In my next life I'd like to be a professional rosarian. Seriously..I could spend all my waking hours working with roses and get paid for it to boot. There is something so special about roses, their fragrance, their beauty, their low maintenance. What, you say, low maintenance?-no way! It's true, but, I must clarify , I am taking about Old-Garden roses which have a way of taking a back seat to the popular hybrid tea rose. The hardiness and longevity of the Old Garden roses are just a few of the characteristics that should make all of us include them in our gardens. Hybrid Tea roses were developed only recently in the rose world, as recently as 1867, when someone in France crossed a Hybrid Perpetual with a China Tea. The resulting Hybrid Tea soared in popularity over the next 100 years, but for all their popularity, they are not without flaws. All roses that existed before 1867 came to be known as Old Garden roses. Roses have been in cultivation for thousands of years and come in all shapes and sizes so I would like to introduce you to a few that could feel right at home in your garden in Illinois.

"Rosa rubriflor" or "Rosa glauca" is a favorite of mine. This rose is beautiful and tough. I have moved her to three houses over the last 8 years and she is still going strong. Glauca is Latin for blue and that is appropriate because the canes are a soft gray-blue and "rubrifolia" refers to the deep red underside of the leaf. It is an open shrub-like plant reaching 5-6 feet with small cluster of 5-petaled light pink flowers. I grow the clematis "Duchess of Edinburgh", which is white and double petaled , right up through the middle of the rose. They make a happy couple! No spraying, no special winter treatment, this hardy plant is resistant to most diseases.

Another easy to grow rose is a"Rosa rugosa" "Therese Bugnet" pronounced "boon yeah". The Latin word rugosa means "wrinkled" and the deep green leaves are rough and crinkled. The flowers will stop traffic with their 36 soft textured petals. The color is an easy reddish-pink and softens with age. It grows easily and is very cold hardy. Could you find a place in your Illinois garden for a few of these fragrant low-maintenance beauties? You will be rewarded if you do.

Where can you find these plants? Some larger or more specialized nurseries will stock them, but you are probably going to have more luck ordering from catalogs from nurseries that specialize in Old Garden Roses, also called Heirloom or Antique Roses. I have ordered from a number of these and have found the catalogs to be full of helpful information and the staff answering the phone even more helpful. Plant some Old Garden roses this year, it will free up some time you used to spend fussing over your hybrid teas so you can do other things, like plant more flowers!

- Lauri Bonnuci Bureau County Master Gardener Intern

The studying is over, the test has been taken and we have 18 new Master Gardener Interns from Bureau, LaSalle and Marshall-Putnam Counties.

Congratulations to:

Bureau County:

Lauri Bonnuci

LaSalle County:

Charlie Batus

Linda Biewer

Joan Bohacik

Dave Coffey

Octavia Davis

Marylea Dumke

Alan Howarter

Raymond Lawson

Kathleen Madden

Electa Mitchell

Irene Snyders

Bob Walzer

Steve Wheeler

Marshall-Putnam:

Tom Barnes

Jill Franklin

Amy Joos

Come and join the fun, for more information on becoming a Master Gardener call your local Extension Office. Online classes are also available.

Want to spruce up a boring fence or wall, hide something or create privacy? Want to accentuate an architectural structure or area. Running out of garden space? Then ornamental vines might be the answer. They come in a variety of types and growing habits. Some are hardy in Illinois but many are grown as annuals and some may reseed themselves for next year, such as Morning Glory or Sweet Pea.

Consider vines for fragrant blooms, lovely foliage, edible fruit, cover, food and homes for birds and practical functions such as screening undesirable views or objects.

Vines can be woody perennials or soft winding annuals. Most have qualities from subtle to spectacular and many are low maintenance.

Perennial vines for Illinois are Clematis, Dutchman's Pipe, Trumpet vine, Porcelain vine, Boston and English Ivy, Honeysuckle, Bittersweet, Virginia Creeper, Wisteria and Silver Lace vine to name just a few.

Annuals here are Morning Glory, Sweet Pea, Spanish Flag, Hyacinth Bean, Black-eyed Susan Vine, Climbing Spinach, Canary Climber, Cardinal Climber, Glory Vine, and Passion Flower or Passiflora. Just a note Trumpet Vine and Porcelian Vine can be invastive.

Vines attach themselves by several different ways. Most common are by aerial rootlets, tendrils, twining and weaving.

