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Plant of the Month
 Mexican Feather Grass
By Dr. Sue
Hamilton
No other grass exhibits quite the refinement of texture
as Mexican feather grass, botanically named Stipa tenuissima. I
feel it is one of the most delicate and beautiful of all ornamental
grasses with a variety of landscape uses. To learn more visit the Plant of the Month Web site.
Blooms Days'09 Scheduled for
June 27 & 28
This
two-day event will feature local artisans and vendors, more than 30
free workshops for adults and children covering a variety of gardening
interests, musical performances, food, children's activities, a garden
marketplace and tours of the garden at its peak! The event will run
Saturday, June 27, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 28 from
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kids of all ages will be able to visit the insect zoo and explore the
butterfly house. Other kids' activities will include make-and-take
crafts projects, face painting and sprinkler time. The festival will
also include a garden marketplace in which visitors can shop for arts,
crafts, garden goods and specialty plants.
Advance tickets may be purchased for $5 from the
following local business partners: Bearden Garden Center, Carpe Librum
Bookseller, Ellenburg Nursery, Emery's 5 & 10, Stanley's
Greenhouse, Sweet Pea Garden Gifts, Vagabondia, Emory Road Garden
Center, Thress Nursery Garden, Pope's Garden Center, Popes' #2, Out of
Eden Garden Center, Ridge Greenhouse & Florist and Meadow View
Greenhouses.
Tickets may also be purchased for $5.25 online at https://web.dii.utk.edu/agstore,
click on the "Events" link. At the gate, tickets will
be $6.00. Children under 12 will be admitted free. Tickets
are good for one day only. All proceeds will benefit the UT
Gardens.
Blooms Days, in its seventh year, is made possible through the
generosity of the Friends of the UT Gardens, the Knoxville
News-Sentinel, WBIR-TV, WNOX News Talk 100.3 FM, WUOT 91.9 FM and UT
Federal Credit Union.
An Evening Amongst the
Daylilies
 Join award-winning hybridizers, Jeff and Elizabeth
Salter, for An Evening Amongst the Daylilies. The Salters are the
owners of Rollingwood Daylily Gardens in Gainsville, Florida,
three-time Stout Medal Award winners, winners of 23 Awards of Merit,
and winners of more than 170 Honorable Mentions.
The event will be held Thursday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Oakes
Daylilies, located on 8153 Monday Road, Corryton, Tennessee 37721.
Tickets are $75 per person. Space is limited, so RSVP promptly. The
deadline to register is Friday, June 19. You may register online at https://web.dii.utk.edu/agstore.
Follow the "Events" link to "An Evening Amongst the
Daylilies" or call 865-974-8265. The meal will be catered by
Calhoun's. Wine and beer will be available for purchase.
Cortese Tree Specialists
Climbing Event
Don't just climb a tree the old-fashioned way, do it like the experts -
with a rope and a harness! Tree climbing has many benefits: it's good
exercise, it's very safe (when done with the proper equipment and when
following the basic "do and don't" rules), it's cost
effective, it's a year-round sport and trees are everywhere!
Enjoy the benefits of tree climbing at the UT Gardens with Sam Adams
from Cortese Tree Specialists Saturday, June 6 from 10 a.m. to 2
p.m.Climbing instructors will ensure the utmost care of the trees and safety
of the climbers. The session is appropriate for ages 10 years old and
up.
Admission will be $15 for members of the UT Gardens and $20 for
nonmembers. Space is limited for this exploration session.
Preregistration is preferred. Please e-mail utgardens@utk.edu;
include Cortese Tree Climb in the subject line and indicate the number
of people you will be bringing. For more information please visit the
UT Gardens Web site at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu
or contact Beth Willis at ewillis2@utk.edu or 865-974-2712.
June Gardening Tips
from Research Horticulturist Jason Reeves, UT Gardens in
Jackson
Just because it's already summer doesn't mean it's too
late to plant annuals. I often don't get my annuals at home into the
ground until late June. Plants such as sunflowers, zinnias, Mexican
sunflower, cosmos, basil and dill can still be direct seeded.
Daylilies are in peak bloom in June. It is a good time to buy new
daylily selections for your garden to ensure you get the color you
desire. Visit a daylily farm for the best selections. Plant them in
full sun for best flower production.
