Posted by Christine Eirschele

All gardeners have their favorite plant sellers and rarely is there just one. It could be the local garden shop only the locals seem to know or a massive greenhouse nursery with a parking lot big enough to hold a tour bus that unloads gardeners each May.

Garden Print Catalogs and Websites

But in the cold numbing dead of winter after all the holiday cheer is put away, it is my favorite garden catalogs that see me through to spring. While I use technology everyday in my work masterly clicking a mouse with the best of them, it is curling up on a comfy couch surrounded by plant wish books taking down notes for new garden ideas I crave. It energizes me more than batteries do the pink rabbit.

Garden Greenhouse Comments From Readers

Lest I fall prey to those who say, but you didn’t mention this or that one, feel free to leave a comment about your favorite plant seller, I want to hear why. It can be a new local, old time regional or a national plant seller you have come to love.

But first, here are my favorites. Here, I have only included plant sellers who have print catalogs and web sites.

Tree Peonies Daylilies and Hosta Plants

If you have visited my profile page or read my articles, you eventually get that I love daylilies, peonies, hostas and coleus. That is not to say they are my favorites but I sure do love growing them.

My old time favorite mail order nursery is Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm & Nursery. Simply not just because they are out of Wisconsin or sell what I love most, but they have proven themselves to me, as a customer. They stand by their word hundreds of miles away and their packaging and shipping standards are detailed.

Song Sparrow is the family owned business of 4^th generation nurseryman Roy Klehm, who also owns the wholesale plant seller, Beaver Creek Nursery, and is well regarded in the horticulture profession. In addition to my favorites, specialty plants such as dwarf conifers and tree peonies are highlighted in print and online.

Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm & Nursery is located in Avalon, bordering southern Wisconsin. Although Song Sparrow is a retail operation, they only sell plants through mail order.

Garden Seed for Northern Gardeners

Another Wisconsin seed and plant business is J. W. Seed Company out of Randolph. Jung just celebrated their 100^th anniversary a few years ago and they still offer great value for the price. They ship only in the United States but take plant orders by phone, fax, Internet and printed order forms mailed in, sending free seed packets with each order.

Their 100-page catalog is jam packed with plant material mostly sold in 2 ½ or 3 ½ inch pots, bare-rooted or as seeds. In their catalog there are designations for All-American Selections, All-American Rose Sections and Fleuroselect among others.

Also, in Randolph, is Roots & Rhizomes that focuses on only perennial plants, as they say, “for the Discriminating Gardener.” I have found their plants healthy and prices inexpensive.

Coleus Plants for Urban Gardeners

Although not a citified greenhouse, Baker’s Acres has an extensive selection of plants urban gardeners can grow. When I first moved to Ohio, I heard a lot about them from local gardeners. Baker’s Acres is one of those places garden clubs love to travel to in tour buses, they are located in Alexandria, Ohio.

For sheer entertainment value and local garden news, Baker’s Acres’ catalog has other’s beat hands down. It is a pocket size booklet of about 50 pages, including colored photos of favored plants and events of the previous year. It lists all the perennials, annuals, tropicals, vegetables and herbs they will offer in the next planting season.

Of course, their web site has these lists as well. The highlights at the greenhouse include the Midnight Extravaganza, Veggie Fest, the Parisian apartment bathroom and Concrete Jungle, their new place in Columbus.

Comic relief is Chris Baker who calls his favored Coleus, “Hawaiian shirts of the plant world.” Chris is a nationally known coleus plant breeder, at the greenhouse offering more than 180 varieties.

International Seedmen

Internationally is Thompson and Morgan Seedmen started by William Thompson and John Morgan in 1855. There was a time that only if you grew plants from seed did you order from T&M because that was all they sold to customers in the United States. Back then I perused the catalog as a sort of preview, plants having not made it to my neck-of-the-woods yet. But now that has all changed.

Today, they have catalogs and web sites for, Canada, United States and the United Kingdom and Europe. They still sell reliable plants and seeds mailed in foil-lined packets and I still like to see their catalogs for coming attractions.

So these are mine, what are yours? I hope to hear about your favorite garden greenhouses, plant nurseries or seed sellers. Feel free to leave your comments by clicking below.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

If this sounds like a directive, I apologize. But really, hasn’t this become a truism teetering on the brink of a cliché. Just how many ways can one say, now is the time to plant bulbs you want to bloom first thing in spring.

Of course, these days there are advantages to promoting bulbs; we may have put aside in recent years, which make Narcissus, Allium, Muscari and tulips a better choice than ever. Bulbs are cheap, multiply quickly and, except for tulips, are not eaten up or relocated by deer, rabbits and rodents the world over.

Alliums Mucari and Narcissus Easy to Grow

I admit that Alliums are my ultimate favorite, next daffodils and Muscari and tulips the least of these. Rarely do I suggest tulips for low budget gardens or inexperienced gardeners bedazzled by the pallet of color, more on this later.

Alliums have too much to offer to be ignored; height and foliage variety, favored by songbirds and pollinators and drought tolerant verging on inclusion in sustainable or rooftop gardens where water is at a premium. Although the mammoth Globmaster or Gladiator bulbs are usually sold in single bags, the smaller alliums often are bagged by the economic handful.

