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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.

Archive for the dutch tag

Dutch consortium solves the first tulip genome

February 2, 2018   •   1 Comment

Three leading Dutch organizations have been collaborating with the aim of making tulip breeding and production faster and more sustainable. Using the latest technologies, it is now possible to identify the DNA sequence of the common garden tulip genome (Tulipa gesneriana), one of the biggest genomes ever sequenced. Its size is estimated to be nearly 11 times larger than that of humans.

The tulip genome reveals how the DNA determines the characteristics of a tulip. DNA patterns that are linked to desirable characteristics will soon be used in advanced breeding so that these characteristics can be combined to give new, improved varieties. With this knowledge, new tulip varieties that are resistant to common diseases can be developed faster and in a more targeted way. This will also reduce the use of plant protection products.

Hans van den Heuvel, Director Research & Development at Dümmen Orange, says: “The tulip genome makes the human genome look tiny: the entire human genome fits into one tulip chromosome. With the technology that was available at the turn of the century, this job would have taken over 100 years—an impossible task. But now we can do it in a matter of days. Data analysis is in full swing and there is no doubt that it will produce information that will transform tulip breeding, making it faster, more predictive, and above all ‘greener’ because we will focus on varieties that can be grown sustainably.”

Filed Under: Clippings Tagged With: breeding, bulb, dutch, tulip, tulip genome, Tulipa gesneriana

DNR hosting public open houses to obtain feedback on proposed Belle Isle garden

November 6, 2017   •   Leave a Comment

piet-oudolf-1117
Piet Oudolf

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Garden Club of Michigan will host two public meetings November 14 and November 28 to gather public input on a proposed garden in Detroit’s Belle Isle Park. The garden will be designed by internationally renowned garden designer Piet Oudolf.

Oudolf’s acclaimed gardens include the Lurie Garden in Chicago and the Highline in New York City, among scores of gardens around the world. He is one of today’s premier garden designers for public landscapes and is a leading figure of the “New Perennial” movement that is characterized by utilizing herbaceous perennials and grasses. His garden designs are artistic, ecologically inspired, accessible, welcoming, and enjoyed year-round.

After touring Detroit with the Garden Club of Michigan this past spring, Oudolf selected Belle Isle Park as the proposed site for one of his acclaimed garden designs. The site, located near the Nancy Brown Peace Carillon Tower between the Remick Band Shell and the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, will be a connector in the cultural heart of the park. It also will help revitalize the island and attract garden lovers from near and far. The proposed garden will be paid for through donations and fundraising that will cover all the design, installation and maintenance costs.

Oudolf described the proposed Belle Isle site as a connector for people and activities on the island and “an opportunity to reinvigorate the adjacent structures and facilities.”

Open house dates & details

At the open houses, participants will view a short video of Oudolf discussing his vision for the garden and providing insight into the preferred site location. He also will respond to a few questions submitted by the public ahead of time. Both open houses will take place at the Flynn Pavilion (4435 Muse Road, Belle Isle Park, Detroit).

First open house: Tuesday, November 14, 6 to 8 p.m.
Second open house: Tuesday, November 28, 3 to 5 p.m. Will address questions that arise from the first open house.

“It is vital that the community has an opportunity to weigh in on the proposal,” said Scott Pratt, chief of Southern Field Operations for the DNR. “It is equally important that the DNR and the garden club ensure that the garden will be financially sustainable and has the support of state and city agencies.”

Filed Under: Clippings Tagged With: Belle Isle, detroit, DNR, dutch, garden designer, Piet Oudolf, public garden

A treasure trove of rare wild tulip photos

October 1, 2014   •   Leave a Comment

girl-carrys-red-tulips-oct-14Tulip lovers have a new website to explore: www.tulipsinthewild.com features photographs of rare wild tulip species in their remote mountain native habitats. The site follows a group of Dutch bulb enthusiasts on a two-decade quest to some of the world’s most forbidding mountain ranges as they find and photograph little-known tulip species in the wild.

Despite their genteel garden image, tulips in the wild are native to harsh landscapes in hard-to-reach corners of the world. They’re often found clinging to barren mountain ledges exposed to wind, cold and drought. The contrast of harsh habitat and colorful tulips makes for some breathtaking photographs, most shot in mountain ranges in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.

The site features an interactive map where users can click on a region to view the tulips that were photographed there. A selection of expedition shots is included plus tulip images with a description of each flower and where it was found. The only frustration for many will be the fact that most of the tulips displayed still exist only in the wild or in a few private collections. So for now, the best view of some of the rarest tulips on earth is just a click away, at www.tulipsinthewild.com.

Filed Under: Clippings Tagged With: dutch, nature, photos, tulip, tulips, wild

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