More Adventures at the Research Station

I've posted about the UW-Madison West Agricultural Research Station before, but I figured it would be a good time to head over there again to see what's growing. The display gardens and the research crops change from year to year.

Students and faculty at the university's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences have access to the gardens for research, agronomic and horticultural plant breeding and variety trials, community outreach, student training, and providing feed and manure management for the UW-Madison campus livestock.

Focus areas include field crops (corn, soybeans, small grains, alfalfa, and cover crops), plant breeding trials, vegetables, small fruit crops, composting, irrigation, and the horticultural display gardens (annuals and perennials). The latter include All-America Selections (AAS) winners.



I spent most of my time during this recent visit in the display gardens. There's a pretty little plant collection right out front, with annuals and perennials, welcoming people to the gardens.



Screen-protected areas display line-ups of various plant varieties; shown here, Coral Bells (Heuchera spp).

The masses of open areas are fascinating, too, and beautiful!







One could spend hours viewing all these options!



One main reason I enjoy visiting these gardens is to see and track butterflies, like this silver-spotted skipper, for Wisconsinbutterflies.org. With all the flowering plants, the butterflies are plentiful, too.



On this particular day last week, I saw more than 20 monarchs, along with several other species.



Their favorite area seemed to be the Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) display. And the favorite varieties on this particular day were 'Chrysalis Blue' and 'Chrysalis Cranberry.'



Some monarchs were still laying eggs on the plentiful native milkweeds in the gardens.



I was particularly tickled to see the popularity of the native Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) blooms and other Silphium species, which were covered in various pollinators.



While I've seen Moneywort (Lysimachia alfredii) in gardens before, this variety, 'Night Light,' was quite attractive. Apparently, it prefers partial to full shade, the foliage turns burgundy in the shade, and it's rabbit-repellent (duly noted for my garden!).



The bumblebees were happy on Heliotrope 'Augusta Lavender' (Heliotropium hybrid). But who wouldn't be?



Now this plant had me curious, with its large fluffy, double blooms: 'Double Sunking' Sunflower (Helianthus annuus).



Its height, from various sources, is listed at six feet, but these plants were much taller!



I didn't make note of the species on this Canna Lily (Canna spp.), but I'm thinking it might be 'South Pacific Orange,' the 2018 AAS Flower Winner, and the one that I grew in 2019.

I could have spent much more time in the display gardens--so much to see, and so many things to learn. I'm looking forward to a return during the next growing season!

Checking Out Grandpa's Roses At Old World Wisconsin

Dad and I made a trek over to Old World Wisconsin, in Eagle, a couple of weeks ago. The drought was still bad at that time, so while the tended plants looked fine, much of the area was quite parched.

Old World Wisconsin is a living-history destination that showcases actual stories of early settlers to the state, from the 1840s to the 1910s. It includes historic spaces, gardens and trails, and costumed staff to help tell the stories and answer visitor questions.

My mom and dad worked and volunteered at Old World for many years. Mom's illness and COVID-19 kept them away recently, so Dad was happy to check back on one of his favorite places.

Part of the purpose of our visit was to check out my great-grandfather's roses, a set of which were donated to Old World a decade ago. You can read about that donation here, and more about the story behind the mid-19th Century grafting of the 'Sweet Mary' rose here.

Two patches of 'Sweet Mary' are planted on either side of the entrance to the Raspberry School, one of the locations where my dad worked as an historical interpreter. It's in the Norwegian section of the park, and though Dad isn't Norwegian, I think he figured his Danish and English heritage were close enough. ;-)



Because of the drought and because we missed the peak of bloom, the flowers were fading, but we were glad to see that Great-Grandpa's roses still look very healthy.



Before we left, I wandered a bit in the teaching garden near the entrance to the park. This area of Old World is regularly tended and watered, so the plants looked very happy and healthy.



Raised beds and planters, and climbing plants offer great examples of time-honored gardening techniques.



The teaching garden is planted mainly with ornamentals, with blooms included for the entire growing season.

There's a story behind this silver-spotted skipper butterfly, but let's just say she was a welcomed sight on the Salvia. :)



Since dad was waiting elsewhere for me, I didn't get the exact names of the hybrids and the cultivars, but I certainly noticed this beautiful double Rugosa Rose. Next time I visit, I'll have to make note of it for future reference.



