august 2014 - Avant Gardener

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Derek Fell, Cedaridge Farm, Pipersville, PA 18947 and
Box 22, Sanibel, FL 33957
AUGUST 2014
THE WORLD’S FIRST CALIBRACHOA TO GROW FROM
SEED. The talk of the California Pack Trials earlier this year
was a major breakthrough in flowering annuals – the
dramatic unveiling of the first calibrachoa varieties from seed.
In the past calibrachoa plants have been grown primarily from
tissue culture or cuttings, but at their Santa Paula breeding
and production facility north of Los Angeles, Pan American
Seeds, of West Chicago, Illinois, displayed five colors of
seed-grown calibrachoa, commonly called mini-petunias or
million bells. Bred by Jason Jandrew from a project started
by Jian Ping Red, the new calibrachoa are called ‘Kabloom’.
The biggest challenge was producing enough
viable seed with a sufficiently high germination percentage
since traditionally calibrachoa are shy seeders. Work
continues to expand the color range from presently five
colors: ‘Deep Blue’, ‘Yellow’, ‘Deep Red’, ‘Deep Pink’, and
‘White’, with more in the pipeline. Similar in appearance to a
miniature petunia, the plants will bloom non-stop all season
from spring through fall until killed by frost, often with so
many flowers in bloom at one time that they almost
completely hide the foliage.
Seed is presently available only in pellet form to
aid mechanical seeding among bedding plant growers and
spread the limited seed supply. Crop time from seeding to a
finished plant is 12-14 weeks. Plants have a trailing habit
ideal for pots and hanging baskets and mixing with other
popular container plants such as petunias, coleus, French
marigolds and dwarf zinnias. As a ground cover, plants
require 8-12 inch spacing, growing 8-12 inches high and up
to 14 inches wide. They prefer full sun and a slightly acid
Annual, Calibrachoa Kabloom mixed
colors
soil. The bedding plant industry at present believes that
demand for vegetatively produced calibrachoa will remain
strong, primarily because of the increased color range,
especially among bi-colors and doubles.
Calibrachoa is so closely related to petunias it
used to be classified as a petunia until a Dutch plant breeder
discovered genetic differences in the chromosomes. Native
to the same regions of Brazil, Chile and Peru as petunias,
the name Calibrachoa honors a Mexican doctor, Antonio Cal
y Bracho. In the 1990’s the Japanese biotechnology firm of
Suntory began breeding calibrachoa and patented the ‘Million
Bells’ series. Many more strains followed from other
breeders, but all these had to be propagated from tip cuttings
or tissue culture.
Seed of the ‘Kabloom’ series will be released to
growers September 1st 2014. Pan American Seeds is an
international plant breeder that has introduced many other
milestones in breeding achievement, including ‘Super Elfin’
impatiens, ‘Wave’ petunias and ‘Matrix’ pansies. For more
information go to www.panamseed.com/kabloom.
A PRIVILEGED VISIT TO THE GARDENS OF THE
VATICAN. The site occupied today by the Vatican and its
vast, park-like gardens, was known to ancient Romans as
‘Vatican Hill’, a name derived from the Latin vaticunum
meaning prophecy. Over a period of eight centuries, a
succession of popes has made this self-governing city-state
a center of religious culture, a treasury of art, architectural
splendor and beautiful landscaped gardens. Although it is
possible to join a tour of the gardens of the Vatican, usually
restricted to no more than 30 people for a 2-hour guided visit,
it is unusual even for journalists to be granted freedom of the
gardens for the purpose of photography. Security is high at
the Vatican and Swiss guards in their distinctive blue and
orange striped uniforms patrol every section of the grounds.
Some years ago, Avant Gardener’s editor Derek Fell, on an
assignment from Frances Lincoln (publishers) was granted
access to the gardens over several days. After the project
ran into production problems the photography from that visit
has never previously been published and, therefore, it is with
great pride and pleasure that we feature some of the best
images in this issue.
The Vatican Gardens cover 50 acres and date
back to medieval times when vineyards and orchards
extended to the north of the Apostolic Palace. In 1279 Pope
Nicholas II enclosed this cultivated area with walls to keep
out animals and trespassers. A major transformation
occurred in the 16th century when Pope Nicholas V
conceived of a series of pleasure gardens for outdoor
ceremonies and for personal enjoyment.
The highly formal gardens contain a number of
Facade of the Vatican Casina with Saint
Peter's Dome in the background
Parterre garden in the Vatican Gardens
theme areas, such as a large rock garden, woodland garden,
a grotto, parterre garden and even a large cutting garden.
Numerous valuable fountains, sculptures and cascades
decorate these areas; also some long vistas that feature the
majestic dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in the background.
Artifacts continue to be added - a fragment of the Berlin
Wall, a Chinese pavilion given by Catholics of that country,
and a gnarled old olive tree from the Garden of Gethsemane,
Jerusalem.
