Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society

12/24/2023

Happy Holidays and have a wonderful and thriving gardening year ahead!

08/09/2023

"How can we make our home gardens more immersive?"

Having an ecologically responsible landscape doesn’t mean you need to get rid of your favorite plants: “It’s about letting things in.”

07/15/2023

Though she gardens in in a different clime, Margaret Renkl speaks of a summer day we can all recognize.

The more I learn about the creatures with whom I share this ecosystem, the more I understand how much I do not understand.

07/08/2023

Native plants in a formal garden.

If you can create a native garden that looks at home on the grounds of a historic Philadelphia Main Line estate, you can do it anywhere.

05/27/2023

Piet Oudolf on the art of gardening -

The noted designer of the High Line has wisdom to share with other gardeners: “I put plants on a stage and let them perform.”

03/04/2023

Good advice from WHPS member and Director of Reiman Gardens in Ames, IA - Ed Lyon.

I was picking up branches and some extraneous winter debris today and it occurred to me that this is the time of year we horticulturists (in the Midwest) need to reach out to home gardeners and tell them spring is not here yet. Don't start cleaning off your beds! We know you are anxious to. That cover is doing more for you than just insulation during times with no snow. This time of year it helps keep the soil just a bit cooler - we DON'T want our perennials popping up yet. Even though we are getting these really early spring temperatures in recent years, we have not seen the end of late April frosts. Anything you do to help the sunshine warm the soil right now is going to come back to haunt you in April. There will be plenty of time to get out there early to mid-April and clean off your beds. In the meantime, be kind to those perennials and let them slumber!

(And one other good reason to delay cleanup recommended by many: For the sake of pollinators and insects, it's best to hold off until the weather is steadily in the 50's during the day.)

02/24/2023

We are grateful for Jeff's talent, enthusiasm and leadership during his tenure as Olbrich's Director of Horticulture, and thankful for his continued membership and contributions to WHPS. Here's to a long and fulfilling retirement!

Tomorrow morning, February 24, Jeff Epping will come into work for the final time as Director of Horticulture for Olbrich Botanical Gardens, as he retires from the position he has served in for 28 years.

During Jeff's tenure, Olbrich has experienced significant growth in visitors, staff, facilities, and garden spaces; throughout it all, he has worked tirelessly to position Olbrich as both a world-class botanical garden and a leader in sustainable horticulture.

“Jeff Epping will forever be a part of Olbrich Botanical Gardens and Madison Parks, leaving an enduring impact at our public garden and beyond. He spearheaded many transformative projects at Olbrich, making it a crown jewel in our park system,” said Madison Parks Superintendent Eric Knepp.

Jeff’s career at Olbrich began in 1994 when he was hired as the Director of Horticulture and charged with overseeing the design, planting, and maintenance of more than 16 acres of outdoor gardens with increased emphasis on Midwest-hardy plants, sustainable gardening practices, and year-round aesthetic interest.

Prior to starting at Olbrich, Jeff spent time at other world-class gardens in North America – seeing what they looked like, how they functioned, and the ways they served their communities. When he became the Director of Horticulture here, his vision was for Olbrich to become one of those gardens. “With the help of so many wonderful people, I think we’ve created just such a garden,” said Jeff. “What this garden has become, from what we started with 28 years ago, I’m proud of it all. I love everything about this place and I always will.”

The outdoor gardens saw major transformations from the mid-90s to mid-2000s. From renovating what was once a formal rose mall into the current day Sunken Garden, to incorporating a Royal Thai Pavilion and garden into a largely Prairie-style landscape, Jeff had a hand in it all. Some of the most impactful transformations came as he worked to make the gardens as environmentally friendly as possible. Potential ecosystem impacts, both planet-wide and at the scale of the tiniest insect, are taken into account when planning and maintaining the gardens. In 1997, Jeff designed Olbrich’s first meadow garden after encountering the style on a trip to England. Since then, he has added a variety of beautiful meadows, rain gardens, and gravel gardens that together support a healthy ecosystem of insects, birds, and other creatures.

After so much time spent with his hands in the dirt, one might assume that Jeff is hanging up his trowel and stashing his pruners away for good. Not so. “I am retiring from Olbrich, but not from horticulture since I love what I do and I want to keep helping others create beautiful and environmentally sensitive gardens,” he says. “I will continue to consult, design, lecture, travel, bike, hike, and spend more time with family and friends. Sitting still is not what I’m good at, but if I do, maybe I’ll write that gravel gardening book I’ve been thinking about!”

When asked what he will miss most about Olbrich, Jeff took a moment to reflect before saying, “Everything. I will miss my super-talented, world-class team of horticulturists, and their creativity, passion, and kindness for each other and everyone around them – that pretty much describes the entire staff at Olbrich and I will miss them all. I will miss all of the people who have supported us through the years in some way, shape, or form. And I will miss walking through these beautiful gardens every day; I never took for granted how lucky I was to get up each day and come to “work” in this amazing place and for that, I will be forever grateful.”

To wish Jeff well in his retirement, send him an email at [email protected] or send a note to 3330 Atwood Ave., Madison, WI 53704.

The City of Madison Parks Division, in cooperation with the Olbrich Botanical Society Board of Directors, is preparing to launch a nationwide search for a Director of Horticulture for the Gardens.

02/06/2023

The start of PBS Wisconsin's Garden & Landscape Expo is just four days away! Stop by the WHPS booth - 514, and then on Saturday, February 11 at 1:00 p.m. in Mendota 1-2, enjoy the WHPS-sponsored seminar on The "Art" in Garden Design with presenter Sheila Glaske, Curator of Horticulture at The Paine Art Center and Gardens.

Join us for PBS Wisconsin's Garden & Landscape Expo, Feb. 10-12, 2023. This three-day event offers more than 150 educational presentations, an exhibitor mall, UW-Madison Extension Horticulture experts, a floral design competition and more. All proceeds support PBS Wisconsin.

01/20/2023

This Mt. Cuba Center research report on Carex for the Mid-Atlantic Region is an excellent jumping-off point if you are interested in adding carex to your garden. (Mid-Atlantic region hardiness zones are 5-7) Maybe those of you growing carex can comment on your favorites for the Midwest garden (Wisconsin hardiness zones are 3-5). https://issuu.com/mtcuba/docs/22034-carex_report-final121922?fr=sMWI3ZDU2ODU5NjY

Read Carex for the Mid-Atlantic Region by Mt. Cuba Center on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Start here!

01/02/2023

A wonderful New Year's gift for our members! Over the past few years, many of you have had the opportunity (through Olbrich's Home Garden Tour or through WHPS Garden tours) to walk through the garden of Ken and Jean Nordlund. Ken has sent this to us: This past year, my wife Jean prepared a book on 33 years of change from an open lot to the gardens surrounding our house today. She printed some copies for our family but also learned to use Squarespace web development software to make the book available to friends. I consider the WHPS group to be friends, and we welcome you to have a look. Here’s the web address: https://www.thirtythreeyearsofgardening.com

The 2021 Bling Prairie garden features the tall big bluestem Andropogon 'Blackhawks', rattlesnake master Eryngium 'Prairie Moon', golden Dahlia 'Mystic Spirit', Pardancanda norrisii, and Calamintha 'Montrose White'. "Whenever I see this picture, I think of the outstretched fingertips in Michelangelo...

12/24/2022

Wishing everyone a lovely holiday season and a fruitful New Year!

11/23/2022

11/17/2022

Last night WHPS members enjoyed another informative and engaging program – Hardy Plants in the Edgerton hospital & Health Services Healing Garden – presented by Mark Dwyer, Manager of the Healing Garden and owner/operator of Landscape Prescriptions by MD. He discussed the design and creation of the garden and the benefits for hospital staff, as well as patients and visitors. He also noted how soil challenges (heavy clay, now being fortified with manure) and full sun had led him to plant and become “re-smitten” with stalwart plants he hadn’t considered for a while, such as Monarda punctata, Achillea ptarmica and Platycodon (Balloon Flower). He also presented favorite natives (like Wild Quinine and Rattlesnake Master), bulbs (including Allium decipiens) and other plants with special features like showiness and fragrance (Dianthus ‘Rainbow Loveliness’). Mark invited everyone to consider a trip to the Edgerton Hospital Healing Garden (free to all) next spring or summer (I-90 at Highway 59 – exit 163), just 10 miles from Janesville.

10/21/2022

WHPS and Wisconsin Woody Plant Society members enjoyed a lively evening this past Wednesday discussing Developing, Selecting and Introducing New Plants in Wisconsin with Michael Yanny, owner of J.N. Plant Selections, LLC of Menomonee Falls, WI. In addition to learning how he propagates the woody plants he develops, Mike shared some of his favorites (noting that his wife, Lori, is the chief creator of plant names), including: Spiraea fritschiana ‘J.N. Select A’ Pink-a-liciousTM Spirea; Carpinus caroliniana ‘JN Select AA’ PP32,758, Fire BelleTM Musclewood; and – at 2’ high x 4’ wide - Buxus x ‘Prostrate 3’ PP29,574, Flat-teryTM Boxwood. Mike concluded the evening with his poem about which we all dream – The Perfect Plant.

08/06/2022

Growing beautiful flowering plants with limited water. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/03/realestate/crevice-rock-gardening.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20220806&instance_id=68658&nl=the-morning®i_id=82006383&segment_id=100670&te=1&user_id=4bd89b052914a009406f77f1a37bcfc3

In a world where water is increasingly scarce, these rock gardens are not only pretty, but surprisingly resilient.

07/09/2022

Appreciating the nature and needs of trees... https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/06/realestate/in-your-enthusiasm-for-planting-dont-forget-about-the-trees.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20220709&instance_id=66244&nl=the-morning®i_id=82006383&segment_id=98076&te=1&user_id=4bd89b052914a009406f77f1a37bcfc3

Trees can take a lot of punishment, but they have their limits. Here’s how to work around them safely.

07/01/2022

Reframing the garden with an eye toward a more ecological future. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/29/realestate/lawn-care.html

No, mowing less often doesn’t mean more ticks. And there’s a way to get around those homeowner association rules. Read on.

06/14/2022

Feeling like you need a brief respite from from your own garden? Join Erin Schanen, WHPS member and The Impatient Gardener, on this garden getaway to Mackinac Island.

Want more Mackinac Island? Blog posts about Mac Island gardens:➟ Q&A with Jack Barnwell (from 2011!): https://www.theimpatientgardener.com/q-with-garden-desi...