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GARDENERGARDENER® TheThe MagazineMagazine ofof thethe AAmericanmerican HorticulturalHorticultural SocietySociety JanuaryJanuary // FebruaryFebruary 20112011

New Plants for 2011 Unusual Trees with Garden Potential The AHS’s River Farm: A Center of Horticulture

Fragrant Annuals 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 contents Volume 90, Number 1 . January / February 2011

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS

5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM 6 MEMBERS’ FORUM 8 NEWS FROM THE AHS 2011 Seed Exchange catalog online for AHS members, new AHS Travel Study Program destinations, AHS forms partnership with Northeast garden symposium, registration open for 10th annual America in Bloom Contest, 2011 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium, TGOA-MGCA garden photography competition opens.

40 GARDEN SOLUTIONS Plant expert Scott Aker offers a holistic approach to solving common problems.

42 HOMEGROWN HARVEST page 28 Easy-to-grow parsley.

44 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK Enlightened ways to NEW PLANTS FOR 2011 BY JANE BERGER 12 control powdery mildew, Edible, compact, upright, and colorful are the themes of this beating bugs with plant year’s new plant introductions. phenology, Amsonia page 42 hubrichtii is 2011 GROWING CARNIVOROUS PLANTS IN CONTAINERS Perennial Plant 18 Association Perennial Plant of the Year, loss of BY CAROLE OTTESEN Russian seed bank could endanger world’s Creating a container bog garden of carnivorous plants is an easy plant biodiversity, Mike Devlin named and entertaining project. Gardener’s Supply 2010 Garden Crusader, new director for U.S. National Arboretum. 22 FRAGRANT ANNUALS BY RAND B. LEE Green Garage®: Selected useful garden tools and products. Integrating sweetly-scented annuals in mixed containers or beds is a great way to increase sensory appeal in your garden. 48 BOOK REVIEWS The Encyclopedia of Container Plants, 28 RIVER FARM: HORTICULTURAL EPICENTER BY VIVEKA NEVELN Continuous Container Gardens, and Steeped in history, the American Horticultural Society’s headquar- Paradise Under Glass. ters at River Farm is both a living example of the Society’s mission, Special focus: Books on landscape design. and a platform from which the organization delivers educational 52 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS programs and outreach to members and gardeners nationwide. 55 AHS 2011 SEED EXCHANGE CUTTING-EDGE TREES BY ANDREW BUNTING 34 57 HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES Ready to go beyond the tried-and-true specimen trees? Consider AND PRONUNCIATIONS these promising trees that botanical gardens have been evaluating. 58 PLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT Cleveland shooting star ON THE COVER: ‘Vintage Rose’ is a selection of annual day-scented stock (Matthiola incana) that (Dodecatheon clevelandii).

TOP: COURTESY OF NAN REINER. FAR RIGHT: DAVID CAVAGNARO bears highly fragrant, double blossoms. Photograph by Donna Krischan

January / February 2011 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 ■ Carole Hofley Wilson, Wyoming Margaret Kulp Louisville, Kentucky ■ 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.

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. George Diamantis ■ Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Farrell ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Rissetto ■ Mr. and Mrs. W. Gardening Bruce Usrey

Techniques LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr. ■ Ms. Judy Daniel ■ Trish and Cam Gibson ■ Mr. and Mrs. J. Landon Reeve, IV ■ Ms. Katy Moss Warner ■ Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Zech

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

Philadelphia Inquirer HONORARY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL Ms. Louise Fruehling* ■ Mrs. Enid Haupt* ■ Mrs. John A. Lutz* ■ Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Miller* *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 Espoma Company The Washington Post Furbish Company ■ Homestead Gardens ■ Kurt Bluemel, Inc. ■ Monrovia ■ 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 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival ■ Garden Centers of America 480 pages Hardcover, $45 The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America Available wherever Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium ■ The Homestead in the Garden Symposium Inniswood Garden Society ■ Morris Arboretum ■ Oklahoma Botanical Garden & Arboretum books are sold

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 UR RIVER FARM 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, is the crown jewel 22308. If your magazine is lost or damaged in of the American Horticultural Society. The acquisition of this 25-acre prop- the mail, call the number above for a replace- erty in 1973, through the generosity of philanthropist Enid A. Haupt, gave ment. Requests for membership information O and change of address notification can also be the AHS national prominence, energized a staff previously habituated to working e-mailed to [email protected]. from a series of cramped, rented office spaces, and provided us with a spectacularly THE AMERICAN GARDENER To submit a letter to beautiful showcase from which to communicate our national mission. the editor of The American Gardener, write to Yet despite its charismatic setting and The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard historic significance, River Farm is not Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308, or send an e-mail to [email protected]. without its challenges. The buildings, most constructed in the 1920s and 1930s, DEVELOPMENT To make a gift to the American Horticultural Society, or for information about are showing their age; the property re- a donation you have already made, call (800) quires significant upkeep; and, from 777-7931 ext. 127. time to time, critical infrastructural E-NEWSLETTER To sign up for our monthly components, like our wells, have fal- e-newsletter, visit www.ahs.org. tered, compromising not only safety, but INTERNSHIP PROGRAM The AHS offers intern- our staff’s ability to do their day-to-day ships in communications, horticulture, and duties such as organizing educational youth programs. For information, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Information and programs, putting together the maga- application forms can also be found in the zine, maintaining the gardens, and host- Tom Underwood and Harry Rissetto River Farm area of www.ahs.org. ing children’s groups. NATIONAL CHILDREN & YOUTH GARDEN The AHS is now at another one of those crossroads, and we need your help. Our SYMPOSIUM For information about the Soci- immediate needs are basic and not very glamorous—as stewards of this historic ety’s annual National Children & Youth Gar- den Symposium, call (800) 777-7931 ext. property that borders the Potomac River, we must transition from septic fields and 137 or visit the Youth Gardening section of wells to the municipal water and sewer system. On top of that, our electrical wiring www.ahs.org. and cabling is outdated in this era of digital communications. The costs of these RECIPROCAL ADMISSIONS PROGRAM The AHS critical improvements are well beyond our normal resources. So we are asking all Reciprocal Admissions Program offers members our members and friends to make a special gift to help the AHS meet this critical free admission and other discounts to more than 250 botanical gardens and other horticultural and urgent need. Your support will empower the AHS to focus all its energies on destinations throughout North America. A list of expanding the programs that are central to the success of our national mission. participating gardens can be found in the Mem- How does one fundraise for an infrastructure project such as this? After much bership area of www.ahs.org. For more information, call (800) 777-7931 ext. 119. discussion and debate, we decided on a unit of measure familiar to every gardener. Approximately 4,000 feet of pipe and cable will be used in the project. Each gift of RIVER FARM The AHS headquarters at River Farm is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays year- $250 will support one foot of piping or new cable needed. A gift of $750 will take round (except Federal holidays), and 9 a.m. to us a yard closer to our goal for this campaign. 1 p.m. Saturdays from April through September. Admission is free. For information about events, To give you a sense of River Farm’s significance as the AHS’s national head- rentals, and directions, visit the River Farm sec- quarters, in this issue we have published an updated account of River Farm’s his- tion of www.ahs.org. tory, its importance to the AHS mission, and its value to America’s gardeners. Once TRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM Visit spectacular pri- you’ve read this, we trust you will understand why we are so committed to River vate and public gardens around the world Farm and to the infrastructure project. Please help us reach our goal by sending a through the Society’s acclaimed Travel Study Program. For information about upcoming contribution of any amount in the envelope included in this issue. trips, call (800) 627-6621, send an e-mail to Also in this issue, you will find features on fragrant annuals, cutting-edge trees, [email protected], or visit the Travel and growing carnivorous plants in containers. And we are debuting a new column, Study section of www.ahs.org. “Garden Solutions,” to help you solve common garden problems. WEBSITE: www.ahs.org The AHS website is a valuable source of information about the Soci- ety’s programs and activities. To access the Happy gardening! members-only section of the website, the user name is ahs and the password is oak until Feb- Harry Rissetto, Chair, AHS Board of Directors ruary 1, 2011, when the new user name will be garden and the new password will be ahs2011. Tom Underwood, Executive Director

January / February 2011 5 MEMBERSC’ FORUM

CREATING A STATE-FLOWER GARDEN Society magazine rather than try to read I am Chief Petty Officer Vaughn Eason PLEASE NOTE: New log-in information to it from the computer. with the 2d Medical Battalion based at access the member’s- Aileen Goldman Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I would only area of the AHS web- Rockville, Maryland like to plant a garden that includes the of- site (www.ahs.org) takes ficial flower for each U.S. state. I am writ- o effect February 1, 2011. Editor’s note: Don’t worry; AHS mem- ing to ask if you can assist me in obtaining See page 10 for details. bers will continue to receive the printed seeds or plants representing all the state version of the magazine as well as a link flowers. publications are developing an electronic to the digital edition. We like to think of Vaughn C. Eason option, but my back and my eyes do not it as offering the best of both worlds. 2d Medical Battalion, 2d MLG allow me to sit at the computer any longer PSC Box 20129 than necessary, so reading a digital maga- PRONUNCIATION RESOURCES Camp Lejeune, NC 28542-0129 zine is totally out of the question. I do I own a small business called Earthwalk [email protected] hope you will be able to continue pub- Twentyone in Helena, Montana, and lishing the magazine in paper form, as it I’m trying to find a comprehensive plant Editor’s note: We provided CPO Eason brings me so much pleasure. dictionary that includes how to pro- with an article from the November/De- Susan C. Smith nounce scientific names. I have the cember 2004 issue of The American Gar- Southfield, Michigan AHS A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, dener that lists the current state flowers. If and as a member of the AHS, I receive any AHS members are able to assist with The November/December digital edi- the magazine with a few (wonderful!) locating seeds or plants, please contact tion was wonderful! The articles were in- pronunciations of names in the back, CPO Eason directly. teresting and well written, and the but it would be so helpful and time-sav- pictures and illustrations were beautiful! ing if I had a fine dictionary for refer- MORE ON THE DIGITAL EDITION Babs Ramming ences all in one place. Do you know of I look forward to each issue of The Carrollton, Texas such a book? American Gardener magazine because it Eunice Swain is packed with so many beautifully writ- I still prefer to sit in my comfy lounge Helena, Montana ten and illustrated articles. I realize many chair with my American Horticultural Editor’s note: There’s really not one single comprehensive source for plant pronunciations, but one fairly good Perennial Seed. Beautiful. publication is The Pronouncing Dictio- Useful. Native... nary of Plant Names (American Nursery- man Publishing, Chicago, Illinois, To the Planet. 2006); www.amerinursery.com.

NEW GARDEN COACH I wanted to thank you for the recent article on garden coaching (July/August 2010). I am expanding from being a garden photographer/writer/lecturer to being also a garden coach and find that each en- deavor enhances and draws upon the others. The article was a great inspiration. Karen Bussolini Production · Breeding · Seed Technology South Kent, Connecticut USA Office: 125 Chenoweth Ln. · Louisville, KY 40207 Phone (502) 895-08 07 · Fax (502) 895-39 34 · http://www.jelitto.com · [email protected] PLEASE WRITE US! Address letters to Editor, The German Headquarters: P.O. Box 1264 · D-29685 Schwarmstedt American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Phone 01149-5071-98 29-0 · Fax 01149-50 71-98 29-27 · www.jelitto.com · [email protected] Alexandria, VA 22308. Send e-mails to [email protected] (note Letter to Editor in subject line). 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 with AHS Host Jane Diamantis and Tour Escort Susie Orso of Specialtours ■ 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 August 17–21, 2011 with AHS Host Katy Moss Warner and AHS Tour Escort Maren Seubert ■ 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 the trial gardens at Ball Horticultural Company’s headquarters.

