February 2016 issue of Washington Gardener MagazineWashingtongardenerfeb16 by Kathy J

FEBRUARY 2016 VOL. 10 NO. 12

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

WASHINGTON WAS W WASHINGTO ASHINGTO

ggardener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Meet Dr. Cohan UMD’s Green Roof Research Expert

Growing Native Fraser’s Sedge Your Monthly Garden Tasks To-Do List New Stamps Feature Vintage Seed Catalog Art Latest Research Shows Gardening is Good for the Brain

Cultivating Kale Local Gardening Events Calendar

8 Exciting Trends for the 2016 Gardening World

17Award-Winning Garden Photos

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 wgardenermag@aol.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

Specializing in Garden

Renewals & Renovations Yard By Yard Makeovers, LLC 7304 Carroll Avenue, #229 Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-270-4642 yardmakeovers@yahoo.com www.yardmakeovers.com

We can reshape and beautify neglected yards.

Green Spring Gardens

Your Ad Here

Are you trying to reach thousands of gardeners in the greater DC region/Mid-Atlantic area? Washington Gardener Magazine goes out on the 15th of every month. Contact wgardenermag@aol.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: wgardenermag@aol.com.

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

www.greenspring.org

A “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round gold mine 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.

INSIDEcontents

Dr. Steven Cohan at the University of Maryland’s Stamp Student Union green roof. Photo by Daisynelly Nji.

According to the Mt. Cuba Center, Fraser’s Sedge is best grown when sited on shady slopes beneath evergreen trees such as Pinus strobus and Tsuga canadensis. It thrives in welldrained, highly organic, and acidic soils in shade. Photo by Barry Glick.

Kale is the king of vegetables now—topping nutritional food lists and restaurant menus. It is available in several different varieties that are easily grown by home gardeners. Pictured here is ‘Red Russian,’ an elegant plant with finely toothed leaves that remain tender after maturity. Vigorous plants will continue growing to produce leaves for successive harvests as the lower leaves are harvested. Photo courtesy of Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

FEATURES and COLUMNS BOOKreviews 18-19,22 Garden Design, Good Berry Bad Berry, Bees, What to Plant When, How to Plant a Garden EDIBLEharvest 6-7 Kale GOINGnative 8 Fraser’s Sedge HORThappenings 23 Seed Exchanges, Garden Book Club, AHS Holiday Party, GWU Landscape Meeting, MANTS NEIGHBORnetwork 20-21 Dr. Steven Cohan PHILLYflowershow 12 Trip Details and Sign-up Form PHOTOcontestwinners 14-17 Winners of the 2016 Garden Photo Contest TIPStricks 10 Gardening is Good for the Brain, 2016 Garden Trends, Seed Catalog Art Stamps

DEPARTMENTS

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue RESOURCESsources

24 11 4 5 13 11 3 2

ON THE COVER

The first-place winner in the Garden Creature category of the 10th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Garden Photo Contest, taken by Mike Whalen. See more winners on pages 14–17 of this issue.

In our March 2016 issue:

Low-maintenance Perennials and much more...

If your business would like to reach area gardeners, be sure to contact us by March 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/ FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

EDITORletter

Credits Kathy Jentz Editor/Publisher & Advertising Sales Washington Gardener 826 Philadelphia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301-588-6894 wgardenermag@aol.com www.washingtongardener.com Call today to place your ad with us! Ruth E. Thaler-Carter Proofreader Daisy-Nelly Nji Seema Vithlani Interns 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

An Unusual Decision

Sometimes you get thrown a curve ball and have to adjust your stance and grip. This month’s issue cover is not the grand prize winner of our Garden Photo Contest. That image is, instead, shared above. It is a gorgeous shot of an Allium as it is about to open in the photographer’s own garden. Mike Whalen took it and he also took the first-place shot in the Garden Creature category, of a young fox. I was laying out this issue and placing the grand-prize-winning Allium shot on the front cover as we normally do for the February issue, when I started to have some hesitation about it. We featured Alliums on the cover of our November 2015 issue, and this seemed a bit much onion coverage in such a short timespan. While I was mulling that over, I got a phone call and email from winning photographer Mike Whalen, asking if I would consider not putting his Allium shot on the cover and instead going with the first-place fox photograph. He thought it made a much stronger impact and was more cover-worthy. Talk about relief! I loved the fox image and gladly made the switch and honored his request. I hope you agree with Mike and me that the correct image made the cover. What do you think? Happy gardening (and reading)!

Kathy Jentz, Editor/Publisher, Washington Gardener, wgardenermag@aol.com 4

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

• Washington Gardener is a womanowned business. We are proud to be members of: · Garden Writers Association · Think Local First DC · 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 10, Number 12 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2016 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 February 2016 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving away five sets of passes to the Maryland Home & Garden Show (including Craft Show) at the Maryland State Fairgrounds (prize value: $24). Trade winter blues for shades of green at the Spring Maryland Home & Garden Show. Landscaped gardens brimming with bold and beautiful flowers, trees, and shrubs will fill the Maryland State Fairgrounds and—as suggested by this show’s theme, “Art in the Garden”—inspire visitors to transform their gardens from blank canvases into creative masterpieces. Showgoers will discover their hidden talents and learn the tricks of the trades at daily seminars, from flower arranging to vegetable gardening. Fun surprises! Every hour, one lucky attendee will receive a beautiful bouquet from Radebaugh Florist. Held over two weekends, the Maryland Home & Garden Show runs Saturday, March 5, and Sunday, March 6, as well as Friday, March 11, through Sunday, March 13. See more details online at www.mdhomeandgarden.com/spring. To enter to win a pair of passes to Maryland Home & Garden Show, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on February 29 with “Maryland Home & Garden Show” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Tell us what your favorite article was in this issue and why. Please also include your full name and mailing address. Winners will be announced and notified on March 1.

�

��

Local Gardening Calendar

Each month includes a list of what to do in the garden for local DC-MD-VA and Mid-Atlantic gardeners, along with a gorgeous photo of a seasonal flower from a local public garden collection in our area. Go to http://www.cafepress.com/ washgardener to order this new calendar for gifts and to treat yourself! Be sure to note on your order what month you want the calendar to start with. This calendar is a keeper that you can use for years!

Caption Contest We asked our Facebook page followers to caption this photo. What is going through the head of these attendees of our annual Seed Exchange event ? Look for more monthly caption contests at the Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine page.

Winning Captions: “I swear I just saw that phlox seed pack here a second ago...” ~ RootingDC “Next year I practice for the free-for-all with my kid’s rugby team.” ~ Jim Caldwell “Why did I leave my reading glasses at home?! Does that say ‘Full Sun’ or ‘Fern Seeds’?” ~ Sadie Jones “High Stakes Garden Poker—I’ll see your package of Peony roots and raise you a Tomato ‘Mortgage Lifter.’” ~ Julie Blackwell “Which one of these will fetch the highest price on Ebay tomorrow?” ~ Kim Feld “I’m going to need to buy a new house with a much bigger yard to plant all these!” ~ Carin Saldigo

Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens. Photo by Kathy Jentz.

FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

by Elizabeth Olson

Kale is one of the easiest to grow annual vegetables in a kitchen garden and is known for the cold-hardiness of many of its cultivars. It is closely related to cabbage and is grown for its delicious leaves, which do not form a head. Rather, kale leaves grow openly around a stiff, upright central stalk. Kale is a source of Vitamins A, C, E, and K. Well-grown kale has a fresh and firm texture, with a mild, savory, and sweet flavor. Kale microgreens and baby greens are great in sandwiches and blend well in fresh salads. Mature kale leaves are a popular ingredient in smoothies and are also wonderful in many soup and cooked dishes. See recipes on page 7. The best growing season for kale is late summer through autumn, when the night air promotes deeper coloration and savory to sweet flavor. However, kale cultivars can be grown with success during cool weather in mid- to late spring. One type of kale— the Portuguese type—is less cold-tolerant, but is more heat-tolerant and can be grown from mid-spring to as late as mid-summer, if given light shade during the hot part of the day. Available Portuguese cultivars include the F1 6

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

hybrid ‘Beira’ and the open-pollinated ‘Tronchuda.’ The overall appearance of kale ranges quite a bit from one cultivar to another. In particular, leaf colors, textures, and edges create a diversity of styles. For example: • ‘Tuscan’ kale (also called ‘Toscano,’ ‘Lacinato,’ or Dinosaur kale) is a tall heirloom with long, deep blue-green, pebbled leaves that cup under along the edges. It bears a resemblance to a palm tree. • ‘Blue Curled Scotch’ has long, fullsized, blue-green leaves with very ruffled edges. The plant is short. This heirloom cultivar is sometimes listed as ‘Dwarf Blue Curled’ kale. • ‘Red Russian’ is another heirloom. It produces dark-green, relatively smooth leaves with red to purple veins and stems. The edges are serrated, with deeper serration developing as the plant matures. ‘Red Russian’ is an excellent cultivar for microgreens. Mature plant height is medium tall to tall. • ‘Scarlet’ is an open-pollinated cultivar with solid dark-red purplish coloration throughout the tall plant. The leaves have very wide, frilly edges.

‘Blue Curled Scotch’ produces ruffled, blue-green, full-sized leaves on a compact plant.. Photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

Cultivating Kale

‘Scarlet’ is a stunning color accent in a kitchen garden or in a container garden. The leaves turn to dark-green when cooked. Other well-regarded kale cultivars include the F1 hybrids ‘Winterbor’ and ‘Redbor,’ and the open-pollinated ‘Red Ursa’ and ‘White Russian.’ If you only have room for one type of kale, try ‘Tuscan’ kale. It is very reliable, tasty, and cold-hardy. The specimens are especially striking and work well in mixed plantings. Seeds for cultivars that are sold primarily for decoration in cool weather are usually labeled as ornamental kale, flowering kale, or even flowering cabbage. Some of these cultivars may have an off-flavor; others taste best when cooked. Plants sold as ornamental kale, flowering kale, and flowering cabbage at garden centers should not be used for any culinary purpose unless they have been grown to foodgrade standards.

Availability

Seeds for many standard and specialty kale cultivars are available by mail and online order. Garden centers offer seeds for kale cultivars primarily from mid-winter through spring. They also offer seedlings for an increasing number of cultivars in both early to mid-spring for spring to early summer harvest and again in late summer for autumn harvest.

Growing Tips

The scientific name for kale is Brassica olearacea. Many seed companies list cultivars with the addition of acephala group or var. acephala to the species name. Some cultivars have yet other Brassica species names listed by seed companies. However, all kale cultivars are in the same plant family as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, and they should be included in the same crop rotation schedule. Growing requirements for kale are very similar to those of cabbage. Gardeners who want to grow kale in spring should either purchase transplants in early to mid-spring or start seeds indoors about four to six weeks before the last expected frost date. Seeds for autumn-harvested kale

EDIBLEharvt should be started in mid-summer and the plants should be installed in the garden by mid-September. Be sure to harden off young plants before transplanting them to the garden and do not crowd them to ensure good air circulation. Space them based on usage (such as harvesting whole young plants or growing them to maturity and harvesting leaves as needed) and the recommendations for each cultivar. Kale grows best in full sun. The soil should drain well and be well-worked and amended with compost. Fertilize the plants with an organic vegetable fertilizer. A consistent moisture level in the soil is necessary for the highestquality leaves; supplement rainfall with a soaker hose that is installed soon after planting. Keep the kitchen garden well-mulched and free of weeds. The plants should be covered with a floating row cover to protect them from flying insects. It is challenging to extract pests that get into the leaves, especially the ruffled ones.

When/How to Harvest

Kale matures quickly. Plants grown for baby greens can be harvested as soon as 30 days after transplanting. Leaves on plants grown to maturity can be harvested starting 55 to 60 days after transplanting. The entire plant can be harvested at one time, or the older, lower leaves can be harvested as needed and the younger, inner leaves can be allowed to continue to grow. Use sharp, parrot-beaked shears or kitchen shears to harvest leaves or young plants. The leaves of some cultivars may wilt soon after harvest. Remove them from the plant quickly and either set them immediately in a vase with water during the harvest or make fresh stem cuts and place them in water as soon as they are inside. Remove them from the vase when they are refreshed and store them in the refrigerator crisper drawer or prepare them for eating or cooking. o Elizabeth Olson is a Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist. She is also an avid home gardener who is fascinated by the stories behind the plants that she grows. She can be contacted through Washington Gardener magazine.

Baked Kale

Courtesy of www.NicholsGardenNursery.com Ingredients 2½ lbs. kale, washed, stripped from ribs, and coarsely chopped 1 Tbs. vegetable oil 2 Tbs. butter 2½ Tbs. flour 1½ C chicken or vegetable broth (hot) ½ C grated Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 3 – 6 drops hot pepper sauce ¾ C fresh breadcrumbs

‘Beira’ is a Portuguese style of kale. It is not as cold-hardy as other types, but will tolerate heat better for a longer time in spring. Photo courtesy of Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Directions Using a large nonstick skillet, sauté kale with oil. The wet leaves will quickly cook down as you stir it around, cooking for 7 to 10 minutes. Add a little water to the kale if it becomes dry. It should be slightly moist when cooked. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan set on low heat. Stir in flour and continue stirring for 2 minutes. Vigorously whisk in the hot broth and cook until well thickened. Stir in pepper, nutmeg, and hot pepper sauce and add to kale. Place mixture in a buttered shallow baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs over kale and then top with cheese. Bake until mixture is bubbly and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Sautéed Kale with Pancetta and Cannellini Beans Courtesy of www.KitchenGardenSeeds.com

Ingredients 4 oz. finely chopped pancetta (or bacon) Extra virgin olive oil ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional) ½ C finely chopped leeks 2 Tbs. finely chopped shallots 2 garlic cloves, smashed 1 C chicken stock 10 C destemmed, chopped kale 1½ C cooked cannellini beans Coarse sea salt to taste Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

‘Scarlet’ adds beautiful color to any kitchen garden, mixed container garden, or border. Note though that it turns dark green when cooked. Photo courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

Directions Coat the bottom of a medium size soup pot with a drizzle of olive oil. Slowly render the fat from the chopped pancetta (or bacon) over low heat until it is just cooked. Remove the cooked pancetta and set aside. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pancetta drippings and sauté the leeks, shallots, smashed garlic cloves, and red pepper flakes (optional). Once translucent and fragrant, remove the smashed garlic cloves. Remove the stems from the kale. Wash the kale. Roughly chop the kale. Add the kale to the pot, tossing over medium heat until all are wilted and brightgreen. Transfer the kale mixture to a bowl. Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the beans and heat until warm for several minutes. Return the kale mixture and pancetta to the pot, stirring gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

