TheThe AmericanAmerican

GARDENERGARDENER® TheThe MagazineMagazine ofof thethe AAmericanmerican HorticulturalHorticultural SocietySociety September / October 2010

Fall-Blooming Shrubs InvitingInviting NatureNature intointo Garden Design Neil Diboll: Prairie Plant Pioneer Stellar Stonecrops

contents Volume 89, Number 5 . September / October 2010

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS

5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM 6 MEMBERS’ FORUM 8 NEWS FROM THE AHS Garden Centers of America and the AHS forge partnership, the AHS publishes new seasonal guide to growing edibles, 2010 Growing Good Kids book award winners, leadership scholarship awarded to AHS staff member, Armitage webinar on native perennials set for October, new library established at River Farm.

42 ONE ON ONE WITH… Buddy Lee: Encore™ azalea breeder.

44 HOMEGROWN HARVEST Edible and ornamental persimmons.

page 30 46 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK USDA research center turns 100, genetic testing resolves geranium name issue, Botanic ENERGIZING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Gardens Conservation International launches 14 Plants for the Planet campaign, new garden BY MEREDITH SOEDER speakers bureau created, clover’s four-leaf gene Highlights from the AHS’s 2010 National Children & Youth discovered, Missouri Botanic Garden Garden Symposium, held in July in Pasadena, California. President Peter Raven retires, urban tree champion George Ware dies. Special: Campus food gardens. 18 SIZING UP STONECROPS BY RICHARD HAWKE Stonecrops (Sedum spp.) are among the showiest fall-blooming 50 APPRECIATION perennials. Discover some of the best cultivars available today. Jim Wilson, garden communicator. 24 PROPHET OF THE PRAIRIE BY CAROLE OTTESEN 52 GREEN GARAGE® Nurseryman Neil Diboll has spent a lifetime teaching gardeners Safe use and disposal of and horticulturists to appreciate the beauty and sustainability of pesticides. native prairie plants. 55 BOOK REVIEWS 30 FALL-BLOOMING SHRUBS BY ANDREW BUNTING Japanese Maples, Late-flowering shrubs add a burst of color and offer delightful Armitage’s Vines and Climbers, and How to page 50 fragrance to the garden from autumn into winter. Grow a School Garden.

36 INVITING NATURE INTO YOUR GARDEN BY DUNCAN BRINE 57 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS If you’re starting a new garden or contemplating a redesign, con- 60 HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES sider a naturalistic approach, which has renewed relevance in AND PRONUNCIATIONS today’s environment. 62 PLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT Three-flower maple (Acer triflorum). ON THE COVER: Sedum spectabile ‘Neon’, with its dazzling pink flowerheads and compact habit, is a

TOP LEFT: BILL JOHNSON. RIGHT: COURTESY OF GUY STERNBERG proven performer in many parts of the country. Photograph by Saxon Holt

September / October 2010 3 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY “This is a book to turn to over a lifetime of garden misadventures.” Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens —Dominique Browning The New York Times

Board of Directors CHAIR Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. Falls Church, Virginia FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN Don E. Riddle, Jr. Davidsonville, Maryland SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Mary Pat Matheson Atlanta, Georgia SECRETARY Leslie Ariail Alexandria, Virginia TREASURER J. Landon Reeve, IV Woodbine, Maryland IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Susie Usrey Dayton, Oregon EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Henrietta Burke Alexandria, Virginia

Sandra Address Chevy Chase, Maryland ■ Allan M. Armitage Athens, Georgia ■ Amy Bolton Falls Church, Virginia Jane Diamantis McDonald, Tennessee ■ Gay Estes Houston, Texas ■ Anne Garland Farrell Richmond, Virginia Carole Hofley Wilson, Wyoming ■ Margaret Kulp Louisville, Kentucky ■ Caroline Lewis Miami, Florida Jack Lowry Phoenix, Maryland ■ Shirley Nicolai Ft. Washington, Maryland

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tom Underwood PRESIDENT EMERITUS Katy Moss Warner

AHS New President’s Council Encyclopedia of CHAMPION’S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Kulp, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Rissetto ■ Mr. and Mrs. W. Bruce Usrey Gardening CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. George Diamantis

LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY CIRCLE Trish and Cam Gibson ■ Mrs. Elizabeth Craig Weaver Proctor ■ Mr. Arnold Steiner ■ Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Techniques Zech

HAUPT CIRCLE Mrs. Lynda A. Bachman ■ Nancy J. Becker, M.D. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bogle ■ Mr. James R. Cargill, II ■ Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Farrell ■ Dr. and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. ■ Mrs. Carole S. Hofley ■ Dr. and Mrs. David E. Morrison ■ Mr. and Mrs. J. Landon “You’ll find step-by-step Reeve, IV ■ Mrs. Enid N. Warner instructions for pruning, watering, propagating; information about all COUNCIL MEMBER’S CIRCLE Mrs. Sandra L. Address ■ Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baillie ■ Mr. and Mrs. Carter categories of plants…sections on Bales ■ Mrs. Katherine Belk ■ Mrs. George P. Bissell, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. C. William Black ■ Dr. Sherran Blair ■ Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel ■ Ms. Amy Bolton ■ Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Bradshaw ■ Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Burke, III ■ Ms. Judy Daniel ■ Mr. and Mrs. Carl Estes ■ organic techniques and recycling; Ms. Inger Fair ■ Mrs. Carolyn V. Foil ■ Ms. Marguerite Peet Foster ■ Ms. Amy Goldman ■ Mr. and Mrs. Joel Goldsmith ■ Mrs. Joan Goltzman and how to treat pests and ■ Ms. LaDawn Griffin ■ Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Hanselman ■ Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove ■ Mrs. Elizabeth Hooff ■ Mr. Philip disease…. Consider it a plant- Huey ■ Mrs. Carolyn M. Lindsay ■ Ms. JoAnn Luecke ■ Mr. and Mrs. Bob J. MacLean ■ Ms. Melissa Marshall ■ Mrs. Dorothy Marston ■ Ms. Rosalyn Milbrandt ■ Mr. and Mrs. James R. Moxley, Jr. ■ Mrs. Shirley Ann Nicolai ■ Mr. David D. Parrish ■ Mrs. Jeanne Otis Shields lover’s mutual fund—a little of this Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Smith, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. William M. Spencer, III ■ Mr. Harold Stahly ■ Dr. and Mrs. Steven M. Still ■ Mr. and and little of that, in a dandy Mrs. Tom Underwood ■ Mr. Joe Viar ■ Ms. Angela M. Vikesland ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Volk ■ Ms. Katy Moss Warner ■ Mr. and Mrs. investment.” Dennis White ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harvey C. White ■ Mr. and Mrs. John W.White, Sr. ■ Ms. Jill Yates

—Ginny Smith HONORARY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL Ms. Louise Fruehling* ■ Mrs. Enid Haupt* ■ Mrs. John A. Lutz* ■ Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Miller* Philadelphia Inquirer *In memoriam

“This is a must have for gardeners and landscape designers.” Corporate Members —Joel M. Lerner Bonnie Plants ■ The Care of Trees ■ Chapel Valley Landscape Company The Washington Post The Espoma Company ■ Furbish Company ■ Homestead Gardens ■ Kurt Bluemel, Inc. Monrovia ■ MTR Landscape Architects, LLC. ■ Osmocote

Horticultural Partners

America in Bloom Symposium & Awards Program ■ Bellingrath Gardens and Home Mitchell-Beazley/Octopus Books USA Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Garden Symposium ■ Cox Arboretum MetroPark 480 pages Hardcover, $45 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival ■ Garden Centers of America The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America Available wherever The Homestead in the Garden Symposium ■ Inniswood Garden Society ■ Morris Arboretum books are sold Oklahoma Botanical Garden & Arboretum

4 the American Gardener NOTES FROM RIVER FARM CONTACTS FOR C AHS PROGRAMS, MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS & DEPARTMENTS

For general information about your membership, call (800) 777-7931. Send change of address notifications to our membership department at OMETHING EXTRAORDINARY 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA happened this past July during our an- 22308. If your magazine is lost or damaged in nual AHS National Children & Youth Garden Symposium in Pasadena, the mail, call the number above for a replace- California. For three days, more than 260 teachers, youth program lead- ment. Requests for membership information S and change of address notification can also be ers, and children’s gardening advocates gathered to exchange ideas, share en- e-mailed to [email protected]. couragement, and network. They came from all parts of the country—from THE AMERICAN GARDENER To submit a letter to Hawaii to Maine. The energy was high and the excitement palpable. (To read the editor of The American Gardener, write to more about the symposium, see page 14.) The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard A lasting influence. For 18 years, the So- Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308, or send an e-mail to [email protected]. ciety has been the catalyst and coordinator for this remarkable event. Over that period, DEVELOPMENT To make a gift to the American Horticultural Society, or for information about thousands of attendees have participated in a donation you have already made, call (800) the symposium and returned to their 777-7931 ext. 127. schools, public gardens, and homes with re- E-NEWSLETTER To sign up for our monthly newed energy, new skills, and knowledge. e-newsletter, visit www.ahs.org. They also gained access to a national net- INTERNSHIP PROGRAM The AHS offers intern- work of colleagues who share their commit- Tom Underwood and Harry Rissetto ships in communications, horticulture, and ment to gardening with children and youth. youth programs. For information, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Information and Our proudest achievement has been the important influence these participants have application forms can also be found in the had on the lives of millions of young people across the country—fostering a better River Farm area of www.ahs.org. appreciation of our natural world and encouraging positive environmental values NATIONAL CHILDREN & YOUTH GARDEN that last a lifetime. SYMPOSIUM For information about the Soci- Planting the seed. How does a life-changing event like the youth garden sympo- ety’s annual National Children & Youth Gar- den Symposium, call (800) 777-7931 ext. sium get started? Most often it comes down to an individual or a small group of peo- 137 or visit the Youth Gardening section of ple who are passionate about a cause and simply decide to do something about it. This www.ahs.org. past summer, both of us had the pleasure of spending time with Jane Taylor, one of RECIPROCAL ADMISSIONS PROGRAM The AHS America’s most energetic advocates of connecting kids with plants (and the namesake Reciprocal Admissions Program offers members of the AHS Jane L. Taylor award for youth gardening). Jane remembers when the seed free admission and other discounts to more than 250 botanical gardens and other horticultural was first planted, nearly 20 years ago, for an annual, national forum focusing on youth- destinations throughout North America. A list of oriented gardening programs. Over the years, she has served as an indispensible advi- participating gardens can be found in the Mem- sor, helping the AHS turn that seed into the one-of-a-kind symposium it is today. bership area of www.ahs.org. For more infor- mation, call (800) 777-7931 ext. 119. Taking the next step. Looking at how far we have come, we are heartened by this vivid example of how each of us can make a positive difference in the world around RIVER FARM The AHS headquarters at River Farm is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays year- us. And this gives us confidence that we are ready to take the next step. Because the round (except Federal holidays), and 9 a.m. to symposium is just too influential to be a once-a-year event, we are exploring ways to 1 p.m. Saturdays from April through September. Admission is free. For information about events, turn our dedication to children’s gardening into a year-round initiative. To all of those rentals, and directions, visit the River Farm sec- who have been a part of the symposium over the years we say, “Stay tuned.” tion of www.ahs.org. Anticipating autumn. With this issue of The American Gardener, we start turn- TRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM Visit spectacular pri- ing our attention to fall, with anticipation of a respite from the heat that has chal- vate and public gardens around the world lenged many of us around the country this summer. We invite you to turn the page through the Society’s acclaimed Travel Study Program. For information about upcoming and dig into another issue packed with information and inspiration. Among other trips, call (800) 627-6621, send an e-mail to things, you will discover the rewards of incorporating autumn-blooming shrubs [email protected], or visit the Travel into your garden, meet an American horticulturist who for decades has been cham- Study section of www.ahs.org. pioning the beauty and practicality of prairie plants, and get an expert’s guide to WEBSITE: www.ahs.org The AHS website is a the best new stonecrops (Sedum spp.) for your garden. valuable source of information about the Soci- ety’s programs and activities, finding out about gardening events in your area, and linking to oth- Happy gardening! er useful websites. To access the members-only section of the website, this year’s password is oak. The user name is always ahs. Harry Rissetto, Chair, AHS Board of Directors Tom Underwood, Executive Director

September / October 2010 5 MEMBERSC’ FORUM

DIGITAL EDITION GETS MIXED REVIEWS a dread of the unintended consequences Editor’s note: We received lots of feed- of systemic pesticides since they were in- back about the first digital edition of the troduced. The precautionary principle magazine (July/August 2010). Most may better serve to maintain our free- members were pleased to have the option dom of choice and the pursuit of health, of reading the magazine online and link- safety, and welfare. Issues of food safety ing directly to resources. Some experi- and freshness were tactfully touched enced technical problems or found the upon by “Organic Food Gardens Make magazine difficult to read. Here is a sam- A Splash At Corporate Headquarters.” pling of the messages we received. And the article on “Summer Squash Se- If you would like to receive reminders crets” was a perfect presentation: clear when the new digital editions are avail- photos of plant parts, sources, gender able, you can sign up by visiting the equality, and companion plant tips! homepage of our website (www.ahs.org). now be able to recycle my years of back Jill Toby issues and still retain my reference capa- Great Neck, New Jersey The new digital edition of The American bility. It is easy to navigate and make the Gardener is another impressive outreach print the size you need to read it. But I GARDEN INVENTORY PROGRAMS tool. Your organization continually im- would like to know if it will be easy to Can you tell me if there are any online presses me with your efforts to make digi- find the magazines I may want to locate sites where one can keep a garden inven- tal communication with members high later? How far back will you go with on- tory? I have been using an Excel spread- quality, effective, and easy to use. There are line issues? Will I be able to search sheet, but it would be so much nicer if many ways people and organizations at- through all issues by keywords? there were a site where photos of the tempt to share information, and the results Maggie Murray plants appear as well as general informa- are often either too tricky or untried, or too Shelby Township, Michigan tion about bloom time, height, sun re- static to merit the fanfare about their quirements, etc. Ideally, I would enter in debut. Having attended some of your sem- I took a quick look at the new digital edi- the number of plants I have, where and inars and trips, and read about the chil- tion and found it to be a clunky reading when I bought them, how much I paid, dren’s programs, I am happy to be a experience. The default setting for the and where they are in my gardens. member. With this digital edition, your ef- table of contents display takes up nearly Jennifer Julier forts to communicate with members half the screen; I think it should be nar- Hamden, Connecticut demonstrate again that my donations are rower so that it doesn’t compete with the used appropriately and effectively. actual contents. That said, it is good to Editor’s response: Our editorial volunteer, Julie Ernest have a digital edition available because I Caroline Bentley, did some research and Colbert, Washington no longer store paper; I store all relevant found a number of promising sites and information electronically. programs that are worth investigating. I have been an AHS member for some David C. Long With some you pay a one-time fee; others time and I love the magazine. I do appre- Mill Valley, California have annual subscriptions. Green Thumb ciate the option of the electronic version, Journal (www.greenthumbjournal.com; but in my opinion this is not an improve- This is so wonderful! Words cannot de- free), Garden Tracker (www.gardentracker. ment over the printed edition. I realize scribe how much I appreciate the digital com; standard version $60), PlantJotter that electronic is the way to go, but I find edition. Thank you. (Plantjotter.com; $21, annually), the Gar- the text too small. Although there is a Liz Crawmer den Management System from HMK zoom-in feature, not enough text fits onto Union Bridge, Maryland Consultants (www.hmk.on. ca; $30 Cana- the screen, making it too cumbersome to dian), and Premier Gardens from Pleasant read. Otherwise, great content, good top- HAPPY NEW MEMBER Lake Software (www.pleasantlakesoftware. ics, and, all in all, a very nice publication. I was so pleased that my first issue of the com; $39.95). Constance Roellig magazine (July/August 2010) included Washington, D.C. encouraging news regarding the New PLEASE WRITE US! Address letters to Editor, The York Federal Court decision to act on in- American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308. Send e-mails to I am thrilled about this latest innovation. secticides. I have been in the horticulture [email protected] (note Letter to Editor in subject line). I am a hoarder, so I’m pleased that I may industry for 30 years and have harbored Letters we print may be edited for length and clarity.

6 the American Gardener THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY TRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM 2011 TOURS

The Loire Valley and the Festival at the Domaine de Courson May 5–14, 2011

■ Explore the beautiful and storied Loire Valley in northwestern France in springtime. This exclusive tour will provide entrée to some of the finest privately-owned historic châteaus and gardens, including Château de Cheverny, Château de Chenonceau, and the inspirational ornamental potager at Villandry. For the grand finale, we will enjoy the international “Journées des Plantes” festival at the Domaine de Courson, south of Paris.

Gardens and Innovation: Chicagoland and Rockford Summer 2011

■ Discover the horticultural abundance that the Chicago area offers during this tour of the innovative gardens that have contributed to the greening of Chicago. Among these are the Lurie Gardens in Chicago’s Millennium Park, the world-renowned Chicago Botanic Garden, and Garfield Park Conservatory. We will also visit several stunning private gardens, award-winning gardens in Rockford, Illinois, and trial gardens at Ball Horticultural Company’s headquarters.

Castles and Gardens of Bohemia and Moravia September 26–October 6, 2011

■ We begin this trip to the Czech Republic in the capital city of Prague, renowned for its castles and cathedrals. From there we will venture to the historic and picturesque regions of Bohemia and Moravia. Experience a wealth of gardens in styles ranging from formal Italianate, Renaissance, and Baroque to Neo-classical and modern— including several 20th-century gardens created by visionary designers.

For more information about upcoming tours in the AHS Travel Study Program, please contact our travel planner, MacNair Travel: • E-mail: [email protected] • Call: (866) 627-6621 • Visit: www.ahs.org The American GARDENER News from the AHS EDITOR September / October 2010 David J. Ellis MANAGING EDITOR AND ART DIRECTOR PROGRAMS • EVENTS • ANNOUNCEMENTS Mary Yee ASSOCIATE EDITOR Viveka Neveln GARDEN CENTERS OF AMERICA AND THE AHS FORGE PARTNERSHIP EDITORIAL INTERN THE GARDEN CENTERS OF AMERICA (GCA) and the American Horticultural Meredith Soeder Society have established a partnership that will allow the two non-profit organiza- CONTRIBUTING EDITOR tions to share resources and better serve American gardeners. The GCA is a major Rita Pelczar horticultural trade organization that represents more than 320 independent retail gar- CONTRIBUTING WRITER den centers throughout North America. Carole Ottesen “This unprecedented partnership will help our organizations reach a wider na-

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD tional audience,” says AHS Executive Director Tom Underwood. “Making the ex- tensive gardening resources of the AHS more accessible to the hundreds of CHAIR Richard E. Bir Brevard, North Carolina thousands of gardeners who patronize independent garden centers will fulfill the Allan M. Armitage mission of both organizations to get more Americans actively involved in garden- Athens, Georgia ing in their homes, schools, and communities.” Nina L. Bassuk The AHS will provide authoritative gardening information that GCA members Ithaca, New York can disseminate through their newsletters, handouts, and online media to educate Steve Bender and inform their customers and staff. GCA member firms will also make AHS mem- Birmingham, Alabama bership information available to encourage their customers to take advantage of the John E. Bryan Society’s gardening resources for all ages. San Francisco, California “It’s a win-win situation for the garden centers and their customers,” says David Panayoti Kelaidis Williams, president of the GCA Board of Directors. “The AHS is nationally re- Denver, Colorado spected for the content of its magazine and gardening reference books, which em- Richard W. Lighty Kennett Square, Pennsylvania phasize earth-friendly practices and showcase the tools, products, and techniques Elvin McDonald that can help gardeners not only beautify their yards and communities, but become West Des Moines, Iowa good stewards of the earth.”

CONTACT US The American Gardener AHS PUBLISHES NEW SEASONAL GUIDE TO GROWING EDIBLES 7931 East Boulevard Drive ONE OF THE best ways to ensure what you eat is fresh, safe, and delicious is to Alexandria, VA 22308 (703) 768-5700 grow it in your own backyard. For anyone planning to start a kitchen garden, or improve the productivity of an existing one, the EDITORIAL E-MAIL: [email protected] American Horticultural Society’s new book Home- ADVERTISING & E-MAIL: [email protected] grown Harvest: A Season-by-Season Guide to a Sustain- CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS able Kitchen Garden (Mitchell Beazley/Octopus Books USA; $32.50) is the perfect resource. Compiled by noted gardening expert Rita Pelczar, a contribut- ing editor for The American Gardener, this book has something for everyone—whether your garden con- The American Gardener (ISSN 1087-9978) is published bimonth- ly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, Septem- sists of hundreds of square feet or just a few contain- ber/October, November/December) by the American Horticultural ers on the patio. Society, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300, (703) 768-5700. Membership in the Society includes a subscrip- “More and more people are looking for basic, prac- tion to The American Gardener. Annual dues are $35; two years, $60. International dues are $50. $10 of annual dues goes toward tical information on how to grow their own food, so magazine subscription. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Vir- this reference could not have come at a better time,” ginia, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, says David J. Ellis, AHS director of communications. “It offers easy to understand, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300. season-by-season advice on cultivating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs Botanical nomenclature is based on The American Horticultural Society A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, on A Synonymized Check- along with hundreds of inspirational images.” list of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada and Greenland and on the Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants. Opinions The 300-page hardcover book begins with the basics, such as how to prepare the soil, expressed in the articles are those of the authors and are not necessar- ily those of the Society. Manuscripts, artwork, and photographs sent for deal with weeds and pests using non-toxic methods, and devise a planting scheme tai- possible publication will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed, lored to each gardener’s individual tastes and goals. From there, it provides details on stamped envelope. We cannot guarantee the safe return of unsolicited material. Back issues are available at $8 per copy. which vegetables, fruits, and herbs are best suited for specific climates and regions of the Copyright ©2010 by the American Horticultural Society. country. Concise, step-by-step information is provided in a seasonal format, so for each

Printed in the U.S.A. crop a gardener can see what they should be doing at any given time of year. All of this

8 the American Gardener is supplemented by helpful sidebars and charts, not to mention appreciation for gardening, plants, and the environment. This more than 300 how-to photographs and illustrations. year’s winners are: Bring me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie To view an excerpt from the book or place an online order, by Robin Gourley; The Busy Tree by Jennifer Ward; The Cu- visit the AHS website (www.ahs.org). Copies will be available in rious Garden by Peter Brown; and Our Shadow Garden by book stores beginning in November. Cherie Foster Colburn. Nominations for the 2011 awards will be accepted until April 2010 GROWING GOOD KIDS BOOK AWARD WINNERS 22, 2011. For more information about the Growing Good Kids THE FOUR WINNERS of the 2010 Growing Good Kids—Ex- Awards Program, visit www.jmgkids.us/bookawards. cellence in Children’s Literature award were unveiled at the Nation- LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO AHS STAFF MEMBER al Children & Youth Garden Sym- AHS STAFF MEMBER Stephanie Jutila, director of member posium this past July. This award, programs and outreach, has been named one of four recipients jointly adminis- of the Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development for tered by the Junior 2010. This scholarship, sponsored by the Master Gardener Chanticleer Foundation, provides pro- Program (JMG) and fessional development opportunities for the AHS, is designed staff members at public gardens, includ- to recognize chil- ing academic coursework and travel op- dren’s books that ef- portunities to meet with other public fectively promote an garden leaders. Jutila, who has been on staff at the AHS since 2004, intends to use her scholarship to take a course being offered Stephanie Jutila by the Center for Creative Leadership. She plans to apply what she learns from the course, “Leading for Organizational Impact: The Looking Glass Experience,” toward developing even more effective pro- gramming for AHS members. “Not only will this course give me additional tools and resources to be more successful in my

Gifts of Note

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 June 1 and July 31, 2010.

Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James Runde In Honor of Mary Courvisier Nancy J. Becker, M.D. Mrs. Jeanne Otis Shields Mount Prospect Public Library Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bogle Mr. and Mrs. Charles Henry Smith, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Burke, III Dr. and Mrs. Steven M. Still In Honor of Arabella Dane Chanticleer Foundation Mr. and Mrs. W. Bruce Usrey Woodstock Garden Club Mr. John J. Cienki and Ms. Stephanie L. Rodden Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Zech Mr. and Mrs. George Diamantis In Memory of Sally Foote’s Mother Mr. and Mrs. Carl Estes In Honor of André Bluemel Ms. Joan F. Beer Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Goltzman Dr. and Mrs. Steven M. Still Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove In Memory of Peggy Shannon Mr. and Mrs. Norm Hofley In Memory of Barbara Wall Bond Avalon Garden Club, Inc. Mrs. Elizabeth Dunn Hooff Red Hill Garden Club Mrs. Marta J. Lawrence National Capital Area Garden Clubs, District II In Memory of Dr. H. Marc Cathey Osmocote National Capital Area Garden Clubs, District II Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Rissetto

If you would like to support the American Horticultural Society as part of your estate planning, as a tribute to a loved one, or as part of your annual charitable giving plan, please contact: Tom Underwood, Executive Director at (703) 768-5700 ext. 123 or [email protected].

September / October 2010 9 10 IN EARLYOCTOBER SETFOROCTOBER PERENNIALS ONNATIVE ARMITAGE WEBINAR leader inAmericanhorticulture.” accomplishments, butherpotentialasadynamicandcreative last several years, andthisscholarshiprecognizes notonlyher and responsibilities attheAHShasexpandedgreatly over the Executive Director Tom Underwood scopeofherrole . “The er whoisstrongly motivated andhashighstandards,” saysAHS work attheAmericanHorticultural Society.” career,” saysJutila, “itwillhelpstrengthen theimpactofmy dens books, including tive perennials. Armitageistheauthorofnumerous gardening fessor www.ahs.org M (Note: AHSMembers-onlypreview saleisThursday,April14) son. MAY 5–14. APR. 15&16. MAR. 23–27. 2011 DEC. 9. DEC. 1–23. OCT. 28–NOV.7. OCT. SEPT. 30–OCT.2. SEPT. 25. gram. Sicily,Italy. AHS TravelStudyPro- Gardens andAntiquities. Ceremony. AHS BoardMemberGayEstes. Alexandria, Virginia. Display. “Stephanie consistentlydemonstratesshe isaneagerlearn- the American Gardener (Timber Press, 2006).Thedateandtimeofthismembers- Allan M.Armitage AHS TravelStudyProgram.Loire Valley,France. Date tobedetermined.AHSWebinar. sponsored orco-sponsored by theAHS.Visit ark your calendarfor thesenationalevents thatare Annual HolidayReception. River Farm, AHS AnnualGala. The LoireValleyandtheFestivalof theDomainedeCour- St. Louis,Missouri. Holiday Trees President’s CouncilTrip. or call(703)768-5700formore information. Spring PlantSale. Armitage’s Native Plants forNorth American Gar- Sicily: America InBloomSymposiumandAwards CALENDAR 2010-2011 AHS NATIONALEVENTSANDPROGRAMS , University , ofGeorgia Horticulture Pro- will give anonlinepresentation onna- River Farm,Alexandria,Virginia. River Farm,Alexandria,Virginia. River Farm,Alexandria,Virginia. Houston, Texas.Hostedby Among theauctionitemsisanexclusivetourofBiltmoreEstate. visit comments from awinnerofonelastyear’s auctionpackages, about theauction,includingdescriptionsofthisyear’s tours and Oregon, withformerAHSBoard Chair Wichman; andtheMonrovia Nursery CompanyinDayton, Botanical Garden inKalaheo,Hawaii, with Director Fromme Harrison; gardens inDallas, Texas, withlandscapearchitect Springs Preserve inLasVegas, Nevada, withCurator Carolina, withDirector ofHorticulture Parker Andes;the andplantexplorers. horticulturists endary in theworld,includingplantsdiscovered oracquired by leg- ononeofthefinestcollections ticipants willgettheinsidestory behind-the-scenes lookatthehistoric265-acre arboretum. Par- setts. Arboretum Curator boretum ofHarvard University inJamaica Plain, Massachu- culturists andlandscapearchitects asyour personalguide. tours ofgreat gardens feature someofAmerica’s foremost horti- cultural destinationsthroughout theUnited States. Theseprivate can bidon10exclusive toursatpublicgardens andotherhorti- 25, theAHS’s month-longonlineauctionwillopen.Participants COINCIDING WITH ONLINE AUCTIONOPENSSEPTEMBER25 FALL ISONTHE REMINDER SEED EXCHANGE bers mustsubmit enoughseedsofonevariety tosupply 125or- uncommonordesirableseed varietiesof afew (toqualify, mem- advantageous ifthereings—particularly are limitedquantities seeds totheexchange are given firstchoiceofthe2011offer- form attachedtopage9.And remember, thosewhodonate garden, you’ll and ahandyseedsubmission findinstructions proaching fast.If you wouldliketodonateseedsfrom your mit seedsforthemembers-onlyannualSeed Exchange isap- nounced soonthroughandonthewebsite. theAHSe-newsletter only webinar, alongwithregistration information,willbean- Bids mustbereceived by October 25.For more information Other toursincludetheBiltmore EstateinAsheville, North One ofthisyear’s featured tourswillbeattheArnoldAr- www.ahs.org/auction. of theMESADesign group; theNational Tropical way andtheNovember 1deadline tosub- this year’sthis annualgalasetforSeptember Michael Dosmann Susie Usrey. will leadthis Chipper Russell Tres

COURTESY OF BILTMORE ESTATE VIVEKA NEVELN ext. 133 or [email protected]. ext. [email protected]. pointment, pleasecontactJane Underwood at(703)768-5700 pointment; booksmaybeusedon-siteonly. To makeanap- collection ofgarden-related booksforchildren inthecountry.” lor donatedmaywell comprisethemostcomprehensive , AHSvolunteer coordinator.derwood booksJane “The Tay- to AHSmembersandvisitorsRiver Farm,” says feature generalplantreferences andtheAHS’s own publications. teaching children willalso aboutplantsandnature. Thelibrary These includegarden-related children’s booksandresources for Michigan 4-HChildren’s Garden atMichigan State University. donated by Jane L.Taylor , founderandformercuratorofthe ed shelving,furniture, andacatalogingprogram. Farm’s visitorcenter, theAHSusedfundstopurchase need- asRiver space forthisfacilityinabuildingthatalsoserves its River Farm Alongwithrenovating headquarters. anexisting Horticultural Trust tocreate reference at ahorticultural library Editor Viveka Neveln. News writtenby Editorial Intern Meredith SoederandAssociate IN 2009, ATRIVERFARM NEW LIBRARY www.ahs.org/membership/seed_exchange.htm ders). For more information abouttheseedexchange, visit For willbeopenby ap- library thetimebeing,new “We’re pleasedtobeablemakethesebooksavailable very The bulkofthecollectionconsistsmore than1,000books hplVle adcp opn ein,isal and positive installs a make designs, that landscapes Company crafted wonderfully Landscape maintains Valley Chapel is mrsin o vrfu eae u wr winning Landscape Valley award Chapel our of decades hallmark the four been over have projects For impression. first opnʼ omtett raiiy ult n service. and needs. landscaping quality your discuss creativity, to today to Call commitment Companyʼs ayad404221 igna734600 ahntn ..301.924.5400 D.C. Washington, 703.406.0802 Virginia 410.442.2310 Maryland the AHSreceived agrantfrom theStanley Smith www.chapelvalley.com . Jane Un- Autumn Tapestry and purplebloomsofNewEnglandaster (Solidago From latesummerintofall,theyellowplumesofgoldenrod angliae) angliae) brighten uptheAndréBluemelMeadowatRiverFarm. sp.), whitespraysoffalseaster September /October2010 (Symphyotrichum novae- (Symphyotrichum (Boltonia asteroides), (Boltonia 11 50 Years Ago at the American Horticultural Society—Looking Back to 1960

■ The president of the AHS was Richard P. White; other offi- ■ The AHS’s 15th Annual Congress—held November 10 cers were Donald Wyman, Stuart M. Armstrong, and Olive E. to 12 in Pasadena, California—focused on Pacific Coast Weatherell. horticulture. ■ The Society’s headquarters was located in Washington, ■ The AHS changed the name of its publication from The Na- D.C., near the U.S. National Arboretum. tional Horticultural Magazine to The American Horticultural ■ The AHS merged with the Magazine, issued quarterly. The editor of the magazine was B.Y. American Horticultural Coun- Morrison; the editor of the newsletter, Gardeners Forum, was cil, an umbrella organization Wilbur H. Youngman. Examples of articles and news items cov- that was originally formed to ered in the 1960 issues of the magazine included: serve as a collective voice for • A report on the experimental use of a fungicide targeting horticultural institutions. petal blight in azaleas. ■ Publication of the first U.S. • An account of the history and current trends in blueberry Department of Agriculture breeding. (USDA) plant hardiness zone • A 14-page spread featuring the Fairchild Tropical Gar- map (titled the New Plant den (now the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden) in Miami, Hardiness Map) was an- Florida. nounced by Henry T. Skinner, • Suggestions for rhododendrons suitable for small gardens. who at the time was director • William T. Gotelli’s account of the collection of dwarf and of the U.S. National Arbore- slow-growing conifers he had assembled at his home ar- tum (and also a member of boretum in South Orange, New Jersey—the collection was the AHS Board of Directors). The color map, sponsored by donated to the U.S. National Arboretum in 1962. the American Horticultural Society and developed through • A profile of the genus Echeveria. the work of an AHS committee, was published by the USDA. —Meredith Soeder, Editorial Intern

AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY INTERNSHIPS at River Farm

Offering hands-on, practical experience, internships are one of the Society’s most important educational programs. Internship opportunities available include positions in publications, horticulture, and education. For more information and application forms, visit the River Farm area of www.ahs.org or e-mail [email protected].

12 the American Gardener Legacies assume many forms

hether making estate plans, considering W 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 Courtney Capstack at (703) 768-5700 ext. 127.

Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens 14 Energizing Environment Garden designer NancyGosleePowerwelcomessymposium attendeesto24thStreet Elementary,apilotsiteforthe GardenSchoolF American HorticulturalSociety’s 2010NationalChildren &Youth GardenSymposiuminCalifornia. Inspiring examplesofhowplantsandgardenscanteachimportantlessonsaboundedduringthe wards ofdreaming bigdreams, working a thingortwoaboutlife,such asthere- know. Project Sprout hasalsotaughthim Massachusetts, thisteenagerwould school gardenstudent-run inBarrington, founders ofProject Sprout, anorganic, where itcomes from. Asoneofthe connecting ourculture withfoodand F the American Gardener is an important steptowardsis animportant re- Levin, gettingkidsintogardening OR HIGHSCHOOL senior Sam Levin andWaters shared thesecrets of Middle SchoolinBerkeley. Together, classroom atMartin Luther King,Jr. one-acre organicgarden andkitchen founder oftheEdible Schoolyard, a Berkeley, California. Waters isalsothe prietor ofChezPanisse restaurant in of your labor cometofruition. hard tomakethemhappen, andseeing Alice Waters, chef, author, andpro- Levin’s attractedtheattention efforts the Learning this year’s symposium. learning environments, akeythemeof to usegardens toenergize andenhance volunteers, andparents are alsoworking ers, administrators,garden designers, Many ofthoseintheaudienceteach- this pastJuly inPasadena, California. Children &Youth Garden Symposium tural Society’s 18thannualNational that kickedofftheAmericanHorticul- their successesduringakeynoteaddress BY MEREDITHSOEDER oundation.

COURTESY OF YVONNE SAVIO SYMPOSIUM KEYNOTE GARDENING ABSOLUTES During the opening keynote of the symposium, Sam Levin and Alice Wa- ters shared these four absolutes— guidelines that have helped them suc- ceed in their gardening efforts:

1. Trust in people you wouldn’t expect to trust. From young high-schoolers to inmates at a prison, they will pleas- antly surprise you. 2. Value the people you work with. They lift you up, challenge you, push you, and give you energy. 3. Find what someone can do that is extraordinary. Together you can create something that is greater than the sum of its parts. 4. Garden in the rain. Do whatever it takes and never give up.

Some symposium participants toured the new Hamilton Children’s Garden, above, at the San Dvosin. Coordinator for the Master Gar- Diego Botanic Garden. The children’s garden opened in 2009. dener Volunteer Training Program for the University of California Cooperative Ex- GARDENING IN THE RAIN Waters realized that amazing things tension in Los Angeles County, Savio says, While Levin and Waters acknowledged could happen when you trust those you “More than 400 school gardens that we’ve that every garden project will be different, might not expect to trust. helped establish over the years have kids they offered a set of “absolutes” (see box, After several more anecdotes to illus- actively involved in where their food above right) that have guided them in trate the lessons learned along the way, the comes from, caring for the environment, their work with school gardens. For Levin, keynote address closed with this poignant and learning academic subjects via hands- one of the most meaningful lessons Pro- thought from Levin: “Anyone can garden on activities at least weekly in the on-site ject Sprout taught him was to trust the when the sun is shining. It is up to us to school garden.” She adds, “We hope that power of youth to accomplish great garden in the rain—to do what it takes.” others at the symposium gained confi- things. Watching his younger peers take He encouraged the audience to never give dence to make their own projects success- the reins of the garden he helped create, up on inspiring youth to pursue their ful by trying anything. And to have fun Levin finally understood just how vital dreams, both in the garden and in life, no ‘playing’ in the garden with the kids!” trust is when working with young learn- matter what challenges arise. Jason Pittman of Hollin Meadows Sci- ers who are often bursting with eagerness ence and Math Focus School in Alexan- to show their natural leadership skills— TAPPING INTO THE VITALITY OF GARDENS dria, Virginia, led a session titled “The just as school administrators trusted him In addition to the pearls of gardening wis- Silicon Garden: Technology Projects in and his classmates when they wanted to dom Levin and Waters imparted in their School Gardens.” In it, Pittman discussed start the garden three years ago. opening keynote address, the three-day Waters wholeheartedly agreed with symposium provided participants with Levin about the importance of trust. One plenty of other ideas and success stories. Lansing 2011 of her inspirations for starting the Edible More than 50 educational sessions focused Next year’s National Children & Schoolyard program was observing the on topics ranging from composting and Youth Garden Symposium will take journey of several inmates from the San wildlife to art and technology in the gar- place July 21 to 23 in Lansing, Francisco County Jail, who started out den to victory gardens and public gardens. Michigan, hosted by the Frederik tending seven acres of fruits and vegeta- Several sessions pertained to various as- Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and bles at the jail, moved from there to gar- pects of school gardens, including Michigan State University’s 4–H Chil- dening at a halfway house, and then on “Wealth in Diversity: LA County School dren’s Garden. For more details, to work with the Tree Corps of San Fran- Gardens” led by Yvonne Savio and mas- please visit www.ahs.org.

STEPHANIE JUTILA cisco. After witnessing this success story, ter gardeners Herb Machleder and Nora

September / October 2010 15 16 says remember. wassuchagreat session,” “This to provide authenticexperienceskidswill energy, microscopes, andwireless cameras munication program), robotics, alternative including SKYPE (aninternet-basedcom- a variety ofwaystointegratetechnology, Frederique Lavoipierre the American Gardener of Sonoma cause that’s how kidslearnthesedays.” integrating technologyinthegarden. Be- into perspective thepossibilityandeaseof State University near San Francisco. “It put In addition totheeducationalsessions, INACTION YOUTH GARDENING hosts offered theopportuni- participants andcookingvegetables. harvesting, kids gethands-onexperience planting, fornia. At 24thStreet School, Elementary nature andplantsthatare native toCali- tointeractively explorethe opportunity that Power designedgives young visitors years old, the Kidspacechildren’s garden around them.” Just over twoacres andsix way they’ll learnby discovering theworld walls andtouchplantsontheirown. That play inthewaterfeatures andclimbup designers wassimple:“Letthechildren from. Her advicetoeducatorsandgarden garden thatachildwill playinandlearn in LosAngelesexplainedwaystocreate a seum and24thStreet School Elementary Goslee Power cessful projects. Garden designer sites thatprovided more examplesofsuc- touredparticipants several gardens and try theirhandsatmakingapplecider. participants atKidspaceChildren’sMuseum biodynamic composting.Left:Symposium Huntington BotanicalGardensdelvesinto Aneducationalsessionatthe Above: Visits tothesitesofothersymposium at KidspaceChildren’s Mu- Nancy

MEREDITH SOEDER (2) PROJECT SPROUT AFFIRMS HOPE FOR FUTURE

Sam Levin’s passion for growing things started during his childhood visits to his grandfather’s farm, where he enjoyed “play- ing with the animals, discovering bugs, and connecting with the natural world.” This passion is what eventually led him and a group of classmates to turn an old soccer field at their high school into Project Sprout, a one-acre edible garden entirely run by students. Now in its third year, Project Sprout supplies three school cafe- terias with fresh fruits and vegetables, helps feed the hungry in the community, and serves as an out- door classroom for the Monument School System in Barrington, Massachusetts. As Levin enters his senior year this fall, he is preparing to hand off Project Sprout to his successors, a group of enthusiastic younger students. Levin plans to help them learn the ins and outs of caring for the garden, as well as tasks such as applying for grants, meeting with community leaders, and, most im- portantly, teaching others about growing plants. He has great confidence in the next leaders of Project Sprout because, as he told symposium participants during his keynote presentation, his experiences have Sam Levin taught him to “trust the power of youth always.” “Many of the teachers, designers, and others involved with kids and gardening are doing what they do be- cause they know there’s an opportunity to have more Sam Levins in the world,” says AHS Director of Member Programs and Out- reach Stephanie Jutila. “Sam and his peers are our hope and our future.” —M.S. To hear more about Sam Levin’s thoughts on trusting the power of youth, click on the link with this article at www.ahs.org.

ty to see a wide array of southern Cali- At the Los Angeles County Arbore- nette-Foster of Taconi Elementary fornia public, school, and environmen- tum & Botanic Garden, participants School in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. tally-focused gardens. One of the tours learned about the garden’s permaculture “From getting extraordinary ideas to took place at the Huntington Library, program, which takes a holistic ap- meeting new peers in youth gardening, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, proach to land use, and its thriving, everything I experienced will impact where guests experienced a round of ed- three-month-old permaculture garden. what I do in the future. I can’t wait to ucational sessions, tours, and a progres- Ideal for schools or community gardens, implement what I have learned.” sive dinner in the garden. All of these permaculture encourages making use of allowed participants to observe how the whatever resources are on hand while WRAPPING UP WITH WATERMELONS Huntington engages children of various mimicking nature. Roger Swain, author, former science edi- age groups through play, sensory experi- “Touring the different gardens in- tor of Horticulture magazine, and a former ences, experimentation, and discovery. spired so many ideas,” says Julie Bar- host of PBS’s The Victory Garden series, closed the symposium with his entertain- ing and evocative presentation, “The Wa- termelons of Memory.” Swain used watermelons as a vivid example of how memories are created and preserved, dis- cussing how experiences such as growing, harvesting, and eating watermelons are shared across generations. Recalling his own childhood experiences with water- melons, Swain talked about the ways in which traditions are created, and empha- sized how valuable it is for parents and teachers to pass them on to children. “No other fruit is a better fruit to serve as a centerpiece for this gathering,” he re- marked. “No other fruit has the poten- tial to please so many. No other fruit has such a magical form of social glue like the watermelon. And these are the things we’ve been talking about for the past two and a half days.”

Permaculturist Caitlin Bergman explains the principles of permaculture to a group of Meredith Soeder is an editorial intern with

TOP: COURTESY OF SAM LEVIN. BOTTOM: STEPHANIE JUTILA symposium participants at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. The American Gardener.

September / October 2010 17 18 group ofgarden plants. developed adeeprespect forthisvaluable for allofthenuancesbetween species, I though Inever attainedhisappreciation tious, hisknowledge encyclopedic. Al- Heller’s passionforsedumswasinfec- evaluation gardens. Thelate“Doc” volunteered formanyyears intheplant Heller, aretired collegeprofessor who stonecrops withtheguidanceofDavid plants, we collectedandevaluated ground-hugging speciestorobust border in Glencoe, Illinois. From diminutive manager attheChicagoBotanicGarden dreds ofstonecrops asplantevaluation among theseplants. and there isawide gapinperformance keting—does notalwaysequalquality member thatquantity—orgoodmar- today. However, tore- itisimportant with allthestonecrops available tothem Whatever thereason, gardeners winbig gardening messageispushingthistrend. plant choicesormaybethesustainable ply becomemore sophisticatedintheir stonecrops. Perhaps gardeners have sim- renewed interest inupright border L supplanted ‘H yellow- orcream-splashed foliagehave with richpurple,burnishedbronze, and those days. it isproperly named,reigned supreme in plants. Autumn Joy, or‘Herbstfreude’ as stonecrop onthelistofmust-have garden introduction in1955,itwastheonly tous Autumn Joy. For decadesafterits popular. PlantevaluatorRichardHawkeoffersthisguidetohelpgardenerschooseamongthe For almost20years I’ve grown hun- Many years later, colorselections new Among perennialsthatareshowyinautumn,stonecrops the American Gardener came familiarwithwastheubiqui- first stonecrop (Sedum IKE MANY sizing up erbstfreude’ many cultivarsoftheuprightborderstonecropsnowbeingoffered. gardeners, thevery and fueleda spp.) Ibe- Reddish purplestemsandlargeclustersofpinkflowersadorn muddied thewater where perennial plantgroups, taxonomists have Echeveria, Kalanchoe, culent plantsforhouseandgarden suchas laceae), whichincludesotherpopular suc- ofthestonecrop family (Crassu-part “sedum” isacceptable too. Thegenusisa the commonnameofchoice,although mountains andcoastalareas. Stonecrop is gions; somespeciescomefrom tropical species are temperatere- native tonorthern plants. Roughly 500hardy andtender Sedum SEDUM OVERVIEW As isthecasewithseveral popular Stonecrops is alarge,varied genusofsucculent BY RICHARDHAWKE and Sempervivum. Sedum nomen- (Sedum rusing catalogsor searching online. rusing need tolookunderbothnames whenpe- under Iamlumpingeverything es ofthisarticle firmly inHylotelephium, of years. Although theywilllikelyland Sedum have beenseesawingbetweenthis article of theuprightborder types discussedin clature isconcerned. Thegenericnames S. erythrostictum, includes The wealth ofuprightborder stonecrops STONECROPS UPRIGHT BORDER spp.) areoneofthemost Sedum. and Sedum spectabile,S.telephium, Hylotelephium Sedum Just beaware you may and ‘Matrona’. S. aizoon, for thepurpos- for anumber as well as

