Master PROGRAM - Hennepin County

Learning Tour Saturday, July 14, 2018

Come to look, to learn, to leave inspired. 2018 Learning GArden Tour

Thank you for attending our 11th annual Learning Garden Tour! You’ll enjoy a close look at eight home , Welcomedesigned and maintained by Hennepin County Master , and the historic Dowling Community Garden, which began as a World War II . (See page 32 for more on Victory Gardens.) Master Gardener volunteers will be on hand to explain highlights of each INSECT & DISEASE garden and to answer your questions. In addition, each garden features MANAGEMENT an Education Station, where you’ll learn about specific topics and build your skills. Ticket price includes: – Wristband for entry to all 9 gardens. FERTILIZATION – This booklet, which includes: • The story of each garden LIGHTNING PROTECTION • Descriptions of the Education Stations • articles DIAGNOSIS • An easy-to-navigate map, highlighting the location of each garden. (This is a self-guided tour, and you may visit the gardens ROOT INVIGORATION in any order you choose.) Please be sure to visit The Garden Shed, located at Garden A, offering REMOVAL a wonderful selection of fun, practical and decorative garden items, and The Book Nook, located at Garden I—a one-stop shop for a variety of gardening books for all ages, many written by Hennepin County Master Gardeners and Minnesota authors. Meet with an ISA Certified All proceeds from Learning Garden Tour tickets and items in The Garden Arborist who understands Shed and The Book Nook provide funding for the Extension Master the science of tree care. Gardener Program – Hennepin County. Cover photo: Borage (Borago officinalis), photographed by Melinda Mattox, Hennepin County Master Gardener. The University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Program – Hennepin County, homeowners and volunteers are not responsible for any damages, injuries, lost or stolen articles. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this publication/material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to the Extension CALL US AT 763-253-8733 OR VISIT WWW.BARTLETT.COM Store at 800-876-8636. Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with at least 10 percent postconsumer waste material.

Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 3 What is an extension Master Gardener? What to Look for on the Tour Hennepin County Master Gardener volunteers promote environmental The Garden Shed stewardship by providing research-based horticultural information and education to enhance the quality of life in our communities. This year’s Shed features rustic, reclaimed-wood birdhouses along with chicken-wire garden cloches, mini garden stakes, succulent planters and Hennepin County had 375 active Master Gardener volunteers providing “ Packs” of native — loved by bees, butterflies and birds. 29,000 hours of service in 2017.

Who we are The Book Nook A perfect place to buy the perfect gift! You’ll find an appealing selection of Master Gardeners are gardeners just like you who have received extensive training through their county gardening and nature-themed books for adults and children alike. Extension program and then volunteer in their Included are titles written by Hennepin County Master Gardeners on community. Master Gardener volunteers are pollinator-friendly gardening, , natural pest deterrents, science- active in all 50 states. based gardening tips and making simple preserves with your garden’s bounty. What we know Our training covers a wide range of subjects such Garden List as soil health, plant pathology, sustainability and In each garden, 10 notable plants are highlighted with entomology. numbers. You’ll find the names of these plants on each garden’s booklet page. How we know it Master Gardener core courses are taught by Education Stations University professors and Extension educators. Fun and engaging Education Stations offer demonstrations on Flowers for Ongoing education is provided throughout the , Hydroponics, Pruning Trees and Shrubs, Vertical and Raised- year in a variety of venues. bed Gardening and more. Look for a station description on each garden’s booklet page. Who we work with Master Gardener volunteers work with children, Food Trucks teens and adults in schools, community gardens, Garden D libraries, farmers markets and many other places. Camp Cheesecake/Muddy Paws Cheesecake—offering six award-winning flavors by the slice, including a gluten- How to become a Master Gardener free option. Visit www.HennepinMasterGardeners.org to learn how to get on the notification list for this year. Garden F Complete 50 hours of core course training and Alimama’s Sambusa Mediterranean Cuisine—offering continue your education and service every year! sambusas, falafel, hummus, salads, iced coffee and more. Garden G For information call 612-596-2130 or visit: O’Cheeze—offering specialty grilled cheese done www.HennepinMasterGardeners.org varying ways, including pulled chicken and bacon. @HCMGS

4 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 5 Garden A 5620 Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis

Calling All Pollinators TopPlants 10 Plant List

Gardening is my hobby and my passion. I’ve only been in my house since 1. Tree Peony (Koukamon) A B C 2015, but I’ve been reworking the gardens to draw pollinators and create a 2. Hydrangea (Little Quickfire) private, relaxing space in the back yard. 3. Dwarf Burning Bush 4. Peonies (Sarah Bernhardt) The dominant feature there is a massive silver maple. The roots reach every- 5. Prairie Smoke where, including into the ground around a concrete patio that had drainage 6. Swamp Milkweed D E F problems, and into an old, overgrown garden. 7. Bergenia The patio is my favorite place to relax, so I tackled that issue first. In 2016, 8. Sliver Maple Tree I edged the patio with a new garden featuring hydrangeas, junipers and a 9. Anise Hyssop 10. Ficus Tree burning bush that help absorb water and create a privacy screen. I add pots G H I of annuals for summer-long color. Last year I replaced the tired plantings in the existing garden with low-main- Directions: From Hwy 62: Exit at Portland Ave., head North on tenance perennials that should draw pollinators. That garden is anchored Portland Ave., East on E56th St., South on Bloomington Ave. S. by a tree peony with maroon flowers, surrounded by plants like bee balm, astilbe, penstemon, coneflowers and bugbane. I’ve tried to amend the soil as I go. The maple has been a challenge, but I respect the tree and value its shade and have tried to protect the roots. I love the sound of water and have fountains in the front and back yards. Master Gardener – Hennepin County Birds and squirrels stop by for a drink, and once a Cooper’s hawk sat on the fountain in the ! The Garden Shed Don’t miss this year’s delightful collection of items EDUCATION Water Wisely at The Garden Shed — perfect gifts for all of the STATION gardeners in your life, including yourself!

You can grow beautiful, healthy plants and turf while helping to conserve 2 Rustic, reclaimed-wood birdhouses water at the same time. Watering Wisely means incorporating best practices 2 Charming (and practical) chicken-wire garden cloches for watering your home landscape efficiently. 2 Mini garden stakes 2 Succulent planters Stop by to learn about the effect of soil texture on water movement, how 2 “Pollinator Packs” of native plants — loved by bees, to determine the type of soil you have in your landscape, and ways to butterflies and birds adopt recommended practices for watering gardens, newly planted and established trees and shrubs, and lawns. Water is one of our most precious All proceeds provide funding for the Extension Master Gardener Program – Hennepin County. resources, and you can make a difference in conserving it to benefit genera- tions to come. Located in Garden A, 5620 Bloomington Avenue

6 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 7 Garden B 4825 29th Avenue S, Minneapolis

Pleasing palate and palette PlantsTop 10 Plant List

I’m inspired by a desire to create a beautiful urban landscape that’s attractive 1. Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) A B C to birds and insects—and by a passion for growing food. 2. Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) The challenges are growing vegetables in the shade of venerable old oaks, 3. Lungwort (Pulmonaria) and MANY squirrels. I long ago gave up acquiring many plants I’d love for 4. Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) my garden, simply because there’s not sufficient sun for them to thrive. 5. Thyme (Thymus) D E F But I continually discover new shade-loving perennials that complement my 6. Hepatica garden’s palette. 7. Foam flower, Tiarella 8. Nightshades, solanaceae; What I love most changes with the season: In spring, it’s Virginia bluebells, Tomatoes, Eggplants, and G H I crocus, Scilla, and Hepatica in bloom! Fiddleheads for dinner. Rhubarb-raisin Peppers 9. Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) sauce. Spinach and radishes. And blooming pagoda dogwoods, cherry, 10. Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) bleeding hearts, pulmonaria, anemone and azalea. Directions: From Hwy 77N: North on Cedar Ave., East on E. Minnehaha Pkwy., South on 29th Ave. S. Summer brings a serendipitously beautiful arrangement of three large hostas From Hiawatha/Hwy. 55: West on East Minnehaha Pkwy, in the back, and the fragrance of blooming hops. I pick yarrow, peonies, South on 29th Ave. S. sage, opal basil, spirea, hydrangea and hosta for bouquets; raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and beans for supper. Last year I harvested my very first hazelnuts, and this year I look forward to the bloom- ing of a VERY fragrant hosta. I have tended these gardens for 17 years now, and many features I proudly point to as ‘mine.’ But there are also contributions from my predecessors, and perfectly placed volunteers—gifts from the mysterious forces of nature.

EDUCATION STATION Vertical and Raised-bed Gardening How can you have a garden when you have little or no space to work with? One solution is vertical gardening—the art of growing your plants UP! Easy to maintain and exceptionally productive, vertical gardening works well the raptors to your school, library, or other event! The Raptor Center raptors and staff travel around for many vegetables, fruits and flowers. Invite Minnesota and the United States, providing a unique educational experience. Our hour-long programs are packed with age-appropriate information that is both educational and entertaining. All outreach programs include a Or what if you have plenty of soil … but it’s not very fertile? A raised bed raptor education specialist, at least three live raptors, and a variety of hands-on props and activities that make this program a allows you to enjoy the benefits of gardening in the soil of your choice, as complete educational experience. Our staff and raptors are also available for booth-style meet-and-greet events. Outreach well as improved drainage, fewer weeds, and a more accessible, comfortable programs are available seven days a week, and our staff travels nationwide. gardening height. Stop by to see how vertical and raised-bed gardening could Call 612-624-2756 or email [email protected] for more information work for you!

