THE A PUBL I C ATI ON OF TH E GA R D E N C LU B O F A M E R I C A
THE NATURE ISSUE: WHY IT MATTERS
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” —Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
FA L L 2021
ISSUE 59
Contents FALL 2021 Features
In Every Issue 8 FINDING HIDDEN TREASURES SMHC Vice Chairman Jane Gamber writes about the highlights. Plus, Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm and Amy Stewart and cocktail gardening
Top: Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ was the 2016 Freeman Medal winner. Bottom: While traveling in England around 1850 with his brother, Frederick Law Olmsted’s life changed once he saw Birkenhead Park in Liverpool, Britain’s first publicly funded park. He returned to the U.S. determined to make access to green space a reality for all people. Photo courtesy of Birkenhead Park
10 FREEMAN MAGIC
10
Hort Vice Chairman Caroline Schutts unpacks the Freeman Medal and reveals who nominated what and why. Plus, how to nominate your favorite herbaceous plant
12 DEMOCRATIZING NATURE & THE LEGACY OF FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED The genius behind the father of American landscape architecture believed nature belonged to everybody. Plus, Olmsted 200
15 AFFECTIONS OF A GREEN HEART: THE HEALING POWER OF NATURE Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar discusses the profound benefits of connecting with nature. Plus, Louisville’s Green Heart Institute
From the Editor
5 MY FAVORITE PLANT Horticulture Committee
Chairman Ginny Levy has a particular fondness for Andropogon gerardii, big bluestem
6 THE DIRT Hort News You Can Use
19 MIX IT UP Co-mocktails, winter stews, and putting the garden to bed
22 GOOD READS Praised as both a novel of climate change and adventure, Damnation Spring offers a glimpse into a logging community in the Pacific Northwest to reveal the challenges and heartaches of a vanishing industry.
23 HORT CUTS Interesting finds from the hort world
24 GARDEN GALLERY
© The Garden Club of America, 2021. All rights reserved. The Real Dirt is produced three times a year by the Horticulture Committee of The Garden Club of America. It is available online in the months of August, November, and April. Submissions and comments are encouraged and welcome. Contact trd@gcamerica.org. The contents contained in the GCA’s internal publications are intended solely for the education and enjoyment of club members of The Garden Club of America. For permission to reproduce any article in this publication, contact trd@gcamerica.org. The listing of any product does not imply a recommendation or an endorsement by the GCA.
2
From the Horticulture Committee Chairman
Gardening gifts for the holidays—to give and get
12 14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022 (212) 753-8287 www.gcamerica.org trd@gcamerica.org
Message from the President
20 SAGE ADVICE
On the cover: Apples—Still Life, by Sally Barnett, Late Bloomers Garden Club, Zone VIII
The Garden Club of America
3 LETTERS
GCA club members share their garden shots
President’s Message NATURE’S IMPACT ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
J
eanette Heidrich and Flip Caldwell, members of Woodside-Atherton Garden Club in Zone XII, formed the Plants and Health Discussion Group based on the premise that “everyone’s health benefits from plants.” Take a peek at what they’ve been up to on the Club Member Showcase. At the Zone XI meeting in September, Lisa Philander, director and curator of the University of Minnesota’s College of Botanical Sciences Conservatory, spoke about “The Roots to Healing.” “Humans have created a codependent relationship with plants, we are inextricably linked,” she said. “During Covid, people turned to gardening because it gave them hope and some degree of control over a situation totally beyond our control.” According to The Garden Club of America: 100 Years of a Growing Legacy, by William Seale, the first GCA Founders Fund grants were made in 1938 to fund publication of a translation of The Badianus Manuscript, an Aztec medicinal notebook written in 1552. It was on loan to the Smithsonian Institution from the Vatican Library and described the medicinal properties of various plants and native herbs used by the Aztecs. Cassandra Quave, one of the 2020 Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference keynote speakers, was also a 2007 GCA scholar. She leads anti-infective drug discovery research initiatives and teaches courses on medicinal plants, food, and health at Emory University, where she is the herbarium curator and an associate professor of dermatology and human health. Quave is the author of a new book, The Plant Hunter: A Scientist’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines (Viking, 2021), an adventure-filled memoir that weaves together science, botany, and her own story to shed light on the important—and often overlooked—connection to the natural world, especially regarding the potential power of medicinal plants. Dr. Mark Plotkin, a renowned ethnobotanist, has studied traditional indigenous plant use with elder shamans of Central and South America
GCA President Debbie Oliver. Photo courtesy of Sarah Hazelgrove
for over 30 years. His latest book, The Amazon: What Everyone Needs to Know, offers an engaging overview of this irreplaceable ecosystem and the challenges it faces. His earlier book, Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice, details his investigation into the healing power of plants. Paul Alan Cox, the recipient of the GCA’s 2019 Eloise Payne Luquer Medal, speaks passionately about how our past and our future are deeply intertwined with plants. Richard Louv, the 2020 recipient of the Margaret Douglas Conservation Medal, maintains that a connection to nature is imperative for both physical and emotional wellbeing. Our earliest human ancestors found plants to heal wounds, cure diseases, and ease troubled minds. There seems to be a renewed interest in the restorative nature of plants on health and wellbeing. Doesn’t all of this circle back to the GCA’s mission? Bringing clubs together to cultivate the bond among people, plants, and the environment. Let’s continue to explore nature and champion the power of plants.
Debbie Oliver Debbie Oliver, GCA President, 2021-2023
3
Letters FROM THE HORTICULTURE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
My mom often shares that when I was young my favorite time of year was “Funtender.” It started with the first morning going back to school, progressed through gathering around the TV watching the Colts over Thanksgiving, and went straight into the first big snowfall of winter. And while Funtender has changed through the years, it is still a time of wonder and discovery. Now Funtender fun comes from making my yard a home for the wildlife that shares our space. It means a messier, richer landscape and a closer look at the everyday mysteries of nature. My favorite fox just reappeared, and the bluebirds are back in force. Now, Funtender brings the hush of fall and my way to garden, create, advocate.
Ginny Levy, Horticulture Committee Chairman (2021-2023), The West Chester Garden Club, Zone V
“
FROM THE EDITOR
There seems to be a renewed interest in the restorative nature of plants on health and wellbeing. Doesn’t all of this circle back to the GCA’s mission? —Debbie Oliver, GCA President, 2021-2023
Frederick Law Olmsted knew the correlation between exposure to nature and well-being; he was determined that everyone understand that access to clean, green space could profoundly impact both body and soul. The GCA joins Olmsted 200 in celebrating this brilliant visionary by commemorating the bicentennial of his birth in 2022. In this TRD issue, read more about FLO and his philosophy on democratizing nature on page 12. And don’t miss our FLO-inspired propagation challenge, detailed on page 7; it dovetails nicely with the 2022 Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference next fall, which Zone I elves are busy planning. Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar spoke at the NAL conference in 2020. Widely regarded as spearheading the new field of environmental cardiology, Dr. B’s presentation resonated with everyone in attendance, so we invited him to contribute to our fall issue. Don’t miss his exploration of the benefits of nature—to cardiac health in particular—and his inspiring profile on Louisville’s Green Heart Institute, on page 15. Also in our pages, we recap the highly successful Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference and present a holiday gift guide, courtesy of members of the Hort Committee. Thanks to my fearless team who helped make this TRD issue happen, especially Dawn Borgeest, Peggy Mayfield, Brenda Barrett, and Jane Gamber. Happy Gardening!