Castles and Gardens of Bohemia and Moravia September 25–October 6, 2011 with AHS Host Kurt Bluemel and Tour Escort Harriet Landseer of Specialtours ■ 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 partner, MacNair Travel: • E-mail: [email protected] • Call: (866) 627-6621 • Visit: www.ahs.org GARDENER Botanical nomenclatureisbasedon Alexandria, VA22308-1300. Society A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, Garden of Encyclopedia A–Z Society Copyright ©2011 bytheAmericanHorticultural Society. ©2011 Copyright material. Backissuesareavailableat$8percopy. stamped envelope.Wecannotguaranteethesafereturn ofunsolicited possible publicationwillbereturnedifaccompanied byaself-addressed, ily thoseoftheSociety.Manuscripts,artwork,andphotographs sentfor expressed inthearticlesarethoseofauthorsand arenotnecessar- Form 3579to ginia, andatadditionalmailingoffices.Postmaster:Pleasesend magazine subscription.PeriodicalspostagepaidatAlexandria,Vir- $60. Internationalduesare$50.$10ofannualgoestoward and onthe Gardener American The list of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada and Greenland and Canada States, United the of Flora Vascular the of list tion to (703) 768-5700.MembershipintheSocietyincludesasubscrip- Society, 7931EastBoulevardDrive,Alexandria,VA22308-1300, ber/October, November/December)bytheAmericanHorticultural ly (January/February,March/April,May/June,July/August,Septem- 8 h American The ADVERTISING & PARTNERSHIPS CONTACT US CORPORATE EDITORIAL The American Gardener American The the American Gardener Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants Garden of Index Society Horticultural Royal CHAIR The American Gardener American The Printed intheU.S.A. West DesMoines,Iowa Elvin McDonald Kennett Square,Pennsylvania Richard W.Lighty Denver, Colorado Panayoti Kelaidis San Francisco,California John E.Bryan Birmingham, Alabama Steve Bender Ithaca, NewYork Nina L.Bassuk Athens, Georgia Allan M.Armitage Brevard, NorthCarolina Richard E.Bir EDITORIAL ADVISORYBOARD Carole Ottesen CONTRIBUTING WRITER Rita Pelczar CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Patrick Morgan EDITORIAL INTERN Viveka Neveln ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mary Yee MANAGING EDITORANDARTDIRECTOR David J.Ellis EDITOR E-MAIL: E-MAIL: (703) 768-5700 Alexandria, VA22308 7931 EastBoulevardDrive The AmericanGardener (ISSN 1087-9978)ispublishedbimonth- . Annualduesare$35;twoyears, [email protected] [email protected] , 7931EastBoulevardDrive, The American Horticultural American The on A Synonymized Check- Synonymized A . Opinions and order formontheAHSwebsite, year getfirstpickofavailable seedsuntilFebruary 1.To order seeds,consultthecatalog create asustainable—andbountiful—kitchengarden. earn you acopyofHomegrown Harvest, quested todefraythecostofshippingandhandling.Donations above level can acertain usual andhard-to-find seedsintheexchange.” byrative AHSmembersfrom effort allover there are thecountry—so allkindsofun- James Gagliardi form onpages55and56ofthisissue.For questions,[email protected]. WHETHER YOU 2011 PROGRAM STUDY AHSTRAVEL IT’S THE 2011 ONLINEFORAHSMEMBERS CATALOG SEEDEXCHANGE dragon beardtongue offerings rangefrom yellowwood trees tobasil,cardoon, andunusualnatives suchassnap- sulting inadiverse selectionyou can’t findanywhere else.Thisyear, themore than200 special becauseallofitsseedscomefrom membersorare donatedby seedcompanies,re- ofitsannualSeedas part Exchange program, exclusively formembers.Thiscatalogis kaleidoscope ofplants.TheAmericanHorticultural Society alsoproduces aseedcatalog tact ourtravel planner, MacNair Travel, or(703)650-5262. [email protected] of theCzech Republic aswell asthehistoric gardens ofBohemia andMoravia. to October 6isatripthrough time.Thisexcursion focusesonthearchitectural marvels and more, the“CastlesandGardens ofBohemiaandMoravia” tripfrom September 25 Parkand Garfield Conservatory. Park, ChicagoBotanic Garden, Gardens inChicago’s Millennium and publicgardens such asLurie wonders. Theseincludeprivate Chicago’s manyhorticultural will introduce travelers tothe takes placeAugust 17to21 and Chicagoland andRockford,” plant festival, Journées desPlantes. with avisittotheannualParisian son” tour. Thistripwillconclude Festival at the Domaine deCour- landry, onthe“Loire Valley andthe ceau, andthefabledpotageratVil- de Cheverny, ChâteaudeChenon- clusive tripstoexciting garden destinationsaround theworld. tries cangive youappreciation anew forgardening. Thisyear, theAHSoffersthree ex- The deadlinetosubmitorders isMarch 15;AHSmemberswhodonatedseedsthis The Seed Exchange program isfree forAHSmembers,althoughdonationsare re- “Our seedexchange outdifferent program isagreat seedvarieties,” says waytotry For more information,visitthe “Travel Study” sectionoftheAHSwebsite orcon- “Gardens andInnovation: From May France’s 5to14,experiencenorthwestern historicchâteaux,suchasChâteau From Renaissance andBaroque gardens toNeo-classical gardens and20th-century time ofyear whenseedcatalogsproliferate, temptinggardeners witha , River Farm’s “and horticulturist, isthatitacollabo- thebestpart say garden, (Keckiella antirrhinoides). PROGRAMS •EVENTSANNOUNCEMENTS jardin, News The EnglishWalledGardenatChicagoBotanic www.ahs.org. or zahrada, the AHS’s latest book,whichdescribeshow to January /February2011 traveling todifferent regions orcoun- from the There’s alsoalistofseedsandorder AHS

ROBIN CARLSON / COURTESY OF CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH GARDENING SYMPOSIUM THE AHS has established a new horticultural partnership with AHS Spring Garden Market the Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium, an annual As you’re marking important dates on your calendar for spring event held in the 2011, be sure to include the AHS Spring Garden Market in Northeast. This year’s event, April. This annual event has become one of the most an- scheduled for April 1 and 2 at ticipated plant sales in the Washington, D.C. area. the four-star Equinox Resort AHS members enjoy an exclusive opportunity to preview in Manchester, Vermont, fea- and purchase plants and garden-related products on AHS tures lectures, book signings, Members Night on Thursday, April 14. On April 15 and 16, opportunities to mingle with the market opens to the public. “What’s great about the garden experts, and a wide plant sale,” says AHS Horticulturist James Gagliardi, “is its array of vendor displays. gorgeous location—you can enjoy River Farm’s gardens in “Most of our attendees are bloom in the spring, while at the same time getting a head garden hobbyists, and this start in your garden by exploring a wide selection of native year they have the opportu- plants, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, and perennials from a va- nity to listen to six engaging riety of top regional vendors.” There will also be educational lectures on a variety of topics activities and plant-related arts and crafts. Tulips and forget-me-nots signal ranging from annuals to During the plant sale, also stop by the newly refurbished spring in Vermont. perennials to design tech- AHS Garden Shop for garden-themed items and books. For niques and color designing,” additional information, call (703) 768-5700 or visit says Kerry Mendez, founder and organizer of the symposium. www.ahs.org/riverfarm. Among this year’s guest speakers is kitchen garden expert and cookbook author Ellen Ecker Ogden, who’ll be discussing the In addition to providing one-year AHS memberships to all art of designing a classic potager, and William Cullina, the di- symposium attendees, the Society will have a booth at the rector of horticulture and plant curator for the Coastal Maine event. For more information about the symposium or to reg- Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, who will address how different ister, visit www.pyours.com/Symposium2011.html; for questions,

COURTESY OF KERRY MENDEZ plant characteristics influence their use in garden design. call (518) 885-3471.

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 October 1 and November 30, 2010.

Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr. In Honor of Arabella Dane In Memory of Lessie Roberson Savage Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel Noanett Garden Club Peggy Griffith Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Bradshaw Mr. and Mrs. Carl Estes In Honor of Jane Diamantis In Memory of George Wallace Ms. Marguerite P. Foster Ann and Tom Currey Mrs. Gianne Conard Mr. Tres Fromme Mr. and Ms. Don W. Godsey In Honor of Zbigniew Pochcial, PhD Mr. Gerald T. Halpin Kyle Pochcial Hayes Family Fund Mr. and Mrs. Albert Huddleston In Honor of Tom Underwood Ms. JoAnn Luecke The Garden Club of Alexandria If you would like to support the American Monrovia Nursery Company Horticultural Society as part of your estate Dr. and Mrs. David E. Morrison In Memory of Pauline Bluemel planning, as a tribute to a loved one, or as Mr. and Mrs. James R. Moxley, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel part of your annual charitable giving plan, Rubino and McGeehin please contact: Courtney Capstack, Mr. Arnold Steiner In Memory of Chloe Frierson Fort Development and Outreach Manager, at Mr. Howard McK. Tucker and Mr. Robert W. Lowe (703) 768-5700 ext. 127 or Ms. Megan Evans [email protected]. Mrs. Angela M. Vikesland Mrs. Dudley B. White Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Zech

January / February 2011 9 10 beautifying Fayetteville,Arkansas. People ofallagesgetinvolvedin 487-1117 orvisitwww.americainbloom.org. mony willbeheldOctober 6to8inWashington, D.C. 28.The10thAnnualAIBSymposium andAwardsruary Cere- beautification projects.” visible,andconstructive meaningful, YouTube Award encouragesneighborstoshowcase justhow Forsuccessful beautificationefforts. the tech-savvy, the ognizes thecooperationbetween citizens that’s for necessary ple, theAHS-sponsored CommunityInvolvement Award rec- andfloraldisplay.such astidiness,heritagepreservation, to vieforawards bothby population size andspecifiedcriteria, 10th year, thisprogram encouragescommunitiesacross thenation in Bloom’s (AIB)annualbeautificationcompetition.Now inits vant, oragrassroots organizer, notalentgoesunusedinAmerican FOR MORETHAN FESTIVAL & GARDEN 2011 FLOWER INTERNATIONAL EPCOT WHETHER YOU’RE CONTEST INBLOOM 10TH ANNUALAMERICA annual floralextravaganza willbeheldfrom March 2toMay 15. Disney World in LakeBuena Vista, Florida. Thisyear, the 18th sor oftheEpcot International Flower &Garden Festival atWalt zine issue,[email protected]. name, youcanalwayslookituponpage5ofeachmaga- ters. Andincaseyouforgetthenewpasswordoruser type boththeusernameandpasswordinlowercaselet- the website password ( you willneedtousebothanewusername( discounts. Youcanbrowseissuesof providing youwithawealthofbenefits,information,and members-only sectionoftheAHSwebsite As anAHSmember,youhaveexclusiveaccesstothe Website New Password forAHS change catalog,andmore. recordings ofAHSwebinars,perusetheannualSeedEx- dener To enterthe2011contest orlearnmore aboutAIB,call(614) The deadlineforregistering forthe2011AIBcontestisFeb- There awards are tocompetefor. alsocategory For exam- What’s newthisyearisthat,asofFebruary1,2011, the American Gardener dating backtoJanuary/February2001,access ahs2011 . Tologin,clickonthemembers-onlylinkand a decade,theAHShasbeenproud spon- ) toaccessthemembers-onlyareaof a green-thumbed gardener, aYouTube sa- It’s agreat waytocreate and improve qualityoflife. economic development, mental awareness, promote greening, enhance environ- graphics tochampion synergy amongalldemo- Laura Kunkle AIB Executive Director ent, andresources,” says ness untappedenergy, tal- in Bloom helpstowns har- their community. “America much AIBhaschanged The American Gar- American The (www.ahs.org), garden , “creating ) and Williamsburg’s garden programs coordinator, “isonpractical gar- nial Williamsburg inVirginia. dens” —through aseriesoftalksinthehistoric setting ofColo- explore thisyear’s theme—“Timeless Ideas forToday’s Gar- first-hand from topgarden asthey writersandhorticulturists mentally friendlygarden. From April 10to11,guestscanlearn want tosacrificebeautycreate alow-maintenance, environ- burg Garden Symposiumgardener isforevery whodoesn’t CO-SPONSORED BY SYMPOSIUM WILLIAMSBURG GARDEN COLONIAL the festival’s manyGarden Town Programs. end, gardeners atoneof experts canlearn tipsfrom horticultural demonstrations ofadvanced gardening techniques,ontheweek- with hundreds of different Alongwith kindsofbutterflies. festival alsoshowcases Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden, Disney characters,and over amillionbloomingflowers, thisyear’s call (407)934-7639. www.ahs.org M East LansingandGrandRapids,Michigan. River Farm,Alexandria,Virginia. Manchester, Vermont. de Courson. Williamsburg, Virginia. ginia. (Note:AHSMembers-onlypreviewsaleisThursday,April14.) Lake BuenaVista,Florida. Hosted byAHSBoardMemberGayEstes. APR. 10&11. APR. 1&2. MAR. 23–27. MAR. 2–MAY15. JULY 21–23. JUNE 9. MAY 5–14. APR. 15&16. “Our focusthisyear,” says Featuring elaborategardens, whimsicaltopiariesofwell known For more information,visit sponsored orco-sponsored by theAHS.Visit ark your calendarfortheseupcomingevents thatare Great AmericanGardenersAwardsCeremonyandBanquet. The LoireValleyandtheFestivalofDomaine Great GardensandLandscapingSymposium. AHS TravelStudyProgram.LoireValley,France. National Children&YouthGardenSymposium. President’s CouncilTrip. or call(703)768-5700formore information. Spring GardenMarket. Colonial WilliamsburgGardenSymposium. Epcot InternationalFlower&GardenFestival. CALENDAR 2011 AHS EVENTSANDPROGRAMS the AHS,thisyear’s ColonialWilliams- www.disneyworld.com/flower Laura Viancour River Farm,Alexandria,Vir- Houston, Texas. , Colonial or

COURTESY OF AMERICA IN BLOOM dening methods, and how gardeners can work with—rather than gible for a discount on admission to the symposium. To learn against—nature.” She adds that she’s especially excited about this more, call (800) 603-0948 or visit www.history.org/conted. year’s speakers and the extra opportunities registrants have, such as going behind the scenes with Colonial Williamsburg staff. GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION Speakers include the award-winning author Suzy Bales, who’ll IN THE DEAD of winter, when all we have as a reminder of a talk about down-to-earth gardening, and Doug Tallamy, pro- once-blooming garden are photos, there’s no better time to pick fessor and chair of the department of entomology and wildlife out your favorite garden images and submit them to the Gar- ecology at the University of Delaware, who’ll address ways to in- deners of America/Men’s Garden Club of America’s corporate native plants into your garden. AHS members are eli- (TGOA/MGCA) annual garden photography contest. Thanks to a partnership with the AHS, TGOA/MGCA accepts sub- missions from AHS members in categories such as wildflowers, roses, landscapes, and more. “Besides giving people the incentive to go out into their gardens and view the flowers, our photography contest is also the highlight of our annual convention banquet because it is here that the many excellent images are set to music and projected for the audience, making for an entertaining evening,” says Sheryl Bacon, TGOA/MGCA administrative assistant. The summer National Convention is also where the photography contest winners are announced. Submit your favorite photograph by the Feb- ruary 16 deadline, and for AHS members, your $15 contest entrance fee also grants you a one-year membership in TGOA/MGCA. To register or learn more, call (515) 278-0295, or visit www.tgoa-mgca.org. For a copy of the contest manual, contact Sherra Schuck at [email protected].

COURTESY OF COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG The Reid Garden at Colonial Williamsburg News written by Editorial Intern Patrick Morgan.

January / February 2011 11 New Plants for 2011

LANTS ARE sizing down, grow- Edible, compact, upright, and Ryan McGrath, marketing director at ing straight up, and taking on bril- Spring Meadow Nursery, which develops P liant new hues in 2011, while colorful are the themes of this shrubs for the Proven Winners marketing home gardeners are snapping up edibles consortium, says breeders continue to and opting for containers overflowing year’s new plant introductions. focus on shrubs that are smaller, easy to with plants of every type. It may take care for, and have flowers and interesting plant breeders a bit of time to catch up foliage through as many seasons as possi- with gardeners’ inclinations, but new BY JANE BERGER ble. “We’re trying to find miniaturized ver- plant introductions for 2011 demonstrate sions of shrubs we know are successful and that growers, despite a difficult economy, consumers demand,” he says. are getting the message. tural shift rather than just a trend. “People Here are some of the plants that repre- One of the hottest new trends taking want to have edibles as part of their gar- sent the new directions in gardening in the hold all over the country is vertical garden,” he says, “so what we’re starting to see coming year. is edibles being used as ornamentals.” Dan Heims, president of Terra Nova VEGETABLES AND FRUITS Nurseries in Oregon, says that during If you like vibrant colors, try adding some tough economic times, “people are look- vegetables to your ornamental garden this ing for value.” Thus new introductions of year. Blazek says anything that gives gar- workhorse perennials such as coral bells deners “bragging rights,” like a purple car- (Heuchera spp.), daylilies (Hemerocallis rot, is popular because it’s something “you spp.), and coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) can’t buy in a supermarket.” So you might continue to be popular, he says, because want to try magenta-fleshed ‘Watermelon’ they have long seasons of interest, are easy heirloom radishes from Renee’s Garden or to grow, and, in the case of coneflowers, deep purple ‘Amethyst’ dwarf stringless make excellent cut flowers. beans from Thompson & Morgan.

‘Pink‘Pink Lemonade’Lemonade’ blueberryblueberry dening, according to Diane Blazek, executive director of the National Gardening Bureau. Because people don’t have the space, she says, they want plants that will grow five or six feet up rather than wide. Landscape designers and public gardens all over the country are installing vertical walls bursting with texture and color; the largest one in the country, at 3,590 square feet, recently opened at Longwood Gar- dens in Pennsylvania. The local food movement and the growth of farmers markets in many communities continue to spur extraordinary interest in edible plants of all kinds. Nicholas Staddon, the director of new plant introductions at Monrovia Growers, says the continued popularity of organic ‘Orange Wellington’ tomato gardening and food plants signals a cul-

12 the American Gardener berries. Monrovia’s Nicholas Staddon says apricot or orange, holding its color into this three- to four-foot-tall plant makes a autumn. Growing to 12 feet tall and perfect hedge because the evergreen foliage slightly broader, it bears the typical fuch- takes on a purple-pink color in autumn. sia-colored redbud flowers on bare If you are looking for neighborhood branches in early spring. bragging rights, be the first on your For western gardeners, Lucretia Hamil- block to grow the ‘Pink Lemonade’ ton™ desert willow (Chilopsis linearis, blueberry (Zones 4–8, 8–1), which has Zones 6–10, 10–6) is a hummingbird true pink berries that have a sweeter fla- magnet selected for its naturally compact vor than the standard fruits. Developed habit. Discovered by Ron Gass of Moun- through the USDA’s breeding program, tain States Nursery and offered through this hybrid blueberry is being released High Country Gardens in Santa Fe, New through wholesale Briggs Nursery in Mexico, it provides a long-blooming sum- ‘Watermelon’ radish Washington. It grows four to five feet mer display of burgundy-red flowers. It tall and about as wide. grows to the lower extent of its size—12 to Another option is Blue Suede®, a 18 feet high and wide—in USDA Zone 6. new hybrid blueberry for Zones 6 to 9, Proven Winners’ Little Lime™ pani- 9 to 1 from Gardener’s Confidence Col- cled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata lection. Though it blooms later than ‘Jane’, Zones 3–8, 8–1) is a dwarf version other varieties, fruits ripen sooner. It of the brand’s popular ‘Limelight’ selec- grows three to five feet tall and wide and tion. It grows only three to five feet high has fiery fall color. and wide, with the same upright, long- TREES AND SHRUBS If you’re in the market for a shade tree, the Emerald City™ tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera ‘JFS-Oz’, Zones 5–9, 9–2) from J. Frank Schmidt Nursery in Boring, Ore- gon, is one to consider. An upright grow- ‘Kalibos’ cabbage er, it tops out at 50 to 60 feet with a 25-foot spread. Its foliage is darker green and From Johnny’s Selected Seeds comes glossier than the typical native trees found ‘Defiant PhR’, a new tomato bred to be re- in eastern forests, turning golden yellow in sistant to the fungal diseases that have rav- fall. Although introduced a few years ago, aged tomato crops the last couple of years. it is only now becoming readily available This mid-size tomato is highly resistant to at the retail level. late blight and somewhat resistant to early A petite tree with exciting potential is blight. The six- to eight-ounce, deep red, Rising Sun™ redbud (Cercis canadensis globe-shaped fruits are medium-firm ‘JN2’, Zones 5–9, 9–2), released through with good texture and flavor. Garden Debut. The heart-shaped foliage Rising Sun™ redbudredbud Tomato lovers may also want to try ranges in color from lemon-yellow to ‘Orange Wellington’ from Ball Horticul- tural and W. Atlee Burpee. This colorful, Hydrangea paniculata Little LimLime 12-ounce, mid-season indeterminate variety is nearly seedless. A compact fennel, ‘Orion’, from Cook’s Garden, is a must for small households. Cook’s is also offering a unique red-colored ‘Kalibos’ cabbage that can be planted in spring for a late-summer and fall harvest. Blueberries are among the stars of the new edible revival, hence one of Mon- rovia’s top new plants is Bountiful Blue® blueberry, (Vaccinium corymbosum ‘FLX- 2’, Zones 5–9, 9–1), which has blue-tinged Chilopsis linearis Lucretia Hamilton™ foliage and bears loads of large, sweet

January / February 2011 13 of All-America Rose Selections (AARS) Juniperus horizontalis ‘Gold Strike’ winners, a grandiflora type called Dick Clark™ (Rosa ‘WEKfunk’, Zones 6–9, 9–1). Its flowers open white with a pink edge, then begin to blush when the sun hits the petals, finishing up with a deep burgundy color. Proven Winners has picked up a Weeks rose called Home Run® (Rosa ‘WEKcisbako’, Zones 4–9, 9–1) for 2011. This shrub rose has single scarlet blooms, excellent black spot and mildew resistance, and “a capacity to bloom and bloom,” according to Carruth. He warns against deadheading, however, lest you snip off the forthcoming flowers. Jackson & Perkins introduced this year’s second AARS winner, Walking on Sunshine™ (Rosa ‘Jacmcady’, Zones 6–9, 9–1), a vigorous and disease-tolerant flori- flowering lime-green blooms that eventu- I fell in love with this selection when I vis- bunda rose with ruffled, banana-yellow ally fade to pink. Suitable for a container, ited Iseli a couple of years ago. Discovered flowers that exude a mild anise scent. It it could light up a small deck or patio. in 1998 by Mike and Ken Yeager of Hick- grows to about four feet tall and wide. If you have room for another hy- ory Hollow Nursery in New York, its David Austin’s five new roses include drangea, Bailey Nurseries is introducing name aptly describes its flowing habit. An- Lady of Shalott (Rosa ‘Ausnyson’, Zones Bella Anna™ (Hydrangea arborescens other Iseli winner is ‘Gold Strike’, a dwarf ‘PIIHA-1’, Zones 4–9, 9–1), a pink-flow- juniper (Juniperus horizontalis, Zones ered mophead that is part of the re- 3–9, 9–1) with a spreading habit and brilliant chartreuse needles spring through fall that take on coral tones later in the year. ROSES Roses have just been getting better and better in recent years, and the new ones for 2011 are no exception. Tom Carruth, director of research and marketing for Weeks Roses, says breeders are focusing on disease resistance, fragrance, and “floriferous plants.” For 2011, Weeks is introducing another of its steady stream Lady of Shalott rose

5–9, 9–5), which the company considers one of the best roses it has ever produced. Bella Anna™ hydrangea Early buds are orange-red, opening to chal- ice-shaped apricot blooms. Each petal is salmon-pink on the upper side and gold- blooming Endless Summer® line. en yellow underneath. Flowers have a tea Growing three to five feet tall and wide, fragrance with hints of clove and spiced it bears magenta-pink clusters of flowers apple and are borne atop a bushy shrub from midsummer into fall. with slightly arching stems. In the conifer department, a few selections from Iseli Nursery in Oregon are fi- VINES AND CLIMBERS nally reaching garden centers across the For those looking to enhance the vertical country in substantial numbers. Among dimension, Monrovia is introducing two these is ‘Niagara Falls’, a ground-hugging, new sausage vines (Holboellia spp.) as part cascading sport of the familiar weeping Dick Clark™ rose of the Dan Hinkley Collection of note- white pine (Pinus strobus, Zones 3–8, 8–1). worthy plants discovered by the renowned

14 the American Gardener Campsis radicans and Asian C. grandiflora. Holboellia latifolia ‘Ritak’ Wisteria macrostachya ‘Blue Moon’ Growing 15 to 25 feet tall, it bears clusters of salmon-rose, trumpet-shaped flowers from May to September. Vines don’t form seedpods, so flowering is continuous. PERENNIALS AND GRASSES Perennials are riding out the economic downturn with strong sales of plants that provide value in terms of vigor, long bloom, vibrant colors, knockout foliage, and texture. Dan Heims of Terra Nova Nurseries, known for his penchant for flamboyant colors, doesn’t disappoint with Heuchera ‘Midnight Bayou’ (Zones 4–9, 9–1), a stunning heat-tolerant plant with irides- cent purple leaves over a black back- plant explorer. Holboellia coriacea ‘Cathe- From the American Beauties collec- ground. Gardeners would be at a loose end dral Gem’ (Zones 6–10, 10–6) is an easy- tion (a grower consortium that includes without at least one new coneflower intro- to-grow, evergreen vine with glossy green North Creek Nurseries in Landenberg, duction, so Heims obliges with Echinacea leaves and clusters of highly perfumed Pennsylvania), comes a new cultivar of ‘Flame Thrower’ (Zones 4–9, 9–1), distin- flowers in late winter and early spring. It the Kentucky wisteria (Wisteria guished by bright orange flowers that make was found growing on the wall of Win- macrostachya ‘Blue Moon’, 3–9, 9–3). a real statement when massed. chester Cathedral in Britain. Holboellia Much less aggressive than the Asian wis- Over the last couple of years, Blooms latifolia ‘Ritak’ (Zones 6–10, 10–6) flow- terias, this American native selection of Bressingham has been releasing pen- ers from early to late spring, with purple- grows to 25 feet high with fragrant, stemon selections developed through the lavender, cinnamon-scented, fuchsialike lavender-blue flower clusters. University of Nebraska’s highly regarded blooms followed by fleshy lavender-pink Introduced by Novalis, Madame Rosy® breeding program. A promising new one fruits. Hinkley located it in a remote cor- trumpet vine (Campsis ‘HOMR’, Zones is Penstemon ‘Sweet Joanne’ (Zones 5–8, ner of northeastern Nepal. 5–9, 9–6) is a hybrid between the native 8–5), which grows to two feet tall with

Wholesale Nurseries/Marketing Consortiums Visit these companies’ websites to locate retail sources for Spring Meadows Nursery, www.springmeadowsnursery.com. their plants. Terra Nova Nurseries, www.terranovanurseries.com. Weeks Roses, www.weeksroses.com. American Beauties, www.abnativeplants.com. Anthony Tesselaar Plants, www.tesselaar.com. Bailey Nurseries, www.bailynurseries.com. Retail Sources Ball Horticultural Co., www.ballhort.com. The Cook’s Garden, Warminster, PA. (800) 457-9703. Blooms of Bressingham, www.bloomsofbressingham.com. www.cooksgarden.com. Garden Debut, www.gardendebut.com. David Austin Roses, Tyler, TX. (800) 328-8893. Gardener’s Confidence Collection, www.davidaustinroses.com. www.gardenersconfidence.com. High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, NM. (800) 925-9387. Iseli Nursery, www.iseli-nursery.com. www.highcountrygardens.com. Jackson & Perkins, www.jacksonandperkins.com. Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Winslow, ME. (877) 564-6697. J. Frank Schmidt, www.jfschmidt.com. www.johnnyseeds.com. Monrovia, www.monrovia.com. Renee’s Garden, Felton, CA. (888) 880-7228. Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, www.mswn.com. www.reneesgarden.com. Novalis, www.novalis.com. Seeds of Change, www.seedsofchange.com. PlantHaven, www.planthaven.com. Thompson & Morgan, Jackson, NJ. (800) 274-7333. Proven Winners, www.provenwinners.com. www.tmseeds.com. Southern Living Plant Collection, W. Atlee Burpee & Co., Warminster, PA. (800) 333-5808. www.southernlivingplants.com. www.burpee.com.

