One of the great things about gardening is that there are usually plants to share with others. If a specimen is doing well, invariably there will come a time when it needs dividing or thinning. Sometimes a particular plant does a little too well and spreads itself to places you don't want it. That is when your garden clean up can be another gardener's boon.

Last year a friend in my neighborhood mentioned she wanted to start some Mayapples. Since I really hate to see someone spend their money on plants that are so prolific*, I mentioned I had some and would share some when I had a chance. This spring I dug a few out for her so she could get a patch started. 

As I was digging, I got to thinking about my Mayapple plant's history.

Back in 1968 my family was camping in the West Bend area. I was also volunteering that summer at the Milwaukee Public Museum in the plant department. We were working on a Wisconsin Woodlands exhibit and my boss, Roberta Plumber needed some Mayapples to make a vac-u-form type mold from. My mother and I, avid wildflower enthusiasts, noted that at the campground there were lots of Mayapples. We asked the owners if we could have some and they were willing to share. So 4 Mayapples traveled from West Bend to Shorewood.

Mom and I planted 2 in our shady back yard and I carried the remaining 2 in a bucket (on the bus) to the Milwaukee Public Museum.  Mrs. Plumber made her plaster molds of the large umbrella type leaves and was able to vac-u-form many plastic leaves from those molds for the display. The Mapples stayed in the bucket for weeks to serve as a sample for color and structure until the exhibit was finished. (We added wire and beeswax stems and then sprayed them with acrylic paint. They looked quite real.)

Talk about tough, those 2 plants survived in the bucket in the museum plant department for weeks. When we were finished with them, I trucked them home again on the bus (talk about a conversation starter!) and planted them with the others.

When I got married in 1977, I brought some to my Riverwest home to start a wildflower shade garden. When we moved out here in 1986, I brought a few with me to start some Mayapple areas here.

Now, 40 years after the first transplant, they move on again to my friend's. Who knows where they will go next?

There are lots of plants in my garden that have come from friends and neighbors. I remember the story behind each one. You could say my garden is not only a garden of plants but of memories too. It is one of the many things that make gardening enjoyable to me.

If you admire a friend or neighbor's plants, I think a polite way to ask for a plant is to say, If you ever have to thin them, and you have extras, could I have a start? Most gardeners will be more than happy to oblige.

Next time you are at the Milwaukee Public Museum, look for the Mayapples in the Wisconsin Woodlands display. You now know a little bit more about them!

Mayapples are considered to be a thug of the garden by some (they take over), but I have not had that problem. Their unusual large leaf makes a nice contrast in shady areas, and they are tough!

Mayapples are used for medicinal purposes by some in the medical field. They are not to be used by lay-people, as parts of the plant are poisonous!

*Last year at the Mary Knoll Weed Out, one woman told me she purchased Wood Violets. I told her to give me a call, I have plenty for free! I have seen them for sale for around $4.00 each. 

A reader reported she has hostas with a traveling history too and "can picture them in three states, with a number of friends and neighbors." She also noted the Trillium in the photo. That Trillium was native to Kinsey Park Drive (my street), but not my home. My great uncle was a home builder in the late 1940s - 1950s and built several houses on my street. One site had trilliums in the excavation path. He dug them up and gave the plants to his daughters and nieces (one was my mom). She planted in Shorewood at our house. I took some to Riverwest when I married and eventually back to Kinsey Park Drive in Brookfield. So my Trilliums literally went full circle--just a block west from their original location!

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I actually got my tomato plants into the soil yesterday! That is a record for me--usually I don't get them it until the first week in June. I am pleased with my accomplishment. :)

For the past few years I have planted Lemon Boy. They have a wonderful fruity flavor and are a pretty yellow color. They are not heirlooms, but I purchased 2 at a recent visit to Steins since they are a favorite. I also picked up a Sweet Cluster--a small 2" red type.

Last year I ventured into the heirloom varieties with Mr. Stripey. Those were fun. Huge striped red and yellow fruits with a great flavor. The photo is from last year's Mr. Stripey. You can see it was mostly yellow. The tag on this year's shows a primarily red tomato.

Since I liked Mr. Stripey so much, I purchased it again this year and ventured into a few more heirlooms. A gardening friend recommended I try Brandywine, so this year I picked one up.

Steins had a marvelous selection of heirlooms this year, and the plants looked very healthy. I think the price was 3/ $6.50. A few more heirloom varieties jumped into my cart:  Mortgage Lifter--a meaty red prolific tomato, said to have sold for $1.00 during the depression, Aunt Ruby's German Green--a large yellow and green striped tomato, Green Zebra--a small green and yellow tomato, and Cherokee Purple--an unusual mahogany and red colored tomato.

