Founded In 1934, Duke Gardens Named One of the Most 'Insanely Beautiful Public Gardens'

In 1935, more than 100 flower beds were in glorious bloom in the area that is now the South Lawn. They included 40,000 irises, 25,000 daffodils, 10,000 small bulbs, and assorted annuals. But by 1936 severe rain and floods caused the original gardens to decline.  But then April 1939, after years of planning and construction, Mary Duke Biddle, daughter of founder Sarah P. Duke dedicated the NEW Gardens.  Now coming up on its 77^th year of beauty, grace and instruction… the Sarah P. Duke Gardens thrive and continue to garner award after award.

Mounts Botanical Gardens of Palm Beach County - Still Farmers' Best Friend

It is the mission of this stunning place to promote gardens and gardening

unique to the subtropics while providing opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to learn the art, science and joy of gardening.

And what a wonderful surprise it was to find this place!  The Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County dates back to 1925 when its name sake made his way to the region at the age of 26... Marvin 'Red' U. Mounts. 
  

In addition to the 14 acres of gardens, with their local plants, palms and water features, there’s a garden shop, nursery, a master gardener program/University of Florida extension and resources from the master Gardener Help Desk! 

Maria Shelby Gardens, Come Curious, Leave Enchanted

On the eastern shore of Sarasota Bay, Florida rests the beautiful boutique, The Marie Selby Gardens where they boast 'Come Curious, Leave Enchanted'.  And they're right!

Marie Selby was born Mariah Minshall in Wood County, West Virginia, on August 9, 1885 and it was her love of all things out-doors that has created and educated thousands to this day.

As you enter the visitor’s center from the tropical and close parking area, you may choose to enter the Tropical Conservatory as we did, for the humidity and heat controlled tropical plants, especially their wide variety of orchids display very well in an intimate setting.  Beyond this building, the choices abound. 

Ladies and Gentlemen Step Right Up, Stroll the 66 Acres of Ringling Bayfront Gardens

The Ringling on Sarasota Bayfront in Sarasota Florida has a number of outstanding

venues and is a centerpiece for Sarasota.  I had gone to see the Bayfront Gardens of Ringling, where The Museum of Art, Circus Museum, Asolo Theatre and the Ringling’s winter home Ca’D’Zan also exist, all on the same compound.

If the name Ringling sounds a bit familiar, it should. John Ringling was one of the five brothers who owned and operated the circus rightly called “The Greatest Show on Earth.”  His success with the circus and entrepreneurial skills helped to make him, in the Roaring Twenties, one of the richest men in America, with an estimated worth of nearly $200 million.  In 1911, John and his wife, Mable, purchased 20 acres of waterfront property in Sarasota… where I stood and marveled on this very day.

Mr. Pearl Fryar’s Yard Beautification Project Turned into An International Treasure

It all began in 1984 in an effort to win "Yard of the Month".  Mr. Pearl Fryar started to work on his 3-acre garden at his home on the outskirts of Bishopville, SC.

In the northeast corner of South Carolina, almost directly south of Charlotte NC, is one of the best topiary gardens in North America and even better, the story of its creator, curator and horticulturalist, Mr. Pearl Fryar.   In January I drove with my relatives from Greensboro, NC  to see what has been billed as the most amazing topiary garden around. I had heard, read and even seen the video ‘A Man Named Pearl’ of the creator of this garden and his extraordinary creations!  This visit turned into something quite special for me.

Combining Science with Design and Insights, Milliken Addresses Today's Concerns

The Roger Milliken Center in Spartanburg, S.C. is a staggering 600 acres of manicured fields of staggering beauty.  Inspired by Mr. Milliken, no doubt raw farm land (peach orchard) in its beginnings, now transformed with many types of ornamental and shade trees, architected together with the variety of ponds and fountains, fields, vistas and allees! 


The picture in image one to the right, shows a pathway leading from one corporate structure to a prominent fountain!  The 20 or so Zelkovas on either side of a stone walkway flanked by 50 understory Magnolias and large clumps of Holly leading to this dramatic fountain surrounded by another 25 mature Magnolias!  Wow!

Fight Love Live and All That is Filoli Gardens

Filoli Gardens in Woodside California, just south of San Francisco on Highway 280, is a splendid place everyone should see! 
 

The property developed in the early 1900’s by a family whose wealth was from a gold mine, really!
In the area they established this 600-acre estate wanting to make a place similar to where they had travelled in Ireland. In addition to the manor house (remember the opening clip of the series Dynasty? This is the house).  But my favorite are the 16 acres of gardens surrounding the home.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

‘Way down upon the Suwanee River’

A very interesting stop off I-75, east of Valdosta Georgia (southern Georgia) is the Okefenokee Swamp!

More correctly called the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, approximately 400,000 acres! The site now sets between i-95 to the east and I-75 to the west. The name Okefenokee is thought to be Cree Indian for “land of trembling water” or "quivering earth" in that there exists many floating islands which are really large peat beds.

Of course, all the customary creatures live here! Wildlife species include wading birds, ducks, alligators and other reptiles, a variety of amphibians, bobcats, raptors, white-tailed deer, black bears, and songbirds.

Our Dying American Elm Tree

The Great 'American Elm' Tree

As a practicing Massachusetts Certified Arborist, I had known of American Elms and their curse which kills.  The fungus which penetrates their vascular system through an insect vector and the elm bark beetles.   I also knew the control methods available which may or may not ward off infection.   

At the front of our home in Massachusetts is a multi-trunk mature Elm, my estimation 50 years old.  I had created a shade garden 5 years ago below it.  Nobody enjoyed mowing under the tree as part of a hill so I just landscaped with a number of shade plants, many hosta, bleeding heart, lily of the valley and Solomon seal.  But now their home and shade was coming unraveled.

Fernwood Nursery and Gardens, Montville, Maine

Fernwood Nursery and Gardens, Montville, Maine

My wife and I took off on a car adventure from the small town of Lincolnville, Maine after a friend enthusiastically suggested that we visit the Fernwood Nursery in Mid coast Maine.   We got in the car the following Saturday and started driving northwest to Rt 3, west of Belfast and yes, we found it down the characteristic “dirt road” just off Rt 3.  What a wonderful surprise we had in store!  There were 2-3 other customers walking the nursery, ample parking and a lot to see!  To our left were Ash trees creating a high shade canopy over lightly organized, informal rows of shaded plants.

Fernwood Nursery & Gardens

58 North Ridge Rd.
Montville ME, 04941 | 207 589-4726

Is The Yard Ready For Spring 2015? Tips to Ready Your Yard for the Spring

Tips to Ready Your Yard and Garden For the Spring

Tips to get your yard and plants ready for the Spring

As the snow has begun to recede, many, including myself are shaking our heads, and looking at what has been buried since January; wondering 'what does one do and where to start?' So here goes!

Lawnmower - Is it tuned up with a sharp blade?  Well it should be!

Plow Damage - No doubt, plows have damaged much of the turf and plantings in their wake, so there's several tings to check.

Sprinkler heads: If broken mark them for later repair.

Sod: Replace sod where it has been scalped, it will grow back if bedded back into the soil.  Resist the temptation to rake unless VERY LIGHTLY!  Sod is the most tender and at risk of damage now, better to wait until the grass has started to grow, this will not happen until the soil warms up, mid April-ish at least! No fertilizer now, your grass is still asleep!  There will be some winter fungus but this will grow out.

Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Downtown Hosts Orchid Daze: Pop!

Click on the photo to enlarge

This February, I had the great fortune to drive to downtown Atlanta Georgia to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for their Feb 7-April 12^th orchid program called “Orchid Daze:Pop!“  The orchid display billed as the largest orchid center in the US, held in the Fuqua Orchid Center was amid dramatic pop art exhibits as well across the center!

Wigert Bonsai Nursery in N. Ft Myers Floriday delights this New Englander

In my travels this winter, I pointed my truck south toward the southwest corner of Florida and Wigert’s Bonsai Nursery.  I had not visited any bonsai displays/shops in the tropical/warmer climates of the US before and was very pleasantly surprised!   

The Leu Gardens in the City of Orlando

Earlier this month I visited Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden in North Carolina and found it to be a wonder to these New England eyes.   And this wonderment continued further down the coast as I made my way to the Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, Florida.

