Archive for the ‘Horticultural Learning Activities’ Category

Spring only comes once a year – Don’t Miss It!

Take the time before spring is over and the blossoms are down. Here is a list of local community gardens that we can all visit — smell the blossoms, view the kaleidoscope of color, and enjoy the beauty of spring. These gardens are free to enjoy and appreciate at any time of year, but now is THE BEST TIME. Don’t Delay.

The UW Arboretum; Allen Centennial Gardens; Olbrich Botanical Gardens; University Display Gardens (West Madison Ag Research Station); Rotary Gardens in Janesville; Anderson Japanese Garden in Rockford

ENJOY!

Hopefully, you were able to make it to one of the many home improvement-related tradeshows this winter. If not, you can come and visit our exhibit at this weekend’s Madison Builders Home Products Show or MABA Show. We will be in booth #1022 March 2, 3, and 4th at the Alliant Exhibition Center.

Also, if you are thinking about having any spring clean-up or getting on our ‘early bird list’ for landscaping this season, give us a call to set up an appointment. With the lack of snow this winter, we have been able to do site visits, see the grade, do measurements and get estimates to our clients; so don’t delay in giving us a call, so you can ‘Sit Back and Enjoy the View’ for the whole summer and growing season. Please link to tradeshow dates, times, etc.

Madison Area Builders Association Tradeshow

UW-West Madison Agricultural Research Station Urban Horticulture Day – Saturday, August 20 10:00 am-3:00 pm

New Program: 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.  At 8:00am, a Beginners Bird Walk and Bird Survey will be held, hosted by David Drake, Extension Wildlife Specialist, and Marsha Lisitza, local bird expert. They will lead a morning walk and a beginning bird survey program—remember to bring your binoculars! Meet in the parking lot next to the garden. Park across the dumpster near the hay barn.  Then, stay and join the fun at the field day!

Get new ideas and answers to perplexing problems, sample fresh produce and tour one of the area’s most extensive collections of flower and vegetable varieties, including many that haven’t yet appeared in seed catalogs, listen to the Madison Flute Club perform their Spring Concert from 10:30 to 11:30, taste and watch sauerkraut being made, “Silly Soil and Crazy Caterpillar” Sundaes will be available for the kids, Rocket Balloons, Fortune Fish, as well as a treasure hunt, and UV Bead, bracelet making—all at the West Madison Agricultural Research Station, 8502 Mineral Point Road, Verona. More details to come! Admission and parking are free. The field day is sponsored by UW-West Madison Agricultural Research Station staff, researchers at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Extension staff, and Master Gardener Volunteers.

Questions: 608-262-2257

The University Display Gardens on Mineral Point Rd, West Madison Agriculture Research Center  (just down the road from intersection of Junction and Mineral Point) offer evening walks where U.W. specialists discuss what diseases and insects are of concern this year, as well as discussing new vegetables, and fruit tree care. These gardens are open to the public. Call (608).262.2257 if you would like more information. The walks are free; donations are encouraged. Please join in.

July 19 – Insects in the Garden – Phil Pelletteri, 6-7:30 PM

July 26 – Diseases int he Garden – Brian Hudelson, 6-7:30 PM

August 2 – Vegetables – Judy Reith-Rozelle, 6-7:30 PM

August 20 – Urban Hort Field Day – Displays, tasting, and family fun, 10-3

August 23 – Fruit Walk – Rebecca Harbut, 6-7:30

Try some of these plants in your garden!

 

TREES

-          Amur maple (Acer ginnala)

-          Cottonwood (Populus deltoids)

-          White oak (Quercus alba)

-          Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)

-          Burr oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

SHRUBS

-          Walker weeping peashrub (Caragana arborescens ‘Walker’)

-          American hazelnut (Corylus americana)

-          Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)

-          Northern bayberry (Myrica pennsylvanica)

-          Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa)

-          Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatic ‘Grow Low’)

-          Mohican viburnum (Viburnum lantana ‘Mohican’)

FERNS

-          Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

-          Leatherwood fern (Dryopteris marginalis)

PERENNIALS

-          Yarrow (Achillea spp.)

-          Nodding onion, Ornamental chives, Ornamental onions (Alliums spp.)

-          Threadleaf blue star (Amsonia hubrichtii)

-          Aster (Aster spp.)

-          False indigo (Baptisia spp.)

