Washington Gardener February 17 by Kathy J

FEBRUARY 2017 VOL. 11 NO. 12

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

WASHINGTON WAS W WASHINGTO ASHINGTO

ggardener

the magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Penstemon Care and Cultivars Your Garden Tasks To-do List Native Mayapple

Local Gardening Events Calendar How to Care for Cut Tulips 5 Reasons People are Planting More Wildflowers

Add Drama to Your Garden with Ornamental Grasses

17Award-winning Garden Photos

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RESOURCESsourc

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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

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Barry Glick Sunshine Farm and Gardens 696 Glicks Road Renick, WV 24966, USA Email: barry@sunfarm.com

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www.sunfarm.com

Green Spring Gardens

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

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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.

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Ornamental grasses like this Stipa tenuissima ‘Ponytails’ add movement, texture, and drama to the garden. They also provide multi-season interest. Photo courtesy of iVerde.

FEATURES and COLUMNS

Red Rocks® Penstemon (Penstemon x mexicali) has tall, showy spikes of bright rose-red flowers that rise above mounded, dark-green foliage throughout summer. This adaptable native hybrid thrives in a wide range of soils and conditions. It makes a colorful impact in borders, meadows, and naturalized gardens, where hummingbirds will flock to its nectar-rich flowers. A Plant Select® winner. Photo courtesy of Monrovia.

ASKtheexpert 7 Pruning Timing; Smelly Compost; Blueberry Cultivating; Houseplant Lighting BOOKreviews 17 Seeds on Ice; Hickory EDIBLEharvest 22 Know Your Carrot Types GOINGnative 6 Mayapple HORThappenings 21 Seed Exchanges; MANTS; APLD NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Scarlet Fire Dogwood NEIGHBORnetwork 20 Drew Asbury, Hillwood PLANTprofile 18-19 Penstemon PHOTOcontestwinners 12-16 17 Winners for 2017 TIPStricks 10 Cut Tulip Care; Ornamental Grasses; Wildflowers from Seed

DEPARTMENTS

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue READERreactions RESOURCESsources

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ON THE COVER

The Grand Prize winner in the Garden Creature category of the 11th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Garden Photo Contest, taken by Dee Ellison at Seven Oaks Lavender Farm, Catlett, VA. See the rest of the contest winners on pages 12–16 of this issue.

Podophyllum peltatum is also known as Mayapple, Indian apple, Wild mandrake, and Pomme de mai. The flowers are cross-pollinated by bumblebees and other long-tongued bees. Photo by Dr. Thomas G. Barnes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

In our March 2017 issue:

Garden Daytrips New Tomato Introductions 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! FEBRUARY 2017

WASHINGTON GARDENER

EDITORletter

Restoring Trampled Smithsonian Gardens Imagine, if you will, planning a garden party for 10 people, then 1,000 show up in your small yard. How would your plantings look after that festive event? Now magnify that by 100 times and you can start to picture the state of the Smithsonian Gardens the day after the recent Women’s March on Washington. The devastation could have been worse. After the first Obama inaugural crowds trampled the Ripley Garden and surroundings, the staff learned their lesson and this time put up fencing and signage to guide inauguration participants around the landscapes. These held for the smaller crowd on Trump’s big day, but the next day’s unprecedented waves of humanity were no match for these flimsy barriers. During the height of the event, I remember thinking to myself, “What am I stepping in and where is the street?” You literally just followed the rivers of the crowds and had no idea what was beneath your feet until you felt a curb edge. The only way I was able to navigate was to calculate my distance to the edges of museums and the large trees that I could see above the crowds. Carol Edwards, a local gardener, said, “People tried to crowd into the stage area and were not attentive to where they walked or to plants and shrubs underfoot. Many participants were just waiting to march to the Ellipse at 1:00pm and got bored as the start time was delayed. People were polite, orderly, and focused on peaceful demonstration. When over a half-million people are in a limited space with a long wait, the grounds are bound to be trampled. There is no way around it. In my view, this is what democracy looks like on the National Mall, and the Smithsonian and National Park Service should establish a targeted fund for restoration of the grounds after jumbo events. I would be happy to make a contribution to such a fund. I love gardens and I love my Constitutional right to assembly and to petition our government. I am hopeful for both.” Right after the march, the Smithsonian Gardens staff posted this plea on their web site: “This past weekend, hundreds of thousands of people visited the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where the many Smithsonian gardens welcome visitors to the Smithsonian museums. Due to the overwhelming crowds, several of these gardens were adversely impacted and suffered damage in the form of trampled or ruined plantings. Please help Smithsonian Gardens restore these beloved spaces with a donation in any amount. Your contribution will aid us in making sure these gardens are revived in time for the coming spring season. Thank you, Barbara Faust, Smithsonian Gardens Director” It has since been taken down and we can only speculate as to why these federal employees are reluctant to draw more attention to themselves. Therefore, we local gardeners and marchers will do it for them. I checked in with Smithsonian Gardens staff a few days ago and so far, they have gotten $9,000 in donations due to the publicity we put out via social media in the last few weeks. That is terrific! However, the damages incurred are estimated to be $100,000, so we need to get the word out more. If you would like to donate to the garden recovery, go to https://www.si.edu/giving/donate-now/unit?id=109. Note that although donations are going through the Office of Advancement (the reason it says Smithsonian Research on the receipt), all the funds come directly to the Smithsonian Gardens account.

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

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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 India Hamilton Intern 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 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 11, Number 12 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2017 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.

READERreactions

Our Readers Share Their Thoughts and Ideas January 2017 Issue “I loved your editorial and wanted to express that to you. I would have not even thought to question pruning or even digging up in a park. You should be proud of questioning why the holly trees got cut back. “I also really appreciated the year calendar of to-dos. I always love the detailed bi-monthly lists and there is always something on the list that I forgot, so a good reminder. But this year one I am pulling out to review. “I was glad to see the tomato seeds being started when I normally start them. Some folks tell me I am too early.” ~ Faith Hood, Falls Church, VA

Blog Posts

The Washington Gardener blog is at www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com “My favorite recent blog post concerns the Calendula (Calendula officinalis) also known as Pot Marigold or Poet’s Marigold. This year I moved to a new place and all my gardening is done in pots on a terrace. I initially decided to focus on growing herbs, but I wanted more color so I added some flowers but I wanted them to also be herbs. The pot marigolds fit the bill. So next year I will plant seeds in pots. So thank you.” ~ Jeff Malakoff. Arlington, VA “My favorite post was the one on Snapdragons. My mom grew them when I was young and I thought they were great fun, but I have never tried to grow them. This post has inspired me to try them.” ~ Dorothy Cichra, Silver Spring, MD “I loved the September 4 post about Beautyberry. It’s one of my favorite shrubs and I had not thought of it in a long time. It reminded me to put it on my wish list. Love the photos. Nice plant!” ~ Katie Rapp, Gaithersburg, MD

November 2016 Issue “I enjoyed the Mulch basics article. When starting to garden, mulching

