Gardening in shade can be just as beautiful as gardening in sun when you work with what you have. Here are some shade gardening tips from the National Garden Bureau … www.ngb.org.

Gardening in shade

1) Shade gardening often means trying to plant among established trees and shrubs where digging around roots can be troublesome. In that case, starting with smaller transplants will be easier so you won’t have to dig as large a hole.
2) Just because it’s shady doesn’t mean you won’t need to water as often. Oftentimes, those trees can suck up available moisture leaving your color plants thirsty.
3) And yes, those trees can provide instant mulch in the fall but if you fail to shred the leaves before spreading them as mulch, you might end up with a matted mess that allows diseases and pests to thrive. 
4) To brighten shady areas use light-colored flowers such as white, light pink or palest blues. Dark colors tend to get “lost” in shady areas. 

From Kathy: Ferns, which thrive in shade, are best planted in the fall; other shade-loving plants include Lenten rose, columbine, hosta, astilbe, camellia, gardenia, hydrangea and foxglove.

 

Posted by Kathy Van Mullekom;  kvanmullekom@aol.com

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After the tragic death of John Paul Endicott, family and friends were left wondering how best to honor his memory and continue his legacy of helping those less fortunate.

The results of their efforts have grown into something you can really sink your teeth into.

The second annual Garlic in the Garden Festival is being held Sept. 23, John Paul’s birthday, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the community garden at Temple University Ambler. The event is open to the public for $5 with a perishable or non perishable donation, or $10 without a donation. The festival promises a garlic cook-off competition, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, gardening tips, community pot luck, donated food collections, games and much more.

Judy Endicott, John Paul’s mother, said until his untimely death while on his way to work in July 2010, her son was heavily involved in the creation of a garden at Temple that would allow local food banks to receive fresh produce.

Seeking a master’s degree in Horticultural Landscape Architecture, Endicott traveled the world and soon realized the strong need to promote greener, organic foods and to “be our brother’s keeper,” by providing produce to those less fortunate, his mother said.

He soon partnered with the Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard and started providing fresh produce to give to for those in need. Additionally, he was in the beginning stages of getting local farmers to donate extra harvest to other local food banks. Unfortunately, he was never able to see this become a reality, after his motor scooter was struck by an SUV in Philadelphia on his way to work, killing the 31-year-old.

After his death, Judy said, family and friends wanted to keep his garden going and expand the amount of food crops available.

Two years later, the garden is thriving at Temple’s campus and this year’s festival will hold a dedication ceremony of a hops trellis in John Paul’s name. The idea for the trellis came from John Paul’s brother Daniel, an avid beer brewer in Ambler. The trellis was designed by Warren Holzman, a blacksmith who took two weeks to build the trellis.

Judy said the garden wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Eva Mondheim, a favorite professor of John Paul’s, who was “instrumental in continuing the mission.” She said Mondheim teaches food crop classes at Temple, and beginning in the spring semester each year, students start planting and caring for all of the garden’s crops as part of their coursework. Students plant the garden and maintain it throughout the semester, after which volunteers add to it and further harvest the crops.

Additionally, Endicott said the garden is doing so well, they have been able to create a summer intern position for a Temple Ambler student who embraces the mission of the garden and is willing to take on the responsibilities of tending to the garden. Continued…

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Autumn is here! The leaves from the cherry trees have already started to fall. What starts as a beautiful display of colorful leaves falling to the ground will eventually turn into a mounding mass of mess. This year, fight back! Here are my rules for dealing with fallen leaves:

• Don’t bag the leaves and put them at the street. There is no room at the landfill and that’s too much work.

• Don’t let the leaves stay on the lawn for very long. This will damage the grass.

• Don’t burn the leaves. This is a fire hazard and pollutes the air.

• Do mow the lawn and the leaves with a mulching mower. The leaves just disappear, and no raking. Sweet!

• Do rake the leaves and put them in the compost pile.

• Do rake the leaves into a pile and run over them with the mower, to make mulch for landscape beds. This can also be done with a chipper/shredder.

• Do buy a blower that also vacuums and mulches, and put the mulched leaves back in your beds.

• Do rake the leaves into a big pile and jump in them with your kids or loved ones.

Lastly, I love what I do, so if you are interested in landscape design and installation, let me know. Our industry is always looking for talented individuals.

