UGJ March-April '14

buffalo - ithaca - rochester - syracuse

The Birch Family Cathy Gets Crafty Hard Pruning for Woodies FREE

Volume Twenty, Issue Two March-April 2014

upstate gardeners’ journal - 1140 Ridge Crest Drive - Victor, new york 14564

SARA’S GARDEN

Garden Use Tie the Knot: Need a venue? Our mature gardens feature a beautiful setting of plants and stone walls, perfect for any wedding ceremony (and reception, too!).

And of course, we offer a full range of floral services: bouquets, boutonnières, corsages, table arrangements, and more. Whether your event is big or small, we want to help you set the perfect tone for your special day. Call us to set up a personal consultation.

Garden Plots for Rent: No time or space for growing your own vegetable garden? We can help with that! We add compost, till the beds, and water for you all season— you just come to plant and harvest (oh, and weed, too).

No easier way to do a veggie garden. Plots are 12 x 16 for $50.

Stone Wall Follies: John Shaw-Rimmington and Norman Haddow will return for our 2014 session of teaching the timeless technique of dry laid, stone wall construction.

10 students will work side by side with these 2 world renowned, lovers of stone for the entire weekend gaining the skills and understanding the beauty of this art. Come visit the gardens and be inspired by the work of our previous students. Early sign up recommended. Check out John and Norman’s blogs: thinking-stoneman.blogspot.com wallswithoutmortar.blogspot.com For details & reservations for the Stone Wall Follies, Veggie Gardens, events in our garden, or any other garden-related event, call or email… kkepler@rochester.rr.com 585-637-4745 Ask for Kathy!

30+ year Mission!

It is our greatest desire to provide our customers with top quality, well-grown plant material at a fair and honest price. We will strive to provide an unmatched selection of old favorites and underused, hard-to-find items, along with the newest varieties on the market. We will eagerly share our horticultural knowledge gained from years of education and experience. Lastly, we offer all this in a spirit of fun and lightheartedness.

Sara’s Garden Center | 389 East Ave. | Brockport 14420 | 585-637-4745

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Celebrating 100 Years

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Unique Specialty Annuals Houseplants • Herbs • Perennials

Garden Gifts & Decor

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tarting as a vegetable farm in

arr

H

Shrubs • Trees • Natives

y Lo

rd &

Charlotte Lockwood

bara Lockwood ar B & es am J y r ar H

1914, over four generations of the Lockwood family have

Clarence Newt on & Margaret Lockw ood

been building the business into the multi-faceted Garden Center that it is today. We still grow the majority of our annuals in our own greenhouses

Stephen Brodie & Elizabeth Lockwood

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Hilary McHale

u o y k n a h T tomers

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Maria Walczak: 716/432-8688 Contributing Writers:

Marion Morse | Michelle Sutton | Cathy Monrad Colleen O'Neill Nice | Andrew Fowler Carol Ann Harlos | Lynn Chimera

Contents

Stump the chump........................................................9 Almanac................................................................10-11 Ear to the ground..................................................... 13 Birches and their kin............................................16-18 Pruning shrubs, the hard way.............................20-22

1140 Ridge Crest Drive, Victor, NY 14564 585/733-8979 e-mail: info@upstategardenersjournal.com upstategardenersjournal.com The Upstate Gardeners’ Journal is published six times a year.

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All contents copyright 2014, Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.

Southtowns shopping trip..................................24-29 Calendar...............................................................32-78 The garden beneath...........................................49-50 Recipe: Go green spring vegetables...................... 50 Crafty gardener......................................................... 57 Plantasia seminar schedule..................................... 58

Never miss another issue! Get the UGJ delivered to your door six times a year for just $15.00. It’s our area’s guide to everything gardeners want to know about. To give a gift, simply enclose a note with the gift recipient’s info. We’ll send a notice and start the subscription.

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Q&A

Stump the chump

Back in November we ran a “reverse Q&A” wherein we asked you, the reader, to Name This Plant.

It was such a popular feature that we’ve decided to do it again. It’s a toughie, so if we don’t get any correct guesses by the end of March we’ll post a clue to our website.

The first reader to guess correctly will win a lilac from Lilac Hill Nursery. Submit answers to jane@janemilliman.com or by calling 585-733-8979.

LEFT: The winter foliage of a mature specimen TOP RIGHT: a seedling BOTTOM RIGHT: some fruits (nuts)

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 9

Almanac

What to do in the garden in March and April The following are some general ideas for early spring gardening. Take weather conditions into account and wait until the soil is above 50 degrees to try any planting.

Winter damage

Clean up and remove leaves and winter plant debris, which are loaded with phosphorus, from paved surfaces and street drainage openings.

In the absence of heavy spring rains, the salt residue in areas near a road, sidewalk, or driveway can be flushed out by thoroughly soaking the area a few times with a hose.

Snow, wind and ice can cause damage to trees and shrubs. Prune out any damaged branches.

Plants that have “heaved” from the freezing and thawing action of the soil should be replanted as soon as the soil is workable.

Don’t walk on your gardens if the soil is saturated and squishy. You don’t want to compress the soil and destroy its structure.

Pruning

INSET: Sedum

10 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

Early spring is a good time for pruning many shrubs.

Even spring bloomers such as forsythia and lilac can be cut back in early spring if you’re willing to sacrifice the flowers for one year.

Prune trees too now if needed. Maple and birch should be pruned only after their leaves have fully emerged since the wounds may bleed.

Never “top” a tree. This produces a weak tree with an unnatural shape.

Fruit trees should be pruned in late winter or early spring before bud break. Pay particular attention to any twigs or branches with cankers or black knot (dark swollen galls). These should be removed and discarded before bud break.

Prune brambles (raspberries and blackberries) during March to remove any dead, diseased, or damaged and the oldest canes to increase air circulation.

When pruning, be careful to not to cut flush to

the trunk. Cut outside the branch collar (the swelling in bark around the area where the branch meets the tree). For more information on proper pruning techniques contact your local extension office or look for extension resources online.

Wound dressing or paint is no longer recommended. If properly pruned the wound is best left to heal naturally.

Cut back and prune roses when forsythia blooms. Cut back dead or crossing canes to about one-quarter inch above an outward facing bud.

Prune back pussy willows after the catkins are finished blooming. Remove dead branches. Cut the older gray branches to the ground.

Cut winter dieback off lavender by pruning into green wood late in April.

Perennials

Cut back grasses and other perennials that have been left up for winter interest. Ideally this should be done before the new growth gets more than a few inches high so you don’t damage the new growth while cutting back the old.

Any plant material that has not harbored disease can be put in the compost pile.

When you can work the soil, plant pansies, foxglove, and other cool weather plants.

Sow coriander, orach salad greens, baby’s breath, poppy, phlox, and cornflower seeds directly into garden beds.

Pull emerging weeds by hand so as not to disturb emerging perennials and bulbs. This also prevents new weeds from growing from disturbed soil.

Hostas, liriope, daylilies, dicentra, coral bells and Shasta daisies are some perennials that can be divided before new growth starts in spring.

Scatter annual poppy seeds in the garden for bloom in June and early July.

Vegetables

Take the time to plan your vegetable garden taking care to use crop rotation. Do not plant

members of the same plant family (tomatoes and peppers for example) in the same spot as last year.

If you decide to push the season by doing early plantings, be sure to use row covers for protection.

Seed a crop of lettuce either directly into the garden or start the seeds indoors and transplant.

Top-dress your gardens with mulch for weed prevention.

Put up a trellis for your peas.

Check your seed packages to see whether you should start seeds indoors or direct-sow them outside. Also check information on the envelopes for the appropriate number of weeks prior to planting outside.

Houseplants

Houseplants are coming to life with the increased hours of sunlight. This is a good time to resume feeding.

Give houseplants a good “shower” in the sink or tub to clean off dust buildup from the winter months.

For plants too large to move, give the leaves a sponge bath.

Prune off any dead or yellowing leaves and branches.

Any plants that have outgrown their pots can be repotted. If you want the plant to continue increasing in size just repot it in a larger container. If you want

to keep the plant in the same size container the roots can be trimmed back.

General

Apply horticultural oil to trees and shrubs that have had past problems with sucking insects such as mites, aphids, scale, whitefly and adelgids. Carefully follow the application directions for temperature and weather conditions. If applied at the wrong time they are not effective.

If you didn’t clean, sharpen and check garden tools in autumn do it now. It makes a huge difference in how well they work and how long they last.

Place new birdhouses outdoors and/or clean out older ones.

Scrub and sterilize reusable pots and seed starter trays by washing them in a dilute mixture (10%) of warm water and bleach.

Set up a notebook or computer folder so you have a place to keep notes and pictures to learn from this season’s successes and disappointments.

Plant a tree on Friday April 29 to celebrate National Arbor Day. If you have not planted herbs previously include them in your garden plan.

Fertilize your spring bulbs when the leaves first appear.

—Carol Ann Harlos & Lyn Chimera, Master Gardeners, Erie County Cornell Cooperative Extension

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May You Flourish

Ear to the ground Greetings, upstate gardeners!

What with the Polar Vortex and the Great Lakes freezing for the first time since 1974, we’re all ready for a little spring. If that’s what you’re after, you’ve come to the right place. As we enter our 20th year of publication, we’re just as excited as ever to bring you the best of gardening that upstate New York has to offer.

••• New Name for an Old Friend

PLANT WNY, the Professional Landscape and Nursery Trades—that’s

the new name for the former Western New York Nursery and Landscape Association, the folks that bring you Leaf a Legacy and the Plantasia garden and landscape show. If you’re looking to hire a pro in WNY, peruse PLANT WNY’s member organizations on its website, PlanyWNY.com.

Plants Map—Organize and Share your Plant Collections

Former Rochesterarea gardeners Tracy and Bill Blevins, now relocated to the mild climes of Virginia, have started up a slick new website that is a cross between a plants database and a social network, “a way for individuals and not-for-profit public gardens, plant societies, associations, arboretums, botanical gardens and other beautiful places to contribute, organize, and maintain plant lists and photos into gardens and collections and virtually

share them with others.” Whew! Check it out at PlantsMap.com.

Garden Walk Buffalo, National Garden Festival Merge

And speaking of a 20th anniversary, Garden Walk Buffalo and the National Garden Festival have announced they will merge. “As we looked ahead to celebrating Garden Walk Buffalo’s 20th anniversary in 2014, our Board of Directors felt it was time to take stock of our role in the community,” said Cindy Loomis, Garden Walk Buffalo Board President. “We’ve felt that the time had come to build on the success we’ve had in creating one of the country’s great horticultural events. With this merger, we think we can help create one of the country’s great horticultural destinations.”

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Birches and their kin

by Andrew Fowler

ABOVE: Sweet birch RIGHT TOP: River birch bark RIGHT MIDDLE: Hornbeam bark RIGHT BOTTOM: Hophornbeam bark

16 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

B

irches (Betula spp.) are among the most cold-hardy of deciduous trees, being natives of the northern boreal forests alongside firs and spruces. During the glacial periods, birches remained close to the glaciers’ edges, and once those glaciers retreated birches became the pioneer species. Today they prove themselves good colonizers of disturbed soils, highway cuts and abandoned agricultural fields, and can serve as nurse trees for other species. They are usually short-lived, except perhaps for the yellow birch (B. alleghaniensis), which maintains its presence with beech and maple among climax forest communities along the Appalachian chain and throughout the northeast and Great Lakes.

Birches are noted for their colorful, peeling bark, with

white being the most commonly associated feature. It was this asset that brought birches into the gardeners’ world— unfortunately, the European white birch (B. pendula) became the birch of choice, while the native species were all but ignored. The problem with most birches is that they are denizens of cold northern forests, and placing them in manicured landscapes and lawns is almost inevitably going to stress them. The European white birch soon proved to be highly susceptible to the bronze birch borer, a native beetle that feeds on the cambium of stressed trees and generally proves fatal. The native paper birch (B. papyrifera), also a white-barked species, is less susceptible to the beetle. However, this species likes a cool, moist acid soil, a rare commodity in most landscapes. The determining factor in bronze birch borer resistance is the presence of the chemical rhododendrol, produced in stressed and dying bark tissue in all white-barked species of birch, which is a strong attractant to egg-laying female borers.

There are two native birches that do not produce rhododendrol and are thus resistant to the borer: the sweet birch (B. lenta) and the river birch (B. nigra). Leaf miners are also a major problem on white-barked species, but not for sweet and river birch.

All birches have alternate, ovate, pointed leaves with finely serrated margins on thin reddish-brown branches.

Fall color is usually a golden yellow. All are monoecious with separate male and female flowers formed in the fall but remaining tight until spring. The female flowers are upright and enclosed in a bud. When open they look like small cones. Male catkins are pendulous and clearly visible through winter, looking like little tails hanging from the branch tips. Flowering takes place in April, when the catkins expand and open to shed the pollen, which is windborne and can be an allergen for some people. The seeds are small and winged and are dispersed during the winter as the small cones disintegrate.

Birches prefer moist acid soils that remain fairly cool.

They have fibrous root systems, which makes for easy transplanting. Fall transplanting is not recommended, however, because their thin bark and abundant twigs make water conservation through the winter difficult.

Transplanting in the spring before bud break is the best time. However, they readily sprout from the base if cut down, and can be rejuvenated this way.

Birches are “bleeders” and should not be pruned in late winter or spring, but rather right after leaf drop in the fall. They can be tapped in the spring for their sap, which is used to make birch beer. Often frozen sap can be found during the winter months hanging from storm-broken twigs, and these make good popsicles.

As mentioned above, the white-barked species are particularly prone to problems due to environmental stress, notably attacks by birch bark borer and birch leaf miner.

However, there are two species, native to the eastern United States, which are fairly resistant to both pests.

These are the sweet birch (B. lenta), also known as cherry birch or black birch, and river birch (B. nigra).

Sweet Birch

Native from New York to Maine and down the Appalachian chain to Georgia, the sweet birch is hardy to Zone 3, and is better adapted to cultivation in warmer climes than the white-barked species. This species is a fast grower and reaches a height of perhaps 50’ and a span of 35’, and is distinctly upright in youth. The bark is a rich red-brown with prominent horizontal lenticels, reminiscent of cherry bark, becoming almost black and scaly with age. The young stems are thin and reddish brown and strongly smell and taste of wintergreen when bruised or chewed, which makes for easy identification. Yellow birch (B. alleghaniensis) also has a wintergreen odor but is not nearly as strong. The leaves of sweet birch are ovate, sharp pointed and finely serrated. Glossy green in summer, they turn a rich golden yellow in the fall, perhaps the best of all the birch leaves for fall color. The male flowers form in the fall and persist through winter hanging from the terminals, expanding and opening in April before or with the unfurling leaves. The pistillate flowers are held upright lower on the branches and open in time to receive pollen in the spring. The pistillate flowers develop through the summer into strobiles, resembling small cones, holding the small winged nutlets, which are dispersed through the winter.

This species does well on moist, fertile, acidic soils with good drainage, but will also tolerate dry soils once established. Full sun is best but it will also tolerate a modicum of shade. Poorly drained soils should be avoided.

The lack of papery, peeling bark has relegated this species to obscurity, resulting in a complete lack of cultivars, but I find it has a charm of its own, and certainly has the best fall color of any birch. It is definitely worthy of more attention.

River Birch

The river birch is the only birch native to the warmer regions of the eastern United States, ranging from Massachusetts to Florida and west to Texas. It is a denizen of riverbanks and floodplains subject to periodic flooding.

This makes it a good choice for wet areas of the landscape, but the species can also tolerate dry soils, at least for short periods. Its heat tolerance also makes it more easily incorporated into urban landscapes. Soils should be on the acidic side, or chlorosis can develop. The bark of this species is creamy and shiny on young stems, becoming papery thin and peeling off in curls, revealing pinkish and orange red patches underneath. It is perhaps the most colorful of the birches. The leaves are wedge-shaped, coarsely serrate or lobed, and pointed. The fall color is yellow, but is rather dull compared to the sweet birch, and the leaves often drop very early. It grows quickly to a mature height of about 60’, being pyramidal in youth. It is commonly multi-

trunked, which serves to show off the bark.