8 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 9 Garden C 3901 46th Avenue S, Minneapolis

Dowling Community Garden TopPlants 10 Plant List A B C Two blocks west of the Mississippi River, the Dowling Community Garden is 1. Igleheart Yellow Cherry Tomatoes located on the grounds of the Michael Dowling School, a K-5 urban 2. Juliet Tomatoes environmental magnet school at 46th Avenue and 39th Street South in 3. Carmen (Sweet Paprika Peppers) Minneapolis. The Dowling Community Garden is believed to be one of the 4. Rainbow Swiss Chard D E F 5. Poppies - various throughout the last two remaining Victory Gardens in use today. We are celebrating our 75th gardens anniversary this year. 6. Joe Pye Weed The first lots for a Victory Garden were drawn on April 13, 1943. Today the 7. Beauregard Sweet Potatoes garden has more than 190 plots with approximately 250 gardeners. There 8. Brussels Sprouts G H I are currently two Master Gardeners with plots at Dowling, and they share 9. Broccoli 10. - various their expertise as needed. A small volunteer steering committee manages the plots, the volunteers, and the outreach to the neighborhood. The wide variety of produce grown and shared by gardeners is stunning. Gardeners Directions: From Hiawatha/Hwy 55: East on E. 38th., South on can grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers—no trees or shrubs. Excess pro- 46th Ave. S. duce is collected and shared with food shelves weekly. The grounds include accessible raised beds, a , shade and sun flower gardens, a Kids Club garden and food shelf gardens. Classes from Dowling School visit the gardens for lessons, neighbors walk their dogs on the lovely walking paths, and folks sit and read in the sun on our beautiful benches. Save $5 when you become a member of the Minnesota Please stop by to experience the beauty and learn how a community garden State Horticultural Society or renew your membership survives and thrives. at our tour booth at Garden C.

EDUCATION You’ll also receive the current issue of Northern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) STATION Gardener magazine Free, as well as an exclusive gift! Is this a good bug or a bad bug? What should I do about the powdery mildew on my peonies, and the scab on my apple trees? What can I use Membership includes: Northern Gardener, Minnesota’s to control pests that won’t harm the bees? We will explain Integrated Pest only home-grown gardening magazine; a discount card good Management (IPM), a management strategy offering effective, economical at over 100 nurseries and garden centers in Minnesota and Wisconsin; tactics that keep environmental damage to a minimum. IPM can help you discounts on MSHS classes, tours, merchandise and plants; free Garden determine the best course of action to keep pests and plant diseases at bay Show tickets; and much more. in your lawn and garden without resorting to harmful chemicals. 651.643.3601 / 800.676.6747 www.northerngardener.org

10 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 11 A B C

Garden D 3445 46th Avenue S, Minneapolis D E F A TopPlants 10 Plant List

I love cottage gardens, and mine evolved around our small, cottage-like 1. Pussy Toes (Antennaria plantaginifolia) bungalow. In 1994, there was nothing in the yard but old tree roots in the G H I 2. Wisteria macrostachya (Blue back and scraggly yews in the front. So I started with a blank slate, but I was Moon) inspired by the memory of my Grandma’s cottage garden, and Irish gardens. 3. Screaming Yellow False Indigo (Baptisia sphaerocarpa) I first dug along the garage and fence, planting mostly daylilies and other 4. Blue False Indigo (Baptisia flowers I got for free! After we put in the deck, patio and retaining wall, I australis) 5. Clematis Integrifolia (Fascina- started building gardens around them. We replaced a black walnut tree with tion) a brilliant Autumn Blaze maple and gradually amended the clay soil. I love a 6. Clematis Tangutica (Helios) mixture of shrubs, flowers, herbs and veggies—and I have a lot of contain- 7. Fern Leaf Peony (Paeonia tenuifolia) ers, too. 8. Peony “Pink Dogwood Whisper” I recently added a raised bed next to the alley, with vegetables and colorful (Peonia laciflora) 9. Angelica gigas (Korean angelica, annuals. (It was dead space—can’t have that!) My Joe Pye weed and other Directions: From Hiawatha/Hwy 55: East on E. 35th., North on giant) 46th Ave. S. full-size prairie plants thrive in the hot, western sun. Along the boulevard, 10. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias where no grass would grow, I planted a with turtlehead, incarnata) bee balm and other natives. And I love my Honeycrisp espalier, succulents and tiny fairy gardens! Despite being in the city, my yard is amazingly quiet and private. My greatest Small Footprint, joys are walking people through my gardens, and then working in them by myself. After being in an office all week, this is my peaceful place. Surprising Selection.

EDUCATION Hydroponics STATION Imagine growing your own organic salad greens, herbs, and tomatoes (yes, Enjoy $5 off your even tomatoes!) in the depths of the Minnesota winter (or even comfortably inside during the hot and sticky Minnesota summer). You can do it easily and purchase of $25 or more. inexpensively through hydroponics, a soil-less growing system that’s easy to set up and maintain year-round. Hydroponic gardening works equally well for people who have lots of space … or very little space. It’s also a great addi- tion to assisted-living and healthcare facilities. Stop by and learn how to build 3738 42nd Ave S. Mpls, 55406 a simple hydroponics system for yourself! 2318 NE Lowry Ave. Mpls, 55418 motherearthgarden.com

12 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 13 Garden E 3511 37th Avenue S, Minneapolis A B C

A Big Happy Mix PlantsTop 10 Plant List

D E F When we moved into our home in May of 2010, the yard was already beauti- 1. Alpine Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) ful with perennial natives and non-native wildflowers. My wife, Amanda, and 2. Habanero (Capsicum chinense I didn’t know the first thing about flowers, and over the next few years we ‘Chocolate’ & ‘Mustard’) 3. Lemon Mint (Monarda killed off most of the previous owner’s hard work! citriodora) G 4. Zucchetta Tromboncino H I At the same time, our interest in vegetable gardening grew, so we started (Cucurbita moschata) adding vegetables to the (both to increase our veggie yield 5. Strawflower (Helichrysum and to fill in the empty spaces). Incorporating pollinator-friendly flowers and bracteatum) 6. Volunteer Tomato (Solanum plants right alongside our veggies became a yearly goal of ours. We built lycopersicum) several raised beds for vegetables in areas of poor soil, and three years ago 7. Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) we added a bee garden. Our yard had a lot of shade at first, but removing 8. Red Milkweed (Asclepias three large silver maples opened up the entire yard to sun, and we planted incarnata) 9.  Gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa) 10 dwarf fruit trees. Directions: From Hiawatha/Hwy 55: East on 35th St., South on 10. Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseolus 37th Ave. Most of our yard is now garden space—a big happy mix of veggies, fruits, coccineus) wildflowers, trees, grasses, and other native and non-native plants. What I love most is how much is happening in our garden on any random summer day. The plants are going strong; the entire space is filled with bees and B\cc\pB\cc\pf]]\ijleljlXcXeelXcj# butterflies, birds and squirrels; and there are beautiful colors everywhere. Just seeing how much we can make happen in our small Minneapolis yard is g\i\ee`Xcj#_\iYj#kfg`Xi`\jXe[ZcXpgfkj# hugely satisfying. Xcc`eX[\c`^_k]lc Zflekip EDUCATION STATION Preserving the Garden’s Abundance j\kk`e^% Does your garden yield an abundant array of tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers and other fruits and veggies at summer’s end? Are you eager to enjoy your delicious bounty throughout a long, cold Minnesota winter? Visit G N this Education Station to learn about a variety of ways to preserve your gar- IN IN T E A T Y den produce—through canning, fermenting, pickling and more. Don’t let your R

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14 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 15 Vertical Vegetable Gardening: Grow UP! ertical gardening is a way to maximize your gardening space—and your produce yield—by training plants to grow vertically from a minimal foot- print of soil.

HVere are five great reasons to give vertical gardening a try: • Requires less space and soil • Is easy to maintain • Efficiently uses water and fertilizer • Makes for easy weeding, pruning and harvesting • Helps plants stay healthy because of good air circulation

Types of vertical gardening 1. Up from the ground: Use sturdy struc- tures such as trellises, stakes, ladders, fences, walls, arches and pergolas. Even an unused swing-set or basketball hoop can work! 2. Containers: Place containers or pots on shelves (preferably with slats for good drainage), use hanging baskets that allow vines and fruit to hang down, or be cre- ative. Use tall plastic trash cans, shoe cad- dies, rain gutters or PVC pipe! Just remem- ber to water frequently, as pots, containers and baskets dry out fast.

Considerations Different vegetables require different supporting structures, depending on their type (vining or upright) and the weight of their fruit. For example: Peas and beans will easily climb up a lightweight lattice of twine, whereas squash and melons require a strong structure (such as a trellis covered with wire mesh) to support their heavy fruit. Tomatoes need three-dimensional support rather than a single stake. Herbs and lettuces work well in hanging baskets or pots on stacked shelves.

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H 2018 TOUR MAP

Learning Garden Tour A. 5620 Bloomington Ave., Mpls. G D B. 4825 29th Ave. S, Mpls. F E C. 3901 46th Ave. S, Mpls. D. 3445 46th Ave. S, Mpls. C E. 3511 37th Ave. S, Mpls. F. 3630 28th Ave. S, Mpls. G. 3501 12th Ave. S, Mpls. H. 2917 14th Ave. S, Mpls. I. 6645 Logan Ave. S, Richfield B

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I Water Wisely ou can grow and maintain healthy, beautiful plants and turf while helping to conserve our precious waterY supply.

Best watering methods Garden • Water when top 6 to 9 inches of soil are dry—and until moist TM • Water early in the morning • Use sprinklers to reach the whole • Water the soil, not the leaves lawn • Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation • Allow the top 6 inches to dry Newly planted trees & shrubs before watering again • Weeks 1 & 2: water daily • Weeks 3–12: water every Ways to conserve water 2 to 3 days • Water weekly until established Garden: • Make 3- to 4-inch soil wall around • Choose drought-tolerant plants root ball edge (holds water) • Cover soil with 2 to 3 inches of • Trees: apply 1 to 1.5 gallons for organic mulch every inch of trunk diameter • Collect and use rainwater • Shrubs: apply the amount of water • Amend soil with needed to fill 1/3 of the original pot Lawn: Established trees & shrubs • Plant drought-resistant grasses • Water when top 6 to 9 inches of • Set mower height to 3 inches soil are dry—and until these top (promotes deeper roots) inches are moist • Test automatic irrigation systems • Water early in the morning for proper functioning • Use a sprinkler to reach all roots • Install a rain sensor, soil moisture (root spread can be 2 to 3 times sensor, or smart irrigation controller wider than the canopy) For more information: Lawn z.umn.edu/waterwise TM • Water when footprints remain visible in the grass Credit: Minnesota State Extension Master • Water when top 6 inches of soil Gardener Program are dry—and until moist

20 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 21 Garden F 3630 28th Avenue S, Minneapolis A B C

Inspired by Mother Nature TopPlants 10 Plant List

My beautiful, two-story magnolia tree is the only plant that remains from 2008, 1.  Pagoda Dogwood (Golden Shadows) D E F when I bought my house and faced a yard of dead sod and weeds! Early on, 2. Black Lace Elderberry I spent a lot of time creating a landscape plan, and I phased in plantings over 3. Redbud (Minnesota Strain) time. 4. Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonica) Since this is a small lot, the mature size of the plants, trees and shrubs— G H I 5. Voodoo lily (Amorphophallus including my fruit-bearing serviceberries, cherry tree and grape vines—were konjac; Sauromatum venosum) taken into consideration. The yard has become more shaded over time, so 6. Cherry (North Star) finding plants for the right light conditions continues to evolve. I augment my 7. Magnolia (Merrill) landscape with a lot of container plantings, from edibles such as tomatoes and 8. Japanese White Pine herbs to a variety of annuals and specialty plants such as the corpse flower 9. Willow (Hakuro-nishiki) (voodoo lily). 10. Sumac (Tiger Eye) My inspiration has been working with Mother Nature, and I’ve incorporated Directions: From Hiawatha/Hwy 55: West on 38th St., North on 28th Ave. environmental practices such as composting; rain barrels; planting natives and pollinator-friendly plants; selecting plants that don’t need large amounts of wa- ter, fertilizer and ; and keeping rainwater on-site with a swale (small depression) and a . When a city pipe repair necessitated excavation of the grassy boulevard, I dug a trench to direct rainwater from the sidewalk into the boulevard (instead of the street) and planted perennials in place of turf. wagnergreenhouses.com From my magnolia and redbud in spring, to perennials in summer, to hydrangea and sweet autumn clematis in fall, my garden’s seasonal variation of blooms is very satisfying.

Vermiculture and Backyard Composting Growing color since 1901 EDUCATION Minneapolis Hugo Bloomington STATION Turn waste into plant nutrients year-round! Open year round Open April- June Open April-December 6024 Penn Ave. S. 4860 Frenchman Rd. 2100 W. Old Shakopee Rd. Vermiculture: We’ll show you how to make and maintain a “fertilizer factory” 612-922-6901 651-653-8863 952-884-7889 in your own home (even your apartment) by working with red wiggler earth- worms. These quiet creatures don’t take much room, and they tirelessly turn food and plant scraps into rich fertilizer for your plants and garden. An indoor red wiggler factory is a great complement to a backyard composting system. Backyard Composting: Learn how to create an organic soil amendment or mulch by composting your yard and garden waste, fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, shredded newspaper and more.

22 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 23 Garden G 3501 12th Avenue S, Minneapolis A B C

Hidden charm PlantsTop 10 Plant List

D E F Before I bought my house, I had no idea I wanted to garden. 1. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) It happened at the farmers’ market, when I saw purple salvia and orange 2. Coreopsis verticillata (Moon- asclepias and yellow “Moonbeam” coreopsis—and imagined how beautiful beam) 3. Salvia (Common Sage) they’d look together. That was the moment I became a gardener! 4. Nepeta/Catmint (Walker’s Low) G H I I still have those flowers, as well as the original yard’s peonies, goat’s beard, 5. Cornus sericea/Redosier Dog- and hydrangeas. When I dug up the grass, I discovered flagstone paths, wood (Cardinal) buried six inches deep. I used those flagstones to edge my . I 6. Liatris spicata (Gayfeather) 7. Pontederia cordata (Pickerel- wanted the sound of water … and goldfish. My Grandpa had goldfish in his weed) backyard. 8. Rudbeckia lacinata (Hortensia ‘Golden Glow’) One challenge is I have a lot of squirrels. The first time I planted tulip bulbs 9. Nigella (‘Devil-in-a-bush’; ‘Love- (about 200), not one came up! I learned to cover bulbs with turkey grit, which in-a-mist’) Directions: From 35W: East on 36th St., North on 12th Ave. S. the squirrels won’t walk on. Now I plant bulbs every year, and it’s so worth it. 10. Sedum ellacombianum (Stonecrop) From Hiawatha/Hwy 55: West on 35th St., South on 12th Ave. S. This area has nice, loamy soil, which I love. In the beginning, I was going for that wispy, cottage-y look with perennials. Now it’s more eclectic, with rocks and tropicals and annuals for fun and color. I want the kaBAM effect that comes from big areas of repeating blooms. What’s really charming about my garden is it’s so hidden. You’d never know it During the was there unless you peeked over the fence. I find joy just being in it. Garden Tour Look for Our Truck EDUCATION STATION Container Water Gardening Water gardening opens a whole new world of lovely plants for you to enjoy throughout the growing season—and you don’t need a large pond to be suc- cessful. Even a small fountain can be a serenely beautiful addition to your landscape. If you’re short on space, or just need a focal point somewhere, Sambusa is a big part of the food culture in Minnesota, the Bold North’s very own aquatic plants are easily grown in containers! And the best part is, you don’t Alimama Catering will proudly present Minnesota’s unquestioned distinctiveness. Alimama’s Mediterranean Grill is located inside Metropolitan State University new Student Center. Our cafe offers fresh have to worry about weekly watering. Mediterranean cuisines with recipes perfected over three generations. Alimama’s Sambusa food truck operates in downtown Minneapolis for corporate lunches, business functions, and special occasions. We offer buffet style, Visit this education station to learn about creating small water features that boxes lunches and small scale catering to student organization events, corporate meetings, and parties. can fit into containers. Learn how to make almost any container water-tight, www.alimamacatering.com Alimama EA Catering LLC • 690 E 7th Street, St. Paul, MN 55106 • 651-793-1679, 612-388-8306 what type of plants to grow, how to get them to the right height, and how to keep the water clear and mosquito-free.

24 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 25 A B C

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Garden H 2917 14th Avenue S, Minneapolis G H I

Alice-in-Wonderland Enchantment TopPlants 10 Plant List

I bought my house in 2002, but my serious gardening didn’t start till about 1. Weeping Crabapple 2012. When we moved in, there were just a few perennials, and the fencing 2. Juniper (Mint Julip Pom Pom) crossed the yard in odd places, pinching the trees. So initially we focused on 3. Hibiscus (Mocha Moon) replacing the fence and walkways, and building a back deck. 4. Red Twig Dogwood 5. Plume Poppies The next challenge was mowing the steep front bank. We first planted a line 6. Penstemon (Dark Towers) of bushes, and then decided we didn’t want to mow the yard AT ALL. Our 7. Ragwort (Liguleria Desdemona) patio brickwork was inspired by the landscaping at the original Hotel Sofitel. 8. Coral Bells/Heucherella (Brass I’m proud to say I carried and placed every single block myself! Lantern) 9. Roses We added our fountain to drown out traffic noise, and removed six diseased 10. Clematis (Virgin’s Bower) elms, but most of my decisions are driven by aesthetics. Gardening is rela- tively new to me, so every day has been a learning experience as I’ve come to understand that full sun really means full sun, that some plants like being Directions: From 35W: East on E. 28th St., South on 14th Ave. S. From Hiawatha/Hwy 55: West on E. Lake St., North on 14th Ave. S. planted in groups and others want to hang out by themselves. I’m mostly into perennial flowers, but also love bushes and bulbs. Over the past years, I’ve been going for an Alice-in-Wonderlandesque, enchanted-garden look. I have a pebbled area, with a fairy garden, that I call my “sacred circle.” Originally formed by several trees, only one Blue Spruce remains. But I still love sitting there, sipping wine and basking in the peace of my garden.

EDUCATION STATION Flowers for Pollinators You can help honeybees, wild bees, monarch butterflies and other pollina- tors to survive—and thrive—by planting a pollinator-friendly garden and yard. You’ll enjoy the beauty, and pollinators will appreciate a life-sustaining home. We’ll share information on which flowers, trees and shrubs have beneficial and (not all plants have them!), how to create a welcoming pollinator habitat (where pollinators can raise their young), how to choose a variety of flowers to ensure season-long blooming, and how to plant a pollinator-friendly lawn by overseeding with low-growing flowers and fine fescue.

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Garden I 6645 Logan Avenue S, Richfield

Sacred Space TopPlants 10 Plant List D E F

When my husband and I moved into this house, 15 years ago, we had many 1. Japanese Lilac Tree hopes and dreams. But soon after we moved in, my husband passed away. 2. Japanese Painted Ferns (Athy- rium niponicum) The garden was slow in coming because it was just me working on it, facing 3.  Frost Grass -Silver Spike GrassG H I challenges like rabbits, tree roots and dandelions from the park across the (Spodiopogon sibiricus) street. But I love it all. 4.  Vine on the Boulder (Climbing Hydrangea) The front yard started as dirt. I added benches, brought in big rocks, and built 5. False Cypress (Kochia) a rock wall. I love rock as much as I love plants! A friend brought me a tiny 6. Hibiscus (Mocha Moon) 7. Japanese Maple Tree silver lace vine (Fallopia baldschuanica), which has grown beautifully over the 8. Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum rock. I planted euonymus around the big maple’s roots, and added astilbe japonica) and hydrangeas for color. One evening, my neighbors brought over wine and 9.  Conifers - Dwarf Japanese cheese to celebrate the front garden’s completion, and as we sat enjoying its White Pines 10. Weeping Siberian Peashrub Directions: From 35W South: Exit Heading West on W 66th St., serenity, we decided to call it my “.” It’s a very special place. (Caragana arborescens Turn South on Logan Ave. ‘Pendula’) From Hwy 62: Exit Heading South on Penn Ave. S, Turn East on For the back yard, which also started as dirt, I designed my cedar fence, en- W 66th St., Turn South on Logan Ave. visioning many birds and plants that make me happy: clematis, honeysuckle, hollyhocks, tomato vines and hibiscus. Another favorite is the city wall on the south side, which I’ve transformed with draping lavender phlox and succu- lents. Master Gardener – Hennepin County I love different shapes, colors and textures—of rocks, wood and plants. My garden has no particular style. It’s just a “me” garden, changing to reflect who I am, year after year. The BOOK NOOK The Book Nook offers an engaging EDUCATION selection of gardening and nature- STATION Pruning Trees and Shrubs themed books, many written by Learn the basics of pruning your trees and shrubs so you can prepare Hennepin County Master Gardeners. them for long, productive lives in your landscape. Pruning for safety involves removing branches that could fail. Pruning for health involves Here’s what one recent tour visitor had to say: “Thank you so much for having all these books together in one spot. It removing thin, rubbing, and/or diseased branches. Pruning for aesthet- made my present-buying so easy!” ics involves enhancing the natural form of the tree or shrub. The goal is Stop by and stock up on gifts for friends to develop well-structured young trees and shrubs, and you’ll see how and family of all ages. small pruning errors at the start can lead to larger problems later on. You’ll also learn about pruning safety, various types of pruning tools and tool-cleaning procedures. Located in Garden I, 6645 Logan Avenue South

28 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 29 Pollinators need our help!

ollinators such as honey bees, monarch butterflies, wild bees and more are struggling to survive these days. Why? They’re in need of a larger Pvariety of nutritious plants to eat and more places to raise their young. Here’s what you can do to help: • Plant annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees that have flowers with beneficial nectar and pollen. (Not all plants have what pollinators need!) For ideas on what to plant, check the resources listed below. • Choose a variety of plants to ensure constant blooming from spring into autumn, and plant three or more of the same type together instead of single plants. • Create a welcoming pollinator habi- tat: Keep some soil bare for ground nesters; cut perennial stems to 12 inches high in fall (for stem-nesting bees); and retain fallen logs (if safely possible). • Instead of adding more turf to your landscape, plant a perennial bed, native area or rain garden. • Create a pollinator-friendly lawn by overseeding with fine fescue and low-growing flowers like ground plum, self-heal and white clover. It’ll be beautiful, and require less fertilizer, water and mowing! For more information: z.umn.edu/f4pollinators

University of Minnesota Bee Lab: www.beelab.umn.edu University of Minnesota Monarch Lab: https://monarchlab.org Xerces Society: www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation Visit the Minnesota Landscape ’s Bee & Pollinator Discovery Center and Garden for Pollinators: www.arboretum.umn.edu

30 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 31 Victory Gardens Welcome ictory Gardens are often associated only with World War II. But the push to grow food in support of a actually began after the United States entered , when Americans were urged to cultivate Liberty Gardens. V ______During both World Wars, residents planted gardens to help feed the troops ______overseas and the general population at home and abroad. Staples such as Notes potatoes, corn, apples, onions and cabbage were shipped to Europe and ______helped sustain folks at home. ______More than 6 million victory gardens ______were planted in 1942. And in 1943, when called upon to plant 18 million ______gardens, people all over the U.S. planted ______more than 20 million! H.W. Hochbaum, ______chair of the Victory Garden Committee of the Department of , wrote ______in the January 1944 issue of House and ______Garden: “As long as the war lasts and ______for years after, we’re going to need all the home-grown and home-preserved ______food we can possibly raise. Without it, ______we’ll be sunk.” ______People were encouraged to plant ______gardens in their back yards, schoolyards, vacant lots, and public parks—and not ______only to grow food for the summer and ______fall, but also to preserve for the winter. The University of Minnesota Extension ______worked with seed companies to dis- ______tribute seeds, developed instructional ______materials on how to grow and preserve Supplies for Victory Gardens were available for ______purchase at local hardware and grocery stores. food, and, along with 4H staff, taught Photo: The Library of Congress. classes on food preservation throughout ______the state. ______Today, the legacy of growing and sharing healthful produce lives on in ______community gardens throughout Minnesota.

32 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 33 Extension Master Gardener – Hennepin County COWSMO

Farmers Market Schedule Ask a Master Gardener booth at many Hennepin County farmers markets. OurVisit our website eventsfor dates and locations. HennepinMasterGardeners.org

Free Classes | Hennepin County Libraries Please visit www.hclib.org for topics, locations and dates. THE FINEST QUALITY ORGANIC COMPOST Minnesota State Fair | August 23 – Labor Day, Sept. 3, 2018 Agriculture Building. Ask a Master Gardener booth and The Dirt Stage presentations and demonstrations. 1 Local Farm, 2 Great Products Organic Manure-based Compost Annual Plant Sale | May 18, 2019 Our 11th Annual Plant Sale features over 6,000 Master Gardener-grown Add nutrients, organic matter, and microorganisms to soil. plants. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organic Potting Mixes Three unique compost-based formulations for starting Learning Garden Tour | July 13, 2019 seedlings, transplanting, and filling raised beds/planters. Self-guided tour of a select group of beautiful gardens in Hennepin County, featuring Education Stations and on-site Hennepin County Master Gardeners.

Thank you to all of our generous advertisers for Where to Buy: helping to make the 2018 Learning Garden Tour a success. Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Elsewhere in Minnesota  BFG Supply 2 Bartlett Tree Experts 23 Wagners • Knecht’s Nursery, Northeld • e Garden By e Woods • Sargent’s, Redwing 13 Mother Earth Gardens 27 Glacial Ridge Growers • Lakewinds Food Co-op • Sargent’s, Rochester • Landscape & Concrete Center 15 Kelley & Kelley Nursery 31 Tangletown Gardens • Pozanc Landscaping, Winona and • Mississippi Market (both) 35 Cowsmo • Mother Earth Gardens To Order Direct: 17 Ecogarden Supply 36 Heidi’s GrowHaus Nursery • Otten Brothers Garden Center Call John at 608-626-2571 21 Bachman’s and Garden Centre • Tangletown Gardens E-mail [email protected] • e Wedge Co-op 25 Alimama’s Mediterranean Grill Visit www.cowsmocompost.com

34 Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour Master Gardeners’ 2018 Learning Garden Tour 35 Visit our GrowHaus Nursery and Garden Centre!

Over five acres of plants and landscape materials

Innovative products and services to live a greener lifestyle

Ongoing educational events and horticultural expertise

Join us for Bee Smart Saturday! July 28th, 12:00 - 2:00 PM

See our bee hives surrounded by native plants Take a capture and release walk with author Heather Holm Wear a bee suit and hold a bee frame with Erin Rupp of Pollinate MN See our extensive native plant collection – the largest in the area! Visit with the Bee Squad from the U of MN Bee and pollinator books by Heather Holm available

7555 County Rd 116, Corcoran, MN 55340 Phone: 763-420-2909 Web: www.GrowHausMN.com