Upstate Gardeners' Journal March-April 2011

buffalo - ithaca - rochester - syracuse

Lamberton’s Noelle Nagel Tiny Hostas Shopping Ellicottville FREE

Volume Seventeen, Issue Two March-April 2011

upstate gardeners’ journal - 3200 east avenue - caledonia, new york 14423

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SARA’S GARDEN

Events in 2011...

Garden Plots for Rent 2010 was another sell out season of prepped bed vegetable gardens. We add compost, till the beds and water for you all season — you just come to plant and harvest (oh, and weed too). No easier way to do a veggie garden. Plots are 12 X 16 for $50.00.

Stone Wall Follies We will be offering our dry-laid stone wall class October 15th & 16th and once again we are so very privileged to have John Shaw-Rimmington and Norman Haddow instructing. This 10 student course always sells out; early reservations are recommended.

Google these guys—you will be impressed!

Containers Arranged We will bring you through the process of arranging a lovely container for your home. One that will reflect your unique style, one that will flourish throughout the whole season, and one that will make your neighbors envious!

This is a great opportunity to have a whole nursery at your disposal as we assist you in pulling together the best options for a uniquely designed living floral arrangement. There are 3 dates this spring with a 10 student maximum per session.

May 18th, May 25th and June 1rst.

For details & reservations on these events or any other gardening inquiries, call or email kkepler@ rochester.rr.com; 585-637-4745

30+ year Mission!

It is our greatest desire to provide our customers with top quality, well-grown plant material at a fair and honest price. We will strive to provide an unmatched selection of old favorites and underused, hard-to-find items, along with the newest varieties on the market. We will eagerly share our horticultural knowledge gained from years of education and experience. Lastly, we offer all this in a spirit of fun and lightheartedness.

Sara’s Garden Center | 389 East Ave. | Brockport 14420 | 585-637-4745

largest selection of “rare & unusual” Japanese maples Dwarf conifers Bamboo—plants and fencing Perennials & more Carved granite garden features

open 4/17 daily 9 - 4 Thursdays ‘til 8 after 6/30 closed Sundays other times by appointment

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in pittsford 585 586 3850

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Manlius Shade Tree Farm Wholesale Tree Nursery Open to the Public

OPEN Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30 Saturday 7:30-3:30

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Complete Landscape Services

All Green Landscaping Inc.

Narcissus

Rudbeckia

Fritillaria

We Grow Color Naturally

Echinacea

BioBest Biological Systems protect our plants and people in the growing process at Lockwood’s Greenhouses.

Lockwood’s can Help You Decorate Your Home with Beautiful Plants... in Living Color

Crocosmia

See our newly re-designed website for lectures and hands-on workshops for the spring season.

Classes are also listed in the Calendar section of the Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.

Mertensia

Hellebore

www.lockwoodsgreenhouses.com 4484 Clark Street, Hamburg, NY 716.649.4684

Vernonia

Zinnia

Peony

Stop and smell Buffalo’s roses this summer. ©

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Win a Weekend at the National Garden Festival!

Join us for a 5-week-long garden party, featuring 17 garden walks (including America’s largest!), largest!), national garden speakers, open gardens, tours and a neighborhood-transforming Front Yard Garden Competition!

JCHARLIER COMMUNICATION DESIGN

June 24-July 31

One of the best kept secrets among garden cities in the country.

- BaltimoreSun.com PRIZE E VALU

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What You’ll Win: Two nights accommodations during Garden Walk Buffalo, personalized garden consultation with an expert horticulturist, digital video camera, free tickets to area attractions, meals and more! Winning package must be redeemed July 29-31, 2011.

To enter the contest, visit

NationalGardenFestival.com/weekend

S P RING!

and we couldn't be more excited about it!

The Artful Gardener is kicking off its second Spring Season.

To all of you who supported the shop through the first year

Thank You!

And to those who are just hearing about it now...

You're in for a treat!

Here's just a few of the things we've got on tap for Spring...

Spectacular Containers Imported from England Authentic Carved Granite Japanese Garden Ornament Charming Garden Benches and CafĂŠ Sets Iron Trellises and Obelisks Whimsical Recycled Metal Yard Art Sundials, Art Glass, Vases

We have one of the most extensive collections of Frost-Proof Pottery in the Area.

The Work of Local Artists includes: Art Pottery, Jewelry and Fused Glass

Beautiful Fun Inspiring

Grab a friend and make a day of it - there's lots to see and do in the area!

Located In the Beautiful Mt. Hope/Highland Park Historic District and The South Wedge

The Artful

Gardener

STORE HOURS: Tues.,Thurs. & Fri 11:00 - 6:00; Wed. & Sat. 10:00 - 5:00 Sundays in May 11:00-4:00 or by appointment

727 Mt. Hope Avenue; Rochester 585.454.2874 (Between Robinson & McLean - Parking Lot in Back)

Follow 'The Artful Gardener' Page on Facebook

Contents

Publisher/Editor: Jane F. Milliman Art Direction: Dean S. Milliman Technical Editor: Brian Eshenaur CALENDAR EDITOR: Debbie Eckerson Proofreader: Sarah Koopus Contributing Writers:

Kathy Guest Shadrack | Lyn Chimera | Carol Ann Harlos Holly Wise | Michelle Sutton | Colleen O’Neil Nice Andrew P. Fowler | Janet Allen | Franziska Green

Honey, I shrunk the hostas A new book profiles these diminutive delights......14-16

Western New York Sales Representative:

What to do in the garden In November and December....................................... 17

Maria Walczak: 716/432-8688

You ask...the experts answer................................... 18 Interpreter under glass Noelle Nagel and Lamberton Conservatory...........22-25 3200 East Avenue, Caledonia NY 14423 phone: 585/538-4980; fax: 585/538-9521 e-mail: info@upstategardenersjournal.com upstategardenersjournal.com The Upstate Gardeners’ Journal is published six times a year.

To subscribe, please send $15.00 to the above address.

Magazines will be delivered via U.S. mail and or email (in PDF format). We welcome letters, calls and e-mail from our readers.

Please tell us what you think!

We appreciate your patronage of our advertisers, who enable us to bring you this publication.

All contents copyright 2011, Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.

Cover image: Helleborus Winter Jewels™ Painted Doubles courtesy terranovanurseries.com

Lazy days in the Southern Tier Shopping in and around Ellicottville......................30-33 Some lesser known natives Trees that offer diversity and understated beauty......36-38 Calendar...............................................................44-61 A Spring side dish.................................................... 63 Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East A book by Carolyn Summers.....................................64-65 Drive them up the wall........................................68-69 Plantasia “Sets the Mood”...................................... 70

Never miss another issue! Get the UGJ delivered to your door six times a year for just $15.00. It’s our area’s guide to everything gardeners want to know about. To give a gift, simply enclose a note with the gift recipient’s info. We’ll send a notice and start the subscription.

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Thank you 3200 East Avenue Caledonia, NY 14423 585/538-4980

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Ear to the ground

Y

ikes! Looks like we ran out of room on this issue for our usual bits of news. But you can find up-to-the minute posts on facebook.com/ gardenersjournal and our companion blog, also entitled Ear to the Ground, at upstategardener.blogspot.com.

Topics include the benefit event Strong Spirit for a Fragile World: Christine Sevilla’s Visual Art Exhibition, Silent Auction and Sale, local nurseryman Tim Boebel’s highly anticipated new book, “Hydrangeas in the North,” and gardening event coverage.

Be sure to visit our website, upstategardenersjournal.com, where you can read this entire publication, plus back issues, right on your computer, smartphone or tablet device (in PDF format)—totally free of charge. You can even download it to read offline, print, forward or save. While you’re there, sign up for a free online subscription, or subscribe or renew your subscription to our print edition for just $15 per year.

One last note: In our article on the Greentopia Festival in the Directory we printed the wrong phone number. It’s 585/287-5555 (you can also visit greentopiafest.com).

Please visit us at CNY Blooms, GardenScape and Plantasia. And have a fantastic spring!

—Jane Milliman, Publisher

Bee in the Garden • GIFT SHOP •

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CLOVER

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Natural Selections

Honey, I shrunk the hostas A new book profiles these diminutive delights

by Kathy Guest Shadrack ABOVE: Troughs planted with little hosta grouped below a stone wall.

INSET: The Book of Little Hostas, 200 Mini, Small and Very Small Varieties 1 4 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

W

hen most people think of hostas, what springs to mind are those majestic foliage plants that anchor the shadier corners of the garden.

Did you know that there are also little hostas? In fact, there is almost a cult following for the small hostas, hostas that are more comfortable in a trough than in a garden bed.

The world of small and miniature hostas is a new and exciting one. They capture all the colors, textures, leaf shapes and variation of their bigger brethren (with a few additional tricks of their own), while living quite happily in a tight city lot, on a windowsill, in a collection of artful containers or as elements of a fairy garden. They can join miniature trees and dwarf conifers, small ferns and mosses to form a diminutive landscapes and they can be collected in families (or “dynasties,” as we like to call them).

What are we calling a small hosta? Loosely defined in our book, we consider any hosta with a maximum height of about 12 inches “small.” There are more

complete definitions used for hosta shows and for describing them in catalogs. The categories—from the largest of the smalls to the tiniest—are: Small – reaching a maximum height of about 12 to 15 inches with a leaf area per leaf of about 10 square inches – or about the size of a potato chip. H. ‘Golden Tiara’ is a small hosta. These hostas will generally live happily in the garden without special attention as long as larger plants do not overwhelm them.

Very Small – reaching a maximum height of about 6” to 10” with a leaf area from 4 to less than 10 square inches or about the size of a silver dollar. H. ‘Baby Bunting’ is an example of this size. Some are vigorous, but those with large white areas may need special attention.

They are probably better off in containers.

Miniature – reaching a maximum height of less than 6 inches with a leaf area less than 4 square inches or about the size of your pinkie fingernail. H. ‘Daisy

Doolittle’ is an example. These are the smallest of the plants and are really best grown in containers.

The point of these categories is not just to be fussy about size, but to also give you some guidelines about how you might best grow and care for the hosta. Very generally speaking, the smaller the hosta, the more attention it will probably need (especially the smallest hostas with large areas of white on their leaves).

The easiest way to give them the care they prefer, while enjoying them to the fullest, is to plant them in a container.

“Why little hostas?” you may ask. With changing lifestyles and the shrinking of both properties and available hours (and let’s not forget energy), being able to create just as much diversity and pleasure in a small space is appealing. It’s not just hostas that have gotten smaller, there are plant breeders

everywhere working on miniature roses, tiny trees, dwarf conifers ferns, astilbes and heucheras and perennials of all types. Others have begun focusing on small spectrum plants like mosses and thymes and still others have created a business supplying garden whimsies and décor to complement these diminutive plants.

Gardening in a small space is the newest trend and probably the most variety and diversity in small plants to meet this trend can be found in hostas.

Small hostas do, however, require a little more care than their larger cousins. While still a relatively carefree plant, they would appreciate a few cultural considerations. First of all, small hostas have – of course – small root systems. The roots are more delicate and they also tend to be closer to the surface of the soil. These roots still appreciate the moisture that

TOP LEFT: Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ planted in a bowl with a group of ‘Mouse Ear’ sports.

Top right: Hosta ‘Grand Prize’ a member of the ‘Tiara’ dynesty Bottom left: Hosta ‘Hacksaw’ Bottom right: Hosta ‘Little Jay’ is a new introduction from Holland.

INSET: Mike and Kathy Shadrack

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 15

ABOVE: A flower bed raised behind a stone wall and dedicated to little hostas

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large hostas appreciate, but they will quickly rot if left in too wet or heavy soil. This is another argument for containerizing your plants. The soil mix should include organic matter like peat for moisture, particulate like turkey grit for drainage and compost or good quality soil.

If you have the time to mix your own soil, we recommend a combination of 50% good garden soil (or bagged if you have some of the gumbo we are blessed with in New York), 25% organic matter like compost or peat and 25% particulate - an inorganic particle like turkey grit help drainage and improve soil texture.

Another word about containers: because these plants are small, they are better appreciated closer to the eye – again, a container works well, or a raised bed or even a rock garden located in a not-so-sunny part of the garden.

You want to get these plants up where you can see them!

Also, don’t be afraid to mix it up with hostas and annuals in a fun container. We’ve used green and white hostas and the annual ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia alternately in a window box for a spectacular effect. The hosta lives on, the euphorbia goes to plant heaven in the fall. Be creative with your containers… and be creative with what you plant your little hostas into. We saw a really little guy in a large seashell… in a nautically themed garden – very fun!

The questions people most frequently ask us about little hostas are: what about slugs and what about winter care.

Slugs first. It’s so much easier to protect a hosta in a contained space. If you use slug pellets, you can be particular about where you place them. If you choose not to, a sprinkling of a sharp gravel will often be enough, or if containerized, simply putting your container into a saucer of water will eliminate your problem – slugs don’t swim and they don’t fly either. There have been studies done suggesting that slugs and coffee grounds don’t mix, but those studies have also been disputed. It’s certainly worth a try. If you have your hostas in a glazed pot, a bit of WD-40 on the outside will keep the beasties from crawling up.

Over-wintering is also not complicated. Hostas actually require a cold dormancy of 40 days or more to do well. It’s not cold that harms them; it’s freezing and thawing that does. We use various techniques to prevent that from happening. We take some pots and mulch them down in a contained area in our woods, we put some in an unheated garage once they have gone dormant, making sure to offer a sprinkle of water occasionally, and this year we are trying the technique of over-wintering some in a sealed plastic tote in the garage.

The tote should keep moisture and cold in, and critters out. We’ll let you know how that works.

Hostas of all sizes are America’s most popular perennial. And now, the little hostas have their own fans.

Why not try a few for yourself, and stop and see us if you’re in the Buffalo area.

Kathy Guest Shadrack and Mike Shadrack garden in the hills of Hamburg, NY at Smug Creek Gardens.

The garden is open Thursdays and Fridays in July as part of the National Buffalo Garden Festival (www. nationalgardenfestival.com) or by arrangement – irisborer@ aol.com.

The Book of Little Hostas, 200 Mini, Small and Very Small Varieties was published by Timber Press in November 2010 – 208 pages, 258 color photos.

Mike is an author of several other popular hosta books including the New Color Encyclopedia of Hostas.

Both Mike and Kathy are available for talks.

Almanac

What to do in the garden In March and April

T

he following are some general ideas for early spring gardening, but you have to take weather conditions into account. Wait till the soil is above 50 degrees to plant.

Winter damage: Clean up and remove leaves and winter debris from paved surfaces and drainage sewer openings. Removing this leaf litter, which is loaded with phosphorus, helps preserve drainage water quality and may reduce algae buildup in streams and waterways.

The salt residue in areas near a road, sidewalk, or driveway that has been covered with de-icing salts can be diluted and flushed through the soil profile by thoroughly soaking the area a few times with a hose. This can be especially helpful if our spring weather is short on rainfall.

Snow, wind and ice can cause damage to trees and shrubs.

After the spring thaw prune out any damaged branches.

Plants that have “heaved” from the freezing and thawing action of the soil should be replanted as soon as the soil is workable. A layer of leaves will help protect the exposed root mass if the soil is still frozen.

Pruning:

Early Spring is the time for pruning many trees and shrubs.

The exceptions to this are the shrubs that bloom in the spring like forsythia and lilac. These should be pruned after flowering.Trees NOT to prune in spring: ash, oak, and elm. Birch and maple are bleeders but bleeding does not harm the tree.

Trees and shrubs to prune in early spring while still dormant: Bradford pear, wisteria, butterfly bush, Potentilla, Honeysuckle, flowering plum.-Never “top” a tree by removing many large branches This produces a weak tree.

Fruit trees should be pruned in early spring before bud break. Pay particular attention to any twigs or branches with cankers or black knot (dark swollen galls). These should be removed and discarded before bud break.

Prune brambles (raspberries and blackberries) during March to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches and to increase air circulation.

When pruning be careful to not to cut flush to the trunk, cut outside the branch collar. For more information on proper pruning techniques contact your local CCE or check out their web information at www.cce.cornell.edu Wound dressing or paint is no longer recommended. If properly pruned the wound is best left to heal naturally.

Cut back and prune roses when forsythia blooms. Cut back dead or crossing canes to about one-quarter inch above an outward facing bud.

Cut pussywillows back drastically after they bloom to keep the plants strong. They will have more blooms next year and will be stronger plants.

Cut back lavender into green wood late in April.

Complete any pruning of other shrubs before new growth starts.

Perennials:

Cut back grasses and other perennials that have been left up for winter interest. Ideally this should be done before the new growth gets no more than a few inches high so you don’t damage the new growth while cutting back the old.

Any plant material that has not harbored disease can be put in the compost pile.

Once the threat of snow has passed, remove winter debris or any leftover mulch from around areas where spring bulbs are planted.

Hand pull emerging weeds now so you don’t disturb the roots of your emerging perennials and bulbs.

Wait until the soil is “workable’ to divide perennials. This means it should be above 50 degrees and dry enough not to stay in a clump when squeezed in your hand.

Hostas, liriope, daylilies, dicentra, coral bells and Shasta daisies are some perennials that can be divided before new growth starts in spring.

Scatter annual poppy seeds in the garden for bloom in June and early July.

Vegetables:

Plan your vegetable garden being sure to rotate plant families.

Direct seed cool season vegetables and flowers when soil is suitable.

Check your seed packages to see whether you should start seeds indoors or direct sow them outside. Also check information on the envelopes for the appropriate number of weeks prior to planting outside.

Houseplants:

General:

Apply horticultural oil to trees and shrubs that have had past problems with piercing and sucking insects such as mites, aphids, scale, whitefly and adelgids. Carefully follow the application directions for temperature and weather conditions. If applied at the wrong time they are not effective.

Propagate pussy willows by making 6 to 12 inch cuttings when they first bloom. Place in water and plant when roots are well developed and the ground is warm.

If you didn’t clean, sharpen and check garden tools in autumn do it now. It makes a huge difference in how well they work and how long they last.

If your tiller doesn’t start easily in the spring move it out in the sun for an hour or so. This solar heating will warm up the fluids and make starting much easier. It works for lawn mowers too!

Place new birdhouses outdoors and/or clean out older ones.

Take the time to enjoy forced branches indoors. Examples are forsythias, weigelia, and pussywillows.

Turn the compost pile.

Don’t turn over your beds when thesoil is simply too wet.

Scrub and sterilize reusable pots and seed starter trays by washing them in a dilute mixture of warm water and bleach.

Attend one or all of the Upstate NY Garden Shows. There’s one in Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo in March. It’s a great way to get in the gardening mood!

Buy a notebook and record seeds planted and any other observations. You will appreciate this later.

