Read 'Name This Plant Game: Summer Blooming Annuals 1' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

This simple game tests your gardening knowledge by identifying five plants shown in photos from a list of possible names. Photos of each plant are accompaned by a clue describing the type of plant or its broad characteristics. To play the game you identify the plant in the photo by selecting the correct name and clicking on the button next to it. Each time you play the game you only have one chance to identify the correct answer for each of the five plants. If you don’t get all of them correct the first time just click the “Let me try again” button located below the game board and try again. If you would like more information about these five spring bulbs see their Plant Profiles to get tips for growing each of them.

SUMMER BLOOMING ANNUALS: 1
Photos	Plant Names (Select the correct name and click the button)
	1. Easy to grow almost anywhere; roadside wildflower favorite. Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) Caladium (Caladium bicolor) Twinspur (Diascia)
	2. Old fashioned plant, self seeds readily. Bush Violet (Browallia speciosa) Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) Monkey Flower (Mimulus) Spider Flower (Cleome hassleriana)
	3. Strong scent, unpleasant to some. Wallflower (Erysimlum) Lobelia (Lobelia erinus) Petunia (Petunia) French Marigold (Tagetes patula)
	4. VanGogh loved them and so do kids. Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) Campion (Lychnis) Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum segetum) Sunflower (Helianthus annus)
	5. Date back to mid-1700’s; good cutflower but foilage is disease prone. California Poppy (Escholzia californica) Satin Flower (Clarkia amoena) Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) Maiden Pink (Sweet Alyssum)

Read 'Garden Journal: September 13, 2009' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

Cool cloudy days have given us a welcome relief from summer heat and humidity. Fall is definitely in the air as mums begin to show color and bloom, and perennials rebloom, and some Johnny jump ups appear from self-sown seed. My garden is now looking its best from a distance as many perennials fade and even the annuals are showing signs of decline. This is a week of vistas.

The formal garden is square with 4 entrances, one in the center of each side. There are borders on all four sides separated from 4 parterres by grass pathways. The color combinations change; blue is present throughout but is paired with pink, crimson, scarlet, orange, golden yellow, lemon yellow, and finally white respectively and the white blends back to the pink. The silvery foliage of various Lamb’s ears and artemesias help transitions as well as provide unity to the over all design.

The main entrance is into the pastel border where pink dominates.

Pink deepens into crimson.

Crimson gives way to scarlet and then  orange.

Golden yellow picks up from the orange.

Lemon yellow blends into white.

A long bed of white foliage and flowers blends back into pink.

A fence nearby has finally been consumed by moon vine (Ipomoea alba) sporting its huge white flowers in the evening.

The buds of moon vine are equally as pretty.

The bog garden has flilled out nicely over the summer.

There are hundreds of sundews (Drosera sp.) that can only be seen close up.

The horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) is finally looking better but is not the vigorous thug that it was in my previous garden because I keep it in a pot in the bog so it can’t spread.  Unfortunately the pot has also cut down on the production of new shoots.

A couple of weeks ago both black swallow tails (Papilio polyxenes) and yellow (Papilio glaucas ) were visiting my garden and this week we saw the results; the young of the black swallow tails on the parsley in the herb garden near the house.

Take another look at those yellow horns. They are a gland called an osmeterium that protrudes when the catapillar is threatened (I nudged him) and produces a foul smelling substance to frighten off predators.

He was rather ferocious looking head-on.

A search of the parsley foliage revealed a pre-caterpillar, an early instar.

My parsley will soon be completely denuded but it will grow back, lush as ever, and in a couple of weeks or so and I will have a new black swallowtail in my garden. A garden is an endless source of interesting things!

Read 'Plant Profile: Cock’s Comb (Celosia argentea var. plumosa)' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

I have always grown celosia in my garden and would never be without it. It comes in many colors that look good in both summer and fall, comes in various heights, and some offer the option of burgundy foliage. The feathery blooms add a soft texture and upright form to the garden when many other plants are mounds of round, many-petaled flowers. The plants love heat and start blooming as soon as temperatures are warm. They continue blooming all summer adding color at times when many other plants stop flowering. Celosia are excellent cut flowers and may be dried for use in flower arrangements.

Type: Annual.

Bloom: Summer.

Size: 6-30” H x 8-18” W.

Light: Full sun.

Soil: Well drained.

Fertilizer: In mid summer apply a fertilizer in the ratio of 1-2-2.

Care: Deadhead faded flowers every 2 weeks.

Pests and Diseases: Root rot may occur in clay soils and/or during rainy weather. Remove infected plants immediately.

Propagation: Sow seed once the soil has warmed; use transplants for earlier bloom.

