Flowers from the Greenhouses on a Snowy February Day

Yippee, it's snowing outside again. Just kidding, as folks around Greater Kansas City are getting a bit stir crazy this uniform cold and dreary winter. I never thought I would want our normally bi-polar winters back, we could sure use even a brief warm up!

Greenhouse #6 is full of springtime warmth in both flowers and fragrance. This photo shows Cyclamen in the foreground with multi-colored Ranunculus behind them, then pink stocks and red Kalanchoe in the back.


On a snowy day, a lovely white Ranunculus just doesn't elicit as beautiful response as it otherwise would. Ranunculus are close relatives of our wild buttercups, hybridized to produce large double flowers of a fine crape paper like substance. They are among our most popular of spring flowers we display at Powell Gardens. They are great in outdoor containers during our cool spring season but do not last beyond that. Some complain they are not perennials but isn't part of the beauty in a flower the fact that it is ephemeral?

Yellow flowered Ranunculus look more like their wild buttercup ancestors and the warm color is more inviting on a snowy white day.

Vivid orange-red Ranunculus really make the heart pump!

Greenhouse #6 is also the home to sweet single Stocks (Matthiola incana) that emit a marvelous spicy perfume. Stocks are another great annual for spring or fall but will not perform in summer's heat.

Stocks also come in double flowered form, some visitors prefer the showier double flowers to the singles but I, like the bees, prefer the single flowered varieties. If only I could send the fragrance along with this image!

Greenhouse #6 also houses Dynasty Red Dianthus (a.k.a. pinks) which are a smaller flowered relative of the carnation. They still have the fine carnation scent but they are very reliable spring annuals, readily surviving the summer and the following winter as well.

Vivacious Floral Lace Purple Dianthus have some pretty shocking colored blooms pairing vivid purplish pink with red.

Kalanchoe is one of the finest blooming succulents that has now become a beloved winter blooming house plant. Succulents are a theme in our current conservatory display and that is where you will see a variety of these plants currently in full bloom. The pronunciation of this plant's name is also varied: I say ka-len-KO-ee while others say ka-LON-cho!

Here's a closeup of a yellow-flowering Kalanchoe.

How about a Kalanchoe in light pink?

This Kalanchoe has molten, hot pink flowers.

Shamrocks (Oxalis tetraphylla 'Iron Cross') are also starting to bloom in Greenhouse #6, though we all enjoy this plant for its exquisite foliage. We annually give away a variety of shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day.

Next week is supposed to be cold and snowy but this can't continue much longer. The lengthening days and accompanying spring warmth are sure to return before we know it. I hope these images of some of our spring flowers provided a bit of a respite from the winter. Visit Powell Gardens, the Kauffman Memorial Garden or your favorite Garden Center to see more!

Plugging Away towards Spring!

It is always a thrill to peek into Powell Gardens' greenhouses at this time of year and see all the new life germinating for the new season. A look at all the seed plug trays, seed flats and pots is like a trip to your local hospital's maternity ward.


Here, baby 'Flying Dragon' Hardy Oranges (Poncirus trifoliata) germinate and already show their 3 (tri) parted foliage (foliata) of their botanical name. This is the hardiest of citrus often used as understock for other varieties and the ONLY citrus hardy here. It has wonderful white, nectar-rich and fragrant flowers in spring followed by little sour oranges in fall that decorate the spiny green twigs that are so ornamental in winter. This variety 'Flying Dragon' will also start to grow in a corkscrew fashion adding to its ornamental appeal. If you are interested in one of these plants grown from our little tree on the south side of the Visitor Center, then visit Powell Gardens during our Earth Day Celebration on April 24 as we are giving them out on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last.


This bold seedling is our first Dove Tree (Davidia involucrata) we've ever been able to germinate. If you've ever seen a Dove Tree in full bloom it is a sight to behold but we reside in a place where they are borderline adaptable. Many thanks to volunteer Mary Biber for bringing back some seeds from New York so we could try again. Our gardener Barbara Fetchenhier has a small tree in her garden that has finally established itself. I have heard it can take 7-8 years for this tree to establish in gardens and that is exactly how old Barbara's little tree (purchased from Fairweather Gardens http://www.fairweathergardens.com/) is. Our only attempt at the tree put it in too hot of place: against a south wall of the Visitor Center where it went dormant in our summer heat then when fall came it leafed out as if it were spring -- a lethal move going into our winters. This seedling will be planted in a sheltered, cooler place.


