Friday the 13th with 13 New Volunteers!

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We had a great crew of 13 new volunteers today on Friday the 13th!  The ladies above were from Blackhawk Technical College and are students (and two instructors) in the radiology program.  They are members of HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America).  The ladies did an excellent job in the rose garden (see two photos below) removing old mulch, bulbs and ultimately some older roses.  We have a donation of many new roses coming next week which will be installed in this recently prepared space.  The ladies also helped with some additional weeding and were an impressive bunch in terms of productivity and a positive attitude!

 

The day was sunny, cool and beautiful.  It was excellent working weather out in the gardens and a good day to visit as was evidenced by all the visitors throughout the gardens.  The chance of rain increased as the day went on but we were all able to put in a full day and the color and lushness of the gardens was apparent to everyone!  It is a busy time of year but also one of my favorites for intense color!

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‘Stripe It Rich’ Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) – perennial

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golden Japanese shrub mint (Leucosceptrum japonicum ‘Gold Angel’) – perennial

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gromwell (Buglossoides purpureocaeruleum) – perennial (spreads!)

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Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum) – perennial

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‘Baby Doll Pink’ barrenwort (Epimedium x youngianum) – perennial

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‘Sweet Tea’ foamy bells (xHeucherella) – perennial

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‘Shanghai’ coral bells (Heuchera) – perennial

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Our volunteers were excellent as usual and we appreciated the efforts of the thirteen young ladies mentioned above in the blog.  Our veteran volunteers sure did a great job too though!  Directly above are Kathy (left) and her mother, Mary scoping out their garden space for future improvements soon which will include planting.  Kathy and Eva continued their weeding near the main parking lot and Kay (below) worked her tidying “kung fu” in her assigned garden (East end of the shade garden).  Kay and I both thought that space looks the best ever!  Mirjam and Marcia tidied in the English cottage garden which is their assigned garden.  The second photo down shows Stan, who along with his lovely wife Kristin, did a nice job in and around the Japanese garden.  Dr. Gredler and Bill were both out in the gardens for mowing and Maury ran errands for us.  Dick H. had some projects and we also saw Hal R., Kris K., Elsa, Lois A., Shawna, Julie G. and many others today.

Our grounds crew of Larry H., Cindy, Terry and Janice were extremely flexible and helpful today as we had a lot of “brush fires” to attend to with so many things going on during this busy Friday.  Terry push mowed, potted roses, rototilled, watered and had a wide range of other tasks including moving over more bagged compost for our Compost Sale tomorrow (8 am – 12 noon at the Horticulture Center).  Bagged compost (1.5 cubic feet, 50 lbs) is only $6 per bag although members get 10% off!  We’ll also be selling some shrubs, daylilies and pansies that are left from the sale last weekend.  Cindy weeded, watered, helped set up for the volunteers and had other odds and ends as well.  Janice helped with our student volunteers, prepared for the sale, did the cutting display and ultimately is poised and ready to start planting the future Heirloom Garden in earnest.  Larry H. skimmed mulch and added compost in many areas along with push mowing, hauling materials and other jobs.  I actually got my “baby soft” hands dirty today and worked with the volunteers.  We are also preparing for the first of six sequential Volunteer Work Saturdays which start tomorrow, May 14th, from 8 am until 12 noon.  I think all of our volunteers and staff at the gardens today will sleep well tonight!

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golden meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria ‘Aurea’) looking colorful! – perennial

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cowslip primrose (Primula veris) – perennial

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‘Popcorn’ doublefile viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum) – woody shrub

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Appalachian sedge (Carex appalachica) – perennial

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‘Bowles Golden’ sedge (Carex elata) – perennial

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‘Miranda’ variegated climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) – woody vine

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bloom of variegated wayfaringtree viburnum (Viburnum lantana ‘Variegatum’) – woody shrub

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‘Laciniata’ cutleaf horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) – woody tree

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‘Vincent van Gogh’ tulip (Tulipa) above

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‘World Expression’ tulip (Tulipa) above

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‘Ardeche’ tulip (Tulipa) above

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our pole bean (Phaseolus sp.) collection will be fun this year at the Horticulture Center