But for maximum color punch my money is on Muscari. I admit to loving the color blue but these days Muscari also can be found in white, pink and bicolors. These minute sized bulbs are easy to plant and mix well with other low growing spring plants. Muscari foliage also does not require you to answer the age-old question, what do I do with that foliage after the bloom fades? Just leave it, as it stays green adding a bit of character to gardens the entire growing season.

Narcissus, or what we commoners like to call daffodils, are loved for their hardy, reliable contribution to all gardens. While they don’t flower in blues or reds, there are all shades of yellow and coral colors sometimes called pink. Anyway there is a bunch to choose from. So why on earth do we bother with tulips? Because we can!

Tulip Bulb Planting Strategies

Tulips bloom in all the colors the other bulbs do not. And that does not count the flower shapes, fluffy or straight and doubles or singles. Unfortunately, tulips do not thrive for multiple years in some environments. They dislike soggy soil for one, which can be the life of some gardens as winter snows melt. For many gardeners, tulips are done for after 2 or 3 years.

So, if you must have tulips, use them in special ways where they will be especially noticed and appreciated. I would suggest saving ¾ of the bulb budget for the types that multiply reliably year after year.

One strategy for planting tulips is to dig a hole large enough for two bulbs, one bulb a tulip and one something else for example an Allium or Muscari. This is no guarantee but it may persuade foraging characters from absconding with the more costly favorite.

I think bulb planting in fall is a measure of a true gardener. It indicates your willingness to plant in all types of weather and your vision for the possibilities next spring. So remember, autumn is time for bulb planting. Get out there and make your garden proud, it is sure to return the favor.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Of course, do I really mean pure shade? As in woodland shade, that moist smelling garden where gnomes really live! No, not quite.

But even shade gardens do have spaces that will grow some edibles like vegetables that grow underground anyways; think mushrooms, or radishes. Some herbs prefer part shade, especially if you live where summers are real hot.

Small Garden Strageties

I would first consider, do I need a massive garden or is one flower box worth enough? An excellent book, I just read, is called Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square Inch Gardener’s Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting and Sprouting by R. J. Ruppenthal. A big title for a small book but it is worth a read even if you are like me and try real hard not to let things ferment in my refrig. Even if you have lots and lots of garden space, this garden book is worth checking out, especially if your “lots of garden” is mostly shade.

Gardeners like myself who have grown plants in small gardens, urban spaces or indoors learned all about finding that nook or cranny, finding just enough sunlight to successfully grow one pot. That’s real gardening! So if you want parsley, thyme, oregano, bay laurel or borage, consider indoors. Or sprouts, because these plants that will give you a harvest in as little as a few days, for salads or sandwiches.

Look for vegetable garden locations on the fringes of shady spots, just beyond the tree canopy. This strategy requires you to have patience and a lawn chair, and bring a good book too. As a gardener you already know the differences between full sun- 6 – 8 hours of direct sunlight, part sun or part shade, depending on your optimism- 4 – 5 hours of sunlight and shade gardens- 2 – 3 of dappled sunlight, if that. So, find that 4 – 6 hours of sun where you can turn a plot into a garden. And don’t forget to look up and away from the tree canopy. Balconies and rooftops make excellent gardens locations.

Vegetable Plants Growing in Shade

Garlic and shallots can be planted late in the season, when deciduous trees are dropping their leaves, then vegetables can be harvested in spring as the trees leaf out. But watch out for tree roots, trees are valuable plants too. I would be remiss in not suggesting containers for under tree canopies, just look for veggie seeds with a short number of growing days to harvest.

Check out the list of cool season vegetables for edible plants to grow in shady gardens. Leafy greens, some called Asian greens, and microgreens are good choices. Again, these make excellent flower box gardens on window ledges, indoors or outside.

Those vegetable plants touted as end-of-the-season ideas are worth your time too. Yeah, I know, they are usually called cool season vegetables but sometimes you just have to reword something to grab someone’s attention.

Flowers in a Veggie Garden

I hate leaving out flowers, even when we are talking veggies. We need to satisfy our eyes too, which is where the potager kitchen garden idea comes in. What can I say; I keep saying container gardening is the way to go. So remember Muscari and Narcissus can tolerate part shade gardens very well, and take up little space. Now is the time to plant fall bulbs with all those fall vegetable plant ideas.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

While Milwaukee may not be the exotic travel destination everyone dreams of, this Midwest City is well known for its many summer festivals. But for as long as I’ve lived and returned to Milwaukee County, it also has always valued plants, parks and gardens.

History of Milwaukee Flower Gardens

One of the oldest public gardens is Boerner Botanical Gardens in Hales Corners, just southwest of Milwaukee. In that flower garden the most often visited is the rose garden. My parents loved that garden because they loved roses. But in the 1950s and 1960s, I thought rolling down what seemed like mammoth hills at the time was my big adventure.

Another iconic public garden my parent dragged me to was the Mitchell Park Conservatory. Don’t get me wrong; today I encourage everyone to stop at The Domes for a visit. But I had gardeners for parents, every garden was special, not to be missed no matter where they were. Today, the three glasshouses and their holiday flower displays, especially Easter with masses of Lilies and Poinsettia plants at Christmas remain a traditional and very popular favorite.