READERcontt

Reader Contest

For our February 2017 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). Former Chief White House Florist Laura Dowling will share tips and techniques for beautiful floral arrangements like those she created in Washington. She is renowned for creating a romantic new style of flower arranging featuring free-flowing lines of vines and flowers emanating from a classic bouquet. She will host live seminars the first weekend of the show. This year’s show theme, “Spring Around The World,” will feature the region’s most talented landscapers creating beautiful gardens each inspired by a foreign country. Enough with winter chills! It’s time to start thinking about greens, gardens, flowers and arrangements. At the Maryland Home & Garden Show, plan your landscape, meet home improvement contractors and experts, and prepare to transform your garden into masterpieces. Held over two weekends, the Maryland Home & Garden Show runs Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5, and Friday, March 10, through Sunday, March 12. 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 28 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. seems to be a lot of work. As the years go by, the realization sets in that weeds without mulch grow much better. Mulch doesn’t stop weed growth altogether, but it sure helps. Plants have more hydration and just grow better. A very good conversation for experienced and new to the vocation.” ~ Tom Pluecker, Baltimore, MD “I most enjoyed the piece on the New Chinese Garden, because I like visiting the U.S. National Arboretum and this is the first I have heard about this exciting new addition.” ~ John Rebstock, Cheverly, MD “‘Magical Milkweed’ was my favorite article. My daughter’s father-in-law planted a field of it and I always wondered why. Wonder no more. Now I know the benefits and the critters it attracts.” ~ Carol Yemola, Drums, PA “My fave stories in this issue were both the Canada Thistle and the Milkweed, both of which I struggle with each summer. Canada Thistle, because I know it’s a bad one but the butterflies go nuts on it, and Milkweed. which the

deer seem to know exactly which date to chew off the blooms.” ~ Alison Mrohs, Rockville, MD “My favorite article was the one on Lamb’s Quarters. We tend to think of weeds as a negative, but they are often very nutritious food and medicine and this piece helps to get people thinking to re-frame the negativity and start using ALL the plants in their garden.” ~ Madeline Caliendo, Washington, DC

October 2016 Issue “Your article on Cercis was of particular interest to me in this issue, because Redbuds are trees that I find have sufficient flexibility to be used for clients on my rainy side of the Cascades, as well as those on the eastern, dry side of the Cascades. I love that you got into sufficient detail to help understand the finer points between several of the species.” ~ Vanessa Gardner Nagel, Vancouver, Washington (state)

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Send to Washington Gardener at wgardenermag@aol.com. o FEBRUARY 2017

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GOINGnative Podophyllum peltatum. by Dr Thomas G. Barnes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

An Apple a May Barry Glick

Please forgive my somewhat lame attempt at humor with that catchy title. This is a story about apples, but not the kind that keep the doctor away; that is, unless you have a liver ailment. The cleverest amongst y’all may have already concluded, and correctly so, that this is a story about Podophyllum peltatum, the Mayapple. Here’s an extremely easy to grow native perennial plant that is as much at home in average soils as it is in moist to wet soils. Podophyllum peltatum, believe it or not, is a member of the Berberidaceae (Barberry) family and native to more than half of the U.S. and Canada. I sometimes find it difficult to imagine that this attractive native is related to the weedy, thorny, invasive Japanese Barberry bush (Berberis thunbergii). But then again, so are two of my other faves, Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) and Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides). The way things are going with botanical nomenclature these days, it probably won’t be long until they create a new plant family, “Podophylliaceae.” If you’re curious about the origin of this plant’s name, in Latin, podo means foot and phyllum, of course, means leaf. Peltatum translates to shield. So, 6

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while using your imagination, you have a plant with a leaf that resembles a foot and a shield. Regarding my comment above about a liver ailment, I was alluding to the fact that this plant has been used medicinally for centuries. Remember Carter’s Little Liver Pills? Well, a resin from the roots of the Mayapple was one of the ingredients. The list of symptoms, from genital warts to liver cleansing, that the resin from the roots of Podophyllum peltatum was used for seems endless, but I’ll issue my standard “Don’t try this at home, kids” disclaimer here; it is also quite toxic. Current research has shown that two of the derivatives of the plant exhibit promising anti-tumor properties. Where does the common name derive? Well, that’s pretty logical. Let’s start with the flower. You have to do a little rummaging around to find the flower, since it’s hidden below the huge leaf or leaves, as a mature plant will have two. For a real treat, get down on your hands and knees, and insert your proboscis into the center of the rather large, cream-colored flower. Prepare to be surprised because the fragrance is intoxicating. After the flower is pol-

linated, a fruit is formed that somewhat resembles an apple. All this takes place in May, so there you have it. The fruit is frequently used to make jams and jellies; it’s the only part of the plant that isn’t poisonous. What about cultivating this stunning plant in your own garden? That’s a task on the easy side. Although in nature, Podophyllum peltatum seems to favor moist soils, it also does well in average garden soils. The moister the soil, the more extended the growing period. In average-to-dry soil, it can fade out in the heat of summer, but give it some extra moisture and a good mulch and I’ve had it persist into the fall. An average plant reaches about foot and a half in height and will form a nice colony in just a few years. Oh, and this just in. My esteemed editor, Kathy Jentz, implored me to make you aware of a fascinating connection between Mayapple and turtles. The American Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) finds the fruits absolutely delectable and studies have found that seeds passed through the turtle’s digestive system have a much higher germination rate than those dropping to the ground and left to their own devices. This is no surprise to me, since I’ve used the acid scarification technique with hydrochloric acid on seeds that are difficult to germinate, such as Cornus canadensis. If you don’t have the time to follow turtles around, waiting for them to have bowel movements, I recommend propagation by rhizome division. This is pretty easy since the plant produces a robust bud every year and, if you cut the rhizome in half, voila, you have two plants. Mayapples are very varmint-proof and make good companions for its relatives mentioned above and also Hosta, Cimicifuga (Actaea), and.well, just use your imagination and experiment. 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.

KNOWitall

Ask the Expert by Debra Ricigliano

This is the result of anaerobic digestion and could be caused by too many wet, nitrogen-rich materials like the grass clippings and vegetable scraps, and not enough air. Turn the pile and add some shredded newspaper, straw, or sawdust to dry it out.

What Can Be Pruned Now Our new home is beautifully landscaped. Many of the trees and shrubs look like they need to be pruned. I would love to get into the yard to do some early pruning. What do you recommend?

Lighting for Houseplants

I don’t think my houseplants are getting enough light. Some of the leaves are turning yellow and dropping off and they look leggy. Do you think it would help if I left the light on in the room during the evening to help increase the amount of light they receive? It does sound like the lack of light is a problem, but incandescent bulbs are not the best source of supplemental light. If possible, move the plants to an eastern or southern exposure. Be careful not to place them in direct sunlight; houseplants can get sunburn, too. Fluorescent tubes provide the best type of artificial light for indoor plants. A cool white tube, suspended about two feet above the plants, is sufficient for foliage plants. Better yet, purchase plants that can tolerate low light conditions. Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema ssp.), pothos (Epipremnum aureum), peace lily (Spathiphyllum ssp.), ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), and snake plant (Sansevieria) are houseplants that may be better suited to your home.

Smelly Compost Pile

This fall I started composting leaves and grass clippings. This winter I have been adding vegetable scraps. Can you tell me why my compost pile smells so badly?

This is a very broad question and difficult to answer without knowing what plants you intend to cut back. The first rule of pruning is identifying the plant, since this determines the time of year a particular plant is pruned. However, some generalities can be made. The best time of year to prune deciduous trees is late winter (February and March). Maples and birch may experience sap flow (“bleeding”), but this does not harm the tree. Prune early-flowering shrubs, like azaleas and forsythia, immediately after they finish blooming. Early-blooming deciduous shrubs, like lilac, should also be pruned right after they flower. Late-blooming deciduous trees and shrubs that lose their leaves (think crape myrtle) are pruned in late winter to early spring. Correct plant identification is very important when pruning evergreens. Some, like spruce, do not rebound from anything but a light trim. Avoid pruning in the fall, because this can cause the plant to put out new growth that could get damaged over the winter.

