June 2004
Wild Flowers and Waterfalls
Leonard J. Buck Garden - NJ
During June there are quite a few native plants in bloom. Mitchella repens, partridge berry, is native to the woodlands of eastern North America and blooms in two different locations here, the Fern Garden and Fern Rock. Mitchella repens is a trailing groundcover that has something for all seasons. It has 1/2" round, dark evergreen foliage with whitish veins in spring, two tiny, fragrant, tubular shaped, pinkish flowers in summer, and bright red berries in the fall, which can go throughout the winter. The scarlet berries are relished by partridges giving this plant its common name. Plant Mitchella repens in leafy, woodsy soil, in part shade to shade. Amsonia hubrechtii, blue star, can be found at the Visitor's Center and in the Azalea Field. This tough native has no serious pests or diseases and grows in average, medium wet to well-drained soil, in full sun or part shade. Numerous star-shaped, steel blue flowers appear in June and the soft-textured, needle-like foliage turns bright gold in fall. Amsonia hubrechtii grows 3-4' with an equal spread.
The faded red flowers of Asclepias incarnata, swamp milkweed, can be seen
along the Lower Pond Boardwalk. The 1/4" vanilla scented flowers are clustered at the top of a tall branching stem, reaching heights of 2-4'. This butterfly attracting plant likes moist, sunny conditions, but withstands average garden soil. Did you know plants in the milkweed family are the only known larval food for the monarch butterfly? Learn about these native plants and more on June 19, 2004 when the Leonard J. Buck Garden presents Native Plants in a Naturalistic Garden.
Tricia Scibilia, interpretive gardener
What's in Bloom
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Longwood Gardens - PA
Two gardens vie for show-stopping this month – the Idea Garden and the Hillside Garden. The Idea Garden is divided into sections by plant type -- vines, ground covers, annuals and so on. “Visitors can walk through as if paging through a catalog,” says Elizabeth Sullivan, publicity coordinator. Each section contains a mailbox with handouts that include facts and plant sources. Right now the rose section is standout and the vegetable sections are starting to bear produce. A joy to “We’ve been trying to have purple martins for 10 years now,” says Sullivan, “In spring they hung gourds off the houses and now we have two pairs nesting.”
The Hillside Garden has steep terrain with paths. The garden is near a waterfall that flows from a hilltop reservoir and is ultimately pumped to the main fountain garden as part of the fountain’s recirculating water system. Following a show, the waterfall races down hill. “It’s quite fascinating,” Sullivan says. “It’s all part of the original design of Pierre du Pont. Here, rock garden plants bloom, like salvia, geranium, poppies. The historic chimes tower is nearby. Come, have fun.
What's in Bloom
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"Garden in the Woods" - MA
The Trumpet Honeysuckle, Lonicera semprivirens, is in full bloom in the Woodland Garden. Depending on the cultivar, flowers are yellow, orange, or red. Red are most favored by Hummingbirds. Several Rhododendron species, including R. cumberlandense (formerly R. bakeri), and American Ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, bloom there also.
Other favorites blooming in the Lily Pond area are Yellow Stargrass, Hypoxis hirsute, Fire Pink, Silene virginica, Sisyrinchium species, Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia, and Bowman's Root, Porteranthus trifoliatus. In the meadow, Carolina Lupine, Thermopsis carolinana, and Goats Beard, Aruncus dioicus, stand tall. In the Western Garden, many of the Penstemons (P. hirsutus, P. grandiflorus, and P. serrulatus), bloom with California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica and Prickly-pear Cactus, Opuntia macrorhiza. The cranberries, Vaccinium macrocarpon, in the bog will go into bloom at the end of the month.
Tom Smarr, horticulturist
What's in Bloom
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