GOINGnative

Fraser’s Sedge

by Barry Glick

Many years ago, when I was just getting my nursery off the ground, there was buzz about a very rare, very mystical, very difficult to grow sedge. A sedge like no other sedge, so different that sometime in the 1940s, it was removed from the genus Carex and given its own monotypic genus — Cymophyllus! Somewhere along the line, I was fortunate enough to barter with a colleague for 10 one-quart plants. They were immediately bumped up into gallon’s placed out in the woods, and forgotten about. Yes, I forgot about these “difficult” to grow, really rare plants. I forgot about them, not just for a week or two, or a month or two, or even a growing season. I forgot about them for 10 years! Now, in that decade of neglect, they didn’t put on much growth, what with no one providing any additional water during dry spells, no fertilization, no weeding, etc., but, they did survive! Imagine my joy at rediscovering these precious sedges and at their still being alive. 8

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

I immediately rescued them from their life of despair and repotted my treasures in fresh soil. A hearty meal of 21-7-7 Peters Acid Special Fertilizer was much appreciated, I’m sure. They were very happy. I was very happy. My wayward little plants soon filled their new home with roots, and, it being spring, found a permanent home in one of my woodland trial beds. Boy, were they excited to get their feet into the earth with real soil instead of that commercial potting mix. In the following year, they doubled their size and flowered profusely in early spring. I collected the seeds, sowed them immediately, and was rewarded with nearly 100% germination. The young seedlings filled 2" pots in one growing season and 4" pots the next. Meantime, many years later, the parent plants have octupled in size and are now surrounded by seed beds of many subsequent generations. Average size at maturity is about 24–36" and I’ve seen some individual leaf blades attain

lengths of up to 24" long and up to 2" wide. The unique white flowers last for weeks and the entire plant is evergreen. I’m sharing this story with you to illustrate how easy Cymophyllus fraserianus is to grow and to save you from being intimidated when you hear that a particular plant is “difficult.” Cymophyllus fraserianus is the perfect Hosta replacement for any native plant garden or shade garden, especially if you have a deer problem, as this is one plant that isn’t on Bambi’s menu or wish list. o Barry Glick, a transplanted Philadelphian, has been residing in Greenbrier County, WV, since 1972. His mountaintop garden and nursery is a mecca for gardeners from virtually every country in the world. Barry writes and lectures extensively about native plants and Hellebores, his two main specialties, and welcomes visitors with advance notice. He can be reached at barry@sunfarm.com, www.sunfarm.com, or 304.497.2208.

G R E E N M AT TE R S SY M P O S I U M 2 016

a Garden G AT E WAY

Environmentally friendly landscape design and construction

Friday, April 8 �� 8:30am - 4pm Using Brookside Gardens’ recent Garden Gateway project as a springboard, the 2016 Green Matters Symposium will focus on elements of a successful, environmentally friendly landscape construction. From thorough planning and design to the use of hardscape materials, native plants, and local artistry, the symposium will inspire and oﬀer practical suggestions on how you can design and construct a unique, beautiful and sustainable landscape. www.BrooksideGreen.org

FE AT U R E D S P E A K E R S

Lori Arguelles, Executive Director of the Alice Ferguson Foundation Gennadyi Gurman, Head of Interpretation at Queens Botanical Garden

Mary Pat Matheson, Director of Atlanta Botanical Garden

R EG I ST E R O N LI N E

Course #14881 at ActiveMONTGOMERY.org Or call 301-962-1451 Fee: $85 through February 29, then $99 CEUs available for APLD, CPH, and Master Gardeners

Stephanie Oberle, Director, Brookside Gardens (M-NCPPC)

Thomas Rainer, Landscape Architect and Author of Planting in a Post-Wild World

FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

TIPStricks

8 Exciting Trends for the 2016 Gardening World

Wholesale plant grower Monrovia shared the following new trends. • Accessible Technology More homeowners growing edibles and interested in health and food security have ready access to technology, creating a surge in sharing of excess backyard-grown crops. Apps like RipeNearMe allow gardeners to interact one-on-one to give away extras. • All White Now A toned-down palette with a focus on calm and harmony is the latest color trend, particularly shades of white, from crisp to snowy, ivory to “dirty whites.” • Granny Gardens Nostalgia plants in delicate blush tones and pale shades from earlier garden eras — Foxgloves, Begonias, Peonies, Gardenias — are flying off nursery shelves. Fueling this trend is part two of the edible gardening wave of the last decade, adding old-fashioned flowers to food crops and lush, locally grown bouquets of romantic florals. • Lighting There’s a surge of interest in outdoor lighting, with new innovations such as brighter and more efficient LED bulbs and lighting systems controlled by mobile apps. Homeowners are using café lights, pinpoint lasers, wall washers, and LEDs to enhance gardens. • Mini-Me Gardeners are turning to compact and dwarf versions of beloved plants. Look for new and more compact hydrangeas and shrub roses. • Scalene, Rhombus, Prism The geometric shape trend doesn’t appear to be slowing. In fact, it has expanded beyond sculpted plants like sheared topiaries to garden beds in geometric forms with plenty of right angles. • “FOMO Flora” Pinterest and Instagram have created demand for plants with super-sized assets: bigger and bolder blooms, blooms that come two or three times per year, multi-colored flowers, and shrubs with colorful stems or foliage. • Five New Plants to Watch ‘Double Shot Grape’ Azalea, ‘Mountain’ Pepper, ‘Golden Duchess’ Eastern Hemlock, ‘Emerald Colonnade’ Holly, and ‘Starburst Red Evergreen’ Daylily. o 10

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

Research Shows Gardening is Good for the Brain

Stamps Feature Vintage Seed Catalog Art

The U.S. Postal Service continued its tradition of floral-themed stamps by dedicating the Botanical Art Forever stamps, featuring vintage illustrations from 19th- and early 20th-century plant and seed catalogs. The official First-Day-of-Issue ceremony took place January 29 as part of the American Philatelic Society’s AmeriStamp Expo. “Featuring Mother Nature at her best … these beautiful images will travel on letters and packages to millions of homes and businesses throughout America,” said Kristin Seaver, vice president of the Postal Service’s capital metro area operations, who dedicated the stamps. The stamp art features 10 individual designs, each a detail of an illustration from an American nursery catalog from 1891 to 1912. The catalogs are part of the New York Botanical Garden’s nursery and seed catalog collection, one of the largest collections in the U.S. The collection and similar collections provide historical information for scholars and scientists studying a wide range of subjects, including botany, horticulture, commercial agriculture, landscape design, plant exploration, graphic arts, and publishing. The artists of the works from the early nursery catalogs are mostly unknown. In the later 15th century, intrepid Europeans discovered new plants in the Americas and other areas of the world. Botanical illustrators produced meticulous and highly detailed works; the years from 1750 to 1850 are considered the height of the botanical illustrator’s art. In the mid-19th century, nurseries created colorful catalogs illustrated with beautiful blossoms and lush foliage to entice buyers. The illustrations were idealized, romantic versions of what plants could look like, but they fueled many a garden dream. o

A group of researchers from the University of Florida found a link between gardening and good mental health. Preliminary findings from a study of 23 healthy women showed women who participated in group gardening activities twice a week reported profoundly reduced stress, anxiety, anger, confusion, and fatigue. They also reported significant more vigor and friendliness than the women in the control group who did not participate in regular group gardening. Dr. Charles Guy, who led the study, cautioned that the findings are still being analyzed, but he describes the early results as “huge.” “The fact we could measure anything (in such a small study) in a statistically robust way is surprising,” said Guy. The findings are also being hailed in the garden industry. Gardener’s Supply spokeswoman Claudia Marshall said, “We’ve said for years that gardening is good for the body and the spirit. The fact this may be borne out by brain scans is great news.” The women in the study were asked to participate in gardening activities twice a week for six weeks, including seed and bulb planting, plant propagation, and tasting herbs. Brain scans and other psychological observation before and after the gardening program revealed the gardeners were significantly less stressed than the control group, but Guy pointed out that not all gardening activities will lead to increased mental health. “Preparing a garden is fundamentally different from going out and picking tomatoes on a 100 degree day,” said Guy. Guy said the research owes much to horticultural therapy, but it differs significantly because the subjects of this study were healthy. “What we found in the gardening group was a significant impact,” Guy said. He hopes to have the research published later this year. o Complied by Seema Vithlani, a Washington Gardener intern for spring 2016. She is a junior multi-platform journalism major and French minor at the University of Maryland.