January / February 2011 15 both suited to sun or shade. Redhead— Echinacea ‘Flame‘Flame Thrower’Thrower’ a bright red color with a velvety texture—grows 18 to 24 inches tall; Crimson Gold which has deep red leaves lined in golden green, is slightly taller. Both are spectacular in containers or borders. From Proven Winners, there are two new Superbells® Calibrachoa: the vibrant dark purple ‘Blackberry Punch’ and ‘Coralberry Punch’, which has coral- colored blooms with burgundy throats. I also liked the ‘Gold Dust’ Mecardonia, a great choice for filling in those bare garden spaces with cheerful yellow flowers that bloom from May to October. A dwarf with a tight, rounded habit and a spread of only 12 inches, Abutilon ‘Lucky Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ Lantern Tangerine’ from PlantHaven is

out in limited release in 2010 and now is available through Anthony Tesselaar Calibrachoa ‘Blackberry‘Blackberry Punch’Punch’ Plants. Fountainlike clumps of the white- and-green striped foliage make elegant groundcovers or container specimens in pale lavender-pink, trumpet-shaped sun or part shade. flowers in midsummer. Native plant fans will also treasure a ANNUALS AND TENDER PLANTS new baneberry (Actaea pachypoda ‘Misty You have to wonder what’s going on Blue’, Zones 3–8, 8–1) discovered at the when two companies claim to have the Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware. It has “world’s only black petunia.” If you’d like white spring flowers that are followed by to decide for yourself, try both ‘Black the doll’s-eye fruit set off by red stalks in Velvet’ petunia from Ball Horticultural fall. The fruits are poisonous if eaten, so and W. Atlee Burpee’s ‘Black Cat’, this is not a good choice if young chil- which is reported to have great disease re- dren frequent your garden. It grows two sistance and vigor. to three feet tall and wide in part shade. Ball Horticultural is releasing two new Monrovia is releasing two new Itoh coleus selections with “wow” potential— intersectional peonies—Misaka™ Beau- Versa™ Crimson Gold and Redhead, tiful Blossom (‘Smith Opus 1’) and Takara™ Treasure (‘Smith Opus 2’), suitable for summer containers. And from both Zones 3–8, 8–1. These hybrids re- Petunia ‘Black Velvet’ Anthony Tesselaar Plants, there are two sulted from crosses between herbaceous new offerings in the popular Bonfire® be- and tree peonies by the late Japanese hy- gonia series with dark chocolate leaves— bridizer Toichi Itoh. They have huge, alone with red-orange flowers (Choc Red) most eight-inch-diameter blooms that and the other with pink blooms (Choc make magnificent cut flowers. They also Pink). Both grow to 20 inches tall, mak- offer an intense sweet scent, disease re- ing perfect container or hanging basket sistance, and a five- to six-week bloom- specimens. ing cycle. Only time will tell which of these High Country Gardens is introducing plants become garden classics, but there’s ‘Blonde Ambition’, a new selection of the certainly more than enough choice for you native blue grama grass (Bouteloua gra- to find something interesting to try wher- cilis, Zones 4–9, 9–4) that bears chartreuse ever you garden. flowers on two- to three-foot stems. Another grasslike beauty is Carex os- Jane Berger is a landscape designer and himensis Everest (‘Fiwhite’, Zones 6–9, writer based in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. 9–1), a Japanese sedge selection that came She blogs at gardendesignonline.com.

16 the American Gardener ADDITIONAL SELECTIONS FOR 2011

Vegetables Hemerocallis Kokomo Sunset™ (‘SPd 06-02’ daylily) ‘Apollo’ broccoli One of five new selections in the This cross between a sprouting or cal- Enjoy 24/7 series, this reblooming abrese-type broccoli and kale produces daylily has ruffled yellow flowers with a tender stems and ruffled leaves; the red-blushed center. Zones 5–9, 9–5. floral side shoots can be harvested (Garden Debut) continuously. (W. Atlee Burpee & Co.) Iberis Absolutely Amethyst™ (‘IB2401’ candytuft) This hardy groundcover has lavender flowers. Zones 4–9, 9–4. (Proven Winners)

Tropaeolum majus ‘Buttercream’‘Buttercream’ Sedum ‘Elsie’s Gold’ Variegated foliage (silver, green, and Tropaeolum majus ‘Buttercream’ gold) contrast with shell-pink flowers (nasturtium) that age to deep magenta by fall. Two-tone pastel-yellow flowers grace Zones 3–9, 9–3. (PlantHaven) this mounding heirloom nasturtium. (Renee’s Garden) Trees, Shrubs, and Climbers

Perennials and Grasses Chaenomeles speciosa Double Take™ ‘Apollo’ broccoli (‘Orange Storm’ flowering quince) Achillea ‘Pineapple Mango’ Growing three to five feet tall and ‘Pixie’ cabbage The flowerheads on this yarrow mature wide, this shrub has extra-large, Ideal for small households, this from rich pink to yellow-salmon to pale brilliant orange-red double flowers diminutive cabbage is softball-sized primrose yellow. Zones 4–8, 8–1. in early spring. Zones 5–9, 9–5. at harvest. (Renee’s Garden) (Blooms of Bressingham) (Proven Winners)

‘Salt and Pepper’ cucumber Amsonia ciliata ‘Spring Sky’ Juniperus scopulorum First Editions® A disease-resistant, organically grown, (threadleaf bluestar) Sky High (‘Bailigh’ juniper) pickling cucumber (three to five inches A compact bluestar (to two feet) with A small, columnar juniper with dense long) with white skin and black spines. sky-blue spring flowers and bright silver blue foliage. Grows 12 feet high (Johnny’s Selected Seeds) yellow fall foliage. Zones 4–9, 9–4. and three to five feet wide. Zones 3–7, (American Beauties) 8–3. (Bailey Nurseries) Annuals and Tender Perennials Lagerstroemia Diamond Dazzle Canna Tropicanna® Black Achillea ‘Pineapple Mango’ (‘PIILAG-I’ crape myrtle) (‘LonOl’ canna) This dwarf crape myrtle grows three to Striking purple/black foliage and five feet tall and wide and bears white bright orange flowers on a four- to flowers from late summer to fall. Zones six-foot plant. Zones 7–11, 12–1. 6–9, 9–6. (Gardener’s Confidence (Anthony Tesselaar Plants) Collection)

Petunia Phantom Rosa Purple Splash™ (‘Balpephan’ petunia) (‘WEKspitrib’ rose) A vigorous grower with flowers that A relatively thorn-free climber to 12 have a cream-colored, star-shape feet. Apple-scented, wine-purple flow- pattern surrounded by black. ers are streaked and stippled in white. (Ball Horticultural) Zones 5–9, 9–5. (Weeks Roses)

January / February 2011 17 18 Plants growing the American Gardener Carnivorous in containers are uniqueecosystemsthatare easily bog gardening. If so,you’ll learn thatbogs Horrors plantstodiscover thepleasures of sacrifice andman-eatingLittle-Shop-of- will discard imagesofpre-historic human of agrowing numberofgardeners who oxymoron, read on!You maybecomeone rial—most often, sphagnumpeat. composed ofaccumulated organicmate- trient poor. Usually highlyacidic,itis orous plantsisbothwaterloggedandnu- But carniv- thekindofbogthatsupports refers toanyground thatiswater-logged. ly beautiful,carnivorous plants. best ofall,hometoarangefascinating- maintained, happilycontainerized, and, I flytrap exhibitstheremainsofadigestedfly. Atlanta BotanicalGarden.Above:AVenus Left: Hybridpitcherplantsbloomatthe easy andentertainingproject. with carnivorousplantsisan Making acontainerboggarden Loosely interpreted, theword “bog” words “boggarden” strikeyou asan snakey, andthe andsquishyunderfoot F YOUTHINK BY CAROLEOTTESEN of bogsasslimy,

LEFT: CAROLE OTTESEN. RIGHT: COURTESY OF STEFANO ZUCCHINALI HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN BOG GARDEN PLANTER

Containers make it easy to satisfy the needs of carnivorous plants, which are: an acidic, low-nutrient growing medium, mineral-free water, consistent moisture, and full sun. The growing medium is a blend of fine sphagnum peat and children’s playground sand that has been washed. To supply the plants with mineral-free water, you must collect rainwater or use bottled drinking water labeled sodium-free; simply boiling tap water will not remove minerals. One of the attractions of growing 1. PREPARING. Combine equal amounts 2. PLANTING. Arrange the potted plants carnivorous plants is their low mainte- of sphagnum peat and sand in a buck- on the surface of the filled container nance. For several years, I’ve grown et with water until you get a mudlike until you get a design you like. A tip: them in containers left outside year mixture. You can also mix in perlite or Set taller plants either in the middle round in an exposed area of my USDA pine needles for texture. Then fill the or off to one side. Then make a hole in Zone 7, AHS Zone 7 garden in Mary- container with the mixture—firming it the growing medium below each plant land. I’ve lost some sundews and down to remove air pockets—to within and insert the plants, tamping down Venus flytraps to smothering by sphag- two inches of its rim. Set the container gently around the rootballs. num moss but not to winter cold. in a water-filled tray. —C.O.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED ■ Assorted carnivorous plants ■ Container with a drainage hole and a deep dish or tray that holds water in which the container can be set to keep the growing medium wet ■ Sphagnum peat ■ Sand (well washed) ■ Perlite or pine needles (optional) 3. FINISHING. Carefully arrange wet 4. MAINTAINING. Water regularly to keep ■ Bucket for mixing growing medium pieces of live sheet sphagnum moss medium wet. Remove the occasional ■ Water (mineral free) on top of the growing medium around weed and overgrown sphagnum moss as ■ Sheets of live sphagnum moss each plant. This makes the container needed. Plants go dormant in the winter. more attractive and also helps prevent In spring, cut off dead parts with prun- the medium from drying. ing shears before growth resumes.

The kinds of plants that live in this nu- necessitating a hot and steamy greenhouse Being able to watch these ornamental trient-poor habitat descended from prim- in which to grow them,” writes nursery- natives dine has great entertainment value itive pre-historic ancestors and have had man Peter D’Amato of California Carni- as well as a practical aspect: Plants that eons to develop cunning mechanisms for vores in The Savage Garden, which feed themselves don’t need fertilizer. In deriving nourishment by means other received an AHS Book Award in 1999. “In fact, fertilizer, good soil, and mineral-en- than from the soil. In other words, they truth…most carnivorous plants grow in riched water are all too rich a diet for most trap their own food. temperate climates…and the North carnivorous plants. What they need is “Most folks assume that such weird American continent has the widest variety pure water, a sterile, acidic growing medi- vegetation certainly must come from of ornamental carnivorous plant genera in um, and a place in the sun. These simple

CAROLE OTTESEN (4) some far-off, exotic, and tropical country, the world.” needs render them ideally suited for life in

January / February 2011 19 20 narily ornamentalhybridsandselections. it willenrichyour bogwithextraordi- ment andlikeliertoyieldhealthyplants, plants isnotonlyeasyontheenviron- are endangered. Buying propagated vested species from thewild andcertain page). Many bogplants are illegallyhar- utable source (see“Sources,” opposite you purchase your plantsfrom arep- are native toNorth America.Just besure especially sincemanycarnivorous plants den environment isactuallyquiteeasy, Finding plantswell suitedtoaboggar- GARDEN FORTHEBOG PLANTS plants are theultimateshow-and-tell. gardens withtheirravishing,ravenous under thedishwasher. Containerized bog or thedesiccatedanoleyou finallyfound fell offwhenthecardoorslammedonit, grandma’s gallstones,thefingernailthat to beimprisonedanddigested.Forget as pitcherplantslure unsuspectinginsects lization. Theywillwatchwithfascination been dulledby years ofconcentratedcivi- them. Theirghoulishcuriosityhasnot primitive beingstheyare, love totend take care ofthem. way, theirculture issoeasy, achildcan with otherplantsorgrown alone.Either a containerwhere theycanbecombined Actually, young children, beingthe the American Gardener a white-toppedpitcherwithmaroon-red (ABG), isSarracenia leucophylla released by theAtlanta BotanicalGarden gated by tissueculture. One ofthese, lar flowers have beenselectedandpropa- with gorgeousleaves andspectacu- spp.) outstanding pitcherplants makes anattractiveandunusualcenterpieceforapatiotable. Sitting inadeep,water-filledtray,thisterracottaplanterofbloomingredpitcherplants Over thelastdecadeorso,anumberof (Sarracenia ‘Tarnok,’ to Californiaand Oregon. Above: Theaptly-named cobraorchidisnative substance thatservetoensnare insects. leaves showstheexudeddrops ofasticky Left: Acloseupviewofasundew’s tentaclelike a handylandingpad.From here, thein- the plant’s lip—astructure thatdoublesas glands andbrightred veins attractprey to to lure, trap, anddigestfood.N Every aspectoftheiranatomyisadapted stay showy from springuntilfall. veins. It flowers bearscranberry-red that Pitcher plantsare eatingmachines. ectar

TOP: CAROLE OTTESEN. BOTTOM (2): COURTESY OF NOAH ELHARDT Sources California Carnivores, Sebastopol, CA. (707) 824-0433. www.californiacarnivores.com. Carnivorous Plant Nursery, Derwood, MD. (301) 519-7505. www.carnivorousplantnursery.com. Sarracenia Northwest, Eagle Creek, OR. (503) 630-7522. http://cobraplant.com.

Resources Carnivorous Plants of the United States and Canada by Donald E. Schnell, Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2002. Growing Carnivorous Plants by Barry Rice. Timber Press, Portland, OR, 2006. International Carnivorous Plant Society, www.carnivorousplants.org. The Savage Garden by Peter D’Amato, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, Califor- nia, 1998.

sects—often flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) and ant species—are lured down inside the pitcher—almost always a one-way trip. Downward-pointing hairs accelerate progress down, but impede any escape upward. Farther along the tubular leaf is the Endangered green pitcher plant (Sarracenia oreophila) grows wild in a Georgia wetland. slippery slope. On its sticky edge, the un- fortunate insects struggle, then plummet around it and digestive enzymes begin rare, protected, or at-risk plants. And to their deaths in the drowning pool at the their grisly work. three pitcher plant species as well as the base of the pitcher. Cobra orchid (Darlingtonia californi- Venus flytrap have been listed as “feder- Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is ca) resembles a cobra head with a hood ally endangered.” well-named. Its eyelid-shaped leaves form and “fangs”—a fishtail-shaped appendage Ironically, while digging up a single two halves of an efficient trap. When lured below the hood. Native to California and Venus flytrap in North Carolina could by nectar, an insect lands on one of the coastal Oregon, cobra orchids are denizens land you in jail with fines up to $50,000, leaves and the eye shuts. Large hairs, like of running water in areas underlain by ser- razing an entire bog to make way for a eyelashes, act as bars to keep it imprisoned pentine rock—habitat requirements that housing development doesn’t seem to while enzymes in the leaf glands digest it. are difficult to duplicate in a container gar- raise an eyebrow. “In the United States, While Venus flytrap is endangered in the den. Insect prey are attracted by a sweet over 95 percent of the original carnivo- wild, plants have been produced by tissue nectar fragrance and may fly or crawl to rous plant habitats along the southeast- culture. A beautiful red cultivar, ‘Akai Ryu’ the rolled edge of the plant’s mouth from ern coastal plain are gone,” says (sometimes listed as ‘Red Dragon’) was in- which they topple into the depth of the D’Amato, adding, “the devastation and troduced by ABG in 1997. pitcher’s hollow leaf. Downward-pointing disappearance of carnivorous plant habi- Sundews (Drosera spp.) have long hairs impede escape. tats throughout the world is currently be- tentaclelike leaves that are covered with a yond alarming.” sticky substance that glitters like dew in RARE AND ENDANGERED PLANTS the sunlight. It also acts as a powerful Carnivorous species turn up with discour- Carole Ottesen is a contributing writer for glue, so when an insect lands on the aging regularity on rare and endangered The American Gardener. This is an adapt- leaves it is stuck fast. As the insect strug- lists. Over 30 species and sub-species of ed version of an article she wrote for the

COURTESY OF U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE gles to escape, hairs on the tentacles close Sarracenia appear on many state lists of magazine in July/August 2003.

