gardening – Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County

By Martha Keehner Engelke North Carolina Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteer of Durham County

As 2024 comes to an end, we celebrate the success of the Durham County Master Gardener ^SM Blog. There have been 68 posts this year. These posts have been viewed 131,381 times by 105,658 visitors. Most visitors live in the United States (114,033) but we have had a significant number from Canada (5,324) and the United Kingdom (3,177). Visitors from countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa have been the recipients of research-based information posted on our blog.

This is possible because of the contribution of the 16 authors who have written for the blog. They have generously shared their knowledge and insight over the past year. They are experienced gardeners with a wealth of information. To close out the year and offer the “gift” of their knowledge to our readers we asked them “What brings you joy in the garden?” Here are their thoughts:

Creating Happy Soil

I am trying a new to me technique for starting cover crops in my vegetable garden. These are eight raised beds which contained the remnants of my tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and zinnias. I removed and composted the biomass, covered the area with a silage tarp for two weeks to slow down the weeds, spread an inch of compost, and raked in the cover crop seed. No tillage. I watered daily for a week, and tada, I have cover crop coming up. This will keep a living root in the soil all winter, and make the soil happy for spring planting. The cover crop is the over wintering mix from Sow True Seed (5 lbs), containing cereal rye, crimson clover and hairy vetch. These do not winter kill, and will require termination in the spring. (Peter Gilmer)

‘Finessing’ the Details

Without a doubt, the most joy I derive from working in the garden is ‘finessing’ — taking something excellent and making it superb. Whether it’s pulling weeds with curved forceps out of a cactus container, raking patterns into a gravel pathway, deadheading spent flowers, or pruning small stems to keep the shape of a topiary, devoting the time, attention and effort to the smallest of details is like a meditation for me. It fills me with satisfaction, and I absolutely love it. (Deborah Pilkington)

A Subtle but Brilliant Native

I had many garden delights this year but my favorite was incorporating the native spotted bee balm (Mondarda punctata) into my perennial beds. I’ve only grown brilliantly-colored bee balm cultivars in the past. Spotted bee balm is less showy, but its subtilty is its beauty, with its soft greens and creams that mature into ballet pink bracts surrounding purple-spotted pubescent flowers. Plus, it’s got a fantastic, whimsical shape. Did I mention it is always buzzing with pollinators? This plant makes me smile. (Melinda Heigel)

Transition in the Landscape

What brought me the most joy this year was my ongoing development, planting, experimentation, and maintenance of my landscape sun and woodland gardens. The first and foremost objective of my efforts was continuing to transition the gardens to primarily native trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. This season I reached a benchmark of 60% native with a target goal next season of 70%. Several years back I achieved certifications from the NWF certified Wildlife Habitat and the NCWF Butterfly Highway Programs. Participating in the Southeast Pollinator count and the Cornell Birdfeeder watch have been frosting on the cake this year. (Jeff Kanters)

Learning Resilience

The plant in my garden that has given me the most joy this year is Salvia microphylla. What’s not to love about a plant that goes by “Hot Lips”? She has bloomed from spring to fall despite the multiple major pruning sessions I have provided. Every time that I cut her back she rewards me with more red and white flowers-looking quite patriotic on the 4th of July and quite seasonal as Christmas approaches. The thing I value most about Hot Lips is her resilience–knock her down and she gets back up stronger and more beautiful! Deer, humans and disease are no match for her. This is a lesson I needed to hear this year and she was there for me! (Martha Engelke)

Bursts of Color

In the spring of 2020, I planted a dahlia (‘Otto’s Thrill’). Over the years, it produced about 4 big blossoms before it would be struck down with the first frost of the season. After 4 years of applying leaf mulch before every winter, it finally performed this year and I was delighted to see as many as 14 blossoms at once. I also planted three different classes of chrysanthemums (‘disbud’-type) that I got at the State Farmer’s Market after I was notified by Pana, Master Gardener Program Assistant, that these plants were available from the Central Carolina Chrysanthemum Society (CCCS). I followed the instructions carefully and slowly they appeared in late summer and grew into large buds (I snipped off the smaller buds). I attribute my success to weather that was timed just right for these late bloomers: an unusually high rainfall in September (over 13 inches) and a warm October and November. The worm castings I applied while they were growing helped too! Thank you Pana and the CCCS for bringing such pleasure and a smile to my face as I walked out my front door this fall. (Wendy Diaz)

Delighful ‘Eyesores’

Although I love to see the hummingbirds lapping up nectar from the columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) in the early spring, the bees and wasps flitting about mountain mint (Pycnanthemum species) in mid-summer, and the goldfinches eating seeds on the purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in late August, the observation that brings me the greatest joy is what many may consider an eyesore—the dead trees on my property. While even I will admit that they don’t add the beauty that flowering plants do, when I see the lichens, fungi, and moss growing on the dead wood and contemplate the many ants, beetles, bumble bees and even butterflies that rely upon dead wood as their home for at least part of their lifetimes, I have a deep appreciation and yes, joy for the many ecological functions that my dead and dying trees provide. (Jeannie Arnts)

Building Community

Out of many beautiful moments spent gardening, what was especially fun was helping install the landscape at Durham’s Stanford L. Warren Library. The rudbeckia in this photo (taken at dusk in August) were cultivated from seed by Extension Durham Co. Master Gardener Volunteers. We nurtured, planted, and trained excited library staff to continue care. It’s rewarding to connect with the community while doing something I love. Stop by the library, borrow a book, and check out the garden! (Ariyah Chambers April)

Dancing Wildflowers

I am a new Master Gardener, from the class of 2023, and just beginning to learn about the incredible variety of plants out there. I have found a new favorite. It’s called gaura, (oenothera lindheimeri ), and it has a perfect common name, wandflower. Watching the flowers dance in the wind and the pollinators attracted to the delicate flowers brings me joy every time I see it in my garden! (Lisa Nadler)

(Image credit: cassi saar: cc by-NC-4.0)

An Existential Voyage

When gardening, joy is never far away if you look for it. 356 days a year, I can walk outside and see the fruits of my labor growing. For every ‘continuing challenge’ there are always both old reliables putting on a show and new surprises brightening the day. The joy continues when the cut flowers come inside and are put into the vase, the fruit sliced onto morning cereal, and the herbs and vegetables chopped up for dinner. The joy multiplies when I go to Briggs Avenue Community Garden every week and meet up with my fellow garden voyagers as we journey into new challenges, unexpected rewards, and lots of laughs. So looking forward to the joy continuing. (Eric Wiebe)

(Image credit: Allie Mullin)

Thank you to everyone that has contributed to the blog this year and especially to our agent Ashley Troth who has given us unwavering support! If you know people that would like to receive regular postings from the blog, they can sign up by entering their email and clicking on the FOLLOW link on the right side of this post.

Note

Unless otherwise noted, all pictures were taken by the authors of the quotes. Special thanks to Extension Master Gardener volunteer Allie Mullin, whose photographs have been a treasure to the blog editors throughout the year.

Resources and Additional Information

Whatever Brings you Joy! Stay tuned for next year. Our authors are already planning posts on garden innovations, upcoming events, and plant spotlights! See you in 2025.

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-5n0

By Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteer of Durham County

This is the second installment in an ongoing series called Plant Detective, where we uncover science-based information on strange and mysterious sightings in the plant world.

Details of the flower and stem of the mystery plant I recently discovered on a walk with dogs Baby and Cole, assistant plant detectives. While it looked like a cross between a bee balm and lamb’s ear, it was something I’d never seen before! (Image credit: Stan Shebs CC BY-SA 3.0; Linda De Volder CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

On one of our daily dog walks, I recently stumbled across a plant I simply could not identify. It was a gorgeous mounded shrub with fuzzy, soft, gray-green leaves–the kind you just have to touch–and a lot like the lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina) or the garden sage we all know. Graceful arching stems sported multiple flower clusters along each stem, much like snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus). And the vivid yellow flowers encircling the stem looked like a silly court jester’s hat. In a more appropriate botanical reference, they appeared similar to the bee balm flower (Mondara spp.). What was this cool plant? An online search of the NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox turned up a positive ID: Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa).

Characteristics and Growing Conditions for Jerusalem Sage

(Left to right) The large stand of Jerusalem sage I encountered was nearly 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide and acted as a small hedge for the homeowner’s landscape. Once the flowers drop, textural seed heads continue to provide visual interest. Deadheading the plant can encourage longer bloom time. Seed heads eventually turn brown and can be a food source for birds in the fall. (Image credit: Melinda Heigel)

A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), Jerusalem sage is native to arid yet temperate Mediterranean regions like Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Albania. It is also naturalized in southwest England and parts of California. This plant has a mounding habit and can function like a shrub or subshrub. Depending on the variety, it can grow up to 4 feet wide and 5 feet tall. Silvery-green velvety leaves are around 5 inches long and have a pleasant scent. Tall vertical stems rise from the plant and support whorled flowers repeating along its arches. And while the 2-to-3-inch flowers have no scent, they are spiky and eye-catching. The plant I stumbled across had a brilliant yellow flower. Other species of Phlomis have a soft pink bloom.¹

You can see why the plant’s common name includes the word “sage.” Its soft velvety leaves resemble that of our edible herb garden sage (Salvia officinalis) and other ornamental Salvia plants, even though they are not related. (Image credit: Melinda Heigel)

While these plants have the reputation of being fairly adaptable in many soils, well-drained soils are are a must. This perennial prefers full sun and can perform in part sun; planting it in shade will often result in a leggy plant short on its spectacular spring and summer blooms. In our region of central NC (Zone 8), Jerusalem sage is evergreen; in Zones 5-7, it’s deciduous.

Jerusalem sage has a long list of positive attributes. Overall, this plant is low maintenance and resilient. While weeks of drought like we’ve recently experienced might call for some supplemental watering, it needs little extra irrigation once established. It is heat tolerant and prefers leaner soil (read no fertilizing). It grows quickly but generally is a well-behaved inhabitant in the garden, only requiring you to prune to maintain shape and lightly in late winter before spring growth commences. If you are willing to do the work, deadheading spent flowers in the spring means you will enjoy additional flowering, thus extending the bloom cycle throughout the summer.

With only leafhooper insects as a potential threat, Jerusalem sage has no serious pests or pathogens. Here’s a big bonus–this plant is both deer and rabbit resistant, and its flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Spent seed heads can also provide food for songbirds.

How to Use Jerusalem Sage in the Landscape

This plant can wear many hats in the garden. It’s suitable for containers or as a stunning specimen plant. Planted en masse, it could make a great year round statement. As in the landscape where I first saw it, it can serve as part of a mixed screen planting bordering a yard. Given its height, it’s probably best as a “back of the border” plant in a mixed bed.

In terms of garden design, I can see this versatile plant looking right at home in a cottage-style garden of glorious native perennials like purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), sunflowers (Helianthus spp.), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), and scaly blazing-star (Liatrus spicata). Equally, I can see it as a stunner alongside other water-wise plants in a xeriscape of agave, yucca, and cacti like our native eastern prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa).

I hope you’ve discovered a new plant right alongside me this week. Given the challenging environmental changes we continue to see, I am planning on giving this easy-to-grow and drought-resistant plant a try. And while I haven’t seen Jerusalem sage at local nurseries yet, I found many online resources where the plant is readily available.

As always, keep an eye out next time you are walking. Who knows what intriguing things you might see! With late summer and fall or the horizon, what plant mystery will we solve next?

Notes

1–The genus Pholmis has many varied species, so make sure to research thoroughly those other than the Phlomis fruticosa discussed here. Required growing conditions will vary per species.

2–Xeriscaping is type of landscape design that keeps water conservation in mind and requires minimal supplemental water once plants are established.

Resources and Additional Information

For more on Jerusalem sage, see NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/phlomis-fruticosa

For more information on water-wise landscape design, check out NC Department of Environmental Quality’s site on xeriscaping.

https://www.deq.nc.gov/environmental-assistance-and-customer-service/nc-green-travel-documents/xeriscape/download

For more on native and non-native drought-resistant plants, see NC Botanical Garden’s plant list as well as our former blog post “Ten Plants That Can Take the Heat.”

Gardening for a Drought: North Carolina Native Plants to the Rescue

https://durhammastergardeners.com/2022/05/18/ten-plants-that-can-take-the-heat/

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-4Nj

Assistant plant detectives Baby and Cole are always on the case. (Image credit: Melinda Heigel)

Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County

Tag: gardening

Master Gardener Reflections: What Brings Joy in the Garden?