Washington Gardener April 2018

APRIL 2018 VOL. 13 NO. 2

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

WAS ASHINGTON W

gardener

tthe he magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

5 Tips for Surviving Allergy Season A Visit to Jefferson’s Poplar Forest

Your Garden Task List Being Green with Adele Kuo

Garden Hats Reviewed DC-MD-VA Gardening Events Calendar & 12+ Springtime Garden Tours 2018 is the Year of the Beet

Encore! Encore!

Reblooming Azaleas

Green Spring Gardens

www.greenspring.org

A “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round goldmine of information and inspiration for the home gardener. It’s an outdoor classroom for children and their families to learn about plants and wildlife. It’s also a museum, a national historic site that offers glimpses into a long, rich history with colonial origins.

Located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, VA. Information: 703-642-5173.

o oo ooo

RESOURCESsourc

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the greater DC region.

Call 301.588.6894 or email KathyJentz@gmail.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL PLANTS FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GARDENER AND COLLECTOR Barry Glick Sunshine Farm and Gardens 696 Glicks Road Renick, WV 24966, USA Email: barry@sunfarm.com

www.sunfarm.com ���������������������� �

Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts � �� ��� � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � ��� � � � �� � � ��� � � � �� � ���������� �������������� �� � � � � � � � � � � � ��� ������������������ ���

extension.umd.edu/hgic

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

Your Ad Here

Contact kathyjentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates. The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com.

2

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

Haven’s Natural Brew Tea conditions the soil so your plant’s root system can better absorb nutrients needed to build a strong, healthy root base. The manure tea can also be applied to compost piles to accelerate the composting process.

Order some today at: www.manuretea.com

INSIDEcontents

FEATURES and COLUMNS

16

o

Poplar Forest is a plantation and house in Forest, Bedford County, VA. Thomas Jefferson designed the plantation and used the property as a private retreat and a revenue-generating resource.

Photo courtesy of Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest.

Adele Kuo is the host of the “It’s Easy Being Green” segment on Arlington Weekly News and is owner of Deco Footprint, LLC, an ecologically focused landscape design service, based in McLean, VA, that aims to lessen the human footprint for a healthier Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The newest Bloom ‘N Again® selections were developed by internationally recognized azalea breeder, Mr. James Harris, who had a keen eye for unique and unusual characteristics.

Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Confidence® Collection.

o

14

20

BOOKreviews 6-7 Gardening Hacks; Budget-wise Gardening; Annuals Guide DAYtrip 16-18 Jefferson’s Poplar Forest GARDENtours 19 2017 Springtime Listing HORThappenings 12 Potomac Flower Show; Oudolf at Film Fest; CityCenter Tulips: Pansy Boy; Lahr Symposium NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Sunset Magic™ Crape Myrtle NEIGHBORnetwork 20-21 Adele Kuo PLANTprofile 14-15 Reblooming Azaleas PRODUCTreview 22 Wallaroo Hat Company TIPStricks 10 Manure Precautions; Year of the Beet; Allergy Season Tips

DEPARTMENTS

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue RESOURCESsources

23 11 4 5 8-9 11 3 2

ON THE COVER

‘Autumn Rouge’ azalea photo courtesy of Encore® Azalea.

In our May 2018 issue:

Heirloom Seeds

Growing Slow Flowers and much more...

If your business would like to reach area gardeners, be sure to contact us by May 10 so you can be part of the next issue of our growing publication!

Be sure you are subscribed!

Click on the “subscribe” link at http://washingtongardener. blogspot.com/ APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

3

EDITORletter

Credits Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher & Advertising Sales Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301-588-6894 kathyjentz@gmail.com www.washingtongardener.com Call today to place your ad with us!

Allison O’Reilly Kelly Zheng Interns Ruth E. Thaler-Carter Proofreader Your editor wearing one of her many hats. Photo by Allison O’Reilly.

Too Many Hats?

This is the time of year when I definitely feel the effect of wearing too many hats.

Between editing this magazine, being president of the Silver Spring Garden Club, editing the Water Garden Journal, speaking to garden clubs, tabling at various garden events, serving on the board of my professional association, planning events for our local time bank, freelance writing, and working part-time for a transit activism group, my own garden is typically what suffers the most. Right now, I have a driveway full of plants awaiting permanent homes and a bunch of beds that need clearing out from the winter. They will wait until this issue goes out.

When gardening, I am almost always in a hat and gloves; not out of vanity, but out of self preservation. I am fair-skinned and I burn easily. (The gloves are an involved subject for another time.) Over the years, I have tried on numerous garden hats and I have amassed a decent wardrobe of choices.

On page 22 of this issue, our product review columnist evaluates some new hats that are both practical and useful. My go-to garden task hat in spring and fall is a cotton one that is similar to a bucket fishing hat, but with a wider brim. It can be rolled up in my garden bag and thrown in the wash whenever it gets too grimy.

My next choice is a series of baseball caps in various states of wear—from pristine to thread-bare. I have these hanging all over the house and usually just grab the nearest one when I head out the door in the summer. I tried out a few tennisstyle visors on hot days, but they never seemed adequate in coverage and often slid forward just at the wrong moment when I was digging a planting hole.

The hats I love the most are the ones that I can wear when not actually gardening. They are woven and broad in brim. The best have a wire edge so I can flip them up or down as needed. These are the hats I wear on garden tours and to “nice” events. When I feel like it. I add a scarf around the brim and tuck in a fresh flower or stick in a pin or brooch.

I’d love to hear about your garden hats and preferences. Feel free to share your hat photos on our Facebook page or discussion group.

Happy gardening!

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

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

Cover price: $4.99 Back issues: $6.00 Subscription: $20.00 Address corrections should be sent to the address above.

• Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Archives: http://issuu.com/washingtongardener • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine • Washington Gardener is a womanowned business. We are proud to be members of: · Garden Writers Association · DC Web Women · Green America Magazine Leaders Network · Green America Business Network To order reprints, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877.652.5295, ext. 138.

Volume 13, Number 2 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2018 Washington Gardener All rights reserved. Published quarterly.

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

All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

READERcontt

Reader Contest

For our April 2018 Washington Gardener Magazine Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away five sets of passes to the Brookside Gardens Wings of Fancy live butterfly exhibit in Wheaton, MD (each set has two passes and is a $16 value).

It runs April 18–June 30 from 9am–5pm, then daily July 1–August 31 from 9am–5pm on weekdays and 9am–5pm on weekends, and finally from September 1–16 from 9am–5pm daily, Brookside Gardens South Conservatory features live butterflies.

Come witness the butterfly life cycle as tiny eggs hatch into crawling, chewing caterpillars, which then encase themselves in jewel-like chrysalides and emerge as sipping, flying adult butterflies. Learn about the best annual and tropical plants, and hardy shrubs, to use as nectar sources to attract butterflies to your own garden.

Note: The exhibit is in a greenhouse, which is usually 10 degrees warmer than the outside temperature and more humid.

See more details at https://www.montgomeryparks.org/events/ wings-of-fancy-live-butterfly-caterpillar-exhibit/.

To enter to win passes, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn. com by 5pm on Monday, April 30, with “Wings” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us which was your favorite article in this issue and why. Please include your full name and mailing address. The pass winners will be announced and notified on May 1.

APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

5

BOOKreviews

101 Organic Gardening Hacks

By Shawna Coronado Publisher: Cool Springs Press List Price: $19.99 Reviewer: Erica H. Smith If you’re looking for a whimsical, colorful book full of inspiration to make your garden more interesting and successful, check out this new volume from “lifestyle advocate” Shawna Coronado.

I have to admit I approached it with some skepticism, especially when I skimmed through and saw that telltale of the scientifically indifferent, #17, “Discover the Power of Epsom Salt”— but thank goodness, Coronado properly defines this household product as a source of magnesium (not calcium, as it’s often mistakenly recommended), and strongly advises getting your soil tested before using it. Throughout the book, she tries hard to follow current scientific guidelines, along with finding ways to make gardening easier, more fun, and completely organic and ecofriendly.

Coronado defines hacking as “the concept of breaking traditional rules to discover a creative way to accomplish something—a clever trick that saves cash for the thrifty or solves a problem elegantly.” I’m not sure that every tip in this book is a hack by that definition; for example, #45, “Give Indoor Starts a Slow Introduction to the Garden,” is pretty standard advice about hardening off seedlings. It’s a perfectly fine instruction, but not innovative. Using toilet paper for seed tape (#48) or wine bottles for garden borders (#85): Those are hacks.

Even if the title is just trendy market6

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

ing, beginning and experienced gardeners can find new and/or useful ideas here about both edible and ornamental gardening.

The book is divided into sections by topic; for example, “Dirty, Rotten Hacks” covers soil and compost, while “Container Hacks” covers… you guessed it. Some of the tips you might read and start working on right away, like #61, “Regrow Food From Cut Kitchen Scraps”—and yes, Coronado recommends the ones that actually work—or, while you’re making your plant shopping list, #56, “Plant BeeFriendly Perennials That Stand Up to Drought.”

Others will involve more long-term effort, but you could always start collecting those wine bottles now. I’m looking for ways to make my garden more artistically striking, and while I don’t think I’ll be hanging chandeliers (#90), I might be up for spray-painting containers and arranging them into a tower (#69). And I appreciate the information in #97, “Hose Kink Prevention Hack,” and the concept of #96, “LongHandled Tool Yardstick Hack.”

Most of the more complicated projects (#52, “A Cheap and Easy Way to Make a Bed,” #75, “Upcycle Old Furnishings,” etc.) include clear, if brief, instructions. Occasionally something seems to be missing, such as a way to stop the milk jug cloches in #51, “Outfit Your Seedlings with a One-Gallon Hat,” from blowing away. For the most part, though, I’d feel confident collecting the recommended materials and diving in.

