Washington Gardener Magazine January 2026

JANUARY 2026 VOL. 20 NO. 10

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

WASHINGTON

gardener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

How to Grow Pennyroyal

Attracting a Variety of Birds to Your Garden Giving Up on Teaberry and Other Vexing Natives Getting Ahead of Winter Speedwell Laurel Wilt Warning

Seed Exchange Registration

Paper Plant

(Fatsia japonica)

Garden Book Reviews and Reader Contest Photo Contest Guidelines Meet the Capital Area Food Bank’s Xandra Coleman

A New Kale

A Visit to the Rehoboth Art League’s Garden

RESOURCESsourc

o oo o oo 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.

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

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Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out on the 15th of every month. Contact KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588-6894 for ad rates (starting from $200). The ad deadline is the 10th of each month.

Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

2 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

Green Spring Gardens

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 www.greenspring.org 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.

INSIDEcontents

FEATURES and COLUMNS

18

The fast-maturing seeds of winter speedwell are encased in heartshaped capsules.

Look for them on Valentine’s Day! Photo credit: Hugowolf.

o

Got a Garden Question?

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

6

Xandra Coleman is the Food Growing Specialist at the Capital Area Food Bank’s Urban Demonstration Garden.

Photo courtesy of the Capital Area Food Bank.

ASKtheexpert 16 Laurel Wilt, Attracting Birds BOOKreviews 20-21 Preserver’s Garden, Nature Embedded Mind, Garden for Life DAYtrip 8-9 Rehoboth Art League Garden EDIBLEharvest 17 Pennyroyal GOINGnative 22 Giving Up on Gaultheria NEIGHBORnetwork 6-7 Xandra Coleman NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Kale Rubybor PHOTOcontest 13 PLANTprofile 19 Paper Plant (Fatsia) SEEDexchange 14-15 TIPStricks 10 2026 Garden Trends, New Year Gardening Resolutions WEEDwatch 18 Winter Speedwell

DEPARTMENTS

8 The Homestead Garden is integral to the Rehoboth Art League. The gardens and woodland walks on the surrounding property are highlighted with anchors, chains, an ox yoke, rustic relics of the sea, and bits of statuary.

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENDCpodcasts LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue READERcontest READERreactions RESOURCESsources

23 11 4 12 12 11 3 5 5 2

ON THE COVER

Paper Plant (Fatsia japonica) at the Smithsonian’s Mary Livingston Ripley Garden in Washington, DC. Be sure you are subscribed!

In our next issue:

Green Gardening Tips

The Azalea Gardener Click on the “subscribe” link at washingtongardener.com JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 3

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 Cavit Ireland Ellen Isaacson Interns Subscription: $20.00

Sonia DeCarlo, Shelley Cramm, Jenny Rough, your editor, and Peggy Riccio (l–r) after planting bulbs in the rooftop garden at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC.

A New Year in the Garden I’ve never been one for making resolutions, but this year, I think I may try to make few for the garden. My first is to try to keep up with the weeds. During the winter, they are at a manageable level, but come spring, there is an explosion—right when I’m at my busiest with touring gardens, giving talks, going on photo shoots, etc.

Then, it seems the rest of the year is spent in catch-up mode and the weeds have won, again. This year will be different! (Famous last words...)

My next resolution is to spend a minimum of an hour a day in the garden. Every day, I plan on doing that and then other priorities intercede. As long as I am not traveling and the weather is not awful, I will try to put an hour on my schedule for gardening that I will enforce just as much as I do meetings with others and urgent deadline tasks.

Finally, I resolve to keep better garden records. I’m pretty good about keeping tags in pots with the annuals I trial. My track record with shrubs and perennials, though, is not so great. This planting season, I will do better at that—or, at least, I won’t do any worse.

Good luck in your own gardening resolutions and a happy 2026!

Sincerely,

Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener, KathyJentz@gmail.com 4 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

• 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://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/ show/gardendc/ • Washington Gardener Plant Store: https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ • Washington Gardener is a woman-owned business. We are proud to be members of: · GardenComm (formerly GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators) · Green America Business Network · National Garden Bureau · One Montgomery Green · Ladies in the Landscape · Potomac Rose Society · American Horticultural Society · Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association

Volume 20, Number 10 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2025-2026 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.

READERcontt

Reader Contest

For our January 2026 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away Martha Washington’s Kitchen Garden seed collection from Burpee (value $49.95 each, Burpee.com).

Burpee is saluting America’s 250th birthday with four specialty seed kits, including Martha Washington’s Kitchen Garden, that celebrate our country’s garden history and ideals.

Unique and educational, they bring history to life in your garden. Plant a taste of history with heritage vegetables known to have grown at Mount Vernon, the home of Martha and George Washington. Included in the kit are plant labels and a keepsake recipe card, along with Lettuce ‘Amish Deer Tongue’, Hot Pepper ‘Fish’, Onion ‘White Lisbon Bunching’, Carrot ‘Danvers 126’, Cucumber ‘Armenian’, Radish ‘Early Scarlet Globe’, Kale ‘Blue Curled Scotch’, and Watermelon ‘Georgia Rattlesnake’.

To enter to win Martha Washington’s Kitchen Garden seeds, send an email by 5:00pm on Saturday, January 31, to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Martha Washington’s Kitchen Garden” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this January 2026 Washington Gardener issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address.

Winners will be announced and notified on/about February 1. Replies might be published. 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 I most enjoyed the article about wrens in the December 2025 issue of Washington Gardener.

I most appreciated the description of their habitat, in leaf litter and brush piles and other places we often don’t consider part of our gardens, but that was a reminder that those things are as much part of our gardens as the items that we carefully cultivate.

Happy holidays, and thanks for everything you do for gardening in the Washington area and beyond. ~ Jane Mandelbaum While I enjoyed the article on wrens in the December 2025 issue of Washington Gardener (for obvious reasons!), I found the adjacent article on hardy cyclamens most helpful, because I have recently renovated the plantings around my mostly shaded backyard. One of the areas I reimagined/recreated was a root zone area around a large willow oak that will—I hope—offer the perfect spot for a collection of Cyclamen cuom, C. hederifolium, and C. cilicium (the latter of which I frankly didn’t know about).

Readers already know my penchant for folk names of plants and birds, and “sowbread” as a common moniker for cyclamens is a great addition to my lexicon. ~ Rick Borchelt I loved all the seasonal coverage in the March 2025 issue of Washington Gardener, especially the piece on early spring native plants. After a longer, colder winter than normal, the recent spring warmth and seeing everything budding out (and learning to identify what’s in bloom!) has lifted my spirits. ~ Melissa

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.

The Chesapeake region is rich in gardening resources from inspiring public gardens to the array of community gardens to a treasure trove of expertise related to the Chesapeake ecosystem.

One of these awesome gardening resources is the GardenDC podcast. If you don’t know it, gardening communicator, Kathy Jentz, talks with experts weekly about every facet of gardening.

As Kathy says, “If it grows in our region, we talk about it!” ~ Shari Wilson o JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 5

NEIGHBORnetwork particularly seniors and kids, who need it most. It also offers education and food-skills programs designed to help community members make healthier food choices and learn how to garden for themselves.

Each year, the Capital Area Food Bank sources and distributes more than 60 million meals to the people of Washington, DC; Maryland; and Virginia, 40% of which are made up of fruits and vegetables, according to Coleman. And it all starts in locally grown gardens.

Coleman was hired as a Food Growing Specialist, in charge of managing the garden space at the food bank, which you can catch a glimpse of if you ride the Red Line Metro train and pass by the Fort Totten stop. (The large orangeand-green sign is hard to miss as you ride by.)

“Gardens are not only a place to grow food for your loved ones, but they are also a place of exploration, education, sanctuary, and creativity.” ~ Xandra Coleman

Xandra Coleman

Capital Area Food Bank Garden

By Ellen Isaacson “The most rewarding part of this job is the education piece, and seeing the community it builds.” This was Xandra Coleman’s (they/them) answer when asked what they like most about their job.

Coleman started working at the Capital Area Food Bank less than a year ago, but is no stranger to the gardening world. Coleman graduated from American University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in International & Global Studies. They then went on to work at a biodynamic herb garden, a permaculture farm in Costa Rica, and worked as a part of the Food Corps, helping support a school garden for 6 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

a year before joining the Capital Area Food Bank team.

The Capital Area Food Bank was founded in 1980 by a coalition of interfaith leaders and organizations, including the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington and the United Planning Organization. These organizations came together 45 years ago to help combat hunger in the D.C. area.

