GARDEN DESIGNERS ROUNDTABLE : UNDERUTILIZED PLANTS

Honestly, when have you ever seen a specimen like this ?

Guy walks into the tree and shrub department with a photo of his front yard and says he wants the most unusual tree we've got, cost not an issue.  Sold him an Acer 'shishigashira ' or  as its dubbed  ' The Lion Head '  Japanese maple for several thousands dollars. Saw him later and he told me it was the perfect tree and none of his neighbors knew what it was and he wasn't telling. Turns out he was a well-known restauranteur that felt he had to outshine all the neighbors.



As a tree and shrub specialist I get to see all the unusual specimens that our buyer brings in from around the country.   The most coveted tree on our lot is the aristocrat of the tree world - Acer Palmatum, or Japanese Maple.  I've seen cultivars priced at $5,000 and up .  With hundreds of varieties from bright red, orange, burgundy, variegated green and pink and, chartreuse, there is bound to be one that will steal your heart. For me it was the 'Autumn Moon ' Maple, shown above,  and since I've rarely seen another in a garden I think it is very underutilized.

 Whenever possible I use evergreens in my design and a very underutilized specimen is Chamaecyparis obtusa  nana , or Japanese Falsecypress.  Elegant and artistic, it is much pricier than other evergreens but its uniqueness makes it worth the cost. 'Templehof' is one of my favorites.  Note the beautiful swirls and do not, by any means, compare it with Thuja , or arborvitae.  There is no comparison.

At first glance you'd probably not be able to name the colorful specimen above, which is another underutilized plant that I love for its colorful leaves that are attractive all season.  St. John's Wort is easy to grow but again, underutilized .

Rhododendron 'poukhanense ' or Korean azalea is one of the beauties of the Spring garden with its pale lavender bell- shaped blooms.  Azaleas in general are underutilized in the Chicago area because some have proven difficult to grow in our harsh climate. This azalea grows in Korea's rugged Poukhan mountain region with only mother nature as her keeper.  Enough said.

A camellia tree in Chicago? Be still my heart ! Actually its a Stewartia pseudo camellia and it comes in Chinese, Korean and Japanese versions.  A much over-looked under utilized tree, it's beautiful camellia-like blossoms appear in July and its stunning Fall color and beautiful exfoliating bark make it an ideal small ornamental tree of about 30 feet in height. 

The list of underutilized plants is endless but it must end here for the sake of brevity.  Please visit the Garden Designers Roundtable to read the posts of members who are writing on the subject for this month's theme. 

Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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Create Your Own Garden Pharmacy

Check out The Organic Mechanic, Mark Highland, on NBC 10 as he shares his tips on growing plants that can improve your health.

-Stacey
GMG

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Get in while the gettin's good!

Hey everyone,

There's a cool contest give-away going on sponsored by our good friends at The Big Blend Magazine and Liquid Fence. You can win a great gift bag chock-full of Liquid Fence products (like Speedy Grow, Liquid Net and more) for these dog days of summer. Very cool.
http://blendradioandtv.com/Big-Bonanza/Giveaway-July-19-10.htm

Good luck!

P.S. Our veggie/herb garden got hit by a sudden rain/wind storm last week but is still hanging in there. The veggies I tried from our garden in my homemade Ratatouille were to die for!
~Lynne

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Going Gourd Crazy!

My successes this year: my window box and gourds, gourds, gourds. All it took was a few seeds, and well, as you can see, they have been very successful. They are growing up my downspout - and now across the telephone wire! These are dipper gourds that I will hopefully be drying and making into bird houses! From my garden to yours have a great day -- Kathleen

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Fruit of the Vine

Well, like many of you this summer, we're enjoying some great veggies and waiting for others to show their stuff. Our hot hot cayenne peppers are going crazy (I plucked one just a few minutes ago for an "experimental" sauce tonite I hope to survive) and the banana peppers are coming along. Our basil got rocked by the extreme heat BUT looks like they'll make it. And the cherry tomatoes are popping off the vine. Can't really say much about the tea garden because the heat has been brutal to their tender feelings.

I spray my veggies with Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit repellent (as well as here) and am happy to report victory against maurauding rabbit patrols and Bambi helping themselves to our veggies and edibles.

Oh, check out the pic of our white eggplant. I haven't tried it yet but seems like it will make a great Parmesan dish. Recipes anyone??

Enjoy!

Lynne

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Happy Birthday Suzi!

At the GMG office, on your birthday you get to pick something special to do. Suzi wanted to go bowling ~ and we had a BLAST! I think the other bowlers were happy to see us leave because we were having too much fun. Don't we make a great team? I took lots of pictures and video, so more to come on this fun "off site meeting" .....Thanks Suzi! :) Have a great day ~ Kathleen

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Is there a career change in the future?