Blueberry Cultivation

We want to plant blueberry bushes in our home garden. To produce berries, do we need to plant two different kinds of bushes? I understand blueberries require acidic conditions. How do I acidify the soil? Careful site selection and soil preparation are important before planting blueberries. Select a site that is not in all-day sunlight; strong morning light and some late-afternoon shade would be ideal.

Select a site that will allow you to water the plants easily or install a drip irrigation system. Blueberries have a fibrous root system but have few root hairs, making them sensitive to droughty conditions. On average, plants require at least one inch of water per week. Berry production does increase with cross-pollination of two varieties. Therefore, it is recommended to plant at least two varieties that bloom at about the same time. Take the time to test the soil before you plant. Blueberries require an acidic soil in the 4.3–5.3 range. Prepare the soil by incorporating compost and peat moss. Blueberries do not like heavy, clay soil. If the pH is too high. sometimes it is necessary to incorporate sulfur or iron sulfate. Soil test results will guide you in lowering the pH. o Debra Ricigliano is a Certified Professional Horticulturist. She has worked as a horticulture consultant for the University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center since 1997. Debra enjoys gardening at her home in Highland, MD. She is a graduate of the Institute of Applied Agriculture at UMCP and a talented, allaround horticulturist. To ask a gardening or pest question, go to http://www.extension. umd.edu/hgic and click on “Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts.” You can also attach a digital photo. 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 the city and state you are writing from. Then look for your answered questions in upcoming issues. FEBRUARY 2017

WASHINGTON GARDENER

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ February 16–March 15, 2017 • Saturday, February 18, 9am–4pm Rooting DC Rooting DC is a free, all-day gardening forum that aims to provide education about urban food production and consumption to cultivate health and preserve the environment. The program includes dozens of interactive workshops, cooking and food preservation demonstrations, and panel discussions focusing on youth gardening, nutrition, sustainable growing techniques, and healthy food access. Held at Wilson High School. See http://rootingdc.org/. • Saturday, February 18, 9am–1pm 13th Annual EcoSavvy Symposium: Cultivating Biodiversity in the Home Garden Plant and animal life biodiversity is critical to a healthy ecosystem. Learn from renowned public designer Bill McLaughlin of the U.S. Botanic Garden and expert local naturalist and environmental educator Alonso Abugattas how to create a home landscape that provides an oasis for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife through the use of native plants. A panel discussion on the use of native plants in the landscape follows the presentations. $56/person. Details at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes; use code: 290 188 5501. • Wednesday, February 22, 7:30pm Five Designer Secrets to Take Your Garden to the Next Level In this talk hosted by the Beltsville Garden Club, Carolyn Mullet will explore five key areas that will help you see your garden with fresh eyes, since sometimes we’re just too close to spot our own mistakes, and wonder why something is not working. She will lead us through simple steps to make our gardens more beautiful, comfortable, and functional. The talk will be illustrated with slides from Mullet’s visits to English gardens. The public is welcome and admission is free. You are encouraged to bring something to exchange: a plant, cutting, or garden tool or magazine: bring something, take something. Refreshments will be served after the meeting. Meet in the multi-purpose room of the Duckworth School, 11201 8

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Evans Trail, Beltsville, MD. To learn more about the Beltsville Garden Club, visit www.beltsvillegardenclub.org. • Friday, February 24, 8:30am–4pm Green Matters Symposium This event will focus on plant solutions in an era of climate change with keynotes by Dan Hinkley of Heronswood and Ken Druse, author and designer. Additional experts from the Chicago Botanic Garden, Longwood Gardens, Mt. Cuba Center, and the National Arboretum will also present on the latest trends in plant hybridizing and trials. Keep in mind that the early-bird registration fee ends on January 20, 2017. For details: www.brooksidegreen.org. • Saturday, February 25, 8:30am– 2:30pm Successful Design with Nature in Mind University of Maryland Extension, Montgomery County Office, Montgomery County Agricultural History Farm Park 18410 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD. For more information, email MCMGConference@gmail.com or go to goo.gl/i4nalm. • Saturday, February 25, 1:30–5pm GWU Landscape Design Winter Symposium The beauty of a career in landscape design is the ability to practice in so many ways. But how do you decide the career path that is best for you? Whether you are just starting out or are farther along in your design career, there is always a need to consider fresh ideas and challenges that will keep you inspired. Attend the 10 by 10 experience, where exceptional landscape professionals will each share a 10-minute presentation with 10 slides of their best work and share insights about the career paths they have chosen. A moderated discussion and networking reception will follow. Held at the City View Room (7th Floor), Elliot School of International Affairs. 1957 E Street NW, Washington, DC. RSVP at https://www. eventbrite.com/o/gw-landscape-designprogram-12733863422.

• Saturday, February 25, 10am–12n or 1–3pm Wintertime Pruning and Why It is the Best Time to Prune (some) Plants Come for some hands-on training on the proper way to prune hedges, evergreens, and deciduous shrubs, and deadhead perennials. You will be shown how to remove large limbs from trees safely, and how to thin and prune fruit and other trees to create bushier growth. Bring your own tools, and remember to dress for the weather. (Note that class is offered twice.) Class meets outside, in front of 965 N Longfellow Street, Arlington, VA. Entire class is held outdoors. Free. Advance registration requested at mgnv.org. Questions: telephone 703-228-6414 or email mgarlalex@gmail.com. • Sunday, February 26, 9am–4:30pm Photography Workshop: Flower Photography The U.S. Botanic Garden is the perfect setting to learn, explore, and capture stunning flower images. Learn techniques to get the best images from your camera while photographing colorful and unique flowers, including thorny desert plants and colorful tropical blossoms. This workshop offers a combination of classroom instruction and shooting sessions with the instructor. Friends: $50, Non-members: $75. Pre-registration required. See www.usbg.gov. • Tuesday, February 28, 5:30–8pm Sunnylands: America’s Midcentury Masterpiece Janice Lyle, director of Sunnylands Center & Gardens, will discuss the history of Sunnylands, its changes over time, and the practices now used to preserve its fragile fabrics, interior furnishings, art collection, and cultural landscape. Fee: $20, $10 Hillwood member, $7 student. Held at 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Register at www. HillwoodMuseum.org. • Saturday, March 4, 10am Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring The coming of spring brings a long list of to-dos that can be overwhelming for any gardener. Kathy Jentz, editor

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Upcoming Events ~ February 16–March 15, 2017 of Washington Gardener Magazine, helps you dig into spring strong by uncovering the chores that are necessities and those you can safely skip, along with cost-saving tips. Held at the Merrifield Fair Oaks, VA, location, See https://www.merrifieldgardencenter. com/events/. • Saturday, March 11, 10–11:30am Garden Program: Great Woody Plants Green Spring horticulturist Brenda Skarphol highlights beautiful flowering shrubs that grow well in Virginia home gardens. Get to know seasonal standouts for winter and spring. Learn the culture and care of these beauties and how to best showcase them in your garden. Program is both indoors and outdoors. $18/person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes using code 2901845501 or call 703-642-5173. Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, VA, (www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ parks/greenspring). • Saturday, March 11, 1–3pm Spring Blossoms Tea & Garden Tour Celebrate the blooming of the estate’s flowers with a traditional tea, complete with tea sandwiches, scones, delicious desserts, and tea blends. Before the tea, guests enjoy a guided tour of the estate’s magnificent garden to see sturdy trunks and fragile flowers and learn about the evolution of the 5½-acre landscape at Tudor Place. Fee: $40/45. To register, go to www.tudorplace.org. • Philadelphia Flower Show Trips with Washington Gardener Magazine • March 15, 2017, depart from downtown Silver Spring, MD • March 16, 2017, depart from Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville, MD