Because of the widespread adaptability of the species, there are a number of cultivars now available. Probably the most frequently encountered is Heritage® ( Cully ), which is a patented selection from Heritage Trees Inc. of Illinois. It displays increased vigor, with larger, glossier leaves and whiter bark than the average river birch. Other notable cultivars are Fox Valley® ( Little King ), a compact, bushier grower to about 15’, and ‘Shiloh Splash,’ a variegated shrubby form to about 10’, with white edges to the leaves.

Like sweet birch, river birch is essentially immune to birch bark borer and highly resistant to leaf miner, and makes an excellent landscape specimen. Of course, as with any monoculture, the more they are planted, the more likely a pathogen is to appear. Diversity in the landscape is the key.

There are a few other members of the birch family (Betulaceae) worth considering for the garden. These include hornbeam (Carpinus spp.), and hophornbeam (Ostrya spp.).

American Hornbeam

The most common hornbeam in landscapes is the European or common hornbeam (C. betulus). Long used in Europe for hedges and screens, it takes pruning very well and is sometimes pleached into pergolas and arbors.

It retains its brown dead leaves through winter, like the European beech (Fagus sylvatica), thus adding to its value as a screen. The fastigiate varieties are also highly prized. The native American hornbeam (C. caroliniana), on the other hand, is virtually ignored by the gardening public, while offering many of the same features as the European species. Native to the eastern half of the United States from the Great Lakes to Florida and hardy to Zone 3, the American hornbeam also goes by the names musclewood, blue beech and ironwood.

An understory species of wooded lower slopes and floodplains and commonly associated with witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), it is usually a multi-stemmed tree that can reach 30’, but can be trained as a single trunk. The stems have a fluted sinuous look, resembling well-muscled arms, and the smooth blue-gray bark accentuates this. The leaves are ovate and pointed with a doubly serrate margin. New leaves tend to be bronzy to reddish, becoming dark green in summer and turning yellow, orange and red in the fall. It has better autumn color than the European species, but does not hold its dead leaves through the winter.

The male flowers are in catkins hanging from the tips of twigs, like birches. Female flowers are low on the branches and are short, each ovary set in a papery three-lobed bract.

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 17

These become nutlets arranged in a hanging infructescence, 2 to 4” long, which resemble hop fruits. The fruits gradually disintegrate through winter, spreading their papery seeds.

The wood is very hard and was used to make tool handles and mallet heads. It can be polished very smooth to resemble horn. The name hornbeam probably derives from this characteristic, while “beam” comes from the German word “baum,” meaning tree.

Hornbeams like deep moist acidic soils, even seasonal wet sites, but can adapt to drier soils and those with a higher pH. Although shade-growing in nature, they can also grow in full sun, where they will be much fuller branched. Generally, they are pest-free, although fusarium cankers can be an issue with stressed trees. They have a deep, coarse root system, consequently fall transplanting is not recommended; springtime is best. A delightful small native species, the American hornbeam deserves more attention from gardeners.

American Hophornbeam

ABOVE: Hornbeam in fall

18 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

In the same woods as the American hornbeam, in the higher, drier slopes, the hornbeam disappears and American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), the other ironwood, appears. Covering the same geographic range as the hornbeam and hardy to Zone 4 (possibly 3), the hophornbeam is usually a single trunk, growing straight and tall to about 40’. Unlike the smooth gray bark of hornbeam, the bark of hophornbeam is shiny dark brown on young stems and shaggy gray on older trunks, which makes for easy identification. The leaves are similar to birch and hornbeam, although a little wider, with doubly

serrate edges. The fall color is a muted yellow and rarely effective. The flowers are like those of the other species discussed, with male catkins, grouped in threes, hanging from the tips and smaller female flowers hidden below in the foliage. In the fall, a nutlet is formed, enclosed in a papery pod, several being strung together to resemble the fruit of hops; hence the common name. These dry and persist through much of the winter and can also be used to identify the tree. The fruits have tiny hairs, which can irritate the skin.

Like the birches and hornbeams, the hophornbeam is a bleeder, so pruning should be done in fall or winter.

Like most trees, moist acidic soils are preferred, but the hophornbeam can also tolerate dry soils. It’s a tap-rooted species, so container-grown trees are easier to establish.

Full sun will produce a dense canopy, while in shady situations an airy open structure is more usual. The wood is extremely hard and strong, resistant to ice storm damage, and has been used for making airplane propellers and sleigh runners. Hophornbeam makes for a tough, dependable small tree, with very few pest problems The birch family provides opportunities for most garden situations, from dry shade to open sunny areas and even wet soils. Winter interest is available in the colorful barks of some species and the hanging catkins. Fall colors come in reds, oranges and yellows. The fruits of these species provide food for small birds, such as chickadees, and small mammals.

Andrew Fowler operates Holmes Hollow Farm nursery and Christmas tree farm in Victor, NY.

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Pruning shrubs, the hard way

by Michelle Sutton

I ABOVE: Rhodies are touchy but most will come back slowly from hard pruning. Photo by Michelle Sutton INSET: Get out the loppers for some hard pruning in March and early April. Photo by Larry Decker

20 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

f shrubs are engulfing your house, their stems all a-tangle, or your forsythia is the size of a minivan, you may consider drastic pruning. At the right time of year, you can prune certain hopelessly overgrown shrubs back hard—I mean, hard, like to within a foot or two of the ground. Hard pruning gives you a chance to start over.

In upstate New York, I generally do hard pruning somewhere between mid March and early April, before the shrub’s buds break. In late winter/very early spring, before any new growth gets underway, a deciduous shrub’s root system is stocked up on food (carbohydrates yielded by photosynthesis). That stored energy is available to send up a bunch of vibrant new shoots after you cut the shrub back.

I asked Lee Ginenthal, owner of DerRosenmeister fine rose nursery in Ithaca (derrosenmeister.com), to weigh in on hard pruning considerations like timing. He uses a phenological approach. “I used to try to give folks a specific time on the calendar for hard pruning,” he says, “but that’s become much harder with our freaky weather.

What’s worked better for me is noting when the forsythia buds are starting to show some yellow—that’s when I know it’s time to hard prune.”

Ginenthal has hard pruned many different species of shrubs, but in the rose arena specifically, he recommends hard pruning overgrown shrub roses and ramblers, but not climbing roses—they don’t stand for it.

It can be scary the first time we cut something back this hard, but when we are faced with that forsythia minivan, what do we have to lose? It looks terrible now, and it’s only getting bigger. “Along with hard pruning, I ask people to consider ‘shovel pruning’ as an option,” Ginenthal says.

“Sometimes shrubs are just planted in the wrong place. What I love the most about shovel pruning is the opportunity to plant something new!”

Some shrubs love the hard pruning treatment, others tolerate it but are slow to rebound, and others will just not come back. You have to consider each species of shrub individually. Look up your species in a fine resource like The American Horticultural Society’s Pruning & Training: A

Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual.

Also, depending on whether the kind of shrub in question blooms on “old wood” (last year’s buds) or “new wood” (buds formed on this year’s growth), you may lose flowers this year. But chances are if the shrub is this far overgrown, most of the flowers have become relegated to the tippy-top. It’s worth one year’s flower sacrifice to get the plant back into bounds, looking more compact and shapely, and flowering more prolifically. Ginenthal adds, “And for how long do these shrubs bloom, anyway? A well pruned shrub looks good in the landscape all year long.”

A Tale of Two Shrubbies

For two springs I taught a shrub pruning class (my favorite thing to teach!) to lifetime learners. I found a woman who was willing to turn us loose—bless her—on the many varieties of overgrown shrubs in her gardens.

The first year, we gave a pair of mock orange shrubs The Business. They were about twenty years old, in a bed about 8 feet from the driveway, and had never been pruned. Over time, winter winds had caused a massive “comb-over” to the leeward side, and the overgrown shrubs were getting creamed by the snowplow.

(Ginenthal says, “I love the use of metaphors to teach and describe. Everyone knows what the ‘comb-over’ looks like. I also advise my clients and friends to avoid the ‘flattop crew-cut’ style of pruning. It’s better to prune so that the tallest pieces are in the center. Shorten the others pro-

portionately so the top of the shrub is rounded.”)

My intrepid students and I decided the best course of action was to hard prune these mock oranges, even though it would mean that, because mock orange sets flower buds on the previous year’s wood, flower show that spring would be almost nil. We brought the shrubs down from 12 feet to 4 feet and pulled out any dead canes. We ended up with a low scaffold of a dozen stems or so. Ginenthal says, “Hard pruning opens up the scene to let you see the color and texture of the bark. Older mock orange canes, for instance, often have such a nice shaggy texture and golden tan color.”

The students, while having enjoyed their pruning frenzy, looked concerned. Had we gone too far? Would the mock oranges really rebound? I had to do some reassuring. “Years ago, my wife Renate used to be shocked and concerned after I did a hard pruning,” Ginenthal says, “but she has learned to trust me. Now she says, ‘Well, it doesn’t look great now, but I know from experience how nice it will look when it comes back.’”

I checked on the mock oranges six weeks after my class pruned them. The shrubs had filled back in beautifully and already needed some pruning of the vigorous new growth to coax a nice compact shape. Shrubs that generally respond well to hard pruning will not always do so, even with proper aftercare (e.g., watering during dry times). Even seasoned horticulturists have some headscratchers.

LEFT: Elderberries like this 'Black Lace' readily bounce back from hard pruning. Photo by Michelle Sutton RIGHT: 'Limelight' and other tree-form hydrangeas are forgiving of hard pruning. Photo by Michelle Sutton

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 21

Caveat Pruner

TOP: Rugosa roses can be hard pruned if necessary. Photo by Larry Decker BOTTOM: Smokebush regrowth six weeks after hard prune. Photo by Michelle Sutton

Hard pruning can bring tangled messes of shrubs back to shapeliness, but it can be risky.

For instance, most evergreen shrubs don’t rebound once you cut into older wood.

Some evergreens like boxwood may rebound if they’re healthy and get good aftercare, but they’ll recover ever so slowly, and they will look rather pathetic the first couple of years. Small to medium yews will normally rebound just fine, but when they get massive, I’m reluctant to cut them back so hard.

Some shrubs are subshrubs in our area—that is, their root systems are winter hardy but their aboveground parts are not. Many ball-flowered hydrangeas are subshrubs in upstate New York, so you’ll notice their stems mostly dying back every winter, but new growth emerges from very low down on the canes. When in doubt about how far to cut subshrubs, wait for a hint of bud expansion to occur, and in this way the plant will tell you how far down to cut (just above the first buds that prove viable).

Below is a list of some shrubs that I have found to be nearly foolproof for the hard pruning technique, given that the plant is in good health to begin with (e.g., not diseased or stressed by poor growing conditions), and given that you prune in late winter or early spring. Get out those loppers, and cut these shrubs back hard—to a foot or two—now, before bud break.

Water them during any dry spells in the springtime.

Then, in early summer, shape the new growth by heading stems back as they grow (see pruning guide in Resources).

Continue to water if the summer doesn’t provide at least an inch a week of rain.

• Honeysuckle • Knockout roses • *Lilac • *Mock orange • Oakleaf hydrangea • Pee Gee (tree-form) hydrangeas like ‘Limelight’ • Privet • Rugosa rose • Shrubby dogwood (red-twig, yellow-twig, etc.)

• Shrub willows • *Smokebush • Spirea Sucker for Color

Some shrubs are hard-pruned annually (or nearly so) to ensure that the resultant regrowth (basically, suckers) has the most vibrant stem color or foliage. For instance, red-twig dogwoods are reddest on the newest stems, so to get the brightest winter color, cut them back most years.

I cut back my purple smokebushes annually because I want the deepest, richest purple foliage—and I’m willing to sacrifice the wispy flowers to get it. I also like the way the yearly hard pruning keeps them more compact. If not pruned, they tend to get leggy and have lengths of stem that are unattractively bare of foliage.

••• From Nina Bassuk, Director of Cornell’s Urban Horticulture Institute: What is a shrub that one isn’t “supposed to” cut back hard but that you successfully have or routinely do?

NB: Rhododendrons! It’s a bit of a leap of faith, but when you have straggly rhodies, they do come back with hard pruning, albeit not too speedily.

What is a shrub that’s supposed to respond well to hard pruning that you found actually didn’t rebound the way you expected?

NB: Lavender and sage. If you don’t get them at the right time when they are starting to grow, they may not grow at all after pruning.

What is one of the biggest misconceptions people have about hard pruning?

NB: Pruning is really a rejuvenation. The harder you prune, the more vigorous the new growth. If you don’t want rampant new growth, just cut back to a reasonable scaffold of low- to mid-height branches.

Ok to Hard-Prune

(* indicates loss of showy flowers for at least one season) • Barberry • Bluebeard • Burning bush • Butterfly bush • Elderberry • *Forsythia

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Resources

Pruning: An Illustrated Guide to Pruning Ornamental Trees & Shrubs, by Rakow and Weir www.ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/3573 Lee Ginenthal’s “Thorny Issues” Blog on derrosenmeister.com

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Seasonal Stakeout

The scenic trek to ornamentals and edibles In the hills & valleys of the southtowns

by Colleen O’Neill Nice

R LEFT: A 36” coco-lined wall trough was used to create a stunning display of coleus, sweet potato vine, licorice plant and variegated periwinkle at Agle’s Farm Market.

RIGHT: Artichokes – just one of the many edibles at Bella Terra Greenhouses.

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eturning to the Southtowns of Buffalo for my eighth outing to area nurseries, I mapped out a route encompassing several rural towns. I invited my mother, our family’s grande dame of the vegetable patch, to join me. Since I can remember, my mom has always tended a garden. While growing up, our large fenced-in yard was an edible paradise. Traversing the back of our property was the vegetable plot. Three apple trees were equally spaced in the middle of the yard, providing shade and an abundance of fruit. A large arbor smothered in grape vines camouflaged the garage. My mom canned applesauce and grape jelly. She preserved tomatoes and peppers for sauce and chili. Snacking was simple back then – a bunch of grapes, a few radishes or a handful of chives.

Today, transplanted into a smaller home, my mom tends four raised beds overflowing with veggies. Our childhood home and garden is just a memory.

Cool early morning temperatures greeted us as we meandered through the multicolored fields at Lasting Dreams Daylilies. Orderly beds contained rows of clearly labeled plants, some with blooms screaming for attention, others blanketed with buds. Passionate and enthusiastic owners Anthony and Carol Haj maintain a six-acre farm, three dedicated to northern hardy daylilies. They work with hybridizers in both Canada and the United States to

offer an impressive collection of over 1200 AHS (American Hemerocallis Society) registered cultivars. According to Anthony, who designs custom perennial beds for his clients by orchestrating daylily colors, heights, bloom times and flower size, “daylilies offer a long season of bloom with the peak for our region in mid July.” Early varieties like ‘Electric Man’ start blooming in mid June with bright red flowers. ‘True Devotion’, one of many late blooming cultivars, flourishes with six-inch white blooms in late August and continues blooming into September.

Fragrance is always a welcome attribute and ‘Dutch Yellow Truffle’ exhibits jazzy double blooms of lemon yellow with a rose halo and an intoxicating scent. Incorporating a rebloomer like ‘Cosmic Courier’ adds double the show, with four inch pale orange flowers outlined with gold bubble edging. See the Haj’s complete list of daylilies at LastingDreamsDaylilies.com.

