Monrovia : Community : Blog

It is as I remembered; really wet.  Our 777 arrived in Hong Kong, a bit wobbly from an approaching typhoon, and I was jostled from a shallow sleep repeatedly during the night by a lashing storm the likes I had never before witnessed. By morning, Canceled and Delayed, in green and red, sparkled on the departure screens like a morbid holiday greeting card. One must never take bad weather personally.

All things said, I was fortunate to arrive in Chengdu relatively early; Ozzie and Scott were Shanghai’d by the same storm and had a harder slog of it . Over a quiet - make that desolate - dinner at my hotel, my taste buds and digestive tract were reunited with Zanthoxylum piperitum - so called Sichuan Pepper -  while I stared through a window spattered with succulent drops of rain.

Off we were the following morning, after the niggling details of  dollar bills exchanged and the tiresome inspection by a bevy of bankers. Our route was, until the end, precisely that of my last trip to Sichuan in 2006 while shooting The Last Flower for Nova.  Across the immense, gray, industrially battered Chengdu Plain to the immense rift of mountains and valleys before the rise of vast Tibetan Plateau.  Our destination was LaBaHe Nature Reserve, recently created and surprisingly intact.

There was enough daylight and energy upon our arrival for a bit of roadside botanizing with sufficient enough interfacing with both familiar and unknown plant species to prime our anticipation for the first hike the following morning.  The rain carried on heavily through the night but the sound of which was masked by a seething river directly outside the windows of our bedrooms.

Gary, our Chinese guide who speaks impeccable English, drove us to the selected trailhead yesterday morning and gave us a rough description of how we were to proceed.  Roughly translated, he said, “be careful as I do not have a clue where this trail goes.”  As it turned out in the end, what we followed for seven hours, from 2007 m to 2300m were game tracks made by a healthy population of wild deer and an ungulate that appears to be a cross between a mountain goat and a wildebeest. Ankle deep mud, thickets of bamboo, and a fiercely armed rose thwarted our forward advance.  During our retreat, covered in mud, lacerations on our limbs and noggins and shortly after Scott had found a sizable leech attached to the back of my neck, Ozzie wondered aloud precisely what had possessed us to continue.

Collecting and exploring is a remarkable metaphor to living.  It is what might be beyond the next seemingly impassible copse of vegetation or sludge that keeps us insistent on moving ahead.  Had we turned back, we would have bypassed one of the most remarkable days of  botanizing in my life.  As before the day would end, I would stand amidst centuries old Cercidphyllum and groves of the fabled Dove Tree, Davidia involucrata.  Tonight I am nursing a tiredness I have not felt for many years, and too many leech bites on my ankles, hands and back to count, but I am more satiated from a day in the field than I have been in many years.

Mountain scenery in western Sichuan Province (with Acanthopanax
evodiaeifolia on left)

Ozzie Johnson with Davidia involucrata, LaBaHe Reserve, Sichuan Province

Ozzie Johnson and Scott McMahon in front of an ancient specimen of Katsura, Cercidiphyllum japonicum

Monrovia is lucky to be collaborating with one of the finest plant explorers alive today. Daniel J. Hinkley, former co-owner of the renowned Heronswood Nursery near Kingston, Washington, is working with Monrovia to bring new and unique plants to a nursery near you. This is easier said than done - it’s a task that requires travel to remote regions using somewhat primitive collecton methods. All with the hope that what is found will flourish as an ornamental plant in the U.S.

Dan, departs today on a new adventure. His first blog entry is listed below. In the coming days and weeks all of his posts will be under his own byline. His posts will also be posted on his own site, danieljhinkley.com

Dan Hinkley will be returning to the mountains of W. Sichuan this
autumn to the same areas he traveled in 2006, when he photographed
this ladyslipper, Cypripedium tibeticum, in perfect form.

San Francisco, CA
Posting 1

Yeah, ok, I realize that.  I said ok, ok?  I know I do not write often enough and I know that when I do write, I write too much. There are always other more important things to do than to sit and write: put suet out for the birds…the birds that somehow disjointedly figure into what I was going to write about; weed the part of the garden that has the plant that I was going to write about; take a picture of the plant I was going to write about; collect its seed; remove a dead branch; clean the refrigerator — because it had absolutely nothing to do with the subject I was about to write about. You know the drill. And then, when the dogs are walked and asleep on the banquette and the most up-to-date election polls are examined, I begin to write about what I was meant to write about, at last confronting that bridge to nowhere, while attempting to create a reality that someone will be sufficiently naïve to believe.  And then I write too much because there generally is too much too say, especially so when I am saying it, and you end up on a long bridge that leads to nowhere. And sadder still, I know precisely what many of you must be shrieking when you attempt to decipher my infinite, yet, I must say, ever so thoughtful and and witty musings: thanks but no thanks.

