KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Holiday Express returns to the University of Tennessee Gardens this holiday season, featuring 12 garden-scale model trains, thousands of lights and a miniature landscape with more than 100 buildings decorated for the season.  This popular holiday exhibit, located on the Friendship Plaza at the entrance to the University of Tennessee Gardens off Neyland Drive, runs November 24, 2010, through January 2, 2011, and has proven to be a wonderful family tradition.

New to this year’s Holiday Express at the UT Gardens is a bridge that will enable visitors to walk through the display and get a unique and up-close look at the miniature landscape and all the detail that makes the display such an amazing experience.  This year’s event features trains running simultaneously on a quarter-mile track, with some of the g-scale trains running on “green power” with the help of a solar array provided by Sustainable Future, LLC.  Visitors will marvel at the elaborate landscape, which includes replicas of existing East Tennessee architecture. 
The event opens Thanksgiving weekend from 12-8 p.m. November 24-27, and 12-6 p.m. November 28.  Thereafter, Holiday Express will be open 12-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 12-6 p.m. on Sundays December 4, 2010, through January 2, 2011.  Holiday Express will also be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 12-6 p.m.
On select Sundays, families can participate in a variety of holiday activities.  Families can explore the Holiday Express and the Gardens together with a scavenger hunt, make a few special holiday crafts and visit with Santa Claus.  These activities are available on Sunday, December 5, and Sunday, December 19, from noon to 6 p.m.  Activities are free with Holiday Express admission.
“Holiday Express at the UT Gardens is a wonderful, festive activity for the whole family to enjoy and a great way to support one of our region’s best treasures, the UT Gardens,” said Sue Hamilton, director of the UT Gardens.  “Children and adults alike are assured an educational and fun time as they explore many of the railroad antiquities on display, many of which are interactive, along with the incredible holiday scene that garden railroading expert, Mark Fuhrman creates.”
Mark Fuhrman has partnered with the UT Institute of Agriculture and the Gardens for the third year to bring his wonderland to a larger audience during this special time of the year.  Fuhrman customizes each train car and building by hand with a passion and care that has resulted in one of the largest train collections in East Tennessee.
Cost is $5 per person; children 4 and under are admitted free.  Large group viewings can be scheduled by calling 865-974-7151.  The event benefits the research and educational programs of the UT Gardens.
The Holiday Express is sponsored by WBIR, Knoxville News Sentinel, WUOT, UT Federal Credit Union, Sustainable Future, LLC and Clarence Brown Theatre.  For more information, visit http://utgardens.tennessee.edu or call 865-974-7151.
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KNOXVILLE, TN - UT Gardens November 2010 Plant of the Month: Tea Bush. Submitted by Dr. Susan Hamilton, Director of the UT Gardens. Camellia sinensis, or tea bush as it is commonly known, is the source of true Southerner’s favorite beverage, tea.  Also known as the tea camellia, the finest teas are made from the top two leaves and bud of each of the plant’s shoot. As a result, you’ll find Camellia sinensis grown commercially throughout Asia, from where it is native.

[caption id="attachment_13722" align="alignnone" width="269" caption="Tea Bush. (Photo courtesy UT Gardens)"][/caption]

A cup of tea aside, many folks don’t realize that the tea bush is a beautiful ornamental shrub that does well in our Tennessee landscapes. It is a relative of the ornamental camellias we love to have in our landscapes for their large and showy blooms. This evergreen plant makes a dense, round shrub that grows to between 4 feet and 6 feet tall and just as wide. It produces leathery, dark green leaves that are a bit more narrow than its ornamental relatives. Best of all, it covers itself with fragrant white flowers each fall that are about 1.5 inches in diameter.
 
Flowering typically starts in September and can continue into early December. Tea bush is cold hardy to zone 6 making it one of the most cold-hardy species of Camellia.  You could say that tea camellia is a very forgiving plant in that it is not particular about soil or light exposure, thriving well in shade and even tolerating full sun. Noted plant expert and author Dr. Michael Dirr feels it is a valuable plant for the southeastern region because it shows good heat and drought tolerance.
 
For landscape use, this evergreen makes a nice background plant especially in shady recesses where its bright white flowers will shine. It also is effective when used in mass and it makes a nice foundation plant, too. Tea bush tolerates pruning and can always be cut back if a shorter plant is desired.
 
Several varieties are commercially available including pink-flowering selections and selections with variegated foliage. ‘Rosea’ is one with pink flowers. ‘Shirotae’ is a selection with pewter-colored leaves with white margins, and ‘Silver Dust’ has new growth that emerges almost white. As the leaves mature, they turn green with some silver flecking. ‘Gold Splash’ has large green and yellow variegated leaves.

While the tea bush thrives in hot humid climates, the best tea is grown in mountain regions where the leaves grow slowly to create more flavorful and noteworthy blends. Many of the world's most famous teas come from bushes cultivated above 4,000 feet.
For more information, check out the American Camellia Society online at http://www.camellias-acs.com/.
 