Cemetery Gardens

I remember going to cemeteries with my parents. I don’t remember dressing up in Sunday clothes, perhaps bringing a bouquet of flowers along though. Instead my parents would load up the family car with trowels, watering cans and flats of plants, and off we went to visit loved ones long gone.

A cemetery garden was first developed as a Sunday family destination in the late 1800s, when cemeteries were part of neighborhood life. Forest Home Cemetery is one such place. Today, it is a historic location perfect for learning about trees and shrubs. The old growth tree canopy creates a cool summer garden location for peaceful reflection.

More Garden Inspiration

I find the most inspiration for my garden planning in the unlikeliest, sometimes cheapest places. If you are like me, checkout the boulevard gardens throughout Milwaukee County, you are sure to find ideas to replicate. They do vary in design, but all have some combination of trees, shrubs and flowering plants.

Healing Garden for Body Mind and Spirit

Both roof top gardens and horticultural therapy are two newer garden strategies. One place that brings this all together is St. Luke’s Medical Center with their new healing garden that opened June 1, this year. Whether as a patient of visitor, I strongly recommend spending a reflective moment in this wonderful garden.

If you are in the upper Midwest of the United States, consider making a stopover in Wisconsin’s largest city, Milwaukee. There is much to see, but don’t forget the gardens, no matter your age.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Many gardeners think of growing roses during June, at the height of roses in full bloom. But it is not too late to visit public rose gardens where you can see examples of the best rose plants to grow in your region of the country. After filling your journals with new ideas, check out my articles on tough roses to grow, how to care for rose bushes and mixing clematis vines in a rose garden.

Fragrant Rose Gardens

The memorial rose garden at Kingwood Center is free to the public to visit and that includes the parking. As I have said in a previous blog, the gardens are a fantastic gift Mansfield, Ohio, has to offer the entire community.

Boerner Botanical Gardens has been in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, since the middle of the 1900s. It is an easy drive, just south of Milwaukee through Whitnall Park. The rose garden is just one of many plant collections you will find there.

Growing Roses in Northern Gardens

If you are a cold climate rosarian, remember to read up on tips and tricks to protect roses in winter. Some shrub and rugosa roses are hardier able to survive freezing temperatures however; some require particular planting procedures to keep healthy.

Mixing Clematis and Roses

My favorite way to grow roses is to interplant them with clematis. Here are some ideas on how to grow clematis vines with rose bushes.

Of course, you will want some clematis plant ideas too. Short clematis vines work well with shorter growing roses. It is also possible to grow clematis in containers and place those containers in a rose bed.

Whatever roses you like, you are sure to find some ideas here suitable for your garden. There is still plenty of time to get new rose bushes in the ground. As always, rosarians should remember to stay gardening even though it is no longer June.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

I am taking a break from musing about gardens to offer my ideas on another of my favorite pastimes, reading books. In this case, appropriate for reading in the garden or in any chair accompanied by a relaxing view.

The authors of these books are all living in Wisconsin, writing what they are familiar with, places in the cold north lake country. I hope you pick one up at your favorite independent bookshop or at the local public library. Spend some happy summer fun reading in the garden you've worked so hard to grow.

Summer Read Cottage Story

By Sara Rath, is the quintessential summer upnorth book, Star Lake Saloon and Housekeeping Cottages. It is a little bit of mystery, some northern lake scenery and a dash of romance whipped up together.

American Fiction Books

Also by Sara Rath is Night Sisters. Still in Wisconsin but a totally different story about the spirits among us. Instead of telling ghost stories, read this book by the campfire light.

In Love with Jerzy Kosinski by Agate Nesaule is about rediscovery and finding the courage to take hold. Agate Nesaule is a University of Wisconsin professor and wrote the memoir A Woman in Amber: Healing the Trauma of War and Exile.

Romantic Story in Madison Wisconsin

The Typewriter Satyr by Dwight Allen is an unconventional romance that I thought did not have a happy ending. But it told a story worth reading that even though it was fiction, thoroughly imitated real life.

Humorous Book of Life in Manitowoc

Dave Crehore wrote Sweet and Sour Pie. It is funny, takes place in the 1950’s and reminisces about life in northern Wisconsin, back then.

Wisconsin Field Guide of Wildflowers

Not something fun to read in a chair by a lake, I am adding this to the list anyway. Traveling Wisconsin is where you are bound to use this field guide. You knew I could not finish writing without suggesting at least one book about plants, right? Well here it is, Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region.

I think it is an excellent resource for native plant gardeners, but really for any plant lover who wants to learn more about Wisconsin’s environment.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

The lending and research library at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio, opened to the public in 1953. Just as Mr. King directed in his will, access to the gardens, mansion, horticultural library and use of the parking lots are free for all visitors. Especially in these economic times, this is truly a valuable legacy and the jewel of Mansfield, Ohio.

Research and Lending Horticultural Library

While there on a recent visit, I had an opportunity to talk with Bill Collins, Education Coordinator at Kingwood Center. Although I had been to the gardens before, I had not gone into the library in historical Kingwood Hall before now.

The family’s original library, smaller living room, and Mr. King’s office has been transformed into a peaceful public horticultural library. Their catalogue of books is connected to the Mansfield-Richland County Public Library and contains more than 9,000 volumes of gardening and horticultural books, a rare book collection and periodicals.

