It's exciting when we become aware of rare--and therefore new to us--plants. The Heptacodium miconioides, also known as the Seven Son Flower, is such a plant. It was unknown to Western scientists prior to its discovery by E.H. Wilson in 1907 during one of his expeditions to China. Seeds were collected in 1980 by the Arnold Arboretum on the Sino-American Botanical Expedition to the People's Republic of China, which was privy to the first access given since the late 1940s.

This stunner is becoming very popular in the East, with its reputation spreading to the Midwest as the more progressive nurseries stock it. It is a tough, beautiful multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that is not bothered by pests or diseases, and has been known to survive temperatures of -26 degrees F with no die-back. Each stalk blooms with seven flowers; the vernacular Chinese name of the shrub translates into "seven son flower."

This amazing plant can grow to 20 feet, with a width of 8-10 feet, from August to late autumn, in full sun to light, dappled shade. The clusters of creamy white flowers, which have the aroma of jasmine, are followed by an autumn display of showy purple fruit with bright purple-red calyxes. The leaves are four inches in length and ovate in form; they are green leaves that turn a purple-bronze in autumn, providing added visual interest.

During winter, this deciduous shrub exfoliates to reveal an attractive brown inner bark. In fact, plant and flowers have come to be known as the crape myrtle of the North.

Known only in China's Hubei and Zhejiang provinces as a wild plant, today there are undoubtedly more individual plants in cultivation in North America than in all of China. Along with the 2008 Olympics, another fine gift from the Far East.

At this time of year, when the temperatures are cooling, and we're adding fall color to our gardens, the children are gearing up for Halloween and the ubiquitous jack-o'-lanterns. It's easy to make jack-o'-lanterns, and it's fun for the whole family.

First consider where your pumpkins will be placed. If they are to grace the stairs leading up to your front door, select smaller pumpkins for carving. For a focal point on your porch, or a centerpiece for your table, go for a larger one. Just be sure that you choose pumpkins that are uniformly orange with no bruises or discoloration, and are either tall and narrow, or more rounded, depending on the design of your carving.

Next, your tools. A long thin-bladed knife is best for cutting the top hole and large pieces out of the face of the gourd, with a paring knife used for detail work. All of your tools should be sharpened before and after carving, so make this a family affair--with parents in control of all carving tools! The little ones can draw the desired face on the pumpkin with a simple crayon.

Begin by cutting a 5- or 6-sided hole in the top of the pumpkin, about two-thirds the diameter of the pumpkin. Angle the knife so that the lid and hole will be somewhat cone shaped; this will help prevent the lid from falling into the hole.

Scrape the seeds and stringy membrane out with a large spoon, making certain to scrape the bottom flat so that the candle sits squarely. Then carefully carve with your paring knife the face you've drawn on the best side of the pumpkin. Finish up with a white votive candle in a clear glass holder. Or be safety-first with a battery-powered LED flickering tea candle. You may need a couple of these to light your jack-o'-lanterns sufficiently.

Fire safety should be paramount. Never leave a lit candle unattended, and never leave children alone with a lit pumpkin or any candles. Follow these rules and your pumpkins will be your scary pals throughout the holiday!

Saturday, October 18, from 10 AM to Noon, we are having a Pumpkin Party!

A party for kids! FREE snacks, face painting, pumpkin painting, story telling and more...

Friday, October 31 is Halloween!

We dare you to win first, second or third place in our costume contest!

Should I use bone meal or bulb food when I plant my bulbs?

Answer:
We recommend bone meal at the time of planting, then applying a balanced bulb food once the foliage appears above the soil line in late winter/early spring.

There are a couple of reasons for this. Nitrogen can burn the actual bulb, which only needs the phosphorus and potash from bone meal in order to stimulate rooting. But once the bulb is sending out a stem, it needs nitrogen to become strong so it won't bend over from the weight of the flowers that it sets. This is especially important for bulbs with large heavy flowers, such as tulips, ranunculus, and hyacinth.

It's also important to dig the holes or trenches a little deeper than the bulb needs to be, applying some bone meal below the bulb, then a little more soil so the bulb doesn't sit directly on the food but has access to the food as it sends out roots (got to give those roots some incentive to stretch).

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