Today, through partnerships with more than 400 nonprofits, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers, and daycare centers, the organization helps ensure that nutritious food reaches individuals,

As a Food Growing Specialist, Coleman oversees every corner of the garden, from planning seasonal plantings to nurturing thriving beds. Their days are filled with mapping out what goes into the soil, tending to what’s already sprouting, leading biweekly volunteer shifts, offering one-on-one gardening consultations, and teaching hands-on community classes. These classes often include garden and nutrition field trips, where Coleman introduces kids to the food bank’s vibrant growing space and visits gardens at partnering organizations, like nonprofits, schools, and child care programs. Along the way, they give young growers everything kids needed to start their own garden plots: gloves, seeds, tools, and the confidence to dig in.

Coleman emphasizes that the Capital Area Food Bank garden is more than just a growing space; it’s a living classroom designed to teach residents the power of food sovereignty. They emphasize the idea that people who can grow their own food are less dependent on these government systems that can

NEIGHBORnetwork

The Azalea Society offers membership to anyone with an interest in azaleas, from home gardeners, collectors and students to plant professionals. The Azalea Society website (azaleas.org) is the source of information about azaleas.

come and go over time. This is why the food bank is not partnered with any private corporation and leans toward nonprofits like Shepherds Table and Martha’s Table.

Coleman stressed that the Capital Area Food Bank and its garden are centered on supporting lower-income residents and those without access to land, creating a space where people can come together to grow. Rather than operating as a production-focused plot, the garden is dedicated to uplifting

communities and expanding access to growing opportunities.

To learn more about the food bank, go to https://www.capitalareafoodbank. org/. To volunteer at the garden or get information about how to participate in the community classes, contact Coleman at xcoleman@capitalreafoodb ank.org. o Ellen Isaacson was an intern with Washington Gardener this past fall semester. She is double-majoring in journalism and French language and literature.

GROUNDCOVER REVOLUTION IS OUT NOW!

By Kathy Jentz

Published by Cool Springs Press

Order it today at: https://amzn.to/3IlYHYL

“Groundcover Revolution is must-have book for anyone who is interested in having less lawn, fewer weeds, and reduced mulching. The properties charts will save the reader time and money, the pictures provide inspiration, while the detailed plant portraits give the focused information needed for creating beautiful, functional landscapes.” ―C.L. Fornari, GardenLady.com JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 7

DAYtrip

A Visit to the Rehoboth Art League

By Cavit Ireland

A summer sun appearing to rest on the waves off the shores of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, has long been accompanied by visitors who yield themselves to experiencing a historic beacon of gratitude and devotion to the arts.

The Rehoboth Art League (RAL) in Henlopen Acres, DE, is home to restful gardens with vibrant views that serve as a wholesome venue for art exhibits, festivals, and live music performances.

The 3.5-acre campus has art galleries, classrooms, and more than 150 years of stories to tell.

Formed in 1938, it was originally like a colony for artists from the MidAtlantic to vacation, attracting visitors from Washington, DC, and Philadelphia.

Today, the art league is home to a yearround community that puts on hundreds of exhibits and classes throughout the year. The summer months still 8 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

see an influx of tourists who come to stop by, but the area’s rapid population growth, coupled with a high demand and appreciation for the arts, means that even the off-season shows attract a busy crowd.

“It’s a historic house museum, active gallery space, educational area, and sort of a community hub for all things art in southern Delaware,” described RAL’s Executive Director Sara Ganter.

Ganter, who has been working at

the Rehoboth Art League since 2015, hopes that people feel inspired when they walk among the perennials, exploring the carefully curated array of plants.

“There’s something here for everybody to do, even if you don’t consider yourself an artist,” she explained, “The garden is a big area of interest for people because it’s sort of historic–a public garden that people can visit, and our volunteers maintain it in the founders vision.”

The Homestead Garden lives and breathes as a testament to its creator, Louise Corkran. Louise and her husband, Col. Wilbur S. Corkran, first set their eyes on their home in 1929, an old colonial known by locals as “The Homestead.” Deeply rooted in the original foundations, it’s the starting point of what has expanded into an ecosystem decorated with ornamentals, bulbs, and native plants.

There are several garden areas behind the Homestead, including the Crown Garden, a celebration of plants native to England, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II. Nearby are the Tea Terrace, Rose Garden, and Herb Garden—weaving tapestries of fragrance and color.

All of these gardens work harmoniously in spirit with the musicians, educators, and artists that visit. The artistry is quite evident in the standard of gardening and attention to detail that shapes the landscape.

Members of the Azalea Society of America (ASA) visited the Rehoboth Art League in the late 1980s for two mini-conventions. In the fall of 1987, the ASA’s Delmarva and Ben Morrison Chapters heard speakers discuss the Kurumes, Glenn Dale, and Black Acres Azalea Hybrids. A second mini-convention was sponsored in 1988, where ASA members heard Ed Collins talk about Dexter Hybrids, and a panel that explained new azalea breeding techniques and hybridization. Visitors can find signs commemorating these moments in the gardens behind the Homestead.

There’s always room for improvement and the grounds require routine maintenance. A few years ago, the gardening team was able to introduce more native plants and original plant-

DAYtrip ings, strengthening the ecosystem. This year, the art league held its second annual native plant sale at which local gardening groups taught visitors about native plants and how to determine which ones to put in their gardens. The Delaware Master Naturalist Program also mapped the keystone natives around the RAL campus that visitors can see on a self-guided tour.

“As you could imagine, over the course of 70 or 80 years, trees grow, trees fall down, so there are some changing conditions that we adapt to every year. But it’s part of the fun,” explained Ganter.

One threat to the plantings is their appeal to the nearby deer population.

“If they like something, it’s a goner,” said Ganter, “so there’ s a lot of experimentation for the gardeners to figure out what works and what they will leave alone.”

The historic buildings have to be protected, too, especially with 25,000 annual visitors. Fundraising events, membership dues, and other donations help keep classrooms and studios in quality condition.

Over the past decade, Ganter has seen the educational opportunities soar. Painting, pottery, and bookmaking are a few of the classes that are held regularly at the Rehoboth Art League.

It’s a place where diversity and open minds thrive alongside the cultural blend. This winter session, participants can choose to sign up to learn something outside of their personal culture, such as Ukrainian egg painting. Classes are taught by respected professionals in their fields; most of the instructors have maintained long-standing relationships with the art league over the years.

As the only non-residential building in Henlopen Acres, the art league has become a resource and a beacon for locals.

“Lots of people in town come to take classes, have exhibitions of their artwork, or they have their kids here for summer camp,” said Ganter.

The art league works with schools in the area to host galleries like the Young at Art competition that has students from public and private Sussex County schools submit their artwork to show in

the gallery every March. Scholarships for college and art classes are some of the prizes that students receive for creating exceptional work.

It’s more than a destination for art lovers; rather, a sanctuary of creativity and the natural world. Every photograph, memory, and flower is a tile in the mural of the Rehoboth Art League.

It flourishes because people return, inspired by the enduring spirit of the campus. To spread a blanket and enjoy the view is to share a moment with the Corkrans, the native species, and the sincerity that embodies how community is nurtured and united with shared passion.

Visitors can find the Rehoboth Art League at 12 Dodds Lane in Rehoboth

Beach, DE, nestled in Henlopen Acres.

It’s easily accessible by car, with plenty of parking available. Those staying in downtown Rehoboth Beach can get to the art league by heading north on Rehoboth Avenue, following the signs toward Henlopen Acres. Art galleries are open for visitation year-round. From May through October, the Homestead and gardens are open to the public.

To learn more, go to https://www. rehobothartleague.org/. o Cavit Ireland was an intern this past fall semester with Washington Gardener and the GardenDC Podcast. He is a graduating senior at the University of Maryland studying journalism and hosts Sonic Fruit, a music program on WMUC 90.5.

JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 9

TIPStricks

It’s time to reflect on the past year and decide on goals for the new year, according to the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH).

Research has shown that new beginnings and dates like New Year’s, your birthday, and even Mondays are motivational when trying to tackle new goals.

Consider your gardening goals this year.

This is a great time to reset. When coming up with New Year’s resolutions, many people focus on improving their overall health, eating healthier, traveling more, relaxing more, or being more physically active. By increasing the amount of time you spend gardening this year, you can accomplish all of these goals.

To begin with, many of us think about losing weight, or at least eating healthier, at this time of year. Most people tend to increase the amount of time they spend exercising in addition to increasing the amount of healthful foods they eat. One way to meet both of these goals is by gardening.

Fruits, nuts, and vegetables are all excellent choices for a nutritious diet. All are full of immunity-boosting vitamins, minerals, and other plant compounds such as antioxidants and anthocyanins. They also contain fewer calories than foods that are filled with fats and oils, although nuts are full of healthy fats such as mono- and polyunsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Consider planting a vegetable garden or a fruit tree or shrub, or you can try your hand at a nut tree.

