The Calm After The Storm

It was quite a snowstorm over the past day and half and I think everyone is fatigued after all the snow removal at both home and at work. I tried to get to work twice yesterday but the access road to the Horticulture Center had drifts that were discouraging and evoked visions of getting stuck and having to deal with that nightmare. I worked on presentations from home which was probably smarter than trying to keep driving in to work as the roads were being cleared. My driveway at home was one of those that had sizeable drifts although we didn't get it as bad as Chicago and other communities closer to Lake Michigan. Bill and John did much of the shoveling around the visitor's center yesterday but Larry and Bill were out most of the morning today finishing up (in sub-zero wind chills) around the building and cleared a nice access road thru the middle of the gardens. We did have a nice turnout of volunteers today although most worked on indoor projects (obviously). My pictures today have nothing to do with February but everything to do with the popular theme of "ornamental edibles". Many of the shots are from the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG) but this topic is on my mind as I prepare for five presentations this spring on this topic. I'll talk about "ornamental edibles" in general but am also creating a presentation on those edibles most suitable for the container. The top picture is my favorite ornamental hot pepper (Capsicum annuum 'Black Pearl') with near-black foliage and dark fruits aging to red later in the season. To the left is a nice container at CBG and to the right is a cool mustard (Brassica juncea 'Brazen Brass') and we have a couple hundred coming this spring for early garden interest. Further down is a neat, vertical wall planter at CBG with parsley and pansies which becomes something different later in the year.

Today I accomplished some odds and ends early, one seed order and lots of presentation preparations which will continue tomorrow. Larry and Bill shuffled between snow removal and bringing in our garbage bins for Dr. Gredler to touch up. Dr. Gredler also worked on painting one of our new structures. The carpenters, Jim, Dave, Vern and Bob, were busy with more construction tasks and Del was in to help stack/store recently painted chairs. We also saw Terry, Urban, Pat, Gary and Big John. Dick H. was in and we appreciate him plowing out our parking lot yesterday which was no small feat. Janice was in to work on printing plant sale labels and some seed searching (hot peppers) for the spring plant sale.

The Rock Prairie Master Gardener Association (RPMGA) is hosting a neat set of lectures this year and they will all be held at RBG from 7 pm - 8 pm. RPMGA and RBG members may attend free with all others asked for a nominal, $5 donation. The first topics coming up are The Right Tool for the Right Job (Glenn Erickson) on March 3, Heirlooms, Hybrids and History (Janice Peterson) on April 7th and The New Landscape and Garden (Kathleen Miller) on May 5th. I'll give more details on the future offerings as we get closer. What a great opportunity. Get these on the calendar and don't forget about Dave Wanninger (Beaver Creek Nursery) talking about woody plants on February 23rd (6 pm - 8 pm).