Monkey Balls

By Kathy Jentz

Gomphocarpus physocarpus is a member of the Milkweed family and has many common names, including Hairy Balls, Giant Swan Plant, Goose Plant, Family Jewels, Oscar, Monkey Balls, and Balloon Plant. (Asclepias physocarpa is its former botanical name.)

It is native to South America and grown as an annual in our region. It is hardy to USDA Zones 9 to 11.

It prefers full sun and moderate moisture. It can grow 4–6 feet high. The flowers are not very dramatic, but the seed pods are show-stoppers.

Like other Milkweeds, it supports Monarch caterpillars and butterflies, as well as other pollinators. It is also deer-resistant.

You can start seeds indoors a few weeks before the last expected frost date in spring and then transplant them outdoors.

This plant is a favorite for flower arrangements. The seedpods dry nicely and it makes a terrific conversation starter in the landscape or on a table. o

Garden Photo Contest Opening Reception

By Taylor Edwards

Washington Gardener Magazine presented the winning images of its 17th annual Photo Contest at an art show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia, on July 30.

The show was open and free to the general public. Winners and other attendees had the chance to see all 17 images on display. There was also a booklet where attendees could read about each photographer and their photograph(s).

To be entered in the contest, the photos had to be taken during the 2022 calendar year in a garden setting within a 150-mile radius of Washington, DC. There were four categories that people could enter: Garden Views, Garden Vignettes, Small Wonders, and Garden Creatures. Photographers ranged from professional to amateur, with a few of the winning photographs being taken on a smartphone.

The photo show’s opening reception took place in the Meadowlark Visitor Center. Kathy Jentz, the editor and publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine, started the reception by explaining the photo show requirements and mentioned that there were more than 200 entries. Next, winning photographers introduces themselves and explained their work.

Nicole Nile’s, third-place winner of Garden Vignettes, entered the contest for the first time this year. Her winning photo was taken in her home garden in Cheverly, Maryland, with her iPhone.

Mike Whalen won second place in Garden Vignettes and an honorable mention in Garden Creatures. The second-place photo “Made in the Shade” is of Japanese ferns. It was captured with a 135mm fixed lens mounted on a tripod at f/9 and was taken in the early evening hours. Whalen said that he was drawn to it because of its unique foliage colors of purple and sage.

“These colors work so well together and remind me of colors you might see on neon lights on the Miami strip or on an old TV show called Miami Vice,” said Whalen.

The grand prize winner, “Antoinette Tulip,” was displayed in the middle of the photo exhibit wall. The photographer, Jeanne Markowski, took the picture in her home garden in Ellicott City, Maryland. After retiring from the government, she decided to take digital photography seriously. She primarily works on nature shots such as flowers and birds. To get shots of unique tulips in the spring, she orders them in the fall so she can then take macro shots of them. The winning image was captured with a Canon R6 mirrorless camera with a 100 mm lens. It was her third time entering the contest. She said that it was a great opportunity to meet the other photographers at the reception.

“This winter, I will be encouraging my camera club members to enter the next contest in January,” said Markowski.

The photo show will be on display at the Meadowlark Visitor Center’s lobby until August 30. o

Taylor Edwards is a rising senior majoring in journalism with a minor in Black Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland. She is a native of Waldorf, MD, and an intern this summer with Washington Gardener

Lotus and Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

By Marissa Yelenik

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, a national park in Washington, DC, held its annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival from July 15 to 22 with beautiful flowers and scenery, performances, and food. The event drew children and adults to see the display of culture and nature at a small oasis in the busy city.

The festival had different themes each day, such as “Asian Cultures and the Lotus,” “Birds of the Garden,” and “Kids Day,” providing something for everyone. With a focus on culture, education, and community, the festival was wide-ranging and attracted many different types of people.

Much of the gardens focus on preservation, from the physical plants to knowledge and culture that was passed on to visitors.

“Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens was created to preserve a variety of aquatic plants, many with histories spanning generations,” according to a sign at the entrance of the gardens.

Signs posted along the trails highlighted environmental issues the park has struggled with, including the pollution of the Anacostia River, which received a passing grade for the first time in 2018 during a water quality assessment. Since 2018, the river has received two more passing grades and two fails.

“Even with these improvements, there is still work to be done … to continue to uplift the community to create a safe and healthy environment in all neighborhoods,” the sign said.

The first day of the festival had a focus on health, both mental and physical, with a 5K walk, yoga, painting, and poetry. The second day focused on Asian culture, allowing attendees to participate in cultural dances, music, and learning. The third and fourth days each had a focus on education about the gardens, ecosystem, and birds that surround the aquatic gardens.

Each of the following days were about community, with fun activities for kids, painting and dance classes, drum circles, and learning about the history of the gardens and what they represent. “Celebrating Veterans Day” had a special focus on the founding of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens by Civil War veteran Walter Shaw. Shaw bought the land in 1879 that would later become the aquatic gardens.

While the former business started with only American waterlilies in the late 1800s, they shifted to include a variety of exotic plants in the following decades. It now contains lotus plants and waterlilies from all across the world, as well as other complementary plants like Pickerelweed.

The aquatic gardens also attract a variety of wildlife. Many birds could be seen in the marshy land, including several Great White Egrets that excited visitors. o