Nursery Management News

The new GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards program is offered exclusively to John Deere customers who purchase at least two qualified John Deere products.

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As GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards program members, customers are entitled to a number of benefits, including discounts, incentives, financing and promotions.

Members get discounts on a variety of John Deere equipment, including commercial mowers, utility vehicles, compact tractors, garden tractors, and commercial worksite products. Discounts are scaled by how many units a customer purchases in a two-year period. All GreenFleet members also get a 10 percent discount off parts and workshop products.

GreenFleet members who are also John Deere Landscapes customers will receive offers on landscape supplies like irrigation, lighting, nursery and other materials.

Through John Deere Financial, GreenFleet members receive access to preferred financing offers, like low-rate financing, leasing options, payment plans and equipment insurance.

As GreenFleet members, customers will receive regular email offers, such as John Deere attachments discounts, John Deere Gifts coupons, and preferred partner discounts. 

Customers who purchase at least two machines are automatically enrolled in the program and will receive program benefits for two years. To stay enrolled, customers must purchase at least two machines every two years.

From ANLA's Craig Regelbrugge

The powerful Senate Judiciary Committee formally took up S.744 on May 9. The bill, formally known as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, had over 300 amendments filed by Judiciary members. The Committee is now in the process of what is known as a “mark-up,” in which many of the filed amendments will be considered and voted on. 

On the first day of the mark-up, over 30 amendments were either voted upon, or withdrawn. While many amendments offered by both Republicans and Democrats were approved, in a “so far, so good” kind of way, amendments seen as attacking the heart of the bipartisan agreement the bill represents were rejected. 

The Judiciary mark-up continues this week, and Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) hopes to wrap up the Committee’s work next week prior to adjourning for the Memorial Day recess.

On May 13, USDA-APHIS proposed lifting the restrictions on the interstate movement of Berberis thunbergii varieties ‘Della’ and ‘O’ Byrne’ and Mahonia x media variety ‘Lionel Fortescue’. These three varieties were thoroughly evaluated by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at the Cereal Disease Laboratory in St. Paul, MN and found to be resistant to Black Stem Rust (Puccinia graminis).

APHIS plans to make the rule lifting restrictions on these plants effective July 12, 2013 but will be accepting comments through June 12, 2013. If they receive comments that suggest maintaining the restriction, APHIS may evaluate the situation further.

Hat tip to ANLA's Joe Bischoff for wading through the "governmentese" and providing this information. To see the rule in its entirety, go here.

Berberis thunbergii ‘O’Byrne’

Photo courtesy of Spring Meadow

Carried out by researchers from the University of Aberdeen, the James Hutton Institute and Rothamsted Research, the study demonstrated that the plants are able to send warnings of incoming aphids to other plants connected to their network. The plants then send out a chemical signal that repels aphids and attracts wasps, a natural aphid predator.

The research follows previous findings that have shown plants can communicate similar chemical warnings through the air.

The new study says plants can connect with other via a common fungus known as mycorrhizae. "Mycorrhizal fungi need to get [products of photosynthesis] from the plant, and they have to do something for the plant," John Pickett of Rothamsted Research told the BBC.

"In the past, we thought of them making nutrients available from the [roots and soil], but now we see another evolutionary role for them in which they pay the plant back by transmitting the signal efficiently," he said.

University of Aberdeen’s David Johnson added, "Our understanding of ecological systems has not considered the fact that plants are interconnected in this way. It could have major implications for our understanding of how one organism affects another."

Conversely, the plants in the study not connected to the fungal network did not send out warning signals to other plants after coming under attack. The in-network plants were also covered with bags to ensure that they were not actually sending the signals through the air.

Pickett said the discovery could lead to farms using the fungi as an advance warning system for their crops. In theory, one “sacrificial” plant would be kept at a distance from the crops. If it fell under attack from insects, it would warn the rest of the plants, giving them time to mount a viable defense.

Photo by Daniel Feliciano

Bobcat Co. has officially broken ground on its $20 million renovation and expansion to create the Acceleration Center in Bismarck, N.D. When complete, the Acceleration Center will be a modern complex for advancing innovation where professionals utilize technology and modern design to ensure the position of Bobcat as the leader in the compact equipment industry.