January / February 2011 21 22 pansies the evening advanced. thatgrew strongerlemony perfume as light thattheflowers alight, gave forth around four o’clock, Ifoundtomy de- at open theirceriseormagentatrumpets rich loamysoil,andwhentheyreally did seeds. Theplantsgrew quicklyinour me how toplantthebig,black,knobbed (Mirabilis jalapa).My mothershowed G by the flat every spring. Iwouldkisstheir by theflatevery Statuesque jasmine tobacco My secondlove wasthebig-flowered the American Gardener Fragrant Annuals Fragrant Annuals (Viola and love were fouro’clocks the firstplantsIcametoknow ROWING UP ✕ wittrockiana) BY RANDB.LEE BY RANDB.LEE in Connecticut, (Nicotiana alata) (Nicotiana we bought is idealforacottage garden,drawingeveningpollinators withitsfragrantflowers. your garden. increase sensoryappealin or bedsisaneasywayto annuals inmixedcontainers Integrating sweetly-scented (Ipomoea tricolor) ‘Clarke’s Heavenly Blue’ morning glories later Ifoundagaininwallflowers. faces, breathing that inarichperfume I wasalsotakenwiththeheirloom that Sarah Jane Hodge dug infallforreplanting thenextspring. der tuberous perennials; theirroots canbe Zone 6garden. Andfouro’clocks are ten- that overwintered regularly inourUSDA pansies are perennials actuallyshort-lived morning gloriesare annuals.Those true Of theplants mentionedabove, only VERSUSTENDERPERENNIALS ANNUALS delight me,nearly55years later. tion toflower gardening, andtheystill tuce. Fragrant annualswere myintroduc- let- blossom theysmelledlikeperfumed summer. WhenIstuckmyfaceintoa next doorgrew upherswingsetevery

CATRIONA T. ERLER True annuals are plants that complete with its rich maroon blossoms; ‘Lady their entire life cycle within one growing Grisel Hamilton’, which bears three to four season. Of the true annuals bearing scent- lavender blossoms per long cutting stem; ed blossoms, many bloom at night or bear and ‘Mrs. Collier’, which bears numerous rather pale-hued flowers adapted to shade, white to cream blossoms. ‘Incense Mix’ is in their wild forms at least. This minimal a very fragrant mixture of cream, pink, color occurs because, from an evolution- white, and bicolor varieties. ‘April in Paris’ ary viewpoint, scent in flowers serves to at- is one of Shepherd’s favorites. “The scent tract pollinators, primarily butterflies, is much fuller and richer than that of most moths, and flies, which are drawn more to modern varieties,” she says. For borders or scent than to color. Scent is rare in bright containers, Shepherd recommends short- blue, blazing red, and rich gold flowers be- er varieties such as the superdwarf ‘Cupid’ cause these are adapted to attract bees or or the semi-dwarf ‘Jack and Jill’. hummingbirds, which are drawn to color Mignonette (Reseda odorata, Zones 0, more than scent. Since true annuals do 6–1) is nothing much to look at: a green not survive winter, the USDA Hardiness leafy Mediterranean weed with more or Zone for them is listed as “0”. less upright stems to 20 inches high, bearing thin, somewhat fleshy oval leaves and TRUE ANNUALS spikes of nondescript, pale creamy-green Perhaps the best known scented true an- flowers (unkind writers often describe nual is the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus, them as “dull whitish”) with orange to USDA Hardiness Zone 0, AHS Heat rust-colored anthers. But the fragrance Zones 8–1). A Sicilian wildflower, it is one that arises from the blossoms, once of the few members of the pea family Sweet pea selection ‘Lady Grisel Hamilton’ sniffed, is never forgotten: intense, sweet, (Fabaceae) to bear a perfume. It’s a favorite has fragrant lavender-blue flowers. delicious, exciting, and absolutely French. of Renee Shepherd of Renee’s Garden, lo- Mignonette’s common name, translat- cated in Felton, California. “They come in where the winters are relatively mild, we ed directly from the French, means “little gorgeous colors, and their fragrance is ex- plant sweet peas in fall with the bulbs,” she darling,” and in 19th-century Paris it was quisite and unduplicatable…somewhere says. “In cold climates, they’re best plant- often grown in windowboxes. ‘Red between honeysuckle and orange blos- ed in very early spring.” (For additional Monarch’ has deep red anthers, and ‘Gran- som,” says Shepherd. She explains that suggestions from regional experts, see “Re- diflora’ has larger-than-usual flower clus- growing them is easy, provided they are gional Recommendations,” page 27.) ters with yellowish anthers. But the best planted at the right time; they are Particularly well-scented cultivars, all of strains to look for are the ones University daylength sensitive, requiring longer days which can get up to four feet (and thus of Georgia horticulturist Allan Armitage to trigger growth and bloom. “Out here, need support), include ‘Black Knight’, recommends: ‘Fragrant Beauty’ and ‘True Machet’. You will never find these plants in garden centers; you must grow them yourself, from seed. Annual thorn apples (Datura spp.) belong to the deadly nightshade family (Solanaceae), and all parts of the plants, especially the seeds, are highly poisonous. But their tubular to funnel-shaped, night- blooming, upright to dangling flowers are not only beautiful but also among the most fragrant in nature. Downy thorn apple, also called angel’s trumpet (Datura innoxia, Zones 0, 12–4), is a fuzzy-leaved annual native to Central America. A big sprawler, it can grow to three feet tall and four to six feet wide, with large, broadly oval, sometimes wavy-edged green leaves. Its eight-inch-long tubular, white to lavender, green-veined flowers have flared, often wavy, five-lobed lips. The distinctive fruits are egg-shaped, with long

TOP: DAVID CAVAGNARO.BOTTOM: JOSHUA MCCULLOUGH Intense fragrance more than compensates for mignonette’s somewhat bland-looking flowers. slender spines. The flowers are most fra-

January / February 2011 23 24 A cultivarof cana, gardenregular soilinfullsun. todry soil, andtheplantsare idealfortubsand seeds sprout readily inwarmwell-drained arefruits studdedwithconicalthorns. Thespherical heavily night-perfumed. and tripleforms.Thewhitesare themost white, orpaleyellow, andincludedouble to 10lobes,comeindark purple,shining wide blossoms,withlipscomposedofup serrated leaves. Thefragranteight-inch- blue-green, oval, wavy-edgedtocoarsely footer, native tosouthernChina.It sports issolong.” nectar becausethetrumpet boscis longenoughtoreach theflower’s creatures inourregion thathave apro- which, saysRasmussen,“may betheonly hawk moths,orhummingbird moths, company inNebraska. It attractsevening mussen, owner ofthe Fragrant Path seed grant atnight.It’s afavorite ofEd Ras- Moroccan toadflax Thorn apples’ shinyblackangular Datura metel the American Gardener Zones 0,9–1)isanannualsnap- Datura metel, Datura (Zones 0,12–4)isasix- (Linaria maroc- ‘Belle Blanche’hasfragrantwhiteflowerssuffusedwithpink. portion totheirsize. portion farout ofpro- ously pungent perfume they exudeacomplex,winelike, deliri- dish-magenta withagoldpalate, and 16 inchestall,itsflowers are adark red- your socksoffat20paces.Growing 14to chantment’, isfragrantenoughtoknock combinations. Andonestrain,‘En- wide rangeofsizes andexciting color a lightercolorforgoodmeasure. oftheflower),mouthy part patchedwith with anorangetoyellow “palate” (the They bloominabrilliantviolet-purple blossoms: heldatthetipsoftheirstems. about thesewildflowers are theirspurred inches longatmost.Whatisremarkable higher up—getaboutone-and-a-half ing toalternatingandwidelyspaced whorls lower down ontheirstemschang- tall. Theirnarrow leaves—arranged in right branchingplantscanget16inches ingly, toMorocco. In thewild,up- dragon relative thatisnative, unsurpris- The manyhybridvarieties offera an artfulblendof pink,white,andgreen. ‘Vintage Rose’stock hasdoubleflowersin is appear ontheshelves. One exampleofthis als treated toaseasonofgrowth before they ters are infacttenderperennials orbienni- Many plantssoldasannualsingarden cen- GROWNASANNUALS PLANTS FRAGRANT of your pansiesandJohnny-jump-ups. spring bulbbed,orplantingtheminback in spring.Try scatteringtheseedsinyour beforeplanted asyoung starts, thelastfrost cool weather. Theyshouldbesown, or well-drained soils,and sandy orotherwise nial inthecabbagefamily(Brassicaceae). double blooms;plantsreach 12to15inch- heat-tolerant strainwithupto70percent Seven-Week Mix’ isanearly-blooming, half theirflowers are double.‘Trysomic ly fragrantheirloomcuttingstrain;nearly by abouteightincheswide)isanextreme- Mammoth Column’ (twotothree feettall strongly scentedthanthesingles.‘Excelsior acinths. Typically, thedoublesare more brassicaceous rankness,likeaginghy- soms smellheavilyofcloves, withahintof ple, delicatebuff, [and]cream.” Theblos- old, wornchintzhues:“old rose, dimpur- Louise Beebe Wilder describesas perfectly or doubleflowers inwhatgarden writer Most produce singlespikesoffour-petaled which mostgarden stocksare derived. day-scented stock,isthespeciesfrom stock The plantsgrow bestwithfullsun, Matthiola incana (Matthiola spp.), whichisabien- (Zones 5–8,8–5),the

TOP: ROB CARDILLO. BOTTOM: DONNA KRISCHAN Sources Annie’s Annuals and Perennials, Richmond, CA. (888) 266-4370. www.anniesannuals.com. The Fragrant Path, P.O. Box 328, Fort Calhoun, NE 68023. Thompson & Morgan, Aurora, IN. (800) 274-7333. www.tmseeds.com. Renee’s Garden, Felton, CA. (888) 880-7228. www.reneesgarden.com.

Resources Annuals and Tender Plants for North American Gardens by Wayne Winterrowd. Random House Books, New York, 2004. Armitage’s Garden Annuals: A Color Encyclopedia by Allan M. Armitage. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2004. Armitage’s Manual of Annuals, Biennials and Half-Hardy Perennials by Allan M. Armitage. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2001. Discovering Annuals by Graham Rice. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 1999.

es tall. ‘Vintage Series’ (15 to 20 inches tall belong to the cabbage family and have very by 12 to 14 inches wide) makes well- similar growing requirements. Their long, branched plants with up to 60 percent narrow leaves are stiff and dark, lustrous double flowers in burgundy, dusty rose, green; with age the stems and branches be- ‘Fragrant Delight’ is one of the reliably lavender, peach, red, white, or pale yellow. come woody. Their four-petaled blossoms fragrant selections of heliotrope. Stocks are said to prefer well-drained may be primrose, gold, lilac, mauve, red, soil but in Santa Fe, where I live, they do orange, cream, or bicolored, and they bear curling trusses that bend towards shifting perfectly well on our alkaline clay so long a soft, sweet, slightly musky perfume with available light. as their site is augmented with lots of com- a hint of Russian leather. Heliotrope’s fragrance can vary consid- post and given some protection from the Seed-strains include ‘Charity Mix’, erably not only from cultivar to cultivar worst of the New Mexico afternoon sun; which grows to 10 inches tall; it blooms but also from plant to plant. Strains said to stocks, like their relatives, broccoli and in fall and again the following spring; be reliably perfumed include ‘Fragrant De- cabbage, like to be grown cool. ‘Harlequin’ grows 10 to 12 inches, with a light’, which bears rich purple blossom Wallflowers (Erysimum cheiri, former- very wide color range; ‘Super’ is extra-tall clusters on plants 18 to 24 inches tall by ly Cheiranthus cheiri, Zones 3–7, 7–1) also at 14 to 16 inches, in ruby, rose, chamois, about 24 inches wide; ‘White’ (also listed scarlet, and gold. as ‘Alba’), which bears beautiful white flow- Named single-color cultivars include ers that smell like vanilla baby powder; ‘Old Bloody Warrior’, a rare antique clon- Scentropia™ ‘Dark Blue’ and Scentropia™ al variety sporting fully double flowers in ‘Silver’ (both to 15 inches tall), which bear dark cinnamon red; ‘Harpur Crewe’, an large scented clusters of purple or snow- exquisite double gold; ‘Cloth of Gold’, a white blossoms, respectively. rich yellow; ‘Covent Garden’, a warm or- The plants do best with cool condi- angey-rust; and ‘Vulcan’, with deep vel- tions and moist, compost-enriched, well vety crimson flowers. drained soil; they are hardy to about 45 de- Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens, grees Fahrenheit. Zones 11, 12–1 is a half-hardy perennial in Jasmine tobacco (Nicotiana alata, the borage family (Boraginaceae). The Zones 10–11, 12–1) is an upright tender plants bear pointed, oval, corrugated, perennial herb native to Argentina and dark green leaves, grayish on their un- Brazil. Plants grow four to six feet tall by dersides and a bit fuzzy, sometimes pur- about a foot wide, with sticky, sparsely plish around the edges. They can reach branched stems and large, spoon-shaped, five feet high in their native Peru and in leaves that connect to their stems by the Pacific Northwest, but in most Amer- winged petioles (alata means “winged”). ican gardens are unlikely to top two feet. The two- to four-inch-long, trumpet- Their very small flowers are funnel- shaped blossoms are white with five flared shaped, with five flared petals at the tips; star-shaped petals. They open in summer Wallflowers, like their cabbage-family they come in white, lilac, violet-blue, from late afternoon to early morning, re-

