Since this is Super Bowl XLVI weekend, let’s take a look at some plants from 46 years ago and today that received awards for excellence.

The 1966 All-American Rose Selections were ‘American Heritage’, ‘Matterhorn’, and ‘Apricot Nectar.’

Photo of Rosa 'Apricot Nectar' at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, taken October 2004 by Stan Shebs (Wikipedia).

The 2012 winner is ‘Sunshine Daydream.’

Photo courtesy of White Flower Farm.

For the All-America Selections® 1966 we have considerably more plants. The All-America awards are for seed propagated plants. In vegetables there was lettuce ‘Butterking’ and winter squash ‘Gold Nugget.’

Photo courtesy of bestcoolseeds.com

Flower winners were snapdragon ‘Bright Butterflies,’ dianthus ‘Red Monarch,’ marigold ‘Spun Yellow,’ verbena ‘Amethyst,’ and pansy ‘Majestic Giants White Blotch’ and ‘Majestic Giants Mix.’

Photo courtesy of harrisseeds.com

Things have changed since then. In 2012 we have vegetables winning the 2012 Flower Award. Ornamental peppers have won before (‘Black Pearl’) and they win twice this year with ‘Black Olive’ and ‘Cayenetta.’

Photo courtesy of All-America Selections®

A third Flower Award goes to vinca ‘Jams ‘N Jellies Blackberry.’ Loving this color.

Photo courtesy of All-America Selections®

The AAS Bedding Plant award goes to salvia ‘Summer Jewel Pink.’ The vegetable award goes to watermelon ‘Faerie.’

You can find more on all these plants and how they are selected at the All-America Selections® website.

The Perennial Plant Association wasn’t around in 1966 but the 2012 Perennial Plant of the Year is Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost,’ a great selection of a great species.

Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens.

Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens

And the music? Topping the charts of Billboards Hot 100 the first week of February 1966 is none other than Miss Petula Clark.

And the women are still topping in 2012 with Adele.

courtesy of Pantone.

It is a deep shade of orange but here’s a more detailed description.

Yes, tango and tangerine all in one color.

The tango – filled with sensuality, barely repressed animal sexuality and total control of staccato yet fluid movement.

Tangerine – filled with aromatic oils, sticky sweet yet tart juice, and so round and firm in the hand.

What a combination!

I’m a big fan of orange and the many shades of orange. Here are a few things I found about my house last night.

This does not include clothing, my yoga mat, or my fabulous piece of carry-on luggage.

In my designs, orange has played a role for years. I was unaware of people’s resistance to orange when I started using it. A good many have come around to my point of view. In truth, it goes with about any other color. You do have to watch with lavender (BIG mistake as a rule). And you must choose your pinks carefully. But a hot pink with a hot orange is, well…… HOT. And the right magenta with the right orange is true paradise.

We have several perennials to choose from for orange. So many new Echinaceas I lose track at times.

‘Tiki Torch’ from Terra Nova has been a favorite since I grew it a few years back. I know they have newer ones but the color on this one is so good.

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova® Nurseries, Inc.

Of course their ‘Tangerine Dream’ looks good too.

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova® Nurseries, Inc.

‘Hot Papaya’ is a favorite for certain. Plants Nouveau has introduced many great double echinaceas.

Photo courtesy of Plants Nouveau.

They also have ‘Marmalade.’ Love this one too.

Photo courtesy of Plants Nouveau.

Big Sky^TM Sundown (‘Evan Saul’) from Itsaul Plants has been reliable workhorse  for us for years. Saul’s were some of the very first with good Echinaceas in the new colors.

Photo courtesy of ItSaul Plants.

Geums are coming on strong these days with many new colors but my favorite is still the oranges. ‘Fireball,’ also from Terra Nova, has been great in my garden at home.

Photo(s) courtesy of Terra Nova® Nurseries, Inc.

Of course in annuals and tropicals we have always had a large selection to choose from. Remember marigolds, nasturtiums and zinnias? You can still find heirloom cultivars of these at the same time new varieties are coming on the market every year. And let’s not forget cockscomb.

I remain in full love-lust with the plumed variety ‘Fresh Look Orange.’

This has stayed in my top list since it was introduced several years ago. It blooms like crazy, gives great color and texture in the garden, and makes a superb cut flower.

