Washington Gardener June 2018 by Kathy J

JUNE 2018 VOL. 13 NO. 4

WWW.WASHINGTONGARDENER.COM

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gardener

tthe magazine for gardening enthusiasts in the Mid-Atlantic region

Easy Edible Edamame

8 Beautiful Blue Flower Bulbs

Dumbarton Oaksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; New Garden Director

Four Seasons of Local Flowers

Pink Muhly Grass

A Visit to Arlington National Cemetery

Green Spring Gardens

www.greenspring.org

A “must visit” for everyone in the metropolitan Washington, DC, area. It’s a year-round goldmine of information and inspiration for the home gardener. It’s an outdoor classroom for children and their families to learn about plants and wildlife. It’s also a museum, a national historic site that offers glimpses into a long, rich history with colonial origins. Located at 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria, VA. Information: 703-642-5173. Haven’s Natural Brew Tea conditions the soil so your plant’s root system can better absorb nutrients needed to build a strong, healthy root base. The manure tea can also be applied to compost piles to accelerate the composting process.

Order some today at: www.manuretea.com

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RESOURCESsourc

Need a Garden Club Speaker?

Washington Gardener Magazine’s staff and writers are available to speak to groups and garden clubs in the greater DC region. Call 301.588.6894 or email KathyJentz@gmail.com for available dates, rates, and topics.

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

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INSIDEcontents

FEATURES and COLUMNS

Boiled and shelled edamame can be eaten plain or added to lots of different recipes, such as salads and soups. Photo of edamame plants and pods courtesy of Renee’s Garden (www.reneesgarden.com).

o Arlington National Cemetery Arboretum is a premier urban collection of trees. Some of the cemetery’s oldest trees pre-date the first burials and are nearly 250 years old. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army by Elizabeth Fraser/Arlington National Cemetery.

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Kelly Shore staged her Four Seasons photo shoot at Plant Masters in Laytonsville, MD, a cut flower farm that sells about 80% of its harvest through farmers markets, with the balance going direct to florists and DIY brides. “We’ve seen an explosion of brides coming to our market. They don’t care too much about specific flower varieties; all they want are local flowers.”

BOOKreviews 6-7 Vegetables Love Flowers; Tub Pond Book; Upcycling Outdoors; Container Gardening DAYtrip 13-15 Arlington National Cemetery EDIBLEharvest 16-17 Edamame/Soybeans HORThappenings 12 Garden Photo Show; Herb Talks; FONA Benefit; Smithsonian Victory Garden Party; Tours INSECTindex 22 Azalea Lacebugs NEWPLANTspotlight 11 Rudbeckia ‘Glitters Like Gold’ NEIGHBORnetwork 20-21 Jonathan Kavalier PLANTprofile 22 Pink Muhly Grass SPECIALfeature 18-19 Four Seasons of Floral Design TIPStricks 10 Blue Flowers; Pollinator Plants; Urban Green Roof Benefits

DEPARTMENTS

ADVERTISINGindex BLOGlinks EDITORletter GARDENcontest LOCALevents MONTHLYtasklist NEXTissue RESOURCESsources

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ON THE COVER

Pinky Muhly grass in a northern Virginia front landscape designed by Scott Brinitzer Design Associates.

In our July 2018 issue:

Climate Change Affects on Local Gardens and much more . . .

If your business would like to reach area gardeners, be sure to contact us by July 10 so you can be part of the next issue of our growing publication! Be sure you are subscribed! JUNE 2018

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EDITORletter

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

Your editor last summer with the Naked Ladies (Amaryllis belladonna) at Winterthur.

Cover price: $4.99 Back issues: $6.00 Subscription: $20.00

To Know It, You Got to Grow It

Address corrections should be sent to the address above.

At a recent talk about magnolias and hydrangeas, Scott Aker, supervisory research horticulturist at the U.S. National Arboretum, mentioned that he hates going to plant talks where the person clearly has not grown the thing they are talking about. I thought, “Who does that!?!” But then I recalled talking to a fellow garden writer who doesn’t even have a garden! I suppose there are such posers out there, but they are easy enough to sniff out—and really, what is the fun in writing about something you have not experienced? That seems about as meaningful or gratifying as waiting in a long bank line. I like to grow a few of everything to test them out, and my chaotic jungle of a garden reflects that fact. Plants are stuffed wherever I can find room for them and my driveway “pot ghetto” attests to those unlucky ones who have not made it in the ground yet. And growing it just once is not enough. As Tony Avent of Plants Delight Nursery in Raleigh, NC, says, “I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself ... at least three times.” You have to attempt it a few times to really say that either you’ve mastered it or it is truly beyond you. Further, there are those plants that like to mess with you. They may be dormant for a season, like cyclamen or Naked Ladies. They go along lie gangbusters and then disappear. You think they died and plant something else in their place, only to see them come roaring back after they break dormancy. They could also be biennials that come up one year in quite a different form from what you expected. Biennials that I have inadvertently weeded out include Hollyhocks, Lunaria, and Forget-me-nots (oh, the irony!). By growing a plant you get to know not only its habits, but also what creatures visit it—be they pollinators or hungry bunnies. You get to experience it during different weather and across the seasons. You know what its seedlings look like when they pop up 40 feet away. Finally, you get to know whether you want to keep it in your garden or not. Happy gardening!

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

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• Washington Gardener Blog: www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com • Washington Gardener Archives: http://issuu.com/washingtongardener • Washington Gardener Discussion Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ WashingtonGardener/ • Washington Gardener Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/WDCGardener • Washington Gardener Facebook Page: facebook.com/ WashingtonGardenerMagazine • Washington Gardener is a womanowned business. We are proud to be members of: · Garden Writers Association · DC Web Women · Green America Magazine Leaders Network · Green America Business Network To order reprints, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877.652.5295, ext. 138. Volume 13, Number 4 ISSN 1555-8959 © 2018 Washington Gardener All rights reserved. Published quarterly. No material may be reproduced without prior written permission. This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that the information presented is from various sources from which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to legality, completeness, or technical accuracy. All uncredited photos in this issue are © Kathy Jentz.

READERcontt

Reader Contest

For our June 2018 Washington Gardener Reader Contest, Washington Gardener is giving passes to the Morris Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania (www.morrisarboretum.org). Spend time with family and friends exploring the arboretum’s 92-acre lush and colorful gardens just outside Philadelphia, PA. Discover your favorite garden spaces and learn from 12,000 labeled plants, trees, and flowers. See the forest from a new perspective—50 feet up in the treetops on the Out on a Limb canopy walk, part of the arboretum-wide interactive Tree Adventure exhibit. To enter to win one of two sets of passes for two, send an email to WashingtonGardener@rcn.com by 5:00pm on June 30 with “Morris Arb” in the subject line and in the body of the email. Include your full name and mailing address. Tell us which was your favorite article in this issue and why. The pass winners will be announced and notified on July 1.

