Diggin' It

The charming blue blooms of monkshood, or Aconitum, present a lovely woodland contrast with the colorful foliage of a Japanese maple. (Courtesy of Gene Bush)

Monkshood: Beautiful, blue, and long-blooming

By Gene Bush / 11.30.11

I have monkshood in my garden that stretch back more than 20 years to when I began gardening. Some I have lost the names of over the years, but, of course, that doesn't prevent them from blooming any less. I especially enjoy these perennials for the time of the year they bloom and for their numerous shades of blue flowers.

This plant has a long history. It has been used in medicinal gardens going back to medieval times. The Romans used Aconitum to poison wells, in order to eradicate wolves (which gave rise to one of the plant's common names, wolfsbane). The plant has also graced English cottage garden for centuries.

In Indiana, I normally I have Aconitum blooming in my garden beginning in late June, and different species continue the bloom to mid-December. This year all species and cultivars have waited until mid-September to begin blooming. They will remain in bloom well into December.

I have seen heavy freezes and snow on the blooms, and watched them go on to produce seed. They put on quite a show for this time of the year with the tall, stately, spires topped with blue "hoodies."

Oh, those blues

To name a few, monkshood flowers come in indigo blue, icy blue, lavender blue, and deepest purple-blue blooms in clusters at the top of stems. You may also choose from cultivars with pure white, pink, and bi-color  blooms. There's even a yellow-blooming species.

Want a great-looking autumn garden? Just select a bloom period and your favorite shade of blue to go with all the gold, red, and brown of fall foliage.

There are monkshood that reach only a foot in height and others that can reach 12 feet, or more. In my garden the range from 3 feet to 8 feet. Some are very stately in stem, while others become like vines at the top of the stem and need staking or support from a neighbor.

I especially enjoy growing my monkshood at the base of small trees such a Japanese maples or witch hazels and allow them to provide colorful background. Witch hazels are noted for yellow, orange, and tan fall foliage, while Japanese maple has red leaves, so they're perfect color and texture companions.

Caution

A word of caution is in order, for all parts of monkshood are considered poisonous. When handling the plant, be sure to use gloves, especially if you have cuts or scrapes. Aconitum do need to be kept from pets or children.

All my monkshood are located at the open edge of my woodland gardens where they have decent soil, reasonable moisture, and lots of light without full sun for extended periods. Now to find room for just one more new cultivar.

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Gene Bush, a nationally known garden writer, photographer, lecturer, and nursery owner, gardens on a shaded hillside in southern Indiana. His website is www.munchkinnursery.com. He also writes the Garden Clippin's Newsletter. To read more by Gene here at Diggin' It, click here.

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Moss Rocks! blend well with any home decor. here they're right at home in a kitchen (Copyright Moss and Stone Gardens; used by permission)

Moss rocks

By Helen Yoest / 11.29.11

Moss makes me curious.  I like it; I want to touch and feel it. I even think it holds some ancient wisdom.  I never thought of growing it, though.  After all, my sunny wildlife habitat, Helen's Haven, is, well, just that, sunny -- and everyone knows, moss doesn’t grow in the sun, right? 

It wasn’t until I met David Spain, co-owner of Moss and Stone Gardens -- Where Moss Rocks!, that I learned that was a misconception. Some mosses can grow in sun. 

From there, I continued to learn about moss, and I’m fascinated with what I’ve learned.  

Learning about moss

As a plantswoman, I wanted to know more about moss.  Available literature was limited and, more often than not, the same information about moss was just passed around like a passalong plant.  At that time, there was no information available that allowed me to fully understand moss. 

In moss’s defense, though, it’s complicated.

I met David Spain when scouting gardens for our area’s Garden Conservancy’s Open Days tour.  One day, I found an oasis and worthy candidate -- the moss garden of Richard Urquhart. Mr. Urquhart’s gardener and son-in-law was David Spain.

David and I became fast friends. David took his time to teach me about moss, to explain things in several different ways until I understood.  For almost a year now, he has been teaching others, as well, with his mossology and online educational posts demystifying moss.

