Summer 2024 Edition

Editor’s Corner

“Bloom Gardens Magazine is a unique regional gardening magazine advocating organic & sustainable practices.”

Unique gardening challenges we experience in Utah

Utah’s has a unique climate with extreme high/low temperatures, alkaline soil, and frequent drought. Considering it’s the second driest and fourth fastest growing state in the U.S. presents additional challenges of pollution, water shortages, and depleted soil.

Did you know that environmental illnesses could be prevented? Only 0.7% of farms are organic vs. traditional farms. Over 82,000 chemicals are allowed on the market without safety testing, and we use them in our daily lives.

I have seen firsthand the damaging effects this chemically filled world has on all of us. On September 24, 2013, my husband, Kevin was diagnosed with YoungOnset Parkinson’s disease (age 47), caused from his exposure to pesticides during his work career.

What’s the solution?

This is where Bloom Gardens journey begins. Our goal is to create an educational venue, which teaches how to garden & landscape without harmful pesticides, create sustainable gardens, and to help improve the environment within our communities.

What is meant by sustainable gardening?

Sustainable gardening combines organic gardening practices with resource conservation. Generally, sustainable gardening is forward-thinking, it values ecosystem support over aesthetics, makes as little negative impact on the earth as possible, and works with nature instead of against it.

Ramona Borkman Magazine Editor

Lovely, Low-Fuss Fernbush

A Utah native shrub for diverse landscapes

By Ann Kendall, Plant Select®

Caption: Fernbush (Chamaebatiaria millefolium)

Credit: Ross Shrigley/Plant Select

There aren’t many summer-blooming shrubs that you can establish in your landscape and then just throw away your hose. (“So long, summer watering!”) But fernbush Chamaebatiaria millefolium isn’t just any shrub. It’s a Utah native plant that’s a chameleon in western yards, looking as attractive in well-manicured landscapes as it does in naturalistic designs.

Some native shrubs can look a little disheveled in traditional landscapes, but fernbush responds well to pruning, making it ideal across design styles. It even can be used as a formal hedge.

“We like to call fernbush the hydrangea of the West,” shares Ross Shrigley, executive director of Plant Select.

Credit: Mike Kintgen/Denver Botanic Gardens

“It has rich green foliage and clusters of white flowers, so it has a lush feeling. But unlike hydrangeas, fernbush thrives in our unique western growing conditions with very little water and effort. It’s a distinctly western plant.”

Technically, fernbush isn’t a hydrangea. It’s a primitive member of the rose family. And the less water you give fernbush, the more heavily it blooms! Less water also promotes more compact and upright growth.

Fernbush offers multiple seasons of beauty

Fernbush gets its name from its lacy, fern-like foliage, and its leaves have a sweet fragrance like pine needles.

This attractive native shrub blooms heavily in mid-summer when many other shrubs have stopped flowering, producing showy blooms that beckon to butterflies, native bees and a range of interesting pollinators. When fernbush is done blooming, the spent flowers linger on the stems. You can prune them off for a tidier look, but the spent flowers become seedheads that feed birds and offer interest over the winter. Try leaving some until spring for year-round interest.

Fernbush sheds its leaves gently for winter. Its cinnamon-color branches have visual substance, and you can see next year’s leaf buds, giving fernbush a similar winter look to evergreen shrubs.

Fernbush thrives in tough conditions

Fernbush grows in semi-arid canyonlands across the Great Basin, particularly in Utah and Nevada. Its native habitat is an austere setting where plants have learned to thrive with lean soils, erratic rainfall, wide temperature swings and low humidity. These plants are tough. They aren ’t your fussy, faint-of-heart shrubs that need a lot of pampering.

That toughness carries over to the home landscape.

Fernbush is happy with neglect. It can thrive in tough spots: hot, sunny, and dry locations with lean soils. Fernbush grows naturally in rocky soils, but it will grow in clay soil and raised beds as long as the ground doesn’t get waterlogged or contain a lot of organic matter.

“If you plant fernbush in veggie garden soil, you could kill it because it doesn’t want that richness,” explains Panayoti Kelaidis, senior curator and director of outreach at Denver Botanic Gardens. “It wants it lean and mean. ”

Credit: Ross Shrigley/Plant Select

Where to find fernbush

Fernbush went through Plant Select’s multi-year testing process and became a Plant Select plant in 2006. Today, it’s available at independent garden centers and online retailers across the intermountain West. You can learn more about fernbush here.

