The Arch City Gardener

April 11, 2015
by mjarz 2 Comments

Fiddledee Dee, Fabulous Ferns

Right now, spring garden watching in Arch City finds young fern fiddleheads gracefully unfurling, soon to become lovely fronds. Last year I bought 3 ferns, Sensitive (Onoclea sensibilis) and Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) from my local nursery and planted them beneath a tree along the fence. I am happy to see they have returned for Season 2 in my gardens.

I have always liked ferns. My mother had a large fern bed on the shady side of her house. Over the years the fern overtook the ivy. They were prolific, so I figured I would start small and buy just a few to see how they did under the shade of the tree. The “Big Idea” though is to have fern running the 15-foot length of the new bed that is along the south fence. (More about that in a later post.)

A few weeks after planting, I was back at the nursery asking about what appeared to be their failure to thrive. They seemed to be withering and not doing well. Was it too hot for them? No. Perhaps I planted them too deep, the woman at the nursery asked. Hmmmmm. Maybe so. They do like moisture and I was out of town for a bit and they did not get watered. Don’t worry, she assured me, they are a lot tougher than they look. I replanted them but they never really seemed to take. I had also come across a neighbor who was dividing her ferns and added three more to the yard, this time in the bed near the garage. Ah yes, the right spot! They did wonderfully.

But as I said, the fern are back and the all look spectacular. Soon I will placing them in the new bed. My first nursery purchase this season was three more Ostrich fern. The rain has stopped–for now, as there is more in the forecast–so things may dry out enough that I could begin planting.

Did you know these Fun Facts About Ferns?

1. Like the cockroach, they are survivors. Ferns have been around since nearly the dawn of time (they predate the Mesozoic era) and are older than land animals and dinosaurs. At one time, they were the dominant plant on earth.

2. They may be strong but they are sensitive and particular about their habitat, mostly preferring moisture and protection from too much sun, too much wind and freezing temps.

3. Ferns are a vascular plant and reproduce sexually using spores. They need moisture to reproduce, one of the reasons they are often seen in profusion around ponds and streams.

4. The fiddlehead is the unfurled frond of the young fern, and many consider them a culinary delicacy. I had my first taste of fiddleheads in Portland, ME last spring. They were very tender and reminded me of young asparagus. But before you start harvesting your unfurled fronds, beware! Only a few species’ fiddleheads are edible.

April 10, 2015
by mjarz Leave a comment

Weekly Update — Buckets of Rain

It has rained buckets in St. Louis. The photos from my last few posts were taken during the brief reprieves Mother Nature provided. I’m sure even She gets tired of pouring rain. I know my sump pump is working over time, and a distinct “squish” can be heard and felt underfoot during my now twice daily yard and garden inspections. Just three days ago some parts of the St. Louis region received more than 3 inches of rain. And I believe we got a repeat performance early yesterday morning and throughout the day.

Standing water is common after heavy rains in the low lying area of the yard. This is one of the problem areas of the yard. And I am attempting to address it with plants that like standing water.

Ponding occurs in the southeast corner of the yard after prolonged rain or a very hard rain. I planted winterberry in this spot last fall because it supposedly withstands standing water.

Needless to say, my first plant purchases for the season remain unplanted. Accompanying the rain are very warm temperatures. Today we were near the mid-80s F. This puts us more than 20 degrees above normal. While I expect we will cool off, I am not too worried about a major freeze, as our average last frost date is April 12, just days away.

Lest I begin to sound like a complainer, let me cast some sunshine on this predicament. The lawn, trees, shrubs and perennials are emerging quicky. The tonic of moisture and warm temperatures are just what they need. Here’s a closer look at their progress.

Astilbe Chinensis “Visions” are coming along. Heuchera “Plum Royal” is peeking out near the botton right.

The ferns I planted last summer–and thought would not return–are back!

The Bloodgood Japanese Maple has been a proven winner in my yard since I planted it in 2012.

Emerging young leaves of oakleaf hyrangea “Alice.”

“Dark towers” penstemon digitalis.

April 8, 2015
by mjarz 3 Comments

Wordless Wednesday: Transformation

Oakleaf Hydrangea “Alice”

PJM Rhododendron

Magnolia liliiflora

Viburnum rhytidophyllum–Leatherleaf viburnum

Acer palmatum–Bloodgood Japanese Maples

April 6, 2015
by mjarz 2 Comments

Weekly Update – Spring’s Freshness

Crisp as a cracker. That’s how the air felt Saturday morning. Fresh and cool, I believe Spring is at its glorious peak in St. Louis. Daily the local landscape is pop, pop, popping with an abundance of gorgeous flowering trees.

There was a real freshness in the air when I took an early morning walk. We had a drenching rain on Thursday, a cleansing rain that rid the streets of any remaining salt and debris and washed winter away. Friday’s rainy, overcast disposition turned sunny with bright blue skies and temperatures in the low 50s when I got out and about on Saturday morning. Here is what I glimpsed: Pink, yellow and white magnolias; bright, bright yellow forsythia; purple red bud just beginning to burst; soft pink cherry trees in full bloom; rosy-red and white flowering crabapple trees, and rows of Christmas-tree shaped Bradford pear standing tall in white bloom along the the edge of the road. All are on display in their full glory just a short walk from my home.

