Roots & Shoots August / September 2010 August 3, 2010 @ 6:30pm MGSOC General Society Meeting & Location Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church 5631 North Adams Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 Speaker : Lois Robbins, author and educator Education: “Lawn Wars: The Struggle for a New Lawn Ethic” A business meeting will take place, prior to the start of our Educational Program. September 7, 2010 @ 6:30pm MGSOC General Society Meeting & Location Telly’s Greenhouse 3301 John R Road, Troy, MI 48083 Speaker : George Papadelis, owner of Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy Education: “Fall Blooming Perennials” A business meeting will take place, prior to the start of our Educational Program. October 5, 2010 @ 6:30pm MGSOC General Society Meeting & Location Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church 5631 North Adams Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 Speaker : Trish Hennig, owner of American Roots Nursery Education: “Native by Design with a Focus on Plant Communities” A business meeting will take place, prior to the start of our Educational Program. Carol’s Corner Let’s talk about MG Information Booths. You staff an impressive number of them through out the year. We have tables at 8 Farmers Markets, 11 retailers for the Ask a Master Gardener fundraiser this year, and tables at various garden walks and events throughout the County. First I want to thank all of you who faithfully staff them for us and answer so many questions from the public. You are truly helping people grow, putting in an impressive 3,000+ hours yearly doing it! We had an incident at one of the Ask a Master Gardener sites this year that tells me I need to send along a friendly reminder of what is expected of volunteers at these information tables. The manager of the store watched the volunteers talk to each other their entire shift and never approach a customer! Yes, the weather was rotten that day but you are gardeners who know how to dress for the weather! They cancelled the rest of their weekends and we lost close to $800 this year and needless to say they will not be participating in this fundraiser in the future. So bear with me while I get on my soap box and please keep reading… 1. First, familiarize yourself with where things are because you know that you will get the “where is…?” questions. 2. It is very important to make eye contact, be gregarious and smile! I understand the social aspect of being an MGV, but please make your 1st priority be to answer questions from the public. No one will approach you if you are sitting at the table with your nose in a book. 3. We typically have 2 people at each shift. If you’re not getting much action at the table, take turns walking around. You can ask approach people and ask them questions based on what they have in their shopping cart. “I see you have bleeding hearts in your cart, you must have shady conditions. Can I help you select other plants that will work well in the shade? 4. Try to answer questions rather than automatically handing the Hotline phone number to everyone. We have the 2 large resource notebooks at every farmers market. Please use them! The CAT Alerts are posted in every Oakland Gardener during the growing season. It’s important to read them as this is where you get information on the current insects and diseases and how to manage them. 5. Don’t hand out your own business cards! You are representing MSUE and it’s just not appropriate to be doing this. 6. Lastly but just as important as the others, have fun! Most volunteers are a little nervous when doing their first information table but soon see how much fun it can be! Thanks for all the great volunteer work you are doing this summer. I hope your gardens are glorious, your Japanese Beetles are few, and you find the time to sit back and enjoy them. You deserve it! Master Gardener Class Schedule Fall 2010 9:00am-1:00pm The Fall class is being held in the Lower Level Classroom of the Extension Office. You are welcome to sit in on any of the classes. Please call Linda at 248-858-0887 to make sure the schedule hasn’t changed and there is room as space is limited. You can take 2 educational credits for each class. If you took the class many years ago please consider sitting in on as many of them as you like for review or to gain new information available now. Date Topic August 19 Introduction/ Natives August 26 Plant Science September 2 Soils/Composting September 9 Water Quality/Invasives September 16 Vegetables September 23 Flowers September 30 Lawn Care October 7 Household Pests October 14 Backyard Fruit October 21 Woody Ornamentals October 28 Indoor Plants/Propagation November 4 Diagnostics/PHC November 11 Volunteer Day Nominations Requested for the Society’s Annual Election In accordance with the Master Gardener Society of Oakland County by-laws, this announcement is made to inform our membership of the following (3) Three open SEB (Society Executive Board) positions, their terms of service and duties. Article V – Officers Vice President ~ 2 Year Term To perform the duties of the President in the event of his/her absence and such duties of other officers in their absence; to perform or oversee an annual audit of the accounts and records of the Master Gardener Society of Oakland County. Secretary ~ 2 Year Term To record the minutes of the SEB and general membership meetings; to record membership attendance; to submit highlights of the minutes to the Master Gardener Society of Oakland County newsletter; to attend to all correspondence of the Master Gardener Society of Oakland County and maintain complete files of minutes, attendance and correspondence. Team Administrator ~ 1 Year Term To perform duties as assigned by the SEB Article VIII – Elections Section 1. Nominations for elected SEB officers (president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, team administrator) will begin with a notice from the Nominations Committee to be published in the August/September Roots & Shoots. Written nominations are to be submitted to the Nominations Committee prior to the October general membership meeting. Nominations for elected SEB officers may also be accepted at the October general membership meeting. Section 2. Nominations