Fernbush Chamaebatiaria millefolium

Caption: Fernbush in the late fall

Credit: Ann Kendall/Plant Select

Plant type: Native shrub

Size: 5’-6’

Blooms: Late July-August

Sun: Full sun-part sun

Irrigation: Very low (water consistently to establish)

Hardiness: USDA zones 4b-8

Soil type: Clay, loam, sandy or gravelly soil

Elevation: 7500 feet

Progressive Plants

Plants for a Beautiful Garden in Extreme Heat

By Progressive Plants

Living here in Utah, we have to contend with some extreme temperatures well below freezing during the winter months, and over 100 degrees in the summer. Our challenge is to find plants that can thrive in both of these extremes. You select plants for your yard based on their hardiness rating, but that rating only tells half the story. A plant’s hardiness is determined by its ability to withstand the cold, yet not all cold-hardy plants can handle the hot, dry, months of summer in Utah. Summer heat is one thing, but magnified summer heat is altogether different.

Every yard has microclimates. Some areas are cooler and more protected from the sun and other areas are hot. But almost every landscape has a few spots that feel like the devil himself couldn’t tolerate living there. Typically, these are areas that are not protected from the summer sun, and places where heat is magnified by a nearby structure.

Identifying Hot Spots

Because we live in the Northern hemisphere, the sun is always at least slightly south of us in the sky, even at noonday. That means that the sun beats down on the south side of your house and other structures year-round. That heat reflects from your house and radiates into any planter beds you may have near the wall even after the sun has set. If you have rock mulch in those planter beds, it will be even hotter and less hospitable because those rocks will also absorb, reflect, and radiate heat. Other hot spots include west-facing walls of structures, buildings with metal walls, and reflective vinyl fences.

Most of the time, there isn’t an instant solution that will make hot places cooler, so we need to find plants that are strong enough to handle that intense heat plants that could grow in the depths of Hades. Luckily, whether your yard is hotter or colder than Hades, you can find stunning plants that will thrive in your garden. We’ll share a few of our favorites with you today.

Juniper Trees and Shrubs

Junipers are designed to live in regions like ours where water is scarce. They can handle almost any soil type and are adaptable to dry soil. In fact, they don’t like to be left long in standing water. Their soft, scalelike leaves are a perfect adaptation for our hot, dry summer days. They also develop healthy root systems that allow them to glean the water that they need. You’ll want to water yours consistently for the first couple of years, but once they’re established, they’ll thrive on just a sip of water now and then.

Yarrow

Yarrow is wonderfully heat and drought resistant. It grows easily in Utah with very little water. Pollinators love it, and it produces flowers all summer long in a wide variety of colors. It will spread by seed, so you may need to pull it out of places where you don’t want it to grow, but it’s a fairly simple thing to do once or twice a year.

Agastache / Hyssop / Hummingbird Mint

Clusters of longblooming, tube-shaped flowers grow in a wide range of colors above beautiful light-green foliage. These eyecatching, droughttolerant flowers are best when planted in mass for a stunning patch of color in your garden. They are pollinator favorites, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Hyssop is great in any garden but it’s especially wonderful in waterwise gardens because it requires so little water once it’s established.

Buddleia / Butterfly Bush

You may think you already know what butterfly bushes are, and you may already have your own opinion of them. However, buddleia is so genetically diverse that whatever image you have in your head is just the beginning. They grow in a wide array of sizes, from 12 feet tall and wide, to 2 x 2, and every size in between. Some may be described as gangly, while others would be considered neatly compact. They’re widely adaptable, tolerate various soil conditions, occasional drought, and even the nasty water from Utah Lake. Plus, they attract pollinators in droves, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Caryopteris / Bluebeard Blue Mist or False Spirea

If you really want to attract pollinators and support your local bee population, you’ll want to grow caryopteris. They are a bee’s absolute favorite plant. Incredibly waterwise and stunningly beautiful with their clusters of blue, pink, or white flowers, they’ll add long-lasting color and interest to your landscape for years to come. And at a size of roughly 3’ x 3’, they’re ideally sized for any garden.

Dianthus / Carnations

Dianthus are amazing flowers that manage well in hot, dry conditions. You may be surprised to learn that the carnations you buy at the floral shop are actually just a Dianthus cultivar. That probably explains why your carnations are some of the longest-lasting flowers in the vase, even after the rest have wilted. Today’s cultivars will outshine anything your mother or grandmother used to grow. They’re available in almost any color imaginable, and they’ll grace your garden for years to come.

