A Garden Journal

IOU/USA

2011-09-05T10:33:00.002-05:00

Found in a garden

2011-07-17T08:24:00.002-05:00

Watching the Missouri River Rise

2011-07-04T08:28:00.008-05:00

Pop open a cold one and watch the river rise. In small towns across Missouri, people are gathering by the edge of the river expressing concerns about levies holding, wondering how high the water will rise and sharing stories of the '93 flood.

My husband and I kept getting off the beaten path of I70 on our weekend trip across Missouri to see what the Missouri River was doing.

Along the Katy Trail in Rocheport, preparations are underway to help protect this section of the trail and houses on the other side.

Rising water is already encroaching on a playground along the trail.

A stream used to take water away from the town of Rocheport to the Missouri River. Now, it is flowing backwards and bringing the river to the town.

Prior to being flooded, a bridge led hikers to a trail with marshlands. Once the water recedes, will the marshlands be closer to the trail?

Just beyond this tunnel, the Katy Trail is closed for a stretch.

On higher ground in Rocheport, a wedding party overlooks the full river. Atop a bluff at the Les Bourgeois Vinyards, the only risk to the couple and guests was the sweltering heat from the temperatures rising close to 100 degrees at the Saturday afternoon wedding.

It may be a long time until the flag is lowered at the flooded park in Waverly, Missouri. The waters from the 1993 flood came and went quickly. This time the water is expected to stick around for many weeks.

Where Highway 13 years ago crossed the Missouri River in Lexington, the valley is now flooded including the train tracks.

It was in Lexington, Missouri where we met a young woman from Kansas City. On the other side of the river is her brother's house. While he is in Norway jumping from a mountain in a wingsuit, water is threatening his house. With his belongings safely moved to higher ground, he's focused on flying along the side of the mountain (video of his jump).

Our journey came to an end in Lexington, Missouri on Sunday at the place where the river covered Highway 224 as the sun was setting.

How many days until spring?

2011-02-21T17:36:00.000-06:00

Friday was a beautiful day in Kansas City. I spent the day seeing customers, handing out price books and talking about new plants at the nursery.

At the end of the day I was in the Crossroads District, just minutes away from the Kauffman Memorial Gardens, and realized it was time to stop talking about plants and time to go see some.

The doors were wide open at the garden's conservatory and the sweet scent of gardenias and orange blossoms filled the air.

Gazing balls reflect the view of the sky from the windows above. Light streaming in from the windows at the front of the conservatory shines through the petals of the flowers of the Euryops.

If you too are wondering how many days there are until spring and need a plant fix, a visit to the Kauffman Memorial Gardens will probably help.

On the way to the conservatory, don't rush too quickly past the plants in the gardens outside. Even in the winter, there is plenty to see. The copper colored exfoliating bark of the China Snow Lilac glows. I love the lines of the twisted trunk in the middle photograph. Deciduous female holly plants have bright red fruit all winter long.

Thinking of Hawaii while there's a blizzard outside

2011-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00

The schools and airport are closed and a blizzard warning continues through noon tomorrow. With a foot of snow on the ground, more snow coming down, and the wind chill at one below, it seems like a good time to think about a much warmer place. Such as Hawaii!

While in Kauai, we drove past the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church many times before taking the time to stop. Though it's never in the plans, my husband and I always seem to find a church or two to visit while on vacation.

The inside is as beautiful as the outside.

When we first walked in the church an elderly woman walked up to the statue of Mary. She knocked on the base of it with her fist several times before praying. I could just imagine her saying "Mary, are listening to me, can you hear me, are you paying attention, I've gotten something to tell you..."

The grounds of the church are also lovely. Though probably wrong of me, I kept thinking they must have a really good priest and choir to get people to pay attention while inside. I would be tempted to stay outside and pull weeds, smell the flowers and listen to the service through an open window.

The plants are as colorful as the stained glass windows. Visiting this church and saying a prayer was a wonderful stop on a busy day of sight seeing. Maybe that's why we end up visiting churches while on vacation. No doubt, God knows we aren't good at slowing down, even while on vacation.

Button, button

2011-01-03T15:41:00.017-06:00

Button, button, who's got the button?

Inspired by a display of button bracelets at Broadway & Penn, it was finally time to do something with my grandma's buttons. They have been stored for years in old jelly jars. First in her attic and more recently in my basement.

I love the colorful buttons. They remind me of the happy faces of pansies and Grandma's garden. There were always volunteer pansies and violas popping up somewhere in her yard.

My daughter prefers the metal buttons and hers has the look of a charm bracelet. Spending time with my daughter making the bracelets was a wonderful way to finish up the year and talk about the past while dreaming of the future.

Still time for a bit of Christmas

2011-01-01T13:02:00.000-06:00

At lunch yesterday my son and I ate at Winsteads on the Plaza. While talking about the characters of his next novel, I glanced out the window and saw that clouds were moving in. Though our next stop was the Nelson Atkins Museum, it dawned on me that we were very close to the Kauffman Memorial Gardens. I love the windows at the conservatory there and wondered what was in bloom and how would the light and shadows play across the display. To find out, meant asking my son if he minded a quick detour. Fortunately, he was a good sport.

We walked into a Christmas display with both deciduous and evergreen trees decorated with beautiful ornaments.

I'm always in awe at how the conservatory at the Kauffman Gardens is transformed for the different seasons and filled with color and fragrance.

It's a great place to sit for a while, soak up the sun, enjoy the great variety of plants, and recharge the soul on a wintery day.

As it was the last day of the year when we visited, I suppose I should make a resolution about my next visit to the Kauffman Gardens. I resolve to plan ahead so my son has his Kindle for reading while sitting on the bench next to the resident cat. And, I resolve to bring my good camera rather than my cell phone camera.

For this visit, I'm glad we got there in time to enjoy the bit of Christmas that was left in this season.

Red dirt canyon waterfall

2010-12-26T20:15:00.005-06:00

The day started with a sail and snorkel trip out of Port Allen in Kauai. We saw humpback whales, sea turtles and spinner dolphins. It was a laid back way of seeing the Napali coast.

Later in the day, we got a bit more adventuresome and visited the Waimea Canyon on the west side of the island.

Stretching over 10 miles long and a mile wide, the Waimea Canyon has many opportunities for taking pictures, hiking and mountain biking. The conditions for taking photographs in the afternoon weren't the best, there was quite a bit of haze. I met a man with incredible camera gear and asked him for some tips. He said to come back another day, the conditions are best at 8am. That time didn't work well for this vacation.

Waimea means red water and this is the home of the Dirt Shirt Company where the shirts are dyed with "100% red dirt."

At the Red Dirt outlet, the episode of Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs plays telling the story of his experience in Kauai learning about the process.

One of our favorite stops at the canyon was this red dirt waterfall across the street from the 1500 foot elevation sign on Highway 550.

We stopped at a turnout for a view of the canyon and saw a couple across the street looking intently at something. Afraid we might be missing something, we wandered their way.

I'm glad we did.

Over the years, I have met many landscapers who designed streams and waterfalls with pockets of plantings along the banks of the streams. Sometimes with success, sometimes a bit forced. Here nature created a beautiful design. The pockets of plants have grasses, ferns and bamboo orchids.

