February Gardening, Last of Winter in the Flower Garden

February 12, 2019 by Ilona Erwin Leave a Comment

I’ve had plenty of winter this year, yessiree. It is mid-February and that means the worst is over and spring is on its way. Eventually. February gardening in Ohio usually means lots of waiting, unless you are starting your seeds inside. Then, under the lights you see sprouts of spring -just about when March is ready to blow into the calendar year. The last of winter in the flower garden will not likely yield many flowering plants here, unless it is one of those unusual mild winters.

We were in deep freeze until recently when the climate had wild swings from near zero (or below) to tropical 50-60 °. Presently we are looking to receive more rain on top of our already saturated ground. I didn’t experience them, but learned about frost quakes for the first time. Apparently places like Pennsylvania and Minnesota had them. Due to the saturated ground and polar vortex, there were pops and explosions of the earth.

Yes, I’m a little worried for my peach trees. I planted three new ones and gave them no protection. They would have been better prepared with some mulch and wrapped trunks.

Winter Beauty

We had plenty of winter beauty this year, and with the snowfall this month, it was prettier than usual for this month. I have memories of February being soggy with dirty half-melted snow. We either have snow or not around here (usually not) in cold weather; and it looks halfway presentable for photos. Although I took almost none this winter.

I love the beauty to be had, but was a bit jaded when it comes to photographs. I get tired of winter snowscapes -except when experiencing them firsthand.

We had some exceptional scenes, and it is too bad I had such an attitude about using a camera. We had ice storms that coated the trees, winter wonderland snowfalls, and a particularly magical scene of hoarfrost and new fallen snow together one night. The ground was covered in fluffy white, while the fog froze on every branch and withered weed. The wands of the willow tree hung like cascades of diamond dusted ice curtains over the driveway.

Truly magical in the deep night of winter.

I did take a few pics for instagram, after one of the recent snowfalls.

View this post on Instagram

#throughthewindow

A post shared by Ilona (@ilonagarden) on Feb 1, 2019 at 7:32am PST

The Flowers Are Coming

All this month the spears of daffodil and snowdrops have shown that they are eager to emerge. I should be inspecting since sometimes the snowdrops have come into full bloom without me even realizing it. I used to get a glimpse from the window, but now I have to actually venture into the yard to see them blooming. (I let the pyracantha grow over the window last year)

After about a decade or more they finally decided they liked my yard. Galanthus nivalis has been planted here in a couple spots, but never multiplied in the happy way that the Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa) bulbs have. Until the last year or two! Then there were snowdrops coming up in the lawn and all around the Magnolia stellata.

The snowdrops are the earliest blooming bulbs, here.

Then come the daffodils, and ‘February Gold’, despite its name, usually does not appear until March. A diminutive sized plant and flower that has perfect proportions in a clear golden yellow. It is one of my favorite daffodil cultivars. ( Although I have many, many favorites, honestly).

Spring 2009 — Scillas in the box, a young Magnolia stellata immediately behind.

Magnolia stellata starts budding out at the end of this month, but because it flowers early sometimes the blossoms are ruined in late frosts which we can expect into April. Groundhog Day predicted that winter will end sooner rather than later… but I have my doubts.

All The Rain

I can’t imagine being out in the garden anytime soon with all the rain we have had, and continue to have. It gets soppy-soggy and muddy even in normal years. This year is exceptionally wet… as I think I said.

The frozen state of the ground helps a bit, but when it thaws- it sucked my husbands shoe right off!

That reminds me. On a topic detour: so many gardening people complain about grass and lawns, but it is during mud season that you can appreciate the quality of grassed areas. The grass is useful for swales to help water runoff without losing soil, and when walking anywhere in my yard at this time, the protection of grass means one can walk through necessary areas. A garden isn’t the place for fads, but a stewardship of the ground we borrow for a time. I don’t love lawns at all, but they do have their uses.

That winds up my little chat as I drop in on this blog and update you on what is happening in the garden.

‘Til next time

Compilation of Past Mini-Posts of 2003

November 2, 2018 by Ilona Erwin

In the bygone days of blogging (yes, we can now talk about the bygone days of blogging), it was normal to have numerous mini-posts comprised of only links or quotes, etc. That is greatly frowned upon by Google today (not yet known in those days when “Altavista” was the search engine we used. )

So this post will collate those ancient posts which I do not simply delete from the blog. Each entry will have a title and the date it originally appeared in the “Journal”. Sometimes we called such things “a blog” rather than the entire site. How time has changed the social medium of blogging!

I am now refurbishing Ilona’s Garden Journal for today’s readers. If you like trivia collections, this post will entertain you.

Autumn Garden Report

Published on: Oct 14, 2003 @ 23:58

Did I mention planting the Iteas? I did. They look great in their decided placement. They are backed by the Viburnum burkwoodii which really looks good. I hope they do well.

Pines are not looking good in Ohio this year, including mine. Losing lots of needles. But I don’t think it is serious for mine, they have some good green growth, too…. so it may be just losses that are either natural or from the drought of last year.

Every year seems strange in some way anymore. I don’t think we have normal, I think normal is something of the mythical past.

It is raining fairly hard today after yesterday’s perfect weather. Very windy.

I cut down many of my perennials-mostly the asters. Some years I leave everything til spring, but I wanted the asters out of the way-they are very messy in winter. Spring is always wet cold work, so the fall is my preferred time to get things out of the way and prepared for spring.

I am trying out a new tulip -‘Lipstick’ or something. I will put in the proper name later. It is a triumph type I hope it matches up with the Apeldoorn’s …if not, I will have to seperate them with some gray or white things. Taking chances this year.