The project includes expansion of an existing building as well as development of a new test track and indoor testing facility – all at the Northern Plains Commerce Centre in Bismarck. The expansion of the existing building will include a two-story office building and provide a total of 160,000 square feet of modern workspace. Additionally, a 35,000-square-foot indoor testing arena will be constructed next to a 22-acre outdoor testing and track area. Construction is expected to be complete by summer 2014.

The Acceleration Center will initially house 135 employees tasked with innovating and advancing designs; testing; prototype engineering; and the computer simulation of ideas and concepts. These efforts will be accelerated thanks to the collaborative open environment and modern technology built into the facility.

Rich Goldsbury, company president, was the master of ceremonies for the groundbreaking event, while North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple, U.S. Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp, U.S. Representative Kevin Cramer, and Bismarck Mayor John Warford were on hand to make the ceremonial turn of dirt, which included the use of Bobcat equipment to mark the moment.

“This is an exciting day as we invest in the future of Bobcat and the future of North Dakota,” said Goldsbury. “We created the compact equipment industry, and the Acceleration Center will ensure the Bobcat tradition of innovation and market leadership continues.”

The Acceleration Center will also serve as a center for excellence and a learning institute for employees. The facility features an open space and high-tech design to encourage collaboration and discussion. Bobcat dealers and customers will be brought to the complex for training and hands-on experience operating the newest innovations from Bobcat.

“The newest designs, the latest technologies and the best ways to apply product features important to our customers will be part of the daily life inside the Acceleration Center,” Goldsbury added. “We take great pride in our North Dakota roots. Today, we have set the foundation for the future in North Dakota.”

The contractor for the project is Comstock Construction Inc. of Wahpeton. When complete, the entire project – including the original building built in 2005 – will mark a $35 million investment by Bobcat in the Northern Plains Commerce Centre in Bismarck.
 

On May 14, the RHS will present a report to the House of Commons calling for government action to urgently address the skills gap in the horticultural industry.

A survey of 200 horticultural businesses conducted by the Society has demonstrated that more than 70% of horticultural businesses cannot fill skilled vacancies, nearly 20% are forced to recruit overseas and almost 70% claim that career entrants are inadequately prepared for work. This gloomy picture is outlined in the report, Horticulture Matters.

The report, commissioned by Britain’s leading horticultural organisations, including the Institute of Horticulture, British Growers Association, HTA (Horticultural Trades Association) and Lantra, concludes that a commitment to bridging the green skills gap is not only necessary but urgent.

The survey of 200 horticultural businesses confirmed an alarming shortage of skilled professionals in UK horticulture. The Horticulture Matters report, which will be presented to Government at the House of Commons, demonstrates exactly how this skills gap is threatening Britain’s economy, environment and food security.

Dwindling numbers of people with horticultural skills simply means that the industry cannot meet the growing demands placed on it. Horticulture contributes £9 billion to the British economy each year as an industry. It employs 300,000 people including crop crowers, gardeners, scientists and turf specialists.

The survey also found that 10% of vacancies take at least one year to fill. More than 80% of the survey respondents cited a poor perception of horticulture in schools and colleges as the issue, and 90% said it was because horticulture lacks career appeal.

Sue Biggs, Director General of the RHS, has stated that growing concern across the industry about the skills crisis has galvanised this unified call for Government action. "We’ve brought together Britain’s leading horticultural organisations to create this report.

"We are unanimous in the belief that there must now be urgent action to save British horticulture and it must happen now. Our report calls on the Government, employers and those in the education system to take action to safeguard the critical role that horticulture plays in Britain today.

"Within the report there are solutions that both the horticultural industry and Government could embrace to safeguard the critical role that horticulture plays in Britain today and must continue to play in the future. We must act now to safeguard the critical role horticulture plays in Britain today and must continue to play in the future."

The report asks Government to prioritise horticulture within Research Council and other government research funding areas to equip Britain with the high level of skilled professionals the UK needs to tackle threats posed by pests and diseases and climate change.

A popular British television gardener weighs in on the issue. Read the story from The BBC here.

Photo courtesy of HOPS

TORONTO -- Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) announced a 33 percent growth in installed green roofs in Toronto in 2012 as part of the results of the Annual Green Roof Industry Survey.

