by GardenLover | May 4, 2012 | Gardens to Drive
By Michael Leach
Red roses, frosty mint juleps and broad-brimmed garden party hats are all part of the scene in Louisville this weekend. Gardeners, however, find more than race hoopla to appeal whenever they visit this Ohio River metro area. And for those willing to venture up river about 40 miles, a well-preserved Victorian town awaits that recalls a time when horses, not cars, were standard transportation.
But first a look at the venerable floral traditions at Churchill Downs. Besides appearing on hats and lapels, flowers — 400 red roses sown onto a swath of green satin — adorn the winning Derby horse. A bouquet of 60, long-stemmed, red roses are awarded to the winning jockey by Kentucky’s governor and other officials. Roses became a part of the race in 1896, when the winner received a bouquet of roses, according to kentuckydebrby.com. In 1925 by a New York sports columnist called the Derby the “Run for the Roses,” a nickname that stuck.
Not far from the glamor of Churchill Downs are bucolic settings that require no fancy dress.
Northeast of downtown Louisville is Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, offering collections of dogwoods, beech, magnolia, viburnum holly and more. Add to this a vegetable garden, secret garden and walled garden and activities for children.
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
The latter range from the weekly Children in the Dell Programs on Saturday mornings (April through October), to nature and garden backpacks stuffed with bug catchers, magnifiers, nature guides and more for free use while visiting. (Please visit www.yewdellgardens.org.)
Nature on an even grander scale awaits at Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest about 25 miles south of Louisville in Clermont Ky. (Please visit www.bernheim.org.) There are 14,500 acres of mostly natural lands with hiking trails. The 600-acre arboretum was designed by the firm of Frederick Lawn Olmstead. It is planted with 8,000 plant species.
Among special areas are a rock garden and living roof experimental plantings. At the Garden Pavilion are a water feature, perennial garden and other theme gardens suitable for adapting to the home landscape. The Bloomfest Plant Sale is May 19.
Carriage rides in Madison, Ind.
For a step back in time, head to Madison, Ind., “the most beautiful river town in America,” according to Charles Kuralt. He hosted travel segments for years on CBS. Madison was also featured in the 2008 Best of the Midwest Magazine by Midwest Living. (Please visit visitmadison.org.) Carriage rides are available for a slow and easy look at the array of 19th century architecture that houses restaurants, antiques and artisans’ studios. Hardly a match for a Derby entrant but speed isn’t everything.
by GardenLover | May 3, 2012 | Snapshots
Midwest gardeners could have easily helped out American Idol candidate Joshua Ledet when the judges asked him what flower he was wearing on his lapel during last night’s show. The 20-year-old gospel singer from Louisiana was sporting a bright yellow daffodil on his snazzy navy blue jacket. It’s a good thing his singing outshines his horticulture wisdom.
by GardenLover | May 1, 2012 | Snapshots
Wishing you all a Happy May Day! Here’s a snapshot of what’s blooming in Debra’s rock garden. We’d love to hear what’s blooming in your garden, too.
by GardenLover | Apr 27, 2012 | Happenings
By Teresa Woodard
The plant-buying frenzy is about to begin, and there’s no better place for one-of-a-kind plants and great gardening advice than a public garden’s plant sale. Besides, the sales generate significant income for botanic gardens, arboreta and plant societies. At Ohio State University’s Chadwick Arboretum, for instance, a three-day event staffed by 180 volunteers pulls in more than $40,000.
Like Chadwick’s sale, many sales also feature auctions, pre-sale party nights, workshops and book signings. To get first dibs on plants, check out the pre-sale events typically offered to members. No doubt, the membership privilege is well worth the $25-$50 annual dues.
Also, come with questions. Many of the volunteers have first-hand experience growing the plants for sale. So, don’t be afraid to ask for their favorite tomato plant, native shade tree or miniature varieties. The only danger is you may end up with a trunk full of wonderful plants.
- Morton Arboretum Arbor Day Sale, Illinois (April 27-29)
- Native Illinois Plant Sale (April 28)
- Adena Mansion’s Heirloom Plant Sale, Ohio (May 5-20)
- Kingwood Center Spring Flower Festival and Plant Sale, Ohio (May 5)
- Secrest Arboretum Plant Discovery Day and Sale, Ohio (May 5)
- Southwestern Indiana Master Gardener Association’s Annual Plant Sale (May 5-6)
- Chadwick Arboretum Plant Sale, Auction and Gardening Fair, Ohio (May 10-12)
- Olbrich Botanical Gardens Plant Sale with the Pros, Wisconsin (May 11-12)
- Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society Annual Native Plant Sale and Auction (May 12)
- Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City Plant Sale (May 12)
- Missouri Botanical Gardens Spring Wildflower Sale (May 12)
- Dawes Arboretum Plant Sale and Garden Fair, Ohio (May 18-19)
- Holden Arboretum Plant Sale, Ohio (May 18-20)
- Bernheim Arboretum Bloomfest Plant Sale, Kentucky (May 19)
- Chicago Botanical Garden Bloomin Festival Plant Sale (May 17-20)
- Wisconsin Herb Society’s Herb Faire (May 26)
by GardenLover | Apr 24, 2012 | Snapshots
By Michael Leach
Those who share my desire for an organized, orderly environment — some dismiss us as mere control freaks — should consider investing in an edging iron.
Edging is the landscape equivalent of tucking in a shirttail, pinning back stray hairs and putting scattered papers into a straight stack.
A landscape designer I spoke with recently said, “If you have crisp, clean edging, it makes everything else just pop.”
Indeed it does. I started popping my landscape decades ago, after being introduced to edginess by a friend even more concerned about neatness than I.
Not long after this encounter, I visited England and beheld the epitome of crisp and clean. The English apparently use lasers guided by celestial navigational devices to surgically slice edges. Then they trim the grass with manicuring scissors. On this side of the pond, our coarse grass precludes British perfection, unless one opts for putting turf as lawn — standard grass over there. But I digress.
Edging is serious work. But the reward is almost instant gratification. Where once the lawn and border mingled in unseemly disarray, a clear boundary is set.
This is important for me, because my desire for neatness doesn’t extend to most of the borders and beds. They are packed with a hodge-podge of plants for an exuberant effect that is lost on a few. “What a jungle!” gasped one first-time visitor, who has yet to receive a second invitation.
Regardless of your landscape style, an edge brings crispness only for a time. Unfortunately nature abhors an edge almost as much as a vacuum. Rain and freezing weather erode it. Grass, clover and other insurgents sneak down the edge to invade beds. Meanwhile, the ornamental plants toss seeds or send runners into the gutter where a base camp is established for the lawn invasion.
To thwart these schemes, my edges are more like trenches dug several inches deep. Semiannual digging suffices for all but the most-seen parts of the landscape. Maybe someday I shall budget for permanent metal edging. So far, my desire for neatness hasn’t overcome another trait — frugality.
