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* Zone - division of geographical area in accordance with lowest temperature in the winter. USA is divided into 11 zones. Chicago region belongs to Zone five.
* Chemical fertilizer vs organic fertilizer - Chemical fertilizer is synthetic fertilizer produced in the factory. Many fertilizers also contain other chemicals such as pesticide, fungicide, herbicide, etc.
The post script cide means poison. Chemicals containing ----cide could be toxic to human and can have an accumulative effect, ultimately causing some illness, even cancer.
Organic fertilizer is generated and produced from pure organic substance, such as garden waste, kitchen waste, or animal waste by decomposition/fermentation, e.g., humus (top soil enriched with organic substance), manure(an animal excrement).
* Peatmoss is considered as organic fertilizer. Since this is a fine mossy substance, it can decompose quickly to become organic fertilizer.
The more chemicals being used, the more soil becomes polluted and acidic, and eventually becomes barren.
* Perennial vs annual - Perennial plant is that, roots (rhizomes, bulbs, tubercles) of which survive through winters and comes back every year. Annual plant is one which lives only through the season and dies away. Usually seeds are produced which germinate in the spring and come back. But there is no guarantee. To have annuals come back, it is recommended to collect seeds before winter and reseed them in the spring. Cosmos, sun flower, moss plants, merry gold, impatiens, begonias, zenia, etc. are annuals.
* Thinning/dividing/transplanting - If plants are crowded, they tend to be smaller and produce a poor flower. It is necessary to thin them by dividing and transplanting. This is the way by which most perennials can spread quickly.
TIPS FOR THE BEGINNERS
1. In a sunny area (most of the perennials require sunshine at least half a day) prepare soil by mixing with organic fertilizer such as peatmoss, humus, manure, etc. after getting rid of grass turf. Grading of soil is the first step and a difficult one.
2. Select perennial plants which you like and are hardy in the region. In the USA it is divided by into eleven zones in accordance with lowest temperature in the winter. Chicago region belongs to zone five.
Some names of perennial plant, which are hardy in the Midwest region, are sedum, periwinkle, columbine, peony, mums, phlox, daisy, hosta, butter cup, bleeding heart, spider worts, daylilly, iris, lilly, delphinium, coreopsis, Indian blanket flower, fox glove, poppy, Missouri sundrops, Colorado spurge, yucca, yarrow, rudbeckia, aster, bachelor button, Chinese lantern, Ranunculus, lilly of valley, violet, obedient flower, clematis, primrose, stone crops, hen & chicks, liatris, speedwells, cone flower, sea thrift, creeping phlox, perennial geranium, perennial hibiscus, globe flower, ajuga, bergenia cordifolis, stokes aster, maltese cross, toad lilly, astilbe, flax, balloon flower, bell flower, perennial begonia, etc. There are many others which are hardy in this region.
3. After planting, give plenty of water to the plant and cover the ground around the plant with mulch in 4 -5 inches thick. Watering should be done at least once a day in the evening or early in the morning.
4. When plants are crowded, thin them by dividing and transplanting.
5. Try to naturalize by planting different plants in the same spot which bloom in different season, e.g., daffodils (blooms early in the spring), iris (blooms in the later spring), daylillies( blooms in the whole summer, and then mums(blooms in the fall until frost comes).
6. Use organic fertilizer and try to make your own compost using garden waste, mowed grass, kitchen waste, etc. The less you use chemicals, the less you pollute the soil/land. Besides, plants are healthier and will make better flowers.
7. Most of the perennials multiply by the roots. To make roots stronger and more nourished to have healthier plants and bigger flowers for the next year, cut off flower stems when flowers wither away. Do not cut away green leaves. Wait until leaves turn yellow and wither away. You can use dead leaves for making compost. (continue in third column)
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Wild Goose Island
Along the Sun Road
In the middle of Glacier National Park.
Montana State,
St Mary Lake stretches
Presenting a beautiful scenery
That mesmerizes visitors.
From the lookout spot,
Along the road
Visitors can spectate an island in the middle of the lake
That appears so cozy and so natural
As well as so remote
That only wild goose can fly over to nest
As the name implies.