Students studying botany at the local Ohio State University campus frequently use the library for research. A children’s gardening section and a book section on gems and minerals are also part of the collection.

The Kingwood Horticultural Library is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 pm.

Historical Kingwood Center in Mansfield

Mansfield is an easy drive less than 2 hours northeast from Columbus, Ohio. As you know, the hallmark of a good botanic garden is reliable plant labeling and seeing a variety of imaginative plant groupings. Kingwood Center has all of this inside and outdoors. The herb garden, under construction last year, is nearly complete, do not forget to see it while visiting.

In addition to the variety of garden and plant clubs who meet and have plant sales on the grounds, the Center has their own greenhouse. There plants are sold throughout the growing season. It is an excellent way to support Kingwood Center, I say.

Here is more information about Kingwood Center:

• Memorial Rose Garden

• Desert Conservatories includes information about Kingwood

• Kingwood Center’s Glass Domes and Outdoor Gardens

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Follow the rolling hills in southwestern Ohio to Hillsboro, it is there you will find hidden a small private garden. It was an adventure, to say the least. To find the garden go armed with maps and up-to-the-minute directions, remembering that cell phones do not always work.

But once there, the flowers are beautiful and depending on the time of the season you will see tulips, tree peonies, or daylilies. It is zone 6 at Rothwell Gardens so expect to see plants blooming earlier than northern gardeners are use to.

Tree Peonies at Rothwell

I went to see Don’s 18 tree peonies and while I was too late to see the mass of blooms, the remaining flowers were beautiful. He had Tree Peony ‘Seidei’ which is a peachy pink flower with paler pink edges. Also there is Tree Peony Kinshi 'Golden Bird’ that is a double Japanese plant. The golden yellow blooms are said to open May-June but it was already done flowering by my mid-May visit.

Garden Musings on Tree Peonies

For gardeners interested tree peonies, here is more information about these dramatically beautiful plants and other related peonies:

• Build a scented garden with Magnolia, Syringa and Peonies.
• Create a rock garden with Fern Leaved Peonies.
• Learn about Intersectional Peonies.
• And for something to read check out the Peony Rockii and Gansu Mudan book.

Rothwell Gardens is a fun place to visit. It is not wheelchair accessible but the curved in and out driveway allows visitors to stay in the car while still taking in the show.

Garden Events in Southern Ohio

Remember Lilyfest in southern Ohio and daylily gardens at Garden on Cedar Hill Road. For more Ohio gardens to visit check out my musings on Ohio public gardens and events.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

I first heard of Eric Mayer from his sister who described the gardens at the high school where he teaches as “his.” Of course, I was intrigued to know that horticulture was being taught at the high school level and wanted to learn more.

While at Ashland High School I got a tour from Eric, affectionately called mayer-san, and to do something all gardeners love to do, shop for plants. There I met Cody, one of the horticultural students, and his Mom.

Eric became a visiting instructor in 1990, at the Hi Kami Agricultural High School in Japan. While there he studied landscape design techniques of Zen temple gardens and Japanese tea gardens in Kyoto, Japan.

His enthusiasm was evident as we strolled through the gardens explaining the school’s gardens and passion for what his students accomplish.

Horticultural Curricula and Lesson Plans

A number of horticulture instruction examples can be seen in the Oriental gardens including construction techniques, landscape design and maintenance. The creative environment outside presents a number of teaching opportunities for many lesson plans including an abundance of photo and video opportunities, a laboratory for scientific study and the landscape designs offer angels and proportions to study math.

Instructor, parent and student repeatedly referred back to life skills, such as problem solving and cooperative teamwork being influenced by horticultural classes. As Eric stressed, "Steering students towards buy-in is what makes a successful project." He felt students have to have ownership and that is how he thinks teachers offer inspiration for life long learning.

Visiting the Oriental Gardens

While you visit the oriental gardens, I suggest you take note of projects the students learned.

In the flood control storm water retention landscape, there is a waterfall, all part of the Oriental water garden.

At the first water basin in the memorial area near the rake garden, remember that the water basin had to be reinstalled after an underground drain was forgotten.

Also near the rake garden, it is a testimony to perseverance because it took nine days for students to pound a depression into the stone. It holds the water in the basin.

Vandalism at the School’s Gardens

Another of life’s lessons has been the high cost in time and money that vandals have caused. The Shinto lantern cost $600 to remake after it was destroyed and the Yukimi lantern roof and bamboo panels needed repair after vandalism in the tea garden. For a time, the St. Francis of Assisi statue near the memorial garden was missing until someone found it sitting on a porch.

Vandalism has been a hard lesson to learn over the years. But horticultural instructor Mayer says, “If we quit, the vandals win.” And so, every year, instructors and students move forward.

Ashland High School Garden Center

The Oriental gardens have been built and maintained by students, volunteers from the community and with monetary funds and time, labor, equipment and materials donated.

One major fundraiser is the garden center's annual plant sale. The day I was there the parking lot was a mass of cars; some visitors took in the gardens while others went to purchase plants grown in the greenhouses by the horticultural students. The plants are high quality and inexpensive. This is an easy way to support a wonderful public garden that helps students.