Companion plants: moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora), Verbena ‘Homstead Purple’, Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus).

Outstanding Selections: Castle series (8” yellow, pink, scarlet, or orange plumes on 12” plants), “Apricot Brandy’ (apricot-orange feathers on 18-24” plants).

Comment: Cut stems for drying when young and hang upside down in a dry dark place.

Read 'Plant Profile: Moss Rose ( Portulaca grandiflora)' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

Moss rose is a ‘must have’ for my garden because of the long bloom they bring to my garden. They come in so many brilliant colors I can use them in may places in my garden to provide color from summer into fall. Add to that the fact that these plants thrive in hot, dry conditions, and you have a great easy care garden plant. The plants are low growing with prostrate stems and thick succulent leaves. The flowers are 2’ wide and are semi-double or double so that they look like miniature roses. They are great for rock gardens or the front of the border where they more than earn their keep. They used to have a reputation for not opening in the late afternoon, evening, or overcast days, but new hybrids have reduced this trait so that I never even see evidence of it in my garden.

Type: Annual.

Bloom: Two inch flowers in vivid colors including red, yellow, pink, orange, peppermint, apricot, tangerine, fuchsia, and white all summer into fall.

Size: 6” H x 12” W.

Light: Full sun.

Soil: Average, well drained. Will not tolerate wet feet.

Fertilizer: Apply general fertilizer when planting.

Care: Cut back by half in mid summer if plants become floppy to encourage late blooms.

Pests and Diseases: In areas of high heat and humidity, and afternoon rains, root rot may cause the demise of the plants.

Propagation: Seed (but 6 packs are available in most stores along with other annuals).

Companion plants: Annual ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum) , creeping zinnia (Sanvitalia procumbens), dusty miller (Senecio cineraria) or other silver plants such as Artemisia ‘Silver mound’, globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa).

Outstanding Selections: Sundial series has huge variety of colors and provides semi-double plants on vigorous plants.

Comment: I have bought six packs of both one color and mixed colors and I strongly suggest that you buy six packs of one color.  The mixed colors often have two plants of different colors growing entwined with each other and unless the color combinations work for you in your garden setting, you will have to live with it as separating them is not easy. Six packs of all one color are more difficult to find but worth the effort unless you like a mixture of colors in the garden.

Read 'Garden Journal: August 16, 2009' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

After the horrific heat of last week we have had some cooler weather with no appreciable rain. The heat, especially warm night time temperatures, have made the perennials run through their bloom cycle at lightening speed and the annuals have stepped up to the plate and provide color and interest. I have prepared for this change in the garden by growing annuals from seed that I started late and have kept in a nursery area so I could put them into place as the need arose. The need has arisen!

The formal garden is the residence of most of the annuals. The cockscomb have especially profited from the heat and many are looking terrific.

This scarlet cockscomb (Celosia argentia var. c) and the scarlet portulaca at its feet are both volunteers from last year’s planting. I am grateful for their presence as the blue annual ageratum I planted there has never taken hold and has pooped out.

Another cockscomb, this one a lovely burgundy, complements the dark pink patio rose that grows nearby. It too is a volunteer from times past.

Another kind of cockscomb (Celosia cristata) is filling in the spot that was vacated by lilies and makes a strong statement with the Salvia ‘Victoria’ behind it and the hot pink vinca at its feet.

Another spot left vacant buy lilies has been filled with pink cosmos. I think the foliage is as beautiful as the flowers.

Pink vinca makes a pretty companion for Lamb’s Ear.

Boltonia asteroids ‘Snowbank’ is just beginning to show color. It comes into bloom slowly and is most beautiful as it does so.  The white is picked up by the white margins on the leaves of tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’)

White Gaura lindheimeri is reblooming and complements the yucca (Yucca filimentosa ‘Bright Edge’) that was hiding behind a large clump of iris that has been moved to a new location.  A white patio rose nestles in at their feet.

Another rebloomer is balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflora ‘Sentimental Blue’). Its foliage is beginning to take on its fall golden color that is echoed by the golden colored cockscomb (C. argentea var. plumosa).

In the hot border gomphrena ‘Strawberry Fields’ is paired with blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Goblin’)

The “hottest” plant in the garden is the annual Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia). I started these from seed late in the season and they just started blooming. I am a bit disappointed as the flowers are small in proportion to the plant and they all face upward so you can’t see them from rest of the garden.

On the other hand, when you look at the flowers of Tithonia close up they are really a knockout! Have you ever seen a more intense orange in the garden? Or anywhere else for that matter?

