greenhouses
H Piechnik’s Garden Gate 1095 N. Rochester Rd, MI 48363 586-336-7200 www.cliogreenhouse.com
ortonville Country Oaks Landscp II H Wojo’s Greenhse 2570 Oakwood Rd, MI 48462 248-627-6498 www.wojos.com
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H Everlastings in Wildwood
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livonia Bushel Mart H George’s Livonia Gardens 31405 W. 7 Mile Rd, MI 48152 248-476-6719 Find us on Facebook Superior Growers Supp Valley Nurs
macomb Altermatt Greenhses Boyka’s Greenhse Deneweth’s Garden Ctr H Elya’s Village Gardens H Landscape Source Joe Randazzo’s Nurs Olejnik Farms Wade Nurs Wiegand’s Nursery Wild Birds Unltd
plymouth Graye’s Greenhse Lucas Nurs H Plymouth Nursery 9900 Ann Arbor Rd W, MI 48170 734-453-5500 www.plymouthnursery.net
H Auburn Oaks Garden Ctr 3820 West Auburn Rd, MI 48309 248-852-2310 www.auburnoaksnursery.com Bordine’s H Haley Stone 3975 S. Rochester Rd, MI 48307 248-852-5511 www.haleystone.net Wild Birds Unltd
romulus Block’s Stand/Greenhse H Kurtzhals’ Farms H Schoedel’s Nurs Schwartz’s Greenhouse
roseville Dale’s Landscp Supp Flower Barn Nurs Sea World
royal oak Billings Lawn Equip H English Gardens 4901 Coolidge Hwy, MI 48073 248-280-9500 www.EnglishGardens.com Wild Birds Unltd
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saline Clink Landscp & Nurs Nature’s Garden Ctr H Saline Flowerland
shelby twp Diegel Greenhses Flower Barn Nurs H Hessell’s Greenhouse 14497 23 Mile Rd, MI 48315 586-247-4675 www.hessellsgreenhouse.com Maeder Plant Farm H Telly’s Greenhouse 4343 24 Mile, MI 48316 248-659-8555 www.tellys.com
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troy H Telly’s Greenhouse 3301 John R Rd, MI 48083 248-689-8735 www.tellys.com H Uncle Luke’s Feed Store 6691 Livernois Rd, MI 48098 248-879-9147 www.unclelukes.com
Gardens to Visit ann arbor H Matthaei Botanical Gardens/ Nichols Arboretum 1800 North Dixboro Rd, MI 48105 734-647-7600 www.mbgna.umich.edu
bloomfield hills H Cranbrook Gardens 380 Lone Pine Rd, MI 48303 248-645-3147 housegardens.cranbrook.edu
utica
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walled lake
dearborn
H Suburban Landscp Supp
Arjay Miller Arboretum @ Ford World HQ Henry Ford Estate
warren H Beste’s Lawn/Patio Supp Garden Ctr Nurs Young’s Garden Mart
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washington
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west bloomfield H English Gardens 6370 Orchard Lake Rd, MI 48322 248-851-7506 www.EnglishGardens.com
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emmett H Sunny Fields Botanical Park 5444 Welch Rd, MI 48022 810-387-2765 www.visitsunnyfields.org
flint Applewood Estate
grand rapids Frederik Meijer Gardens
grosse pointe shores Edsel & Eleanor Ford Hse
southfield
H Barson’s Greenhse 6414 North Merriman Rd, MI 48185 734-421-5959 www.barsons.com
3 DDD’s Stand Eagle Landscp/Supp Lavin’s Flower Land Main’s Landscp Supp
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H Ray Hunter Gard Ctr
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H Pinter Flowerland Seven Mi Gard Ctr
tecumseh
H Sell Farms & Greenhouses 7200 Willis Rd, MI 48197 866-296-3090 www.sellfarmsandgreenhouses.com
Hollow Oak Farm Nurs Mike’s Garden Stone Depot Landscp Supp
pontiac
redford
H Beautiful Ponds & Gardens D&L Garden Ctr Massab Acres H Panetta’s Landscp Supp
Coleman’s Farm Mkt Lucas Nurs Margolis Nurs Materials Unlimited
westland
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Heritage Oaks
taylor
ypsilanti
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Plymouth Rock & Supp Rock Shoppe on Gotfredson Sparr’s Greenhse
ray
H Detroit Garden Works 1794 Pontiac Dr, MI 48320 248-335-8089 www.detroitgardenworks.com
H Eckert’s Greenhouse 34051 Ryan Rd, MI 48310 586-264-5678 www.eckertsgreenhouse.com Prime Landscp Supp
27
lansing Cooley Gardens
midland
novi Tollgate Education Ctr
H Bogie Lake Greenhouses 1525 Bogie Lake Rd, MI 48383 248-887-5101 www.bogielakegreenhouses.com
Meadow Brook Hall & Gardens
H Mulligan’s Landscp & Gard Ctr 8215 Elizabeth Lake Rd., MI 48386 248-698-4741 www.mulliganlandscaping.com
