Gateway Gardener
WINTER 2021-2022
THE
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Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes
’s a e u s is This EPER! tion KE forma In e c r se u U o s l l e ’ R You Round! ear 4-15 Y l l A s1 e g a P
Holiday Gift Guide Shop Local for the Gardeners on your List
Plants to Remember in 2022 Where do Native Plants Come From? Resource Guide FREE Courtesy of:
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Brie Arthur
Celebrated Speaker, Best-Selling Author and Professional Horticulturist “The Foodscape Revolution” Brie will offer a fresh take and practical gardening advice on all aspects of gardening. Be inspired to plant a foodscape like never before. And a full day of educational programs in
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Gateway Gardener THE
®
Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes
WINTER 2021-2022
November through February Volume 17, Number 7
Founded in 2005 by Joyce Bruno & Robert Weaver Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists Diane Brueckman Rosarian Abby Lapides Nursery Professional Steffie Littlefield Edg-Clif Winery Jennifer Schamber Nursery Professional Scott Woodbury Native Plant Specialist Printing: Breese Publishing, Breese, IL The Gateway Gardener® is published 9 times/year by Double Dig Communications, Inc. to promote enjoyable, successful gardening and livable landscapes in the St. Louis greater metropolitan area. The magazine is distributed free to the public at designated garden centers, nurseries, garden gift shops, lawn equipment rental, repair and sales establishments, and other locations supporting sound gardening, lawn and landscaping practices. Please send letters-to-the-editor, questions, event announcements, editorial suggestions and contributions, photos, advertising inquiries and materials, and any other correspondence to: The Gateway Gardener Magazine® PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122 Phone: (314) 968-3740
info@gatewaygardener.com www.gatewaygardener.com The Gateway Gardener® is printed on recycled newsprint using environmentally friendly soy-based ink, and is a member of the PurePower® renewable energy resources network.
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From the Editor
ast year at this time, our family was making plans for garage gettogethers for Thanksgiving and Christmas—we even moved our family Christmas celebration ahead a few days to take advantage of some milder weather. I especially recall Halloween a year ago, as our then-8-year-old grandson had to quarantine due to a COVID-19 case in his classroom. We drove over to see his costume and present him with some treats, but no amount of gift-giving and fawning could wipe the disappointment off his face as he sat in his costume, isolated, on one of the most joyful days on a child’s calendar. A year later, vaccinated and with COVID numbers dropping, we’re looking forward to celebrating the fall and winter holidays with family more traditionally. Progress. Progress is being made in the garden world, too, as many events that were canceled last year or held virtually are also
of the new-plant excitement she’s discovered during her research ramblings.
returning to their traditional platforms, though certainly with safety protocols still in place. I’m looking forward to celebrating in person again at a few of the Holiday open houses you’ll find in our Upcoming Events calendar on page 8. Looking forward is what many of our garden center friends do at this time of year, visiting growers and trial gardens to see what new plants will be inspiring us next year. Come next February, we’ll all be doing the same, thumbing through catalogs to explore the new flowers, vegetables and other plants we can introduce to our gardens. Abby Lapides shares with us on page 4 some
Supply chain shortages are very much in the news as I write this, and many experts are warning holiday shoppers to get a head start on their gift-buying. Our annual Holiday Gift Guide on page 10 offers up some early suggestions for those seeking presents for the gardeners on their list—all available locally from our garden center friends. And if all else fails, a gardener always appreciates a garden center gift card! So enjoy the holiday season as it returns at least somewhat to normalcy. Happy Holidays— from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day. We’ll get together again in March 2022. Until then…
Good Gardening!
On the Cover... A custom-designed wreath might just be the perfect gift for yourself or a gardening friend or relative. For more gift suggestions check out our annual Holiday Gift Guide on page 10. (Photo courtesy Summit Produce)
IN THIS ISSUE 4 8 10 12
Remember These Plants Upcoming Events Holiday Gift Guide Where Do Native Plants Come From? 14 Resource Guide--Metro Pros
Remember These Names By Abby Lapides
A
t the end of the growing season I like to reflect on my favorite plants from the year. Some come from my garden, some from friends’ and some from trial gardens throughout the country. Learn about the plants whose names I, and you, need to remember.