“Toronto’s green roof bylaw and support for green buildings continues to keep the city in a leadership position in North America,” said GRHC founder and president Steven W. Peck.

In 2012, the Toronto Metropolitan Region installed the most green roofs in Canada: 338,310 square feet (31,430 square meters), up from 227,657 square feet (21150 square meters) in 2011. This square footage is the fourth-highest in North America, after Washington DC, Chicago, and New York City. Strong green roof policy has aided this number greatly.

"Through the Green Roof Bylaw, the City of Toronto has required over 250 development applications to include green roofs, totalling 170,000 square metres of new green roof in Toronto,” said Jane Welsh, project manager of environmental planning with the City of Toronto. “This exemplifies the city's dedication to a sustainable urban environment. Many developers have embraced the Green Roof Bylaw to bring added value to their clients."

This news comes just before Grey to Green: A Conference on the Economics of Green Infrastructure at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto (May 21-22). Presented by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Grey to Green will feature more than 50 expert speakers from across North America who are presenting the public and private economic benefits of investing in living green infrastructure such as green roofs, green walls, urban forests, biowalls and engineered wetlands. Click here for more information and to register.
 

DALLAS – Southern Botanical hosted a group of college professors from China as part of an international exchange program developed at Texas A&M University.

The program, run by the Texas A&M Department of Horticulture, is partially funded by a grant from the US Department of Agriculture. Participants represented several Chinese universities, including: Qingdao Agricultural University, Jiangsu Academy of Agriculture Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Beijing Forestry University, South China Agricultural University, China Agricultural University and Yunnan Academy of Agriculture Science.

The group spent the afternoon visiting some of the residential and commercial properties for which Southern Botanical provides garden management services.

The group is travelling around the state of Texas visiting growers, suppliers and, in the case of Southern Botanical, landscapers. They visited two high-end residential properties and one commercial property. They also received a full facility tour with the overall goal of becoming more familiarized with the green industry in the US.

Properties featured on the tour represented a range of styles and plantings. They experienced the recently installed native prairie meadows of a local national archive facility, the rambling fairy tale world of a Dallas residence designed to feel like Middle Earth, and sprawling wildflower meadows blended with modern architecture.

There is great concern across Europe about the collapse of bee populations.

Neonicotinoid chemicals in pesticides are believed to harm bees and the European Commission says they should be restricted to crops not attractive to bees and other pollinators.

But many farmers and crop experts argue that there is insufficient data.

Fifteen countries voted in favour of a ban - not enough to form a qualified majority. According to EU rules the Commission will now have the option to impose a two-year restriction on neonicotinoids - and the UK cannot opt out.

The Commission says it wants the moratorium to begin no later than 1 December this year.

The UK did not support a ban - it argues that the science behind the proposal is inconclusive. It was among eight countries that voted against, while four abstained.

Wild species such as honey bees are said by researchers to be responsible for pollinating around one-third of the world's crop production.

There is heated debate about what has triggered the widespread decline in bee populations. Besides chemicals, many experts point to the parasitic varroa mite, viruses that attack bees and neglect of hives.

After Monday's vote the EU Health Commissioner, Tonio Borg, said "the Commission will go ahead with its text in the coming weeks".

"I pledge to do my utmost to ensure that our bees, which are so vital to our ecosystem and contribute over 22bn euros (£18.5bn; $29bn) annually to European agriculture, are protected."

Greenpeace EU agriculture policy director Marco Contiero said Monday's vote "makes it crystal clear that there is overwhelming scientific, political and public support for a ban.

"Those countries opposing a ban have failed."

An EU vote last month was inconclusive, so the Commission proposal went to an appeals committee on Monday - and again the countries were split on the issue.

Some restrictions are already in place for neonicotinoids in France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia.

The three neonicotinoids are clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam.

A report published by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) in January concluded that the pesticides posed a "high acute risk" to pollinators, including honeybees.

However, it added that in some cases it was "unable to finalise the assessments due to shortcomings in the available data".

Read the rest of the story here.

Photo from BBC News

SUMNER, Wash. -- McConkey Company is continuing its growth trend with the addition of Dave Edenfield as business development manager.

“Dave’s strong background with growers and the young plants side of business give him a unique perspective in the continuing effort to deepen our understanding of customer motivations,” said McConkey President Derek Moeller. “Additionally, his exposure to the mass market and retail-ready programs will be a strong asset in innovation development and addressing challenges across the current marketplace.”