Climbing to the Dome of Saint Peters Basilica, up
narrow, spiral stairs is worth the effort as it provides a
splendid high elevation view over the garden, with its lush
green lawns, architectural features and magnificent groves of
trees, many of them palms and cycads sensitive to frost.
There are arches covered in climbing roses and a kitchen
garden cultivated by Carmelite nuns that can only been seen
from the Dome. This vantage point reveals neat rows of
vegetables and fruits such as citrus and figs. Pope Nicholas
IV established a Physic Garden, an enclosure of ‘simples’ or
medicinal herbs, making it the first botanical garden in Italy.
The mild Mediterranean climate produces mostly
frost-free winters where plants from sub-tropical areas of the
world can flourish, notably Mexico, coastal California, Brazil,
China and Japan. These are used to decorate gardens in the
Italian, French, and English styles. Typical of the Italian
influence is a Grotto featuring waterfalls and pools with
sculptures emerging from the water, while an elaborate
pattern of parterres recreates a French ‘embroidery’ garden,
including a hedge maze. A Persian inspired quadrant garden
can be seen in the Teutonic College, in an enclosed area
that serves as a cemetery, the gravestones shaded by tall
palms, laurel, and cedars. This secluded space was
established in the eighth century by the Holy Roman
Emperor, Charlemagne for the comfort of German pilgrims,
today tended by sisters of the Christian Charity. Ironically, it
is located where once stood the Circus of Nero, an arena
where Christians were martyred. Founded in 1399, the
Teutonic College today houses two institutions of theological
study and two chapels, the cemetery used for the burial of
German-speaking members from Rome-based religious
organizations. It features many beautiful varieties of roses
and perennial plants such as Acanthus, Agapanthus, and
orchids among imposing statuary.
Grotto detail in the Vatican Gardens
Part of the Vatican's cutting garden
In complete contrast to the intimate, richly
planted Teutonic College garden is the Casina of Pope Pius
IV, built as a summer retreat. A cluster of white marble
Classical buildings, the Casina is surrounded by water
features, lawns, and mature groves of trees such as
evergreen deodar cedars. The buildings today serve as the
headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and still
contain treasures of 16th century frescoes, stucco reliefs,
Fountain with Aleppo pines in the
and mosaics. At the center of the Casina is an oval
courtyard that connects four buildings which make up the
villa complex. Its centerpiece is a marble fountain of two
cherubs riding dolphins. The Casina complex was designed
by Pirro Ligorio and built between 1558-1562. He is the same
architect who designed the buildings and grounds of the Villa
d’Este for a Vatican cardinal, on a steep slope at nearby
Tivoli. Perhaps the world’s finest example of Italian baroque
landscape design, the Villa d’Este is a magnificent water
garden that descends a series of terraces. The grounds
include the Grotto of 100 Fountains and thundering waterfalls
using water which cascades from a stream that enters the
garden from a cliff overhang.
Vatican Gardens
No visit to the Vatican would be complete without
an exploration of the interior of the Basilica of Saint Peter,
and a walk through the adjacent museums and chapels,
especially to view Raphael’s frescoes in the Raphael Rooms
and Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.
Contemporary art is also on view, including work by Rodin,
Kandinsky, Dali and Munch.
Today the gardens can be visited only by
reservation arranged through the Vatican’s Information Office
or visit: www.rome-museum.com/garden.html for costs and
times. An excellent full color book to read before making
your journey is titled The Vatican Gardens (Frances Lincoln)
with text by Kildare Dobbs and photography by Linda Dobbs.
GARDEN DESIGN MAGAZINE RE-LAUNCHED. When seven
issues-a-year Garden Design magazine folded in 2013, a
combination of factors was blamed: lack of advertising
support, and a too sophisticated image with its features on
modern outdoor and indoor furnishings, high brow
entertaining and garden parties. Now re-launched as a
quarterly, the new Garden Design has no advertising and is
devoted largely to featuring gardens. Published in full color
on glossy paper, with 132 pages, its online subscription
price is $45.00 for four issues (two in spring, one in summer
and one a combined fall/winter issue). For more information
visit www.gardendesign.com/magazine where you can see a
preview of articles. These cover design, entertaining, growing
plants, and gardens to visit, including foreign gardens – all
beautifully photographed and well written by experienced
garden writers.
The cover of the current issue provides a hint at
the new publisher, Jim Peterson, owner of
Concretenetwork.com and Landscapingnetwork.com since
the cover photograph shows a highly formal garden space
where concrete walls are the dominant design feature.
Founded in 1981 by the American Society of Landscape
Architects, Garden Design was sold to Bonnier Corporation,
a magazine publisher out of Florida. Bonnier conducted a
major revamp in their January/February 2011 issue under the
Galleon fountain in the Vatican Gardens
Woodland garden with moss covered
mushroom fountain in the Vatican
Gardens
direction of a new editor, William Hamilton, former editor of
the New York Times and Martha Stewart Living but the
changes failed to attract new advertisers or sufficiently boost
subscriptions.
