Person of the Week and Plant of the Week (hey I can do both if I want!)
On air today will be one of my all time favorite people, Glenn Kraemer. He is amoung the few worthy of early morning attention on a Saturday when I could have slept in! So here is my blog before the show!
Glenn shares my passion for the environment with his own speciality- great looking lawns. This topic of interest opened our dialogue and gave us a starting point that has “grown” into a life long friendship as well as a mentoring relationship for BEST Management Practices for any type of TURF projects.
He is the owner and operator of GR Robinson Seed and Service. He has walked me though the ins and outs of turning Missouri Botanical Garden’s Bird Garden turf into a living masterpiece during my years as caretaker at the Kemper Center For Home Gardening.
His methods have drawn attention to every plot of turf I have ever hand a hand on including my own home landscape that was featured several years ago in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. It has been so fun having great success. Once I had someone who understands both grass as plants, and the homeowner who truly wants to experience success, it became economically and environmentally possible!
As far as featured plant of the week- let’s talk pansies. After years of managing the Missouri Botanical Garden’s annual trials and creating beautiful seasonal displays, it is apparent there is lots of potential uses and choices for spring annuals with pansies leading the list. For years I have grown baskets full of cool season pansies to decorate my deck and door step.
Probably one the best MoBot spring class ocassionally offered is taught my dear friend Jill Schroer, who does a hands on demo with the little viola frequently known as Johnny jump-ups! Watch for it and when you see it, sign up as it fills fast consistently!
The Pansy – Plentifall Viola is a new pansy bred touted to have large flowers, a true trailing habit with branching stems a mass and fragrance! They are mentioned on Sugar Creek Nursery’s website so call Ann and see when she’ll have them!
Here is a link with some details on this newbie coming to us soon: http://www.blogger.com/www.vanmeuwen.com/flowers/flower
Also while we are people and great info- visit Gateway Gardener’s new website. Robert’s new site will make regionally correct information fast and easy- who is smart now? He will post the link to his Spring Flower Basket article featured on this month’s cover on my face book page- watch for it!
He is even using a QR Code for those smarties with the smart phone! Hey finally a smart reason for a gardenner to get more high tech! (Ok any more using the word" smart" and I will sound stupid-just trying to get the point across!)
http://www.gatewaygardener.com/category/lawn-care
Follow this link to Garden Height’s blog and Steffie’s starting seeds article for some suggestions on how to “harden off” seedlings as this is useful for any new plants grown in a protected environment!
Glenn shares my passion for the environment with his own speciality- great looking lawns. This topic of interest opened our dialogue and gave us a starting point that has “grown” into a life long friendship as well as a mentoring relationship for BEST Management Practices for any type of TURF projects.
He is the owner and operator of GR Robinson Seed and Service. He has walked me though the ins and outs of turning Missouri Botanical Garden’s Bird Garden turf into a living masterpiece during my years as caretaker at the Kemper Center For Home Gardening.
His methods have drawn attention to every plot of turf I have ever hand a hand on including my own home landscape that was featured several years ago in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. It has been so fun having great success. Once I had someone who understands both grass as plants, and the homeowner who truly wants to experience success, it became economically and environmentally possible!
As far as featured plant of the week- let’s talk pansies. After years of managing the Missouri Botanical Garden’s annual trials and creating beautiful seasonal displays, it is apparent there is lots of potential uses and choices for spring annuals with pansies leading the list. For years I have grown baskets full of cool season pansies to decorate my deck and door step.
Probably one the best MoBot spring class ocassionally offered is taught my dear friend Jill Schroer, who does a hands on demo with the little viola frequently known as Johnny jump-ups! Watch for it and when you see it, sign up as it fills fast consistently!
The Pansy – Plentifall Viola is a new pansy bred touted to have large flowers, a true trailing habit with branching stems a mass and fragrance! They are mentioned on Sugar Creek Nursery’s website so call Ann and see when she’ll have them!
Here is a link with some details on this newbie coming to us soon: http://www.blogger.com/www.vanmeuwen.com/flowers/flower
Also while we are people and great info- visit Gateway Gardener’s new website. Robert’s new site will make regionally correct information fast and easy- who is smart now? He will post the link to his Spring Flower Basket article featured on this month’s cover on my face book page- watch for it!
He is even using a QR Code for those smarties with the smart phone! Hey finally a smart reason for a gardenner to get more high tech! (Ok any more using the word" smart" and I will sound stupid-just trying to get the point across!)
http://www.gatewaygardener.com/category/lawn-care
Follow this link to Garden Height’s blog and Steffie’s starting seeds article for some suggestions on how to “harden off” seedlings as this is useful for any new plants grown in a protected environment!
She has a great list of particular plants and a guideline for the amount of time needed to toughen them up. This will help you consider how to harden any of your “ they were still in the green house when I bought them” new purchases!
http://gardenheights.com/blog/?p=489
Also some perennials have held on to some green this winter or have new some growth showing. Although it is too early to get them in the ground- it is a good time to think about purchasing those” hard to get when you want them perennials” and include them in your mixed spring planter. Do this with the intention of moving them into the ground went the ground warms and you are ready to redo your baskets!
Ann at Sugar Creek Gardens is running some preseason perennial specials worth checking out! I noticed they are taking some special orders RIGHT NOW! I have a yellow peony I waited two years for at my front door that stops visitors in their tracks- check out their website at: http://www.sugarcreekgardens.com/Sales.htm
http://gardenheights.com/blog/?p=489
Also some perennials have held on to some green this winter or have new some growth showing. Although it is too early to get them in the ground- it is a good time to think about purchasing those” hard to get when you want them perennials” and include them in your mixed spring planter. Do this with the intention of moving them into the ground went the ground warms and you are ready to redo your baskets!
Ann at Sugar Creek Gardens is running some preseason perennial specials worth checking out! I noticed they are taking some special orders RIGHT NOW! I have a yellow peony I waited two years for at my front door that stops visitors in their tracks- check out their website at: http://www.sugarcreekgardens.com/Sales.htm
And finally, take some time to really see, feel and enjoy the life you've been given- I know I have been blessed!
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