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Indoor Blooms for Winter Blues • Arugula: You Can Grow That! • Top 3 New Cars for Gardeners See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com o

February-March Garden To-Do List

New Plant Spotlight Yellow Fringed Orchid ‘Orange Plume’

A lover of wetlands, moist meadows, and woods. Yellow Fringed Orchid (Platanthera cillaris), also known as Orange Plume, is a perfect fit for gardens or areas that are never dry. This native plant is a magnet for butterflies, given its showy orange flowers during the summer months. Native American tribes in the Eastern United States used the yellow-fringed orchid for medicinal and other purposes. The native ‘Yellow Fringed Orchid’ Orange Plume reaches a mature height of 40 inches and is an herbaceous perennial. The Crested Yellow Orchid (Platanthera cristata) is similar, but the flowers are smaller; the spur and the racemes, especially more compact.

Plant Information

Zones: 4–10 Light Requirements: Full sun to part sun Estimated Mature Spread : 12–18" wide Bloom Time: Early to late summer Planting Depth: Plant so the top of the root is 1" below the soil line. Planting Time: Spring / Summer Soil Type: Loamy Soil, Moist/Wet Soil, Acidic Soil Soil Moisture: Moist/Wet Advantages: Attracts butterflies Now available through American Meadows, an industry leader in sustainable gardening (http://www.americanmeadows.com). o

• Cut some branches (Forsythia, Quince, Bittersweet, Redbud, Willow, etc.) for forcing indoors. • Put suet out for birds. • Keep bird feeders filled and provide a source of water. • Check outside plants and trees for animal (deer) damage. • Mist indoor plants and set up pebble trays to increase humidity. • Rejuvenate Holly bushes and Boxwood with a hard pruning. • Plan landscape design projects. • Check evergreens for signs of desiccation. • Start seeds of cool-season vegetables and flowers. • Keep ice-melting chemicals away from garden beds. Use coarse sand instead. • Prune any dead or diseased wood off trees and shrubs. • Fertilize trees, shrubs, and evergreens. • Prune roses. • Begin tilling beds (when the earth is dry enough to work, but not muddy) and work in compost. • Plant or transplant trees or shrubs, including berries, roses, and evergreens. • Apply pre-emergent weed control such as corn gluten. • Protect tender plants by covering them with some type of cloth material, if an unusually cold day or night is forecast. Be sure to uncover when it warms up. • Weed. • Trim ornamental grasses such as Liriope, Mondo, and Pampas. • Divide overgrown or crowded perennials such as Daylily and Shasta Daisy. • Scan houseplants for insect activity. • Dust your house plants with a slightly damp cloth. • Clear perennial beds of any dead plant parts and debris. • Clean and organize the garden shed. • Clean, sharpen, and oil tools, if not already done last fall. • Walk your yard to check plants and bulbs for heaving and place them back into the ground. Cover with more mulch to prevent further heaving. • Apply dormant oil spray to ornamentals and fruit trees before dormancy breaks. • Check and tune-up power equipment (mowers and trimmers). • Build garden furniture. • Spread new gravel on paths. • Mulch bare areas. • Design new beds and gardens. • Pick up new gardening books and magazines for inspiration. • Start seedlings indoors under grow lights. Some good choices to start early are Peppers, Artichokes, Onions, Beets, Turnips, Cabbage, Kale, and Leeks. • Put up trellises and teepees for peas and beans to climb on. • Direct-sow early, cool-season crops as soon as ground soil can be worked. Good choices are Peas, Lettuces, Mustards, Onion sets, Kale, and Cabbages. • Start or turn your compost pile. • Do an annual soil test and amend soils as recommended. • Check for snow damage. Gently brush off snow weight, if you must, but it’s better to let snow melt off on its own. o FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

10th Annual Washington Gardener Philadelphia Flower Show Tour Organized by Washington Gardener Magazine Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 10:00AM-10:00PM Leaving and returning from downtown Silver Spring, MD

The Philadelphia Flower Show is the oldest and largest indoor flower show in the world. The theme for 2016 is “Explore America.” It will celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service and our country’s majestic landscapes, rich history, cherished monuments, and vibrant culture. From Acadia to Yellowstone, the beauty and glory of American parks will serve as inspiration for exhibits created by the nation’s premier floral and garden designers. Join us for a visit to magnificent displays, special programming, and newer attractions such as the interactive Butterfly Experience and a huge Train Garden. The Flower Show attracts non-gardeners as well as die-hard green-thumbed people of all ages. Foodies of all tastes will love the Garden to Table Studio. Participate in the Lectures and Demonstrations series, Gardener’s Studio, and the “Make & Take” workshops. First-time and returning riders will enjoy the welcoming, custom details of our coach service. Schedule for the day: • 10:00AM Coach leaves downtown Silver Spring with lunch, games, and DVD viewing en route • 12:45-7:15PM Explore Philadelphia Flower Show ~ dinner on your own • 7:30PM Coach departs Philadelphia Convention Center with snacks, games, and DVD showing onboard • 10:00PM Coach arrives at downtown Silver Spring This tour package includes: 1. Charter Passenger Coach ~ reserved seating, storage under the bus 2. Choice of Gourmet Box Lunch on the way up to the show 3. Snacks for the return trip 4. Listing of nearby restaurants for dinner on your own at the show 5. Information package on the show to assist in prioritizing your day 6. Two Garden DVD showings 7. Admission to the show & driver tip 8. Convenient drop-off and pick-up at downtown Silver Spring, MD 9. Lively show and garden discussions led by Washington Gardener’s Kathy Jentz



To register, please use the form below. (One form per person.) Name _______________________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________________________ Phone number________________________________________________________ Email________________________________________________________________ Name of seatmate_____________________________________________________ We will try to seat groups together, but cannot guarantee group seating. Name of group _______________________________________________________

Registration deadline: March 1, 2016

Full refund if canceled by February 7. $40 refunded until February 28. No refunds after March 3.

Questions? Kathy Jentz Wgardenermag@aol.com www.WashingtonGardener.com

Brought to you by:

Check/money order #_______ ~ Please make payable to “Washington Gardener” Send this registration form along with your payment to: Washington Gardener, 826 Philadelphia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910

If you’ve never been to the Philadelphia Flower Show, this is your opportunity to escape from the last of winter’s cold winds and experience a garden paradise. Walk through floral wonderlands, take notes at one of the many workshops, enjoy new plants on display, and shop the vendors’ tempting array of goodies.