Walters Gardens Inc.
I’ve grown ‘Twinkle Toes’ lungwort, Pulmonaria, in my garden for about 3 years and am still in love with its perfect foliage. April brings baby blue and pink bell-shaped flowers about 8” tall over the green and silver speckled foliage. The foliage always looks great, even after my neglectful summer water schedule and, magically somehow, once the flowers are spent the old stalks
just go away, no brown stems loitering. The short nature and clean foliage make it a perfect front of the garden plant. This perennial requires part to full
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Cascade’ are neck-and-neck in the great contest for my favorite butterfly bush. Both weeping butterfly bushes feature mindboggling-sized panicles that can grow over 1’ long. ‘Lilac Cascade’s flowers are a little longer, sometimes up to 1.5’! ‘Violet Cascade’ is more petite, growing about 4’ tall and wide, ‘Lilac Cascade’ grows about 1’ larger. Their great habits, color and flower power wowed me when I viewed them in a test Pulmonaria garden in Michigan, so much ‘Twinkle Toes’ so that I couldn’t pick which one was the best. Neither sets shade and well-drained soils. seed and both will continually Usually when comparing bloom all summer. These excel similar plants, it’s easy to tell in the back of sunny gardens or which is superior, but not this as showy accents. time! Two new introductions to Shade loving perennials tend the Cascade series of butterfly be more subtle that their sunbush ‘Violet Cascade’ and ‘Lilac loving cousins. An excellent cont’d. on page 6 Abby Lapides is owner and a speaker at Sugar Creek Gardens Nursery. She has degrees from the University of Missouri, and is a member of the Landscape and Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis. You can reach her at (314) 965-3070.
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june hutson:: THE PERENNIAL 1942-2021
June began her journey
into horticulture with an “I will not take no for an answer” and moved through the once male-dominated vocation to become a beacon of home gardening, a mentor, a teacher, and an anchor for the perennial plant community. When June first applied to be a volunteer at the Missouri Botanical Garden, she was told they didn’t have an opening, yet she showed up anyway. And she kept showing up. For over 40 years, she designed and directed plantings, answered countless questions about peonies, lettuce, and other gardening inquiries. “She shared her voluminous knowledge with the friendly ease of sharing lunch. She would coach you in good gardening practice, gently and firmly drilling your Latin pronunciation as she handed you a trowel,” explains Jean Ponzi of The Earthways Center. “She always had time for everyone,” says Doug Wolter, continuing, “She shared her knowledge, putting it in terms that everyone could understand.”
There’s much to remember about June.
Some remember her playfulness. Upon Dr. Raven’s retirement from the Garden, “June did her entire interview about [him] wearing a tiara and holding a staff,” remembers Jennifer Smock, Manager of the Kemper Center Programs and Landscapes. “June once instructed ‘Don’t forget the whimsy’ and then pruned a Stephanandra in the rock garden to look like a turkey, never said anything about it, and waited for someone to notice,” Deborah Lalumondier shares. Many others remember her tried and true tips: plant in groups of 3s, or 5s, or 7s; put something white where you want to draw the eye; pay attention to textures.
looking for a partner for the day section of the course. Hatfield tells it like this: “I was almost too nervous to even reach out to her because, my goodness, she had just retired from MoBot and was such a legend. I figured it was a 50/50 shot, but in true June fashion she accepted the challenge. She embraced the technology, navigated Blackboard and the teaching journey with finesse, and of course…managed it all with laughter, intelligence, and gentleness. In my professional life, she is a giant.” Jerry Pence, Director of the Horticulture program, also adds, “As an Advisory Committee member, June provided the Program with forward thinking and helped us shape our curriculum and student experience.”
For so many women in horticulture,
June Hutson was a paragon: a wellspring of knowledge and cultivator of character. “For me, she was my teacher when I was an intern, but she was also my mentor when I took over after her retirement,” offers Smock, adding, “She passed along so much history of how the landscapes were shaped and what her vision has been to keep moving them forward. While the weight of following behind someone so influential in my career was great, she always encouraged me to make it my own. To have that much trust from your mentor shows just how great of a woman she truly was. She was a rare gem and I truly miss her.” June, a mighty presence, left a mark at every stop. We are all standing in the shadow of this giant, may she rest in peace knowing her legacy.