Cytisus purpureus, Purple Broom

Lovely pea-like flowers in shades of pink and light purple grow in clusters along Purple Bloom’s wiry branches from spring into summer. Tough and durable with an open habit, it makes a simple filler plant when not blooming. Purple Bloom prefers dry soil and will likely die in standing water. It’s ideal for Utah because it thrives in alkaline clay soils, tolerates environmental salts, and is highly tolerant of urban conditions. It’s hardy to zone 4, prefers full sun, and will reach roughly 1 foot tall and three feet wide. It’s great for low borders and filling park strips.

Rosemallow Hibiscus and Rose of Sharon Hibiscus

Hibiscus starts late in the spring, usually about three weeks after you’ ve convinced yourself it died over the winter. It blooms profusely from summer until frost, requiring only a moderate amount of water. Rosemallow Hibiscus produce large 8-inch diameter flowers that look like they belong in a tropical forest, but they are content right here in our dry, mountain desert landscape. Rose of Sharon hibiscus are available in an assortment of sizes and shapes. They can be grown as a shrub or in tree form. Their flowers are about 4 inches in diameter with a variety of colors and pedal counts. They’ll make a stunning statement in your hot spot garden.

Echinacea / Coneflower

You may be surprised by the wide variety of colors and flower structures you ’ll find in echinacea. These beautiful flowers are famous for their drought tolerance and bold colors. We feel strongly that every garden should have a few.

Iberis (Candy Tuft)

This nearly evergreen plant is one of the first to bloom in the spring. It loads itself with small white flowers that last for weeks. When it isn’t in bloom, it provides a nice, textured patch of green in your garden. It is truly one of our favorites. Iberis, or Candytuft, is hardy to zone 4 and will reach 6 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 24 inches wide, depending on the cultivar. They’re fantastic, full sun plants that will thrive in your yard!

Heliopsis / False Sunflower

Celebrated for its remarkable coloration and extended flowering duration, Heliopsis will grace your garden with bold, daisy-like blossoms in deep, vibrant hues complemented by mahogany centers. Its tall, slender stems, adorned with rich, dark foliage, offer an intriguing visual contrast against the striking flowers. This plant is a magnet for butterflies, and it serves as a welcomed food source for songbirds who are drawn to its seeds.

Whirling Butterflies

This waterwise plant has been gaining popularity over the years and for good reason. Masses of small, butterfly shaped flowers hover on sturdy stems above a mass of neatly rounded foliage. In the breeze, it looks like butterflies are dancing above your garden. It’s a wonderful way to add color and motion to your landscape.

Sedum / Stonecrop

Sedum, or Stonecrop is an amazing family of plants that adds outstanding interest in the form of foliage color and texture from late spring through the frost of fall. Many varieties bloom in the fall with a stunning display of color while most other plants are heading toward dormancy. Sedum provides eye-catching interest almost all year long. They’re a great way to fill empty spaces in borders and parkstrips.

You may be surprised to learn that roses are one of the most waterwise flowering shrubs you can plant in your yard. They’re incredibly versatile and easier to grow than you may have been told. In fact, the University of California Davis has a fantastic list of Blue Ribbon Drought-tolerant roses, most of which are available at Progressive Plants. Because we’ve been growing roses here in the Salt Lake Valley for decades, we can share several outstanding waterwise varieties with you.

Penstemon / Beardtongue

You will love Penstemon, or Beardtongue, for its durability and beauty, even in the height of summer. It is available in a variety of sizes and colors and features clusters of small, colorful flowers that stand out nicely against its bold foliage. It’s definitely one of our favorite heat resistant, drought-tolerant flowers.

Lavender

Add amazing color and fragrance to your hot spot garden with beautiful lavender. Look through our online catalog and discover the many new varieties available. You’ll find lavender in shades of purple and blue and blooms that range from tiny to quite large (for lavender).

Salvia

Salvia, also known as Meadow or Woodland Sage is an outstanding way to bring long-lasting color to a hot spot in your landscape. It’s drought tolerant, deer resistant, thrives in various soil conditions, and even tolerates water from Utah Lake.

There are several new salvia cultivars that put the more common varieties to shame. We aren't talking about just a couple of plants, but several series of them: Marvel, LYRICAL, Color Spires, and more. These cultivars grow sturdier and more upright than the older varities, they bloom much longer, and come in a wide range of colors! It’s time to rediscover salvia for its newfound beauty, vigor, and strength.

You can see why Scabiosa columbaria are called Pincushion Flowers. Its blossoms feature an outer ring of frilly, flat petals and a domed center of smaller petals that resemble cushions. Tiny stamens that rise up from the center of the flower resemble little pins. They are hardy in the cold to zones 3 or 4, and can still handle the heat of summer beautifully. They begin blooming in the spring and hold their color well into the summer. Beautifully suited for Utah, they’re waterwise, deer resistant, and tolerant of water from Utah Lake.

