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Boston Flower Show March 12-16

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By Carol Stocker…Winter must be finally ending because The Boston Flower Garden Show runs March 12-16 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. This is a grand old Boston tradition with roots deep in the 19th century. There will be about 20 indoor gardens on display to create the illusion of spring.

I will be on the long roster of lecturers, speaking at 1:30 on Saturday. My challenging topic is: “Are We Already Seeing the Effects of Climate Change in Our Own Backyards?” I will be representing The Boston Globe’s prize winning Design New England Magazine. (Where I won a second place last year from the national Quill Trowel Awards for magazine writing for my article about Ron Flemings’ magnificent Newport Garden, “Bellevue.”)

This year’s Flower Show theme, “Romance in the Garden” will the work of professional landscape designers and nurseries as well as volunteers, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and the Massachusetts Federation of Garden Clubs and other horticultural organization that incorporate plants, materials and techniques representing romance, beauty and love in gardens and outdoor spaces.

On Tuesday evening, March 11, from 7:00pm – 9:30PM, The Boston Flower Garden Show and its producer, Paragon Group will partner with the Genesis Foundation for Children and radio station Mix 104.1 – featuring Karson Kennedy – to kick off the Show with a Preview Party (ticket $100) fundraiser to benefit the Genesis Foundation.

Show Highlights include

Garden Marketplace: Hundreds of retail vendors feature thousands of plants, garden tools and furnishings, landscape services, botanical décore and floral themed gifts.
Floral Competitions: The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Horticultural Society coordinate colorful competitions amongst the region’s top amateur floral arrangers and horticulturists, set to whimsical variations on the show theme such as “Love Songs” and “Something Old, Something New.”
Lectures Demonstrations: Danielle Sherry, Senior Editor of Fine Gardening Magazine will show “How to Fall Back in Love with Our Tomatoes” as part of a diverse lecture program featuring dozens of topics from “America’s Romance with the English Garden” to “Hydroponics 101.”
EcoTours: New this year, the Ecological Landscape Association and the US Environmental Protection Agency will team up to offer a once-a-day tour of the show’s gardens, pointing out the ecologically-sound practices on display.
Ask the Experts: Master Gardeners will be on hand to help with vexing garden issues from soil typing to insect treatments.
Little Sprouts Activity Center: Children’s activities center features arts crafts, face painting, and garden fun.

The show is sponsored by Subaru of New England and produced by Paragon Group of Needham, Massachusetts, an event marketer and producer of major events including the New England International Auto Show, The Boston RV Camping Expo and the National Golf Expo Boston.

Additional Show sponsors include, Official Print Sponsor – The Boston Globe, Official Resort Sponsor – Wynn Resorts, Official Cruise Sponsor – Celebrity Cruises, Official Wine Sponsor – Naked Grape, Official Lecture Series Sponsor – The Landscape Institute at Boston Architectural College.

Dates Hours:

· Wednesday, March 12, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

· Thursday, March 13, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

· Friday, March 14, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

· Saturday, March 15, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

· Sunday, March 16, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Admission:

· Adults $20

· Seniors (65+) $17

· Children (6-17) $10

· Children Under 6 Free

· NEW: Flower Show After Dark sponsored by Wynn Resorts subsidizes Evening Discount Ticket: $15, after 5pm, Wed, March 12 through Sat, March 15

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.bostonflowershow.com.

For answers to your gardening questions, email them with your name and town to stockergarden@gmail.com. I will also be on line live at boston.com at 1 p.m. March 20 to answer questions.

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Easy Planting Tips For Hibiscus Plants

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Who can possibly dislike flowers? Be it roses, tulips, daisies or carnations, flowers mesmerize all. But the thought of regularly caring for flowering plants pull us back from growing them.

The good news however is, there are several flowering plants that require very little care yet produce spectacular blooms. One of such plants that are easy to grow is hibiscus. Known for its bright, extravagant, trumpet-like blooms, hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants which boasts several hundred species that are native to tropical, sub-tropical and warm-temperate regions of the world. Some of the hibiscus plants are annual plants whereas some can live for over two years.

Easy Planting Tips For Hibiscus Plants

If we talk about hibiscus rosa-sinensis (species of hibiscus commonly known to us as Chinese hibiscus or China rose) specifically, the most strikingly beautiful feature of this hibiscus plant is it’s large and vivid red, showy flowers.