How do you want to improve your garden this year? This is a great book to browse through for some ideas.

Erica H. Smith is a Montgomery County Master Gardener whose volunteer activities include the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden in Derwood, MD; the Grow It Eat It program; and speaking engagements on food-growing topics. She is the author of several novels; visit her website at ericahsmith.wordpress.com.

Home Gardener’s Annuals Specialist Guide: The Complete Guide to Growing 37 Flowers in Your Backyard

By Miranda Smith Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing List Price: $9.99

Reviewer: Kelly Zheng Before reading this specialist guide, I knew I would enjoy it because it is visually heavy. I first noticed the bullets on the front and back cover. Now, any “good” book would give you a quick synopsis of what is really about, but this one allowed me to know exactly what I was going to get out of it.

The front cover listed 15 topics, such as color schemes, drying flowers, and the extensive A–Z of plants—basics, soil, planting, garden uses, and recommended cultivators, which immediately caught my eye. However, once looking in the guide, the other ones, including container gardening, efficient watering, hardiness zone maps, pests and diseases, were interesting as well.

After looking at the front, I looked at the back and found a quick “how-to” on reading the guide. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it was actually helpful. It allows you to identify information quickly without even looking at the table of contents.

As I finally delved into this 96-page guide, including the zone maps, index, glossary, and photo credits, I found myself easily understanding what was being talked about. I am still quite a beginner, so not having to Google terms is beneficial to me. Even for experts, this guide can be a refresher.

I appreciate the variety of photos as usual, but this aspect was crucial for this guide since it was talking about annuals to plant. Again, not really knowing much about annuals, this gave me an advantage.

BOOKreviews “Working with Color” under Garden Design gave me a good idea about which primary and secondary colors I should work with. The guide also had a color wheel made out of petals, which I thought was cute.

Then, the author discussed the different color schemes. I remembered some of these from an art class, but this really showed me how I can apply what I learned in real life.

As a young adult, I have always wondered about those hyped-up dried roses I see on social media. I did not think much of them until I read about “Drying Flowers.” There is actually quite some process to it. I was actually kind of surprised, because I just thought you literally leave them to dry. Being able to preserve them is important, since they mention silica gel and glycerin. I found drying in the microwave interesting, yet hazardous.

I was looking forward to the A–Z list next, since there is just something about seeing what weird spelling a flower may have. My last name starts with a “Z,” so I always wonder what or who else is toward the end of the alphabet.

I also recognized some of the annuals’ names from Washington Gardener’s seed swaps, so being able to actually know what they were now is nice. If I were to choose from the list, I think I would like to grow Madagascar periwinkles and Impatiens cultivars.

Overall, I would recommend this guide because it is concise and easy to use. It is also packed with step-by-step instructions (important for beginners).

The book includes four main chapters: “How to Score Great Plants for Less... or for Free!,” “Plant Sources and Treasure Maps,” “Design Secrets that Save Money and Time,” and “Regal Containers on a Dollar Store Budget.”

The first chapter aims to equip readers with an eye for a good deal on plants, in which you get the bestquality, healthiest plant for the least amount. She even breaks the chapter down into specific types of plants and shows photo examples of the beauty in a budget-friendly garden.

Mendez explains how to wisely navigate garden centers and nurseries, mail order companies, and other small

plant sellers like farmers’ markets and garden shows. She dives into how smart design choices in your garden can provide ease on the wallet, and how to make container gardening a frugal process.

My favorite chapter of the book was definitely the third, regarding design secrets, because of all of the beautiful plant photos featured and the explanations of why certain ones are worth getting for reasons beyond their beauty. As a beginner gardener, I often neglect to engage in the practical purposes of plants, and value their aesthetics more than anything.

The bulk of this book is valuable advice about saving money while keeping up your gardening hobby. The Budget-Wise Gardener is full of useful information about a variety of topics— all curated into one place, written out plainly and in strong detail. This book offers great takeaways for gardeners of all skill levels and passions. o Allison O’Reilly is originally from WinstonSalem, NC, and is a sophomore majoring in journalism as well as government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. This spring semester, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener.

Y ou Can Make a Difference. . . by

Sharing Your Harvest

Kelly Zheng is a junior multiplatform journalism major, with a minor in technology entrepreneurship, at the University of Maryland, College Park. This spring semester, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener.

The Budget-Wise Gardener

By Kerry Ann Mendez List Price: $19.95 Publisher: St. Lynn’s Press Reviewer: Allison O’Reilly This is a short, but sweet, guide to creating a beautiful outdoor space with as little cash as possible. Mendez uses dynamic formatting and colorful, eyecatching pictures that make her writing easy to follow and informative.

Plant an extra row in your garden and deliver the harvest to a local food bank or shelter. The need is great!

With your help, PAR can continue to make a difference for America’s most vulnerable.

Call our toll-free number (877.GWAA.PAR) or visit our website at www.gardenwriters.org/par for more information.

APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

7

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Events ~ April 16—May 15, 2018 • Saturday, April 21, 8am–12pm Beltsville Garden Club Plant Sale The Beltsville Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale in the parking lot of High Point High School, 3601 Powder Mill Rd., Beltsville, MD. The sale will be held rain or shine. Come early for the best selection of quality plants at reasonable prices from members. A variety of annuals, vegetables, herbs, houseplants, shrubs, perennials, and trees will be available. To learn more about the Beltsville Garden Club, visit www.beltsvillegardenclub.org.

• Saturday, April 21, 10am–6pm, and Sunday, April 22, 10am–5pm Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival More than 150 vendors will be on display, featuring landscape designs, gardening supplies, outdoor living items, plants, flowers, herbs, and so much more. Held in the beautiful historic downtown of Leesburg, VA. Free parking for event guests is available in the Town of Leesburg parking garage or the Loudoun County Parking garage. There is a $3.00 suggested donation for this event. See flowerandgarden.org.

• April 21 - May 20, 10am–6pm Mount Vernon Historic Plant and Garden Sale Mount Vernon’s annual outdoor garden sale offers a wide array of gardenthemed merchandise, including tools, gifts, and decorations. See http://www. mountvernon.org.

• Sunday, April 22, 12n–4pm Earth Day Festival Join others in the morning for a volunteer project in the gardens. The afternoon offers something for everyone: a green craft fair, a plant sale featuring natives, nonprofit educational vendors, family activities, interactive drum circles, tours of the gardens, and more.

Activities at both Brookside Gardens and Brookside Nature Center, Wheaton, MD. Details and schedule at http:// www.montgomeryparks.org.

• Monday, April 23, 7–8:30pm Small Space Gardening: Selecting Trees & Shrubs 8

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

Even if space is tight in your yard, a variety of trees and shrubs native to our area could work for you. We will discuss how to assess your site and soil conditions, how to select trees and shrubs to reshape your small yard into a moresustainable landscape, and how to install and maintain your new plantings.

Free. Advance registration requested at mgnv.org. Held at the Barrett Library, 717 Queen St., Alexandria, VA. • Saturday, April 28, 12n–4pm MD Grow It Eat It Spring Open House A fun event about growing anything edible! Meet with master gardener consultants, attend classes, demonstrations, tables of information, and visit our plant sale. Held at the Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD. See https://www. eventbrite.com/e/university-of-maryland-grow-it-eat-it-spring-2018-eventtickets-41384245392.

• Saturday, April 28, 9am–12pm “Help Trim the Azaleas” Event Friends of Chevy Chase Circle is asking one and all to step up and join their tobe-held event on Chevy Chase Circle.

A National Park Service property, it is through neighborhood efforts such as this that this gateway to the capital and local landmark can look its best. Don’t miss out on the fun! For any questions, email info@friendsofCCC.org • Saturday April 28, 9am–3pm, and Sunday, April 29, 8am–3pm Franciscan Monetary Garden Guild Plant Sale Plants will include herbs and vegetables; roses, annuals, and perennials; shrubs and fruit trees; camellias and azaleas; and monastery-grown plants.

Plus food and craft vendors, and more.

See: http://fmgg.org/.

• Saturday, April 28, 9am–12pm, Friends of the National Arboretum members only; Saturday, April 28, 12n– 4pm, open to the public; Sunday, April 29, 9am–4pm, open to the public FONA Garden Fair & Plant Sale The annual sale features new, rare, and hard-to-find plants; garden supply

vendors; books; children’s activities; refreshments; entertainment; and more. Bring your garden questions to National Arboretum staff members for expert advice. Free admission. Note that the sale has moved to a new location on the U.S. National Arboretum grounds. See fona.org/gardenfair, including lists of the plants available.

• Saturday, April 28, 9am–2pm The Big Northern Alexandria Native Plant Sale A dozen or more vendors from three states (VA, MD, and PA) will be hosted at this event—in its 15th year, the largest native plant sale in the Washington DC area. An online table with updated vendor contact information is available at http://www.NorthernAlexandriaNativePlantSale.org, Held in the parking lot of The Church of St. Clement at 1701 N. Quaker Lane, Alexandria, VA. • Saturday, April 28, 6:30—10pm 38th Annual Rare Plant Auction® at Longwood Gardens A benefit that enriches urban neighborhoods through the power of plants.

See https://www.thedch.org/activitiesevents/calendar-events/event/38thannual-rare-plant-auction%C2%AE. • Sunday, April 29, 2–5pm Ayr Hill Garden Club’s Flower Show “Bringing Nature to Your Home” The Ayr Hill Garden Club hosts a flower show to be held in conjunction with the Town of Vienna’s annual Walk on the Hill & Green Expo event. The show, entitled “Bringing Nature to Your Home,” will be held at the Windover Heights Historic District home of member Louise Davidson, 307 Windover Avenue, NW, Vienna, VA. See www.facebook. com/AYRHILLGARDENCLUB/.

