Julianna's Garden
Julie's garden is under the Basswood trees at the back of our property. The deer often pass by Julie's garden looking for snacks! She likes to choose flowers that the deer don't like.
Visit each family member's garden
- Jessica's Garden
See Jessica's favorite garden pictures
- Julianna's Garden
See Julianna's favorite garden pictures
- James' Garden
See James' favorite garden pictures
- Sharon's favorites
See Sharon's favorite garden pictures
- Don's favorites
See Don's favorite garden pictures
- Autumn is our favorite time here in Rochester. To the left are three Northwood Red maples. This variety was a seeding selection from Northern Minnesota. It is a slow growing maple, and turns orange in the fall. Although attractive, it does not match the Sugar maple for fall color. Although certain forms of the Sugar Maple thrive in our garden, many of the traditional Sugar Maple selections seem to be on the decline around Rochester. In the background are native Linden, Popular and Oak trees.
- This is a closeup of the three Northwood Red Maples. This variety of maple was a seeding selection from Northern Minnesota. It is a slow grower, and turns orange in the fall. Although attractive, it does not match the Sugar Maple for fall color.
- A Red Splendor Crabapple tree holds it's bright red berries well into next spring, providing food for early arriving Robins. Don't bother with non-fruiting crab apple trees. The tiny apples provide months of interest to an otherwise unremarkable tree, and contrary to popular opinion, do not make a mess of your lawn!
- It is possible to keep a small pond open during the winter here in Minnesota, even when the temperature drops to -20 degrees F. Place a floating heater in the pond and keep the submersible pump running. Ice builds up around the waterfall, but it continues to run. This approach allows fish to live in the pond all year round. Just make sure the power doesn't go out! Even if it does, fantail goldfish in this pond were able to survive for 2-3 weeks without an air hole in the ice.
- Silver Feather ornamental grass is a wonderful winter performer. A low-lying sun is the perfect backdrop for this sturdy perennial. Don uses a chain saw to cut the old stalks down in the spring.
- An unidentified clamatis (like Recta, but a climber - please help!) marks the forground while several Popular trees stand upright in the background. These trees are sometimes mistaken for Paper Birch from a distance, but Paper Birch don't live this long in Southeast Minnesota.
- Ribbon ornamental grass turns brown earlier than most grasses, losing the verigated green and white color in August. It is a vigorous rhizomatous grass known to spread, but in this location is fairly well behaved. Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass is a more attractive version of this Ribbon grass. Silver Feather stands in the background to the left and Miscanthus Floridus (does not bloom well in dry Fall) is to the right.
- Verigated Hosta stand out in the shade garden and are a staple of the Minnesota garden. It's almost impossible to kill a Hosta. Their only drawback is that they are attractive to the deer. Regular use of Hinder spray will control this problem and the deer will eventually leave the Hosta for something more attractive, hopefully in the neighbor's garden.
- Theresa Bugnet hardy shrub rose. This is a fine rose for about 2 weeks, and then it succumbs to fungus. This is aggravated in this location by excessive shade. Reblooming is nonexistent.
- The American Beauty Bush is a rarity in Minnesota, but has bloomed 6 out of 10 years. It dies back in cold winters, but always comes back. It is not planted in a sheltered location.
- Single red herbaceous Peony. Bloom times can be staggered to extend the season, but for each variety, 2 weeks is about as long as a peony will bloom. Peonies are an incredibly sturdy plant and last for decades. They are completely deer proof.
- Purple Siberian Iris are a mainstay of the perennial garden. They are of limited interest to the bees, and the same can be said about the deer. The foliage remains in good shape for the summer making this a nice plant for the entire gardening season.
- The Moongold Apricot is the first fruit tree to bloom in the spring. After a harsh winter, it may not bloom. It requires a Sungold variety nearby for pollination. The Apricot can be short lived and underproductive if care is not taken to protect the trunk from the winter sun and proper pruning is not maintained. Still, it is a welcome sight in the spring!
- There are hundreds of Narcissus varieties each with special characteristics. Here in Minnesota the long lasting, mid-season blooming, naturalizing bulbs are the most rewarding. This looks like a Narcissus Cherry Spot.
- This Ohio Buckeye Chestnut might develop into something larger if planted in a nice sunny location. Unfortunately, it is located in Julianna's shady garden. The best time to transplant larger trees is in the very early Spring as soon as the ground thaws.
- Bridle's Wreath Spirea is a reliable bloomer and is spectacular for a week or two. It is a low maintenance shrub, although it helps to prune the old stalks out in Spring and give it a trim after blooming.
- A pink Hyacinth buckles under an early Spring snow. The snow did little perceptible harm to this Hyacinth.