Musings from an Untimely Bloom

My crabapple trees are blooming. And I have seen this in the general area which inspired these thoughts:

The Coming of Winter

Published on: Oct 16, 2003 @ 17:16

Some things come to their winter. They come to the time to put them to their proper end -cover them over and look beyond.

The crabapples should flower in springtime, but they are blooming in Autumn.

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Winter is not a time of blooming and we are surprised when we see flowers then. As though we had forgotten it was possible, this out-of-time-sequence. Thinking that what is customary is somehow eternal.

The mind becomes steeled for the barren and the frozen, and bloom out of it’s time disturbs that, it softens us in our memories and transports us to a delight of another season.

Quickly it passes and the turn of mind is again toward the elemental matters of a warm fire, a shining light, and a hot drink. The blooms are garnered to their proper station of time, again.

Not everyone’s seasons are the same, but there is always some sort of marking of time and tasks.

I have always liked the Northern seasons, Maybe it is the clarity of differentiation in the types of beauty and the comforts of each one in turn. Their severity of cold or heat is not the attraction. Not for me any more, anyway.

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I am already thinking of winter. The unseasonal blooming of the crabapple trees was unsettling. This year it has been as though I wanted to become a chrysalis and then somehow miraculously emerge next year as something wonderful and beautiful and able to fly.

Brisk Autumn Day

Published on: Oct 16, 2003 @ 22:41

It was a brisk day today, with a storm brewing on the West. I passed a farm with a horse that was galloping full run into the breezy gusts, tail up and rippling muscle. It seemed to speak the essence of autumn, the feeling of invigorating chill and yet warmth of sun and clear air. I felt I knew what the horse was feeling, just for a few brief seconds.

It reminds me of our day-trip to visit my mother this past week. We drove up through Ohio to the north, it was a beautiful warm and clear fall day. Leaving very early in the morning, the mists were rising from ponds of water and wisping about the fields. The morning sun sparkled on the grassy pastures with either frost or dew. I couldn’t tell which, in its white webby blankets.

The leaves have just been turning with fits of red among the yellow and greens. I made a little word picture in my mind of the smoking mists from the waters igniting the flames of the autumn trees. It entertained me quite a bit as I took in the scenes that are all too fleeting in their season.

Art and Beauty Musing

Published on: Nov 9, 2003 @ 22:32

Photography of John Beale is a thing of joy.

There is nothing I like better than for someone to have an eye for beauty and the talent to tender that into something I can enjoy. I think this is true for most us, right? This is what makes much of art: being able to transfer the message of something to another’s senses.

He mainly has articles for those who like to do the picture taking, which judging from the results should make helpful reading.

Updated to add: Like many older sites, John’s is no longer online. His writing is available on the Internet webarchive, but most of the pictures are not.

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I always wanted to make good web pictures of my garden moments, and I am actually thinking of trying to learn to manage a camera. Right now, the nuances of fine photography seem mysterious to me. But all mediums simply need to be worked with, we can’t all be masters, but just attempting something gives us satisfaction and a greater appreciation for those who are masters of their medium ( or media, is this a pun? I’m not sure).

That is how I feel about gardening. An artful, masterful garden is not something all of us will make. I know I gave up that dream a while ago, but something that gives expression to the personal vision we have is do-able. Very do-able.

So we look at others art, and others gardens, and we get inspirations and enjoyment, we understand something that we otherwise might not, and we make our own expressions and the world is richer for it.

If you would ask me at the moment, I think this is the grand purpose of all of art: enrichment.

It takes what is there and creates the moment for someone else. I am sure this is too simplistic, but there is so much beauty to experience, and so many different visions of what that is, I think there is opportunity for everyone to create and enjoy another’s creating, and that this is part of what gives our lives meaning.

Customary November Weather

Published on: Nov 14, 2003 @ 19:49

The winds blew and blustered yesterday, but today is calm. Very cold, though. Not exactly winter cold yet… but starting to feel that way.

The days have had that clear yellow shaft of sunlight against gray lead skies that are customary for November. And the lawns are still green and LOOK SO WONDERFUL with the leaves all vacuumed , mulched, and stored in my vegetable garden. Today is a plain pale gray day.

I scanned in my photos, They are pathetic. Can’t even improve them. I think I will ask for a digital camera for Christmas.

I need something that shows my mistakes while I am taking the pictures.

Peace in the Garden

Published on: Nov 17, 2003 @ 05:49

I accidentally put a rant in here, but it is all deleted now.

Sometimes I feel I handle disappointments better if I can garden. It doesn’t have to be actual gardening, it can be anything outside that is quality and quantity of time in soaking up the observations and experiences of God’s good earth.

I believe we have done a great disservice in paving over and engineering so much of our world. We have more need of trees and of wide spaces in the cultivating of man’s spirit than we have realized.

There is calming and anchored sensibleness in the realities of nature that we desperately need.
It isn’t the answer to everything, I am not saying that, but is one part of sanity, it is a seed bed of balanced thinking and inspirational creating. Something is built within the earth, the wind, and the sky, and it speaks to us… the Bible says it tells of God’s glory. Maybe that is the comfort and the awe that we absorb when we are enclosed by something other than manufactured walls.

But even as I say this I know that nature is not all benign, that the walls are our security against real challenges of an uncontrolled and uncontrollable natural world. It is the balance, the interplay of what is there and what we are able to do with it that gives sense to us as we go about our practical lives.

I just think we need more of the “what is there” to look at and walk around in. I am sure there is a wonderful poem that would express it well, but I am going to bed now…..

First Snow Flurries

Published on: Nov 25, 2003 @ 14:38

The pleasant weather has come to an end. We had our first snow flurries yesterday. I finished the mowing on Saturday, which was a beautiful day, just slightly chilly.