for elected SEB officers shall be closed at the conclusion of the October general membership meeting. Ballots shall be mailed to all members entitled to vote via US mail, within (5) five days following the October meeting. Ballots must be returned by US Mail or electronic transmission. Ballots must be postmarked or returned by electronic transmission, no later than 20 days after the ballot mailing date. Section 3. Election results shall be announced at the November general membership meeting. Candidates receiving a plurality of votes cast for a particular office shall be elected for a term of (2) two years. Elections will be held annually, with the election of two officers, alternating between president/treasurer and vice president/secretary. The team administrator shall be elected every year. The term for the newly elected officers shall begin January 1st. Section 4. Only those persons who have indicated their consent to serve if elected or appointed shall be nominated for office or other positions. This is your opportunity to participate in the direction of your society! Please contact Julie Kowalk at 810-655-2228 or jakowalk@comcast.net if you are interested in being a nominee or have any questions. Julie A. Kowalk Membership- MGSOOC DAHLIAS Peggy Kernstock and Dan Draves from the Dahlia Hill Society of Midland presented our June program. The Dahlia Hill Society was started in 1992 and has about 70 volunteers, many of them Master Gardeners, who maintain the gardens. There are 250+ varieties and more than 3000 tubers in the garden. Dahlias came from the mountains of Mexico, and there were originally only two or three varieties. Europeans first saw them in the 1500s, and they were imported to Europe in 1789. In the 1800s, people began to hybridize them, and there are now thousands of varieties with a wide range of flower sizes, petal forms and colors. Flowers can be as small as 2” across or as big as dinner plates at 12”. There are 19 different petal forms, and Dahlia Hill has examples of each form. Dahlias come in many colors with the exception of blue, and there are many bi-color forms as well. Dahlias grown in Michigan range in height from one to six feet, but there is a tree dahlia grown in more southerly climes that reaches thirty feet. Dahlias can be purchased at nurseries already growing in pots, and there are many sources for tubers. In Michigan with its short growing season we should look for early blooming varieties. The size of the tuber is unimportant: the size does not relate to the size of the plant. The tuber should be firm with no blemishes. Dahlias need at least six hours of sun and well-drained soil, and the soil temperature should be at least 50 degrees. The tuber should be planted 4-6” deep and laid on its side with the bud pointing up. At Dahlia Hill they plant them 12” apart, although the usual recommendation is to plant them 18- 24” apart. Cover with 1” of soil and keep adding soil as the plant grows. They mound soil around the plant to reduce the need for staking. If staking is required, it is best to do it at the time of planting to prevent sticking a stake through the tuber later on. The planting should not be watered in (to reduce the risk of rotting). They amend the soil with composted cow manure two weeks before planting and add another handful for each tuber at planting as well as a handful of bone meal. They use low nitrogen fertilizer (e.g., 5-10-10) about once a month. Dahlias need about 1” of water per week. Dan gave a formula for potting soil that he uses for dahlias: 3 buckets (10-12 quarts) of compost, 3 buckets of peat, and one bucket of perlite thoroughly mixed with 2 cups of a mixture of one part dried blood, one part bone meal and one part greensand. Dahlias can be damaged by cutworms, and these can be controlled by cardboard collars or hunting and killing. Wireworms and Japanese beetles should also be hunted and destroyed. Spider mites can be sprayed with water or horticultural soap. Mosaic virus stunts the plants’ growth and makes the leaves curl and is best controlled by destroying the plant. Bacterial infections also require destroying the plants and cleaning cutting tools carefully. In our climate the tubers will rot if left in the soil over the winter, so some people just grow them as annuals. If you want them to winter over, wait 1-2 weeks after hard frost before cutting off the stalks and digging the tubers, a job that should be done very gently so that the necks do not get damaged. They can be divided at this time or in the spring, and it is important to leave a bud on each tuber. They should then be soaked in a 1:48 bleach solution for 5-10 minutes and then allowed to air dry. Dahlia Hill stores them in cardboard boxes in a root cellar at 40-50 degrees. Another way to store them is in a plastic bag with vermiculite, peat moss or pet bedding. Yet a third way to store them is to divide them and shake them in a bag with 1:8 garden sulfur and perlite and them wrap each separately in plastic wrap. Most tubers will last many years if properly stored. —Submitted by Jean Gramlich FOUR SEASON DESIGNS Janet Macunovich of Perennial Favorites spoke on designing gardens for four season interest at our July meeting. Designs for all seasons should begin in winter when we place distinctive focal points. We should be thinking about shape, texture, bark and color. Evergreens give amazing color in winter ranging from the golds and blue- greens of conifers to the deep red of bergenia in the cold. Berries on crabapples, hawthorns and viburnums lend color and food for the birds. The shapes of trees stand out in the winter as do rocks and garden ornaments. Bark can add texture as well as color; examples are paperbark maple, lacebark elm, stewartia, Kousa dogwood, cherry, amur cork, and red and yellow twig dogwood. The cuttings from the latter two can be used to weave colorful fences. Grasses add lovely texture in the winter garden as they are covered with snow and blow in the wind, sometimes making music if we are willing to listen. In spring the bulbs come first to make our hearts sing. They should be planted in clumps for maximum effect and can be planted right next to large plants like hibiscus and butterfly bush that will cover them up when their