In his new role, Edenfield will collaborate with the company’s product and design teams to create new products that address specific grower needs. In addition, he’ll work to strengthen the company’s focus on solution-based product development, while providing enhanced support for account managers in the field.

Most recently, Edenfield was a founding partner in The Visions Group consulting company. His career also includes time in sales and marketing at Smith Gardens, retail-ready account management at Greiling Farms Inc. and account management at Vaughan’s Seed Company. He holds associate’s degrees in ornamental horticulture and landscape design from Abraham Baldwin College in Tifton, Ga.

McConkey Company is a producer and distributor of horticultural goods, with locations in Sumner, Wash., and Garden Grove, Calif. A family-owned business for three generations, McConkey offers a wide product selection including containers, coverings, soil, and more. For more information visit www.mcconkeyco.com.
 

WASHINGTON -- The American Nursery and Landscape Association has issued an action alert, urging members to contact their U.S. Senators and show their support for the proposed immigration reform legislation.

On May 9, the Senate Judiciary Committee began considering S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

In what may be a once-in-a-generation opportunity, Congress is taking up legislation to modernize America's immigration system. The Senate is so far leading the effort, and began formal consideration of the bill on May 9. S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, would dramatically overhaul America's legal immigration system, address border security and employment eligibility verification, and provide a tough but fair process for an estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants to earn legal status over 10 or more years.

ANLA strongly supports several sections of the bill. Most notable are:

• The agricultural reform package, which will benefit nursery and greenhouse growers and workers. Reforms include an agriculture-specific earned legalization program, and a new, market based and flexible future ag worker visa program that will eventually replace the widely criticized H-2A program;
• Improvements to the H-2B program, which is critical to many landscape and distribution companies. Key reforms include a multi-year extension of the "returning worker exemption" (an expired "good idea" provision that allows more H-2B seasonal visa workers based on need); and, a fair resolution for establishing H-2B program wages;
• A new "W visa" program that will allow employers to hire foreign workers on three-year visas for non-agricultural jobs. While the initial W visa cap is low, the allowed number of visas will ultimately rise or fall based on the strength of the economy.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering S.744. But anti-immigrant groups are already orchestrating a noisy campaign to distort the legislation, and once again scare Congress and the American people into inaction with false claims that the bill will jeopardize national security and cost too much to implement.

In reality, the legislation will improve security by identifying and registering who is in the country and better monitoring who comes and goes. It will strengthen the economy by creating a 21st Century immigration system to allow the U.S. to sustain its vitality and compete in a global economy.

ANLA has a pre-written message that you can e-mail to your senators with a few easy clicks. To view the action alert and take action, click here.

Name: Caldwell Pink rose

Description: Successive flushes of double carnation-like flowers appear in mid-spring, last throughout the summer and well into fall. Flowers are lilac-pink and are not fragrant. The pointed foliage is small and neat.

Habit: Small shrub rose that grows 4 feet high by 4 feet wide.

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9.

Culture: Grows best in full sun. Plant where it can receive good air circulation. It grows best in well-drained, amended soil, but will tolerate alkaline clay soils. It provides excellent heat and disease tolerance.

Landscape use: Use along a border, in drifts, en masse or as an accent plant.

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Earth-Kind rose program

Editor’s note: Both roses in this month’s Green Guides are part of the Earth-Kind rose program. The Earth-Kind designation is based on the results of extensive research and is awarded only to roses with superior pest tolerance and landscape performance. Earth-Kind roses do well in most soil types. Once established, these selections also have excellent heat and drought tolerance.

Preparation
The pre-show planning and preparation is perhaps the most important. Having a game plan going into the show can help you to have clear objectives and meet your event goals. Do you want to scope out a new pottery vendor? Attend the session being given by a well-renowned garden center consultant? Touch base with peers from the opposite end of the country who you only see at these events?

Social media: Not surprisingly, social media has become a tool for business professionals to stay in touch as much as it's a way for friends to reconnect. One simple way to stay up-to-date is to like the event’s Facebook page and follow it on Twitter. Organizers should be regularly posting updates, links to find out more about a specific aspect of the show and other pertinent information. You can also post your own questions and comments about the show, either for the organizers or for other attendees to comment.