The cotoneaster is filled with its burgandy berries, the stellata magnolia has buds that almost look like pussy willow buds, and the pyracantha is holding up well with exceptional amounts of orange berries this year.

I am not sure how they escaped the brown wizening they often get. I haven’t had the time to observe much, but no new birds have shown up. I think I ought to borrow my kid’s binoculars and identify some of the little birds that flit around.

I don’t know when the robins left, but both they and the swallows are now gone for the winter. we didn’t have the huge flocks of starlings that usually invade in the fall. Not that I am complaining.

I wish baking blackbirds in a pie were once more the fashion 😉

I need to buy some mulch now. December is a good time to put it on the roses and renew around the dooryard gardens. Neatens up things for winter, and protects from the harsh winds that are coming.

The winds here can be brutal.

But today is very quiet, and all seems to be restful. The husband and helpers put up the Christmas lights on Saturday, as well. We are on schedule for the holidays.

Wayback in Ilona Garden Time

August 29, 2018 by Ilona Erwin

I was trying to find some old pages I had written in the online Wayback Machine. Unfortunately, I had deleted them before the old geocities site had been recorded (they only started recording it in 1999). Oh well.

I did, however, find the beginnings of my “garden journal” when I was just starting to look into the then-new blogs and blogging. I was looking for something less cumbersome than updating an html page on my little website of the time.

I thought -just maybe- you would find these old entries sort of interesting. A peek into my gardening efforts of the time about two decades ago.

My Garden Journal- Old School

This is a sort of garden journal to give you an idea of how my gardens are working out without cluttering the main portion of the garden section; which should be reserved for the more general writing on subjects that can benefit any gardener. Also, the more ephemeral matters of this particular seasons weather or observations can find a place here.

One such matter would be last years roses. We had a climate pattern like one that could be expected one or two zones south, and the effect on my roses was so impressively magnificent.

Do you think I exaggerate? For the first time my roses bloomed on old and new wood filled with huge blossoms that perfumed the garden in a way I had never before experienced-not even on a visit to a public Rose garden! I had large old-fashioned shrub roses that truly came into their own, and I considered that I might, someday, like to move to the South, just to replicate that rose bloom. I don’t imagine soon seeing that in Ohio again, but it was blissful while it lasted.

Last year I had a chance to work on some of the structure of the garden,(and believe me, my work is very simple and small scale) and it made such a difference. Using scrap 4×4 boards to make a curved raised area around a corner of the house with a footpath of limestone stepstones beneath the rise made a simple and utilitarian solution for a small washed out sideyard. Such things can make a subtle difference in the strength of a garden’s design.

(Oct. 10 ’99)I could say something silly like “Time flies”, but the reason I have not updated the journal is due to the effect of the drought. Like the other living things around here, the dryness caused me to just lie low in the garden (actually I stayed in the house and attended more to the children and housework than usual -good for me).

I spent the morning garden time visiting the essentials with the garden hose -just to barely keep the new things alive. I gave up on the rest-it was “live and let die”. Also, instead of real gardening I worked on changing these pages around and making some graphics. Illusions of work in internet gardening…. oh, dug up some plants for someone who promised to water it faithfully, and that was it!

I do have a theory on drought, my captive audience: I think periodic drought has a purpose in the lives of our gardens and in our own. If a plant has a decent root system, the dryness forces the roots to grow more deeply and strongly into the ground. So long as the plant survives the vicissitudes of this time, it emerges a better plant. Of course anything at all weak or the young must be attended to carefully, and if they can just be kept alive ’til the rain comes they should be fine. Details such as mulching and weeding make the difference for these plants. Drought also requires value judgements: if the tree is valuable and you cannot suffer losing it, share some precious water with it.

Think a little and it is not too hard to apply some analogies to our relationships.

One more little thing: although now is the ideal time to plant bulbs, if you have the stomach to work in the cold wet months of late November and early December (anytime before the ground freezes) you can plant your bulbs- sometimes get extra on sale and put them in. I no longer count on the sales, though, the stores don’t have them as in the past. So, buy the bulbs soon, get them in when you can.

I use the second person, because I haven’t decided where my budget and work time goes – trees or bulbs? bulbs or trees? I really don’t have the time this year, but the fall is the best time for gardening in the Midwest.

Only roses are iffy, and if you are careful those might even fare better planted now (the hardy ones, ok?).

I need a vote box here, tell me… The House? The Garden? The homeschooling? Christmas Preparation? Friends and Family? THE webpage? Which gets my time?
ALLLL of the above in minuscule and inefficient bites as always.

(Aug. 10 ’99) You notice I totally ignored the month of July- the weather was not to my liking and I became ill, as well. The garden takes a back seat at such times.

The combo of the hot dry 90 degree weather with the occasional inundations worthy of the rain forest produced some unhealthy results in my plants. The leaves turned yellow between the veins and the edges turned brown in many different plants, I didn’t know what to do.

It also totally switched some plant behaviors: Rosa rubrifolia kept all its leaves and Zepherin Drouhin lost hers to Blackspot. Right now, I am catching up on weeding and waiting for when I can start dividing and planting the perennials . Tune in later.

(June 22 ’99) Rain is just not materializing in measurable amounts, so my hopes of taking pics is dashed, as is homegrown sweetcorn-it just isn’t worth putting in more seed.

Oh well, at least I’ve been cleaning up the garden somewhat: “Death to Weeds!” I cry, as they wither in the sun and dearth; my able adze vanquishes all in its path. And what the adze misses the CLAW seeks out. Didn’t realize the sadistic tendencies that gardening brings about? Well, consider yourself advised and educated…a new study for the psych experts.

