Washington Gardener Magazine June 2022

JUNE 2022 VOL. 17 NO. 4

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

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gardener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Discovering Native Tassel-Rue

Growing Peanuts in Containers Solar Power Recharges the Smithsonian Gardens Ornamental Grasses in Pots

Tomato Foliage Woes A Visit to Carroll Creek Linear Gardens Meet an Urban Food Garden Coordinator How to Water Your Lawn Properly in Summer

All About Astilbe

A Care-free, Shade-loving Perennial

RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PLANTS FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GARDENER AND COLLECTOR Barry Glick Sunshine Farm and Gardens 696 Glicks Road Renick, WV 24966, USA Email: barry@sunfarm.com

www.sunfarm.com

Green Spring Gardens

www.greenspring.org

A “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round goldmine of information and inspiration for the home gardener. It’s an outdoor classroom for children and their families to learn about plants and wildlife. It’s also a museum, a national historic site that offers glimpses into a long, rich history with colonial origins.

Located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, VA. Information: 703-642-5173.

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RESOURCESsourc

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the DC region and ONLINE! Call 240.603.1461 or email KathyJentz@gmail.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

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Growing peanuts in a pot is very similar to the process of growing potatoes in containers. It is easy to do and harvesting is simple by dumping out the whole pot and shaking off the soil. We recommend doing so over a wheelbarrow or tarp.

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Got a Garden Question?

Got a gardening question you need answered?

Send your questions to KathyJentz@gmail.com and use the subject line “Q&A.” Then look for your answered questions in upcoming issues.

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Flowing through the heart of downtown Frederick, MD, Carroll Creek Linear Park offers a beautiful view, along with specialty shops, outdoor dining, breweries, a distillery, and many other businesses adjacent to the park.

The design of the Smithsonian’s charging stations is inspired by biomimicry: echoing the shapes and functions of plant leaves. “Just as plants use the sun’s energy to create food, the solar panels transform the same renewable resource into the uniquely modern need of clean energy,” said Joy Columbus, director of Smithsonian Gardens. “We’re incredibly excited to offer our visitors this glimpse of a functional clean energy future in such a fascinating and engaging way.”

ASKtheexpert 12 Brown Spots on Leaves, Cicada Damage, Tomato Foliage BOOKreviews 18-20 Houseplant Warrior, Garden Refresh, Therapist’s Garden, Lilacs, View from Federal Twist EDIBLEharvest 14-15 Peanuts in Containers DAYtrip 16-17 Carroll Creek Linear Park GOINGnative 22 Tassel-Rue GREENliving 8-9 Smithsonian Adds Solar Panel Stations NEIGHBORnetwork 6-7 Debbie Boger, Urban Food Garden Coordinator NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Salvia ‘Dark Matter’ PLANTprofile 21 Astilbe TIPStricks 10 How to Water Your Lawn Properly in Summer; Grasses in Containers

DEPARTMENTS

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENDCpodcasts LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue READERreactions RESOURCESsources

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ON THE COVER

Astilbe ‘Little Vision in Purple’ at a garden in Harford County, MD.

In our July issue: Tool-Sharpening Services Rooting DC Local Garden Tours and much more . . .

Be sure you are subscribed!

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EDITORletter

Credits Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301-588-6894 kathyjentz@gmail.com www.washingtongardener.com Ruth E. Thaler-Carter Proofreader Jamie Oberg Victoria Vandergriff Interns Subscription: $20.00

Busy as a Bee

Spring is always a crazy-busy time for local gardeners and this one was no exception! My garden is feeling very neglected, though, as I mostly spent my spring inside at my computer. Between this monthly magazine and the weekly GardenDC podcast, I squeezed in some time for promoting my new book, The Urban Garden, co-written with Teri Speight, that came out in late April. I am also the editor of a few other plant society journals and manage projects for a few garden organizations for which I serve on the boards. On top of those things and many other projects, I kept one activity secret because my publisher asked me to keep it under wraps until the final text was submitted. Now I can finally reveal that I have completed another new book that will debut early next spring. The title is Groundcover Revolution and it is all about great groundcovers as substitutes for traditional turfgrass lawns.

In writing that upcoming book, I had to carve time away from some other things and that meant no group bus trip up to the Philadelphia Flower Show this year. I was saddened not to be able to go, but I made it up to the show for a half-day by train. I’m pictured above at one of the bookseller booths. As you can also see by the fan in my hand, it was a hot day and the outdoor show, while gorgeous, was a bit rough weather-wise for many attendees. Plans are for the show to be back indoors next March and I look forward to taking another group then. Look for more details about that this winter.

Sincerely,

Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener, KathyJentz@gmail.com 4

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• Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Archives: http://issuu.com/washingtongardener • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: https://groups.google.com/g/ washingtongardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Instagram: www.instagram.com/wdcgardener • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine/ • Washington Gardener YouTube: www.youtube.com/ washingtongardenermagazine • Washington Gardener Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/wdcgardener • Washington Gardener BookShop: bookshop.org/shop/WDCgardener • Washington Gardener Podcast: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/ • Washington Gardener is a woman-owned business. We are proud to be members of: · GardenComm (GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators) · Green America Business Network · National Garden Bureau · One Montgomery Green · Ladies in the Landscape · Perennial Plant Association

Volume 17, Number 4 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2022 Washington Gardener All rights reserved. Published monthly.

No material may be reproduced without prior written permission. This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that the information presented is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to legality, completeness, or technical accuracy.

All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

READERcontt

Reader Contest

For our June 2022 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away three tree watering rings (one each to three different winners). The prize value is $20.

Avoid overwatering or underwatering trees and shrubs with IKE’S TREE WATERING RING, designed for deep root saturation with little runoff. Constructed from a heavy-duty PVC, UV-treated material to withstand the elements, it provides continuous and even water distribution and saturation, giving parched trees exactly what they need—and nothing more—while giving yourself more time to tackle other tasks. IKE’s offers professional-grade products that deliver exactly what you need at a cost that doesn’t break the bank.

Created right here in the United States, IKE’s lawn and garden chemicals, fabrics, watering solutions, pond care, and ice melt products give you the freedom to grow your self-driven ambition into something greater. For more information, visit www. ikesproducts.com.

To enter to win one of the three tree watering rings, send an email by 5:00pm on June 30 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Tree Ring” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on/about July 1. o

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/MidAtlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out in the middle of every month. Contact KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates (starting from $200). The ad deadline is the 5th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

READERreactions

May 2022 Feedback My favorite article in the May 2022 issue is about Malabar spinach. I am trying it for the first time this year and was happy to learn more about it. I am growing it in a pot with a tee-pee over it so it could climb. Thank you. The whole magazine is very informative. ~ Joanna Protz, Lynch Station, VA My favorite article in the May 2022 issue was the one about the Mormon Temple, because I went a few weeks ago and noticed the grounds. As I walked around, I was thinking that they did a good job of taking care of their trees and shrubs, so it was nice to see a mention of the landscaping in your article. ~ Wendy Bell, Takoma Park, MD A great issue [May 2022]! Loved the two complementary articles about the greening of UDC and the contest and collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands concerning the Urban Gardening Challenge.

I knew nothing about either topic, but I always despaired when visiting UDC law school over the years [about] the brutalist architecture and lack of integration with the surrounding residential area and Rock Creek Park. And the Netherlands Embassy is the perfect partner for anything to do with integrating plants, nature, and sustainability into urban life. Flowers and plants are celebrated there, are wonderfully inexpensive; and literally on every table everywhere throughout the year. ~ Nina Bang-Jensen, Chevy Chase, MD My favorite article in the May 2022 issue was “Early-Flowering Bulbs for Bees.” I am trying to attract more bees and butterflies to my yard and this told me how to get the bees into my yard early in the growing season. ~ Carol Yemola, Drums, PA

Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) is an easy program to participate in and really does not take any extra resources than what you may have in your garden. In normal times, about 35 million people wonder where their next meal will come from.