The mountain bikers have a route through this area and even built bridges including this one. I just stood back and watched in awe as they traveled across ridges along the edge of the canyon.

This adventure ended with meeting an older woman standing by the bridge alongside the canyon. I was concerned maybe something was wrong. It turned out she was the lookout person for her son, a professional photographer. She was to alert them when anyone came close to their location down the slope of the canyon along the exposed roots of trees. The subject of the photograph was nude. That was one place I didn't go exploring!

Other waterfalls in Kauai we visited:


Opaekaa Falls


Wailua Falls

Where the lava meets the road

2010-12-18T13:24:00.016-06:00

At the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, we learned in volcano class that the first plants to emerge after a lava flow are ferns. Where the lava meets the road ferns now grow.

My husband and I followed the Chain of Craters Road and were amazed that land as far as the eye could see had been covered by lava at one time. And, at each stop, we saw ferns growing. I don't understand how ferns can grow in cracks of lava rock but not in my suburban garden in the Kansas City area. Maybe it has to do with the amount of rainfall in Hawaii. The day we visited the volcano it rained the whole time. But, since it was volcano day on our schedule, we made the most of it as did the other visitors. And, we didn't let a road closed sign stop us from exploring.

Though I was prepared for the weather, I wasn't prepared for the plants we saw on this journey.

It was fascinating to see palm trees growing where lava once flowed into the ocean.

In this same area of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park along the sea cliff is the Holei Sea Arch.

Back to the plants in the area; here's a few of the ones we saw at the park and some photographs of the Kilauea Caldera:

'A'ali'i


Bamboo Orchid


Beach Naupaka


Pukiawe


'Ohi'a lehua

The Hapu'u ferns are just spectacular. I remember seeing large ferns in the Jurassic Park movie and thinking they must be fake. Guess not. These ferns can grow as tall 40'. There is a section between the Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road where the road is lined on either side with Hapu'u ferns. Of course, we had to find a place to pull over for a picture.

One of many steam vents

Edge of the Kilauea Caldera

Steam from the volcano during the day

Volcano glow at night

Hanging on to autumn

2010-11-14T13:14:00.003-06:00

In mid-October I stopped in Target to pick up something. There, prominately displayed by the aisle, were Christmas dishes. They caught my eye and I thought how pretty a holiday table would look with them. Then, I remembered it was October. Christmas dishes in a store in October?

Halloween morning the Sunday newspaper arrived full of ads. Toy ads. The kind of toy ads that usually are in the Thanksgiving morning paper. Again, I wondered, wasn't it a bit too soon to be thinking about Christmas?

Monday morning, November 1, on the way to work I was doing my usual searching on the car radio trying to find a song I like. Unfortunately, I pushed the button for our local radio station that plays Christmas music 24/7 in November and December.

I'm really not in the mood to think about Christmas yet. We have had such a beautiful fall in Kansas City and see no reason to rush from one season to the next. Is Thanksgiving just a bump in the road from Halloween to Christmas? Not for me! I hanging on to autumn for a while longer. If you feel the same, you might enjoy these photos of fall color:

Carpet of ginkgo leaves

Gold Pillar Barberry in the fall

Heptacodium (Seven Son Flower)

Shantung Maple

October Glory Maple

Pansy

Aronia (Chokeberry)

Garden Mum

A rugged landscape

2010-11-02T20:41:00.001-05:00

Our journey home from Colby, Kansas a few weeks ago took many detours. It was the road sign on I70 that caught my husband's eye. Next thing you know we are headed down a gravel road, through a farmer's field, and across a cattle gate. The rutted road took us to the top of a rock formation overlooking Castle Rock.

Though crops grow to the south of this chalk formation, this view to the north and east shows only a few junipers dotting the landscape and grasses.

Fortunately, we were in a Jeep and it could handle the road that winds around the rock formations.

We stopped several times to get out for a closer look and hiked in the area.

I was on the lookout for rattlesnakes and was just certain this was a great place for them to call home. Fortunately, we didn't see any.

We did see small plants growing in the cracks of the rock formations along with yuccas and grasses in the open areas. Castle Rock is a rugged landscape with a rugged beauty.

Not enough time to visit a garden?

2010-10-30T20:32:00.004-05:00

Our numerous visits to St. Louis always included time at Missouri Botanical Gardens. However, our fall visit this year was a quick overnight trip for a cousin's anniversary party and there simply wasn't enough time.

As soon as we checked into our hotel and I saw the courtyard behind the registration desk, I knew this wasn't going to be a problem. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 7 Gables Inn is a wonderful place to stay in Clayton, Missouri.

The courtyard of the inn is a lovely setting for a leisurely Sunday morning breakfast and place to read the newspaper.

7 Gables Inn is in a neighborhood of art galleries, shops and restaurants. Our morning stroll to church took a round about way so I could take a few pictures of the sidewalk dining spots, colorful containers, street trees, and adjacent neighborhood. Though I missed the Missouri Botanical Gardens, we found a way to visit St. Louis area and still spend time in a garden.

A part of the prairie

2010-08-22T19:57:00.002-05:00

"It's gotta be a Fay Jones" my husband and I exclaimed when we spotted this church outside of Omaha, Nebraska. When I didn't see it listed in the directory of Fay Jones' projects, I kept searching trying to find out who was involved in designing the church. We found out later that the architect is Jim Dennell of Beringer Ciaccio Dennell Mabrey in Omaha thanks to a blog post by Michael Knorr, Knorr Architecture.

But, none of this mattered when we first saw the church while driving down the highway.

Of course, we had to journey off the highway and get a closer look at the Holy Family Shrine. From the parking lot, much of the church is hidden from view and screened by the native grasses. The entrance to the visitors' center was carved out of the hillside and is landscaped with grasses and many native and ornamental flowering perennials.

A stream of water begins in the visitors' center and is a part of the path leading into the chapel to the base of the altar.

The view of the surrounding prairie from inside is simply magnificent!

A slower pace

2010-07-28T13:05:00.003-05:00

The first couple of times I drove past this barn I reminded myself that I was working and stayed on task. The road past the barn took me to the growing fields for work where we have hundreds of acres of trees. I was in the area to meet with our tree grower to tour the fields and take pictures for marketing materials for the nursery.

However, it really wouldn't hurt to just lean out the car window and take a few pictures while driving by. Then, I saw the tire swing hanging below a giant Catalpa. Suddenly the pace slowed with a reminder of the swing my mom's parents had in their yard in Harwood, Missouri. Every now and then, we would make the trip to Harwood for a visit and family picnic. Old tin cans would be lined up on a fence and so we could practice target shooting. We would scare the younger cousins in the outhouse. And, we would take turns swinging.

On one of our visits we took a trip to the nearby Schell-Osage Conservation Area. As we sat on a ledge overlooking the land, Grandpa told us about the Indians, plants and birds of the area. Maybe that's why I love native plants so much.

Compass Plant is flowering in the fields by the red barn with the tire swing. Native to much of the United States, Silphium laciniatum was used by the early travelers across the plains. With the leaves and flowers generally on the north and south side of the stalk, it was easier to tell the direction they were traveling in.

