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September 21, 2011 · 3 Comments

Moon Flower at Morning

Plants

white moon flower in blomI took this photo of a moon flower last week, before our first freeze hit, so the foliage on this moon flower is a bit bedraggled now, though it is still blooming. Moon flower (Ipomoea alba)  has always been a lust plant for me. There are plenty of plants that do not grow well in Minnesota, but for some reason, it has long irked me that moon flower resisted all my attempts to grow it.

My interest may have stemmed from its white blooms, which brighten any garden, or its climbing habit—it is said to grow 20 foot vines in some climates.  It could also be that moon flowers  seemed mysterious and a reminder of an older time. I also could not understand why a plant in the same family as morning glories, which overrun my garden like weeds, would not grow.

This year, I bought moon flower seeds from Baker’s Creek (Ipmoea alba) and started them  indoors. Then, carefully transplanted the seedlings outside later in the spring, planting a few seeds in the same area, just in case. The site is near the front door, so I could keep an eye on them when watering the pots out front. The extra care paid off and the vines have been flowering (usually just one bloom at a time) for the last few weeks.

True to their name, these plants open up overnight. They bloom a day or two, then fade — just like summer itself.

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« Sunflower at Sunset
Hidden Gardens of Washington, D.C. »

Comments

  1. commonweeder says

    September 22, 2011 at 8:11 am

    Moonflowers are beautiful and I’m always promising to plant them – but I never get beyond morning glories. Maybe next year.

  2. Diane says

    September 26, 2011 at 8:21 am

    Do your moon flowers have a large egg shaped prickly pod? I purchased 4 green prickly pods at a local church festival, they were labeled moon flowers. I thought they would look good in dried flower arrangements, but are they truly moon flowers?

  3. Mary Schier says

    September 27, 2011 at 7:12 am

    I haven’t noticed any pods on them. Moon flower is the common name, and it’s not unusual for two different plants to have the same common name — confusing, but not unusual.

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It’s National Gardening Day! I’m not much for It’s National Gardening Day! I’m not much for special days (sorry, siblings, I missed that one last week) but any excuse to post a picture of a gorgeous peony, I’ll take! 

Peonies are a huge part of Minnesota’s horticultural heritage. They aren’t native but our cold climate is perfect for peonies. They’ve been hybridized in Minnesota for over 150 years, and the state still has several peony breeders based here. If you ever get a chance to go to a peony open day in June, jump on it. Seeing rows and rows of peonies all blooming at once is a northern gardener’s joy. 

Peonies will last forever, too. Plant one in the right place and it will outlive you by decades. What’s your favorite plant? 
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This week’s podcast and blog post are about grow This week’s podcast and blog post are about growing summer bulbs. I grow lilies in containers, 1) because they look great and 2) because the rabbits 🐇 can’t get them as easily there. Growing bulbs in containers means you can move them around the garden for extra color where you need it. 

Bulbs aren’t that tricky to grow, though you will have to pull dahlias, gladiolus and canna lilies for the winter. Lilies can stay in the ground. This winter, I left some in their pots and held  them in the unheated garage. They survived and are already putting up foliage. 

Check the 🔗 in bio for links to my interview with Mike Heger as well as the blog post on growing bulbs in containers. 
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In bloom at the big box store: Columbine! These lo In bloom at the big box store: Columbine! These look pretty but most of the in ground columbines are just greening up in Minnesota. That’s one thing to remember when shopping for perennial plants now. If it’s in bloom, it’s a spring plant and will probably be green all summer. Nothing wrong with lots of spring bloom in the garden, but plan for the whole season by picking things that bloom in July, August, even the fall, too. 
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#columbine #plantshopping #gardentips #minnesota #mngarden #coldclimategardening #zone4b #springblooms #garden #perennials #perennialgarden #perennialflowers
So many things are suddenly blooming! . . . #spri So many things are suddenly blooming! 
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This weeks podcast is about rain gardens with Madd This weeks podcast is about rain gardens with Maddie Poling of @sacredspacegardensmn while rain gardens are great for water filtration, they also can be incredible pollinator gardens, especially if you plant lots of milkweed. Link to the entire episode is in bio. 
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Fun news 🗞! I have an essay in the upcoming iss Fun news 🗞! I have an essay in the upcoming issue of Gardening for Health, a special interest publication of Better Homes & Gardens. It’ll be on newsstands and in grocery stores, home centers, drugstores and more starting tomorrow. The essay is about why gardening matters, for our health, our spirits and our communities. I haven’t seen the layout yet, but I’ll be prowling my local Barnes & Noble tomorrow! Can’t wait to see it. 
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#gardenwriter #gardensmatter #gardeningforhealth #bhgspring #bhggarden #bhgspecialinterestpublications
Wondering what winter burn looks like on shrubs? C Wondering what winter burn looks like on shrubs? Check it out. I’ve got three of these dwarf Alberta spruce. This is the worst case. One has no burn, the third just a bit. This one faces south so it gets the most sun and wind. After it starts growing this spring, I’ll trim off the burn. May need some wrapping next winter. 
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A pair of crocus cuties. This spring is coming on A pair of crocus cuties. This spring is coming on fast, though we know Mother Nature can slam on the brakes anytime she wants. Enjoy the early blooms and have a great weekend! 
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My conversation with Amy from @milkweed.and.daisie My conversation with Amy from @milkweed.and.daisies on the @growitmn podcast got me thinking about annuals that are easy to grow from seed. There are a lot! She grows some I haven’t had in years, like hollyhocks and snapdragons, plus plenty of my favorites. Seven really easy options are listed in a new blog post (🔗 is bio) on the My Northern Garden blog. Cosmos, zinnia and sunflowers may be the easiest of  all. 

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The 3+ inches of snow from a couple of days ago is The 3+ inches of snow from a couple of days ago is melting, and the crocus continue to bloom. Hang in there, little flower, spring is on the way. 
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