Language of Flowers Inspires 2015 Season

Summer Edition
June 2015
Dubuque Arboretum &
Botanical Gardens is a
non-profit organization
supported by tax-exempt gifts
and contributions. All gardens
are maintained by volunteers.
Every tree, shrub, plant and
seed is gifted from arboretums
and botanical gardens
nurseries, growers and friends
from all over the world.
Mission Statement:
To establish, preserve and
maintain an arboretum and botanical garden to be a source
of information,
education, culture and beauty
for all to know.
No admission fee.
Guided tours are available
on request. Carts are also
available for visitors with
limited walking ability.
Call the Visitors’ Center,
563.556.2100 for
reservations.
Fax: 563.556.2443
Email: [email protected]
dubuquearboretum.net
Garden Hours
1 April-31 October
Daily, 7 a.m. to sunset
Office Hours:
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
Check out our new website: www.dubuquearboretum.net
Language of Flowers Inspires 2015 Season
Some gardeners talk to their flowers,
but this summer at the DABG the flowers are doing the talking!
The theme for our 2015 display gardens is “Victorian Sentiments: Say It with Flowers,”
reflecting the popular Victorian custom of communicating special meanings through flowers.
To carry out the theme, each of the 16 annual beds next to the Visitor Center displays a
different type of flower. A sign in each bed tells the common and botanical names of the flower
as well as one of its Victorian meanings. The theme was inspired by The Language of Flowers, a
novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh that the Green Team enjoyed a couple of years ago.
This year’s color scheme is pink, purple, and white, and the flowers on display include our
old reliable begonias, vinca, salvia, snapdragons, zinnias, and marigolds as well as several less
common types: sweet pea, cosmos, heliotrope, nicotiana, a verbena mix, an annual phlox, and
a large-leafed purple coleus.
The two circular arrangements in the entry bed are reminiscent of the old-fashioned Victorian
bouquets called “tussie mussies.” Clusters of purple Victoria salvia are encircled by rows of
pink vinca and edged with lavender ageratum. Instead of the traditional lace doily wrapped
around the outside of a tussie mussie, our entry bouquets have backgrounds of white
begonias.
The lower McKay bed features purple salvia, pink begonias, and a ruffle of ageratum over a
lacy petticoat of white alyssum. In the upper McKay Plaza garden, an ivory-colored pot with
ornate handles (formerly a broken fountain resurrected from one of the sheds) serves as the
centerpiece and features pink geraniums from the DABG collection. Purple salvia, pink vinca,
and white angelonia complete that bed.
The tradition of ascribing meanings to plants goes back to several ancient civilizations but had
its heyday during the Victorian era (1837-1901) when it acquired the name “floriography.”
In those times, when the outright expression of strong emotions was considered unseemly,
a person could indicate his or her feelings by presenting a bouquet of flowers judiciously
continued on page 7
1 November-31 March
Office Hours:
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays
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BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE
From The President…
What a busy Spring we had! The greenhouse
plantings were extremely beautiful this year. The
Green and Brown Teams worked overtime. Come
out and stroll through the woodland wildflowers!
We had a spectacular early season. Don’t forget to
check out our kinetic sculpture in the English Knot
Garden!
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sandi Helgerson
EDITOR Bev Kolz
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Administrative Board
Jack Frick, President
Wylie Bledsoe, Executive V.P.
Howard McLean, Secretary
Mel Graves, Treasurer
Norma Denlinger
Dennis Hoyer
Jim Trannel
Steve Ulstad
Operations Board
Milt Avenarius
Jim Barth
Marlyn Bausman
Judy Curnan
Kelly Goosen
Fran Hedeman
Claire Hermanson
Dennis Hermsen
Mike Irvin
Judy Miller
Jim Schwarz
Lloyd Streif
Dick Weitz
Ground Cover is published
quarterly for the benefit of DABG
members.
We are thrilled to have one of our roadways named
in honor of the McLean family. Thank you for your
many years of service to the DABG, Howard and Dorothy.
