Michigan Gardener - April 2016 by Michigan Gardener

April 2016

MichiganGardener.com

Your guide to Great Lakes gardening

Plant Focus

Cornelian Cherry Dogwood

Tree Tips

Old Favorites, Better Replacements

Feature

Easy-Care Clematis

Perennials

Maidenhair Fern

Feature

Japanese Garden Pathways

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Garden Wisdom “No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden.”

BL O SSO M S

—Hugh Johnson

Spring Events TROY EVENTS Deer & Rabbit Resistant Plants Sat, Apr 2, 10am Roses: Getting Off to a Good Start Sat, Apr 2, 1pm The Magic & Lore of Fairy Gardens Sat, Apr 9, 10am New Perennials For 2016 Sat, Apr 16, 10am Flowers in the Shady Perennial Garden Sat, Apr 16, 11:30am Growing Potatoes in Pots Thurs, Apr 21, 6:30pm Cold Weather Edibles in Containers Workshop Sat, Apr 23, 10am New Annuals for 2016 Sat, Apr 23, 1pm Every Garden Deserves a Rose Thurs, Apr 28, 6:30pm Container Gardening Lecture & Workshop Sat, Apr 30, 10am Container Gardening with Herbs Sat, Apr 30, 1:30pm Dahlia Tuber Sale Sat, May 7, 9am-12pm (Free event)

PONTIAC EVENTS New Perennials For 2016 Sat, Apr 16, 1:30pm Flowers in the Shady Perennial Garden Sat, Apr 16, 3pm New Annuals for 2016 Sat, Apr 30, 10am Spring Soiree: Craft Cocktail and Small Plates Event Thurs, Apr 28, 7pm ($60/person) 8th Annual Containers & Cocktails Thurs, May 12, 6-9pm ($24/person)

SHELBY EVENTS New Perennials For 2016 Sat, Apr 30, 2pm New Annuals for 2016 Sat, Apr 30, 12:30pm

Ask MG............................................................6 To-Do List........................................................8 Vegetable Patch..........................................10 Getting to Know: Pear trellis rust..........12 Tree Tips........................................................ 14 Feature: Constructing stepping stone pathways in Japanese gardens............. 16 Classified Ads.............................................20 Advertiser Index........................................20 Books for the Michigan Gardener....... 21 Perennial Perspectives: Maidenhair Fern.........................................22 Calendar........................................................ 24 Feature: The easiest-care clematis ever............................................... 28

Weather Wrap............................................32 Subscription Form......................................32 Where to pick up Michigan Gardener....32 Through the Lens.......................................33 Places to Grow...........................................34 Garden Profile: A timeless and natural garden............. 36 Plant Focus: Cornelian cherry dogwood: Back Cover On the cover: Variegated cornelian cherry (Cornus mas ‘Variegata’) brightens up partially shaded areas with its gorgeous foliage. Learn more in the Plant Focus that begins on the back cover.

Photo: Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

To Our Readers... Thanks to our many advertisers and you, our enthusiastic readers, we celebrate our 20-year anniversary this season. Compared to when we began publishing in 1996, there are many more ways to enjoy Michigan Gardener. Besides our flagship print magazine, there is our free e-mail E-Newsletter (sign up on our website) and Website (MichiganGardener.com). And, if you ever miss an issue or need to re-read an article from a back issue, just go to MichiganGardener.com and click on Digital Edition in the upper right corner—you can find the last several years of Michigan Gardener there to read for free. Welcome spring!

Container Gardening Lecture & Workshop Sat, May 7, 10am

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Contributors Brian Allnutt Karen Bovio Cheryl English Emaline Fronckowiak Mary Gerstenberger Julia Hofley Rosann Kovalcik Janet Macunovich Steve Martinko Beverly Moss George Papadelis Sandie Parrott Traven Pelletier Jean/Roxanne Riggs Deborah Silver Jim Slezinski Lisa Steinkopf Steve Turner

16291 W. 14 Mile Rd., Suite 5 Beverly Hills, MI 48025-3327 Phone: 248-594-5563 Fax: 248-594-5564 E-mail: publisher@MichiganGardener.com Website: www.MichiganGardener.com Publishing schedule 6 issues per year: April, May, June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec. Published the first week of the mo. Subscriptions (Please make check payable to Michigan Gardener) 1 yr, 6 iss/$14 2 yr, 12 iss/$26 3 yr, 18 iss/$36 Back issues All past issues are available. Please send your request along with a check for $3.00 per issue payable to Michigan Gardener. Canadian subscriptions 1 yr, 6 iss/$22 US 2 yr, 12 iss/$42 US Copyright © 2016 Michigan Gardener. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or used in any form without the expressed, written permission of the publisher. Neither the advertiser nor the publisher will be responsible for misinformation, typographical errors, omissions, etc. contained herein. Michigan Gardener is published by Motor City Publishing, Inc.

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Have a question? Send it in! Go to MichiganGardener.com and click on “Submit a question”

Small specimen tree I am looking for a small specimen tree. My diseased Kwanzan cherry is dying. Please advise replacements that are free from disease. C.R.W., Clinton Twp. First, there are many small specimen trees to choose from depending on if and when you want flower or fruit. Second, there are no trees free of disease. But there are selections that are more disease resistant than others. You are replacing a Kwanzan cherry. Do you want another spring-flowering tree, such as a witch hazel or dwarf Sargent crabapple, or something that blooms later, like the Japanese tree lilac, the seven-son flower or a panicle hydrangea tree? Do you want a deciduous tree with no flowers, like a Japanese maple, or an ornamental conifer, like a weeping spruce or hemlock? You need to consider the location, how much sunlight the area gets, the overhead shade canopy, and the water and wind con-

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ditions when choosing a replacement. When a tree dies from disease, determine if it was specific to that plant or if there was a problem with the soil that promoted conditions that lead to that disease developing. Your soil may need amending and cultivating to give any new plant in that location the best odds of survival. Know the height you prefer, the bloom and leaf interest that appeals to you, and go to a reputable nursery where trained staff can walk you through their stock with your preferences in mind. Shop early and ask questions about plant characteristics and how they relate to where you want to plant. Spring is a great time to pick a new tree. Plus, you have the maximum amount of the new gardening season to enjoy it.

Mushroom compost Do earthworms like organic mushroom compost? If I amend my heavy clay soil, will I still have earthworms? What compost is best to buy for amending soil and keeping earthworms? D.B., Ann Arbor First understand what is in “organic mushroom compost.” Mushroom compost is a type of slow-release, organic fertilizer. The compost is made by mushroom growers using organic materials such as hay, used bedding straw, corn cobs and hulls, and poultry or horse manure. To amend heavy clay soil, take a clue from Mother Nature and her natural compost piles in the woods. Leaf litter, decomposing bark and branches, and dead plant material are the ideal diet for earthworms. Grind up your leaves and mix in some grass clippings for nitrogen. Cultivate these elements into your clay on a regular basis and you will find the soil becomes richer through the natural chemical process of decomposition. If you build it, the earthworms will come and stay, especially if you refresh the ingredients annually. Clay holds moisture, which is critical to decomposition. Compost creates additional nutrients and air spaces for the process to occur. You could add a small amount of mushroom compost to your general compost pile. But you run the risk of rye and grain seeds from horse manure if your compost pile is not hot enough to kill the seeds. The better course is cow manure because they are not grain eaters. With horse manure, you won’t be happy with unwanted “weeds” sprouting in the midst of your ornamentals. If you are purchasing compost, make sure it has been sifted and that there are no foreign or non-biodegradable elements in it. Culti-

vating compost into heavy clay annually will improve the overall drainage and character of the soil. Not just earthworms benefit from compost; plants do too. The earthworms and microorganisms work to break down the raw components and release the nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in a form plants can use.

Tree trunk damaged by scratching A cat has used a young tree trunk in my yard as a scratching post. The bark is shredded on approximately one third of the 4-inch trunk. What can I do to help the tree recover? First, protect the trunk of the tree from further damage by placing a hardware cloth shield around the base. Hardware cloth is welded galvanized steel fencing and comes in a variety of opening widths, from 1/4 inch to 1 inch. In this instance, use the 1/4-inch size. Make the height of the shield at least 24 inches high and imbed about 3 to 6 inches into the soil. Set the perimeter about 2 inches away from the bark, so that there is air circulation but no space for itchy cat paws to scratch in between the shield and the tree trunk. Do not paint the shredded bark or try to seal the area. This does more harm than good, sealing in possible bacteria and disease. Unlike a gnawing rodent who not only removes the bark but also eats deeper into the cambium living tissue of the tree, a cat clawing the bark will only minimally damage the tree. The tree will heal the scratches over time. So long as the cambium layer has not been compromised, the tree still has its living tissue to carry on all the necessary functions for growth and seed production. The biggest help you can offer is to protect the trunk from further damage with a barrier.

Romaine lettuce choices The romaine starter plants I buy from my local nursery end up not looking like the lettuce I buy from the grocery store. Can I buy the same kind of romaine lettuce the grocery stores get from local farmers? If so, where? T.H. Remember you are purchasing a mature harvested plant from the grocery store. Your starter plants are juniors and need to grow. Also understand that in a store, you may be getting plants grown in another climate, like California or Georgia. A store’s resources change according to what is growing best where so that they can provide a particular product consistently to their customers. Soil temperatures must be warm for a seed to germinate; approximately 70 degrees. It

takes 30 to 70 days until harvest, depending on the cultivar. So your starter plants may only be a few weeks old. They won’t look like their end product. There are several varieties of romaine lettuce as well. Some types are looser leafed and others form a tighter core. Show your local nursery the grocery store type you want and see if your nursery has it, can get it, or knows what it is. As an example, Burpee Seeds alone offers nine different types of romaine lettuce. Some are shorter leaf, some are red, and some are cupped leaf more like a cabbage. Take extra care when selecting your starter plants and shop around. Not all nurseries will carry the same varieties. Also make successive plantings so that you can maximize your harvest and extend your growing period.

Transplanting perennials When is the best time to transplant and move daisies and red hot pokers to another part of my garden? H.D., Clinton Twp. Midspring is the best time to “rearrange the furniture” for most plants. However, the red-hot poker (Kniphofia) is better moved after bloom. You may stall the bloom time on a spring or summer bloomer if you move it early in the growing season. On the other hand, the advantage is that it has the entire season to acclimate if the transplant is done in midspring. Soil temperature needs to be about 60 degrees and the chance of a hard frost should be passed. Make sure the location you re-site to has the same sun, soil and water conditions or the transplant will not be successful regardless of the care taken. Let the transplant candidates get their secondary leaf sets before digging them up. These are the leaves that actively feed plant growth. If the plant leaves are too small, then the shock of transplant can easily shut down their food production and the plant crashes. Keep the soil around their root balls, trying to disturb them as little as possible, and plant them at the same depth. You might want to augment the relocation site with a few new plants so that the area is not waiting solely on the transplants for a show. A new white Shasta daisy is called ‘Daisy May.’ The standard has been ‘Becky,’ but ‘Daisy May’ has more blooms on a densely compact plant and will rebloom multiple times throughout the summer if cut back a third after blooming. Answers provided by Beverly Moss, owner of Garden Rhythms.

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to-do list Annuals • Plant some color outside. There are many beautiful frost-tolerant annuals available now, including pansies, violas, snapdragons and osteospermums.

Fruit Trees • Wait until late spring or early summer to prune fruit trees. Otherwise, you’ll cut off the flower and fruit potential. Pruning too late in the season—after the 4th of July— will also greatly reduce your flowering and fruit potential for the following season.

General • April weather is a bit unpredictable, so don’t uncover too many plants too soon. By mid-April, remove all of your winter protection devices, such as burlap screens.

Houseplants • This is a great time to re-pot houseplants and get them ready to move outside for the summer. Select a pot that is the next size up. If your plant is in a 10-inch pot, re-pot it into a 12-inch pot. For plants that are rootbound, you can move up two pot sizes. Use potting soil, not garden soil. Put a layer of soil in the pot, and place the plant on top, so the root ball is an inch below the top of the pot. Fill the sides with soil. Do not place any fresh soil on top of the root ball. Water thoroughly and be sure to let excess water drain away. The goal is to get all of the soil wet the first time. This may take a couple of soakings.

Feature Task: Choosing hydrangeas for your garden Hydrangeas are the most popular flowering shrub in our area. Their beautiful, large, colorful, long-lasting flowers are a welcome addition to the landscape. There are six varieties of hydrangeas commonly grown in Michigan and each type has different flowering habits: Smooth, aka snowball hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) Panicle, aka summer-blooming hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) Bigleaf, aka mophead (Hydrangea macrophylla) Mountain (Hydrangea serrata) Oakleaf (Hydrangea quercifolia) Climbing (Hydrangea anomala) Smooth hydrangeas are the hardiest, with white or pink, large, ball-shaped flowers. Annabelles bloom white. Newer varieties, like the Invincibelle series, bloom pink, and Incrediball series, bloom white or pink. These varieties bloom on new wood, growth that was created during the current season. Flower buds form after the plant leafs out in spring, and open a few months later in summer. As a result, these plants flower reliably each year, no matter how cold the winter. Panicle hydrangeas have cone-shaped flowers that open white and change to varying shades of pink or red. They also flower on new wood.

Varieties include: Bobo, Fire & Ice, Firelight, Limelight, Little Lime, Quick Fire, Little Quick Fire, Phantom, Pinky Winky, Strawberry Sundae, Sweet Summer, and Vanilla Strawberry. New for 2016: Honeycomb and Zinfin Doll. Bigleaf hydrangeas typically have large, glossy leaves that are thicker than other types of hydrangeas. These are the ones that most people think of when they think of hydrangeas. They have ball-shaped flowers that are pink or blue. There are also white-flowering varieties and some lace-cap varieties. These plants bloom on old wood—growth that was created the previous summer. Flower buds must survive the winter to flower the following summer. These plants will not flower if they are pruned, damaged by weather, or browsed by deer. Only prune these plants to thin them out, and remove dead wood. Dead wood is most visible in late spring once the plant starts leafing out. Varieties include: Cityline series, Nikko Blue, and Penny Mac. Mountain hydrangeas are lacecap varieties that are typically hardier, and bloom on old wood. They are hardier than the bigleaf varieties, so they usually flower every year with minimal care. Varieties include: Bluebird, Purple Tiers, Tuff Stuff, and Tiny Tuff Stuff. New for 2016: Twirligig.