The greenhouses are also full of plug trays of seedlings that are gradually being transplanted into larger containers to grow on into blooming size. About half of these pansy seedlings in a 288 plug tray (yes there are 288 little squares, each with a plant) have moved on to larger pots.


Since plants can't transplant themselves; volunteer Wilma Fletcher stands back for me to take a photograph while her husband Stan Fletcher uses a dibble to place the tiny plugs into larger flats. Volunteers are highly valued for this labor intensive transplanting.


Here seedling Dianthus are in their new larger flats called 606's (there are 6, 6-packs of plants per flat). They will be grown up into blooming size then transplanted out into the gardens in late March. Dianthus are one of our hardiest annuals, surviving frost and usually doing well in gardens the following season as well.


We do have a few flats of flowers (Viola 'Antique Gem Lavender' shown) in full bloom that would be ready for planting out but these are destined for the Home Show at Bartle Hall February 19-21. We have an activity (for a nominal fee) called Paint-A-Pot where you buy a pot, paint it to your own taste, and pick a viola or pansy to plant in it and take it home with you.


Since we are all "hungry" for flowers right now, I thought I'd share a few others with you. I only wish I could send their sweet fragrance along with the pictures. Pansies are my favorite scent in the greenhouses right now. Sorry I cannot give you the exact variety on the next couple pictures.


This pansy has a more classic "face" and reminds me of the more "old fashioned" varieties. These are some of my mother's favorites and my late grandmother's too.


Whiskers Light Blue Pansy can't help but put a smile on your face!


The cyclamen continue to flower brightly and provide some cheer; all destined for the conservatory display here and at the Kauffman Memorial Garden.


We'll keep plugging away in the greenhouses to provide you with some gorgeous flower displays. Come March, the outside gardens will be planted with these violas, pansies, Dianthus and other hardy flowers. A few flowers were already budded and blooming outdoors in the gardens last weekend and are ready to open as soon as milder weather returns. Look for witchhazels, snowdrops and the earliest daffodil 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation' in the Rock and Waterfall Garden.

Post Solstice Winter's Fury

My how the landscape has changed since the last blog before the holidays on the Winter Solstice! Near record snowfall has whitened the landscape (see above) and looking out my screened office window I see the resident Northern Mockingbird huddled in his winter larder of possumhaw berries (see below).

The Possumhaws (Ilex decidua) from outside on this dark, snowy day reveal their vibrant red berries that will be the sustenance of the mockingbird. Unfortunately this year our mockingbird is a nuisance as he throws himself at his image in windows of the hort cabin and every car's rear view mirror in the parking lot. He is just being very aggressive to protect his territory and food reserves--thinking his image is another rival mockingbird. One gardener reminded me of the book To Kill a Mockingbird--they are a protected songbird!

Greenhouse I from the outside on this snowy day: for the first time in 14 years we are unable to transport plants from the greenhouses to the Visitor Center's conservatory where they comprise the ever-changing display. "Treasures of the Desert & Winter Blooms" was supposed to open this weekend but many of the plants cannot be moved in this weather so the full display is postponed (check the website for updates).

Inside Greenhouse 1 it is quite comfortable and you can see our extensive collection of succulents -- most destined for the conservatory display as soon as the weather allows.

Here some large Agaves (Agave americana) and an old jade plant (Crassula argentea) in full bloom await transport to the conservatory.

Greenhouse 1 is kept cool in winter and is the place to store or start plants that need cool winter weather. Here 4 California Buckeyes (Aesculus californica) have germinated from nuts gathered by our Director Eric Tschanz in high elevations of the California Sierras. California Buckeye is listed as hardy in zone 6 but prefers a more Mediterranean, maritime or snowy montane climate -- probably even more stunning as a flowering tree in English gardens than in the wild. We will try this plants outside at Powell Gardens because you just never know until you try and Eric found these at or near the coldest part of their native range. Plants grown from the colder (northern or higher elevation) parts of their range are almost always hardier than the same species of plant grown from warmer parts of its range.

Red Buckeyes (Aesculus pavia) have germinated well too as we had great nut production on our plants last fall and I could not bear to let this valuable Missouri native shrub/small tree go solely to the squirrels. These plants will be planted in wooded portions of the gardens where their brilliant scarlet spring flowers will one day attract visitors' gazes as well as hungry hummingbirds. Red Buckeyes grow slowly, but small plants will often bloom.

