Garden Seedheads: 1 December 2022
"A plant is only worth growing if it looks good when it is dead." ~Piet Oudolf, Dutch garden designer
While we probably would not want to judge all the plants in the Coe garden by Oudolf's standard, the sentence should remind us that when it comes to a perennial flower garden in Iowa, most of the flowers in the garden will either be invisible or look dead for most of the months when the fall and spring academic semesters are in session. It does make sense to populate the garden with flowers, shrubs, grasses, and trees that have some visual appeal even in the middle of the winter.
My garden walk on December 1 attempted to focus on the garden's most attractive seedheads. A high percentage of these plants with prominent seedheads can be classified as ruderals, plants adapted to spread rapidly into unoccupied spaces by putting their energy into seed production. Although the seeds are often small, these plants produce a high number of seeds stored in a variety of forms which can be found in the Coe garden: pods (milkweed, wisteria, false indigo), spikes (gayfeathers), umbels (sedums, alliums, yarrows), globes (alliums), panicles (miscanthus), buttons (asters), and whorls (asters). ~Bob
While we probably would not want to judge all the plants in the Coe garden by Oudolf's standard, the sentence should remind us that when it comes to a perennial flower garden in Iowa, most of the flowers in the garden will either be invisible or look dead for most of the months when the fall and spring academic semesters are in session. It does make sense to populate the garden with flowers, shrubs, grasses, and trees that have some visual appeal even in the middle of the winter.
My garden walk on December 1 attempted to focus on the garden's most attractive seedheads. A high percentage of these plants with prominent seedheads can be classified as ruderals, plants adapted to spread rapidly into unoccupied spaces by putting their energy into seed production. Although the seeds are often small, these plants produce a high number of seeds stored in a variety of forms which can be found in the Coe garden: pods (milkweed, wisteria, false indigo), spikes (gayfeathers), umbels (sedums, alliums, yarrows), globes (alliums), panicles (miscanthus), buttons (asters), and whorls (asters). ~Bob
Garden Walk: 10 November 2022
These photos were taken on a Thursday afternoon shortly after lunch. It was an unusual day this late in November. At 2:00 p.m., the temperature was 72F, which tied an all-time high for this date. An hour later, the temperature had dropped 20 degrees. While I was planting Galanthus (snow drops) in the patio bed, I could feel, hear, and see the cold front arriving--dark clouds briskly moving overhead and the arrival of an intense rain storm, though short-lived. My photo session was originally stimulated by the appearance of an unusual large fungal growth on one of the flowering crab trees. I also wanted to obtain more photos of seedheads and of several flowers still in bloom, particularly the pincushion in the "F" bed. We really need more of those scabiosa: they've been blooming through the summer and fall, but we should have a larger mass of them so they serve as more than just a minor point of punctuation. I was also struck today by how well the six foxglove look in the "D" bed that I transplanted three weeks ago. They are growing and look quite happy in their new home--though, alas, I failed to photograph them . ~Bob
These photos were taken on a Thursday afternoon shortly after lunch. It was an unusual day this late in November. At 2:00 p.m., the temperature was 72F, which tied an all-time high for this date. An hour later, the temperature had dropped 20 degrees. While I was planting Galanthus (snow drops) in the patio bed, I could feel, hear, and see the cold front arriving--dark clouds briskly moving overhead and the arrival of an intense rain storm, though short-lived. My photo session was originally stimulated by the appearance of an unusual large fungal growth on one of the flowering crab trees. I also wanted to obtain more photos of seedheads and of several flowers still in bloom, particularly the pincushion in the "F" bed. We really need more of those scabiosa: they've been blooming through the summer and fall, but we should have a larger mass of them so they serve as more than just a minor point of punctuation. I was also struck today by how well the six foxglove look in the "D" bed that I transplanted three weeks ago. They are growing and look quite happy in their new home--though, alas, I failed to photograph them . ~Bob
The Garden: A Beautiful Day in Late October
This was my second photo session in October, again taking these shots in an afternoon's autumn sunshine. One small problem with the layout of the Coe garden is that it is east of Alumni House, and thus from October to March the garden enters into the building's shadow quite early in the day. This is a particular disadvantage for many of the large ornamental grasses, which are seen to their best advantage when the sunlight is streaming through their foliage. In our back yard at home, we have several large patches of Switch Grass and Miscanthus. Since there are no trees or buildings to interfere with the afternoon sunlight, the grasses acquire an exquisite golden glow as we approach sundown. One goal of this photo shoot was to capture some of the Coe garden grasses in the afternoon sunlight. ~Bob
This was my second photo session in October, again taking these shots in an afternoon's autumn sunshine. One small problem with the layout of the Coe garden is that it is east of Alumni House, and thus from October to March the garden enters into the building's shadow quite early in the day. This is a particular disadvantage for many of the large ornamental grasses, which are seen to their best advantage when the sunlight is streaming through their foliage. In our back yard at home, we have several large patches of Switch Grass and Miscanthus. Since there are no trees or buildings to interfere with the afternoon sunlight, the grasses acquire an exquisite golden glow as we approach sundown. One goal of this photo shoot was to capture some of the Coe garden grasses in the afternoon sunlight. ~Bob
The Garden: A Beautiful Day in the Middle of October