JUNE 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

BOOKreviews

Vegetables Love Flowers: Companion Planting for Beauty and Bounty By Lisa Mason Ziegler Publisher: Cool Springs Press List Price: $21.99 Reviewer: Jamie Moore Lisa Mason Ziegler had minimal gardening experience when she got married and took over growing vegetables on the family homestead. She added flowers to her garden and became a cut flower farmer. Along the way, she changed from chemical-based cultivation practices to all-natural methods. This book shares the story of her gardening journey and presents her answer to the question of “What business do pretty flowers have in a vegetable garden?” Flowers in a vegetable garden are both ornamental and functional. Ziegler calls flowers “the best dose of medicine” for her garden. Planting flowers in her existing vegetable garden brought an influx of beneficial insects, allowing nature to provide pest control. Her epiphany came when she stopped trying to control nature and instead encouraged the development of a healthy ecosystem, in which elements work together to make the garden “come alive and flourish.” The body of the book provides practical information about growing cut flowers, from seed sowing to harvesting advice. She includes in-depth information about many easily grown cut flowers. She then elaborates on the beneficial creatures she calls “heroes of the garden”: the insects, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that provide 6

WASHINGTON GARDENER JUNE 2018

pollination and pest-control services to her garden. She ends by presenting her holistic approach to creating a healthy garden, which includes feeding the soil and its microbes with compost and leaf mold, optimizing the timing of gardening chores to promote plant health, and using biodegradable film for weed control. I especially admire her use of native plants around her vegetable and flower garden to provide additional habitat for her garden heroes. This book is well-written, includes effective illustrations, and contains a lot of practical advice. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in building a healthy garden ecosystem full of life and beauty. Jamie Moore gardens in Frederick County, MD. In addition to gardening, she loves to read; cook with local and seasonal produce; hike; and spend time with her husband, three children, and four cats.

Container Gardening Complete: Creative Projects for Growing Vegetables and Flowers In Small Spaces By Jessica Walliser Publisher: Cool Springs Press List Price: $30.00 Reviewer: Teri Speight Jessica Walliser has certainly put the right plant in the pot by writing Container Gardening Complete. Whether you are downsizing your vegetable growing or simply looking for a more-creative way to grow, this book is right on time, Did you know that the larger the container, the less you have

to water (depending on the growth habit of the plant)? For the busy gardener, this is a great tip. Add to this equation that gardening in a container means fewer weeds—the perfect equation for the gardener who is limited on time. Walliser provides a basic chart to guide the gardener on minimum soil volume that is needed for specific plants. What a great resource for new, as well as seasoned, gardeners. This is not your basic how-to book. The author strives to demonstrate not just techniques, but multiple planter options as well—from building a cedar planter to creating hypertufa containers. Walliser points out that one of the main keys to successful containers is using the proper light, fluffy, and blended mixture of ingredients. Providing multiple recipes for creating your own special container soil blend is a plus. Most gardeners will want to know the content of the soil that we are growing our plants in. Designing the container is important. Proportion, a focal point, and balance (both horizontally as well as vertically) should be considered when planting in a container. This is also known as the “Thriller, Filler, and Spiller” concept. An accent plant surrounded by two similar plants that have a flowering or trailing habit is an easy recipe for a successful container. The gardener might also consider color, texture, and form when creating contained beauty. One of the projects I am excited to try is the Pollinator Container Can. With the author’s step-by-step instruction and detailed plant types, I am looking forward to creating a container that will creatively show my adoration of pollinators. With the many reference lists, plant recommendations, and tips, Walliser has written a resource-filled and informative book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it empowers any gardener to consider creatively growing in a container or two. 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.

BOOKreviews

Upcycling Outdoors: 20 Creative Garden Projects Made from Reclaimed Materials By Max McMurdo Publisher: Jacqui Small, Quarto Group List Price: $29.99 Reviewer: Racquel Royer Upcycling or “creative reuse” is the process of transforming useless or unwanted products or waste materials into new products. It is the opposite of recycling. Instead of the materials being broken down, they’re used in new ways. Why throw out that old dresser, when you can turn it into an outdoor plant display? Author and creative Max McMurdo uses items like suitcases, gutters, bicycles, and lamps to create unique items for his garden, whether for planting or decoration. Categories in his book include planters, décor, outdoor structures, furniture, and lighting. This graphic-heavy DIY book is filled with quirky ideas to spark your imagination and tips to help you out when it comes to designing your garden and giving a “magical, fairytale look” to your outdoor space. McMurdo emphasizes that upcycling outdoors not only is great for the environment, but it’s very “thrifty” and in style right now. In one instance, he uses a tin can, copper pipes, and rope to design a hanging planter. Another unique and eye-catching planter is made from a boat fender. McMurdo also uses a bicycle wheel to create a fire pit and an old dining chair to create a tree swing. Some ideas are as simple as putting the materials together, while in other instances, he really takes his time to creatively redesign items with paint or

other upcycled decorations. One of the ideas that most intrigued me was his “living chair.” McMurdo first sanded, painted, and waxed an old upholstery chair and then cut “planting pockets” and inserted soil and climbing plants. Recognizing that not everyone is a “handy man” or great with tools, the back of the book provides a list of general techniques, tools, and tricks for upcycling outdoors that will make your projects a whole lot easier. The book is easy to learn from and encourages you to use it as a base for your own creative and fun ideas. Racquel Royer is a senior studying broadcast journalism in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is from Tampa. FL. This summer, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener.

The Tub Pond Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating and Maintain Patio Ponds, Container Water Gardens, and Tropical Fish Breeding Tubs By Ted Coletti Publisher: Wagtail Imprints, Inc. List Price: $19.89 Reviewer: Rosie Kean The Tub Pond Handbook is a thorough guide to setting up and maintaining your own container water gardens. In less than 150 pages, the author presents plenty of information, tips, and tricks to creating your own tub pond filled with aquatic life. As someone who had never even heard of “tub ponds,” I was immediately drawn in to the hobby simply because of all the possibilities it holds. Growing waterlilies in a container outside my apartment? I would have thought that impossible before reading this book. Now, I am seriously considering buying materials to start a water garden next spring. The author had another major selling point for me by including this quote from the late water plant expert Greg Speichert: “Water gardening is for the gardening

impaired. You cannot fail.” The book progresses in an organized, easy-to-follow manner, beginning with where to place your container pond and what type of container to use. The importance of striking a balance in the pond’s water is discussed. The book points out what you should look out for in your tap water before you fill your container, as well as how to neutralize unwanted chemicals like chlorine. Pictures, both of beautiful container ponds and more instructional photos of various container styles and pond products, can be found on nearly every page, making reading visually enjoyable. Many plants are discussed in great detail, including their ideal climate zones, benefits, and potential problems, as well as how to store them over winter. The author provides the same details for various types of fish before sharing how to breed and feed your fish, in addition to how to eliminate any pond pests. The author emphasizes the importance of location, as it can affect the amount of sun the pond is exposed to and the temperature of the pond. If you want to add fish, you will have to make sure the fish you plan on getting can tolerate the water temperatures in the container. The author packs a ton of information into relatively few pages. Some of that information may not pertain to what you want out of a pond or garden, so it can be overwhelming at times. For instance, I am not as inclined to keep fish in a pond. I am more interested in just growing water plants. I suggest taking breaks in-between chapters, and keeping a pen and notebook handy to jot down notes. Overall, The Tub Pond Handbook is an educational read that offers great insight into creating your own patio ponds. o Rosie Kean is a senior multiplatform journalism and English major at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is from Macungie, PA. This summer, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener. JUNE 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Events ~ June 16–July 15, 2018 • Every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday through June 30 DPR Garden Carpentry Series This course will teach participants basic carpentry and garden design skills. It will featrure instruction on proper technique for the use of hand and power tools, as well as an introduction to how to design and build a basic garden installation. Held at the Twin Oaks Community Garden, 14th and Taylor NW, WDC. Schedule: 6/18 - Beginning Carpentry Skills (Safety, Tools, and Materials) 6/20 - Advanced Carpentry Skills: Design 6/23 - Home Depot Tour 6/25 - Intro to Spoon Carving 6/27 - Building Pallet Park Benches 6/30 - Critter Proofing Register at: web1.vermontsystems. com/wbwsc/dcwashingtonwt.wsc/ search.html?module=AR&fmid=10813 752. • Tuesday, June 19, 10am–1pm Tomato Pruning Workshop The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is hosting a two-part tomato trellising and pruning workshop. This workshop series teaches participants how to trellis a long row of tomatoes (between 10 and 200 feet). Participants will learn how to trellis tomatoes to give them support and keep them productive by using the Florida Weave technique. The skills taught during the workshop series help plants maintain or increase productivity, as well as prevent disease and insect damage. Held at UDC Firebird Farm, 12001 Old Baltimore Pike, Beltsville, MD. This event is Free and open to the public. Register at www.eventbrite.com/o/udc-causes15554765473. • Tuesday, June 19, 10am—1pm Pollinator Party Join Smithsonian Gardens for their 4th annual celebration of National Pollinator Week. Enjoy the beauty of the Smithsonian Pollinator Garden, see pollination in action, and learn how to create your own pollinator-friendly habitat. 8

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This celebration of National Pollinator Week (June 18–24) will include fun, family-friendly activities staged throughout the garden. Visitors will also be able to take home a free 2018 Pollinator Week poster. • Wednesday, June 20, 7:30–9pm Successful and Sustainable Gardening in a Changing Climate The talk, hosted by the Takoma Horticultural Club, will first emphasize the scientific basis for climate change with facts that are easy to understand. It will then move on to a practical discussion of how we can modify gardening practices in light of climate changes we are experiencing in our area to will help us create a sustainable and successful garden that will also help the planet. Free. Held at Historic Takoma, 7328 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, MD. • Friday, June 22, 10:30–11:30am Guided Garden Tour at Tudor Place Like the historic 1816 mansion, Tudor Place’s grounds evolved over time. Join us for a guided tour of the property’s 5½-acre landscape. Hear the stories of the people who created and cared for the gardens for more than 200 years in this quiet retreat in bustling Georgetown. This outdoor program will take place rain or shine. Please dress for the weather! The gardens are open for selfguided tours during regular museum hours Tuesday through Sunday; admission $3. Guided tour is $10. Details at http://www.tudorplace.org. • Saturday, June 23, 10am–12n Herb Fest Kathy Jentz, editor of Washington Gardener Magazine, will host culinary herb talks and tastings with Mary-Denise Smith, food blogger and recipe tester for the Washington Post, at the 14th & Kennedy Streets Farmers Market in DC. Free and open to all. Rain or shine. • Saturday, June 23, 9am–12n Volunteer: Cherry Tree Pruning Join Casey Trees and the National Park Service for a special opportunity to prune the summer suckers of the historic cherry trees at the Tidal Basin.

Suckers are adventitious shoots that grow from a bud at the base of a tree or directly from its roots. Pruning these suckers allows for the tree to redirect its energy into growth within its canopy and produce those beautiful blooms and berries. Register at https://caseytrees.org/event/volunteer-cherry-treepruning/. • Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24, 12n–4pm Heritage Days 2018 A fun weekend exploring the Montgomery County, MD, heritage area. Visit 38 locations, including the Button Farm Living History Center, which has an heirloom garden, heritage breed farm animals, and slave cemetery. See the map at http://www.heritagemontgomery. org/events/heritage-days/. Free. • Monday, June 25, 7–8:30pm Resources for Gardening in DC What annual garden festivals are worth attending? Which public gardens fit your needs? What are the best places to shop? You will receive a special reference handout listing local gardening classes, shows, public gardens, web sites, garden books, and much more. This class is for people who are new to gardening and gardeners who are new to the DC metropolitan area to learn about the local gardening world and resources. Held at cove Dupont. Register at knowledgecommonsdc.org/classes/resources-gardening-dc/. Free. •Friday, June 29, 8am–5pm Slow Flowers Summit Called a “TED Talk for Flower Lovers,” the summit is a one-day lecture series for creative professionals, thought leaders, and pioneering voices in the progressive American-grown floral community. Designed to stimulate curiosity, examine conventional assumptions, and explore conscious and ethical practices in the floral industry, the summit agenda asks speakers and audience members alike to inquire, inform, include, instigate, and inspire. Held at Marriott Wardman Park, Washington, DC. See www.slowflowerssummit.com.

TOP AREA GARDENING EVENTS DC-Area Gardening Calendar ~ Events ~ June 16–July 15, 2018 • Saturday, June 30, 10am–12n Basic Pruning Techniques for Azaleas and Rhododendrons Learn to prune like a pro with this lecture and walk of the White Gardens, led by Peter Deahl of The Pruning School. Gain skills and insight into shaping and rejuvenating your azaleas to make them more beautiful and healthy. Learn how to care for and sharpen your pruning equipment. Bring gloves and pruners. Directions to the White Gardens will be emailed before class. $23/person. Register online at www.fairfaxcounty. gov/parks/parktakes using code 290 381 3701 or call 703-642-5173. • Saturday, June 30, 10am–12n Honeybees and Beekeeping Through the Year What do honeybees do in the winter? In the spring? For the whole year? And what do beekeepers do to keep bees thriving while periodically harvesting their honey? Join Christopher Lewis, an experienced beekeeper, as he answers these questions and more about the daily lives of bees. Held at Behnke Nurseries, 11300 Baltimore Ave, Beltsville MD. Free. Register at behnkes.com. • Monday, July 2. 1—2pm Tour: Medicinal and Poisonous Plants at the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) Many important medicines are derived from plants, but too much of a good thing can be dangerous. During a walking tour of the Conservatory, Beth Burrous, biochemist and USBG volunteer docent, will feature poisonous and medicinal plants growing at the USBG. She will talk about famous, interesting, and sometimes-fatal cases of poisoning by plants. You will also see and learn about plants used to make lifesaving medicines. Tour meets in the Conservatory Garden Court. Free. Preregistration is not required. See www.usbg.gov. • Saturday, July 7, 11am–12n Garden Talks: Good Gardens All Start with Good Soil Join Extension Master Gardener volunteers in the Glencarlyn Library Community Garden, 300 South Kensington Street, Arlington, VA, on the

first Saturday of each month to learn about a different sustainable gardening topic. The mission of the Glencarlyn Library Community Garden is to provide resources for Arlington residents to learn how to create gardens in both suburban and urban landscapes. The garden consists of many smaller spaces including herb, shade, sun, tropical, dry, container, and native gardens. Free. Questions? Call 703-228-6414 or email mgarlalex@gmail.com. • Tuesday, July 10, 8am - 2:30 pm Emerald Ash Borer Workshop Can biological control and pesticides be used together to battle the emerald ash borer? What is the prognosis for this devastating insect? What is the latest guidance on injection with pesticides? These and other questions will be answered at this workshop at the U.S. National Arboretum for landscape maintenance professionals; managers of parks, forests, and natural areas; and all those concerned about the impact of this invasive Asian beetle species. Fee: $10 ($8 FONA). Registration required at https://usna.usda.gov/. • Tuesday, July 10, 11am–12n Simpson Gardens Stroll Extension Master Gardener volunteers will be in the Simpson Park demonstration gardens, 420 East Monroe Avenue, Alexandria, VA, to answer questions and provide information about sustainable gardening. Simpson includes beds that feature waterwise gardening, scented plants, attracting pollinators, plants that prefer shade, and the use of structure and texture in the garden. Free. Questions? Call 703-228-6414 or email mgarlalex@gmail.com. • Wednesdays, July 11, 18, and 25, 11am Gardener’s Focus: Japanese-style Garden Join a knowledgeable tour guide at Hillwood Gardens for a behind-the-scenes look at the intricately manicured yet “naturally wild” Japanese-style garden. Fee included in suggested entry donation. See further details and event times at www.HillwoodMuseum.org.

