Why Not Conifers?

That's the answer I received when I asked the Canadian woman sitting next to me at dinner Friday night what had brought her to the American Conifer Society's Northeast Region's Annual Meeting. I figured she must be an obsessed collector like so many of the other 150+ attendees. But she was just interested in learning more about plants. And why not conifers?

Why not indeed? They're fascinating.

Friday's dinner was followed by a presentation from Dr. Richard L. Bitner, whose new book "Conifers for Gardens" has just been published by Timber Press. In the morning, after breakfast (at 6:30!!!), we hopped on three buses and after an inexplicably circuitous trip arrived an hour and a half or so later at Cornell Plantations, one of my Very Favorite Places in the Whole World. It looked as good as ever.

From Plantations we traveled north, through Skaneateles to Sycamore Hill, the gardens of George and Karen Hanford. This amazing place is only 15 years in the making from what I understand. It's not open to the public except for at certain times, so if you see a chance to get in there, grab it. The conifer collection alone is astounding, but there is a lot more going on, too. Ponds, fountains, statuary, all variety of trees, shrubs and perennials, and lots and lots of little areas���������it's really a wild place. (And by wild of course I mean wildly cultivated.) I won't get too much farther into it, because Michelle Buckstrup is actually profiling the garden for our January issue. Watch for that.



The Maze.












The Ruins, a work in progress.













Ah. I loved this. My favorite plant of the day. It looks like golden afternoon sunlight is reflecting off the needles of this spruce. In fact, the day was quite gloomy. This is Picea mariana 'Golden', which glows all on its own.

After dinner Saturday night came the silent auction results, and then the live auction which was as raucous as promised. I did snag a plant, though not a conifer. It was a Japanese maple, 'Atrolinaire', donated by Diana Smith at Topiary Gardens���������many of the group had visited her Friday and raved about the place. I am looking forward to stopping there the next time I am Syracuse way.

Scottsville Garden in National Magazine

Here's the latest issue of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living, on your newsstand now. I wrote and took the photographs for a story in it called "12 Design Tips for Your Landscape." I had a blast with it. For one thing, the garden is absolutely beautiful, and while photographing it I got to really take my time and explore every bit. Also, the gardeners—they live in Scottsville— are friends of mine, and they are just a lot of fun and very sweet. The story turned out great; I hope you'll buy a copy! (My mom found one at Wegmans today.)

Over the summer a crew from Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living was in Buffalo, and they photographed one or more Garden Walk gardens, so be on the lookout for that next year.

I'll be scouting gardens again this fall for possible inclusion in a future GIOL (or one of its sister titles—they all are under the Better Homes & Gardens umbrella). If you know of a garden that really stands out in the autumn, please let me know and I'll check it out.

Image courtesy of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living magazine, Meredith Corp.

The Great Hosta Massacre—A Happy Ending

You may remember my crazed post earlier this year about the savagely rototilled hostas. Here are the survivors; they're doing very well, and I plan to give them permanent homes this fall, now that I can see what they all are. Yay.

Upgrade: Village Garden Store

They've been busy over at the Village Garden Store in Mendon, completely revamping the display areas, product, and basically everything. I spent a good amount of time there chatting with Ann Marie, a former worker who's come back this year. She is full of energy and knowledge. I asked her what plants she was really into right now, and she headed straight for this Japanese holly 'Helleri', a sweet, petite spreader along the lines of a dwarf boxwood. Cute!































Here is the new sales area.

It doesn't look like much, but I love it just the same

I'm talking about my hardy fuchsia. I don't know why I'm so attached to this damned thing...it's really not so exciting. This May at the Chelsea Flower Show I met the enthusiasts behind the Hardy Fuchsia Society, and I guess their passion wore off on me. Though I don't build mine little tunnels to live in over the winter. Anyway, here's my first acquisition, purchased at Ballantyne Gardens in Liverpool, near Syracuse.

I also have a variegated one, just coming into bloom, and a chartreuse-leaved variety. Both came from Deb Lampear at Bedlam Gardens in King Ferry. She told me the secret to overwintering them is to a. plant them at a depth equal to the width of your hand when your fingers are spread apart and to b. take cuttings. My correspondent in the U.K. agreed, though HE said to plant them deep, yes, but not to fill the hole with soil until late fall. We'll see. Specimen #1 has lived through two winters already and I did none of these things. Also Jerry Kral has one in his garden he brought from Ireland 30 YEARS ago. Of course he does!