Are you looking for someone to carpool out from a neighboring city, or do you need more information about something you weren’t able to find on the website? This is the perfect place to ask.

Newsletters: This may seem like an obvious point, but it’s always beneficial to sign up for the event's newsletters to get the latest information and updates. You can always visit the event’s website, but it’s sometimes difficult to remember to regularly check for updates. If you receive a newsletter, you’ll have regular reminders to prepare for the event, and receive details helpful to planning your trip, such as accommodation information, trade show and education program hours, etc.

Evernote: Most garden center owners and employees that I have met at trade shows have a smart phone or tablet. One of the aspects that I like the most about this mobile technology is the wealth of applications and features that make taking notes on the go easy and shareable. One app that’s great for getting organized pre-trip is Evernote. Available for most mobile devices and computers, it’s described as “an easy-to-use, free app that helps you remember everything across all of the devices you use.” What does that mean? You can take photos, jot down a few thoughts, create your own to do lists, record voice reminders and even “clip” portions of websites that have valuable information that you may need later. All of these are turned into individual “notes” that can be tagged for easy searching later on. The best part? You can share all of this information across all of your devices and with employees, family or friends at any point, if you so choose.

One of the most interesting features of this app is that it automatically tags any notes or photos that you create with the location it was created. This could be extremely helpful when you’re on a tour of independent garden centers and are having trouble remembering where a certain photo was taken. If you’re on the road and can’t or find it cumbersome to type out a note on your mobile device, you also have the option of recording an audio message to listen to later. Say you’re on the road at California Spring Trials and just remembered that at the next stop you need to ask the breeder a specific question about a new variety. With Evernote, you can record that message, and tag it so that it comes up when you pull up the rest of your notes tagged for that stop.

For more information, visit www.evernote.com.

California Spring Trials central reservation website: Speaking of California Spring Trials, we recently sat down with Michael Geary, CEO of OFA and executive vice president of ANLA, to find out more about this new planning tool. Essentially, this website is a place where California Spring Trials attendees can book most of their stops to different breeders at once (there are few companies who aren’t participating at this time due to limits on the number of attendees). “I don’t know if you’ve ever participated and made reservations yourself [in past years], but you had to register and make appointments with all these individual companies independently. It was quite a chore to set up your schedule to go as a participant to drive along the coast of California,” says Geary. “We wanted to find a way that would make it easier for all the attendees to be able to participate.”

After setting up a user account, you can start booking appointments. The system asks for some demographic information about the visiting group as well as the group’s arrival and departure time and if they will be eating a meal on-site. After submitting this information, the group is automatically confirmed, unless there is a conflict. The contact information is sent to the company, which will then contact the attendees and plan their staffing accordingly. At this point, attendees can print their personalized schedule, which is listed in chronological order and includes each company’s contact information.

The process is straightforward, and modifications can be made if one of your group members is no longer able to attend, or if you miss a flight and have to change your schedule. In fact, Geary told us that a mobile version of the site is currently in development as well. “When [attendees] are out in California, they can log into their profile on their smartphone and identify where they’re going next and even set up or cancel appointments on the fly,” he says.

For more information, visit www.HorticultureEvents.com/CAST

At the event

GPS: This may seem like the simplest of high-tech tools, and it may even seem like a given to many of you. However, this is one of your greatest tools to use during events such as the Michigan Garden Plant Tour or the California Spring Trials. Both events require a bit of traveling between stops, and one missed exit can mean a lot of wasted time. Maps are a great resource, until you’re forced to take a detour because of road construction, and have to pull over to manually “recalculate.” Many rental cars come equipped with a GPS system, and there are a wide variety of free turn-by-turn map apps for smart phones (my personal favorite for iPhone is the new Google Maps app). If you’re looking for food or a gas station while on the road, you can search for them on your smart phone with an app such as Urban Spoon for restaurants or Google+ Local for food, stores and just about anything else.

Event apps and mobile websites: Many larger events are starting to develop apps or mobile websites that make it easier for attendees to keep track of what’s going on, and even create their own agenda of booths to visit and education sessions to attend. The Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit show app includes hotel information, detailed schedules, an interactive map, exhibitor/sponsor list (which can be filtered by in many different ways, such as numerically by booth, alphabetically or by first time exhibitors), basic attendee information, local area resources, and even a tab that links to each of their social media pages. This app is available for free for Apple products in the iTunes store.