Madeline Mayhood, Horticulture Committee Vice Chairman, Editor, The Real Dirt, The James River Garden Club, Zone VII
4
My Favorite Plant
Andropogon gerardii—Big bluestem
W
hen TRD Editor Madeline Mayhood asked what my favorite plant was, my mind started dancing. The monarch magnet Asclepias species, Lobelia cardinalis, Spigelia marilandica, or annual cardinal climber that keeps my hummingbirds busy and a little less quarrelsome, the diminutive Hepatica acutiloba or the majestic Quercus phellos. So many favorites. However, one should be decisive when Madeline asks, so for that reason, and a host of others, I landed on Andropogon gerardii, or big bluestem. Several years ago, I stopped mowing large areas of my front field and named them “meadows.” The deer made quick work of the plugs I planted, so I let nature have its way. What a wonderful surprise when Eragrostis spectabilis, purple love grass; Panicum virgatum, switch grass; and Andropogon gerardii, big bluestem, flourished. Also called “turkey foot” for its three-part inflorescence, big bluestem is a warm-season bunch grass growing five to seven feet with a spread of two feet. It is adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions and is best grown in a sunny location. A native prairie grass, big bluestem has an extensive fibrous root system, making it drought tolerant and very effective for soil stabilization and erosion control.
Over 20 species of songbirds feed on its seeds in the fall, and its rigid stems remain upright through winter, providing nesting sites and shelter for birds and other wildlife. Big bluestem is also the larval host of several species of skippers, including Delaware and dusted skippers. Big bluestem’s stately structure provides movement in the garden, lush green and blue foliage that sways gently in a breeze. Cooler fall weather brings out rich orange, copper red and purple tones that persist through winter. Often called the “King of the Prairie,” Andropogon gerardii’s range extends from Canada into Mexico, from Montana to Arizona and Maine to Florida. A true find and favorite. . .for the moment. —Ginny Levy, Horticulture Committee Chairman, The West Chester Garden Club, Zone V
Big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii. Photos by Matt Lavin from Wikimedia Commons
5
The Dirt Peonies-a-plenty. Photo courtesy of Peony’s Envy
MARKETPLACE FOR THE HOLIDAYS Gift certificates and GCA partners Every gardener loves a plant—to give or receive for the holidays. So, for the plant lover in your life, it’s as easy as heading to the GCA Marketplace. Choose from plants, bulbs, and seeds from participating partners, as well as a collection of carefully curated items, including
linen, GCA swag, and jewelry. Ordering via the Marketplace supports the GCA’s many programs and initiatives, so be sure to check it out for great holiday gift ideas. (NOTE: Remember to go to the site via the Marketplace or use a GCA promotional code to make sure your purchase has the biggest impact.):
•GCA Pollinator Notecards (Angela Overy, GC of Denver, original design) •Hudson Valley Seed Company (seeds, bulbs, garlic, shallots, tools, soil health) •Nature’s Creations (botanical jewelry and art) •Peony’s Envy (peonies and peony-themed accessories) •White Flower Farm (houseplants, outdoor plants, bulbs, holiday decorating) •Womanswork (gloves, sun hats, skin care, gifts) •GCA 2022 Annual Meeting Scarf (based on Angela Overy’s, GC of Denver, original design) •Charleston Shoe Company (where function meets fashion) •Lots more!
•Brent and Becky’s Bulbs (bulbs, plants, small tools)
BEST LIVING PLANT GIFTS Stories From Around the GCA Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri, donkey ears
have developed and been potted up. The plant has been indoors in a sunny west-facing window and outdoors in the shade of a Japanese maple. Growing and sharing this plant has been a wonderful experience—and I have given away a bunch of plants in their infancy. I can’t wait to see how these remaining “ears” develop. Interesting plants can come from anywhere, and you don’t need perfect conditions to be successful!
SNEAK PEEK—SMHC 2022 In 2022, Zone I will be hosting the Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference for the first time. We can’t wait to share horticultural gems like Garden in the Woods, Elm Bank, and the Tower Hill Botanic Garden with our attendees. Most importantly, we’ll be celebrating the sesquicentennial of Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum, a crowning jewel in Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace and a pioneering horticultural institution. We look forward to a hands-on experience for many and virtual opportunities for all! Stay tuned as details unfold. —Peggy Mayfield, Fox Hill GC and Libby Moore, Little Compton GC, Co-chairmen, 2022 Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference
to members in the fall of 2019 as a horticulture growing challenge—and the propagated offshoots were distributed to seniors in our community later that year. This year we plan to share our growing collection of friendship plants with a local food pantry for their guests to take home and enjoy for the holidays. Hopefully, they will pass some baby plants on to others!
—Seta Nersessian, Fox Hill GC, Zone I
—Debbie Cameron, Green Spring Valley GC, Zone VI
6
Kalanchoe photo by Debbie Cameron
Pilea peperomioides, friendship or Chinese money plant
This is what has happened to my favorite plant in the past year and a half: I bought it in a tiny container at a farmer’s market. For six months, it just grew. Then the middle stem, which was hard, grew tall and formed flower buds. The donkey ears drooped and formed plantlets at leaf tips, which
Pilea peperomioides is an evergreen perennial plant native to temperate parts of China and is a popular, adaptable, and fun to grow houseplant. Very easily propagated from offshoots that sprout from the parent plant, P. peperomioides is commonly referred to as the “friendship plant.” Fox Hill GC distributed plants
Pilea photo by Seta Nersessian
THE A P U B L I C AT I ON OF T H E GA R DE N C LU B O F A ME R I C A
S U MME R 2021
I SS U E 58
THE TREE ISSUE
“Just go out and talk to a tree. Make friends with it…There’s nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend.” ―—Bob Ross
SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! The Real Dirt wants to publish club member photos—on our cover and in our pages—and we heartily welcome submissions from novices and seasoned pros. Send your garden-related shots, in any and all seasons, to TRD@gcamerica. org. For tips on good garden photography, check out these helpful guidelines.
JOIN THE CELEBRATION! TRD’S PROPAGATION CHALLENGE 2022: OLMSTED’S PLANTS AT FAIRSTED
Propagate a Plant! Win a Prize! Frederick Law Olmsted moved to the Boston area in 1883 to develop a fulltime landscape architecture firm. He established his home and professional offices at Fairsted, a property in Brookline, Massachusetts, now known as the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, part of the National Park Service. Olmsted was born in 1822. The national celebration marking the bicentennial of his birth will continue through 2022 with a host of events. The Real Dirt is joining the celebration by inviting you to propagate one of the plants that was grown at Fairsted. Propagation is by any means, which includes seed, cuttings, layering and division. Cultivars or nativars of these plants are acceptable.
Beebalm, Monarda, is a valuable pollinator and was favored by Olmsted. Photo by Kevin McIvery from Pixabay
CLASSES 4-5: HERBACEOUS PLANTS Class 4: Asclepias tuberosa, butterfly weed Class 5: Monarda, any type of bergamot or beebalm
NOTE: Class 5 may be subdivided by the committee to reflect the myriad species and cultivars of Monarda grown in regions of the U.S.
IMPORTANT GUIDELINES:
• One plant in an appropriate pot. • One entry per person. • Horticulture Entry Card, Horticulture
Propagation Card, and photo required for entry.
• Photos must be 1 MB or larger. • Deadline for entries is July 15, 2022. • Entry forms must be completed and submitted with entry.
