Ask Oprah, and she’ll tell you she’d invite Jesus to her dream dinner party…(watch the clip below)

Ask us, and well, after last week, we might have to say Felder Rushing. IMA TV stopped to chat with the Southern gentleman in the Oldfields orchard while he was at the IMA for his talk as part of our Planet Indy series. Check out the latest IMA TV episode and you’ll see why we’re crazy for this offbeat gardening guru.

Filed under: Education, Horticulture, IMA TV, Interviews, New Media, The Toby

Easter is this week-end so here’s a little diddy to get us in the mood.

There now. Wasn’t that nice? Now, let’s get right on to the story.

When I was a small child growing up in southern Indiana there was no such thing as a daffodil. There just wasn’t. Jonquils were not to be found. Narcissus (Narcissi?) were as non-existent as interstate highways. You only knew the gravel road and you only knew “Easter Flowers.” And they were yellow.

They were all yellow (including the one double one) with the exception of a mysterious double white. That double white had the very same shape as the double yellow and they didn’t always open completely. It was a special year when you got most of them to bloom out completely. To this day I have no idea what those special conditions are. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Horticulture, Musings

The IMA’s Perennial Premiere is less than one month away! An updated list of anticipated plants and participating vendors has been added to our website.

Check it out! We’ll have a treasure trove of unique plants and there’s bound to be something on that list calling your name.

Dicentra 'Burning Hearts' courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc

Filed under: Horticulture

A week ago today the morning started off cold, gray, and foggy.

It was one of those rare days when the fog got worse as the morning went on. I think it was heaviest about 8:30am. Two volunteers and I were working on the South Parking Lot Hill doing spring clean-up, raking out leaves and twigs then cutting back the plants. The leaves of the Carex muskinguminsis and Diarrhena americana were frozen!

I had to beat the rake through them to get out the tree leaves and twigs!

The temperature at 9am was only around 32 degrees. Not sure how cold it had gotten overnight. But a landscape can be very pretty in the fog. I captured these photos after it had started to lift really. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Horticulture, Musings

Warmer weather has finally arrived and with it the early spring-flowering bulbs. These so-called minor bulbs are such a welcome sight after our Midwest winters.

Crocus seiberi ‘Tricolor’ around Sutphin Fountain.

The three colors in ‘Tricolor’.

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) still make me happy no matter how many years I’ve seen their spring show.

Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) are very happy little bulbs.

Even on a gray day their bright yellow color absolutely glows.

The honey bees love them. Look at all the pollen on the bees leg.

The bees tended to take flight just as I was ready to snap the photograph.

Bee butt.

Now get your butt to the IMA and enjoy this glorious weather.

Filed under: Art, Horticulture