• Friday, May 4, 12—1pm Lecture: The Squish Factor Karen Chapman, award-winning author, designer, and horticulturalist, shares the tips and tricks of the trade to creating lush, dramatic container gardens.

Glean inspiration for putting the pizzazz back in your pots whether your preferred style is contemporary, whimsical,

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Events ~ April 16—May 15, 2018 romantic, or truly bodacious. US Botanic Garden Conservatory Classroom. FREE: pre-registration required; visit www.

USBG.gov/Programs.

• Friday, May 4 & Saturday, May 5 79th Annual Flower Mart Buy plants, ride the carousel, peruse the used book tent, and tour the grounds. All proceeds from this event benefit the gardens and grounds of the National Cathedral. Presented by the All Hallows Guild. See details at https://allhallowsguild.org.

• May 5th, 11am–4pm Montgomery County GreenFest Tons of fun activities for the whole family from kids tree-climbing to music and exhibitors, including a repair cafe and a talk at 2pm by Kathy Jentz on “Can’t Fail Container Gardening.” Held at Jesup Blair Local Park, 900 Jesup Blair Drive, Silver Spring, MD. Free. See montgomerycountygreenfest.org.

• Sunday, May 6, 1–5pm Potomac Rose Society Presents: 3rd Annual Mid-Atlantic Symposium on Disease-resistant Roses The event features Paul Zimmerman, internationally recognized rose expert and author of Everyday Roses. Learn how to establish and maintain healthy garden roses without the use of synthetic chemicals, as well as which roses perform well locally in challenging conditions such as low light, poor drainage, tight spaces, etc. Participate in a guided tour of the Brookside rose garden. Held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. The symposium is free and open to the public.

• Monday, May 7 to Friday, May 11 Customer Appreciation Week and National Public Gardens Day Stop by Green Spring Gardens for free gardening discussions, demonstrations, or tours at 11am and afternoon refreshments in honor of Customer Appreciation Week and National Public Gardens Day (May 11). See www.fairfaxcounty. gov/parks/greenspring.

• Thursday, May 10, 7am–1pm

Bethesda Community Garden Club Plant Sale Large selection of perennials, native plants, herbs, annuals, and shrubs grown in members’ gardens. Gardeners and anyone who loves plants won’t want to miss the Bethesda Community Garden Club’s annual plant sale. Find wonderful buys on a large selection of locally grown plants. Plentiful metered parking is available in the lot behind the market. Held rain or shine at the Bethesda Farm Women’s Market, 7155 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD. For more information, go to www.bethesdacommunitygardenclub.org. The Bethesda Community Garden Club is celebrating 95 years of community service.

• Saturday, May 12, 9am–1pm Silver Spring Garden Club’s GardenMart 77th Annual Plant Sale From native groundcovers to heirloom tomatoes to hanging flower baskets, the club sale has a great selection. On the West Terrace of the Visitor Center at Brookside Gardens 1800 Glenallan Avenue Wheaton, MD. Held rain or shine.

Cash or check only.

Garden Raffle: $1 tickets (6 for $5 or 12 for $10) you do NOT have to be present to win; many great prizes from local store gift certificates to dish gardens to signed garden books.

The National Capital Dahlia Society will sell dahlia tubers and give dahliagrowing advice. Come early for best selection.

• Sunday, May 20 from 10am-12noon Herb Festival Washington Gardener magazine will host an Herb Talk and Tasting on at the Takoma Park Farmers Market. The event will include a seed-starting activity and samples of different culinary herbs. See http://takomaparkmarket. com for location details.

Save These Future Dates • Friday, May 18, 6—8:30pm Swing Into Victory Garden Party Join the Smithsonian Gardens to celebrate the patriotic American food gardens of World War II with live music,

swing dancing, canning demonstrations, activities, tastings, food, and drink inspired by the era. Held at the Enid A. Haupt Garden, East Terrace Walk, and the Arts and Industries Building 900 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC. Service uniform, cocktail attire, or 1940s dress encouraged. General admission is $50/ticket. Register at http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/Ticket Purchase?orgid=51574&pid=8567612.

• Saturday, May 19, 9am–3pm Spring Garden Day at Green Spring THE BIG PLANT SALE More than 40 local garden vendors descend on Green Spring Gardens with beautiful and unusual plants to fill your spring gardening needs. Growers and Master Gardeners are on hand to help with plant selections and advice.

FROGS members receive 10% off plants in the Garden Gate Plant Shop. Free admission. For more information, call Green Spring Gardens at 703-6425173. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312 (www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ greenspring).

• Sunday June 3, 2–3:30pm Garden Photo Show Reception Come view the 17 winners of the DC Garden Photo Contest Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA.

Still More Event Listings

See even more event listings on the Washington Gardener Yahoo discussion list. Join the list at http://groups.yahoo. com/group/WashingtonGardener/.

How to Submit Local Garden Events

To submit an event for this listing, contact kathyjentz@gmail.com — put “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is May 10 for the April 2018 issue, for events taking place May 16–June 15.

See our Spring Garden Tours Listing on page 19. o

APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

9

TIPStricks

5 Tips for Allergy Season

10

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

5. This one may be hard for gardeners or nature lovers, but it is to resist the urge to breathe in fresh air. After months of this Washington metropolitan area winter, of course you want a nice breeze, but before you open your windows, beware. Opening windows allows pollen and other debris inside, where they can settle in your carpet or anywhere. You are better off keeping your windows closed during peak allergy season. o

Manure Regulations for Food Safety and Gardens

Manure is animal refuse—it contains nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, and other nutrients that help plants grow. Adding manure to fields increases the soil organic matter to benefit crops, according to the Soils Matter blog (https:// soilsmatter.wordpress.com).

It is widely available for farmers who have their own animals. One cow can generate 43 to 120 pounds of manure a day. Farmers have used it as a source of energy for soil life to grow, reproduce, and feed. Manure also helps soil absorb rainfall for crops.

However, manure is from an animal’s gut, so it is made up of microbes. Some farmers lack the equipment to compost properly and end up using raw manure, which can be dangerous. There is potential for these microbes to cause diseases.

E.coli and Salmonella are examples of these organisms in chickens and cows.

The main problem occurs when manure comes into contact with food, especially leafy and root vegetables. As a result, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) created regulations regarding manure use on agricultural fields to keep the soil healthy and food safe. They have required a 120-day waiting period that gives growers clear practices for safe food production.

The FDA provides consistent information to farmers who want to use manure and address safety to the consumer.

Farmers can also receive training in the regulations and details about protecting and preparing the food they sell.

For more about manure regulations, visit the FDA website at: https://www. fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/fsma/ ucm334114.htm#key. o

Year of the Beet

This vegetable, also known as beta vulgaris, is easy to grow and good for you.

Beets are high in fiber and vitamins A and C. They are also rich in antioxidants, calcium, folic acid, phosphorus, and potassium.

Beets also can help fight inflammation, increase stamina, and lower blood pressure, to name a few benefits. With all the new breeding that beets are undergoing, there are many cool and different varieties now available.

Red beets have phytonutrients and can ward off cancer. The leafy greens of the vegetable can be eaten as well— they have more iron than spinach, and help with osteoporosis and boosting immune systems.

Golden-yellow and orange beets tend to be a little milder and less earthy than red ones. The Kyoji beet, an Italian heirloom, is sweeter. Lastly, the ‘Avalanche’ white beets are very mild with no earthiness or bitter aftertaste.

Beets were first popular in the Mediterranean region; however, they are eaten in all continents of the world now. Beets were consumed medicinally in ancient Rome, according to the National Garden Bureau. They can be prepared in salads, using both the greens and roots, and made into soups or pickled slices, too.

Today, beets are still used similarly, with the addition of a processed product sold in stores. Even with these varieties, some people are not fans of beets, saying they taste like dirt. There are some unique recipes that may make them taste better.

DC-based chef Jonathan Bardzik shared his favorite combo: beets with capers and crème fraîche.

For more information about beets and recipes, visit NGB at: https://ngb.org/ year-of-the-beet/. o Tips column compiled by Kelly Zheng. She is a junior multiplatform journalism major, with a minor in technology entrepreneurship, at the University of Maryland, College Park.

This spring semester, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener.

Photo of Beet ‘Lutz Green’ Leaf from Territorial Seed Company. Year of the Beet, National Garden Bureau.

As many gardeners and others look forward to spring, some people are hesitant. This may be due to allergies. The warmer weather and additional daylight could also mean watery eyes, sneezing, and a runny nose for some, making it hard to be excited about the season.

However, allergies do not have to ruin your time outdoors, since there is relief.

Now is the time to make plans to ease allergy symptoms before spring really kicks in.

Sufferers should keep in mind these five tips from Bradley Chipps, MD, an allergist and the president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI).

1. Some people may think they have allergies; however, issues can be more serious, such as asthma or even both.

About two-thirds of people with asthma also suffer from allergies, making symptoms worse during the spring season.

If your symptoms include a persistent cough or feeling winded quickly, asthma may be the cause. It is best to contact an allergist to help identify the source of your asthma and treat your allergies to manage your symptoms.

2. Many people say they will springclean but never actually do it. If you are an allergy sufferer, it is very important you do. Simply clearing out dust and cobwebs can ease sneezing, although, for better results, it is recommended to give your home a deep scrub. A thorough cleaning can eliminate allergens such as dust mites and mold to clear the air.

3. Better late than never, right? Wrong.

For sufferers, starting your relief early on can save you. You should not wait for your eyes to begin watering before taking your allergy medicine. By starting your medications at least two weeks before the season begins, they will already be in your system when you really need them.

