PS-16

Scientists at Rutgers, including our Morris County Extension Agent, Pete Nitsche, have worked for the past decade to recreate the original 1934 Rutgers tomato -- tasty, juicy, easy-to-slice, disease resistant -- that gave a huge boost to the state's food processing industry, commercial vegetable growers, and became know as the Jersey tomato.  Now we all can commemorate the 250th anniversary of Rutgers' founding AND grow this taste-test winner in our own gardens.

from Ilona

... then you should plant a Cornelian cherry tree instead.  I talked about my favorite last week, and my first ever plant sale purchase:  Cornus officinalis 'Kintoki'.  It has been furiously blooming for over a month and as I mourned my brown magnolia soulangiana blooms today -- they got frosted a few days ago --

from Ilona

Hi everyone!

I've just uploaded my slideshow onto Youtube. You can watch it by clicking on the icon.

See you all at the Sale!  Ilona

Cornus kousa—Korean Dogwood,  cv. Wolf Eyes

This is a terrific small variegated Dogwood that makes a perfect focal point in a shady garden.  The variegation holds up well and doesn’t burn or darken.  The white edges actually turn pinkish in the fall, giving the whole tree a lovely glow.

Planting in containers is a great way to get up and personal with your favorite plants!

Whether it's your rebeling back or limited space, or even the neighbor you want to screen quickly, putting that new small tree or shrub into a big pot and maybe underplanting with some wonderful groundcover can give you instant impact that looks great and can last for two to three years before you'll need to replant into the garden. Or, just plant up with terrific annuals and get height from bananas, cannas, or some of the neat tall salvias and abutilons we'll have at the sale. Or, plant vegetables in a big pot and harvest conveniently by your back door. Trellis a tomato in the center and add a pepper and some herbs and you've got your pizza ingredients right there. Umm, we won't have mozzarella at the sale....

An arboretum is a collection of trees.  I have just built a house where every property must have at least five trees which makes my garden a collection and an arboretum. In looking at the plant sale list I have chosen a few trees that might find a place in my new arboretum.

Do flowers have feelings?  Perhaps they do and express themselves not only through their traditional characteristics best known to many gardeners of color and texture but through fragrance as well. How many of us cherish memories of having played near fragrant lilacs, or remember that wonderful aroma of a grandmother’s rose garden?  
 

Ornamental grasses come and go in popularity but serve so many purposes that a collection of different types can enhance your overall design. 

Grasses have more than one season of interest and there are grasses that flower in Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Some even have spectacular Fall color. If left standing over the winter, grasses provide a strong element in the landscape.