Save These Future Dates • Thursday, July 26, 6:30–8pm Garden Book Club Summer 2018 Held at Soupergirl, right next to the Takoma metro stop. RSVP at facebook. com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine, The Washington Gardener Magazine’s Garden Book Club is free and open to all.

Still More Event Listings

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

How to Submit Local Garden Events

To submit an event for this listing, contact kathyjentz@gmail.com with “Event” in the subject line. Our next deadline is July 10 for the July 2018 issue, for events taking place July 16–August 15. o

Visit DCGardens.com for:

Photos of 16 Major Public Gardens shown in each month of the year 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

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Contact kathyjentz@gmail.com or call 301.588.6894 for ad rates. The ad deadline is the 10th of each month. Please submit your ad directly to: KathyJentz@gmail.com. JUNE 2018

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TIPStricks

8 Beautiful Blue Bulbs

Blue flowers are becoming more and more popular among gardeners. If you’re looking to add some more blue to your garden without changing too much around, simply plant some bulbs in the upcoming fall or winter. These bulbs can fit in-between perennials or shrubs, so there’s no need to disrupt your established plants. A few can even grow in shaded areas, such as underneath trees, according to iBulb. com. While these bulbs make a great addition to the garden, they can also be planted in pots. Many bulbs offer blue varieties, and here are iBulb’s top eight for you to choose from: Dwarf iris (Iris reticulata), Anemone (Anemone blanda), Hyacinth (Hyacinthus varieties), Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa varieties), Striped squill (Puschkinnia libanotica), Grape hyacinth (Muscari varieties), Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) and Crocuses. To plant your bulbs, make sure to remove any weeds first. Then, add some garden compost to the soil to improve drainage. Once the soil is ready, dig holes for individual or groups of bulbs. Large bulbs, which are 2 inches or larger in diameter, have to be planted 6 inches deep. Smaller bulbs can be planted to 3-4 inches deep. After digging the holes, gently place the bulbs pointed side up, cover with soil, and give them a quick watering if the soil was dry. That’s it—by the time spring rolls around, your garden will be teeming with beautiful blue flowers! o Mixed spring flower bulbs of blue and yellow. Photo courtesy of iBulb.com.

City Green Roof Benefits

In urban areas, it can be tough to scope out green spaces. The addition of green roofs, which are vegetative rooftops, on buildings can help solve this problem. Green roof technology and research is under-used in the U.S., but the roofs still offer many environmental benefits, especially in urban areas, according to the Soil Science Society of America. Because they contain many plants, the roofs help clean the air around them, which is increasingly important in most cities. They reduce a building’s energy use, and as a result, green roofs can mitigate the effects of urban heat islands. Cities tend to be 10 degrees warmer than their surrounding areas. In addition, green roofs can catch stormwater that would normally go into gutters and streets. This means that they can help reduce flooding. Green roofs can provide habitat for urban wildlife and offer a place to grow food, too. There are two types of green roofs: extensive and intensive. An extensive green roof contains shallow soil and more low-growing plants. They are more low-maintenance than intensive roofs, which can hold a lot more soil and plants. Intensive green roofs are capable of rooftop farming. “Research and innovation continues to expand the possibilities and benefits of urban greening with green roofs,” writes Dr. Mary Lusk, assistant professor of Urban Soil and Water Quality, University of Florida. o

6 Unexpected, Easy-toGrow Pollinator Plants

Growing a pollinator garden can be a very rewarding experience, according to Barbara Melera in Harvesting History’s “Seeding the Future” bulletin. She shares six unexpected, easy-to-grow pollinator plants you might consider including in your garden. • ‘Vanilla Ice’ Sunflowers grow to be 4 to 6 feet tall and produce several flowers with creamy yellow petals and dark, seedy centers. They will bloom in July through October. Melera recalls planting these sunflowers in an urban setting with no birds and just a few insects. After the flowers started blooming, up to 10 Goldfinches would show up every day to visit the flowers. • Melera calls Borage a “super pollinator plant.” The herb sports blue flowers, which honeybees and butterflies love. A Borage plant is 2 to 3 feet big and should be planted in spring, once there is no longer a threat of frost. Once planted, the plant will reseed each year. • Hyssop is another great pollinator plant. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies will all flock to this herb. Hyssop should be planted as soon as the ground is workable in spring. • Monarch and Black Swallowtail butterflies love Fennel. Like Borage, plant this herb in spring once there is no danger of frost. Keep the ground consistently moist until germination. Beware, though—some plants don’t like having fennel near them, such as bush beans, tomatoes, and caraway. • Thyme is another herb and excellent pollinator plant. It attracts droves of honeybees. Begin growing thyme indoors 6 weeks before the last frost. Transplant it 6 inches deep. • Baptista, a perennial shrub, is especially attractive to bumblebees and mining bees, according to Melera. Plant Baptista in the spring when there is no danger of frost. For best results, score and soak the seeds for 12 to 24 hours before planting. Baptista grows best in stony soil with full sun. Choose their location wisely before planting because they do not transplant well. o Tips column compiled by Rosie Kean, a senior journalism and English major at the University of Maryland, College Park.

WASHINGTON GARDENER JUNE 2018

GARDENnews

Quick Links to Washington Gardener Blog Posts • Bloom Day Bliss • Meet the Summer 2018 Interns • Rain-fueled Weeds and Harvest Bounty • Cucumber Babies See more Washington Gardener blog posts at: WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com o

June–July Garden To-Do List

New Plant Spotlight

Rudbeckia ‘Glitters Like Gold’ PPAF A new Black-Eyed Susan hits the market this year, from Intrinsic Introduction (intrinsicperennialgardens.com). The robust ‘Glitters Like Gold’ reaches 36 inches in height, with a full habit, heavy bloom and deep-yellow, threeinch flowers starting in late July through September. Foliage is thinner and hairy, giving this plant excellent resistance to Septoria, the fungus that affects ‘Goldsturm’. ‘Glitters Like Gold’ makes a great substitute. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil is best. No pinching is necessary. Cut back in late winter. Perfect for massing in the landscape. It is a pollinator favorite. o

Photo courtesy of Intrinsic Introductions.

• Direct-sow annual flower and vegetable seeds. • Water newly planted trees and shrubs weekly or as needed. • Contact a Certified Arborist to have your trees’ health inspected. • Check on your container plants daily and keep them well-watered. • Watch for insect and disease problems throughout your garden. • Mow in the early evening and cut off no more than one-third of the grass height at one time. Leave clippings on the ground to provide nutrients. • Add barley straw (in a bale or ball) to your pond to improve water clarity. • Take cuttings from azaleas and roses to start new plants. • Harvest herbs to use in salads and summer dishes. • Try a few new tropical plants on your patio. • Shape your evergreens and hedges. • Look for slug trails in the early morning and put out slug bait as needed. • Tie-up climbing roses and other wandering vines. • Fill in bare spots in the garden with annuals. • Deadhead spent flowers to encourage reblooming. • Prune flowering shrubs as their flowers fade. Last chance to do so for fallblooming camellias. • Spray roses with Neem oil every two weeks. • Start a sunflower patch with help from a few kids. • Harvest strawberry beds daily. • Cut a few flowers to enjoy at your workplace. • This is the perfect time to apply grub control. • Change the water in your birdbath daily and throw a Mosquito Dunk (or bits) into any standing water. • Put in supports for tomatoes and tall-blooming plants such as dahlias. • Order spring-flowering bulbs to arrive for planting this fall. • Take photos and update your garden journal. • Inspect your garden hose for leaks and tighten all connections. • Weed. • Sow beets, beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash for fall harvest. • Prune boxwoods. • Sharpen your lawnmower blade. • Avoid using pesticides or any chemicals near your water garden. • Make hummingbird food by boiling 2 cups sugar in 4 cups of water. • Turn your compost pile. • Clean up fallen fruit and berries. • Cover berry bushes and fruit trees with bird netting. • Dig up garlic when the tops turn brown. Let dry in the sun, then store. • Fertilize your azaleas and rhododendrons, and monitor them closely for any lacebug damage. • Sow heat-tolerant greens like Swiss Chard and mustard greens in part- shade. • As the heat and humidity move in, take it easy by working in the morning or early evening to avoid intense sun and humidity. Leave the big projects for this fall. For now, concentrate on maintaining the beds you’ve already established and nurturing your new plantings. o JUNE 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