4. Now you might ask how you can clean your air effectively. When looking for ways to clean the air in your home, do not choose an ionic air filter. These filters require more airflow to operate properly than most homes are able to provide. It is recommended to choose a HEPA room air cleaner rated with a Clean Air Delivery Rate instead.

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Redbud Plant Profile • The Pansy Project • DIY: Resurrection Garden • Asparagus Emerging • Virginia Bluebells Plant Profile See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

New Plant Spotlight

Crape myrtle photos courtesy of Nature Hills.

Sunset Magic™ Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia ‘PIILAG-IX’ PPAF A crape myrtle shrub in full bloom is a focal point in any garden. A new variety from First Editions® Plants called Sunset Magic™ Crape Myrtle has true red flowers—not “deep red-pink” or “violetred,” or even “reddish.” In full bloom, the large, crinkled, ruffled flowers cover the entire shrub, and Sunset Magic blooms more heavily than most other dark-leaved crape myrtles. The dark, purple-black leaves hold their deep color late into the summer. The leaves are flatter and more lustrous than other crape myrtles, too, so the red flowers really “pop.”

Sunset Magic is an easy-to-grow, disease-resistant variety. It responds well to pruning, but it stays a manageable size (5-10 feet tall and 4-8 feet wide) naturally, so it will fit nicely into smaller gardens. For a stunning garden effect, plant this variety with white- flowered crape myrtles or yellow daylilies.

Sunset MagicTM Crape Myrtle thrives in USDA zones 7–9. Give it full sun in well-drained soil and it will delight year after year with stunning color. Each plant in a 1 gallon container sells for $39.95. It is available from www.naturehills.com. o

April-May Garden To-Do List

• If you started seeds last month, thin them and start the hardening-off process.

• Start some more seeds—especially try flowering annuals like impatiens, marigolds, nasturtium, and petunias.

• Do not set out seedlings or tender annuals until after Mother’s Day (traditional last frost-free date for our entire area).

• Water shrubs and trees deeply during any dry spells.

• Prune winter damage on evergreens.

• Make compost tea and use on seedlings.

• Turn your compost pile.

• Sharpen tools.

• Prune flowering shrubs, such as forsythia, lilacs, and azaleas, when they finish blooming.

• Repot and fertilize houseplants.

• Set aside a few hours each weekend for attending garden shows and tours.

• Weed by hand to avoid disturbing newly forming roots.

• Soil preparation—add lime, compost, etc., as needed.

• Walk your garden—look for early signs of fungal disease.

• Divide perennials and herbs. Pot up extras to give away at plant swaps.

• Fertilize new growth.

• Plant and prune roses.

• Transplant small trees and shrubs.

• Buy or check on your stored summer bulbs (such as dahlias and caladiums).

Pot them and start to water if you want to give them an early start on the season.

• Build a raised bed for vegetables. Add lots of manure and compost.

• Buy an indoor plant to liven up your office space. Try an Orchid or African violet.

• Start/keep fertilizing your indoor plants.

• Cut back and clear out the last of your perennial beds and ornamental grasses.

• Mulch beds with a light hand.

• Feed birds and provide nesting materials (try dryer lint), as well as houses, for the start of their family season.

• Sow beans and corn directly outdoors.

• Start carrots, turnips, and parsnips in well-draining beds or in deep containers.

• Keep cutworms off newly planted edible seedlings by surrounding the seedlings with collars cut from a plastic bottle or cardboard tube.

• Pick peas often to encourage the plants to produce more.

• Ensure new seedlings do not dry out by installing a drip-irrigation system.

• Start herbs from seed or cuttings.

• Edge garden beds.

• Remove Ivy, Pachysandra, and other vine-like groundcover from under shrubs.

• Work in dry, not wet, soil to avoid compacting the earth.

• Hand-pick cabbage worms from broccoli and other cabbage-family plants.

• Put row covers over vulnerable crops — remove covers to allow for pollinating once they set flowers.

• Thin lettuce seedlings and plant more seeds in new rows. (You can eat the seedling greens you pull.)

• Plant a tree for Arbor Day or Earth Day. o APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

11

HORThaenings

Environmental Film Fest Features Piet Oudolf Docu

The 26th annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital took place March 25 to 28 and showcased more than 100 films. Among them was “Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf,” a documentary about the iconic landscape designer.

Oudolf designed the New York High Line and other famous green urban areas. The documentary was a look into his personal life and how his work “changes the way all of us think about and ultimately see beauty itself,” according to the summary of the film on the festival’s website (https://dceff.org).

A question-and-answer session with Oudolf and director Thomas Piper, moderated by Peggy Parsons, film curator at the National Gallery of Art.

Lahr Symposium 2018

The Lahr Symposium took place on March 24 at the National Arboretum and this year’s theme was “Biodiversity in Managed Landscapes.” The event featured a native plant sale and a variety of information sessions about pollinators, urban landscapes, the U.S. Botanic Garden’s National Garden, and more. The event was hosted by Friends of the National Arboretum.

Speakers at the Lahr Symposium included Lea Johnson, an associate professor of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland; William McLaughlin, the curator of plants at the U.S. Botanic Garden; and Dan Rauch, a biologist at Washington’s Department of Energy and Environment.

GW’s Landscape Design Career Symposium

George Washington University’s Landscape Design Program hosted a career symposium on March 10. The theme of the short event was “Show Me the Money” and it was conducted through short, small-group discussions, each led by a professional in the field.

The professionals included “successful designers representing four of the most common areas of practice: Solo practitioners/Partnerships, Design/ Build Firms, Garden Centers, [or] Niche Alternatives.”

12

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

Adele Kuo, owner of Deco Footprint, LLC, is featured on page 20 of this magazine and was present as a professional facilitating discussion. Kuo, along with the other facilitators, shared advice on starting a landscape design company, making smart career choices, client relationships, and more.

Potomac Floral Wholesale 20th Flower Show

Potomac Floral Wholesale held their 20th Anniversary Flower Show on March 18. Grower and vendor exhibits were present with a vast selection of products. Different colored roses with exotic names such as ‘Green Tea,’ ‘Toffee,’ and ‘Tinted Rainbow’ were among the many available—some much bigger than average-size, too.

Attendees were able to vote on their favorite “Great Gatsby”-themed competition design. Around 1,000 people enjoyed food and drinks with live entertainment while they waited for guest speaker René van Rems to discuss “Dutch Impressions, Global Style.” He was born in Amsterdam, Holland, and is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers.

A resident of San Diego, CA, for the past 39 years, van Rems is the president of his independent consulting firm and an author, presenter, and educator.

The speaker talked for two and a half hours about different floral arrangements, specifically hand-tied and bridal bouquets. Attendees were impressed by his work and even more excited when they all received with one of his books.

Bloomia’s Field of Tulips at CityCenterDC

The Park at CityCenter in northwest DC was filled with more than 40,000 tulips on March 23 and 24. People were welcomed to come to the garden for free and “take a piece of spring home” for $1 per stem. Every purchase supported DC Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that “develops and operates social ventures that break the cycle of hunger and poverty.”

Bloomia, a wholesale florist in Virginia, provided the tulips, which were “grown with care” in their greenhouses. It was the wholesaler’s first Field of Tulips and more than 8,000 people enjoyed the flowers and instal-

lations. This event united people of all backgrounds and brought happiness all around.

The wholesale flowers are locally grown, sustainable, and support local charities. Everything Bloomia does is guided by their commitment to improve the well-being of the planet, people, and communities, which is stated on their website. After the Field of Tulips event, Bloomia’s ran a pop-up flowershop at CityCenterDC through April 15.

Pansy Boy

On April 3, British artist Paul Harfleet spoke and read from Pansy Boy, a picture book he wrote and illustrated, at Busboys and Poets in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, DC. Pansy Boy is made up of rhyming couplets and addresses a simple, yet rich, meaning. The main protagonist challenges homophobia around him in a gentle and non-confrontational way.

The book was inspired by personal experiences the author dealt with growing up. Thirteen years ago, Harfleet started the Pansy Project where he plants pansies at different sites of homophobic abuse. He then documents the flower through photography or film in its location and posts on his website.

Each pansy is named and mapped along with a story.

Over the years, Harfleet has planted at sites in many cities across the world, including, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Geneva, and Istanbul. The project was brought to DC from March 24 to April 4, when he planted 23 pansies around the city with the help of horticulturist Justin Kondrat. Some places include the front of the White House and U.S. Supreme Court. For more about the Pansy Project, visit Harfleet at: www.thepansyproject.com. o This issue’s “HortHappenings” were compiled by Allison O’Reilly and Kelly Zheng.

Both are editorial interns at Washington Gardener.

See photos from events listed here, as well as many more photo albums of recent local garden events, at the Washington Gardener Facebook Page: facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine. Recent albums include pictorials from the events listed on this page. Click on the PHOTOS tab, then select from the ALBUMS listed.

APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

13

PLANTprofile

By Judith Mensh

14

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

group of color options. All Encore azaleas are trademarked and produced solely by vegetative propagation.

The good news is that, like traditional azalea species, these hybrid flowers contain nectar and attract the same butterflies, hummingbirds, and bumblebees.

To all of the azaleas of past years, planted so carelessly in the full sun, beautiful when planted in bloom but inexorably declining due to overexposure, know that this practice is history. The sun-loving reblooming Encore azaleas are here, ready to stand in.

Recommended for use as curb appeal, at the mailbox garden, on sunny slopes, in established gardens, and as hedging, Encore azaleas are also excellent candidates for container planting on the front porch or back patio. Look for locations with the 4 to 6 hours of required sun.

