Best Perennial--- Joanne and all, a suggestion for full sun and low maintenence, such as where the irises are in the Thurston/Ravenwood community garden: Bee Balm (or Monarda, as also known.) This is in response to our last meeting, where you asked for a list of 10. My other suggestions are Black-eyed Susans, or Coreopsis. All bloom until frost once they start. My fave is Bee Balm, a member of the mint family. Flowers attract bees of course, and hummingbirds love them. Jacob Kline is a popular one that I have had for 25 years. (Cline? sp.?) They do not fail to come up and they spread lightly but without fail. Bee Balm if deadheaded will also send up additional side flowers. They come up from the roots each year, and if not deadheaded, will also reseed. They are a wonderful summer plant. Jacob Kline is a red variety, but there are others. In fact, the photo at the top of the page that I use for an icon is Bee Balm.
Yes, Wendy, Bee Balm is one of the most wonderful perennials for full sun, or even partial sun. A link is attached: http://www.paghat.com/beebalmjacobkline.html
From Horticulture Magazine, the top 5 native perennials:
NATIVE PERENNIALS
69. Lily • Lilium
Canada lily L. canadense • L. catesbaei • Oregon lily L. columbianum • Michigan lily L. michiganense • leopard lily L. pardalinum • L. parryi • wood lily L. philadelphicum • Turk's cap lily L. superbum • Shasta lily L. washingtonianum
70. Bee balm • Monarda
M. bradburyana • bee balm M. didyma • wild bergamot M. fistulosa • western wild bergamot M. menthifolia • horsemint M. punctata
71. Prickly pear • Opuntia
eastern prickly pear O. humifusa • chain-link cactus O. imbricata • plains prickly pear O. macrorhiza • starvation cholla O. polyacantha • sheathed cholla O. tunicata var. davisii • O. whipplei
72. Beardtongue • Penstemon
200+ species, including P. ambiguus • P. angustifolius • P. barbatus • P. digitalis • P. eatonii • P. nitidus • P. palmeri • P. pinifolius • P. procerus • P. strictus
This is in answer to a question Joanne asked at our last meeting. My vote was with Bee Balm, before I even looked at this!
This just in from Jackie:
"Yes - it was Sarah's Garden Center. She is a Kepler (sp?) - Remember Kepler's on Chili where Hess and car wash are now? Her first name is actually Cathy I think. Michael Warren Thomas has more info. They are a great garden center, with plants for our growing region, and I believe they grow most of the product they sell. They are west of here, maybe Brockport. Top quality."
Yes, Sara's is the best place around for perennials. Don't know why I didn't think of it, except when you said locally, I thought within a 15-minute drive. Anyone who has never been there, go this fall, a wonderful time for planting perennials. And consider going a bit further down the road, to Hurd Orchards, for apples and much more.
For shade plants, my favorites are lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) and columbine (Aquelegia). LOTV has nice green foliage that stays lush all summer. Columbine has scallopy leaves that look pretty when the plant isn't in flower, and you can have pretty much any color you want. A cream-colored variety has naturalized in my backyard and I love it. I don't have any myself, but I hear good things about carpet bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), esp. 'Chocolate Chip.' It is a spreading groundcover that grows in shade and can survive under black walnut trees. It has blue-violet and dusky green leaves.
LOTV is also resistant to the black walnut's mischief.
To visit Kodak Gallery and see John Boutet's photos from our visit to Kloc's dahlia garden, use this link: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=93g8vimx.9gzb0s9h&x=1&y=xymu64&localeid=en_US
Sorry, I''m late in responding to comments about Marlow Orchids Open House - my family and I went also. Jim Marlow and Mike do a very nice job with their open houses - the plants (not just orchids) are gorgeous (John, your many photos are very nice) and the food is delicious. Jim and Mike are very friendly and knowledgeable - it's always a fun time going there (and I always come home with an addition to my collection!)
On Sunday afternoon, April 18th we went over to MacClurg Vivian's house to look at what could be done to improve her back yard garden which is often wet and has clayey soil. The link below can get you to an album of pictures from the visit. Marian has added a lot of information in the captions. In the the album slideshow you can expand long captions to see the full text by clicking on them. At least two captions contain links to sites with more horticultural information. You can copy and paste those links to your browser.
I have tried semi-burying tuna cans in the soil (easier for the slugs to go swimming), but I have problems with the beer evaporating too fast. I don't like wasting good beer on slugs. Of course, if you see the slugs, salting them is another option although it is a bit cruel, but we're talking about slugs - Marian, do they have any redeeming qualities? An environmentally-friendly exterminator told me to put a thin line of rock salt around the edge of the garden to keep the slugs out, but it doesn't work if they're already IN the garden.