Our appreciation to Tom Hamilton and KDTH radio for being willing to talk with
me weekly so that area residents know what is blooming in the park. Join us on
AM1370, every Thursday afternoon at 2:40 p.m.
We have two new major projects this summer. One is the installation of new
steps into the Japanese Garden. The other is the establishment of a special
area, the Garden of Eat’n! We are grateful for those who are making these
enhancements possible.
It is a pleasure to work with Sandi Helgerson, our Executive Director, and Sue
Lemon, our Volunteer Coordinator. Have you met them?
Submitted by Jack Frick, DABG Board President
From The Director…
Every day, I find it hard to believe that I get to
partner with our volunteers to continue the growth
and commitment to the Dubuque Arboretum and
Botanical Gardens.
I, along with all of you, have a deep pride in this
beautiful place that Dubuque and the surrounding
area can call their own. We are very fortunate to
have an arboretum and botanical gardens for a city
of our size.
Let us prize this living museum of plants, the
tranquility of our waterfalls, the color, texture and vibrancy of our plants and all
the lifetime memories that are represented here.
Thank you for YOUR commitment to the DABG.
Submitted by Sandi Helgerson, DABG Executive Director
Sundaes in the Gardens
Please join us on the Heinemann porch on Sunday, July 5, for a FREE Strawberry
Sundae. With ice cream served by DABG volunteers and Board members, this annual
event is a wonderful opportunity to sit back and take in the beautiful gardens in their
summer splendor while enjoying a sweet treat. We will be serving between
2:00 and 3:30 p.m. Bring your friends and introduce them to the gardens.
We look forward to seeing you at Sundaes in the Gardens.
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Thymely Information
~ Submitted by Fran Hedeman,
Herb Society of Dubuque
Happy new growing season to you all. We are excited to introduce you to some
new plants in the Formal Herb Garden. Some are very old with interesting
histories and others are new cultivars of well-known species.
Students of English history probably remember the famous
or infamous Queen Boudica and her blue-skinned warriors.
I won’t tell you how many men she was reputed to have
killed but I can tell you that her blue-skinned warriors
wore a paste made of fermented WOAD (Isatis tinctoria)
leaves. Woad is both a dyers’ herb and a medicinal herb,
so look for it in both the back bed and in the medicinal
quadrant. We are delighted to have found seed for this
ancient herb and pleased that the Green Team was able to
germinate seed and grow plants for us.
and bears gold and red flower heads. The flowers first look
like a small daisy but later resemble a yellow olive with a
bright red center. This blossom has also been given the
nickname “eyeball plant.” Toothache plant is an herb used
in folk medicine throughout India. Of primary medicinal
use are the roots and flowers. Chewing on the blooms of
the toothache plant causes a local anesthetic effect and
has been used to temporarily ease the pain of toothache.
If you chew on a leaf you will feel a numbing sensation
in your mouth. The flowers are even stronger. If you are
really adventuresome you can tear a few leaves up in your
salad.
Medicinally, woad leaves can be used as an antiseptic and
a styptic so they served the warriors of the Iceni tribe, not
only as war paint but also as a way of stopping bleeding
and, perhaps, preventing infection in their wounds. Woad
is poisonous and cannot be taken internally, but historically
a poultice of leaves was placed on an open wound to stop
bleeding. We don’t foresee any upcoming battles in the
Herb Garden but we will enjoy having an example of this
ancient plant in the medicinal garden. We actually selected
it as a plant to be featured in our dyers’ bed and learned
about its medicinal properties later.
Toothache plant is tropical so be sure you check it out this
summer just in case our seed-saving plan doesn’t produce
more plants for us next year.
LEMON MINT MONARDA (Monarda citriodora) is a
new-to-our-garden monarda. It is reputed to make a tasty
tea so look for it in the tea quadrant. It has a lavender/
pink bloom, sweet smell and attracts bees and butterflies.