With the Encore planted in the middle and space all around it for annuals to come and go, it’s versatile and can change with the seasons. Plant containers in the spring through fall, with good drainage and consistent watering are essential for success Some of the Encores have bronzed or purple foliage during the winter as an added plus.

The majority of Encore azaleas are of medium height and spread at 3'–4' wide and tall; a few reach 5'x4'; and several are small 2'–3' high, 2'–4 spread.

It all began in the 1980s, in Independence, LA, where plant breeder Buddy Lee noticed a group of azaleas blooming in mid-summer and was inspired by this seeming anomaly to create a new hybrid that would become the Encore reblooming azalea. In the late 1990s, the Encore azalea hit the market running with its remarkable ability to bloom on new and old wood.

When first introduced into our area, there was doubt about its cold hardiness, and anecdotal evidence suggested they were best planted south of Zone 7. This has changed after extensive research and breeding, with virtually all of the collection now hardy to our Zone 7 location, and most up to Zone 6.

During the azaleas’ long history of cultivation, over centuries and continents, thousands of cultivars have been named, based on color, texture, size, or flower type; the Encore azaleas emerged from modern genetics. Adding extended blooming times is on the new frontier of the future of horticulture.

In the southeastern American landscape, Azalea, Crape Myrtle, and Camellia, adopted and adapted to become our own, create our shared visual landscape memories. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, SC, is the original home of landscape azaleas in America (first planted outside in the 1830s), and today hosts Autumn Belle™ and Autumn Sundance™ azaleas in a landscape. Photo courtesy of Encore Azaleas.

Every garden center worker knows the plant requested most often: It’s evergreen all year around, flowers constantly, and requires no care. My suggestion: Try the floral goods aisle at your local craft store, where there will be a wide choice of this garden chimera. This wish of us humans to live in a 24/7 rainbow and sunshine world is understandable— reality is challenging and often dark!

Enter the Encore Autumn Azalea, leading the way to new realities. Introduced in 1996, after 15 years of development, this evergreen, sun-loving, low-maintenance azalea blooms in the spring as expected, then reblooms in the summer and again in the fall!

Followed by the practically everblooming Knockout Rose (introduced in 2000) and then the long-blooming Endless Summer Hydrangea (2004), the song is now rewritten: The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra-la, now also bloom in the summer and also bloom in the fall (tra-la), and that’s the way it is done today.

Reblooming is a valuable asset that gives us new and different design choices. With the repetition of the same color for three seasons, our palette must be visualized in an essentially new and novel way, and one that seems to be part of a trend.

The Encore collection, all plants beginning with the epitaph ‘Autumn’ in reference to their surprising ability to bloom in the fall, is divided into families of size and color, with a very energetic

Autumn Empress™ azalea in a landscape. Photo courtesy of Encore Azaleas.

Reblooming Azaleas

Encore History

PLANTprofile the largest collection of Encore Azaleas of any public garden in America. With three seasons to see, the window for visiting is wide. Locally, our National Arboretum also includes Encores in its azalea displays.

Encore is a great improvement over the Gumpo azaleas, used indiscriminately in the past for low-growing blooms.

It’s a distinct niche in the world of garden design, extending our seasonal color choices way beyond past expectations. At the other end of the continuum are the Heirloom plants—those we seek to maintain in historic form. Reblooming, like chartreuse leaf color, is an inherent quality valued by humans.

Awareness of our ability to select desirable traits and create a new narrative has given us these new-formed garden ornaments.

Cultural Requirements

Fall planting in a well-drained acidic soil with a high organic percentage is recommended, allowing time to establish roots in preparation for its springtime debut. Plant in same-colored groups, with three to five together as the minimum for visual impact. Prune after spring flowering. In fact, Encore are very much like all azaleas except for the requirement of the 4 to 6 hours of sunlight recommended for best flowering, preferably in morning sun followed by afternoon shade. Water diligently the first year, and use compost over the winter.

Cultivars

The Encore Autumn Series collection comes in pinks (many), purples (a few), reds (six), whites (four), and bicolor (five) for 31 varieties in all. Stick with different shades of the same color, or use dark/light contrast as your design guide; discordant color combinations are all too frequent with azaleas.

Always buy azaleas in bloom for absolute confidence in flower color. Early spring is a great time to look at newly arrived Encores clearly showing their colors. Don’t forget to come back in midsummer, and then again in the fall, to see the reblooming in action and check out the different varieties as they become available.

This year, look for Autumn Fire and

Autumn Chiffon™ azalea flowers. Photo courtesy of Encore Azaleas.

Autumn Bonfire, two new varieties of reds that go toward orange. Autumn Ivory, Autumn Lily, Autumn Lilac, and Autumn Sunburst are also eye-catching options for Encore azaleas this year.

Plant Companions

In southern gardens, it is common to see all kinds of azaleas embedded in liriope edging, backed up by Camelia, Loropetalum, and Magnolia. Light-colored Encore choices look well against an evergreen background of Chamaecyparis, Arborvitae, and Ilex.

If the garden backs into a shady treed area, rhododendron species provide good company.

Color-coordinated annuals, springblooming bulbs, and sun-loving natives all work seamlessly together with these colorful new 21st-century members of the plant community.

Sources

Highly popular, widely available, and affordable, with plenty of resources and support online and locally (there are two local chapters of the American Azalea Society), Encore azaleas come in 3-gallon purplish flower pots, clearly branded for easy identification. They are also available in 1- and 2-gallon containers online, if not locally.

Ask for Encore at all our local garden centers—it is a standardized product and quality control is high. Home Depot online, Lowes, and Walmart are also all sources for purchase.

Visit the official Encore Azalea website (www.encoreazalea.com), the guide to all things Encore. The com-

pany’s motto, often repeated throughout the website, is “the Encore is the world’s best-selling reblooming azalea.”

There are at least three other reblooming azaleas out there that are not Encores: Bloom ‘N Again® Azaleas from Gardener’s Confidence Collection, Bloom-A-Thon (a Proven Winner Plant), and ReBLOOM from Monrovia.

All require the shady aspect of the traditional azalea.

Traditional clues have morphed as seasons collide with each other and our late snows, early heat, spring showers of gale force, and flowers that bloom across seasons become our new reality.

The beauty of the distinct seasons we experience will always include leaves changing color, flowers giving way to berries, seeds falling to the ground, late-season asters providing for pollinators. And the azaleas are blooming. May they continue to invoke happiness and prosperity, as they have symbolized in the past.

Looking for something that doesn’t lose its leaves for the winter and that flowers a lot? Try the Encore, a full-sun azalea that blooms in three seasons, and it’s evergreen, too! Some wishes do come true. o Author’s note: This is my last plant profile column. I now turn to my alter ego, JudithMenshMixedMedia, and prepare my artwork—my paintings—for a series of showand-sell events in the near future. It’s been grand writing for you. Thank you to the readers of Washington Gardener magazine, and to Kathy Jentz, astute editor extraordinaire.

My email is JudithMenshNurtureNature@ gmail.com. Keep in touch.

Autumn Lilac™ azalea flowers.

Photo courtesy of Encore Azaleas.

APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

15

DAYtrip the house view by the mounds serve as shady sentinels.

The sunken green in the back of the house allowed entry from the lower floor and provided views of the distant property. The lawn is banked with berms lined in flowering shrubs and frames a park-like setting.

Paper Mulberry Palladianism

Jefferson’s Poplar Forest Private Palladian Retreat By B y Cheval Force Opp

Archaeological Puzzle

If you have never heard of Jefferson’s Poplar Forest in Lynchburg, VA, you are not alone. Jefferson intended it to be a very private place.

Poplar Forest is first documented in early 1745 land records. In 1773, Jefferson’s wife Martha inherited the 4,819-acre plantation at her father’s death. Staffed with slaves and managed by overseers, the land produced profitable crops of tobacco and wheat for 39 years, with infrequent visits by Jefferson.

That changed three years before his presidential term ended. In 1806, his 63rd year, Jefferson began the costly construction of a Jeffersonized roman villa, 70 miles from Monticello. He continued perfecting his octagonal house and geometric landscape for 16 years, until his death in 1826.

After Jefferson’s death, the house and property passed through a series of owners. Fortunately, in 1984, Jefferson’s octagonal retreat and 50 surrounding acres were purchased by the nonprofit Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, and property restoration began.

What I find fascinating on visiting this historical landscape is how technology tools, historical documentation review, and archaeology are revealing the secrets of the past. No Jeffersonera drawings of the grounds are known to exist, and only a few farm maps have been found. Landscape clues 16

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

are gathered from Jefferson’s records, planting memoranda, and letters, but extensive archaeological excavation and lab analysis are the magic that stitches together a fact-driven restoration of the property. Every grain of pollen and uncovered crockery fragment is analyzed to find its place in the giant puzzle of Poplar Forest.

A Geometric Landscape

Jefferson’s octagonal house sits like a gem in the heart of a geometrically landscaped space. The house is surrounded by a circular drive, which is set within a 10-acre square, which is in turn enclosed in a roughly rectangular 61-acre fenced land called a curtilage.

The curtilage contains orchards, vegetable gardens, slave quarters, and service buildings, all the inter-dependent work areas of a functioning farm.

An artist’s rendering based on archaeological and documentary evidence for Poplar Forest is shown on the next page.

The five acres of ornamental grounds surrounding the house were enclosed by a circular road lined with paper mulberry trees. The elegant brick home has two wings. One wing of “brickwalled offices” contains a kitchen, dairy, pantry, and smokehouse. The opposite wing is “tree-walled” with a double row of paper mulberry trees.

A hill of earth rises at the end of each wing, expanding the panorama for visitors entering the circular driveway.

Two eight-sided outhouses hidden from

Key to unlocking the driving vision at Poplar Forest is Jefferson’s lifelong fixation with the Palladian ideal. Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from and inspired by the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580).