Our next stop, Eden Valley Growers, is a ten-member vegetable-growing cooperative that has been in existence for over 50 years. Strong communication between these third and fourth generation farmers has resulted in a successful wholesale business servicing local retailers and wholesalers in Western New York. Wegmans and Tops Friendly Markets purchase spring, summer and fall vegetables from the co-op. One of the members, D&J

Brawdy Farm, operates a greenhouse open to the public and stocks flats of spring annuals, geraniums, tropical plants, hanging baskets, herbs and vegetables. They also sell supplies including soil mixes and fertilizers.

Love to cook? Visit Agle’s Farm Market to not only purchase fresh, locally grown vegetables, but get free recipes too. Are you zealous about zucchini or ravenous for rhubarb? Try zucchini soup, chocolate zucchini cake or custard rhubarb pie. Collected from local farm families, recipes are strategically placed around the fresh produce to tempt you. If plants are your passion, be sure to check out their impressive containers. “The girls at the market do the combination planters,” says owner Karyn Agle, “as well as custom combinations for anyone bringing in their own planters to be filled.” Here, the common houseplant wandering Jew (Zebrina pendula) adds spunk to silverleaved plants like dusty miller or helichrysum. Toss in rex begonia ‘Salsa’ and your planter squeals “PERFECT!” Familiar coleus were grouped together in a wall trough overwhelming a humdrum brick wall. Stop in and see the new 2014 colors of trailing petunias, million bells and zonal geraniums.

Henry’s Gardens, in its second year of business, focuses on providing customers with beautiful flowers at a fair price. Here you can find a generous selection of unusual flowers for cutting, both annuals and perennials, to grow in your garden. Some favorites include giant zinnias, gomphrena, matricarias and several varieties of crested and plumed celosias. A state-of-the-art greenhouse is chock-full of green-roofed bird houses, living wreathes and winter-hardy succulent containers. Window boxes, spilling over with color, texture and diversity, truly reflect the very talented owners. Visit Henry’s Gardens in April, May and June for hanging baskets, containers, annuals, perennials, vegetables and herbs. In July, August and September, locally grown “Fair Winning” zinnias are fresh cut and ready for a vase. One-of-a-kind dried wreathes and dried flower bouquets are available from September through November.

Open all year, Bella Terra Greenhouses grows plants for every season and stocks accessories for every garden.

Fountains, birdbaths, gnomes, locally made birdhouses, fairy doors and flower-themed canvas prints are just a few of the unique garden novelties. Well-stocked shelves hold fertilizers, pond supplies, tools and containers. As we browsed the generous selection of edibles, we discovered artichokes, cheddar cauliflower, broccoli rabe and Tomato ‘Topsy Tom’.

A new perennial introduction at Bella Terra, Coreopsis ‘Mercury Rising’, was blanketed with velvety magenta petals. It blooms all summer and into the fall, when the flowers develop white streaks highlighting the dark red blooms. Just 15 to 18 inches tall, it grows mildew-free and attracts bees and butterflies. It is one of the first coreopsis to display a vigorous, spreading habit, often intermingling with neighboring plants. Another interesting perennial I discovered was a variegated, drought tolerant, Silene dioica ‘Clifford Moor’ (variegated campion or catchfly). From early summer to fall, dainty purple star-shaped flowers contrast with the duple green foliage on two-foot tall

1

Lasting Dreams Daylilies www.lastingdreamsdaylilies.com 6425 South Abbott Road Orchard Park, New York 14127 716-648-4920 Travel time: about 11 minutes to Eden Valley Growers

2

Eden Valley Growers, Inc. www.edenvalleygrowers.com 7502 N. Gowanda State Road Eden, New York 14057 716-992-9721 or 716-992-3454 Travel time: about 1 minute to Agle’s Farm Market

3

Agle’s Farm Market 7952 Gowanda State Road Eden, New York 14057 716-992-4290 Travel time: about 9 minutes to Henry’s Gardens

4

Henry’s Gardens henrysgardens.com 7884 Sisson Highway Eden, New York 14057 716-992-4818 or 716-536-0746 Travel time: about 18 minutes to Bella Terra Greenhouses

5

Bella Terra Greenhouses www.bellaterragreenhouse.com 8607 North Main Street Angola, New York 14006 716-549-2014 Travel time: about 2 minutes to lunch

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Dan’s Diner 69 N. Main Street Angola, New York 14006 716-549-2901 Travel time: about 4 minutes to Chiavetta’s Greenhouse

6

Chiavetta’s Potatoes & Greenhouse 9784 S. Main Street Angola, New York 14006 716-549-0458 Travel time: about 4 minutes to Turnbull Nursery

7

Turnbull Nursery & Garden Center www.turnbullgardencenter.com 10036 Versailles Plank Road North Collins, New York 14111 716-337-2248 Travel time: about 21 minutes to Windy Acres Greenhouse

8

Windy Acres Greenhouse 6175 Wagner Road Springville, New York 14141 716-541-4923 Travel time: about 30 minutes to Masterson’s

9

Masterson’s Garden Center, Inc. & Aquatic Nursery mastersons.net 725 Olean Road East Aurora, New York14052 716-655-0133

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 25

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Water lettuce, water lilies and the mosaic plant are just a few aquatic plants at Masterson’s Garden Center & Aquatic Nursery.

Hemerocallis ‘Electric Man’ is an early variety of daylily which starts blooming in mid June at Lasting Dreams Daylilies.

The chocolate-burgundy foliage of the Summer Chocolate Mimosa Tree at Turnbull Nursery and Garden Center.

28 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

plants. Low maintenance, ‘Clifford Moor’ has a fine and delicate texture that remains dense right to the ground.

Use it to full effect as a border edging or for naturalizing in a woodland garden. This slow grower prefers bright shade, but will tolerate full sun.

Bella Terra focuses on five planting seasons. Spring commences with colorful and fragrant Easter plants like primroses, tulips, daffodils, azaleas, mums and calla lilies. Mother’s Day ushers in gerbera daisies, Rieger begonias, hydrangeas and charming container plantings.

Summer launches an abundance of bedding plants, herbs, vegetables, perennials, hanging baskets and shrubs. Fall is highlighted with chrysanthemums and fresh flower arrangements for Thanksgiving. Poinsettias, fresh wreathes and greens complete the Christmas season.

A lunch stop at Dan’s Diner in Angola featured “home cookin” at its best. Established in 1980, Dan’s serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday with specials posted daily near the entrance. Breakfast is served on Saturdays. Try their homemade, fresh-cut curly fries, grilled sandwiches, and soups.

Just down the road is Chiavetta’s Potatoes and Greenhouse, a fourth-generation family farm. Jumbo pots of mandevilla and black-eyed Susan vines climbed skyward between voluminous hanging baskets dangling from above. Flowering annuals, herbs and vegetables paraded on the tables below. Searching for a unique spiller for my mixed containers, I spotted variegated potato vine Solanum jasminoides ‘Aurea’ (not to be confused with the vigorous sweet potato vine, ipomoea). Bright yellow leaves are splashed with irregular mid-green centers. The mottled foliage makes a perfect backdrop for petite white blooms.

The cascading plant grows six feet long and prefers sun to partial shade. It can be overwintered as a houseplant in a sunny window.

Chiavetta’s grows several ornamental grasses that can be used to fill holes in the perennial border and add height to container plantings. Pennisetum setaceum ‘Cherry Sparkler’ counts on cream and green striped foliage, with a pink blush, to captivate its audience. Red burgundy flower plumes, two feet tall, arch effortlessly all summer in full to part sun. A bit taller, P. setaceum ‘Fireworks’ forms a mid-sized mound reaching three feet.

Its burgundy-purple blades are striped with hot pink edges. Nodding, red bottlebrush seed heads appear in late summer, turning tan with age. Deer, heat and drought

tolerant, the annual grasses offer a big bang for your buck.

They are low maintenance and fast growing. According to GardeningKnowHow.com, overwintering fountain grass in containers is possible. First, cut the grass back to about three inches in the fall before frost. Then place the pot in a sunny, cool location or in your basement. Water once a month, keeping the grass slightly moist but not soggy. Following the last spring frost, move the grass back outdoors.

If you are looking for unusual plants as well as tried and true favorites, check out Turnbull Nursery and Garden Center. The ‘Summer Chocolate’ mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin) standing alongside several tree-form cultivars of Hydrangea paniculata, was eye-catching. Its chocolateburgundy, fern-like foliage reminded me of an exotic tree fern, but an umbrella-shaped canopy and fragrant clusters of pink, puffy blooms caused me to reconsider. A fastgrowing, sun-loving deciduous tree, the chocolate mimosa is hardy in USDA zones 6b to 10 and reaches 30 to 40 feet tall. Don’t allow this charmer to jump into your backseat before giving it some siting considerations first! On the lookout for small evergreens for my newly-created rock garden, I discovered the extremely hardy groundcover, Massachusetts bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), amongst the likes of ‘Mr. Bowling Ball’ arborvitae and ‘Blueberry Delight’ juniper. Bearberry is a multi-stemmed shrub growing just twelve inches tall and four feet wide.

Pink flowers highlight its fine texture in spring. Tiny, glossy forest-green foliage turns burgundy in the fall and is dotted with red berries. This long-lived, low maintenance shrub is a slow grower, prefers sun to partial shade and prefers poor, acidic, sandy soil. Consider using this evergreen in your rock garden to add winter interest.

Turnbull grows edibles to incorporate into your landscape, too. The ‘Chicago Hardy’ fig is easy to grow in full sun and produces medium-sized, sweet fruit in summer and early fall. It can withstand subfreezing temperatures (USDA zones 6-8), dying back in autumn, then resprouting in the spring. Heavy mulch with hay or leaves is recommended for northern zones. This fig grows just two to three feet tall and can be grown in a large pot or out in the garden. Looking for a bizarre Harry Potter-ish plant? A ‘Flying Dragon’ hardy orange (Poncirus trifoliata) may be the answer! With a twisted, irregular shape and sharp curved thorns on the branches, this wicked shrub produces fragrant white flowers and yellow-orange fruit.

The ping-pong-ball-sized pomes are very bitter and can be used as a substitute for lemons or made into marmalade.

Originating in China and hardy in USDA Zones 6 to 9, ‘Flying Dragon’ requires full sun and moist soil to reach a mature height of eight to ten feet. Due to its density and spines, it is useful as a barrier hedge and is not recommended for gardens with children. Turnbull also grows a colorful mix of sedum called ‘Flaming Carpet’.

The hardy, drought tolerant trio includes ‘Angelina’, ‘Blue Spruce’, and ‘Voodoo’, all growing in one pot. Mark your calendar for their annual spring bare root sale. The bare root barn is open from mid-March until May and offers a wide selection of cost saving bare root trees, shrubs and vines. Go to TurnbullGardenCenter.com for more information.

A visit to Windy Acres is a must for every vegetable gardener. Paul and Beverly Wojtaszczyk opened their small and personal greenhouse in 1999. Seventy percent of their nursery plants are grown from seed. “Patio tomatoes are one of our most popular items. I grow them in large pots, and by selling time, they are loaded with green tomatoes. By May, our patio cherry tomato plants are very large and in fruit as well,” Beverly says. Two of the Wojtaszczyks’ recommended cherry tomato varieties are ‘Chocolate Cherry’ and ‘Cherry Falls’, which is grown in hanging baskets. New heirloom tomatoes for this year include ‘Pineapple’, ‘Black Pineapple’, ‘Big Zac’ (huge and delicious), ‘Black Krim’ and ‘Kellogg’s Breakfast’. Japanese cucumber ‘Natsu Suzumi’ and a container cucumber, ‘Patio Snacker’, are also newcomers for 2014.

Vegetable plants include all colors of hot and sweet peppers, a large variety of kale and lettuce, and an assortment of basils and other herbs. Squashes, melons, chard, cauliflower (both orange and white), pak choi, corn, onions, and celery are grown as well. “Candy onion is huge and sweet, and is very popular here,” she says.

Visit Windy Acres to find uncommon hanging baskets of trailing snapdragons and colossal containers of Colocasia gigantea ‘Thailand Giant’. Many customers, enticed by the purple tinted leaves and large bell-shaped flowers of the cup and saucer vine (Cobaea scandens), return year after year. Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) and begonias are also favorites, along with tropical milkweed (Asclepius curassavica), which provides nectar for butterflies. Long blooming, this milkweed is a perennial in the southern U.S., but can be grown as an annual in the north. Try potting it up in the fall and growing it indoors over the winter. Beverly’s favorite perennials embody several colors of coneflowers and gaillardia, heuchera, asclepius and exemplary varieties of hosta. The Wojtaszczyks even grow fruit trees. Amongst the ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Fuji’ apples are Asian pears, cherries, apricots, plums, plumcots (a natural cross hybrid between

plums and apricots), nectarines and quince. Espaliered apples and combination fruit trees, with four or five different varieties grafted on one tree, are popular for small gardens. Fruiting shrubs include ‘Spartan’, ‘Coville’, ‘Berkeley’, ‘Pink Lemonade’ and ‘Blue Ray’ blueberries, ‘Red Lake’, ‘Consort Black’ and ‘Jostaberry Black’ currants, ‘Hinomaki Red’ and ‘Pixwell’ gooseberries, and ‘Chester Thornfree’ blackberries. Paul and Beverly find time to offer a container-grown veggie class, host a dog rescue fundraiser (May 18, 2014) and cultivate a “concrete garden.” “Everything we grow in the greenhouse and in our own gardens, is also grown in containers on our driveway,” says Beverly. Windy Acres is open seven days a week from 8 AM to 8 PM from April first until July first. From July first to November first, business hours are 9 AM to 6 PM except Tuesdays when they are closed.

Masterson’s Garden Center and Aquatic Nursery is the largest pond supplier in WNY with over 30 years of experience installing ponds, water gardens and natural farm ponds. They offer one hundred different varieties of floaters, oxygenators, marginals and deep-water aquatic plants including lotus and water lilies. One of my favorite aquatics is Ludwegia sediodes, commonly called the mosaic plant. I first encountered this cutie at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens where it intermingled with water lilies and lotuses on Lily Pool Terrace near the Conservatory. Tiny diamond shaped leaves glistened in the sunlight and formed perfect rosettes of red and green floating on the surface of the water. They look like stained glass and at first I could not believe they were living plants.

Small, cup-shaped flowers add a glint of gold from June to August. Be sure to visit their display gardens and greenhouses. Both are stocked with annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees and loads of ideas. Beautiful plant combinations overflow from unusual containers; cucumbers climb inverted tomato cages; and do-it-yourself Gronomics kits include vertical and patio gardens to build.

At Masterson’s you can find a complete line of beekeeping, equine and chicken raising supplies. Parents and grandparents will appreciate the Melissa & Doug gardening supplies for kids including wheelbarrows, shovels, brooms, butterfly nets, gloves, totes and more.

Tired at the end of a long day of nursery hopping, we unpacked our treasures and collapsed. Our scenic drive spanned over a hundred miles, encompassing nine amazing greenhouses stocked with a multitude of plants and plenty of ideas. We met some wonderful plants people who took time to share their expertise and knowledge with us. And we discovered several new plants that we just couldn’t live without.

According to GardeningKnowHow. com, overwintering fountain grass in containers is possible.

INSET: Welcome your feathered friends with a green roof birdhouse from Henry’s Gardens.

Colleen O’Neill Nice is a passionate gardener in Clarence, New York specializing in fern propagation.

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 29

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REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS

Western New York Herb Study Group meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 pm, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo.

African Violet and Gesneriad Society of WNY meets the third Tuesday of each month, September - June, at 7:30 pm, LVAC Building, 40 Embry Place, Lancaster. avgswny@verizon.net; gesneriadsociety.org/chapters/wny.

Alden Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month (except July & August) at 7 pm, Alden Community Center, West Main Street, Alden. New members and guests welcome. Plant sale each May. 716/937-7924.

Amherst Garden Club meets the fourth Wednesday of the month (except December, March, July & August) at 10:00 am, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Main Street, Williamsville. New members and guests welcome.

716/836-5397.