• Entry forms will be available on the Watercolor by Amy Stewart
• •
SMHC CHEERS! A big, resounding shout out goes to the exceptional trifecta of Diane Guidone (GC of Dublin, Zone I), who chaired the 2021 Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference, and her co-chairmen, Brenda Barrett (GC of Lexington, Zone VII) and Jane Gamber (New Canaan GC, Zone II). Let’s all raise a glass in their honor to a job well done! Turn to page 8 for more on the Meneice, and check out the GCA website here for 2021 SMHC resources, including videos, demonstrations, and speaker info.
Horticulture Landing Page in the spring of 2022. No pre-registration is required. Winners in each class will be announced in the August edition of TRD and prizes will be awarded.
NOTE: Tutorials on How to Complete a Horticulture Entry Card and How to Complete a Hort Propagation Entry Card are available on the Red oak, Quercus rubra, was an Olmsted favorite. Photo by Carrie Critchley from Pixabay
CLASSES 1-3: WOODY PLANTS Class 1: Betula papyrifera, paper birch Class 2: Quercus rubra, red oak Class 3: Viburnum dentatum, arrowwood viburnum
Horticulture Committee and Flower Show Committee landing pages under “Entry Cards.” Contact your Horticulture Committee Zone Rep if you have questions. Or send an email to TRD@ gcamerica.org.
The Dirt is curated and edited by Peggy Mayfield, Horticulture Committee Vice Chairman, Fox Hill GC, Zone I. To submit hort news worth sharing with GCA club members, email trd@gcamerica.org. Articles contained herein were written by Peggy Mayfield, unless otherwise indicated.
7
Finding Hidden Treasures: Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference 2021
Leah Penniman, Soul Fire Farm’s co-director and farm manager. Photo courtesy of Soul Fire Farm
8
021 was not your mother’s Shirley Meneice Horticultural Conference. Ordinarily limited to 200-300 attendees, this year’s all-virtual event—Finding Hidden Treasures—once again meant registration caps and geography were no longer limiting factors. Speakers, gardens, workshops, and resources from around the country were included and made accessible to the more than 2,250 club members who registered. The conference was open to the entire GCA membership. Club members happily hopped aboard, trekking around the country as armchair travelers. From tours of Heronswood Garden, on Puget Sound near Seattle, to the Kampong in Coconut Grove, Florida, the former estate of botanist Dr. David Fairchild and now part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, virtual garden tours featured horticulture hot spots from coast to coast. The spectacular Gainesway Farm in Kentucky’s famed Blue Grass country was featured, as was the picturesque Coastal Maine Botanical Garden in Boothbay Harbor, the xeriscape-focused Desert Botanic Garden in Phoenix, and the semi-tropical Jungle Gardens on Avery Island in Louisiana, home to McIlhenny Tabasco. An added bonus showcased Horticulture Committee members who shared their favorite gardening tips and tools in short, recorded videos. Conference- and horticulture-themed puzzles and games (crafted by TRD’s own Dawn Borgeest) were made available during breaks; and a curated collection of GCA wizards spoke on their areas of expertise: Nancy Schotters (Garden Club of Denver, Zone XII) gave an instructional presentation on making seed bombs; Carrie Waterman (Noanett Garden Club, Zone I) dove deep into succulents; Cynthia Druckenbrod (Shaker Lakes Garden Club, Zone X) shared her extensive knowledge of daylilies; and Peggy Mayfield (Fox Hill
Garden Club, Zone I) gave an informative airlayering demonstration. The entire two-day 2021 Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference is available on the everexpanding, always informative GCA website. Take a look. It’s well worth your time.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2021 SMHC SOUL FIRE FARM: SEEDING SOVEREIGNTY IN THE FOOD SYSTEM
One of the most provocative and inspiring speakers at the 2021 SMHC was Leah Penniman, co-founder of the 72-acre Soul Fire Farm, “an Afro-Indigenous community farm committed to uprooting racism and seeding sovereignty in the food system.” Soul Fire Farm was established in 2010 near Albany, New York, with a mission to further education and research on sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty. FOOD INSECURITY
Food insecurity is a pervasive threat among many low-income families, and one that a number of GCA clubs address through various civic initiatives. According to Penniman, “food security is essentially built on four pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability. An individual must have access to sufficient food of the right dietary mix (quality) at all times to be food secure. Those who never have sufficient quality food are chronically food insecure.”
THE EARTH IS ALIVE
TRICKS AND TIPS
Penniman’s inspiring message provoked a lively Q&A session with SMHC Chairman Diane Guidone. One of Penniman’s particularly passionate responses was to a question about spiritual ecology. Penniman shared that central to her work is integrating the scientific and spiritual dimensions of farming. When seeds are planted at Soul Fire Farm, “[We] dance to give thanks for the soil and pray for the rain, to sing our ancestors’ songs, and feel our ancestors’ movements in our bodies,” she said. “That’s real, real important because the Earth actually is alive.”
Speaking from her home in Portland, Oregon by way of Zoom, Stewart revealed the use of plants in cocktails (think mojitos and juleps) and shared a recipe on how to make hard cider kir (crème de cassis added to hard cider). Stewart also explained why cilantro tastes like soap to some people but is pleasant to others (cilantrohaters can blame their aversion on an olfactory gene receptor they appear to have in common, OR6A2), explained absinthe’s original medicinal use, and shared tips like whipping chickpea gunk (technically known as aquafaba) as a vegan substitute for egg whites in a sloe gin fizz. Whip it up and give it a try!
Leah Penniman, co-director and farm manager of Soul Fire Farm, has 20 years of experience as a soil steward and food sovereignty activist. Additionally, she is the author of Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2018). To learn more and discover ways that you can support the work of Soul Fire Farm, visit soulfirefarm.org.
AMY STEWART—COCKTAIL GARDENING HITS THE BIG TIME
Infusing her signature humor with her Texassized personality (she was raised in Arlington) and a deep knowledge of horticulture, New York Times bestselling author Amy Stewart was the perfect bookend to the all-virtual, muchanticipated GCA Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference in September. Stewart’s lively presentation, Garden to Glass: Adventures in Cocktail Gardening, showcased the burgeoning trend of themed cocktail gardens.
BLAME IT ON COVID
It’s no shock that interest in gardening and entertaining outside has soared during the pandemic; cocktail gardens are just one of the niche trends that are on the upswing. They’re making their way into flower shows, even appearing as an official horticulture class in the prestigious Newport show. Naturally, the art of infusing fresh and unexpected flavors at the stove and at the bar has also caught on. Whether your garden means a window box, a few small containers, or ample space to spread out, cocktail gardens can work virtually anywhere. Sharing tricks of the trade, slides, and personal stories and anecdotes, Stewart deftly demonstrated the use of herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables to make simple syrups and all sorts of libations. —Jane Gamber, New Canaan Garden Club, Zone II Writer, speaker, teacher, and painter, Amy Stewart is the acclaimed author of 12 books, including the bestselling The Drunken Botanist. Head to her website at amystewart.com for more information on the many plants you might want to grow in your own cocktail garden, along with growing tips, and cocktail recipes. Be sure to check out the schedule of classes she teaches in art and writing. And, don’t miss Amy’s original and absolutely charming artwork on her website and Instagram— definitely worth a look. Cheers!