 
Dr. Susan Hamilton is a faculty member in the University of Tennessee Department of Plant Sciences and director of the UT Gardens.  The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. See http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/  and http://westtennessee.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/ for more information.

(Knoxville, Tennessee) – What would Tennessee be without its dogwood trees?  Well, we hope to never find out!  Dogwood Arts is asking Knoxville to dig in and plant dogwood trees to help springtime in East Tennessee to full bloom.  Appalachian Snow or Cherokee Brave dogwood trees, cultivated specifically for resistance to Anthracnose, or powdery mildew, will be available for purchase from www.dogwoodarts.com or a participating garden center.
 
Kicking off the 2010 Bazillion Blooms tree-planting program, Dogwood Arts is offering a spectacular price of $25 each or $100 for five dogwood trees for the entire month of November – exclusive to www.dogwoodarts.com for bare-root dogwood trees.  Trees ordered from Dogwood Arts may be picked up on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 9 a.m. until noon at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
 
To purchase balled and burlap trees to which prices vary based on size, visit one of our participating Bazillion Blooms garden centers:
Ellenburg Landscaping and Nursery
Thress Nursery Gardens
Mayo Garden Centers
Stanley’s Greenhouses
 
Bazillion Blooms is a collaborative effort between many state and local organizations and volunteers.  Dogwood Arts established this three-year program to restore the former vitality of East Tennessee’s dogwood tree population in Knox and surrounding counties.  The dogwood tree is vital to East Tennessee’s economy, environmental health, and heritage and is a source of community pride and tradition.
 
The Dogwood Arts Bazillion Blooms program is sponsored by Wells Fargo agents Lisa Wiles and Judy Sehgal, Southeast Home Mortgage manager Samanda Knight, the Knoxville Garden Club, Walgreens, and the Knoxville News Sentinel.  Program supporters include City of Knoxville, Knox County, UT Institute of Agriculture, Cortese Tree Specialists, local businesses, garden clubs, and agencies.
 
More information is available at www.dogwoodarts.com or by calling Dogwood Arts at 865.637.4561.

KNOXVILLE, TN - Now that autumn has arrived, we are all anticipating the brilliant fall colors that the season provides. For the most part when we think of fall foliage what comes to mind are trees. We anticipate the beautiful maples, dogwoods, and ginkgos with their bright orange, red, and yellow leaves. But don’t forget about shrubs and the wonderful colors they can provide in the understory or around the foundation of your home. One of the showiest of these shrubs is a native shrub called Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica).

Sweetspire is a great shrub choice because it features both summer blossoms and fall color. Beautiful fragrant creamy white flower clusters (4 inches to 6 inches long) often droop and cover the shrub with graceful blossoms in the summer and make the shrub very attractive to butterflies and bees. Yet, it is deer resistant. This shrub can be grown in partial shade to full sun and can tolerate a variety of soils including our clay soils. It does need adequate moisture when first planted (in fact, it will grow well in boggy areas), but once established it is very low maintenance. This multi-stemmed shrub suckers and spreads outward forming colonies. This habit makes it ideal for erosion control. So do not plant sweetspire in a confined space. You will want to give it room to grow.
 
Virginia sweetspire’s beautiful blossoms are outshined by its fall foliage. The shrub turns the most beautiful red-orange to crimson color in the fall and retains its leaves well into November, making it ideal for the fall landscape. One cultivar readily available is ‘Henry’s Garnet’. Growing to about 6 feet tall, this cultivar has rich crimson fall foliage and typically holds its leaves longer than the straight species.
 
For a compact variety that’s more suitable to the smaller landscape choose ‘Little Henry’; this cultivar tops out at about 3 feet tall. This newer cultivar has much going for it. Its short growth habit makes ideal for mass planting, on a bank for example, or by itself as a specimen in the mixed border. It is even suitable for container gardening, adding a dramatic focal point in the center or back of the container. Its flower spikes are more upright and stay well above the foliage and its foliage turns spectacular oranges and reds in autumn, again retaining its leaves well into late fall.
 
Virginia sweetspire is a wonderful low-maintenance, native shrub that can tolerate a wide range of conditions. Add to that its fragrant, showy blooms and its stunning fall color and you have a great plant for any landscape.
 

James Newburn is the Assistant Director of the UT Gardens. The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. Online at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/

KNOXVILLE - The annual Holland Bulb Sale will be held at Ivan Racheff House and Gardens on Thursday, September 30, and Friday & Saturday, October 1 & 2. The event will feature many new varieties of spring garden bulbs that are not available locally. Many miniature daffodils will be in good supply along with varieties of tulips, crocuses, iris, paperwhites, hyacinths, alliums, anemones, muscaris, peonies, and oriental lilies. The bulbs are shipped directly to Racheff from Holland for the three-day event. Besides bulbs, Racheff will offer crafts, gardening items, note cards, and baked goods.

Master Gardeners will be available to answer your questions.

The sale hours will be 9:00 to 4:00 on Thursday and Friday and 9:00 to 2:00 on Saturday. A

tasty lunch will be available on Thursday and Friday.

Proceeds from this event will be used for beautification and maintenance of the house and

garden property which is owned by the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs and operated by a board

of governors selected from local garden clubs and state garden club officials.

