Fall/Winter 2011-12 - UT Gardens - The University of Tennessee

'Monham' Virginia creeperFavoritePerennial Vines, Part IBy Jason Reeves, UT Gardens, Jackson, research horticulturistWhen most people think perennial vine, perhaps the firstplant to come to mind is the overly enthusiastic Chinesewisteria, but there are many that are well behaved.Vines are many times the forgotten plants. Yet, their climbing habitadds significant dimension to the garden. Just as the lawn andground covers are considered the floor of the garden and trees andshrubs are the walls and ceilings, vines are the drapes and swags.They can soften and enhance or hide and disguise architecturalfeatures. Vines can form a quick screen or extend limited gardenspace. Their unique foliage, flowers or fruit can move the focalpoint above eye level, adding considerable interest to the garden.The following is the first in a two-part series of my favoritevines that you may wish to consider adding to you garden.6 | Fall/Winter UT Gardens Magazine

1. The season started off with severe stormsin Knoxville. Nineteen trees were uprootedand many more plants were damaged bywind, hail and falling trees from a seriesof storms in April and May. Staff memberBobby Cook stands next to a large nutalloak that fell and took out a beautifulEuropean hornbeam behind it. Lots ofclean-up took place with staff, professionaltree services, and many volunteers.2. Each year the Blooms Days GardenFestival and Marketplace in Knoxville andSummer Celebration in Jackson attractthousands of visitors. Always great funfor all participants, there are vendors,informative lectures, plants for sale, musicand food.3. UT Gardens, Knoxville, held its firstweekly Farmers Market this year fromMay through October. Local, farm-freshproduce, baked goods, plants and dairyproducts were available. UT’s own organicmarket farm had student interns growingvegetables to sell. Pictured are UTPresident Joe DiPietro and his wife, Deb,checking out the available produce.54. With roughly 300 herbaceousornamental plant trials on display, theUT Gardens are a great place to see thenewest cultivars, including some as yetunnamed, which are being developedaround the world for improved growthhabit, disease resistance, and color. Theresults of our evaluations help determinewhat may be on the market in the comingyears. Dr. Sue Hamilton is seen herediscussing some of the new introductions.5. It’s never too early to develop aninterest in gardening and the UT Gardens,Knoxville, encourages that through manyprograms designed for children. All daysummer camps, children’s workshops, andour Books and Blooms nature story timeare just some of the activities that nourishthe future stewards of the Earth. Little chefsseen here are picking cherry tomatoes forthe fresh salad they are going to prepare.6. The UT Gardens works cooperativelywith horticulture, nursery and landscapeprofessionals across the state. They lendtheir support through a variety of in-kind,sponsorship, research funding and otherdonations. The UT Gardens providestraining on and off site on a variety oftopics to disseminate research findings andbest practices information. The TennesseeNursery and Landscape Association heldits summer field day at UT Gardens,Knoxville. Seen here are Dr. Amy Fulcherand Dr. Bill Klingeman explaining theirlatest nursery research.7. UT hosts many summer camps topromote learning, reward and encouragehigh school students from across the state.These camps can last from a couple of daysto several weeks. Whether they are 4-Hcampers, promising inner-city students,or college-bound students from ruralcounties, the UT Gardens often providesservice-learning projects for these groups.This group of Anderson County studentsin the Upward Bound program made rainbarrels that will be sold throughout theyear to support the gardens.8. Our student interns gain valuableexperience by working in the UT Gardens.Along with garden volunteers and staff,they are the primary human resource formaintenance in the gardens. But theireducation goes beyond the sweat and toilin the heat of summer. This year the studentinterns took a trip to the Biltmore Gardensand the North Carolina Arboretum inAsheville for “backstage” tours of theseoutstanding public garden institutions.67 8