I must say that roses thrive in this weather, they look healthy and bloom fully and freely. If you would like to know what other plants stand up to hot conditions- the achilleas are a group that looks fresh and undaunted. Blue salvias look spectacular with these in the same conditions (hot, sunny, dry).
Sedums, of course, the variegations enhanced by the weather; the Russian sage, Petrovskia (?), is in its element, too.

(June 18,’99) After such a promising beginning, I am now just trying to keep the new things alive.Such is gardening! Central Ohio is experiencing dry conditions for this time of year; I’ve already been watering as though it were August.

This does not bode well for my newest plants, but I bought a another soaker hose. These are very useful, you just arrange them in the garden area and leave them,I think you can cover them with soil or mulch, too.
The water is delivered in a slow soak when you connect a normal hose and turn on your water. Much more efficient than standing with a hose in your hand, both for time and water.

I have a bumper crop of cherries this year, although I’m wasting them as usual- why I can’t raise food AND preserve it is beyond me..another manifestation of the dreaded sluggardliness (in me, not the garden!) It’s too dry for the slugs! I’m the only one left, now where is the salt?

(May 20) I’ve been busy, busy, busy! My hands are again grimy and my body threatening to mutiny as I weed, seed, and hoe, spade, water, and edge.
I started to wonder why I do this when the roses started blooming, along with the Dames Rocket, iris, and Sweet Woodruff…then I am rejuvenated or bewitched (whichever -you decide!).

It is very dry for this time of year in Ohio; normally one doesn’t water the garden in the Spring. My gardens are spread out enough that I dread watering, but after planting so many new things it will be necessary. I do a type of xeriscaping, but new plants have to be watered until their roots grow deep enough to endure dryness. At least I have mulch on many areas, that helps to keep the soil moist.

A small observation on the fringe trees (Chionanthus): when all other trees and shrubs are fully blooming and glorious, the fringe tree bides its time looking like a dead stick of a tree. Then when the lilacs are done and the crabapples are blown, the large light green leaves and sprays of cream white fluff-fringe hold sway and send their fragrance on the air. A lovely companion for the early roses.

The Minuet Weigela has the prettiest deep rose-pink blooms that match up well with the Therese Bugnet Rose, and promise to look good with the peonies. I always used to dislike that shade that peony growers call “red”. I find it is quite good with Charles De Mille roses- and now Minuet Weigela.

How did I come to own one of “those” peonies? A gift…it’s always worth it to try plants from someones generous offerings. It is wise, however, to place them in an experimental area to see how they do, what they look like, and whether they have tyrannical habits.

The little girls’ lettuce and chard is up and big enough for a salad tonight; put in the corn seed last week and let my nine year-old plant pumpkin seeds alongside the corn rows. Planted the bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, and tomatoes. The Heavenly Blue morning glories are coming up along the fence and so are the sweet pea vines.

April 25- After the dry and warm March, the weather and soil have returned to the more normal wetness level. Now, I remember why I would often put off work on the perennials until the month of May: the clods of damp soil are unpleasant to work with and the days are less conducive to outdoor work. But intrepidly, I went forth and planted all sorts of things, motivated by the sight of so many of last falls transplants flourishing.

I face a conflict in my gardening between the artistic and educated me and the childlike and collector me. Artistically, I know that choices have to be edited, what is left out is as important as what is chosen. Then I go to a garden store and decide that I want one of this and one of that, etc., until the garden plan becomes a challenge of how to flex and fit all these different plants together.

This year I gave in to Magnolia trees. The price was right and the weather conditions showed what a magnolia tree is capable of, nevermind that this is the first gardening year I can remember that we didn’t get blasted by late frosts. Well, I put in a ‘Jane’ liliiflora AND a ‘Royal Star’ stellata.

Soon I’ll look like an arboreteum around here, since I already have Amelanchiers, Cornus(both types), Chionanthus (due to a super price last fall), assorted fruits,…..I’ll spare you the entire list.

I also planted rose replacements, egged on by the good response to the Canadian planting technique. Although, I know these last two winters are foolers, Ohio will have a fierce unrelenting winter again that will test the technique in truth.

The lettuces I had the little girls plant are coming up nicely and it’s time to hoe the veg. garden to get rid of the weedlings. There are so many it’s scary.

April 15- It’s a rainy day, finally, fitting for tax deadlines. Ohio’s vagaries worked in reverse, unusually warm and dry weather meant a full blossom season with even the Magnolias capable of showing their magnificence. It also meant that much was withered prematurely.

I now understand how insidious this computer habit is: wasted several gorgeous working days figuring out my graphics software. But back to gardens: I am so unsatisfied with my gardens! I haven’t planted any new tulips and my stinginess is so apparent; tulips have to be replaced every couple years and they need to be grouped to suggest abundance. That is a general rule for gardening: generous abundance is beautiful and stingy spots of plants are pathetic. You just feel sorry for them!

The new plantings of small bulbs look great and daffodils just love it here. All my transplanted Hyacinths showed bloom this year. The bunch in front of some creamy daffodils and near the budding variegated weigela was the epitome of spring.

A type of hyacinth described as orange is really the softest pinky-apricot and meshes with any color. It is named ‘Gypsy’ I think.I planted strawberries under the vegetable garden fence so that they could grow undisturbed and keep down the hand weeding.

That garden looks wonderful right now, early summer makes everything look under control….and then July hits. The midwesterner’s mettle is tested in July’s heat, humidity, and weed explosion. That’s why this month is prime for getting rid of weeds from the perennial plantings.

I have a whole portion of my main border to redo. I’ve decided to place some shrubs there to give definition to that bed and so I can mulch it to stop the encroaching grasses.