Over 4,000 bulbs planted each fall produce a brilliant display of blooms throughout the gardens

the following spring. Racheff House and Gardens is open to the public during Dogwood Arts Festival

in April as it is throughout the year.

Racheff House and Gardens is located at 1943 Tennessee Avenue. From Western Ave. turn East

on Keith and immediately turn left on Schofield back to Tennessee.

You may pre-order bulbs by calling Lisa Phipps, Sale Chairman, at 865-980-9911 and pick up

your order at Racheff House & Garden on either sale day.

UT Gardens September 2010 Plant of the Month: Glossy Abelia . Submitted by James Newburn, Assistant Director of the UT Gardens. If you are looking for a great plant of interest for the transition from summer to fall you may want to consider Glossy Abelia. In fact, this multi-stemmed woody shrub has attributes that make it a desirable addition to the landscape year round.

This old fashioned shrub often has long arching canes that provide a graceful profile that is filled with fragrant soft pink blooms. It can start blooming as early as late May but continues to bloom all summer into mid fall, including September, when summer annuals are fading before fall foliage appears.
 

Glossy Abelia, or Abelia x grandiflora, gets its name from the shiny leaves of the shrub. In the Southeast these leaves are semi-evergreen and remain on the plant all year. There are several cultivars available that offer a variety of leaf color and growth habit.
 
‘Canyon Creek’ is a nice rounded shrub with dense foliage. New growth is copper colored, but it then turns to yellow and finally green. The plant often maintains its copper to burgundy colored stems, which contrast nicely with the pink star-shaped flowers.
 
‘Kaleidoscope’ is a wonderful introduction that has a more tubular flower and blooms in clusters. Its foliage has a slightly golden variegation on bronze stems that again contrasts with the blush pink blooms. Once the blooming stops the flower’s copper colored sepals remain and continue to provide showy color. With all these subtle colors on one plant it is no wonder this plant has kaleidoscope as its name. Both of these cultivars tend towards a copper bronze color in fall and don’t lose many of their leaves.
 
Glossy Abelia is very easy to grow in the South. It requires full sun but will tolerate partial shade. It is also not terribly temperamental when it comes to soil, adapting to a wide variety of conditions. Once established it is reasonably drought resistant too, although some leaf drop and fewer blooms may occur with extended periods of drought. Pruning does not usually become an issue if given enough room to grow in the first place. Typical shrubs grow to about 5-6’ with smaller dwarf cultivars reaching 3-4’. There is even a prostrate form that grows 1-2’ with a spreading ground hugging habit. The graceful arching canes are one of this shrub’s attributes which along with the small leaves give it a fine texture in the garden. Selectively pruning older canes will encourage new growth but maintain the shape and texture.
 
There are few shrubs that offer year round interest, but Glossy Abelia is one that comes close.
 
 
James Newburn is the Assistant Director of the UT Gardens. The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. Online at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/

[caption id="attachment_13232" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Glossy Abelia"][/caption]

JACKSON, Tenn. – For landscapers, growers, retailers or interested consumers who wish to stay current on best management practices and recommended low maintenance plant choices, the University of Tennessee  Institute of Agriculture is offering a Landscape Review.  This special event will be held Thursday, September 2, 2010, at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center from 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
 
The Landscape Review will feature walking tours of the UT Gardens – Jackson, an overview of plant trials used to evaluate better plants for Tennessee landscapes, and updates on current pest, disease and weed control methods.  A complete breakdown of sessions is as follows:
 
9:00   – Update on Weed Control in Turf and Ornamentals
10:00 – Walking Tour, Pest Resistant Plants Part I
11:00 – Update on Diseases in Turf and Ornamentals
12:00 – Lunch on your own
1:15   – Walking Tour, Pest Resistant Plants Part II
2:15   – Update on Insect Control in Turf and Ornamentals
 
Each session will be led by UT experts. Pesticide certification points (CEU’s) will be awarded at each session. A total of five points will be awarded in C3, C10 and C12.
 
Admission to the Landscape Review is free.  For more information, including directions to the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, go to http://west.tennessee.edu.
 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Dick Ott, adjunct faculty member and leader of the Interior Plantscaping Program within the University of Tennessee College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Department of Plant Sciences, is the 2010 inductee into the Plantscape Industry Alliance’s Interior Plantscape Hall of Fame. The Plantscape Hall of Fame was established in 1996 to honor individuals of integrity whose personal dedication provided great leadership in the development and growth of the interiorscape industry either as an interiorscaping professional or as an allied trade professional.

Ott has been a pioneer in the interior plantscaping industry. He formed one of the first successful interior plantscaping businesses in the United States in Knoxville, and went on to become an industry leader through his participation, advocacy and leadership in several trade associations.
 
“The UT Department of Plant Sciences is fortunate to have a national leader and renowned industry pioneer among its adjunct faculty,” Bob Augé, Department of Plant Sciences head said. “Dick teaches two key courses that prepare students for the green industry and in particular the interior plantscaping industry. He is a talented and passionate educator, much respected by our students.” Ott has established a scholarship in the department for students studying interior plantscaping.
 