Buffalo Area Daylily Society. East Aurora Senior Center, 101 King Street, East Aurora. March 23: Homemade soups served. 1 pm doors open; 2 pm meeting. May 18: Plants for sale, cash or check only. 1 pm doors open; 2 pm meeting. 716/ 698-3454; info@ buffaloareadaylilysociety.com.

Federated Garden Clubs NYS – District 8. Maryann Jumper, District Director. March 20-23: Standard Flower Show, Plantasia, Event Center, Hamburg Fairgrounds.

April 10: Spring Meeting & Luncheon, $24, reservation required, 716/837-4014. 716/435-3412; mjump50@ gmail.com; gardenclubsofwny.com.

Garden Club of the Tonawandas meets the third Thursday of the month at 7 pm, Tonawanda City Hall, Community Room.

Garden Friends of Clarence meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 pm, September – June, Town Park Clubhouse, 10405 Main Street, Clarence. gardenfriendsofclarence@hotmail.com.

Hamburg Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of every month at noon, summer garden tours, Hamburg Community Center, 107 Prospect Avenue, Hamburg.

716/648-0275; droman13@verizon.net.

Ken-Sheriton Garden Club meets the second Tuesday of the month (except January) at 7:30 pm, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 576 Delaware Road, Kenmore. Monthly programs, artistic design and horticulture displays. March 11: Plant Propagation, hands-on workshop with Jeanette Williams. April 12: Annual reports & awards luncheon, Westwood Country Club, Williamsville. New members and guests welcome. 716/836-0567.

Western New York Honey Producers, Inc. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County, 21 South Grove Street, East Aurora. wnyhpa.org.

Western New York Hosta Society. East Aurora Senior Center, corner of Oakwood & King Streets. April 5: Club Breakfast, 10 am, Gardenview Restaurant, West Seneca; General Meeting, 2 pm. 716/941-6167; h8staman@aol. com; wnyhosta.com.

Western New York Hosta Society Breakfast Meetings, a friendly get-together, first Saturday of the month at 10 am, Gardenview Restaurant, Union Road, West Seneca.

Western New York Iris Society meets the first Sunday of the month in members’ homes and gardens. Information about growing all types of irises and complementary perennials. Shows. Sale. Guests welcome. Pat Kluczynski: 716/633-9503; patrizia@roadrunner.com.

Western New York Rose Society meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7 pm, St. StephensBethlehem United Church of Christ, 750 Wehrle Drive, Williamsville. March 19: Planting and Pruning Bare Root Roses. April 16: Insects in the Garden & Spraying and Fertilizing. wnyrosesociety.net.

Wilson Garden Club generally meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 pm, Community Room, Wilson Free Library, 265 Young Street, Wilson. Meetings open to all, community floral planting, spring plant sale, local garden tours. 716/751-6334; wilsongardenclub@ aol.com.

Youngstown Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 100 Church Street, Youngstown.

Frequent hosts BECBG: Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14218.

716/827-1584; buffalogardens.com.

BMAC: Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, 1610 Welch Road, North Java, NY 14113. 585/4573228; 800/377-1520; buffaloaudubon.org.

COOP: Chicken Coop Originals, 13245 Clinton Street, Alden. 716/937-7837; chickencooporiginals.com.

Niagara Frontier Orchid Society (NFOS) meets the first Tuesday following the first Sunday (dates sometimes vary due to holidays, etc.), September – June, Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo. niagarafrontierorchids.org.

GGB: Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo/Urban Roots Community Garden Center Cooperative.

RSVP to Grassroots Gardens: 716/7839653; programs@grassrootsgardens.org; grassrootsgardens.org.

Orchard Park Garden Club meets the first Thursday of the month at 12 pm, Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, 4369 South Buffalo Street, Orchard Park. President: Beverly Walsh, 716/662-7279.

LOCK: Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark Street, Hamburg, NY 14075, 716/649-4684; weknowplants.com.

Silver Creek-Hanover Garden Club meets the second Saturday of the month at 2 pm, First Baptist Church, 32 Main Street, Silver Creek. Sue Duecker, 716/934-7608; duke.sue@roadrunner.com.

South Town Gardeners meets the second Friday of the month (except January) at 10:30 am, Charles E. Burchfield Nature & Art Center, 2001 Union Road, West Seneca. New members welcome.

Western New York Carnivorous Plant Club meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm, Menne 32 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

MENNE: Menne Nursery, 3100 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst, NY 14228. 716/693-4444; mennenursery.com.

CLASSSES / EVENTS • Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

March 8: Composting 101, 10 am. Location: 2495 Main Street, Suite 408 (Tri Main Bldg), Buffalo. Free.

Registration required. GGB March 8: Organic Pest Management, 3 pm. Location: Urban Roots, 428 Rhode Island Street, Buffalo. Free.

Registration required. GGB March 8 – June 7: Horticulture IV Certificate Series, four Saturdays, 11 am – 1 pm. Horticulturist David Clark will provide in-depth gardening information and focus on popular and relevant topics: Four Seasons Gardening; Container Gardening & Raised Beds; Herbs and Medicinal Gardening; Gardening for Wildlife: Creating a National Wildlife Foundation Certified Wildlife Habitat.

Series: $80 members; $100 non-members. Single session: $22 members; $27 non-members. Registration required. BECBG March 15: Walk at Knox Farm State Park – Trees Speak, 9 am. Listen to the trees and surrounding nature as you take a guided walk through the park. Donations appreciated. Registration required. Knox Farm State Park. BMAC March15: Succulent Frame Workshop, 10:30 am. Fee. Registration required. LOCK March 15: Water Practices for the Garden, 3 pm.

Location: Urban Roots, 428 Rhode Island Street, Buffalo.

Free. Registration required. GGB March 18: Ground Covers – Beyond Pachysandra, 6:30 – 8 pm. Master Gardener Mary Lu Wells will discuss different types available that grow well in our climate and explain their specific requirements. Presented by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties. Fee. Registration required. Almond 20th Century Club Library, Main Street, Almond. Registration: 607/276-6311. Information: 585/268-7644 x12; cc746@ cornell.edu.

March 19: Plantasia – Preview Party, 5:30 – 8:30 pm.

Party in the Garden. Fairgrounds Event Center & Expo Hall, 5820 South Park Avenue, Hamburg. plantasiany. com.

March 20 – 23: Plantasia, Thursday-Saturday, 10 am – 9 pm; Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm. Party in the Garden.

Garden displays, seminars, vendors. Fairgrounds Event Center & Expo Hall, 5820 South Park Avenue, Hamburg. plantasiany.com.

March 22: Saturday Morning Tree Tour, 9 – 10:30 am.

Get to know some of the tree species in the South Park Arboretum with Kristy Blakely, Director of Education. $5.

BECBG March 22: Starting Seeds, 10 am. Sally Cook will share information on starting and growing annuals and vegetables including necessary materials, when to start seeds and transplanting tips. Registration required.

MENNE March 22: Repot Workshop, 2 pm. Bring a pot-bound house plant and a container from home or purchase one before class. Soil provided. Limit two plants per person.

Registration required. MENNE March 22: Square Foot Gardening, 2 pm. Location: GGB Community Garden (TBD). Free. Registration required. GGB • March 22 – 23: Maple Harvest Festival, 9 am – 3 pm. Featuring all you can eat homemade pancakes. See maple sugar made the Native American way, taste Jack Wax, basket raffle, nature walks and more. $8 adults; $6 ages 12 & under; free ages 3 & under. BMAC March 25: Innuendo – The Strange Sex Lives of Plants, 6:30 – 8 pm. David Clark will highlight the myriad strange ways plants create more of themselves. Includes light refreshments, beer and wine. $22 members; $25 nonmembers. Registration required. BECBG

March 29: Hypertufa Container Workshop, 9 am.

Fashion your own unique planting container from peat moss, Portland cement and perlite. One container per participant. $25 members; $30 non-members.

Registration required. BECBG March 29: Granny’s Cold Crop Annuals, 10 am. Sally Cook will discuss which annual flower seeds to plant in early spring for blooms all summer long. Registration required. MENNE March 29: Miniature or Fairy Garden Workshop, 10:30 am. Sally Cunningham will guide participants as they create a unique garden in a box. $35. Registration required. LOCK March 29: Seed Starting, 2 pm. Location: 2495 Main Street, Suite 408 (Tri Main Bldg), Buffalo. Free.

Registration required. GGB April 4: Taste of Paradise, 6 – 9 pm. Includes cocktail samples, hors d’oeuvres & entertainment. Cash bar also available. $30 members; $35 non-members. After March 21, $40 all. BECBG April 5: Edibles Day: Grow Your Own Vegetables and Fruits. Day-long event. 9:30 am: Berries, Grapes & Fruit Trees, Fred Safford. 11 am: Organic Vegetable Gardening, Sally Cunningham. 1:30 pm: Permaculture: Your Edible & Useful Yard. $25 all classes, includes lunch; $8 single class. Registration required. LOCK April 5: Walk at Knox Farm State Park – Spring Beginnings, 9 am. Guided hike in search of signs that winter is losing its grip and spring is getting a foothold.

Registration required. Knox Farm State Park. BMAC April 5: Backyard Landscape, 10 am. Kathy & Gary Sokolowski will present slides and discussion on developing your outdoor living world. Registration required. MENNE April 5: Orchids for Everyone, 2 pm. Peter Martin will demonstrate how to pot orchids and discuss requirements for growing media, light and maintenance.

Registration required. MENNE • April 5 – 27: Spring Flower Show, 10 am – 5 pm.

Enjoy spring colors and fragrances. Kids can visit Farmer Brown’s Animals. April 12, 13, 18 & 19: Visit the Easter Bunny, 11 am – 4 pm. BECBG April 9: Perennials Possibilities, 6:30 pm. Alexander Barneveld, representative of Pan American Nursery, will hold an open forum discussion, introduce easy care, long blooming perennials and answer questions. Registration required. MENNE April 12: Saturday Morning Tree Tour, 9 – 10:30 am.

See description under March 22. $5. BECBG April 12: Perennial Gardening for Beginners, 9:30 am.

Instructor: Sally Cunningham. $5. Registration required.

LOCK April 12: Planning a Veggie Garden, 10 am. Topics covered will include choosing a location and preparing the soil, selecting vegetables, determining quantities and space needed. Registration required. MENNE April 12: Annuals for Containers and Gardens, 11 am.

Instructor: Marge Vogel. $5. Registration required. LOCK April 12: Growing Vegetables in Containers, 2 pm.

Learn how to choose a container, soil requirements, selecting plant varieties as well as location, lighting, watering and nutritional needs. Registration required.

MENNE April 13: Easter Basket Workshop, 1 pm. Spring bulbs and hardy annuals. $20; $35 for 2. Registration required.

LOCK April 15: Easter Floral Arrangement, 6:15 pm. Create

a fresh arrangement for your table. $30 members; $35 non-members. Registration required. BECBG April 26: Saturday Morning Tree Tour, 9 – 10:30 am.

See description under March 22. $5. BECBG April 26: Building a Raised Bed, 2 pm. Hands-on workshop. Location: GGB Community Garden (TBD).

Free. Registration required. GGB April 26: Home Landscaping. Sally Cunningham will discuss plant selection and share design and care recommendations. Geared for homeowners and new gardeners. $10. Registration required. LOCK May 2 – 4: Spring Open House. COOP May 3: Walk at Knox Farm State Park – First Flowers of the Year, 9 am. Learn about the spring-time plants that peek through before all others in the woods.

Registration required. Knox Farm State Park. BMAC May 3: Honey Bee Festival, 10 am – 2:30 pm. 10 am: Vendor Fair. 10 am – 12 pm: Children’s honeybee activities. 11 am: Dr. Reed Johnson, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, Ohio State University, will speak on research that discusses honeybees and pesticides. 12:30 & 1:30 pm: Film Screening, More than Honey or Guided Visit to the Gardens’ demonstration hive. $10 members, Master Gardeners & students; $15 non-members. BECBG May 3: Spring Container Workshop. Mary Gurtler will lead this class that uses hardy annuals and perennials. $40. Registration required. LOCK • May 4: Family Walk at Beaver Meadow, 2 pm.

Guided walk led by a naturalist. Donations appreciated.

Registration required. BMAC May 8: Indulge: Delectable Botanical Luxuries, 6:30 – 8 pm. Director of Education Kristy Blakely will explore some of the plants used to create luxuries such as chocolate, wine, coffee, tea and perfume. $22 members; $25 non-members. Registration required. BECBG May 9: Spent Spring Bulb Sale, 8 am. Bag provided, you fill. Limit 3 bags per person. BECBG May 9: National Public Gardens Day, 10 am – 5 pm. $1; members & kids under 3 free. BECBG May 9 – 11: Spring Open House. COOP May 10: Saturday Morning Tree Tour, 9 – 10:30 am. See description under March 22. $5. BECBG May 10: English Garden Trough Workshop, 10 am or 2 pm. Make your own hypertufa container. Materials & plants included. $35. Registration required. COOP • May 11: Family Walk at Beaver Meadow, 2 pm.

Guided walk led by a naturalist. Donations appreciated.

Registration required. BMAC

Save the date…

May 17: Orchard Park Garden Club Plant Sale, 8 am – 2 pm. Annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, accent plants, hanging baskets. Orchard Park Railroad Depot, behind OP Library.

May 17: Garden Faire, 9 am – 2 pm. Plants, trees, herbs, food, crafts, herbal delights, kids’ activities, garden vendors, 50/50 raffle, silent & Chinese auctions.

Presented by Silver Creek Hanover Garden Club. Main Street & Central Avenue, park and gazebo area, Silver Creek.

May 17: Plant for Hope. Fundraiser to benefit Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Bedford’s Greenhouse, 6820 Cedar Street, Akron. 716/542-6110; bedfordsgreenhouse.com.

May 17 – 18: The Great Plant Sale, 9 am – 4 pm.

Hanging baskets, ornamental trees & shrubs, Japanese maples, rare and unusual plants, unusual ornamentals, natives, tropicals, annuals, perennials and more. BECBG May 17 – 18: Bonsai Show, 10 am – 5 pm. Presented by Buffalo Bonsai Society. Included with admission. BECBG May 17 – 24: London Gardens & Chelsea Flower Show Trip. Attend members-only opening day of the Chelsea Flower Show. Tour many unique places in London including Windsor Castle and the Hampton Court Palace. $4,299 double occupancy; $5,399 single occupancy.

716/827-1584 x219. BECBG May 18: Rose Gardening, 10:30 am – 12 pm. Instructor David Clark. $10. Registration required. LOCK • May 18: Family Walk at Beaver Meadow, 2 pm.

Guided walk led by a naturalist. Donations appreciated.

Registration required. BMAC May 30 – 31: Erie County Master Gardeners Plant Sale, Friday, 9 am – 5 pm; Saturday, 9 am – 3 pm. Sun and shade perennials, natives, herbs, annuals, shrubs and vines from the gardens of Erie County Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners will be on hand to provide advice on selecting and growing plants. Proceeds benefit Master Gardener projects and outreach programs. 1071 Amherst Street, Buffalo. cceeriecounty.shutterfly.com/ mastergardeners.

May 31: Odyssey to Ithaca. Join UGJ staff us as we travel by motor coach to tour the Ithaca region, including Cornell Plantations, with opportunities to shop at a variety of nurseries. Upstate Gardeners’ Journal, 1140 Ridge Crest Drive, Victor, NY 14564. 585/538-4980; 716/432-8688; upstategardenersjournal.com.

May 31: Plant Sale. Presented by Ken-Sheriton Garden Club.

June 21: Iris and Perennial Show. A Festival of Iris.

Presented by Western New York Iris Society.

July 12 – 13: Hamburg Garden Walk, 10 am – 4 pm.

Maps: Memorial Park Band Stand, corner Lake & Union Streets. Rain or shine. hamburggardenwalk.com.

