The Gateway Gardener November/December 2017

Gateway Gardener

November / December 2017

THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

Winter Gardens

Evergreen Perennials and More!

Holiday Gift Guide Don’t Cut Those Stalks!

Horticultural Holidays FREE Courtesy of:

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The Gateway Gardener™ NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017

Gateway Gardener THE

®

Your Guide to Enjoyable Gardening and Easy-Care Landscapes

November / December 2017 Volume 13, Number 9

Founded in 2005 by Joyce Bruno & Robert Weaver Publisher and Editor Robert Weaver Columnists

Diane Brueckman Rosarian Joyce Driemeyer Master Gardener Steffie Littlefield Nursery Professional Abby Elliott Nursery Professional Jennifer Schamber Nursery Professional Scott Woodbury Native Plant Specialist

Printing: Breese Publishing, Breese, IL The Gateway Gardener® is published 9 times/year by Double Dig Communications, Inc. to promote enjoyable, successful gardening and livable landscapes in the St. Louis greater metropolitan area. The magazine is distributed free to the public at designated garden centers, nurseries, garden gift shops, lawn equipment rental, repair and sales establishments, and other locations supporting sound gardening, lawn and landscaping practices.

Please send letters-to-the-editor, questions, event announcements, editorial suggestions and contributions, photos, advertising inquiries and materials, and any other correspondence to: The Gateway Gardener Magazine® PO Box 220853 St. Louis, MO 63122 Phone: (314) 968-3740

info@gatewaygardener.com www.gatewaygardener.com The Gateway Gardener® is printed on recycled newsprint using environmentally friendly soy-based ink, and is a member of the PurePower® renewable energy resources network.

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From the Editor

everal years ago, I finally installed winterberry deciduous hollies in my garden, desirous of the beautiful red berries that adorn their branches through much of the winter until the birds, seemingly as a last resort, finish them off.

I was sold 3 female plants along with a male to do the job of pollinating the females (with help from the bees). A beautiful display was enjoyed the first year, and I want to say a second year as well, for I have pictures of red berries on larger shrubs.

Then, after being disappointed for a couple years by berry no-shows, I took magnifying loupe in hand this spring to investigate, and discovered the shrub I thought was a male was in fact a sister of the other three.

I immediately drove to my local independent garden center and purchased one of the flowering males in stock. Though it was midway through the flowering season, and the new man on the block was a fraction of the size of the established ladies, it attracted the attention of enough pollinators to result in berries on the two girls rubbing shoulders with it. My hope is, as it grows, and with a full flowering season to work with, the guy and his pollinator buddies will expand their territory to complete the job.

around them.

Winterberry, Ilex verticillata, and possumhaw, Ilex decidua, are two excellent and common choices for adding interest and wildlife sustenance to the drab winter landscape. But there are many, many other fine plants that can help bridge the garden’s gap between the last colorful leaves of autumn and the first bulbs of spring. A couple of articles in this issue explore the possibilities.

First, Steffie Littlefield covers various strategies for creating winter interest on page 4, from plants that miraculously produce flowers in late winter, to those sporting hardy evergreen foliage, to others that feature persistent or unusual structure. Then, on page 6, Abby Lapides narrows in on one of those categories, providing a review of some of her favorite perennials that pump antifreeze through their veins to stay green or some other hue to contrast with the brown or white

On the Cover...

The winter garden doesn’t have to be all holly berries and fir trees. In backto-back articles on pages 4 and 6, we offer a landscape full of suggestions for evergreen perennials like these frosty coral bells and other plants to keep interest growing in the garden until spring. (photo by Robert Weaver)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 The Gateway Gardener™

The term “winter interest” means more to some species in the garden than the appearance we humans focus upon. Many insects, especially many native bees, use the upright woody stalks of spent perennials to shelter their eggs, which hatch in the summer unless overly tidy gardeners remove the stalks before that can happen.

Dried, spent flower heads also hold onto seeds that feed birds and small mammals through lean times of winter. And dense mounds of grasses give much appreciated shelter against the winter’s blustery breezes. So, Scott Woodbury reminds us on page 10 to put off the clean up as long as possible. Talked me into it. I can always put off until tomorrow…

And with that, we wrap up another year in the garden. As always, I wish all of our readers, contributors, advertisers and other friends a safe, healthy and bountiful New Year. Happy Holidays, and…

Good Gardening!

IN THIS ISSUE 4 6 8 10 11 12 13 14

Winter Gardens Evergreen Perennials Holiday Gift Guide Don’t Cut Those Stalks MoGIC 2017 Horticultural Holidays Dig This Upcoming Events 3

Winter Gardens

by Steffie Littlefield

E

veryone has a different heavily since that will smother answer when asked what your new seedlings that will the winter will be like, expand your planting quickly. but one thing all meteorologists Next on my list is Epimedium, agree on is that our winter bishop’s hat or barrenwort. This weather can be warm one day small shade lover has delicate and bitter cold the next. This is orchid like flowers in very early hard on plants and hard for those spring, charming heart-shaped who want to create a four-season leaves on wiry stems. This great landscape. In St Louis we can plant is wonderful in a dry shade be outside enjoying our gardens location, and as the temperature and landscapes at any month drops, its leaves will turn a light in the year. But what is there to tan and hang on adding to the see or enjoy in the garden during winter landscape.

