Rudbeckia is a very recognizable flower. Its bright yellow blooms appear when summer reaches its peak, and flowers steadily through the hottest part of the summer when we all need it most. Also known as black eyed Susan (named after a romantic poem!) or sometimes as yellow coneflower, Rudbeckia is a variable genus with many […] The post Right Rudbeckia, Right Place appeared first on Dyck Arboretum ..read more

Originally published on April 29, 2015, here are some helpful hints from our Executive Director Scott Vogt on getting your native plants established using “waterwise” methods. Over the past few weeks, we have been fielding quite a few questions about how to properly establish plants purchased at our fall FloraKansas Native Plant Days.  Hopefully, many […] The post Water Smart: Steps to Establishing Your Native Plants appeared first on Dyck Arboretum ..read more

This summer in my travels through Kansas and surrounding states, I have seen more Johnsongrass than ever before. It is everywhere. It has proliferated to the point that it is pushing out native vegetation, including remnant prairies and most roadside ditch prairie plants. The expansion of this exotic grass is so aggressive that I am […] The post The Johnsongrass Problem appeared first on Dyck Arboretum ..read more

In honor of all the wild plums ripening right now, this week’s blog is all about the Prunus genus of plants. There are several common Prunus species found in Kansas. All are excellent choices for wildlife and habitat gardening, as they produce fruit and many are important caterpillar host plants. Gee, What a Genus Prunus […] The post Plums, Cherries, and Very Bitter Berries: A Prunus Profile appeared first on Dyck Arboretum ..read more

Bright red, versatile, compact habit and attracts hummingbirds…why has the landscaping industry so often overlooked this plant? Spigelia is a lesser known and underutilized species for native gardens. We rarely see it in landscape designs in this area, and it can be hard to find commercially available. What gives? Read on to find out about this wonderful plant and how to use it in your garden. Photo by J. Carmichael (Tevonic), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Pinkroot Spigelia marilandica, also known as woodland pinkroot or Indian pink, is a petite treat. Two feet tall and wide and bloomin ..read more

As we edge closer to summer, I have been thinking about how we go about choosing plants for our yards. Certainly, we choose plants that we like aesthetically, but many of us also want to choose plants that help wildlife survive. Yet another reason for choosing a particular plant is its resiliency or persistency in the landscape. How does it fair during times of stress? (Because the Kansas climate can be very stressful!)    If you can’t stand the heat… Last summer was really hard on a number of long established plants here at the Arboretum.  We lost trees that were ..read more

Peonies are in full bloom right now, and what a show! They are an old fashioned favorite, and a plant can only achieve such a title by being easy enough to grow that it lives on to be beloved by multiple generations. Don’t we all remember peonies in grandma’s garden? As well recognized as they are, there is more to this flower than meets the eye! Read on to learn about the many different types of peonies and their growing habits. A ‘Bartzella’ Intersectional Peony in Our Mother’s Garden just west of the main parking lot. ‘Bartzella’ flowers are by far the largest in our peony collection, and w ..read more

As we work further into spring, I thought I would share some rare and some common prairie plants in bloom at the Arboretum the first week of May. Enjoy! Prairie Iris-Nemastylis geminiflora Wild Quinine-Parthenium integrifolium Prairie Parsley-Polytaenia nuttallii Plains wild indigo (Baptisia bracteata) Missouri evening primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa) Native Blue False Indigo-Baptisia australis var. minor and Golden Alexander-Zizia aurea Red Buckeye-Aesculus pavia Native columbine-Aquilegia canadensis Grape Honeysuckle-Lonicera reticulata Eastern Gama Grass-Tripsacum dactyloides reestablishing ..read more

As we have discussed over the past few weeks, beautiful gardens don’t happen by accident. You need to analyze and deeply understand your garden over time. Once you have a pretty good handle on what you are working with, you will be ready to begin the process of choosing the right plants. Here are a couple more things to be aware of within your landscape. Sight Lines One of the questions I ask clients about their property is “Where will you be looking at your garden from?” Seems like a simple question, but it is often overlooked. This helps orient the plants in the right lines and heights for m ..read more

The more you understand your garden, the easier it will be to choose the right plants for your site.  We all have plant preferences but not all of your plant preferences will grow in your garden.  Here are a few more aspects to consider as you analyze your landscape.  Soil Type Here in south central Kansas, our soils are typically alkaline, which is good for growing most prairie plants.  Soils can be pH neutral with a value of 7.0, or anything below that is classed as acid, and anything above, alkaline. To determine your pH, a simple soil test can be done by yourself from k ..read more