Diamonds are Forever BUT Dahlias are a Girl's Best Friend

Just the other day I felt like a real "old school" gardener, actually flipping through bulb catalogs deciding on Dahlias for spring planting AND I wasn't online. A couple of favorite purveyors immediately come to mind: Dutch Gardens for top-quality varieties that have stood the test of time, along with Swan Island and Connells who cater to collectors and connoisseurs.

Dahlias are so popular these days. It's no wonder, they are easy to grow and bloom their fool heads off summer and fall. I have some faves. In the dinner plate “size does matter” category, 'Kelvin Floodlight' shines like a beacon. Ginormous lemon yellow blossoms dare you to pull out the measuring tape and the plants do not stop. Talk about flower power, I've included some pictures from the show garden archives.

Kelvin Floodlight Dahlia

Dare to pull out the measuring tape?



 

There is another group worthy of mention and that is the 'Karma' series. A vast arrray of colors can be had from this line that was bred for the cut flower industry. They literally produce perfect cutting stems. Need I say more? OK the variety shown is 'Karma Choc'.  Are you thinking Candyland ?

Karma Choc Dahlia



 





Long Live the King!

I write this on the 12th day of Christmas (for those more familiar with the song than the history, the Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Christmastide, are the festive days that begin with Christmas Day.) and yet it seems the holidays are long over. Odd? We are reminded of the season by some woodies still persisting with fruit. Certainly crabapples and winterberries (Ilex) come to mind but a recent installation of a green hawthorn down at the Golf Pro Shop atop Mountain Rest Road are cause for a second glance because of the startling red clusters of pome-like drupes. That last description sends botanists to the reference books!

Botanically this green hawthorn is Crataegus viridis 'Winter King', which is a charming selection of a native species. The elegant vase shape and larger fruit make this a "must have". We are so smitten with the tree that plans for our new Gatehouse landscape already include them.

In the northeast, the end of the holidays can be the beginning of our winter storm season. In a gardener's way, we welcome the fresh covering of snow, but not just for romantic snowshoe hikes or invigorating cross-country ski outings. There is nothing like a warm winter blanket for these chilly January nights, and the same applies to all those hardy perennials and biennials taking their long winters' nap. Snow cover is crucial for keeping the soil as temperate as possible and it protects the tender, sensitive leaves of popular biennials like foxgloves and Canterbury bells.

Well, Happy New Year to y'all. I'll be back on schedule with regular correspondence now that we are done decking the halls and dropping the balloons.



A Christmas Poem for Gardeners

T'was the weekend before Christmas, and all through the yard,
Not a gift was being given, not even a card.
The tools were all hung, in the garage with care,
With hopes that St. Nicholas soon would repair.
The shovel with blade all rusty and cracked,
The pitchfork still shiny, but handle it lacked.
When out on my lawn, (it's brown and abused)
I could see poor old Santa, looking confused.
No list had been left for Santa to see,
No gardening gifts were under the tree.
But wait there's still time, it's not Christmas yet,
And gardening gifts are the quickest to get.
You can forget the silk tie, the fluffy new sweater,
Give something to make the garden grow better.
If she wants a gift shiny, then don't be a fool,
It's not a dumb diamond, but a sparkling new tool.
If fragrance is listed you can forget French perfume,
t's a pile of manure that'll make gardeners swoon.
Give night crawlers, not nightgowns, a hose that sprays water.
(Anything for the kitchen is not worth the bother.)
Give a great gift that can dig in the dirt,
It's better than any designer-brand shirt.
Now look quick at Santa, this guy's not so dumb,
Under his glove, he hides a green thumb.
His knees are so dirty, his back how it aches,
His boots stomp on slugs, (he gives them no breaks).
The guy works only winter, you can surely see why,
For the rest of the year it's as easy as pie.
He has elves plant through spring, pull weeds in the summer,
In fall they all harvest, but winter's a bummer
And so Christmas gives Santa a part-time employment,
'Till spring when the blooms are his real enjoyment.
So ask the big guy for garden gifts this year,
Seeds, plants and tools, Santa holds them all dear.
You see, malls may be crowded, vendors hawking their wares,
But visit a nursery, stress-free shopping is there.
Now Santa's flown off, to the nursery he goes,
And his voice fills the night with loud Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!

Many thanks to old rose guru (that's old roses not old guru) Leon Ginenthal of Ithaca for the Chrismas Poem! He's our "go to" guy in the rose world.

Did You Miss Me?

I lost last week.......don't know where it went.......maybe I was in the throws of Holiday decorating? You should see the Mohonk Mountain House, the trees are fresh and nicely decorated. We always try to be tasteful and slightly understated (with just a hint of glitter) :-)


Between the trees, roping, garland, poinsettias and kissing balls we sneak out and finish up the winter preparation. Fences go up to protect from wildlife and cross country skiers, a very light mulch of beech or oak leaves to shelter all those late transplants and under our breath we pray for snow cover. Not only is it good for business, it's nature's blanket which insulates plants from winter cold.


Indoors, we have one eye on Christmas and the other on SPRING. You should too. Go over all those plans and orders and make last minute changes. We seem to have plenty of last minute changes (in January). And then the Thompson and Morgan catalog comes and .................time to order more seeds!


I think next week I'll bore you with my ode to the punished Poinsettias.........


