Washington Gardener Magazine July 2015

JULY 2015 VOL. 10 NO. 5

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

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ggardener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

5 Flower Photography Hot Spots in our Region

Meet Barbara Faust of Smithsonian Gardens July-August Garden Tasks 20 Herb Drying and Preserving Tips Local Garden Events Listing

Perennial Container Creations

A Tree to Bridge the Seasons

Stunning Stewartia

Top 2015 Landscaping Trends

New Blueberry for Home Growers

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RESOURCESsourc

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Edible Landscapes for the Home Gardener Coaching /Maintenance /Seasonal Services Email: garden@loveandcarrots.com to learn more! www.LoveandCarrots.com

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the greater DC region.

Call 301.588.6894 or email wgardenermag@aol.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

GoGardeners Garden Coaching

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

Elise Stigliano Garden Coach elise@gogardeners.com • 301-518-8333

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Green Spring Gardens

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A “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round gold mine 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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McKee-Beshers WMA is a 2,000-acre area located on River Road just outside Seneca, MD, where several fields of sunflowers are grown each year to attract birds and other wildlife.

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Win a RESCUE Pop! Fly Trap and a Disposable Fly Trap.

The contest entry deadline is 5:00pm July 31.

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Barbara Faust is the director of Smithsonian Gardens, which creates and manages the Smithsonian Institution’s outdoor gardens, interiorscapes, and horticulture-related collections and exhibits. They are open year-round, seven days a week, with something to see in every season. Photo by Daniel Weil.

FEATURES and COLUMNS BOOKreviews 14-16 Easy Orchids, Bees, Kill a Slug, Plant Combinations, Digging Deep Book Excerpt DAYtrip 6-7 Flower Photography Hot Spots EDIBLEharvest 17 Drying and Preserving Herbs HORThappenings 22 Plant Swap, Master Gardener Day, Green Fest, FONA picnic NEIGHBORnetwork 20-21 Barbara Faust, Smithsonian NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Blueberry ‘Nocturne’ PLANTprofile 18-19 Stewartia PRODUCTreview 22 Lesche Soil Knife SPECIALfeature 8 Perennial Container Creations TIPStricks 10 Landscaping Trends, Humane Backyard, Gas Leak Training

DEPARTMENTS

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue RESOURCESsources

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ON THE COVER

A blossom of the Korean Stewartia tree (Stewartia pseudocamellia) in the Silver Spring, MD, garden of Kit Gage. Photo by Kathy Jentz.

In our August 2015 issue:

Drying and preserving herbs is an easy and inexpensive way to enjoy the flavors of your garden bounty all year long.

(Plus, you could even win a County Fair ribbon for your efforts!)

Low-Maintenance Perennials

Dr. Richard Olsen of the USNA

and much more...

Be sure you are subscribed to:

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Click on the “subscribe” link at http://washingtongardener. blogspot.com/ JULY 2015

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EDITORletter

Credits Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher & Advertising Sales Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301.588.6894 wgardenermag@aol.com www.washingtongardener.com Call today to place your ad with us!

Ruth E. Thaler-Carter Proofreader Daven Desai Gaby Galvin Marissa Paiano Interns

Garden writers (left to right), John Boggan, Kathy Jentz, Louise Clarke, and Susan Harris. Photo by Daven Desai.

Using the Right Tools Earlier this month, Washington Gardener Magazine and DCGardens.com hosted a live tweet-up* at the annual Lotus & Waterlily Festival 2015 at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington, DC. Several local garden writers came out to support it and Twitter was abuzz with photos and praise for this hidden gem in the city.

We plan to co-host several more such events over the next few months, so add @WDCgardener and @DCGardens to your Twitter lists and use #GardenDC when tweeting about local gardening events, news, photos, etc.

Twitter is not for everyone, I know, but it is one of my favorite social media tools as it gets the word out immediately and to a wide audience that you would not normally reach via other means, such as newspaper ads or television interviews. Twitter also eliminates the middleman when trying to reach politicians, the press, and other well-known personalities — it is a great equalizing tool. (That is, if you don’t get too obsessed with who has the most followers and likes!)

Speaking of tools, we have a new quarterly column starting with this issue. It is a product review by Louise Clark (pictured above) of the Morris Arboretum, which is in Philadelphia, PA. Louise will be covering the latest and greatest gardening gadgets and sharing what works for her.

Finally, I am very pleased to announce that we have completed indexing of all the back issues of Washington Gardener Magazine in time for marking our 10th anniversary. The index is formatted as an Excel spreadsheet and is easy to sort as well as searchable by keywords. Now, that is a useful tool indeed! We will have the file ready for you, dear readers, upon request and free to all on August 1.

Happy gardening!

Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener wgardenermag@aol.com *A tweet-up is simply an in-person meeting of folks who know each other through Twitter. At our tweet-ups, though, we also welcome non-tweeters!

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Cover price: $4.99 Back issues: $6.00 Subscription: $20.00 Address corrections should be sent to the address above.

• Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Archives: http://issuu.com/washingtongardener • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener is a womanowned business. We are proud to be members of: · Garden Writers Association · Think Local First DC · DC Web Women · Green America Magazine Leaders Network · Green America Business Network To order reprints, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877.652.5295, ext. 138.

Volume 10, Number 5 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2015 Washington Gardener All rights reserved. Published quarterly.

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

Local Gardening Calendar

Each month includes a list of what to do in the garden for local DC-MD-VA and Mid-Atlantic gardeners, along with a gorgeous photo of a seasonal flower from a local public garden collection in our area.

Go to http://www.cafepress.com/ washgardener to order this new calendar for gifts and to treat yourself!

Be sure to note on your order what month you want the calendar to start with. This calendar is a keeper that you can use for years!

For our July 2015 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away the RESCUE!® POP! Fly Trap and the RESCUE!® Disposable Fly Trap (prize value: $12).

The RESCUE! POP! Fly Trap catches common nuisance or filth flies around the home and in agricultural settings. This trap is formulated to lure hundreds of the most prevalent fly species, including house flies, false stable flies, blow flies, blue and green bottle flies, flesh flies, face flies, and many others. The RESCUE! POP! Fly Trap comes with one packet of water-soluble attractant packaged inside a foil pouch. Once lured inside, the flies cannot escape and drown in the water inside the trap.

Find out more at http://www.rescue.com.

To enter to win the RESCUE! Fly Trap duo, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on Friday, July 31, with “Fly Trap” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us which was your favorite article in this July 2015 issue of the magazine and why. Please also include your full name and mailing address. The fly trap winner will be announced and notified on August 1.

Caption Contest

We asked our Facebook page followers: What do you think this bold bunny (seen nibbling on an Annapolis, MD, front yard) has to say for himself?

Look for more monthly caption contests at the Facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine page.

Winning Captions: “I just ate all the vegetables in your back yard garden. Thanks!” ~ Dan Boelman “Grass-Hopper.” ~ Emily Stashower “I know I saw a four-leaf clover in here somewhere!” ~ Pat McNabb “Living high in the clover...” ~ Marcia Monnett “I’m looking over a four-leaf clover....” ~ Annie Shaw “Twice as lucky: a rabbit’s foot and a four-leaf clover.” ~ Emily Stashower “If I go in a grid pattern, I can get every last one!” ~ Cathy Wilson “If I find one with four leaves, maybe I’ll get to keep my foot.” ~ Maggie Hayward “Crimson and Clover over and over, nom, nom, nom, nom, nom, over and over...” ~ Leslie McDermott “I can sign my autograph here... just a minute... a little left... back to the right...” ~ Marge McGugan “Oh, there’s my contact lens!” ~ Kim Kaplan “You can’t eat just one!” ~ Mary Pat Berry “If I just sit still, no one will see me.” ~ Judy Furlow “Doh! I just ate the four-leaf clover!” ~ Sara Haywood “Let’s see... All level... My work is done here!” ~ Flo Kellman

Rabbit photo by Kathy Jentz.

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DAYtrip

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DAYtrip

5 Flower Photography Hot Spots in our Region

By Kathy Jentz

Is there anything more beautiful than a young woman surrounded by thousands of blooming plants? Flowers and human females have a long history of being paired together in art and culture — think of Billie Holiday and the signature gardenias in her hair or the many selfportraits of Frida Kahlo surrounded by tropical blooms. It must be in our DNA or at least a Jungian archetype that makes this association, as we women are the fertile life-givers and flowers are the seed-bearers in the plant world.

