Washington Gardener Magazine Januaury 2025

WASHINGTON g a rdener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

A Visit to Longwood Reimagined New Potatoes Replacing Old Favorites

Another Blow Against Boxwood: Box Tree Moth

Great Gardening Books Reviewed

2025 Garden Trends 2025 Seed Exchange Details

Royal Birds: Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets

New Catmint ‘Lemon Purrfection’

Save Money and Boost SeedStarting Success

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

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

RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL

Barry Glick

Sunshine Farm and Gardens

696 Glicks Road

Renick, WV 24966, USA Email: barry@sunfarm.com www.sunfarm.com

www.greenspring.org

Your Ad Here

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

Green Spring Gardens

A “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round goldmine of information and inspiration for the home gardener. It’s an outdoor classroom for children and 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.

Commissioned by Longwood Gardens in 1989 and opened in 1993, the Cascade Garden is a work of art. The installation was recently refurbished and reopened as part of Longwood Reimagined.

Got a Garden Question?

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

There are two color forms of the BoxTree Moth. They typically have a white body with a brown head and the wings are white with a brown edge. This small moth (about a half-inch in size) can also appear as all brown with a small white mark on the wings. The color forms distribute equally in male and female. Box Tree Moth photo by stanze from Eure, France, Normandie, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The plain gray face and head with white eye-rings are usually how you see ruby-crowned kinglets, along with their constant wing-flicking. Photo credit: Jay McGowan/ Macaulay Library.

MANTS Means Plants

Last week, I was at the annual Mid-Atlantic Nursery Tradeshow in Baltimore, MD, looking at the new plant and product introductions, as well as catching up with friends and colleagues in the local horticultural world. I brought along a fellow garden writer, Debby Ward, who had never attended before and is now a committed MANTS-head. You can hear her thoughts about the show and why it is a “must-go” on the GardenDC Podcast Episode 223, IMHO, MANTS is the start of the growing season—even with several inches of snow on the sidewalks around the convention center. Sspring is in the air the second you enter the building. I look forward to seeing the tropical houseplants brought up from Florida and the greenhouse-grown annuals and perennial flowers forced into bloom in the booth displays. I am always making notes of those that I want to try out in my own garden, along with those I can share with you in the pages of this magazine.

Alas, some plants are just not for us. One I truly wish we could grow in our area is Dwarf Dogwood (Cornus canadensis). It is hardy to Zones 2 to 6 and our DC summers are just too hot for it. Maybe someday someone will breed a heat-tolerant version?

Still, we are fortunate to be able to grow so much in our temperate climate that we should be grateful for the wide variety of plants we do have, from spring-flowering bulbs to hardy lilacs to native magnolias.

As I shared in the last issue, we’ve created an online shop, partnering with some of the best growers and best tool/supply brands in the garden space to ship from their fields and workshops straight to you. Visit https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ to browse. Check back often because we’re adding new items every week, including native plants and perennials from local grower Cavano’s!

Sincerely,

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

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

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Volume 19, Number 11

ISSN 1555-8959

© 2025 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.

uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

Your editor (right) at MANTS with Jenny Kuhn of Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants.

Reader Contest

For our January 2025 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, we are giving away a copy of the 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Published since 1792, the newest edition features a healthy dose of wit and wisdom and triedand-true advice, as well as the Almanac’s muchanticipated, traditionally 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts. The brand-new edition includes all of this, plus the Almanac’s “Trends” predictions for 2025, the humor of Anecdotes & Pleasantries, Mind-Mangling puzzles, award-winning holiday recipes, weather forecasts for all 18 regions of the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii), and so much more! The 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac is available wherever books and magazines are sold.

To enter to win one of the book copies, send an email by 5:00pm on January 31 to WashingtonGardenerMagazine@gmail.com with “Almanac” 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 February 1. Replies might be published. o

Your Ad Here

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

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.

Reader Favorites

The UMD Food System project article in the December 2024 issue was very interesting.

~ Deborah C. Nisson, Shady Side, MD

I really enjoyed the December 2024 issue of Washington Gardener! I have never grown the Silver and Gold Chrysanthemum myself and love the cover photo of it, so have added that to my plant shopping list this year, along with some of those new poinsettia series shown.

~ Jane Bell, Washington, DC o

IS

NOW! By Kathy

Jentz

Published by Cool Springs Press Order it today at: https://amzn.to/3IlYHYL

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

―C.L. Fornari, GardenLady.com

Longwood Reimagined A New Garden Experience

By Kathy Jentz

In 1906, industrialist Pierre S. du Pont (1870–1954) purchased a small farm near Kennett Square, PA, to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. Today, Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, welcoming 1.6 million guests annually and encompassing 1,100 acres of dazzling gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, a 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ, and a grand conservatory. Expanding on its commitment to conservation, Longwood Gardens acquired the 505-acre Longwood at Granogue in 2024, a cultural landscape in nearby Wilmington, Delaware. In February 2022, the first phase of the Longwood Reimagined project was completed with the reopening of the historic Orchid House. The 100-yearold structure was thoroughly restored and revitalized with stunning new floral displays

The final stages of Longwood Reimagined, a transformation of 17 acres of the gardens’ central visitor area, was many years in the making and opened to the public in late November 2024.

Longwood’s new 32,000-squarefoot West Conservatory and preserved

Cascade Garden, showcases breathtaking indoor landscapes and engaging opportunities to learn, relax, and explore.

The Cascade Garden is an intimate garden highlighting the plants of the rainforest. It is the only surviving design in North America by Robert Burle Marx. It enchants with its 16 waterfalls and winding path. Its preservation within a new 2,800-square-foot, standalone glasshouse provides a serene escape for all who enter.

Karl Gercens, East Conservatory Manager at Longwood Gardens, explained that the Cascade Garden re-do uncovered features that were buried by overgrown planting for decades. “We are now able to see the sharp lines and delineation between the species, the carpet of Cryptanthus, and the pointed edges of many of the vertical stones that were originally quite visible.”

The recently opened West Conservatory, with its dramatic crystalline roofline, shines in winter as its Mediterranean-inspired garden comes into full bloom. Vibrant colors, exotic textures, and sun-loving scents fill the air, transporting guests to a warmer, welcoming oasis under glass. California-lilacs (Ceanothus ‘Concha’), pincushion (Leucospermum ‘Brandi Dela Cruz’), and cascading heartleaf pelargonium (Pelargonium cordifolium) are just a few of the many plants that bloom indoors in winter months.

Gercens noted that while it’s still early for evaluating the success of all the West Conservatory’s new plantings, “the Acacia salicina are growing quite quickly!”

Some of the green features built into the new conservatory incude earth tubes to draw in tempered air before it has to be heated—conversely, it will be cooler in the summer.

They used “glass that transmits UV, which will help plants grow stronger, but also assists with solar gain in winter,” Gercens said. “We have automatic shade curtains that pull in summer to keep things cooler. We collect all the roof water to fill the surrounding pools and compost all plants that finish their display life.”

In the West Conservatory’s Mediterranean-like climate, espaliered fruit trees are also growing. Gercens said, “The two citrus selections we have are only three years in this training. Just wait until they cover the entire trellis and we have 12-foot walls covered in orange Kumquats and yellow Citron! I don’t think I’ve ever seen espaliered citrus in all my garden visits.”