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

Code 3/9 Silver Spring

Fee: $100.00 each $95.00 each for Washington Gardener Magazine subscribers

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ February 16–March 10, 2016 • February 18–October 2 Flora of the National Parks In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, this art exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden will showcase some of the plant species and communities found throughout the more than 400 national parks. The national parks contain a diverse representation of North American flora. Illustrations, paintings, and photography will take you on a tour of the beauty and importance of American flora. See more at https://www.usbg.gov/. • Saturday, February 20, 16th Annual Spring Gardening Conference, hosted by the Montgomery County Master Gardeners and entitled “Exploding the Myths: Fascinating Facts to Help You Avoid Common Gardening Mythstakes!” The event will offer gardening workshops at the University of Maryland Extension Montgomery County Office, 18410 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD. The registration fee for the conference is $55 ($50 each for groups of 2 or more). The price covers coffee and refreshments, bag lunch, presentations, handouts, door prizes, access to speakers, and online reference for presentations. For more information, go to https://www.extension.umd.edu/mg/ locations/spring-miniconference. • Saturday, February 20, 9am–4pm Creating Rain Gardens that Delight Your Customers and Your Bottomline Held at Colmar Manor Community Center, 3701 Lawrence Street, Colmar Manor, MD. Sponsored by the Port Towns Community Health Partnership and the Town of Colmar Manor, this class is being taught by three experts: Mike Clar, Kit Reed, and Jenny Reed. The morning will be devoted to the basics of residential rain gardens while the afternoon will be spent doing actual work on a rain garden to get hands-on experience. Workshop cost is $20 per person. To register, go to http://tinyurl.com/howtoinstallraingarden. For more information, contact placematterspgc@gmail.com or call 240-366-7542.

• Saturday, February 20, 9am–12pm Designing a Sustainable Yard VCE Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (Arlington/Alexandria) will present a program on “Designing a Sustainable, Manageable Yard” at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St., Arlington, VA. The program will focus on the best management practices of sustainable landscapes—using native plants, making the most of available water, building soil health, and reducing maintenance. Master Gardeners will also answer questions about individual garden management challenges. The program is free and open to the public. Advance registration is requested. Register at mgnv.org. Questions? Call 703-228-6414 or send an email to mgarlalex.org. •Saturday, February 27, 9am–4:30pm Rooting DC Conference 60 workshop sessions, from pest identification to herbalism to food politics, plus 60 local nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies at the information fair. See http://rootingdc.org. • February 27–April 17 Orchids in Focus This exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden, in partnership with Smithsonian Gardens, highlights the world’s largest plant family and the USBG’s most extensive plant collection. Found on every continent except Antarctica, orchids amaze with their diversity of forms and colors. Come see for yourself why these exotic beauties have inspired artists and photographers for centuries. Immerse yourself in a floral paradise of orchids from the forest canopy down to the ground, and focus your own camera on these unique and beautiful plants. See more at: http://www.usbg.gov/. • Saturday, March 5, 9am–5:30pm Grow Your Health Festival: Gardening, Local Food & Wellness Event This fourth annual event has grown to a larger venue with more exhibitors offering more to see, hear, taste, and do. Meet local farmers; learn about organic gardening and food, and healthy options; see a film; buy local food products, and more. Admission includes

classes and demonstrations on topics of beginning and advanced gardening, finding local food sources, different approaches to healthy eating, and how holistic health differs from conventional health care. Tickets are available for $10 online in advance; $15 at the door. Admission is free for children 16 and under. Fairfax High School, 3501 Rebel Run, Fairfax, VA. More details at www. GrowYourHealthnova.com. • Philadelphia Flower Show Trips with Washington Gardener Magazine • March 9, 2016, depart from downtown Silver Spring, MD • March 10, 2016, depart from Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville, MD See: http://washingtongardener. blogspot.com/2016/01/explore-america-at-philadelphia-flower.html. • Saturday, March 12, 9am–5pm 7th Annual “Let’s Get Growing” Gardening Symposium Presented by Loudoun County Master Gardener Association, the symposium features a lineup of nationally known garden speakers: Rick Darke, Craig LeHoullier, and Virginia Tech’s own Tim McCoy. Online registration at http:// loudouncountymastergardeners.org/ events/annual-symposium/.

Save These Future Dates: • Friday, April 8, 8:30am–4pm Brookside Gardens 13th Annual Green Matters Symposium Learn about the importance of environmentally friendly landscapes from experts in the field of horticulture. For details, go to www.BrooksideGreen.org

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: Wgardenermag@aol.com—put “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is March 10 for the March 15 issue and events taking place from March 16–April 15. o FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

10th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

PHOTOcontt

Congratulations to our Photo Contest Winners! Photo entries must have been taken during the 2015 calendar year in a garden located within a 150-mile radius of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Be sure to take photos all year long and gather the best of your images. We urge you to enter next year’s contest when the entry period opens up again this winter. Your photos could be winners, too!

Small Wonders Category

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

First Place

Dan Girard, Springfield, VA “Purple-and-white Dahlia” This photo was taken at Longwood Gardens with a Nikon D7100 DSLR, Sigma 105 Macro at f/32, 1/3 second, ISO 100 in natural light. Dan is an amateur photographer with just three years’ experience.

Second Place

Ron Taylor, Fairfax Station, VA “Black-and-white Seed Pod” This image was shot at Kenilworth Gardens in Washington, DC, with a Nikon D750, 70-200 mm lens, ISO 560 f9, 1/200. Ron is an amateur photographer with just three years’ experience.

Third Place

Deneen Stambone, Springfield, VA “Lotus” This is a close-up of a Kenilworth Gardens lotus. Taken with a Nikon D5200 using an 18-270 zoom lens on manual settings f11, ISO 100, 1/60 second (available natural lighting). Deneen has 33 years of photography experience.

WASHINGTON GARDENER

Honorable Mention Wendy Niemi Kremer, Herndon, VA

“Autumn Gold” Wendy wrote: “Clematis ‘Princess Diana’ grows along the top of my fence, and this seedhead caught the first rays of light at golden hour in October.” Taken with an Olympus OM-D E-M10 and Olympus 60mm macro lens at f/8.0, 1/100 in natural light. FEBRUARY 2016

A special thank you to our contest prize sponsors Capital Photography Center, LLC, Corona Tools., and Washington Photo Safari. Be sure to take photos all year long and gather the best of your images. We urge you to enter next year’s contest when the entry period opens up again this winter. Your photos could be winners, too!

PHOTOcontt

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

First Place

Hung Vu, Vienna, VA “Washington, DC, Cherry Blossom at the Jefferson Memorial” Hung is a semi-professional photographer with 20 years’ experience. This was taken with an Olympus OMD-EM1 (Micro 3/4) with Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pros, no flash, in daylight, ISO400, f4.

Second Place

Steven Silverman, Ijamsville MD “Tulip Garden” This image was taken at Sherwood Gardens in Baltimore, MD, with a Nikon D800, 144mm, 1/25@f22 ISO 640. Steven is a past contest winner and his grand-prize-winning photo of a barred owl graced our cover last February,

Third Place

Dan Girard, Springfield, VA “McKee-Beshers” Dan wrote, “McKee-Beshers WMA sunflowers before a storm came rolling in. To get above the sunflowers, I prefocused, set the 10-second timer, and then extended my arms completely with my tripod extended completely.”

Honorable Mention

Ruth Frock, Manassas Park, VA “Meadowlark Garden Gazebo” Taken at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in natural light with a Canon 5D Mark III with a Canon 70-200mm lens. Ruth is a past contest winner with seven years’ experience as an amateur photographer.

FEBRUARY 2016

10th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

Garden Views Category

WASHINGTON GARDENER

10th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

PHOTOcontt

Winning photographs from this year’s Washington Gardener Magazine photo contest will be on display at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens this summer. You are invited to the Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Exhibit Opening Reception; details will be announced this spring.