In 2017, she retired from Missouri Botanical Garden and thought she would spend time caring for her inherited Edgar Denison gardens. Instead, she was asked to help teach the perennials class at St. Louis Community College’s Horticulture program. Victoria Hatfield, adjunct faculty, was
WINTER 2021-2022 The Gateway Gardener™
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heat up the yellow leaves turn come back when planted in greener, mellowing out after the a well-drained location with overwhelming spring show. some winter wind block. Enjoy While not new, ‘Madeline Hill’ an endless bounty of rosemary rosemary is a definite must- leaves, use its woody stems plant. Usually we purchase, as skewers for kabobs. An plant and baby our rosemary interesting note for those in only to have to say goodbye deer country: Deer are said to come winter. ‘Madeline Hill’ hate rosemary so much that won’t abandon us like other they will even avoid areas rosemaries do. Hardy to zone where rosemary is planted. This 6, ‘Madeline Hill’ will reliably rosemary also goes by the name
exception is ‘Eye Spy’ foamy bells, Heucherella. Its neon yellow foliage and bubblegum pink flowers create a flashy display that looks like it came out a 1980’s fever dream. Handshaped yellow leaves with burgundy highlights on its own make ‘Eye Spy’ garden-worthy, but the fizzy pink flower spikes with the same burgundy stems take it to an 11. As temperatures
Abby Lapides
Walters Gardens Inc.
Cleome ‘Sparkler Rose’
Heucherella ‘Eye Spy’
‘Hill Hardy.’
An old classic annual getting a modern makeover is the spider plant, Cleome. Introduced to the US in the 1800s, the spider plant became popular during the cottage garden craze in the Victorian era. Newer varieties bring this plant into the modern era with thornless stems, brighter colors, and shorter stature. ‘Sparkler Rose’ features
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Heliopsis ‘Bleeding Hearts’ hot pink flowers that look like the best type of firework you see on Independence Day. Tough, long blooming, and deer and rabbit resistant.
In the last few years false sunflower, Heliopsis, has had a resurgence of interest for the sunny garden. With new varieties displaying interesting foliage, showy flowers and extremely long bloom times it’s no mystery as to why. ‘Bleeding Hearts’ not only has showy red-orange flowers that appear July to frost, but deep, almost black, foliage that contrasts beautifully against the typical greens of most sun-loving plants. This statuesque beauty is perfect for the middle of the garden where its showy foliage can best be observed, and its beautiful blooms can easily be reached for bouquets. While I love just about every plant, except my nemesis, nutsedge, adding superior plants help make every square inch of the garden gorgeous and special.
Ann Lapides
Buddleia ‘Lilac Cascade’
Farmstead For Sale St. Louis County
2.9 acres in Florissant, listing for under 200K, 3 bdrm home, 2 car garage, & 500 sq.ft. detached workshop. Former working vegetable farm, deep rich soils and full sun. Property has endless potential and is ready to move-in. Visit the link for more details and to sign up to be the first to receive info when this property becomes available in late 2021/early 2022. https://tinyurl.com/n3dbdp27
WINTER 2021-2022 The Gateway Gardener™
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Upcoming Events Updates to this information are often posted on our online events calendar at GatewayGardener.com, so check there for the latest details. Give us the details of your upcoming gardening, lawn or landscaping event and we’ll add it to our website and include it in our next issue. Deadline for printing in March 2021 issue is February 1st. How to reach us: Mail: PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122 314-968-3740 Email: info@gatewaygardener.com
Fun for Kids
Nov. 6th 9am—St. Louis County Parks Children’s Garden Club: Fall Holiday Fun. FREE. Planthaven Farms Garden Center, 6703 Telegraph Rd., Oakville. Dec. 4th 9am—St. Louis County Parks Children’s Garden Club: Holiday Decorating. FREE. Sherwood Forest & Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Rd., Ballwin. Jan. 8th 9am—St. Louis County Parks Children’s Garden Club: Dried Floral Arranging. FREE. Baisch and Skinner, 2721 LaSalle, St. Louis. Feb. 5th 9am—St. Louis County Parks Children’s
Start Your Family’s Holidays at the
Poinsettia Wonderland Open House Sunday, November 21st from 9am-4pm Greenhouse Tours 10am-3pm
Garden Club: Indoor Plants & Your Health. FREE. Maypop Coffee & Garden Shop, 803 Marshall Ave., Webster Groves. Mar. 6th 9am—St. Louis County Parks Children’s Garden Club: Getting Ready for Spring. Sherwood Forest & Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Rd., Ballwin.