Ott became an adjunct faculty member in the legacy Department of Ornamental Horticulture & Landscape Design in 1999 and has taught courses in the department every year since. He was a founding ambassador of the ALCA Educational Foundation, and he graduated from UT with a BS in Marketing and then later obtained the MBA from UT.
 
The University of Tennessee College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is one of the UT Institute of Agriculture's four units. Together the UTIA units provide instruction, research and public service. The other units are the UT College of Veterinary Medicine; UT AgResearch, including its system of 10 research and education centers; and UT Extension with offices in every county in the state. 
 

Submitted by Dr. Susan Hamilton, Director of the UT Gardens.

Summer Phlox (Phlox paniculata) has long been a perennial staple in the summer garden. It typically grows tall, anywhere from 3 to 5 feet, blooms in July and then–much to our dismay– it succumbs to powdery mildew fungal disease. One of the most highly touted of the standard varieties is 'David,' a beautiful white cultivar. Also popular is its offspring, 'David's Lavender.' They are consistently ranked among the most mildew-resistant cultivars, along with 'Eva Cullum' and 'Bright Eyes' (both of which are pink with a red eye), and 'Franz Schubert' (a lilac cultivar). Because  it is prone to disease and it needs staking, this tall perennial has seen its popularity wane over the years. However, good hybridizing and breeding is bringing an array of fantastic new hybrids that tout numerous wonderful characteristics.
 
First among their admirable traits is the new hybrids have a long blooming period from July through the end of summer. They are also self-cleaning, which means that no deadheading is required because as old flowers fade and wither away new ones continue to open and put on a colorful show. Next, they have a shorter, stockier growth habit growing to just 16” tall and 20” wide, and numerous colors are also available. Because of their long blooming habit and shorter height, they can be used in the foreground of a planting bed or even in containers. Another wonderful characteristic of these new hybrids: mildew resistance. 
 
For best performance, plant summer phlox in a site that enjoys full-sun to partial-shade and in a moist but well-drained soil. A good 2- to 3-inch layer of a fine mulch around these perennials will help retain soil moisture and reduce the incident of weeds. Apply liquid feed or an all-purpose fertilizer the first growing season while plants are getting established. Be sure to follow label directions. At season’s end, a good maintenance tip is to cut off dead flower heads and stalks. 
 
Here’s a list of hybrid phlox that we have grown in the UT Gardens and have found to be great performers for our Tennessee landscapes:  
 
Cocktail Series: 'Watermelon Punch'; 'Pina Colada'; 'Cosmopolitan'; ‘Peppermint Twist’; ‘Purple Kiss’; and ‘Tequila Sunrise’
 
Flame Series:  ‘Pink’; ‘Lilac’; and ‘Purple’
 
 
 
Dr. Susan Hamilton is a faculty member in the University of Tennessee Department of Plant Sciences and director of the UT Gardens. The Gardens are a program of the UT Institute of Agriculture and are known for conducting research and plant trials on herbaceous and woody ornamental plants, for various seasonal horticultural displays, and for numerous educational programs. The UT Gardens in Jackson and Knoxville are both open to the public. See http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/  and http://westtennessee.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/ for more information.

KNOXVILLE - The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society and the UT Arboretum invite the public to join them on Saturday, July 24, 2010, for a special dedication of the Harold L. Elmore Holly Collection Entrance at the Arboretum.  A new natural stone feature has been constructed to serve as an impressive entrance to the Arboretum’s Harold L. Elmore Holly Collection. The collection is officially recognized by the Holly Society of America.  Professionals and volunteers have worked for the last several months to construct the entrance.
The late Harold Elmore was a long time member of the UT Arboretum Society and past president of the Holly Society of America. A chemist and horticulturalist, his expertise as a holly hybridizer gained him frequent opportunities to share his knowledge locally and internationally and earned him the nickname “Mr. Holly.”   Over the years Mr. Elmore made many holly plant donations to the Arboretum’s holly collection, which was named in his honor in April 2004. Members of the Elmore family are expected to participate at the dedication.

Information about the Arboretum is online at http://forestry.tennessee.edu/arbpage.htm
 
The UT Arboretum is a public education and outreach program of the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center. It is open for walking daily from 8 a.m. until sunset.  The center is one of 10 outdoor laboratories located throughout the state as part of the UT AgResearch system. UT AgResearch is a division of the UT Institute of Agriculture. In addition to its agricultural research programs, the UT Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research and public service through the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine and UT Extension offices in every county in the state.

The East Tennessee Regional Agribusiness Marketing Authority will meet at 10 a.m.
on July 21 in the Duggins Foundation Room of the Dr. Jack E. Campbell College
Center, located on the Morristown campus of Walters State Community College.
The agenda includes the consideration of by-laws, the election of the Executive
Committee and a progress report on the Clean Energy Technology training program.
ETRAMA covers the following counties: Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene,
Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington.
For directions, or for more information, contact Debra Williams, associate
director of public information and WIA media services, at (423) 585-6822 or
debra.williams@ws.edu.

