An interview with Mark Dwyer, Part 2

What types of plantings occur at the gardens annually?

Over 40% of the gardens are entirely different each year due to our heavy use of seasonal plants. Each year we select and display over 900 varieties of annuals. This amounts to over 150,000 plants installed each spring in to early summer. We have no production greenhouses but have five growers in the area that start plants for us from seed or plugs based on our orders. We change our color themes annually as well as our focused seasonal collections. We also plant over 300 new varieties of perennials each year (we currently have 2,000 perennial varieties) and we’ll install trees and shrubs as well (we have over 1,000 varieties of woody plants). We attempt augment plant collections in all gardens spaces every year and keep up with accurate plant records and labeling.

I believe the Rotary Gardens are involved with trial gardens. What are these and what trials will be occurring this summer?

We are a display garden for All-America Selections (AAS) as well as Fleuroselect (Europe). We display and trial many of their winners each year. We have received four National Awards from AAS for our creative and educational use of these collections. We also are a trial garden for Ball Seed, PanAmerican Seed and Takii Seed (Japan) and will display and evaluate many of their products each year. We don’t do “row trials” and include our trialing plants throughout our compositions. We’re also a member of the National Plant Trials Database and display many new plants from a multitude of vendors. This year we will start trialing perennials at our Horticulture Center for AAS, which is a new addition to their programs.

Are there any particular flowers are you looking forward to planting this year?

I’m looking forward to all of our new plants. I love all flowers, but I am also a sucker for foliage. We’ll have some fun collections this year too including a “Hummingbird Haven” theme, Caladium collection, heirloom collection, and much more. We’ve really been exploring the use of a wide range of tropical plants as well with significant use of bananas, cannas, elephant ears, coleus’ and other selections.

The containers that are planted and placed through the Botanical Gardens look absolutely beautiful. What recommendations for homeowners do you have regarding planting containers of annual flowers?

Keep in mind that the last phase of preparing a container is ultimately installing the plants. It is vital to have a good, well-drained soil mix in the container as well as ample drainage (for most instances). Combing plants is fun but consider that you don’t just garden “in” a container but “with” the container in terms of its placement, and ultimately the container itself might be ornamental and should be featured. Proper preparation is vital and the commitment to keep up with all the needs of that container arrangement. Know your plants and what to expect from them in terms of growth. Keep your plantings happy!

What are some of the names of some of the flowers that you will be using in the containers at the Gardens this year?

When we select plants for our containers, we start by considering colorful and textural foliage. Our larger containers might feature a centerpiece of Abyssinian bananas (Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’), giant papyrus (Cyperus papyrus ‘King Tut’), or purple elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum ‘Vertigo’). We include other foliage plants and plenty of blooming selections of trailing petunias, zinnias, verbena, lantana, etc. We have over 70 large containers to plant each year and many will receive “seasonal treatment” with a spring display, summer transition and then a fall arrangement.

I believe you offer tours to groups of 12 or more. What would be the process if someone wanted to sign up for a tour?

For those interested in a tour, they should contact our Special Events Manager, Chris Dohner at (608)-752-3885 [extension 16]. Chris, who can also be reached at specialevents@rotarygardens.org, can answer all questions related to tours and ultimately sets them up as well. Keep in mind, too, that we have a small cart that can also transport up to five mobility-impaired guests around the gardens with a tour guide driver. This is a free service. For plant societies, gardening groups and those more interested in specific plants can request that I am the tour guide although that is subject to my availability.

What does a tour generally consist of?

Plan for a minimum of at least 90 minutes (with 2 hours being preferable) to see the majority of the gardens. We have very knowledgeable tour guides that will lead visitors through the gardens and talk about garden style and garden history. We go at a comfortable pace and will take time to rest as needed. There are also many shaded areas, which become invaluable on the hottest of days. The tour time frame will allow for a visit to the restrooms and some shopping time in the Cottage Garden Gallery (gift shop) as well!

It seems like the Gardens would be the perfect backdrop for a variety of different functions. What types of functions do you host at the Gardens?

The garden hosts a wide range of events and activities throughout the year. The Parker Education Center hosts rentals, meetings, wedding receptions, and other events year round. The gardens proper also host over 90 weddings every year between mid May and mid October. We also have musical events in the gardens, outdoor theater, educational field days and myriad other events. See www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org for more information on rental opportunities and events of potential interest.

What types of events are hosted by the Gardens each year?

The garden plans and hosts various events each year frequently including professional field days, musical events, theater, and other fundraising opportunities. In the past, we’ve had our Garden Gala Dinner out in the gardens and our Holiday Light Show in December attracts almost 40,000 visitors to the gardens. The Holiday Light Show is a “walk thru” experience that also includes a model train display, refreshments, live entertainment, and other features at the Parker Education Center. Photography (amateur and professional) is also very common out in the gardens.

How would our readers find out more about the gardens? 

A great way to learn more about the gardens is to explore our website at www.rotarybotanicalgardens.org. I have also been involved with posting a horticulture blog featuring the gardens, plants, events, and volunteers for the past eight years. Check out www.rotarygardens.blogspot.com to see more about the gardens and I encourage potential visitors to view past postings to see the beauty of the gardens throughout the year.

Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She will address it in an upcoming column

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