Most of these are children. That’s where PAR steps in.

PAR is such a simple program: It urges gardeners to Plant A Row (or a container) dedicated to feeding the hungry, and then take the harvest to someplace or someone that needs it. Once you have donated, send an email to KathyJentz@gmail.com with the total (in pounds and ounces) of what you gave.

That is all there is to it. Easy. Effective. Adaptable and Helpful.

My favorite article in the May 2022 issue was the interview with Peter Van Zalk. It is fun to read the varied paths that can lead people to and from distant places. And his smile indicates he has enjoyed the journey. ~ John Rebstock, Cheverly, MD My favorite article in the May 2022 issue is “The Song Sparrow,” because I enjoy the smaller birds, especially those who sing. ~ Phyllis Downey, Pasadena, MD o JUNE 2022

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NEIGHBORnwork for them, but I still wanted to work on environmental issues. How better to do this than to teach young people about nature? With a group of parents at my kids’ school, I began a project to transform a large, unused courtyard into a vibrant outdoor classroom, and I’ve been leading a committee for the last 11 years to maintain and grow this outdoor classroom and its programs.

Students there grow their own food and eat what they grow, among many other outdoor education lessons.

Debbie Boger

Urban Food Garden Coordinator

By Jamie Oberg

Debbie Boger is the very first Urban Food Garden Coordinator at Shepherd’s Table, a group dedicated to helping those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in Montgomery County. Boger received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Pomona College and her master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University. Before Shepherd’s Table, Boger worked with the Audubon Naturalist Society to teach students about growing food and a U.S. Climate Policy program to direct a think tank. Boger brings a passion for teaching, gardening, and the Earth to her work.

Shepherd’s Table originated in 1983 as 15 religious groups volunteering to help the homeless through a small soup kitchen in Silver Spring, MD. In the years since, their services grew to meet the needs of the community.

Today, they offer case management, an eye clinic, mental health and substance abuse services, free clothing 6

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distribution, laundry and shower facilities, and more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization launched a second meal program to distribute food in response to new data showing food insecurity in Montgomery County.

In its 38 years of existence, Shepherd’s Table hasn’t missed a single meal service.

What is your background and are you native to this area?

I grew up in Southern California, and after graduating from college, I moved to Washington, DC, to work in the environmental policy field. After getting a graduate degree in public policy, I spent about 15 years doing environmental advocacy, legislative, and policy work in DC, including helping former Vice President Al Gore start his climate non-profit, and directing a U.S. Climate Policy program at a think tank.

When our two sons were young, I left my career to stay home and care

How did you become involved in Shepherd’s Table?

When our children were young, I began taking them to Shepherd’s Table (ST), so they could bring the money they had saved to give to those in need. Over a few years, we got to know the amazing, welcoming staff at ST and I started volunteering for meal services on occasion. About four years ago, I joined the ST Board of Directors. While serving in this role, I found that I loved the mission of the organization so much that in January 2022, I resigned my position on the Board and applied for the new Urban Food Garden Coordinator position.

What is a typical day at Shepherd’s Table like for you?

Part of what I love about this work is that no two days are the same. Usually, I stop by the desk in the bustling chef’s office to finish garden designs, coordinate garden volunteers, assist with funding opportunities, or chat with the chefs about what we could grow for them to use in their dishes. I spend the rest of my time [in] the garden, where for the last few weeks, we’ve been constructing, installing, and planting raised garden beds. Sometimes I work alone and sometimes I have volunteer help.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?

The most fulfilling part of my job has been seeing our small triangle of land, situated between our building, a parking lot, and the train tracks, begin to transform into a beautiful, healthy, and productive space. I am lucky to work with an expanding group of volunteers and meal guests to rehabilitate this area into what will be a lush garden

NEIGHBORnwork and I love to learn about and plant all types of natives— trees, shrubs, perennials, and vines. I pot up dozens of “volunteers” from my garden every spring to give to friends and neighbors so we can increase the native habitat that supports wildlife.

that produces healthy food for people who don’t always know where their next meal is coming from. I’m already starting to see indicators that the habitat is improving—from more pollinators in the area to a starling’s nest in the rafters!

Can you tell us about the urban garden at Shepherd’s Table? How did it start and what is planted there now?

When I arrived on the ST Board, one of the chefs, Christina Moore (now the Director of Meal Services), was already growing some herbs and plants behind our building.

Christina and I began to work together, with an advisory group of master gardeners and others, to design an expanded garden, and we held a volunteer work day in March 2020 to begin the work.

The garden has continued to expand.

We currently have six very large raised garden beds (with a few more to install), in addition to a number of garden tables and lots of random containers. We are growing many varieties of hot peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, leeks, potatoes, and lots of both perennial and annual herbs.

In addition, we installed a 10' x 15' greenhouse in 2021 with the help of a county grant. We look forward to installing heat and light in the greenhouse when funding allows, and we hope that it will be fully operational soon so we can continue to use our garden throughout the colder months.

Where do you see Shepherd’s Table, and its urban garden, going in the next few years?

Our goals with the garden are twofold.

First, we aim to grow as much food as possible, to supplement the fresh produce we serve to our meal guests, and also to expand the variety of cuisine we are able to serve, to better represent the ethnic diversity of meal guests who eat with us.

Second, we plan to work with meal guests and others to teach low-cost gardening techniques. Gardening skills can be helpful in pursuing employment,

and for those guests who are housed, these skills can be useful in supplementing [their] supply of fresh produce.

ST’s Director of Social Services, Jerome Chambers, has been working with meal guests to help in the garden, and it has been inspiring to work alongside our guests to develop this space. We plan to deepen relationships with our fantastic local farming and gardening mentors and colleagues in the food insecurity community. Gardens are great for creating community, and we are going to continue to expand ours.

What makes gardening important?

I think gardening is one very important way to connect with our natural environment. By nurturing a patch of land, or even one plant in one pot, we are able to improve the health of our environment and our own awareness of what the Earth can provide if we care for it. We also know that there are significant positive links between gardening and physical and mental health. Beyond that, of course, if one is lucky enough to be able to plant food in one’s garden, the results are delicious!

Do you personally garden at all? If so, what are your favorite plants to grow?

I love to garden at my own home, at the school’s Outdoor Classroom, and in other areas (a neighbor’s overgrown right-of-way, for example). I grow as much food as I can manage, but my real passion is for native plants. I encourage local gardeners to grow plants native to the Chesapeake Bay to improve the health of our ecosystem,

What or who would you say is the biggest inspiration in your life?

I draw inspiration from all parts of my community—friends, neighbors, colleagues, fellow gardeners, my church, organizations we support and participate in, sports teams, and most especially my family. Particularly since I stepped away from my environmental advocacy career in DC, I have come to appreciate how important it is to have a community, and for me to feel connected to people and institutions I care about.

Feeling like an important part of my community inspires me to continue to reach out and do all the good that I can for all the parts of my community that I can.

What do you do in your off time?

Together with my husband, parenting two teenage sons takes up a lot of time. My family loves to hike and vacation in national and state parks whenever we can. I play a fair amount of tennis, competing on various teams and occasionally traveling for regional or national tournaments.

Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know? How should they contact you?

Please reach out to me at dboger@shepherdstable.org; I would love to hear from you! o Jamie Amadea Oberg is a rising senior at the University of Maryland (UMD). They are double majoring in journalism and cinema and media studies. Jamie has also completed both the Scholars Arts and JiménezPorter Writers’ House programs at UMD. On campus, they are the general assignment editor for The Diamondback. Jamie is an intern this summer session with Washington Gardener.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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GREENliving

Smithsonian Solar-Powered Recharge Stations in the Enid A. Haupt Garden. Photo by James Gagliardi, Smithsonian Gardens.