Oakleaf hydrangea foliage has a characteristic oak leaf shape, with cone-shaped flowers that open white and fade to pink in the fall. They typically have the best fall color of any hydrangea. Leaves turn to shades of red wine, from merlot to burgundy. They also have the added benefit of tan-colored peeling bark, which adds winter interest. Varieties include: Alice, Gatsby series, Ice Crystal, Pee Wee, Ruby Slippers, and Snow Queen. Climbing hydrangeas are lacecap hydrangeas that have to establish several years in the ground before they start to bloom. These only bloom on old wood, so they don’t really require any pruning, unless you are trying to control the size. If you plant a climbing hydrangea and it hasn’t bloomed yet, just be patient. Be sure not to prune it. Re-blooming hydrangeas are types of bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas that have the unique ability to flower on both old and new wood. Even if the buds are damaged in winter weather, the plant can still flower on wood it produces that season. Flowers blooming on new wood occur later in the summer than flowers blooming on old wood. This is why they are considered re-blooming. Varieties include: LA Dreamin’, Endless Summer series, Everlasting series, and Let’s Dance series.

Perennials • Many perennials will start emerging soon. Rake winter-blown leaves, mulch, and other debris off the crowns of plants to give them a neater start. Watch for low temperatures, and protect the crowns of your plants against frosts that are bound to happen. Use burlap, newspapers, or harvest guard to cover the plants whenever there is a frost or snow to help keep plants growing

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and help avoid cold damage. • Cut back ornamental grasses, sedums, black-eyed Susans or any other perennials that weren’t cut back last fall.

Lawn • If you are seeding, do not apply a crabgrass pre-emergent, unless it is specifically designed for use on new lawns. It’s also time to apply crabgrass pre-emergent; but only apply the crabgrass control if you have crabgrass problems. There is no need to use something on your lawn if you do not need it!

Shrubs & Trees • This is the time to prune shrubs that bloom in June or later. Removing up to 1/3 of the plant each year will give you a compact plant with more blooms and stronger stems. • Many early-blooming trees are about ready or just starting to bloom. Apply an organic fertilizer.

Roses • When the forsythia blooms, it’s generally the time for major pruning on roses. Cut

out dead wood, as well as anything that doesn’t look healthy, or canes that cross. Ideally, there should be three to five major canes from the graft on hybrid teas, grandifloras and floribundas. Prune the canes back until they are at least as thick as a pencil. This will ensure large flowers.

Spring Garden Prep • Test your soil to determine how much and what type of fertilizer is needed for your plants. If you’re doing any planting, getting a soil test is the best way to reduce over-application of fertilizers that can pollute the water, ruin plants, and waste money.

Vines • Monitor vines for emerging new growth and prune out any dead wood.

Vegetables • There are many varieties of cole crop seeds that can be planted directly into the ground, including lettuces, kales, cabbages, broccoli, carrots and radishes. Prep the soil by adding compost and organic fertil-

izers. Let the soil rest for a week or so before planting. Follow the depth and spacing instructions for planting. Sow seeds every few weeks to get a continual harvest.

Water Garden • Take advantage of a warm sunny day to clean your pond. Scoop out any leaves and vegetation that may have blown into your pond this winter. Fish will be more active with high temperatures and will be less stressed as you move things through the water. • Don’t feed fish until water temperatures stay consistently 50 degrees and be sure to use an easily digestible spring/fall food. If you don’t have a thermometer for your pond yet, try one this year. The number of times a day you should feed your fish varies with the water temperature. Fish may want to be fed once a week up to five times a day if the water is warm enough. Provided by the professionals at English Gardens.

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vegetable patch Asparagus

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h, asparagus! One of the very few perennials of the vegetable garden, asparagus is a spring-harvested delight. An interesting aspect of this particular vegetable is that it produces both male and female plants. The preferred choice are male plants, unless the gardener wants to find lots of little baby asparagus plants growing in the garden and competing in the established bed. For this reason, the newer hybrids such as ‘Jersey Giant,’ ‘Jersey Knight,’ and a newer hybrid from Canada called ‘Millennium’ (although it is a bit more susceptible to foliar diseases than the Jersey varieties) are the more While asparagus plants can be started from popular choices for the Michigan vegetable seed, it will delay the harvesting by a year, so garden since they are predominantly male planting one-year crowns is the better choice. plants. The older standard varieties of ‘Washington’ (Mary, Martha and Waltham) are still spears will be tall enough to begin harvesting. available but will produce both male and feWhen 6 to 8 inches in height, the spears can male plants, and you won’t know the differbe cut or snapped. Be careful when cutting ence until the berries form on the plant. not to damage new spears coming up. SnapWhile asparagus plants can be started ping may be the better choice as it allows the from seed, it will delay the harvesting by a spear to break above the more fibrous base. year, so planting one-year crowns is the betSimply grab the spear near the base and bend ter choice. Even then, the first year they are it down until it snaps apart. Never harvest all planted, you do not harvest the spears. The the spears coming up! When the spears comsecond year you may be able to harvest a few ing up are about pencil thin in diameter, stop spears, but by and large, wait until the third harvesting. The spears that continue to grow year after planting to plan your harvest. A will develop into a lovely fern that will proproperly planned and planted asparagus bed vide the nutrition the crown needs to contincan be productive for 10 to 20 years or more. ue growing and producing the following year. When you go to choose a place for plantAsparagus plants should be monitored for ing asparagus, find a well-drained spot in full insect and disease problems. Asparsun. It would be a good idea to do agus beetle and asparagus miner are a soil test and pay attention to the two common insect pests. AsparapH level. Asparagus tend to prefer a gus rust and purple spot are disease slightly higher pH than many other problems. Be especially careful not vegetables; somewhere in the 6.8 to till too deeply around an asparato 7.5 range. Also consider an area gus plant, so you do not damage the that will not be disturbed by cultiroots or crown; this will make them vation. Be sure to clear the area of more likely to succumb to fusarium unwanted grasses and perennial crown and root rot. weeds that could present a problem Mary Gerstenberger There is lots of information in the asparagus bed. Planting the available on growing asparagus crowns requires digging a trench. in Michigan. For some great help in underIn sandy soils it should be about 8 to 10 inchstanding asparagus, check out the article by es deep. In heavy clay soils, plan on a trench MSU Extension Educator Norm Myers at: tionly about 6 inches deep. A high-phosphate nyurl.com/zcd4b3g. More information can be fertilizer may be incorporated into the soil found under “Vegetables” at the Gardening in before the crowns are set—just avoid burnMichigan website: www.migarden.msu.edu. ing the crowns with too much potassium and nitrogen. One recommended choice is triple Mary Gerstenberger is the Consumer Horsuper phosphate (0-46-0), but refer to your ticulture Coordinator at the Michigan State soil test for recommendations based on the University Extension in Macomb County, MI. level of phosphorus already present in your For vegetable and gardening information from soil. Plant the crowns in the trench about 12 MSU, visit www.migarden.msu.edu. inches apart and cover with 2 to 3 inches of soil. Add more soil as the shoots emerge unCall the toll-free Michigan State University til the trench is filled. If more than one row is Lawn and Garden Hotline at 888-678-3464 planted, allow 4 to 5 feet between rows. for answers to your gardening questions. Somewhere in May of the third year, the

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Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

getting to know... Pear trellis rust This new disease affects ornamental pear trees

hroughout southeastern Michigan, ease storm. Other plants in the rose family landscapers have been removing and should be inspected as well since this disease replacing many ornamental pear may have the ability to affect plants such as trees. Most would assume their removal was hawthorns and serviceberries. due to the typical reason: winter damage that Disease control causes the limbs and trunks to split apart, What you can do culturally is prune out which we’ve grown accustomed to seeing for some of the pear’s branches and raise the decades. Yet it is their failing health that has canopy (remove the lower limbs), brought about their demise. which creates more air circulaPear trellis rust is a relatively tion and sunlight. Existing trees new disease that causes ornamental that shade the pear should also be pear leaf and twig infections. The trimmed to allow more sunlight. leaf infection results in defoliation, Increasing airflow and sunlight towhile the twig infection can lead to gether will help prevent the pear branch death. If severe enough, that from suffering the worst of consecan bring about the overall decline of quences. However, it will not elimithe tree. nate the disease’s presence and its Arriving from Europe in recent Steve marginal effects. years, pear trellis rust has been Martinko We’ve made many attempts to spreading rapidly with Mother Nacontrol this disease via fungicide injections ture’s help. Some estimates show that spores since the majority of trees were located in could come from as far away as three miles delicate areas where spraying was not an opfrom one host plant. Junipers are the host to tion. Even with the most aggressive schedthis disease, just as with other rust diseases. ule, where we injected 30 to 40 days apart or Cool, wet conditions are perfect for this distried spring versus August timing, injections ease to spread rapidly. So, with up to 10 inches proved ineffective. Spraying is still the best of rainfall reported in southeastern Michigan option, but has to be performed in the spring last June, it turned out to be the perfect dis-

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These orange, gelatinous “horns” have emerged from a gall on a juniper. The horns will release spores that will be blown by the wind to infect nearby pear trees with pear trellis rust disease.

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

Pear trellis rust causes ornamental pear leaf and twig infections. The leaf infection results in defoliation, while the twig infection can lead to branch death.

before any sign of infection has already occurred. The good news is that the sprays will provide great control. Junipers must also be treated with fungicides to slow the spread of pear trellis rust disease activity, but they have to be treated in late summer. Heavy infection on the junipers will yield orange, gelatinous “horns” in the spring. Keep in mind that the ability for spores to carry up to 3 miles away makes it virtually impossible to treat all juniper host plants within proximity to your pears. Steve Martinko is the owner of Contender’s Tree and Lawn Specialists in Oakland County, MI.

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Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

tree tips Old favorites, better replacements Some common trees have problems and are falling out of favor. Here are a few and their suggested alternatives. Part 1 of 2

ince we are the Motor City, I will use a car analogy to describe my point of view for this article. In the car world, engineers design the cars. In the landscape world, architects design the landscapes. Salespeople at the car dealership show you the cars. Salespeople at the nursery show you the trees. Mechanics are responsible for maintaining and fixing the cars. Arborists and plant health care specialists maintain the trees, keeping them healthy and safe. Just like a mechanic might question a car’s design if it needs continual Steve repairs, we arborists also Turner might question a tree’s selection when we are called in to “fix” it. Wise consumers talk to a mechanic about a car before buying it. I would like to help make you a wise consumer when it comes to your trees. In choosing trees for your landscape, there are many variables to consider. I will evaluate some common trees and explain their current problems. Then I offer you some alternatives to consider.

Photos by Steve Turner

These blue spruces suffer from two diseases: cytospora canker, which causes the loss of lower branches, and needle cast, which causes the thinning appearance due to the premature dropping of older needles.

CONIFERS Blue spruce I will start with the blue spruce (Picea pungens) since it is probably the tree on which I get the most calls to diagnose every year. It’s hard to deny the beauty of a healthy blue spruce, since it is a great contrast to all the green foliage in our landscapes. The problem is that finding a healthy blue spruce is getting harder and harder to do. They have always had issues with a disease called cytospora canker that causes them to lose their lower branches as they mature. This renders them useless as the screening plant that they were often used for. Now they are also being attacked by nee-

When compared to the healthy foliage of nearby trees, the effects of pine wilt on this Scots pine are striking. dle cast, a disease that causes them to drop older needles prematurely and thin to the point that you can see right through them. So what you envisioned as an attractive wall of blue that blocks the view of your neighbor’s ugly garage turns into a sparse and elevated screen that blocks very little.

While there is no control for the canker disease, you can treat the blue spruces to help control the needle cast. However, that requires up to four sprays every year for the life of the tree, which can become expensive. Alternatives. If you must have the blue color then look at the concolor fir—it can be

even bluer than a blue spruce. If you want to simply screen out a view, then look at some of the more resistant species of spruces. I like Norway spruce, as they have few problems.

Scots and Austrian pine We will group Scots and Austrian pines

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

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deal with in this category is the purple leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera), an attractive flowering tree that is often chosen for its campbellsgreenhouses.com purple foliage. Unfortunately, it’s just a matter of time before one or more of four major problems will arise. They are susceptible to two Join us for a great day kinds of scale insects and one full of sales, music, hot dogs, and refreshments! boring insect, while also being vulnerable to fire blight and black knot diseases, both of which can be fatal or disfiguring A shop for home, due to the dieback of limbs. You garden, and soul. can preventatively treat for the insect problems, but guarding 15% OFF any single against the disease issues is difitem under $50 or ficult. 25% OFF any single Alternative. The easy soluitem above $50 n. present coupo Expires 5-31-16. Must with any other tion in this case would be to use Cannot be combined sions do apply. sales or coupons. Exclu one of the purple leaf crabapple tree cultivars instead—it is a 4077May Burnside 810-688-3587 similar tree without many ofMI theGardner 2016 April 2016 Visit_9x.qxp_MI. our websiteGardener 05 JJ LG TAPRoad 3/14/16• 2:23 PM Page 1 issues. and check out our (Halfway between M-53 & M-24 in North Branch)

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Ornamental pear Ornamental pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) don’t really have any major insect or disease problems like other trees on this list. What makes them less desirable is their branch structure. Due to poor branch attachment, many mature pears are an ice or wind storm away from losing half the tree when one of the major lead limbs breaks off. These “partial pears” are a common sight. That commonness brings up the next issue—ornamental pears are way overplanted. When you plant too many of the same species, you generally run into future problems with insects and diseases. Keep this in mind when choosing any tree. Look around your neighborhood and avoid using the ones you see the most. Alternatives. If you are looking for a similar shape, try hornbeam (Carpinus). If you are looking for the white blooms, try serviceberry (Amelanchier) or hawthorn (Crataegus). Another (cautious) choice are cherry trees (Prunus), but they need to be planted in protected areas instead of out in the open. Severely cold winters have proven to be hard on them; many did not make it or experienced severe dieback. Otherwise, they are good trees and are relatively problem free.

Due to poor branch attachment, mature pear trees can lose half the tree when one of the major lead limbs breaks off. (Pinus sylvestris and Pinus nigra) together since they share two major flaws that have lessened their desirability. Native to Europe, both have been used for years and are common landscape trees. Both have been vulnerable to our native pine wilt disease in the last decade and they are now declining and dying in many areas of southeastern Michigan. This disease is always fatal and cannot be cured, but high value trees can be treated preventively to protect them against infection. If pine wilt does not get them, you still have to battle the yearly attacks of fungal diseases. Like spruces, they have a needle cast disease that causes them to lose older needles and thin out. Further, Austrian pines get a tip blight that kills the new growth tips. Alternatives. The alternatives would be any of the native pines that are not susceptible to the wilt disease, like red pine (Pinus resinosa), white pine (Pinus strobus), or Jack pine (Pinus banksiana). Austrian pines still can be of use in areas where salt spray is a concern, like boulevards and along busy roads, since they are the most salt-tolerant conifer we have. In this situation, however, they will only have a 20- to 30-year useful lifespan before they will need to be replaced.

