At times there were between 30 and 50 hummingbirds swarming the feeder. All of them were competing for a spot for a cool sugary drink. I was amazed how close I could get with them. At times i could hold the feeder in my hands and the birds were not deterred. Very exciting!
Recently, I was given a taxonomical key - Thanks Angela! What a fantastic resource to have if you are a horticulturist like me. I don't know how I ever got along without one for such a long time.
Just the other day I was checking on the cider orchard. I noticed in the distance, beautiful pink flowers dripping down the slopes next to the dirt road. I've seen these plants before, and had simply assumed them to be a kind of locust. But with my new book I could explore all the details of this plant and provide this beautiful specimen with a proper name.
And for your viewing pleasure, I snapped a photo of some huge asparagus growing very close to the cider apple trees! Yummmmmmmm!
This photo was taken during the fall of 2010 in the White Rock National Forest. This is not an uncommon caterpillar; however, the shape and color provides excellent camouflage from predators. Some people believe that the hairs covering the caterpillar will sting. That isn't quite true. There might be a few circumstances that a person might develop a very slight reaction, but nothing serious.
Orange Tube-Like Horn-Like Stinky Fungus aka. Stinkhorn
2 comments Posted by John Gardner at 12:23 PMI have often seen these stinky mushrooms popping out of recently mulched gardens; however, I've never taken the time to get to know them properly until now. 
This silly mushroom is a stinkhorn from the Mutinus genus. I did some research to discover the species and I've narrowed it down to M. caninus or M. elegans. The best way to differentiate between these two species is the position and length of the spore slime (the stuff that looks like poop). The problem is that my spore slime seems to have been disturbed. 
If you haven't noticed, I did get very close to these mushrooms. The smell is very thick and not very appetizing, at least to humans. I noticed many gnats and flies running around the sticky, brown slime. They do eat it, but they also get the slime stuck to their feet. For a mushroom, that's a pretty ingenious way to spread spores.
For more information on stickhorns check out MushroomExpert.com
Plant Sale & National Public Gardens Day at Compton Gardens, Bentonville, Arkansas
2 comments Posted by John Gardner at 7:20 PM
Hello all you plant enthusiasts! You will be happy to know that there is a native plant sale coming this weekend [ 05/08/2010 ] at Compton Gardens, located near downtown Bentonville, Arkansas. They will be offering great flowering and fruiting native trees, shrubs, and beautiful perennial flowers. Some of my favorites on the list will include Cladrastis kentukea, Ribes aureum, Euonymus americanus and many others. For more information about the plant sale and the National Public Gardens Day, just CLICK HERE.
If you want to know how to get to the garden, click here. Be sure and enter on Main Street. Sometimes that area can be a bit confusing.
I will be giving a short walk through the Bird Sanctuary, for the National Gardens Day on Friday. I'm very excited. Hope to see you there.
Arkansas Orchids: Lady Slipper, Showy Orchis, & Spring Coralroot
1 comments Posted by John Gardner at 2:35 PMIf you are a plant geek, you're going to love these rare beauties...
The Spring Coralroot is a very interesting orchid. It is a nonphotosynthesizing orchid. It is able to take up nutrition from mycorrhizal fungus. Pretty cool, huh? Also back in the good ol' days, this plant was used to assist in breaking high fever and used as a mild sedative. But do not go out looking for this plant for that reason. Corallorrhiza is a rare plant and its habitat should be left alone!
Are you a fan of Pawpaw trees? If not, you should be. These trees are not only aesthetically pleasing but also wonderful to eat. Many people compare the taste to banana. I admit, it does have a tropical essence; however, it has more of a Papaya and Mango combination with some banana mixed in. 
Add one of these trees to your landscape not only for your personal gain but also for the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly. This is the only plant that the Zebra Swallowtail will use as a host.
Most Pawpaws are not well pollinated. This can be for several reasons. First pollinators like the flies, beetles and ants do not pick up the faint smell of the flowers. Some people can boost pollination by attracting the insects using rotten food or your neighbors dead "yip-yip" dog should work fine. If you are able to endure the smell, expect delicious fruits in the late summer. Second, cross pollination between trees will boost the yield. So be sure and plant several Pawpaw trees. These trees tend to form in thickets, so expect more to pop up as the years go by.