January or February? If you add Another part-shade perennial some of these plants to your list Hellebores hunkering down under a late winter snow. that really looks great all winter there will be a whole new season is the groundcover Hypericum, St. of interest in your own backyard.

John’s wort. It is low and lime green in summer and stays green First on this list is one of my favorites, Helleborus, hellebores or most of the winter. Heuchera or coral bells also keep their leaves Lenten roses. Not only are these hardy perennials evergreen with all winter in part shade, and many varieties have leaves that are large dark rich foliage, but the flowers will start to emerge on any amber, chartreuse or even purple adding a soft fluffy mounding sunny winter day. Remember not to mulch this little darling too plant shape and texture to the winter landscape and also some great

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Steffie Littlefield is a part-owner of Edg-Clif Farms & Vineyard. She has degrees from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Southeast Missouri State and is a member of Gateway Professional Horticultural Association and past president of the Horticulture Co-op of Metropolitan St. Louis.

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showstopper is ‘Blonde Ambition’ blue gama grass (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’), a native ornamental grass with a completely new look. The horizontal eyelash-like flowers age to blonde seed heads by fall. They are held on the plant right through the winter to provide many months of interest.

Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ is a lovely fountain-like grass with upright wheat-like seed heads to produce a vertical element in the

Above, sedges, like this Carex ‘Blue Zinger’ and ornamental grasses like Panicum ‘Dust Devil’ give winter interest and shelter to wildlife. Right, shrubs with colorful or interestingly shaped stems, such as this contorted filbert ‘Harry Lauder’s Walking garden border.

Stick’, also give winter interest.

I am a big fan of the arborescens hydrangeas like ‘Annabelle’ color. and ‘Invincibelle’ and the dozens of newer cultivars. The flowers One of the best families of plants for looking great all winter is in winter are charming fluffy, tan balls on sturdy stems. The big Carex, or sedge. These short to flowers of the paniculata hydrangeas like ‘Lime Light’ and ‘Little mid-height grasslike plants are Lime’ have a similar dried flower all winter. Other shrubs have wonderful even in the winter, interesting seed heads in the winter like crape myrtles, vitex and with green, bluish green, gold or ‘Tiger Eye’ sumac. Then there even white striped foliage, spiky are the shrubs with colorful and A Million Garden Tools or curly and mounding. There interesting stems all winter, the in One! are so many choices. Some like red and yellow twig dogwoods, (Okay, maybe not a million, but certainly tons. Our favorite #1 tool!) it dry and others like shade. It’s itea, curly willow, ninebark and amazing how great these plants buckthorn. look in the winter.

Combining the above plants with There are several true ornamental the evergreen and “evercolor” grasses that add interest to the plants from last month’s article landscape all winter. Pennisetum will really make a spectacular Seedheads on shrubs and ‘Hameln’ has been used winter show! perennials, like this milkweed, extensively even in northern Photos by Robert Weaver capture snow and feed wildlife.

climates with great success in snow and ice. Another grass that has been found to be a winter

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Evergreen Perennials

by Abby Lapides

Dianthus ‘Pinball Wizard’

D

Helleborus Wedding Party Mix

uring the dregs of winter when most perennials are quietly asleep underground it can be difficult to see life in the garden.

Plant a few of these evergreen perennials for a reminder that spring is right around the corner.

features tie-dyed pink and white fluff balls that look like the true carnation flowers. Their deliciously fragrant blossoms appear from spring into fall. It makes a dense, low-growing carpet of powdery-blue foliage that looks great all year long.

The excellently named ‘Pinball For best flowering, deadhead Wizard’ carnation, Dianthus, spent blossoms.

Don’t forget about the Lenten rose, Helleborus, - my required shade garden plant. The deerand bunny-resistant beautiful flowers in a rainbow of colors bloom earlier than just about everything! Lenten roses also make great cut flowers, and of course, they have excellent evergreen foliage. The Wedding

for

Christmas Fern Party Series of Lenten rose offers vigorous plants with double-petaled flowers in an array of colors.

Evercolor® series features six different sedges. Of this excellent series, I particularly love two – ‘Everillo’ and ‘Eversheen’.