ORNAMENTAL TREES Purple leaf plum The most insect- and disease-prone tree I

Editor’s note: Stay tuned for Part 2 of “Old favorites, better replacements” in the June 2016 issue of Michigan Gardener. Steve Turner, Certified Arborist, is from Arboricultural Services in Fenton, MI.

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Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

Constructing stepping stone pathways in Japanese gardens basic tobi-ishi most of stone underground

large pivot stone

same distance stone to stone + similar stone

1" - 2 1/4" reveal with surface

S K E TC H E S BY E M A L I N E F R O N C KO W I A K

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Flickr / Sam Howzit

This dry garden path is an example of an alternate path layout.

ne of the most prevalent path styles traditionally found in Japanese gardens is tobi-ishi, or stepping stone paths. Tobi-ishi are typically used for informal settings such as garden areas with low traffic and intimacy. Japanese garden builders have perfected the art of constructing high quality tobi-ishi by developing standardized techniques using logical movement and sturdy construction that is beautiful.

high density and large mass, granite boulders are preferred. The density keeps the boulder from easily chipping or crumbling, so it is safe underfoot. The stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mass gives stability to the path as well. A majority of the stone lays underground and does not heave readily. The size of boulder you want to use may vary, but placing one boulder per walking stride works best. Boulders less than 12 inches wide are not easy to step on and are discouraged. The top of the boulders should Materials and construction be level with each other when inWhen choosing stone material to stalled properly, creating a congruconstruct tobi-ishi, Japanese garden ous and flat walking surface. Plan for builders select stones similar to each Emaline boulders to be 1 to 2-1/4 inches above other in shape and size. This makes Fronckowiak the final soil level (see Drawing #1: the path continuous in rhythm. Basic Tobi-Ishi). Granite boulders For example, when building stepping stone work well when dealing with changing elevapaths, thin pieces of flagstone should not be tions on a path, such as on a small incline. It mixed in with three-dimensional river stone is important to keep the same increment of elbecause the two stones function in different evational change from one boulder to the next ways. when setting boulders as steps. Boulders with a side flattened, yet still slightcontinued on page 18 ly convex, are the optimum shape. Due to their

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The set of two rectangular stones toward the background breaks the monotony of this path and is known as tanzaku. continued from page 16 Tobi-ishi are typically installed with dry set construction. This technique does not use a concrete base and mortar to hold the stone in place. Instead, the ground is excavated just shy of the stone’s height and the earth is prepared through compaction. Then a leveling medium is used, such as sand, crushed rock or soft fill. The boulder is laid in place, leveled and then packed around to secure.

Path layouts Japanese garden builders use a variety of path layouts when determining how the tobiishi will be placed. The most common layouts for tobi-ishi paths are straight line, curved, zig zag, and alternate (see Drawing #2: Path Layouts). You needn’t have your path layout exaggerated. Following these layouts, combined with the organic surface of the boulders, will add an additional layer of beauty to the path. Japanese garden builders select their path form based on their own interpretation of what is necessary for a specific space. They consider the proportions around them and

Flickr / Raymond Bucko, SJ

A curved path design. use asymmetry for balance, such as that found in nature and Japanese architecture. Japanese garden builders’ experience in tobi-ishi allows them to create more elaborately customized stepping stone layouts if necessary. While customization can be a requirement in certain situations, it can also be valuable as a way to create a beautiful visual effect. For example, to customize a stepping stone path, you could use boulders in sets of two or rectangular stones in a pair (known as tanzaku) to create patterns or change within the original layout. This comes with practice and

should be ventured into lightly to keep a simple and beautiful look. My favorite addition to the basic layouts for tobi-ishi are the large threshold and junction stones: yaku-ishi. They are used for marking landings, combining two paths together, and ending a walkway (see Drawing #3: Customized Paths).

Japanese garden builders understand the importance for splendor in every aspect of the garden. Their skill for building tobi-ishi to be attractive, functional, and safe has cultivated a standardized, consistent building technique. This quality allows the pathway to be enjoyed as a part of the entire garden’s beauty.

Emily Fronckowiak earned a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University in New York. She continued to study abroad in Italy and Japan. Varied landscape cultural exposure and Emily’s passion for details led her to specialize as a designer and hone her skills as an Aesthetic Pruner. To learn more about her work and craft, email her at emily@emalinedesign.com.

PATH LAYOUTS CUSTOMIZED PATHS THRESHOLD

PIVOT STONE

THRESHOLD

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Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

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Visit MichiganGardener.com and enter your e-mail address at the top of the page next to the Michigan Gardener logo. You will receive a few e-mails each year containing handy tips, events, expert advice and much more. Don’t miss the contest in each issue for your chance to win FREE garden prizes!

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

NEW in 2016! The New Shade Garden: Creating a Lush Oasis in the Age of Climate Change by Ken Druse

There is a new generation of gardeners who are planting gardens not only for their visual beauty but also for their ability to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In The New Shade Garden (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 256 pages, $40), Ken Druse provides this generation with a comprehensive guide to creating a shade garden with an emphasis on the adjustments necessary for our changing climate. Druse offers advice for common problems facing today’s gardeners, from addressing deer browsing to watering plants without stressing limited resources. Detailing all aspects of the gardening process, the book covers basic topics such as designing your own garden, pruning trees, preparing soil for planting, and the vast array of flowers and greenery that grow best in the shade. Perfect for new and seasoned gardeners alike, this wide-ranging encyclopedic manual provides information you need to start or improve upon your own shade garden.

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Roses have a reputation for being finicky garden plants that require chemicals and fertilizers to stay healthy and disease-free. Fortunately, recent breeding efforts have produced disease-resistant varieties that perform beautifully in all kinds of conditions. In Roses Without Chemicals (Timber Press, 256 pages, $19.95), Peter Kukielski, former curator of the award-winning rose garden at the New York Botanical Garden, highlights 150 of these tough new varieties, rating them for disease resistance, flowering, and fragrance. By learning which varieties perform best, gardeners can set themselves up for success before even putting on a pair of gardening gloves. The author offers simple cultivation techniques that will help you grow healthy roses. You no longer have to pass up these classic plants altogether, or sacrifice your organic gardening principles to have a garden filled with the sweet smell of roses.

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perennial perspectives

Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

Maidenhair fern has a delicacy and artistry of design that sets it apart from other ferns, making it a unique plant for the shady garden. Ferns are among the most popular of perennials for the shade. They have a timeless appeal, and have been used ornamentally since Victorian times. Ferns can fill roles in many garden settings, but we often find them used as backup players rather than the star of the show. When one thinks of ferns, the typical image is of a pinnately compound (leaflets on both sides of the stem), triangular leaf. So ubiquitous is that shape that gardeners tend to lump ferns together in one group, and often perceive them as “all looking the same.” Karen Bovio Upon witnessing a well-grown clump of maidenhair ferns, a gardener’s preconceived notion of “fern” is likely to be challenged. The graceful fanlike arrangement of the pinnae (leaflets) is unlike that of any other fern; instead of an upright triangular appearance, the form of the

maidenhair fern is layered and circular in effect. It has a delicacy and artistry of design that sets it apart from other ferns, making it one of the shade gardener’s most coveted acquisitions. In spring, the newly emerged fiddleheads are bright pink. They soon unfurl to reveal apple-green leaflets along a nearly black midrib, attached to an equally dark, wiry stem. The entire effect is light and airy, which by contrast makes the maidenhair fern a good companion for bold foliage plants with heavier, more substantial leaves such as hostas and brunneras. Despite its delicate appearance, the maidenhair fern is very hardy. It is native to the entire eastern half of the North American continent, and spans the zones from 2 to 9. The species Adiantum pedatum is found from northern Quebec and Labrador south to Georgia. Along that range,

types (called forms) indigenous to a region may show slight variations from members of the same species found to the north or south. There is also a maidenhair fern native to the West coast. Some botanists classify it as a regional form, Adiantum pedatum var. aleuticum, but others define it as a separate species, Adiantum aleuticum.

How to grow In the wild, maidenhair ferns are found on rich, wooded slopes, ravine bottoms, and damp woods, in sites sheltered from wind. They prefer consistent moisture; as such they are found only in regions that have plenty of precipitation. The maidenhair fern has developed a finicky reputation among gardeners, although this is not entirely true if its cultural requirements are understood and met. As we can conclude by its native habitat, this fern grows best in moist, loose, humus-rich soil that

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Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener

Maidenhair fern leaflets have nearly black midribs, which are attached to equally dark, wiry stems. is well drained. It will not thrive in continually saturated soil, nor will it grow in soils that dry out quickly. The foliage can become marred, even desiccated, by the wind, so choose a sheltered spot. A layer of leaf mulch will help conserve moisture and keep the soil cool. Here in Michigan, and in all northern climates, the maidenhair fern will perform equally well in shade or partial shade. It will tolerate a bit of morning sun. In the South, full shade is best. In any location, it will be necessary to supply additional water during periods of drought. If the plants dry out, they may simply go dormant for the season, reemerging again the following spring. However, if forced to endure repeated years of stress, they will suffer and never attain the stunning magnificence that they would achieve in a more hospitable site. Like most other ferns, the maidenhair fern is deer-resistant and is not prone to insect or disease problems. They do not require much

in the way of fertilizer, but a weak solution of liquid feed or fish emulsion might help them become established. The plants spread by means of shallow rhizomes, attaining a height of 1 to 3 feet with equal spread, depending on the growing conditions. Unlike many other plants used in horticulture, the maidenhair fern has not been hybridized, nor have cultivar designations been given to superior clones. When you buy and plant a maidenhair fern, you’re planting a little piece of the woods in your garden. To complete the woodland scene, consider adding some of our native wildflowers as companions. You can’t go wrong with trilliums, rue anemones, Virginia bluebells, twinleaf, and bloodroot, along with some of those more traditionally shaped ferns, like the native lady fern or Christmas fern. Karen Bovio is the owner of Specialty Growers in Howell, MI.

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Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

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April

Spring Fairy Garden Workshop Sat, Apr 2, 2pm, Clarkston & Brighton. At Bordine’s. $10. Spring into the wonderful world of fairies by designing your own fairy garden. Register: www.bordines.com. H Deer & Rabbit Resistant Plants Sat, Apr 2, 10am, Troy. At Telly’s. $5. Acquire a list of plants that are undesirable to rabbits & deer; learn about specific plant characteristics & cultural needs. Speaker: Julia Hofley. Register: 248-689-8735. H Garden Party Weekend Sat, Apr 2, & Sun, Apr 3. At English Gardens; all locations. 2 days packed with informative gardening & decorating seminars. Complete schedule: www.EnglishGardens.com. H Roses: Getting Off to a Good Start Sat, Apr 2, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $5. Tellys rosarian offers simple guidelines taking the fear out of spring pruning, fertilizing & disease prevention. Registration: 248-689-8735. H Terrarium Class & Workshop Sat, Apr 2, 10am, Troy. At Telly’s. $5, plus cost of materials. Create your own living garden under glass. Register: 248-689-8735.

Make us your Destination. Van Atta’s has one of the largest selections of garden accents, trees, garden toys, annuals, shrubs and perennials in Southeastern Michigan. We grow an enormous variety of perennial species and cultivars. There’s a good chance we have that one plant you’ve been searching for or the garden ornament that will set your yard apart. Come on out and stroll our grounds. You’ll be amazed any one item at what you’ll find, as well as the friendly Offer valid through April 30, 2016 service and expert advice you will receive.

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FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC GARDENS, please visit MichiganGardener.com. Click on "Resources" then "Public Gardens."

H Everything Succulents Sat, Apr 2, 1pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. FREE. 248-887-5101, www.bogielakegreenhouses.com.

Livonia Garden Club Meeting Tue, Apr 5, 7pm, Livonia. By Livonia Gard Club at Livonia Civic Center Senior Ctr. Drew Lathin explains what rain gardens are & how to utilize native plants in them. lgcpresident@yahoo.com. Composting for Home & Farm Tue, Apr 5, 6-8pm, Detroit. By Keep Growing Detroit at Plum St. Market Garden. D-Town Farm & Compost Manager Kadiri Sennefer shares how to make a thriving compost pile. H Bonsai Class & Workshop Sat, Apr 9, 1pm, Pontiac. At Telly’s. $35. Hands-on workshop, 1st & 2nd Sat of every month, attendees will create their own bonsai to enjoy for years to come. Register: 248-689-8735.

African Violet Display & Sale Sat, Apr 2, 10am-4pm, Ann Arbor. By MSU African Violet Society at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. FREE workshop at 10:30. Violets, Streptocarpus & other Gesneriads. LynnAllen0413@comcast.net.

H MSU Spring Program 2016: The Garden Professors Sat, Apr 9, 8am-4pm, East Lansing. At MSU Plant & Soil Sciences Building. $80. Join “The Garden Professors”, a blog where professors around the country use sciencebased info to provide you with the garden facts. www.hrt.msu.edu.

Lawn Care Made Easy! Sat, Apr 2, 10am, Rochester Hills, Clarkston, Grand Blanc, Brighton. At Bordine’s. FREE. All the information you need to have the greenest lawn on the block. www.bordines.com.

H Fairy Garden “Make & Take” Workshop Sat, Apr 9, 11am-Noon, Chelsea. At Garden Mill. $25. Come & build a beautiful garden any fairy would be thrilled to call home. Register: 734-475-3539. www.TheGardenMill.com.

H Growing Aeriums Sat, Apr 2, Noon, Pontiac. At Telly’s. $5, plus the cost of materials. The easiest, self-contained way to grow air plants in even the smallest of spaces. Register: 248-689-8735. H Bonsai Class & Workshop Sat, Apr 2, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $35. Hands-on workshop, 1st & 2nd Sat of every month, attendees will create their own bonsai to enjoy for years to come. Register: 248-689-8735. H Pollinator Gardens Sun, Apr 3, 1pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. FREE. 248-887-5101, www.bogielakegreenhouses.com. All About Sharing Mon, Apr 4, 1pm, Farmington Hills. By Farmington Garden Club at Vagnozzi Visitors Center in Heritage Park. Multiply plants, expanding your garden on a shoestring. 248-477-3854. The Heartbeat of the Garden Mon, Apr 4, 7pm, Bloomfield Hills. By Hardy Plant Society Great Lakes Chapter at the Congregational Church of Birmingham. Speaker: Sandy Wilkins. What makes one garden unique & different from another? If gardeners use the same basic principles of landscape design, why don’t they look the same? The answer lies in the heartbeat. Info: www.hardyplantsociety-greatlakes.org.

