The Rock and Roll Gardener

Crimson and Lucky Clover Over and Over

2011-06-30T00:37:00.001-05:00

Have you ever found a four-leaf-clover? Well, I have found about 60 in the last 2 months. I'm finding them in 2 different locations which are not near each other. Perhaps I'd find them in other places too, but I haven't scoured the city yet. It began as a surprise as I walked my dog, then started to get a little weird.. Now I just expect to find them. I don't remember ever finding one before in my life, or even having any hopes of finding one. Now I think about them all the time and have a large collection pressed in my "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince".

According to the internet, you only will find a four-leaf-clover among 10,000 regular 3-leaved clover. But I can tell you it's not completely random. They grow in concentrated areas. The four leaved clusters are attached to plants with regular 3-leaved clusters, but nearby, there will soon be another 4-leaf. Also, this has to be "White Clover"...not other clover look-alikes.

I started pressing them in a book, and didn't even pick every one I saw once it started getting rediculous.. But then I got this idea to make them into charms. Now I'm making these glass charms to give to special people.

Snowmelt Garbage Dog Treats

2011-04-03T19:50:00.010-05:00

Now that the snow is almost gone in Minnesota, I'm finding a lot of things as I walk my dog. The sidewalk salt is bad for their feet, but I can't give the dog a warm paw wash every time we come inside. There's a whole winter's worth of garbage, lost items, rabbit droppings, decomposing squirrels, cigarettes and poop which has all melted out of the snow pile, and is now littering the muddy, moldy grass. I even found this 1/2 onion on the boulevard, which fell into the snow sometime during the winter. Onions are toxic to dogs. My dog will grab anything in his mouth, so I have to watch the ground carefully. It's ugly out there.

Minnesota State Fair 2010

2010-09-07T11:32:00.003-05:00

Don't Give Up.

2010-08-18T17:02:00.005-05:00

A Ragged, Torn Monarch Butterfly in Minnesota fuels up on nectar before the big migration to Michoacan, Mexico.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/

Pretty Garden Angels of Death

2010-07-21T14:35:00.016-05:00

Datura and Brugmansia are both known as "Angel's Trumpet". These are tropical plants which have recently become popular here in Minnesota as a showy, fast growing garden annual. I've seen it in backyard gardens, but most disturbing is the increase in use of Datura in public and business plantings. For identification, I believe the Brugmansia flower hangs down, is often colored pink or peach, and grows as a woody shrub, getting 8 ft tall in warm climates. The Datura plant has pure white flowers which point up, and is a fast, low growing annual, flowering freely on new stems.

It's the Datura which I keep seeing in gardens around here.

Both of these plants are deadly hallucinogenics.

Datura, also known as Jimson Weed, Moon Flower, or Thorn Apple is native to Mexico and southern US.

Ingesting the plant has psychological effects lasting for days, and "people have been found wandering without knowing where they are or how they got there"... En Mexico, Brugmansia se llama 'Floripondio'. y Datura se llama 'Toloache'.

There's also a Moonflower Vine (Ipomoea alba) with large white flowers that open in the evening... That's not related to Angel's Trumpet, and is not as toxic. Ipomoea is the Morning Glory family. The small seeds are said to be toxic, and the plant is listed as harmful to cats & dogs. The very poisonous plants discussed above: Datura and Brugmansia, are not vines.

P.S. If you promise not to try anything stupid, here's an extensive article about the history of Datura and Brugmansia being used by native people in Central & South America: http://b-and-t-world-seeds.com/Datura.htm

Here's the link to the Poison Control Plant Guide: http://www.mnpoison.org/index.asp?pageID=116

The Other Pollinators

2010-07-17T17:42:00.003-05:00

Most Beautiful in its Weakest Moment

2010-06-22T23:42:00.003-05:00

Gazania flower

From the Garden to the Greenroom...This Weekend in Minneapolis/ St. Paul

2010-06-04T10:36:00.008-05:00

June hits, and that's it: Fast-Forward. Plants are going crazy, all the freaky larvae are slithering everywhere, I killed my first mosquito, and the local live music scene is in full bloom.

This weekend in the Twin Cities offers so many cool activities, I'm traumatized that I won't be able to be in 10 places at once.

Tonight, Friday:

Serious rock show: Frances Gumm, The Tisdales , Easy Baby and The Crossing Guards at the Turf Club in St. Paul, MN...and a very cool, last-chance-for-a-while to see visual Artist, El Perdido.

Saturday, June 5:
The Saint Anthony Park Arts Festival in St. Paul:
http://www.stanthonyparkartsfestival.org/ Go early, and they have a PLANT SALE in the gas station parking lot, run by the neighborhood garden club. This plant sale is unique because it consists of mainly plants which the gardeners have divided from their yard, and potted up nicely for you. There are also some veggies grown from seed, and other random plants which have been acquired by various means.

Saturday Night:
Middle States, Al Grande, Garret McPhae and Jill Zimmerman at the St. Paul Eagles Club !

Chasing the Green Goblin

2010-04-16T17:30:00.013-05:00

Saint Paul, Minnesota...
Emerald Ash Borer vs. Fraxinus.

I took these pictures of Ash trees located in a St. Paul city park. The EAB was only discovered for the first time in Minnesota in spring of 2009. This is a technique called girdling, to make "trap trees" for detection and survey of the Emerald Ash Borer. By cutting the bark so severely, the tree becomes stressed, thus attracting the beetles.
These cut trees will die within 2 years now, but in the meantime during their decline, they'll become more and more attractive to the beetles and serve as a way of monotoring the infestation.