BOTTOM: ROB CARDILLO. TOP: MARK TURNER relatives, thrive in cooler weather. purple, and deep violet, and are borne in leasing an exquisite, far-ranging jasmine-

January / February 2011 25 26 Plant name MORE FRAGRANTANNUALS Eschscholzia caespitosa Eschscholzia Zaluzianskya capensis Zaluzianskya Viola majus Tropaeolum fragrans Proboscidea drummondii Phlox lindleyi Mentzelia grandiflorus Linanthus tricolor Gilia caespitosa Eschscholzia Dianthus caryophyllus Dianthus breweri Clarkia iberidifolia Brachycome eobry pny flowers. Lemonberry’ (pansy) (nasturtium) (red annualphlox) (grand linanthus) (tufted poppy) (Swan Riverdaisy) ngtplx summerflowers,scentissweetestatnight. nativetoBolivia flowersinyellow,orange,andscarlet. flowersblotcheddarkerpurpleandbandedin orange-redatbaseinsummer. (night phlox) ‘Double GleamHybrids’ chocolate-scentedbellflowerswithpurple- (sweet unicornplant) (blazing star) todoublefringedflowers.Bloomsfirstyear (bird’s eyes) one-inchdaisiesinsummer.Spreadingplants, ‘Early DwarfVienna’ (syn. ‘Mixed Colors’ the American Gardener ✕ Eucharidium breweri) Eucharidium wittrockiana ‘Loveliness’ RdFr”4–18/6–10 “Red Form” Fzy –/–0Vr wel cne,fil,ylo n upeHbi rgn8–11,9–1 Hybridorigin Verysweetlyscented,frilly,yellowandpurple 6–8/8–10 ‘Fizzy egtSra Characteristics Height/Spread 21/81 inilsotlvdprnil epyfigd yrdoii 3–9,9–1 Hybridorigin Biennial/short-livedperennial.Deeplyfringed, 12–18/ 8–10 21/2Hnysetd eds-upe n ht ot fia9–11,12–5 SouthAfrica Honey-scented,reddish-purple,andwhite 0,12–1 12–18/12 Hybrid(species Semi-trailing,sweetlyscented,semidouble 0,11–4 0,9–1 TexastoMexico 12/6–12 Five-lobedleaves;fragrantviolet-redtopurple California 12–40/36 0, 8–1 Featheryleaves;evening-scentedgoldcups, 0,9–1 10–20/9 0,12–1 California Fernyfoliage;sweetlyscented,whitetolavender- 14–20/9–20 California California Featheryfoliage;half-inch,violettolavender, Sweetlyscentedyellowcups;fernyfoliage. 12–30/6–12 7–10,10–7 8–10/10 0,9–1 Europe Tenderperennial.Richlyclove-scented,single California 0,12–1 Xericannual.Pendant,richlyscented,fringed 14/10 Australia 8/9–12 Sweetlyscentedblue,pink,violet,andwhite 10–12/24 (inches) Gilia tricolor Gilia Crimson, sweetlysoap-scentedflowersinsummer. flowers insummer;bloomsfirstyearfromseed. strongly perfumedwhite,pink,lilac,orrose bright yellow;decorativeseedpods. dryish soils. spotted throatsandbluepollen.Summer,for from seed. pink flowersAprilthroughJune. Red formisthemostfragrant. flushed cups;mid-springtosummer. good forbaskets. Average torichsoil. Zaluzianskya capensis Zaluzianskya ea 0,12–1 Texas rgnUSDAHardiness, Origin and Colombia) AHS HeatZones

LEFT TO RIGHT: DAVID CAVAGNARO, JERRY PAVIA, JUDYWHITE / GARDENPHOTOS REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS In addition to my own favorites, here are recommendations from experts in different regions of the country. Renee Shepherd, owner of Renee’s Garden in Felton, California, is partial to heliotrope, which, she says, “is an old-fash- ioned cottage garden flower that smells like cherry pie.” The semidwarf ‘Marine’ is the strain she grows. Shepherd reports that sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima, Zones 10–11, 12–1) is the annual that draws the widest range of pollinators and other beneficial insects to her garden. “I love its sweet meadow grass fragrance,” she says. Ed Rasmussen, owner of the Fragrant Path seed company in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, places jasmine tobacco (Nicotiana alata) high on his list of favorite scented annuals for his region. He plants it at the edge of his patio, near his computer room where he often finds himself in the evening. “There it mopes during the day, but I am not there to notice it then,” he says. “Come evening, the large white stars expand and release their rich perfume into the night air.” He cites several advantages to this scented annual: “You really only need to plant it once since it will reseed and come back on its own. It can tolerate light frosts so usually lasts well into the fall. Another advantage is that it will grow and flower in a fair amount of shade.” Moonflower (Ipomoea alba, Zones 10–11, 12–10) is also a favorite of garden writer and consultant Linda Askey, who lives in Alabama. She suggests cutting a mature, spiral-shaped bud to place in a vase indoors to open, where it will release its sweet fragrance. Another Askey favorite is woodland tobacco, also known as white shooting stars (Nicotiana sylvestris, Zones 10–11, 12–1). Na- tive to Argentina, these vigorous, strong-stemmed plants grow three to five feet tall by three feet wide, and bear sweetly scented clusters of night-fragrant blossoms—each flower is a white, five-lobed trumpet with a very long, thin corolla tube. —R.B.L.

rose through red, crimson, and purple. Many seed strains exist, most without much scent to my nose even at night. There are some exceptions. N. ✕sanderae ‘Perfume’ strain (10 to 12 inches tall) bears upward-facing blossoms all summer in a wide range of colors. The flowers possess respectable late afternoon to morning fragrance, particularly in humid climates, and one color, ‘Perfume Deep Purple’, is a 2006 All-American Selections winner that flowers in a riveting, saturated grape. ‘Domino Mix’, to 14 inches, comes in nine colors and is reputed to have good afternoon fragrance, too. But my favorite N. ✕sanderae strain is a Russian heirloom called ‘Perfect’. Plants grow two to three feet tall, with scented blooms in gorgeous muted pastels: dusky plum to terracotta and rose.(For additional scented annuals see page 26). All good things come to an end. When For border edges, grow compact nicotiana hybrids such as ‘Perfume Deep Purple’. the first fall frost blackens the annuals growing in my Santa Fe yard, I mourn like scent that brings hawk moths and nicotianas available in most garden centers. them. They seem so eager to please, with other pollinators out in droves. They are the result of crossing jasmine to- their bright faces and sweet perfumes; they Jasmine tobacco is easily raised from bacco with N. forgetiana, a Brazilian an- sparkle so readily in my beds, borders, seed in a sunny to partly shady spot in rich nual or short-lived perennial garden species boxes, and window ledges; they endure so soil, and will often self-sow; the plants are bearing purplish-scarlet and green blos- uncomplainingly the snobbery of those reputed to be root-hardy south of USDA soms. N. ✕sanderae is a shrubby, sticky- who dismiss them as “mere annuals.” I Zones 7 or 8. Set them in the ground or in furry, day-blooming plant that grows one urge you to stuff as many as possible into tubs outdoors against the wall beneath to two feet tall or more depending on the your garden next year. I certainly will. your bedroom window, and your dreams cultivar, with wavy-edged, spoon-shaped will be sweet indeed. leaves. Its N. forgetiana genes have been A regular contributor to The American Gar- Nicotiana ✕sanderae (Zones 10–11, 12–1) coaxed into a range of somewhat muddy dener, Rand B. Lee is a garden writer based

DONNA KRISCHAN is the botanic moniker for the bedding colors from green, lilac, pink, salmon, and in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

January / February 2011 27 a horticulturalepicenter River Farm 28 a horticulturalepicenter River Farm turies-old trees andotheruniqueplantsto heritage, includingcen- horticultural Virginia already boastedanimpressive acre alongthePotomac property River in most fourdecadesago. At thetimethis25- its current atRiver Farm headquarters al- tural Society (AHS)whenitmoved into new, exciting, andalittlechaotic. ning agarden outback. Everything felt neighbors. Maybe you even beganplan- residence. You togetknow started the the quirks andcharacteristicsofyour new and redecorating, you begantodiscover R educational programsandoutreachtomembersgardenersnationwide. living exampleoftheSociety’s mission,andaplatformfromwhichtheorganizationdelivers Steeped inhistory, theAmericanHorticulturalSociety’s headquartersatRiverFarmisbotha River Farm’sfour-acre AndréBluemelMeadowserves asavisitor’sdestinationand anoutdoorclassroomforschool groupsandgarden So itwasfortheAmericanHorticul- the American Gardener with unpackingyour belongings moved home?Along intoanew EMEMBER THE last timeyou making friendswithresident ghosts. furnishings,and coat ofpaint,somenew ty torevitalize theAHS.But first,afresh home presented a tremendous opportuni- thisnew spaces andcrampedquarters, many years ofoperatingoutborrowed George Washington himself. Andafter cal legacy, oncebelongingtoPresident treasure. Thelandalsohadarich histori- neer whoworked inthehomeconstruc- owner Malcolm Matheson, Sr. Anengi- homefromAHS acquiringitsnew then our firstpresident wasthecatalystfor at River Farm, theland’s connection with Though George Washington never lived PAST A STORIED philanthropist andAHSBoard member vened tostopthesale. ington thattheState inter- Department land oncebelongingtoGeorge Wash- the ideaof“foreign interests” occupying sale whippedupsuchapublicfuror over stead, mediareports oftheprospective staff retreat forRussian dignitaries.In- River Farm mighthave endedupasa there notbeen a ColdWar goingon, bassy expressed interest andperhapshad tiful riverfront property. TheSoviet Em- offersforhisbeau- he beganentertaining family. In 1971, anticipatingretirement, tate formore than five decadeswithhis tion industry, Matheson lived onthees- A coupleofyears later, horticultural BY VIVEKANEVELN clubs.

JAMES GAGLIARDI Enid A. Haupt enabled the Society to acquire River Farm with a $1 million donation. On May Day in 1974, Haupt and First Lady Patricia Nixon helped the AHS open its new headquarters. Addressing the crowd of horticultural and government dignitaries invited to the event, then AHS President David Leach said, “River Farm represents an opportunity to preserve an historic heritage while at the same time es- tablishing a national center dealing with

Above: Pat Nixon, left, and Enid A. Haupt were guests of honor at the dedication of the new AHS headquarters on May 1, 1974. Top right: A visiting children’s group gets an introduction to growing vegetables in containers. Bottom right: A majestic Osage orange (Maclura pomifera) tree at River Farm was recently named the national champion.

the most important components of our environmental crisis. It is our wish to maintain a living and livable landscape for the enjoyment of future generations.” This “historic heritage” was one of the first things the AHS began digging into upon assuming ownership of River Farm (for a timeline of key dates, see “The George Washington Connection,” page 32). Though little remains from Wash- ington’s time, the foundations of the main residence (now known as the Estate house) appear to be original to the mid- 1700s, when the land was known as in the meadow leading down to the Po- others that he pulled the trigger in the gar- Clifton’s Neck. Over the years, one of the tomac River. Years later, Lear dubbed it den at his Washington, D.C., home. most notable residents of this modest Wellington, most likely in honor of the Whichever version is true, River Farm staff home was Tobias Lear, Washington’s per- Duke of Wellington, one of heroes of the members sometimes attribute odd hap- sonal secretary, who was given rent-free Battle of Waterloo, which brought an end penings to Lear’s restless spirit. use of the property in 1795. to Napoleon’s reign in 1815. A year later, Along with the walnuts, another arbo- When Lear took up residence, he Lear shot himself with a pistol, though the real example of living history at River

MORTON BROFFMAN / AHS ARCHIVES. TOP RIGHT: VIVEKA NEVELN. BOTTOM MARY YEE named his home Walnut Tree Farm, pos- details are sketchy and there are conflicting Farm is a gigantic, gnarled Osage orange sibly because of the venerable black walnut reports as to where the suicide occurred. tree (Maclura pomifera). This tree, esti-

TOP LEFT: trees (Juglans nigra) that to this day remain Some sources indicate he died at the farm, mated to be more than 200 years old, was

January / February 2011 29 30 honor ofGeorge Washington and the Wellington estateRiver Farm in Soon aftermoving in,theAHSrenamed HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL TO FROM PRIVATE ESTATE gracious livinginthe1930s. “gentleman’s estate” from abygone eraof a visitorseestodayisreminiscent ofa scape features of that periodsowhat many oftheproperty’s prominent land- of River Farm, theAHShasmaintained trees. Since takingover thestewardship sweeping lawns, andstatelyspecimen Picture neatlytrimmedboxwood hedges, ated aparklike landscapearound it. sively renovated theEstatehouseandcre- ’30s, whentheMatheson familyexten- trees datetothe1920sand andshrubs the United States. designating itthelargestofitsspeciesin pion by theNational Register ofBig Trees, recently recognized asaNational Cham- on treesgatheratRiverFarm. Right: ParticipantsinanAHSGardenSchool River FarmincludeagroveofFranklintrees. Above right:Uncommonandrareplantsat event sponsoredbythehorticultureindustry. new plantintroductionsduringaspring Above: RiverFarmservedasashowcasefor Many ofRiver Farm’s otherlarge,old the American Gardener daylilies, ivies, irises,roses, andazaleas. American gardens, includingdahlias, boxwoods someofthebestplantsfor societies have woven amongRiver Farm’s making enhancementstoRiver Farm. these idealswithitsown missionwhen the Society hasendeavored todovetail tical experimentation,andconservation, innovation,legacy ofhorticultural prac- ing inspirationfrom thefirstpresident’s opened thegrounds tothepublic.Tak- For example,over theyears several plant one ofthesecamellias madeitswayinto USDA plantbreeder William Ackerman, of River Farm’s woodland.Developed by winter andearlyspringontheedge every of hardy camelliasthatbloomprofusely result ofaplanttrialinthe1980sisrow U.S. National Arboretum. Anotherhappy ofanevaluation programas part forthe (Franklinia alatamaha) (Ilex opaca), macrocarpa) Near toatowering burroak(Quercus a grove ofrare Franklin trees and ancientAmericanholly was plantedin1983

