SWEET CHERRIES COMING INTO BOOM: AND, JOHN'S MOTTO

JOHN VOIGHT, FIRST  DIRECTOR OF THE BOERNER BOTANICAL GARDENS

BAYFIELD'S SWEET CHERRIES ARE JUST COMING INTO FLOWER

Wednesday, 8:00 AM.  45 degrees F at the ferry dock downtown and on the back porch.  Wind variable and calm.  The sky is overcast, the humidity 97%.  The Barometer stands at 29.61".  Temperatures today will be around 50, with more rain possible.  We had a thunderstorm yesterday evening with heavy rain and wind, that left at least an inch of rain.  There are flash flood watches for area streams.
   The cherry trees at Apple Hill Orchard on Hwy. J are beginning to  bloom and will be a lovely, if ephemeral, sight.  They grow the cultivars 'Cavalier' (early) and 'Lapin' (late). both of which are vegetatively hardy  but can loose buds or blooms, and therefore a whole crop of sweet cherries, due to a late frost, which will occur every so often.
    Failure of the bees to pollinate the blossoms can have the same result, but I am told a good crop can more than make up for a previous year's loss economically.  So far so good this year, as long as the honey bee pollinators don't shirk their duty.
   My recorded blooming dates are as follows: 5/12/15; 5/05/15; 5/29/13.  I wish I had more data, but that's it; seems pretty consistent, though, as the late date could be earlier as we don't drive the back roads every day.

OFF THE CUFF

   When I was a young man, not long out of college, my first really professional job was as an assistant to John Voight, the first Director of Milwaukee's Boerner Botanical Gardens.  John was an intrepid, straight-forward man who operated on principle, and expected others to do so as well.  Consequently, he was always on the hot seat with the union, with higher administration,  with the politicians and ward heelers and sometimes the public as well.  Everything I ever was, or had hoped to be, as a public servant I owe to John.

   Anyway, given his indomitable nature, he was constantly embattled, and somewhere along life's pathway he was given  an engraved plaque, which he kept prominently displayed on his desk.  I wish he had willed it to me, but he didn't, and I am sure it no longer exists.  It was inscribed, in a sort-of Latin:

    "Illegitimi non carborundum" which  quite loosely translated, reads:  
 
 Don't let the bastards wear you down. 
  

   If John's motto were in my possession today, I would send it to President Donald Trump, who certainly needs that admonishment more than John or I ever did.  

   May God Bless the America I once new, and that is disappearing fast. May He deliver us from the leftists, the anarchists, the snowflakes, the self-serving hacks and all the other devils that assault us and try to wear us down.  John, gone now these twenty and more years, would be out in front in this fight, waving the flag, and refusing to be worn down.

FORGET-ME-NOTS ARE BLOOMING

FORGET-ME-NOT

Tuesday, 9:00 AM.  44 degrees F at the ferry dock, 46 on the back porch (discrepancy caused by the ENE wind off the lake).  The sky is overcast and it rained much of yesterday and again some last night, for a total of perhaps an inch.  The barometer is still dropping, now at 29.73", predicting cool and rainy weather for the week ahead, and clearing by Monday.  The weather has not been very pleasant of late, but it is a perfect spring for transplanting.
  The common forget-me-not, Myosotis scorpioides, in the Borage family, is a  plant of European origin that is much naturalized  in wet places and on damp ground.  It is weedy in the garden but can be very beautiful when occurring spontaneously.  It is considered a perennial but  is pretty much an annual that reseeds itself.  There are several native North American species but I am not familiar with them and most of what one encounters is, I think, the European species.  There are other naturalized species as well. A species native to Alaska is the state flower.  The Greek genus name refers to to the mouse-ear-like  blue petals of the flower.
   The forget-me-not has a rich history in literature and folklore.  This grouping is along a retaining wall on a property fronting Hwy. 13 on the north side of Bayfield, but they grow everywhere the conditions are appropriate, and they often are a beautiful display in one location one year, and absent the next. 
   My recorded dates for first blooming of forget-me-nots are: 5/12/16; 5/05/15; 5/28/14; 6/05/13; 5/09/12; 5/25/11; 4/27/10. Pretty much all over the spring calendar, but since they are primarily annuals, I would expect them to be erratic.