Autumn fern and the Missouri Everillo’s lime-gold foliage native, Christmas fern are lends a brilliant accent to the two fabulous ferns that keep garden. The dark green edges looking great through winter. that surround the bright golden Autumn fern’s new fronds centers of Eversheen’s glossy emerge coppery-red before blades create a striking contrast. maturing to deep green. The These two sedges excel in shade robust Christmas fern keeps gardens, their wispy foliage its leathery fronds all winter in pairs well with the large leaves most spots of St. Louis. Both of hostas and the ferny foliage are easy to grow, deer resistant and fluffy flowers of astilbe. and tolerate deep shade.

All thrifts, Armeria, have bright For a delicate pop to landscapes grass-like evergreen foliage, and containers, try one of the but they usually only bloom in sedges, Carex, that keep their spring and sometimes again in color all winter long. The newer fall when the weather cools.

The 10-year breeding program of ‘Daydream’ thrift fixed the missing summer blooms while NEED A SPEAKER still providing the excellent your Garden Club or Group? evergreen foliage. ‘Daydream’ offers frost-to-frost blooms Master Gardener Speakers Bureau volunteers are available to speak to garden that look like a bouquet of pink clubs, church, civic and other groups. lollipops on top of a miniature Choose from over 50 different programs, grassy knoll. Thrifts prefer full from Aromatherapy to Winter Damage, sun and well-drained soil. They Birds in the Garden, to Soil Preparation, make a top choice for rock Daylilies to Orchids. and miniature gardens, and for Explore the complete list of topics at www. edging. stlmg.org. Look for the Speakers Bureau tab in the top margin.

(A $50 fee funds Master Gardener programming in our community.)

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Carex ‘Eversheen’

The often overlooked spurge, Pachysandra, is one of the most scandalously underutilized plants for home gardens in St. Louis. Not only does spurge give us beautiful evergreen foliage

The Gateway Gardener™ NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017

Armeria ‘Daydream’

Ajuga ‘Burgundy Glow’

that always looks fabulous, but it grows in dark shade, tolerates dry spots, and won’t climb up trees or houses. It’s the perfect groundcover for large areas. I always recommend this plant over the invasive English ivy and wintercreeper. The glossy deep green foliage of ‘Green Sheen’ gives a little more zhoosh than the original Pachysandra terminalis.

cranesbill ‘Biokovo’ and ‘Biokovo Karmina’, Geranium.

They offer deeply-lobed round foliage that has a spicy scent that wards off deer and rabbits.

In autumn, the foliage turns dark red and remains that way all winter long. Biokovo blooms white with pink stamens while Biokovo Karmina blooms hot fuchsia. Biokovo was named the 2015 Perennial Plant of the Another great groundcover Year. option is bugleweed, Ajuga, The foliage of many coral which smothers weeds and hugs bells (Heuchera) remain everthe ground. They bloom blue purple, ever-orange or everor pink spikes in spring and the (insert color here). Most grow foliage comes in an array of into mid-sized perfect mounds colors. ‘Burgundy Glow’ has of brightly colored leaves that dappled green, cream and smoky have pink or white blooms in pink foliage. The toughest midsummer. Many coral bells of all, ‘Chocolate Chip’, has are extremely hardy and survive small leaves of chocolate with well in pots, making them ideal burgundy streaks and deep blue for winter displays. Place a flowers. small spruce tree, a sedge or If you want easy plants bugleweed, and a coral bell in a don’t look much further than pot and you’ll have a beautiful

Geranium ‘Biokovo Karmina’

Heuchera ‘Forever Purple’

mixed container all winter long.

Some newer favorite Corals Bells are the striking ‘Forever Purple’ and ‘Forever Red’, and the frosty foliaged, ‘Silver Gumdrop’.

begins to push out. Being able to see some life in the garden will keep your gardening spirits up while you wait out the winter.

All photos provided by Abby Lapides except Christmas Fern, Many evergreen perennials courtesy North Creek Nursery, benefit from a hard cutting in and Biokovo Karmina, by early spring, before new foliage Robert Weaver.

Abby Lapides is owner and a speaker at Sugar Creek Gardens Nursery. She has degrees from the University of Missouri, and is a member of the Landscape and Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis.

You can reach her at (314) 965-3070.

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Holiday Gifts

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Amaryllis Give exquisite beauty and a pot full of joy with holiday blooming Amaryllis. Considered by many as one of the most gorgeous plants of the season, their large flowers are made up of velvety petals of Christmas red, snow white or even candy stripped red and white.

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Big Heart Tea Company Loose-Leaf Tea Lisa Govro is no stranger to the St. Louis gardening community.

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Alpine Hanging Ceramic Birdhouse A beautiful decorative ceramic birdhouse by Alpine with perch and a heavy-duty rope for hanging. The 2” entryway hole is suitable for many bird species.