Solar Power Recharges the Smithsonian Gardens

By Tori Vandergriff

The Smithsonian has launched its firstever major installation bringing interactive solar power to the public. The solar “Recharge Stations” are in the Enid A. Haupt Garden, between the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building (AIB) and the Smithsonian Institution Building, widely known as “The Castle.”

Here, visitors can take a load off at the stations while sitting on the built-in benches, recharge their devices, and even enjoy a cooling breeze brought to them by a large overhead fan entirely powered by solar energy.

The Recharge Stations also power a 8

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garden shed that houses an electric vehicle used for transportation around the gardens, as well as equipment used by the Gardens staff to maintain the various gardens around the Smithsonian campus, according to Lauren Brandes, a landscape architect for the Smithsonian Gardens Division. The six solar panels charging the shed store power in four batteries where it then gets converted into electrical power so all of the tools/vehicles can be plugged in the same as if you were plugging into an outlet at home, according to James Gagliardi, a supervisory horticulturist for

the Smithsonian Gardens.

The solar panels themselves have been designed to look like giant leaves, which, at first glance, simply makes them appear as giant shade covers. But there’s rhyme and reason behind this design.

“The idea of solar panels is very conceptually the same as what photosynthesis does—trapping light and [moving] it into energy,” said Gagliardi. “What we’re talking about is how technology through biomimicry is mimicking what we see in real life.”

The installation is part of a larger

GREENliving exhibit by the Arts and Industries Building (AIB) called “FUTURES.” Gagliardi described the exhibit as being a look into the future and past of technology, art, and design. The exhibit celebrates the Smithsonian’s 175th anniversary and will be open through July 6 for visitors to explore the more than 150 objects, ideas, and prototypes on display, said the Smithsonian’s press release for the Recharge Stations. The project is focused on the optimism and excitement about what solar energy could look like in the future, according to Brandes.

The planning process for the installation began in the fall of 2021, said Brandes, with collaboration between AIB and the Gardens Division. The donor for this project was the solar power company First Solar, which manufactures solar panels on a large scale, according to Brandes. An exhibit fabricator at the Smithsonian then began brainstorming with First Solar to create the design of the stations. Production for the stations began at the end of February in hopes of completing the installation in time for “Earth Days @ FUTURES: A Sustainable Celebration.”

Brandes described the process as “not typical” for the Smithsonian because it came to completion so quickly.

Gagliardi said it’s unclear whether more stations will be created for other gardens at various Smithsonian buildings, but one thing is for sure: The ball

has started rolling for the future of solar on the National Mall.

“We’ve already had other organizations within the Smithsonian contact us to say ‘We’ve been trying to do solar’ and they want us to come over and visit,” said Gagliardi. “It’s a great example. It’s a great start.”

The stations will remain in the garden for at least a year and it’s possible that they will move to a different location within the Smithsonian gardens after that, according to Gagliardi.

At the end of their 30-year-long useful life, the panels can be recycled with a 90% recovery rate. The semiconductor material can be recycled into new modules, their glass can be recycled into glass containers, and the laminate can be converted into latex for use in bicycle handles and shoe soles.

The Recharge Stations are truly a beautiful sight to be seen by visitors and anyone who is curious about the sustainability of solar power. The stations are in the garden now for everyone to see, so stop by and recharge next time you’re at the National Mall! o

The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City IS OUT NOW!

By Kathy Jentz and Teresa Speight Published by Cool Springs Press/Quarto Homes Order it today at: https://amzn.to/3yiLPKU

Victoria Vandergriff is originally from Baltimore, MD, and is finishing up her senior year at the University of Maryland as a journalism major with a history minor.

She currently work as a barista at Zeke’s Coffee of DC at several farmers markets across the DMV. Tori is an intern this summer session with Washington Gardener.

GardenDC Podcast

Batteries powering the garden shed. Photo by Tori Vandergriff.

The GardenDC podcast is all about gardening in the greater Washington, DC, and Mid-Atlantic area. The program is hosted by Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener Magazine, and features guest experts in local and national horticulture. The latest episodes include interviews with experts on lavender, mulching, and frugal gardening.

You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc. o JUNE 2022

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TIPStricks

How to Water Your Lawn Properly in Summer

Photo courtesy of iVerde ‘Perennial Power’.

Ornamental Grasses in Pots Lend a Lively Look Ornamental grasses in pots can bring any outdoor space to life. Even the slightest breath of wind is enough to get them swaying. Let ornamental grasses shine on your balcony, terrace, or roof garden, and enjoy their appearance as it changes throughout the seasons.

Ornamental grasses look attractive in all seasons, from the first fresh green blades in spring and beautiful plumes in (late) summer to the intense leaf colors in fall. Even in winter, ornamental grasses create a fairytale winter silhouette, often enhanced by a layer of frost after a cold winter night. Evergreen ornamental grasses that retain their color, such as blue fescue and sedge (Carex spp.), are also an option.

If you like the power of simplicity, why not try filling containers with a single type of ornamental grass? If you would rather go for variety, you can go wild with ornamental grasses combined with flowering perennials. For a botanical look, you could combine them with foliage plants, such as coral bells (Heuchera spp.).

Use frost-resistant pots and containers to plant ornamental grasses. Make sure there are holes in the bottom of the pot to allow excess water to drain away. Water the grasses regularly to prevent them from drying out. Cut them back in early spring to make room for the first fresh greenery of spring.

Evergreen grasses don’t need cutting back; you can just pick out any withered blades of grass.

Visit www.perennialpower.eu for more information about perennials. o 10

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Summer watering requirements for most warm- and cool-season grasses—zoysia, St. Augustine, bermuda grass, centipede grass, bluegrass, and fescue—require about 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall. You may be asking, “How do I measure 1 inch of water from my irrigation system or sprinkler?” A simple irrigation audit can help with a lot of this confusion.

An irrigation audit consists of setting a few inexpensive cups in different zones in your lawn. These can vary from empty tuna cans to sprinkler gauges.

Run your irrigation system or sprinkler until the cups hold about an inch of water. Different cups may have varying amounts of water, so it’s important to make adjustments for your lawn to receive a consistent amount of water throughout.

During the summer, temperatures rise, and soil conditions change. The best time to water your lawn in the summer is in the early mornings for longer periods of time and less frequently. This will decrease the dew period where a thin layer of dew sits on grass blades.

Despite the warmer temperatures, it’s also important to decrease this period because it reduces the amount of time for water to sit on the grass blades—a useful disease management practice.

Watering in the early mornings provides your lawn with water before conditions get hot during the daytime.

For most warm- and cool-season grasses, one or two waterings per week should meet the weekly 1 inch of water requirement. The amount of water each irrigation system or sprinkler delivers can play a huge factor in how often you should water the lawn.

Therefore, it’s important to set up an irrigation audit. This will inform you about how much water your lawn is receiving in a single watering. Make adjustments to the frequency of each irrigation period as needed.

Typically, most lawn irrigation periods during the summer should last between 25–30 minutes each. This amount of time depends on a lot of different factors, though. As previously stated, each irrigation system or sprinkler can deliver

different amounts of water and it’s important to hit that 1 inch per week requirement.

This can also depend on where the irrigation system is delivering the most amount of water and your lawn’s waterholding capacity. For example, if you have sandy soils, the water-holding capacity of your lawn is probably pretty low because sand is very granular and it’s easy for water to pass right through it. In this case, you may need to water your lawn for longer periods or add more organic matter. If you have clay or loamy soils, on the other hand, the water-holding capacity is a little bit higher, so you should water your lawn in shorter periods to prevent waterlogged soils.