Amy Stewart. Photo and Illustration courtesy of Amy Stewart
9
Freeman Medal Inspirations The Stories Behind Freeman Nominees
Top right: Prairie smoke, Geum triflorum. Photo by Aaron Carlson from Wikimedia Commons Bottom left: Cephalanthus occidentalis, buttonbush. Photo by Jim Evans from Wikimedia Commons Bottom right: Lush stands of Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. Photo by Caroline Schutts
10
The Montine McDaniel Freeman Medal is the only Garden Club of America honor awarded to a plant, and not to a person. But it requires GCA club members to nominate contenders for the award. As the 2022 Freeman Medal deadline approaches, Caroline Schutts, Horticulture Committee Vice Chairman-Freeman Medal and member of the Glenview Garden Club (Zone VII), collected a handful of inspiring stories behind recent Freeman winners. She also shares her own.
aroline Orr, from The Memphis Garden Club (Zone IX) says her inspiration arose from attending the Shirley Meneice Horticulture conference at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in 2016, which in turn led her to study native plants, which she began incorporating into her own garden. In 2021, she nominated what turned out to be the Freeman Medal winner, Cephalanthus occidentalis, or buttonbush. In 2020 Seta Nersessian of the Fox Hill Garden Club (Zone I) nominated Geum triflorum, prairie smoke. “I was inspired by the Geum triflorum itself. It’s a small and fairly unassuming plant with a quite marvelous, almost magical, flower form that grows just about anywhere,”
Seta says. “What could be more inspiring than that?” Abby Coffin from The Chestnut Hill Garden Club (Zone I), nominated Aristolochia macrophylla, Dutchman’s pipe, which was the 2019 Freeman Winner. “I love the Freeman,” says Abby. “It’s a very structured way to learn about a native plant in great depth.” She used the Dutchman’s pipe in her own garden as a screen on a covered porch. “I was intrigued with its beauty and mystery, and I wanted to know more about it,” Abby continues. “There is no better
way to understand the plant than through the Freeman process.” Looking for inspiration in her own garden, Alice Wade from the Garden Club of Madison (Zone IV) nominated what turned out to be the winner in 2018. She decided to submit Pycnanthemum muticum known as mountain mint. “My story is simple,” says Alice. “In July of 2017, a garden club friend asked me to identify a plant that I had shared with her the year before. The photo she sent me was none other than Pycnanthemum muticum. As I stood in my garden that summer afternoon, I started thinking this wonderful native perennial could be a contender for the Freeman Medal. Writing up the nomination was easy as I had been growing Pycnanthemum muticum in my New Jersey and Virginia gardens for a few years and was familiar with its characteristics. So, there it was, growing right in my own back yard!” Magnolia ashei, or ash magnolia, was the 2017 Freeman Medal winner nominated by Leslie Pierpont from the Late Bloomers Garden Club (Zone VIII). “I lived in [USDA] Zone 9A in Jacksonville, Florida, when I first nominated Magnolia ashei for the Freeman Medal,” explains Leslie. Although it wasn’t chosen that year, she was encouraged to resubmit it for 2017. “I was growing it in a shady spot and was always amazed at the huge leaves and incredibly fragrant white flowers,” she continues. “It has the largest leaves and flowers of any North American tree. It is endangered in the wild and difficult to find in nurseries, but it is not hard to grow. I wanted more gardeners in growing zones 6-9 to plant it and enjoy it as a smaller specimen tree.” Leslie says that while researching M. ashei for the Freeman Medal, she learned that University of Florida’s botanists have been studying the ash magnolia to understand why it has become so rare in the wild. “They were thrilled that it would get the publicity from the Freeman Medal,” Leslie says.
The Montine McDaniel Freeman Medal GCA Plant of the Year was established to highlight underutilized, but worthy North American native plants. This year the winner will be an herbaceous perennial. Whatever native herbaceous perennial inspires you, please consider nominating it for the 2022 Freeman Medal winner. Nominations are due by December 1, 2021. For answers to questions about Freeman Medal nominations, head to the Horticulture Committee landing page or reach out to your Hort Committee Zone Rep. Good Luck!
For me, inspiration came from visiting Yew Dell Botanical Gardens outside of Louisville, Kentucky in 2014 and attending the Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference in 2013 at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. A club member and I were considering nominating Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’. I saw a stand of ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ on the grounds of the USNA, and I was convinced. This aromatic aster was a showstopper in full bloom, and I knew then that it could be a Freeman Medal winner. After two submissions ‘Raydon’s Favorite’ won the medal in 2016. — Caroline Borgman Schutts, Horticulture Committee Vice Chairman Freeman Medal, Glenview Garden Club, Zone VII
Magnolia ashei, or ash magnolia, blossom. Photo by Eva Krocher from Wikimedia Commons
11
Democratizing Nature: The Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted by Dawn Borgeest, Rochester Garden Club, Zone III
entral Park. Yosemite National Park. The U.S. Capitol grounds. Most people—particularly Garden Club of America club members— know that these are examples of the work of the father of landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted. And while the contributions Olmsted made through his landscapes are remarkable, his influence in shaping our country at a crucial point in history is equally noteworthy, as was his intuitive sense of the critical role nature plays in our lives. “Frederick Law Olmsted was ahead of his time in understanding the therapeutic power of nature,” says Dede Petri, president and CEO of the National Association for Olmsted Parks and former GCA president (2017-2019). “As America became more and more industrialized, he wanted everyone to have access to nature and the soothing relief that it offered. Nature—and parks in
Aerial view of Central Park, Olmsted and Vaux’s crowning achievement. Imagine New York City—and the souls and psyches of its residents and visitors— without it. Photo by Leonhard Niederwimmer from Pixabay
12
particular—provided a healthy contrast from what [Olmsted] called the ‘bustle and jar of the streets.’ Parks were places where people from all walks of life could come together. By making connections, parks make community possible.” “Cities were filling in very quickly and commercial interests sought to fill every inch with revenue generating residential dwellings and commercial buildings,” says Justin Martin, author of Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted (Da Capo Press, 2011), in a recent interview. “Many people lived in very dense, cramped apartments, some in squalor. It’s a fortunate circumstance that Frederick Law Olmsted was working in the 19th century. Had he not, cities would likely look very different. Land that is now parks would have been lost forever. His abiding belief was that nature didn’t belong to anybody—it belonged to everybody.” The hallmark of Olmsted’s work reflected
OLMSTED 200
his unfailing devotion to retaining or creating nature-inspired elements in his design work. In Riverside, Illinois—a planned community in surburban Chicago—he designed curving roads unlike the more common and formalized grid patterns that typically had been employed in urban centers. In contrast, Olmsted’s design he noted, implied “contemplativeness, and happy tranquility.” While designing the 200-acre grounds of the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, Olmsted and his partner Calvert Vaux recommended changing the initial siting of the building, and instead positioned it diagonally to the street line, which ensured that a southeastern exposure would provide optimal sunlight for residents. While developing plans for Central Park, Olmsted and Vaux envisioned it as a “rural-style park” designed to fill the soul. Despite fervent objections from several Central Park board members, who felt it should celebrate city life, the park became a beloved respite for New Yorkers. It remains one of the most popular parks in the world and iconic to the very fabric of New York. “Olmsted had a deep sense of how the natural world could soothe people physiologically—being in nature could have medicinal effects, it could help a person recover from a crisis, and help people be more
The National Association for Olmsted Parks (NAOP) is dedicated to advancing Frederick Law Olmsted’s principles and his legacy of creating parks and landscapes that revitalize communities and enrich lives. Through its Olmsted 200 initiative, NAOP is celebrating the bicentennial of Olmsted’s birth throughout 2022 with conferences, tours, concerts, and competitions that showcase the brilliance of Olmsted’s work and ideas. NAOP is partnering with the American Society of Landscape Architects, The Garden Club of America, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, the City Parks Alliance, the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, and more than 100 other organizations throughout the country to highlight the work of Olmsted and stimulate a national conversation about his legacy and the need for universal access to parks, recreation, and open space. Olmsted 200 is bringing together a creative and diverse coalition of landscape architects, city planners, historians, journalists, policy makers, gardeners, public health professionals, and community leaders and advocates to explore the ways in which Olmsted’s values are more important than ever to 21st-century America. To learn more, visit olmsted200. org. Be sure to sign up for the Olmsted Insider newsletter to receive updates about the campaign. Many events are underway already and many more are added every week.
