The Gateway Gardener November-December 2015

Gateway Gardener

November / December 2015

THE

速

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

Holiday Wreaths

From Invasive Vines Natural and Unique Holiday Decorations Gardenland Express Steams Through the Conifers Holiday Gift Guide

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December 5th & 6th

Christmas All Shiny and Bright!

Let us help you celebrate the season.

Gifts Trees Wreaths Lights Bows and a whole lot more!

Holiday Open House November 29th 9am-5pm Snacks Served All Day. Unadvertised Specials!

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Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

November / December 2015 Volume 11, Number 9

Founded in 2005 by

Robert Weaver & Joyce Bruno

Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists

Barbara Perry Lawton Garden Book Author and Garden Writer Connie Alwood Master Gardener Diane Brueckman Rosarian Joyce Driemeyer Master Gardener Mara Higdon Gateway Greening Michael McVey Irrigation and Lighting Professional Steffie Littlefield Nursery Professional Abby Elliott

Nursery Professional

Jennifer Schamber Nursery Professional

Scott Woodbury

Native Plant Specialist

Printing: Breese Publishing, Breese, IL The Gateway Gardener® is published monthly by Double Dig Communications, Inc. to promote enjoyable, successful gardening and livable landscapes in the St. Louis greater metropolitan area. The magazine is distributed free to the public at designated garden centers, nurseries, garden gift shops, lawn equipment rental, repair and sales establishments, and other locations supporting sound gardening, lawn and landscaping practices.

Please send letters-to-the-editor, questions, event announcements, editorial suggestions and contributions, photos, advertising inquiries and materials, and any other correspondence to: The Gateway Gardener Magazine® PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122 Phone: (314) 968-3740

info@gatewaygardener.com www.gatewaygardener.com The Gateway Gardener® is printed on recycled newsprint using environmentally friendly soy-based ink, and is a member of the PurePower® renewable energy resources network.

L

From the Editor

ast winter, in my mission to step up a rung in the St. Louis Audubon Society’s Bring Conservation Home certification program, I set about eradicating invasive vines like wintercreeper and English ivy from my garden beds. Had I the foresight then, I now realize I could have set up a cottage industry making the frameworks for holiday wreaths.

As it turns out, while grapevines are a popular rustic foundation for decorative wreaths, other vines often more commonly available to the average homeowner can serve as well. To illustrate Steffie Littlefield’s step-by-step instructions on how to make a vine wreath (pg. 12) I procured some wintercreeper vine from a friend’s woodland, and with the talents of my floral-designing sister-in-law Mary Bruno, transformed it into our cover wreath, adorned with natural elements like berries, seed heads and evergreens commonly found in our winter gardens. What a great way to inspire the removal of this or other invasive vines from our landscape! And, as a companion piece, we introduce you to an industry friend Dale Dufer, who makes beautiful furniture from the equally dastardly bush honeysuckle (pg. 13).

Continuing in the “Fall is for Decorating” theme, Steffie also provided us with some hints and

Small Business Saturday (Nov. 28th) at your favorite garden center holiday shop?

ideas on how to transform our summer and fall containers into winter-themed décor (pg. 6). If you enjoy reflecting your love of the outdoors and gardening through your holiday decorations, there’s no better place (other than perhaps your own garden) for finding just the right decorative elements than your favorite independent garden center’s winter wonderland shop. While some of our garden center friends end their seasons after Thanksgiving, many transform their stores into truly magical holiday shops. Be sure to check out the ads and Upcoming Events section in this issue for the schedule of Open Houses and Santa sightings. These shops are also a great place to remember your gardening friends and family members with the perfect gardening gift. Some creative ideas can be found in our annual Holiday Gift Guide (pg. 8). Why not start off your holiday season by celebrating

On the Cover...

We took the instructions on page 12 for making a grapevine wreath, and used them to make good use of some invasive wintercreeper vine. Other vines you may find in your garden include the good (Virginia creeper) and the bad (English ivy and Japanese Honeysuckle). Play around with what you find and use evergreens, seedheads and berries from your garden to finish your unique holiday decoration. (Photo by Robert Weaver)

One event that has become apart of many family traditions is an annual pilgrimage to the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Gardenland Express toy train exhibit (pg. 5).

Trains and Christmas seem to go together, and each year the Garden staff make like Santa’s elves, transforming the Orthwein Floral Display Hall into a magical miniature landscape for the trains and their tiny enthusiasts to explore.

As we wind down our 10th anniversary year, I’m happy to have the opportunity of this holiday season to thank our readers, advertisers and contributors once again for your support and interest in The Gateway Gardener. It’s been a personal blessing of mine to share it with you. Happy Holidays to you all and best wishes for a safe, healthy and bountiful New Year!

Good Gardening!

IN THIS ISSUE 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12

True Lilies Gardenland Express Natural Holiday Decorations Know the Pros Holiday Gift Guide Native Garden is a Green Smoothie Missouri Green Industry Conference Turn Invasive Plants into Something Beautiful 14 Upcoming Events

True Lilies

by Barbara Perry Lawton

W

hy don’t more people grow true lilies? We’re all familiar with Easter lilies but too often unaware of the great variety of the wide range of gorgeous true lilies that will grow successfully in your garden, in containers and even as indoor plants.

best to use just a single variety in group plantings. And, please, don’t plant your lily bulbs in a long row like a bunch of soldiers. Neither they nor the spring-blooming bulbs will make beautiful displays when treated regimentally.

Lilies are perennial and range in height from two to six feet. They flower in late spring to summer.