Magnolia liliiflora

Forsythia – oleaceae

I wasn’t the only one to take notice. Front porches are pretty much a staple in this area and I came upon more than one resident sitting on their porch, newspaper and coffee cup in hand enjoying the alpine-like air. This time of year is fleeting. I am glad I made time to stop and smell the roses.

Red bud – cersis canadensis

Magnolia stellata

March 31, 2015
by mjarz 2 Comments

Budding Spring

Like a baby, the garden is in a constant state of growth and change now and each day’s walk-about reveals something new. On a windy, feels-like-a-lion Sunday in late March the rhododendron, compact buds just a few days ago, are beginning to bloom. And I scouted a lone peony emerging. I imagine there were peonies in the yard at one time and this is what remains. I moved it last year to what I think might be a more suitable location and thereby improve its odds of developing beyond the lowly spike you see here.

March 28, 2015
by mjarz 2 Comments

Thinking About Sustainability: Composting

What does your garden landscape say about sustainability? This is something I am thinking of more frequently for a few reasons: to protect the watershed, to reduce/maximize resource use and reduce expenses. As I began creating my backyard garden, my focus was on installation of low-maintenance plants and shrubs, with an emphasis on shrubs suitable for the conditions in plant hardiness zone 6a/6b. With that in mind I selected plants that are drought tolerant and some natives.

Sustainability–and I am really not crazy about this word…it feels kind of like the buzz-word-of-the-day to me–has always been in the back of my mind, however. I have spent considerable time researching rain barrels since I began my yard improvement efforts and plan to put in two or three barrels this year. And If you would have asked me three years ago if I would be composting, I would have resolutely said, “No.”

The young beebalm “Pardon My Pink” is dwarfed by black-eyed Susan on the left and tall garden phlox on the right.

I had tried composting at the old house when the kids were little and I had very little time to devote to the garden or yard, other than to pick up the toys before we mowed or move the hose. With a pallet as my base, I constructed a container in an out-of-the-way corner in the yard using heavy gauge wire. I put PVC pipe that we drilled holes in into the center of the compost and dumped in the leaves from the stately oaks, dogwoods and maples that freely dropped mountains of leaves in the fall and when I thought of it some grass clippings. I watered it now and then and really just forgot about it…for a few years, actually. I don’t think I turned it more than once or twice a year. It seemed the most attention it received was in the fall when I filled it up with new leaves.

One day a few years later, I noticed it had reduced to a pile of, well, dirt. The next spring I added the composted material to the dry shade area of the yard where I was coaxing hostas to grow with some limited success. And what a difference it made! Truly.That corner of the yard that year was lovely and I attribute it to the compost.

But I did not become a compost convert.

Honestly, I don’t really think I was doing it right. I mean, it took years for the stuff to break down. But like the bees I am trying to attract with my perennial selections (or maybe it’s the murmurings of my 20-year-old daughter in my ear), the idea of composting is buzzing in the back of my head. The benefits are many from putting nutrients back in the soil to reducing waste and reducing fertilizers. And, my oh my, there are lots of products out there for the backyard enthusiast.

Pinterest posts lead me to believe composting is Not a Big Deal. When I read about putting a banana peel in the soil by the rose bushes, I think, “Now THAT’S the lazy man’s compost!” Or putting a whole egg in the bottom of a container to feed the plants throughout the season. Do these natural tips really work? I don’t fancy myself as lazy, more like time pressed, and I do like a short cut or two. But I don’t think I will be burying banana peels in the rose beds any time soon.

My only true reservation at this juncture is where to place a composter. I envision buying one that has a crank where you can turn the bin. Unlike my last address, I have very limited space and, frankly, I think the compost bins on the market are hunky, clunky and ugly. I don’t want it up next to the house. Last fall, I put in three leatherleaf viburnum and moved some azalea to the front of a wedge-shaped area that behind it is very shady and often wet and I’ve had difficulty getting much to grow there. I did this with the idea that the viburnum will grow tall create a nice screen for something like a compost bin or even some of the garden essentials, such as the wheel barrow, that don’t fit into my one-car garage.

Let’s hope the viburnum are in the right place because the buzzing from my 20-year-old makes me think a kitchen composter is in my future for Mother’s Day.

March 27, 2015
by mjarz 1 Comment

A Weekly Review of the Garden

My St. Louis yard may appear as though it is still in the grasp of winter’s clutches, but don’t be fooled. Signs of spring life abound. Who cares if the forecast is calling for freezing temperatures and possible snow? My evening walks and apres-work yard clean up tell another story.

The week started off on the right foot–my orchid, the one I have been babying along, finally bloomed! Those who read this blog may remember my post written three months ago in the depths of winter in which I noticed small buds on the once graceful stems. I have been watching the buds swell, but in my comings and goings did not stop to take a picture. But whoa, I slowed down on Monday, when I saw she was blooming!