Hanging out the car window taking pictures didn't seem the best way to capture this moment and memory. Next thing you know, my car is pulled over to the side of the gravel road and I'm taking pictures and enjoying a slower pace.

Our first fruit and vegetable garden

2010-07-25T11:12:00.001-05:00

All excited about her success at college growing corn for an experiment in a plant science class, my daughter decided we should have a fruit and vegetable garden this summer. Off to our favorite Grass Pad my daughter and I went to buy our plants and seeds. As we stood there looking at all the plants and packages of seeds, I wished that I had paid attention to my grandparent's vegetable gardens.

Thinking back on their house where they lived for close to 70 years in the northeast part of Kansas City, I remembered that Grandpa kept records of what he planted, when he planted and tracked the daily temperature and rainfall. And, he relied on The Farmer's Almanac for help. But, as a child, I really didn't care about what cucumbers he grew, I just loved the pickles Grandma made with the harvest. Bread and Butter pickles were the best. They always grew green beans and I got to snap the beans for Sunday supper.

For our garden, we got off to a slow start. Here it was Memorial Day weekend and we were at the store selecting our plants and seeds. We chose a package of Ferry Morse sugar enhanced sweet corn because the package claimed it was guaranteed to grow. And, it is growing!

And, so is the Burpee Hybrid Muskmelon. It's growing all over the garden...

I'm not sure what a muskmelon tastes like; it's something my daughter had to have. Soon, though, we will have one ready to sample.

Our tomato plants are also coming along. Years ago I grew a tomato plant only because a friend gave me a plant and said I had to. At that time, I didn't even like the taste of a fresh tomato. The only thing I remember from that experience is that you really have to get them staked. Unfortunately, my daughter has yet to learn that lesson for her garden. This is a Jet Star tomato. She chose it because the picture on the tag showed lots of bright red tomatoes.

The ornamental pepper has done well. Probably because it is in a container on the front porch. The peppers we planted in the garden were promptly eaten. We have yet to figure out what to do about all the critters in the garden. We tried fencing. But we didn't know there was a mole close by just waiting. The raised trail went under the fence and right to the sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes were the first plants to disappear. The green beans and peppers were next. That was when the rabbits found a way through the fence. Red pepper sprinkled around the plants seems to do the best job of keeping the pests away.

It looks like this is the first of many fruit and vegetable gardens in the my future. My husband is excited about building a garden this fall complete with raised beds. In his mind it will be very utilitarian. In my mind it will have a fence with an arbor at the entrance. In the middle of the connecting paths there will be a large container with flowers and pretty herbs. We'll see what compromises take place in the construction of our next garden.

For now, I'm just glad my daughter came home from college wanting to plant a garden.

Here comes the bride - the construction phase of a garden for weddings

2010-07-11T12:19:00.006-05:00

Linda, a dear friend, has dreams of a bride and groom getting married under the pergola in her garden some day. Not only a site for weddings, the garden just east of Kansas City will be a place for social and church gatherings and be open, from time to time, for garden tours.

But, first, the construction phase.

A pile of sand and a cement mixer are signs that there is some serious construction going on here.

The bricks are being made on site using this form. Because a specific color is desired for some of the bricks, this time consuming process is preferred over buying ones at a local brickyard.

Lines and stacks of bricks are ready to be installed in one of the remaining paths being constructed in the garden. The design of the garden was modified when Linda discovered that the planned pathways don't work for some of the shortcuts she takes.

Paths and gates are designed to be wide enough for wheelchairs.

Right now this fountain is a favorite swimming hole of the two resident dogs. Built with ledges to hold water garden plants, next year this water feature will be full of plants. The dogs will have to be content with swimming in another water garden constructed just for them on the edge of the garden.

Here's a place where Linda can sit and watch the dogs swim, read a book, reflect on the day, pray, and plan out the next phase of the garden.

With some plants in place and many more to come, Linda's plan is to mainly use native shrubs and perennials in the garden. It's a tough site that is wide open to the elements. There is pasture on the south and east sides of the garden and her earth contact home is on the north. The large windows of the house overlook the garden. She has found that many plants that grow successfully in most parts of Kansas City have a tough time here.

What would you plant in this garden?

My, oh my...

2010-06-25T16:03:00.006-05:00

I had heard about this garden from numerous friends. And, even though they all said "it is a must see garden" and I was prepared for something great, it still took my breath away when I walked through the gate. Doug and Diane Seip have shared their gardens on a couple of occasions this year. For the most recent event, Doug (with Family Tree Nursery) invited members of several area horticulture industry groups over for an evening tour.

Doug has an incredible selection of conifers. Pictured is a weeping white pine. Yes, it is huge!

If you have wondered how well Dragon Lady Hollies do in Kansas City's zone five climate, here's the answer. Beautifully. Doug planted two on either side of a garden shed by a walk way many years ago and they are now taller than the shed.

An advantage of working at a nursery with a greenhouse, Doug can overwinter his banana tree successfully. Mine didn't fare as well in my dining room.

There are many beautiful containers in Doug and Diane's gardens. Here's a couple of my favorites:

If you ever hear that the Seip's garden is open for a tour, drop everything and go!

A great weekend to visit Powell Gardens

2010-05-26T21:31:00.002-05:00

Finishing up the stop at Powell Gardens, Lyman Whitaker's wind sculpture exhibits ends in June at Powell Gardens. The large sculpture to the left greets visitors at the entrance of the visitor center.

I spent last Sunday strolling along the gardens with my husband. The morning was windy and the sculptures were fun to watch moving in the breeze.

The one pictured on the right is one of my favorites. It is in a garden close to Cafe Thyme.

In addition to the wind sculptures, Powell Gardens has been preparing for the next feature attraction.

Big Bugs, by Dave Rogers, are on display through October 3. Throughout the gardens, you will find the bugs. We saw ants marching across the Meadow towards the chapel, a giant spider web in the Rock and Waterfall Garden, and a praying mantis in the Heartland Harvest Garden.

The overlap of the two exhibits makes Memorial Day Weekend a great time to visit Powell Gardens.

It had been ten years since my husband last visited Powell Gardens and he was amazed at all the changes. Our first visit to Powell was over 20 years ago when the lakes were being dug and the old visitor center had a vegetable garden featuring plants from around the world.

Today, visitors to Powell Gardens are fortunate to experience edibles from around the world at the 12 acre Heartland Harvest Garden. Viewed from the top of the silo, the quilt garden is shown below.

At the tasting station we ate strawberries, carrots and the flowers from nasturtiums. Though this garden peaks later in the season, there is much to experience right now. I love the lines of this iron fence with the flowers in the herb garden.

And, not limited to the Heartland Harvest Garden, vegetables used throughout Powell Gardens:

After winding through the Island Garden past the living wall, we spent some time at the Marjorie Powell Allen Chapel. Here's a few of my favorite views of the chapel:

Throughout the gardens we saw roses, peonies, iris and poppies flowering:

I'm looking forward to my next visit to Powell Gardens and bringing along my husband. I can't wait to show him what rice looks like.

The Prairie Center

2010-05-16T12:16:00.006-05:00

The Lenexa Field and Garden Club finally made its way to a field for one of our meetings!