From the City of St. Paul website:
"The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an exotic beetle that was first discovered in Michigan in July 2002, probably having arrived on solid wood packing material shipped from its native Asia. Without any natural predators or controls in North America, it has spread into nearby states, Canada, and now into Minnesota, having killed millions of ash trees along the way.
Unfortunately, wherever it has been discovered, there has been no stopping its devastation, though millions of dollars have been spent on a variety of prevention methods. The economic impact on states, municipalities, property owners, nursery operators, and forest industries has been overwhelming. Minnesota’s estimated 930 million ash trees could be decimated in Saint Paul, the metro area and the entire state".

Click the following link to go to my 2009 post about the Emerald Ash Borer in St. Paul: http://rockandrollgardener.blogspot.com/2009/07/mean-green-machine.html

This site explains it well: http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/Using_Girdled_Trap_Trees_Effectively_For_EAB_Detection_Delimination_&_Survey.pdf

Pansies are Dramatic

2010-04-12T23:42:00.006-05:00

Pansies and violas withstand freezing temps. They bloom until they burn out in the summer heat. It's the only annual worth planting early spring in our zone. Have you looked closely?

Look the other way, kids. I want a non-commercial garden.

2010-04-06T14:14:00.003-05:00

I went to the garden center to look at seeds. Here in Minnesota, they're just starting to put out the very earliest pansies and violas. Our official last day of frost is May 15, which seems crazy to wait that long before planting anything outdoors. It's almost a joke here because the cold fall comes along so fast, that we never have enough time to realize our garden dreams.

Anyway, I was trying to buy some staple seeds like cilantro, radish, spinach, and marigold. Guess what my 4 year-old found on the shelf ?...vegetable seeds marketed to children, using the "Veggie Tales" show, which I can't stand because it contains a religious agenda without mentioning that anywhere on the label. They try to trick my children into buying their religious videos using cute talking vegetables...now they're moving in on my garden. And I love how they encourage kids to plant pumpkins and watermelon...Does anybody realize how much room those plants take??

And What's up with this Cactus Kit "Learning Garden"?? ...Children will "learn" about pain as soon as they touch those prickly thorns. OR, they will learn about failure when the seeds don't grow at all (most likely). There's no way my kids are going to be fooling around with cacti.

What's wrong with learning about seeds and gardening without all the marketing BS ? Plain 'ol bean seeds are very fun to plant, with a high success rate.

Good Fortune for the Garden

2010-04-01T14:59:00.000-05:00

Shamrocks and Lava Rocks

2010-03-16T23:06:00.001-05:00

on a bed of pine needles. I took this photo in Hawaii.

Ringo Digs Minneapolis Music

2010-02-03T11:46:00.003-06:00

At the Grammy Awards in L.A. on Jan. 31st, Ringo Starr was wearing a T-shirt from our local record store here in Minneapolis, The Electric Fetus. This store has been here practically forever, and was recently hit by a tornado last summer, but continues to be an important center for local music when many other record stores are now gone. The Electric Fetus has tons of records & CD's, hip must-have items, In-store live performances...and a super cool celebrity staff who know everyone in Minneapolis music.

Apparently, Ringo's nephew lives in Minnesota, and gave him the shirt. We're used to having well-known music names in this town.

photo by: Adriana M. Barraza

http://www.electricfetus.com/

Ignoring Winter

2010-01-17T23:16:00.011-06:00

Outside in the garden right now in Minnesota is a frozen white death blanket, laying across all my beautiful plants. The snow banks are so high, you wouldn't dare to dream about planting or even seeing the black earth ever again. In the next couple weeks I may report on some winter activities...but in the meantime, I'm ignoring winter and posting some dreamy photos I took in Hawaii this past year.

Rock O' Lanterns

2009-10-28T11:56:00.004-05:00

The Undead Garden...Plant Zombies

2009-10-11T18:14:00.009-05:00

October in Minnesota...30 degrees F.

The cold air has moved in, and most garden plants have succumbed to the Dementors. The weatherman has declared that gardening season is 'Over'.

I love this time of year in the garden...There are some things which survive a bit longer in the cold fall...plants which provide fall interest. The following zombie plants are refusing to die in my garden, and have something to offer for fall: Hardy Shrub Roses, Grasses, Hydrangea, Crabapple, Aster , Kale, Bachelor's Buttons, Sumac, Sedum.

Just be careful in the late fall garden...don't let your guard down. Zombies are out there...They don't feel the cold, and they're hungry for brains.

Click here to see my photos of human zombies from the Zombie Pub Crawl in Minneapolis: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neza-sg/sets/72157622559319094/

Lovely Lady Larva

2009-09-29T16:10:00.020-05:00

Ladybugs lay their eggs on various types of plants that are infested with aphids (photo on right). A ladybug can eat thousands of aphids during it's larva and adult stages.

The spiky, crawling larvae look nothing like the adult ladybug...except for the familiar black and orange color.

Aphids weaken, and can eventually kill plants. I found these aphids, and ladybug pupae on a Ninebark shrub (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo') and on Purple Leaf Sand Cherry (Prunus x cistena). I've also seen them recently on Dill seed heads.

What you gonna do with all that junk?