In addition to the mobile website they’re developing for the California Spring Trials, OFA is also working on one for their Short Course in Columbus this July. “Once upon a time we put out computer kiosks,” says Geary. “People could check their email and websites there. We don’t do that anymore because no one used it the last couple of years; people are using their smart phones instead.” He explains that the new mobile-optimized website will allow attendees to create a personalized, daily agenda, access a map of the event, and other features. Geary says they are also in talks with several mobile service providers to improve the mobile service within the convention center, because without good service, not even the best mobile website is useful.

Twitter: While it may be helpful to check out other social media outlets during the show, Twitter seems to be the most beneficial to keep up on the goings-on. In addition to following the page, also check out whether or not the show has a hashtag. In January, I attended the National Green Centre show (@NatlGreenCentre) in St. Louis, Mo. and tweeted my comments on Garden Center’s Twitter page (@GardenCenterMag), tagging the posts with #NGC13, the event hashtag. Others could follow not only my tweets, but National Green Centre’s tweets as well, all by searching for the #NGC13 hashtag. At other events, I have seen Twitter used to promote last-minute contests and to set up impromptu meetings.

Wrap-up
A lot of the value in attending trade shows is in the connections you make while there, and the information that you acquire in the educational sessions, tours and by visiting vendor booths. However, what do you do with all of that information? It can be overwhelming to unpack the stacks of business cards (which inevitably go flying across the room the moment you open your bags), product pamphlets and class handouts upon arriving home. Here are a few tools to help simplify that process.

CamCard app: One speaker at Next Level referred to the pile of business cards that we acquire that end up on a corner of our desk as the “business card dungeon.” Enter CamCard. While this is not the only business card app available, it’s one that was brought up at the show as one that’s convenient, easy-to-use and works well. It's not perfect, but it's a definite timesaver.

For more information, visit www.camcard.com.

Recorded sessions: Due to the concurrent schedule of educational sessions at shows, it’s impossible to attend all of them, as much as you might like to. If you weren’t able to attend the show, and therefore missed all of them, not to worry. Some event organizers offer the recorded educational sessions after the show to review or watch/listen to for the first time. While they’re usually not free, they are a worthwhile investment, as you can refer back to them multiple times, and share the information with staff members who weren’t at the show. New England Grows posts short video clips of the show and interviews with speakers on their website, and audio records most of their sessions. A CD of the audio recordings can be purchased after the show. OFA Short Course offers an “Education to go” package to attendees, which can be accessed in an online library or via a multimedia CD-ROM once the show is over. One of the interesting features of the Education to go package is that audio sessions can be recorded to an MP3 player or computer in order to listen wherever you may be.

For more information, visit www.NewEnglandGrows.org and www.OFAShortCourse.org.

Whatever your strategy for making the most of events, take advantage of as many of these high-tech tools as possible to get the biggest bang for the buck you spent to attend the event.

Trade show photo courtesy of Bob's Market.

Name: New Dawn rose

Description: New Dawn is a large- flowered climber that features fragrant double flowers. The blush-pink flowers appear primarily in spring. The foliage maintains a lustrous, dark green hue throughout the growing season. New Dawn has historical significance because it holds the first plant patent ever granted. It was introduced in 1930 by H. A. Dreer.

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9a.

Culture: Grows best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. Good air circulation is required for best results. Keep moist until established (usually requires one month to establish). Average water needs during growing season. Appears to tolerate highly saline irrigation water when drip irrigated.

Habit: Vigorous climber that grows 15-20 feet high and 10 feet wide.

In the landscape: It is often used to train up into a tree or on a wall or sturdy trellis. The canes can be heavy and hard to work with and will require strong support, but the resulting floral display is well worth the effort.

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Earth-Kind rose program

Editor’s note: Both roses in this month’s Green Guides are part of the Earth-Kind rose program. The Earth-Kind designation is based on the results of extensive research and is awarded only to roses with superior pest tolerance and landscape performance. Earth-Kind roses do well in most soil types. Once established, these selections also have excellent heat and drought tolerance.