For the next 10 weeks, I am going to attempt to get my head around blogging, if I understand at all what blogging actually is. I believe it is somewhat like emailing my mother.  I can’t use vulgar language, nor too much Latin nor dwell on disingenuous, transparent choices of running mates from Alaska. I must be concise, the language clean, the pictures pretty. Sounds easy enough.

My disheveled mountain of raingear, polypro underwear, Ziplocs, sieves, Starbucks French Roast and protein bars have been compressed into numerous cases and boxes, each assigned to either China only, China and Vietnam, Vietnam only or Vietnam and Japan. (You might notice an improvement in my writing already; in the past I would have told you that I had packed Atkins Peanut Butter and Chocolate net 2 carb bars, but in my nascent approach to clean writing, I have referred to them refreshingly as simply protein bars). These boxes will be cached across Southeast Asia for subsequent retrieval and restocking, if all goes as planned. One must be never be deprived of Starbucks French Roast nor an occasional Atkins Peanut Butter and Chocolate net 2 carb bar.

So, here I am in San Francisco, awaiting my flight to Hong Kong, wondering what it is I have forgotten, what it is that I will find. In a little over 24 hours from now, I will be reconnecting with good friends Scott McMahon and Ozzie Johnson at the Min Shan Hotel in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.  It was from this same celebrated lodging, nearly four years ago to the day, that we had last parted company in China after one of the most exciting collection trips I had ever participated in. I am hoping for a repeat performance.  So, here we go again.  Stay tuned.

–Daniel J. Hinkley

I grew up in Northern Illinois. As a kid, I never really considered it, but I was surrounded by some of the most beautiful black soil on the planet. At 13, my family moved to Southern California. The climate of course is great, but the soil… not so great. This is especially true in any of the modern housing tracts where the topsoil (such as it is, or was) is graded, compacted, and otherwise abused during construction.

The reason that the soil near my childhood home has that wonderful black color is because of the organic matter it contains. Over the eons, plants deposited organic matter on the soil surface as a natural mulch. This organic matter slowly decomposed through the action of a whole host of microscopic organisms such as protozoa, fungi, and bacteria. Insects, worms and other animals helped to incorporate this organic matter into the soil. Over time, the organic matter was transformed to a relatively stable material called “humus”.

The relationship between the various organisms that live in the soil is sometimes called the soil foodweb and has been recognized as an important factor in overall soil health, and therefore plant health.

Soil organic matter has many benefits for plants: Organic matter is a natural fertilizer, it improves the nutrient holding capacity of soil (the so-called cation exchange capacity), it makes plant nutrients more available for uptake by roots, it improves water absorption and drainage, and supports the beneficial organisms in the soil ecosystem. Organic matter improves the water holding capacity of sandy soil and loosens heavy clay soils. Soil organic matter also benefits the environment because soils with adequate organic matter absorb and hold more water, and therefore less water runs off into lakes and streams.

In a previous posting I discussed the benefits of mulches and the types of organic materials used for mulches. Mulching is one way to improve the organic matter content of your garden soil. However, mulch is only applied to the surface of the soil and relies on the same processes for incorporation as occurs in nature. You can increase the organic content of your soil more quickly by incorporating organic materials into your soil.

Similar organic materials can be used for incorporation as are used for mulching. However, there is one major thing to consider, and that is carbon-nitrogen ratio of the product. When organic matter is incorporated into the soil, microorganisms use the carbon in the material as a food source. The microorganisms also need nitrogen to grow and multiply. If there is not enough nitrogen in the organic matter, then the microorganisms take-up whatever other nitrogen is present in the soil. Plants also need nitrogen to grow, but the microorganisms are much more effective at using the available nitrogen. So if there’s too much carbon and not enough nitrogen in the soil, the microbes will use all the nitrogen and the plants won’t get enough and will turn yellow. Eventually, the microorganisms complete their job of decomposition and there will be a net release of nitrogen which your plants can take advantage of, but this may take several weeks or months.

This may all sound very complicated, but the bottom line is that you generally want to avoid incorporating “raw” organic matter into your soil, such as sawdust or uncomposted leaves. Some of the best material to use is compost, because it has already undergone the decomposition process in the compost pile. Most high quality composts will act as a natural fertilizer in your garden and will support the community of microorganisms in your soil.