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — Variety is on the plate, so to speak, at this year’s University of Tennessee Steak and Potatoes Field Day hosted by the Plateau AgResearch and Education Center.

The topic-packed program includes presentations by experts in the production of beef cattle and the production and processing of fruits and vegetables for commercial or home use.  An added feature will be presentations on ponds for fish and woodlots for wildlife on your land.

The beef portion of the program will include talks on the abnormal presentation of calves during calving (dystocia) and what to do in these situations, guidelines for the management of deceased animals, the progress of the Beef Checkoff program, forage alternatives for summer production, and variety testing. 
Fruit and vegetable topics to be explored by UT subject matter experts include soil management for quality vegetables, producing tomatoes in greenhouses, and chemical mowing and weed control. Organizers expect the talks on garden insect pest management and fruit tree production to be popular.

The landowner talks will focus on pond management, including restocking ponds, leaking ponds and pond weed management. Using fire on woodlots to benefit wildlife will also be explored.

The free event, which includes a sponsored lunch, begins at 8 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, Aug. 3, and will be held at the main unit of UT's Plateau AgResearch and Education Center on U.S. Hwy. 70N west of Crossville. A map and complete directions are available online at http://plateau.tennessee.edu/location/  For more information, call the center at 931-484-0034.

The Plateau AgResearch and Education Center in Crossville is one of 10 outdoor laboratories located throughout the state as part of the UT AgResearch system. UT AgResearch is a division of the UT Institute of Agriculture. In addition to its agricultural research programs, the UT Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research and public service through the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine and UT Extension offices in every county in the state.

Submitted by Beth Willis. Ornamental Mullein, the common name for a number of Verbascum hybrids, can be a charming addition to your garden. Although most are either biennials or short-lived perennials, they are remarkably low- maintenance plants with a long season of bloom if you keep just a few things in mind while siting them.

Ornamental Mullein has an upright vertical form, with tall flower spikes rising from a basal rosette of woolly gray-green leaves. Available in colors ranging from pure white to pinks, peaches, yellows and lavenders, you are sure to find one that will work in your garden. Spikes bloom from top to bottom with large, flat five-petaled flowers. Fuzzy purple or dark pink stamens (in most varieties) add to the appeal. Blooming begins in late spring and continues through late summer or even into autumn depending on the variety.

Verbascum, a member of the Figwort family, is native to Europe and Asia although some of the more than 250 species in the genus have naturalised in North America and other parts of the world. Many of the species are weedy rather than ornamental although they do have herbal uses. Native Americans used ground seed as a paralytic fish poison. Others have created medicines and dyes from the plants. Even the woolly leaves have been put to use, as the common names Poor Man’s Blanket and Cowboy Toilet Paper attest. 

Ornamental Mullein thrives in full sun in zones 5 to 8. It is very susceptible to root rot if drainage is not adequate, but so long as it is given good drainage it is not picky about soil type. In fact, Ornamental Mullein is well suited to the sandy or rocky soils found in rock gardens. It also works well in borders or cottage gardens with more fertile soils. It has no serious disease or pest problems and has few maintenance needs, but deadheading spent flower spikes can help prolong blooming. Ornamental Mulleins tend to be either biennials or short-lived perennials in the garden, but they can be propagated by root cuttings from late winter to early spring.

In the last decade a number of ornamental hybrid cultivars have been introduced. These hybrids offer new bloom colors and color combinations, shorter plant sizes, and larger blooms.  ‘Southern Charm’, a soothing blend of creamy yellows, lavenders, and peachy-pinks, grows to a height of 2 ft to 2.5 ft in the garden.  ‘Caribbean Crush’ can reach heights between 2 ft and 4 ft and boasts a bright blend of tropical yellows, oranges, and lavenders on individual plants. ‘Jackie in Pink’ and ‘Jackie in Yellow’ are compact varieties (heights to 18 inches) that will even work well in containers. ‘Sixteen Candles’ and ‘Wedding Candles’, with profuse blooms of yellow and white respectively, will reach a height of 3 ft to 3.5 ft in the garden.

Beth Willis is the UT Gardens Trials Coordinator.  The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. Online at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/

Win two tickets to UT Gardens Blooms Days! E-mail editor@seviercountynews.com. (Pass good for one day.)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Unique garden goods, live musical performances, garden workshops, children’s activities and more make the UT Gardens’ Blooms Days a great destination for more than just gardeners. Blooms Days has become a summer tradition, drawing families, students, and Knoxville natives to experience the splendor of the gardens. The event will run Saturday, June 26, and Sunday, June 27, 2010, from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
 
More than 20 workshops will be offered for everyone, from novice to advanced gardeners, covering a variety of gardening topics. Workshops with such titles as Plants Kids Love, Organic Gardening Basics, Living with Herbs and Survive the Summer Drought will be led by regional gardening experts and included in the cost of admission.
 
See the garden from a new perspective by learning to climb a tree with Sam Adams of Cortese Tree Specialists. The tree-climbs will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.  There will be a $5 climb fee. Visit the Beall Family Rose Garden on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and on Sunday at 10 a.m. for interactive Tai Chi Demonstrations.
 