The large and often fragrant flowers come in a wide range of colors from white, yellow, orange, pink, red and purple. The flowers also may have bold markings. They may be funnel or trumpet shaped, or may be shaped like Turks’ caps. Flowers are borne in umbels or racemes at the ends of the sturdy stems.

While most of the lilies are reliably sturdy, taller varieties and those with heavy flower heads may need staking. The plants grow from bulbs, usually planted in the dormant season. The single sturdy stems with their multiple pairs of smallish leaves bear the blooms.

Although you may be tempted to cut back lily stalks after the blooms have gone by—don’t! The greenleafed stems are the food engines for next year’s flowers.

True lilies are used in a number of ways in garden design. They can be magnificent additions to herbaceous borders. They also make attractive statements as patio plants and also when added to shrub borders. While a single lily bulb makes a good show, lilies are most effective when planted in close groups of three, five or seven. It is

Ideally, plant the bulbs on a south-facing slight slope in full sun to partial shade. Soil should be loose, loamy, and well-draining with a pH of about 6.5. Mulch and compost are good sources of slow-release organic nutrients. In general, lilies are easier to grow than many of our other garden perennials. Be sure to keep the soil moist. Since lily bulbs

de r gar u o y Keep

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

Gardenland Express steams through “conifers of the World”

W

elcome in the holiday season at the Missouri Botanical Garden with a stroll through an indoor wonderland of amazing sights and sounds! The annual Gardenland Express: “Conifers of the World” holiday flower and train show promises to delight visitors of all ages with six tracks of animated model trains and hundreds of festive holiday plants. Experience this seasonal favorite on display from Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Extended evening hours will be offered to those purchasing a Garden Glow ticket from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Exhibit closed Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Dec. 31. Please note: the exhibit will be closed daily from 4 to 5 p.m.

This year’s annual Gardenland Express holiday flower and train show celebrates some of the most well-known plants of the season: conifers.

During the 1800s, decorating a coniferous tree for Christmas became popular in Germany and spread into Europe, eventually coming to America. Stroll through a nostalgic setting inspired by the holiday customs of Germany, including the beloved ‘Christmas tree’ tradition.

Enjoy the holiday spirit as you listen to festive music and wander a temporary landscape in the 5,000-square-foot Orthwein Floral Display Hall, designed to mimic the German ‘Christkindlemarket,’ where vendors traditionally gather to sell holiday food, gifts, and decorations from open-air stalls. A large, lit tree is decorated for the season, and snowflakes suspended throughout the space complete the wintery German theme. You will be delighted to follow the Garden’s LGB G-scale model trains on a trip through a variety of tiny landscapes including traditional winter activities such as skiing or ice-skating. The Garden’s

are never truly dormant, be sure that they go into cold freezing weather with moist soil.

Plant the bulbs at a depth that is about 2.5 times the height of the bulb. Plant the bulbs as soon as you can after receiving them—they should be out of the ground for as short a time as possible. Buy high quality bulbs from reliable source—there are few bargains in true lily bulbs.

Native true lilies are found throughout much of Asia, much of Europe and most of North America.

Garden forms are mostly hybrids that derive from East Asia and between species. The so-called Martagon hybrids, Euro-Caucasian hybrids, American hybrids and Longiflorum hybrids are

private train collection speeds around the snowy mountainous display of small building models on elevated tracks.

Visitors to Gardenland Express can discover the environments in which conifers grow and see their unique adaptations to those environments. Be inspired to help preserve the biological diversity present in this division of plants, and find out more about the Garden’s research and conservation work with conifers. In Piper Lobby, you’ll even get a rare opportunity to see samples of different conifers within the Garden’s herbarium collection.

Missouri Botanical Garden’s Gardenland Express is presented by Wells Fargo Advisors. Additional sponsorship by CBIZ and Mayer Hoffman McCann, P.C. Daytime admission is $4 for adults ages 13 and older in addition to regular Garden admission of $8 adults; $4 St. Louis City/County residents; free for children ages 12 and under; free for Garden members. Nighttime admission is $4 for ages 13 and older and free for Garden members only with purchase of Garden Glow ticket. For more information, visit www.mobot.org/gardenlandexpress.

classes of garden lilies. Confusing, to be sure.

As always, carefully read and follow the specific directions that growers attach to their products.

To learn more about these beautiful ornamentals, contact the North American Lily Society (www. lilies.org)--by the way, if you don’t use a computer, the people at the public libraries can make the contacts for you). Join NALS for one year for $20.

That’s a bargain because membership includes four quarterly bulletins in color and a yearbook covering culture, species and propagation, as well as information about lily shows and other helpful events.

Barbara Perry Lawton is a writer, author, speaker and photographer.

She has served as manager of publications for Missouri Botanical Garden and as weekly garden columnist for the PostDispatch. The author of a number of gardening and natural history books, and contributor to many periodicals, she has earned regional and national honors for her writing and photography. Barbara is also a Master Gardener and volunteers at MBG.

stand up and garden

At the close of another year, we gratefully pause to wish you blessings galore!

Give the Gift of Gardening!

314.255.1845 • 618.334.2504

www.guttergardens.com NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

The Gateway Gardener®

5

Natural and Unique Holiday Decorations

by Stephanie Littlefield

H

oliday Decorating can be an opportunity to use fresh materials and give the outside and inside of your home a new look for the winter.

