The Gentle Gardener

keeping the needs of your plants in mind

Michele Helbacka

Gardening in this area can be tricky. Many would-be gardeners give up after a year or two of watching plants
succumb to hard freezes, incessant deer munching, and our drought/ rain-for-days weather cycles. And don’t even get me started on the wind. For gardeners, this weather uncertainty must translate into an attitude of trial and error and letting nature take its course.

What I mean by a “gentle gardener” is the idea that one will experience more success in gardening by determining which plants will be successful in our climate, and also by understanding where each plant wants to grow and thrive. Forceful gardening, on the other hand, is trying — by any means necessary — to get a plant to grow where WE want it to grow. I have toured some of the most incredible gardens in the world, the masterpieces in England come to mind, and they are cared for by forceful gardeners. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to work twelve-hour days in my garden from May to September. I want to co-exist with my
garden, not be its constant steward. We can create beautiful gardens without all of that hassle. Gentle gardening — choosing the right plants and putting them in the right place — is the key.

How to do that? One guide is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. Guide is the key word here. In our region of micro-climates, hardiness guides are iffy at best. Our area generally ranges from zone 3 to 4. But, I garden along the St. Louis River. It’s so warm there that in my more sheltered gardens, I have several zone 5 plants that thrive and return every spring.

Purchased plants have tags that recommend a zone, but don’t depend on that advice alone. Talk to an experienced gardener — you’ll find some at your local green house. Beware: Many garden centers put out expensive zone 9 and 10 plants along with reliable perennials.

Another way to be in tune with the needs of your plants is to know if they need a sunny spot, a shady spot, or something in between. Again, this is not clear cut; some sun-loving plants can use afternoon shade, and some shade plants do well with a bit of morning sun. Here’s where that “trial and error attitude” comes in handy, especially for perennials. Watch for signs of drooping or browning (too much sun) or “reaching” (not enough sun), or just plain failure to thrive. Be willing to move the plant, cut it back, and wait. Be patient.

So, are there some faithful, rarely- fail (notice I didn’t say never) plants for Duluth~Superior gardening? Absolutely! They are the backbones of my perennial gardens, my ‘old faithfuls.’ (See facing page.)

So, gentle gardeners, get to know your plants, and they will enjoy living in your garden.

4 – 14 INCHES HIGH

LAMIUM ‘NANCY’ Beautiful two-tone foliage of sage and silvery green. Blooms in dark purple from mid-summer to late August.
NEPETA ‘CATMINT’ Edging a sunny garden, Nepeta adds touchable, fuzzy texture and delicate lavender spires of bloom. Deer and bunnies won’t eat it; brush against it and the smell is divine.
EUPHORBIA Many varieties of this interesting plant are available! For full sun, I use mounding ‘Cushion Spurge’ where I want a globe of chartreuse with yellow fl owers. There is also a purple spurge, ‘Chameleon,’ I
have had success with. I particularly love the velvety, soft foliage of ‘Wulfenii’ but be careful — it’s a run-around.

14 – 36 INCHES

DAYLILY, HELIOPSIS, AND PURPLE CONEFLOWERS Combine these sun-lovers in your garden. Many varieties of daylily are available, so you can select them according to a desired color combination. I usually plant them in triangles of three or waves of fi ve. Heliopsis is a pure zone 3 and a reliable self-seeder. Purple Conefl owers are tough, deer-resistant, and travelers: you never know where they will appear.
ALLIUM ‘GLOBE MASTER’ When Alliums shoot through a flower bed and explode into a purple globe, it’s just breathtaking. I pepper them throughout my sunny gardens. The bulbs are a bit expensive, but they
reappear every year and you don’t have to dig and store them like Dahlias.
BEARDED IRIS A pure, zone 3 sunny garden favorite. Plant this with the top of the rhizome exposed and ignore. Large, earlysummer blooms in a variety of colors and ruffles. Divide after two years, although I have
let some go four years and they still bloom beautifully.

4 FEET AND OVER

GOATSBEARD Provides a beautiful backdrop for a shade garden. Delicate, leafy foliage topped with white astilbe-like fuzzy plumes in mid-summer. Provide a wind-break.
CLEMATIS So many colors and types, it’s best to ask a near-by gardener for a success story. I love ‘Jackmanii’ on an 8’ willow trellis. I also have dainty, lemon-yellow ‘Radar Love’ running happily along a fence.