TOP LEFT: AHS STAFF. TOP RIGHT AND BOTTOM: VIVEKA NEVELN annual National Children & Youth Gar- den Symposium, this garden has been a model for similar gardens around the country. Area school groups often take field trips to this garden and it has served as an outdoor classroom for the AHS’s own programs for young gardeners. Another of the AHS’s key messages— sustainable gardening—is exemplified by River Farm’s four-acre André Bluemel Meadow. Originally a swath of lawn slop- ing down to the Potomac River, this area is now planted with native perennials and grasses to provide wildlife habitat and a more earth friendly alternative to turfgrass. Visitors can catch glimpses of the Washington Monument and admire the river views while exploring the meadow. For most of the year, the meadow hums with the activity of all sorts of wildlife, from pollinating insects and songbirds to small mammals such as foxes and ground- hogs. As one of the few such ecosystems in the area, it is often a destination for garden Each year, future horticulturists learn real-world skills while participating in the AHS’s clubs, school groups, bird watchers, and Horticultural Internship program. Here, two interns learn how to properly prune a formal photographers. The meadow has also in- espalier of apple and pear trees at River Farm. spired a recently published book about meadow-making and has been featured in the trade as ‘River Farm Beauty’. A demon- provide year-round interest in the gardens. other gardening books and articles. stration orchard planted in 1981 showcases Reflecting one of the AHS’s most im- As a testament to River Farm’s exem- cultivars of apple, pear, and persimmon portant initiatives, River Farm’s children’s plary gardens, the American Society for trees developed for the mid-Atlantic re- garden encourages exploration of the nat- Horticultural Science designated it as a gion. Thousands of other native and exot- ural world through play. Completed in horticultural landmark in 2004. This ic plants round out the collections and 1993 in conjunction with the Society’s first honor is given in recognition of a site’s “historical, scientific, environmental, and aesthetic value.” “River Farm is an American icon, one that gardeners are fortunate to have ownership of through the AHS,” says Univer- sity of Georgia horticulturist Allan Armitage, who is currently an AHS Board member. “As a gardener and lover of plants, I am not as interested in how his- torically wonderful it may be. I am drawn to the magnificent vista of the Potomac, I see the wildflower meadow and the gardens beckoning me to explore.” CELEBRATING AMERICAN HORTICULTURE Not only has River Farm become the em- bodiment of the AHS’s multi-faceted mission, its gardens and grounds have provided a fitting place for the Society to bring together the equally diverse field of horticulture. For home gardeners, hands- Shown here during filming for a Today Show feature on author Catherine Zimmerman, the on workshops teach practical techniques

TOP: MEREDITH SOEDER / AHS ARCHIVES. BOTTOM: JAMES GAGLIARDI André Bluemel Meadow has been widely profiled in national and regional media. such as tree planting and pruning, guid-

January / February 2011 31 THE GEORGE WASHINGTON CONNECTION

A portion of a 1,800-acre parcel of land that has changed hands numerous times since Virginia was colonized, what is now River Farm has been home to a variety of people, starting with the Native Americans who frequented the area. Here are some highlights of River Farm’s history prior to the AHS’s occupancy.

1653 Captain Giles Brent acquires a grant for the 1,800-acre tract of land that includes River Farm. The property is called Pis- cataway Neck. 1739 The land passes to William Clifton, who married into the Brent family. He renames it Clifton’s Neck and builds the original house at River Farm in 1757. 1760 Clifton sells the property to George Washington, who called it his “Neck Plantation.” A portion of this land becomes what Washington calls his River Farm, comprising seven fields and 1,200 acres. 1790 As a wedding present, Washington gives his nephew George Augustine Washington and his wife Fanny Bassett use of Walnut Tree Farm, the northernmost parcel of the Neck Plantation totaling some 200 acres, which includes the land the AHS’s River Farm is on today. 1795 Washington’s personal secretary Tobias Lear takes up residence at Walnut Tree Farm, now as the husband of Fanny Bassett, who had been widowed in 1793. Years later, Lear renames it Wellington. 1816 Upon Lear’s death, the property returns to the Washington family. 1859 Charles Augustine Washington sells 652 acres of the Neck Plantation to three Quaker broth- ers. One of them, Isaac Snowden, lived on what is now the AHS’s River Farm. 1866 280 acres including River Farm was sold to new owners. Over the next 60 years, the land is subdivided and sold off for summer homes for D.C. residents. Malcolm Matheson, Sr. 1919 Malcolm Matheson Sr. purchases Wellington—now a 27-acre estate—and extensively renovates the house and gardens. 1971 The Soviet Union tries to purchase the property as a retreat for its diplomats. The U.S. State Department intercedes to stop the sale because of its historic connection to the country’s first president. 1973 The AHS purchases the now 25-acre property using a generous donation from the Enid A. Haupt Charitable Trust, renaming it River Farm in honor of George Washington. ed tours allow visitors to discover new tor Tom Underwood. “The result is a plants to try in their own gardens, and place where the past and present com- lectures by gardening experts inspire and mingle, old and new ideas harmoniously instruct on everything from flower ar- mesh, and every aspect of horticulture and ranging to rain gardening. gardening is celebrated and spotlighted.” Gardening personalities have used the At the core of the Society’s work is a AHS’s headquarters as a stage set and passionate belief that gardens and garden- demonstration site for television and ing can change lives and make the world radio programs. For the horticulture in- a better place, as manifested by River dustry, River Farm has served as a venue Farm. To that end, more gardens, more for evaluating new introductions from educational programs, and new facilities national and international plant devel- will continue the evolution of River Farm opment companies. And every year, the into a center for American horticulture. AHS holds an awards ceremony honor- Much like strong roots help a plant to ing national horticultural leaders who thrive, River Farm provides an anchor for have made outstanding contributions to the AHS’s important work. This home fields such as garden design, urban beau- base enables the Society to provide au- tification, horticultural communication, thoritative gardening education and re- and teaching. sources while directing progress in the “What truly sets River Farm apart is horticultural field so that every gardener that, while it has such a fascinating histo- and every American may benefit. ry, its evolution is on a continuum rather than remaining frozen in a particular pe- Young visitors admire a crape myrtle in River Viveka Neveln is associate editor of The

riod of time,” says AHS Executive Direc- Farm’s children’s garden. American Gardener. TOP: AHS ARCHIVES. BOTTOM: LINDA MCINTYRE / AHS ARCHIVES

32 the American Gardener

BY ANDREWBUNTING 34 Cutting-Edge Trees trees are outthere. to findoutwhatotherup-and-coming around thecountry woody plantexperts I’ve alsocompared noteswithother scapes andare gettingtoknow. worth for broader useinAmericanhomeland- Many ofthesetrees have shown potential plant huntersorotherbotanicalgardens. uncommon andrare speciesoftrees from From time totimewe alsogetinmore gardens andcollectionsforevaluation. flowering cherries,whichwe addtoour genera, suchasmaples,ashes,oaksand cultivarsof new fairlycommontree work ascurator, receives asteadystream in Swarthmore,Pennsylvania, where I use. For seedlings of In 1993,theScottArboretum received six TREE PEARLBLOOM CHINESE A sinensis in 1996.Discovered incentral China,P. plant distributionby Raulston,whodied I willdiscuss—were ofanannual part These trees—as well asacoupleofothers the JCRaulstonArboretum) inRaleigh. olina State University Arboretum (now culturist J.C.RaulstonoftheNorth Car- Zones 6–8,AHSZones 8–5)from horti- gardens havebeenevaluating. promising treesthatbotanical limb, considersomeofthese you’re willingtogooutona and-true specimentrees?If Ready togobeyondthetried- the American Gardener was introduced toWestern horti- ate new plantsforhomelandscape ate new boreta, akeymissionistoevalu- T MANY example, theScottArboretum Poliothyrsis sinensis public gardens andar- (USDA color, theendsofbranches are covered just whenthe garden needsasplash of growing conditions.In July andAugust, tolerant ofpoorsoilsanddifficult very ciduous trees thrive infullsunandseem mately 30feettall.Thesefast-growing de- trees attheScottArboretum are approxi- as Chinesepearlbloomtree. Flacourtiaceae, it issometimesreferred to A memberofarelatively obscure family, boretum inJamaica Plain, Massachusetts. son, whoprovided seedstotheArnold Ar- culture in1908by planthunterE.H.Wil- Now, 17years later, thethree remaining beautiful trees oftheChineseforests.” scribed itas“one ofthemoststrikingly introduced by E.H.Wilson, whode- henryi menopterys Another summer-blooming tree is BEAUTY SHY FLOWERING ly easytogrow from seed. orange andyellow. It hasproven relative- green, oblongleaves turnbeautifulhuesof into winter. In thefall,lustrous, dark orative seed capsulesthatoftenhangon white flowers; theseare succeededby dec- in large,loosepaniclesofsmall,yellowish- Poliothyrsis sinensis Poliothyrsis Poliothyrsis sinensis Poliothyrsis (Zones 7–9,9–6),also Em-

ANDREW BUNTING In the wild, trees have been known to reach more than 100 feet tall, but most plants in cultivation are significantly smaller; the likely mature size is 30 to 50 feet. The ovate to oblong leaves, adorned by a pink petiole, are large and tropical-looking. Part of the mystique of this tree is that it takes many years before it sets flowers. The first tree to flower in the United States was in a private collection in Silver Spring,

Sassafras tzumu

Emmenopterys henryi

Maryland, in 1994. Since then, other plants have flowered at the JC Raulston Arboretum, at Quarryhill Botanical Gar- den in Glen Ellen, California, and at the Scott Arboretum. The gardener’s patience is rewarded by the funnel-shaped white flowers, which bloom in large terminal corymbs from June to July. The smaller flowers are surrounded by large white bracts that appear to float above the foliage. From late summer to fall, spindle- shaped seed capsules develop. The tree thrives in full sun with moist, fertile soil. Swarthmore, in USDA Zone Euscaphis japonica 7a, seems to be at the northern edge of its hardiness range. in 1985. It is native not only to Korea, but exhibit a slight white striation, which pro- also to Japan and eastern China. vides winter interest. Quarter-inch, yel- SWEETHEART TREE After growing slowly for years, our lone low-white flowers bloom in terminal Another of the trees the Scott Arboretum specimen is now a stunning small tree 15 inflorescences in early to midsummer. received through the Raulston distribu- feet tall; current estimates are that the tree’s The tree’s most stunning attribute, tion was Euscaphis japonica (Zones 6–8, mature size will be 25 to 30 feet. Our tree is however, is its fruits. In late summer, the 8–6), sometimes referred to as the sweet- single-trunked and branches at about six sprays of small, green, leathery, heart- heart tree, a plant Raulston himself feet. Its glossy, pinnately compound leaves shaped fruits turn to light pink, gradually

TOP LEFT AND RIGHT: ANDREW BUNTING. BOTTOM: BILL JOHNSON brought back from a trip to South Korea turn purple in the fall. The gray branches darkening to a striking cerise. From Octo-

January / February 2011 35 36 Atlanta BotanicalGarden. Botanical Garden inVancouver; andthe the University ofBritish Columbia California BotanicalGarden atBerkeley; Glen Ellen, California;theUniversity of BotanicalGardensuch asQuarryhill in dens by way ofbotanicalinstitutions ways intoAmericannurseriesandgar- sis. gensis, M.yunnanensis, M.kwangtun- M. chapensis,ernestii, such asMagnolia biondii, M.cathcartii, duced. Amongtheseare Asiannatives ing magnoliaspecieshave beenintro- In thelast20years,andexcit- manynew NEW MAGNOLIAS and thesoutheasternUnited States. climated toboththePacific Northwest USDA Zone 7bsouth andseemswell ac- 40 feettallin10years. It ishardy from ous tree thatIgrow.” Thistree canreach intense—perhaps betterthananydecidu- autumncoloritprovides“The islongand ley, wholives inIndianola, Washington. says plantexplorer andauthorDan Hink- not known nearlyas well asitshouldbe,” growing tree inthePacific Northwest and and orangeinfall. turn similarlybrilliantshadesofyellow three-lobed) asournative speciesand three shapes(entire, mitten-shaped, and Sassafras albidum, tiered effect.Theleaves are largerthan branching habitthatgives itanelegant, species hasasympodial,orlayered, ofChina. the centralandeasternparts tzumu another memberofthegenus, color. Iammuchtakenwiththebeautyof and itsstunningorangeyellow fall growth habit,itswildlife-attractingfruits, gardens, itisprized foritsthicketlike States. Althoughnotwidelycultivated in oftheUnitedthroughout theeasternpart (Sassafras albidum), Many gardeners are familiarwithsassafras ASIAN SASSAFRAS quite striking. contrast between thepinkandblackis dangle from anopeninginthepod.The open up, revealing shinyblackseedsthat ber intoNovember, beginto thefruits Of these, I particularly likeM.yuyua- Of these,Iparticularly “It’s afantastic,highlytexturalandfast- Like theAmericansassafras,this These speciesare slowly findingtheir the American Gardener (Zones 7–9,9–6),whichisnative to but comeinthesame and which isnative M. yuyuanen- Sassafras mer. Eachfeatures sixleathery, creamy- they appearinlatespringandearlysum- fleeting, theflowers are stunningwhen tic boatshape.Althoughsomewhat row, dark green leaves have acharacteris- mature heightof25to40feet.Thenar- right evergreen specieswithanexpected nensis, whichisabeautifullyshaped,up- Magnolia yuyuanensis Magnolia Exbucklandia populanea Exbucklandia Exbucklandia populanea Exbucklandia cient specimensmore than100feettall. Scott McMahan an- reported observing of Bhutan, where Georgia plantsman region inandaround thetinykingdom to bronze castinwinter. reports thattheleaves takeonacoppery tus Nursery nearPortland, Oregon, also Algerian ivy.” Hogan, theowner ofCis- as “lookingforalltheworldlikeagiant All Seasons, glossy green leaves. In hisbook shaped tree thathasinterestingly lobed, hazel family. It isanupright,pyramidal- 10–7), acuriousmemberofthewitch is Another strikingbroad-leaved evergreen HAZELRELATIVE WITCH ington, D.C. in Overland Park, Kansas,andinWash- tum inPickens County, South Carolina, flourishing atMagnolian Grove Arbore- termined, butIamaware ofspecimens adaptability ofthisspeciesisstillbeingde- red clusterofstamens.Thehardiness and white tepalssurrounding adeeppurple- Exbucklandia populanea The plantisnative totheHimalayan Sean Hogan describesthese (Zones 8–10, Trees for

