Monday Flurries

The image above is one that I took at a garden center many years ago. I thought it was a nice arrangement and the use and appearance of pumpkins this time of year is always nice (until squirrels or teenagers find them). We had some flurries today although nothing "stuck". It was windy and very frigid. Larry, Jerry, Marv, Terry, Rick and Tony braved the cold and accomplished a lot outside (debris clean-up, lights work, etc.). Aside from some hyacinth planting, Marianne and Janice worked on repairing lights which is vitally important before we take them outside. I'm working on the 2009 budget and have two talks this week that I need to finalize. Preparing the budget submission (which is a request) is always a juggling act of predicting needs, expenses and evaluating everything with an old-fashioned "reality check". The Grumpies hauled back benches, stored our terrace furniture, cut back roses, collected leaves and debris, brought in our fountain and otherwise had a super day. It's always nice to see a break room full of 20 people in the morning! My fall color shot of the day is below with the lovely Korean maple (Acer pseudosieboldianum). What a great range of warm hues. Also a nice picture of our authentic Japanese contemplation structure or Machi-ai. The colorful tree is the fall color of the fullmoon maple (Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium').

Nothing Like The Smell of Acetaldehyde In The Morning

Nice fall color of the native arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum 'Blue Muffin') above. This viburnum has nice white flower clusters, followed by clusters of blue berries and then this nice fall color. Arrowwood viburnums vary greatly in regards to fall color (by variety). Very little rain this weekend although today is very breezy and cold. Not a great day to do too much outside but I did manage to compost all my container planting yesterday. The title of today's blog is in reference to the prevalent use of leaf blowers this time of year. My neighbor fired his up this morning and spent three hours blowing leaves to the curb while 30 mph gusts added a bit of difficulty to that task (and my confusion as to why anyone would try to pile loose leaves...) Dozens of neighbors have been out every weekend doing the same thing. Gas powered, two-stroke engine leaf blowers are particularly bad in terms of pollution although today, the noise was the most bothersome. We have leaf blowers at Rotary Gardens but don't use them for leaf collection. We just use them on Friday afternoons to tidy up outdoor wedding sites. I've compiled some interesting information about leaf blowers that everyone should know. Nice image of the annual, purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Atrosanguineum') at the bottom.

• Leaf blowers were developed and introduced by Japanese engineers in the early 1970s


• Over 2 million leaf blowers are sold every year (figure from 2001)


• Leaf blowers are currently unregulated in terms of emissions until 2011 as the EPA has finally released new guidelines for leaf blower emissions (35% reduction in emissions)


• Leaf blowers alone create 2.6 million tons of carbon dioxide each year and burn the equivalent of 6.4 million barrels of oil


• 30 minutes of blower use is the equivalent (in terms of pollutant emissions) as driving a car 7700 miles at 30 mph. 1 hour of usage is the same as driving 17 cars for that same duration


• Emissions from leaf blowers also include benzene, 1,3-butadiene, acetaldehyde and formaldehyde


• Leaf blowers don't just blow leaves, they whip up dirt, dust, and other particulate matter including pesticides, chemicals, fungi, fecal matter, fertilizers and spores.


• The noise (decibels) of leaf blowers can be detrimental to both the operator and non-consenting citizens in the area of usage
  
• What every happened to good old leaf raking and the exercise (burns 240 calories per hour)?

Gloomy But Productive

Above is a picture of 'King Tut' papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) at Boerner Botanical Gardens. It has flopped a little after some earlier light frosts but still has a wonderful form and great texture. This image demonstrates the importance of texture in the landscape. Papyrus is not hardy here but will grow quickly in our summers and has equal value in garden beds, containers and the water garden. Not far from where I took the picture of the papyrus, I was delighted to see the blooms of an annual vine that I've tried to grow for many years. Below is the purple bell vine (Rhodochiton atrosanguineum) that is native to southwest Mexico. Note the dangling, tubular black flowers surrounding by rose calyces (grouping of sepals). For us, this vine has been a weak grower and peak flowering is quite late. This specimen looked good and I'm glad I took a decent picture of the intriguing blooms!

It started raining last night around 5 pm and didn't stop until this morning around 9 am. It's been cool and damp all day. For the most part, we all did inside work today. Marv and Terry decorated obelisks with lights and did some event prep outside as well. Marianne is testing, repairing and preparing our "icicle lights" that will be dangling from our larger trees. We have a local tree service (L.P. Tree Service) donate time and hang these for us which is much appreciated. Janice worked outside all morning with a dedicated high school group. They collected perennial debris and leaves from three different garden areas. Julie assisted and we were very impressed with these teenagers. Dr. Gredler hauled gravel and did some odds and ends. Rick and Tony also worked on lights and indoor activities. I'm putting together digital pictures from my files that we may use on some fancy new signs that will be installed throughout the gardens next year. We had a grant pay for the creation of 22 top quality garden signs that will really look professional and improve our interpretation considerably. Interesting picture below. I took this shot at Boerner again. They had just erected this framework around their large yew (Taxus sp.) hedges and presumably will cover this framework with fabric, burlap or some other covering. As labor intensive as this is, the benefits include minimizing damage from snow and ice storms and keeping deer from nibbling! I'm envious although we don't have the resources to accomplish this same level of protection. Look at the bottom image for their approach to protecting their famous rose collection! A lot fancier than rose cones but apparently quite effective.

Good Working Weather

Above is the fall color of the three-flowered maple (Acer triflorum). Native to Northern China, Manchuria and Korea, this small statured maple (25-30' tall) has few insect and disease problems. Ornamental features, aside from the orange fall color, include interesting, trifoiate leaves and reddish, exfoliating bark. The weather today, although a bit brisk in the morning, was great for working out in the gardens. We had a great crew working throughout the day. Some Grumpies worked on carpentry tasks and helped over at the visitors center. Others helped clear leaves and perennial foliage from select areas. Rick and Tony topdressed the entire north path with a fresh layer of fine gravel and did a great job. Jerry continued to clean up debris and worked on shaping and cutting back woody specimens. Larry and I both worked on holiday lights preparations and Janice worked with various volunteers and cleared lots of debris (with Marilyn and Glenna) from the garden. Marianne came in as a volunteer to process new LED lights which was very helpful. Lots of great help today!
Above and to the left is another ornamental grass picture that I took at Boerner Botanical Gardens yesterday. This is the variegated silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus') which "plumes" out very late but has a wonderful contribution of vertically striped foliage during the growing season. This grass tends to arch over and should be divided every 3-5 years. Miscanthus universally prefers full sun but I've successfully used this variety in part shade, particularly where it gets hot afternoon sun but morning shade.

To the right is another neat toad lily (Tricyrtis formosana 'Dark Beauty') that I was unfamiliar with until yesterday! I was smitten by not only its late blooms (expected) but by it's flower power. There was a grouping of three specimens (36" tall) in a partly shaded location. The dark purple spotting on the orchid-like, creamy flower petals give this plant its namesake. I'll be ordering some of these for Rotary Gardens. The risk is that an early hard frost would knock these down, but oh, the rewards.... The image on the bottom is the fall color of the native little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). This is the variety 'The Blues' (48" tall) which has superior blue summer color and looks amazing this time of year as well.

A Day in Milwaukee

Today I headed to Boerner Botanical Garden in Hales Corners, WI (south Milwaukee) to do a talk for Master Gardeners. The day was cool and partly cloudy but I was able to take lots of pictures at the garden. The talk went well (container gardening and using tropicals) and it was an energetic and lively bunch. I recognized many people and had some nice discussions after my talk. I'm sure things went well at Rotary Gardens and touched base with Larry, Terry, Marv, Marianne, Jerry, Rick and Tony before I left this morning. I'm glad I took the time to walk thru the gardens. The staff does such a nice job and were just removing annuals. There was lots to see including some great ornamental grasses below. The image to the left is a nice switch grass (Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal') used to great effect in a large massing. The grass to the right is 'Ferner Osten' silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis) that only tops out at 5 feet

tall and is well known for its creamy plumes in fall thru winter. This specimen was visible from a great distance. Ornamental grasses are really coming to the forefront in the fall garden and will become vital "role players" in the winter garden. Observe grasses now for color and form and try to visualize spaces in your winter landscape that could use some visual texture and interest in our "4th season" of garden interst. Don't ever forget winter! I was surprised to still see so much in bloom after some evident light frost damage. The aromatic aster below (Aster oblongifolius 'Raydon's Favorite') caught my eye for obvious reasons. Native to Kentucky and surrounding states, this aster has a slight minty fragrance when brushed and is a hardy, solid bloomer in our climate thru October (24" tall). Fantastic. With current name changes, the Latin name for this aster is now Symphyotrichum oblongifolium. Now isn't that a mouthful!