No matter where the association originated, the mating works. I used to think standing next to a lovely orchid would overshadow a pretty girl or at least distract from her beauty, but, in fact, something about the combination of flower and face enhances both the plant and the person. Try to pick an outfit in a contrasting color to the flowers, such as blue or purple among yellow blooms, so your subject will stand out as well as the blossoms. Too often I see families posing among the red-pink-purple azaleas in clothing that is similar in tones to the shrubs as if they are trying to perfectly match the shades; it never looks right and often actually clashes.

Of course, when taking a portrait with plants, you want to observe when the flowers are at peak and act quickly.

Many times, flowers are specific to certain times of day, and those may not be the optimal times to photograph, but you must work with what nature gave you. For instance, hardy waterlilies only up in the heat of the direct sun in late morning and early afternoon, which is very harsh light, so be prepared to make adjustments such as having the sun back-light your subject and giving them a golden hazy glow.

If you are looking for opportunities in the Washington, DC, region to stage a photo shoot surrounded by hundreds of blooms, here are several spots and the

optimal times of year to visit them.

• Sunflower fields at McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Western Montgomery County. Sunflowers as far as the eye can see. The first field of blooms has already peaked, but there are other fields farther from the road that should last a few more weeks and you can go anytime during daylight hours. Wear shoes you can hike in and long pants (for tick protection) to get to the more hidden fields. Bring a stepladder as the sunflowers grow high and some of the best shots are taken looking down the long rows.

• Waterlilies and lotus at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, at the corner of Anacostia Avenue and Douglas Street, SE, Washington, DC. These are peaking now, so run, don’t walk, to Kenilworth for the best shots! There are so many waterlilies and lotus in bloom that you can just hold your arm out and take a photo in any direction without looking and all will be keepers. The paths between the ponds can get muddy, so wear appropriate footwear and a skirt that does not drag.

• Native Virginia Bluebells unfurl all over the Mid-Atlantic in mid-April. You can find large colonies of these paleblue blossoms along the C&O Canal as well as in stream valley parks all over the area. There are two annual local bluebell fests at Virginia parks -- Merrimac Farm and Bull Run – that you can attend and pose amongst. Bring a tarp or kneepad so you can squat down low in front of the fairly short plants.

• Cherry Tree crowds at the Tidal Basin are overwhelming and frustrating; instead, go to the US National Arboretum, which has a splendid and more varied display, plus lots of free/close parking. Take the Self-Guided Tour: Beyond the Tidal Basin: Introducing Other Great Flowering Cherries to explore the arboretum’s collection of over 2,000 cherry trees representing 600 different cultivars, hybrids, and

species of various shapes, sizes, flower colors, and bloom times, including trees that have been created by arboretum scientists. (In case you hadn’t heard, the arboretum is now back to being open all week long again — hurray!)

• Cut-flower farms are another great spot to stage flower portraits in. Lavender farms peak in early to mid-June, but other flower varieties like zinnias, dahlias, etc., peak from July through early September. Flower farms like Wollam Gardens in Jeffersonton, VA, often have open-garden days and flower festivals, so sign up for the social media to get notified of upcoming dates. Some farms are pick-your-own and you can come in to cut flowers and take photos whenever they open the fields.

No matter what season or flower pairing you choose, your images will show abundance and beauty. Whether for an engagement portrait or a family gathering or just for fun, flower fields are a natural setting and a sure formula for wonderful shots to treasure forever.

Find out more about area gardening photography opportunities in local public gardens at DCgardens.com.

Also, remember to gather entries from your best images for our next Washington Gardener Magazine Garden Photo Contest. We will open up the submissions period again on January 1, 2016, so you can shoot throughout 2015 and give yourself time to sort out your best shots by the end of the upcoming holiday season. o Kathy Jentz is editor of Washington Gardener Magazine (www.washingtongardener.com) and is a long-time DC area gardening enthusiast. Washington Gardener is all about gardening where you live. She can be reached at @WDCgardener on Twitter and welcomes your local DMV gardening questions.

A shorter version of this article previously appeared on The DC Ladies blog at http:// www.thedcladies.com/.

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SPECIALfeature

Perennial Container Creations

by Tina Gibson

From July 27 to August 1, Baltimore, MD, will host the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) 2015 annual symposium. The PPA will transform the Baltimore Hilton Hotel’s public spaces into flourishing container-scapes.

More than 45 summer-fresh container designs will be on display and auctioned off during the PPA symposium. The silent container auction will run from July 27 through July 30. Each living container design is unique and inspired by designers, retailers, and grower collaborations. Ladew Topiary Gardens and Brent Horvath collaborated to create two amazing droughttolerant sedum cones (pictured at top, right). The Perennial Farms created a market cart (pictured above) and an under-the-sea theme complete with jewelry (pictured at right). Over 45 artistic designs have been submitted to the PPA symposium auction.

You can register for the symposium today and prepare to bid on your favorite container design. Learn more about the PPA symposium events at http:// perennialplant.org/. o Tina Gibson is owner Gardening by Tina, LLC in Aberdeen, MD, www.gardeningbytina.com.

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HORThanings

DC Plant Swap 2015

by Daven Desai The 8th annual Plant Swap by Washington Gardener Magazine took place on Saturday, June 13, 2015, at the US National Arboretum in Washington, DC. Dozens of folks drove in from all parts of the city, Virginia, and Eastern Maryland to take part in the plant swap.

Every year, people bring their own plants, from edibles to perennials.

These gardening enthusiasts love exchanging what they have grown for something entirely different. When Kathy Jentz, editor-in-chief of Washington Gardener Magazine, blew her whistle, attendees eagerly rushed to pick up their plant of choice. Participants had to bring something to give up from their garden, while a few gardening supporters came just to hang with these plantlovers.

Using a portion of the front parking lot at the arboretum, each space was labeled with a plant category. There were houseplants, herbs, and even water plants! After three rounds of plant selecting, nothing was left homeless at the end of the event. o

FONA Benefit Dinner

by Daven Desai The Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) hosted an evening benefit on Tuesday, June 9, 2015, on the arboretum grounds.

Each year in June, FONA welcomes friends and guests to a relaxing evening overlooking the Capitol Columns. With a cocktail reception in the fragrant National Herb Garden and a feast in the meadow, the Great Arboretum Dinner is always a pleasure.

Not just another DC black tie event, the dinner brings together people from business, government and the community to support the gardens and programs at the Arboretum. Each year, a different state is honored; in 2015, the state of South Carolina was featured. o

Maryland Master Gardener Training Day 2015

DC Green Festival 2015

by Marissa Paiano On the weekend of June 5-7, 2015, Green America hosted its 11th Green Festival Expo at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC . Several hundred booths were filled with exhibitors promoting items ranging from clothes and accessories to transportation and travel to health and fitness. There were also booths run by animal adoption agencies where attendees could pet the cats and dogs.

Over the course of the weekend, there was a variety of speakers at two stages in the convention center. Celebrity chef Leslie Durso gave a talk on Saturday about her vegan recipes, while other speakers throughout the weekend gave lectures on topics such as sustainable investing or infrared healing.

Another highlight of the event was an eco-friendly Tiny House on display that guests could walk inside. Free yoga sessions were also available for attendees on Friday and Saturday and a food court offered both vegan and vegetarian cuisines. o

Family Fun in Grass Roots Exhibit

by Marissa Paiano On the evening of Thursday, July 9, the US National Arboretum opened its doors after hours to the Grass Roots exhibit for an “evening of family fun.”

The exhibit showcases the integral role grass plays in our day-to-day lives.

Both Friends of the National Arboretum members and the general public were able to play games of badminton and croquet while enjoying some icecold beverages. The event, sponsored

by Bayer CropScience, also featured a scavenger hunt throughout the handson exhibit and a visit from the Ben and Jerry’s Tesla ice cream car handing out free ice cream on its “Save our Swirled” tour to promote clean energy. o

by Gaby Galvin At the Master Gardener and Master Naturalist 17th Annual Training Conference on Thursday, June 4, 2015, Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists from all over Maryland gathered at the University of Maryland’s Stamp Student Union to attend presentations, attend trade show exhibits, and connect with each other. The keynote speaker, William Woys Weaver, discussed “The Kitchen Garden for Culinary and Cultural Research: The Roughwood Seed Collection” and Baker Creek Alliance. Tours of the university’s gardens gave attendees a chance to see the work that has been done to make the university a greener, more eco-friendly campus.