H Hidden Lake Gardens 6214 Monroe Rd (M-50), MI 49287 517-431-2060 www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu
Sunshine Plants
whitmore lake H Alexander’s Greenhses
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Advertiser Index Abbott’s Landscape Nursery..................28 Abele Greenhouse & Gard Ctr.................17 Aguafina Gardens International.............13 Assoc. of Professional Gardeners.........23 Auburn Oaks Gard Ctr................................ 18 Barson’s Greenhouse..................................25 Beauchamp’s/The Pond Place................. 5 Blossoms........................................................... 19 Bogie Lake Greenhouses........................... 16 Campbell’s Greenhouses.......................... 14 Cranbrook House & Gardens..................25 Detroit Garden Works..................................11 English Gardens....................................Page 3 Espoma...............................................................13 Fraleigh’s Landscape Nursery................. 19 The Garden Mill...............................................9 Garden Rhythms...........................................28
A Garden Space.............................................10 Gordon’s Lawn Core Aeration.................. 6 Grass Magic......................................................21 Grinstein Jewelry & Design.......................13 Haley Stone.......................................................21 Heavenly Scent Herb Farm.......................10 Hidden Lake Gardens..................................25 Iron Barn Iron Work.....................................23 Lake Orion Lawn Ornaments..................25 The Lumberjacks Tree Service................15 Meier Flowerland...........................................17 Michigan Nursery/Landscp Assoc......25 Milarch Nursery.............................................10 Organimax....................................................... 16 Orion Stone Depot........................................23 Osmocote....................... Inside Front Cover PACE/Honda.................................................... 7
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Piechnik’s Greenhouse................................15 Plymouth Nursery........................................ 14 Poison Ivy Control of Michigan...............28 Proven Winners Color Choice..................8 Schuman Landscape Lighting..................21 Specialty Growers.........................................23 State Crushing.................................................21 Steinkopf Nursery...........................................11 Telly’s Greenhouse.........................................4 Turner’s Landscp & Gard Ctr...................25 Tuthill Farms & Composting....................23 Uncle Luke’s Feed Store.............................23 Van Atta’s Greenhouse...............................15 Warmbier Farms........................................... 18 The Weed Lady...............................................15 Wojo’s..................................................................12 Zoner’s Greenhouse.....................................12
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through the lens Photographs from Michigan gardeners
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Send Us Your Photos! 1. E-mail 2 or 3 of your best garden photos to: photos@MichiganGardener.com. We are looking for photos of your garden, both wide-angle and plant close-ups. Be sure to e-mail a high-resolution file. 2. Please include your full name and a caption describing the scene and the plants. 3. If your photo is published, we’ll give you a free one-year subscription to Michigan Gardener.
Kathy Sanders refers to this yellow peony as her “sunny puff.”
Kim Pearson’s English garden features privets and boxwoods started from cuttings among all-season blooming shrubs and perennials.
Cynthia Childs loves the long lasting interest of flaming, fall color hydrangea flowers on the corner of her house.
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
The Judge Tucker home was built in 1886 and is now the home and garden of Bob Labadie.
