Our Last Mild Friday?

The weather was awesome today. We had some clouds but also periods of sunshine and the temperatures were in the mid 40s; quite comfortable for a mid-Nov. in Wisconsin. Above is just one of many locations out in the gardens where our "network of power" is utilized for the Holiday Lights Show. It's interesting that when our lights show started 12 years ago, power was plentiful but labor to put up the show was scarce. Now we have the reverse. We have really "cranked" on putting this show up. We started in mid-October and the grounds staff (particularly Marv, Marianne, Terry, Larry and I) have been setting things up outside. We have many "rebar displays" like those to the left. These all have rope lighting and represent flowers, creatures and other thematic elements. These were all designed and created by a talented volunteer from nearby Brodhead, WI. We're fortunate to have Janice and Jerry continuing to garden for the most part as that is still quite important. Now we're always worried about power problems (particularly during wet weather). We hope that it's cold enough for snow as rain is the bane of our event. We should have the show up by next Wed. and tested the following week.

Janice and Kristine continued to work on cutting back perennials and raking leaves. Janice asked me to mention in this blog that she raked ALL DAY (although she also weeded and took extra long breaks). Marianne, Terry, Marv and I worked on the lights show although Marianne spent some time weeding the new iris beds as well. Rick and Tony worked on leveling rocks along our paths and were clearing European buckthorn from around the perimeter of our Horticulture Center. Dr. Gredler did some mowing and accomplished two milestones today; his 200th trip to the dump with debris and his 800th volunteer hour for the year. He's one of our best.


As many of our ornamental grasses go dormant and transform in to ambers and browns, our sedges (Carex sp.) will still maintain color throughout the winter (if visible). Many sedges are "semi-evergreen" and while dormant, still show color until new growth emerges in spring from the basal foliage (which overwinters). The plantain-leaf sedge (Carex plantaginea) to the right looked great today with its wide ribbon-like foliage. Found in moist woodlands from Canada to Alabama, this native (not to WI) sedge has a lot of merit in my mind. We have planted throughout our dappled shade areas. It is a hardy (to zone 4) clumping sedge and we will continue to utilize its merits and that of other clumping sedges. Avoid "running" sedges!!!