Bright colors are available including yellow, orange, red and turquoise. These are great for functional outdoor décor. $34.99

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Hillermann Nursery & Florist 2601 E. 5th Street Washington, MO 63090 636-239-6729 Hillermann.com

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Tiki Tikt Totems For the House or Garden This cute totem comes in two styles. ST. LOUIS BLUES or ST. LOUIS CARDINALS. It stands 16” tall and will put a smile on every sports fans face. You choose your favorite or better yet pick up both. $31.99 each Daniel’s Farm & Greenhouse 352 Jungermann Rd. St. Peters, MO (636) 441-5048 DanielsFarmAndGreenhouse. com

batches. Soaps, lotions, face creams, balms are perfect for the gardener in your life. Sold individually or in gifts sets.

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for Gardeners

nters and other related shops for some suggestions to make your shopping easier-und as a not-so-subtle hint to your Santa. a great holiday photo op with our antique Russian sleigh!

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succulents. Mix them up with live plants in your terrariums, or place them on top of one of our decorative planters, or do a cool assorted display on your coffee table. How about some wall art?

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Moon Valley Organics Find the best, organic stocking stuffers at Frisella Nursery. We are proud to carry Moon Valley Organics’ line of soaps, lotions, and lip balms. Moon Valley Organics sustainably grows and harvests its own organic ingredients and processes them while still fresh, to give you the purest, most indulgent and Succulent Creations exceptional experiences under A perfect way to add color to your home this winter! These the moon. easy to grow, low maintenance succulents make a great house Rolling Ridge Nursery plant gift. Small enough to fit on 60 N. Gore a window sill. From $20.

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Ceramic Flowers.

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Holiday Greens Containers.

Brighten up your entryway or porch with these fragrant, festive holiday greens. Two sizes, $19.98 and $29.98. Makes a lovely seasonal gift!

dark cherry and ripe grape aroma and flavor. The recipe comes with each bottle. $12/ bottle. Contact steffie@edgclif.com to place order.

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th 9

Naturally Natives

Tips and Resources for Growing and Landscaping with Sustainable Native Plants

Wait! Don’t Cut That Stalk! text and photos by Scott Woodbury

I

took my first steps in horticulture walking down a narrow path of age-old gardening traditions. I learned to care for vegetable gardens, a rose garden, a lilac screen and perennial borders each with squarely trimmed hedges and edges. The lawn was cut in a diamond pattern using an old-style reel mower.

Here weeds were banished, soil was cultivated (not mulched), yew and privet were sculpted, edges were straight as a yard-stick and not a blade or stalk strayed out of place. The compost piles were huge, especially in autumn when the garden was “put to bed”. You get the picture... formal garden. I spent my first-ever job in 7th These sumac stems will make inviting nestgrade here, raking leaves, cutting down stalks making habitat for small native bees. and starting a new compost pile. I’ve been raking leaves and cutting dead stalks ever since. nests found that there were 150 species of seeds Well, almost ever since. I’ve recently learned discovered in the nests of one bird species. Here that plant stalks in gardens, like in nature, have is another great reason to keep some of those value. They are home to overwintering bee stalks standing into spring. larvae. They are ambush perches for migrating Finally, standing stalks hold a significant flycatchers and seed stores for hungry birds (and amount of seed going into winter, I’d guess mammals) when it snows. They are lifesaving between 5-10 percent. The rest has fallen to wind screens from the bitter cold and building the ground where birds tend to browse the materials for nesting birds. most, except when it snows. With snow on the Heather Holm, author of Pollinators of Native ground, birds shift gears and begin feeding on Plants, says that bees need standing plant stems the tops of the plants. Plants that hold some and prefer cut stems because it’s easier to access seed include blazingstar, black-eyed Susan, the pithy center where they dig in to lay eggs in aster, goldenrod, mountain mint, wild bergamot spring. Eggs develop into larvae in summer that and native grasses. On cold snowy days it’s fun overwinter inside the dead plant stem. Heather to watch sparrows and finches working seed recommends cutting stems 15-20 inches tall in clusters high up on the stem while juncos feed late winter. on seed in the snow. That’s teamwork in action; If you happen to cut all the stalks down in one of the reasons why birds flock in mixed winter you can cut stems from elsewhere and species during winter. bring them into your garden in March. Sumac and sunflower stalks work well because they last into the second season better than wild bergamot and goldenrod. Simply cut an armful of stems being sure to get the thickest portion low to the ground. Stab them into the soil at least four inches deep leaving fifteen to twenty inches standing above ground with a cut end exposed. Bees are attracted to the cut ends where they drill into the soft pith to lay their eggs. Feel free to get creative with your arrangement of ten to twenty stems per cluster. I was amazed this past spring to see so much bee activity April thru June. It really worked.