Lantana is a blooming machine in many shades of orange from the nearly red ‘Dallas Red’ to the multi-colored ‘Miss Huff.’ Of course there is ‘Radiation’ (think that one is bright?), ‘Landmark Citrus’, and ‘Tangerine’ (not my first choice but willing to try again). I love the fact ‘Miss Huff’ can reach 4-5 feet tall in a season here in Indiana. I get tired of small plants.

Most of my favorite cannas have orange flowers too – ‘Pretoria,’ Tropicana,’ and ‘Orange Punch.’

‘Orange Sparkler’ is a new one with a lot of potential as well.

Photo courtesy of Plants Nouveau.

It was bred by Brian Williams from down in Louisville and also being marketed by Plants Nouveau.

Orange is not restricted to summer color.

There are early spring pansies.

photo courtesy of BallHort.

Fall foliage is certainly always considered in selecting woody plants (Fothergilla).

And let’s not forget the winter blooming witchhazels (‘Jelena’).

Just because ‘Tango Tangerine’ is the official color of the year, remember you don’t have to use just that shade of orange. There are a lot of crayons in the box.

Designs for the coming year are pretty much done. We’ll have to wait to hear from some suppliers whether what we want will be available. It’s always good to have a back-up plant or two tucked away in one’s head just in case. Adaptability is rather important in horticulture.

We haven’t needed to shovel any snow thus far. Quite different from last year when it seemed the only time the world wasn’t snow covered between November and March was that freaky New Year’s Eve day when it was 61. That temperature didn’t last long and we were soon covered again by the white stuff.

Like last year, this winter is not terribly cold. But the mild temperatures are interrupted often enough by cold to remind me it
is indeed winter. This past Monday (the 2^nd) was WINTER with temperatures dropping to the teens and a vicious wind. Vicious I tell you. Friday (the 6^th) however will be spring at something like 50 degrees or warmer. Weather anymore is a roller coaster freak show of a ride.

It was so beautiful out on Thursday I took a break from the computer to have a look around the gardens. It felt like a January thaw except we really haven’t had a January freeze. I wasn’t sure what I would find but soon realized I had to walk back and get my camera. Things were a-poppin’.

One is not surprised at Hamamelis (witchhazel) in bloom when we have a mild streak. But I still so appreciate these amazing plants. The individual flowers are so intricate. They seem so delicate but in fact are tough as nails, unfurling on mild days, curling back tight on harsh days. They put on a show that lasts for weeks, sometimes months.

Here’s coppery ‘Jelena.’

And not much is sunnier in winter than the yellow witchhazels. This is ‘Wisley Supreme.’

Lots more buds yet to open so it’ll be a long show.

I found the Lonicera frangrantissima (duh, winter honeysuckle?) by the Garden for Everyone just starting to open. It often holds its leaves a long time but this is ridiculous.

Even a single bloom is fragrant if you get close enough.

But soon there will be many and you will smell it from quite some distance.

Another plant with semi-evergreen foliage is Magnolia virginiana (Sweet Bay Magnolia). This year the foliage of our ‘Satellite’ is nearly unblemished. I love this plant.

I usually start looking for Helleborus (hellebore) buds now if it is warm. Of course the Helleborus foetidus is blooming – just more perfect with the mild weather.

And what about plain old Helleborus x hybridus? Sure enough, buds are showing.

The new Helleborus x ballardiae Gold Collection^® is already flowering.

I love the foliage and flowers on these. I do still worry a bit about them because they bloom so early. But they seem tough as can be. I had some at home last year and there were flowers there every time we had a snow melt. They would get covered back up then when it melted again, there were the flowers. What concerns me is winters like this one where we have no snow cover. There could be a lot of damage to the flowers I fear. But, let’s worry about that when we have to. I still recommend these plants.

This is ‘HGC Cinnamon Snow.’

Some annuals are hanging in this winter – so far. In the Garden for Everyone again is Helychrysum italicum, curry plant.

Buddliea (butterfly bush) still has healthy foliage five feet in the air.

Petasites japonica (Japanese butterbur?) is an early bloomer but this is really early.

But the real kicker on my walk-about was this.

Those are daffodils in bloom!!!!!

Look. This just ain’t normal. Admittedly, this is obviously an early blooming cultivar , maybe ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation?’ Help me, Brent and Becky! I can’t find a record for it in this location. But we rarely have them blooming in February let alone early January. Not normal. And I know all about normal. This is crazy. And I know all about crazy too.