If your lawn is receiving too little water, you may start to see signs of drought, which includes the thinning of grass blades that start to turn yellow or brown in color, and might grow slower.

It’s important to keep an eye out for this because it is the step right before the grass starts to die. Some lawns, like EMPIRE® Zoysia, may go into dormancy to preserve themselves before dying, but others may just die and can’t be revived.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between disease or drought because both include a yellowbrown discoloration of grass blades.

If your lawn is being overwatered, the heat and over-saturation create optimal environments for disease outbreaks.

Depending on the type of disease, the key to distinguishing drought from disease outbreak is often looking toward the edges of the discolored spots.

Typical signs of disease vary depending on the type of fungus, but most include an interior clear dead zone where the fungus has killed the grass and a lighter yellow or brown ring around the outskirts where the fungus is spreading.

Disease also usually appears in irregular, circle-shaped spots of varying size.

This is a big indicator of disease damage. Finally, check your soil. If the soil is damp, you’re probably overwatering the lawn. If it’s dry, damage is likely due to drought stress.

To learn more about lawn care and watering tips, go to www.sodsolutions. com. o

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Blackberry Abundance • Chamomile Plant Profile • Meet the New Interns • Olmsted Lives • Crinum Lilies See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

June–July Garden To-Do List

Dark Matter™ Meadow Sage. Photo by Brandon Friend-Solis courtesy of Monravia.

New Plant Spotlight A new salvia with summer-long color from Monrovia.

Dark Matter™ Meadow Sage

Dark Matter™ Salvia (Salvia nemorosa) features beautiful, deep-blue flower spikes that pollinators and gardeners both love. This easy-togrow, re-blooming variety keeps producing blossoms throughout the summer season, making it a colorful addition to borders and containers.

Plant it in full sun and well-draining soils. It is hardy to USDA Zones 4–9.

It looks especially effective in mass plantings, but is also nice for mixed borders and containers.

It looks great planted alongside Black-eyed Susan, Blanketflower, Tall Sedums, Blue Fescue, and Coneflowers.

Salvia is generally pest-free and is deer- and rabbit-resistant.

See more growing details at www. monrovia.com/dark-matter-meadowsage.html. o

• Direct-sow annual flower and vegetable seeds.

• Water newly planted trees and shrubs weekly or as needed.

• Contact a Certified Arborist to have your trees’ health inspected.

• Check on your container plants daily and keep them well-watered.

• Watch for insect and disease problems throughout your garden.

• Mow in the early evening and cut off no more than one-third of the grass height at one time. Leave clippings on the ground to provide nutrients.

• Add barley straw (in a bale or ball) to your pond to improve water clarity.

• Take cuttings from azaleas and roses to start new plants.

• Harvest herbs to use in salads and summer dishes.

• Try a few new tropical plants on your patio.

• Shape your evergreens and hedges. Prune boxwoods.

• Look for slug trails in the early morning and put out slug bait as needed.

• Tie up climbing roses and other wandering vines.

• Fill in bare spots in the garden with annuals.

• Deadhead spent flowers to encourage reblooming.

• Prune flowering shrubs as their flowers fade—last chance to do so for fallblooming camellias.

• Spray roses with Neem oil every two weeks.

• Start a sunflower patch with help from a few kids.

• Harvest strawberry beds daily.

• Cut a few flowers to enjoy at your workplace.

• This is the perfect time to apply grub control.

• Change the water in your birdbath daily and throw a Mosquito Dunk (or Mosquito Bits) into any standing water.

• Put in supports for tomatoes and tall-blooming plants such as dahlias.

• Order spring-flowering bulbs to arrive for planting this fall.

• Take photos and update your garden journal.

• Inspect your garden hose for leaks and tighten all connections.

• Weed.

• Sow beets, beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash for fall harvesting.

• Sharpen your lawnmower blade.

• Avoid using pesticides or any chemicals near your water garden.

• Make hummingbird food by boiling 2 cups sugar in 4 cups of water.

• Turn your compost pile.

• Clean up fallen fruit and berries.

• Cover berry bushes and fruit trees with bird netting.

• Dig up garlic when the tops turn brown. Place in a well-ventilated room or a dry, shady spot to cure for three weeks, then store.

• Fertilize your azaleas and rhododendrons, and monitor them closely for any lacebug damage.

• Sow heat-tolerant greens like Swiss Chard and mustard greens in part-shade.

• As the heat and humidity move in, take it easy by working in the morning or early evening to avoid intense sun. Leave the big projects for this fall.

For now, concentrate on maintaining the beds you’ve already established and nurturing your new plantings. o JUNE 2022

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KNOWitall

Ask the Expert

By Debra Ricigliano

Brown Spots on Leaves

Q: I am seeing damaged leaves on some of the plants in my flower and herb gardens. The leaves have round, brown-to-black indented spots about 1/16th of an inch in diameter on them.

I have checked the plants over carefully, but don’t see anything there.

A: This sounds like the four-lined plant bug, a short-lived early-summer insect.

By the end of June, they have already come and gone. This plant bug has a large range of host plants. The damage can look very dramatic, but it is cosmetic. Their sucking mouthpart is inserted into a leaf like a straw, fluid is removed, and then the process is repeated multiple times on the same leaf. This results in clusters of spots (known as stipples) and eventually holes as the damaged tissue drops out. No treatment is necessary. Simply remove the damaged leaves or wait for new growth to mask the damage.

Tomato Foliage Woes

Q: Every year, our tomatoes get spotty leaves. The problem seems to start at the bottom. Then the leaves turn yellow and die. It progresses and works its way to the top of the plant. Help! This is very frustrating. Is there anything I can do?

A: This sounds like the work of one or both of the very common fungal leaf spot diseases of tomato: early blight (Alternaria linariae) and Septoria leaf spot (Septoria lycopersici). Infections can result in defoliation and reduced yields. If there is room in your garden, plant them in an area where you have not grown tomatoes for at least two years. The fungal spores overwinter in the soil and on any partially decomposed plants not removed from the garden in the fall. The following strategies can also help.

Space plants farther apart to improve air circulation. After planting, cover the soil around the plants with three to four layers of newspaper or heavy-weight brown paper covered with an organic mulch. The idea is to reduce spores from the soil splashing onto leaves.

Support tomatoes off the ground using 12

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Four-lined plant bug damage and nymph.

Photo by Matthew Borden, Bartlett Tree Experts, Bugwood.org.

stakes or cages. Remove the lowest three to five side branches back to the stem as soon as the plant is large enough to sustain the loss of leaves.

Avoid overhead watering and monitor your tomatoes frequently. Remove badly infected lower leaves. If necessary, start to spray with an organic fungicide (fixed copper) according to label directions as soon as symptoms appear early in the season to slow down the disease progression.

Is Damage to Trees and Shrubs from Cicadas?

Q: Is it possible that some of my trees and shrubs are still suffering damage from last year’s cicada invasion? My oak tree has branches ranging from 6 inches to about a foot that are drooping now that they have new leaves. I have some inkberry shrubs (Ilex glabra) that have some dead branches and when I examine them, I see slits in the bark. What can this be?

A: Yes, It certainly sounds like the aftereffects of the 17-year cicada female egg-laying process, as you suggested.

What you are seeing now should be the end of the damage. The good news is that this will not severely damage your plants. Consider tip pruning on your oak and some thinning of your inkber-

ries. The new growth will continue to mask the damage. Native plants like your oak and inkberries support our native insects like the 17-cicada and a multitude of others. This is just one positive reason of the many to add native plants to your landscape.