Moss is trending in a big way; and I don’t see it slowing in the near future.  It’s also helpful that at the same time moss is trending, someone like David Spain comes along to teach us about moss in a way we can understand.  Even Martha Stewart -- or should I say, especially Martha Stewart, given that Martha is a moss expert herself -- recognized David’s talent and enthusiasm and invited him to be a guest on her TV show.

Growing moss in a cute container

David Spain’s goal is to reach out to people to educate them so they will appreciate moss.  Beyond his teachings, he created a gift item with instructions on how to meet moss’ cultural needs.  Moss Rocks! can be enjoyed at home -- inside or out; on your desk or deck.

Doreen Howard, garden guru for the Farmer’s Almanac, says, "The minute I saw Moss Rocks! I knew I had to have one. They are so cute, furry and green!  And, they're terrific houseplants for someone like me who travels often on business.  I live in a frigid climate (along the Illinois-Wisconsin border in Zone 4b), and winters bone-chilling, gray and endless.  Moss Rocks! are like green sunshine." 

I’m with Doreen, the first time I saw them, I had to have one....or two.

Moss Rocks! can be purchased online.  For ideas on how to use Moss Rocks! in your decor, check out the blog filled with inspiring photos by co-owner Ken Gergle.

As passionate moss experts, David Spain and Ken Gergle have established themselves as a pioneers in moss cultivation, working to educate gardeners on the perils of wild harvesting mosses and to, instead, help develop sustainable propagation techniques. At the same time, they show you how to have a little piece of moss to care for in your home.

David and Ken, all I can add is, “Mossome!”

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Helen Yoest lives in North Carolina and writes about Gardening With Confidence. She's a garden writer, speaker, and garden coach. She's also a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazines and serves on the board of advisors for the JC Raulston Arboretum. You can follow Helen on Twitter and Facebook. To read more by Helen here at Diggin' It, click here.

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What to do with daikon or Japanese radishes? One easy and tasty solution is a salad of baby spinach leaves topped with julienned daikon and mandarin oranges. (Courtesy of Linda Weiss)

Daikon radishes in the garden and in the kitchen

By Anne K. Moore and Linda Weiss / 11.28.11

Dad planted Icicle radishes in his garden when I was growing up, says Anne Moore, the gardener. I thought that these long, white, mild radishes were good to eat, even at my young, snooty age.

Nowadays, you will most likely find them listed as daikon radish. These radishes are also known as winter, Japanese, Chinese, Oriental, and many other names. They are long, white, cylindrical, and mild.

After I grew up, I pretty much forgot about white radishes. Then, a few years ago, I came across a packet of seeds for daikon radish when I was looking for fall and winter vegetables. I planted them somewhat late and harvested a few small radishes before the first frosts.

The ground does not freeze in the midlands of South Carolina, where I garden, so I was able to leave them in the ground until springtime. That’s when I pulled out long, substantial, tender, mild, delicious white radishes.

Growing daikons in cold climates

If it does freeze where you garden, then you should try planting these delicious vegetables in July or August. They take about two months to mature. Check with your local University Extension Service for the best planting time for a fall vegetable crop in your area.

Daikon radishes are very slow to bolt (go to seed) in the hot, long days of summer. They will withstand heavy frosts if planted late in the season, although they do need at least 40 degree F. soil to germinate. You can also extend your growing season in cold areas by using frost covers on the garden beds, or by planting them in cold frames or greenhouses.

Plant the seeds a half to three-quarters of an inch deep into moist, deeply dug garden soil. Deep containers with wide tops will also make a good growing bed for daikon radishes, as they can grow to 18 inches long and 3 inches wide. Full sun is best in winter growing areas. If you are planting in summer, some shade would be of benefit. As soon as the seedlings have a second set of leaves, thin them to about two to four inches apart.

Use as you would any raw radish. I like them in recipes in place of the more bland water chestnuts to add a little zip.