Save These Future Dates • March 18-19 Friends of Brookside Gardens’ Orchid Show and Sale Sale of orchids and related merchandise by top area growers. Repotting service for a nominal fee. Talks and advice from experts. Raffle of orchid plants. Proceeds benefit Brookside Gardens. It is co-sponsored by the Rock Creek

Orchid Club. Held at the Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. • March 24-26 Victorian Society in America & Maymont Co-host Spring Study Tour and Symposium in Richmond, VA The symposium is themed “Aesthetic Revolutions & Victorian Taste” and includes speakers Richard Guy Wilson, Charles Brownell, Nenette Marie Arroyo, and Elyse D. G. Justice. Details at www. maymont.org. • Saturday, March 25, 9am–4pm Lahr Native Plant Symposium: Native Plants Enriching our Communities Designing innovative landscapes, protecting habitat, and understanding social and environmental connections are essential to building strong communities. Learn from leading ecologists, landscape designers, and plant and wildlife experts as they show how their work helps create more sustainable neighborhoods. Held at USNA Visitor Center Auditorium. http://www.usna. usda.gov/Education/events.html. • Saturday, April 29, 10am–2pm Family Day: From a Moment to Infinity Visitors of all ages are invited to explore the world of orchids up close and hands-on at the free family day in the Hirshhorn museum lobby. The Hirshhorn and Smithsonian Gardens will team up for a day of family-friendly activities inspired by “orchids: A MOMENT” and the Hirshhorn exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors.” Visit the Smithsonian Gardens website, www. si.edu, for a complete list of programs.

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, please contact: kathyjentz@gmail.com — put “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is March 10 for the March 15 issue, for events taking place from March 16–April 15. o

Garden Book Club

For our Garden Book Club Winter 2017 Meeting, we will discuss: Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be a Source of Environmental Change By Larry Weaner “I strongly feel this book has a place beside every beginning or seasoned gardener’s favorite chair, so it is readily accessible. The ideal of how we can create our own revolutionary experience in our gardens has been achieved by the collaboration of Larry Weaner and Thomas Christopher,” said our Washington Gardener Magazine’s reviewer. Please join us on Thursday, March 9, from 6:30-8:00pm at Soupergirl, located right next to the Takoma metro stop. Soupergirl offers soups for sale that are incredibly healthy. They are 100% plant-based, low salt, low fat, and most importantly, absolutely delicious, so plan to come a bit early to purchase and eat your dinner with the garden book club. RSVP to at the book club event he book club event page at Facebook. com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine or to washingtongardener@rcn.com by March 5, so we know how many chairs to reserve for our group. 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 DC-area. We will announce the details of each upcoming meeting about two months in advance on our blog and Facebook page. o FEBRUARY 2017

WASHINGTON GARDENER

TIPStricks

Ornamental Grasses Set Your Garden in Motion

Caring for Cut Tulips

Tulips will brighten up your home during the final cold winter months. They are readily available forced into bloom at local florists and supermarkets. Before they reach you, tulips go through an amazing process. At a tulip grower’s nursery, the tulip bulbs are first given a cold period. They need this to grow and produce a flower. After a certain length of time in the cold, the tulip bulbs are planted in trays and taken to a special cold store. Once they have spent enough time there, they are finally taken to a nice warm greenhouse. As soon as the tulip bulbs feel the heat, they produce a stem with leaves. Three weeks later, the flower buds appear. This is when the tulips are mature enough to be harvested. Needless to say, you’ll want to enjoy your flowers as long as possible. But what is the best way to care for your bouquet of tulips? Trim off the soft stems of your tulips at an angle. The leaves can remain attached to the stem since they will not decay in the water. Arrange the tulips in a clean vase filled with tap water at room temperature. Choose a location for your tulips that is not too warm and is far away from the fruit bowl. After a few days, you will notice how the tulips have continued to grow in the vase. Pretty soon, you will have a natural work of art. More information on bulb growing and care can be found at www.bulb.com. o 10

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A green garden is nice and cool in the summer, and it also drains rainwater away quickly after a heavy downpour. But most of all, a green garden makes you feel good. It invites you in when you come home, and it’s so easy to unwind among all the plants. Ornamental grasses give your green garden something extra. While relaxing in your garden, you can also enjoy seeing their plumes dancing in the wind. Ornamental grasses are long-lived garden plants that require little care. According to the folks at Perennial Power (www.perennialpower.eu), “Green living was never so easy!” Ornamental grasses prefer a sunny location; what’s more, you can fit them in among other plants almost anywhere. Go ahead: Get creative! A garden doesn’t have to be perfectly manicured: Be inspired by nature. Combine ornamental grasses with other flowering perennials, for example. This will attract an abundance of butterflies, bees, and birds to your garden. It’s like having your very own nature conservation area. • Pruning ornamental grasses As summer comes to an end, you don’t need to get the pruning shears out. Just let your ornamental grasses do their thing. In the autumn, when many plants are fading, the beautiful autumn colors of ornamental grasses provide a grand finale. In the winter, you can enjoy their spectacular silhouette. Actually, you can wait until March/April to trim them back to 2 to 4 inches above the ground. Then, it won’t be long before the first bright-green blades of grass make their appearance. The only thing the evergreen ornamental grasses need in the spring is to have their withered leaves removed. • A cutting garden with ornamental grasses Isn’t it fun to pick flowers from your own garden in the summer? Adding a few clumps of ornamental grass makes it even more fun. The best time to pick your flowers and grasses is in the morning. That’s when they’re still fresh and perky. Arrange your garden bouquet with the grass plumes poking up above the flowers. What could say summer better? Pretty ornamental

grasses for cutting include Reed Grass (Calamagrostis), Panicgrass (Panicum), Fountaingrass (Pennisetum), Silvergrass (Miscanthus), and Moor Grass (Molinia). Add ornamental grasses to other flowering perennial garden plants and get even more enjoyment from your cutting garden. • Do more with ornamental grasses Is grass always green? Not always: Take certain ornamental grasses, for example. There are blue ones like Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) and brightred ones like Japanese Bloodgrass (a cultivar of Imperata cylindrica). If you have a large garden, you can really go to town with the larger ornamental grasses like Miscanthus sinensis or Stipa gigantea. These make real eye-catchers! Low-growing ornamental grasses such as Hakonechloa macra can be used as a groundcover: lots of green, but little maintenance. Some ornamental grasses such as the sedges (Carex) and fescues (Festuca) are even evergreen. These garden plants retain their color throughout the winter so you can enjoy their beauty all year-round. o