This amazing 50-acre botanical oasis, just off I-4 in downtown Orlando is convenient for anyone in the area; visiting a theme park or heading to Tampa-St. Pete and points south.  Leu Gardens is beautifully maintained with mature collections in a wonderful lake side setting maintained by the City of Orlando, and it has plenty to boast!  

The Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden Inspire, Enlighten, connect People to the World of Plants

While visiting my sister in Greensboro, N.C., I was enormously happy and so surprised when she suggested that we go to the town of Kernersville, just west of Winston-Salem.  Our destination was a botanical garden she had heard of in a local publication.

Established in 2011 and still developing… the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden on 215 S. Main Street was an unexpected wonder for someone from New England, namely me.

How to Care for a Weeping Japanese Maples in the Winter

Caring for Japanese Maples in snow regions

Now is the time to examine and prune 'Weeping' varieties of Japanese Maples where snow is a common occurrence.   

With the leaves off the tree, finally you can see the structure and it’s key supports.  The nature of the plant is to produce an abundance of branches and branching, many of which can cause problems because of the 90 degree structure of trunk-to-branch relationships.

This 3” caliper* Japanese Maple (right), has been cabled to support the crotch** shown in figure 1, and is thinned every winter,  (like now), to reduce the chances of snow load, (known as fulcrum effect), on the branch attachment.  This can result in branches ripping right off the tree!  

Pruning by 1/4 to 1/3 of canopy;  all inward growing branches; all crossing branches and all duplicate branches such that you can easily see through the canopy.  

This should be performed annually.

Have a question about your garden; plant or tree?  Ask 'The Garden Tutor'.

Improving the Nature of Cities and Towns: Urban and Community Forestry Program

Improving the Nature of Cities and Towns: Urban and Community Forestry Program

A publication brought to you by  USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area, State and Private Forestry

Community trees are part of a vital resource-the urban and community forest. This forest is made up of the trees in yards, along streets, beside rivers and streams, in parks and other green space areas, and around the buildings in your community. Because of their close proximity to people, urban and community forests are dynamic ecosystems where humans interact with trees, other vegetation, soil, wildlife, waterways, and other natural resources. For partner organizations, space is available on the back panel to overprint your organization's contact information.

Tree Owner’s Manual for the Northeastern and Midwestern United States

Tree Owner’s Manual for the Northeastern and Midwestern United States

Brought to you by the US Forest Service

One common issue facing our urban forests is the fact that trees are dying prematurely. Many are planted improperly, setting them up for failure. Many do not receive regular maintenance. And few are adequately protected during construction projects. To help remedy this issue, the Forest Service has created this Tree Owner’s Manual.

Just like the owner’s manual that comes with automobiles and appliances, the Tree Owner’s Manual includes a parts list, instructions for installation, tips for troubleshooting common issues, recommended service, and more.

Learn more and download your guide here...

Improving Your Tree Health

Improving Your Tree Health

Original source: treesaregood.com

While trees are dominant ornamental features in your home landscape, they share this area with turfgrasses, shrubs, and other plants. All these plants are bedded in a common resource: the soil. The roots of trees, shrubs, turfgrass, and bedding plants intermingle and compete for water and nutrients. The roots of a single mature tree may extend well into your lawn or flower beds.

Every treatment applied to the lawn (fertilizer and herbicide, for example) can impact the appearance and vitality of a tree. Conversely, treatments applied to a tree, such as pruning and fertilizing, can influence the appearance and vitality of the underlying turfgrass. The care of each plant in a landscape can affect the health of every plant in that landscape.  Learn more about improving your tree's health...

Benefits of Trees is Social, Communal, Environmental, Economic

Benefits of Trees

Original Source: treesaregood.com

The benefits that trees provide from social, communal, environmental, and economic perspectives.

Most trees and shrubs in cities or communities are planted to provide beauty or shade. While these are excellent benefits, woody plants serve many other purposes. The benefits of trees can be grouped into social, communal, environmental, and economic categories.

Human response to trees goes well beyond simply observing their beauty. We feel serene, peaceful, restful, and tranquil in a grove of trees. We are “at home” there.

The calming effect of nearby trees and urban greening can significantly reduce workplace stress levels and fatigue, calm traffic, and even decrease the recovery time needed after surgery. Trees can also reduce crime. Apartment buildings with high levels of greenspace have lower crime rates than nearby apartments without trees.  Learn more here...