HORThaenings

Shepherd Park Tour

Herb Talks and Tastes at Local Farmers Markets

Washington Gardener editor Kathy Jentz, along with food blogger and recipe tester Mary-Denise Smith, hosted Herb Talks and Tastings at the Takoma Park Farmers Market on May 20. Attendees were able to taste a variety of herbs and recipes, as well as learn about planting their own herbs. Recipes from local chefs were also given out during the event, and the hosts partnered with Old Takoma Ace hardware to provide a free basil planting station. They will be hosting another Herb Talk and Tasting on Saturday, June 23, from 10am–12noon at the 14th and Kennedy Farmers Market. The event is free and open to all.

Georgetown Garden Tour

On Saturday, May 12, the Georgetown Garden Tour featured eight beautiful hidden gardens, five of which are featured in the Gardens of Georgetown book. Included on the tour for the first time was a house built in 1788, designed by William Thornton, architect of the U.S. Capitol. Also on the tour was a farm house dating from 1800. Perennials and peonies on the front door path led to a beautiful rose-covered lattice. In back of the house was a swimming pool surrounded by lush plantings. The rear brick enclosed garden features a centered fountain. Features of the garden include roses, a golden chain tree, and bamboo and pear trees that frame an all-white color scheme. 12

WASHINGTON GARDENER JUNE 2018

Smithsonian “Swing Into Victory” Garden Party

The Smithsonian “Swing Into Victory” Garden Party was held on May 18 to commemorate the food gardens of World War II. The event featured live music, swing dancing, canning demonstrations, and food inspired by the time period. Victory garden cookbooks were available to browse, and attendees could also learn how to grow vegetables with food scraps and items commonly thrown away in the kitchen. The party also had a display of vintage gardening tools, which guests could examine while they listened to a seasoned horticulturist explain how to grow heirloom crops. Smithsonian Libraries and Smithsonian Gardens have also partnered to create an exhibition of the history of American gardens, from colonial times through today. The exhibition is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History through August 2018.

Garden Photo Show

The 12th annual Washington Gardener Magazine Photo Contest Reception was held on Saturday, June 3, at Meadlowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. Of more than 200 photos submitted from 25 different entrants, 17 winning photographs were chosen and showcased on the wall for visitors and guests to admire. Photo categories included garden views, garden vignettes, garden creatures, and small wonders. All photos were taken in the greater Washington, DC, area; many in local gardens or in backyards. Several photographers came to answer questions and explain how they took their winning shots. The art show will be on public display at the Meadlowlark Botanical Gardens until July 30.

The Shepherd Park Citizen Association (SPCA) held its annual Spring Garden Tour on May 20. The self-guided walking tour allowed patrons to visit various home gardens in Shepherd Park, Colonial Village, and North Portal Estates. With gardens of various sizes and styles showcased, tourists could find inspiration for their own homes. The tour’s proceeds will help fund other SPCA projects in the neighborhood.

Dinner Under the Stars

On Wednesday, June 6, the Friends of the National Arboretum’s (FONA) 24th annual Dinner Under the Stars was held at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC. More than 625 attendees gathered on the Capitol Columns Meadow to celebrate the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and enjoy cocktails, a raw bar, and live music. Several VIP guests were honored for their work in the field of agriculture. FONA provides direct financial support to the National Arboretum and funding for public programs and initiatives such as the “Full Moon Hikes” and the Capitol Columns. The U.S. National Arboretum is one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s premiere research and education facilities. o This issue’s “HortHappenings” were compiled by Rosie Kean and Racquel Royer. Both are editorial interns at Washington Gardener. See photos from events listed here, as well as many more photo albums of recent local garden events attended by our staff, at the Washington Gardener Facebook Page: facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine. Recent albums include pictorials from the Garden Conservancy Open Days. Click on the PHOTOS tab, then select from the ALBUMS listed.

DAYtrip

U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser/Arlington National Cemetery.

Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Arboretum

By Cheval Force Opp If you live in the Washington, DC, area, you have driven, Metro-ed, biked, or walked by the Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). The 624 acres spread over a high ridgeline give visitors skyline views of the city and the Potomac River. It is a busy place, with many of the more than 3 million yearly visitors attending funerals or visiting graves or the columbarium of family or friends. The trees shading the more than 400,000 dead comprise the Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Arboretum, with more than 8,800 native and exotic trees that include 370 species and varieties. Adorning 12 acres of ridgeline like a tiara is the first example of Greek revival architecture built in America, Arlington House. The Doric-columned, 19th-century mansion was constructed to grace the 1,100-acre forested estate owned by George Washington’s adopted grandson, George Washington Parke Custis, and his wife, Mary Lee Fitzhugh. Custis’s daughter married Robert E. Lee during his service in the U.S. Army, giving Arlington House the additional title of the Custis-Lee Mansion. A walk behind the mansion reveals a venerable Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara). Its 100+ years’ age is docu-

mented using an 1874 picture where it can be seen just beginning its life as a potted seedling. On hot days, visitors linger under its lofty green cloud. It is likely that the shade cast by this Civil War survivor saved it and other large trees. Most of the trees in the forested, parklike property were cleared for army tent encampments or felled for firewood, but large trees casting shade would have been at a premium in the hot summers. Today, Arlington House is a memorial to Robert E. Lee run by the National Park Service. It’s interesting to note that Arlington County took its name from this estate. Arlington National Cemetery surrounds Arlington House and is under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Army. To commemorate ANC’s 150th anniversary in 2014, the Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Arboretum was established. The arboretum boasts one of the more notable urban old tree collections in the MidAtlantic region, with 600 trees estimated to be more than 100 years old and several over 200.

The Bad, the Big, and the Giant Dwarf The ANC staff made a surprise announcement this year. In January,

they registered a new state cochampion Dwarf Hackberry growing in Section 8. Greg Huse, ANC urban forester and Memorial Arboretum manager, introduces this 130–150 year-old ancient find in a Youtube video on the ANC’s channel that gives a view of the tree as a delighted Huse shares information about it. Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) is a small tree or shrub in the Elm family that grows 3 to 12 feet tall, making it a comfortable size for a small yard. Native to Virginia, it has many branches and stiff twigs. The smooth gray bark becomes ridged and knotted as the plant ages. The round fruit is orangebrown with a sweet outer layer (yes, you and the birds can eat it) surrounding a single seed. Do you have a champion in your yard? As demonstrated by the Dwarf Hackberry, a champion is not always the biggest tree in the yard. Big-tree hunters become experts in tree identification no matter the size. Champions are measured by height, circumference, and spread to determine their total point calculation. Co-champions are named when two trees have total scores within five points of each other. If you know of a tree bigger than any JUNE 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

DAYtrip The information on the tree labels includes the scientific name, common name, family, and native range of the tree. Homeowners thinking about a new tree can learn a lot from seeing a specific tree fully grown.