This is just a small taste of the plants that will thrive in your hot spots. You can find hundreds more by visiting ProgressivePlants.com. Create a free account with us and use our Garden Planner tool. You’ll find wonderful plants for your hottest areas by selecting plants that require full-sun exposure and are also waterwise. Good luck, and happy gardening!

Let Us Take the Stress Out of Gardening

In the Intermountain West, we deal with wild weather fluctuations, difficult soil conditions, and irrigation water that is often less than ideal. (Water from Utah Lake can actually kill many of your favorite plants.) But you can still create an idyllic outdoor escape!

Just visit ProgressivePlants.com

We’re Utah’s largest production nursery with more than 100 acres devoted to trees shrubs and perennials that thrive here. We’ve been growing plants in the Salt Lake Valley for decades, so we know what will grow in your backyard.

At Progressive Plants.com You Can:

• Browse our online catalog by category: waterwise, deer resistant, ornamentals, etc.

• Use our New Garden Planner Tool to select the perfect plant for your space and conditions

• Create a wait list so we can notify you when plants are ready

• Order plants online for easy pick up or delivery

• Chat directly with a horticulturalist

• Schedule a FREE golf cart tour to explore the farm and be inspired.

• Contact amazing landscape designers

• Sign up for our newsletter

• And more. Check it out today!

Progressive Plants 10252 South Bacchus Hwy Copperton, UT 84006 801.565.7333

Applying Organic Pest Management Techniques in the Garden

By Nick Volesky, USU Extension

Organic is a broad term that refers to or derives from living matter. In chemistry, it denotes compounds containing carbon. In agriculture and horticulture, organic relates to production practices that avoid the use of artificial agents in soil media, composts, seeds, plants, fertilizers, or pesticides. Gardeners who apply organic practices do so for a variety of reasons, including concerns for personal health, preservation of their local environment, along with promoting biodiversity. When it comes to dealing with insect, arthropod, or plant disease problems in vegetable gardens, many organic gardeners will turn to the integrated pest management concept. This is both a sustainable and evidence-based approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks.

Biological pest control harnesses the adverse effects of one living organism on another, which may include predation, parasitism, or pathogen infection of pest populations. While gardeners often rely on well-known beneficial insects such as lady beetles, lacewings, or mantids for pest control, there are many other lesser-known allies in our gardens. These include very small parasitic wasps, predatory mites and beetles, true bugs, nematodes, and more. Beneficial insects can be purchased and released through garden centers and online retailers, offering immediate but sometimes short-lived control due to competition and diminished prey populations. Gardeners can encourage their own beneficial insect populations by providing suitable habitats. Planting flowers and grasses, especially native species, can offer supplemental food and nesting options. For specific recommendations, reference resources such as the Xerces Society’s "Habitat Planning for Beneficial Insects" guidebook.

Cultural pest control utilizes production practices in the garden over a longer period to mitigate pest pressure. Gardeners often implement techniques that already serve this purpose. For example, following proper plant spacing recommendations is crucial not only for a plant’s growth and development, but also for mitigating disease pressure by increasing canopy airflow, thus preventing the spread of foliar fungal or bacterial pathogens (i.e. blights and leaf spots). Using drip irrigation instead of overhead watering can reduce canopy humidity which is optimal for plant pathogen development (i.e. powdery mildew). Working the soil, whether through tillage or turning, can disrupt any overwintering life stage of insects, such as pupae. The timing of planting can also have an impact; planting later or earlier can prevent overlap with peak pest pressure. At the end of a season, removing plant residue or debris eliminates overwintering habitats for some insects or fungal spore structures. Applying appropriate cultural pest control techniques requires an understanding of the identification and biology of different arthropods and plant diseases.

Physical pest control involves various mechanisms that can immediately stop or prevent pests. One of the most effective methods is physical exclusion, such as applying row covers over desired plants. Row covers can be purchased in varying sizes or grades from garden centers or online retailers. In early spring, they can serve as a method of frost protection, while thinner grades can function as pest control in warmer months. Row covers are available as woven spunbond polyester or mesh netting. Sometimes, specific fruits or flowers can be protected by a single organza bag. When using row covers, ensure they are applied early in the season before adult life stages can access the plant and lay eggs. Also, ensure that appropriate-sized support structures (such as hoops) are used to support the weight of the cover and the continued growth of the plant. For some plant species, like cucurbits, row covers should be removed to allow pollination.

