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 A New Year for Continued Progress
by David Anderson, Utah Botanical Center
As
2008 draws to a close, we look back on accomplishments of this past year and
look forward to opportunities and growth in 2009. At the Ogden Botanical
Gardens, a beautiful new water-wise perennial garden and a native plant terrace
garden were completed. A membership program was created at OBG this year as
well. The Utah Botanical Center celebrated the completion of Wetland Discovery
Point. This new sustainable classroom will provide dynamic learning
opportunities to thousands of school children in the future. The UBC also
completed a new public restroom, added a unique water feature to the Rasmussen
Teaching Garden, installed new fencing and earthwork near I-15, and started
construction on a large new stream.
We are looking forward to continued growth and progress in 2009. Starting
with this January edition, we will be producing "The Garden View"
newsletter monthly to provide you with helpful plant and gardening information.
We will also be offering more public classes at both the UBC and OBG. We look
forward to successful plant sales, fun family nights, the summer farmers market
and other activities and events.
We express appreciation to the fine staff members of the OBG, UBC and USU
Extension who put forth great effort and expertise to care for the gardens and
provide great horticulture learning. We look forward to sharing information and
events with you in the coming months. Happy New Year!
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Feature Article:
Wetland Discovery Point Completed
The newest building at the Utah
Botanical Center is also among
the most environmentally friendly structures in
the state.
Wetland Discovery Point will be the home of many education
programs
at the UBC and was designed and built to qualify for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design Platinum Certification, the highest ranking awarded by the
U.S. Green Building Council. There are currently just 94 Platinum certified
buildings in the United States and none are in Utah.
At the November 14 dedication, Utah State University President Stan Albrecht
said, "We are in turbulent times ... many of us wake up every morning
wondering if we will find the bottom of all of this soon. But when we see
projects like this, we see the future. We see positive things that will benefit
us and our children."
Read More of this Feature
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 Featured Insect:
Mantids
by Jerry Goodspeed
One of the most common beneficial insects is the mantid, often called the
praying mantid. These insects are quite large in size and are recognizable by
most people. Mantids are related to the grasshoppers and katydids. Although it
is true that mantids eat other insects, they are also somewhat cannibalistic in
their nature. This can reduce the amount of mantids in the landscape and make
them less effective in actually controlling other pests.
The female mantid lays her eggs in the fall in an egg case that can hold up to
400 eggs. These cases resemble a light-colored Brazil nut in shape and size,
but are quite fragile. They can be found on rocks, siding, wood piles and
branches. In the spring the eggs hatch, and they start to eat the first food
they come in contact with, which is too often each other.
Mantid egg cases can be bought on-line or at some nurseries. However, because
of their cannibalistic nature and the fact that they may also eat other
beneficial insects, they are not noted as a very effective pest control method.
Erin Hodgson and Ron Patterson have just finished a fact sheet on the mantids
and it can be accessed at http://utahpests.usu.edu/ipm/htm/factsheets/
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 Featured Tree:
Giant Weeping Sequoia
by JayDee Gunnelll
Giant Weeping Sequoia
(Sequoiadendron giganteum 'Pendulum')
Type: Medium-large, weeping evergreen
Zone: 6 (0 to -10°F)
Size: 30-plus feet talll
Varied width
Description: While the species could be considered too large (reaching over
100'), the cultivar 'Pendulum' has merit in the urban landscape. Its unique growth
habit adds a definite flare to the landscape, and much like falling snowflakes,
no two are exactly the same. The upright and erratic growth of this tree
conjures images of a lumbering giant more so than that of a tree. It performs
best in well-drained soils, and as with other evergreens, needs even moisture
during dry winters. Because of the marginal cold hardiness, it would be prudent
to plant the tree in a protected area.
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Featured Perennial:
Sundancer Daisy
by Richard Anderson
Hymenoxis acaulis, commonly called Sundancer Daisy, is a hardy, tufted
perennial that grows naturally across vast regions of the Intermountain West
between elevations of 4,000-7,000 feet. Here at the Utah Botanical Center, it
has performed superbly as a low accent in both formal and naturalized
plantings. In fact, it bloomed profusely until the first part of December this
year. It generally will not get larger than 15" tall or wide and its yellow
flowers combine nicely with other water-wise plants such as Utah sweetvetch (Hedysarum
boreale), firechalice (Zauschneria garrettii), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias
tuberosa), beardtongues (Penstemon ssp.), sulfurflower buckwheat (Eriogonum
umbellatum), and fringed sagebrush (Artemisia frigida). We recommend
this plant for a dry, sunny area of the garden. Regular deadheading during the
growing season will extend the bloom season as well as maintain a tidy
appearance.
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The Garden Calendar
► Plan your garden on paper using a
pencil and eraser.
► For ambitious gardeners, start seeds indoors in a sunny, warm location.
► Trim back the poinsettia to just a few leaves if you plan to keep it.
Otherwise, add it to the compost pile.
► Enjoy the garden catalogs and try some new, exciting seeds.
► Sharpen the pruning equipment and get ready to prune.
► Sharpen shovels and other equipment to prepare for spring gardening.
► Be sure to use snow melt (as little as possible) to eliminate snow and
ice. Do not use fertilizer and salt on the driveway and sidewalks.
► Hope for large amounts of snow in the mountains so we will have a good water
year.
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Utah
Botanical Center Upcoming Events
February 11
Menu for the Future discussion group, 7 p.m. at the Utah House
March 7
Energy Merit Badge Class, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Utah House
March 21
Environmental Science Class, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Utah House
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Ogden
Botanical Gardens Upcoming Events
March
5 "Putting a Wall Together" wreath-making class with Dion
Gooch, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
(Community classes held the first Thursday of each month. A
schedule will be available soon.)
March 12, 19, 26, April 2,
16 Landscape
Design Course, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
(Email kathy.bardwell@usu.edu or call 801-399-8201 to for registration information.)
March 28 Pruning Classes - Pruning fruit trees,
shrubs, ornamentals and roses, 9 a.m. to noon.
(Everyone in the community can select classes of interest.)
April 17 "Dessert First" Class - Grafting with Mike Pace,
12 to 1 p.m.
(On the third Friday of each month, "Dessert First" classes will be
held with instruction by state
specialists. We will eat dessert first, or bring a lunch to eat first if you would like, and then
receive
valuable educational instruction.)
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CONTACT INFORMATION
UTAH BOTANICAL CENTER-801-593-8969 OGDEN BOTANICAL GARDENS-801-399-8080
http://utahbotanicalcenter.org http://extension.usu.edu/weber
GARDENING HELP LINE GARDENING HELP LINE
Phone: 801-451-3204 (M,W,F) 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Phone: 801-399-8080 (Mon-Fri) 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY INSTITUTION
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