Sadly, tomatoes do not grow well in my vegetable garden. I must have some virus in there or something. Instead, I plant them on the southern exposure of my house in my perennial bed. The tomato plants love the heat that radiates from the foundation after dark. Granted they look a little odd in with the flowers, but hey, I am a tomato lover so they look good to me! 

No need to worry about having too many tomatoes. They freeze very well. All I do is wash them off, cut out the core, and throw into a freezer Zip-loc bag. Because the freezing action breaks down the structure of the fruit, they are wonderful in soup or spaghetti sauce  I am rather a peasant type cook, so I don't even peel them. You can rub off the peelings very easily when they thaw a bit before you put them into the soup pot, however. 

Can't wait for the first tomato and mayo sandwich!

I noticed in Brookfieldnow that Dixon Elementary School was including heirloom tomatoes in their fundraiser on Sat. May 17th, from 9AM to Noon. Price: $5.00/plant. Proceeds go to purchasing white boards for the school.

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On a  glorious day like today, there are few things I like better than an afternoon out in the yard. I just finished my Dr. Death duties (Weed B Gone and Round-Up*) and now I am ready for a little digging time in the flower bed.

I have been watching my 2 peach trees with growing interest. If they are going to bloom, it is usually on Mother's Day. Despite our late spring, they did not let me down. I spotted 2 blossoms in full bloom--1 on each tree. I am of course hoping for more, because there is nothing like a home-grown peach.

Last summer was rather abysmal. Only 1 lonely peach total. That one was a surprise because I did not even see the blossom! In years past, I have had bumper crops. But lately it has been pretty much a miss.

My peach trees are 2nd generation, from a volunteer. I think a squirrel probably planted the first one from a stone out of the garbage or a tree in someone's yard? I noted the young tree in the early 1990s and thought it looked like a fruit tree, so I just let it grow. A few years later it was adorned with hundreds of pink blossoms on Mother's Day. That tree has since died, but I did plant a number of pits from those peaches, so the volunteer tree lives on in a way.

Peaches, even when professionally grown are rather short lived; often they only live about 15 years. So I am enjoying mine while they last.

Another bonus of blooming trees is that they seem to attract migrating birds. The orioles are already singing high in the trees. Sometimes they will stick around through mulberry season. 

Got to go. Time to weed and transplant.

Enjoy the day. 

*I hate to use herbicides, but sometimes they are the only thing that will work. My preference is Round Up. I was told it was a vitamin and causes the plant to grow too fast for its root system. It also breaks down into inert substances in 24 hours. Draw back is that it kills everything it touches. Benefit is that it is the only thing that will kill certain thistles. I tried for years to pull out the smaller thistles from my flower beds and that treatment only seemed to increase their numbers. Finally I resorted to painting on Round Up with a art brush. That worked.

Weed B Gone is nasty--it stays toxic for days. Its benefit is that it does not kill the grass. I use it sparingly and try to spot treat as much as possible rather than spraying the whole lawn. 

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Last Thursday was the National Day of Prayer. The day was brisk, but at least the sun was out!

I headed over to City Hall and found the same faithful woman I met last year sitting on the ledge by the flag poles. We were soon joined by 2 other women--both of which I knew this time :). One of them told me she was at Pilgrim Park Middle School earlier that day with a group called Praying Parents. They evidentially meet a few times during the school year to pray over the schools.

We chatted a bit about various concerns and then prayed for our country, presidential election, leaders, schools, teachers, children, soldiers, world hunger, etc. The time went quickly and I think we each left with a little lift in our step.

Saturday morning the weather was dreary, but a crew of the faithful still turned out for the 4th Annual Weed Out.

Photo shows Patty Gerner, The Garlic Mustard Lady, standing on the picnic table instructing the crew.

Brookfield's Forestry Superintendent Gary Majeskie also addressed the crowd and answered residents' questions about weeds and invasive plants.

I would guess there were about 30-40 people in all: neighbors, Key Club students, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and both District 7 Alderwomen, Lisa Mellone and Renee' Lowerr.

The good news is that there were not the large patches of Garlic Mustard, but that meant we really had to hunt for the weeds.

The rain made weeding a messy business, but the attendees pulled a fair amount of weeds anyway. Because we had such a late spring, many of the weeds were still small. Patty Gerner and her weeding friend Sandy will follow up in the park until the weeds go to seed. 

As usual, I found some interesting plants and fungi in the woods.

This plant was in the Solomon Seal, but I am not sure what it is. If you recognize it, please comment.

Past Garlic Mustard Postings:
3rd Annual Weed Out (with photos)

It is worth saving (pictures from Weed Out and wildflowers)

Oh, the shame! (photos and tips for evicting Garlic Mustard)

Weed control links: Garlic Mustard and garlic mustard's pretty cousin, Dame's Rocket. (It can take over native areas too.) Garlic mustard should be thrown in the trash and labeled Garlic Mustard: Do not compost.

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