Because of my limited camera skills and inabilities to deal effectively with bright sunlight, most of the Alumni House Garden photographs are shot either in the morning, usually before 9:00 a.m., or in the evenings. This photo session, however, occurred shortly after lunch. Because of the low angle of the sun, the mid-day light was not as strident and challenging for me to work with. I also felt the brighter sun gave a welcome energy and sharpness to some of the flowers and foliage in the photographs. During this session I was pleasantly surprised at how many different flowers were still in bloom so late in the season. Although we had some chilly mornings the first two weeks of October, the garden had not yet experienced a significant freeze--in contrast to my vegetable garden (located near Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center) where all my tender vegetables were finished. The location of the Coe Garden in the city and surrounded by the brick and wooden fence does make a difference--an earlier spring and a later fall. ~Bob
Because of my limited camera skills and inabilities to deal effectively with bright sunlight, most of the Alumni House Garden photographs are shot either in the morning, usually before 9:00 a.m., or in the evenings. This photo session, however, occurred shortly after lunch. Because of the low angle of the sun, the mid-day light was not as strident and challenging for me to work with. I also felt the brighter sun gave a welcome energy and sharpness to some of the flowers and foliage in the photographs. During this session I was pleasantly surprised at how many different flowers were still in bloom so late in the season. Although we had some chilly mornings the first two weeks of October, the garden had not yet experienced a significant freeze--in contrast to my vegetable garden (located near Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center) where all my tender vegetables were finished. The location of the Coe Garden in the city and surrounded by the brick and wooden fence does make a difference--an earlier spring and a later fall. ~Bob
Photos from September 21, the Last Day of Summer
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A Summer Garden Walk at the End of August 2022
July and August was a tough challenge for the Coe garden: several weeks of hot weather without any rain. The situation was exacerbated by the absence of fresh mulch for many of the garden beds, a failure that led to severe stress for many of the perennials. The week before these photos were shot (29 August), several rain showers passed through eastern Iowa, but the garden received just enough moisture to make the sidewalk a bit damp. The morning these photos were taken, I began watering the entire garden, starting with the "K" bed on the north side of the garden, an area that receives the most direct sunlight. Meanwhile, most of my gardening involved removing weeds in the gravel walkways, a harsh and rocky environment that many plants relish. And in the lawn areas, there's the constant need to pull up crabgrass, sedge, creeping spurge, and the occasional dandelion. Despite the challenges of the late summer, the photos do reveal a few bright spots: Joe Pye weed, black-eyed Susans, dahlias, Rozanne cranesbill, Mexican sunflowers, several varieties of goldenrod, a few late-blooming coneflowers, annual and perennial coreopsis, white hosta blooms, ironweed and blue lobelia in the rain garden, white and pink phlox, sedum and stonecrop blooms, and hundreds of sunflowers. ~Bob
Garden Photos from Last Week in July 2022
A Walk Around the Garden: Morning of June 27
Most of my photo sessions in the garden are early in the morning when the sunlight is less intense and easier for my limited camera skills to deal with. But this morning I had to begin my day with a lab test at Mount Mercy Hospital, and my journey around the gravel walkways came as the sun was nearing full strength. One unexpected joy of this morning walk was spying the first Monarch butterfly I had seen in the garden this summer. The Monarch was visiting one of the garden's wild milkweeds. While the numbers have been low, there have usually been one or two Monarchs in the garden throughout the summer. On this morning walk I also took a photo of the first Japanese beetle I had encountered this summer. Most years these beetles require constant attention to keep them from devouring several of their favorite foods: roses, hibiscus blooms, basil leaves. This year I saw a total of two Japanese beetles and zero damage to the roses or hibiscus. I had read that their numbers were decimated by last summer's heat and drought. Whatever the reason, this was one regular visitor I did not miss. ~Bob
Most of my photo sessions in the garden are early in the morning when the sunlight is less intense and easier for my limited camera skills to deal with. But this morning I had to begin my day with a lab test at Mount Mercy Hospital, and my journey around the gravel walkways came as the sun was nearing full strength. One unexpected joy of this morning walk was spying the first Monarch butterfly I had seen in the garden this summer. The Monarch was visiting one of the garden's wild milkweeds. While the numbers have been low, there have usually been one or two Monarchs in the garden throughout the summer. On this morning walk I also took a photo of the first Japanese beetle I had encountered this summer. Most years these beetles require constant attention to keep them from devouring several of their favorite foods: roses, hibiscus blooms, basil leaves. This year I saw a total of two Japanese beetles and zero damage to the roses or hibiscus. I had read that their numbers were decimated by last summer's heat and drought. Whatever the reason, this was one regular visitor I did not miss. ~Bob
Garden Photos: A Morning in Early May
Garden Journal Entry from May 7: An unusual day with a steady stream of visitors to the garden, some staying for a long time. Several students came in pairs, one serving as photographer for a graduating senior. In other instances the visitors were traveling as family units, probably folks attending Baccalaureate (spelling? impossible word for me to remember where all the vowels go). Almost every area and all the benches were used. Fortunately, today's weather was ideal and the spring-flowering bulbs were in full display, particularly the tulips. Also a peak performance by the daffodils and species tulips on the rain garden berm. This was one day when several planting combinations worked quite well. The imperial fritillary and the tulips in the "E" and "I" beds were timed just right. This bloom synchronicity did not work last year: the fritillaries were finished blooming before the tulips opened up.