England’s revival of Palladianism spread to Italy, most of Europe, and the American colonies. An example of Anglo-Palladian architecture is the image of Monticello shown on our nickels.

At Poplar Forest, Jefferson drew on his creative genius incorporating paper mulberry trees to interpret the Palladian template. How do we know where these trees were planted so long ago? Archaeologists uncovered the stains in the ground where trees once grew. Specialist’s analyzed the charcoal, pollen, and soil from these plant stains to determine the original planting sites of two rows of trees. Jefferson spaced the trees every 20 feet along the row, an interval that matches the approximate crown diameter of the paper mulberry. Today’s visitors standing under the replanted canopy of paper mulberry trees (Broussonetia papyrifera) enjoy the same shade Jefferson planned for his visitors in 1812.

Paper mulberries are dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate trees. Documentation indicates Jefferson only planted male trees, which produce catkins and long clusters of flowers but do not bear fruits. Thus Jefferson spared visitors the staining, littering berries on shoes and long dresses. The 30-foot trees’ extra-large leaves, soft on one side, rough on the other, are also a convenient source of woodland toilet paper.

A thoughtful utility on the walk from the house to octagonal brick privies.

DAYtrip

Heritage vs. Just Old

Eight heritage tulip poplar trees dating to at least 1806 and two black gum trees dating to 1811 and 1826 survive today from the original “forest.”

Arborists annually climb as high as 100 feet up to examine these giants and trim dead wood. These trees would have witnessed the bricks being fired on site for the retreat’s 12-inch-thick exterior brick walls, a practical thermal barrier against Virginia’s hot, humid summers and cold winters.

Using archeology as the definitive tool to identify plants from Jefferson’s sojourn on the property has allowed confident removal of post-Jefferson features. The result: 150-year boxwoods were chopped down and removed all in one day.

The boxwood removal, supported by the Garden Club of Virginia, allows investigation and restoration of Jefferson’s 80-foot-diameter circular driveway. Jefferson planned a similarly sized turnaround for Monticello, designed to accommodate the turning radius of a six-horse carriage.

In the fall of 2013, the carriage way’s original shape was defined, and its construction investigated. The archaeologists’ sweet spot is a layer of dirt about one foot below the present-day surface, which includes debris from an 1845 fire that damaged the Poplar Forest house. Removing that thin layer reveals the edges of the original carriage circle.

Watercolor rendering of Poplar Forest by Diane Johnson.

Mounds and Oval Beds

European properties familiar to Jefferson sported viewing mounds, beckoning visitors to climb for overviews of ornamental grounds. Jefferson directed the soil removed from the sunken lawn, basement, and east wing be piled, creating two 12-foot-high hillocks. He planted circles of aspens and willows on the hills for leafy domes.

Today, looking up at the mostly treeless, grass-covered protuberances, it seems unlikely the steep sides would beckon any but the hardiest visitors.

A more-likely theory is that Jefferson intended the verdant domes as a visual element of his Palladian landscape.

The aspens’ and willows’ evolving seasonal color would provide ornamental extensions of the east and west house wings.

Two oval beds noted in the historical documentation, each approximately 20 ft. long and 5 ft. wide, and have been found flanking either side of the carriage turnaround. Based on the analysis, Jefferson filled them with moss locust (Robinia hispida), dwarf roses, and large roses of different kinds, duplicating similar features and plants at Monticello.

Ornamental Clumps, Greens, and Berms

Jefferson enjoyed and noted the landscape effect of ornamental

tree “clumps” when touring English gardens in 1786 with John Adams.

Archeological investigations have revealed that Jefferson planted similar “clumps” at the two north corners of his retreat. Each clump was composed of approximately 12 trees, and shrubs planted at 33 ft. in diameter.

Native trees, including poplars, locusts, Kentucky coffee trees, dogwoods, redbuds, and sweet shrub (Calycanthus floridus), were planted in the clumps, and a duplicate planting can be seen by visitors today.

I was very curious about how the diameter of Jefferson’s clumps was determined so precisely. The key is the types of grasses that grow in the shade of a clump versus sun-loving grasses.

To confirm that the planting stains marked the boundaries of the clump, archaeologists conduct phytolith (a fossilized particle of plant tissue) analysis to examine the types of grasses that once grew in that location. The analysis revealed that the areas outside the assumed edge of the clump were dominated by sun-loving grasses. Inside the shaded boundary, there was a marked difference in grass type, with shadeloving grasses dominant and almost none of the sun-loving types.

The boundaries, confirmed by the microscopic remains of shadeloving grass, verify that the clump was a tight grouping, similar to ones APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

17

DAYtrip seen in prints of English gardens and favored in Jefferson’s planting notes.

Another puzzle piece fits snugly into the Jefferson landscape.

Archaeologists currently believe that Jefferson initially designed a rectangular lawn lined with flowering shrubs, but it seems he made changes and decided to re-landscape the eastern half, creating an asymmetrical shape.

Why Jefferson made these changes is still under discussion, giving us more puzzle pieces to discover in the future.

the removal or addition of plants and the resulting spacing remains pleasantly random looking.

History Continues

Since the property opened to the public in 1986, the corporation has expanded the property from 50 to 600 acres and continues the meticulous restoration of the house and landscape.

The team uncovering all these minute treasures is led by Jack Gary, director of Archaeology and Landscapes. His

scape would delight Jefferson.

A visit to Jefferson’s retreat at Poplar Forest is a treat for the senses and a beguiling intellectual glimpse into the past by way of today’s archaeological science. The puzzle pieces Jefferson’s landscape reveals continue to uncover new questions, with the puzzle’s boundaries changing over time.

Upcoming Events

• April 24, Lynchburg Garden Day • May 6–18, Architectural Restoration Talk and Tour • May 13, Mother’s Day

Visiting Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest

A Methodical Random Planting Pattern

My favorite mystery solved is the plantings on either side of the front entry.

Jefferson enjoyed showing off unique American flowering and aromatic native species, so it is no surprise he placed favorites at his entryway.

Documentation supports the physical evidence of these plantings to include poplars, locusts, Kentucky coffee trees, dogwoods, redbuds, and sweet shrub.

The pattern of the planting was not the math-driven grid found in other Jefferson layouts, but an ingenious, methodical random planting.

William D. Rieley, Garden Club of Virginia landscape architect, is credited with discerning the method. Using a surveyor’s line—a chain is a unit of length that measures 66 feet, 22 yards, 100 links, or 4 rods (20.1168 m)—to form a spiral allows for a methodical planting that looks pleasantly random. What I appreciate about this spiral pattern is it accommodates 18

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

interdisciplinary team includes archaeologists, specialized consultants, and scholars all working to fit the puzzle pieces together in Poplar Forest and understand the lives of the many residents, both enslaved and free, who once lived there.

A tour of the house and its ongoing restoration is mathematically fascinating. Poplar Forest was built as a perfect, single-story octagon containing five geometrical spaces: four elongated octagons set around an almost-perfect cube. The central space measures 20 feet in all directions lit from above by a 16-foot skylight that floods the interior with light. Its exterior walls form a perfect, equal-sided octagon. Jefferson’s sophisticated touches grace every aspect of this very intimate space.

During the early years of his retirement, Jefferson described to a friend his efforts “to beguile the wearisomeness of declining life ... by the delights of classical reading and mathematical truths.” I am sure the scientific orderliness of the team uncovering his land-

Poplar Forest is approximately 20 minutes’ drive from Lynchburg. It is located at 1542 Bateman Bridge Road, Forest, VA. Take US 460 or US 221 (avoid business routes) to Rt. 811 (Thomas Jefferson Road). Turn onto Rt. 661 (Bateman Bridge Road) to the main entrance. Campers and buses enter via Foxhall Drive (service entrance).

Poplar Forest is open daily from March 15 through December 30 (closed on Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day), 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (last tour leaves at 4:00 p.m.). Tickets for daily admission range from $16 to free for under 6 years old. Details can be found at poplarforest.org.

The Museum Shop offers items designed to help visitors understand Jefferson and his special interests, the Poplar Forest plantation community, and the time period when Jefferson owned Poplar Forest. o Photos courtesy of Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest. Thanks to Wayne Gannaway, Director of Programs, Marketing, and Grants, who allowed me to visit the site before their spring opening. A very special thanks to Jack Gary, who answered my many questions about the landscape and in a very short visit expanded my understanding of the magic of archeology in landscape history.

Cheval Force Opp gardens in Dunn Loring, VA, where she lives with her husband Dana and corgi Marzipan. As a passionate garden tourist, She is always searching for new gardens to visit. Let her know if you have a favorite garden to share.

GARDENtours

Spring 2018 Garden Tours Listing

• Saturday, April 21–Saturday, April 28 Historic Garden Week (VA) Various Virginia locations. See dates and details at http://www.vagardenweek.org.

• Spring Saturdays from April 21 through Saturday, May 26 Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage Maryland counties: Anne Arundel, Cecil, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Prince George’s. Get more information at mhgp.org.

• Sunday, April 29, 2–5pm Woodmoor Garden Walk and Plant Sale Silver Spring, MD. See http://www.woodmoorgardenclub.com/.

• Sunday, May 6, 1–5pm 2018 Takoma Park House and Garden Tour, “Mr. Edison’s Houses” Takoma Park, MD. Tickets can be purchased online at historictakoma.org.

•Saturday, May 12, 10am–5pm 90th Annual Georgetown Garden Tour Georgetown in Washington, DC. Details at www.georgetowngardenclubdc.org.

Virginia Garden Week

• Saturday May 12, 4–7pm, and Sunday, May 13, 12n–5pm Capitol Hill Restoration Society’s 61st Annual House & Garden Tour Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. See details at www.chrs.org.