foliage is unsightly. As we continue into summer, think about the shapes and textures and colors of the plants. Know and use peak bloom times for each plant, but also consider the color of the foliage that can add to the effect both before and long after bloom times. Learn how to cut back and cover up plants that are past their prime. Make room for people in your garden. Paths and seating invite people to quietly contemplate the beauty you have assembled. In the fall, we enjoy the color of leaves, berries, decorative grasses and pods. Notable flowers for fall include sedums, asters, Japanese anemones, chrysanthemums, Monauk daisies and ajania. During the summer we should have been making a list of plants that need to be moved, divided, etc. either because they do not fit the design well or they have overgrown their bounds. These changes can be made in fall or spring, but I find it useful to do when I can see the whole plant and remember the vision I had. Autumn is also a good time to add new plants (and perhaps they will be on sale at the nursery). As always, Janet’s talk was accompanied by Steve Nikkila’s great photos illustrating her points. She is a most entertaining speaker and seems to have endless knowledge about gardening in Michigan, demonstrated in the question period following her presentation. —Submitted by Jean Gramlich Someone / Somewhere “When I retire, I will spend my days fishing and hunting!” These were the words of Wayne Lapinski. After 3 days, Wayne was tired of the peace and quiet, tired of waiting for the fish to bite, tired of waiting to shoot the ‘big one’, tired of being alone in the wilderness. Wayne is a man of action, a man ready to take on a new challenge, a man ready to tackle the world, A MAN ON THE GO! When Wayne was an elementary student at Benjamin Franklin School in Cleveland, Ohio, each student received a 4’x 6’ plot of land to plant a vegetable and/or flower garden. He was shown how to plant, water, and weed. This was his bit of land to plant, nurture, and grow the best flowers and vegetables he could. Even during the summer, students were expected to take care of their garden. Wayne learned responsibility; his plants would get no water if he did not go there every day to do the job. At the end of the season, there was a judging contest. Every student entered what he grew. A blue ribbon was worth 25 cents, all the way down to a yellow ribbon worth 5 cents. Each student was a winner. I believe Wayne must have earned a lot of money. In the fall, after the crops were harvested, the townspeople could come and get what they wanted. When you entered the eighth grade, it was no longer mandatory to work a plot of land. However, one could continue, if they wished, and even get a larger plot of ground. What a great way to get kids interested in horticulture. Cleveland, Ohio, was a great place to grow up and after high school, he attend Ohio University, worked for the steel mill in Cleveland and was drafted into the Army. He then worked for GM Truck and Bus, transferred to the central office in Warren, and retired from there. During his working years at GM, the house was filled with five children, four dogs, cats, and lots of love. As Wayne said, “If you wanted a seat of your choice, in front of the TV in the evening, you had to hurry in there after supper.” Wayne and his wife Linda make a great couple. Linda is an Advanced Master Composter and has a degree in art. She is the one who picks out the artwork in their garden and decides where it should go. As a dutiful husband, Wayne puts it right where she tells him to. Wayne’s front and back gardens are filled with May Apple, Bloodroot, Wild Ginger, Canadian Columbine, Astilbe, Daffodils, Rudbeckia, Spiderwort, Sweet Woodruff, Coneflowers, Oriental Lillies, Minarda, Bugbane, purple Joe Pye, Goats Beard, Coral Bells, Bleeding Heart, Cup Plants, many native plants and too many flowers to be counted. He has a couple of water fountains in his yard. One fountain bubbles up some iron cat tails and then the water disappears underground. Birds fly right over and next to the giant metal bird in the middle of the garden. Their three grandchildren like to come over and help in the garden. They each have a stone with their name on it and put it in their favorite spot in the garden. A great feature in the back yard is a pergola Wayne built, with seating underneath for a party. In the fall, Wayne and Linda have a Sukkot. This is when their friends come over for a great Polish/German style dinner. Before dinner, everyone goes through the garden, gathers different plants, ties them into a little bundle with a string and hangs it from the pergola, giving the blessing of peace and prosperity to the garden and family. This tradition started out with a few people and now includes 12 to 15 couples. Wayne took the Master Gardener course in 2006 and already has almost 1000 hours. It’s no wonder. He volunteering includes: The Farmer’s market in Pontiac Pontiac Eats and Beats, at the MSU tent Helped plant the Rain Garden at Watkins Lake Rd. for Oakland Parks and Rec Executive building Class Assistant for Oakland County Master Gardener classes Interview candidates for the Master Gardener course Director of 4-H Fair at Springfield Oaks Vegetable and flower judge at Springfield Oaks Bittersweet Farm Leader of Bower Farm - Last year they donated approx 400 lbs. of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, eggplant, peppers, celery and squash - yellow, hubbard, and acorn, to the Open Door Outreach Center in Waterford. This food is delivered daily and distributed the same day. Manning the MG information booth at Bordines & English Gardens Spring Expos Surveyed a track of land for Oakland County. Surveying property to make sure all is intact and well. Blue Bird box monitor at Orion Oaks Frog and butterfly survey at Independence Oaks Waterford Oaks Dog Day for swimming , retrieving and socialization Rattlesnake ID class for dog owners at Orion Oaks Working at Waterford Green House in the winter months of this year. transplanting of cuttings of coleus and later transplanting into bigger pots for planting in Oakland County park entrances. Cleanup, and making raised vegetable bins. Wayne and Linda are members of Wild Ones in Clarkston, and