Fortunately, there was a break in the weather. The skies cleared a bit during a very rainy week and we met Tuesday evening for a tour of The Prairie Center. Located in Olathe, Kansas, the 300 acres of tallgrass prairie, riparian woodlands and wetlands are maintained by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

We learned about the family that originally farmed this property and even lived in the chicken coop for a while.

We only hiked a portion of the six miles of trails making it to the original homestead and back. Along the way, we learned about maintaining a tallgrass prairie and the challenge of fighting off the encroaching woodlands such as the Black Locust and Redbuds.

Since it is early in the season, we saw only a few wildflowers along the way including Phlox and Spiderwort. The seedheads of Illinois Bundleflower lined one of the paths.

The large leaves of May Apple were visible in a grassy area by the lake.

At the site of the original homestead, our guide pointed out rows of cedars. Lining the drive to the house, the cedars made it easy to find the path to the house even in snowy weather.

The evening ended with the beautiful setting sun. The garden club is planning to meet again this summer at The Prairie Center and we are looking forward to exploring more trails, enjoying the summer flowering native and naturalized plants, and seeing for ourselves how tall the native grasses grow.

Forsythia balls

2010-04-04T18:46:00.001-05:00

Last week, one of my landscaping friends called the nursery requesting box balls (boxwoods clipped in a ball shape) of assorted sizes. For some reason, it made me think of all the forsythia balls that are very visible right now since they are in flower. Wouldn't it be nice if forsythia was given room to grow and not be pruned into a ball? The arching branches covered with bright yellow flowers in the spring would then be covered with colorful foliage in the fall.

Finding a stash of magnolias at the nursery

2010-04-01T15:47:00.002-05:00

Through the plastic covering the hoop houses at Loma Vista Nursery's Ottawa growing operation, I could see these beautiful flowers. Inside the hoop house, the fragrance was wonderful. Though I had to get past a crop of Alleghany Viburnums to get close enough for a photo, it was well worth the effort. Quite often, Leonard Messel Magnolia is grown as a multi-stem tree that matures 15-25' tall and wide.

Quite visible around town, are the Royal Star Magnolias. The flowers are opening up thanks to the warm weather we have had this week. Upright oval in form, Royal Star matures 15' by 12'.

Centennial Magnolias have blush pink flower buds that open up a very pale pnk. Centennial matures 15-20' by 10-15'.

As with the Leonard Messel Magnolias, Royal Star and Centennial are also fragrant. All are great additions to the landscape as a spring time accent.

In love with orchids

2010-03-13T10:47:00.001-06:00

I was very excited to read on Powell Gardens facebook posting that it's time for the orchids and ferns woodland exhibit at Powell. And, better yet, post a photo or your impression of the exhibit on their facebook page and enter a drawing to win an orchid from Birds Botanicals!

This is an orchid that I bought at Birds Botanicals in January. It is still flowering and putting on new buds. On Tuesdays, from 10am to 8pm, they are open for shopping. It is a great adventure.

Stepping out of rush hour to smell the flowers

2010-03-09T21:18:00.009-06:00

Do you spend much of your work week on 435 driving to and from work? Now that it's a part of my daily routine, I have renewed appreciation for George Segal's sculpture titled Rush Hour.

Getting away from the constant stop and go pace of daily life, my husband and I spent this past weekend wandering art galleries and strolling along the Plaza.

Of course, we had to stop in at one of my favorite gardens in Kansas City and see what was new at the Kauffman Memorial Gardens. The conservatory was full of spring time flowers and fragrance. Color even splashed across the floor thanks to the sun shining through the colorful panes hanging in the windows.

There was a steady stream of visitors on Sunday morning. Grandparents with grandchildren, a couple with a son running laps around the fountain, and quite a few taking photos with very nice cameras. Once again, I realized I had forgotten my good camera and there I was taking pictures with my cell phone camera!

At the Garden Symposium dinner, I met a man who grew up going to scout camp on the property that is now Powell Gardens. With family living in the area, he often joins them at Powell to fly kites by the lake. He told me how much he loves it there and now he secretly considers it to be his own garden. He appreciates the care that is given to the gardens at Powell so the property is always ready for his visits. I know what he means - I feel the same way about the Kauffman Gardens. Sound strange? Oh well!

A journey down a path

2009-12-28T10:11:00.013-06:00

At the end of the block in a suburban neighborhood in Shawnee, Kansas, there is a gated driveway leading to a lovely estate. Land Art created many of the garden areas surrounding the residence.

A stone pathway from the pool and outdoor bar wraps around several mature trees to a sitting area by a fire pit and water feature. Pragense Viburnum, boxwoods, Drift Roses, Lo and Behold Blue Chip Butterfly Bushes and fragrant perennials fill the gardens. Filling the gaps of the stone pathway and patio are fragrant creeping thymes. Although it is a new garden, the path and structures have a reassuring feeling of permanence about them.

A city sidewalk leading to the entrance of the Kauffman Memorial Gardens has been transformed by Purple Robe Locusts trained into arches. Gardens on either side of this pathway have been heavily planted with perennials and annuals. Pathways lead the visitors throughout this two acre garden.

Though the Kauffman Gardens are wonderful year round, I can't imagine a better place for a garden stroll than in May with the fragrance and view of the flower clusters hanging from the arching trees.

Several years ago my husband and I ventured west of Chicago and stopped at the Garfield Park Conservatory on the way to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's studio and houses in Oak Park. Niki in the Garden was on tour at the Conservatory and it just seemed like a great place to stop!

One of my favorite sculptures from the exhibit was surrounded by a confusing pathway that led around in circles and it seemed to take forever to get to the destination in the center. This is definitely a path my life has taken this past year.

And, then out of nowhere, doors opened to an opportunity.

Though the creators of the Heartland Harvest Garden at Powell Gardens may have had something else in mind, I see the open barn doors as an invitation to explore and learn.

After a very challenging year, I'm thrilled some doors opened for me and am excited about the year ahead.

Happy New Year!

Want to know more about Purple Robe Locust? Check out this article.

Thanksgiving at the Arboretum

2009-11-29T09:44:00.014-06:00

Rather than napping, watching football or eating more turkey, I spent Thanksgiving afternoon at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. There were dozens of families, some walking their dogs, enjoying a stroll that beautiful afternoon.

The sumac at the entrance to the Arboretum tricked me into believing that there may not be much to see.

Pinwheel Felicia, a tough little annual, added color to the edge of seating area close by the Elliott Carlson's sculpture of the Two Frogs.

In the Monet Garden, a couple of the clematis were still beautiful. Ramona Clematis had a single flower. The seedhead of Belle Nantaise Clematis looks like spun sugar.

Touches of red and burgundy show up in the gardens with the fruit of the crabs, foliage of the Oakleaf Hydrangeas and the tops of the Dorothy Wycoff Pieris Japonica.

I'm looking forward to going back for the 10th Annual Holiday Luminary Walk the weekend of December 4-5.

Standing at the corner of 12th & McGee

2009-11-22T10:55:00.011-06:00

At 7am on a Saturday morning, I am not usually standing on a street corner downtown waiting for a bus. However, offering to volunteer for a national youth conference gave me that opportunity. While waiting to greet busloads of out of town high school students and chaperons, I had time to look around at the streetscape of Kansas City's Downtown.

