Quotation of the Week: "A garden is half-made when it is well planned. The best gardener is the one who does the most gardening by the winter fire." — Liberty Hyde Bailey

Get into the 'Wild Blue Yonder'

by Tamara Galbraith Rose fans and growers, get ready for a 'purple reign.' For the first time in over 20 years, a lavender-hued rose has been named as one of the All-American Rose Selections. And 'Wild Blue Yonder' — a cultivar developed by leading hybridizer Tom Carruth — isn't just pretty to look at. Like the other 2006 AARS winners, this rose is tough and disease resistant, too. 'Wild Blue Yonder' is in the grandiflora class of roses, meaning it sends up sprays of large buds instead of single-stemmed blossoms. Its large flowers are ruffled, can measure up to 4-1/2", and carry a strong, citrus-like fragrance. And the color? Wow! Deep reddish-purple with a lavender 'eyezone,' the blooms reportedly almost resemble a camellia up close, or a hydrangea from a distance. And the flowers' hue intensifies in cooler temps, so expect an even more gorgeous second bloom in the fall. Widely available now, 'Wild Blue Yonder' is a medium-large (4'-5'), upright, shrubby rose with glossy, dark green leaves that will look great in your garden even when not in bloom. But, of course, it's those gorgeous purplish flowers everyone will be oohing and aahing over.

At Green Thumb we have over 150 named rose varieties inlcuding all of the 2006 AARS winners. Come in and check out all of the trick stuff that we have to make your rose gardening easier and painless.

Mark Stepien Green Thumb Garden Pro

Sensational Senecio

by Tamara Galbraith On a recent trip to Belize with my wonderful husband, I was awestruck by a large, unusual plant that was thriving in the sandy front yards of several Ambergris Caye beach homes: Senecio repens, an upright, shrubby succulent that hails from South Africa. While I'm not entirely unfamiliar with this plant - it is currently being tested for Texas Superstar(tm) status in the Texas A&M University Research & Extension Center - I was certainly impressed by its potential. Also also known as Senecio serpens or Kleinia repens, this attractive, soft-to-the-touch plant can commonly be found in two varieties: the blue-gray 'Kilimanjaro' and the green aloe-like 'Himalaya'. It is incredibly easy to propagate from cuttings, and should be grown in a sandy soil of the sort that cactuses like. A natural as a houseplant, it looks lovely and does great in a terra cotta pot by a sunny window. If your outside temperatures stay between 25-98 degrees F year round, Senecio repens can be grown in the landscape; just make sure the soil is slightly moist but well-draining. While they are drought-tolerant and can be vigorous in the right climate, these plants apparently do not like consistent triple-digits; some gardeners in Phoenix have reported difficulty keeping these senecios alive during the exceptionally hot, dry summers there. At Green Thumb we have several varieties of senecio. One of them, Senecio vitatis (Bush Blue Pickle), has blue grey foliage and grows to about two feet. With their unusual fleshy leaves, these plants are a real eye catcher in your garden.

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Winter Pruning Pointers

by Tamara Galbraith So, it's the middle of winter and temperatures have risen to a balmy level. As a gardener, you're itching to get out and work in the yard. But what's to do this time of year? Turn to your trees and shrubs - they could probably use some attention while they rest comfortably in winter dormancy. Here are some winter pruning pointers: Non-flowering hardwood trees and shrubs should be pruned at this time of year to improve the plant's structure. Making cuts in the dormant season also reduces the chance of transmitting disease, discourages excessive sap flow and avoids the problem of possible pest infestation. Conifers can be trimmed any time, but are best pruned during the dormant season, as sap and resin flow are minimized from the cut branches. Flowering trees and shrubs, with a few exceptions, should also be pruned during the dormant season for the same reasons stated above. However, do NOT yet prune trees and shrubs that flower in early spring — you'll be cutting off the buds that will open in a few months. Spring-flowering trees and shrubs should instead be pruned immediately after flowering. A good rule of thumb is that you should prune in the season opposite of flowering, i.e. flower in spring = prune in fall, and flower in summer = prune in winter. Ornamental grasses that die during the winter should be given a 'flat-top haircut' about 3"-4" above ground at the end of winter, before new growth starts to emerge. Evergreen grasses should be left alone. Of course, dead branches and canes can be removed any time of the year, especially those obviously suffering from insect and/or disease damage. If you suspect disease, be sure to disinfect your pruning tools with a germ-killing spray like Lysol before and after cutting plants. Do not put diseased or insect-infested cuttings in your compost pile.

What You'll Need: 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 cup dry brown or yellow lentils, rinsed and drained 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 (14-1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained 3 (14 oz.) cans vegetable broth 1 tbsp. curry powder 1 tsp. fresh ginger Plain yogurt or sour cream (optional) Step by Step: In a 4 to 5-quart slow cooker, combine sweet potatoes, lentils, onion, and garlic. Add undrained tomatoes, broth, curry powder and ginger. Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. If desired, top individual servings with yogurt or sour cream. Yield: 4-6 servings