Washington Gardener October 2019

OCTOBER 2019 VOL. 14 NO. 8

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

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gardener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Plant Profile: Heuchera

Short & Sweet: Iris verna Assassin Bugs Doing the Dirty Work for You

Meet a Wildlife Habitat Conservation Expert What To Do in the Garden This Month DC-MD-VA Gardening Events Calendar

8 Key Tips for Layering Bulbs

DC’s Garden Cemeteries: The First Urban Parks

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RESOURCESsourc

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

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

Call 240.603.1461 or email KathyJentz@gmail.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

Green Spring Gardens

www.greenspring.org

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

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

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

www.sunfarm.com

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Contact kathyjentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates. The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

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INSIDEcontents

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FEATURES and COLUMNS Margaret O’Gorman speaking at last year’s Conservation Conference about corporate contributions to biodiversity, employee engagement, and community relations. This year’s conference is November 19 and 20 in Baltimore, MD.

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Check Heuchera over the winter during our freeze-thaw cycles for heaving out of the ground, exposing its crown. Gently press them back down and add extra leaf mulch around their base.

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“Thanks to perpetual care agreements and historic preservationists, many of these historic cemeteries remain today, protected from development. The result is a generation of gated, astonishing landscapes lying comfortably in the hearts of major American cities, ready for their comeback.” ~ Tate Williams, American Forests

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BOOKreviews 14-16 Barns and Sheds, Lifelong Gardener, Love of Pawpaws, Flora Magnifica DAYtrip 18-21 DC’s Cemetery Gardens GOINGnative 16 Dwarf Violet Iris (Iris verna) HORThappenings 22 DC Plant Swap, Tudor Place Fall Fest, THC Bulb Sale, Fairfax Co. Master Gardener Awards Night INSECTindex 17 Assassin Bugs NEIGHBORnetwork 6-7 Margaret O’Gorman, Wildlife Habitat Conservation Expert NEWPLANTspotlight 11 New Tulips PLANTprofile 8 Coral Bells (Heuchera sp.)

TIPStricks 10

Bulb Layering, Soil Microbe Adapt, Vertical Gardening DEPARTMENTS ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue READERreactions RESOURCESsources

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ON THE COVER The Willow Columbarium at the Oak Hil Cemetery, Washington, DC. In our November issue: Stick Work

by Patrick Dougherty and much more . . .

Be sure you are subscribed!

Click on the “subscribe” link at washingtongardener.com

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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 kathyjentz@gmail.com www.washingtongardener.com Call today to place your ad with us!

Jessica Kranz Taylor Markey Intern Ruth E. Thaler-Carter Proofreader Your editor relaxing on reptilian seating at the Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Halloween is My Favorite Holiday

I love Halloween. I like the (safe) frights and really get into dressing up. Much as I’d like to be a black cat, I try to challenge myself every year to come up with a new costume idea and to make as much of it from scratch as I can. Last year, I was a Zom-bee (pictured above). I marched (lurched) in the annual Silver Spring Zombie Parade and was a hit, especially with small children, who apparently can look straight past my dead pallor and begged for hugs and photos with “the cute bee.”

I had not anticipated the affection youngsters these days have for an insect that many adults I know run in terror from!

This year, I plan to decorate my garden with a giant spider web, along with several skeletonized victims in its web. The state of my drought-damaged garden will work perfectly with the spooky scene.

Like many of you, I have lost at least one shrub and several perennials, despite trying to keep things watered as best I could. The truly nightmare-inducing predictions of more unexpected and severe weather fluctuations in our region have me on edge. All around me, I am seeing the sudden loss of large Oak trees. How do we ensure our big trees and older, established shrubs make it through these trying times? No treats there. All dirty tricks. Beware!

Happy gardening,

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

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Cover price: $4.99 Back issues: $6.00 Subscription: $20.00 • 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 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Washington GardenerMagazine/ • Washington Gardener Youtube: www.youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine

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• Washington Gardener is a womanowned business. We are proud to be members of: · GardenComm (GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators) · Green America Magazine Leaders Network · Green America Business Network Volume 14, Number 8 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2019 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.

READERreactions

READERcontt

August 2019 Issue I noticed you had an article on sunflowers. I planted giant sunflowers this year, and to my horror, my winterberries and azaleas, which were planted in the vicinity, all shrivelled up with brown, curled, dried leaves, and are apparently dead. Quite by chance, I came across an article about sunflower allelopathy, and that its phytotoxins are so powerful that researchers are trying to make a weedkiller out of them.

After reading this, I uprooted them.

This was quite an ordeal as they were tall as trees with very thick, hard, woody stalks. Then, I threw them away.

Now, it turns out that both the winterberries and the azaleas are slowly reviving, with new growth starting on their branches. Thought you might want to do an article on the poisonous characteristics of sunflowers as a follow-up.

There are some plants that are immune to its phytotoxins, but these are few, and not much research has been done on it.

Thanks for your magazine! ~ Jillian Aldebron, Baltimore, MD

September 2019 Issue I liked the article on the Hampton National Historical Site as I had never heard of it and now plan to visit. I would be interested in touring the mansion and the gardens. Thanks for the article. ~ Barbara Delaney, Bethesda, MD

Reader Contest

For our October 2019 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a 2-pound bag of Insect Frass Fertilizer 3-2-2 (prize value: $28) from Organic Mechanics (https://organicmechanicsoil.com).

Use this natural and organic fertilizer in garden soil or potting mixes. It also makes a great liquid foliar spray or addition to compost teas. It contains insect frass (cricket manure). It is a 3-2-2 organic, vegan fertilizer for amending soils and nourishing plants. Use it for all stages of plant growth. It is also perfect for all plant types, from houseplants to edibles to Bonsai trees. It is 100% natural and 100% organic. It is available in 2 lb. and 5 lb. bags.

To enter to win the 2 lb. bag of Insect Frass Fertilizer 3-2-2, send an email to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com by 5:00pm on October 31 with “Organic Mechanics” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please also include your full name, mailing address, and phone number for shipping. The winner will be announced and notified on November 1. o

Y ou Can Make a Difference. . . by

Sharing Your Harvest

July 2018 Issue I enjoyed reading the article on the Brugmansia. I have always loved the large ones, but don’t have room for one. I am so tempted to get one of the smaller versions. ~ Carol Yemola, Drums, PA My favorite article was “Hot Color Ornamental Peppers.” I had seen many in the garden center, but didn’t know what to make of them or how they might be used. Helpful article. ~ Catherine Jamieson, Arlington, VA My favorite article was on annuals. I enjoy all those quick pops of color and interest in the garden. ~ Madeline Caliendo, Washington, DC

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.

OCTOBER 2019

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NEIGHBORnwork with environmental managers and people like that, talking to them about it.

Right now, we’ve got our big conference coming up, which is on November 19 and 20 in Baltimore, MD, and a lot of my time is spent helping people who I’ve invited to participate in panels. I write a speech every year called “The State of Corporate Conservation” and I am trying to finish that speech.

There will be a panel about the climate change initiative, too. We’re calling that “Climate Action Works,” and that’s the meeting that we’re having this week and then we’re going to have some more at the conference about it.