Here's the one at Sara's in the display garden:



Kathy has a fabulous design sense.

Garden scenes this week

Monarch on 'Honeycomb' Buddleia

It's Mine! All Mine!

I have finally laid my grubby hands on this decade's must-have ground cover for shade: Mukdenia rossii 'Crimson Fans'. I blogged about my lust for this plant exactly one year and one day ago, and I've been patient, waiting. Waiting. Well I got an e-mail from Kathy at Sara's in Brockport a while ago, asking did I want one still, as she has a few in stock. Yes, please! I went over there yesterday and picked it up. I didn't mean to arrive during their 40% off customer appreciation sale, but, um.... Seeing as it's an expensive little thing to begin with (24 bucks!) I don't feel too bad about it.

Want one? Yesterday there was the good part of a tray left.
















There are actually many, many great deals to be had out at Sara's right now, and in fact at most nurseries. I loved this mountain mint and regret not buying it.

Cool Fence

I was up in Osceola, on the Tug Hill Plateau, over the weekend, and I saw this excellent fence. It was installed by the town highway department to corral their dirt pile (which is according to the young kids the most fun thing to play on EVER). Our camp happens to be right next door to the highway department (don't ask), so we have extreme close personal access to the dirt!

Fall Garden Faire Update

A reader recently made a very good point: If you do a google search on "Fall Garden Faire," an old blog post of mine comes up—one from last year, stating that the FGF is cancelled. The reason this happens is that the post got picked up by Garden Voices, so it got a lot of views. If you continue reading that post you'll find corrected information in the comments. But that was last year. This is now! The FGF, now known as the Fall Garden & FARM Faire, is on, Sunday September 9, 10 to 4 at the Roycroft campus in East Aurora. Admission is free.

This has consistently been a great event, and I urge you to come by. Look for us with the newest UGJ, hot of the press.

New Blog on the Block

Check out the new RCGC blog! I have to say I'm impressed by the frequency with which Judy and Debbie have been posting. You're making us look bad, girls!











Warner Castle, home of RCGC

Love it or Hate it?

Here is my garden nemesis of the moment: Rudbeckia triloba (or sometimes trilobata). It's a beautiful, carefree plant, perfect in arrangements. I have so much of it, you'd never suspect how much time I spend getting rid of the damned thing. You'd think we were best friends.

See, this biennial black-eyed Susan, sweet though it looks, is actually a bit pushy. It takes up residence, starts producing offspring, and the next thing you know, there's no room for anyone else. And who's paying the rent? I am! Out, Susie!

It does have its place though. So every year at about this time, I go around moving, and chucking, the seedlings. Every year I think I've come up with the grand scheme of where it'll actually be useful next year, and every next year, I realize I've left far too many children and end up having to take even more out. The one place I would truly love to see that yellow, the jungle-like back of the garden, Susie prefers not to settle. It's very downmarket. You know.

One more Garden Walk shot

More Buffalo Garden Walk

Buffalo Garden Walk

Finally getting some pictures from the very successful Buffalo Garden Walk in late July on the blog.

Things are Booming at Home

P8030005.JPG, originally uploaded by Jane Milliman.

Upon my return, I was greeted with what looked like the garden I had left behind GONE WILD! Someone's gonna get arrested! Sorry. No, seriously, everything was so big and bodacious, I was a little shocked. Of course, the smaller plants are being squashed mercilessly by the nicotiana and the perilla, even though I thinned everybody out before I left. The giant grass is a new one from Allan Armitage's company, Athens Select. It's called Pennisetum purpurea 'Prince', and even though the propaganda said it was going to get 5 to 6 feel tall and turn more and more purple as the summer went on, I didn't believe it, seeing as how it's a southern plant and all. Well. The thing is ginormous, stately, beautiful and low-care, and I love it. You could buy 6 in a spring and make your own temporary hedge. If you look to the left, you can see 'Princess', a smaller and more demure (of course!) version. Good in a container. The only thing to watch for with these babies is their crazy-big roots, which I think might shatter their pots. If you are mixing them up with other plants, you'll want to give more space and, likely, water.

