Washington Gardener Magazine February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022 VOL. 16 NO. 12

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

WASHINGTON

gardener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Carrots, the Essential Vegetable Winter Aconite Plant Profile Stunning Native Virginia Waterleaf DC-MD-VA Gardening Events Calendar

Why You Should Use Gray Water Deborah Dramby, Shepherd of 56 Hooves

A New Compact, Narrow Evergreen, Emerald Squeeze™ Longleaf Pine Straw Mulch Provides an Environment-friendly Option

17 Award-winning Garden Photos

Summer Creek Horticultural Soil Mixes HiDra2-Seed Starter MultiMix2–Raised Bed Mix Organic - Local – Sustainable – Pro Grade Most sustainable horticultural mixes available.

Available at Mom’s, Direct & select ACE Hardware www.summercreekfarm.com - Thurmont, Maryland

o oo o oo

RESOURCESsourc

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

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

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

����������������� ������������������ ��������������������� ��������������

�����������

������������������������������������� ��������������������� ������������������������ ��������������������������

Izel Plants

Online Marketplace for Native Plants

Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts extension.umd.edu/hgic

We offer cost effective options to cover a lot of ground, including containerized plants and retail-elusive plugs. Easily find the species that are best suited to your specific needs, from popular ones to those that are rare and hard to find.

$10 OFF your next order use code: WG191 at checkout.

Your Ad Here

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.

2

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

expires 4/15/19

izelplants.com

INSIDEcontents

FEATURES and COLUMNS

6

Targeted grazing goats, like Bruce and Archie pictured here, are the environmentally sensitive and costeffective solution for controlling unwanted vegetation. Photo courtesy of 56 Hooves.

o

Got a Garden Question?

Got a gardening question you need answered?

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

9

Winter aconite is one of the earliest bulbs to bloom in spring.

It hugs the ground and does well in rock gardens, woodland beds, and at the front of borders.

o

21

The flower of Virginia Waterleaf is of special value to native bees.

Photo by Jay Sturner from USA, CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

ASktheexpert 22 Fallen Leyland Cypress; Crapemyrtle Bark Scale; Reducing Lawn Areas BOOKreviews 20-21 Wild, Succulents for Beginners, Happy Plant GOINGnative 12 Virginia Waterleaf GREENliving 8 Longleaf Pine Straw Mulch NEIGHBORnetwork 6 Deborah Dramby, 56 Hooves NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Emerald Squeeze™ Arborvitae PHOTOcontest 14-19 17 Winning Garden Photos PLANTprofile 9 Winter Aconite TIPStricks 10 Carrots; Gray Water

DEPARTMENTS

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENDCpodcasts LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue READERreactions RESOURCESsources

23 11 4 9 13 11 3 5 2

ON THE COVER

The Grand Prize winner of the 16th annual Garden Photo Contest by photographer Jeanne Markowski of canna leaves at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD.

In our March issue: Native Plant Sources The Urban Garden and much more . . .

Be sure you are subscribed!

Click on the “subscribe” link at washingtongardener.com FEBRUARY 2022

WASHINGTON GARDENER

3

EDITORletter

Hat’s Off to Gardening I’ve been sharing “selfie” pictures of myself in a different hat every couple of days on my personal Facebook page and telling the story behind the hats.

Many of the hats are purely for warmth; the photo at left is me in some of my bundled-up-for-winter gardening gear.

Others are for protection from the sun, like the two below it.

It is very rare now that I will venture outside without some kind of head gear on, but it wasn’t always this way.

From youth up until my early thirties, I was extremely hat-averse. If it was cold out, I either more earmuffs or pulled the hood up on my jacket.

I have a friend who always said, “Hats are only for people looking for attention. They are saying, ‘Look, I have something on my head.’” And sure, there is that peacocking element to them, of course.

Something changed when I started gardening intensely. I think I put on a promotional baseball hat somebody had given me to hold my hair back and keep the sun out of my eyes. That was the “gateway drug,” as they say. And so the hat addiction was born and the collection grew exponentially.

Today, I have a hat for every occasion and outfit. I have rain hats and beach hats. Hats that can be thrown in the wash and handmade ones that need extra special care. Hats for casual events and formal ones. Hats in the big, showy Kentucky Derby style and demure little hats for indoor tea parties.

And that initial baseball cap? Well, it spawned a whole colony of others in every hue of the rainbow.

Are you a hat person, too? What hats do you wear most often?

Happy gardening,

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

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

Credits Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301-588-6894 kathyjentz@gmail.com www.washingtongardener.com Ruth E. Thaler-Carter Proofreader Dorvall Bedford Hojung Ryu Interns Subscription: $20.00 • Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Archives: http://issuu.com/washingtongardener • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: https://groups.google.com/g/ washingtongardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Instagram: www.instagram.com/wdcgardener • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine/ • Washington Gardener YouTube: www.youtube.com/ washingtongardenermagazine • Washington Gardener Amazon Store: www.amazon.com/shop/wdcgardener • Washington Gardener BookShop: bookshop.org/shop/WDCgardener • Washington Gardener Podcast: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/ • Washington Gardener is a woman-owned business. We are proud to be members of: · GardenComm (GWA: The Association for Garden Communicators) · Green America Business Network · National Garden Bureau · One Montgomery Green · Ladies in the Landscape · Perennial Plant Association

Volume 16, Number 12 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2022 Washington Gardener All rights reserved. Published monthly.

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

All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

READERcontt

Reader Contest

For our February 2022 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away five pairs of passes to the Spring 2022 Maryland Home and Garden Show (prize value: $24 each).

Spring is home renovation and landscaping season. Get a head start at the Maryland Home and Garden Show, where hundreds of home improvement exhibitors will be waiting.

Talk to them in person and learn how they can make your house a more welcoming, efficient, and fashionable home. The spring show is known for its garden displays, and 10 landscapers will showcase their artistry and creativity through this year’s theme: “The Painted Garden.” Using a painting as inspiration or incorporating art into their displays, they’ll present gorgeous creations of plants, water features, dining areas, and stonework—that they can bring to your yard. The show takes place March 5–6 & 11–13 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD. See: https://mdhomeandgarden.com/spring/.

To enter to win a pair of passes, send an email by 5:00pm on February 28 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Spring Maryland HG Show” in the Subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on/about March 1. o

Your Ad Here

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

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

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

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

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

READERreactions

Thoughts on the January 2022 Issue My favorite article in the January 2022 issue was about the Northern Cardinal.