And also, the book that I’ve written— we’ll be giving copies to everybody who comes to the conference and ideally I’ll be talking about that too.

Wildlife Habitat Conservation Expert Margaret O’Gorman

By Taylor Markey

Earlier in October, I had the opportunity to visit the Wildlife Habitat Council office in downtown Silver Spring, MD, and interview its president, Margaret O’Gorman, about what the organization does, O’Gorman’s position, and her journey leading up to it.* Tell us about your background, career path, and how you got into your field.

I’ve been working in the environmental NGO [non-governmental organization] community since 1999, and I started off working at the Pinelands Preservation Alliance in New Jersey, which is an NGO that was focused on preserving 1.1 million acres of a special ecosystem in New Jersey.

From that, I moved into a small wildlife organization called Conserve Wildlife Foundation that was in New Jersey, and that was focused on the threatened and endangered species in the state. I moved to this position in 2012 when I became president of the Wildlife Habitat Council.

What made you want to get into the environmental side of things?

I think an interesting thing would be to say that I was born in Ireland and was educated in the UK, and then I moved to the U.S. I discovered that one thing special about it is this robust nonprofit community, which doesn’t really exist 6

WASHINGTON GARDENER OCTOBER 2019

in the countries that I’ve lived in. And that was very attractive to me—to work for an entity that was mission-driven instead of bottom-line driven. I think that’s probably what it is more than anything else, and then the more you know about a subject, the more you do become kind of passionate about it and about making a difference.

What is your typical work day like?

I think what’s interesting about our job, about the Wildlife Habitat Council, is that we work with companies through a variety of different ways.

A lot of my job entails talking to representatives at companies, sustainability officers, environmental professionals, and vice presidents of corporate social responsibility, educating them about the benefits of doing conservation programs on their lands.

A lot of my time is spent talking to them about ways in which they can integrate conservation into their business operations and showing them how these activities can help them meet a business goal or an opportunity.

When I’m doing my job well, that’s what I should be doing. When I’m not, I’m usually moving paper around the place.

I will spend a week in somewhere like Houston, where a lot of companies are headquartered, and we’ll go and visit

Talk about why you’re focusing on climate change this year and right now.

One of the biggest and easiest approaches to mitigate climate change is nature-based solutions. Using trees to soak up carbon from the atmosphere, using peak lands to do the same, and then using nature to create natural buffers against storms, and all the other things that climate change will create.

Nature is an undervalued aspect of all of the solutions that we’re talking about. What we’re trying to do is to get companies to view their lands as opportunities for nature-based action that will address climate change, but also the biodiversity crisis, so they’re doing an action that can help wildlife as well as the planet. And that’s what we’re doing.

There are not many companies that are viewing their lands through this lens, but that’s what we’re trying to do with this “Climate Action Works.”

The gardening connection that’s kind of cool is that a lot of these companies, like General Motors, where they have a manufacturing site, or even like Waste Management, where they have a landfill, can’t necessarily grow a wilderness area like a forest, but what they can do and what many of them do is to grow a garden.

We see these corporate sites, instead of having the traditional, very sterile landscaping, beginning to look at their landscaping in terms of moving them into gardens and changing them into pollinator gardens or just native

NEIGHBORnwork meadows. It’s a really great way of using corporate lands that maybe in a suburban area or even an urban area, where there’s a very small amount of land, every one of these properties can install a garden. We found that when the employees are engaged in installing those gardens, they last a lot longer because people then have a sense of ownership around them.

The employee engagement aspect of what we do is very, very big. Many people just love, instead of doing their normal job, getting out and getting their hands dirty during a lunch hour or something like that. Seeing what biodiversity is, using these gardens because they are planted for biodiversity or for wildlife, and seeing what pollinators are coming in, what birds are coming in— can be a very educational thing as well.

What hardships and triumphs have you encountered in your work here?

I think the best thing about the work here is how much the programs touch the corporate employees. At our conference every year, we celebrate the work of people who are doing this on a voluntary basis in their workplaces, and they are so excited and so proud of what they’ve done that it’s really energizing to be among them.

We give out 26 awards to the outstanding projects in a variety of categories. The pride the people take in getting those awards can never be understated. They are so thrilled, and I think it’s a really great example of how people do love to get engaged with nature. By making it accessible, we are creating a sense of ownership and they’re taking that home with them.

The hardships are really to do with the companies. We work with 400–500 companies and they drive us crazy because they’re constantly merging or divesting, or they’re putting restrictions on their budgets. At the moment, with the craziness in our world of tariffs and all of this and recessions, our companies are going up and down in terms of how much discretionary funding they want to spend on these programs.

Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming book, Strategic Corporate Conservation Planning? That is being published in February and I am thrilled

that it is being published by Island Press because they’re one of the best publishing companies dedicated to conservation.

The book came from an idea that what we do is quite simple if it can be shared. There’s been, over the years of the environmental movement, mostly a negative relationship between the corporate world and traditional environmental NGOs, and what we’ve done is found a way to work with the corporate world, so we’re seeing benefit on the ground. Most NGOs work with the corporate world in terms of just getting philanthropic contributions from them, while we work to help them meet a business need or a business challenge.

In the book, I’ve identified 16 business needs that a company can address using conservation with employee engagement. What I want is for other NGOs to see how you can have a different and more-productive relationship with a company. The book contains an enormous number of case studies, of really great and fabulous projects, and then provides a framework for NGOs and corporations to begin to work together to develop approaches to implement those projects on their lands.

Do you have your own home garden?

When I lived in New Jersey, I had a garden there. It was really amazing to me, coming from Ireland and the UK, to see what you can get out of a garden in New Jersey, because the weather is so much more conducive—you can’t grow tomatoes outside in Ireland; you need a greenhouse.

To be able to do that all the years I lived in New Jersey was just fantastic.

But then the downside was, it was just such a crazy growing season that everything gets out of hand really quickly. It’s hard to keep it under control. I do miss that.

I loved having my garden. I live in an apartment and I still miss having a garden. In Washington, DC, of course, all of the community gardens have waiting lists on a plot. I wish they had more community gardens in DC. Any final thoughts?

Stepping-stone habitat is really important in an urban setting. Stepping-stone

habitat is basically what gardens are and they allow species that can’t travel long distances to basically hop from one habitat to another to move through their migratory patterns.

These gardens in urban settings are very important. They’re not wildernesses, but they’re very important for pollinators and other species. To be able to create a garden with mostly native species can bring such benefit to biodiversity in a city.

You can create great value for biodiversity, so I think having a garden that focuses on native species is very important today because our insect numbers are crashing. We’re losing a lot of our insect biodiversity, but then, the insects are what allow the birds to thrive. Having insect biodiversity strengthens our avian populations.

Think about how your garden is not just a beautiful place that’s outside your house, but actually can function as an ecosystem and support all of the species that are struggling today. I think that is a really great way of thinking and designing a garden.

There are a lot of books and resources to help people design native species gardens. And then those gardens in turn can help. They’re cheaper to maintain because you don’t need to water them as much, you don’t need to put as many chemicals in them. They’re a great benefit to the homeowner in terms of maintenance.

