5 Great Gifts for the Gardener

Here are 5 great gift ideas for the gardener in your life:

Thirsty Light

Never forget to water your houseplants again.  Thirsty Light will remind you. $9.94

Easy Bloom 

Make sure you’re planting in the right spot with the Easy Bloom Plant Sensor. $49.99

GardenScribe Mini Organizer

Keep track of all the plants in your garden with the GardenScribe Mini Organizer. Hand-made in the USA. $42.00   

Use coupon code GSGIFT2013 for a 10% discount (exp 12/31/13)

Mosaic Slate Garden Stepping Stones

Tip toe through the garden with these stepping stones from Plow & Hearth. $24.95

Puddle-Proof Field Bag

This rugged tote from Gardener’s Supply keeps tools and supplies organized and easy to carry. $39.95

The Gardens of Alcatraz

If you want to tour a unique garden setting in the San Francisco California area, visit the Gardens of Alcatraz for a memorable experience.

Victorian style gardens were originally planted in 1865 when the island was being used as a military prison. Over the years, the gardens were expanded to include hillside terraces, a rose garden, and a greenhouse.  In 1933 Alcatraz became a federal prison.  Inmates continued to maintain the gardens until the prison closed in 1963, at which point the gardens were abandoned.

It wasn't until 2003 that the Garden Conservancy, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the National Park Service partnered to restore the now overgrown gardens.

The award winning Gardens of Alcatraz are open year-round except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.  The best time to visit is January through September.  There is no entrance fee, however there is a charge for the ferry operated by Alcatraz Cruises.

For more information, visit the Gardens of Alcatraz website.

The Mystery of the African Violet

Why doesn’t my African violet bloom?

It’s a question that I’d asked myself for years.  No kidding...years.  I tried everything…

Moving it to various locations to make sure it was getting enough, but not too much, light…
Nothing

Carefully watering based on recommendations from my local nursery…
Nada

Using fertilizer specially made for African violets...
Not happening

Transplanting to a larger pot with improved soil...
Zip

Then I bought a Thirsty Light.  The reason for my purchase had nothing to do with the African violet saga. It just seemed like a great way to help me remember to water my houseplants. But, just weeks after adding a Thirsty Light to the pot, my African violet bloomed!   I’m still not entirely sure what was wrong with my watering routine. I’m just happy that Thirsty Light has made it right.

Mystery solved!

September/October Garden Care Check List

Here are some suggested tasks for your September through October garden to-do list:

> Core-aerate your lawn

> Re-seed and renovate your lawn

> Plant pansies

> Test soil PH levels in beds and lawn

> Plant spring flowering blubs

> Plant and transplant evergreen shrubs

> Trim off dead and broken branches but resist the urge to hard prune

Siberian Iris Caesar’s Brother

Botanical Name: Iris sibirica "Caesar’s Brother"
Common Name: Siberian Iris "Caesar’s Brother"
Plant Type: Perennial
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Zone: 4-9
Growth Rate: Fast
Height X Spread: 36" H x  24" W
Bloom Time: May
Bloom Description: Violet blue flowers
Foliage Description: Narrow green "lance" like foliage
Soil: Average to moist, slightly acidic (6.0-7.0)
Water: Regular, will tolerate wet soil
Prune: None
Tidy: Remove spent bloom stalks to prevent reseeding
Fertilizer: Balanced 10-10-10 or 14-14-14
Fertilizing cycle: Early spring and again after blooms fade
Special Maintenance: None
Propagation:  Division in spring
Pests & Diseases: Less susceptible to iris borer and soft rot than other varieties

Notes:  Siberian Iris is a low maintenance plant which has roots that grow deep into the ground allowing it to tolerate a wide range of soil conditions. It prefers full sun but will also grow in part shade.  Its elegant violet blue blooms last only 1-2 days but the grass like foliage will stay green into the fall.  Siberian Iris attracts butterflies and is resistant to deer.  It works well as a specimen or in mass plantings.

For more information visit the Society for Siberian Irises.