On June 20th we had a great time revisiting Marcy and Rick's Garden at 377 Aberdeen and Lisa and Steve's Garden at 407 Woodbine. Sorry for the delay in getting the pictures out. There was so much beauty to photograph...
The following link will get you to a Kodak Gallery album of the June 20th garden tour: http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoar...
On Sunday, July 11, at 3:30 we visited a truly fascinating Rochester destination, the Cobbs Hill Daylily Garden. Charlie and Judy Zettek have fashioned a wonderland out of a bowl of earth in one of Rochester's hillsides. They have hundreds of daylily varieties, many of which Charley has hybridized himself.
On Monday evening July 19th the Southwest Garden group visited Mitzie Collins and Tom Bohrer's home at 390 Wellington Avenue to look at the plantings in the yard and help identify what they have. After touring all the gardens we went in for some refreshments and discussion on their beautiful porch on the south side of the house. Thank you Mitzie and Tom for Sharing your beautiful yard with us and for your great hospitality.
This will be a good year to try other annuals. Impatiens is being devastated by downy mildew, a fungal disease that first causes yellowing of leaves and ends with the collapse of the whole plant. There is no practical treatment for plants in the ground, but if you just have to have them you may get away with keeping them in hanging pots and watering carefully so as not to wet the leaves. The good news: New Guinea impatiens are not affected, only the common bedding varieties.
Here's a link to an article from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County:
19th Ward Gardens It’s that time of year again. We will soon be in our gardens enjoying the beauty, and visiting with neighbors. Let’s keep in mind that we have community gardens also, and we have a contract with the City or Rochester that we will maintain their beauty. We need volunteers to work in the Chili Thurston Garden and in the Ravenwood Thurston garden. We could also use a few volunteers who would be willing to work at Aberdeen Square. Call the Office, 328-6571 if you can volunteer an hour occasionally. The Day of Caring is scheduled for Thursday, May 12. A number of people will leave their work place that day and assist us in our gardens. Thank you thank you. Please plan to join them that day. We need a few 19th Ward residents in each of those gardens to work alongside the group of volunteers from other places.
You hear the word "unique" a lot, but very few things are truly unique. Marcy Klein's and Rick Schaeffer's garden is the exception. It is absolutely unique, from the tall Roman columns with the busts mounted on top to the stonework "maze" garden. You can peek over the walls at this magical space, but opportunities to see it from the inside and talk to its creators are few. Don't miss this on next Wednesday, August 10th from 5:30-6:30 PM. Enter the garden across the street from 27 Ravenwood Avenue.
I'm sorry I can't attend this year (a new job has me scrambling to rearrange my schedule) - don't miss this opportunity to see a really unusual beautiful garden in the heart of Rochester! You'll be pleasantly surprised and perhaps a little jealous!
Here's a feel-good story to brighten your day. Members of the SouthWest Garden Group, John McMahon from our NSC office, Lowes, Kenwood Avenue residents, and kids from School 29 worked together over the summer to create this little oasis on what was an empty lot.
Mark Sweetland
Aug 19, 2009
Mark Sweetland
Aug 19, 2009
Mark Sweetland
NATIVE PERENNIALS
69. Lily • Lilium
Canada lily L. canadense • L. catesbaei • Oregon lily L. columbianum • Michigan lily L. michiganense • leopard lily L. pardalinum • L. parryi • wood lily L. philadelphicum • Turk's cap lily L. superbum • Shasta lily L. washingtonianum
70. Bee balm • Monarda
M. bradburyana • bee balm M. didyma • wild bergamot M. fistulosa • western wild bergamot M. menthifolia • horsemint M. punctata
71. Prickly pear • Opuntia
eastern prickly pear O. humifusa • chain-link cactus O. imbricata • plains prickly pear O. macrorhiza • starvation cholla O. polyacantha • sheathed cholla O. tunicata var. davisii • O. whipplei
72. Beardtongue • Penstemon
200+ species, including P. ambiguus • P. angustifolius • P. barbatus • P. digitalis • P. eatonii • P. nitidus • P. palmeri • P. pinifolius • P. procerus • P. strictus
This is in answer to a question Joanne asked at our last meeting. My vote was with Bee Balm, before I even looked at this!
Aug 19, 2009
Jay Ross
"Yes - it was Sarah's Garden Center. She is a Kepler (sp?) - Remember Kepler's on Chili where Hess and car wash are now? Her first name is actually Cathy I think. Michael Warren Thomas has more info. They are a great garden center, with plants for our growing region, and I believe they grow most of the product they sell. They are west of here, maybe Brockport. Top quality."
Aug 20, 2009
Mark Sweetland
Aug 24, 2009
Hilary Homer
LOTV is also resistant to the black walnut's mischief.
Aug 26, 2009
Mark Sweetland
Aug 29, 2009
John Boutet
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp...
