Welcome Spring!

March 20th--the first day of spring--has finally arrived! The hellebores are blooming after being buried by a foot of snow for weeks.

Daffodils are poking their heads up through coral bells.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Shamrocks were sacred plants for the Druids and Christians because of the significance of the number three to each faith. Shamrocks are actually white flowered, three leafed clovers (Trifolium repens), common weeds in Ireland. Legend has it that St. Patrick taught the Irish about the Trinity using a shamrock.

Pinning on a shamrock on St. Patrick's Day is a way to celebrate Irish pride. Also, remember to wear green today (even if you are not Irish) or you may get pinched! (Photo Source=www.life123.com)


Cheers!!! Green beer is on tap in many American bars on St. Paddy's Day. "Erin Go Bragh!" is often translated as "Ireland Forever!" (Photo Source=www.cnn.com)

Baptisia Blooms

Baptisia Blooms in June.

The Perennial Plant Association crowned Baptisia australis the Perennial Plant of 2010 for many reasons.

Baptisia, or False Indigo, is a low-maintenance North American native wildflower that has few, if any, pest and disease problems. Even deer avoid this plant! It it highly adaptable and grows in zones 3-9.

Baptisia blooms for several weeks, from mid to late spring. Its violet-blue blossoms look like tiny sweet peas. Deadheading the spent flowers encourages more blooms. In fall, large, dark, rattling seed pods appear. The soft blue-gray-green foliage stays attractive all summer long.

Baptisia grows 3-4-feet tall and wide. It looks right at home in the back of the sunny border. It prefers well-drained soil. Long-lived baptisia does not like to be disturbed once established, so transplanting or dividing this perennial is difficult.

False Indigo can be found in shades of purple, cream and yellow.

This plant has rich roots. Early Americans used Baptisia to produce dye. And, it is a legume.

You just can't go wrong with a Baptisia blooming in your garden!

Spring Cleaning

Better Late Than Never! Spring cleaning the potager on one of the first sunny, warm, dry days in March...

Time to compost!

More Black Magic For Your Garden

Black Bat Flower (Tacca chantrieri) looks out of this world. The unique bat-shaped flowers can grow 12" across with "whiskers" that are 28-inches long. Bat flowers bloom in August-September. This intriguing plant is from the Yunnan Province, China. It gets 36" inches tall. Bat flowers are hardy in zones 10-11. There is also a white form. Bat flowers are at home in sunrooms, greenhouses or on hot, humid shady porches. Plant them in well-drained soil.

These and the other black plants shown below are available from Van Bourgondien and may be purchased at http://www.dutchbulbs.com/.


Giant Dinner Plate Dahlias add a lot of drama to the back of the border in late summer and fall. 'Black Wizard' has deep maroon-black 8"-10" blooms. Dahlias make wonderful cut flowers. 'Black Wizard' dahlias are hardy in zones 8-10. Dig and store them in a frost-free location during the winter if you live in a colder zone.

'Black Magic' Elephant Ears (Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic') have gigantic tropical foliage that will leave gardeners spellbound. 'Black Magic' gets 40"-45" tall in part shade and moist soil. It is hardy in zones 10-11. Lift and store bulbs indoors during winter in colder parts of the country...

Who doesn't love low-maintenance daylilies (Hemerocallis) in the sunny border? 'Black Stockings' has large, dark purple-black flowers. It is a mid-season rebloomer and is semi-evergreen. 'Black Stockings' grow 25"-30" high.

A Study in Black and White...This enchanting mix of Asiatic Lilies blooms in June/July. Plants may grow between 20"-60" tall in full sun to partial shade. (All Photo Sources/Plant Sources=www.dutchbulbs.com)

Plants From The Dark Side...

'Queen of the Night' tulips are a popular, single, late-blooming variety. They are regarded as the darkest tulips available. Plant them with white pansies. (Photo Source= donegalgardensociety.net)

Upright Black Elephant Ears (Alocasia plumbea 'Nigra') are hardy in zones 8-11. They grow between 30"-48" high. (Photo Source=Van Bourgondien or www.dutchbulbs.com)

Black Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea 'Watchman') grew in Thomas Jefferson's garden at Monticello. (Photo Source=Bluebird Nursery, Inc.)

Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon p. Niger) is a 6"-8" tall groundcover that adds mystery to any garden. Plant it in sun or partial shade. (Photo Source=Heronswood Nursery)

'Blackie' Sweet Potato Vines grow quickly during the hot summer months.

In the mid-1990s, the gardening staff at UNC-Charlotte Botanical Gardens put together a "Dark Collection" of plants that had black or almost black foliage or flowers. Since then, black plants have become en vogue. There are exciting, new, black plants being introduced on the market every year.

Be forewarned that some black plants are not actually a true black, but more of a dark purple or burgundy.

Black plants look great paired with white blooms, as well as hot colors, like Halloween orange. Use them to cast a spell over your garden...

Garden Games Continued...

"Farmville by Zynga" is virtual gardening at its best.

I don't remember when I bought my farm. It was sometime last year at the end of summer. You would think that one would remember a momentous occasion as buying a farm. I don't, I only know that I have $7 in Farmville cash, 507,467 coins, 113989 experience points, and a new Horse Stable virtually built with the help of my numerous friendly neighbors. Farmville can be very addicting. Dr. Phil had a mother on his show whose life and the lives of her family revolved around the harvesting of her crops. I warn anyone who wants to start; not to!

The point of Farmville is to maintain a farm. There are animals to be taken care of, crops to be bought, planted, fertilized by your friends, and trees to be planted and harvested. As your experience increases the type of seed you can buy and plant increases also. There are many ways to get a head faster. You can block in your avatar so that you can harvest faster, have more neighbors to help farm your crops, and help those neighbors with barn building and fertilizing their crops.

I have a large farm with a couple of houses, a general store with a fresh produce stand to sell my crops, a greenhouse, several fruit trees, lots of animals, three dairy farms, a couple of duck ponds. I think you get the picture. The best thing about Farmville is that I get to grow vegetables, fruits, flowers, and grains all year long no matter the season. Farmville is also addictive because it's instant gratification; just virtually. I remember telling the horticulture crew I managed at a golf course, it's time to TAFPAG! Till, Amend, Fertilize, Plant, And Go. That's was my mantra to them every time before changing a planting. Farmville is just as simple as that, and just as gratifying. When it's snowing outside, I've got tomatoes growing and due to be harvested in about eight hours from planting. Now if only those great folks at Zynga can get me some edible tomatoes to grow that quickly...