- Red Splendor Crabapple trees line the driveway. Crabapple trees are very popular here in Rochester. They are difficult to kill, and bloom reliably in the spring. The problem is that the flowers last only a week, and many trees 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.
- Harrison's Yellow shrub rose is a fine specimen plant. It reliably blooms for about 3 weeks and is consistently covered in yellow blooms. It is very hardy and seldom suffers from winter dieback. However, it may need to be cut to the ground every 4-5 years, as the stalks of older shrub roses tend to be more suseptible to winter cold and fewer blooms occur. This rose is a little more resistant to deer than most.
- A very nice red shrub rose, likely Cuthbert Grant. Like all shrub roses, old stalks are more susceptible to winter kill, so either plan to severely cut back every 3-4 years if there has not been a harsh winter in that time, or prune out the older stalks in early Spring (more time consuming).
- Weigela Polka is one in series of reddish colored dance Weigela. This one seems to be a little hardier than the standard Weigela like Red Prince. Early blooming and worth having in the garden.
- Asiatic Lilies are the finest flower in the garden. However, only a few varieties thrive and multiple with minimal care and indifferent soil. They don't like to be crowded and fungus can be a problem. Some of the most reliable Asiatic Lilies can be bought at Sam's Club and planted in the Spring. It seems like the more highly hybridized the bulbs are, the less perennial they tend to be.
- 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 fairly 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.
- Clematis are a must in the Minnesota garden. A few types are sure to come back, while quite a number succumb to wilt, a deadly viral disease, and winter kill. These are 2 reliable clematis, probably Earnest Markham (red, forefront) and Ville de Lyon (burgundy, background). Jackmanii varieties and Eloile Violette are also very reliable plants.
- Marshall's Delight is an excellent variety of Bee Balm or Menarda. It blooms for about 3 weeks, and then should be cut back. It spreads by root, but is not invasive. Unlike many other varieties of Bee Balm this variety is very resistant to fungus.
- Clematis Jackmanii is the easiest large flowered clematis to grow. Clematis may develop wilt (likely a fungus) and die during the summer or they may not survive the winter. These problems are more likely to occur with the large flowered clematis.
- Joe Pyeweed Bartered Bride is a 8 foot giant that keeps coming back year after year. It is slow to appear in the Spring, but is a blessing in the garden in later summer. Bees swarm to this plant for a relatively short lived feast lasting about 2 weeks. Henry Hudson roses are to the right and Kim's Knee High Purple Coneflowers are in the foreground.
- Rudbeckia Herbstonne is a nearly perfect perennial plant. It is deer resistant, bee friendly, disease tolerant and well behaved, not to mention very hardy and easily divided. It grows to about 7 feet and looks good from early Spring to mid Fall.
- Rudbeckia Goldstrum or Black-eyed Susan Coneflower is the backbone of the mid-late summer garden. It is the perfect plant! It is completely winter hardy, drought resistant, tolerates a fair bit of shade, stays forever in one location but seeds just enough to provide additional plants, transplants easily, blooms hard for at least 2 months when little else is in bloom and even provides some winter interest.
- Snakeroot or Bugbane (Cimicifuga Racemosa) is a wonderfully reliable plant for partial shade and poor soil. It is also very attractive to bees as can be seen here. Seedlings appear after certain winters, neatly spread out around the parent and these are very easy to transplant. It takes 3-4 years for the plant to become established but then it just never goes away.
- It is hard to beat Annual Impatients for shady gardening.
- The Stella D'Ora Day Lily is tough to beat. It provides the backbone for summer gardens, but blooms longer than all the other Day Lilies. It is a favorite of commercial properties because it is attractive yet indestructible.
- Annabelle Hydrangea is a Minnesota favorite. It is hardy and low maintenance. It tolerates a fair bit of shade. It provides winter beauty, but needs to be cut to the ground before Spring growth starts.
- Musk Mallow (Malvaceae) is considered a wildflower. It is a nice albeit untamable plant. It blooms all summer long and seeds readily scatterig thoughout the garden. It comes in lavender and pink. It has a very long root and is difficult to pull from the garden.
- What to do about shade? This is becoming an increasingly urgent question in the Johnston Honey gardens as trees, especially Autumn Blaze Maples grow larger. Here is a work in progress. Hosta need to be protected by regular spraying of Hinder. Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona' is a must for the shade. It likes lots of water but is tolerant of drought and is deer resistant. It blooms in mid Summer when shade gardening becomes boring. Seedlings appear each Spring and are easy to transplant.
- The Merrill Magnolia is a wonderful small tree for Minnesota. It grows to about 30 feet, is very well behaved, has yellow leaves in the fall, and needs very little pruning. It's buds are formed in the Fall and must survive the winter to bloom.
