Mercer Arboretum’s March Mart
Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens celebrates the arrival of spring with its annual March Mart Plant sale. Brought to you by the supporting non-profit the Mercer Society this year the sale is on Friday March 27 and Saturday March 28 from 8am-4pm. It also heralds the 35th anniversary of Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens as a Harris County Pct 4 Park.
Mercer came through the preceding year with lots of challenges. A devastating hurricane changed the outlook of many of the gardens. Do you also need to replace a cherished tree, or a row of shrubs that were whipped by the wind? What about some perennials that didn’t like high water. Some plants were shocked into early dormancy so we could not tell whether they survived the storm. This springtime we are now seeing the ramifications to many plants.
Natures amazing renewals were evident days after the horrible hurricane Ike. Helter skelter pine trees lay across Mercer’s forest floor, but untouched just across the bog garden and elevated just above the flood line, Japanese Maples were starting their fall color show. Brilliant reds and oranges were shining through the broken limbs of other trees.
These cultivars will be offered in the Tree & Shrub category: Acer palmatum ‘Butterfly’, ‘Crimson Prince’ and ‘Viridis’. Stop by and visit with the ‘Tree Amigos’.
We started out this New Year with a shortage of rainfall. So if you’ve got a dry garden area how about placing some decorative pots full of begonias or succulents. Tree ferns and dwarf tree ferns, Pilea cadieri – Aluminum plant, Oxalis regnellii – purple leaf oxalis, Bletilla striata – Chinese ground orchid. These plants are ready for the shady spots still to be found in your garden.
There have been lots of sniffles this winter, so to nip that in the bud, plant a citrus tree and you’ll have vitamin C ripe for the plucking next year. If you did not like eating from cans of cold beans while the electricity was off – grow your own vegetables. They offer lots of varieties of peppers, tomatoes, eggplant! And the herbs to spice it up – who would expect basil to suffer under floods and continue growing lush and green?
Has climate change got you down? It did not stop the gingers or tropicals. Snow in mid-December, now that was a surprise. Early next morning the snow was gently resting on Hedychium coronarium-butterfly ginger still in bloom! It was also lying atop fronds of the Rhapis excelsa – Lady Palm. They used to be kept in pots and returned to the greenhouses each winter. But now there are 10’ tall specimens adding a lush tropical and hardy element to the garden. Check out the Tropical and Ginger Tent.
What could be more amazing than annuals having a wave of water lapping over them for a couple of days only to pop back and bloom happily until early January when they finally had a freeze at Mercer? Torenia – wishbone flower didn’t have a care. Pentas just kept on blooming for the ever present butterflies – where did they hide? Even the hill country salvias toughed it out. And the cultivated coneflowers kept sending up flowers to be followed by seed to feed the many goldfinches seen this spring! Annuals and Perennials have lots to whet our appetite for garden splendor.
Now that you have a new fence what better than to add a vine or two for a blooming show – 8 types of Clematis will be offered. Try ‘Rebecca’ for red blooms or ‘Crystal Fountain’ for the traditional lilac hue. If bamboo is your choice for screening, even the clumpers may tip during high winds, but you can prune and then prop them back up. Not easy to do with a mature tree! Bambusa chungii is the amazing blue stemmed clumper. The powdery glaucous surface shines blue in the sunshine.
Does you nose know the garden best? We have the aptly named ‘Katrina Rose’ since it sat through flooding salt water in New Orleans for 2 weeks and kept on blooming. This climber is also known as “Peggy Martin’. One of the favorites is the pink flowered shrub ‘Belinda’s Dream.’
And the Natives just thumbed their noses at anything nature gives them – that’s why they are here in the first place. Cheers to the tough Texas attitude.
Come early with your wagon of choice and join in with this fun fundraising event sponsored by The Mercer Society volunteer organization. More at http://www.hcp4.net/mercer/marchmart/index.htm.