More than 1,000 people attended the event, making for a lively and exciting day of experts expanding the gardening knowledge of Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists from the DC-area. o

Garden Photo Contest Show Opening Party

by Gaby Galvin More than 40 people came out to look at the winning photos from Washington Gardener Magazine’s 9th Annual Photo Contest Winner Showcase on Sunday, July 12, 2015, at an exhibit at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. All 17 winning photos were taken in DC-area gardens and are both inspirational and educational. These images represent the best of garden photography in the greater Washington, DC, metropolitan region. The photo show runs through September 1, 2015, so if you missed the reception, you still have time to see some stunning gardening photos during the normal botanical gardens’ visitor center hours of 10AM–7PM daily. o JULY 2015

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TIPStricks

Houzz Survey Reveals Top 2015 Landscaping Trends

by Daven Desai Water issues? More than half of home owners who are updating their yards to cope with drought and flooding say no way! The Houzz Landscaping & Garden Trends survey, released this year, revealed much about recent trends in landscaping. The survey shows that 36 percent of homeowners updating their existing lawns are reducing them and 16 percent are removing them completely. On the other hand, homeowners in California are twice as likely to replace their existing lawns with synthetic ones.

Nino Sitchinava, principle economist at Houzz, believes that this trend is associated with new homeowners. “Our data shows that new home purchases are triggering major landscape projects,” he said, “In light of water-related challenges across much of the country, homeowners are embarking on projects to tackle a lack of or excess water in the long term. This includes installing rainwater harvesting systems, adding drought-resistant and native plants, and others.”

According to the Houzz survey, homeowners are looking for low-maintenance spaces as a top priority. The survey states that 71% of homeowners prefer easy-to-maintain functional spaces, whereas 60% prioritize spaces that are easy to entertain in, and 48% prioritize spaces that are easy for the family to enjoy next. With functionality comes quality time and that’s exactly what more than half of homeowners do, spending six or more hours a week in their spaces relaxing.

Nearly all homeowners are updating greenery during their outdoor projects, while 66% of homeowners update by planting perennials, 54% by planting shrubs, 51% plant annuals, and 44% plant trees and other plants. One homeowner in five also plants cacti or succulents.

When it comes to financing these outdoor projects, homeowners are budgeting less than $5,000 on their current or upcoming outdoor projects while others already spent this amount on recent projects. About one homeowner in every four budgets $20,000 on their outdoor 10

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projects. The survey has shown that the budgeting amount doesn’t always align with the actual spent amount.

Lastly, 67% of homeowners value design and style when it comes to their outdoor living spaces, 60% want a space that is beautiful, and 30% want one that reflects who they are. o

Montgomery County Training Arborists to Detect Natural Gas Leaks

by Marissa Paiano As described previously in Washington Gardener Magazine, natural gas pipeline leaks can cause major damage to trees. Older neighborhoods have damaged pipes that are prone to leaks and, when these leaks occur, they can be deadly for surrounding vegetation.

The natural gas, containing methane, diminishes the oxygen level in the soil, starving the trees and leaving them susceptible to disease and the elements.

Montgomery County, MD, is taking steps to locate the leaks and prevent this damage.

According to Gas Leaks Kill Trees (http://gasleakskilltrees.org), an environmental activist group, the Department of Transportation is giving arborists equipment to detect the natural gas around the trees and is teaching them how to test for the methane.

On June 8, Bob Ackley, a gas-leak detecting expert from Gas Safety Inc., led the efforts to protect these trees by training arborists in the county arborists and collecting data, according to Gas Leaks Kill Trees. It is estimated that taxpayers may have to pay tens of thousands of dollars as a result of the damage. Gas Leaks Kill Trees said this money is used for dead tree removal, preserving sick trees, and extended costs such as if a tree were to fall and damage a house or power line.

A Silver Spring, MD, resident, Barbara Schubert, lost 20 shade trees that were known to have methane near their roots. Since 2008, Schubert has been attempting to increase awareness of the issue, collecting data on the leaks and implementing both county and state legislation to cause natural gas providers to prevent future leaks and also to take financial responsibility for the damage. o

Humane Backyard Program

by Gaby Galvin The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the biggest animal protection organization in the country, has partnered with Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds to create a “Humane Backyard” initiative. They are encouraging outdoor projects, like gardening, that are environmentally sustainable and help local wildlife flourish in communities around the country. To do this, they are offering free Humane Backyard starter kits.

The starter kit includes “A Prayer for Animals,” a prayer card by Joan Chittister, O.S.B. Benetvision; HSUS Faith Outreach and Rural Development and Outreach program information; and a packet of seeds courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

Baker Creek offers the largest selection of rare heirloom seeds in the country, including more than 1,700 types of flowers, herbs, and vegetables. Their seeds are all-natural, open-pollinated and non-GMO. They are located in Mansfield, MI, and Petaluma, CA, and have been around since 1998. Baker Creek also has a gardening book, a vegan cookbook, a magazine, and seasonal events.

Creating a natural, humane backyard will help maintain local wildlife for years to come. It gives them a safe haven from the dangers humans present, like toxic pesticides or chemicals, wildlife trapping, and pets that may pose a threat to them.

Humane backyards can be created in any outdoor space, whether it’s a tight apartment balcony or a large suburban yard. The HSUS encourages people to think creatively about the outdoor space they do have, and to take advantage of that space, whether big or small. Everyone can give animals food, water, and shelter in a natural and safe way.

The HSUS offers many ideas for projects that can be done year-round, like building birdseed baskets and bat houses, decorating old Christmas trees for wildlife, and creating a pond. They also suggest using these DIY projects as youth projects and making them fun for people of all ages and backgrounds.

You can order your Humane Backyard starter kit at humanesociety.org. o

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts

• Native Spotlight: Milkweeds • Crocosmia: You Can Grow That!

• Container Gardening Basics • Summer Mulching Tips See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com

New Plant Spotlight New Blueberry for Home Growers

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) was recently awarded a patent for ‘Nocturne,’ a blueberry cultivar developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the Genetic Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory.

The new cultivar came from a blueberry cross made by ARS plant geneticist Mark Ehlenfeldt in 1993, and the plant was subsequently selected and evaluated from 1996 to 2011. ‘Nocturne’ is a cross between US 874 (a mixed-species hybrid) and Premier (a commercial rabbiteye blueberry).

This cross incorporates germplasm from three different blueberry species, including one with extreme cold-hardiness.

‘Nocturne’ is a vigorous, winter-hardy, black-fruited blueberry. This variety is intended to be a specialty market plant for home, landscape, and ornamental use, according to Ehlenfeldt. ‘Nocturne’ is especially notable for having winter hardiness comparable to northern highbush blueberry cultivars and for being slow to break dormancy in spring, making it unlike any other rabbiteye blueberry hybrids currently available.

The new blueberry bears fruit reliably in New Jersey, averaging 12 pounds per plant. Although, it is self-pollinating, yields and size are likely to be improved by cross-pollination. Unripe fruit is vivid and red-orange, providing attractive landscape interest. Ripe fruit is black, sweet, and medium-sized. Fruit ripens in late midseason to late season. The scar quality — how cleanly the fruit separates from the stem — is fair, and the fruit has only moderate firmness, so ‘Nocturne’ is not recommended for storage or shipping.

‘Nocturne’ plants may be available to growers within a year or two. o

July-August Garden To-Do List

• The heat of summer is here. Time to start doing chores during early morning or evening. Take a break during the hottest parts of the day.

• Prune Wisteria.

•If your pond water gets low from prolonged drought, top it off with tap water and add a dechlorinator according to package instructions.

• Cut back spent stalks on common daylilies.

• Pinch back any annuals that may be growing leggy.

• Divide and cut back bearded iris.

• Check your pond pump for any debris — clean it out every few weeks.