Study each vine to be sure it's right for the space, function and look you have in mind. Learn the growing habits of the vines you choose. Keep in mind that many hardy vines can become invasive, large, and obtrusive if not given plenty of room and a strong structure to grow on. Common structures are a trellis, arbors, walls, gazebos, stumps, a living or dead tree (provided it's compatible with the climbing methods), and walls. Vines won't damage a building and experts say it may even protect them.

Most vines do well in full sun to part sun, but a few like part shade such as the Variegated Porcelain Vine, and some ivy. Vines bloom at various times during the spring and summer, but the Sweet Autumn Clematis blooms with tons of beautiful small white flowers in late summer/early fall. Many vines will produce fruit after the blooms such as the Porcelain Vine and Bittersweet. Hummingbirds love vines, also.

Many vines grow fast and tall and will produce gorgeous flowers, foliage and some berries in just a few months. Some like the Black-eyed Susan Vine or Sweet Pea, Ivy are good choices for hanging baskets or window boxes. Consider some of these vines and your garden will gain a new "higher" level of beauty.

- By Darlene Ray, LaSalle County Master Gardener

Grown mainly for the ornamental effect of their foliage, hostas do become more impressive year after year as they gain in size and beauty. Gardening in the shade, however presents some obstacles. The appearance and growth rates vary depending on the amount of available light. As trees mature in the landscape, the degree of shade is changed. In addition to lower light levels, plants growing in shade must compete with tree and shrub roots for nutrients and water. Hostas grown in more sun will multiply faster and will have more but smaller leaves than hostas grown in shadier areas. They will fade, change color and burn if they are in too much sun.

Basic Light level requirements, based on color:

Green-leaved hostas are more sun tolerant than other colors.

Dark green hostas can tolerate deep shade better than other varieties.

Blue hostas require dappled morning sun and afternoon shade.

Yellow varieties need sunlight to fully develop their great color, however, they cannot take as much heat as green hostas and will burn more easily.

White centered hostas can be difficult to grow. They need sunlight in the spring, but the centers will melt out in summer. They often do well in pots that can be moved as sunlight requirements change.

Variegated-leaf hostas – the placement depends on the dominant leaf color. Hosta cultivars that are more sun tolerant require constant soil moisture and highly organic well drained soil to do well.

While there are no "hard and fast" rules when designing a shade garden, the following suggestions should assist in developing an attractive garden space while allowing for individual creativity.

A mix of variegated and solid color plants is a must. A combination of plants is more pleasing to the eye and solid-colored hostas give more definition by "setting up" the variegated ones.

There needs to be a variety of shapes, sizes and leaf patterns. Think of color, texture and substance when you plan the placement of your plants.

Larger plants work well used as a background.

Miniature hostas are better grouped in an area or placed in containers. As the larger cultivars mature, they tend to hide the miniatures!

Paths or stepping stones placed in the garden provide better access for maintenance and give a pleasing appearance.

Grouping young plants too closely together is a common mistake. Within several years when the hostas are mature, the space is crowded. Allow enough space for each plant to be recognized unless you intend to create a border.

Lets talk about companion plantings. There are a large number of shade friendly flowers that combine well with hostas to improve the overall look of the garden. Some perennials that come to mind are ferns, solomon's seal, bleeding hearts, heuchera (coral bells), tirella (foam flower), pulmonaria tricyrtis ( toad lily), hellebores (lenten rose), ajuga and lamiun. Ajuga and lamium can be aggressive, so keep that in mind. Annuals such as coleus and impatiens add a lot of color and look pretty in containers placed throughout the garden. There are also interesting wild flowers that love the shade.

Shade tolerant conifers and deciduous shrubs can be used in hosta beds. There are varieties of hydrangea that can be used effectively as a background.

It is a challenge to blend a large number of plants into your very own garden. You can accomplish this be incorporation, interesting color contrasts, varying shapes and textures in your design. Always buy what you like as there are hostas in most every size, shape, color and price range. Just when you think your garden is perfect, along comes a new introduction you can't live without!

- Jean Davis & Rita Simpkins Marshall-Putnam Master Gardeners

Rhubarb will grow well in most of the country. It is a perennial vegetable. Plant or divide the roots in early spring while they are dormant. Planting seeds is not recommended in Illinois. Plant in full sun at the end of your garden, plant the roots with the crown bud 2 inches below the surface. Space the roots 36 to 48 inches apart. Good drainage is essential. Raised beds will solve that problem. Fertilize with a complete garden fertilizer like 10-10-10 before growth begins in spring. In late June, side-dress with a high nitrogen fertilizer. Organic mulches are always a plus.