March 17- I am so proud of myself, I actually put in my sweetpea seeds! The day was perfect with warmth and sunshine; always nice for a gardener’s work. Although, I have been known to brave rain and cold, and misty drizzly days are ideal for planting; if one just waits for pleasant weather the work is overwhelming. And walks in the woods or a lazy nap in the sun takes precedence on days like that, anyway.

March 25- The crocuses are in full bloom. I love to look out my window and see the bright little groups of multicolors. Usually the golden types bloom first, at least a week before any of the other colors, with the deep purple sieberi next and in concert.

Today I walked around to get close-up looks before my little girl, who can never resist, picks anymore huge bouquets. She loves a feeling of abundance and has a real appreciation of the flowers I plant. Just not in situ…they must be plucked and carried around for full enjoyment. It’s a good thing I planted many new ones last fall, they shoot up somewhat later, so my garden won’t be noticeably bereft.

The snow crocus and the larger size mix perfectly fine in my eye, unlike the different proportions of daffodils. They are now blooming together, and for years I had kept them separated, but in the places where I moved them in together everything works and the larger sizes make the far views better. I have been leaving the perennial stalks through the winter and it almost seems like a woodland verge when the crocus peeks through and blooms.

Yes, this wind scraped farmland requires an imagination to visualise that, but the garden invites such flights of fancy. In the city I grew a great wall of Boston ivy across the garage to mimic a hidden grotto of my dreamworld hidden from the trucks and traffic of a few houses away.

The best gardens are someone’s dreamworld, I think; something of their owners interior that grows into a satisfyingly fantastic elaboration- animated and colored, as well as presenting more than a few ideas of its own.

hope you enjoyed that

I edited to separate the paragraphs a bit better- but the old journal had no pictures (which style I had later begun blogging with, to the complaints of readers). Pictures were not added til much later, and photos after that.

But this gives you a picture ( so to speak) of what my gardening life was like in its heyday.

3 Tips For Landscaping Successfully With Ornamental Trees

August 27, 2018 by Ilona Erwin

What are Ornamental Trees?

These trees are usually small with special features like interesting bark, showy flowers, or eye-catching foliage. An ornamental also has a pleasing shape and fits easily into modern yards. This may seem like a tall order of outstanding characteristics, but the “ornamental” part of the description means that the trees are selected and bred to deliver in a big way.

The main feature, however, is that the size is smaller than majestic shade trees.

Examples:

ornamental cherry trees — Cherry trees along a path

Using Smaller Size Trees

Because of the more compact dimensions, a greater number of this type may be included in a suburban landscaping plan. The shorter heights may not interfere as much with overhead lines. (Though it is still wise to give utility lines a wide berth from your trees).

Read more about Positioning Trees in Your Yard on Ilona’s Garden website.

First Tip for Success

(1) Even though more trees can be planted, avoid a “spotty” look. One of the key rules of good design is to repeat elements in a cohesive way. With ornamental trees, choose to have groups of the same choice, or use the primary cultivar in several spaces within the landscape plan.

Dotting a different tree into each possible spot create a disjointed effect that lacks harmony. It is a common mistake made with perennials. The same rule applies to trees, perhaps more so.

I edge very close to disregarding this design principle at times. Something of a “collector” there is a wide selection of many desirable trees in the ornamental class. But the rule is to use a number of one plant, the effect being so much more pleasing.

Success Tip #2

(2) Choose specimens that do well in your climate zone and planting conditions. Nothing undermines the good looks of your landscaping than unhealthy trees. Or worse: dead ones! Buy from a reputable local nursery for best results or do your research to discover which of the ornamental trees thrive best on your property.

Consider:

Soil pH
Soil structure: sandy, loamy, or clay
Drainage is very important. Good or poor drainage, and whether the tree tolerates the moisture levels of the soil.
Insect and Disease problems likely in your area. Some trees are resistant to problems and some much more susceptible.

Ornamental Trees in Your Landscape

Tip #3: Visit an Arboretum

This is one of my favorite tips for successful landscaping of all types. Visit a local arboretum. In my own area of Ohio we have two that I love, Chadwick and Dawes Arboretum.

No book can match the real world lessons of how a plant may look at maturity in the yard. While trips to parks and neighborhoods are great places to pick up ideas on trees to plant, the Arboretums will provide the names and placement inspiration. Taking notes can be as simple as snapping photos of favorites and their plant labels.

Learn from Arboretums

Making a Garden Plan

1910 garden plan showing ornamental trees

With these tips, once the trees are in place, bring bulbs and groundcovers to the base of the trees to accentuate the beauty of the season they are most attractive. Many will “play nice” with perennials and other plantings to create lovely pictures in a chosen season.

Dogwoods with spring flowering bulbs and Virginia bluebells is a scintillating spring example. Think of your own, and make pictures that bring special beauty to your property.

Are You Ready To Plant?

With these 3 tips to guide your landscape plan, choose some ornamental trees which match your situation and conditions. Fall is an ideal time to plant trees. For most species it is better than the spring. Put together a plan that includes those chosen for fragrance (Crabapples, Witch hazels), winter interest (Contorted Hazel, Stewartia Pseudocamellia), or autumn color (Acer palmatum spp, Fringe trees).

These are only a few of myriad choices available, and if you match the choice to the property (tip #2) this may well be your favorite part of the garden landscape.

Mid-Ohio Gardening Update

August 2, 2018 by Ilona Erwin

The weather has proved unusual, and here is the impact for my garden; plus some jots about other notable conditions and effects.

It has been far wetter than usual, and then there is the inverted effect of our temperatures… June was as miserable as any July-August might have been. The heat and humidity was horrible at the beginning of summer, but what happened in July? Perfect June weather happened. The month of July was perfect for me: cooler temperatures, regular rainfall, prevailing blue skies. It was just lovely.