Wildflowers Bring the Garden Beauty with Ease

Whether you’re planting in a small space or have acres of land, wildflowers are a great, low-maintenance choice with big returns. Easy to seed, and easy to care for, wildflowers are popping up everywhere. Here are five reasons why more people are planting wildflowers: 1. Wildflowers can outcompete weeds and help you take back your lawn. 2. Many wildflowers are problem-solvers that thrive in dry, wet, and poor soils. 3. Wildflowers can help you save time and money—less watering, fertilizing, and mowing. 4. Wildflowers are beautiful to look at in a garden bed, meadow, or yard. 5. They attract pollinators! Plant wildflowers near your veggies or anyplace you’d like to see butterflies and bees. American Meadows (http://www. americanmeadows.com) has outlined a few easy steps for establishing a wildflower meadow from seed. They also have seed blends for different locations and needs. o

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Recent Washington Gardener Blog Posts • DIY: Seed Jars • Meet the New Intern • Washington Auto Show See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.Blogspot.com o

February-March Garden To-do List

New Plant Spotlight Scarlet Fire Dogwood Cornus kousa ‘Rutpink’ PPAF

The darkest pink bracts (blooms) ever found on a Chinese Dogwood can be yours with Scarlet Fire,™ the exciting introduction from Rutgers University is available from WaysideGardens.com. Not a hybrid, this tree is the result of many years and countless crosses. Scarlet Fire™ is a little show-off, reaching only 8 feet high after a decade’s growth, but ready to begin flowering the third or fourth year (often the first season in your garden). It will eventually top out at 15 to 20 feet, as wide as it is tall, but it stays small for many years. The season begins with new leaves unfurling in spring. Although they turn solid green by summer, for their first weeks, they are often streaked and washed with purple. It’s a lovely effect, and one that adds another season of beauty to Scarlet Fire’s display. Before spring is out, the rosy-pink bracts have opened. Reaching 5 inches across. Scarlet Fire™ is a generous bloomer, filling the branches with brilliant fuchsia that can last up to two months. After the flowers pass, they are replaced by perfectly round, knobby fruits about an inch in diameter and colored a very rich shade of rose. Birds adore these fruits, and will come sing for their supper all summer long. Dogwood is famously easy to grow, with the Chinese cultivars more humidity-tolerant than our native species. It’s also quite cold-hardy, putting up with the severe winters of zone 5 as effortlessly as the balmy ones of zone 8. o

• Cut some branches (Forsythia, Quince, Bittersweet, Redbud, Willow, etc.) for forcing indoors. • Put suet out for birds. • Keep birdfeeders 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 2017

WASHINGTON GARDENER

11th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

PHOTOcontt

Garden Views Category

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

First Place

Ron Taylor, Fairfax Station, VA “Meadowlark Bridge Early Morning” Location: Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA Taken using a Nikon D750, 70-200 mm lens, 1/100, f8, ISO 320. Ron is an amateur photographer with just four years experience.

Second Place

Hung Vu, Vienna, VA “Cherry Blossoms” Location: Tidal Basin, Washington, DC Taken using an Olympus OMD-EM5, 12-40 mm F2.8, F8, ISO200. Hung is a semi-professional with 20 years of experience.

Third Place

Karen Saunders, Burke, VA “Fall Asters at the National Capitol Columns” Location: U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC Taken using a Canon 6D, 45 mm, 1/1250, f/6.3. Karen is professional photographer with five years of photography experience.

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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

Teresa K. Hughes, Germantown, MD “Pumpkin Harvest Display“ Location: Tomato Sunshine Garden Center & Farm Market, Rehoboth Beach, DE Taken using a Nikon D810, 50 mm lens, f/9, ISO 80, 1/60 shutter speed, 50 focal length, natural light. Teresa is an amateur photographer with five years’ digital photography experience.

Second Place

Mike Whalen, Fairfax Station, VA “White Waterlily with Green Pads” Location: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Washington, DC Taken using a Canon 5D III with Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens at ISO:400, 120 mm, f/11, 1/250sec. Mike is an amateur photographer with 10 years’ experience.

Third Place

Roshani Kothari, Washington, DC “Garden Overlook” Location: Lucibella Farm, Mitchellville, MD Taken using a Canon EOS 70D, EFS18-135 mm lens, natural light. Roshani is professional photographer with 24 years of photography experience.

FEBRUARY 2017

11th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

Garden Vignettes Category

WASHINGTON GARDENER

11th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

PHOTOcontt

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

First Place

Tom Stovall, Centreville, VA “King Bird eyeing a fly at Lake Gardiner Lotus Blossoms” Location: Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA Taken using a Nikon D5 with 500 mm 4.0 lens, natural light. Tom is an amateur photographer with 55 years’ experience.

Second Place

Lilian Cerdeira, Rockville, MD “Sulphur Butterfly on an Orange Cosmos” Location: Ms. Cedeira’s home, Rockville, MD Taken using a Canon EOS Rebel T3i, 55-250 zoom lens Lilian is an amateur photographer with 30 years’ experience.

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Third Place

Tom Stovall, Centreville, VA “White Eyed Vireo” Location: Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA Taken using a Nikon D5 with 500 mm 4.0 lens, natural light. Tom is an amateur photographer with 55 years’ experience.

FEBRUARY 2017

PHOTOcontt

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

First Place

Willa Friedman, Springfield, VA “Shy Lotus Bud” Location: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Washington, DC Taken using Fujifilm, X-Pro2. 55-200 mm lens at 200 mm ISO 400, 1/950 second, f4.8. Willa is an amateur photographer with 12 years’ experience.

Second Place

Willa Friedman, Springfield, VA “Blue Poppy Close-up” Location: Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA Taken using Fujifilm, X-Pro2, Zeiss 50 mm. macro lens. ISO 640, 1/60 second, f7.1. Willa is an amateur photographer with 12 years’ experience.

Third Place

Teresa K. Hughes, Germantown, MD “Detail of Lotus Bloom” Location: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Washington, DC Taken using a Nikon D810, 70-300 mm lens, f/13, ISO 1800, 1/320 shutter speed, 300 focal length, natural light. Teresa is an amateur photographer with five years’ experience.

FEBRUARY 2017

11th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

Small Wonders Category

WASHINGTON GARDENER

11th Annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Winners

PHOTOcontt

Congratulations to our Photo Contest Winners! Photo entries must have been taken during the 2016 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! A special thank you to our contest prize sponsors Ace Photo, Fiskars Tools, Capital Photography Center, LLC, and Washington Photo Safari. 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. Our judge Elizabeth Olson had a mighty struggle this year to select the best from among such stiff competition of almost 300 images entered into this year’s competition. She is a certified photography judge with the Maryland Association of Agricultural Fairs & Shows (MAAFS).

Honorable Mention - Garden Views

Judith McGuire, Annandale, VA “Woodland Pond with Reflection” Location: Mt. Cuba Center, Hockessin, DE Taken using a Nikon D7200, Nikon 18-105 lens. Judith is an amateur photographer with 26 years’ experience.

Honorable Mention Garden Vignettes

Caroline Turner, Garrett Park, MD “Arbor with Climbing Rose” Location: Ms. Turner’s home, Garrett Park, MD Taken with an IPhone 5s - IOS 8.4. Caroline is an amateur photographer with about 10 years’ experience.

Honorable Mention - Garden Creatures

Howard Clark, Montgomery Village, MD “Tiny Green Frog” Location: Brookside Gardens at Wheaton, MD Taken with a full-frame DSLR, zoom lens @ 115 mm, in a bush just outside conservatory. Howard is a professional photographer with more than 50 years’ experience.

