Plant of the Week: Brandywine™ Viburnum

I can't believe it is the last full week of 2018! You wouldn't know it is the middle of winter here in Michigan...temps are supposed to get up to the low-50s today. Makes for a nice trip into work. I'll take as many easy winter commutes as I can get, because I know we'll make up for it with plenty of white-knuckle drives in January and February.

It looks like Jane is already looking forward to next fall with her plant of the week post. But like she says, the winter months are a great time for garden planning.

I hope you have had a wonderful holiday thus far, and that your New Year is festive and safe.

See you in 2019.

- Natalie 

More than just fall beauty.

Viburnum nudum is a native viburnum and has a lot to offer besides its elegant good looks.

The time for Brandywine™ Viburnum is more typically fall, when the glossy foliage turns burgundy and the abundant berries transform to pink, blue and purple. But now is a good time to think about making room for this lovely plant in your landscape planning. It's hardy to USDA Zone 5 and grows 5-6' tall and wide. Site it in full sun or partial shade.

We initially selected Brandywine™ as a pollinator for one of our favorite plants, 'Winterthur'. Like many plants, Viburnum typically needs another selection of Viburnum nearby in order to fruit. Some require a plant of the same species, others are more open-minded.

Brandywine™ is unusual in that it fruits well without a pollinator, making it a good choice for places where there isn't room for several plants.

This is a good plant for moist to even boggy sites. Wildlife enjoys its fruit, and the Spring Azure butterfly may choose it as a host plant.

Like other Viburnum, it isn't especially tasty to deer although it isn't as deer-resistant as V. dentatum or maybe V. carlesii.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles.

Plant of the Week: Anna's Magic Ball® Thuja

Maybe it's the holidays, but Jane's Plant of the Week has a special place in my heart because its name reminds me of family.

My husband Joe grew up in a big Italian family. And like many big families, a grandparent played an active role in helping to raise their grandchildren. Joe's maternal grandmother was a constant presence in their lives and he has lots of wonderful stories about her. Her name was Anna, but they all called her Nunu. A little over twenty years ago she was able to meet and hold our first born child...who we named Anna after her. I just think it's a beautiful old-fashioned name - it's special to us, and it always makes me happy to hear it.

Like the plant of the week, Anna (or Nunu) tiny, but strong and she made a huge impact on a lot of lives. So as the holidays approach, here's to family and the plants that remind us of them!

- Natalie

If you can see it over the snow, it's perfect!

Sometimes you just need a little evergreen meatball. Here you go - but this one is a bright golden color rather than the green you may have expected.

Anna's Magic Ball® Thuja occidentalis is a delightful little plant that's ideal for edging borders or incorporating into patio planters. The only challenge may be seeing it above a heavy snowfall: it gets just 15" tall. Snow won't be a problem for it, though, as it's hardy into USDA Zone 3.

Anna's Magic Ball® Thuja

Anna's Magic Ball® is a useful landscape plant; there always seems to be a need for evergreens that stay small.

That bright color is a fun and often unexpected addition to landscapes. I'm generally pretty suspicious of yellow foliage, especially on evergreens. It can be garish or look anemic. But this little plant has a nice, fresh color that is quite healthy and appealing.

The only issue with it, as with other T. occidentalis, is that deer like it. But since it's so small it will often escape their notice or can be sprayed with repellent pretty easily.

Consider all of what T. occidentalis has to offer: it's adaptable, including a resistance to juglone so you can plant it near a black walnut. It will tolerate clay soil, wet soil, air pollution - lots of tough situations that other plants don't like. And while Anna's Magic Ball® is a tiny little thing, T. occidentalis comes in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors so you can find the one that's right for you.


Here's a 30-second video describing Anna's Magic Ball; share it with your readers so they can become familiar with this new little plant

And if you would like some inspiration on how to use it in the landscape, check out this Garden Answer video.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles.

A Thanksgiving Buffet for the Birds

As Thanksgiving approaches, I thought that instead of writing about all the ways we can feast on birds, this week I'd write about all the ways we can provide feasts for the birds.

As I fill my bird feeders and realize I've begun the cycle of refilling all winter long, I start to think about additional ways to create a friendly habitat for our outdoor feathered friends. And of course what fits the bill perfectly? Shrubs! Berry-producing shrubs create a naturally occurring food source and with good planning, they can feed the birds from mid-summer, well into the winter.