Medal of Honor and Memorial Trees

The ANC co-champion Pin Oak in summer. U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser/Arlington National Cemetery.

other like it, you can register it with the National Big Tree Program for champion status. Last year, Virginia big-tree hunters were champions at finding big trees with 21 new trees—the most of any state. The other champion trees at ANC are the State Champion Royal Paulownia, State Co-Champion Sawtooth Oak, State Champion Yellowwood, and State Co-Champion Pin Oak. The Royal Paulownia, also known as the Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa), has a circumference of 213 inches, is 57 feet high, and has an average crown spread of 64 feet. Because this purpleblooming tree is considered invasive, the Arlington staff take special care to prevent this dowager from spreading seeds and suckers or taking hold anywhere else in the cemetery. The State Co-Champion Sawtooth Oak (Quercus acutissima) has a circumference of 156 inches, is 55 feet high, and has an average crown spread of 84 feet. This giant, like others of its species, produces bumper crops of acorns, which attract wildlife like deer and turkeys. Its dark, lustrous green leaves turn yellow in the fall. Its widespreading limbs make it a smart choice for yard shade. The ANC Champion Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) is near the Memorial Amphitheater and is believed to have been planted around 1890. Yellowwood trees have smooth bark, are medium- to large-sized, 30–50 feet high, with green foliage that turns 14

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bright yellow in the fall. Spring blooms are large, hanging clusters of fragrant white flowers that resemble wisteria. Tree lovers agree the Yellowwood should be planted more. If you live in Arlington, VA, and want to plant this tree or other favorites, check out the Arlington Tree Canopy Fund for financial support. The Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) is a Co-Champion. The name Pin Oak comes from its short, tough branchlets along the branches and limbs. Its tolerance for wet conditions is recognized in its regional names: Swamp Oak, Water Oak, and Swamp Spanish Oak. It is cited as the fastest-growing variety of oak with strong wood; dense shade; tolerance of many soil conditions, heat, soil compaction, and air pollution; freedom from most pests; attractive in all seasons; and easy to plant.

Up Close and Personal

The Arboretum staff host periodic tours that showcase the ANC turf and grounds maintenance, landscaping techniques, and urban forestry program and include stops at champion trees. In April 2015, the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum awarded the Arboretum with a Level II accreditation. In anticipation of a Level III accreditation, a self-tour of the trees using a cell phone app is being developed. The tour incorporates the existing tree labels, which help visitors identify the trees as they explore the grounds of the cemetery.

There are 36 “Medal of Honor” trees in the ANC, living tributes to the nation’s Medal of Honor recipients. Each tree is a descendant of a historic tree. The label for a Medal of Honor tree includes an identification number that corresponds to the website listing. A map of tree locations and a description like this one can be viewed and printed out from the ANC website: “TREE #12, Section 13, near gravesite MG-80: Abe Lincoln Overcup Oak In 1861, Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States and served during the Civil War, arguably the most divisive time in American history. Lincoln is credited with preserving the union of the United States. This tree is [a descendant] of the oak that shaded the Hardin County, KY, home where Lincoln was born.” The arboretum also includes a collection of “Memorial Trees.” These trees serve as living memorials, commemorating military units and battles, veterans, and families. A list of these trees can be viewed and printed out from the ANC website. Huse and his team plant about 250 new trees every year, with Huse choosing the species and sites. One of these trees, a potentially blight-resistant American Chestnut tree, was planted by the Lancaster family to honor Robert William Lancaster CDR USN (Ret.). The hardwood forest of towering Chestnut trees in the Appalachians was decimated in the 1900s by an airborne bark fungus that spread 50 miles a year, killing up to 3 billion American Chestnut trees. A sophisticated breeding program for blight resistance creates an intercross hybrid of Chinese and American Chestnuts, which is hoped to provide future Chestnut trees.

Best Time to Plant a Tree The Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Arboretum is the perfect way

DAYtrip to explore trees while enjoying diorama views of the Potomac, city skyline, and memorials in the ANC. If you are planning a new tree, the arboretum is a showcase of mature trees. The tree collection inventory on the ANC website provides an alphabetic listing by species and includes the different cultivars and varieties. Trees help clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and provide habitat to over 80% of the world’s biodiversity. Trees are so life-giving that every state has organizations that will provide funds and or trees for home planting. What are you waiting for? As an old Chinese proverb advises, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”

Upcoming ANC Events

Arlington National Cemetery will host a guided walking tour of its Horticulture Program on June 20 from 8:30–11am. Steve Van Hoven, ANC’s urban forester and horticulture division chief, will provide on-site discussions that showcase Arlington’s turf and grounds maintenance, landscaping techniques, and urban forestry program. Participants will also get to see and learn more about its two state champion trees. The tour will start at the Arlington National Cemetery Welcome Center (meet in the center of the building near the information desk). The tour is free, but reservations are required. Register online at http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/ News/Events by June 19 or call 703614-1091.

The Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Arboretum provides information labels for trees. Most aggravating to the staff is that resident squirrels love to chew on them.

to general information, and the ability to save searched burial records to a mobile device. Download the free app to your mobile device using the App Store or Google Play. The app is also available for public use on kiosks at the cemetery. The first stop on a trip to the cemetery should include the Welcome Center, located by the cemetery entrance, where maps, exhibits, information services (to include grave locations), a bookstore, water fountains, and restrooms can be found. The cemetery does not provide wheelchairs or strollers; if you require these, you will need to bring your own. Arlington National Cemetery is located across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, at the end of Memorial Avenue, the parkway that extends from Memorial Bridge, near the Lincoln Memorial. Along this park-

way is the rotary intersection with the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway. Arlington is accessible from the major roadways in the DC area such as Interstate 95, the Capital Beltway (I-495), the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the BaltimoreWashington Parkway (I-295). The cemetery is also a stop on the Metrorail system and Metrobus; each is a short walk to the gates of Arlington. o Cheval Force Opp gardens in Dunn Loring, VA, where she lives with her husband Dana and corgi Marzipan. As a passionate garden tourist, she is always searching for new gardens to visit. Let her know if you have a favorite garden to share at gardentours@gmail.com. Thanks to Greg Huse, ANC urban forester, who hosted the tour of the Arboretum, answered questions for this article, and shepherded it through the ANC staff.

Despite a top torn away by an 1896 hurricane, this grand Deodar Cedar (planted in 1874) endures, shading Arlington House visitors still today. Photo by Cheval Force Opp.

Visiting the Memorial Arboretum at Arlington National Cemetery

The Arlington Memorial Cemetery Arboretum is open every day of the year, from 8am–7pm April-September, 8am–5pm October to March. See: www.arlingtoncemetery.mil for more details. Arlington National Cemetery’s app, ANC Explorer, enables families, visitors, and the public to locate gravesites, events, or other points of interest throughout the cemetery; view frontand-back headstone photos and points of interest; and receive directions to these locations. The latest version also includes self-guided tours, easy access JUNE 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

EDIBLEharvt Photo of ‘Sayamusume’ edamame courtesy of Renee’s Garden.

Edamame: Edible Soybeans by Elizabeth Olson Are they soybeans or edamame? They are the same species. However, the key difference for gardeners is that the cultivars used for edamame have been developed for their immature beans, which are especially tasty and tender. Plump, smooth, oval-shaped beans are produced two to four in a hairy pod, with many pods on the vigorous, prolific plants. The beans are very nutritious and a source of protein, dietary fiber, calcium, and iron, as well as Vitamins A and C.

