The Kansas City
editor’s notes
GARDENER A Monthly Guide to Successful Gardening
‘I don’t plant’
Independently owned and operated since 1996 Publisher Michael Cavanaugh Editor Elizabeth Cavanaugh Editorial Assistant Hannah Cavanaugh Contributors Charles Anctil Leah Berg Rose Burgweger Erin Busenhart Cindy Gilberg Diane & Doc Gover Lenora Larson Patrick Muir Dennis Patton Phil Roudebush Larry Ryan Diane Swan Distribution Publishers Delivery Solutions, Inc.
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W
hen our kids were young, the yard was a place for them to play. The smallest would be in a playpen to enjoy the scenery, while the older ones were monkeying around on the swing set. This gave Dad and me the chance for welcomed time in the landscape. When they grew older, all of them liked the process of potting up annuals. Only because that usually required the kid combo: dirt, shovels and water ... all the fun stuff. In the fall, you could get them to rake leaves, because that would result in a pile for jumping. Even more fun was when Dad initiated wheelbarrow rides. In their teen years, when we still had turf in the landscape, the two middle ones tried mowing. Again this was a novelty, something to be ‘first’ at. Certainly not a chore to volunteer for. Maybe it was the attraction to power equipment. But in truth, if it wasn’t fun, they weren’t interested. I can’t say that I blame them. Not many kids (young or old) hang around in the garden at their mother’s ankles, like her garden cats.
And we all get a belly laugh when we encounter someone who assumes that our kid(s) might be horticulturally minded. “You must know all the names of plants,” a friend would say. The kid would look at me with those eyes ... “Should I tell them, or will you?” Over the years, we’ve tried to gently educate about the differences between oak, birch and crabapple. They recognize the blooming season of peonies, roses and daylilies. We’ve mastered why, in general, plants in containers might need more water than those planted in the ground. And sometimes, if all of the stars are in alignment, someone might be able to identify a plant in a quick garden quiz. Recently, the driveway was full of plants in containers waiting to be planted. Some are samples from growers, and others are larger pur-
chases looking for their forever home in our garden. Over lunch, Hannah the youngest (now 17) was offered the chance to join her mother in a little ‘bonding time’ in the garden. “Pick out the one you like, name it, make it your own,” we said. Her straightfaced response, “I don’t plant!” Seriously? That’s it? I could understand “It’s too hot”, or “It’s too buggy out”. Or lie to me and say you have plans with friends. But I DON’T PLANT? Of course I should probably give her a break. She’s the one who, several years back, identified a garden bloomer as ‘Latunia.’ I’m never at a loss for entries in my garden journal – Kids with gardeners as parents. I’ll see you in the garden!
In this issue July 2013 • Vol. 18 No. 7 Ask the Experts ........................ 6 Moths That Want to be Butterflies ........................... 8 Pets & Plants: Catnip ............... 9 Tropical Water Garden ............ 10 Trees Have a Useful Life ........... 11 Sunflower Artfest ..................... 12 The Bird Brain ......................... 13 Irrestible Berries ...................... 14 Container for Butterflies ............ 16
about the cover ...
Stay for the Trails .................... 18 Grow Native Avian Adventure ... 20 Garden Calendar .................... 21 Upcoming Events ..................... 22 Rose Report ............................ 23 Powell Garden Events ............. 24 Hotlines ................................. 25 Weather ................................. 25 Subscribe ............................... 27 Professional’s Corner ................ 27
Wouldn’t be nice to have fresh blueberries in your garden? Learn more about other berry-producing shrubs starting on page 14.
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18 The Kansas City Gardener / July 2013