Looking back to the traditional Williamsburg and Old World style of using natural cut greens, branches, berries, pods and cones reminds us that our own gardens can provide a bounty of materials with which we can create unique decorations. These holiday arrangements can also be made more elegant with fabulous fresh material imported from the far Northwest and new fun accessories found at your local garden center. It’s fun to gather stems and branches on a nice day in fall and winter, so let’s be creative this holiday season and spruce up the outside of the house and use our imaginations to produce exciting winter displays.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, many retail nurseries stock up on lovely fresh-cut greenery, colorful twigs and berry stems you can use in your front porch containers, window boxes, and empty hanging baskets. Don’t stop with A Million Garden Tools the obvious; try making a swag in One! for over your front door, around (Okay, maybe not a million, but certainly tons. Our favorite #1 tool!) a lamppost, or even fill an antique bucket by the backdoor. Just clear out those old summer plants and refill your container with fresh potting mix. Keep the potting mix damp to keep your cut greens fresh. It is wise to spray an anti-

desiccant, such as ‘Wilt-Pruf’ on the live material to keep it from drying out too fast and to help preserve the color. You can use wire and bamboo stakes to make picks out of pods and cones from the garden. Cut some tall branches for the center and then don’t be shy, stuff the container with boughs of pine, cedar and fir evergreen boughs with cut boxwood bunches and colorful dogwood stems and holly berry sprays to give the arrangement a full, opulent look. Mix the textures and colors of your evergreens and use extra long curly willow stems, white birch logs and oversized cones to add elegance, height and weight to the arrangement.

To make your displays reflect your taste and style, select whimsical ornaments or traditional finials in silver gold or bronze. Find a feathered owl, bird in a nest or even a gnome to give your display character.

Colorful oversized Christmas ornaments can be added to the container with the greens, add acrylic snowflakes and icicles that look much colder than they are. Glitter covered cones and sprays of twinkle lights in your window box will brighten your display at night. The good news is that these designer elements will last much longer than the apples and pears of the old della robbia displays from my grandmothers’ days. So don’t hide your pots and window boxes in the garage this winter. Fill them to overflowing with nature’s finest greenery, berries and cones. Then have fun finding unique ornaments to make your winter wonderland come alive for the holidays.

The Incredible Soil Knife Plant bulbs & flowers Divide Perennials Dig out weeds Saw through roots Prepare furrows for seeding Chop greens off root veggies And so much more!

Lifetime Guarantee

Steffie Littlefield is a horticulturist and garden designer at Garden Heights Nursery. She has degrees from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Southeast Missouri State and is a member of Gateway Professional Horticulturist Association and past president of the Horticulture Co-op of Metropolitan St. Louis.

For exceptional and rare plants, plus all the best in gardening

1011 N. Woodlawn Kirkwood, MO 63122 314-965-3070 www.SugarCreekGardens.com

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The Gateway Gardener®

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

Know The Pros!

Green-Industry Experts You Should Meet!

Each month, we are introducing readers to one of our area’s green-industry professional individuals or businesses. In this issue, we invite you to get to know...

11530 Gravois St. Louis, MO 63126 314-843-4700 sappingtongardenshop.com and @sappgdns General Mgr.: Annie Stanley

A Little History…

Sappington Garden Shop opened its doors in 1969. It has been referred to as the 10th child of Norwin and Shirley Heimos. SGS quickly became the place for all your gardening needs in South County. They have always maintained a knowledgeable staff to assist the gardening enthusiast. In 1978 SGS expanded to include nursey stock from a variety of local and regional growers. Sappington Garden Shop has been a family run business for the past 46 years, and now spans three generations!

You’ve Got To See….

…the building, it is like no other.

It is built of petrified wood from the National Forest in Arizona.

The inside is unique as well. You’ll find an extensive gift shop that hosts a variety of gift items for the gardener at heart. The spring and summer green goods department supports many local growers of trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, edibles and ornamentals to insure stock is always fresh and healthy.

During the Christmas season they A close up of the petrified have a blizzard of beautiful, fun and wood used in the exterior unique decorating items. Inside they wall frames the inset photo of carry one of the largest artificial tree the Garden Shop sign. displays in St. Louis. Outside you’ll find an extensive fresh tree and greenery lot.

Missouri Green Industry Conference A Continuing Education Opportunity for Green Industry Professionals Wednesday, December 9th, 2015 St. Charles Convention Center St. Charles, MO

A Diversity of Educational Tracts for a Diversity of Green Industry Professionals Land Care • Ornamentals and Design • Golf Sports Turf • Water Management Pesticide Applicator Training

Event Highlights and HOT Topics • KEYNOTE by Dr. Charlie Hall, Texas A&M University– a visionary, futuristic outlook for the landscape green industry • New (And Underestimated) Plants • Focus on Landscape Excellence--What is happening at CORTEX? • Lake and Pond Management • Turf Management Approaches for the Transition Zone • Product and Service Showcase at the Trade Show

CEUs (Continuing Education Credits) offered by STMA • MLNA • GCSAA • ISA • And others Discounted registration for members of the Managing Organizations, Students and Master Gardeners

What’s new for 2015?...

Grow Native! keeps expanding. They are a proud member of the Grow Native Missouri Prairie Foundation. During February and March, they host a series of free seminars to prepare new and veteran gardeners with fresh gardening ideas and new products on the market for the upcoming season. Guest speakers are well respected members of the growing community. In 2016 they will be adding Adopt-A-Pet with their Earth Day celebration in April. Through their commitment, experience and expertise Sappington Garden Shop has established a business relationship with customers that will last a lifetime!

Full Schedule and Online Registration at:

www.mogic.org

Special Pre-Registration Rate DEADLINE: Friday, December 4th, NOON! Managing Organizations

Looking for professional help for your garden, lawn and landscape?

Search our website’s membership directory or look for the LNAGSL logo in members’ ads in The Gateway Gardener.