I was enjoying a nice visit with my family the moment I received a telephone call from my dear friend Amanda. She reminded me of a time last year when she discovered morels outside of her apartment (click to view photos). There was a moment of silence over the line. Of course, she found more at her new apartment! Fungus seems to follow her where ever she goes - I'm not so sure that's a good thing. However, Silvia and I were invited to a wonderful morel pasta dinner.
After the first bite, I quizzed my taste buds searching for something that would blow my mind. But however delicious the fungus is, I will have to agree with my father's words, "A mushroom is a mushroom." Now that I think about it, I do remember a particular fungus that passed through John Gardner years ago. The fungus was called black fungus. The black jelly like fungus was revealed to me at an Asian restaurant in Ptuj, Slovenia. If I recall, it is tasty but the texture is bizarre and the black stains the teeth.
This morning, I came across some sticks from an old oak tree. What I found captivated the "photographer" within.
Winter can be a difficult time for most gardeners. It's considered to be an off season - washing containers, checking equipment, and other random tasks. What projects could I do to add some winter interest to my garden? Start with something simple like bird feeders. Before installing your bird feeder, consider the location. Place the feeder away from high traffic areas, including cars and pedestrians; near to an area of cover like bamboo or an evergreen; and near a source of water. After getting your bird feeder to the best possible spot, it is time to pick up some feed. During the winter birds are interested in gaining some serious fat. So provide them with feed that is high in protein.
Another thing you could add to your project is a bird bath. At Compton Gardens we decided to create our own bird bath using trunks of fallen trees and a chainsaw. After scooping out the bowl, we added a mossy rock (for a landing pad), and some plants to give it a natural, living aesthetic.
After doing these few things at our garden, the result has been dramatic. I've counted 15 or more species of birds at a time in the area providing a winter garden with an abundance of color.
My favorite time of the year is harvest! That's the time when the apples are ready to be picked for cider making.
I searched for apple varieties like Arkansas Black, Enterprise, Gold Rush, Ben Davis, Falawater, Lady, and Newton Pippin. The apple blend resulted in a high sugar, however low tannin, cider. The older varieties of apples were not as plentiful to have an impact on the dryness of this year's drink.
As for equipment, I purchased a 1/2 horsepower garbage disposal to use as a grinder. It worked well; however, it did overheat a few times as it was powering through 3 1/2 bushels of apples. For the second year in a row, we used our hands to press the mash rather than a machine. I haven't quite had the time or resources to build a proper press.
Due to a low pressure system lingering above our wonderful state, we have been graced once again with bloom of interesting mushrooms! Keep your eyes to the ground as you go on your morning jog, or just a simple afternoon stroll. Just this morning I stumbled across an interesting specimen. "Wow! An exploding nipple mushroom," was the first thing that popped into my mind. Consequently, the name is actually earthstar mushroom. I'm not quite certain of its specific epithet, so I will reveal only the genus: Geastrum. For more information, just click here!
Over the past several days, my comrades and I have been removing Euonymus fortunei-common name is wintercreeper-which is an invasive plant species. It may look harmless, but it will easily choke out native plants and limit the biodiversity of an area very quickly. The garden staff and I devised a way of removing the plant by starting at the top of a slope and rolling it over itself similar to rolling carpet. As we were rolling the wintercreeper, many creatures would come out to greet us: worms, various insects, spiders, and a lovely little salamander.
Mr. Salamander was upset because the worms were eating all his food. I told Mr. Salamander that we would relocate the worms to another place if he would have a wrestling match with one of the worms. He agreed.
Eurycea lucifuga, which is the scientific name for Mr. Salamander, is a rare find in the wild. The common name for this species is the cave salamander. Its habitat is usually in caves where light can be found and near springs. In Arkansas, the animal is limited to the Ozarks in the northern part of the state; however, the cave salamander can be found in many central and eastern states. Even though this salamander is rare, it is not on the federal endangered species list. 