A Cool Day (literally and figuratively)

Nice clear fall color of the ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) above. When ginkgos get their best fall color, they drop their leaves within a day or so of that. Typically you'll see a ginkgo drop all of its leaves in one day. Ginkgos existed over 270 million years ago and were thought extinct until they were found in Japan in 1691. There were actually ginkgo species native to both North America and Europe that have been verified by fossil records and no longer exist. Ginkgo has also become a very popular botanical supplement and is popular for many uses.
The weather was frosty this morning but warmed to be a typical October day. I'm not sure we have any more 70 degree days left but maybe....Janice worked with both Kay and Kristine to start cutting back perennials and removing annuals in our sizeable shade garden. Our debris clean-up is monumental in scale but we're on track to get most of it done this month. Larry and Bill worked on removing a large willow tree in the Japanese garden that not only had a severe lean/curve but was in a tough spot. They did a good job and Rick and Tony hauled off the debris between working on path repair and other tasks. Jerry hauled back all sorts of debris and continues to do a great job with clean-up. I ran my first 2,000 feet of extension cords for our Holiday Lights Show and started with the cords that are the most difficult to run. We'll really transition to working on this event as we sure don't like putting lights up and running cords in the snow! The tree above and to the left is the fullmoon maple (Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium') that is green during the spring and summer but turns an awesome red with hints of orange and yellow. What a nice specimen! The image to the right is another shot of the Amur maple (Acer ginnala) with light coming thru the leaves.
Looks like plenty of rain on the way which wont be bad for the plants but sure affects our special events set-up. We've been accumulating various indoor tasks for the Holiday Lights Show so we can keep active inside as the weather dictates. Tomorrow I'm speaking at Boerner Botanical Gardens for the Milwaukee area Master Gardeners. I'll be speaking about container gardening and tropical plants. I always enjoy visiting that garden and will try to get some pictures in the afternoon. Below is a collection of Autumn Blaze pear leaves (Pyrus calleryana 'Autumn Blaze') that has a superior, wine red color with other leaves in the yellow and orange range. I think the color of this variety is also the best ever and while pears have been overplanted in urban environments, this regret is never in fall when some of the varieties become the real focal points in the late season landscape.

Gloomy Monday

Today was damp and overcast all day although the sun did peak out a couple of times. I had to put a "sunny day" picture up though! Above is the 'Varied Directions' larch (Larix x marschlinsii) near our entrance road. This form is a real eye catcher and as a deciduous conifer, the needles on this tree turn golden (happening as I type) and they'll drop only to be replaced next year. We like using woody plants with interesting forms in areas where they will catch the eye. Another nice woody for arching, irregular form is the weeping white pine (Pinus strobus 'Pendula'). I took this picture last weekend at the Longenecker Gardens in Madison. You can find this plant at garden centers and nurseries but be sure to leave it space to "explore" it's intended dimensions (quite variable!).
We had a decent Grumpy turnout but the weather was pretty sour. Larry started taking down a lot of the Halloween remnants and Jerry helped haul back pumpkins and piles of debris. Janice worked on organizing our cluttered office and storage areas. Marianne worked on myriad tasks and has been trying to finalize our iris collection information. Marv and Terry brought in all sorts of obelisks for decoration and started working our Holiday lights show. Rick and Tony worked on preparing holiday lights and removing three large trees between sprinkles. I worked on presentations and deskwork which had piled up over the past weeks. Below is a nice shot of kale (Brassica sp.) that we plant in Sept. for late color that extends well thru November. Kale can take the frost and will sometimes overwinter with a nice blanket of insulating snow.