Now that the new publisher has crafted a
publication that does not require advertising support, and
relies entirely on subscribers for its welfare, it will be
interesting to see whether this radical change will help keep
Garden Design alive.
ROSE BREEDERS AT TEXAS A&M USE RALPH
MOORE’S GENETIC MATERIAL TO BREED NEW ROSES.
The late Ralph Moore is often described as ‘the father of the
miniature rose’ because at his Sequoia Nursery, north of San
Francisco, he developed some of the world’s most popular
miniature roses. Following his death, Moore’s germplasm
was donated to Texas A&M University for their Rose
Breeding & Genetics program, which was started in the
1990’s when Robert Basye partnered with the Department of
Horticultural Sciences to continue his own rose breeding
work, which aimed at breeding disease resistance and heat
tolerance into roses. This initiative has now benefitted from a
gift in 2008 of more than 200 rose varieties from Ralph
Moore, allowing the Texas program to diversify its aim of
developing roses with superior ornamental value.
Teutonic College garden inside the
Vatican
FOREST FARM ORNAMENTAL PLANTS SUPPLIER
CELEBRATES 40 YEARS. The idea for Forest Farm
ornamental plant nursery began when Ray and Peg Prag met
as students at UC Davis forty years ago. Initially they offered
their mostly woody plants for sale in tin cans for local
demand, and ten years later launched into mail-order with a
10-page catalog. Now semi-retired, the couple is devoting
their energies to developing a 250-acre world-class botanical
garden and also expanding their educational programs.
Today, at the company’s headquarters at Williams, Oregon,
near Medford, the catalog has expanded to 240 pages of fine
print, mostly in black-and-white, with a 15-page color
section.
Forest Farm hosted its first open house in
summer of 2013 when their 20-plus employees welcomed
visitors and taught classes in native plant selection and
pruning techniques. Visitors were also able to see work in
progress for two ambitious projects – a 200-acre nature
preserve and 250-acre botanical garden called Pacifica on
land previously used for grazing. Future plans call for the
botanical garden to feature 5,000 to 10,000 plant species.
Soon, work will also begin on an Artist’s Garden, a
Children’s Garden and a Butterfly Garden. Among other
initiatives is a mobile science and nature education center
called The Caterpillar. This tours Oregon elementary schools
teaching hands-on activities for children, involving nature and
Teutonic College garden inside the
Vatican
science studies.
Forest Farm offers a huge selection of woody
plants in sizes ranging from 1 to 5 gallons, plus more
economical ‘tube plants’. Four of these will fit inside a 1
gallon container, allowing for the most economical shipping.
Shipping cartons will also accommodate any number of tubegrown plants. The list of plants offered includes perennials,
trees and shrubs, grasses and sedges, bamboo and palms,
fruits and nuts. There are 68 varieties of willow, 10 of
rosemary, 14 hellebores and more than 200 Japanese
maples. For a copy of the Forest Farm catalog send $5.00 to
Forest Farm, PO Box 1, Williams, OR 97544 or visit
www.forestfarm.com.
THE SINISTER GARDEN OF DOCTOR GACHET. The
village of Auvers – a 15-minute train ride from Paris – was
made famous by the painter, Vincent Van Gogh who died in
a room in the attic above the Auberge Ravoux, on the main
street, after a suicide attempt by gunshot. Thousands of
tourists each year visit the site of his death, view his tiny
cell-like room, and then climb a steep hill behind the inn to
visit his gravesite, in an isolated walled cemetery surrounded
by vast fields of wheat. He is buried beside his brother, Theo
who died a year after Vincent, from complications of syphilis
disease.
The late Ralph Moore, breeder of
miniature roses
Ralph Moore miniature rose, Precious
Dream
Hardly anyone travels the 15 minutes from the
Auberge along the river road towards Pontoise, to visit the
home and garden of Dr. Paul Gachet, the homeopathic
doctor who treated Van Gogh for a mental problem we now
know to be bi-polar syndrome, or manic depression. The
doctor’s house and garden are where Van Gogh went for
treatment and also to dine with the doctor every Tuesday
after they became good friends. They are now open to the
public as a museum. The recent sale of the doctor’s portrait,
painted by Van Gogh, to a Japanese art collector for more
than $82.5 million, set a world record for a portrait.
Although the relationship with the doctor pleased
Van Gogh initially, a letter written shortly before his death
indicates there had been a serious falling out, and new
evidence suggests that several romantic portraits of the
doctor’s 21-year old daughter, Marguerite caused the doctor
to believe that his daughter and Van Gogh were having a
romantic relationship. It is possible that the doctor’s
opposition to the relationship caused Van Gogh to suffer an
attack of delirium that resulted in his shooting himself in the
wheat fields.
The house itself is a sinister, plain, four-storey
structure, with stucco walls and narrow shuttered windows.