The Weather This Summer

Now, how did that weather pattern effect my garden? I could not, would not, work in those terrible temperatures of June. Weeds went wild whilst I secluded myself in an air conditioned sanctuary. However, I did manage to plant some containers and a small raised bed with many herbs, a tomato plant and some pepper plants.

Since the weather turned rainy, cooler, and more often cloudy than not, the tomatoes have not yet produced. There are a few green ones coming on… but the Swiss Chard got big and beautiful. Cucumbers have done well, but peppers (who like the same conditions as tomatoes) have done diddly-squat.

I, however, cannot complain since the weather has been good for catching up on weeding. When not working in that capacity, I simply enjoy the lovely days stretched out on my zero-gravity chair.

Getting older means not feeling guilty about such pleasures.

Now, Let’s Talk About The Japanese Beetles

japanese beetle -aug 2018 — Japanese beetle feasting on a rose leaf-Aug 2018

They were back in their hordes this year. It meant the death-knell for my Contorted Hazels. Every year the beetles had been eating the leaves and weakening the trees, but this year there just wasn’t the strength left to the trees to rejuvenate. My dear Harry Lauder Walking Stick trees are gone and I blame the effect of the beetles.

The cherry trees were defoliated before I realized, not that there would have been anything done about it. The leaves looked a strange apricot color from a distance. That was because they were becoming skeletonized. The farmers had crop dusters out in force this year, and I suppose it was to spray pesticides for the beetles and their ilk.

Hazel with spider web — Contorted hazel branches with spider web

A nearby orchard draped all their trees in white netting. That was a first for this area.

Here, we went ahead an put out some of the traps and (emptied loads). The trouble with traps is that they work by attracting the pests, but we had to do something. Grapevines and some of the roses were also eaten into apricot-colored oblivion.

When invaded by such numbers there is no defense from trying to pluck off the little beasts from your plantings.

After emptying out piles of beetles from the traps, I wondered whether such things could be turned into feed for chickens on those huge egg farms or something?

Butterflies And Beauty

At the beginning of this summer I was pleased to see lots of butterflies and the spotting of a lone praying mantis, but after the crop spraying, the numbers dwindled noticeably. Except for some of the cabbage butterflies; their presence survives despite all onslaughts, apparently.

There were many more Monarchs in June, and perhaps they have laid some eggs on the milkweeds. I haven’t had the idea to check for them. All my time outside is spent weeding, or harvesting basil for salads and pasta.

I also have the most adorable hummingbird. I noticed the presence of hummingbirds fairly early, so went off to buy some red flowers to pop into the container plantings. The red fuchsia and scarlet sage (Salvia splendens) provide morning stops. As in past years I notice that the lilac bush is a favorite rest stop. Butterflies and hummingbirds enjoy resting on this bush for some reason.

The Rural View

Earlier summer had flooded the fields. The crop plants are mostly recovered and while some corn remains stunted, most fields around here have 8 ft. cornstalks. All looks lush, from soybean to cornstalk to tree. As I mentioned previously, there has been much farm field spraying. While the latest was probably for insects, the other spraying was likely for diseases and fungus.

The hayfields look like they yielded exceptionally well.

I imagine other neighbors are also having a slow harvest of tomatoes- I don’t see any signs for roadside sales of the fruits.

Today was misty and cloudy with comfortable upper 70 temperatures. I hope it stays comfortable during the coming month, and I might get my chores, well not done exactly, but progressing forward.

How has your summer gone? (Because yes, it is almost gone already!)

All Season Garden Color with Bold Foliage Effects, Masterful Contrasts

July 3, 2018 by Ilona Erwin

Be Bold with Color

Red scheme: Geum ‘Blazing Sunset’ , Anthriscus s. ‘Raven’s Wing’ , Streptanthus albidus peramoena “Jewel Flower” bring strong contrast, bright color together with pleasing effect. By anniesannuals (originally uploaded to Flickr as Spring Garden 08) [CC BY 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons.

Foliage color is a fine way to introduce variation in all seasons; so consider the addition of variegated foliage, purple tinted leaves, golden and some of the other types of leaf or needle color. Flowers, combined for bold contrasts or subtle harmonies, are the glory of three of our four seasons.

Ways to Introduce Color Into Your Garden

Everyone thinks of spring and summer for color in the garden… but who plans their fall garden for bursts of color? And most of us decide that we need flowers to brighten up the garden views, but who puts colorful foliage plants first on their list? Or brings berried trees and shrubs for winter beauty?

The smart gardener like you, that’s who!

During autumn, foliage becomes the primary focus. Sometimes in surprising places such as the gold of hosta or Convallaria majalis.

Convallaria majalis in fall — Leaves of the Lily of the Valley plant turn a golden orange tipped in bronze.

Leafy contributions most commonly thought of are Autumn changes, but other seasons have their fair share of gold, purple, chartreuse, and even pink and red tints. Conifers come in different shades for winter, even twigs may add some color to the garden landscape, whether bright green, yellow, or coral red.

Do You Use Foliage For Accent?

…as part of the color plan in your landscape. Remember the colors of your house when choosing colors for your yard.

Flower Colors with Brick Houses

Great Plants for Foliage Color

Entryway Accents

Whether it is the large swathe of a perennial border or a small addition of containers by the steps, flowers can deliver color in any hue you desire.

A group of flowers can bring a combination of colors to create moods of harmony, calm, or excitement.

There are certain places that most people like to have some color, and that is at the entry or closely surrounding the house.