Daikon in salad, a nice combination

This creamy white radish is much milder than the salad variety of radish, and because of this milder flavor, it is easy to integrate into other foods to add more flavor and texture, says Linda Weiss, the chef. It’s a nice addition to a salad or a stir-fry.

This recipe is versatile. After using spinach for the greens, I added mandarin oranges , sliced green onions, and toasted almonds, along with the daikon, but you can use your favorite salad greens, and replace the mandarin oranges with shredded carrots, pears, apples, or any other vegetable or fruit that will complement the daikon.

Since I always have soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and honey in my pantry, it was pretty easy to whip up a dressing. To serve the salad, I layered the greens, oranges, daikon, onions, and almonds on a large platter and poured the dressing over the salad. Just toss it lightly before serving.

If you use spinach for the salad and have a little salad leftover, you might want to consider a quick stir-fry to wilt the spinach, and now you have a whole new dish!   

Salad With Daikon

1 cup julienned daikon (see * below)

8 cups baby spinach or your favorite salad greens

4 to 5 green onions including tender green stems, sliced into ½-inch pieces

1 cup mandarin oranges, sliced apple, or sliced pear

1/3 cup sliced toasted almonds

*Slice daikon on an angle and then cut into julienne. Place the cut daikon in a strainer until ready to use. This will allow the moisture to drain.

Place baby greens on a large platter. Add green onions, oranges, daikon, and almonds. Prepare dressing and pour over the salad, toss, and serve. Serves 4 or more.

Dressing:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or to taste

Sprinkle of salt

Mix together with wire whisk. Pour over salad.

Editor's Note: To read more of Anne and Linda's "how to grow and prepare" series, click here.

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Linda Weiss and Anne Moore met while Linda was the food editor and Anne was the garden editor for South Carolina Homes & Gardens magazine. They now write articles for the ETV GardenSMART television show website, where Anne is the horticulture editor, gardening consultant, and e-newsletter editor. Anne has written for magazines and newspapers. She is a member of and a recipient of a Silver Award for magazine writing from the Garden Writers Association. Linda is a personal chef. She attended Le Cordon Bleu of Paris’ catering program, has appeared as a guest chef on numerous television shows, has been a culinary educator for 10 years, and a food writer for a number of magazines. She is a professional member of The James Beard Foundation and the Southern Foodways Alliance. She has written a cookbook, "Memories From Home, Cooking with Family and Friends."

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A section of the green wall, vertical garden at Ball Horticultural Co.’s display gardens near Chicago. (Courtesy of Betty Earl)

Vertical gardens: The good, the bad, the ugly

By Betty Earl / 11.16.11

The gardening trend that is currently sweeping the country – nay, let’s say sweeping a good portion of the gardening world, a trend that has many of us totally mesmerized -- is vertical gardening .

At first glance, I was enchanted, intrigued, and fascinated by it. Now, after viewing many more vertical “garden” walls, the best I can admit to …I embrace the concept, but am only half-heartedly drawn to their implementation with open arms as I once was.

Why?

Because many people with a blank back fence or wall are jumping on the bandwagon without understanding the system or the long-term significance of the project.

Living tapestries

You may be familiar with Patrick Blanc’s amazing vertical garden system known as Le Mur Vegetal, which allows both plants and architecture to live in harmony with each other.

For those who aren’t, Blanc is the French botanist who, for the past decade or so, has been transforming vertical urban outside walls, mostly in Europe and Australia, into intricate living tapestries that include hundreds of species of plants of a complexity and scale never before realized.

Probably best known for his dramatic, yet gorgeous, living wall on the Musee du Quai Branly  in France, Blanc devised an ingenious three-part system, consisting of a PVC layer, felt, and metal frame, which replicates the habitat of plant communities that thrive on wet vertical rock surfaces in nature the world over.

But the underlying secret to Blanc’s system is well-thought-out hydroponics.

As fascinating as his technology is, it’s the visual aesthetics that capture and captivate the imagination. At the very least, Blanc has redefined the meaning of “garden wall.”

While his system is “soilless” and financially out of reach of most of us, many of the other green-wall systems available to gardeners and landscapers today involve some soil, be it suspended in bags or held in bracketed cubbyholes of some sort.