Even though I have a large vegetable garden I planted patio tomatoes in large pots in the herb garden immediately outside my kitchen door. It was just an experiment. The herbs are all in identical decorative pots on plinths and I usually plant grasses and colorful plants in larger pots to give the whole area color and interest. This year I decided to see if tomato plants could fill that role. Looking at this pot, I would say yes. Several of the pots look good like this one but some look terrible especially the one the deer liked.

Before making a decision on this I think I will wait and see what happens because you really never know about plants.

That is really the fun of gardening; it is never the same, there is always opportunity for improvement, and new possibilities always beckon.

Read 'Garden Journal: July 19, 2009' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

Sun, some clouds, and a tad of rain, all with warm to hot temperatures have been good for the garden and gardener. Some flowers come into bloom while others fade, but the foliage of all keep growing and the abundance increases.

The abundance is evident in this part of the formal garden with its cone flowers, grass, loosestrife, and butterflybush, all with shades of pink.

The border also contains a pot shaped like a purse (actually two of them). I love the pots but they are a devil to plant because they take so little soil that moisture supply becomes a huge issue. This year I added the gel polymers to the soil to increase water retention and planted the very drought tolerant moss roses. They have struggled but are finally blooming, at least a little.

Dwarf fountain grass adds a bit of airiness while providing a spike-like flowers head.

Annual cleome with the grass Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ is a new combination for my garden. Cleome is an old fashioned sort of annual that gives my border a cottage garden look that I love.

The beautiful rubrum lily blessed the garden with her presence. Her downward gaze makes her look shy and sweet while her delicate stem and foliage give her a petite look that is perfect for my pastel border.  The foliage of sedum “Autumn Joy’ provides a nice backdrop for her beauty.

In an other part of the formal garden I planted a vivid combination of Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’ and a hot pink vinca. I love the intense colors together.

The combination of purple-blue phlox flowers and the blue-green foliage of rue is equally satisfying to my eyes.

Elsewhere in the formal garden the blue of annual ageratum is lovely with the bright yellow of the golden spirea foliage.  Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’ adds an airy touch in the backround. I like the contrast in texture of the prickly spirea and the soft wooly lamb’s ear.

The volunteer sunflower sparkles beside the salvia ‘Victoria’.

A mass of goldenrod still showing the chartreuse green of their buds creates a pleasing site.

The light blue flower heads of globe thistle are pretty nifty too. Their unique shape and a color make them a stand out in my pastel border.

In the white border the Shasta daisies ‘Becky’ are echoed by the white variegated foliage of Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ .

I decided to redo my daylily beds in the allee so tore out the unwanted plants and bought 30 different ones. Once I planted them, and photographed them, I had to cut them back so I made bouquets of the flowering scapes. Yes, they only lasted a day, but what a beautiful day, and the other buds kept blooming so two days later I still have lush bouquets. The fun part is that I could play with the stems to see what flowers went best with what and in that way plan for the final arrangement and planting.

The squash, tomatoes, cukes, and beans (wow, how many string beans can two people eat?) are pouring in. The eggplants slowly produces their fruit and a couple of plants have been a complete surprise; I bought a six pack of the traditional round kinds, ‘Black Beauty’, but two of the plants are producing long thin pale ones as shown here. They are green now and I am expecting them to turn white.

Gardening is certainly an adventure. You really never can count on anything. Just when I think I have it by the tail, something happens that throws me completely off course. I have to pick myself up, shake myself off, and begin again. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Read 'Source for Good Plants: A Visit to the Farmers’ Market' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

There are numerous sources for plants but my all time favorite is the local Farmer’s Market. As soon as the weather warms up my husband and I begin our ritual of going to the local Farmer’s market early every Saturday morning. On occasion, we may go Sunday too, but the vendors are there in full force on Saturdays.

The one thing you can count on about the Farmer’s Market is that it will be an adventure. The vendors have good quality plants (as well as many other things) and I have never been disappointed with anything I have bought there (and I buy a lot.) There is a large variety of plants once the season gets rolling and we have found some treasures in addition to the usual plants you can buy anywhere. One Saturday last year we found a weeping winged elm (Ulmus alata) and a paperbark maple (Acer griseum), both featuring unusual bark, and they now stand proudly in our bosco. This year we expect to buy a Japanese cut leaf maple from the same vendor; we just can’t decide which one because he has so many beautiful ones.

Display of our favorite tree and shrub vendor

The vendors of annuals, perennials and vegetables are the same way. We can buy all the same old pansies, geraniums, impatiens and marigolds, but we can also find such annuals as Gomphrena ‘Strawberryfields’, Browallia, and Salvia ‘Victoria’, all in six packs or larger if you want. Hanging baskets and planters for sun or shade, in many colors combinations and sizes abound. A large selection of perennials are available such as Platycodon, Pervoskia, and miniature Monarda. Vegetables come in 4 packs or larger sizes to meet the needs or desires of every gardener. We can buy a very large selection of tomatoes including many heirloom varieties, both hot and sweet peppers, 3 kinds of eggplant, summer squash (but no winter squash!), 5 different cucumbers, 3 kinds of cantaloupe, watermelon, many different lettuces and some cold weather crops.  Several vendors sell herbs, so many different herbs that no single person could grow them all. Another vendor specializes in grasses; still another specializes in bog gardens. Last year we bought Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants, Sundews, and a bog orchid from him, complete with directions to make a bog garden. He also had detailed planting instruction that we were careful to follow and we are happy to see that all the plants are coming back as expected. The point is, the vendors at farmer’s markets are eager to please and will help you as other sellers of plants can’t or won’t.

By June the number of plant vendors declines and those selling vegetables, fruit and other produce increase. By fall there are a very large selection of fresh vegetables including a fantastic array of pumpkins and gourds. Wow, what great pumpkins we bought last year!

Through out the spring, summer and fall you can find fresh flower vendors who make up fabulous bouquets for $10-$20, ostrich steaks, homespun wool, the best goat cheese you have ever tasted, bird houses, and…..you get the point, the sky is the limit.

I have gone to Farmers’ Markets in various parts of the country and each is different in regard to their offerings, prices, and ambience; but they all share one thing, the opportunity for adventure. They never disappoint so find one near you and give it a visit. You’ll have a fun time.

Read 'Ten Steps For Transplanting Plants from Pot to Garden' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

Root bound pansy

Materials:

plant in pot or cell pack
shovel
trowel
water (hose is best but bucket will do if large; you will need a lot of water)
organic matter (compost, leaf mold, well rotted manure, peat moss)
knife (if roots are tightly knitted together)

Steps:

1. Store all your new acquisitions out of direct sunlight in bright light or a partially shaded area and keep them well watered until you are ready to transplant them.

2. Transplant in the late afternoon or evening; if you must transplant in the morning do it early before the sun gets up and heats up the air. A cloudy day is ideal and if it is followed by several more cloudy or rainy days so much the better.

3. Water the plants until water is running out of the bottom of the pots.

4. Prepare a $50 hole for the $5 plant! Dig a hole 3 to 4 times bigger around than the pot your plant came in and at least 1 ½ times deeper. This is a good time to add organic matter to the soil you have removed when digging the hole. You can use compost, leaf mold, well-rotted manure, or peat moss. Put some of the soil-organic matter mix back in the hole to form a base on which to place the plant.

5. Fill the hole with water.

6. Loosen the soil in the pot carefully, place your hand over the top of the pot so that the plant is between two fingers, and invert the pot. Hopefully, the plant will drop into your hand. If it does not, make sure the roots are not emerging from the bottom of the pot (cut them off if they are), and try loosening the soil again. Sometimes this but may be difficult but work slowly and carefully so as not to damage the stem and leaves of the plant. Never leave the roots exposed to sun, heat or wind.

7. Check the roots of the plant. The plants in 4-6 packs or small pots are often root bound. That is the roots form a thick layer on the outside of the root ball. It is very important that you correct this condition or the roots will keep growing round and round and never mover out into the garden soil. Cut the roots on the sides and bottom of the root ball with a knife. No, this will not hurt the plant and in fact will stimulate the plant to produce more roots.

8. Place the plant into the hole and fill the hole half full of water. This process ensures that the roots are drenched with water and that no air pockets are in the soil near the roots.

9. Fill the hole with the remaining soil making a raised ring of the soil around the plant. This will create a small trench around the plant that you can fill with water everyday until the plant is established. Water again.

10. If possible, shade the plant for a few days especially if it wilts. Use a board or a piece of cardboard propped up on the sunny side of the plant.

Watch your plant daily, making sure that it is getting enough water. You will probably have to water everyday but if the weather is hot you may have to do so twice daily.

Read 'The English Style Garden: Design a Garden with Annuals, Perennials, Biennials and Garden Ornaments to Create the Look of an English Garden' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

The sight of an English garden inspires many of us, but alas, few will ever be able to really have one. If you are lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest you can come very close but for those of us who garden elsewhere the task is formidable. Or perhaps it isn’t. Maybe by using a few key elements, we can achieve the look of an English garden.

So, what are the essential elements of an English garden? Here is a list of characteristics that are typical of English gardens. You can choose the ones you like to give “the look.”