I was enjoying a wonderful stroll through the garden when I came across a unique creature with eight hairy legs all stretched out to maybe four inches across. This arachnid was perched on his rock next to a crystal clear spring at Compton Gardens. The spider never moved as I approached with my camera, it was obvious that it was in stealth mode, ready to strike at any unsuspecting fishy fish.
At my new place of work, Compton Gardens, there are a few champion trees standing tall and proud! If you're wondering what a champion tree is, let me explain; "Arkansas's Champion Tree program recognizes those trees, planted by nature or individuals, that are the largest of each species. Trees are compared using the American Forest "Bigness Index" (BI)" (http://www.forestry.state.ar.us). I may be wrong, but I am sure that these trees are measured by the height and girth of the trunk. So, without any further ado I would like to present the Yellowwood Champion and the Champion Chestnut!
I would also like to share some more photos of Compton Gardens. These pictures show the work that has been completed for the opening of the bike trail in Bentonville, Arkansas on July 17th.
Some people would say that I'm one of the lucky ones and I would have to agree - I did find a job after finishing my degree! Can you believe it? I am on my second week of work and I still can't believe it!
The garden which is now known as Compton Gardens was donated to the Peel House Foundation in 2002. The creator and former owner, Dr. Neil Compton is the man responsible for America's First National River - the Buffalo River.
Today, the garden offers enthusiasts a look of Arkansas' native flora - from Alum Root to Yellow Root and the list is growing! In fact, just the other day I was planting the native orchid Spiranthes cernua. And rumor has it that we're getting some other interesting plants... keep that on the down-low.
On my lunch break I decided to shoot some photos of these great Arkansas plants to share with you. I want you to have a good idea about the potential of this wonderful garden - and believe me, this place has way more potential that you think.
Let me tell you that the flowers of Eryngium yuccifolium smell of honey. Very impressive summer plant. This plant is on my recommendation list. :)
Next up, we have Vaccinium elliottii. This is one of our native blueberry bushes. If you're a fan of natives and enjoy eating blueberries, this plant is definitely for you.
Another edible is Ribes odoratum, the golden currant. This is an all around great shrub. It has nice foliage and bears edible fruit. However, it is deciduous (keep in mind if use for a screen).
Well, that's all I have for now. Soon, I will post pictures of Compton Garden's Champion Trees! Ciao.
Hello everyone! Aren't things warming up a bit in Arkansas? Well, while your baking in the hot sun, my tomatoes are staying cool in the garden. Since I don't have room for much in my tiny garden, I have planted my tomatoes a bit too close together. They may seem a bit crowded, but with the right pruning job they will be just fine. I've also planted them near a fence to help with support rather than dealing with those circular wire frames. 
Have you heard of a rice-paper plant or rice-paper tree or Tetrapanax papyrifer? It's a wonderful specimen that adds great foliage interest to the garden. At the corner of my house there was once a Lonicera maackii - needless to say, I chopped that down with a axe made from the fires in hell. (*Hint* If you paint a coat of roundup on the stump it wont come back.) After the Amur honeysuckle was removed, I installed the rice-paper plant as a replacement. Once established the plant will mostly take care of itself. It will grow into a nice mounding screen; however, it will die back to the ground in the winter in Arkansas. It might be possible that southern Arkansas might get away with having it year-round. Before you think that you want one, keep in mind that this plant loves to spread from the base. Many of my colleagues are against having the rice-paper plant in their garden, but I've always been pretty rebellious when it comes to following the crowd.
Another little accent to my garden is Polemonium pauciflorum aka. Hickley's polemonium - I like to call it skunk plant, because the foliage smells horrific, which I think is terrific! By the way, its flowers are nice too.
It's the summer! People enjoy relaxing in the shade next to a cool, clean pool with an ice cold summer drink. I believe that was my father's idea a few weeks ago as he stepped out onto the veranda and mosied on over to his large, green umbrella. It never occurred to him that he would disturb the rest of a peaceful creature. As soon as he popped open his shade providing machine... "AHHHHH! A BAT!" Then he screamed for his wife, "Chotsie, there's a bat! Help." After careful review of the pictures, I have no idea what kind of bat this is. Could it be the very rare Small-footed Bat? I just don't know.
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