Growing and Harvesting

Edamame is an annual vegetable that is increasingly popular. This has led to the development of modern cultivars that have both better flavor and improved performance in many areas of the country, including the Mid-Atlantic growing region. Edamame belongs to the Fabaceae plant family, which also includes peas and beans. Its scientific name is Glycine max. The plants have cultural requirements similar to those for growing bush beans. They are started from seed and 16

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need full sun, adequate moisture, and thoroughly warm, slightly acidic, fertile soil that drains well. Seeds should be planted according to package directions. Seedlings need to be thinned to 6 to 12 inches apart as they grow, in rows 24 to 30 inches apart. The plants can be situated on a staggered grid to aid in good air circulation, and should not be handled when wet. A soaker hose is a good choice to use for supplementing rainfall, and the garden patch should be kept mulched and weed-free. An organic vegetable fertilizer can be used to fertilize the plants. The unobtrusive pea-like flowers are self-pollinating, although they can provide nectar to pollinators such as honey bees when summers are long and hot. Edamame plants can be protected from flying pests by being grown under pest-exclusion netting or covered with a floating row cover and checked regularly. Gardeners with groundhog problems should consider fencing the edamame patch. Mature plants range in height from about 2 to 4 feet, depending on the cultivar, and they

benefit from some support. Edamame beans tend to reach optimum size for harvesting within a short time frame on each plant. Gardeners can use relay planting—staggering the planting times—to provide for an extended harvest season. Another option is to plant cultivars that have different maturity dates. Harvesting can begin about four to five weeks after the plants start to flower. Pods should be picked carefully before they are fully mature. In general, this is after the beans swell, but before the pods start to change color from green to yellow. Alternatively, if the majority of the pods are ready to pick, the entire plant can be harvested. The best times of day to harvest are in the early evening and early in the morning after any dew has dried. Best quality is retained when the pods are consumed within one day after harvesting, although they can be stored in the refrigerator for two to three days. Extra beans can be preserved by freezing them after they are blanched, shocked, and shelled.

EDIBLEharvt

Culinary Uses

The most popular ways to prepare the beans are to: 1) Steam whole pods in a steamer basket above boiling salted or unsalted water for 5–7 minutes, or 2) Boil whole pods in salted water for 3–5 minutes. The cooked beans can then be removed from the pods and the shells discarded. Some gardener cooks prefer to shock the pods in ice water before shelling the beans. A common way of eating edamame beans is to pop open one cooked pod, scoot the beans directly into the mouth, discard the pod, and repeat. Edamame beans are a traditional snack for accompanying beer. Chef Nicole Monroe of Platinum Platters & Garnishes in the Washington, DC, area values the nutty flavor, firm texture, and high nutritional value of edamame beans. She says that “edamame beans are delicious hot or cold” and she incorporates them into soups and salads. Her culinary arts students are instructed to watch the cooking time: “Don’t overcook edamame. It adversely affects the texture and flavor,” she says. For a simple side dish, Chef Monroe recommends blanching edamame pods, then shocking and draining them, then shelling the beans. The beans should then be sautéed until tender in either olive oil or butter and garlic, then seasoned to taste with salt and pepper when finishing the prepared dish.

Photo of ‘Midori Giant’ edamame courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

still should have some support to help them cope with thunderstorms. • ‘Lanco’ An heirloom from Pennsylvania. 85 to 90 days to maturity. This is the tallest-growing cultivar in this list. It grows from 3 to 4 feet tall. ‘Lanco’ also differs from the other cultivars because the optimum maturity level for harvesting the beans is timed for when the tops of the plants start to turn yellow: While the beans are large and the bot-

tom of each pod swells, the pods do not fill out to their ends. • ‘Sayamusume’ OP. 75 to 85 days to maturity. The pods are long and often produce three to four large beans each. The plants grow to about 2 feet tall. Seeds for one or more of these cultivars are offered by the following seed companies: ~ Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds at RareSeeds.com ~ Burpee.com ~ Fedco.com ~ KitazawaSeed.com ~ NicholsGardenNursery.com ~ ReneesGarden.com ~ SouthernExposure.com ~ TerritorialSeed.com Edamame beans will provide gardener cooks with many fresh, tasty snacks, and healthful ingredients for meals at the end of summer and into autumn. Surplus edamame beans that are frozen can extend these treats throughout the winter. o Elizabeth Olson is a Maryland Certified Professional Horticulturist. She is also an avid home gardener who is fascinated by the plants that she grows. She can be contacted through Washington Gardener magazine.

Y ou Can Make a Difference. . . by

Sharing Your Harvest

Cultivars and Sources

Edamame cultivars that are bestadapted for the Mid-Atlantic growing region are listed below. Some garden centers may offer seedlings in spring, but the best cultivar selection is from seed companies. The seeds may be offered as either edamame or as soybeans. • ‘Chiba’/‘Chiba Green’ Open-pollinated (OP). At 70 to 80 days to maturity, this is the earliest-maturing cultivar listed here. The beans are large and the upright plants grow to about 2 feet tall. • ‘Midori’/‘Midori Giant’ OP. 80 to 85 days to maturity. The beans are extra-large and fill the pods. The plants grow to about 2 feet tall. Although the plants are sturdy, they

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. JUNE 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

Four Seasons of Floral Design

Spring

By Debra Prinzing The desire to reflect the changing seasons of Maryland through local flowers began when Kelly Shore began shopping at her local farmers’ market several years ago. She was enchanted by the unique, fresh, just-picked flowers on offer and struck up friendships with the vendors, becoming a regular customer at the Olney Farmers & Artists Market, in Olney, MD. Having started her career at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus flower shop in 2000, Shore later worked in retail and freelanced as a wedding and event floral designer, while her boyfriend (now husband, Joe Shore) was deployed in Iraq. She and Joe moved to the Washington, DC, area in 2010, where she expected to put her Education MA to work as a teacher. But classroom positions were hard to find, so she returned to floristry, not realizing it would 18

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Summer

become her lifelong profession. “I had Farm to Bouquet written off floral design; I didn’t have my Hungry for fresh botanicals unique to license and all my supplies were still in the region, Shore isn’t likely to purchase storage,” Shore admits. “I flowers that she hasn’t had never even been to a first inspected personally. wholesaler in Baltimore.” “I don’t trust anything to Yet when a friend asked be delivered to me. I’m a her to design her wedding very visual person and I arrangements, Shore’s flolike going to the flowers.” ral future was cemented. She praises Potomac Floral She embraced a new Wholesale’s efforts over floral design model, one the past several years in that fit her lifestyle while boosting its inventory of raising young children and locally grown and Ameriworking from a home stucan-grown flowers. “They dio rather than being tied have an amazing selection to retail hours. from growers I don’t even Today, Petals by the Kelly Shore. Taken by Sarah. know about—and my reps Shore (www.petalsbyare amazing. They work theshore.com) serves wedding clients in hard for me.” Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, and This attitude has also deepened her Pennsylvania, a densely-populated area relationships with local farmers, includthat, Shore says, “everybody seems to ing Plant Masters’ Leon and Carol come back to when they get married.” Carrier, who produce a wide variety of

SPECIALfeature

Fall

annuals, perennials, foliages, flowering bulbs, succulent plants, and ornamental branches, nearly year ‘round. “At first, I thought I could just buy flowers from them and a few other local growers at the farmers’ market; I didn’t know I could actually go to their farms,” Shore recalls. Visits to Plant Masters in Laytonsville, MD, (Shore’s favorite dahlia source), as well as to M & M Plants in Comus, MD, are common during wedding season. Shore also spent time walking through greenhouses and fields with Dave Dowling, a former Maryland cut flower farmer who now markets wholesale flower bulbs and serves as board president of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. Through these relationships, Shore began to realize the incredible diversity of product available within minutes of her studio. “The new floral movement—especially the one embracing local and American-grown flowers and the relationships cultivated between the

Winter

farmers and the floral designers—has changed my world,” she says. And while many shops and designers source locally at the peak of season, when ephemeral or heirloom varieties are easier to find than during January or February, Shore suspected there was a way to be local in all four seasons. It was after learning more about the Slow Flowers movement, that Shore asked herself, “What would happen if I made a bouquet in every season on someone’s farm?” The resulting imagery involved contributions from a vintage prop rental vendor, caterers, jewelers, and bridal boutiques—all staged and photographed at the Plant Masters cut flower farms by Shore to tell the story of a maturing romance throughout the year. o Debra Prinzing is an award-winning author, speaker, and leading advocate for Americangrown flowers. She is the creator of Slowflowers.com.