Once daffodil foliage has turned yellow, you can mow or cut it down. If
you remove it while it is still green you decrease the amount of energy
available for the bulb to store, which decreases flower size next year.
To keep squash, cucumber and bean plants abundantly producing, harvest
them frequently.
Water your plants in the morning if possible to conserve water and
reduce evaporation. Infrequent deep watering is better than
frequent shallow watering as deep watering promotes deep root growth.
Deep watering once or twice a week on trees and shrubs and two to three
times a week on flowers is best. Most plants need 1 inch of rainfall
per week. Pay attention to how much falls from the sky and water
accordingly. If you have an automatic irrigation system, consider
installing a rain sensor which automatically adjusts for rainfall.
Be on the lookout for mosquitoes! With all the rain we have been
having, these pesky insects are sure to be in abundance. Keep plant
saucers, buckets, trash cans and children's toys poured out. Make sure
your gutters are draining properly. Change out the water in birdbaths
every three to four days. In areas where standing water cannot be
avoided, use environmentally friendly mosquito dunks. They are made
from a naturally occurring bacterium called Bti (Bacillus
thuringiensis israelensis). Dunks can be purchased at nurseries and
most home improvement stores.
Powdery mildew is also more likely to be a problem when we are
receiving abundant rainfall. Keep an eye on plants like yarrow, asters,
azaleas, coreopsis, dogwoods, euonymous, gaillardia, gerbera daisy,
honeysuckle, hydrangea, lilac, monarda, phlox, pulmonaria, roses,
rudbeckia, scabiosa, spirea, verbena and zinnias. Check out these links
for more information on powdery mildew.
soilplantandpest.utk.edu/pdffiles/OPandDUpdates/aug1.2008.pdf
www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-5-W.pdf
This year, the summer solstice (June 21) is not only the longest day of
the year and the first day of summer, but it is also Father's Day. Pay
tribute to the sun, enjoy the long day and hug your dad!
For more timely gardening calendar items, go to the Garden Girls Calendar site.
Now Showing
 Annuals, annuals, annuals! The summer
annual variety trials are growing and strutting their colors this
month. Be sure to visit the gardens and check out the dynamic and
beautiful color combinations that Horticulture Director James Newburn
and Trials Coordinator Beth Willis have created.
Lilies - Don't miss the show of daylilies, Asiatic and
Oriental lilies blooming throughout the gardens. Beautiful colors and
exotic blooms best describe these essential garden perennials. All are
super easy to grow in a full-sun to partial-shade location with moist
but well-drained soil.
Spirea - Spirea
japonica 'Little Princess' and 'Gold Mound' and S. x bumalda
'Anthony Waterer' are deciduous shrubs all showing their beautiful pink
flowers this month. They all prefer full-sun to part-shade locations
and a moist but well-drained soil.
Oak Leaf Hydrangea - Hydrangea quercifolia - You'll find several
different selections in the gardens of this great hydrangea which
blooms from late May through July. The cultivars 'Vaughn's Lily,'
'Alice,' 'Snow Queen,' 'Sike's Dwarf' and 'Pee Wee' comprise our
collection. Suitable for most any landscape, oak leaf hydrangea thrives
in full-sun to part-shade locations and a moist but well-drained soil.
 Bigleaf Hydrangea - Hydrangea
macrophylla - One of the most popular hydrangeas among gardeners.
This species includes the big mop-head and lace-cap flowering types.
The 'Endless Summer' series, which produces flowers all season long on
old and new wood, has revolutionized this type of hydrangea. You'll
find numerous old and new selections throughout the UT Gardens,
including 'Blushing Bride,' 'Endless Summer,' 'Mariesii' (with blue
lacecap flowers), 'Mariesii Variegata' (blue flowers with foliage that
is green and edged with white), 'Lady in Red' and 'Merritt Supreme.'
All prefer a partial-shade location with moist but well-drained
soil.
 Smooth Hydrangea - Hydrangea arborescens -
This old-fashioned hydrangea is a favorite. The white blooms are always
beautiful and showy and are great for drying and preserving. You'll
find 'Annabelle' and 'Ryan Gainy' blooming in several partially shady
locations in the gardens.