When should organic matter be added to your soil? As often as you like, but generally the most convenient time to add it is when preparing areas for planting. After the garden is already planted, it can be difficult to incorporate organic matter without disturbing plant roots. At that point mulching is probably an easier option.

How much organic matter should you add to your soil? The amount added is not that critical. Start with a layer about 2 to 4 inches deep and work it into the top 6 inches of soil. Large amounts of organic matter can generally be added to the soil with no problems. One exception is materials containing large amounts of manure. These are relatively high in fertilizer value and can burn plants if too much is used.

If you have trouble deciding what product to use, talk to your local garden center. They will be familiar with the different materials that are available and work best in your area.

So add some organic matter to your soil and improve your little corner of the world. You will be joining a long list of people that have recognized the importance of soil.

“To be a successful farmer one must first know the nature of the soil.” Xenophon, Oeconomicus, 400 B.C.

It’s the dog days of summer. Thoughts turn to vacations, backyard barbecues, and, on the really hot days, sitting inside in front of the TV with the air conditioning blasting away.

But don’t forget your garden - it may need some “conditioning” too.

Plants take up water through the roots and release it to the atmosphere through microscopic pores in the leaves called stomates. The process of water uptake and evaporation through the leaves is called transpiration. Just like the human body sweats to keep cool in the summer, plants transpire to keep cool.

The stomates also allow the plant to absorb carbon dioxide from the air and convert it to food in the process of photosynthesis. In the heat of the summer, these two processes of transpiration and photosynthesis are cranking full bore. If water uptake by the roots can’t keep up with transpiration by the leaves, then the plant wilts.

So what can we do to help our plants stay cool and happy over the summer? The first and most important thing of course is to make sure your plants have the right amount of water and a healthy, deep root system.

But beyond that there are things you can do to the soil, like applying mulch. The word “mulch” is derived from an English dialect “molsh” or “melch”, meaning soft. Strictly speaking, mulch is any material that covers the soil surface, as opposed to something that is incorporated into the soil.

Mulches can be inorganic or organic. Inorganic mulches include gravel, pebbles, and ground rubber from recycled tires. Even plastic sheeting or woven landscape fabric is considered mulch. Organic mulches include bark, compost, pine straw, grass clippings, wood chips, leaves, and almost any other plant residue that you could imagine.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, “mulching is one of the simplest and most beneficial practices you can use in the garden.” As a Clemson University web site explains, mulching was really nature’s idea, as falling leaves and branches in forests creates a soft layer of organic matter that covers the soil.

There are many benefits of using organic mulch. One of the most obvious benefits in the summer is that it reduces the loss of water from the soil by evaporation. Mulch keeps the soil, and therefore plant roots, cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It reduces soil erosion and improves water infiltration. This helps avoid run-off of sediments and chemicals into neighboring streams. Mulch improves soil structure and builds new soil as it decays into rich organic matter. And, if you need one more reason, mulch is also aesthetically pleasing and gives the garden a finished look.

The web sites mentioned above have lots more information about mulches. Talk to a reputable nursery to see what materials are best for your area. There are a few things to watch out for, but in general, using mulch in the garden is fast and easy and will make a big difference in the overall appearance of your landscape.

So get out there and “transpire” a little (your plants are - they need some company). You will be rewarded with a beautiful, healthy garden, and your plants will say “Thank you very mulch!”

It’s been some time since I’ve last written. Since then, my Midknight Blue Agapanthus and Cape Aurora Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos ‘Cape Aurora‘) have bloomed.

And, in a way, so, too, did my appendix.

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks recuperating from a very sudden operation. While everything went smoothly, as anyone on the mend can attest, it was still a little miserable. Having time to putter around my house allowed me to spend weekday afternoons in my garden – a rare opportunity – and, for that, I thank that seemingly useless organ.

It was this unanticipated time in my garden that made me really understand the idea of an outdoor space as a refuge. For me, my family’s backyard has been for entertaining, dining, growing food, and just plain frolicking. But, until now, I didn’t appreciate the idea of a beautiful space that allows quiet contemplation and a respite from the chaos of life.

My appendix is gone, but a much larger part of me will always be grateful for our simple concrete planter bench, the shade of a well-placed tree and some timely blooms in June.

Odds are it was your mom. Or, I bet she had a hand in your understanding and appreciation for all things blooming.

I am often hard pressed to name my single favorite plant, but whenever I think of my mother, I think of hydrangeas. So, be it hydrangea, gardenia, clematis, rose or daisy… I hope your Mother’s Day is spent with beautiful blooms and thoughts of your mom.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the women who are as unique and lovely as the plants they love!