• Saturday, May 19–Sunday, May 20, 1–5pm Beyond the Garden Gates Garden Tour Historic Frederick, MD. See www.celebratefrederick.com/events/garden-tour/.

• Sunday, May 20, 10am–4pm Sandy Spring Museum Garden Club Tour Sandy Spring, MD. Visit https://www.sandyspringmuseum.org/programs-and-events/ gardentour/ for details.

• Sunday, May 20, 2–5pm 14th Annual SPCA Garden Tour Shepherd Park, Colonial Village, and North Portal Estates in Washington, DC. Visit http://www.shepherdpark.org for details.

• Saturday, June 2, and Sunday, June 3, 12n–5pm 19th Annual Secret Garden Tour of Annapolis Historic District of Annapolis, MD. See www.hammondharwoodhouse.org.

Georgetown

• Saturday, June 2, 10am–4pm Frederick County, MD Garden Conservancy Open Day Frederick, MD. See https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days/.

• Sunday, June 3, 12noon-5pm 18th Annual Greater Brookland House and Garden Tour Brookland neighborhood in Washington, DC. See www.greaterbrooklandgardenclub.

• Sunday, June 3, 10am-4pm 27th Annual Garden Tour - Horticultural Society of Maryland Baltimore County, MD. See www.mdhorticulture.org.

• Saturday, June 10, 10am–4pm District of Columbia Area Garden Conservancy Open Day Washington, DC and suburbs. See https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days/.

• Sunday, June 10, 1:00–5:00pm 13th Annual Eastport Home and Garden Tour Eastport, Annapolis, MD. See www.eastportcivic.org/home---garden-tour.html. o

Shepherd Park APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

19

NEIGHBORnwork

Meet Sustainable Landscape Designer Adele Kuo

By Allison O’Reilly

Adele Kuo is a landscape designer based in Northern Virginia who owns the company Deco Footprint, LLC (http://www.decofootprint.com). Kuo and her company focus on sustainable landscape design—working on projects that mends together the art of design with ecological benefits, such as stormwater management. Kuo works closely with each of her clients to ensure their spaces are personal, on-budget, and reflective of their wants—she even offers a service to help her clients maintain their space after their design is done and implemented. Kuo also hosts the segment “It’s Easy Being Green” on the Arlington Weekly News.

We visited Kuo at a few of her completed job sites to learn about her work, career background, clients, and more.

Her clients’ completed gardens and yards have unique, purposeful designs and feature meticulously selected plants. To learn more about the designer and her work, we asked her the following questions: Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I was born, raised, and schooled on the East Coast, but both my parents emigrated independently from mainland China during the height of the Cold War. My dad left for Taiwan just before Mao Zedong consolidated power and proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China. while my mom left and lived with distant relatives in Hong Kong before coming to the US to join the rest of her family. They met in the US when my dad was a PhD student at the University of Maryland. I was born in the US. 20

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

After my dad got his PhD, we joined the IBM family in Fishkill, NY, until we were relocated to Northern Virginia in 1980. During the ’60s and ’70s, my parents wanted their kids to be as American as possible, so we only spoke English growing up.

As a kid, I didn’t like pretend house stuff or girly dolls, so I decapitated all of mine, and instead asked for a train set, built models of rockets and spaceships, and enjoyed dinosaurs. I remember climbing trees, exploring the meadow and woods nearby, playing in the creek, and catching frogs.

My love of plants and gardening came from my mom. She always had nice flower and veggie gardens, even though she always complained about the poor clay soil. My grandma gave her Chinese vegetable seeds, so we grew these unusual vegetables you couldn’t get at the grocery store back then: bok choy, bitter melon, Chinese broccoli, Chinese eggplant, Daikon radish, fuzzy melon, Chinese longbeans, mung bean sprouts, and much more.

My mom missed the fruit from her subtropical childhood the most, but she couldn’t find those seeds, so we grew an apple, cherry, and peach tree. Also, my dad gave me a sketchbook almost weekly, where I sketched birds and horses, and drew my “secret donut” houses: circular homes with a fancy outdoor courtyard cut out in the middle so the homes looked like a donut; a few even rotated above ground! Even though I scored in the 99th percentile in spatial relations, and told my parents I wanted to be an architect, my parents pressured me to be a lawyer or doctor.

Growing up, my mom liked to remind us of the sacrifices they made to come to the US so we could grow up without war and have all these freedoms and luxuries. As a first-generation Americanborn Chinese, in my twenties, there was the struggle to pursue something creative like architecture and landscape design that was squelched because they don’t earn the same respect or earnings potential as a doctor or lawyer.

While my parents would support my education in any way possible, it was to be a lawyer or doctor—not sure why we need so many lawyers, doctors—yes, but lawyers? No other profession was worthy, not even to follow in my father’s footsteps as an engineer.

After I spent a summer abroad in Strasbourg, France, studying international business management, I caught a serious travel bug and dreamed about traveling, living abroad, and making the world a better place after college. But the very last thing my mom wanted was her oldest kid to join the Peace Corps in Africa, making no money and die from some horrible disease or outbreak of war, so I had to find compromises to keep them happy since they paid my way through University of Virginia.

Instead of World Teach in Kenya, I accepted the YMCA volunteer English teacher position in Taiwan.

By the time I was done with that, my mom was a Realtor, so I joined a homebuilder to sell new homes in 1995.

When housing crashed in 2009 and I was laid off, I saw a George Washington (GW) University flyer about turning your passion into your profession. After a lot of soul-searching during which my mom’s voice kept repeating in my head to study something practical, I decided to do what I really wanted to do in my twenties—try landscape design.

Q: What is the basic process of a typical job your company takes on?

A: We focus on ecological design services. Each garden and landscape in our urban environs provides the challenge to balance the interests of people and nature. We merge ecological and aesthetic sensibilities, where thoughtful design creates beautiful and highly functional, multi-season outdoor spaces for people to connect with nature visually, physically, and spiritually. We strive

NEIGHBORnwork to preserve the natural ecological balance in our Chesapeake watershed and ensure a healthy, sustainable environment for generations to come.

Q: Apart from yourself, who helps make your projects come together?

A: In addition to a couple part-time design assistants, we collaborate with other ecological designers on larger-scale projects. Plus, we partner with landscape contractors to install my designs. Sometimes a new-home builder or interior designer will bring us in to work on the exterior landscape elements of the design/build. We’re always open to work on projects where the home is still under construction.

On many projects, we interact with architects, civil engineers, and surveyors. We also meet with local building plan reviewers to obtain permits and inspectors to comply with code and obtain the final permit approval. We work with a variety of subcontractors, such as electricians, plumbers, stone masons, carpenters, irrigation installers, etc., on the different projects, and we contact nurseries, growers, and native plant wholesalers to source our plant material. Depending on the project, we might need a Certified Arborist, boxwood horticulturist, green roof expert, LEED rater, etc. My GW alumni network help me locate the necessary expertise.

Q: What is the best part of working as a landscape architect?

A: Helping people tell the story of who they are and their experiences through their outdoor living spaces. When you walk into a home, through pictures on the walls and artifacts displayed throughout, the family’s story unfolds as you walk from room to room; a homeowner’s landscape should mirror that story. Each landscape should be a reflection of their histories, their experiences, and their personal stories. We work with each of our clients to understand their needs, lifestyle, tastes and budget and make the outdoor space or spaces truly their own. The designer organizes the spaces, sees details where others can’t, and puts all the details of a design project into context.

Since each landscape design graphically communicates the desired use of space and function, and defines

your landscape style, it’s important to ensure the design speaks to the client.

The most-beautiful and interesting landscape designs are generated by a story to explain the concept to the client.

There’s nothing like a sense of pride and accomplishment in helping a client make a dream become reality through landscape design that tells a story.

Q: What are some mistakes and triumphs you’ve faced in your career?

A: Early on, sometimes we focused on budgets too much and didn’t offer a better solution to avoid shrinking things down, regardless of the hardscapes and or softscapes. A year later, the client tells us they regret not waiting or finding the extra money to stay with the original design scale and proportions because they’ve already outgrown the space or wish the plants were more grown in, knit together, or mature looking.

We discovered it’s easier, and often still saves money in the long run, if you’re able to get rid of the elements that didn’t make sense and start fresh.

Saving money in the short run often doesn’t pay off in the long run.

My current triumph is launching my own design firm focused on ecological design services. I may continue to still make mistakes, but now it’s all on me to fix it quickly, learn from it, and move on to bigger and better things. My firm can react quickly, and has the ability to truly be proactive and remain at the forefront of new products, practices, or promotional strategies.

Q: Tell us some services you provide that homeowners may not think to ask a landscape architect about.

A: If your yard has drainage problems more than a day or two after a rain storm, it may be caused by different reasons. We can help determine the cause and propose solutions.

We provide ecological artistry to solve your drainage and erosion problems.

A well-designed ecological landscape integrates art and the science of ecology into a seamless and balanced landscape that not only complements your property, but reduces your water and maintenance costs, and creates pleasing spaces in harmony with nature.

Responses edited for length and clarity.

Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of your work?

A: Even though I have to work hard at it, I’ve always been told I’m a good writer and speaker. One of my internship mentors encouraged me to try public speaking on TV. Seven years later, I’m researching, writing, and hosting “It’s Easy Being Green” for Arlington Weekly News, one of the longest-running public access programs in the country. Check it out on YouTube.

Turns out my passion for green homes, sustainable landscapes, ecotravel, and living more green is also my hobby in my spare time. Plus, my partner and I love to travel locally and globally to find inspiration in natural landscapes and in famous planned spaces.