'Fiona Sunrise' Jasmine - Jasminum officinale - 'Fiona Sunrise' is a
unique perennial vine in that it has striking golden-yellow, fern-like
foliage that carries fragrant white flowers all summer to early autumn.
 Hosta - This
essential shade garden perennial is at its height of perfection this
month. Thanks to the East Tennessee Hosta Society, the UT Gardens has a
substantial hosta collection. Enjoy the beauty of the multitude of
colors of hosta foliage, which include blue, yellow, white, various
shades of green and variegated.
UT Gardens Receives Kitchen Garden Grant
The
UT Alliance of Women Philanthropists has awarded the gardens $18,000
towards the construction of our Helping Hands Kitchen Learning Garden.
This grant will significantly help us construct the project, which will
be composed of an interactive teaching and learning kitchen garden and
adaptive kitchen garden. The new garden will allow us to teach diverse
populations how to create a vegetable garden and the value and benefit
of it. A kitchen garden is a garden designed for growing herbs,
vegetables and small fruits. An adaptive kitchen garden is a kitchen
garden with modified construction which makes the act of gardening
easier and more accessible to individuals with mobility or other physical
limitations. The proposed site is the 150-by-54-foot plot enclosed by
the lavender fence within the UT Gardens.
Power Plant Energy Garden
funded by
UT Bioenergy Programs
Have you ever wondered what switchgrass, Eastern cottonwood or jatropha
look like? You'll be able to see these important energy/biofuel plants
along with many others in the new Power Plant Energy Garden funded by
the UT Office of Bioenergy Programs. Besides showcasing the important
plants from which we can harness energy, visitors can read and learn
from interpretive signage which will explain each plant's origin,
history and its use in the bioenergy-making process. A dedicated
pathway will lead visitors through the garden, where they can view
plots of each plant and read the educational signage.
Volunteers
 If you've
visited the gardens recently, you've noticed the beautiful annuals
scattered throughout - our volunteers started, potted and planted each
of them. Perhaps the bright purple fence just past the rose garden
caught your eye - again, thank our volunteers (some of whom are still
wearing purple swatches!). And if you've wandered past the shade garden
to the new beds along Neyland Drive, you might have seen some choice
Japanese maple selections - our volunteers helped plant them as well.
In short, our volunteers perform vital and integral roles within the
gardens, and we simply wouldn't be the same without them!
 If you love to
garden or just want to hang out with people who do, consider becoming a
garden volunteer. Besides being a tremendous asset to the UT Gardens,
joining our volunteer program is a great way to learn more about
gardening and to meet others who enjoy gardening. If you are interested
in helping out in any capacity, please contact Beth Willis
(865-974-2712 or ewillis2@utk.edu)
or Cindy Williams (865-938-1895 or orchidsandonions@aol.com).
American Garden Awards
Now that American Idol and Dancing with the Stars have wrapped up their
seasons, many of you are probably missing the opportunity to vote for
your favorite performers. We have just the cure for that: The American
Garden Awards let YOU pick the top annual flower of 2009! Just visit
the bed adjacent to the outdoor classroom to view the competition, then
follow the instructions on the provided signs to register your vote
using your cell phone. Live voting results can be viewed online at www.americangardenaward.org
throughout the summer. The top three most popular flowers - based on
your votes - will be introduced this fall as American Garden Award
winners. They aren't dancing the samba or performing a disco hit, but
each of these cheery annuals is a star in the landscape.
Trials
 The summer trial
varieties are now in the ground! Each of the more than 300 varieties
has been given a spot to grow and hopefully, shine. Graduate student
Betty Tipton will once again evaluate each variety for color,
uniformity, pest and disease resistance, habit, and general performance
in the garden. Curator Jason Reeves will do the same for the Jackson
trial varieties. This year, the ratings they assign will be available
online as the summer progresses, so you won't have to wait until the
yearly report is published in the fall to find out how your favorites
are stacking up!
 Whether you
visit the Knoxville or Jackson gardens in person or just take an online
tour, the UT Gardens display beds provide an excellent opportunity for
you to discover what flowers perform well in our region and decide what
would work best in your own home landscape. Many of the trial varieties
are available now at local retailers; a few are true test varieties
that are potentially the next can't miss annual. Don't forget pen and
paper when you visit - you'll want to be taking notes!