The Hollyhocks certainly were healthy, too! I'm trying to start some in my own garden, and they're taking their time, so I really appreciate tall, full examples of this lovely plant.

It was a great visit and a wonderful place to explore. Old World Wisconsin is nearer Milwaukee, but roughly an hour's drive from the Eastern outskirts of Madison. It's definitely worth a visit if you're in the area!

Ten Takeaways From the Garden Bloggers' Fling

Recently, I attended the Garden Bloggers' Fling in Toronto. It was great fun! Bloggers from around the world converged on the city to share camaraderie, information, ideas, and garden tours.

I hope to post in-depth coverage of several individual gardens in the weeks ahead, but for now I thought I'd share a few takeaways--simple observations that come to mind as I sift through the multisensory experience.

TAKEAWAY #1:



If you don't have a rabbit problem like I do, Strawberries can be planted just about anywhere as a great groundcover, with the added benefit of fresh, sweet fruit, in season. I was excited to try this, and then I realized rabbits in my garden would eat them. Maybe I'll try this in a section of my fenced-in potager.

TAKEAWAY #2:



I'm hankering for Ninebark (Physocarpus spp.). I didn't even realize this desire until I got home and started reviewing the plethora of photos I snapped of this lovely shrub. If you have a Ninebark, you probably realize its appeal in all seasons, not to mention the value to pollinators and wildlife. It's a great substitute for Barberry (Berberis spp.) which is invasive in North America.

TAKEAWAY #3:



I have many unmatched pots. I have many overgrown perennials. I have potting soil. I don't have to spend big bucks on new "matching" pots and plants. I can divide what I have now and stuff odds and ends of perennials (and annuals) in said pots of various shapes and sizes. Big plants spill over the sides of the pots anyway, and the colorful combinations are whimsical and welcoming.

TAKEAWAY #4:



Speaking of pots, they're perfect for small Japanese Maples. (Many ideas on this subject are forming in my brain. Hehe.)

TAKEAWAY #5:



Tomato cages can be turned on their sides as structure and climbing support for plants like squashes, pumpkins, cucumbers, and many other edibles. I've never tried this, but when/if I have a bigger vegetable garden, I will.

TAKEAWAY #6:



Just about any vessel with a cavity that will hold soil can be used as a container for plants. Sometimes, they can even be mounted on fences and other structures. (Time to investigate the "treasures" in my garage.)

TAKEAWAY #7:

A small section of the incredibly wonderful overflowing garden of Marion Jarvie, which is open

to the public several times per year.

Sometimes the scale and richness of a large, diverse garden can be overwhelming when looking at the big picture.



Equally mind-boggling is the small scale of tiny seedlings, purposefully placed together in close quarters, like a fairy garden within a big garden. (How many tiny plants can you find in this one small area?)

TAKEAWAY #8:



Metal sculpture and earthy elements, combined with colorful plants can create movement and whimsical eye appeal.



Here, metal sculpture combines with rock, metalized pots, and plants for a simple, yet elegant combination.

TAKEAWAY #9:

Toronto skyline as a backdrop, as viewed from Toronto Island gardens.

The Toronto skyline is stunning. It pops into view at various locations around the city, and is especially dramatic when clouds, rain, and stormy weather are imminent.

TAKEAWAY #10:



Garden bloggers, like most gardeners, are welcoming people. This was my first Garden Bloggers' Fling, and I was a little nervous about circulating with people who've known each other from previous flings. But there were other newbies, too, and the veterans shared tips, tricks, and fun to make the conference a truly rewarding and enjoyable experience.

Several of us grabbed chalk at the Evergreen Brick Works to add our mark to the graffiti-

decorated floor.

I'm already looking forward to next year's Fling in Minneapolis/St. Paul, to reconnect, and to meet new garden-blogging friends!

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There's still time to participate in the "Garden Lessons Learned" meme. Feel free to write a post or share one you've already written about your "Lessons Learned" during the past season. Then share your links or simple observations in the comments at: Garden Lessons Learned, Quarter 2, 2015. The link will be available always under the "Lessons Learned" tab at the top of this blog.

Please also join in Donna's Seasonal Celebrations at Gardens Eye View! You can join in with a post that fits both memes, or separate posts for one or both of them. I'll include wrap-ups on PlantPostings' Facebook page as we approach the solstice.