JERRY PAVIA a bounty of hybrid cultivars. The most es for Midwest gardens; some recom- one way to tell is that all flower parts of noticeable trait of all stonecrops is their mendations from experts in other regions ‘Brilliant’ are the same pink color. ‘Hot succulent or fleshy foliage. Foliar traits are on page 21. Stuff’, a recent introduction from Terra vary greatly among the species but with- Nova Nurseries, is a compact version of in the upright group the leaves are gen- FOUR-STAR STONECROPS ‘Brilliant’ with comparable dark pink erally egg-shaped with toothed margins; A number of cultivars of S. spectabile are flowers on stems eight to 12 inches tall. green, gray-green, or blue-green; and ei- popular, reliable garden plants. In general, Another strong performer from an early ther alternately or oppositely arranged on these plants have gray-green, egg-shaped trial was ‘Carmen’ with carmine pink stout fleshy stems. They are clump-form- leaves with shallow teeth along the mar- flowers on stems 18 to 24 inches tall. ing with erect, unbranched stems form- gins. Flat-topped flower clusters, six to ‘Neon’ is aptly named for its bright vio- ing a mounded, almost shrubby habit, eight inches across, crown the erect stems let-magenta flowers. At 20 inches tall, from 12 to 30 inches tall and slightly less in midsummer to early fall. Their flowers ‘Neon’ has an exceptionally uniform in diameter. age to a reddish brown in the fall and often bushy habit compared with its peers. Generally speaking, the classic form of remain ornamental during winter. (For Among white-flowered forms, ‘Ice- a stonecrop flower consists of five petals, those who would like to be able to distin- berg’ and ‘Stardust’ are top-notch, grow- five sepals, and 10 sta- ing 14 inches tall and 18 mens. Flowers may be inches tall, respectively. pink, white, or yellow and Keep an eye out for pink are commonly described flowers, as both cultivars by their petal and carpel are prone to reversion. colors. The prominent ‘Variegatum’ is a robust carpels (the female repro- plant with creamy yellow ductive parts) sit at the leaves and green margins. center of each star-shaped I’m drawn to its uniquely flower and their color may colored flowers, which complement or contrast have pale chartreuse petals with the petals. The and pink-flushed carpels. carpels remain colorful as As with other variegated they ripen in the fall, often stonecrops, reversions to becoming reddish or rus- green stems and leaves are set in color. The small, not uncommon. ‘Variega- starlike flowers, borne in tum’ strongly resembles broadly domed clusters ‘Clown’, a cultivar of S. above the foliage, draw telephium I grew many bees and butterflies from years ago. These cultivars midsummer to autumn. could be the same thing Enticed by fanciful but ‘Variegatum’ is easier names and alluring de- to find at garden centers. scriptions, gardeners have Orpine (S. telephium) been keen to try some of is well represented in the the upright stonecrops in- garden, especially by the troduced in recent years. many purple-leaved intro- The ongoing trial at the ductions. It is distin- Chicago Botanic Garden was initiated to Low-growing Sedum ‘Hot Stuff’ forms a guished by mostly alternate leaves, and sort through the garden-worthiness of all striking mass of bright pink flowers. stamens that are shorter than the petals. these new selections, many being hybrids However, the species is quite variable and between S. spectabile and S. telephium. guish their upright stonecrops, Sedum has been widely hybridized with S. Unfortunately, a number of the new cul- spectabile differs from S. telephium in hav- spectabile, which accounts for the incon- tivars have not lived up to the marketing ing opposite leaves and stamens that are sistency in assigning cultivars. Over the hype. Our greatest disappointments were longer than the petals; however, the hy- years ‘Matrona’ has become a garden fa- among the purple-leaved hybrids, which bridization of these species has resulted in vorite for its purple-flushed leaves on red- seemed particularly prone to foliar prob- cultivars with intermediate characteristics.) purple stems to 30 inches tall. The pale lems, and stem and crown rots. Dark pink-flowered ‘Brilliant’, grow- pink flowers, which age to reddish brown, A number of success stories also ing to 20 inches tall, has long been a fa- are clustered in large flat-topped flower- emerged from our test gardens. The fol- vorite of ours. Unfortunately, there may heads in late summer to fall. lowing upright border stonecrops fared be plants masquerading as ‘Brilliant’ in the I’ve become quite enamored of ‘Red

COURTESY OF TERRA NOVA well in our trial and are thus good choic- market, as we found in our 2006 trial— Cauli’ for its exceptional combination of

September / October 2010 19 20 dark red stems,andorange-yellow flowers. 10 inchestall,features dark green leaves, es tall.‘Euphorbioides’, at slightlyshorter inches across, sitatopstems12to16inch- flowers, inflat-toppedclusterstothree on anorangecastinfall.Thebrightyellow leaves are sharplytoothedandoftentake summer. Its oval- tolance-shapedgreen group—producing yellow flowers inearly reversions withintheplants. 27 inchestall.We occasionallynotedgreen held indomedclusterstopsturdy stemsto frosty look.Whitepetalsandpinkcarpels bracts withintheflowers enhancethe evoke itsnamesake,whilevariegated leafy green leaves withcreamy whitemargins another robust border stonecrop. Its pale August intheMidwest. six-inch-wide clustersbeginninginearly are allred. Soft yellow flowers are bornein gins andmidribsthe24-inchstems leaves are justcoincidental.Theleafmar- tual personorplaceanditssmokygray quite different from otherorpinecultivars. gives ‘Red Cauli’ aninformallookthatis in fall.Anarching habit,to18inchestall, deep pinkcarpels,whichturnred-purple the lightpinkpetalsremain flatagainstthe stems. Theflowers appearsmallerbecause blue-green leaves andstrikingred-purple spectabile designate thehybridcultivars of The Herbstfreude Group wascoined to HYBRID STONECROPS robust habitare itshallmarks. ers, dark reddish carpelsinthefall,anda used. Gray-green leaves, deep-pinkflow- theoriginal ‘Herbstfreude’rules shouldbe Autumn Joy, butindeference tonaming usually listedundertheAnglicized name a precursor toallthathascomeafter. It is known ofuprightborder stonecrops and breeder Georg Arends, thebest iscertainly tractive to pollinatinginsects. most cultivars inthisgroup are notas at- ical standpoint,theirsterilitymeansthat change colorastheyage.From anecolog- Despite their sterilenature, thecarpels mens andsmallerorinconspicuouspetals. typically characterized by thelackofsta- similar tooneparent ortheother, theyare Although plantsinthisgroup mayappear Sedum aizoon Sedum erythrostictum I’m guessing‘Hab Gray’ honorsanac- ‘Herbstfreude’, introduced by German the American Gardener and S. telephium is theoddmanoutinthis ‘Frosty Morn’ is ssp. maximum. Sedum Sedum erythrostictum Sedum The authoradmires ‘RedCauli’,top,foritspairing ofreddishflowersandblue-gray foliage. look muchlikeotherstonecrops, buton ‘Carl’ issimilarinsize to‘Herbstfreude’. plants. At 19inchestall,green-leaved domed clustersabove mounded perfectly flowers ofthisselectionare packedinto Bazooka but Ifancyhemighthave beenafanof Several are trying. worth tell iftheywillsupersedethisoldtimer. attention ofgardeners, butonlytimewill ‘Joyce Henderson’, 26inchestall,may I’m notsure whotheCarlin‘Carl’ is Many newerhybridshave captured the ™ bubble gum.Thebrightpink ‘Frosty Morn’,above, hasvariegatedfoliageand purewhiteflowers. red-purple stemsgive itaninformallook. largest stonecrops butitsslightlyarched, and Cream’, to34inchestall,isoneofthe ple-tinged blue-green leaves. ‘Strawberries icate flowers nicelycomplementsthepur- are especiallypretty. Thecolorofthedel- low carpelsof‘Strawberries andCream’ topped clusterstosixinchesacross. that agereddish brown, are heldinflat- petals withapinkblushandcarpels rimmed inburgundy. Theflowers, white closer inspectiontheblue-green leaves are The lightpinkpetalsandcreamy yel-

TOP: BILL JOHNSON. BOTTOM: DAVID CAVAGNARO REGIONAL FAVORITES

I checked with some gardening experts around the country to see which stonecrops they recommend for gardens in their regions.

Mid-Atlantic Mountain Stephanie Cohen, Pennsylvania-based author, professor, and Gwen Kelaidis, author of Hardy Succulents, is currently grow- all-around garden diva, was a long time fan of Autumn Joy. “It ing ‘Lajos’ (Autumn Charm™) in her Lakewood, Colorado, gar- was easy to grow, had good fall color, and performed well in den. She likes it for all sorts of difficult environments,” she says. Her gripe with the combination of its Autumn Joy was that unless she remembered to cut it back in stocky, sturdy habit early summer, it developed a stunning case of urban sprawl and the delightful just when it reached full bloom. She’s now a convert to ‘Au- white-edged foliage. tumn Fire’—it is slightly shorter but stands up straight with- “Its flowers are an odd out staking, and the flowers are a brighter, showier pink. color, trending towards Cohen describes ‘Hab Gray’ as a great sedum with the a mustardy green as “Rodney Dangerfield syndrome”—it gets no respect. The they age, and I think leaves are blue-gray with a slight infusion of purple and the that is just fun where I stems are strong. It flowers slightly earlier than the above cul- grow it among the tivars with a classic pink inflorescence and the stems are greens of daylily and strong. “I wish more gardeners knew this one!” she adds. Co- phlox foliage, she hen’s advice for those who are terribly smitten with purple adds. “The flowers of leaves is to try ‘Xenox’, a shorter selection, only 15 to 18 inch- ‘Carl’‘Carl’ ‘Frosty Morn’ have an es tall. Its purple foliage is lightly scalloped and the flower airy arrangement that color is more rose than pink. She says it looks great paired with is wispier than ‘Lajos’. ‘Matrona’ is quite wonderful, with its white fall-flowering anemones. sturdy stems of dark red and the smaller flowerheads of pale pink. And it is lovely near or in front of gray foliage plants, Southern California such as artemisia, and it doesn’t ever seem to flop.” Kelaidis Debra Lee Baldwin, author of Designing with Succulents and also includes ‘Carl’, ‘Neon’, and ‘Brilliant’ on her list of gar- Succulent Container Gardens, says she’s over the moon about den-worthy sedums. Sedum ‘Garnet Brocade’, a heat-tolerant hybrid from Innova- “Among the dark-foliaged crowd, I don’t care much for Plant sold under the ‘Purple Emperor’, which does not reliably stay dark,” says Ke- Proven Winners label. laidis. Instead she likes the very dark ‘Postman’s Pride’. “It has 18- to 24-inch ‘Xenox’ is a broad-leaved dark horse, with interesting reddish purple stems and long and yellow highlights in the foliage, giving it what Kelaidis gray leaves with a pur- would call a moody color—fascinating and a great contrast in ple vein down the the perennial border. middle. These con- trast beautifully with Pacific Northwest pink buds on purple Richard Hartlage, a Seattle-based landscape architect and petioles that open pur- author of Bold Visions for the Garden, uses many sedums in ple-pink in late sum- his garden projects on both coasts. In his experience, ‘Au- mer and fall.” Shrub tumn Fire’ is an improvement over Autumn Joy, with a longer sedums do well in her bloom period and erect stems. He admires ‘Carl’ for its neon area, Baldwin advis- pink flowers, especially in combination with whites and es. “They are unfussy creams to compete with the intense color. ‘Neon’ works well plants providing they in combination with red-purples and violets but Hartlage receive regular water. thinks it looks clownlike with lavender or blues. “For sub- ‘Garnet‘Garnet Brocade’Brocade’ They perform best in tlety, I love Sedum telephium ssp. ruprechtii for its glau- amended soil that cous, rose-tinted foliage,” says Hartlage. Because it tends to drains well. Along the coast, plant shrub sedums in full sun. In get tall and leggy, he recommends shearing it once when hotter inland areas, give them morning sun and dappled after- the foliage is about four inches high. He says the plant grows noon shade, especially in summer.” Baldwin also likes Autumn in the direction of the strongest light, providing a wonderful Joy and recommends Sedum spectabile cultivars ‘Brilliant’ sense of movement to a planting. (deep rose-red), ‘Meteor’ (carmine), and ‘Ruby Jewel’ (maroon). —R.H. LEFT: BILL JOHNSON. RIGHT: LYNNE HARRISON.

September / October 2010 21 TOP STONECROPS AT A GLANCE

Botanical name Height Foliage and flowers Origin USDA Hardiness/ (inches) AHS Heat Zones Sedum aizoon 12–16 sharply toothed green leaves, yellow Siberia, China, 3–8/8–1 flower clusters 3 to 4 inches wide Japan S. ‘Autumn Fire’ 24 light green leaves, rosy pink flowers age to dark hybrid origin 3–9/10–1 red, similar to but more robust than Autumn Joy S. ‘Carl’ 18 pale gray-green foliage, dense bright pink hybrid origin 4–8/8–1 flowerheads S. erythrostictum ‘Frosty Morn’ 12–24 gray-green leaves with upturned white China, Japan 5–9/9–6 margins, bicolored flowers with white petals and pale pink carpels S. ‘Garnet Brocade’ 24 gray-green leaves with purple midribs hybrid origin 3–10/10–1 S. ‘Hab Gray’ 24 gray-blue leaves, creamy yellow 6-inch flower hybrid origin 3–9/9–1 clusters with red margins, midribs, and stems S. ‘Lajos’ (Autumn Charm) 12 green leaves with creamy yellow margins, hybrid origin 4–8/8–1 pink flower clusters S. ‘Matrona’ 24–30 olive-green leaves, maroon midrib and stems, hybrid origin 3–8/9–1 white buds open to pink 6-inch flowerheads S. ‘Red Cauli’ 18 blue-green leaves with red-purple stems, hybrid origin 3–9/9–1 flowerheads of light pink petals with deep pink carpels turn red-purple in fall S. spectabile ‘Brilliant’ 18 pale gray-green leaves up to 4 inches long, China, Korea 4–9/9–1 dark pink flower clusters S. spectabile ‘Neon’ 18–20 a sport from ‘Brilliant’, it has pale China, Korea 4–9/9–1 gray-green leaves, bright rose flowers S. ‘Strawberries and Cream’ 34 dark green leaves, domed flowerheads start hybrid origin 4–8/8–1 off as pink buds and open white S. telephium ssp. ruprechtii 16 gray-green leaves with pink flushing, pale Europe, Russia, 4–9/9–1 yellow flowerheads China, Japan S. ‘Xenox’ 15 scalloped burgundy leaves, rose flowers hybrid origin 3–9/9–1

‘Lajos’ (Autumn Charm™) is a very grown in sites that stay wet in winter. Fer- pretty plant with green leaves edged in tilizing is generally not necessary; overly creamy yellow; occasionally fully yellow rich soil may cause problems such as crown leaves appear. The pink flowers, actually rot and stem floppiness. creamy white petals and pink carpels, turn Stonecrops are heat- and drought-tol- russet brown as they age. Although ‘Lajos’ erant and typically long-lived when is a variegated form of ‘Herbstfreude’, it grown in the right cultural conditions. topped out in our trial at only 12 inches Although generally regarded as trouble- tall. ‘Beka’ (Autumn Delight™) is a reverse free, a number of leaf and stem diseases sport of ‘Lajos’ with chartreuse-yellow can be problems including anthracnose, leaves bordered in green. ‘Beka’ is a full- powdery mildew, rust, leaf spots, and bodied plant up to 27 inches tall. Alas, stem rot. Watering early in the day and green reversions are not uncommon. at the soil line can help avoid or alleviate these problems. In certain regions, deer CARE AND COMPANIONS munch on the tender flower buds in mid- Stonecrops and sunlight go together natu- summer—regular applications of repel- rally, but a bit of shade is not a bother for lents will keep them at bay. most. While they adapt to tough, dry con- Stonecrops make great accent plants ditions, stonecrops thrive in average well- in beds, borders, and containers, and are drained garden soils. Most are hardy in ‘Strawberries and Cream’ bears bicolored pleasing in large masses. Their fleshy

USDA Zones 3 to 9 but may succumb if flowers that live up to its evocative name. leaves juxtapose nicely with feathery or RICHARD HAWKE

22 the American Gardener Combined with a dwarf spruce and black-eyed Susans in a Connie Cross-designed border, ‘Herbstfreude’ (Autumn Joy) is still a garden favorite.

fine-textured plants such as threadleaf cut flowers in fresh and dried floral ers continue to introduce cultivars with coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata), yarrow arrangements. Their flowerheads remain novel attributes. Three recent introduc- (Achillea millefolium), and ornamental colorful and ornamental well into winter, tions keep me optimistic about the future grasses. Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia so many gardeners do not cut them back of upright border stonecrops. ‘Thunder- spp.), purple coneflowers (Echinacea spp.), until early spring. cloud’ has gray-green leaves with jagged catmints (Nepeta spp.), and daylilies red margins and white flowers opening (Hemerocallis spp.) are just a few of the A BRIGHT FUTURE from pink buds. It has a low arching many perennials that are good garden After 19 years of evaluating stonecrops, habit, to 12 inches tall, reminiscent of the companions. Stonecrops are long-lasting you’d think I’d be sick of them, but grow- lovely Sedum sieboldii. ‘Plum Perfection’ is also a compact plant, only eight inch- es tall and a foot wide. The purple leaves Sources are distinctively gray-tipped and pink Ambergate Gardens, Chaska, MN. (877) 211-9769. www.ambergategardens.com. flowers bloom in late summer and fall. Bluestone Perennials, Madison, OH. (800) 852-5243. ‘Sublime’ is a unique color form for an www.bluestoneperennials.com. upright border stonecrop. Its bright Digging Dog Nursery, Albion, CA. (707) 937-1130. www.diggingdog.com. green leaves edged with red are sublime, Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery, Avalon, WI. (800) 553-3715. and light pink flowers top the 18-inch www.songsparrow.com. stems in late summer. Plant Delights Nursery, Inc., Raleigh, NC. (919) 772-4794. www.plantdelights.com. The good news for gardeners is that Au- tumn Joy is no longer the only game in Resources town—there are now plenty of reliable and American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Perennials. Graham Rice, Editor in attractive cultivars offering a range of fo- Chief. DK Publishing, New York, New York, 2006. liage and flower colors, with the promise Herbaceous Perennial Plants (3rd ed.) by Allan M. Armitage. Stipes Publishing, of many more to come. Champaign, Illinois, 2008. Sedum: Cultivated Stonecrops by Ray Stephenson. Timber Press, Portland, Ore- Richard Hawke is plant evaluation man- gon, 2005. ager at the Chicago Botanic Garden in

SUSAN A. ROTH Glencoe, Illinois.

September / October 2010 23 24 credits Keith White,aprofessor ofecolo- to findhiscalling ontheprairie?Diboll prairie meadows andgardens. and restorationon construction of out Wisconsin, andadvisesclients signs andinstallsprairiesthrough- country, maintainsaretail store, de- species togardeners around the plants ofprairieandwoodland consin. His businessshipsseeds and Prairie Nursery inWestfield, Wis- nounced dih-BOLL)ispresident of will beNeil Diboll. Diboll (pro- the firstnamethatcomestomind Keillor. Say ittoaplantsperson,and S the beautyandsustainabilityofprairieplants. Nurseryman NeilDibollhasspentalifetimeteachinggardenersandhorticulturiststoappreciate Prophet Prophet What inspired acityboy from St. Louis the American Gardener Willa Catheror Garrison most peoplewillthinkof AY THE word “prairie” and landscape, top,of hisWisconsinhome. Neil Diboll,above, issurroundedbytheopen Sitting alongtheedgeofaprairie planting, of the of the Prairie Prairie of where andhow to pursueitwashis teacher—but ultimately Diboll’s choice fessor andmotherakindergarten his parents—his fatherwasapro- doors mayhave beeninstilledby The love ofnature and theout- A PERFECTFIT Ozarks inMissouri. walks inColoradoandthe often dragginghimonwildflowers side. Diboll remembers hisparents is afamilytraditiononhismother’s inlife,”hesays.Hikingeverything thing todowithit. He alsosayshisparents have some- Green Bay, where Diboll studied. gy attheUniversity ofWisconsin at “It’s allmyparents’ fault—asis BY CAROLEOTTESEN

CAROLE OTTESEN (2) For More Information Prairie Nursery, W5875 Dyke Av- enue, Westfield, WI. (800) 476- 9453. www.prairienursery.com. ■ Guided tours and a photography workshop are given several times a summer; self-guided tours can be taken anytime. Groups of 20 or more should contact Prairie Nursery in ad- vance. The retail store is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday from April through October. ■ Neil Diboll also gives talks about prairie plants. A list of his speaking events is on the nursery’s website. ■ To view an interview with Diboll posted on YouTube, click on the link from this article on the AHS website (www.ahs.org).

mediate success. “In the beginning, we were considered wackos,” admits Diboll. “We were planting what everybody con- sidered weeds. At first, I couldn’t give the stuff away.” If that was discouraging, it didn’t slow him down. “You’ll go through hell and high water to do what you want to do,” he shrugs. “I was a plant nerd. I didn’t care about money. I had faith.” He believed then, as he does now, that An old barn and fruit trees are relics of the former farm on which Diboll and his partner, Reen prairies are one of the best alternatives to Durning, now live. They cleared the property of invasive species and replanted prairie natives. a traditional lawn. He ticks off the ad- vantages of a prairie planting with an ease own, with a little help from Professor Wisconsin also won Diboll over with that comes from 30 years of practice. White. After graduating with a degree its beguiling prairies. “I’ve always liked “There are few, if any, needs for pesticides in environmental science in 1978 and plants, but I fell in love with the prairie.” and herbicides—bugs are part of the stints working with the U.S. Park Ser- Love of the prairie inspired him to food chain. If you’re serious about living vice in Virginia and the U.S. Forest Ser- begin his life’s work. In 1982, “with all of in harmony with the planet, then land- vice in Colorado, Diboll returned to the usual delusions about starting a busi- scape with natural ecosystems. It makes Wisconsin. Reserved, progressive, toler- ness,” he says, he took over a “little back- ecological sense, it makes economic ant, plain, no-nonsense Wisconsin was, yard garden nursery” from its founder, J. sense, and it makes emotional sense.” culturally, the perfect fit for the young, Robert Smith. At a time when few people Despite his early struggles, Diboll idealistic ecologist. wanted to buy prairie plants—native soldiered on. Eventually, through faith, “When I came to Wisconsin, it was grasses and wildflowers—or even knew focus, and energy, the zeitgeist caught interesting to see a culture that balanced what they were, Diboll began selling up with him. And his nursery grew. And the natural environment. It was different them. Or, at least, trying to. grew. The original one-half acre and a from what I had seen in other parts of the Today “native plants” is a household tiny greenhouse have expanded to 200 country,” says Diboll. He acknowledges phrase, and ecology has morphed from a acres devoted to seed production, a large that much of the state’s environmental science into a religion for some, jokes Di- propagation house, 10 large greenhous- awareness is connected with the hunting boll. But in the ’80s, he was far ahead of es, and extensive display gardens. The and fishing ethos, but overall he credits it his time. His was a lonely voice crying in number of employees jumped from two to plentiful common sense. “People here a turfgrass wilderness. to a dozen full-time employees today. know that without stewardship the nat- What people once called “the weed ural environment will be lost,” he says. HAVING FAITH farm” is now an internationally known,

CAROLE OTTESEN “It has value in our culture.” As a result, Prairie Nursery wasn’t an im- unqualified success. As owner and pres-

September / October 2010 25 26 proprietor ofWildflower, spe- anursery JanAlabama nurserywoman Midgley, nectedness ofcomplexsystems,” says cate insimplelanguagethe intercon- coast tocoast. mightsprout prairiefrom the country how householdinAmerica, reach every You getthefeelingthatifhecouldsome- quence thatisenormouslypersuasive. times, hecandisplayapassionandelo- minutes.Atous—at leastforafew these usually irreverent Diboll becomesseri- well, alabor oflove believer. from atrue moted formostofhisadultlife.It is,as plants andtheecosystemDiboll haspro- The bookwillbeafittingtributetothe cation atallstagesoftheplant’s lifecycle. seedheads—to allow foraccurateidentifi- each plantspecies—from seedlingsto Gardener’s Guide toPrairie Plants. versity ofChicagoPress, itistitledThe ana. Scheduledforrelease in2011by Uni- with HilaryCox ofIndianapolis, Indi- plant-identification bookheiswriting project—aboundless energyonanew mands ofhisbusinessandrefocusing his he iscuttingbackfrom someofthede- plans forexpandingthenursery. Instead, And thatisenoughforDiboll. He hasno SPREADING THEWORD brings them.” and bugsthatcomethejoy thatit ence whentheyseebirds andbutterflies den. Whatgreat excitement theyexperi- native prairieorawoodlandraingar- ing from customerswhohave planteda ofmyjobishear- bestpart he says,“The bringingthemessageofprairie, country mentalism tomainstream gardening.” Association]. He really didbringenviron- ganizations likethePPA [Perennial Plant the prevailing attitudesininfluentialor- hisinterestcommunities; helpedchanged ly taughtpeopleaboutsystemsand Garden and authorofTheAmerican Meadow Greenlee, aCalifornia-basedgrassexpert like that,”saysfriendandcolleagueJohn megaflora’—trilliums andsweet things consultant andspeaker. ident, Diboll isinconstantdemandasa “Neil’s giftistobeablecommuni- When hespeaksaboutprairie,the The bookwillfeature several photosof When heisn’t traveling around the “Neil doesn’t focuson‘charismatic the American Gardener (Timber Press, 2009).“Neil real- plants hislocalecosystem,prairie. ard,” apersonwhothinks globallyand She describesDiboll asan“earth stew- and authorofseveral wildflower books. cializing insoutheasternnative plants, gized, andinspired by prairie. Dibollfrom theearth, issustained, ener- giant Antaeus,whodrew hislifeforce and thinking.Likethemythological Prairie toDiboll’s isabsolutelycrucial life THE POWEROFPRAIRIE Diboll, top,sitsattheedgeofamixedprairieplantinghishome. Prairieblazingstar pycnostachya) and JoePyeweedmingle,above,inanotherareaofthegarden. -see” attitude. me-before-you-get-to-see-all-there-is-to ed” witha“you’ve-got-to-get-to-know- reliable, well-rooted, andwell-ground- people oftheMidwest; bothare “stable, those deep, out-of-sightroots andthe ground.” He seesananalogybetween thirds oflivingplants are underthe complex ecosysteminwhich“two- It’s sodynamic,”Diboll saysofthis ers andthegrassesmovement. “There’s somethingabouttheflow- (Liatris