I have a pole with several bird feeders in my yard and enjoy watching the cardinal pairs among the other birds that visit. I was interested to learn about how the females choose a mate using both foraging ability and color as criteria. I have seen some male cardinals that are brighter or redder than others and I now understand that what they eat plays a role in their color, as well as helping them attract a female. ~ Lisa Lyon, Bethesda, MD I really liked the Mushroom Kit article in the January 2022 issue, because I am seriously thinking about growing mushrooms. I use them in my cooking all the time. Thank you for the great article and the sources. ~ Joanna Protz, Lynch Station, VA My favorite article in the January 2022 issue was “January-February Garden To-Do List.” I find this article extremely helpful for me to take care of the flowers in my front and back yards. We “inherited” these beautiful flower gardens from the previous owner when we got our house three years ago. I knew nothing about flowers nor gardening at that time, but those flowers just pop out of the ground in all seasons, and they never fail to surprise us ever since then. I’m so grateful for what the previous house owner had gifted us and the whole neighborhood (many neighbors stop by my house and tell me how much they like the pink rose brush in my front yard). I have been working hard on learning how to take better care of these flowers and this article really helps me to check all the gardening todo items. ~ Xinzhe Cheng, Washington, DC The January 2022 issue had several excellent articles (loved the garden trends and mushroom articles). I particularly liked the article on “Managing Thrips in Houseplants.” I am familiar with many houseplant pests, but thrips have always been a challenge because they are so tiny. So, thank you! ~ Jeanne Bernard, Cambridge, MD o FEBRUARY 2022

WASHINGTON GARDENER

5

NEIGHBORnwork What initially drew you into grazing goats?

Using the goats for clearing land meant that I could have them in my life and not have to send them to the butcher.

I’ve processed chickens, turkeys, and pigs for meat, but I just have never been able to make that leap to goats.

Starting a dairy requires a lot of capital: land, milking facilities, learning how to make cheese, marketing it, etc.

When I got the herd that is now known as 56 Hooves (www.56hooves. com), I didn’t own land. They moved from place to place with the trailer as their shelter. The home base was Willowsford Farm and Community. I commuted to them every day, which is hard to believe looking back, since now they reside 300 feet from my front door in the off-season.

Deborah Dramby

Owner, Operator, & Shepherd of 56 Hooves

By Hojung Ryu

Deborah Dramby is an expert on cultivating an agrihood through goat grazing: She is the owner and operator of 56 Hooves. Originally from Ellicott City, MD, she holds a bachelor’s degree in English and writing from Towson University and a master’s degree from the sustainable agriculture program at the University of Maryland, Institute of Applied Agriculture. After her education in agriculture, she moved to Northern Virginia to expand her career. Growing up, her parents always told her, “Do what you love and a career will evolve from that.” Now Dramby pursues her passion for livestock and farming through her business.

What is your background and how did you start your business?

While at College Park, some friends and I grew vegetables in a community/teaching garden, now called the Community Learning Garden (near the by campus gym and School of Public Health). The area we built on started as a heavily weeded hillside and we 6

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

weren’t getting as many volunteers out in the space as we needed. Then we heard about goats being used to clear land in California and reached out to a regional company, Eco-Goats.

Brian Knox, the shepherd there, wasn’t terribly comfortable with leaving the goats unattended on a college campus and asked if we’d be willing to stay overnight and keep an eye on them. In doing so, I just totally fell in love with the goats and the whole concept of it. I ended up interning at Eco-Goats until I started working for them more formally.

When I got the gig at Willowsford Farm in Ashburn, VA, it was hard to leave them behind, so about a year into my time there, we started a small herd. We set them up keeping the fence lines clean and ended up doing a few local grazing gigs to pay for winter feed for those 10 goats. A couple of years later, we got three bred does from Blue Ridge Goat Dairy, where we got the original 10, and two of them had triplets, one had twins. We doubled in size.

How did you come up with the idea of this business?

All credit goes to grazers before me.

Eco-Goats, of course. Clay and Linda Tranium of Autumn Olive Farms. Jace Goodling of Goatbusters. I was really lucky to land in a region in Northern VA that is sort of in the middle of all these great grazers, but too far for them to haul their goats, so in the beginning, they sent me pretty much every gig we got.

What would you identify as your strongest influence in life?

In this realm, Michael Pollan. I read The Botany of Desire in high school and it profoundly changed the way I saw the world around me. Before that, I thought humans were in the driver’s seat. After that, I realized plants, nature, and animals are influencing/controlling us just as much, maybe more. Then, I went back and read Second Nature as well as The Omnivore’s Dilemma. This led me to farming.

What made the location of Western Loudoun County, VA, the best option for the business?

Shortly after I purchased land further west in Loudoun County, I underwent major back surgery and couldn’t take the goats out on any jobs in 2019. That year, I realized how much the frequent moves and travel stress took a toll on their health and body condition, and

NEIGHBORnwork one way to manage unwanted vegetation and that goats are really fun, engaging, and effective “first responders.”

Is there a memorable story you have about a specific goat/goats?

I have to make a shout-out to our goat, Mister, who had to be rehomed a couple of years in because he loved people too much. The goats were at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA, and he’d jump the fence to go jogging with someone, to a soccer camp, even an ultimate Frisbee tournament. While he was cute and he meant well, this is, of course, dangerous and a liability. The behavior is also contagious to other goats, they see him and learn, and suddenly you’re one of those herds on the news because they’ve all gone on a walkabout. He went to an animal sanctuary, in Ellicott City, MD.

my own as well. I realized how stressful it had been to be far away from them, having to travel into DC, on and off the Beltway, to care for them, or even just look in on them after a bystander reported that something was wrong.

Like everyone in this business, we had some tragedies. I realized that— even after healing—it wasn’t personally, financially, or emotionally sustainable to put them on land more than a 30minute drive from home.

Also, I work full-time now for Future Harvest, a wonderful nonprofit that trains farmers, so there are only so many hours in the day!

Is there a trend you are seeing in the industry with incorporating targeted goat grazing?

Nature preserves were the “early adapters” of targeted grazing, but there has definitely been increasing demand from homeowners and Homeowners Associations (HOAs), especially during the COVID pandemic. Requests were through the roof. I think people slowed down and saw that there’s more than

Besides it being eco-friendly, what are other compelling reasons why people should look into goat grazing?

I think renting goats is a wonderful first step to goat ownership, and that there is a lot of land overrun by invasive vegetation that would benefit from goats grazing full-time. They are delightful creatures, as long as they are getting everything they need on the right side of the fence.

What is a special characteristic/fact about goats that you would like to share?

They aren’t as easy to care for as people think. A lot of homesteaders start with chickens and then the next step up is goats. This is great, but there is a lot to learn, such as managing their health, your land; having proper fencing; learning their body systems, needs, and maintenance. I always recommend renting them first. o Hojung Ryu is a junior journalism and criminal justice double major at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is an intern this semester with Washington Gardener and is from Mahwah, NJ. Photos courtesy of 56 Hooves.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City Coming Soon!