Layout
Formal. If you like the formal look, lay out the beds symmetrically, with straight lines.
Cottage. You can have an informal cottage look by using an asymmetrical layout with curved lines and no angles (use a flexible hose to determine you borders’ edges.)

Site
Most long blooming plants that you want in your flower beds need at least 6 hours of sun every day, well-drained soil, and about 1” of water per week. Pick an area that gets sufficient sun and you can amend the soil and bring in the water if necessary. There are certainly English borders for shade but the goal of creating abundant flowers for a long bloom season will be more difficult in shade than if the garden is in the sun.

Backdrop
Walls, fences and hedges are used in many English gardens to create a backdrop for the plants and provide a sense of enclosure. Walls are the most expensive and permanent backdrop, but fences and hedges can provide the same feeling. Even the side of your house, garage, or tool shed could be a plus as a background element.

Plants
Plant selection. Certain plants seem the quintessence of an English garden. Try to include such favorites as delphinium, hollyhock, phlox, foxglove, lupine, bee balm, roses and If you are going for the formal look include some topiary, clipped box as a low hedge, or pots with carefully groomed plants. Cottage gardens frequently include edible plants so plant some herbs, vegetables, fruit and nut trees in your borders.

Abundance. The English use a very large number of different perennials with annuals and biennials filling in the gaps but you can change that and let the annuals (and biennials) play a more important role. The important thing is to get that look of abundance continually through the growing season.

Variation in texture, form and color. Think about the various differences in texture that are possible with plants. Consider foliage for example: the fine leaves of Dianthus , the coarse leaves of hollyhock, the medium leaves of rose bushes. Picture the differences in the color of foliage: the gray of dusty miller, the yellow of barberry ‘Bonanza Gold’, or the dark red of smoke bush. Contrast the shapes of a round daisy, spike like veronica, or trumpet shaped lily. Find pleasing combinations of textures, shapes and color to enhance the overall interest and beauty of your garden.

Color. Pick a color or color scheme and choose plants that carry out that scheme. For example, white gardens are especially pleasing. Think about the foliage color as well as the flower color and you can include artemesias, various yarrows, and variegated iris in a white garden. A pastel border favored by the English might feature Pervoskia (Russian sage), a pink rose, and white garden phlox. A hot border might use scarlet Crocosmia, orange helenium, and yellow goldenrod.

Grouping. Position your plants in groups of odd numbers, 3s, 5,s, 7s etc depending on the size of the plants and the area you want to fill. Avoid straight lines and drifts if you want the cottage look and work towards making the plants look as though they grew in their place by accident.

Ornaments
Seating.
Once you have created beautiful beds you will want to sit and enjoy it. A wooden bench is a favorite in English gardens but anything that allows you to rest and contemplate in your garden will work. Be sure to surround your seating with plants that have fragrant flowers or leaves like lavender, or rosemary, or plants that are fun to touch like Lamb’s Ear.

Arbor, gazebo and pergola.
What is prettier than an arbor smothered in a cloak of roses? or a pergolas heavy with wisteria? Plant climbing roses such as the pale pink Awakening or New Dawn on the arbor that serves as an entryway to your garden; or on a gazebo so you can enjoy the fragrance when you sit inside. Add clematis such as Nelly Moser and let it climb through your roses to give a double treat. If you don’t have the room or inclination to have a large structure such as these, try a trellis that could be secured against a wall and used to train a climbing rose.

Statuary
Statuary can be as simple as a small bird from Target to the ¾ life sized Hebe of mythological fame from a fancy garden center. It would be nice to have a marble statue but a concrete one will look very nice among your plants at a fraction of the cost. A birdhouse on a pole, gazing ball, or sundial also adds interest and whimsy to the look.

Water Features
A fountain is a great addition to a garden because it brings sound. A large fountain in the middle of a garden can be the focal point but a small fountain mounted on a wall or pillar can be effective too. You can make a fountain by using a decorative ceramic pot that is available in various sizes and colors or by using just about any container that strikes your fancy. A birdbath is a nice way to attract birds and give sparkle and reflections to the flowerbed. Of course, a pool or pond would be a wonderful way to introduce another whole niche so that you could add water plants to your garden.

Lawn
The green of a well-tended lawn around or in a garden is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately lawns require considerable care so plan your lawn according to your inclination to take care of it.

Paths
As you plan the beds and lawn you will probably want to have paths to use when you stroll through the garden. They can be small or large, winding or straight, of grass, brick, stone or gravel. Place some scented plants along the edge so that you can brush by as you walk and enjoy their fragrance. The important thing is that your paths move you through the garden easily and allow you to enjoy your garden to the fullest.