Classes, Lectures and Events Nov. 3rd 8:30am-Noon—2021 GrowNative! Conference (Virtual)—Open to all! Keynote address is “The Nature of Oaks” by Dr. Doug Tallamy. Other programs include Challenges in Supply vs. Demand with Native Plants, and a panel discussion of onthe-ground projects in the lower Midwest. Free to Grow Native! professional members and staff. $30 for non members. Register at GrowNative.org/Conference2021/. Nov. 6th -December 24th The Giving Tree. Come in and drop off charitable donations at our Giving Tree. Receive 15% Off Garden Center
WORM CASTINGS and WORMS Natural Organic Fertilizer
MidAmericaCompost.com 678.316.7554
Come see the area’s LARGEST display of poinsettias! Our professional growing staff will assist in self-guided tours and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Crafters • Cookies • Holiday Entertainment (Covid-19 practices will be followed.)
Millstadt Gardens N.G. Heimos Greenhouses
6667 Route 158 • Millstadt, IL 62260 (Just minutes from the JB Bridge) (618) 476-9600
& Christmas Items when you bring in a donation to local charities, such as local food pantries, The Pregnancy Assistance Center and Franklin County Humane Society. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-2396729 www.hillermann.com. Nov. 13th-Jan. 8th Garden Glow. Celebrate the season with one million lights, fun new experiences, and traditional favorites. Enjoy photo opportunities, traditional holiday music and festivities, and delicious food and drinks as the Garden is transformed around you into a winter wonderland. Closed December 24th and 25th. Learn more at glow.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Advance tickets encouraged. Missouri Botanical Garden. Nov. 14th Sat. 10am-4pm—Old Webster Winter Market. Visit small businesses and restaurants, including Rolling Ridge Nursery for outdoor market set up on sidewalk and patios. Trolleys take visitors all over the district. Free carriage rides, carolers and of course, Santa! Nov 19, 20 & 21 Holiday Open House - Join us during our regular hours and browse our beautiful holiday displays! This is sure to get you into the Holiday Spirit! Find decorations for your home and gifts to shorten your Christmas shopping list! 20% off Christmas items during these days only! Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www. hillermann.com. Nov. 21st 9am-4pm—Poinsettia Wonderland Open House. See the largest display of poinsettias in the area. Self-guided tours of the greenhouses from 10am-3pm. Enjoy Christmas carolers, holiday cookies and crafters. Proceeds benefit Millstadt Optimist Your Club. Millstadt Gardens and N.G. Heimos Greenhouses, 6667 Route 158, Millstadt, IL. (618) 476-9600.
NEED A SPEAKER for your Garden Club or Group? Master Gardener Speakers Bureau volunteers are available to speak to garden clubs, church, civic and other groups. Choose from 53 programs, including A Dark Side to Winter Damage, Backyard Composting, Soil Preparation, Daylilies, Orchids, and more. Explore the complete list of topics at www.stlmg.org. Look for the Speakers Bureau tab in the top margin. (A $50 fee funds Master Gardener programming in our community.)