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

StLouisLandscape.org The Gateway Gardener®

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Holiday Gifts

Looking for that special gift for your favorite gardener? We asked area garden cen or clip and leave conspicuously lying arou Sugar Creek Gardens 1011 N. Woodlawn Kirkwood, MO 314-965-3070 SugarCreekGardens.com

Picotee Petticoat Amaryllis Give exquisite beauty and a pot full of joy with Picotee Petticoat Amaryllis. Considered by many as one of the most gorgeous of all Amaryllis, it’s lovely pure white blossoms are outlined with an elegant line of deep red.

Worm’s Way 1225 N. Warson Rd. Saint Louis MO 314-994-3900 WormsWay.com

Kind LED L1600 Grow Light The Kind LED K3 grow light is comprised of 150 highpowered, 3-watt light-emitting diodes featuring a proprietary intensified spectrum designed for flowering large yields. With the HID wattage equivalent of 600 watts, this revolutionary 320-watt grow light produces 8

greater yields while consuming approximately half the electricity and virtually no heat. $990.

Garden Heights Nursery, Inc 1605 S Big Bend St. Louis, MO 314-645-7333 GardenHeights.com

Charley Harper Bird Sculpture Hand crafted wood and metal bird sculptures by Gold Leaf Design Group representing the work of Charley Harper and approved by the Harper Estate. A wonderful gift for bird lovers, art enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates nature inspired objects. Seven different birds…including male and female cardinals, of course.

Each sculpture is a faithful representation of Mr. Harper’s ‘minimal realism’. $48.00$59.00.

Sandy’s Back Porch 2004 West Blvd.

Belleville, IL (618) 235-2004 SandysBackPorch.com

Holidays for Pets Check out our expanded line of pet items. Stepping stones, memorial stones, signs, mats and much more for all the pet lovers on your list!

OK Hatchery 115 E. Argonne Dr. Kirkwood, MO 63122 (314) 822-0083

stars in the middle sizes are rustic brown. They are sturdy metal and can be used as indoor or outdoor decor. Use several sizes to create a design or theme. Prices range from $6.99 to $38.99

Wild Delight Bird Food Products Not all bird foods are created equal. Wild Delight® produces more of what birds crave. All Wild Delight® products contain only the finest ingredients – the best flavors and nutrition you can feed your outdoor pets.

Specific blends in 5-lb. bags, hang-able blocks, and the Finch Sock Feeder, proceeds from which help support the fight against breast cancer. Also, be sure to get the decorative tin for seed storage.

Lake St. Louis Garden Center 3230 Technology Dr. Lake St. Louis, MO (636) 561-0124 LakeStLouisGardenCenter. com

Living Ornaments Living Ornaments with Tillandsia’s (aka air plants) are a perfect gift. Air plants require minimal care and bright light to survive. $17.99 and up

Hillermann Nursery & Florist 2601 E. 5th Street Washington, MO 63090 636-239-6729 Hillermann.com

Sappington Garden Shop 11530 Gravois Rd. St. Louis, MO (314) 843-4700 SappingtonGardenShop.com

Metal Star Indoor/Outdoor Décor Available in 5 different sizes, the smallest and the largest metal stars are rustic red. The

Songbird Essentials/BOBBO & GORDO Birdhouses These birdhouses are fun, fanciful and fully functional.

Bobbo and Gordo add color and whimsy to any garden.

The Gateway Gardener®

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

for Gardeners

nters and other related shops for some suggestions to make your shopping easier-und as a not-so-subtle hint to your Santa.

Frisella Nursery 550 Hwy F, Defiance, MO (636) 798-2555 FrisellaNursery.com

Picture one hanging in your tree or in a loved one’s tree.

The birds will be tweeting up a storm. We have 9 styles to choose from. They are equipped with clean-outs. $32.99 each Daniel’s Farm & Greenhouse 352 Jungermann Rd. St. Peters, MO (636) 441-5048 DanielsFarmAndGreenhouse. com

Opinel Knives The iconic French pocketknife that’s perfect for gardening.

Same simple, robust and affordable design since 1890, featuring a solid wood handle (Olive, Walnut and Beech), stainless steel blade and patented locking mechanism. It does one thing extremely well instead of many things poorly.

Comes in five stocking stuffer sizes.

Rolling Ridge Nursery 60 N. Gore Webster Groves, MO (314) 962-3311 Rolling RidgeNursery.com

Holiday Greens Fresh greens, wreaths, pine roping, holly and poinsettias.

Decorated or plain grave blankets and grave sprays. Cut balsam and fraser fir Christmas trees and live green spruce.

And be sure to bring your camera for a great holiday photo op with our antique Russian sleigh!

stone, teak and driftwood accents.

Starting at $14.99 Gutter Gardens, LLC GutterGardens.com (314) 255-1845 or (618) 3342504

Indoor Herb Garden Have fresh herbs in a sunny window all year round!

Containers supplied for 2-7 individual herbs. White, Green, Brown and Black water-tight planters are stenciled with Herbs. Or, order your Gutter Garden with no stenciling for a water-tight display of house plants on a book shelf or cabinet. Prices vary by length (number of herbs) and shipping. Available online or by phone only.

Effinger Garden Center 720 South 11th St Belleville IL 62220 618-234-4600 www.effingergarden.com

Inspired Green Living Create a calm and peaceful environment during the holidays and beyond. Handselected river rock, natural

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

The Gateway Gardener®

Holiday Greens Fresh Greens, wreaths, roping, holly and poinsettias. Custom decorated grave blankets, grave sprays and pillows. Cut fraser fir Christmas trees and live blue spruce.