MOJO Music Magazine Review of The Rock and Roll Gardener

2009-09-24T09:59:00.004-05:00

Thanks, MOJO for featuring my blog in your September 2009 issue !

http://www.mojo4music.com/blog/

Minneapolis/St. Paul Music Scene is Hot

2009-07-31T00:06:00.005-05:00

www.myspace.com/mynameisneza

http://www.flickr.com/photos/neza-sg/

Mean Green Machine

2009-07-01T13:10:00.007-05:00

The big news this year was that the Emerald Ash Borer was officially found here in St. Paul, Minnesota. I'm sure it was here earlier than this year, but it hadn't been confirmed til this spring.

Several years ago, I attended a seminar and watched a video about the threat of the Emerald Ash Borer, and how it had killed tens of millions of ash trees in Michigan and eastern U.S. states. They warned against transporting firewood from other states, but there were no other instructions on controlling the spread.

I’ve spotted these Ash Borer sticky traps in a few Ash trees now in St. Paul. These are to discover where the infestations are…not to actually “trap” them. The Huge Minnesota State Fair is acting to protect and save their Ash trees. This is something they didn’t do when Dutch Elm Disease came along. The MN State Fair lost many big Elm trees during that time. Since all the big commotion this spring, I haven’t heard any new info about the spread.

So is this the beginning of the end for Ash trees in Minnesota? We certainly have a lot of them here. Not my personal favorite tree, but I see the value in diversity.

I would like to suggest Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis L.) as a good replacement tree for Ash. They are very hardy, withstand multiple conditions, they’re great for street plantings, and grow well in the areas affected by Emerald Ash Borer. This is an image of Hackberry leaves.

The University of Minnesota is always a good place to go for information.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/issues/eab/

And St. Paul’s website on the matter:

http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=2495

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/

Robin Twin Powers, Activate.

2009-06-17T14:51:00.001-05:00

Form of...cute baby birds in their nest among the honeysuckle vine. Looking forward to venturing out soon.

May Flowers Bring Revolution

2009-05-05T18:51:00.011-05:00

May Day

Minneapolis, Minnesota...

The annual May Day Parade and Festival was this past weekend.

The festival celebrates the Earth, and social justice & environmental movements.

The parade travels about 10 blocks through the heart of Minneapolis, to Powderhorn Park, where the all-day festival begins.

To me, this marks the beginning of Spring.

http://www.hobt.org/mayday/

Stripped Earth (Where have all the flowers gone)?

2009-04-22T09:30:00.001-05:00

Magnolia Stars

2009-03-30T12:47:00.006-05:00

Magnolia stellata, or Star Magnolia, is preparing for its upcoming show in The Twin Cities. Northern Magnolias are one of my favorite plants because of the various stages they go through as they bloom. This is a deciduous woody shrub. Unlike southern magnolias, this one forms its flower buds in the fall, then drops leaves and goes dormant for winter. The show starts again each spring. Star Magnolias are perfectly hardy here in zone 4.

Right now, the flower buds look like fuzzy pussywillows. Soon, the fuzz will be pushed aside to reveal a creamy white flower bud resembling a peanut. Most people miss all of this amazing drama, and only notice once the flowers are fully opened.

Minneapolis band, The Magnolias, are on tour right now in Europe. They'll be back in Minnesota for a show April 18th at First Avenue. (Just in time). ROCK !

Recycled Wrap

2009-03-16T21:15:00.000-05:00

I found this new product...have you seen it yet?

Junk Store Gardening

2009-03-16T14:35:00.017-05:00

With the bad economy, a lot more people are turning to gardening this season. Those fancy garden shops can get expensive when you're trying to stock all your supplies.

I did a little shopping at the local surplus store to find some alternative garden tools & accessories.

Perhaps these inflatable insects can help attract beneficial bugs to your garden; and make the yard fashionable too.

Instead of buying a pricey kneeling pad, you can get a whole stack of these mystery foam squares. (You just have to like pink).

If you use a walking stick to stroll around your yard, it makes your property seem larger. (I wouldn't recommend dressing as shown)... And every respectable garden must have rubber chickens. And they're so affordable...( look how happy he is)!!

Did you ever want to freak out your neighbors with your yard waste? Only 25 cents for loads of fun!

Tickets for the garden party.

Have a project in mind? Here's some totally fab "Landscaping Fabric" ...AND you're not hardcore unless you have a gas mask (everybody knows that)...If you're not making a statement, then what are you doing?

Too Embarrased to Buy Seeds...or 'Adventures in Seed Shopping'

2009-03-10T22:03:00.007-05:00

I'm starting to realize why people order seeds through the mail. It can be very humiliating.
By the time this cilantro grows, and finally goes to seed (coriander), your diarrhea will have been raging for over a month.
I think I'll just live dangerously and use it for cilantro.

If you're looking for a creative idea for starting seeds,

remember my tip from last year titled: "Beverage Gardening"

Waiting for Spring Makes Minnesotans do Weird Things

2009-03-05T10:05:00.006-06:00

The long, long Minnesota winter is kind of bad for gardening. By the time we can actually dig the soil and plant, it's a mad rush to hurry up and enjoy it. The official last day of frost is May 15th, and the garden's over and dying by September. Super lame!
So perhaps, that's why people here invent crazy winter activities to snap themselves out of the cold, dark funk they're in.