Live musical performances will be held on both days. Saturday Wild Blue Yonder will perform from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Four Leaf Peat from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Sunday the Lake Terrace Trio will play from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and the Early Morning String Dusters from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
 
Kids of all ages can visit the Kids Corner to create make-and-take projects, get their faces painted and cool off with sprinkler time, which will run on the half-hour.
 
The festival will also include a garden marketplace in which visitors can shop for arts, crafts, garden goods and specialty plants from more than 20 vendors, and snacks and will be available on site for purchase. 
 
Round out the day with a self-guided tour of the gardens and learn about some 4,000 annuals, perennials, herbs, tropicals, trees, shrubs, vegetables and ornamental grasses.
 
Tickets will be $6.00 at the gate.  Children under 12 will be admitted free. Tickets are good for one day only, and the event will be held rain or shine. All proceeds will benefit the UT Gardens.  For more information and a complete schedule of the weekend’s activities, please visit:  http://bloomsdays.utk.edu/. 
 
Blooms Days, in its 8th year, is made possible through the generosity of Pilot, Knoxville News-Sentinel, WBIR-TV, WUOT 91.9 FM and the Friends of the UT Gardens.
 
The UT Gardens is located just off Neyland Drive behind the UT College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville.  Parking is available in lot 66. From I-40 take Exit 386B onto Hwy 129 (Alcoa Hwy toward the Airport). From Hwy 129 take exit for Hwy 158 (Neyland Drive). Turn left at the end of exit ramp. Turn left onto Joe Johnson Drive and right at next light onto Chapman Drive. Parking lot 66 is directly across from the entrance to the UT Gardens.
 
The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. Some 4,000 annuals, perennials, herbs, tropicals, trees, shrubs, vegetables and ornamental grasses are evaluated each year. Both gardens are Tennessee Certified Arboreta and American Conifer Society Reference Gardens. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. For more information, visit http://utgardens.tennessee.http://utgardens.tennessee.edu and http://west.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/
 

JACKSON, Tenn. – Blue skies, golden sunshine, friendly people, and, oh yeah, one of the most exquisite gardens in West Tennessee…sounds like a setting for a good time. At the annual University of Tennessee Summer Celebration Lawn and Garden Show, the mood is always festive. With thousands of trees, shrubs and flowers on display, plus exciting presentations, unique vendors and good food, it’s easy to see why people love to come to this event, and why it’s become a favorite West Tennessee tradition.

Summer Celebration 2010 kicks off at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 8, at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center. As in years past, visitors will be able to tour the beautiful UT Gardens-Jackson. You will also be able to attend workshops presented by UT experts. Plus speakers from the botanical gardens in Memphis and Huntsville will be on hand, as well as members of the American Daylily Society. 
 
Other highlights include a special presentation and sale of newly released disease-resistant dogwoods, ideas for garden art that will make your landscape pop, and the “Kitchen Divas” return with more homegrown recipe ideas.
 
In addition to informative workshops, visitors can also peruse and purchase fascinating plant varieties at the Master Gardeners Plant Sale. These plants have been researched and tested in West Tennessee conditions, and have proven themselves as great additions to local landscapes.
 
If you have specific plant questions, you can get them answered at the Plant Diagnostic Center, which will be staffed by plant pest and disease experts. And if you need a break, enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by local 4-Her’s, or take a relaxing wagon ride around the AgResearch and Education Center and learn more about the breakthroughs in agricultural research that are happening right here.
 
The day concludes with a “Walkabout” with UT Horticulturist Carol Reese. As Carol leads a guided tour of the grounds, get her take on the best plants for your landscape.
 
The cost for this complete day is $5.00, but as one visitor said last year, “You’ll get more than $5.00 worth of education and fun!”  Summer Celebration begins at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 8, 2010.  For more information, including directions to the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, you can visit the website http://west.tennessee.edu.
 
The West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center is one of 10 unique research facilities operated by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. In addition to its agricultural research programs, the UT Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research and public service through the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, and UT Extension offices in every county in the state.
 

