Johnston Honey

Autumn Blaze Spire is an upright, vase shaped Autumn Blaze Maple. It is cross between a sugar maple (color) and a silver maple (rapid growing/adaptable). It is mainly red in the fall, and is the earliest of the maples to turn color.
Autumn Blaze Spire is an upright, vase shaped Autumn Blaze Maple. It is cross between a sugar maple (color) and a silver maple (rapid growing/adaptable). It is mainly red in the fall, and is the earliest of the maples to turn color.
Fall leaves on the pond.
Red Silver ornamental grass glistens in the low fall sunlight.
Silvery Popular trees stand in the background (these have been mistaken for white birch, which grow poorly in SE Minnesta), while the seed pods of clematis, (species?) hang on the split rail fence. This variety of clematis produces a small, attractive white flower in mid summer. We give it lots of room, as it sends out vines up to 20 feet in length. This clematis eagerly seeds itself, making it a bit of a nuisance.
Silver Feather ornamental grass provides great interest in the fall and winter garden.
Silver Feather ornamental grass provides great interest in the fall and winter garden. The low mid-day sunlight accentuates it's beauty.
Snow Drift Crabapple is a consistent bloomer and attractive to the bees. It is quite resistant to fungus and retains it's leaves during most summers. The orange apples are a big hit with the Cedar Waxwings in the fall.
Once established, the Giant Allium is a survivor here in Minnesota. It blooms in late spring with the Poppies (background). It divides very slowly.
Tall Bearded Iris are nice to have in any garden. Some varieties seem very hardy, while others die out over time.
We think that varigated Hosta are the most attractive of the many kinds of Hosta. We make no attempt to keep track of the Hosta species - there are so many! Hosta, of course, are a staple of nearly all Minnesota gardens. They live forever, are easily divided and look good until mid-summer. Some, like Royal Standard extend the season by blooming in August and are highly scented.
The Gas Plant is a great plant! It is slow to establish but completely reliable and is in full bloom earlier than most perennials. This is the alba version. We also have a rubra version. The Gas Plant is so named because the flowers emit a gas. If you light a match next to a flower some evening, a burst of flame should occur.
Pink Peony. Is this Bowl of Beauty?
Single white Peony. Is this Krinkled White?
Pink Peony. Is this Raspberry Sundae?
Hosta of many types are found in this garden. Hosta, of course, are a staple of nearly all Minnesota gardens. They live forever, are easily divided and look good until mid-summer. Some, like Royal Standard extend the season by blooming in August and are highly scented. Deer like Hosta, but not as much as they like rose tips. Occasional use of Hinder deer repellent keeps the deer off the Hosta.
The fountain opens early, well before the last frost, since running water doesn't freeze. It is a welcomed reminder that Spring is here! This daffodil picture was from the spring of 2002. Year 2003 was a relatively poor year for daffodils, either because of a very dry fall or marked fluctuations in winter temperatures. An Autumn Blaze Serviceberry is starting to bud at the right of the picture.
The Leonard Messel Magnolia tree grows to 20 feet. It is a fairly consistent early bloomer, although an unusually harsh winter will limit the bloom. The hose in the foreground was use to sprinkle just uncovered tea roses (recovering from the Minnesota tip) to prevent drying. Due to the time commitment, we stopped growing tea roses. However, done right, tea roses are worth every minute of effort!
The children's cottage was built by Don in his spare time. Inside, it is lined with tongue and grove pine boards and has all the comforts of home! The hood at the back is an exhaust fan.
Tree peonies grow in Minnesota! Although they survive all that winter can throw their way, they do not bloom after a harsh winter. This picture shows the tree peony after a moderate winter. Blooms last only a week, but for that short time, bees take all the pollen they can find. Can anyone name this tree peony?
Tree peonies grow in Minnesota! Although they survive all that winter can throw their way, they do not bloom after a harsh winter. This picture shows the tree peony after a moderate winter. Blooms last only a week, but for that short time, bees take all the pollen they can find. Can anyone name this tree peony?