• Weed.

• Cut off bottom, yellowed foliage on tomato plants.

• Stake and tie-up any tall-growing perennials such as phlox or delphiniums.

• Wash out birdbaths weekly with diluted bleach solution.

• Water thoroughly, especially if you receive no rain for more than seven days.

• Take cuttings from azaleas, boxwoods, and camellias to start new plants.

• Check your local garden center for mid-summer bargains.

• Hand-pick Japanese Beetles or shake them off over a bucket of dishwater.

Early morning is a good time to catch them, while they are still drowsy.

• Re-pot the houseplants you’ve moved outdoors for the summer.

• Pick blueberries at a local pick-your-own farm or visit a local farmer’s market.

• Pinch back any straying strawberry runners.

• Deadhead perennials for a second flush of blooms later this summer.

• Thin out small trees and cut off any suckering branches growing from the bottom root ball.

• Inspect your garden for powdery mildew. If seen, prune back perennials to create needed circulation.

• Annuals are now hitting their peak. Keep them well-watered and add a little liquid fertilizer every few weeks to keep them going through September.

• Check your plants at night with a flashlight for any night-feeding insects like slugs.

• If you find slug damage, set out beer traps or Sluggo pellets.

• Pinch back mums so they grow bushier and won’t flower until autumn.

• Hold off on planting new trees and shrubs until the summer heat has passed.

• Caulk and seal your outside walls to prevent insect entry into your home.

• Harvest regularly from your vegetable garden to prevent rot and waste.

• Put up a hammock or a garden bench to enjoy your views.

• Turn compost pile.

• Check out gardening books from your local library to read on vacation.

• Check for any stagnant water mosquito breeding grounds, especially your gutters. Dump out any water that sits stagnant for more than three days.

• Add Mosquito Dunks to any standing water in your yard such as birdbaths, downspouts, plant saucers, and gutters.

• Gather roses to enjoy indoors and be sure to make the cut just above a five-leaf unit.

• Harvest onions when tops die back.

• Sow seeds of fall crops such as broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, etc., in late July.

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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ July 16–August 15, 2015 •Wednesday, July 22, 10:30–11:30am Tour: Exposed Exposed Want to learn more about “Exposed: The Secret Life of Roots?” Join Adam Pyle, USBG Horticulturist, for a tour of this “depth”-defying exhibit, which highlights the many important underground functions of plants. Start in the East Gallery, then venture outdoors to the USBG Terrace to see examples of interesting roots, rhizomes, and other underground plant parts in tropical, temperate, and vegetable gardening vignettes. Come and explore with Adam and delve deeper into the secret life of plants. Tour will meet in the Conservatory Garden Court FREE: Pre-registration required. See http://usbg.gov/ for details.

• Wednesday, July 22, 6:30–8:30pm Dealing with Deer & Other Mammal Pests in Your Garden Bambi may be cute, but he and his mother, cousins, and rest of the herd are very hungry and they would love to make a feast of your garden. This talk will cover proven and humane tactics for gardening with deer, rabbits, rats, groundhogs, and other creatures that

are attracted to both edible and ornamental gardens. Held at the Raymond Rec Center in WDC. For more detailed descriptions of the class and teachers and how to register, go to: http://dcdpr. asapconnected.com/Courses.aspx?Cou rseGroupID=11845.

•Thursday, July 23- 6:30–8:30pm An Evening in the Meadow Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) invite you for an after-hours event at the US National Arboretum featuring award-winning jazz musician Mark G. Meadows and his band Somethin’ Good. FONA members and children under free are 12. For nonmembers, donations of $5 per person are suggested at the door. Reserve your spot by emailing lrietkerk@fona.org.

• Saturday, July 25, 10–11:30am Low Tunnels and Winter Gardening This hands-on workshop for food gardeners, led by Gordon Clark, project director, Montgomery Victory Gardens, will teach you how to build and maintain a low tunnel and cold frame: the fundamental structures to grow food throughout the winter. Course # 316453. Fee: $22 FOBG: $20; registration required.

Meet at the Brookside Gardens conservatory entrance. Details at http://www. montgomeryparks.org/brookside/.

• Saturday, July 25, 10–11:30am Lower-Maintenance Garden Ideas Tour the gardens with horticulturalist Brenda Skarphol to look at ways to make your summer garden beautiful and lower-maintenance. Learn about tough plants that are attractive in summer, plant combinations, eco-friendly gardening techniques, and methods to increase water retention. Fee: $15/person. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312. Register online at www. fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring using code 290 388 5401 or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-6425173.

•Thursday, July 30, 6:30–8:00pm Garden Book Club Discussion of Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life Washington Gardener Magazine Book Club selection, we will be discussing: Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell. The book club meeting will be held at the Takoma Park* Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC, in the TPK Meeting Room. The library room allows food and drink and you may bring your dinner and/or snacks to share. The book club meetings are FREE and open to anyone who would like to attend. RSVP to “WG Book Club” at WashingtonGardener@rcn.com.

• Saturday, August 1, 9am–1:30pm Grow It Eat It Summer Event Learn how to keep your garden going.

Visit the Montgomery County master gardener demonstration garden in Derwood, MD. Attend the tomato tasting, meet with garden consultants, and attend classes/demonstrations.

The plant sale will include many of the plants and items discussed in the classes and demonstrations. If you have any questions, write to mc.growit@gmail. com.

• Tuesday, August 4, 11am–12noon Simpson Gardens Stroll Meet at Simpson Park Gardens, 420 E. Monroe St., Alexandria 22301 (by the

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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ July 16–August 15, 2015 YMCA). This month, Simpson Gardens spotlights its Waterwise Garden. Drop by and learn about plants that thrive in hot, dry conditions. VCE Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer gardening questions. Find out more at http:// www.ext.vt.edu.

• Thursday, August 6, 7pm Dealing with Stinkbugs and Other Invasive Pests Amanda Rose Newton, entomologist, will present “Who Invited You? Dealing with Stinkbugs and other alien invasive pests” in the Extension Office conference room. Amanda will give an overview of the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug and other alien invasive insects in Virginia. She will also share some of the latest scientific research and new developments in control methods. For more information about the lecture or the Loudoun County VCE Master Gardener program, visit the website: www. loudouncountymastergardeners.org or call the Loudoun Extension Office at 703-777-0373.

•Friday, August 7, 10am–4pm Composting for Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Landscaping This course will include a walk-through of components and processes for composting combining lecture and discussion with hands-on experience.

Students will deepen their knowledge and appreciation of soil as the most important player in farming. You will learn different methods for building and maintaining a healthy compost pile, and will detect and diagnose problems in a pile. You will also explore “recipes,” and uses for and benefits of effective composting in organic agriculture. Also, the course will cover the benefits and production of vermicompost from Red Wriggler worms in organic gardening or urban farming. Location: 6100 Emerson St. Bladensburg, MD 20710. Cost: $165. Register at www.pgcc.edu.

• Saturday, August 8, 10:00am Garden Tour: Coreopsis, Echinacea, Rudbeckia Three great native flowers are the centerpieces of this garden tours led by horticulturist Carol Miranda. Plant

list provided. Meet in the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens visitor center at 10:00am for a one-hour tour. Reservations suggested: 703-255-3631 or jmaloney@nvrpa.org. Garden admission applies ($2.50-$5). Reservations requested: 703-255-3631 or jmaloney@nvrpa.org. Learn more about Meadowlark at www.NOVAparks.com.

Save These Future Dates: • Saturday, August 22, 9am–4:30pm and Sunday, August 23, 12n–3:30pm 30th Annual Begonia Show and Sale Feast your eyes on this show, sponsored by the Potomac branch of the American Begonia Society. Be tempted by splashes of color and shape for homes and greenhouses that last long after frosts have put our outdoor gardens to bed. The sale offers a wide variety of begonias, including subtropical species. Free event. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. For information, call Green Spring Gardens at 703-642-5173.

• Sunday, August 23, 5–7pm 10th Anniversary of Washington Gar-

dener Magazine Open Garden Party Special guests and details TBA. • Saturday, August 29, 10am–12noon 8th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Tomato Tasting At the FreshFarm Market in downtown Silver Spring, MD. Sample the multitude of tomatoes at market and vote on your favorites. Stop by for tomato recipes, growing tips, and much more... The event is FREE and open to the public.