For chemical control, there are multiple pesticide options available for organic gardening, including fungicides and insecticides. These products use primary active ingredients derived from plants, minerals, bacteria, fungi, or other natural sources. Popular products, for example, often utilize neem oil or insecticidal soaps, which can effectively target soft-bodied insects (aphids and thrips). Products containing the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis are effective on young caterpillar stages. It is important to note that despite being organic and marketed as “safer”, these products are not inherently less risky than synthetic-based insect products. Harm to the user, plants, or other non-target insects can still occur if the product label is not followed or if the product is misapplied.

For gardeners interested in learning more about integrated pest management and organic production techniques, they can find valuable resources and information on the USU Extension Plant Health website. For specific questions and recommendations please reach out to Nick Volesky (USU Extension Integrated Pest Management program).

Grow Native: The Beautiful Blue Wasatch Penstemon, Penstemon cyananthus

By Cathy King, Utah Native Plant Society

Penstemons, the “beardtongues,” grow quite well in native plant gardens and one species that is particularly beautiful and is often available in local nurseries is the Wasatch penstemon, Penstemon cyananthus. Cyananthus comes from the Greek word for blue flowers and these flowers range from a gorgeous sky blue to a deep blue. “Wasatch penstemon" is named for its most commonly found location in the Wasatch range of the Rocky Mountains. Wasatch is also a Ute Indian word meaning “mountain pass.”

Flower close-up of the Wasatch penstemon shows some of the bearded staminodes that give the genus the common name “beardtongues.” Photo by Patrick Alexander on the trail to Catherine Pass in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Ranging in height from 12” to as tall as 18”, the Wasatch penstemon typically blooms in late May to early June in Salt Lake City gardens or later if your garden is at a higher elevation. The flowers are tubular with two lips and a protruding hairy staminode (sterile stamen) which is where the penstemon common name ”beardtongue” is derived. The Wasatch penstemon forms dense clusters of flowers (called verticillasters–meaning whorls) at the top of stems emerging from basal mats of green leaves of approximately 3-6”. The intense blue flowers are especially showy and beautiful. Wasatch penstemon grows well in garden conditions mostly because it can tolerate more water than some penstemons and other native plants but it is still considered a xeric plant. However, like all plants, it needs to be watered regularly when first established. It has a reputation for being longer-lived than most penstemons, too.

Penstemon cyananthus in habitat on the trail to Catherine Pass in Big Cottonwoo Canyon. Deep blue flowers are a beautiful addition to native gardens. Photo by Patrick Alexander.

Once you start growing penstemons in your garden, it is easy to directly sow the prolific seeds they produce. Or, if you prefer, collect the seeds and grow them in pots to start new plants to set out into the garden. That is a little more complicated since the seeds require cold stratification, a long, cold, and moist period that enables germination.

Utah is considered by most to be the epicenter for penstemons (76 species). It is a genus of flowering herbaceous perennials in the Plantaginaceae family (formerly placed in the Scrophulariaceae family). Penstemons resemble snapdragons and vary in size, color, blooming habit and habitat, from cool, moist mountains to dry deserts.

If you are a person who likes to hike anywhere in the state of Utah, odds are high that you have encountered at least one species of penstemon in your travels. It is a very attractive genus and is pretty hard to miss.

Wasatch penstemon with Gordon’s ivesia (Ivesia gordonii) at Lake Martha in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Photo John Stireman.

Close-up of a Wasatch penstemon flower. Photo by Andrey Zharkikh.

Penstemon cyananthus in habitat in the area around Red Butte Garden. Photo by Andrey Zharkikh.

The exquisite blue Wasatch penstemon just beginning to open flowerbuds on a plant at Alta in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Photo by Andrey Zharkikh.

Typical pure blue flowers on verticillasters of

A number of books have been written about penstemon, but one of the best and most recent is Heart of Penstemon Country, written by Mikel Stevens from Brigham Young University, Steven Love from the University of Idaho and ethnobotanist Tony McCammon. This book can be ordered directly from the author at mikel.r.stevens@gmail.com.

Penstemons are so well-loved that the American Penstemon Society was formed over 75 years ago to share information and a seed exchange. It is easy to join and learn more about this beautiful genus of flowering plants: https://penstemons.org/.

Local nurseries quite often offer the Wasatch penstemon in their native plant section or it can also be found from mail order companies. Once you start growing penstemons in your garden, you will only want more!