I met Cody and his Mom at the tour, while Cody was working at the garden center sale. Cody was enthusiastic to explain his appreciation for the classes. Cody said that it was an actual place to learn hands on. Although only a fraction of students go on to college in horticulture, Cody intends to go into forestry at a technical college.

This is a wonderful public garden to visit, which allows the community to support the extensive years of work students have created.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

I’ve put together a guide to gardens I have written about in the past year. Some have indoor, as well as outside gardens, that make them convenient during too rainy or too hot weather. Some gardens have a past for those of you who find it worthwhile to explore, even on vacation. Still yet, some have plants to sell as well as garden beds to look at. Best of all remember to bring your journals, writing tools and cameras to take away plant notes and ideas for gardening at home.

Franklin Park Conservatory

Franklin Park Conservatory has gardens outside in addition to the glasshouses that put on displays all year. There is a gift shop that sells plants when the weather is warm.

FPC has demonstration gardens outside so you should look for ideas on how to create compost, make a raised bed or participate in community gardening. The sign of a good botanical garden is that they want to educate us visitors, for instance look for identifying markers that tells you the names of the plants.

Kingwood Center in Mansfield

Like FPC, Kingwood Center has a past. Kingwood Center was once a private residence owned by people who valued plants. Today, you will find indoor plant collections, a horticultural library and ponds outside set among the many gardens.

Kingwood Center is open free to the public. Check out their roses in June and July for ideas, especially if you live in a similar climate.

Garden on Cedar Hill Road

If you love daylilies, Garden on Cedar Hill Road is the place for you. It is a private residence so check ahead before going but I recommend planning to visit in July, during the plant sale. Sharon Fitzpatrick hybridizes unusual form and spider daylilies. A primer, on unusual form and spider daylilies, is helpful to read before seeing these very special Hemerocallis.

Lilyfest in Hocking Hills

Another event in southern Ohio in July is Lilyfest. This outdoor art and music festival is held in the popular Hocking Hills area. The winding roads lead to private land created especially to take in music, flower gardens and arts and crafts. In July each year, artists gather to sell what they have created. Admission and parking are free to everyone.

Governor’s Residence in Bexley, Ohio is another place you can see plants and gardens. A tour of the mansion is possible, too. Tours of any size must be scheduled in advance.

Day trips are easy adventures us gardeners can take even during the height of gardening season. Now is the time to make plans. Check out these ideas and choose a couple fun places to see this summer.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Microgreens is a relatively new edible plant gardeners have found worth growing. Google microgreens and what you get is a question asking, “Do you mean micro greens?” Then a page of cooking sites pops up. Aside from learning the best way to spell this newcomer, learning how to grow microgreens is even better.

Another salad plant to consider is mâche commonly called corn salad or field salad. Corn salad is a small annual plant grown in cool weather, especially in zone 6 and warmer. Whatever your zone or climate, there are leafy greens all gardeners can grow.

Veggie Gardening Strategies

Besides looking for new veggies to grow, my other vegetable gardening strategies include making use of every inch of garden space. Edging kitchen gardens and using the techniques of enabling gardening are two I am encouraging gardeners to consider. And, remember to plan for fall harvest by planting pumpkins.

If you are looking for ways to expand your gardens or if you have never gardened but want to start growing vegetables, look for unusual ways and places. The edges of any garden bed are good places to look for empty space.

For unusual ways, check out vertical garden techniques, gardeners who cannot bend or sit in a wheelchair use these techniques everyday. An excellent example of enabling garden is located at Chicago Botanic Garden. If you cannot get there, their web site is a wonderful resource.

Fall Harvest Planning in Spring

Now is the time to plan for vegetables traditionally harvested in fall, like pumpkins. In addition to large pumpkins, there are varieties we can grow in containers. Cooking pumpkins will be very popular with families who want to bake their own pies and breads. This article on pumpkins varieties to harvest for Halloween is sure to give you ideas.

Lastly, do not omit flowers just because vegetables are on your mind. Rudbeckia blooms in so many different colors now, they are hard to resist. Rudbeckia is “not your grandmother’s black-eyed susan any longer,” to paraphrase a well-known saw. Rudbeckia hirta, treated more successfully as an annual, comes in many colors so your biggest problem will be in deciding which to choose.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Here I have rounded up some articles about shade loving plants. Try these and look for many other ideas while perusing the garden centers this summer. Your sunny gardening cohorts will be envious, when they see your shade garden plantings.

Container Gardens in Shade

Houseplant sections are a good place to look for inspiration. Many container gardens on shady patios are in need of new ideas. Rex begonias have bold colorful leaves.

Unlike their flowering cousins, wax begonias have big flowers and like part shade. Some gardeners like to try them in full sun. I guard against recommending this, especially for new gardeners. Depending on the climate and time of day, too much sun will burn the leaves. Here are more flowering begonia ideas for outside and indoors, too.

Coleus plants, more than ever, are a favorite of indoor and outdoor gardeners. Check out this book for an abundance of ideas and how-to information. Many coleus are labeled as “sun coleus’ now, but I still recommend them for shaded gardens. Read labels to inform yourself on what you are buying. No label? I would ask your plant-seller or pass it by.