So what can we expect the rest of the winter? Mercy. Who knows? But as long it is mild, get out there and have look around. You don’t know what you might come across. And you never know when winter is gonna turn around and belt you with ice and temps below zero. So until it does, enjoy the perks. And try to keep those nasty global warming and climate change thoughts out of your head. They’ll just ruin the moment, Cleopatra.

How damn fabulous is that? I think it might be better than Madonna performing at half-time during the Super Bowl.

Oh hell, I know it is. (But here’s a link to her newest song anyway - no real video yet)

What is Fascination with Plants Day? Well, let’s look at a quote directly from their website.

The first international “Fascination of Plants Day” will be launched under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO). The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture, in sustainably producing food, as well as for horticulture, forestry, and all of the non-food products such as paper, timber, chemicals, energy, and pharmaceuticals. The role of plants in environmental conservation will also be a key message. Everybody is welcome to join this initiative!

So it leans to the agriculture and scientific community it seems, but there in the midst of it all is Horticulture. Oh yea. Horticulture (I added the capital H to emphasize).  Horticulture is this slightly indefinable thing created where agriculture, science, and art join together. And what leads most of us to Horticulture? That’s right Smarty Pants – a fascination with plants. It’s that undeniable love of chlorophyll that joins us all together from the old neighbor with the first tomatoes of the season (every year) to the professional in the public gardens (like me!) to the newbie gardener scared they are going to kill a daylily (so sad yet sweet).

Yes, we have National Public Gardens Day through the American Public Garden Association, with support from Rain Bird and Better Homes and Gardens on the Friday before Mother’s Day (May 11^th in 2012). And yes, we will be participating in that program (more details later but some tours at the very least). But that program is about getting people to visit and appreciate public gardens which is a little different in my mind than getting people to appreciate the plants themselves. Both are good causes worthy of attention and I see no reason why a person or organization cannot participate in both.

There are some really neato pictures at the FwPD site here.

As of now, Fascination with Plants Day is a European idea and project. But it is not too late for America, as in the United States of, to get involved. Even if not on an official level, we can still celebrate Fascination with Plants Day. Maybe give a plant to a non-gardener. Maybe cook something to share with a friend or neighbor. Maybe just sit in our own space and really think about how much the plants do for us either directly or indirectly – cleaning the air we breathe, the water we drink, and even the very soil they grow in. Feeding us, clothing us, celebrating with us, comforting us, bringing us uncountable moments of joy throughout the day and a lifetime. For me, and I suspect many others, every day is Fascination with Plants Day at some level.

And in truth, it is November. Snow in November isn’t exactly a miracle or a sign of the arrival of the End of Days.

All the same, I was not amused. It had been spitting snow off and on for a few hours but I never figured it would really get to the point of covering anything. When I arrived home, the wind-gathered leaves were heavily dusted with it. Plants in the garden had it clinging to their leaves and spent flowers. My gazing globes were covered with it, though under the full moon they looked rather delightful.

Fortunately earlier in the week I had gathered the last of my tropicals from my IMA gardens. At home, I collected the last of my most crucial plants and hauled them down to the basement on Monday evening. It gets dark so damn early I barely get started before I can’t see where to dig. With only four minutes of daylight after I get home in the evening, I gotta move fast. I only got four minutes to save my plants!

I still have cannas and dahlias to dig. Still have some agaves outside in pots (and one XMangave – Manfreda X Agave). Oh shit. I just realized I left my yellow-leaved fig out. Oh, I hope it’s okay. Damn. I don’t know where I can get another and it was not cheap. Dammit. Oh well. I said I was not going to try to save everything this year. Guess I’m just keeping myself true to my word.

Here at work, we are keeping more plants in the offices since we are trying to save money by not heating the old over-wintering greenhouse we used in the past. We concentrated on the tough stuff that can handle less than ideal conditions. It’s good to have some large specimens to put out so there is a bit of maturity to a design from the get-go.

These variegated figs and gingers will tolerate less than perfect conditions inside and outside, which is one reason we love them so much.

Some Xanthosoma and Plumbago occupy a conference table.

Bromeliads sit next to Jonathon’s desk.

And in my office is a collection of stuff from home and work.