Some sources say it is hardy in our zone but it is also
listed as an annual. Again, we will try to save seed. We
are also planting monarda-panorama mix which we hope
will produce a variety of colors ranging from scarlet to
pink to purple. Although this mix is quite old it is new to
our garden. The common name for monarda is bee balm
and a tea from the spicy leaves of this plant is known as
Oswega Tea. This is the plant used as a tea substitute by
the colonists after the Boston Tea Party. Some think it
resembles Earl Grey tea in taste. The flowers are edible
and can be sprinkled on salads or used as a garnish. Both
the leaves and blooms contain thymol-related antibioticantiseptic compounds. Interestingly, when crushed the
leaves make an effective insect repellent. Some varieties
are listed as annuals and others as perennials but as it is
in the mint family, note the square stem, and expect it to
spread.
Woad was the principal blue dye in Europe for over 2,000
years. In medieval times there were important woadgrowing regions in England, Germany and France. Towns
such as Toulouse became prosperous from the woad trade.
In the mid-1580s Queen Elizabeth I set forth a proclamation
against the growing of woad because the land was needed
for crop production to stave off famine. She recalled the
order in 1601 but would not allow production near any
of her homes due to the noxious smell of the processing.
Woad is traditionally used to dye yarns and fabrics blue but
pinks can be produced by using young leaves with alum
as a mordant. The process of extracting the dye is quite
complicated so we won’t be setting up production, but we
hope to produce a small sample in 2016.
Woad is a biennial that puts out large bluish green leaves
the first year and a 3-foot flower stalk the second year.
The flowers are yellow and reputed to be quite attractive.
Woad reportedly self-seeds, so if our plants survive the
winter we may have a large crop in 2017.
Last, but not least, check out the culinary quadrant for
examples of both summer and winter savory, the 2016 Herb
of the Year. See the previous issue of the Ground Cover for
information on this interesting and tasty herb.
Another new plant for the medicinal garden is
TOOTHACHE PLANT (Acmella Oleracea). It is a
member of the Asteraceae (aster) family. It is grown as an
ornamental and is used as a medicinal remedy in various
parts of the world. A small, erect plant, it grows quickly
REFERENCES
Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs
www.woad-inc.co.uk/history.html
www.gardeningknowhow.com
www.seedaholic.com/monarda-didyma-panorama-mix.html
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Thank you for giving generously…
Supporting Memberships
Sandra Parrett
Daryl Tetterton & Mary Lursen
Michael Martin
Doris Vogel
Corporate Memberships
Premier Bank
Cash Donations
Christopher & Sarah Golick
Alliant Energy Foundation, Inc.
Matching Gifts Program for
Dale Kaufman
St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church
Music in the Gardens
Runde Auto Group
AndersonWeber
Fidelity Bank & Trust
Diamond Jo Casino
ITC Midwest, LLC
Kendall- Hunt Publishing
Westmark Enterprises Inc.
Klauer Manufacturing Co.
Cash given through Community
Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Barb & Barney Bishop
Arline Dieterich
Jim & Marita Theisen
In-Kind Donations
Gardening books by Rick Brown
Dog-eared cedar picket fence by
Heiar Brothers Fencing, Inc.
75 SS Plant Markers by Ainley
Kennels & Fabrication, Inc.
Carpet for laser room by Floor Show
– Dick Gregory
Outdoor grill by Steve’s Ace Home
& Garden
Many items for the greenhouse by
Charlotte Schope
Box of information on plants by
Ronald Donatsch
Caladium and pachysandra plants
by Jean & Wylie Bledsoe
Garden Anywhere book by Myrtle
McCubbin
Four wooden pallets and a recycling
bin by Harris Golf Carts
Northfolk Pine Tree by Earl
Haberman
Come Grow with Us Campaign
Jim & Marita Theisen
(given through Community
Foundation of Greater Dubuque)
Spisak, Karen Tegeler, Thomas
& Connie Parsley, Cheryl
Sheldon, Charles & Sharon
Trenholm and Dick Cruse
Kathleen Gasper, given by Helen
Gasper & family; Jeanee
Kasai; Lauren Diener, John &
Deborah Clutts, Genevieve &
R. Leigh Oliver, Rand & Penny
Oliver, Ann Oliver & Cary
Drury, Susan & Floyd Caldwell,
Steve & Liz Oliver, Brad &
Janice Oliver, Meg Oliver &
Jane Oliver, the Jameson
Family,the Staley Family, the
Rubin Family, the Marshall
Family, the Mayhew Family,
the Harrison Family,the Wovas
Family, the Kerbel Family, the
Spar Family, the Laub Family
and Susan & David Kerbel
Marie Bohle, given by Jennifer &
Patrick Hanniford
Judy Yeager, given by Jennifer &
Patrick Hanniford
Dolores Gerken, given by Sara K.