Annual Plants for Shade

Pansies and violas may be common for experienced gardeners but I still love them. Easy to grow for children and new gardeners, try them tucked in small corners or pots for more color and inexpensive fun in the garden.

Ornamental Grass for Part Shade

The Hakonechloa called ‘Aureola’ is one of the few ornamental grasses that tolerate part shade. It is versatile enough to grow near hostas or in containers.

Traditional Hosta for Shade

Hostas are tried and true shade plants. There are so types of hostas, I find it difficult being weary of them. Learning how to grow them is the best defense against planting them in the wrong garden spot.

Shady Wildflowers in Spring

The first places open this spring to look for shade plant ideas is your local wildflower park or nature preserve. You are sure to see Solomon’s seal. A shade plant that is able to brighten up a dark corner of a naturalized or landscaped garden.

A native wildflower that can be grown in shade is Trillium. Combine its white flowers with the light blue blooms of forget-me-nots and you have a winning wildflower combination.

Whatever your garden light, I am confident you will find plants that will brighten your time spent gardening.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

There is more to vegetables than the tried and true green, red and yellow. Although I like these the best, if you want to attract some attention to your vegetable garden planting unusual plants is one way. Odd looking vegetables or the plants they grow on will add some unexpected fun in your garden and may entice you to try a new vegetable on the dinner plate, too. Children especially like the funny and usual.

Unusual Vegetables to Grow

So, what do you think of a beet with swirling red and white rings inside? Beet ‘Chioggia Guards’ is sweet but with a peppery aftertaste. A purple colored cauliflower called ‘Graffiti’ or a small yellow-fruit watermelon called ‘Baby Doll’ put on the picnic table will add some conversation to the party.

Ornamental plants in a vegetable garden are useful, too. The ornamental eggplant with an unusual name ‘Pumpkin on a Stick’ has clusters of orange fruit hanging from the plant. You can use them in floral arrangements. Called Red China this eggplant is also used in Asian cooking.

Plan for fall-harvesting vegetables by considering ornamental corn ‘Oaxacan Green,’ a plant that gets 7 foot tall and has emerald green kernels. Check out pumpkin varieties and plan ahead by getting the seeds now.

Heirloom Vegetable Plants

Heirloom vegetable seeds are another category to find the unexpected. Tomatoes with very dark, almost black fruit, or the yellow or orange colored are some ideas for tomato lovers.

Well known or long time varieties are others you should consider growing. The lima bean Fordhook 242 is an All America Selections winner from 1945. I think it is still around for the simple reason, it is a very reliable seed with a short number of germination days and heat and drought tolerant. Lima beans are not the trendiest vegetable but they are healthy for family eating and a cool season crop that can be easily planted at the beginning and end of your growing season.

Growing in Containers and Raised Beds

Please do not discount the odd ways to grow plants. Experiment by planting containers or building a raised bed to expand your vegetable garden this year. Too many gardeners, who once had large plots of land, now replaced by a balcony or concrete patio, have given up gardening too.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Vegetable gardening is going to be a big deal in 2009. Already last year, plant sellers were seeing a rise in vegetable plants and seeds being purchased by gardeners. The financial problems around the world will make growing fruit and vegetables the primary way to garden.

I am thinking of ways to make the best use of my space to grow a few more edible plants. That can include herbs and flowers or plants that look pretty but can be eaten. Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights’ has been around for a while but still is popular for its colorful stalks. I saw it planted at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio. They combined it with Nicotiana, an inexpensive planting but dramatic and useful too.

Those who know me know I rant about container gardening often; I just cannot help it. If you have never grown vegetables because you do not want to give up the flower garden space or you don’t have an outside garden at all, now is the time to try container gardening. The number of cultivars available every year grows (pardon the pun.) There just is no excuse not to grow tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, or pick any vegetable you want.

Do not like vegetables? Then try blueberries in a container. There are many types now and some plants developed in Minnesota, are meant to over-winter even in cold climates.

Of course, you do not have to grow one type of plant. In a large container, grow a vegetable then add an herb, perhaps something you may use to cook the vegetable with, and a flower. The flower can be fragrant, edible or trail over the side of the pot.

Check out the trellis type stands which sit in a large pot, has a pole and, affixed at the top, another pot for more planting. Small cherry tomatoes or more herbs can be growing above, meanwhile saving the lower larger pot for plants that need more space. Vertical gardening is one way to extend gardens.

You will see ideas for growing fruit and vegetables on the increase this coming year. Frequently, visit my garden writing sites to find more ideas while planning your gardens. Growing vegetables saves money, improves your health with greater access to fresher food and gardening is an exercise that is a fun and interesting hobby too.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Here is a run down of plants I wrote about in 2008. Additional inspiration for next year’s garden:

Daylilies

My favorite plant because it is easy to grow, attracts butterflies, some have fragrance, and comes in a multitude of colors and sizes. At least one can be tucked in any garden.

Hostas

You may still consider hosta a shade plant. But today there are cultivars that push the envelope into slightly sunnier conditions. I am cautious when suggesting a shade plant to a gardener with obviously sunny space. Please try one to see what works before buying more and follow all the plant’s culture needs.