the Michigan Day Lilly Society, as well as past members of Meadowbrook. In January 2010, Wayne was voted the Monthly Volunteer of the Year from the Oakland County Parks. On July 14 of this year, Wayne and Linda’s home was on the Clarkston Garden Tour. What a treat for the many, many people who took the tour. Considering all of this, it is no wonder that Wayne was selected as Oakland County Master Gardener of the year - 2009. Wayne enjoys meeting a lot of people and enjoys all he does. He says, “Volunteering is rewarding, just to do it.” —Submitted by Sylvia Schult Pittsburgh Trip A busload of garden enthusiasts went to Pittsburgh on a four-day trip that included intimate and huge gardens, a winery, conservatory, an icon of 20th century architecture, a funicular and a native nursery. The weather was threatening much of the time, but we mostly avoided getting rained on. We started out at our usual ungodly hour in the morning and had long rides on Thursday, but Kathy Click’s games kept people amused. We stopped for lunch at the Southern Gardens Tea Room, a surprisingly roomy place with a gift shop and all hand-washed china. The leek and potato quiche with cranberry relish was served with rose hip mint tea and lemon mango tea. It was a Victorian experience. The next stop was Fellows Riverside Gardens, part of a metropark in Youngstown, Ohio. The garden is quite extensive with beautiful large tree specimens that are labeled. There were at least two gorgeous well branched with thick foliage Kousa dogwoods in full bloom. Another wonderful tree on display was the Japanese stewartia with its marvelous exfoliating bark of cinnamon, umber and tan that forms striking patterns. Though this species generally blooms in July, a few of the white rose-like blooms with yellow centers were open, giving us a glimpse of the show to come. Other lovely specimen trees were dawn redwood and many varieties of beech. Smaller trees and shrubs of note were variegated aralia, amur and bottlebrush buckeye. On Friday we visited Fallingwater, perhaps the most famous house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The house was built during the Depression, and many local people found work there and learned new skills. Wright designed the house to fit into the surrounding hilly, rocky landscape where tulip trees and rhododendrons abound; Bear Run Creek flows under the house; and part of the house incorporates a huge boulder. Lovely details of note to gardeners: a stairway leads down to a natural pool, and the walls and ceiling are made of glass with petunias growing in an indoor window box; ferns grow both inside and outside the window of a shady, secluded area where a spring comes into the house and drains out; a bathroom with lots of plants on the windowsills. We visited the Sandhill Berry Farm and Greendance Winery and heard about the lifelong project of growing different varieties of berries and grapes and making wine. We had a group tasting and then an opportunity to try some of the 30 varieties of fruit and grape wines. A highlight of the visit was a dessert of homemade berry pie and vanilla ice cream. Phipps Conservatory has formal outdoor gardens and many indoor rooms with plants from all over the world including an agave growing out the glass roof. One of the water features had delightful purple water lilies. There was a special exhibit of gargoyles throughout the conservatory as well as glass sculptures and chandelier by Dale Chihuly. On Saturday we visited garden writer and TV personality Doug Oster’s private garden on the side of a very steep hill. Of note was an atlas weeping cedar used as a doorway and many Japanese maples. We walked up the hill to see a neighbor’s garden with many varieties of conifers and Japanese maples as well as other small trees and shrubs all tucked into the hilly terrain of his small back yard. We caused a spontaneous neighborhood garden walk on the next street. The Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation has a fascinating collection of books on horticulture, some of them hundreds of years old. A gardening manual dating to 1530 is part of the collection as well as many documents related to Carl Linnaeus and his classification system. The Duquesne Incline is a funicular railway built on the side of a steep hill. The ride allows a spectacular view of downtown Pittsburgh at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers as they flow together to form the Ohio River. The National Aviary consists of outdoor features and indoor zoo-like rooms with different bird habitats. Unfortunately, the rain did catch up with us, so we were unable to stay outdoors. On the way back to the hotel, we saw a living wall, a garden forming the wall of a building with the company’s logo written in plants. After breakfast on Sunday we visited the Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden. In a small area shaped like Israel the gardeners have planted species specifically mentioned in the Bible and other species with Biblical references in their names. Since plants of the Bible grew in the Mediterranean climate of the Middle East, they have achieved quite a feat. The Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens is a huge mansion surrounded by acres of grounds. There was not time to visit the house and the gardens, so I chose to wander around the latter. The Japanese sunken garden is quite extensive but is under renovation so it was difficult to understand the full design. Of particular note was the serene walled English garden with a lovely statue of a water goddess dripping water on the heads of two charming children. The last stop was at the Naturally Native Nursery where we could indulge our pent-up desire for new plants in our gardens. We heard a talk on the importance of natives in the ecosystem and then wandered the five acres and greenhouse and then filled the cargo area of the bus with our purchases. We returned tired and full of new ideas for our gardens. We owe our thanks to Sandie Parrott and Kathy Click and others who assisted Sandie in making this a memorable trip. —Submitted by Jean Gramlich Michigan State University Gardens Sometimes it seems the only articles I write about involve out of state gardens. This is somewhat intentional