A touch of the tropics

Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with a ton of vacation pictures (especially since I took very few), but for the one day it wasn't raining I saw some amazing plants, and on the days it was raining (all the others) I saw some amazing wet plants.

A few highlights:

Remember my stick in a pot? Yeah … this is what that was supposed to be. And those flowers before are the payoff. I almost sprung for another one (rooted this time), but then I read that you really can't grow them indoors and have any kind of success without grow lights. Better left to vacations, I guess.

This was on the road to Hana, so basically the rainforest.

This lovely carpet of moss covered every stone bridge.

Getting there was a bit of an issue though. There were record rains for several days and on the morning we were supposed to drive to Hana (on the east coast of Maui) the road was closed for quite some time due to mud slides. The devastation along the road was amazing, and put an end to our hopes of doing some hiking along the way. We didn't realize just how bad the situation was until we came to this area in the road, where bulldozers were still clearing mud. The sides of the road in this area are supposed to be relatively flat.

Ferns grew along all the sides of the cliffs.

This was a path at one of the places we stayed and I love it. The grass was this great cushion that softened these rocks just perfectly. This one is definitely going on my Great Garden Paths board on Pinterest.

The last day the sun came out and we went to the Alli Kula Lavendar Farm. It is definitely on my list of the top 10 most beautiful places I've seen. Several of the paths were washed out and the plants sustained a lot of damage but it was still gorgeous. It is set on the side of the mountain in an area of the island that only gets between 16 and 20 inches of rain a year. It's at about 6,000 feet of elevation and the view was spectacular.

The lavender wasn't blooming yet, but the proteas were. This huge flowers (probably a foot across when they are open) can be found as cut flowers on occasion in our neck the woods but you pay about $15 a stem for them. They were selling them at Alli Kula for $3 a stem. And they were so amazing you get two pictures of them!

In the course of 24 hours we experienced the lush beauty of the rainforest, the dry sun of the beach (and the bathtub-warm waters of the Pacific), the Mediterrean-like climate of the side of the mountain, and the moonscape-like view at the top of the island, where we did a short hike (in thin air) to the top and I showed off my bad vacation hair. Ironically, at 50 degrees up there, it was colder than it was back home in Wisconsin.

Despite the weather we had a wonderful time, and it was even better when we came home and it was spring! OK, so I guess that was a ton. Sorry! I hope at least they weren't boring.

Aloha!

Even though it's been a mild winter in Wisconsin, it's nice to get out of the gray scene for while. So we did!

Here are some of the colors I've been looking at this week.
















Much prettier than Wisconsin right now, even if it was 60 degrees at home yesterday. We're in Maui on what is our first non-working vacation lasting longer than one weekend ever (and ever in this case covers 16 years). One of us is doing much better at the nonworking part than the other but the weather hasn't been great so generally Mr. Much More Patient has only been e-mailing when it's raining.

Anyway, I didn't bring a real camera but I'm trying to snap pics of every interesting plant I see. We are seeing a ton of whales but there's no way I'll get good pictures of them with the iPhone. That's OK, some photos are best taken with the mind and displayed in the album of your memory. I hope to fill that album up by the end of the weekend.

A dutiful desk gets a new life

Today I'll show you one more project related to the office spruce up. It's not the last thing that needs to be done in the room but I've come to a fairly natural stopping point and anything else I decide to do in there after this is just gravy.

If you've been following along with this project, you'll recall that keeping the whole effort on a shoestring budget was important to being able to do it at all and this project certainly speaks to that.

Now:



Before:




The cabinets were certainly the ugliest beast in this room but the desk was no looker either and it looked even worse once I got the cabinets freshened up with some paint. The desk was another laminate wonder, but I really liked how it functioned. I like desks with a privacy panel (I rarely wear skirts but I'm not very good at sitting in a ladylike manner all day) and you don't find those much anymore. Also, buying a new desk, even a relatively affordable one, would have been a budget buster. So you know what I did next. Yep. Spray paint. I'm getting predictable.

Painting it outside was not an option given that it was the middle of winter so I had to get a bit creative, and in this that meant getting down and dirty in the basement of the building where my office is. I created my own little (temporary) paint booth by putting a tarp on the floor and taping plastic sheeting (thin and cheap) from the ceiling then sealing it to the tarp.


I actually took the desk apart to make it easier to move and paint. I didnt go crazy with the sanding, just a good once over with 120-grit to rough up the smooth plastic laminate. As usual, I gave it a good scrub with Dirtex and dried it thoroughly. Since I was changing out the hardware, I also filled the holes with wood putty.


This photo confirms my suspicion: Tyvek suits are not figure flattering for the under-5'3" set.

Then, in an attempt not to poison or paint myself, I donned a full Tyvek painter's suit, booties, plastic gloves and a respirator. Using my patented trusty Super Thin Coat method, I primed each piece of the desk with two coats of Zinsser Cover Stain primer spray paint. After those dried (about an hour) I covered it with semigloss Rustoleum spray paint. I don't know how many costs I did, but I used three cans and probably could have used a fourth.