July 18 – 19: Ken-Ton Garden Tour – Night Lights, 8:30 – 11 pm. See the gardens at night. Self-guided.

Map & garden descriptions available end of June. Free. kentongardentour.com.

July 19 – 20: Ken-Ton Garden Tour, 10 am – 4 pm.

Self-guided. Map & garden descriptions available end of June. Free. kentongardentour.com.

July 26 – 27: Garden Walk Buffalo, 10 am – 4 pm. gardenwalkbuffalo.com.

August 2: Black Rock & Riverside Tour of Gardens, 10 am – 4 pm. Self-guided. Rain or shine. brrtourofgardens. com.

August 2: Starry Night Garden Tour, 8 – 10 pm. Selfguided. Rain or shine. In conjunction with Black Rock & Riverside Tour of Gardens (above). brrtourofgardens.com.

ITHACA REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS Adirondack Chapter, North American Rock Garden Society (ACNARGS). Meets in the Whetzel Room, Room 404, Plant Science Building, Cornell University, Ithaca.

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 33

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Amanda’s Garden Native Perennial Nursery • Spring Open House •

Sat. & Sun., May 3 & 4, 10:00 a.m.- 4 p.m.

A large selection of potted native plants available.

Open weekends, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. starting April 6.

Please call for weekday appts.

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Calendar ITHACA cont.

Free and open to all. acnargs.blogspot.com; facebook. com/acnargs.

Windsor NY Garden Group meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 10 am, members’ homes or Windsor Community House, 107 Main Street, Windsor. windsorgardengroup.suerambo.com.

March 18: Community Beautification Training, 6 – 8:30 pm. CCE/TOM March 19: Botanical Travels from Coast to Coast, 7 pm.

Presented by Finger Lakes Native Plant Society guest speaker David Brandenburg of the Dawes Arboretum, Ohio. Unitarian Church Annex, 2nd floor. CCE/TOM March 22: Nearby Gardens You Must See, 2 – 3:30 pm.

Travel slide show. $3 suggested donation. CCE/TOM March 23: High Tunnel Hoophouse Tours, two sessions, 11 am – 12 pm or 12:45 – 1:45 pm. CCE/TOM

Frequent hosts BAK: Bakers’ Acres, 1104 Auburn Road (Route 34), Groton, NY. 607/533-4653; bakersacres.net.

CCE/TOM: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Tompkins County, 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, NY 14850. 607/272-2292; tompkins@cornell.edu; ccetompkins.org.

CLASSES / EVENTS • Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

March 7 – 8: Ithaca Native Landscape Symposium.

Practice. Noted practitioners will share how they put ideas, ideals, information and values into practice on their projects. Registration required. Cinemapolis, 120 East Green Street, Ithaca. ithacanativelandscape.com.

March 8: Pruning Fundamentals, 10 am – 3 pm. Learn the basics of pruning plus some advanced techniques in this hands-on workshop. Indoor session to discuss tools, techniques, and safety followed by field experience. $50 members & Cornell students; $60 non-members.

Registration required. Cornell Plantations, 1 Plantations Road, Ithaca. 607/255-2400; cornellplantations.org.

March 8: Community Supported Agriculture Fair, 12 – 3 pm. Learn about this partnership between consumers and farmers; meet and talk with 20+ area CSA farmers in one place. Boynton Middle School Cafeteria, 1601 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca. CCE/TOM March 11: Introduction to Seed Saving, 6:30 – 8:30 pm.

Learn the difference between open-pollinated and hybrid varieties, which types of seeds are easiest to save, and how to incorporate seed saving into your current veggie or flower garden. $5-$10 (sliding scale). CCE/TOM March 12: Getting Started with Vegetable Gardening, 7 – 9 pm. Beginning vegetable gardeners will learn about garden siting, soil preparation, seed starting, transplanting, mulching, container gardening and easy veggies to try first. Free. Registration required. Groton Public Library, 112 E. Cortland Street, Groton. 607/8985055. CCE/TOM March 13: Intro to Maple Sugaring with Sapsquatch, 6 – 8 pm. Join Josh Dolan for a fun, informative interactive presentation on the basics of maple sugaring along with the history and lore of the process. There will also be a tasting of the 2014 maple syrup harvest. $5-$20 (sliding scale) suggested. sapsquatch7@gmail.com. CCE/TOM March 15: Clay Crevice Planting, 1 pm. Presented by Harvey Wrightman, Adirondack Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society. Wetzel Room, Plant Science Building, Cornell University. CCE/TOM March 16: Making Herbal Creams & Salves Workshop, 1 – 5:30 pm. Mostly hands-on with small amount of lecture. Presented by Tammi Sweet & Kris Miller, Heartstone Herbal School. $80. Registration required.

Museum of the Earth, Ithaca. 607/589-4619; heart-stone. com.

36 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

March 29: Spring into Gardening, 9 am – 4 pm.

Gardening and Climate Change. Choose from 12 different eco-gardening workshops to learn about sound gardening practices. $8 per class; $25 for 4 classes.

Registration required. CCE/TOM March 29: Basic Fruit Tree Maintenance, 1 – 3 pm.

Pruning and grafting seminar. Registration required. BAK • March 29: Worm Composting. Hands-on workshop will teach participants how to care for their own bin. Each household will go home with a starter bin and worms. $10 per household. Registration required. CCE/TOM March 30: Restoring Neglected Apple Trees, 1 – 4 pm.

Akiva Silver, Twisted Tree Farm. Registration required: akivasilver@yahoo.com. CCE/TOM April 2: Great Trees for Your Landscape, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. CCE/TOM April 4 – 6: Spring Open House, 9 am – 5 pm. BAK April 7 – 28: Citizen Pruner Training, three Mondays, 7 – 8:30 pm. CCE/TOM April 8: High-Density Crops for Your Garden, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Learn strategies to produce more high-density foods such as dried beans, peas and corn, root crops for winter storage, and vegetables and fruits suitable for freezing, drying and canning. $5-$10 (sliding scale).

Registration required. CCE/TOM April 16: “Giving” Trees, 7 pm. Akiva Silver, Finger Lakes Native Plant Society. Unitarian Church Annex, 2nd floor. CCE/TOM April 19: Trough Planting Demystified, 1 pm. Presented

by Betsy Knapp, Adirondack Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society. Wetzel Room, Plant Science Building, Cornell University. CCE/TOM April 21: Beautiful Shrubs & Vines, 6:30 – 8:30 pm.

CCE/TOM April 24: Grow Your Own Spuds, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Learn about variety selection, chitting, soil requirements, planting, organic insect and disease control, harvesting and storage. Participants will also learn to make a traditional Irish ‘lazy bed’ which produces high yields of potatoes. $5-$10 (sliding scale). Registration required.

CCE/TOM April 25 – 26: Camp Mushroom. Participants will be trained in three methods of mushroom cultivation: shiitake on bolts, lion’s mane/oyster on totems and stropharia in woodchip beds. Each participant will also inoculate two shiitake bolts to take home. Includes Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and lunch, featuring mushrooms and local organic foods. $100 overnight guests (primitive cabin with heat); $70 commuters.

Registration required. Cornell University Arnot Teaching & Research Forest, 611 County Route 13, Van Etten. sfg53@cornell.edu; blogs.cornell.edu/mushrooms/ events.

• April 27: Compost Fair, 12 – 4 pm. Master Composters will be on hand to answer questions. Music, food, interactive displays, activities for kids and tours of the compost demonstration site. Free. CCE/TOM

May 1: Keeping Critters out of Your Garden, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Learn strategies to keep wildlife from eating your plants, such as different types of deer fencing, winter shrub cages and trunk protection. Class will include hands-on demonstrations of setting up barriers to wildlife. Cost: $5-$10 (sliding scale). Registration required. CCE/TOM May 2 – 4: Butterfly Weekend. May 4: Presentation, Butterflies – Flying Miracles, 1 – 2:30 pm. Specials on perennials & anything butterfly related. Rae’s Roost. BAK May 3: Make a Miniature Fairy Container Garden, 10 am – 12 pm. Registration required. BAK May 6: Gorgeous Perennials for Your Garden, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. CCE/TOM May 7: Dividing Daylilies & Other Perennials, 6 – 8 pm.

CCE/TOM May 10: Go Take a Hike!, 11 am – 12:30 pm. Roma Rae of Rae’s Roost will lead this walk around the grounds.

315/729-0944. BAK May 10: Spring Open House at MacDaniels Nut Grove, 1 – 5 pm. Visit 90+ year-old grove featuring hickory and walnut varieties, full demonstration of forest farming practices including mushroom cultivation, medicinal plants, ornamental nursery, fruit production (paw paw and elderberry), water management techniques including swales and hugelkulture piles. Tours: 1, 2:30 & 4 pm. Located adjacent to Cornell campus, just south of Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine and Cornell Orchards at the east end of campus. Cornell University. sfg53@cornell.edu; blogs.cornell.edu/mushrooms/ nutgrove.

May – October: Herbal Apprenticeship Program, 6 weekends, one weekend per month. Learn to prepare oil and water infusions, decoctions, tinctures, creams, salves, flower essences, and more. Study plants and their healing properties, herbal preparations, wild edibles, wild-crafting, and selected anatomy and physiology of body systems. Heartstone Center for Earth Essentials / Heartstone Herbal School, 301 Brink Road, Van Etten.

607/589-4619; info@heart-stone.com; heart-stone.com.

Save the date…

May 17: Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale, 9 am – 2 pm. A variety of vendors offering specialty plants and gardening advice. Plants for sale include organically grown and heirloom vegetable transplants, annuals, herbs, hanging baskets, small flowering shrubs, hardy roses, fruit crops, evergreens and specialty perennials.

CCE/TOM

ROCHESTER REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS 7th District Federated Garden Clubs New York State, Inc. meets the first Wednesday of the month. 7thdistrictfgcnys.org.

African Violet and Gesneriad Society of Rochester meets the first Wednesday of each month, September – May, at 7 pm, St. John’s Home, 150 Highland Avenue, Rochester. All are welcome. Bob or Linda Springer: 585/413-0606; blossoms002@yahoo.com.

Big Springs Garden Club of Caledonia-Mumford meets the second Monday evening of the following months in the Caledonia-Mumford area: September – November, January – May. New members and guests welcome.

585/314-6292; mdolan3@rochester.rr.com.

Bonsai Society of Upstate New York meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Brighton Town Park Lodge, Buckland Park, 1341 Westfall Road, Rochester. 585/3342595; bonsaisocietyofupstateny.org.

Fairport Garden Club meets the third Thursday evening of each month (except August and January). Accepting new members. fairportgc@gmail.com; fairportgardenclub.org.

Garden Club of Brockport meets the second Wednesday of every month at 7 pm, Clarkson Schoolhouse, Ridge Road, east of Route 19. Speakers, hands-on sessions. Kathy Dixon: 585/431-0509; kadixon@excite.com.

Garden Path of Penfield meets the third Wednesday of the month from September through May at 7 pm, Penfield Community Center, 1985 Baird Road, Penfield.

Members enjoy all aspects of gardening; new members welcome. gardenpathofpenfield@gmail.com.

Genesee Region Orchid Society (GROS) meets every month from September through May at the Jewish Community Center, 1200 Edgewood Avenue, Rochester, on the first Monday following the first Sunday of each month (dates sometimes vary due to holidays, etc.). The GROS is an Affiliate of The American Orchid Society (AOS) and of The Orchid Digest Corporation. geneseeorchid.org.

Genesee Valley Hosta Society meets the second Thursday of the month, April – October, at Monroe County’s Cornell Cooperative Extension, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester. 585/538-2280; sebuckner@frontiernet.net.

Genesee Valley Pond & Koi Club meets the first Friday of the month at 6:30 pm, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester, except in summer when it tours local ponds. bobwheeler58@gmail.com.

Gesneriad Society meets the first Wednesday of each month, September – May, at 6:30 pm, St. John’s Home, 150 Highland Avenue, Rochester. All are welcome. Bob or Linda Springer: 585/413-0606; blossoms002@yahoo. com.

Greater Rochester Iris Society meets Sundays at 2 pm, dates vary, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester. March 9: How to prepare iris for show with Dave Baehre of WNY Iris Society. April 13: A revisit to the 2013 Siberian and Species Iris Convention held in Michigan. Public welcome. 585/599-3502; bettyschnell@icloud.com.

Greater Rochester Perennial Society (GRPS) meets the first Thursday of each month at 7 pm, Monroe County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester, except in summer when it tours members’ gardens. 585/889-4864; laburt@rochester.rr.com; rochesterperennial.com.

Greater Rochester Rose Society meets the first Tuesday of the month, April through November, at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester. July & August meetings in members’ gardens, December meeting at a member’s home. 585/377-0892; 585/621-1115; info@rocrose.org; rocrose.org.

Henrietta Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of the month (except December, May - August) at 6:45 pm, Riparian Lecture Hall at Rivers Run, 50 Fairwood Drive, Rochester. Open to all. March 19: Roses with Greater Rochester Rose Society President Carol Basener.

April 16: Live Organic, Love Organic, Think Organic with Grossman’s “Organic Rick”. 585/ 889-1547; henriettagardenclub@gmail.com; henriettagardenclub. org.

Holley Garden Club meets the second Thursday of the

month at 7 pm, Holley Presbyterian Church. 585/6386973.

Ikebana International Rochester Chapter 53 meets the third Thursday of each month (except December and February) at 10 am, First Baptist Church, Hubbell Hall, 175 Allens Creek Road, Rochester. 585/872-0678; 585/586-0794.

Kendall Garden Club meets the first Wednesday of the month at 7 pm, Kendall Town Hall. 585/659-8289; justadesignabove@hotmail.com.

Newark Garden Club meets the first Friday of the month at 1 pm, Park Presbyterian Church, Newark. Guests are welcome.

Pittsford Garden Club meets the third Tuesday of the month, 11 am or 7 pm, at the Pittsford Community Library, Fisher Meeting Room, 24 State Street or at the Spiegel Community Center, 35 Lincoln Avenue, Pittsford, except in July & August when it visits members’ gardens. March 18: Common gardening mistakes and what gardeners can do themselves. May 17: Plant Sale.

BKRU888@aol.com.

Rochester Dahlia Society meets the second Saturday of most months at 1 pm, Trinity Reformed Church, 909 Landing Road North, Rochester, except in the summer, when it tours members’ gardens. Visitors welcome.

585/249-0624; 585/865-2291; gwebster@rochester. rr.com; rochesterdahliasociety.com.

Rochester Herb Society meets the first Tuesday of each month (excluding January & February) at 12 pm, Rochester Civic Garden Center, 5 Castle Park, Rochester.

June-August garden tours. New members welcome.

Rochester Permaculture Center, meets monthly to discuss topics such as edible landscapes, gardening, farming, renewable energy, green building, rainwater harvesting, composting, local food, forest gardening, herbalism, green living, etc. Meeting location and details: meetup. com/rochesterpermaculture.

Valentown Garden Club meets the third Tuesday of each month; time alternates between noon and 7 pm.

Victor. Kathleen Houser, president: 585/301-6107.

Frequent hosts BRI: Bristol’s Garden Center, 7454 Victor Pittsford Road, Victor, NY. 585/924-2274; customerservice@bristolsgrdencenter.com; bristolsgardencenter.com & Facebook.

CCE/GC: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Genesee County, 420 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020. 585/343-3040; counties.cce.cornell.edu/ genesee.

CCE/MON: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Monroe County, 249 Highland Ave., Rochester, NY 14620. 585/461-1000; counties.cce.cornell. edu/monroe.

GLT: Genesee Land Trust, 46 Prince Street, Suite LL005, Rochester, NY 14607. 585/256-2130; info@geneseelandtrust.org; geneseelandtrust. org.

RCGC: Rochester Civic Garden Center, 5 Castle Park, Rochester, NY 14620. 585/473-5130; rcgc. org.