Plant a tree on Friday April 29 to celebrate National Arbor Day. —Lyn Chimera and Carol Ann Harlos, Master Gardeners, Erie County Cornell Cooperative Extension

Houseplants are coming to life with the increase in hours of sunlight. This is a good time to resume feeding.

Check your houseplants for insects and the roots to see if they need division and/or repotting. Once the outdoor gardening season begins you will have less time for them!

Give houseplants a good “shower” in the sink or tub to clean off dust buildup from the winter months. For plants too large to move, give the leaves a sponge bath.

Prune off any dead or yellowing leaves and branches.

Any plants that have outgrown their pots can be repotted. If you want the plant to continue increasing in size just repot it in a larger container. If you want to keep the plant in the same size container the roots can be trimmed back.

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 17

Questions & Answers

You ask...

the experts answer Q: I want to grow my first vegetable garden, but I’m confused. How do you know whether to start a plant from a seed or a bulb, or to buy seedlings?

This issue’s guest expert is Holly Wise, Extension Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County.

A: A garden can provide fresh vegetables to meet your family’s culinary tastes and help save money at the grocery store.

However, the planning process is very important for a first-time vegetable gardener. The amount of time one can devote to planting, maintaining, and harvesting a garden should be taken into consideration.

Start out small. As you learn, experience, and reap from the harvest of this new hobby, you will be prepared for the following season to either expand or keep your vegetable garden the same size.

Before mapping your garden out on graph paper, figure out possible locations. A vegetable garden should be placed close to a water source and receive 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. Leafy vegetables need at least 4 hours of light while leafy and root vegetables prefer 6 hours, and up to 8 hours for leafy, root and fruiting vegetables grown together. The garden will be the most productive if you can find a full sun location.

The garden site should be placed in an area of welldrained soils. After a rain, one does not want puddles of water just standing on top of the garden soil—if this describes your yard consider making a raised bed garden.

Avoid planting close to trees which can add shade to a garden and also the trees’ roots can compete with garden water and nutrients.

A new gardener should find out the fertility of their vegetable garden site and pH. The fertility of the soil in your garden can directly affect the yield and quality of vegetables grown. Search online for Cornell’s Nutrient Analysis Laboratory at http://cnal. cals.cornell.edul or contact your local Cooperative Extension office for information on getting a nutrient

CLASSIFIEDS DAYLILIES. Daylilies are outstanding, carefree perennials. We grow and sell over 225 top-rated award-winning varieties in many colors and sizes in our Rochester garden. We are also an official national daylily society display garden. We welcome visitors to see the flowers in bloom from June to September. Call 585/461-3317.

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1 8 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

analysis and soil pH test. The nutrient test results will give recommendations if fertilizer or organic matter is needed to improve soil fertility and soil pH. The soil pH is a measurement of the degree of acidity or alkalinity of the garden soil. Most vegetables and flowers grow best in soils with a pH range of 6.2 to 6.8.

If you live in an urban location, are there possibilities of lead or heavy metal containments in the soil? If so I would advise one to also have a heavy metals test also done at the time of submitting soil test to find out the nutrient analysis. If heavy metals test comes back positive I would recommend building raised garden beds and adding a soil medium from known sources.

When mapping out your vegetable garden, use seed catalogs, vegetable guides (found in gardening books or online), and read back of seed packets to help you plan the spacing of the plants you would like to grow. Taller growing and/or vine producing vegetables should not be placed in areas where they may shade or take over low growing plants. A helpful website from Cornell University listing 2011 Selected List of Vegetable Varieties for Gardens in New York State can be found at www.gardening.cornell.edu. Click on vegetables category.

Also an online vegetable growing guide of 58 vegetables can be found there. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County has two different power points on Vegetable Gardening and transplants that you can view online at http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/oneida/ home%20garden/Power%20Points/powerpoints.htm I usually purchase tomato, pepper, leaf lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, and cabbage seedlings from local growers. I plant directly bean, squashes, carrot, pea, swiss chard, and radish seeds. Vegetable seedlings may come in one- to a 2- to 3-inch pot or a six pack. I usually share a few of my six plant transplants with friends and vice versa. Happy Gardening!

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Need new gardening tools?

Botanical Gardens Great Plant Sale Pre-Orders Due April 1

Spring Classes & Trips Sign up today!

Paradise Under Glass April 8

Spring Flower Show Includes Framer Brown’s Petting Zoo and visits from the Easter Bunny!

April 9 - May 1

Corning Glass Demos April 16-17

Easter Egg Hunt April 23

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Open Garden

Interpreter under glass

Noelle Nagel and Lamberton Conservatory ABOVE: The Lamberton Conservatory in Rochester’s Highland Park was built in 1911.

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by Michelle Sutton

M

uch of the time, Lamberton Conservatory Horticulturist Noelle Nagel works under glass, and frequently—because her tinted office window faces the Conservatory entry plaza—she gets peered at through the glass. “It’s usually when I’m stuffing my face at lunch,” she says. “I get to know what it feels like to be a zoo animal.”

Noelle employs her sense of humor in writing signage for the Conservatory displays, eschewing traditional museum-style interpretation.

Longtime colleague, IPM Specialist Brian Eshenaur, says, “Noelle has a great ability to connect people with plants through her interpretive signs. She makes sure visitors don’t walk past a plant with a fantastic flower (like that of the Aristolochia gigantea vine, which looks like a little set of lungs). It all comes through in a very conversational style that makes it fun to read and

learn.”

So that regular visitors, who get invested in individual plants, understand the rationale for a recent, very dramatic pruning, she posts: “Ouch.

This Australian tree fern had a lot more fronds a few days ago.

It also had a zillion mealybugs. We made them go away.

This is not the best time to chop on plants, because they rebound slowly in the winter. But this was an emergency.

It’ll grow.”

Not only is this sign reassuring, but it introduces new visitors to a facet of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that Noelle practices. Rather than spray the Australian tree

fern (Cyathea cooperi) with pesticides, she cuts it way back to physically remove the mealybugs. She also continually scouts the plants to get on top of problems early and does a lot of bug squishing— also part of IPM. Interestingly, Noelle’s husband Brian is Director of Interpretation at Genesee Country Village and Museum. Their son Ben recently earned a philosophy degree, and something tells me interpretation is in his future.

Sprouting of a Horticulturist

Noelle graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 1978 with a degree in Botany and started working with the Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC).

Monroe County Parks was one of the sponsoring agencies for the YACC so Noelle got to work with the Parks taxonomist who would send her over to the Conservatory when he went on vacation. It was a very different facility then. “There were no offices and no phone,” Noelle says. “The place was heated with coal! We’d go down to the basement and shovel it into the furnace.”

The Parks department soon hired Noelle to work in the production greenhouse complex that used to be at the corner of Goodman and Highland Avenues, and she worked there for nearly ten years. Then, in 1988, Parks reconfigured Lamberton Conservatory, adding offices and converting production greenhouses to display houses. This arrangement allowed the public to take a full loop, starting with the seasonal house with luxuriant displays of poinsettias, tulips, or mums and moving through the original Lord & Burnham three-house structure to end in two more contemporary greenhouses featuring houseplants.

Noelle was hired to be the horticultural interpreter for Lamberton when the reconfiguration took place, and she stayed in the position for ten years before seeking a change and joining the outdoor crew for eight years. “That was cool because I learned a ton of new things, like how to drive a Bobcat and hitch up a trailer.”

She also pruned nearly all the shrubs you see in Highland Park, with the exception of the lilacs.

Four years ago, Noelle, came back to Lamberton, and she is responsible for everything from leading tours to pruning wickedly fast growing tropicals to deadleafing poinsettias to cleaning out the aquarium in the lobby. To see the quality of the displays at Lamberton, one would think there is a staff of a dozen people at work, but in truth, Noelle does almost everything, with watering and weekend watch help from colleagues

Kent Millham and Chris Ehmann.

Testing of a Horticulturist

Noelle came back to the Conservatory in time to help oversee the movement of all the central dome plants (and some plants in the adjacent houses, to make room for construction staging) out in June of 2007. The plan was to summer everybody outside in pots and beds until the central dome reconstruction was finished in the fall of po2008. The tropical plants would then go back inside to their newly refurbished digs well before winter.

But—shock of all shocks—the renovation was not finished on schedule! When fall came, Noelle and her coworkers had to scramble to find places for all the material, such as in the county jail greenhouse. But no nearby greenhouse could accommodate the 20-foot jelly palm with its 500-lb root ball, so it was taken by a Bobcat to the Highland Park labor center and stored in a

ABOVE: Lamberton Conservatory Horticulturist Noelle Nagel with Hibiscus ‘Georgia’s Pearl’

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 23

LEFT: The reconstructed, replanted central dome house is filling up fast.

RIGHT: The original central dome vent cranks are still used to manually operate Lamberton’s venting system.

garage bay under some hastily hung grow lights.

Amazingly, it survived and now can be seen growing like a champ back in the central dome house.

When the veteran plants were moved back in to the reconstructed central dome in April of 2008, they were comingled with new stock ordered from Florida growers. This proved to be a little tricky because in Florida much of the tropicals are grown for office use where light levels are low, so they’re grown under shade cloth.

Ironically for temperate Rochester, those same tropical plants baked a little too much under the pristine new Conservatory glass. The solution was interior shade cloth hung to allow the

Noelle is a first-class educator in horticulture. She’s equally skilled in engaging a class of second graders or teaching a group of college students on the technical aspects of botany. She is also a great lover of animals, and besides caring for the fish, tortoises, and turtles at the Lamberton Conservatory, she rescues injured or stray animals and birds found in Highland Park. Last, but not least, she makes a mean dessert—the aptly named, “Cherry Yum-Yum.” —Kent Millham, Horticultural Aide, Highland Park

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Floridians to acclimate. In the past, the staff used a whitewash to keep the houses shaded, but they were loath to paint the gleaming new glass postreconstruction.

The replica may be shiny and new—and it does come with much improved double pane glass and more closely spaced bars to support said glass—but historical features such as the manually operated vents were kept whenever possible. The staff has to turn the beautiful antique cranks manually every day (even in winter, there is often venting required). Some original cypress (indoor) and cast iron (outdoor) gutters were also kept and reinstalled.

Less than three years after the massive replanting, the central house is lush and full with a collection that Noelle knows intimately and tends skillfully. Alexander B. Lamberton would be proud.

Seven Questions for Noelle:

What is one of the strangest questions you’ve been asked?

NN: “If I plant a seed from a white petunia

and a seed from a red petunia in the same pot, will I get pink petunias?” Also, “Will this plant flower OR fruit?” Then there was the woman who asked me about the right light exposure for her houseplants. It seemed to me that her bedroom had the best light. She said, “Oh no, I can’t undress in front of my plants.” Huh?!

In addition to enjoying/studying plants, how do people use the Conservatory?

NN: To read, have lunch, play checkers, have weddings. I really enjoy seeing people using the space. We also tried being open on Friday evenings during the holidays. With 95 strings of lights backlighting the plants, it was quite beautiful.

Just how many turtles live here? Any other critters?

NN: We have 16 red-eared sliders, a Mexican wood turtle, and a desert turtle (who ironically, doesn’t live in the desert house—he prefers the warm pipes of the seasonal display house).

They were gifts, mostly from parents whose children went off to college. We also have quite a chipmunk population at certain times of the year. One fall our Indian corn display was looted overnight, which we discovered when we came in

the next morning to bare corn cobs. Every single kernel of corn was stripped! I found caches of Indian corn here and there in the soil and Indian corn seedlings would sprout in the oddest places.

The Reconstruction of the Lamberton Conservatory Excerpted from www.monroecounty.gov/parks-highland.php Originally constructed in 1911, the Lamberton Conservatory was named in honor of Alexander B. Lamberton who was the President of the Parks Board from 1902 to 1915. By 2006, the original building had deteriorated to the point that it was not cost effective to maintain and like most historic structures of that period, time had just gotten the better of it. In 2007, the Monroe County Parks Department sought the one million dollars it needed to do a complete tear-down and historic reconstruction, maintaining every possible detail of the original design.

The original Conservatory was disassembled right down to its foundation and reconstructed with modern materials as an exact replica of the historic structure. The existing steel framework was removed and used as a pattern for the new galvanized steel framing system. The original interior cypress gutter system was salvaged, refurbished and reused as were the operable ridge vents, the exterior cast iron gutter system, and the memorial to Alexander B. Lamberton that is, once again, mounted over the front doors.

The reconstruction effort was jointly managed by the Monroe County Department of Parks and the Monroe County Department of Environmental Services.

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What happened to the pitcher plant display?

NN: We still have hanging pitcher plants (Nepenthes sp.) but we took the carnivorous display out because it went dormant most of the year and people weren’t seeing any action.

Why did the platform have to go during the reconfiguration of the center dome?

NN: That platform was built in 1988, so it wasn’t part of the original historic dome house, and we were looking for a true historic replica.

Visiting Lamberton in 2011: The Centennial Year!

Conservatory Admission: Youth (0-5) Free, Adult (19-61) $3.00, Youth (6-18) / Seniors (62 and up) $2.00. The Conservatory is open 7 days a week, 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. except Christmas Day. Call (585) 753-7270 for more information. Seasonal Passes/Memberships are available year round.

Individual passes are $10, Family passes are $30, and Company/Institutional passes (adult care facilities) are $50.

Also, it cast a really large footprint and threw shade on other plants, making it tough to grow things. Lastly, we now have more on-the-ground space for weddings and other events.

What are one or two of your favorite plants?

NN: I love the crotons, with their colorful foliage, like the Mrs. Iceton croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Iceton’). Also I’ve grown to very much appreciate the beauty of the bromeliads.

What is the secret to growing beautiful poinsettias?

NN: Don’t let them get too dry, too wet, too hot, or too cold.

Now there’s the Noelle that we love.

Horticulturist Michelle Sutton now lives in New Paltz, New York, but she frequently pines for Rochester.

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Seasonal Stakeout

Lazy days in the Southern Tier Shopping in and around Ellicottville Story, photos and map by Colleen O’Neil Nice

ABOVE: A mixed hanging basket at Pleasant Valley Greenhouses.

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I

t feels heavenly to escape from my regular routine and sneak away for a few days to enjoy the long, hot days of summer. One of my favorite places to relax is in the small town of Ellicottville, New York, in the southwest corner of the state. In winter, Ellicottville is a white wonderland of skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing and snowshoeing. But to experience this picturesque getaway in the spring and summer is a gardener’s delight.

So I brought along my friend Elaine—florist by trade, gardener at heart—to explore a new frontier. Planning a new garden under a huge maple tree in her front yard, Elaine came along to unearth just a “few” new specimens.

“Few” is the key word here, because the last time we went nursery hopping together, Elaine’s van was filled to the roof. We even held plants on our laps for the ride home!

We began expedition driving through the early morning fog in the hills and valleys about 20 miles southwest of Ellicottville to Sinn Valley Gardens. Owner Darlene Sinn’s enthusiasm for plants was evident as she gave us a tour of her sprawling property. Many of the perennials that Darlene sells in her nursery are growing as mature specimens in her gardens. Observing plants

growing in the ground versus pots can make the plant selection process for your own garden much easier.

For the hellebore lover, Darlene is always acquiring new varieties. She grows Terra Nova’s “Winter Jewels” collection, which includes the double pink picotees of ‘Peppermint Ice’. Large, light pink flowers are edged in magenta and surrounded by tepals with dark pink backsides. The hellebore ‘Sparkling Diamond’ bears a profusion of double snow-white blooms held above polished green foliage. If you prefer the anemone-flowering Lenten rose, ‘Carousel Strain’ displays large flowers in shades of purple, rose, white and green. Each petal is picoteed around a deeply colored, ruffled center. Hellebores prefer dappled shade and a humus rich soil, which can dry out slightly between watering. They are evergreen, clumping perennials that make an attractive ground cover and can bloom from January through April.

Darlene also has an obsession with hostas and offers the latest and greatest varieties. ‘Earth Angel’, chosen by the American Hosta Society as 2009 Hosta of the Year, is one of the largest blue varieties and has heart-shaped foliage over a foot long. A broad, creamy white border accentuates the leaves. It is a vigorous plant and highly slug resistant. Four-foot tall stalks emerge with shiny white flowers in summer. ‘Déjà Blue’ displays striking, four-color leaves. The blue-green center is outlined with jagged cream and yellow strokes with a chartreuse-green leaf margin. It grows to about 24 inches wide with pale lavender flowers in early to mid summer.

‘Fire Island’ will add a burst of radiant color to your shade garden. The thick, glowing gold foliage and contrasting red stems are topped off with lavender blooms in mid summer. Growing just 10 inches tall and 18 inches wide, this drought tolerant hosta is slug resistant. Pair it up with ‘On Stage’, one of the largest yellow and green variegated hostas available. It prefers full shade, where its pointed green leaves will exhibit varying tints of yellowgold. ‘On Stage’ matures to about 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide in moist, well-drained soil.

At Sinn Valley Gardens, Darlene has been delighting customers for 18 years with her Mother’s Day hanging baskets, specialty annuals and hardy perennials. Plan a visit in May or June when she is open every day from 9 am to 7 pm. From July through September visit Wednesday through Sunday from 10 to 5. You can also call for an appointment or find her there by chance.

Heading to Olean, we stopped in at Stayer’s

Starting in Ellicottville, New York Travel time: about 29 minutes to Sinn’s #1 Sinn Valley Gardens 6278 Rt. 353 Cattaraugus, NY 14719 Phone: 716-938-6731 darlenesinn@yahoo.com Travel time: about 36 minutes to Stayer’s #2 Stayer’s Greenhouse, LLC 4340 NY Route 417 Allegany, NY 14706 716-379-8170 Travel time: about 2 minutes to Bockmier’s #3 Bockmier’s Farm Market 3809 Old State Road Allegany, NY 14706 716-373-2161 Travel time: about 9 minutes to Miller’s #4 Miller’s Farm Market, LLC 1685 East State Rd Olean, NY 14760 716-372-2521 Travel time: about 1 minute to Burton’s

Greenhouse in Alleghany. Since buying the nursery in 2008, Vickey and Tom have made it their own. The large greenhouses have a fresh look, unique plants and a “new” energy. They have expanded their tree and shrub selection, as well as added new products to their garden supply area. Complete pond and water garden goods are available including aquatic plants, fish and pumps.

Most striking was the creativity displayed in their choice of annuals. Prolific morning glories overflowed their pots while dramatic castor beans stood tall in large containers. A large selection of coleus, including huge pots of ‘Giant Exhibition Series’ filled several benches The Stayers are also creative with their vegetables, using many varieties that are bred specifically for growing in containers. Many can be grown vertically, such as cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, beans and tomatoes. A surprising amount of food can be grown on your deck, patio or windowsill. The bounty can be large, even if your space is small.

