My Favorite Plants of the Year

**L* C* <i*@MaineGardenJournal.com>**

New plants and old favorites sure to make your garden spectacular!
Gifts for the gardeners on your list
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>From now until December 15, 2015, Lisa is offering a special holiday price for The Maine Garden Journal - $15.00 and FREE SHIPPING!
Each book will be signed by the author with a personal message, gift-wrapped and shipped anywhere in the United States.

Order the book from my new Lisa the Gardener (http://mainegardenjournal.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=62ca0fde628ca1779a556b058&id=349a40a8fe&e=a21b3c3e57) website.
Also available on Amazon (http://mainegardenjournal.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=62ca0fde628ca1779a556b058&id=9cdd46fa75&e=a21b3c3e57) .

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As a group, we gardeners take risks, kick tires, and experiment. Risk-taking can have a crucial influence on success. Taking the risk to experiment with a new plant, technique or idea allows you to identify what works and new areas to explore.

I admit to being a risk-taker. I'm excited about trialing the latest plants - vegetables, fruits, trees, perennials, annuals, tropicals, bulbs and more! I'm a tough critic though. One hint of wimpiness and a struggling plant is banished to the compost pile.

See the end of the newsletter to learn more about the interesting plants in this photo.
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Plant Success

Here are a few ornamental plants I consider to be success stories. They're tough as nails, bloom reliably and are guaranteed to always have a home in my garden.

** Drumstick Allium

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Drumstick Allium (Allium sphaerocephalon) blooms as the tulips start to decline in my Maine garden. Two to three foot tall, leafless flower stalks hover above later-blooming perennials. Bees love them; deer avoid them; they tolerate road salt; seldom set seed so won't be weedy; and come back year after year.

This photo shows garlic scapes also. I plant garlic throughout my ornamental gardens. The twisty, twirly scapes are interesting and come back year after year.

** Dazzleberry Sedum
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Dazzleberry Sedum always looks stunning. The burgundy pink-tinged foliage has had no pest problems - ever. It can take the hottest, driest spots in my garden - alongside the black asphalt driveway. Its dark foliage offers a pleasing contrast against the surrounding green backdrop, and when the brilliant, dark pink blooms appear it really dazzles!

** Henryii Clematis
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I love how climbing plants can lend a sense of enclosure to a garden. I've trained vines and long-caned plants to grow up trees, through bushes, on trellises mounted on the house and on arbors that act as entryways to different parts of the garden. Henrii clematis is one of my all-time favorites. It's extremely low-maintenance. The only thing I do - once a year, in early spring, I cut back some of the brittle or damaged vines. That's it! After a huge flush of blooms in early summer, it continues to reward me with large, dinner-plate-sized, pure white blooms throughout the season.

When the petals fall off, fuzzy seed heads add visual interest.

** 'Invincibelle Spirit' Hydrangea
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Most of you are familiar with pure white Annabelle hydrangea... Well, this is a new introduction that's pink! Every garden needs 'Invincibelle Spirit' Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens). It starts blooming in early summer. Large, brilliant pink flowerheads on strong stems remain on the plant throughout the season. In late fall, the mature, papery, dusty-rose blooms can be cut for dried flower arrangements or wreaths.

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The information you need to make your ornamental gardening in a short-season, cold climate area, successful!
* Best trees, shrubs, perennials
* Best Bulbs, annuals & moreâ
* Pests and what we do about them
* Learn about garden tours, outstanding garden centers, meet kindred spirits
* Best gardening books, catalogs, & web sites

** Soji Solar Lantern
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This is my new favorite product for the garden. I'm so impressed with how this solar light looks in my back yard. It's a sensational accent light. I've tried lots of solar lights that stop working after a few months. This one, now covered in snow, stays lit all night long. I'll certainly add more next summer.
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** Erik and Sarah
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My son, Erik and his wife, Sarah helped me celebrate a milestone birthday this summer. Sarah teaches English Literature at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. Together they own a brewery in Hillsborough, North Carolina, called Mystery Brewing. If you're ever in North Carolina make sure you try some of their fantastic beers. I'm particularly fond of the Red Belgian IPA called Fantine.