The Leonard Messel Magnolia tree grows to 20 feet. It is a fairly consistent early bloomer, although an unusually harsh winter will limit the bloom. However, as evidenced by this picture, spring snow has little effect on the bloom!
A Red Splendor Crabapple tree is shown in the foreground and a Snowdrift is seen in the background. Crabapple trees are very popular here in Rochester. They are difficult to kill, and reliably bloom in the spring. The problem is that the bloom lasts only a week, and many become unsightly in the summer as disease takes it's toll on the foliage. The Red Splendor produces bright, red berries that persist throughout the winter. Early arriving robins eat them in the spring. They also attract the occasional pileated woodpecker.
Springtime in Rochester! On the left is a Snowdrift crabapple tree and on the right is a Japanese (Whitespire) Birch. Paper Birch do poorly in Rochester and are prone to birch leaf miner. With good care, other varieties fare better, including the Japanese and River Birch.
Some people are surprised to hear that Magnolias do very well in Minnesota. This is the yellow Elizabeth Magnolia tree. It is quite spectacular, especially following a mild winter. The base of all shrubs and ornamental trees should be surrounded by welded wire. Rabbits will eat almost any type of bark if hungry enough!
The Minnesota strain (recently replaced by a Wisconsin strain in some nurseries) of Redbud growing here is hardy, but the extent of bloom is dependent on the severity of the previous winter (like so many other ornamental trees). The winter of 2001-02 was relatively mild and shown here is a vigorous bloom. The blossoms appear before the leaves.
The beauty of this hardy shrub rose garden depends on the severity of dieback from the previous winter (and just how hungry those rabbits were!). This garden becomes quite unsightly by late July as fungus takes it's toll. Fungicides are not used in our gardens! The red rose in the foreground may be George Vancouver.
The hardy shrub garden looks great for about 3 weeks in June. Henry Hudson Explorer series (the most deer resistant shrub rose, relatively speaking!) line the fence, while the Harison's Yellow rose is prominent in the background. This is an outstanding yellow rose for short time in June. It is also very hardy, with very little dieback. However, as branches age over the years, they become prone to dieback, so regular thinning is a good idea.
We don't know which hardy shrub rose this is, but it blooms profusely early in the season and is very disease resistant. It also spreads rapidly by underground suckers, and it may become a nuisance.
Here are several well established hosta showing off their foliage. Red perennial poppies stand above them (bee and deer ratings). Poppies add nice color to the garden, and then die back without a trace until next spring.
Perhaps someone can identify this Asiatic Lily. These are Don's favorite perennial. Only certain varieties (perhaps the older ones) last over the years in our garden. Asiatic Lilies that come from Sam's Club seem to do the best!
A Henry Kelsey climbing shrub rose is seen in the foreground, FJ Grootendorst shrub rose is in the middle, and a purple Etoile Violette clematis (bee and deer ratings) climbs the wall behind. This is our best clematis! It is extreme hardy, has consistent growth and is long blooming. It is not frequently found in the nurseries.
This Henry Kelsey Explorer series shrub rose(and all the others we have) never bounced back from an exceptionally harsh winter about 4 years ago. Still, it doesn't do too badly, considering the lack of care all summer!
This Catmint is probably Walker's Low variety. It is a great plant, and is very attractive to the bees. It should be cut back in July and really does bloom again. However, if you don't (like Don, most of the time) it seems to come back to life on it's own for a second flowering in August!
This clematis is the Jackamanii variety. Like many clematis it does quite well in shade. This one is sheltered at the back of the house and sees only mid-afternoon sun. The wrens come to this birdhouse every year, but they insist that we cleaned it out in the spring! It is one of the many products built by our friend, Chuck Love.
It's hard to get a perspective on the height of this plume poppy, but it is about 10 feet high! You need lots of space for this perennial. It comes back from root, suckers and also seeds itself (some call it invasive). It is very hardy, and makes a bold statement, if you have the room. It's a cool plant, but not one you will find in many nurseries.