If engaging more in exercise and increasing your physical fitness is your 10 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

Photo courtesy of www.flowerbulbs.com.

Graphic courtesy of NICH.

Gardening Resolutions for the New Year

goal, the garden is a great place to get in a good workout. Gardening activities are well-suited to meeting recommendations for daily physical activity.

Gardening tasks such as digging, fertilizing, weeding, raking, and tying plants to stakes use both upper and lower body strength, offering moderateintensity physical activity comparable to brisk walking, swimming, and dancing.

Many gardening tasks are done while standing or squatting, such as pruning, mixing soil, planting seedlings, sowing, watering, and harvesting. These are low-intensity physical activities, as are filling containers with soil and washing harvested produce.

If you are looking to reduce stress or improve your mental wellbeing, the garden is the perfect place. Many gardeners report having less stress and other therapeutic benefits from tending plants. Gardening can allow time for reflection and emotional processing.

Mental benefits include a sense of purpose, relaxation, and forgetting worries as you garden, in addition to increasing your ability to respond and rebound after difficulties, such as stress or illness.

If you are looking to increase the amount of time spent traveling, why not plan some trips to arboretums, public gardens, and national parks? There also are many great educational garden flower shows and conferences open to the public. In addition, there are many field days and horticulture educational events offered by various organizations, from local nurseries and garden centers to public gardens and state extension programs.

Lastly, there is no shortage of gardening books, blogs, and magazines.

Research has shown that reading books in general can help improve brain function by strengthening connections in your brain, reducing stress and agerelated cognitive decline, and helping improve memory and focus.

In addition to publications, there are a number of gardening podcasts you can listen to while working in the garden or doing other chores and activities.

Gardening can be your one-stop shop for meeting your New Year’s resolutions this year. Get out there and get it growing! o

Garden Trend 2026: Nostalgic Revival A touch of nostalgia 2026 garden trend that embraces the charm of a garden brought to life in a lush floral display.

Inspired by the elegance of the cottage style, this trend combines traditional details with soft pastel shades, fresh color accents, and a touch of romance.

The result? An attractive, enchanting garden that blends past and present.

The cottage style is back but with a modern twist. Think pastels, handmade details, florals, and checks. Give your garden a cheerful, rustic look that harkens back to a simpler time.

Summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias, gladioli, lilies, begonias, and cannas are perfect for this trend. There are also many other lovely summer bulbs that add color to your garden and go well with the nostalgic, romantic vibe.

The materials are often handmade and chosen with care. Think ceramics, old glass, wood, cotton, and wicker.

Patterns include florals, stripes, or checks, just like those we remember from grandma’s kitchen.

The colors are mainly pastels interspersed with a few bright accents. The shapes are often nostalgic and traditional, such as old dishes, bowls, or jugs. Garden furniture also often has a vintage look.

Find more information about flower bulbs at www.flowerbulbs.com. o

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Top GardenDC Podcast Episodes of 2025

• Cotton Plant Profile • Garden Trends for 2026

See more Washington Gardener blog posts

at WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

January Garden To-Do List

New Plant Spotlight Kale Rubybor F1 (Brassica oleracea) Gold Medal Winner

Photo courtesy of All-America Selections.

Rubybor delivers all-season beauty right to your plate. This outstanding kale is a dual-purpose show-stopper that won a Gold Medal award in both the ornamental and vegetable categories in the All-America Selection trials.

Its rich, deep-purple foliage and uniform, compact growing habit make it a standout ornamental in any garden or container. Unlike many kales, this selection maintains its excellent color and tidy, bushy shape with shorter internodes, making it ideal for smaller spaces and southern heat.

Best of all, the bountiful (trials show plants yield twice the leaf weight of other reds), beautiful leaves are exceptionally tender and non-bitter, providing a continuous harvest of delicious, high-quality greens from spring until frost. It’s a rare plant that’s perfectly suited for both landscape design and dinner.

Days to Harvest (Sowing Seed): 70 Days to Harvest (Transplant): 55 Light Needs: Full sun Weather Tolerance: Frost Season Type: Cool season This plant was bred by Bejo Seeds, Inc. For more information, visit https://all-americaselections.org/ product/kale-rubybor/. o

• Prune any dead or diseased wood from your small trees and shrubs.

• If you purchased a live Christmas tree, plant it now.

• Cut off the flower stalk on your amaryllis once flowers fade. Leave foliage to grow.

• Keep poinsettias in a well-lit area, but out of direct sun and away from drafts.

• Buy a few new houseplants.

• Fertilize only your winter-blooming houseplants, such as violets.

• Give your houseplants a quarter turn every few weeks.

• Build a compost bin.

• Repair your shed and repair/paint your fences.

• Clean out your cold frame or build a new one.

• Collect large plastic soda bottles to use as cloches. (A cloche is a clear, bellshaped cover used to protect tender plants from frost.)

• Clean and refill bird feeders.

• Wash and refill the birdbath or set out a shallow bowl of water in icy weather.

• Check on stored summer bulbs and seeds. Discard any that have rotted.

• Buy seeds and order plants from the new garden catalogs.

• Prune summer bloomers such as Hydrangeas, Rose of Sharon, Crape Myrtles, and Butterfly Bushes.

• Till and add organic matter to annual/vegetable beds.

• Weed—especially check fast-growing vines such as honeysuckle, autumn clematis, bittersweet, wild grape, Virginia creeper, and poison ivy.

• Place a floating ball or small plastic soda bottle filled two-thirds with water and a tablespoon of salt in your pond to stop it from icing over entirely, especially if you have fish. If ice does form, remove the ball by pouring hot water on it.

• Insulate outdoor containers with bubble wrap or landscape fabric.

• Check that newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials have not been heaved out of the ground due to freeze-and-thaw cycles.

• Take hardwood cuttings from willow and dogwood to propagate them.

• Look for evidence of pest or fungal damage throughout your garden.

• Clean out your greenhouse and wash those windows.

• Set out your live potted evergreens from holiday decorating in a protected outdoor space to harden them off before planting them.

• If we get more snow in the DC area, gently dislodge it from trees and shrubs with a broom to prevent damage to branches.

• Start hardy herbs, onions, cabbage, pansies, and perennials.

• Clean and tidy up pots and seed trays to get a good start in February.

• Use leftover holiday greens and cut-up tree branches to mulch beds and create windbreaks.

• Do not step on frozen soil in flower beds or lawns.

• Keep all houseplants out of drafts and away from heat vents.

• Use de-icer sparingly or a nonchemical substitute such as sand, grit, fireplace ashes, or non-clumping kitty litter.

• Volunteer at a local public or historic garden.

• Paint a few terracotta pots in spring-like colors.

• Pot up any leftover bulbs that did not make it into the ground by now and force them for indoor blooms. o JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 11

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales • January 7–9 MidAtlantic Nursery Tradeshow MANTS is one of the largest private trade shows serving the horticulture industry. Held at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD. Early-bird registration is now open at MANTS.com.

The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City is all about small-space gardening solutions!

By Kathy Jentz and Teresa Speight

Published by Cool Springs Press/Quarto Homes

Order it today at: https://amzn.to/3yiLPKU

GardenDC Podcast

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 Garden Trends, Gifts for Gardeners, and Growing Chocolate.

You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc. o 12 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

• Thursday, January 15, 7–8:30pm Growing Older, Gardening Smarter As we age, gardening can stay joyful and comfortable with the right adjustments. Discover practical strategies for modifying your landscape and gardening practices to accommodate physical changes and mobility challenges. Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener Magazine, will explore how ergonomic tools, raised beds, and easy-access designs can help. Learn how to keep your body flexible and safe so you can continue gardening with ease and confidence. Hosted by Brookside Gardens. This is a live Zoom lecture with audience Q&A. Fee: $15. Register at https://montgomeryparks.org/events/ growing-older-gardening-smarter/.

• Friday, January 16, 12n–1pm Cool Weather Culinary Plants Discover the surprising world of edible vegetables that thrive in the colder months. Join Kathy Jentz for a winterinspired culinary garden tour as she highlights hardy, flavorful plants you might be overlooking this season. Learn how to grow, harvest, and enjoy these cool weather gems right from your own garden. Held online and hosted by the U.S. Botanic Garden, details at https:// www.usbg.gov.

• Saturday, January 24, 10:30–11:30am Garden Talk: Everything About Orchids Join Extension Master Gardeners at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA, to learn about the different types of orchids, easy varieties to grow, and how to use these plants in your home and even in the landscape. Learn beginner care to keep orchids blooming in your home. Fee: $12. Register online at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ parktakes. Code MQS.YIMA.