CAROLE OTTESEN (2) What gives the prairie its stability, Di- boll emphasizes, is that it is not reliant on PRAIRIE PLANT SAMPLER any individual “keystone” species. Instead, the prairie is a community of many dif- Neil Diboll has helped generations of gardeners discover the joys of gardening with ferent plants that have woven themselves prairie plants, but he says a few are still deserving of greater attention and garden into an extremely durable fabric. use both in the Midwest and into much of the eastern United States. In the prairie, Within the community, relationships most plants thrive in full sun, but a few, says Diboll, will tolerate just a half day’s are at once competitive and cooperative. worth. Here are some of his recommendations for sites in sun and part shade. “The plants partition the seasons,” he says. “Short plants bloom in spring. Height in- FOR SUN creases as the season goes on—so there’s no Diboll’s recommendations include long-lived white false indigo (Baptisia alba, deadheading!” Early species are dormant Zones 3–9, 9–3), which he calls a phenomenal plant that is “structurally more in- by July and thus don’t compete with those teresting than Baptisia australis.” After the upright white flowers fade on three- to that mature later. And fall species just hang around, waiting for their time in the sun. Plants also partition the soil environ- ment. Turfgrasses have shallow roots only a few inches deep, notes Diboll, while herbaceous perennials, or forbs, and deep- rooted grasses may go down as much as eight feet or more. While sharing space below the ground, the roots perform another crucial function by capturing and storing rainwater. Diboll Eryngium Sporobolus says the root systems of prairie plants stave yuccifolium heterolepis off all kinds of environmental problems, including flooding and erosion, by “serv- five-foot stems, the green seedheads extend the season, eventually turning a strik- ing as a giant soil sponge.” ing black. He suggests a lower-growing partner such as prairie dropseed (Sporobo- In Diboll’s view, using prairie plant lus heterolepis, Zones 3–8, 10–2), to fill in around it. communities as a model for gardens Another favorite is rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium, Zones 4–9, 12–1), would be one way for millions of mid- which Diboll describes as a “user-friendly yuccalike plant” that tolerates alkaline western gardeners to reduce their carbon soils. Its three-foot-tall spikes of ball-like flowers are a silvery white that serves as footprint and overall resource consump- an excellent foil to the light pink flowers of prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnos- tion. Not everyone is willing to evaluate tachya, Zones 3–8, 8–1). how their gardening practices reflect envi- He also suggests wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium, Zones 4–8, 8–1), ronmental responsibility, but Diboll does. which produces cottony, white flowers on two- to four-foot stems over a two-month He thinks about his carbon footprint daily period in late summer. and takes pains to decrease it. FOR PART SHADE SWEET HOME WISCONSIN Among plants that will tolerate some shade, Diboll suggests Ohio goldenrod (Sol- Nowhere are Diboll’s efforts more appar- idago ohioensis, Zones 4–9, 9–1), which grows up to three feet tall and bears huge ent than at his home. Located in the heart golden flower clusters, and bottle gen- of Amish country, his 20-acre property is tian (Gentiana andrewsii, Zones 3–7, planted almost entirely with natives. 7–1), which grows a foot tall and bears It wasn’t always this way. When Diboll closed, sky-blue “bottle” flowers; both bought the property, it was 20 acres of bloom in late summer to fall. buckthorn (Rhamnus sp.), an invasive tree Diboll also likes Culver’s root (Veron- common in the Midwest. It has taken icastrum virginicum, Zones 4–8, 8–3), nearly 20 years to clear away the buck- which can reach six feet tall, bearing thorn and other exotic invasives, and he’s white flower spires that attract bees and still working on “liberating” a few re- butterflies. Another statuesque native, maining holdouts. suitable for full sun or part shade, is tall For a visitor, a first glance reveals a ironweed (Vernonia gigantea, Zones 5–9, 9–1), which grows up to eight feet tall house, dwarfed by an ancient barn and Gentiana giant trees with borrowed scenery be- andrewsii and bears deep purple flowers in late yond—broad, flat fields stretching seem- summer. —C.O.

COURTESY OF PRAIRIE NURSERY, INC. (3) ingly endlessly into the distance. In the

September / October 2010 27 Resources Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes by Sally Wasowski. University of Min- nesota Press, Minneapolis, 2002. The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers by William Cullina. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Massa- chusetts, 2000. mornings and late afternoons, the sun aims golden shafts across the fields to ig- nite fringes of prairie grasses. This is a scene that, for a visitor, evokes something familiar and soothing, but it takes a few moments to conjure up the right mental image. Then it comes: It is a landscape from the past—Grand- pa’s farm, the way the big field at the end of the road used to look before they built all of those houses. Here, all of the traditional landscap- ing conventions are absent, but not at all missed. In this loose and easy land- scape, there is no heavily-fertilized, bright green lawn, knife-edged, and neatly mown. There are no brick-encir- Neil Diboll’s Prairie Nursery is a source for cled planting beds or swathes of uni- seeds and plants of many prairie natives, form groundcover. Nor do precisely including tall Joe Pye weed, left—here visited planted exotic trees stand self-con- by a viceroy butterfly—and sweet black-eyed sciously in plump circles of mulch. Susan, above. Instead, there’s a path of a blend of fine fescue grasses—the mature result of quintessential Wisconsin. Sitting there, it Prairie Nursery’s ‘No-Mow’ lawn mix, is easy to make the connection to the land- one of the nursery’s 22 custom-blended scape that Diboll has come to treasure. seed mixes. Soft underfoot, it circles the “People have a need to be connected to the house all the way to a vast vegetable gar- earth, but our culture encourages ex- den and the south-facing ruins of a stone ploitation and destruction of the natural chicken house. world,” says Diboll who has worked to Along the way, around a small shed is a make a connection happen ever since he clump of tall Joe Pye (Eupatorium fistulo- began selling the plants that nobody want- sum), queen of the prairie (Filipendula ed. Since then, much has changed, leaving rubra), a fringe of dense spike blazing star him optimistic. (Liatris spicata), and rattlesnake master “In the last 30 years we have realized the (Eryngium yuccifolium). Elsewhere, relax- value of our environment,” he says. “We’re ing on the ground is a hybrid silphium. Di- dependent upon it for our very survival. If boll says it appears to be a hybrid of prairie sweet black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia subto- we destroy it, we’ll go with it. That’s the rosin weed (Silphium integrifolium) and mentosa) and the chocolate-colored seed- bottom line for me. It’s not just the plants; compass plant (S. laciniatum), but he heads of coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea it’s the whole warp and weave of the fabric doesn’t sell it at the nursery because it tends and E. pallida) mark the passing season of life on this wonderful planet.” to flop at the end of the season. and add texture to a diverse matrix of glow- As the path moves toward woodland, it ing, amber-colored prairie grasses. A contributing writer for The American meanders under big oak and hickory trees Benches and a swing offer places to Gardener, Carole Ottesen gardens in Mary-

and between islands of prairie. Blooming stop, sit, and contemplate these visions of land and Nova Scotia. TOP: RANDALL RODEN / COURTESY OF PRAIRIE NURSERY, INC. BOTTOM:

28 the American Gardener

30 Shrubs fall-blooming A the flowering seasonforgardeners. Here many interesting thatwillextend shrubs from September intoearlyDecember are roses begintofade.Taking theirplace the American Gardener S FALL hydrangeas, crape myrtles, and hydrangeas, crapemyrtles, summer-flowering suchas shrubs approaches, manyofthe ing shrubs, see chart, page34.) seechart, ing shrubs, around thecountry. (For more fall-bloom- visiting otherpublicandprivate gardens just southwest ofPhiladelphia, andfrom Scott Arboretum ofSwarthmore College, my work ascuratorofwoodyplantsatthe are thatIhave afew experiencedthrough BY ANDREWBUNTING delightful fragrancetothefallgarden. Late-blooming shrubsaddaburstofcolorandoften vania, recommends thefollowing camel- Charles Cresson inSwarthmore, Pennsyl- winter. Garden designerandauthor Both speciesbloomfrom fallintoearly camellia oleifera, hybrids between tea-oilcamellia ber ofcamelliasbloominfall. oftheUnitedern parts States. But anum- early springinthesoutheasternandwest- Zones 8–7)canflower from latewinterto USDA Hardiness Zones 7–8,AHSHeat Japanese camellia(Camellia japonica, spring-flowering For shrubs. instance,the Camellias are sometimestypecastas CAMELLIAS tight spotoutside ofadoororincourt- is upright,making itagoodchoicefor camellias, itisevergreen, butthisselection deep carmine-red flowers. Likemost November, forUSDAZone 6bandabove: lias, whichbloomfrom October to to gardensfromfallintowinter. such as‘Winter’sStar’,above,addinterest left, andcolorfulflowersofhardycamellias The fragrantflowersofcommonwitchhazel, Many ofthefall-blooming cultivars are ‘Autumn Spirit’ hasintense,double, Zones 6–9,9–5)and Sasanqua (C. sasanqua, Zones 7–8,8–7). (C.

LEFT: KAREN BUSSOLINI. RIGHT: BILL JOHNSON yard. ‘Lu Shan Snow’ is a large camellia, and flowers. It grows six to 12 feet tall and tended period in the fall. ‘Harvest Moon’ reaching 15 feet tall with an equal spread, has heart-shaped leaves resembling those is an improved flowering form with that produces an abundance of single of redbuds (hence the specific epithet). lemon-yellow flowers. white flowers. At maturity the individual The leaves turn a brilliant red in fall, and trunks will become smooth with cinna- in October curious star-shaped maroon HOLLY TEA OLIVES mon-orange bark. It has survived minus flowers composed of straplike petals I am often asked what broad-leaved ever- 10 degrees Fahrenheit at the United States emerge in pairs along the stems. green will grow in dry shade. From Zone National Arboretum in Washington, Common witch hazel is native from 6 and warmer, I recommend the holly tea D.C. ‘Winter’s Star’ is upright like ‘Au- Canada south to Georgia and west to Ne- olives (Osmanthus spp.). tumn Spirit’, but has single pink flowers. braska. Flowering begins in the fall and The holly osmanthus (Osmanthus het- ‘Snow Flurry’ has a rounded and mound- sometimes extends into the winter erophyllus, Zones 7–9, 9–7) is one of the ing habit with anemonelike, double, white months, especially in the warmer parts of hardiest of the species. The leaves are blooms. ‘Survivor’ is upright with single white flowers that are pink in bud. Simi- lar to ‘Survivor’ is ‘Mason Farm’, which has larger and slightly pinker flowers. GLOSSY ABELIA An old-fashioned shrub with fantastic fall flowers throughout the United States, including the West Coast, is glossy abelia (Abelia ✕grandiflora, Zones 6–9, 9–6). A hybrid between Abelia chi- nensis and Abelia uniflora, this shrub has shiny small leaves and reaches eight feet tall with an equal spread. In May and June, it begins flowering with one-inch- long tubular flowers that are white with a pink blush and slight fragrance. The sepals, which subtend the flowers, emerge green and fade to a soft pink and persist for several months. Because glossy abelia forms flowers on new wood, it can be pruned hard in the winter without sacrificing flowers the sub- sequent growing season. It grows best in full sun and is very tolerant of poor soils and urban conditions. It’s also great for at- tracting butterflies, including western tiger swallowtail, eastern tiger swallowtail, and the silver-spotted skipper. For small- er gardens, there are some diminutive forms such as Confetti™ (‘Conti’), which reaches two feet tall and has variegated leaf margins. ‘Sherwoodii’ is slightly larger with dark green leaves that can turn slight- Holly tea olives such as Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Rotundifolius’ feature evergreen leaves. ly purple in the winter. the country. Like disanthus, the petals are dark green, evergreen, and have spines— WITCH HAZEL FAMILY straplike and nearly one inch long. Four- hence the reference to holly in the com- Two of my favorite fall-flowering shrubs petaled flowers emerge from red sepals or mon name. An abundance of tiny white are members of the witch hazel family a calyx. These fragrant flowers are often flowers are borne in clusters along the (Hamamelidaceae): Disanthus cercidi- hidden among the foliage until the leaves eight- to 10-foot stems from September folius (Zones 5–8, 8–5) and the common fall from the branches. through November. Although the flow- witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana, In recent years, several cultivars of ers for the most part are hidden by the fo- Zones 3–8, 8–1). common witch hazel have been selected, liage, they are intensely fragrant. There A shrub deserving of wider use, Disan- including ‘Mohonk Red’, which has an are several outstanding selections of the

JOSHUA MCCULLOUGH thus cercidifolius is prized for its fall foliage abundance of brick-red flowers for an ex- holly osmanthus, including ‘Gulftide’,

September / October 2010 31 32 the summer. ‘ClemsonYellow’ isayellow- ing warmwinter periodsandthroughout dur- fall, itcancontinueinsporadic spurts While flowering generallyoccursinthe shrouded by thefoliage,andare fragrant. much showier thanO.heterophyllus, phyllus they lackthepricklytouchof green withonly a slightlyserratededge; stunning shrub. Theleaves are dark United States, fragrantteahollycanbe a ter cold.However, inthesoutheastern plants are stillregularly damagedby win- a siteprotected by twobuildings,but grans which isUSDAZone 7a,we grow species. In Swarthmore, the aforementioned 12–8) istheleasthardy of (O. fragrans, Zones 8–11, 15 feettallandwide. largeshrub, growingvery turity thiscanbecomea along themargin.At ma- and onlyhave slightspines are three tosixincheslong ers inthefall.Theleaves tiny, white,fragrantflow- osmanthus itproduces can gardens. Likeholly tively unknown inAmeri- (Zones 7–9,9–7) is rela- ing purple. emerging foliageisastrik- ‘Gulftide’, butthenewly has leaves similarto rounded leaves. ‘Purpureus’ has oblongandsomewhat do withoutsharpspines;it good choiceifyou’d rather den. ‘Rotundifolius’ isa choice tobrightenadark woodlandgar- and gold-fleckedleaves, makingitagood six years withaslightlypyramidalhabit growing, reaching onlyfive feettallafter to five feettall.‘Goshiki’ isrelatively slow- spiny, decorative foliageandreaches three including ‘Sasaba’, whichhasextremely has trialedmanyvarieties ofosmanthus, summer.shears every itwithhand hedge, lightlypruning liage. In myhomegarden, Iuseitasa which isanuprightclonewithdensefo- The flowers onfragrantteahollyare The fragrantteaholly Osmanthus armatus In recent years, theScottArboretum the American Gardener var. and thunbergii O. armatus. ‘Clemson Yellow’ in O. hetero- O. fra- not so Maturing asalargeshruborsmalltree,seven-sonflowerhasstriking autumnflowers. lantica pinkish whiteflowers perfectly. white-edged leaves thatcomplementthe The selection‘Summer Ice’ hascreamy es fourfeettallandwideatmaturity. for thesmallgarden since itonlyreach- grant. Thisdeciduousdaphneisperfect starlike flowers thatare intenselyfra- produces an abundanceoftinywhite, popular cultivars is‘Jim’s Pride’, which summer untilfrost. One ofthemost blooms from April through springand tween bright orangeflowers. flowers. ‘Orange Supreme’ produces ‘Butter Yellow’ hassoft,sulfur-yellow Carolina BotanicalGarden atClemson. flowered selectionfoundattheSouth early spring.However, Daphne People tendtoassociatedaphneswith DAPHNES nioides, seven-son flower tum received asizeable plantofthe Almost 20years ago,theScottArbore- SEVEN-SON FLOWER (Zones 6–9,9–6),ahybridbe- D. collina Zones 5–9,9–4)from local (Heptacodium mico- and D. caucasica, ✕ transat- fall. Theold-fashioned rose ofSharon ering periodand continuewell intothe Many hibiscusspecieshave alongflow- HIBISCUSES turesque plant. it matures willultimatelyresult inapic- but providing as somejudiciouspruning upright, gangly, orsmalltree, largeshrub honeysuckles isinclinedtogrow asan tan, gray, andwhite. slightly exfoliatingbark streaked with hasrevealedthe pruning abeautiful, Today, itisapproximately 20feettalland moved thelower andsidebranches. hasmatured,shrub we have graduallyre- plantswoman Sally Reath. Asthislarge three more weeks ofinterest. fade, thegreen sepalsturnpink,adding Astheflowersthat attractbutterflies. panicles oftiny, white,fragrantflowers and intoSeptember, itproduces large ant ofpoorsoilsanddrought. In August we grow,the toughestshrubs toler- very planting situationsinfullsun.It isoneof eral specimensgrowing ina variety of This relative totheviburnumsand At theScott Arboretum we have sev-

ROB CARDILLO REGIONAL FALL-BLOOMING FAVORITES Shrubs that perform well at the Scott Arboretum are suitable for most areas of the Northeast. Some are adaptable to other ar- eas of the country as well. And there are many fall bloomers that will not survive in Pennsylvania but thrive in other regions. We asked experts from regions across the country to suggest their favorite fall-blooming shrubs.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST Fiona Gilsenan, a garden writer and contributor to Sunset magazine, suggests the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo, Zones 8–9, 9–6) as an outstanding fall bloomer. “The little creamy urn-shaped flowers pop out at the same time as the knobby crim- son balls of fruit are ripening,” says Gilsenan. Another favorite is common bluebeard (Caryopteris incana, Zones 6–9, 9–1), especially the cultivar ‘Jason’, with its gold foliage and deep blue flowers. “I like it in Mediterranean-style plantings with grass- es to keep some blue in the garden once the lavenders have faded,” says Gilsenan, who lives in British Columbia.

DESERT SOUTHWEST Many shrubs bloom in the fall in the desert Southwest in response to cooler days and late summer rains. Among those that landscape designer Judith Phillips of Ve- guita, New Mexico, recommends are: Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa, Zones Arbutus unedo 7–11, 12–7), which blooms in spring and again in fall. “Its white flowers and beau- tiful feathery pink seed plumes glow in the low, angled light.” Salvia greggii (Zones 7–9, 9–4) begins flowering in summer and continues into fall. The flower color— red, purple, pink, or yellow—intensifies as temperatures drop; long blooming red hesperaloe (Hesperaloe parviflora, Zones 6–11, 12–6) and the scarlet flowered desert honeysuckle (Anisacanthus wrightii, Zones 7–10, 10–7), says Phillips, are favorites of migrating hummingbirds. Phillips also recommends black dalea (Dalea frutescens, Zones 8–10, 11–8), which produces an “intense show of wine-colored flowers,” and turpentine bush (Ericameria laricifolia, Zones 8–11, 12–8) which bears “masses of small yellow daisies against fine dark green foliage.”

MIDWEST The top choice for fall flowers from Edward Hasselkus, University of Wisconsin horticulture professor emeritus and curator at Longenecker Horticultural Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin, is one that grows well in many regions of the country, common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). “It’s also one of the most shade- tolerant shrubs that we can grow,” he says. Another widely adaptable favorite is Heptacodium miconoides (Zones 5–7, 9–4), with its white flowers that “are always Salvia greggii buzzing with insects.” In addition to the above two shrubs, John Fech, horticulture professor at the Uni- versity of Nebraska in Lincoln, recommends Chinese sumac, (Rhus chinensis, Zones 5–8, 8–5), which produces large white flowers in late summer and fall.

SOUTHEAST Common witch hazel, in particular, the cultivar ‘Harvest Moon’, is also recommended for southeastern gardens by Jamie Blackburn, curator of the woodland gardens at At- lanta Botanical Garden. He also suggests groundsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia, Zones 5–9, 9–4), which Blackburn describes as an “overlooked native, especially good for massing in difficult, sunny spots.” Other Blackburn favorites include Encore™ azaleas, rose of Sharon, Knock Out™ roses, and Burmese plumbago (Ceratostigma griffithii, Zones 7–10, 10–7), which is “more of a sub-shrub,” says Blackburn, “with fantastic blue fall flowers in combination with its bright red fall foliage color at the same time.” —Rita Pelczar Knock Out™ rose

Rita Pelczar is a contributing editor for The American Gardener. TOP TO BOTTOM: LYNNE HARRISON; COURTESY OF G.A. COOPER @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS DATABASE; KNOCK OUT ROSE

September / October 2010 33 MORE FALL-BLOOMING SHRUBS Botanical name Height/Spread Flower color Comments Origin USDA Hardiness/ (common name) (feet) AHS Heat Zones Caryopteris ✕clandonensis 3/5 blue gray-green leaves, east Asia 6–9/9–1 (bluebeard) deciduous Clerodendrum trichotomum 15–20/15–20 white with red tepals fragrant, deciduous China, Japan 7–9/9–7 Elsholtzia stauntonii 5/5 purple-pink mint-scented China 5–8/8–5 (mint shrub) Escallonia bifida 10/8 white, purple-pink evergreen Brazil, Uruguay 8–9/9–8 Lespedeza thunbergii 6/10 deciduous China, Japan 6–8/8–6 (bush clover) Leucophyllum frutescens 3–4/4–8 lavender, purple blue-gray leaves, Texas, New 7–10/10–7 (Texas sage) evergreen Mexico, Mexico Plumbago auriculata 10–20/3–10 sky blue climbing or South Africa 11–11/12–10 (cape leadwort) sprawling evergreen Rhododendron prunifolium 8–10/6–8 orange-red evergreen southeast U.S. 6–9/9–5 (plumleaf azalea) Rhododendron Encore™ series 21/2–5/3–4 white, pink, purple, red evergreen hybrid origin 7–9/9–7

Elsholtzia stauntonii Rhododendron Encore™ Autumn Carnation™

(Hibiscus syriacus, Zones 5–9, 9–1) per- iacus blooms on new wood, it can be forms admirably as a tough plant for pruned severely in the winter. In late difficult landscapes. The straight species March, we often prune them down to 12 and many of the clones, however, set co- to 18 inches. During the growing season, pious amounts of seed and have become they will grow back to about four feet, pernicious, self-sowing weeds in some blooming profusely every year. regions. The five-petaled flowers of H. Another great hibiscus for autumn syriacus are five inches across; flowering flowers is the confederate rose (H. muta- begins in midsummer and continues bilis, Zones 10–11, 12–8). This large shrub into fall. often reaches 15 feet tall. Despite the In the ‘60s and ‘70s, the U. S. Nation- common name, it is actually a native of al Arboretum released several cultivars that China and not the southern states. The were sterile, eliminating the problem of deeply-lobed leaves are five to seven inch- unwanted seedlings. My favorite is ‘Diana’, es long and hairy on the undersides. Over which is pure white. Other excellent selec- a three-day period, the flowers, which are tions include ‘Helene’ (white with a deep similar in shape to those of other hibis- burgundy throat), ‘Minerva’ (lavender), cus species, go through an interesting and ‘Aphrodite’ (pink). transformation of colors. Emerging These tough shrubs thrive in full sun ‘Helene’, above, and other rose of Sharon white, they turn a deep pink and eventu-

and require very little care. Because H. syr- cultivars bloom from summer into fall. ally bluish pink before they wither. Both TOP LEFT: JUDYWHITE / GARDENPHOTOS.COM; RIGHT: COURTESY OF ENCORE AZALEAS. BOTTOM: JERRY PAVIA.