Iris

No matter where you live, any gardener can have one type of iris. The trick is in knowing which one. If you live in a damp environment and your garden is swampy, don’t grow bearded iris. But there are Japanese, crested or Siberian irises to check out.

Northern Gardens

It is no secret that I write primarily from the viewpoint of a northern gardener. It is where I gained most of my garden experience. For example, prickly pear is not found just in the south. Native cactus is a viable plant for cold regions of the United States.

We like to push the limits of gardening too, as with roses. My parents were two gardeners who devoted much of their urban garden space to hybrid tea roses, arguably the fussiest roses to grow.

There is a case to be made for native plants in a northern garden for dependability. Like northern people, cold hardy plants know what to expect when it gets below zero.

Sustainable Gardening

The new catchword in gardening will be sustainability. As global warming’s obvious affects are felt everywhere, conserving resources in your garden will begin with growing plants that use less water and fertilize.

Native plants and cultivars of native plants should be first on a gardener’s plant list. Then consider plants that were always labeled drought tolerant.

Drought Tolerant Plants

Of all categories, remember this phrase – drought tolerant plants. In the coming years this phrase will matter regardless where or how you garden. But plants that have duel purposes, drought tolerant plants that attract pollinators for example, are bonus plants giving you greater bang for your buck.

Pollinators

I wrote about butterflies, hummingbirds and dragonflies this year. Check out how to attract them to your garden.

And, although these are very important to the planet and local gardens, bees are in serious danger, too. Look for more plants that attract bees, meanwhile leave a little clover in your lawn for this life-sustaining creature.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

I took a trip to my nation’s capitol the early part of November. It was an opportune time; given a U.S. election had just finished. I was never in Washington D.C. before and was surprised to see so many green trees and flowers still blooming.

Washington D.C prides itself on the number of street trees they have, and there is a lot for an urban city. The Ginkgo biloba trees seemed popular. They make sense because they turn a pretty yellow color and when ready to drop the leaves, it is done quickly. Along the street many of them were under-planted with lilyturf and pansies or violas.

Liriope spicata, commonly called creeping lilyturf, is an evergreen grass-like, low growing, low maintenance plant that will have light violet colored flowers in August. At the Vietnam Memorial I saw it used in big swaths instead of lawn turf.

The Andrew Mellon walkway near the Federal Triangle is a beautiful place to stop after long walks. At night, a rest on one of the benches beneath the Linden trees strung with twinkle lights was a peaceful moment.

My favorite place was Lafayette Park, across from the White House. It is canopied with trees and fountains where ducks seemed welcome. It was near there I first heard a street musician singing a lullaby to a baby sleeping in the carriage and mom standing by.

Of course, monuments were everywhere, in remembrance of a person, place or passage of time. Also, everywhere homeless people could be seen making homes out of what others discarded. It was quite a study in contrast to see people making a “bed” out of a bench sleeping across from the “people’s house,” the White House.

I saw beautiful big begonia plants, of course mums planted around the White House. Gardeners visiting the Washington D.C. area should check out the United States Botanic Garden. No matter the weather the conservatory will be worth the time.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Here are holiday gift ideas for gardeners on your shopping list. Garden books are great holiday gifts for people who make plants and soil part of their everyday lives. On my list, I have free or low cost, sometimes used gifts. I highly recommend giving these ideas a second thought.

New Garden Books

My favorite all time new garden book is Planthropology: The Myths, Mysteries and Miracles of My Garden Favorites by Ken Druse. This is truly a plant book any gardener, new or seasoned, will appreciate. It has many big photographs and an excellent index to navigate your way around the book. Putting it down after reading it for the millionth time was my challenge.

Another plant book is Seed to Elegance: Kentia Palms of Norfolk Island South Pacific by Kevin Williams. This book is about the history of one plant and how it became a popular houseplant. Indoor gardeners will love this small soft-covered book. Purchasing a palm to go with this book will make a thoughtful holiday garden gift.

One of my first plants was a coleus. Today, I would recommend coleus for any new gardener. Of course, once we are hooked, gardeners are immersed into the plant collector’s world. That makes Coleus: Rainbow Foliage for Containers and Gardens by Ray Rogers a good choice for any gardener.

I think many excellent garden books are found in used bookstores. Unless the information is outdated or never was any good, used books are as valuable to me as any with a shiny new cover. So please, consider these ideas.

Container Gardeners

In gardening, my heart still belongs to the urban gardener who carves out a place to grow plants. As an advocate for container gardening, I encourage someone looking for a book for a new gardener to consider one by Rebecca Cole.

My favorite garden author is Rebecca Cole because I love her philosophy about small space gardening. First out in 1997, Potted Gardens helped confirm that I was not the only one on the planet who saw possibilities for gardeners in the city. Finding this book may take a while, but it is worth the search.

Cozy Mysteries for Gardeners

There are many mystery sleuths in the book world. One of my favorite authors has been Ann Ripley. Besides an interesting amateur detective/TV garden show host character, the author includes real life garden information in the back of each book. They are fun to read and a low cost choice since most come in paperback. I have found Ann Ripley books on Amazon.com or at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

Amaryllis Plants

Amaryllis is a great alternative to the poinsettia for holiday plants. Amaryllis are easy to grow and can be regrown outside in summer.