Todd Goulding provides residential landscape design consultations. Contact him at GouldingDesignGroup@gmail.com.

Summer has come to an end. Autumn officially starts on Saturday, September 22, 2012. It was a hot and dry summer for my area. Drought conditions caused a tough season for plants, trees, and lawns. Rainfall is about 7 inches below normal for the year to date. Thanks to some preparation and a lot of watering, my garden did quite well.

Now is the time to get ready for fall. Here are some autumn tips and to-dos:

• Fertilize shrubs, trees, and groundcovers now (before the end of September).
• Fertilize mums for more blooms.
• Cleanup perennial and annual plants by removing faded flowers and dead foliage.
• Apply lawn weed preventer in the last week of September. (Check specifics for your lawn type).
• Inspect outdoor container plants you plan to bring indoors for insects. Treat accordingly.
• Plant shrubs and trees.
• Shop for spring flowering bulbs. Do not plant them until late November.

These tips and to-dos are for zone 8. If you live in a different gardening zone you can always check with your local garden center for more information. Also check out Gardenality and Walter Reeves websites for more seasonal gardening information for the south (zone 8).

Remembering summer is easy with photos. My Project 365 has been a great way to document something from each day. Most all the pictures I take are of plants, flowers, and food. I wanted to share a few of my favorites. The first is swamp hibiscus and it bloomed on the second day of summer. The photo of it is at the top of this post.

Heirloom tomatoes were available early. These were some from my local farmers market:

Basil also grew quickly. I had to frequently trim off the flowers to keep it growing and so it would not get bitter:

Succulents loved the hot, dry weather. This is a new one I planted this year and I love the pink and green colors:

Okra started arriving in the markets. It made for a special treat of fried okra one day:

Baby Tut Papyrus always adds interest to my patio. I had to water it almost twice daily to keep it happy:

The miniature white rose plant did wonderfully. It seemed to like being on my deck rail. Now it is planted in my front garden after I accidentally blew it off the rail with my backpack blower (oops).

Obedient plant bloomed later in the season. The flowers are so interesting, like little cups:

Marigold was a blast of color. This is from my friend’s garden. I want to plant some in my garden soon:

Are you ready for fall? I am getting there. There is still much to do. And I will miss so much of summer. I will not miss the hot weather though. The cooler temperatures will be so nice.

This article originally appeared on Magnolia Days and has been republished with permission.

Find out how to syndicate your content with Business 2 Community.

Seasonal plant sales

Get out your wagon and your gardening gloves! The arrival of fall brings several big plant sales that you and your green thumb may want to check out.

• The Fresh Friday Night Farmer’s Market returns Oct. 5, from 6 to 10 p.m., in downtown New Port Richey. Vendors will sell produce, plants and specialty foods such as fish, meats, cheeses, bakery items, jellies and jams, honey, nuts, coffee and ethnic foods. There will be demonstrations, gardening tips and live entertainment. This seasonal market will be held in Railroad Square (on Nebraska Avenue between Grand Boulevard and Adams Street) on the first Friday of the month in October, November and December; and every Friday from Jan. 4 to April 26. For information visit www.nprmainstreet.com.

• The Spring Hill Garden Club Fall Plant Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 5-6 at the club’s nursery, 1489 Parker Ave., off Spring Hill Drive (four-tenths of a mile from U.S. 19). Plants that grow well in this area will be offered at reasonable prices. Knowledgeable individuals will be on hand to assist customers in purchasing the right plant for the right location. The garden club nursery is also open from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Mondays. For information call (352) 683-9933 or visit www.naturecoastgardens.com.

• The 11th annual Pasco Master Gardeners Plant Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Pasco County Fairgrounds greenhouse, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City. The sale features native plants, trees, annuals and perennials, foliage and ornamental plants, houseplants, butterfly garden plants, herbs, vegetable plants, daffodil bulbs suitable for Florida, water garden plants, blueberry bushes, citrus and low-chill fruit trees and more. There will be a rain barrel workshop at 10 a.m. (pre-registration required), free lemonade, educational literature, tag sale, silent auction and activities for kids. For information call (352) 518-0156 or visit pasco.ifas.ufl.edu and select “Events Calendar.”