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

First Place

Mike Whalen, Fairfax Station, VA “Young Fox” Mike wrote, “A juvenile red fox posing for a photo in my backyard garden.” Taken hand-held in late July in mid-afternoon light with a Canon 5D-Mark III; Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM. Camera Settings: ISO=1600; 400mm; f/5.6; 1/400 sec.

Second Place

Tom Stovall, Centreville, VA “In Flight” Tom wrote, “This is a photograph of a Tree Swallow taken at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. I grabbed this shot of a swallow returning to its nest with a captured dragonfly using my Nikon D4s handheld with the 80400 lens. Settings were 1/1250 sec, f/11, ISO 1400.”

Third Place

Wendy Niemi Kremer, Herndon, VA “Dragonfly’s Repose” Wendy wrote, “This is a female whitetail resting on the little garden statue in my home garden.” It was taken with an Olympus OM-D E-M10 with Olympus 60mm lens, f/5.6, 1/125, in natural light.

Honorable Mention

Steven Silverman, Ijamsville MD “Caterpillar” This was taken at Brookside Gardens with a Nikon D4, 300mm f2.8 lens, 1/30 @ f14 ISO 12800. Steven has eight years of photography experience as an amateur. .

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

Our expert panel of judges, Patty Hankins of Beautiful Flower Pictures and Katherine Lambert of Katherine Lambert Photography, had a mighty struggle again this year to select the best from among such stiff competition.

PHOTOcontt

Groupings of plants in beds or containers, unusual color or texture combinations, garden focal points, and still scenes. This is a new category this year.

First Place

AmyBeth Feder, Annandale VA “Lotus Flower among Leaves” This image was taken at Green Spring Gardens with a Fuji X-T1, 55-200mm, 1/500, f/9.0, ISO 2500. AmyBeth is an amateur photographer with less than four years’ experience. .

Second Place

Merry Plocki, Silver Spring, MD “Dogwood Branch with Flowers” This image was taken at Brookside Gardens with a Canon 6D 100 mm Macro lens. Merry is an amateur photographer with “many years” of experience.

Third Place

Wendy Niemi Kremer, Herndon, VA “Sunset on Switchgrass” Wendy wrote, “The rain ended and the sun came out right before sunset, just in time to illuminate the water drops on Panicum ‘Heavy Metal’ in my home garden.” Taken with an Olympus OM-D E-M10 with Olympus 75mm lens, f/1.8, 1/4000, in natural light.

Honorable Mention

Chung S. Kim, Ellicott City, MD “My Delight” Various gorgeous flowers at Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, PA. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III, F8, 1/50s, ISO100, 100 mm lens. Chung has eight years of photography experience as an amateur.

FEBRUARY 2016

10th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

Garden Vignettes Category

WASHINGTON GARDENER

BOOKreviews ently can make or break a gardener’s vision. I recommend this book not just because the photos are absolutely stunning, but because the content, from cover to cover provides easy-tounderstand, worthwhile information that one can use, no matter the level of gardening experience. Whether you are designing a new garden or enhancing a familiar one, this is a great book to have on the reference shelf.

Garden Design: A Book of Ideas By Heidi Howcroft and Marianne Majerus Publisher: Firefly Books List Price: $49.95 Reviewer: Teresa Speight The use of our common sense and internal instincts provides us with an opportunity to become more aware of what we want our personal green spaces to say about us and how we garden. The authors of this essential book provide solid content, as well as visual inspiration, to suggest a style of garden that represents our individual tastes. Leaving no stone unturned, the basic aspects of true garden design are touched upon in what I would call a “garden journey” book. Heidi Howcroft and Marianne Majerus give the reader absolutely superb visual content on the options available when considering crafting your personal space. Two chapters of this book caught my attention more than the others and offered relevant content and ideas on how I garden. My style of gardening is considered “The New Country Look.” The authors describe this style as a combination of artistry, plant knowledge, and curiosity—a piece of delicate needlework, full of nuances and details. This is the look I wanted to achieve. The other chapter that captivated my attention was “Difficult Plots and Tricks of the Trade.” From rooftops to seasides to colorfully creative containers—using some of the suggested tricks for challenging areas can turn a problem into a possibility. Creating illusions for making spaces—large or small—appear differ18

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

Good Berry Bad Berry: Who’s Edible, Who’s Toxic, and How to Tell the Difference By Helen Yoest Publisher: St. Lynn’s Press List Price: $18.95 Reviewer: Teresa Speight Foraging in the wild will never be the same for me after reading this short, but informative, book. Helen Yoest has given us a short course in what we should perhaps partake of when wandering in the wild and definitely what not to. Berries provide food for wildlife, beauty in the garden, and can even be used in cooking. I can now consider some creative options for my Mahonia aquifolium berries—after conditions are right, of course. Choosing 40 familiar berries we might see in the wild, Yoest has provided pictures, descriptions, when they can be found by season, habitat, and a little berrilicious information. Ever so helpful, she includes a few recipes and additional lists of berries that were not included in her top 40, but should or should not be considered for human consumption. I can see my Callicarpa americana as a resource not only for its beauty, but as a great jelly for some homemade bread and perhaps some Myrica cer-

ifera tea….oh, the options are endless. I would recommend this book as a great resource before wandering in the wilderness to forage for berries. Teresa Speight is a native Washingtonian, who resides in District Heights, MD. She owns Cottage in the Court Landscape Consulting. She can be reached at cottageinthecourt@gmail.com.

The Bees In Your Backyard: A Guide to North America’s Bees By Joseph S. Wilson and Olivia Messinger Carril Publisher: Princeton University Press List Price: $29.95 Reviewer: Erica H. Smith Did you know that bees in the genus Colletes line their nests with a varnishlike secretion that scientists are studying with synthetic manufacture in mind? That Melitta americana is the primary native pollinator of cranberries? That carpenter bees (Xylocopa genus) pollinate tomatoes in greenhouses, producing larger fruit than other insects? That the genus Nomada (and several others) are known as “cuckoo bees” because they lay their eggs in the nests of other species? That bees like Osmia and Augochloropsis are shiny blue and green? And that Lasioglossum bees drink human sweat and tears? These are just some of the fascinating stories to be found in The Bees In Your Backyard. All the bees I mention can be found here in the Mid-Atlantic region—I know this thanks to the handy range maps for every genus entry in this encyclopedic book, written by two biologists—but altogether more than 4,000 species of bees live in North America, so the topic is huge, though well-covered here in under 300 pages. If you are already fascinated by bees, or if you are aware of none of them beyond honey, bumble, and carpenter bees boring holes in your deck, you should take a look at this guide. Don’t think of it as a field guide—it’s too heavy for that—but more as an identification resource once you’ve seen a bee out in the garden or the wild (and hopefully photographed it or captured it for further study). After a long and useful introduction, which covers how to tell bees from other close insect relatives, the bee life-

BOOKreviews

cycle, where bees live, different levels of sociality in bee species, food, predators, anatomy, and basic identification (as well as techniques for collection), the book discusses how to promote bees in your neighborhood (habitat and bee-attracting plants). Then it’s on to a list of bee families, subdivided by prominent subfamilies, tribes, and genera—the majority of the book. Each family entry includes general distinguishing and behavioral information, and each genus sub-entry covers range, description, diet and pollination services, and biological notes, as well as details about some major species within the genus. The book is filled with beautiful photographs of bees in action, as well as drawings that illustrate anatomy in detail. It could almost serve as a coffee-table book, as well as a useful reference. The only danger to owning it is that you’ll be tempted to acquire insect net, hand lens, high-quality camera, collecting cabinet, and maybe even microscope to start studying bees on your own. And no, you’re not likely to get stung, because the book will tell you which bee species are most aggressive—not many. This book is great for introducing you to bees in their wide variety and also burrowing down to the specifics like a bee going head-down in a flower to find nectar. I know I’ll explore my garden with different eyes because of it. Erica is a Montgomery County Master Gardener, runs the Grow It Eat It blog for the University of Maryland Extension, and

grows vegetables in her own community garden plot and in the MG Demonstration Garden in Derwood, MD. She is the author of several novels; visit her web site at ericahsmith.wordpress.com.

different purposes of gardening: for privacy and screen, security, noise control, weed control, air cleansing. Readers are then able to make informed decisions on how they want to use the gardens they plant. Finally, this book gives realistic ways gardeners can cut down on the upkeep of gardening, making it affordable for more people to do. This reassures readers that you don’t have to have a huge budget to have a beautiful garden. As someone new to gardening, I had minimal knowledge of the do’s and don’t’s before reading this book. I didn’t know where to begin and lacked basic information that was necessary. But after reading James’ book, I can honestly say I learned general information that is useful, and I stayed engage throughout the read. This book is a great find for beginning gardeners in the Washington region.