Edg-Clif Farms & Vineyard www.edg-clif.com steffie@edg-clif.com

Edg-Clif “Hollyberry Red” Chambourcin Wine A semi-sweet with a rich blackberry flavor. Each bottle comes with a gift card and our hot spiced mulled wine recipe that is perfect for the Holidays.

Cost is $12/bottle.

Contact steffie@edg-clif.com to place order.

Support These and Other Local Indie Businesses on

Nov. 28th 9

Naturally Natives

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants

The Native Garden is Like a Green Smoothie

by Scott Woodbury

Same with the native garden. Planting milkweeds is an invitation to the ultimate in ugly gardening. Aphids swamp milkweed stems by the thousand (ever wonder why they call it swamp milkweed?). Monarch caterpillars and milkweed beetles wreak havoc on the leaves and poop all over the place. Six weeks into gardening with

Share, Celebrate and Remember this Season!

eat them all. And so caterpillars have camo and toxins to avoid being eaten. That is why they are so interesting to look at and sometimes difficult to see. Every native insect and every native plant is eaten by something and therein lies the compromise.

21st century gardens are more like the show Animal Kingdom than the Victory Garden.

Bugs are not sprayed or squashed and plants look gnawed-on. Predators pounce and are added to a life-list. Insect herbivores feed milkweeds and you are left with a skeleton freely and yet are still welcome in the of the plant you paid for with hard-earned garden. It’s a whole new gardening world cash. In fact it more resembles a poorly where biodiversity is in and “nice things” blended smoothie than the lush plant you are becoming a thing of the past. first brought home. But after the third milkweed they stop seeming infested and There is a saying, “Life is so full of a somehow seem like super-food that will number of things, I’m sure we should all save the monarch species through one be as happy as kings”. I think of this when I spend time in the native garden. Every simple act of compromise. week I observe and learn about something The act of gardening is changing drastically. new thanks to my gardening colleagues I see gardeners pointing out gray furcula and friends who share what they find (not caterpillars decimating willows, or always good news). Cardinals who like dogwood sawfly doing its magic on swamp to eat monarch caterpillars...bad news but dogwood, “now you see it and now you thanks Margy! Asian praying mantises don’t.” And then there’s jelly-like pipevine who regularly eat butterflies including caterpillars riddling pipevine leaves and monarchs...thanks Penny, good to know! parsley swallowtails munching on Italian Asian praying mantises are no longer flat-leaf parsley (It’s closely related to welcome at the dinner table. Tiny wasps that other members of the parsley family like lay their eggs inside aphids on milkweeds. golden Alexanders). That’s why some aphids look like swollen Zebra swallowtails mummies stuck to plant stems…thanks eat paw-paw. Giant James! The world and the garden are full of swallowtails eat wafer so many things. It’s called biodiversity and ash. Tiger swallowtails it’s available to those who try native plants eat sassafras. Cloudless and are willing to compromise just a little sulfurs eat partridge or a lot. The rewards seem endless. Happy pea and birds like to gardening y’all.

Margy Terpstra

Like most things in life, gardening with native plants involves compromise.

Families exist as a result of compromises, politics work best with them and our communities are bound together by them or fall apart when they’re lacking.

Compromise requires open-mindedness.

To be open-minded requires stepping into someone else’s shoes to gain a new view.

And new views involve trust. How else was the first green smoothie consumed? How else are we to walk through the garden and proudly show off plants with holes in the leaves? Through compromise. According to my brother, green smoothies are not edible because they look awful. But people eat them anyway because they are full of good things like pineapple, cucumber and kale and all the anti-oxidants and nutrients that come with those ingredients. After the third green smoothie they stop looking bad and start looking like the super-food they are.

Visit us for great planting, birding and gifting items!

NURSERY & FLORIST

Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for more than 20 years.

www.hillermann.com

2601 E. 5th Street • Washington, MO • 636-239-6729

Hours: M-F: 8:00 to 6:00, Sat: 8:00 to 5:00, Sun: 9:00 to 5:00

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The Gateway Gardener®

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

Missouri Green Industry Conference Conference Keynote Speaker Offers Look to the Future

Dr. Charlie Hall, noted agricultural economist and the Ellison Chair in International Floriculture at Texas A&M University, has seen the future of the green industry, and it has its share of roses and thorns. He’ll share his visionary thoughts with attendees of this year’s Missouri Green Industry Conference December 9th at St. Charles Convention Center.

blooming. Dr. Hall will also provide his near-term forecast for the landscape sector in a separate presentation on “Landscape Plants as a Profit Center.”

The Green Industry Conference is a one-day event geared toward garden center professionals, landscapers, turf management pros, irrigation and other specialty owners and employees, and is also open to horticulture students and master gardeners. It features educational tracks on ornamentals, lawn care & landscape, sports turf, equipment maintenance & safety, irrigation, golf, and pesticide recertification training for ornamentals and turf. A vendor exhibit will display the latest plants, equipment and materials available to the industry. Managing hosts for the conference include the Gateway Chapter Sports Turf Managers Association, Gateway Irrigation Association, Mississippi Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association, Missouri Landscape & Nursery Association, and the Missouri Turf and Ornamental Council.

Dr. Hall’s expertise in the production and marketing of Green Industry crops is nationally recognized in academia and among the horticultural clientele he serves. His major research, teaching, & extension areas of specialization include strategic management, market situation/outlook, cost accounting, and financial analysis for Green Industry firms. In his keynote presentation, entitled “The Shifting Landscape—a visionary, futuristic outlook for the landscape green industry—market demands, product and practice trends,” Dr. Hall To register, or for more information on the conference, visit www. will pick his way among the economic, demographic and other mogic.org. The pre-registration deadline is December 4th at noon. issues, and elaborate on actions needed to keep the green industry Dr. Charlie Hall

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

The Gateway Gardener®

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Turn Those Invasive Plants Into Something Beautiful Make A “Grapevine Wreath” from Invasive (or other) Vines

5. Begin at the thicker end of one vine length, and coil this first round of vine in a circle slightly smaller than the size you want.