Low Scape Mound™ Aronia 

The bird buffet starts in late summer with the delightful Aronia shrub. Proven Winners® ColorChoice® (PWCC) Low Scape Mound™ Aronia is a dwarf variety, and even though it's the 2019 PW National Landscape Shrub of the Year, it will also perform beautifully in your home garden. It's adaptable to wet or dry soils and it's only about 1-2' tall so it can be planted alongside your house as a sweet little border that is virtually maintenance-free. White spring flowers give way to dark purple summer berries. Commonly called a chokeberry for its astringency, the fruit is praised for its antioxidant qualities, but pick them quickly if you want a harvest for yourself, the birds love them!

Sunjoy Todo™ Berberis

Berberis is another spring flowering shrub that gives way to summer berries. I know, barberry is shunned for its invasive tendencies, but there is a non-invasive choice. PWCC Sunjoy Todo™ Berberis is a much more manageable variety with a semi-dwarf, mounded habit and the deep purple-maroon foliage that really sets barberry apart. Showy bright orange-yellow spring flowers will give way to summer berries, but university testing has shown that this hybrid variety produces no seed.

All That Glows® Viburnum

Sambucus and Viburnum will also produce fruit in late summer; remember to plant two different varieties because these plants typically need a pollinator to fruit.

Pearl Glam®  Callicarpa

Pearl Glam®Callicarpa is definitely a rock star when it comes to beautyberry plants. It sets purple fall fruit but the show really starts in spring, with its dark purple foliage, then late summer brings white flowers that yield spectacular violet-purple berries by the hundreds. Pearl Glam® beautyberry is a vigorous plant with an upright habit that makes it a space-saver compared to more conventional varieties, too.

For winter foraging and a colorful seasonal show, you can't beat winterberry holly. Ilex Verticillata normally grows to heights of 6-8'

Little Goblin® Orange  Ilex Vert

but for tighter spaces, there are smaller varieties like Little Goblin® Orange winterberry holly. This little ball of color lights up the darkest season with dozens of extra-large, bright orange-red berries and is just 3-4' tall and wide. In order to get fruit, you will need to plant Little Goblin® Guy winterberry holly as a pollinator. Birds do eat the fruit of winterberry holly, but usually not until it has been softened by cold for several weeks. This means that you can usually enjoy the berry display until at least mid-January.

Proud Berry® Symphoricarpos

Another late-winter bird food favorite is Symphoricarpos. Proud Berry® coralberry will fill your landscape with gorgeous, big, pink berries that are guaranteed to turn heads. Bell-shaped summer flowers develop into large dark pink berries in fall, the color intensifying with cold weather. As pretty as it is, this native plant is also amazingly hardy and deer-resistant. Symphoricarpos is a mouthful, but not for humans as the berries are not edible. However, the birds will enjoy them as they soften mid-to-late winter.

Finally, when you're thinking about the creatures that survive outside even in the coldest conditions, think about the perimeter of your yard. These often unused spaces can be landscaped to create shelter for local wildlife. Take those neglected edges of your property and plant some groupings of specimens with wildlife appeal. A mix of tall and short evergreens and deciduous plants will not only provide you with a beautiful, ever-changing display of varied textures and colors, but it will also create micro-habitat for local wildlife.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and we'll see you next week!

- Natalie 

Plant of the Week: Gatsby Gal® Oakleaf Hydrangea

Jane's Plant of the Week is about one of the four our hydrangeas in the Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Gatsby series of oakleaf hydrangea. Perfect timing as oakleaf is arguably the best hydrangea for fall foliage.

You generally don't need to prune this hydrangea, but in case you still want to do some selective pruning, there's a great resource available on the Proven Winners® website about when, and how, to prune hydrangeas. Check it out here. You can read the article online or download a printable PDF.

Enjoy! - Natalie 

Gatsby Gal hydrangea

Great Gatsby!

I love oakleaf hydrangeas.

Sure, they have nice flowers like other hydrangeas do. But for me the real show is the foliage. And this isn't just "Oh, isn't that pretty" foliage.

No, Hydrangea quercifolia leaves are more substantial stuff. They're kind of like those really awesome boots that you know you want to buy. They aren't fancy delicate party shoes, but you know they're going to look great. You'll get plenty of compliments on them, too. Did I mention that they're more comfortable than those sparkly high heels?

Oakleaf hydrangea foliage has the same ruggedly handsome look as a great pair of boots, and just like a pair of boots is best appreciated in the fall.

Gatsby Gal® H. quercifolia is a compact (5-6') selection that's a good choice for smaller gardens. 