How to Plant a Garden: Design Tricks, Ideas, and Planting Schemes for Yearround Interest By Matt James Publisher: Mitchell Beazley List Price: $34.99 Reviewer: Daisy-nelly Nji Matt James’ book, How to Plant a Garden, is surprisingly enjoyable and detailed. The book takes readers stepby-step through how to grow an abundant and flourishing garden. The pages are filled with vibrant and beautiful photos that show various flowers, trees, and bushes. James shows not only well-known flowers in the book, but also lesser-known species. The book provides insightful tips and tricks to getting a grip on your garden and handling it in any situation. Some of the tips include how climate and microclimate affect gardens and some ways you can manipulate the microclimate to help your garden grow. James’ book doesn’t overlook any topic about gardening, no matter how simple or insignificant one may think it is. Topics ranges from what soil is made out of, the different types of it, different textures, and determining the pH of different soils. Charts diagram the information listed above and present it in a way that is easier to process for the readers. The book supplies readers with

Daisy-Nelly Nji is a senior journalism student at the University of Maryland. She is a multiplatform journalism major at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This spring, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine.

What Plant When (previously published as Plants for Every Season) By American Horticultural Society Publisher: DK Publishing List Price: $14.95 Reviewer Seema Vithlani Even a novice gardener like myself can appreciate What Plant When, a great Book Reviews continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

NEIGHBORnwork

Meet Steven Cohan

Interview and Photos by Daisy-Nelly Nji Dr. Steven Cohan combines his passion for teaching and love of the environment by being a coordinator of the Landscape Management program at the University of Maryland (UMD). As a professor, he has worked with students so they can be connected with green industry leaders in the classroom and through internships that provide real-life experiences. As a result of his devotion to his work as a teacher and mentor, Cohan has won the Excellence in Teaching and Advising Award in both 2009 and 2013 from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Cohan also has a primary interest in green roof establishment and sustainability research. He is the coordinator of a multi-disciplinary team of specialists who are addressing issues with green roof substrates and wireless monitoring of green roof systems. He also served as a moderator for a green roof research panel in 2013 and was chair of the Mid-Atlantic Green Roof Science and Technology Symposium at the University of Maryland in 2012. We caught up with him during his 20

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

busy schedule to hear his thoughts on gardening and green roofs.

water and also release it into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration.

Tell us about yourself and your personal background. How did you get into gardening?

What made you interested in green roof establishment and sustainability, and why do you find this issue important?

I started gardening at the age of 10 under the mentorship of a neighbor, who was an avid gardener. My source of income for my gardening supplies was fulfilled through seed packet sales via a mail order seed company. I was also involved in outdoor nature activities with a local nature center that had the tag line “The Park that Kids Built.” These experiences directed me toward a college education in horticulture at Iowa State University and subsequently a Ph.D. in plant genetics at Pennsylvania State University.

My first exposure to green roofs was in Culpeper, VA, on the film archive building. I was fascinated by the concept and wanted to pursue research that would enhance the performance of these systems. Another incentive was to contribute to reducing stormwater runoff volume and thereby decrease the incidence of raw sewer surges into the Chesapeake Bay.

Can you explain to our readers what green roof establishment is? Green roofs are biologically engineered systems that mitigate stormwater runoff. The plant palettes are one component of the system. The plants absorb

How did you become the coordinator of the multidisciplinary team of specialist addressing the issue of green roof? I developed a network of colleagues within the university and the private sector who would provide a team of expertise for developing a research program. We collectively decided that the focus for the UMD program would be to advance the science and technology

NEIGHBORnwork of green roofs from the perspectives of enhancing storm water management performance. The outcomes of the UMD program to date include the development of a low carbon-footprint substrate, wireless monitoring of green roof performance, evaluation of native plant species as green roof candidates, and the impact of various organic matter sources on the growth and development of green roof plants. Grants were obtained to support those projects, which were conducted by both master of science and Ph.D. graduate students. What is the typical workday like for you? Networking with academic colleagues; meeting with students for curriculum advising; mentoring students for careers, which includes providing contacts for internships and job opportunities, course instruction, and administrative meetings; and coordinating on-campus landscape projects. What advice would you give to beginner/amateur gardeners in the greater DC area?

Final thoughts? I have had a varied career, ranging from a biologist with Monsanto Company to a director of public gardens (including the Memphis Botanic Garden and Descanso Gardens) and, along the way, owned a nursery, had a TV and radio show, and wrote a textbook. I have always had a passion for nature and have been fortu-

nate to have developed a career around my passion. o Daisy-Nelly Nji is a senior journalism student at the University of Maryland. She is a multi-platform journalism major in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This spring, she will be an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine.

Enroll in courses at botanic gardens, e.g., the National Arboretum, U.S. Botanic Garden, Brookside Gardens. Each of those institutions also has volunteer opportunities. They could also become involved in their local Master Gardener Program. What plants are your favorites to use in the greater DC area? Spring-flowering bulbs, Sasanqua Camellias, perennials, ‘October Glory’ and ‘Red Sunset’ Maples, River Birch. Looking back at your career, what has been the most rewarding experience? Being a professor at the University of Maryland and having the opportunity to affect young lives. Exposing them to new experiences, e.g., via Study Abroad programs to Costa Rica and New Zealand. Providing them with resources for networking with national green industry leaders. Mentoring and educating future leaders of the green industry. Being able to network with academic colleagues nationally and internationally.

Visit DCGardens.com for: Photos of 16 Major Public Gardens by Month and Where to Buy Plants Where to Connect Local Garden Media Where to Volunteer Youth Gardens

Where to Find Designers

Tours and Events

Where to Learn to Garden FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

BOOKreviews Book Reviews continued from page 19

guide for gardeners across the country to determine—you guessed it—which plants to grow during which seasons. The book divides the year into six parts—early spring, late spring, early summer, later summer, fall, and winter—and includes a chapter for “all seasons,” a section dedicated to lessdemanding plants that can add structure to the garden. Within each chapter, plants are sorted by color to facilitate decorative decision-making. The book is a way to plan for continual flower display, so the gardens will see plants in bloom throughout the year. For instance, the book provides information about hardiness and heat, or the minimum cold and maximum heat tolerance, for each plant. The book has maps of “hardiness” and plant heat zones in the United States on the first and last pages. For the coming early spring, the book recommends gardeners use fleece and newspapers to prevent the cold from damaging certain flowers, such as Magnolias and Camellias. I skipped right past the gorgeous white plants to the more colorful flowers, a stark contrast from the bland tones of winter. My favorites were ‘Queen of the Pinks,’ a pretty Hyacinth that should be planted in the fall, and Narcissus ‘Ambergate,’ a daffodil with yellow petals. In the late spring, the book suggests using a pond to attract birds, toads, and hedgehogs as one way to control pests like slugs and snails that come about in wet conditions. (The hedgehog line is one big clue that this book was originally published for a British audience.) The book is instructive and inspirational for amateurs and experienced gardeners alike, and a great tool to have on hand. o Seema Vithlani is a Washington Gardener intern for spring 2016. She is a junior multiplatform journalism major and French minor at the University of Maryland.