A Trip to Maine

P7300094.JPG, originally uploaded by Jane Milliman.

The family just got back from our annual Maine vacation. While we were there I met up with and old, old, old friend, old, from when I was in high school. In fact the last time I saw Kavi was 18 years ago. Wow. Well guess what? He looks the same. That's Kavi in the picture. He's the one in the middle.
The reason I mention this is that it turns out Kavi's wife, Sandra, is an avid vegetable gardener, and she BLOGS! Yep! Check it out.
I loved seeing Kavi and meeting Sandra, and I think I'll be making a visit to Pleasant Pond Farm in October. Columbus Day-ish. Maybe I can help Sandra put in her garlic.

Out & About: Cornell Plantations, Ithaca

I love going to Ithaca every other month. This trip was a bit dicey as I had left my wallet at home and was traveling with an often-hungry nine-year-old. Reenie Baker saved me by feeding us both a delicious lunch (a million, billion thanks).

Here are some pictures from our stop at Cornell Plantations.

The Robison Herb Garden:















































Bluestem joint fir, a.k.a horsetail, a.k.a. ma-huang, a.k.a. Ephedra equisetina:
























The hardy kiwi vine. It's growing on the highest-class porta-potty structure I have ever seen.

















Pineapple in container:
























More containers:

















Clematis:

Out & About: Genesee Country Museum

I stopped by the museum yesterday because my friend Michael Warren Thomas and his (adorable) family were there, living as pioneers for the weekend. This is a new program and they were the first to be accepted. Another friend, Pat Mead, was their guide, helping Joan especially with the cooking. (With Pat in charge you know it was dee-licious.) They had a great time and I have to admit that I wished I could join them. Maybe you'll see the Millimans on display in the cabin some weekend in the future.


This beverage is made by smashing sumac flowers into a paste and steeping that in cold water. Michael and Joan's daughter Martine made it, adding a little brown sugar and then more water to taste. She made these cool straws, too, out of lovage stems.

















Michael's dinner. Peas, new potatoes, a chicken "twirled" by the fire, purslane salad (with vinegar), stuffing Joan made with leftover sourdough bread from the day before, and gravy that smelled heavenly.








Here's Michael looking handsome with his way-beyond-five-o'clock shadow.














Joan in the cabin. She was having a wonderful time, but I think she prefers the division of labor she enjoys in her everyday life. Not quite so divided down gender lines.






























I'm not sure how to spell her name, but this is Corinna. Or Karina. Sorry. She's darling! And I heard she was the belle of the ball the night before at the dance.











The gravy. Here's my best Homer Simpson: "Mmmmmmmm"

Here are the rest of the pictures I took.

OMG, my MIL was right!

It IS a weed, and a noxious one to boot, according to Internet reports. Once it started blooming and I could see it was yellow, I narrowed it down to Carthamus lanatus, the saffron thistle, an invasive weed all over the world. It must have come in with the nyger. I think I'll leave it���������it's more of a problem in places like New Zealand and California���������and see if I get any finches nearer the house when the seed ripens.

















'Mardi Gras' looking fastastic this morning.














It's nothing personal. I'm just not in love with 'Laura Bush'. I think she's a terrible color. Pope John Paul II���������now there's a rose. Pure white, as you would expect, and with a heavenly scent (sorry). I'll post a picture next time I get a blossom.

What's in Bloom - July 6

Acanthus spinosa in the background, veronica 'Eveline', tiarella, heuchera, big fuzzy lambs' ears.





















Acanthus mollis. First year blooming, no winter protection. Yay!















Bunny tail grass, sedum, and more sedum, or is it spurge, I always gets them confused.



















'Mardi Gras'















Lady's mantle with euphorbia in front. Gorgeous in the morning.












I believe everyone should have perilla. It self-sows all over the place, but you can easily yank the ones you don't want. The plants you do keep add this beautiful, purply-black background to the mix.









Helianthus 'Loraine Sunshine'














Jupiter's Distaff (Salvia glutinosa)

What is this?

This prickly thing has appeared in my garden in a few spots. I think it's something I planted last year and then forgot about, and then if self-sowed, because it's not placed where I would normally plant something, but it doesn't look like a weed either (desipte my MIL's opinion!).

Anyone know?