Compact doesn't mean dwarf; be sure that any H. quercifolia has enough room or you won't be able to really appreciate it. I think that oakleaf hydrangeas are at their best when they are left to develop the interesting architecture that is needed to show off those large flowers and substantial foliage. Please, please don't try and prune it into a meatball. I've seen it done, and it wasn't pretty.

Like other H. quercifolia, it will grow in full sun or partial shade and is hardy to USDA Zone 5. It flowers on old wood, so be careful not to prune those flower buds off this fall. The blooms are not affected by soil pH, but will transition from white to pink during the growing season.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles.

Want to absorb a little extra content about Gatsby Gal® hydrangeas? Check out this video from Laura at Garden Answer - she plants some and you can really see how nice they look from container to ground. 

Plant of the Week: Gem Box® or Strongbox®

Sadly, boxwood blight is working its way across the United States. Last March, Nursery Management magazine wrote an informative article about the disease with a determination that it has been positively identified in over 25 states. Just this month the blight fungus had been positively identified on boxwoods at an Indiana store owned by a national home and garden chain. While the chain has pulled the plants from the shelves of all its stores, they cannot guarantee some have not already made it to homeowner gardens.

Maybe its time to start looking for a boxwood alternative? Well, you're in luck. Jane has some good options for you in her Plant of the Week - enjoy!

Boxwood alternatives: Gem Box® or Strongbox®?

Gem Box® Ilex glabra

We know that boxwood is facing some challenges due to the spread of boxwood blight, so we wanted to offer another option for a small, shear-able evergreen.

Gem Box® Ilex glabra delivers, and then some. 
I. glabra (inkberry holly) is native to North America which makes it appealing to people who are trying to work more with native species. Its dark-green foliage develops attractive red tips during the spring flush. Gem Box has tight compact branching that continues to the ground so the plant doesn't look bare-legged like older varieties can.

Strongbox® Ilex glabra

Strongbox® Ilex glabra does pretty much what Gem Box does, but has larger leaves. Some of you may prefer one, some the other, and maybe you'll decide to grow both! 

Both varieties will grow 2-3' tall and wide and grow in full sun to partial shade. They are hardy to USDA Zone 5 and will adapt to many types of soil, with the exception of alkaline soil.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles.

Note from Natalie - if you live in zone 7 or warmer, also consider Juke Box® Pyracomeles. It's a ProvenWinners® ColorChoice® exclusive with shiny, dark green leaves and a full, round habit. It's thornless, and unlike inkberry holly, it doesn't flower. It's also a little more petite than the inkberry holly. This is a  brand new evergreen variety that will be available to consumers this spring - ask for it at your local garden center.

Until next week! - Natalie

Oso Easy® Urban Legend® Rosa takes honors at Biltmore

If you read last week's blog about the GWA Region III "Cleveland Grows" event, you remember that I mentioned the "Meet the Trade Editors" panel discussion with representatives from the green industry press. They suggested that we create videos to go with articles we send to them and I just happened to be getting ready to send a press release about an award one of our lovely little roses had earned. Well it has been picked up and it's one more fun way we tell the stories about the plants we love.

See the video here, on the Floral Daily website.

We talked about this rose in June, but I think it deserves another look in the context of the Biltmore International Rose Trials:

Oso Easy® Urban Legend® Rosa is a bright-red rose with non-stop blooms and all the disease resistance you'd expect from a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® shrub. And it's getting noticed as a top contender in the rose world with three awards under its proverbial belt.

You might wonder why it's called Urban Legend? Well, the story is this beautiful, bright little rose is the perfect addition to urban gardens because its prickly thorns will discourage burglars and other undesirables when planted under windows and in hedgerows.

It reminds me of my mother-in-law, who has planted a large barberry hedge by her house to keep unwanted visitors away from side windows. I have to say, the last place I'd want to find myself is in the middle of a barberry hedge!

But my guess is the rose is also named for its prolific blooms and ease of growth, even in urban settings where conditions are not typically as cushy as in home gardens.

On Sat, Sept. 29 the 2018 Biltmore International Rose Trials took place at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Oso Easy Urban Legend Rosa was awarded the Lord Burleigh Award for Best Disease Resistance, plus the Chauncey Beadle Award for Best Shrub Rose.

The Biltmore’s Lord Burleigh Award for Best Disease Resistance is named after a descendant of George Vanderbilt, Biltmore’s builder/visionary. I asked LeeAnn Donnelly, the Biltmore's senior PR manager, about the origin of the award name and here's what she had to say about it:

"Lord Burleigh was the original Cecil ancestor (William Cecil, Lord Burghley) who was related to and served as an advisor to Queen Elizabeth 1.

