I took today off to spend time with my wife and younger daughter. You may notice that the "header" or top of this blog has been modified. My 10 year old daughter did this today and was also responsible for the original one too. Her computer skills are remarkable but came with a cost for consultation of $5. I did pop in to work early to get our "Grumpy Li
st" together for incoming volunteers and talk with both Janice and Larry, who were the only grounds staff there today. It looked like a good crew with Bob C., Pat, Urban, Del, Rollie, Gary, Ron W., Bob A., Dave, Jim and Vern. I'm sure Dr. Gredler came in later and I also saw Maury coming in as well. I left after everyone was situated around 8:15 am and Janice got Robin, Mandy, Gena and a new volunteer (unknown to me at this point) going with perennial cutting an
d leaf collection. Larry worked on getting a new light pole mounted and was going to get lights up on his reception garden "pavilion of lights". I took the image above yesterday. The grass is one of my favorite Japanese silver grasses (or maiden grass) called 'Blondo' (
Miscanthus sinensis) which "plumes" out so nicely. We have many visitors ask where they can get that "pampas grass" (
Cortaderia) which of course we could never grow but we do have substitutes like the various silver grasses. To the left is the consistently awesome fall color of the fragrant abelia (
Abelia mosanensis). This 6' tall by 6' wide full sun shrub, while only hardy to zone 5, has unbelievably fragrant blossoms in early May that rival any fragrant viburnum and can be detected from a great distance. I've been impressed with this shrub and never hesitate to recommend it to others. We have a dozen specimens and while they aren't always uniformly round (a bit unkempt) the spring/fall combo of interest is worth the space. To the right is some light frosting (Tuesday) on a double coneflower (
Echinacea purpurea) called 'Razzmatazz'. I'm not a big fan of many double flowers as they can be floppy but this is a nice sturdy variety. After my presentation on Monday to the Noon Rotary Club, I hoped I had stressed enough the importance of volunteers to RBG (past, present and future). Volunteers help not only out in the gardens (like Kay below, whom I mention often!) but also with the gift shop, tours, education, etc. It amazes me the dedication that our volunteers have to RBG and it's evident that so many feel that it is a special place that appreciates (and maximizes the value of) their valuable time.
Above is the foliage of the Christmas fern (
Polystichum acrostichoides) in our shade garden. This native North American fern keeps green fronds throughout the winter and received its common name in the late 1880s when the evergreen fronds were harvested, baled and sold to florists for deco
rating wreaths for the holidays. New fronds replace the old in spring and this fern is nice on wooded slopes for erosion control. We have many specimens of this fern at RBG and it is also native to portions of Wisconsin as well. While the fall and winter garden lacks the "color punch" of our spring and fall land
scapes, there is still interest to be found. Although RBG continues to have annuals removed and perennials cut back, I shift my focus to grasses, bark, berries and of course, evergreens. To the left is the golden false cypress (
Chamaecyparis pisfera 'Golden Mops') in front of the Parker Center offering arching gold color and texture 365 days per year. Not far away from this specimen (seen to the right) is the golden Oriental spruce (
Picea orientalis 'Skylands') which has done remarkably well in this location. I've seen specimens in open, full sun that get sunburn and windburn. Ours is protected and has grown 12" per year and adds nice gold throughout all the seasons. Below is the pink/red fall color of 'Naomi' Hakone grass (
Hakonechloa macra 'Naomi') that I feel is exaggerated in catalog photos but still appealing. Below is a shot of our new structure on "the point" with the five new (and sizeable) 'Whitespire' birches (
Betula populifolia). This grove will continue to look better with each passing year.
I took today off to spend time with my wife and younger daughter. You may notice that the "header" or top of this blog has been modified. My 10 year old daughter did this today and was also responsible for the original one too. Her computer skills are remarkable but came with a cost for consultation of $5. I did pop in to work early to get our "Grumpy Li
st" together for incoming volunteers and talk with both Janice and Larry, who were the only grounds staff there today. It looked like a good crew with Bob C., Pat, Urban, Del, Rollie, Gary, Ron W., Bob A., Dave, Jim and Vern. I'm sure Dr. Gredler came in later and I also saw Maury coming in as well. I left after everyone was situated around 8:15 am and Janice got Robin, Mandy, Gena and a new volunteer (unknown to me at this point) going with perennial cutting an
d leaf collection. Larry worked on getting a new light pole mounted and was going to get lights up on his reception garden "pavilion of lights". I took the image above yesterday. The grass is one of my favorite Japanese silver grasses (or maiden grass) called 'Blondo' (Miscanthus sinensis) which "plumes" out so nicely. We have many visitors ask where they can get that "pampas grass" (Cortaderia) which of course we could never grow but we do have substitutes like the various silver grasses. To the left is the consistently awesome fall color of the fragrant abelia (Abelia mosanensis). This 6' tall by 6' wide full sun shrub, while only hardy to zone 5, has unbelievably fragrant blossoms in early May that rival any fragrant viburnum and can be detected from a great distance. I've been impressed with this shrub and never hesitate to recommend it to others. We have a dozen specimens and while they aren't always uniformly round (a bit unkempt) the spring/fall combo of interest is worth the space. To the right is some light frosting (Tuesday) on a double coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) called 'Razzmatazz'. I'm not a big fan of many double flowers as they can be floppy but this is a nice sturdy variety. After my presentation on Monday to the Noon Rotary Club, I hoped I had stressed enough the importance of volunteers to RBG (past, present and future). Volunteers help not only out in the gardens (like Kay below, whom I mention often!) but also with the gift shop, tours, education, etc. It amazes me the dedication that our volunteers have to RBG and it's evident that so many feel that it is a special place that appreciates (and maximizes the value of) their valuable time. 
rating wreaths for the holidays. New fronds replace the old in spring and this fern is nice on wooded slopes for erosion control. We have many specimens of this fern at RBG and it is also native to portions of Wisconsin as well. While the fall and winter garden lacks the "color punch" of our spring and fall land
scapes, there is still interest to be found. Although RBG continues to have annuals removed and perennials cut back, I shift my focus to grasses, bark, berries and of course, evergreens. To the left is the golden false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisfera 'Golden Mops') in front of the Parker Center offering arching gold color and texture 365 days per year. Not far away from this specimen (seen to the right) is the golden Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis 'Skylands') which has done remarkably well in this location. I've seen specimens in open, full sun that get sunburn and windburn. Ours is protected and has grown 12" per year and adds nice gold throughout all the seasons. Below is the pink/red fall color of 'Naomi' Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Naomi') that I feel is exaggerated in catalog photos but still appealing. Below is a shot of our new structure on "the point" with the five new (and sizeable) 'Whitespire' birches (Betula populifolia). This grove will continue to look better with each passing year. 
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