A Labor of Love

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.

Not another Stella

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

Across from Ranchito

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

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

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

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

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.

Acres and acres at KAT

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.