How does that relate to Biltmore? George Vanderbilt, Biltmore’s builder/visionary, and his wife, Edith, had one child, daughter Cornelia. Cornelia married British diplomat the Honorable John Francis Amherst Cecil in 1924. He was the third son of Lord Cecil and the Baroness Amherst of Hackney, making him a descendant of William Cecil, Lord Burghley."

The Biltmore's museum curators say the spelling of Lord Burghley’s sir name is often spelled “Burleigh” hence, the award spelling. 

With more information on the Biltmore's website to go on, I discovered that Chauncey Beadle, the namesake for the award for best shrub rose, was an avid azalea collector and horticulturist hired at Biltmore in 1890, who later became the estate superintendent.

I listened in to the Biltmore International Rose Trials on the Rose Chat podcast and I have to say, this is an event I'm now eager to attend! More information, including a full list of award-winning roses at the trials, can be found here.

These two additional awards bring Oso Easy Urban Legend's total to three awards announced this year, having been honored with the 2019 Award of Excellence by the American Rose Society in June.

Oso Easy Urban Legend­ is a tough, landscape rose with true-red, semi-double flowers that bloom in early summer and continue through the first hard frost. A crown of lush yellow stamens in the center adds interest and contrast. Like all of the roses in the Oso Easy series, the dark green glossy foliage resists powdery mildew and black spot.

Bred by Christopher Hugh Warner in the United Kingdom and released by Spring Meadow Nursery/Proven Winners ColorChoice, Oso Easy Urban Legend Rosa is one of 12 varieties in the Oso Easy rose line.

And that's a wrap! Until next week, never stop growing. - Natalie

Cleveland Grows! GWA Region III meeting and tours

Happy midweek!

I finally had a chance to update my online photo album with the spectacular photos for the Region III meeting and Cleveland Grows! tours.

You may notice that several of the photos are much nicer than my usual work. That's because I didn't take them all. I had a pro with me, my co-worker and partner in crime, Adriana Robinson, came with me on this trip and she took a good many of the pics shared here and on the album.

Like this one! An eye-popping photo of the entrance of our first stop, Willoway Nurseries, Inc.

If you arrived early you had time to self-tour their display gardens which was worth getting there an hour early! The day was perfect for walking around the gardens and inspecting plants. I even tried my first goji berry. It wasn't my favorite. Then we were herded inside for a presentation, lunch and our Region III meeting. One of the things that fascinated me most in Danny Gouge's presentation was the infrastructure they've created for irrigation applications. Stormwater runoff is collected throughout the nursery facility and stored in water containment ponds, creating recycled water for irrigation. This, plus large portions of production that has been dedicated to pot-in-pot growing, is the future of greenhouse production!

We were treated to a nice lunch during our meeting, then we hopped on a buggy and toured some of their greenhouses (pics are in my online photo album). I'm sure we all look a little younger from the natural dermabrasion we experienced when the wind kicked up on that part of the tour! We came back to the main building and there was gifts, gifts, gifts! Bulbs, starter plants, Corona pruners (here's a link to a video Tweet I made about mine) and more. Susan and Maria did this thing up right.

Our next stop was Petitti Garden Center in Avon, OH. This is just one of NINE locations! Apparently, the location we were visiting used to be an amusement park, which was renovated into the retail center and the beautiful cathedral-like greenhouse was added. We had about 1/2 hour to shop and I went home with grass seed, orange crocus bulbs, two pairs of fuzzy socks from the fuzzy sock Christmas tree, and a dress! Adriana got the coolest grafted cactus... Yes, they had a wide selection of items - fortunately, we didn't have a ton of time so I couldn't buy out the store, but I got a good start.

And as you can see from another one of Adriana's great pics, they had lots of gorgeous Proven Winners ColorChoice shrubs to choose from. We noticed one of our fellow garden writers from Tennessee had her car filled to the doorhandles with some stunning PWCC hydrangea paniculata!

Our final tour stop was Green Circle Growers. Adriana and I decided to take the long way around when we missed our exit and discovered the next one was 18 miles away! Luckily we were able to easily catch up to the tour at their Just Add Ice Orchids production facility. Of course, it was a feast for the eyes, but it was also fascinating to see their automated sorting and potting lines at work. Also, like Willoway, all of the water they use for growing is 100% recycled and reused. They also have retention ponds that collect 1.5 million gallons of fresh water for every one inch of rainfall received and they use this rainwater in their growing facilities. Seeing all the orchids was spectacular, but I'm such a huge geek that if given the chance, I'd have tromped across the fields to see those ponds.

