Christine Eirschele's Blog

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.