As we move into the fall, I think the one thing that I would say to your readers is to think twice, think three times, think four times, before bagging up leaves and putting them in a bag and getting them to a landfill. Those leaves are nutrients for lawns. They are shelters for species and putting them in a landfill is not the best thing. All we need to do is just chop them up with a lawnmower and leave them there, and they will create essential nutrients for the lawn through the winter. o Taylor Markey is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park majoring in multiplatform journalism. She is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener this autumn. *These responses have been edited for length and clarity.

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PLANTprofile

Heuchera (Coral Bells)

By Kathy Jentz

Whether you pronounce it hoy-ker-uh or hue-krah or hew-ker-a, this terrific perennial species, with the common names of Coral Bells or Alumroot, has seen an explosion of new introductions in the last decade or so.

Heuchera are native to North America and do well in woodland garden beds, rock gardens, containers, and borders, and as ground covers.

They are drought-tolerant and prefer soil to be a little more alkaline than acidic. If you have heavy clay soil, then it is necessary to add some lighter gardening soil when transplanting them into the ground.

To get more plants, carefully dig and divide the clumps in early spring — make sure that each piece you re-plant has some good roots attached.

For those gardening where there are hot and humid summers, select those with Heuchera villosa in their lineage. H. villosa is a species native to the southern Appalachian Mountains. Villosa means “hairy leaf” and those fine hairs make it not only heat-tolerant, but also deer-resistant.

The hybrids that have been developed in recent years have an extensive array of colors, shapes, foliage types, and blossom sizes. Heuchera will bloom from early June until the end of summer, but the foliage is the most eyecatching aspect of these perennials. Most varieties do best in part-shade with some morning sun, but there are recent introductions that flourish from fullsun to full-shade.

Heuchera have also been hybridized with another native shade perennial called Tiarella to produce the Heucherella, which has added even more fantastic colors and textures to this extraordinary line of perennials.

Some of my favorite Heuchera cultivars include ‘Midnight Rose’, ‘Silver Gumdrop’, ‘Plum Cascade’, ‘Berry Smoothie’, and ‘Lime Rickey’.

Try a Heuchera in your garden today – you can grow that! o Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener.

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TIPStricks

Eight Key Tips for Layering Flower Bulbs

It is always fun to see the beautiful colors that are produced from planting flower bulbs, but did you know that you can plant them in layers?

According to iBulb (www.ibulb.org), every flower bulb blooms at a different time, so the key to planting in layers is to plant in the order of blooming periods. The flower bulbs with the latest flowering period (tulips) are planted in the lowest level, and the ones flowering earliest (crocus and snowdrops) are planted in the top layer, with the midseason layer being daffodils.

By using this planting technique, which is also known as lasagna planting, you will continue to see your flower bulbs bloom from as early as January to as late as May. For the best growth, you should plant them in the fall because a period of cold weather is necessary for their growth. After the cold period and when temperatures begin to rise, the bulbs will start to grow and flower.

If you do not have a garden, you can still layer flower bulbs in generously sized containers and flower pots with good drainage. Planting your flower bulbs in layers in a pot or container can be done in eight steps: • Place a layer of hydroponic clay pebbles or pot shards on the bottom.

Add a 4-inch layer of potting soil.

• Plant the first layer of flower bulbs on top of the potting soil.

• Cover the first layer with about 2 inches of potting soil and plant the next layer on top.

• Sprinkle the potting soil over the second layer and plant the final layer.

• Fill up the pot with potting soil.

• Tamp the potting soil gently and give the flower bulbs some water.

• Give them some more water in January and February to keep them from drying out, if necessary.

• Make sure that the bottom of your pot or container has holes so excess water can drain away.

The same steps should be taken for flower bulbs planted directly in the garden, but instead of using a pot or container, dig a large hole in the border.

Don’t use hydroponic clay pebbles when planting flower bulbs in the garden. o 10

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Vertical Gardening to Maximize Your Space

Rhizobia colonies from different regions growing in the lab. Soil is collected from various areas, and the microbes are isolated in solution. Photo credit: Charlotte Thurston.

Can Soil Microbes Adapt to Different Climates?

Soil is an important and necessary element when it comes to gardening. Without it, the plants we grow would not be able to flourish, but do you ever wonder what is exactly in the soil that is working to keep them healthy?

According to the Soil Science Society of America (www.soils.org), an adaptive soil microbe group called rhizobia bacteria is very important when it comes to natural and agricultural systems.

This is because they form symbiotic relationships with specific plants called legumes, which helps these plants get the nutrients they need to survive.

You may be wondering how this is a symbiotic relationship. It is because the rhizobia bacteria get a free home out of it. The legumes house them within their roots, forming lumpy structures known as nodules.

A shocking fact about rhizobia bacteria is that some strains can continue to grow even at 0° or freezing. Studies have shown that arctic rhizobia bacteria strains are able to form nodules better and can even improve legume growth at these cold temperatures.

Rhizobia bacteria diversity does not only occur on other continents, since different strains can be found near one another. Communities of them can be extremely different even between fields on the same farm, studies show.

Studies have also found that rhizobia bacteria can adapt to different climates and regions. The Soil Science Society of America says that soil microbes and their diversity are still a mystery, but scientists and microbiologists will continue to further their research in this area in the years to come. o

Do you have a small outdoor space that is untouched and can use some sprucing up? Try vertical gardening. Vertical gardens are gardens that grow upward, and they can be accomplished very easily. Perennial Power (http://www.perennialpower.eu) gave us their best tips for creating a successful vertical garden.

Vertical gardens can be bought, but you can also build your own. Materials that can be used when creating your vertical garden include boxes, gutters, pallets, or grow bags. If you are worried about the construction showing, make sure to plant your garden more densely.

Many types of plants can be used when creating a vertical garden, but it is important to use ones with shallow roots.

If your outdoor space receives a lot of sunlight, the best plants to use are Thrift (Armeria), Bellflowers (Campanula), Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), Cranesbills (Geranium), Daylilies (Hemerocallis), and Autumn Moor Grass (Sesleria).

If your outdoor space is shaded, then try Coral Bells (Heuchera), Coleus, and Hosta.

Edible plants such as Thyme (Thymus), Mint (Mentha), and wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca) can also work well in your vertical garden.

It is important to water your vertical garden frequently since they are prone to drying out. In vertical gardens, the water trickles down, so you should place the drier plants at the top, and plants that thrive in moisture at the bottom.

Excess water should be able to drain off, but having a drip irrigation system makes watering your vertical garden a lot simpler. If your garden becomes too big, you can minimize the size by pruning it.

Vertical gardens are also great for the winter and summer months. They will cool your house in the summer and serve as insulation in the winter. o These tips were compiled by Jessica Kranz.

She is a senior broadcast journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener this autumn.

GARDENnews

New Plant Spotlight Two New Tulips from the National Garden Bureau introduction program.