A Note to Readers

The time has come to pass the honor of writing the “Ask the Expert” column to my co-worker, Miri Talabac. Her name is most likely already familiar to many plant-loving readers who may know her from her many years at Behnke Nurseries. It has been my pleasure to write the column for the Washington Gardener Magazine over many years, but I am ready to be off for some new gardening adventures.

Happy gardening! o Debra Ricigliano is a Certified Professional Horticulturist who has worked as a horticulture consultant for the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center since 1997. She is a graduate of the Institute of Applied Agriculture at UMCP. To ask a gardening question, go to http://extension. umd.edu/hgic.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales • Thursdays, June 17, July 15, and August 19, 10am–3pm Summer Garden Tour and Tea to Go Tour the vibrant demonstration gardens with a master gardener docent who will inspire you with dazzling plant combinations and tales of Green Spring Gardens’ past and present. Tour only: $12/ Optional tea box: $24. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes with program code (code 03T. ZHDG for 6/17; code 03T.PYUI for 7/15; code 03T.8AQS for 8/19) or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

• June 20–26 Pollinator Week Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. See more at https://pollinator.org.

• Wednesday, June 22, 7–8pm Good Bugs! Bad Bugs!

Learn to recognize insects and encourage beneficials while combating the bad guys. This program is part of the Garden Talks series, sponsored by Arlington Friends of Urban Agriculture (FOUA) and Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Held at patio next to the FOUA demonstration garden, Arlington Central Library. Free, registration not required. See https://arlingtonva.libcal. com/event/9117023.

• Saturday, June 25, 10am–3pm The Country Gardens Tour Hosted by the Mountain Laurel Garden Club. The tour includes four residential gardens in southern Garrett County, MD, three of which are in the Deep Creek Lake area. Visitors will see many native plants, a display by the Garrett County Master Gardeners, a fishpond, several memory gardens, and a variety of flowers for sun and shade that thrive in the area. Free to attend. Held rain or shine (no pets). Tickets for the tour are $10. For more information, visit www.

MountainLaurelGardenClub.com.

• Wednesday, June 29, 10am–12n Forest Bathing Join our nature and forest therapy guide in this two-hour program that encourages you to slow down and take in the National Arboretum through all your senses. Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, is the simple practice of taking in the woods through the senses for health benefits. Sponsored by the Friends of the National Arboretum. This program is pay what you can. See https://www. fona.org/events_programs/.

• July 9 through July 31 2022 Kenilworth Annual Lotus & Water Lily Festival Enjoy Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington, DC, with daily ranger-led talks, viewing of the lotus and waterlily blooms, crafting, and scavenger hunts.

See more at https://kenaqgardens. org/.

• Thursday, July 14, 10:30–11:30am Intro to Air Layering Propagation (Online Demo) One plant, two plant, three plant, four!

Air layering is an easy way to propagate

Visit DCGardens.com for Photos of the 16 Major Local Public Gardens in the Washington, DC Region shown in each month of the year.

And local resources like...

some of your favorite flora. Join Carl Johnson, U.S. Botanic Garden staff gardener, to learn how to propagate both indoor and outdoor plants with this simple technique. What will you do with all of your new plants? Free: preregistration required. See https://usbg. doubleknot.com/event/2915863.

Looking Ahead • Sunday, September 4, 12:30– 1:30pm Garden Photo Show Opening Washington Gardener invites you to the opening reception of our garden photo show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA.

Event Listing Updates See updated event listings on the Washington Gardener discussion list.

Join by emailing WashingtonGardenersubscribe@googlegroups.com.

How to Submit Events To submit an event for this listing, email washingtongardenermagazine@gmail. com with “Event” in the subject line.

Where to Buy Plants Where to Connect Local Garden Media Where to Volunteer Youth Gardens Where to Find Designers Tours and Events Where to Learn to Garden JUNE 2022

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EDIBLEharvt

Growing Peanuts in a Container

season is done, you’ll harvest all of your peanuts at the same time by pulling the entire plant out of the soil.

There are 4 basic varieties of peanuts that have different uses: Virginia, Runner, Spanish, and Valencia.

• The Virginia peanut has the largest kernels (seeds) and is the variety you usually eat at a baseball game.

• The Runner peanut is medium size and often used for peanut butter.

• Spanish and Valencia peanuts have the smallest kernels, but they are the fastest growing.

• Valencia peanuts usually have more kernels per pod (three or more) and are sweeter than Spanish. The variety grown in the photos here is Tennessee Red Valencia and it is one of the easiest peanuts to grow.

Materials Needed to Grow Peanuts in a Pot

• A 16- to 20-inch diameter planter • Potting mix & compost combination: 3 parts potting mix to 1 part compost.

Do not use potting mix with added fertilizer.

• 3 Raw (not cooked) Tennessee Red Valencia peanut seeds with red seed coat intact

Planting Peanuts

By Michaelle Scanlon and Deborah Lessne If you haven’t seen peanuts growing, you’re in for an adventure! Peanuts are one of the most interesting things you can plant in a planter. The scientific name for the peanut is Arachis hypogaea. “Hypo” means “below” and “gaea” means “earth or ground,” which is where the peanut seeds grow—below the ground.

Many people are surprised to learn that peanuts aren’t nuts at all—they are actually legumes just like kidney beans, black beans, and soybeans. But the way peanuts grow is even more surprising.

It is common for plants to have a flower that receives pollen carried by a visiting animal, insect, or from the breeze.

It is also common for the new fruit to develop where the flower received the 14

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pollen. The peanut does something completely different. For one thing, the peanut flower can pollinate itself—no bees needed. Once the peanut flower is pollinated, it sends out a “peg” that bends down toward the soil. The peg looks a lot like a new shoot coming out of the stem of the peanut plant. The peg doesn’t stop when it reaches the soil, it continues to grow, and the new peanut will develop at the end of the peg—below ground!

Peanuts like long, hot, humid summers so our region is a good place for this crop. It will take 110 days for your little peanut seed to sprout, flower, send out pegs, and develop ripe peanuts.

That’s almost four months, so, you’ll have to be patient. When the growing

Start with the calendar: Peanuts need a long, hot growing season so you want to make sure you start your plants a couple of weeks after the last frost date (the last frost is around May 15 in our area) and when the soil temperature is 65-70 degrees. This will be about June 1.

Mark your planting date on your calendar. Count another 10 days and write, “sprout week.” This is the week when you should see your seeds starting to sprout out of the soil.

Count 30 more days (40 days after planting) and write, “flower week.” This is when you should see the first flowers appear.

Count another 60 days (110 days after planting) and write “possible harvest week.” We’ll talk about how to know when your peanuts are ready later in this article.

Get your planter ready. If your planter has a saucer, remove it. Peanuts like well-drained soil and you don’t want the planter to sit in any water.

EDIBLEharvt

Pour half of your potting mix / compost combination into your planter. Add water to dampen the potting mix then add the remaining potting mix to the planter.

Pat your soil in gently—it should be about 1–2 inches from the top of the planter. If you have extra, save it for other projects.

In the center of the pot, make a hole for each of the peanut seeds. The hole should be about 1 inch deep. Put one peanut seed in each hole and push soil over the seed. Pat gently.

Put your peanut planter where it will get at least 6 hours of direct sun every day. The more sun, the better.

Water your seeds. Water the pot slowly to avoid pushing the soil around too much. Water until all the soil looks wet and some water runs out of the bottom of the pot. You will need at least a couple of gallons of water to wet all the new potting mix.

When the seedlings are 2" tall, find the strongest looking plant and remove the other two. The extra seeds ensure that you have a good crop, but your pot is the right size for one peanut plant.

