Be Hip By Considering Hips

Jeff Epping, Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens (Madison, WI), sent me some nice shots of rose hips for one of my upcoming presentations. Above are the hips of the redleaf rose (Rosa glauca). Olbrich is a "must visit" botanical garden with many wonderful displays and plants (including many roses!). Not only are rose hips (the aggregate fruit of the rose plant, consisting of several dry fruitlets enclosed by the enlarged, fleshy, usually red floral cup) ornamental, they are edible and good for you. High in vitamin C (more than oranges) and containing vitamins D, E, essential fatty acids and antioxidant bioflavinoids, rose hips are good for the heart and managing blood pressure. There are many recipes for using rose hips in teas, jam, jelly, wine, syrup, etc. Native Americans utilized hips as a winter food as they kept well once dried and provided nutrients during winters. Those with WWII victory gardens were encouraged to grow roses for their hips as well. Look in to it and consider more than the ornamental value of these fruits. Remember to share some with wildlife too though! Rosa rugosa hips are to the left.

Slow day around the gardens today. Urban and Jerry are bringing in lights while Larry and Bill process them. Dr. Gredler is painting our trash boxes and Dick H. is working on some equipment. Janice and I are in the office. Janice is putting together our vegetable seed orders which will include 100 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, 25 varieties of heirloom bell peppers, 25 varieties of hot peppers, 25 varieties of heirloom pole/runner beans and 25 varieties of basil. We will offer all of these for sale as plants (seeds for the beans) during the third weekend in May. Our list should be on the Rotary Gardens website by February. I'm bouncing between projects as time and motivation allow. Hips of the native Rosa virginiana are seen below. Thanks to Jeff again for the shots!