as I try to cover sites that would be of interest to you, are in neighboring states (usually), and can be easily visited. This article is an exception but a welcome one. I was recently in East Lansing (MSU) attending a reunion of sorts and had some free time. Naturally we thought we would visit the famous MSU Horticultural Gardens. And we did. But I first ventured to the Beal Botanical Gardens. My wife and I had been there many years ago and discovered their Dawn Redwood tree which inspired us to plant a specimen at our first house. The W. J. Beal Botanical Gardens was established in 1873 by Professor William James Beal. It is the oldest continuously operated botanical garden of its kind in the U.S., so says MSU. It is a five acre site that contains over 5,000 different plants and is situated between the Library and an Intramural Sports Building (the old Women’s IM). I entered it off the Library (as I remembered) and noted that a nice gate with benches adorned the entrance. There are four major collections: Forest Communities, Plant Families, Economic Plants, and Landscape Plants. Each plant has a label (as you would expect from MSU) which contains pertinent information such as common name, scientific name, and place of plant origin. After all, the Gardens serve as an outdoor library, teaching center, and demonstration area for the MSU students as well as for those individuals who love and appreciate horticulture. I viewed the Plant Families Collection first (beds 1 through 40) with specimens that demonstrate a large range of the plants found within a plant family. The literature indicates the plants are arranged in a semi-evolutionary sequence, with the most primitive of flowering plants in bed 1 to the most advanced in bed 40. It was early in the morning and it had rained for several days before. Amidst the flowers were the man-eating mosquitoes so be prepared. There were 20 beds on each side of the grassy walkway. I looked at the 20 on the south side first (didn’t view the other 20 until the end of my visit). After the Plant Families Collection, I wandered into the Economic Plant Collection. It is comprised of about 50 beds and appears to be the largest collection. The Medicinal Plants beds were viewed first. It was at this point that I heard an unmistakable sound, that of a bullfrog. I knew we were near a pond. It was a decent pond with some aquatic plants and two resident ducks that chose to remain sleeping as I walked by. There were about 20 more beds surrounding the pond that pertained to Injurious plants and Indian-food plants. I found the Injurious plant section very informative as it covered many familiar plants and which portion of the plant was lethal or made you very ill. The problem is that there were quite a few and I will never remember all the information. I am sure it can be obtained from MSU. This section of beds also included vegetables or plants nutritious to humans. A short walk across the grass led to the remainder of the Economic Plants beds which had specimen that served humans as Perfume, Fiber, Dye, Oil, Honey, and Flavoring. The remaining collections (Forest and Landscape) are found along the south and north boundaries of the Gardens. The Forest collection features plants that you would find in Michigan forests and forests of the eastern US. There were also a number of wildflowers in bloom at this time. The Landscape collection displays plants that may be extremely useful in your landscape. There were numerous spring flowering specimens such as azaleas and rhododendrons. I spotted several ground covers, including the periwinkle that is around one of my pine trees. This is where I saw the Dawn Redwood and a fairly large Gingko tree. It was also in this collection that I noticed the Michigan Endangered and Threatened Species exhibit. This is worth some of your time to become more familiar with these plants and their status. I learned a new word “extirpated” which means a plant originally native to our state that is now believed to be extinct in Michigan. Overall I enjoyed revisiting the Beal Botanical Gardens. They weren’t very crowded during this summer morning so you could leisurely stroll the grounds. Having the labels allows one to gather useful information if you want to add to a particular plant to your landscape or garden. Be sure to pick up a Garden pamphlet that provides a layout so you have a better understanding of the Garden’s flow. I noted that there are occasional volunteers who frequent the Gardens and will gladly offer advice or answer questions. For more information about the Beal Botanical Gardens, contact the Curator, Division of Campus Park and Planning, 412 Olds Hall, telephone 517-355-9582. After this we did journey to the famous MSU Horticultural Gardens. There are some campus road closures in effect so we had to take a detour to arrive at the Gardens. There were sufficient signs posted but be observant. There is also a page on the Garden’s website that addresses the construction and suggests the best route. I have been to the Gardens a number of times since it opened, perhaps annually. I always take a ton of pictures that add to my computer memory but it is worth it. I didn’t notice any maps or brochures this time as I entered the Gardens so I would recommend that you download one from the website. Frankly it is well marked and easy to stroll at your own pace. There are 14 acres loaded with annuals, perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs and trees and their uses in the landscape. MSU believes that it features plants best suited for the Michigan gardener. After you park your vehicle and head to the entrance, check out the peacock and take a picture of the myriad of flowers and plants that comprise the bird. There must have been hundreds (perhaps thousands) of begonias put to good use. The wide Pavilion Entrance is a circular, open-air structure with a central planter and hanging baskets. On this particular day, there was a special exhibit featuring glass sculptures by Craig Mitchell Smith throughout the perennial garden beds. Of course the sculptures were for sale, as this event was a fundraiser for the Gardens. See the website Garden Calendar for future events. Proceeding from the entrance, you walk through the