From January through March, the conservatories come alive with a rotating palette of seasonal blooms, each with its own unique charm. In January, delight in the fiery orange hues of tall kangaroo-paws (Anigozanthos flavidus ‘Orange Cross’) and crisp white cyclamen, complemented by the golden tones of scarlet-plume (Euphorbia fulgens ‘Algevo’) and striking aloe (Aloe ‘ANDora’ Safari Orange). February ushers in the delicate blue blossoms of blue-flax (Heliophila coronopifolia), the intricate beauty of melasphaerula (Melasphaerula ramosa), and the vibrant coral of globe-mallow (Sphaeralcea ‘Newleaze Coral’).

As spring approaches in March, revel

in the sweetly scented freesia (Freesia ‘Blue Sensation’), the bold crimson petals of poppy-flowered anemone (Anemone coronaria), and the captivating star-like blooms of Portuguese squill (Scilla peruviana). Throughout the season, the ethereal hanging baskets of cape-primrose (Streptocarpus ‘Concord Blue’) lend a dreamy ambiance to the conservatories, their cascading flowers a perennial favorite.

Another new feature is the 1906 fine dining restaurant led by Chef George Murkowicz, a culinary innovator with a passion for locally sourced ingredients. 1906 offers an elevated lunch menu focused on seasonality and sustainability, Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 3:30pm. Learn

more and make reservations for 1906 at longwoodgardens.org/dine.

How to Visit

Visit longwoodgardens.org for more information about the Winter Wonder display, including plant highlights, events, and ticketing details. Tickets are $25 for adults (ages 19–64), $22 for seniors (ages 65+) and college students (with valid ID), and $13 for youth (ages 5–18). Gardens and the Garden Shop are open Wednesday through Monday from 10am to 5pm, closed Tuesday. There are extended Valentine’s Weekend hours, February 14 through 16 from 10am to 9pm. o

Kathy Jentz is the founder and editor of Washington Gardener

The Kinglets

By Rick Borchelt

With this issue, I’m taking over the BIRDWatch column previously written by my good friend Cecily Nabors, who continues to watch birds in her yard and neighborhood in Silver Spring, MD. I only hope she won’t mind that I regularly turn to her for advice about writing about birds and birding!

Since Cecily is justly known as royalty among us nature writers, it’s fitting to use my first column to share with you some notes about our pint-sized royalty of the winter landscape: the kinglets—both the ruby-crowned and goldencrowned. They’re here in the DC-area only during the cold months, generally from November to March.

Kinglets are our smallest winter birds, with both species averaging a weight of less than 10 grams (about a third of an ounce, less than the weight of four pennies). This is especially amazing given how well adapted to life in cold and snowy winters kinglets are, including

their ability to survive the long, freezing nights.

You’ll probably hear kinglets before you see them. You aren’t likely to catch the courtship or territorial songs of kinglets in their breeding range in northern spruce-fir forests, but both the rubyand golden-crowned species engage in incessant chatter to liven up our winter woods and garden soundscapes. The calls of ruby-crowned kinglets are emphatic doubled notes, sometimes described as “che-dit,” repeated over and over. Golden-crowned kinglets usually voice a thin, reedy, high-pitched “tsee-tsee-tsee.” Because goldencrowned kinglet calls are so highpitched, they’re one of the first bird things we older birders lose the ability to detect as our hearing declines.

You’ll want to listen for these calls in the mixed flocks of songbirds that make their way through the winter woods and suburbs. Chickadees and titmice are

often in the vanguard of these roaming flocks that band together to forage, sharing the task of keeping an eye out for predators and, by sheer size of their flock, reducing the odds that any one member gets nailed by a hawk or feral cat. Downy woodpeckers, brown creepers, wrens and nuthatches also are often part of these nomadic troops, but kinglets stand out from the crowd for their diminutive size and habit of constantly—and I mean constantly—flicking their wings. Look for the small, nervousacting birds that seldom stop to perch. Golden-crowned kinglets in particular like to hover in the air at the end of branches, inspecting them for insect snacks.

Kinglets get their names from the red (ruby-crowned) or yellow (goldencrowned) feathers on the tops of their heads. But you’ll seldom see these distinctive crests unless the birds are agitated. “Throwing the crest” is how

Ruby-crowned kinglet “throwing its crest.” Usually the red topknot is concealed.

Photo credit: Paul Jacyk/Macaulay Library.

birders refer to a bird that has its crest raised and evident. Otherwise, both kinglets are drab, olive-gray birds; the ruby-crowned has a plain gray face with a white eye ring, while the goldencrowned’s face is boldly striped in black and white. Both species have distinct white wingbars.

Through the winter, these small birds need a protein-rich diet, which they get mostly from small spiders, insects, and other invertebrate morsels. They love nothing better than tearing into moth cocoons and insect egg masses. Kinglets are also quite fond of scale insects and will endlessly pore over leaves and twigs for them. Amazingly, it takes only 10 calories a day to sustain a kinglet. Once back in summer spruce-land, they feast on the caterpillars of the spruce budworm, an omnipresent pest of these trees.

While kinglets coexist easily with each other and with other birds during their winter sojourns, they become feisty landholders once they reach their breeding grounds. The males even build fake nests around their chosen plots to make it look like there are more kinglets in residence than it would seem at first glance.

Despite their diminutive size, kinglets lay some of the largest egg clutches by relative weight in the avian world. It’s not unusual to find a kinglet nest with 10 or more eggs that collectively comprise more than a third of the female’s

body weight. Kinglets can support their large broods partly because spruce budworms are so abundant.

Bird taxonomists have kicked kinglets around from one classification to another over the years. They were once lumped in with the Old World warblers, then considered part of the larger waxwing clan. Today, most authorities take the safer route of putting the world’s six kinglet species in their own family, Reguliidae. All but one are in the single genus Regulus (which translates as prince or little king); ruby-crowned sits in its own genus of Corthylio (which derives from the much-less-regal Greek term meaning small, wren-like bird).

With their flare for poetic common names for birds, Europeans adopted equally evocative (if not royal) names for their kinglet analogs: goldcrest and firecrest. These small bits of fluff are otherwise very similar looking, ubiquitous birds of the Continental winter, offering the same little solar flares in the middle of the cold, temperate winters offered by our resident kinglet royalty. o

Rick Borchelt is a botanist and science writer who gardens and writes about natural history at his home in College Park, MD. Reach him with questions about this column at rborchelt@gmail.com.

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

Jentz and Teresa Speight

Published by Cool Springs Press/Quarto Homes Order it today at: https://amzn.to/3yiLPKU

GardenDC Podcast

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

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

Golden-crowned kinglets have a boldly striped black and white face and bright yellow crest. Photo credit: TJ Wells.

2025 Garden Trends

As we enter the new year, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), a gardening resource for almost 200 years, is unveiling its top 10 gardening trends for 2025. “These 2025 gardening trends aggregate a mix of ideas and approaches stemming from our observations attending professional conferences, exhibitions, visiting countless personal and public gardens, and having conversations with horticultural professionals. They are a fantastic reflection of what gardeners are focusing on right now, and the direction the industry at large is headed. From professionals to the beginner gardener, these trends offer inspiration and education that everyone can take something away from,” said PHS Vice President of Horticulture Andrew Bunting.