• The monthly Baker House plant sale resumes Oct. 20, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the historic Baker House at 5744 Moog Road, behind Centennial Park Branch Library. Plants for sale by Elfers Centennial Garden Club; Baker House is also open for tours during those hours. This seasonal plant sale is held the third Saturday of the month from October through May. For information, call (727) 372-9954.

Ongoing markets

• Longleaf Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday in downtown Longleaf, off Starkey Boulevard and State Road 54, New Port Richey.

• Fresh Market at Wiregrass, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the first Saturday of each month at the Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel. Features produce, Florida-grown plants and locally made jams, salsas, seasonings and sauces, plus the works of local artists. For information visit tampabaymarkets.com.

• The Market, featuring plants and other gardening goods, runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every other Saturday at West Pasco Habitat for Humanity, 4131 Madison St., New Port Richey. For information call (727) 859-9038 or search for West Pasco Habitat for Humanity ReStore on Facebook.

• Hernando County Farmers Market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays at 2450 U.S. 19, Spring Hill.

• Sweetwater Sunday Market is from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays at Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, Hanley Road and Comanche Avenue, Tampa. Includes native plants, fresh organic produce and products from green vendors and artisans. Live music from 1 to 3 p.m.; open mic from noon to 1 p.m. and 3 to 4 p.m.

Stay-at-home vacations, or “staycations,” can mean a variety of things to different people. For some, it means getting lots of home and garden projects done such as painting, repairs, or tending vegetable gardens. For others, it means having budget-friendly adventures at or close to home such as visiting nearby parks and attractions, attending a neighborhood block party or camping in the backyard. The BBB recommends the following tips to consider when planning a “staycation”:

– Know your budget. Breaking the bank to vacation is not a good option, but fortunately, most consumers are budgeting wisely and making smart decisions. According to an American Express survey, American households can expect to spend about an average of $1,200 per person on summer vacations. It’s no surprise staycations have become commonplace.

– Look for options close to home. There are plenty of fun things to do nearby where you live and ClearPoint Credit Counseling’s eBook, Budget Vacations in Your State can help you discover different options. In this free eBook, there are several exciting opportunities listed for each state and this could inspire you to conduct your own search for other free and inexpensive activities in your own backyard.

– Research deals before making a decision. No matter what your vacation plans are, the BBB recommends that you visit www.bbb.org ahead of time to make sure businesses or offers are legitimate.

– If you choose to travel, be prepared. Those of you who still plan to travel this summer will be among more travelers than last year. Eighty-six percent of travelers are planning trips this summer (up 5 percent from last year), according to TripAdvisor. Thanks to lower gas prices, more people will travel by car than by air.

For more tips, visit www.bbb.org.

Fremont Oktoberfest starts this Friday, September 21st and here is the  behind the scenes, the True Hollywood Story, the condensed soup version of what you need to know to make the most of your Fremont Oktoberfest weekend, but sshhhh it’s a secret.

• Tip #1: Buy Your Tickets in Advance – If you purchase your tickets online in advance, consider yourself a VIP! By-pass the lines and make your way into the Fremont Oktoberfest Tasting Garden faster. Or pick up tickets at the Tap House Grill, our exclusive Advance Ticket Outlet. Hurry! Ticket prices do increase on Thursday, September 20th at 11:59pm. Bonus: Use promo code DUNKEL at checkout for two extra tasting tokens.

• Tip #2: Head Straight for the Stein – If you want to skip the microbrew tastings and go big, purchase a Non-Tasting Admission to the Fremont Oktoberfest Tasting Garden for $15 and head straight to the Tap House Grill Buxom Beer Garden where “buxom” means big! Sit and sip on your choice of a  ½ liter stein or a 1-liter stein of Bayern Oktoberfest and Bayern Pilsener. 

• Tip #3: Go Vertical! Don’t miss out on Deschutes Brewery’s vertical tasting of their Black Butte Porter, paired with Theo Chocolates and Beechers Cheese. Check out our website for pairing details.

• Tip #4: Enter to Win a Ford Escape – While crusin’ through the Fremont Oktoberfest Tasting Garden, be sure to cruise by the Ford booth and enter to win an all-new 2013 Escape. For every person that registers at the event, Ford will make a donation to Feeding America.

• Tip #5: Download the Fremont Oktoberfest Mobile App:

If you want to ditch the paper program and prefer an electronic version instead, download the Fremont Oktoberfest mobile app, presented by the Seattle Times, for a virtual program in your pocket! Easily navigate the festival and see what’s pouring. Now available for iPhone and Android.