34 the American Gardener single- and double-flowering forms are Tibouchinas offer more good fall available. ‘Flora Plena’ is described by bloomers for warm regions. They are Sources North Carolina nurseryman Tony Avent evergreen, subtropical shrubs, native to Crownsville Nursery, Strasburg, VA. as having flowers “resembling giant, dou- South America, grown for their beauti- (540) 631-9411. ble, rosy pink camellias.” ful, velvety leaves and sprays of purple www.crownsvillenursery.com. and lavender flowers. In cooler climates, Fairweather Gardens, Greenwich, NJ. FALL BLOOMERS FOR WARM CLIMATES they make great container specimens or (856) 451-6261. A popular fall-blooming shrub for West seasonal tropicals grown as annuals, www.fairweathergardens.com. Coast gardens is Luculia gratissima (Zones where the flowers emerge in midsummer Forestfarm Nursery, Williams, OR. 10–11, 12–10).This native of the Himalayas and continue to frost. Famous Brazilian (541) 846-7269. grows from northern India into western artist and landscape designer, Roberto www.forestfarm.com. Klehm’s Song Sparrow Nursery, Avalon, WI. (800) 553-3715. www.songsparrow.com. Woodlanders, Aiken, SC. (803) 648- 7522. www.woodlanders.net.

Resources Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs by Michael Dirr. Timber Press, Port- land, Oregon, 1997. Fallscaping: Extending Your Garden Season Into Autumn by Nancy J. On- dra and Stephanie Cohen. Storey Publishing, North Adams, Massa- chusetts, 2007.

pering leaves have a beautiful textural quality as a result of their velvety surface. Open-faced, striking purple flowers to three inches across are produced in abun- dance. Where it is hardy, this plant will bloom reliably from May to January. A close relative is T. grandifolia (Zones 11–11, 12–7), also native to Brazil. Its soft- textured leaves are more rounded, and the smaller flowers, which are lavender-purple with a white eye, are borne in upright, cone-shaped panicles. Even when the leaves and fruits of many woody plants have begun to turn from green to yellow, orange, and red, the growing season is far from finished. For many shrubs, the flowering has just Tropical Tibouchina urvilleana is best suited to warm climate gardens or greenhouses. begun; others continue a flowering season that may have started as early as spring. China. At maturity it will reach eight to 10 Burle Marx popularized the use of ti- Fall-flowering shrubs bring additional in- feet tall with an equal spread. This semi- bouchina as a landscape ornamental plant. terest to the landscape, attract late-season evergreen to evergreen shrub blooms from Tibouchina urvilleana (Zones 10–11, pollinators to the garden, and create many fall into the winter, bearing eight-inch clus- 12–7) is native to Brazil. Thriving in full possibilities for combinations with the ters of fragrant, pink, five-petaled flowers. sun, this species can be grown as a peren- colorful fruits and foliage of autumn. For best flowering, this shrub should be nial as far north as Zone 8, where it will die given light shade. Pruning to remove spent to the ground, but will often resprout the Andrew Bunting is curator of woody plants at flowers helps maintain a tightly mounded following spring. This large shrub or small the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College

SAXON HOLT shape; otherwise it can become lanky. tree can reach 15 feet tall. The narrow, ta- in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

September / October 2010 35 36 Your Garden inviting plant, latetoemerge, emblematic,andlonglasting.” helps connectand structureanentirelandscape.” HedescribesJoePyeas“agreat wildlife like toclustersimilarplantshapes inamass,”saysBrine.“Repeatingthesemassedplants used asarecurringelementto tie differentareasofthegardentogether.“InmydesignsI In DuncanBrine’sgarden,JoePye weed the American Gardener Nature (Eupatorium fistulosum) fistulosum) (Eupatorium is afavorednativeperennial into ture’s potentialinagiven place. garden withna- istoidealize andpartner individuality. Thegoalofanaturalistic other regional characteristics informtheir tive flora, land forms,soil,climate,and bers—each oneisunique.Thediverse na- They are notgeneric orpaintby num- ferent indifferent ofthecountry. parts which itiscreated. inextricably linkedtothelandscapeon meditated becauseitsinherent beautyis nature’s dictates;itsdesigncannotbepre- bines agardener’s needsanddesires with ferent people.Anaturalisticgarden com- loosely; itcanmeandifferent thingstodif- uralistic gardens. gardens andtoward acareer creating nat- away from thestatusquooftraditional There Ifoundinspirationinmoving life inthecountry, ofthecity. north today’s concernfor the environment. appeal andsimple beautythatreflect while naturalisticgardens have asubtle without considerationofsustainability, traditional gardens flaunttheirstyle shaped by science.From myperspective, Designing naturalisticgardens isanart DESIGN NATURALISTIC EMBRACING T today’s environment. has renewedrelevancein naturalistic approach,which redesign, considera garden orcontemplatinga If you’restartinganew Naturalistic gardens shouldlookdif- The term“naturalistic” isoftenused wife tomakeagarden andanew New York Citywithmyfuture WENTY YEARSAGO, BY DUNCANBRINE I left

ROB CARDILLO In autumn, the foliage of summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) creates a colorful corridor through the Brine garden. According to Brine, this is “somewhat of a secret path, designed to draw visitors through the garden.” The plantings reflect one of Brine’s design tips, which is to repeat signature plants along both sides of a path. In addition to the species summersweet in the foreground, Brine has planted the cultivar ‘September Beauty’ further down the path. He likes this selection because of its vertical habit, later bloom time, and darker green summer foliage.

initially be taken aback by a naturalis- tic garden’s seemingly structureless, scruffy look. Naturalistic gardens are sometimes a taste that takes some time to acquire, but they are worth the effort for many reasons. One of the inherent goals of a natu- Unlike the clipped, tidy stasis of tradi- den is a fragment, which borrows or ralistic garden is to conserve resources tional gardens, a naturalistic garden fore- quotes from nature, while a large country and reduce our environmental footprint. sees, provides for, and celebrates organic garden may provide enough space to in- Acute problems vary from region to re- change, including redundancy and decay. clude areas that replicate different region- gion, but ecosystems fragmented by de- Those who favor naturalistic gardens al ecosystems. A small garden can be used velopment and urban sprawl prevail now tend to embrace their serendipity. They to showcase vignettes representing aspects throughout our country. Properly con- anticipate and facilitate change, delight- of a meadow, while a large garden might ceived, naturalistic gardens can reduce ing in growth and evolution of all kinds. include an actual meadow. water usage, enhance water quality, com- Naturalistic garden designs can be People habituated to the regimented pensate for habitat loss, and encourage adapted to spaces of all sizes. A small gar- appearance of a traditional garden can biodiversity. A naturalistic garden is a personal ini- tiative and pleasure, but in today’s world it is also an expression of a widening awareness that nature is vital and precious; it needs our help. Observing often simple design tech- niques provides a structural underpinning and guides creation of a naturalistic gar- den. In this article, images from my rural New York garden illustrate some of the techniques I use in my designs, but the concepts discussed are broadly adaptable in most regions of the country. GUIDING LIGHTS Perhaps surprisingly, one of the most im- portant influences on my personal design philosophy is an entomologist and ecolo- gist named Doug Tallamy. In my opin- ion, not since Rachel Carson and her Duncan and Julia Brine’s home, above, is one of two buildings on the property dating to groundbreaking book Silent Spring 1920. The other building serves as the office for their design firm. Planted in front are several (1962)—which warned about the dangers different viburnums, including Wright viburnum (V. wrightii) and linden viburnum (V. of the pesticide DDT—has there been dilatatum), that bear attractive berries in fall and winter. Natives such as black flowering such a persuasive observer of and advocate

DUNCAN BRINE (2) sedge (Carex nigra) and switch grass (Panicum virgatum) add texture in front of the shrubs. for the environment as Tallamy.

September / October 2010 37 38 This groveof‘Heritage’riverbirches look becausethe treesarenotallthesameheight.” the treesgradually overanumberofyears,mimicking amulti-generationalcommunity,” saysBrine.“Thisgives thegroveamore natural was formerlyameadow.Thegoal is,overtime,toconvertthemeadowintoawoodland.“To createamorenaturallook,we’vepla habits, andperceptions ofhomeland- homeowners toreorient theirpriorities, tive plantsandanimalstoencourage pollinators—with engagingimagesofna- loss anddeclineinwildlife—particularly combination ofstatisticsabouthabitat wide audience. his classroom hasenlargedtoanation- page 41)andhispopularityasaspeaker, Wildlife inOur Gardens Home: How Native Plants Sustain publication ofhisbookBringing Nature accustomed toteaching,butwiththe gardens. Asauniversity professor, heis movement thatadvocates naturalistic several nationalproponents ofagrowing versity ofDelaware, Tallamy isoneof attheUni-wildlife ecologydepartment In hispresentations, Tallamy usesa A professor intheentomologyand the American Gardener (see “Resources,” (Betula nigra) (Betula ban monoculture, thelawn. plants andlesstothatubiquitoussubur- also urgespeopletodevote more spaceto provide shelterandfoodforwildlife.He species thatcreate structure ingardens and more woody native plants,particularly scapes. Specifically headvocates theuseof enjoy engagingand involving myclients they canignore theprocess.” of complexfoodwebs intheiryards, or andenjoyers canobserve therestoration gardens. AsTallamy writes,“homeown- formative processes thathappenintheir ple takeapersonalinterest inthetrans- doesn’t really matterwhether ornotpeo- biodiversity, sofrom hisperspective it Tallamy’s andincrease goal istoconserve EXPERIENCE GARDEN THE NATURALISTIC As alandscapedesigner, however, I is oneofseveralgroupingsnative treesBrineplantedinanareaofhisgardenthat meaning thattranscendsthesuperficial. of ecosystemsandgives ourgardens understanding oftheintricateworkings to recurring naturalevents deepensour honeysuckle flower. Becoming attuned birds attheopeningoffirstnative the anticipatedsightingofhumming- nestingspot,and return toitscustomary before-seen insect,amigratingbird’s tine; itincludesthediscovery ofanever- unexpected whileappreciating therou- cause itenhancestheirown enjoyment. itive effectsontheenvironment butbe- of naturalisticdesignnotonlyforitspos- their gardens, sotheyembracetheconcept the interactionofwildlifeandplantsin perience, manyare intriguedby andvalue with theirgardens. Based onmyown ex- Living with nature and observing its Living withnature andobserving A naturalisticgarden spotlightsthe nted

DUNCAN BRINE rituals is its own reward—perhaps even more so now when many of us are look- ing for ways to escape the relentless de- mands of the technologically driven world we now live in. When you’re in a naturalistic garden, you’re part of nature and its interconnected yet seemingly spontaneous activities. You’re alert and sensitized; if the tall grass moves in the distance, you wonder, what animal is moving unseen? When the usual bird song becomes louder and more urgent, you look to see if a bird of prey or a snake is threatening a nest. Enabling and discovering these inter- dependencies is at the heart of a natural- istic garden design. PLANNING A NATURALISTIC GARDEN A naturalistic garden has a dual focus; like horticulture itself, it’s balanced be- When it comes to good native plants for wildlife, two that Brine recommends are tween art and science. As an artist, you summersweet, top, and wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), above, which attract a wide work with feelings and beauty, while as a variety of insects, including bees, butterflies, and moths. Brine values summersweet because scientist, you’re concerned with conser- of its fragrant flowers, wildlife value, and late-summer bloom, “when nothing much else is vation of your garden’s environment and in flower.” Wild bergamot was well established on the property when the Brines acquired it,

ROB CARDILLO (2) its wildlife. When you create a naturalis- growing in a meadow alongside companions such as goldenrods (Solidago spp.)

September / October 2010 39 40 planting withthe distanttreesgrowingonaridge inthebackground. (Salix alba (Salix crosses astream.Ontheotherside ofamassnaturallyoccurringcattailsthatdefinethestreambed, heplantedtwosilvery-leaved willows lose themajestyofspace.” Here BrinehasplantedJoePyeweed,foreground,atthepointwhere visitorsstandonawoodenbridgethat Another ofBrine’sdesignmaxims fornaturalisticgardensis,“Whenyouhavealargeareatowork with,keepitsimple,otherwise you may the American Gardener var. sericea) sericea) and aShawnee Brave baldcypress (Taxodium distichum). (Taxodium Brine saystheupright treesaredesignedtotie inthe

ROB CARDILLO Resources Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens by Douglas W. Tallamy. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2007 (up- dated edition 2009).

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Massa- chusetts, 1962.

Confining yourself to plants that are well suited to existing conditions may seem limiting to gardeners who are used to rad- ically amending soil or removing trees to create sunny borders. But with a naturalis- tic garden, these limitations actually help you find, or preserve, your landscape’s identity by excluding the inappropriate. NATURALISTIC DESIGN TECHNIQUES There is a generally unacknowledged sleight of hand, a purposeful confusion, involved with designing a naturalistic garden. Much like magicians, naturalis- tic landscape designers create illusion and don’t always want to share the smoke and mirrors. Those of us who specialize in natural- istic gardens may not readily admit it, but we tend to choose and place everything in a naturalistic garden just as carefully as de- signers do in a traditional garden. In my designs, I try to blend the existing and in- troduced plants so they co-mingle and the Every garden needs places for rest and contemplation. This bench, made from oak planks distinctions are blurred. used by local horse farms and locust wood harvested on the property, sits along a path of “no- mow” grass (a blend of fescues that Brine does mow occasionally, mainly to suppress weed GIVING BACK TO NATURE growth). Here, visitors can look back through the trees toward the house and office, or simply Too often, even gardeners take nature for enjoy the wildlife drawn to the natives growing in a natural meadow. granted. A naturalistic garden offers us all a unique personal opportunity to nurture tic garden, you have to mediate between acidic or alkaline soil—is important in all nature. I like to view naturalistic gardens these sometimes conflicting perspectives. gardens, it’s particularly critical for natu- as part of a two-way remediation; they From my experience, in some cases it is ralistic gardens. Within the overall design, are a means for each of us to give back to possible to find a happy medium between always place plants where they will thrive, nature while, at the same time, we are traditional garden design and naturalistic not where you’d prefer they grow for aes- benefiting from nature. For those who garden design. Say, for instance, you are thetic reasons. This may sound funda- choose to create a naturalistic garden, the strongly attracted to some particular qual- mental, but how often have you fooled dividends are richly rewarding. ity of Japanese, French, or English garden yourself about a plant’s preferences because design. My advice would be to draw in- you wanted it in a prominent location or Duncan Brine and his wife, Julia, are prin- spiration from that design and incorporate next to another plant? I will be the first to cipals in Horticultural Design, Inc. it into an indigenous style. admit that I’ve done this many times. The (www.gardenlarge.com), a landscape de- Although designing a garden to match first rule of designing a naturalistic garden, sign firm. The couple’s six-acre garden in the fundamental conditions of your site— however, is to use realistic, not just wish- Pawling, New York, is a regular stop on gar-

ROB CARDILLO sun or shade, moist or dry ground, and ful, thinking. den tours.

September / October 2010 41 42 by MaryYee Buddy Lee:Encore the Encore azaleas(www.encoreazalea.com) introductions fortheSouthern Living Inc., (PDSI)ofLoxley, ofeachyear Alabama,ajobthatkeepshimtraveling lookingfornew agoodpart future releases.” Since 2007,Leehasbeendirector ofplantinnovations for Plant Development Services, dependence, Louisiana,Leesays,“Ihave untoldselectionsofmanyplantsbeinggrown andevaluated for to extendmysales intothefall,soIalso ditional azaleas, andIwaslookingforways own nursery. Igrew manycultivars oftra- doing controlled cross-pollination atmy In thelate1970sandearly’80s,Istarted the Encore azalea? behinddevelopingWhat isthehistory production, from propagation tosales. college, Iworked onallphasesofazalea green azaleas.From highschool through ing intraditionalspring-bloomingever- specializ- atawholesalenursery part-time industry.nursery working At 15,Istarted up insoutheasternLouisianahadanactive area around thefamilyfarmwhere Igrew plantvarietiesnew from anearlyage.The Buddy Lee: azalea breeding? Yee:Mary U the American Gardener Managing Director Editor andArt Yee Mary caughtupwithLeerecently totalkabouthow hebred NTIL THE time bloomersinmostgardens. For azalealovers Robert E.“Buddy” likenurseryman Lee,thiswasa How didyou in getstarted I wasinterested in developing introduction of ™ Azalea Breeder the Encore the cultivars wouldnotrepeat bloomatall. predictable, however; someyears, someof oftheseazaleaswasnot The performance leas thathadatendencytorebloom later. collected traditionalspring-bloomingaza- newest memberof theEncore Autumn Lilac,released thispastspring,isthe home andsmallresearch nursery, Transcend Nursery, locatedinIn- in plantsandbeliefthatbettervarieties are stilltocome.At his ing itthebest-sellingbrandofazaleasinUnited States. According toLee,twomillionEncore azaleaswere soldthisyear, mak- for azaleasthatwouldbloomspring,summer, andfallproved right. core azaleatothemarket. His hunchthatthere wouldbeademand hisfamily—tobreedin ahospitaltosupport andbringthefirstEn- about 15years—some whileworking nightshiftsasaregistered nurse joyment—but hehadasolution.It onefor whichheknew tookhim andgardening bothintermsofsalesopportunities en- shortcoming ™ N NOEWITH ONE ON ONE Plant Collection. The successofEncore hasn’t diminishedLee’s lifelonginterest and whatisbeinggrown intoday’s southerngardens. C ™ azalea inthe1990s,azaleaswere mainlyconsidered spring- ™ azalea series. … ways beenthemisconception thattheEn- heat-tolerantvarieties. Thereto very hasal- used intheprogram, cold-hardy from very Over 40traditionalazaleacultivars were Encore azaleashadabroad geneticbase. The breeding program thatgave risetothe fully outsidetheSouth? Can Encore azaleasbegrown success- Atlanta in themid-1990s. gram. ThefirstEncore azaleadebutedin to have more spaceformybreeding pro- Flowerwood Nursery inLoxley, Alabama, seedlings. ThatwaswhenIpartnered with andsoonranoutofroom togrowery the began crossing itwithazaleasinmynurs- blooming inJuly atafriend’s nursery. I ing evergreen speciesfrom Taiwan] of Rhododendron oldhamii Then onedayIcameacross seedlings [a late-flower-

TOP: DIXIE LEE / COURTESY OF BUDDY LEE. BOTTOM: COURTESY OF ENCORE AZALEAS COURTESY OF SOUTHERN LIVING PLANT COLLECTION to itwasitsuniqueburgundyleafcolor. It Jazz at Mississippi State University calledDelta and thatare easytocare for. ease resistance, more color, compacthabits, tions. Ilookforplantswithimproved dis- suited toourchallenginggrowing condi- the South andexciting tofindnew plants and collectors,homegardeners across owners, plantbreedersvisit withnursery the Southern LivingPlant Collection.I My mainobjectiveplantsfor istofindnew PDSI, whatare you lookingfor? directorAs ofplantinnovations at Zone 6). USDA tumn Lilac—are fairlycoldhardy (to confirm thatmanyofthem—suchasAu- have beenconductedontheEncore azaleas them. Several cold-hardiness trialsthat available are notdirectly descendedfrom program, buttheEncore azaleascurrently Southern Indicas inmyinitialbreeding sitive toextreme cold.Ididusesome dica Hybrid azaleas,whichtendtobesen- cores were derived from theSouthern In- We developed justaddedacrapemyrtle ™ to thecollection.Whatattractedme Jubilation The SouthernLivingCollectionincludes Snow think ofallthebloomingplantsthatI becauseI me tobeawayfrom mynursery Spring isusuallythemostdifficulttime for becausethetwoare sointertwined. “stuff” from myplantbreeding on PDSI“stuff” It’s hard toseparatethetimethatIspend breeding work? Has allthetraveling affectedyour has pinkflowers andisalsoeasytogrow. ™ loropetalum, bothbredbyBuddyLee. ™ gardenia, above,andEmerald Director forTheAmericanGardener. YeeMary isManaging Editor andArt small drive-through arboretum. of plants.Eventually there mightalsobea room toexpandmyin-ground evaluating chased a100-acre locationthatwillgive me azalea isasstrong asever. Irecently pur- My passionfordeveloping thenextgreat What are your plansforthefuture? are quicklydisappearing. the rest ofyour lifewithrows ofboxwood of landscapingyour homeonceandliving into themarket. Ialsonoticethatthedays many different plantscoming typesofnew comeback afteryears ofdeclineduetoso gardenias, andazaleasare makingastrong Iconic southernplantssuchascamellias, southern gardens? Have you noticedanytrends intoday’s feelsgreat.garden ornursery ends whenIamathome.Anytimeinthe working lateintotheevenings andweek- evaluation. Imakeupthatlosttimeby could becross-pollinating orselectingfor September /October2010 43 44 by LeeReich The Pleasure ofPersimmons kaki, isgenerally adaptedtoUSDA they are rarely bothered by spring frosts. pest-free. Theblossomsappearlate,so mon trees are easytogrow andgenerally soil duringthegrowing season,persim- Given sunandreasonably well-drained GROWING GUIDELINES P tively fissured, likealligatorskin. the bark of native persimmonisattrac- thesceneintowinter.branches carry And hangingonleafless and thenfruits leaves turn from clearyellow tocrimson, turn orange-yellow. Asfallprogresses, proaches and thebright-colored fruits languid lookislivened upasfallap- give thetrees alanguidappearance.That made more soby theirweight offruit— ing leaves andbranches—thebranches ornamental.Theirdroop-is theyare very the smoothtexture ofjelly. mons given adashofspice.RipeAsianpersim- soaked inwater, dippedinhoney, then is more likeadriedapricotthathasbeen cot.” Iagree, except tometheripefruit virginiana)—it “isasdeliciousanapri- ing ofAmericanpersimmon when apersimmonis you spitouttheoffendingbite. pleasant sensationthatlingerseven after a vacuum cleanerinyour mouth,anun- ripe persimmonmightbelikenedtohaving parlance,theastringency ofanun- century mouth awriewithmuchtorment.”In 21st persimmon isnotripeitwilldrawaman’s Colony andPocahontas fame,wrote,“If a worse. CaptainJohn Smith, ofJamestown Unripe, isinsipid,or apersimmonfruit ever, onlyiftheyare eatenwhenfullyripe. “food how- ofthegods.”Thisholdstrue, Asian persimmon, sometimescalled An addedbenefittopersimmontrees The Captaindidgoontosaythat the American Gardener (D. kaki) ERSIMMON FRUITS which translatesto“Jove’s grain” or their genericname,Diospyros— are delicatelysweet with ripe—he waswrit- (Diospyros live upto da, andwest toKansas. United States from Connecticutto Flori- 9–4) are native throughout theeastern may somedaybedeveloped. degrees Fahrenheit, sohardier varieties temperatures plummetwell below zero at theedgeofGobi where Desert, Japan, butwildkakisare foundgrowing the relatively mildwinterclimateof Most cultivated varieties originatedin Zones 7to10andAHSZones 10to7. regions thathaveshortgrowingseasons.Itbearsfruitprolifically withoutneedingpollination. ‘Szukis’ isacold-hardyselectionofAmericanpersimmonespecially suitedforgardensin OERW HARVEST HOMEGROWN American persimmons(Zones 4–10, C der issue,persimmon trees require little whatever flowering habitithad. sionally atree willchangeitsmindabout may bearsomemaleflowers; andocca- bear somefemaleflowers; femaletrees cally (withoutpollination);male trees may male trees parthenocarpi- maybear fruit Fe-course, beingtheonesthatbearfruits. ally maleorfemale—thefemales,of fair forpersimmons.Wild trees are gener- Once agardener has resolved thegen- Gender complicatedaf- is a somewhat

