TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS

Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales

• Every Tuesday until August 29.

Twilight Tuesdays

Enjoy Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton, MD, in the magical early evening hours during Twilight Tuesday. Guests can enter the gardens any time and stay through the evening to enjoy sunset views, blooms, music, and specialty cafe offerings. See details at https:// ladewgardens.com/.

• July 15–July 22

2023 Lotus & Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

The theme of the eight-day festival is “Ethnobotany” and programming and activities will explore people’s use of plants in various cultures. See https:// kenaqgardens.org for a list of festival hours, daily themes, and schedule of events.

• Saturday July 22, 10am–1pm

Botanical Tile Casting

Capture the lush textures of summer in a tile with Sue Fierston, teaching artist and president of the Nature Printing Society. Students can create botanical tiles with flowers, grasses, and leaves collected at home or select options while touring Brookside Gardens with the instructor. Through this fun process, you will cast two 8 x 8-inch tiles during the class. Since tiles need at least 24 hours to cure, you will be given easy instructions to unmold them at home. Experiment with finishing techniques such as adding color and polishing on samples provided in class. This event will be held at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. Fee $65. Register at https://activemontgomery.org/.

• Saturday July 22, and Sunday, July 23

Annual Farm Tour & Harvest Sale

This is a self-guided tour of several farms in Montgomery County, MD. The Agriculture Reserve or “Ag Reserve” is heralded as one of the best examples of land conservation policies in the country. The Agricultural Reserve encompasses 93,000 acres, almost a third of the county’s land resources. This year, the Montgomery County

Office of Agriculture has partnered with 21 farms, orchards, and vineyards. See https://visitmontgomery.com/blog/seedo/montgomery-county-farm-tour/.

• Tuesday, July 25, 7:30–8:45pm

Biological Control of Invasive Plants

Using Insects

Speaker: Ellen Lake. Hosted by the Maryland Native Plant Society. The program is free and open to the public. It is held via Zoom. Register at https://www. mdflora.org/event-5207881.

• Thursday, July 27, 10–11:30am

Virtual Floral Workshop: Grab a Bunch Have you ever bought a flower bunch at a grocery store (or received one as a gift)? Don’t just chop and plop these in a vase! Learn how to make an attractive design in a variety of vase shapes and sizes with a multitude of techniques, demonstrated by certified floral designer Betty Ann Galway. Your supplies will be available for pickup at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, VA, the day before or day of the program, and a Zoom link will be emailed before the class. Register for $42 program and $30 supply fee. Use code T97.IJ7K at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes.

• Friday, July 28, 10–10:30am Ladybug Release

Join experts from Smithsonian Gardens outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall to learn how to identify a ladybug and other fun insect and garden facts. Then place a few ladybugs on plants yourself. Free. This program is for visitors of all ages. Children should be accompanied by adult caregivers. Program subject to cancellation in case of inclement weather.

• Sunday, July 30, 2–3pm Garden Photo Show Opening

Washington Gardener invites you to the opening reception of our 2023 garden photo show at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. The reception is open to the public and free to attend. You may also come by and view the photos any time during the normal Visitor Center hours through August 30.

• Wednesday, August 2, 7pm

Vegetables for Fall & Winter Harvest

You can grow vegetables nearly yearround. Learn what to plant to enjoy this fall; and even through to the spring. Part of the weekly Garden Talks sponsored by Friends of Urban Agriculture and Master Gardeners at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Free, no registration required. See https://arlingtonurbanag. org/garden-talks-2023/.

• Thursday, August 3, 6–8pm

Back-to-School Tomato Jam!

Summer is the perfect season to enjoy fresh tomatoes. This is a great time to get together and learn about how to incorporate this nutritious food in your own dishes. Held at Common Good City Farm, 300 V St NW, Washington, DC. This event is free but donations will go toward school supplies for students. In the case of severe weather, this event will be postponed to August 10. Details at www.commongoodcityfarm. org.