Walking through the shrubs, I noticed one of my favorite lilacs, Syringa pubescens patula ‘Miss Kim’. Its compact habit, light purple flowers and strong fragrance are a winning combination. If you’re looking for winter hardy boxwood, try Buxus sempervirens ‘Welleri’. It has a height and spread of 3’ and can withstand cold

temperatures better than the rest of the species.

Stayer’s also has a wide selection of specimen trees. They stock the very ornamental Chinese flowering dogwood (Cornus kousa var. chinensis), with blue-green foliage and long lasting, creamy white flowers blooming in the spring. The foliage changes to reddish purple and the blossoms form red raspberry shaped fruit that persist into late fall. More resistant to disease than other dogwood varieties, chinensis is also extra hardy allowing it to grow in areas where other dogwoods are marginal.

For a profusion of bright purplish clusters of blooms in early spring, plant Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’.

This redbud has purple heart-shaped leaves that glow when they are backlit by the sun. In autumn, the foliage changes to hues of red, purple, orange and yellow. The graceful, smooth grey branching habit is exquisite in winter. This is truly a tree for all seasons.

Visit Stayer’s Greenhouse Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm and Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm. Energize your garden with creative ideas and amazing plants.

Just up the road is Bockmier’s Farm Market, a combination of fresh produce and unusual plants.

Starting out as corn growers many years ago, Jim and Sheila decided to expand their repertoire with hardy

#5 Burton’s Farm Market 1630 E State Rd Olean, NY 14760 (716) 372-2812 Travel time: about 9 minutes to Chuck Wagon #6 Chuck Wagon Restaurant 2457 N Union St Olean, NY 14760 (716) 372-0464 Travel time: about 3 minutes to Pleasant Valley #7 Pleasant Valley Greenhouses 2871 Route 16N Olean, NY 14760 716-373-2929 pleasantvalleygreenhouse.com

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 31

TOP LEFT: A medley of succulents at Hickory Haven.

TOP RIGHT: Sunflowers shine at Stayer’s Greenhouse.

BOTTOM LEFT: Huge castor bean plants at Stayer’s Greenhouse.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Colorful coleus steal the show at Stayer’s Greenhouse.

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shrubs in 1988. Since then, the nursery has grown to include unusual trees, vines, perennials and annuals.

Dwarf evergreens combine textures and colors in the smallest areas. The dwarf Himalayan pine (Pinus wallichiana ‘Nana’) needs to be placed in a position of prominence so garden visitors can appreciate its soft, weeping, silvery-blue needles. With excellent drainage in full sun, ‘Nana’ will mature to 4’ tall and 5’ wide. Pinus strobus ‘Blue Shag’ is a dwarf eastern white pine with short blue-green needles that are soft to the touch. It is very low maintenance, and typically grows about 4’ tall. Picea pungens ‘Sester Dwarf’ is a pyramidal spruce with bright blue needles. It is a wonderful accent plant reaching just 8’ tall and 5’ wide in full sun.

Bockmier’s also offers ‘Kentucky’ Its bluish-purple long racemes typically bloom in two to three years, unlike the American wisteria, which takes as long as 7 to 10 years.

This vigorous vine is hardy to zone 3 and grows 30’ tall.

With nine varieties of cherry tomatoes, homemade jams and jellies and a “Frequent Perennial Buyers” card with no expiration date, what more could a gardener need? Visiting Bockmier’s also sparked a mini course in ornamental plants. Both Sheila and Dorinda, very knowledgeable plantswomen, freely share information about any of their specimens. I walked away thinking – wow – they really put considerable research into the types of plants they choose to grow and sell.

Our next stop was in Olean at Miller’s Farm Market where seasonal vegetables, herbs and fruits were plentiful.

I could not resist the seedless watermelon and the donut peaches. If you have never tasted a donut peach, you are in for a real treat. It has a sweet tenderness with just a hint of almond flavoring. Donut peaches are flattened with a depression in the center, shaped just like a donut, but with considerably fewer calories.

For the home canners, tomatoes, apples and peaches are sold by the bushel or half bushel. In August, Mr. Miller drives to Pennsylvania in search of the sweetest, juiciest peaches for his market.

Miller’s also grows annuals in seven greenhouses including fuchsia, wax begonias, New Guinea impatiens, petunias and vegetables. Plants are sold in flats, hanging baskets and in single pots. Bulk and bagged mulch, topsoil and composted cow manure can also be purchased along with gift items, soy candles and gourmet foods. Miller’s is open year round with hours of operation dependent on the season. Call ahead.

Just down the road is Burton’s Farm Market. In spring, Burton’s has a wide variety of annuals available in flats and hanging baskets. A profusion of colors and varieties of geraniums, celosia, marigolds, petunias, begonias and more will compliment any planting scheme.

Particularly interesting are the perennials and herbs.

Owner Harry Burton was quick to run through a list of vegetable plants which includes heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, sweet & hot peppers, cantaloupe, cucumbers, sweet corn and broccoli – to name a few. Harry’s seasonal produce is extensive and includes fruits and vegetables

locally grown in New York State. Hours are dependant on the season, usually from 9 AM to 8 PM. Call ahead.

Working up quite an appetite, we took our lunch break at the Chuck Wagon Restaurant. With the tag line “We love hungry people!” how could we go wrong?

Homemade soups, chili, pies and desserts complemented their extensive menu. We opted for the barbequed chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries, one of the daily lunch specials. After enjoying a delicious lunch, with fairly priced, generous portions and a friendly waitress, we headed to our last destination.

Pleasant Valley Nursery has served customers for over 25 years and is known for their premium quality spring annuals and hanging baskets. They also grow a large selection of perennials and flowering trees and shrubs.

Decorative pots, statuary, granite birdbaths and boulder benches complement the greenery.

According to owner, Dan Evans, new plants for the 2010 season include two new colors of the annual Wave Petunia, ’Blue Denim’ and ’Burgundy Star’ plus nearly 20 new perennials in quart and gallon sizes. Also available is the new pink flowering Annabelle, Hydrangea arborescens ‘Invinciblle Spirit’. This extremely hardy (zone 3-9) hydrangaea is the first pink with enormous, very reliable blooms for over four months. Gardeners in the coldest regions can enjoy flowers on this hydrangea even if the stems die back to the ground.

“In my opinion,” says Dan, “hydrangeas are really under used, especially the paniculata varieties that do so well even here in Zone 4 like H. paniculata ‘Limelight’, ‘Pinky Winky’ and ‘Little Lamb’. They are hard to beat for

their month long color display in the late summer.”

Pleasant Valley is truly a four-season nursery and begins the year with Easter and thousands of flowers in bud and bloom including lilies, callas, hydrangeas, mixed containers and more. Late spring and summer usher in a wonderland of colorful blooms and intriguing foliage.

Autumn transforms the nursery with thousands of huge potted mums in over 20 colors grown on site. “People love to go to the mum field and choose their own,” says Dan, “with the entire month of September being prime time for mums.” Pumpkins, asters and cornstalks complete the harvest trimmings. For the holidays, the greenhouses feature several sizes of poinsettias in designer colors, cyclamen and fresh mixed wreathes. Specializing in Fraser firs, all Christmas trees are locally grown.

Hours vary with the season, so call ahead. Easter hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM and Sundays from 11 AM to 5 PM. Spring hours (starting in late April) include Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 8 PM and Sundays from 9 AM to 6 PM. Generally, during the summer, fall and Christmas season, the shop is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM and Saturdays from 9 AM to 4 PM. The store is closed on Sundays.

Take some time out to enjoy a few lazy days of summer by visiting some noteworthy nurseries in the southern tier. Plan a romantic mid-week adventure with your spouse or a weekend with friends, making Ellicottville your home base. You will discover a gold mine of plants, along with some extremely savvy growers. After all, this is zone 4, home to great skiing and extra hardy gardening!

Colleen O’Neill Nice is a passionate gardener and plant propagator specializing in hardy ferns.

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Odyssey to Ithaca

A wonderful spring tradition—inspiring gardens—shopping at great nurseries— unusual plants—gorgeous scenery—a delicious Herbal Lunch

saturday, June 4, 2011 Highlights of this day-long luxury motorcoach tour include: A leisurely visit to Cornell Plantations, truly one of the most inspiring gardens in New York State Delicious Herbal Lunch and shopping at Bakers’ Acres—they have an incredible array of perennials Shopping at The Plantsmen nursery, known for its natives and beautiful setting A stop at Bedlam Gardens, a huge display garden with many rare and unusual plants Depart Buffalo, Eastern Hills Mall, rear of Sears store, 7:30 am/return approx. 7:30 pm Depart Batavia, location to be determined, 8:00 am/return approx. 7:00 pm

Only $70/person. Sign up today.

There will be an optional box dinner available for purchase before we depart for home. You may also feel free to bring your own.

To register, go to UpstateGardenersJournal.com or complete and return the form below.

Call 716-432-8688 or 585-538-4980 for more information or to pay by credit card.

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Natural Selections

Some lesser known natives

Trees that offer diversity and understated beauty

by Andrew P. Fowler ABOVE: Tamarack (Larix laricina)

3 6 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

D

iscussions about native versus non-native plants tend to have a polarizing effect on an audience. There are those who consider “going native” to be the only viable option to stem the tide of invasive exotic species and ensure the survival of our native flora and fauna. I do not subscribe to this philosophy. I understand that humans have introduced some pesky plants and animals, often unwittingly, and I have been personally tackling such invaders myself for some time, but I also believe that, with careful selection, exotics have a place in our landscapes.

Moreover, the idea that native plants are better adapted to our environment does not always ring true. Consider the average new housing development; the topsoil is stripped off before construction begins and sold back to the homeowners to be spread over a

compacted wasteland full of construction debris when construction is finished. In these situations many of our native plants would not adapt well at all, whereas some Asian or European species might do just fine.

Another consideration is what exactly “native” means. Are we talking about native to New York, the eastern seaboard, east of the Mississippi River, or North America? Are we concerned about the timescale, e.g., native before the arrival of Europeans? The fact is that nature is not static, but dynamic. Plants and animals have always moved around, spreading and receding as environmental conditions fluctuate, although it is true that the globalization of human economies has certainly sped up the process. The dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) was once native to North America, found in fossils, but is now found

only in nature within a small residual habitat in China.

The eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is native to most all the eastern and Midwestern US, not actually New York, although it is well adapted and established here now. Similarly, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is well established and common over much of New York, but its natural range is further south along the Appalachian range from Pennsylvania southward.

Much of this spread (at least the speed of it) is due to human intervention, but given time the plants would probably get there by themselves. The common coconut (Cocos nucifera), for example, was carried by sea currents and humans from its native Southeast Asia all around the tropics The Ironwoods

There are two species of trees found abundantly in the woods of western New York, whose common name is ironwood. Both are in the birch family (Betulaceae), and recognized by the catkins produced in winter.

The Eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) is a small understory woodland species, found from Canada to the Gulf Coast. In the woods of western New York it is usually found on well-drained ridges and slopes, in association with maples, beech, oak and hickory. The wood is light brown, extremely heavy and hard, and is locally used for tool handles. Its mature height is usually about 30’, with a straight trunk and spreading crown. The slender branches tend to droop at the ends. The bark on young twigs and trunks is dark reddish brown and shiny. On mature trunks the bark develops narrow, plate-like strips that peel back from the trunk producing a very distinctive and pleasing feature. The leaves are deciduous, alternate with finely serrated margins, dark green in summer and yellow in the fall, but they drop quite early. The male flowers emerge at the branch tips during the winter in groups of three catkins, awaiting the inconspicuous female flowers, which emerge in March or April. In late summer the “hops” develop from the female flowers.

These are clusters of nutlets each enclosed in a papery sac, the whole structure resembling the fruit of hops.

Adaptable to full sun or shade, and hardy to Zone 3, the hophornbeam makes a handsome small tree for lawns, parks and naturalized areas. It can also be used effectively as a street tree. Moreover, it is generally pest-free.

Occupying the lower, moister portions of those same slopes is the other ironwood, the American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana). Other common names include blue beech, water beech, referring to its superficial resemblance to the American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and musclewood, referring to the sinewy fluting of the smooth gray bark. It usually grows as a multi-trunked tree with a mature height of about 25’. The leaves are similar to, but narrower and more elongated than those of the hophornbeam. The fall color, however, is much more vivid with yellows,

reds and oranges. The male flowers are produced in 1” long catkins in winter, the female in 2” to 4” long bracted catkins at the tips of branches in spring. In the fall a single small nutlet is produced at the base of the 3-lobed bracts, several bracts being produced in a hanging cluster. The American Hornbeam is a very adaptable tree, tolerant of full sun to full shade, dry to wet soils and, though usually found on acidic soils, can also tolerate calcareous soils. Like its European cousin (C. betulus), it can be pruned and shaped into hedges or pleached into formal plantings.

Both of the ironwood species are remarkably pest-free, and deer do not appear to bother them. They are, however, quite sensitive to salt, so would not be appropriate for street plantings where de-icing salt is frequently used.

ABOVE: American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)

Cucumbertree Magnolia

The magnolia is named after Pierre Magnol (1638 –1715), director of the Montpelier botanic gardens in France. Magnolias are generally thought of as small, profusely flowering, even gaudy, trees, whose flowers appear before the leaves in early spring, and are often hit by frosts, turning the flowers to mush. The cucumbertree magnolia (M. acuminata) is a very hardy magnolia, native from western New York down the Appalachians to Louisiana. It is generally found in deep, moist soils along river valleys and lower slopes, mixed with other hardwoods such as oaks, ash, beech and maples. It can grow up to 50’ – 75’. While pyramidal in youth, this magnolia soon grows a broad, rounded canopy with wide-spreading branches, especially if planted in the open. The leaves are simple, cordate, about 4 to 10” long, bright green above and slightly pubescent beneath. The buds are UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 37

or yellow in the fall. A dioecious species, the small greenish-yellow flowers on both the male and female trees are a good nectar source for bees. The female trees produce a small dark blue drupe containing a single seed, which are generally eaten by birds and mammals. Occasionally, trees are seen with a very few fruits, suggesting a smattering of perfect flowers in an otherwise all male tree. It prefers a well-drained, deep, moist and acidic soil, but can tolerate swampy conditions as well as dry soils. Full sun is preferable for best fall color, but a part shade situation also works.

Some salt tolerance is evident. The black gum makes a superb specimen shade tree, one of the most consistent native trees for fall color. It can also be used as a street tree in the less polluted areas. Generally pest-free, leaf spot can sometimes be troubling, and deer have been known to browse the twigs. Somewhat notorious for being difficult to transplant due to a taproot, container growing and root pruning can easily overcome these problems.

Tamarack Above: Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica)

quite large and covered with silky, silvery pubescence.

Young stems are reddish brown and smooth and emit a spicy scent when bruised. Older trunks tend to be gray and smooth developing flat ridges and vertical fissures as they age. There is little in the way of fall color, most leaves falling while still green or brown.

At the terminals of the branches, the yellow-green flowers develop in late May, after the leaves are fully elongated. The petals are 2” to 3” long and form a slightly fragrant, tulip-like flower. Unfortunately, the foliage tends to hide the flowers from view. Most of the yellow-flowering magnolia cultivars now available have the cucumbertree in their parentage, particularly the Appalachian variety, M. acuminata var. subcordata.

Generally pest-free, it prefers slightly acidic soil with plenty of moisture and full sun to partial shade, but can also tolerate calcareous soils on the dry side. As most magnolias, this species has fleshy roots with few laterals and root hairs, so care must be taken with transplanting. The cucumbertree is a magnificent specimen for large properties and parks, given sufficient room to spread its branches.

Black Gum

One of the most beautiful of our native trees, the black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), a.k.a. black tupelo, sour gum, and pepperidge, ranges from New York down to the Gulf Coast. A slow grower, pyramidal in youth, it develops a rounded canopy with age, growing to about 40’ to 50’ with a 30’ spread, with densely set branches.

The bark is a dark gray-brown, sometimes almost black, with irregular ridges broken into an alligator hide pattern. The alternate, simple, ovate leaves emerge late in May, a lustrous dark green, often with red petioles. Leaf color changes to brilliant scarlet, orange 3 8 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

Deciduous conifers are seldom seen in landscapes with the possible exception of the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), which is gaining popularity. Perhaps the hardiest of the deciduous conifers is the tamarack or larch (Larix laricina). Native to most of Canada, the Great Lakes and the New England states, the tamarack is hardy to Zone 2, but will not tolerate warmer conditions than found in Zone 5 or 6. It grows in a range of habitats from dry ridges to swamps, but best growth occurs in moist, well-drained acid soils in full sun. Fairly fast growing in youth, it tends to attain a very upright pyramidal shape, with an open structure and wide-spreading branches. It matures at about 50’ with a spread of about 20’. The needles are short, pale bluish green, and occur in bundles of 12 to 30 on short spurs on old wood, and alternate around the stem on new wood. In the fall the needles turn bright yellow before dropping.

Male and female flowers are in the form of cones, the male flowers small yellowish near the branch tips, and the female ones reddish on older twigs. In late summer the female flowers produce small, woody light brown cones with hairless scales, containing small winged seeds, which are mostly eaten by small mammals and birds. The larch is pest-free, although deer may browse the twigs. It is tolerant of salt and poor drainage, but not air pollution.

None of the above-mentioned trees are seen in nurseries or landscapes very often. They are not flashy, but they offer an understated beauty and much-needed diversity to our cultivated landscapes. Those wishing to expand their gardening horizons might consider planting some of these subtle beauties.

Andrew Fowler operates a nursery at Holmes Hollow Farm in Victor, NY.

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Take Route 13 north up the hill from Ithaca; exit North Triphammer Road. Turn Left. Go 5miles to the four-way blinking stop light in Lansing. TURN RIGHT onto 34B. Go 2 miles. The nursery is on your left.

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Calendar BUFFALO REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS 8th District Federated Garden Clubs of New York State Inc. Judy Tucholski Zon, District Director: 716/836-2573; gardenclubsofwny.com. April 14: Spring Luncheon and Installation of Officers, Salvatores Italian Gardens, Genesee Street, Lancaster.

African Violet and Gesneriad Society of WNY meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm, Depew High School Cafeteria, 5201 Transit Rd., Depew. 716/652-8658; avgswny@verizon. net; gesneriadsociety.org/chapters/wny.

Buffalo Area Daylily Society. March 27: Hybridizing program of George Doorakian, 2 pm. Presented

by Mary Collier Fisher, president AHS. Public invited. East Aurora Senior Center, 101 King Street. jhoftl@aol.com.

Garden Friends of Clarence meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 pm, September – June, Town Park Clubhouse, 10405 Main Street, Clarence. gardenfriendsofclarence@hotmail.com.

Hamburg Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of every month at noon, summer garden tours, 3921 Monroe Avenue, Hamburg.

716/648-0275.

Niagara Frontier Pond & Koi Club meets the second Friday of each month at 7 pm, St. Agatha’s Church Maguire Hall, 51 Alamo Place, Buffalo. nfkpc.org.

Western New York Herb Study Group meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 pm, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo.

Western NY Hosta Society, contact for meeting dates and location. 716/941-6167; h8staman@ aol.com. March 12: Hosta College, Piqua, Ohio.

Western NY Rose Society meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm, St. Stephens-Bethlehem United Church of Christ, 750 Wehrle Drive, Williamsville. wnyrosesociety. org.

Williamson Garden Club. On-going community projects; free monthly lectures to educate the community about gardening. Open to all.

315-524-4204. grow14589@gmail.com; growthewilliamsongardenclub.blogspot.com.

Wilson Garden Club generally meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 pm in the community room of the Wilson Free Library, 265 Young Street, Wilson. Meetings open to all, community floral planting, spring plant sale, local garden tours. 716/751-6334; wilsongardenclub@ aol.com.

Western New York Honey Producers, Inc. March 26, 9 am. First Presbyterian Church of East Aurora. wnyhpa.org.

WNY Iris Society meets the first Sunday of the month in members’ homes and gardens.

Information about growing all types of irises and complementary perennials. Shows. Sale.

Guests welcome. Pat Kluczynski: 716/633-9503; patrizia@roadrunner.com.

Youngstown Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 100 Church Street, 4 4 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

Frequent hosts BECBG: Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14218. 716/827-1584; buffalogardens. com.

LOCK: Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark Street, Hamburg, NY 14075. 716/649-4684; lockwoodsgreenhouses.com.

REIN: Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, 93 Honorine Drive, Depew, NY 14043. 716/6835959; dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html.

ZTL: Zittel’s Country Market, Route 20, Hamburg, NY. 716/649-3010; www.zittels.com.

Youngstown. April 13: The Rainbow Flower, irises.

CLASSES / EVENTS • Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

• Ongoing: After School Escape, Thursdays, 4:30 pm. One-hour program for kids featuring a different outdoor activity each week. Grades K – 5. Free. REIN March 5: Pruning Techniques – Shrubs & Vines, 10 am. Learn to decipher the rules for pruning with optimum results. Proper timing will be discussed as well as techniques to soften damage from animals and weather. Free. Registration required.

Menne Nursery, 3100 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst. 716/693-4444; mennenursery.com.

March 5: Garden Conservation, 11 am – 12 pm.

Join Dr. Fran Evans, Master Gardener and retired chemist, as he tackles this timely environmental topic. $10 members; $12 non-members. BECBG March 12: Basic Propagation, 11 am – 12:30 pm. Horticulturist David Clark will share basic propagation techniques in a hands-on setting.

Bring carton to carry freshly propagated plants home. $12 members; $15 non-members.

Registration required. BECBG March 12: Advanced Propagation, 1 – 2:30 pm.

Join Horticulturist David Clark to learn advanced propagation techniques hands-on. $12 members; $15 non-members. Registration required. BECBG March 19: Go Organic, 9:30 – 11 am. Join Sara Baker Michalak to learn how to work with nature, not against it. The group will walk through the gardens discussing the whys and hows of gardening the natural way, along with the wisdom and practicality of going green.

Registration required. Lana’s The Little House, Forestville. 716/965-2798; lanasthelittlehouse. com.

March 19: Pruning Seminar, 9:30 am – 2:45 pm.

Morning: pruning theory, shrubs. Afternoon: pruning and maintenance yard trees. Instructors: Sally Cunningham (CNLP), Rex Webber (CNLP, ISA). CNLP credits. $45 full day, includes pizza lunch; $25 half day. Registration required. LOCK March 20: Spring Fling – Victorian Tea & the Victorian Language of Flowers, 11 am – 1 pm.

Enjoy tea sandwiches, scones, fruits, desserts and

a variety of teas. Following the tea, Nancy Kalieta will present the mysterious nuances associated with particular flowers during Victorian Times. $20 members; $24 non-members. Registration required. BECBG March 24 – 27: Plantasia. Plantasia Sets the Mood.

Western NY’s flower and garden show. Theme gardens, seminars, Children’s Discovery Garden, vendors, special events. The Fairgrounds Event Center and Expo Hall, 5820 South Park Avenue, Hamburg. plantasiany.com.

March 26: Wake Up Your Garden, 11 am – 12:30 pm. Find out what you can do indoors to get ready for gardening season. Bring two dry soil samples taken at a depth of 6 inches (if the ground isn’t frozen) from two different areas of your yard or garden for testing. $10 members; $12 non-members. Registration required. BECBG • March 27: Kids’ Activities at the Gardens, 11:30 am. Activities vary; children must be accompanied by an adult. Ages 3 – 12. Included with admission. BECBG April 2: “Grow Your Own” Seminar, 10 am. Learn the best ways to start seeds, when and how to transplant and how to prepare your garden or container to ensure a bountiful harvest. Choose from many varieties of seeds. Registration required. ZTL • April 2: Garlic Mustard Challenge Kick-Off, 11 am. Scout troops, clubs, organizations, compete to see who can remove the most of the invasive garlic mustard plant from Reinstein Woods. Prizes and more. Registration required. REIN April 2: Demystifying Orchids, 11:30 am. Instructor: David Clark. $12. Registration required. LOCK April 7: Nationally Renowned Garden Lecturer Series, 7 – 8:30 pm. Dr. Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, is a professor and chair of the Entomology and Wildlife Ecology Department at the University of Delaware where he has been studying insects and their role in the environment for over 20 years. Dr. Tallamy will discuss the impact of alien plants on native ecosystems, interactions between plants and insects and conservation of biodiversity. Book signing and reception; book may be pre-ordered at registration. Sponsored by: The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Erie County, 8th District Federated Garden Clubs of New York State. $20 members of sponsors; $24 non-members. Registration required. BECBG April 8: Paradise Under Glass, 6 – 9 pm. Get a sneak preview of the Spring Flower Show.

Refreshments. Tropical attire is encouraged but not required. $25 members; $28 non-members. $30 after March 20. BECBG April 9: Flower Gardening Basics – Design & Culture, 9:30 am – 2:45 pm. Morning: design, soil, site analysis, culture, recommended perennials for difficult sites with Sally Cunningham. Afternoon: lilies and other summer blooming bulbs with Roxanne McCoy; popular and new annuals, tour of growing area with Marge Vogel. CNLP credits. $50 full day, includes lunch; $30 half day. Registration required. LOCK April 9: Houseplant Potting/Repotting Event, 10 am – 2 pm. Purchase a new plant and pot, or bring your own; soil, drainage material and help provided. Registration required. ZTL

• April 9 - May 1: Spring Flower Show, 10 am – 5 pm. Thousands of spring flowers will fill the Gardens. Petting zoo. Visit the Easter Bunny, weekends April 9 – 24. BECBG

April 27: Herbs in a Strawberry Jar, 6 – 7 pm. Pot up the most popular herbs to have close at hand when cooking. $30 members; $35 non-members.

Registration required. BECBG

April 16: Rose Care Seminar, 10 am. Presented by Southtowns Rose and Garden Society. Learn about rose care and culture from local rose gardeners. Registration required. ZTL

April 30: Gardening in Containers, 10 am. Learn the basics of container gardening as well as how to choose and arrange the plants. Successfully grow annuals, perennials, veggies, bulbs and herbs in containers. Registration required. ZTL

April 16: Easter Gift Basket, 11 am. Instructor: Mary Trifunovic, professional floral designer. $35.

Registration required. LOCK April 16: Floral Centerpiece, 1 pm. Instructor: David Clark, professional floral designer. $35.

Registration required. LOCK April 20: Fresh Floral Easter Arrangement, 6 – 7:30 pm. Fashion a spring arrangement to grace the dinner table. Bring scissors, hand clippers and box to transport finished piece. $30 members; $35 non-members. Registration required. BECBG April 21: What Makes a Cottage Garden?, 9:30 – 11 am. Join Sara Baker Michalak to learn about the design fundamentals of cottage gardening, how to plan your own, which plants to use in which conditions, and more. Observe the principles in action on a walk through the Little House garden. Registration required. Lana’s The Little House, Forestville. 716/965-2798; lanasthelittlehouse.com.

• April 23: Signs of Spring, 10:30 am. Enjoy a walk to search for signs of the spring season.

Registration required. REIN

• April 30: Trees of Reinstein Woods, 10:30 am.

Learn about various tree species, historical tree “graffiti” and create a tree journal to take home.

Registration required. REIN April 30: Mother’s Day Basket / Spring Planter Workshop, 11 am. Instructor: Mary Gurtler. $35.

Registration required. LOCK April 30: Native Plants, 11 am – 12:30 pm. Learn which plants require less work and resources since they have spent centuries adapting to the Western New York climate. Presenter: Lyn Chimera, Master Gardener. $10 members; $12 non-members. Registration required. BECBG

April 30 – May 1: African Violet and Gesneriad Society of WNY – Judged Show and Sale, Saturday 12 – 6 pm; Sunday 10 am – 4 pm.

Theme: Travel Destinations. Galleria Mall, Galleria Drive, Cheektowaga. Paul Kroll: 716/6528658; pfkroll@roadrunner.com.

Saturday, May 14, 9am-1pm

New Location!

NYS Armory, 1765 hanshaw Road, off Rt. 13

• • •

Over 40 area specialty plant growers and 15 garden groups

Plants of all kinds: uncommon annuals & perennials, flowering shrubs, organically grown transplants, rock garden plants, herbs & MORE!!

FREE admission!

Sponsored by CCE Tompkins County Master Gardeners (607) 272-2292 http://ccetompkins.org

• April 30 – May 28: Kids’ Watercolor Classes, three Saturdays, April 30, May 21 & 28, 9 – 10:30 am. Taught by artist Joan Saba. $30 series; $11 per class. Registration required.

BECBG May 5: Cooking with Herbs, 7 – 8:15 pm. Spice up your cuisine with some tips and recipes from Master Gardener Carol Ann Harlos. $12 members; $15 non-members. Registration required. BECBG May 6: Spring Bulb Sale, 8 am. Annual sale of bulbs dug from the gardens, many varieties to select from. Bag provided, you fill. $7 per bag; limit 4 bags per person. Garage behind the Gardens. BECBG May 6: National Public Gardens Day. BECBG

April 30: Caring for Roses, 1 – 2:30 pm. Instructor: David Clark. CNLP credits. $12. Registration required. LOCK

Ithaca’s Spring Garden Fair & Plant Sale

• April 30 – May 1: Spring Open House. Flowers, food, garden art, classes, specials, kids’ activities. ZTL

• May 7: Tea Cup Floral Arrangement, 10 – 11 am.

Delight Mom on her day with a lively fresh floral arrangement in a pretty teacup with saucer. $12 members; $15 non-members. Registration required. BECBG • May 7: Mother’s Day Make it for Mom, 11 am – 2 pm. Kids make something special for mom or grandma for Mother’s Day. Select from an assortment of containers and plants.

Experienced staff will assist with planting. Fee for container and plants; soil, drainage material, topdressing included. Registration required. ZTL

by nted e s e pr

Gardening Fun!

6820 Cedar Street Akron, NY 14001 (716) 542-6110

Your One Stop Gardening Greenhouse!

Specializing in Hanging Baskets

We carry a huge array of Vegetable Plants, 41/2” crops , Flats, Patio Tomatoes, Seeds, Potted Planters, Pottery, & much more…

Nothing tastes better than veggies picked from your OWN garden!

We still believe in old fashion customer service Stop by and visit us at Plantasia Booth #79/80

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Exclusive grower of the “Plant for Hope” hanging basket!

Bedford’s presents Plant for Hope fundraiser on May 14th.

All proceeds to benefit patients at Roswell Park.

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 45

Calendar BUFFALO continued May 7 – 29: Coleus Show, 10 am – 5 pm. BECBG May 13 – 15: Spring Open House, 10 am – 5 pm.

Herbs, perennials, garden artwork, classes, shops. Chicken Coop Originals, 13245 Clinton Street, Alden. 716/937-7837.

May 14: Own Your Own Landscape, 9:30 am – 12 pm. Basic landscaping and plant selection for homeowners. Includes design, planting, and tree/shrub recommendations with tour.

Instructor: Sally Cunningham. CNLP credits. $20.

Registration required. LOCK • May 14: Earth Day in May, 10 am – 1 pm. Help with trail maintenance and invasive species control. Scout and youth groups, individuals and families welcome. Lunch provided. Registration required. REIN • May 14: Plant for Hope, 10 am – 4 pm. Plant for Hope Hanging Basket, exclusively grown for the event. Chinese auction, raffle, food, wine tasting, crafters, family fun. 100% of proceeds go to WNY Breast Cancer Resource Center. Bedford’s Greenhouse, 6820 Cedar Street, Akron. 716/5426110.

May 14: All About Herbs, 2 pm. Learn about growing, harvesting, drying and uses for herbs.

Registration required. ZTL May 14 – 15: The Great Plant Sale, 9 am – 4 pm.

Hanging baskets, annuals, perennials, ornamental trees & shrubs, rare and unusual plants, deer resistant plants & flowers, natives, tropicals, Japanese maples, herbs and more. BECBG May 14 – 15: Bonsai Show, 10 am – 5 pm.

Presented by the Buffalo Bonsai Society. Bonsai masters and novices will display their prized trees at their peak. BECBG

Save the Date May 21: Organic Gardening Day, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm. Guest speakers, organic luncheon. $50 full day; $35 morning only; $15 afternoon only.

Registration required. LOCK

ITHACA REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS Adirondack Chapter, North American Rock Garden Society (AC/NARGS), usually meets the third Saturday of the month at 1 pm. acnargs. blogspot.com. March 19: Incorporating Native Plants into a Low-Maintenance Meadow, 12 pm brown bag lunch, 1 pm program. Dan Segal, The Plantsmen Nursery. 404 Plant Science Building, Cornell University. April 16: The Tame and Wild Alpine Flora of Colorado, 12 pm brown bag lunch, 1 pm program. Tompkins County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca.

CLASSES / EVENTS • Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

4 6 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

Frequent hostS BAK: Bakers’ Acres, 1104 Auburn Rd. (Route 34), Groton, NY. 607/533-4653; bakersacres. net.

CP: Cornell Plantations, 1 Plantations Road, Ithaca, NY 14850. Inquire ahead for meeting places. 607/255-2400; cornellplantations.org.

March 4 – 5: Designing with Native Plants Symposium. Friday: The NY Flora Atlas Online: Some History, and How You Can Use It; Designing with Native Flora – Why and How; New Stormwater Regs – What LAs need to know; Water Sensitive Design – Theory and Practice; How to Improve Your Native Seeding Specifications; Building a Database of Native Landscape Projects. Saturday: Fitting Common and Rare Plants of NY into the Habitats They Love; Native Birds and their Behavior; Rain Gardens (And Swales); A Local Model for Great Local Compost; Dire Links: Deer and Native Plants; Local and Regional Update on Tree Pathology. La Tourelle Resort & Spa, 1150 Danby Road (96B), Ithaca. info@plantsmen.com March 19: Pruning Workshop, 9 am – 12 pm.

Presented by Cornell Cooperative Extension, Schuyler and Steuben Counties, along with Reisinger’s Apple Country. Rick Reisinger will demonstrate pruning techniques on apples, stone fruits, nuts and berries. Also grafting an apple tree and renovating an older tree to improve fruit production. $15 individual; $25 couple. Registration required. Schuyler County CCE, 607/535-7161.

March 26: Pruning Workshop, 9 am – 12 pm. See description under March 19. $15 individual; $25 couple. Registration required. Schuyler County CCE, 607/535-7161.

April 2: Basic Fruit Tree Pruning, 1 – 3 pm. Jim Eve from Eve’s Farm Service will cover the purpose of pruning and the fundamentals of fruit tree growth and fruit production. Learn how to decide what cuts to make and how much to take off of the tree. Indoor session followed by outdoor hands-on. $15. Registration required by March 30. BAK April 4 – 13: Beginning Botanicals, Mondays & Wednesdays, 1 – 4 pm. Four-part workshop will offer the beginning artist a simple and basic approach to illustrating plants. Focus will be on analyzing and understanding the structure of the subject, identifying form, and portraying it. Class will work with natural/living materials. Instructor: Paula DiSanto Bensadoun, scientific illustrator/ botanical artist. $120 members; $144 nonmembers. Registration required. CP April 16: Herbal Tea Class, 10 am – 12 pm. Learn about different herbs that are used to make teas, which part to use, medicinal uses and flavor.

Participants will make two blends to take home. $18. Registration required by April 13. BAK April 16: Perennial 101 – What’s New and Exciting with Perennials, 1 – 3 pm. Class will go over the basics on soil preparation, choosing the right perennials and how to start a 3 season overlay garden plan. Discussion will include some of the new perennials for this year. Tour the gardens

and talk about things that should be done to begin the gardening season: divide, fertilize, clean up, etc. $15. Registration required by April 13. BAK April 17: Garden Fitness, 2 – 4 pm. Learn how to apply some simple stretching and yogic principles to basic gardening movements. Handson workshop will include practice in warm-up stretches, correct posture, safe lifting techniques, and proper tool use. Gardeners of all experience levels welcome. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Instructor: Krissy Faust. $20 members; $24 non-members. Registration required. CP April 30: Miniature Fairy Container Garden, 10 am – 12 pm. Combination lecture and hands-on workshop. Fairy gardens often include garden props, tools, and tiny whimsical toys along with favorite flowers, herbs or perennials. Bring a small box or container, small plants and props; also available for purchase. $12; supplies extra.

Registration required by April 27. BAK Ongoing May 1 – 29: Wildflower Walk, Sundays, 1 pm. Free. Rain or shine. Meet: Lab of Ornithology visitor center. Sapsucker Woods, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca.CP May 4: Evening Wildflower Walk, 7 pm. Tour the woodland pathways and varied plant habitats of the Mundy Wildflower Garden. Experience delicate and ephemeral natives such as trillium, Jack-in-the-pulpit, bloodroot, and Solomon’s seal. Free; donations welcome. CP May 5 – 23: The Joy of Botanical Illustration, eight Thursdays, 6 – 9 pm. From plant observation and drawing, to plant perspective, composition and color mixing, class will explore black and white, color pencil, pen and ink, and go into greater depth with watercolor. For all skill levels.