The Board of Education building at 12th and McGee has an area with Variegated Maiden Grass planted in front of a wall surrounded by concrete. It's thriving in this harsh site. To the east, there are planter boxes of steel with maples, liriope and yews. Not too exciting?

For a more creative streetscape, you have to venture to Kansas City's newest entertainment district.

At the Sprint Center, the entertainment begins outside.

Created by New York artist, Chris Doyle, the Moons video screens capture the attention of visitors of the adjoining Power and Light District. Planted at the base of the screens, by a water feature, are Vanderwolf Pines. The ornamental grasses and evergreens soften the walls and outdoor seating area in the background.

At the Power and Light District, Ginkgos wrapped in blue lights add to the festive atmosphere and nightlife of the area.

What is your favorite streetscape?

Autumn Flowering Cherry

2009-11-11T13:57:00.000-06:00

It is such a beautiful day today at the nursery. We have been swamped with customers and calls and everyone is in a hurry. Perhaps, it is because the weather forecast hints of cold weather next week.

While out tagging trees for an order shipping tomorrow, I saw this wonderful Autumn Flowering Cherry. The clusters of blush pink flowers look so beautiful against the blue sky.

Autumn Flowering Higan Cherry, Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis', actually flowers heavily in the spring with an occasional lighter flowering during a warm period in the fall. The green summer leaves were orange and bronze earlier this fall. It is a fast growing tree that will mature 30 x 30'.

Hort NetWORK - The Secret Powers of Social Networking

2009-11-04T15:08:00.005-06:00

The Secret Powers of Social Networking

Wednesday, November 18
6pm-8pm
St. Andrew's Golf Course
11099 W. 135th St
Overland Park, Kansas

The Hort NetWORK is excited to present "The Secret Powers of Social Networking" presented by Keith Sauro, editor of Kansas City Homes & Garden magazine.

The Secret Power of Social Networking will present facts and myths about the recent social media explosion. Learn how through practical application, your involvement in social media can help increase your internet footprint and drive direct results for your business in a very different way.

The Hort NetWORK is Kansas City's networking group for green industry professional. The Hort NetWORK promotes information, education and cooperation and hosts numerous educational, philanthropic & social events each year. If you cannot make it to this event, check out www.hortnetwork.org to get information about our next educational program. Hope to see you there. RSVP to lstack@kc.rr.com

Winter Red Holly

2009-10-29T10:09:00.007-05:00

Yesterday afternoon the sun was shining and, while out tagging trees for an order, the Winter Red Hollies caught my eye. These hollies, in a #3 container, have been in this location at the nursery for a couple of months. Now that the foliage has dropped for the winter, the fruit really stands out. I loved the contrast of the bright red fruit against the stone wall. The shadows were an added bonus!

Winter Red, Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red', is a deciduous holly with green leaves all summer long and colorful fall foliage. It matures 8-10 x 8' and is pollinated by Southern Gentlemen (available in a #3 container).

Remembering that we also have ball and burlap Winter Red Hollies, I stopped by the b&b shrub block on the way back to the office. They were even more spectacular!

Deciduous hollies can be used for screening or as a specimen plant for a location needing some winter interest. The persistent fruit will attract songbirds to the garden. They do best planted in sites with full sun to partial shade and adequate moisture.

Here's another article on hollies:
Boy Holly + Girl Holly = Fruit?
Selecting the correct pollinating Winterberry Holly is important for fruit production.

Just as I had hoped

2009-10-22T10:17:00.006-05:00

A couple of years ago, Larry stopped by the nursery to pick up some plants and showed me a Weeping Ginkgo he had in the back of the truck from his own garden center. I had to have one. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask how much. A couple of weeks later, he dropped one off for me. He was in a hurry and said I could pay later. Again, I forgot to ask how much.

When it arrived at home, my family couldn't understand why I bought a crooked tree. My daughter thought it had personality. My son assured me that we could stake it and with time it would grow straighter. My husband was certain that it was one the nursery was throwing away because it was ugly and, therefore, it was free. Fortunately, I still didn't know how much.

Now, a couple of years later, the arching form drapes over a metal disc on the fence. There are Bearded Iris along the base. A bench is close by. And, the Ginkgo's yellow fall foliage glows on sunny days.

How much? It turns out that it really didn't matter. Not with a payment plan option. Besides, it is just as I had hoped.

An evening viewing of a garden

2009-10-08T13:30:00.030-05:00

The garden transformation has been in the works for just over a year with this Johnson County garden. Laura Stack, Creative Consulting for Outdoor Spaces, and the homeowners recently shared the garden with friends and neighbors.

A Pot/Trellis Garden was added to the back of the house. Sections of trellis break up a wall and create a backdrop for the Variegated Vinca to climb. Not only do the panels of trellis echo the window panes, the shadows that are created against the white backdrop are a welcome feature in the garden.

Plants in the Knot Garden Retreat include Germander, Lavender and Santolina. Ogon Sedum are the bright yellow plants in the picture. Mexican Heather, Cleome, Diamond Frost Euphorbia, Blue Salvia and Asiatic Lilies are also in the garden.

Many of the guests enjoyed the Fire Corner Patio. Cushions on top of the low wall added seating but most preferred standing and chatting around the fire.

I really wish the quality of this photo was better. Sometimes I just get too excited and forget to focus. I love the view of the statue through the slit in the brick wall. Though the neighbors were confused during the construction of the wall, it all made sense when it was completed and landscaped. From the walkway off the driveway to the backyard, this wall breaks up the view yet allows a glimpse of the garden beyond.

The side of the wall is softened with a white tree rose, Variegated Liriope, Green Velvet Boxwood and a container with red flowers.

Jerry Cicero, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives, was also at the garden party. He set up many different fixtures to demonstrate the dramatic impact of outdoor lighting.

Since we were all well behaved, I'm hoping they will have another tour in a couple of years to show the next phases of the garden transformation!

Colorful Shade Trees

2009-10-08T11:13:00.018-05:00

The fall color at the nursery has been beautiful and the blackgums are especially amazing. Nyssa sylvatica, commonly known as Black Tupelo and Blackgum, is available both single stem and multi-stem. It is adaptable to a wide range of conditions including poor drainage. Mature size is 35 x 25'.

Green Mountain, Acer saccharum 'Green Mountain', Sugar Maple has yellow and orange fall color. Avoid wet sites and sugar maples will do well. Green Mountain matures 45 x 35'.

Several of the oaks will also add color to the fall landscape. Scarlet Oak, Quercus coccinea, is a tough tree that matures 50 x 40'.

Not a shade tree but colorful and useful for screening, Crimson Spire, Quercus alba x robur 'Crimschmidt', is a columnar oak that matures 45 x 15'. A cross between White Oak and English Oak, it has mildew resistant dark green summer foliage with red fall color.

Green Vase Zelkova

2009-09-24T10:02:00.011-05:00

The foliage of the Zelkovas are starting to turn orange and red for fall. Green Vase, Zelkova serrata 'Green Vase', is a great choice for tough urban areas including street trees and parking lot islands. The upright vase shape form also works well on residential properties. The dappled shade of the foliage allows grass to grow under the canopy. Green Vase is a fast growing tree that matures 60x40'.