Sissinghurst: An Unfinished HistoryBy Joan Worley, Blount County Master GardenerThe writer Vita Sackville-West (1892-1962) is probably most famous in the U.S.for two things: her relationship with Virginia Woolf and her White Garden, oneof 10 garden rooms at Sissinghurst, the dilapidated castle in Kent, England,that she and her husband, Harold Nicolson, bought in 1930. Comparativelyfew people know that she wrote a weekly gardening column for the newspaper TheObserver from 1947-1961. Vita’s unusual, perhaps outrageous life story has beentold in several biographies to date, and so, too, the story of house and garden: AdamNicolson’s “Sissinghurst: An Unfinished History” is the latest of at least 10 Sissinghurstbooks. The book jacket of the American edition (New York: Viking, 2010) has anepigraph under the title— “The Quest to Restore a Working Farm at Vita Sackville-West’s Legendary Garden.”The return to traditional farming is but one of several major themes in the book. AdamNicolson, grandson of VSW, lived at Sissinghurst as a child and returned to live therewith his family in 2004, when his father, Nigel Nicolson, fell ill. Nigel gave Sissinghurstto the National Trust in 1962 when Vita died, in lieu of death duties he could not pay;the Nicolsons live there now as a “donor family.”Today Sissinghurst is the most visited of all the National Trust properties, chiefly for itsgarden. “Although the garden had been open to the public since 1938, it wasn’t treatedwith the sense of exquisite preciousness it is today.” And there is no Vita there diggingplants up, on the spot, to give to visitors, leaving holes that made the garden homey, if abit untidy, in her day.Within a few months of his return, Adam realized that farming at Sissinghurst, then partof a global industrialized agriculture, could return to some semblance of traditionalfarming, raising food for Sissinghurst’s public restaurant. It took him three years toconvince the trust that the scheme might work, and the self-sufficient restaurant ideawas given a five-year trial period, until 2012.This book is the fruit of the author’s love of place—the land, the people, the castle andthe garden. It is part memoir of a bucolic boyhood, part homage to his grandparents,and part paean to the ancient land. In essence, it is a book of histories: of his own andother families connected with the 500-year-old “Cessyngherst;” of farming as practicedthen and now in Kent; of the castle and lands pertaining thereto; and of his more recentadventures dealing with the National Trust, England’s premier conservation society,founded in 1895. The author comes of generations of writers, and he unites these intoone seamless tapestry, a first-person story of his life as it connects to Sissinghurst. It’s atale well told, a study in one man’s response to change. Maybe you can go home again.10 | Fall/Winter UT Gardens Magazine

November 2011 – June 2012Fall/Winter UT Gardens Magazine | 11

EVENT AND EDUCATIONEducationalprogrammingAT the UTGardens,KnoxvilleFall and winter areexciting times in thelife of a garden. Joinus for a variety ofeducational programs andspecial events that explore thenatural world around us.This fall we will begin HomeGrown, our new homeschoolseries. This monthlyenrichment program isdesigned to teach your homeschoolersabout science, socialstudies and other schoolrelatedtopics.In addition to Home Grown,we are excited to continuethe Garden Sprouts, GardenBuds and Grandkids Growingseries. Spend time with yourchildren and grandchildrenand enjoy nature. We are alsointroducing Growing Together,our family garden series.The garden encompasses everypart of our lives—science,nutrition, education, physicalactivity. We hope to partnerwith other local organizationsto continue to expand thereach of the Gardens andillustrate how interconnectedgardening is with youreveryday life.For more information, call865-974-7151 or emailutgardens@utk.edu.About OurProgramsThe Gardens hosts several seriesof programs for varying ageranges and interests:Garden SproutsGet the youngest membersof your family excited aboutgardening. These activities arefor children ages 3 to 5 and oneadult.Garden BudsDesigned for the older childrenin your family. These activitiesare for children ages 6 to 9 andone adult.Grandkids GrowingDesigned for grandparents andgrandchildren to explore theGardens together.Growing TogetherJoin us for these fun-filledfamily events and learn aboutgardening and activities to do athome as a family.Adult WorkshopsLearn about gardening basicsand other fun topics, such ashow to capture your garden inphotos.UT GARDENS, JACKSONGreat events going on at theUT Gardens in West Tennessee.CostDon’t let cost keep you fromparticipating. If you need financialassistance, contact us and we canlook for funds to help you attendany of these fun and educationalprograms.Membership—Members of theFriends of the UT Gardens receivediscounts on programming. If youattend a program and want to joinas a member the day of the program,you can receive a $5 discount onyour membership.Home Grown SeriesThese fun and educational activities are designed to enrich lesson plansfor your home-schoolers.Cost is $50 per child for the entire series of six classesor $10 per child per class.All classes are scheduled for 1:30-4 p.m. on the second Thursday of themonth.Why Do They Call It Fall?November 10This session will explore the reason why leaves fall in the fall. Learnabout the changing seasons and how plants and animals prepare forwinter.Fine Feathered FriendsDecember 8Even in winter you can find birds and other creatures in and around theGardens. This session will explore some of the native birds in the EastTennessee area. Learn how to identify birds by their feathers and theirsounds, then build a birdfeeder so you can observe these fine featheredfriends throughout the year.Sleepy Time in the GardensJanuary 12Shh … it’s sleepy time in the Gardens! See what creatures and plantsare taking a long nap during the cold winter months. Learn whathibernation is and how it helps animals survive cold weather.Rain, Rain Go Away!February 9Learn what makes rain, wind and other weather. This activity will coverhow clouds form and other fun facts about weather. Come prepared toget out in the weather as we take a walk through the Gardens on thiscold winter day.Can You Dig It?March 8This session will focus on learning how something as small as a seedcan turn into a giant tree. Learn the parts of plants and the amazinglife cycle of a seed. We will take a look at our vegetable garden. Thisactivity will also include a fun craft that you can take home and plantin your garden.The Gardens Are ABUZZ!April 12Why are flowers so colorful? How do we get such great tasting fruitsand vegetables from plants? What is honey made of? This session willexplore the exciting world of pollination and how bees and othercritters help plants survive. We will also be looking at how honey ismade and why it tastes so good.