Kelly Shore of Petals by the Shore takes year-round inspiration from the greenhouses and fields near her Maryland studio. Seasonal floral photos by: Audra Wrisley, Joy Michelle, and Kirsten Smith.

On Friday, June 29, Shore is co-presenting with Mary Kate Kinnane of The Local Bouquet (based in Little Compton, RI) on the topic of “A Year of Local Flowers” at the Slow Flowers Summit (www.slowflowerssummit.com) in Washington, DC. The two designers reveal their strategies to develop local flower sources and farm partners. Shore and Kinnane have cultivated successful wedding and event studios by showcasing regional and domestic botanicals. Learn how this approach has built their brands and watch them design wedding florals showcasing seasonal blooms of the moment. JUNE 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

NEIGHBORnwork

Meet Dumbarton’s New Director of Gardens: Jonathan Kavalier By Racquel Royer

Responses edited for length and clarity.

WASHINGTON GARDENER JUNE 2018

NEIGHBORnwork Jonathan Kavalier was previously a horticulturist at Smithsonian Gardens and most recently a management and program analyst with the Architect of the Capitol. We caught up with him recently and spoke to him about his new role as the director of gardens and grounds at Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, Washington, DC. What led you to Dumbarton Oaks and what does your new position include? I’m responsible for about 16 acres of property, which is all of the Dumbarton Oaks green space. About 10 acres are the original Farrand-designed gardens that are open to the public. I’m responsible for day-to-day operations, and also the long term strategic planning of the garden. I just started in March. I came on board to take over from Gail Griffin, who retired after 21 years, so I’m still learning the ropes. I was led to Dumbarton Oaks because I really missed horticulture and working in the public garden. Can you tell us a little about the history of Dumbarton Oaks? The house was built in 1801, but gained significance in 1921 when Robert and Mildred Bliss purchased the property and hired Beatrix Farrand to design the gardens. It’s significant because Beatrix Farrand was the only woman among the founders of the American Society of Landscape Architects and one of the most-prominent American landscape architects. She designed a number of gardens like the White House Rose Garden, and the New York Rose Botanical Garden, and did a lot of private work as well for people like the Rockefellers. Dumbarton Oaks is perhaps her mostintact surviving garden. Much has been redone or lost, but Dumbarton Oaks has been able to largely maintain her work. Dumbarton Oaks is Harvard-affiliated. We host fellows and scholars, and we house pre-Colombian and Byzantine art collections, as well as a collection of rare books. What is a typical workday look like? I have a staff of 11. We break ourselves up into several crews of gardeners. We also have a greenhouse specialist

and an integrative pest specialist. We all begin at 7:00am together. We have a startup meeting to talk about any urgent things or plans for the week so we can coordinate and help each other out. We have three crews of three people on each crew, maintaining different parts of the garden. There is a lot of teamwork, things where multiple crews are meeting together, maintaining, and making improvements. A lot involves timeconsuming research to figure out what was the original intent of this space, and what we can do to bring it back to its original design intent. I can be dealing with problems from a fountain not working or maintenance things like that, but for the most part we’re systematically maintaining and making improvements. What is your favorite part of your job? I’ve only been here three months, but I would say the people. The garden staff here is really fabulous. Some of the gardeners, crew leaders, and specialists have been here for 30 years. There is a tremendous amount of pride taken in the work done here, and a tremendous amount of passion. It’s very visible to see the pride. It’s been really fun to get to know them and work with them. Even outside, I would say the Dumbarton Oaks community is fantastic. We have people just as passionate about their work, whether Byzantine studies or pre-Colombian—there is a very open and collegial atmosphere here. Also, there is so much history to explore in these gardens. That has been one of my favorite things: learning more about why things were done in a certain way. I think Farrand was a masterful designer and really has created several distinct spaces in these gardens that are just awe-inspiring. What mistakes and triumphs have you encountered in your work? I haven’t made any mistakes yet, but I’m sure if you give me enough time, I will! I think the triumphs are that there were big things taking place when I got here. The garden was closed for nine months and was just about to reopen when I came on board. For the capital improvement project,

the stormwater project, there were three goals. 1: We needed to increase water supply, replacing aging 100-yearold pipes. 2: Retrofit some of the fountains. We have about 12 fountains and pools. 3: Try to better manage stormwater run-off. We’re on a hill. A lot of the water that washes down that hill moves a lot of soil, so we want to capture that. There are always going to be scars with a project like that. The challenge is to heal scars, put the garden back together, and restore the garden. We were successful in working with a contractor, but also the diligence and hard work of our staff, to improve and fix things and to make every plant in the garden look its best and be its best. Another big triumph, we had to remove a very old white oak tree that was structurally unsound. It was sad to see a 200-year-old white oak be removed, but the triumph is that we also have been busily planting trees this spring. The garden is working together to plant over 38 trees on the property and there are more planned for fall. We’re making sure we’re replacing trees. What advice would you give to local, beginner gardeners? I encourage experimentation. People are so scared of failure in gardening. I see people make safe choices, whether in plant selections or in their designs, and I think people should be open to experimenting and trying new things. There is such a great gardening community here and so many public gardens, both federal and private-public; so many opportunities to see wonderful gardens and talk with knowledgeable staff. You can learn so much. Get out and visit gardens, talk to gardeners. I’m enamored of tropical plants and I like the idea of zone testing and growing things that may not be completely hardy, but I love pushing boundaries. If you’ve never killed an orchid before, or a particular plant, you haven’t been growing enough! o Racquel Royer is a senior studying broadcast journalism in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is from Tampa. FL. This summer, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener. JUNE 2018

WASHINGTON GARDENER

PLANTprofile

Pink Muhly Grass By Kathy Jentz

Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is a tough, native, ornamental grass that is topped in late summer and fall with fluffy plumes of cotton-candy pink. It is airy and beautiful. You cannot resist brushing your hands through it as you walk by. It grows to about 3 feet high and wide. Pink Muhly makes a great border or edge plant. It combines well with the pink-flowering forms of Echinacea, Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, and other ornamental grasses. It is native to the southern United States and Mexico. The genus (Muhlenbergia) contains more than 150 species, but only a few are commercially available. It prefers full sun (6–8 hours), but can tolerate part-sun. It grow best in welldrained soils, so place it on a slope and amend clay soil well with compost for best results. This grass can tolerate drought conditions, high heat, humidity, and nutrientpoor soils. Pink Muhly is disease- and pest-resistant. The only maintenance needed is to prune it back to about 1 foot high in late winter/very early spring. Divide the plant every three years or so to keep it from flopping over and to encourage flowering. Monrovia has a variety called Plumetastic® in its plant line that has plumes that emerge 3 to 5 weeks later than the widely available ‘Regal Mist’. There is also a white version called ‘White Cloud’ that is equally as stunning and traffic-stopping. o Kathy Jentz is editor of Washington Gardener and is loving her small patch of Pink Muhly grass at her sidewalk edge.

WASHINGTON GARDENER JUNE 2018

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