• Saturday, January 31 Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens in MD Details on page 14–15.

• Saturday, February 7 Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Green Spring Gardens in VA Details on page 14–15.

Looking Ahead • Friday, February 13, 9am–4pm GreenScapes Symposium This year’s symposium theme is “Integrating Ecology, Beauty, and Adaptability in Design.” Hosted by Brookside Gardens. This is a live, Zoom event with audience Q&A. Register at https:// montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/ brookside-gardens/special-events/ greenscapes/.

• March 6-7 Seeds & Culture: Rural and Urban Agriculture United The Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance (UCFA) will host its 2026 conference at the University of the District of Columbia, in partnership with 2020 Farmers Co-op. The 2020 Farmers Coop represents urban and rural growers and is committed to the preservation of traditional farming knowledge. The conference is an expression of UCFA’s mission to bridge communities across geographic and cultural lines through seed, soil, and shared knowledge. Details at https://ujamaaseeds.com/.

• Saturday, March 21, 9am–3pm 15th Annual Gardening Symposium See https://loudouncountymastergardeners.org/events/annual-symposium/.

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.

Our next deadline is January 15 for the February 2026 issue, for events taking place after February 5. o

You’ve seen those gorgeous garden photos published in magazines and newspapers. Enter this year’s competition and have a chance of getting your images published, too. Whether you take the photos in your own backyard, a nearby public garden, or while visiting friends and family in their local gardens, there are so many photographic opportunities to be found. Let’s show off the best in DC-area gardening!

This contest offers an opportunity for all photographers to present their best shots of gardens in the greater Washington, DC, area. Contest entries will be judged on technical quality, composition, originality, and artistic merit.

More than $500 in prizes will be awarded. Winning images will be published in Washington Gardener Magazine, displayed during the Washington Gardener Seed Exchange, and appear in a local photo exhibit.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Each entrant is limited to a total of 10 images. Each electronic file must be identified with your last name and the entry category. For example, BeeJonesGC1.jpg or JoeSmith-SW2.jpg.

All photographs should accurately reflect the subject matter and the scene as it appeared in the viewfinder.

Nothing should be added to an image and, aside from dust spots, nothing should be removed. Cropping and minor adjustments to electronic images to convert RAW files are acceptable. AI submissions are not permitted.

If an image is selected as a finalist, a high-resolution digital file might be required before finalizing our results.

Digitally captured images should be taken at the camera’s highest resolution (3 megapixels or larger). For preliminary judging, digital files must be submitted in JPEG format sized to 1,000 pixels on the longest side at 300 dpi.

If photos are taken with a film camera, they must be scanned and submitted in JPEG format sized to 1,000 pixels on the longest side at 300 dpi.

Contest entries can be submitted via email to DCGardenPhotos@aol. com. Use the subject line “WG Photo Contest” and include an entry form for each image in your email’s text field.

20TH ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST Entries can also be sent in on a CDROMs. Please verify their integrity by making sure they are readable and not damaged. We reserve the right to disqualify any disk that is unreadable or defective. Please check your CDs with the latest virus-detection software. We will disqualify any disk that appears to contain a virus or a suspicious file.

Label each CD and case with your full name. We strongly suggest mailing CDs in protective cases. We are not responsible for disks damaged during shipping. No CDs will be returned, but they can be picked up after judging.

Send your entries and entry fee to: Washington Gardener Photo Contest, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910. Mailed entries must be received by January 20, 2026.

You can print out blank entry forms from the Washington Gardener blog (WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com) or from our Facebook page.

We will verify all entries, so please ensure your email address is included on all items.

Entrants must not infringe on the rights of any other photographer, landowner, or other person. Photos involving willful harassment of wildlife or destruction of any property are unacceptable.

The entrant must have personally taken the photo. By entering, you state this is your work and it is free of copyright elsewhere, and did not use AI. Failure to comply with any contest guidelines will lead to disqualification.

category or submit all 10 in one category.

Photos must have been taken during the 2025 calendar year in a garden within a 150-mile radius of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. • Garden Views (GV): Beautiful, dramatic, or unusual perspectives of a garden landscape, including wide shots showing the setting. Subject can be a private or public garden.

• Garden Vignettes (Vig): Groupings of plants in beds or containers, unusual color or texture combinations, garden focal points, and still scenes. Subject can be photographed in a private or public garden.

• Small Wonders (SW): Tight close-up images or macro shots of single flowers, plant parts, fruits, vegetables, etc.

Subject can be photographed in a private or public garden.

• Garden Creatures (GC): Images of insects, birds, frogs, pets, etc., in a private or public garden setting.

COPYRIGHT NOTE

CONTEST ENTRY FEE

Your entry in this contest constitutes your agreement to allow your photographs and your name, city, state, and photo description texts to be published in upcoming issues of Washington Gardener and used for other related purposes including, but not limited to, Washington Gardener Photo Contest promotions and online, live presentations, and gallery exhibits. Entrants retain ownership and all other rights to future use of their photographs.

CATEGORIES

Each entrant is limited to a total of 10 images. You may submit a few in each

PRIZES

Prizes include gift certificates to area camera stores, gardening tools, new plant introductions, and much more.

If you would like to be a prize donor or sponsor, contact us today.

WINNERS’ OBLIGATION

Photo contest winners will need to provide high-resolution versions of their images for publication and an 11x14 print suitable for framing. Winners may be asked to provide additional information for press and media coverage.

The entry fee is $20.00 or $15.00 for current Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers. The fee includes up to 10 total image submissions per entrant.

Please send a check or money order made out to “Washington Gardener” or a payment via www.PayPal.com to DCGardenPhotos@aol.com.

DEADLINE

Entries are due by midnight on January 20, 2026.

QUESTIONS?

Call 301-588-6894 or email DCGardenPhotos@aol.com. o JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 13

Join us for: Seed Swapping Planting Tips Expert Speakers Goody Bags Door Prizes Washington Gardener Magazine presents the

21st Annual Washington Gardener

Seed Exchanges

on Saturday, January 31, 2026, 12:30–4:00PM

National Seed Swap Day! at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD Registration is now open at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/21st-annual-washington-gardener-seedexchange-on-saturday-jan-31-2026-tickets-1976404850110?aff=oddtdtcreator

and on Saturday, February 7, 2026, 12:30–4:00PM at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA Registration is now open at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wg-seed-exchange-272026-invirginia-tickets-1976406722711?aff=oddtdtcreator

Space is limited, so act today!

Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers get $5 off the $20 attendee fee!

14 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

Overview

Washington Gardener magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the 21st annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. These seed swaps are in person and face to face. You bring your extra seeds and swap them with other gardeners. Everyone will leave with a bag full of seeds, new garden friends, and expert planting advice.

When

Two Seed Exchanges will be held: Saturday, January 31, 2026, in MD and Saturday, February 7, 2026, in VA from 12:30–4:00PM

(Foul weather that day? Call 240-603-1461, for updates about possible snow/ice delay.)

Where

We are holding a duo of Seed Exchanges one week apart on opposite sides of the Washington Beltway. We urge you to attend the one closest to you.

One exchange will be held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. The other will be at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA.

How to Register

You can easily register online at Eventbrite.com. Be sure to select the correct date and location for the Seed Exchange you are going to be attending.

You can also fill out the form on the opposite page. Send the form, along with payment, to Washington Gardener, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910, Attn: SE Registration. Please make checks out to “Washington Gardener.”

Registration fee is $20 per person.

Friends of Brookside members, Friends of Green Spring members, and current Washington Gardener subscribers receive a discount rate of $15 per person.

We strongly urge you to register in advance. There is a limit of 100 participants at each location!

We are GREEN!!!

Garden Book and Seed Catalog Exchange

Seed Exchange attendees are encouraged to bring their used or new garden books and seed catalogs to swap and share at this year’s event. We also ask you to bring your own water bottle or reusable mug and a home-made nametag. We will have a “best nametag” contest, so get crafty!

Hashtags #GardenDC and #SeedSwapDay

Washington Gardener Magazine’s 21st Annual

Seed Exchange Details

If You Have Seeds to Bring and Swap

Please package them in resealable plastic zipper or wax sandwich baggies. Put an average of 20 seeds per baggy—more for small seeds like lettuce, fewer for large seeds like acorns. Label each baggy with a white sticker (such as Avery standard 5160 address label sheets) giving all the information you have about the seeds. If known, include the plant’s common and scientific names; its soil, sun, and watering needs; and its origins—where and when you collected the seeds. If you don't know all the information, that is okay; just provide as much as you can.

Yes, you can bring unused or opened commercial seed packs.