PJM RHODODENDRON IS BLOOMING

WHITE PINE AFTER THE RAIN

RHODODENDRON ON WASHINGTON AVENUE AND 6TH. ST.

Monday, 8:00 AM.  46 degrees F at the ferry dock and on the back porch.  Wind variable and calm, the sky darkly cloudy, the radar showing more rain clouds approaching the Bayfield peninsula after a trace of wind driven rain earlier.  The barometer is more or less steady, at 29.99" of mercury.  Temperatures should reach the high fifties with rainy weather through Wednesday, then cool into the 40's with no rain.  The rainfall and cool conditions are great for establishing the extensive rock gardens we just planted on Chequamegon Road at the lake front.
    There are a number of cold hardy species, varieties and hybrids of rhododendrons and azaleas.  My recorded blooming dates for the hybrid  PJM Rhododendron are as follows: 5/10/16; 5/07/15; 5/03/12. Pretty consistent and right about  on time this year.
   Both rhododendrons and azaleas are members of the genus Rhododendron, the main difference is that the former are are evergreen, retaining their leaves in the winter, and the latter are deciduous.  Wisconsin has only one native species of Rhododendron, and that a very rare relict of glaciation that grows in small, isolated populations north of Madison in the Dells of the Wisconsin River. and on the cliffs of the Kickapoo River.  R. lapponicum, the Lapland rhododendron, is a disjunct, far out of its native range a thousand miles north. It was left there millennia ago by the retreating glaciers (thank heavens for global warming).

   The University of Minnesota has introduced cold hardy azalea hybrids, the Northern Lights series, that can withstand northern Wisconsin winters, but as do all Rhododendrons they require an acid soil and some care in location and planting. Being near the insulating waters of Lake Superior is of course most helpful.  A few other species and hybrids are also hardy, including PJM, a selection of the Korean rhododendron. There are also some hardy introductions from Canada and Finland.
   I have a protected location where I am growing some of the Northern Lights hybrids and other Rhododendrons. Both 'Golden Lights' and 'Rosy Lights' have established well and bloomed every spring, but they need some acidifying fertilizer.  Also, this far north Rhododendrons should probably be planted in full sun, whereas further south they should be in a shady location.

   For more information on hardy Rhododendron, see Azaleas and Rhododendrons for Minnesota, by Michael Zins, University of Minnesota Extension.

  

JUNEBERRIES ARE BLOOMING, AND A GREAT SPRING FOR MARSH MARIGOLDS

MARSH MARIGOLDS...

