Garden Detective

Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay is adding a new rhododendron to its plant collection. The new cultivar, 'Margaret S. Coe', is named for the daughter-in-law of William Robertson Coe, the insurance magnate and former owner of Planting Fields. The certificate of International Registration just came in from the Royal Horticultural Society in the U.K.

Local rhodie expert Richard Murcott of East Norwich developed the cultivar, which sports large mid-range pink flowers with white highlights and fainted yellow centers.

At Planting Fields, William Robertson Coe was actively involved with developing and improving the collections of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, and hibiscus. He had a penchant for new plant varieties and modern growing techniques, and collected rhododendrons. During the estate era, thousands of large specimens were imported from all over the world. There still are more than 1,000 different types of azaleas and rhododendrons at Planting Fields.

'Margaret S. Coe' will be planted in the North Rhododendron Park on the east side of Coe Hall next fall, alongside other rhododendrons named for Coe family members.

The collection is a reflection of the New York Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society's hybridization endeavors. Plants are selected for their color, form and suitability for Long Island.

Want more? The New York Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society will host a rhododendron show and sale in the Conference Center of Planting Fields on Sunday, May 25, open to the public from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Admission to the show is free but there is a $6 parking fee. Cut specimens in full bloom will be displayed by class and category to illustrate the numerous mid-season varieties of rhododendrons that can be grown on Long Island.

For information, visit plantingfields.org or nyrhododendron.org.

Salvia fruticosa, in the Lamiaceae family, is known as Middle Eastern Sage or Greek Sage, has been growing in Greece for thousands of years. It's one of the earliest blooming salvias, producing blooms in early March that last about a month. What's more, it's evergreen, so it really adds to the winter and early spring garden.

According to "The New Book of Salvias: Sages for Every Garden," by Betsy Clebsch (Timber Press / $19.95), it has been "valued for centuries for its bountiful beauty" and "has medicinal and culinary properties as well as sweet nectar and pollen."

Not to be confused with Salvia divinorum, this bushy shrub grows 2 feet tall and wide, with 1-foot flower stalks above hairy grey-green foliage.

Specs: Requires full sun, hardy to 20 degrees (F), drought tolerant and suitable for xeriscaping. Propagate by seed or cuttings.

In the mint family, Greek Sage's leaves are often dried for use in tea. In its native Middle East region, insect damage forces the plant to produce galls, which are peeled off and eaten, belive it or not.

I poked around the web a bit today and found -- mostly on sites I wouldn't ordinarily visit, those with names like Vampyress and Crystal Forest -- that sage tea has been shown to cure stress and exhaustion, and improve memory, especially in old age. It made me wonder if the adjective sage, as in "sage old man," meaning "wise," was somehow related to the plant. Salvia, after all, is derived from the Latin word meaning "to heal." Hence, "salve," the ointment.

And voila! On a site called foodreference.com, I learned, "it was believed that sage stimulated the brain, therefore, increasing powers of concentration, memory and reasoning. From this, the word “sage” took on another meaning – wise person."

Over the weekend, I bought 3 salvias for my garden. I certainly won't be eating any galls, but I'll report back if my memory improves.

Photo (Salvia 'May Night') courtesy perennials.com

Ligularia dentata 'Britt-Marie Crawford' is suitable for zones 4-9 (we're in 7). Photo courtesy perennials.com

I was contemplating a few Heucheras at the nursery last weekend when I spotted a section of Ligularias staring up at me. I had discovered them awhile back and filed them away in the "must have" section of my brain. But as is often the case these days because there are too many things in my brain, it fell out.

The unusual shade-loving masterpiece of a plant has gorgeous glossy chocolate-purple foliage. Bigger than Heuchera, these leaves spread 3-4 feet and grow 2-3 feet tall. But that's not all. In late summer, flowers that resemble black-eyed Susans, without the black eyes, emerge from the center.

Deer aren't a concern for me on the western north shore of Nassau county, but if they were, they wouldn't touch it.

I bought three of them, and I'm putting them in front of a row of ostrich ferns, mixed in with some guacamole hostas.

According to holidayinsights.com, which apparently puts bizarre holidays on the calendar, the second week in May is officially Wildflower Week. Who knew?

To compensate for the fact that this holiday has eluded me all these years, I'd like to make it up to wildflowers everywhere by giving them a day in the spotlight.

William J. Hamilton, Jr., who was a gardener for 70 of his 82 years, consultant to Cornell Plantations for 30 years, and an emeritis professor of zoology at Cornell University, grew more than 100 different wildflowers in his 3 1/2-acre Ithaca garden. Who better to recommend native northeastern wildflowers to the Cornell Cooperative Extension in New York?