This list of top 10 trends provides gardeners of all experience levels with inspiration, education, and exploration in the garden. As we enter the new year and a time of preparation and planning for your spring garden, now is the perfect time to explore new gardening ideas and use resources like PHS’s website and the Gardener’s blog for learning and indulging all your gardening curiosities.

1. Tropical Foliage

While many may think drama in the garden comes from bountiful blooms, impactful foliage can be just as stunning. Incorporating plants with great foliage is a simple way to create longlasting ornament in a home garden, stoop garden, containers, or window boxes. With the introduction of new annual and tropical foliage plants, there are more options than ever to create a great accent in the summer garden that add unique color and seasonal flair.

2. Influencing the Garden Garden influencers are taking social media by storm, sharing exciting, educational content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube. Influencers such as Summer Rayne Oakes (@HomesteadBrooklyn) inspire gardeners with creative, snacksized tips while organizations like PHS offer expert advice (@PHSGardening) through gardening “How-Tos,” demonstrations, plant recommendations, and

more to help gardeners cultivate their green thumbs.

3. Bringing Nature Home

Inspired by Doug Tallamy’s influential book of the same name, this trend emphasizes climate-friendly, ecologically diverse home gardening that anyone can implement. With climate change and its effects becoming increasingly prominent, gardeners around the world are turning to approaches that preserve, protect, and restore local ecosystems through incorporating native and pollinator plant species, and adopting climate-friendly maintenance strategies. While many gardeners see winter as one of the dreariest times of year in the garden, this trend champions the importance of year-round gardening, and positions winter as the ideal time for education and planning to ensure you’re set up for success come spring.

4. Gardens under Glass

Creating gardens under glass is making a comeback among houseplant enthusiasts. Ranging from simple terrariums to large-scale greenhouses, the interest in gardening using a glass environment has boomed. For those with minimal space or light, terrarium gardens offer a technique to display plants with a particularly unique, personalized, and aesthetic flair. Thanks to the enclosed nature of terrariums, they also become micro-ecosystems, allowing you to grow fascinating carnivorous plants and humidity-loving varieties on something as small as a windowsill.

5. On the Wall

Living “green” walls and vertical gardens are popping up as both outdoor and indoor installations. Green walls are especially popular in office buildings and other public spaces, and many incorporate amazing displays of tropical plants. This trend is a great option for gardeners looking to up the aesthetic impact of an indoor space and add a touch of artistic greenery to a room.

6. Urban Gardening

Gardening is no longer thought of as only a suburban or rural activity. Urban gardening is flourishing as city-dwellers transform small spaces—courtyards, stoops, window boxes, and containers—into vibrant gardens. Community gardens, where people join a shared public gardening space, are also boom-

ing, offering access to fresh food, cultural preservation, and shared joy. Meanwhile, efforts to plant fruit trees and expand street tree canopies through community-led stewardship are bringing greenery, resilience, and health benefits to urban neighborhoods across the U.S.

7. Horticulture as Therapy

Gardening is gaining recognition as a powerful tool for wellness, with research showing its benefits for mental health and overall well-being. As awareness of mental health grows, hospitals and healthcare systems are increasingly using horticulture for healing. For professionals and amateurs alike, the connection between plants and mental health is inspiring more people to cultivate greenery for both ecological and personal enrichment.

8. Water-wise Gardening

As droughts and climate change affect more regions, water-wise gardening is gaining traction worldwide, even in parts of the world that are not known for being extremely arid. For home gardeners feeling frustrated with the constant maintenance of watering and keeping their gardens thriving in increasingly dry climates, water-wise gardening offers a solution. From designing full gravel and crevice gardens to simply incorporating drought-tolerant plants, this sustainable approach reduces maintenance and helps create resilient gardens, even with increasing periods of drought.

9. The Houseplant Phenomenon

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, houseplants have become a global obsession, making gardening accessible for anyone, regardless of space. From homes to offices, houseplants bring beauty and wellness indoors. Dedicated societies like the Gesneriad, Begonia, and Aroid Societies reflect the enduring appeal of this green trend and offer houseplant enthusiasts outlets to engage with other plant lovers and share knowledge.

10. Backyard Fruit

Growing fruit is gaining popularity alongside vegetable gardening, appealing to both professionals and hobbyists. Many gardeners are incorporating fruit trees to combine delicious harvests with garden beauty. o

New Plant Spotlight

Nepeta ‘Lemon Purrfection’ PPAF CPBRAF Catmint

Growers of this compact catmint will feel like they’ve struck gold! A tidy plant, ‘Lemon Purrfection’ is early to bloom, with lavender-blue flowers appearing over goldenyellow foliage. The brightly colored foliage for which ‘Lemon Purrfection’ gets its name does not fade through the summer. With increased shade cover, the leaf color will be more chartreuse. This selection blooms continuously without being cut back. It is hardy to USDA Zones 3–8.

Compared to ‘Chartreuse on the Loose’, this variety is more polished with a denser, more compact habit. It has excellent deer- and rabbit-resistance as a member of the mint family.

When Nepeta’s stems are broken, they release an aroma that tends to attract cats, thus its common name of Catmint.

Nepeta ‘Lemon Purrfection’ is part of the Proven Winners Perennials program from Walters Gardens. For more information, visit https://www.waltersgardens. com/. o

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts

• 2025 New Plants and Products

• Top 10 Garden Books of 2024

• The Lilac in Nosferatu

• Garden Podcast Top Episodes

See more Washington Gardener blog posts at WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

January–February Garden To-Do List

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

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

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

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

• Buy a few new houseplants.

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

• Give your houseplants a quarter turn every few weeks.

• Build a compost bin.

• Repair your shed and repair/paint your fences.

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

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

• Clean and refill bird feeders.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Insulate outdoor containers with bubble wrap or landscape fabric.

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

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

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

• Clean out your greenhouse and wash those windows.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Volunteer at a local public or historic garden.

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

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

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS

Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales

• Friday, January 24, 12n—12:30pm Plant Science Conversations: Evolution of Parasitic Plants

An online discussion hosted by the U.S. Botanic Garden. Plants have evolved incredible—and fearsome—mechanisms for survival. Of all these adaptations, from carnivory to toxicity, perhaps the most shudder-inducing is parasitism—the invasion and forced connection between a plant and its host. Join Executive Director Dr. Susan Pell in conversation with Dr. Jim Westwood to hear about his research on parasitic plants. He’ll discuss how and why parasitic plants have evolved to invade and will elaborate on the genetic mechanisms that drive parasitism. Free. Pre-registration required at https://usbg.gov/.

• Saturday, January 25, and Saturday, February 1, 2025, 12:30–4pm Washington Gardener 20th Annual Seed Exchanges

Washington Gardener Magazine is cohosting two annual seed exchanges, one at Brookside Gardens and the other at Green Spring Gardens, with lectures and a face-to-face seed swap. Bring extra seeds to swap and leave with a bag full of seeds, make new garden friends, and get expert planting advice. Fee: $20 ($15 for verified Friends group members and Washington Gardener subscribers). See details on pages 16–17.