I recently went to a baseball game, played in the snow, in a baseball stadium in St. Paul, MN. They call it Iceball. And to make it worse, it's played old style with old-fashioned uniforms, and no baseball gloves. And it was about 30 degrees outside. The game was a fundraiser for Second Harvest Heartland.

Luckily, they had a host of mind-blowing characters in costume, who come out on the field and do stupid skits to help us forget about our frozen feet...Everybody was having FUN !

I thought it was funny that a path around the bases was shoveled before the game began.

There was a band playing out in the cold: Chris Hawkey (rocked the house) ...have you ever seen base & guitar players with mittens on? And do you know what the cold does to instruments? But they are tough up here in the frozen north.

Other winter torture activities here include a Polar Plunge, where insane people jump into freezing water, and Ice fishing contests, and no one can forget the St. Paul Winter Carnival which is a 2-week long outdoor party for winter fanatics...This is how we survive.

Eating Flowers in the Mexican Cloud Forest

2009-02-16T11:43:00.010-06:00

The Rock and Roll Gardener took a winter road trip to Mexico.
The purpose of the trip was to spend time with family and friends, but I was on the lookout for photo opportunities, and the natural scenery as I passed through several climate zones on my way up into the cloud forest of the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Shortly after crossing the border, and all the headache and red-tape of getting the car across, we soon started seeing Joshua Trees in the desert of Tamaulipas. We traveled down the Gulf of Mexico toward Veracruz, where we started inland after passing Tuxpan. The area between the gulf coast and the inland mountain range is a big orange & tangerine growing area.
It’s at that point, where the landscape really starts to change.

As we passed each pueblito, we were climbing higher into the mountains, eventually entering the cloud forest region. At times, the fog was so thick; we could see literally nothing in front of the car. It’s that daily fog that provides a microclimate for many interesting plants, such as bromeliads (air plants) that attach themselves to the trees, and receive water from the mist in the air. The trees are also covered with ferns and mosses- most noticeable, Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish moss). The cloud forest area is a growing area for coffee. The coffee bushes seem to be planted randomly along the slopes, among the other vegetation.

It’s interesting to see the mixture of plants- Banana palms grow in the lower areas, but driving up into higher elevations, the bananas disappear, and you’ll see apple trees, nut trees, and the huge Maguey plant, from which the drink, ‘Pulque’ is made.

The Coral Bean trees were blooming (Erythrina herbacea) while we were there- considered a weed tree by some, the flowers were beautiful on the bare tree branches…and we ATE the flower buds ! Called Gasparitos, the red flower buds look like little lipstick tubes, and they are boiled and eaten with egg or in sauce. Not bad…they didn’t have much flavor on their own. Parts of this plant are poisonous, though, like the seeds.
Another odd plant to eat is chayote, or ‘espinoso’…all parts of the plant are eaten: the vines, the fruit, and the tuber root. The fruit is spiny and ugly. Cooked, it tastes a bit like sweet potato.

Witch Hazel

2008-11-26T10:36:00.007-06:00

(Hamamelis virginiana)

It's Thanksgiving tomorrow, and there's a witch hazel still in bloom in St. Paul, MN. I didn't know how long they bloom here in zone 4, but usually by this date, everything has frozen, so I wouldn't expect to see this.

So, if witch hazel blooms in the cold fall, what pollinates it?

Viva Mexico !

2008-11-23T23:23:00.005-06:00

I'm planning a trip to Mexico soon...and I will be reporting on the plants I find there. A few things I'll be on the look-out for: Poinsettia "trees" 8 feet tall, Boxwood hedges, Deadly Angel's Trumpet everywhere, and facinating changes in climate with every slight altitude change.

In the lower areas, you'll find coffee, banana, and citrus growing...but climb a bit into the higher altitudes, and you'll find apple orchards, and the beautiful Maguey.

Check back to see my plant findings from Mexico.

Death to Plants

2008-10-24T14:20:00.005-05:00

Make sure to take one more look at the dying plants, as they take their last breath before winter. There's a bounty of seeds and colors now that are revealed only in the fall. The plants are standing proudly in their skeletal form, as if to say," Look at me...I was beautiful once, and I'm proud of all I've done".

Photography Locations

2008-09-22T12:58:00.005-05:00

There's a perfect photo studio near you...how about a corn field or a pond, or a stand of pine trees? There are endless places outdoors for creating meaningful portraits. What feelings does a cornfield evoke? Many adults see it in an economic view, ...the financial losses, the heavy burden to the land, the loss of family farms, so many negatives...but to a child, it's a fantastic playground full of wonder and imagination.

Take city kids out to explore!

Monarch World Travelers

2008-08-29T16:47:00.010-05:00

The Minnesota Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) are building up nectar reserves right now before their unbelievable journey to Michoacan, Mexico. I took these photos of Monarch butterflies in my garden. They love the giant zinnias!

Also, don't forget, they cannot survive without milkweed. The larva/caterpillar eats only milkweed, and the plant gives the Monarch it's poisonous properties, protecting it from predators.

The Monarch is the state butterfly of Minnesota, adopted in 1998.

Click the map to go to the web site for "Journey North" and learn about Monarch fall migration and tracking. Buen Viaje, Mis Amigos! Que Les Vaya Bien!