Hosted by The Heimos Family, N.G. Heimos Greenhouses, Millstadt Gardens, and Micky’s Minis. A percentage of sales to benefit the Millstadt Optimist Youth Club 8
The Gateway Gardener™ WINTER 2021-2022
Nov. 23rd-Dec. 31st 10am-4pm—Winter Jewels: An Enchanted Celebration. The Butterfly House transforms into an enchanted land this winter. Enjoy the tropical conservatory filled with elaborate fairy gardens, home to the guardians of our jewel-toned butterflies. Discover nature’s gems in the Chrysalis Jewel Mine, make new friends in the Gnome Forest, and meet enchanted animals throughout this colorful land. Free for members, included with admission for nonmembers. Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House. Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, 12/24 and 12/25. Nov. 27th Small Business Saturday. Support your local, independent garden centers and other small businesses. Your money spent locally stays in your community. Nov. 28th, Dec. 4th and 18th Noon-4pm--Holiday Open House. Live reindeer, family photos, floral demonstrations, snacks and more. FREE. Planthaven Farms, 6703 Telegraph Rd., Oakville. (314)-846-0078. November 30th 1:30pm—Tree Root Collar Disorders: University of Illinois Extension Fall Webinar. Horticulture educator Ryan Pankau will explore how to prevent, identify, and treat common tree root collar disorders. This webinar event is available to attend from your home. Online participation registration is at go.illinois.edu/FourSeasons at least one week before course date. Dec. 1st Missouri Green Industry Conference. Seven educational tracks and an informational vendor expo. St. Charles Convention Center. Go to mogic.org for details and pre-registration. Dec. 4th-5th 9am-5pm—Garden Heights Holiday Open House. Join Garden Heights to kick off the holiday season with all your holiday favorites! Explore their hanging Christmas tree forest to snag the perfect tree, and deck it out with ornaments, garland, stems and
so much more from their outdoor holiday marketplace! It’s the perfect way to start the season with a little outdoor holiday cheer! Garden Heights Nursery, 1605 Big Bend, Richmond Heights. (314) 645-7333, GardenHeights.com. Dec. 11th, 12th, 18 &19th 5:30-7:30—Supper with Santa. Santa is stopping by the Butterfly House. Join him for a delicious dinner and see how butterflies get into the holiday sprit by taking night strolls through the tropical conservatory. Finish off the evening with a souvenir photo op with the guest of honor! Advance registration required. Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House.. Jan. 19th Native Plant School Webinar Series: Rainscaping with Native Plants. Learn how to plan, install and maintain rain gardens. This is part of a series of Zoom webinar classes taught by the horticulture staff at Shaw Nature Reserve, and are supported by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the St. Louis Wild Ones Chapter. $5 members; $10 nonmembers. Registration ends 1/17/22 at 9am. Register at mobot.org. February 11th-13th Midwestern Herb and Garden Show. For both the gardening experts and the gardening hopefuls, three days of demonstrations, classes, and seminars with nationally recognized speakers and unique displays by more than 40+ exhibitors. The Herb & Garden Show is an opportunity to learn from the experts during the free hourly educational classes where you can ask questions, share information and even participate in take-home activities. More details will be available closer to the date of the event. For more information call (800) 252-5464 or visit www.midwesternherbandgardenshow. com. Feb. 28th 9am—Gardening for Pollinators. St. Charles County Master Gardeners will present a virtual set of gardening classes on pollinator gardening. Keynote speaker Scott Woodbury with Shaw Nature Reserve. More information and online registration can be accessed after January 1st at www. stcharlescountymastergardeners.com.
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WINTER 2021-2022 The Gateway Gardener™
THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GREENING
2832 Barrett Station Rd, Ballwin, MO 63021 www.greenscapegardens.com
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Holiday Gifts for Gardeners Sugar Creek Gardens 1011 N. Woodlawn Kirkwood, MO 314-965-3070 SugarCreekGardens.com
too add interest to winter containers on the porch, or put a ring around your Christmas tree inside in place of your classic tree skirt! OK Hatchery 115 E. Argonne Dr. Kirkwood, MO 63122 (314) 822-0083
Cast Stone Statuary Gift the gift of art and whimsy with adorable garden statuary. Designed by skilled artists and formed from cast stone, these long-lasting statues are sure to put a smile on a loved one’s face. Garden Heights Nursery, Inc. 1605 S Big Bend St. Louis, MO 314-645-7333 GardenHeights.com