Books and Blooms
Books and Blooms is back for the summer. The 2009 season started
Thursday, May 21 and will continue each Thursday at 10:30 a.m. through
July 30. Children of all ages and their parents or grandparents join us
each week in the outdoor classroom to hear local storytellers share
books and stories, followed by a related craft or fun activity. The
very popular sprinkler time rounds out the morning and provides a great
way for kids to cool off during the heat of summer. Held rain or shine,
this weekly event is free and open to the public, so don't forget to
mark your calendars!
If you would like to be put on an e-mail list to receive weekly
reminders and information about upcoming sessions, please contact Beth
Willis at ewillis2@utk.edu.
Demand for Power Lawn and
Garden Equipment is on the Rise
Power lawn and garden equipment demand is forecast to rise 4.1 percent
annually through 2013, a significant turnaround from the declines of
the 2003-2008 period, according to a market research report from
Reportlinker. Although gains are expected to be modest in the short
term, the housing market is expected to recover by 2013, creating
opportunities in the consumer market. In addition, a positive outlook
for the landscaping industry will provide opportunities. Lawn mowers
will continue to be the largest product segment, benefitting from their
wide use in both residential and commercial applications. In addition,
lawn mowers will be among the fastest-growing products.
Greener Gardens Bill Provides
Tax Incentives
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., along with
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., have introduced legislation to offer a
25-percent tax credit toward the purchase of lawn, garden and forestry
power equipment that runs on alternative energy. The Greener Gardens
Act tax credit is good up to $1,000. Product purchases that would
qualify for the tax credit include equipment that is powered by a motor
drawing current from solar, electricity or rechargeable or replacement
batteries; has a hybrid-electric train and/or cutting system powered by
a generator or electrical storage device combined with a small engine;
or is powered by alternative power sources and regulated by the EPA.
The act would reduce air pollution more than new EPA guidelines
"by providing an immediate incentive for people to purchase clean,
alternative fuel engines that emit half of the EPA emissions levels and
that operate on little or no fossil fuel," according to a
representative in Leahy's office. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
has thrown its support behind the bill.
Upgrading Landscape Adds
Value to Homes, Research Shows
The Horticulture Research Institute's Journal of Environmental Horticulture
recently published a report showing that upgrading a home's landscape
does increase property value. Findings were based on an analysis of
sales within the Melonie Park neighborhood in Lubbock, Texas, from 2003
to 2005. Homes that improved landscaping from average quality to good
or excellent quality increased selling price by 5.7 percent and 10.8
percent, respectively. Approximately 30 percent of the increase in sale
value was accounted for by added tree cover. The results show that each
$1 invested in upgrading an average landscape to excellent quality
returns $1.35 in added property value.
Americans Rethink: Luxury vs.
Necessity
Consumers are getting aboard the "back to basics" train,
according to a study from the Pew Research Center. The findings show
that Americans are closely scrutinizing needs and wants. More people
are putting appliances like microwaves and dishwashers in the
"luxury" category. However, the report offers what could be
good news for garden centers and nurseries. According to the report, 21
percent of those surveyed made plans to start a vegetable garden and 20
percent started doing yard work they used to pay for.
U.S. Organic Sales up 17
Percent
U.S. sales of organic products, both food and nonfood, reached $24.6
billion by the end of 2008. This figure was an increase of 17.1 percent
over 2007 sales, reports the Organic Trade Association, which conducted
its 2009 Organic Industry Survey. The survey measured the growth of
U.S. sales of organic foods and beverages as well as nonfood categories
such as organic fibers, personal care products and pet foods during
2008.
People's Garden Will Promote
Organic Standards
The People's Garden that has taken root on the National Mall in
Washington, D.C., will be used to increase awareness of organic
production methods, according to a report in the trade publication
Government Executive. The garden will be USDA organic certified after
the three-year waiting period that the USDA requires to ensure all
fertilizer and pesticides are gone.
UT Recommended No-Spray Roses
By
Dr. Sue Hamilton
Disease-resistant plant research by UT plant pathologist Mark Windham
has identified the following roses to be resistant to blackspot and
Cercospora leaf spot. These 'no-spray' roses make a great, low-maintenance
addition to your landscape in a sunny and moist, but well-drained site.