H The Magic & Lore of Mystical Fairy Gardens Sat, Apr 9, 10am, Troy. At Telly’s. $5. All ages. Come to the lecture, stay for the following workshop with fairy expert Carol Czechowski. Register: 248-689-8735. H Early Spring Wildflower & Nature Hike Sat, Apr 9, 10:30am, Tipton. Hidden Lake Gardens. $5/ person. Easy-paced 90 minute walk is family friendly & will feature wildflowers. Register: 517-431-2060. Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds Sat, Apr 9, 10am, Clarkston, Brighton, Rochester Hills, Grand Blanc. At Bordine’s. FREE. Learn which plants butterflies & hummingbirds are attracted to. www.bordines.com. H Fairy Gardening Weekend Sat, Apr 9, & Sun, Apr 10, 1pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. FREE. 248-887-5101, www.bogielakegreenhouses.com. H Tips for Dividing & Transplanting Perennials Sat, Apr 9, 1pm, all locations. At English Gardens. Learn the best ways to divide & relocate your perennials. www.EnglishGardens.com. H Growing & Cooking with Herbs Sat, Apr 9, 10am-1pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $29.75. Incorporate herbs into everyday cooking. www.HeavenlyScenthHerbFarm.com.

Promote your events! Send us your information! Website: Go to MichiganGardener.com and click on “Garden Event Calendar” E-Mail: calendar@MichiganGardener.com Upcoming Issues & Deadlines: Issue

Deadline

May 2016 June 2016

April 15, 2016 May 15, 2016

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

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H Miniature Gardening Workshop Sat, Apr 9, 11am, Troy. At Telly’s. $5, plus cost of materials. All ages. BYO container or purchase one of ours. Register: 248-689-8735. H Pollinator Paradise Event at Ray Hunter Sat, Apr 9, 11am-1pm, Southgate. At Ray Hunter. FREE. Experts, local garden clubs, Master Gardeners, vendors & more. Guest speaker Cheryl English. 734-284-2500. Best New Plants for 2016 Sun, Apr 10, 2pm, Clarkston, Brighton, Grand Blanc, Rochester Hills. FREE. The best new plants for 2016. www.bordines.com. Rain Gardens Mon, Apr 11, 7pm, Royal Oak. By Royal Oak Garden Club at Royal Oak Public Library. Drew Lathin speaks about rain gardens & the importance of using native plants in them. 248-398-4996. If You Can Grow it in a Plot, You Can Grow it in a Pot Mon, Apr 11, 7pm, St Clair Shores. By Yardeners at St Clair Shores Library. Think outside of the “Flower Box”. Up-close hands-on experience. scsyardeners@gmail.com. Edible Spots & Pots Tue, Apr 12, 11:15am, Rochester. By Rochester Gard Club at Rochester Community House. $5. Horticulturist & writer Stacey Hirvela speaks about growing food in small areas. Register: 248-650-2197. The Beauty of Native Plants Wed, Apr 13, 11:45, Troy. By Troy Gard Club at Big Beaver United Methodist Church. $7. Drew Lathin speaks on native plants & their support of wildlife in urban/suburban settings. Register: infoandideas@aol.com. Ikebana Workshops Wed, Apr 13, 10am-2pm, Southfield. By Ikebana Int’l Detroit Chapt. at NW Unitarian Universalist Church. $10. Workshops feat. the Japanese art of floral arrangement. ikebana.detroit@gmail.com H Pollinator Decline Wed, Apr 13, 6-9p, Waterford. By Association of Professional Gardeners at Oakland Schools Conference Center. $15. Speaker Abi Saheed speaks on Pollinator Decline. www.associationofprofessionalgardeners.org. Ferndale Garden Club Meeting: Peonies Thu, Apr 14, 7pm, Ferndale. By Ferndale Garden Club at Kulick Community Ctr. Presented by Cheryl English of Black Cat Pottery. 248-541-6427. Attracting Bees & Maintaining Beehives Thu, Apr 14, 1pm, Utica. By Shelby Garden Club at Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center. FREE. Presented by beekeepers Mary Jo Showalter & Joanne Gartner. 586-873-3782. H Backyard Oasis Spring Open House Fri, Apr 15, & Sat, Apr 16, Clarkston. At Backyard Oasis. DIY workshops, experts on hand, discounts & more. 248-922-7759. H New Perennials for 2016 Sat, Apr 16, 10am, Troy. At Telly’s. $5. Exciting new perennials including Itoh peonies, lilies, coral bells, & much more. Register: 248-689-8735. H Spring Inspiration Up & Over the Top Sat, Apr 16, 10:30am-Noon, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. Steve Mathews shares new ideas on how to send your planters to new heights. www.HeavenlyScenthHerbFarm.com. H New Perennials for 2016 Sat, Apr 16, 1:30pm, Pontiac. At Telly’s. $5. Exciting new perennials including Itoh peonies, lilies, coral bells & much more. Register: 248-689-8735. H Dahlia Tubers: Hands-on Bag & Tag Sat, Apr 16, Troy. By SE MI Dahlia Society at Telly’s Greenhouse Barn. Learn from the pros at this “working” event. Clusters of tubers will be separated, labeled, bagged & stored for May 7 sale. judy892@wowway.com. H Fairy-Arium Sat, Apr 16, 2-4pm, Dexter. At Bloom! Gardens. $20. All ages workshop. Visit our new “Bloom-tique” for indoor plants & decor. 734-426-6600, www.lotusgardenscapes.com.

H Flowers in the Shady Perennial Garden Sat, Apr 16, 11:30am, Troy & 3pm, Pontiac. At Telly’s. $5. Learn how to add color to your hostas, ferns & grasses. Newer & under used cultivars emphasized. Register: 248-689-8735. H Spring Garden & Flower Walk Sat, Apr 16, 8:30am, Tipton. Hidden Lake Gardens. $5/ person. Easy-paced 90 minute walk is family friendly & will feature spring flowers. Register: 517-431-2060. H Glass Terrarium Workshop Sat, Apr 16, 10am, Ortonville, Davison & Lake Orion. At Wojo’s. $30. All materials included in this make n’ take workshop. 248-627-6498, www.wojos.com. Spring Expo Sat, Apr 16, 9am-5pm, Rochester Hills, Grand Blanc. At Bordine’s. Free. Displays, seminars, product tours & more including presentation by Janet Macunovich. www.bordines.com. H Fiber & Flowers Sat, Apr 16, 10am-5pm, Sat & 11am-3pm, Sun, White Lake. Black Sheeo Weavers Fiber Art Sake at Bogie Lake Greenhouses. 248-887-5101, www.bogielakegreenhouses.com. H Annual ReLeaf Michigan Tree & Shrub Fundraiser Order Deadline Order by 4/18, pick up on 4/30. By ReLeaf Michigan. All proceeds support tree planting throughout the state. Order online: www.ReLeafMichigan.org, 800-642-7353. Arbor Day Session I Tue, Apr 19, 6:30-8pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. $10. Exploring dwarf conifer trees & shrubs in the Harper Collection. www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu. Companion Planting Tue, Apr 19, 6:30-7:30pm, Clinton Twp. By MCMGA at MSUE Assembly Room. $5. Mary Gerstenberger shares friend & enemy plants. MCMGA meeting to follow. Yardeners Native Plant Sale Advanced Orders Wed, Apr 20, Deadline to place your order for pick up on the day of the sale on 5/21. Order form: scsyardeners@gmail.com. H Growing Potatoes in Pots Thu, Apr 21, 6:30pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $20. Children’s workshop (adults welcome). Participants will plant a large container with an assortment of varieties. Register: 248-689-8735. H Get Ready to Garden Thu, Apr 21, 5-8pm, all locations. At English Gardens. FREE. Fun-filled evening of music, refreshments & gardening inspiration. Register: www.EnglishGardens.com. Heritage Peonies: Beautiful Then, Glorious Now Fri, Apr 22, 9:15am, Rochester. By Meadow Brook Garden Club at Meadow Brook Hall. $5. Featuring guest speaker Dr. David C. Michener. 248‑364‑6210, MBHGCMembers@gmail.com. Garlic Mustard Removal Fri, Apr 22, Waterford. By Six Rivers Conservancy at Drayton Plains Nature Park. Come help remove the invasive garlic mustard with other volunteers. Register: ddevlin@sixriversrlc.org. H Cranbrook Spring Tour & Lunch Fri, Apr 22, 10:45am-1pm, Bloomfield Hills. At Cranbrook House & Gardens. $35/person. Celebrate spring with a tour through Cranbrook House & grounds. Register by 4/18. 248-645-3149. H Auburn Oaks Spring Open House Fri, Apr 22, & Sat, Apr 23, 8am-6pm; Sun, 10am-5pm, Rochester Hills. At Auburn Oaks. New products, closeouts & more. Receive a $5 coupon when you donate 3 canned or dry goods to Gleaners. www.auburnoaksnursery.com. H Cold Weather Edibles in Containers Workshop Sat, Apr 23, 10am, Troy. By SE MI Herb Society at Telly’s. $5. Creating a colorful, cold-tolerant, edible organic garden in a container. BYO container or buy one of ours. Register: 248-689-8735. H In Celebration of Earth Day Sat, Apr 23, Chelsea. At Garden Mill. A portion of our proceeds will benefit the Intergenerational Garden at the Chelsea Senior Center. 734-475-3539, www.TheGardenMill.com. continued on next page

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Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

continued from previous page H Springtime Garden Party Appetizer Class Sat, Apr 23, 11am-12:30pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. Prepare & sample 4 appetizers for your next garden party. www.HeavenlyScenthHerbFarm.com. H Greenhouse Tour Series 3 Sat, Apr 23, 10am, Ortonville. At Wojo’s. FREE. Learn how state-of-the-art propagation, fertilizing & watering are done. Register: 248-627-6498. H New Annuals for 2016 Sat, Apr 23, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s $5. George Papadelis shares highlights of the International Plant Show in Germany & the California Spring Trials. Register: 248-689-8735. H Open House Luau Sat, Apr 23, & Sun, Apr 24, 11am-4pm, Plymouth. At Plymouth Nursery. Sales, giveaways, treats & more. 734-453-5500, www.plymouthnursery.net. H Container Gardening Workshops Sat, Apr 23, & Sun, Apr 24, 1pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. FREE. BYO container or purchase one of ours. 248-887-5101, www.bogielakegreenhouses.com. H P. Allen Smith presents “Connect: Health, Home & Happiness” Sat, Apr 23, 11am, Clinton Twp. At English Gardens. Register: www.EnglishGardens.com. H 2016 Educational Gardening Conference Sat, Apr 23, All day, Waterford. By Master Gardener Society of Oakland County, Inc at Oakland Schools Conference Center. $80. 5 hours of Master Gardener credits. Speakers, marketplace, entertainment & more. www.mgsoc.org. H Trough Making Workshop Sat, Apr 23, 10am, Pontiac. At Telly’s. $35. Prepare a hypertufa mixture & form it into a container of your choice. Register: 248-689-8735. Earth Day Seminar Sat, Apr 23, 10-11am, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. FREE. Become an active steward of the earth by learning about invasive pests of plants. Register: 517-431-2060. H P. Allen Smith presents “Connect: Health, Home & Happiness” Sun, Apr 24, 1pm, Royal Oak. At English Gardens. Register: www.EnglishGardens.com. H Cranbrook’s Japanese Garden in Context: Japanesestyle Landscapes in America, Then and Now Sun, Apr 24, 3pm, Bloomfield Hills. At Cranbrook Institute of Science Auditorium. Co-sponsored by the Japan America Society of Michigan & Southwestern Ontario. Hosted in partnership with Cranbrook Institute of Science. Lecture by Dr. Kendall Brown, California State University, Long Beach. Professor Brown is a leading figure in the study of Japanese gardens in North America. Free admission. 248-645-3307. H What’s New for 2016? Mon, Apr 25, 7pm, Troy. By Metro Detroit Hosta Society at Telly’s Greenhouse. George Papadelis offers an exciting look at “What’s New for 2016.” Light refreshments. Hgold2843@comcast.net. Japanese Gardens Here & There: Essences & Evolutions Tue, Apr 26, 7pm, Grand Rapids. At Frederik Meijer Gardens. The Master Lecture Series, Secchia Garden Lecture; Speaker: Dr. Kendall Brown, Ph.D. 616-957-1580, www.meijergardens.org. The Art of the Event: A Floral Design Demonstration Wed, Apr 27, 7pm, Grosse Pointe Farms. By Grosse Pointe Garden Ctr, Inc at GP War Memorial. $15. Loann Burke demos design techniques for exquisite events. Register: 313-881-7511 x206. H Every Garden Deserves a Rose Thu, Apr 28, 6:30pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $5. Telly’s rosarian discusses selecting the right rose for your gardening style. Register: 248-689-8735. H Spring Soiree: Craft Cocktail & Small Plates Event Thu, Apr 28, 7pm, Pontiac. At Telly’s. By La Dulce Restaurant in the greenhouse. $60/person. Enjoy small plates & cocktails focused on edible spring herbs/flowers. Register: 248-689-8735. H Bogie Lake Greenhouse Spring Open House Sat, Apr 30, 9am-5pm, & Sun, May 1, 10am-5pm, White Lake. At Bogie Lake Greenhouses. Experts on hand to answer questions. 248-887-5101, www.bogielakegreenhouses.com.

H Arbor Day Session II Sat, Apr 30, 9:30-11am, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. $10. Exploring the Trees of Evergreen Hill. www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu. H Container Gardening Lecture & Workshop Sat, Apr 30, 10am, Troy. At Telly’s. $5, plus materials. The Telly’s staff will dissect the process by which beautiful container combinations are created. Register: 248-689-8735. H Grow Your Own Fruit Sat, Apr 30, Plymouth. At Plymouth Nursery. 734-453-5500, www.plymouthnursery.net. H Lawn/Trees/Shrubs Sat, Apr 30, 10am, Westland. At Barsons Spring Open House. Seminar: Lawn/Trees/Shrubs. www.barsons.com. H New Annuals for 2016 Sat, Apr 30, 10am, Pontiac. At Telly’s $5. George Papadelis shares highlights of the International Plant Show in Germany & the California Spring Trials. Register: 248-689-8735. H Spring Garden Party Sat, Apr 30, 10am-3pm, Davison. At Wojo’s. FREE. Celebrate the arrival of spring & the opening of another season. www.wojos.com. Growing Heirloom Tomatoes Sat, Apr 30, 11am, Southgate. At Ray Hunter Florist & Garden. FREE. Tomato expert & Master Gardener Paul Rodman shows tips & techniques. 734-284-2500. H Pollinators Sat, Apr 30, 11:30am, Westland. At Barsons Spring Open House. Seminar: Pollinators. www.barsons.com. H New Annuals for 2016 Sat, Apr 30, 12:30pm, Shelby. At Telly’s $5. George Papadelis shares highlights of the International Plant Show in Germany & the California Spring Trials. Register: 248-689-8735. H Pond Opening & Maintenance Sat, Apr 30, 1:30pm, Westland. At Barsons Spring Open House. Seminar: Pond Opening & Maintenance. www.barsons.com. H Container Gardening with Herbs Sat, Apr 30, 1:30pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $5, plus materials. Design & assemble a unique combination of fragrant & useful herbs. Register: 248-689-8735. H New Perennials for 2016 Sat, Apr 30, 2pm, Shelby. At Telly’s. $5. Exciting new perennials including Itoh peonies, lilies, coral bells & much more. Register: 248-689-8735. H Faeries’ Meeting Place: May Day Sat, Apr 30, 10am-5pm, & Sun, May 1, 11am-5pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $1 admission. Storytelling, Morris Dancers, Crafts & much more. www.HeavenlyScenthHerbFarm.com.