Here's his list, as published by the CCE-Sullolk:

Large White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum). Waxy, pure white, whorled three-petaled flowers. Bloom period May-June. Petals echoed in the graceful, whorled, trio of low-growing leaves. Neutral to moderately acid soil (pH 5-7); moist or semi-dry. Partial shade or filtered sunlight. Does well on slopes; also can be cultivated on flat land. Prefers canopy of deciduous trees; does less well under evergreens. Takes 4-5 years to bloom from seed. Multiplies readily. (Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources photo)

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia). Foam-like spikes of miniature white flowers on stalks up to 9 inches high. Blooms April-June. Plants 6-12 inches. Neutral to moderately acid soil (ph 5-7); moist. Shade. Does less well under evergreens. Light oakleaf groundcover desirable. (US Forest Service photo)

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). Stately brown and green-hooded flowers at base of 15- to 20-inch plant. Blooms April-June. Bears scarlet berries in August. Moderately acid soil; moist. Partial shade. Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica). Delicate, starlike white or pink petals with rose-colored veins on 4- to 6-inch fragile stalks. Blooms April-May. Plants trail on forest floor. Neutral to slightly acid soil; moist. Filtered sunlight. (Photo courtesy Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. 1995. Northeast wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. Northeast National Technical Center, Chester.)

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense). Flowers hidden by leaves, maroon with a flush of soft gray green; resemble tiny stone jugs. Plants 4-6 inches. Makes good groundcover because of attractive, long-lasting foliage. Neutral to slightly acid soil; moist. Shade. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database)

White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda). White flowers in tight oblong clusters. Blooms April-early June. Plants 1-2 feet. Waxy white fruits with black eye, borne on red stalks. Neutral to moderately acid soil; moist. Shade or filtered sunlight. (Photo by Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database)

Black Cohosh; Bugbane; Fairy Candles (Cimicifuga racemosa). Tall candles of tiny white feathery flowers. Blooms June-Sept. Bold, showy plant 3-8 feet high. Neutral to moderately acid soil; moist to somewhat dry. Partial shade or full sun. (North Dakota State University Cass county Extension photo)

Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides). Fragile flowers in shades of pink and white. Blooms March-May. Plants 4-6 inches. Lacy whorl of small, three-lobed leaves. Neutral to slightly acid soil; moist. Filtered sunlight. (Photo by Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database)

Virginia Bluebells; Virginia Cowslips (Mertensia virginica). Nodding clusters of pink buds turn into porcelain blue flowers. Blooms March-May. Plants 1-2 feet. Leaves oval, strongly veined. Nearly neutral soil (pH 6-7); moist. Partial shade. (Photo by Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. 1995. Northeast wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. Northeast National Technical Center, Chester.)

Herb-Robert (Geranium robertanium). Tiny trumpet-shaped, rose-colored flowers, occasionally white. Blooms all summer. Plants 6-18 inches. Strongly scented, fernlike foliage that turns bronze in fall and is retained throughout winter. Neutral or slightly acid soil; moist or dry. Full or partial shade. (Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board photo)

Hungry for more? Order Common Wildflowers of New York State from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. (631-727-7850)

It might also be noteworthy to mention that May 1 was Save the Rhino Day. That one just flew under my radar. And in addition to being Bird Day, May 4 is also National Candied Orange Peel Day. But, personally, I'm sorry I didn't know sooner that today was No Socks Day. I would have planned my outfit accordingly.

There's always tomorrow -- Lost Sock Memorial Day.

Lilacs are in full bloom today so what better plant to lauch the Plant of the Week series? (These full-size beauties were photographed along the Old Westbury Gardens lilac walk.)

We're coming up on prime planting season, and my inbox is flooded with requests for plant suggestions and questions about the needs of specific plants. So I've decided to launch the Plant of the Week series, starting today.

Each week, I'll pick something I like -- or a plant you've been asking about -- and profile it here. I'll show you pictures and include care instructions, sunlight requirements and any other pertinent information.

Got a favorite plant, or need some information? Drop me a line and I'll try to cover it.

Lilacs thrive in soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH, so your first course of action should be to test your soil with a simple pH test kit, which you'll find at your local garden center. You also can bring a soil sample to the Cornell Cooperative Extension office (visit cce.cornell.edu for details). If your soil is very acidic, add lime before planting.

Select a spot that will supply a minimum of six hours of full sunlight daily, away from downspouts and anywhere else where water might pool. Lilacs do not like "wet feet."

Space them according to their mature size to allow for adequate air circulation and avoid powdery mildew disease, to which they're susceptible. And don't pack them in tightly with perennials; they don't like the competition.

Early spring is the best time to plant lilacs, so you should do so as soon as possible. Dig a hole two to three times the size of the container, mix in some compost and plant at the same level they were at in the pot. Do not fertilize, but water thoroughly after planting, and see to it that they get 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water a week during the first season. Next year, you can give them a shot of 5-10-5 fertilizer in the early spring.

Click thumbnail below to get details about Syringa patula '‘Miss Kim', Syringa x ‘Tinkerbelle' and Syringa microphylla ‘Superba':

Profiles: Favorite dwarf lilacs