References:

Nold, Robert. Penstemons, Timber Press, Portland, OR, 1999

Stevens, Mikel, et al, Heart of Penstemon Country, Sweetgrass Books, Helena, MT, 2020

Van Cott, John W., Utah Place Names, University of Utah Press, SLC, UT, 1990.

Welsh, Stan, et al, A Utah Flora, Fourth Edition, revised. Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 2008.

Penstemon cyananthus. Photo by Andrey Zharkikh taken in the Wasatch Mountains.

Inside the Wedding Artistry of Harmons Flower Shop

By Amanda Hammond, Harmons Floral Production Manager and Certified Florist

Behind the scenes of Harmons Flower Shop, you will find Floral Production Manager Amanda Hammond, CF designing colorful arrangements and motivating her team of floral designers. With a career deeply rooted in passion and creativity, Amanda shares her journey, insights, and the charm that sets Harmons’ wedding floral arrangements apart.

Our goal at Harmons is not just about creating floral arrangements; it’ s about creating an unforgettable experience for customers long after the petals have wilted. Whether you’re planning your dream wedding or simply looking to brighten someone’s day, Harmons can be your floral guide.

My own journey into floral design began with childhood memories of my mother working at a silk flower wholesaler. She would bring flowers home for me to play with, and on Mother’s Day I would make floral centerpieces for the mothers and grandmothers in the family using lilacs I picked from our yard.

I embarked on a fulfilling career in the floral industry, starting at a local flower shop in customer service where I observed and learned from the designers. Eventually, an opening presented itself at Harmons and I jumped on it. During my almost 20 years at Harmons, I have worked at the distribution center, as a Floral Manager at the Traverse Mountain location, and now as the Floral Production Manager.

What sets Harmons apart is not just the wide array of floral options but the personalized experience offered by our talented designers. Our team of skilled florists goes above and beyond to understand customer preferences, and translating their vision into a reality is our true specialty.

In this rapidly evolving industry, staying on top of trends is essential. I work every day to educate and train my designers on new trends, stylings, and industry techniques. One trend that continues is the demand for beautiful wedding arrangements. This summer and fall, we anticipate a flurry of wedding orders, and we’re ready to transform any ceremony into a floral wonderland. With a special offer now through September 30, couples can get $100 off any wedding order exceeding $500, if they show or mention the Bloom Gardens ad to a Harmons floral designer.

For wedding arrangements, we often draw inspiration from European trends and adjust our floral offerings each season to reflect changing tastes and customer preferences. For summer weddings, there really is no right or wrong as far as color and style goes.

However, we have seen that bright colors are making a comeback, and using a variety of blooms instead of just a few key flowers is very trendy. The natural wildflower and boho vibe is also in style, along with large floral displays, centerpieces, arches, and stairways. Mix a variety of colors into your color palette for a fun and interesting event, and don’t forget the pocket boutonnieres!

Floral design is a very hands-on experience. It’s taking nature and redefining it, recreating and giving it new life. I tell new floral designers to embrace the journey, learn from others, and infuse every creation with love and passion. I bring my adoration of floral design into my job each day at Harmons Flower Shop, where we would love to be a part of your special wedding day.

Give us a call at 801-957-8477 to set up a no obligation wedding consultation with one of our floral designers. We do not accept orders for weddings without a consultation. We invite couples to accent their special day with beautiful blooms from the Harmons Flower Shop.

Garden Explorer

Red Butte Garden

By Ramona Borkman, Magazine Editor

Red Butte Garden is one of the largest botanical gardens in the Intermountain West and together with the University of Utah, is the State Arboretum of Utah. It is located on 100 acres in the foothills on the eastern edge of the University of Utah campus. The Garden has welcomed guests since 1985 and consists of over 21 acres of developed gardens and five miles of hiking trails winding through an extensive Natural Area. Their foothill location also allows for sweeping views of the valley, extending mountain ranges, and the Great Salt Lake.

Themed garden areas include: Four Seasons Garden, Herb Garden, Children's Garden, Fragrance Garden, Floral Walk, Medicinal Garden, Water Pavilion Garden, Rose Garden, Canyon Meadow, Water Conservation Garden, Six Bridges Trail. The Garden is renowned for plant collections, themed gardens, over 560,000 springtime blooms, gorgeous private rental spaces, a world-class summer concert series, and award-winning horticulture-based educational programs. Red Butte Garden is a great place for budding botanists as well as visitors looking for quiet respite.

My husband and I have visited the garden several times during different seasons of the year and it is beautiful. Of course my recommendation would be to enjoy the more colorful time during the growing season, from April-October.