May Don’t Let Your Green Thumb Feel Blue: Gardening Shouldn’t Hurt Sun, May 1, 2pm, Haslett. By Friends of the Haslett Library at Haslett Library. MSU Physical Therapist Mary Thiel discusses gardening-related injuries & tips to prevent injuries. 517-339-0703. Intro to Pollinators Mon, May 2, 1pm, Farmington. By Farmington Garden Club at Vagnozzi Visitor’s Center in Heritage Park. Presentation with emphasis on the Polyphemus Moth. 248-477-3854, fgc1932@gmail.com. Planning Now for Spring Tue, May 3, 9:30am, Waterford. By Waterford Garden Club at Waterford Senior Ctr. Heather Glenday teaches the basics of spring mulching, fertilizing & pruning. www.waterfordgardenclub.org. 6th Annual Plant & Flower Sale Fri, May 6, 9am-5pm, Auburn Hills. By Habitat for Humanity Oakland County at Culver’s. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, trees, hanging baskets & more. 248338-1843, ext. 303. H Lake Orion Flower & Art Fair Fri, May 6, 11am-8pm, & Sat, 9am-6pm, Lake Orion. In Downtown Lake Orion. 60+ vendors to help you find the perfect Mother’s Day gift. www.DowntownLakeOrion.org. Project Grow Plant Sale Fri, May 6, Fri-Sun, Ann Arbor. By Project Grow at Dawn Farm. Wide selection of heirloom tomatoes, basil, sweet & hot peppers. Advance orders: www.ProjectGrowGardens.org.

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

H Kids, Plant Mom a Flower Sat, May 7, & Sun, May 8, 10am-4pm, Plymouth. At Plymouth Nursery. www.plymouthnursery.net. H Plant Sale Sat, May 7, 10am-2pm, Tipton. At Hidden Lake Gardens. Offering a wide selection of plants, including annuals, perennials, hostas & companions, herbs & more. hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu. H Southeast Michigan Dahlia Society Tuber Sale Sat, May 7, 9am-Noon, Troy. By SE MI Dahlia Society at Telly’s Greenhouse Barn. Come early for best selection. judy892@wowway.com. Clematis Pruning Workshop Sat, May 7, 10am, Detroit. At Black Cat Pottery. 1 hour of instruction & 1 hour of demo/hands-on supervised practice. Register: www.blackcatpottery.com. H Everything’s Coming up Roses Sat, May 7, Plymouth. At Plymouth Nursery. 734-4535500, www.plymouthnursery.net. H Bonsai Class & Workshop Sat, May 7, 1pm, Troy. At Telly’s. $35. Hands-on workshop, 1st & 2nd Sat of every month, attendees will create their own bonsai to enjoy for years to come. Register: 248-689-8735. Chelsea Area Garden Club Plant Sale Sat, May 7, 8am-Noon, Chelsea. By Chelsea Area GC at Chelsea Comm. Fairgrounds. Rain/shine. Perennials, wildflowers, daylilies, ornamental grasses & more. 734-475-9748. South Lyon Plant Exchange Sat, May 7, 9am-11am, South Lyon. By Four Seasons Garden Club at the Witch’s Hat Museum Pk. Area. Come swap with other gardeners. 248-437-0154. H Container Gardening Lecture & Workshop Sat, May 7, 10am, Shelby. At Telly’s. $5, plus materials. The Telly’s staff will dissect the process by which beautiful container combinations are created. Register: 248-689-8735. Cooking with Edible Flowers & Herbs Sun, May 8, 11:45am, Troy. By Troy Garden Club at Big Beaver United Methodist Church. $7. Annie Gruber shares edibles to add to your planting plan. Register: infoandideas@aol.com. H 44th Annual Spring Plant Sale Tue, May 10, 10am-7pm, & Wed, 10am-2pm, Bloomfield Hills. At Cranbrook Gardens. Herbs, tropicals, perennials, native plants/wildflowers & more. www.housegardens. cranbrook.edu. 8th Annual Containers & Cocktails Thu, May 12, 6-9pm, Pontiac. At Goldner Walsh. $24/ person, plus cost of materials. 21+. Free your planting spirit & learn special tricks to create gorgeous containers. Register: 248-332-6430. Spring Floral Designs & Flower Arranging Techniques Thu, May 12, 7pm, Ferndale. By Ferndale Garden Club at Kulick Community Center. Guests are welcome. Presented by Blumz by JR Designs. 248-541-6427. Henry Ford Estate Spring Plant Sale & Garden Market Fri, May 13, 10am-3pm & Sat, 9am-1pm, Dearborn. At The Henry Ford Estate. Unique perennials, wildflowers, shade plants, culinary herbs, annuals & much more. www.henryfordestate.org. Michigan All State Bonsai Show Fri, May 13, Fri-Sun, Grand Rapids. At Frederik Meijer Gardens. More than 100 stunning bonsai will be on display in the Grand Room. 616-957-1580, www.meijergardens.org. H Bonsai Class & Workshop Sat, May 14, 1pm, Pontiac. At Telly’s. $35. Hands-on workshop, 1st & 2nd Sat of every month, attendees will create their own bonsai to enjoy for years to come. Register: 248-689-8735. H Customer Appreciation Day Sat, May 14, North Branch. At Campbell’s Greenhouses. Music, sales & more. www.campbellsgreenhouses.com. Willow Greenhouse Garden Expo Sat, May 14, 10am-4pm, Salem Twp. By The Four Seasons Garden Club at Willow Greenhouse. FREE. Speaker Karleen Shafer, pollination projects & more. www.WillowGreenhouse.com. Perennial Plant Sale& Fund-raiser Thu, May 19, 9am-2pm, Rochester. By Meadow Brook Garden Club at Meadow Brook Hall. Michigan-grown plants, garden shop & more. 248-364-6210.

Harnessing Mother Nature’s Workforce— Beneficial Insects Fri, May 20, 9:15am, Rochester. By Meadow Brook Garden Club at Meadow Brook Hall. $5. Learn to recognize & maximize Mother Nature’s natural pest control. 248‑364‑6210, MBHGCMembers@gmail.com. Native Plant Sale Sat, May 21, 9-11:30am, St Clair Shores. By Yardeners at St Clair Shores Library. Attract birds, butterflies & bees with natives. scsyardeners@gmail.com. Growing Dahlias Sat, May 21, 3-5pm, Troy. By SE MI Dahlia Society at Telly’s Greenhouse Barn. Dahlia growing: planting, stalking & fertilizing. judy892@wowway.com. “Who’s In My Backyard?” Mon, May 23, 6:30-7:30, Clinton Twp. By MSUE at MSUE Assembly Room. $5. Learn all about birds with Pam Goros of Wild Birds Unlimited. 586-954-9998. Iris Show Sat, May 28, & Sun, May 29, Grand Rapids. At Frederik Meijer Gardens. View a variety of irises, from old favorites to new hybrids, grown by local enthusiasts. 616-957-1580. www.meijergardens.org. Annual Perennial Plant Sale Sat, May 28, 10am-1pm, Owosso. By Shaiwassee Co. Master Gardeners at 1535 N Hickory Rd. Plants for both shade & sun with expert gardeners to answer questions. joannemkenyon@yahoo.com.

June 8th Annual Spring Garden Tour Sat, Jun 4, 10am-2pm, Detroit. At Black Cat Pottery. Info: www.blackcatpottery.com. H Concrete Toadstool Sat, Jun 4, 10am-Noon, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $39.75. Create a 18” toadstool using fortified concrete. Pick up in a week. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com. H Herb Container Workshop Sat, Jun 11, 10am, Ortonville; Noon, Lake Orion; 3pm, Davison. At Wojo’s. $30. Create an herb garden to be enjoyed on your deck, windowsill, or just about anywhere. 248-627-6498. H Summer Retreat Faerie House Sat, Jun 11, 10am-12:30pm, Fenton. At Heavenly Scent Herb Farm. $89.75. This is a one-of-a-kind house, starting with a 16” x 11” x 3” deep pallet box. www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com. Meadow Brook Garden Club Open House Tue, Jun 14, 9am, Rochester. By MBGC at the tent behind Meadow Brook Hall. Gardens tour & potluck lunch. Guests pair up with a member & garden until noon. Bring tools. 248-364-6210. Franklin Garden Walk Wed, Jun 15, 10am-4pm & 6-9pm, Franklin. By Women’s National Farm & Garden Association at 6 private gardens. $15. 248-569-7359, www.franklingardenclub.org. 25th Annual Grosse Pointe Garden Tour Fri, Jun 24, 10am-4pm, Grosse Pointe Area. By Grosse Pointe Garden Ctr, Inc. $20. Visit 8 beautiful private gardens & enjoy a garden shoppe. Tickets: 313-881-7511, ext. 206. Garden Walk & Rose Garden Breakfast Sat, Jun 25, 9am-4pm, Mount Clemens. At Crocker House Museum. Enjoy a stroll & breakfast at the museum. www.crockerhousemuseum.com. Genesee County Garden Tour Sun, Jun 26, 10am-5pm, Clio & Vienna Twp. By MGAGCM at area gardens. $10. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through private gardens on this self-guided tour. www.GCgardentour. weebly.com. Southfield Garden Walk Sun, Jun 26, 2-5pm, Southfield. By Southfield Parks & Garden Club at 14 attractive gardens. Shuttle buses start at the Historic Burgh site at Civic Center & Berg Road. 248-356-2281. The Iris Lady Thu, Jun 30, 6:30-8:30, Clinton Township. By MCMGA at MSUE Assembly Room. $5. Bring a clump of Iris & Betty Slominski will show how to divide it. Register: 586-9549998.

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When I first started collecting clematis pal. (Clematis flowers are not complete—lack20 years ago (a collection that topped out at ing separate petals and sepals—instead having around 60 species and cultivars), much of a single structure called a “tepal.”) Like many the literature and conversation I came across small-flowering clematis species and the culimplied they were difficult, if lovely, plants tivars derived from them, C. viticella and its to maintain in the average garden. Between relatives are reliably disease-resistant. The pruning protocols and disease iscolor combinations of tepals and stasues, the most popular type—the mens are among the most attractive large-flowering hybrids—suffered of all clematis. most. Varying pruning techniques Excellent varieties and susceptibility to the dreaded ‘Polish Spirit,’ hybridized by clematis wilt has certainly been Brother Stefan Franczak of Warsaw, enough to put more than one garPoland, was the first of the viticellas dener off when considering whether I welcomed into my garden. Generor not to include this garden classic ally growing to 8 to 10 feet, it bears— in their home landscapes. Cheryl M. almost profligately—single, open, If you’ve been burned—or are English dark purple, almost velvety flowers afraid of being burned by clematis, with greenish white stamens and help is available in the form of Clempinkish purple anthers through most of the atis viticella cultivars. The offspring of a Mediseason. I actually, in my ignorance, initially terranean species, these plants are amongst planted it much too close to a hedge of peothe toughest in the genus, performing reliably year after year, tolerating significant transcontinued on page 30 plant disturbance with nary the drop of a te-

‘Alba Luxurians’

‘Polish Spirit’

Each spring, this ‘Polish Spirit’ clematis is pruned down hard to 24 inches above the ground.

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Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

‘Perle d’Azur’

‘Madame Julia Correvon’

‘Minuet’

‘Betty Corning’ continued from page 28 nies in my yard and, subsequently, had to dig it out. The operation was a delicate one, as I didn’t wish to disturb the peonies and possibly set them back. I finally ended up pulling the clematis out with my gloved hands, mortified at the carnage I had wreaked. ‘Polish Spirit’ laughed off the abuse, blooming just as vigorously the next year as it had the previous two. It still does so every year. The stunning fuchsia flowers and creamy stamens of ‘Madame Julia Correvon’ are a highlight of the entrance to the back part of my yard. Combined with the native wild cucumber vine (Echinocystis lobata) and its airy panicles of white flowers, this beautiful clematis has bloomed as late as November (albeit, modestly). If you want to retain the best flower color, you might site it so it doesn’t get the worst of the afternoon sun. I have not—and it still is a stunner every season. P H OTO G R A P H S BY D O N S C H U LT E

Most aptly named, ‘Alba Luxurians’ is certainly white and luxurious. Creamy white tepals are tipped with green—the depth of which depends on the amount of sunlight the plant enjoys—and dramatically set off by purplish-black stamens. I’ve been growing this variety on a large screen, along with ‘Pink Perfection’ clematis (C. montana var. rubens ‘Pink Perfection’), which blooms early in the season, followed by ‘Alba Luxurians’ from midsummer to early autumn. Relatively unassuming, ‘Betty Corning’ is likely a hybrid of C. viticella and C. crispa, taking its cool pink tepals and nodding flowers— complemented with yellow stamens—from its C. crispa parent. A relatively modest plant— also perhaps due to its C. crispa genetics—I let Betty wander through some of my giant wildflowers, who provide her plenty of support throughout the season. ‘Minuet’ is as delicate as its name: a sprightly, rounded, slightly nodding flower consists of four blunt, white tepals with pale purplish-red, deeply veined margins complemented by purple-tipped green stamens. Not

a particularly massive plant, I have paired it with ‘Polish Spirit’ on a framing structure for one of my garage windows. Often, the two plants “visit” the garage, sending a few stems in through the open top sash. There are numerous other C. viticella varieties, including several large-flowering hybrids, such as ‘Lady Betty Balfour’ and ‘Ernest Markham,’ which do not always demonstrate the disease resistance of their smaller-flowering kin. One of the world’s most popular clematis, ‘Perle d’Azur,’ is in fact a C. viticella cultivar. The six pale violet tepals often recurve sufficiently to give the flowers a blunted, rounded form. Prone to clematis wilt when young, prune it to the ground should it succumb; it will quickly send up new growth.