• Friday, August 4, 12n–1pm

Battling Bugs at the USBG Pests can plague gardens big and small, including the collections of the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG). Join Chelsea McKinley, USBG Plant Health Specialist, for a fascinating lecture about how and why the USBG uses a process called Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to battle the bugs and diseases that attack the collection. IPM uses ecological relationships—like predator and prey, or parasite and host—to target and take care of those pesky pests. Free. Online program. Register at https:// www.usbg.gov/.

• Wednesday: August 9, 6:30–8:00pm

Groundcover Revolution Online Talk Hosted by Politics & Prose bookstore. Reducing the lawn is among the biggest trends in homeownership, with an endless stream of homeowners looking for an eco-friendly alternative to a traditional turfgrass lawn. In the last few years alone, more than 23 million American adults converted parts of their lawns to a natural landscape, and now they’re looking to do even more. Kathy Jentz, author of Groundcover Revolution, will provide all the answers you need (and some you didn’t even know you needed!).Register at https://www.politics-prose.com/classes.

• Thursday, August 10, 10–11:30am

Biodiversity: The Value of Variety

Explore Virginia habitats with a naturalist at the Blandy Experimental Farm in Boyce, VA. This program takes a closer look at how forest wildlife depends on the variety, number, and distribution of species in a habitat. Registration required. Fees: FOSA members/UVa Alumni, $10; nonmembers $15 Member/UVa family $20; nonmember family $25. Details at blandy.virginia. edu.

•Thursday, August 10, 6:30–8pm

Washington Gardener Magazine

Garden Book Club Summer Meeting

For our next Garden Book Club selection, we will discuss A Way to Garden: A Hands-On Primer for Every Season by Margaret Roach. (2019 updated edition). You can order it new or used at our Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3qbBku3 or at our Bookshop store: https://bookshop.org/ a/79479/9781604698770.

The Summer 2023 club meeting will be held via Zoom. To join us, register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqf-GgrDouHNazm_heaAAxP2EDXkZ7EDg.

The Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club meets quarterly via Zoom and is free and open to all.

• Saturday, August 12, 9:30–11:30am

Art in the Garden

Attend a colored pencil sketching workshop in the garden at Tudor Place in Washington, DC. Participants will explore summer flora, incorporating brilliant hues by using hatching, crosshatching, and subtraction techniques. Afterward, impress your friends with your own unique creation. All materials will be provided. Fees: Members: $45 | Non-members: $55. Register at https:// tudorplace.org/.

Looking Ahead

• Saturday, August 26, 10am–12n

Tomato Tasting

Join Washington Gardener Magazine at the FreshFarm Market in downtown Silver Spring, MD, for a celebration of everything tomato. Free.

• Sunday, September 10

DC State Fair

Held at Franklin Park in downtown Washington, DC. See dcstatefair.org.

• September 12–15

Urban Tree Summit 2023

Montgomery Parks and Casey Trees hosts the summit, showcasing work by leading experts in the diverse field of urban forestry. Sign up to learn virtually about the need for increased tree protections in our built environment, how public gardens play a key role in urban forests, best practices for climbing arborists, and more. Or meet outside for expert-led tree tours through the US Capitol Grounds and the Accredited Arboretum Arlington National Cemetery, and learn about historic champion trees in the Montgomery County area. See schedule and register at https://caseytrees.org/urban-tree-summit-2023/.

• Saturday, September 23

AHS 50th Gala at River Farm

The Gala will be the perfect opportunity to show your support for the American Horticultural Society and River Farm: visit the treasured headquarters; connect with fellow supporters; and enjoy a magical evening of good food, drink, entertainment and conversation. See https://ahsgardening.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 August 5 for the August 2023 issue, for events taking place after August 15. o

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 Wild Bees, Planting by the Signs, and Townhouse Gardening. You can listen online at https:// washingtongardener.blogspot.com/ or on Spotify, Apple, etc. o