Michigan Gardener - Your guide Great Lakes gardening: Garden Event Calendar / Expert Advice / Plant Profiles / Tree Care

PLEASE NOTE: In the autumn of 1995, we hatched the idea for a free, local gardening publication. The following spring, we published the first issue of Michigan Gardener magazine. Advertisers, readers, and distribution sites embraced our vision. Thus began an exciting journey of helping our local gardening community grow and prosper.
After 27 years, nearly 200 issues published, and millions of copies printed, we have decided it is time to end the publication of our Print Magazine and E-Newsletter.

American Garden Award Winners Announced

September 16, 2013 • 1 Comment

The 2013 American Garden Awards featured four new flower varieties chosen by their breeders for their excellent garden performance. These varieties were planted and displayed at the thirty-one gardens across the U.S. and Canada. The public was invited to vote for their favorite.

The votes have been tallied and the three winners are:

Grand Prize Winner: Verbena ‘Lanai® Candy Cane’
by Syngenta Flowers
‘Lanai® Candy Cane’ offers a truly unique flower pattern which commands curbside attention! This striking striped beauty offers continuous summer blooms stacked atop a well-balanced plant habit. Candy Cane was selected from a strong and proven family of verbena varieties with superior weather tolerance.

Second Place Winner: Zinnia ‘Zahara™ Cherry’
by PanAmerican Seed
Grow beautiful Zinnia ‘Zahara™ Cherry’ in both containers and landscape beds, or just about any other sunny location where you want loads of bold color. These fast-growing zinnias bloom continuously all season long and are both disease and drought tolerant.

Third Place Winner: Impatiens ‘SunPatiens® Compact Electric Orange’
by Sakata Ornamentals
With vibrant, deep orange blooms, Electric Orange is a new color in the SunPatiens® line. SunPatiens fill in quickly providing three seasons of color in the garden and in containers. They can be planted in sun or shade and grow readily in rain or shine. SunPatiens are trouble free and need no care beyond regular watering.

For more informatation, visit All-America Selections

Where are the monarch butterflies this year?

September 5, 2013 • Leave a Comment

MSU Extension:

The monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, is one of the most widely recognized butterflies in the United States. Its fantastic spring and fall migrations capture the attention of all who appreciate the marvels of nature. Because of the great interest in this creature, any year in which the population seems to be lower than normal raises the attention of the public. The number of monarch butterflies in Michigan at this point in 2013 appears to be far lower than usual, and there are a couple of good explanations.

Read the full story here…

Native species help in fight against Emerald Ash Borer

August 19, 2013 • Leave a Comment

Wall Street Journal:

When the emerald ash borer showed up in the U.S. about a decade ago, the native ecosystem didn’t put up much of a fight against the Asian beetle—and the invader quickly munched its way through ash trees from Minnesota to New Hampshire, causing destruction that will cost billions of dollars to repair.

Now, however, scientists have found three reliable native allies in their fight against the scourge: Certain woodpeckers, nuthatches and parasitic wasps have developed a taste for the beetles. In conjunction with natural predators imported from the borers’ original home in China and chemical treatments, the native species are helping curtail the pest after years of destruction.

Read the full story here…

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