Autumn 2004 Newsletter

Fellow Plant Lovers,   

As fall stands beckoning from around the corner, I am grateful for so many things. The cooler morning air, the sweet fragrance of the ‘Nanjing’s Beauty’ Osmanthus wafting around in the back, and the deep magenta color of the Mexican Beautyberries out front. The clear white Franklinia bloom that is beginning to open today and the riot of deep pink and cherry-red colors in a corner packed full of ‘Knock Out’ Carefree Roses along with the remaining blooms of the water lilies are glorious reminders of a few of the things that are right with the world.

And I am nearly twitching with anticipation as I  await the development of the color schemes that my heart adores. Three Flower Maples, Mount Airy Fothergillas and the Chinese Pistaches are among the best to offer vivid oranges, warm glowing yellows and golds, and shocking shades of fiery red. They seem to welcome me to my favorite time of year.

Three Flower Maple, or Acer triflorum is described by Mike Dir  as a "real treasure for the discriminating gardener". In spring, it offers clusters of three "flowers" from which its name is derived, and the exfoliating tan to cinnamon brown bark displayed against deep green foliage is hard to beat. Rich shades of yellows and reds in the fall make this an outstanding specimen maple with interest year round.

Mt. Airy Fothergilla, Fothergilla gardenia ‘Mt. Airy’ is a 5’ – 6’ native shrub that is often purchased by homeowners in spring when the fragrant white bottlebrush blooms spring out on bare branches. Little do they realize that the main attraction of this plant lies in its fabulous fall color. Foliage turns late but offers stunning shades of yellow, red and orange on one plant. Colors less in full shade. A super plant at the woods edge, in a natural area or in an island or bermed area among conifers. (For photo of fall color, see Plant of the Month page.)

Chinese Pistache, Pistacia chinensis, pest-free and exceptionally drought tolerant, is a small shade tree with the most brilliant red fall color of any tree we've seen. Grows well in difficult spaces, i.e. along streets, in parking medians etc. and forms a rounded head  atop upswept branches with maturity. A fast grower, you can expect from 1' to 3' per year.

We continue to work toward a number of improvements in the nursery, and are thrilled with the results. The pondless waterfall, the downing of dying trees, the new retaining wall, a new dry stack stone wall, the gradual irrigation changes that we are making and a comfie little patio near the water gardens are a few of the accomplishments that we’ve struggled through.

For those of you who have expressed concern over Kevin’s fall and cracked ribs…he’s mending rapidly and is back at work after only a month. He’s walking a little sideways (crablike) but doing very well.

Hazel Smith, a horticulture student from the co-op program at Surry Community College has joined us for the fall semester. Her constant delight in learning, and interest in plant materials is refreshing to us all.

Hope you enjoy this season’s newsletter, and will join us for fall planting and our October 9^th celebration.

                                                                                                                        Happy Gardening,

                                                                                                    Karen

            A special spot in my herb garden is devoted to a plant that is sometimes called Texas Tarragon and sometimes referred to as Mexican Marigold. Regardless of the name that you prefer Tagetes lucida, is a must have for any herb garden or perennial border.

            A terrific tarragon substitute, Southern Living Magazine called it “The South’s Answer to French Tarragon” several years ago. It has wintered all but one winter in the last 10 here in Mt. Airy and produces an abundance of long shiny green leaves with a sweet tarragon-like smell and flavor.

Easier to grow in our climate than the French tarragon, it also offers a beautiful display of bright yellow marigold-like blooms in fall. Great to tuck into tarragon vinegar for a dab of color or to use as a garnish in salads or dishes that include tarragon.

I use the chopped foliage in herb butters, vinegars, with fish and poultry and over freshly grilled veggies. Since the plant dies back with the onset of frost, the leaves can be preserved in baggies in the freezer for fresh flavor throughout the winter.

Patricia Morales Fine, M.D. was the featured chef last week in the daily newsletter entitled Chef 2 Chef Recipe Club. Scrumptious recipes! Her book can be ordered at DairyFreeGourmet.com.

This recipe is my adaptation of one that she published last week. Yum….

Chicken with Roasted Garlic & Fresh Herbs 

4 – 5 medium red potatoes, sliced into ½” slices                                   

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground

2/3 cup garlic cloves, peeled

2 lbs. Boneless chicken thighs

Olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1/3 tsp black pepper

½ tsp nutmeg

3 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (Texas Tarragon)

½ bunch cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped

 Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place sliced potatoes in bottom of Dutch oven or other casserole dish with a tight sealing lid. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Scatter half of the garlic cloves over the potatoes.

Pour a little olive oil in a shallow bowl and coat chicken thighs with oil. Place chicken over top of potatoes and season both sides with salt, cumin, pepper, nutmeg and tarragon.

Top with remaining garlic cloves. Drizzle olive oil over top. Seal the dish and bake for 1 hour to 1½  hours (until garlic cloves are soft and roasted).

Spread chopped cilantro over top of dish after baking. Serve with French bread for spreading the roasted garlic. Wow!

