Geum in Brad’s May garden.
Vinca photo clipped from an IG post by @greenshilpgram
Plant of the Week:
Madagascar Vinca
Brad Johnson and I talked about the lovely early perennial that some people call Avens (Geum coccineum) in the podcast, but I settled on the annual vinca plant, the Madagascar vinca, or Catharanthus roseus, as the Plant of the Week this week.
The reason is that it’s going a little crazy in my garden this year, having self-seeded enough to make me research whether it is an invasive plant (because it certainly isn’t native…)
Can’t wait to see what colors I get— there are so many out there, and new cultivars of doubles, and small, swirly blooms too.
Look at all of these babies! Can’t wait for the color at the end of the season, and I am moving them all around the garden to any blank spot I spy.
Painting and Plant Pairing
from
Karen Blair
You heard me mention my friend Karen Blair on the pod this week. Karen is a Charlottesville based painter whose work I know you would love. She is known for her joyous use of color and for exuberant mark-making. Her own garden and those of friends inspire the flowers and trees also prevalent in her paintings.
My Asiatic lilies. Some of the few the deer didn’t munch.
I am so excited to start this partnership with Karen, and each week I will feature here one of her paintings with a corresponding garden photo! Follow this link to see more of her paintings.
Brad Johnson in his Ohio garden.
Brad Johnson of Garden Evolution
This week’s conversation with Brad Johnson of Garden Evolution of Ohio was another good old garden chat.
Brad is active on social media, which is how we became pals. He has built a community of followers that is inclusive and sharing, and he often goes live with IG friends just to do what we did: chat about gardening.
I love this combo of dark, dark and dark. (Elephant ears, sweet potato vine and coleus.)
Our talk included Jumping Worms, Roundup, Brad’s DIY greenhouse, and what the perfect day in the garden looks likes and his favorite tool, the step edger.
And geums. :)
Links:
July in Brad’s garden. Those Achillea are to die for.
This bad boy can make a clean 6” edge.
What an Astrantia color!
Beautiful summer border at Brad’s
Coffee Time!
Please consider supporting Into the Garden with Leslie my buying me a cup of coffee.
OR! Becoming a member of I’m into the Garden too!
I will send you some LH Gardens gear if you become a member!
The Play List
Here are a couple of useful links that I mentioned in other parts of Episode 73.
Tom Christopher’s June 15 Episode of the Growing Greener podcast.
This is a conversation with journalist Carey Gillam, author of the book “Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science”. It doesn’t make you feel any better about Roundup.
Jumping worm intel:
Shallow Dive: Short article on the basics
Deep Dive: hour long Brad Herrick PBS talk on the biology of the icky things
In my garden eewwwwww.
But on their way to their final resting place.
Next Episode
Erin the Impatient Gardener
This rock star returns for a visit!