Another spring activity in the garden is bird nesting and it turns out that birds often use seed heads to build a nest. One recent survey of

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cut it down. Thirdly, you may not want some species spreading aggressively from seed like Joe-pye weed, goldenrod (most species), golden Alexander, New England aster, river oats and switchgrass. If you want to prevent them from spreading deadhead them just after they are done blooming. Birds won’t be able to eat them but if you leave the stalks standing in spring you will attract bees. Here are some tricks to creative stalking! In winter, cut flopping stalks out, keeping the sturdier ones that remain standing. You will find that plants like ironweed, blazingstar, Joe-pye weed and sunflower are sturdy and stand up well through winter and into the following spring and summer. In late winter cut these species and others like them to fifteen to twenty inches in height. You don’t have to leave every clump standing. Select perhaps 25 percent or more of the total number of plants. When you mulch

A tiny bee drills into a wild bergamot stem.

Reading all this you might be tempted to keep around them in late winter or early spring they every stem standing in your garden, but three will look like a traditional flower bed and will things will likely happen. One, many stems go unnoticed by persnickety neighbors. Happy gardening! aren’t strong enough to remain standing and Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the they flop over either Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden in winter or spring. at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, Cut these stems off MO, where he has worked with native plant when they become propagation, design, and education for unsightly at ground more than 20 years. He is also an advisor level. Second, if you began leaving all your to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s stems, you would GrowNative! program. probably receive a complaint from a neighbor that would result in a citation to

The Gateway Gardener™ NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017

On Influencing a Small Patch of Land MoGIC 2017

By Robert Weaver long schedule of national and local presenters at the Missouri Green Industry Conference geared for master gardeners and other serious gardeners, students, and of course green-industry professionals wishing to improve their skills and knowledge of the industry’s latest technologies, practices and equipment.

Claudia West presenting at last year’s MoGIC conference.

I

n the forward to Claudia West’s co-authored book, Planting in a Post-Wild World, it is written that “The front lines of the battle for nature are not in the Amazon rain forest or the Alaskan wilderness; the front lines are our backyards, medians, parking lots, and elementary schools. The ecological warriors of the future won’t just be scientists and engineers, but gardeners, horticulturists, land managers, landscape architects, transportation department staff, elementary school teachers, and

community association board members. This book is dedicated to anyone who can influence a small patch of land.”

If that is you, then you shouldn’t miss Claudia’s presentations, “The Power of Urban Nature: Why Better Urban Ecosystems Create Better Lives”, and “Creating Stunning Plant Communities that Stand the Test of Time.” Claudia is an acclaimed speaker and author, and a leading voice in the emerging field of ecological planting design. Her programs are just two in a day-

The Missouri Green Industry Conference features educational tracks on Landscape Opportunities, Landscape Management, Landscape Architecture and Design, Sports Fields, Golf, and Water Management, plus

Wednesday, November 29th, 2017

St. Charles Convention Center St. Charles, MO Featuring TWO presentations by critically acclaimed author and speaker Claudia West, principal of Phyto Studio LLC, and a leading voice in the emerging field of ecological planting design.

Plus KEYNOTE by Larry DeWitt, Founder and CEO, DeWitt Company and programs by Brad Jakubowski, Penn State University Eric Ervin, Virginia Tech Guy Sternberg, Starhill Forest Arboretum And MORE!

Seven Educational Tracks

an opportunity for pesticide applicators to complete recertification. A vendor exhibit will display the latest plants, equipment and materials available to the industry. Managing hosts for the conference include the Gateway Chapter Sports Turf Managers Association, Gateway Irrigation Association, Mississippi Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association, and Missouri Green Industry Alliance.

The Missouri Green Industry Conference will be held on November 29th, 2017 at St. Charles Convention Center in St.. Charles, Missouri. To register, or for more information on the conference, visit www. mogic.org. The pre-registration deadline is November 15th at noon. Interested attendees can still register after that up to the day of the event, including walkup registration.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 The Gateway Gardener™

Landscape Opportunities • Landscape Management Landscape Architecture & Design • Sports Fields Golf • Water Management Pesticide Applicator Recertification (Cat. 3) Continuing Educational Opportunity for Professionals, Master Gardeners, and Students in

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Managing Organizations

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Horticultural Holiday Celebrations

The winter holiday season always offers so many activities. Here are a few highlights of some family events and activities put on the calendar by our friends in the St. Louis-area horticultural world.

Millstadt Gardens/N.G. Heimos Greenhouses Poinsettia Wonderland Open House Nov. 19th 9am-4pm

Over 200 different varieties of poinsettias • Casual guided tours from 10-3 with acres of red, pink, white and other popular poinsettia colors • Shop for poinsettias and other holiday plants • Visit with Santa • Enjoy caroling and dance performances • Shop the holiday market for homemade gifts from area crafters • Bring your camera for one-of-akind holiday photo opportunities • Just a few minutes from the J.B. Bridge on Route 158 toward Millstadt, Illinois.

Missouri Botanical Gardens Garden Glow, Gardenland Express and More

Garden Glow features a million lights surrounding visitors with a spectacle of unique installations • Enjoy interactive photo opportunities, traditional holiday music and festivities, delicious food and drinks • The Gardenland Express Holiday Flower and Train Show features six tracks of animated model trains and hundreds of festive holiday plants • Both events run November 17th through January 1st.