Settings after Sundown

2009-09-15T11:25:00.010-05:00

along with the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
and other valued industry partners
is excited to present

Settings after Sundown

• Learn more about the Overland Park Arboretum
• Network with other industry professionals
• Discover new applications specifically geared toward nighttime
outdoor settings: fire...lighting...mosquito repellant...
nocturnal plants.
Join us for an evening of information, education and cooperation.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
TIME: 5:30-7:30PM
LOCATION: OP ARBORETUM - 8969 W 179TH ST.
This event is FREE to HortNetWORK members and their guests.
Suggested donatation to The Hort NetWORK and Friends of the
Arboretum is $5 per person.
Refreshments & snacks will be provided.
RSVP to lstack@kc.rr.com

A bottle of wine, a bit of inspiration

2009-09-12T09:04:00.014-05:00

Lenexa Garden Club's host for the September meeting is a couple with a wonderful sense of humor.

They have a garden full of surprises. Though I have visited several times over the years, it is never the same. A brick walkway was added a day prior to the Extension tour a couple of years ago. The evening before our garden club tour, a fountain requiring several neighbors and several bottles of wine was installed. Plants and art are changed out often.

Don is a Johnson County Extension
Master Gardener. With his wife, Mary Ann, he has created a garden that backs up to a road. One corner of the garden that could have been left to be quite visible to passing traffic has been screened with evergreens, shade trees, shrubs, partitions and art. In another corner, a mermaid has found a home.

We all came away from the garden tour full of ideas. And, now when someone asks me what to plant for a customer that wants a no maintenance garden, I may suggest a tree created from beads, wire, and a metal tube.

Lenexa Garden Club's next meeting is Tuesday, October 13 with special guest Betsy Betros, author of A Photographic Field Guide to Butterflies in the Kansas City Region.

Maples in the Big Field

2009-09-03T08:29:00.017-05:00

The big field at KAT Nurseries is the holding area for larger caliper ball and burlap trees. Red Sunset, Karpick, Sun Valley, Autumn Blaze, Autumn Fantasy and Marmo Maples are on sale through November 30, 2009 while supplies last.

Marmo Maple
Acer x freemanii 'Marmo'

Karpick Maple
Acer rubrum 'Karpick'

Sun Valley Maple
Acer rubrum 'Sun Valley'

Pacific Sunset Maple
Acer truncatum x platanoides 'Pacific Sunset'

Red Sunset Maple - single and multi-stem
Acer rubrum 'Franksred'

Autumn Blaze Maple - single and multi-stem
Acer x freemanii 'Jeffersred'

Autumn Fantasy Maple
Acer x freemanii 'DRT 102'

Amur Flame Maple - multi stem
Acer ginnala 'Flame'

Black Alder

2009-08-28T09:43:00.008-05:00

Black Alder, Alnus glutinosa, is another tree that has beautiful deep green foliage all summer long. Tolerant of adverse conditions, it is a great choice for wetter areas in the landscape. The pyramidal form of Black Alder will mature to a rounded oval canopy. It is a fast growing tree that will mature to 50 x 30'.

Just can't grow a thing?

2009-08-21T20:44:00.008-05:00

Sometimes the solution to the problem of why the tree didn't live is more water or less water. This summer we have had plenty of rain in Kansas City and some landscapers are doing drainage projects instead of designing and installing irrigation systems. However, more often than not, poor soil is also a part of the problem. If nothing will grow and the homeowner is desperate for a bit of shade, amending the soil might be easier than digging a hole large enough to plant a Cadillac.

Products available for amending the existing soil include bales of peat moss, bags of cotton burr compost and bulk compost. Many landscapers take advantage of our custom blend topsoil and create their own mix of bulk topsoil, compost and/or sand. We do the blending according to their specifications and deliver the topsoil mix to the jobsite. Another key to success is adding granular Myke Pro, mycorrhizae, at the time of planting to increase the roots' capacity to absorb more water and nutrients.

However, if you don't like any of these suggestions, maybe you will like one of M.T. Liggett's sculptures.

Learn more about these roadside attractions:
Cadillac Ranch
M.T. Liggett

Legend Linden

2009-08-17T08:55:00.008-05:00

By the time August rolls around at a nursery, it is very evident the trees that hold up well through summer. The foliage of Legend Linden, Tilia americana 'DTR 123', is still deep green and glossy.

Included on Iowa State's Community Trees List, the American Lindens' "neat, pyramidal growth habit makes this tree perfect for boulevard plantings."

Legend Linden is cold hardy to zone 3 and matures 40 x 30'. It has yellow fall color.

Professional Evening at Powell Gardens

2009-08-17T07:40:00.006-05:00

Professional Evening at Powell Gardens

August 26, 2009
4:00 to 8:30 pm

Silent Auction to Support PLANTS OF MERIT

Evening Agenda:
4:00 Tours of Powell Gardens - Annuals, Edibles, Trees, Production
5:30 Slide Presentation - New Annuals for 2010 or Plants of Merit
6:30 Dinner - Bates City BBQ
7:15 Slide Presentation - Edible Ornamentals in the Midwest or Color in the Landscape
8:15 Closing

Cost: $18 per person (includes admission/program/dinner)
Registration deadline: August 21
Register: contact Emalie Hunt at 816-697-2600 x234 or ONLINE

Co-sponsored by: Hort NetWORK and McHutchinson Horticultural Distributors

A vibrantly elemental garden

2009-08-12T15:15:00.043-05:00

The pathway lets the visitor know that this is no ordinary garden.

Anne was our host for the August meeting of the Lenexa Field and Garden Club. A church liturgist, the garden reflects Anne's spirituality and our relationships with the elements of earth, fire, water and air.

Stepping stones by local artist Steve Hess are carefully placed in the brick walk that leads to one of the water features.

A favorite of the visitors are the alliums. These spring flowering bulbs are planted throughout the garden. Brought indoors at the end of their flowering season, the cut allium flowers are hung upside down to dry. Once dry, they are spray painted and returned to the garden.

A flowering plant that many asked about is Gateway Joe Pye Weed. It is planted at the bottom of the slope along with Obedient Plant and Turtlehead, other moisture tolerant plants.

One of the most popular plants in the garden is oregano, Origanum libanticum, purchased from High Country Gardens.

The flowers drape over a rock wall by the water garden. Requiring well drained soil, it is placed on a slope in soil that has chicken grit added annually.

Colorful accents are placed throughout the garden. A blue wall is at the back of the garden hiding the compost pile. The arbor over the deck is painted blue-green and even has purple grapes hanging from the overhead vines.

With the colorful surfaces and well chosen plants, there are no dreary days in this garden.

Another inspiring garden and gardener is the host of the Lenexa Field and Garden Club's September meeting. Join us and see what happened when the homeowners had a glass of wine and looked around their backyard.

A Labor of Love

2009-08-07T11:23:00.011-05:00

If you have driven down Kasold Street in Lawrence, you have no doubt noticed a beautiful landscape. Years ago, when Kasold was a two lane gravel road, the home-
owners moved in. Over the years, with more develop-
ment in Lawrence, the road was paved, widened and is now a divided road. The expansion of the street brought it and the utilities closer to the residence.