In the basement of the northeast side of our offices (we are in the “double” – one side was the night watchman’s home, the other the gardener’s home) the bananas will wait out the frozen Indiana winter. These are both Musa and Ensete.

Check out the high tech containers.

Yes, those are garbage bags. You don’t need to be fancy. But it’s okay if you are. Especially, if it is your one chance.

In the basement on the other side, things are still a work in progress.

Some of the Colocasias (elephant ears) are put away but a good many still need processing. I wanted the soil around the roots to dry a bit before dropping them into plastic bags for the winter. It is a delicate balance – enough moisture to survive but not enough to cause rot. And why do all this? Why fret about if a plant will or will not survive? Well, isn’t it obvious?

Now my first reaction I admit was –Well, what the hell do you think? Was there a nuclear holocaust I missed? But then the reasonable part of my brain kicked in and I figured they were probably really wondering about the annuals and tropicals. Most of these are indeed gone, either damaged by last week’s frost or removed so winter materials could go in.

You will still find a few that were not badly damaged or we simply have not got round to. Don’t let a little frost stop you from coming out to see some “flower gardens”.

We do not do fall pansies and the like because they are too expensive for our fairly short autumnal season. But you might be surprised at how many perennials are still blooming.

Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ is seen here in all its October glory on Oak Island. This is one of the latest mums of the season always making me wonder if the frost is gonna get it. It doesn’t really care about the frost. It’s not pink so much as a soft peach or apricot.

Here is pinkish lavender sport that appeared a couple years back that is doing well. It could be a seedling but mums tend to mutate easily so I think that is the case here.

Tricytus ‘Sinome’ (toadlily) in the overlook garden is placed where it always should be, near a walkway so you can appreciate its intricate patterned orchid-like flowers up close.

Also at the Overlook is this large mass of Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Golden Arrows’ (mountain fleece). This workhorse of a plant easily has four to five months of bloom. I love the deep but bright burgundy flowers with the chartreuse foliage.

I also love the months of chartreuse foliage before the bloom. Some years there is a bit of Japanese beetle damage but it quickly outgrows the problem.

These Agastache that were a gift from Skagit Gardens have been in bloom since arriving in August.

They are the Nectar^tm series that comes in Apricot, Grape, Grapefruit, Orange, and Raspberry. Find them growing in full sun in the well-drained soil atop the Tunnel leading from the parking garage to the museum entrance. All Agastache tend to attract hummingbirds and bees and pollinators.

Geranium ‘Rozanne’ has been blooming since May.

You can find some Echinacea still throwing up a few flowers.

In bright shade is Anemone hybrid, fall-blooming or Japanese anemone. It comes in white and an array of pinks.

Most are 30 inches tall and up. But dwarf cultivars are coming to market soon.

Along the Bridge Garden the Cimicifuga rubifolia (Actea rubifolia?), Appalachian bugbane, is in bloom with lots more buds coming. At least this is what I thought it was named at one point.

Aster oblongifolius (now Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) can still be found in bloom as well. Known as aromatic aster, The Rain Garden has ‘Raydon’s Favorite’, a slightly deeper blue color and later blooming plant than the equally beautiful ‘October Skies’.

Don’t forget, color in the garden comes from more than flowers. Fall foliage is still brilliant and everywhere on our 152 acres. Just take some time to stroll about.

That soon the land will be covered in a deathly blanket of brown and gray. All my intense oranges, bright pinks, and glowing chartreuses will be gone. GONE! Just like that.

And then, then I’m faced with life filled with neutrals. It’s almost too much to bear. Not that I don’t appreciate the change in the seasons, but come early February……. sheesh!

I usually wait until frost before removing annuals and tropicals, getting every last drop of summer beauty from the plants. Plus some of the plants I overwinter go dormant a bit better if they are hit by frost before digging – elephant ear (Colocasia, Alocasia), Canna, dahlia, and banana (Musa, Ensete) are good examples. All of these can spend the winter in a state of suspended animation in the basement. Tropicals that cannot tolerate cold and are kept growing over the winter do, of course, need to be dug before frost.

But if my tender plants are in a garden area that gets a winter treatment, well, you do what you must. Some years you cannot wait ’til frost and you have to respect the available time for doing the change-out. Thus was the case this week with Nonie’s Garden right in front of the main museum building entrance. Over a three day period, the garden went from summer glory to winter joy.