ALSO SEE: Caring For Your Aloe Vera Plant

Also, the foliage of hibiscus plant with its dark green and glossy leaves provide for a beautiful contrast with the plant’s impressive blossoms, thus making the plant look like an aesthetically pleasing treat to eyes.

So if you are ready to gear up on your plans of growing hibiscus, we have some planting tips for hibiscus that might come in handy for you.

Some important planting tips for hibiscus plants are:

Choosing The Perfect Spot
First important planting tip for hibiscus is choosing the right spot for your plant. Make sure that you plant your hibiscus in a sunny location. Only in case of hot climate zones, plant your hibiscus in a spot that is slightly shady.

Soil Requirement
This is definitely one of the important planting tips for hibiscus. To make sure that your hibiscus is strongly rooted and grows well, plant it in well-drained soil, i.e., the kind of soil that does not retain water when it rains.

However, if the soil in your garden does hold water, you can always improve the soil’s drainage by amending the ground with a small amount of organic material (peat, sand, moss or manure) prior to planting hibiscus.

How To Plant?
Grow it as a single plant, as a hedge plant or in containers, if given the right treatment, hibiscus plants can flourish in any way. When growing multiple plants, make sure that each plant is spaced 3 to 6 feet apart.

Also one important planting tip for hibiscus is that while digging the hole, make sure that the hole is only as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times wider.

Water Requirement
Hibiscus plants are water thirsty and can only thrive and produce those beautiful blossoms if sufficient water is given to them. So watering hibiscus plants on a regular basis is definitely one of the most important growing tips for hibiscus plant.

However, it is important here to understand that your plant has to remain moist and not wet so while watering your hibiscus plant, make sure not to drown it.

So, all hibiscus needs is proper drainage and enough water to thrive. Does not that sound easy? I hope that these growing tips for hibiscus plants prove helpful to you.

If you have some more planting tips for hibiscus plants or some quick tips on how to keep those blossoms spectacular throughout the year, do write to us!

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Spring Tips for Safe Gardening

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Stephen Walden, president of Bosse Tools, with one of the company's new ergonomic shovels.

Stephen Walden, president of Bosse Tools, with one of the company’s new ergonomic shovels.

Gardening is a dangerous pastime in America. Experts in nurturing native plants don’t always understand how to protect their joints and muscles while they work.

To avoid major injury and enjoy working outside, gardeners will need the right tools and an understanding of safety fundamentals.

At the Master Gardeners meeting Monday, guest speaker M. Franz Schneider explained how force, frequency, posture and compression can take their toll on voracious gardeners. Schneider is an ergonomist and CEO of Humantech.

“There are things we can and cannot do,” Schneider said.

He said that by lessening force and frequency, and removing compression, gardeners can remain healthy and enjoy all their favorite activities for years to come.

Avoiding these injuries isn’t a secret, and Schneider offered a few basic commonsense tips to enjoy the spring and summer without problems.

Use the right tools. A number of new companies now offer ergonomic tools that make gardening easier, and lessen the risks of back and muscle injury. During his presentation, Schneider showed the audience a catalog page with common gardening tools from 300 years ago, tools that look much like the ones we use today. These tools are being replaced by modern inventions, such as the ergonomic shovels by Bosse Tools that were developed from a successful Kickstarter project.

Other smart tool choices include pruning shears with springs, wheelbarrows with big wheels and added pivoting handles, and any other tools that allow gardeners to use bigger upper arm muscles, instead of forearm muscles.

Use smart strategy when working in the yard. The yard can be filled with dangers, such as the overturned rake or a sharp object hiding in the wheelbarrow filled with mulch. Even a gardener’s lack of protective eyewear or proper footwear can cause an unneeded injury. Remember to always put up tools in their proper place once you’re finished with work and defend yourself against injury.

Posture makes a big difference. Gardeners don’t need to kneel or bend over when gardening. Sitting on a stool won’t protect sensitive backs from bending, so they aren’t the best choice. Some modern tools already exist that make gardening from a standing position possible, and they should be a gardener’s first choice.

Speaker Franz Schneider, with the Lafayette County Master Gardeners who are planning this year's state conference, to be held in Oxford. Pictured with Schneider are Sandra Summers, Donna Gottshall, Nina Patrick, Donna Long, Dicki King and Fran Woodard

Speaker Franz Schneider, with the Lafayette County Master Gardeners who are planning this year’s state conference, to be held in Oxford. Pictured with Schneider are Sandra Summers-Schneider, Donna Gottshall, Nina Patrick, Donna Long, Dicki King, Fran Woodard and Colleen McChesney.