Located on the side of a steep hill overlooking the street, the
interior consists of small, dark rooms containing exhibits.
These mostly include photographs of the doctor and his two
Forest Farm catalog features 11
varieties of Hellebore
children, Marguerite and Paul Jr., showing Marguerite as an
attractive young woman. Some of the doctor’s artwork –
mostly in the form of sketches and lithographic prints – are
also on display. One photograph shows him in military
uniform with a ceremonial sword hanging from his belt, and a
hip holster with pistol that Van Gogh may have used to shoot
himself.
The garden is small, mostly sandwiched between
the rear door of the house and a steep cliff with entrances to
passageways, one of which leads to a subterranean theater
carved out of the rock. Van Gogh painted the garden which
contains mostly medicinal plants and annuals, such as
marigolds, yucca and hollyhock. There is a stone ruin and a
balcony that looks out over the rooftops of Auvers, a spot
from which the Impressionist artist, Cezanne painted the
village during visits to the doctor for treatment of depression.
During Doctor Gachet’s occupancy the garden
also featured pens for livestock, including rabbits, chickens
and peacocks. The pens remain, but are empty. A spacious
shaded patio is where Van Gogh painted the doctor’s
portrait, and a small patch of garden at the front of the house
is dissected by steep steps leading down to the street.
Hedges of clipped boxwood create a pattern of parterres, the
spaces between filled with herbs such as lavender, calendula
and varieties of sage. This front garden is where Van Gogh
painted Marguerite dressed as a bride.
Dr. Paul Gachet at the time he treated
Vincent Van Gogh
The house and garden are located at 78, rue du
Dr. Gachet, Auvers-sur-Oise, France. Call 01-30-36-60-60 for
opening times.
FOR MANY GARDENERS FALL PLANTING CAN BEGIN
AFTER 5 PM ON AUGUST 15. There is a generalization
used by many lawn care companies in the Northeastern US,
and also across the Mid-west that the perfect time to plant a
new lawn is after 5:00pm on August 15, because that is
when nights begin to cool sufficiently to help germinate grass
seed and allow it to become established before freezing
weather turns it dormant. The 5:00pm August 15 rule can
apply to many other plants that relish the cooler nights of
fall, the return to reliable amounts of rainfall, and less
competition from weed growth. The same applies to many
trees and shrubs. Following is a list of vegetables and herbs
that can be grown to mature during fall: beets, broccoli,
cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, endive, chervil, coriander,
cucumber, dandelion, dill, kale, lettuce, mache, peas
(mildew-resistant kinds), radicchio, radish,and turnips.
Further south, in mild-winter areas of Florida,
Louisiana, Texas, Arizona and California, a good starting
date for vegetables is after 5:00pm on September 15,
allowing both warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers
to be transplanted and cool-season crops like lettuce and
The courtyard of Dr. Gachet's garden,
Auvers, France
peas to be direct-seeded in order to mature during winter
months, especially where irrigation can be provided since
winter months can be a dry season for those areas.
FIFTEEN WORST GARDEN INSECT PESTS. In its June
issue, Mother Earth News lists the fifteen most troublesome
insect pests and some suggestions for organic controls. Top
of their list is the SLUG which is especially troublesome on
leafy crops such as lettuce and cabbage. Of the several
organic remedies suggested we favor hand-picking in the
early morning and slug bait containing iron phosphate.
Second on the list is the SQUASH BUG which can colonize
any member of the squash family. Effective organic controls
include the use of neem organic pesticide and hand-picking.
APHIDS at number three are a problem on beans (especially
fava beans), cabbages, peas, potatoes and tomatoes,
controlled by insecticidal soap and ladybugs.
CABBAGEWORMS can devastate all members of the
cabbage family, controlled by row covers, BT organic
biological control and spinosad organic insecticide.
SQUASH VINE BORERS cause squash vines to wilt by
burrowing along hollow stems. Row covers and BT can
control them. At number 6, JAPANESE BEETLES have a
voracious appetite for roses, beans, grape vines and
raspberries. Row covers and beetle traps that use both a sex
attractant to capture males and a scent attractant to attract
females can be effective. The TOMATO HORNWORM is
placed at number 7 although we have never found it to be a
problem since they do not reach plague proportions. BT and
handpicking can be effective organic controls. The
CUTWORM can be a massive problem early in the season,
attacking seedlings at the soil line, especially beans and
peas. Collars around transplants are effective, also BT.
GRASSHOPPERS attack beans, cabbage, lettuce and
onions, controlled by row covers and handpicking. The
CUCUMBER BEETLE can devastate cucumbers, melons
and squash, introducing disease. The organic insecticide
neem can be effective as well as hand-picking and row
covers. Although the CORN EARWORM can be a nuisance,
its damage is usually concentrated at the tip of the corn
kernels, leaving plenty of good eating, but it can be
controlled by planting resistant varieties with tight wrap
leaves such as ‘Silver Queen’ and placing a drop of vegetable
oil on the tassels when they form. WHITEFLY is a problem
with eggplant, okra, peppers, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.