The Etoile Violette clematis grows on a simple wire trellis and provides depth to the perennial border. This is the best of the clematis, with excellent winter hardiness, reliable, long lasting flowering and intense color. A great plant!
This collection of deer resistant plants was also chosen for it's flower power in later summer. The tall pink flowers on the left are Joe Pye Weed and it's white kin on the right is the Bartered Bride Joe Pye Weed. Both are very attractive to bees and butterflies. The yellow daisy in the middle is Rubeckia Goldstrum, probably the best perennial in Minnesota, and in front is Miss Kim Purple Coneflower.
This decorative form of the Dahlia is a spectacular plant, and comes in many, many colors. Does anyone know the name of the variety shown here? Although you must dig it up every year, and store it in a cool spot over the winter, it is a welcomed sight from late summer to the first frost. Don doesn't bother digging the tubers up (storage is tedious) and simply plants new ones every year.
The Oriental Lily Black Beauty stands in the background, reaching 6 feet. Unlike most Oriental Lilies in Minnesota, it returns every year without winter protection. Below is the Oriental Lily Star Gazer, easily the best known Oriental Lily. Like Black Beauty, it winters well in Minnesota.
Hollyhocks are beautiful for only a small portion of their existence (but still worth growing). They are biennials, so they appear in bloom every other year, reseeding themselves (here and there) on the off year. After flowering they gradually die back, usually with ample fungus to hurry them along. To make matters worse, deer really like Hollyhocks, so beware!
The seed pod of the Cucumber Magnolia is displayed here. The tree grows to more than 40 feet in a more hospitable climate. It is on the edge here in Minnesota and has died back more than once during a harsh winter. Still, it soldiers on!
The sound of running water adds tranquility to any garden.
Trumpet lilies are not particularly hardy in Minnesota. However, this variety (please help with identification) keeps coming back. The heavy perfume of the trumpet lily is like no other plant in the garden. It even exceeds the Lilac for scent, and it is much more attractive!
Trumpet lilies are not particularly hardy in Minnesota. However, this variety (please help with identification) keeps coming back. The heavy perfume of the trumpet lily is like no other plant in the garden. It even exceeds the Lilac for scent, and it is much more attractive!
This is the common Purple Coneflower. It tends to spread about the garden by reseeding, but also comes back fairly reliably from root each spring. It is hard to improve upon this plant. Fairly deer resistant and a little bee friendly, it is a nice plant to have around. It is also the source of the health supplement Echinacea, which is good for most everything! Purple Coneflower is drought resistant.
Purple Dome Asters are a welcomed sight in fall, and take the place of fickle (and not very hardy) chrysanthemums. They attract swarms of bees and butterflies. By the way, any flower that attracts bees, will also attracts butterflies!
Colorado Blue Spruce contrast with the surrounding Deciduous trees following an ice storm.
Winter scene.
Ornamental Pear in winter.
Winter cottage scene.
Prairie Fire Crab tree retains it's apples well into winter.
The Autumn Blaze maples turned more yellow than red this fall. Lots of rain allowed the trees to produce more Chlorophyll later into fall than usual. Thus, softer yellows not brillant reds dominated.
Emerald Carousel Barberry. This shrub has abundant yellow flowers in early spring, green leaves all summer, and a beautiful red color in fall. It is deer and disease resistant.
Emerald Carousel Barberry. This shrub has abundant yellow flowers in early spring, green leaves all summer, and a beautiful red color in fall. It is deer and disease resistant.
Dahlias bloom late in the summer with the Rudbeckia Goldstrum (background) and tree form Hydrangea Tardiva (left and right). Dahlias need to be dug up each fall or new bulbs planted each spring. Don hasn't have much luck with over wintering; finding a dry room with a steady temperature of 35-45 degrees in Rochester during the winter is difficult. It has been easier to simply buy new tubers each year. Dahlias need to be watered and/or mulched to promote growth. They are somewhat attractive to deer, but an ocasional spray with Hinder will effectively deter them.