Olmsted illustration by David Lee Csicsko. Courtesy of NAOP/ Olmsted 200 The RichardsonOlmsted Campus, formerly the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, one of Olmsted and Vaux’s collaborations. Photo courtesy of the Buffalo Historic Society
13
“
He was very conscious of the fact that a natural setting could help people. Olmsted struggled with great personal tragedies and depression that, I believe, gave him an intuitive sense of what people needed.”
Frederick Law Olmsted, 1893. Engraving by T. Johnson from a photograph by James Notland The Ramble in New York’s Central Park. Olmsted intentionally designed it as a natural forest in which people could get lost. Photo by Ingfbruno from Wikimedia Commons
14
creative,” observes Olmsted biographer Justin Martin. “He was very conscious of the fact that a natural setting could help people. Olmsted struggled with great personal tragedies and depression that, I believe, gave him an intuitive sense of what people needed.” And in some cases that included getting lost. One of the most heralded spaces in Central Park is the Ramble. The Central Park Conservancy describes this area as 36 acres “designed to look like the forests of upstate New York.” It includes winding paths and trails,
—Justin Martin
rustic bridges, a meandering stream, dramatic rock outcroppings, and dense plantings. “[Olmsted] loved getting people lost to provide an escape from the discipline of the paved grid of the city,” Martin continues. “And the Ramble is designed for getting lost, prompting you to think about the world in a new way.” Like much of Olmsted’s work, the more natural it looked, the more heavily designed it was. Olmsted was also a pioneering advocate for preserving natural lands: most notably, his advocacy to preserve Yosemite in California’s Sierra Nevadas, an unheard-of concept at the time. Ironically, Olmsted discovered Yosemite while supervising the Mariposa gold mining operation. NAOP’s Dede Petri, who is also a member of The Georgetown Garden Club (Zone VI), says that Olmsted’s democratic vision and values are more important today than ever: “Olmsted showed us the power that nature and parks have to unite and strengthen communities, to invigorate public health by restoring our connection to nature, and to contribute to the ecological health of our planet. His thoughtful design and planning of public spaces has had— and will continue to have—powerful social, environmental, economic and health impact.”
Affections of a Green Heart
By Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar
We in the GCA are well aware of the benefits of nature. It is what connects all 18,000 of us, and for most of us, the knowledge is baked into our DNA. We know the benefits of walking in the woods and digging in the dirt. At the 2020 NAL conference in Washington, Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar was a featured speaker. His presentation was riveting and connected the dots of science most of us already knew—that nature has real and tangible benefits to holistic health. We are pleased and privileged that Dr. Bhatnagar accepted our invitation to write an article for The Real Dirt on a subject about which we are all passionate: the power of nature to heal.
espite impressive medical advances, heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death—not just in the United States, but in most other high- and medium-income countries as well. Although the rates of heart disease in Europe and United States have declined steadily from their all-time high in the 1960s, this trend
has stalled and is beginning to reverse. The American Heart Association estimates that by 2030, nearly four out of every 10 people in the United States will be living with some form of heart disease. Clearly, current prevention approaches are not working, and new ideas are needed urgently to stem this rising tide of heart disease, fueled in part by rising rates of obesity and diabetes. Traditionally, heart disease has been thought of as a self-inflicted condition, resulting from poor lifestyle choices such as unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, and smoking. But recent research suggests that much of the burden of this disease is derived from wider social and environmental factors. For instance, those living in poor, polluted, and disadvantaged neighborhoods have a much higher risk of heart attacks and stroke than those who live in cleaner, and more affluent areas. So, improving the quality of residential areas, decreasing the levels of surrounding air pollution, or adding more green and walkable spaces in neighborhoods may be one way of
“
Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar. Photo courtesy of the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville
… many studies have shown that people who live in greener neighborhoods have a lower risk of death. They also report lower levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, suggesting that we share a primordial bond with nature, and we feel happy and more relaxed in its presence.” —Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar
15
INCREASE IN CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY 15.3% 13.2%
3.8% 1
6.0%
2
8.1%
3
10.1%
5
4
6
YEARS OF ASH BORER INFESTATION Am J Prev Med 44, 139, 20 13
Courtesy of Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar
decreasing the risk of heart disease. Indeed, many studies have shown that people who live in greener neighborhoods have a lower risk of death. They also report lower levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, suggesting that we share a primordial bond with nature, and we feel happy and more relaxed in its presence. These bonds run deep. For reasons we do not yet fully comprehend, our health and wellness are inextricably linked with our natural surroundings. In the early 2000s, when the emerald ash borer beetle decimated ash trees in the northern United States, there was an accompanying increase in the rates of heart
“
Even brief jaunts in nature can be restorative. Walking in forests or meadows lowers blood pressure and heart rate and may even increase immune resilience.”
16
—Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar
disease in areas where the trees were lost. As years passed, the progressive loss of tree canopy was accompanied by a corresponding increase in the rates of death from heart disease (see chart), clearly showing that in communities where trees die, people die as well. Although we are still trying to uncover the many ways in which health and nature interact, we have learned that even just looking at nature can restore our attention and ease our minds. For instance, after a major surgery, such as a gall bladder operation, people who recuperate in a room with a view of natural greenery heal faster and require less pain medication than those consigned to rooms facing a brick wall. After a stroke, those who live among green spaces recover faster and have a lower risk of death than those who live where signs of nature are less prevalent. A recent study even found that people with cancer who live in areas of high surrounding greenness survive longer than those living with a paucity of green around them. Even brief jaunts in nature can be restorative. Walking in forests or meadows lowers blood pressure and heart rate and may even increase immune resilience. “I took a walk in the woods…” Thoreau once wrote, “… and came out taller than the trees.” Natural spaces and woodlands have a calming effect on the heart, they boost our mood, and nourish our growth. Children who grow up on farms or live around livestock or play in dirt have lower rates of allergies and asthma than those who grow up in sterile towns of chemicallycleansed apartments. Faced with such facts, some scientists have suggested that maybe early exposure to the natural environment is important for educating the immune system of children and preparing them to withstand more virulent pathogens they might face later in life.