Your Ad Here

Contact wgardenermag@aol.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates. The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: wgardenermag@aol.com. 22

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

Y ou Can Make a Difference. . . by

Sharing Your Harvest

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.

Garden Book Club

For our Washington Gardener Garden Book Club Spring Meeting, we will discuss The Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature in a Post-Wild World by Emma Marris. Please join us on Thursday, April 7, from 6:30–8pm at Soupergirl, located right next to the Takoma Metro stop. RSVP to washingtongardener@rcn.com. “Rambunctious Garden is short on gloom and long on interesting theories and fascinating narratives, all of which bring home the idea that we must give up our romantic notions of pristine wilderness and replace them with the concept of a global, half-wild rambunctious garden planet, tended by us.” Here are the rest of our 2016 selections for the Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club: • SUMMER — Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West • FALL — Paradise Under Glass: An Amateur Creates a Conservatory Garden by Ruth Kassinger The Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club is free and open to all. We meet quarterly on a weekday evening near a Metro-accessible location in the DCarea. We will announce the details of each upcoming meeting about two months in advance. o

Love Reading?

These books were reviewed by volunteer members of the Washington Gardener Reader Panel. We are looking for a few additional volunteers who live in the greater Washington, DC, region to serve on our Reader Panel. This will consist of about two email exchanges per month. Reader Panelists may also be asked to review new gardening books and test out new garden plants, tools, and seeds. To join the Washington Gardener Volunteer Reader Panel, please send an email with your name and address to: wgardenermag@aol. com. We look forward to having you be a vital part of our local publication and its gardening mission. o

HORThaenings

Orchid Society Auction

The National Capital Orchid Society held its annual Orchid Auction on February 7 in Beltsville, MD. There were 100 registered bidders, an increase from 80 bidders last year. The club bought around 150 plants from Woodstream Orchids, Sunset Valley Orchids, and Carmela Orchids, and more than 300 plants were donated to the event. Most of the plants were auctioned off, and some were sold directly in the “Buy It Now” area. The highest bid, at $85, was for the Cattleya Tiffin Bells ‘Orchidglade,’ donated by Pete Ma, and at least 30 other plants sold for $50 or more. “All in all, I would say this year’s auction was a resounding success,” said Dan Gillespie, NCOS auction chair.

GWU Holds Landscape Design Symposium

George Washington University held its annual Landscape Design and Sustainable Landscapes 2016 Winter Symposium on Saturday, January 30. Approximately 46 people, including alumni, employers, and students, came to the event. The program opened up with an alumni panel discussing their specific industry niches, project budgets, and ways of managing clients and develop sales. After the panel, there were role-playing sessions, which highlighted challenges that landscape designers could face when working with clients. The session gave designers the opportunity to test their client management skills and strategies to manage challenging clients, develop sales, and get clients to commit, all the while remaining true to oneself and one’s business.

AHS Holiday Party

The American Horticulture Society (AHS) held its annual Holiday Reception December 3, 2015, from 6–8pm. They invited their local volunteers and supporters to join them at the event, with over 100 people attending the festive evening. Chair of the AHS board of directors Amy Bolton and executive director Tom Underwood thanked the people at the reception for their help in supporting AHS make America a nation of gardeners, a land of gardens. The reception was held at the 25-acre AHS garden headquarters, River Farm, just south of Old Town Alexandria, overlooking the Potomac River.

Garden Book Club Meeting Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club held its winter meeting on Thursday, February 11, from 6:30–8pm at Soupergirl, located right next to the Takoma Metro stop. The book club discussed Andrea Wulf’s latest book, The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World. The book reveals the forgotten life of Alexander von Humboldt, the visionary German naturalist whose ideas changed the way we see the natural world and, in the process, created modern environmentalism.

Successful Seed Swaps

The 11th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges, hosted by the Washington Gardener Magazine, were held January 30 at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, and February 6 at Green Spring Gardens in Fairfax, VA. Attendees traded seeds, exchanged planting tips, heard from experts, and collected goody bags full of gardening treats. The event also included such “green” features as the garden book and catalog swap. Any leftover publications at the end of the swap were donated to the National Agriculture Library in Beltsville, Maryland. Since the inception of the exchange in 2006, seed swaps in other cities across the nation have joined in celebrating National Seed Swap Day each year on the last Saturday in January.

MANTS 2016

More than 11,000 horticultural enthusiasts from around the world attended the 46th annual Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), which covered more than 300,000 sq. feet at the Baltimore Convention Center with greenery and blooms from January 6—8. The 966 exhibiting companies filled over 1,536 booths displaying everything from flowers, trees, and plants to decks, fountains, pots, and innovative technological solutions for the gardening and landscape industries. Also, 3,379 nonexhibiting/buying companies were in attendance. Among those in attendance were the Young Nursery Professionals and Emergent Group, two groups providing networking opportunities for green industry professionals. They hosted booths and gathered at an associated networking event at MANTS. In 2017, MANTS will take place from January 11–13 at the Baltimore Convention Center. o Compiled by Seema Vithlani, a Washington Gardener intern for spring 2016 and a junior multi-platform journalism major and French minor at the University of Maryland, and Daisy-Nelly Nji, a senior journalism student at the University of Maryland. She is a multiplatform journalism major in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This spring, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine. FEBRUARY 2016

WASHINGTON GARDENER

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 MARCH/APRIL 2008 • Patio, Balcony, Rooftop Container Gardens • Our Favorite Garden Tools • Coral Bells (Heucheras)

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 • Garden Decor Principles • Primroses • Tasty Heirloom Veggies • U.S. Botanic Garden

MAY/JUNE 2008 — ALMOST SOLD OUT! • Growing Great Tomatoes • Glamorous Gladiolus • Seed-Starting Basics • Flavorful Fruiting Natives

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 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

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

JULY/AUGUST 2008 • Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses • Edible Grasses to Graze On • Slug and Snail Control • Sage Advice: Sun-Loving Salvias

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 UT! • 40+ Free and Low-cost Local D O Garden Tips SOL • Spring Edibles Planting UT! Guide O LD for a Fresh Start • Testing Your SOSoil UT! • Redbud LD O Tree Selection and Care O S • Best Viewing Spots for Virginia Bluebells

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

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2016

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 wgardenermag@aol.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: wgardenermag@aol.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 wgardenermag@aol.com or call 301.588.6894.

Got a Garden Question?

Got a gardening question you need answered? Send your questions to wgardenermag@aol.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 magazine!

Behnke Nurseries DCGardens.com Green Spring Gardens Grow Your Life Festival MD HGIC MG Handbook Philly Flower Show Trip Plant a Row for the Hungry Sunshine Farm & Gardens Washington Gardener Back Issues Washington Gardener Calendar Washington Gardener Speaker Bureau Yard by Yard Makeovers

2 22 2 2 2 12 21 2 23 5 2 2

To advertise with us, please contact Wgardenermag@aol.com or call 301.588.6894 today.

Next deadline: March 10