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

GardenDC Podcast

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

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

WASHINGTON GARDENER

7

GREENliving

Longleaf Pine Straw Mulch Provides Gardeners with an Environment-friendly Option

By Dorvall Bedford Mulch is an important material for gardeners. It can be used to conserve moisture in soil, prevent weed growth, or even improve the look of the garden.

There are a wide variety of mulches to choose from, but one type of mulch on the market that might pique the interest of those who want to promote the preservation of a dwindling ecosystem.

Katharine Strock, owner and operator of Mid-Atlantic Pine Straw Mulch Inc., is selling longleaf pine straw mulch to customers primarily in the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and Midwest regions.

She began her career selling pine straw in 2007 while living in Charlotte, NC, and has expanded ever since.

Strock’s company partners with The Longleaf Alliance, an organization focused solely on the restoration of longleaf pines and the ecosystem they create. According to Ad Platt, vice president for operations at The Longleaf Alliance, the longleaf pine ecosystem was once the largest in North America dominated by a single species of tree, stretching from Virginia to East Texas.

With about 1,000 members, The Longleaf Alliance and its partners are 8

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

trying to bring back a pine species that was almost lost.

According to Strock, gardeners buying longleaf pine straw mulch helps The Longleaf Alliance and the longleaf pine ecosystem by creating a positive demand for planting more trees. Her business is providing a choice of mulch that has been historically unavailable to gardeners in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Since longleaf pine straw mulch is more common in the Southeast, she has made it her goal to educate customers about the benefits of using this specific mulch and why it is ideal.

Comparing longleaf pine straw mulch to hardwood mulch, Strock said that longleaf pine straw is a better choice.

According to Strock, three bales of her mulch is equal to a cubic yard of hardwood mulch and a single bale can cover 40 square feet at a depth of 2.5 inches. A gardener herself, Strock said she uses longleaf pine straw mulch on her own soils.

Platt said he sees many benefits in longleaf pine straw mulch, including its lack of termites, its ability to last about 18 months to two years, and that it will remain in place even if there is heavy rainfall.

“It just doesn’t really wash away unless there’s a sweeping river flowing through your property,” he said.

According to Platt, longleaf pine straw mulch is acidic and gardeners should take that into account when applying it to their soil. It can be a desirable product if the garden contains plants suited to its acidity, like azaleas, rhododendrons, and blueberries.

David Close, a consumer horticulture specialist for the Virginia Cooperative Extension and director of the Extension Master Gardener program, recommends that gardeners should take precaution before using longleaf pine straw mulch with plants that are not accustomed to its acidity. The mulch may not be entirely ideal for vegetable crops versus ornamental plants since vegetables are more sensitive to the pH levels of soil, he said.

Platt said using longleaf pine straw mulch is helpful for the environment. It provides a sustainable, renewable, biodegradable, and totally natural option for gardeners. o Dorvall Bedford is a journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern this semester with Washington Gardener. He is a native of Frederick, MD.

Winter Aconite

PLANTprofile

By Kathy Jentz Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) is a spring ephemeral that appears and disappears in the later-winter garden in a matter of days.

It is a member of the buttercup family and is native to southern and eastern Europe. Winter Aconite is also classified as a minor bulb in comparison to the larger and showier daffodils, tulips, and lilies in our gardens. Even though it is quite small, it still packs a punch with its brightyellow flowers in the bleak winter landscape.

It prefers to grow under deciduous trees such as Oaks and likes rich, humusy soils. It can tolerate wetter locations than most bulbs.

It is a great source of nectar for the first foraging bees of the season.

On overcast days, the flowers stay closed, then on clear days, they open up to the sun’s warming rays.

In the fall, soak the tubers overnight, then plant them an inch deep.

They will emerge several months later and every year after that. It does naturalize and spread a bit. You can dig up and divide them to move them around right after they finish blooming.

There is an invasive look-a-like: Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna). However, that plant blooms later in the season and does not have the Elizabethan collar of foliage at the base of the flower that Winter Aconites do.

This is one tough plant. Winter Aconite doesn’t mind being covered in ice or snow, or being zapped by freezing temperatures.. o Kathy Jentz is the editor and founder of Washington Gardener.

FEBRUARY 2022

WASHINGTON GARDENER

9

TIPStricks

Carrots, the Essential Garden Vegetable

According to Barbara Melera of Harvesting History (www.harvesting-history.com), a seller of heirloom seeds, plants, and other garden products, the carrot is the fourth-most popular vegetable in the world. Only the potato, wheat, and rice enjoy greater popularity. Carrots are such an important part of the American diet and yet, we hardly realize this. They are an essential ingredient in many soups and stews, most gravies, and a host of salads and side dishes. The vegetable probably originated in the area now occupied by Iran and Afghanistan, but quickly spread to southern Europe.

In the wild, carrots come in many colors, including white, yellow, red, and maroon. Carrots, like their cousins parsley, cumin, chervil, dill, caraway, coriander, fennel, anise, parsnip, and celery, were originally grown for their leaves and seeds, which were used as flavorings. With cultivation, the roots grew larger, sweeter, and less woody.

Eventually, the root became more popular for culinary purposes than its leaves or the seeds.

Cultivated carrots originated in the Afghanistan region and were yellow and purple. From this center of domestication, carrots were grown as a root crop to the east and west with the incorporation of several characteristics contrasting those two geographic regions. The eastern carrot spread to central and north Asia and then to Japan. Red-colored carrots are typical of India and also were introduced into Japan. In contrast, western carrot types were char10

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

acterized initially by yellow, and later by orange, root color. This carrot type spread to the west and now dominates in Europe and the Americas.

The first orange carrot was introduced in the Netherlands in the 1600s, but it was the French who fell in love with the idea of orange carrots. Some say the French fascination with orange carrots was somehow related to the House of Orange, a princely dynasty that derived its name from the medieval principality of Orange in old Provence in southern France. The dynasty was important to The Netherlands because it is that nation’s royal family.

Whatever the reason, the famous French seedhouse Vilmorin-Andrieux dedicated massive resources during the mid-1800s to developing the sweetest orange carrots on the face of the Earth.

Most of the orange carrot varieties that we have today are a result of the Vilmorin breeding programs.

Carrots can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked. Adding lime to the soil before planting will further sweeten them.

Benjamin Watson, in his book Taylor’s Guide to Heirloom Vegetables, recommends presoaking the seeds the night before planting to hasten germination.

Watson also recommends mixing carrot and radish seed when planting. The radishes will be up and harvested long before the carrots begin to mature, and this helps with thinning.