Although scientists are only beginning to understand the value of green spaces, their calming and soothing influences have been long valued by poets and artists. As Shakespeare once pointed out, when “exempt from public haunt” we find “tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stone, and good in everything.” As children of nature, we have an innate affinity for life. We cherish and seek large open green spaces, spreading trees, quiet ponds, and babbling brooks. We fill our homes with houseplants and surround our houses with gardens. But many of us live our lives in concrete jungles, marooned in a sea of asphalt, surrounded by snake-like freeways that spew poison in our veins. Small wonder that we feel alienated, anxious, and diseased. What is lost is difficult to recover, but we can start by bringing nature back into our daily lives. We can rebuild our neighborhoods and green our surroundings. We can ensure that even those who live in crowded cities have nature around them, and that parks and open green spaces are available to everyone, not just the wealthy and the affluent. But in doing so, we have to remember that nature has a dark
LOUISVILLE’S GREEN HEART PROJECT By Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar To re-examine our relationship with nature, we in Louisville, Kentucky, are conducting an elaborate and unusual experiment. Our intent is to understand how planting 10,000 mature trees and shrubs would affect the levels of air pollution in the area and how this would impact the risk of heart disease. In collaboration with hundreds of area residents, we are assessing their health risks and gauging their levels of physical activity, anxiety, depression, and social cohesion. We are planting vegetative buffers along the freeway that runs through the neighborhood, and we are going door-to-door asking people whether they would like us to plant trees and shrubs in their yards. We are trying to identify major sources and areas of air pollution in the neighborhood, so that after planting, we can assess to what extent trees and shrubs can decrease the levels of air pollution and improve the health of the community. We call this study the Green Heart Project. We expect that the findings of the project will teach us how and where to plant trees to maximize their ability to decrease air pollution levels, and promote health. Maybe we will even learn how more trees and green spaces in the neighborhood improve mental health and promote physical activity and social interactions. How they reduce stormwater run-off and energy consumption, and enhance biodiversity in urban landscapes. On the basis of the results of the Green Heart Project, we hope to develop a “green print” for creating healthier and greener cities. Importantly, we may find a new way to prevent heart disease and other chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, that continue to limit the health and wellness of so many communities around the world.
“
What is lost is difficult to recover, but we can start by bringing nature back into our daily lives. We can rebuild our neighborhoods and green our surroundings.” —Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar
The Nature Conservancy’s planting partners installed more than 500 trees along a busy highway to serve as biofilters for the Green Heart Louisville study area, protecting neighborhoods from air pollution. Photo by Mike Wilkinson, courtesy of The Nature Conservancy
17
The benefits of urban trees include increasing property values, improved physical and emotional health, cooler city streets, and fewer particulate pollutants. Infograph courtesy of The Nature Conservancy
side. Untended nature, with its possibilities of bugs, pests, parasites, and disease, could be more of a threat than a refuge. Unkempt grassy neighborhoods incite unease and anxiety, and wild, pollen-laden shrubs and grasses trigger allergies and asthma. Therefore, we have to learn to how to live well with nature. We have to understand how trees and shrubs affect our health, how they ameliorate air pollution and noise, and how selective and thoughtful planting could make outdoor spaces more calming and inviting. We have to look thoughtfully and critically at nature and import only its salutary gifts.
18
Widely regarded for spearheading the new field of environmental cardiology, Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar is a professor of medicine at the University of Louisville and has spent more than 25 years studying the impact of toxic substances, tobacco smoke constituents, and environmental pollutants on heart disease. A leader in cardiovascular health, he is also the director of the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute at the University of Louisville, which has united a multidisciplinary team to turn scientific discovery into actionable knowledge that can help us build healthier cities. The Envirome Institute was founded in 2018 by GCA club member Christy Brown of the Glenview Garden Club, who was the 2021 recipient of the Zone VII Civic Improvement Award. Both Christy Brown and Dr. Bhatnagar were guest speakers at the GCA’s 2020 NAL conference. For more information, visit greenheartlouisville.com and enviromeinstitute.com
Mix It Up LEAVING LEAVES Did you grow up with parents who raked up every last leaf every single fall? Mine were obsessed with tidying up our yard, making everything as neat as possible—as if that were the secret to managing the cold weather ahead. These days, however, we know that leaves provide important ecological value to our gardens. We now know that up to 80 percent of the nutrients that trees take up from the soil throughout the season is stored in leaves and that leaf cover provides essential habitat and nutrition for overwintering critters. But as much as we want to live in concert with nature, it’s just not practical for all of us to every leaf where its fallen. Our friend Margaret Roach, who gardens in upstate New York, suggests that we choose to be strategic and thoughtful about our late -season cleanup, especially where leaves are concerned. One of her tips is to plot out which areas you’ll rake and which you’ll keep natural. If you’ve seen signs of disease or pest infestation in a certain section of your garden, make sure to thoroughly remove the debris—as in get it all off your property to minimize its potential to spread. Roach also suggests cleaning out areas where it will be hard for small and delicate bulbs to push up through a dense layer of heavy mulch. Decomposing leaf litter is crazy-nutritious, so when you do rake, why not put those valuable nutrients back to work in the garden by using the raked leaves as mulch? Joe Lamp’l, from the Joe Gardener Show, calls leaves “garden gold.” Instead of relegating them to the landfill, offer them up to your garden instead. A Way to Garden is Margaret Roach’s blog and podcast. Find her at awaytogarden.com The Joe Gardener Show is Joe Lamp’l’s bog and podcast. Find him at joegardener.com
ALISON ROMAN’S WINTER WHITE BEAN STEW Thanks to my stepdaughter, I have a major obsession with just about anything Alison Roman cooks. Alison has a relaxed, NBD (no big deal) vibe in the kitchen, which I immensely appreciate. Her mantra is a resounding everything will be fine. All of her recipes are epic. Seriously, she never goes wrong, and her version of a white bean stew is SUPER. And what says winter more than a big pot of simmering stew? This is a vegetarian version, so feel free to root around in your kitchen and add whatever calls your name—carrots or potatoes maybe. And you’re of course welcome to add your favorite meat for more texture and
flavor (if that’s even possible). Either way, this is a stick-toyour-bones kind of stew—and a flavor party to boot—perfect for the holidays. This batch is enough for four.
1 bunch of kale or spinach (I chop my spinach, but doing so is optional) ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 medium red or yellow onion, sliced Kosher salt and black pepper 2-3 Tbsp. harissa or tomato paste (AR recommends harissa, but if you don’t have it, NBD) Red pepper flakes (optional) 3 (15 oz.) cans large white beans, such as cannellini or great Northern, drained and rinsed 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 preserved lemon, thinly sliced or 1 lemon, halved, for squeezing 2 oz. feta or other salty cheese, such as queso fresco or pecorino, crumbled 1 cup parsley or cilantro leaves, chopped Fried or medium boiled egg (optional) Chop spinach or tear into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add
garlic and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and sizzled at the edges, 5-10 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add harissa (or tomato paste and red pepper flakes), and stir to coat in the oil. Cook so the sugar starts to caramelize and the harissa is the color of red bricks and the oil turns a firey orange—about 2 minutes. Add beans, and season with salt and pepper. Crush a few beans with a wooden spoon to release their creaminess. Add the broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until it reaches your preferred consistency. We’re talking 1520 minutes. Stir in the chopped spinach and preserved lemon or lemon juice so that the greens are incorporated and wilt. Season with salt and pepper and more red pepper flakes. Serve with feta and parsley and top with an egg if you like.