Holiday Luminaries and Yard Art Ceramic luminaries. Just add your own light source and make your holidays shine! Hillermann Nursery & Florist 2601 E. 5th Street Washington, MO 63090 636-239-6729 Hillermann.com
Metal and Rattan Tree Rings and Vine Reindeer Accessorize inside and out for the winter season with either industrial or organic-inspired tree rings and vine reindeer! Use tree rings and a reindeer 10
Evergreen Bee House or Butterfly House The Evergreen Bee House will attract solitary, non-stinging native bees that are excellent
pollinators to your yard and gardens. The Evergreen Butterfly House shelters butterflies at night and provides protection from predators. Plant flowers in the planter boxes atop the houses to attract and help pollinators even more. Planthaven Farms Garden Center 6703 Telegraph Rd. Oakville, MO 63129 (314) 846-0078 PlanthavenFarms.com
Cardinal-themed Beverage Accessories Cardinal glasses, cocktail napkins, and bar towels are perfect for you holiday gathering or hostess gifts. GoCards! Rolling Ridge Nursery 60 N. Gore Webster Groves, MO (314) 962-3311 Rolling RidgeNursery.com
Glass Bee Ornaments
Perfect for the pollinator lover and gardener on your list this holiday season. Other varieties are also available. Effinger Garden Center 720 South 11th St Belleville IL 62220 618-234-4600 www.effingergarden.com
Fresh Greens and More Fresh greens, wreaths, pine roping, holly and poinsettias. Festive holiday planters. Amaryllis, rosemary and bonsai. Decorated grave blankets and grave sprays. Cut balsam and fraser fir Christmas trees. Live blue spruce, Alberta spruce and white pine trees. Timberwinds Nursery 54 Clarkson Road Ellisville, MO (636) 227-0095 TimberwindsNursery.com
Holiday Greens
The Gateway Gardener™ WINTER 2021-2022
Looking for that special gift for your favorite gardener? We asked area garden centers and other related shops for some suggestions to make your shopping easier-or clip and leave conspicuously lying around as a not-so-subtle hint to your Santa. the Ozarks. Hiking, biking, fishing, boating, riding and exploring are all here for you to experience or try sipping, listening, visiting, learning and gazing at your own pace. All houses have full kitchens, laundry rooms, new bathrooms and kitchens, BBQ’s and fire pits.
Enhance your holiday décor with this pre-lit artificial greenery display. This festive foliage is a great long-lasting option for the winter season, set it off in a teak planter for your indoor or outdoor setting. Forrest Keeling Nursery 88 Forrest Keeling Lane Elsberry, MO 63343 800-356-2401 ForrestKeeling.com
Native Plants Make winter gardening dreams come true for your native plant fanatic with a gift card from Forrest Keeling Nursery. Forrest Keeling is naturally different. Family-owned for over seven decades. Innovator of the patented RPMproduction method for stronger, healthier, faster-growing plants. Order your gift card at bit.ly//ShopNatives. Card to be redeemed at our Elsberry location, just a short drive from St. Louis on Highway 79. Edg-Clif Farms & Vineyard 10025 Edg-Clif Drive Potosi, Mo 63664 573-438-4741 www.edg-clif.com steffie@edg-clif.com
the country in a unique and authentic farmhouse will fit those special people on your list and a visit to the winery & brewery will match everyone’s style. Choose from 4 unique cottages. Airbnb gift cards available. Staying for the weekend in one of our charming cottages in
Support Local Independent Small Businesses on
Summit Produce 150 E. Argonne Dr.. Kirkwood, MO (314) 984-9496 SummitProduce.com Custom Designed Greenery Deck the Halls with Summit!
Plan ahead by texting HOLIDAY to 314-536-7504 to speak with a design team member. Or stop in seven days a week Nov 20- Dec 20 to order or to grab a cash and carry design.
A Great Holiday Gift!
Why not give The Gateway Gardener to your favorite gardener this Holiday season? Just complete this form and mail it with $24 for postage and handling to the address below. Your friend or relative will receive 7 issues (a oneyear subscription) beginning with the next issue.
Gift From: Gift To:
Address:
City, State & Zip: Phone:
Nov. 27
th
Edg-Clif Winery Getaway A weekend adventure in WINTER 2021-2022 The Gateway Gardener™
Email:
Please make your check payable to The Gateway Gardener and mail it with this form to:
The Gateway Gardener • PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122
11
Naturally Natives Mommy, Where Do Native Plants Come From?
Susan Farrington
Text and Photos by Scott Woodbury except as noted
Remnant natural communities, like this original Ozark glade, are seed sources for the native plant industry. Native plants that we purchase from nurseries and garden centers, and use to establish native gardens and plantings, originate from seeds from the wild or from established plantings at places like Shaw Nature Reserve. Never collect seeds without permission from landowners.