Sprays of insecticidal soap are effective. FLEA BEETLES
are especially troublesome on eggplant and sometimes
cabbage crops. Row covers are the most effective control.
COLORADO POTATO BEETLE is a curse on potato plants,
skeletonizing leaves. Neem organic insecticide can be
effective. LEAFHOPPERS don’t do much damage to beans,
beets, eggplant, lettuce and potatoes but they spread
diseases. Insecticidal soap and row covers are the best
English shell pea, Knight is mildew
resistant, recommended for fall harvests
Yellow twig dogwood showing vibrant
stem color
organic controls.
THE INSANE POLITICAL BATTLE OVER A FLOWER
GARDEN. Debra Prinzing, in her award-winning book titled
The 50-Mile Bouquet (St. Lynn’s Press) documents a
number of successful at-home businesses that make an
income from growing flowers to sell at local markets. You
might think that perhaps nothing could be more idyllic for a
homeowner than to grow a backyard full of flowers for sale in
order to help mitigate the expense of paying taxes and
household needs, but that goal by Los Angeles resident Tara
Kolla turned into a nightmare when residents on her street
complained to local supervisors that she was illegally
growing flowers even though she was not selling them
directly from her residence. The complaints effectively shut
down her business during her 2009 busy season.
As author Prinzing explains, since 1946 the city
had defined residential ‘truck farming’ as the cultivation of
vegetables for off-site sale. In spite of hiring a mediator, she
received a cease-and-desist order. “Facing fines, jail time
and a costly legal battle to obtain a land-use variance,”
writes Prinzing, “Tara dug in her heels and decided to lobby
for a change in the ordinance.” Over a period of a year, during
constant stress from the campaign she waged, Kolla finally
persuaded the Los Angeles City Council to pass an
amendment allowing the cultivation of flowers to sell off-site,
becoming a model for other cities to follow.
Why on earth would anyone object to a flower
garden in a residential area where the flowers were sold only
at local farmers’ markets? And why would it take a year of
costly campaigning to obtain sufficient support to change the
ordinance that forbid an enterprise growing flowers when it
was ok to grow vegetables? Kolla believes the initial
complaint was done out of spite. Today, Kolla is enthusiastic
about the success of growing sweet peas for market. Using
seed obtained from Renee’s Gardens, she grows mostly
mixes and named British varieties, starting with ‘Winter
Elegance’, then the ‘Royals’ and also the ‘Spencer’ types of
which ‘Blue Danube’ is her favorite.
HOW TO GROW PEAS FOR FALL HARVEST. The biggest
problem with growing peas for fall harvest across most of
North America is susceptibility to powdery mildew disease.
Only by selecting varieties resistant to mildew are you likely
to harvest a worthwhile crop. A favorite for late summer
planting and fall harvest is ‘Knight’, bred by New York state
pea breeder, Dr. Jerry Marx. Since pea seedlings are also
susceptible to common garden pests like slugs and pigeons,
it pays to start the seed indoors a week to ten days before
outdoor planting. Supermarket clamshell planters make ideal
seed trays for peas – especially those used to package
blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, since they have
holes for ventilation. Simply fill the empty clear plastic
Vegetable, Lettuce Tom Thumb is half
the size of a regular butterhead lettuce
Carrot Little Finger is grown to produce
space-saving mini carrots, especially in
containers
planter with moist potting soil and plant the pea seeds ½
inch apart. When they reach a height of 3-4 inches,
transplant them to their permanent outdoor positions,
allowing at least 3 inches apart between plants. Provide
supports for the peas to climb up for highest yields.
NOW IS THE TIME TO PRUNE SHRUBS FOR WINTER
STEM COLOR. Important components of the winter garden
are shrubs that display colorful stems, notably Siberian
dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’) with red stems, yellow
stemmed willows (Salix alba vitellena) and the coral bark
maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku) . The most vibrant
colors are produced on new growth and so it is important to
give these plants a judicious pruning during summer months
in order to force long whip-like stems before dormancy.
Plants like Siberian dogwood should be cut back almost to
the soil, a practice generally known as coppicing, while
those with a short length of trunk are called stools. Plants
with a longer length of trunk, like willow, are known as
pollards. Allow newly planted shrubs a year or two before
pruning to avoid stress. Pruned in summer, the new stems
will show color in autumn and persist through winter until
spring foliage generally hides the color. Acer negunda
‘Winter Lightning’ has yellow stems and can be coppiced,
but the coral bark maple can become too stressed if cut
back to the trunk.