Bobbie Schwartz talks
about her back garden

The day closed with a delicious dinner at The Hotel at Oberlin in adorable downtown Oberlin, sponsored by Green Circle Growers. We enjoyed a "Meet the Trade Editors" panel discussion with Matt McClellan, Managing Editor of Nursery Management magazine and Janeen Wright, Managing Editor of Greenhouse Grower magazine. My favorite takeaway? Include video with your stories and press releases! I just sent out a press release and Adriana and I created a video to go with it.

Then it was on to the hotel where we stayed overnight. The 40-minute drive felt short as we talked about the interesting things we'd done and seen that day. The morning held private garden tours and we managed to squeeze in the beautiful gardens of Bobbie Schwartz. It's a long drive back to West Michigan and I had a personal commitment on Saturday evening that couldn't be missed, so we had to duck out before the final garden tour, but I'll be looking for photos!

Until next week...never stop growing.  - Natalie

GWA Chicago Story Tours - day two

GWA Chicago Story Tours - South Side Saga and Bus #3

Well, the time has come. It's the story you've all been waiting to hear (or at least the story I've been waiting to tell.) Just as a recap, in August, the GWA Annual Conference & Expo took place on Navy Pier. Part of the fun when you throw in with the Independent Garden Communicator events are the much-anticipated garden tours. 

As I mentioned in last week's blog, while working the Proven Winners ColorChoice booth at the show, I was approached by Beth Botts who said she was looking for a fill-in bus docent for the second day of the tours and that Diane Blazek had recommended me. Well, how could I say no? Diane Blazek not only remembered me (remember, I'm pretty new to this group); she thought enough of me that she entrusted one of the tours to me! Plus I was told I wouldn't be on my own - another person was also assigned to the bus and we'd do the job together. I was thrilled to say yes. After all, how hard could it be?

The first day of tours went swimmingly. We had a great time seeing all the sights and I paid special attention to the docents, in case I could get any tips along the way. I wanted to make sure that Diane and Beth felt like they had placed their trust in the right person! 

So Thursday came, I found my way back down to the station where we had boarded the buses the day before and looked for Beth, or someone who would have my script for the tour. This is when I discovered I was on my own...my partner had gotten sick so I was flying solo. Um, okay, no worries, I thought...just get me that script and I'll start studying. No sooner said than done. "Hmmmm....this script doesn't seem to have any times noted on it. How do I know when to start talking, or when to tell people to get back on the bus?" 

I was querying this when none other than the spectacular Kirk Brown walked up to me, script in his hand. What luck! He was a fill-in docent for the other bus and we could compare notes. He immediately started sharing all the facts he knows about the places we'd be stopping and I instantly felt bad for the people on my bus. I'd be reading from a script and he'd be acting out the history of Chicago with obvious aplumb. He probably brought costumes. 

Long intro to a story short, Kirk did manage to get the times written on his script, and I was attempting to copy them over when we found out the buses were going to be a half hour late.

Apparently, the buses went to the first stop on the tour before coming to Navy Pier, opened the doors and asked where all the people were? To which the people waiting for the bus responded: "I thought they were on the bus?" Oops... Not quite sure how the buses could have thought we'd all get there to begin with, but there was no time for contemplation - Kirk and I are standing in the bowels of Navy Pier with about 200 hot and unhappy bus riders and we had to regroup!

So, we have a 3.5-hour tour and we've just lost 1/2 hour of it. It is decided somewhere along the way that the buses will now take the tour in tandem when they arrive. This is significant because my script is in a different order than Kirk's, so we reorder, and starting chopping time off each stop, so we can still see close to everything that was scheduled. It will be fine....breathe...everything will be fine.

The buses arrive and they are both filled quickly. I am pleased and relieved to discover that none other than Becky Heath has been recruited to be my seat partner and I feel like once again, I'm in good hands. Now I just need to be sure the rest of the bus feels that way.

The JC Hutchins House and Garden
Off we go to the first private home tour. I read the script..." the home was designed by architect Charles Sumner Frost for the President of the Illinois Steel Company..." We disembark at the gate of a gorgeous, large brick home that had been thoughtfully renovated after it had fallen into disrepair when it had been a school, and then a boarding house, for many years. 

Pond at Kossiakoff home

Mrs. K. was so gracious, with snacks and drinks set up inside and an invitation to even use the facilities if we needed! It was such a peaceful place, with the pond and stream and shade trees, it was just what we needed after a somewhat stressful start to our trip. 