Like the glint of a jeweled necklace framing a face, the colorful accent of garden color close to the home’s entry seems most pleasing to the owner and their visitors. Perhaps that is due to the idea that a special spot of color bids welcome and speaks of the anticipation of the hospitality within.

I don’t know if that is simply an idea we have cultivated with flower arrangements and houseplants or if that is something hardwired into the human psyche, but it seems to work in that mode.

“Bright plants or flowers do a lot to enhance the entry.

Think “yellow” when adding accent plants to your home’s entry. Yellow is a great color for this purpose. It draws the eye and makes people feel at ease, which is exactly how you want them to feel when entering your home.”

– Home Staging

Strong Contrast

Because of the possibility of combining different types of foliage, purple and gold plants together are a popular combination. Too much of this constitutes what I call “a garden no-no”. It looks harsh and unnatural to the point of being annoying.

So you like hot pink, leopard prints, red heels, and dangling chandelier earrings all at once? Yes, and some people like the garden equivalent. It is your garden, after all, but most of us viewing it don’t like such strong color contrasts en masse as well as you, in that case.

There are always those case which break the rule, so I rarely make hard and fast ones for the look of a garden; there are people who have an unfailing artistic sense who can create even the most garish elements into something appealing.

Employ Shape, Color, Contrast, and Texture

Distinctive shapes highlight the interesting range of leaf color in a front entry.

Combos I Love

I love a touch of contrast, a golden accent here, a grove of purple-leaved trees there, a large amount of gray foliage and purple foliage with grays.
I like the combination of golden and glaucous foliage- “glaucous” being the blue effect that some leaves have.
I like purple foliage combined with red and bright orange flowers for a “wow” effect in a sunny spot. Quite amazing color effects can be done done with either only leaves or leaves and flowers in this pairing.
Try some of your most adventurous ideas in containers- they last for the one season and if you love the effect you can use it on a grander scale at a future date. If not, it was fun to see your idea for a time and to change it up the next year.

Color Can Be Bold

Try two or three plants of the same kind to give a bold splash of foliage color in a garden.

Golden Foliage Plants

Caryopteris Variety

Golden Caryopteris

Goldflame spirea

Take, for instance, the Goldflame spirea. The original form of this spirea shrub is very nondescript (although I like it). It has pretty pink flowers in season, but the rest of the time is a fairly dull green plant with small leaves.

In its ‘Goldflame’ form the spring leaves start out with a range of dawn colors of pink, reddish tinge, and pale gold, become a deeper golden color for summer and turn tints of yellow, pink, and orange for fall…while the bright pink flowers will bloom in their season, as well. It grows best in part sun/part shade where its colors is most welcome, and the contrast with green leaved plantings becomes a brilliant spot of color even when nothing is blooming.

Two Gold Leaf Beauties

Golden Spirit Cotinus Coggyria

Golden Coggyria leaf

Sutherland Gold Elderberry

Elderberry with gold foliage

Smoke Tree – Interest through foliage and bloom

Coggyria is an ornamental tree with varieties that include strongly colored leaves in gold or purple tones. Its name comes form the frothy look of the flowering parts; they look like a cloud of softly color smoke. It is a very interesting addition to the landscape.

Purple Foliage Plants

Berberis thunbergii var. Atropurpurea

Berberis thunbergii var. Atropurpurea brings color contrast into the spring palette

Berberis thunbergii var. Atropurpurea brings contrast into the spring palette.

Purple Berberis foliage is very popular. It is tough and comes in a variety of cultivars. It takes hedging exceptionally well. A drawback is the fact that it is sometimes considered an invasive non-native shrub.

Because of the drawing power of colorful plants, especially when pattern plays a part, these are plants to accent, and not overdo in your garden plan.

Color Can Be Subtle

Variegated plants are those with color variations along with the usual green: green and gold, green and cream, pink, green and gray. When introduced into a mostly green backdrop they provide a lift to the whole picture.

Many plants have variegated mutations. Some I really like are the large shrub Cornus elegantissima, variegated hollies, and the many types of hostas with beautiful gold or cream streaking the green or bluish-cast leaf color.

Where do subtle effects go wrong? When too bland and lacking in personality, the beauty of a plant can be lost.

Color Through The Seasons

Autumnal Hues

Plan for an autumn garden with spectacular color. Plants take on a whole new look when the first cold temperatures of fall touch their leaves. What flower can compete with the golden, scarlet and glowing orange hues of the trees in their autumn garb?

Don’t let your garden be dowdy when the October fling of festivity comes around. Any other time of year such competition seems gaudy, but not in the fall! Choose some of your shrubs and even perennials for their end of season tints.

Some trees are grown only for the beautiful leaf colors they turn in the fall. Look for those to brighten your yard. Note in a journal the plants that have beautiful fall color like hostas and balloon flowers, then combine them to good effect for this season’s show.

The golden autumn leaf color of the Ginko tree in the photo at the beginning of this section is a wonderful example of autumn leaf color at its finest.

Plan For Fall Leaves

Trees are grown for shade, form, flowering, and other properties, but one of the most visually satisfying is the autumn color they can provide

photo by bosela — Autumn Gingko leaf tints.Photo by bosela

The fall color of the Gingko biloba tree is a golden clear yellow. Choosing such trees and shrubs give the autumn a richness that shimmers against the clear blue skies and surprises the eye after the summer of green background.

Great Accents Or Garden No-Nos?

Strong visual impact can come from the often brassy or moody shades of foliage variation. Or the patterns of variegated leaves in the landscape can either be a focal point or become too much of a good thing when dotted throughout a garden space or massed together in a mish-mashed, unidentifiable collection.