- Amur Maple stand along the split rail fence. These small trees can be a treat, but some varieties, including these often fail to turn bright colors in the Fall. Flame Amur Maple provides consistent Fall show. Amur Maples tend to widen over the years, and require a lot of pruning to train 4-5 main trunks. It is not uncommon for one or two trunks to die only to be followed by a rapidly growing replacement branch.
- The Amur Maple retains it's leaves in winter.
- Winter scene.
- Washington Hawthorne tree retains it's berries well into winter.
- This Eastern Prince Magnolia Vine bears edible red berries in the fall. It has small, scented white flowers early in the spring. It seems to be deer resistant. It also occasionally seeds itself so that new plants can be transplanted.
- Fall Fiesta sugar maple. This is a new release from Bailey's Nursery in St. Paul. Even in the poor fall year of 2004, the colors were more vibrant than other sugar maples. It also grows faster than the older sugar maples. Remember that bucks love to rub the velvet off their antlers on young maple tree trunks in the fall. Be sure to wrap the trunk with a 4 foot high piece of chicken wire. This will expand with trunk growth, so if put on loosely, you won't have to keep replacing it. This tree has a bigger piece of welded wire around the trunk left from when it was a smaller tree and the lower branches needed protection from marauding deer.
- Autumn Blaze maples. These trees showed more color than most maples in the fall of 2004, but even this color is muted compared to a good fall foliage. These are soft, fast growing maples, prone to limbs breaking off if not pruned correctly. Branches should have an L shape as they exit from the trunk, not a V shape (these break easily). Also, the tree should be pruned at an early age so that a main leading trunk develops.
- Dahlias bloom late in the summer. Shown here is the dinner plate dahlia Mrs. Eileen. 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.
- Rudbeckia Hirta (foreground) and Hydrangea Pink Diamond (background). R.Hirta is a relatively short lived perennial that seeds freely. This particular variety seems longer lived than most R. Hirta. The leaves are thinner and enlongated compared to the longer lived Rudbeckia Goldstrum. The Pink Diamond Hydrangea is a great shrub, fully hardy in zone 4, and consistently produces large blooms in mid summer. The blooms last into late fall and provide good winter interest. It is of only passing interest to deer, but rabbits like to eat the stalks when the snow is high (it needs a low wire cage for protection).
- Don has worked hard to establish an attractive mid summer perennial garden. The mainstays of this garden are the rudbeckia goldstrum, ironweed, wild sunflower (Jerusalem Artichoke) Heliopsis helianthoides (Oxeye Sunflower) and Chelone. A scattering of annual Impatients also helps.
- Aster Bluebird is very resistant to fungus. It stands about 2 feet high and occasionally seeds itself so that new plants can be obtained. It is not invasive. It is an excellent fall plant. However, it needs to be protected from the deer.
- 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.
- 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. Red Crabapples blend nicely with newly budded Colorado Blue Spruce in this picture.
- 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.
- One of the first perennials to bloom in the spring, this Dicentra Luxuriant (bleeding heart) continues to bloom throughout most of the summer. It is resistant to deer and disease.
- Cleveland Pear is a ornamental flowering pear tree. It survives in zone 4b, but took a hit after a particularly cold winter 5 years ago. However, it survived where nearly all other pears, ornamental and fruitbearing died. As shown here, it has made a good recovery. The pears flower a week or 2 before the crabapples.
- Common Flowering Quince. The Quince are really a zone 5 plant. However, our Quince have survived for years here in zone 4b. They wax and wane depending on the previous winter. The winter of 2003-04 was relatively mild. Still, blooms tend to occur at the bottom of the shrub and only a few quince actually make it to maturity.
- Common Flowering Quince. The Quince are really a zone 5 plant. However, our Quince have survived for years here in zone 4b. They wax and wane depending on the previous winter. The winter of 2003-04 was relatively mild. Still, blooms tend to occur at the bottom of the shrub and only a few quince actually make it to maturity.
- Allium Globemaster appears in the early spring. This clump of 6 stems has developed from a single bulb planted 13 years ago. Although difficult to establish, this bulb is reliable if sucessful. It blooms for about 3 weeks. Visitors often ask about this plant.
- Grape Hyacinth - Muscari. This is a nice early spring bulb that appears to multiple over the years. It blooms for several weeks and then dies back allowing summer plants to take over the garden.
- Cornelius Cherry. This is a unique fruit tree that is completely hardy in Minnesota. Several varieties are available from One Green World Nursery in Oregon. The enlongated fruit from this shrub is red and lingers for weeks before dropping off or being eaten by birds. This is a very special plant. It looks like it will be long lived.
- One of the first plants to appear in spring, Ligularia Desdemona is an excellent plant for shady areas and clay soil. It is hard to kill and it seeds in a very mannerly fashion to provide transplants. It gets droopy in bright sunlight.