RPC: Rochester Permaculture Center, PO Box 18212, Rochester, NY 14618. 585/5066505; patty@barefootpermaculture.com; rochesterpermaculturecenter.org.

SG: Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park, 151 Charlotte Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424. 585/394-4922; sonnenberg.org.

CLASSES / EVENTS • Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

• Ongoing: GGH Kids Program, Saturdays, 11 am.

Kids enjoy hands-on crafts, nature experiments and educational games to explore the joy of gardening.

Suggested ages 4-12. Free. Grossmans Garden & Home, 1801 Route 250, Penfield. 585/377-1982; grossmans. com.

March 7 – 9: Orchid Show, 10 am – 5 pm. Displays of Cattleyas, Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Phalaenopsis and more. Seminars, vendors. $5. SG March 8: Herb Gardening, 11 am. Plant a kitchen counter herb garden. A variety of plants will be available or start them from seed. Class will also cover pruning and try some recipes. $25. Registration required. BRI March 8 – 9: Bus Trip to Philadelphia Flower Show.

Travel by motor coach with Michael Warren Thomas to see the Philadelphia Flower Show, 2014 theme: ARTiculture, and Longwood Gardens. All expenses included except dinner at Flower Show & lunch at Longwood. $395 double; $450 single. 585/703-9237; savourlife.com.

March 11: Make an Everlasting Wreath, 6 – 8 pm. Sue Lang and Sheryl Roets will guide participants in creating a large everlasting wreath using a base of salal (lemon leaf) and baby’s breath (depending on availability) to embellish with a selection of dried, fresh and silk floral materials. Materials included. $65. Registration required.

RCGC March 11: Designing Like a Pro, 6:30 – 8:30 pm.

Professional landscape designer Diane Baron will discuss how to select the right plants, pick up on design cues, solve problems creatively, the importance of artistic expression, focal points, placement of plant and hardscape material, lighting, soil prep, planting, how to shop local nurseries, why speaking Latin is important in the nursery and the real truth about whether size really does matter. $22 members; $32 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC March 12: Making the Most of it – Redesigning and Renovating Your Landscape, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Christine Froehlich will discuss how common design mistakes can be corrected by dividing and moving plants, corrective pruning, effective grouping, proper siting and more.

She will also cover how to choose plants and shop more effectively. $22 members; $32 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC March 12: Landscape Your Yard with Wildlife in Mind, 7 – 8:30 pm. Presented by Master Gardener Bob Haggett. Registration required. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Ontario County, 480 North Main Street, Canandaigua. 585/394-3977 x427; nea8@cornell.edu; cceontario.org.

March 13: Herbaceous Perennials, 6 – 8:30 pm.

Marcella Klein will discuss perennials that provide a long season of color while requiring minimal upkeep, plus those that flourish under difficult conditions like poor soil, steep slopes, deep shade and deer. $30 members; $40 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 17: Orchid Workshop, 6 – 8 pm. Joe Gallea will guide participants in choosing an orchid plant and transplanting it using a special orchid pot and soil. He will discuss when and how to separate orchids, products available to fertilize and prevent diseases and insects and share easy tips for care and maintenance. Materials included. $65. Registration required. RCGC March 18: Herbaceous and Softwood Cuttings, 6 – 8 pm. Carolyn VanNess will cover propagating annuals, perennials, houseplants and shrubs using softwood UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 37

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Calendar ROCHESTER cont. cuttings with emphasis on selecting proper tools and growing medium, use of rooting hormones and proper timing. $22 members; $28 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 18: Plant an Indoor Winter Herb Garden, 6 – 8 pm. Sue Lang and Sheryl Roets will guide participants in creating an indoor herb garden. Dick Minoia will demonstrate ways to use herbs in cooking. Materials included. $65. Registration required. RCGC March 19: Virtual Tour of Michael Hannen’s Summer Garden, 6 – 8:30 pm. Michael will highlight what was in bloom June – August 2013 in his diverse display garden.

See the stages of bloom throughout the summer months and learn more about the plants. Free for members.

Registration required. RCGC March 19: Spring Clean Up, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Presented

by Dan Schied. Presented in collaboration with the City of Rochester. Free. CCE/MON March 20: Soils, 6 – 9 pm. Andy Joss, will cover soil types, chemical composition, common problems, amendments, etc. Bring a pint of soil from your yard and learn to test it yourself for texture and pH. $36 members; $46 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 20: Starting Plants from Seeds, 6:30 – 8 pm.

Master Gardener Anne Johnston will share the secrets of her success in starting plants for her garden at home. $10. Registration required. CCE/MON March 22: Pruning I - The Basics, 9 am – 12 pm. Mike Tanzini will cover the basic principles of pruning trees and shrubs including techniques, timing and proper equipment. Class will go outside for demonstrations on the grounds of Warner Castle, weather permitting.

A component of Pruning Certificate (see March 22June 14), may be taken separately if space allows. $36 members; $46 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC March 22: Geneva Bee Conference, 9 am – 4 pm.

Several renown speakers on the topic of honey bees. $30 individual; $50 couple. 300 Pulteney Street, Geneva. genevabeeconference.org.

March 22: Terrariums, 11 am or 1 pm. Includes 3 plants, moss, rocks, soil, top dressing and glass container, or you may bring your own. $30. Registration required. BRI March 22 – June 14: Pruning Certificate, 3 Saturdays, March 22, April 19 & June 14, 9 am – 12 pm. Mike Tanzini will cover the principles and techniques of pruning shrubs and small trees in the home landscape.

Classroom instruction supplemented with in-field demonstrations. $94 members; $130 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC March 24: Terrarium Workshop, 6 – 8 pm. Joe Gallea will explain which plants and containers work best for terrariums, how to layer the soil with different planting media, share tips on landscaping with unusual stones and mini garden ornaments and proper lighting, watering and fertilizing. Select from a wide variety of materials to create your own. Materials included. $65. Registration required. RCGC March 25: Spring Flowering Basket, 6 – 8 pm. Sue Lang and Sheryl Roets will guide participants in planting a basket with bright spring-flowering plants and some interesting small tropicals. Materials included. $65.

Registration required. RCGC March 25 – April 22: Residential Landscape Design Certificate, 5 Tuesdays, 6 – 8:30 pm. Learn to create a master landscape plan for your home property in 44 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

this hands-on studio course with landscape designer Mike Tanzini. Topics covered include analyzing the site, the plant palette, principles of landscape design and renovation, hardscaping and techniques for drawing out a plan. $210 members; $260 non-members. Registration required. RCGC March 29 – April 12: Basic Professional Floral Design Certificate, 3 Saturdays, 9:30 am – 3 pm. Professional floral designer Alana Miller will guide students through basic principles and techniques of floral design. Each class will include lecture and hands-on workshop.

Styles discussed will include round, triangular, vase, symmetrical, elongated, corsages and more. Students will create one or two arrangements to take home at each class. Materials included. $395 members; $495 nonmembers. Registration required. RCGC March 31 – May 5: Introductory Bonsai Course, five Mondays, 7 – 10 pm. Major emphasis on theory and techniques of bonsai design, pruning, wiring and potting.

Each lesson consists of slide program, demonstration and workshop where students are encouraged and assisted in creating their own bonsai. Five bonsai will be created by each student with the assistance of bonsai artist and educator William N. Valavanis. Materials not included. $90. Registration required. International Bonsai Arboretum, 1070 Martin Road, West Henrietta. 585/3342595; wnv@internationalbonsai.com; internationalbonsai. com.

Ongoing during April: Greenhouse Open House, Tuesdays 9 am – 12 pm, Wednesdays 12 – 3 pm. See tens of thousands of seedlings getting started for the gardens. Wander through the tropical Orchid House and Palm House. $1 donation suggested. SG April 1: Create a Fairy Garden, 6 – 8 pm. Sue Lang and Joe Gallea will guide participants in building an indoor fairy garden for any age and will discuss adding to and changing the landscape over time. Children may attend for free if accompanying a registered adult. Materials included. $65. Registration required. RCGC Beginning April 2: Botanical Drawing, 8 Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Deb VerHulst-Norris will teach participants to draw plants and flowers in accurate detail.

Drawing skills will be developed by closely observing the structure and textures of plants and flowers. Class will explore the use of graphite pencils, with colored pencil added to give depth and definition. No previous experience needed. $99 members; $120 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC April 3: Low-Maintenance Gardening, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Pamela Merritt Kramer will discuss methods to make gardening easier such as low-maintenance plants, working the soil properly, mulch and how to efficiently deadhead and trim. $22 members; $32 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC Beginning April 4: Botanical Drawing, 6 Fridays, 9 am – 12 pm. See description under April 2. $99 members; $120 non-members. Registration required. RCGC April 5: Dividing Perennials, 10 am – 1 pm. Join Michael Hannen at his home-based nursery where he will demonstrate his methods for dividing perennials. Class will then move to nearby Warner Castle where Michael will demonstrate the best methods for planting the divisions. $22 members; $28 non-members. Registration required. RCGC • April 5 – 6: Spring Open House, 10 am – 4 pm. BRI April 6: Durand Eastman Park Arboretum Tour, 2 – 4 pm. Tour conducted by Community Forester Volunteers.

Moderate hills, wooded trails. Meet: kiosk, Zoo Road.

Donation appreciated. 585/261-1665; bob.bea@gmail. com. CCE/MON

April 7: Workshop - Start your Herbs, Veggies and Flowers from Seed, 6 – 8 pm. Joe Gallea will cover the process of starting seeds, growing them on, transplanting and growing them outside. Participants will plant their choice of herbs, vegetables and flowering annuals in a domed seedling tray to take home. Materials included. $65. Registration required. RCGC April 8: Create a Flowering Container Garden, 6 – 8 pm. Choose from a selection of flowering annuals and accent plants to create your own outdoor container.

Materials included. $65. Registration required. RCGC April 9: Herbs & Edibles, 6 – 8 pm. Master Gardener Ingrid Bowen will share her tips on growing herbs and other edibles. $10. Registration required by April 4. CCE/ GC April 9: Landscaping with a Purpose – Plantings that Earn Their Keep, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Landscape designer Marcella Klein will discuss how to use plants to make an entrance more welcoming and safer for guests, enhance home security, reduce heating and cooling bills, improve privacy and livability of outdoor spaces and make lawn maintenance easier. $22 members; $32 non-members.

Registration required. RCGC April 10: Garden Design with Perennials, 6:30 – 8 pm.

Learn about planting in waves or blocks, using color themes and functions to determine plant choices, e.g. butterfly or bird gardens, deer-resistant, sun or shade.

Includes worksheets for drawing and budgeting your design. Registration required. Wayside Garden Center, 124 Pittsford-Palmyra Road (Route 31), Macedon, NY 14502. 585/223-1222 x100; trish@waysidegardencenter. com; Facebook; waysidegardencenter.com.

April 10: Creating a Woodland Garden – Native Perennials and Shrubs for Use in Shade, 7 – 8:30 pm.

Jim Engel will discuss the diversity of native perennials and shrubs that can be used in challenging shady spots as well as ways to create natural plant communities that will provide habitat for birds and other wildlife. $18 members; $22 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC April 12: Spring Work Day, 9 am. Thousand Acre Swamp Sanctuary, 158l Jackson Road, Penfield. 585/ 773-8911. facebook.com/thousandacreswamp.

April 12: Spring Grass Basket, 11 am or 1 pm. Select a basket to fill with fresh green grass, spring flowering bulbs and hardy spring flowers. $10 and up depending on size of basket. Registration required. BRI April 13: Durand Eastman Park Arboretum Tour, 2 – 4 pm. See description under April 6. 585/261-1665; bob. bea@gmail.com. CCE/MON April 14: Bonsai Workshop, 6 – 8 pm. Learn the basics of owning and caring for a bonsai in this class for beginners. Joe Gallea will guide participants as they select a starter plant and pot, transplant, trim and artistically landscape their new bonsai. Materials included. $65. Registration required. RCGC April 16: Square Foot & Container Gardening, 6 – 8 pm. Master Gardener Bob Gray will share tips for growing vegetables in a simple, easy, logical manner.

Master Gardener Jane Grehlinger will share basics of container gardening. $10. Registration required by April 11. CCE/GC April 16: Rochester’s Horticultural History, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Presented by Beverly Gibson and in collaboration with the City of Rochester. Free. CCE/MON April 16: The Wetlands of Genesee Land Trust, 7 – 8:30 pm. Naturalists Carol and David Southby will show photos and explain the importance and beauty of wetlands. Free. Penfield Public Library. GLT

April 16: Make Your Wedding Magical, 7 – 9 pm. Floral designer and wedding planner Alana Miller will walk participants through coordinating their special event, from entering the church to cutting the cake. She will demonstrate quick and easy techniques for making boutonnieres, corsages and nosegays and share how to set up dessert stations, preserve flowers and more. $20 members; $28 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC April 17: Designing Outside the Box, 6 – 8 pm.

John Faerber, head horticulturist for Country Club of Rochester, will share ideas for incorporating elements into your design that stretch creative boundaries using combinations of hardscaping, plants and ornaments. $22 members; $32 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC April 19: Dormant-Season Pruning, 9 am – 12 pm.

Mike Tanzini will discuss and demonstrate renovation of overgrown shrubs, pruning small trees and corrective pruning. Outdoor class. Prerequisite: Session I – Pruning Basics (see March 22) or another pruning class. $36 members; $46 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC April 20: Durand Eastman Park Arboretum Tour, 2 – 4 pm. See description under April 6. 585/261-1665; bob. bea@gmail.com. CCE/MON April 23: Ground Covers, 6 – 8 pm. Master Gardener Charlene Harkness will share her ideas on using ground covers in the landscape. $10. Registration required by April 18. CCE/GC April 26: Hug a Tree, 10 am – 3 pm. Day-long event featuring talks, guided walks and more. $20. SG April 27: Edible Forest Gardening in a Nutshell: An Introduction, 9 am – 1 pm. $40-60 sliding scale.

Registration required. RPC April 27: Durand Eastman Park Arboretum Tour, 2 – 4 pm. See description under April 6. 585/261-1665; bob. bea@gmail.com. CCE/MON April 27: May Day at Peacework Farm, 2 – 7 pm.

Maypole dancing, wildflower walk, farm tours. Potluck supper, 6 pm, bring dish to pass, beverages provided.

Rain or shine. Peacework Organic Farm. GLT April 28: Floral Design Demonstration & Workshop, Demonstration, 10 am; Workshop, 1 pm. Demonstration of floral design by internationally known designer Hitomi Gilliam. Presented by Rochester Garden Club.

Demonstration: Free. Workshop: $100. Registration required. Rochester Garden Club, Sarah Pickhardt, 8 Summit Oaks, Pittsford, 14534; 585/218-0897.

April 28 – 29: Hypertufa Garden Troughs, Monday, 4 – 6 pm; Tuesday, 4 – 5 pm. Alana Miller will guide participants through the creation of their own hypertufa planter. First class: mix and mold the hypertufa. Second day: unmold your container, discuss curing & wintering it over and see how Alana uses these planters in the landscape. Materials included. $65 members; $75 nonmembers. Registration required. RCGC

May 1: Sonnenberg Opening Day. SG May 1: Using Tulips and Spring Bulbs, 6 – 7:30 pm.

Head Horticulturist John Faerber will lead a tour of the spring display at Country Club of Rochester. He will explain the different kinds of bulbs he uses, which varieties are best for our area, which perennialize best, how to use bulbs in garden design, proper siting and planting, fertilizing, care after flowering, sources, etc. $18 members; $22 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC May 3: I Love My Parks Day. Lend a hand and help to plant the gardens and beautify the site. Part of a Statewide volunteering event designed to support parks and trails in NYS. SG May 3: Spring 5K Run/Stroll, 9 am. Enjoy the spring flowers and flowering trees. All proceeds will go to support day-to-day operational expenses. $20 preregistration; $25 day of. SG May 3: Victor Garden Club Plant Sale, 9 – 11 am.