PARK SEED PROMOTES QUICK-MATURING BABY
VEGETABLES. Recognizing a desire among gardeners to
achieve quicker results, Park Seed is promoting the benefits
of growing mini-vegetables since they tend to mature much
faster than their full-blown counterparts. Even cucumbers and
summer squash can be harvested in mini form weeks earlier
than the regular kinds. Pointing out that greens such as
loose-leaf lettuces and mustard greens are the traditional
quick-crop with the ability to ‘cut-and-come-again’, Park also
recommends quick-maturing radishes like ‘Cherry Belle’,
capable of maturing within 20 days of sowing seed directly
into the garden. Even faster are varieties of sprouts, such as
broccoli, beans, sunflowers, cress and fenugreek. These can
be harvested within 10 days and less of sowing seeds onto a
damp paper towel. Park also recommends harvesting
zucchini squash, such as ‘Poquito’, and crookneck squash,
such as ‘Early Crookneck’, as soon as the fruit has set,
allowing harvests within 40 days of seeding.
A SALUTE TO THOMAS NUTTALL, NORTH AMERICAN
PLANT COLLECTOR. Several plants native to North
America honor an American plant collector, Thomas Nuttall
(1786-1859). These include Calochortus nuttallii (commonly
called Mariposa tulips) and Cornus nuttallii, the Pacific coast
dogwood. Born in Yorkshire, England, he apprenticed to his
uncle in Liverpool as a printer and immigrated to Philadelphia
in 1808 to work as a printer. A year later he was asked by
The late Peter Henderson, mail order
nurseryman
Sample of Peter Henderson's seed and
nursery catalog
Benjamin Baton, Professor of natural history and botany at
the University of Pennsylvania to begin a series of plant
hunting expeditions to the American Midwest and West.
Nuttall enjoyed the work and devoted the next 30 years to
botanizing, publishing his research in Curtis’s Botanical
Magazine and The Genera of North American Plants. In
1842, he inherited his uncle’s estate, Nutgrove, in Lancashire
and returned to England.
The Pacific Coast dogwood is distinctly different
from the common flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) native
to the Northeast. Growing as a single-stemmed or multistemmed small tree, from a distance the plants look alike,
but the flowers of the Pacific Coast dogwood are larger and
slightly later flowering, although earlier by two weeks than
the Korean dogwood (Cornus k ousa). Plants prefer an acid
soil and a mulch of shredded leaves to conserve soil
moisture in summer. The true flowers form a yellow dome
within a circle of five or six bracts. The bracts emerge green
and turn white, followed by red oval fruits. In fall, the leaves
can turn brilliant shades of red. A particularly fine cultivar is
‘Eddie’s White Wonder’, a cross between the Pacific Coast
dogwood and the common flowering dogwood. Available
since 1955, it was discovered ten years earlier by Vancouver
nurseryman, Henry Eddie. Plants are hardy from zones 6 to
8.
Dogwood Eddie's White Wonder, a
variety of Cornus nuttallii
COMFREY FERTILIZER TEA USED TO STIMULATE
TOMATO GROWTH. In recent years the consumption of
Russian comfrey (Symphytum uplandicum) as a medicinal
herb for the healing of wounds has been largely proven
suspect since taken internally its alkaloids can harm the
liver. However, comfrey leaves used as a fertilizer, either
decomposed in a compost pile or used to make a manure
tea, is documented in a recent issue of ECHO Development
Notes, a publication of a global organization that educates
impoverished communities on how to reduce hunger.
Comfrey is high in potassium and other micronutrients that
are most effective applied to members of the nightshade
family like tomato and potato, as they are potassium
responsive. The tea is applied as a soil drench or a foliar feed
every two weeks.
An African recipe for comfrey manure tea warns
that during the ‘cooking’ process it produces a powerful
unpleasant odor. The process begins by picking a supply of
leaves. These are placed in a container (1-2 kg of comfrey
leaves in a 20 liter bucket). The container is covered and
allowed to sit for four weeks during cool weather and two
weeks during hot weather. Then squeeze the leaves to
extract as much juice as possible. Strain and use the
concentration at the rate of one liter comfrey to 20 liters of
water. Comfrey is a vigorous plant with blistered dark green
leaves that can be harvested four times a year to make
Decorative golden form of the herb,
comfrey
fertilizer. There is also a gold-and-green variegated form that
is highly ornamental, especially planted in a mixed perennial
border.
A simpler British recipe calls for layering leaves in
the bottom of a regular garden bucket without water since
the leaves will liquefy by themselves, turning black. Prior to
use, dilute the black concentrate with water at the rate of five
parts water to one part comfrey extract. The authors of the
article say that comfrey leaves have the following NPK
percentages: 0.75%, 0.25% and 0.20% which is two or three
times more than farmyard manure, and that no scientific
study has been done to confirm the African and British
claims. For more information, visit
www.ECHOcommunity.org.