Buttons n’ Bows^® Hydrangea

August Beauty Gardenia

Blue Light^® Clematis

Knock Out^®Rose

Becky Shasta Daisy

For all our friends in the Midwest – take heart, the snow and rain will soon be gone. Here are some lovely May flowers to bring you comfort.

Dust off your shovels - it’s time for some spring gardening!

Penny Mac Hydrangea

Lights of Paris Siberian Iris

Miss Kim Korean Lilac

Flower Carpet^®Appleblossom Groundcover Rose

Since its first celebration in 1970, Earth Day has been a single day when concern for the environment is foremost in our thoughts and actions. Nearly 40 years later, sustainability has finally broken free from a single day that we “celebrate” to a way of living.

Yet, as eco-consciousness breaks through to the nightly news and on the cover of every magazine on the newsstand, we garden lovers must remember that being green isn’t merely a fad. There is much to be done on a global scale and much, too, in our own backyards.

We gardeners already know the relationship of climate change to our gardens. Droughts in Georgia and 70 degree January days in New York surely impact not only what and how we grow but the very balance of life on earth. So, where do we start?

Mulch. And then mulch some more.
If you do nothing else this year to make a personal commitment to environmental change, consider the impact of spreading a protective layer of mulch atop bare earth. To help prevent water evaporation, spread shredded bark or compost about 3 inches deep on top of the soil. This will help reduce your water usage and lessen the impact of hot summers and drought.

Healthy-balanced soil.
Adding compost will not only help feed earthworms who help your garden prosper, it will also help keep your plants healthy. Healthy plants are less susceptible to pests and disease, thereby reducing the need for chemical applications. Compost is rich in organic matter – just what a garden needs to thrive.

Organic matter is key.
Monrovia soils are blended with organic matter, such as compost and bark, slow release-fertilizer and mycorrhizae. Mychorrhizae are a group of beneficial organisms that grow along the roots of host plants, enlarging the roots’ naturally-occurring surface-absorbing capacity, making the plant much more efficient in the uptake of nutrients and water. Mycorrhizae help to reduce transplant shock, stress from drought, soil-borne diseases, water usage and the reliance on fertilizers. By adding Monrovia plants – both ornamental and edible – to your garden, you are helping to replenish these organisms in your landscape. Learn more about our soil.

Pick the right plant.
Recreating the English countryside in Phoenix no longer works. Choosing the right plant for your region and the changing conditions caused by climate change – including drought – is one of the best things you can do to do your part in protecting the environment.

Drought tolerant doesn’t mean cactus and yucca (not that there’s anything wrong with that!). Peruse our plant catalog for drought tolerant plants in your cold hardiness zone and I’m sure you’ll be surprised at what you can include in your garden that is just as beautiful as a water-dependent plant, but so much more sustainable.

And while you’re at it, consider adding more edibles to your garden. What could be more sustainable than growing your own food?

So, on Earth Day where do we start? The same place we do every spring: our gardens. This year, I encourage you to act with the determination to keep making a difference and not forgetting that Earth Day is every day and going green is a life change – not a passing fad.

Find out more about gardening with a greener thumb.

In 1955, the groundbreaking designs of the American landscape architect, Thomas Church, were collected and published. The book, while showcasing the achingly beautiful, temperate climate of California, also inspired a great many after him to embrace what we all know to be true: gardens are for people.

It may be a coincidence that I am a great lover of Thomas Church and a native Californian; I’ve enjoyed what seems like a continual spring-summer, spring-summer my entire life. But, climate aside, it’s the notion of what Thomas Church exhibited in his work and in his landmark book, Gardens Are for People, with which I am so enamored.

Gardens and our outdoor living spaces are where we find calm, celebrate with friends and watch children grow. It’s where we throw open the doors and let down our hair. Our outdoor spaces are an extension of our indoor spaces, but intentionally or not, they are subject to the fragility of nature. And often, that’s what makes them so remarkable.

Church crafted personal spaces that connected the outdoors with the real lives of people. Shrugging off the notion that a garden is for ornamentation alone, he was one of the founding fathers of the modern outdoor living room. Indoor-outdoor living, so in vogue today in every part of the country, is a tribute to this man and this philosophy.

At Monrovia, we are merely a group of people that have coalesced to promote this idea. We are, in fact, people for gardens.

In this space, you’ll find musings and thoughts from a collection of us here at Monrovia. And along the way, we’ll have some special guests too. In late April, we’ll launch our Community Forum, where we’d love to hear all about your garden dreams, ideas, inspirations, and questions.

We know that gardens have always brought people together and we invite gardeners from every style, skill level, and climate zone to join our virtual garden club.