Quick Links to Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Plant Profile: Calamintha • Highlight on Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’ • DIY: Create a Flower Mandala • Tall Sedum Plant Profile See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

October–November Garden To-Do List

Tulip ‘Cape Town’ These vibrant, bicolored tulips are stunning in bloom. Sunny, yellow blooms are edged in a bold red. Tulip ‘Cape Town’ is perfect for borders or cut flowers. This variety is long-lasting and easy to grow.

Tulip Antoinette® Tulip Antoinette® is referred to as a chameleon tulip. Its blooms first appear bright-yellow and pink, and then mature to a salmon-orange hue. Multiple flowers per stem make this elegant tulip perfect for bouquets or cut flower arrangements. It has variegated foliage that is green with creamy edging.

Both of these bulbs are from Van Zyverden, Inc. (www.vanzyverden.com) and grow to 12–18" high. They need a spot with full sun and good drainage. o

• Cover pond with netting to keep out fallen leaves and debris.

• Harvest sweet potatoes.

• Plant garlic.

• Force the buds on Christmas Cactus by placing in a cool (55–60 degree) room for 13 hours of darkness.

• Apply deer-deterrent spray.

• Prevent the spread of disease by cleaning up all infected plants and disposing of them in your trash—not your compost pile.

• Plant cover crops in your vegetable gardens and annual beds (i.e., rye, clover, hairy vetch, winter peas).

• Set up a cold frame, then plant lettuces, radishes, and carrots from seed.

• If you have a water garden, clean out the annual plants and compost them.

Cut back the hardy plants and group them into the deepest pond section.

• Leave seedheads on Black-eyed Susans, Echinacea, Goldenrod, Sunflowers, and Thistles for the birds to enjoy over the winter.

• Check for bagworms; pick off, bag, and dispose of them.

• Dig up and store potatoes in a cool, dark spot.

• Continue to divide and transplant perennials.

• Rake leaves and gather in compost piles.

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

• Cut garden herbs and hang to dry in a cool, dry place indoors.

• Start feeding birds to get them in the habit for the winter.

• Attend a local garden club meeting.

• Mulch strawberry beds for winter.

• Turn your compost pile weekly and don’t let it dry out. Work compost into your planting beds.

• Plant evergreens for winter interest.

• Weed.

• Plant spring-flowering bulbs.

• Sow wildflower seeds, such as California Poppies, for next spring.

• Collect dried flowers and grasses for an indoor vase.

• Clean, sharpen, and store your garden tools.

• Lightly fertilize indoor plants.

• Pot up Paper Whites and Amaryllis for holiday blooming.

• Check that all vines are securely tied against winter’s cold winds.

• Collect plant seeds for next year’s planting and for trading.

• Pull out spent summer annuals.

• Plant hardy mums and fall season annuals.

• Water evergreens and new plantings to keep them hydrated this winter.

• Fertilize your lawn and re-seed if needed.

• Dig up bulbs from your Gladioli, cut off foliage, dry for a week, and then store for the winter.

• Transplant trees and shrubs.

• Gather seeds and label them carefully. Store in dry location.

• Keep an eye out for the first frost date and insulate plants as needed. In Zone 6, it is expected for September 30–October 30; in Zone 7, it is predicted for October 15–November 15. o OCTOBER 2019

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TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Events ~ October 16–November 16, 2019 • Monday, October 21, 8:00pm Life Underground—Get the Dirt on Soil Fungi Have you ever seen mushrooms popping up in your garden and wondered: “What is that? What is it doing to my plants?” During this talk, Serenella Linares, we will explore the magical world of fungi, their functions, and how they change things in your garden. Come and learn about plant-fungi relationships and see the underground world like you have never seen it before.

Learn some of the common species in the state of Maryland, and see local species of mushrooms close-up. Free.

Hosted by the Silver Spring Garden Club at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. • Wednesday, October 23, 7–9pm Growing Cities Screening Marymount University’s student group Food for Thought is hosting a screening of the documentary Growing Cities. Growing Cities, which follows two friends as they travel across the United States to better understand urban agriculture in America. What they find, in each city they explore, is that the impact of urban agriculture on these communities is far greater than the food that is produced. Discussion following film.

This event is part of October Urban Agriculture Month in Arlington, VA. For other events, go to http://urbanag. social/oct19.

• Wednesday, October 23, 7:30–9pm The Great Houseplant Migration The Beltsville Garden Club hosts a talk

by Carol Allen at the James Duckworth School, 11201 Evans Trail, Beltsville, MD. She will address the fall transition of our houseplants back indoors.

What can we do to enable those trustydusties to endure another winter of dry air and low light? Carol will talk about the do’s and don’ts of watering, re-potting, fertilizing, and pest prevention.

See: http://www.beltsvillegardenclub. org/.

• Thursday, October 24, 6:30–8pm Fall Garden Book Club Meeting We will discuss The Seed Underground: 12

WASHINGTON GARDENER OCTOBER 2019

A Growing Revolution to Save Food

by Janisse Ray. Also at this meeting, we will discuss 2020 garden book club choices, so bring your suggestions.

Held at Soupergirl, right next to the Takoma Metro stop. RSVP to the event page at https://www.facebook.com/ events/656515708188383/ or email washingtongardenermagazine@gmail. com. The Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club is free and open to all.

• Saturday, October 26, 1–3:30pm Fall Tree Identification On this tour, you’ll walk through Rock Creek Park to observe some of the trees that live in our native forests. A highlight of this walk is a visit to several of the very few remaining American chestnut trees in DC. Meet at the Carter Barron Amphitheater Parking Lot, Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC.. Free.

Registration required. Details at http:// knowledgecommonsdc.org.

• Friday, October 25, 6:30–8:30pm Gardenlust: A Tour of the World’s Best New Gardens For three years, Chris Woods traveled the world seeking out contemporary gardens and found 50 of the best.

With wit and humor, he describes the most-arresting features in public parks in exotic locations like New Delhi and Dubai, mission-redefining botanic gardens in Chile and Australia, and the most-enviable details of lavish private estates and gemlike city yards. Throughout, he reveals the fascinating people, plants, and stories that make these gardens so lust-worthy. Held at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Free. Register at USBG. gov.

• Tuesday, October 29, 7:30–9pm Parasitic Plants Part 2 Early in the year, Vanessa Beauchamp introduced us to this fascinating and complex group of plants. This month, Chris Puttock will recap and enlarge on the theme. Held at Kensington Park Library, Kensington, MD. The program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Hosted by the Maryland Native Plant Society. See: https://www.mdflora.org/.

• Saturday, October 26, 9am–2pm Pumpkins & Pollinators: Fall Festival at River Farm The American Horticultural Society’s family-friendly festival takes place at their headquarters in Alexandria, VA. Learn about the vital connection between people, plants, and pollinators while enjoying nature-based crafts for children and adults, face painting, live music, and demonstrations by the Northern Virginia Beekeepers Association, Fairfax County Urban Forestry, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, and Plant NOVA Natives. Pick up a pumpkin to take home, and browse our marketplace of plant, food, and craft vendors. Bring your clean gently used clothing and create your own scarecrow in the scarecrow patch. Cost: $15 per car for nonmembers; $10 per car for members; $5 for walkers and bicyclists; children under 12 free. For information, go to www.ahsgardening.org/fallfestival.