• Monday, January 27, 7:30pm A Visit to Kew Gardens and Beyond

Join the Silver Spring Garden Club to learn about the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and what makes it the world’s leading botanically focused institution. Speaker Keith Tomlinson will also describe a few other select UK-based gardens with very different missions and fascinating collections. Held at the Visitor Center main auditorium at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, The meeting is free and open to all.

• Tuesday, January 28, 7PM Introduction to Winter Tree Identification by Bradley Simpson

Even in the leafless landscapes of winter, there are still plenty of features to explore in our native plants, especially trees! This presentation will discuss how to identify woody plants using buds, stems, lenticels, leaf scars, bark, and more. The focus will be on terminology related to these features and applying them to a few common native tree species. Zoom meeting hosted by the Maryland Native Plant Society. Free. Register: http://www.mdflora.org/event5888423.

• Sunday, February 2, 1:30—2:30pm Winter Lecture: The Future of Composting

The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) teams up with Future Acres Urban Farming to provide the 411 about composting. Learn how to drop off food scraps at the FCPA’s 10 Farmers’ Markets and meet the company responsible for turning them into nutrient-dense compost. Dave Littere, owner of Future Acres, will relay what happens to your food scraps after they leave the Farmers Market, various methods of composting that can be done at home, and what the future of composting holds. Another way to be part of the solution to food waste management. $15 per person. Register online at http://www. fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes or call Green Spring Gardens at 703-6425173. Code A8K.23EZ.

• Friday, February 14, 2025, 9am–4pm GreenScapes Symposium

Join Brookside Gardens for a day of virtual lectures as industry experts share valuable lessons from the field of creating sustainable landscapes. Details on page 13.

Looking Ahead

• March 5–8, 2025

Nature Forward’s 6th Taking Nature Black Conference, “Reclamation & Resilience”

This four-day experience provides two days of virtual engagement that you can join from anywhere; an in-person day at the Silver Spring Civic Center in downtown Silver Spring, MD (to be livestreamed for virtual attendees); and a

day of outdoor nature experiences in the DC region. Hosted by Nature Forward of Chevy Chase, MD. See details at https://natureforward.org/tnb2025/.

• Saturday, March 29

38th Annual

Lahr Native Plant Symposium

Learn from experts about native plants, pollinators, and ecosystems at this day-long symposium hosted by the U.S. National Arboretum. Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) members get a 20% discount on registration. The symposium includes a Native Plant Sale, where you can shop from a small number of local native plant vendors at one of the earliest plant sales in the area. This event is hosted by FONA and held in conjunction with the Arboretum’s Lahr Symposium. Details at FONA.org.

• Saturday, April 26

Garden Fair & Plant Sale

Celebrate spring at the National Arboretum. Shop from thousands of plants, browse dozens of local vendors, and enjoy free family activities. FONA members get early admission to the Plant Sale. Details at FONA.org.

• May 20, 2025

Second Annual

Reduce Your Lawn Day!

Register your pledge to reduce your turfgrass lawn and be automatically entered for a chance to win a prize package. Details at reduceyourlawnday. com.

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 February 5 for the February 2025 issue, for events taking place after February 15. o

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2025 9 AM–4 PM

PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR DESIGNING RESILIENT LANDSCAPES

Join us for a fascinating day of presentations offering practical strategies to create sustainable and resilient landscapes. You’ll benefit from decision matrixes that help make informed plant selections and develop successful designs based on a range of environments, ecological benefits, and sustainability goals. Experts will help you create resilient landscapes by presenting a range of native plant combinations and design layouts that manage water runoff, survive droughts, and support pollinators and wildlife. You’ll be surprised how climate change is dictating conservation efforts, its impact on native plant ecoregions and even its implications for expanding our plant palette.

SEMINAR TOPICS

� Species, Cultivars and Selections: Design Matrixes for Making Smarter Choices in Your Landscapes

Ulrich Lorimer, Director of Horticulture, Native Plant Trust

� Resilient RainScapes: Designs That Thrive in Climate Extremes

Ann English, RainScapes Manager, Watershed Restoration Division, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Maryland

� Practicing New Naturalism: Site-Specific Plantings in Public and Private Places

Kelly Norris, award-winning landscape designer, horticulturist, author

� Responding To a Rapidly Changing Climate: The Case for Diversity & Plant Palette Expansion in Urban Landscapes

Kim Shearer, Director of Collections & Curator, The Morton Arboretum, & Chair, USDA Woody Landscape Plant Crop Germplasm Committeecape

GreenScapes will be offered as a series of live online lectures using Zoom with audience Q&A incorporated into the program. Registration includes access to watch recordings of each session after the event.

BrooksideGreen.org 301-962-1451

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

EARLY BIRD FEE: STANDARD FEE: $50/person until Jan 10, 2025 $60/person starting Jan 11, 2025 Register using this link ActiveMontgomery.org (Course PBG0057) or call 301-962-1451.

I have spent more than 20 years in the seed business and more than 69 years as a gardener. Unquestionably, for me, the saddest moment in my seedy experiences occurs when a beloved vegetable, flower or herb variety is no longer grown commercially. Sometimes the new “improved” varieties really are better. Sometimes they are not. This year, a number of my favorite potatoes are not going to be available. All of them are being replaced. This article discusses the new varieties and the old varieties that are being displaced.

• The Canada Gold Potato, a substitute for Golden Globe and maybe Yukon Gold

There’s a new potato in town and its name is AAC Canada Gold-Dorée. The new spud is yellow-skinned, pleasantly round, and, some say, even tastier than Yukon Gold. AAC Canada Gold-Dorée may just be setting the new gold standard for the fresh potato market in the country.

The new variety is licensed by New Brunswick-based and family-owned Canadian Eastern Growers Inc., which acquired the North American rights back in 2017. André Côté, co-owner of Canadian Eastern Growers Inc. along with his brother Eric Côté, said the demand for the new variety is already very strong among producers.

It’s not just its flavor and shape that have producers interested in the new variety. It also has better disease resistance than Yukon Gold.

Erica Fava, a biologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Fredericton, said AAC Canada Gold-Dorée is resistant to potato virus Y (PVY), mod-

New Potatoes Replacing Old Favorites

By Barbara Melera

erately resistant to scab, and slightly resistant to late blight.

“This is a major improvement from Yukon Gold, which is susceptible to PVY and common scab,” said Fava. “Not only do these improvements make it easier for the growers to get a greater marketable yield, it may also help growers to reduce the number of pesticide sprays—saving the grower money and effort while reducing impact and risk to the environment.”

Our growers love the flavor of this potato, and they have told me that it is a better potato than either Golden Globe or Yukon Gold. It is an early to mid-season maturer, and is good for boiling, baking, and French fries. Canada Gold has a yellow skin and yellow flesh. It is slightly sweet and produces higher yields than either Golden Globe or Yukon Gold.

• A better-tasting potato than Bintje Floridana

The Floridana Potato was developed as an “improved” variety that could replace the much-beloved Bintje. Floridana has the same smooth yellow skin and yellow flesh as Bintje, but is rumored to have better flavor and storage ability.

