‘Dancing Queen’, one of the best yellow hostas on the market, has been named Hosta of the Year for 2020. The foliage emerges in the spring an incredible bright yellow. The leaves are large with dancing ruffles on the margins. Deep veining and some nice corrugation add to its beauty. Most descriptions you read of ‘Dancing Queen’ say that it holds its bright yellow color all season. We have found that it does hold its color well, but generally turns lime green late in the summer. This variety circles a tree in the area of our gardens we call the Parkway (by the parking lot), where it puts on a great show. As young plants, the ones on the

south side of the tree tended to burn a bit in the heat of summer, but as the plants matured, the burning subsided. Naturally, moisture always helps any hosta keep from burning. We list ‘Dancing Queen’ as a medium sized hosta, but it is probably on the large end of that range, growing up to 40” wide and 20” tall, with large leaves. Lavender flowers contrast nicely with the golden foliage. It’s an interesting coincidence that both the Perennial of the Year and the Hosta of the Year for 2020 feature bright yellow foliage for shady situations. They are both great choices to add some pop to your shade garden.

NEWSLETTER No. 94, MARCH 2020

Notes fromwww.hornbakergardens.com

email: mail@hornbakergardens.com22937 1140 N. Ave.,

Princeton, Illinois 61356(815) 659-3282

‘Dancing Queen’ Is Hosta Of The Year

‘Sun King’ Is Perennial Of The Year The Perennial Plant

Association has named Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’ as the 2020 Perennial of the Year. This fantastic shade perennial has been rapidly growing in popularity with our customers due to its many great attributes.

It is grown primarily for its bright yellow foliage, which will stay yellow all summer if given some morning sun, and will turn more of a bright lime green if left in more shade. The plant grows around 3’ tall and wide. Over time, it may get even larger, but its size is easily controlled by pinching or shearing it back in late spring. It does not tend to reseed or sucker, so it does not become a nuisance.

The bold, gold foliage is deer resistant. (Yay!) Small, cream-colored flowers develop in mid-summer and are attractive to bees—another great reason to grow this plant. The flowers

are followed by tiny, dark, inedible berries. ‘Sun King’ is adaptable to most any soil. It may need some extra water during hot, dry spells. Mulching around it will help hold soil moisture.

On top of it all, ‘Sun King’ is hardy as a rock. Zone 3! It’s terrific in combination with hostas, ferns, and past Perennials of the Year such as Polygonatum o. ‘Variegatum’ and Brunnera m. ‘Jack Frost’. A knockout when placed near ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maple or other maroon-leaved plants. Try one of the maroon Heucheras in front of ‘Sun King’.

And don’t forget containers. ‘Sun King’ is bold and beautiful in a large pot. Whether in the ground or in a pot, it’s hard to beat ‘Sun King’ for a bold pop of glowing color and texture for a shady or partly shady spot. Try it. You’ll be singing ‘Here Comes the Sun King’. Aralia ‘Sun King’

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’

Opening Day is Friday, April 10th!

HOURS:Through July 12, we will be open Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm, and Sunday Noon to 5 pm. We will be closed Easter Sunday, April 12. From July 13 through October 10, we will be open Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm, and we will be closed on Sundays.

Gardener’s Idea Book

Be sure to check out the Proven Winners website to download your free copy of the 2020 Gardener’s Idea Book. You can also request a print copy.

provenwinners.com/ideabooks

FOOD TRUCKSFood trucks are back this year! You can eat lunch at the gardens on Saturdays

beginning May 2 through our Open House on June 13th.The full schedule is available on the Events page of our website and on Facebook.

Bob Solberg Here July 12 Bob Solberg was one of the first people Rich and Kathy met when they started attending the annual conventions of the American Hosta Society in 1988. At that time, he was already a driving force in the world of hostas. After graduating from college with a B.S. in Biology in 1973, he did graduate work in Botany at UNC in Chapel Hill, NC. Bob established Green Hill Farm, Inc. in North Carolina as a hosta nursery in 1981, and has been introducing great new hostas ever since. In fact, Bob has introduced nearly 100 new varieties of hostas. Some of his better known introductions include ‘Curly Fries’, ‘Orange Marmalade’, ‘First Blush’, ‘First Frost’, and ‘Sharp Dressed Man’. We will have several new varieties of Bob’s on hand this spring, and Bob will bring some more new ones when he comes here on July 12. Bob was co-founder of the American Hosta Growers Association in 1988, the trade organization that established the Hosta of the Year award in 1996, and has been instrumental in the running of that organization ever since. From 1998-2001, Bob served as Editor of The Hosta Journal, the principle publication of the American Hosta Society. He presently serves as Historian of the AHS. He is the recipient of the 2003 Alex J. Summers Distinguished Merit Award from the AHS and of the 2008 Eunice Fisher Distinguished Hybridizer Merit Award from the AHS. In short, Bob Solberg is one of the experts in the country on hostas and is a nationally known speaker on all topics related to hostas. He’s a very personable, laid back kind of guy with a good sense of humor. It’s always a pleasure to hear him speak, so don’t miss this opportunity to meet him and hear what he has to say at our special event on July 12.