Lately I find myself answering many gardening questions, most friends and family assume that that I am the ultimate authority on gardening (No pressure) The truths is that of all my years of trial and error in the garden, I have acquired some knowledge of what works what does not work in my zone, but I am far from been a guru on the subject, I consider myself more like a grasshopper learning something new everyday.

A co-worker asked me for help this week; she wants a nice garden in her front yard. The first thing she told me was “I am a killer of plants, I don’t know how to take care of them, I want garden that looks nice and is labor free” (is there such it thing?) she also told me that she is on a strict budget. This is quite a tall order but I couldn’t resist the challenge.

This is my canvas; the house has a western exposure.

The large coral rock will move to the inside courtyard to become the focal point.
(The house will get a new coat of paint) I am suggesting stone border around the walkway and replacing the gravel with mulch. Where the rock is today I would plant a juniper or sago palm. Under the arch I would put a couple of thriyallis with some silver dragon liriope around it.

The inside courtyard is the main focus of the job, here I am thinking of dwarf ixoras around the wall, the large coral rock in the center and maybe a couple of alocasias around it, different types of liriope grasses and some lantanas for color. On both sides of the walkway I would put Mexican heathers. If the budget permits some garden art would be nice.

On this side I would put Mexican petunias against the wall, and a collection of the same plants from the other side.

For this spot under the tree I am planning on putting several bromeliads from my garden at no cost to the budget.

I am open for suggestions, and remember the three main factors.
1 – Plants must be drought tolerant.
2 - Easy to take care (there will be no gardener on duty)
3 – Economical plants that will fit a tight budget.

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THE INTENTION OF THE GARDENER

The Fourth Season

Gardening Gone Wild's theme for July is the Intention of the gardener. Looking at the photo above of my garden in December only a true gardener would know my intention right away :  Having a garden with four seasons of interest.

Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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A LILAC REFRIGERATOR

Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.  Just when you think there's nothing new under the sun, there's something new under the sun.





Yesterday a woman came into the garden center from California and wanted to buy a Lilac.  Of course we knew that Lilacs wouldn't grow in her zone and we advised her as much.  But she already knew that and was determined to have the Lilac.





That's when she told us that she was going to put the Lilac in a  fridge so that it would have it's period of dormancy .  Of course, this procedure will have to be repeated every year.  Dig up Lilac, refrigerate, plant, dig, etc.





I keep looking at a Southern Magnolia  on the lot that's suppose to be hardy for Chicago.  What would I have to do to ensure its survival. ?  Am I as willing as she was to take the plunge ? My main concern is not so much the cold as the snow load breaking its branches.



Would a Magnolia look strange with a teepee to protect it from snow ?



To say the least I was really impressed by her passion for Lilacs. How far would you go for a plant you love ?











Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDER MAKES ME HAPPY AND HEALTHY

Sunrise by Moi

It takes only 3 times a week at five minutes on sunny days  or  15 minutes in one  cooler part of the day for your bare arms and legs to soak up the Sunshine Vitamin D .  But  to make sure that you are getting the recommended dosage of 1,000 IU's daily you may need to take a supplement and even though the RDA seems high, Vitamin D  is considered very safe .



There are more than 2,000 health -promoting genes in your body that Vitamin D activates and it plays an important role in fighting off breast, colon and other cancers.  According to Dr. Robert Hearney of Nebraska's Creighton University, Vitamin D cuts your overall risk of cancer by shutting down abnormal cells before they can become cancerous and lowers your risk by 77 %!



Vitamin D is essential for proper calcium absorption and cuts your risk of broken bones ond osteoporosis by 33 % when taken together.



High levels of this vitamin can cut your risk of having a heart attack by 50 % and breaks down artery-clogging triglycerides.



Feeling depressed or moody?  Vitamin D levels are 14% lower in  depressed people and giving them this supplements alleviates the symptoms by 26 % in just 4 weeks.



Research has proven that people who live in Northern climates with less sunshine, the top natural source of vitamin D, suffer more disease than those that live in sunnier areas.



Momma is always right.  Eat your veggies and take your vitamins!













Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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STARBUCKS IS FOR THE BIRDS

The birds start singing very early in the summer and I usually awake to their chirping around 5 or 5:30.  Last week as I was out for my daily walk I stopped by Starbucks for a refreshing iced coffee.  As I entered the door I heard the chirping of baby birds and when I looked up  I saw not one but two nests neatly tucked in the letter B.

I could only conclude that this is an educated bird that knows the alphabet.  B is for bird .







Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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GARDEN BLOGGERS' BLOOM DAY : JUNE

This June has produced more rain than April.  So much so that  I'm picking mushrooms out of my garden. Lea's Irish grandparents are here and they swear that we ordered this weather to make them feel at home.



It's amazing how much the garden has grown since I planted it last May.

  Blue salvia is in bloom, daylillies in bud

The reason I love Dianthus : these annuals came back from last year.  That's garden inspector Jojo on the job. 

I ditched the idea of a trumpet creeper vine and instead planted a grape vine and patty pan squash to climb over my shade structure. So we'll be eating squash and drinking vino.

And what would June be without roses ?

Thanks to my neighbor who has this beautiful Canadian climbing rose on our fence.

And thanks to the gardeners in the neighborhood whose roses captivated me on my daily walkabout.  Happy June garden bloggers !  Now go visit Carol over at May Dreams Gardens and see what's blooming all over the US of A .

Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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GARDEN DESIGNERS ROUND TABLE : SMALL SPACES

                                

First word of advice :  If you have a small garden you need a small dog.  Just kidding. But do keep dogs out as they and gardens do not mix.  Unless its Jojo,  my mini-Schnauzer and garden companion.  I've taught her the difference between a flower and a weed and she is ever so mindful of them. Plus, she keeps the rabbits, possums and racoons away.  Well, most of the time.  She missed a bunny the other day that ate my asters down to the ground. 

For June's Rountable posting I am using my small city garden as an example to show the unity, creativity and texture I try to bring to each of  my designs. There are endless possibilities in designing a small space and while there are no set rules there are guidelines that will help you avoid the pitfalls along the way.  

It's a very short walk from the public sidewalk to my front porch so making the entrance to my century-old American Foursquare as inviting as possible was my first goal.   A container with seasonal color flanks the stairs and a  Japanese maple, ' Autumn Moon ', brightens the small corner planting bed on the right.  Every inch of space is packed with long-blooming perennials and annuals that provide color, texture and interesting foliage.  And BTW,  I've planted everything in my garden myself, including the trees, so it is truly my creation.

A path swings around to the back garden entrance and a  beautiful pink climbing rose graces the fence.  You can see how little space there is between houses.  My  neighbor's large bold-leafed Oakleaf hydrangea draped on the fence shares its  blossoms .

 Click to enlarge

I had a client that planted thousands of dollars of annuals in her garden each year just for the wow factor.  It looked like Disney World !  I could fill my garden with mostly annuals for instant glamour but being an avid gardener I enjoy seeing perennials that I love come into bloom.   April and May is for tulips and daffodils, June is for roses and lilies, July for Phlox and Blackeyed Susans, August for Sedum and Asters, September for Mums, etc.  .  But how the garden looks when it's not in bloom is key to a good design and in a small space every plant must do its job.  Plants with interesting texture or form, colorful foliage that's effective even when not in bloom, evergreen shrubs that give year round interest, and colorful annuals will make your small space garden a delight.  Mine is so tightly packed with my favorites that a weed finds it difficult to enter and eliminates the need to mulch.



Below is the layout of my front garden made to go along with my last will and testament  which may give you an inkling of how I feel about  it.  And this is just the front.  My somewhat larger rear garden is my real paradise.

I encounter a lot of weekend warriors searching for ideas to use for their own small urban gardens and have enjoyed helping many of them at Gethsemane, Chicago's best garden center .  My advice to them is do your research before buying a single plant. Know how much sun/shade you have, your soil, the size of your plot, preferred style -formal or informal, plant likes or dislikes, etc. and how much maintenance you're willing to do.  Allocate a budget and try to stick to it.  Be prepared to put in a lot of sweat equity as well. 



In today's economy more  homeowners are doing their  landscapes themselves, whereas they would've hired a designer before the recession hit.  For these brave souls I say go for it but remember that a great garden starts with thoughtful planning.   Read gardening books and check out the many garden websites offering advice.  Take a stroll and seek out gardens that please you.



 Get in touch with the designer inside and turn that small space into your pride and joy.   The secret to a good garden is not how big or small it is but how you use it.

In his garden every man may be his own artist

without apology or explanation.

Each within his green enclosure is a creator

and no two shall reach the same conclusion ;

 nor shall we, any more than other creative workers

 be ever wholly satisfied with our accomplishment.

Ever a season ahead of us floats the vision

 of perfection and herein lies its perennial charm.