June Plant of the Month: Smoketree or Smokebush. Submitted by Carol Reese. Truthfully, woody plants reported to have purple foliage are rarely purple. The colors are probably better described as wine, maroon, aubergine, or burgundy. Still, the word purple is just fun. It’s one of those words that sounds weirder and weirder the more you say it. The beauty and effect of purple foliage is influenced by climate, so plants that look wonderful in New England or the northwest may look tired and ugly in our southern heat. I found that to be true of the weigela ‘Wine and Roses’. I’d seen it looking glorious in northern gardens, but in our hot summer, it turned the color of tired coffee. Unfortunately the same is true of most forms of purple smoketree, also called smokebush (Cotinus coggygria). The foliage is glorious for the first few weeks of summer, but soon it fades and looks tortured by the sun. This is not true of a cultivar named ‘Grace’. ‘Grace’ is the result of a cross between Cotinus coggygria which originates from Eurasia, and Cotinus obovatus, which a small tree native to the southeastern United States. This plants does not have the rich dark purple of it’s Eurasian parent, but rather is a lovely deep mauve that flashes reddish leaf undersides. It does have large misty blooms, the feature that appears to be purple “smoke” and which gives the plant its common name. ‘Grace’ also differs in that she wants to be more like her tree parent in stature. I laughed when I saw the tag on some lately that read that the plant would reach twelve feet. I’ve seen it grow ten feet in a single season! I don’t see anything wrong with that. I think a purple tree with smokey purple flowers is a very cool addition to the landscape. Some of my gardening friends are determined to manage it as a shrub, and cut it back severely each year, which makes it throw out even more gorgeous foliage, but I like to let it go. If for no other reason, I am eager to evaluate its potential as an ornamental tree, large and fast growing enough to offer quick shade. ‘Grace’ is very easy to grow, requiring nothing more than a sunny site and well drained soils. Carol Reese the University of Tennessee Extension Ornamental Horticulture Specialist for the Western District. Her office is located in the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson. The UT Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture and their mission is to foster appreciation, education, and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs, and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. See http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/ and http://westtennessee.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/ for more information.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—Bloomin’ Butterfly Gardens, Knoxville Zoo’s colorful butterfly exhibit, made its spring debut on Saturday, May 8. Featuring 600 monarch, swallowtail, and painted lady butterflies in a beautifully landscaped aviary, this popular exhibit is awash in fluttering color.

The friendly residents of Bloomin’ Butterfly Gardens spend their day sipping nectar from
flowers, perching in sunny locations and even landing on visitors. Guest can also see
butterflies metamorphosing from clumsy caterpillars into graceful winged creatures in the
pupae room, and maybe even catch a glimpse of a brand-new butterfly emerging from their
chrysalis.
Bloomin’ Butterfly Gardens opens Saturday, May 8, and is included with paid zoo admission.
For more information on Bloomin’ Butterfly Gardens, visit Knoxville Zoo’s website at
www.knoxville-zoo.org or call (865) 637-5331.
Knoxville Zoo is located off exit 392A from Interstate 40 and is open every day except
Christmas Day. The zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics,
conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30
p.m. and on weekends from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Admission and ticket sales stop one-
hour before the zoo closes. Next-day admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information,
please call 865.637.5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxville-zoo.org

UT Gardens May 2010 Plant of the Month: Ninebark. Article and photo by Carol Reese.

[caption id="attachment_12055" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Ninebark is the UT Gardens Plant of the Month for May, 2010. Photo by Carol Reese."][/caption]

Reading through my already well-thumbed new edition of the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, I was surprised to see a quote from Dr. Michael Dirr, esteemed woody plant guru, claiming that almost anything was better than a ninebark. He then went on to say that he’d written that decades ago, and that the newer cultivars had changed his mind.
 
True, the native form of ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius, is a rangy plant with a brief bloom period, followed by a slightly longer show of colorful seeds. There wasn’t much to write home about, certainly. It was the introduction of forms with bronze to purple foliage that made the plant a vibrant player in the landscape for the length of the growing season.
 
Golden-foliaged forms have been in the trade for some time, and in cool climates, they are worthy garden additions. In hotter regions, however, the bright hues fade so fast you might feel the plants are wasting space.
 
The new dark-foliaged forms have much more to commend them. Of the several new dark-foliaged forms, if I were forced at gunpoint to pick only two, they would be ‘Summer Wine’ and ‘Coppertina’.
 
‘Summer Wine’ has a spreading, waterfall growth habit similar to an old fashioned spirea. The toothed, slightly lobed leaves flush in late spring, and though the purplish tint is apparent, it takes a few weeks of sunlight for the color to ripen and intensify. Flowering umbels of palest pink emerge from the leaf axils and generously stud each weeping branch. Perhaps even more showy are the umbels of red seed capsules that follow. Usually a new flush of growth covers these within a few weeks, so you are left with a graceful shrub of rich dark foliage. Many purple plants turn a muddy brown in the heat of the south, but the color of ‘Summer Wine’ just gets richer. 
 
‘Coppertina’s growth habit differs slightly. It’s definitely a spreader, wider than tall, but the limbs don’t seem to have the same downward spill as ‘Midnight Wine. Newly emerging bronze foliage has limey gold tints in the center, but eventually the entire shrub is a rich dark copper. Flower and seed display is similar to ‘Summer Wine’.
 
If you find a form called ‘Diablo’, be warned that it is a much, much larger plant, and wishes to grow in a stiff, upright “V.”  I didn’t care for it, until I came upon it at Chanticleer Gardens limbed up into a tree form, as you might a crapemyrtle. This revealed the a peeling white bark, which contrasted beautifully with the dark foliage and slightly pinker flowers. Lovely!
 
These plants are of easy culture. Though they are quite tolerant of shade, the best foliage color and bloom display will occur in sun. They accept a wide range of soil, except overly wet.
 