In his presentation, Schneider said the dangers people face at home are unexpected: unintentional deaths at home from injury, poisoning and falls equal a number that’s five times larger the number of deaths attributed to motor vehicle accidents.

He said two out of three injuries at home start with a hobby, such as gardening, woodworking or car maintenance.

His wife, Sandra Summer-Schneider, is a Lafayette County Master Gardener. Summer-Schneider joined the Master Gardeners in 2012, and the couple have lived and worked on three continents, and have moved around the United States, spending time in the subtropics, the mountains and in the high desert in Sante Fe, NM. They’ve spent seven years in Oxford, as their stop in the South, and hope to next make their way to Africa.

– Gretchen Stone is HottyToddy.com associate editor. You can contact Gretchen about this story at Gretchen.Stone@HottyToddy.com

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Gardening Tips: Spring cleanup in the perennial bed

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Posted: Friday, March 7, 2014 11:58 am

Gardening Tips: Spring cleanup in the perennial bed

By Matt Stevens

The Daily Herald, Roanoke Rapids, NC

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It has been a cold and wet winter, but now the calendar says March — spring is no doubt just around the corner. There are a few other signs of spring, the slow-emerging daffodils and warm forecast for this weekend and next week. Many gardeners are undoubtedly tempted by this upcoming weather and there are some things you can be doing outside to prepare for spring.

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4 gardening tips for this spring

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By David Scott
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Posted Feb. 28, 2014 @ 4:54 pm

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Drought-wise gardening tips

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By Angela Hill

ahill@bayareanewsgroup.com

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UNCANOONUC MT. PERENNIALS

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Posted by Carol Stocker, Globe garden expert, who will answer your questions live on line Thursday, March 6, 1-2 p.m….UNCANOONUC MT. PERENNIALS NAMED A 2014 “EDITORS’ CHOICE, HOME GARDEN AWARD” WINNER BY YANKEE MAGAZINE

Goffstown, NH, February 26, 2014 – Uncanoonuc Mt. Perennials is one of my favorite New England nurseries. Nettie Rynearson, Uncanoonuc Mt. Perennial’s owner, does an outstanding job. Now it has been recognized as a 2014 “Editors’ Choice Home Garden Award” winner in Yankee Magazine’s March/April issue. This exclusive designation recognizes Yankee’s editors’ favorite New England home garden shops, public gardens, garden ornaments furniture, garden accessories, and restaurant gardens.

“There are few better ways to welcome spring’s arrival than with thoughts of growing things that bring beauty and nourishment to our lives,” says Yankee’s editor, Mel Allen. “Yankee’s “Home Garden Awards” serves as a guide for both new and experienced gardeners.”

“We are honored to be one of the eight New England nurseries included in the BEST NURSERIES category. And to have been singled out for our roses is very exciting. Yankee Magazine called us a rose lover’s paradise,” said Rynearson. “You’re invited to come experience the beauty for yourself.”

For 34 years Uncanoonuc Mt. Perennials at 452 Mountain Road, has been growing healthy, hardy, low maintenance, ornamental plants. For the 2014 season, over 900 carefully selected varieties will be available, of which almost 100 varieties are roses. A park-like setting, with extensive display gardens, a fountain, a formal rose garden and 2½ acres of stock beds and potted plants, there’s something for everyone, gardeners and non-gardeners alike, to enjoy. For more information, see their website: www.uncanoonucmt.com, find them on Facebook or email them at questions@uncanoonucmt.com.

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4 gardening tips for this spring

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By David Scott
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Posted Feb. 28, 2014 @ 4:54 pm

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Gardening program draws locals to Auburn for tips on green, healthy lifestyles

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AUBURN | With only a handful of weeks left in winter, the Cayuga County Health Department is getting locals prepped for spring.

The department hosted a free gardening program at the Auburn Public Theater on Sunday. The event brought together a number of local organizations to promote healthy living and awareness of Auburn-area foods.

“It shows you can get great local food in Cayuga County,” said Sabrina Hesford of the Cayuga County Health Department. “And when you spend local, your money stays local.”