The Garden No-No

Too much of a good thing can tire the eye or create a heavy imbalance which is more disturbing than delightful. Very dark purple leaves, extra powerful contrasts plunked into the middle of the yard, harsh and grating colors with no transitioning or mellowing partners … those can all be disconcerting “no-no’s”.

Winter

Winter berries bring much needed color to the landscape and stand out all the more. Additionally they attract birds .

Winter berries bring much needed color to the landscape and stand out all the more. Additionally they attract birds.

Don’t overlook berries or fruits as colorful additions to your garden plan.

Witch Hazel Early Blooms

Shrubs which bloom quite early with the added bonus of fragrance. [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)],

Remember These Sources Of Landscape Interest

Leaf ColorWhether it is the autumn color or foliage variations…remember to use leaves to create a great color show in your landscape.</p
Flowers In Your PlantingsAnnual and perennials flowers, yes, but remember trees, vines, shrubs, and ground covers may all have bright beautiful flowers during three (in some places four) seasons of the year.</p
BerriesBerries are king in winter, and they give color and a wildlife food source. Often overlooked when planning garden plantings, but one of the secrets of a really great garden. Remember to plan for colorful berries, they can be red, but also yellow, orange, even blue or purple.

Bravely Paint Your Garden Using Color Theory

Painting With Plants

Using color in your garden is much like creating a painting, with easy to learn concepts of color harmonies as the basis for making a gardens that gives visual joy to all who see it.

Find ideas on creating all season beauty in your yard, and keep reading for a primer in color theory for the garden, all included in this page.

Rainbow spectrum or a carefully chosen palette, flowers are a main source of instant impact. They reign in spring and summer seasons. Leaves and stems will also hold their own with both bold and subtle effects.

The Nature Of Color

Monet Was a Master of Garden Color Effect
Monet’s garden at Giverny is a revelation. It was a master’s use of plantings that gave him inspiration for many of his most famous works. If you need color inspiration ideas, take a tour of his paintings.

Monets Garden,as he saw it — Monet’s Garden, as he saw it.

Color theory for the garden

Here is just a little about color to get you started, learning more about color theory is one of the best ways to improve your design sense for inside AND outside the house.

Warm colors are red, orange, yellow.

Cool colors are blue, purple, green.

Marvelous Coleus Colors — Marvelous Coleus brings bright spot to shady places.

Color Harmonies:

Complementary colors: opposites on the color wheel

Analogous color scheme: colors that are next to each other.

Monochromatic colors: colors all in the same family; i.e. all blues.

Triadic Color: three colors evenly spaced on a color wheel.

More on Color Theory and its use in the garden:

All About Garden Color

Color Theory

Fearless Color Gardens: The Creative Gardener’s Guide to Jumping Off the Color Wheel

Gain confidence in your use of color, learn from the experts. Nothing has helped me more in imagining plans and creating beautiful planting arrangements than books that hold advice from widely respected designers. It is all the better when photos of actual gardens inspire the process of putting together plants that bloom well, and at the same time.

Sometimes we are too timid, fearing that colors will clash or we don’t know whether something we are planning will work. Allow garden artist Keeyla Meadows to entice and inspire you to go beyond the ordinary.

Flower Power – Any Color of the Rainbow

Colorful Border — Colorful Perennial Border

Take Cues From Your Favorite Things

Think about your own ideas of color and how those from your environment or even your wardrobe could cue the design of some color additions to your yard for landscape interest and visual pleasure. There is something to be said for those small joys of the day, such as looking out the window to see a picture of something colorful and bright.

Monochromatic Designs

Color mutations and varigation of leaves are loved by gardeners for good reason. Golden leaves or purple ones create a new way to add color that lasts much longer than a plants blooms. They may have seasonal variations as well. The solid forms don’t have the spotty, too-busy look that variegated leaf plants may contribute to a view.

This type of plan requires self-discipline, with only one color chosen to create the look. Often used in plantings of conifers or one color gardens that rely on flowers for their main source of color.

Example of a Complementary Scheme

Strong complimentary hues of the same saturation bring excitement wherever they are placed. Just don't overdo it.

Strong complimentary hues of the same saturation bring excitement wherever they are placed. Just don’t overdo it.

Powerful Opposites

Purple and Yellow Complementary Colors

Hues speak messages to us- depending on our experience and culture, but also sometimes by the effect on our physiology.

Color can be calming or exciting, it can whet our appetite or soothe our irritability. Consider this when designing a garden for yourself.

Monet’s garden at Giverny is a revelation. It was a master’s use of plantings that gave him inspiration for many of his most famous works. If you need color inspiration ideas, take a tour of his paintings.

Garden Color Tips – Choose Color Like a Pro

Warm colors, red, orange, yellow stand out and draw the eye; cool colors, blue, purple, green, tend to recede into the background.
Gray foliage is a great mixer- use it to separate colors that don’t look good together.
Too much contrast is not a good thing, choose your contrasting effects wisely, and use them sparsely.
Strong contrast can make a statement, so at times it is good to go bold. But remember the previous caveat: don’t overwhelm your garden with too much contrast, but don’t be so afraid that your garden becomes boring. You can always move plants around, or even take them out altogether.

Don’t Use The Most Garish Color

…that you can find, or combine the most contrasting colors available unless it is small doses. Instead, why not have less color but more change in texture? Coarse large leaf plants combined with small fine-leaved ones?

A serene garden is almost always done in soft pastels or shades of green and white, while hot color gardens create a feeling of convivial cheerfulness.

What do you wish to be surrounded by? Don’t allow your yard to be simply a backdrop, but make it into your preferred environment with the use of color.

Hidcote, the Quintessential All Season Garden

Many examples of masterful use of flowers and foliage for beautiful pictures throughout the years may be seen in great gardens such as England’s Hidcote.