- Martigon Lily leaves (wild lilies) appear early in spring. This bulb was planted 13 years ago and has very slowly multiplied. It should be divided since it hasn't spread much of late. It is a consistent bloomer and is a lily that does well in the shade. Martagon lilies live longer than most hybrid Asiatic Lilies. The downside is that the avarage cost per bulb is about $15.00. They will seed themselves after some winters and provide more bulbs.
- Hydrangea Tardiva tree form. This is a great shrub, either as a tree or clump. It blooms late in summer when the perennials have given up. The dried blooms persist into winter. It needs wire protection in Fall from the scraping of buck's antlers. In winter, without wire, the deer tend to nip at the branches but nothing too serious. You would probably want to trim the branches in late winter anyway.
- Hydrangea Tardiva tree form. This is a great shrub, either as a tree or clump. It blooms late in summer when the perennials have given up. The dried blooms persist into winter. It needs wire protection in Fall from the scraping of buck's antlers. In winter, without wire, the deer tend to nip at the branches but nothing too serious. You would probably want to trim the branches in late winter anyway.
- 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).
- Of all the shrub roses, The Fairy blooms the most. It is also long lived as long as it is covered each fall. It looks like this most of the summer and unlike all other shrub roses, it doesn't take a rest.
- Turtle head - chelone obliqua. This is a wonderful addition to the Johnston Honey garden. It is very adaptable and grows in most any soil, including the clay that predominates here. It is very shade tolerant and deer resistant. It tolerates drought and wet soil equally well. Hotlips is a popular version of Chelone, but don't be fooled by the new comer. The Obliqua is still the one to grow!
- 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. The dinnerplate variety are huge and need staking. 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.
- Anemone Robustissima - this is the one Anemone that seems to tolerate Minnesota's winters. Not completely hardy, but acceptable. Does well in moist, semi-shaded conditions.
- Hyacinths grow reasonably well in Southern Minnesota. In contrast to this lonely individual, they need to be planted in groups to maximize appeal. Their scent is terrific. Deer like to snack on them.
- Red Monarda or Bee Balm is a nice plant when in bloom. It is rather uninteresting in spring and after blooming it needs to be cut back to keep tidy. In bloom it is a stunning plant, attractive to bees and highly resistant to deer. Marshall's Delight (light pink in color) is the most fungus resistant of the cultivated varieties, while the wild Bee Balm - purple in color and taller than the cultivated Bee Balm - is immune to fungus.
- This oriental lily tolerates some shade, but too much shade will lead to a gradual decline in plant vigor. The Sunburst locust tree overhead provides light shade, but a nearby Autumn Blaze maple is quickly growing and the shade is increasing.
- Yellow Hosta are deer resistant.
- Walkway in morning sun.
- Blue Woodland Phlox
- The tree peony is completely hardy in southeast Minnesota.
- Amsonia Blue Star is a reliable and long lived perennial in Minnesota.
- The Beauty Bush is a reliable large shrub. Occasionally, during a hard winter, branches die.
- Mandy is waiting for lunch in the birdbath.
- Ligularia japonica is a different kind of Ligularia. Planted in very moist ground it will spike up to 6 feet and spread over 3 feet. It is completely deer resistant.
- Close up of the Virgin's Bower Vine flower, also known as Wild Clematis. It is a nice vine that is completely hardy here in Minnesota. I reseeds all over the garden so be careful. It grows in all sorts of conditions.
- Peppermint Twist is a very attractive, fungus resistant Phlox that keeps coming back year after year. Seedlings are found in just the right quantity to spread around other gardens.
- 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 (the one in the picture happens to be a double flower). 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.
- Ironweed grows to 12 feet. It can get to 3 feet wide. It is a butterfly/bee magnet and blooms later in summer when the rest of the garden is quiet. It is fully hardy in SE Minnesota. It self hybridizes in the garden and the version in the picture is a little more burgundy in color than the original.
- 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.
- This aster self seeded and doesn't resemble any that Don planted. Not as tall as a New England native aster, but full of fall blooms.
- Princeton maple is a unique tree that is chartreuse all summer long then turns a gorgeous yellow in the fall. It is quite slow growing. This tree is 20 years old. It seems to tolerate poor, clay soil in this location.
- The gold bleeding heart is one excellent spring plant! For some reason, it is not that common in the nurseries at the moment, but is a must for the lightly shaded garden. It retains it's glow until early summer and later in deeper shade. It is totally deer resistant and it is easy to grow. It is easy to divide in the fall. It needs moisture to thrive.
- Geranium Biokovo is a vigorous early blooming hardy perennial that tolerates some shade. It is a good ground cover that chokes out weeds. A longer bloom period would be a help.