...EVERY WET ROADSIDE DITCH AND SWAMP ARE FULL OF THEM

JUNEBERRIES ARE JUST BEGINNING TO BLOOM

Sunday, 9:00 AM.  46 degrees F at both the ferry dock and on the back porch.  Wind NE, mostly calm with light to moderate gusts.  The sky is partly cloudy with some haze, the barometer dropping slightly but around 30.0".  High temperatures will be in the mid-fifties today and during the week, with chances of thunderstorms and serious rainfall. 
   I mentioned the marsh marigold, Calth palustris, a few days ago and since then they have popoped up everywhere in roadside ditches and swampy areas, more than I think I have ever seen before.  Every spring is unique, favoring different blooming plants. This is one for the marsh marigolds.
  A true harbinger of a northern spring are the Juneberries, one of the first noticeably decorative native trees to bloom. The Juneberries, or serviceberries (shadblow is their name out East, as they bloom about the time the shad run up the streams to spawn) are the most prominent of the northern native trees and shrubs to bloom in spring.
   The most notably tree-like species, Amalanchier arboreum, in the Rose Family, haa suddenly popped into bloom in city and countryside.  There are a number of shrubby Juneberries as well, both wild and cultivated, most of which are quite similar in bloom, but the truly tree-like are usually arboreum, as well as the hybrid grandifloria of the nursery trade 
   The delicate flowers of Juneberries only last a few days, especially if the weather turns warm.  Many of the species interbreed, and are difficult to sort out, so visit the Freckman Herbarium web site, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, for a list of Wisconsin species.   My recorded blooming dates for the genus in the Bayfield area are 5/09/16; 5/07;15; 5/27/13; 4/19/12; 5/20/11; 5/25/08. Not very consistent.  I should have picked one specific tree and followed it.  In general, Mother's Day is about on average, and I think I can say that, as a native genus, Amelancheirs  only bloom when there is very little chance of frost left.
   Soon the wild cherries will also flower, and from a distance they all rather blend together in the landscape.  But the Juneberries are the first, and I think they are as significant in the northern landscape as the flowering dogwoods are in the southern and eastern US.  They will be loaded with red to black apple-like fruits about the size of a large pea that are very good to eat if you can get to them before the birds, bears and the other critters.  In fact, Juneberry trees are best not planted where bears are likely to find them, as the bears will simply swat down a young tree to get at the ripe fruits.
   If you wish to plant a Juneberry tree, either obtain a good tree form from a reliable northern nursery or find a wild sapling growing near a tree form mother tree; they should get full sun to be at their best, but as woods edge and understory plants they will tolerate quite a bit of shade.  A good woodland loam is best for soil, nut they will tolerate less desirable soils.  Adequate moisture and decent drainage are a plus.  Be sure to mulch them, as they are woodland trees.

A VERY GOOD DAY

FOURTH GRADE CLASS AND THE ARBOR DAY FLAG

KIDS HELP PLANT THE ARBOR DAY TREE

A GOOD CROWD CAME TO THE TREE P;LANTING IN MEMORY OF JAY

Saturday, 47 degrees F at the ferry dock, 43 on the back porch.  Wind NE, mostly calm with light gusts.  The sky is partly cloudy, the barometer steady at 29.44". The highs will be in the fifties for the weekend, with chances of thunderstorms early in the coming week.  Absolutely everything spring will be blooming within days now.  Another sign of spring: I removed a tick from my shoulder yesterday.  Hate those things!
   The annual Bayfield in Bloom kickoff was a great success.  The Arbor Day Tree was planted with the help of a very attentive fourth grade class, and several dozen folks attended the dedication of the tree to the memory of Jay Cablk, of Jay's Tree Care, who was crushed to death in January by a hazardous tree he was removing.
   The Garden Talk Radio Show drew a large crowd of several hundred people, and their were many exhibitors.  As usual, the show, with call-in questions from throughout Wisconsin and beyond, was interesting and a lot of fun.
   There is always at least one question that stumps the three of us "experts,' and one that I managed to answer yesterday, I think correctly, is rather interesting.  A small town Wisconsinite called in and said he had a tree that had been identified as a lime tree growing in his yard, but it only bore hard little fruits. What could he do so it would produce edible limes?  The audience laughed, and we tried not to snicker, as a lime tree is a tropical citrus and doesn't grow in a Wisconsin yard.
   Then I thought, Linden trees, Tillia species, are called lime trees in Great Britain.  We grow both the native linden, or basswood, and the European little leaf linden in Wisconsin.  Lindens are also very fragrant when they bloom, and bear little winged nutlets, further confusing the issue.  Someone with a British background identified his basswood as a lime tree and he took it literally (and quite mistakenly).

BAYFIELD IN BLOOM KICKOFF TODAY!