E
ver wonder where native plants come from? I mean, when you are at a native plant sale or nursery, perusing through all the species of plants available for sale, have you ever wondered where those plants come from? Are they divided from a big parent plant in a nursery, or are they produced from stem cuttings or in a test tube? The simple answer is no, most are grown from seed. I’m not talking about cultivars of native plants, I’m talking about straight species, the kind you see growing in the wild. The seed may come from parent plants growing in a nursery, but the seed that grew those plants originally came from the wild. Also, many nursery plants produced in Missouri are grown directly from wild collected seed. Yes, seed for native plant production comes from remnant native plant populations in the wild. At Shaw Nature reserve, we have been collecting seed of native plants from roadside ditches and bluffs, along railroad tracks and creeks, and old hay fields, since the 1930s when Edgar Anderson did our first glade restoration. Sadly, many of these original ancient sites are gone; developed, farmed, sprayed, or grown over with trees.
Visitors tour the native prairie planting at the Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis County. 12
However, other ancient sites are protected by various conservation groups, and it is through the hard work of these organizations that these original seed sources still exist. Many native plant nurseries depend on these wild areas as sources of seed, which is collected with permission and through strict seed-collecting contracts. (Never collect seed from the wild without first seeking permission
The Gateway Gardener™ WINTER 2021-2022
Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants Native plants grown from local seed are diversely beautiful. They come in a variety of tolerances, habits, shapes, sizes and colors, just like we do. And when planted together, they produce the greatest beauty and highest function, all with the added bonus of increased enjoyment and decreased maintenance. Happy gardening ya’ll!
Homeowners Jan and James Trager planted their landscape extensively with native seed.and plants sourced from trusted industry resources. from the landowner—on private or public land.) For decades, Shaw Nature Reserve (SNR) has collected seed in wild areas existing on private property, through the generosity of individual landowners. Doug Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope, states that 83% of the United States is privately owned. Though many of these sites have degraded wild areas, they still support native plants that flower and produce seed valuable to our efforts at Shaw Nature Reserve, to our many partners, and the native plant industry.
Annual native plant sales at Shaw Nature Reserve and throughout the state are great sources for native plants. Garden Centers found in the Grow Native! Resource Guide are another reliable Through the practice of seed collecting over the past 90 years, SNR has source. reconstructed degraded farmland and restored damaged natural areas. From this practice, we also developed the Whitmire Wildflower Garden. The vast majority of plants in the garden were grown from local wild seed, collected by SNR horticulture staff and volunteers, thanks to early guidance by Dr. Peter Raven, director emeritus of Missouri Botanical Garden.
In addition to continuing to collect seed from remnant native plant populations, we now have the capacity to collect seed at Shaw Nature Reserve. Through these efforts, we can support our partners at Tower Grove Park, Forest Park, and elsewhere throughout the St. Louis region with an abundance of local seed. These sites are on their way toward developing similar capacities. We also supply nurseries with much-needed seed to supply a thriving native plant industry. Lastly, the native plant industry in Missouri is collecting their own seeds in much the same way that Shaw Nature Reserve does. Be sure to ask your local nursery where their native plants come from. It makes a big difference.
Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter ~ LUTHER BURBANK
Native plants grown from (or originating from) wild seed are diverse genetically. This means they can thrive in spite of local pathogens, damaged urban soils and new weather norms. It also means they are capable of supporting countless beneficial insects, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. Plants from faraway places (including many cultivars, but not all) usually don’t have this advantage.
Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for 28 years. He also is an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program. Find suppliers of native seed and native plants grown from seed at www.grownative.org/resource-guide.