-Louise Bebe Wilder

For more on small space garden design visit these members of the Roundtable:

Jenny Peterson at http://www.jpetersongardendesign.com/

Laura Livengood Schaub at http://www.interleafings.blogspot.com/

Lesley/Robert at http://www.hegartywebberpartnership.wordpress.com/

Shirley Bovshow at http://www.shirleybovshow.com/

Susan Morrison at http://www.garden-chick.typepad.com/

Susan Schlenger athttp://blog.landscape-design-advice.com/

Tara Dillard at http://www.taradillard.blogspot.com/

  

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FARMING IN THE CITY

It started with just a square or two but over the course of a few years it has increased to a dozen or more .  At our local park there's an area of raised planter beds that have been allocated to both individuals and charities to raise their own vegetables, herbs and some flowers.

It's quite an impressive sight to see a mini-farm growing in the city.  Corn, tomatoes,beans, cabbage, okra,  onions, lettuce , squash and many other vegetables are lovingly tended by their growers.



A few days ago I was passing by and admiring a group planting their bed and it was a joy to see what pleasure the disabled/disadvantaged adults took in it.  I can only imagine their beaming faces when they at last are able to harvest their bounty.



As a homeowner whose property taxes support my local park I must say that its a good feeling to see that its put to good use in this way.







Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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A JULY OF LONG AGO - GARDEN BLOGGERS MUSE DAY

Growing up on a farm the word vacation was not in our vocabulary .  When school was out for the summer our work began in earnest.  Weeding the cotton , corn , peanuts and potatoes, gathering the vegetables as they ripened , canning the excess, churning butter and making buttermilk filled our days.   We toiled in the hot Alabama sun and thought nothing of it, turning almost as brown as a pecan. 





Evenings we would sit on the porch and make peach ice cream from scratch.  The taste of it is still to this day on my tongue and I love all things peach.  There was no TV but we had an old radio that we listened to the Grand Ole Opry on and we'd sing along with it.   Life was good and we thought we were living " high on the hog. "  We'd often jokingly ask "Wonder how the poor folks are doing?"





I'll never forget one day in July when our cousins from Michigan visited us for the first time.  They had never been to their Mom and Dad's hometown and being from Detroit were really amazed by what they saw.    We picked Okra, Corn, Tomatoes, Green Beans and Squash from the garden to fix supper for them, and killed our prize plump chicken to fry up and served  with homemade cornbread and buttermilk.  Of course, homemade ice cream for dessert.   They declared they'd never had a better meal.





The next day as we were about to  pick cotton our cousins, with fair skin and red hair, begged us to let them try it.  My sister and I threw them our sacks and lay back in the shade of the back porch waiting.  About 10 minutes later they appeared, exhausted and bright red from the sun.





Little did I know then that I would leave the world I knew as a child and young adult and settle in the North.  But I'll never forget that summer when my cousins came for a visit and discovered things that children growing up in the city could never hope to experience.





After moving to Chicago I visited them years later in Michigan and we talked and laughed about that summer they spent their vacation in Alabama.

















Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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A Month Early but Welcome !

                        

                              Mugungwha, translated as "immortality " in Korean

The first record of Hibiscus syricus in Korea dates back 1,400 years .  After being liberated from Japan following WWII, the Koreans chose it as their national flower because it was in bloom on their independence day, August 15.  That's also around the time it blooms in my garden but this year, due to the unusual weather we've had, it's a month early.



I love this shrub because of its endless blooms that last for about 3 months.   In addition, it's very adaptable and hardy, rarely prone to disease,  making it an ideal plant for this zone.



Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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Moor for More Interest

Molinia caerulea cv. 'variegata' aka Moor grass

I love the ornamental grasses but my garden in front doesn't have enough sun to grow them.  It's also a small area that I don't want to overwhelm  so when I spotted these little beauties above and read that they only grow 2' tall , just had to have them.

Moor grass has a beautiful tassle that turns purple in Fall and is a great addition to the partly sunny/shady garden.  An added bonus also is that it is deer resistant.  Hope that includes those waskaly wabbits.

Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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Garden Bloggers Bloom Day -July Superstars

High summer and July has been a hot, humid month with above average rainfall.    The garden is prolific with blooms from many colorful perennials.  Here are the super stars of summer :

Rosy Returns Daylily

Gooseneck Loosestrife

 Peppermint twist Phlox

Rudbekia, of course

and Limelight hydrangea near the fence

Bee Balm

My 2 favorite annuals :  Dianthus and Coleus

Rose of Sharon -one month early

Go visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens to see what's blooming in gardens across the country.

Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago All rights reserved

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Here Comes the Bride - Karen Gets Hitched

Karen and Mark's wedding was perfect. A beautiful bride. A handsome groom. Family and friends and a glorious day.

We wish them years of happiness, lots of love and tons of patience and a pound of laughter!

Dino (Mark's nickname for Karen's dad) seals the deal with a handshake!

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