Honorable Mention - Small Wonders

Steven Silverman “Red Icelandic Poppy” Location: Ijamsville, MD Taken with a Nikon D4, 105 mm macro lens, 1 second @ 13, ISO 100. Focus stacked. Steven is an amateur photographer with more than 20 years’ experience.

On The Cover: Grand Prize Winner

Dee Ellison, Falls Church, VA “A Lavender Afternoon” Location: Seven Oaks Lavender Farm, Catlett, VA Taken using an Olympus Lumix G7 mirrorless camera, 14-150 lens (28-300 equivalent), 150 mm, 1/250, f10, ISO 200 Dee is an amateur photography with 20 years of experience.

WASHINGTON GARDENER

FEBRUARY 2017

BOOKreviews

Seeds On Ice: Svalbard and The Global Seed Vault By Cary Fowler Publisher Easton Studio Press List Price: $45.00 Reviewer: Teresa Speight What a wonderfully easy to read and convincing book that discusses the efforts to save our seed and gene bank by Cary Fowler, the Global Crop Diversity Trust’s executive director, more familiarly known as the “Father of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.” This is an intriguing title and intriguing effort to preserve genetic diversity in agriculture or, as some would maintain, a key protection of the world’s food for future generations. Great pictures at the beginning of the book draw you into the beauty of Norway, specifically Svalbard. A place where polar bears outnumber the people, where there are no gardens, no trees. but icebergs that are bigger than anyone can imagine, yet approximately a half-billion seeds reside. A secure vault that is our insurance for food resources for generations to come. Seed banks were initially created by Nikolai Vavilov, who was researching and documenting traits and diversity in growth habits of plant material to share with plant breeders and growers. After Vavilov’s death, his work continued, opening the door for deeper preservation and documentation efforts. In the 1970s, agricultural scientists realized that with the newly discovered Green Revolution, some of the older varieties were becoming obsolete. In addition to the extinction of some older varieties, climate change was

also making familiar varieties of seeds harder to grow. Climate change affects pests, natural pollination, and disease commonly found in agricultural efforts. With research, scientists found that while some crops adapted, others failed. For example, according to research done in 1903, there were 408 preserved varieties of tomatoes in the United States. In 1983, this count had diminished to 79. This demonstrates an 80.6% loss of seed for older varieties that can no longer be bred, due to lack of seed. Did you know that, in the 1800s, there were 2,600 different varieties of pear trees? Scientists have realized that 2,300 documented pear varieties have been lost and can no longer be bred. The only way to encourage and maintain diversity in agriculture so we can continue to eat is via the seed saving and plant tissue research/storage of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Cary Fowler was recruited by the Food and Drug Administration to oversee the documentation and report on the seed-saving efforts worldwide. Fowler was less than happy with his findings and sought funding to create a fail-safe environment to preserve seeds for the future. With a grant from the World Bank, Svalbard Global Seed Vault was built. This book is beautifully photographed, easy-to-digest, and informative. If you are interested in what goes on behind the scenes of the preservation efforts of the seeds for the foods we eat today, as well as the efforts to save them for future generations, I thoroughly recommend this book. 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.

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.

Hickory By Palmer Brown Publisher: New York Review List Price: $14.95 Reviewer: India Hamilton Palmer Brown’s children’s classic Hickory, reprinted by the New York Review for their Children’s Collection, is full of lessons in friendship, patience, and love. In the book’s artwork, gardeners will appreciate a plethora of beautiful flower and plant illustrations that complement a story guaranteed to attract children of all ages. It is a tale of a headstrong mouse who lives in a grandfather clock with his brother, Dickory, sister, Dock, and parents. Hickory seeks adventure outside the safety of the grandfather clock where he has grown up. Finally, out in the meadow, Hickory makes friends with a grasshopper who teaches him to appreciate summer and all its glory while he can, for it’s only a season that soon will pass. I’d highly recommend Hickory for a quiet afternoon read with your favorite young aspiring gardener or to local gardeners here in the busy nation’s capital for a break from the everyday hustle and bustle. India Hamilton is a junior multi-platform journalism major and black women’s studies minor at the University of Maryland. This winter/spring, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine. FEBRUARY 2017

WASHINGTON GARDENER

PLANTprofile

Penstemon

Composite flowers seem to smile at us; the daisy is often our first flower, the daisy chain an early memory. But Snapdragons are such fun. They have jaws and mouths; when squeezed, the flowers open and close, puppet like. Likewise, Penstemon sps. are “flowers with jaws,” to quote page 96 of The Flower Family Album, U. of Minn. Press, 1941, describing the two-lipped tubular flowers it shares with other members of its family. The hairs protruding from these jaws are what earned it the common name still used today, Beardtongue. Now it’s mostly called Penstemon. Nectar-rich, with tube flowers designed for specialized native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to mine, once established, this genus thrives in heat, sunshine, poor soil, and low moisture. It is an endemic native. Its opposite leaves and flowers, displayed in spires rising above, help with identification, but the look of the basal rosette in early spring is similar to Lobelia cardinalis, or even ajuga, and can be confusing. Penstemon fit into hardiness zones 3–10, depending 18

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FEBRUARY 2017

on the species and its provenance. Traditionally a short-lived perennial, allowing self-seeding will remedy this if nurtured over time. Plants can also be divided and replanted in the spring. Hybridizers are working on extending the life in the garden, but there is satisfaction in allowing these plants to settle in and naturalize. The fruit is a many-seeded capsule. Has anyone mentioned the foul odor of the stems and seeds of Penstemon digitalis? Rodents and larger plant eaters pass this one up. Plant this species downwind if possible, or cut off flowers at the base, as soon as spent, before seed formation. Or simply appreciate nature in all its ways.

Plant History

During the 300 years since it crossed the ocean and began its European life as a much-admired immigrant, returning as a garden flower (not an unusual journey for our native flora), its cultural adaptivity has proven to be a recipe for success, into the 21st century.

Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) in your editor’s hellstrip garden.

By Judith Mensh

Because typical wild Penstemon communities are scattered and small in number, they are vulnerable to oblivious extinction, whether that be for housing or for oil. At times, this has meant that members of this group become candidates for endangered species status. Hairy Penstemon (P. hirsutus) and Eastern Smooth Penstemon (P. laevigatus) were among the first Penstemon to be collected, in the 18th century, sent overseas and designated as Chelone pentstemon by Linnaeus in his 1753 publication. By the mid-1800s, Chelone and Penstemon were perceived to be family but not siblings. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum), Foxglove (Digitalis), and Turtlehead (Chelone) are different genera, but all members of the Plantaginaceae family like Penstemon. All were historically classified in the family of Scrophulariaceae, but now, due to current DNA information, this has changed. Many sources remain to be corrected and continue to use the former family name, creating confusion during this transition time. The 19th century brought new Penstemon to attention, big-flowered but not hardy ones from Mexico and many beautiful species discovered in the western United States. David Douglas (1799–1834), a Scotch botanist, introduced 15 Penstemons into British horticulture between 1827 and 1834. “Finding David Douglas,” a documentary released in 2012, describes the story of this intrepid explorer (http://www.daviddouglassociety.org/). Penstemon was well known by the Native American peoples and its medicinal uses are included in ethnobotany documents. It’s been found to contain the chemicals Catalpo and Verbascoside, which both involve anti-inflammatory activity. Seeds collected in the wild became available for sale by 1813, and the garden Penstemon was born. A long line of development commenced is more accurate, most notably by Britain, Holland, and France. The first wave of breeding focused on intensifying and broadening the range of the original flower colors, an effort that has continued to the present with great success. In the same vein as Coleus and Heuchera (also Coreopsis and Echinacea),

PLANTprofile named varieties have proliferated in recent years, including the trend to develop bronze, chartreuse, and other extreme leaf colors, with a special interest in burgundy and purple, dark enough to appear black. With ‘Husker Red’ Penstemon, the Perennial Plant of the Year in 1996, Penstemon joined the trend toward the development of ever darker leaved perennials. The newer version, ‘Dark Towers,’ is touted to have a dark-red leaf that does not turn green when exposed to the sun. Penstemon digitalis ‘Blackbeard’ is the newest in this category; look for it this spring. Also new this year are ‘Mission Bells,’ ‘Deep Rose,’ and P. hybrida ‘Cherry Sparks’ (Darwin Perennials). Green is nice, but modern times demand that something familiar have an unfamiliar, even brand-new, twist. Extremes of dark or light colors are particularly appreciated, it seems, right now.