Wear a bib! Details at our blog: http:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/.

Still More Event Listings

See even more event listings on the Washington Gardener Yahoo discussion list. Join the list at http://groups.yahoo. com/group/WashingtonGardener/.

How to Submit Local Garden Events

To submit an event for this listing, please contact: Wgardenermag@aol. com — put “Event” in the subject line.

Our next deadline is August 10 for the August 15 issue, featuring events taking place from August 16—September 15, 2015. o

Garden Travel for Garden Lovers

Upcoming Tour: Piet Oudolf & Dutch Wave Gardens September 17-24, 2015

Hosted by Carolyn Mullet carexdesign.com/tours

10% off 2015 tours for Washington Gardener readers!

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BOOKreviews There is a very good photo directory sharing how to identify specific types of bees. The author ends this book by discussing the challenges that bees are facing at the moment — habitat loss, how gardening/farming has changed, the obvious chemical over-use, and common pests and diseases.

Most importantly, the author discusses how, if we work together like the bees, we can help ensure the future of bees. One of the solutions he offers is for us to engage in restoration of habitats that are bee-friendly, planting for pollinators and educating the public on how to save the bees. I found this book to be a great addition to any library, especially if you are interested in the care and health of the bee.

The Bee: A Natural History

By Noah Wilson-Rich Publisher: Princeton University Press List Price: $27.95 Reviewer: Teresa Speight This book on bees was quite informative, if one is interested in the topic. It was easy to read for the layman and honestly got me more excited about bees and what I can do to keep them pollinating where I live.

Noah Wilson-Rich starts by explaining the anatomy and biology of bees, including their living habits.

He includes fun facts like the male bees are always first to hatch. The females hatch after the males and then instantly it is mating season. There are solitary nests, eusocial, and social nests. Sounds almost human. While their needs are different, the end result is the same: pollinating communities.

There are sub-social and semi-social pathways where the bees are raised in either a community or in a solitary environment. This is just the beginning of information that explains how the queen bee and the helper bees interact and produce wonderful honey used in some of the finer products today.

Wilson-Rich also has an excellent chapter on beekeeping. Information on ancient methods of beekeeping to current day methods such as Langstroth hives, observation hives, data recording the health of the hives to the issues, and legality of urban beekeeping is all in simple language that anyone interested in beekeeping can understand.

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Teresa Speight is a native Washingtonian, who resides in District Heights, MD. She owns Cottage In The Court Landscape Consulting. She owes her interest in gardening to her father and the Central Rappahannock Master Gardeners, who taught her how to be a true “steward of the land.” She can be reached at cottageinthecourt@gmail.com.

Easy Orchid: The Fail-Safe Guide to Growing Orchids Indoors

By Liz Johnson Publisher: Firefly Books Ltd. List Price: $19.95 Reviewer: Marissa Paiano Orchids are a beautiful and unique-

looking flower that can add the perfect décor in any home. However, growing an orchid is not as easy as picking up the first one you see at the grocery store, and Liz Johnson explains that in her introduction. Easy Orchids is a straightforward, easy-to-read book that is perfect for those who want to grow orchids in their homes without much previous experience.

Throughout the book, Johnson leads you through the steps of purchasing an orchid and bringing it into your home. Chapter one, “Choosing your Orchid,” outlines the things you need to take into consideration before deciding which orchid is right for you. A lot of emphasis is on analyzing the temperature and light in your house. Then, Johnson provides a quick guide for what to look for and what not to look for when purchasing an orchid. The guide is complemented with pictures and even a checklist you can copy down and bring with you when shopping. The next chapter is about caring for your orchid where, again, a lot of emphasis is on light and temperature as well as watering.

Johnson clearly explains how different varieties of orchids need different growing temperatures, and amounts of light and water. This chapter goes into detail about feeding your orchid using fertilizer, as well as how to repot it. There is also a section on the many types of containers you can use to hold an orchid, as well as hanging baskets and rafts, to make them even more decorative. At the end of the second chapter, there is also a long section about pests and diseases. This extremely useful section explains the insects and fungus you might come across in your orchid and how to get rid of them. In the next two chapters, Johnson goes into even more detail about the variety of ways you can display your orchids and concerns that may arise with their solutions. She gives tips on planning your arrangement, as well as which orchids would work best in which rooms of your house.

Johnson does a great job of putting even the most minor worries to rest — giving solutions on what to do when there are untidy roots or when you find sticky droplets on its stem. Another tip I

BOOKreviews thought was really great was her advice on what to do when you’re going away on vacation.

The last segment, which is the majority of the book, is the alphabetically organized directory. This section is almost 100 pages of specific instructions for the different species of orchids. Johnson gives a little general information about each one and then the proper humidity, light, temperature, and feeding techniques it requires, along with a picture.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to grow an orchid in his or her home. Johnson will lead you through every step and help make your home an environment for your orchid to thrive in.

Marissa Paiano is a summer intern at Washington Gardener Magazine. She studies journalism at the University of Maryland and, in her free time, she enjoys reading and exploring DC.

facts that will help those people trying to get rid of them. Author Sarah Ford first discusses the slug’s likes and dislikes, and its enemies in the garden.

The book goes on with witty chapter titles that suggest killing slugs is a warlike game. From the chapter entitled “Prepare Your Battleground” to the “Gather Your Weapons” chapter, the book takes you on a step-by-step journey to completely destroy the slug infestation of your garden. If one way fails, another is sure to work. Each method Ford has mentioned is short and to the point. Although they are creative, they seem to become less and less effective as the book goes on. One method that she suggests is squashing the bug with the actual book. In the beginning, there are great methods that Ford provides for anyone to successfully eliminate slugs from their gardens, and toward the end of the book, the methods become more basic and slightly humorous.

It seems that Ford’s numerous ways have all been tried and tested for success by the author herself. The book also provides specific ways that are suited for different gardens and different types of slugs, according to each one’s features and tendencies.

From chemical solutions to simply crushing the slugs by foot, this book would be a great gag gift for any occasion, in addition to doubling as tips for those new to the slimy garden pest.

Daven Desai is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is a broadcast journalism student in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This summer, he is also an editorial intern for Washington Gardener Magazine.

50 Ways to Kill a Slug

By Sarah Ford Publisher: Hamlyn/Octopus Publishing Group List Price: $6.95 Reviewer: Daven Desai In this amusing little book, you will find 50 fool-proof methods to help you rid your garden of the most annoying little gastropod, the slug. The first pages cover some basics about slugs — also known as the Arion lusitanicus — it’s size, lifespan, habitat, and other crucial

Plant Combinations for Your Landscape

By Tony Lord Publisher: Creative Homeowner List Price: $14.95 Reviewer: Gaby Galvin This book is a great reference guide to anyone looking to change up their landscape or create a garden with some nice flow. The best part is its size. It looks small, but it really is packed with information. There are more than 400 photographed combinations, and more than 2,000 alternate combinations.

This book is separated into six main sections: shrubs and small trees, climbers, roses, perennials, bulbs, and annuals. Within the sections, each plant is listed alphabetically with some information about it, such as its appearance, how it grows, and the plants it is best suited with. It then lists anywhere from five to 10 additional recommended plant partners, which you can then look up as well and see for yourself.

At the beginning of the book is a guide for different symbols used throughout. They represent the plant’s height and spread, typical flowering season, range of light levels, preferred soil water content and conditions, and its hardiness zone. I found the emphasis on hardiness zones to be very useful to local growers because you can easily find out which plants are practical to plant in our region.

All of the plants are best suited for summer, and the book gives a good time frame for when they’ll bloom, whether it’s early to mid-summer or late summer to early autumn. It specifies which should go together because their flowering seasons coincide, which can be helpful to anyone, regardless of experience level.

The book is filled with photos by Andrew Lawson to show the reader different suggested combinations and how they go well together. The photography in this book is decent. It’s nothing spectacular, but it does get the point across. Nonetheless, I think the photos are a great addition, because as the Book Reviews continued on next page

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BOOKreviews reader, you can then decide for yourself whether you think a plant combination looks good before taking a chance and planting them in your garden.

