All the Dirt on Gardening

Memphis Botanic Garden is a garden-travel destination we have loved for several years. It's a six hour drive from here. Far enough to feel like we've gone someplace but still easy to do in a half day. We're especially excited to be going now because the Hydrangea Garden is in full bloom. In all, MBG is 96-acres with 29 specialty gardens. Open from 9 to 6, you can go early morning and walk through the cool hours of the day. Admission is $8 or $10 for seniors/adults. The Sensory Garden and Wildflower Trail are great places to see butterflies of all types. The garden for families, My Big Backyard features climbing, games, crafts, educational exhibits, and toys. This year, we plan to take in Fratelli's Cafe for lunch since its just about the only part of the garden we haven't visited yet. Memphis Botanic Garden 750 Cherry Road | Memphis, TN 38117  Phone 901-636-4100 In the same neighborhood is Dixon Gallery and Gardens which we always include in our ...

Glory Bower Vine The first time we saw this gorgeous plant was in Memphis at a little garden across the road from the Memphis Botanic Garden . Dixon Gallery and Garden s are a must-go destination for us each time we go to Memphis. Bleeding Heart Vine or Glory Bower, Clerodendrum thomsoniae, is a tropical plant from Africa that only survives in zones 10 and above but is frequently grown indoors and in tropical houses other places. At the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, they have a record of all their Clerodendrum thomsoniae vines, living and dead at the plant record here . Here's what MOBOT says about growing bleeding heart vine in their climate - Heavy feeder, needs hanging planter, trellis or other support for its 12-15 feet long vine. Part-shade, evergreen, needs a winter rest at 55-65 degrees with minimal water Prune in early spring, needs several gallons of water every week during growing and flowering periods. Plant of the Week suggests using a sa...

Today at the Memphis Botanic Garden The Japanese Garden of Tranquility is a beautiful place to walk on a late spring day. Benches in the shade provide a place to watch the koi splashing and jumping. The iris garden is in its full glory with art as dramatic as the flowers. If you haven't visited yet, it's definitely worth adding to your travel itinerary. Each time we come, it looks different. The website has a link for what blooms when so you can see your favorites.

A few of us traveled to Memphis to the annual hydrangea tour. This year's tour included Memphis Botanical Garden , the gardens at the Dixon Gallery , and three private gardens. At the sale, the volunteers had everything set up beautifully. There was a table full of hydrangea flowers labeled with the variety, so attendees would be able to identify the flower they were looking for under the plant tent. In addition, we visited two nurseries, one of which was GardensOyVey . As you walk through GardensOyVey, you stroll through paths of plants, pass the pond in this photo, and generally enjoy a beautiful place created by people who love plants. This is the one I bought at OyVey. It is the climbing hydrangea that grows in practically full shade. If you have a chance to attend a plant society tour, take advantage of it. Being around people who love plants makes for a nice vacation.