How about some 'Tomato Soup' with that 'Mac 'n Cheese'? I had so many photos and thoughts yesterday that I've decided another Terra Nova post is in order.  Cindy from My Corner of Katy's comment about her bad luck with certain Echinacea cultivars made me think about something Dan Heims said about the orange, yellow, red or peach Echinaceas.  He said that those which have E. paradoxa parentage have a tendency to bloom so hard they simply bloom themselves to death.  He suggested cutting the first blooms of these cultivars and using them as cut flowers, so that the plants develop basal shoots and ensure their continued growth.  I wanted to be clear on this so I contacted Janet Egger at Terra Nova, and she wrote "This will reduce the stress on the plant, and it will put more energy into the root system rather than trying to make seeds."...

After Iseli, we boarded our buses for Terra Nova Nurseries in Canby, Oregon.  If you've ever purchased an unusual Heuchera like 'Mahogany' or an Echinacea like 'Pink Double Delight' (both favorites in my garden) you've probably bought one hybridized by Terra Nova.  While we were there, the botanists/biologists explained how they create the test tube babies which become such unique varieties.  It was quite a flow chart. The nursery is way out in the country, but still located on a very busy street.  One of the employees joked that traversing it was a trial before employment.  If you made it across, you were in.  We all laughed as we jogged through traffic to get to the display gardens.  In the photo above, you can just see the road behind Echinacea 'Tomato Soup' which is behind Coreopsis 'Autumn Blush'.  Courtesy of Terra Nova, here is a closeup of 'Tomato Soup' which...

"She had only to stand in the orchard, to put her hand on a little crab tree and look up at the apples, to make you feel the goodness of planting and tending and harvesting at last. All the strong things of her heart came out in her body, that had been so tireless in serving good emotions." -  Willa Cather from My Antonia I just realized I didn't link back to Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago, who makes Muse Day possible. Please visit her for more poetry (and prose) on the beginning of Autumn.

As it states in its brochure, Iseli Nursery sits at the bottom of Mount Hood in Boring, Oregon.  The views surrounding the nursery are inspiring, and in the clouded light of midday,  the effect was magical.  However, I wish I could bring you "smell-a-vision."  The scent of pines, cypress, and cedars hung in the air. The staff at Iseli were friendly and helpful.  As we disembarked from the buses, they were all standing with signs for different areas or zones.  Oklahoma was part of the Lower Plains. You could wander and take photos or you could follow your designated employee and learn more about which trees were best for your area. You can guess which I did.  I tried to follow.  I really did, but there was so much to see, and I didn't want to miss anything.  I soon found myself wandering off on my own. Iseli is the...