So what exactly is going on in that top photo? From right to left are Big John, Mark S., me, Tony F. and Ron W. all modeling our footwear for the YWCA "Walk A Mile In He
r Shoes" event held this Friday, August 26th. The five of us form the RBG team and while we do look good in alternate footwear, we are honored to support the worthy cause to help end domestic violence. See www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=488650 for more event information or to give a pledge to our team! The image directly above is a close-up of the blooms on one of the shrubby St. Johns worts (Hypericum kalmianum 'Blue Velvet'). While the flowers are 3/4' wide or so, the bluish leaves on this hardy shrub (4' wide and 4' tall) are showy too and will get a purple/red fall color. To the right is the very sweet-smelling bloom of the fragrant t
uberose (Polianthes tuberosa 'Mexican Single'). We have a clump of 50 or so of these plants in the Smelly Garden that were started as bulbs in pots back in April. I wish more of these had opened for our Smelly Garden event this past Friday night but at least our later season visitors will be able to enjoy them. To the left are the chartreuse plumes of the 'Sylphid' celosia (Celosia argentea var. plumosa 'Sylphid'). We used this annual en masse years ago when we had a pink/chartreuse theme and it looked good then too!This was one of the busiest Mondays that I can remember (ever!). We had lots of staff and volunteers on hand and accomplished many gardening tasks out in the gardens. Nature's Touch was here too and we talked about the next two projects to complete. It was nice to see quite a few visitors out in the gardens and we hope that trend continues. Our Smelly Garden was mentioned in the Sunday, August 21st edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and we've received some other recent positive comments in the press that may spur more visitors to come visit. Big John was here for a half day of running out for gas, watering a
ll the containers and doing some spot watering as well. John has been working Sundays too and it's nice to have someone here on that day. Marianne was weeding and tidying up all over the place and did her cutting display as well. She has impressive attention to detail and finishes what she starts. Larry spent the entire day attached to his weedwhipper after being on vacation last week. With some recent rains and cooler evening temperatures, the grass is green and growing well. Larry's first task was unloading 10 pallets of bagged mushroom compost for our upcoming fall plant sale (see www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information). This can be tricky as the weight of the pallets is at the top end of our capacity to unload them, which is a delicate "dance" that Larry knows all too well (see Larry unloading below)... Marv and Terry spent the morning loading and hauling large rocks for a new project that will occur later this week down near the alpine garden. The guys then moved to shearing our vigorous boxwood (Buxus sp.) hedges in the formal annual gardens. See Marv working his shearing "kung fu" below. Terry was just out of the picture but the guys do a nice job and make quick work of a tough project. I did many odds and ends today and that's the best way to sum it up. I'm still finishing my presentation for the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society that will be visiting the gardens this Wednesday evening for a tour and presentation. To the right are the large (3" diameter) daisy blooms on the dark-leaved golden-ray (Ligularia dentata 'Britt Marie Crawford'). This perennial has almost black foliage as it emerges in spring but then becomes a green/maroon later in the summer. Some have observed this plant reseeding prolifically in wet soils but we've not had issues here (yet...). 
Our volunteer turn out today was superior! Above are Ron W., Dick C., Dick H. and new Grumpy, Larry H. (second from right) assembling our plant sale tables which 
is an annual task that happens both in spring and fall. The guys all moved on to other projects after the project above was quickly and expertly completed. Ron B., Dennis and Bob C. did a great job renovating our primary formal garden path that was a bit rough after all the construction in the adjacent Japanese garden. The guys skimmed and replaced gravel and finished by leveling and tamping in the new material. Gary and Bill S. hauled soil down to the project area near the alpine garden that will be used to create a new berm. Del and Dr. Yahr
worked on cutting back and removing some overzealous Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) in the English cottage garden. Dave T., Vern, Bob A. and Jim worked on replacing the Japanese garden fence panels that they reconstructed after the original ones were found to be rotted when removed for the waterfall work. Tom C. worked with Larry on some electrical issues and Rollie was out on his tractor placing more memorial bricks. Maury ran some errands and also moved our "still to be planted" plants out of the yard in preparation for the fall sale. Dr. Gredler was in to mow and also spread some gravel. Bill O. was in to tidy up as needed. Mary Q. priced some items for our looming plant sale and when ou
t for some weeding near the gazebo garden. We also saw Tony and Londa who were roaming the gardens keeping an eye on things and welcoming our visitors. We also ran across Mary W., Mark S., Geesje, Bev D., Deb G., Kelli and many others. To the right is the Quickfire panicled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'Bulk') which already went thru the white stage of bloom (the earliest variety to do so) a month ago and now is going thru the gradations of pink. To the left is the interesting foliage of the variegated fiveleaf aralia (Eleutherococcus sieboldianus 'Variegatus) which is a tough shrub that will tolerate sun or shade and a wide range of soil conditions. To the right is a balloon flower (Playtcodon grandiflora 'Sentimental Blue') opened up and showing such nice veination. I like balloon flowers but they do benefit by being cut back severely in mid-June to keep them a little shorter and less prone to flopping. However, there are dwarf forms and double forms that may be of interest. Below is a shot this morning of the Ma Chii' in the fern/moss garden. When sitting (or napping) in this structure, the combined sound from the small waterfall in that garden and the new waterfall in the Japanese garden (40' away) creates a nice amount of sound (not too much and not too little). Come experience the gardens and enjoy the view from our Adirondack chairs in the North Point garden like the four ladies in the bottom photo (taken this morning). 
