notes and musings from a perennial gardener
The Main Buzz
This tongue-twister of a plant disease, phytophthora (FY-toe-THOR-uh) root rot, is a menace every gardener dreads. The prevalence of phytophthora is on the rise in many places including Pennsylvania. If you haven’t heard of it, now’s the time to learn more. This disease can kill a lot of plants quickly if not halted.
I’m dealing with it right now, and it’s a bear! Ugh. So I called in the cavalry — the professionals. Here’s what I’m learning about it.
Lily-of-the-Nile, African Lily, Agapanthus— it’s a lovely tropical plant whatever you call it. The flowers resemble a cross between an allium and an amaryllis. In fact, it is a member of the Amaryllis genus. Until just recently, no agapanthus cultivar was reliably hardy in the ground below zone 7. This is starting to change, with cultivars bred for colder regions starting to come to market.
Still, if you want to grow this plant reliably in zone 6, a pot or planter is the best way to do it. Luckily agapanthus adapts readily to pots.
Making art from the garden, whether it’s crafts like wreaths and dried arrangements, painting “en plein air” or drawing botanical sketches, it’s always fun and a great way to preserve garden memories.
I want to stress, you don’t need lots of talent to do this. Art can be enjoyable no matter what your level of artistic acumen. The idea is to try a new fun activity with the breeze in your hair. Even doodles or sketches in a writing journal count. Capture some flowering trees in spring, paint an Adirondack chair among the daylilies, draw a vase of daisies; they all make fine subjects.