Thursday, May 21, 2015

Beautiful Plant, Not so Pretty Name - Lungwort


One of the first things I do when I visit my mother-in-law is to walk around her gardens to see what is blooming. A few years ago, I noticed a beautiful purple and pink flowered plant with very interesting leaves. When I asked her what it was, I crinkled my nose at the name. Who could have given this stunner such an awful name?

Ok, so its name is actually Pulmonaria, which doesn't sound that name bad, but most people call it Lungwort because the spotted leaves resemble lungs, and it was known in the old days for helping with coughs and lung diseases (now we know better). No matter though. It's so pretty I just couldn't resist taking a few home for my garden when some volunteer plants were given to me.

A shade plant great for zone 4, it flowers early and can have multi-colored blooms. It does need some moisture so make sure to keep in a shady spot that doesn't dry out too bad. Mine gets a little filtered sun in the late afternoon because it sits under a Pinky Winky Hydrangea, and it does quite well.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Upcoming Plant Sales

Minnesotans are getting antsy to start digging around in their gardens. I've already started dividing and moving some plants, and wondering what to replace for those that have died. Here are a few upcoming plant sales you might be interested in:
  • May 8,9,10, Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, Friends School Plant Sale
  • May 9,10, Minnesota Arboretum, Auxilary Spring Plant Sale
  • May 12-13, Anoka Amory, 408 E. Main St., Master Gardener Plant Sale
  • May 16, Dakota County Fairgrounds, Farmington, Master Gardener Plant Sale
  • May 16, Ramsey County Extension Barn, 2020 White Bear Ave, St. Paul, Master Gardener Plant Sale
  • May 16, Hopkins Pavilion, 11000 Excelsior Blvd, Hopkins, Master Gardener Plant Sale
Additional information on these plant sales can be found by searching for the sale online...

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Mix Up Your Daffodils

The hardest part of planting spring bulbs in the fall is guessing what they will look like in your flower beds once the snow melts. It's like Russian Roulette. You're not quite sure if it will be a hit or a miss.

I've been experimenting with daffodils by selecting different types and placing them in different areas and beds around the garden. The times I've had a "miss", I make a note to add something else to the site in the fall. No matter what, I take a picture of my blooming beds so I can remember in the fall what plant was where and how many bloomed. This spring has been the best spring yet!

Here are a few types in my garden:

Tahiti Daffodils 
I have placed Tahiti daffodils, a fantastic double daffodil, in my east beds along a walking path. They make a big impact visually the more you have and are known to be good naturalizers.

White Petal Daffodils
I have some of these white petaled daffodils in my rear bed in a couple locations. Some are bunched in groups, while others are mixed in with yellow varieties. They make a nice change in color scheme.

Miniture Daffodils 
One of my front beds has miniture daffodils. I love their small size, and have mixed them in with Chionodoxa, another small spring bulb. When pansies become available, I plant them in front of the daffodils to make a nice contrast.

Garden Tip: plant bulbs with different bloom times to extend the daffodil season