The Little Girl Magnolias

In anticipation of the warm spring days ahead, don’t forget the Magnolia blooms that await us. Fyodor Dostoyevski states it best. “The soul is healed, by being with children.” The satin petals and soft fragrance of this Little Girl Magnolia, Magnolia ‘Jane’ lightens any dark corner in the garden.

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Image of Magnolia ‘Jane’ by Greg Bilowz

In Your Own Backyard

Spring is this alive, jiving kind of season. So much is ready to pop from the ground and bring us great surprises. With plant enthusiasts in every nook and cranny, don’t miss out on the local opportunities in your own backyard. This is the time to get involved with what’s happening in your region. If you blink, you might miss out.

Remember yesterday and the exclusive club Hosta ‘Grape Fizz.’? If its August fragrant blossom wasn’t convincing enough for you to join your local Hosta society, http://www.americanhostasociety.org/ here’s another reason that might persuade readers, especially in the New England region http://www.nehosta.org/ to jump on board. The National Hosta Convention is taking place smack dab in Central Massachusetts this June. http://www.hosta2011.org/ It’s a first-hand opportunity to become part of something bigger than your own backyard. This is huge - it’s the Hosta hall of fame.

For every plant lover and plant, you can uncover specialty growers or a society. Don’t stop at Hostas; there’s an endless list. Your local garden clubs only require enthusiasm and a love for growie things. So dig for what’s in your own backyard. There’s always something happening now that the spring season has opened up for business.

Want to find a hidden, unique place in your area? Scour the local papers or snoop around the nurseries. Find out where the true plant lovers hang out. Here’s one event happening in Westford, MA that combines a plant sale (we’re talking trees and shrubs) with unusual imported home and garden pieces from around the world. Check out Nonset Farm, 76 Carlisle Road (Rte. 225). This event takes place end of April into May.

Here are the dates so you can mark at least one day on your calendar.

Friday, April 22nd and Saturday, April 23rd 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday, April 29th and Saturday, April 30th 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday May 1st 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday, May 6th and Saturday, May 7th 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Wow. I’m finding William Arthur Ward’s quotes inspirational as spring unravels and brings us special treats each day. “Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.”

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Image of an early morning May shot of Hostas in our own backyard by Greg Bilowz

Snap, Crackle, Pop

When the ground still crackles underneath your feet in the morning, it’s a sign that it’s too early to do anything else other than clean-up, prune or meander through the garden to see what’s popping up. For some reason, the cold seems to be lingering a bit longer this spring. So I’m digging through the archives for one of my favorite banana bread recipes. http://blog.bilowzassociates.com/2010/04/going-bananas-over-bread.html I happened to have one of those dangerously rotting bananas hanging around the kitchen and decided to whip up this easy recipe last night. More a dessert than just breakfast bread, the sweet aromas wafting in the air make you forget how chilly it still is outside.

But before I scoot off, I wanted to mention the 2011 exclusive Hosta club plant, Hosta ‘Grape Fizz’ from Green Hill Farm. http://www.hostahosta.com/descriptR/GrapeFizz.html

The only way you can get this unusual Hosta is through your local Hosta clubs. It’s a good reason to join and be the first one on the garden block with this slow growing, sun tolerant Hosta (more so for us Northern gardeners) with a late fragrant flower display in August. I don’t know about you but I’m always looking for flora that spruces up the beds mid to late summer.

In the meantime, just enjoy the snap, crackle and pop of these chilly spring mornings. E.M. Forster wraps up today’s blog, reminding us about the importance of getting outside. “What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives?”

Post on our fan page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bilowz-Associates-Inc-Our-Blog-Annies-Gardening-Corner/325316334444 or http://www.facebook.com/abilowz or follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/annbilowz. For anyone subscribing via email that prefers to reply direct, agbilowz@comcast.net or you can always post your comments on the blog.

Top image taken by Ann Bilowz Image of Hosta ‘Grape Fizz’ from the Green Hill Farm website – http://www.hostahosta.com/