LEE REICH Planting Tips Sources Plant persimmons in spring, being care- Edible Landscaping Nursery, Afton, ful not to damage the sparse root system. VA. (800) 524-4156. Don’t be put off by the trees’ black roots. www.eat-it.com. That is their natural color; they are not Nolin River Nut Tree Nursery, dead. Persimmons adapt to any soil, but Upton, KY. (270) 369-8551; site them in full sun with room to spread. www.nolinnursery.com. One Green World, Molalla, OR. Kaki trees mature at 20 to 35 feet high (877) 353-4028. and wide. American persimmon is a www.onegreenworld.com. medium- to large-size tree, growing as tall as 75 feet high in warmer regions and Resources less than half that height in colder parts Landscaping with Fruit by Lee Reich. of its growing range. Prune to keep trees Storey Publishing, North Adams, to a manageable size. —L.R. Massachusetts, 2009.

hot summers to ripen. Within those two best varieties are ‘Garretson’, early ripen- categories, pollination constant (“PC”) ing with a clear orange pulp; ‘John Rick’, varieties are unaffected by pollination with large fruit having red pulp, and while pollination variable (“PV”) vari- ‘Szukis’, which is very cold hardy, very American persimmons have ornamental eties exhibit dark flesh around the seeds delicious, very prolific, and does not need attributes, including attractive, fissured bark. when pollinated. NA varieties are edible pollination. ‘Szukis’ is my favorite for firm only if they have been pollinated. short growing seasons. care. They bear pale green, inconspicu- Kakis with excellent flavor include ous flowers in the leaf axils of new shoots. ‘Fuyu’ (PC/NA), with large, orange-red ENJOYING THE HARVEST Light, dormant-season pruning helps fruits, ‘Eureka’ (PC/A) with round, red Persimmons ripen in late summer and au- stimulate growth during the current sea- fruits, and ‘Saijo’ (PC/A) with very sweet, tumn, but that is only the start of the har- son for fruit the following season, and small, yellowish orange fruits. The latter vest story. Pick non-astringent kakis when shortens some branches to lighten their two are hardy only to USDA Zone 5. they are fully colored and firm, astringent load and reduce limb breakage. Many of the better varieties of Amer- kakis and American persimmons when ican persimmon do not need male polli- they are fully colored and the pulp is so PESTS AND DISEASES nator trees. Plant a named variety to be soft as to be barely contained within the Pests and diseases rarely threaten persim- assured of good-tasting fruit and, impor- skin. Kakis usually need to be clipped mons. That said, persimmon girdler, per- tant in colder zones, fruit that will ripen from the branches. Pick American per- simmon borer, and scale insects might within your growing season. Among the simmons without clipping or after they call for attention. Control the girdler by drop to the ground. picking up and burning fallen twigs in Contrary to popular belief, frost is not autumn, the borer by keeping a tree necessary to ripen persimmons. Kakis growing vigorously, and scale with sprays will ripen off the tree if picked nearly ripe. of summer horticultural oil. Control an- Ripening can be coaxed along in various thracnose, a fungal disease that causes ways, such as by putting fruits in a paper black spots on leaves and weakens trees, bag with an apple, in a container with a bit by raking up infected leaves in autumn. of sake (or whiskey), or by immersing Persimmon wilt, which occurs in the them in water. Southeast and can be triggered by atypi- Frozen persimmons, whole or pulped, cally cold winters or late spring freezes, are a winter treat. The fruits also make results in tree death. Unfortunately, no delicious pies, cookies, and cakes. Per- controls are known. simmons ferment readily, the transfor- mation yielding, in China, vinegar or RECOMMENDED VARIETIES brandy, and, in our South, mashed with Kaki varieties can be grouped into those cornmeal, ’simmon beer. that can be eaten while still firm (non- astringent, “NA”), and those that must Lee Reich is the author of several books, be thoroughly soft before being eaten (as- Persimmon fruits, such as these kakis, including Uncommon Fruits for Every

TOP: LEE REICH. BOTTOM: MARY YEE tringent, “A”). Astringent varieties need resemble small tomatoes. Garden (Timber Press, 2004).

September / Octoner 2010 45 The HenryA.WallaceBeltsvilleAgriculturalResearchCenteroccupiesnearly7,000acres. 46 abled growers tomanipulate plantre- discovery ofphotoperiodism, whichen- breakthroughsfirst horticultural wasthe to improving humannutrition.Amongits from controlling plantandanimaldiseases had asignificantimpacton everything cially addedtoBARC’s titlein2000. culture atthetime; hisnamewasoffi- Wallace, whowastheSecretary ofAgri- 1930s underthedirection ofHenryA. the facility’s expansiontookplaceinthe culture onnearly 7,000acres. Much of now conductsresearch inallareas ofagri- research onseveral hundred acres, BARC andanimalhusbandry focusing ondairy tant discoveries. ofimpor- celebratesacentury Maryland, Research Center(BARC) inBeltsville, Henry A.Wallace Beltsville Agricultural has specialsignificance.Thisyear, the complex ofitskindintheworld—2010 these—reportedly thelargestresearch ters around thecountry. For oneof numerous laboratoriesandresearch cen- Agricultural Research comprises Service ofAgriculture’sThe U.S.Department CENTER TURNS100 RESEARCH AGRICULTURAL WORLD’S LARGEST Horticultural NewsandResearch ImportanttoAmericanGardeners Over theyears, BARC’s research has From itsmodestbeginningsin1910, the American Gardener G. hardy geraniums, them. In thecaseoftwoblue-flowered challenge totellthedifference between year,the market every sometimesit’s a With plantcultivars somanynew flooding ISSUE NAME RESOLVES GERANIUM GENETIC TESTING oped by BARC scientistsover thedecades. vegetables, andornamentalplantsdevel- the hundreds varieties ofnew fruits, merous otherBARC discoveries, aswell as hasbenefitedfrom nu- culture industry plants totimedcycles oflight.Thehorti- sponses, suchasflowering, by exposing Geranium Geranium GARDENER Rozanne Rozanne C ® (‘Gerwat’), growers andgar- Geranium ® ’ NOTEBOOK S ‘Jolly Bee’ and logs, reference books,andplantlabels. gradually disappearfrom nurseries,cata- marketed through Proven Winners, will Bee’, released three years afterRozanne and ‘Jollyin 2001,itsnamewillbepreserved. a morphologicalpointofview.” not clearly, distinctfrom oneanotherfrom vealed thatbothvarieties are not,atleast varieties. In investigations addition,new re- nodifferencesvirtually intheDNAofboth DNA research revealed thatthere are noor Blooms ofBressingham, “independent similar tobemarketed asseparatecultivars. determine ifthetwoselectionswere too duced Rozanne, toor Bressingham North America,whichintro- Their similarityprompted deners alikeoftencouldn’t tellthemapart. GSPC supporters, goto GSPC supporters, governments around theworld. quire of onthepart acollaborative effort ternational trade,”allofwhich willre- species ofwildfloraendangered by in- wards acompleteworldflora” to“no known plantspecies,asafirststepto- ating a“widely accessibleworking listof next decade.Thesetasksrangefrom cre- worldwide inthe efforts conservation designed tosignificantlyinfluenceplant (GSPC)consistsof16targets, servation Japan thisOctober. on Biological Diversity takingplacein Conservation” duringtheConvention to adopttheGlobal Strategy forPlant world inorder topersuadegovernments er signatures from peoplearound the generalSararetary Oldfield, isto“gath- this campaign,according toBGCI’s sec- tion International (BGCI). Thegoalof launched by BotanicGardens Conserva- Plants forthePlanet,campaign anew is aseasyvisitingawebsite thanksto Helping tosave threatened plantspecies WITHYOURMOUSE SAVE PLANTS Because Rozanne wasintroduced first, According toastatementreleased by To addyour nametothe list of The Global Strategy forPlant Con- der genetictestingto www.plants- Blooms of

TOP: STEPHEN AUSMUS / COURTESY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE. BOTTOM: COURTESY OF BLOOMS OF BRESSINGHAM TOP LEFT (2): KRISTI FOSTER / COURTESY OF MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. BOTTOM LEFT: COURTESY OF THE MORTON ARBORETUM. RIGHT: NEIL LANDINO / COURTESY OF APLD zations, includingtheU.S.CenterforPlantConservation. and hasservedontheboardsofseveralconservationorgani- is chairmanoftheGlobalPartnershipforPlantConservation International, anorganizationhehelpedtofound.Hecurrently to preservebiodiversitythroughBotanicGardensConservation ments, hehasbeeninstrumentalincreatingpolicydesigned global plantconservationefforts.Amonghismanyachieve- importance ofsustainabilityandconservation.” ical experience,butalsoadeepunderstandingofthe cause “hebringsnotonlyawealthofhorticulturalandbotan- Wyse JacksoniswellequippedtotakethehelmatMOBOTbe- Ireland. Raven,whoassistedwiththeselectionprocess,feels previously wasthedirectorofNationalBotanicGardens plant conservationandgettingchildreninterestedinnature. ticultural display.”Hehasalsobeenaprominentadvocatefor “world-class centerforbotanicalresearch,education,andhor- tember 1.UnderRaven’sdirection,MOBOThasbecomea den (MOBOT)asitspresident,PeterRavenretiredonSep- After nearlyfourdecadesofleadingtheMissouriBotanicalGar- Missouri BotanicalGardenPresidentPeterRavenRetires PLACESintheNEWS PEOPLE and July attheageof86.Overcoursea40-yearcareeras America isalittlegreenerthankstoGeorgeWare,whodied in Urban TreeChampionGeorgeWareDies Anhui elm George Warewithabranchof Peter Raven,left,andsuccessorWyseJackson,right. Like hispredecessor,WyseJacksonisveryinvolvedwith MOBOT’s incomingpresidentisPeterWyseJackson,who (Ulmus gaussenii) (Ulmus the 20thcentury. Hewases- elm diseaseinthefirsthalfof nearly wipedoutbyDutch place theAmericanelms elm cultivarsintroducedtore- al disease-andpest-resistant places.” Theseincludesever- “tough treesfortough helped developandselect tum inLisle,Illinois,Ware director attheMortonArbore- a dendrologist,thenresearch Landscape DesigneroftheYear winners, visit as qualifiedanddedicatedprofessionals.” design andtopromotetherecognition oflandscapedesigners standing teameffort.” future together,andwearepleasedtorecognizethisout- ident PatriciaSt.John.“They’vebroughtthepastand ments thegreatarchitectureofhome,”saysAPLDPres- program, theAssociationofProfessionalLandscapeDe- As partofitsAnnualInternationalLandscapeDesignAwards Council ofStateGardenClubs. can Forests,andtheGoldSealAwardfromNational tion, theUrbanForestryMedalforResearchfromAmeri- Achievement AwardfromtheNationalArborDayFounda- the AmericanPublicGardensAssociation),Special can AssociationofBotanicalGardensandArboreta(now 2002, WarereceivedtheAwardofMeritfromAmeri- ety’s highesthonor—theLibertyHydeBaileyAward—in to theplantingandconservationoftrees.” loving citizensalikewhohavecometosharehisdedication Morton, “tocountlessotherscientists,arborists,andtree- inspiration,” saysGerardT.Donnelly,presidentandCEOof tolerate poorsoilconditions. than-ideal urbanenvironments,focusingonthosethatcould pecially interestedinfindingtreesthatwouldthriveless- Landscape DesigneroftheYear. Doyle DesignAssociatesthetitleof Harmony Farm’sdesignwonJames For moreinformationaboutthe APLDandits2010award APLD’s missionisto“advance theprofessionoflandscape In additiontoearningtheAmericanHorticulturalSoci- “He hasbeenatrustedsourceofexpertknowledgeand www.apld.org. September /October2010 garden thatcomple- textured, functional ated amodern,richly metric gardensandcre- tradition offormal,geo- from thetime-honored planting design. ty, technicalmerit,and project impact,creativi- sign, selectedbasedon Award forresidentialde- project alsowonaGold mony Farmdesign.This itsHar- Connecticut, for sociates inGreenwich, James DoyleDesignAs- of thisprestigioustitleis Designer oftheYear. honor, theLandscape one entryforitstop signers (APLD)selects “The designersdrew This year,thewinner 47 48 conservation experts, andtelevision experts, conservation book authors,floraldesigners,botanists, one-stop-shopsitethatlistsgardentrue one ofthesite’s creators, “was tocreate a book authorandbloggerAmyStewart, communicators. oped by agroup of enterprising garden called GreatGardenSpeakers.com, devel- easier? Now there is,thankstoawebsite be great ifthere were aresource tomakeit aspectofgardening.into aparticular Or Say you’re insight lookingforsomeexpert SPEAKER’SBUREAU NEW GARDEN efforts. plant conservation ic gardens are doingtoassistglobal about GSPCprogress andwhatbotan- campaign asawaytospread theword intends tousethePlants forthePlanet fortheplanet.com. “Our idea,”saysaward-winning garden the American Gardener After October, BGCI town. Wouldn’t it event inyour have anupcoming gardening gurus to findoutwhich maybe you’d like coming speakingevents inthatarea. zip codeorcityandstate,thatshows up- a CityNear You” feature, searchable by post reviews. There’s alsoa“Comingto can ratespeakerstheyhave heard and Visitors tothesite water-wise gardening. spiring speakerswithaudiences.” tohelpconnectin- radio hosts,inaneffort trogen-fixing capabilities,clover A memberofthelegumefamilywithni- GENEDISCOVERED LUCKY CLOVER’S White clover Topic categoriesrangefrom botanyto (Trifolium repens) (Trifolium (Trifolium Neveln. News writtenbyEditor Associate Viveka fort todevelop improvedfort varieties. clover ofanef- andotherlegumesaspart traits, suchasdrought tolerance,in researchers identifyotherimportant Additionally, thestudy’s results willhelp prove varieties usedforforagecrops. mental varieties oftheplantaswell asim- will helpplantbreeders create orna- new leaf colorandshape.Thesediscoveries found twootherclover genesthataffect the four-leafkind.Thescientistsalso three-leafturning ordinary clovers into the teamidentifiedageneresponsible for July/August 2010issueof more, Oklahoma. Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation inArd- from theUniversity ofGeorgia andthe luck finallysmiledonateamofresearchers track down theresponsible genes.But lady it comestoleaftraits,makingtricky are known tohave alotofvariation when Clover impart. variants purportedly plants spp.) isalsoprized fortheluckitsfour-leaf According toastudypublishedinthe Crop Science,

COURTESY OF CHRIS EVANS, RIVER TO RIVER CWMA / BUGWOOD.ORG BILL OWEN / COURTESY OF ALLEGHENY COLLEGE and puttogether afundraisingbakesalethat incorporated ed avegetable garden andanherbgarden, plantedappletrees, working towards developing an“edible campus” have creat- ety ofpeopleinAthens.” grow theirown food andcultivate relationships withavari- gardenin thegarden. enablesstudentstolearnhow “The to majorwhohelps history Oraskills,” saysMary Carlson,anart a chancetolearnbeyond theclassroom andgainpracticallife andeatingtogethergives students harvesting, ing, nurturing, is beingdonatedtotheNortheast Georgia Food Bank. “Plant- produceand squashtocorngreen beans.Theharvested more than700pounds ofproduce—ranging from cucumbers through this pastsummer, thegarden hadalready yielded local Master Gardeners. Midway and the horticulture department den—in 2009withtheassistanceof etable garden—called theUGAr- Athens, studentsestablishedaveg- ties suchasgreenhouses. faculty members,andexistingfacili- as plentyofopenspace,experienced piggyback onexistingresources such grams, sincetheseschoolsusuallycan ture, orenvironmental sciencepro- well-established horticulture, agricul- at collegesanduniversities thathave Vegetable gardens are fairlycommon PROGRAMS HORTICULTURAL WITH FORCOLLEGES HEAD START W and encouragehealthiereatinghabits. ty, fostercommunityinvolvement, lessonsaboutsustainabili- important dens are helpingtoteachstudents cally grown food,thesecampusgar- enjoyed spendingtimeinthegarden.” English majorstothemostpragmaticofsciencemajors—has backgrounds. Everyone—from themostliterature-minded dening here hasbeendoneby studentswithwidelyvarying Pennsylvania, putsit,“Up tothispoint,thebulkofgar- lish majorAndrew BostickatHaverford College,inHaverford, by studentsfrom manydifferent academicdisciplines.AsEng- expected isthatthesegardens are beingcreated andmaintained springing upatcollegecampusesacross thenation.More un- BY MEREDITHSOEDER Vegetable GardensSproutonCollegeCampuses GARDENER’S NOTEBOOKNEWSSPECIAL At AlleghenyCollegeinMeadville, Pennsylvania, students At theUniversity ofGeorgia in Besides providing asource oflo- ITH THE is probably notsurprisingthatvegetable gardens are edible gardeningedible revolution infullswing,it Allegheny CollegeinMeadville,Pennsylvania. A studenttendsthecampusvegetablegardenat the buildingofasensecommunity.” as equals.In thisway, thebiggestcontribution ofthegarden is and student,bossemployee. Instead, we allwork together away from theformalrelationships thatexistbetween professor most basichumanneed,”saysBostick.“In thegarden, we step members ofthecommunitycancometothinkaboutfood,our gardenden intoayear-round isthespacewhere one.“The all theschool’sthe collegeadministrationtoconvert summergar- and Global Citizenship. Thegroup’s initialgoalwastoconvince out ofhissummerinternshipforthecollege’s CenterforPeace launched theHaverford Garden Initiative, aprogram thatgrew Campus foodgardens are notrestricted touniversities that TOO GARDEN, STUDENTS ARTS LIBERAL Gardener. Meredith with Soederisaneditorialintern what ittakestoplanandinitiateaproject.” nel. In thisprocess, theygainedfirst-handexperiencewith specialists, collegeadministrators,andphysicalplantperson- science andgarden adviser. “Students metwithlocalplant agriculture,” saysRichBowden, professor ofenvironmental into practicewhattheyhadbeenlearningaboutsustainable produce theygrew. “Iwasexcited thatstudentswantedtoput of Longwoodstudentsandfaculty, Practice, inthejournal, an article university’s garden wasthesubjectof ment ofcitizen leaders.”The tion, whichfocusesonthedevelop- relate tothemissionofourinstitu- Longwood University. “All ofthese the CormierHonors Collegeat tory,” saysGeoff director Orth, of lifestyles, sustainability, andlocalhis- strating aspectsofnutrition,healthy above all,asavehicle fordemon- years.last few vegetable gardensalso started inthe ginia, andHaverford Collegehave wood University inFarmville, Vir- collegessuchasLong- arts-oriented A numberofsmaller, more liberal have existinghorticulture programs. community members. vocational-technical school,and agriculture studentsfrom anearby “We establishedourgarden, At Haverford College,Bostick and hascaughttheattention September /October2010 The American Honors in 49 50 by GuySternberg Jim Wilson (1925–2010) J had atree namedafterhim—the‘Jim Wilson’ sweetbay magnolia(Magnolia virginiana). the Horticultural CommunicationAward from theAmericanHorticultural Society in2002.He even dener, Master Gardener healsowasanhonorary in10otherstates.He woncountlessawards, including keynote speaker, South andafriendmentortocountlesspeople.Acertified Carolina Master Gar- was aprolific author, amemberoftheGarden Writers Association(GWA) Hall ofFame, apopular University ofMissouri atColumbiain terim, heearned adegree from the den the southernlocationof decades later, whenhebecameahostof himwell of thetimesnodoubtserved common inthosedays,andhis memories er pilotinstructor. gardens Victory were (now theAirForce), primarilyasafight- intheU.S.ArmyAirCorps active service sion. During World War II,hesaw friends duringtheGreat Depres- provided fortheirfamilyand ents maintainafoodgarden that farm inMississippi, helpinghispar- mility indescribinghimself. and “respected” becauseofhishu- thewordsto insert “personable” long studentofnative plants.”Ihad spected] garden writerandalife- He isawidelypublished[andre- GardenThe Victory ers asthe[personable]co-hostof ticulturist, familiartomostgarden- this: “Jim Wilson isaveteran hor- collaborated on.He wrote simply tion ofhimselfforabookwe had descrip- asked himtowriteashort his genuinepersona.In 2004,I might have seenontelevisionwas charmingly humblepersonalityyou friends. Thegentlecharacterand presenters, andclosepersonal time, we becameco-authors,co- half myadultlife.During that Jim’s earlydayswere spentona JimI knew for20years—nearly AMES W. WILSON, sense. Alongtheway, Jim becameoneofthemostadmired personalitiesonAmericantelevision.He series onpublictelevision.In thein- the American Gardener television series. The Victory Gar-The Victory who was85years oldwhenhediedAugust 1,wasaMaster Gardener inevery tum Jim Wilsonexaminesthefoliageof interest infoodgardening prompted him lumbia andclaimitashome. different states,hewouldreturn toCo- Eventually, afterliving andworking insix a jobatFerry-Morse Seed Company. his gardening1948 andstarted career with Jim’s commitmenttosocialjusticeand at theauthor’sStarhillForestArboretum. APPRECIATION C Acer spica- Acer sold out.With Jim’s blessing andhelp, in with Native Trees, Americans. Our firstbook, native trees tothegardens ofNorth decided toembark onaproject tobring ing aGWA symposiuminSt. Louis,we Siberian elms,andEuropean lindens dur- over asadstreetscape ofAsianpears, plants. Years later, whilecommiserating with oneofhisearlybooksonnative ed on everything. ed oneverything. taste ofthecouple,whocollaborat- reveals thededicationandgood a frequent stopon garden tours.It and contentment,nottomention ship Farm, isaplace ofinspiration lumbia. Theirjointgarden, Friend- and updated1840sloghomeinCo- Mandel intheirbeautifully restored Janiewith hisgracioussweetheart series oflifeadventures, athome was inthefinalchapterofhislong called green. elsethatcouldbe and everything plants, ornamentalgardening, trees, he wasequallyinvolved withnative most cherishedachievements. But still goingstrong. It wasoneofJim’s lions ofpoundsfresh foodandis feed theneedyhasgeneratedmil- an extrarow ofvegetables tohelp program thatasksgardeners toplant Coordinated by theGWA, this a Row fortheHungry 15years ago. asthespokesmanforPlant to serve I never sawJim happierthanhe I hadhelpedJim inaminorway came outin1995 and Landscaping