Maintenance requirements not met

Take a garden I saw this summer. Well-planned and beautiful, it was a kaleidoscope of healthy colorful plants that lifted your spirits as soon as you saw it. Well, at least until you reached the back fence!

That’s where the impact of the garden deteriorated. There, three tiers of a black felt-based vertical gardening system were hung horizontally across the fence. Filled to the brim in bulging pockets of soil (and black felt exposed all around them), were numerous different succulents, painfully struggling for survival.

These plants, which are hardy here and typically thrive in the ground even with benign neglect, were, when suspended in felt against the south-facing wall, in need of constant watering in order to cope with the heat and wind of a Midwest summer. Unfortunately, their needs weren’t met – and the whole effect was awful.

Google "vertical gardens" and you will come up with tons of DIY ideas and pictures of beautiful living wall, vertical gardens. But as to information on irrigation, plant choices, weather, and site considerations and the cultural requirements of plants? Not so much!

And therein lies the problem. Done correctly by knowledgeable landscapers or gardeners, the effect is awesome. Conceived by people who don’t understand the systems, plant species choices, or proper cultural requirements, the end result is appalling, to say the least.

And it’s not always the fault of the system.

A shining example

The folks at Ball Horticulture Co. in West Chicago, Ill., got it right. (Unfortunately, Ball is open to the public only once a year during The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. Check its website for schedules.)

Ball's free-standing vertical wall -- chock-full of tropical plants such as caladium, alocasia, ginger, begonia, anthurium, and coloIcasia, and equipped with a drip irrigation system tailored to the needs of the plants -- is both seductive and winsome – during the entire growing season. [It's shown in two photos above. To see the second photo, click on the arrow at the right base of the first picture.]

Proponents of vertical gardening praise the living wall vertical gardens for their beauty. At Ball, the charm is irrefutable.

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Betty Earl, the Intrepid Gardener, blogs regularly at Diggin' It. She's the author of 'In Search of Great Plants: The Insider’s Guide to the Best Plants in the Midwest.' She also writes a regular column for Chicagoland Gardening Magazine and The Kankakee Journal and numerous articles for Small Gardens Magazine, American Nurseryman, Nature’s Garden, and Midwest Living Magazine, as well as other national magazines. She is a garden scout for Better Homes and Gardens and a regional representative for The Garden Conservancy. To read more by Betty here at Diggin' It, click here.

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The miniflora rose named Dr. Troy Garret is perfect for garden display and also features the high spiraling center that rose show judges adore (Courtesy of Lynn Hunt)

You'll learn a lot when you attend a rose show

By Lynn Hunt / 11.15.11

Not long ago I had the honor of judging the South Carolina Rose Show in Columbia, S.C. As an accredited horticultural judge for the American Rose Society, I get to eye the best blooms grown by the best exhibitors on the East Coast. This show was really special because among the entries was one of the finest blooms of the hybrid tea Pop Warner I have seen in many years.

And that sighting was just the beginning of a day full of visual treats.

One of the cool things about this show is that was held at the South Carolina State Fair. In addition to viewing an impressive collection of roses, there were plenty of other fun things to do.

My British husband attended a cattle auction and was mesmerized by the auctioneer. Apparently they don’t have such fast talkers in the U.K. He also was amazed by the varieties of food he’d never heard of, including elephant ears. We both managed to avoid the fried Twinkie on a stick (although I was tempted by a corn dog.)

The judging took longer than usual because there were so many deserving blue ribbon winners in the hybrid tea class. Out of 40 stunning blooms, and after many rounds of voting, the oldie but goodie Pop Warner was named queen.

As I wandered around between votes, I couldn’t help but notice all the people eagerly waiting outside the ropes for the event to open. That scene took me back to the day when I stumbled upon my first show.

A happy accident

I’m often asked how I got interested in growing roses and the truth is, it happened because I was strolling through a mall in Newport News, Va., a number of years ago and passed several tables filled with all kinds of beautiful roses in just about every color.