Bees Knees and Bachelor's Buttons

2008-08-02T20:03:00.005-05:00

I followed this bee as he went to every Bachelor's Button flower in my garden...avoiding all kinds of other nice flowers- he was only interested in the Bachelor's Buttons. I didn't realize they are so appealing to bees- good to know.

I wonder what kind of honey that'll make?...Maybe blue?

Crumpled Skies

2008-07-29T09:48:00.003-05:00

This Season's Container Plantings

2008-07-17T14:17:00.014-05:00

Here are some images of the container plantings I did this season for a business complex in St. Paul. I went with bold colors, red, orange, purple, trying to make it look dark, warm, untamed, informal, exciting, and unique. I mixed many things together to see which plants would grow bigger and push out the others.

TRICKS: I added some flower seeds into the combo pots, so that new things keep sprouting up through the season. ...Also, I mixed a climbing vine (cardinal vine) into a hanging basket, so it goes up and hangs down at the same time...AND in a neglected back area, where I know nobody will water, I planted seeds only of drought tolerant flowers like zinnia, cosmos, and marigold. They are big and blooming now without much care.

My challenges were making it look like something in the spring when it was too cold still for some of the plant varieties...and when the plants were freshly planted, making sure the person in charge of watering doesn't neglect them.

Each year, I try new combinations...this year I was trying to avoid yellow, blues, and whites. Maybe next year I'll do the opposite...we'll see.

We still have at least a month of growing in MN before the temps start to drop; so these plants will get bigger, and in some cases, more leggy.

I like to plant pots with stuff that gets huge. For something experimental, I planted this obnoxious turquoise pot with a variegated Japanese corn!

Beautiful Lake Superior

2008-06-30T13:53:00.012-05:00

Gogol Bordello- Awesome Show !!

2008-06-13T11:00:00.001-05:00

PollenAntTion

2008-06-10T17:03:00.001-05:00

LEAF ME ALONE

2008-06-02T17:26:00.006-05:00

CLIENT: "Can I ask for your advice on a little tree I just planted"?

ME: "Sure".

CLIENT: "It's a cherry tree...I don't know if I'm supposed to do something".

ME: "Did you BUY it like this"?

CLIENT: "Yes, but it did have a couple leaves on it when I bought it".

ME: "It should have fully leafed out by now, and should have bloomed".

CLIENT: "What do you think is wrong with it"?

ME: "Uh,...Death".

Jump and Chive...

2008-05-29T10:25:00.007-05:00

Rock The Garden

2008-05-23T08:00:00.008-05:00

" The Current" radio station and the Walker Art Center present Rock the Garden

Saturday, June 21, 2008 4-11 p.m. in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Featuring Andrew Bird, The New Pornographers, Cloud Cult, and Bon Iver.
Singer-songwriter Andrew Bird and band top a Rock the Garden bill that also features Canadian indie-rock supergroup The New Pornographers (featuring A.C. Newman, Blaine Thurier, Dan Bejar, John Collins, Kathryn Calder, Kurt Dahle, and Todd Fancey) and the eco-conscious Twin Cities favorite Cloud Cult

Opening the event is Bon Iver, an emerging soulful lo-fi folk solo artist from northwest Wisconsin who was one of the major hits of the South by Southwest Festival this month.
This all-ages, rain-or-shine street party will feature live broadcasts from DJs of 89.3 The Current, an array of outdoors summer food (including crepes from Vincent and fresh food from Chipotle), and beer from Summit Brewing Company!! The party starts at 4 pm.

This is the Cowles Conservatory on the grounds of the Sculpture Garden.Tickets to Rock the Garden are sold out!!!

Give Me Pearls

2008-05-19T09:33:00.009-05:00

The University of Minnesota has developed many many hardy plants for our zone 4 climate. Thanks to the U of MN, we have great apples such as 'HoneyCrisp' and a series of Azaleas called 'Northern Lights'. One interesting plant that not many people know about is: Exochorda serratifolia,

common name: Pearlbush 'Northern Pearls'.

This variety was released in 1995. At first glance, you'd think it's a mockorange, but there's no fragrance, and the Pearlbush has PEARLS! The flower buds look like a string of pearls. The flower shape is strange too- not the same as Mockorange.

The woody shrub grows to 8-10 feet tall. The flowering is on the top, like a mockorange or lilac. The best time to see it is right now, when you have bud and bloom at the same time.

Here's the site for Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station http://www.maes.umn.edu/

ORANGE CRUSH

2008-05-16T13:04:00.008-05:00

I'm Not That Desperate

2008-05-12T11:00:00.009-05:00

Gardeners are crazy in the spring...In St. Paul Minnesota, there's a plant sale each spring, put on by "The Friends School", a Quaker school in St. Paul. About 90% of the students are non-Quaker. This plant sale is so huge, it's held at the State Fairgrounds...and even then, it's totally packed...hundreds of crazy gardeners show up with wagons, carts, and wacky contraptions to hold the plants they plan to purchase.

Luckily, the organizers have developed a very smart system of lining people up, using wrist bands, and moving huge crowds into the sale, but even with all that, I waited with my mother for 1 hour in line before even going inside. It was my Mom's idea to check out this sale...and I have heard about the long lines...but an hour waiting outside was too much for her. She has a bad knee, and metal plate inside her leg...in addition to being over 70. So, we just had to leave without even getting into the sale.