Do not harvest during the first year of planting, they need all their foliage to build a strong root system. You may harvest during the second year. Harvest for only two weeks, then 8 to 10 weeks during subsequent years. After about 5 years, you may need to divide the plants. Rhubarb tends to begin crowding themselves out. It is recommended to divide the plants in the spring. If seed stalks and flowers develop in the summer, cut them off at the base of the plant as soon as you see them and discard them. To keep the plants healthy, remove only about one-third of the leaves at a time.

One of the common problems with rhubarb is the snout beetle. It bores into the stalks, crowns and roots. You can treat the base of the plants with a suggested insecticide. Burn badly infected plants in July, after the beetles have laid their eggs.

The leaf blades contain a large amount of oxalic acid and should not be eaten ever. If a Frost has damaged your plants, do not eat the stalks,IF THE LEAVES HAVE WILTED. The oxalic acid may migrate from the leaves to the stalks. You should cut the plants down to about an inch.

Rhubarb may be harvested in mid June and a second harvest in August. Large stalks may be stringy - for more tend ones, pick the mid-size stalks. Cut off the leaves and discard. You can keep fresh cut rhubarb in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks unwashed and tightly wrapped in plastic. To freeze rhubarb, wash and cut into ½ inch pieces and put in a freezer bag. It is recommended to freeze rhubarb in pre-measured amounts as per your recipe. Of course, you could place chopped rhubarb on cookie sheets first and then in plastic bags. It will keep for about six months in the freezer.

To cook rhubarb, remove any brown or scaly spots. You do not need to peel the entire stalk. Wash and trim the ends of each stalk. If you cook in aluminum, iron or copper pots, the rhubarb will turn a nasty brown. All that work for nothing! Cook in anodized aluminum, stainless steel, Teflon coated aluminum or enamel-coated cast iron with this high acid plant.

Rhubarb is low in calories and very high acidic (pH3.1). You need to add sugar to offset the acid and so much for the low calorie count! Rhubarb is almost all water, in fact about 95 percent. It has potassium and a small amount of Vitamin C. Rhubarb can be stringy. It contains only 2 grams of fiber per cup. It is high in calcium but it is bound by oxalic

- Paul Barrett, LaSalle County Master Gardener Coordinator

The trick to getting the best results from home-started seedlings is to choose the seedlings with the biggest root systems when you transplant. The length of the stem and size of the leaves isn't as important as heavy roots. Throw out weak plants with few roots. They won't do well anyway. Seedlings with strong root systems will establish themselves more quickly and need less coddling.

- Lucille Ledger Bureau County Master Gardener

If you are looking for a unusual and distinct trellising vine for your landscaping and to beautify your home the passion flower, (scientific genus,"Passiflora")could be for you. This waxy looking and artificial like flower with a very aromatic smell can produce flowers all summer long and can be grown in the house during the winter if the conditions are right.

Centuries ago a priest, during a dream interpreted the meaning of this flower which was found growing in the tropics of South America as the five elements of the crucifixion. The five pedals and the five sepals are the ten disciples of Christ. The corona filaments are interpreted as the crown of thorns. The five stamen with anthers match the five sacred wounds and the three stigma the nails. Thus this flower was used in many ancient religious ceremonies.The fruit from the passion flower was harvested as early as the Aztec era. P. incarnate is used by herbalists as a mild sedative.

There are over 500 different species of passion flower and new cultivars being developed every year. There are some species that are able to live in zone 5 climate but I feel the P. caerulea is more exotic and can only be grown in zones 6-9. Their sepals are white inside, pedals white outside pink to purple inside and the corona variated . Being so fragarant, it is commonly used to manufacture perfumes.

The P. caerulea prefers full sun and well drained soils. Because I bring mine in before the first frost mine remain in post during the summer with trellis support( they can reach heights of 15 feet), so a strong trellis or fence is recommended. At summers end, passion flower vines can be trimmed back and brought into the house and placed in a sunny window. It is recommended that an oscillating fan be used for air circulation during the winter months. It is necessary to feed with a high potassium fertilizer such as a 5-10-5 since excess nitrogen will stimulate green growth but inhibit flowering. They can be propagated by either cuttings (recommended) or seeds. However the germination period can be as long as one year from seeds.