Overall, this book is a great guide for anyone who wants to change things up in their garden or yard and isn’t quite sure where to begin, or is looking for fresh ideas. It’s easy to use and clearly organized and, while it doesn’t require expansive gardening knowledge to understand, it will definitely provide some insight for experienced gardeners as well as beginners.

Gaby Galvin is a Washington Gardener Magazine summer 2015 intern who is studying multiplatform journalism at the University of Maryland. She does some gardening at home in Davidsonville, MD, with her mother and grandparents. She can be reached through Washington Gardener.

Book Excerpt

Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening

By Fran Sorin “Very early on each spring, when I start to look around my garden and envision what I want to plant that year, I always go through the same process of longing

for the familiar. Perhaps the Roses of last year were particularly fragrant, or the Love-Lies-Bleeding plants especially enticing, and I think, Ooh, I’ll do that again. But then comes the familiar tug inside that reminds me that my garden is my laboratory for my own growth, and that I grow only when I take risks.

That is the tug towards a newer, more unveiled version of myself, and I quickly do an about-face and start thinking about what I can do differently this year...

“This isn’t about taking risks for the thrill of it, or for the heck of it. That’s adrenaline or counteracting boredom.

This is about consciously pushing the boundaries of who you are right now in order to see who you might become.

It’s about testing yourself in the face of your fears and finding the grit to move forward in spite of them — giving your dreams a chance to fly even if you may very well land right on your butt...

“Every single new planting can be a risk. You spend time, energy, and money. . . all things that have a lot of value. And you never really know how things will turn out. But to me, half the fun is the anticipation of what will be and how I will grow as a result.”

Next Book Club Meeting

For our next Washington Gardener Magazine Book Club selection, we will be discussing: Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell. The book club meeting will be held at the Takoma Park Neighborhood Library,* Washington, DC, in the TPK Meeting Room on Thursday, July 30, from 6:30-8:00PM. The library room allows food and drink, and you may bring your dinner and/or snacks to share. The book club meetings are FREE and open to anyone who would like to attend.

RSVP to “WG Book Club” at WashingtonGardener@rcn.com. I will be limiting attendance to 20. If you need to cancel, let me know ASAP so we can give your spot to someone else, should we have a wait-list. *NOTE: This is the library on the Washington, DC, side of the border, NOT the City of Takoma Park, MD, location.

Y ou Can Make a Difference. . . by

Sharing Your Harvest

Plant an extra row in your garden and deliver the harvest to a local food bank or shelter. The need is great!

With your help, PAR can continue to make a difference for America’s most vulnerable.

Call our toll-free number (877.GWAA.PAR) or visit our website at www.gardenwriters.org/par for more information.

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Love Reading?

These books were reviewed by volunteer members of the Washington Gardener Reader Panel. We are looking for a few additional volunteers who live in the greater Washington, DC, region to serve on our Reader Panel. This will consist of about two email exchanges per month. Reader Panelists may also be asked to review new gardening books and test out new garden plants, tools, and seeds.

To join the Washington Gardener Volunteer Reader Panel, please send an email with your name and address to: wgardenermag@aol. com. We look forward to having you be a vital part of our local publication and its gardening mission. o

EDIBLEharvt

Drying Tips

Capturing Summer’s Flavors: Top 20 Tips for Preserving Herbs

by Briscoe White

By mid-summer, you should have a bounty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs in your kitchen garden. You probably have too much to use all at once, so now is the time to capture that height of flavor for use in later seasons.

Here are several tips for drying and preserving herbs.

When to Harvest

For the best flavor, harvest herbs in the early morning, as they produce flavorful natural oils at night without the stress of the sun. Throughout the day, the plants lose some potency as some of the oils evaporate in the heat.

Harvest leafy greens like Parsley before they go to flower in early summer for best flavor for drying and preserving for winter.

If harvesting woody perennials or evergreens, like Rosemary, you can harvest as you like throughout the growing season.

How to Harvest

Make sure to use clean, sharp scissors or pruners for a clean, healthy cut. Dirty

or dull tools may mash the plant and leave disease, infecting the rest of the plant.

When making a cut, choose your desired amount to be harvested and make a clean cut right above the closest node on the stem. Nodes are where the next set of leaves will branch off of the stem, and all plants have them. This is to ensure the plant has a strong point to heal from where you have trimmed and harvested.

Make sure to harvest evenly from all over the plant to keep a balanced shape.

For mature perennial herb plants, do not harvest more than a third of the plant at a time, to allow the plant to recover. For mature annuals, you can usually harvest up to 50% without harming the plant.

When harvesting annuals throughout the growing season, leave at least 4" of active ground growth to ensure the plant will continue to grow and to allow for another harvest before the end of summer.

Herbs will lose flavor after six months as their oils dissipate. Make sure to completely dry your washed herbs, when beginning the drying process to avoid mold. Also, avoid mixing herbs in bundles when drying, as they may have varied drying times.

•Flat Drying: Wash and pat dry, single leaves or sprigs. Lay on cookie sheet or cheesecloth, without allowing them to touch. Lay flat in dark, dry room for two weeks. Once slightly faded and brittle, they can be stored in air tight jars for up to six months.

•Hanging Herbs to Dry: Wash and pat dry. Bundle into small bunches. Bind stems with string or a rubber band.

Hang to dry in a cool, dark place. Allow to dry for two weeks, then store in airtight jars for up to six months.

Storing Dried Herbs

For short-term storage of chopped herbs, store them in the fridge, covered with a damp paper towel. This lasts up to three days and is best for Basil, Mint, and Chives.

For short-term storage of whole herbs, place a damp paper towel around end of stems, then place in a ziplock bag or air-tight container. This lasts up to a week and is best for Basil, Chives, Parsley, and Tarragon.

For long-term storage, make an herb butter by softening butter and adding chopped herbs. Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to three months.

Another technique for long-term storage is using ice cube trays. Chop your herbs finely and pack them into the trays. Add just enough water to cover them and freeze. They will stay good for up to six months. This works best with Dill, Chervil, Cilantro, Onions, Tarragon, Parsley, Basil, and Chives.

No matter how you choose to preserve your herbs, you will be grateful in the depths of winter that you took the time to do so and can taste the freshness of summer again. o Briscoe White is the owner and grower at The Growers Exchange, based in Charles City, VA. He specializes in herb plants — culinary, medicinal, and aromatic. Contact him at http://www.thegrowers-exchange. com/.

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PLANTprofile

Stunning Stewartia:

A Small Tree to Bridge the Seasons

by Judith Mensh Photos by Kathy Jentz

It’s not another Red Maple, or Crape Myrtle, trees we see over and over. It’s Stewartia: a small tree with a sizeable reputation. When planning a garden with all-season interest, consider Stewartia, both Asian and Native.

Stewartia, not often planted, stands out, summer, fall, winter, and spring, whether showing off its buds, its camellia-like white flowers with golden or purple and blue stamens, its autumnal color, seed pods, bark in winter, or new leaves in the spring.

Yes, there is a Virginia Stewartia, native to the coastal plains. In fact, there are two native species, Stewartia ovata, first noted by the Rev. John Clayton (1656-1725) of Jamestown, VA, and S. malacodendron, discovered 50 18

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years later, the source of the description by Carl Linnaeus. It’s easy to imagine the “wow factor” for the Europeans coming upon either tree in the spring.

Neither has the dramatic peeling bark of the Asian species, but the flowers are stunning. In the summer, its bloom period occurs after the initial burst of spring color in the rest of the garden.

“Summer Dogwood” is a local southern name.

In the winter, the beauty of its natural form and striking exfoliating bark stand out. It is a small- to medium-sized, ornamental, deciduous tree. Stewartia reaches upwards toward 30-feet. In the wild, it can grow taller.

A living specimen was sent to the English earl John Stuart, working on the

creation of Kew Gardens at the time, by the botanist John Clayton. Through this same source, Linnaeus received a dried herbarium specimen upon which he based his creation of the group Theaceae, which also includes the Camellia, and the rarely seen Franklinia.

The various species — 12 recognized Asian ones — have idiosyncratic qualities, some with branches that zig-zag, some with large spherical buds tinged dark red; some are tree-form, some shrubby. Two species of Stewartia have fragrant flowers.