• Saturday, November 2, 10am Getting Your Garden Ready for Winter A talk by Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine. Learn what chores are essential and which you can safely skip as you prepare your garden for winter.

Discover cost-saving tips and tricks, and how to “batten down the hatches” in case we have a really bad winter. Held at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. Fee: $25 and FOBG $22. See: https:// apm.activecommunities.com/montgomerycounty/Activity_Search/66595.

Saturday, November 2, 9:30am–1pm HOA and Condo Associations: Sustainable Solutions to Landscaping Headaches In this symposium, you’ll start to develop a plan to upgrade your community’s green infrastructure, learn about the role of native plants in sustainable landscape solutions, and much more.

Plant NOVA Natives plans to repeat the symposium multiple times over the next year or two. Held at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale campus. Details at www.plantnovanatives. org.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Events ~ October 16–November 16, 20 • Saturday, November 2, 2—3pm Grow Your Own Microgreens!

Big on nutrition and flavor, microgreens can be expensive to purchase. But they can also be grown cost-effectively at home, in a tiny space and with simple supplies. All you need is a sunny windowsill or a well-lit area along with one of our microgreen growing kits, and you’ve got all the essentials for growing your own microgreens. This is a great crop for urban gardeners who are limited to a windowsill, balcony, or fire escape. $10 Ticket includes take home microgreen seeds; $25 Ticket includes a microgreen kit of three types of greens to grow at home. Held at Cultivate the City, 910 Bladensburg Road NE, WDC. Register at cultivatethecity. com.

• Wednesday, November 6, 9-11:30am Memorial Arboretum Walking Tour See the trees of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) at the peak of their autumn splendor! The vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, and russets of over 300 species of trees at ANC are a must-see for anyone visiting in the autumn. On this tour, you will learn about the cemetery’s Memorial Arboretum, a Level III Accredited Arboretum. You’ll gain insight into the urban forestry program, extensive tree collection, and State Champion trees. The overall horticulture program, and the variety of techniques used to create some of the most breathtaking formal and informal landscapes and gardens will also be highlighted. Free.

See: https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil.

• Saturday, November 9, 10–12n Mum Floral Workshop Inspired by Marjorie Merriweather Post’s love of chrysathemums, create a beautiful arangement. All materials are included. Held at Hillwood. Fee: $60– 75. See: www.hillwoodmuseum.org • Saturday, November 9, 10–11:30am Landscape Lighting Properly designed landscape lighting can illuminate landscape features, increase safety, and create ambiance in your outdoor space. Join JR Nelson, Merrifield’s landscape lighting designer,

to take home tips and project ideas to make your space shine even when the sun goes down. Free. Held at Merrifield Garden Center, Gainesville, VA. See: www.merrifieldgardencenter.com.

• Thursday, November 14, 6–9pm Small-Scale Mushroom Cultivation The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is hosting this workshop about small-scale mushroom cultivation. The workshop is offered by Fungi Ally, a commercial mushroom farm in Massachusetts.

Anyone interested in growing mushrooms commercially, or as a hobby, is welcome. The workshop aims to teach participants to grow mushrooms successfully at a variety of scales: as a standalone operation, or in conjunction with other farming. The workshop is free and open to all, and there is no prerequisite. Register at http://bit. ly/2VNFTaE #UDC1851.

• Wednesday, November 20, 7:30-9pm Twenty Years of Playing in the Dirt Janet Draper of the Smithsonian’s Ripley Garden will talk about the rewards and challenges of working in a public garden on the National Mall. Held at Historic Takoma. Hosted by the Takoma Horticultural Society. Free. See: http:// takomahort.org/.

Save These Future Dates • Saturday, November 23, 10am—12n Ivy Pull & Thanksgiving Wreathmaking Workshop Since the 18th century, English ivy has been planted as a decorative groundcover in America, but it is also an aggressive, invasive plant that blocks light from reaching other plants, creating “ivy deserts” where nothing else can grow. Take part in this effort to remove it and join Tudor Place for an ivy pull.

Then, in the spirit of the Peter family, who frequently reused materials in their garden, use the ivy you pulled to create a beautiful fall wreath to take home.

Fee: $20 members/$30 nonmembers.

Register at tudorplace.org.

• Sunday, December 8, 12n—4pm Gardeners’ Holiday Open House Treat yourself to a day of holiday fun in the garden, featuring decorations and seasonal displays, live music, holiday breads and ornaments for sale, and free refreshments. This festive day is for gardeners of all ages. Bring the children to a holiday puppet show at 1pm or 3pm ($5/person; advance registration recommended). Held at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, VA. Details: www. fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring.

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, email washingtongardenermagazine@gmail. com with “Event” in the subject line.

Our next deadline is November 5 for the November 2019 issue, for events taking place after November 15. o

Advanced Landscape IPM PHC Short Course January 6-9, 2020 Location: University of Maryland, College Park, MD Contact: Amy Yaich, Admin. Assist. II, 301-405-3911 Email: umdentomology@umd.edu Information: https://landscapeipmphc.weebly.com/ Recertification credits will be posted on the website Recertification page as awarded by participating states.

 OCTOBER 2019

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BOOKreviews

The Lifelong Gardener: Garden with Ease & Joy at Any Age

By Toni Gattone Publisher: Timber Press List Price: $19.95 Order Link: https://amzn.to/2MnmpGQ Reviewer: Taylor Markey Master Gardener Toni Gattone provides her expertise on adaptive gardening and shares her tips and tricks in The Lifelong Gardener: Garden with Ease & Joy at Any Age. Before reading this book, I was not aware of what adaptive gardening was, but Gattone makes sure to define it in her introduction: Adaptive gardening “offers dozens of ways for gardeners of all ages with a limited range of motion, the wheelchairbound, or anyone wanting to reduce stress on their joints, to identify what works for them in their garden according to their personal physical realities.”

Although the book is geared toward an older audience, she does an excellent job of providing life and gardening advice that anyone and everyone can learn from. Gattone describes gardening as “one of the healthiest activities for anyone, but especially for seniors” in her introduction.

Her book then splits into three sections: You and Your Body, Your Garden, and Your Tools, with inspirational quotes, tips, checklists, exercises, and gardener profiles sprinkled throughout.

The end of the book also provides a section for readers to develop and fill out their own adaptive gardening action plans, followed by a page of resources about adaptive gardening and gardening with disabilities.

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She emphasizes an acceptance of what stage we are in life and what changes are occurring in our lives. She then goes on to help us address these changes and adapt our lifestyles and gardens to what will be the best fit.

Gattone also calls attention to the fact that we are all different and that there are no two gardeners alike, meaning that we do not have to follow and apply every tip to our lives.

This book would be a perfect gift for anyone you know who is looking for an easy way to get started in gardening and would like some tips on how best to adjust their garden to their lifestyle and preferences. The author provides easy-to-follow steps and tips on how to create a garden that is the best for you, while emphasizing the importance of gardening and the positive results that come from it. o Taylor Markey is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park majoring in multiplatform journalism. She is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener this autumn.