Free Garden Publication

An interesting garden gift idea came to me when I saw an offer for a free 54-page publication called “Citizens Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety.” By the Environmental Protection Agency, online, it includes sections on integrated pest management strategies and using beneficial insects. Use a color printer to get the multicolored graphics, hole punch the papers and insert into a plastic binder. Presto, a holiday gift for new gardeners. Not for organic gardeners, but useful for families with children that are first time homeowners.

Garden Tools

The best garden tool I saw this year is the bulb planter designed and sold by White Flower Farm. It is red, 40 inches high (no bending required) and made with a heavy-duty stainless steal blade. Pricey at $84.95 but for a gardener who loves bulbs in their garden, this is well worth considering for holiday giving.

For gardeners who are seed-savers, check out herb and spice stores for small airtight containers to keep seeds clean and dry. My dad would save glass baby food jars, attach the lids to the bottom of a shelf. Another idea is to find a second hand kitchen cabinet. On the day of the gift exchange, offer to hang it in a cool dark location. This is an excellent garden gift for someone who loves to collect seeds, pods or dried plant material for crafts.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

No, there is no buried treasure in my garden but we are all in the same boat with the rest of the world. We need to save money. So creating gardens now days calls for some gardening techniques that saves all our resources. We have heard the words sustainable gardens, native plants, wildflower or prairie plantings and, now, rain or xeriscape gardening

Essentially, rain and xeriscape gardening are 21^st century terms. Not that they were not around before, but they are far more mainstream these days. Now you are not apt to get labeled a “tree hugger” by using them. I never minded being thought of as a tree lover, but sometimes it put other gardeners off, you know, being cubby-holed with granola munchers.

Rain and xeriscape terms are related to conserving water, as in desert gardens of the southwest growing drought tolerant plants or preserving ground water quality by growing native plants in a rain garden. I think sustainable gardening is a broader term directed at conserving resources, requiring less intensive maintenance by us and attracting wildlife. I am seeing sustainable gardens everywhere planted with some forms of natives, because conserving is everyone’s issue.

Using native plants is not only for wildflower gardens or prairies. Try using some natives in manicured garden beds or containers. You can do this by planting the cultivars of the native plant, developed especially for small garden spaces. In parts of Wisconsin and Ohio, the prickly pear cactus has species considered a native plant able to withstand cold regions, is drought tolerant and attracts pollinating bees, a great starting point when developing a sustainable garden in the north.

So, use whatever term you want. Now is the time to plan a garden that uses regional plants equipped to readily conserve water and fertilizers, require less up keep and attract wildlife that will pollinate and thrive, this is the meaning of a cost saving garden.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

It’s the end of another gardening season by all outward appearances. The tomato plants are picked over and haggard looking and potted plants are tumbling over their rims. But I know, and most self-respecting gardeners know, that September out in the garden can be one of the busiest months of the year.

We need one last push of instant gratification, gardener’s style, to get us through the cold winter months. I search through local garden centers for asters, mums and ornamental cabbage. For me, the perfect companions to my orange and yellow marigolds hanging on in the garden bed are the purples. As traditional as they might be, fall colors mean orange and purple to me.

Another traditional garden plant is the pansy or viola. For northern gardeners, the pansies that tolerate freezing temperatures and able to come back in spring is a big attraction. Now is the time to plant them for one last look at color and anticipate their blooms in spring.

If you haven’t already done it, remember to bring in geraniums and coleus you wish to save over winter. These plants can be kept for next year, at the same time dressing up your indoor garden.

Outside another garden project is planting those bearded iris and peonies you want to see in your garden next spring. Remember to mark the location of new perennials, after you have planted them.

It isn't too late for bulb planting. Those tulips like to be planted as late in the season as possible and avoid an Indian Summer pop.

September is a great month for gardening. It is possible to still see so much blooming in the garden while making plans for gardens to come. Then get out and see autumn's other treasures like last visits to your favorite garden center and pumpkin hunting. Who knows what ideas you will come away with for next year's gardens.

Posted by Christine Eirschele

Gardening is most associated with sunshine and summertime. But gardeners are individuals and we are as varied as the plants we grow. For me, the hot hazy humid Midwest days of late summer are my least favorite times to be rummaging in my outside garden.

It is for days like these, I save time to be indoors writing in my garden journal. Up to now, during my daily morning garden strolls with my dachshund, I like making mental notes of what I see. The flowers that bloomed well, plants that should be moved and potted plants in my container garden looking tired out, growing too big, perhaps some too perfect. Is there such a thing?

I like to track the weather; too much rain early on, dry crunchy grass now and special events like the bee sting I received last week. The first time in my life, I might add. During the dead of winter these garden notes will help me plan next year’s gardens.

Seasons and gardens are always evolving but exactly what occurred and some musings about why are worth remembering. Soon fall will be upon us and autumn gardens can be refreshed with splashes of purples and oranges or make room indoors for over wintering plants and dig in some bulbs for the beginning of spring.

Meanwhile, I hope my garden musings will offer new and interesting ideas and inspiration. Soon the leaves turn as colorful as a garden full of flowers, I will be outside gardening with a comfy flannel shirt on refreshed by fall breezes, one of my favorite times of the year.