The garden had filled in rather nicely.

The salvias were in full bloom, the tall S. splendens “Van Houttei” and its dwarfer color echo, S. splendens “Vista Burgundy.”

The Justicia fulvicoma (Mexican plume) was at its peak.

Now, not everything was at its peak, I admit. The Leonotis leonurus  (lion’s ear) was just beginning to show color. The Hedychium “Tara” (ginger) I planted to fill space (and hoped might bloom despite a late planting) did fill space. It was not that great a summer for growing, even the tropicals.

On the other hand, the Colocasia esculenta “Elena” was beautiful.

The Canna x generalis “Intrigue” was stunning in its tall upright smoldering bronze foliage and peachy-orange blooms.

Perhaps most fabulous of all was the Dahlia hortensis “Karma Choc.” Without a doubt, this is my new favorite dahlia. Dark foliage with bronze overlay and the most incredible flowers.

The color. How to describe the color. Black cherry chocolate red burgundy.

They are just too much for mere words. And they make superb cut flowers.

Anyway. It all had to go. Time for the winter show.

I had planned on blue lions hunting in the Serengeti plain. Which is to say Picea pungens “Glauca Globosa” (a dwarf globe Colorado blue spruce) among Calamagrostis x acutiflora “Karl Foerster” (feather reed grass). But…….. well, you know how sometimes the best laid plans go astray? Mine strayed. I could not get the grass with flower/seed heads still attached. Oh, they would tell me they still had the seed heads but when I got there – no seed heads. So now my blue lions are a bit exposed on the Serengeti.

The effect is still good but not so dramatic. I suppose there is enough drama in the world these days already. But I do like a lot of drama in my designs.

In spring, the planting will be enhanced with tulips and pansies for a badly needed change to some color. So don’t fret, cause you know a change, a change is coming. Just hold on.

My tropicals at home are probably not thrilled with the cooler temperatures, but must be beside themselves with joy at not relying on me for water. I tended to be a bit stingy with it. As you may remember, about two minutes after watering plants the soil seemed as dry as before. It got to be quite a chore. And I’ve been fearing the monthly water bill ever since the drought started in earnest. Here at the IMA it was much easier to keep things hydrated, but to this day I confess there seems to be something different when the water comes from the clouds rather than the hoses.

Fall color is starting to kick in. At first glance it kinda surprises me. Then I remember tomorrow is October. I think it was so damn hot for so damn long that it’s still a little hard to believe change is possible. These ash in the main parking lot really caught my eye this week.

I don’t remember them in this completely red phase in past years. That does not in any way mean they have not done it every year. I just don’t remember if they have. Yea, they’ll probably succumb to the borers eventually.

I love unexpected surprises…… duh, like a surprise should be expected. Anyway, when I was walking about I found these Liatris in the Overlook. They have superb fall color, especially for a perennial.

They were providing a color echo for nearby oak leaf hydrangeas.

And of course there are the fall blooming perennials as well.

Not that either the plants or I have given up on summer. There is still tropical splendor and color all over the gardens.

Well, my last blog talked about the upcoming Garden Writers Association (GWA) annual symposium to be held here in Indianapolis. I’m sure you are all dying to know if I won the Gold in 2011. As a matter of fact, no, I did not. GWA did not award the Gold in my category this year. Both my competition and I had to settle for Silver. As my friend Scarlet once said, “As God as my witness, I’ll never go hungry again”. Now, what does that statement have to do with this blog? Frankly my dear, not a damn thing. It’s just what came into my head and I have to get those things out of my head right away sometimes. Anyways, I’m quite proud of my Silver Award in Electronic Media Writing.

From all the comments I heard, the symposium was quite a success. From the networking, to the breakfast catered by Nourish, to the gardens visited, to the lectures attended, most seemed very pleased. As is so often the case, they were surprised and delighted at the qualities of our city. The folks at Plants Nouveau (Angela Treadwell Palmer and Jim Martin) were so giddy over being here they got hitched – multiple times I think.

We had not one but two camera crews to film here. One was with Oklahoma Gardening. I saw host Kim Toscano shooting with Chad Franer, Director of Horticulture, about the green roof on the Sutphin Mall.

The other crew was Growing a Greener World (a series on Public Television and online) with Joe Lamp’l. They did a piece with Chad on the Rain Garden. Speaking of the Rain Garden, here’s what one GWA attendee said about ours: “Now THIS is a rain garden!  THIS is what it’s supposed to look like!” Jim and Chad did a fantastic design job on that garden.

