Monthly Archives: June 2009

New Northern Gardener Available

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Mary Schier

The July/August issue of Northern Gardener is available and it’s full of summer. The cover feature takes readers on a tour of a garden near Two Harbors, where the owners use structures and drifts of flowers to create a northwoods … Continue reading →

Posted in See it in Northern Gardener | Leave a comment

Cottage Charm

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Mary Schier

You would hardly call our lovable snout house a cottage, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy cottage plants. Right now, I am lovin’ this hollyhock. Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are biennials, which means it takes two years for the plant … Continue reading →

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Garden Inspiration

Posted on June 25, 2009 by Mary Schier

This week I’ve had the opportunity to visit three stunning private gardens in the Twin Cities. Each of these gardens is on a city lot (although large ones) and is primarily tended by the homeowners. While each is glorious, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden Design, Northfield | 1 Comment

The Deck Garden Today

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Mary Schier

My sister sent me an updated photo of her deck garden. As you can see, even in this small space, they have herbs galore (parsley, three basil plants, and rosemary), and a couple of very nice looking tomatoes. The family … Continue reading →

Posted in Container Gardening, Fruits and Vegetables, Small-space Gardening | Leave a comment

Vegetable Garden on the Deck? You Bet!

Posted on June 21, 2009 by Mary Schier

My sister and her husband have a large, sunny backyard, but they prefer to leave that space open for pickup football games and other neighborhood fun. (They have four children of their own and lots of little visitors.) So, when … Continue reading →

Posted in Build it!, Fruits and Vegetables, Small-space Gardening | 2 Comments

Persistent Plants: The Downside

Posted on June 21, 2009 by Mary Schier

Shortly after posting the item on an amazing tree that clings to life from the cliffs at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan, I got to thinking about another aspect of persistent plants: the invasives. These, too, find homes on … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden Travel, Native Plants, Wildflowers | 1 Comment

The Persistence of Plants

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Mary Schier

The tenacity of plants always amazes me. Faced with poor soil, too much sun, too much shade, competition from other plants–whatever the obstacle, many plants will continue to send out roots, sprout flowers or produce seeds. For a case in … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden Travel, Nature | 1 Comment

Getting on the Baptisia Bandwagon

Posted on June 14, 2009 by Mary Schier

Baptisia is a perennial heading up the popularity charts — and having planted several tufts of it in my re-designed front-yard bed, I can see why. Baptisia australis is a North American native (as far north as Iowa) that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Perennials | 2 Comments

Best Perennials for Northern Gardeners

Posted on June 13, 2009 by Mary Schier

Today I dropped in on the Perennial Festival at Gertens in Inver Grove Heights. MSHS is participating in the event which includes several seminars each day, including one by horticulture editor, garden writer, and Bailey Nurseries production guru, Debbie Lonnee. … Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Perennials | Leave a comment

Rain Gauge Report

Posted on June 7, 2009 by Mary Schier

I checked our rain gauge this morning and it showed 1.1 inches of much-needed precipitation. That lines up with the rainfall total at the nearest weather.com station at Sibley Swale, where the total was .91 inches. I may have had … Continue reading →

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