*Use promo code DUNKEL for TWO EXTRA tasting tokens! For more information about tickets or Fremont Oktoberfest check out our website or hang out with us on Facebook or Twitter. We will see you this weekend, cheers!
Fremont Oktoberfest

We’re quickly closing on what has been a challenging growing season. As fall arrives it’s important to clean up your garden beds and foundation plantings. Good garden sanitation will help decrease over-wintering insect pests and many plant diseases next year. If you didn’t get a chance to add mulch to your ornamental beds earlier this year you still have time to get it done before winter. A 2-3 “layer of mulch will help moderate soil temperatures and decrease weed germination (and your weeding) next spring.

Our vegetable team reports that Late blight (LB) has been confirmed in Wayne County (tomato) and in more fields in Allegany (potato) and Onondaga (tomato) counties in the past week. It is likely present in many other locations. LB spores can be carried by winds up to 30 miles, and can destroy a tomato or potato crop in just 2-3 weeks!

I have been growing Plum Regal Tomato for canning for 3 years now and it seems to have very good LB resistance and the plants still look great. They produce a fairly heavy crop although they are later to ripen than some other varieties.

If you think your tomatoes or potatoes may have LB or need more information, contact our Master Gardeners at (315)331-8415. If you’re plants become infected don’t compost them.

Upcoming events
Gardening Hotline: Our Master Gardeners are in the office on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon to answer your home garden and landscape questions 331-8415 ext. 107. Master Gardeners are a great resource for new gardeners and for troubleshooting home garden and landscape problems including weeds, lawn issues, wildlife, insect pests and plant diseases along with control recommendations. Plant and insect samples can be brought to the office for identification or diagnostic work. During non-hotline hours you can leave your sample with our secretary or in the drop box at the end of the building. Please put insects in a sealed plastic container (so they won’t get crushed) and plant samples in sealed plastic bags. Remember to label them with your name and daytime phone number where we can reach you. We also offer soil pH testing (cost is $3 per sample) and can help you with soil test interpretation.

Holiday greens workshop: What could be better than spending a Saturday morning creating wonderful holiday decorations out of evergreen boughs? Start the holiday season off with our workshop on selection and use of holiday greens to decorate your home. This year’s workshop will be on Saturday, Nov. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Casey Park Lodge in Ontario. During the 3-hour session, participants can make a fresh wreath, an evergreen swag, and a 15-inch tall tabletop tree to take home and enjoy through the holiday season. Bring your small pruners, wire cutters, and an old pair of gloves and try to arrive around 8:30 a.m. The cost of this workshop is $30 per participant. To register send your check to: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wayne County, 1581 Rte. 88 N. Newark, NY 14513-9739. Please memo Greens Workshop on your check. Registration will open Oct. 1 and close when we receive 45 paid registrations.

Info for woodlot owners: For information and webinars on forest health visit www.cornellforestconnect.ning.com/
Game of Logging 2012 sessions at the Arnot Forest this fall: Level I on Saturday, Sept. 29; Level II on Sunday, Sept. 30; Level III on Friday, Oct. 12. For more information go to: www.cornellforestconnect.ning.com and scroll down the left side.
Federal Income Tax on Timber: For a  key to your most frequently asked questions go to: www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/library/taxpubfaqs.pdf.

Monthly garden and home grounds tips
• Fall is an excellent time to have your soil tested. Call our office for more information.

• As the weather becomes cooler ladybeetles, box elder bugs, and flies look for warm locations to spend the winter and often become a nuisance to homeowners especially during early spring. Take time now to exclude these unwanted pests by sealing up cracks and spaces where they gain access into your home.

•  If you still have fresh herbs, either in containers or in a protected area of your garden it’s not too late to preserve them.  Harvest herbs in the morning and use a rubber band to hold small bunches (8-10 stems) together. Then hang them in a well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight to dry.  Drying can take one to two weeks depending on the plant and its moisture content.  Remove crisp-dry leaves from stems before storing them.

• Clean up dead asparagus stalks to reduce cover where asparagus beetles can overwinter.