If You Don’t Have Any Seeds to Swap

Come anyway! Even if you don’t have any seeds to trade, you are welcome to attend.

We’ll have plenty of extra seed contributions on hand and many attendees will be there just to learn, network, and prepare for next year’s seed collecting.

Education Program

Expert speakers from the local gardening community will give short talks about seed collection and propagation tips. There will be ample time for individual Q&A throughout the program with the featured speakers and invited experts as well.

Schedule

(Note: This schedule is subject to change.)

12:00-12:30 Registration check-in 12:30-12:40 Introductions 12:40-1:20 Gardening talk 1:20-1:55 Gardening talk 2:00-2:15 Snack break and room reset 2:15-2:30 Seed Swap preview time 2:30-3:00 Seed Swap 3:00-3:30 Photo Contest winners* 3:30-4:00 Door prizes and closing talk

How Do We Swap?

As you check in, staff will collect your seeds and place them at the appropriate seed category tables.

You will be assigned a random seed swap number. There will be a short period for attendees to preview all the seeds brought in and available for swapping. You will be called in by your number to pick a seed pack from each of the category tables (if desired).

After the initial seed swap is complete, attendees are free to take any of the leftover seeds and to trade seeds with each other.

Dividing of packets is encouraged and extra baggies with labels will be on hand for that purpose.

What Types of Seeds?

Seed swap categories will include natives, edibles, herbs, exotics, annuals, perennials, and woodies (trees/shrubs). If you can pre-sort your seeds in advance into the seven major categories that fit the best, that would help us speed up the process on the swap day.

Door Prizes! Goody Bags!

Each attendee will receive a goody bag at the seed swap. The bags include seeds, publications, and garden items donated by our sponsors. In addition, we have some incredible door prizes to give away especially for area gardeners.

If your organization would like to contribute seeds or garden-related products for the goody bags and door prizes, contact KathyJentz@gmail.com by January 26. *See photo contest details on page 13.

21st Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange Advance Registration Form

Please fill out this form and mail with your check/money order to: Washington Gardener Magazine, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910

Name:____________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address:____________________________________________________________________________ Email:____________________________________________________________________________________ Seed Exchange Date and Location:  January 31 at Brookside Gardens  February 7 at Green Spring Gardens (We will only use your email address for Seed Exchange notices and will never share them with anyone else.)

Seed Exchange Attendee Fee: $20.00 __________ Discount (if eligible*): -$5.00 __________ Optional: Washington Gardener Magazine Annual Subscription: $20.00 __________ TOTAL_____________ *The following groups are eligible to pay the discount attendee rate of $15.00; please CIRCLE if one applies to you: • Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers • Friends of Brookside Gardens members • Friends of Green Spring Gardens members A portion of the event proceeds will go to benefit the Seed Savers Exchange for preserving heirloom varieties.

JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 15

KNOWitall

Ask the Expert

By Miri Talabac

Attracting a Variety of Birds to Your Garden Q: I like to see how many bird species I can bring to my yard, and I want to attract them with plants instead of feeders. What plants do you suggest?

A: Bird-attracting landscaping definitely beats out bird feeders as the preferable way to bring these beauties into yards for easier viewing as a safer environment than a communal feeder.

(Side note: While you’re at it, look into ways to discourage window strikes, since enticing plants, like feeders, could increase encounters with glass.)

Plant recommendations are going to be incredibly varied because the diet of birds is so varied, both across species and throughout the year. Site conditions in your garden will narrow down what may be an overwhelming list of plant choices. Some general tips: Include as much variety as you have room for; provide plant food for insects (which are a major part of many bird diets); and when looking at the timing of berry or seed production, consider productivity for each season. Focus on native plants, since birds will deposit the seeds they eat well beyond your landscape, and you don’t want to contribute to ecosystem damage caused by invasive plants.

To pick a timely category—late-ripening berries, there are some popular tree and shrub species. Highly ranked candidates for both resident and southbound migrant birds include Viburnums, Dogwoods (both trees and shrubs), Hollies, Spicebush, Virginia Creeper, Eastern Redcedar, Magnolia, Black Tupelo, Hackberry, Sassafras, Bayberry, Sumac, and Hawthorn.

Cornell’s “All About Birds” web library at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/, and local Audubon societies, are good resources for more thorough information about individual bird species diet, habitat preferences, and plant suggestions for both foraging and nesting.

16 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

Cedar Waxwing eating Green Hawthorn berries. Photo by Miri Talabac.

Is Laurel Wilt a Concern for my Cherry Laurel?

Q: I recently heard about a new-tome disease called Laurel Wilt. Is that affecting Cherry Laurels?

A: No, and so far, Laurel Wilt is not present in Maryland. This is a nonnative fungal disease that was first detected in Georgia in 2002. It is now found in multiple southeastern states and appeared in Long Island, NY, this past summer.

Laurel Wilt only affects plants in the Laurel family (Lauraceae). Common names can confuse the issue, because neither Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) nor Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) are members of that family.

(Cherry Laurel is in the Rose family, like its flowering cherry cousins. Mountain Laurel is in the Heath family, like its azalea and blueberry cousins.)

In Maryland, native plants in the Laurel family include Swamp Bay (Persea palustris, which is state-rare and only found in three coastal plain counties), Sassafras (Sassafras albidum), and Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Both Sassafras and Spicebush are abundant and found across the entire state. They are insect host plants (Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly,

to name one) and valuable to birds.

Although not locally commercially cultivated due to lack of winter hardiness, Avocado and Bay Laurel (the bay leaf used in cooking) are also in this plant family.

The fungus causing Laurel Wilt disease is transmitted from an infected plant to a healthy one by at least one species of ambrosia beetle: tiny insects that bore into wood. They carry fungal spores on their body, inoculate the tunnels they chew into wood, and then eat the fungal growth that results. Both the beetle and the fungus originated in Asia.

As with other ambrosia beetle infestations, once the insect introduces its fungal partner to the plant, there is no cure or treatment. In part, this is because the tree’s response to infection basically causes its own demise, over-reacting to the invasion and blocking its own vascular tissues as it tries to contain the infection. The Laurel family is large and distributed globally, and overall, the mortality rate of infected plants has been very high.

Scientists suspect that Laurel Wilt was introduced to Long Island via contaminated firewood brought in from out of state. Moving firewood far from where it was harvested to where it will be burned risks introducing pests and

EDIBLEharvt pathogens that threaten forest health.

Don’t assume that clean-looking firewood is safe to transport, because you may not notice any problems. For example, the width of the hole created by this ambrosia beetle is only the diameter of a paperclip (about 1 millimeter), and the adult beetle itself is only about 2 mm long. Average winter temperatures in Long Island are the same as for central Maryland, and not cold enough to eradicate the beetle.

While not unique to Laurel Wilt, early symptoms of infection (especially in Sassafras trees) include early-onset fall foliage color and vascular staining (darkened streaks in sapwood exposed by removing the bark, or viewed in wood cross-section). Wilt is part of the disease name because the infection is destroying or clogging the tissues that keep the canopy hydrated, so leaves wilt and die.

Aside from its rapid North American spread, the most concerning aspect of this disease is the fact that this vector is attacking healthy trees. Usually, ambrosia beetles are attracted to injured, stressed, dying, or dead trees.

Your Cherry Laurel shrubs are safe, but I worry about our local woodlands, already under enough pressure from climate change, development, pollution, and other introduced pests and diseases.

Gardeners can rest assured that locally sourced wood chip mulch is okay to use, because neither the beetles nor the fungus survive for long in chipped wood. If a Sassafras tree develops concerning symptoms, have a Certified Arborist evaluate the situation.

To learn more about Laurel Wilt, explore the web pages of University Extension services in the states dealing with this disease, such as NC State, Univ. of Kentucky, Clemson, Univ. of Florida, and Cornell. o Miri Talabac is a Certified Professional Horticulturist who joined the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center in 2019 as a horticulture consultant. She is a graduate of UMCP with a focus in entomology. To ask a gardening or pest question, go to http:// extension.umd.edu/hgic and select “Ask Extension.” Digital photos can be attached.

Pennyroyal

By Barbara Melera and Kathy Jentz Pennyroyal is truly a gentle, but effective, insect repellant and has been for thousands of years. This Mint family plant has distinctive cultivars on several continents and the medicinal applications for these cultivars developed independently.

It is also called mosquito plant and pudding grass. The plant’s crushed leaves emit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint.

Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778), the Swedish biologist and physician who formalized binomial nomenclature, knew of Pennyroyal’s ability to repel fleas when he named the plant, Mentha pulegium, from “pulex” meaning “flea.”