By Seth Borenstein

A new federal report blames a combination of problems for a mysterious and dramatic disappearance of U.S. honeybees since 2006.

The intertwined factors cited include a parasitic mite, multiple viruses, bacteria, poor nutrition, genetics, habitat loss and pesticides.

The multiple causes make it harder to do something about what's called colony collapse disorder, experts say. The disorder has caused as much as one-third of the nation's bees to just disappear each winter since 2006.

Bees, especially honeybees, are needed to pollinate crops.

The federal report, issued Thursday by the Agriculture Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, said the biggest culprit is the parasitic mite varroa destructor, calling it "the single most detrimental pest of honeybees."

The problem has also hit bee colonies in Europe, where regulators are considering a ban on a type of pesticides known as neonicotinoids that some environmental groups blame for the bee collapse. The U.S. report cites pesticides, but near the bottom of the list of factors. And federal officials and researchers advising them said the science doesn't justify a ban of the pesticides yet.

May Berenbaum, a top bee researcher from the University of Illinois, said in an interview that she was "extremely dubious" that banning the pesticide would have any effect on bee health. She participated in a large conference of scientists that the government brought together last year to figure out what's going on, and the new report is the result of that conference.

Berenbaum said more than 100 different chemicals — not just the pesticides that may be banned in Europe — have been found in bee colonies. Scientists find it hard to calculate how they react in different dosages and at different combinations, she said.

Some of these chemicals harm the immune systems of bees or amplify viruses, said Penn State University bee expert Diana Cox-Foster.

Read the rest of the story here.

Photo courtesy of Univ. of Illinois

By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Downtown Wilmington, N.C., is now home to two street-side rain gardens, designed to capture and filter polluted stormwater runoff before it sloshes into Burnt Mill Creek.

The gardens, known as street retrofits, are the first of their kind in the state, transforming existing structures on urban roadways into environmentally friendly patches of greenery, said Christy Perrin, a program manager with N.C. State University, which partnered with city officials to design and complete the project.

"This was somewhat experimental in nature, in that we've not done street rain gardens before," she said. "It's starting to happen in other places, but I think this project was the first to try it in North Carolina."

Construction of the gardens, funded by a $224,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, started more than two years ago. Officials began the first, located at the intersection of 12th and Dock streets, in January 2011, following reports of flooding from residents in the area.

"We worked with the different departments in the city to determine the best locations," Perrin said. "Originally, Dock Street was chosen because there was some street flooding occurring that people were complaining about, so this was one way to help reduce that."

The garden, which juts slightly into the street, has also helped slow traffic on Dock Street.

"The ones on Dock Street are bump-out rain gardens, so they narrow the street a little bit and that tends to slow traffic down," Perrin said. "They were intended to serve multiple purposes of slowing traffic and reducing stormwater runoff."

Read more here.

By Amy Dyduch

Kew Gardens has appointed a new director of horticulture, who will start his post in July.

Richard Barley is a qualified horticulturist and is currently chief executive officer of Open Gardens Australia, where he promotes the benefits of horticulture across Oz.

Prior to this, Barley was director of Melbourne Gardens, where he led the successful development of the gardens for 10 years.

“I am very excited to be joining the very talented team at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew," he said. “It has long been my ambition to work in this extraordinary botanic garden. As a passionate horticulturist with a background of working in a major botanic garden, and as a strong advocate for public visitation and appreciation of gardens, the opportunity to take on the role of director of horticulture at Kew is irresistible. Together with my wife and daughter, I am very keenly looking forward to experiencing life at Kew Gardens.”

Barley will be a member of the executive board at Kew Gardens, reporting to the director, Richard Deverell

Photo courtesy of Kew Gardens.

Photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, www.forestryimages.org

Although the exotic emerald ash borer is capturing headlines, growers should also consider a more common foe: the ash/lilac borer, Podosesia syringae, a native insect that feeds on ash, lilac and privet.

Ward Upham, extension associate with Kansas State University, covers it in this week's horticulture newsletter:

If you have had problems with canes or stems of lilac and privet suddenly wilting, or ash trees that show borer holes in the trunk and larger branches, the ash/lilac borer may be to blame. This insect causes the base of infested lilac stems to swell and the bark to separate from the wood. A fine sawdust-like material is present around holes in the canes. Ash and mountain ash also are affected. The borer attacks the trunk, which may cause bark to swell and crack if there are repeated infestations.