Removing the extra plants is called, “thinning.” Snip off the plants you are removing at the soil level. Don’t pull them out—you may affect the plant you are keeping.

Things To Know

• Water: Check your planter every day.

Make sure the tiny sprouts and young plants have moist (not wet) soil. When

the plants are 5 inches tall, they’ll be stronger, and you can follow this method: Put your finger in the soil every morning, when the top half inch is dry, it’s time to give your peanuts a good drink of water. Water the soil and not the leaves to avoid attracting fungus. Try to water in the morning or mid-day so the leaves and stems dry before night falls.

Damp conditions attract fungus.

• Food: Peanuts don’t need as much food as other plants. They should get all the nutrition they need from the compost that was blended into the potting mix. In fact, peanuts help other plants grow by bringing nitrogen into the soil!

• Pegs need soil: Peanut plants produce a long shoot called a “peg”. These are the stems the peanuts grow on, but they grow underground. If a peg cannot reach the soil, it will not be able to grow a peanut. If you see a peg hanging over the side of the planter, gently move the stem so it is directly over the soil.

• Peanut plants fold their leaves at night (nyctinasty) .

• If you want to grow peanuts again, save a few pods in a dry place. Do not roast them! They will become next year’s peanut seeds.

To dry your peanuts, brush off the excess soil and use your string to tie the plant into a bunch. Hang the whole plant in a warm, dry place like a garage or basement. Hang the plant so that the peanuts point up toward the ceiling and the leaves hang down.

Let the bundle dry for a week then remove the pods from the plants. Brush off the remaining soil and spread them out in a dry space to cure for another 2 weeks. Your peanuts are now ready for roasting!

Harvesting Your Peanuts

Michaelle Scanlon and Deborah Lessne are the co-owners of Garden sPOTS (www. garden-spots.com). Garden sPOTS delivers beautiful planters to Maryland and Virginia within 15 miles of Rockville, MD.

The Tennessee Red Valencia peanut needs about 110 days to grow peanuts that are ready to eat. When the peanut pods are ready for harvesting, the entire plant will turn yellow and start to die. If you harvest too soon, you may get empty shells or puny peanuts.

Harvest all your peanuts at the same time. Use a garden trowel, an old spoon or other tool to carefully loosen the soil.

Push the trowel between the soil and the pot wall and then wiggle it a bit.

This will loosen the soil but try not to cut off the peanuts. Pull the plant out of the planter. The peanuts will still be attached to their pegs and will hang from the bottom of the plant. Don’t take them off. They need to dry first.

According to the National Peanut Board, peanuts contain 25-50% moisture when they are first harvested. The newly harvested peanuts are called, “green peanuts.” Curing them (drying them) reduces the moisture, which preserves them and gets them ready for roasting.

Roasting Your Peanuts

Take the peanuts out of their pods and put them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle them with a little salt and bake them at 350 degrees for 1520 minutes. Stir them once or twice while they are roasting. Wait about 10 minutes for the peanuts to cool before you sample them. They will get crunchier as they cool down.

If you want to roast the peanuts in their shells, be sure to rinse the shells in cool, running water first, then pat them dry. Put them on a baking sheet and roast them at 350 degrees for 20–25 minutes. Let them cool off and them enjoy! o

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DAYtrip

Take a Stroll Down Carroll Creek Linear Park

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DAYtrip The Carroll Creek Linear Park, which flows through the heart of downtown Frederick, MD, was formally dedicated in 2006 and cost of approximately $15 million. The park capped a $60 million flood control project built in response to recurrent flooding, including extensive damage from storms in 1972 (Hurricane Agnes) and in 1976.

According to the Color on the Creek nonprofit organization, the flood control project and linear park have been successful in bringing economic development and opportunity to downtown Frederick. Unfortunately, water quality issues in the creek, predominantly manifested as recurrent algae blooms throughout the summer months, had detracted from the project. Design elements of the creek leading to slow water flow, excessive nutrients entering and accumulating from the upstream watershed, and full sun exposure had created a “perfect storm” for algae growth. The increasing algae concentration reduced water clarity and had created large, unsightly, and often malodorous masses as the algae floated to the surface and decayed.

Color on the Creek, through the introduction of select plant materials, shades the water to achieve the same goal. Waterlilies and lotus plants, which have large floating pads and aerial leaves, were the primary plant variet-

ies used to shade and cool the creek water. More than 40 varieties of plants were employed to create interest and variety, including Thalia, pickerel rush, water irises, cattails, variegated sweet flag, and soft-stemmed bulrush.

Color on the Creek has an entirely volunteer staff. The garden is in its 10th year and is currently approximately 3/8 of a mile in length. Anyone can access the public park and stroll along its linear water gardens.

There are about 4,000 hardy perennial waterlily and bog plants in containers on specially designed stands within the Carroll Creek Linear Park.

In the mid-June, volunteers add about 180 tropical lilies to provide night-blooming interest, These tropicals spend the cold season maturing in cold-frame water tanks.

Even though summer is the horticultural highlight of Carroll Creek, winter is still a great time to visit to see the creative boat displays by day or night.

Dr. Pete Kremers, chair of Color on the Creek/Sailing Through the Winter Solstice, said, “We started Sailing Through the Winter Solstice, a winter flotilla of ‘lightships,’ which floats above the dormant water garden, to provide additional seasonal interest and fund the water garden as well.”

Donations are accepted through their website at coloronthecreek.com. o

Tropical waterlilies await their summer homes in Carroll Creek. Photo by Peter Kremers.

Sailing Through the Winter Solstice on Carroll Creek. Photo by Peter Kremers.

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BOOKreviews

Houseplant Warrior: 7 Keys to Unlocking the Mysteries of Houseplant Care Author: Raffaele Di Lallo Publisher: The Countryman Press List Price: $25.00 Order Links: https://amzn.to/3zTQIOw and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781682686751 Reviewer: Dorvall Bedford If you’re an aspiring plant person who is looking for guidance on taking care of an indoor plant, then Houseplant Warrior by Raffaele Di Lallo is the perfect place to start. Whether you’re confused about proper lighting or watering, this book has all the information you need to begin.

The book is split into five parts that are each about what you need to do before and after you acquire your houseplants. Some of the topics that it covers include lighting, watering, potting, and common problems to look out for. Although a quick read, the book goes in depth about these subjects and prepares you for almost everything involved in taking care of a houseplant.

What makes this book unique compared to all the other plant books out there are all the useful tips throughout.

Many books go over the basics of lighting, but Di Lallo’s book is well worth picking up because it goes into more detail about why the proximity of a plant to a window is important and how a plant indoors will never receive the amount of sunlight it would outdoors.

The book also describes how the fear of overwatering plants has led to a lot 18

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of plant parents being too scared to water their houseplants properly. Di Lallo provides many useful tips and clarifies many misconceptions that I haven’t seen addressed in other books.

By reading this book, you can tell that Di Lallo knows all of this information based on prior experiences and interactions with plant parents who needed help. In Part 3, Di Lallo provides case studies based on actual situations that readers have experienced to show how you can avoid incorrect assumptions and diagnose problems your plants are facing.

I highly recommend this book.

Houseplant Warrior is perfect for anyone who is just starting out as a plant parent and looking for quality advice. It will give you the necessary essentials and more so you are prepared to adopt your new houseplant. o Dorvall Bedford is a journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern this semester with Washington Gardener. He is a native of Frederick, MD.

The Garden Refresh: How to Give Your Yard Big Impact on a Small Budget Author: Kier Holmes Publisher: Timber Press List Price: $27.95 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3HHCphV and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781643260815 Reviewer: Jamie Oberg In The Garden Refresh, Kier Holmes outlines how to both design a beautiful garden and keep it alive. Holmes’ father was a craftsperson and her mother a home gardener, making her uniquely equipped to write about garden design. Through her experiences with creating and maintaining landscapes, first from her parents but eventually as her profession, Holmes helps transform your backyard into a work of art.