Another characteristic I love about these new shrub roses is that they
mix so well with other plants. I have mine mixed with ornamental
grasses, conifers, perennials and annuals. Some even thrive in partial
shade, making them more versatile than traditional roses. Most
selections range in size from 2- to 4-feet tall and just as wide. The
plants don't require pruning, but I trim mine back each spring only to
reduce their size and keep them compact.
Disease-Resistant Roses
· 'Carefree Sunshine'
· 'Fiesta'
· 'Golden Eye'
· 'Hansa'
· 'Homerun'
· 'Knockout'
· 'My Girl'
· 'My Hero'
· 'Palmengarten Frankfurt'
· 'Pink Knockout'
· 'Super Hero'
· 'White Dawn'
· 'Wild Spice'
· 'Wild Thing'
· 'Wildberry Breeze'
UT Gardens Spring Plant Sale
Big Success
 Thanks to the 1,200 patrons who made the spring plant
sale a huge success! Flowering trees, shrubs and perennials were the
top sellers. The $12,000 made from the sale will help make ADA-compliant
walkways throughout the gardens and repair aging garden infrastructure.
Don't miss the variety of elephant ears that will be the featured plant
for sale by the Friends of the UT Gardens at Blooms Days '09.
Event Calendar
June
Saturday,
June 6 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) UT Gardens
Family
Fun: Tree Climbing
Don't
just climb a tree the old-fashioned way, do it like the experts - with
a rope and a harness! Join Sam Adams from Cortese Tree Specialists for
this safe and fun activity for the whole family. Appropriate for ages
10 and up.
Members: $15, Nonmembers: $20
Thursday,
June 11 (10:30 a.m.) UT Gardens
Family
Fun: Books and Blooms
Bring
the kids to this popular summertime event! Join area storytellers for
readings and stories with an environmental theme. After story time, the
kids can enjoy crafts or even time under the sprinkler in warmer
weather. To join an e-mail list to receive notices about Books and
Blooms, contact Beth Willis at ewillis2@utk.edu. Held at 10:30 a.m. every Thursday
through July.
Free
Tuesday,
June 16 (noon and 6 p.m.) UT Gardens
Noon
Time and Twilight Walk tour of the Gardens.
Thursday,
June 18 (10:30 a.m.) UT Gardens
Family Fun: Books and Blooms
Thursday, June 25 (10:30 a.m.) UT Gardens
Family
Fun: Books and Blooms
Thursday,
June 25 (6:30 p.m.) Oakes Daylilies Farm
Secret
Garden Party: Dinner with the nation's top daylily breeder and
Private
viewing of Oakes Daylilies Farm
Limited
to 100 people. Enjoy dinner amongst the beauty of Oakes Daylily Farm
with two of the most accomplished daylily hybridizers of all time, Jeff
and Elizabeth Salter of Rollingwood Daylily Gardens in Gainesville,
Florida. They specialize in different types of daylilies - Jeff in
large flowers, Elizabeth in small - and between them their
introductions have won three Stout Medals (the top annual award a
daylily can receive), 23 awards of merit (10 selections each year) and
more than 170 honorable mentions. Private viewings of the Oakes Farm
and an opportunity to purchase some of the Salters' new introductions
will be available. You may register online at https://web.dii.utk.edu/agstore.
Follow the "Events" link to "An Evening Amongst the
Daylilies" or call 865-974-8265.
$75
for Members and Nonmembers
Saturday,
June 27 (9 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Sunday, June 28 (11 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Blooms
Days '09
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Become
a Friend of the Gardens
There
are a variety of ways you can support the UT Gardens. For more
information go to http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/support.html
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The University of
Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT
Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation,
education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections,
educational programs and research trials. Some 4,000 annuals,
perennials, herbs, tropicals, trees, shrubs, vegetables and ornamental
grasses are evaluated each year. Both gardens are Tennessee Certified
Arboreta and American Conifer Society Reference Gardens. The gardens are
open during all seasons and free to the public. Visit http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/
and http://west.tennessee.edu/ornamentals
for more information.
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