Nicholas Culpeper (1616–1654), an English botanist, reflecting the opinions of most European herbalists of his time, knew that the drug could initiate spontaneous abortions, as well as being a strong purgative and expectorant. This plant should be used medicinally with great caution, if at all.

Native Americans, specifically the Chickasaws, Mohegans, and Catawbas, used American Pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides) in teas to fight colds and flu, and taught the European settlers their remedies.

American Pennyroyal is native to the eastern half of North America and has true-blue flowers, while the European Pennyroyal’s flowers are lavender.

Pennyroyal can also be used effectively with pets. Braiding stems of Pen-

nyroyal makes an effective flea collar.

Crushing leaves and distributing them on a pet bed can also ease a flea problem.

It has also been used as a companion plant for eggplant to repel flea beetles.

Plant Pennyroyal seeds as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring and the danger of frost has passed.

Pennyroyal does best in full- to partsun in well-draining soils. Keep it consistently moist.

Seed rows should be 12 inches apart.

When seedlings are 2 inches high, thin them, leaving 4 to 6 inches between plants. Plants will eventually reach a height of 9 to 12 inches.

Pinch back stems to encourage bushiness. Harvest before flowering for tea or oil, but use with caution as concentrated oil can be toxic.

Once established, it is perennial and is generally hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 9.

Like most members of the Mint family, Pennyroyal can be an aggressive spreader.

Pennyroyal is deer- and rabbitresistant due to its strong fragrance. A variety of pollinators use it for nectar and pollen. o Barbara Melera is president of Harvesting History (www.harvesting-history.com), a company that sells horticultural and agricultural products, largely of the heirloom variety, along with garden tools and equipment.

JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 17

WEEDwatch

Winter Speedwell

By Rick Borchelt As regular readers of this column know by now, one superpower that often makes a weed a weed is its ability to get a head start on other plant competitors. Some even bloom through icy cold and snow. I’m looking at you, winter speedwell, already in bloom at New Year’s wherever there’s a warm spot against a brick wall or a brief sunny respite from freezing weather.

Winter speedwell (Veronica persica) is one of a cadre of low, mostly creeping speedwells that hail from Europe and Asia, but are now commonplace in Washington-area yards and gardens.

It goes by a number of other common names, among them Persian speedwell (the species name persica reflects its Asia Minor distribution) and birds-eye speedwell.

Veronica persica is also sometimes known as large common field speedwell. Here in the U.S., it has the largest flower of any of the creeping species, although even winter speedwell flowers max out at just under a half-inch wide on a plant only a few inches tall.

The genus name Veronica (as well as the girl’s name) honors St. Veronica, a widow who was said to use her veil or a piece of cloth to wipe the forehead of 18 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

Christ en route to Calvary. The image of Christ’s face was believed to thereafter be imprinted on the cloth, and for some, the speedwell flower carries a similar image.

The history of the name of speedwell is less clear. Several of the small Veronicas were—and continue to be—used by herbalists as an anti-inflammatory and expectorant, and the name might reflect the herb’s purported rapid herbal action. Veronica officinalis, heath speedwell, a somewhat larger species that is more often found as a garden herb than an escaped weed in North America, is especially favored by herbalists. Heath speedwell brews to a passable substitute for black tea, and in France, is still drunk and referred to as thé d’Europe or “Europe tea.”

Other linguists suggest that the name speedwell is a version of a fare thee well (or similar well-wishing) to travelers, who would find cheery mats of Veronica blanketing roadside verges and fields.

Since the smaller speedwells like V. persica only open in bright sunshine, the wish might also carry the hope of clear weather for travel. No less an herbal authority than Geoffrey Grigson tells us —in his 1955 tome about historical uses of European herbs, The Englishman’s Flora—that in Ireland, sprigs of

A rogue’s gallery of speedwells. Left to right, winter speedwell (credit: Wayne Longbottom), ivy-leaved speedwell (credit: Radio Tonreg), and thyme-leaved speedwell (credit: Rasbak).

speedwell were sewn onto the cloaks of travelers for luck on the road.

Less cheery, Grigson notes, was the German belief that picking speedwell flowers would cause a storm. He also recounts that in Somerset, England, picking a speedwell flower was believed to incite a bird to come peck out one’s eye (and may be related to birds-eye speedwell’s common name).

Of course, there’s an entire other group of Veronicas that are tall, summer-blooming perennials in the cottage garden, especially cultivars of V. longifolia, longleaf or garden speedwell.

Longleaf speedwell has a long summer bloom period beloved of pollinators and comes in a wide variety of colors, from deep-violet to light-blue, pink, and white. All are rabbit- and deer-resistant, although prone to powdery mildew.

No such afflictions attend winter speedwell. It’s a hardy little winter annual, typically found where human activity has disturbed the ground. Its weediness depends in large part on how bare the soil is to begin with; it can’t easily take hold in thick turf (like

PLANTprofile zoysia) or in mulched or thickly planted borders. It’s very easy (if time-consuming) to pull where it isn’t wanted.

Winter speedwell’s perky blue flowers are lined with dark stripes that are presumed to serve as guides to assist pollinators in finding the nectar at the heart of the blossom. Pollinators of this speedwell include flies, native bees, and especially early-foraging honeybees, themselves European migrants that evolved with speedwell. But winter speedwell doesn’t need pollinators for seed set; in the deep cold, it’s quite capable of self-pollination.

After it is pollinated, winter speedwell quickly produces heart-shaped twin capsules that will soon scatter seeds on the surrounding soil. Winter speedwell dies out quickly in the heat of late spring; the seeds germinate in the fall where the parent plants died back.

Winter speedwell is common throughout the DMV, as are its two close cousins—ivy-leaved speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) and thyme-leaved speedwell (Veronica serpylifolia). Both bloom later in the spring, but otherwise are very similar to winter speedwell except with smaller flowers. The leaves and stems of ivy-leaved speedwell are very hairy, and the flowers light-blue without the distinct large, bright throat of winter speedwell. Thyme-leaved speedwell flowers are more white than blue, and the leaves are smooth with entire margins (i.e., neither toothed nor divided into lobes or segments, as leaves of both V. hederifolia and V. persica are).

These look-a-likes are early bloomers, too, but not as early as winter speedwell. Even after the cold snap in midDecember this winter, winter speedwell bounced back on the next sunny day with temperatures above freezing, bright-blue against the concrete curbs of Hyattsville’s downtown shops even as the snow lingered. Along with other hardy, weedy winter bloomers like dandelion and ground ivy, they offer a great treasure hunt for stir-crazy youngsters on sunny winter days. o Rick Borchelt is a science and natural history writer, field naturalist, and garden and botany enthusiast. Reach him with questions about this column at rborchelt@gmail. com.

Paper Plant

By Kathy Jentz

Paper Plant (Fatsia japonica) has a tropical appearance with large, palmate leaves and ball-shaped blooms in fall and early winter, followed by small black fruits or drupes in spring. It is also known as Big-leaf Paper Plant, False Castor Oil Plant, Fatsia, and Japanese Aralia. The Latin names for it were previously Aralia japonica and Aralia sieboldii.

It is an evergreen shrub or small tree that is native to Japan and Korea.

It is hardy to USDA zones 7 to 10.

Fatsia grows best in part to full shade in moist, but well-draining, acidic soils. It is tolerant of salt spray and pollution, and can survive in sandy soils, making it a good coastal plant option.

If it is planted in full sun or a windy location, the foliage will turn brown.

Fertilize it regularly during the growing season and prune it to shape it whenever you like. It can grow to 4 to 6 feet wide and high.

Variegated cultivars are available with interesting and attractive foliage.

Several beautiful specimens are on display at the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Smithsonian Gardens in Washington, DC. o Kathy Jentz is the editor of Washington Gardener.

JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 19

BOOKreviews

The Preserver’s Garden: How to Grow a Garden for Fermenting, Canning, Pickling, Dehydrating, Freeze Drying, & More Authors: Staci and Jeremy Hill Publisher: Cool Springs Press List Price: $30.00 Order Link: https://amzn.to/48XdWVd and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760396148 Reviewer: Cavit Ireland The Preserver’s Garden by Staci and Jeremy Hill is a testament to gardeners who strive to make the most of their growth and live off the land. It’s an exploration of growing, harvesting, and preserving food with practical intentions. The book is a gardening manual and a homesteading guide delivered in a thoroughly passionate way, supported by years of experience. It proves that decisions made in the garden can have lasting impacts on your lifestyle, including what you eat, wear, and might use every day in your home.

The information in this book is useful to gardeners at all levels, with room for beginner growers to feel inspired to take the next step in their homesteading, and enough depth for seasoned gardeners to appreciate and learn from.