Garden Center Holiday Open Houses

Many Garden Centers transform seasonal showcase areas into family-friendly holiday shops, and several kick off the season with an open house. Music, treats, visits from Santa and more are often on the agenda. Here are just a few scheduled events of which we’ve been made aware. Check out our Upcoming Events calendar for more details.

November 12th Webster Groves Business District

November 16th Hillermann Nursery & Florist November 26th Sappington Garden Shop

December 2nd Frisella Nursery

December 2nd Rolling Ridge Nursery

December 2nd & 3rd Garden Heights Nursery

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The Gateway Gardener™ NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017

Dig This!

Gateway Gardeners and Businesses in the News Washington Earns National Recognition

The Washington in Bloom committee, left to right: Mary Beth Rettke, director of tourism: Beth Kleekamp, Washington Garden Club; Chad Owens, parks department foreman; Mayor Sandy Lucy; Lynne Curtis, Washington Garden Club; Director of Parks and Recreation Darren Dunkle; Linda Becker, Washington Garden Club; Josh Wargo, horticulturist and arborist for the Parks Department; and Dave Wehmeyer and Sally Bocklage, Washington in Bloom committee co-chairs.

Photo by Kavahn Mansouri, courtesy The Missourian.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 The Gateway Gardener™

The America in Bloom community enhancement program once again has recognized the City of Washington at its National Awards ceremony in October. This year Washington won the Best Pollinator Habitat Award in the Special Awards category.

The City of Washington actively advocates for the planting and maintenance of pollinator gardens in public, business and private landscapes throughout the city.

Sixteen pollinator habitat gardens are recognized in a pamphlet promoting a self-guided public pollinator garden tour. Both public and private gardens also can be recognized by the City as a Washington Certified Pollinator Garden. Residents or organizations simply need to complete an application to apply for certification. Once approved, the participant will receive a certificate. A metal garden sign may also be purchased for $15.00.

Washington has an impressive history of past successes with AIB, including last year’s award of the top prize in its population category. In previous years it had also been recognized with outstanding achievement awards in urban forestry and community involvement.

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Upcoming Events FREE activity. 10-11am November: Thank a Veteran; 11am-1pm December: Visit with Santa and enjoy holiday crafts and activities.

Hillermann Nursery & Florist (636) 239-6729. Hillermann.com.

Meetings, Classes, Entertainment and More Updates to this information are often posted on our online events calendar at GatewayGardener. com, so check there for the latest details.

Give us the details of your upcoming gardening, lawn or landscaping event and we’ll add it to our website and include it in our next issue.

Deadline for printing in January/ February issue is December 1st.

How to reach us: Mail: PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122 Email: info@gatewaygardener. com

GARDEN CLUBS AND PLANT SOCIETY MEETINGS Interested in Joining a Garden Club or Plant Society? We have meeting dates, locations and contact information on more than 50 area garden clubs on our website at www.GatewayGardener.com.

Don’t have access to the internet?

Just call us at (314) 968-3740, or write us at PO Box 220853, St. Louis, MO 63122, and we’ll get the information to you. So share your joy for gardening and join a garden club or favorite plant society today!

FUN FOR KIDS

November 4th 9 am—Backyard Eggs Made Easy—Children’s Garden Club.

FREE. Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center. 2651 Barrett Station Rd. (314) 966-0028.

November 4th and December 2nd Hillermann’s First Saturday Kids. Play in the garden and enjoy a

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December 2nd 9 am—Holiday Decorating— Children’s Garden Club. FREE. Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center. 2651 Barrett Station Rd. (314) 966-0028.

December 2nd and 9th 11am-1pm—Pictures with Santa.

The wonder and excitement only Santa can bring comes alive at Hillermann’s! Children are invited to experience the thrill of visiting with Santa and telling him their Christmas wishes. Pets are welcome as well! YHTI Internet will take and print pictures for you to take home.

Children can enjoy holiday crafts and activities. In the giving spirit of the season, donations to Loving Hearts Outreach and Grace’s Place are requested for this event.

Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636239-6729, www.hillermann.com.

December 9th 1-4pm—Saturday with Santa.

Christmas Carols in the Garden.

Whisper your Christmas wishes to Santa Claus, rub noses with Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, listen to festive holiday carols and enjoy a free ride with your friends and family to see holiday decor at the Tower Grove House and Kemper Center. Missouri Botanical Garden.

CLASSES, LECTURES AND EVENTS Nov. 3rd 8:30am-3pm—MPF/Grow Native! Workshop: Soil Health for Native Plant Landscaping, Habitat Restoration, Sustainable Agriculture, Vegetable Gardening, and Water Quality.

Speakers include Dr. Elaine Ingham, internationally acclaimed soil microbiologist of Corvallis, Oregon, who is the founder, president, and director of research for Soil Foodweb Inc.; Doug Peterson of

Des Moines, Iowa, regional soil health specialist for Missouri and Iowa; and Dr. Alice Tipton, postdoctoral researcher on mycorrhizal fungi at the University of Kansas.