Some had huge blooms; others were as tiny as a pencil eraser. There were elegant hybrid teas with their high spiraling centers and old-fashioned sprays that reminded me of bushes my grandmother had on her Michigan farm.

I wanted to learn more, so I joined the local rose society and have been addicted to roses ever since. One of the great things about joining a society is that the “old timers” are happy to share their secrets of success and will even teach you how to properly groom a rose for a show.

When I entered my first Novice Show, one of my flowers won a red ribbon! The experienced exhibitors explained I might have gotten a blue, but my stem was too short. It’s a common mistake – several very nice entries at the South Carolina show were downgraded because the stem was either too short or too long.

Others were disqualified because a rose was misnamed, the bloom was entered in the wrong class, or was not entered according to the guidelines of the show schedule (like putting blooms in one vase instead of separate ones.) Two gorgeous hybrid teas were disqualified because the exhibitor had left cotton balls inside the petals in hopes of making the rose open up before the judges arrived.

Even beginners can be winners

The rules of exhibiting may sound daunting, but they really aren’t if you follow the guidelines with care. In addition, attending or entering a show will give you tips and insights you won’t find elsewhere.

Almost every community in the country sponsors rose shows. Some are in the spring, others in the fall. They all have categories for novice exhibitors. And they all have people there who would love to help you learn more about growing roses.

So ask your local society about an upcoming show. You might win a ribbon, or a trophy. Better yet, you might find yourself hooked for life on the world’s most beloved flower.

PSSST: If you catch the rose show bug, find a few categories where you won’t have to compete with the really serious exhibitors. Most shows have classes for Most Fragrant, Fully Open Bloom, or Single Bloom (four to eight petals.) Enter a pretty spray in the Polyantha category, and you’ll have a great chance of walking away with a trophy.

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Lynn Hunt, the Rose Whisperer, blogs regularly at Diggin' It. She's an accredited horticultural judge and a Consulting Rosarian Emeritus for the American Rose Society. She has won dozens of awards for her writing in newspapers, magazines, and television. After a recent move, she grows roses and other plants in her garden in the mountains of western North Carolina. To read more by Lynn, click here.You can also follow her on Twitter.

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This peony is Paeonia ‘Illini Belle’. It's a hybrid that is absolutely one of the best. It has semi-double, red petals on strong stems that need no staking. (Courtesy of Gardenology)

Peonies: For gorgeous flowers in spring, plant in fall

By Betty Earl / 11.11.11

In my Illinois garden, peonies have always been on my list of exceptionally consistent performers. These old-fashioned perennials have never let me down. Like so many other gardeners the world over, I prize them for their beauty, fragrance, and outstanding hardiness.

Rugged and practically indestructible (except in the South and in warmer parts of California, where many don't perform well), peonies are endowed with the kind of blossoms that make one nostalgic for grandma’s garden.  Some of this is due to their ability to last for years with little care – a century is not uncommon – but mostly it is due to the combination of grace and enticing beauty that adds great three-season value to the landscape.

I started collecting peonies the way most people do – by buying the well-known Paeonia lactiflora hybrids that produce blowsy flowers in various shades of pink and creamy white in late May and early June.

Many of these were bred in France during the mid-19th century largely for the cut-flower trade, rather than for gardens. One of the first peony plants that I purchased, that of ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, has stems that are too weak to support the enticing flowers in the garden, though she’s magnificent in a vase.

Go modern

A better selection would have been ‘Dinner Plate’, with her immense, shell-pink, highly fragrant blossoms on truly strong stems that never flop.

But at the time, as even now, that was not what most nurseries and online mail-order companies were promoting.

Yes, there are some outstanding older cultivars, but I find that the newer, more modern hybrids -- besides being available in a much wider range of colors, including bright red, clear yellow, apricot, coral, and orange -- are also bred for stronger stems and compactness.

Take ‘Coral Sunset’ for example. This early bloomer, with her ruffled, semi-double blooms of an intense coral with strong pink overtones, is one of the best for an extravagant display regardless of the quirks of weather. Plus, she is a superior cut flower, lasting more than a week indoors when I cut her in full bud.