ECHO RECOMMENDS UNDERCROPPING CORN WITH
COWPEAS. Experiments with cowpeas as a living mulch
between rows of corn have helped farmers improve yields in a
restricted space, according to ECHO, the global organization
that equips communities to reduce hunger. In their trials they
used special dwarf, spreading cowpea varieties such as
‘Samoeng’ from Asia and ‘Mavuno’ from Tanzania. In the
ECHO trial, planting stations for the corn were one meter
New annual coleus 'Kong Jr' is a more
compact version of the popular 'Kong'
variety
apart. By the 6th week after seeding the corn, the cowpea
carpet was 50 cm wide, corresponding to 50% coverage.
Two weeks later, cowpea had completely covered the soil
with the carpet width measuring 97-111 cm. By corn
tasseling time (nearly 12 weeks after planting) the cowpeas
had begun to produce mature pods. ECHO’S results to date
indicate no competitive effect of cowpea with corn. ECHO’s
seedbank offers seeds of the recommended spreading-type
cowpeas. Visit www.ECHOcommunity.org for more
information.
NEWS BRIEFS
NEW TICK DISEASE CLAIMS LIFE OF A NEW JERSEY
RESIDENT. Warm weather increases the tick population and
the risk of becoming infected by two well-known diseases,
Rocky Mountain fever and Lyme disease. Now, the medical
profession has identified a third potentially more dangerous
disease called the Powassan virus which has claimed the life
of a Warren County, New Jersey resident. Although rare, this
new disease is believed to enter the bloodstream more
rapidly than other tick diseases – as little as a few minutes
following a tick bite. The disease is spread by two kinds of
ticks – the deer tick, which can also carry Lyme disease,
and the woodchuck tick. To find out more call 908-612-4736
or email [email protected].
CITY FOOD WASTE COLLECTED FOR COMPOSTING.
Jeremy Brosowsky is the inspiration behind an effort to
encourage more cities to collect food waste for composting.
“If you cannot dramatically improve your soil, you cannot
Annual, Zinnia Zahara Sunburst is an
ever-blooming disease-resistant annual
grow your own food in cities,” reasoned Brosowsky, so his
solution was to create a service called Compost Cab
(www.compostcab.com), a Washington DC-based service
that picks up urban food waste and delivers it to farms for
composting rather than to landfills, but Brosowsky explains
that composting is about food production and hopes to roll
out Compost Cabs in cities other than WashingtonDC.
KONG JUNIOR COLEUS ARRIVES FROM SAKATA
SEEDS. When ‘Kong’ coleus was introduced some ten years
ago from Sakata Seeds, Yokohama, Japan, it caused a
sensation for the size of its leaves and the ability of one plant
to fill a whisky half barrel. Now garden centers are full of
praise for ‘Kong Junior’ with leaves that are 30% smaller and
more suitable for mass bedding displays. ‘Kong Junior’ has
the same vibrant color combinations as the original ‘Kong’
series including ‘Lime Vein’ which displays bright red,
maroon and chartreuse in the same serrated leaf. Plants
grow to 2 ft. high and spread 3 ft. wide. They take heat and
shade, and remain attractive all summer until fall frost.
HYDRANGEA BLOOMSTRUCK BLOOMS ON OLD AND
NEW WOOD. When hydrangeas fail to bloom it is usually
because they are a variety that blooms only on old wood,
making the flower buds subject to winterkill in areas with
severe winter months. Hydrangea ‘BloomStruck’ is the latest
introduction in the sensational ‘Endless Summer’ series of
mop-head hydrangeas. Bred by Dr. Michael Dirr, retired
woody plants specialist at the University of Georgia,
‘BloomStruck flowers occur on both old and new wood so
that if the old wood is damaged during winter dormancy the
plant will still bloom on new branches that appear from the
dormant roots. Its dark green glossy leaves are resistant to
powdery mildew, and the plant has superior heat tolerance.
Color of the flowers varies from blue to pink depending on the
soil pH (blue when planted in acid soil, and pink when
planted in alkaline soil).
PROFUSION AND ZAHARA ZINNIAS VIE FOR SALES. The
‘Profusion’ series of ever-blooming, disease-resistant daisytype zinnias became an overnight hit when the first colors in
the series won All-America Awards for the ability of the low,
mounded disease-resistant plants to bloom riotously all
season until fall frost. Then along came the ‘Zahara’ series
with a similar habit and flower form to the ‘Profusions’. Also
honored by All-America Awards, a distinction of the ‘Zaharas’
is that some of the varieties are unusual color combinations.
‘Zahara Sunburst’ is the latest in the series. A yellow and
scarlet bi-color, it is also one of the colors in a beautiful wellbalanced mixture. Plants tolerate hot, dry conditions and
perform best in full sun.
KURT BLUEMEL, ORNAMENTAL GRASS EXPERT, DIES.