We visited gardens four of the five days of the symposium. This was three days split 50/50 gardens and lectures, then a full day post-symposium tour. All in all, we visited one urban vegetable garden, four public gardens, two retail gardens, and ten private gardens. It is a lot to pack into four days. Here are a few details and images.

We started our visit to the Wishard Slow Food Garden in White River State Park with yoga.

The Children’s Garden at Garfield Park was a hit with attendees.

It also won the first Jim Wilson Mentoring Award from the GWA. That included a much needed $1,000.

Here’s the overview of the award from GWA: The Jim Wilson Mentoring Award will be presented to the individual or organization in the area of the Annual Symposium that has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for gardening, encouraging others who may not otherwise come outside to experience, learn, and have success in garden.

White River Gardens and the Zoo were big hits as well. White River Gardens grows these Victoria waterlilies from seed every year! Can you imagine?

I forgot to take any pictures while we were at the IMA. I was terribly busy, along with the rest of the Horticulture staff, being a good host.

Avon Gardens was a perfect spot for lunch and shopping.

And then you could drop a few more dollars at Soules Gardens.

But I must tell you, it is the private gardens that gets people’s hearts astirrin’ and minds awhirrin’ with story ideas. The private gardens are why people go on the tours. And I think we really impressed them.

So my first ever experience helping to plan a national symposium is over. I want to thank all involved but especially Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp who had the dream and gumption to make it happen. And likewise a special thanks to all my co-workers in Horticulture. I know you have had to come in on many week-ends this year for programs and this was another one. You worked extra hard to make things look so beautiful and I do so appreciate it. And yes, I know there have been times you thought there was a live hand grenade sitting at the table with you.

But bless you all, you didn’t even say a thing to me. Not even when my head went flying across the garden and hit that brick wall.

And it’s a good thing. I’m in close touch with my inner femme fatale.

I wanted to touch back on a blog I wrote in January, the first one in 2011. In that blog I talked about Hydrangea paniculata Little Lime™.

This was a new cultivar from Proven Winners^® and Spring Meadow that was supposed to be more dwarf than “Limelight.” Well, according to my plant at home, it really is. I put a two or three gallon plant in last fall. As you may remember (it has been awhile), we had a very wet spring. Hydrangea paniculata prefers wet over dry. I also had mulched my garden with rabbit manure. My soil is already pretty good. Despite all those conditions for large growth I am happy to report my Little Lime™ is in full bloom and barely 2 feet tall. But look how wide it is compared to height. Very nice.

You may notice the blooms extending with new buds, forming to create the traditional cone-shaped blooms of most H. paniculata.

I’m thinking the dry weather sort of shut down bud formation. Then, when I started watering, the plant decided to finish development. I waited as long as I could to start watering at home. It’s gonna be tough to decide whether to pay the mortgage or the water bill the next couple months.

The Mystical^® Flame I reported on in that article likewise has remained short. They were smallish plants in four inch pots, so no blooms yet. But I cannot believe they will get much more than a few feet tall.

Another group of plants I reported on in an earlier post that has done well this summer are the SunPatiens^® (impatiens).

These were a gift from Sakata Ornamentals. I thought they would get larger, but I admit I could have increased the water earlier and started some fertilizer earlier so I’m not knocking them for that. I am very pleased with them over all. They are heavy bloomers and have great foliage. I think the “Compact Orange” is my favorite, but I like dark sultry foliage with orange flowers.

You may like this pastel Spreading Salmon version, with very good leaf variegation.

All the colors and forms have not only survived but thrived in our super abnormal heat and in full screaming sun.

One more shout out for today. This time next week will be the start of the 2011 Garden Writers Association Symposium. And it is right here in Indianapolis. We’ll be visiting the IMA on Sunday morning the 28^th. Unless you want to share your favorite garden spot with 400 other people, you may want to wait and come in about 10:30 that day after we have moved on to Garfield Park.

I am also extremely happy to report I was awarded the Silver Award of Merit in the Electronic Media Writing category again this year for this very blog you are reading. I won’t know until the last night of the Symposium if I reach super fortunate status and win the Gold Award. Silver is winning already. So like I said, I’m happy. No need to be greedy.