Source: https://redbuttegarden.org/about-us/

Co-Op Connection

Seasonal Gardening Tips

Spring Summer

• Consider taking soil samples to determine fertilizer needs.

• Plant seeds of cool-season vegetables as soon as garden soil is workable.

• Add organic matter to the garden.

• Consider backyard composting.

• Plant bare-root trees and shrubs. Keep the exposed roots moist until planted.

• Fertilize spring-flowering bulbs.

• Plant cold-hardy pansies and primrose.

• Apply horticulture oils at bud break (delayed dormant) in fruit trees to control overwintering insect pests.

• Protect fruit blossoms and tender garden plants from late critical freezing temperatures.

• Wait to prune roses until buds begin to swell to avoid late-frost damage to new growth.

• Plant warm-season vegetables and annual flowers once the threat of the last frost has passed.

• Plant summer-blooming bulbs including gladiola, begonia, dahlia, and canna.

• Consider drip irrigation in the garden to conserve water.

• Consider planting sweet corn in the garden every other week (until early July) to extend the harvest.

• Prune spring flowering shrubs (those that bloom before June) after they have bloomed to encourage new flower buds for next season.

• Deadhead (cut off) spent blossoms of perennial and annual flowers.

• Thin the fruit of apples, peaches, and apricots to approximately one fruit every 5-6 inches.

• Start enjoying the tomato harvest.

• Harvest summer squash and zucchini when they are still small and tender.

• Deep water established trees and shrubs about once per month during the heat of summer.

• .Consider planting cover crops to provide "green manure" to the garden.

• Collect and store seeds from your garden.

Fall Winter

• Deadhead (cut off) spent blossoms of perennial and annual flowers.

• Deep water established trees and shrubs about once per month during the heat of summer.

• Plant garlic cloves from mid-October through early November.

• Remove vegetable plants from the garden once harvest is complete to reduce overwintering sites for insect pests.

• Protect tomatoes from early frost by covering the plants.

• Plant spring blooming bulbs through early November.

• Plant trees and shrubs in the fall to enhance root establishment.

• Mow grass to a height of 1-to-1½ inches at the end of the season to minimize disease problems.

• Cut back ornamental grasses in snow prone areas.

• Blow out irrigation systems.

• If natural precipitation is sparse and ground is not frozen, water evergreen trees and shrubs to ensure they are well hydrated heading into winter.

• Try your hand at forcing amaryllis to bloom indoors for the holidays.

• Peruse garden/seed catalogs for new vegetable varieties to try in the garden.

• Plan and design the vegetable garden. Rotate vegetable families to reduce disease buildup.

• Consider growing herbs and/or microgreens indoors to add fresh greens to your diet.

• If storing bulbs, check their condition to ensure they are firm.

• Perform routine maintenance on small engine garden equipment.

• Try starting vegetables indoors from seed.

• Prune grapes and fruit trees in late February to early March.

• Fertilize fruit trees trees at least 6 weeks before they bloom.

Magazine Contributors

Localscapes was developed by a team of horticulturists, landscape designers, maintenance pros, irrigation experts and members of the water industry. The goal was simple: create a landscaping approach that takes all the complex and confusing science behind landscape design and simplify it to create landscapes that thrive in Utah. The result was five basic pattern pieces that are easy to understand and apply.

PBS Utah's Modern Gardener is a YouTube channel that celebrates and supports the people, organizations, and communities committed to educating and enlightening Utahns about gardening and landscaping in our unique region.

Modern Gardener host, Cynthia Stringham, brings years of gardening experience to the show. As a master gardener and gardening social influencer, she loves sharing gardening tips and information and learning how others garden. She values the garden journey and understands the diversity in gardening techniques. Join us on Modern Gardener YouTube Channel, Instagram, and Facebook to find inspiration and learn more about gardening in Utah.

The Utah Associated Garden Clubs, Inc. are part of the National Garden Clubs, Inc., sharing its mission to provide education, resources, and networking opportunities for our members, and to promote the love of gardening, floral design, and civic and environmental responsibility. We currently have 10 member clubs in the state of Utah, with 285 individual members.

Progressive Plants

is the largest production nursery in Utah, providing plant material for professional landscapers, developers, and homeowners throughout the Intermountain West. Each year they grow hundreds of thousands of trees, shrubs, and perennials right here in the Salt Lake Valley, and have loads of plants available for purchase year-round. They are also wellconnected with growers throughout the Western United States, so they can provide almost anything you need for your outdoor projects. With more than 35 years of growing experience, they know what will grow in your area and how to ensure its success.