ROSEMARY CRANBERRYORANGE SHRUB
You may be already on the shrub train and know the term doesn’t always refer to bushy green mounds in your front yard. Shrubs in the cocktail world are a sweetened, vinegar-based syrup usually infused with herbs, fruits, or spices. The equivalent would be an infused-version of simple syrup, using a 1:1:1 ratio of fruit, sugar, and vinegar, then spiking with whatever combination of herbs, spices, and fruits that strike your fancy. Once you’ve brewed the shrub part, it’s easy to convert to a shrub cocktail by using a ratio of 2:1:1 of bourbon, shrub, and seltzer. While it may sound daunting, it’s likely you have most of the ingredients already. What you’ll need and a recipe for this simple bourbon shrub cocktail, perfect for the holidays, follow: INGREDIENTS: Cranberries Orange juice or zest Apple cider vinegar Sugar Cinnamon sticks Fresh rosemary Black peppercorns Bourbon (gin or vodka work well too) Seltzer To make the shrub: Combine cranberries, orange juice or zest, sugar, vinegar, rosemary, and black peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then add cinnamon stick. Lower heat, let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Cool and then strain into a glass jar. Adjust taste as needed; you may need to fiddle with the tang factor. To make the shrub cocktail: Using the 2:1:1 ratio, combine the alcohol, shrub, and seltzer. (You can also skip the alcohol to make a mocktail—it’s just as good.) Add ice, then garnish with cranberries, a sprinkle of orange zest, and a sprig of rosemary for a festive touch. Enjoy!
Clockwise from left: Raking leaves should be a thoughtful and strategic fall garden task. Photo by Peggy Choucair from Pixabay Rosemary cranberry-orange shrub, a cocktail or mocktail, can help ring in the season. Photo from Good Life Eats White bean stew makes a hearty winter meal. Photo courtesy of Alison Roman’s A Newsletter
Mix It Up is compiled and edited by Madeline Mayhood, Editor, The Real Dirt, James River Garden Club, Zone VII
19
Sage Advice: Gardening Favorites to Give and Get We polled the always-wise Horticulture Committee for their gardening musthaves. With the holiday season upon us, take a look, especially if you’re in the market for something special to give (or get).
FANCY FOOTWORK Current and past Hort Committee members weighed in on their favorite gardening footwear. Lynn Boyajian (GC of Madison, Zone IV) and Peggy Mayfield (Fox Hill GC, Zone I) both prefer waterproof garden clogs; Caroline Schutts (Glenview GC, Zone VII) likes her Hoka running shoes, Madeline Mayhood (James River GC, Zone VII) is partial to XtraTuf ankle deck boots, which come in leather or rubber. Hunter boots got lots of nods, as did Crocs, old Merrells, and ratty tennis shoes. The pros have their favorites too: Muck boots are favored by Martha Stewart; Margaret Roach likes her short rubber boots by Noble Outfitters.
From top to bottom: Backdoorshoes garden clogs, $41.99 at Amazon Noble Outfitter boots, $69.95 XtraTuf Buoy Ankle Deck boots, $95
20
Joyce Chen scissors are $35 from White Flower Farm
Plant markers are $21.95 for 25 from Gardeners Supply Co.
SMALL AND HANDY The hori hori knife got the most votes for being the Horticulture Committee’s most favorite small/manual garden tool; the stainless-steel version is what is strongly recommended to avoid an eventual rusty mess. Ginny Levy (The West Chester GC, Zone V) likes A.M. Leonard’s pink variety. Joyce Chen’s scissors is one of Susan O’Connor’s (Fort Orange GC, Zone III) favorites. Ruthie Taylor’s (The Little GC of Memphis, Zone IX) recommendation is the ultra-practical Brother P-touch label maker, which she uses on plant markers. The ones she prefers are vertical, rustproof, zinccoated markers from Gardeners Supply Co.
Pink garden knife is $29.39 from A.M. Leonard
POWERFUL HELPERS Using leaf blowers can be a tricky business, gas powered versions in particular. They are significant noise polluters, they are destructive to habitats, and they can unleash more environmental pollutants than a 6,200-pound Ford F-150 SVT pickup truck, according to a study by Edmunds. So that’s the bad news. The good news is that battery operated models are lighter and quieter and, if used responsibly, can make quick work of cleaning garages and patios of unwanted debris. That’s a long-winded segue to the answers to our question, “What’s your favorite large or powered garden tool?” Leaf blowers received the most responses. Deb Deres (Lenox GC, Zone I), Lynn Kunau (Glenview GC, Zone VII), and Kathy Palmer (Green Tree GC, Zone XI) are big fans and use theirs to clean off walkways and porches. Chain saws also got a few nods. Kathleen Jones (Des Moines Founders GC, Zone X) and Jane Booth (Virginia Beach GC, Zone VII) both prefer their battery powered versions, which are ideal for work with small-ish limbs.
Ryobi’s Whisper leaf blower series is lightweight and promises the industry’s quietest blowers. The 410 CFM is $169 and comes with one 18V rechargeable battery.
TOTING TOOLS For the all-important task of toting tools and supplies in the garden, Lydia Wallis (Southampton GC, Zone III) prefers her “very old, small little red wagon.” Buckets were popular with
The Cadillac of little red wagons, at $299, is from L.L. Bean. Radio Flyers are less expensive but have a lower profile so they don’t accommodate as much.
Hort Committee members as well; Madeline Mayhood likes the tool organizer from Huckberry that fits over any five-gallon bucket. It’s wax coated for super durability and has
Huckberry’s tool bucket organizer, $70, is the uberdeluxe version but it’s waxcoated and withstands lots of abuse.
NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED… • Womanswork Arm Saver Gloves got a big nod from Ginny Levy, who also dons sunglasses and a baseball hat when she works in the garden. • Julie Sakellariadis (GC of East Hampton, Zone III) buys super lightweight long pants from Coolibar and sends them to Insect Shield for treating with permethrin, a natural insect repellent. Insect Shield’s permethrintreating program starts at $8.50 per item.
a whopping 58 pockets. Ruthie Taylor recommends Williams Sonoma’s aprons, which have ample pockets for storage and plenty of fabric on which to wipe dirty hands. Kathleen Jones
This cross-back chambray apron from Williams Sonoma is $35 and has lots of pockets.
recommends Tubtrugs for toting all manner of supplies and tools. They come in all sorts of colors and sizes (3.5 gallons and up).
Tubtrugs from Gardener’s Supply Co. start at $12.95 for the 3.5 gallon size.
• Kathy Palmer reminds us that a kneeling cushion can be incredibly helpful. A super-cushy version is available from Kinsman Company, but less expensive varieties can be found on Amazon and at local garden centers. • Hillerich and Bradsby Bionic Gardening Gloves (both regular and rose gardening gloves) are Lynn Kunau’s go-to gardening gloves. The company, in Lynn’s hometown, also manufactures baseball bats and is famous for its Louisville Slugger.
Womanswork Arm Saver Gloves are $35 from Womanswork Kinsman & Company ultraplush kneeling cushion, at $35.95, is easy on the knees.
21
Good Reads Fiction is not a genre we typically review in The Real Dirt, but we’ve made an exception for this late fall issue. Curl up fireside with a cuppa hot cocoa, a big warm blanket, and your favorite furry friend, and get lost in the pages of Damnation Spring. Author Ash Davidson grew up in Arcata, California, just south of the redwood forests she writes about. Damnation Spring, heralded as both an American classic and the next Great American Novel, is thematically an outdoorsy adventure novel and an engrossing work of climate fiction, starring the hard-scrabble logging communities of the Pacific Northwest. In this gripping dose of nature vs. man storytelling, you’ll be sure to be captivated by Damnation Spring’s characters and sad to leave them behind.