Host sponsor: St. Louis Community College, Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Rd, St. Louis, MO 63122. Cost: MPF/Grow Native! member: $40; non-member: $50. Student fee, with valid student ID: $20. Registration includes morning refreshments and lunch. Vegetarian/vegan option available. Details at grownative. org. The Nov. 3 workshop is made possible in partnership with Deer Creek Watershed Alliance, which is hosting Dr. Ingham for a series of learning activities on Thursday, Nov. 2 open to the public. Learn more about Deer Creek Watershed Alliance’s events on Nov. 2 at http://www.deercreekalliance.org/ speaker-series.

November 4th 10am—Holiday Plants-Growing Tips for Colorful Displays.

Discover the most beautiful holiday plants, with the best colors and forms. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood.

FREE. Call (314) 965-3070 for reservations.

November 4th and December 9th 10am-noon—Wine Making. A multi-class series on steps in wine making. You can attend as many as you like. Nov. 4th (Racking, Degas, Refining and Filtering), Dec. 9th (Bottling). A handout outlining each step in the process will be available. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, Hillermann. com.

November 9th 1-4pm—Native Plant School: The Next Invasive Plant Comes to Town. $17 ($14 Garden/SNR members). Classes behind the Bascom House at Shaw Nature Reserve. For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 or visit www.shawnature.org.

November 11th 10am-2pm—“Dirty Bird” Feeder Clean Up Day. Clean up your

bird feeders free of charge. Get them ready for the winter months.

Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636239-6729, Hillermann.com.

November 12th 10am-5pm—Old Webster Groves Holiday Open House. A tradition in Webster Groves for over 25 years, it draws thousands of visitors every year from all around the Greater St. Louis area. Refreshments, music, tree seedlings, crafters and more.

Be sure to stop by Rolling Ridge Nursery, 60 N. Gore, Webster Groves.

November 15th 7-9pm—Tap Root Series: The Songbird/Tree Connection. Learn how to make your landscape a birdfriendly habitat with native trees and other improvements. Mitch Leachman, Executive Director, St. Louis Audubon Society, guest speaker. Presented by Missouri Community Forestry Council. $10 contribution requested. Six Mile Bridge, 11841 Dorsett Rd., Maryland Heights, MO 63043. (314) 942-2211. For more information visit www.mocommunitytrees.org.

November 16th 10am-2pm—Using Compost to Create Sustainable Landscape Sites. A discussion on the benefits of compost to creat sustainable landscapes and manage drought, stormwater and erosion. CEUs available to professionals.

Free to attend, pre-registration required; contact Sara Ryan at sryan@stlcompost.com. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4651 Shaw Blv., St. Louis, MO 63110. Presented

by Composting & Organics Association of Missouri.

5-7:30pm—Elegant Evening Holiday Party. Join Hillermann’s staff for a special Holiday Celebration! Your RSVP is requested at 636-239-6729 by 11/20/17. Hillermann Nursery & Florist, 636-239-6729, Hillermann. com.

The Gateway Gardener™ NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017

November 17th through January 1st 9am-4pm—Gardenland Express. Annual holiday flower and train show features G-scale model trains traveling through a miniature landscape of living plants, surrounded by more than 500 colorful poinsettias and other flowers. Closed Christmas Day. Orthwein Floral Display Hall, Missouri Botanical Garden.

November 17th-January 1st 5-10pm—Garden Glow. Visitors will have the opportunity to stroll through the Garden at night surrounded by a spectacle of unique light installations. Hundreds of thousands of lights will adorn some of the Garden’s most iconic locations including the Climatron®, Kaeser Memorial Maze, the Central Axis and Tower Grove House.

Walkways will be transformed into an explosion of visual magic, while more traditional displays will delight crowds of all ages.

Family Night every Wednesday.

Tickets are date-specific and sold in limited quantities. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www. mobot.org/glow.

November 17th through January 1st 9am-5pm—Holiday Wreath Auction.

Featuring unique creations by some of the area’s finest floral designers. All wreaths are sold by silent auction bidding, with proceeds benefiting the Missouri Botanical Garden. Monsanto Hall, upper level of the Ridgway visitor center.

November 18th and November 25th 10am (both dates) and 1pm (Nov. 25 only)—Holiday Outdoor Containers and Decorations Using Natural Elements. Learn how to use the bounty of your yard, along with seasonal ornaments and evergreen plants to create exquisite containers and decorations. Sugar Creek Gardens, 1011 Woodlawn Rd., Kirkwood. FREE. Call (314) 965-3070 for reservations.

November 19th 9am-4pm—Poinsettia Wonderland Open House. See the largest display of poinsettias in the area. Guided tours of the greenhouses from 10am-3pm. Visit

with Santa, and enjoy Christmas carolers, holiday cookies and crafters. Proceeds from sales benefit Millstadt Optimist Youth Club.

Millstadt Gardens and N.G.Heimos Greenhouses, 6667 Route 158, Millstadt, IL, 62290. (618) 4769600.

November 26th 9am-5pm—Christmas Open House. Super special discounts and a gift for stopping in. Bring your children and cameras for a great photo opportunity. Sappington Garden Shop, 11530 Gravois Rd., (314) 843-4700.

November 29th Missouri Green Industry Conference. Featuring acclaimed author and speaker Claudia West. Seven educational tracks and an informational vendor expo. The Educational tracks include Landscape Opportunities, Landscape Management, Landscape Architecture & Design, Sports Fields, Golf, Water Management and Pesticide Recertification Training. Professionals from parks and rec, land care, irrigation, property management, golf course, sports fields, public or private facilities, large or small firms are encouraged to attend, as well as Master Gardeners and horticulture students. St. Charles Convention Center. Go to mogic.org for details and pre-registration.

Santa (10am-2pm). Garden Heights Nursery, 1605 Big Bend Blvd., Richmond Heights. (314) 6457333, GardenHeights.com.

the Bascom House at Shaw Nature Reserve. For reservations or more information, call (636) 451-3512 or visit www.shawnature.org.

December 10th Noon-4pm—Chanukah: Festival of Lights. A traditional Jewish holiday celebration that includes festive Israeli music and dance, a menorah-lighting ceremony, and Chanukah merchandise provided by local vendors and the Garden Gate Shop. Ridgway Visitor Center. Missouri Botanical Garden.

December 27th Noon-3pm—Kwanzaa: Festival of the First Fruits. This AfricanAmerican holiday centers around the feast table of the harvest. A Kwanzaa ceremony highlights a day of storytelling, craft and jewelry displays, and authentic African drumming and musical performances. Ridgway Center, Missouri Botanical Garden.

December 14th 1-4pm—Native Plant School: The Art and Function of Native Landscaping. $17 ($14 Garden/ SNR members). Classes behind

Start Your Family’s Holidays at the

Poinsettia Wonderland Open House Sunday, November 19th from 9am-4pm Greenhouse Tours 10am-3pm

December 2nd 9am-5pm—Customer Appreciation Day. Refreshments, food truck, local artisans and our own Christmas Store for a fun day of shopping and holiday inspiration.

Rolling Ridge Nursery, 60 N. Gore, Webster Groves. (314) 962-3311.

11am-4pm – Holiday Open House. Join Frisella’s for their annual Holiday Open House.

Caffe Angelina will be providing complimentary baked goods and coffee. They have a large selection of Christmas trees (live and cut), pine roping, wreaths, live trimmings and holiday gifts for the gardener.

Frisella Nursery, frisellanursery. com, 636.798.2555.

December 2nd and 3rd 10am-5pm—Holidays at Garden Heights. Open House, with cookies, cocoa and a visit from

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 The Gateway Gardener™

Come see the area’s LARGEST display of poinsettias!

Our Professional Growing Staff will be leading guided tours through acres of beautiful poinsettias. Plus...

Visit with Santa • Christmas Carolers Holiday Cookies & Beverages • Holiday Crafts

Millstadt Gardens N.G. Heimos Greenhouses 6667 Route 158 • Millstadt, IL 62260 (Just minutes from the JB Bridge) (618) 476-9600

Hosted by Millstadt Gardens, N.G. Heimos Greenhouses and the Heimos Family.

A portion of sale proceeds benefits Millstadt Optimist Youth Club.

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For the GREENEST lawn on the block Top Dress with STA-Certified Compost this fall to reduce water consumption and increase nutrients in your soil Top Dressing will reduce water consumption and increase nutrients in your soil. Visit St. Louis Composting’s six area locations for the largest selection of STA-certified compost, mulch products and soil blends.

BELLEVILLE, IL 5841 Mine Haul Road 618.233.2007

VALLEY PARK, MO 39 Old Elam Avenue 636.861.3344

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO 11294 Schaefer Drive 314.423.9035

FLORISSANT, MO 13060 County Park Road 314.355.0052

PACIFIC, MO 18900 Franklin Road 636.271.3352

stlcompost.com STLComposting

Step-by-Step Guide to Top Dressing: - Core aerate the lawn, concentrating on the most ........heavily trafficked sections.

- Apply a ½ inch layer of Field and Turf compost, using ........the Ecolawn Top Dresser - Smooth the surface using a rake or weighted drag ........mat to break down soil plugs and backfill holes - Spread grass seed, lightly rake, and water – making sure all seeds are covered with soil/compost layer to .........guard against winter damage - Water as needed, keeping the soil moist until seeds ........germinate

ST. LOUIS, MO 560 Terminal Row 314.868.1612 BEFORE