The plants produce uniformly shaped and sized tubers which, unlike Bintje, have stronger resistance to scab and PVY. It matures in 85–100 days. Like Bintje, it makes superb French fries.

• Jelly, the substitute for German Butterball

For years, I have expounded on the excellence of German Butterball, but even I have to admit that it has, at best, moderate yields and little disease-

resistance. Jelly was developed in Germany and introduced in 2002. Recognizing the incredible popularity of German Butterball, the developers wanted to create a potato with the flavor of German Butterball, but with much improved yields and much, much better disease resistance. The result was Jelly.

Jelly produces medium to large tubers with yellow skin and yellow flesh. The plants are drought- and diseaseresistant. The potatoes mature late. The flavor is exceptional, and these potatoes make excellent French fries.

• Carla Rosa, a much-improved substitute for Red Gold

Red Gold was a red-skinned, yellowflesh potato that was developed in the 1970s in Canada. The variety became available to the public in 1987.

Carla Rosa is a recent introduction developed in Colorado. Like Red Gold, Carla Rosa is a red-skinned, yellow-flesh potato with much improved disease resistance and much higher yields. Carla Rosa is a good storer with excellent flavor.

• The French Fingerling, a French heirloom and substitute for Red Thumb

The French Fingerling potato (pictured at top) was developed in France and brought to the United States in 1950. It was originally named Roseval because it was the breeding result of a cross between the Rose and the Vale potatoes.

This potato became very popular throughout Europe with the major chefs on the continent. It was available in most gourmet restaurants because of its exceptional flavor, which is somewhat sweet and nutty. Unlike Red Thumb, French Fingerling has pinkishred skin, but yellow flesh that is sometimes streaked with red. It has moderate disease resistance.

The French Fingerling is great for boiling and roasting. Unlike many potatoes, the French Fingerling can be grown in moist soils. o

Barbara Melera is president of Harvesting History (www.harvesting-history.com), a company that sells horticultural and agricultural products, largely of the heirloom variety, along with garden tools and equipment.

Another Blow BoxwoodAgainst : Box Tree Moth

By Carol Allen

In our deer-plagued region, a versatile, evergreen shrub that is deer-resistant is a cherished garden staple. Boxwood has its detractors, but it is still popular, particularly with the new disease-resistant varieties entering the marketplace.

As with any commonly used plant, new issues will arise. The most recent is the box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis). This pest has not been reported yet in Maryland, DC, or Virginia, but has been recently reported in Kent County, Delaware, and in Erie, Pennsylvania. If you see it in Maryland, be sure to report it to Ask Extension (https://extension.umd.edu/ask-extension/).

It is of concern because it can rapidly defoliate and potentially kill boxwood. Damage occurs through chewed leaves and bark, causing leaf browning, leaf drop, and possible girdling of the stems. If boxwood have been observed with chewing damage, box tree moth may be the cause.

It winters over as a caterpillar protected by several leaves held together by silk. Now would be a good time to look for that peculiar structure and pick or prune it off. The caterpillars can survive -22 degrees Fahrenheit, so an exceptionally cold winter will not affect the population.

Feeding begins about April in our region or when temperatures reach 46–53°F. Caterpillars take around 28 days to mature and three to five

generations per year are possible. Adult moths emerge in June, mate, and lay eggs. They do not feed during this time. This is one window for dispersal, since they are reported to fly up to 4–5 miles.

Eggs are pale yellow and are laid in a shingled pattern in groups of five to 20. Look for the very small, 1 mm-sized eggs on the underside of the leaves in June. The tiny caterpillars can hatch in three to five days. Emerging larvae have black head capsules, and green and yellow bodies with white, yellow, and black stripes. They are the only caterpillars that feed on boxwood.

As the caterpillars mature, they enclose themselves and their feeding

area in silk. This decreases the efficacy of pesticide sprays. It is important to note that preventive sprays of a pesticide are not recommended. Handpicking and dropping into a bowl of soapy water or a strong spray of water will dislodge them. They will not be able to climb up and resume feeding.

To help control the spread of this invasive pest, monitor existing boxwood, and closely examine newly purchased plants. Be aware that the entire state of Delaware and Erie County, Pennsylvania, have joined counties in southeastern Michigan, southwestern Ohio, western New York, and the entire state of Massachusetts under federal quarantine.

As you travel this spring and possibly purchase plants, be aware of these quarantine restrictions.

For more information and an Insect Alert poster, go to the UMD extension page here: https://extension.umd.edu/ resource/box-tree-moth/. 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.

Box tree moth caterpillar photo by Luc Hoogenstein, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.

“Inspire.

Connect. Grow.”

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

Expert Speakers

Goody Bags

Door Prizes

Washington Gardener Magazine presents the 20th Annual Washington Gardener Seed

Exchanges

on Saturday, January 25, 2025, 12:30–4:00PM National Seed Swap Day! at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD

Registration is now open at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/20th-annual-washington-gardener-seed-exchangeon-saturday-jan-25-2025-tickets-1117021353939?aff=oddtdtcreator and on Saturday, February 1, 2025, 12:30–4:00PM at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA

Registration is now open at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wg-seed-exchange-212025-invirginia-tickets-1117024784199?aff=oddtdtcreator

Overview

Washington Gardener magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the 20th annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. These seed swaps are in person and face to face. You bring your extra seeds and swap them with other gardeners. Everyone will leave with a bag full of seeds, new garden friends, and expert planting advice.

When

Two Seed Exchanges will be held: Saturday, January 25, 2025, in MD and Saturday, February 1, 2025, in VA from 12:30–4:00PM (Foul weather that day? Call 240-603-1461, for updates about possible snow/ice delay.)

Where

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

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

How to Register

You can easily register online at Eventbrite.com. Be sure to select the correct date and location for the Seed Exchange you are going to be attending. You can also fill out the form on the opposite page. Send the form, along with payment, to Washington Gardener, 826 Philadelphia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910, Attn: SE Registration. Please make checks out to “Washington Gardener.” Registration fee is $20 per person. Friends of Brookside members, Friends of Green Spring members, and current Washington Gardener subscribers receive a discount rate of $15 per person. We strongly urge you to register in advance. There is a limit of 100 participants at each location!

We are GREEN!!!

Garden Book and Seed Catalog Exchange

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

Hashtags #GardenDC and #SeedSwapDay

Washington Gardener Magazine’s 20th Annual

Seed Exchange Details

If You Have Seeds to Bring and Swap

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

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

If You Don’t Have Any Seeds to Swap

Come anyway! Even if you don’t have any seeds to trade, you are welcome to attend. We’ll have plenty of extra seed contributions on hand and many attendees will be there just to learn, network, and prepare for next year’s seed collecting.

Education Program

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

Schedule

(Note: This schedule is subject to change.)

12:00-12:30 Registration check-in 12:30-12:40 Introductions

12:40-1:20 Gardening talk

1:20-1:55 Gardening talk

2:00-2:15 Snack break and room reset

2:15-2:30 Seed Swap preview time

2:30-3:00 Seed Swap

3:00-3:30 Photo Contest winners*

3:30-4:00 Door prizes and closing talk

How Do We Swap?

