In "The Gifted Gardener's" Garden
by Pam Duthie

ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED: 1996 Winter

Gardening this spring was nothing short of discouraging, as the sales figures of any nursery or garden center will attest. The continuous cold, rainy weather that lasted well into June had us all down in the dumps. Do you realize that until now, there had not been Ônormal' or garden friendly weather since last July (and even now, July is colder than usual)!? Think back -- we had drought last year, followed by a profound lack of soil moisture from January to March, 50 mph winds during that same time period, and wind chills in the minus degrees, including some -25 days, for much of the winter! This year, everyone lost plants, including many well-established trees and shrubs that had made it through previous bad years.

So what's a gardener to do when the weather is sour and plant losses are staggering? Most gardeners will try to put a positive twist on their problems, and tell at least a few Ôfish' stories about the extent of their plant losses. After that, we can see 1996 as an opportunity to evaluate the strength of certain plants and also create new combinations of colors and textures in the garden.

First, let's look at the plants that did survive the winter of Ô96, although they bloomed 3-4 weeks later than usual. Looking back, I thought the Star Magnolias [Magnolia stellata], Juneberry [Amelanchier grandiflora], Bridal Wreath [Spirea x vanhoutii], and Korean Spice & Cranberry Viburnums [Viburnum carlesii & V. trilobum] were spectacular. The native woodland plants made a good show of it: Bloodroot [Sanguinaria canadensis], Creeping Jacob's Ladder [Polemonium reptans], Celandine Poppy [Stylophorum diphyllum], Great Merrybells [Uvularia grandiflora], Rue Anemone [Anemonella thalictroides], Great Solomon's Seal [Polygonatum commutatum], Dutchman's Britches [Dicentra cucullaria], Woodland Phlox [Phlox divaricata], Woodland Geranium [Geranium maculatum], and Trilliums [Trillium grandiflorum et al].

The disappointments in my garden were the Lungworts [Pulmonaria], which only came back sporadically, and Daffodils which were planted last fall. Oddly, some Daffodils came up only halfway and others didn't show any foliage at all. The ornamental grasses also took big hits; in fact, many landscape professionals are giving up on the Fountain Grasses [Pennisetum] altogether. The Variegated Maiden Grass [Miscanthus sinensis ÔVariegatus'] is making only a 1-in-4 return. I do hate starting over with the ornamental grasses because it takes about three years to get a plant of substantial size. Some Clematis, Butterfly Bush [Buddleia davidii], Blue Mist Shrub [Caryopteris clandonensis], and Roses did die, but others came back after being cut back to the ground. In my own garden, I have now replanted the ÔCarefree Wonder' Roses which I forgot to mound for winter protection.

One perennial has really surprised me this year -- Balloon Flower [Platycodon ssp. & cvs.]. Balloon Flower was one of the last perennials to come up in the garden, but when it did it was very robust. By the way, my new favorite is Platycodon ÔSentimental Blue', a dwarf 8" form with a long bloom time. I like it better than Campanula carpatica ÔBlue Clips'.

So what can we look forward to this summer? Thank Heavens for Hosta & Daylilies! No apparent losses here, but I was holding my breath waiting for some of the Hosta to show above ground. Even Hosta ÔKabitan', the miniature golden Hosta, finally made its appearance.

It's been interesting to see what came back for sure in other people's gardens and incorporate those plants into new garden plans. For example, many people lost Hybrid Tea roses, but Rosa rubrifolia needed no mounding, was the first rose to leaf out, and looks spectacular at 5' tall. Iris siberica ÔCaeser's Brother', Peonies, and Oriental Poppies have looked like crowning jewels in the midst of hardy Geraniums, Oxeye Daisies, and early-blooming Daylilies.

If nothing else, the winter of 1996 has afforded an opportunity to fill those empty holes in the garden with plant material we have always wanted to try. I am trying a new golden foliage form of Creeping Bellflower [Campanula garganica ÔDickson's Gold] and a new burgundy foliage form of Cimcifuga [Cimicifuga racemosa ÔHillside Black Beauty']. I am adding a biennial Foxglove in some of my designed gardens which blooms for about 8 weeks the first year from seed in pinks & white [Digitalis ÔFoxy']. And finally, I will fill-in with some reseeding annuals like Larkspur [Delphinium ajacis], Verbena [Verbena bonariensis], and Golden Feverfew [Tanacetum parthenium ÔAureum']. Soon I will have a "new" garden with "new" arrangements generated from strange weather and "new" lessons learned (once again) from gardening.

Pam Duthie, The Gifted Gardener, 2551 Shannon Road, Northbrook, IL 60062. (847) 272-4386.

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