I let everything dry overnight and the very carefully put it all back together in my office. I knew the paint wouldn't be fully cured and I didn't want to scratch it.

I figured the paint would do well on the sides and drawers, but I had no such expectations for a top that would see a lot of wear given that it's used daily. We took off the laminate top (it was held on by a handful of screws) and replaced it with a butcher block desktop I had picked up along with the countertops on our relationship-challenging trip to Ikea. (Sidenote: Did you see the episode of "30 Rock" where Liz and her boyfriend go to Ikea and everyone warns them not to? Hysterical.) I stained and Waterloxed the top the same way I did the counters (with almost all the same problems) and then attached it to the desk with the screws we saved from the old top. Then I drilled new holes for the hardware and attached the same handles I used on the cabinets.







I've been thrilled with the results. So far the desk, both the painted parts and the wood top, has proven to be vey durable, sustaining chair bumps, spilled water and random stapler incidents with aplomb. I think the desk top was about $60 and the hardware was another $12 or so. Add in the spray paint and sandpaper, and I got a whole new looking desk for less than $100.

I also sprung for a new solar shade. After all the improvements to the room I couldn't bear to rehang the ill-fitting blinds.




The desk wasn't the only thing that got the spray paint treatment in the office. Read more about that here and about my favorite thing--the fabric bulletin board backsplash--here.

Note: This is the first post I've ever composed entirely on my iPad. That means I couldn't color correct the photos like I normally do and I don't even know how this will appear. I apologize if it's a big mess.

Early signs of spring? I'll take it!

I know that the whole world can't get enough of talking about the mild winter that most of the United States has been experiencing, to the point that some people are getting a little cranky about it, but I know a good bandwagon when I see one and you know I'm on it!

In all seriousness, I've absolutely loved this incredibly mild winter. I may feel differently about it come summer when we get a feel for what kind of impact this will have on our gardens (I don't think plants that don't care to be wet are going to fair well) and the water levels in the Great Lakes which are already a serious environmental problem (and one that makes life much more difficult for sailors who have a hard time getting boats to the dock because the water isn't deep enough). I could believe how many signs of spring I found walking around the yard over the weekend.

I know late February isn't an unheard of time for some signs of spring to start popping up in some places. But here in southeastern Wisconsin (newly minted Zone 5b), it is unheard of. February is full-on winter here. Heck, so is March most years.

Exhibit A: This photo taken March 25, 2011

 

But take a look at what I found in the yard this weekend:

That's not a daffodil popping up a good 3 or 4 inches out of the ground; it's an allium. That is early.

Just a few feet away from the allium, one of the clematis actually has leaves popping up. They are not happy and I don't expect those leaves will do well as they are sure to sustain some serious freezing (I might be happy about the weather, but I'm also a realist). This one (either 'Mrs. N. Thompson' or 'Westerplatte'; they grow up the same trellis so there's no way to know which is which until they bloom) is probably being a bit bold because it grows in a very warm microclimate: the small garden alongside the south side of the house that borders the patio.

The vernal witch hazel is blooming. I wish I had saved the information on this one as I don't know what cultivar it is. The flowers are very pretty but very, very small. I'm wondering if they will get bigger as the plant matures.

The climbing rose 'William Baffin' has some pretty good buds on it already.

This isn't really anything related to the weather, but I'm so happy I left my Juncus 'Blue Mohawk' grasses standing. These were new from Proven Winners last year and even though they are hardy to zone 5 they seemed to be marketed mostly as annuals. I planted three in the ground and one in a pot which I'm overwintering in the garage and decided to let them all be. They are still as green as they ever were (maybe a touch less blue) and they are really quite stunning in the rather stark winter landscape.

Four-star perennials

Last Saturday I attended a garden seminar (I just love going to garden seminars and shows in late winter; it is so fun to dream) where Richard Hawke, the plant evaluation manager for the Chicago Botanic Garden was the keynote speaker. I've gone to a lot of seminars, speeches, talks, etc. for work and pleasure, and Hawke was one of the better presenters I've heard. And best of all he gave the kind of gardening presentation I like best.

See, mostly I just want people to tell me what to plant and why and then show me pictures of how pretty it is. And that's what Hawke did.

Hawke, whose name you might recognize if you're a Fine Gardening magazine reader because he's been writing a few stories for them about the plants he likes best from the botanic garden trials, shared a list of "four-star" plants that have done particularly well in trials.

Originally the Chicago Botantic Garden tested plants for winter hardiness and nothing else, but these days they are looking for four things: cultural adaptability to the soil and environment of the test site, winter hardiness, disease and pest resistance, and ornamental and habit traits. They allow a minimum of four years for evaluation and offer almost no care other than watering as needed and mulching (for water conservation as Hawke says he is convinced that mulch provides no protection from weeds). They don't fertilize, stake or protect from critters (in most cases). They deadhead only to see how plants respond to it.