It is a very impressive event, and I'm sure a lovely school, but I don't think I'll go again. Shopping for plants should not be an experience like that. I have only waited that long for Prince tickets. There are many other nice little plant sales around town where you don't have to subject yourself to cattle herding. If you go next year, bring a folding chair, and a picnic lunch. Do not bring small children-- they would freak out waiting that long.

http://www.friendsschoolplantsale.com/

When You Look...

2008-05-11T23:17:00.007-05:00

You Find

This is a plant I find rather boring and cumbersome...a yellow-flowering Lonicera- Honeysuckle vine. I took a closer look to see if it has any hidden beauty.

And this is one of those boring old burgundy-leaf maples...maybe "Royal Red" or some other.

This is his shining moment...take a good look.

My Ratty Plants...or...Save The Rats...or...Who Gives a Rat's Ass

2008-05-10T10:20:00.010-05:00

I tell my daughter that when she's digging in the garden there are many things you'll find under the soil. There are earthworms, beetles, ants, millipedes, and many other surprises. My next advice will be to always wear your gloves.

The other day, I was working on a job, planting several large planter pots for a business. I was removing old plant material from the pots, and one pot had more twigs and leaves and fluff than the other pots. I was reaching in (with gloves on) and something moved under my hand.

I pulled up some of the dried grass and leaves and uncovered 3 baby Rats, curled up in a hole in the potting soil inside the pot. They were fairly large, but still seemed blind, and were rooting around but stayed curled up together in a ball. They were not pink like baby mice I've seen, they were grey.

I just stood there looking at them, and looked around to see if anyone noticed my discovery. All I could think about was the movie, Ratatouille, and Ron Weasley in Harry Potter, and the cute rats I've seen in pet stores. I know Rats are generally hated in the world, and they can spread disease and all that...(But humans probably spread just as much disease).
I felt like I was put in an awkward position, having accidentally unearthed this little nest.
After a couple minutes of pondering...I covered the little creatures up again with the bedding material, sprinkled some fresh compost on the soil, and threw some flower seeds in the pot.
Life is life.
By the time the flowers grow, the Rats will be out.

MayDay Parade Photos, Minneapolis

2008-05-05T10:51:00.023-05:00

Swimming With The Bees ...(Bees Rock!)

2008-05-03T15:43:00.019-05:00

Finally, bees have arrived to beekeepers in Minnesota. If you read my blog last month, you'll remember that an entire truckload of bees coming from CA was lost when the trailer crashed in a North Dakota snowstorm. (California drivers should NEVER attempt North Dakota in the winter season).

Now, a new load of bees have arrived and beekeepers spent the weekend picking up their ordered packages of bees to take home to hives around Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

This beekeeper is using a flashlight to check the Queen in each package. He has apparently lost his bee suit...or just doesn't care anymore.

This is the distributor's building holding all the boxes of bees until beekeepers come to pick up their orders. They were shipped from California to Minnesota, and about 200 beekeepers will come to pick up their bees within 48 hours.

Extra Queen Bees are individually packed in small wood boxes. There are many other bees crawling around on the Queen boxes.

Personally, I love honey bees and I was not afraid to photograph them. I work around bees all the time in the garden, and don't remember the last time I was stung. It annoys me frequently when I am working on a gardening project for a client, and they tell me they want me to try to plant things that "don't attract too many bees"!! ....I think we need to do exactly the opposite...What is the paranoia about bees? I think it's just mis-information. When bees are collecting pollen, they are very "busy" and do not bother people. The creature that invades picnics and gets in your pop (soda) can is a wasp- not a honey bee. Very few people are really allergic to bee stings. (Sorry if you're one of them) But honey bees are usually not the problem.

Because of the recent problems affecting bee colonies, people are starting to notice their importance, and bees are becoming "fashionable".

Bee Aware of issues affecting honey bees. And if you want to be hip in your community, plant flowers that attract bees and provide pollen. The best choices are often plants that are native to your area. Here are a few ideas:

Asters, Basil, Bee Balm (Monarda), Black-eyed-Susans, Clover, Cosmos, Fruit Trees, Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium), Marigold, Mint, Purple Coneflower, Rosemary, Salvia, Sedum, Sunflower, Zinnia.

Magnolia, Take Your Time

2008-04-26T21:17:00.006-05:00

2008 R-n-R Gardener's Annual Guitar "Picks"

2008-04-24T14:03:00.023-05:00

(For Containers and Hanging Baskets)

My colors this year for annual flowers are: Burgundy, Orange, Wine Red, Hot Pink and "Deep Purple".

I'm declaring out of style: Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) ...barf.
...it's so... 'last 2 years'.

And along those lines...Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia) has been used a lot, so plant sparingly.
F.Y.I. : Dracena Spikes have been out of style for a while now if you weren't paying attention!...If you're still using spikes, turn off your computer right now...you need to get out more. And any silver plant...BBFN (bye bye for now).
Also out of style, although I love it still: Portulaca (Moss Rose).

And one color that's not cool: Pepto Bismol pink...It's abysmal. In Minnesota, we don't have much time for annuals...so make it fabulous, go big, Rock it out!

Here are some hot plants I will be using in containers this year:

Grasses...Any clump-forming grass is awesome- (Purple Fountain Grass is still in).

Coleus...Very Hot- There are many new varieties...it's very fun and totally in my colors!

Chenille Plant...It's back, it's hot, it's fun and funky.

New Petunia varieties...I love one called Tie Dye- it changes colors.