COURTESY OF GUY STERNBERG COURTESY OF GUY STERNBERG Guy Sternberg lives inPetersburg, Illinois. An arborist,landscapearchitect, andauthor, of us,I’d liketosay, Jim.” “Thanks, same wayIdoabouthim.On behalfofall thousands, ofotherpeoplewhofeelthe ence isthatthere are hundreds, perhaps much. But measure thetrue ofJim’s influ- in bothofus,andIwillmisshimvery highlight ofourjointwork. North American Landscapes, 2004 Iexpandeditinto Wilson withcompanionJanieMandel Working withJim brought outthebest In Biodegradable Pots In Biodegradable Pots VeggiesHerbs And VeggiesHerbs And You Since1918. You Since1918. www.BonniePlants.com www.BonniePlants.com Gardening With Gardening With Native Trees for the 550-page COLLEAGUES REMEMBERJIMWILSON many peoplethroughhisworkon wonderful companion.Becauseofhiswarmthasaperson,hetouchedthelivesso “Jim wasajoytoworkwith.Hiseasy-goingnatureandloveofplantsmadehim ers onthetable?’” often dothosewhofrequentasoupkitchenhavetheopportunitytodinewithflow- vegetables, thinkofcontributing[theflowers]toyourlocalsoupkitchen.Forhow ence regardingPlantARowFortheHungry.Hesaid,‘Andifyougrowflowersbutno us sodearlylovehim.Oneofmyfavoritememorieswassomethinghetoldanaudi- “I thinkallofusinthegardeningfieldhavemanyJimWilsonexperiencesthatmade met; thatstatesitaboutasclearlyIcan.” got toenjoyinsmaller,moreprivatemoments.HewasoneofthefinestpeopleIever horticultural media.Andthiswastotallyasidefromhispersonalqualitiesthatweall “Jim hadabehind-the-sceneseffectonmanyinboththehorticulturalworldand o alpatn.Pes eto oreCd F4.We guarantee success. PleasementionSource Code AF940. for fallplanting. shipped 50bareroot plantsfor$99, 1-800-503-9624 andorder item F83076, Visit our Web site orcallusat sun. day of atleastahalf soilwith drained well- hardy settleinfastandprosper perennials inaverage, will vigorous, T fragrance. andseveral with rebloomers, andwhite varieties, including award winners, yellow, orange, purple, assembled by usfrom pink, carefree color, 50different Daylilies isarainbow of Our custom mixof h nqe5 Daylilies The Unique50 —Holly H. Shimizu, executive director of the U.S. Botanic Garden Botanic U.S. the of director executive Shimizu, H. —Holly WhiteFlowerFarm.com —Shepherd Ogden, founder and former co-owner of co-owner former and founder Ogden, —Shepherd The Victory Garden Victory The the Cook’s Garden mail-order seed company seed mail-order Garden Cook’s the —Rose Marie Nichols McGee, president of of president McGee, Nichols Marie —Rose Nichols Garden Nursery in Albany, Oregon Albany, in Nursery Garden Nichols and former co-host of of co-host former and .” September /October2010 The VictoryGarden hese 51 52 by RitaPelczar Safe StorageandDisposalofGarden Pesticides spectrum from toxicspectrum to“safe,” comeswithsignificantresponsibility. pesticide makessense.But thedecisiontouseapesticide,regardless ofitsperceived positiononthe diseases are sowidespread—or have thepotentialtocausesuchsignificant damage—thatapplyinga are timeswhenthesetechniquesare pestordisease.Andsomepestsand insufficientagainsaparticular providing adequateaircirculation, plantingresistant varieties, encouragingbeneficialinsects—there W container with thelabelintact.“If pesti- should always be stored intheir original tion aboutthepesticide,these products Because thelabelcontainsvitalinforma- GUIDELINES STORAGE PESTICIDE tions onthelabel. quired by lawtocomplywiththeinstruc- and itscontainer. Pesticide usersare re- storage anddisposalofboththepesticide quired onthelabel are forsafe instructions statements.Alsore-and precautionary directions forsafeuseandhandling, sary cluding ingredients, formulation,neces- contains specific,detailedinformation,in- registered by theEPA andhave alabelthat tainer afteritsuse. properly disposingofthepesticidecon- propriate materialforthespecificpestto from theselectionofap- practices are imperative— and theenvironment. Safe be harmfultohumans,pets, trol. Many pesticidescanalso ing thosenotintendedforcon- tain organisms—ofteninclud- these materialsare toxic tocer- ered pests.By theirnature, pel organismsthatare consid- materials designedtokillorre- bicides, fungicides,andother of pesticides—insecticides,her- been taskedwiththeregulation Protection Agency(EPA) has Since 1972,theEnvironmental THELABEL TO LOOK To bemarketed, pesticidesmustbe the American Gardener E ALL efforts—keeping plantsvigorous, removingefforts—keeping rotating crops, diseasedordamagedplantparts, want toavoid pestanddiseaseproblems inourgardens. But, despiteourbestcultural specialist withtheNational Pesticide In- uct,” suggestsAnnKetter, apesticide plastic bagthatyou attachtotheprod- tainer, considerstoringthelabelina cides becomeseparatedfrom theircon- products shouldbe storedinalockedcabinet. Potentially dangerous homeandgarden RE GARAGE GREEN C ® food ordrink. “Some ofthemhave at- a containerthat mightbemistakenfor tion. Andnever repackage apesticidein products; fumescancausecontamina- imal feed,medicalsupplies,or cleaning it willnotbeaffectedby freezing. the manufacturer ordistributortobesure pesticide inanunheatedarea, checkwith degrees Fahrenheit. If you plantostore a pesticides are best stored between 40to90 to changeinsidetheircontainers.”Most hot andcoldweather cancausepesticides Buhl, NPIC project coordinator. “Both grills, mowers, andfurnaces. sources of heatorignitionsuchascars, should bekeptwell awayfrom potential water. Flammable liquidpesticides into drains,wells, orground orsurface Never store apesticidenearfood,an- “Temperature matters,”saysKaci any materialfrom leaking toprevent tilated anddry age area shouldbewell-ven- children andpets.Thestor- is well outofthereach of preferably locked,area that stored inadesignated, tor offered by Earth911.com. CLEANUP, arecycling loca- agency orcall1-800- tact your localsolidwaste of apesticidecontainer, con- cannot identifythecontents the labelisgoneandyou Oregon State University. If formation Center(NPIC) at Pesticides shouldbe

TOP: MARY YEE. BOTTOM: COURTESY OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOP: COURTESY OF LOS ALAMITOS NATIONAL LAB. BOTTOM: COURTESY OF PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY smallest practical sizetoavoidleftovers. When shopping forapesticide,selectthe they shoulduseitduringthecurrent sea- looking forthesmallestcontainerand for apestproblem, sotheyshouldbe need asmallquantityofgiven pesticide avoid stockpiling.“Home gardeners only pesticidethattheyplantouse; particular home gardeners isbuyingtoomuchofa them out,”saysBuhl. tractive odors,sokidsandpetsmayseek frequency atcollectionsites. Chlordane stillshowupwithsome Long-banned pesticidessuchas grams inyourstate,theEPAprovidesastate-by-statelistingofcoordinatorsat grams arepermanentlyfunded,othersintermittent,afewwereone-timeonly.Some in whichunwanted,restricted,orbannedpesticidesarecollectedforproperdisposal. governments, startingwithNorthCarolinain1980,created“CleanSweep”programs icals intotheenvironment.Totacklethisproblem,anumberofstateandlocal ers deteriorateovertime,raisingthepotentialforleaksthatintroduceunwantedchem- The long-termstorageofunwantedpesticidescanbedangerous—labelsandcontain- OPERATION CLEANSWEEP www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/disposal_contacts.htm. A commonmistakemadeby many Forty-eight stateshaveparticipated,althoughtheprogramsvarywidely.Somepro- programs issmallcomparedtothecostofenvi- Sheet (see“Resources,”page54). pesticides canbeseenonthePesticideFact DDT. Acompletelistofbannedandrestricted garages, orbarnsareChlordane,Lindane,and ticides occasionallyfoundinoldhomes, ed pesticides.Amongtheparticularlytoxicpes- total ofnearly52.5millionpoundsunwant- but quiteafewincludehouseholds. ers allowagriculturalbusinessestoparticipate; are availableonlytofarmersandranchers,oth- ue fortheforeseeablefuture. and thattheneedfortheseprogramswillcontin- proper disposalofunwantedorbannedpesticides, ronmental cleanupoperationsnecessaryafterim- According totheEPA,costofCleanSweep As of2008,theseprogramshadcollecteda For informationaboutCleanSweeppro- programs or locations. Earth911.com (see programs orlocations.Earth911.com sources forhazardous wastecollection of Naturalauthority orDepartment Re- ly, contactyour localwastemanagement not require alicenseforuse.Alternative- as itisnotbannedorrestricted, anddoes container withthelabelintact—as long bor whocanuseit—keepitinitsoriginal recommendexperts offeringittoaneigh- do notplantouseorwishstore, Sweep,” above). dated materials,see“Operation Clean tion onthedisposalofbannedorout- onthelabel.(Forinstructions informa- it foritsintendedpurpose,following all way todisposeofanypesticideisuse advisethebest stricted materials,experts With theexception ofbannedorre- THEIR CONTAINERS AND DISPOSING OFPESTICIDES State University inAmes. & theEnvironment Program atIowa gram specialistforthePest Management son,” saysMark Shour, Extension pro- If you have leftover pesticidethatyou —R.P. WORLD’S #1TOP USED BY PLANT SUPPLY RECOMMENDED BY 12610 Saticoy Street South, North Hollywood, CA91605 12610 Saticoy StreetSouth,North U.S. STA THOUSANDS NOTHING ISAT ALL“LIKE” REFUSE firms.plant-selling On every continent, without salesmen. Used, tippedto,andsuppliedbythousandsofconscientious AT CONSCIENTIOUSPLANTDEALERSWORLDWIDE HELPWINWORLDII WAR DEPARTMENTS TO U.S. FIVE unbalancing substitutes–often99 UNIQUE. HEALTHY, TOXICS-FREE FOODSGROWERS FLOWERING PLANTSSHOW WINNERS – “everywhere” ADDED TO aei ...by Made inU.S.A. V 16 TISSUECULTURE 15 BONSAI 14 FIELDCROPS 13 HYDROPONICS 12 REFORESTATION 11 XMASTREES I # SINCE 1940, #1 Activator, #1 Trans/ #1Extra WORLD’S FAIRSCIENCE-MEDAL-WINNING Greatest Guarantee-OfferPROOFEver AGRICULTURE, ARMY, TM SCIENCE &INDUSTRY #1 EXTRALIFE 1 WORLD’S FAIR1940 TV, RADIO,BOOKS, CITIES, COUNTIES, ONLY GOLDMEDAL VITAMINS-HORMONES World CHAMPION RECOMMENDED ALSO BYSTATES, USED BYU.S. BY EXPERTSOF CONFERENCES NAVY, AIR.Etc. Departments of UNIVERSITIES MAGAZINES, EIE, PLANT REVIVER, HEALTH PLANT TES andCITIESINMULTIPLE-DRUMS LOTS

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TM BioUSABLES ADDED TO21FERTILIZERS B ALNCED Billions R GROWER, ER, WORLD’S Dozens for growing OF THE plant success GUARANTEED 26 WATER GARDENS 25 WEATHER DAMAGE 24 CUTFLOWERS 23 INTERIORSCAPING 22 FLOWERINGPLANT –PROVEN TM MIRACLES 1 science / COMPETITIONS IN EACH 2 B Landscape Architecture DROP! etter Homes&Gardens % water. DOUBLE MONEY-BACK GUARANTEED #1 Perfecter PARKS SYSTEMS As Advertisedin ORIGINAL Horticulture TOP VALUE XRM Concentration EXTREME ® Drop-A-Cup by 21Growers Drop-A-Gal to be 50 ONE IN TM V TM or TM I 53 Many communities across the country regularly hold Resources household hazardous waste Beyond Pesticides, collection events under the www.beyondpesticides.org. sponsorship of the state’s Earth911.com. (800) CLEANUP. Department of Environmental http://earth911.com. Protection. At this collection The National Pesticide Information site in Pennsylvania, local Center, (800) 858-PEST. residents drop off unwanted http://npic.orst.edu. home and garden products so The Pesticide Stewardship Alliance, trained workers wearing www.tpsalliance.org/index.html. appropriate safety attire can Pesticide Fact Sheet #141, collect them for proper Colorado Environmental Pesticide disposal. Education Program, E.J. Buffington and S.K. McDonald. 2006 update. “Resources,” far right) provides informa- active ingredients and must be handled www.cepep.colostate.edu. tion on local and regional collection fa- properly. This includes organic or bio- Proper Disposal of Pesticides, cilities; by inserting your zip code and logical pesticides, which, says Shour, National Agricultural Safety designating the material you want to dis- “must be disposed of in the same way Database, 2002. pose of, a list of local sites is provided. that conventional pesticides are dis- http://nasdonline.org/document/ This same resource provides help for re- posed: triple rinsing plastic or paper- 1259/d001057/dispose-of- cycling electronic wastes. board containers and putting the pesticides-properly.html. Never pour a pesticide down a drain. rinsing water in the spray tank, punc- Safe Use, Storage and Disposal of Municipal water treatment facilities are turing the container, and then dispos- Pesticides, University of Missouri not equipped to handle, and may be ing of it in trash or recycling at an Extension, 2007. http://extension. badly disrupted by, such chemicals; sep- approved facility.” For safety, always missouri.edu/publications/Display tic systems may be damaged; storm make sure the container is made un- Pub.aspx?P=WM6000#regulations. drains often lead directly to streams or suitable for reuse. rivers where pesticides can kill plants, Aerosol containers should be relieved of poison fish and other wildlife, and oth- pressure by spraying until they are empty. residue as possible, then the container erwise cause environmental damage. Never puncture an aerosol container. should be opened at the top and bottom After you use the entire contents of Containers of dry formulations of to prevent its reuse. Be careful to avoid a pesticide container, remember that pesticides should be carefully emptied inhaling the dust. the container still contains traces of the into the mixing tank to remove as much Once these procedures have been completed, the containers should be dis- posed of in a licensed sanitary landfill. If you have pesticide storage or disposal Perennial Seed. Beautiful. questions, NPIC offers multi-lingual Useful. Native... phone assistance seven days a week (see To the Planet. “Resources,” above). USE PESTICIDES RESPONSIBLY When used properly, pesticides offer gar- deners an important tool for combating plant diseases and pests, but they must be treated with caution and respect. Careful use and handling of pesticides, including their storage and disposal, will help min- imize any detrimental effects they may have on non-target organisms—including humans—and the environment. Production · Breeding · Seed Technology USA Office: 125 Chenoweth Ln. · Louisville, KY 40207 A contributing editor for The American Phone (502) 895-08 07 · Fax (502) 895-39 34 · http://www.jelitto.com · [email protected] Gardener, Rita Pelczar is editor-in-chief of German Headquarters: P.O. Box 1264 · D-29685 Schwarmstedt Homegrown Harvest: A Season-by-Season Phone 01149-5071-98 29-0 · Fax 01149-50 71-98 29-27 · www.jelitto.com · [email protected] Guide to A Sustainable Kitchen Garden

(Mitchell Beazley, 2010). COURTESY OF PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

54 the American Gardener BOOKC REVIEWS

Recommendations for Your Gardening Library

Japanese Maples Armitage’s Vines and Climbers J. D. Vertrees and Peter Gregory. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, Allan M. Armitage, Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2010. 212 pages. 2010. 404 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $49.95. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $29.95.

I WOULD BE hard pressed to think of a tree species with a greater VINING AND CLIMBING plants are easy to love—they’re range of variation in form, size, leaf shape, and foliage color than generally low maintenance, colorful, and versatile. Allan Ar- Japanese maples. This enormous diver- mitage’s own infectious enthusiasm for sity ensures that there is a variety for any this group of plants shines through in purpose, from bonsai to urban gardens his new book, Armitage’s Vines and to the largest landscapes. One of the Climbers: A Gardener’s Guide to the Best most comprehensive guides to these Vertical Plants. With a conversational, plants is Japanese Maples, first published over-the-back-fence writing style, he in 1978. Written by the late nurseryman shares his experiences with them in the J. D. Vertrees, this classic reference has garden and through his trials at the been thoroughly updated for its fourth University of Georgia in an engaging, edition by Peter Gregory, chairman of and at times, entertaining way. the Maple Society. The real core of the book is the A-to- This beautifully illustrated edition focuses primarily on the Z list of more than 100 plants from 70 genera, accompanied by myriad cultivars of Acer palmatum. It also contains excellent de- plentiful photographs. Entries are either for a single species or a scriptions of other maples from Japan, some of which are fair- group of related plants. One of the most interesting aspects is that ly common commercially and others of which are mostly about half of the book is dedicated to coverage of annual and known to true acerophiles. For this latest edition, Gregory has tropical vines. Many of these are fantastic additions to the gar- added more than 100 new cultivar descriptions to an already den and are rarely well covered in publications. exhaustive list of plants. Each entry has a brief description of the plant, and for most, While the plant descriptions make up the bulk of this book, Armitage adds a dash of his own opinions, tips, and anecdotes. there are also chapters on taxonomy and nomenclature, gener- Many entries include information on other closely related al growing guidelines, and propagation, which have been up- species or cultivars and basic propagation information. Ar- dated to reflect modern practices. Gregory has also updated the mitage also describes the method by which the plant climbs, appendices as needed. One particularly useful appendix is the such as tendrils, rambling, or twining, as well as the origin of “Guide to Uses and Characteristics,” which lists cultivars al- the botanical name and common name and what they mean. phabetically in chart form “to assist in the selection of plants However, basic cultural information such as light requirements for individual situations.” or hardiness ranges is haphazardly covered. Fortunately, much Japanese maples are widely adaptable to a range of growing of this information can be easily found elsewhere. conditions across North America, and are well worth adding to In almost all books of this nature, large, complex groups of your garden. One caveat I would add: Be aware that, at least in plants are under-covered. To avoid this problem, Armitage instead the mid-Atlantic states, A. palmatum is becoming naturalized tries to provide an understanding of how to approach large groups in native forests. Because maple seed is wind dispersed, gar- such as clematis or roses. He also suggests consulting books specif- deners near sensitive areas should make sure to choose varieties ically about these groups or organizations devoted to their culture. that are less likely to produce viable seed. This would be a good reference for someone just starting to Whether you are already a Japanese maple aficionado or use vines or those who are looking for interesting and unusual looking to dip your toe into this colorful, diverse world, Japan- climbers to add to the landscape. Armitage does an excellent job ese Maples is far and away the best written and most compre- at encouraging gardeners to go beyond the common climbers and hensive guide. The only problem is that every cultivar will try something new. sound so good, you’ll want to grow them all! —Richie Steffen —Anthony S. Aiello Richie Steffen maintains and builds the rare and unusual plant Anthony S. Aiello is director of horticulture and curator at the collections for the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Seat- Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. tle, Washington.

September / October 2010 55 How to Grow A School Garden ifornia standards as an example, their The New, Must-Have Arden Bucklin-Sporer and Rachel Kathleen advice is applicable anywhere. Another Pringle, Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, consideration is hiring a garden coordi- Guide from Gil Nelson 2010. 224 pages. Publisher’s price, softcov- nator/educator—the authors succinctly er: $24.95. demystify the requirements and respon- sibilities of this position. FOR ME, a school garden is a labor of Along with structured educational love; clearly Arden Bucklin-Sporer and activities such as seasonal garden lessons Rachel Kathleen and student journaling, the book en- Pringle feel the courages recognizing unanticipated op- same way. In portunities for wonder in an outdoor How to Grow a learning environment. Gardens can be School Garden, a gateway for getting kids excited about they synthesize and interested in the natural world 10 years of expe- around them, so allowing self-guided rience working exploration can be just as valuable as with students planned programs. and schools in Bucklin-Sporer and Pringle close the the San Francisco area into a thoughtful book by sharing their reflections on the and informative guide to creating a sus- sometimes challenging but always re- tainable outdoor education program. warding process involved in establishing The book begins with the important and cultivating a school garden. As some- question of why students and commu- one who has had this experience, I could Praise for Best Native Plants nities benefit from school gardens. particularly relate to their observations of for Southern Gardens: Backed by research and personal narra- the excitement their first garden created: tives, the authors make a sound argu- “It was impossible to deny how much the ment for the necessity of garden-based kids loved to be outside, how happy they “This book is a must for any serious learning and experiential education. were in the garden, and how much more gardener in the southeastern region Subsequent chapters describe every- of the country.”—Ginny Stibolt, willing they were to settle down when they author of Sustainable Gardening thing from how to lay the groundwork returned to the classroom.” for Florida to design considerations, budgeting, Easy to read, informative, and visual- and breaking ground. ly pleasing, any parent or teacher consid- “Here is an authoritative, fact-filled Once the garden is created, or for al- ering a school garden will find a wealth guide for growing southeastern native ready existing gardens, Bucklin-Sporer of information in this book. plants from the author who wrote the and Pringle explain how to develop and —Shawn Akard field guides for identifying our native plants. His experience and knowledge manage a successful school garden pro- will help us all become better native gram. They discuss the importance of Shawn Akard is outdoor education coordi- plant gardeners.”—Steven P. Christ- connecting content standards with gar- nator for Hollin Meadows Science and man, editor, Floridata.com den curriculum. While they use the Cal- Math Focus School in Alexandria, Virginia.

610 color illustrations 978-0-8130-3458-4 | Paperback $29.95 OMPILED BY botanist Henk Beentje, The Kew Plant Glossary: An Illustrated Dic- Ctionary of Plant Terms (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2010, $30) contains more Publication sponsored by: than 4,100 botanical terms used to describe plants. Its invit- ing format avoids the monotony of similar glossaries by incor- Alabama Invasive Plant Council porating light green highlighted entries—each containing a line Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council drawing or diagram by the author’s wife, Juliet Williamson— Florida Native Plant Society throughout the text. The subject plates, nearly 30 in all, at the Georgia Native Plant Society end of the book allow for quick identification of plant features Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council such as leaf shapes, flower forms, and color. If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to decipher the terms in a plant description (tripinnatipartite, anyone?), or would just like a simple explanation of the difference between UNIVERSITY PRESS OF FLORIDA spines and thorns, this little book will surely come in handy. Students and profes- 800.226.3822 | WWW.UPF.COM sionals in the plant sciences will find it equally useful. GAINESVILLE TALLAHASSEE TAMPA BOCA RATON PENSACOLA ORLANDO MIAMI JACKSONVILLE FORT MYERS SARASOTA —Caroline Bentley, special to The American Gardener