It was so nice to have them take time out of their busy lives to be here with us. Steven and I are looking forward to visiting them for the holidays.

** My Favorite Birthday Cake
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I've had requests for this recipe again! This is the carrot cake my mother always made for special occasions. In honor of my dear mom, Rita Dubois, from Fort Kent, Maine, here it is again.

Click on the cake photo for complete directions.

You'll love it.
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** Interesting Plant #1

Alocasia
'Calidora'
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This is a plant that's often called an elephant ear but it seems that many large-leafed plants are called elephant ears. I'm particularly fond of this one because the leaves are thick and rubbery so they don't tear in the wind and I have had absolutely no insect damage. Beware, many of the elephant ear plants with the taxonomic name Colocasia have problems with chlorosis (yellowing between the veins of the leaves) - they tend to be sensitive to pH as well as iron and magnesium availability. Alocasia 'Calidora' is much more tolerant of various soil conditions. I've had the same plant for years and I've been able to divide it and replant the offspring throughout my property as well as bring extras to my garden club plant sale. It's a tropical plant that must spend the winter in my basement. I've never seen it in Maine garden centers. I ordered it online. If you want this large conversation piece plant,  make sure you're getting the right plant - Alocasia 'Calidora.' Taxonomic
names make a difference.

** Interesting Plant #2

Canna 'Phasion'
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Even if this plant never flowers, the leaves are impressive enough all by themselves. This is another tropical plant that spends winters in a dark corner of the basement. At the end of April, I start all of the tropical plants in my sunny living room. I start to harden them off in mid-May - bringing them out during the day and in each night. I only plant them out when all danger of frost is passed - Memorial Day weekend where I live. Tropical plants are heavy feeders and love lots of moisture. In the heat of summer, I water them every day.

I've purchased many of my tropical plants from Plant Delights Nursery (http://mainegardenjournal.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=62ca0fde628ca1779a556b058&id=84ea5ddc4f&e=a21b3c3e57) located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

** Interesting Plant #3

Tall Verbena
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Verbena bonariensis is an annual with small, fragrant, purple flower heads that butterflies and bees love. I started it from seed many years ago. It's slow to germinate and doesn't look like much for at least a month. Now, tall verbena volunteers throughout my garden. Its narrow leaves and tall, leafless flower stalks make it a perfect see-through plant. Allow some seed heads to go to seed each year. Wayward seedlings are extremely easy to pull out.Know that it is late to make an appearance each spring - waiting for warmer weather before it sprouts.

Verbena bonariensis grows near a walkway to the back yard - a perfect sheer edge.

** Interesting Plant #4

Wolf Eyes Dogwood
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Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' is a small tree that grows up to 10 feet high. This photo shows one in the back yard that was about 6 feet tall when the photo was taken. See how dramatic it looks against a dark background. Fall foliage color is spectacular - pink and red! Late spring blooms are stark white.
I ordered it from Forest Farm (http://mainegardenjournal.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=62ca0fde628ca1779a556b058&id=6da7162738&e=a21b3c3e57) . For those of us who love to take risks and experiment with plants that may be hard to establish or of questionable hardiness, Forest Farm has well-priced, smaller plants. When I want to try something different, I'll take a bigger risk on losing a few $15 plants than a big $50 investment plant.
Experienced gardeners know that smaller plants are quicker to get established.

** I can speak to your group or club
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I've been very active in organizing garden education programs and frequently speak to groups on a variety of ornamental gardening topics.

All presentations are brought to life with beautiful photos projected with a digital projector.
Discussions are informative, engaging and often infused with humorous stories.

I provide the computer, digital projector, laser pointer and handouts.

Contact me for more information about the following presentations:
* Creative Container Gardening
* WOW Plants for Maine Gardens
* Growing African Violets
* Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden
* Creating the Maine Garden Journal
* Houseplants
* Cement Carving
* Spring Bulbs

Presentations last about 45 minutes long but can be shortened to accommodate your group.

Please contact me to discuss fees.
(207) 866-3861

Email: info@MaineGardenJournal.com (i*@MaineGardenJournal.com?subject=Speaking%20to%20our%20group)

Happy Holidays to all!

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