Begin with a coil of two or three rounds before weaving. Build on this set of rounds, and the wreath will grow as you weave it.

1. What to use: Mid-summer to late fall is the season to harvest vines to make a vine wreath or two.

Although you can buy grapevine wreaths quite readily, if you have access to your own vines, why not try making your own? Grapevines, of course, are ideal for this craft project, as are other native vines like Virginia creeper and trumpet vine. And if you want to start eliminating some of that invasive wintercreeper, Japanese honeysuckle or English ivy, here’s your perfect excuse!

Caution: Poison Ivy is sometimes mistaken for Virginia Creeper, which has five leaves not three leaves, and often the two plants can be found growing alongside each other — so make sure you know which plant is which!

Now begin weaving, pulling the vine in and out of the circle and working your way around the wreath until you come to the end of the vine.

Tuck the end in place between the coils.

By Steffie Littlefield

2. Harvesting the Vines: Grapevines should be cut anytime after the grapes have been picked, up to first frost.

I’ve found that Virginia Creeper The Areas Best Selection is usually vigorous enough to Of Christmas Trees harvest in mid-summer. Cut long At The Best Prices! lengths of vine to work with – anything from 3 feet to 10 feet is Multiple Poinsettia Varieties a workable length.

Grown Locally By US! 3. Cut off the Leaves: However, on a small leafed vine like the Everything You Need For euonymus, you might want to That Perfect Christmas let some leaves dry on the vine /Holiday Display to form the first decorations.

Leave the curly clinging tendrils Greens, Wreaths, in place to make attractive Pieces, ked Decorati ons,Floc More! & Lights, Replacem ent corkscrew shapes.

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4. Coil them in a large bowl or laundry basket and cover with water overnight so they remain pliable and easy to weave. If you are using older vines that are dry, soak them in water to rehydrate the material to make it more flexible.

6. With the second length of vine, start by tucking the thicker end in at a different spot than the first vine. You may want to coil more rounds before weaving again, or you can weave in and out of the circle right away; it partly depends on how much vine you have, and how thick you want the wreath.

7. Keep adding vines in this way until the wreath is the size and thickness that you want. It is up to you whether you weave the vines tightly or loosely. You can also weave in smaller bunches of vines or twigs and leave the ends free to extend the size of the wreath.

8. Attach a wire or string at the back for hanging and decorate your vine wreath as desired.

Ed. note: Thanks to my talented sister-in-law Mary Bruno for taking the natural raw materials and turning them into the beautiful holiday wreath shown here. RW

See the Video at www.gatewaygardener.com

Think About Tables transforming a problem – harvesting a resource

By Jean Ponzi

Artist Dale Dufer enjoys making stick tables. His project Think About Tables takes the simple structure of the furniture we set things on every day, and takes a different look at invasive bush honeysuckle: it’s a resource we can harvest and use.

Dufer uses the “kudzu of Missouri” as the legs for all sizes and types of tables. “Each one is different,” he says. “Nature provides the structural strength, growing joinery that is sturdier and more interesting than any woodworker can build.” He looks The Gateway Gardener®

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

Winter Gardening On My Mind

T

By Mara Higdon

his winter imagine your garden. What do you want it to look like?

Who is going to enjoy this garden? You? Your grandchildren? Your neighbors? Imagine the warmer days of summer and brainstorm ideas and opportunities to have people meet in the garden. Gardens are great places for book clubs, art shows, mini-concerts, and neighborhood meetings! As you can see, an event or use of the garden doesn’t even have to be garden related! This winter as you attend holiday parties, spend time with your families, and share meals with one another, use those gatherings to share how and why gardening transforms your life. Whether you are a backyard, community, or youth-centered garden, make a goal to get 5 more people involved in your garden this year. Create a plan to grow a row for the hungry. Make a decision to donate all unused produce to a food pantry.

Give someone the gift of a bouquet each month of the growing season.

Take a canning class and then preserve your own produce. Decide to enter a garden contest this year and win! Do anything and everything to get the most out of your garden and involve those who mean the most to you. As stewards of life’s treasured resources share them with others. The rewards are immeasurable.

for three-leg branches when removing a honeysuckle bush. He cuts them long, then trims and levels them to make a table.

He also teaches people, adults and kids, the simple process of building a table. “We’re all creative,” Dufer says, “and we all need a stronger connection to nature. This is a way to bring some nature into your home, remove an invasive plant to make room for some hardy, ecological natives, and have fun doing it.”

Dufer has shown his work, and taught Think About Tables workshops around town since 2014. His classes quickly fill, with waiting lists. Now he aims to partner with the many groups tackling honeysuckle control to train a cadre of Think About Tables workshop leaders, who can teach their own sessions at the many honeysuckle hacks we know will take place in spring.

This winter marks a distinct change in my life and adds another bend in my path. My family and I will be headed to San Francisco just in time for the New Year to begin. It is a bittersweet, but necessary decision that we have made. Over the past 10 years, there have been so many gracious and generous people that have toiled with me in my gardening adventures, so willing to give of their knowledge, time, and insight. I struggle with being able to see what the future will look like without the garden of people that has intertwined personal and professional life.