Torenia is a pretty alternative to trailing petunias...I like "Pink Moon"

Canna w/dark colorful leaves...like 'Tropicana' ....(The white variegated canna seem to scorch in full sun).

Heuchera (Coral Bells)..OK, it's a perennial, but awesome anywhere in part sun.

"That's Hot".

Earth Day

2008-04-22T14:17:00.008-05:00

I got myself some beautiful compost today.

And I had my little helper with me. We checked on the worms to see if they wanted to come out and play.

Party This Weekend at Blotanical

2008-04-17T11:04:00.014-05:00

Just before Earth Day, I thought I would pay homage to a friend of mine, named Blotanical.

He is my ultimate contact for all my garden party friends. Just one click over to his site, and I can meet other gardeners from around the world doing things from Xeriscape to Water Gardens… Cat Zen Retreats to Rodent-ravaged mayhem.
When you’re a ROCKER like me, you have to meet lots of people. I’ve met everyone from Plant Gurus to a Confused Grannie.

Even though I can’t spell Fluffius Muppetus, I know it’s always MillerTime at Lisa’s place. People at Blotanical are very honest. They admit to being a Garden Fool, or a Bamboo Geek. They will openly say they’re a Cheap Vegetable Gardener, or will just tell you to Leave Me Alone. Sometimes you’ll run into a Wicked Gardener, or someone may be so bold, that they tell you to Kiss My Aster !!

Blotanical is fun for garden bloggers. If you like to destroy the competition, you’ll love the points system, and the networking. If you aren’t competitive, and like to just sit around reading Weeder’s Digest and telling Wild Garden Stories, you’ll still like the Blotanical directory of Garden Blogs.

Go check it out if you haven’t…It’s an International Garden Party that’s always new.

A New Image for Earth Day

2008-04-12T15:24:00.007-05:00

Here's a new tree photo I'm working on.

And a Banana Leaf Landscape...

If You Can't Stand The Heat, Get Out of The Garden

2008-04-10T16:03:00.013-05:00

It is sleeting outside right now, in a slurry of snow and slushy slop.
And it's so cliche' to show you photos of bulbs popping out of the ground and pots of pansies !!

So I will Spice it up a bit and show you something I'm growing.

The Chiltepin Chile is a wild plant from Mexico/Central America/South U.S.
(Pronounced: Chill-Tee-Peen)-accent on the chill.
It is one of the smallest chiles in the world...But I say it has got to be the smallest you'll ever see!

This chile will burn your mouth to hell, and keep you coming back for more. Don't be confused by the similar, chile piquin...that one is longer and a bit bigger. The best chiltepin is tiny and almost round in shape. Es una de las comidas muy tipicas en el hogar Mexicano. Yo lo encuentro en el estado de Puebla en la Sierra Madre. He viajado mucho a todos partes de Mexico, y me encantan los sabores de la comida verdadera de Mexico.

These are commonly found in the markets in Mexico, always in a huge pile. You buy it dried by the kilo and take it home to prepare. The way chiltepin is prepared is to roast it in a pan on the stove (The family needs to leave the building while this is done!!) with a little oil and perhaps salt. Then it is ground by hand in a molcajete (made from stone). The taste becomes a bit smoky and deep. This is a staple on the tables in Mexican homes.

The ground chiltepin is kept in a container on the table, where you can take a pinch (if you dare) to add to your food. Do not be mistaken...This is not the red chile flakes you see at pizza parlors ! This is the real deal.

Anyway, the chiles are tiny, and the seedlings are tiny too- see the photo of the chiltepin seedlings compared to a dime. I'm growing some seeds that I harvested from a few dried chiles we had at home. The Chiltepin plant can grow to be a little tree about 4-6 feet tall. Of course in a northern climate, you'd have to bring it in for winter.
Click Here to see a good Chile Chart from ChilePlants.com

OK, so did this warm you up?...Ay Chihuahua !!!

2008-04-07T10:17:00.002-05:00

A Rabbit Ate My Garden and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

2008-04-04T18:59:00.019-05:00

Assessing the damage... I was too lazy last fall to put fencing around every plant in my yard...and now that the snow has melted, the realization is setting in... This rabbit carries a pair of Felcos and is a ruthless pruning maniac.
Anybody wanna buy a pound of little round garden balls?

Some favorite woody plants for my little garden buddy: My Rosebushes, Dogwood, Sand Cherry (prunus), Burning Bush , Spiraea, and Bittersweet Vine.

The bottom of the bittersweet looks like a cheese grater was rubbed on it all winter !

This is war ...I'm calling Elmer Fudd.

Beverage Gardening

2008-04-01T15:18:00.012-05:00

With snow rabbits lurking outside, the safest place for seedlings is my windowsill. There's not much space along the window, and I have all these beverage cups left over from so many Rock and Roll parties...They make good windowsill seed starters.
The inner cup has drainage holes and the outer cup does not.

When you water them, you can pretend you're a bartender filling drinks.

Snow Rabbit

2008-04-01T11:43:00.003-05:00

I took this photo this morning.

Trees have such a strange sense of humor.

Earth Hour Minnesota

2008-03-29T10:36:00.007-05:00

I'm not online.
http://www10.earthhourus.org/
I'm turning the computer off.

Rock and Roll Gardener in Art Show

2008-03-18T00:14:00.010-05:00

This weekend, I was in an art show in Madison, Wisconsin. I displayed my rockin' plant photography, along with a few other friends who had photos, paintings, and other mixed media masterpieces. It was a great time, and we received good comments and feedback on our work.