ll the containers and doing some spot watering as well. John has been working Sundays too and it's nice to have someone here on that day. Marianne was weeding and tidying up all over the place and did her cutting display as well. She has impressive attention to detail and finishes what she starts. Larry spent the entire day attached to his weedwhipper after being on vacation last week. With some recent rains and cooler evening temperatures, the grass is green and growing well. Larry's first task was unloading 10 pallets of bagged mushroom compost for our upcoming fall plant sale (see www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information). This can be tricky as the weight of the pallets is at the top end of our capacity to unload them, which is a delicate "dance" that Larry knows all too well (see Larry unloading below)... Marv and Terry spent the morning loading and hauling large rocks for a new project that will occur later this week down near the alpine garden. The guys then moved to shearing our vigorous boxwood (Buxus sp.) hedges in the formal annual gardens. See Marv working his shearing "kung fu" below. Terry was just out of the picture but the guys do a nice job and make quick work of a tough project. I did many odds and ends today and that's the best way to sum it up. I'm still finishing my presentation for the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society that will be visiting the gardens this Wednesday evening for a tour and presentation. To the right are the large (3" diameter) daisy blooms on the dark-leaved golden-ray (Ligularia dentata 'Britt Marie Crawford'). This perennial has almost black foliage as it emerges in spring but then becomes a green/maroon later in the summer. Some have observed this plant reseeding prolifically in wet soils but we've not had issues here (yet...). Our volunteer turn out today was superior! Above are Ron W., Dick C., Dick H. and new Grumpy, Larry H. (second from right) assembling our plant sale tables which 
is an annual task that happens both in spring and fall. The guys all moved on to other projects after the project above was quickly and expertly completed. Ron B., Dennis and Bob C. did a great job renovating our primary formal garden path that was a bit rough after all the construction in the adjacent Japanese garden. The guys skimmed and replaced gravel and finished by leveling and tamping in the new material. Gary and Bill S. hauled soil down to the project area near the alpine garden that will be used to create a new berm. Del and Dr. Yahr
worked on cutting back and removing some overzealous Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) in the English cottage garden. Dave T., Vern, Bob A. and Jim worked on replacing the Japanese garden fence panels that they reconstructed after the original ones were found to be rotted when removed for the waterfall work. Tom C. worked with Larry on some electrical issues and Rollie was out on his tractor placing more memorial bricks. Maury ran some errands and also moved our "still to be planted" plants out of the yard in preparation for the fall sale. Dr. Gredler was in to mow and also spread some gravel. Bill O. was in to tidy up as needed. Mary Q. priced some items for our looming plant sale and when ou
t for some weeding near the gazebo garden. We also saw Tony and Londa who were roaming the gardens keeping an eye on things and welcoming our visitors. We also ran across Mary W., Mark S., Geesje, Bev D., Deb G., Kelli and many others. To the right is the Quickfire panicled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'Bulk') which already went thru the white stage of bloom (the earliest variety to do so) a month ago and now is going thru the gradations of pink. To the left is the interesting foliage of the variegated fiveleaf aralia (Eleutherococcus sieboldianus 'Variegatus) which is a tough shrub that will tolerate sun or shade and a wide range of soil conditions. To the right is a balloon flower (Playtcodon grandiflora 'Sentimental Blue') opened up and showing such nice veination. I like balloon flowers but they do benefit by being cut back severely in mid-June to keep them a little shorter and less prone to flopping. However, there are dwarf forms and double forms that may be of interest. Below is a shot this morning of the Ma Chii' in the fern/moss garden. When sitting (or napping) in this structure, the combined sound from the small waterfall in that garden and the new waterfall in the Japanese garden (40' away) creates a nice amount of sound (not too much and not too little). Come experience the gardens and enjoy the view from our Adirondack chairs in the North Point garden like the four ladies in the bottom photo (taken this morning).
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