Initially, I thought this book would be largely unusable for me, given an apartment balcony is the only space I have for designing a garden and my thumb is more yellow than green. But Holmes makes gardening and garden design accessible to those at all budgets and experience levels.

The Garden Refresh includes a multitude of money-saving tips that often

double as tips for working in small spaces. The book provides advice on multiplying plants, repurposing and upcycling household items, collecting seeds, growing groceries, shopping for plants on a budget, efficient garden chores (because time is money), and more.

Holmes, while giving incredibly insightful advice, ensures that beginners aren’t left behind. The book is full of “pro tips,” like speeding up germination of larger seeds with sandpaper, and lists of suggested plants for a wide variety of conditions. Holmes explains every step of gardening, from mulch to transplanting and frost patterns to microclimates. Still, Holmes goes in depth and covers a lot of ground, ensuring even the most seasoned gardeners learn something new.

And Holmes’ knowledge isn’t relegated to outside alone. Much of the information in The Garden Refresh— like how to make small spaces look big, using focal points and frames, and color use—can double as general room design insight. There are also a variety of DIY projects, like homemade rose hip tea and hummingbird nectar.

Throughout the book, Holmes emphasizes working with the environment, not against it. She explains how to minimize the negative environmental impact of lawns, environmentally friendly ways to source garden water, composting, the best ways to attract and support wildlife, and multiple homemade pesticide alternatives.

The Garden Refresh is filled with beautiful pictures that elevate Holmes’ writing. The photographs serve as inspirations with beautiful and creative full garden layouts, plant arrangements, upcycling projects, and more. Without

BOOKreviews reading a word, you will want to touch up your garden space just from the photos.

The Garden Refresh inspires readers to view gardening in a new, aesthetic way. It engages the reader and makes incredibly designed gardens feel more feasible, regardless of your situation.

Holmes touches on every aspect of garden design, keeping each step of designing, creating, and maintaining a garden easy to follow. She makes gardening an art medium, highlighting how to work with all five senses in a garden design. Overall, the book embodies what Holmes would call “creative gardening.” o Jamie Amadea Oberg is a rising senior at the University of Maryland (UMD). Jamie is an intern this summer session with Washington Gardener.

A Therapist’s Garden: Using Plants to Revitalize Your Spirit Author: Erik Keller Publisher: Black Rose Writing List Price: $19,95 Order Link: https://amzn.to/3n7DWVe and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781684339143 Reviewer: Andrea Siegel Most backyard gardeners are aware that gardening benefits us in so many ways—physically, emotionally, and more—whether we take out our frustrations by digging out weeds or enjoy childlike fun just getting dirty. We also know that forest bathing and keeping houseplants are trending.

While Erik Keller’s book, A Therapist’s Garden, is about gardening, it’s not about growing the perfect petunia. It is about using gardening to help people find their way, learn to cope with their personal challenges, and reflect. Readers learn about gardening and plant-related crafts along the way.

Keller recounts his experiences as a horticultural therapist working with troubled youths, senior citizens, cancer patients, and others. The Connecticut resident’s book is mostly vignettes pulled from 20 years in the field, with the stories arranged month by month to cover a year. Chapters include crafts and descriptions of seasonal outings.

Some of these accounts are highly

clients to watch them grow and change over the long term, nor do they learn how horticultural therapy blends with other forms of therapy—that would be a different book altogether.

Also, short-term benefits are not to be dismissed. These can include a brief but pleasant activity, an opportunity for a fleeting achievement, a sense of purpose, or an hour or two removed from a focus on pain.

Long-term and short-term benefits, they all contribute to improving people’s lives. o Andrea Siegel is a master gardener in Maryland.

personal and tender—such as helping his elderly mother develop her garden, introducing his young granddaughter to gardening, and stories that feature his wife—clearly depicting labors of love.

On the professional side, names of clients have been changed for confidentiality reasons. The stories are centered around plants but they open a window into how Keller tries to connect with his clients as individuals, using gardening tasks and results.

Clients making sachets find fragrances that elicit recollections of their pasts. There are hoop houses to fill.

There’s a class for adults to make vinegars flavored with the herbs of their choosing. There’s salad made from backyard weeds and herbs. A youth with a number of issues focuses on planting flower seeds with speed and dexterity to earn the reward of having Keller teach him to whittle, and although it was a risk to give the boy a knife, close supervision and a positive result made it worthwhile.

The book is an interesting although not dramatic read; it is probably of greater interest to those seeking to enhance their understanding of how human beings’ relationship with plants, gardens, and nature can contribute to healing and well-being than it is for gardeners seeking a how-to manual. Often, Keller makes connections between the tasks, tools, and client abilities or need; those tend to be brief.

He clearly finds joy in his work.

However, readers do not get to become invested in or follow Keller’s

Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden Author: Naomi Slade Photography: Georgianna Lane Publisher: Gibbs Smith List Price: $22.99 Order Links: https://amzn.to/3xLGGMX and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781423661306 Reviewer: Tori Vandergriff Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden written by Naomi Slade and photographed by Georgianna Lane dives into “exquisite nostalgia” and “timeless elegance” by explaining the history of lilacs and incorporating gorgeous photographs. Slade is a journalist, author, and designer who works extensively in garden and lifestyle media, according to her website.

She has won awards for the design of several show gardens and has worked as a writer for more than 25 years, which makes her the perfect person to compose an encyclopedia-esque book about the prolific lilac plant.

Lilacs opens with an introduction describing the behavior of lilacs as they grow, the history of breeding them, and the origin of the name. Slade’s descriptive language is paired with awe-inspiring pictures by Lane to create a well-rounded and interesting reading experience.

The next section of the book is “The History and Botany of Lilacs,” which is incredibly informative and gives the readers more insight into how the flowers became such a popular garden flower both inside and outside the home. Slade delves into the background of lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) dating all the way back to 16th-century JUNE 2022

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BOOKreviews literature due to Slade’s elegant and informative language, as well as Lane’s incredible photography. This book would be perfect for anyone seeking to learn more about the history of lilacs, the differences in each variety, and how to care for them in the garden. I would highly recommend this book to any gardener (beginner or otherwise) and anyone who loves gorgeous flowers! o Victoria Vandergriff is finishing up her senior year at the University of Maryland as a journalism major with a history minor.

She is an intern this summer session with Washington Gardener

European royalty. The historical information about the flower creates a great foundation for understanding the rest of the book and allows readers to connect with the story of the plant more deeply.

Slade proves her designing capabilities through the “Flower Arranging” and “Designing with Lilacs” sections. In a succinct and easy-to-comprehend way, she articulates how lilacs can be used in the home as cut flowers and for events as bouquets and arrangements.

This component of the book is a valuable way for how beginner gardeners, or any flower lovers, can use the plant in their everyday lives.

The most interesting aspects of the book are called “Fantastic Frills,” “Cool Perfection,” “Delicate Delights,” and “Sumptuous Sophistication.” Slade provides the history, statistical measurements, and use for every type of lilac while Lane offers a beautiful photo of each one to go along with the writing.

These pages are filled with amazing colors and descriptive text, giving readers all of the information they need to pick their perfect lilac. These sections are the true highlight of the book and by far my favorite part.

Just as important is the “Growing and Care” section at the end of the book.

Slade gives readers everything they need to not only marvel at the beauty of lilacs, but to also take care of them properly so they may thrive. She truly proves herself a seasoned gardener as she explains how to move, plant, and grow lilacs to their fullest capacity.