Instructor: Camille Doucet, artist. $240 members; $288 non-members. Registration required. CP • May 7 – 21: Painting Nature, three Saturdays, 9 am – 12 pm. Gain insight into living things, leaves, seeds, flowers, plants, while improving your drawing skills. Bring sketch book, basic watercolor paint kit and brushes. Paper, pencils and snack provided. Instructor: Camille Doucet, artist. Ages 8 and older with parent. $92 members; $110 non-members; fee includes one child and one parent, individual adults also welcome. Registration required. CP May 14: Spring Garden Fair & Plant Sale, 9 am – 1 pm. Local garden groups specializing in rock gardens, native plants, perennials, herbs, and annuals. Over 40 area growers offering everything from bedding plants to trees and shrubs. NYS Armory, 1765 Hanshaw Road.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County.

607/272-2292; mjc72@cornell.edu.

May 15: Raising Rhododendrons, 2 – 4 pm. Visit Comstock Knoll with gardener Phil Syphrit.

Participants will practice techniques such as pruning, deadheading, fertilizing, and tip-layer lifting. Some steep slope and stair climbing will be necessary. $20 members; $24 non-members.

Registration required. CP

Save the date May 21: Open Garden, 10 am – 4 pm. Award winning native plant garden. Masses of woodland natives, numerous paths, rock garden.

Free. 10 Fox Lane East Gang Mills, Painted Post. remmulp@stny.rr.com.

May 25: Evening Wildflower Walk, 7 pm. See description under May 4. Free; donations welcome. CP

ROCHESTER

Avenue, Rochester, on the first Monday following the first Sunday of each month (dates sometimes vary due to holidays, etc.). The GROS is an Affiliate of The American Orchid Society (AOS) and of The Orchid Digest Corporation. geneseeorchid.org.

African Violet Society of Rochester meets the first Wednesday of each month, September - -May, at 7 pm, St. John’s Home, 150 Highland Avenue, Rochester. All are welcome. Bob or Linda Springer: 585/413-0606; blossoms002@yahoo. com.

Genesee Valley Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society (GVC NARGS) meets the second Wednesday of each month, April - November, at the Rochester Civic Garden Center, 5 Castle Park, Rochester. 585/924-1739; kpvansco@rochester.rr.com; gvnargs.blogspot. com. April 12: Presentation, 1 pm, Cornell Cooperative Extension. May 14: Tour Joan Hoeffel Garden, 10 am, Naples.

Bonsai Society of Upstate New York meets the 4th Tuesday of the month at the Brighton Town Park Lodge, Buckland Park, 1341 Westfall Road, Rochester. 585/334-2595; bonsaisocietyofupstateny.org. April 12: Demonstration by Hiro Yamaji from Japan.

Genesee Valley Hosta Society meets the second Thursday of January, March, May, September & November at Monroe County’s Cornell Cooperative Extension, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester. 585/538-2280; sebuckner@frontiernet. net.

Fairport Garden Club meets the 3rd Thursday evening of each month (except August and January). Accepting new members. fairportgc@ gmail.com; fairportgardenclub.org.

Genesee Valley Pond & Koi Club meets the first Friday of the month at 7 pm, Rochester Civic Garden Center, 5 Castle Park, Rochester. bobwheeler58@gmail.com.

Garden Club of Brockport meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7 pm, Clarkson Schoolhouse, Ridge Road, east of Route 19.

Speakers, hands-on sessions. Kathy Dixon: 585/431-0509; kadixon@excite.com.

Gesneriad Society meets the first Wednesday of each month, September – May, at 6:30 pm, St. John’s Home, 150 Highland Avenue, Rochester.

All are welcome. Bob or Linda Springer: 585/413-0606; blossoms002@yahoo.com.

Genesee Region Orchid Society (GROS) meets every month from September through May at the Jewish Community Center, 1200 Edgewood

Greater Rochester Iris Society meets Thursdays at 7 pm, Monroe County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester.

REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS

Next meeting: March 24.

Greater Rochester Perennial Society (GRPS) meets the first Thursday of each month at 7 pm, Monroe County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester, except in summer when it tours members’ gardens. laburt@rochester.rr.com; rochesterperennial.com.

March 3: Native Perennials – Bringing Nature into Your Garden, Ellen Folts of Amanda’s Garden.

April 7: The Entertainment Garden, Frederick Rice. May 5: Drag & Brag.

Greater Rochester Rose Society holds monthly meetings at the Rochester Civic Garden Center, 5 Castle Park, Rochester. Public seminars, June rose show, garden adventures. 585/621-8780; info@rocrose.org; rocrose.org. April 5: Roses 101, 7 pm, Gene Noto. May 3: Planting and Transplanting Roses, 7 pm, Dave Swanka.

Henrietta Garden Club meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month (except July and August) at 7 pm at Henrietta Town Hall (lower level, door facing the library). Open to all interested in gardens, flowers, and sharing information about plants. henriettagardenclub@ gmail.com.

Holley Garden Club meets the second Thursday of the month at 7 pm, Holley Presbyterian Church.

585/638-6973.

Ikebana International Rochester Chapter 53 meets the 3rd Thursday of each month (except December and February) at 10 am, First Baptist Church, Hubbell Hall, 175 Allens Creek Road, Rochester. 585/872-0678; 585/586-0794.

JEFF KOOPUS Cabinet & Chair Maker

With this ad only. Prior purchases excluded. No other offer or discount applies. Expires 5-31-11. 211-45

Period & Original Design Furniture Elegant Kitchens & Built-in Cabinetry jskoopus.com 585/586-1766 • 585/755-7627 UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 47

Calendar ROCHESTER continued

Frequent hostS

Rochester Dahlia Society meets the second Saturday of most months at 1 pm, Trinity Reformed Church, 909 Landing Road North, Rochester, except in the summer, when it tours members’ gardens. Visitors welcome. 585/249-0624; 585/865-2291; gwebster@rochester.rr.com Rochester Herb Society meets the first Tuesday of each month (excluding January & February) at noon at the Rochester Civic Garden Center, 5 Castle Park, Rochester. June-August TBA garden tours. New members welcome.

Rochester Water Garden Society meets the third Monday of the month, 7:30 pm, at members’ homes. 585/672-5857; RWGS@rochester.rr.com; sunkissedaquatics.com.

Soil, Toil & Thyme Garden Club. 585/589-1640; elfreda.stangland@gmail.com. March 17: Gardenscape Trip, all day.

Valentown Garden Club meets the third Tuesday of each month; time alternates between noon and 7 pm. Victor. Kathleen Houser, president: 585/301-6107.

CLASSES / EVENTS • Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

C

OU T O S S O DS

C

Not Your Average Flower Shop...

Hours: Mon-Fri 9 - 5:30 Saturday 9-3 Sunday 11 - 3

BFP: Barefoot Edible Landscape & Permaculture, PO Box 18212, Rochester, NY 14618. Patty Love: 585/506-6505; barefootpermaculture.com.

BRI: Bristol’s Garden Center, 7454 Victor Pittsford Road, Victor, NY. 585/924-2274; bristolsgardencenter. com CCE/ONT: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Ontario County, 480 North Main Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424. 585/394-3977 x427; nea8@cornell.edu; cceontario.org.

GLT: Genesee Land Trust, 500 East Avenue, Suite 200, Rochester, NY 14607. 585/256-2130; geneseelandtrust.org.

IBA: International Bonsai Arboretum, 1070 Martin Road, West Henrietta, NY. 585/334-2595; internationalbonsai.com.

RCGC: Rochester Civic Garden Center, 5 Castle Park, Rochester, NY 14620. 585/473-5130; rcgc.org.

ROC: Sponsored by the City of Rochester. 585/428-6770; cityofrochester.gov.

SG: Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park, 151 Charlotte Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424.

585/394-4922; sonnenberg.org.

TAS: Thousand Acre Swamp Sanctuary, 158l Jackson Road, Penfield. 585/425-9561; 585/586-6677.

WAY: Wayside Garden Center, 124 Pittsford-Palmyra Road (Route 31), Macedon, NY 14502. 585/2231222 x100; trish@waysidegardencenter.com; waysidegardencenter.com.

Ongoing: Talk Dirt, first Monday of each month, 11:45 am – 1 pm. Topics vary. Bring a lunch.

Free. Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension, Education Center, 4H Fairgrounds, Route 31, between Albion and Medina. 585/7984265; cceorleans.shutterfly.com.

Come Visit Marilla’s “Best Kept Secret”

OF MARILLA

FLORIST & GIFTS

Spring is in the Air at Country Crossroads Featuring:

• Custom Fresh & Silk Arrangements • Home Décor & Gift Items include: • Furniture • Wall Art • Lodge • Jewelry • Primitives • Signs/Stitcheries • Wind & Willow Dips & Soup Mixes • Pelican Bay Bread Mixes

Located at: 700 Two Rod Rd., Marilla, NY 14102 Corner of Two Rod & Clinton

(716) 937-4407

4 8 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

20 % off Any one regular priced gift item Exp: April 2011

March 2011 – February 2012: Four Seasons Permaculture Design Certification. 72-hour course will give participants a comprehensive understanding of permaculture principles & ethics; design processes, methodologies & tools.

One introductory weekend followed by monthly Sunday sessions. $800 – $1000, sliding scale.

Registration required by March 18. BFP

Lakeside Badding Farm 10820 Transit Road East Amherst NY 14051 (716) 636-7824 www.baddingbrosfarm.com The Spring season can be overwhelming and confusing, especially for new gardeners.

Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have about flowers.

From Proven Winners flowers, to veggie plants, hanging baskets, to individual plants, geraniums, to exotic ornamental grasses, we have something for everyone.

But our supply doesn’t stop there.

We maintain a wide selection of mulches and soils as well.

We also offer fertilizers, pest control sprays, gardening tools, and much more.

Stop in and be wowed by our flower selection!

Supply Co., Inc “The Choice of Professional Landscapers Should be Your Choice, Too” We are Your Turf and Seed Specialists.

Our Products & Services Include: ~Premium Sod Blends Including Bluegrass and Blue-Ryegrass ~Custom Seed Mixes ~Professional Lawn Fertilizers ~Organic Fertilizers ~Soil Testing & Consulting ~Amendments to Condition & Perfect Your Soil Phone: 800/562-2887 or 716/741-2877; Fax: 716/741-4463 6660 Goodrich Rd., Clarence Center NY 14032 www.lakesidesod.com

100Birdhouses.com

Functional and Handmade

by Diane Rivers from recycled lumber; adorned with antiques and unusual items.

The store contains much more than birdhouses.

Antiques, flea market items, handmade purses and aprons. Windchimes, Americana, quality country prints, primitive furnishings and LOTS of angels.

61069 State Route 415 (Bet. Avoca and Cohocton), Wallace, NY

email: crossmyheart@stny.rr.com

Store Hours : March 10-Dec 31: Thu, Fri, Sat 10-5 607-566-2219

Calendar ROCHESTER continued March 5: Planting, Cultivating, and Marketing Juneberries (Amelanchier alnifolia) in the Great Lakes Region, 9 am – 2 pm. An introduction to small-scale juneberry production.

Includes educational materials, refreshments, lunch. $40. Registration required. Jordan Hall, NYS Agricultural Experiment Station, 630 West North Street, Geneva. CCE/ONT March 5: Spring Garden Symposium, 9 am – 2:30 pm. Garden designers and authors Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden: two lectures drawn from their recent book, Plant-Driven Design: Creating Gardens That Honor Plants, Place, and Spirit and Best LongBlooming Perennials. $45 members; $55 non-members. Eisenhart Auditorium, Rochester Museum and Science Center, 657 East Avenue, Rochester. RCGC March 5: Spring Bulb Pot, 11 am. Plant some spring bulbs, already forced, and decorate the container with a variety of mosses and forced branches. Bulb forcing techniques will be discussed. $20; includes clay pot, forced bulbs, soil and décor. $20. Registration required. BRI March 6: Sunday Hike, 1 – 3 pm. See description under January 23. Free. Meet: Seneca Park Zoo parking lot. ROC March 8: Herbaceous Perennials, 6 – 8:30 pm.

Marcella Klein will give an in-depth look at the best perennials for home landscapes with focus on perennials that provide long season color while requiring minimal upkeep, plus those that flourish under difficult conditions.

Slide presentation, discussion of planting and maintenance techniques, handouts, bibliography. $30 members; $40 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC March 9: New (Easy & Cheap!) Methods for Seed-Starting/Winter-Sowing of Annuals, Vegetables and Perennials, 6:30 – 8:30 pm.

Nurseryman Michael Hannen will describe his methods for winter sowing, starting seeds outdoors while the weather is still cold, and demonstrate his setup. Includes seeds to try at home. $15 members; $20 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC March 9: Home Fruit Production Series – Peaches, Plums and Cherries, 7 – 9 pm.

Class will discuss site/soil preparation, variety selection, planting procedures, training/pruning practices, fertilization, pest identification and management, harvesting and more. $10.

Registration required. CCE/ONT March 9 – 10: Philadelphia Flower Show Tour. Join Michael Warren Thomas on this popular bus trip to Philadelphia. Theme: Springtime in Paris; details at theflowershow. com. In addition to Longwood Gardens, the group will also visit the Hagley Museum. $395 per person (double) includes everything except dinner at the Flower Show and lunch at Longwood Gardens; add $55 for a single.

Send check payable to Michael Warren Thomas, 19 Trafalgar Street, Rochester, 14619.

585/328-8300; savourlife.com.

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March 10: Becoming a Business Owner, 6 – 9 pm. Christine Froehlich will share her 25+ years of experience owning and operating a garden design and maintenance firm. Topics include how to make a business plan, market yourself, set up a basic bookkeeping system, budget for taxes, protect your assets, deal with necessities such as insurance, and make choices about how to spend your business capital. $32 members; $42 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC March 12: Seed Starting, 10 am. Join Master Gardener Linda Parmelee to learn how to grow your own plants to get exactly what you want.

Free. Registration required. WAY March 12: Decorative Painting – Create Your Own Garden Art, 10 am – 1 pm. Learn techniques for painting flowers and foliage on decorations for the garden and home in this hands-on workshop with Alysia King. Decorate a small wooden stool using acrylic paints.

Materials provided. $42 members; $52 nonmembers. Registration required. RCGC

March 12 – 13: Philadelphia Flower Show Tour. See description under March 9 – 10.

March 13: DIY Landscaping, 2 pm. Workshop.

Free. Registration required. WAY March 15: Apple Tree Pruning – Making the Right Cuts, 5 – 7 pm. Outdoor demonstration workshop. Orchardist Rick Reisinger will show the tools and techniques for methodically pruning established apple trees to encourage new wood, maintain tree health and enhance fruit production. Rod and Staff Farm, 6489 County Road 30, Bloomfield. $15. Registration required. CCE/ONT March 15: Woody Ornamentals, 6 – 9 pm. In this slide-lecture author and landscape designer Christine Froehlich will share her method of categorizing woodies according to shape, structure, growth habit, color and scale. She will discuss their landscape values as well as how to buy and plant them. $36 members; $46 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 16: Home Fruit Production Series – Raspberries and Blackberries, 7 – 9 pm. See description under March 9. $10. Registration required. CCE/ONT March 16: Landscaping for Birds with Native Plants, 7 – 9 pm. Jim Engel, owner White Oak Nursery, a native plant nursery in Canandaigua, will explain how native plants support the base of the food chain and are key to bird survival.

He will present different native trees, shrubs and perennials whose presence will enhance the landscape as well as provide bird habitats. $22 members; $32 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 17 – 20: GardenScape. Rock the Garden.

Greater Rochester’s flower and garden show.

Display gardens, seminars, vendors, special events. Monroe County Fair and Expo Center, Henrietta. rochesterflowershow.com.

March 18 – 20: Edible Forest Garden Design & Theory, Friday 6 – 9 pm; Saturday 9 am – 9 pm; Sunday 9 am – 1 pm. Using Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke with Eric Toensmeier as a guide, participants will explore the

rationale for using these methods to produce a food forest. Explore the design process to create conceptual and detailed designs for the Rochester Permaculture Institute. Hands-on. $175 – $225, sliding scale; includes lunch and dinner on Saturday. Registration required by March 11. BFP March 19: Pruning I – The Basics, 9 am – 12 pm. Session will cover the basic principles of pruning trees and shrubs, including techniques, timing, and proper equipment.

Class will go outside for demonstrations. $36 members; $46 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 19: Getting Off the Ground – Vertical Gardening, 10 am. Mary Moss Sprague will share her update on easy-to-build structures and techniques to improve your garden’s yield and your posture. Especially helpful for the physically disabled, elderly and anyone looking for better vegetable gardening techniques. Free. Registration required. WAY March 19 – 20: Ikebana Exhibit, 10 am – 5 pm.

Presented by Ikebana International Rochester Chapter 53. Three demonstrations each day showing the floral styles of different schools of Ikebana: Hijiri Ikenobo, Ichiyo, Ohara and Sogetsu. Barnes & Noble at R.I.T., 100 Park Point Drive, Rochester. ikebanarochester.org.

March 19 – June 18: Pruning Certificate, three Saturdays, 9 am – 12 pm. Mike Tanzini of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape will cover the principles and techniques of pruning shrubs and small trees in the home landscape.

Classroom instruction will be supplemented with in-field demonstrations presented at the appropriate time of year. March 19: The Basics. April 16: Dormant Season Pruning.

June 18: Summer Pruning. $94 members; $130 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 20: Overwintering Mushrooms, 2:30 – 4:30 pm. Focus will be on those species that aid in the decay of wood especially the conspicuous polypores. Free. LET March 21: Urban Gardening Grows!, 6 – 6:45 pm.

Gardening is a fun family activity, can be very inexpensive and a cost effective way to have fresh flowers or produce all year. Workshops will cover a wide range of topics from houseplants to starting seeds indoors. Free.

Highland Branch Library, 971 South Avenue, Rochester. ROC March 21 – April 18: Be-a-Designer Series.

Five Mondays, 6 – 8:30 pm. Learn to create a master landscape plan for your home property in this hands-on studio course with landscape designer Mike Tanzini of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape. Topics covered include analyzing the site, the plant palette, principles of landscape design and renovation, hardscaping, and techniques for drawing out your plan. $210 members; $260 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC March 22: What Every Homeowner Should Know, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Cindy Cali specializes in environmentally friendly, low-maintenance gardening. She will cover common high-cost, high-maintenance, high-chemical-input pitfalls, and discuss green methods, plants, tools, etc. for healthy plants and a beautiful garden. $22 members; $32 non-members. Registration required. RCGC

Genesee tree service

Serving Upstate New York Since 1983

Certified Arborists specializing in pruning techniques that maximize the vitality and vigor of your trees

We treat for Emeral Ash Borer using TREE-age.

