A fork in the road

When you live in a place for more than two decades, you come to know it by heart. Its destinations, traditions, and history carve patterns on your memory.

The turn of a road…

The spot where a tornado cut through a field back in 1992…

The country cemetery…

The ribbon wave of a road…

The view of the lake…

All of these paths are on the route to one of my favorite garden nurseries, Kopke’s Fruit of the Bloom.

I don’t remember the first year I visited Kopke’s, but I do remember being there when my son was a toddler. And now he will graduate from college in less than two weeks.

It was an interesting dynamic for me during my most recent trip over this familiar path, which leads from town through the countryside, to my destination about 10 miles from my house. It has become an annual trek, something I look forward to the other 11 months of the year.

It’s really about the journey as much as it is about the destination. And this time, memories of a little boy fascinated by farm animals combined with the anticipation of new adventures.

I had planned to select new plants for my potted annuals. But there was a strong pull from familiar plants that have never let me down. I ended up going with the tried and true—Impatiens, Coleus, Fuchsia. But I chose new colors and varieties...and a Caladium and a couple of perennials...and some vegetable plants...

I had planned to travel the same familiar route home. But I broke with tradition and took an alternate path back, over roads I hadn’t traveled before.

It seems like a simple thing, but there was something significant about it all.

What about you? Do you fall into patterns with favorite garden nurseries and plant suppliers? With favorite plants? Are you successful striking out in new directions? Do you find yourself compromising—combining some of the old with some of the new?

Trillium love

(It's Wordless Wednesday, and the Trilliums are so photogenic, no description seems adequate.)

Plant of the month: Lily-of-the-Valley

Convallaria majalis

Do you have memories of specific plants from your childhood? One of my all-time favorites harkens back to about age 7. Out the back door, surrounding the entrance to my family’s home was a healthy patch of Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis).

When it was in full bloom, nothing smelled sweeter! I have extremely pleasant specific memories about that specific plant in that specific spot. So when the time came for me to pick a spring ground cover for a garden bed at my own house, it was an easy decision.

Here are some specs on Lily-of-the-Valley from the Missouri Botanical Garden:

• Grows well in zones 3 to 8;

• Prefers part shade to full shade;

• Requires little maintenance;

• Prefers medium moisture levels; and

• Tolerates clay soil, dense shade, deer, and rabbits.

I can vouch for that last point! Aside from my childhood memories, rabbit-resistance is a top reason I chose Lily-of-the-Valley for my garden. Any plant this pleasant that also repels rabbits is a winner by me.

Here are other things I know about Lily-of-the-Valley:

• Blooms in Wisconsin’s zone 5 anytime from late April through May, depending on the weather;

• Dominates a garden bed when in bloom; fades back a bit in mid-summer when other plants take the stage;

• Is a great companion for Hostas, and grows well in the same conditions;

• Thrives in gardens with dappled morning sunlight;

• Takes a few years to establish (like other ground covers it tends to sleep, creep, and then leap);

• Enjoys the rich, loamy soil in my garden (but it would probably grow well in any soil type); and

• Is especially lovely when spring raindrops dot its foliage.

One thing to keep in mind is that Convallaria majalis is not native to the U.S. It was introduced from Europe. There is a variety native to the Appalachian mountain area: Convallaria majuscula. But apparently it’s hard to find at garden nurseries. Most advice I’ve read says to keep Lily-of-the-Valley contained, so it doesn’t spread to woodland areas, where it can become invasive. Mine is limited to two small perennial beds near my house.

All I can say is that when it’s in full bloom, it really takes me back to pleasant memories. What plants are favorites from your childhood?

[On another note: PlantPostings is honored to have been nominated an eCollegeFinder Top Garden Blog! (A hearty thank-you to the person who made the nomination!) I’m honored just to be listed with some very distinguished garden bloggers. The vote is on for the top three gardening blogs, and I sure would appreciate your vote.

You can vote by clicking on the badge at the top right of this page, or at: http://bit.ly/Icakzk. Each visitor can vote once during the voting period, which ends Monday, April 30, 2012, at 5 p.m. EST. Thanks!]

Wish you’d been with me in New Orleans

I thought about all of you garden-lovers during my recent trip to New Orleans. Seriously. I wish you’d been there, so we could have shared it all! I’ve been to several southern cities, but there was just something about New Orleans—especially its gardens. Amazing plant displays were around every corner.

The hanging baskets on the decorative balconies in the French Quarter…

The Garden District with its fancy homes and elaborate private gardens…

The little side gardens, visible behind locked, decorative gates…

The Louis Armstrong Rose Garden I described in a previous post…

And then we saw the New Orleans Botanical Garden. Wow. A short bus ride ($2.50 round-trip per person) from the French Quarter delivered us to the City Park entrance. The botanical garden inhabits just one section of this amazing 1,500-acre public facility, full of Live Oaks, lagoons, and an arboretum.

The New Orleans Botanical Garden opened in 1936 as the city’s first public classical garden. Unfortunately, the garden was severely flooded after Hurricane Katrina, and the majority of its 2,000 varieties of plants were lost. But with volunteer assistance and donations from people throughout the U.S. and worldwide, the botanical garden reopened to the public just six months after the flood.

The day we spent in the garden ranks right up there among favorite days, ever. A few like-minded plant fans shared the pathways and facilities, but we nearly had the place to ourselves. (I think it was a Tuesday.)

Now to the reason we visited…the plants. I captured more than 300 photos in the botanical garden, alone. The hubby patiently tracked the plant names, and we both marveled at the selection. Obviously, I can’t share them all in one post, so I’ll just show a few highlights (hopefully most of these IDs are correct).

Lantana and Oxalis growing like weeds, both in the botanical garden and elsewhere in New Orleans.

Lantana camara

Oxalis triangularis

Oxalis crassipes

Several personal favorites that don't survive cold Wisconsin winters, including Bougainvillea and Citrus trees.

Bougainvillea spectabilis

Citrus limonia

Plants that commonly bloom in Midwestern gardens during the warmer months—among them Aster, Indian Blanket, Freesia, Poppy, and Canna.

Stokesia laevis

Gaillardia pulchella

Freesia corymbosa

Papaver nudicaule

Canna indica

Some incredible trees—huge Live Oaks with Spanish Moss, Cypress, and Japanese Maple.

Quercus virginiana

Taxodium distichum

Acer palmatum

Numerous previously unfamiliar (to me) plants.

Indigofera decora

Homalocladium platycladum

Justicia betonica

Mismarked--any ideas???

Bauhinia variegata

Tea Roses of numerous varieties.

A conservatory full of Orchids and other tropical plants.

And last but not least, a massive trellis of Hyacinth Bean Vine, which reconfirmed my intentions to plant it.

Lablab purpureus

For a slide show featuring these and many more plants on display at the garden, click on the collage below.

The New Orleans Botanical Garden is a must-see for any gardener traveling in the area. I can’t wait to visit again.