Visitors try to observe nature in that island with a telescope,
While others take photographs
To catch memorable moments.
So did I
Thinking that the island be kept left forever untouched
To remain as pristine as possible.
*Glacier National Park is located in Montana State near the Canadian border comprising 1,000,000 acres of forests, alpine meadows, and lakes. Its diverse habitats are home to over 70 species of mammals and over 260 species of birds. The spectacular glaciated landscape is a hikers paradise containing 700 miles of maintained trails that lead deep into of the largest intact ecosystems in the lower 48 states.
In 1932, Waterton Lakes Heritage Park in Canada and Glacier National Park were designated Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park commemorating the longstanding peace and friendship between two nations. Glacier and Waterton Lakes have been designated as Biosphere Reserve and in 1995, both parks together were recognized as a World Heritage Site. Waterton Lakes Heritage Park is located in just north of Glacier National Park cross the Canadian border.
However, we keep hearing that glaciers are decreasing in number and size. This is a sad story. Now we might enjoy grandiose glacier but our children or grandchildren may not see glacier at all. We must do something to keep glaceirs from melting away.
Jae Ro
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(continuation from first column)
TIPS FOR SEEDING
1. Early spring when soil is soft enough to dig, grade top soil by mixing with organic fertilizer such as peatmoss, humus, manure.
2. Sprinkle seeds evenly and then cover seeds gently with soil using fingers.
3. Water every day to keep moist all the time.
4. When plants are big enough and crowded, cull(thin) them and plant them where you want them
5. Keep watering until they bloom at least once a day. Plants grow by photosynthesis, for which plants need plenty of water, especially when they are growing actively in hot sunny day.
6. In the fall, collect the seeds for the next year.
AXIOMS FOR THE GARDENERS
1. Try to make as natural as possible, in the way we can make ecologically sound and environmentally correct gardens. Be conscious about nature and ecology. Plant variety of plants in different colors, and in a different blooming season, etc. Diversification is prettier and much more glorious.
2. Put back to the garden whatever comes out from the garden by making compost. Try to relieve overcrowded landfill space by reducing garbage(use garden waste and kitchen waste for compost).
3. Minimize usage of chemicals as much as possible. There is only one earth in the whole universe. We have to preserve and try to keep the land as pristine as possible for the future generations.
4. When you have more plants than you need, give away to others so that they can have their own flower garden.
FLOWERS AND PLANTS ARE JUST LIKE A PET ANIMAL. IF YOU PAY MORE ATTENTION, THEY WILL RESPOND WITH BEAUTY. IF YOU NEGLECT THEM, THEY WILL WITHER AWAY EVEN BEFORE THEY BLOOM.
Jae Ro
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If you like to see currently blooming flowers, click the following, photo-images in the Garden. Conserve nature, Prevent pollution, and Beautify environment. Nature is only thing that everybody can enjoy and cherish. We have to conserve nature to enjoy it!
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Mountain Song Bird
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Mountain Bird On the basin of the canyon*
Hearing a mountain bird singing
Amused, exalted by the trilling sound.
Not trying to know
What name the bird has.
To a nature lover it’s just a mountain bird
Living in the mountain,
Singing in the mountain
High
Seven thousand plus seven hundred feet
Above sea level.
* At Inspiration View Point of Bryce Canyon National Park
*The Bryce Canyon National Park is located in the south west corner of Utah State, which is famous over the world as a master piece erosional scenery. Nature forces, especially weathering like a change of temperature, wind, rain, snow, etc. have carved rock to form all kinds of mysterious formations, creating a nature wonder.
Jae Ro
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Beautiful Landscape of Bryce Canyon National Park Created by Natural Forces Tree on The Rock From a seed
Division of cells
To form a life.
On the rock
A life is formed
From a seed
That dropped by wind or a bird.
Survived,
Grow
To become a tall tree
On the rock
Over a cliff. Resilient and resistant
To all threatening forces.
Now a tall tree
Providing a place for birds to rest and nest.
Now a mature tree
Producing seeds for procreation of future trees.
*Written at the trip to the Bryce Canyon National Park in early spring of 1998
Jae Ro
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