19th century home and garden are rich in history
Lisa Steinkopf
Bob Labadie appreciates and carefully tends to the historic property under his care
T
he city of Mt. Clemens has a rich history and many charming, historic homes. The Judge James G. Tucker house is one of those homes, now owned by Bob Labadie. Judge Tucker was the presiding judge for the infamous Henry Ford trial against the Chicago Tribune in 1919. Henry Ford sued the Tribune for slander when they called him an anarchist, as he was against the Texas-Mex-
ican border war. The trial was moved to Mt. Clemens because too many Detroit residents worked for Mr. Ford. The small town was the center of the attention in the United States for over two months. Mr. Ford won the suit. After long days on the bench, Judge Tucker returned to this lovely historic home that now hosts the exceptional garden of Bob Labadie. As Bob and I visited, the home’s history was much talked about. What a privilege to be the
keeper of a house with such a fascinating story. As you walk up the drive, you are totally unaware that his garden, along with the house, has a historic barn tucked in the back. When you turn the corner into the garden, the barn appears and it is quite surprising, since you are in the middle of the city. The barn used to house Judge Tucker’s horse and carriage, but now holds Bob’s prized orange, vintage Bricklin car. The barn also sports a lovely side porch
which Bob calls his “Cracker Barrel” porch. It has a porch swing and comfortable rockers, and the walls are covered with his collection of birdhouses and many other interesting items. It also has large storage cupboards for gardening tools and paraphernalia. Next to the porch, a covered outdoor kitchen has been added, including a fireplace. It’s not only a perfect place to entertain, but a peaceful place to enjoy the garden as well as a fire on a cool fall evening.
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Bob’s garden kitchen has everything needed to entertain, plus a fireplace to keep it cozy and warm on cool fall evenings.
The garden
Bob Labadie stands next to the massive red oak tree in his garden. His prized orange, vintage Bricklin car is in the background.
Bob’s garden covers five city lots, the house being on two of them. Built by Judge Tucker in 1886, the 4,000-square foot home has 5 bedrooms and 3 baths. Added in the 1940s, the garage holds Bob’s other vintage car, a 1970 lakeshore blue, American Motors AMX, which took him 10 years to restore. Homes
A huge red oak tree has branches that spread across almost five city lots. You can see the barn in the background and the entrance to the hosta garden.
P H OTO G R A P H S BY L I S A S T E I N KO P F
were built on the property in front of the barn for family members many years ago. Now the house and barn are surrounded with beautiful gardens containing a few plants original to the 1886 home. These include the burning bush that reaches to the second story of the house and many fragrant, old-fashioned lilacs. The garden is also home to a diverse variety of trees, including ginkgo, black walnut, and hackberry. The piece de resistance is the massive red oak that stretches across almost all 5 city lots. Bob collects over two full wheelbarrows of fallen acorns in the fall. This massive tree is a sight to behold, and makes the barn seem small. I love trees, so it was the first thing I noticed. Then your eyes come back to earth, and gaze at all the other beautiful plants in Bob’s garden. When I asked him what his favorite plants were, his answer made complete sense to me. He replied, “My favorite plant is the one that works in the environment, with no fighting.” Perfect! So, his favorite plants include hydrangeas, many varieties of rose of Sharon, coral bells, and over 60 varieties of hostas. They all do very well in his garden—without fighting. The garden is also filled with the sound of water, as fountains are scattered throughout the garden. The collection of birdhouses extends from the porch into the garden. While Bob and I visited, a Carolina wren was scolding us for getting too close to her home and babies. Additionally, she may not have liked Bud either—Bob’s cat, who shadowed us through the garden.
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
The historic barn from 1886 takes center stage in the garden.
Bob uses birdhouses to decorate an otherwise ordinary privacy fence.
continued from previous page Directly behind the house, there once was a swimming pool, but a large tree fell and ruined it. Bob’s next project is to build a deck to cover the hole where the pool has been taken out. Many years ago, the whole piece of property was low, so broken cement and rocks were used to raise it and then a thick layer of topsoil was added. So, it has been a process finding which plants would work in his garden. He is also adding more poured, stamped concrete walks throughout the garden to help with erosion control. Not only are hostas spread throughout the
V Website Extra Go to MichiganGardener.com and click on “Website Extras� for more photos of the Labadie garden, including the Cracker Barrel porch and restored orange Bricklin car.