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

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

After the initial seed swap is complete, attendees are free to take any of the leftover seeds and to trade seeds with each other. Dividing of packets is encouraged and extra baggies with labels will be on hand for that purpose.

What Types of Seeds?

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

Door Prizes! Goody Bags!

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

If your organization would like to contribute seeds or garden-related products for the goody bags and door prizes, contact KathyJentz@gmail.com by January 20.

*See photo contest details on page 24.

20th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange Advance Registration Form

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

Name:

Street Address:

Email:

Seed Exchange Date and Location:  January 25 at Brookside Gardens  February 1 at Green Spring Gardens (We will only use your email address for Seed Exchange notices and will never share them with anyone else.)

Seed Exchange Attendee Fee: $20.00 __________ Discount (if eligible*): -$5.00 Optional: Washington Gardener Magazine Annual Subscription: $20.00 __________

*The following groups are eligible to pay the discount attendee rate of $15.00; please CIRCLE if one applies to you:

• Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers

• Friends of Brookside Gardens members

• Friends of Green Spring Gardens members

A portion of the event proceeds will go to benefit Native Seeds/SEARCH for conserving crop genetic resources.

Seed-starting trays are reusable and make it easy to pop out young seedlings.

Save Money and Boost Seed-Starting Success

By Melinda Myers

Boost your success, save money, and reduce plastic waste when starting plants from seeds this year. The options are many, so you are sure to find one that works for you.

Reuse plastic containers for starting plants from seeds. Disinfect pots, flats, and cell packs before planting to avoid problems with damping off and other diseases. Soak the containers in a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water for 10 minutes. Rinse with clear water. The pots are now clean and safe for starting seeds.

Biodegradable pots are another option. They have been around for many years, eliminating plastic and reducing transplant shock. Just plant the container along with the seedling when moving plants into the garden. You will find degradable pots made from a variety of materials.

Organic gardeners may want to use biodegradable pots made from sustainably grown wood fiber. These contain no glue or binders and are Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listed. Cow pots are not currently OMRI-

listed but are made from odor-free composted cow manure and are an alternative to plastic and peat. These are biodegradable and add nutrients and organic matter to the soil.

Replace plastic seed-starting cell packs with Honeycomb Paper pots. This 50-cell interlocking paper seed-starter expands to fill a flat for easy planting. Roots expand through the open bottom and the cells separate easily, making it easy to move transplants into the garden. Once in the garden, the paper liners decompose.

Invest once and use the dishwashersafe Sili-Seedlings Seeding Tray for years of seed-starting. These durable and reusable seed trays are made of BPA-free food-grade silicone. The flexible cells allow you to easily pop seedlings out without pulling and tugging. After the transplants are removed, rinse off any remaining soil and place in the dishwasher so the trays are ready to use for future plantings. Employ self-watering systems like Pop-Out Pots (gardeners.com). Move

tomatoes and other transplants from seedling trays into these larger containers. The Pop-Out system, made from recycled polypropylene, uses wicks to move water from the reservoir to the plants as needed. Transplants are easily removed, and both the pots and wicks can be reused after handwashing in hot water.

Skip the pots and avoid transplant shock by using a soil blocker to create an endless supply of soil blocks for planting. Just moisten the potting mix, preferably one with a high percentage of organic matter, to help the blocks hold their shape. Press the soil blockmaker into the moistened potting mix and rock back and forth to fill, then place the blocks on a clean seed tray. Once they are planted, water from the bottom to avoid disturbing the soil block.

Look for ways to repurpose any remaining plastic containers. Use smaller containers to apply fertilizer, animal repellents, or other granular material. Just scoop and shake to distribute the fertilizer over garden beds. Cover plants with empty pots when applying mulch to garden beds. Spread the mulch, then lift the pot when the job is finished. Use them for double potting. Grow a plant in an old nursery pot and set it inside a decorative pot that lacks drainage.

Some nurseries are asking customers to return plastic containers and flats for their use. Other plant retailers have an area set aside for customers to return plastic pots for other customers to use or for recycling.

Sustainable gardening starts with products used for starting seeds. Continue the trend throughout the growing season by conserving water, repurposing leaves into mulch, and recycling plant trimmings into valuable compost.. o

Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardener’s Supply for her expertise to write this article. Her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company/gardeners.com.

The Water-Smart Garden: Techniques and Strategies for Conserving, Capturing, and Efficiently Using Water in Today’s Climate … and Tomorrow’s

Author: Noelle Johnson

Publisher: Cool Springs Press

List Price: $28.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/3WqiGMe and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760388242

Reviewer: Andrea Siegel

Any gardener who endured the 2024 growing season in the Washington, DC, area would recall the too-dry weeks of a summer that left some plants crispy— unless our response was to grab a hose and soak them, and later groan at the water bill.

Drought puts added pressure on our water supply, and it makes us realize how important the supply of fresh water is.

With a focus on using less water, The Water-Smart Garden provides a path to rethinking the way we build our gardens, even our container gardens. It’s a fresh way, with a concern for conserving our fresh water supply. Author Noelle Johnson, aka the AZ Plant Lady, points out that lawns and outdoor plants account for 30 to 70 percent of household water use, but areas of the country and world are experiencing more frequent water shortages or drought.

In her advocacy, Johnson tells us we ought to use water more wisely, learning to create landscapes with water efficiency in mind, to make better-

informed plant choices, to make the most of rainfall and more.

Johnson lives in the dry Southwest and studied plant biology and urban horticulture, according to her biography. Online and in her work, she focuses on gardening with less water, notably in dry locales. The DMV area is less water-challenged than many other areas. However, resilient gardens, those with plants that require less water and maintenance, are loved in the DC region, too. Many plants featured in the book grow here. Besides, there’s no reason to waste water.

In 192 pages, the book takes us from start to finish in clear language, and while it teaches readers about drought, climate, soil and horticulture basics, it stays focused, not wandering into the weeds (so to speak), and not talking down to readers. It may seem like there’s a lot to consider—sun exposures, wind, creating the right soil, the many ways to collect and store rainwater for use in drier times, how to easily direct rainwater flow to where it’s needed, and more. Johnson breaks it all down into components—including microclimates.

Of special interest is information about making good plant choices, which includes a discussion of droughttolerant plant characteristics, native plants, and low-water-use plants. Charts show everything from tree to groundcover suggestions, providing data on cold hardiness and size. Johnson advises readers to do their homework before buying plants; she suggests not relying only on the tag, but also looking at plants locally—your neighborhood or a botanical garden— and speaking with local nursery professionals.

The book’s many photos are wonderful for inspiration and ideas—and a reminder that water-wise plants are not limited to prickly cacti amid pebbles and sand, although there are lots of photos of gardens in areas with little rainfall. Many photos show plant groupings, sections of yards, and garden landscaping, which is always helpful in seeing which plants share needs.

Some plants may be new to DC-area gardeners, or popular ones that we forget or don’t realize can thrive with less

water. Not all photos identify most or all plants; the more that are identified, the more useful the photos are.

Johnson includes a section about container gardens, as well as one about water efficiency for vegetable gardens.