Pickling, fermenting, and freeze drying are just a few of the homesteading methods that the authors dive into, with proper storage techniques that are key to ensuring that all of your hard work doesn’t go to waste. Other chapters examine maintenance, planning, and plant profiles paired with vibrant 20 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

images and illustrations that add to the pleasant enlightenment a reader might have while flipping through the pages.

The heart of the book lies in the philosophy of self-sufficiency, and the writing forces readers to reconsider how they view their gardens. For instance, beds of heirloom tomatoes are described not only as crops, but as a promise to the empty jars that will soon hold their sauce. Herbs hang like dreamcatchers, while fruiting trees become seasonal clocks.

The Hills invite readers to experience the sounds, smells, and textures of the garden and its practical tools.

Fermentation crocks, canning pots, and dehydrators line the pantry shelves of a house built on preservation.

The authors deliver their messages of helpful direction masked in storytelling that relates each step to logical explanations. The book excels in teaching and inspiring, and for those open to adopting new preservation techniques, or simply new gardening ideas, The Preservers Garden is a handbook with all of the information they would need.

It still leaves room for creativity to come through in your personal preservation endeavors. Some gardens may be fit for peppers and squash, but it could be worth it to buy other produce at the market. Careful considerations like this one are important when planning your garden and growing season.

Beyond its practicality, the book touches on the cultural importance of food preservation, acknowledging how the distance between people and where their food comes from has grown over the course of human history.

There’s hope in a renewed interest in heritage skills in a world of single-use containers and supply chains. Readers can learn which produce plants thrive in the sunniest conditions through planning and harvest instructions, and learn new recipes for hearty staples like pumpkin bread and mashed potatoes.

The most compelling passages bring the reader through the journey of a preserved garden harvest, guiding through plant choices and considering varieties of flavor that are exposed by brining and curing. Simple kimchi, apple cider vinegar, and how to make different

salts appear as ideas that are simple, especially when you already have the ingredients growing right outside.

The Preserver’s Garden illuminates how a garden is truly an intricate system of sustainability and non-stop experimentation. Endless possibilities lie beneath the soil and beyond, waiting for a gardener to get their hands dirty, sowing the earth with intention and purpose. o Cavit Ireland was an intern this past fall semester with Washington Gardener. He is a graduating senior at the University of Maryland studying journalism and hosts Sonic Fruit, a weekly music program on WMUC 90.5.

The Nature Embedded Mind: How the Way We Think Can Heal Our Planet and Ourselves Author: Julie Brams Publisher: Changemakers Books Order Link: https://amzn.to/4jgterN and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781803417233 List Price: $16.95 Reviewer: Ellen Isaacson Our relationship with the Earth can and should no longer be overlooked, because we are only hurting ourselves.

This is what Julie Brams is trying to get her readers to grasp in her new book, The Nature Embedded Mind.

This book quickly caught my attention. When I saw the cover, it immediately reminded me of the 2019 Oscar winner for best picture, “The Shape of Water.” On the left is half of a woman’s face and on the right, her face cohesively merges into nature with vines and the butterflies morphing into her facial features.

Throughout Brams’ work, she explores urgent questions facing our society today; specifically, how recognizing ourselves as part of the Earth can help prevent us from harming our own habitat, and how renewing our connection to the natural world can strengthen our mental health and overall well-being.

Brams flawlessly intertwines personal anecdotes with the latest scientific research on the matter. Making her message relatable and inspiring, her words sit with you as you read, encour-

BOOKreviews

aging a moment of self-reflection on how our relationship with the Earth should be a symbiotic bond.

Today, our society is so fast-paced and transactional, and it takes more of a toll on us than we realize. Brams believes the solution lies in the soil.

She writes that reconnecting with nature and shifting our perspective to seeing ourselves and our environment as one not only can help us preserve our home planet, but also find peace and ease in our everyday lives.

Brams words also encourage action.

Her inspiring and enduring message makes you want to change your habits to help improve your relationship with yourself, as well as with your environment. Brams is gentle yet challenging with her words. She values inner healing, but at the same time, is calling for environmental reform. She emphasizes how this is not the job of one, but of all, if we want to see real change and heal our planet.

I recommend this book for anyone looking to explore some of the most vital questions our culture is facing, regarding the broken relationship between humans and nature. o Ellen Isaacson was an intern this past fall semester with Washington Gardener. She is double-majoring in journalism and French language and literature.

Garden for Life: Strategies for Easier, Greener, More Joyful Gardening as We Age Author: Rhonda Fleming Hayes Publisher: Chelsea Green List Price: $29.95 Order Links: https://amzn. to/44N4VM9 and https://bookshop. org/a/79479/9781645023258 Reviewer: Kathy Jentz Garden for Life by Rhonda Fleming Hayes is a terrific resource for anyone looking to make their gardening time easier and more enjoyable. None of us are getting any younger, and the tools and techniques that Hayes provides can help us garden well into our senior years.

Hayes includes profiles of real gardeners who share how they have adapted their gardens and themselves as they age and change. Many of these real-world examples struck a familiar chord with me and I can see easily incorporating their methods into my daily gardening practices.

Gardening itself is an act of hope, and I especially appreciate the content focusing on inspiration and examples.

This book includes the concept of passing gardening wisdom on to the next generation—something we all can benefit from.

This book would make a great gift for a gardening friend and for your own home gardening library. o Kathy Jentz edits Washington Gardener.

Love Reading?

These books were reviewed by volunteer members of the Washington Gardener Reader Panel. To join the reader panel, please send an email with your name and address to: KathyJentz@gmail.com. We look forward to having you be a vital part of our local gardening publication. o Note: The books for these reviews were provided free from their publishers. These book reviews include links to Amazon. com and BookShop.org for ordering them.

Washington Gardener Magazine might receive a few cents from each order placed after you click on these links.

“Inspire. Connect. Grow.”

The National Garden Bureau is a nonprofit organization that exists to educate, inspire, and motivate people to increase the use of garden seed, plants, and products in homes, gardens, and workplaces by being the marketing arm of the gardening industry. Our members are experts in the field of horticulture and our information comes directly from these sources. Find out more at https://ngb.org/

JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 21

GOINGnative

Giving Up on Gaultheria procumbens Teaberry

By Barry Glick I’m not a quitter by any means, but I’m making a resolution this coming gardening year to stop squandering precious time on a handful of plants that I’ve failed perpetually with while trying to get them not only into cultivation, but into the marketplace.

All five of them are very desirable garden-worthy plants, but for one or more reasons, they have not lent themselves to becoming long-lived plants in my garden.

Now, you have to understand that my philosophy has always been that gardening is not rocket science or brain surgery.

It’s mostly common sense and observation—and the key to success with a plant is to study where and how it grows in nature. Criteria such as soil texture, pH, canopy, soil moisture, drainage, root, rhizome, bulb or tuber depth, and—like they say in the real estate business— “Location, Location, Location!”

Most of these properties are somewhat easy to replicate in just about any garden. Since most of the plants I grow are woodland shade plants that prefer rich, moisture-retentive soil with lots of organic matter, I’ve come up with a great amendment that I use to upgrade even the poorest soil to those standards.

That process is as follows: I till up an area with a very cool little Honda FG 110 mini tiller. It’s a relatively inexpensive, rugged tiller and doesn’t blink an eye at tree roots or rocks. Oh, did I mention that its 25 cc engine is four-stroke, so no gas to mix?

After I till up an area, I remove several buckets of the sometimes-dryish soil that is lacking in organic matter. In its place, I put in a combination of peat and well-composted hardwood bark mulch.

22 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

Here are the five plants that I’m giving up on. I’m not listing or rating any of these in order of difficulty, because I’ve failed to the same extent with each.

• Gaultheria procumbens My consolation with Teaberry is that it grows all around me in the wild. I remember walking into a well-known landscape designer’s office and noticing, next to the steps, what appeared to be a box of ripe cherries spilled on the ground. This sight took me for a loop because it was winter and as we all know, cherries ripen in mid- to early-summer. Upon closer examination, I realized that it was Gaultheria procumbens with 10 times more fruit than I’ve ever seen produced in the wild. I queried him about this phenomenon and he informed me that these plants were a new cultivar named ‘Very Cherry’ that was supposed to be easy to grow and produces copious amounts of very large berries. I scoffed and told him not to get too attached to it. Then I found myself asking whom he bought it from. I couldn’t wait to get back to my office and immediately order a flat. I was soon overcome by conflicting feelings of “Wow, a dream come true!” and, “Sucker!” Long story short, well...you can guess the outcome.