• Soon it will be time to plant Garlic. Garlic should be planted 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes. Separate cloves and plant them 4-6 inches apart in the row tip side up and 1-2 inches below the soil surface. As a general rule, the larger the clove, the larger the bulb will be at harvest so pick the largest cloves to plant. Only plant disease free cloves (avoid cloves with brown spots) and don’t plant them where they were planted last year. After the ground freezes mulch the planting area to help reduce heaving of bulbs.  In clay soils remove or rake back straw/mulch once growth resumes in the spring to reduce excess moisture around developing bulbs. It’s also important to keep the garlic weed free as the weeds will compete with the garlic for nutrients.

• Mow newly established or renovated lawns when seedlings are 2.5 inches tall. Make sure your mower blades are sharp so you don’t pull the seedlings out of the soil.

• Avoid applications of broadleaf weed control when temps fall below 50 degrees or before expected rainfall.

• Bring houseplants in before the end of the month. Check them regularly for insect pests.

• If you’re planning a new garden next year prepare the soil now. Add amendments this fall provided a soil test indicates that you need them.

• When planting new trees make sure there aren’t any encircling roots and keep trees well watered until the ground freezes. After the ground freezes you can add a layer of mulch. Make sure you keep it a couple of inches away from the trunk.

• Are you a home canner? Are you following the new canning guidelines? If you would like information about canning, call 331-8415.

Good Gardening!

Posted: Friday, September 14, 2012 3:00 am

Time management, garden tips offered in Warren Township

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WARREN TWP. – Several programs are offered for September at the Warren Township Public Library.

Adult Programs

Afternoon Book Club: 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 13. This month’s selection is “Girl in Hyancinth Blue” by Susan Vreeland. Call the reference desk at (908) 754-5554 ext 32 for more information. New members are always welcome.  No registration required.

Evening Book Club: 7:15 p.m., Monday, Sept. 16.  This month’s selection is “State of Wonder” by Ann Patchett.  Call the reference desk at (908) 754-5554 ext 32 for additional information.  New members are always welcome and no registration is required.

Time Management with Jamie Novak: 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 22. Are you tired of going from task to task without much to show for all your exhausting efforts? Is your to-do list way too long? Do you get tripped up when trying to prioritize? If your current time management strategy is not working join Jamie Novak, expert organizer and author of ‘1,000 Best Time Saving Strategies.’

Learn how to make the most of your time so you can have more fun and get more done.  Registration required.

Creating a Winter Garden: 7 PM, Thursday, Sept. 27. Ruth Claus, from the Master Gardeners of Somerset and Hunterdon, presents this timely program. Garden elements can enliven cold, gray winter days.

The speaker will guide you to flowers that bloom months before the crocus, sculptural shrubs, plants with colorful twigs or bright fruits, and tree barks that peel in striking patterns.  Registration required.

The Art of Ikebana, Japanese Flower Arranging: 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29. Toshio Okimatsu, vice president of the Ikenobo Ikebana Society of New Jersey, will provide a brief illustrated introduction to three styles of Ikebana arrangements.  

The origin of Ikebana goes back 550 years in Kyoto, as a Buddhist floral offering. It has been passed down through generations and spread throughout Japan and the world. Registration is required.

To register online go to www.sclsnj.org/warren.htm  – Click on Adult Programs or call (908) 754-5554 ext 64.

More about Warren Township

• ARTICLE: Warren Township Police — $6,100 in jewelry stolen from home on Manor Dr.
• ARTICLE: Exploring animals, particularly birds
• ARTICLE: Saving trees is everyone’s business
• ARTICLE: About plants, animals, why to go outside

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Friday, September 14, 2012 3:00 am.

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State Of Wonder

Many people visit Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois, for the 27-hole golf course or the prized military museum, which features impressive exhibits of the 1st Infantry Division’s war efforts, and an outdoor collection of refurbished tanks. The 500-acre park is the former estate of Colonel Robert McCormick, an editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune, who was a 1st Division commander at the Battle of Cantigny in France during World War I.

Once visitors leave the museum’s dramatic dioramas, they can stroll along shady paths under century-old oaks and hickories, alongside a pond, through a stunning formal garden, a dazzling rose garden or the prairie planted with native wildflowers and grasses. In all, there are 22 gardens on 29 acres, but it’s the Idea Garden, somewhat tucked away, with its scents, sounds and vivid colors, that instills inspiration and perhaps a little envy.

