Archive for May 2008
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008
Last year at the Scott Arboretum, we made the change from a peat-based potting soil to a peat free-potting soil for our containers and all plants growing in our propagation area. The National Trust of the United Kingdom also transitioned to peat-free soil in an attempt to conserve the ecosystem from which peat is harvested.
The Scott Arboretum has been using a mix made by a local company, Organic Mechanics. This mix is a blend of coir (coconut fibers), worm castings, mushroom compost and rice hulls. All of these materials are by-products of other industries, while peat is not a sustainable…
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Wednesday, May 21st, 2008
This time of year is an exceptionally beautiful time at the Wister Garden. To step through the woodland’s edge, one feels as if they’ve discovered a secret garden. Walking around the back of the house, one is greeted by a spectacular spring display in a riot of pinks. The branches of the many rhododendrons and the Kousa dogwoods hang heavy with blossoms. The paths are lush and inviting, causing you to duck under branches laden with flower clusters bigger than your head. The pinks of the rhododendrons are accented by the pinks and purples of the geraniums and phlox blooming…
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Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Ornamental onions provide a dramatic focal point in the late spring garden. Their bright, globe-shaped flower heads make an undeniable impact, and their bold texture provides a pleasing contrast to the fine foliage and dainty blooms of many spring perennials. One of the most striking Allium cultivars we grow here at Scott is ‘Lucy Ball,’ a hybrid of Allium hollandicum and Allium macleanii developed by famed Dutch plant breeder Jan Bijl. Although the strap-like foliage remains low to the ground, the flowering stalks of ‘Lucy Ball’ can top four feet in height. The blossoms of this ornamental onion are stunning – bright…
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