2020 Food Truck ScheduleMay 2nd – Didough’s PretzelsMay 9th – Farmer Smoked BBQMay 16th – Uncle Bud’s Apple Cider

Slush and GrillMay 23rd – Sam’s Chicago

Style Hotdogs

May 30th –Buck Shot BBQJune 6th – Didough’s PretzelsJune 12th and 13th – Grandma

Rosie’s, Wood Fired Pizza and

Sweet Treats

HostasWe have an exciting list of over 20 new hostas available

this year. We’ll work our way up the size ladder to highlight some of the standouts. ‘Fruit Loop’ is a cute mini with dark green leaves and wide creamy margins, with great corrugation

for its size. For the small spaces in your garden, ‘Lemon Snap’ forms a tight mass of bright yellow, corrugated foliage that contrasts beautifully with red petioles that bleed red into the base of the leaves. ‘Tiny Bubbles’ is another small cutie that boasts a vigorous mound of wavy yellow to lime-green foliage. The added interest being its orchid flower buds that never open and look like tiny bubbles floating above the foliage. ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is a medium-sized hosta that is a tetraploid sport of the popular ‘Orange Marmalade’, with thicker leaves and wider blue-green margins. You’re sure to be tempted by this stunning color contrast and won’t be able to resist. Grow in some sun for brightest color. Another specimen with excellent color contrast is ‘Color Festival’, whose foliage has dark green

margins and white centers, with a yellow streak in between completing its tri-color effect. Again, you will see best color if grown in some bright morning sun. If you’re looking for fragrant hostas, look no further than ‘Royal Crest’, a large hosta and hybrid of ‘Royal Standard’, with a more polished habit of medium green, glossy foliage. Fill your summertime garden with the

sweet fragrance from large white flowers, whose fragrance is most pronounced in the evening. Excellent sun tolerance makes it a very versatile selection. For all you giant hosta lovers out there, we have a few new additions to this category. ‘Frost Giant’ is a vigorous grower that emerges bright blue with a shining yellow margin that turns cream in summer. Thick, slug resistant leaves have a gentle wave and form an attractive, elegant mound. For a giant

blue beast, check out ‘Ruffles n Ridges’, which eventually stands waist high and almost seven feet across. Rounded leaves are heavily rippled and corrugated with deep veining to complete its big, bold look. Be sure to look for all our new hostas, marked with red flags throughout the hosta section.

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2020

Hosta ‘Lemon Snap’

Hosta ‘Lemon Snap’

Hosta ‘Frost Giant’

Hosta ‘Ruffles n Ridges”

Achillea ‘Firefly Diamond’Echinacea

‘Orange You Awesome’

Allium ‘Serendipity’ Clematis ‘Stand by Me’

We have about 70 new varieties of perennials to introduce to you this year. With such an abundance of plants it can be hard to know what to choose for your garden. The following are some of the new varieties we are especially excited about. The Achillea Firefly Collection is a collection of yarrow prized for their tall, yet uncompromising habits and sturdiness throughout the season. ‘Firefly Amethyst’ (pink), ‘Firefly Diamond’ (white) and ‘Firefly Sunshine’ (yellow) show off their bright blooms throughout the summer and range in height from 18-30”. Allium ‘Serendipity’ is a sport of ‘Millenium’ with all the great qualities of its parent with the addition of blue foliage. Our mass plantings of ‘Millenium’ have been a standout in our gardens the past couple years and ‘Serendipity’ will be a nice variation. Clematis

‘Stand By Me’ is a Bush Clematis with beautiful bell-shaped blue flowers that appear in late spring and broad green foliage that grows to 34-38”. Bush Clematis die back to the ground every year and do require some staking or neighboring plants for support, but they do not vine within a trellis. They have a longer bloom season and are easier to grow than traditional Vining Clematis. Check out Dicentra ‘Pink Diamonds’ for the first ever Bleeding Heart for the sunny bed! Two-tone pink flowers grow 12-16” with fern-like blue-green foliage. Prefers full sun and good drainage. Echinacea ‘Orange You Awesome’ and ‘Yellow My Darling’ are both selected for their large flower size, branching and flower performance. They grow 18-22” tall and are hardy to Zone 4. Hibiscus are the standouts for late summer color and ‘Candy Crush’, with bubblegum pink flowers, and ‘Evening Rose’, with hot-pink puckered flowers and

dark foliage, do not disappoint. Both grow 4’ tall and wide and produce 8”, dinner plate sized blooms. Phlox ‘Opening Act Pink-a-Dot’ and ‘Opening Act Ultrapink’ are hybrid phlox that bloom 2-3 weeks earlier than P. paniculata and have a longer period of bloom. With near white flowers with a dark pink center, and vibrant rose pink blooms, respectively, these 2’ tall varieties will bring a long season of summer color to the sunny garden. For your shade garden, consider these two Heuchera to complement your new hostas. Heuchera Northern Exposure™ Amber and Northern Exposure™ Red are Coral Bells bred from a Canadian native species known for its cold hardiness and clean foliage all season long. Both grow 12-14” and have a dense clumping habit. Best to protect them from the harsh afternoon sun.