Carrots should be thinned twice; first, when the green tops are about 1 inch high, thin the seedlings to a 1 inch separation. Use the thinnings for a salad condiment. Second, when the green tops are about 3 inches tall, thin the plants to a 3 inch separation. Use the thinnings as baby carrots.

Leave the carrots in the ground until you need them. Carrots can tolerate frost very well, but you do need to get them out of the ground before the soil freezes solid.

Frankly, I am surprised that such an important asset of our diet has attracted so little attention. Carrots are an essential part of our diet or should be. They are good for our eyes, blood pressure, diabetes control, etc. They are also easy to grow and can flourish in containers. o

What Differentiates Blue, Green, and Gray Water?

One of the most precious resources on Earth is dwindling, and its decline affects the lives of everyone. Its scarcity is costly in economical, biological, and ecological terms. It’s not oil, but a resource even more precious: water.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Clean Water Act. The Soil Science Society of America’s Soils Matter blog (https://soilsmatter. wordpress) looked at managing water in terms of access and freshness is one way to optimize the use of this resource. These are called blue, green, and gray water.

Blue water is found in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. It’s what you see in wetlands, or it can be pumped from below surface aquifers. Available blue water is used for many purposes, including drinking water and irrigation water for agriculture. In fact, agriculture uses about 70% of blue water, which is why researchers are finding ways to reuse gray water.

Green water is the water available in the soil for plants and soil microorganisms. It is the water absorbed by roots, used by plants, and released back to the atmosphere through the process of transpiration. Green water can also leave the soil through evaporation or subsurface runoff, but it is considered productive only when it is used for plant transpiration.

To supplement green water, scientists are looking to gray water. The term is typically applied to water that has been previously used and may contain some impurities. Gray water has been used by cities, households, and industries. It is the wastewater that is usually treated and discharged.

Although gray water has to be treated, it doesn’t have to be treated to a pristine level. Sufficiently treated water can be put on a field, and healthy soil will then finish the treatment by filtering it and removing chemicals, because soil is the world’s largest biofilter!

The reuse of gray water is essential, too. Gray water reduces the use of blue water and provides additional green water while lowering energy costs and recycling nutrients. o

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Meet the New Spring 2022 Interns • Seed Swap Day Virtual Meeting • Winterberry Holly Plant Profile See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

February–March Garden To-Do List

New Plant Spotlight A compact, narrow evergreen.

Emerald Squeeze™ Thuja

The Emerald Squeeze™ Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) was developed by Shreckhise Nurseries in Grottoes, VA (https://www.shreckhise.com/). This Thuja is similar to ‘Emerald Green’, but is smaller and more compact.

It will grow to a mature height of around 8 feet high and 4 feet wide.

This is a great evergreen plant for use in smaller gardens and narrow hedge spaces. It can also be used in a container planting. Like all arborvitae, it is susceptible to deer browsing.

It is being marketed through Star® Roses and Plants, West Grove, PA, See more at www.starrosesandplants.com/ plants/emerald-squeeze-thuja/. o

• Cut some branches (Forsythia, Quince, Bittersweet, Redbud, Willow, etc.) for forcing indoors.

• Put out suet for birds.

• Keep birdfeeders filled and provide a source of water.

• Check outside plants and trees for animal (deer) damage.

• Mist indoor plants and set up pebble trays to increase humidity.

• Rejuvenate Holly bushes and Boxwood with a hard pruning.

• Plan landscape design projects.

• Check evergreens for signs of desiccation.

• Start seeds of cool-season vegetables and flowers.

• Keep ice-melting chemicals away from garden beds. Use coarse sand instead.

• Prune any dead or diseased wood off trees and shrubs.

• Fertilize trees, shrubs, and evergreens.

• Prune roses.

• Begin tilling beds (when the ground is dry enough to work, but not muddy) and work in compost.

• Plant or transplant trees or shrubs, including berries, roses, and evergreens.

• Apply pre-emergent weed control such as corn gluten.

• Protect tender plants by covering them with some type of cloth material, if an unusually cold day/night is in the forecast. Be sure to uncover when it warms up.

• Weed.

• Trim ornamental grasses such as Liriope, Mondo, and Pampas.

• Divide overgrown or crowded perennials such as Daylilies and Shasta Daisies.

• Scan houseplants for insect activity.

• Dust house plants with a slightly damp cloth.

• Clear perennial beds of any dead plant parts and debris.

• Clean and organize the garden shed.

• Clean, sharpen, and oil tools, if not already done last fall.

• Walk your yard to check for heaving plants and bulbs, then place them back in the ground as needed. Cover with more mulch to prevent further heaving.

• Apply dormant oil spray to ornamentals and fruit trees before dormancy breaks.

• Check and tune up power equipment (mowers and trimmers).

• Build garden furniture.

• Spread new gravel on paths.

• Mulch bare areas.

• Design new beds and gardens.

• Pick up new gardening books and magazines for inspiration.

• Start seedlings indoors under grow lights. Some good choices to start early are Peppers, Artichokes, Onions, Beets, Turnips, Cabbage, Kale, and Leeks.

• Put up trellises and teepees for Peas and Beans to climb on.

• Direct-sow early, cool-season crops as soon as ground soil can be worked.

Good choices are Peas, Lettuces, Mustards, Onion sets, Kale, and Cabbages.

• Start or turn your compost pile.

• Do an annual soil test and amend soils as recommended.

• Check for snow damage. Gently brush off snow weight, if you must, but it’s better to let snow melt on its own. o FEBRUARY 2022

WASHINGTON GARDENER

11

GOINGnative

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

Virginia Waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum

By Barry Glick

They say a picture is worth (at least) a thousand words. And that’s a good thing, because even though I love this ubiquitous East Coast native plant, I’d be hard-pressed to write more than one page about it. I’ll tell you what I can tell you and rely on the images to tell you the rest.

(And…I’ll be very happy to hear that my article and pictures stimulated you enough to go out hunting for Hydrophyllum virginianum in the wild this spring.)

First, let’s chat about the name of the genus, Hydrophyllum. Very simply stated, it breaks down to hydro, the Latin name for water, and phyllum, the Latin name for leaf, but you saw that coming, didn’t you? The “common” name is “Virginia Waterleaf” and it was bestowed this name because the silvery marbling of the leaves resembles water spotting.

A plant well-known by most native plant nerds, you may ask, why is this plant not on everybody’s radar?

Perhaps that’s because the Virginia Waterleaf emerges so early in the spring as a very low-growing plant that is quickly covered up by larger plants and shrubs in its surroundings. Perhaps you were not out early enough in the spring to see the beautiful silvery marbling on the foliage before it faded and 12

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

turned the leaves a deep, dark-green hue? Perhaps, perhaps, but now that you know to start looking, you’ll find it on a road bank that you’ve been speeding past for years, so slow down!