Startt
Wylie & Jean Bledsoe
Bob & Donna Wahlert
Wayne & Eileen Coursey
Kendall-Hunt Publishing
Westmark Enterprises Inc.
M. Bledsoe
Sharon Kress Charitable Fund
Klauer Manufacturing Co.
Securing the Future Campaign
Robert Hoffman
Kendall- Hunt Publishing
Westmark Enterprises Inc.
Klauer Manufacturing Co.
Grants
John Deere Foundation
Memorials ~ In Memory of
Etta Anderson, given by Kevin
Hafkemeyer & Roxanne
Heileman;Rita Halfkemeyer;
Fred & Cathy Hedley
Wesley Heitzman, given by Eric &
Diane Schulz, Mary Ann Steil,
Virgil & Alvina Murphy
Ann Lammer, given by Jack & Diana
Frick
Dr. Eugene Coffman, given by
Marilyn Conklin, Jack & Diana
Frick, Louise Gschwendtner,
Dubuque Internal Medicine,
P.C., Dr. Darryl Mozena & Terry
Mozena, Ronald & Charlotte
Schope, Arline Dieterich
to Dubuque Community
Foundation, Edwin & Susan
Holly Butler Ritts; Ronald &
Laurel Lawson
Betty Thompson, given by Robert
& Faye Hoffman; Joyce
Bausman; Ruth Baumhover
Marcie Spahn, given by Mary Kay
Londergan; Jack & Diana Frick
Odra Eberhardt, given by Marilyn
Conklin
James Malek, given by Jack &
Diana Frick
Ruth Duehr, given by Donald &
Denise Reyerson
Bernilda Britt, given by Keith Cook &
Sharon Kress
Dave Willoughby, given by Marilyn
Conklin
Polly Mason, given by Dixie
Avenarius, G.A. & Linda
Diedrick, David & Juliane
Rossman, Michael & Susan
Mason, Rita McCarthy, Karen
The following donations were received
February 2015 - April 2015
Bricks (installed) In Honor/
Memory of:
Al Chidley, Given by Janet Chidley
Gloria Cahalan, Given by David C.
Cahalan
Les & Mae Jasper, Given by Connie
Ender
Lois Heitzman, Given by Wes
Heitzman, Executor
Wesley Heitzman, Given by Harriet
Heitzman
Katharyn V. Glab, Given by Linda
Gavin
Edwin L. Glab, Given by Linda Gavin
Kathy Michael, Given by Deb Linden
Lois Burds, Given by Estate of Lois
A. Burds
William & Gladys Ellerbach, Given by
Janet Knabel
Donation Bricks (Not Yet Installed)
In Memory/Honor of:
Betty Knabel, Given by Mark R.
