from the Montreal Botanic Gardens Sept. 2011
UVM Extension/Greenworks tour
The following were recorded and submitted by participants in this tour during their visit. Comments in [ ] and some scientific names added in addition.
Plants
Sugar beet as an ornamental in a flower border
Lantana ‘Dallas Red’
Solidago (goldenrod) ‘Solar Cascada’
Hydrangea (paniculata) ‘Ruby’ and (serrata) ‘Tiara’—muted fall coral colors
Dawn redwood ‘Spring Cream’
Anemone ‘Splendens’
Pennisetum (foxtail grass) ‘White Lancer’—nice texture
Miscanthus (eulalia grass) ‘Sirene’—tall flower scapes, low foliage
Toadlily
Pagoda dogwood
Sweet September, Autumn Violet, April Gem rhododendrons
Dick Clark rose
Giant ironweed (Vernonia gigantea) ‘Purple Pillar’
Red-horned poppy
Rose altissima—climbing, red flowers
Japanese Umbrella Pine [marginally hardy into zone 5 but not colder]
Autumn crocus (marginal in colder areas, good into zone 5)
Pumpkins-on-a-stick eggplants
Bloody dock
Russian sage (Perovskia) [marginally hardy in zone 4]
Snail flower
Tiny Goldflake (Mecardonia) groundcover, yellow flowers (Chinese garden)
Red Cauli sedum
Deep purple/black kale
Design
Dry Zen garden with stones and gravel
Planter boxes on faux window panes to create focal points and garden “rooms”
“converge garden” integrating natives into a landscape
Trumpet vine tree resembled upside-down lilies
Fuchsia trees/standards
Rivers of Chelone (turtlehead)
Variety planting of ornamental grasses
More use of dahlias as fillers in border
Using massed plants eg. hosta on corners of borders
Plant Combinations
Dark purple ornamental peppers interplanted with silver licorice plant (Helichrysum)
Coralbells (Heuchera) ‘Beaujolais’ and Hibiscus ‘Peppermint Schnapps’
Foxtail asparagus fern interplanted with darker ground cover [red thread, Alternanthera]
Salvia ‘Black and Blue’ (guaranitica) with Purple Moor Grass (Molinia caerulea)
Inspirations
Chinese and Japanese gardens, want to learn more on their history and traditions
Chinese lanterns—time to have a party in the garden!
The many shade plants in the shade garden
Exhibition gardens
Gallery of botanical art—nice new surprise
New color combinations
Wooden toilet at Tree House
Moby Dick at Japanese Garden
Signs telling about plants, their history and uses
Metal arbors with vines, provide cool areas in gardens to sit
Most (95%) of plants live in symbiosis with mycorrhiza fungi in the soil
Other ideas
Using vegetables (eggplant, peppers, sweet potato vine) in a large container, perhaps with Canna or ornamental grass in the middle
Fertilize and trim houseplants more often
Improve the soil with compost