It is "week 2" in the Greenhouse complex where Horticulturist Donna Covell works to get all the seed scheduled for growing. More than 80 planted seed trays are already sown in the greenhouse but more than 300 varieties are yet to be scheduled. Donna has to determine when the seed is sown of each plant variety requested by gardeners. The gardeners give the date they need a plant by and Donna works backward in time to provide a quality plant ready to go in the ground. Spring planting begins around March 15, summer planting around May 1. Each species and variety takes various amounts of time to germinate and grow into a blooming plant. Yes, it's a mind boggling and time consuming project but Donna always delivers!

Yubi the greenhouse complex mouser gives me a heads up that she has been doing her job and keeping mice out of the seeds and newly planted seed trays. Pre-cat, mice did considerable damage!

Cyclamen in bloom brighten up Greenhouse #6. These colorful blooming plants are perfect for winter displays and a good indoor plant for cool, bright rooms (they despise warm, dry indoor spaces). The phenomenal diversity of this plant is from hybridization of just one diminutive cyclamen species found wild in the Mediterranean (Cyclamen persicum).

Cyclamen Halios white -- note the silver patterned foliage, another great attribute of this plant.

Cyclamen Halios pink

Cyclamen Mini Metis has exceptionally silvered leaves!

Back outside, the winter landscape beckons: an almost unprecedented amount of snow! We invite you out to enjoy this snowy landscape--an opportunity we may not get for many more years. Gardeners have shoveled a path through most of the gardens so they will be accessible by Saturday. Unfortunately Saturday's forecast is for record cold--a prediction we hope fails to come to fruition. Sunday's weather is supposed to moderate and be quite ideal for a winter walk. With the proper garb, it is a great season to enjoy the winter beauty of Powell Gardens.

Meet the Poinsettias of 2009

Tracy Flowers, Gardener Kauffman Memorial Garden (left), picks poinsettias for Gardener Kellyn Register and Senior Gardener Eric Perrette to sleeve and load for a trip to the Kauffman Memorial Garden's holiday display in the conservatory.

Powell Gardens grows all its poinsettias from approximately 3,000 rooted cuttings at our greenhouse complex. They are cared for by loving hands from planting to finishing and public display. We grow 27 varieties and trial some new varieties each year.

Here's a sampling of some of 2009's poinsettias -- photographed in the Powell Gardens Greenhouses on Dec. 1 & 2, 2009:

Poinsettia 'Freedom Red' is the most traditional of varieties with large, red bracts.

Poinsettia 'Premium Red' is another classic red for traditional holiday decor.

Poinsettia 'Freedom Fireworks' has narrowed and elongated bracts more like a fireworks explosion.

The camera can't quite capture the dark burgundy-red of Poinsettia 'Merlot' which is probably my favorite of those we grow.

Poinsettia 'Silver Star' are on their way exclusively to the Kauffman Memorial Garden. The silvered, white-edged leaves and red bracts make it a standout.
Poinsettia 'Jingle Bells' is a fun smattering of pink on red. It often sports unusual pink or white bracts making it a challenge to grow.

Poinsettia 'Freedom Pink' is our best pink with huge bracts.

Poinsettia 'Jester Jingle' adds a bit of fun to a poinsettia display.

Poinsettia 'Ice Punch' inspires the most visitor comments with its silver-pink "icy" variegated bracts.

Poinsettia 'Ice Crystals' is a creamy splashed shimmering pink.

Poinsettia 'Sonora White Glitter' is red with white spangles to the bracts but it has still not "finished" with immature bracts.

Poinsettia 'Marco Polo' has very unique salmon frosted, pink bracts.

Poinsettia 'Premium Miro' is a creamy white with pink-frosted bract edges.
Poinsettia 'Winter Rose Marble' is another sensational poinsettia attracting many comments.

Poinsettia 'Premium White' may be our best white bracted cultivar. It certainly photographed the best of all the whites and the only one I dared show.

Tracy Flowers poses with some Freedom Red Poinsettias to show how wonderful our poinsettia crop is this season. Kudos to Horticulturist Donna Covell and the greenhouse team for their success.

The poinsettias are displayed to all visitors at the Powell Garden's Visitor Center conservatory and at the Kauffman Memorial Garden. Some are even for sale at Powell Gardens' Perennial Gifts (gift shop).