While it was gratifying to see so many people enjoy the garden, I was also thinking that if the garden went a year without a single visitor, I'd still continue doing it. All I need is the pleasure of walking through the garden on days like today, reading and writing about gardens, spending my hours weeding and spreading mulch and deadheading spent flowers and digging up compost and trimming the yews--it's all good. No other reward is necessary. But it still feels good when you see others gain some pleasure from their visit. And there was a special moment this afternoon when two students, as they were exiting, asked what was the name of some blue flowers. I told them they were grape hyacinths and explained that they were not genetically in the hyacinth family, but they gained the name because of their hyacinth-like flowers. As they were taking a photo, I mentioned that the plants disappear in the summer and begin to re-emerge in August. Because of their unique life cycle, they are often planted with daffodils or tulips to help gardeners know in the fall where other spring-flowering bulbs are located. The two students smiled, thanked me, and wished me a good day. I expressed a similar wish for them. ~Bob
Garden Journal Entry from May 7: An unusual day with a steady stream of visitors to the garden, some staying for a long time. Several students came in pairs, one serving as photographer for a graduating senior. In other instances the visitors were traveling as family units, probably folks attending Baccalaureate (spelling? impossible word for me to remember where all the vowels go). Almost every area and all the benches were used. Fortunately, today's weather was ideal and the spring-flowering bulbs were in full display, particularly the tulips. Also a peak performance by the daffodils and species tulips on the rain garden berm. This was one day when several planting combinations worked quite well. The imperial fritillary and the tulips in the "E" and "I" beds were timed just right. This bloom synchronicity did not work last year: the fritillaries were finished blooming before the tulips opened up.
While it was gratifying to see so many people enjoy the garden, I was also thinking that if the garden went a year without a single visitor, I'd still continue doing it. All I need is the pleasure of walking through the garden on days like today, reading and writing about gardens, spending my hours weeding and spreading mulch and deadheading spent flowers and digging up compost and trimming the yews--it's all good. No other reward is necessary. But it still feels good when you see others gain some pleasure from their visit. And there was a special moment this afternoon when two students, as they were exiting, asked what was the name of some blue flowers. I told them they were grape hyacinths and explained that they were not genetically in the hyacinth family, but they gained the name because of their hyacinth-like flowers. As they were taking a photo, I mentioned that the plants disappear in the summer and begin to re-emerge in August. Because of their unique life cycle, they are often planted with daffodils or tulips to help gardeners know in the fall where other spring-flowering bulbs are located. The two students smiled, thanked me, and wished me a good day. I expressed a similar wish for them. ~Bob
The Garden in April 2022
Our weather in April was perfect for the spring flowering bulbs. The daffodils must have thought they were in England; their bloom cycle lasted well into May. It was also a marvelous spring for the hellebores. Unfortunately, a late hard freeze killed most of the flower buds of our most fragrant viburnum. The photos in this slide show were shot the first and last weeks of April.
Our weather in April was perfect for the spring flowering bulbs. The daffodils must have thought they were in England; their bloom cycle lasted well into May. It was also a marvelous spring for the hellebores. Unfortunately, a late hard freeze killed most of the flower buds of our most fragrant viburnum. The photos in this slide show were shot the first and last weeks of April.
The Garden in March: 7 March and 21 March
These photos were taken on two mornings in March. The first 14 photos were taken after a late spring snowfall. The second set of 14 photos was shot two weeks later, on the morning of the spring equinox.
These photos were taken on two mornings in March. The first 14 photos were taken after a late spring snowfall. The second set of 14 photos was shot two weeks later, on the morning of the spring equinox.
Early Spring Photos: February & March 2022
The first group of photos in this slideshow were shot on the last day of February. The evidence suggests that spring may be just around the corner. The second set of photos record a morning one week later after the garden had received a significant snowfall, taking the garden back in time to the middle of the winter. The third sequence of photos were from two weeks later, the first day of spring--when winter again becomes a distant memory.
The first group of photos in this slideshow were shot on the last day of February. The evidence suggests that spring may be just around the corner. The second set of photos record a morning one week later after the garden had received a significant snowfall, taking the garden back in time to the middle of the winter. The third sequence of photos were from two weeks later, the first day of spring--when winter again becomes a distant memory.
Photos from December 2021 & January 2022
A small sample of photos during the first days of winter. One set of photos taken before our first real snowfall, featuring a few seed heads and a snowdrop appearing two months ahead of schedule. The second set of photos taken shortly after the snow arrived.
A small sample of photos during the first days of winter. One set of photos taken before our first real snowfall, featuring a few seed heads and a snowdrop appearing two months ahead of schedule. The second set of photos taken shortly after the snow arrived.