For the Love of Pawpaws: A Mini Manual for Growing and Caring for Pawpaws—From Seed to Table By: Michael Judd Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing List Price: $24.95 Order Link: https://amzn.to/2OW9y0c Reviewer: Jessica Kranz If you are looking to start growing pawpaws, Michael Judd’s new book, For the Love of Pawpaws, is what you should read next. In this book, Judd takes you step-by-step through the best practices for growing and caring for the pawpaw fruit.

The book begins with an introduction discussing what pawpaws are and the history behind them. They are described as having a creamy texture with tropical flavors resembling mango, pineapple, and banana. They are found to grow indigenously throughout the eastern United States and southeastern parts of Ontario.

After the introduction, the book is organized into seven chapters. The first chapter discusses the four conditions needed to grow a pawpaw tree, which are moisture; fertile, well-drained soil; warm and humid summers; and cold winters that include some freezing

temperatures. Pawpaw trees are one of the easiest fruit trees to grow if these conditions are met.

The next chapter focuses on choosing a good pawpaw tree. Judd talks about the difference between choosing to grow a wild pawpaw tree versus a cultivated pawpaw tree. Cultivated pawpaws tend to reach their full potential because breeders combine natural selection with artificial selection and cultivation.

As the book continues, the author dives into the process of growing and planting the fruit in Chapters Three and Four. Judd says that if you plan to grow a pawpaw tree, you should plant the seeds directly in the ground after eating one of the fruits. If you want to wait, put the seeds in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator so the seeds do not dry out.

The seeds should be planted in midspring after any chance of freezing temperatures, in early- to mid-autumn, when the ground is still warm and air temperature remains mild for ideal growth. Judd also discusses the process and importance of germinating and grafting the fruit tree.

To keep your tree healthy and flourishing, Chapter Five discusses the significance of deep mulching, adding companion plants, and adding manure and amendments annually. These practices will support tree growth by holding moisture and cycling nutrients.

Watering your pawpaw tree is also essential, since they dry out very easily. Using a drip irrigation system can achieve this while making sure the tree is not overwatered. This chapter also

BOOKreviews goes over the proper ways to prune your pawpaw tree.

The final two chapters discuss how to harvest pawpaws from the tree and how you can use them. Judd says the best time to harvest pawpaws is over a two- to four-week period, ranging from late summer through the first cold period in autumn. You should eat your pawpaws as soon as possible, because they do not stay fresh for very long.

If you are not positive about how to prepare them, be sure to check out the many different recipes in Chapter Seven.

This book is a terrific guide for growing and harvesting pawpaw trees. It has tons of beautiful photos and I recommend this book if you are looking to grow your own pawpaw tree. o Jessica Kranz is a senior broadcast journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener this autumn.

Ultimate Guide: Barns, Sheds & Outbuildings, Updated 4th Edition Editor Laura Taylor Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing List Price: $24.99 list price.

Order Link: https://amzn.to/2nYTsI6 Reviewer: Andrea F. Siegel Even if a garage-office combo or barn with a livestock pen isn’t in your future, a backyard storage shed, kiddie playhouse, or garden shed may be.

That’s what could make Ultimate Guide: Barns, Sheds & Outbuildings, Updated 4th Edition, in the Creative Homeowner series, a resource that homeowners want to check out.

The book is for DIYers. It offers stepby-step building instructions, design, and planning, including for storage sheds. It includes some construction plans, and has plans to build 100-plus more that can be purchased.

Building a structure, even a small backyard storage shed, is a detailed, multilayered process. Learning that you may be better suited to buying than building that shed is one reason to read the book.

The book shows the difficulty level—one, two, or three hammers—of the skills required, which ought to be a reality check for builder wannabes.

It also addresses using kits, since they

Basics section in the middle to ensure having the appropriate site, tools, skills, and more for the desired project.

Back to that shed, where you may want to use concrete in the foundation: Mixing concrete is a one-hammer skill, but continue reading; doing something with that concrete has two hammers.

The book has a glossary, fortunately, since construction has its own terminology.

A professional may get project ideas here, and certainly the volume could teach many an ambitious homeowner plenty. o Andrea Siegel is a freelance writer and Master Gardener in Maryland.

eliminate some of the work involved.

(Surprise: Kits generally don’t include the shed’s foundation.)

The book features three sections: Design, which includes everything from building permits to tools to materials; Building Basics, with how-to instructions featuring drawings and photos on tasks from site prep to roofing; and Projects and Plans, which features more than a dozen construction plans— some simple, some more challenging— and outbuilding plans and blueprints that you can buy.

This may seem like more information than a builder-to-be needs for a particular project. But plumbing, for example, may not be part of a tool shed yet may be a component of a garden shed. It’s worthwhile for homeowners to read about construction, whether they want to be more informed about work that they will pay a professional to do or to hone their skills and tackle the project themselves.

The book guides a homeownerbuilder through the process of building what serves his or her needs. They have to examine a project and its drawings—say it’s a no-frills backyard shed—and read the details of the foundation, materials list, framing, flooring, roofing, siding, door, and window. Then, the DIYer should decide if they have the requisite skills, and sometimes a construction buddy, for the tasks in the instructions.

That may mean flipping from the project section—Section 3—to the Design section in the front to the Building

Flora Magnifica: The Art of Flowers in Four Seasons

By Makoto Azuma and Shunsuke Shiinoki Publisher: Thames & Hudson List Price: $50.00 Order Link: https://amzn.to/2qiItKc Reviewer: Jamie Moore Flora Magnifica is not what you would expect. This is not a how-to book about gardening or flower arranging. It is an art book using floral media in surrealist-inspired still life photographs with chiaroscuro lighting. The artists combine parts of plants not found together in nature to form imaginary hybrids that appear realistic, but are disturbingly unnatural, reminiscent of mythical hybrid beasts imagined by various cultures throughout history. The orchid-passion flower chimera in this book creates the same feeling of dissonance for me as a creature from a Hieronymus Bosch painting.

There are only a few pages of text in this book. As the title of the foreword warns, this is “No Ordinary Picture Book.” It explores the inescapable connection of cut flowers to the world of death. Floral arranger Makoto Azuma provides an introduction further explaining the artists’ vision. By photographing these arrangements, they have frozen the instant in time when the plants are at their peak, before they begin their inexorable descent into decay. The brief lifespan of a flower has caused Azuma to ponder, “But what is life? What is time?” The artists also view their project as a reflection of curOCTOBER 2019

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~

BOOKreviews

GOINGnative

Short & Sweet: Iris verna

By Barry Glick

rent cultural conceptions of beauty, desire, and consumption.

The body of the book is a gallery of photographed floral arrangements separated into four allegorical seasons (Rebirth, Glory, Ripening, and Silence).

The arrangements are fantastical, often beautiful, and frequently disturbing. The photographs are vibrant, but sometimes lean toward oversaturation.

The high-contrast lighting provides a palpable textural dimension to the photographs. The viewer is left to imagine that the severed plant parts comprising these arrangements have long since withered and putrefied—Morticia Addams would approve. The art in this book may not suit everyone’s taste, but it is thought-provoking and certainly different from anything I have ever seen before. o Jamie Moore gardens in Frederick County, MD. In addition to gardening, she loves to read; cook with local and seasonal produce; hike; and spend time with her husband, three children, and four cats.