An interesting fact about their garden is that the side yard that now was a beautiful, colorful garden, buzzing with bees and alight with butterflies, was a blacktop playground when they bought the house. They had all the blacktop removed to restore the grounds to the lovely private garden - I imagine it looks much like it might have looked when the house was built in 1894.  

By now you may be thinking...this isn't so bad! Sounds like this trip got off to a rocky start but is going pretty smoothly. Let's talk about the 56th Street Gardens...

Next on the agenda, we set off for three gardens that are situated back-to-back and dubbed "56th Street Gardens." I'm not sure why they are called that. They are NOT on 56th street, none of them. Our bus driver, Mike, (who has a splendid accent and in his defense, was doing is best with the info he was given) stops on a residential street, points up the street to the right and tells us, "the house is up that street, to the right." Um, okay... So we all disembark, take a right, and start walking down, yes, 56th street. Right away I can see this isn't going to work, there are no HOUSES, just apartment buildings. So I ask everyone to wait, run back to the bus and ask Mike for the exact address of the first house (it's not on my sheet) - he doesn't have it.

Ulrich garden

You must remember here, we have not just one, but TWO tours buses unloading at this point...I'm like a salmon swimming upstream to get back to the bus before everyone gets around the corner only to discover we don't have a clue where we're going. And some point in my racing back and forth, someone says, "that's Caroline Ulrich's house" pointing back to a house that is right in front of where the second tour bus is parked - it's supposed to be the LAST house we tour, but we tell everyone to start there, and we'll go backward through the tour of the three houses. So what I have now is about 200 people filing into one small garden and heading toward the back gate, where they are supposed to be able to walk across the alley to the next garden. 

So I race through the yard to the alley to open the next gate. What was I thinking? It's like Lady or the Tiger back there! All these gates, you can't see a thing through them...who knows if I open one what lies behind it? (Besides the whole trespassing thing...) A few people are now exiting Carolyn's backyard into the alley, it's hot and not very pleasant there. All I can think about is 200 people filling up the alley like a sardine can...so I make a break for it. I figure if I sprint around the block to the fronts of the houses on the next block, I'll see that right one and can proceed to open the correct gate.

Bingo. As I round the corner, just a few houses in, there's Kirk on the porch of one of the houses trying to explain our extreme tardiness to a very unhappy Caroline Ulrich - that must be it! He's definitely the man for the job, and there's no time for pleasantries, I dash by them, through the yard, to the back gate and pop it open! 

Kris B.'s shady garden

Just like it was meant to be, the tours stroll through the open gate as I welcome them to Ron G.'s garden which features over 137 varieties of vegetables, all cataloged by name and number. Carolyn and Kirk guide them through the garden, and all I have to do now is figure out which is the third garden.

Back through the gate into the alley, I peer at the gardens on either side of Carolyn's house. Which looks most like the description? Honestly, they're both lovely, but I use my detective skills. The two houses were built by the same architect, but the neighboring garden is described as carefully designed and "more shaded." Plus, there's a high-rise apartment building next door. I choose a house and try the gate, it's unlocked.

It's time now to usher people back through Ron's vegetable garden, through the alley, to the bus. I've managed to ID the house (or at least I hope I did) and the tour can stroll through Kris. B's open gate and see that final garden on the way back to the bus. 

Whew! Crisis (mostly) averted! Smooth sailing from here, right?

Hold my beer...

Out in front of the two buses, an informal gathering of guides (at this point there's nothing remotely formal about what we're doing here) decides we need to go to the Garden of the Phoenix, a Japanese Garden on Wooded Island; created for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, AKA, the Chicago World's Fair. We were going to skip it because we weren't sure if there'd be time, but we know there's a park district guide waiting for us, so we set off. 

We head toward the Museum of Science and Industry and I read the portions of the script pertaining to the World's Fair, and that it is the only original remaining building from the exhibition. We circle the general area of where we thought the garden entrance would be but we can't find it, so our bus driver pulls into the back parking lot of the museum to regroup. At that, the other bus pulls into the lot, and as quick as you please passes us and pulls back out again, taking the lead. Mike the bus driver wasn't super-pleased, but we followed, thinking we must have missed something. 

I will say, we did drive by the statue of The Republic, which is quite a sight. And where did we end up? Right back in the rear lot of the Museum of Science and Industry. I immediately tell my bus they can disembark, because there are a few cool things to see over the bridge in the back. While they snap photos, Kirk asks what appears to be a grounds crew worker, or security worker how we get to the island. The worker proceeds to tell us the bridges are closed and you can't get on the island at all. Hm.