       In our nursery, the only roses that we have offered in a very long time are the hardy rugosas. These old-timey shrub roses are easy to grow and require little maintenance. Their rose hips are sought after by herbalists and their cheerful durable nature makes them a welcome addition to the herb  or cottage garden. (See Spring 2002 newsletter for more info about rugosas.)

        But this summer, I’ve finally been convinced that there is another rose worth planting. The ‘Knock Out’ rose was given to me as a gift and described as a “carefree” rose. No spraying, drought tolerant and you don’t have to prune it if you don’t want to. Of course, I didn’t believe it…just another fairy tale.

        So the rose stayed in its pot and suffered abuse at the hands of the staff and myself for nearly six weeks.

        Finally, we realized that it wasn’t going to die and it had not developed any black spot or other yucky rose problems, so we planted it.

        Still blooming in mid-September, it continues to be carefree and I am more than a little amazed. Buds are a vivid cherry-red as they begin to open. As the flower opens more, it lightens slightly to a “knock-out” shade of deepest pink. Small hips (rose seeds) follow the bloom and are reported to be bright orange in winter…we shall see.

        The “Knock Out” grows to be about 3’ x3’. New foliage is a lush burgundy shade that develops into a rich, deep green.  Virtually disease-free, this rose has received the Texas Superstar designation by horticultural experts at Texas A&M University because it adds such beauty to the landscape with minimal care and it is environmentally friendly.

        Finally, a rose that truly is a “Knock Out”.

Fall is a great time to invest time in your landscape, and with so many options in today’s gardening market, why not examine a few shade trees that will cause a “Wow!”

    Emmenopterys henryi - This large shade tree from the mountains of China is one of the most spectacular large, flowering trees available. Flower clusters consist of large white-to-pink bracts surrounding smaller yellow, tubular-shaped blooms. Handsome gray bark is ridged and furrowed. Grows 30’-50’ Now that’s a terrific shade tree!   Zone: 6-8.

    Castor-Aralia Tree (Kalopanax septemlbus) - This rare shade tree from NE Asia is excellent for yielding an unusual, tropical effect with its large lobed leaves and, once mature, its darkly furrowed bark. Coarse-looking when young, it will develop a massive oval-rounded outline with age. Fast growing, long-lived and pest free, the small bluish-black berries that ripen in September and October are relished by the birds. Ht.:  40’ – 60’.  Zone: 4-7.

    Hardy Rubber Tree (Eucommia ulmoides) - The hardy rubber tree makes an excellent shade tree with outstanding, lustrous dark-green summer foliage. Very drought resistant, this is the only rubber-producing tree for the central and northern parts of the country. The Chinese value its bark for  use as a tonic and for its medicinal properties. Ht.:  40’ – 60’. Zone: 4-7.

So Berry Happy

     As I walked through the nursery with the Huntcliff Garden Club from Winston-Salem today, I realized how many fantastic berrying plants there are and how much I look forward to the seasonal fruits.

Last year, I began growing Callicarpa acuminata ‘Woodlander’s’ – Huge raspberry-purple fruits in clusters along stems of large wooly leaves make this beautyberry one that demands attention. Listed as Zone 8–10, ours survived last winter and is performing nicely. Perhaps winter protection is the key.

Callicarpa japonica 'Leucocarpa' - The white beautyberry is better received by those who think that the purple ones are, well, offensive. Attractive light green foliage sets off the white fruit in fall and often the shrub holds berries into winter. Shows up well near evergreen hollies etc.

Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’-  A dwarf deciduous holly, 'Red Sprite' will grow slowly to reach a height of 3' to 5' in a compact, rounded form, and is among those with the largest fruits. Leaves in summer are a deep dark green and serve as a great backdrop for perennials or other plants that will die back in winter. Her mate, 'Jim Dandy' is a male form of the winterberry that makes a terrific pollinator. (For photo of 'Red Sprite' Berries, see Plant of the Month page.)

There are berrying plants for the native plant lover as well…Coral Berry, Symphiocarpos orbiculatus has blue-green arching branches that create a nice backdrop along the woods edge or behind the perennial border, but this plant really begins its performance in October with bright clusters of magenta-colored berries that persist well into the winter season.

Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia ‘Brilliantissima’) is another native that is a terrific border plant for glorious red fall color. In addition to the foliage, the berries offer such a sheen that they seem to be made of glass. They hang in clusters for a terrific fall show and are particularly adored by the birds.

For those who prefer their berries on trees, Rhamnella franguloides, a small to medium-sized deciduous native of Korea, is a tough, adaptable choice  with handsome glossy green foliage and showy oblong fruits that offer an array of colors ranging from brilliant reds and yellows to black.   Leaves turn a vivid gold in fall for a second season of interest.

The evergreen dogwood, Cornus angustata is a form of dogwood related to the popular kousa. This hardy small tree blooms later than its deciduous cousins and is followed by a bright dark pink  fruit in the fall. A great treat for the birds in your garden.