The Intermountain region can be a challenging place to grow a beautiful landscape with its extreme temperatures, tough soil conditions, and limited water supply. In fact, irrigation water from Utah Lake is loaded with dissolved solids that will actually kill many of your favorite plants. Even so, with the right plants and just a little knowledge, you can have an outstanding outdoor escape no matter where you live in this region. At Progressive Plants you’ll find both thousands of plants perfectly suited for your yard and, a staff filled with experienced horticulturalists eager to share their knowledge with you! Learn more at Progressiveplants.com

Plant Select is the country’s leading brand of plants designed to thrive in the intermountain region, empowering gardeners of all skill levels to create stunning landscapes using fewer resources. This unique, nonprofit collaboration of Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado State University and professional horticulturists works together to find, test and distribute superior plants for our region. Official partner of Utah State University and Localscapes. Ann Kendall is a master gardener volunteer, western garden writer and nature photographer. She’s a frequent contributor for Plant Select.

Magazine Contributors

Amanda Hammond began her floral career at a small local shop in 1998. In 2005, she joined the Harmons Floral Shop team and took advantage of ways to progress in the floral industry.

Her mentor and trainer, Alma Filipovic, sought ways to educate and sought unique ways to educate and train associates, and with her help and the support of Harmons, Hammond became one of few Certified Floral Designers in Utah, now fulfilling her role as Harmons Floral Production Manager. Hammond has competed and placed in competitions with Utah Floral Association, including Art in Bloom and Designer of the Year.

Hammond and Harmons are working to rebuild the floral industry network in Utah along with other extremely talented floral designers and shop owners, reigniting the passion among the Utah Floral Industry.

The Utah Native Plant Society was formed in late 1978 specifically out of a growing concern for imperiled rare plant species. Some of those original ideals and concerns were expressed in Goals and Objectives of the Utah Native Plant Society presented by Stanley Welsh, one of the co-founders of the organization, in September of 1978. (Co-founder and long time former board member Dick Hildreth was honored by us with a lifetime service and achievement award in March, 2005, see UNPS recognizes co-founder Dick Hildreth. See also UNPS recognizes Duane Atwood with Lifetime Achievement Award in March, 2008).

At its core UNPS is a conservation and educational organization with programs and committees focused around the protection of Utah rare native plants, Utah native plant conservation including anything that threatens the well-being of Utah native plant species and communities (not the least of which relates to invasive species), the use of Utah native plants for landscaping and restoration and research relating to Utah native plant species. www.unps.org

Cathy King, Utah Native Plant Society

Kevin Borkman has worked in the green industry for over 40 years, beginning at the age of 12, by mowing neighbor’s lawns. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture and a Master of Public Administration degree from Brigham Young University. Some of Kevin’s career highlights include: Grounds Manager at the Oakland, California Temple and Sports Field Supervisor at Brigham Young University. Kevin loves plants and enjoys offering free gardening advice to his family and friends.

Ramona Borkman has developed a passion for gardening as she has spent time and effort caring for her own garden. Flowers are her true love, but she also enjoys growing vegetables and fruit organically to improve she and her family’s health. Ramona desires to inspire others to grow nutritious food for better health and self-sufficiency. She has earned her Master Gardener certification and continues to educate herself as she learns through trial and error, so she can share that knowledge with others. She has also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Brigham Young University.

With more than 120 faculty located in more than 30 offices scattered throughout the state, USU Extension has never been more prepared to provide unbiased research and educational resources and programs to meet the needs of Utahns. Our most important goal is to help improve the lives of individuals and families in every corner of our great state.

Know What’s Below Before You Dig!

Blue Stakes of Utah 811 is issuing a safety reminder to Utah Residence.

“Call 811 Before You DIG” this not only applies to the professional contractor but to all homeowners.

Anyone who wants to put a shovel, or any other kind of digging equipment in the ground is required by law to Call 811 or contact bluestakes.org to

“Submit a Locate Request” to have the underground utility lines located and marked with paint and/or flags. This is for everyone’s safety. It’s a FREE service and remember, It’s the LAW!

Protecting the underground facilities that we all rely on every day is a shared responsibility.

Please do your part and remember to contact Blue Stakes at least three full business days before beginning your digging project. Check out our website for more information https://www.bluestakes.org

NOW EFFECTIVE – AMENDED CHANGES TO UTAH CODE 54-8a:

During the 2024 Utah Legislative Session, Senate Bill 145 amending Utah Code Title 54, Chapter 8a, Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Act was introduced, passed, and signed by the Governor to become law. For more information visit: https://www.bluestakes.org/law/