2013 Gardening Events - August

Tending the Perennial Garden in August
August 6
Merryspring Nature Center
Camden, Maine
207-236-2239
www.merryspring.org

Dahlia Show
August 24
Pond House at Elizabeth Park
Hartford, Connecticut
860-485-0326
www.ctdahlia.org

Annual Cactus and Succulent Show & Sale
August 3-4
Brookside Gardens
Silver Spring, Maryland
301-962-1400
www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside

Minnesota State Gladiolus Show
August 10-11
Civic Center
New Ulm, Minnesota
507-426-6011
www.gladworld.org

Water Wise Gardening
August 20
Descanso Gardens
La Canada Flintridge, California
818-949-4290
www.descansogardens.org

The Cloisters 75th Anniversary

The New York Cloisters Museum & Gardens will be celebrating their 75th anniversary on June 1, 2013.  The event program includes scheduled seminars throughout the day on topics such as:

• Medieval Fruits You Can Grow Today
• The Medieval Kitchen Garden
• Espaliers: Trees For Ornament And Fruit

Members of the horticultural staff will also be available throughout the day to answer questions and discuss aspects of gardening at The Cloisters. Reservations are not necessary, and all events are included with museum admission.

The Cloisters are located at:
99 Margaret Corbin Drive
Fort Tryon Park
New York, New York 10040

Read more about medieval plants and the gardens of The Cloisters on their blog at http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/

Phlox “Emerald Blue”

Botanical Name: Phlox subulata "Emerald Blue"
Common Name: Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox
Plant Type: Perennial
Light Requirements: Full Sun, Part Sun
Zone: 3-9
Growth Rate: Moderate
Height X Spread: 4-6" H x 3' W
Bloom Time: Spring
Bloom Description: Lavender Blue 
Foliage Description: Sharply pointed needle like green leaves
Soil: Average, well drained
Water: Regular, drought tolerant
Prune: After blooms fade
Fertilizer: All purpose
Fertilizing cycle: Spring, first sign of growth
Propagation:  From herbaceous stem cuttings
Pests & Diseases: None

Notes: Phlox is a hardy evergreen groundcover that is stunning in the spring when it blooms with bright blue flowers.  This variety of Phlox does well in rock gardens and borders, and easily spreads over curbs, retaining walls and sidewalks.  It is drought-tolerant, deer resistant, and attracts butterflies.

2013 Gardening Events - March

Philadelphia International Flower Show
March 2-10
Philadelphia Convention Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
215-988-8800
www.theflowershow.com

International Orchid Festival
March 8-10
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Coral Gables, Florida
305-667-1651
www.fairchildgarden.org

Chicago Flower & Garden Show
March 9-17
Chicago Botanic Garden
Glencoe, Illinois
847-835-5440
www.chicagobotanic.org

Gardening – Get Ready For Spring
March 16
Martin Viette Nurseries
East Norwich, New York
516-922-5530
www.martinviette.com

Composting Class
March 16
Clark Gardens Botanical Park
Weatherford, Texas
940-682-4856
www.clarkgardens.com

Bi-Annual Plant Sale
March 16-17
Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona
480-941-1225
www.dbg.org

Boise Flower & Garden Show
March 22-24
Boise Centre
Boise, Idaho
503-335-3336
www.gardenshowboise.com

Annual Wildflower Festival
March 30-31
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Claremont, California
909-625-8767
www.rsabg.org

2013 Gardening Events - February

Pruning after Hurricane Sandy
February 2
Martin Viette Nurseries
East Norwich, New York
516-922-5530
www.martinviette.com

Designing Herbal Landscapes
February 9
San Antonio Botanical Garden
San Antonio, Texas
210-207-3250
www.sabot.org

Camellia Festival
February 9 &10
Descanso Gardens
La Canada Flintridge, California
818-949-4200
www.descansogardens.org

Northwest Flower & Garden Show
February 20-24
Washington State Convention Center
Seattle, Washington
253-756-2121
www.gardenshow.com

Winter Tree Tours of the Capitol Grounds
February 23
US Botanic Garden
Washington, DC
202-225-8333
www.usbg.gov

Gardening 101 for Busy People
February 23
Aldridge Botanical Gardens
Hoover, Alabama
205-682-8019
www.aldridgegardens.com

Composting Made Easy
February 24
The Holden Arboretum
Kirtland, Ohio
440-946-4400
www.holdenarb.org

Residential Landscape Design
February 26
New England Wild Flower Society
Garden in the Woods
Framingham, Massachusetts
508-877-7630
www.newenglandwild.org