Enjoy the pictures. Hopefully next time they have an open house more Southwest Garden Group members can go.Feb 7, 2010
Laura Suda
Feb 21, 2010
John Boutet
Album Link:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp...
Apr 26, 2010
Marian Boutet
Jul 28, 2010
Laura Suda
Jul 28, 2010
John Boutet
On June 20th we had a great time revisiting Marcy and Rick's Garden at 377 Aberdeen and Lisa and Steve's Garden at 407 Woodbine. Sorry for the delay in getting the pictures out. There was so much beauty to photograph...The following link will get you to a Kodak Gallery album of the June 20th garden tour:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoar...
Jul 29, 2010
John Boutet
On Sunday, July 11, at 3:30 we visited a truly fascinating Rochester destination, the Cobbs Hill Daylily Garden. Charlie and Judy Zettek have fashioned a wonderland out of a bowl of earth in one of Rochester's hillsides. They have hundreds of daylily varieties, many of which Charley has hybridized himself.
The following link shows most of the varieties that were in bloom at this time of year:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoar...
Here are just a few of the over 100 we saw:
Aug 3, 2010
John Boutet
On Monday evening July 19th the Southwest Garden group visited Mitzie Collins and Tom Bohrer's home at 390 Wellington Avenue to look at the plantings in the yard and help identify what they have. After touring all the gardens we went in for some refreshments and discussion on their beautiful porch on the south side of the house. Thank you Mitzie and Tom for Sharing your beautiful yard with us and for your great hospitality.
A Kodak Gallery album showing details of this beautiful yard can be viewed with this link:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoar...
Hope to see you at the next garden tour meeting 3:00PM, August 29th at 280 Melrose.
Aug 27, 2010
Marian Boutet
Impatiens and Downy Mildew
Here's a link to an article from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County:
Impatiens & Downy Mildew
Feb 14, 2013
Jay Ross
Sunday April 7, 2013 in Highland Park & Lamberton Conservatory
Apr 8, 2013
Marian Boutet
Park here for the old-growth forest walk:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=20304979493762520163...
Apr 30, 2013
John Boutet
-> Here are albums from the May, June and October garden group outings.
Enjoy
Oct 27, 2013
Mark Sweetland
Oct 10, 2014
John Boutet
From Louise Wu: http://www.ufseeds.com/Zone-6-Planting-Calendar.html
Feb 20, 2016
Lauren Caruso
Feb 21, 2016
Marian Boutet
Feb 23, 2016
Marian Boutet
19th Ward Gardens
It’s that time of year again. We will soon be in our gardens enjoying the beauty, and visiting with neighbors. Let’s keep in mind that we have community gardens also, and we have a contract with the City or Rochester that we will maintain their beauty. We need volunteers to work in the Chili Thurston Garden and in the Ravenwood Thurston garden. We could also use a few volunteers who would be willing to work at Aberdeen Square. Call the Office, 328-6571 if you can volunteer an hour occasionally.
The Day of Caring is scheduled for Thursday, May 12. A number of people will leave their work place that day and assist us in our gardens. Thank you thank you. Please plan to join them that day. We need a few 19th Ward residents in each of those gardens to work alongside the group of volunteers from other places.
Mar 29, 2016
Marian Boutet
Aug 6, 2016
Leslie Phillips
I'm planning on attending the open garden event on 8/10. Are we supposed to RSVP somewhere?
Leslie
Aug 9, 2016
Marcy Klein
No need to RSVP, though I am glad to hear that a few will be coming! Looking forward to seeing everyone!
Aug 9, 2016
Laura Suda
I'm sorry I can't attend this year (a new job has me scrambling to rearrange my schedule) - don't miss this opportunity to see a really unusual beautiful garden in the heart of Rochester! You'll be pleasantly surprised and perhaps a little jealous!
Aug 9, 2016
Marian Boutet
Here's a feel-good story to brighten your day. Members of the SouthWest Garden Group, John McMahon from our NSC office, Lowes, Kenwood Avenue residents, and kids from School 29 worked together over the summer to create this little oasis on what was an empty lot.
http://www.twcnews.com/nys/rochester/news/2016/10/4/rochester-city-...
Oct 5, 2016
Mark Sweetland
Here's a link to Ch. 8 coverage of the Kenwood Community Garden. There was an on-air piece, but this photo is all that's left online:
http://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/community-garden-on-k...
Oct 11, 2016
Mark Sweetland
National Naked Gardening Day May 6! Please confine to your back yard, or wherever you want.
May 1, 2017
John Boutet
Here is an interesting video can brings real hope for our future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpTHi7O66pI
Nov 26, 2017
Jay Ross
I've tried to find the details of the tour of two gardens June 16, 2018. And failed. Can't navigate this site. Suggestions?
Jun 6, 2018