According to several folks I’ve had a dialog with regarding Hydrophyllum virginianum, the young leaves and shoots of this plant are very tasty when cooked, but do it early because they are tender when young but get a bit chewy if you wait too long. Native Americans used a root tea as an astringent for diarrhea and dysentery. The raw roots were chewed to treat mouth sores.

Hydrophyllum virginianum will make an attractive ground cover in moist, shady spots in your garden, since the leaves will last throughout the growing season if sufficient moisture is available. If you decide to transplant it to your garden, make sure that you give it that moist, shady spot and plenty of room because it is a vigorous grower.

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t mentioned the flowers, aren’t you? Well, the foliage is so dramatic

and striking that in my mind, the flowers, although interesting, take a backseat to the foliage.

The flowers of this species are small clusters of white to lilac, bell-shaped blooms that are a third of an inch long.

They appear from May to June—sometimes with an infrequent additional bloom into August.

Sooooo, here’s another uncommon, but definitely not rare plant to add to your knowledge base of the many unique and beautiful native plants that we are blessed to have in this botanical paradise of the Mid-Atlantic! o Barry Glick, a transplanted Philadelphian, has been residing in Greenbrier County, WV, since 1972. His mountaintop garden and nursery is a mecca for gardeners from virtually every country in the world. He writes and lectures extensively about native plants and Hellebores, his two main specialties, and welcomes visitors with advance notice. He can be reached at barry@sunfarm.com, www.sunfarm.com, or 304.497.2208..

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales • Through April 24 Orchids: Hidden Stories of Groundbreaking Women On January 29, the Smithsonian Gardens and the U.S. Botanic Garden opened their 26th annual orchid exhibition in the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition “unearths” stories of women who have enriched the understanding and appreciation of orchids. It is free and open during museum hours.

• Saturday, February 19, 9am–2pm 2022 Spring Conference The Montgomery County Master Gardeners invite county residents and all interested gardeners to their spring conference. It focuses on sharing information that will help local gardeners create and maintain sustainable gardens to enjoy now and for years to come. It will be held via Zoom. Registration link: https://2022mcmgconference.eventbrite.com.

• Thursday, February 24, 6:30–8pm Garden Book Club Discuss The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature by Sue Stuart-Smith. You can order it at https://amzn.to/3HxDUhk. To join us for this Zoom meeting, register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtduurpjwvH9M4PaEpk21e421 SriSQD3ky.

• Friday, February 25, 7–8pm Roses 101 To help your roses thrive and to get the most out of their colorful blooms, join Kathy Jentz for this informative class hosted by Homestead Gardens. This class will be a virtual presentation that covers how to choose the right rose for your garden, types of roses, and general care. This class is free, but requires registration. Participants will receive a coupon to use on the store’s selection of 2022 roses and rose care products.

Register at https://homesteadgardens. com/.

• Saturday, February 26, 12:30–4pm Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD. You must pre-register to attend at: WGSeedEx.brownpapertickets.com.

• Sunday, February 26, 3–4pm Seed Starting for the Spring & Summer Garden With food shortages and supply chain issues, never has growing your own harvest been more popular as a solution for feeding yourself and your family reliably delicious produce. Learn how to plan your spring and summer harvest garden, whether you’re using a large plot, a small yard, or even a patio!

Kathy Jentz will teach participants about frost and freeze dates in our area, how to combine plants to make the most of your space, and how to plant seeds for harvest success.

This class is free, but registration is required. Participants will receive a coupon to purchase Homestead Garden’s seed starting kit. Register at https://homesteadgardens.com/.

• Saturday, March 5, 1–2pm Getting the Most Out of Small-Space Urban Gardens Virtual Program Using examples from area gardens, Kathy Jentz will illustrate basic design principles for maximizing garden space.

Get ideas for common small-space challenges, such as creating privacy, adding light to shady areas, and finding lowbudget design solutions. This program will be presented virtually. A Zoom link will be emailed no later than the morning of the program. Fee: $15 per person. Code 4PD.8XP8. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes or call Green Spring Gardens at 703642-5173.

Looking Ahead • Saturday, March 26, 11:30am Seasonal Containers for Food and Beauty (Online Lecture) Container gardens bring joy, particularly in an urban setting. From edible plantings to unexpected scents, containers can add seasonal lift no matter what size pot is available. During this online lecture, join Teresa Speight, owner, Cot-

tage In The Court, author of Black Flora (coming spring 2022), and co-author, The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty In The City (coming spring 2022), as she shares hints, tips, and suggestions that can add value to basic containers, all while they are simply beautiful. Free, but pre-registration required. Go to https://www.usbg. gov/OnlinePrograms.

• Saturday, March 26, 9am–3pm Native Plants: Forces for Conservation and Community The 35th Annual Lahr Symposium returns with its tradition of presenting subject matter experts on ecological, botanical, and horticultural advancements in a daylong program. Join the U.S. National Arboretum to learn and find inspiration from the invited speakers. This year’s program will be held virtually. It highlight the role of public gardens in native plant awareness and explore research about the impact of woodland wildlife on the dispersal and evolution of oak species. For more details, contact programs.usna@ars. usda.gov.

• Sunday, March 27, 9am–2pm Native Plant Sale This sale will take place along Meadow Road between the U.S. National Arboretum’s Visitor Center and National Herb Garden, and will feature several native plant vendors. Be prepared to wear a mask when browsing plants and interacting with vendors. Registration is preferred, but not required. See https:// www.fona.org/.

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

Join by emailing WashingtonGardenersubscribe@googlegroups.com.

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

Our next deadline is March 5 for the March 2022 issue, for events taking place after March 15. o

FEBRUARY 2022

WASHINGTON GARDENER

13

16th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

PHOTOcontt

14

16TH ANNUAL PHOTO CONTEST DETAILS

Here are the 17 winners in the Washington Gardener Magazine 16th Annual Photo Contest. More than 300 photos were submitted in this year’s contest from 35 entrants. This year, our judge had an especially diffcult time winnowing the images down to the best of the best! It was great to see several first-time entrants place highly. Many of these photos are of the photographers’ own home gardens, while the majority of the rest of the images were taken at public gardens in our region.

Congratulations to the 2022 DC Garden Photo Contest winners and thank you to all who entered.

WHERE TO SEE THE PHOTOS AT THEIR FULL QUALITY Winning images will be displayed during the Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges and appear in a local photo exhibit this September at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA.

THANK YOU TO OUR JUDGE Elizabeth Olson, certified photography judge with the Maryland Association of Agricultural Fairs & Shows (MAAFS).