Pruning The varieties described here are all assigned to pruning group 3: prune hard. In the case of C. viticella, this generally means prun-

ing out the oldest wood to the ground and cutting the remaining 5 to 7 stems to just above a strong set of buds, 18 to 24 inches above the ground. A “strong set of buds” is two healthy buds—firm but not crunchy (which would indicate desiccation), having a little give without being squishy (which would indicate rot). I often use my C. viticella ‘Polish Spirit’ as a “guinea pig” at my annual clematis pruning workshop in May (more info below), following the protocol described above. My students are inevitably shocked at the merciless manner in which I cut away over 90 percent of the plant to leave seven two-foot-high, lifeless-looking stems. They are just as amazed when they return to my summer garden tour in August to see a robust, floriferous vine in the pink of health with dozens of lush purple blooms. Keep in mind that pruning is a human activity—if you don’t prune your C. viticella, it will still bloom; it may just be leggier than is considered ideal in the managed landscape.

Cheryl M. English owns Black Cat Pottery and gardens professionally in Detroit, MI. An Advanced Master Gardener and Master Composter, she speaks on numerous gardening topics and is a Wildflower Association of Michigan board member. Her typical urban lot has over 50 varieties of clematis and almost 200 native plant species. She runs a Clematis Pruning Workshop on May 7, 2016. She opens her garden to the public twice a year at her free Spring/Summer Garden Tours. 2016 dates: June 4 & August 20. No pre-registration is required. Contact Cheryl to speak at your next meeting or event: cenglish@blackcatpottery. com. Follow Cheryl’s blog at BlackCatPottery.com and Facebook.com/BlackCatPottery. Don Schulte is an avid gardener and enjoys interpreting Michigan wildflowers and other garden favorites through his photography. Don and Cheryl have been working together to document the clematis, other traditional garden favorites, and native plants in her garden. See more of his work at NotableGreetings.com and DonSchulte.com.

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Look for at these fine locations: Precipitation February 2016

NORMAL Monthly 2.02 1.48 1.47

Detroit Flint Lansing

ACTUAL Monthly 2.02 2.21 1.71

February 2015 DEVIATION from Normal — +0.73 +0.24

2016 Year to Date: Jan 1 - Feb 29

NORMAL Yr. to Date 3.98 3.11 3.12

Detroit Flint Lansing

ACTUAL Yr. to Date 3.36 3.85 3.16

DEVIATION from Normal -0.62 +0.74 +0.04

NORMAL

ACTUAL Monthly 1.35 0.87 0.90

Monthly 2.02 1.48 1.47

DEVIATION from Normal -0.67 -0.61 -0.57

2015 Year to Date: Jan 1 - Dec 31

NORMAL Yr. to Date 33.47 31.37 31.77

ACTUAL Yr. to Date 32.45 29.30 34.52

DEVIATION from Normal -1.02 -2.07 +2.75

Temperature February 2016

February 2015

Detroit Flint Lansing

NORMAL Avg. High 35.2 32.8 32.6

ACTUAL Avg. High 39.0 38.2 36.3

DEVIATION from Normal +3.8 +5.4 +3.7

ORMAL N Avg. High 35.2 32.8 32.6

ACTUAL Avg. High 23.2 22.2 21.0

DEVIATION from Normal -12.0 -10.6 -11.6

Detroit Flint Lansing

NORMAL Avg. Low 21.0 16.9 15.4

ACTUAL Avg. Low 23.5 21.4 21.1

DEVIATION from Normal +2.5 +4.5 +5.7

ORMAL N Avg. Low 21.0 16.9 15.4

ACTUAL Avg. Low 5.0 0.5 1.8

DEVIATION from Normal -16.0 -16.4 -13.6

Data courtesy National Weather Service

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Allen Park • Ace Hardware Almont • American Tree Ann Arbor • Dixboro General Store H Matthaei Botanical Gard H Dwntn Home & Gard • Wild Birds Unltd H The Produce Station • Ace Barnes Hdwe (Washtenaw Ave) H Turner’s Greenhse/ Gard Ctr H Lodi Farms H Abbott’s Landscp Nurs • Ace Barnes Hdwe (West Stadium) H English Gardens • Larry’s Mower Shop H HillTop Greenhse & Farms Auburn Hills • Drake’s Landscp & Nurs H State Crushing • Ace Hardware H Oakland Community College H Haley Stone Belleville H Zywicki Greenhse • Banotai Greenhse H Pinter Flowerland Berkley • Garden Central Beverly Hills • Ace Hardware Birmingham H Blossoms Brighton H Meier Flowerland • Leppek Nurs H Beauchamp Landscp Supp Brownstown Twp H Ruhlig Farms & Gard • Raupp Bros Landscp Supp Canton • Wild Birds Unltd • Canton Floral Gardens • Crimboli Nurs • Clink Landscp & Nurs Chelsea H The Garden Mill • The Potting Shed • Heim Gardens & Florist Chesterfield • Van Thomme’s Greenhses Clarkston • The Birdfeeder • Lowrie’s Landscp H The Pond Source • Ace Hardware (Sashabaw) • Ace Hdwe (Dixie Hwy) • Weingartz • Country Oaks Landscp Supp I Clawson • Ace Hardware Clinton Twp • MSU ExtensionMacomb Cty H English Gardens H Tropical Treasures • Michigan Koi

Clio H Piechnik’s Greenhse Commerce Twp • Zoner’s Greenhse Davison H Wojo’s Garden Splendors Dearborn • Fairlane Gard • Ace Hardware Dearborn Hts H English Gardens Detroit H Detroit Farm and Gard • Cheryl English • Detroit Gard Ctr • Ace Hardware Dexter H Fraleigh’s Nurs H Bloom! Gard Ctr • Dexter Mill • Earth Art Eastpointe H English Gardens H Drew’s Garden Farmington • Alexander True Value Hardware Farmington Hills H Steinkopf Nurs • Saxton’s Flower Ctr • Ace Hardware • Weingartz Fenton • Gerych’s H Heavenly Scent Herb Farm Ferndale • Casual Modes Home & Gard Flushing • Flushing Lawn & Gard Ctr Fostoria H The Iron Barn Fowlerville H Arrowhead Alpines Gladwin H Stone Cottage Gardens Grand Blanc H The Weed Lady Grand Rapids • Meijer Gardens Grosse Ile H Westcroft Gardens Grosse Pointe • Allemon’s Landscp Ctr • Meldrum & Smith Nurs Grosse Pointe Shores • Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Grosse Pointe Woods H Wild Birds Unltd Hadley H Le Fleur Décor Haslett H Van Atta’s Greenhse Highland • Thornton Nurs • Colasanti’s Produce & Plants H One Stop Landscp Supp • Five Star Ace Hardware • Fragments • Ace Hardware

Howell H Specialty Growers • Wilczewski Greenhses H Howell Farmer’s Mkt Imlay City H Earthly Arts Keego Harbor • Creative Brick Paving

Plymouth H Rock Shoppe H Plymouth Nurs • Lucas Nurs • Sparr’s Greenhse • Backyard Birds • Sideways • Plymouth Rock & Supp Pontiac • Goldner Walsh Gard/Home

• Hall’s Nurs • Soulliere Gard Ctr • Greenhouse Growers Sterling Hts • Decor Statuette • Prime Landscp Supp H Eckert’s Greenhse Stockbridge • Gee Farms

Lake Orion H Orion Stone Depot • Lake Orion Lawn Ray Ornaments H Wojo’s of Lake Orion • Heritage Oaks Design Livonia Redford • Valley Nurs H Pinter Flowerland H George’s • Seven Mi Gard Ctr Livonia Gard • Ace Hardware (6 Rochester Mi/Newburgh) • Casual Concepts • Ace Hardware (5 • Fogler’s Greenhse Mi/Middlebelt) • Sherwood Forest • Superior Growers Gard Ctr Supp Rochester Hills • Bushel Mart H Haley Stone

Sylvan Lake H Detroit Garden Works H AguaFina Gardens Interntl

Macomb • Ace Hardware • Boyka’s Greenhse • Olejnik Farms • Altermatt’s Greenhse H Landscape Source H Elya’s Village Gard

• Wild Birds Unltd • Ace Hardware H Auburn Oaks Gard Ctr

Troy H Telly’s Greenhse H Uncle Luke’s Feed Store • The Home & Gard Shop

Midland • Dow Gardens

Roseville • Dale’s Landscp Supp • Flower Barn Nurs Sea World

Milford H The Pond Place • Peter’s True Value Hardware • Ace Hardware Monroe H The Flower Market New Baltimore H Meldrum Bros Nurs New Boston H Gorham & Sons Nurs H Grass Roots Nurs • Mums the Word New Hudson H Milarch Nurs North Branch H Campbell’s Greenhses H Oldani Landscp Nurs Northville • Begonia Bros (near downtown) • Gardenviews • Begonia Bros Novi • Glenda’s Gard Ctr • Ace Hardware • Wild Birds Unltd Oak Park • Four Seasons Gard Ctr • Ace Hardware Oakland H Piechnik’s Garden Gate Ortonville H Wojo’s Greenhse • Country Oaks Landscp Supp II Owosso H Everlastings in the Wildwood

Romulus H Kurtzhal’s Farms H Schwartz’s Grnhse H Schoedel’s Nurs

Royal Oak H English Gardens H Button’s Rent It • La Roche • Ace Hardware • Frentz & Sons Hardware • Billings Lawn Equip • Wild Birds Unltd • Manus Power Mowers Saginaw H Abele Greenhse & Gard Ctr Salem Twp H Willow Greenhses Saline H Nature’s Gard Ctr H Saline Flowerland • Junga’s Ace Hdwe Shelby Twp H Telly’s Greenhse H Hessell’s Greenhses • Diegel Greenhses • Potteryland • Maeder Plant Farm • Flower Barn Nurs South Lyon • Stone Depot Landscp Supp • Mike’s Garden • Ace Hardware • Hollow Oak Farm Nurs Southfield • Eagle Landscp & Supp • Lavin’s Flower Land • 3 DDD’s Stand • Main’s Landscp Supp Southgate H Ray Hunter Gard Ctr

St Clair Shores • Ace Hardware Pinckney (Harper/13 Mi) • Bock’s General Store • Circare & Gard Ctr • Ace Hardware (Harper/Martin)

Taylor H Beautiful Ponds & Gard • D&L Garden Ctr • Massab Acres H Panetta’s Landscp Supp Trenton • Keck Hardware • Carefree Lawn Ctr • Ace Hardware

Utica • Stonescape Supp • Weingartz Warren • Greco’s Nurs H Young’s Garden Mart • Garden Center Nurs • Beste’s Lawn & Patio Washington • United Plant Ctr H Rocks ‘n’ Roots • Landscape Direct • Miller’s Big Red Greenhse Waterford • Breen’s Landscp Supp • Jacobsen’s Flowers H Merrittscape • Ace Hardware West Bloomfield • ACE Hardware • Planterra H English Gardens • Whole Foods Westland H Barsons Greenhses • Panetta’s Landscp Supp • Merlino’s Bushel Ctr • Ace Hardware • Bushel Stop • Joe Randazzo’s Nurs White Lake • Sunshine Plants H Bogie Lake Greenhse H Mulligan’s Gard Ctr Whitmore Lake H Alexander’s Greenhses Williamston • Christian’s Greenhse Wixom • Angelo’s Landscp Supp • Brainer’s Greenhse Ypsilanti • Lucas Nurs • Margolis Nurs • Materials Unlimited • Michigan Greenscape Supp • Schmidt’s Antiques • Coleman’s Farm Mkt

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

Send us Your Photos!

through the lens Photographs from the homes and travels of Michigan gardeners

“The butterfly on a coneflower was framed by other coneflowers (the bee was a bonus I hadn’t noticed).” —Matt Huff

“Peonies from my garden are an abundance of beauty and a graceful display of color.” —Emma Tepes

1. E-mail us 1 or 2 of your best garden photos. Be sure to e-mail the full-resolution file. 2. Include a caption describing the scene and the plants, including where the photo was taken. We are looking for photos of your garden, public gardens, and plant close-ups. If your photo is published, we’ll give you a free one-year subscription to Michigan Gardener. E-mail your photos to: photos@MichiganGardener.com.

“It is always a delight each spring when wild white trillium plants emerge from the layers of decaying leaves. You have to get on your hands and knees to enjoy these flowers, however, as they are hidden beneath the plant’s leaves.” —Teresa Silver

“This is a picture of my backyard—a woodland garden approximately 8 years into development. The design focus has been all about texture and tone.” —Gloria J. Boddy

A collection of stores and gardens to shop and visit. Please call ahead for hours, as they may vary from season to season.

Mt. Pleasant

Gladwin

Bay City

Midland

Saginaw North Branch Clio Columbiaville

Lakeport

Lapeer

Davison

Imlay City

Flushing

Owosso St. Johns

Lennon

Burton Grand Blanc

Flint

Emmett

Hadley

Port Huron

Dryden

Metamora

Almont

Bancroft

Grand Rapids Fenton

Oxford

Ortonville Grand Ledge

Lansing

East Lansing

Clarkston

Fowlerville

Howell

Mason

Stockbridge

Oakland

White Lake

Jackson

Dexter

Detroit Westland

Ann Arbor

Grass Lake

Canton

DearbornDearborn Wayne Heights

Ypsilanti

Taylor Belleville

Manchester Tipton

H Denotes MG Advertiser

enhanced listing

almont

premium listing 4-line listing PLUS highlighting: • Business name • Address • Phone • Website or E-mail

please contact us for info: publisher@ MichiganGardener.com 248-594-5563

Saline New Boston

Romulus

Southgate Trenton Brownstown Twp. Grosse Ile

Tecumseh Monroe

Cement City

Want to advertise your local business in Places to Grow? 2 options:

Ray

Holly White Lake Waterford

Plymouth Chelsea

Washington

Rochester Macomb Rochester Shelby Twp. Highland Pontiac Hills Utica Auburn Hills Sylvan Lake Clinton Twp. Commerce Milford Bloomfield Troy West Sterling Hts. Hills Bloomfield Birmingham Walled Lake St. Clair Berkley Wixom Madison Roseville Shores Heights Brighton Warren Royal Oak New Hudson Eastpointe South Lyon Novi Farmington Southfield Hills Oak Park Farmington Ferndale Whitmore Northville Grosse Lake Pointes Livonia Redford Hartland

Williamston

4-line listing with your: • Business name • Address • Phone • Website or E-mail

Addison Twp.