Note: These book reviews include links to Amazon for ordering them. Washington Gardener Magazine may receive a few cents from each order placed after accessing these links.

Your Ad Here

Contact kathyjentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates.

The ad deadline is the 10th of each month prior to the issue date.

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WASHINGTON GARDENER OCTOBER 2019

The Dwarf Violet Iris (Iris verna) is one of my very favorite, best-loved spring wildflowers. I so look forward to the bright, bold, yet delicate threedimensional blooms held tightly against the stout, sword-like foliage of the plant.

The vivid hues of violets, lavenders, and blues stand out from a great distance and draw you ever closer. Since it’s a vigorous, clump-forming, long-lived perennial, you never have to fret about it becoming a nuisance in the garden.

While similar to the Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata), Iris verna has longer, narrower leaves and deeply buried rhizomes, while Iris cristata spreads its roots on the soil surface.

The native range of Iris verna encompasses 17 eastern states, but it’s been hardy for folks all over the U.S. and Canada, and is so tough that it would probably grow up at the Arctic Circle.

Standing about 6–10" tall, at maturity, Iris verna is a useful plant at the front of a border, along a walkway, as a groundcover, or as a stand-alone statement in a bed of its own in the wild or formal garden.

I’ve grown this very easy iris in full sun to deep shade and performance is equally good in both locations, although in the wild, it prefers light shade to dappled sunlight. Moisture requirements are average to moist, but it also tolerates dry soil well.

There’s a white form listed—Iris verna alba—that I have never seen, and also references to Iris verna var. smalliana, which is named for John Kunkel Small (1869–1938). He was a taxonomist and botanical explorer specializing in

flora of the Southeastern United States, especially Florida, and the first Curator of Museums at the New York Botanic Garden, a post in which he served from 1898 until 1906.

As far as propagation goes, there are dormant buds all along the rhizome, so you can cut it into 1–2 cm pieces and

they should all sprout. Seed is another option; you usually get pretty close to 100% germination. I love the unique way that the seed pod is produced at the base of the plant.

Oh, I can’t believe that I forgot to tell you how fragrant this little gem of a plant is! Bonus: The deer population seems to ignore Iris verna, but I’ll watch it for another year or two before proclaiming it 100% deer-proof. o Barry Glick, a transplanted Philadelphian, has lived 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.

INSECTindex

Assassin Bugs:

The Deadly Predator in Your Garden

By Carol Allen Zombies... Headless Horsemen…

Jason… Assassin Bugs!

October is the season for scary things, and along with “mythical” frights are the very real and scary members of the family Reduviidae. This is the family that also contains such lovelies as the kissing bug that carries human diseases along with its bite and the wheel bug that can, if provoked, inflict a painful bite to the overly curious human. This family is a member of the true bugs—Hemiptera—but this group doesn’t suck plants, they suck insects!

In our region, we usually don’t have to worry much about kissing bugs attacking us in our sleep—gives ya chills, though, doesn’t it!—since they are more prevalent in the tropics and sub tropics.

However, if you are an insect, you should stay on the alert. Assassin bugs are ambush predators. They often lurk in the abundant flowers and foliage of the late summer plants waiting for an unsuspecting insect to happen along.

Any type of insect is fair game and bees, wasps, beetles, flies, and caterpillars can make up their diet.

One of the most-striking, and my favorite, is the wheel bug, Arilus cristatus. It is so named because it has a semi-circular, cog-wheel-like projection on its thorax. It ranges in length from 1—1.25 inches when mature. The head is narrow and the antennae are long. In

general, they look heavily armored with points on the thorax and broad, plated wing covers over the abdomen. There is one generation per year in our area.

The adults are seen from late summer to fall and even into December. They mate in the fall and over-winter in the egg stage. The eggs look like little beer barrels or bottles clustered together in a flat mass and can be found on the twigs of trees and shrubs.

Nymphs hatch in the spring with spider-like black legs and antennae, and a bright-red abdomen. Their color gradually fades to gray as they mature.

Adults can be seen as early as May, but most sightings are in late summer, when their prey is abundant.

All stages are predacious and they are considered great beneficial insects to have in the garden. Their populations in Virginia, Maryland, and the District seem to be on the rise. Mike Raupp, an entomologist at the University of Maryland, hypothesizes that the increasing population may be a response to the invasion by the brown marmorated stink bug. The wheel bug, a native insect, has developed a taste for the alien invader.

In response to the additional food source, the wheel bug population has increased.

Whatever the reason, their slow stalk is creepy-cool to watch. Just be aware of where your hands are. That bug-

A wheel bug (Arilus cristatus) eating a Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica). Photo

by Audrey from Central Pennsylvania, USA. [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/2.0)].

stabbing proboscis can pack a mean wallop! Their bite is only defensive, so avoid handling them. There is no medical significance to their bite, unless you are the rare sensitive individual. The bite is described as very painful, more so than a wasp or hornet, followed by a numbness to the immediate area.

Expect swelling and redness to last for a week or more.

In spite of their ability to inflict human pain, they are great to have in the garden because they eat insects as soon the nymphal wheel bugs hatch.

You can encourage our native predators like the wheel bug by planting a wide variety of species and cultivars in your garden. Try for about 85% appropriate native plants and check your region’s invasive plant species list so you don’t mistakenly install a plant that will cause issues in the future.

You want a variety of plant structures as well as a high plant biodiversity, so aim to plant trees and shrubs as well as perennials and annuals. This variety of heights and shapes brings the widest variety of insects and provides habitat for birds and wildlife.

Consider decreasing your turf areas in trade for pollinator or flowering native perennial gardens. Decrease or eliminate your dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticide sprays, and work toward building a healthy soil to nourish all of those cool plants.

Some assassin bugs are attracted to flowers, so plant some blooming natives around your vegetable garden as well, so the assassins can target the bad bugs chomping on your tomato plants.

By growing native plants, you can attract more beneficial insects into your garden to combat the invasive and destructive ones. o Carol Allen describes herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the horticulture industry, with a special interest in plant pests and diseases; is a Licensed Pesticide Applicator in the state of Maryland; and is an ISACertified Arborist. She can be contacted at carolallen@erols.com.

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DAYtrip

DC’s Garden Cemeteries: The First Urban Parks

By Kathy Jentz

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DAYtrip Before there were public gardens and parks, there were cemeteries. These were large expanses of green space protected from urban development and open to the general public.

Often cemeteries were located in high spots in a city. The terrain is often hilly and shaded, providing both recreation and respite from the hot summers in the city.

According to American Forests, “Over the decades, cemeteries fell out of vogue as cultural centers, but their fall from favor was not to be permanent.

Today, the practice of using cemeteries for outdoor recreation is bubbling up once more, as urban dwellers seek out nature in the city.”

These spaces were purposely designed as gardens and places of beauty. Over the decades, many cemeteries acquired large tree collections and became de facto arboretums.

Some of DC’s biggest and rarest trees are in historic cemetery grounds.