CONNECT NATURE
LIMITED WINTER HOURS — PLEASE CALL AHEAD. 88 Forrest Keeling Lane | Elsberry, MO 63343 | 573-898-3010 | forrestkeeling.com
WINTER 2021-2022 The Gateway Gardener™
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2021-22 Klip n Keep Resource Guide Your Metro Region Green Industry Pros
GARDEN CENTERS AND NURSERIES
Sugar Creek Gardens 1011 N. Woodlawn Kirkwood (314) 965-3070 SugarCreekGardens.com See Ad Pg. 2
North
A. Waldbart & Sons Nursery 5517 N. Florissant Florissant (314) 741-3121
St. Louis City Bowood Farms 4605 Olive St. Central West End (314) 454-6868 BowoodFarms.com Flowers and Weeds 3201 Cherokee St. (314) 776-2887
St. Louis County
South Planthaven Farms 6703 Telegraph Rd. Oakville (314) 846-0078 PlanthavenFarms.com See Ad Pg. 6 Crabapple Cove 6961 Telegraph Rd. (314) 846-4021
West
Central Garden Heights Nursery
Greenscape Gardens & Gifts 2832 Barrett Station Rd. Manchester (314) 821-2440 GreenscapeGardens.com See Ad Pg. 9
OK Hatchery 115 E. Argonne (314) 822-0083 See Ad Pg. 6
Passiglia’s 1855 MO-109 Wildwood (636) 458-9202 Passiglia.com
1605 S. Big Bend Richmond Heights GardenHeights.com See Ad. Pg. 4
Rolling Ridge Nursery 60 N. Gore Webster Groves (314) 962-3311 RollingRidgeNursery.com See Ad Pg. 7
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El-Mel Inc. 6185 US-67 Florissant (314) 741-2117
16498 Clayton Rd. Wildwood (636) 458-1445
St. Charles County
Daniel’s Farm & Greenhouses 352 Jungermann Rd. St Peters (636) 441-5048 DanielsFarmAndGreenhouse.com Frisella Nursery 550 Hwy F (636) 798-2555 Defiance FrisellaNursery.com The Potted Plant Garden Center & Gift Shop 1257 St. Peters Cottleville Rd. Cottleville (636) 447-9000 PottedPlant.net
Other Missouri Locations Forrest Keeling
88 Forrest Keeling Ln. Elsberry, MO (800) FKN-2401 ForrestKeeling.com See Ad Pg. 13
Papillon Perennials 2906 Ossenfort Rd. Wildwood (636) 273-9688 PapillonPerennials.com Zick’s Great Outdoors The Gateway Gardener™ WINTER 2021-2022
2021-22 Klip n Keep Resource Guide Your Metro Region Green Industry Pros
Hillermann’s Nursery & Florist 2601 E. 5 St. Washington, MO (636) 239-6729 Hillermann.com See Ad Pg. 7 th
Longfellow’s Garden Center 12007 Lookout Trail Centertown, MO (573) 584-9611 Longfellowsgarden.com Missouri Wildflowers 9814 Pleasant Hill Rd. Jefferson City (573) 496-3492 MoWildFlowers.net
ILLINOIS Belleville
Effinger Garden Center 720 South 11th St. (618) 234-4600 EffingerGarden.com See Ad Pg. 4
Sandy’s Back Porch Garden Center 2004 West. Blvd. (618) 235-2004 SandysBackPorch.com
11294 Schaefer Rd. Maryland Heights, MO (314) 423-9035 5841 Mine Haul Rd. Belleville, IL (618) 233-2007 13060 County Park Rd. Florissant, MO (314) 355-0052 1 Lily Dr. St. Peters (636) 278-2035 18900 Franklin Rd. Pacific, MO (636) 271-3352 See Ad Pg. 16
LANDSCAPE INSTALL MAINTENANCE & DESIGN walflowerdesign
wallflowerdesign.biz See Ad Pg. 5
Collinsville
Creekside Gardens 721 Johnson Hill Rd. (618) 344-7054
LANDSCAPING MATERIALS St. Louis Composting StLouisCompost.com 39 Old Elam Ave. Valley Park, MO (636) 861-3344 560 Terminal Rd. St. Louis, MO (314) 868-1612
WINTER 2021-2022 The Gateway Gardener™
PONDS & WATER GARDEN SUPPLIES Chalily Pond & Gardens 14430 Manchester Rd. Manchester, MO (636) 527-2001 ChalilyPond.com
TREE CARE
Gamma Tree Experts (314) 725-6159 GammaTree.com Trees, Forests and Landscapes (314) 821-9918 TreesForestsAndLandscapes.com
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