“We often hear ‘I wish my garden looked like this,'” says Liz Omura, the Idea Garden’s curator. That’s because the garden is bursting with awesome annuals as well as a sprinkling of perennials, shrubs and a few ornamental trees. “Using annuals can give you a lot of color. Perennials come in and out of bloom, but annuals provide color all season.”

Omura wants the plantings in the one-acre garden to appeal to the average homeowner as well as the avid gardener. “There’s something here for everyone–from the different varieties of herbs, vegetables and flowers to the way we combine colors.”

More than 300 varieties of plants are packed into four main sections–an herb garden, a children’s garden, a sensory garden, and a walk-through-the-seasons garden. Paths take visitors past nearly two dozen beds that highlight different themes, such as prehistoric-looking plants, including a Loch Ness Monster topiary planted in the “dinosaur” bed, vegetables and edible flowers, fragrant plants, plants to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, a garden that feeds the birds, small space gardening, and containers with flowers that flaunt colors of the Big Ten schools.

In the butterfly bed, there are host plants, such as bronze fennel and annual milkweed for the caterpillars, and nectar plants, like zinnias, pentas and the fragrant butterfly bush (buddleia) to feed the adults. “I love bronze fennel,” Omura says. “The color can be a good foil for other plants and the blooms are neon green, which goes well with the asclepias (milkweed).”

Butterflies don’t necessarily read the garden catalogs, Omura says, so you’ll find them flitting beyond the butterfly garden to lay their eggs on the hops vine that climbs the Idea Garden’s fence, or over to the perennial “PowWow Wild Berry” coneflowers, the lantana and the “Fire Mountain Red” dahlias.

“Butterflies might be attracted to a certain color but they tend to look for a big landing pad, like a little helicopter.” One great landing pad is the “Double Zahara Cherry” zinnia, with its deep magenta flowers that span more then two-and-a-half inches.

The Alphabet Trail, which highlights plant names–from Angelonia “Angelmist Purple” to Zinnia “Profusion Yellow”–is a favorite with children and adults. There, kids can skip through the gourd tunnel, past Jupiter’s beard, kale, and “Lizard” sedum. “I’m encouraging people to try something different,” Omura says. “The Idea Garden has a trial area for unusual plants and we’re even growing a cotton plant that is a deep burgundy red. I’m excited about those types of things.”

For fragrance, there’s rosemary, heliotrope, lemon thyme, alyssum and lavender. “I really like the alyssum “Snow Crystal,” Omura says. “It has a larger flower and is more heat tolerant,” which was a bonus during this summer’s hot weather.

In the “Sound” bed, there’s a planting of ornamental grasses, baptisia and other plants that rustle with the wind. The potager, a decorative and functional vegetable garden, features greens, peas, beans, herbs, squash and other edibles with plantings that change from spring through fall.

A “Feed the Birds” border runs along the fence outside of the Idea Garden. Here you’ll find cosmos, millet, sorghum, sunflowers and other plants that provide seeds. “Goldie is a really nice sunflower,” Omura says. Unlike older varieties of sunflowers, “Goldie” produces large fluffy blossoms.

“You want plants that look good throughout the summer instead of just another green plant that’s finished flowering,” Omura says. When selecting plants, she chooses varieties that will look good for several months in spite of the weather. “You want to get a little more for your money by asking yourself whether the plant has an interesting leaf texture or variegated leaves when it is out of bloom.” Among her favorites is the new Dianthus “Amazon Neon Rose,” which attracts butterflies, and unlike other dianthus (aka sweet William), this one tolerates heat, flowers for a long time and makes a great cut flower.

Besides showcasing new plants, the Idea Garden uses tried-and-true varieties, along with unusual products–attractive benches made from recycled milk jugs. There’s a raised tabletop planter, shade structures, and planted baskets placed on pillars, all of which encourage gardeners to experiment in their own back yards, patios, decks or balconies.

Perhaps one of the best reasons to visit this little gem of a garden is that it changes through the seasons and from year to year.

Garden Tips Tastes

Wednesdays, September 5 and 19, Noon to 1 p.m.

Cantigny Park Education Center

1S151 Winfield Road in Wheaton

Bring a sack lunch and join Liz Omura for some practical advice, a new recipe and discussion. Free with paid parking ($5). Register at Cantigny.org or 630-260-8162.