THANK YOU TO OUR 2022 PRIZE SPONSORS • Capital Photography Center, LLC • Fiskars Tools • Proven Winners Spring Meadows • Washington Photo Safari Additional prizes supplied by Washington Gardener Magazine

WASHINGTON GARDENER

Grand Prize Winner (on the cover)

Jeanne Markowski “Canna Lily Lines” Location: Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD Canna Lily leaf patterns in the sun. Taken using a Canon 6D Mark2, Canon lens EF 180 macro; ISO 250, 180 mm, f8, 1/200 sec. Markowski is an amateur photographer with eight years’ experience

FEBRUARY 2022

PHOTOcontt

Images of insects, birds, frogs, domestic pets, wild animals, etc., in a private or public garden setting.

First Place

Stefanie Boss “Hiding in Duckweed” Location: A pond in Frederick, MD “It is very difficult to photograph frogs, as they tend to jump in the water whenever I get near,” said Boss. “But this guy just posed for me!” Photo taken with Nikon Coolpix 950. She is an amateur photographer with 10 years’ experience.

Second Place

Smita Parida “Mockingbird Mama” Location: Photographer’s home garden in Rockville, MD “Mockingbirds are extremely protective of their young. I had to shield myself with an umbrella from nosedives by the mama bird when approaching to take pictures of the nest,” she said. Taken with a Nikon D800, 28-200 mm lens, natural light. She is a professional photographer with 20+ years’ experience.

Third Place

Janet (Kim) Kaplan “Butterfly in Butterfly Bush” Location: Photographer’s home garden in Silver Spring, MD A tattered spicebush swallowtail butterfly enjoys the hospitality of a butterfly bush panicle. Taken with a Pentax KP, 100 macro, f5, 1/250, ISO 400. She is an amateur photographer with 25+ years’ experience.

FEBRUARY 2022

16th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

Garden Creatures Category

WASHINGTON GARDENER

15

16th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

PHOTOcontt

16

Garden Vignettes Category Groupings of plants in beds or containers, unusual color or texture combinations, garden focal points, and still scenes.

First Place

Kim Keller “Fireworks” Location: Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD “When I saw this grouping on July 15, of course I was reminded of recent fireworks displays. The water droplets and sunlight added to the effect,” said Keller. Taken using a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and a 70-200 mm lens. She is an amateur photographer with 15+ years experience.

Second Place

Stefanie Boss “Nature’s Open Door Policy” Location: Sunflower field in Ronks, PA “I was surprised to see this open door in a sunflower field,” said Boss. “Not sure why it was there, but I fell in love with it.” Taken with a Nikon Coolpix 950. She is an amateur photographer with 10 years’ experience.

WASHINGTON GARDENER

Third Place

Teresa K. Hughes “The North Side of the Cathedral” Location: Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC Mid-April minor bulbs in bloom. Taken using a Nikon D3000, 18-55 mm, 48 mm, f/5.6, 1/60, ISO 280. She is an amateur photographer with 13 years of experience.

FEBRUARY 2022

PHOTOcontt

Tight close-up or macro image of a single flower, plant parts, leaves, fruits, etc.

First Place

Eva Lanyi “Frost” Location: Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria, VA A frost-encrusted oak leaf on a chilly fall morning. Taken using a Nikon D500 with Nikon 300 mm lens. ISO 1250; 300 mm; f 8; 1/400. She is an amateur photographer with nine years’ experience.

Second Place

Karin Melinda Reber “Straight Outta Mario“ Location: Springfield, VA “This petite little mushroom made a big impression on me when I saw it in the landscape,” said Reber. “No taller than a pinky finger, the plentiful white spots covering its red cap make this mushroom look like it was picked right out of a SuperMario Brothers video game.” Taken using a Google Pixel 4 XL ƒ/1.731/1414.38mm ISO 59 with a Moment Macro Lens attachment. She is an amateur photographer with 11 years’ experience.

Third Place

Aryanna Brooks “Hello Hibiscus” Location: American Plant in Bethesda, MD A close-up of a hibiscus. Robyn Brooks, the photographer’s mother, said, “My child was bored as I looked at the different plants and captured this image.” Taken using an iPhone XS in natural light.

She is an amateur photographer and is 11 years old.

FEBRUARY 2022

16th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

Small Wonders Category

WASHINGTON GARDENER

17

16th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

PHOTOcontt

18

Garden Views Category Beautiful, dramatic, or unusual perspectives of a garden landscape, including wide shots showing the setting.

First Place

Dennis Govoni “Moonset over Lake Caroline” Location: Lake Caroline at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA Moon setting over Lake Caroline with cherry trees and gazebo.

Taken using a Fuji GFX 50s; lens: 32-64 mm @ 64 mm; F11 100; 1/25s. He is an amateur photographer with 55 years’ experience.

Second Place

Lesley Golenor “Proud Pods” Location: Lilypons Water Gardens in Adamstown, MD Are flowers overrated? This proud congregation of lotus pods seems to think so. Taken using an iPhone 12 Pro. She is an amateur photographer with 24 years of experience.

Third Place

Erin Pant “Late Fall in Washington, DC” Location: U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC A northern mockingbird sits atop a gate at the United States Botanic Garden with the U.S. Capitol and fall colors in the background. Taken using an iPhone 8. She is an amateur photographer with 25+ years of experience.

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

PHOTOcontt

Lori Lankford “Bee covered in pollen on a Zinnia. ” Location: Photographer’s former home garden in Alexandria, VA Bumblebee on zinnia. Taken using a Fujixt4, 60 mm macro lens, natural light. She is a professional photographer with 10 years’ experience.

Honorable Mention Small Wonders

M. Paula Neumann “Columbines” Location: Hillwood Museum and Estate in Washington, DC Taken using a Canon 7D Mark 3, Canon EF 24-105 mm F/4L IS, natural light. She is an amateur photographer with 10 years’ experience.

Honorable Mention Garden Vignettes

Honorable Mention Garden Views

Catherine M. Salam “The Woodland Glade Side of the Garden” Location: Photographer’s home garden in Annapolis/Cape St. Claire, MD Taken in early September using an iPhone SE (2nd generation) back camera 3.99 m f/1.8. She is an amateur photographer with 20 years’ experience.

Karin Melinda Reber “The Forest at Your Fingertips” Location: Burke, VA “I was taking some final shots of a new fall garden installation at my client’s house when I decided to get out my lensball, the crystal sphere you see in my hand,” said Reber. “Holding it up to the trees I saw in front of me highlighted by the setting sun, I felt like I was holding the entire forest in the palm of my hand.”

Taken with a Google Pixel 4 XL ƒ/1.731/6714.38 mm ISO 50.

She is an amateur photographer with 11 years’ experience.