garden, but there is also a garden dedicated to them. The arbor entrance to the hosta garden was made by a chainsaw artist, and a dead birch tree became a dragonfly totem pole. Unfortunately, the base of the pole rotted, but the carved dragonfly is still in one piece and decorating the garden. This historic home and barn make a great backdrop for a wonderful garden filled with unusual hostas, hydrangeas, coral bells and birds. Although Bob has only been in this garden for 20 years, he is a wonderful caretaker of these historical buildings and this property from the 1880s. Lisa Steinkopf is The Houseplant Guru. Check out her newly updated website and blog at www. thehouseplantguru.com. Contact Lisa to speak at your next club meeting or event (houseplantgurulisa@gmail.com or 734-748-1241). Follow her on Facebook (Facebook.com/HouseplantGuru), Twitter (@houseplantguru), and Instagram (houseplantguru).
The arch was carved by a chainsaw artist and welcomes visitors to the Dragonfly Hosta Garden.
The hosta garden is also home to many lush ferns and groundcovers.
MichiganGardener.com | April 2018 | Michigan Gardener
The drive leading to the barn is lined with hydrangeas, hostas, and coral bells, some of Bob’s favorite plants.
Bob collects garden art and statuary, and these four face masks add interest to the greenery.
This dragonfly art used to grace a totem pole, but the pole fell over. Thankfully, it did not break and still adds flair to the garden.
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Michigan Gardener | April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
Tricolor beech Botanical name:
Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea Tricolor,’ aka ‘Tricolor’ or ‘Roseomarginata’ (FAY-gus sil-VA-tih–kuh) Plant type: Deciduous shade tree; ornamental tree Plant size: 50 to 60 feet tall; up to 40 feet wide at maturity Habit: Dense, oval form Growth rate: Slow to moderate; 10 feet in 10 years Hardiness: Zone 4 Leaves: Extremely ornamental/showy with 3 colors: purple/burgundy, rose/ pink, and cream/white to green Flowers: Insignificant Light: Full morning or sheltered sun; not all day sun; shade in late afternoon Soil: Slightly acidic, organically enriched; good drainage; mulch over roots up to drip line Water: Moderately moist, not waterlogged Uses: Focal point in lawns, patios, decks; create area of shade Companion plants: Particularly showy when placed in foreground of tall, dense evergreens Remarks: Awesome tree for foliage coloration; must be sited properly—no exposure to hot afternoon sun or excessive winds; equally pleasing to view the tree from afar or the foliage details from a close vantage point
This foliage exhibits strong purple/burgundy and rosy-pink leaf colors without any white or green, which may never appear on this tree or may appear in another year. The strong purple and pink coloration may have appeared due to the weather in this particular situation.
A typical tricolor beech leaf with rosy-pink, white and green coloration. A darker burgundy may appear later in the season or not until another year, or not ever; this is the inherent variability of the tree. continued from back cover Besides its brilliant leaf variegation, ‘Purpurea Tricolor’ fits into all other aspects and descriptions of the common European beech foliage: characteristic 2- to 4-inch wavy, ovalshaped, and smooth-surfaced leaves, with good substance and texture. Remaining on the twigs and branches well into the winter, the leaves dry with a warm-brown effect before dropping. Hard, tightened buds are one inch long, pointed at the tip. Tricolor beech is propagated by grafting onto other beech tree rootstocks. Of impressive size with age, tricolor beech heights can be 50 to 60 feet, with widths up to 40 feet. Branching is low on a dense, pyramidal form, casting a heavy, thick shade in maturity. Like other European beeches, the slow to moderate
growth rate can yield 10 feet in 10 years and up to 35 feet in 20 years. The smooth, gray to light silvery bark covers the hard wood beneath. The winter silhouette of older limbs and the trunk is a picture of bulging, muscular effect in the landscape. Attractive, radiating surface roots are eventually produced under the heavy shade canopy. Such shade is so dense, grass and many other plants will not grow there. Only heavy pruning by thinning out branches will allow some understory plants to grow between the surfaced roots.
Proper placement and culture is critical Tricolor beech thrives in well-drained, moist (not wet) soil that is slightly acidic, with added amounts of organic matter. Changes in the soil grade and cultivation once established are not tolerated.