Check out this project at a Honeysuckle Harvesting Soiree on Thursday, November 12 at Stone Spiral Coffeehouse, 2506 Sutton in Maplewood. The open house from 4 to 7 p.m. will feature Dufer’s Think About Tables demonstrations at 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Individuals and conservation groups can sign up to learn to lead this fun process in a Teach About Tables all-day workshop, hosted in February by Shaw Nature Reserve.

Whack your honeysuckle and make a table! Learn more at www.woodworms.net

Over the years, I have learned so much and have loved building relationships over shared meals, celebrating life through the germination of seeds, and relishing the simple joys of digging in the earth. And so I will end this column with a heartfelt belief and encouragement for what gardening can do for you, those you love, and those you have yet to meet.

Mara Higdon is the Program Director at Gateway Greening, Inc. They focus on community development through gardening throughout the St. Louis area. You can reach her at (314) 588-9600 x22 or by email at mara@gatewaygreening.org.

Jean Ponzi is Green Resources Manager for Earthways Center, a division of the Missouri Botanical Garden, and is also the artist’s wife.

Your Prescription for a Picture Perfect lawn

Still See Weeds?

Double Down!

Substitute one step with Winterizer with Surge.®

Apply Winterizer on Halloween & Thanksgiving as step 4 & 5.

Purchase Dyna Green™ Ann’s Garden & Greenhouse LLC Fertilizer At These St Peters, MO 63376 636-244-5533 Authorized Dealers: www.annsgandg.com Kirkwood Bayer’s Material Supply Garden Shop St Louis, MO 63021 St Louis, MO 63139 (314) 966-4840 (314) 781-2314 www.bayergardenshops.com www.kirkwoodmaterial.com

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

Bayer’s Garden Shop Imperial, MO 63052 (636) 464-2314 www.bayergardenshops.com Passiglia Nursery Wildwood, MO 63038 (636) 458-9202 www.passiglia.com

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Kirkwood Material Supply Kirkwood, MO 63122 (314) 822-9644 www.kirkwoodmaterial.com St. Peters Hardware & Rental Alton, IL 62002 (618) 466-6931 www.stpetershardware.com

The Gateway Gardener®

Sappington Garden Shop St Louis, MO 63126 (314) 843-4700 www.sappingtongardenshop.com Valley Park Elevator & Hardware Valley Park, MO 63088 (636) 225-7100 www.valleyparkelevator.com

Listen to The McGraw Show M-F 6-10am

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Upcoming Events FUN FOR KIDS

is December 1st.

How to reach us: Mail: PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122 Fax: (314) 968-4025 Email: info@gatewaygardener. com

Meetings, Classes, Entertainment and More Updates to this information are often posted on our online events calendar at GatewayGardener. com, so check there for the latest details.

Give us the details of your upcoming gardening, lawn or landscaping event and we’ll add it to our website and include it in our next issue. Deadline for printing in January/February issue

GARDEN CLUBS AND PLANT SOCIETY MEETINGS Interested in Joining a Garden Club or Plant Society? We have meeting dates, locations and contact information on more than 50 area garden clubs on our website at www.GatewayGardener.com.

Don’t have access to the internet?

Just call us at (314) 968-3740, or write us at PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122, and we’ll get the information to you. So share your joy for gardening and join a garden club or favorite plant society today!

November 7th and December 5th 11 a m - 2 p m — H i l l e r m a n n ’s First Saturday Kids. Play in the garden and enjoy a FREE activity. November: Make a Bird Feeder; December: Make a Christmas Ornament. Hillermann Nursery & Florist (636) 239-6729.

Hillermann.com.

December 5th and 12th 11am-1pm—Santa at Hillermann’s. The wonder and excitement only Santa can bring comes alive at Hillermann’s! As special guests, there will even be a couple of Santa’s reindeer on hand on December 5th only!

Children are invited to experience the thrill of visiting with Santa and telling him their Christmas wishes.

YHTI Internet will take and print pictures for you to take home.

Children can enjoy holiday crafts and activities. In the giving spirit of the season, donations to Loving Hearts Outreach and Grace’s Place are requested for this event.

Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann. com.

December 5th 9 am—Holiday Decorating— Children’s Garden Club. FREE. Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center. 2651 Barrett Station Rd. (314) 966-0028.

CLASSES, LECTURES AND EVENTS

NOVEMBER 21 – JANUARY 2 SELECT EVENINGS 5 – 9:30 P.M. Toll Free 1-844-461-4655 • www.mobot.org/glow Presented by

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November 6th 7-11pm—The Green Ball.

Moonrise Hotel sixth annual Green Ball, to benefit the EarthWays Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Enjoy live music, creative cocktails and locally-sourced cuisine. Creative “green” attire is encouraged. Moonrise Hotel. Call (314) 577-0220 to purchase tickets.

November 7th 10am—Holiday Plants-Growing Tips for Colorful Displays.

Discover the most beautiful

The Gateway Gardener®

holiday plants, with the best colors and forms. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070 for reservations.

November 8th 10am-5pm—Christmas Open House in Old Webster. Visit Rolling Ridge Nursery and all the other Old Webster retailers to celebrate the start of the Holiday Season. Rolling Ridge Nursery, 60 N. Gore, Webster Groves, MO, 63119.

November 10th 7-9pm—Tap Root Speakers Series. Guest Speaker Martin Goebel, Design Director, Production Manager at Geobel & Co. Furniture, will speak on “The Benefits and Challenges of Using Locally Sourced Hardwoods for High-End Furniture.” Sponsored

by The Missouri Community Forestry Council. $10. Urban Chestnut Brewery—The Grove.

Call 636-970-3000 to pre-register or register at the door.