Knabel, MD
Bobbie Reding, Given by Steven
Reding
Anne Lammer, JFK Retired
Benches
Teachers (2 bricks)
Delmar & Elizabeth Dalsing,
Given by Ann Smith, Jack & Diana
Butterfly Garden in Garden
Frick; Laverne & John Anglin,
of Eat’n, Given by Linda
Roger & Ruth Grundmeier,
Erpelding
Stephen & Janel Geisert,
Ann and Ben Lammer, Given by
Daryl & Jane Haugen,
Susie Orr, Dillions Stores, Carl
Marilyn Skahill, Robert &
& Mary Lange, Joe & Audrey
Jean Heil, Clarence & Shirley
Keeney, Harriet Stork, Mark
Funk, Thomas & Kathleen
& Rose Flaspohler, Lucille &
Determann, Rita Schesser,
David Nicholson, Sally Fuller,
Yvonne Mckeon, James &
Gail Chavenelle & William
Barbara Aird,Jerry & Margaret
Dicken, Diane & Mike Kutsch,
Mills, Judith Boyes, Michael &
Ed Lammer & Deborah
Mary Ament, Frederick & Joyce
Machta, Ann Lammer Estate
Smith, Charles & Darla Isbell,
c/o Diane Kutsch
and Betty Nowers
Dolly & Ed Colbert, bench in Garden
of Eat’n, Given by Paula Ruden, John Kunkel, Given by Sheri
Weimerskirch
Shawn Turner, Deb Rondeau,
David Colbert, Danny Colbert,
Mark Colbert, Lisa Hallowell
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WALKING BRIDGE
Tanner Berns and Troop 17 constructed a walking bridge
connecting DABG walking trails across a water ravine in
our wooded area. Tanner chose this as his Eagle Scout
Project for the Boy Scouts. Materials for the project were
purchased and given to the DABG. The walking bridge was
constructed to meet all federal standards including a hand
rail and kick plate. Two donated telephone poles are the
underpinnings for the bridge. This walking bridge will make
Hickory Hill and Walnut Ridge accessible even when it rains.
A hearty “thank you” goes out to Tanner and his team.
New Signage
The Bausman family, Marlyn and Joyce, has donated a
new sign in DABG’s prairie garden. The prairie and old
fashioned roses are in memory of Marlyn and Joyce’s
daughter, Jodi.
Submitted by Wylie Bledsoe, DABG Executive Vice President
A FRIENDLY GATHERING
2015 Midwest Hosta Convention
is coming to Dubuque
The Dubuque Regional Hosta Society and the Dubuque
Arboretum and Botanical Gardens are hosting the 2015
Midwest Hosta Convention July 9-11. This gathering of
Midwest hosta enthusiasts is entitled, “A Hosta Rendezvous,”
an apt name! Hostas have long been called “the friendship
plant,” perhaps because hosta gardeners delight to share
(propagated by both division and seeding) “starts” from their
garden collections.
Hosta lovers hybridize their hosta plants to produce various
colors (golds, blues, greens and variegated), leaf sizes (from
2 inches to 3 feet) and for the type and fragrance of the
blossoms. Hostas are a wonderful addition to almost any
garden, preferring filtered light.
Whether you are a seasoned hosta grower or just exploring
the hosta world, you are welcome to come and join the fun!
--------- OPEN TO THE PUBLIC --------Thursday, July 9................................... 3-9:00 p.m., Vendor Sales, Holiday Inn, 450 Main St., Downtown Dubuque
Friday, July 10...................................... 7-9:00 p.m., Vendor Sales, Holiday Inn, 450 Main St., Downtown Dubuque
Sat., July 11............................................... 1-4 p.m., Vendor Sales, Holiday Inn, 450 Main St., Downtown Dubuque
. .................................................................................... Hosta Leaf and Seedling Show, Grand Ballroom, Holiday Inn
And don’t miss the Hosta Festival and Sale at DABG on Sunday, June 7, at 11:00 a.m.
Submitted by Susan L. Lemon
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UPPER PORCH PROJECT
From the upper porch at the DABG Visitor Center, you can get a bird’s eye view of the gardens. It is one of DABG’s most
beautiful vantage points. Unfortunately, the upper deck had deteriorated and the old wood picket railings obstructed much
of the view. We found this prime area was underutilized and this was not an area where people lingered.
For many years, DABG volunteers discussed the need for an upgrade. Steve Ulstad, who serves on our Administrative
Board, worked up an architectural design for the project and it was just waiting for someone to finance and construct it.
Along came Jacob Vaassen, who was looking for an Eagle Scout project.
The project included all new deck flooring made out of cedar, new siding on the building upper area, a new railing and
a pergola to shelter folks from the hot sun. Another exciting feature of the project is that the railing will have clear glass
panels and the view will be unobstructed when seated.