• Cypripedium acaule The Pink Lady Slipper is the most ubiquitous of all the “cyps,” but you can’t grow it in cultivation and believe me, I’ve tried repeatedly. There’s not enough room in this magazine to share all of my recipes and methods, so please, if you happen to come upon a population, don’t touch them. Just enjoy them and photograph them, and don’t tell anyone where you saw them.

If you want to grow Cypripedium, email me and I will give you a personal introduction to a man with a lab that has been producing Cypripedium calceolus, the Yellow Lady Slipper, which is so very easy to grow, and sells them in many sizes plus many other Cypripedium species.

• Epigaea repens Trailing Arbutus is a member of the same family as Rhododendron and Azalea. This charming little resident of very acid woodlands is deliciously fragrant, but cannot be transplanted, probably for many of the same reasons that Cypripedium acaule cannot be transplanted. Again, if you stumble on a population, admire it, sniff it, photograph it, and be on your way.

• Lycopodium species Running Cedar, also known as Ground Pine, Club Moss, etc., is a primitive, spore-producing genus of plants that has been over-collected for its use in making Christmas wreaths. Despite several attempts, including taking lots of surrounding soil with me, it joins the ranks of the impossible.

• Trillium undulatum The Painted Trillium is a truly magnificent bloom with pure-white petals and a red ring in the throat of the flower.

Mere words cannot convey the simple beauty of this bog-loving, wetland species of Trillium. Even the bronze foliage is remarkable. Yet, it does not want to be disturbed. I’ve tried for years to replicate its home territory and again, another failure.

I don’t want to totally discourage you; if you do attempt any of the aforementioned plants and have success, please let me know. By the same token, if there any particular plants that you’ve struggled with over and over again and are ready to give up on trying, I’d love to know that as well. 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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MARCH/APRIL 2005 • Landscape DIY vs. Pro • Prevent Gardener’s Back • Ladew Topiary Gardens • Cherry Trees

MAY/JUNE 2007 • Roses: Easy Care Tips • Native Roses & Heirloom Roses • Edible Flowers • How to Plant a Bare-root Rose

MAY/JUNE 2005 • Stunning Plant Combinations • Turning Clay into Rich Soil • Wild Garlic • Strawberries

JULY/AUGUST 2007 • Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass • How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head • William Paca House & Gardens • Hardy Geraniums

JULY/AUGUST 2005 • Water Gardens • Poison Ivy • Disguising a Sloping Yard • Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 • Succulents: Hardy to our Region • Drought-Tolerant Natives • Southern Vegetables • Seed Saving Savvy Tips

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 • Container Gardens • Clematis Vines • Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens • 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 • Gardening with Children • Indoor Bulb-Forcing Basics • National Museum of the American Indian • Versatile Viburnums

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 • Backyard Bird Habitats • Hellebores • Building a Coldframe • Bulb Planting Basics

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 • Dealing with Deer • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Delightful Daffodils

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 • Garden Decor Principles • Primroses • Tasty Heirloom Veggies • U.S. Botanic Garden MARCH/APRIL 2006 • Top 10 Small Trees and Large Shrubs • Azaleas • Figs, Berries, & Persimmons • Basic Pruning Principles MAY/JUNE 2006 • Using Native Plants in Your Landscape • Crabgrass • Peppers • Secret Sources for Free Plants JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Hydrangeas • Theme Gardens • Agave • Find Garden Space by Growing Up SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 • Shade Gardening • Hosta Care Guide • Fig-growing Tips and Recipes NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006 • Horticultural Careers • Juniper Care Guide • Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes • Layer/Lasagna Gardening

SUMMER 2009 • Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic • Passionflowers • Mulching Basics • Growing Hops

MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heuchera)

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U MAY/JUNE 2008 DO SOL • Growing Great Tomatoes UT! O • Glamorous Gladiolus LD ! SO • Seed-Starting OUT Basics D L •SFlavorful Fruiting Natives O

JULY/AUGUST 2008 • Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses • Edible Grasses to Graze On • Slug and Snail Control • Sage Advice: Sun-Loving Salvias SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 • Autumn Edibles — What to Plant Now • Beguiling Barrenworts (Epimediums) • Best Time to Plant Spring-blooming Bulbs • 14 Dry Shade Plants Too Good to Overlook NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 • Outdoor Lighting Essentials • How to Prune Fruiting Trees, Shrubs, Vines • 5 Top Tips for Overwintering Tender Bulbs • Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 • Compost Happens: Nature’s Free Fertilizer • Managing Stormwater with a Rain Garden • Visiting Virginia’s State Arboretum • Grow Winter Hazel for Winter Color

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007 • Indoor Gardening • Daphne Care Guide • Asparagus Growing Tips and Recipes • Houseplant Propagation

MARCH/APRIL 2009 UT! DO • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local SOLGarden Tips !

T • Spring Edibles Planting Guide OU • Testing YourSSoil OLDfor a Fresh Start T! Selection and Care UTree • Redbud O LD Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells • SOBest

MARCH/APRIL 2007 • Stormwater Management • Dogwood Selection & Care Guide • Early Spring Vegetable Growing Tips • Franciscan Monastery Bulb Gardens

MAY/JUNE 2009 • Top Easy Summer Annuals for DC Heat • Salad Table Project • Grow and Enjoy Eggplant • How to Chuck a Woodchuck

FALL 2009 • Apples • How to Save Tomato Seeds • Persimmons WINTER 2009 • Battling Garden Thugs • How to Start Seeds Indoors • Red Twig Dogwoods • Unusual Edibles to Grow in Our Region SPRING 2010 • Community Gardens • Building a Raised Bed • Dwarf Iris • Broccoli SUMMER 2010 • Fragrance Gardens • Watering Without Waste • Lavender • Potatoes FALL 2010 • Vines and Climbers • Battling Stink Bugs • Russian Sage • Garlic WINTER 2010 • Paths and Walkways • Edgeworthia • Kohlrabi SPRING 2011 • Cutting-Edge Gardens • Final Frost Dates and When to Plant • Bleeding Hearts • Onions SUMMER 2011 • Ornamental Edibles • Urban Foraging • Amsonia/Arkansas Blue Star • Growing Corn in the Mid-Atlantic FALL 2011 • Herb Gardens • Toad Lilies • Sweet Potatoes • Cool Weather Cover Crops WINTER 2011/EARLY SPRING 2012 • Green Roofs and Walls • Heaths and Heathers • Radishes SPRING 2012 • Pollinator Gardens • Brunnera: Perennial of the Year • Growing Yacon SUMMER 2012 • Tropical Gardens • Captivating Canna • Icebox Watermelons SPRING 2013 • Great Garden Soil • All About Asters • Squash Vine Borer SUMMER/FALL 2013 • Miniature/Faerie Gardens • Beguiling Abelias • Growing Great Carrots WINTER/EARLY SPRING 2014 • Ferns for the Mid-Atlantic • Chanticleer Gardens • Beet Growing Basics

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JANUARY 2026 WASHINGTON GARDENER 23

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2026 9 AM–4 PM

INTEGRATING ECOLOGY, BEAUTY AND ADAPTABILITY IN DESIGN This engaging symposium brings together experts in horticulture, ecology, and design to share sustainable solutions that work—from small gardens to large public landscapes.

Learn how native keystone plants and layered “soft landings” can support pollinators from canopy to ground, and explore regenerative approaches that blend beauty, function, and biodiversity in every setting. Through illustrative real-world case studies, you’ll discover how dynamic, naturalistic plantings can adapt and thrive, and how climate-resilient and diverse plant palettes can strengthen ecosystems in both urban and suburban environments.

SEMINAR TOPICS � Design by Nature: Dynamic Planting at the Intersection of Horticulture and Ecology

Patrick Cullina, award-winning horticulturist, landscape designer, photographer and planning consultant

� From Canopy to Groundcover: Building Soft Landings with Keystone Plants for Pollinators

Heather Holm, biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author

� Bridging Design and Ecology: Strategies for Resilient and Engaging Landscapes

Ching-Fang Chen, Landscape Architect, Montgomery Parks (MD)

� Adapting Gardens for a Changing Climate: Building Biodiversity Through Plant Diversity

David McKinney, Curator of Collection and Grounds, Iowa Arboretum & Gardens

GreenScapes will be offered as a series of live online lectures using Zoom with audience Q&A incorporated into the program.

Registration includes access to watch recordings of each session after the event.

BrooksideGreen.org 301-962-1451 24 WASHINGTON GARDENER JANUARY 2026

R E G I S T R AT I O N I N F O R M AT I O N E A R LY B IR D FE E: $50/person until Jan 9, 2026

S TA N DA R D FE E: $60/person starting Jan 10, 2026

Register using this link ActiveMontgomery.org (Course PBG0057) or call 301-962-1451.