Orion

Haslett

La Salle

New Baltimore

burton H Walker Farms & Greenhouse 5253 E. Atherton Rd., MI 48519 810-743-0260 www.walkersfarm.com

canton Canton Floral Gardens Clink Nurs Crimboli Nurs Wild Birds Unltd

cement city H Hallson Gardens 14280 US-127, MI 49233 517-592-9450 www.perennialnursery.com

chelsea

American Tree

H Turner’s Greenhse & Garden Ctr 4431 South Wagner Rd., MI 48103 734-663-7600 www.turnersannarbor.com

ann arbor

Wild Birds Unltd

H Abbott’s Nurs & Garden Ctr 2781 Scio Church Rd., MI 48103 734-665-8733 www.abbottsnursery.com

auburn

H Downtown Home/Gard H English Gardens 155 N. Maple Rd, MI 48103 734-332-7900 www.EnglishGardens.com H HillTop Greenhse/Farms H Lodi Farms H The Produce Station

H Warmbier Farms 5300 Garfield Rd., MI 48611 989-662-7002 www.warmbierfarms.com

auburn hills Drake’s Landscp & Nurs H Haley Stone 3600 Lapeer Rd., MI 48326 248-276-9300 www.haleystone.net H State Crushing

bancroft

birmingham

Grand Oak Herb Farm

H Blossoms 33866 Woodward Ave, MI 48009 248-644-4411 www.blossomsbirmingham.com

bay city H Begick Nursery & Garden Ctr 5993 Westside Saginaw Rd., MI 48706 989-684-4210 www.begicknursery.com

H Garden Mill 110 S. Main St., MI 48118 734-475-3539 www.thegardenmill.com The Potting Shed

Tiffany Florist

chesterfield

brighton

Van Thomme’s Greenhses

Banotai Greenhse Gardeners Choice H Pinter Flowerland H Zywicki Greenhse

H Beauchamp Landscp Supp Bordine’s Brighton Farmer’s Mkt Leppek Nurs H Meier Flowerland

clarkston

berkley

brownstown twp

clinton twp

belleville

Garden Central

bloomfield hills Backyard Birds

Bruce’s Pond Shop Raupp Brothers Gard Ctr H Ruhlig Farms & Gard

Bordine’s Country Oaks Landscp I Lowrie’s Landscp H Backyard Oasis Pond & Gard H English Gardens 44850 Garfield Rd, MI 48038 586-286-6100 www.EnglishGardens.com

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

Michigan Koi H Tropical Treasures

clio H Piechnik’s Grnhouse & Garden Ctr 13172 McCumsey Rd, MI 48420 810-686-9211 www.cliogreenhouse.com

columbiaville Hilltop Barn

commerce twp Zoner’s Greenhse

davison H Wojo’s Gard Splendors 7360 E. Court St., MI 48423 810-658-9221 www.wojos.com

dearborn Fairlane Gardens

dearborn heights H English Gardens 22650 Ford Rd, MI 48127 313-278-4433 www.EnglishGardens.com

detroit H Detroit Farm and Garden 1759 21st St., MI 48216 313-655-2344 www.detroitfarmandgarden.com Eastern Market

dexter H Bloom! Gard Ctr 1885 Baker Rd., MI 48130 734-426-6600 www.bloom-gardens.com Dexter Mill H Fraleighs Landscape Nursery 8600 Jackson Rd., MI 48130 734-426-5067 www.fraleighs.com Guthrie Gardens

eastpointe H English Gardens 22501 Kelly Rd, MI 48021 586-771-4200 www.EnglishGardens.com

grand blanc Bordine’s H The Weed Lady 9225 Fenton Rd., MI 48439 810-655-2723 www.theweedlady.com

grass lake H Designs by Judy Florist & Greenhse 3250 Wolf Lake Rd., MI 49240 517-522-5050 www.designsbyjudyflowers.com

grosse ile H Westcroft Gardens 21803 West River Rd., MI 18138 734-676-2444 www.westcroftgardens.com

grosse pointe Allemon’s Landscp Ctr Meldrum & Smith Nurs

grosse pointe woods H Wild Birds Unltd

hadley H Le Fleur Décor 3442 Hadley Rd., MI 48440 586-495-4076 Find us on Facebook

ferndale Casual Modes Home/Gard

flat rock Masserant’s Feed Store

flushing H Flushing Lawn & Garden Ctr 114 Terrace St., MI 48433 810-659-6241 www.unclelukes.com

fowlerville H Arrowhead Alpines

gladwin H Stone Cottage Gardens 3740 West Willford Rd., MI 48624 989-426-2919 www.stonecottagegardens.com

Wildtype Nurs

metamora Gilling’s Nurs

milford Milford Gardens H The Pond Place

monroe H The Flower Market

new baltimore H Meldrum Bros Nurs

new boston H Gorham & Sons Nurs H Grass Roots Nurs Mums the Word

new hudson

north branch

haslett

H Campbell’s Greenhouses 4077 Burnside Rd., MI 48461 810-688-3587 www.campbellsgreenhouses.com

Christian’s Greenhse H Van Atta’s Greenhse

highland Colasanti’s Produce/Plant Fragments Highland Garden Ctr H One Stop Landscp Supp Thornton Nurs

howell H Howell Farmer’s Mkt Dtwn Howell @ State & Clinton St. 517-546-3920 www.howell.org/19.html Penrose Nurs H Specialty Growers 4330 Golf Club Rd., MI 48843 517-546-7742 www.specialtygrowers.net

imlay city

H Heavenly Scent Herb Farm 13730 White Lake Rd., MI 48430 810-629-9208 www.heavenlyscentherbfarm.com

mason

Deneweth’s Garden Ctr

Wilczewski Greenhses

Gerych’s Flowers/Gift

McLennan Nurs

hartland

farmington hills

fenton

manchester

H Milarch Nursery 28500 Haas Rd., MI 48165 248-437-2094 www.milarchnursery.com

H Drew’s Garden Angelo’s Landscp Supp Farmer John’s Greenhse Loeffler Stone Ctr H Steinkopf Nurs

H Elya’s Village Gardens H Landscape Source Joe Randazzo’s Nurs Olejnik Farms Wade Nurs Wiegand’s Nursery

H Earthly Arts Greenhse

Begonia Brothers Gardenviews H Willow Greenhouses

novi Glenda’s Gard Ctr Wild Birds Unltd

oak park Four Seasons Gard Ctr

oakland H Piechnik’s Garden Gate 1095 N. Rochester Rd., MI 48363 586-336-7200 www.cliogreenhouse.com

H Wojo’s Greenhse 2570 Oakwood Rd., MI 48462 248-627-6498 www.wojos.com

owosso H Everlastings in Wildwood

oxford plymouth

H The Iron Barn

Backyard Birds Graye’s Greenhse Lucas Nurs

Krupps Novelty Shop

livonia Bushel Mart H George’s Livonia Gard Superior Growers Supp Valley Nurs

macomb Altermatt Greenhses Boyka’s Greenhse Deneweth’s Garden Ctr

Van’s Valley Greenhse

redford

H Eckert’s Greenhouse 34075 Ryan Rd., MI 48310 586-979-2409 www.eckertsgreenhouse.com Prime Landscp Supp

H Mulligan’s Landscp & Gard Ctr Sunshine Plants

rochester

stockbridge

whitmore lake

Fogler’s Greenhse Sherwood Forest Gard Ctr

Gee Farms

H Alexander’s Greenhses

sylvan lake

williamston

rochester hills

H AguaFina Gardens International 2629 Orchard Lake Rd., MI 48320 248-738-0500 www.aguafina.com

H Pinter Flowerland Seven Mi Gard Ctr

H Auburn Oaks Garden Ctr 3820 West Auburn Rd, MI 48309 248-852-2310 www.auburnoaksnursery.com Bordine’s H Haley Stone 3975 S. Rochester Rd., MI 48307 248-852-5511 www.haleystone.net Wild Birds Unltd

romulus Block’s Stand/Greenhse H Kurtzhals’ Farms H Schoedel’s Nurs

H Detroit Garden Works 1794 Pontiac Dr., MI 48320 248-335-8089 www.detroitgardenworks.com

taylor H Beautiful Ponds & Gardens 20379 Ecorse, MI 48180 313-383-8653 www.skippysstuff.com D&L Garden Ctr Massab Acres H Panetta’s Landscp Supp

H Plymouth Nursery 9900 Ann Arbor Rd W, MI 48170 734-453-5500 www.plymouthnursery.net Plymouth Rock & Supp H Rock Shoppe on Gotfredson 6275 Gotfredson, MI 48170 734-455-5560 www.rock-shoppe.com Sparr’s Greenhse

Dale’s Landscp Supp Flower Barn Nurs Sea World

royal oak H Button’s Rent-It 1126 S. Washington Ave., MI 48067 248-542-5835 www.buttonsrentit.com H English Gardens 4901 Coolidge Hwy, MI 48073 248-280-9500 www.EnglishGardens.com Wild Birds Unltd

saginaw H Abele Greenhouse & Garden Ctr 3500 Wadsworth Rd., MI 48601 989-752-5625 www.abelegreenhouse.com

saline H Nature’s Garden Ctr H Saline Flowerland

shelby twp Diegel Greenhses Flower Barn Nurs H Hessell’s Greenhse Maeder Plant Farm Potteryland H Telly’s Greenhouse 4343 24 Mile, MI 48316 248-659-8555 www.tellys.com

south lyon Hollow Oak Farm Nurs Mike’s Garden Stone Depot Landscp Supp H Tuthill Farms

southfield 3 DDD’s Stand Eagle Landscp/Supp Lavin’s Flower Land Main’s Landscp Supp

southgate H Ray Hunter Gard Ctr

Christian’s Greenhse

wixom Angelo’s Landscp Supp Brainer’s Greenhse Milford Tree Farm

ypsilanti Coleman’s Farm Mkt Lucas Nurs Margolis Nurs Materials Unlimited Sell Farms & Greenhse

Gardens to Visit ann arbor

Mitchell’s Lawn/Landscp

H Matthaei Botanical Gardens/ Nichols Arboretum 1800 North Dixboro Rd., MI 48105 734-647-7600 www.mbgna.umich.edu

trenton

bloomfield hills

Billings Lawn Equip

lapeer

lennon

H Bogie Lake Greenhouses 1525 Bogie Lake Rd., MI 48383 248-887-5101 www.bogielakegreenhouses.com

ray

northville

Candy Cane Xmas Trees Oxford Farm/Gard

Fowler’s Gift Shop

white lake

Decor Statuette

Carefree Lawn Ctr

Lansing Gard

lasalle

sterling heights

H Telly’s at Goldner Walsh 559 Orchard Lake Rd., MI 48341 248-724-2300 www.tellys.com

roseville

Country Oaks Landscp II

lansing

Bushel Stop Joe Randazzo’s Nurs Merlino’s Bushel Ctr Panetta’s Landscp

H Oldani Landscape Nurseries 2666 Tozer Rd., MI 48461 810-688-2363 www.oldanilandscapenurseries.com

ortonville

H Wojo’s of Lake Orion 559 S. Lapeer Rd, MI 48362 248-690-7435 www.wojos.com

Greenhouse Growers Hall’s Nurs Soulliere Gard Ctr

tecumseh

The Hobbit Place H Lake Orion Lawn Orn H Orion Stone Depot

st clair shores

Goldner Walsh Gard/Home

H Schwartz’s Greenhouse 30705 Sibley Rd., MI 48174 734-753-9269 www.schwartzgreenhouse.com

jackson lake orion

pontiac

troy H Telly’s Greenhouse 3301 John R Rd., MI 48083 248-689-8735 www.tellys.com

H Cranbrook Gardens 380 Lone Pine Rd., MI 48303 248-645-3147 housegardens.cranbrook.edu

clinton twp Tomlinson Arboretum

H Uncle Luke’s Feed Store 6691 Livernois Rd., MI 48098 248-879-9147 www.unclelukes.com

dearborn

utica

Anna S Whitcomb Conservtry

Stonescape Supp

walled lake H Suburban Landscp Supp

warren Beste’s Lawn/Patio Supp Garden Ctr Nurs H Young’s Garden Mart

washington

Arjay Miller Arboretum @ Ford World HQ Henry Ford Estate

detroit dryden Seven Ponds Nature Ctr

east lansing H MSU Horticultural Gardens W.J. Beal Botanical Gard

emmett H Sunny Fields Botanical Park 5444 Welch Rd., MI 48022 810-387-2765 www.visitsunnyfields.org

Landscp Direct Miller’s Big Red Greenhse H Rocks ‘n’ Roots United Plant Ctr

flint

waterford

Applewood

Breen’s Landscp Supp Hoffman Nurs H Merrittscape

grand rapids

H Oakland County Market 2350 Pontiac Lake Rd., MI 48328 248-858-5495 www.DestinationOakland.com

Edsel & Eleanor Ford Hse

west bloomfield H English Gardens 6370 Orchard Lake Rd., MI 48322 248-851-7506 www.EnglishGardens.com

Frederik Meijer Gardens

grosse pointe shores lansing Cooley Gardens

midland Dahlia Hill Dow Gardens

novi Tollgate Education Ctr

royal oak

Planterra

Detroit Zoo

westland

tipton

H Barson’s Greenhse 6414 North Merriman Rd., MI 48185 734-421-5959 www.barsons.com

H Hidden Lake Gardens 6214 Monroe Rd. (M-50), MI 49287 517-431-2060 www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu

A view from the upper deck shows the backyard, pond, and the backdrop of contrasting colors and textures of the trees. The pond started as a natural depression where over 20 ash trees were lost to the emerald ash borer. The pin oak at left was subsequently planted after the ash trees were removed. “The purple smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria) grew faster than we wanted, but the “smoke” is beautiful and the fall color is amazing!” Hambleton enthused.

Pat Hambleton replaced an existing landscape to create her own garden memories In 2002, Pat and Phil Hambleton purchased their two-year-old Macomb County home, which had some existing plantings, and then proceeded to change almost everything in their new garden. Considering the relatively little time that has passed since then, their gardens now have a timeless and natural look. That was Pat Hambleton’s objective.

Sandie Parrott

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

Pat is proud to be a Master Gardener and displays this shovel on her front porch. It is laser cut and handmade by two sisters.

Looking at this lovely, serene view, you would never know a cement driveway is at the top. In the front right, hydrangea Quick Fire blooms white in June and fades to pink and mauve. Hellebores on the left provide very early blooms and long-lasting, leathery leaves. Agapanthus is planted in large pots along the stairs and joins other tropical plants to overwinter in the garage.

Many of the plants in this garden self-sow, so it is important for Pat to keep thinning it to eliminate crowding. “The plants in the front with pink blooms are common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). They are monarch butterfly host plants. If you want monarchs, you must have milkweed and they have a wonderful fragrance. A bit aggressive, but worth it! Save the monarch!” Hambleton exclaimed. The plants are large and easy to thin out where unwanted.

Pat Hambleton

A beautiful flagstone path leads down to the pond, which is surrounded by colorful perennials, including yellow tickseed (Coreopsis), purple geranium, daylilies, lady’s mantle, and more.

“Our garden theme is best described as natural. The main goal is to make it appear as if nature planted the garden, and in some cases, she did. Some of my favorite plant combinations and locations have been provided by birds or breezes carrying seeds. We don’t use herbicides or seed growth suppressants, so a considerable number of plants self sow,” Hambleton explained. “Grandma” is the key word for Pat’s garden memories. “Most of my ancestors are German. My mother was a ‘city’ gal, from continued on next page

Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

Pat is delighted with her two-dollar estate sale ladder. “One of my biggest challenges is verticality. The ladder is taller than most plants, but lower than the tree branches.” The largeleaved plant in the right front foreground is rodgersia. Pat recommends it for the bold foliage, pale pink blooms, and its tolerance for partial shade. However, to do well, it needs extra watering in most gardens. continued from previous page a small town in southern Indiana, and my father was from an even smaller town in even more southern Indiana near the Kentucky border. My best memories of city grandma’s garden were of my uncle hiking me up on his shoulders to pick apricots from her tree and the beautiful, blowsy, untrimmed bridal wreath spirea (Spiraea prunifolia). Both scents to this day remind me immediately of her and her garden,” Hambleton recalled. P H OTO S BY S A N D I E PA R R OT T “My country grandma was a bit of an anomaly. She had a little Native American heritage and her great uncle was a Supreme Court Justice. She kept a huge vegetable garden and raised chickens. She loved flowers. There wasn’t much money available, but she always grew four-o’clocks and so do I,” remembered Hambleton. To celebrate her memories, Hambleton has a grandmother’s garden full of old-fashioned plants they grew or could have grown, such as four-o’clocks, snapdragons, marigolds, cosmos and zinnias. Other areas on her property include the prairie strip, and green, pond, vegetable and native plant gardens. “Green is a color too” is a hand-painted sign marking her green garden, recently added. The plants are all a shade of green with a few white plants for contrast. Some of the plants include hostas, ferns, and meadow rue (Thalictrum rochebruneanum). Her favorite is a native maidenhair fern. The pond garden is her favorite spot. “The sound of water spouting from a 20-year old brass frog joins the real bullfrogs who croak and toads who trill in the springtime. There is always movement and life at the pond. We have koi and they are beautiful, but the dragon and damselflies are just as wonderful.” Pat is an Advanced Master Gardener in Macomb County,

Picturesque, large, chunky stairs navigate the slope between the driveway level and backyard. The existing maple tree has grown to provide a shaded canopy. with over 500 volunteer hours. “I love the program and think it is a valuable asset to both the person who becomes a Master Gardener and to the community where the person volunteers. I try to attend several Master Gardener conferences every year, and through those I have been privileged to hear famous garden speakers from all over the U.S. and the world. No one is born knowing about gardening; its joy may come naturally, but the knowledge must be acquired!” she enthused. The Hambletons use their own compost to help add nutrients to the garden. Pat explained what goes into their process: “We have a large compost pile and use the tractor’s front loader to turn the pile. This makes it easier to turn often and helps the compost process go quicker. We put all but the most invasive weeds and plants into the pile, as well as kitchen scraps. I bring the leftover fresh greens from our garden club’s sale to add to

the mix. We don’t follow a recipe, but have been pleased with the results. We add a few inches of compost to the vegetable garden each spring and mix the compost half and half with potting mix for pots.” “Most of our yard ‘art’ is comprised of old and repurposed farm implements and pots. We use picket fence pieces that have aged to a wonderful gray to camouflage areas such as sprinkler heads and pond equipment. A favorite addition was a two-dollar estate sale painter’s ladder with just the right aged patina and residual paint,” Pat described. They also have insect sculptures, including a praying mantis made of repurposed machine parts, a barrel cart, and more. Maintenance is their biggest challenge. They add shredded pine bark every two years to help reduce weeds and retain moisture. “Most importantly, just keep up with weeding and

Pat Hambleton saw several green roof buildings at Michigan State, so she thought, “Why not birdhouses?” Her husband built this one and a similar house for the Children’s Garden at the Van Hoosen Farm in Rochester Hills. Recently, it was home to two sets of tree swallows. She uses perennial sedum in different colors and textures for the roof planting.

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

The west side of the pond has a path and pots of white lobularia, which is related to alyssum, but more heat tolerant. Sitting on Miss Muffet’s tuffet is a pot of pale purple New Guinea impatiens. deadheading,” Pat advised new gardeners. Spring is a very busy time. “We probably spend an average of 2 to 4 hours a day weeding, moving misplaced perennials, and then the best part: planting new additions to the landscape and the 20 or more pots, which seems like more in July when they need to be watered often!” “Mistakes, I’ve had so many! Plants that looked so beautiful in their pots and whose information tags promised easy care that turned out to be nightmares. One bothersome campanula has self-seeded in my prairie strip. So beautiful, but so invasive! Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica) almost overtook an area on the edge of our yard. Planting deer food is an issue in the country. I have some spectacular varieties of daylilies. I know because I have photos from the one year I managed to keep the deer from eating them just as they opened!” she laughed. Pat shared her philosophy, “Gardening is a chore and a great joy. Like everything in life that has significant value, it requires effort. Every year of a garden is like an entire life cycle from birth to death. A favorite quote of mine from local garden writer Janet Macunovich: ‘Be pleased with your real garden; don’t pursue the perfection of a picture. What you see in a photo lasted only as long as the shutter snap.’” Sandie Parrott is an Advanced Master Gardener who gardens and writes from her hilly lakeside property in northern Oakland County, Michigan. “We love the prairie meadow strip. It is colorful most of the summer and is a haven for bees, butterflies and insects, so it is the perfect pollinator garden. The tallest plant is the Carolina lupine (Thermopsis caroliniana). It has an incredibly long blooming period. The bird feeder is a fly-through model built by my husband Phil,” said Hambleton.

Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

Plant Focus continued from back cover Come midsummer, the numerous brilliant red fruits, so evident, can weigh down the many branches. The show can be fantastic. Cornelian cherry has been grown for centuries in European orchards for these tart, somewhat astringent fruits. The sugar content or sweetness arrives just as the color changes to maroon or purple and they drop to the ground. Birds seem to know precisely the timing for this event and feast during the heyday. Raccoons also are in the know, while deer seldom browse on the twigs and foliage and even avoid the fruits. For human consumption, the fruits are used for jams, sauces, beverages, and even distilling vodka and liqueurs in European countries where grown as an orchard crop. In Ukraine, several cultivars of Cornus mas have been developed for fruit production. These boast large, juicy fruits that are delicious eaten freshly picked and are prized for baked goods, preserves, juice, and wine. The vitamin C content is extremely high: more than twice that of oranges. In eastern Europe, the fruits are eaten medicinally to fight colds and the flu.

Varieties for both the landscape and fruit Several cultivars for fruit production, besides a number for their ornamental landscape value, are becoming well-known in America and are available currently. Besides

the ‘Elegant’ and ‘Redstone’ varieties, ‘Pioneer’ offers pear-shaped, dark red fruits 1-1/2 inches long, and ‘Red Star’ produces glossy, dark red, oval fruits 1-1/4 inches long. There’s also a sweet-tart, one-inch long, yellow fruiting cultivar called Yellow (‘Yantarnii’). If growing cornelian cherries for best fruiting production, growers advise having several for good crosspollination. An individual shrub generally is self-sterile, with less fruits produced. The varieties that showcase landscape qualities have the bells and whistles. ‘Alba’ produces white fruits while ‘Aurea’ has yellow foliage and is very cold hardy. ‘Elegantissima’ (sometimes listed as ‘Aureo-elegantissima’; ‘Tricolor’ may be the same) has leaves edged with pink or yellow that fades later in the summer and is a smaller and less vigorous cultivar. ‘Nana’ is a dwarf, very compact shrub and is more or less a novelty. Another yellowfruiting variety is ‘Flava,’ with earlier fruit. One that grows more upright and vertically for ease of creating a tree form is ‘Golden Glory.’ It’s a heavy bloomer but has zone 5 hardiness only. A few cultivars have handsome foliage, uniform branching habit, and bright yellow flowers; ‘Spring Glow’ and Spring Grove top the list. ‘Variegata’ boasts creamy white leaf P H OTO G R A P H S BY ERIC HOFLEY / MICHIGAN GARDENER

After flowering is complete, the foliage begins to emerge.

The masses of 3/4- to 1-inch yellow flowers appear opposite on the stems.

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) is a superb large shrub or small tree.

MichiganGardener.com | April 2016 | Michigan Gardener

Up to 4 inches long, the leaves are glossy, waxy, and broadly oval.

The exfoliating and scaly bark in gray, brown and tan tones is subtly pleasing.

Cornelian cherry history and lore

By midsummer, cornelian cherry’s brilliant red fruits are often numerous. margins that can be quite striking in light shade.

How to grow Cornelian cherry is an easy, “plant-it-andforget-it” shrub to grow, with few demands. While hailing from the milder winter climes of Europe, cornelian cherry is very cold hardy to zone 4. Average, well-drained garden soil is quite

adequate, from sandy loam to clay improved with organic soil amendments at planting time. It tolerates drought once established, but not wet conditions. An open, full sun location produces the ideal growth for both flowering and fruiting. Partial shade also works sufficiently for growth, but there will be fewer flowers and fruits. Diseases and pests are of little to no

consequence for this robust shrub. This is a great bonus for the gardener, landscaper and orchardist alike. Propagating cornelian cherries is simple from either sowing seeds or cuttings. The seed (a large stone or pit which occupies up to 80 percent by volume in the fruit) should be continued on next page

Cornus comes from the Latin word for “horn,” which means hard and extremely dense, a feature of Cornus mas wood. In European ancient times, tools, wheel spokes, and hand weapons were constructed from harvested tree parts. Some sources contend that this durable wood played a role in building the infamous Trojan horse. Its wood will actually sink in water. The specific name, mas, refers to “male,” with differing theories as to its origin. A 16th century British herbal describes Cornus mas as being “male” and is the opposite of the “female” (Cornus sanguinea, the red twig dogwood shrub). Another idea of the “male”: mas evolved from the fact that young trees produce no fruit for many consecutive years, thus not a “female.” The “cherry” in the common name was aptly titled because of its edible, elongated, shiny red fruit (a drupe; i.e., juicy flesh surrounding a large pit), which is similar to the common cherry fruit. “Cornelian” refers to the fruit’s red color, and was possibly derived from “carnelian,” a red, semi-precious stone found in Europe from which aristocratic signet rings were carved for European nobility. Other historians believe vice versa: the gemstone was named after the cornelian cherry’s red fruit.

Michigan Gardener | April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

continued from previous page stratified in moist (not wet) peat moss or sand for four months at room temperature. Then a cold stratification for another four months (in the refrigerator or left outdoors during the winter) follows before sowing the seeds. Softwood cuttings placed in a high humidity environment (under plastic/glass covering and/or under intermittent mist) can be taken in June and July. Sticking in a moist (not wet) medium (sand or a sand/peat mix) with a rooting compound is recommended. A high percentage root in 6 to 8 weeks.

Where to plant Cornelian cherry, aside from growing as an orchard shrub or tree, can fit very well into most natural landscape settings as a focal point. Several of them are attractive in hedges, for visual screens, or as a background for a stepped-down garden in the foreground. Grown as a specimen with early springflowering bulbs beneath the branch spread sets an early, colorful scene in March to April. Place this grouping in an easily visible area from indoors so you can enjoy the sight while avoiding the outside cold chills of late winter. If growing as a specimen in the lawn, having some evergreen conifers in the background provides a year-round staged backdrop for the flowering and fruiting features. All Michigan gardeners with room in their landscape should welcome and grow this shrub—a gold star performer. Or maybe a shining yellow star, replete with red trimmings! Jim Slezinski is the Vice President and Senior Landscape Designer/Horticulturist at Goldner Walsh Garden and Home in Pontiac, MI.

The foliage of variegated cornelian cherry (Cornus mas ‘Variegata’) can be incredibly stunning when positioned in light shade.

Jim Slezinski

On the cultivar ‘Tricolor,’ the leaves are edged with yellow and flushed with pink.

One of the earliest spring-blooming trees, cornelian cherry brightens up landscapes at an otherwise drab time of the year.

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| April 2016 | MichiganGardener.com

plant focus

With the confusing common name of cornelian cherry, this large shrub or small tree is not a cherry, but actually a dogwood (Cornus mas). It has two cousins that are much sought after ornamental trees: the American flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) and the Asian flowering dogwood (Cornus kousa). Cornus mas, the European dogwood cousin, immigrated to England from its native lands of eastern and southern Europe and Asia Minor in the 16th century, primarily as a fruit tree. Later it was introduced to America and by the 20th century, was planted as a deciduous ornamental shrub or small tree.

effect of the trunks against the snow can be subtly pleasing. But the best show-stopping highlights are by far the flowers and fruits (not true berries, but often referred to as berries). In Michigan, the lack of landscape color during a long winter can be dreary. Come March, however, “cabin fever” is readily cured when a burst of tiny yellow flowers appears on this densely branched shrub. Many times with snow yet on the ground, the masses of 3/4- to 1-inch flowers bloom and beckon spring’s arrival. Flowers are opposite on the stems of year-old wood, opening from buds present from the previous autumn. Flowering duration varies according to temperature. Cool Plant description and use weather prolongs bloom, while Jim Multiple stems or small trunks warm conditions hasten the color Slezinski develop, creating a large, broadly display. rounded, low-branched shrub up to 20 feet After flowering, the foliage emerges: glossy, high and 18 feet wide, with moderate annual waxy, and broadly oval, with leaves up to four stem tip growth. By pruning and removing the inches long. These bright green leaves are basal suckers, one can modify a cornelian cherry opposite on stems, holding good form into into a small tree. Generally this technique will the fall. Color changes to somewhat purple or require annual pruning to achieve the tree form. yellow are only of minor note. With some exfoliating or scaling bark continued on page 40 in gray, brown and tan tones, the winter

Cornelian Cherry Dogwood Botanical name: Plant type: Plant size: Habit: Hardiness: Flowers: Bloom period: Leaves: Growth rate: Fruit: Bark: Light: Soil: Water: Uses: Remarks: “Cabin fever” is readily cured when a burst of tiny yellow flowers appears in early spring on cornelian cherry’s dense branches.

Cornus mas (KOR-nus mahss) Deciduous large shrub or small tree 18-25 feet tall, 12-18 feet wide Densely branched, shrubby, multi-stemmed, rounded form Zone 4 Yellow, numerous, appear on year-old wood, 3/4 to 1 inch wide March to April, before the leaves Shiny, waxed, bright green. Wide, oval shaped, up to 4 inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide. Little fall color, perhaps purple to yellow. Medium; 4-8 inches per year Bright red to maroon in late summer, prolific, 3/4-inch wide, edible Scaly, exfoliating with shades of gray, brown, tan; somewhat showy Full sun to partial shade Most Michigan soils; sandy loams to clay with good drainage Tolerates drought once established, but not wet conditions Specimen in lawns, groupings with other shrubs, natural settings, fruit orchards A versatile, large ornamental landscape shrub with very early spring flowers; easy to grow; attracts birds. Virtually free of pests or diseases.