Carol Reese is the UT Extension Ornamental Horticulture Specialist for the Western District. She is located in Jackson, Tenn., and is a frequent and popular lecturer and writer. The UT Gardens in Jackson and Knoxville are both open to the public. See http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/  and http://westtennessee.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/ for more information.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – East Tennessee is experiencing a beautiful spring, and it’s time to get out and enjoy the weather. To help you and your family make the most of the season, the University of Tennessee Gardens announces a number of May events that are open to the public. Some events recur throughout the summer. Many are free of charge, but please note that some are fee-based and require advance registration.
 
UT Gardens Spring Plant Sale, Saturday May 8
Time:  9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location:  UT Gardens Friendship Plaza Entrance 
 
A choice selection of a variety of plants not readily available locally will be on sale to benefit the Gardens. The sale will include new selections of bananas, elephant ears, Rudbeckia, conifers, and a good assortment of native azaleas, mountain laurel, and spring-flowering trees. Friends of the Gardens are invited to shop Friday, May 7th from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. The sale is open to the public on Saturday May 8 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. For information on the Friends of the Gardens, please visit http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/support.html

Noon and Twilight Tours of the Gardens, May 18 and every third Tuesday
Time: Noon and 6:00 p.m.
Location:  UT Gardens Friendship Plaza Entrance
 
These tours return for 2010, and will be held every third Tuesday of the month through October: May 18, June 15, July 20, August 17, September 21, and October 18. A tour guide will meet visitors on the Friendship Plaza. Tours are free to the public.
May Lunch and Learn, Thursday, May 20
Time: Noon
Location: Classroom 124 of the South Greenhouse

UT Gardens volunteer Stuart Bartholomaus will lead an interactive demonstration of stretches you can do to warm up prior to gardening and to cool down afterward. Following a stretching regimen can help prevent common injuries and help you be more fit. This program is free. Bring a sack lunch. (Beverages will be provided.)

Books and Blooms, Thursday, May 20
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location:  UT Gardens Friendship Plaza Entrance 

This popular event returns again for 2010 and features volunteers reading stories for the younger set. The event is free and open to the public. Additional dates to be determined.

Dig, Grow and Learn!
The UT Gardens is growing something new! Beginning in May, the Gardens’ staff will offer monthly classes and workshops for children, families and adults. Adults can learn about various topics such as gardening, floral design and garden art. Family workshops are a great way to learn and explore the garden with the entire family. Throughout the year, families can learn about topics such as flowers, container gardening and wreath making.  These classes and workshops are fee-based and require advance registration. See http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/news_events.html

Garden Sprouts and Garden Buds
Kids and gardening naturally go together, so the UT Gardens will offer many programs and tours specifically designed to teach children about the wonders of the natural world. Garden Sprouts is a program designed for children ages 3 to 5 and an accompanying adult. Garden Buds, designed for children ages 6 to 9, dig into the garden one Saturday a month and explore topics such as trees, bugs and even slugs! These classes and workshops are fee-based and require advance registration. See http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/news_events.html

Gardens Discovery Day Camps
Beginning in June and for various dates throughout the summer the UT Gardens will also offer Gardens Discovery Day Camps for youth ages 4 – 12. These fee-based camps are filling up fast, so be sure to make your reservations early.
 
For more information about these and other educational programs at the UT Gardens, please call Emily Smith, Education Coordinator, at 865-974-7151 or email esmith27@utk.edu.
 
Visit our Web site for a complete schedule of upcoming programs at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu.

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The University of Tennessee Gardens function as an outdoor laboratory, teaching and research facility, and public gardens, sharing their beauty with over 50,000 visitors yearly. More than 1,000 woody plants are under long-term observation and approximately 2,000 varieties of herbaceous plants are evaluated annually. The Gardens were established in 1983 by the UT Institute of Agriculture Department of Plant Sciences. They are recognized as one of only 34 official All American Selections (AAS) test sites in the United States. Both the UT Gardens in Knoxville and Jackson are Tennessee certified Arboreta and American Conifer Society Reference Gardens. For more information, visit http://utgardens.tennessee.edu.

SEVIER COUNTY, TN - Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters recently donated 750 trees to the Sevier County School System and the Sevier County Solid Waste department. The trees were given to the county by Steve Clark & Associates, a consulting firm in Nashville.

“We appreciate this generous donation from SC&A and are happy to pass these trees along to the school system and waste department,” said Waters. “Anytime we have the chance to promote keeping our environment clean, we certainly want to do so.”

SC&A made the gift to promote environmental awareness through reforestation. In celebration of their 35^th anniversary, SC&A donated a total of 100,000 trees to each county in Tennessee.

“These trees will provide our students an excellent opportunity to see how they can make a positive impact in our community,” said Director of Schools Dr. Jack Parton. “This will also make for a very good teaching opportunity for our educators.”

The species donated are all indigenous and grown in Tennessee. They are Nutall Oak, Overcup Oak, Sawtooth Oak, Shumard Oak, Swamp White Oak, Bald Cypress and Tulip Poplar, the state tree.

“We look forward to planting some of these trees at Catlettsburg Elementary school,” said school board member Stanley Moore. “These will be a great addition to our new school.”