Ash/lilac borers overwinter as larvae in infested trees and shrubs. Moths generally begin to emerge in mid to late April but will be late this year; probably by about 2 weeks. The moth has clear wings and resembles a wasp. There is one generation per year. Public and commercially managed properties often use pheromone traps to determine the presence of adults.

Spray treatments are started seven to 10 days after capture of the first moths. Sprays also can be timed using phenology, the practice of timing one event by another. Look for active ingredients of bifenthrin or permethrin in products labeled for control.

The first spray for ash/lilac borer should be applied when the Vanhoutte spirea is in full to late bloom, probably by about May 15 this year. 

Apply a second spray four weeks after the first. Thoroughly treat the trunk and larger limbs of ash or the lower portion of the stems of lilac or privet. Heavily infested ash should be cut and burned during the fall and winter. Infested stems of lilac or privet should be removed as well.

Click here to read the rest of the newsletter, or e-mail cdipman@ksu.edu to subscribe.

WASHINGTON – Climate change may increase the risk of extreme rainfall in the tropics and drought in the world's temperate zones, according to a new study led by NASA.

"These results in many ways are the worst of all possible worlds," said Peter Gleick, a climatologist and water expert who is president of the Pacific Institute, an Oakland research organization. "Wet areas will get wetter and dry areas will get drier."

The regions that could get the heaviest rainfall are along the equator, mainly over the Pacific Ocean and the Asian tropics. Increased aridity and drought could have a greater effect on human life, however, because those conditions are more likely to occur where most of the world's population lives.

In the Northern Hemisphere, drought-prone areas include the Southwestern United States, Mexico, North Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan and northwestern China. In the Southern Hemisphere, drought could become more likely in South Africa, northwestern Australia, coastal Central America and northeastern Brazil.

"Large changes in moderate rainfall, as well as prolonged no-rain events, can have the most impact on society because they occur in regions where most people live," said William Lau, the study's lead author and a scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

For the rest of the story, click here.

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AHeucherella ‘Fire Frost’ s part of Terra Nova Nurseries and Blooms of Bressingham’s existing licensing agreement, the companies are introducing two new heucherellas now available for growers to pre-order in the form of liners, including Heucherella ‘Fire Frost’ and Heucherella ‘Honey Rose’.

In June of 2012, Terra Nova Nurseries and Blooms of Bressingham entered into a licensing agreement to breed, grow and co-brand five new plant varieties in the form of liners, which included the Echinacea Supreme series, Heucherella ‘Cracked Ice’ and Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’.

The partnership has helped to expand both companies’ product offerings to professional grower customers. With the introduction of these two newest varieties, Terra Nova Nurseries and Blooms of Bressingham are further-increasing liner availability options to growers.

As part of the agreement, both Terra Nova Nurseries and Blooms of Bressingham will be booking orders for the fall 2013 and spring 2014 seasons, and beyond.

Heucherella ‘Fire Frost’ has yellow-to-lime leaves with a large red center and a strong white veil overall. This new variety is bred with H. villosa hybrids to give it a larger habit and bigger leaves. ‘Fire Frost’ has heat and humidity tolerance and is a colorful addition to gardens year-round. The average size of this variety is 10” wide and 18” high with an 18” flower height. It grows best in zones 4 – 9.

Heucherella ‘Honey Rose’ is sable-colored with deeply incised and lobed foliage highlighted with dark veins which form an intricate pattern. Its young leaves are a warm coral-rose, also sporting dark veins. Each leaf casually turns a lobe or two, adding dimension and interest. Its compact and neat growing habit makes it a highly usable plant for accents, containers, borders, mixed beds, and in mass. The average size of ‘Honey Rose’ is 8” wide and 13” high with a 12” flower height, suited well for zones 4 – 9.

Terra Nova Nurseries has created “Plant Profile” pages and “Grower Recipes” specific to these sneak peek varieties so growers interested in possible liner orders can learn about growing habits, plant characteristics, fertilization recommendations, water requirements, and other insights provided by the breeding team. These documents can be located on the company’s website. To learn more, visit www.terranovanurseries.com and www.bloomsofbressinghamplants.com.