Chelone Obliqua (Turtlehead) is a wonderful plant. It begins to bloom in mid summer and continues till late fall. It is one of the first plants to get going in the spring and it provides some winter interest. It is very shade tolerant and soil tolerant. It is easy to divide and can be spread around the garden with ease. It grows quickly but it is not the least bit invasive. The flowers are attractive to bees and it is totally resistant to deer. In a word, it is the perfect perennial. The Hotlips version is not as vigorous, shorter and has darker green leaves. The white version is much less vigorous and has lighter green leaves.
Pot of Begonias in the morning sun.
Sweet Autumn clematis suffers from a name idenity crisis. It is also known variably as Clematis paniculata, C. maximonowicziana and C. terniflora. It is a terrific fall bloomer. It is scented, vines up to 20 feet and is covered in white blossoms for a month. The problem with this plant is that it is not completely hardy in Rochester, MN. This might be overcome to some degree by not cutting it back until spring. It is such an important contributer to the fall garden that you should consider replacing it on a regular basis.
Sweet Autumn clematis suffers from a name idenity crisis. It is also known variably as Clematis paniculata, C. maximonowicziana and C. terniflora. It is a terrific fall bloomer. It is scented, vines up to 20 feet and is covered in white blossoms for a month. The problem with this plant is that it is not completely hardy in Rochester, MN. It is such an important contributer to the fall garden that you should consider replacing it on a regular basis.
Magnolia Butterflies is an attractice small tree (25 feet) choice for Minnesota. It has terrific yellow blooms after most winters (harsh winters are an exception). It seems to thrive even in heavy clay soil. Rabbits may lunch on the bark in heavy snowfall, so a protective wire fence around the base is a good idea. The foliage turns a pleasant yellow in fall. This is a very nice small tree.
The Japanese Lilac is a hardy small tree for Minnesota. It reaches abot 30 feet. Ocasionally it doesn't bloom, but when it does, it is a grand sight. It grows in poor soil and competes here sucessfully with Serbian Spruce on the left and a Colarado Spruce on the right.
Pink Flowering (double) Almond shrub. This is a difficult shrub to maintain in good repair. The rabbits eat the bark in the winter and wire protection is needed. Whole branches die off in winter, leaving an uneven appearance in spring. Flowering is erratic depending on the winter. A sheltered site might be best for this shrub.
Closeup of the Pink Flowering (double) Almond shrub. This is a difficult shrub to maintain in good repair. The rabbits eat the bark in the winter and wire protection is needed. Whole branches die off in winter, leaving an uneven appearance in spring. Flowering is erratic depending on the winter. A sheltered site might be best for this shrub.
Apple trees are hard to photograph! The blooms are not as robust and plentiful as plum trees. This is a Honey Crisp apple tree and blooms more profusely than most apple trees. There is nothing like a beautifully scented apple tree to shake off the winter blahs. Honey Crisp is the most sought after apple in Minnesota. It is also the most expensive to buy in the grocery store. It has rock star status right now! They taste great! Unfortunately, they are hard to grow and need a strict program of spraying to keep looking nice. It is a heavy annual producer.
Euphorbia, Cushion Spurge. This plant reproduces by seed throughout the garden. It is otherwise well behaved and the yellow flowers are a welcomed sight in spring. In the foreground, to the left is a Raspberry Splash Pulmonaria (which is not overly hardy).
Snowdrops are very attractive to bees. These small bulbs return reliably every year and slowly spread. They die back in early summer and the trick is to avoid digging them up as they lay hidden beneath the garden surface.
Crocuses are a great addition to the spring garden. They are very attractive to the bees and provide a welcomed splash of color after a hard winter. It is best to plan to plant crocuses every year as they have a substantial attrition rate over the years. The small ones (above) seem to do better than the giant varieties.