The program was a five-hour event with different activities and presentations planned throughout the day. Attendees were educated in the ways of smart gardening through presentations on pest management and effective means of growing food.

Beyond the scheduled presentations, the APT was transformed into an open house of sorts for the gathered organizations and businesses. Several of these — such as the Cornell Cooperative Extension, Seymour Library and the health department — provided attendees with various resources concerning healthy living.

Others were informative about some local initiatives such as the Auburn Housing Authority’s community gardening project and Community Supported Agriculture’s local food distribution system.

Representing the farmers market of Auburn was Dave Wilczek, of Wilczek Farms in Fleming. Wilczek, the vice president of the farmers market board, handed out contact information for local farmers and apples from Owen Orchards as part of the market’s method of promoting local awareness.

Much of the farms’ community outreach comes before April, which is when things start to get busy around the farms as the snow starts to thaw, he said.

“For us, it helps people realize what the farmers market is and where the food is coming from,” Wilczek said. “Something like this helps to get people out, I guess.”

The contacts will prove valuable in the future, said Auburn resident Sicily Rumpf. Rumpf, who found out about the event through signage, said the event helped catered to her interests in fruits, vegetables and gardening.

In connecting with the local farmers, the Auburn resident said she’d like to do the best she can to buy local when possible.

“I’m going to try to support them,” she said.

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Camellia Show March 1&2

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Posted by Carol Stocker…Tower Hill Botanic Garden will host the 185th annual Massachusetts Camellia Show on March 1st and 2nd. During the show, which is sponsored by the Massachusetts Camellia Society, hundreds of beautiful camellia flowers at their peak will be on display at Tower Hill Botanic Garden.

Camellias are evergreen shrubs and small trees that can take six different flower forms. A native of Japan, China and Southeast Asia, Camellia flowers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with bloom colors ranging from icy white and pink to coral and brilliant crimson. Camellias, which usually have rapid growth rates and thrive in temperate, humid climates, are also used to make tea and sweat seasoning and cooking oil.

The Massachusetts Camellia Society show is the oldest continuing exhibition of camellias in the United States. During the annual show, visitors will have the opportunity to view hundreds of flowers on Camellia trees featured in Tower Hill’s own collection, along with blossoms from a variety of private collections.

“The annual Camellia Show is the perfect way to escape the cold and experience the tropical greenery of Tower Hill’s indoor gardens,” said Kathy Abbott, new executive director of Tower Hill Botanic Garden. “The camellia is a wonderful and unique flower known for its beauty and commercial uses. We’re pleased to have on display this March such a diverse and beautiful collection of these special plants. It’s a great way to spend a winter day in New England.”

Massachusetts’ fondness for camellias dates back hundreds of years to the China Trade, when they were reportedly exported to the West by Chinese merchants who mislabeled them as tea plants to protect their market.

During the Camellia Show individuals will also have the opportunity to participate in several events at Tower Hill that are included with the price of admission, such as:

· A Tea Tasting with Upton Tea Imports from noon to 3 p.m. on March 1st and 2nd

· A discussion on The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Camellias and the History of Camellias in Boston at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 1st

· Walking Tour of the Camellia Show with Sandy Katz, president of the Massachusetts Camellia Society at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 2nd

Many of the camellia plants at Tower Hill originated as cuttings from the private collection of Isabella Stewart Gardner. Tower Hill was invited to preserve this collection in the summer of 1998 when the greenhouses that housed Isabella’s collection were dismantled.

The Massachusetts Camellia Show takes place at Tower Hill Botanic Garden on Saturday March 1, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 2nd from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Camellia show is included with regular admission to Tower Hill and is free for members.

For more information, please visit http://www.towerhillbg.org/index.php/visit/what-s-happening/flower-shows/camellia-show/

Founded in 1986 by the Worcester County Horticultural Society, Tower Hill Botanic Garden is nationally recognized as one of the finest gardens in the Northeast. The Garden has experienced tremendous growth since its inception, and is now one of the leading cultural organizations in Worcester County with more than 80,000 annual visitors and 10,000 active members.

Tower Hill Botanic Garden, located at 11 French Drive in Boylston, is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Wednesday evenings through September, the garden is open extended hours until 9:00 p.m. Tower Hill is less than an hour away from Boston, Providence, Hartford and Springfield.

For more information, please visit www.towerhillbg.org.

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