Garden Siren Call

This Rio dipladenia spent the winter indoors, in a planter located in our sunroom. It took several weeks to bloom after it was re-planted outdoors but it's going nuts in September.      A new favorite in the Baker gardens is a hardy, showy tropical plant with very few problems: The Rio Dipladenia!     Yes, these are widely available, cost-efficient and thrive even in Iowa. We first purchased one for a problem spot in the Ankeny, Iowa home owned by Kirstin and Gage, our daughter and son-in-law. It was featured at the Home Depot store and seemed like it might be happy in this spot even with poor soil and searing sunshine.     The little soldier grew like Topsy and thrived, giving a bright red, flower-y look to a visible location in front of their garages.     Subsequently I bought one for my own problem spot; next to our driveway. That was in 2020, and it flourished so nicely I stuck it in a nice planter and brought it indoors for the wint...

       Mail box holds brochures for 2021 them: Travel Colors Your  World These AAS selections are gorgeous plants and flowers. An interesting planting at one corner, outside the Conservatory.      The land first was the site of the Scott County Fairgrounds. That was before the City of Davenport purchased the property in 1885 and named it Central Park after the famous park in New York City.     The park, like its namesake, features a pond, glass conservatory, bridge, floral gardens and a fountain.     Find all that, and much more, today at Vander Veer Botanical Park, 215 W. Central Park Ave., Davenport.     It measures almost a mile around the perimeter and I like to walk and jog along the sidewalks. There is shade from huge trees, planted in 1890 or so, and always something to look at inside the active park.      During a recent afternoon I decided to view the flowers outside the conserva...