CUH Update June 2010

June 15th, 2010 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

June is turning out to be an incredibly busy month as the weeds have gotten away from me and so much seems to have landed on my plate all at once. Three gardeners and a handful of volunteers are trying to keep up with CUH grounds on a half time schedule; it’s never enough and we’ve almost gotten used to the fact that not everything will get the attention it needs right away. It seems sad, almost pathetic, that a world class botanical institution can’t operate the way it should, but we’re not alone. With the recession affecting just about everybody, we’re trying to absorb the hit, but it’s not encouraging when we have to expect another staff reduction this year and next. It’s a tense and unpredictable time right now.

The budget cuts have certainly sapped our energies during a time where we should be out and marveling at the landscape that surrounds us. Everything is in full swing and everywhere you turn, you find something that catches your eye and/or nose. Check out our June plant profile.

Being short on time, I’ll let a few photographs speak for themselves. I hope they inspire you to come visit and maybe think about volunteering a little bit of your time to help us get caught up. There’s always something to do and always something new to learn!

See you in the gardens,

Riz

A view of our Blooms of Bressingham trial beds. With both classic favorites and brand new introductions, these beds showcase some of the best perennials out on the market!

Another view of the Blooms of Bressingham Beds. Come visit us for an updated map and plant list.

One of the newer varieties is this stunning new sea holly, Eryngium 'Big Blue'

Speaking of “Blooms”…

Adrian Bloom, from Blooms of Bressingham, will be in town and UWBG will be sponsoring a lecture and book signing at Molbak’s that’s A MUST for hardcore perennial gardeners. I’m looking forward to meeting him in person and, hopefully, he’ll approve of our efforts. More more information about his talk, click here.

Most of the containers are now potted up. Just a little more warmth and regular watering and these will be busting out in foliage and flowers in no time!

Recall that we transplanted a mature Carpenteria californica in this bed. It looks to have survived well and is in fine company with a stunning mountain laurel and several dwarf strawberry trees

Kalmia latifolia 'Bullseye' - Mountain Laurel

Carpenteria californica

Bed 7 in the Soest Garden has filled in considerably and is punctuated by an elegant stem of a Himalayan Lily in full bloom. Can you spot it?


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CUH Update March 2010: “Wow! Things are early!”

March 5th, 2010 by Soest Gardener, Riz Reyes

“It’s crazy!”, a visitor commented as I carefully weeded around emerging tulips and blooming lungworts busting out blooms and color we didn’t come to expect until later this month. It kind of has been crazy, but I told her to just enjoy and soak it all in.

I’m a bit irritated that I’m in the office writing this update when it’s bright and remarkably warm outside. haha. But it’s important that I get the word out to encourage EVERYONE to visit the Center for Urban Horticulture this month. So many of our winter blooming treasures are still present while a surge of spring bloomers are coming up WEEKS ahead of their usual bloom times.

The Magnolias (M. ‘Leonard Messel’) are in full peak bloom as are the daffodils in the Soest Garden. Our plant pick-of-the-month is a gorgeous kaufmanniana species tulip called ‘Ancilla’, also in the Soest (Bed 6). Of course, we have to keep in eye out for those plants just coming up that present themselves as a buffet to pesky snails and slugs that can dessimate a stand of plants. We use the safe and environmentally friendly slug bait called “Sluggo” to keep them at bay.

The Fragrance Garden is getting a bit of a makeover as we play “musical plants” and redesign the beds for a more cohesive appearance and to ensure that plants are appropriately placed for best growth. Come see the changes and watch this garden continue to evolve as you savor the wonderful aromas this landscape exudes. Right now, the daphnes take center stage and the vanilla/white chocolate scent of Azara microphylla is absolutely mouth-watering as it drifts in the warm spring air.

We have a new large specimen that has just recently been installed in the west entry of CUH. A mature Carpenteria californica was transplanted from the Aboretum and founds its new home here at CUH. It is somewhat gangly in appearance, but we hope it establishes well for us to prune it later on so it can continue to thrive. Carpenteria californica is a native of California, obviously, and it is an evergreen shrub with clouds of single white flowers that almost resemble species roses that bloom in early summer. It also has exquisite exfoliating bark and it is quite drought tolerant once established.

Our famous grove of Cornelian cherries (Cornus mas) is in full, bright-yellow bloom and seems to slow traffic along NE 41st. Street! Soon these will leaf out and charge the whole character of the landscape!

Please drop by soon as the spring show is well underway. I’d hate for you all to miss it!

Riz

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