Grown correctly and winterized indoors passion flower vines will provide years of enjoy and fragrant aroma to your garden.

- Jill Franklin University of Illinois Master Gardener Intern

If we look at the bright side of garden digging we can immediately see it is cheaper than belonging to a health club, it can be done any time rather than having to wait for aerobics class to start, is done in the comfort and safety of your own garden, does not require fancy clothes and has a great fashion sense that is down right relaxed. This is great exercise for young and old, it costs nothing and it only resembles work in a peripheral sort of way. Planting a garden also doing something for the good of the world and improving the world begins with the first step: using a shovel

- Lucille Legner, Bureau County Master Gardener

When thinking about starting a butterfly garden you have to sit down and plan a garden that will support not only the adult butterfly, but also the larvae.

Most gardeners will not like the host plant for larvae as they are most often unattractive, weedy and wild, generally unfit for cultivated gardens. Yet adult female butterflies choose these particular host plants to lay their eggs on. This assures that newly hatched caterpillars have appropriate food immediately at hand.

Typically, young caterpillars begin voracious feeding immediately after hatching. A parsley worm (a swallowtail caterpillar) devours the foliage of Queen Anne's lace, carrots or parsley. Milkweed is the Monarch butterflies chocolate for its young. The larvae grow as they eat, shedding their skin 4-6 times before achieving maximum size for pupating. Only then do they desist, becoming immobile in a hard chrysalis suspended from a leaf or stem of the larval host plant until emerging as an adult butterfly.

Fortunately adult butterflies have a more cosmopolitan palate. The flower nectar they need for energy is available in lots of different flowering plants. They will visit your yard in search of those that are most easily accessed by their long, coiled tongues, which enable them to reach deeply into the center of flowers where the glands that produce the sweet nectar are located. They particularly like hot-colored fragrant flowers. They do not hover, so they need a landing area on a plant with sturdy stems. The flat center disc with or without petals, is a perfect landing platform and dining area. Members of the composite or aster family are ideal. Examples are coneflowers, zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, black-eyed Susans, and asters. Other good plants have clusters of small flowers, like butterfly weed, butterfly bush, alyssum, mints, verbena, and phlox. Most butterflies favor pink, lavender or purple blossoms, but some may visit other colors. For instance, swallowtails like reds and have been seen on yellow lantana.

Butterflies have a well-developed sense of smell and are attracted to heavily perfumed flowers. They will pass over lightly scented in favor of a more fragrant flower. Heirloom and old-fashioned varieties tend to have a stronger scent. If you are interested in attracting moths, add sweet-smelling night blooming flowers like nicotiana. Although a mix of flower types are good, large masses of one type are better than a bed with lots of varieties but only one or two plants of each type. An entire bed of purple coneflowers will draw more butterflies than a single coneflower mixed in with other butterfly plants.

Butterfly gardens should have full sun and protection from strong winds. An ideal location is on the south or southeast side of a tall building or fence on a south facing slope. You can also use tall shrubs to achieve a similar effect. Butterflies are cold blooded and need to warm themselves in the sun before they are able to fly. One or two dark colored stones scattered in the garden or a brick or stone pathway are good warmers.

The final thing you might want to add is a small wet spot. A large rock with a depression that can be kept full of water is one option. Another is filling a small container with sand, sinking it into the ground and keeping the sand wet. They probably gather around these wet sites for salt-even human perspiration if you stand very still – it also provides taces of minerals and nutrients not in nectar.

Finally, unlike the famous monarchs, who migrate to Mexico and other points south, most butterfly species overwinter nearby. This means that their eggs, chrysalises or larvae are likely to be in or near your yard during the non-gardening months. Some will even hibernate as adults. Do not now weedy sites and dismantle woodpiles that provide butterflies safe shelter in off season.

For much more information on butterfly gardening, contact your local extension

- Marshann Entwistle, Bureau County Master Gardener

Most gardeners know that fall is a time when getting the garden ready for winter keeps them hopping. Usually by August some gardeners are ready to call it quits, but the truly down and dirty, passionate gardeners know that fall can be the most enjoyable time of the year to garden. With temps coming down and hopefully with more raindrops and less bugs, fall is a very busy time in the garden. Aside from the usual garden chores, here are some fun things to do until its time to start 'wrapping' things up for the winter.

1. Consider putting in a new garden bed for next year. Fall is a good time to prepare a new bed. Plan your design, remove the grass or weeds or old flowers and till the soil. Add some organic mulch or what amendments might be needed. Cover with black plastic and it will be ready and waiting for you to plant next spring.