Pruning is neither required nor desirable. Allow it to develop its natural structure and shape over time, pruning only to remove dead, broken, or crossing branches, or to remove a waterspout. The genus Stewartia is known to be pest-free as well as non-aggressive.

It is slow-growing. S. Koreana, S. malacodendron, and S. monadelpha are all recommended for their heat tolerance.

This specimen tree is definitely for ornamental use as it is too special to be hidden or inaccessible.

In its native Asian habitats of Japan, Korea, and China, Stewartia is frequently seen. It is also found in Laos and Vietnam, as well as Appalachia, including Arkansas, the Carolinas, Kentucky, plus neighboring east Texas and Florida.

Plant collector Edward Wilson is responsible for bringing additional Asian species of Stewartia to the West in the early 1900s, via the sponsorship of Harvard, through the Arnold Arboretum, thereby jump-starting the journey of the Stewartia into our botanic institutions and our personal gardens.

The North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC) has awarded National Collection status to two American Stewartia collections, both in Massachusetts, which speaks to the hardiness of many of the Stewartia; one at Polly Hill Arboretum, Martha’s Vineyard, MA; one at the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, MA. Buds are large and round and dense.

The white flowers are lovely, some with crimped edges. Our native species, Silky Stewartia (S. malacodendron) and Mountain Stewartia (S. ovata), have purple anthers with blue stamen.

The Asian species have golden-yel-

PLANTprofile low centers. Typically, the flowers of the Japanese Stewartia open up cupshaped, while the flowers of the Korean Stewartia open up flat. The Orangebark or Tall Stewartia (S. monadelpha) has particularly colorful eye-catching bark.

protection from the afternoon sun and the north wind. It does not like wet feet.

An understory woodland, edge-of-thewoods habitat tree, it will thrive under similar conditions in your garden.

Stewartia History

Generally speaking, the plant most available here in Zone 7 will be the Stewartia pseudocamellia, the Japanese Stewartia. If you find a Stewartia koreana, feel confident, as it is nearly identical to the S. pseudocamellia.

The Korean Stewartia is considered top of the line; both exhibit good heat-tolerance.

Available locally are a few other Asian varieties: S. rostrata, a Chinese species introduced in 1936, and S. serrata, a Japanese species. Visit your local garden centers and take a look at what they have. Ask about the availability of Stewartia. Perhaps with more encouragement, more Stewartia will enter into the mainstream nursery trade.

Fossil finds have revealed that Stewartia is an ancient genus and was probably more widely distributed than it is today. The Rev. John Clayton first observed and noted Stewartia, later named Stewartia ovata, on the coastal plains of Virginia. It soon became more popular than the S. malacodendron in European gardens.

The leaves of Stewartia are used in Korean traditional medicine for liver problems and neuralgia. Modern science has revealed that the leaves of S. pseudocamellia contain phenols, triterpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids with potential medical uses. Traditionally used in the broom-style of Bonsai, Stewartia is on view at the Chicago Botanic Garden and locally at the US National Arboretum bonsai pavilion.

S. pseudocamellia, the classic, best known, most-often seen species, arrived in the West from Japan in 1874, the first Asian variety to come on the scene, and it was an immediate hit. The relationship between the Asian Stewartia and the native North American genus continues to be under investigation.

Optimal Conditions

If you have the an opportunity to plant a new tree, Stewartia makes a dramatic statement. It can even fit well in a townhouse garden.

Start with a young tree, a long-term commitment, and a very special location. It requires consistent watering during its first year of establishment.

Best to plant it in a location where it can live out its destiny, as transplanting after establishment has a low survival rate. Stewartia does like well-drained, organic soil, and a sheltered spot, with

Best Available Cultivars

Companion Plants

Plant Stewartia among an evergreen ground cover such as Golden Ragwort, with an evergreen background, at the corner of a two-story house (at least eight feet away), or in a grove at the edge of a woodland. Rodgersia aesculifolia, Viola sp., and Phyllostachys nigra are a few possible combinations, Underplanting with spring-blooming Scilla and other minor bulbs also works well.

Viewing Stewartia

In England, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has given Stewartia the Garden Award of Merit several times in 1993, and once in 2001. The 25 acres of landscaped woodland and water gardens at High Beeches Gardens, England, includes the British National Collection of Stewartia.

There are many American arboretums, botanical gardens, and public gardens across the country that contain Stewartia, and a number of groups devoted to the cultivation and conser-

vation of our indigenous Stewartia. A Stewartia Working Group was established in 2007 to collaborate on the conservation of the native Stewartia, both of which are considered rare.

Conservation, cultivation, and study, the mission at Quarryhill Botanical Garden, Sonoma Valley, CA, includes its Stewartia Grove, the most diverse collection of the species available to see in the US. It is a definite top-of-the-list plant to ask for on a visit to an arboretum. At the Barnes Arboretum, Philadelphia, PA, among a grove of Asian Stewartia, there stands a Sawtooth Stewartia, (S. serrata), designated as a state champion tree. At Meadowlark Gardens in Alexandria. VA; Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD; and the US National Arboretum in Washington, DC, we have an abundant opportunity to observe this intriguing species.

South of Williamsburg, VA, along the Colonial National Historical Parkway, the stand of Stewartia ovata seen and noted by the Rev. Clayton in the 17th century still exists and is growing today on both sides of the road.

Sources of Purchase

In the home garden, Stewartia is unusual to see in the USA, while common in Japan and China. Its propagation issues have challenged the nursery industry, with the two native species particularly difficult to propagate in large numbers.

S. pseudocamellia, S. serrata, and S. rostrata are locally available at garden centers, but not at the big box stores. Lazy S’S Farm & Nursery in Barboursville, VA, is the closest nursery that grows it. There are also several in Pennsylvania and South Carolina, and an abundance of nurseries and garden centers in Oregon and Washington that carry an inventory of Stewartia.

The popularity of the standard Dogwood having waned in recent years due to disease and being too-often planted in full sun, consider planting Stewartia as a replacement. It may become the Dogwood of the future. o Judith Mensh is a local horticultural consultant. She is available to walk your yard with you and identify plants and possibilities.

She can be reached via email at JudithMenshNurtureNature@gmail.com.

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NEIGHBORnwork

Meet Barbara Faust,

Smithsonian Gardens Director: Virginia Native Farm Girl in the Big City

Text by Gaby Galvin Photos by Dan Weil

lions of annual visitors, Smithsonian Gardens has become a destination in its own right.

As an American Alliance of Museumsaccredited public garden of museum quality, Smithsonian Gardens strives to continue to build its national renown for innovative horticultural displays and education; significant collections; and outstanding service to visitors, professional partners, and the Smithsonian museums, while making professional excellence the underlying principle of all its operations.

I am honored to represent Smithsonian Gardens as its director.

Q: Are you native to the DC region?

A: I grew up in Nelson County, Virginia, which is three hours southwest of DC. I’ve been in the DC area for 38 years, so I’m almost a native!

Q: How did you start in your field?

A: Besides growing up on a farm, my first summer jobs during high school were picking and packing peaches and working for a boxwood nursery. I also was very active in 4-H. Many of my 4-H projects were plant-related. I just naturally gravitated to studying horticulture at Virginia Tech. My first job after graduation was at the Smithsonian in the horticulture department! The Smithsonian is such a grand institution that, once I was here, I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

Barbara Faust was born and raised in Virginia farm country, and has lived in the DC area her entire life. With Faust as Smithsonian Gardens director, the gardens have won accolades and acclaim. Her enthusiasm and passion make it clear that she is more than up for the challenging position.

Q: Tell us about you and the Smithsonian Gardens.

A: Smithsonian Gardens complement the museums, adding to the educa20

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tional, scientific, historical, and cultural dimensions of the Smithsonian. With unique and diverse living plant displays, the gardens and landscapes serve as living museums, public garden, and urban sanctuary — safe, relaxing settings for social interaction. Our collection of gardens and exhibitions engage and inspire visitors while educating them about horticulture, plants, American history, artistic design, the natural environment, and sustainability. For many of the Smithsonian’s tens of mil-

Q: What is your favorite part of your career?

A: I spend most of my time in my current position providing oversight and development of the overall Smithsonian Gardens program. I have loved every aspect of my career in horticulture but, if I were pressed, I’d say my favorite part was the greenhouse production of plant materials for use in the exteriors and interiors of the Smithsonian.

