How do you move a plant with a ‘thousand blooms’? Very, very carefully.

After months of attention, care, and careful training, this beautiful ozukuri, or ‘thousand bloom’ kiku is moved from the Nolen Greenhouses, to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory to become part of Fall Flowers of Japan.

Head below to see a slideshow of how this huge plant made its journey from the Nolen Greenhouses to the Conservatory.

We have all heard that ‘cabbage is king’ although I doubt many of us know why.

It is certainly a stately vegetable, its elegant heads outshine all other vegetables in an ornamental vegetable garden. And in past centuries, it was a staple in many diets; it stores well and can easily feed a large family. It also had a reputation for ‘medicinal’ properties. Cabbage is high in vitamin C and fiber, has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties and historically was used as a cure for ulcers and cancer. But are these reasons for such a regal appellation?

I read on the news recently that a retired dentist, Steve Hubacek, won first place in the Alaska State Fair for the largest cabbage. His entry weighed 126 pounds and measured four feet tall and seven feet across. This year’s entry was just shy of the Guinness World Record, already held by Huacek, of 127 pounds.

I have no idea what you would do with all that cabbage, or if the mammoth beast would even taste good (World Record-holding pumpkins certainly do not). I like sauerkraut but that’s a lot of sauerkraut even if you stretch it out over six months (which is generally the length of time that you can keep homemade sauerkraut).

Even if you’re not planning to compete at the State Fair, you should still consider growing cabbage in your own garden.

Get Sonia’s tips for growing kingly cabbages below.

Class 11 Spider chrysanthemum in the Nolen Greenhouses, 2010

Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 5, the mesmerizing art of kiku returns to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory as part of Fall Flowers of Japan. These Japanese chrysanthemums, trained into a dizzying array of styles and displays, are not to be missed. In anticipation, we’re taking an in-depth look at these fascinating flowers.

Learn all about the beautiful Spider, Brush and Thistle, and Unusual chrysanthemums below.

This funny little blue weed looks like something straight out of a children’s cartoon. And like many cartoons it is an import into the U.S., but unfortunately not a very funny one. Commelina communis is originally from Asia and is commonly seen in waste places, especially places with water and shade. Commonly known as the Asiatic Dayflower, this cherry but aggressive weed spreads through prolific seed production, crowding-out more desirable native plants. Fortunately, it is easy to identify, and even easier to pull out of the ground.

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen