Gardenergardenerthe Magazine of the American Horticultural Society May / June 2009

Home , A Place to Sit, Campanula (horse), Carex buchananii, Carex cherokeensis, Carex elata, Halimium

TheThe AmericanAmerican

GARDENERGARDENERThe Magazine of the American Horticultural Society May / June 2009

Water-Thrifty Rockroses Versatile Sedges for American Gardens Betsy Clebsch: First Lady of Salvias

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FEATURES DEPARTMENTS

5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM 6 MEMBERS’ FORUM 8 NEWS FROM AHS New green roof for Green Garage® at River Farm, winners of the AHS Environmental Award at Philadelphia and other flower shows, new signs for André Bluemel Meadow at River Farm, grant supports youth programs internship, upcoming webinars for members, learn sustainable techniques during new Garden School in June, details about Community Green at River Farm.

14 AHS NEWS SPECIAL: 2009 NATIONAL CHILDREN & YOUTH GARDEN SYMPOSIUM Get a preview of this year’s event, hosted by Cleveland Botanical Garden.

pagepage 1818 40 ONE ON ONE WITH… Panayoti Kelaidis, plant explorer. CAREX FOR AMERICAN GARDENS 18 BY PAUL CAPPIELLO 42 HOMEGROWN HARVEST These grasslike ornamentals offer a wide range of textures and Salsa peppers. colors in sunny and shady garden sites. page 42 44 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK White House installs kitchen garden, new GARDEN BENCHES BY VIRGINIA SMALL 24 GroGood campaign to feed the needy, latest A well-chosen bench provides much more than a place to sit. discoveries about what’s causing honeybee disappearances, vote for America’s favorite 30 FIRST LADY OF SALVIAS annual this summer, the best bellflowers for BY CAROLE OTTESEN northern gardens, factors for predicting invasive potential of introduced plants, fish The unruly genus Salvia emulsion shows promise as fungicide. found an unlikely but passionate champion in 48 GREEN GARAGE® Betsy Clebsch. Weed control options.

ROCKROSES 52 BOOK REVIEWS 35 Home Outside, Sunﬂowers, and Trees for All BY NEIL BELL Seasons. For gardens in summer-dry Special focus: Edible gardening books. climates, rockroses are hard to beat for drought tolerance, 56 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS fragrance, and colorful flowers. 60 HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES AND PRONUNCIATIONS pagepage 3535 62 PLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT Alabama croton (Croton alabamensis). ON THE COVER: A well-placed bench provides the perfect spot to enjoy the beauty of a garden in full

TOP: ROB CARDILLO. BOTTOM: JOSHUA MCCULLOUGH. FAR RIGHT: COURTESY OF TOMATO GROWERS SUPPLY COMPANY summer bloom. Photograph by Mark Turner

May / June 2009 3 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 7931 East Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 (800) 777-7931 fax (703) 768-8700 www.ahs.org Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens

American Horticultural Society President’s Council

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tom Underwood CHAMPION’S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Kulp, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Board of Directors Rissetto, Esq. ■ Mr. and Mrs. W. Bruce Usrey CHAIR Susie Usrey Dayton, Oregon CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN Don E. Riddle, Jr. Davidsonville, Maryland Bogle ■ Mr. Arnold Steiner SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Leslie Ariail Alexandria, Virginia SECRETARY Albin MacDonough Plant Baltimore, Maryland LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY CIRCLE Anderson Family Charitable Foundation ■ Mr. and TREASURER Arnold Steiner Birmingham, Alabama Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Carter Bales ■ Mrs. Susan M. Cargill ■

Mr. Gerald T. Halpin ■ Ms. JoAnn Luecke ■ Dr. and Mrs. David E. Morrison

■ Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Zech Allan M. Armitage Athens, Georgia ■ Suzanne Bales Oyster Bay, New York ■ William E. Barrick, Ph.D. Theodore, Alabama Kurt Bluemel Baldwin, Maryland ■ Henrietta Burke Alexandria, Virginia ■ Tom Cooper Watertown, Massachusetts HAUPT CIRCLE Ms. Lynda A. Bachman ■ Ms. Judy Daniel ■ Mr. and Mrs. Gay Estes Houston, Texas ■ Anne Garland Farrell Richmond, Virginia ■ Carole Hofley Wilson, Wyoming Thomas Farrell ■ Mrs. Richard W. Hamming ■ Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Margaret Kulp Louisville, Kentucky ■ Caroline Lewis Coral Gables, Florida ■ Jack Lowry Phoenix, Maryland Hanselman ■ Mrs. Carole S. Hofley Melissa R. Marshall Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ■ Mary Pat Matheson Atlanta, Georgia Shirley Nicolai Ft. Washington, Maryland ■ J. Landon Reeve, IV Woodbine, Maryland COUNCIL MEMBER’S CIRCLE Nancy J. Becker, M.D. ■ Mrs. Katherine Belk ■ Mr. Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. Falls Church, Virginia ■ Michel Sallin Groveland, Florida ■ Steven Still Hilliard, Ohio and Mrs. Anthony Bigos ■ Mrs. George P. Bissell, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. C. William

Black ■ Mr. Richard C. and Mrs. Katherine Stark Bull ■ Mr. and Mrs. Michael PRESIDENT EMERITUS Katy Moss Warner T. Bradshaw ■ Mr. and Mrs. Edward N. Dane ■ Mr. and Mrs. Carl Estes ■ Dr.and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. ■ Mrs. Carolyn V. Foil ■ Ms. Marguerite Peet

Foster ■ Ms. Amy Goldman ■ Mr. and Mrs. Joel Goldsmith ■ Ms. Ingrid A.

Graham ■ Ms. Barbara Grant ■ Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove ■ Mr. and

Mrs. Allan L. Holmstrom ■ Mr. Philip Huey ■ Deane H. Hundley ■ Mrs. Marta 2009 Advisory Council Lawrence ■ Mrs. Carolyn M. Lindsay ■ Melissa R. Marshall ■ Mrs. Dorothy Beverly Hanselman, Nashville, Tennessee – Chair Marston ■ Mr. Charles T. Matheson ■ Mrs. Rosalyn Milbrandt ■ Mr. and Mrs. Clarissa Bonde, Washington, D.C. Stu McMichael, Falls Church, Virginia Egon Molbak ■ Mr. and Mrs. James R. Moxley ■ Mrs. Shirley Ann Nicolai ■ Anne Bucher, Silver Spring, Maryland Egon Molbak, Bellevue, Washington Mr. and Mrs. James T. Norman ■ Ms. Patricia Painter ■ Mr. David D. Parrish Walter Bull, Columbia, South Carolina Dean Norton, Mt. Vernon, Virginia ■ Mr. and Mrs. Albin MacDonough Plant ■ Dr. Julia Rappaport ■ Mr. and Mrs. Elaine Burden, Middleburg, Virginia Nancy Keen Palmer, Nashville, Tennessee J. Landon Reeve, IV ■ Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Shemin ■ Jeanne Shields ■ Mr. Patty Bush, St. Louis, Missouri Bob Patterson, Washington, D.C. R. P. Simmons ■ Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Smith, Jr. ■ Mrs. P.M. Spreuer ■ Skipp Calvert, Alexandria, Virginia Dr. Julia W. Rappaport, Santa Ana, California Dr. and Mrs. George E. Staehle ■ Mr. Harold Stahly ■ Dr. and Mrs. Steven M. Bartie Cole, Owings Mills, Maryland Deen Day Sanders, Norcross, Georgia Still ■ Mr. Donald B. Stott ■ Mr. and Mrs. John B. Strasenburgh ■ Mr. and Jim Corfield, Geneva, Illinois Josephine Shanks, Houston, Texas Mrs. Russell Terry ■ Dr. Sarah K. Thomson ■ Mr. Howard McK. Tucker and Lucinda Crabtree, Falls Church, Virginia Barbara Shea, Owings Mills, Maryland Ms. Megan Evans ■ Mr. and Mrs. Tom Underwood ■ Mr. Joe Viar ■ Ms. Ginny Hill Daisey, Dedham, Massachusetts Holly Shimizu, Glen Echo, Maryland Angela M. Vikesland ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Volk ■ Mrs. Pauline E. Vollmer Edward N. Dane, Center Harbor, New Hampshire Charles Henry Smith, Jr, Middleburg, Virginia ■ Mrs. Enid N. Warner ■ Ms. Katy Moss Warner ■ Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Ben Griswold, Glyndon, Maryland Nancy Thomas, Houston, Texas White ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harvey C. White ■ Mr. and Mrs. John W.White, Sr. Henry Jameson, Kula, Hawaii Bryan Thomlison, Haddonfield, New Jersey Carolyn Marsh Lindsay, Ponte Vedra, Florida Pauline Vollmer, Baltimore, Maryland HONORARY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL Ms. Louise Fruehling* ■ Mrs. Enid Haupt* Bob Malesardi, Easton, Maryland Joyce and Harvey White, Nashville, Tennessee ■ Mrs. John A. Lutz* ■ Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Miller* Robert and Joanna Martin, Menlo Park, California Joannah Williams, Sebring, Florida Barbara McClendon, Alexandria, Virginia Sheryl Wood, Middleburg, Virginia *In memoriam

Education Sponsor OXO International

Corporate Members Brent and Becky’s Bulbs ■ The Care of Trees ■ Chapel Valley Landscape Company Furbish Company ■ Homestead Gardens ■ Kurt Bluemel, Inc. ■ Monrovia To access the members-only MTR Landscape Architects, LLC. ■ Osmocote ■ Renee’s Garden portion of the AHS website at www.ahs.org, the username is Horticultural Partners America in Bloom Symposium & Awards Program ■ Bellingrath Gardens and Home ahs. The password is seeds. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Garden Symposium ■ Cox Arboretum MetroPark Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America The Homestead in the Garden Symposium ■ Inniswood Garden Society ■ Morris Arboretum Oklahoma Botanical Garden & Arboretum ■ Oklahoma Horticultural Society

4 the American Gardener The American NOTESC FROM RIVER FARM GARDENER EDITOR David J. Ellis MANAGING EDITOR AND ART DIRECTOR Mary Yee ASSOCIATE EDITOR Viveka Neveln T OUR RIVER FARM headquarters, the onset of spring has been marked EDITORIAL ASSISTANT by the usual floral choreography—from clouds of cherry and pear blossoms, Caroline Bentley A to vibrant sweeps of colorful daffodils and tulips, and, most recently, the del- EDITORIAL INTERN icate blooms of native redbuds and dogwoods at the edge of the woods. In very short Talia Goldman order, our magnificent Osage orange tree will once again be leafed out, providing CONTRIBUTING EDITOR welcome shade from the sun. It is already a common sight to see groups of visitors Rita Pelczar making the trek down through the André Bluemel Meadow to the bank of the Po- CONTRIBUTING WRITER tomac River. Before long, school will be Carole Ottesen out and we will be hearing screams of de- EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD light from youngsters exploring the Chil-

CHAIR Richard E. Bir dren’s Garden and participating in our Brevard, North Carolina summer education programs. Allan M. Armitage This is the time of year when thoughts Athens, Georgia turn to vacations, travel, and—of course— Nina L. Bassuk visiting gardens. Whether you are looking Ithaca, New York for new plant combinations, seeking in- Steve Bender spiration for that new garden area you have in mind, or are just interested in ways to Birmingham, Alabama be a better gardener, visiting public gardens is a great way to get fresh ideas. As you John E. Bryan San Francisco, California begin planning summer excursions, remember to take advantage of the Reciprocal John L. Creech Admissions benefit you receive as a member of the American Horticultural Society. Columbus, North Carolina With a record number of gardens now participating in this program, your AHS mem- Panayoti Kelaidis bership card can be a passport to more than 200 gardens across North America. You Denver, Colorado can find the listing of participating gardens in the Member Guide that was included Richard W. Lighty in the January/February issue of The American Gardener, or visit www.ahs.org for the Kennett Square, Pennsylvania latest update. And, if your summer travels bring you to our nation’s capital, be sure to Elvin McDonald allow time for a visit to River Farm. West Des Moines, Iowa Whatever your plans for the coming months may be, we hope that this issue of The American Gardener is the ticket to more enjoyment and success in your garden. CONTACT US The American Gardener 7931 East Boulevard Drive If you are interested in adding seating to your garden so you can savor the fruits of Alexandria, VA 22308 your labors, you’ll appreciate the article on how to select and place garden benches. (703) 768-5700 Profiles of sedges (Carex spp.) and rockroses (Cistus and Halimium spp.) offer insight EDITORIAL E-MAIL: [email protected] into two plant groups suited to totally opposite garden environments. And if fresh salsa sounds appealing, look for some pointers on choosing and growing good salsa ADVERTISING & E-MAIL: [email protected] CORPORATE peppers in the “Homegrown Harvest” department. Recognizing that gardening is as PARTNERSHIPS much about people as it is plants, this issue also features a profile of Betsy Clebsch, The American Gardener (ISSN 1087-9978) is published bimonth- ly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, Septem- a California gardener who is one of the leading experts on the genus Salvia. ber/October, November/December) by the American Horticultural We’d like to know where your garden travels take you this spring and summer. Society, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300, (703) 768-5700. Membership in the Society includes a subscrip- If you e-mail your favorite destination to us at [email protected], along with tion to The American Gardener. Annual dues are $35; two years, $60. International dues are $50. $10 of annual dues goes toward your name, we’ll enter you into a drawing for a two-volume set of Gardens Across magazine subscription. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Vir- ginia, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send America: The American Horticultural Society’s Guide to American Public Gardens and Form 3579 to The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Arboreta. We’ll report back on some of our own travels in the next issue. Alexandria, VA 22308-1300. Botanical nomenclature is based on The American Horticultural Society A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, on A Synonymized Check- In the meantime, happy gardening! list of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada and Greenland and on the Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and are not necessar- ily those of the Society. Manuscripts, artwork, and photographs sent for Susie Usrey, Chair, AHS Board of Directors possible publication will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed, Tom Underwood, Executive Director stamped envelope. We cannot guarantee the safe return of unsolicited material. Back issues are available at $8 per copy. Copyright ©2009 by the American Horticultural Society.

Printed in the U.S.A.

May / June 2009 5 6 other important information. other important ing research, plantcultivars, new and you alsokeepmeuptodateongarden- be active withlocalgardening groups, so otic oneswhenIhave alittlemore time. I amgoingtoorder someofthemore ex- youissuesago,and publishedafew arums on instance, Ikeptacopyofanarticle velop even more variety inwhatIgrow. For ward retirement, Ihave more timetode- on edibleplants.AndasImove slowly to- way you focusnotjustonornamentalsbut andvegetable gardening,fruit soIlikethe report oninthemagazine.Ialsodosome with lotsoflilacsinthespring. the mountains,where we getreal winter small cabininIdyllwild, up5,000feetin ria I canmove really tenderthingslike villea, etc.Ihave agreenhouse intowhich cals andtropicals suchaspalms,bougain- is warmenoughthatIcangrow subtropi- and ornamentaltrees. At thesametime,it withbloomingfruit get aspringofsorts, mid-20s occasionallyinthewinter)thatwe gets coldenoughhere (temperatures inthe where Ilive,diverse Ihaveinterests. very It more focusedongardening inCalifornia, ber andreading TheAmerican Gardener. reasons whyIenjoy beinganAHSmem- I wantedtoshare withyou someofthe NATIONAL PERSPECTIVEAPPEALS at [email protected]. (800) 777-7931ext.119ore-mail us mail addresswiththeAHS,please call bership, orupdateyourmailing ore- your membership,giveagiftof mem- would liketobecomeamember, renew can HorticulturalSocietymembership, you havequestionsaboutyourAmeri- We lovetohearfromourmembers!If Member Services I have never hadthe rightscheduleto In Icangrow short, mostofwhatyou Although Ireceive magazinesthatare for thewinter. Our familyalsohasa the American Gardener Murrieta, California Jesse Thomas Plume- angliae novae- Symphyotrichum vested sitesare lefttoreturn to theirnat- reference towhether har- inthearticle the bogismisunderstood. and thedeaddecayingpeat biomassof sphagnum peatplantsandother plantlife tween thelivingecotonethatcontains living ecotone.Often thedistinctionbe- that isslow, ratherthanthegrowth ofthe dead sphagnumandotherbogvegetation to re-grow withinfive years.” stated,that“peatarticle moss oftenstarts andnot,asthe restoration after harvest, is well established withinfive years of moss—as well asotherbogvegetation— that theresearch shows thesphagnum issue ofpeatmoss. appreciated your discussionrelating tothe mixes intheMarch/April 2009issueand I read onpottingsoilsand your article HARVESTING SUSTAINABILITY OFPEATMOSS actually ical namefortheNew England asteris plant nomenclature). The revised botan- onchangesto (ironically inanarticle graph captionatthebottomofpage22 out thenomenclature error inthephoto- January/February 2009editiontopoint I’m sure Iam notthefirstreader ofyour ASTER UH-OH I wouldalsoliketocomment onthe Also itistherateofaccumulation For future reference, pleaseconsider MEMBERS Symphyotrichum novae-angliae. C Sevenoaks, Kent, England ’ FORUM David Clark for socialaswell aseconomicvalues. made notonlyforecologicalreasons, but guided by thesedecisions,whichare company.harvesting is The industry the regulating bodyandnotby thepeat forests. This isoftenadecisionmadeby such asfarmland,otherwetland types,or toalternativeural stateorconverted uses replaced by anythingbetter.” working namethatnever got a temporary with him,hetoldme:“‘Pink Brushes’ got Ihad taking credit for it. In aninterview Charles Oliver isabitapologetic about seems aptforsuchacutefoamflower, but photograph is‘Pink Brushes’. The name for theTiarella tured plantatnurseries. The correct name tolocatethepic- readersfrustrate trying small captionerror onpage28thatmight er intheMarch/April 2009issue,there’s a In onCharlesandMartha Oliv- thearticle FOAMFLOWER FAUXPAS PLEASE WRITEUS! Letters weprintmay beeditedforlengthandclarity. [email protected] (note LettertoEditorinsubjectline). Alexandria, VA22308.Send e-mails to American Gardener, American Tiarella Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association ‘Pink Brushes’ selection shown in the Address letterstoEditor, 7931 EastBoulevardDrive, Alberta, Canada Austin, Texas Bill Scheick Paul Short President The

TOP: DONNA KRISCHAN. BOTTOM: COURTESY OF CHARLES AND MARTHA OLIVER Green Garage®: Sustainable and Earth-Friendly Solutions for the Landscape an American Horticultural Society Garden School June 27, 2009 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. at the Lee Center, Alexandria, Virginia presented in partnership with the City of Alexandria

n our everyday choices, opportunities abound for making our gardens, Ilandscapes—and the earth—healthier and more beautiful places. From water conservation to creating wildlife habitats and organic lawn care, this informative Garden School will explore a range of environmentally conscious practices through lectures and hands-on workshops. There also will be an exhibit hall featuring companies and organizations that offer green products, services, and tools.

FEATURED SPEAKERS include: Marcy Damon, grassroots restoration coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Jeff Lowenfels, soil health expert and author of Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web, Douglas Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens, and Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual.

Marcy Damon Jeff Lowenfels Douglas Tallamy Paul Tukey

REGISTER TODAY! Visit the American Horticultural Society website (www.ahs.org) or call (703) 768-5700 ext. 132. Registration is $75 for current AHS members and City of Alexandria residents; $95 for non-members and non-residents. The Lee Center is located at 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, Virginia. 8 New SignsfortheAndréBluemelMeadowatRiverFarm THE PERMANENT Green Garage quarters inBaltimore,quarters Maryland. Furbish Company,anAHSCorporateMember withhead- water.it conserves Theroof wasinstalledandplantedby the the lifeofroof, andmore importantly, looksbeautifulwhile thatprovides insulation,extends acquired “green anew roof” THANKS TOA friendly messages theycarry. sophically inkeeping withtheearth- quality recycled materials,are philo- ofdurable, high selves, constructed that itisattracting.Thesigns them- natural habitatgarden andthewildlife ration andenjoyment ofthefour-acre stewardship, enhancingtheexplo- dening practicesandenvironmental teach visitorsaboutsustainablegar- throughout themeadow, thesigns Bluemel Meadow at River Farm. stalled interpretive signsintheAndré volunteers, theAHShascreated andin- Enhancement Partnership Program andthehard work oflocal News PROGRAMS •EVENTSANNOUNCEMENTS Forming educationalstations the American Gardener grant from theFairfax CountyNeighborhood Green Garage ® Gets GreenRoof from ® exhibit atRiver Farm has AHS pleted roofaboutamonthlater. the GreenGarage.Above:Thecom- right, installplanttraysontheroofof Facilities CoordinatorDanielScott, Gagliardi, center,andAHSRental left, RiverFarmHorticulturistJames Left: JimmyDickofFurbishCompany, erant. Some varieties alsoflower forlongperiods,addinginterest tremes oftemperature, absorbwaterrapidly, andare drought tol- roof plantsbecausetheyhave ashallow root system,withstandex- specially designedtrays.Low-growing sedumsare usefulasgreen of hardy succulents,primarilysedums,thatcomepre-planted in nity toenjoy, signsaddtoitseducationalvalue andthenew by Furbish alsodonatedtheplantsforgreen roof—a mixture The meadow alocalgreen preserves spaceforthecommu- world around them.” thenatural around thecountry—with local community—andvisitors from in whichRiver Farm isconnectingthe “so signsare thesenew onemore way River Farm Manager Trish Gibson ing ofthemeadow foryears,” says ty have been involved withthe plant- “Volunteers who live inFairfax Coun- derstanding ofthelocalecosystem. encouraging abetterawareness andun- Bluemel meadow. the neweducational signsfortheAndré Visitors toRiverFarmpauseread oneof May /June2009 element oftheAHS’s water systems.Thisnew pollutantsinto carrying es through erosion and damage stormwatercaus- ducing thepotential ter willdrainoffslowly, re- and theremaining rainwa- rain thatfallsontheroof, about 70percent ofthe roof. Theplantswillretain to theappearanceof look ofthebuilding. pleasing additiontothe plants are anaesthetically not tomentionthatthe friendly waystogarden— playing environmentally the exhibit’s goalofdis- Green Garage enhances ,

TOP LEFT: TALIA GOLDMAN. TOP RIGHT: DAVID ELLIS. BOTTOM: VIVEKA NEVELN AHS Environmental Awards

THIS SPRING, more than 30 flower shows from all over the United States hosted exhibits that won the AHS’s Environ- mental Award for demonstrating the connection between horticulture and the environment. At the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show, the AHS award was presented to Temple University Ambler’s “Green Renaissance” exhibit, which incorporated environmentally friendly and sustainable ideas into a traditional 16th-century Italian formal garden. The exhibit was organized into three distinct parts—the kitchen garden, the dry garden, and the orchard—that would have been found in Italian Renaissance gardens. Each part used recycled materials, as well as elements such as aqueducts and porous pavement, to conserve water. Other 2009 AHS award recipients included “Exteriors” by Chad Robert at the Southwest Flower and Garden Show in Glendale, Arizona; “Rock Solid Conifers” by Rod Juntunen, Wells Nursery, and Marenakos Rock Center at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle, Washington; and “Passions for Pollinators” by Callaway Gardens at the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta, Georgia. Through original and imaginative use of plants and other materials, all of the garden exhibits that were recognized by the AHS award helped to promote a better understanding of the important relationship between gardening and environ- At the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show, Temple University Ambler’s

JAMES F. DUFFY / COURTESY OF TEMPLE UNIVERSITY AMBLER mental sustainability. “Green Renaissance” exhibit won the AHS Environmental Award.

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May / June 2009 9 10 Scott Calhoun ON MAY5, Upcoming Webinars THIS SUMMER, New Youth ProgramsIntern be available inthemembers-only area of theAHSwebsite. of theevent, whichwasoffered exclusively forAHSmembers,will plored funwaystogetchildren excited aboutplants.Arecording “A LittleGarden Magic: ConnectingKidstoPlants,” thatex- den atMichigan State University, presented anonlineseminaron the naturalworld,andteacheseco-friendly gardening practices. duces children tothejoy ofgardening, encouragesconnectionsto tunity ofengagingchildren intheamazingworldofhorticulture.” ment,” saysHamsher, “and provide mewiththepriceless oppor- myunderstandingof childrenfurther inrelation totheenviron- page 14).“Having experienceastheyouth programs internwill al Children & Youth Garden Symposium in Cleveland, Ohio (see local and national youth programs, particularly the 17th Nation- Massachusetts, willassisttheAHSindeveloping andmanaging organization. ences withaparticular to thepossibilitiesofnonprofit careers through hands-onexperi- ject, butthemainpurposeofprogram istointroduce students pro-about careers inthenonprofit sectorandacommunityservice nonprofit organizations.TheCSJPalsoincludesatrainingcourse offers opportunities for college students to intern with different Mobil CommunitySummer Jobs Program (CSJP),which ment oftheAHSthrough aspecialgrantfunded by the for September19atRiverFarm,dososoonbecausetickets nual AHSgala,“Celebratingthe EleganceofSimplicity,”set If youhaven’talreadysecuredyourticketsforthisyear’san- GalainSeptember AHS The nextwebinar willfeature Through itsnationaleducational programs, theAHS intro- Lara Hamsher, astudentatSmith College inNorthampton, are expectedtoselloutbymidsummer.Thisyear’shon- the American Gardener Normcurator ofthe4-HChildren’s Lownds , Gar- orary chair,ChefCathalArmstrong,iscreating a specialmenuforthegala.There will also be from thewebinars. tion is strongly recommended for best results to register early. Ahigh-speedInternet connec- but spaceislimitedsobesurefee toparticipate, members-only area ofthe website. There isno date. changed toJuly 30 dens.” Strategies forDesigning Water-Thrifty Gar- er andauthor, Beauty: speakingabout“Dry a new intern will join a the new Education Depart- a silentauctionanddancing. Fortick- ets andadditionalinformation, e-mail Registration willopen onJuly 1inthe 768-5700 ext. 118. [email protected] orcall (703) Please note: Scott Calhoun from thepreviously announced the date of this webinar has , garden design- Exxon- www.ahs.org M Virginia. • Virginia. • Alexandria, Virginia. • Ceremony. • Virginia. • by DouglasTallamy. • With theExperts” Symposium. • Gardens.” • Virginia. • Banquet. • • Hosted byClevelandBotanicalGarden.Cleveland,Ohio. • Alexandria, Virginia. Solutions fortheLandscape. DEC. 10.AnnualHolidayReception. DEC. 1–24.HolidayTreesDisplay. OCT. 23. OCT. 1–3.AmericaInBloomSymposiumandAwards SEPT. 19. SEPT. 9.“GardeningforWildlife.” AUG. 21–23. JUNE 27. JUNE 14. JUNE 4. JULY 30. JULY 23–25. Cleveland BotanicalGarden Cleveland BotanicalGarden sponsored orco-sponsored by theAHS.Visit ark your calendarforthese national events thatare River Farm,Alexandria,Virginia. Webinar presentedbyScottCalhoun. Great American Gardeners Awards Ceremony and Hershey, Pennsylvania. Dr. H.MarcCatheyDay. “Dry Beauty:StrategiesforDesigningWater-Thrifty Green Garage Community Green. AHS Annual Gala. or call(703)768-5700formore information. 2009 CALENDAR AHS NATIONALEVENTSANDPROGRAMS National Children&YouthGardenSymposium. The Homestead’s11thAnnual“IntheGarden ®: Sustainable andEarth-Friendly H GardenSchool.LeeCenter, AHS Hot Springs,Virginia. River Farm, Alexandria, River Farm, Alexandria, Webinar presented River Farm, River Farm,Alexandria, River Farm,Alexandria,

LEFT: COURTESY OF SCOTT CALHOUN. RIGHT: IAN ADAMS / COURTESY OF CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURALHORTICULTURAL SOCIETY TRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM 2009 DOMESTIC TOURS

Fascinating Gardens of Baltimore MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS TODAY! with AHS host Harry Rissetto Tour escorted by Diana Biras June 9–14, 2009 ■ With summer in full glory, this tour will take you to some of Maryland’s finest private and public gardens, including Ladew Topiary Gardens and gardens designed by Wolfgang Oehme of Oehme, van Sweden & Associates. We will also visit Kurt Bluemel, one of America’s greatest plantsmen who has been instrumental in broadening the palette of perennials and ornamental grasses. Kurt will give us a private tour of both his nursery and private garden.

The Great Bowl, Ladew Topiary Gardens, Monkton, Maryland

Gardens and Art of the Historic Hudson Highlands with AHS host Katy Moss Warner Tour escorted by Stephanie Jutila October 14–18, 2009 ■ Amid fiery autumn color, come discover the rich horticultural treasures of New York’s Hudson River Valley and the art that complements the landscape. Highlights of this tour include Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Springwood estate; Olana, the estate of famed Hudson River School artist Frederic Edwin Church; Lisburne Grange, an estate designed by renowned landscape architect Fletcher Steele; and Manitoga, the modernist home and woodland quarry garden of industrial designer, Russel Wright.

Portland, Oregon with AHS host Tom Underwood August 12–16, 2009 For AHS President’s Council members only! Explore the Portland area’s lush public gardens including: The Oregon Garden, the International Rose Test Garden, and the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, along with exquisite private gardens—including AHS Board Chair Susie Usrey’s personal garden. Tara Wing / Courtesy of Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center For more information about the President’s Council, contact Stephanie Perez Manitoga, Garrison, New York at (703) 768-5700 ext. 127.

For more information about the AHS Travel Study Program, visit www.ahs.org or call (703) 768-5700 ext. 132. GiftsGifts ofof Note Note Springtime Blues at River Farm

In addition to vital support through membership dues, the American Horticultural Society relies on grants, bequests, and other gifts to support its programs. We would like to thank the following donors for gifts received between February 1, 2009 and March 31, 2009.

Mr. and Mrs. C. William Black Chapel Valley Landscape Company Fellows Riverside Gardens-Mill Creek Metro Parks Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Kulp, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James R. Moxley, Jr. Renee’s Garden LLC

In Memory of Barbara Bond Red Hill Garden Club Among the many bulbs blooming at In Memory of Dr. H. Marc Cathey River Farm this spring were unusual The Ecke Family Chilean blue crocuses (Tecophilaea Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hottel cyanocrocus var. leichtlinii), above, and grape hyacinths (Muscari aucheri In Memory of Mr. David Margolis Kentshire Galleries, LTD ‘Blue Magic’), left, growing in containers. The bulbs were donated by If you would like to support the American Horticultural Society as part AHS Corporate Member Brent and of your estate planning, as a tribute to a loved one, or as part Becky’s Bulbs of Gloucester, Virginia. of your annual commitment to charitable giving, please contact: Stephanie Perez, (703) 768-5700 ext. 127 or [email protected].

AHS Garden School Focuses on Community Green Highlights Sustainable Landscaping Know-How THE UPCOMING Community Green at the AHS’s River Farm REGISTRATION IS NOW open for the AHS’s newest Garden on June 14 will offer lectures, demonstrations, and exhibits to School, “Green Garage®: Sustainable and Earth-Friendly Solu- share the newest plants, products, and techniques to “go green” tions for the Landscape,” co-sponsored by in your home and garden. It will fea- the City of Alexandria. Taking place at the ture guest speakers and exhibitors in- Lee Center in Alexandria, Virginia, on June cluding Brent Heath of Brent & 27, this program will offer a wealth of en- Becky’s Bulbs, wildlife photographer vironmentally sustainable practices for gar- Don Chernoff of DC Wild, and Joe dens, landscapes, and other green spaces Keyser of the GreenMan radio show. that you can apply at work, at home, or in Another highlight of Community your community. Featured speakers in- Green will be The Johnny Artis Marcy Damon clude: Marcy Damon, grassroots restora- Band, a group that has built a repu- tion coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay tation in the mid-Atlantic region for Foundation; Jeff Lowenfels, author of engaging stage presence and enter- Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener’s tainment, performing from 3 to 6 Guide to the Soil Food Web; Douglas Tal- p.m. Sponsors for this new event in- lamy, author of Bringing Nature Home: clude the Furbish Company, Keany How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Produce Company, Monrovia, and Gardens; and Paul Tukey, author of The Renee’s Garden Seeds. For more information about Communi- Organic Lawn Care Manual. Discounted ty Green and directions to River Farm, visit www.ahs.org and click Douglas Tallamy registration is available for AHS members on “River Farm,” or call (703) 768-5700. and City of Alexandria residents. For more details, call (703) 768-5700 ext. 132 or e-mail [email protected]. News written by Editorial Intern Talia Goldman. LEFT: COURTESY OF MARCY DAMON AND DOUGLAS TALLAMY. TOP RIGHT (2): JAMES GAGLIARDI. BOTTOM RIGHT: RITA PELCZAR

12 the American Gardener The American Horticultural Society’s 17th Annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium

July 23–25, 2009 • Cleveland, Ohio Hosted by Cleveland Botanical Garden

For more information, visit www.ahs.org or call (703) 768-5700 ext. 137. 14 by MelissaHebert Finding Common GroundinClevelandforaGreener Tomorrow Garden, whichiscelebratingits10than- its highlyacclaimedHershey Children’s Garden’s programs foryoung peopleand with youth willgetaninsidelookatthe garden designers,andothers whowork teachers, publicgarden administrators, from July 23to25.During thisevent, Youth Garden Symposium, takingplace Society’s 17thannualNational Children & ideal hostfortheAmericanHorticultural and experienceinthisarena makeitan ing formore than adecade. Botanical Garden inOhio hasbeenprov- able lifelessons—somethingCleveland children andyoung adultsahostofvalu- celebrate diversity, gardens alsocanteach Along withproviding to opportunities gender, ethnicity, orotherdifferences. I Youth Program, right. Garden, top,and itsGreenCorpsUrban of allagesthroughitsHershey Children’s Cleveland BotanicalGardenengages kids Cleveland BotanicalGarden’s success N ANINCREASINGLY common ground, regardless ofage, world, gardens offeraplacetofind the American Gardener 09ASNATIONAL CHILDREN&YOUTHGARDENSYMPOSIUM 2009 AHS diverse Natalie Ronayne , Cleveland Botanical our Green CorpsLearningGardens,” says urban agriculture practicedby teenagersin our Hershey Children’s Garden tothe duction toplantsthatchildren getthrough thisyear.niversary “From thefirstintro- H ESSPECIAL NEWS AHS C harvested produce atlocalmarketsharvested or throughout Cleveland. Theyalsosellthe one offive LearningGardens located vegetables,variety andflowers offruits, in ishing urbanfarms.”Thestudentsgrow a dents to“transform vacant lotsintoflour- 1996, thisprogram hires highschoolstu- Corps Urban Youth Program. Founded in be Cleveland BotanicalGarden’s Green One centerpieceoftheSymposium will WITHASIDEOFLIFESKILLS GARDENING tours, postersessions,andmore. and learnduringworkshops, lectures, toobserve jam-packed withopportunities the environment. TheSymposium willbe of diversity inallitsformsandarespect for from healthierfoodtoanunderstanding ways tousegardens tocultivate everything 2009 Symposium’s focusisonfinding Gardens foraGreener Tomorrow,” the youth, andallofus,together.” from gardens andthewaygardens bring invested inthewaysyoung peoplelearn Garden’s executive director, “we are deeply With thetheme,“CommonGround:

PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN Youth participating in Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Green Corps Program learn to grow produce, left, and sell it at market, above. make it into a Green Corps trademarked and interacting with the public while participants will see first-hand how the line of salsas and salad dressings. selling the program’s products. program works and meet students to For anyone who doubts such a pro- “Students learn how to be in a work hear what Green Corps means to them,” gram could make much difference in the environment,” says Shields. “They get says Shields. lives of teenagers, just ask 17-year-old exposed to communities outside of their Courtney McRae, one of 75 teens par- own, and learn to deal with them, by A PLACE TO PLAY AND LEARN ticipating in Green Corps. Now in her working at the markets every week. Another highlight of the Symposium will second year as a student employee at the They’re developing skills that make them be Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Hershey Slavic Village Learning Garden, she reaps productive, happy adults.” Children’s Garden, which opened in much more than flowers and vegetables The Symposium will include a tour of 1999. The first public children’s garden in from her training. Coming of age in an all five Green Corps Learning Gardens, Ohio, this half-acre paradise is construct- instant-message, high-speed-Internet since each has a style all its own. “The ed with scaled-down versions of tools, world, McRae’s gardening ex- buildings, gates, and paths. perience has taught her pa- While parents and adults are tience and the reward of seeing Symposium Registration welcome, the garden clearly be- hard work pay off. More details and registration for the 2009 AHS National longs to the children. “It’s not just dumping seeds Children & Youth Garden Symposium are available on the The garden’s primary objec- in the ground,” says McRae, AHS website (www.ahs.org) or by calling (703) 768-5700 tive is to encourage children to who, as a young child, helped ext. 132. learn about gardening and na- in her grandmother’s garden. ture while having fun at the “I’ve learned about germina- Extending the Experience same time. Children learn about tion, making planting beds, Cleveland-based artist Melinda Placko will lead a pre-Sympo- the origins of food by watering composting, and the right way sium workshop, “Enliven a Space with Environmental Art,” on Ju- and harvesting fruits, vegeta- to plant seeds.” ly 22 at Cleveland Botanical Garden. In this hands-on workshop, bles, herbs, and berries from Green Corps serves several participants will create a variety of natural installations using growing plants. Compost bins purposes, explains the pro- ephemeral materials, including small and large scale, individ- and the Scrounger’s Garden gram’s Director Bob Shields. ual, and collaborative pieces. teach environmental concepts The most obvious is putting After the Symposium concludes on July 25, participants have through hands-on participa- gardens and gardening in an the opportunity to visit a Cleveland icon—the Rock and Roll Hall tion. The greenhouse, worm urban context, but everything of Fame on the shores of Lake Erie. This will be followed by din- bins, maze, water features, con- that goes on at the gardens is a ner at the Great Lakes Brewing Company, an environmentally tainers, and sculptures all help learning opportunity—the sci- and socially conscious brewer of award-winning beer made from engage children in a wonder- ence of growing plants, sus- all-natural ingredients. Those interested in participating in land of flowers and greenery. tainability, working together, these extra activities must sign up when registering for the (For more information about where food comes from, the Symposium (see registration information above). Hershey Children’s Garden, see importance of healthy eating, the sidebar on page 16.)

May / June 2009 15 HERSHEY CHILDREN’S GARDEN CELEBRATES A DECADE

In 1997, Cleveland Botanical Garden began planning a garden with a design that incorporated both nature and horticulture in ways specifically for children—the first garden of its kind in Ohio. Two that would appeal to children. It begins at the entrance, with a whim- years later, Hershey Children’s Garden opened its gates to welcome sical wrought iron gate decorated with butterflies and other insects. children of all ages. Everything was designed in a child’s scale. The sun fountain Maureen Heffernan, now the executive director of Coastal Maine comes up at ground level. Four boulders, which intermittently pro- Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine, was director of public vide a misting spray, represent the four winds. The wheelchair-ac- programs for Cleveland Botanical Garden when Hershey Children’s cessible treehouse allows all kids to indulge their inner Swiss Fam- Garden was created. She was part of the leadership team that coor- ily Robinson. Old stumps encircle a sandbox popular with small kids. dinated the project. Another goal of Rather than a pas- the garden was to sive garden loaded inspire families with with gimmicky ex- ideas they could hibits and lots of recreate in their own bright plastic, the yards. For example, goal was to have a in the Scroungers’ natural space where Garden, everything kids would be in- from purses to file spired by nature to cabinets serves as play and learn, in- planting containers, stead of just stand Hershey Children’s Garden features a and hand pumps lo- and look. treehouse, above, and a pond, left, where kids cated nearby allow “We wanted kids can get up close to nature. kids to help water to lie on their stom- the plants. achs on the floating “Thanks to the original team’s vision,” says Joshua Steffen, the dock and look for current manager of Hershey Children’s Garden, “we have a garden goldfish,” Heffernan says. “We wanted kids to touch the plants and offering plenty of teachable moments, nooks and crannies to ex- water them, go through the maze, sit on the bronze pony.” plore, and a home for the hustle and bustle of kids learning. There’s Working closely together, the design team of landscape architect always something going on, and activities like Mud Pie Mondays, sto- Herb Schall of EDAW, Inc., Cleveland Botanical Garden Board mem- rytelling, or cider-pressing in the fall have become our traditions.” ber and volunteer Debra Hershey Guren, and Heffernan came up —Melissa Hebert

GROWING HEALTHY FOOD FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES In addition to Cleveland Botanical Garden’s programs and gardens, a keynote presenta- tion by Will Allen will provide further insight into connecting kids with plants and communities. During “Growing Food in the Heart of the City,” Allen will share his experiences with empowering inner-city youth to make a difference in their communities through producing healthy food. Named a 2008 MacArthur Genius Fel- low, Allen is the chief executive officer of Growing Power, Inc. Since its inception in 1993 as an effort to involve teens in growing their own produce in Milwaukee, Wis- consin, Growing Power has become a national organization that develops community food systems to provide “high- quality, safe, healthy, affordable food for all

residents in the community.” Growing Power founder Will Allen, left, teaches urban kids at Milwaukee’s only remaining farm. TOP: COURTESY OF CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN (2). BOTTOM: GROWING POWER

16 the American Gardener outside of Milwaukee, as well as other bery Medal-winning writer Paul Fleis- urban gardens. Growing Power sells its chman. Seedfolks is the story of how an im- produce not only to the public at its Mil- promptu community garden brought the waukee location, but also to food co-ops people of a diverse Cleveland neighbor- and restaurants in both Milwaukee and hood together on common ground. Chicago. And it will soon be developing Finally, some of the most valuable re- training centers in Arkansas, Mississippi, sources at the Symposium are its partici- and Massachusetts. pants. “Many of them are individuals who have had a significant influence in the chil- OTHER SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS dren’s gardening movement,” notes AHS Participants also can look forward to a vari- Education Programs Manager Stephanie ety of other offerings. There will be more Jutila. “Their efforts reach thousands of than 30 educational sessions to children and youth across the choose from, presented by speak- country, making lasting differ- ers from across the country. Top- ences in their lives and their Will Allen demonstrates to a group of ics range from strategies for communities. The Symposium’s children and adults that the foundation of reaching diverse audiences to de- purpose is to expand upon this growing healthy food is good soil. signing and funding children’s important work by building gardens to developing meaning- networks, sparking new ideas, On two acres of inner-city land, Grow- ful plant-based programs and and getting everyone together to ing Power operates the last remaining farm lessons. Supplementing these lec- dream up innovative and excit- in Milwaukee. Teens help to raise a vari- tures and workshops, posters by ing ways to give the next gener- ety of livestock and grow hydroponic veg- organizations, schools, and oth- ation a solid connection to etables using water from a tank where they ers will be on display throughout the event. plants, gardens, and nature.” raise fish. Over the years, Growing Power For the Symposium’s conclusion, has expanded its land from the original Cleveland-area young people will put on a Melissa Hebert is a freelance writer who lives COURTESY OF GROWING POWER two acres to include a 40-acre plot just theatrical production of Seedfolks by New- in Avon Lake, Ohio.

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May / June 2009 17 18 W geek spousesroll theireyes. oohs andahhsthatmaketheir non-plant- of germinatingCarex growers,when itcomestonursery flatsfull quired variegated curly-topsedge.And rhapsodize ac- endlesslyabouttheirnewly I’ve known likewise eloquentgardeners to rare andspecialspeck! speck, albeitavery people wouldpassupasaninsignificant presence ofalittle sprigofgreen thatmost botanists togoweak intheknees dweebs. Ihavenursery-production known plant geeks,habitat-restoration nerds, and genus attractsagreater unionofgarden- juggernauts oftheplantworld.No other The strikinggolden colorof American Gardens Carex American Gardens Carex the American Gardener HETHER GARDENERS resents oneofthe taxonomic it ornot,thegenusCarex seed canresult in Carex elata Carex know rep- ‘Aurea’ (aka‘Bowles’ Golden’)ismostvibrantwhen growninfullsunandmoist towetsoil. for for wide rangeofgardenchoices. grasslike ornamentalsoffera noteworthy selectionsof upright andangular, these From gracefullyweepingto group ofplants,allmembersthesedge common name,sedge,represents avast Carex So whatmakesasedgesedge,and OUTFAMILYSORTING CONNECTIONS a BY PAULCAPPIELLO Carex ? First thingsfirst.The era family (Cyperaceae), includingthegen- is, the leafy portions ofallsedgesareis, theleafyportions pro- es are round andsedgeshave edges—that botany studentswillremember thatrush- identification features. Allgoodfreshman ley, duringtheearlyyears ofhiscareer. HydeAmerican horticulture, Liberty Bai- and studiedextensively by thefatherof established by Linnaeushimselfin1753, to theworldwideflorathatgenuswas tralia. Indeed, thisissuchacentralgroup Europe, South America,Africa,andAus- habitats throughout North America,Asia, on whichtaxonomist you ask—thatgrace two thousandCarex The sedgesalsohave somecommon There are somewhere between oneand Carex, Cyperus, and others. species—depending

ROB CARDILLO duced in an angular, three-parted arrange- ment, giving them a triangular cross section with sharp edges. In fact, the genus HABITAT PREFERENCES name Carex derives from the Greek, Worldwide, most Carex species are found in moist woodlands, damp pockets, or keiros, which translates roughly as, “to even growing right out of open water. As such, they are best placed in the garden cut,” in reference to the sharp edges. in similar haunts. Al- Most Carex species produce wind- though most respond pollinated spring flowers on short spikes well to average garden that dance above the newly emerging fo- soil regimes, they gen- liage. They are of little interest in the gar- erally tolerate more wa- den other than to produce seed. Seeds are ter than most garden borne in an achene—a dry, single-seed- plants. Many perform ed fruit. They mature between early sum- admirably in full sun, mer and fall depending on the species, but only with lots of and most germinate after 60 days of cold moisture. When in conditioning or stratification. question, wedge them The taxonomy of Carex is, at best, a lit- in that spot that most tle messy; at worst, an absolute catastro- plants want, but none phe. There is little agreement in the of us have in sufficient scientific literature, and even less in the supply: morning sun, garden world. Given the dissension in the Carex elata ‘Aurea’ thrives with its roots submerged along the afternoon high shade, ranks, I’ve followed what seems to be edge of a stream, providing a bold contrast with Penstemon with deep, moist, and common-sense nomenclature based on digitalis ‘Husker Red’ and a red rose. rich soil. —P.C. my experience with the plants.

GARDEN ATTRIBUTES arching presentations. Depending on the OUTSTANDING SELECTIONS Carex for the garden come in evergreen, selection, they are excellent choices for At Yew Dell Gardens in Crestwood, Ken- deciduous, clumping, and spreading brightening up a dark corner of the garden, tucky, we’ve spent the last five years test- forms. The best of the garden selections for sweeping groundcover masses, or as de- ing and evaluating a wide range of Carex offer gold or white variegation, occasion- lightful container specimens. “Many Carex species and cultivars for garden use. ally bright greens, and oftentimes, fine, species and cultivars are sufficiently dra- We also worked with John Hoffman matic to be used as focal points of Hoffman Nursery, a wholesale nursery or highlights, however I fre- in Rougemont, North Carolina, to fur- quently use sedges as ground- ther evaluate a wide diversity of Carex covers,” says Rick Darke, species. The nursery offers more than 30 author of The Encyclopedia of selections and they grow many more for Grasses for Livable Landscapes. evaluation. The selections that follow rep- Darke, whose designs are resent what might be considered an all- often inspired by habitat as- star line-up of sedges. sociations, says “I’m fond of Carex ciliatomarginata ‘Treasure Is- using sedges with ferns, espe- land’ (USDA Hardiness Zones 5–9, AHS cially in woodland gardens.” Heat Zones 9–5) is a wonderful plant that Sedges can be effectively originated as a sport of C. ‘Shima Nishi- combined with a wide variety ki’. Introduced by Hans Hansen of Shady of plants, as long as their cul- Oaks Nursery in Waseca, Minnesota, tural needs are similar. “Since ‘Treasure Island’ is a six-inch-tall, slow sedges, like grasses, tend to be spreader with broad, flattish leaves of relatively fine-textured, with medium green edged in bright white. It narrow linear leaves, virtually goes fully dormant for winter and offers any herbaceous perennial, little in the way of fall foliage color. It is oc- tree, or shrub with broad casionally mistaken for C. siderosticha leaves is certain to provide ‘Variegata’, but to anyone with eyes, these bold contrast,” says Darke. are clearly different plants. While deer tend to avoid Take ‘Treasure Island’ and replace the most of the Carex species, white variegation with yellow, and essen- Planted en masse, Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ there are exceptions, which are noted in tially, you’ll have C. ‘Shima Nishiki’

TOP: MARK TURNER. BOTTOM: ROB CARDILLO forms a graceful, variegated groundcover. the following descriptions. (Zones 5–8, 8–5). Hoffman rates both

May / June 2009 19 20 as watering canspelldisaster. It isoftensold requirement istoohighandasinglemissed selection forcontainersbecausethewater no winterfoliageimpact.It’s notthebest This isafullydeciduousspeciesthatoffers grown withitsroots submergedinwater. its range.In fact,‘Aurea’ canactuallybe water, of inthesouthernpart particularly leaves turnlimegreen. Just don’t forgetthe vigor—it willgrow intheshade,butits ations todevelop maximumcolorand border ofapond.It needshighlightsitu- suggests plantingitinmassesaround the rates itasthebestselectionforfullsunand an uprightarching growth habit.Hoffman grow twotothree feetwideandtallwith bright gold-foliagedselectionthatwill lated name‘Gold Fountains’. clumper issometimessoldunderthetrans- spring forafresh totheseason.This start evergreen foliageinlatewintertoearly with agoodsupplyofwater. Remove the Brunnera. It willtakefullsun,butonly ly withbold-leaved plantssuchashostasor a fine,wispytexture thatpairswonderful- ter-inch-wide leaves, ‘KagaNishiki’ offers and twofeetwidewithgold-edged,quar- ki’ (Zones 5–9,9–5).Growing 10inchestall dolichostachya two mostappropriate superlatives for States, ‘Island Brocade’. selection isusuallysoldintheUnited translates tothenameunderwhich foliage,” saysHoffman. surrounded by yellow flowers orgolden ment, buttheyreally popwhenthey’re green plants,theymakeaboldstate- plants. “Planted amonggreen anddark these selectionsastopsforuseaccent in Pennsylvania (USDA Zone 6)or is toughenough togrow infullsunhere gation isquiterefined,” saysDarke. “It leaves throughout theyear. varie- “The and offersfine-textured, brightgreen softwave,” he says. the perfect outin on hairrollers andthenbrushed lightly totheground asifithadbeenset use asagroundcover. “Its leaves curve Hoffman considersitthebest Carex white-edgedleaves. quarter-inch-wide, (Zones 5–9,12–1)wasselectedforitsfine, plantsman Masato Yokoi, ‘Silver Sceptre’ C. elata Carex elata Graceful andelegant—theseare the It grows 12to15inchestallandwide, Introduced Japanese by thelegendary the American Gardener ‘Bowles’ Golden’. var. ‘Aurea’ (Zones 5–9,9–3)isa glaberrima Shima Nishiki ‘Kaga Nishi- for C. Carex dolichostachya Carex Above: Low-growing Carex ciliatomarginata Carex var. glaberrima ‘Kaga Nishiki’produces gracefulfountainsoffoliage. ‘Treasure Island’ brightensupashadegarden.Top:

PAUL CAPPIELLO (2) MORE GARDEN-WORTHY SEDGES Sedge growers from different parts of the country, including John Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Nursery in Rougemont, North Car- olina; Rick Darke, author of The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes from Landenberg, Pennsylvania; John Greenlee, nursery owner and author of The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses from Pomona, California; and Jim Brockmeyer, owner of Bluestem Nursery in Christian Lake, British Columbia, offered some of their favorite selections for gardens in their regions. Some that were standouts in the Yew Dell trials were cited, but there were many others. Many of the selections below thrive in multiple regions. As Greenlee says, “The adaptability of these sedges is absolutely tremendous.” —Rita Pelczar, Contributing Editor

Name Height/Spread Form Foliage Origin USDA Hardiness, (inches) AHS Heat Zones

NORTHEAST Carex appalachia 6–10/18 weeping, clump- green eastern 4–7, 7–1 (Appalachian sedge) forming North America C. laxiculmis 12/18 clump-forming green to gray-blue eastern 4–9, 9–5 evergreen North America C. laxiculmis ‘Hobb’ 12/18 clump-forming silvery blue eastern 4–9, 9–5 (also sold as Bunny Blue™) evergreen North America C. pensylvanica 8–10/12–18 arching, semi- green eastern 4–8, 8–1 (Pennsylvania sedge) evergreen, spreading North America

SOUTHEAST Carex buchananii 20–30/36 clump-forming coppery red-brown New Zealand 7–9, 9–6 (leatherleaf sedge) evergreen C. comans ‘Bronze’ 12–18/30 clump-forming fine, brownish white New Zealand 7–9, 9–7 evergreen C. grayi 24–36/24 clump forming light green eastern and central 3–8, 8–1 (Gray’s sedge) semi-evergreen North America C. muskingumensis ‘Oehme’ 12–24/12–24 slow spreading green with yellow central North 4–9, 8–1 (variegated palm sedge) deciduous margins America

PACIFIC NORTHWEST Carex dipsacea 18–22/12–18 fountainlike clumps, olive green, turning New Zealand 7–10, 10–7 (autumn sedge) semi-evergreen reddish orange in fall C. flacca ‘Blue Zinger’ 8–16/12–18 spreading, blue-gray Europe, 5–9, 9–5 semi-evergreen northern Africa C. nudata 18–24/12–18 clump-forming gray-green, turns northwestern 7–9, 9–7 (California black-flowering deciduous yellow-orange in fall U.S. sedge) C. pendula 36–48/60 large, clump-forming medium green with Europe, 5–9, 9–5 (drooping sedge) evergreen blue-green undersides northern Africa

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWEST Carex cherokeensis 18/12–18 clump-forming green to chartreuse southeastern 6–9, 9–6 (Cherokee sedge) evergreen U.S. C. divulsa 12/18 clump-forming dark green in sun or Europe 4–9, 9–4 (syn. C. tumulicola) evergreen shade (good lawn alternative) C. pansa 6–8/12–24 creeper, evergreen green (good lawn western 6–9, 9–5 (California meadow sedge) to semi-evergreen alternative) North America C. texensis 3–4/12–18 dwarf clump-forming medium green southwestern U.S. 5–10,10–5 (Catlin sedge) evergreen

May / June 2009 21 Sources Digging Dog Nursery, Albion, CA. (707) 937-1130. www.diggingdog.com.

Earthly Pursuits, Inc. Windsor Mill, MD. (410) 496-2523. www.earthlypursuits.net.

Forestfarm, Williams, OR. (541) 846- 7269. www.forestfarm.com.

Lee’s Gardens, Tremont, IL. (309) 925-5262. www.leesgardens.com.

Mason Hollow Nursery, Mason, NH. (603) 878-4347. www.mason hollow.com.

Variegated Foliage, Eastford, CT. (860) 974-3951. www.variegated foliage.com. Resources The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Liv- able Landscapes by Rick Darke. Tim- ber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2007. Carex ‘Silver Sceptre’ is a good choice for a dense, weed-suppressing groundcover. under a dense canopy of deciduous producing plants 24 inches tall and wide had ‘Evergold’ perform beautifully in my trees.” It is also an excellent selection for with gracefully arching, white-edged shady garden, paired with Helleborus ‘Pine use in containers. leaves. The extremely fine leaves provide Knott Selections’, Hosta ‘Bressingham Carex morrowii ‘Gold Band’ (Zones the plant with more of a silvery hue, in Blue’, and an array of large ferns. The only 5–9, 12–1) has broader leaves than ‘Silver contrast to many of the other cultivars caution is to avoid severely cutting back the Sceptre’ and offers pale yellow margins to with distinctly two-toned leaves. Intro- winter foliage too early. A light clipping as each leaf, giving the entire affair more of duced by Barry Yinger, now of Asiatica new leaves emerge is best. a green and cream overall look. ‘Gold Nursery, it works as well in the ground as A smallish, rather stiff grower, C. phyl- Band’ can get a little tattered through the it does in containers, and can take full sun locephala ‘Sparkler’ (Zones 8–10, 10–7) winter in the northern part of its range if given adequate soil moisture, although lacks the grace of some of the C. morrowii but overall, it is one of the better per- a little shade is usually better. selections. But what it lacks in arching formers year round. Unlike other C. mor- One of the early Carex entries into the grace, it more than makes up for in curb rowii selections, it’s a clump-former popular garden market, C. oshimensis appeal. The 15- to 18-inch-tall plants bear rather than a spreader. ‘Evergold’ (Zones 5–9, 12–1) is a tough per- broad, bright white-edged leaves that White edges on half-inch-wide leaves former for sun and shade gardens. The 15- look more like miniature variegated yuc- and a little more vigorous spreading habit to 18-inch-tall and -wide plants contribute cas or tiny variegated palms than sedges. combine to make C. morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ a relatively soft effect to a garden. Its leaves This Barry Yinger selection is a moderate (Zones 5–9, 12–1) an excellent selection for are a quarter-inch-wide with green centers spreader rather than a clumper and will a shady spot in the garden. Growing to 15 and yellow-gold margins. Hoffman con- grow best in a shady site where it will re- inches tall and 18 inches wide, it works siders it the best sedge for growing in con- ceive regular water. well as a small spreading groundcover, tainers, and suggests combining it with tall Seersucker sedge (C. plantaginea, container specimen, and edging plant. grasses and contrasting flowering plants. At Zones 5–7, 7–5) is a bright green species Carex morrowii var. temnolepis ‘Silk Yew Dell Gardens, it has done well in our for shady gardens; a break from the varie- Tassel’ (Zones 6–9, 12–1) is the finest tex- sunny rock garden, where it has shown rea- gated selections. Broad, inch-wide leaves

tured of all the C. morrowii selections, sonable drought tolerance. At home, I’ve with a puckered texture grow somewhat PAUL CAPPIELLO

22 the American Gardener and spreads quite rapidly, making it a good groundcover. Four-inch plugs planted two feet apart will fill in nicely in about two growing seasons. It will grow best in a shady, moist site and is com- pletely deciduous. Hoffman suggests combining it with fine-textured perennials and grasses. I’ve saved the oddball for last: orange New Zealand sedge (Carex testacea, Zones 6–9, 8–6). Take a two-foot-tall and -wide plant with wispy, arching, grasslike leaves of olive green, add summer highlights of bright orange and rus- set, and you’ll have the idea here. The later in the season, the brighter the color. This selection works in moist, well- drained soil and is reasonably drought tolerant once established. As one might

Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’, once established, is reasonably drought tolerant.

stiffly upright to create a plant eight to 10 put up a deer fence. Deer will nibble this inches tall and 10 to 12 inches wide. The species to the ground in no time flat. That leaves remain in excellent condition in the must mean there are plenty of sedge-eat- garden throughout the winter, and, at least ing deer around, because C. plantaginea is in my USDA Zone 6 garden, usually do native throughout all of eastern North not need to be cut back prior to spring America except Florida and Nova Scotia. growth. Provide plenty of moisture and Carex siderosticha ‘Variegata’ (Zones somewhat rich soil but also be prepared to 6–9, 9–6) grows eight to 10 inches tall

If well protected from deer, the rich green leaves of Carex plantaginea are attractive year round in the shade garden.

guess, it loves the sun. This is an excellent selection for mixed containers where it pairs well with bright oranges and blues. Prairie Fire® is a seed strain that produces plants more upright than is typical for the species. With selections that vary in their preferences from full sun to full shade, and uses that range from groundcovers and pondside accents to specimens and container plants, there are choices of Carex for just about every garden.

Paul Cappiello is executive director of Yew Dell Gardens, located in Crestwood, Ken- tucky, where, among other activities, he conducts research to select, introduce, and

TOP: PAUL CAPPIELLO. BOTTOM: MICHAEL S. THOMPSON. RIGHT: SAXON HOLT The leaves of Carex phyllocephala ‘Sparkler’ are clustered near the ends of two-foot stems. evaluate new ornamental plants.

May / June 2009 23 24 to helpyouchoosethe rightoneforyourlandscape. There areasmanystylesofgardenbenches astherearegardens.Heretipsfromtheexperts Situated amid hellebores and rhododendrons, this rustic bench in a Virginia shade garden echoes the soaring lines of the surrounding trees. Situated amidhellebores andrhododendrons,this rusticbenchinaVirginiashade gardenechoesthesoaringlines ofthesurrounding matching stylewith purpose Garden Benches matching stylewith purpose Garden Benches the American Gardener BY VIRGINIASMALL

SUSAN A. ROTH TOP: SUSAN A, ROTH. BOTTOM: JUDYWHITE / GARDENPHOTOS.COM garden patio. elements inthissmall,modern monizes withtheothergeometric out fromalowstonewallhar- Left: A“floating”oakbenchbuilt unobstructed viewofthepool. sense ofprivacytogetherwithan by RichardR.Iversenoffersa log arborinthisgardendesigned plants, therusticbenchundera of boldlycoloredandtextured Above: Setbackagainstavariety May /June 2009 25 26 in thisquietgarden nook. A rustictableand benchencouragelingering of ConnecticutdesignerLyndenMiller. Above: a benchservesasfocalpointin thegarden Top: Locatedattheendofacrabapple allée, the American Gardener M invites passersby totakerespite, surrounded by lushplantings. different function.Set withinastoneretaining wallatthecornerof theirurbanlot,it and builttotieinwiththeirVictorian home. china, it’s setwithin anoversized Victorian-inspired arborthatherhusbanddesigned asaconversation piece.Createdstage andserves from tile secondsandpiecesofold signer Lucy Hardiman, themosaic-covered, backlessbenchshemade takescenter kind benchheightensvisualinterest. In thePortland, Oregon, garden ofgarden de- it willencouragelingeringinthegarden. appeal, indoors, canvisuallylure andsensory usintoalandscape.If itofferscomfort changes from seasontoseason.Viewing agarden benchfrom adistance,even from a focalpointandembellishscene,oractastheanchorof aplantingvignettethat multiplerolesA well-placed inagarden. benchoftenperforms as Abenchcanserve DESIGN OFLANDSCAPE ASAPART BENCHES The Hardimans alsoinstalledabenchintheirfront yard acompletely toperform A benchcanalsosetorreinforce amoodorgarden style.Anornateorone-of-a- ANY AVIDGARDENERS a benchcanprovide muchmore thanjustaplacetosit. gardens. Even ifyou’re forever weeding, transplanting,anddeadheading, proclaim thattheynever sitstillintheirown

TOP: KAREN BUSSOLINI. BOTTOM: CAROLE OTTESEN TOP: MARK TURNER. BOTTOM: COURTESY OF LUCY HARDIMAN arbor thatframesit. rose-and-clematis-covered, Victorian- and brokenpottery,contrastswiththesedate bench, createdbyHardimanfrombitsoftile Lucy Hardiman’slivelycontemporarymosaic shade garden.Left:Oregongardendesigner for enjoyingthetranquilbeautyofthisIdaho lattice gazebooffersanidealvantagepoint informal. Above:Aswingingbenchinawhite Sheltered areasforbenchescanbeformalor May /June 2009 inspired 27 The gravel-and-flagstone-paved front yard of garden designer Steve Silk’s residence features a simple wooden bench that arrests the eye of visitors at the end of the walkway before they reach the entrance of the house. “I wanted a more dramatic effect for the bench,” says Silk, “so I clustered a number of pots—planted with a mix of hardy and tender shrubs and a few perennials—in order to make a little bit of a wall around it.”

A WIDE CHOICE OF MATERIALS Classic wooden benches are arguably the most traditional type of garden seating. Aged to a natural shade of gray, they suit many settings. Seating made from rustic wood con- veys a sense of informal naturalism. Well-designed rustic benches add artistic flair. An aluminum bench with sleek lines can contribute to a modern motif, while an in- tricately decorative wrought-iron bench harmonizes well with a planting scheme that brims with textures and colors. Photographer and garden designer Steve Silk likes to paint wooden and metal benches in his Farmington, Connecticut, garden to add a blast of bright color to a setting or to blend with surrounding colors. “Painting garden furniture is also a great way to have color in my garden year round,” says Silk. “I have a chartreuse-and-blue bench that almost glows on gray or snowy days. The other great thing about painting is that you can easily change the color on a whim.” CONSIDER COMFORT AND DURABILITY Painted pale blue, this delicate-looking With so many options available, it can be helpful to ask yourself a few questions be- metal bench, designed with a chambered fore selecting a bench for your garden. Do you want it to be appealing for an extended nautilus shell motif, easily doubles as a respite or a place that invites only a pause? Many wooden benches offer a high level piece of sculpture in this southern California of comfort and some are designed with a slight curvature in the seat and arm rests to garden. enhance their appeal. Backless benches are often more suited for brief interludes, but they can add a serene sense of simplicity to a garden scene. If your bench will remain outdoors year round, you’ll want to consider its durability. For both longevity and comfort, choose a weather-tolerant, rot-resistant wood such as sustainably harvested teak, cypress, cedar, or redwood. Also seek out wood benches constructed with mortise-and-tenon joinery; benches joined by lots of screws and bolts tend to be less durable. Metal, stone, or concrete benches also rank high on the dura-

bility scale, but may offer less in the way of comfort, depending on their design. TOP: STEVE SILK. BOTTOM: CATRIONA T. ERLER

28 the American Gardener PLACING A BENCH FOR MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT So how do you decide where to place a bench? In a garden setting, a bench should provide a spot to savor an attractive view and, if possible, other sensory delights. Maybe you want to enjoy your sunny border from a niche that gets a bit of shade, perhaps beneath a pergola or under a tree. Or you may want to place a bench in a nook where you’ll feel soothed by the sights and sounds of a water feature. You’ll get more enjoyment out of fragrant plants if there’s a bench nearby. You can even plan a sequence of seasonal scent around an anchoring seat, such as fragrant spring bulbs, followed by lilacs or a Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) followed by summersweet (Clethra alnifolia). Lucy Hardiman favors having multiple benches in a garden. “You’ll appreciate a garden more if you experience it from different vantage points,” she says. “It’s great to have a bench that’s hidden from view until you chance upon it as a surprise. A hidden bower with a bench gives a nice sense of privacy.” Garden designer and author Julie Moir Messervy of Saxtons River, Vermont, believes that people always feel more secure and relaxed on a bench when it’s “backed up” by a wall, fence, hedge, or mass planting of shrubs or grasses. A bench that’s smack-dab in the middle of an open lawn, even if it faces a lovely view, tends to feel less enticing. To provide shelter from the elements, Messervy suggests placing a bench under an arbor or trellis, or the cover of a garden house, pavilion, or gazebo. In her new book, Home Outside: Creating the Landscape You Love (Taunton Press, 2009), Messervy also stresses the importance of relating a bench to its surroundings. “For example, a white house with a white picket fence won’t look quite right with a rustic twig bench in the front yard.” In this case, she recommends choosing a simple white- stained bench instead—or one painted the color of the house trim. “On the other hand,” she adds, “the farther away from the house you get, the more rustic the seating can be. That same twig bench would look great in a woodland setting. A stone slab seat looks wonderful near natural fieldstone walls.” One way to make the most of any bench is to move it around until its placement feels right. You’ll know you’ve hit the mark when a bench entices you to quit weeding and settle in for a quiet moment.

Garden writer Virginia Small’s most recent book is Great Gardens of the Berkshires (Down East Books, 2008). She lives in Woodbury, Connecticut.

The right bench in the right spot makes a garden more beautiful and inviting. Top: A roomy metal bench with matching table transforms a patio into an outdoor living space. Above: An unobtrusive cast concrete bench provides a place for a quick respite in a woodland garden. Left: In this garden designed by Michael Bates, a classic wooden bench is an ideal spot for stopping to smell the roses. LEFT: SAXON HOLT. TOP RIGHT: ALAN AND LINDA DETRICK / DESIGN BY CORDING LANDSCAPE DESIGN, INC.; BOTTOM MARK TURNER

May / June 2009 29 30 here onthishillside gardeninCalifornia.Inset:Betsy Clebsch.Above:Theannual Salvia sonomensis Salvia national horticultural circles. national horticultural ly regarded amongbothCaliforniaand on thegenusandishigh- eminent experts lifetime, shehasbecomeone of thepre- sion forplants—especiallysalvias.Over a floras ofdiverse habitatsasitignitedapas- experiences openedhereyes tothenative vastly different climatesasanadult.Those dens, andcreated five gardens inthree A BookofSalvias, tined togarden; Betsy Clebsch,authorof putter inthegarden. Still othersseemdes- ment allows themunscheduledhoursto homeownership. Others waituntilretire- P leading expertonthegenus After alifetimeofgardeningexperienceindifferentregions,BetsyClebschhasbecome a Clebsch spentherchildhoodingar- First Lady First Lady the American Gardener young adultsintheglow offirst many reasons. Some takeitupas EOPLE COMETO is oneofthesepeople. is aperennialspecies thatformscreepingmats, usuallylessthanafoottall,and isusefulasagroundcover, shown gardening for Salvia. of of Salvia columbariae Salvia Salvias Salvias Washington, D.C. rector oftheU.S. BotanicGarden in plants,” saysHolly Shimizu, executive di- able guidetothesebeloved garden salvias—and, indoingso,provided aus- most challengingplantgroups—the a lotaboutplants,”recalls Clebsch.“She grandmothers hadbeautifulgardens.” small garden.wonderful Bothofmy ber anything,mymotherhada ing family. “From thetimeIcanremem- Ridge.” There, she grew upinagarden- place shecalls“the oftheBlue heart Clebsch hailsfrom Marion, Virginia, a EARLY RECOLLECTIONS “Betsy wasabletotackleoneofour “One grandmother in particular knew “One grandmotherinparticular blooms inlatespring orearlysummer. BY CAROLEOTTESEN

TOP BACKGROUND AND BOTTOM: SAXON HOLT. TOP INSET: COURTESY OF BETSY CLEBSCH collected plants back in the ’20s and the way of her plans for a garden. At the garden successfully in Texas. “The Texas ’30s.” It was a time before growing much time, “nobody wanted to take trees garden was strictly ornamental; I grew the more than vegetables and a few flowers down,” she says, so it was a problem that ordinary things that people planted in was common. “Gardening wasn’t a pas- was solved through divine intervention. Austin,” she says. But what riveted her in- sion with people back then as it is now.” That big ash came tumbling down in the terest in the new climate was what she saw Another memory—her mother’s sin- fierce winds of a freak summer storm. in the wild. On picnics in the Hill Coun- gle-minded dedication to her garden— When the sky cleared, she was free to try, she became utterly fascinated by the was an example she would later follow: pursue her designs. native flora, so different from the wild- When Clebsch was in high school, her Looking for something to plant under flowers she had loved while growing up in parents had a new house built. She re- the big, splendid oaks on the property, she Virginia. The Texas natives piqued in members at the time that everyone in decided rhododendrons would be perfect. Clebsch an interest in plants that went be- town was talking about her mother’s new She had only to mention that wish to her yond gardening. “I found I really enjoyed garden. It was up and growing long before mother and it was a fait accompli. “She plants for their own sake.” the house was finished. was wonderful,” says Clebsch. “She brought rhododendrons all the way from THE FIRST CALIFORNIA GARDEN THE FIRST OF FIVE GARDENS southwest Virginia.” In 1964, another move took the Clebsch Given her early environment, it isn’t sur- Like many young couples in acade- family to Stanford, California. The house prising that as an adult Clebsch eagerly mia, the Clebsch family didn’t stay in one they moved into on the Stanford campus came with a garden that had been “done.” “A garden designer put it in,” Clebsch remembers. “I had to undo it.” There was just one sticking point: “I had to get my husband to agree on everything. That was a big struggle!” She credits the mild Cali- fornia climate with the fact that after she removed the old garden, the new one quickly matured. After Virginia and Texas, California’s salubrious climate made gardening there almost paradise. In California, Clebsch’s interest in plants and gardens burgeoned. She also came into contact with plant people who were to have tremendous influence upon her. One of the first was Barbara Worl, who shared with Clebsch her interest in heritage roses. “Heritage roses at that time were not popular, and plants were terribly hard to find. Most of them were propagated by cuttings by the At her Stanford home, Clebsch removed the existing garden and replaced it with one of her people who wanted to grow them,” recalls own design that reflected her growing interest in California native plants. Clebsch. But before long, she had assem- bled her own collection. made gardens of her own. The first one place for long. They moved from Alexan- was in Alexandria, Virginia. dria to make their next home and their CALIFORNIA NATIVES “That was in the ’50s,” she remembers. second garden in Austin, Texas, where Soon after moving to Stanford, Clebsch “We lived in a pre-Revolutionary house.” they were to remain for six years. The became involved with the Saratoga Hor- It was owned by the Virginia Theological change in climates, which might have ticulture Foundation, a non-profit orga- Seminary, which at the time, employed her been daunting to many, was stimulating nization in San Martin that introduced husband, William. Although the Alexan- to Clebsch. many native varieties of trees and orna- dria years were busy ones—Clebsch had mental plants to the public. She became two small children at that time—she made THE TEXAS GARDEN a docent there almost immediately. Her “a wonderful garden there.” But an old “Austin, Texas, was utterly different from volunteer work at the Foundation deep- property comes with a past. This one had Virginia. I was always making compar- ened her interest in and knowledge of the its pluses and minuses. isons,” says Clebsch. “It was a learning indigenous plants of California. The main drawback was “a lot of trash experience.” The other important milestone for trees that had seeded in,” she says. In par- Despite the differences in climate, or Clebsch after moving to California was

COURTESY OF BETSY CLEBSCH ticular, a very large ash stood literally in perhaps because of them, she learned to meeting Gerda Isenberg, the founder of

May / June 2009 31 32 it intimately,” saysClebsch.“He had Dengler. “He wasagentlemanwhoknew Ridge, itwasinthecompanyofHerb the freeways andextensive development. ifornia landscapesthatexistedlongbefore There, shewasabletoseethekindsofCal- remain inasnaturalastatepossible. plant communities,carefully managedto versity hometodiverse property—is native Mountains. Thepreserve—Stanford Uni- in theeasternfoothillsofSanta Cruz hiking onJasper RidgeBiological Preserve, native floracontinuedtogrow. She started want tofoolwiththem.” calls. “Even professional gardeners didn’t scared todeathofnatives,” Clebschre- cepted asgarden plants.“People were 1967, atimebefore manynatives were ac- plant nurseriesinthestate.Thatwas Buena, makingitoneofthefirstnative friends, remembers Clebsch. fornia. Thetwoquicklybecameclose Yerba Buena Nursery inWoodside, Cali- AZ. Southwestern NativeSeeds, (888) 330-8038. Logee’s Greenhouses, (503) 543-7474. Joy CreekNursery, CA. J.L. Hudson,Seedsman, www.canyoncreeknursery.com. Oroville, CA.(530)533-2166. Canyon CreekNursery, Sources Oregon, 2003. Clebsch. The NewBookofSalvias 1997. Timber Press,Portland,Oregon, A BookofSalvias Resources com. Often whenshehikedonJasper Meanwhile, Clebsch’s enthusiasmfor Isenberg raisedonlynatives atYerba the American Gardener www.southwesternnativeseeds. www.jlhudsonseeds.com. Timber Press,Portland, by BetsyClebsch. Scappoose, OR. www.joycreek.com. www.joycreek.com. www.logees.com. Danielson, CT. La Honda, by Betsy Tucson, in yourgarden,”writesClebsch. form, andsize.“Ibelieveonceyouhavegrownsalviaswillalwaysspaceforafew As demonstratedinClebsch’sCaliforniagardenabove,salviascomeawiderangeofcolor, where grindingstoneshave beenfound. “they settledataplaceonJasper Ridge” across themountains.”In earlysummer, advantage oftheseasonsandmakeatrek lived onthecoastinwinterwouldtake Ridge. She learnedthat“Indians who human settlementandactivityonJasper relationships.” with himandIlearnedlotsaboutplant a child.It really wasaprivilegetowalk walked thatthousandacres sincehewas THE LOST GARDEN THE LOST could feel.“That’s becauseit was inaplace an aurathatpeople whovisitedthegarden ered nearby, thatgarden wasimbuedwith the spiritsofthoselong-agoIndians hov- the trek from theoceantoBay.” Asif ly stoppedandstayed “when theymade where Native Americanshadtraditional- plies” and theybegancampingthere. in asmalltrailertokeepallofoursup- the Stanford campus,herhusband“put south ofStanford. Whilestilllivingon husband purchased inthemountains garden onaparcel oflandsheandher thatClebschbeganafourth her memory It waswithDengler’s storiesringingin Dengler alsotoldheraboutancient Clebsch started agardenClebsch started inaplace salvias. “The climate here isso benign salvias. “The evitable thatClebsch wouldgravitateto venient tothehouse.There, itwasin- Eventually, garden anew shestarted con- THE FIFTHGARDEN the property. Unfortunately, whenasite before housewaseven thenew sitedon case, however, thegarden wasinstalled had builtagarden before ahouse.In her steelheads spawnedinthere.” a fresh stream. running Theysaythat protected from windsandweather. It has sch. “No wondertheIndians pickedit;it’s that wasspecialinandofitself,” saysCleb- tiful animals.” appletrees,few despitenowaterandplen- members ofthemintfamily, andquitea down there todayyou willfindonerose, ural processes, sheremarks, “ifyou look Clebsch says.But, ofnat- ever theobserver den, whichshedid. berg advisedClebschtoabandonthegar- Finally,but itwasastruggle. Gerda Isen- house, shetriedtokeepupthegarden, For awhileaftermoving into thenew to beagooddistancefrom thegarden. was chosenforthehouse,itturnedout Like hermotherbefore her, Clebsch “I deserted thatgarden“I deserted 22years ago,”

COURTESY OF BETSY CLEBSCH S. officinalis ‘Purpurascens’ S. spathacea S. tingitana

BETSY CLEBSCH’S FAVORITE SALVIAS Asked to name a few of her personal favorites, Betsy Clebsch was hard pressed to narrow down the list, but came up with the following perennial species.

S. dolomitica grows three feet tall and wide with striking gray-white evergreen leaves.

S. leucophylla is a California native with purple spring flowers and gray-green evergreen foliage.

S. officinalis ‘Purpurascens’, a cultivar of common sage, produces rich purple-gray edible leaves.

S. sclarea, or clary sage, bears flowers held in large, showy floral bracts ranging in shades from mauve, pink, and lilac to white.

S. sonomensis bears pale to deep lavender flowers and makes a stunning groundcover or edging for the front of a dry border.

S. spathacea, or pitcher sage, produces large, deep purple flowers over several months in spring; the bracts and calyces remain attractive after flowers fade.

S. tingitana is an excellent border plant with an erect habit, attractive lime-green S. leucophylla leaves, and late spring bicolored flowers.

compared to the other places where I daughter turned to her and said, “Moth- “And nobody knew what they were.” So lived,” she says. “There are a huge num- er, you call every other plant a salvia.” began her quest to bring order to the ber of things that you can grow, but the genus Salvia. It began in the 1970s and, stature of the salvias was what first caught ON THE SALVIA TRAIL she says, “it’s going on still.” my eye.” It suddenly occurred to Clebsch that, be- In the beginning, she would try to find The ones she was particularly attract- yond the designation “salvia,” she hadn’t out the identity of one or more salvias by ed to were from Mexico. “They’re the slightest idea what the species or cul- contacting an expert. Each time she visit- huge—so generous in size and flower. tivar names of her plants were. In that ed a botanic garden and sought informa- Many grow four to five feet high and “aha” moment, she realized that it wasn’t tion from a new expert, she came away some even to six feet.” She acquired a just her own lack of knowledge; most with new salvia cuttings. In addition to number of them for her new garden. salvias simply didn’t have legitimate, rec- putting the correct names on plants, she When her daughter came for a visit, ognized names. was gaining hands-on experience with the the garden was established. Clebsch gave She had bought the salvias growing in various species, substantially enlarging her her a tour, naming the plants as she her garden from sales at different botanic salvia collection, and amassing—unwit-

TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: DAVID CAVAGNARO; SAXON HOLT; COURTESY OF BETSY CLEBSCH. BOTTOM LEFT: HOLT strolled along. When the tour ended, her gardens. “All were mislabeled,” she says. tingly—the information for her book,

May / June 2009 33 which was first published in 1997. A Book of Salvias became an instant classic and the go-to book for anyone interested in growing salvias. The updated edition, The New Book of Salvias, was published six years later and includes 50 additional species and cultivars. “Betsy’s in- depth gardening experience with virtually every plant described in her books, along with exhaustive research to back up her anecdotal observations, makes these publications invaluable to those of us who adore the genus Salvia,” says Carol Bornstein, director of nursery and horticultural outreach at the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens. “I particularly appreci- Above: Although many salvias flourished in ate the many delightful suggestions for Clebsch’s California garden, many were suitable garden companions.” unnamed or misnamed. Clebsch spent years Those who helped her identify the unraveling their relationships. Left: Clary salvias comprise a who’s who of California sage (Salvia sclarea) is an early summer horticulturists, including Bornstein; Herb bloomer that grows three to four feet tall. Dengler and John Thomas of Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve; Kathy Musial, a O’Brien named a cultivar, Salvia cleve- botanist at the Huntington Botanical Gar- landii ‘Betsy Clebsch’, in her honor. “It dens in San Marino; Don Mahoney of grows three to four feet tall and spreads Strybing Arboretum in San Francisco; and equally wide. The flowers vary in color Ernie Wassum and Kathe Navarez of and are bright blue and pure white—in- Cabrillo College. According to Clebsch, dividual flowers may be one color or the “Cabrillo boasts the best collection of other, or they may be variously split be- salvias in the United States and probably tween the two colors,” says O’Brien. the best in the world.” “As I’ve grown older, the friendships I’ve made during all of this have lasted,” PLANT HUNTING says Clebsch. “I’m devoted to many of Over the years Clebsch has also accompa- these people.” nied friends and colleagues on forays into Texas, to Mexico on three occasions. Of the wild to see and collect salvias and other Fairey, she says, “He knows all of those A LIFE IN PLANTS plants in their natural habitats. She ac- back roads and how to get to different “Gardening,” as Clebsch likes to say, “has companied Frank Almeda, botanist at the habitats.” been a thread pulled tight throughout California Academy of Science, to Mada- And she’s accompanied Bart O’Brien, my life.” gascar and Dennis Breedlove, a botanist a senior staff research associate at Rancho She has shared this passion for garden- who wrote the definitive Flora de Chiapas, Santa Ana Botanical Garden in Clare- ing and plants with the botanists and hor- on trips to that Mexican state. She re- mont, California, on many trips. “Betsy ticulturists who enriched her life with members Almeda as “wonderful; one of is responsible for my interest and work their friendships. And by following the those people who encourage you” and with California’s and Baja California’s na- lead of her curiosity she has enriched our Breedlove as “a real expert who could speak tive sages,” says O’Brien, who first met collective knowledge of and appreciation different Indian dialects.” Clebsch while working at Yerba Buena. for native plants—especially salvias. She traveled with John Fairey, a “Together we’ve tracked down Salvia founder of Yucca Do Nursery and owner species in Baja California and in the Carole Ottesen is a contributing writer for

of Peckerwood Garden in Hempstead, deserts of southern California.” The American Gardener. TOP: COURTESY OF BETSY CLEBSCH. CENTER: LYNNE HARRISON

34 the American Gardener TOP LEFT: CATRIONA T. ERLER. RIGHT, TOP AND BOTTOM: JOSHUA MCCULLOUGH wintonensis Top left:Growing tofivefeethigh, evergreen plantsforgardensinsummer-dry climates. identified promisingnewcultivarsofthese drought-tolerant, American gardeners,butarecentevaluationinOregonhas Rockroses R roses andhalimiumshave becomepopu- Mountains ofeasternEurope, butrock- Mediterranean basintotheCaucasus lands intheAtlantic Ocean through the tive Is- range stretches from theCanary in thecistusfamily(Cistaceae).Theirna- Rockroses water-thrifty OCKROSES Halimium their closerelations inthegenus ‘Merrist WoodCream’ hasattractivesilveryfoliage. Bottomright: (Cistus are evergreen shrubs (Cistus and spp.) and Cistus Halimium ‘Snow Fire’hasa moundedhabit.Topright:Inaddition tostrikingbicoloredblossoms, cations where waterisalimitingfactor banks, parking lotislands,andotherlo- reliablyroses perform growing alongdry tolerance ofpoorsoilanddrought, rock- where rockroses thrive. Because oftheir welcome benefits forthechallengingsites aromatic foliage andshowy flowers are ranean-style climates.Theirevergreen, lar inotherregions thathave Mediter- spp.) arerelativelynewto BY NEILBELL Halimium lasianthum Halimium along theWest CoastofNorth America, excessively cold.Thismatchestheclimate summers andwintersthatare wet butnot evolved inregions thatexperiencehot,dry gin, ing by deer andotherherbivores. Theyarestruggle. alsoresistant tobrows- and manycommonlandscapeplants Like other shrubs ofMediterraneanLike othershrubs ori- ‘Concolor’ bears solidyellowflowers. Cistus and Halimium May /June ✕ species have Halimiocistus 2009 35 so it is gardeners from southern California through western Oregon and Washington to southwestern British Columbia who have become most familiar with these plants. Most of the species are hardy to USDA Zone 8 or 9 and heat tolerant to AHS Zone 10. They are rated for Sunset zones 6 to 9 and 14 to 24. Yet most of the Cistus and Halimium species and cultivars that exist worldwide are unknown in North America or are being grown only by enthusiasts. The Cis- tus most commonly used in landscaping on the West Coast are C. ✕hybridus, C. ✕purpureus, and C. ladanifer. The genus Halimium is even less commonly used; if a gardener can find one at all, it is most likely to be H. lasianthum. However, availability of new cultivars of both genera has increased recently due to an interest in and—in some regions—an outright need for water-thrifty landscape plants. Gardeners who are only familiar with the commonly-grown selections will be surprised at the diversity of size, form, foliage, and flowers within each of these genera. Given this and their tolerance of drought, it’s worth having a closer look at what these plants offer the dry garden. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS Rockroses range from small (two to four feet tall) to large (six to eight feet tall) with of some species, notably C. ladanifer. forms that can be prostrate, mounding, or Ladanum has been used since antiquity upright. All have opposite leaves, which as a component of incense and perfumes may be mid- to dark green or, very com- and it is still harvested and used in this monly, grayish. The flowers are distinctive, way in Crete. For the gardener, the value having delicate, often crinkled petals that of ladanum is that long after the flowers usually drop after being open a few hours. are finished, the scent of the plants on The following morning, a new set of flow- warm, still, summer nights lingers. ers will open, so the flower show continues “When summer heat comes on, the gar- for two to three weeks, and sporadically for den is filled with the perfume,” says much longer in some cases. The primary Maurice Horn, who grows rockroses in a flowering time for most species is between dry border—amended with fine gravel April and late June, depending on region. for drainage—he created at Joy Creek The flowers of both genera are un- Nursery in Scappoose, Oregon. “But scented; in Cistus they are usually white, since it’s the foliage and stems that release pink, or purplish, while in Halimium the fragrance, it’s hard to tell where it is they are commonly yellow or white. coming from. Once I came upon some Some may have a spot at the base of each nursery visitors down on their knees petal. The spent flowers develop into red- sniffing for the source of the fragrance.” dish or dark brown capsules, which split open to reveal numerous, small, dark ROCKROSES brown or blackish seeds. Above: Even after the flowers of Cistus Cistus is derived from the Greek word The genus Cistus is the source of ladanifer fade, its leaves and stems continue to kisthos or kistos, which were the classical ladanum, an aromatic, viscous resin that scent the garden. Top: Cistus ✕purpureus names for various species. These days

is exuded from the leaves and stem hairs bears dark pink blooms with burgundy spots. they are commonly known as rockroses, TOP: SAXON HOLT. BOTTOM: MICHAEL S. THOMPSON

36 the American Gardener based on the resemblance of the flowers wide with gray-green foliage and magen- to old-fashioned, single roses—and on ta flowers. Also low-growing, to two or the preferred habitat of the plants, which three feet, is ‘Mallorca’, a selection of C. is rocky, relatively poor soil. ladanifer var. sulcatus introduced by Sean There are about 20 Cistus species, Hogan of Cistus Nursery in Sauvie Is- which can be conveniently divided into land, Oregon. white- and pink-flowered species and hybrids, of which there are many. The white- HALIMIUM flowered species include C. ladanifer, C. The seven Halimium species currently laurifolius, C. monspeliensis, C. populifolius, recognized originate from southern Eu- and C. salviifolius. Pink-flowered rockros- rope—especially Spain, Portugal, and es include most of the tender species native France—and North Africa. Two species, to the Canary Islands, specifically C. os- H. halimifolium and H. lasianthum, have beckifolius, C. chinamadensis, and C. a reddish or dark brown flower blotch ochreatus. Despite their unsuitability for and have passed this trait along to certain general cultivation, these species have selections. “Among the two genera, the served as a means of introducing dramatic plants that have impressed me the most foliar and flower color effects in many hy- are the halimiums,” says Maurice Horn. brids. Hardy pink-flowered species include “The foliage is finer and provides a nice C. albidus, C. creticus, C. crispus, and C. Cistus ‘Grayswood Pink’ makes a good texture to work into a border of other heterophyllus. groundcover for sunny, dry sites. drought-tolerant plants.” All told, there are about 70 hybrid Halimium can be divided into white- species and cultivars in cultivation. In monly used species is C. ✕hybridus (C. and yellow-flowered species. The single North America, the best known selection populifolius ✕ C. salviifolius) a rounded white-flowered species is H. umbellatum, is probably C. ✕purpureus, a hybrid of C. shrub that grows to four feet high and six a dwarf plant growing only 18 inches tall creticus and C. ladanifer that grows four or more feet across and has unblotched but spreading to four feet or more. The feet tall and six feet across. Its pink flow- white flowers. ‘Sunset’, a selection of C. best known species, H. lasianthum, fea- ers have a distinctive dark red blotch at ✕pulverulentus, has a very compact habit, tures silvery foliage and yellow flowers that the base of each petal. Another com- growing only two feet tall and three feet often have a dark blotch on each petal.

ROCKROSE EVALUATION IN OREGON Between 2004 and 2007, the author and other horticulturists at Oregon State University evaluated approximately 90 Cistus and Halimium selections at the university’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC) in Aurora, Oregon. The goal was to evaluate cold hardiness, size, flowering, and general landscape adaptability for Northwest conditions. Planted in unamended silt loam, the plants were irrigated during summer 2004 for establishment, after which they received no summer irrigation. They were not fertilized or pruned for the duration of the evaluation. Growth of the plants was assessed by measuring height and width each spring. Cold hardiness was evaluated by noting damage from the previous winter. Winter temperatures during the evaluation period were fairly typical of previous years, with no extreme cold events, so few of the cultivars showed any significant cold damage (see NOTE, below). All plants were evaluated for form and foliage in the late summer of 2006 and 2007, at the end of the drought period, when they might be expected to show maximum stress from heat and lack of water. Some cultivars that were very showy in bloom, such as ‘Victor Reiter’, ‘Doris Hibberson’, and C. ✕rodiaei ‘Jessica’, became sparse and leggy as the trial went on. This problem also plagued popular C. ✕argenteus selections, including ‘Silver Pink’ and ‘Peggy Sammons’. The most commonly-grown rockroses, C. ✕hybridus and C. ✕purpureus, were only average overall in their appearance after four years. On the other hand, some cultivars flowered well and retained good form and foliage quality throughout the trial. These, shown in the chart on page 38, merit greater consideration in the landscape. The complete results of the study will be published in HortTechnology this year and will be available on the NWREC website (see “Resources,” page 39) later this year. —N.B.

NOTE: This past winter the Pacific Northwest was hit by heavy snowfall and temperatures dropping as low as 8 degrees Fahrenheit in some places. Cistus growers in the region reported problems with greater than average dieback and outright death for some selections, but the plants listed in the chart on page 38 came through with little or no damage, reports Neil Bell. To see Maurice Horn’s report on how selections in his dry border fared, visit the web special linked to this article on the AHS website (www.ahs.org). JOSHUA MCCULLOUGH

May / June 2009 37 RECOMMENDED CISTUS AND HALIMIUM SELECTIONS BASED ON NWREC EVALUATION Name Height/Width Flower color/ Other comments (feet) Bloom period Large, upright Cistus suitable for specimens or massing C. ✕aguilarii 7/5 Pure white/May C. ✕aguilarii ‘Maculatus’ 7/5 White with blotch/May Large Cistus with a mounded habit useful as tall groundcovers ‘Gordon Cooper’ 5/8 White, smaller, with blotches/mid-May to late June ‘Ruby Cluster’ 4/6 White with blotches/mid-May to mid-June ‘Snow Fire’ 5/8 White with a red blotches/mid-May through late June C. inflatus (syn. C. hirsutus) 4/6 White/mid-May to late June C. ✕laxus 4/6 White/mid-May to late June C. salviifolius ‘Gold Star’ 4/6 White with yellow stain at the base of the petals/ mid- to late May Cistus groundcovers for the smaller garden or containers C. ✕florentinus ‘Tramontane’ 2/5 White/late May to early June Dense prostrate form C. ✕pulverulentus ‘Sunset’ 2/4 Brilliant magenta/late May Reblooms; mound of gray-green foliage C. ✕obtusifolius 3/5 Pure white/mid-May to late June ‘Grayswood Pink’ 2/4 Pink/early May to June Good choice for rocky slopes Halimium selections H. ✕pauanum 6/5 Yellow/late May through early July Gray-green foliage H. lasianthum cultivars ‘Concolor’ 2/5 Yellow/mid-May to mid-June ‘Farrall’ 2/5 Deep yellow/late May to mid-June ‘Formosum’ 2/5 Yellow with blotches/mid-May to late June ‘Hannay Silver’ 4/5 Yellow/mid-May to early June ‘Sandling’ 2/5 Yellow with red blotches/early May to late June Long bloom period; mounds of silvery foliage ✕Halimiocistus selections ✕Halimiocistus sahucii 1/4 White/May Forms dense mat

Horn describes it as drought tolerant and H. ✕pauanum is a vigorous, upright holds up well in the garden and has fine “undeterred by the cold weather” of this and very floriferous shrub that grows to six silvery foliage—closer to a lavender look,” past winter. Halimium ocymoides is a low, feet tall and has unblotched, yellow flow- says Horn. H. ✕santae is slightly lower- spreading plant that has blotched yellow ers. “It is a beautiful landscape shrub—it growing (to five feet) and wider, with un- flowers opening from red buds. H. ca- blotched yellow flowers. lycinum, another low-growing species, has unblotched yellow flowers. INTERGENERIC HYBRIDS Quite different in form from any of Intergeneric hybrids (✕Halimiocistus) be- these are H. atriplicifolium and H. hal- tween the two genera have arisen, for the imifolium. The former is an upright, sil- most part, in cultivation. Seedlings raised very plant that bears unblotched yellow from such crosses possess characteristics flowers on short stalks above the foliage. intermediate between the suspected par- H. halimifolium also has an upright habit ents. Perhaps the best known of these is to four feet. “It has three- to four-inch, ✕Halimiocistus wintonensis, which has fluted, totally silver leaves on a two- to white flowers with a prominent maroon four- foot plant and fairly large, butter- blotch. A selection called ‘Merrist Wood yellow flowers with burgundy in the cen- Cream’ is a favorite of Cistus Nursery ter,” says Hogan, who adds that it is owner Sean Hogan, who describes it as a extremely drought tolerant. The cultivar rounded shrub with finely articulated, ‘Maculatus’ bears masses of blotched yel- Low-growing Halimium lasianthum has given silvery foliage. “In April or May it will be

low flowers that open from reddish buds. rise to numerous attractive cultivars. smothered in rich creamy-yellow flowers JOSHUA MCCULLOUGH

38 the American Gardener Sources Cistus Nursery, Sauvie Island, OR. (503) 621-2233. www.cistusnursery.com.

Digging Dog Nursery, Albion, CA. (707) 937-1130. www.diggingdog.com.

Forestfarm, Williams, OR. (541) 846-7269. www.forestfarm.com.

Greer Gardens, Eugene, OR. (800) 548-0111. www.greergardens.com.

Joy Creek Nursery, Scappoose, OR. (503) 543-7474. www.joycreek.com.

Above: Sharing a sunny border with Yucca flaccida ‘Golden Resources Sword’ and Yucca filamentosa, North Willamette Research and Exten- the magenta flowers and sion Center, http://oregonstate.edu/ silvery foliage of Cistus dept/NWREC. ✕pulverulentus ‘Sunset’ fill the foreground with summer color. Sunset Western Garden Book, Sunset Left: Because it may become Publishing Corporation, Menlo leggy after flowering, combine Park, California, 2007. C. ✕argenteus ‘Silver Pink’ with lower-growing, drought-tolerant The Cistus and Halimium Website, perennials. www.cistuspage.org.uk.

with the contrasting burgundy blotch,” says. “Some of them are semi-woody and folius, as well as high-altitude selections of says Hogan. “These all shed at once and with those you should leave a smidge of C. crispus, C. incanus, and C. creticus. The you have a couple of days with a won- the previous year’s growth when pruning last three, says Kelaidis, “make it through derful carpet of petals under the plant.” to make them bushy.” some years, but are often badly winter- In the dry border at Joy Creek Nursery, burned. We trim them back, and they take DESIGN AND COMPANION PLANTS Horn says California muhly grass (Muh- off again, so they are potentially useful in Rockroses are most effective when used as lenbergia rigens) was the most successful our climate, but I suspect we will have to components of a landscape that requires companion because of its contrasting tex- hybridize them with C. laurifolius to get re- very little water and are best paired with ture and habit. “Because most Cistus only ally tough ones.” plants similarly tolerant of drought. Sim- come into their own for a brief period of Horn agrees that future breeding and ply plopping rockroses in among thirsty time in June, I think you could use pen- selection should focus on hardiness, as shrubs or perennials often produces a flush stemons to carry on the bloom later in the well as on extended bloom duration. of unwanted growth and predisposes them season,” says Horn. “They have beautiful flowers already— to fungal diseases. “A common mistake is what we should be looking for is repeat to place them within range of the sprinkler POTENTIAL IN OTHER REGIONS blooming and longer—or later—bloom- system,” says Hogan. “I think there is great potential for rock- ing,” he says. Rockroses are not fond of repeated roses in the inland, continental West where shearing or other forms of hard pruning Mediterranean plants such as lavender A community horticulturist with Oregon either, so it’s best to site them where they often adapt well,” says Panayoti Kelaidis, State University Extension Service, Neil Bell can be allowed to grow to their mature size senior curator and director of outreach at coordinates evaluations of landscape plants with minimal shaping. “We tend to shear Denver Botanic Gardens. According to at the North Willamette Research and Ex-

TOP: CATRIONA T. ERLER. BOTTOM: RICK WETHERBEE ours maybe once or twice a year,” Hogan Kelaidis, the garden has grown C. lauri- tension Center in Aurora, Oregon.

May / June 2009 39 40 by Talia Goldman Panayoti Kelaidis:PlantExplorer forRockyMountainGardens P gardeners through Plant Select lectures. Andtheplantsthathedevelops don’t stayinthegardens atDBG,butare madeavailable to home This isamessagethatKelaidis carriestothepublicthrough books,and hiswork atDBGandinhisarticles, plants thatare bothattractive andadapteasilytothesemi-aridconditionsofRocky Mountain region. in Boulderwithhisfather’s love oftheoutdoorsandrock garden hebuiltasakidwithhisbrother- and hissearchornamentalplantstobroaden forsuitablenew thepalettehomegardeners. Editorial Intern Talia Goldman talkedwithKelaidis recently aboutgardening intheRocky Mountain region ors, includingthisyear’s Hyde AHSLiberty Bailey Award forhislifetimecontributionstohorticulture. versity (CSU) thatheplayed akeyrole inestablishing.In theprocess, Kelaidis hasgarnered numerous hon- Alaska, thesouth sidelikeArizona. bores. side ofourhomeislike Thenorth with hepaticas,rhododendrons, andhelle- and agaves aswell asawoodlandgarden xeriscape withhundreds ofkindscacti and bogprimulasan unwatered home garden, Ihave abogofpitcherplants Himalayas inthesamegarden? In my Meconopsis Southfrom Africaand hot anddry visited. Where else canyou grow Lithops is muchgreater than anyplaceelseIhave tively different microclimates inourregion possibilities. Theconcentrationofdistinc- growing conditions,whichoffers somany Panayoti Kelaidis: Mountain region? best aboutgardening intheRocky your lifeinColorado,whatdoyou like Talia Goldman: the American Gardener ANAYOTI KELAIDIS hunting expeditions,buthispassionforplantsisrooted inhishomestateofColorado. Growing up from themoist shadeofthe Having spentmost of The widerangeof laidis serves asarepresentativelaidis serves oftheDBG’s ofusing missiontopromote theimportance ing plants native totheColoradoarea, mostnotablyanumberofpenstemons,includ- (Delosperma popular inAmericangardens, suchasvarieties ofdiascia has introduced manyornamentalplantsfoundduringhistravels thathave become in-law, Kelaidis’s own fascinationwithalpinesandrock gardening blossomed.He As seniorcuratoranddirector ofoutreach atDenver BotanicGardens (DBG),Ke- Penstemon caespitosusand travels allover theworld,from Mexico toSouth AfricatoChina,onplant- ® , ajointplantintroduction program oftheDBGandColoradoState Uni- spp.) from South Africa.But hehasalsofoundandintroduced many Botanic Gardenand namedforKelaidis. discovered in the late1990satDenver naturally occurringhybridiceplant thatwas Delosperma N NOEWITH ONE ON ONE C Klii’(ea Verde™)isa ‘Kelaidis’ (Mesa Penstemon crandallii. … growing them effectively hasbeenun- plants andhelping promulgate waysof launched. My role inpromoting native exoticColorado natives Ihave forevery I have probably introduced three orfour plants versus those of Coloradonatives? is your viewonthemerits of these tive plantstothegardens atDBG.What You’ve introduced alotofnewnon-na- suited tothisclimateisenormous. climate. Thenumberofspectacularplants and grow whatnaturallydoes bestinmy and toappreciate thenaturalconditions change thetypeofsoilIhave towork with to gardening inColorado is tostoptrying The principalconceptIhave learnedfrom that receives littleannualrainfall? the challengeofgardening inaclimate What are someofthewaysyou meet (Diascia spp.) andiceplants

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF PANAYOTI KELAIDIS Left: Designed by Panayoti Kelaidis, the internationally acclaimed Rock Alpine Garden at DBG displays more than 2,000 native and non- native plant species suited to the Rocky Mountain region, including Scabiosa lucida, Allium caeruleum, and Papaver rhoeas. Above: Among Kelaidis’s many native plant introductions is Zauschneria garrettii, which he discovered in Wyoming. dervalued by the public at large. I think You have been very active in establish- You can have the same “box” stores in native plants are taken for granted being the Plant Select® program. How Hawaii and Maine, but plants can’t be cause exotics just seem to have more piz- did this program get started? made to conform. You can only truly suc- zazz for the average Joe. Plant Select® was started about 25 years ago ceed in gardening by bowing to the will of when I was curator of the Rock Alpine Mother Nature. By testing, publicizing, When did you begin traveling to search Garden at DBG. It was a direct response to and making available plants that are for plants and where did you go? public interest in the flood of novel plants proven to perform well in different regions, I collected seed and plants on trips to the being displayed at the York Street Gardens plant introduction programs benefit home Rockies as a child. My first “official” col- of DBG and the Plant Environmental Re- gardeners who now have plants better suit- lecting trips were conducted in my 20s search Center of CSU. So many visitors ed to their gardens. throughout Colorado and the West. wanted to obtain these new plants that These were with Professor T. Paul Maslin, DBG and CSU decided to partner with What is the single most important tip a great biologist and gardener who lived a the local green industry to find a way for you want to give to gardeners in the few blocks away from me in Boulder and these new plants to be systematically stud- Rocky Mountain region? who became my mentor. Our biggest trip ied, propagated, and marketed. Get your pruning shears and cut up your together was in 1978 to the mountains and It took about 10 years for the program garden hoses. Learn to garden without wa- deserts of Chihuahua, Mexico, where we to get off the ground.We started with tering—or to water less. The most beau- found the yellow, scarlet, and deep red eight wholesale growers from Colorado tiful and exciting plants for our gardens Mexican Phlox mesoleuca forms we intro- and Nebraska in 1997 selling a few hun- are yet to come, and, when they do, they duced into cultivation. dred thousand plants. Now we have over will die if watered too much. 50 wholesale partners from coast to coast You’ve made numerous trips to South selling more than a million plants a year How do you balance your time between Africa. What is it about South Africa through nurseries and independent gar- your current responsibilities at DBG, that appeals so much to you? den centers across America. We never plant hunting, and writing? South Africa is twice the size of Texas yet dreamed that this program would have Plant hunting and writing are the focus of contains more species of plants than all succeeded to the extent that it has. It has my professional life, along with lecturing of North America north of Mexico. It has been a highlight of my professional life. and research. That is what I have done for one out of 10 species of plants on Planet a living for 29 years now. At DBG, I have Earth—an amazing proportion of which Why are regional plant introduction over 100 colleagues. We all work together are extremely ornamental. It’s a botanist’s programs such as Plant Select® impor- to achieve our ends: I am just one per- paradise! I have no doubt that there are tant to gardeners? former in a magnificent orchestra. thousands of species of plants in South The same plants will simply not thrive Africa—and elsewhere in the world— everywhere the way that so many other as- Talia Goldman is editorial intern for The still to be discovered. pects of our lives are standard everywhere. American Gardener.

May / June 2009 41 42 by KrisWetherbee From MildtoWild: SensationalSalsaPeppers W bring outthebest inanysalsarecipe. peppers, cream-of-the-crop peppersthat oneIrefer toassalsa vorite category—the are sweet peppers,andthenthere’s myfa- covered thatthere are hotpeppers,there (and tasted)nearly50varieties, I’ve dis- aromatic sweetness. Afterhavinggrown a rangeofflavors andheatalongwithan per couldprovide. Great salsaincorporates ment tosalsathanasinglevariety ofpep- developer, there Iknew wasmore excite- nuum), ed onlyonetypeofpepper(Capsicum an- ‘Early Jalapeno’ ‘Corno diToro’ ‘Corno diToro’ the American Gardener usually ajalapeno. Yet asarecipe most recipes typicallyinclud- fever acoupleofdecadesago, HEN IFIRST caught salsa rity are from theirtransplantdate). considering(daystomatu- peppers worth concentrated in thepepper’s seeds and known ascapsaicinoids,whichare mostly A pepper’s heatcomes from compounds MEDIUM HOT twist with justahintofheat. fers afruity treme heat,and‘Pasilla Bajio’ (78days)of- (85 days)hasfull-bodiedflavor withoutex- days). For somethingdifferent, ‘Holy Mole’ Spice’ (63days)and‘EarlyJalapeno’ (66 seasonselectionsinclude‘Spanishshort Isleno’ (76days)are sure toplease.Standout days), ‘Poblano’ (75–80days),and‘Mulato ly spicy, mildpungencyof‘Anaheim’ (75 For flavor withoutburningheat,theslight- MILDLY HOT yellow tobrightred injust65days. yellow and‘Banana Supreme’ ripensfrom ‘Corno diToro’ (68days)turnsbrightred or days), and‘Giant Marconi’ (63days). clude ‘Gypsy’ (58–60days),‘Cubanelle’ (65 that colorupfasteven incoolerclimatesin- andsweet. Varieties becomescolorful fruit bitter,somewhat butlefttofullyripen,the immature,Harvested green peppersare SWEET PEPPERS OERW HARVEST HOMEGROWN The following varieties are somesalsa C ‘Holy Mole’ ‘Holy Mole’ 10,000 Scoville units.Turn uptheheatwith jalapeno, forexample,rangefrom 2,500to same typeofpepper. Different varieties of wildlywithinvarieties ofthe heat canvary on itscapsaicinoidcontent.Thedegree of method formeasuringapepper’s heatbased membrane area. TheScoville Scaleisa pending onvariety. 58 to110+daysfromtransplanting, de- DAYS TOMATURITY About 18inchesapart. SPACING tures remainabove55degrees. planting outdoorswhennighttempera- Gradually hardenoffseedlingsbefore TRANSPLANT TOTHEGARDEN when twosetsoftrueleavesappear. seedlings toindividualfour-inchpots containers moistandwarm.Transplant weeks beforeyourlastspringfrost.Keep your own,sowseedsindoorseightto10 planted outdoorsastransplants.Tostart In mostareas,peppersproducebestwhen GETTING STARTED Planting Basics ‘Hungarian HotWax’ ‘Hungarian HotWax’

TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF JOHNNY’S SELECTED SEEDS; TOP CENTER: ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS; TOP RIGHT AND BOTTOM LEFT: RICK WETHERBEE Sources Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Albion, ME. (877) 564-6697. www.johnnyseeds.com.

Territorial Seed Company, Cottage Grove, OR. (800) 626-0866. www.territorialseed.com.

Tomato Growers Supply Company, Fort Meyers, FL. (888) 478-7333. www.tomatogrowers.com.

‘Mucho Nacho’ ‘Caribbean Red’ W. Atlee Burpee & Company, Warminster, PA. (800) 888-1447. fiery ‘Mucho Nacho’ (75 days), a jumbo- Cayenne’ (75 days), which scores from www.burpee.com. sized jalapeno with amazing yields and 30,000 to 55,000 Scoville units. Fan the powerful taste. On the cooler end of the flame with ‘Thai Dragon’ (70–80 days), a heat spectrum is ‘Senorita’ (60–70 days). southeast Asian native said to be eight times Resources Also on my list of must-have medium- hotter than a standard jalapeno. Want more The Edible Pepper Garden by Rosa- hot favorites is ‘Hungarian Hot Wax’ heat? Any of the habaneros are undoubted- lind Creasy. Periplus Editions, (60–80 days) and ‘Mirasol’ for its hint of ly worth the risk. Though small in size, they Boston, Massachusetts, 2000. fruitiness that heightens the flavor of fruit- pack a potent dose of heat, tipping the Scov- inspired salsas. ille Scale at 100,000 to 350,000. If you are The Pepper Garden by Dave Dewitt truly fearless, try (cautiously) the tongue- and Paul Bosland. Ten Speed Press, MEDIUM TO MEDIUM-HOT WITH SPICY FLAVOR scorching heat of ‘Caribbean Red’ (110+ Berkeley, California, 1993. Salsa is never complete without the zesty ad- days), a habanero that measures a blistering dition of a good, spicy pepper such as 445,000 Scoville units. ‘Mesilla’ (85 days) or ‘Garden Salsa’ (73 few days or hand pollinating with a small days). Slightly hotter ‘Serrano’ (75 days) is GROWING GUIDELINES brush or cotton swab can increase fruit set. Heat-loving peppers need full sun, well- Aged manure applied at planting time drained soil rich in organic matter, and a along with oyster shells for calcium pro- long, warm growing season in which to duce the best peppers in my USDA Zone grow and thrive. The more sun and heat, 7 Oregon garden. Once flowers appear, a the more pungent the peppers. side-dressing of compost or a quarter to Floating row covers, hot caps, cloches, half cup of complete organic fertilizer per and cold frames help boost the sur- plant will provide an additional boost. But rounding temperature in regions with go easy on the nitrogen—too much will re- cool or short summers. You can also in- sult in lush plants but fewer fruits. Inade- crease the heat around plant roots by quate moisture causes low yield and bitter mulching your soil with heat-absorbing fruit; a two-inch layer of organic mulch, black plastic or IRT mulch (infrared such as compost, helps retain soil moisture. transmitting mulch). Habaneros and other long-season peppers may perform ENJOYING THE HARVEST ‘Mesilla’ better if grown in containers set in the You can harvest peppers at any stage of warmer air of a deck or open greenhouse. growth, but the flavor and heat will not ful- an easy-to-grow Mexican classic and com- Where summers are excessively hot, cool ly develop until after fruits change color and bines the best of both worlds—profound things down with the help of a tempo- fully mature. Gently cut the stems with a flavor as well as unpretentious heat. Similar rary lattice or shade cloth. knife or scissors to harvest fruits. Always in appearance to a cayenne, thin-walled The ideal night temperature for polli- use caution when handling hot peppers, be- ‘Kung Pao’ (85 days) comes in at about nation and fruit set is between 65 and 85 cause direct contact with the capsaicin can 10,000 Scoville units. degrees Fahrenheit. Too much heat (above burn the skin and eyes. Peppers are a great 90 degrees) or cool nights consistently source of Vitamins A and C. FIERY HOT below 60 degrees can cause blossoms to If you consider yourself adventurous, ease drop, resulting in reduced fruit set. If pol- Kris Wetherbee grows peppers and many other

COURTESY OF TOMATO GROWERS SUPPLY COMPANY (3) into the burn with a fiery ‘Long Red lination is poor, tapping the flowers every vegetables in her western Oregon garden.

May / June 2009 43 44 Obama tobreak ground foranewkitchengarden attheWhiteHouseinMarch. Children fromBancroft ElementarySchoolinWashington, D.C.,helpFirstLady Michelle thehomeless. nization thatserves any extraproduce willgotoalocalorga- to supplytheWhiteHouse kitchenand gresses. Thegarden’s bountywillbeused duce from thegarden astheseason pro- andcookthepro- help toplant,harvest, the WhiteHouse. Thestudentsalsowill kitchengardennew ontheSouth Lawn of in Washington, D.C.,broke ground fora graders from Bancroft School Elementary with theassistanceofagroup offifth- March whenFirst LadyMichelle Obama, foodlongdistances. transport ducing theamountofenergyneededto and numerous otherbenefitssuchasre- home willresult inhealthiereatinghabits ponents arguethatgrowing foodcloserto cans toplantediblegardens aswell. Pro- example wouldencouragemore Ameri- House inthehopethatsuchahighprofile creation ofavegetable garden attheWhite ly grown foodhave campaignedforthe For years, advocates oforganicandlocal- IDEA ACAPITAL EDIBLE GARDENS Horticultural NewsandResearch ImportanttoAmericanGardeners The movement achieved itsgoalin the American Gardener be beneficiaries of the harvested produce. be beneficiariesoftheharvested need itmost,”sincelocalfoodbankswill how itreaches thetablesofthosewho vested,” saysShriver, “and ultimately tional value, how itisgrown andhar- role offood,where itcomesfrom, nutri- dents, andvisitorsabouttheimportant will bringawareness tochildren, stu- Lady Maria Shriver. garden new “This force forthatgarden isCalifornia’s First state capitolinSacramento. Thedriving will beplantedinMay atCalifornia’s pledge, ScottsMiracle-Gro willdonate ny andFeeding ofthe America.Aspart theScottsMiracle-Gropartners, Compa- Good pledgecampaign,alongwithits extra todonatetheneedy. gram encouragespeopletogrow alittle Plant ARow fortheHungry (PAR) pro- dens, theGarden Writers Association’s While everyone’s ediblegar- busystarting HOMEGROWN VEGETABLESFORTHENEEDY GARDENER Another highprofile vegetable garden This year, PAR islaunchingtheGro- C ’ NOTEBOOK S www.grogood.com duce toyour localfoodbank,visit take thepledgetogrow anddonatepro- den forthegreater goodisanoutstanding Americans everywhere. is todoublethatdonationwiththehelpof banks across thecountry. GroGood’s goal one millionpoundsofproduce tofood mysterious affliction, dubbedcolonycol- have beenscramblingto explainthis disappearing from theirhives, scientists that largenumbersofhoneybees were States and abroad first reported in2006 Ever sincebeekeepersinthe United HONEYBEES ABOUTVANISHINGNEW DISCOVERIES search group. Pavlos Lagoudakis,whoheadedthere- gy production exciting,” are very says nology forenvironmentally-friendly ener- possibilities fortheapplicationofthistech- lightintoanelectriccurrent.convert “The photovoltaic cellthatcanmore efficiently the process todevelopkindof anew the United Kingdomhasnow replicated ton’s SchoolofPhysics andAstronomy in of scientistsattheUniversity ofSouthamp- mechanism behindphotosynthesis,ateam known asphotosynthesis. Inspired by the the energytheyneedtolive, aprocess lightfromability toconvert thesuninto bacteriahavePlants, the algae,andcertain BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY INSPIRESOLAR PLANTS Katie LeeJoel “The GroGood“The pledgetogrow agar- or call(866)466-3476. time.” If you’d liketo of fresh produce ata extra row, onepound “one garden, one son KatieLeeJoel, GroGood spokesper- cookbook authorand risk forhunger,” says help Americansat can work togetherto example ofhow we

BOTTOM: JOYCE N. BOGHOSIAN / COURTESY OF THE WHITE HOUSE. TOP: COURTESY OF SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO COMPANY lapse disorder (CCD). What has everyone so concerned is that without domes- ticated honeybees (Apis mellifera) to pollinate plants, about a third of the world’s crops would fail to produce. In the April 2009 issue of Scientific American, researchers report that so far they have found several possible contributing causes rather than a single cul- prit. The CCD Working Team—made up of an interdisciplinary group of gov- ernment, academic, and private scien- TigerEye™ Gold black-eyed Susan ‘Northern Lights Lavender’ pentas tists—has found that “multiple factors such as poor nutrition and exposure to pesticides can interact to weaken colonies VOTE FOR AMERICA’S FAVORITE PLANT Vying for your vote are three dazzling and make them susceptible to a virus- This summer, six new ornamental annu- petunias—‘Baby Duck Yellow’, ‘Opera mediated collapse.” The virus in ques- als will put their best petals forward to se- Supreme Purple’, and Plush™ Lilac Pearl— tion is the recently discovered Israeli cure your vote for the fairest flower in the along with bold TigerEye™ Gold black- acute paralysis virus, which appears to land. The contestants will be grown at eyed Susan, beguiling ‘Viper Orchid Halo’ have a strong correlation with CCD. several public gardens across the country catharanthus, and sparkling ‘Northern Because such a variety of factors ap- as part of the first American Garden Lights Lavender’ pentas. You can cast your pear to play a role, CCD Working Team Award competition, created by All- vote via a text message or toll free number scientists assert that beekeepers can mit- America Selections (AAS). While AAS before September 1. The votes will be tal- igate “colony loss by redoubling their ef- coordinates impartial trials of new plants lied this fall and three winners will be an- forts at improving their colonies’ diets, nationwide each year to select top-per- nounced next year. For more information keeping infections and parasites in check, forming varieties, this award will be and to see a live count of the voting, visit

COURTESY OF ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS (2) and practicing good hygiene.” based on public opinion. www.americangardenaward.org. PHOTO BY ANNE C. ALLEN FROM 2008 GARDENER’S CALENDAR 2009 “Gardener’s” Calendar There are 13 prize-winning color photos taken by TGOA/MGCA members, including AHS members who are also members of TGOA/MGCA $6.95 ($59.00 for 10) Postpaid To order: call 515-278-0295 or e-mail [email protected] The Gardeners of America/ Men’s Garden Clubs of America Box 241, Johnston, Iowa 50121-0241 (515) 278-0295 www.tgoa-mgca.org

May / June 2009 45 46 ration ofthetrial.” Amongthesewere good healthand habitqualityforthedu- rior flower production whilesustaining next highestratingoffourstars for“supe- and heattolerantinAHSZones 8to1. It israted as hardy inUSDAZones 4to9 aggressively, itisawell-behaved spreader. hibiting thelatter’s tendencytorun lium thought tobeahybridbetween and winterhardiness.” Thiscultivar is profusion ofvioletblue,tubularflowers, rating offive starsforits“compact habit, was theonlybellflower toearnthehighest panula ducted from 1998to2006.Out of89 of anevaluation ofhardy bellflowers con- den inGlencoe, Illinois, released theresults Earlier thisyear, theChicagoBotanicGar- GARDENS NORTHERN FOR BELLFLOWERS BEST are twocultivarsthatreceivedhighrating poscharskyana C. takesimana Campanula in CBG’s Thirty-one bellflowerThirty-one taxareceived the the American Gardener and species andcultivars, evaluation. C. punctata,butratherthanex- ‘Blue Waterfall’,above, ‘Elizabeth’, top,and C. C. trache- ‘Sarastro’ Cam- C. s lia, glomerata, C.poscharskyana,rotundifo- CBG’s website atwww.cbg.org. study andotherplantevaluations, visit thecompleteresultsview ofthebellflower turn themintothugsinyour garden. To that helpedthemsucceedinthetrialcould qualities habits,” meaningthatthevery they have “wide-spreading, rhizomatous takesimana—come withthecaveat that lation toitslikelihood ofnaturalizingor hasastrong corre-horticulture industry non-native plantisgrown andsoldinthe Ecology lished intheJanuary 2009issueof cious pestsinnaturalareas. Astudypub- escaped from gardens tobecomeperni- liage, orotherdesirabletraits,butthen ticultural market fortheirflowers, fo- plants thatwere introduced intothe hor- of invasive non-natives, these are often What turnsagoodplantbad?In thecase PREDICTING INVASIVENESS which causesdamping-offinseedlings. fungus thatcauseswilt,and toxic tobothVerticillium, organic acidsinfishemulsionproved March 2009issueofPhytopathology, According toastudypublishedinthe tion tobeinganeffective plantfertilizer. may have inaddi- fungicidalproperties Canada hasrevealed thatfishemulsion tection andFood Research Centre in University andtheSouthern Crop Pro- Recent research by scientistsatMcGill FUNGI PLANT-ATTACKING SUPPRESSES FISH EMULSION after sixdays. one dayandnearlyallspores were killed ters ofthefungalspores were killedafter thatuptothreesearchers quar- observed was appliedtoinfestedsoil,there- of these—namely their cultivars. Thehighratingsforsome one tothree weeks aftertheapplication. fective only whenseedlingswere planted in apeat-basedmix,fishemulsionwasef- However, forcucumberseedlingsgrowing four weeks aftertheinitialapplication. ued todosoforseedlingsplantedup ing inahumus-richmucksoilandcontin- damping-off incucumberseedlingsgrow- fish emulsionimmediatelysuppressed For For and Pythium, Verticillium, found thatthenumberofyears a C. takesimana, the researchers foundthat C. glomerata after fishemulsion as well asseveral of a commonsoil Pythium, and the C. ganic products. not equatenaturalproductswithor- same asorganicproductsbut52%do ■ households surveyed: ones. Outofnearly1,000American ucts areaseffectiveconventional whether organiclawnandgardenprod- fusion aboutwhat“organic”meansand ing, butthereisstillconsiderablecon- organic gardeningmovementisgrow- garden communicators,revealsthatthe Writers Association,atradegroupfor catch on.ArecentsurveybytheGarden dening productshavebeenslowerto shelves ofsupermarkets,organicgar- moving fromnaturalfoodstorestothe come fairlymainstreaminrecentyears, While organicallygrownfoodhasbe- CONFUSION AMONGCONSUMERS ORGANIC GARDENINGSURVEYREVEALS ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ them inastore. ganic productsmoreiftheycouldfind with being“costlytobuy.” doing organiclawncare. ditional cost. could getaneffectiveresultfornoad- ganic productsiftheyknewthat growing theirownorganicproducts. stores while36%wereinterestedin est inbuyingorganicproducts are notasgoodorganicproducts. what tobuyandhowusethem. organic productsiftheyunderstood tive asnon-organicproducts. vinced thatorganicsarejustaseffec- organic productsiftheycouldbecon- 44% indicatedahighlevelofinter- 53% saidthattheywoulduse more 60% saidthattheywouldusemore 18% thinknaturalproductsarethe 26% thinkthat“natural”products 31% indicatedastronginterestin 80% saidtheywouldusemoreor- 55% saidthattheywoulduseor- 70% equatetheterm“organic”

TOP: JEN VAN WAGONER; BOTTOM: RICHARD HAWKE / BOTH COURTESY OF CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN PEOPLE and PLACES in the NEWS WORLD’S #1 TOP America in Bloom Establishes New Memorial Award PLANT SUPPLY America in Bloom (AIB), a national non-profit organization that promotes urban beautification, has created a new award in honor of AIB board member and offi- PLANT #1HEALTH EXTRA LIFE cer John R. Holmes III, who died unexpectedly in Febru- Greatest Guarantee-Offer PROOF Ever SINCE 1940, $5,000. GUARANTEED to be ary. Since 2002, Holmes also had been the CEO of Worldunchallenged, CHAMPION OFA—an Association of Floriculture Professionals. #1 Activator, #1 Trans/ #1 Extra #1 REVIVER, PLANTER, GROWER, The John R. Holmes III Community Champion Award WORLD’S FAIR SCIENCE-MEDAL-WINNING #1 Perfecter TM TM will be given to an individual who has “demonstrated a vi- VI ® 50 IN sion and selfless commitment to moving the community ONE forward.” Candidates must come from a city that has par- VITAMINS-HORMONES USED BY U.S. –– FERTILIZER GUARANTEED Departments of –– PESTICIDE –– POLLUTING BioUSABLES As Advertised in ticipated or is participating in the AIB program. The first AGRICULTURE, ARMY, NON TM Better Homes & Gardens NAVY, AIR. Etc. TO ADD TO FERTILIZING for growing Landscape Architecture ALSO BY STATES, Horticulture CITIES, COUNTIES, DOUBLE MONEY-BACK award will be presented during the 2009 AIB Symposium UNIVERSITIES RECOMMENDED TOP VALUE BY EXPERTS OF TV, RADIO, BOOKS, EXTREME Concentration MAGAZINES, Drop-A-CupTM or CONFERENCES Dozens and Awards Program taking place from October 1-3 in Her- Drop-A-GalTM OF THE shey, Pennsylvania. Nominations for the annual award are WORLD’S SCIENCE & INDUSTRY ONLY GOLD MEDAL being accepted until July 1. Visit the AIB website at www.americainbloom.org or WORLD’S FAIR 1940 science ADD to any fertilizingTM • 50 INSTANT BioUSABLES call (614) 487-1117 for more details. NORMAL PURE COMPLEXES • From Carbon-Hydrogen-Oxygen MIRACLES natural organic crystals • Save plants from waiting while IN EACH trying to make them • Unique. Nothing is “like” it. DROP! SEE TO BELIEVE–– HEALTHIER, FASTER plants BEAUTY and CROP yieldADDED TO 21 FERTILIZERS by 21 Growers

becoming invasive. The study also iden- JUNE IS PERENNIAL GARDENING MONTH YOU CAN ORDER PINT, tified several other factors that can help Since 2000, the Perennial Plant Associa- QUART, GALLON, Billions–PROVEN predict which plants will be wanderers tion has designated June as Perennial Gar- or DRUM B A L A N C E D ORIGINAL and which will be well-behaved. dening Month. If you’re looking for a list ADDED TO 18 FERTILIZERS, by 18 Growers In an effort to identify naturalization of top performing perennials to try in your patterns, Bob Pemberton with the U.S. garden, the Columbus, Ohio-based orga- Department of Agriculture’s Agricultur- nization annually selects a Perennial Plant al Research Service Invasive Plant Re- of the Year based on ease of care, adapt- search Laboratory in Fort Lauderdale, ability to a wide range of growing condi- NEARLY 1000 BOOKS, CONFERENCES, RECOMMENDED BY MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS, TVs, RADIOS Florida, and his colleague Hong Liu, for- tions, and several seasons of interest. USED BY merly with the University of Florida, an- FIVE U.S. DEPARTMENTS TO HELP WIN WORLD WAR II OF GOVERNMENTS, STATE UNIVERSITIES, LEADING alyzed 40 years of a prominent Florida THOUSANDS ARBORETUMS, BOTANICAL GARDENS, PARKS SYSTEMS U.S. STATES and CITIES IN MULTIPLE-DRUMS LOTS nursery’s sales data starting with the year FLOWERING PLANTS SHOW WINNERS – “everywhere” HEALTHY, TOXICS-FREE FOODS GROWERS 1887. Comparing the data to known in- UNIQUE. Far easier plant success vasive non-native plants in Florida, they noticed that “plants that became invasive and naturalized were sold for an average of 19.6 and 14.8 years, respectively, compared to 6.8 years for non-naturalized plants, and the naturalization of plants sold for 30 years or more is 70 percent.” Additionally, patterns in the data sug- gested that plants with large native ranges in their region of origin were more likely Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ to naturalize, as compared to plants from

smaller native ranges. In particular, vines For 2009, this honor goes to 11 XMAS TREES 17 HYDROSEEDING 22 FLOWERING PLANT 12 REFORESTATION 18 LANDSCAPING COMPETITIONS 13 HYDROPONICS 19 PROPAGATION 23 INTERIORSCAPING and aquatic herbs showed the greatest ten- Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’. This orna- 14 FIELD CROPS 20 ANTI-EROSION 24 CUT FLOWERS 15 BONSAI 21 ENVIRONMENTAL 25 WEATHER DAMAGE dency to naturalize, as did plants in certain mental grass features low mounds of cas- 16 TISSUE CULTURE IMPROVEMENT 26 WATER GARDENS families—the bindweed family (Con- cading, deciduous, golden foliage that AT CONSCIENTIOUS PLANT DEALERS WORLDWIDE volvulaceae) and verbena family (Verbe- add a splash of brightness to shady spots Used, tipped to, and supplied by thousands of conscientious naceae), for instance. in the garden. It is hardy in USDA plant-selling firms. On every continent, without salesmen. To help avoid the introduction of in- Zones 5 to 9 and is heat tolerant in AHS REFUSE “just as good,” false, cheaply made, unbalancing substitutes – often 991/2% water. vasives through the horticulture industry, Zones 9 to 5. For more information, visit NOTHING IS AT ALL “LIKE” the researchers recommend developing www.perennialplant.org. 50 VITAMINS-HORMONES better screening techniques to identify and V Made in U.S.A. by VITAMIN INSTITUTE I select noninvasive species and varieties be- News written by Associate Editor Viveka 12610 Saticoy Street South, North Hollywood, CA 91605 Website www.superthrive.com TOP: COURTESY OF OFA. BOTTOM: COURTEY PERENNIAL PLANT ASSOCIATION fore putting them on the market. Neveln.

May / June 2009 47 48 by RitaPelczar atigWes AMulti-Pronged Approach Battling Weeds: T considered as a lastresort a as considered cases, herbicidesmayneedtobe answer the calltoarms.In some weeds—keep themattheready to products are available tocombat able plants.Anumberoftoolsand cultural practicesthatfavor desir- seed formation,andemploying weed emergence, preventing weed using physicalbarrierstoprevent Other tactical optionsinclude fore theybecomeestablished. remove weeds new thatappearbe- garden area priortoplanting,then many weeds aspossiblefrom the eral fronts. First, eliminateas approach weed control from sev- as you worksoil.If new perennial weeds stolons,rhizomes,roots, orbulbs runners, most reproduce vegetatively. Remove their since, inadditiontoproducing seeds, isting weed bank. eventually depleting theex- to thesurface, Repeated cultivation willbring more seeds minate. That’s whentoeliminatethem. face where, stimulated by light,theyger- den bringsmanyweed seedstothesur- bed oranannualflower orvegetable gar- for decadesinthesoil.Cultivating anew by animals. Some weed seedscansurvive ried onthewind,inwater, orintroduced duced inpurchased soilormulch,car- weeds enter thegarden asseedsintro- gardentablish anew orbed.Annual Think aboutweed control before you es- EARLY ACTION Perennial weeds are more difficult the American Gardener HE WAR AGAINST never ends.For bestresults, weeds Using ground-coveringplantsasalivingmulchisgoodwaytokeepweedsatbay. their seedswhen creatingnewplantingbeds. effective wayto killperennialweedsand Smothering weedswithplasticsheeting isan weed seeds intheupperseveral inchesof it. Afteraboutsixweeks, mostweeds and the plasticsothatheatbuildsupbeneath allsidesof half millimetersthick,burying sheets ofclearplastic,atleastone-and-a- till it,thenwateritwell andcover itwith or mow short theexistingvegetation very and warmweather. To solarize your soil, ization, atechniquethatrequires full sun are aseriousproblem, considersoilsolar- RE GARAGE GREEN C ® be worth theeffort. be worth weeds are aseriousissue,however, itmay beneficial soilorganisms.If perennial stroys orreduces populationsofmany ofthegrowingcant part seasonanditde- prevents your useofthearea forasignifi- drawbacks ofthisprocedure are thatit the soilwillhave beendestroyed. The weed seedsfrom germinating.Frequent blades helpshade thesoil,preventing ter tomow highandoften—longergrass your bladeissharp. In general, itisbet- you growfor thetypeofturf andbesure maintained. Mow attheproper height withweeds thanone that ispoorly run where weeds mightgrow. plants’ roots ratherthanareas between irrigation sothatwaterreaches your want togrow. Water by handorusedrip correct fortheplantsyou pHandfertility the neededamendmentstomaintain battle forturf. Test your soilandsupply desirable plantsimprove theiroddsinthe Cultural practicesthatstrengthen your IMPROVING THEODDS A healthylawnislessapttobeover-

TOP: MARY YEE. BOTTOM: SHEPHERD OGDEN other creates a living mulch. Ground- covers planted beneath trees and shrubs and low spreading annuals or perennials that blanket the ground in a flowerbed accomplish much the same thing. In a vegetable garden, planting multiple, closely spaced rows or blocks minimizes the area left open for weeds. Or construct raised beds for intensive vegetable plantings; walkways between beds can be mulched or maintained as mowed turf. HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT Despite efforts to prevent weeds in the garden, they will come. Be ready with Landscape fabrics such as Weed Shield®, seen above, can be secured to beds with pins. tools to attack the problem while weeds are small and vulnerable. mowing also suppresses the development er to mulch my bed of pumpkins and A variety of long-handled weeders of weed seeds. butternut squash. Although the fabric is make short work of annual weeds. A permeable to air and moisture, it thwart- loop or scuffle hoe and the Circlehoe®, PHYSICAL BARRIERS ed the weeds—my pumpkins and squash both available from Rittenhouse Garden Since many weed seeds need light to ger- produced famously. Use a heavier grade Tools, are great for slicing through weeds minate, covering the soil with an organic, of landscape fabric when constructing a at or just below ground level. These tools weed-free mulch thwarts their emergence. walkway. It significantly reduces weed allow soil to pass through their open Enhance the barrier by spreading a layer of emergence through mulch or gravel or blades, creating minimal disturbance. newspaper beneath the mulch. In vegetable between pavers, brick, or stone. The Master Gardener Cultivator and gardens, black plastic can be used between Spacing plants so that they quickly Hoe from Ames True Temper has a dual rows, particularly with heat loving crops cover the soil without crowding each use head with both a flat blade and such as tomato and cucumber; it prevents weed seed germination and warms the soil. Mulches provide the additional benefit of conserving soil moisture. Woven or spun landscape fabrics are RELIEF FOR effective mulches, and they are available DRY PATCHES in different grades, depending on their intended use. DeWitt’s Weed Barrier® is available in varying strengths and colors—black, gray, and brown—so that it blends with the mulching material used to cover it. Last year, I used Weed Barri-

Long a staple on the farm, the little green can is also at home in the garden. For soothing roughed up hands, chapped and chafed skin, and cuts and scrapes, dig for the Bag Balm®— the time-tested solution.

DAIRY ASSOCIATION CO., INC. P.O. BOX 145, DEPT. AG09, LYNDONVILLE, VT 05851/TEL. 802-626-3610/WWW.BAGBALM.COM Mulching with straw or other organic materials WEST OF ROCKIES: SMITH SALES SERVICE, 16372 S. W. 72ND ST., PORTLAND, OR 97223

BOTTOM: SHEPHERD OGDEN suppress weeds and conserves moisture.

May / June 2009 49 Black & Decker’s high-performance Sources cordless string Ames True Temper, Camp Hill, PA. trimmer, left, and a (800) 393-1846. weed torch from www.amestruetemper.com. Rittenhouse, below

Clean Air Gardening, Dallas, TX. (214) 370-0530. www.cleanairgardening.com.

DeWitt Company, Sikeston, MO. (573) 472-0048. www.dewittcompany.com. Lee Valley Tools’ Japanese draw hoe

The Espoma Company. Millville, NJ. forked cultivator. The Japanese draw (888) 377-6621.www.espoma.com. hoe from Lee Valley Tools is a heavier tool that comes in handy for tackling Gardens Alive, Lawrenceburg, IN. large weed stems and roots. (513) 354-1482. Clean Air Gardening offers several op- weeks! Persistent weeds may www.gardensalive.com. tions for detail weeding, including Cape require several treatments. Cod weeders with steel heads and hard- Don’t use a flamer near mulch or Lee Valley Garden Tools, Ogdensburg, wood handles for both right-handed and other flammable material. NY. (800) 871-8158. left-handed gardeners. Its fishtail and pre- www.leevalley.com. cision weeders are rustproof cast alu- HERBICIDES minum and are great for tight spaces. For Although chemical warfare should be a last Nature’s Avenger, Buford, GA. those tenacious, deep rooted weeds, the resort, there are several herbicides derived (866) 906-WEED. from plant oils or fatty acids that do not www.naturesavenger.com. persist in the environment. The active ingredient in Nature’s Avenger Organic Pharm Solutions, Inc., Port Townsend, Weed Killer is citrus oil; in Weed Pharm, WA. (805) 927-7500. a non-selective weed and grass killer, the ac- www.pharmsolutions.com. tive ingredient is vine- gar (acetic acid); Es- Planet Natural, Bozeman, MT. (800) poma’s Earth-Tone® 289-6656. www.planetnatural.com. 4n1 Weed Control contains a synthetic Rittenhouse Garden Tools, St. Cather- anti-sprouting agent. ines, Ontario, Canada. (877) 488- Weed Aside™ is an 1914. www.rittenhouse.ca. The Cobrahead features a curved neck. herbicidal soap. These products are most ef- Shade Cloth Store, Libertyville, IL. CobraHead® weeder offers a narrow, fective on young an- (866) 727-6658. heavy-duty steel blade and a handle made nual weeds; perennial www.shadeclothstore.com. of recycled plastic that has a very com- weeds may require re- fortable grip. Espoma’s Earth-Tone peated applications. String trimmers are great for cutting the 4n1 Weed Control Sold under a vari- Resources weeds along fences and uncultivated areas; ety of brand names, The Gardener’s Weed Book: Earthsafe their regular use reduces the spread of corn gluten meal, a byproduct of corn Controls by Barbara Pleasant. Storey weeds by preventing seed formation. Black processing, acts as a pre-emergent herbi- Publishing, North Adams, Massachu- & Decker’s cordless High Performance cide. It kills germinating seeds, so tim- setts, 1996. String Trimmer is lightweight and pow- ing of its application is critical for erful with a 36 volt rechargeable battery. successful weed control. For all of the Non-Toxic Weed Control by William Flamers or weed torches are useful above products, follow the label direc- Quarles. “Common Sense Quarterly.” for eradicating weeds in a garden, be- tions carefully. www.birc.org/Winter2003.pdf. tween pavers in a walkway, and spot weeding in lawns. Just know that you’ll Rita Pelczar is a contributing editor for The

have black circles on the lawn for a few American Gardener. LEFT (2) AND BOTTOM RIGHT: RITA PELCZAR

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Recommendations for Your Gardening Library

Home Outside: Creating the Landscape You Love Sunflowers: The Secret History Julie Moir Messervy. The Taunton Press, Newtown, Connecticut, 2009. Joe Pappalardo. The Overlook Press, Woodstock, New York, 2008. 256 249 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $30. pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $22.95.

GARDEN DESIGN is often an enigma to homeowners. While IT’S NOT OFTEN that a single-topic horticulture book can spur they seldom hesitate to spend time and money on interior de- much interest beyond those who love the plant. However, con- sign, they just can’t quite make the fessed sunflower stalker Joe Pappalardo leap of faith to put the same effort packs much more than the botanical as- into designing the great outdoors. pects into what he calls “the unautho- In her latest book, celebrated rized biography of the world’s most landscape designer Julie Moir beloved weed.” The author’s fascination Messervy explains how any prop- with his subject—from the flower head’s erty owner can create “a welcoming logarithmic spiral (the most efficient front yard, a backyard that feels way to pack the maximum number of like an oasis, a place outside to en- seeds in an area) to bits of history such tertain, a contemplative area, and a as the sunflower’s role in Hitler’s inva- way to ‘flow’ effortlessly through- sion of Russia during World War II—is out the house and landscape.” The book is a road map that can reflected in his engaging prose. The reader can’t help but be drawn help you turn your property, whatever its size, into a second in as Pappalardo paints a compelling picture of just how integral home that’s just outside the doorstep. sunflowers are to our everyday lives. In an easy-to-follow, six-part process, Messervy reveals many A veteran science journalist, the author applied the same re- of the techniques that landscape designers use to turn pedestri- search skills he’s used at Popular Mechanics, the Smithsonian’s Air an properties into exceptional havens where owners can enjoy & Space magazine, and Time to uncover a wealth of sunflower sci- the solitude, commune with nature, hang out with family and ence and lore. His obsessive research revealed that these plants can friends, or entertain business associates. She leads you through “lay legitimate claim to participation in all sorts of historical events the process of selecting materials; choosing plants for color, tex- and the actions of all kinds of famous characters.” For example, ture, and impact; making the most of your front yard; building Pappalardo relates how NASA used sunflowers to prove one of on what you already have; framing the focal points, and even Charles Darwin’s theories in Spacelab during the 1960s and how designing the garden to better match your personality. Osama bin Laden used sunflowers to fund al-Qaeda. The book is filled with “before and after” photos, drawings, The book also brings the unsung heroes and behind-the- and landscape plans that clearly illustrate all of the key concepts scenes characters into the light. These include many of the Sun- she wishes to convey. Sections like “Working on a Shoestring” flower People, as he calls them, “those who have dedicated their and “Landscaping in Phases” describe in detail how home- lives to the plant.” Among these are plant hunters stalking rare owners with modest budgets can have gardens as impressive as species, and scientists at the United States Department of Agri- those on grand estates. culture working to track down, catalog, store, and preserve In the final chapter, Messervy presents a case study of a small more than 3,000 sunflower species. property to demonstrate the book’s main ideas. She walks you If you are a science, history, or trivia junkie, this book is for step-by-step through all the methods used by landscape archi- you. Add the horticultural component, and any plant lover will tect Nick Cavaliere to fashion an outdoor space that looks just enjoy this “sunflower’s-eye view of humanity,” despite the lack of like a cottage in the woods and is the “perfect size for his active photography aside from a few grainy, black-and-white photos. lifestyle.” As Messervy says, “the owner of this house was able Therein lies my only complaint about the book, but it did not —over time—to transform a nondescript landscape into his outweigh my appreciation for Pappalardo’s captivating, well-doc- own true pleasure ground.” With the help of this book, anyone umented research and breezy, easy-to-absorb writing style. will be able to do the same. —Doreen G. Howard —Jane Berger Doreen G. Howard, avowed plant nerd, trivia buff, and former Jane Berger is a landscape designer based in Washington, D.C. and the garden editor at Woman’s Day, writes for a number of publications publisher of www.gardendesignonline.com. and experiments with plant breeding in Roscoe, Illinois.

52 the American Gardener Trees for All Seasons: Broadleaved Evergreens ate gardeners will find worthwhile discoveries here. “Indeed, it is for Temperate Climates the challenging, throw-down-the-gauntlet nature of this book,” Sean Hogan. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2008. 336 pages. Pub- states plantsman Roy Lancaster in the foreword, “that makes it so lisher’s price, hardcover: $39.95. exciting for gardeners, wherever they may garden.” You will find some surprise entries among those listed in the AN AVERAGE USDA Zone 5/6 gardener might find this new book’s subtitle: “Acacias, Magnolias, Hollies, Bays, Hawthorns, book frustrating, but for an adventurous Zone 5/6 gardener like Myrtles, Olives, Oaks, and More.” Examples among familiar gen- me, this book will inspire you to try era such as Magnolia and Quercus include some newly available more of these beauties in that proverbial Chinese magnolias (formerly in the genera Mangletia, Michelia, “protected spot.” Personally I love it and others) such as M. champaca and M. compressa with intense- when a group of plants that might be ly fragrant flowers or the gigantic M. yunnanensis. Of course, space side-tracked gets a new and thorough is provided for the more common M. grandiflora and M. virgini- treatment such as this book offers. Some ana and all varieties include some specific growing tips. Similarly may assume it is filled with rhododen- the represented oaks range from common live oaks and cork oaks drons and related plants, but these are to new varieties from China and Mexico. intentionally omitted. Unfortunately If you have been tempted to try something possibly tender, but palms, bamboos, and yuccas that might still potentially growable, this is the book to compare the merits otherwise belong are also omitted; still, of old and new Acacia species, evergreen Prunus, and a gold mine more than 300 trees are presented, most with color photographs. of Eucalyptus. There are even tips for the notoriously touchy, but The author, Sean Hogan, and his partner, Parker Sanderson, much drooled-over Chilean flame tree (Embothrium coccineum). are the co-owners of Cistus Nursery near Portland, Oregon, where If global warming is inevitable, as it seems, this book may provide they have trialed and offered many of the trees in this book. If you the proverbial silver lining for cool-climate gardeners. are fortunate enough to garden in the great arc that runs from the —Jim W. Waddick mid-Atlantic states across the south and up to the coastal Wash- ington State/British Columbia border (roughly USDA Hardiness Jim W. Waddick has written books devoted to irises, peonies, and Zone 7 and warmer), this book will open your eyes to possibili- bananas. A two-time medal-winner from the American Iris Society, ties for a greener winter garden. Even experienced, mild-temper- he tries to garden in the difficult climate of Kansas City, Missouri.

May / June 2009 53 GARDENERC’S BOOKS

Edible Gardening

EGETABLE SEED SALES are breaking records and paying a double dividend when carefully incorporated into a even the White House now features a kitchen garden. No garden’s design. This book delves into how to do just that. V doubt about it, edible gardening is all the rage these days. Chapters on landscape design basics, As well it should be, considering that growing your own food can planting considerations, and cultural provide some of the freshest produce you’ll ever eat, and can even requirements precede an “encyclope- be a lot of fun. You can also grow interesting and tasty varieties dia” of fruit plants, which Reich se- otherwise unavailable in the grocery store. Whether you have been lected for their ease of culture in cultivating edible plants for years or are new to the colorful world temperate climates, ornamental value, of vegetables, fruits, and herbs, the following recently published and tastiness of fruits. Each plant’s books are sure to provide insight and inspiration. listing includes a general description Even a tiny patch of ground or a couple of containers on a deck as well as information about its grow- can yield surprisingly bountiful results. If you’re dubious, Fresh ing needs, seasons of interest, recommended varieties, and har- Food from Small Spaces (Chelsea Green vest tips. Colorful photographs, illustrations, and landscape Publishing, 2008, $24.95) will set you plans round out the book. straight. This practical guide explains You’ll find many more fruity options in 75 Remarkable Fruits how to squeeze all you can from every for Your Garden by Jack Staub (Gibbs Smith, 2008, $19.95). available square inch because, as author Heirlooms and modern hybrids, North and life-long city-dweller R. J. Rup- American natives and exotics all make ap- penthal puts it, “no space is too small or pearances, with Staub taking pains to in- too dark to raise food.” Granted the dark- clude the “best of the current batch of est spots may only be good for cultivating available cultivars in every case.” Rather edible mushrooms or setting up a worm than a manual on how to grow these plants, composting system, but this book con- this book is more of a collection of essays tains plenty of other ideas for making the most of the smallest of that mingles historical tidbits and lore with spaces. For example, it describes how to take advantage of verti- growing tips and droll anecdotes to give cal space and zeros in on compact varieties—particularly those readers a tantalizing taste of each fruit. Every that will produce in low light conditions. plant is also beautifully rendered in watercolor illustrations by The Backyard Homestead (Storey Publishing, 2009, $18.95), Ellen Sheppard Buchert. Fans will want to seek out Staub’s simi- edited by Carleen Madigan, also makes a compelling case for the lar volumes on vegetables and herbs as well. abundance a modest amount of space can For something on one specific edible plant, there’s the Com- produce. Aimed more at those who gar- plete Book of Garlic (Timber Press, 2008, $39.95) by Ted Jordan den on an average-sized suburban plot Meredith. Garlic is beloved the world over than land-strapped city folk, this book for its culinary and medicinal uses, and proclaims that on a mere quarter of an this 330-page tome will help you truly ap- acre, you can come pretty close to self- preciate all this pungent bulb has to offer. sufficiency. It covers a variety of tech- Meredith asserts that if your only experi- niques for intensively growing vegetables, ence with garlic is the mediocre grocery fruits, nuts, and grains, along with forag- store variety, you have been missing out. ing from nature and raising livestock. Happily, garlic grows well in a wide range You’ll also find recipes, preservation information, and other tips of climates and conditions, so he recom- for enjoying your harvest. Pithy sidebars, charts, lists, and line mends giving some of the many cultivars in the book a try in your drawings offer further instruction and help to break the breezy garden. The book details cultivation as well as preparation meth- text into bite-sized chunks. ods for getting the most out of garlic’s flavor and medicinal prop- Edible plants not only provide nourishment, they also bring erties. Botany buffs will enjoy the chapters on natural history, a range of colors, textures, scents, and forms to a garden. In garlic structures and their functions, and taxonomy. Dozens of Landscaping with Fruit (Storey Publishing, 2009, $19.95), Lee large color photos throughout the book help to illustrate the di- Reich points out that most fruit-bearing plants—unlike annu- versity of garlic and its subtle beauty. al vegetables—can contribute ornamental interest for years, —Viveka Neveln, Associate Editor

54 the American Gardener ‘SPOUT TIME!

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Pour & Store Watering Cans 1.800.545.4411 www.oxo.com REGIONALC HAPPENINGS

Horticultural Events from Around the Country

NORTHEAST Events sponsored by or including official RAP MAY 20. Essential Herbs— CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT participation by AHS or AHS staff members Basil and Beyond. Demonstration. Aldridge RAP MAY 23. Plant Sale. Polly Hill Arbore- are identified with the AHS symbol. Botanical Gardens. Hoover, Alabama. (205) tum. West Tisbury, Massachusetts. (508) 682-8019. www.aldridgegardens.com. 693-9426. www.pollyhillarboretum.org. Events hosted by botanical gardens and MAY 21. Forest Dwellers. Hike. The South arboreta that participate in AHS’s Reciprocal RAP MAY 30 & 31. Native Plant Sale. Carolina Botanical Garden. Clemson Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Admissions Program are identified with the University. Clemson, South Carolina. Boothbay, Maine. (207) 633-4333. RAP symbol. Current AHS members showing (864) 656-3311. www.clemson.edu/scbg. www.mainegardens.org. a valid membership card are eligible for free or discounted admission to the garden or other MAY 23. Azalea Propagation Workshop. RAP MAY 31–SEPT. 6. Wicked Plants. benefits. Special events may not be included; Callaway Gardens. Pine Mountain, Georgia. Exhibit. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. contact the host site for details or visit (706) 663-2281. www.callawaygardens.org. Brooklyn, New York. (718) 623-7200. www.ahs.org/events/reciprocal_events.htm. www.bbg.org. RAP MAY 23. Composting Workshop. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Belmont, JUNE 6. HerbFest. Connecticut Herb MAY 27. Hummingbird Container. Workshop. North Carolina.(704) 825-4490. Association. Pleasant View Farms. Brookside Gardens. Wheaton, Maryland. www.dsbg.org. Somers, Connecticut. (860) 763-5206. (301) 962-1400. www.brooksidegardens.org. www.herbfest.com. MAY 30. Daylily Show and Sale. Chatta- MAY 30. Native Orchids of Virginia. Lecture. hoochee Valley Daylily Society. Callaway RAP JUNE 10. Landscape History of Martha’s Monticello. Charlottesville, Virginia. Gardens. Pine Mountain, Georgia. (800) Vineyard. Lecture. Polly Hill Arboretum. West (434) 984-9822. www.monticello.org. 225-5292. www.callawayonline.com. Tisbury, Massachusetts. (508) 693-9426. www.pollyhillarboretum.org. RAP MAY 31. Wetlands Are Wonderlands. RAP JUNE 11. Garden Design Workshop. Family workshop. Adkins Arboretum. Yew Dell Gardens. Crestwood, Kentucky. JUNE 11. Life’s Little Pleasures. Garden tours. Ridgely, Maryland. (410) 634-2847. (502) 241-4788. www.yewdellgardens.org. Garden Education Center of Greenwich. www.adkinsarboretum.org. Cos Cob, Connecticut. (203) 869-9242. RAP JUNE 13. Gardening for Wildlife. www.gecgreenwich.org. RAP JUNE 6–SEPT. 27. Totally Terrific Class. Atlanta Botanical Garden. Treehouses. Exhibit. Tyler Arboretum. Atlanta, Georgia. (404) 876-5859. RAP JUNE 20. Summer Solstice Compost- Media, Pennsylvania. (610) 566-9134. www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org. ing. Workshop. Queens Botanical Garden. www.tylerarboretum.org. Flushing, New York. (718) 886-3800. RAP JUNE 20. Compost Happens. Work- www.queensbotanical.org. RAP JUNE 13. Herb Gardening in Containers. shop. Florida Botanical Gardens. Largo, Workshop. Green Spring Gardens. Florida. (727) 582-2200. www.flbg.org. JUNE 26–28. The Newport Flower Show. Alexandria, Virginia. (703) 642-5173. Newport, Rhode Island. (401) 847-1000. www.greenspring.org. Looking ahead www.newportflowershow.org. JULY 9–11. Mountains in Bloom. Festival. RAP JUNE 20. Richmond Area Daylily Show The Bascom. Highlands, North Carolina. Looking ahead and Sale. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. (828) 526-4949. www.thebascom.org. RAP JULY 22. Living Sculpture Conference. Richmond, Virginia. (804) 262-9887. Cornell Plantations. Ithaca, New York. (607) www.lewisginter.org. JULY 22–25. Cullowhee Conference: 255-2400. www.plantations.cornell.edu. Native Plants in the Landscape. Looking ahead Western Carolina University. Cullowhee, JULY 17. Woody Plant Conference. Scott North Carolina. (864) 878-1786. MID-ATLANTIC Arboretum of Swarthmore College. Swarth- http://nativeplantconference.wcu.edu. PA, NJ, VA, MD, DE, WV, DC more, Pennsylvania. (610) 328-8025. MAY 23. Knowing Native Plants: Flowering www.scottarboretum.org. NORTH CENTRAL Shrubs. Lecture and tour. Bowman’s Hill IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI Wildflower Preserve. New Hope, Pennsylva- SOUTHEAST nia. (215) 862-2924. www.bhwp.org. MAY 23. Plant Sale. Belle Isle Botanical So- AL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN ciety. Detroit, Michigan. (313) 331-7760. RAP MAY 23–JUNE 17. Art Blooms: Satsuki RAP MAY 2–OCT. 31. Moore in America. www.bibsociety.org. Azalea Bonsai. Exhibit. U.S. National Arbore- Sculpture exhibition. Atlanta Botanical Gar- tum. Washington, D.C. (202) 544-8733. den. Atlanta, Georgia. (404) 876-5859. RAP MAY 23 & 24. Western Reserve Herb www.usna.usda.gov. www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org. Society Plant Sale. Cleveland Botanical

56 the American Gardener Garden. Cleveland, Ohio. (216) 721-1600. www.cbgarden.org. Sensory Garden Opens at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens MAY 30. Back in Thyme. Garden tour. Heck- Hasler House. Franklin, Indiana. (317) 784- ONE OF THE NEWEST public gardens in the country, Coastal Maine Botanical 5671. E-mail: [email protected]. Gardens (CMBG) in Boothbay has been rapidly expanding its programs and garden RAP areas since it opened in 2007. JUNE 5–7. Garden Fair. Klehm Arbore- This June will bring the next step tum & Botanic Garden. Rockford, Illinois. (815) 965-8146. www.klehm.org. in the gardens’ development with the completion of the Lerner Gar- RAP JUNE 6. Waterosity. Exhibit. Minnesota den of the Five Senses. Intended Landscape Arboretum. Chaska, Minnesota. to be a “sensory extravaganza,” (952) 443-1400. www.arboretum.umn.edu. this new one-acre garden located near the main entrance is de- JUNE 20. Rose Festival and Iowa Rose Soci- signed to engage all of the senses. ety Annual Rose Show. Reiman Gardens. The idea for a sensory garden Iowa State University. Ames, Iowa. (515) was conceived several years ago by 294-2710. www.reimangardens.iastate.edu. active CMBG members Mollie RAP JUNE 21. Rose Show. Madison Rose and Wells Moore. When Mollie Society. Olbrich Botanical Gardens. suddenly lost her sight, the Madison, Wisconsin. (608) 246-4550. Moores and a large group of vol- www.olbrich.org. unteers started researching the best ways to make such a garden CMBG’s new sensory garden opens June 19. RAP JUNE 27. Identifying Trees Using a reality. Landscape architect Leaves. Class. The Brenton Arboretum. Herb Schaal and his team from EDAW, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, created a Dallas Center, Iowa. (515) 992-4211. master plan for the garden that will allow visually impaired and other disabled peo- www.thebrentonarboretum.org. ple to experience and enjoy it—and even, thanks to the Moores’ research into cre- ative methods, to help plant the garden. Looking ahead JULY 11–14. OFA Short Course. Association of Each of the five senses is celebrated in a separate section, and the sections blend Floriculture Professionals. Trade show, together through pathways and bridges over waterways. Visitors will be able to touch workshops, exhibits. Columbus, Ohio. plants of different textures, smell the fragrance of blooming flowers, hear the water- (614) 487-1117. www.ofa.org. falls, taste the edible fruits, flowers, and herbs—and of course, see the ornamental beauty of the garden and all its plantings. SOUTH CENTRAL Opening festivities for the garden will take place on June 19, as part of CMBG’s Gar- AR, KS, LA, MO, MS, OK, TX den Fair weekend. Roger Swain, a long-time host of PBS’s “The Victory Garden,” will be one of the speakers. Call (207) 633-4333 or visit www.mainegardens.org for more in- MAY 21–24. Louisiana Master Gardeners formation about the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses and CMBG’s other attractions. State Conference. New Orleans, Louisiana. (504) 838-1170. E-mail: [email protected]. —Talia Goldman, Editorial Intern

RAP MAY 23. Plants of Coastal Mississippi. Guided tour. Crosby Arboretum. JUNE 23–27. APGA Annual Conference. RAP MAY 30. Wild Mountain Gardening Picayune, Mississippi. (601) 799-2311. American Public Gardens Association. Expedition Workshop. Denver Botanic www.crosbyarboretum.msstate.edu. Missouri Botanical Garden. St. Louis, Gardens. Westcliffe, Colorado. Missouri. (314) 577-5100. (720) 865-3500. www.botanicgardens.org. RAP MAY 23. Rose Pests & Disease Control. www.mobot.org. Lecture. South Texas Botanical Gardens & JUNE 5 & 6. Weird Plant Sale. Tucson Nature Center. Corpus Christi, Texas. Looking ahead Botanical Garden. Tucson, Arizona. (520) (361) 852-2100. www.stxbot.org. JULY 19–24. Perennial Plant Symposium 326-9686. www.tucsonbotanical.org. and Trade Show. St. Louis, Missouri. MAY 23. Wildflower Identification and (614) 771-8431. www.perennialplant.org. RAP JUNE 6. Colorado Water Garden Soci- Ecology. Class. Shaw Nature Reserve. ety Show and Sale. Hudson Gardens & Gray Summit, Missouri. (636) 451-3512. Events Center. Littleton, Colorado. (970) SOUTHWEST www.shawnature.org. 245-9030. www.hudsongardens.org. AZ, NM, CO, UT

RAP MAY 30. Shear Appeal Workshop. RAP MAY 23. Composting Basics. RAP JUNE 18. Green Roofs for the West. Garvan Woodland Gardens. Hot Springs, Class. Red Butte Garden and Arboretum. Symposium. Denver Botanic Gardens. Arkansas. (501) 262-9300. Salt Lake City, Utah. (801) 581-4747. Denver, Colorado. (720) 865-3500. www.garvangardens.org. www.redbuttegarden.org. www.botanicgardens.org.

RAP JUNE 14. Grand Opening of the Heart- RAP MAY 30. Harvesting Rainwater WEST COAST land Harvest Garden. Powell Gardens. for Gardening. Class. The Arboretum at CA, NV, HI Kingsville, Missouri. (816) 697-2600. Flagstaff. Flagstaff, Arizona. www.powellgardens.org. (928) 774-1442. www.thearb.org. RAP MAY 21. Beautiful Gardening with COURTESY OF COASTAL MAINE BOTANICAL GARDENS

May / June 2009 57 58 Boise, Idaho.(208)343-8649. Class. IdahoBotanicalGarden. 3407. Arboretum. Fullerton,California.(714)278- (707) 996-3166. Botanical Garden.GlenEllen,California. (206) 527-1794. Urban Horticulture.Seattle,Washington. of WashingtonBotanicGardensCenter for Northwest HorticulturalSociety. University Las Vegas,Nevada.(702)822-7700. Harvest. Los Angeles,California.(818)567-1496. Southern CaliforniaHorticulturalSociety. cal Latin. Garden. Portland,Oregon.(503)636-4112. Permaculture. RAP JUNE 10. (206) 543-8616. Botanic Gardens.Seattle,Washington. Festival andSale. JUNE 5&6. MAY 30. www.berrybot.org. MAY 30. www.idahobotanicalgarden.org. RAP California. (310)203-1482. Culver CityGardenClub.City, JUNE 27&28. www.springspreserve.org. JUNE 13. www.socalhort.org. JUNE 11. www.sdhortsoc.org. JUNE 8. JUNE 7. RAP RAP 2755. cal Garden.Berkeley,California.(510)643- Waterwise Plants. (805) 682-4726. Botanic Garden.SantaBarbara,California. Woodland. Seattle, Washington. (206)325-4510. art. (503) 223-1321. land JapaneseGarden.Portland,Oregon. Diego, California.(760)295-7089. tation. SanDiegoHorticulturalSociety. Lecture. Washington ParkArboretum. the American Gardener JUNE 11. MAY 27. JUNE 6. MAY 30&31. www.fullertonarboretum.org. http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu The GardenasCompanion. Full MoonWalk. Organic GardeningWorkshop. Eco-Logical Garden:Practical Success withSucculents. Green Gardener—PreservingYour Unraveling theMysteriesofBotani- Class. TheSpringsPreserve. Lecture. FriendshipAuditorium. Hardy FernFoundation Guided tour.SantaBarbara AK, ID,MT,OR,WA,WY Plant Show&Sale. A PassionforPenstemons. Flora andEcologyoftheOak Workshop. BerryBotanic An EveningwithAmyStew- NORTHWEST www.japanesegarden.com. University ofWashington Guided tour.UCBotani- www.quarryhillbg.org. www.sbbg.org. www.northwesthort.org. www.hardyferns.org. Herb Weekend. Quarryhill Lecture. Presen- Fullerton Port- . www.mtnativeplants.org. JULY 17–19. Looking ahead www.idahobotanicalgarden.org. RAP www.alaskabg.org. RAP www.botanic.org. RAP www.arboretumfoundation.org. Alaska. (907)770-3692. Show. Boise, Idaho.(208)343-8649. Idaho. Cheyenne, Wyoming.(307)637-6458. Talk andtour.CheyenneBotanicGardens. Society Meeting. Oregon CoastGardening &LandscapingExpo goncoastgardeningexpo.com. in LincolnCounty,Oregon.Formoredetails,call(541)270-0892orvisit mation aboutlocalgardenclubs. Federation ofGardenClubs,whichwillfeaturefreerefreshmentsalongwithinfor- of relaxation,thankstotheHospitalityGardenRoomhostedbyOregonState design. Inadditiontobeingaplaceofshoppingandlearning,theexpowillbe pensive gardeningprojectstomethodscaringforspecifictypesofplantsandgarden nist fortheSeattlePost-Intelligencer host ofPortland’sIntheGarden ed bysomeoftheleadingexpertsinnorthwesternhorticulture,includingMikeDarcy, sharpening stationwillbeavailabletoreviveoldpruners,shovels,andothertools. site attheMasterGardenerCentertoanswergardeningquestions,andexpo’stool plants, aswellgardeningtools,gardenart,andothersupplies.Expertswillbeon June 26and27.Morethan50vendorsfromtheareawillbesellingawidevarietyof Oregon CoastGardening&LandscapingExpoisreturningtoNewport,Oregon,on SUCCESSFUL AFTER ITS Proceeds fromtheeventwillbenefitSamaritanHouseFamilyHomelessShelter The expo,titled“GardeningontheEdge2009,”willfeature10seminarspresent- will featuredozensofvendorsofferingplantsandgarden-relatedmerchandise. LandscapingExpo Along withgardeningseminars,theOregonCoastGardening& JUNE 30. JUNE 13. Alaska BotanicalGarden.Anchorage, JUNE 20&21. Lecture. IdahoBotanicalGarden. Annual MontanaNativePlant Food andIdentityinEarly Basic VegetableGardening. Hungry Horse,Montana. Garden FairandArt launch lastyearthatattractedhundredsofpeople,the radio show,andMarianneBinetti,agardencolum- and notedauthor.Topicswillrangefrominex- British Columbia. (778)338-4142. vention. British Columbia.(604)878-9274. Dusen BotanicalGarden.Vancouver, the StolenPollen. (905) 527-1158. Royal BotanicalGardens.Hamilton,Ontario. Ontario. (519)824-4120ext.52113. tum attheUniversityofGuelph. Guelph, www.worldrose-vancouver2009.com. www.worldrose-vancouver2009.com. JUNE 18–24. www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum. JUNE 18. RAP www.vandusengarden.org. MAY 24. —Talia Goldman,EditorialIntern JUNE 13. Plant Detectives:TheMysteryof Vancouver RoseSociety.Vancouver, About Trees. World RoseFestivalandCon- Summer PruningWorkshop. CANADA www.rbg.ca. Family program.Van- Guided tour.Arbore- www.ore-

COURTESY OF OREGON COAST GARDENING & LANDSCAPING EXPO Legacies assume many forms

hether making estate W plans, considering year-end giving, honoring a loved one or planting a tree, the legacies of tomorrow are created today.

Please remember the American Horticultural Society when making your estate and charitable giving plans. Together we can leave a legacy of a greener, healthier, more beautiful America.

For more information on including the AHS in your estate planning and charitable giving, or to make a gift to honor or remember a loved one, please contact Stephanie Perez at (703) 768-5700 ext. 127.

Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens PRONUNCIATIONSC AND PLANTING ZONES

Most of the cultivated plants described in this issue are listed here with their pronunciations, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, and AHS Plant Heat Zones. These zones suggest a range of locations where temperatures are appropriate—both in winter and summer—for growing each plant. While the zones are a good place to start in determining plant adaptability in your region, factors such as exposure, moisture, snow cover, and humid- ity also play an important role in plant survival. The codes tend to be con- servative; plants may grow outside the ranges indicated. A USDA zone rating of 0–0 means that the plant is a true annual and completes its life cycle in a year or less. To purchase a two-by-three-foot glossy AHS Plant Heat Zone Map for $9.95, call (800) 777-7931 or visit www.ahs.org.

Carex appalachica KAIR-eks ah-puh-LACH-ih-kuh C. inflatus C. in-FLAY-tus (8–10, 10–7) (USDA Zones 4–7, AHS Zones 7–1) C. ladanifer C. luh-DAN-ih-fur (8–10, 10–7) C. buchananii C. byoo-kuh-NAN-ee-eye (7–9, 9–6) C. ladanifer var. sulcatus C. luh-DAN-ih-fur var. sul-KAY-tus C. cherokeensis C. chair-o-KEE-en-sis (6–9, 9–6) (7–10, 10–7) C. ciliatomarginata C. sil-ee-ah-toh-mar-jih-NAY-tuh (5–9, 9–5) C. laurifolius C. law-rih-FO-lee-us (7–10, 10–7) C. comans C. KO-manz (7–9, 9–7) C. ✕laxus C. LAK-sus (8–9, 9–7) C. dipsacea C. dip-SAY-see-uh (7–10, 10–7) C. monspeliensis C. mon-spel-ee-EN-sis (8–10, 10–7) C. divulsa C. dih-VUL-suh (4–9, 9–4) C. obtusifolius C. ahb-TOO-sih-fol-ee-us (8–9, 9–7) C. dolichostachya var. glaberrima C. dol-ih-ko-STAH-kee-uh var. C. populifolius C. pop-yew-lih-FO-lee-us (7–10, 10–7) glah-BAIR-ih-muh (5–9, 9–5) C. ✕pulverulentus C. pul-vur-yew-LEN-tuss (8–10, 10–7) C. elata C. eh-LAY-tuh (5–9, 9–3) C. ✕purpureus C. pur-PUR-ee-us (7–10, 10–7) C. flacca C. FLAK-uh (5–9, 9–5) C. ✕rodiaei C. ro-DY-ee-eye (8–10, 10–7) C. grayi C. GRAY-eye (3–8, 8–1) C. salviifolius C. sal-vee-eye-FO-lee-us (8–10, 10–7) C. laxiculmis C. lax-ih-KULL-miss (4–9, 9–5) Clethra alnifolia KLETH-ruh al-nih-FO-lee-uh (3–9, 9–1) C. morrowii C. mor-ROW-ee-eye (5–9, 12–1) ✕Halimiocistus sahucii huh-lim-ee-O-sis-tus suh-HYEW-see-eye C. morrowii var. temnolepis C. mor-ROW-ee-eye var. tem-no-LEP-is (8–9, 9–7) (5–9, 12–1) ✕H. wintonensis H. win-toh-NEN-sis (8–9, 9–7) C. muskingumensis C. mus-king-yew-MEN-sis (4–8, 8–1) Halimium atriplicifolium hah-LIM-ee-um at-rih-plih-sih-FO-lee-um C. nudata C. new-DAY-tuh (7–9, 9–7) (8–10, 10–7) C. oshimensis C. o-she-MEN-sis (6–9, 12–1) H. calycinum H. kal-ih-SY-num (8–10, 10–8) C. pansa C. PAN-suh (6–9, 9–5) H. halimifolium H. hah-lim-ih-FO-lee-um (8–10, 10–8) C. pendula C. PEN-dyew-luh (5–9, 9–5) H. lasianthum H. lah-see-AN-thum (8–10, 10–8) C. pensylvanica C. pen-sil-VAN-ih-kuh (4–8, 8–1) H. ocymoides H. ah-see-MOY-deez (8–10, 10–8) C. phyllocephala C. fil-o-SEF-uh-luh (8–10, 10–7) H. ✕pauanum H. paw-AN-um (8–10, 10–7) C. plantaginea C. plan-tuh-jih-NEE-uh (5–7, 7–5) H. ✕santae H. SAN-tee (8–9, 9–7) C. siderosticha C. sih-deh-ROS-tih-kuh (6–9, 9–6) H. umbellatum H. um-bel-LAY-tum (9–10, 10–8) C. testacea C. tes-TAY-see-uh (6–9, 9–6) Salvia clevelandii SAL-vee-uh cleev-LAND-ee-eye (8–10, 10–1) C. texensis C. teks-SEN-sis (5–10, 10–5) S. columbariae S. kol-um-BAR-ee-ee (9–11, 11–9) Cistus ✕aguilarii SIS-tus ah-gwi-LAIR-ee-eye (8–10, 11–7) S. dolomitica S. dol-o-MIT-ih-kuh (8–11, 11–8) C. albidus C. AL-bih-dus (8–10, 10–7) S. leucophylla S. loo-ko-FIL-uh (10–11, 12–1) C. ✕argenteus C. ar-JEN-tee-us (7–10, 10–7) S. officinalis S. o-fiss-ih-NAL-iss (5–8, 8–5) C. creticus C. KREE-tih-kus (8–10, 10–7) S. sclarea S. SKLAH-ree-uh (4–9, 9–1) C. crispus C. KRIS-pus (8–10, 10–7) S. sonomensis S. so-no-MEN-sis (10–11, 12–10) C. ✕florentinus C. flor-en-TEEN-us (8–10, 10–7) S. spathacea S. spath-uh-SEE-uh (7–11, 12–7) C. heterophyllus C. het-ur-ah-FIL-lus (8–10, 10–7) S. tingitana S. tin-jih-TAN-uh (9–11, 11–8) C. ✕hybridus C. HY-brih-dus (7–10, 10–7) Viburnum carlesii vy-BER-num kar-LEEZ-ee-eye (5–8, 8–5) C. incanus C. in-KAN-us (8–10, 10–7)

60 the American Gardener GARDENC MARKET BEAUTY FROM BULBS

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May / June 2009 61 62 by BobHill Alabama Croton:ACollector’sTreasure Zones 6–8,AHSHeat Zones map. 8–5)belongsonyour horticultural I of thegenusCodiaeum. was limitedtothegaudytropical varieties their previous experiencewith“croton” your friendswhentheyvisit—especiallyif where thetemperature dippedbelow zero. southern Indiana (USDA Zone 6)winter, Mine ourrecent, ice-coated survived It’s alsohardier thanitsnameimplies. andturnsdeeporangeinthefall. rubbed neath, thefoliagesmellsofappleswhen scalesunder- on topwithdensesilvery teresting leaves inanyseason.Bright green allowsshrub foreasyappreciation ofitsin- Tennessee, where itislistedasendan- valley inAlabama andinCoffeeCounty, so beenfoundalongtheWarrior River oftheCahabaRiver.a tributary It hasal- woods inthevalley oftheLittleCahaba, Mohr, theplantwasconfinedtorocky Plant Life ofAlabama. wrote ofitinhislandmark 1901book, came betterknown when CharlesMohr the CahabaRiver inBibb County. It be- was exploringthelimestonebluffsabove ogist Eugene Smith inthe1870swhenhe firstidentifiedby Alabamabiol- survivor biaceae), theAlabamacroton isanIce Age A memberofthespurgefamily(Euphor- RANGE NATIVE NARROW w GA. (770)460-6284. Nearly NativeNursery, www.asiaticanursery.com. (717) 938-8677. Asiatica Nursery, Sources ww.nearlynativenursery.com. All inall,it’s choicetostump theperfect The openhabitofthissix-to-eightfoot F YOU LIVE silver-backed, semi-evergreen foliage,thentheAlabamacroton (Croton alabamensis, the American Gardener Lewisberry, PA. to collectrare native plantsthatcomewithintriguingstories,gr Fayetteville, According to Though nativetotheAmericanSouth,AlabamacrotonishardyenoughgrowinMidwest. moist, part shade. Other experts sayitdoes shade.Other experts moist, part flooded inadamproject. an area ofBibb Countythatwasbeing about 30years agofrom plantsrescued in ing theplant.She gotherfirstspecimen off ona300-mileroad triptoAlabama. Mikeplant expert Hayman andIwere soon from hergarden,ering shrubs Louisville ham. WhenMartin offered upsomesuck- and Louise“Weesie” Smith ofBirming- bama gardeners D.D.Martin of Cortland way ofmutualfriendsandlong-timeAla- Mine madeitswaytosouthernIndiana by PLANT PASSALONG to three counties nearAustin, Texas. ety, gered, possiblyextinct.Abotanicalvari- LN NTESPOTLIGHT THE IN PLANT Most literature saysitdoesbestin Smith had plentyofexperiencegrow- C. alabamensis C var. texensis, is limited out suchtreasures from friends. nurseries, butit’s alwaysmore fun toseek you’ll findthemallover thefloor.” tainer, elseshesaid,“when theyburstopen, seeds, Ishouldstore theminacovered con- warned methat,ifIwantedtocollectthe followed by ornamentalseedpods.Smith bears tinycream-yellow flowers inApril, and afternoonshade.It’s aboutsixfeettall, ic-rich soilinasitethatgetsmorningsun more sunlight—talk aboutadaptability! it’s atighter, more attractive plantgiven well indry, well-drained soil.Smith toldus Indiana. Nursery &Sculpture Garden in Jeffersonville, Journal, A columnistfortheLouisvilleCourier- Alabama croton isavailable from afew My 10-year-old plantgrows inorgan- eat adaptability, andfunky, Bob Hill operates Hidden Hill USDA Hardiness

MICHAEL DIRR / COURTESY OF TIMBER PRESS, FROM “TREES AND SHRUBS FOR WARM CLIMATES” (2002)