Trees Trees: We were excited last year to offer three of the new crosses between Korean Maples and Japanese Maples. These hybrids have the hardiness and sun tolerance of the Koreans, but with the smaller size and excellent colors of the Japanese. This year, we have two new varieties to add to that collection. The foliage of Final Fire® is pastel yellow,

pink and green in the spring, turns green in summer, and then fire engine red in the fall. It grows to 20’ tall and 15’ wide. The other new one is Ice Dragon®, a smaller, hardy tree with cutleaf foliage that is blushed orange-red in spring, green in summer, and yellow, orange and red in the fall. It grows to 8’ tall and 10’ wide.

For those who appreciate fastigiate (skinny) trees, take a look at the aptly named oak hybrid, Skinny Genes®. This cross between an English Oak and White Oak has glossy green foliage which turns yellow in the fall, growing to 40’ tall and only 10’ wide. Those drawn to native trees will want to consider a Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) and Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), both of which are tough, hardy, natives that grow into large shade trees.

Conifer fans will want to check out Abies balsamea ‘Tyler Blue’, a beautiful Balsam Fir with soft, lush, blue-green needles on a compact grower. Its garden size is listed as 25’ tall and 15’ wide. Another new one is Tsuga mertensia ‘Glacier Peak’, a smaller Mountain Hemlock with silvery blue foliage on an upright tree with an alpine appearance, growing 10’ tall and 8’ wide.

Shrubs Hybridizers continue to work on creating smaller Panicle Hydrangeas. The latest is Lavalamp® Flare®. This exciting, compact grower gets only 3’ tall, but produces large white flowers that turn a deep rosy red from the bottom up, held aloft on strong stems. They will hold the color late into the season if provided some afternoon shade. We had discontinued carrying Barberries because they were declared invasive in Illinois. But the hybridizers went to work, and we now have a new seedless dwarf called Sunjoy® Mini Maroon. This cutie has the deep maroon foliage that is so popular and gets only 2-3’ tall and wide. And it requires little to no pruning, which is a wonderful thing when you are dealing with Barberries.

If you’ve never grown Red Twigged Dogwood, you are missing out on the pleasure of seeing the bright red stems contrasting with winter’s snow. Cornus alba Neon Burst® has glossy, scarlet winter stems that glow like a neon sign. It’s a compact grower at 4-5’ tall with chartreuse foliage that turns an array of purple, red, yellow and orange colors in the fall. Need a screen or hedge that doesn’t get too wide? Ligustrum vulgare Straight Talk® is the perfect hedge or vertical accent. It gets only 3’ wide, but up to 12’ tall. Its dark green foliage is easily sheared to the desired shape and height. In conifers, we have Pinus pumila ‘Blue Dwarf’, a dwarf Japanese Stone Pine with superior blue color and an unusual, dense, horizontal spreading form. It’s very hardy (Zone 3).

Hibiscus ‘Candy Crush’Phlox ‘OpeningAct Ultrapink’

Acer Ice Dragon®

Quercus ‘Skinny Genes’ Abies ‘Tyler Blue’

Perennials

CALENDAR OF EVENTSEvents are free unless otherwise noted. Please sign up online for those events that require a reservation.

www.hornbakergardens.com/events

Monday, May 4 at 6:30 pm Spring Container: May has arrived and it’s time to pot up a beautiful container for your porch or patio. We will assemble some recipes of colorful combinations for you to choose from, taking the guesswork out of deciding which plants work well together. We’ll supply a 12 inch container, potting soil, fertilizer, plants and step by step instructions. You sip and mingle while playing in the dirt. Reservations required. Fee: $35

Monday, May 11 at 6:30 pmCreate a Terrarium: Terrariums are a popular way to add a little green to an indoor space. We have various sizes of vessels to choose from, and all materials and plants are included. Fee depends on the container you choose. Reservations required. Fee: $25-$60.

