TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS Classes, Events, and Plant Shows/Sales •October 21–22 Lilyhemmer 2023 The 28th fall daylily festival will be held in Camp Hill, near Harrisburg, PA. Speakers include Ellen Laprise, Don Wolf, Rich Howard, and Peter Donato presenting Steve Todd’s hybridizing program. Donato will also show the daylilies of the future. A buffet dinner is included in the registration fee. Activities include a huge plant raffle, silent auction, and great daylilies for auction. There is a reduced registration rate for first-time attendees, who each also get a great daylily plant. All details and registration information is at http:// ahsregion3.org/Page/LILYHEMMER_ 2023_FALL_DAYLILY_FESTIVAL. • Friday, October 27, 6:30–8:30pm Foodie Fridays: Food is Freedom In the U.S., food and farming have a long history of being tied to freedom— and enslavement. For the final Foodie Fridays of 2023, speakers will discuss the power rooted in food and farming. Susan Cook will share the story of her fourth great aunt, Alethia Tanner, and how growing food was Tanner’s pathway from enslavement to freedom. Gardener and edible activist Vanessa Pierre will discuss her advocacy work and how gardening continues to empower communities. Held at Josiah Henson Museum and Park. Fee $10, includes light refreshments, drinks, and a ticket to the museum. Register at https://montgomeryparks.org/events/foodie-fridaysfood-is-freedom/. • Friday, October 27, 9–11am Memorial Arboretum Walking Tour Come see the trees of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) at the peak of their autumn splendor with guide Greg Huse, ANC forester. The vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, and russets of more than 300 species of trees are a must-see for anyone visiting in the autumn. On this tour, you will learn about the cemetery’s Memorial Arboretum, a Level III Accredited Arboretum. You’ll gain insight into ANC’s urban forestry program, extensive tree collection, and State Champion trees. The overall horticulture program, 12 WASHINGTON GARDENER OCTOBER 2023
and the variety of techniques used to create some of the most breathtaking formal and informal landscapes and gardens, will also be highlighted. Details at https://www.arlingtoncemetery. mil/#/. • Saturday, October 28 GinkgoFest 2023: A Celebration of Blandy’s Gloriously Golden Ginkgo Grove! Back for a third year, the GinkgoFest is a chance to wander among the beautiful ginkgoes, sing along to traditional Celtic music, learn about the history and growth of ginkgoes, share a festive drink and delicious food, and breathe in the autumn air. With 300 trees spanning 3.3 acres, the Ginkgo Grove at the State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm is the largest public ginkgo grove in the U.S. When it erupts in color each fall, it’s one of nature’s most vibrant displays of fall foliage in the Shenandoah Valley. This special after-hours event features delectable food and drink, Plein Air Art in the Grove, music from the talented “Blue Ridge Bard” Matthew O’Donnell, and, of course, an up-close-and-personal view of the beloved ginkgo trees. Bring your camera and wear gold. Details at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ginkgofest-2023-a-celebration-of-blandys-gloriously-golden-ginkgo-grove-tickets-73139 2523727?aff=oddtdtcreator. • Saturday, October 28, 11am–2pm Garlic Planting Party & Poetry Slam Fall planting, crafts, and a youth poetry competition in Washington Youth Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum. Details at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/garlic-planting-partyin-washington-youth-garden-tickets696761200507?aff=ffn. • Tuesday, October 31, 7pm Lessons from an Insect Egg Hunt Learn how plant selection can affect sustainable control of insect pests with speaker Madeline Potter. Hosted by the Maryland Native Plant Society. Learn about the many valuable lessons from this insect egg hunt and how plant selection affects sustainable control of insect pests. Her Master’s research was on biological control of
the invasive brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) and included a community science project, called Project Stink-beGone, recruited 50 Maryland Master Gardeners to collect insect eggs from all around Maryland. The data collected provided new information about egg parasitic wasps that help to sustainably control pest stink bugs and other insect pests. Register for a Zoom link at www. mdflora.org/event-5304019.
• Friday, November 3, and Saturday,
November 4 Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance (UCFA) Fall 2023 Workshops and Convening The fall 2023 workshops will take place in Accokeek, MD, and include sessions on seed saving, seed stories, medicinal herbs, and more. For information and registration, visit: https://ujamaafarms. com/fall-2023-convening-1. • Wednesday, November 8, 6:30–8pm A World of Discovery: How Science and Heart Can Make You a More Ecological Gardener Have you ever wondered how plants and animals perceive the world around them? Unfortunately, in our urban areas, noise, light, and odor pollution can have many unintended consequences. Learn how to expand your gardening focus beyond visual appeal to create landscapes that mitigate these disruptions and offer sensory refuges for wildlife. Speaker Nancy Lawson is an author, Master Naturalist, and founder of The Humane Gardener, LLC. Note: This is an in-person event, taking place in the Brookside Gardens Auditorium. Free, registration is not required. • Saturday, November 11, 10:30am– 12:30pm Botanical Collage and Printmaking (Onsite Art Workshop) Highlighting natural materials from the U.S. Botanic Garden collection, this workshop will feature a mix of the art of zine-making, collaging, printmaking, and book arts. During the workshop, Doriana Diaz, multidimensional artist, archivist, and memory worker, will guide you in implementing and enhancing the practice as both an individual and a collective. Experiment with visuals