CALENDAR 2011-2012November NOV '11NOV '11Dec '11JAN '12Ninth Annual PumpkinHARVEST DisplayUT Gardens, JacksonThrough Sunday, November 27Open daily from sunrise to sunset.This breathtaking display featuresmore than 5,000 pumpkins, gourdsand squash in what is believed tobe the largest pumpkin display inthe South. Beautiful backdrop forfall photos. Free admission.Adult Workshop:Harvest CookingSaturday, November 122-4 p.m.Come and see what’s cooking inthe Gardens. Learn how to take thefall harvest and prepare it to lastthrough the winter. Gather a fewideas about what to cook with thethings that you worked so hard toproduce this year.$10/member, $14/nonmember(or free with the Gobble in theGardens entry fee)Growing Together:Gobble in the GardensSaturday, November 121-4 p.m.Don’t be a turkey and miss out onthis fun-filled family event! Comerelax in the gardens before thestart of the busy holiday season.Learn about the history behindthe first Thanksgiving. Create yourown cornucopia to decorate yourholiday table. Enjoy a twist onsome traditional culinary creationsat a cooking seminar. Learn howto keep the kids busy while theturkey is in the oven. Finally, createa thankful tree. This project makesa wonderful annual tradition thatyour family can really grow into.$20/member family,$25/nonmember family.Garden Sprouts:Harvest Fun!Friday, November 1810-11:30 a.m.Have fun while learning aboutthe magic of the harvest season!We will learn why corn, squashand pumpkins are such goodfriends in the garden. Come andenjoy a harvest story, a fall craftand a tasty harvest treat. Dresswarmly as we plan to spendtime outside exploring the fallgarden. This program is designedfor children ages 3 to 5 and oneaccompanying adult.$10/member, $14/nonmemberDecember'11Adult Workshop:Deck the HallsSaturday, December 32-4 p.m.Join us for our annual wreathmakingevent. Create a beautifulholiday wreath for your frontdoor or mantel using evergreens,holly, berries and other winter andholiday materials.Garden Buds:Holiday CardsFriday, December 9, orSaturday, December 1010-11:30 a.m.Do you have lots of tissue paperleft over from last year’s holidayseason? Come to this fun classas we reuse the tissue paper tomake textured envelopes. We willalso recycle holiday cards for youto take home and give to yourfriends and family. This program isdesigned for children ages 3 to 5and one accompanying adult.$10/member, $14/nonmemberGrandkids Growing:GingerBread DecoratingSaturday, December 102-4 p.m.Let’s make a cookie from a root!Learn how a little root can packso many flavors into our favoriteholiday cookies. See how otherplants are also used in the foods weeat. Enjoy a gingerbread cookie toeat and decorate one to take homeand hang on your tree.$10/member, $14/nonmemberGrowing Together:Santa HuntSaturday, December 172-4 p.m.Visit the Holiday Express and learnwhat happens at the Gardensduring winter. Take part in ourfirst-ever Santa hunt. Follow theclues left by Santa’s elves and goon a search for Santa hiding in theGardens. Hot chocolate and prizeswill be available for the best Santahunters around.$10/member, $14/nonmember(Price includes entrance to theHoliday Express.)JANUARY '12Garden Sprouts:Garden Snack TimeFriday, January 20, or Saturday,January 2110-11:30 a.m.Cookies, popcorn and hotchocolate are a few favorite snacks.Do you know they come fromplants? Have your taste buds ready,because this class is sure to fill yourtummy. We will read a deliciousstory and make a few munchiesto take home. This program isdesigned for children ages 3 to 5and one accompanying adult.$10/member, $14/nonmemberGarden Buds:Who Grows There?Saturday, January 212-4 p.m.Winter is the perfect time to startseeds indoors! Discover how a tinyseed can grow into a big plant.Explore the smallest to the largestseed, and learn what seeds needto grow. Garden Buds will planttheir own flat of seeds to grow athome. This program is designed forchildren ages 6 to 9.$10/member, $14/nonmemberGrandkids Growing: WakeUp, Wake Up, Sleepyhead!Saturday, January 282-4 p.m.Bring your grandkids for storytimeand explore the Gardens in winter.See what critters are sleeping andlearn how plants and animalssurvive the East Tennessee winters.Learn what adaptations plantsmake to live and grow againanother day.$10/member, $14/nonmemberFEB February '12Garden Sprouts:Winter CoatsFriday, February 10, or Saturday,February 1110-11:30 a.m.Put on your winter coat and visitthe Gardens to learn what plantsand animals have their own wintercoats. Lean why some trees staygreen year round, while others losetheir leaves. See what evergreensare growing in the Gardens.Discover how animals stay warmin the winter. This program isdesigned for children ages 3 to 5and one accompanying adult.$10/member, $14/nonmember

CALENDAR 2011-2012FEB '12 MAR March '12Growing Together:Roses are RedSaturday, February 112-4 p.m.Celebrate the season of love withthe ones you love. Learn why rosesare the choice flower for Valentine’sDay, and make a fun floralarrangement for the entire family totake home and enjoy. Materials willbe included.$30/member family, $35/nonmember familyGarden Buds:Winter WonderlandSaturday, February 2510-11:30 a.m.Fight cabin fever by getting outsideat the Gardens. Enjoy a wintertimestory. Take a walk in the Gardensto explore the wonders of winter.Sit back and enjoy a nice hotchocolate. Learn how snowflakesare created and craft a snowflakeof your own to take home. Thisprogram is designed for childrenages 6 to 9.$10/member, $14/nonmemberAdult Workshop:CompostingSaturday, February 252-4 p.m.This workshop teaches basics ofcomposting. Learn what to putin your compost bin and what toleave out, how to maintain yourbin, and what to do with thatnutrient-rich compost once it’sfinished cooking. This workshopwill also give you some basicbuilding plans and tips for creatingyour home compost bin.$10/member, $14/nonmemberGarden Sprouts:Color HuntFriday, March 9, or Saturday,March 1010-11:30 a.m.This activity teaches you why colorsare so important for plants andanimals. We will learn the colorsof the Gardens and then go on acolor hunt ourselves. This programis designed for children ages 3 to 5and one accompanying adult.$10/member, $14/nonmemberAdult Workshop:MinigardeningSaturday March 102-4 p.m.Short on space? No problem!This workshop will explore usingcontainers to grow vegetables. Seehow to plant some of your favoriteveggies in 5-gallon buckets andother containers. Materials willbe provided.$20/member, $25/nonmemberGrandkids Growing:Art in the GardensSaturday, March 172-4 p.m.This activity will give grandkids achance to observe the gardens asspring nears. Grandkids can painta picture for grandparents to takehome and display on the fridge.$10/member, $14/nonmemberGarden Buds:Frogs, Bugs, Birds, Oh My!Saturday March 2410-11:30 a.m.As spring is in the air, come andsee all the critters waking up andenjoying the warmer weather inthe Gardens. Learn about the lifecycle of frogs, and see what bugsand birds are up to. This program isdesigned for children ages 6 to 9.$10/member, $14/nonmemberMAR '12 APR '12Growing Together:Rain Rain Don’t Go AWAY!Saturday, March 242-4 p.m.Rain is a vital part of a garden.With this program you will learnways to conserve water and keepthose plants hydrated. You also willbuild your very own rain barrel tocollect that valuable water to useon a dry day.$30/member family, $35/nonmember familyAPR April '12Garden Sprouts:GSI (Garden SceneInvestigators)Friday, April 6, or Saturday, April 710-11:30 a.m.Follow the clues and figure out themystery. Learn what insects arebeneficial to a garden and whichinsects are just pests. See what’sbuzzing around the gardens thistime of year and what’s crawlingall over. This program is designedfor children ages 3 to 5 and oneaccompanying adult.$10/member, $14/nonmemberAdult WoRKshop:Planting for PleasureSaturday, April 72-4 p.m.This workshop will give you lots ofideas to attract butterflies and birdsto your garden. See which plantsbring butterflies. Learn what flowershummingbirds like to snack on.These tips and lessons will give youplenty of planting ideas to attractthe most colorful and friendlygarden friends this summer.$10/member, $14/nonmemberGrowing Together:It’s Not Easy Being GreenSaturday, April 212-4 p.m.Learn how to plant a successfulvegetable garden in this workshop.Get tips on composting and naturalfertilizing to grow those prizewinningtomatoes. Learn how todeal with and control pests usingfewer chemicals and a few moretricks. Find the best way to keepthose weeds down in your garden.$10/member, $14/nonmemberJUNE'12Hydrangea SymposiumUT Gardens, JacksonSaturday, June 28 a.m.-5 p.m.A hydrangea lover’s dream cometrue! A full day of hydrangeaworkshops, guided tours of the UTGardens, Jackson, and a specialplant sale featuring more than30 cultivars of hydrangeas. Plus,visitors will get to tour three rarelyseen private gardens containingmore than 70 cultivars ofhydrangeas. For more information,including cost, visit http://west.tennessee.edu.

On the Road: Tennessee Gardening InspirationsIn each issue of our Gardens magazine we share favorite“horticultural hot spots” that you must check out.Following are four hot spots worthy of a road trip thisgardening season.Signal Mountain NurseryLocation: 1100 Hubbard Road, Signal Mountain, Tennessee37377Contact: David and Laurel Steele,laurel.steele@signalmtnnursery.com, 423-886-3174www.signalmtnnursery.comIf you’ve never been to this nursery, you are missing out. First off,it’s cooler in the summer by at least 10 degrees than the lowerChattanooga elevation. Secondly, the view alone from atopSignal Mountain is worth the trip. But add to these every flowerand plant imaginable and you have an incredible garden center.It’s pretty cool, too, that this third-generation of horticulturistsgrow the majority of what they retail. Not only will you finda vast assortment of trees, shrubs, vines, annuals, perennialsand herbs, but also a wide assortment of seasonal plants likepoinsettias, chrysanthemums and pansies. During my recentvisit I was introduced to the new gardening hobby of FairyGardening. I’d never seen a Fairy Garden but quickly saw lotsof different examples, ideas and accessories to help you indulgethis new hobby. Signal Mountain Nursery is a full-service gardencenter, too, offering services in landscape design, installation,maintenance and hardscapes. I guarantee that this nursery isworth your time for plants and garden accent pieces.—Sue HamiltonThe Dabney NurseryLocation: 5576 Hacks Cross Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38125Contact: Dabney Turley, sales@thedabneynursery.com,901-755-4037www.thedabneynursery.comThe Dabney Nursery is one of my favorite nurseries in theMemphis area for its wide selection of annuals, perennials, treesand shrubs. They grow and sell one of the largest selections ofperennials in West Tennessee, including more than 200 cultivarsof Hosta. You’ll also find a big selection of camellias, Encoreazalea and Japanese maples. With 36 greenhouses and 150acres, they produce almost everything on site with the exceptionof some container grown shrubs. Their field-grown trees aregrown in West Tennessee clay soil, so they are ready for plantingin similar soils. —Jason ReevesStanley’s Greenhouses & Plant FarmLocation: 3029 Davenport Road, Knoxville, Tennessee 37920Contact: Lisa Stanley, info@stanleysgreenhouses.com,865-573-9591http://stanleysgreenhouses.comThis is one of my favorite garden centers in the Knoxvillearea. I love horticulture and history, and you’ll find both withStanley’s Greenhouses. Located five minutes from downtownin South Knoxville, three generations of the Davenport-Stanley family continue traditions on land once called theDavenport Farm. A portion of the land was deeded to thefamily by Tennessee Governor William Blount’s half-brother,Willie Blount, in the early 1800s. Jump forward to today andStanley’s has more than 190,000 square feet in greenhouseproduction where they produce more than 60 percent of theplants they retail—making your plant purchases tax free. I loveto shop at Stanley’s because you are always assured a greatselection of new and top-performing cultivars. Whether you’relooking for the most unusual annuals to use in a summercontainer, vibrant-colored pansies for your fall landscape,or an incredible assortment of poinsettia varieties for theholidays, you’ll find it at Stanley’s. They also have a greatselection of garden accent, pottery and novelty pieces as well.—Faye BeckDixon Gallery & GardensLocation: 4339 Park Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38117Contact: Dale Skaggs, dskaggs@dixon.org, 901-761-5250www.dixon.orgI had the opportunity to tour the Dixon Gardens this pastsummer with their director of horticulture, Dale Skaggs.What a gem of a garden and worth your time to visit! Daleis an impressive horticulturist and landscape architectand, boy, has he got an eye for design. The gardens arenot huge and are easily enjoyed over the course of justan hour or so. They are composed of four distinct areas—the South Lawn, Formal Gardens, Cutting Gardens andWoodland Gardens—with each having its own sculpturesand accent pieces. Dale has created some amazing andbeautiful plant combinations and displays in each areathat makes Dixon worth your time. Hugo Dixon left to hiscommunity his home and a landscaped garden created inan urban forest. Today the Dixon strives to maintain thatsame urban forest while presenting a garden for everyone'senjoyment. Oh, and if you are into art, you don’t want tomiss the gallery either! —Sue HamiltonFall/Winter UT Gardens Magazine | 15

My mother often said that you didn’t really know a treeuntil you’d lived under it. I repeat her statement eachtime I teach a class on woody landscape plants to theMaster Gardener interns.Her point was that sometimes the bad traits aren’t apparent untilyou’ve spent four seasons under a particular species of tree.Any tree is going to rain a certain amount of detritus throughoutthe year—after all, it’s a living thing—but some trees are lesstroublesome than others.My mother’s favorite tree was the common bald cypress, which isthe more proper common name for the beautiful native tree oftenfound in southern swamps. Many people just call them cypresstrees, but my need for horticultural precision forces me to clear upany potential for botanical confusion. True cypress belong to thegenus Cupressus, while common bald cypress is Taxodium. Whileboth are conifers (cone bearing plants), Cupressus are evergreen,and Taxodium are deciduous. Now that’s clear, for the sake ofbrevity, I’ll refer to common bald cypress, Taxodium distichum, ascypress for the rest of this column.It was the deciduous character that won over my mother. Shewanted cooling shade on the house in the summer, but thewarming sunshine in winter months. In her opinion, the best thingabout cypress were the tiny leaves that simply blew away in the fall,or sifted down into the grass, so she never had to rake.Bald Cypress18 | Fall/Winter UT Gardens Magazine

Still, it seems that someone can find fault with any tree. A womantook issue with me, saying that the cypress tree in her yard leftenormous drifts of the fine leaves. Upon further questioning, itturned out she had a tiny courtyard style landscape and a trulyhuge cypress.Cypress have other endearing qualities. They are long-lived andrarely troubled with disease or insects. Most importantly forhomeowners afraid of storm damage from falling trees, cypress areextremely wind firm. The strongly buttressed root system resiststhrow, and the wood is quite strong. The tree’s growth habit isexcurrent, meaning that there is a strong central trunk, with smallerlimbs radiating from this trunk. This structure presents less surfaceto catch the wind, plus these smaller limbs, should they breakfrom the tree, are not likely to cause much damage. Comparethis to the large heavy limbs of a mature oak with a decurrent (ordeliquescent) growth habit, where there is no dominant centraltrunk. Sometimes these limbs are massive enough to be extremelydamaging when they drop.You aren’t likely to find cypress on a list of plants for fall color, andit does not flame with bright red, orange or yellow. Still, the foliageturns a warm cinnamon in autumn, with its own rich appeal.While cypress is found in the wild growing in the shallow watersof swamp, lake or stream, it actually performs better in drier soils,and will not form the “knees” it does in wet areas, which wouldpresent obstacles to the lawn mower. In fact, its reputation forbeing a slow grower has proven undeserved. In good soil andgenerously watered, the rate of growth will surprise you.Taxodium distichum Bald CypressBy Carol Reese, UT Extension Western Region horticulture specialistchoice cultivars1. 'Cascade Falls' – Weeping form ifintially staked or will simply spread.2. 'Falling Waters' – Weeping form withcentral leader.3. 'Peve Minaret' – Clumping, stifflyupright branches. Great for smaller spaces.4. 'Peve Minaret Yellow' – Early seasongolden foliage, airy habit. Smaller form.Fall/Winter UT Gardens Magazine | 19

AUTUMN:The OTHER SIDE OF SPRINGShrubs and Trees ThatBloom Late in the YearBy Hugh P. Conlon,UT Extension area specialist (retired)

1 2 3Autumn is nature’s second spring, when a number of trees and shrubsget their turn to show off. August through October is the natural periodto flower and also coincides with a great time for planting. Crapemyrtles(Lagerstroemia x spp.), hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.), althea (Hibiscussyriacus) and chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) dominate the summerlandscape, yet several other woodies are readying their opportunity to shine.I start with an underutilized favorite, thedeciduous plumleaf azalea (Rhododendronprunifolium). It is an Alabama native, but itsorangey-red flowers seem more at home inTennessee. Plumleaf handles our clay andmid-6.0 pH soils quite well. Flower time isnearly two weeks long in a partial sun location.Azalea-philes tell me that red-flowering formsare available for you Crimson Tide fans.1Chinese flametree (Koelreuteriabipinnata) also blooms in August,a full month later than the morepopular golden raintree (K.paniculata). The species is borderlinehardy in zone 6 areas of Tennessee. It thrivesin the summer heat and humidity of Nashville,Memphis and Chattanooga. Large, densepanicles of small fragrant yellow flowersare terminal on most branches. The showyrose-colored lantern pods soon follow in lateSeptember. Flametree is a low-branched, 25-to-30 foot tree.Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha) is admittedlya very finicky small tree. It is extinct innature. Pure white, five-petal flowers appearsporadically from August to October. Frankliniadisplays a red autumn leaf color that you’llremember. I’ve learned, through years of trialand error, that franklinia grows best plantedwith eastern exposure in full morning sun andsheltered from the afternoon sun. It demands acompost-rich, perfectly drained, acidic soil. Ifgrowing rhododendrons are challenging to you,Franklinia may not be for you.Harlequin glorybower (Clerodendrontrichotomum) is another demanding 15-foottallshrub. It belongs in the hands of a masterpruner to repair any winter woes. MostClerodendron species live in the tropical areasof the world, with the exception of harlequinglorybower. Its northernmost hardiness rangehappens to be Tennessee (USDA zone 6-b).It’s worth a spot in your garden. From Augustto October, the 6- to 9-inch-wide, flat, white,panicled flowers and topaz-colored fruits puton quite a show.Encore Azaleas (Rhododendron x) bloomwell in the spring and return for an additionalshow in September and October. Their autumnflowering habit will have you taking notice.Encores offer quite a color range—UT rated19 cultivars hardy in Tennessee (USDA zones6-b and 7). The list can be found at tinyurl.com/44238rn. Their culture is similar to mostevergreen azaleas, and lacebugs do not marthe foliage. Two caveats: irrigate Encores duringdry summer periods, and fertilize them inlate June for summer growth. Cease applyingnitrogen containing fertilizers after mid-August.2Seven-son flower (Heptacodiummiconioides) blooms in August andagain in October. The white flowerpetals open in August and last twoweeks before falling. In October,the green sepals enlarge and turn light purple,marking two blooms from the same flower. Thislarge shrub, or small tree, displays a sheddingwhite inner bark from late fall and winter.Zone 6 hardy camellias (Camellia x) arenew shrubs which Tennessee gardeners arebecoming acquainted. More than 25 cultivarsare fall bloomers that are rated as zone 6hardy; another dozen bloom from late winterthrough early spring. The ‘Winter’ series fromthe U.S. National Arboretum never fails tothrill from mid-October through November.‘Winter’s Star,’ ‘Winter’s Joy’ and ‘Snow Flurry’have all performed well in the Tri-Cities region.‘Cleopatra’ (pink) and ‘Yuletide’ (dark red)are two cultivars rated zone 7 that bloomdependably in the fall. Visit www.usna.usda.gov/Newintro/index.html for an extensive listof hardy camellia bred at the U.S. NationalArboretum.3Our American witch hazel(Hamamelis virginiana) is a popcornfloral surprise. Witch hazel bloomsfor nearly a month while its foliageis turning bright yellow in thecool autumn air. American witch hazel isunderutilized, probably because it grows anenormous 25 to 30 feet in height and spread.New compact forms, originally found herein Tennessee, are now marketed as ‘GreenThumb’ at 8 to 10 feet and ‘Little Suzie’ at 6 to8 feet.Pictured on left: Camellia 'Winter's Star'Fall/Winter UT Gardens Magazine | 21

HGTV Partners with UT GardensBy Tom Looney, director of developmentHome and Garden Television(HGTV) and Scripps Networkslocated in Knoxville,Tennessee, recently committed$25,000 to establish the HGTV UTGardens Internship Fund, which providessupport for public horticulture studentsworking in the UT Gardens. As partof the agreement,HGTV offered toprovide a studentthe opportunityto landscape thegrounds at the frontentrance to the HGTVhome studios onSherrill Boulevardin West Knoxville.The partnershipgives students theopportunity to createstate-of-the-art,sustainable gardenspaces in two of themost premier learninglaboratories in EastTennessee.This year’s intern,Shianne Kaina, isa junior in publichorticulture from Byron, Michigan.She has been splitting time working inthe UT Gardens, Knoxville, and at theHGTV home studios gaining real-worldexperience to complete a project for thenation’s largest network dedicated to homeand gardening.“I have not had a lot of experiencelandscaping except for working with momat home,” Kaina said. “This has given mean opportunity to get some real hands-onexperience.”The work she does in the UT Gardensprovides valuable insight to her projectat the HGTV home studios—particularlythe soils, which have shown to bemore difficult to get the plant materialestablished and stabilized, Kaina said.“Fellow students and faculty with the UTGardens have been very helpful.”And the employees at HGTV have takennotice, Kaina said. “I get to bring theambience to the area and I can tell theyare enjoying the new design when they aresitting outside or looking out the window.”Kaina also plans to do some gardeningwriting for HGTV. “There’s not a bettername out there than HGTV as far asgardening is concerned, and the contactsand networking have been great for me,”Kaina said.After graduation Kaina has aspirations towork at a place like the Knoxville Zoo inits horticulture department. “I would lovethe opportunity to work with plants andanimals,” she said.Sarah Cronan, senior vice president ofbrand management for HGTV, said shesaw this partnership asa way to add to HGTV’sGreen LEED certificationestablished by the U.S.Green Building Council,which was achievedwhen the building wasbuilt. Many of the plantsused on the grounds ofthe HGTV home studiorequire less frequentwatering, which results inless water consumption,Cronan said.The HGTV UT partnershipis a first step in providingmore student opportunitiesin public horticulture,Sue Hamilton, directorof the UT Gardens said.In the near future, HGTVand the UT Gardenswill negotiate phase two that will providemore opportunities for undergraduate andgraduate students to design a landscapeand gardening plan for HGTV and the UTGardens and to participate first-hand in theimplementation.“UT has one of only three publichorticulture programs in the country andthis partnership will help shape the futureleaders of this exciting field,” Hamilton said.22 | Fall/Winter UT Gardens Magazine

Benefactor Friends($1,000+)East Tennessee Hosta SocietyDr. Marjorie P. Penfield& Rogers C. Penfield Jr.Gordon K. & Peggy G. SharpePATRON Friends($500-$999)Dr. Mary Lewnes Albrecht& William C. Albrecht IIICatholic Health PartnersDr. Joseph & Deborah DiPietroDr. Michael C. & Sallie W. EhrhardtSponsoring Friends($250-$499)Dr. Susan Lynne HamiltonH. E. Christenberry III& Anna N. ChristenberryDr. Alan S. HeilmanContributing Friends($100-$249)Derek M. ArnoldKasandra G. AtwoodFaye H. BeckLaura Deann & Douglas M. BlakeShanell BledsoeHelmut K. & Claudine BoehmeWilliam G. Brownlow IV& Cassandra J. BrownlowJames E. CarrascoHarolyn CouncilBetsey Beeler CreekmoreJeremy B. Curl & Natalie Curl CorumAnn K. FarrarEmerson H. & Catherine W. FlyGardener's ForumSally L. & Douglas H. GrossMary B. & Alex J. Harkness Sr.J. Davis PhotographyKnoxville Garden ClubHolly M. KwasneyLakemoor Hills Garden ClubKatherine M. LaughlinMary L. LuperLynn Austin PhotographyJonathan M. MatthewsDr. Roger A. May & Lori A. MaySam & Mary G. MishuBrent W. & Judy MooreDavid R. Piper & Mary Ann LovedayMichelle RobinsonSabrina Lafon PhotographyShain Rievley Bloom PhotographyDallas L. SwaggertyLisa Y. SykesTemple PhotographyCarrie ThomasRhonda M. & Randy ThompsonDavid H. & Ann VowellWatson StudiosFarrah F. Williams-DeckFamily Friends($50-$99)Sally & Kenneth G. AbbasBrooke D. & Clay Moss AndersonDr. Connie S. ColeDr. G. Richard Dyer & Barbara M. DyerLorin C. & Rhonda FetzerRick & Beth HaywardCarl V. LeonardNancy K. MeckstrothDr. Emerson J. Mounger& Joanne Riggins MoungerFrances M. NealJane W. & Joe D. OgleBilly & Dartha L. ParkerDr. James B. Phillips & Jane B. PhillipsSmoky Mountains Garden ClubCheryl L. SullivanWanda L. ThomasMargaret K. & Richard W.J. TippensAnthony C. & Lynn M. VenafroDr. Michelle L. Vineyard& James B. VineyardElizabeth W. WolfPaula H. WrightDonald M. ZodunIndividual Friends($35-$49)Charlotte H. BankstonSallie M. Blazer & William A. CavinessPaul & Patricia BrawleyDonna Yates BrownSusan E. & Carl R. Cowan Jr.Dr. Henry R. De SelmMary E. De SelmLinda DentonEllie GardnerChristine L. GriffinDeborah J. HerzelLois S. HoskinsDr. Walter Lee Humphreys& Laurel Jensen HumphreysJames W. HutchisonThomas D. KirklandMagdalene P. LilesMorris NurserySteven & Bonnie OgdenJohn C. & Susan A. PannellNatalie M. PastorCarol PattieBetty Anne SchmidKathy L. SellarsCarmella R. SenatoreNeal E. & Jeanie ShoverLynne H. & Robert E. SpiresDr. Friedemann W. Stallmann& Ruth C. StallmannPaulette SteppCarol S. TroyerRichard O. TwiningJames A. WickJeffrey D. & Karen L. WilkinsonDonations were received fromJanuary 29, 2011, to August31, 2011. Please let us know ofany corrections or additions bycalling 865-974-8265 or emailingutgardens@utk.edu.You may join Friends of theGardens or contribute online athttp://utgardens.tennessee.edu/membership.html.In memory of Gilbert Raymond WyckoffDiane Wyckoff PittsVolunteer in the Knoxville GardensIt couldn’t be easier! Come join a fantastic group of people whovolunteer their time, energy and enthusiasm (not to mentiontheir expertise) to help out the UT Gardens. Volunteer sessionsare held twice each week – Tuesday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12p.m. and Thursday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. We meetin Room 119 of the South Greenhouse before moving out intothe Gardens to tackle the day’s tasks. Dress in your gardeningclothes, and don’t forget sunscreen and a water bottle. Toolsare provided or you can bring your own. Contact Beth Willis atewillis2@utk.edu or 865-974-2712, if you have any questions.Thank You For Your Support

The University of Tennessee GardensUT Institute of Agriculture252 Ellington Plant Sciences Building2431 Joe Johnson DriveKnoxville, TN 37996Non-Profit Org.US PostagePAIDPermit No. 481Knoxville, TNThe University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. Allqualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation,gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.Holiday ExpressAll Aboard the Holiday Express!UT Gardens, KnoxvilleDecember 2-25Fridays and Saturdays, 12-8 p.m., and Sundays, 12-6 p.m.December 26-27 and December 29-January 1Open 12-6 p.m.Ten garden-scale model trains, thousands of lights and a miniature landscape featuring rivers, waterfallsand more than 100 buildings decorated for the holidays await you at the UT Gardens, Knoxville.General admission $6Free for children 4 and underVisit utgardens.tennessee.edu or call 865-974-8265 for more information.utgardens.tennessee.edu