The spirea in the bed in front of the house is starting its little show. I wish I took a picture the other day when the leaves were just popping, because they were orange. They’re now yellow, soon to turn green and then to be covered with pretty pink blooms. The Grumpy Gardener (Steve Bender) proclaims this a trash shrub, placed in parking lots across America, but I have grown to like it. It is extremely forgiving, virtually indestructible and drought tolerant. And it came with the house.

There is still a bit of orange to the spirea leaves. This guy is quickly emerging.

Of course, these signs of life have motivated me to get out of the wingback, turn off the TV, grab the rake when it’s not raining and continue clearing the beds. Here’s what’s been lurking beneath the blanket of leaves.

Lady’s mantle “Goldstrike”. This plant has more than doubled in size since it began emerging last week. Planted in the garden last year, I think it may exceed my expectations this year.

I like the way the leaves unfurl as astillbe emerges.

Chinese astilbe “Visions”. I like the way the leaves unfurl as astilbe emerges.

Tall garden phlox. I rearranged the bed in the fall and am surprised at how quickly they are coming up.

Tulip poplar in the front yard.

All around the area signs of a lovely spring are emerging. We’ve had quite a bit of rain and warm temperatures to coax things along. Redbud trees are just starting to bloom, Star magnolias are flowering, the landscape is suddenly punctuated by bright yellow forsythia, and soon the Bradford pears and dogwood trees will be flush with white blooms. I hope you are enjoying your spring and the yard work that accompanies it.

March 18, 2015
by mjarz 2 Comments

Wordless Wednesday: Signs of Life

Salvia “May Night”

Alcheilla Mollis “Goldstrike”

Rhododendron

March 15, 2015
by mjarz 3 Comments

Uh-oh Spotty Rose Canes

The spots on the rose canes feel flat and are rimmed in red.

My morning yard patrol before or after work has started. Coffee cup in hand, I’ve been kicking the leaves aside for signs of new spring life. I’m anxious to play in the dirt and start clearing beds and pruning back the roses, hydrangea, grasses and other plants I left alone for winter interest. Low and behold, my roses aren’t looking so good. There are large blackish spots rimmed in red along the canes. One plant seems to be affected the most.

Of course I made a quick stop into my favorite nursery to inquire but as dumb luck would have it I forgot to bring my phone which has a picture on it and they were getting ready to close. Maybe one you out there in the blogosphere can tell me what the heck this is. My internet searching has me thinking this might be canker stem spot. But I’m not sure. What I am sure of is that the canes on the roses don’t look so good on the inside either. Their centers are darkish.

Any words of wisdom fellow gardeners?

March 10, 2015
by mjarz 4 Comments

Lovely, Lovely Art In Bloom

One of my very favorite things to do is attend Art in Bloom, a weekend-only event at the St. Louis Art Museum in which patrons tour the museum to view floral interpretations of various pieces of the museum’s collection. What a brilliant idea! The displays are created by local garden clubs and professional florists. Pieces are scattered throughout the museum so that museum goers may take in the wonderful sampling of the collections. I think there were nearly 60 displays this year.

Docents are on hand to explain both the artwork and the display. In some instances the floral designer was on hand sharing his or her personal story of inspiration. There are three types of judging for various categories–a panel of professional judges, the art museum staff and the visitors to the museum. It’s fun to see how the People Choice awards stack up against the pros and the staff. For years my sister Nancy and I–and now my daughters–have spent the day carefully judging the designs on our self-guided tour. We like to score the pieces based on interpretation. Some years when we have lots of time we include color and composition.

This year there were so many truly splendid designs it was difficult to pick a favorite. We write our scores in the program booklet and then when the whole thing is over, our feet are aching and backs hurting, we head to Nancy’s house for a glass of wine, put our feet up and go through the booklet defending our votes. We inadvertently left the booklet in one of the restaurants at the museum so I am unfortunately unable to identify all of the artists–floral designer, sculptor, painter, potter, furniture maker. The inspiring artwork is in the background of the photo. I hope you enjoy this armchair tour.

White lilies were a central theme to many of the religious works. I loved the vase in this interpretation of the stained glass window. This was one of my very favorites.

The scrolled panel on the left is ironwork from Chicago.

That’s Jane Fonda in the background. The painting also includes her brother and father. There was a docent on hand describing how the gerbera daisies are indicative of the 70s. The docents were fun the listen to.

The stone arches in the background provided inspiration for this piece and lots of conversation among the family judges.

This was one of my very favorites. To me, the containers are an important element of the display and the red fluted bowl in this design really made an impact.

When I saw this display, I said it made me happy. Nancy laughed and said, “That’s appropriate because that is the name of the painting.”

Very cool. A docent was on hand for this piece and explained the tones of the painting coinciding with the various shades of yellow to orange in the flowers. I liked the square containers which matched the silver frame.