FEBRUARY 2022

16th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

Honorable Mention Garden Creatures

WASHINGTON GARDENER

19

BOOKreviews having to leave behind the first plant he bought after moving to New Jersey and his friend watering a plastic fern that also bring humor and sincerity to what is seemingly a simple introduction to houseplants.

Sabharwal’s book is full of personality while also being informative about how to start taking care of plants.

There is so much love for plants in the author’s advice that this would make a wonderful read for both beginners and people who are somewhat experienced with indoor gardening. o

Happy Plant: A Beginner’s Guide to Cultivating Healthy Plant Care Habits Author: Puneet Sabharwal Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press List Price: $24.95 Order Links: https://amzn.to/3pe1ERh and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781648960611 Reviewer: Dorvall Bedford House plants are more than just decoration for Puneet Sabharwal. To him, they are living beings worth the same care and attention as a pet. He describes this in Happy Plant, a quick guide to becoming a plant parent.

Sabharwal’s book covers many topics in only four short chapters. The first two are all about the relationship between people and plants, including the evolution of plants, the history of gardening, and what it takes to be the “parent” of houseplants. The third and fourth chapters provide advice about houseplant care, suggesting five plants for beginning plant parents and giving brief descriptions of soil, repotting, pests, and other important information. At the end of the book there is a long list of common houseplants for both novices and intermediate plant parents.

This book doesn’t go into great detail about all the topics it covers, but what makes it great is that it is beginner-friendly. Sabharwal goes to great lengths to humanize plants and convey that they are living beings just like us. In the first two chapters, about the science and history of plants, Sabharwal compares plant biology to our own and discusses the evolving relationship between humans and plants. He provides anecdotes about 20

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

Dorvall Bedford is a journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern this semester with Washington Gardener. He is a native of Frederick, MD.

Succulents for Beginners: A YearRound Growing Guide for Healthy and Beautiful Plants Author: Misa Matsuyama Publisher: Tuttle Publishing List Price: $15.99 Order Links: https://amzn.to/3gNA3l1 and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780804854603 Reviewer: Hojung Ryu Succulents have a unique appearance that is a feature of their distinct attractiveness. These are very beginnerfriendly plants for gardeners because of their vitality. In Succulents for Beginners, Misa Matsuyama educates readers about succulents, including different types, appearances, cultivations, and ways to incorporate them into our daily lives.

The first chapter of the book is a comprehensive, yet self-explanatory, guide to the types, styles, and characteristics of succulents. A pageful of pictures makes the content easy to follow and helps even beginners accurately identify each plant. Along with the basic information, Matsuyama provides a helpful tool about the suitable seasons to grow each succulent and how to prepare them as the seasons approach. This naturally leads the readers to the second chapter: the cultivation of the succulents. This diagram and image-heavy chapter walk each reader through every delicate step of cultivating succulents. From positioning, fertilizing, and more, the book goes into depth and details about each

plant. “Much depends on their variety and type, so observe them carefully as you cultivate them,” Matsuyama writes before explaining how proper cultivation and cutting can help succulents flourish.

The next chapter answers common questions while growing succulents with vital advice about how to detect signs of their health. Matsuyama represents specific plant parts, including Sphagnum moss and Haworthia roots. The fourth chapter guides readers to incorporate greenery into interior design and everyday lives. Matsuyama introduces these creations in the living space as a “home that is alive.”

The use of images provides great examples of how to achieve attractive looks and aesthetics. The last chapter gathers the best looks of uniquely beautiful succulents. The gallery Matsuyama puts together expands the reader’s mind on succulents beyond their easy maintenance and appearances.

This beginner-friendly book is perfect for those who are in the starter stage of succulent gardening. Matsuyama is a Japan-based author, so readers should keep in mind that certain plants described in this book may not be available locally. o Hojung Ryu is a junior journalism and criminal justice double major at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. She is an intern this semester with Washington Gardener and is from Mahwah, NJ.

BOOKreviews

Wild: The Naturalistic Garden Author: Noel Kingsbury Photos: Claire Takacs Publisher: Phaidon List Price: $59.95 Order Links: https://amzn.to/3525Axa and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781838661052 Reviewer: Jim Dronenburg This large and heavy book is a trove of “naturalistic” gardens from America to Australia. Not natural, mind you; naturalistic. They only look wild. A natural garden would revert to deciduous woodland in eastern North America, for example, and the book lists several gardens that are essentially North American prairies in Eastern Europe.

They take maintenance. The process of succession from bare earth to forest is artificially stopped by periodic maintenance. Seedlings that will turn into succession trees, for instance, have to be removed as well as things like, say, poison ivy. Maintenance is also required to keep any one (planted or reseeding) species from taking over.

An interesting note here is that meadow plants tend to intermingle and weave, quite randomly and thoroughly; woodland plants, on the other hand, tend to larger, denser clumps. Water plants have to be watched or one species will often become dominant over all others.

The book is divided into sections— Block Planting vs. Intermingling, Mixed Planting and Randomized Systems, Natives vs. Exotics, Self-Seeding, the

Dry Garden, and A Seasonal Approach.

It features 41 gardens, private and public/corporate. There is a detailed photo essay and at least one page of text (aside from one to two paragraph captions for most photos) for each one.

And the photos are superb. They, and their captions, could stand alone as a book. The text describes what the garden is, where it is, and its designer(s).

Before the sections/gardens start, an introduction touches on the questions posed and ideally answered by these gardens, and a short history of the gardening that has led up to the “naturalistic” plantings covered there.

Block planting á la Oehme Van Sweden is covered, but the trend is to mixed planting for a more natural look. This can be done by seed or plugs. In Europe, they sell plant mixes for the purpose.

There are, throughout the book, some plantings that look like unweeded garden plots still coming up, with the occasional coneflower among the grasses and predictable everyone-does-this plants around some very ugly modern buildings (de gustibus…). But points in the book more than make up for this. Things to copy, things to note for future use.

Emergent plants—twice the height of those around them—help to avoid uniformity of height and create drama.

Having a dark background behind them helps.

American meadow/prairie plants tend to bloom in high to late summer. European meadow plants tend to be spring/early summer. Eurasian steppes—their prairies—often have a rich bulb underplanting for early spring before things grow tall. Steppe and Mediterranean plants look best (briefly) in spring. This creates a seasonal disparity that people who want a sustainable, irrigation-free garden have to live with (or mix plantings…). Incidentally, the Mediterranean flora tend to low, mounded subshrubs, like lavender or cistus, mounded because they are “goat-pruned.”

Indeed, meadow/prairie plantings that are left to standing seed heads

and grass clumps tend, in your reviewer’s opinion, to look like autumn in summer and like winter by autumn.