As seen in Q&A section, September-October Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.

Free Estimates • Fully Insured

(585) 385-4060

GARY RAFFEL Certified Arborist Plant Health Care Specialist

STEVEN SCHNEPF Certified Arborist

Carved Rocks

Choose from our selection or bring your own design. We will carve it deep into the stone. They are used for doorstops, addresses, garden, pet memorials, and room decor. Smallest $12.50 handsized rocks with one name make excellent gifts.

Bring in your used plastic trays, pots, and hanging baskets for 20¢ per pound in credit to spend on plants!

We will pay for up to 40 pounds but you’re welcome to bring as much plastic as you would like to recycle.

9855 Heroy Road, Clarence Center NY 14032 716/741-3976 lavocatsnursery.com Visit us on Facebook!

505 FILLMORE AVENUE TONAWANDA 716-743-8007

Calendar ROCHESTER continued March 23: Bowl of Sunshine, 7 – 9 pm. Participants will mask a container with aspidistra leaves and curl them to produce a wavy base of greenery then add towering sunflowers and bear grasses to form a dramatic vertical tabletop arrangement. Bring floral tools. $32 members; $42 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC March 23: Home Fruit Production Series – Strawberries and Blueberries, 7 – 9 pm. See description under March 9. $10. Registration required. CCE/ONT March 24: Top Annuals to Start from Seed for Your Summer Garden, 12:15 – 1 pm. Megan Meyer will talk about her favorite plants to grow from seed, varieties that have proven to look amazing from summer into autumn and that germinate and grow well. Includes handouts and demonstration. Free.

Registration required. RCGC March 24: Management Skills for Success, 6 – 9 pm. Learn to efficiently manage your schedule, customers and help, while dealing with the unexpected trials and tribulations of an outdoor trade. Christine Froehlich will discuss the management skills necessary for success. $32 members; $42 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 24: Seed Starting Indoors: 7 – 8:30 pm. Master Gardener Ken Harbison will lead a discussion on starting vegetables, annuals and perennials from seed. Topics will include storing and pre-treatment

of seeds, media, conditions, timing, light, growth, hardening off and transplanting. Hands-on session following the presentation. Materials included. $10.

Registration required. CCE/ONT

create one or two arrangements to take home in each class. All flowers and materials included. $395 members; $495 non-members. Registration required. RCGC

March 26: Introduction to Mushroom Cultivation on Hardwood Logs, 8:30 – 11:30 am. Class will cover cultivation of several domesticated species of mushrooms, including shiitake and oyster, on maple, poplar, and oak logs and tips on harvesting, storage, and sales of gourmet mushrooms.

Participants will inoculate logs, receive a take-home log and tabletop mushroom kit. $25. Registration required by March 23. CCE/ONT

March 30: Home Fruit Production Series – Grapes, Currants and Gooseberries, 7 – 9 pm. See description under March 9. $10. Registration required. CCE/ONT

March 26: Spring Garden Prep, 10 am. Join Master Gardener Cindy Ziegler to learn important tasks to get your garden in shape for the growing season.

Free. Registration required. WAY

March 30 – May 4: Introductory Bonsai Course, five Wednesdays, 7 – 10 pm. See description under March 28. $90. Registration required. IBA April 2: Growing Berries in Tunnels and Greenhouses, 8:30 am – 12 pm. Dr. Marvin Pritts, Dr. Kerik Cox, Dr. Courtney Weber, and Dr. Gregory Loeb will present different aspects of growing raspberries and strawberries in tunnels and greenhouses.

Includes handouts, refreshments and networking. $15. Registration required by March 25. CCE/ONT

March 28 – May 2: Introductory Bonsai Course, five Mondays, 7 – 10 pm. Major emphasis will be on the theory and techniques of bonsai design, pruning, wiring and potting. Each lesson consists of a slide lecture, demonstration and workshop where students are encouraged and assisted in creating their own bonsai. Five bonsai will be created by each student by the end of the course. Materials not included. $90. Registration required. IBA

April 2: Yard & Garden Day, 9 am – 12:30 pm.

Climate, Dragonflies, and Favorite Perennials.

Presented by Yates County Master Gardeners.

Registration required. 417 Liberty Street, Penn Yan. 315/536-5123; counties.cce.cornell.edu/yates/ MG.htm.

March 29 – April 14: Basic Professional Floral Design Certificate, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:30 – 9 pm. Instructor Alana Miller has over 30 years experience in the floral industry. This 15-20 hour comprehensive program will guide students through the basic principles and techniques of floral design. Each intensive class will include lecture and hands-on workshop. Students will

April 2: The Art of Ikebana, 10 am – 4 pm. Jerome Cushman, certified instructor in the Ichiyo School of Ikebana, will introduce the history of Ikebana and its various forms. After lunch, participants will have the opportunity to create their own display.

Soup and hot beverage included. $15 members; $18 non-members; plus materials. Registration required. SG

585-509-3526 PO Box 357, Henrietta NY 14467

Emerald Ash Borer has arrived.

Act now or you can kiss your ash goodbye.

Images courtesy Rob Gorden

11500 Broadway - Alden NY 14004 www.ulbrichs.com ◊ 716-937-7742 Before

«1969» 5 2 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

After

For treatment options and a full list of our landscaping services please visit summittreeandlandscape.com Scan here for more information on EAB

TOURS & LUNCHEONS OR TOURS & TEAS Celebrate Chautauqua County’s Bicentennial with an outing at the historic Cherry Creek Inn and its lovely gardens. Tour the “Currier & Ives” Old Order Amish country or sites on the “Bicentennial Passport” (included with all tours).

Amish-style luncheon includes baked chicken, salads, Amish homemade bread & pies, coffee/tea/lemonade.

Tours & luncheons are usually from 10 am to 2 pm ($32 pp).

Teas include delectable sandwich, savory, and sweet courses.

Tours & teas are generally scheduled 1 - 5 pm ($32 pp).

For reservations: Carol Lorenc 716 962-3412 • lorencfoxefarm@netsync.net

FARM MARKET & NURSERY, INC. 5353 W. Lake Rd. • Burt, NY 14028

716-778-5733

DESIGNER ANNUALS HANGING BASKETS

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Cherry Creek Inn

If you would like to schedule a group tour or have an on-site training session on container planting, please contact us.

1022 West Road (Cr 68) Cherry Creek, NY 14723 (716) 296-5105

Check out our incredible web site:

Bed & Breakfast

Luxurious accommodations in Amish country for a day, weekend or longer getaway. Garden parties & events.

Come visit us at

March 17 - 20

zehrsonthelake.com

Gift certificates available

Stop by and see our new selection of: Annuals Vegetables Tropicals Perennials Trees Shrubs Mulch & Stone

5 85.734.6559 w w w . u n i q uegardensheds.com

Store Hours: M-F 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 9am-3pm

hosmer nursery

GARDEN SHEDS-CAMPS-SWINGS-SCREEN HOUSES

1249 Lehigh Station Rd. Henrietta, NY 14467 585 . 334 . 3620 • Tedhosmer.com

Annuals, Geraniums, Specialty & Combo Pots Grown in our Eden Valley Greenhouses Perennials, Roses, Groundcovers & Vines Garden Supplies, & Mulches Specialty Foods, Baked Goods, Gift Baskets, Gift Cards Homegrown Fruits & Veggie in Season Fresh from our Eden Valley Farm www.zittels.com 4415 southwestern blvd., Hamburg NY 14075 716-649-3010 Look for the Red Barn on RT 20 between So. Park & Mckinley

March 26 & 27, 2011 At the Rochester Riverside Convention Center

• • •

Culinary Demonstrations Seminars Wine Tastings!

TheHomeAndGardenShow.com

...And More!

Something for Everyone ...Easter flowers...

Seeds...Trees...Pottery...

Blueberries...Statuary...

Woodland perennials...

Benches...Smudge pots...

Raspberry swirl stone...

New Line of Fountains ************************** Bring This Ad in Before May 31, 2011 and Take 25% Off One Regularly priced item

************************** Just 2 1/2 Miles East of Rte 400

11753 East Main St. East Aurora, NY (716) 652-8969 www.johnsonsnurserycenter.com

Calendar ROCHESTER continued April 2: Grass Basket, 11 am. Create a miniature spring garden of fresh grass, violas and mini daffodils. Includes basket, ribbon, plants and pot décor. $15. Registration required. BRI April 2 – 3: Orchid Show & Sale, Saturday 10 am – 5 pm; Sunday 10 am – 4 pm. Displays, demonstrations, vendors, raffle. $7; children under 10 free. Rochester Museum and Science Center, Eisenhart Auditorium, 657 East Avenue, Rochester. geneseeorchid.org.

April 2 – 3: African Violet Show & Sale, Saturday 12 – 5 pm; Sunday 11 am – 4 pm. View award winning violets; learn more about caring for violets from club members and professional growers. Presented by African Violet Society of Rochester & Gesneriad Society. Perinton Mall, corner Routes 250 & 31, Perinton. 585/413-0606; blossoms002@yahoo.com.

pm. See description under April 3.

April 13: Volunteer Informational Meeting and Sign-Up, 6 – 7:30 pm. Year-round horticultural and maintenance help, seasonal support in the Mansion, wine center, gift shop, admissions, transportation and special events. Meet: Historic Carriage House, use VA Medical Center entrance off Fort Hill Avenue. SG April 13: Adding Trees and Shrubs to Your Garden Design, 7 – 9 pm. Using garden photos and professional landscape designs, Marcella Klein will illustrate how to use woody plants for maximum impact and beauty, as focal points, for privacy, to create garden rooms, and more. $22 members; $32 non-members. Registration required. RCGC April 15 – 17: Edible Forest Garden Installation, Friday 6 – 9 pm; Saturday 9 am – 9 pm; Sunday 9 am – 1 pm. Begin installing polycultures of multi-purpose plants at the new Rochester Permaculture Institute, a local urban/suburban space. Discuss and experience methods and practices to design and plant a food forest.

Hands-on. $175 – $225, sliding scale; includes lunch and dinner on Saturday. Registration required by April 8. BFP

April 2 – 3: Ikebana Exhibit. Presented by Ikebana International Rochester Chapter 53. Members’ exhibits will represent the four different schools of Ikebana, a Japanese floral art form: Hijiri Ikenobo, Ichiyo, Ohara and Sogetsu. Genesee Region Orchid Society Show, Rochester Museum and Science Center, Eisenhart Auditorium, 657 East Avenue, Rochester.

April 16: Spring Workday, 9 am. Assist with trail maintenance and other projects. Bring gloves, boots, rakes & shovels. TAS

April 3: Durand Eastman Arboretum Tour, 2 – 4 pm. Tour conducted by members of the Community Forester Volunteers of Cornell Cooperative Extension. Be prepared for moderate hills and wooded trails. Free; donations accepted to support the Extension’s Master Gardener Program. Meet: kiosk, Zoo Road.

April 16: Pruning II – Dormant-Season Pruning, 9 am – 12 pm. Mike Tanzini of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape will discuss and demonstrate renovation of overgrown shrubs, pruning of small trees, and corrective pruning. Prerequisite: Pruning I (see March 19) or knowledge of pruning basics. $36 members; $46 nonmembers. Registration required. RCGC

April 5: Strong Spirit for a Fragile World: Christine Sevilla’s Visual Art, 5:30 – 8:30 pm.

Silent auction and sale. Sevilla’s large collection of photographic art will be sold to raise money for the development of interpretive trails at the Christine Sevilla Wetlands Preserve (a Genesee Land Trust property), and to further the work she began in environmental education. The Williams Gallery at First Unitarian Church, 220 Winton Road South, Rochester. Information: christinesevilla.com. GLT • April 9: Vegetable Gardening Basics, 9 am – 12 pm. $10; children free. Registration required.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Monroe County, Auditorium, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester.

585/461-1000 x225; mycce.org/monroe.

April 9: DIY Landscaping, 10 am. Workshop. Free.

Registration required. WAY April 9: Dividing Perennials, 10 am – 12 pm.

Learn proven techniques in this hands-on workshop at Michael Hannen’s home-based nursery. Michael will demonstrate his methods for dividing established perennials that have become overgrown or that you want more of. $17 members; $22 non-members. Registration required. RCGC • April 9: Spring Open House, 10 am – 4 pm.

Spring plants, specials, crafts for kids, Easter egg hunt, petting farm, model trains, refreshments and more. BRI April 10: Durand Eastman Arboretum Tour, 2 – 4

April 16: Spring Education Day, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm. Four-class session; eight topics to select from. Lunch included. $25 advance; $30 walk-in.

Registration required. Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, 585/798-4265.

April 16: Volunteer Informational Meeting and Sign-Up, 10 – 11:30 am. See description under April 13. Meet: Historic Carriage House, use VA Medical Center entrance off Fort Hill Avenue. SG April 16: Honey Bees. Instructor: Mary MossSprague. Free. Registration required. WAY April 17: Soirée – Heathers, Hellebores, Primroses – Oh My!, 1 – 2:30 pm. Enjoy Bob and Ann Nash’s landscape, a blend of Japanese and English styles, and its display of spring color: masses of bulbs, spring-flowering perennials and shrubs. Refreshments. $12. Registration required.

RCGC April 17: Durand Eastman Arboretum Tour, 2 – 4 pm. See description under April 3.

April 20: Easter Arrangement, 7 – 9 pm. Floral designer Alana Miller will guide participants through the creation of a colorful arrangement for the table using bright flowers in a basket, embellished with blown eggshells and seasonal adornments. Bring floral tools. $30 members; $40 non-members. Registration required. RCGC April 20: Designing with Edibles, 7 – 9 pm. Donna Lemcke of BloominGardener will share ideas to incorporate edible plants into your perennial beds to add interest as well as produce for the table. $22 members; $32 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC April 24: Durand Eastman Arboretum Tour, 2 – 4 pm. See description under April 3.

April 27: Spring Stroll in the Swamp, 9 am. Enjoy the spring sights & sounds. Leaders: Dave Strong & Jackson Thomas. TAS April 27: The Why and How of Building an Affordable Rain Barrel, 7 – 8:30 pm. Kimie Romeo from the Irondequoit Conservation Board will discuss our area’s watershed, how various activities impact it, and what we can do to have a positive effect on the community’s water quality.

Kimie will demonstrate how to build a rain barrel and provide detailed instructions on how to build your own from readily available supplies. Free.

Registration required. RCGC April 28: Lasagna Gardening, 12:15 – 1 pm. Alana Miller will discuss this easy method for creating a new garden bed. Layer organic materials where you want a new bed; no digging, even over sod, and no weeds. Free. Registration required. RCGC April 29: Wild Iris Path Walk: Hipp Brook Preserve, 6:30 – 8 pm. Enjoy an evening wildflower and wildlife walk with Carol and David Southby.

Trails are level but can be wet in places; wear appropriate footwear. Meet: Brougham Drive, Penfield. Park along the roadside at the end of Brougham. GLT

April 30: Jane Milliman - The Best of the Newest, 10 am – 12 pm. As a garden communicator, Jane Milliman is on the receiving end of not just the latest plant introductions but press releases, propaganda and all manner of sales pitches. Jane will sift through new and recent plant offerings to share the true gems you’ll want to look for this spring. $25.

Registration required. RCGC

April 30: Container Gardening for Beginners, 1 – 3 pm. Join Master Gardener Carol Reissig to learn the pros and cons of different types of containers, what to grow in them, how to put them together, and how to care for them.

Discussion will include shade and sun, the different plants and needs for both, plus growing vegetables in containers. Includes plants, fertilizer and soil. Bring a 10-12” container. $15.

Registration required. CCE/ONT April 30: Wildflower Walk at Crowfields, 1:30 – 3:30 pm. Join the Southbys to explore a wooded drumlin carpeted with spring wildflowers on Steve and Mary Aman’s privately owned land.

Main walk is on level ground, optional steep trails at the end of the walk. Meet: Arcadia Zurich Road, Newark, just past third house on right, look for “Sanctuary Parking” sign. GLT Ongoing May 1 – Fall: Open Gardens. Docentled garden tours offered daily; closed Monday.

Included with museum admission. George Eastman House, 900 East Avenue, Rochester.

585/271-3361; eastmanhouse.org.

May 1: May Day Celebration, 2 – 6 pm. Join the Peacework farmers and members of the Genesee Valley Organic Community Supported Agriculture. Explore the trails of the wildflowerfilled woods of the Kraai Preserve, tour the farm, dance around the maypole and enjoy a potluck supper. Peacework Farm, Arcadia. gvocsa.org. GLT UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 55

Calendar ROCHESTER continued May 3 – 4: Hypertufa Garden Troughs, Tuesday 7 – 9 pm; Wednesday 7 – 8 pm. Alana Miller will guide participants through the creation of their own hypertufa planter. First class: mix and mold the hypertufa. Second evening: unmold your container, discuss wintering it over, and see how Alana uses these planters in the landscape.

Materials included. $65 members; $75 nonmembers. Registration required. RCGC May 7: Webster Arboretum Plant Sale, 8 am – 12 pm. Perennials from standard to uncommon, annuals, dwarf conifers, geraniums, dahlias, various garden club offerings and more.

Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Road, Webster. websterarboretum.org.

May 7: Rochester Dahlia Society Plant Sale, 8 am – 12 pm. Dahlia plants and tubers for sale. Kent Park Arboretum Sale, Webster.

May 7: Victor Garden Club Plant Sale, 9 – 11 am.

Perennials, ground covers and herbs grown by club members or donated by community members. Proceeds benefit civic beautification projects. Victor Free Library, 15 West Main Street, Victor.

May 7: Ontario County Master Gardener Plant Sale, 9 – 11:30 am. Plants from the gardens of over 20 Master Gardeners. Bring boxes to carry home purchases. Proceeds benefit educational outreach of Homes and Grounds programming.

To donate plants: 585/394-3977 x436 or x427.

Rain or shine. CCE/ONT May 7: Garden Maintenance Skills, 9 am – 12 pm. Landscape designer Christine Froehlich will cover planting, watering, soil preparation, including composting and mulch, fertilizers, deadheading and basic pruning, pest and disease monitoring, and perennial division.

Outdoor program. $32 members; $42 nonmembers. Registration required. RCGC May 7: Spring Wildflower Walk, 10 am. Leaders: Carl Herrgesell & Frank Crombe. TAS May 7: Twig Arch Workshop, 10 am – 1 pm. Floral designer Alana Miller will share techniques for constructing rustic twig structures for the garden. The group will participate in putting together one large twig arch to be displayed at the Garden Center. Outdoor, rain or shine. $22 members; $32 non-members. Registration required. RCGC May 8: Rochester Dahlia Society Plant Sale, 7 am – 1 pm. Dahlia plants and tubers for sale.