-          Bergenia (Bergenia spp.)

-          Calamint (Calamintha spp.)

-          Snakeroot/Bugbane (select Cimicifuga spp.)

-          Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)

-          Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.)

-          Barrenwort (Epimedium spp.)

-          Cranesbills (Geranium x cantabrigiense, G. sanguineum)

-          Lenten rose (Helleborus cultivars)

-          Daylilies (Hemerocallis spp./cultivars)

-          Coral bells (Heuchera spp./cultivars)

-          Hostas (Hosta spp.)

-          Candytuft (Iberis spp.)

-          Lavander (Lavandula spp.)

-          Gayfeather (Liastris spp.)

-          Creeping lily-turf (Liriope spp.)

-          Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)

-          Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

-          Fragrant Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum odoratum)

-          Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia fulgida, R. speciosa)

-          Salvia/Sage (Salvia spp.)

-          Sedum (Sedum spp.)

-          Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum spp.)

-          Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

-          Thyme (Thymus spp.)

-          Spiderwort (Tradescantia hybrids)

-          Myrtle/Vinca (Vinca minor)

-          Adam’s needle (Yucca filamentosa)

GRASSES

-          Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis hybrids)

-          Sedges (Carex spp.)

-          Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa)

-          Fescue (Festuca glauca)

-          Moor grass (Molinia caerulea)

-          Switch grass (Panicum amarum, P. virgatum)

-          Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)

-          Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

-          Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)

-          Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)

Hey Ganshert Blog Readers

There are a lot of great gardening tours and walks coming up this summer. Keep an eye on the paper or our blog to catch the upcoming events.

For example, check out Olbrich Botanical Garden’s link below for time and locations of this year’s Olbrich Home Garden Tours. Find out how your garden can get chosen to be in a future tour and other exciting news from Olbrich.

Home Garden Tour

Scotts Fertilizers Phosphorus-Free by End of Next Year

Scotts Miracle-Gro will remove phosphorus from most of its lawn fertilizers by the end of next year, and is focusing on creating more “efficient and optimized” ways to use nitrogen in its lawn fertilizers. Phosphorous is blamed for turning aquatic habitats into dead zones when excessive amounts are dumped through residential and farm runoff and waste water. Some states have enacted bans on the use of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus, and more are considering restrictions. Scotts began lowering phosphorus levels in its lawn fertilizer products in 2006. Because phosphorus is essential to the initial root development of grass, the nutrient will remain in the company’s starter fertilizers. Phosphorus will also remain in its lines of organic lawn food, as it naturally occurs in organic materials contained in the products. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Hagedorn says a central part of the new initiative is a multi-year commitment to consumer communication, education and grassroots outreach regarding water quality and conservation. This includes incorporating water quality and conservation messaging into the company’s consumer advertising, dedicated websites and other “digital outreach tools” for consumers, as well as funding for educational outreach efforts with environmental partners and local organizations.

Walks in the woods: Olbrich Gardens and  U.W. Arboretum-Longenecker Display Gardens

It’s that time of  year — you better get out and smell the flowers!

What’s in bloom?

Amelanchier  (Serviceberry species)

Magnolias (certain varieties and lots more on the way)

Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud Trees)

Rhododendrons & Azaleas

And lots more to come. Enjoy!

Hey, tired of the snow? Tired of the below zero temperatures this week?

Head on out to the Garden Expo at the Alliant Energy Center this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (Feb 12,13,14). Ganshert staff will be there putting on seminars and educational demos. Come see us at Booth 808 & 809. Check out www.ganshert.com blog for talks and times.

On Saturday Paul will be presenting Landscaping to Enhance Your Property Value and Landscaping Tips for Elderly Living. Sharon and Errin will be putting on a pruning demonstration on Saturday afternoon. Also on Saturday,  Mike, Clayton, and Phil will be talking on Hardscape Options for Outdoor Living (permeable paver options, etc.)

SEE YOU THERE!

See you there! See link below for schedule and Ganshert presentations:

NARI Remodeling Expo at the Marriott Madison West

When: February 4- 6

Ganshert Booth: #613

Garden Expo at The Alliant Center

When: February 11-13

Booth: #808 & #809

Click here for Ganshert 2011 Speaking Schedule for Tradeshows

Get a $1.00 off your ticket prices by linking to the Garden Expo Website:    http://www.wigardenexpo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Coupon.jpg