If you have been admiring those big, fragrant, voluptuous blossoms every spring and are wondering when to plant them, consider this your reminder that now is the time. Bare root tubers are readily available from many mail order nurseries or you can purchase them grown in containers from your favorite garden center, nursery, or big box store. Concentrate on named cultivars, bypassing containers marked only by color, as many of these are plants of minimal value.

Key to peony success: Proper planting

Considering their long life span,the key to successfully growing peonies, whatever variety you choose, is to choose roots with three-to-five “eyes” (those little growing points or bumps on the root) and to plant them just right.

The simple key to healthy and beautiful peonies is all about proper placement and site preparation before you plant. If you get that right, peonies will provide you with breathtaking flowers for vase and garden for years to come.

Peonies prefer full sun all day, but will bloom with as little as six hours of direct sun daily. They need a well-drained site, mixed with generous amount of well-rotted manure, peat moss, or compost.

Do not plant them too deep, which will result in lots of foliage but no flowers. Make sure the “eyes” of the tubers are pointing up and are covered with only one to two inches of soil. (For full cultural requirements for your area, contact your local Extension service.)

 One thing to keep in mind, however, is to be sure to cut and rake up and dispose of peonies’ withered foliage every fal,l as the dead foliage can transmit disease.

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Betty Earl, the Intrepid Gardener, blogs regularly at Diggin' It. She's the author of 'In Search of Great Plants: The Insider’s Guide to the Best Plants in the Midwest.' She also writes a regular column for Chicagoland Gardening Magazine and The Kankakee Journal and numerous articles for Small Gardens Magazine, American Nurseryman, Nature’s Garden, and Midwest Living Magazine, as well as other national magazines. She is a garden scout for Better Homes and Gardens and a regional representative for The Garden Conservancy. To read more by Betty here at Diggin' It, click here.

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Before: This propane tank must be in the front yard for ease of servicing in cold, icy weather. But it's an eyesore in the landscape. How to make it look better? Click the arrow below to see the 'after' view. (Courtesy of Lois J. de Vries)

Eyesore in the garden: Now you see it, now you don't.

By Lois J. de Vries / 11.02.11

Most homeowners deal with the necessary-but-ugly utility equipment in the garden by building a fence around the objects, or constructing a box to house them. But the only thing these “solutions” accomplish is to substitute one visual blight for another.

Large eyesores, such as a 300-gallon propane tank, 2-ton air-conditioning compressor, pool mechanicals, etc., require a magician’s talents on a grand scale; the kind of sleight-of-eye that makes the monstrosity “vanish” while still in plain sight.

The stock-in-trade of magicians who specialize in coin, card, and other sleight-of-hand tricks is to get you to look at one hand, so that you don’t notice what they’re doing with the other one.

Like the magician who performed at my brother’s recent birthday party, you can employ this craft right under the noses of garden guests, with none of them being the wiser.

The most satisfying approach is to eliminate the eyesore entirely but, as with a propane tank, that may not be practical. Our tank has to be in the front yard, in order for the delivery person to be able to access it in ice and snow from our steep, winding driveway.

How to 'hide' a propane tank

For many years, the otherwise pleasant view across my front yard lavender garden, from both the driveway and the house, came to an abrupt halt at that ugly utilitarian object --- a nine-foot-long by three-foot-diameter puice cylinder that we called “the yellow submarine” long after I had painted it brown to try to make it blend in.

Something had to be done. I discovered that it would cost less than $200 to move: $50 for a permit; $40 for two trenching tools; and $106 for the propane company to send two installers and a boom truck to swap out the old tank for a new one.

By moving the tank back just 10 feet, but out of constant view from the living room/office window, we reduced my level of irritation with it by at least 75 percent.

I quickly dubbed the new white version “Moby Dick." Poor Moby still loomed large as he floated above the landscape, accosting our aesthetic sensibilities every time we drove in, or gardened in the front yard.