2. Plant a new lawn. Fall (just before Labor Day) is also a great time to seed a lawn, de-thatch or aerate and feed your existing lawns.

3. Start a new or second crop of cool season, hardy vegetables such as snap beans, peas, cole crops, radishes, turnips, beets, greens (spinach and lettuce), and chard. Start seeds in late summer and transplant to the garden. To protect from any early hard freezes, cover with fabric row covers or with a mini-greenhouse made from clear plastic or old window sashes set on hay bales. Vent on warm days to prevent too much heat build-up.

4. Cover hardy root crops with 6 to 12-inch thick mulch to prevent soil from freezing and harvest throughout the winter.

5. Early fall is also a good time to plant perennials, spring flowering bulbs, container roses, ornamental grasses, groundcovers, trees and shrubs.

6. Keep new plants, shrubs and trees watered until the ground freezes or about until Thanksgiving.

7. Planting those fall potted mums may not give them enough time to get their roots established and they probably will not make it through the winter.

8. Many pruning jobs can be done now, especially those shrubs that bloom on its new growth next spring. Get rid of the dead or damaged branches before Ole Mr. North Wind drops them on your head while you are shoveling snow.

9. Keep turning your compost pile and spread around the compost that's ready for the garden.

10. Fall is also an excellent time to plant "green manure". Green manures are plants or 'cover crops' that can be seeded and grows quickly, then it's tilled under before the ground freezes. Green manure examples are winter rye seeds, alfalfa and oats. After you've used a bed for those summer vegetables it's a good plan to return some of the nutrients by planting a cover crop. It also prevents weeds from settling in for the winter.

11. Check your gardening supplies in late summer and purchase supplies you will need for fall chores.

12. Stroll around your yard and keep notes on ideas for next year or what needs to replaced, rejuvenated, removed or needs some other attention you didn't have time for in the summer heat. Besides, fall is a pretty time of the year to be outside!

- Darlene Ray, LaSalle County Master Gardener

When ants invade your kitchen, picnic area, or other personal space we may take this invasion as a personal insult. But ants are really just trying to survive like you and me.

Ants are colonial insects living together and cooperating in nearly all aspects of their lives. They communicate with each other directly by touching various segments of their antennae together, and indirectly by releasing chemicals onto the surfaces on which they walk. Good communication is responsible for the long and busy ant trails that you see so often here in Illinois, both indoors and out!

Food and water are important to ants, just as they are to other animals. You have probably seen ants carrying pieces of food to their nest. Illinois ants eat a wide variety of foods which includes vegetation, almost all human food and other insects. Sometimes ants are not getting enough food or water outside, and that is one of the reasons that they decide to come into your house. Another reason for entering your home maybe because they have been flooded out of their tunnel homes and need to find a dry place. So the next time you see an ant in your house, remember he is probably just hungry, thirsty, wet or cold!!

- Sherry Hockings, Bureau County Program Director Educational Programs

Ants are found in nearly every part of the world.

Ants are one of the oldest living creatures in the world, and have not physically changed much over 60 million years.

Ants are the strongest creature in relation to their size. Ants can carry 10 to 20 times their body weight.

The largest ant colony ever discovered is on the Isikari Coast of the Hokkaido region of Japan. The colony has 306,000,000 million ants, with 108,000,000 queens in 45,000 interconnected nests over an area of 2.7 square kilometers.

- Sherry Hockings, Bureau County Program Director Educational Programs

Make ANTS-ON-A-LOG for a nutrious snack. Just spread peanut butter in the groove of a stalk of celery and sprinkle with raisins.

Have some vegetable beds that need a little oomph – especially as the veggies wax & wane? You can easily brighten things up by adding annuals to the mix. Try tucking marigolds, petunias, or other annuals in at the end of the rows, at the corners of raised beds, or along edges of pathways. You will find that your garden will be more colorful and interesting with a little extra work on your part. Cosmos, zinnias or other tall annuals that grow quickly and flower until frost can also effectively frame an otherwise ordinary vegetable garden.

- Lucille Ledger Bureau County Master Gardener

When brightening up vegetable beds with annuals, you can gain added benefit by planting annuals that attract beneficial insects to your flower garden. Some good choices include calendulas, cosmos, sunflowers, sweet alyssum, zinnias and marigolds.

- Lucille Ledger Bureau County Master Gardener