Nurseryman Kurt Bluemel has died at the age of 81 following
a brief illness. Born in Czechoslovakia in 1933, Bluemel
More people gardening will save millions
in health care costs according to a
British health expert
Summer harvest of tomatoes, bell
peppers, and eggplant at a farm stand
gained horticultural experience at the Arnold Vogt Gartenbau
nursery, near Zurich, Switzerland. He immigrated to the
United States in 1960, first working at Bluemount Nurseries,
Maryland, and then in 1964 established his own nursery,
Kurt Bluemel Inc, in Baldwin, Maryland. Along with the
Washington DC-based landscape architect firm of Oeme,
Van Sweden, he helped to popularize ornamental grasses in
the USA, supplying the firm with grasses and other
perennials for some of their major landscaping projects. One
of his largest undertakings was for Walt Disney World when
– in the mid 1990’s – he provided plants to replicate an
African savannah at the Disney’s Orlando, Florida theme
park known as Animal Kingdom.
US POSTAL SERVICE ISSUES FARMERS MARKETS
STAMPS. Sonja Edison, editor of USA Philatelic, published
by the US Postal Service, in a forward to their third quarter
issue, explains the significance of a new series of stamps
that portrays a vendor’s table featuring fresh vegetables,
cheeses and flowers, saying: “With farmers markets open for
the summer, the Postal Service marks the season by
issuing Farmers Markets stamps – four designs that are as
bright and colorful as the freshest fruits and veggies. Get a
taste of the local culture by finding a market near your
neighborhood, or share your favorite market recipe through a
handwritten letter.” The stamps are issued as a strip of four,
creating a panoramic view of fruits and flowers in crates,
each designated a ‘forever’ stamp.
SCENES FROM FARMERS’ MARKETS. Self-taught
photographers,Kelly Lucero and Matthew Conheady of the
Rochester area, New York state, have a colorful free website
titled Scenes from a Public Mark et
(www.scenesfromapublicmarket.com). Starting with scenes
from the Rochester area farmers’ markets, they branched out
to recording scenes from around the USA, including Pikes
Market, Seattle, and other countries such as Italy, China and
Canada. Each month the pair adds to their galleries online.
Although they often visit the same market together, their
images are usually quite different. Lucero mostly seeks
patterns in close-ups and Conheady prefers images that
reflect a strong human presence. Images on the website are
available for purchase.
ORCHID RESTORATION PROJECT LAUNCHED BY
FAIRCHILD BOTANICAL GARDEN. The practice of illegal
harvesting of native Florida orchids has been the subject of a
best selling book, The Orchid Thief which put the spotlight
on an activity that has substantially depleted native colonies.
Now, the Fairchild Botanical garden has announced a project
to restore native populations by mass-producing endangered
epiphytic plants and placing them in the crotches of street
trees, a practice that has been successful in Singapore,
initiated by the Singapore Botanical Garden. Called the
Cover of USA Philatelic that promotes
new stamp series honoring farmers
markets
Million Orchid Project, Fairchild staff and volunteers have
been raising thousands of seedlings in its propagation
laboratory, placing the first consignment in trees around
Coral Gables City Hall on Earth Day, in April. For more
information visit www.fairchildgarden.org.
BRITISH PHYSICIAN PREDICTS HUGE HEALTH CARE
SAVINGS IF GOVERNMENT PROMOTES GARDENING. A
recent issue of the Royal Horticultural Society Journal
reported that a former physician to Queen Elizabeth II would
like the government to promote more gardening in order to
improve the nation’s health. This would result in huge savings
for Britain’s National Health Scheme, said Sir Richard
Thompson, president of the Royal Society of Physicians at a
conference on urban greening. He noted that hospital
gardens reduced stress for patients, and potted plants
placed in recovery rooms resulted in a reduction in the need
for painkillers. He noted that a single tree in an urban park is
capable of removing 48 lbs of pollutants from the
atmosphere. He also recommended the physical benefits
from gardening in helping treat a range of health problems,
including levels of obesity, lung disease and stroke. Digging
for 30 minutes burns 202 calories, the same as lifting
weights in a gym, he said. He also equated turning a
compost pile for 30 minutes to running on a treadmill and
burning 300 calories apart from the fact that work in the
garden can produce healthy fresh vegetables and beautiful
flowers, while an hour spent in a gym is a complete waste of
energy.
IN THE NEXT ISSUE: The late Princess Greta Sturdza
cultivated one of the most beautiful private gardens of
Europe. Avant Gardener was privileged to enjoy freedom of
her garden for photography before she died. What has
happened to the garden since her passing? You’ve probably
heard of chipboard – a type of plywood made from sawdust.
Now, a new product made from corn roughage (called stover)
is being made into corn boards which is as tough as chip
board and environmentally friendly since it could save
thousands of acres trees to supply the market for chipboard.
For flower lovers we take a look at fall-blooming colchicums
and present a new conifer selection from Holland that is
receiving rave reviews. We also review a new US-bred dayneutral strawberry that strawberry growers say is the largest
and tastiest they have grown among ever-bearing dayneutrals. We discover new hybrids of streptocarpus from
Poland and report on a new large-fruited, early peach with
maroon skin and white flesh that growers are calling the
tastiest and earliest among early peaches.