Ear to the Ground

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Happy Good Friday! A short one this week. This looks like a great show at the NYBG: Weird, Wild, and Wonderful—"In homage to the beauty of the botanical world's most bizarre flora, the Garden invited members of the American Society of Botanical Artists to participate in a study of the eccentric, creating works of art based on visually unusual plants chosen by the artists themselves. View the results of their efforts—46 captivating paintings and illustrations of exotic specimens—on display in the Ross Gallery." In addition, the evening of May 29 will feature personal appearances by Elizabeth Gilbert and Amy Stewart for An Evening of Women, Art & Botany. Our friends at Twin Oaks Landscaping just won a NYSNLA Environmental Beautification Award! See why. Did you win one too? Let me know! Image courtesy Mikell Herrick From the Times: Zombies in the Garden, Killing Themselves Slowly. "Certain crops are vulnerable to parasites that take control of their hosts’ behavior, forcing them to act in the intruder’s interest." The Arbor Day (April 25th) posters are out, but I don't have an image of one, sadly. If you don't know where in your area to pick them up, email NYSNLA. For all you Spring Trials junkies out there, here's some more coverage from Greenhouse Product News.  Suntory's 'Senetti Blue Eye' pericallis That's all for this week! Have a wonderful Easter weekend, if you celebrate, and if you don't, have a wonderful weekend anyway.

HIPS: The Historical Iris Preservation Society

A Request from the Historical Iris Preservation Society

The HIPS database is currently being rebuilt without the benefit of the majority of the previous files, as we've not been able to salvage more than 2 dozen member lists. Even if you have sent your list of historic varieties from your garden before, please do so again.

A simple list of just the names of the historics you grow is the easiest to add to the spreadsheet.

Contact Brett at:   

Brett Barney

320 Lincoln St.

Sterling, NE 68443

bbarney2@unl.edu

First Iris of the Season

The iris reticulata is always the first iris  to bloom in our area.  A bulb iris, it's diminuitive size (3") leaves it mistaken for a crocus at any substantial distance.

Not a Pretty Picture... Yet

Trying to Bud

There are many frustrating times in the garden, but this is perhaps the most testing in my area.  The snow has melted, but in the course of its melt, refreeze and remelt, the ground is so saturated with water it looks like it will never dry out.  Rhizomes succumbed to frost heave and have to be tamped back in. Many of them look so sad that one's hope in their recovery is weak.

Mud and Heaved Rhizomes

 The softened ground weakened the anchors of this trellis.

Fallen Trellis

Even St. Francis could not withstand the winter

Fallen Francis

Cock-eyed Bird Feede

Despite liberal applications of "Liquid Fence" two weeks ago the deer and/or rabbits were not deterred on these tulips.

Eaten Tulips

 The rhizomes that Jim and I potted look pathetic, but alive!

Potted Iris

 The tools of the day: Besides a foot to reinsert rhizomes, these will help clear leaves before the foliage buries them from view.

Tools and Leaves