This tricolor beech foliage creates a soft pink glow as a focal point in the lawn.
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Blue-needled evergreens make great companions for tricolor beech foliage. It is interesting to note that European beech’s cousin, the American beech (Fagus grandiflora), can grow in less ideal conditions and is not as particular as to site.
In the landscape
Tricolor beech leaves typically produce the best color with morning sun. Providing afternoon shade is helpful—if there is too much hot sun, leaf scorching can occur.
When positioned against a clear sky background, even the undersides of tricolor beech leaves are breathtaking.
Ideal conditions for growth include protecting the root zone with an organic layer of mulch, 2 to 3 inches deep. Mulch should be extended beyond the drip line and continue out as the tree grows. This will help keep foot traffic and maintenance equipment away from the sensitive, growing root tips. Watering during hot, dry periods is an absolute.
To sum it up, the siting of this variegated show-stopper can make it or break it. In contrast to its critical siting requirements, tricolor beech is hardy to zone 4, so it winters well into most of Michigan. Tolerating heavy pruning, even to the point of forming a formal, structured, rigid hedge, it’s best to wait on pruning for 2 to 3 years after planting.
A true specimen tree, tricolor beech leaves color best with morning sun in the open. Providing afternoon shade and wind protection from a western exposure is desirable. If there is too much hot sun during the summer, leaf scorching occurs. Scorched, shriveled brown leaves are a sign of stress and weakness, and may eventually cause decline.
Above all, tricolor beech is a tree with awesome presence in the landscape. Viewed from a distance, the colored foliage en masse is as evident and showy as when seen closely in a detailed single leaf pattern. In this regard, a landscape design can emerge from a single tree, whether in the lawn or near a deck or patio. Providing a branched canopy of foliage in any location can create new areas for shade plants and garden mosses. Using plants, both herbaceous and woody, with complementary foliage color can make a harmonizing garden statement with this tree. Likewise, planting lighter-colored foliage plants or those with white flowers nearby can immediately offer a contrasting landscape picture. On a calm day, one can imagine the amazing colored reflection of the leaves on a pond or lake (given, of course, that the tree is planted in an adequate drainage spot!). Provided the space, tricolor beech should be on the bucket list for both the gardener and any devotee of landscape beauty. Jim Slezinski is the Vice President and Senior Landscape Designer/Horticulturist at Goldner Walsh Garden and Home in Pontiac, MI.
| April 2018 | MichiganGardener.com
plant focus
Tricolor beech T
here is a wide array of varieties in the European beech tree family. Many have been around and planted since the 17th century. European beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands as a majestic, deciduous shade tree native to the forests of Europe. Many public arboreta and private grand historic estates both in Europe and America feature well-established specimen trees. In Europe, the native beech species (F. sylvatica) is lumbered for the heavy hard wood used for timber and barrel construction. And most of us have heard the familiar quote: “beechwood aged,” referring to a well-known beer.
The tricolor beech The many European beech selections have various shapes, growth rates, and leaf colors. When it comes to the most colorful variety, showing amazing variegated foliage, the hands down winner is tricolor beech (F. sylvatica ‘Purpurea Tricolor,’ aka ‘Tricolor’ or ‘Roseomarginata’). This garden jewel has three distinct leaf colors: purple/burgundy, rose/pink, and cream/white to green. Tricolored—just like the name implies! That said, the foliage can be variable on different trees in different years due to spring weather: temperatures can be cool or hot, and sunny or cloudy. Some trees may display one, two or three of the colors some years and other years appear totally different in foliage color. Generally, as a tricolor beech matures, a more consistent coloration will take hold. I have experienced trees with beautiful purple, pink, and white/green leaves one year, and the next two years with leaves almost totally burgundy/ purple for the entire growing seasons. In the third year there was some pink, yet no cream/ white/green! Mother Nature can wield some mysteries from year to year. This should not be a note of discouragement since this amazing tree shines despite the leaf fluctuations.
Jim Slezinski
continued on page 34 P H OTO G R A P H S BY E R I C H O F L E Y/ M I C H I G A N G A R D E N E R
Tricolor beech is a tree with stunning presence in the landscape.