Arlington National Cemetery is home to an extremely diverse and significant collection of trees, with more than 8,600 trees representing 300 varieties and species. (See more about visiting Arlington in our June 2018 issue.)

Rock Creek Cemetery dates from 1719 and boasts of “More trees than the U.S. National Arboretum.” The cemetery is located along North Capitol Street in DC and contains the graves of many notable figures, including Upton Sinclair, Alexander Robey “Boss” Shepherd, and Tim Russert. Take a stroll down the mausoleum row and I bet you will recognize several names. Next door is the Soldier’s Home Cemetery, Rock Creek is home to some of the most-famous works of art in the city, including a statue designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens of “grief” that will stop you in your tracks.

The cemetery was established by St. Paul’s Rock Creek Episcopal Church and is still run by the active congregation today. Go to www.stpaulsrockcreek. org to plan your visit.

Oak Hill Cemetery in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, was never affiliated with a church. Instead, the cemetery was founded in 1849 by W.W. Corcoran “to serve as a place of beauty and inspiration for the living.”

The historic Gothic-style Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel was designed by James Renwick, Jr. in 1850.

While there are fewer sculptures and notable pieces of art at Oak Hill than at Rock Creek, there is no shortage of luminaries laid to rest there. I was stunned and elated to discover the burial spot of James van Sweden, a local legend in landscape architecture, who changed the way many of us garden.

Other famous names include Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, inventor Herman Hollerith, and Confederate spy Antonia Ford Willard.

Oak Hill’s landscape is very steep and you will note both old and new solutions to their drainage issues, with built-in water to guide stormwater along the many pathways.

Plan your trip to Oak Hill by visiting www.oakhillcemeterydc.org. They host regular walking tours and even stonecarving workshops.

While visiting both cemeteries, the magazine’s interns and I took hundreds of photos and spent hours selecting the images down to the few for the pictorial story on these pages. We recommend you visit with a camera or iPhone in your pocket to capture some of the many stunning vistas for yourself.

Both Oak Hill and Rock Creek offer a chance for quiet strolls and contemplation. A visit to either in autumn is a wonderful way to see two magnificent tree collections as the leaves take on their fall colors. o Kathy Jentz is Washington Gardener’s editor.

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DAYtrip

Angel on grave at Rock Creek Cemetery.

Photo by Jessica Kranz.

Rock Creek Cemetery. Photo by Taylor Markey.

Mausoleum Row at Rock Creek Cemetery.

Photo by Jessica Kranz.

Mausoleum of Benjamin C. Bradlee, former Washington Post executive editor, at Oak Hill Cemetery.

Photo by Kathy Jentz.

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DAYtrip Newly restored and protected tomb at Rock Creek Cemetery with Lamb’s Ear planted below it. Photo by Kathy Jentz.

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HORThaenings

THC Bulb Sale

The Takoma Horticultural Club (THC) hosted their annual Bulb Sale Fundraiser at the Takoma Park Street Festival on Sunday, October 6. People had an opportunity to stop by the club’s booth and purchase some spring-blooming bulbs to start planting now.

Elizabeth Simpson described her experience at the sale. “I’m looking to plant a few more things in the yard and so the bulbs caught my eye,” she said.

“When I learned that it was a fundraiser, I was more inclined to purchase some bulbs, so it seems like it has a dual benefit. Barbara [Henderson, the current president of THC], was incredibly friendly and warm and also very educational.

I learned a lot about what the Takoma Horticultural Club does and I joined the club, so that was also exciting. And I’m looking forward to the garden tours and the speaker series.”

Attendees also had the opportunity to visit booths from more than 200 vendors. Live music played throughout the day, with food stations and beer mugs for The Crawl, which allowed purchasers to get discounted drinks. o

12th DC Plant Swap

More than 50 people gathered for the Washington Gardener Magazine’s 22

WASHINGTON GARDENER OCTOBER 2019

12th annual DC Plant Swap on Sunday, September 22, at the U.S. National Arboretum. Plants were arranged in six categories: Indoor/Houseplants, Water Garden, Vine/Trees/Shrubs, Edibles/ Herbs, Shade Perennials, and Sun Perennials.

The Washington Gardener staff set up a station for a pawpaw tasting and of the attendees brought other snacks to share.

Before starting the swap, everyone gathered around in a circle for some brief introductions and some information on who they are, where they garden, and what they brought to swap. The swap was organized by rounds, with people going up to pick a plant as their grouping was called.

Caroline Terlecki of Prince George’s County, MD, shared some thoughts about attending her first plant swap event, “I wasn’t sure what to expect, and this was really cool. I thought that everybody behaved civilly, and I think everybody came out of here with a great haul. I am already looking forward to next year and thinking about what I’m going to root, so I have more things for next year.” o

home of Holly & Osamu Shimizu; Mill Pond Garden, a newly public/once private garden of Mike Zajic; and, finally the home garden of John Boggan, DC Tropics blogger, in Rehoboth. o

Tudor Place Fall Fest

By popular demand, Tudor Place opened its gates for a fall Plant Sale and Picnic on Sunday, September 29.

The afternoon’s event included house and garden tours, an urban beekeeping demonstration, and crafts for sale.

The plant sale featured heirloom plants traditionally grown by the Peter family, including perennials for locations in sun, part-shade, or shade. Purchases supported conservation and education at Tudor Place. o

Fairfax County Master Gardeners Awards Night

Gardencomm Regional

Gardencomm’s Region 2 Meeting on October 11 was themed “A New Wave of Delaware Gardens.” Twenty members of Gardencomm, the association of garden communicators, visited gardens and garden centers in and around the coastal towns of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, DE. Locations visited included Baywood Greens, a golfing community; the brandnew Delaware Botanic Gardens, with a meadow designed by Piet Oudolf; a lunch and tour of the grounds at Good Earth Market and Organic Farm; the Inland Bays Garden Center; the historic

The fall membership meeting and award ceremony of the Fairfax County Master Gardeners took place on Wednesday, October 15, at the Merrifield Garden Center, Fair Oaks, VA. More than 150 Master Gardeners attended the potluck dinner. Longtime volunteers received service awards and new Master Gardeners were inducted as well. After the ceremony, Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine’s editor, spoke about “Small Space Garden Design.”

This issue’s “HortHappenings” were compiled

by Taylor Markey and Kathy Jentz.

See more photos from events listed here at the Washington Gardener Facebook Page.

Click on the PHOTOS tab. Recent albums include pictorials from the recent garden club events and festivals.

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

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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

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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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Jentz Prints

Antique Botanical Prints for the decorator, collector, connoisseur, and art lover.

Jentz Prints can be purchased on most Saturdays at the Eastern Market, and most Sundays at the Georgetown Flea Market.

Antique prints are affordable — most in the $10-$30 range — and they are the perfect gift idea for that plant lover in your life. And don’t forget to buy a few for yourself!

For more information, to make a private appointment, or to get a detailed show schedule, please contact Jentz Prints by email at UllrichJ@aol.com. You can also find Jentz Prints on eBay.com under the seller ID: printyman.

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WASHINGTON GARDENER OCTOBER 2019