Back on the bus.

We proceed to the last stop, the Burnham Wildlife Corridor. I flip on the bus PA and ask my fellow riders to bow their heads and join me in a short moment of silence as we pray that we reach the wildlife corridor safely. And we do. 

A park district guide meets us there...she's a little distressed that we never made it to the Garden of the Phoenix because there's has indeed been a park guide waiting for us there for half the day (apparently we were misinformed during our short visit to the museum parking lot). We explain to her that we really did try - but she could never know the full extent of the complexities of our day.

Dubbed "the largest stretch of natural area along Chicago’s lakefront." the Wildlife Center is a native prairie, savanna, and woodland ecosystems that provides healthy, diverse habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.  

Groomed trails lead you through native flowers and grasses that are easily as tall as you are. It's a strange feeling, you can hear the cars rushing by in the distance on Lakeshore Drive, but all you see is natural area and the wildlife that calls it home. It was strangely peaceful and lovely. 

At that, our tour was ended. We made it back to the hotel with no significant drama and my first time as a bus docent had ended. Would I do it again? Absolutely. How hard could it be, right?

So until next week...never stop growing.

- Natalie


P.S. Considering my day, you'll understand that there aren't as many photos from day two, but you can still click here to see them all.

GWA Chicago Story Tours - day one

Today I'm excited to finally start blogging about the trip I took to Chicago a few weeks ago, where we worked two, count 'em two, shows at once!

Invincibelle Spirit display

In August, the Independent Garden Center show and the GWA Annual Conference & Expo both converged on Navy Pier and they definitely kept me, and my coworker Adriana on our toes.

Our journey began at Navy Pier on August 13 when we hauled materials to set up booths for the IGC and GWA shows.

We have been working hard to get the word out about reaching the $1 million donation goal for breast cancer research through the Invincibelle Spirit Campaign for a Cure. To that end, we set up a display in the outer lobby and I made the announcement prior to the Charlie Hall keynote address.

We also set up a pretty pink booth a the GWA show, where we gave away nearly 300 plants! It was great meeting new people and reconnecting with friends I have met over the past few months, and I'm eager to become more involved with this fun new family of plant lovers.

So when I was approached on Tuesday to help with day two of the garden tours, I was all in! Apparently one of the bus docents couldn't make it and I had experienced the tours in Austin not long ago - so I felt confident I could read the script prior to each stop and make sure we didn't leave anyone behind. How hard could it be, right? (Hint, see next week's post, "Day two of the Story Tours and the saga of Bus 3."

But let's not get ahead of ourselves...

Day One of the garden tours began at 12:30 on August 16 when we boarded one of the four big tour buses at Navy Pier and set out for our first stop, the Garfield Park Conservatory. Constructed between 1906 and 1908, the conservatory has seen many renovations and has changed hands over time. Now owned and managed by the Chicago Park District, it remains an urban oasis in "Chicago's backyard" serving its community as a free resource that they can access 365 days a year.

I was with a group that chose the guided tours led by one of the park district volunteers, I was completely in awe of all the unique and interesting plants that were housed in this historic site. Here are a few of my favorites:

Show House

Scheelea Palm

The largest room the in the conservatory, the Palm House, held many beautiful surprises such as the Scheelea Palm (Attalea phalerata) which is the biggest, oldest palm in the conservatory. The palm dates back to 1926, when it was sprouted from a seed collected on an expedition to Brazil. The tree, which would be much larger in nature, has survived two major room renovations but now that its tallest fronds are brushing the ceiling we were told it won’t last much longer. The good news is a baby Scheelea sits just north of the original that can take its place once the larger one is gone.

Nymphaea thermarum

Moving from largest to smallest, the conservatory is also is home to the Nymphaea thermarum - the world's smallest water lily. The pads (leaves) of N. thermarum can measure less than 1/2" across, which is less than 10% the width of the next smallest species in the genus Nymphaea. Also known as the pygmy Rwandan water lily, this plant is extinct in the wild and only grows in damp mud rather than water. You can see we were a little early for the flower, but it is about the size of a nickel when fully open.

Garfield Park Conservatory

The next stop on our tour was the Farm on Ogden, which is a project of the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Lawndale Christian Health Center. Where do I begin... this project does everything. From sustainable growing to education programs, to a place where the community can get affordable (and sometimes free) organic produce, this place is the epitome of how to do a community program right.