Two Toka Plum trees. These trees put on a termendous flowering display each spring. The plums are decent, but not quite up to the standard set by Superior and Alderman. Toka are needed to provide pollination for other varieties of plum trees.
Close up of a Toka Plum tree. This tree puts on a termendous flowering display each spring. The plums are decent, but not quite up to the standard set by Superior and Alderman. Toka are needed to provide pollination for other varieties of plum trees.
Magnolia Jane. The blooms appear before the leaves. More blooms after a mild winter. Recurrent blooming tends to occur into summer. The tree is perfectly hardy in Southeastern Minnesota.
Bright yellow spring follage of the Ninebark. The Ninebark is a hardy shrub that has small white flowers in the spring. Older branches need to be pruned out every year or two.
Phlox David. Phlox tend to be bothered by fungus and the lower leaves turn brown. David is touted as resistant to fungus, but it is all relative. Some Phlox tend to be short lived but reseed vigorously, including David. It is a nice addition to the late summer garden. Seedlings appear early in spring and can be easily transplanted to more desirable locations.
Witch Hazel Hamamelis virginiana is hardy to zone 4 and survives in some very poor conditions. It tolerates shade and poor soil but thrives in sun and fertile soil. Note the subtle yellow, ribbon like flower petals that appear in late fall.
Yellow Peony - Bartzella. This is an intersectional or Itoh peony which is a cross between the tree peony and the standard garden peony. It is resistant to peony fungus and the blooms don't fall over. The flower shape and array of color comes from the tree peony. It is fully hardy in southern Minnesota and totally deer resistant. A great plant!
According to the experts Purple Loosestrife is a noxious weed and is banned from the nurseries. It will overtake shallow bodies of water, but in a garden it is beautiful and well behaved. It definitely likes wet soil but is perfectly happy in regular garden conditions too.
Don grows Dahlias for their impressive size and late summer/fall beauty. There are thousands of names plants, which means little once they start to bloom. This pink, unnamed variety is an especially strong variety. Behind it is the shrub Hydrangea Tardiva. The bulbs need to be dug every fall after the first frost and stored in wood shavings in a cool (40-50 degrees F) spot.
Aster Frikartii is an early blooming aster that tolerates shade. It is a reliable, hardy plant here in Zone 4.
Spring in the garden. Daffodils are blooming. Certain daffodils return year after year without thinning and replanting. Others die out after 5-10 years. Don will identify the ones that last for decades in a later update.
Epimedium Rubrum (Barrenwort) is a surprisingly sturdy, albeit, delicate spring plant for the shade garden. It expands in size over decades not years, especially when located in deep shade. There are many varieties available but we suspect that only a few are reliable here in zone 4. This is a subtle plant, easily overlooked on a garden tour!
Veronicas seem to underperform here in southeast Minnesota. Once the bloom is done, they need to be sheared to tidy them up.
This orange Clivia is indistructible. It blooms in shade on the patio in July and must be brought indoors for the winter. It continues to look nice and green indoors with practically no care. When all risk of frost is gone out it goes on the patio again.
Hypericum is a 2 foot high shrub that is covered with yellow flowers by mid-summer. The flowers are extremely attractive to bees. The shrubs pictured here died back after a few years and did not respond to aggresive pruning. It is deer resistant and demands full sun. It is more attractive than Potentilla.
Small pond with Rudbeckia in the foreground and Karl Foerster ornamental grass on either side. Both tolerate some shade.
the Fall Fiesta sugar maple is a very attractive hard maple. It tolerates wet clay in this location. That's Silver Feather ornamental grass in the foreground.
The Amaryllis bloom indoors in the winter. Here is a great way to keep the bulbs healthy and blooming year after year. Place the plant outdoors after the last frost in the spring and fertilize. Bring the potted plant indoors in the fall, cut the leaves off, let it dry out until November-December, then start watering again. Plant in a larger pot so that the bulb has room for daughter bulbs to develop over the years.