The need to block the view of the road and the sound of traffic has been met with several berms and plantings. The homeowners' son has been working on this project for many years. This labor of love has required truckloads of topsoil and equipment for shaping the berms. Large moss boulders were added. And, the plants started arriving.

There are many layers to this landscape. The overhead power lines necessitate smaller maturing trees such Pink Princess Crabapple, Bonfire Patio Peach, Vernal Witchhazel, Golden Spirit Smoketree and Tiger Eyes Sumac. Columnar oaks and beech are also included.

For color and structure year round, low growing junipers and arborvitae have been included in the landscape. Ornamental grasses are planted throughout. A grouping of Gold Bar Miscanthus is the most recent addition.

Flowering plants include the ornamental trees, Caryopteris, Spirea, Autumn Joy Sedum, Tomato Soup, Rocky Top and Harvest Moon Echinaceas, Russian Sage, Walker's Low Catmint, Lavender and Rozanne Geraniums.

Closer to the residence is a grouping of multi-stem Quaking Aspens. Japanese Painted Fern and Caramel Coral Bells are planted around the base of the trunks.

The gardens are lovely year round.

Japanese Maples - some of the red ones

2009-08-02T19:42:00.035-05:00

Yes, it's time for the Japanese Maples with red foliage. I featured the green ones first in hopes that their subtle beauty might be realized with the summer foliage and fall color. But, so many more clamor for Japanese Maples with red foliage...

Tamukeyama is a lovely laceleaf maple with a weeping form that matures 6 x 8'. The laceleaf maples do best with some shade protection from Kansas City's hot afternoons.

Inaba Shidare
matures 6 x 6'.

Red Dragon also
matures 6 x 6'.

Crimson Queen
matures 8 x 10'.

The palmatums have an upright form and larger foliage. Palmatums do fine in sun or shade in Kansas City.

Bloodgood is the
most familiar one.
It matures 18 x 15'.

Shojo matures
20 x 20'.

Japanese Maples - a few of the green ones

2009-07-30T10:09:00.025-05:00

Autumn Moon Japanese Maple's
foliage emerges chartreuse
in the spring. In the fall the
foliage turns orange and red.
It has an upright form, maturing
8-12' tall.

Full Moon Maple has large leaves
that turn orange and red in the
fall. It has an upright form.

Lion's Head has a narrow upright form.
The crinkled foliage is dark green - it has great texture.
The late season fall color is yellow, orange-red.

Viridis is a laceleaf maple
with a weeping form. It is
a smaller maturing maple,
6x8', with wonderful fall color.

Sango Kaku is a coral bark
maple. The red branches brighten
up the winter landscape.
Sango Kaku has an upright form
with colorful foliage.

Here's a series of articles on a Japanese garden:
Creating a Japanese Garden - An interior designer takes her inspiration outdoors
Plants for a Japanese Garden - A trip to the nursery to find the plants
Installing a Japanese Garden - Fine tuning the design on a very hot day

Nebraska Field Day

2009-07-26T18:28:00.025-05:00

The East Campus of the University of Nebraska was the site of the field day last Friday. We toured the Maxwell Arboretum with Tim McDonnell and Jeff Culbertson. Over fifty years ago, Earl G. Maxwell began planting many of the trees we learned about during our tour of the five acre arboretum. As we came around a corner, the view opened up to a majestic cottonwood. Its shadows stretched across the lawn.

Catalpa is just
one of the many flowering trees on the campus. Paw paw, magnolias, fringetrees, crabapples, dogwoods and
horsechestnuts are also included.

During the afternoon
break, I hurried from
the air conditioned
meeting room and went
for a quick walk.

On the walk I came across a large mass of sculpted steel. Around the base is Blue Gramma Grass. I love the contrast of the modern art sculpture with a native grass.

The highlight of the field day for me was Tim McDonnell's presentation on the Regreening of Greensburg. Tim McDonnell is the Community Forestry Coordinator for the Kansas Forest Service. I'll have a posting on it in the near future.

Drifts of Roses

2009-07-21T15:05:00.025-05:00

Have you tried Drift Roses?

Popular with landscapers and designers since their introduction, Drift Roses add color to the garden in the heat of summer.

The small dark green foliage is similar to that of a miniature rose. Their smaller mature size is 2 x 2' and can be trimmed in early spring to maintain form if necessary. Drift Roses are a cold hardy groundcover useful for filling gaps in the front of the border. They really make a statement when used in large groupings.

These everblooming roses, flowering from spring until frost, are available at KAT Nurseries in ivory, pink, red, peach and coral in a #2 container.

Here's an article with more ideas for adding color to the summer landscape:
Summer Flowering Shrubs

Summer at the Monet Garden

2009-07-17T09:01:00.038-05:00

The Lenexa Garden Club recently toured the Monet Garden at the Overland Park Arboretum.

The evening started with a brief light shower; once the sun came out the temperature soared. Our tour guides were three of the Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners who help plan and maintain the gardens.

The garden was full of visitors and photographers enjoying the colorful show provided by the annuals. The first image is looking down from the arbor in the Sunset Garden towards the Monet Pond. Hibiscus rosa sinensis 'Cherie' is in a large container under the arbor. Throughout the garden are Cosmos; my favorite is Sonata White.

The Dahlias are just magnificent. The striped one, in the Allee, is Bristol Stripe.

Admission to the Overland Park Arboretum is free.

Here's an article on annuals for Kansas City conditions:
Annuals in the Trial Garden

Not another Stella

2009-07-07T15:01:00.018-05:00

Stella De Oro, introduced in the mid 1970's, became a top seller for both residential and commercial properties since it is a repeat bloomer. Plus, the smaller size allows it to be used in the front of borders. However, many landscapers are looking for other repeat blooming options. Here are a few of our favorites:

Pardon Me, shown in the photo, is a nice alternative to Stella. The cranberry red flowers with a yellow throat measure 3" across. It matures 18" tall.

The softer flower color of Mini Pearl makes it easy to work in the landscape and blend with other flowers. It has melon pink flowers (3" across) with a yellow throat. Mini Pearl matures 16" tall.

Jolyene Nichole's pink flowers have ruffled edges with a bright yellow green throat. The flowers measure 6" across and it matures 14" tall.

While these options work well in the front of the border, there are also many repeat blooming daylilies that mature much larger. We have several that mature 24" plus. Joan Senior has white flowers with petals that curve back. Pandora's Box has white flowers with a purple eye and yellow throat. Chicago Orchid's fragrant lavender flowers have a darker purple eye and yellow green throat. Strawberry Candy has pink flowers with ruffled edges, rose red eye, and yellow throat.

Here's an article on a tour of a local garden with 800 varieties of daylilies:
It's Daylily Season

Tropics at the Kansas City Zoo

2009-07-02T10:01:00.007-05:00

Bryn Takle of the Kansas City Zoo shared with the members of the Hort NetWORK "The Trials, Tribulations & Joys of Zoo Horticulture." Bryn and his staff do an amazing job keeping up with 200+ acres at the zoo.

This planter greets guests at the entrance to the zoo.

We toured the zoo's newest exhibit - Tropics, an indoor rain forest. The wildlife is great. But, we all loved the tropical plants.