BAYFIELD'S DAFFODILS ALL READY FOR BAYFIELD IN BLOOM

Friday, 8:00 AM.  45 degrees F at the ferry dock, 44 on the back porch.  Wind variable and calm at present.  The sky is mostly clear, with some haze.  The barometer is falling gently, currently at 30.69" of mercury.  The forecast predicts mostly clear skies with temperatures in the 60's and 50's today through Monday, with chances of thunderstorms by Wednesday and Thursday.
   Friday is the Bayfield In Bloom kickoff at the Bayfield Pavilion on the city dock.  The day starts with an Arbor Day tree planting at lakefront Memorial Park at 9:00 AM, with Bayfield fourth graders helping to plant the tree.
   The Arbor Day tree, an Autumn Blaze hybrid red maple, will be dedicated to arborist Jay Cablk, owner of Jay's Tree Care, who died tragically in January while taking down a hazardous tree.  Jay did much of the city's tree work, and is sadly missed.
   There will be displays by local green industry businesses and environmental groups and agencies at the Pavilion in the morning, and the popular  Garden Talk Radio Show, hosted by Larry Meiller, will be broadcast live, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM.
   If you can't make it in person, tune in to the garden show on Wisconsin Public Radio, it is always interesting and a lot of fun.

ROCK ON: THE ACCIDENTAL ROCK GARDENS OF BAYFIELD

ROCK WALL ONE

ROCK WALL TWO

ROCK WALL THREE

ROCK WALL FOUR

PLANTING ROCK GARDEN PLANTS

FIVE YARDS OF TOPSOIL FOR THE ROCK WALLS

Thursday, 8:30 AM.  46 degrees F at the ferry dock and on the back porch as well.  Wind ENE, calm with occasional light gusts  The sky is mostly cloud covered but may clear later in the day.  Today will be cooler, with highs in the mid fifties.  Tomorrow will warm a bit, then cool off to the around fifty with mixed skies through the weekend and chances of rain early next week, with thunderstorms by Wednesday.
   Tomorrow is the annual Bayfied in Bloom kickoff, with  the Arbor Day tree planting in Memorial Park and its  dedication to Jay Cablk at 9:00 AM,  and Garden Talk Radio Show live at 11:30 at the Pavilion.  Come if you can,  or tune in.
   I and my crew have just competed a huge rock garden planting at the lake shore, four rock walls totaling several hundred feet in length, and varying from several feet to twelve feet in height. Hundred of plants were used, mostly obtained from Hauser's Farms in Bayfield.  The plants were freshly dug, and hardly out of the ground but a few hours.
   There was an enormous amount of preparation involved, as the rock walls were full of weeds and grass and the planting crevices needed to be filled with decent soil.  It is hard to photograph the completed job, as the creeping rock garden plants are  small and won't stand out much until they are established and begin to flower.
   Bayfield is mostly ancient beach shore and glacial till deposits, and when a foundation is dug for a residence or other structure glacial rocks and boulders of every size and description are unearthed and used in some way, and most hillside and lakefront properties have retaining walls of boulders, usually rolled into place by machine and individual rocks not really placed in any considered way.  As you would expect, this leads to a lot of accidental rock gardens, and some, as these, much, much larger than anyone would otherwise construct. More often than not these poorly designed, constructed and planted rock walls end up being a hodgepodge of garden perennials, rock garden plants, and weeds.
   We tried to make these walls  pleasant and reasonably functional rock gardens.  They will need maintenance when established but at least there will be a rationale to them, and they should be quite beautiful eventually.
   The original concept behind classical rock gardens was that they were to be collections of rare plants that grew in mountainous regions, and at their best would mimic landscapes that the average person might not ever be able to visit; a sort of living museum of rare plants. Great gardens with rockeries still have that purpose, among them those at the Denver Botanical Garden and New York Botanical Gardens.
    Over the centuries rock gardens became less scientific collections,  and more simply colorful  spots in the  ordinary home landscape.  I would say the rationale with these rock wall gardens is to solve some obvious landscape problems and turn the dubious into the pleasant, and hopefully the beautiful.
More about the project in tomorrow's post.