We enjoy hiking and kayaking to explore our national, state, and local parks.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

A: Regardless of whether you’re just starting out or you’re considering a midlife career change, I hope I’m an inspiration for others to take a leap of faith and do what you enjoy! I turned my passion into a profession. While I tell others my career has zigged and zagged maybe more than others, I’m grateful I’m able to cross over from the newhome industry to landscape design.

I was recently asked if I would consider returning to new homes since the industry is booming once again, and while I would be happy to work together again with the many friends from my homebuilding days, this time, around I would like to be your ecological landscape designer. This is an exciting time to enter the sustainable landscapes industry. Individually and collectively, we can be better environmental stewards to restore the environment and encourage long-term sustainability, increased biodiversity, and enhanced resilience.

From large-scale projects to small, from housing communities to private yards, we can design ecologically to balance the interests of people and planet. o Allison O’Reilly is originally from WinstonSalem, NC, and is a sophomore majoring in journalism as well as government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. This spring semester, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener.

APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

21

PRODUCTreview

Fair Dinkum Sun Hats

by Louise Clarke

During my recent expedition to Western Australia’s outback, the need for sun protection was glaringly evident.

Squinting in an ochre-colored desert of parched sand, visiting sun-soaked gardens, and boating on the glittering Swan River, I was glad to have brought a widebrimmed sunhat.

While you probably wear sunscreen and sunglasses outdoors, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends wearing a wide-brimmed hat in combination with sunscreen and shades for best protection. Outdoors, year-round, exposed skin needs protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Even on cloudy days, UV rays can reflect from sidewalks, beaches, water, and snow.

Surprisingly, it can take as little as 15 minutes for sun damage to occur.

Denver-based Wallaroo Hat Company offers chic yet practical sun hats to accentuate your gardening wardrobe while protecting you in style. Inspired by Australian sun hats, Wallaroo hats for women, men, and children all provide UV+50 sun protection, while furnishing durability and packability for gardeners on the go. That’s fair dinkum—unquestionably good or genuine.

Up-turned brim “Georgia” in black and broad-brimmed “Celeste” in natural came my way for evaluation. While black wouldn’t be my first color choice for a garden hat, Georgia wasn’t at all hot during my April visit to Pamela 22

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

Harper’s Virginia garden. I was pleased to discover that the black brim reduced reflected light, which my eyes appreciated. According to the CDC, darker-colored sunhats can offer greater UV protection. Georgia has a dense, sun-blocking weave yet is light as a butterfly.

On my recent garden travels, Georgia got sandwiched amid shifting luggage, but emerged looking no worse for wear. My garden-visiting mates thought Georgia would make a fashionable chapeau for garden parties and summer evening soirees. At left, you see Pamela modeling Georgia.

Celeste (pictured on page 3) sports a 5" brim with a wired edge. The flexible wire allows you to set the brim according to your desire. Perhaps you’d like the front of the brim turned up when bending over for gardening tasks, but turned down for optimal shading when strolling or riding. A suede band and trim compliment Celeste’s natural color. Celeste definitely keeps ears, face, and nape shaded, which baseball caps or bucket hats don’t. The wired edge isn’t exclusive to Celeste; a dozen of the ladies, models feature flexible wire for a customizable look.

Two-toned Victoria in 100% poly straw comes in five fun, flirty, color combinations, and has a 3½" slightly rolled brim for fashionable sun protection. Wear this to be noticed at the beach or garden.

Wallaroo Men’s hats are no fashion slouches, either. From fedoras to buckets to cowboy-fedora mashups, and Aussie Akubras, the men’s models are available in a wide array of materials and complementary hatbands. Materials include 100% cotton, seagrass, palm fiber, straw, paper braid, poly braid, and water-resistant microfiber.

Packability varies by material. The Shelton is a modified bucket hat with chinstrap and an 8½" long flap in the back that completely shades the neck.

When not needed, the flap can be rolled under the brim and stored in a Velcro closed pocket. The underbrim is a darker color to reduce reflected light. Pack it or crush it, Shelton is made of sturdy cotton. The men’s hats have a typical crown size of 61cm (24").

When visiting the Wallaroo Hat Company’s website (walleroohats.com), you’ll see that their hats are designed to accommodate different head sizes with a clever internal drawstring. No need to wrap a tape measure around your head to guesstimate your hat size. Click on a hat’s image to see its colors, features, and recommended packing instructions.

Visit the three petite hat selections for ladies, with a 55 cm (21.7") crown, smaller than the typical ladies’ 58 cm (23") crown size, if you are a smallheaded gal.

Wallaroo’s children’s hats have the same sun-blocking, adjustable features as the adult models, and some are entirely suitable for ladies. I like the Junior Explorer kids hat that is packable, made of water-resistant microfiber, and has a floatable foam brim; it’s the mini-me version of the men’s hat. The Junior Explorer’s adjustable chinstrap is a plus for windy days. The even-smaller Crocodile in hot pink flamingo or the Bermuda-blue Shark fits 52 cm (20.4") and both are all cotton with clever embroidery and toothily-notched front brims. They too have chinstraps, so happy little vegemites aren’t parted from their hats.

Gardeners will benefit most from wearing a wide-brimmed hat when outdoors between 10AM to 4PM, those hours when the sun’s rays are strongest. From backyard to billabong, beach to barbie, adding a wide-brimmed Wallaroo sunhat to your gardening kit will make outdoor time fashionable as well as more enjoyable. Fair dinkum, mates. o Louise Clarke is a degreed horticulturist employed by the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, PA, where she tends more than 1,200 woody plants and two green roofs, as well as leading workshops, writing, and lecturing on horticultural topics. As a zonedenial gardener, she tends Halcyon, her lush home garden—a mixture of tender tropicals, bulbs, perennials, unusual annuals, and vines. She rarely has time to admire the garden while seated in her home-made tiki hut.

ADVERTISINGindex

Your Ad Here

BACK ISSUE SALE!

YOU CAN REQUEST A SINGLE COPY OF PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR $6 EACH OR ANY 6 BACK ISSUES FOR $24, OR ALL 40+ PRINT BACK ISSUES FOR JUST $100. PRICE INCLUDES POSTAGE AND HANDLING. PLEASE SPECIFY THE ISSUE DATE(S). ORDER MUST BE PREPAID BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER. SEND ORDERS TO: WASHINGTON GARDENER, 826 PHILADELPHIA AVE., SILVER SPRING, MD 20910

MARCH/APRIL 2005 • Landscape DIY vs. Pro • Prevent Gardener’s Back • Ladew Topiary Gardens • Cherry Trees

MAY/JUNE 2007 • Roses: Easy Care Tips • Native Roses & Heirloom Roses • Edible Flowers • How to Plant a Bare-root Rose

MAY/JUNE 2005 • Stunning Plant Combinations • Turning Clay into Rich Soil • Wild Garlic • Strawberries

JULY/AUGUST 2007 • Groundcovers: Alternatives to Turfgrass • How to Pinch, Prune, & Dead-head • William Paca House & Gardens • Hardy Geraniums

JULY/AUGUST 2005 • Water Gardens • Poison Ivy • Disguising a Sloping Yard • Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007 • Succulents: Hardy to our Region • Drought-Tolerant Natives • Southern Vegetables • Seed Saving Savvy Tips

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 • Container Gardens • Clematis Vines • Sponge Gardening/Rain Gardens • 5 Insect Enemies of Gardeners

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 • Gardening with Children • Indoor Bulb-Forcing Basics • National Museum of the American Indian • Versatile Viburnums

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005 • Backyard Bird Habitats • Hellebores • Building a Coldframe • Bulb Planting Basics

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 • Dealing with Deer • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Delightful Daffodils

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 • Garden Decor Principles • Primroses • Tasty Heirloom Veggies • U.S. Botanic Garden MARCH/APRIL 2006 • Top 10 Small Trees and Large Shrubs • Azaleas • Figs, Berries, & Persimmons • Basic Pruning Principles MAY/JUNE 2006 • Using Native Plants in Your Landscape • Crabgrass • Peppers • Secret Sources for Free Plants JULY/AUGUST 2006 • Hydrangeas • Theme Gardens • Agave • Find Garden Space by Growing Up SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 • Shade Gardening • Hosta Care Guide • Fig-growing Tips and Recipes NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006 • Horticultural Careers • Juniper Care Guide • Winter Squash Growing Tips and Recipes • Layer/Lasagna Gardening

MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heucheras) MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed-Starting Basics • 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

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

MARCH/APRIL 2009 !

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

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

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

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

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

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/MidAtlantic 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.

Want Your Club Profiled?

Got a Washington, DC-area garden group, plant society, or neighborhood club that you think should be profiled here? Send the full details to KathyJentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894.

Got a Garden Question?

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

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

Behnke Nurseries Brookside Wings of Fancy Earth Essence Designs FONA Garden Fair Green Spring Gardens Leesburg Flower and Garden Fest Plant a Row for the Hungry MD HGIC MG Handbook Moo Poo Teas Sunshine Farm & Gardens Washington Gardener Back Issues Washington Gardener Speaker Bureau White’s Nursery

To advertise with us, please contact KathyJentz@gmail.com

2 24 2 5 2 13 7 2 2 2 23 2 2

or call 301.588.6894 today.

Next deadline: May 10

APRIL 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

23

LIVE BUTTERFLY & CATERPILLAR EXHIBIT APRIL 18 - SEPTEMBER 16

E YSS! N O M O R PA

ISIT VE turn NT V ITED re SA E U on!

LIM REQ F

1500 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902 $8 Ages 13+ | $5.00 Ages 3-12 | FREE Ages 0-2

301-962-1453 | BrooksideGardens.org 24

WASHINGTON GARDENER APRIL 2018

seas y UN Enjo sits this vi