The idea is that they are testing plants for the average homeowner, not the average gardener, because so many people stick plants in the ground and never touch them again other than to water them on occasion. So gardeners who are more attentive to their plants might find even better results.

So that's how the trials work. And here's part of the list of plants Hawke considers to be "four-star" plants (it's quite long, so I'm picking some of the plants I found to be most interesting). Remember, these trials were done in Chicago so it generally applies to zone 5 or so and climate such as you'd find in the Midwest. I'll put my comments on each plant in italics.

Northcreek Nurseries photo

Agastache 'Black Adder' (hyssop) Zone 5-8; Full sun
Lavender flowers with purple blue calyces give the 7-inch long inflorescence a darker appearance; 48" tall and wide; robust, bushy habit and long-blooming. This Agastache does not produce seedlings so it is easier to manage than many others that seed like crazy.

Plainview Farm photo

Aruncus 'Misty Lace' (Goat's beard) Zone 3-7; Full sun to partial shade
White flowers, in plumes to 14" long, blooms in late May to mid-June. 25" tall by 30" wide. The flowers on this goat's beard make up half the height of the plant which is why I'm intrigued by it even though I already have another goat's beard in my garden. It kind of looks like a giant astilbe, but with sparser plumes.

Chicagoland Grows photo

Baptisia 'Midnight' Midnight Prairieblues (false indigo) Zone 4-8; Full sun
Deep blue violet flowers to 24" long, blooms in late spring to early summer and reblooms on secondary branches. 42-48" tall by 54" wide. This was introduced in conjunction with the CBG and I grow it in my own garden. It is so much nicer than the regular Baptisia and it's one of those plants that lasts forever. As with all Baptisias, pick a spot carefully and keep it there because they don't like to be moved.

Plants Nouveau photo

Echinacea 'Milkshake' (coneflower) Zone 5-8; Full sun
Double creamy white flowers, 3" wide flowers blooming in mid-June to September. 30" tall by 24" wide; stiff stems and a bushy habit. I love all the new Echinaceas, but I've had horrible luck with them. None have lasted more than a couple years. I'm sure I've spent hundreds of dollars in Echinaceas that are now nowhere to be found my garden. Hawke says that while originally people were breeding for color, now they are looking for longevity, so I'm going to try 'Milkshake.' The general rule of thumb that the CBG has found is that if a coneflower goes into winter without basal growth (leaf growth from low on the stem), it's probably not going to be around come spring. If it does have basal growth, it will probably be fine. 

Eupatorium 'Phantom' (Joe pye weed) Zones 4-8; Full sun
Pale purple pink flowers, clusters to 7" wide, in late July to mid-August; 48" tall and wide with dark red/purple stems. Small bushy habit but taller than the promoted 36" inches tall. Mildew resistant. I have both 'Phantom' and 'Little Joe' starred on my list from Hawke and it's really a horse apiece as to which I liked better. This one is less well known than 'Little Joe' but they are both lovely.

Northcreek Nurseries photo

Nepeta racemosa 'Joanna Reed' (catmint) Zones 4-8; Full sun
Lavender blue flowers from mid-May to October, 24" tall by 48" wide. I love nepetas and Hawke says this one is "always in bloom." It is very rounded in a habit, like a blue-flecked meatball. That's my analogy, not Hawke's. That's probably why he gets paid to do this stuff and I don't.

Sandy's Plants photo

Pulmonaria 'Diana Clare' (lungwort) Zone 4-8; Shade to partial sun
Violet blue flowers open rosy pink in mid-April to late May; 12" tall by 26" wide, silver green leaves. I love pulmonarias too, and this one looks good all year. Honest. Well, so Hawke says anyway, and I'm buying it.

Fine Gardening photo

Rodgersia aesculifolia (fingerleaf rodgersia) Zones 5-7; Light to full shade
Palmate leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets; creamy white flowrs in large clusters to 24" long in late spring to midsummer; 36-72" tall and 48-72" wide, rhizomatous habit. Why am I not growing this plant? I need to be growing this plant. It has enormous leaves that offer that tropical look that is so hard to find lower than zone 8 or 9.


Syneilesis acontifolia (shredded umbrella plant) Zone 5-8; Light to full shade
Pale pink disk florets on stems to 42" tall in midsummer. Foliage mound is 18-24" tall by 24" wide. Dissected leaves to 12" wide, slowly spreads by rhizomes; moist soils best but adaptable to dry soils. This is another great foliage plant and a "must have" for my garden.

Native backyard photo

Vernonia lettermannii 'Iron Butterfly' (slimleaf ironwood) Zone 4-9 Full sun
Purple flowers, half-inch wide, bloom in late August to early October; 30" tall by 45" wide; foliage reminiscent of Amsonia hubrichtii; tolerant of dry conditions but not overly wet soils; more compact than the species. I love that this plant blooms late. So hard to keep the garden going at that time of year.


For more on the Chicago Botanic Garden's plant trials including reports on many of their trials, go to www.chicagobotanic.org/plantevaluation