Articles about my experiences with landscaping and gardening in Southeast Wisconsin
Ever since I was a graduate student (somewhere in the middle of the Jurassic period), I have been fascinated by the geographic distribution of plants, known as phytogeography. Why do many North American plants have similar Asian counterparts? There is baldcypress (Taxodium) in the Southern US and its fraternal twin, Dawnredwood (Metasequoia) in China. Flowering …
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Before long, if you haven’t already, those of us who have stuck to the tradition of a live Christmas tree will be heading to the sales lot to pick out the perfect tree. The choice for my family when I was growing up in Watertown, WI was the balsam fir (Abies balsamea). The short …
Roots of plants are out of sight and usually out of mind, but any gardener knows that they are the most important structure of the plant. Without a healthy, viable, root system the plant would not stand upright nor would it be able to obtain sufficient water and nutrients. Understanding the purposes and physiology …
What are the oldest plants in Wisconsin? It’s not the giant oak behind your grandfather’s barn or the cottonwood that would overlook an eight-story building. Those may be large, but size does not always equate to age. Oaks rarely live more than 200 years and fast-growing cottonwoods that reach an age of 100 are …
In a previous article, I discussed how to prune deciduous shrubs. Now that you are an expert in that technique, it’s time to move on to evergreens. In order to properly prune evergreens, you must know what type of evergreen it is. Not every evergreen is a “pine”. Evergreens, specifically conifers, have a wide …
Halloween has recently passed and by now most witches have likely ridden their brooms to live in obscurity until next October 31. A few, however, take on year-round residence in my garden with my complete blessing. Before you tie me to a stake and light a match, let me explain. Parts of plants …
Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens var. glauca) is one of the most commonly used conifers in landscaping. The symmetric pyramidal form and shiny blue foliage makes it a beacon in your yard. Most often used as a specimen plant, it also functions as a background plant, screen, or windbreak. Blue Spruce is native to …
Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra) is one of the most commonly planted pines. It is fast growing, soil tolerant, and makes an excellent wind break or screening plant. Its needles are dark green, thick, and four to six inches long, appearing in bundles of two. In its native habitat it can grow to over 100 …
What once was one species has now been divided into two. Pinus aristata is the Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine and is found at elevations of 7500 to 12,000 feet in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. Pinus longaeva, called the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine, grows in California, Nevada, and Utah at heights of 5600 to …
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The first time I saw Pinus cembra at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL I fell in love with it. When I saw the same plant 50 years later, it was still looking good and only solidified my first impression. The tight pyramidal form and slow growth rate makes it the perfect pine for …
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The Cottage Gardener 