Archive for October 2008

Meet. . . Aster ‘Lady in Black’

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I’ll admit it; this plant is no longer in bloom now, it was in its’ prime earlier this month. But if you’re still doing some garden planting now, you might want to consider this little beauty.

Aster lateriflorus ‘Lady in Black’ has a lovely, vase shaped form and fine foliage that is purple with green and burgundy undertones. As you can see, the tiny white daisy-like flowers that cover the plant surprise with big raspberry- pink centers. I have mine planted near the edge of the lawn, where it can get plenty of moisture. In rich soil I have seen these get 3-4 feet tall, although my own specimen is pretty puny!

All summer long I look forward to seeing this in bloom. So if you need to add some fine foliage and/or late summer flowers to your garden, ‘Lady in Black’ might be the perfect plant.


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The Calendar Says…


We’re almost a full month into autumn now, but my potted summer annuals and tropicals are still going strong. Although we’ve had several nights of hard frost lately, even my impatiens---which usually melt into a disgusting mess with just a cold stare---are still going strong.

This view from my patio chair shows that we still have a ways to go before it truly looks like fall. And that’s very OK with me!

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Cha- cha- cha- cha… Changes!

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I’ve instituted a few changes to The Art Garden today that I hope you’ll take a few minutes to explore:

I’ve added a Lecture Schedule that lists the dates and topics of my upcoming speaking gigs. Many of them are in association with my new book, Plant Smart! Six Steps to Choosing Perfect Plants, which will be arriving in early 2009. (In fact, I’ve just spent the past week pouring over my editor’s proof. Now it’s off to the art department. Yippee!) I enjoy speaking to both consumers and trade professionals alike; please contact me at jhcstudios@yahoo.com if you would like more information about a variety of landscape/garden lecture topics for your garden group, staff or clients.

You will also see a change-up in my blog list. I’ve dropped a few blogs that are not active, and added a few new ones; including the infamous Garden Rant (Maddening? Yes. Thought provoking? Yes. Worth your time? Maybe!).

Thanks for visiting today!
Photo: Maximillian sunflower, Helianthus maximiliana, blooming in my garden today.

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City Square happenings

Well, it's been a long time and we've been busy in the garden. We've harvested green beans, tomatoes (mostly cherry), a few tomatillos, a few beets, a cabbage, a couple (small) carrots, squash, and more lettuce. We also planted strawberries, and are wathing to see if some of our other late plantings will produce anything.

zorka and the mighty cabbage
beautiful squash
yes, they (whoever they are) finally painted the benches! (although I think we could have done better....)
teomi and a perfect tomatillo, which has filled it's papery covering
mmmm, cabbage. notice how the one on the right split - irregular watering?
cam and the clippers, making more light for the garden!
corn, which never got fertilized, but gives us hope that it may actually work!
liz and the fruits of our labours - THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!
our garden grows more than food.....

SAVE THIS DATE!! NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19TH, at 10am, we will be meeting to close down the garden and install raised beds in preparation for next season. Come join the fun and become part of our community of gardeners!

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