Dear Gardening Friends:  It has been a wonderful spring.  There was plenty of water (too much at times).  The weather had it usual ups and downs.  We met many new gardeners that we hope will become friends as well as regular customers of Ute Trail Greenhouse.  John has recovered very nicely from his Christmas surgery.  He has difficulty with not smoking and can occasionally be found hiding in the trees with a cigarette.  If any of you have success stories of how you quit smoking, please share them with him.  We continue to work to improve the looks of our space.  We have finished the front garden beds and added a new bed and walkway to the rear greenhouse.  We have plans for more so that you can see how individual plants grow.  We have a wonderful new friend named Larry that listens to what I visualize for my garden and then builds it.  We are so pleased with our new entryway to the shrub area as well as the other items he has built for us.  We have enclosed his number in the newsletter in case you have been looking for something special in the woodworking field but cannot find exactly what you want.  The big highlight of the spring was a feature on our plants on Channel 9 News one Sunday morning last month.  I initially thought that no one listened to the news at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning but I was wrong.  We had many inquiries about our plants as a result of the 2 minute gardening feature presented by Rob Proctor each Sunday Morning.  I really felt like I had arrived and it was an honor to meet Rob after admiring his work for so long.  Hopefully, the rest of the gardening year will fulfill the promise of this spring in terms of gardening success for yourself and us. John, Mary, and the gang.

 

Myth - It is too late to plant in the summer time This may have been true back in the dark ages before the invention of pots, but not today.  If itwere, I'd be wearing a straight jacket by the 4thof July.  Just because it's getting a little hot doesn't mean you can't plant.  Granted, I wouldn't recommend digging plants up and moving or dividing them during the hot part of the year, but the plants you buy from the garden center have all their roots intact and will settle in just as well in July as they do in May.  All you need to do is keep a closer eye on watering for the first few weeks after planting. A mulch of grass clippings, bark or straw will help keep the soil cool and moist.

 

Myth - Adding gypsum will break up our clay soils Not true here in Colorado. Gypsum works on a different type of clay than we have here.  Ours is a calcium based clay and gypsum is nothing but calcium sulfate, so all you really get is more calcium in an already calcium rich clay.  You would be far better off adding peat moss and/or compost to the soil and digging it in as deeply as possible.  Building a good soil is a long-term process and, unfortunately, there are no quick fix, chemical shortcuts. by Keith Funk of the KEZW Wise Guys Team-Gard'n Wise

 

Nectar-bearing plants commonly visited by butterfies - Source C.S.U. Cooperative Extension

Aster, Bee balm, Black-eyed Susan, Blanket flower, Butterfly bush (Number one attractor), Butterfly weed, Bush cinquefolia, Cosmos, Daylily, Dianthus, Echinacea, Gaillardia, Goldenrod, Hollyhock, Hyssop, Lavender, Lilac, Marigold, Maximilian sunflower, Mint, Ornamental onion, Phlox, Rabbitbrush, Sage, Stonecrop, Sunflower,Sweet pea, Verbena, Yarrow Zinnia

Colorado is ranked fourth in the nation for butterfly diversity

 

 

Hydrangeas This year I went overboard on hydrangeas and have them in many shapes and sizes.  Hydrangeas are incredibly versatile plants that will grow in many situations.  Their ability to thrive in sun or shade means you can plant them in many of your gardens more difficult sites.  They are tough resilient plants and generally not fussy about soil or site.  While we tend to regard them as shade lovers, most will grow happily in the sun if provided enough moisture.  They will grow in clay, stony, and even sandy soil as long as there is enough moisture. Since most of their roots are near the top of the soil, it is best to mulch your hydrangeas to keep the soil from drying out.  The mulching keeps moisture in the soil by reducing evaporation.  They make long lasting cut flowers while fresh.  In the fall, after the heads have changed color, is the time to cut the heads for your winter dried flower arrangements.  Cut them while it is as dry as possible.  Remove the leaves and put the stems in water.  After a week or so, the flower texture will change, becoming more rigid and paper like.  At that point, throw away the water and you are left with a flower head that will remain good all winter.  (Some of our customers say they have just as much success by drying them in a warm dark place without the water, either upright in a vase or hanging upside down.) 

 

We have:  Hydrangea anomala petiolaris Climbing Hydrangea  Outstanding ornamental for a shady site. Perhaps the best vine for the shade. Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' America's favorite old-fashioned flowering shrub! Clusters of white flowers appear in huge, symmetrical, rounded heads which typically grow 8-12" across. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' (Endless Summer) A breakthrough hydrangea because of its unique ability to bloom on both old and new growth and its extremely good winter hardiness. The plants produce flower buds not only in fall but also on new growth in spring and summer. It may be grown in acidic soils for its blue florets or in alkaline soils for pinker florets.  Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Generale Vicomtesse de Vibraye’ This cultivar is one of the most reliable bloomers. This is a strong growing plant with large, violet blue mophead flowers on strong stems.Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Harlequin’ An exceptional mophead Hydrangea with pinkish-red and white variegated flowers. Vigorous growth and sturdy stems.Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Oregon Pride’ This has striking burgundy stems which complement the rich red to purple mopheads. It is vigorous and very rewarding.  Featured in Martha Stewart's magazine Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’   An extraordinary new Hydrangea with exquisite bright lime-green flowers. The color is breathtakingly beautiful, and adds much needed color to the late summer landscape. Limelight presents itself well in a container and is certain to be a hit. Hydrangea maculata 'Alpenglow' Has very large, crimson-red, snowball-type blooms up to 8" across. Blooms in mid-summer on a compact, 4' high shrub. Excellent for the smaller garden, planting directly in the border or creating a fabulous hedge. Hydrangea paniculata 'Pink Diamond'  Light pink buds open into white blooms which age to bright pink. All colours may be apparent at the same time. Foliage becomes golden yellow in the fall. Would look great with a dark foliaged plant. Hydrangea paniculata ‘The Swan’ Same growth habit as paniculata ‘Limelight’, ‘The Swan’ has pure white florets grow as large as the palm of your hand. Grow as a shrub or as a tree. Hydrangea quercifolia Oakleaf Hydrangea An upright, deciduous shrub with a broad, rounded habit that typically grows 4-6' tall. Features elongated, conical clusters (4-12" long) of white flowers which slowly turn pinkish purple with age.  Distinctive, deeply lobed, oak-like, deep green leaves turn attractive shades of bronze, crimson or purple in autumn. Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' . This cultivar is very similar to the species, except the flower panicles herein are showier & the flower stems tend to be more rigid.