Rochester Public Market.

May 8 – June 5: Flower City Days at The Market.

Sundays May 8 – June 5; Friday May 27; Monday May 30. Over 250 local nurseries and growers selling plants and garden accessories.

Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union Street, Rochester.

May 10: Tools for Simplified Gardening, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Master Gardener and occupational therapist Julie Brocklehurst-Woods will discuss 5 6 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

design and maintenance strategies to make it easier to have the garden you want. She will demonstrate the use of a wide variety of tools that will simplify gardening. $22 members; $32 non-members. Registration required. RCGC May 10 & 12: Intermediate Professional Floral Design Certificate – Bouquets, 6:30 – 9 pm. Instructor Alana Miller has over 30 years experience in the floral industry. Styles covered will include vegetative, landscape, botanical, Biedermeier, and bouquets. Students will take home all arrangements created during class. Bring floral tools. Prerequisite: Basic Professional Floral Design (see March 29) or floral shop experience. $150 members; $225 non-members. Registration required. RCGC May 12: Summer Stroll in the Garden at Michael Hannen’s Nursery, 6 – 7:30. Michael grows over 800 varieties of plants at his urban home-based nursery. Enjoy his guided tour of the gardens, highlighting the current standouts in bloom. $10 members; $15 non-members. Registration required. RCGC May 13 – 15: Edible Forest Garden Installation and Caretake, Friday 6 – 9 pm; Saturday 9 am – 9 pm; Sunday 9 am – 1 pm. See description under April 15 – 17. Hands-on. $175 – $225, sliding scale; includes lunch and dinner on Saturday. Registration required by May 6. BFP May 14: Spring Tour – Trees of Highland Park, 10 am – 12:30 pm. Highland Park’s 155 acres encompass a world-class gathering of woody plants of both native and foreign origin. Join arborphile and local tree expert Jim Atwater during spring bloom for a tour of this living museum of unusual and seldom-seen plants from around the globe. Be prepared to walk a moderate distance over hilly terrain. $15 members; $22 non-members. Registration required. RCGC May 14: DIY Landscaping, 2 pm. Workshop. Free.

Registration required. WAY May 14 – 15: Henrietta Garden Club Plant Sale, 9 am – 5 pm. Large variety of potted plants ready to go for spring planting. Gro-Moore Farms, 2811 East Henrietta Road, Henrietta. henriettagardenclub@gmail.com.

May 15: Flower City Days at The Market. See description under May 8. Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union Street, Rochester.

Save the Date May 21: Native Plant Sale, 8:30 am – 2 pm. Native plants, shrubbery, trees and herbs. Accepting plant donations and sale volunteers. Proceeds benefit Genesee Land Trust. Brighton Town Hall, 2300 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester. GLT May 21 – 22: Upstate New York Bonsai Exhibition and Sale. Presented by the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York. Monroe Community Hospital, corner Westfall & East Henrietta Roads. 585/334-2595; bonsaisocietyofupstateny. org May 21 – 22: Bonsai Open House & Sale. Displays,

tools, wire, books, containers, unusual plant material. IBA May 28: Proud Market Plant Sale. Vendors include garden clubs and small independent plant specialists. RCGC September 17 – 18: Greentopia Festival. Two-day, interactive festival will reveal what the region is doing to help the environment – and envision a greener Rochester of the future. Art, music, speakers, authors, workshops, films, family activities, organic and local food and beverages.

High Falls, Rochester. greentopiafestival.com.

SYRACUSE REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS African Violet Society of Syracuse meets the second Thursday of the month at 7 pm, September – May. Membership open to all interested in the culture, care and propagation of African violets. Visitors welcome. Andrews United Methodist Church, 106 Church Street, North Syracuse. 315/492-2562; kgarb@twcny. rr.com; avsofsyracuse.org.

Central New York Orchid Society meets the first Sunday of the month, September – May, St. Augustine’s Church, 7333 O’Brien Rd., Baldwinsville. Dates may vary due to holidays.

315/633-2437; cnyos.org.

Gardeners in Thyme (a women’s herb club) meets the second Thursday of the month at 7 pm, Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville.

315/635-6481; hbaker@twcny.rr.com.

Habitat Gardening Club of CNY (HGCNY) meets the last Sunday of most months at 2 pm.

LeMoyne College, Falcone Library, special activities room, Syracuse. 315/487-5742; hgcny.org. HGCNY is a chapter of Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes; for-wild. org. Meetings are free and open to the public.

March 27: The Significance of Media Images of Nature, presented by Mark Meisner of SUNY ESF. May 1: Dragonflies, presented by Jim D’Angelo, Sterling Nature Center.

Koi and Water Garden Society of Central New York usually meets the third Monday of each month at 7 pm. See web site for meeting locations. 315/458-3199; cnykoi.com.

Gardeners of Syracuse, previously Men’s (and Women’s) Garden Club of Syracuse, meets the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm.

Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Ave., Syracuse. Enter from Melrose Ave. 315/4640051. April 15: Vegetable Gardening presented

by Tim and Lisa Ballantyne.

Syracuse Rose Society meets the second Thursday of every month (except December and February) at 7:30 pm. Public welcome.

Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Avenue, Syracuse. Enter from Melrose Ave. Club members maintain the E. M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden, Thornden Park, Syracuse. crbau@ aol.com; syracuserosesociety.org.

The Junior League of Buffalo & The Buffalo News Present

Decorators’ Show House 2011 Discover City Elegance on the Green

Specializing in Unique Items for Home and Garden from Around the World Counting Sheep Planter, Vietnam, $24

Bluebird Planter, Vietnam, $24

The Bayliss-OShei Residence 360 Depew Avenue, Buffalo, New York Saturday, April 30 through Sunday, May 22, 2011

One World Goods

Open: Mondays for Private Tours Only Tuesday-Friday: 10 am to 4:30 pm; 6 pm to 8:30 pm Saturday: 10 am to 4:30; Sunday: 11 am to 4:30 pm

Accent your life.

Empower Another’s.

$15 Advance Sale Tickets Available until April 29th at: Junior League Headquarters, 45 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo All Wegmans Locations in Erie & Niagara Counties Online at www.jlbuffalo.org or from any Junior League Member Tickets Are $20 at the Door Proceeds from Show House 2011 Will Benefit a Major Community Project.

Infants and Children Under 10 Are Not Permitted Entry.

For more information, call 716.884.8865 or visit www.jlbuffalo.org

Pittsford Plaza

3349 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618 (585)387-0070 • www.owgoods.org Hours: M-Th 10-6, F & Sat 10-9, Sun. 12-5

Spring Sale - March 11-20

20% off one item in the store (Oriental rugs excluded)

PEONIES

Stop in for unique perennials, annuals, and tropical plants. We carry an outstanding selection of water garden plants, fish, and supplies, alpines, miniature garden plants, and native plants. Come experience gardening at its best.

We are located less than 1 mile off exit 37 from the New York State Thruway. Visit Central New York’s most creative, award winning husband and wife team of horticulturists. With a combined 40 years experience, Tim and Lisa Ballantyne can help you with all you need to know to become the best gardener on the block.

Members of: The Central New York Nurserymen’s Association The Syracuse Men’s Garden Club

4825 Hopkins Road, Liverpool, N.Y. 13088 315-453-0621

Check out www.ballantynegardens.com for our store hours and seminar listings.

Herbaceous, Japanese Tree Peonies Rockii Tree Peonies, Fern Leaf Peonies Several Species Peonies

s

Hosta, Hellebores, Herbs, Perennials Unusual Trees & Shrubs, Roses, Annuals Huge Selection of Glazed Pottery

PALMITER’S GARDEN NURSERY Phone: (585) 226-3073 s 2675 Geneseo Road, Rt. 39 Avon, New York 14414

Visit our NEW Website Pages with SEARCHABLE Price Lists

Watch for our own Tim Boebel’s new book release,

Hydrangeas in the North at hydrangeasinthenorth.com and on Facebook— Search “hydrangeas in the north”

Join Wayside’s Garden and E-Club for monthly updates and other benefits.

Come in and sign up; get $5 off your purchase Email: trish@waysidegardencenter.com

TM

Open Daily Year-Round

VALUPlantasiaAd'11.indd 1

Bring Excitement to Your Garden!

2/7/11 4:14:57 PM

124 Pittsford-Palmyra Road, Macedon, NY 14502 (585) 223-1222 www.waysidegardencenter.com

Largest grower of perennials and herbs in Central New York 20 Display Gardens to View

Use Ecologically Sound, Sustainable Native Plants

Amanda’s Garden has the plants you need to create a native, earth-friendly garden full of eyecatching perennials. Whether you’re looking for pollinator-friendly plants, luscious colors or want to make your landscape more sustainable we have the perfect plants for you.

Amanda’s Garden

Native Perennial Nursery Specializing in Woodland Wildflowers For free catalogue and information, contact: Amanda’s Garden • 8410 Harpers Ferry Road, Springwater, NY 14560 (585) 750-6288 • amandasgarden@frontiernet.net

amandagarden.com

Spring Open House April 1 - 3 Open 9 - 5 Nursery Open Starting April 4th Monday-Friday 8-5:30, Saturday & Sunday 9-5 Closed Easter Sunday Mail: 1104 Auburn Rd., Groton, NY 13073 (Rte. 34 in N. Lansing bet. Ithaca & Auburn) Tel: 607-533-4653 email: info@bakersacres.net www.bakersacres.net

s ’ y r e a F NURSERY & LANDSCAPING

“Serving WNY Since 1966”

Turn Your Backyard into a Vacation Getaway!

Cayuga Landscape Ithaca, NY

Call Us to Find Out How!

• • • • •

Landscape Design & Installation Patios, Walkways & Steps Retaining Walls Water Gardens Annuals & Perennials

Visit our 30 Acre Nursery & Garden Center

Us Callday!

To

Superior Nursery Stock • Native and Deer Resistant Plants Horticulturally Trained Staff • Planting Service

5 Acres of Quality Nursery Stock to Choose From

Our Pride is Inside

2712 N. Triphammer Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-3000 www.cayugalandscape.com

716/791-4680

3170 Ridge Rd. (Rt. 104) Ransomville, N.Y. 14131

Early to rise.

We have a hard time keeping our plants and ourselves hibernating all winter. We’ll be open for business as soon as the white stuff melts.

Sneak Peek Weekend April 15 & 16

Opening Day: Earth Day April 22

L UCA S G R E E N H O U S E S Grown right. Here.

23 Pannell Circle Fairport, NY 14450 (585) 223-8951 Fax (585) 486-1551 Hours: Mon-Sat 8-7 Sun 8-4 www.lucasgh.com

WE SELL THE BEST & SERVICE THE REST

1818 Linwood Rd. Linwood, NY 14486

585-584-3122 fax: 585-584-3700

www.linwoodturf.com

PARTS ~ SALES ~ SERVICE

tables, benches & more Specialists in unusual Patina Finish and vintage molds Unique handcrafted leaf impressions Wholesale inquiries welcome See our website for show schedule

28 North Main Street Franklinville, NY 14737

ph: (716) 676-5167

gardenstatuary@yahoo.com www.heartoffranklinville.com Please Call for Hours

Heart eart of of Franklinville ranklinville A Antiques ntiques,, G Gifts ifts,, G Garden arden S Statuary tatuary

Heaven’s Gate Floral & Gifts “Joyfully serving our community”

Featuring fresh and silk flower arrangements and unique gifts for weddings, funerals and special occasions.

15 E. Main Street Corfu, NY 14036 p. 585-599-3340 f. 585-599-3342 Delivery available

Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10 am - 6 pm Saturday 10 am - 3 pm

Jenny Worthington, Owner Buffalo’s 7 th Annual

Black Rock & Riverside Tour of Gardens & Starry Night Garden Tour

QB Daylily Gardens DAYLILIES and companion plants AHS DAYLILY DISPLAY GARDEN Open for regular hours

June 22 - August 7 Wed thru Sunday, 10am to 5pm

or any other time by appointment Club tours are welcome Gift certificates available on site or by phone 557 Sand Hill Rd Caledonia • 585.538.4525 QBDAYLILYGARDENS.COM SALE—Up to 50% off on select varieties Clip or mention this ad for a 10% discount

Imagine walking through fields of daylilies in bloom.

Come visit us at

Cottage Gardens

and see all the color and forms of our daylilies—over 2700 cultivars --4540 East Shelby Road Medina, New York 14103 AHS DISPLAY GARDEN Open in July, Tuesday - Sunday 10 am - 5 pm Or by appointment email: cglilies@rochester.rr.com Phone 585-798-5441 Web: http://www.daylily.net/gardens/cottagegardens We welcome garden tours • Gift Certificates available

LAURA HERR JONES

Producers of Concrete Garden Statuary Bird baths, urns, figurines, fountains,

Windy Acres Greenhouse “Unique Plants & Old-Time Favorites”

See the Beauty of Our Area!

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Saturday, August 6th: 10 am - 5 pm Well-lit gardens: 8 pm - 10 pm

This free, self-guided tour includes 70 day and 25 night gardens.

For maps & info: www.brrgardenwalk.com or Call Councilman Golombek: 716/851-5116

Sponsored by

Annuals, perennials, vegetable plants, hanging baskets, Japanese maples, fruits, fruit trees & water garden plants Water gardening and birding items.

6175 Wagner Road, Springville, NY 14141 • 716-541-4923

Calendar SYRACUSE continued

Frequent hostS

Classes / Events

BWNC: Baltimore Woods Nature Center, 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus, NY. 315/6731350; baltimorewoods.org.

• Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

March 3 – 6: CNY Blooms. Out of this World.

Syracuse area flower and garden show.

Exhibits, seminars, Children’s Garden, vendors, special events. Oncenter Complex, 800 South State Street, Syracuse. cnyblooms.com.

March 4: Yoga in the Garden, 2 – 2:45 pm.

Learn some simple movements you can do before, during or after a stint in the garden to minimize or avoid the soreness that so often accompanies gardeners during the growing season. Also, find out how gardening with native plants ties into yogic philosophy.

Presented by Vicky Hilleges, owner of Pippi’s Perennials & Blooming Yoga. Public Seminar, CNY Blooms Flower & Garden Show, OnCenter Complex at the War Memorial, Syracuse. PP • March 12: Keep it Natural: Magical Maples, 10:30 – 11:30 am. Discover the wonders of this native tree. Program will include a quick tour of the sugarbush, maple confections, recipe swap. $5 members; $8 non-members. BWNC March 16: Starting Annuals and Vegetables from Seed, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Learn the basics on starting your own plants from seed. Class will include information on how to start and transplant seedlings, where the best place is to locate a garden, and how to enrich the soil with amendments and fertilizers. Presented

by Holly Wise, Extension Educator & Master Gardeners. $5. Registration required. CCE/ ONE March 17: Designing a Low Maintenance Perennial Garden, 7 – 8:30 pm. Join Vicky Hilleges for tips and hints on designing a low maintenance perennial garden. Learn how to design a garden that is within your budget, meets your desires, and is within your ability to care for. The more consideration you give to these topics before you start, the greater your chances of success. Free. Onondaga Free Library, 4840 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. PP • March 19: Maples and Music. Hourly tours of the sugarbush and maple sugaring operation.

Music, maple treats. $5 members, $15 family; $8 nonmembers, $25 family. BWNC • March 21: Nature’s Little Explorers: Maple Magic, 10 – 11 am. BWNC April 2: Gardening Workshops. Presenter Carolyn Summers, author of Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East, will share her love of indigenous plants as she teaches basic design concepts and styles by habitat. Geared to both professional landscape designers and backyard gardeners. BWNC

CCE/ONE: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Oneida County, 121 Second Street, Oriskany. 736/3394 x125; counties.cce. cornell.edu/Oneida.

PP: Pippi’s Perennials & Blooming Yoga, 12 Sherry Lane, Kirkville, NY 13082. 315/7271062; hilleges@twcny.rr.com; pippis.net.

April 21: Gardening with Native Plants, 7 – 8:30 pm. Vicky Hilleges will discuss a variety of garden worthy plants that are also native to the northeast.

Learn about the importance of including native plants in the landscape and tips for selecting the appropriate plants for your specific conditions.

Free. Onondaga Free Library, 4840 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. PP April 30: Be Green in Your Home Landscape, 9 – 11 am. Green products and techniques including improved plant introductions, low phosphate fertilizers, low-maintenance roses.

Demos & seminars by NYS Certified Landscape Professionals. Rain or shine. Sollecito Landscaping Nursery, 4094 Howlett Hill Road, Syracuse.

315/468-1142; sollecito.com.

April 30 – May 1: African Violet Show & Sale, Saturday 1 – 5 pm; Sunday 10 am – 4 pm. Hosted by the African Violet Society of Syracuse. Parking fee. Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville.

May 7 – 28: Fresh Picks Tour, Saturdays, 8:45 am.

Senior NYS Certified Landscape Professional Megan Sollecito will guide walking tours revealing the hottest new shrubs, trees and perennials for home landscapes. New varieties feature sustainability, deer-resistance and lowmaintenance. Rain or shine. Sollecito Landscaping Nursery, 4094 Howlett Hill Road, Syracuse.

315/468-1142; sollecito.com.

May 8: Mother’s Day Garden Tour, Plant Sale and Art Exhibit. Proceeds benefit Baltimore Woods Nature Center. Tour over 25 acres of gardens with flowering shrubs, trees, and bulbs. Sycamore Hill Gardens, 2130 Old Seneca Turnpike, Marcellus.

BWNC May 11: Basic Gardening Principles, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Topics covered will include soil preparation (including composting and mulch), how to plant, fertilizing, hardiness zones, basic garden design concepts, using color, watering techniques, garden maintenance, propagation, and more.

Learn which annuals and perennials are easiest to grow and maintain and add the newest plant introductions to your garden. Presented

by Rosanne Loparco, Master Gardener. $5.

Registration required. CCE/ONE

Save the Date June 25: Herb & Flower Festival, 9 am – 3:30 pm.

Vendors, workshops, gardens. CCE/ONE

& BEYOND Classes / Events • Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

March 4: First Friday Hike: Frozen Flora, 12 – 1 pm. Explore the dormant state of familiar Pine Bush plants and take a last glimpse of their winter appearance before spring arrives. $3 per person; $5 per family. Registration required.

PINE March 6 – 13: Philadelphia Flower Show.

Springtime in Paris. Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19107. 215/988-8899, recorded information; theflowershow.com.

• March 12: Plant a Flower Day, 11 am – 12 pm.

Two-part program. Learn about the natural history of the Albany Pine Bush ecosystem.

Participants will be given the opportunity to plant and raise one Pine Bush native plant.