Q: What is a typical day like for you?

A: There’s no typical day for me, but most days consist of many, many meetings and lots of email correspondence.

Smithsonian Gardens touches all aspects of the Smithsonian, so meeting subjects can be as varied as special event planning to review of garden plans to exhibition development.

NEIGHBORnwork Q: Do you garden in your own backyard?

If so, what’s that like?

A: I do garden in my own backyard. I have a small, rather shaded garden. It’s just big enough to enjoy a little gardening in my spare time. My garden has been documented in the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens (http:// gardens.si.edu/collectionsresearch/aag.html). My colleague, Kelly Crawford, and I used my garden as a test for the draft protocol for accepting digital images into the archives.

Q: What mistakes and triumphs have you encountered in your own garden?

A: In my personal garden, I continue to be disappointed by my efforts to grow tomatoes. My garden continues to get shadier and shadier and, each year around August, I say I’m not going to try to grow tomatoes again, yet here I am again cultivating a couple of sad tomato plants.

Q: What advice would you give to beginners/amateurs home gardeners?

A: I would say utilize the many wonder-

ful public gardens in the DC area to inspire and educate you. They are a wonderful resource. Public gardens also provide excellent opportunities to volunteer and learn side-by-side with professional horticulturists. We, in the DC area, are also blessed with many great educational programs and opportunities such as local county adult education classes and Master Gardener programs.

Q: What plants are your favorite to use in the greater DC area?

A: We should all be in a heightened state of awareness of the health of our pollinators. I challenge everyone to plant to encourage pollinators to our gardens by choosing a variety of flower colors, making sure something is blooming at all times in our gardens, and that we make conscious choices to include plants that provide essential habitat for pollinators.

Q: Conversely, what plants would you advise others to avoid growing in our area?

A: Anything on the invasive plant list for the Mid-Atlantic region. We have to be

diligent in our efforts to keep invasives out of our landscapes and natural areas.

Q: What do you do when it is not the growing season?

A: Dream about the growing season.

Q: Where can people find you?

A: My contact information can be found on Smithsonian Gardens’ web site at www.gardens.si.edu under the About Us tab.

Q: Anything else you want to add or think would be of interest to our magazine readers?

A: I encourage you all to visit Smithsonian Gardens in person and to visit our web site to learn more about the many facets of our program. Also follows us on Twitter and Facebook and visit our Pinterest page and Instagram page. o Gaby Galvin is a Washington Gardener Magazine summer 2015 intern who is studying multiplatform journalism at the University of Maryland. She does some gardening at home in Davidsonville, MD, with her mother and grandparents. She can be reached through the Washington Gardener web site.

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PRODUCTreview

Lesche Soil Knife

by Louise Clarke As a professional horticulturist and avid after-work gardener, my indispensable go-to, all-purpose hand tool is the Lesche Soil Knife, doing the job of a trowel, weeder, knife, and bulb planter.

If I had to choose just one tool to use in my garden, this would be it. Weighing almost two pounds and 12" overall, the hardened chrome-moly steel digger sports a 7"-long serrated blade, ideal for cutting through turf, severing tenacious roots, woody weeds, and twining vines. The blade is rust-resistant, as I can attest, as my tool has been accidentally left in a wet sheath and outdoors in rainy conditions. Practically indestructible, these can jam the cutting blades of commercial tub grinders used to chop up woody refuse into chips — that’s tough!

Well-balanced in the hand, the soil knife efficiently weeds, plants, and slices through compacted earth. Weeds cower in my presence; I use it like a hoe to skim the soil surface, separating small weeds from their roots, or plunging down to evict tap-rooted dandelions. Small Pokeweeds don’t stand a chance, either. Should I find Poison Ivy vines growing up trees, the point is thin enough to slip under the hairy stems, and strong enough to pry them loose without having to touch the plant. The 22

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knife’s tip easily punctures plastic bags of mulch, soil, or other garden amendments. The blade will cut through burlap, useful when planting B&B (balled and burlapped) shrubs or trees, and the serrated edge will cut the twine used to lace the ball together. If there is a metal cage under the root ball, the knife can pry the basket away, making it easier to release before planting.

When transplanting container-grown plants, the blade can be slid around the inside edge of the pot to facilitate removal. Pot-bound roots are easily teased apart with the knife’s tip and serrated edge. Woody roots can be stabbed to release them from their spiraling habit, and spread out before planting to promote transplanting success. Dividing pot-bound plants can be accomplished with the Lesche; the sharpened edge can slice through all but the woodiest stems and roots.

I use my knife to mix in soil amendments like compost, grit, or gravel to improve soil texture. Granted, I’ll use a shovel or tiller for big jobs, but for small garden jobs the Lesche soil knife does the trick.

In garden beds, my soil knife works great for bulb planting. Forget those bulb planters; a stab with the knife easily opens a planting pocket, and

with its long blade, I’m able to make holes deep enough for bulbs of every size. The offset handle has a red vinyl grip that makes it easy to spot when left unattended, and features a welded hand-guard that protects and keeps fingers from slipping. Right- and lefthanded models are available, with the only difference being the position of the serrations. Having used both versions and being an ambidextrous south paw, I’ve found no advantage to either configuration.

Made in the USA, this tool is engineered to last a lifetime, and is supplied with a black Cordura nylon sheath, convenient for carrying and storage. The sheath is designed to slip over a belt and has a hook-and-loop tape closure to secure the handle for storage. My sheath is customized with a punched hole that accommodates a carabiner for easily switching locations; from belt loop to tool bag, to utility cart, to storage hook.

Available through on-line merchants and better garden retailers, purchasing a Lesche soil knife means you are making an investment in a life-time tool.

You’ll never need another unless you lose it. Fellow gardeners will ask to borrow it, so make sure you engrave it with your name. In all of the years I’ve been using my knife, I’ve never chipped or bent the blade, or broken the point.

Once you’ve purchased one, you’ll probably find other uses for your knife around the house, garage, or campground. It works as a doorstop, tent stake, screwdriver, can opener, ice pick, pry bar, and mixing tool.

Why this is the best-kept secret of the garden tool world, I’ll never know, but now you know — the Lesche soil knife will become your trusted right-hand (or left-hand) companion in the garden. o Louise Clarke is a degreed horticulturist employed by The Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, PA, where she tends over 1,200 woody plants and two green roofs, as well as leading workshops, writing, and lecturing on horticultural topics. As a zone-denial gardener, after hours, she tends Halcyon, her lush home garden, a mixture of tender tropicals, bulbs, perennials, unusual annuals, and vines. She rarely has time to admire the garden seated in her tiki hut, made from repurposed materials.

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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

MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heucheras) MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed-Starting Basics • Flavorful Fruiting Natives 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! • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local D O Garden Tips SOL • Spring Edibles Planting UT! Guide O LD for a Fresh Start • Testing Your SOSoil UT! • Redbud LD O Tree Selection and Care O S • Best Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells

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

SUMMER 2009 • Grow Grapes in the Mid-Atlantic • Passionflowers • Mulching Basics • Growing Hops 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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Donate to Support DC Gardens and Gardening in DC! What is DCGardens.com?

• Images and videos of DC-area gardens by month, enticing people to visit yearround (see DCGardens.com for examples).

• Deep local resources for turning more residents into gardeners.

• Digital images donated by volunteers, so DC Gardens is inexpensive. managed and funded independently from the gardens; nimble and very useful!

Why Gardens (and Gardening) Matter The Washington, DC, area is blessed with fabulous gardens that are open to the public, most of them free. Sadly, many are largely unknown and lack the funds to get the word out. If people could just see what they look like throughout the year, more would visit, and that matters because: • Gardens bring visitors close to plants and to all of nature, which benefits them mentally, spiritually, and physically.

• Visiting gardens is a gateway experience to taking up gardening at home and in the community.

• Public gardens are the primary teaching facilities for turning residents into gardeners, with classes and workshops on growing food, providing for wildlife, protecting our waterways from polluting runoff, and creating beauty in our home gardens or balconies.

• Turning people on to gardening results in more beauty for all of us to enjoy and better stewardship of our land — without nagging.

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