Judith De Lapa Perennial Garden that contains flowering and non-flowering herbaceous perennials, bulbs and ornamental grasses. The ten island beds totaling 6,500 square feet informally display a multitude of diverse perennials. All my favorite perennials were there, blooms depending upon their flowering cycle. Be sure to visit the pond in the northeast section of the Perennial garden. It has some gorgeous water lilies, aquatic plants, as well as frogs and fish. There are also some benches for those who want to sit and contemplate. I always take some pictures there. Continue along the pathway and head left to the Rose Garden, perhaps my favorite place. Most of the roses are well marked. There are so many that I couldn’t get all the information for some of the plants in the back but the pictures were great. Exiting the Rose Garden (it is hard to leave), continue down the paved path. It is straight, except for some small plazas that contain sculptures, flower displays, etc. You will walk past the Teaching Greenhouses and will arrive at the world of annuals. Much of this is a Trial area, especially for the students. The purpose of the Trial gardens is “to grow and evaluate new (and sometimes old!) species and cultivars of a wide range of plants under our mid-Michigan climatic conditions.” I noticed the plants were marked and identified with their names and lots. This year there were what appeared to be 50 to 100 containers with all types of annuals blooming forth. It was also in this area that I spied one of my favorite annual – lantana, only this time they were growing in the form of a tree. As luck would have it, a student was nearby so I inquired about the lantana. She informed me that they were special plants that were kept in the greenhouses over winter and then carted out to the annual area in the spring and planted in the ground (left in their containers) or placed above ground as a display. In any event, this had to require the work of several students as the plants were quite large. The student also offered a tip. She suggested the best time to visit the Gardens was the last week of July and the first week of August. I asked why and she said that is the time when the plants are judged so everything must be at its finest. I will offer another tip: the Gardens are available for weddings. There are several areas within the Gardens for this purpose. Check the website for details. My neighbor’s daughter was married here (we attended the ceremony) and it was quite beautiful. As with any outdoor wedding, weather can play a factor. There is also a charming MSU Chapel for indoor weddings on campus near the Red Cedar. Perhaps one of the nicest garden venues I have seen for a campus wedding is the Allen Centennial Gardens at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (but that is another story and article). I want to also plug the Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden, located next to the parking lot and accessible from the Entrance Pavilion. Kids will definitely enjoy this. I noticed some outdoor model train tracks in a decent sized exhibit so hopefully they have trains running through that particular display. There are numerous flowering plants as well as vegetables. I especially enjoyed the water feature, a pond with a green wooden bridge. It made for a nice picture. Lastly I want to point out something I hadn’t spotted before over my numerous visits to the Gardens. As I was writing this article, I pulled down the Gardens map and spotted the Clarence E. Lewis Arboretum. It is located south of the Horticultural Gardens separated by the railroad tracks that run through the south campus. It looks very intriguing and I definitely plan to visit it next time. The MSU Horticultural Garden’s website is http://www.hrt.msu.edu/our-gardens/. It is chock full of pertinent information. The Gardens are open daily from dawn to dusk. There is no fee to enter the Gardens but there is a parking charge during weekdays (8AM – 6PM). Tokens are required and can be obtained from a vending machine in the parking lot. There normally is no parking fee on weekends. As for sustenance, the best olive (green) burger I have eaten is at The Peanut Barrel at 521 E. Grand River across from the campus (north). Eat outside on the patio. As for pizza, try The Pizza House at 4790 S. Hagadorn, across from the campus (east side). Here are some pictures from the Beal Botanical Gardens and the Horticultural Gardens. —Submitted by Jim Oldani Notes From Nutcase Nursery Remember how I said that I loved the gardens early in the season but usually wanted to torch them by the 4th of July? Well, I just about got my wish during the horrendous periods of drought we’ve had. I was afraid to mow for fear the crispy stuff would catch fire and cause the mower to explode into flames. And me with it. No matter how technologically sophisticated your sprinkling system is, you just cannot water every inch of soil you steward. And it has long been my experience that water from the earth can never come close to the quality of water from the sky. I also understand that it is almost a sin for Master Gardeners to use overhead irrigation, but it sure takes care of business when nature does it. But of course I have to whine about something and that would be how nice it is when it rains regularly but how quickly the plants become “water babies” and pass out as soon as there is no precipitation for 48 hours. These are just some examples of the “truths” that populate my belief system. Since we are all products of our heredity and environment, our belief systems are as individual as snowflakes.