Part two: May 21. Participants will plant their seedlings in a restoration site and take a hike to search for KBB habitats. $3 per person; $5 per family. Registration required. PINE April 1 – 2: Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium. Speakers include Bill Cullina, Ellen Ecker Ogden, Charlotte Albers, Heather Poire and Kerry Ann Mendez. Topics: Mad About Blue, blue-flowering plants and using blue in the landscape; The Botany of Design, looking at garden design in a completely different way; Proven Winners Annuals, the Perfect Accessory for Perennial Gardens; Beyond Black-eyed Susan’s and Border Phlox: Exceptional Native Perennials for Creative Gardening; The Complete Kitchen Garden: The Art of Designing a Classic Potager; and Exciting New or Underused Perennials for 2011. Lectures, food, door prizes, handouts and garden gifts.,The Equinox Resort, Manchester, VT. Kerry Ann: 518/885-3471; pyours.com/Symposium2011.

April 5 – 6: Invasive Species Database Symposium, Tuesday 1 – 5 pm; Wednesday 9 am – 5 pm.

Tuesday: Workshops include early detection techniques, identifying aquatic invasive species, educator training for mapping projects, and iMapInvasives data entry. Albany Pinebush, Albany.

Wednesday: Presentations, including updates from surrounding states and provinces. Empire State Plaza, Albany. Registration required. eaglehill.us/ NYNHP/NYNHPinvasivessymposium

May 12: Spring Plant Sale, 6:30 pm. Hosted by Syracuse Rose Society. Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Avenue, Syracuse; enter from Melrose Avenue.

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 61

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From the Garden

A Spring side dish Spring Peas with Leeks, Mint and Cream

8 ounces sugar snap peas (see notes) 4 ounces snow peas (see notes) 1 cup shelled fresh peas (see notes) 1 leek (8 oz.), white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup heavy cream Salt and pepper 1/4 cup slivered fresh mint leaves 1. Trim sugar snap and snow peas, then blanch along with shelled fresh peas.

2. Rinse leek well, flipping layers under running water to remove grit. Thinly slice crosswise.

3. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat, melt butter. When it’s foamy, add leek and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in cream, increase heat to medium-high, and stir often until liquid is reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add all the peas and half the mint and stir just until heated through, about 1 minute. Pour into a serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining mint.

How to Prepare Peas: To shell fresh pea pods, break open the pods by pressing on one end - the pod should pop open at the seam. Then run your thumb down the opening to release the peas. One pound of peas in the pod yields approximately 1 cup of shelled peas.

To trim edible-pea pods, such as sugar snap and snow, cut or snap off ends and pull up sharply to remove any string on the pea. Discard ends and strings.

To blanch fresh peas (either shelled or whole ediblepod types), if the recipe calls for it, bring water to a boil in a large pan, and then add the peas. Cook just until they start to turn a brighter green, 15 to 30 seconds, and drain immediately. Rinse well under cold running water until cool, and drain again.

Recipe courtesy Marion Morse, Allyn’s Creek Garden Club

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UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 63

Book Review

Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East A book by Carolyn Summers Reviewed by Janet Allen

T

his is the kind of gardening book I like.

Summers not only offers many practical ways we can create beautiful landscapes for a healthy planet, but she also inspires us to do so.

She explains that her interest in landscaping with native plants grew out of her lifelong passion for helping wildlife. Soon, she began to love our native plants not just for their usefulness for wildlife but also for their intrinsic beauty.

This book is a good companion to the popular Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy. His research shows how important native plants are for the birds, butterflies and other creatures we enjoy in our yards, and now Summers, a landscape architect and horticulture professor, offers many practical ways to incorporate these plants into our landscapes.

[Note: Summers uses the term “indigenous” rather than the more commonly used term “native.” In this review, I’ll use “native” except where I’m quoting Summers.]

Native plants and conventional landscapes

Many people hesitate to use native plants because they prefer a traditional landscape, but Summers explains that there’s a difference between “design and science, style and substance, horticulture and ecology.”

As an extreme illustration of this concept, she points out that theoretically it would be possible to replant the formal gardens at Versailles entirely with North American natives and no one would be the wiser. In other words, even if the “substance” is native plants, 6 4 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

the “style” can be as formal as you’d like.

She offers templates for formal landscaping styles such as a Perennial Border, Tudor, Foundation plantings, or Japanese gardens that have placeholders for the plants. She then provides a list of the nonnative plants typically used in that style paired one-to-one with suggested native alternatives.

When comprised of native plants, these traditional landscape designs offer to our birds, butterflies, and other creatures many of the advantages of natural landscapes.

Native plants and natural landscapes

For people who prefer to design natural landscapes, Summers offers descriptions of natural plant communities and habitats and provides guidelines for creating these landscapes at home.

She suggests appropriate native plants for common plant communities such as woodlands, meadows, and grasslands, but she also describes and suggests plants for more specialized habitats, such as a fern glade or blueberry heath.

“Safe sex” in the garden

Summers acknowledges that we won’t be able to substitute native plants for non-natives overnight and indeed that some non-native plants—both edible and ornamental—are here to stay. In a chapter on “safe sex” in the garden, she offers practical ways we can minimize any potential problems when using nonnative plants.

First, she emphasizes that non-native plants identified as invasive have no place in our landscapes.

She lists many showy native substitutes for commonly planted invasive plants such as Norway maple (Acer platanoides), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), non-native shrub honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), burning bush (Euonymus alatus), vinca (Vinca minor and V. major) and others. (And if you’re surprised by any of these plants being listed, she explains why they’re considered to

be invasive.) She offers an interesting suggestion for particularly noxious trees such as the Norway maple: girdle them so they can become “standing dead wood,” which is so valuable for wildlife.

Second, she appropriately treats trees as a special case since, as she says, “… (I)t is impossible to ‘deadhead’ a tree; non-indigenous trees may produce seeds for a hundred years or more. ... Before choosing a new tree, consider how many life forms, in addition to humans, will be able to use it over the next hundred years.” Choosing to plant trees that are native is a wonderful legacy we can leave for our grandchildren’s generation.

Third, she offers practical guidelines for choosing non-native plants and using them safely. Among other suggestions, she cautions us to be wary of recent introductions and plants that use problematic reproductive strategies. She suggests that we plant only males of non-native species.

Gardening practices

Not only does Summers discuss landscaping styles and describe specific plants, she also suggests gardening practices that support wildlife. I’ve read a lot of books on this topic, but Summers presents some concepts I hadn’t thought about before.

For example, she asks whether our yard has become “a source or a sink” for butterflies. Many of us have made the effort to grow plants butterflies need—not just nectar plants, but also caterpillar food plants. But what happens in the fall? In an effort to keep our yards looking neat, if we rake leaves, stuff them into bags, and deposit them at the curb, we may also be discarding butterfly larvae lying in the leaf litter awaiting spring. In other words, instead of being a “source” of additional butterflies, our landscape becomes a “sink,” creating a net loss of butterflies.

In addition, for quick reference, the book includes more than two dozen appendices about plants with particular characteristics or uses. There are lists of plants with berries and plants with nectar, invasive plants to avoid, indigenous plants for formal gardens or for Japanese gardens, street trees, fragrant plants, and many more.

Conclusion

I wholeheartedly recommend this book, and I agree with Summers, who concludes: “As gardeners, we are fortunately endowed with love for a hobby that has profound potential for positive change.

By making the switch from non-indigenous to indigenous plants we can literally reconnect the landscape with its inhabitants. … As we expand our gardening habits to include stewardship of our surrounding natural area through the thoughtful planting of indigenous plants in our own gardens, we may bask in the knowledge that it is possible to have loads of fun at the same time we are making a better world.”

Carolyn Summers will appear at the 3rd Annual Ithaca Designing with Native Plants Conference, March 4th and 5th. For more information, visit plantsmen.com or call 60/533-7193.

Habitat Gardening in Central New York and The Centers for Nature Education at Baltimore Woods are co-sponsoring a workshop with Carolyn Summers on Saturday, April 2 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For more information or to register, contact Baltimore Woods at baltimorewoods.org or by calling 315/673-1350.

Tables and Appendices

Throughout the book, Summers offers interesting and useful tables. She includes lists of non-indigenous plants commonly mistaken for indigenous, plants that attract bees, nectar plants for moths, how various species of butterflies spend the winter, and many others.

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Seasonal Stakeout

Drive them up the wall A small space can be home to a huge variety of plants – you just need to plant up as well as down!

Vertical gardening transforms walls into living green lawns, and allows you to plant herbs, flowers, and even vegetables in the most space-challenged locations.

by Franziska Green

Above: Waterford Tilling’s green wall at the Rochester International Jazz Festival exhibit in 2010

6 8 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

G

iven soil, sunlight and moisture, plants will grow.

So if space is limited, why not provide these three elements on a house wall? In inner cities, where yard space is at a premium, vertical planting can transform an otherwise gray and concrete landscape. In Canada, the Vancouver Aquarium covered 500 square feet of wall with living plants, creating a natural sound buffer in the process.

At the Sydney Airport in Australia you can walk by an interior wall that’s bursting with green life; in Bangkok, Thailand, you can shop at the Siam Paragon center with the feeling you’re in a park.

These living tapestries aren’t just about aesthetics, though. Far from it. Vertical planting is about creating growing space. A vertical planting system outdoors can provide you with fresh herbs and vegetables; inside, it can help purify your air and provide you with more oxygen, not to mention being a talking point at dinner parties. For bigger buildings, such as those mentioned above, it’s also a source of temperature control, helping to keep the rooms inside warm during the winter, and cool during the summer.

Vertical planting is not to be confused with the more

standard practice of encouraging plants to grow on a trellis or fence. In that case, the plant’s roots are in a pot or in the soil. For vertical planting, the roots are in a container that is placed on the wall. “The needs of plants are quite simple,” says George Irwin, chairman of Green Living Technologies in Rochester. “The trick is to provide those needs in a vertical plane.” This style of planting ranges from very basic, like using something like a hanging shoe organizer and filling the pockets with soil, to the complex, with specially designed wall-mounted panels supplied with nutrient-rich water, a vertical hydroponics system.

Basic wall pockets are made of special breathable material that holds soil and water can be used inside or outside. These and smaller vertical systems can be found at your local garden center. Next on the scale, are pockets with moisture-wicking material that allows for a more consistent water supply for the plants’ roots. Some versions feature drip irrigation and special material to create a barrier against moisture for using a wall pocket indoors. This helps prevent your interior walls from getting damp.

For larger areas, there are several companies that offer specially manufactured kits. These will cover anything from a few to hundreds of feet of wall space. They consist of panels in which there are several angled “cells,” allowing them to hold soil and plants. Each cell retains water while allowing enough breathability to let the plant flourish. These systems are usually irrigated through a drip system and may also feature a reservoir with a pump (for indoor systems) making them very low-maintenance.

To begin with, though, it’s worth testing an area by using a small wall pocket planter, such as those from woollypocket.com. That way, you can assess which plants will flourish and plan your bigger wall covering more wisely. It’s also essential that you think about what you hope to achieve.

“The first question I ask clients is “what’s the function?” ‘ says says Pietro Furgiuele, president and principal designer of landscape company Waterford Tilling (www.waterfordtilling. com) in Penfield. “Understanding the function you’d like the vertical garden to accomplish will lead to its form. So for instance, if a client wants a small vertical garden to experiment with, similar to a container garden, then we design with that in mind. On the other hand, if a client is looking to mitigate stormwater, abate sound from a noisy urban environment or moderate temperature extremes then we design a vertical garden to meet that purpose.”

The next step is to look into what to put into your containers. “It’s all about the plants,” says Philip Yates, of

the Vertical Gardening Institute. “Your choice depends on climate, solar aspect, placement on the wall, e.g., drier at the top and wetter at the bottom, placement in relation to other plants, e.g., low light plants under plants that extend from the wall, and aesthetic taste. Virtually any plant can be grown hydroponically, depending on the conditions.”

But don’t assume that vertical planting is as straightforward as planting in the ground; there are special factors to take into account. “Vertical gardens are a lot easier to build than to keep alive and thriving,” says Yates. Plants are more exposed when planted on a wall; they’ll dry out quicker and get frost damage more easily too. This can, of course, work to your advantage. If a wall gets more direct sunlight than the ground, sun-loving plants will flourish. But starting out with a few different plants, and experimenting with irrigation and fertilization is key to success. Then, once you’ve figured out which plants and system works best for you, you can get designing a grander, large-scale living tapestry.

Things to consider when planning a vertical garden

Location. “Any wall can be used but light and climate is the key,” says Yates. “Outside, the wall can face any direction, north, south, east or west, but plant choice and watering needs will vary on each wall. Interior gardens will require artificial light or a skylight.”

Set-up. Yates advises, “The vertical garden can be on any wall, but it should constructed on a frame that allows the house wall to “breathe” behind the garden.” Also, be aware that not all walls will be strong enough to support all types

of vertical planting. Check with a builder or your landlord if you’re unsure.

Extra care. It’s easy to build a vertical garden but it will need more attention than plants in pots or in the ground. “On a hot windy day, a few hours without water can kill a vertical garden. A potted plant will dry out much faster than one planted in soil, and a vertical garden constructed with layers of felt will dry out even faster.”

Plant choice. “My recommendation is exploring all the fascinating types of sedum,” says says Furgiuele. “They really do well from a variety of reasons. Not to mention we really never get to look at them close up, as they’re usually so low to the ground. In a vertical garden setting, you’re looking at them so close, you get to see some beautiful detailing in how they grow.”

Aesthetics. A bare wall can be transformed with careful vertical planting. Plan your ‘picture’ carefully, thinking about the plants’ textures and colors. For inspiration, see Patrick Blanc’s website verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com.

Use mosses, ivies, ferns, grasses, succulents, sedums, and rock garden perennials with shallow roots.

Produce. Living in a space without a yard needn’t prevent you from growing some herbs and vegetables. Herbs thrive in vertical garden spaces, as do lettuce, beets, radishes and baby carrots. With big enough soil pockets, you can also grow tomatoes this way.

Easy access. If bending or kneeling is problematic for you, a vertical wall of plants can help. Picking herbs or tending to flowers that are at shoulder height takes the pressure off your knees and back, so you can spend more time gardening.

If you’d like to look at some other vertical planting options, check out these websites: woollypocket.com (nationwide) verticalgardeninstitute.org (Oregon City, OR) eltlivingwalls.com (worldwide) greenroofs.com (Rochester, NY) urbanroots.org (Buffalo, NY)

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Events

Plantasia “Sets the Mood” Seminar schedule

March 24 – 26, the Agri-Center on the Fairgrounds in Hamburg

The letters CNLP after a speaker’s name inidicate that he or she is a Certified Nursery & Landscape Professional

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Noon: Five Key Components to Curb Appeal—Debra Lesinski, Interior Style

11 AM: Little Hostas for the Garden—Kathy Shadrack, Author (books available for purchase and signed)

1 PM: Fruit Trees and Berries—Tom Mitchell, Mitchell Landscaping, Inc 2 PM: Spring Floral Designs—Dorothy Julius, Along Garden’s Path 2 PM (Small Conference Room): How to Grow Your Own Bird House— Mary Jane Stuhr, Southtowns Rose Society 3 PM: Landscape Structures to Accent Your Garden—Joe Han, The English Gardener 4 PM: Preparing Your Backyard Bird Habitat—Pat Szarpa, USA Bird Supply Company 4:30 PM: Panel of Professionals—Question & Answer Session 5 PM: Small Spaces Big Ideas—Brad White, Horticulture Educator 6 PM: Myth Busters of Horticulture: “Separating Fact from Fiction”—Dan Robillard, Horticulture Educator, McKinley High School Friday, March 25, 2011 11 AM: How to Get a Green Thumb—Daphne Kroll, CNLP, Dore Landscape Associates Noon: Native Plants for Landscape Use—Ken Parker, Murray Brothers 12:30 PM: Panel of Professionals—Question & Answer Session 1PM: Emerald Ash Borer—William Snyder, Consulting Arborist 1 PM (Small Conference Room): Bonsai Demonstration— Dan Zack, Buffalo Bonsai Society 2 PM: Garden on a Dime with Less Time—Lyn Chimera, Lessons from Nature 3 PM: Birds of the World—Rosemary Miner, Gooseneck Hill Waterfowl Sanctuary 4 PM: Preparing Your Backyard Bird Habitat—Pat Szarpa, USA Bird Supply Company

12:30 PM: Panel of Professionals— Question & Answer Session 1 PM: Taking the Mystery Out of Lawn Care—Mike Harris, Scotts Company 1 – 3PM (Small Conference Room): Practical Tips in Growing Roses & How to Dry Them in Just Two Weeks—Joe Manual, Southtowns Rose and Garden Society 2 PM: Evergreen Shrubs and Trees for the Landscape— Ken Brown, Host, WBEN Radio (930 AM Dial) 3 PM: Nature’s Reflections—Dorothy Julius, Along Garden’s Path 4 PM: Hostas and the English Garden—Mike Shadrack, British Horticulture Speaker & Author 4 PM (Small Conference Room): Care of Roses—George Style, Larry DiGregorio & Lillian Steigler, WNY Rose Society 5 PM: Growing Vegetables—Tom Mitchell, Mitchell Landscaping, Inc. 6 PM: How to Design and Plan a Great Landscape for your Home—Brian Geary, CNLP, Northern Lights Landscaping 6:30 PM: Panel of Professionals—Question & Answer Session Sunday, March 26, 2011 11 AM: Using Tropicals in the Landscape & Tips for Your House Plants’ Happy Summer Vacation—Kathryn O’Donnell, Botanicus Interior Landscaping Noon: Superior Plants/Superior Gardens—Sally Cunningham, CNLP & Author, Lockwood’s Greenhouse 1 PM: Put Some Green on Your Roof with LiveRoof—Liz Sanders, NY Green Roof Company

5 PM: How to Select the Right Plant for the Right Place— John Murray, CNLP, Murray Brothers

1 PM (Small Conference Room): Love Your Water—Ron Callea, Horticulture/Science Educator, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper

6 PM: Floral Photography: “Capture the Beauty”—David Eckhardt, Agricultural Photo Journalist

2 PM: New and Improved Annuals—Carolyn Stanko, CNLP, Educator, Niagara County Community College

6:30 PM: Panel of Professionals—Question & Answer Session

3 PM: Gardens of the Garden Walk—Jim Charlier, JCharlier Communication Design

7 PM: Use of Beneficials and IPM for the Garden—Zittel’s Country Market 7 0 | ma r c h - A p r i l 2 0 1 1

Noon: Lessons from Garden Walking—Sally Cunningham, CNLP & Author, Lockwood’s Greenhouse