A few portions of this book that I particularly appreciated: replacing lawn with less water-needy and more beneficial plants, including groundcovers; projects for water conservation and control that range from incredibly simple to those that require serious skill/professional help; and the boxes of tips throughout.

Anyone who would consider having a less-thirsty garden would find interesting ideas in Johnson’s book. o

Andrea Siegel is a master gardener in Maryland.

Zen Gardens and Temples of Kyoto: A Guide to Kyoto’s Most Important Sites

Author: John Dougill

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing Order Link: https://amzn.to/4hlczkG and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9784805318089

List Price: $18.99

Reviewer: Nancy Eyl

The old pond; A frog jumps in The sound of water ~ Basho (1644-1694)

If you like garden books that are more than just garden books, this book is for you. Zen Gardens and Temples of Kyoto: A Guide to Kyoto’s Most Important Sites is a guide to Kyoto temples and the art of Zen, with gorgeous photos of gardens on every page. It is a beautiful, informative, and inspiring book.

Part I covers the Zen garden, the Japanese tea ceremony, the shakuhachi flute, temple cuisine, temple painting, martial arts, Haiku, and the daily routine of a Zen monk.

Part II takes the reader on a picturesque tour, complete with historical details and visitor’s tips, of 19 Zen temples in Kyoto, some of which have multiple sub-temples. (The book features a total of 35.) I heartily recommend this book to anyone who wants

to know more about the how and why of Japanese gardens and is interested in Zen practice or history.

Of course, the book includes the world’s most famous and photographed rock garden: Ryoan-ji. This rock garden is in the style of hira-niwa, or flat garden, since it rests on a level plane without mounds, trees, or plants. The 15 rocks in the garden, which were laid out so that not all of them can be viewed at the same time, have inspired profound and different interpretations. The book discusses the various interpretations and also provides insights into other areas worth visiting while there, such as the Abbot’s Quarters, pond garden, and “mirror pond.”

The Kennin-ji temple is Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple, founded in 1202. The book features this temple, as well as Kennin-ji’s sub-temples Entoku-in and Kodai-ji. As with all the temples, the information in the “At a Glance” sections lists the founding date, temple affiliation, special features, opening times, access, events, open Zazen times, and contact information. This makes the book invaluable as a tour guide.

Garden enthusiasts come to Saiho-ji from all over to see its famous moss garden, which is said to be the most beautiful in Japan. The book explains what is required to visit the garden, such as sending in an application in advance and, before entering the garden, copying out Zen’s main scripture, the Heart Sutra. The book also features

a temple that “reaches out to foreigners” by instructing about Zen in English (Shunko-in).

One of the most beautiful features of this book is the stunning and plentiful photography by John Einarsen, founding editor of the Kyoto Journal. The photography makes this book stand on its own. The bright maples, the perfectly groomed gravel river beds, the artwork, the stepping stone paths to a teahouse—all is exquisitely and colorfully presented. o

Nancy Eyl is a lawyer by day and avid gardener on the weekends. She lives in Takoma Park, MD, and works in Washington, DC.

Your Natural Garden: A Practical Guide to Caring for an Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden

Author: Kelly D. Norris

Publisher: Cool Springs Press

List Price: $30.00

Order Links: https://amzn.to/4anqx3a and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780760388228

Reviewer: Marsha Douma

Your Natural Garden: A Practical Guide to Caring for an Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden is the companion book to the author’s previous book from 2021, New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden

The author, Kelly Norris, is an increasingly prominent landscape designer and plantsman. With this new book, through his eloquent text and beautiful photographs, he continues his advocacy for naturalizing our gardens. Your Natural Garden emphasizes how gardening might be different, although no less rewarding.

Growing up in rural Iowa, the author, was fascinated with plants even as a young child. As his career in horticulture progressed, he increasingly found the delineation of some plants as suitable for gardens and therefore included in the “human-built world,” while most of the others, no doubt some of his favorites, were relegated to “the wild,” to be an artificial distinction.

The author believes categorizing plants as wild or suitable for domestication is counter-productive to the current effort to unite the patches of green in our modern world. Rather, he

wants us to recognize the beauty and usefulness of all plants, since they are all needed to provide habitat for the vertebrates, invertebrates, bacteria, and fungi—both above and below ground—that rely on plants for food and shelter. Importantly, the author also strongly advocates gardeners plant a diversity of plants to mimic the natural world, rather than have a garden be a restricted habitat. He urges us as gardeners to observe how each species grows and “make our gardens both reservoirs of ecological goodness and beautiful works of art.”

The “human-built world” is currently the places the birds, insects, and animals live, since that is what is available to them. We therefore need to ”help them out.” A sad fact is that a quarter or more of our cities are paved over. One could say that Norris’ slogan is “Wild is beautiful, Wild is functional.”

In traditional gardens, growing either ornamentals and/or vegetables, the plants are put in their spots and expected to grow there. The gardener works hard on trying to give the plant the conditions it favors. The expression “right plant, right place” refines that idea, recognizing that plants will grow best if the conditions where they are planted resembles the growing conditions they are from. In a naturalistic garden, the plants are chosen because they are from that place, and will create a habitat for all who come to live there.

To emphasize the importance of this idea, Place is the first of the four sec-

tions of the book is divided into. The others are Complexity, Legibility, and Flow. These are obviously very different from the usual chapter names in garden books. Another objective of the book is to challenge the reader to think differently about our gardens.

The author’s emphasis in his books and lectures is to get us to retrain our eyes and our imaginations regarding what a garden can and should be to try and conserve and re-create at least some of what has been destroyed. The book encourages gardeners to plant native where possible, and to plant densely. Otherwise, gardeners might inadvertently tip the scales even further in which species will survive and which might go extinct. The author suggests plants are well equipped to sort it out, as they have for millennia.

Why should gardeners shoulder this responsibility of re-wilding? The concern is if we don’t do it, who will? With this book, Norris joins the other strong voices trying to find a solution to how we can reliably co-exist with nature, rather than overwhelm it.

The figures commonly used and accepted is that 78% of the United States is privately owned land, and of this, 40 million acres are lawn, “the largest irrigated crop in North America.” The term “insect apocalypse” rings very true to me. I remember years ago, you didn’t have to drive in a car for very long before the windshield was covered with insects. I almost never see insects on my windshield anymore. This dearth of insects absolutely contributes to the sad fact that in North America alone, we have lost 3 billion birds over the past 50 years. The sad news continues. If we continue to destroy and not replace their habitat, in the next 20 years, 40% of the Earth’s plants will face extinction as well—with all the creatures those plants support.

Seeing plants growing in the crevices of sidewalks, in abandoned lots, and along the highways shows that nature wants to and can live in urban areas. The author wants us to help that process along. With this book, Norris coherently and passionately joins in the call to design and use our lawns and gardens to create habitats for native plants to thrive, which in turn will sup-

port our birds and small mammals, the food webs in our soil, and all the insects including the pollinators, which in turn will maintain the cycle of life as we know and need it. o

Marsha Douma is a retired dentist and lifelong gardener who also enjoys swimming, tennis, and playing the piano. She lives in Rockville, MD.