Perennials, ground covers, herbs and other landscape plantings donated by community members. Victor Free Library, 15 W Main Street, Victor.

May 3: Wake up Your Garden for Spring, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. Christine Froelich will cover assessment and repair of winter damage, pruning, early staking, planting, division and more. Class will take place outdoors. $22 members; $32 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC May 3: Mother’s Day Planter, 11 am. Decorate a 6” planter and fill it with spring plants. Materials included. $30. Registration required. BRI May 4: International Permaculture Day Celebration, 12 – 4 pm. Public Talk and Brown Bag Lunch, 12 – 1 pm, What is Permaculture and Why Should I Care? Hands on permaculture activities with PDC students, 1 – 4 pm.

Donations accepted. RPC May 9 – 18: Lilac Festival. Highland Park, Rochester. rochesterevents.com.

May 9 – 18: Master Gardener Plant Sale, 10 am – 8 pm.

Common and unusual annuals and perennials, selected organic vegetables and herbs, shrubs, trees, lilacs, clematis. Master Gardeners will be on hand to help with selections and answer questions. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester. 585/461-1000; blogs.cornell.edu/Monroe.

May 9 – 18: Visit Ellwanger Garden, weekdays, 4 – 7 pm; Saturdays & Sundays, 10 am – 4 pm. Open during Lilac Festival. Historic landscape originally planted in 1867 by nurseryman George Ellwanger. Few blocks from Lilac festivities. Donation. Ellwanger Garden, 625 Mt. Hope Avenue, Rochester. 585/546-7029; landmarksociety.org.

May 10: Container Plant Day. Children’s program designed to introduce young people to the wonders and beauty of plants and gardening. Registration required.

SG

Cooperative Extension of Wayne County, 1581 Route 88 North, Newark.

May 10: Ontario County Master Gardener Plant Sale, 9 – 11:30 am. Featuring plants from the gardens of Ontario County Master Gardeners. Cornell Cooperative Extension, 480 North Main Street, Canandaigua.

May 10: Spring Wildflowers, 10 am. Walk led by Carl Herrgesell & Frank Crombe. Thousand Acre Swamp Sanctuary, 158l Jackson Road, Penfield. 585/ 773-8911. facebook.com/thousandacreswamp.

May 10: Twig Arch Workshop, 10 am – 1 pm.

Floral designer Alana Miller will share techniques for constructing rustic twig garden structures. The group will participate in putting together one large twig arch to be displayed at the Rochester Civic Garden Center. Rain or shine. $15 members; $20 non-members. Registration required. RCGC May 10: Gardening to Attract and Enjoy Wildlife, 1 – 2:30 pm. Lois Smith, Kevin Becker, and Laurie Burtner will share photos and stories about their different gardening challenges. Free. Chili Public Library. GLT May 11 – June 8: Flower City Days at the Market, Sundays, May 11 – June 8; Memorial Day Weekend, May 23 – 26, 8 am – 2 pm. Over 250 local nurseries and growers selling plants and garden accessories. Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union Street, Rochester.

May 14: Designing Floral Arrangements for Your Church or Organization, 7 – 9 pm. Floral Designer Alana Miller will demonstrate how to create long-lasting arrangements in designs and sizes to suit the space as well as care and display, supplies, sources and how to refresh and revamp both fresh and silk for maximum life. $20 members; $28 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC May 15: Spring Blooms Stroll in the Garden at Michael Hannen’s Nursery, 6 – 7:30 pm. Michael will lead a tour of his display gardens, highlighting the spring-blooms, where he grows over 800 varieties of plants. Arrive early to shop or preview the gardens. $10 members; $15 nonmembers. Registration required. RCGC

Save the date…

May 17: Native Plant Sale, 8:30 am – 2 pm. Presented

by Genesee Land Trust. Brighton Town Hall, 2300 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester. 585/256-2130; info@geneseelandtrust.org; geneseelandtrust.org.

May 17: Pittsford Garden Club Plant Sale, 9 am – 12 pm. Perennials, herbs, annuals. Proceeds benefit Pittsford Food Cupboard. Pittsford Community Library parking lot, 24 State Street, Pittsford.

May 17: Spring Garden Gala, 10 am – 1 pm. Plant sale featuring annuals, perennials and geraniums, chance auction, soil pH testing, terrarium demonstration. CCE/ GC

April 28 – 29: Hypertufa Garden Troughs, Monday, 7 – 9 pm; Tuesday, 7 – 8 pm. See description above. $65 members; $75 non-members. Registration required.

RCGC

May 10: Alasa Farms Walk, 8 – 10:30 am. Bob Cooper will lead the group and discuss the flora and fauna that is local to the region. Free. Registration required. landprotection@geneseelandtrust.org. GLT

May 17 – 18: Bonsai Open House & Sale, 10 am – 5 pm. Displays, supplies and unusual plants for sale.

International Bonsai Arboretum, 1070 Martin Road, West Henrietta. 585/334-2595; wnv@internationalbonsai.com; internationalbonsai.com.

April 29: The Artistry of Gardening, 7 – 8:30 pm. Ruby Lockhart will share her love of gardens, knowledge and artistic eye in this educational and entertaining lecture.

Free. Brighton Public Library. GLT

May 10: Webster Arboretum Plant Sale, 8 am – 12 pm. Perennials from standard to uncommon, annuals, dwarf conifers, geraniums, dahlias, various garden club offerings and more. 1700 Schlegel Road, Webster. websterarboretum.org.

May 17 – 18: Upstate New York Bonsai Exhibition & Sale. Presented by the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York. $5. Monroe Community Hospital, corner Westfall & East Henrietta Roads, Rochester. 585/334-2595; bonsaisocietyofupstateny.org.

May 10: Wayne County Master Gardener Plant Sale, 8 – 11:30 am. Plants provided by local nurseries and from Master Gardeners’ private collections. Cornell

May 17 – 18: Linwood Tree Peony Festival of Flowers.

Linwood Gardens, 1912 York Road, Linwood. 585/5843913; linwoodgardens.org.

April 30: Nobody Eats Nightshade, Everyone Eats Potatoes, 6 – 8 pm. Learn which parts of one plant can be eaten while another plant should be avoided. $10.

Registration required by April 25. CCE/GC

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 45

Create the back yard of your dreams!

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Calendar ROCHESTER cont.

May 20: Create a Container Garden, 6 pm. Bring your own container, no bigger than 14” across. Potting soil & annuals provided. $25. Registration required by May 14.

CCE/GC May 24: Proud Market Plant Sale. Local garden clubs and small independent plant specialists. RCGC May 24 – 25: Linwood Tree Peony Festival of Flowers.

Linwood Gardens, 1912 York Road, Linwood. 585/5843913; linwoodgardens.org.

May 31: Odyssey to Ithaca. Travel by motor coach to tour the Ithaca region, including Cornell Plantations, with opportunities to shop at a variety of nurseries.

Registration required. RCGC May 31 – June 1: Linwood Tree Peony Festival of Flowers. Linwood Gardens, 1912 York Road, Linwood.

585/584-3913; linwoodgardens.org.

June 18: Garden Tour – Gardens of Wayne County, 4 – 8 pm. Welcome to Summer. Featuring gardens in the Walworth/Ontario area. Presented by Wayne County Master Gardeners. $10, by June 10. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wayne County, 1581 Route 88 North, Newark. 315/331-8415.

Library. HGCNY is a chapter of Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes; for-wild.org. Meetings are free and open to the public. 315/487-5742; hgcny.org.

of vegetables for a bountiful harvest from a small space.

Visit the vegetable gardens outside, including a model square foot garden. $5. Registration required. CCE/ONE

Koi and Water Garden Society of Central New York usually meets the third Monday of each month at 7 pm. See web site for meeting locations. 315/458-3199; cnykoi.com.

Save the date…

Syracuse Rose Society meets the second Thursday of every month (except December and February) at 7 pm.

Public welcome. Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Avenue, Syracuse. Enter from Melrose Avenue.

Club members maintain the E. M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden, Thornden Park, Syracuse. crbau@aol.com; syracuserosesociety.org.

Williamson Garden Club. On-going community projects; free monthly lectures to educate the community about gardening. Open to all. 315/524-4204. grow14589@ gmail.com; grow-thewilliamsongardenclub.blogspot. com.

Frequent host CCE/ONE: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Oneida County, 121 Second Street, Oriskany.

736/3394 x125; counties.cce.cornell.edu/ Oneida.

June 21: Backyard Habitat Tour, 9 am – 4 pm. Visit properties in Brighton, Rochester, including the South Wedge, and Chili. Self-guided. Tickets available in May. Genesee Land Trust, 585/256-2130; info@ geneseelandtrust.org; geneseelandtrust.org.

Classes / Events

• July 8 – 11: Conservation Camp, 9 am – 5 pm. Open to high school students age 16 and older. Designed for those contemplating a career or major in the environmental sciences as well as students with a love of science or general interest in the outdoors. Lunch included. $175. Registration required. Ganondagan, 1488 State Route 444, Victor. 585/924-5848; ganondagan.org.

March 26: The Gardens You Really Want – Start with Seeds, 6:30 – 8 pm. Class will cover the reasons for starting plants from seeds, supplies and equipment and seed sources and selections. Basic seed planting steps will also be discussed. $10. Registration required. CCE/ ONE

July 12: Summer Garden Tour. RCGC July 19: Edible Forest Garden Caretake and Harvest, 9 am – 5 pm. $70-95 sliding scale. Registration required.

RPC September 13: Gathering of Gardeners. Presented

by Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Monroe County. gatheringofgardeners.com.

SYRACUSE REGULAR CLUB MEETINGS African Violet Society of Syracuse meets the second Thursday of the month, September – May, Pitcher Hill Community Church, 605 Bailey Road, North Syracuse.

315/492-2562; kgarb@twcny.rr.com; avsofsyracuse.org.

Central New York Orchid Society meets the first Sunday of the month, September – May, St. Augustine’s Church, 7333 O’Brien Road, Baldwinsville. Dates may vary due to holidays. 315/633-2437; cnyos.org.

Gardeners of Syracuse meets the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm, Reformed Church of Syracuse, 1228 Teall Avenue, Syracuse. Enter from Melrose Avenue. 315/464-0051.

Gardeners in Thyme (a women’s herb club) meets the second Thursday of the month at 7 pm, Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville. 315/635-6481; hbaker@ twcny.rr.com.

Habitat Gardening Club of CNY (HGCNY) meets the last Sunday of most months at 2 pm, Liverpool Public 48 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

• Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

March 30: Encouraging Nature: Propagating, Growing and Using Native Perennials, 2 pm. Ellen Folts, Owner of Amanda’s Garden, will discuss germination requirements and seed propagation techniques for native perennials, along with garden uses of various native woodland plants that can be propagated in this manner. Sponsored by Habitat Gardening in Central New York. Free. Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip Street, Liverpool. hgcny.org; ourhabitatgarden.org.

April 9: Ergonomic Gardening, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Master Gardeners Sally Townsend and Nancy Hollins are also occupational therapists. They will provide information on the principles of ergonomics and will work with participants to apply those principles to their own gardening habits. $5. Registration required. CCE/ONE April 27: Meadowscaping, 2 pm. This video, based on the book of the same name by Catherine Zimmerman, covers practical information and inspiration to do away with pesticides, reduce lawn and return land to natural habitat for native plants and wildlife. Sponsored by Habitat Gardening in Central New York. Free. Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip Street, Liverpool. hgcny.org; ourhabitatgarden.org.

April 28: Color in your Garden - Getting it Right, 6:30 – 8 pm. Class will help participants understand the basics of color psychology and harmony, discover techniques to create an environment for a specific mood such as dining or meditation and learn how the use of certain colors can create rhythm and flow from one garden section to another. Registration required. CCE/ONE May 14: Square Foot Gardening, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Learn how to easily construct a 4x4 foot raised bed and mix a rich soil medium. Learn how to efficiently plant a variety

June 21: Herb and Flower Festival, 9 am – 3:30 pm.

Local vendors, seminars. $3. CCE Oneida County Parker F. Scripture Botanical Gardens. CCE/ONE July 12 – 13: Finger Lakes Lavender Festival, 9 am – 5 pm. Vendors, presentations, refreshments, harvest your own lavender bouquet. Rain or shine. Free. Lockwood Lavender Farm, 1682 West Lake Road, Skaneateles.

315/685-5369; lockwoodfarm.blogspot.com; fingerlakeslavenderfestival.blogspot.com.

& BEYOND Frequent host PINE: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, the best remaining example in the world of an inland pine barrens. 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY. 518/456-0655; albanypinebush.org.

Classes / Events • Indicates activities especially appropriate for children and families.

• March 7: First Friday Hike: Spring is Coming, 12 – 12:45 pm. Discover signs of spring along the trails of the Pine Bush Preserve. All ages. Free. Registration required.

PINE March 21 – 23: Capital District Garden & Flower Show.

Storybook Gardens. Hudson Valley Community College, Troy. gardenandflowershow.com.

• March 23: Vernal Equinox Hike, 1 – 2 pm. Walk one mile looking for signs of the season. All ages. $3; $5 family; children under 5 free. Registration required. PINE • March 29: Plant a Flower, 11 am – 12 pm. Learn about the natural history of the Albany Pine Bush ecosystem.

Participants will have the chance to plant seeds of native Pine Bush plants to take home. Group will hike 0.2 miles.

All ages. $3; $5 family; children under 5 free. Registration required. PINE • March 30: Plant a Flower, 1 – 2 pm. See description under March 29. $3; $5 family; children under 5 free.

Registration required. PINE April 5: Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium.

Six lectures by nationally known garden speakers, luncheon buffet, handouts, garden gifts, door prizes and Gardeners’ Marketplace. Day-only and overnight packages available. $89 and up. Registration required.

Equinox Resort, Manchester, VT. 207/502-7228; pyours. com/symposium.

April 12: Garden & Landscape Symposium, 9 am – 4 pm. New Garden Visions. Kerry Mendez, Seasonal Garden Care for Gorgeous, ‘Well behaved’ Gardens.

Dr. Leonard Perry, Spring Flowering Bulbs. Dave Rutkowski, Chemical-Free Gardening: A Success Story.

Jane Sorensen, Landscape Design for Pollinators. Lunch included. $65 members; $75 non-members. Registration required. The King’s Garden at Fort Ticonderoga, Ticonderoga, NY. 518/585-2821; fortticonderoga.org.

Deadline for Calendar Listings for the next issue (May-June) is Friday, April 11, 2014. Please send your submissions to deb@upstategardenersjournal.com.

Seasonal stakeout

The garden beneath

by Colleen O’Neill Nice

L

ast summer, I worked with craftsman Ricardo Rivera to design and build an arbor to traverse my woodland path. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that he has a passion for building tree houses and owns a small business called Buffalo Tree House (BuffaloTreeHouse.com), founded in 2009. “Everything we build is a one of a kind work of art designed to be an extension of our client’s personalities and living spaces,” he says.

A view from above is the ultimate garden experience.

If you have ever traveled to Sissinghurst Castle in England and climbed the numerous stone steps to the top of the Elizabethan tower, you know what I am talking about.

The view of the spectacular themed garden rooms is breathtaking, not to mention the 450 acres of the estate surrounding them.

When I visited Longwood Gardens last summer, I toured three tree houses built in the Forest Walk. Using a new technology called pin foundation system, the tree

houses were built without damaging tree limbs or roots.

The dwellings ranged in size and scope from simple to elaborate, using mostly reclaimed materials.

Since my husband and I live in a ranch style house, I have no second floor views. The closest I‘ve gotten to viewing my garden from above was from my neighbor’s second floor window across the street. It was a sunny spring morning and the yellow daffodils and orange tulips created pools of color, shockingly bright. The many shades of green of the trees, shrubs, ferns and ground covers contrasted with the ephemeral blooms. My garden looked like an artist’s palette embedded with textures and patterns. Unfortunately, I could never have this experience on the ground.