Monday, May 18 at 6:30 pm Arboretum Walk: The Hornbakers have been planting trees and shrubs on their 40 acres for over 40 years. Join Rich and Dave for an evening stroll around the grounds. Several varieties of Beech trees will be featured, along with many other unusual and standard plants, including conifers. We will finish up on The Barn patio with beer and wine. Reservations required. Free

Monday, June 1 at 6:30 pm Sensational Succulents: In this hands-on workshop, you’ll be creating your own mini succulent garden. There will be a variety of unique upcycled containers for you to choose from, including steel ductwork, logs/branches, various items from a second-hand shop, along with some more traditional containers. Reservations required. Fee: $35.

Hornbaker Gardens welcomes nationally known hosta expert

Bob Solbergof Green Hill Farm in North Carolina

Sunday, July 12Garden Center open 10 am to 5 pm

10 am to Noon Meet and Greet with Bob

11:30 to 12:30 Lunch

1:00 pm “Growing Hostas in Containers, at Home and in Japan” presented by Bob Solberg

Free event, lunch $10

Registration required at www.hornbakergardens.com/events

$2 OffAll Hostas

Hosta Floral Arrangement Contest • Door Prizes • Photo Contest

Princeton, Illinois 815-659-3282

Evenings on The PatioBack by popular demand, our evening on the patio series at our event center, The Barn. Enjoy the fresh air and peaceful surroundings, and a complimentary beer or wine. Plan a date night, a girl’s night out, or come on your own.

Saturday, April 18 at 1 pmNew Plants for 2020: Join us in the garden center to learn about some exciting new plant varieties including hostas, perennials, trees and shrubs. Molly will share some growing tips and specifics of where you can utilize these beauties in your own space.

Saturday, April 25 at 1 pm Gardening with Perennials: As we start our 34th year in business, we’ll talk about our new “Tested Hardy at Hornbaker Gardens” feature, along with general tips on growing and cutting back perennials. We’ll demonstrate how to divide a variety of perennials, including hostas, of course. Most perennials are hardy and easily divided, and spring is generally the best time to divide.

Saturday, May 2 at 1 pmLessons in Soil Health: Understanding the basics of soil health is incredibly important when considering starting a garden. Conventional methods of preparing the ground for planting, such as tilling, are worth rethinking. Folks from the local non-profit Hungry World Farm will be here to lead an interactive group project of preparing for a small garden utilizing low impact techniques.

Saturday, May 9 – 10 am to 12 pmKids’ Containers for Mother’s Day: Here’s a chance for the kids to come get their hands dirty and create something pretty for Mom, for Mother’s Day. We will have a good selection of inexpensive containers to choose from, or they can bring their own. Fee: Cost of container and plants chosen

Saturday, May 16 at 1 pmAll About Herbs with the U of I Extension: Learn how to identify herbs, how to harvest, tips for growing & drying, and more. We welcome Master Gardener Kathleen Bishop to present this workshop in our event center The Barn. We are excited to offer a selection of organic herbs this year in our greenhouses. After you’ve learned the basics, you are welcome to visit our potting table to create your own herb container.

Saturday, May 23 at 1 pmMiniature Garden “Make & Take” Workshop: This is a hands-on workshop for all ages in which you will learn how to create and care for your very own miniature garden. Fee includes your container, soil, and plants. You pick out and purchase your choice of miniature accessories, at a special 20% discount for workshop participants. Reservations required. Fee: $40. Free to just observe.

Saturday, May 30 at 1 pmMason Jar Flower Arranging “Make & Take” Workshop: Here’s your chance to take home some of the beautiful cut flowers blooming at Hornbaker Gardens! Lindsay Funderberg, manager of The Barn here at the Gardens, will be offering tips and guidance as you use foliage and flowers from our gardens to create your own arrangement in a mason jar. Other containers will be available for purchase if you prefer. Reservations required. Fee: $10

Saturday, June 6 at 1 pmKids’ Dragon/Fairy Garden “Make & Take” Workshop: If your littles love dragons or fairies or both, they’ll have fun creating a succulent habitat for their creatures. We’ll assist them in planting and talk about how to care for their containers, which can be moved indoors in the winter. All supplies provided, including dragon and fairy figures to accessorize their containers. Reservations required. Fee: $20

Friday, June 12 thru Sunday, June 14Open House and Hosta Walk

Friday, June 12th Friday Night Sip and Stroll: Pizza, beer & wine in the gardens! The garden center will be open until 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 13 at 1 pmHypertufa “Make & Take” Workshop: Peoria-area horticulturist Ella Maxwell will be here to help you create a rustic garden container for your patio, deck, or garden. We will have the materials on hand for you to make a small planter using a mixture of materials called hypertufa, which looks like stone after it cures. You can also incorporate your own found treasures such as marbles, broken china, cut glass, or rocks, into the surface of the pot during construction. Hypertufa troughs and planters make great containers for succulents and other alpine plants that require good drainage. Please wear old clothes and shoes. Reservations required. Fee: $20. Free to just observe.

Saturday, September 19 —8th Annual Artisan Market.