Winter Cracks Me Up

2008-03-13T10:43:00.003-05:00

Can anyone identify this treacherous northern river?

(Hint: It only flows at this time of year).

Green City

2008-03-11T12:06:00.007-05:00

I really should not be revealing our secrets...in case you all decide to move here.

But Saint Paul and Minneapolis are wonderful cities for gardening and getting outdoors

(if you don't mind hibernating for 5 months or so).

(From The City of St. Paul Website)

The Saint Paul Division of Parks and Recreation Operates:
101 parks
41 recreation centers
three golf courses
two city pools
Como Zoo
the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory

Maintains: 450,000 trees
101 miles of paved off-street trails
30 miles of bike lanes
10.8 miles of bike routes
30.3 miles of striped shoulders
24 miles of dirt trails
160 unique garden sites
150 hanging baskets
Is accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park & Recreation Agencies (CAPRA)
One of only 59 park agencies nationwide to have received this accreditation and one of only three in Minnesota

For more information, visit http://www.nrpa.org/. or http://www.stpaul.gov/initiatives/sustainable/programs/initiatives.html

Lotus Be Friends

2008-03-05T13:26:00.002-06:00

Who Can Identify The Body?

2008-02-27T15:15:00.018-06:00

Time for a winter identification game.

See how many of these 'Sleeping Beauties' you can identify. You Northerners should do better on this. The photographs were just taken in Minnesota. What else is there to do during the long frozen winter? Answers are in the side bar, lower on the page.

Waiting

2008-02-15T15:29:00.005-06:00

"I'm not waitin' on a lady...I'm just waitin' on a THAW".

Oh-Oh, February

2008-02-06T12:45:00.002-06:00

Darn, It's February.
That means I need to decide whether I'm going to attempt to start seeds this year, or just avoid the hassle and buy all my annuals. I don't have a lovely little sunroom or greenhouse, so seedlings have to go in the window; and in Minnesota we don't have enough sunlight yet to grow strong seedlings, so a grow light is needed during these first months. The timing is always tricky, because the plants may grow too much too fast, and we can't put them outside safely until possibly Mid May. I suppose it's worth a try...so I'll start collecting my little pots and egg cartons and see what I can get started.

...A few seeds I'm starting: Coleus, Zinnia , Chiles, an assortment of tomatoes, Marigolds, and Mexican zucchini.

Succumb To The Cold

2008-01-18T15:19:00.007-06:00

OK, It's January, your garden plants have given up. They are in a deep freezing sleep, and there's nothing you can do about it. Just keep your sidewalk shoveled, sanded and salted and GO INDOORS...

Visit the indoor tropics to avoid getting the blues this month. And...forget about your garden dreams, just for now.

Twisted Sister

2007-12-28T19:18:00.000-06:00

Winter reveals the sick and twisted reality. Now is the time to access tree branches and do your pruning (if necessary). I tend to discourage excessive tree pruning. Don't do it if you don't know what you're doing! Pruning should be done for a good reason and in the proper way. You can do more harm than good if you just start hacking away.

Here, read this: http://www.rainbowtreecare.com/stories/story_15.htm

Plant For Winter

2007-12-19T18:30:00.000-06:00

When you live in a climate that's cold for half the year, it's a good idea to PLANT FOR WINTER. Think about winter all year- even in June when you're putting in a new flower bed- remember winter- What do you have for winter interest?
A snowy garden can be beautiful. That's the time your GARGOYLE statue is really in it's glory !!!

HERE ARE SOME PLANT IDEAS FOR WINTER INTEREST:
Red Twigged Dogwood, Perennial Grasses, Evergreens, Burning Bush, Vines, Hydrangea, Winterberry (it's toxic though), Boxwood, Coneflower.

Rock and Roses

2007-12-13T16:35:00.000-06:00

I grow roses for the Rose Hips. The flowers themselves are a bit cliche'. There are a few new hardy roses with vivid color that I like, such as: "Firecracker".

Roses are VERY Rock and Roll: (REMEMBER GUNS AND ROSES) ! Every other tattoo out there is a picture of a thorny rose.

Roses can be evil, but they're tough and durable- they have rewards, and hey, they get the chicks!

BAREROOT ROSES: Planning to buy bareroot roses? It's hard to find quality plants-Mail order direct from a reputable grower often works well.
The bareroot roses should not be dried out, should not be molded, and should have good looking roots, and a good amount of long canes. Before planting, prune out all dead or weak canes, leaving about 4 good canes on Hybrid Tea/Grandiflora/Floribunda roses. Leave a lot more canes on shrub or miniature roses. Prune the tops of the remaining canes to stimulate new growth.
Prune the roots to stimulate root growth, cutting maybe 1/3 of the roots off. Plant A.S.A.P. in a lightweight potting mix in a pot which is approx. 2 gallons. The potted rose needs to be warm, with lots of strong light, and humid- so mist the canes with water, or put a loose-fitting clear plastic bag over the plant to retain moisture. (Slightly dangerous because you don't want mold or mildew. If you do this, Remove the bag when leaves start to emerge). Keep the soil well-watered.
Don't fertilize until you have leaves on the plant. Roses need lots of sun, and heat, and once they get going, they need regular fertilizer to bloom and do well.