56 the American Gardener COURTESY OF PLANTING FIELDS ARBORETUM hortfarm.org. Dahlia Society.PlantingFieldsArboretum. (508) 869-6111. Garden. Boylston,Massachusetts. New EnglandChapter.TowerHillBotanic Society, BuxtonBranch/Gesneriad eties’ Show&Sale. RAP OCT. 2. RAP www.northhillgarden.com. SEPT. 24. www.mainegardens.org dens. Boothbay,Maine.(207)633-4333. and reception.CoastalMaineBotanicalGar- RAP ston, Vermont.(802)423-5444. the Table. tumn Symposium:TheKitchenGardenand (802) 864-3073. the HorticulturalFarm.Burlington,Vermont. ON JUNE18, Planting Fields Arboretum ReopensHistoricItalianGarden her husbandWilliamRobertsonCoehadpurchasedin1913.Inseekingtorestoretheformergloryofgarden,10yearsago Plant- state ofdisrepairhadrenderedittoohazardousforvisitors. its mony foritsnewlyrenovatedItalianGarden.Thishistoricgardenhadbeeninaccessibletothepubliclastdecadebecause The reflectingpoolintherenovated ItalianGarden The ItalianGardenwasoriginallyconstructedin1916forMaiRogersCoe,heiressofStandardOil,onthe409-acreestateshe a OCT. 9&10. SEPT. 25&26. SEPT. 17. Mushroom Walk&Talk. The FirstAnnualNorthHillAu- Historic ScottFarm.Dummer- CT, MA,ME,NH,NY,RI,VT A MaineHarvest. NORTHEAST Dahlia Show. www.friendsofthe www.towerhillbg.org. Planting FieldsArboretumStateHistoricParkandCoeHallofOysterBay,NewYork,heldagrandopeningcere- American Begonia Combined PlantSoci- Horticultural EventsfromAroundtheCountry . Friends of Mid Island Art show SEPT. 23–26. SEPT. 25. www.ahs.org. Alexandria, Virginia.(703)768-5700. Society AnnualGala. AHS RAP RAP www.dahliashows.com. (401) 253-2707. wold CarriageHouse.Bristol,RhodeIsland. wold Mansion,Gardens&Arboretum.Blithe- Oyster Bay,NewYork.(516)541-6452. 8616. cal Garden.Bronx,NewYork.(718)817- Family HarvestWeekend. 2029. Center. Hockessin,Delaware.(845)265- ence. TheGardenConservancy.Mt.Cuba EINLHAPPENINGS REGIONAL SEPT. 25. OCT. 20. OCT. 9–11. www.gardenconservancy.org. www.nybg.org. Seed SavingWorkshop. PA, NJ,VA,MD,DE,WV,DC C Preservation Weekend. MID-ATLANTIC Bulb ForcingWorkshop. American Horticultural Fall FestivalWeekend: www.blithewold.org. River Farm, ditional information. card. Visitwww.plantingfields.org library privilegestoAHSmembers withacurrentmembership ng Fieldsoffersfreeadmission, adiscountontheaudiotour,and in America,”whichwillbeopenatCoeHalluntilSeptember30. project wastheimpetusforasummer-longexhibit,“ItalianGardens de Versailles, ornamental urnsandstatues,Frenchwoodplantersknownas toric characteroftheformalItaliangarden,featuresareflectingpool, architect RichardGibney.Thenewplan,whichmaintainsthe his- garden wascompletelyreplantedbasedonaplancreatedbylandscape tion andPlantingFieldsFoundationtrustees. a fundraisingcampaignwiththeassistanceofGerryFounda- ing FieldsFoundationExecutiveDirectorHenryB.Joycelaunched An AHSReciprocalAdmissions Programparticipant,Planti- After eightyearsoffundraisingandconstruction,therenovated New YorkBotani- Monticello, and anItaly-inspiredplantcollection.Therenovation Confer- Blithe- OCT. 7. OCT. 1&2. www.monticello.org. lottesville, Virginia.(434)984-9880. the ThomasJeffersonFoundation.Char- 2242. E-mail:[email protected]. Association. Washington,D.C.(877)275- shops. AmericanCommunityGardening contact thehostsitefordetailsorvisit benefits. Specialeventsmaynotbeincluded; discounted admissiontothegardenorother a validmembershipcardareeligibleforfreeor Admissions Programareidentifiedwiththe arboreta thatparticipateinAHS’sReciprocal Events hostedbybotanicalgardensand www.ahs.org/events/reciprocal_events.htm. RAP are identifiedwiththe participation byAHSorstaffmembers Events sponsoredbyorincludingofficial —Meredith Soeder,EditorialIntern Herbal WreathCrafting. symbol. CurrentAHSmembersshowing Giving throughGrowing. or call(516)922-9200forad- September /October2010 AHS symbol. Workshop. Work- caisses nd 57 Rosemary House and Gardens. Mechanics- Fayette County Master Gardeners & Friends RAP SEPT. 25 & 26. Fort Worth Orchid burg, Pennsylvania. (717) 697-5111. of the Arboretum. Fayette County Extension Society Sale. Fort Worth Botanic Garden. www.therosemaryhouse.com. Office. Lexington, Kentucky. (859) 257- Fort Worth, Texas. (817) 871-7686. 6955. www.ca.uky.edu/arboretum. www.fwbg.org. RAP OCT. 9. Fall Flowers and Fruits. Garden walk. Winterthur Museum & Country Estate. Looking ahead OCT. 2. PlantFest! 2010. Hilltop Arboretum. Winterthur, Delaware. (800) 448-3883. NOV. 3–7. American Bamboo Society Louisiana State University. Baton Rouge, www.winterthur.org. Annual Conference 2010. Hilton Desoto. Louisiana. (225) 767-6916. Savannah, Georgia. (229) 782-7455. www.lsu.edu/hilltop. RAP OCT. 9 & 10. Mum Madness & Pumpkin www.sec-bamboo.org. Parade Family Festival. Camden Children’s OCT. 7–10. Native Plant Society of Texas Garden. Camden, New Jersey. (856) 365- Symposium. Texas Women’s University. NORTH CENTRAL 8733. www.camdenchildrensgarden.org. Denton, Texas. (830) 997-9272. IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI www.npsot.org/symposium2010. RAP OCT. 23. Design Symposium. Green SEPT. 16–18. 2010 Upper Midwest Master Spring Gardens. Alexandria, Virginia. (703) Gardeners Conference. Rockford Area Con- OCT. 26. Oklahoma Certified Wildscape: 642-5173. www.greenspring.org. vention & Visitors Bureau and the University Create Your Own. Class. OSU-OKC of Illinois Extension office. Clock Tower Re- Agriculture Research Center. Oklahoma RAP OCT. 24. Goblins and Gourds. Harvest sort. Rockford, Illinois. (815) 544-3710. City, Oklahoma. (405) 943-0827. celebration. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. http://my.ilstu.edu/~cmseffr/MG/. www.okhort.org. Richmond, Virginia. (804) 262-9887. www.lewisginter.org. SEPT. 24–26. Chicagoland Orchid Fest. SOUTHWEST Chicagoland Orchid Growers Association. AZ, NM, CO, UT Looking ahead Chicago, Illinois. (847) 428-8500. NOV. 3–5. Independent Plant Breeders www.chicagolandorchidfestival.com. RAP SEPT. 25. Fall Plant and Bulb Sale. Conference. Longwood Gardens. Kennett Denver Botanic Gardens. Denver, Colorado. Square, Pennsylvania. (610) 388-5442. SEPT. 25 & 26. Barberton Mum Fest. City of (720) 865-3500. www.botanicgardens.org. www.longwoodgardens.org. Barberton Beautification. Lake Anna Park. Barberton, Ohio. (330) 848-6653. E-mail: SEPT. 25. Rocky Mountain African Violet So- [email protected]. ciety Fall Sale. Plant Sale. Rocky Mountain SOUTHEAST African Violet Society. Tagawa Gardens. AL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN RAP OCT. 3. Fall Festival. Toledo Botanical Centennial, Colorado. (303) 690-4722. RAP SEPT. 25. Mounting & Repotting Or- Garden. Toledo, Ohio. (419) 536-5566. www.tagawagardens.com. chids. Workshop. Mounts Botanical Garden. www.toledogarden.org. West Palm Beach, Florida. (561) 233- OCT. 9 & 10. Harvest Festival. Rio Grande 1757. www.mounts.org. RAP OCT. 16 & 17. Midwest Fruit Explorers Botanic Garden. Heritage Farm. Albu- Show & Sale. Chicago Botanic Garden. querque, New Mexico. (505) 768-2000. OCT. 3–5. Autumn Wildflower Workshop. Glencoe, Illinois. (847) 835-5440. www.cabq.gov/biopark/garden. North Carolina Botanical Garden. High www.chicagobotanic.org/plantshows. Hampton Inn & Country Club. Cashiers, RAP OCT. 16. Pumpkin Walk. The Arbore- North Carolina. (800) 334-2551. RAP OCT. 23. Leaf Collection Show and tum at Flagstaff. Flagstaff, Arizona. (928) www.highhamptoninn.com. Petiole Tour. Brenton Arboretum. Dallas 774-1442 ext. 110. www.thearb.org. Center, Iowa. (515) 992-4211. RAP OCT. 8–10. 2010 Mid-South Native www.thebrentonarboretum.org. OCT. 16 & 17. Orchid Show & Sale. Orchid Plant Conference. Dixon Gallery & Gardens. Society of Arizona. Arizona State Veteran’s Memphis, Tennessee. (901) 761-5250. OCT. 23. Natural Landscaping Conference. Home. Phoenix, Arizona. (602) 803-6889. www.dixon.org. Milwaukee Area Wild Ones. Cardinal Stritch www.orchidsocietyaz.org. University. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (877) RAP OCT. 9 & 10. Carolina Bonsai Expo. 394-9453. www.for-wild.org. WEST COAST North Carolina Arboretum. Asheville, North CA, NV, HI Carolina. (828) 665-2492. RAP OCT. 30. The Artistry of Tree Forms. Art www.ncarboretum.org. class and tour. Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illi- SEPT. 23–26. Style & Whimsy in the nois. (630) 725-2103. www.mortonarb.org. Sustainable Garden. Pacific Horticulture RAP OCT. 16 & 17. Fall Plant Sale. Birming- Symposium. Pasadena, California. ham Botanical Gardens. Birmingham, Alaba- Looking ahead (510) 849-1627. www.pacifichorticulture. ma. (205) 414-3960. www.bbgardens.org. NOV. 6. INPAWS Annual Conference. Indiana org/programs/php. Native Plant and Wildflower Society. Univer- RAP OCT. 21–24. Fall Plant Sale and Party. sity of Indianapolis. Indianapolis, Indiana. RAP SEPT. 25 & 26. Orchid Show & Sale. Mobile Botanical Gardens. Mobile, Alaba- (317) 831-1715. www.inpaws.org. South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation. ma. (251) 342-0555. www.mobilebotanical Palos Verdes Peninsula, California. gardens.org. (310) 544-1948. www.southcoastbotanic SOUTH CENTRAL garden.org. AR, KS, LA, MO, MS, OK, TX RAP OCT. 23 & 24. Edible Garden Festival. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Coral RAP SEPT. 18. Metropolitan St. Louis RAP OCT. 2–6. The 6th International Sym- Gables, Florida. (305) 667-1651. African Violet Council Sale. Missouri Botani- posium of Japanese Gardens. International www.fairchildgarden.org. cal Garden. Beaumont Room at Ridgway Association of Japanese Gardens. Japanese Visitor Center. St. Louis, Missouri. (314) Friendship Garden. San Diego, California. RAP OCT. 28. Garden Gems. Lecture. 577-5100. www.avsa.org. (619) 232-2721. www.niwa.org.

58 the American Gardener OCT. 2 & 3. Sunset Empire Orchid Society New Visitor Center Opens at Bayou Bend Gardens Show. Bob Chisholm Community Center. Seaside, Oregon. (503) 861-1344. E-mail: ON SEPTEMBER 25, Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens in Houston, Texas, will [email protected]. host the grand opening of its Lora Jean Kilroy Visitor and Education Center. The center will offer an enhanced visitor experience with spaces for public programming, RAP OCT. 2–4. Fall Bulb and Plant Sale. a research library, and a central The Arboretum Foundation. Washington location for special exhibits re- Park Arboretum. Seattle, Washington. (206) lating to American history, art, 325-4510. www.arboretumfoundation.org. and culture. OCT. 13. Designing with Elegant Silvers. Lec- The grand opening will in- ture. Northwest Horticultural Society. Center clude educational opportunities, for Urban Horticulture. Seattle, Washington. musical performances, tours, (206) 527-1794. www.northwesthort.org. and family-oriented activities. Curator Bart Brechter will use OCT. 13–15. Top Japanese Garden Designers hands-on demonstrations to Reunion. Public forum and discussion. Port- show how Bayou Bend is main- land Japanese Garden. Portland, Oregon. tained, and guided tours will (503) 328-0050. www.japanesegarden.com. highlight the innovative con- OCT. 24. Discovering the Jewels in the Crown. struction methods and eco- Talk. Montana Native Plant Society. Gal- The east facade of the visitor center friendly design elements that lagher Business Building of the University of earned the Kilroy Center a pres- Montana. Missoula, Montana. (406) 466- tigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. 3661. www.mtnativeplants.org. Admission is free for this one-day event. Bayou Bend is the former estate of philanthropist and art collector Ima Hogg, the Looking ahead daughter of a former Texas governor. In addition to enjoying the grand opening fes- NOV. 10. Living Green: High Concept Design tivities, guests will have the opportunity to walk around the 14-acre historic estate, Meets Sustainability. Lecture. Northwest which includes eight acres of organically maintained gardens. Highlights include the Horticultural Society. Center for Urban Hor- native bayou woodlands on the edge of the property and the garden’s are Duchesse de ticulture. Seattle, Washington. (206) 527- 1794. www.northwesthort.org. Caze pink camellias, which are no longer available for commercial sale. For more information on the garden or the grand opening ceremonies, visit www.mfah.org/bayoubend or call (713) 639-7554. CANADA —Meredith Soeder, Editorial Intern SEPT. 18 & 19. Dahlia Show. Fraser Valley Dahlia Society. George Preston Recreation Centre. Langley, British Columbia. (604) 792-0242. www.dahliashows.com. RAP OCT. 9. Succulent Troubleshooting. tours. The Garden Conservancy, Ruth Ban- Workshop. Ruth Bancroft Garden. Walnut croft Garden, and Pacific Horticulture maga- RAP SEPT. 26. The Toronto African Violet Creek, California. (925) 944-9352. zine. Lafayette Public Library. Lafayette, Society Fall Open House and Sale. Toronto www.ruthbancroftgarden.org. California. (415) 441-4300. www.garden African Violet Society. Toronto Botanical conservancy.org. Gardens. Toronto, Ontario. (416) 964- OCT. 16 & 17. Long Beach Indoor Gardening 9305. http://tavs.ca/. Expo. Long Beach Convention Center. Long OCT. 30. 8th Annual Gardening Festival. Beach, California. (250) 729-2677. www. Alameda County Master Gardeners. SEPT. 29 & 30. CanWest Horticulture Show. indoorgardenexpo.com/lb2010_show.php. Merritt College. Oakland, California. (510) Horticulture trade show. Vancouver Conven- 639-1275. http://groups.ucanr.org/ACMG/. tion Centre. Vancouver, British Columbia. RAP OCT. 22–24. Harvest Festival and Plant (604) 574-7772. Fair. Descanso Gardens. La Cañada Looking ahead www.canwesthortshow.com. Flintridge, California. (818) 949-7980. RAP NOV. 6 & 7. Annual Fall Plant Sale. www.descansogardens.org. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. Clare- OCT. 19 & 20. Window to the World: mont, California. (909) 625-8767. Landscape Ontario’s Expo. Garden and OCT. 23. Sowing the Seeds of Wonder: www.rsabg.com. floral expo. Toronto Congress Centre. Discovering the Garden in Early Childhood Toronto, Ontario. (800) 265-5656 ext. Education. Educator Workshop. Life Lab 2366. http://loexpo.ca. NORTHWEST Science Program. Santa Cruz, California. AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY (831) 459-3833. www.lifelab.org. OCT. 27–30. Communities in Bloom: SEPT. 18 & 19. Dahlia Show. Lane County Awards Ceremonies and Symposium on OCT. 23. Winterizing Sprinkler Systems. Dahlia Society. Lane Events Center. Parks and Grounds. Halifax Regional Munic- Workshop. Wilbur D. May Arboretum & Eugene, Oregon. (541) 461-8004. ipality. Halifax, Nova Scotia. (514) 694- Botanical Garden. Reno, Nevada. (775) www.dahliashows.com. 8871. www.communitiesinbloom.ca. 785-4153. www.washoecounty.us/parks/ arboretum. SEPT. 23 & 25. 2010 Convention. Oregon OCT. 30 & 31. Fall Colour Days at Milner. Association of Nurseries. Riverhouse Resort. Milner Gardens & Woodland. Qualicum OCT. 29. Fourth Quarter Gardens: An August Bend, Oregon. (503) 682-5089. Beach, British Columbia. (250) 752-6153. to December Romance. Seminar and garden www.oan.org. www.milnergardens.org. COURTESY OF BAYOU BEND COLLECTION AND GARDENS

September / October 2010 59 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 sum- mer—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 humidity also play an important role in plant survival. The zones tend to be conservative; 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.

A–C Elsholtzia stauntonii el-SHOLT-see-uh P–Z Abelia ✕grandiflora uh-BEEL-yuh stawn-TOWN-ee-eye (5–8, 8–5) Parthenium integrifolium par-THEE-nee- gran-dih-FLOR-uh (USDA Zones 6–9, Ericameria laricifolia air-ih-kuh-MAIR-ee- um in-teg-rih-FO-lee-um (4–8, 8–1) AHS Zones 9–6) uh luh-rih-sih-FO-lee-uh (8–11, 12–8) Plumbago auriculata plum-BAY-go Acer triflorum AY-sur try-FLOR-um Eryngium yuccifolium ee-RIN-jee-um aw-rik-yew-LAY-tuh (11–11, 12–10) (5–7, 7–4) yuk-ih-FO-lee-um (4–9, 12–1) Rhododendron prunifolium ro-doh-DEN- Anisacanthus wrightii uh-nis-uh-KAN-thus Escallonia bifida es-kuh-LO-nee-uh dron proo-nih-FO-lee-um (6–9, 9–5) RITE-ee-eye (7–10, 10–7) BIF-ih-duh (8–9, 9–8) Rhus chinensis RUS chy-NEN-siss Arbutus unedo AR-byew-tus YEW-nee-doh Eupatorium fistulosum yew-puh-TOR-ee- (5–8, 8–5) (8–9, 9–6) um fis-tyew-LO-sum (3–8, 8–2) Rudbeckia subtomentosa rood-BEK-ee-uh Baccharis halimifolia BAK-uh-riss Fallugia paradoxa fah-LEW-gee-uh sub-toh-men-TOH-suh (4–7, 7–1) hal-ih-mih-FO-lee-uh (5–9, 9–4) pair-uh-DOK-suh (7–11, 12–7) Salvia greggii SAL-vee-uh GREG-ee-eye Baptisia alba bap-TEEZ-yuh AL-buh Filipendula rubra fih-lih-PEN-dyew-luh (7–9, 9–4) (3–9, 9–3) ROO-bruh (3–9, 9–1) Sedum aizoon SEE-dum AY-zoon Camellia japonica kuh-MEEL-yuh Gentiana andrewsii jen-she-AN-uh (3–8, 8–1) jah-PON-ih-kuh (7–8, 8–7) an-DREW-zee-eye (3–7, 7–1) S. erythrostictum S. er-ith-ro-STIK-tum C. oleifera C. o-lee-IF-ur-uh (6–9, 9–5) (6–9, 9–6) H–O C. sasanqua C. sah-SAHNG-kwuh S. sieboldii S. see-BOL-dee-eye (7–8, 8–7) Hamamelis virginiana ham-uh-ME-liss (6–9, 9–6) Caryopteris ✕clandonensis kair-ee-OP-tur- vir-jin-ee-AN-uh (3–8, 8–1) S. spectabile S. spek-TAB-ih-lee iss klan-doh-NEN-siss (6–9, 9–1) Heptacodium miconioides hep-tuh-KO- (4–9, 9–1) C. incana C. in-KAN-uh (6–9, 9–1) dee-um my-kon-ee-OY-deez (5–9, 9–4) S. telephium S. tuh-LEF-ee-um Ceratostigma griffithii sur-at-o-STIG-muh Hesperaloe parviflora hes-pur-AL-o (4–9, 9–1) GRIFF-ith-ee-eye (7–10, 10–7) par-vih-FLOR-uh (6–11, 12–6) Silphium integrifolium SIL-fee-um Clerodendrum trichotomum kleer-o-DEN- Hibiscus mutabilis hy-BISS-kus in-teg-rih-FO-lee-um (4–7, 7–1) drum try-KO-toh-mum (7–9, 9–7) mew-TAH-bih-liss (10–11, 12–8) S. laciniatum S. lah-syn-ee-AY-tum H. syriacus H. sih-ree-AH-kus (5–9, 9–5) D–G (5–9, 9–1) Solidago ohioensis sol-ih-DAY-go Dalea frutescens DAY-lee-uh froo-TES-enz Lespedeza thunbergii les-peh-DEE-zuh o-hy-o-EN-siss (4–9, 9–1) (8–10, 11–8) thun-BER-jee-eye (6–8, 8–6) Sporobolus heterolepis spor-OB-o-lus Daphne caucasica DAF-nee kaw-KAZ-ih- Leucophyllum frutescens loo-ko-FIL-um het-ur-o-LEP-iss (3–8, 10–2) kuh (6–8, 8–6) froo-TES-enz (8–9, 9–8) Taxodium distichum taks-O-dee-um DIS- D. collina D. ko-LEE-nuh (7–8, 8–7) Liatris pycnostachya ly-AY-triss pik-no- tih-kum (5–11, 12–5) D. ✕transatlantica D. tranz-at-LAN-tih-kuh STAKE-ee-uh (3–8, 8–1) Tibouchina grandifolia tih-boo-KY-nuh (6–9, 9–6) L. spicata L. spy-KAY-tuh (4–9, 9–1) gran-dih-FO-lee-uh (11–11, 12–7) Diospyros kaki dy-OS-pih-ros KAH-kee Luculia gratissima lew-KEW-lee-uh T. urvilleana T. ur-vil-lee-AN-uh (7–10, 10–7) gra-TIS-sim-uh (10–11, 12–10) (10–11, 12–7) D. virginiana D. vir-jin-ee-AN-uh Monarda fistulosa moh-NAR-duh fis-tyew- Vernonia gigantea vur-NO-nee-uh (4–9, 9–1) LO-suh (3–9, 9–1) jy-GAN-tee-uh (5–9, 9–1) Disanthus cercidifolius dis-AN-thus Osmanthus armatus oz-MAN-thuss Veronicastrum virginicum ver-on-ih-KASS- sur-sid-ih-FO-lee-us (5–8, 8–5) arm-AH-tus (7–9, 9–7) trum vir-JIN-ih-kum (4–8, 8–3) Echinacea pallida ek-ih-NAY-see-uh O. fragrans O. FRAY-granz Viburnum dilatatum vy-BUR-num dih-luh- PAL-ih-dah (4–8, 8–1) (8–11, 12–8) TAY-tum (5–8, 8–5) E. purpurea E. pur-PUR-ee-uh O. heterophyllus O. het-ur-ah-FIL-lus Vitex agnus-castus VY-teks AG-nus (3–9, 9–1) (7–9, 9–7) KAS-tus (6–9, 9–6)

60 the American Gardener GARDENC MARKET

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September / October 2010 61 62 by BobHill Season-Spanning Beauty: I AHS Heat Zones 7–4).Thenamemaybebotanicallyaccurate,butitjustdoesn’t do name onmychoppingblockwouldbethethree-flower maple late springinclustersofthree. conspicuous greenish flowers bloomin to reveal tantoambercoloring.Thein- Its exfoliatingbark strips peelsinvertical brilliant orange,red, yellow, andpurple. cially sointhefallwhenfoliageturns tothefurrowedportion trunk. limbs reaching pro- upandoutinperfect growing uprightandhandsome,with year,good selectionsjustgetbetterevery lot ofvariability inthespecies,but maple grows 20to30feettall.There isa China,thethree-flowerand northern for thediscriminatinggardener.” to propagate andobtain,butareal treasure be adequatelydescribedinwords; noteasy my favorites; thebark andfallcolorcannot Michaelhorticulturist Dirr callsit“one of scape Plants, going forit.In hisManual ofWoody Land- three-flower maplehaslotsofotherthings Despite itsuninspiringcommonname,the YEAR-ROUND APPEAL www.wildwoodmaples.com. (888) 833-4181. Wildwood Farm, www.camforest.com. NC. (919)968-0504. Camellia ForestFarm, Sources Champaign, Illinois,2009. by MichaelDirr.StipesPublishing, Manual ofWoodyLandscapesPlants Resources While attractive year round, itisespe- Native toNorth Korea, Manchuria, F IWERE peal ratherthanglorifyinsignificantbotanicaldetails,suchasthenumberofflowers. Thefirstcommon the American Gardener former University ofGeorgia in chargeofnamingtrees, mygoalwouldbetoreflect theiroverall beautyandlandscapeap- Kenwood, CA. Chapel Hill, Three-flower maplehascolorfulfallfoliage,aboveleft,andattractivepeelingbark,right. evident initsusesacross theUnited States. fulfill thatpromise, butitsadaptabilityis require rich,acidicsoilandlotsof sunto garden specimentree. oraperfect It does ages, becomingthefocalpointofamature southern Indiana. One isjustbehindour wife andIhave created atourhomein maples growing inthemini-arboretum my included itonits“Great Plant Picks” list. C. Miller BotanicalGarden inSeattle has “Bernheim Select” list,andthe Elisabeth Research Forest inKentucky hasitonits England. The Bernheim Arboretum and Award fortheDistinctive Plants forNew grams. It wasthe2008winnerofCary from several regional plantaward pro- flower maplehasreceived recognition In additiontoDirr’s accolades, thethree- KUDOS REGIONAL LN NTESPOTLIGHT THE IN PLANT Three-flower mapleholdsupwell asit I have a pair of very happy three-flowerI have apairofvery Acer triflorum C (Acer triflorum, Indiana. Louisville, Kentucky. He lives inUtica, columnistforthe former Bob Hill isagarden radio show hostand more gardens. this tree wouldbegrowing inmany that betterreflects itsbesttraits,Ibet maple” or“amber maple.”With aname something alongthelinesof“ridgebark the commonname,Iwouldgowith the three-flower maple. more amber-colored rugged, features of fluted bark thatoffersanicecontrasttothe mowiczianum—which hasreddish, less- a cross between maple known asGirard’s form—probably The secondispaired upwithahybrid can beenjoyed from areclined position. fissured bark andfinely-etchedgreen leaves screened-in backporch, where itsdeeply- If Iwere given licensetotinkerwith USDA Hardiness Zones 5–7, this finetree justice. Acer griseum Courier-Journal, and A. maxi-

LEFT: LYNNE HARRISON. RIGHT: MARK TURNER NEW from the American Horticultural Society

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