So I designed a fantasy tree house in my head. Three levels would suffice. The first story would be my workspace for writing and editing photos. Wi-Fi would be a must.

The second level would be an open platform surrounded by railings on all four sides for viewing my garden, taking

LEFT: This treetop playhouse located in Orchard Park, New York, is sandwiched between a robust Quercus alba (white oak) and a lofty Acer saccharinum (silver maple). Designed specifically for children, the “Copper Tower” encompasses 90 square feet with a rope ladder, a secret entry point and a covered hammock. Its finest feature is a fifteen foot high look-out tower that has a 360 degree view of the entire neighborhood. A great spot to utilize a telescope or some binoculars! Photo by Joe Janiak, Ramble Photography.

RIGHT: “The Pentagon” rests amongst the branches of an Acer saccharinum (silver maple) on a farm in Kendall, New York. Inspired by surrounding barns, the base was constructed of rough sawn lumber and sits twelve feet off the ground.

The corrugated steel roof rises to a towering height of twenty-eight feet. The 56 square foot interior includes fully functional windows and a trap door. A rear outside deck is perfect for enjoying the farmland views. Photo by Buffalo Tree House LLC.

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 49

From the garden

Go green spring vegetables Serves 4-6 ¼ lb. French green beans, ends removed Kosher salt ¼ lb. sugar snap peas, strings removed ¼ lb. asparagus, ends removed and cut into 2 inch lengths ½ lb. broccolini, ends removed and cut in half 2 Tbsp. butter, unsalted 1 Tbsp. olive oil 3 large shallots, sliced ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Blanch green beans in boiling salted water for 1 minute.

Drain and submerge in ice-cold water.

2. Repeat with snap peas and cool in same ice water. May need to add ice cubes to maintain cold temperature.

3. Repeat with asparagus, but blanch for 2 minutes.

4. Repeat with broccolini and blanch for 1 minute.

5. When all vegetables are in ice water, drain well and pat dry with paper towels.

6. When ready to serve, heat butter and oil in large sauté pan and sauté shallots over medium heat for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned.

7. Add the drained vegetables with ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper and toss. Cook until the vegetables are heated through. Serve hot.

8. May serve with 8 oz. cooked linguine. Toss with grated Parmesan cheese and sliced fresh basil.

Recipe courtesy Marion Morse, Allyn’s Creek Garden Club.

LEFT: The “Spiral Cabin” is perched on a Populus fremontii (cottonwood).

The cabin was constructed from eight hemlock logs and includes fully functional windows and doors. The interior consists of fold-out benches that convert into sleeping cots. This rustic retreat embraces 170 square feet of relaxation space. Photo

by Buffalo Tree House LLC. RIGHT: Inspiration for the “Cedar Silo” came from a recycled cage ladder that was originally attached to a grain silo. It was purchased from a seller on craigslist.

Hidden archer windows on the lower level can be used to protect this 160 square foot play space. Outside balconies on both the upper and lower levels make perfect viewing platforms for wildlife.

Photo by Joe Janiak, Ramble Photography.

50 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

pictures and hanging out with the birds and squirrels. The third level would be my quiet space – roomy enough for a yoga mat and some pillows. I could relax and rejuvenate after a long day in the garden. Of course, I would share my tree house with my grandchildren when they came to visit.

On second thought, I may need to scale back my dream retreat to one level. I have a fear of heights.

Colleen O’Neill Nice is an avid gardener in Clarence, New York, specializing in fern propagation.

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LAkeSIde AAA / Horizon Club Tours announces…

Sally Cunningham’s Garden Discoveries

Travel, learn and laugh with horticulturist Sally Cunningham.

May: Chelsea Flower Show and famous London area gardens July: Buffalo area Garden Discovery Tours* • Lockport Wine & Flowers • Daylilies, Hostas and Rare Plant Collections • Gardens on the Lake —Graycliff and sunset views • Secret Gardens of Java, Holland, and the Hidden Valley • Garden Walk Buffalo Anniversary Tours —guided tours to best of Buffalo

August: Estate Gardens of the Hudson Valley September: Botanical Gardens and estates, New York City *Tours in draft status at publication date

To receive full information, contact 1-800-242-4244 or visit www.HorizonClubTours.com.

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H.A.Treichler & Sons “We Grow Our Own”

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TOURS & LUNCHEONS OR TOURS & TEAS Celebrate Chautauqua County with an outing at the historic Cherry Creek Inn and its lovely gardens. Tour the “Currier & Ives” Old Order Amish country.

Amish-style luncheon includes baked chicken, salads, Amish homemade bread & pies, coffee/tea/lemonade.

Tours & luncheons are usually from 10 am to 2 pm ($35 pp).

Teas include delectable sandwich, savory, and sweet courses.

Tours & teas are generally scheduled 1 - 5 pm ($35 pp).

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farm market & nursery, inC. 5353 W. Lake Rd. • Burt, NY 14028

716-778-5733

DESIGNER ANNUALS HANGING BASKETS

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if you would like to schedule a group tour or have an on-site training session on container planting, please contact us.

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FOREVERGREENS

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Pudgie’s Lawn & Garden Center

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Shop at Pudgie’s

Country Corners Nursery 6611 Rtes. 5 & 20 Bloomfield (585) 657-7165

3646 West Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 Store: 585/343-8352 Office: 585/948-8100 www.pudgieslawnandgarden.com

Coldwater Pond Nursery

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Coming Soon: Watch For Our New Website With Online Ordering! www.coldwaterpond.com 315-331-8068 • info@coldwaterpond.com 600 S. Marbletown Rd, Phelps, NY 14532

Lana’s The Little House

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Storybook English Cottage

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Teas & Tours Daily PO Box 267 Forestville, NY 14062 716-965-2798 open all year

Online Tea Store world class TEAS, memorable SCONES

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Unusual Ornamentals

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Holmes Hollow Farm

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Visit our website and start your wish list today.

Hours Are Seasonal

Open: May 1st — Dec. 15th

HeimillerGreenhouses.com

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Windy Acres Greenhouse “Unique Plants & Old-Time Favorites”

Annuals, perennials, vegetable plants, hanging baskets, Japanese maples, fruits, fruit trees & water garden plants Water gardening & birding items.

6175 Wagner Road, Springville, NY 14141 716-541-4923

Directions: from Turk Hill turn on Whisperwood, go 100 yds, turn R on gravel rd, L past greenhouse and down hill.

Heart of Franklinville Concrete Garden Statuary

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Country Cottage A Pure & Simple Gathering of Country Home Décor & Unusual Herbs & Perennials.

Open 7 days 11 - 6 Visit our Country Café every Saturday & Sunday, May through October 10448 Harper Rd. Darien, NY 585-547-9591

Come Play in the Dirt!

Don’t have space for your own garden but you have a passion for it? Have gardening experience that you would love to share? Become a volunteer at Sonnenberg! Join us for one of our We open for the season May 1! Check our Volunteer Fair sessions: website or call for our calendar of special April 12, 10 am - 11:30 am events and programs.

April 16, 6:30 pm - 8 pm Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park 151 Charlotte Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424 585-394-4922 • www.sonnenberg.org

Chicken Coop Originals Discover our herb gardens & rustic shops garden décor hand-painted primitives oldtiques & collectibles bird baths herbs & perennials Norway Spruce trees

Garden & Art workshops

Spring Open House May 2,3 & 4th May 9, 10 & 11th For more information, go to

chickencooporiginals.com

Hours (Apr.- Dec.): Thurs.-Sat. 10 - 5; Other days by chance or app’t 13245 Clinton St.(Rte. 354), Alden, NY 14004 • (716) 937-7837

Borglum’s Iris Gardens 2202 Austin Road, Geneva, NY 14456 585-526-6729

Iris - Peonies - Hosta Potted Peonies 100+ varieties Dig-Your-Own Iris & Daylilies Opening by May 15, Sunday - Friday Closed Saturdays sylborg@aol.com • www.Borglumsiris.com

Seneca

Greenhouse Bring on Spring with our beautiful selection of annuals, perennials, hanging baskets and garden decor.

2250 Transit Rd., near Seneca St. West Seneca, NY 14224 716/677-0681

U-Pick Cutting G arden

open July—September.

TURF EQUIPMENT, LLC Martin and Barbara Henry Retail Greenhouses 7884 Sisson Hwy. ❀ Eden, NY 14057

Barb:

716-536-0746

Martin: 716-491-5749

Specializing in cut flowers – your garden or ours.

585.584.3122 • www.linwoodturf.com

Buffalo’s 10th Annual

Black Rock & Riverside Tour of Gardens & Starry Night Garden Tour See the Beauty of Our Area!

This free, self-guided tour includes 60 day and 25 night gardens.

Saturday, Aug 2nd: 10am - 4pm Well-lit gardens: 8pm - 10pm

For maps & info: www.brrtourofgardens.com or Call Councilman Golombek: 716.851.5116 Sponsored by

Come visit us at

Cottage gardens

and see all the color and forms of our daylilies—over 3100 cultivars --4540 east shelby road Medina, new York 14103 retaIL & aHs dIsPLaY garden open in July, tuesday - sunday 10 am - 5 pm or by appointment email: cglilies@rochester.rr.com Phone 585-798-5441 Web: http://www.daylily.net/gardens/cottagegardens We welcome garden tours • Gift Certificates available

StraWberry MarShMalloW Sundae

Imagine walking through fields of daylilies in bloom.

Come Visit Us!

We are a perennial nursery that takes pride in growing healthy, beautiful plants.

There is nothing better than taking a little piece of our garden home to your garden!

Asa Ransom House

• Fine country dining • 10 room Inn, some with fireplace, balcony or porch, whirlpool • Welcoming gardens including a 50-plant herb garden Voted #1 B&B in “Best of Buffalo” survey

Much More Than Just Herbs!

1147 Main St., Mumford • zantopiaherbgardens.com One mile north of the Caledonia monument • 585/538-4650

ClassiFiEds

daYliliEs. Daylilies are outstanding, carefree perennials. We grow and sell over 225 top-rated award-winning varieties in many colors and sizes in our Rochester garden. We are also an official national daylily society display garden. We welcome visitors to see the flowers in bloom from June to September. Call 585/461-3317.

Tour our inn at asaransom.com 10529 Main St. (Rte 5), Clarence, NY 14031 716/759-2315 • innfo@asaransom.com

Water gardens built/maintained Cattail control experts • Weed/algae problems solved Fountains, Aeration, Waterfalls DEC Certified Aquatic Herbicide Applicators

PuRE, naTuRal, loCal HonEY. Award-winning small scale apiary

by Lake Ontario. SeawayTrailHoney.com 585-820-6619 BuildinG a HoME? Why not build it in a garden featured on tours and in print? Mature established private lot with historic shed, fruit & vegetable areas, eclectic mix of plants.

This garden is now an approved acre building lot in Scottsville in walking distance to high school and shops, with water, sewer, electric, gas, and cable. Contact owner Richard LeRoy (585) 576-0138 or rklnge@yahoo.com.

56 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

8011 Olmstead Rd., Bloomfield, NY 14469

585-657-7679 • www.clearlyaquatics.com David A. Young, Aquatic Service Biologist

Cathy's Crafty Corner

Eggshell planters

by Cathy Monrad

W

hile cruising Pinterest looking for ways to shrug off the winter doldrums, I stumbled upon this idea: planting succulents in

eggshells.

These little cuties can be used in a variety of ways (candlestick toppers, place markers), but I chose to use them in a simple table arrangement.

Materials Eggs Soil Variety of small succulents Bowl Bags of gravel Small paintbrush

1. Remove the top third of the eggshell. I carefully cracked open the very top of each egg on the side of a bowl then used my fingers to remove the extra shell.

2. Rinse out the shell with warm soapy water and

let dry.

3. Place the eggshells in an egg carton and fill them about halfway with loose, moist soil. I used a small spoon as a scoop.

4. Pull apart the succulents and gently plant them in the eggshells. Add additional soil if needed.

5. Use the paintbrush to clean up any residual soil.

6. Pour the gravel into the bowl, and arrange the planted eggshells as desired.

This idea was originally pinned on Pinterest by interior decorator Kristen Jackson, owner of The Hunted Interior (HuntedInterior.com) based in Altanta, Georgia.

Special thanks to Bristol's Garden Center for providing us with the space and supplies to do this project.

Cathy Monrad is the graphic designer for Upstate Gardeners' Journal. This column will be a regular feature, but we need a better name for it. Any ideas?

UPSTATE GARDENERS’ JOURNAL | 57

Events

Plantasia “Party in the Garden” Seminar Schedule March 20 – 23, the Agri-Center on the Fairgrounds in Hamburg Thursday, March 20, 2014

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Noon: Lawn Care for the Homeowner—Jim Baldwin, Andre & Son Inc.

11 am: Little Hostas—Mike & Kathy Shadrack, British Horticulture Speakers & Authors

1 pm: Landscape Design with an Oriental Twist— Matt Smith, CNLP, Serene Gardens

Noon: Beyond the Burning Bush: Invasive Plants, Regulations & Your Landscape, and Great Alternatives—Sally Cunningham, CNLP, Author, Lockwoods’s Greenhouse

2 pm: 45 More Gardening Tips in 45 minutes— Connie Oswald Stofko, Publisher, Buffalo Niagara Gardening.com 3 pm: Native Perennials, Shrubs and Trees Everyone Can Grow—Lynn Chimera – Lessons from Nature 4 pm: Raised Beds & Container Gardening—Joe Manual, Master Gardener 5 pm: Your Garden is Waking Up. Are You Ready?— Dan Robillard, McKinley High School Horticulture Dept.

Friday, March 21, 2014

11 am: The Wonderful World of Grass and Lawns— J. Tim Vanini, Ph.D., New Dimensions Turf Noon: Foraging for Wild Foods & Medicines— Sanford Geffner, Director, Earth Educational Services, Inc. 1 pm: Successful Do-It Yourself Pruning—Lynn Chimera – Lessons from Nature The letters CNLP after a speaker’s name indicate that he or she is a Certified Nursery & Landscape Professional

58 | MARCH-APRIL 2014

2 pm: Using Reclaimed Materials in Hardscape Projects—Scott Smith – Experienced Bricks Inc. 3 pm: Gardens of the Garden Walk—Jim Charlier, JCharlier Communication Design 4 pm: Party with Flowers—Dorothy Julius, Along Gardens Path

1 pm: Things Gardeners Should Know But Don’t— Ken Brown, Field of Dreams 2 pm: Green Vertical Living Walls—Kathy O’Donnell, Botanicus Inc. 2 pm: (Small Conference Room) Ten Top Flower Picks—Nellie Gardener, Horticulturist, Martin House Restoration Corp.

2:30 pm: Question and Answer Time with Ken Brown and Sally Cunningham—Common Area (Middle of Event Center Building) 3 pm: Fairy Gardens—Dan Meyer, Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses 4 pm: Tips for Happy House Plants—Dave Clark, Horticulture Speaker; Instructor at Buffalo Erie County Botanical Gardens

Sunday, March 23, 2014

10 am: Fruit Trees and Berries for the Home Gardener—Tom Mitchell, Horticulture Instructor NCCC; Mitchell Landscaping 11 am: How House Plants Work, Propagation—Dave Clark, Horticulture Speaker; Instructor at Buffalo Erie County Botanical Gardens Noon: Organic Gardening/Companion Gardening/ Benefical Insects—Sally Cunningham, CNLP, Author; Lockwoods’s Greenhouse

JOE CASCIO

BIG Beautiful and

We’re America’s largest garden festival. By far.

Dig into 1,000 gardens during 12 weekend garden walks, dozens of Open Gardens, motorcoach tours, workshops and more!

J U N E 21 – AU G U S T 2 , 2 014

©

B U F FA L O , N E W YO R K

For all the dirt, visit NationalGardenFestival.com or call 1-800-BUFFALO