One meadow garden mentioned is Great Dixter. These gardens are mowed once or twice a year, either for hay or for grass to compost. They have their season and then are cut. This removal of biomass has lowered the fertility of those areas and opened the door for a large number of species that could not compete with faster growers, in a more fertile area. A point to ponder.

The native vs. exotic question is examined. Usually there is a mix of plants if the preference is to have some interest at most times. And of course, your reviewer just snickered at

the use of American plants to create a “wild garden” in Europe. All the usual suspects…

Speaking of which, there is a listing in the back of the book of 76 “key” plants and grasses, with thumbnail photos and descriptions. There is also a garden directory of properties listed, location, climate, and contact info, as well as a section of short blurbs about various designers.

So. Buy it? Not so sure, because a lot of the things shown don’t translate to DC-area small properties. (Some do.)

Read it? Most definitely. Go to your library and demand it. o Jim Dronenburg is a retired accountant and now gardens full-time in Knoxville, MD.

Note: These book reviews include links to Amazon.com and BookShop.org for ordering them. Washington Gardener Magazine may receive a few cents from each order placed after you click on these links.

FEBRUARY 2022

WASHINGTON GARDENER

21

KNOWitall

Ask the Expert

By Debra Ricigliano

Removing or Replanting a Fallen Leyland Cypress

Q: We have a Leyland Cypress that fell over from having heavy snow on the branches. The roots are still mostly in the ground except for one side of the tree. My question is, can it be pushed upright again and survive? Or should we remove it and replant?

A: Unfortunately, what happened to your Leyland Cypress is a common problem. Its root system is relatively shallow and small for its ultimate size.

Replanting the tree would be fruitless because it probably would not reroot.

The tree would be unstable even if it is staked up and supported. Replacing it is your best option. Japanese cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica), American holly (Ilex opaca), Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), and Arborvitae ‘Green Giant’ (Thuja plicata ‘Green Giant’) are replacement tree suggestions.

Diagnosing a Mysterious White Substance on Crapemyrtle Bark

Q: I planted a crapemyrtle last summer that bloomed beautifully. After it lost its leaves, I noticed this white mold or fungus on the bark. The limbs are covered.

What is it and what should I do?

A: A relatively new insect pest of crapemyrtles has been showing up in local landscapes. It is a non-native type of soft scale and is called crapemyrtle bark scale. It’s also possible to find leaves covered in black sooty mold during the growing season. Soft scales are sucking insects that exude honeydew as they feed. Sooty mold, a type of fungus, grows on top of the sticky honeydew.

Since this scale species is new to the area, we do not know much about its life cycle making information about management challenging. However, it is being studied. Several generations are likely to occur here; between two and four is the current belief.

The sizes of crapemyrtles vary from small, 2- to 3-feet shrubs to 20- to 30feet trees. Thorough coverage of the bark and trunk with a dormant rate of 22

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022

Crapemyrtle bark scale. Photo: Jim Robbins, University of Arkansas CES, Bugwood.org.

horticultural oil with follow-up sprays during the season using the summer rate of oil is recommended. If spraying above your head is necessary, hire a professional applicator who works for a landscape company. Licensed applicators also have access to growth regulators and systemics for treatment.

For detailed information, go to the HGIC website page about this pest, https:// extension.umd.edu/resource/crapemyrtle-bark-scale-new-problem-homelandscapes.

Is Reducing Lawn Areas a Fad or Here to Stay?

Q: What’s all the buzz about replacing or reducing lawns? Are there really any good alternatives?

A: As more of our clients are concerned about climate change and desire to make changes they can accomplish in their own yards, we have suggestions for lawn alternatives. Lawns do have their place in a landscape for play areas and defining garden beds or walkways, but they are thirsty, ecological deserts that require intensive management to “look good.”

An easy way to start is by replacing turfgrass in areas of your property where it does not grow well, like in the shade or around trees, and plant a shade-loving native groundcover like wild ginger (Asarum canadense) or crested iris (Iris cristata). Install a rain garden in wet, soggy areas.

Another step is enlarging your garden beds to replace a section of your lawn with native plants or shrubs, and if you have the room, plant a tree. On large properties, maintain the lawn close to the house and allow the rest of the lawn to be more of a natural area.

If neighborhood constraints prevent you from having a no-mow or natural area, at least leave the dandelions, wild violets, and clover for pollinators. Since this type of conversion is gaining in popularity, there are many resources you can turn to for help. These ideas are just the beginning of supporting a healthier watershed and environment. Send any questions you may have to our website listed below. o Debra Ricigliano is a Certified Professional Horticulturist who has worked as a horticulture consultant for the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center since 1997. She is a graduate of the Institute of Applied Agriculture at UMCP. To ask a gardening or pest question, go to http://extension.umd.edu/hgic and scroll to “connect with us.” Digital photos can be attached.

ADVERTISINGindex

Your Ad Here

BACK ISSUE SALE!

YOU CAN REQUEST A SINGLE COPY OF PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR $6 EACH OR ANY 6 BACK ISSUES FOR $24, OR ALL 40+ PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR JUST $100. PRICE INCLUDES POSTAGE AND HANDLING. PLEASE SPECIFY THE ISSUE DATE(S). ORDER MUST BE PREPAID BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. SEND ORDERS TO:

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/MidAtlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out in the middle of every month. Contact kathyjentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates (starting from $200).

The ad deadline is the 5th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: kathyjentz@gmail.com.

WASHINGTON GARDENER, 826 PHILADELPHIA AVE., SILVER SPRING, MD 20910

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)

T!

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

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

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

MARCH/APRIL 2009 !

OUT Tips D • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden SOL !

T • Spring Edibles Planting Guide OU LDfor a Fresh Start • Testing YourSO Soil ! Selection and Care UTTree • Redbud O LD Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells • SOBest

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

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

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

Got a Garden Question?

Got a gardening question you need answered? Send your questions to KathyJentz@gmail. com and use the subject line “Q&A.” Please also include your first name, last initial, and what city and state you are writing from.

Then look for your answered questions in upcoming issues.

Advertising Index A big THANK YOU to all of our Washington Gardener advertisers. Please tell them you saw their ad in Washington Gardener!

Audubon Naturalist Society GardenDC Podcast Green Spring Gardens Jentz Prints IzelPlants.com MD HGIC MG Handbook Plant-a-Row GWA Summer Creek Farm Sunshine Farm & Gardens The Urban Garden Book Washington Gardener Back Issues Washington Gardener Speakers White’s Nursery

2 7 2 24 2 2 5 2 2 7 23 2 2

To advertise with us, please contact KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 today.

Next deadline: March 5

FEBRUARY 2022

WASHINGTON GARDENER

23

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 at the Downtown DC Holiday Market until 12/23/2021.

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.

24

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2022