Lilacs is a jaw-dropping piece of 20

WASHINGTON GARDENER

JUNE 2022

The View From Federal Twist: A New Way of Thinking About Gardens, Nature and Ourselves Author: James Golden Publisher: Filbert Press List Price: $55.00 Order Links: https://amzn.to/3y9SWrW and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781999734572 Reviewer: Jim Dronenburg The View from Federal Twist is not a gardening book in the nuts-and-bolts sense, but a description of James Golden’s garden in New Jersey, and an explanation of the rationale behind its design. Because the garden, seemingly planted at first glance to look “wild,” is nothing of the kind. It is thought out, and re-thought out, and, per the author, remains a constantly changing work.

Nor is it a garden that “takes care of itself” (there is, by the way, no such thing). Golden says that things that are tall and left to be so may be flattened by storms and fall across a path: “a major inconvenience (if) on the wrong day.”

At first, I read this book up to about page 100. Then I flipped through the pictures to the end. (This qualifies, from the pictures, many from drones, as a “coffee table” book as well as a “book” book.) These pictures are superb, and include some fantastic inthe-mist shots. Then, I went back and read it again. For me, this was an acclimatization process to Golden’s writing about the design. And, of course, this book introduces ideas (and pictures) from other designers, other gardens, as an explanation of what Golden is driv-

ing at: This is how I did it; here’s where (and from whose work) I got an idea; here’s where I got a look at, and understanding of, something not to follow…

Granted, Golden has opportunities that not all have: a reasonably large site (by our region’s standards); land that is NOT flat as a pancake; and stone, stone, stone. “A somber, gray stone called argillite is abundant here—most conveniently piled into rough stone rows by early settlers…and this I…used.” We all should have such luck. But luck had nothing to do with the superb way Golden uses it.

Golden does mention what he planted, not in a “here’s a list to use” way but just in passing. Nevertheless, some things stand out—a tiny native seedbox (Ludwigia alternifolia), which leave your reviewer cold in bloom but are spectacular in a winter shot, illustrating, as Golden puts it, “finding beauty in collapse and decay,” and a nice, quite varied, plant palette, not just of natives but of all sorts of non-natives as well, chosen for their micro-environments.

These are useful things to learn about for just about everyone.

And one final note. Golden does not show Federal Twist only on a snapshotperfect day when everything is at its peak, but all through the year (many years, actually). This is an eye-opener for progressions, including the “collapse and decay” perspective.

It is pricey, but is well worth it.

Remember that this is a book for ideas and rationale (not a how-to), more than most “design” books. o Jim Dronenburg is a retired accountant and now gardens full-time in Knoxville, MD.

PLANTprofile

Astilbe

By Kathy Jentz

False Spirea (Astilbe sp.) is a perennial for that wet, shady spot in your garden.

Feathery blooms atop fern-like foliage give this plant a graceful appearance. It can take some direct morning sun, but will burn in hot afternoon summer sun.

It is deer-resistant and tolerates clay soils well. Use mid-border in a mixed garden bed or in a container as the central feature. It spreads slowly and is fairly easy to divide. It is generally hardy down to Zone 4.

Astilbe is often seen in white hues, but also check out the colors offered in the Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions’ collection—from dark-red to pink-purple.

I interplant mine with early-spring bulbs such as ‘Thalia’ daffodils so the emerging Astilbe foliage in mid-spring covers the bulbs as they dieback.

I leave the flower heads to dry on the plant because they remain attractive for many months. (Here’s a garden color secret: You can give those dried flowers a shot of spray paint or floral paint to keep their color all season—and no one will be the wiser!) The only maintenance it needs is to cut back the flower stalks in winter when they start to look ratty. o Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener.

JUNE 2022

WASHINGTON GARDENER

21

GOINGnative

Tassle-Rue or False Bugbane

(Trautvetteria caroliniensis)

By Barry Glick

I took my kids to the “ol’ swimmin’ hole” about five miles east of my farm on Spring Creek. This is an idyllic spot where the “crick” makes a sharp bend and over the centuries has created a deep chasm etched out of the hard shale cliffs on the south bank. I waded across the creek to the cliffs in faint hope of seeing something unusual. I was slowly emerging from the ice-cold water, reaching out to grab hold of the slippery rocks as I smelled a sweet fragrance. It was a new scent to this large proboscis.

Something slightly familiar, yet somewhat mysterious. Glancing up, I spotted the origin straight ahead.

At first glance, I thought I’d discovered a new species of Thalictrum. We have six species in West Virginia and I thought I knew them all. Immediately, my mind raced ahead to the future, Thalictrum glickii. Wow, what a nice ring it has. At last—my 15 minutes of fame! But that was until I got beyond the icy-white, fragrant, feathery flowers. Looking at the foliage, I was still positive that I was in the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family, but the glossy, dark-green, deeply lobed leaves sure looked like a Trollius.

Now in WV, we have no Trollius species, so the mystery deepened. In fact, the only Trollius species that I know of that is native to the U.S. is Trollius laxus and I think that the closest station for that is in PA. That’s also a much shorter plant with soft, muted yellow flowers and it blooms very early in the spring.

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JUNE 2022

With thousands of seedlings growing in every moist crack of the cliff, I had no qualms about borrowing a few to bring them back to the nursery for identification, evaluation, and growing in the garden. As soon as I got home, I ran to my library, grabbed my copy of Flora of West Virginia, and began to confirm my knowledge of the genus Thalictrum.

There, on same page as Thalictrum, I discovered my new find.

I realized that I wasn’t that far off base in thinking that it was a Thalictrum, since the common name for Thalictrum is “Meadow Rue” and one of Trautvetteria caroliniensis’s common names is “TasselRue.” The description, cites 20 of 55 local counties as home.

With this initial phase of my investigation coming to a close, it was time to start thinking about this new plant in the sense of garden worthiness. To be sure, many wild plants are better left in the wild, and for what I initially suspected would be the same reason that I would be unable to find a suitable spot in my own garden for Trautvetteria: no real wet area. It would have been the same lament as for not being able to successfully grow Veratrum viride, a sexy bog plant in the lily family, or what you may know in the common

realm as “False Green Hellebore.” Why it has that common name, I don’t know, but that’s the problem with common names.

I posted an email to a plant enthusiasts’ list. Sure enough, I got about a dozen replies to my question regarding experience growing Trautvetteria in the garden, with overwhelming confirmation that it dots not require a particularly wet area, just good garden soil, rich in organic matter, and a good mulch to conserve moisture in dry periods. One person on Long Island said that it “gently self-sows” in her garden.

I also called Dr. Dick Lighty, director of the Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware.

He said that they’ve been growing Trautvetteria successfully for many years in the garden and wondered, as did I at this point, why it was unavailable in the nursery trade. In fact, while looking in the most comprehensive plant availability directory in the U.S., Anderson’s Source Guide, I noticed that only one source was listed for the plant. In the Plantfinder, the source book for the UK, there was no entry.

Trautvetteria forms a 6- to 10-inch plant with a much taller flower stem.

Some seemed to reach up to 36 inches.

It prefers light to medium shade, but could probably take some direct sun. It flowers over a long period and seems to peak in late June to mid-July.

I went back to its home this weekend and placed several muslin drawstring bags over the flower heads to collect seeds. After seeing all of the seedlings under the plants, I’m confident that it’s easily grown from seed.

This plant deserves some publicity and a home in every native or wild garden. o Barry Glick, a transplanted Philadelphian, has been residing in Greenbrier County, WV, since 1972. His mountaintop garden and nursery is a mecca for gardeners from virtually every country in the world. He writes and lectures extensively about native plants and Hellebores, his two main specialties, and welcomes visitors with advance notice. He can be reached at barry@sunfarm.com, www. sunfarm.com, or 304.497.2208..

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