( Of course that phrase is just another example of a “truth,” quote, unquote.) As far as I know, no one has ever compared all of the snowflakes in the world to prove they are unique. It’s just something we accept without hard scientific data. Personally I feel that there must have been at least two identical snowflakes, sometime, somewhere. Some people believe in parallel universes. Some people don’t believe in global warming. As a gardener who keeps a diary, there is no doubt in my mind that we are warming up because over the years my records show it. I see it in the change of hardiness for many of the plants we grow here. For three or four years I purchased caryopteris because something so true blue, especially in August, called to me again and again despite its failure to overwinter and my failure to get the message. Now they are reliably hardy and dependably reseed. But as usual I digress. Truths range from the ridiculous, as in urban legend “truths,” to the downright, in-your-face, there’s- no-denying-it, “facts.” For instance, I have found a high level of statistical significance between the urgency of taking a potty break and the ability of the cord in my drawstring pants to knot. Some people can make it rain by washing their cars. I can usually make it rain by washing my windows. And it will be a blowing, horizontal rain so as to bypass the protection of the awnings on the house. It usually takes no more than two days. And in the few cases where rain is not forthcoming, I can pretty much count on someone running over the hose, making it burp water out of the sprinkler and onto the picture window. Truth based on repeating patterns. But there is charm in diversity too when sometimes the patterns we’ve documented don’t ring true. The weather we’ve had this year has brought out some delightfully deviant combinations. The daylilies have bloomed much earlier because of the headstart they were blessed with in April. My late bloomers are already in full bloom when they normally don’t start their show until much later in the season. The peach colored calendula that was so pretty last year reseeded and teamed with a matching ‘Wild Giant’ daylily for a lovely combination. The old wisteria is on its second bloom and this time it’s surrounded with pink sweet peas, ‘Anthony Waterer’ spirea and a matching tamarisk. The newer wisteria tree that was completely covered with blooms this year even managed to put out one more dangle of purple not to be completely outdone by its parent. And while I was kicking myself for not taking the bait and planting some things early, I no longer have too many regrets. The tomatoes finally got in in the middle of June and are stronger and sturdier than those in neighboring vegetable plots planted to soon and too shallow. The eggplants are freakishly large leafed and muscular. The peppers are progressing well in an area that quite possibly was poisoned by some bad compost last year. It’s amazing how the microorganisms can repair and improve the soil given half a chance. This year we are comparing ‘Bonita’ green peppers with the old standby “California Wonder.’ The Cal Wonder took off larger and bloomed earlier but as of today, Bonita is ahead in size and fruit set. Both should bring me a nice crop of fine red and green peppers to freeze. As long as the good outweighs the bad I can persevere. Gardening should be relaxing. That’s supposed to be another “truth.” But stressing over timing, watering, weeding is not relaxing, so I try to find the positives. For instance, I have a pretty fine crop of purslane year after year. No offense to people who like it, but I find it pretty detestable. I know that it’s edible and I even had a friend who considered it “adorable --- like miniature jade plants.” But I cannot bring myself to consider eating it because the description of cooked purslane used the word “gelatinous,” which just about turns my stomach. I’ve thought about harvesting a little and putting it in salads but I will know that it’s in there. Finally, I have managed to find a few little positive things about this weed. When the soil is properly hydrated it easily pops out and sometimes it’s so large that removing one big one frees up an entire square foot of soil, room enough for a transplant of broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage. The third is that I am positive I don’t like it no matter how much it cooperates. Another truth is that compost happens and there might not always be a way to find a bright side to things, at least at first glance. That’s what makes patience a virtue. And gardening requires patience above many other things. Several weeks ago I got a phone call from a dear, mortally distressed friend who thought she was actually having a heart attack because her ex-husband took a chain saw to her very expensive lilac in a most disastrous and inartistic manner. She was furious because there were so many other scrub shrubs upon which he was welcome to practice. She loved that lilac dearly because it decorated an upstairs window where she kept a bird feeder and thoroughly enjoyed watching her many feathered creatures finish their meals. His defense was that she had said it needed to be trimmed. Her question was “Now what do I do?” My take was A) never leave a moron alone with a power tool and B) do nothing but make sure to keep it watered and as pampered as possible. In the future she might want to tie strings on the branches and limbs she wanted cut. The next day, after several episodes of alternating between screaming and crying, she discovered that in order to make amends, because her major criticism was that the birds would have nothing to sit on, he had duct-taped several branches back on the lilac. Not where they used to be, just anywhere. I managed to tell her to take pictures of his handiwork, after almost passing out from laughing-induced lack of oxygen, in case there happened to be an incident of justifiable homicide. She took the pictures and that evening a storm erased most of the evidence, but we still have the pictures. Today she called to tell me that the “Lazarus Lilac” was sprouting new leaves and shoots and other than being a bit misshapen everything appeared to be okay. Of course nothing else has been pruned since. Even the stuff that needs it. An obvious but painful example of another “truth”: pruning stimulates growth. And since I’m mentioning painful truths, I will tell of one of my own. You can garden with puppies but you won’t like it. You must either pen the pup or pen the plants. You will not be able to enjoy both as much as you would like. Puppies are like babies. While they first take in the world through their eyes, they must also do it with their mouths. When I spread the corn gluten, she ate it. When I spread Milorganite, she ate that too. I’ve had pups that ate the plants I potted. This one eats the pots as well. When I finally found a day calm enough to lay the black plastic wherein I plant the heat-loving tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, it remained intact all of eighteen hours, and that was only because night intervened and we were all in bed. And this year I outdid myself in the aesthetics categories of smooth, taut and neat. She couldn’t just wreck a little of it. She removed it all and ate a three by ten foot length of it. I cut off the bad portion and readjusted my planting plan. She didn’t like it. Even though I had double fenced it she ate another corner of it. So I patched the corner. Normally I would let the plastic sit for a week to heat up the soil and drive out the cutworms. This was the major reason those crops went in so late. Alas, it was not meant to be. She made the holes for me. Once I got the tomatoes planted, she wiggled in there again and made even larger holes for the plants. So we had “attitude adjustment exercises.” The only fencing I have enough of to encase most of the vegetable garden are the little 18” decorative sections which at least made a visual border. We walked the perimeter over and over again. “Leave it.” “Stay out of the garden.” “GET OOOOUUUUUTTTTT!” It got to be a test of wills. If I corrected her for any reason, she would trot over to the vegetable garden and with one sideways leap, bound over the fence and look me right in the eye. Just as quickly she would sideways leap back out. Yep, now I’m in. Now I’m out. In. Out. In. Out. Back and forth daring me to chase her. I swear, I wanted to spray her with Roundup. Not that I ever would. But I have to admit I was hoping she would eat a bee. When I sprayed plastic pots with homemade jalapeno juice, she loved it. Much tastier than plain old everyday pots. Please may I have more. When customers come to the nursery to shop, they wonder why the potted plants are jailed in a portable dog pen. Did you not see the sign on the front gate which reads: Beware – Pup-in-Training? Many dog years ago, a veterinarian told me that the most important thing you can do with a new pup is instill a conscience in them. Having had a very parochial upbringing, and many canines, I should be adept at such a tactic, although I do know it does not work with husbands. But there is a very fine line between guilt and fear. Guilt or shame is internal. Fear is external. Guilt arises from understanding you did something unacceptable. Fear comes from expecting a negative consequence regardless of whether you think what you did was unacceptable or not. This little monster feels guilty for perhaps a half a second and then responds with “Don’t you think I’m cute?!?!?!” and proceeds to tear around like a runaway freight train. In two leaps she bounds through the garden and pokes her head out from under a sunflower leaf to make sure you are watching. When we purchased several bags of fine bark nuggets she opened every one of them. Even though they outmatched her in weight, she dragged them off the pile so none would be ignored. She also demolished bags of worm castings, mushroom compost and potting soil, in the garage. Ah, but I was positive and made a nice container mixture sweeping it all up. I am trying to be positive. I am positive if she gets kidnapped I’m not paying the ransom. Himself stood up for her until she ate the aluminum corner off the garage. He had told me just the week before that he really didn’t believe that she was destroying so many things on purpose (37 solar lights and 108 various sized plastic pots at last count). I told him not to kid himself and continued replanting my cole crops with hopes of maybe a fall harvest. She certainly loves her veggies, especially my cabbages. A couple of years back, a co-worker I didn’t know very well overheard me telling a cubicle-mate about an unpleasant canine behavior incident, swiveled her chair to face me and sternly intoned, “There’s no such thing as a bad dog. Just a bad owner.” I would have liked to spray her with Roundup too. Some Information You Should Know MGSOOC Board Members President: Christine Covell………………...…….(248)852-1890 Vice President: John Grant……………………….(248)852-3758 Secretary: Ruth Vrbensky ……………………….(248)969-6904 Treasurer: Jean Gramlich …………………..….. (810)714-2343 Team Administrator: Susan McLarty ……… (248)673-8092 MSU Extension Oakland County Coordinator Advisor: Carol Lenchek ………………………… (248)858-0900 lenchekc@oakgov.com Team Coordinators Bowers Farm: Wayne Lapinski……………….(248)391-6269 Project Support: Susan McLarty …………… (248)673-8092 Hospitality: Mary Golla………………….…..(248) 371-0476 Membership: Julie Kowalk …………..………(810)655-2228 Programs: DeeAnn Bauer ……………..….(248)828-7385 Door prize Coordinator: Janie Grissom…..(248)887-6096 Trips & Tours: Sandie Parrott ………….….....(248)394-1532 Corresponding Secretary: Margy Truza…… mat4744@aol.com Roots & Shoots Editor: Dick Wanat………...(248)644-5699 Web Site Address: www.mgsoc.org Webmaster: Sheri Trout sheri@oaklandweb.com Web Site Calendar: Chris Wilder cwilder@wowway.com Currently Available Opportunities: Communications, Education, Project Support, Volunteer Activities North Office Building, #26 East Carol Lenchek…248-858-0900 1200 N. Telegraph Road Extension Educator~Master Gardener Program Pontiac, MI 48341 Email: lenchekc@oakgov.com Office Hours: M- F 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Linda Smith…248-858-0887 Marie Ruemenapp Horticulture Office Assistant 248-380-9100 or 248-858-0885 Email: smithlin@oakgov.com MSU Extension District Coordinator Email: ruemenap@msu.edu Cathy Morris…248-858-1639 Clerk & Contact for Certification of Volunteer Charlene Molnar…248-858-0902 & Education Hours Horticulture Advisor Email: morrisc@oakgov.com Plant & Pest Hotline Hours of operation vary seasonally Bindu Bhakta…248-858-5198 Extension Educator~Water Quality Robin Danto…248-858-0904 Email: bhaktabi@msu.edu Extension Educator~Food Safety Email: dantor@oakgov.com Saneya Hamler…248-452-9726 Extension Educator~Children, Youth & Family Tom Schneider…248-858-0905 Email: hamlersa@msu.edu Extension Educator~4-H Youth Programs Email: schneidert@oakgov.com Eva Poole…248-858-1993 Extension Educator~Children, Youth & Family Email: ander204@msu.edu - 1 - Michigan State University Extension- Oakland County “Bringing Knowledge to Life”