Damnation Spring Ash Davidson Scribner, 464 pps.
Good Reads is compiled and written by TRD Assistant Editor Dawn Borgeest, Rochester Garden Club, Zone III
22
Environmental protection. Such a vital, yet esoteric and increasingly politicized concept for many. If you’re yearning to understand the humanity of these issues, you won’t want to miss Ash Davidson’s debut novel Damnation Spring (Scribner, 2021). The book is set in the late 1970s in the Pacific Northwest, just as the environmental movement was gaining momentum. The story is told through the eyes of a multi-generational logger
family, the Gundersons. Rich, a gentle and kind man, works doggedly as a logger to support his wife, Connie, and son, Chub (lovingly called Graham Cracker by his Mom and Dad). Davidson masterfully transports you to the forests and immerses you in the gritty, grueling work of loggers. They live rugged lives. They know and love their work, work that generations of their families have known. It is, for most, the only way of life they have ever known. Yet, they know all too well the danger in bringing the mighty redwoods down. Most have lost loved ones to logging accidents. They tell their stories of loss like badges of honor, sharing their hard-won lessons with young loggers who come to learn the craft. There is an enormous sense of respect and pride in their work. And frustration. It’s a hard life. One that Rich does not want to pass on to yet another generation, least of all to his beloved son Chub.
Colleen Gunderson is a devoted wife and mother who stoically mourns multiple miscarriages that leave Chub an only child. Chub is a darling little boy whose innocence and spirit will charm you. You’ll also meet endearing characters like Lark, Rich’s surrogate father; Enid, Colleen’s rough and tumble younger sister; and, Eugene, Enid’s reckless and roughneck husband. This is a complex and moving story of how this little logging town defends its way of life—the only way of life its ever known— while wrestling with the realities of a vanishing industry that is their livelihood. Could the herbicidal spray that rains down on the loggers (courtesy of the lumber companies) really be harmful? Is the water they tap from tributaries contaminated? Are the birth defects and miscarriages experienced testament to untold environmental damage? The questions raised
through this novel are timely and vital. But equally important, Davidson so evenhandedly shows the multiple dimensions and perspectives of these issues. Logging provides livelihoods for hundreds and quenches consumers’ thirst for lumber-reliant products. Yet the logging practices are damaging the environment and the very families who defend them. Davidson brilliantly, and with great heart, weaves us through the humanity of these haunting questions and deftly raises urgency in what nature is telling us all.
Ash Davidson. Photos courtesy of Scribner
Hort Cuts STILL SPROUTING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS Many a gardener watches and waits for signs that their carefully planted seeds are sprouting. That wait is most likely weeks. But at Michigan State University, a celebration ensued after seeds buried on campus 142 years ago successfully sprouted. William James Beal, a 19th century professor of botany at MSU— then known as Michigan Agricultural College—carefully buried those seeds in 20 bottles back in 1879. His goal was to help farmers by determining just how long the seeds would remain
WINTERLAND WONDERLAND Our gardens are sources of healing and strength. But what’s a gardener who lives in a four-season climate to do
in the winter? “Yes, it is dark out. Yes, it is cold. But winter can be glorious, too. Getting out into—or just admiring— the garden during this long season can enrich our lives and nurture our tenuous connection to nature,” says Cathy Rees, author of Winterland (Princeton Architectural Press, 2021). This beautiful book— loaded with stunning photos by Lisa Looke—is
a wonderful inspiration for those headed into the dark days of winter. Rees, an intrepid gardener in Maine, provides little tips for big impact in your winter landscape. The book features sections on designing, contrasting, embellishing, caring, and sharing. Winterland also offers great inspiration for photographing your garden and natural surroundings.
THE MOTHER OF PEOPLE-FOCUSED LANDSCAPES She was an accomplished landscape designer, yet Marjorie Sewell Cautley (1891–1954) is among a number of pioneering women landscapers whose work is rarely spotlighted. A 1917 Cornell graduate, who also received an M.A. in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania, Cautley focused much of her design work on urban landscapes. She believed fervently in engaging community members in the design and construction of the public spaces in their neighborhoods. Notably, she focused on the needs of women, particularly mothers and children, when designing common spaces and was attuned to how they would actually live in the spaces. Among her most notable landscape designs are Sunnyside Gardens, Phipps Garden Apartments, and Hillside Homes—all in New York City— and Radburn, in New Jersey. She is credited with championing native plants and sustainability, as well as enhancing community through landscape design.
viable, but sadly he didn’t live long enough to find the answer. Last spring, a Michigan State team unearthed one of Beal’s bottles and successfully germinated the seeds he had buried. And the longest plant biology experiment in the world continues. “Seeds don’t live and die like other organisms,” said Marjorie Weber, MSU assistant professor of plant biology. “They are more like zombies that can hang out in the soil for incredibly long periods of time, seemingly dead and then
suddenly germinate. We’re trying to understand why and for how long this phenomenon happens.” Weber, the first woman to be part of the team, is an expert in ecology and evolution. There are still four bottles buried by Beal yet to be exhumed from a secret location on campus. One bottle will be dug up every 20 years, and the experiment will be complete in 2100. The MSU team is already planning an encore to continue the work beyond 2100.
WALK IN THE PARK One of Frederick Law Olmsted’s design treasures is Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York. Prospect Park: Olmsted and Vaux’s Brooklyn Masterpiece (Princeton Architectural Press), by David P. Colley and Elizabeth Keegin Colley, offers some fascinating trivia about the park, which opened in 1867: • An old Native American trail became East Drive. • The park cost $9,919,370 to build (equivalent to $183,352,181.95 today). • Before the park was built, farmers let their animals roam on the land. Even once the park opened, animals roamed freely. In 1872, 44 pigs, 35 goats, 18 cows, and 23 horses were impounded. • Park construction workers were paid $1.70 per day. • Archery was a popular activity in the park in the late 1800s. • You couldn’t picnic in Central Park, but you could in Prospect Park. • Before the likes of central air conditioning, people slept in the park on hot summer nights.
MEET AUDREY III Clockwise from top: Professor
William James Beal. Courtesy of Michigan State University It’s not quite the Little Shop of Horrors, but it is an amazing discovery made by researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Wisconsin. A twelfth carnivorous plant lineage has been discovered— Triantha occidentalis, aka western false asphodel. The research article announcing the discovery of this new lineage was featured in an August 2021 issue of the PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). T. occidentalis is unique in that it sets its sticky traps next to its insect-pollinated flowers— sweet little white globed shaped-blooms. Because T. occidentalis has been found close to West Coast urban centers, researchers feel there may be more carnivore species to be discovered.
Triantha occidentalis, western false asphodel. Photo by Ben Legler Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Photo from Pixabay Marjorie Sewell Cautley. Photo courtesy of Cornell Archives Photo by Lisa Looke, courtesy of Princeton Architectural Press
Hort Cuts is compiled and written by TRD Assistant Editor Dawn Borgeest, Rochester Garden Club, Zone III
23
Garden Gallery GCA club members share their garden shots GCA photograhers are a talented lot. Their fallto-winter shots deftly capture the changing seasons. Clockwise, from top: Leslie Purple, Wissahickon Garden Club, Zone V Mary Pietan, Late Bloomers Garden Club, Zone VIII Elena Sisti, Garden Club of Englewood, Zone IV Lynn Shiverick, The Garden Club of Cleveland, Zone X Clare Stewart, Green Spring Valley Garden Club, Zone VI
24