We decided to make a feature out of it. In front of it, we built a wood, copper, and stone screen that incorporates a piece of architectural salvage, and stained it the same color as the house. To hide the narrow end, which could be seen from the back and side yards, we built a rack for firewood. The other end, which can be seen from the driveway, will be hidden by a rustic gate made of closely-spaced branches.

A pair of dwarf blue junipers, with branch tips that match the screen’s patina, flanks the opening. Blue Wild Rye Grass, confined in pots to control their spread, line each corner. Sea holly is planted in between, together with purple tulips and allium for spring color. The lavender garden has been expanded, to fill the space between it and the screen’s border plants. Next year, lavender roses and purple clematis will begin climbing the pair of stone pillars.

And, presto, chango! No one will even notice that “Moby Dick” is there.

Do some planning first

If you'd like to do something similar, use caution: Call the utility to establish a safe distance for your new structure and use your community's One-Call system to locate underground utilities before you dig.

To see clever and artistic painted treatments of large and small tanks, click here.

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 Lois de Vries, a popular speaker at regional flower shows and garden clubs, writes from her home in rural northwestern New Jersey. To read her other posts at Diggin' It, click here. She's a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and Country Gardens magazines and has been a contributing editor for other national publications. She was awarded the Jefferson Presidential Award for public service in environmental work. Click here and here to read about her garden design and environmental ideas and her holistic approach to gardening.You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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Hardy cyclamen, a pretty perennial plant for shade gardens, is known for its silver and green leaves. (Courtesy of Gene Bush)

Hardy cyclamen: Its delicate appearance hides its toughness

By Gene Bush / 11.01.11

Shortly after the official first day of fall, hardy cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium) welcomes the season in my shade gardens. I may miss the shift in seasons on my paper calendar, but a walk in the garden, and the sight of my cyclamen in bloom, is my best reminder.

Sad to say, when I visit other gardens in my area at this time of the year, I seldom see hardy, or ivy leaf, cyclamen. It must simply be a lack of awareness of this jewel of shade gardens. The species and named seed strains are numerous, so there is no lack of variation on this theme to choose from.

Beauty

The Ivy-shaped leaves [see photo at top] are highly variable, and named strains are bred for leaf patterns and colors. The deep-green leaves often have markings of silver or pewter in patterns. I enjoy the ones with a deep green "Christmas tree" pattern surrounded by splash of silver that returns to polished green along the margins.

Leaves can emerge same time as the blooms or just after. Blooms are found at the end of trailing stems that have their beginnings underground. Stems and roots emerge from the top of the tuber.

The reflexed petals have a dark spot at the nose, which is pointed toward the mulch. Blooms colors are in shades of pink and white. [See photo at left.]

One tough plant

Tubers break dormancy in October, and while blooms last only for a couple of weeks, the colorful foliage persists undamaged through late spring. There is much to be said for a plant that can persist through a Midwest winter, providing a show for my bundled-up walks in the garden.

As if beauty alone were not enough to recommend this jewel, it does best where many other plants wilt away. Complaining about dry shade? My cyclamen grow in a raised bed beneath a circle of pine trees that have filled the bed with roots. In another area I have tubers in the root system of a dwarf hemlock that is located beneath a mature cedar tree.

And hardy cyclamen are hardy into Zone 5 .

Placement and companions

Since they are small plants, hardy cyclamen make great displays when used in multiples. I prefer drifts at the base of shrubs, along rocky ledges, and in between stones, so they will not be disturbed when dormant.

Ferns (of your choice) and yellow-white corydalis (Corydalis ochroleuca) would make perfect companion plants.

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Gene Bush, a nationally known garden writer, photographer, lecturer, and nursery owner, gardens on a shaded hillside in southern Indiana. His website is www.munchkinnursery.com. He also writes the Garden Clippin's Newsletter. To read more by Gene here at Diggin' It, click here.

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Sweet potatoes, which are harvested in the fall, need a long, hot growing season. (Courtesy of Anne K. Moore)

How to grow and cook sweet potatoes

By Anne K. Moore and Linda Weiss / 10.31.11

When a reader left a comment wondering when we would be doing something sweet, Linda and I were ready with the sweetest Southern fall crop, sweet potatoes.

You grow sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) from rooted cuttings, called slips, planted into warm garden soil (May in South Carolina, where we live). Their growing requires 90 to 150 days to mature, depending on type.

These tropical vegetables love the heat and humidity of Southern summers, but must come out of the ground before any frost hits the garden. When the vines turn yellow, it is time to dig. If frost is forecast, dig them even if the plants are still green. Even a light frost will travel down the stem and damage the swollen roots we know as sweet potatoes.

Harvesting and curing

Cut the vines, then carefully dig the roots, which bruise quite easily, with a spading fork, gently lifting the soil from deep underneath the plants.

The next activity will be to get them to “sweeten.” Sweet potatoes come out of the ground starchy. They need high heat and humidity to reach their full sweet potential. The longer you can store them at 85 degrees F. and 90 per cent humidity (up to two weeks), the sweeter they will become. If summer has turned to late fall before your harvest, try curing the sweet potatoes in the kitchen, usually the warmest and most humid room in the house.

Once the sweet potatoes are dried and cured, they can be stored at warm temperatures, anything above 50 degrees F. Six to eight weeks of storage will improve their sugar content and sweetness.

Colder storage will harden the core of the sweet potato and ruin the taste. Never, ever put raw sweet potatoes into the refrigerator. Cook them first. To keep them for any length of time, wash them, boil or bake them, then after draining, package them with their skins intact and freeze or refrigerate them.

You won’t have to worry about storage if you try Linda’s …

Unusual sweet potato cake

A lemon-flavored sweet potato pone that my (Linda's) father loved, inspired this very moist and sweet cake with a touch of lemon flavoring. The sweet potato pone was made by an elderly woman who knew and cooked by the old "foodways" (that is, cooking the old way, preserving the past) at a little cafe in southwest Alabama. Her name has slipped my mind over the years, but the thought of her luscious sweet potatoes has not.

This cake [see second photo above; click on the arrow at the right base of the first photo] has no cinnamon, no spices, but is very moist and delicious with a nice contrast in flavors from the lemon extract and the lemon-flavored yogurt.

I like my cake sweet, and this is, sweet and Southern, just as you would expect from a sweet potato cake.

Sweet Potato Cake With Lemon Glaze

3 sticks softened butter

3 cups sugar

2 cups packed mashed sweet potatoes (see note)

6 eggs (at room temperature)

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 (6-ounce) container lemon-flavored yogurt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Prepare a large tube pan by spraying with baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar. Beat until creamy.

Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Add the mashed sweet potatoes, and mix well on low speed. Add lemon extract. Mix the salt and baking soda into the flour. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the yogurt to the batter. Turn the mixer on medium high and beat for 1 minute.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 65 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Turn out onto a heat-proof serving plate. (I like to turn the cake back over to the top side). Let cool before slicing. Serves 8 to 10.

Note: I used 3 medium baked sweet potatoes to make 2 cups mashed. Make sure they are completely done -- the potatoes will be very soft and you can squeeze them.

Lemon Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

Mix together and drizzle over the cake.

Editor's Note: To read more of Anne and Linda's "how to grow and prepare" series, click here.

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Linda Weiss and Anne Moore met while Linda was the food editor and Anne was the garden editor for South Carolina Homes & Gardens magazine. They now write articles for the ETV GardenSMART television show website, where Anne is the horticulture editor, gardening consultant, and e-newsletter editor. Anne has written for magazines and newspapers. She is a member of and a recipient of a Silver Award for magazine writing from the Garden Writers Association. Linda is a personal chef. She attended Le Cordon Bleu of Paris’ catering program, has appeared as a guest chef on numerous television shows, has been a culinary educator for 10 years, and a food writer for a number of magazines. She is a professional member of The James Beard Foundation and the Southern Foodways Alliance. She has written a cookbook, "Memories From Home, Cooking with Family and Friends."

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