A morning of learning- Coleus, Conifer Garden, Ginko Biloba, Kousa Dogwood Tree (edible berries)

I spent Monday morning at Smith-Gilbert Gardens weeding with the other volunteers. After about an hour and a half we got to do a walk around. It’s a way to learn about the vegetation around the gardens and discover new things.



Doug Davis (our tour guide) talked about the Kousa Dogwood tree. This tree originates in Asia where people there eat the fruit off the tree. Doug says it tastes a little like strawberries. Here in the U.S. we only use the tree for ornamental purposes. The fruit is a light red color and attracts birds and squirrels. Here is the Kousa Dogwood that we stopped to look at. The fruit isn’t ripe yet but you can get the idea.




Smith-Gilbert Gardens has a wonderful conifer area. A conifer is a cone-bearing plant and most of the time you'll think of pines. Here in the garden is a Ginko Biloba plant. The male plants produce small pollen cones so they are considered conifers. It looks a little out of place but it belongs here.




Here is a Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’ -Yellow Locust tree. It has a light green colored leaf. This tree was blown over about 40 degrees during a wind storm and Doug didn’t want to lose it so he commissioned an artist to sculpt a brace for the tree. He had it set upright and braced it. It’s doing just fine now.



Lastly I checked on the Coleus we planted at Smith-Gilbert on April 16th. That photo is on my Grow It First Facebook page.
Well just look at them now. Beautiful!

Find out more about Smith-Gilbert Gardens at http://www.smithgilbertgardens.com/