Gartenmeister

Winter Interest

I actually took a Sunday drive this week and was reminded of what a calm, peaceful time of year it is. This is really our season of winter interest. No snow yet, bare naked trees, grass heads blowin' in the breeze. We gardeners live for this! I read an interesting article in the New York Times from November 4th on the ins and outs of putting your garden to bed. You should read it! 

Boy, we are not done yet.............I'd like to throw some more mulch down on those plants I just transplanted last week. When is Thanksgiving? THURSDAY?  Well it will have to wait. It is a reminder to pot up Paperwhite Narcissus for Christmas bloom. I like shallow glazed bowls and natural pebbles. "Easy as Pie" (like that's easy).

Let me see if I can find some shots of winter interest...................

There, Fern on Moss    Laurel Ledge Road

Fern on Moss

                

Holly in the Holly     Mohonk red border

Holly in the Holly

               Winter Koi Spa      Mohonk Lake porch

Winter Koi Spa

OK ......GTG .......TTYL.............LYMI

Gartenmeister

You can't hide from the calendar

This week's title comes from a good piece of advice I got from a very wise person (I forgot who). Anywho, this is that time of year! I just wish I had 3 more weeks of this Indian Summer before Thanksgiving and Christmas, and all that jazz. But, alas we are down to the wire. I hope you got all your bulbs in (outdoors). You can't just throw them in the fridge and plant them in spring. We (who are hiding from the calendar) are still potting tulips in the "g" house for forcing inside. After potting they winter in the basement (which is wet) and we bring them up into the warmth after an extensive rooting period (12=16 weeks).

I am guilty of trying to fend off the holidays by getting as much done outside as possible. It seems there is no spring any more, at least no time for big garden projects. So I've been busy getting a new Delphinium border together this fall. You'll get to behold the rewards in June.

Geeze, I better get back out there while the temperatures remain above freezing............I'm leaving with one picture from the archives.... caption Where's Waldo?

Gartenmeister

Google This.......

Oh we are connected at the hip to our computers these days, aren't we?  So as I listen to Simply Red "Fairground" on Youtube, I want to share some websites with y'all...........

Who has time to read gardening magazines? Not me ......so when a friend hands me one, I feel guilty and peruse at my own risk.  Voila, a great article about a well respected friend in the latest Garden Design.  Amy Goldman is a Dutchess County resident when she is not traveling the planet on her crusade to reintroduce heirloom vegetables to the human populus.  Her "back 40" is a living museum and you will never meet a more elegant or eloquent person.

Find her in cyberspace at http://www.rareforms.com/

Bulb planting season is winding down. Sometimes it feels like a necessary evil, and then you realize it is the easiest way to get a huge bang for your buck with relatively little effort.  Bulbs are clean, light and easy on the pocketbook.  So what was I groaning about?  ............Still time for tulips and lilies, and (trust me on this one) the bulb connection is Scheepers in Bantam, Conn.    http://www.johnscheepers.com/

So while you're driving on the internet highway, Google this.............Planting Fields Arboretum, Chanticleer, Chicago Botanical Garden, House of Flowers, and Piping Rock Orchids.................there that will keep you busy  :-)

Gartenmeister

This is it

Yes, I guess the growing season is over: 4 days with lows in the 20s and highs in the 40s is a reality check to get all those garden chores done.  So, we are doing just that!  The last of the bulbs get planted (lilies in the cutting garden), moving delphiniums to the Long Arbor (taking a risk, but I will mulch around the crowns), and cleaning out all the excess debris in the beds. That should keep us busy until Thanksgiving (which is only weeks away).

Malus 'Donald Wyman'

Malus 'Donald Wyman'

Korean Mums

There is still some color...........Malus 'Donald Wyman' looks more like a cherry than an apple and those Korean mums are still going strong! 

Gartenmeister 

Field Trip

Roses at Swarthmore College (complete with raindrops)

.....just a wonderful conference last week at Swarthmore. Perfectly run and the highlight was the final speaker Piet Oudolf. A genius in the landscape design field.  Checkout his website

Roses at Swarthmore College

Roses at Swarthmore College

Roses at Swarthmore College

....another field trip, this time Brooklyn Botanic Garden. We were hosted by long-time friend, Betty Scholtz. I was particularly impressed with the Bonsai (pronounced bone sigh). You should see it.

Bonsai forest of Trident Maple BBG

Cloud pruned conifers at the Japanese Garden BBG

Look at the "hips"on this Rosa 'Windrush'

We are at it again, planting spring bulbs for candyland, Chocolate and Peppermint Tulips, Penny Candy Hyacinths, and more! Stay tuned!

Scenes from Mohonk Show Garden bulb planting shenanigans

Scenes from Mohonk Show Garden bulb planting shenanigans

Scenes from Mohonk Show Garden bulb planting shenanigans

Gartenmeister

Columbus Day has gone and went

Being outside is time well spent...................Oh no, not more poetry!

Yes, more poetry...

Feast yours eyes on the Lion Mint

The orange heads are odd

This fall it has another stint

Intriguing and and quite mod

The shaggy and everpopular Leonotis leonurus

Our mums start as others wain

The first of them unfold

They're as Asian as the crane

And lovely, truth be told

The very first of the Korean Mums

The chilly nights are just a warning

It is time to move inside

On each and every frosty morning 

Another plant must abide

Andrew and Tom have at the Lantana standards

There you have it....off to Swarthmore for the perennial conference.  I'll report next week.

Gartenmeister