Companion Plants

Large clumps of different colors and sizes of Penstemon make an arresting display over the summer. Snapdragons and Foxglove (poison plant alert), make good neighbors for Penstemon, with the Foxglove planted in the back, shaded by the sun lovers, if possible. Agastache, Baptisia, Coreopsis, Echinacea, Rudbeckia, and Salvia, all the usual suspects, work well with Penstemon. It’s needs dictate the higher ground or alternatively a well-drained location. No wet feet for this picky native! It is first rate in the wildlife garden, provided the sun is correct for the species. In the past, as the concept of the border garden developed, a Penstemon was included. It was not unusual to see a border planted entirely of Penstemon species.

Cultivars for Our Region

Although an abundance of species are found west of the Rockies, in Arizona and Utah especially, there are Midwestern prairie species and East Coast natives as well. Two species native to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are Eustis Creek Beardtongue (Penstemon australis) and Foxglove Beardtongue

(Penstemon digitalis), and one species native to the eastern U.S. is Penstemon smallii, all available locally. Nature by Design in Alexandria, VA, is a source for all three. Depending on how adventurous, or perhaps how inexperienced, the perennial manager of your favorite garden center is, you may find, at the beginning of the season, late April, 15 varieties on the tables. Among these will be the species that are the best place to begin with Penstemon in the garden. Today, as Penstemon comes into focus due to its many positive points, there are so many choices beyond the straight species. New varieties continue to be created, reproduced, and marketed. Make it a goal to increase the diversity in your garden. It’s human to seek out the new, the unknown, and it keeps the nursery industry rolling. Dale Lindgren, of the University of Nebraska, brought us the dark-foliaged P. digitalis hybrids, starting with ‘Husker Red,’ a tremendously popular and reliable plant, now superseded by ‘Dark Towers.’ He focused on the idea of developing native plants into ornamental plants, historically changing our pursuit of exotic plants, as we recognized the wealth and significance of our indigenous plants. P. barbatus, P. smallii, and P. digitalis are just a few of the species used in the breeding programs of Penstemon. Hybrids often come in a series, understandable once you see the possibilities. These series, each developed with a goal in mind, move the plant a little farther into our gardens and a little farther away from the original straight species. They make great focal points in the garden, novelties to experience year to year, and sometimes truly new and improved. The Red Riding Hood series, for example, was developed to extend the cold hardiness of the species, as well as to be more compact. But the species remain tried and true, and will provide the ecology of your outdoor space with beauty, diversity, and faunal cover. Work on the breeding of Penstemon continues vigorously. Development of species today goes beyond looks. As gardeners/stewards, we care now that

our new variety of perennial still has the right stuff to attract and reward its natural pollinators. We are no longer forfeiting fragrance for color, for example.

Further Information

Penstemon is a subject with a wide swath of available information. With the Internet, one can scour the country for available species and varieties. The Royal Horticulture Society lists 960 Penstemon in its plant lists, many of which have received their award of merit. For must-know information, try The Gardener’s Guide to Growing Penstemon by David Way and Peter James. Similar to the Iris, the Daylily, and the Rock Garden, it is a plant with a community, The Penstemon Society of America (http://penstemons.org/), begun in 1946. This is how gardening, often a solitary pursuit, can bring together like-minded people who share an interest. Both information and camaraderie are available, including a yearly seed exchange, an annual meeting, and field trips to see Penstemon in its natural habitats. Befriend the Penstemon genus, species, the cultivars, and hybrids. It’s a native to take note of and include in your garden. There are lots of good things to say about Penstemon, including its use in xeriscapes, erosion control, and land reclamation, all part of its profile. It’s reported to do well as a container plant. Leaves with color, native origins, pollinator-friendly, beautiful, wide range of flower colors, locally attainable. Seeds are available for those who prefer to start from the beginning and grow their own. Penstemon is a subject deep and wide or simple and select; you can have it either way as long as you have it as a member of your vocabulary and a regular on your garden list, a memory built on yearly experience. As we know, life is not all rainbows and happy daisy faces. Tube flowers rule for those with the right equipment (e.g., bumblebees and hummingbirds.) o Judith Mensh is a local horticultural consultant. She is available to walk your yard with you and identify plants and possibilities. She can be reached via email at JudithMenshNurtureNature@gmail.com. FEBRUARY 2017

WASHINGTON GARDENER

NEIGHBORnwork

Meet Drew Asbury

What are your favorite plant purchasing options? I can’t recommend specific places since I’m being connected with Hillwood in this interview. Let’s just say, as many gardeners already know, plants can be addictive and one can always find a plant worthy of purchasing.

Interview and Photos by India Hamilton

What do you do when you’re not working with plants? I enjoy traveling and playing golf.

Drew Asbury is a horticulturist at the Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens. Asbury graduated from the Longwood Gardens professional gardener training program in 2006. He began working at Hillwood in 2012, where he manages the greenhouses, cutting gardens, and volunteer program. Asbury is also working toward a master’s degree in landscape design from George Washington University. He recently attended Washington Gardener Magazine’s Seed Exchange at the Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, as a guest speaker on “Growing a Cutting Garden from Seed.” Following his talk, we caught up with Asbury to find out more about his life as a horticulturist.

and creating gardens beneficial to both humans and wildlife.

Tell me a little about your background and your interests in horticulture. I’ve always enjoyed working with plants, even as a kid. I started working at a garden center while in college and loved being surrounded by plants. There I worked in a tropical greenhouse filled with orchids, cacti, tropicals, bonsai, and aquatics. I was hooked immediately. Years later, I spent two years studying horticulture at Longwood Gardens as a student in the professional gardener training program. Longwood allowed me to immerse myself in all things horticulture and to share that passion with others. I’m particularly interested in garden design, native plants, sustainability,

What is a typical day like at Hillwood? Every day is different at Hillwood and it often depends on the season. Managing the daily affairs of the garden always take priority. I often begin my day with a quick tour through the greenhouses and garden to determine the tasks for the day. Working with volunteers and talking to visitors is usually the highlight of my day.

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garden. The best way to learn how to garden is by gardening! I feel one learns best through trial and error. Fortunately, plants want to grow and survive, but gardeners are always striving to grow something better. In the gardener’s eye, next year’s garden will always be better.