The Container Victory Garden: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Your Own Groceries

Author: Maggie Stuckey

Publisher: Harper Celebrate

List Price: $28.99

Order Links: https://amzn.to/4hd8bEe and https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9780785255765

Reviewer: Teri Speight

Victory gardens are no longer an outdated concept. With food prices escalating every year, growing food at home and in containers is a trend that is becoming increasingly popular. This concept continues to morph into gardening for food is just as important as gardening for beauty. As we minimize how much space we need, using the smaller spaces for our health is more important than ever. This book provides basic, timely ideas to consider as we approach a new garden season.

Perfectly addressing how we need to think about alternate growing spaces, Maggie Stuckey shares the history of Victory gardens and how they encouraged homeowners to grow at home. It is a wonderful way to understand how the simple concept of sowing seeds in limited spaces—including recycled containers—can support growing what you need to eat and save money. The author discusses planting ratios when using containers to maximize the harvest. Knowing the balance of what can be planted is a key part of the written conversation to instruct the gardener to prevent over- or under-planting a container.

Throughout this book, Stuckey adds excerpts from real people about their experiences growing up during and after the Victory Garden era. I found these excerpts encouraging and be useful to anyone who assumes they cannot find a way to garden.

Other than the historical facts,

another great part of this book focuses on plant basics. For each vegetable, herb, or edible flower mentioned, there is a section called Basics that includes general information such as essential lighting, watering, disease resistance, and plant expectations.

Stuckey offers ideas but also encourages the reader to experiment on their own—including suggestions for how to use edible flowers. As we continue to dabble in ways to decrease our food bills, growing in containers can be beautiful, accessible, and frugal when done properly. This is a delightful book for the gardener who wants to start or expand growing their food in containers. o

Teresa J. Speight is a native Washingtonian, mother, grandmother, steward of our land, and history lover. She is the author of Black Flora: Profiles of Inspiring Black Flower Farmers + Florists and co-author of The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City

Note: The books for these reviews were provided free from their publishers. These book reviews include links to Amazon.com and BookShop.org for ordering them. Washington Gardener Magazine might receive a few cents from each order placed after you click on these links

Ever-lasting Strawflower

By Kathy Jentz

Strawflower (Bracteantha bracteatum) is also known as ever-lasting flower. It blooms from late spring until frost in a variety of colors (yellow, orange, red, pink, and white).

It is a short-lived, tender perennial that is native to Australia and grown in our region as an annual. It is hardy to USDA Zones 8 to 10.

Plant it in full sun and average to dry, well-drained soil. Once established, strawflower plants are heat- and drought-tolerant.

The long-lasting flowers attract bees and butterflies. They are deer-resistant.

Pinch plants when young to promote more branching and more flowering. Continue to deadhead them throughout the growing season for continuous flowering.

Strawflowers are ideal as cut flowers and in dried flower arrangements because they keep their petals and coloring well.

The new Granvia series from Suntory Flowers (pictured here) has been described as a “Supersized Strawflower” and is a cultivar we recommend you try out. o

Kathy Jentz is the editor of Washington Gardener.

Photo courtesy of Suntory Flowers

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MARCH/APRIL 2005

• Landscape DIY vs. Pro

• Prevent Gardener’s Back

• Ladew Topiary Gardens

• Cherry Trees MAY/JUNE 2005

• Stunning Plant Combinations

• Turning Clay into Rich Soil

• Wild Garlic

• Strawberries

JULY/AUGUST 2005

• Water Gardens

• Poison Ivy

• Disguising a Sloping Yard

• Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005

• Container Gardens

• Clematis Vines

• Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens

• 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005

• Backyard Bird Habitats

• Hellebores

• Building a Coldframe

• Bulb Planting Basics

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

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

• Indoor Gardening

• Daphne Care Guide

• Asparagus Growing Tips and Recipes

• Houseplant Propagation

MARCH/APRIL 2007

• Stormwater Management

• Dogwood Selection & Care Guide

• Early Spring Vegetable Growing Tips

• Franciscan Monastery Bulb Gardens

MAY/JUNE 2007

• Roses: Easy Care Tips

• Native Roses & Heirloom Roses

• Edible Flowers

• How to Plant a Bare-root Rose

JULY/AUGUST 2007

• Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass

• How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head

• William Paca House & Gardens

• Hardy Geraniums

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

• Succulents: Hardy to our Region

• Drought-Tolerant Natives

• Southern Vegetables

• Seed Saving Savvy Tips

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007

• Gardening with Children

• Indoor Bulb-Forcing Basics

• National Museum of the American Indian

• Versatile Viburnums

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

• Dealing with Deer

• Our Favorite Garden Tools

• Delightful Daffodils

MARCH/APRIL 2008

• Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens

• Our Favorite Garden Tools

• Coral Bells (Heuchera)

MAY/JUNE 2008

• Growing Great Tomatoes

• Glamorous Gladiolus

• Seed-Starting Basics

SUMMER 2009

• Grow Grapes in the Mid- Atlantic

• Passionflowers

• Mulching Basics

• Growing Hops

FALL 2009

• Apples

• How to Save Tomato Seeds

• Persimmons

WINTER 2009

• Battling Garden Thugs

• How to Start Seeds Indoors

• Red Twig Dogwoods

• Unusual Edibles to Grow in Our Region

SPRING 2010

• Community Gardens

• Building a Raised Bed

• Dwar f 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

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

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SPRING 2011

• Cutting-Edge Gardens

• Final Frost Dates and When to Plant

• Bleeding Hearts

• Onions

• Flavorful Fruiting Natives

JULY/AUGUST 2008

• Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses

• Edible Grasses to Graze On

• Slug and Snail Control

• Sage Advice: Sun-Loving Salvias

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

• Autumn Edibles — What to Plant Now

• Beguiling Barrenworts (Epimediums)

• Best Time to Plant Spring-blooming Bulbs

• 14 Dry Shade Plants Too Good to Overlook

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008

• Outdoor Lighting Essentials

• How to Prune Fruiting Trees, Shrubs, Vines

• 5 Top Tips for Overwintering Tender Bulbs

• Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009

• Compost Happens: Nature’s Free Fertilizer

• Managing Stormwater with a Rain Garden

• Visiting Virginia’s State Arboretum

• Grow Winter Hazel for Winter Color

MARCH/APRIL 2009

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

• 40+ Free and Low-cost Local Garden Tips

• Spring Edibles Planting Guide

• Testing Your Soil for a Fresh Start

• Redbud Tree Selection and Care

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• Squash Vine Borer

SUMMER/FALL 2013

• Miniature/Faerie Gardens

• Beguiling Abelias

• Best Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells

MAY/JUNE 2009

• Top Easy Summer Annuals for DC Heat

• Salad Table Project

• Grow and Enjoy Eggplant

• How to Chuck a Woodchuck

• Growing Great Carrots

WINTER/EARLY SPRING 2014

• Ferns for the Mid-Atlantic

• Chanticleer Gardens

• Beet Growing Basics

Jentz Prints

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

Jentz Prints can be purchased most weekends (weather-dependent) at the world-famous Eastern 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 or to get a detailed show schedule, please contact Jentz Prints by email at UllrichJ@aol.com.