Hort NetWORK's next gathering is August 26 at Powell Gardens for Field Day.

Across from Ranchito

2009-06-29T15:54:00.005-05:00

If you have picked up topsoil, compost, river rock or mulch from KAT, you know that Ranchito is part of our growing operation and is located a couple of miles west of the holding yard. Across the street from Ranchito is a field I have driven past many times over the years. Friday was the first time I really paid attention to this property. The Rudbeckia, Monarda and Indian Grass with a backdrop of mature trees is beautiful.

Native plants work well in smaller landscapes too. Liatris has grass-like foliage and spike flower heads. It gives a nice vertical accent to the design. Callirhoe, also called Poppy Mallow and Wine Cups, is an attractive groundcover for tough sites.

Rattlesnake Master has foliage similar to the blades of yuccas and clusters of white flowers in the summer. The rosy pink flowers of Spotted Joe Pye Weed will open soon. Gateway Joe Pye Weed has pinkish purple flowers atop dark red stems. Golden Baby Goldenrod and Fireworks Goldenrod have bright yellow flowers in the summer. Asters flower late summer into fall.

We have many varieties of native plants on hand in #1 and #2 containers. If you are working with a large property requiring 100's - 1,000's of native plants in deep cell plugs and larger containers, give us a call. KAT Nurseries will custom grow the plants for your project.

Have you tried preserving native flowers and grasses? Here's an article with some tips:
Flowers and Plants for Drying

These flowers take the heat

2009-06-25T15:41:00.003-05:00

The Mimosas have started flowering. This ornamental tree is available both single and multi-stem. The fragrant flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. E.H. Wilson Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin 'E.H. Wilson', is cold hardy and drought tolerant once established. Available 8/10' multi-stem b&b and 1.5-2" single stem in containers.

Gemo Hypericum's bright yellow flowers sway back and forth in the wind and will continue blooming through the summer. Hypericum kalmianum 'Gemo'
matures 2-3' x 2-3' and has narrow medium green foliage. Available in #3 containers.

Mariesii Balloon Flower's, Platycodon grandiflorus 'Mariesii', blue flowers are just lovely. Though it may appear delicate, Balloon Flower is a tough plant. It tolerates a wide range of conditions including salt, moisture, drought, full sun, part shade. A good choice for cut flower gardens (Mariesii matures 15" x 15") and alpine gardens. Also available at KAT are Astra, Sentimental Blue and Fuji Blue Balloon Flowers - all in #1 containers.

Big on Betony

2009-06-17T15:26:00.001-05:00

Most every evening I sit by a garden on the west side of my house and wonder what I should plant next. Some of the plants that I really like in this sloping garden are a Shantung Maple, Kopper King Hibiscus, Little Henry Sweetspire, variegated Porcelain Vine on the south end and Prairie Dropseed, Jade Butterflies Gingko and Bearded Iris on the north end. In the middle, the problem area, there is a semi circle of Green Velvet Boxwoods and a Heptacodium. I've had a hard time trying to decide what to use as a groundcover in the middle section. Today I saw the Hummelo Stachys (Betony) flowering and decided it's the perfect plant. It is hardy in zones 4-8, works in part shade and full sun, and is drought tolerant.

A variety of coneflowers

2009-06-17T13:07:00.001-05:00

We may not love the hot days of summer but the coneflowers do! Rocky Top is a Tennessee Echinacea. The narrow petals tilt upward and the foliage is fuzzy.

Harvest Moon is in the Big Sky series. It has large yellow flowers and deep green foliage.

Another Big Sky Echinacea, Sundown's flowers are orange-pink with large rounded petals.

Pink Double Delight has double pink flowers atop 20-24" stems.

Lenexa Garden Club visits the Iris Lady

2009-05-15T08:27:00.001-05:00

Threatening skies and forecast didn't deter the members of the Lenexa Garden Club from gathering in the gardens of the Iris Lady on Tuesday evening.

Many of the garden club members left the meeting with bags full
of Bearded Iris, Siberian Iris, Spiderwort, Sedum, Daisies and other
perennials.

There were many surprises
in the Iris Lady's garden
including Sedum in an old boot.

A few of my favorite trees

2009-04-26T13:27:00.004-05:00

The Aesculus carnea brioti, Red Horsechestnut, is loaded with flowers in the hummingbird/butterfly garden behind my house. The red flowers have yellow throats. Afternoon shade provided by neighboring trees protects the foliage from scorch in the summer. This garden area is built on an old compost pile. It also has a Butterflies Magnolia, Summer Wine Ninebark, Bearded Iris, Little Henry Sweetspire, Limelight Hydrangea, Mahonia, and Columbine. Like all my gardens, it only receives water when it rains or snows and very little care. Red Horsechestnut is a favorite is because it is a tough tree that has beautiful flowers and great foliage.

There is a lot to like with Acer truncatum, Shantung Maple - smaller mature size, foliage and bark. A multi-stem one is planted in a garden where I wanted to screen a driveway and street but had limited space. The attractive foliage matures to dark green in the summer and then has yellow fall color. The color and texture of the bark gives it year round interest.

Of course, in my family, a garden isn't complete without a Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud. Ours is about 25 years old and the kids, including the neighborhood ones, love to climb it. While I do love this tree, if I ever plant another Redbud, it will probably be an Oklahoma Redbud. It has deeper flower color plus glossy green foliage in the summer.

All of these are available at KAT Nurseries. I hope you will come out and visit and tell us about a few of your favorite trees.

Acres and acres at KAT

2009-04-19T11:16:00.003-05:00

At KAT Nurseries, I'm finding there are many acres to wander and many plants to discover. I took the time Friday to see what was flowering and fell in love with the Coralburst Crabapple. It is just one of the many patio size ornamental trees in stock.

One of the hoop houses is filled with shade loving perennials; we have over 55 hostas to choose from including Fried Bananas.

A shipment of dogwoods arrived during the week, both pink and white flowering. The trees were still tied up and the sprinklers running when I took this picture.

Signs of Spring at the Monet Garden

2009-03-18T16:44:00.003-05:00

The Extension Master Gardeners spent the morning cleaning up the Monet Garden at the Overland Park Arboretum while inside the Visitors' Center a class was held on "Monet Gardening Kansas Style."

Drifts of Jonquils are blooming at the edge of the woodland garden. Along a sidewalk, with boxwoods as a backdrop, a Hyacinth is starting to show color.

We visited the Arboretum's greenhouse for a sneak peek of the annuals being grown for the Monet Garden. The flats of the Trailing Sunset Nemesia growing along side flats of Blue Hawaii Ageratum is very colorful. I'm looking forward to returning to the Monet Garden after the rush of spring at the nursery to see how the garden is evolving. Today was a wonderful day visiting with friends who volunteer in the garden, attending class, and strolling along in the garden afterwards with my mom.

Here's an article on selecting bulbs for the garden:
Spring Flowering Bulbs

Weeping Pussy Willow

2009-03-17T13:43:00.002-05:00

On a cloudy dreary day last week, the catkins of the weeping pussy willows glowed like light bulbs. Like a child, I worked my way into the middle of the weeping branches by the trunk and looked out. Here's one of my pictures. I love the view.