Where did you start with the Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens? What has been the most rewarding part of your job there? I started at Hillwood in 2012 as the greenhouse and cutting garden grower. My title is currently Horticulturist and Volunteer Manager. The most rewarding part of my job is working alongside such a talented and enthusiastic group of gardeners and volunteers, and to be surrounded by beauty on a daily basis. There is always something new to learn in horticulture. I learn something new everyday.

What advice would you give to beginner/amateur gardeners in the greater Mid-Atlantic area? Find a place to grow plants, whether it be on a windowsill or balcony; in a backyard, or rent a plot in a community

What’s your favorite thing to watch as it grows? I particularly enjoy watching anything I have sown from seed. I will never get bored by seeing the first glimpse of green as seedlings germinate. Watching a speck of green turn into a sturdy little plant requires patience, but is very rewarding. We grow over 10,000 plants a year from seed every year at Hillwood. Those same little seedlings become majestic giants by the end of the growing season. It’s very rewarding. Whom/what do you owe your interests in gardening/horticulture to? I have fond memories of both my grandmothers’ gardens. They are passionate gardeners and, to this day, we still take garden walks together to see how the garden is getting along. What career do you think you’d be in, if not horticulture? As a kid, I wanted to be an architect, but honestly, I think it was always all about plants. If I didn’t do horticulture, I would probably still want to be outside, maybe a park ranger; who knows? o India Hamilton is a junior multi-platform journalism major and black women’s studies minor at the University of Maryland, College Park. She copy edits and writes feature and event pieces for the online publication, Pulsefeedz. This winter/spring, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine.

HORThaenings Professional Grounds Management Society, Virginia Tech’s Landscape Architecture Program, the Hardy Plant Society, and Washington Gardener Magazine.

growing a cutting garden from seed. The February 4 seed exchange featured guest speakers Sara Tangren, who discussed collecting and growing native seed, and Linda L. Jones, who informed guests of a winter sowing technique to promote year-round gardening. These annual meetings are a chance for gardeners to get together to exchange not only seeds, but ideas, information, and tips.

APLD Loves the Details

The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) DC-MD-VA chapter hosted its first winter lecture on “Stone, Wood, and Metal Detailing in Landscape” at the Silver Spring Civic Building on February 11. The event featured landscape architect Matthew Cunningham, who has had his work published in Architectural Digest, Garden Design Magazine, and Design New England. As a guest speaker. Cunningham is dedicated to finding fresh approaches to high-end craftsmanship in garden design. The winter lecture was in cooperation between the George Washington University, the

Successful Seed Swaps

Washington Gardener Magazine hosted its 2017 Seed Exchanges recently at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, and Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA. At the swap on January 28 at Brookside, guest speakers Kim Roman taught attendees how to maximize small spaces for low-maintenance gardening and Drew Asbury talked about

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.

MANTS 2017

The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show hosted its 47th annual horticulture show in Baltimore, MD, from January 11–13 at the Baltimore Convention Center. MANTS welcomed more than 11,300 participants to the show; breaking a record of registering more than 10,000 by the end of the first day. With more than 1,500 booths at the show, visitors had choices among 952 exhibiting companies. Vanessa Finney, executive vice president of MANTS, said this year’s show had the highest attendance record in eight years. This year, MANTS attracted attendees and exhibitors from 45 states, 15 countries outside the U.S., and the territory of Micronesia. “We felt a positive and enthusiastic flow of energy throughout this year’s show and hope this sets the tone for the industry in the remainder of 2017,” said Finney. MANTS is sponsored by the State Nursery and Landscape Associations of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. o Compiled by India Hamilton, an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine. FEBRUARY 2017

WASHINGTON GARDENER

EDIBLEharvt

by Josh Kirschenbaum

While carrots are one of the top 10 most economically important vegetable crops in the world, they also are one of the most popular vegetables to grow in home gardens—and for good reason. Carrots are delicious, nutritious, versatile, and with just a little bit of knowhow, a root crop that is easy to grow. It is “root” to tell a lie: While Vitamin A that is derived from Beta Carotene found in orange carrots does aid in overall eye health, you won’t be able to have full-fledged night vision from eating an abundance of carrots, as some have purported. Your skin, however, can turn yellow from eating an abundance of carrots! Not to worry, though; the yellowing will go away after a few weeks as long as you cut down on the carrot intake. On the National Garden Bureau YouTube channel, you can watch a video 22

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about carrot recipes from Jonathan Bardzik. Jonathan is a DC-based cook, author, and storyteller sharing joy in the kitchen through easy, seasonal farm, and garden-fresh recipes.

Carrot History

The ancestor of the modern day carrot is believed to have originated in Afghanistan and was purple, scrawny, and pungent. Over time, cultivation by Greeks and Romans resulted in roots that were plumper; tastier; and in shades of purple, red, and black. It wasn’t until the late-16th or early-17th century that the orange, appetizing carrots that we know today were bred by the Dutch in Europe.

Basic Types

Carrots (Daucus carota) are members of the Apiaceae family, which also includes culinary plants such as anise,

Carrot ‘Cupar’ F1. Photo courtesy of National Garden Bureau.

Know Your Carrot Types

celery, coriander (cilantro), dill, and parsnips. They are biennials, meaning that they will flower in the second year of growth, but are typically grown as annuals (grown and harvested in the same year). There are several different carrot types and they are primarily divided up by shape. The following are some of the more well-known types, along with their characteristics. • Chantena —conical, triangular-shaped roots with broad shoulders and rounded tips. Sweet flavor makes it good for eating fresh. Varieties include: ~ Royal Chantenay ~ Red Core ~ Kuroda • Danvers—cylindrical, thick roots that are often used to make carrot juice due to the high water content and low sugar content. Varieties include: ~ Danvers ~ Danvers Half Long • Imperator—long, tapered roots with narrow shoulders. These are typically the carrots you would buy in a plastic bag at the grocery. Varieties include: ~ Sugarsnax 54 ~ Imperator 58 ~ Yellowbunch • Miniature/Baby*—either small round roots (also called Planet-types) or cylindrical and short. Varieties include: ~ Atlas ~ Parisian ~ Adelaide *Myth debunked: “Baby” carrots that are purchased in a bag at the grocery are actually made from long, skinny carrots that have been cut. • Nantes—cylindrical, “cigar-shaped” roots that are sweet and crispy. Varieties include: ~ Purple Haze ~ Nelson Carrots are easy to grow from seed and perform best when sown directly into a garden bed or patio container. See the Summer 2013 Washington Gardener Magazine issue for carrot-growing tips just for our region. o Josh Kirschenbaum works for PanAmerican Seed. This fact sheet is provided as an educational service of the National Garden Bureau.

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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 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

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

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WASHINGTON GARDENER

11th Annual Washington Gardener Philadelphia Flower Show Tour Organized by Washington Gardener Magazine Wednesday, March 15, 2017, 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 2017 is “Holland: Flowering the World.” It will celebrate the beauty and ingenuity of Dutch culture, from vivid flower fields to innovative eco-design. The Philadelphia Flower Show will transport guests to the rainbow landscapes of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils, and through the cut-flower and bulb markets that have shaped Holland’s history and culture. Join us for a visit to magnificent displays, special programming, and newer attractions like 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

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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, 2017

Full refund if canceled by February 7. $40 refunded until February 28. No refunds after March 8.

Questions? Kathy Jentz kathyjentz@gmail.com www.WashingtonGardener.com

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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. 24 WASHINGTON GARDENER FEBRUARY 2017

Code 3/15 Silver Spring

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