Clover Field in Georgia by JamesWatkins

Trifolium Pratense, otherwise known as Red Clover, is an herbaceous perennial member of the legume family that is native to Europe, Western Asia, and Northwest Africa. This gorgeous bulb-like flower with honey scented pink petals has been long revered for its cancer fighting properties, however today it is most often found as a leguminous crop to eventually be used for livestock fodder. The nitrogen fixing properties found in its deep roots has made it a favorite for gardeners and farmers alike, its ability to stop erosion and fix nutrient depleted soil has made it an invaluable resource for soil health.

Crimson Clover by Jim-AR

Upon maturity Red Clover can rapidly reach up to 2 feet in height and this unassuming flower has a long history as a medicinal herb that may have been forgotten in contemporary times. The ancient Chinese would burn the dried plant as cleansing incense, the Irish used the hot tea made from Red Clover flowers as a winter cold deterrent, in the 1917 Health from Field to Forest it was listed as ‘one of the best blood purifiers on earth’, and in the 30’s concentrated concoctions of Red Clover were placed on tumorous growths to encourage the alleviation of cancer; in fact the National Cancer Institute has substantiated Red Clover’s cancer fighting properties.

Red Clover - Trifolium Pratense by A. Walden

Red Clover is full of nutritional properties, containing significant levels of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, beta carotene and vitamins B3, C, and E. Red Clover stimulates the body’s eliminating systems, encouraging the production of bile and digestive fluids which helps liver and kidney function as well as increasing the efficiency of digestion and the elimination of waste accumulated within the stomach and intestines. Red Clover helps alleviate excess mucus, relaxes the body, relieves arthritis pain, is especially useful as treatment for menopause and the unwanted monthly symptoms of PMS. Red Clover has also been  successfully used in helping weakened immune systems, skin complaints, debilitating and invasive diseases.

Field View 6 by zircon100

Red Clover is overall a wonderful gentle tonic but should be avoided when using blood thinner medication. The best way to enjoy the benefits of Red Clover is steep the dried leaves creating a warm cup of tea at the end of the day (also tastes excellent cold for warmer months), sweetened to taste.

Red Clover by Carey Newton

Please Note: Information provided here is not to replace the medical advice of your physician and is for educational purposes only

More Galanthus and other winter interest plants that you can buy from Carolyn Walker’s Shade Garden

Potter’s Prelude

Charles Cresson’s Heirloom Snowdrop Collection

New G. ‘Atkinsii’: In Snowdrops, Matt Bishop says that ‘Atkinsii’ has “elegant elongated flowers that suggest the drop-pearl earrings of Elizabeth I”—if that description doesn’t portray a true English classic, I don’t know what does. It is a large-flowered cultivar (the largest I am offering) valued for its early bloom and particularly sweet fragrance. Selected in the 1860s by James Atkins of Gloucestershire, Charles got his bulbs from the famous Swarthmore bulb authority Mrs. Wister. She bought her bulbs in the 1960s from the Dutch bulb nursery, Van Tubergen, renowned for their well documented bulb collections. The authenticity of Charles’s stock has since been reconfirmed by Michael Hoog, the grandson of Van Tubergen’s founder. Charles’s plants have the appearance and documented lineage of true ‘Atkinsii’, a snowdrop almost impossible to obtain today outside of England. $25 (1 plant per pot).

G. elwesii var. monostictus ‘Potter’s Prelude’: This is a free-flowering and vigorous snowdrop with wide recurving blue-green leaves and large flowers similar to the best of the species except that it blooms from November to January. It was selected by Jack Potter in the 1960s, former gardener to Mrs. Wister and Curator of the Scott Arboretum. In 2004, Charles registered it with the KAVB (the international registration authority for bulb cultivars) in the Netherlands. Matt Bishop declared ‘Potter’s Prelude’ the best of its type and will include it in the revised edition of Snowdrops. I am honored to be the only source for this cultivar. $40 (1 plant per pot) (photo above).

New G. ‘Magnet’: The descriptions of this snowdrop are a joy to read, and I can see why after having it in my garden. The stem (or pedicel) of the substantial flower is long and thin causing it to sway in the slightest breeze and setting ‘Magnet’ apart from all other snowdrops (no magnifying glass needed). Selected in the 1880s, it may have been named ‘Magnet’ after the child’s fishing game with magnets and sticks, we can’t be sure. I do know that Matt Bishop says it defines garden-worthiness and is a mainstay of snowdrop collections throughout the world. $25 (1 plant per pot).

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More on Galanthus that you can buy from Carolyn Walker’s Shade Garden

Galanthus ‘Potter’s

Galanthus elwesii

Early January bloom, unique green markings, naturalizes

Galanthus nivalis

Bears many flowers, spreads rapidly

Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’

Double flowers

Galanthus nivalis ‘Viridi-apice

Green markings on outer petals, substantial plants, my favorite

Galanthus ‘S. Arnott’

Heart-shaped green marking, rounded petals

Galanthus ‘White Dream’

Late-blooming, rare

Galanthus woronowii

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Calling all Galanthophiles

(That’s a British word for gardeners obsessed with snowdrops)

Galanthus nivalis at Carolyn’s Shade Gardens

Carolyn Walker of Carolyn’s Shade Gardens writes that ” buying snowdrops ‘in the green’ (as they say in the snowdrop world), rather than as bulbs in the fall, is the best way to insure vigorous healthy plants. You will also be able to enjoy the blooms immediately as most plants will be flowering when you receive them. ” She has teamed up with the famous Swarthmore gardener Charles Cresson to make available some of his exceptional heirloom varieties. Charles teaches the bulb course at Longwood Gardens (among other accomplishments) and has traded with numerous garden friends and snowdrop enthusiasts to amass an amazing collection of snowdrops, some of uniquely local origin.

Carolyn is also offering four additional winter interest plants: a miniature arum, a special crocus, a spectacular hardy cyclamen, and an early-blooming Christmas rose.”

GALANTHUS: Common snowdrops (G. nivalis) appear naturalized throughout Carolyn Walker’s garden. The wonderfully honey-scented, white flowers appear by the thousands from February through March-a signal that winter is ending. By adding unusual varieties, one can extend the snowdrop bloom season from mid-fall through spring. For example, ‘Potter’s Prelude’ blooms in the fall, while G. elwesii, ‘S. Arnott’, and ‘Atkinsii’ bloom in the winter before the common snowdrop. A great companion plant for hellebores, snowdrops grow in full sun to full shade and are usually not picky about soil. Deer resistant and summer dormant. For more photos, use Google images.

To Order: If you would like to order any listed in the above paragraph, please send Carolyn an email to carolynsshadegardens@verizon.net with the plant name, quantity, your name, and telephone number. Supplies are limited (except for G. nivalis) so order early. You will receive an email confirming your order, amount owed, and outlining pick up options for late February or early March. Any snowdrops purchased can be planted in your garden immediately or enjoyed in the pot until they are planted later in the spring.

More photos from Carolyn Walker’s Shade gardens that are for sale will appear in the next column.

TheGardenLady just signed up to receive US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species Bulletin. “The Endangered Species Bulletin was created in 1976 to meet the growing demand for endangered species program news. Through the Bulletin, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service disseminates information on rulemakings, recovery plans and activities, conservation partnerships, research developments, and a variety of other issues. It is distributed on-line four times per year. ” Check out their information here. TheGardenLady readers might also be interested in receiving their mailings. Perhaps there is some way we can help in preventing more loss of endangered species and help to recover some of them from extinction.

And if you have children or grandchildren or know children, you can raise their awareness level by subscribing because there is a section for Kids called Kids Corner that is educational and fun as well as telling children how they can help. This is a site I want my friends, children and grandchildren to know about.

Leucojum by ajay77*

TheGardenLady received this question from Lisa:

I have been looking for spring snowflakes, but can’t find them here in the US. Do you sell them, or know where I might be able to find?

According to the Pacific Bulb Society, “Leucojum is an European genus with species commonly known as “snowflakes” and often regarded as the poor relation of Galanthus with species known as “snowdrops”.  Species are regarded as hardy in the south of England, New Zealand, Australia and the southern states of the USA. Leucojum is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family. ”

Beauty... is the shadow of God on the universe. ~Gabriela Mistral, Desolacíon by Abby Lanes

There are numerous nurseries that sell Leucojum. Two that I would recommend are Brent and Becky’s Bulbs and John Scheeper’s Inc.  They are both very fine bulb nurseries and they both sell two kinds of snowflake, Leucojum aestivum and Leucojum aestivum Gravetye Giant.

But they probably do not sell snowflakes at this time of year.  Leucojum have to be planted in the fall for spring flowering.

Scheeper’s fall catalog will come out in early June.

When you order from these nurseries, the bulbs will be shipped to your property at the proper time for planting in your temperature zone.

Good luck. And send TheGardenLady a photo of your snowflakes next spring.

Dear Readers, I am letting you read a letter I received from one of my favorite spring plant gardeners who also sells her plants and has a wonderful catalog – with Latin names – so you can order plants you want for your own home. This is Carolyn’s Shade Gardens.

If you live in or are visiting the area, by all means, visit Carolyn Walker’s home and charmingly delightful garden where you will see every plant she sells, happily growing and you can buy the plants you love seeing on her property. Carolyn’s Shade Garden sells quality plants and this GardenLady recommends them. If you meet Carolyn , tell her you read about her sale on TheGardenLady.

Happy New Year to you and your family!

I am sending out my catalog (here it is CATA2010) early this year to serve as a brief respite from the cold weather we have been experiencing. Curl up by the fire or in bed and enjoy this glimpse of warmer weather to come. I must admit, winter is not my favorite time of year. Even now though, I have plants in bloom: the snowdrop ‘Potter’s Prelude’ and the Christmas rose ‘Jacob’, among others. My gardens provide me with a restful sanctuary from the stresses of daily life and, this year, the difficult economic times we still face. I hope you can also seek solace in your gardens. For a small investment in plants, there is a big reward.

Plants can also be a positive step in sustaining the environment. When I read Doug Tallamy’s book Bringing Nature Home, I finally understood why native plants are not only desirable but crucial to the survival of our world. His book has inspired me to do more to promote native plants. When you read the attached catalogue, you will see that all native plants appear in green so you can easily find them. Look also for plants marked New to read about some exciting introductions to my list.

Please come to Carolyn’s Shade Gardens this spring to see what plants you can add to your own refuge from the cares of the world—your garden.

Enjoy the catalogue,

Carolyn.

This past summer TheGardenLady went to Maine with her family. The first night we stayed in a lovely Bed and Breakfast called Snow Squall Inn that my son found serendipitously on line. The owner Paul Harris is not only a professional chef, but he loves to garden. He was originally from England where, I think, gardening is in the genetic makeup of the people. We arrived later than expected, but Mr. Harris came out to greet and welcome us. Upon learning that I was interested in Gardens, he told me about a new botanical garden in the area that he said shouldn’t be missed. How right he was.

The Coastal Maine Botanical Garden opened in 2007 on 128 acres of pristine land with 3,600 feet of tidal shore frontage in Boothbay. They were then gifted more land adjacent to the original 128 acres so that ” Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is now comprised of 248 acres, which makes it the largest botanical garden in New England. The property boasts nearly a mile of tidal salt water frontage. It is also one of a very few waterfront botanical gardens in the United States. ”

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Dandelion Fireworks-PHOTO 183-The halfway mark by aussiegall

TheGardenLady enjoyed Christy Baker’s guest post about dandelions that is on TheGardenLady blog. I hope the readers liked reading it, too.

Growing up on a truck farm, I am proud to report that the adjacent town to my town is known today as the dandelion capital of the world. Even the New York Times had an interesting article about Dandelion growing in Vineland, NJ.

Because dandelions were so prevalent, I always wanted to try a recipe for dandelion wine. Obviously lawns, when I was growing up, were not so pristine as they are these days. No one, that I knew, used any herbicides to kill dandelions. They may have been considered weeds even then. I can’t remember, but we children always loved them and loved blowing on the seed heads, dispersing more seeds to turn into yet more dandelions. And the flowers and leaves were always healthy to eat.

Wine recipes always read as an easy wine to make.  But I never tried. However, we had the dandelion leaves for salad.  No one that I knew ever heard of arugela in those days for the bitter green in a salad.

Someone observed that the healthiest diet is the one poor people had to eat in the old days. So consider adding dandelion greens to your diet for health reasons as well as a more diverse green palatte in the salad bowl.

Just released... by weedsforwildlife.com

Have TheGardenLady readers ever thought of having their garden become a Monarch butterfly Waystation? Let me explain.

Everyone knows that the Monarch follows a route of migration from Mexico up to Canada in the spring and then returns to Mexico every fall. This is a herculean task and the monarch butterfly needs lots of nutrients or places to lay its eggs to survive this rigorous flight. However, the population of monarch butterflies is deteriorating rapidly. The population is down to one-tenth of its peak in 1996. This is because of the destruction of farms and the urban building of too many houses, paved parking lots and the use of herbicide resistant crops as well as pesticides.

So how can you help? In 2005, insect ecologist Chip Taylor, of the University of Kansas in Lawrence came up with the idea of creating at least 10,000 “waystations” wherever Monarchs fly. This is how people who have a garden or flower bed can help: by planting plants that monarchs need to lay eggs, like milkweed and nectaring plants for them to drink, like zinnias; these are sun loving plants and butterflies love full sun,too. Also offer a little water in a birdbath type of vessel. Monarch butterflies can and will stop at your home for much needed sustenance. And you can have the pleasure of seeing butterflies fly in your garden.

Monarch in our yard on milkweed by rowrlm

You can get your own waystation kit online here or by calling 1-800-780-9986. Kits contain seeds for milkweeds and nectar plants. You can read more about the Monarch butterfly’s need here.

The Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata is the best perennial plant for the Monarch butterfly. Another milkweed that Monarchs like is tropical Milkweed Asclepias Curassavica. New England asters Aster novae angliae is an excellent nectar plant for Monarchs. Zinnia elegans and Zinnia lilliput are also excellent nectar plants to raise. These seeds can all be purchased here.

And having these plants in your garden will also attract other butterflies besides the Monarch butterflies.

So, please, Dear Readers, won’t you plan and plant your garden with butterflies in mind?. Make your garden a “waystation” and send TheGardenLady photos of your waystation with its visiting butterflies. Help restore the numbers of Monarchs to the environment. Thanks.