November 12th 1-4pm—Native Plant School: Growing Native Trees and Shrubs for Acorns, Nuts and Berries. $15 ($12 Garden/SNR members). Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve.

For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 or visit www.shawnature.org.

November 14th and December 5th 9-11am—Wine Making. A multiclass series on steps in wine making. You can attend as many as you like. Nov. 14th (Filtering and Back Sweetening), Dec. 5th (Bottling). A handout outlining each step in the process will be available. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www. hillermann.com.

November 20th through January 3rd 9am-5pm—Holiday Wreath Auction.

Featuring unique creations by some of the area’s finest floral designers. All wreaths

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

are sold by silent auction bidding, with proceeds benefiting the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Monsanto Hall, upper level of the Ridgway visitor center.

November 21st 10am and noon—Concrete Leaf Make-N-Take (10am) and Kokedama String Garden (noon). Create two Concrete Leaves that will make awesome accents in your flowerbeds. The forms will stay here to cure, and you can pick them up once they have set well ($25.00 supply fee).

At noon, create a cool, trendy Kokedama (String Garden) planter that is low maintenance and can hang in your home ($20.00 supply fee). You are welcome to do one or both workshops. Call 636239-6729 to sign up. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

1pm—Winter Interest for Home & Yard. Join Evelyn Presley and Marian Benanati for some new ideas on preparing your home and yard for winter enjoyment. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com/ events, 636.798.2555.

November 21st through January 3rd 9am-5pm—Gardenland Express. Annual holiday flower and train show features G-scale model trains traveling through a miniature landscape of living plants, surrounded by more than 500 colorful poinsettias and other flowers. Closed Christmas Day. Orthwein Floral Display Hall, Missouri Botanical Garden.

November 21st-January 2nd 5-9:30pm—Garden Glow.

Visitors will have the opportunity to stroll through the Garden at night surrounded by a spectacle of unique light installations.

Hundreds of thousands of lights will adorn some of the Garden’s most iconic locations including the Climatron®, Kaeser Memorial Maze, the Central Axis and Tower Grove House. Walkways will be transformed into an explosion of visual magic, while more traditional displays will delight crowds of all ages. Tickets are date-specific and sold in limited quantities. Tickets can be purchased in advance at

www.mobot.org/glow.

November 22nd 9am-4pm—Poinsettia Wonderland Open House. See the largest display of poinsettias in the area. Guided tours of the greenhouses from 10am-3pm. Visit with Santa, and enjoy Christmas carolers, holiday cookies and crafters. Proceeds from sales benefit Millstadt Optimist Youth Club. Millstadt Gardens and N.G.Heimos Greenhouses, 6667 Route 158, Millstadt, IL, 62290.

(618) 476-9600.

November 28th and December 5th 10am—Holiday Outdoor Containers and Decorations Using Natural Elements. Learn how to use the bounty of your yard, along with seasonal ornaments and evergreen plants to create exquisite containers and decorations. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070 for reservations.

November 29 9am-5pm—Christmas Open House. Super special discounts and a gift for stopping in. Bring your children and cameras for a great photo opportunity. Sappington Garden Shop, 11530 Gravois Rd., (314) 843-4700. th

and Chanukah merchandise provided by local vendors and the Garden Gate Shop. Ridgway Visitor Center. Missouri Botanical Garden.

December 9th Missouri Green Industry Conference.

A continuing education opportunity for Green Industry Professionals. See page 11 for details. Pre-registration deadline December 4th, noon.

December 19th 10am—Mini Garden Make-NTake Workshop. Mini Gardens are a fun way to create a miniature landscape in a container. Create your own Mini Garden to take home. A container, plants and

mini decor items are included in a $40.00 supply fee. Call 636239-6729 to sign up. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

Dig Deeper.

Visit GatewayGardener.

COM for the Changes, Corrections and Post Publication Additions to these Upcoming Events

Start Your Family’s Holidays at the

Poinsettia Wonderland Open House Sunday, November 22nd from 9am-4pm Greenhouse Tours 10am-3pm

December 5th and 6th 10am-5pm – Holiday Open House. Join Frisella’s for their annual Holiday Open House.

Cafe Angelina will be providing complimentary baked goods and coffee. They have a large selection of Christmas trees (live and cut), pine roping, wreaths, live trimmings and holiday gifts for the gardener. Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery.com, 636.798.2555.

10am-5pm—Holidays at Garden Heights. Open House, with cookies, cocoa and a visit from Santa. Garden Heights Nursery, 1605 Big Bend Blvd., Richmond Heights.

(314) 645-7333, GardenHeights.com.

December 6th Noon-4pm—Chanukah: Festival of Lights. A traditional Jewish holiday celebration that includes festive Israeli music and dance, a menorah-lighting ceremony,

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

The Gateway Gardener®

Come see the area’s LARGEST display of poinsettias!

Our Professional Growing Staff will be leading guided tours through acres of beautiful poinsettias. Plus...

Visit with Santa • Christmas Carolers Holiday Cookies & Beverages • Holiday Crafts

Millstadt Gardens N.G. Heimos Greenhouses 6667 Route 158 • Millstadt, IL 62260 (618) 476-9600

Hosted by Millstadt Gardens, N.G. Heimos Greenhouses and the Heimos Family.

A portion of sale proceeds benefits Millstadt Optimist Youth Club.

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There’s no better TIME to plan for your lush spring lawn and garden than NOW! Visit St. Louis Composting’s six area locations for the largest selection of STA-certified compost, mulch products and soil blends.

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39 Old Elam Avenue 636.861.3344

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560 Terminal Road 314.868.1612

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