Those on the construction team were Jacob Vaassen from St. Anthony’s Troop 7, his brother Zack, his father Steve and
grandfather Gene. It was quite a family project! Tim Larson also helped with the deconstruction phase.
We cannot thank them enough. Sandi Helgerson, Executive Director of the DABG stated, “It is like a dream come true.”
Submitted by Wylie Bledsoe, DABG Executive Vice President
Weddings at DABG
We host over 80 weddings at the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens each year. Consider the DABG for your
wedding. It’s a place where nature has already done the decorating! Reserve your date and time by calling the DABG
office, 563.556.2100.
Photo by unposedphotography.com
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Language of Flowers, continued from page 1
Introducing...SunPatiens!
arranged by type, number, and color. This practice allegedly
enabled two people to carry on a secret conversation.
Dictionaries were published to explain the flower meanings
(and we can only hope both parties in the conversation were
using the same dictionary!). Queen Victoria herself was a
big fan of floriography and was influential in spreading the
custom around the world.
Last summer a few diseased trees near the Herb
Garden had to be removed, causing the coleus plants
that had been enjoying the shade there to droop
alarmingly. So this year we’ve planted a new annual
flower in that spot. “SunPatiens” are hybrid impatiens
that reportedly thrive in the sun. The Green Team
nurtured them from purchased plugs in four colors:
white, pink, lavender, and dark magenta. These
mounding plants are said to bloom all summer and
spread to 24 inches. If you want to check them out,
you will find the SunPatiens bed at the end of the brick
path, just past the Herb Garden.
Nowadays, some people still honor the language of flowers.
Kate Middleton chose the all-white blooms in her bridal
bouquet based on their Victorian floral sentiments, including
lily of the valley (return of happiness), hyacinth (constancy of
love), and sweet william (gallantry).
This year’s theme is all in fun. After consulting multiple
sources, we learned that Victorian flower meanings are not
set in stone. Several different definitions may be ascribed
to the same flower, depending on the source, so we tried to
select the one that seemed most common. We send virtual
bouquets of dark pink roses (meaning “Thank You!”) to the
two volunteers who created our special signs: Gary Harris
for construction and painting and Dennis Frank for laser
engraving.
So, dust off your bowler or grab your parasol, and bustle out
to the DABG to find out what our flowers have to say!
Submitted by Kennie Harris.
NEW LOOK AT 32ND STREET
The intersection of West 32nd Street and Arboretum Drive is
considered to be the “gateway” of the DABG. As such, many DABG
leaders felt the sign and landscaping of that area had deteriorated to
the point where something needed to be done to revamp the area.
This has been an ongoing discussion for at least 10 years. Every year,
the Board requested funds for the project from the City of Dubuque,
but there never seemed to be enough money to go around and the
project would be shelved for another year. In 2014, we were finally
able to move forward on our own with the support of generous
donors. Planning then kicked into high gear and the sign concept
became a reality.
This spring the area around the new entrance sign was landscaped. Because the entrance sign design was light and artistic,
we wanted the landscaping around it to have flowing lines and curves so they would complement each other.
We planted five red oaks in a curve in the background. There are beautiful virburnums that will turn a rouge color in the
fall. Planted in waves you will also see spirea, hydrangeas and grasses, along with rudbeckia plants.
From a practical standpoint, water and electrical lines have been run underground for maintenance and lighting purposes.
It took a small army of people to complete the project. However, special thanks go out to Mary Reuland and Barb Bishop
for their tireless work day after day on the project (we thought perhaps they lived here) and to Wylie Bledsoe for project
management. The whole DABG community showed up (including many neighbors) to plant, water, spread mulch, amend
the soil, etc. What looked like a small project was really a huge effort day after day –rain or shine. It also seemed like the
windiest place to be! There were even a number of passersby who commented on the progress. It was a great way to
enjoy interaction with new people.
Thank you to all who were involved and will continue to be involved in this project. Our dream became a reality!
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