The large pond in late spring. Everything is green!
The tree peony is completely hardy in Southeast MInnesota.
This woodland garden contains Miss Kim Lilac, bleeding hearts turtlehead and Ligularia (all deer resistant). The Ligularia need a lot of moisture.
The Monarda or Bee Balm is a long lived plant that no garden should be without. It is low growing in the spring (did it make it through the winter or not?), but has a growth spurt before blooming. This red version is probably Gardenview Scarlet and is a standout when in bloom for about 3 weeks. It needs to be cut back after blooming and unfortunately, leaves a hole in the garden for the rest of the season. It doesn't like to be crowded by other plants.
Persicaria polymorpha or Giant Fleeceflower (or White Dragon) is a great plant for the garden. It grows to 5 feet, requires no care, and is somewhat deer resistant. It is hard to find (White Flower Farm has it), although this one originally came from Bachman's Nursery, which no longer carries it. It seems to tolerate a moderate amount of shade as well.
Hungry honey bee
This is Paint the Town rose from the Easy Elegance series. It is hardy and quite disease resistant. It gets a little gangly.
Aster October Skies. This is a great plant that keeps coming back year after year. It is resistant to fungus and grows up early in the year, looking good even before it flowers. One plant can take up a lot of space.
Arendsii Acontium finally bloom in late October. This shade tolerant plant will survive several frosts before finall succumbing to winter. It is one of the first perennials back up through the newly thawed ground in spring. This plant is truly a 3 season perennial for the shade. It is poisonous if eaten (animals seem to know this without testing the plant first).
Arendsii Acontium finally bloom in late October. This shade tolerant plant will survive several frosts before finall succumbing to winter. It is one of the first perennials back up through the newly thawed ground in spring. This plant is truly a 3 season perennial for the shade. It is poisonous if eaten (animals seem to know this without testing the plant first).
Guinea Fowl Fritillaria is a small, but reliable bulb that appears very early in the spring. It doesn't spread here in SE Minnesota.
These Virginia Bluebells were transplanted from a wet oak forest. They survive in the drier perennial garden but don't multiple as profusely. They are surrounded here by Bishop's Weed.
Magnolia Butterflies is an attractice small tree (25 feet) choice for Minnesota. It has terrific yellow blooms after most winters (harsh winters are an exception). It seems to thrive even in heavy clay soil. Rabbits may lunch on the bark in heavy snowfall, so a protective wire fence around the base is a good idea. The foliage turns a pleasant yellow in fall. This is a very nice small tree.
Magnolia Butterflies is an attractice small tree (25 feet) choice for Minnesota. It has terrific yellow blooms after most winters (harsh winters are an exception). It seems to thrive even in heavy clay soil. Rabbits may lunch on the bark in heavy snowfall, so a protective wire fence around the base is a good idea. The foliage turns a pleasant yellow in fall. This is a very nice small tree.
Two story housing for the Wrens
Bridal Wreath is a very reliable and attractive shrub for SE Minnesota. It needs occasional pruning of old branches and topping of newer ones. Rabbits will eat the bark during hard winters so a wire guard is a good idea.
Harrison's Yellow Rose is an amazing shrub rose. It is completely hardy and blooms profusely. It needs to be cut back every 4-5 years. The best plants grow on their own root stock. It is one of the few roses that deer don't seek out. Henry Hudson (Explorer Series) is another one.
Harrison's Yellow Rose is an amazing shrub rose. It is completely hardy and blooms profusely. It needs to be cut back every 4-5 years. The best plants grow on their own root stock. It is one of the few roses that deer don't seek out. Henry Hudson (Explorer Series) is another one.
This is probably a Robinia holdtii Britzensis Locust tree. It is currently about 30 feet tall and 8 years old. It is a reliable bloomer and the branches are stronger than the Robinia Purple Robe (which I strongly discourage growing). It is an excellent flowering tree.

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