Seedlings in sprouting beds

Aquaponic system

In the food production program, seedlings are sprouted in coconut husk on a rock bed under purple LED lights. They are then transferred to a 50,000-gallon aquaponic system which can grow up to 2500 heads of lettuce at a time in raft beds. Big barrels of tilapia produce waste that feeds the produce, so the entire system is organic and self-supporting.

Other programs include the North Lawndale youth farm, complete with raised beds bursting with produce, an onsite bee pod from which beeswax products are made, a commercial teaching kitchen and an aggregation kitchen where produce can be cleaned and prepped for retail sale in the farm stand, or provided free to those who have a fresh food "prescription" from the Lawndale Christian Health Center through their Veggie RX program.

But we're not done yet! This 'little farm that could' also runs a job training initiative for Chicago Public School students, ex-offenders, and future urban farmers. Participants get hands-on experience in farming, food safety, and cooking and nutrition through Windy City Harvest's urban agriculture and certificate programs.

There is a lot of action taking place in this relatively small city lot!


Finally, we visited Ping Tom Memorial Park. The park's 17-acre site was originally a Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad yard located along the edge of the South Branch of the Chicago River in the Armour Square Community. In 1998, the Chicago Park District began transforming the old railyard into a beautiful rolling green space, taking full advantage of the impressive river views.

Today, Ping Tom Memorial Park holds a children's playground, community gathering areas, and Chinese landscape design elements.

The park was named in honor of the leading force behind its creation, Chinatown's most noted civic leader, Ping Tom (1935-1995). A lifelong resident of Chinatown, Ping Tom formed the Chinese American Development Corporation in 1984.

The park is home to 2.9 acres of native prairie and wetland habitat, supporting local wildlife, birds and other pollinators.

A pagoda offers a fantastic space for picnics and other leisure activities, and spaces that may otherwise be an eyesore have been beautified with art that is a collaboration of artists and the community, with the goal of bridging different cultures.

So that's day one of the GWA story tours in a nutshell! Click here to see all my photos from day one, and I'll be back next week with my account of the Day 2 Story Tours, otherwise known as The Saga of Bus #3. 

Until next week...never stop growing!

Natalie 

Plant of the Week, and a quick look at Cultivate

Oh my how the week has flown! I had big plans last week to start posting my photos from the trips I took in August. These include the Cultivate Conference in Ohio, the IGC show and GWA conference and tours in Chicago, and the Grand Garden show on Mackinac Island, from which we just returned last week.

However, duty calls, and although I have managed to post the photos of the last two trips on my online album, I haven't had the time to actually blog about them. So that will have to wait until next week when I can give each trip the time and attention they deserve.

Waiting for keynote to begin

Since the Cultivate conference resulted in the fewest photos, here's a brief look at what kept me busy while we were in Columbus, OH:

Invincibelle Campaign display in Proven Winners booth

Invincibelle hydrangeas on keynote speaker stage

We made our official announcement that, through the cooperation of garden centers across North America, the Invincibelle Spirit Campaign for a Cure has reached its $1 million donation goal to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

I had the honor to join owner of Spring Meadow Nursery, Dale Deppe, to make the announcement prior to the "State of the Industry" keynote address.

Throughout the conference, Proven Winners staff was decked out in pink polos and pink displays could be seen on the keynote stage, in the Proven Winners booth, and in the Spring Meadow Nursery booth.

GWA Connect mtg.

Of course, it was also great to see everyone at the Assn. for Garden Communicators (GWA) Connect meeting, and participate in the great plant giveaway!

With that, let's get to Jane's plant of the week, a new arborvitae we call Tater Tot™ (formerly Tiny Tot).  - Natalie

Coming to a garden center near you...

You'll begin to see Tater Tot™ Thuja occidentalis in garden centers next year and it's sure to be a big hit. It's a nice little evergreen ball for landscapes and gardens and it also looks great in a deco container for patios and entryways. You can use it to line a walkway or narrow garden bed...and it stays 1-2' tall and wide, which is a great size for a lot of yards. It's featured in this Garden Answer video, which shows how it can fit into a bed.


Tater Tot™ is a seedling of 'Brandon' and has good hardiness and burn resistance (it's hardy to zone 3). It will grow well in either full sun or partial shade.

Tater Tot™ is cute, hardy and easy to grow, and although it reaches its full size quickly, it never gets too big. Just like those little ones headed off to school, they grow up so fast...only this one will never get taller than you or steal your shoes.

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles.