Into the ‘wild’
Head east for gardening pleasures next week
The Summer Celebration Lawn and Garden Show, an annual extravaganza at the University of Tennessee’s Jackson facility, is always educational, often inspiring, usually
hot and frequently fun. You probably would not describe the daylong experience as “wild” until this year.
“Wild Tennessee,” this year’s theme, broadens the focus of the event to include not only native plants, but also the animals that are attracted to them in nature and sometimes in our gardens — for better or worse.
Programs begin at 10 a.m. Thursday and end at 6 p.m. Shopping at the Master Gardeners plant sale and vendors tent starts at 9 a.m.
The $5 admission is a small price to pay for a day spent by some 2,000-plus other gardeners seeking to improve their skills.
We probably can’t hope for another week of below-normal temperatures, but don’t fret. Numerous presentations on birds, butterf lies, predators, frogs and toads, etc. will be held in air-conditioned comfort.
Those held outdoors are generally shaded by tents and sometimes cooled by fans. Cold water to drink is plentiful, and chairs are provided.
Because several presentations are offered at every hour through 5 p.m., it’s sometimes difficult to choose just a few.
You can learn about the plants butterflies like to drink from and those their caterpillars want to gobble up; predator carnivores, frogs and toads, birds of many feathers, raptors, building bluebird houses and appreciating snakes, a difficult task for many.
Carol Reese and Jason Reeves, undoubtedly the best-known horticulturists at the center, will do a walk-and-talk together that focuses on the native plants used in the extensive landscaping of the parking lot, building and grounds.
Other programs will delve into the 100 or so native tree species in Tennessee; colorful and tough annuals and perennials; spicing up your life with herbs; kitchen gardens; and the contributions of conifers make to our landscapes.
The cooking programs, which are held in the small kitchen every hour, are so popular that tickets are fi rst come, first served. Get there by 9 a.m. for tickets to the 10, 11 or noon sessions. Come at noon to get them for any of the four afternoon sessions.
This year the team of home economists from several counties will be demonstrating recipes featuring eggs — an apt choice since many gardeners also raise chickens and many egg recipes feature fresh vegetables.
In t heir sup e r - or g a n i z e d way, the women squeeze a lot of information, easy and tasty recipes and sampling into a fast-moving hour.
Gardeners will fi nd lots of plants and other garden-related merchandise to buy in the vendors’ tent.
Reese and Reeves spotlighted some of the outstanding and sometimes hard-to-find plants available at the plant sale put on by Madison County Master Gardeners:
Summer chocolate mimosa is a small, fast-growing tree that forms an umbrella-shaped canopy of ferny, bronze-green leaves in late spring that turn a rich chocolate burgundy in the summer. The scented clusters of pink flowers attract butterflies.
Ruby Slippers is a Tennessee-bred oak leaf hydrangea featuring abundant large flowers that open white and quickly age to deep pink. The dark green foliage shines in the fall when it turns mahogany.
Mini Pearl, a hybrid tall garden phlox, produces abundant scented white flowers in early spring and then continues to bloom if the spent flowers are regularly pruned. Mildew, which plagues some phloxes, is typically not a problem.
Ruby Falls, a compact weeping redbud with exceptionally large purple spring flowers, has dark green foliage that turns brightly mahogany in the fall.
Columnar trees and shrubs — those that stay skinny as they grow tall — are useful in many landscapes. One of several featured at the sale is Tokyo Tower, an upright form of the popular Chinese fringe tree.
Two types of Asian magnolias with yellow flowers in early spring, Yellow Bird and Judy Zuk, are available.
Also for sale are common edgeworthia, which is prized for its fragrant, creamy yellow flowers in the winter, and Akebono, which has good-smelling orange flowers that also bloom in February.
Collections of the best heuchera varieties for our climate and hardy hibiscus will also be offered.
Bring your pocketbook and your lunch or buy a burger at the 4-H tent.