Blooming Beauties

Even though the weather has been pretty crappy for us gardeners, there are some plants that aren't complaining.  Last week I took some pictures of the happy little guys.  There are the crabapples that have been blooming for the last month starting with the variety Spring Snow, Sugar Tyme and finally the Bechtel beauties.

Bechtel Crabapple up close and very personal.

Bechtel Crabapple blooms again.  Don't the they look like little rose buds?

 The perennials this year are very late.  We have one lonely iris blooming in the horseshoe bed.  They aren't even ready for Memorial Day.  Very strange.  The columbine is one of the first to bloom in our gardens and we are excited to see it in all its glory.

The columbine is blooming in the water-wise flower bed.  Isn't that a cool color for a spring bloomer?

The Arboretum has some hidden blooming beauties as well.  Tucked under a huge clump of cottonwoods I saw the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) sticking out it's cute pink blossoms.  With all this cool weather this little tree is lovin' life and putting on quite the show.  Jerry said that flowering dogwoods are perfect here in Utah as long as they are given some shade.  You should give them a try.

Flowering Dogwood in the Arboretum shaded under a huge cottonwood. 

Are these pink flowers the coolest thing you've ever seen?

Oh, yeah!

Sorry, I couldn't get enough of them.  I'm lovin' these dogwood beauties!

Aren't these the cutest cones you've ever seen?  Couldn't they be considered blooming beauties as well? They are from the  European Larch in the Arboretum.

Finally, here is the reason why they call this tree a Lace Bark Elm.  Awesome exfoliating bark.  Wouldn't you agree?

Jerry Answers Some Tough Spring Questions

Jerry will answer questions ranging from powdery mildew to how to get the greenest lawns.  He also highlights some awesome and unusual annuals.  We will have many of them available at our Flower Sale on Thursday, June 2nd 2-6pm.  Hope to see you there!
 

We Need Local Artists and Musicians

We are looking for local artists to display their work and musicians to play at our Art in the Garden Gala on Thursday, June 23rd from 3-8pm.

This is our third year to offer our Ogden Botanical Gardens “Art in the Gardens” Gala.  Community members now look forward to attending each year on our anniversary.  In the past, many artists and orchestras have participated at this special celebration.  

Having artists in the gardens creates beauty while our guests watch.  This has been a popular part of this event.  Because we try to make our Gala bigger and better each year, we are asking you to complete an application and submit it in advance. 

If you know other artists or musicians you think would like to join us that day, please feel free to forward this post onto them.  If you have questions about the application and participating in this community event, please call 801-399-8080 between 12:30 and 3:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Ogden Botanical Gardens or email us here.

Plant Giveaway Winner

Prize tickets were given to everyone who purchased plant at our past sales.  I am happy to announce the winner of the 2011 Perennial Plant package is...................drum roll please.  The lucky winner is Wendy Eaton!  

Wendy will receive one plant each of:
Auslese Lady Mantle, Firewitch Cheddar Pink, Arizona Sun Blanket Flower, Lawrence Flatman Cranesbill, Feuersiegel Helen's Flower, Dazzler Rockrose, Border Ballet Torchlily, Little Titch Blue Catmint, Caradonna Blue Sage, and Magnus Coneflower.
Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us at our plant sales.  We had a great selection of perennials, shrubs, trees, flowers, and heirloom tomatoes and peppers to share.  Happy planting and congratulations Wendy Eaton!

Flower Sale

You probably know that because of an unusually stormy spring, the annuals were not ready in time for this May sale.  That is why we have scheduled an “Annuals” Plant Sale for Thursday, June 2nd from 2-6pm.  Remember that Friends of the Garden get an additional 20% off all plants at our sales.

We'll have a Lisianthus 'Echo Champagne' light pink with a peach edge

For the first time we will be selling the most "coveted" and asked about annual flower at the gardens, the Lisianthus.  We have been growing and planting it at the gardens for the past 5 years with many rave reviews.  This year we decided to plant more than what we needed in the beds, so that we could offer them to you at our plant sale.   

Aren't they gorgeous?  We'll have Lisianthus 'Echo Blue' too!

We will have a huge selection of other stunning annuals to choose from as well.  Here are some of the other noteworthy beauties that you will have to choose from:

Cleome 'Queen's Mix'

Flowering Cabbage and Kale

'Indian Summer' Black-eyed Susans

Don't Forget: Plant Sales

This is just a reminder of our upcoming plant sales during our Spring Celebration.  Now is the perfect time to plant your gardens!

• Wednesday, May 18th 6-8pm Friends of the Garden Plant Sale at the Ogden Botanical Gardens
• Thursday, May 19th Noon-6pm Spring Celebration Plant Sale at the Ogden Botanical Gardens
• Saturday, May 21st 8am-2pm Spring Celebration Sale at the USU Botanical Gardens in Kaysville
• Thursday, June 2nd 2-6pm Annual Flower Sale at the Ogden Botanical Gardens

Pick up your favorite heirloom tomato and pepper starts, select new perennials, and choose a new shrub or tree for your landscape.  Staff will be on hand to answer questions.  Take a sneak peek at our shopper's guide here.  Thank you for your support of the gardens.

Change of Dates for Planting & Annual Flower Sale

Okay, this weather is really dragging us down.  Hopefully it will make up its mind--is it going to be hot or cold, rain or shine?  Who knows?  Well our plants in the greenhouse are still trying to make up their minds too!  Some days they are growing and then other days they just like to "veg" and stay very small.  Most aren't ready to be planted or sold.

So we've made a decision about planting our annuals this year.  We are going to wait and we'll hold off on planting for two more weeks and we'll have the leftovers for sale that same week.
Here is the plan:
Tuesday, May 31st 9am--Meet at the Ogden Botanical Gardens to move all the annuals from the greenhouse to the gardens where they will be prepped for planting the next day.
Wednesday, June 1st 9am--Plant all the annual beds
Thursday, June 2nd 2-6pm--Annual Flower Plant Sale

Call Kathy at (801) 399-8201 or email her to sign up to help us move, prep, or plant the gardens.  Thank you!