TOP: COURTESY OF JOHN GRIMSHAW. BOTTOM: ANDREW BUNTING MORE UNCOMMON SPECIMEN TREES TO CONSIDER

Plant name Height/Width Notable characteristics Origin USDA Hardiness, (feet) AHS Heat Zones Acer laevigatum 45/30 purple tint; entire, non-lobed leaves; evergreen China, India, 8–10, 10–7 Nepal, Vietnam Alangium chinense 20/15 white flowers; single trunk or multi-stem; yellow fall color China 6–9, 9–6 Cathaya argyrophylla 60/30 upright, conical, pinelike tree; evergreen; China 6–9, 9–6 Cinnamomum 45/18 emerging foliage is soft pink; evergreen China 7b–9, 9–7 chekiangense Clethra monostachya 15/8 white, slightly fragrant flowers in summer; yellow fall color China 7–10, 10–6 Lagerstroemia 20/20 white flowers; cinnamon-colored flaking bark; orange-yellow Japan, China 7–9, 9–6 subcostata fall color Pinckneya bracteata 20/15 large pink flowers in early summer; dull yellow fall color southern Georgia 7–9, 9–6 and northern Florida Platycarya strobilacea 45/25 fine foliage, interesting bristly, conelike fruits; yellow fall color China 6–9, 9–6 Quercus buckleyi 50/30 rounded habit, medium-sized; red fall color Texas 5–9, 10–6 Sycopsis sinensis 15/15 yellow to red flowers; interesting upright habit; evergreen China 7–9, 9–7

Clethra monostachya Lagerstroemia subcostata

It’s hard to imagine the tree attaining of collections from northern regions or nificant. Among the few plant groups such heights in North America, but I higher altitudes, which would contribute that are truly deer-proof is Daphniphyl- have seen specimens growing equally well to them being more winter hardy. lum, a member of the daphne family at Plant Delights Nursery near Raleigh, According to Hogan, Exbucklandia is that is only just starting to find its way North Carolina, and at the UC Botani- difficult to propagate, which explains why into nurseries. cal Garden at Berkeley, where there is a it is not yet more widely available. While there are a number of Daphni- century-old specimen that is 25 feet tall. phyllum species and cultivars hardy to the Yet at the Atlanta Botanical Garden DAPHNIPHYLLUM Southeast, California, and the Pacific (ABG), the staff has tried this tree on nu- Throughout eastern North America, Northwest, only two are reliable in the merous occasions without success. Jamie one of the biggest challenges for gar- Northeast. One, D. humile, is a slow- Blackburn, ABG’s curator of woodland deners is browsing by white-tailed deer. growing rounded shrub reaching only gardens, suggests that this is probably Many plants are listed as deer resistant, about five feet tall and wide over 10 to 15 due to an issue of provenance, where but this designation means very little in years. More pertinent to this discussion

LEFT: BILL JOHNSON. RIGHT: SAXON HOLT some plants in cultivation are the result areas where the deer population is sig- is D. macropodum (Zones 7–10, 10–7),

January / February 2011 37 which will become a large shrub or small tree in the mid-Atlantic states, growing up to two feet a year to reach 15 to 25 feet tall at maturity. Daphniphyllum macropodum resembles a rhododendron. Its large leaves are glossy, dark green above and silvery- white beneath, supported by petioles that are sometimes a striking pink-red. The clusters of emerging pink flower buds are highly ornamental in March and April, but the small green or purplish flowers are fairly inconspicuous. Although fruit set is not reliable, the grapelike fruits are deep blue-black with a slight white sheen, contrasting nicely with the pink petioles in early summer.

Resources “A Late Summer Ornamental: Poliothyrsis sinensis” by Stephen A. Spongberg, Arnoldia (Fall 1994 issue). http://arnoldia.arboretum. harvard.edu/pdf/articles/918.pdf. Daphniphyllum macropodum International Oak Society, www.internationaloaksociety.org. International Magnolia Society, Daphniphyllum macropodum seems to Coast, there are several fine specimens in www.magnoliasociety.org. be fairly adaptable to exposure. At my the range of 40 to 50 feet tall at the UC Manual of Woody Landscape Plants home garden in Swarthmore, I planted a Botanical Garden at Berkeley, the Uni- (6th edition) by Michael Dirr. Stipes small specimen in dense, dry shade at the versity of Washington Botanic Gardens Publishing, Champaign, Illinois, base of a Norway spruce (Picea abies). in Seattle, and the University of British 2009. Despite this inhospitable site, the plant is Columbia Botanical Garden. Native Trees for North American thriving. Equally vigorous specimens are Descriptions in reference books would Landcapes by Guy Sternberg with growing in both deep shade and full sun lead readers to believe this is a finicky plant Jim Wilson. Timber Press, Portland, at the Scott Arboretum. that will only grow in sheltered humid Oregon, 2004. forests, yet I have seen wonderful speci- Trees for All Seasons: Broadleaved TAIWANESE CONIFER mens growing with very little protection at Evergreens for Temperate Climates One of the most elegant of all the the United States National Arboretum in by Sean Hogan. Timber Press, conifers is also one of the most obscure Washington, D.C., at the Bartlett Arbore- Portland, Oregon, 2008. in cultivation. Introduced in 1921 by E. tum in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at H. Wilson, Taiwania cryptomerioides the Atlanta Botanical Garden. At the Scott Sources (Zones 8–9, 9–7) is native to the western Arboretum, we planted our first specimen Cistus Nursery, Sauvie Island, OR. slopes of Mount Morrison in Taiwan. In this past fall. I suspect that with a little pro- (503) 621-2233. 1931, it was given the Award of Merit by tection it will thrive in USDA Zone 7a. www.cistusnursery.com. the Royal Horticultural Society, but since Colvos Creek Nursery, Vashon, WA. then has existed as a rarity even in botan- FRANKLINIA REINVIGORATED (206) 749-9518. ical gardens. For the last several years there has been a www.colvoscreeknursery.com. Commonly known as taiwania or cof- buzz in the horticultural community re- Forestfarm, Williams, OR. (541) fin tree (the latter apparently because its garding the possibility of reinvigorating 846-7269. www.forestfarm.com. wood was used for coffins), this striking the fabled but finicky Franklin tree Heronswood Nursery, Warminster, pyramidal conifer has long swooping (Franklinia alatamaha, Zones 6–9, 9–6) PA. (877) 674-4714. branches that support drooping branch- by crossing it with closely related genera www.heronswoodnursery.com. lets cloaked in painfully sharp, bluish- in the camellia family (Theaceae). Can- Woodlanders, Inc., Aiken, SC. (803) green needles. It has reddish bark that didates for this intergeneric cross have in- 648-7522. www.woodlanders.net. exfoliates in strips. In the wild, it can cluded the drought tolerant loblolly bay

reach well over 100 feet tall. On the West (Gordonia lasianthus), an evergreen na- ANDREW BUNTING

38 the American Gardener ✕Schimlinia floribunda

Over the last decade, plant breeder Thomas G. Ranney and colleagues at North Carolina State University (NCSU) have successfully developed intermediate hybrids between Franklinia and Gordonia (✕Gordlinia grandiflora) and between Franklinia and Schima (✕Schimlinia floribunda). Although still under evaluation, these hybrids hold great potential for the gardening world. Ranney, who works at NCSU’s Mountain Horticultural Crops Taiwania cryptomerioides Research and Extension Center in Fletch- er, continues to work on refining the ornamental attributes of these hybrids. tive along the coastal plain from Virginia its large, white, camellialike flowers with a For those of us who enjoy the chance to to Florida, and Schima argentea, a south- yellow center, which appear in late sum- grow unusual trees, the options are endless. east Asian native. mer. The drooping leaves turn fire engine New plants are constantly being intro- For those not familiar with the history red in October and November, and the duced by plant collectors searching out of the Franklin tree, it was discovered along gray bark with white striations offers win- species from the farthest reaches of the the banks of the Altamaha River in Geor- ter appeal. Yet, partly because of its lack of United States and the world. Botanic gar- gia in 1765 by Philadelphia plant explorers genetic diversity, the plant also has several dens and arboreta are more than happy to John and William Bartram. The Bartrams shortcomings: It is not very tolerant of obtain seeds or cuttings, grow and evalu- collected seed, which was fortuitous be- drought, can be difficult to transplant, and ate the plants for many years, and, eventu- cause soon thereafter the wild trees van- is susceptible to root rot. Among the ob- ally introduce plants with the exciting ished—all the Franklin trees in existence jectives of crossing Franklinia with relat- potential of Emmenopterys henryi or Sas- today trace back to the Bartrams’ collec- ed genera is the possibility of developing a safras tzumu to gardeners everywhere. tion. The tree was named in honor of the plant that retains the outstanding attrib- Bartrams’ friend, Benjamin Franklin. utes of Franklinia but that would be more Andrew Bunting is curator at the Scott Ar- A specimen tree with four-season in- vigorous and tolerant of disease and boretum of Swarthmore College in Swarth-

ANDREW BUNTING (2) terest, the Franklin tree is best known for drought (and perhaps evergreen). more, Pennsylvania.

January / February 2011 39 40 by ScottAker Taking aBig-Picture ApproachtoProblem-Solving solving I’m goingtotakeinthiscolumn. personally rewarding. Andthat’s theapproach togarden problem ensure your gardening experienceisnotonlysuccessfulbutalso than treat thesymptoms.By adoptingthisphilosophy, you will lem andthenusewhatyou know toaddress the root causerather tackling issuesliketheseistounderstandthenature oftheprob- improper soilpH.From myexperience,thebestapproach to especially toxic ones—isalways alastresort. to solve theproblem. In the IPMphilosophy, useofpesticides— way, ifonemeansofcontrol isn’t satisfactory, you have otherways using acombinationofprevention andcontrol methods.That (IPM). IPMisalogicalframework forsolvinggarden problems quickly embraced,theconcept ofIntegrated Pest Management because ofconflictingadvicetheyreceived from different sources. and gardens incatalogsand magazines.Often theyfeltdiscouraged high by attempting toduplicatethemanipulatedimagesofplants deners sometimesholdthemselves toastandard thatisimpossibly that Ireally enjoyed helpingthem.Icametotheconclusionthatgar- steady stream ofquestions from panickedgardeners, Idiscovered county outsideWashington, D.C.In thecourseofresponding to a stint withtheCooperative Extensioninalargelysuburban Service first jobafterearningamaster’s degree inhorticulture wasashort My introduction tosolvinggarden problems wastrialby fire, asmy PHILOSOPHY GARDENING N much of his career helping gardeners prevent or solve garden problems. garden solve or prevent gardeners helping career his of much In this issue we are pleased to debut a new column written by Scott Aker, a nationally respected horticulturist who has spent has who horticulturist respected nationally a Aker, Scott by written column new a debut to pleased are we issue this In While working asanExtension agent,Iwasintroduced to,and the American Gardener succumbing toearlyfrosts, andplantssufferingfrom lenges suchasslugseatingyour hostas,tenderplants O MATTER where you garden, you’ll encounterchal- G ARDEN C S OLUTIONS things iskeytounderstandinghow anygarden works. the interactionofplants,theirenvironment, andotherliving the intricaciesoflifeingarden, andrealize thatunderstanding bigger picture. Most gardeners seemtoshare myfascinationwith lessonsetintheirown landscape—thatallowsry themtoseethe give ofnaturalhisto- themthebackground information—asort illuminating tasksagardener does. plant health,butcanalsobecomeoneofthemostenjoyable and garden notonlyyieldstremendous dividends inmaintaining tified intheirearlystages.Thispurposefulexaminationofthe ing plantssothatpest,disease,orculturalproblems canbeiden- them to issue, sopleasesendquestions [email protected] has writtenandlecturedextensively onthesubject. program atamajorpublicgarden inWashington,D.C.and sity ofMaryland.Healsocreated andimplementedanIPM and experimentedwithcutflowerproductionattheUniver- breeding chrysanthemumsattheUniversityofMinnesota his workasaCooperativeExtensionagent,hespenttime in theMidwestandmid-Atlanticregion.Inadditionto places Ihavesettleddownlongenoughtogarden.” gard toirisborers,andIhaveneverequaledtheminthemany grant dianthusandlilacs,irisesthatspreadwithnore- High Plains,whichhedescribesas“aplacewheredrought, Scott Akergrewupinthechallengingenvironmentof SCOTT AKER:THEANSWERMAN Whenever Ihelpanyone withagardening to problem, Itry One ofthemajorcomponentsIPMisregularly monitor- Aker willbeansweringafewgardening questionsineach Aker’s peregrinationshavetakenhimtovariouslocations The American Gardener American The the tallcolumnsofdelphiniums,fra- mate,” recallsAker.“Istillremember plants thatthrivedinitsharshcli- High Plainshaditsownpaletteof lenges andrewards.“Mycornerofthe region offersbothgardeningchal- intended results,butalsothateach the bestplansdon’talwaysyield short one.”Helearnedearlythateven made thelistofeasilygrownplantsa stony soil,andnearlyconstantwind at theaddresson page8.

LEFT: VIVEKA NEVELN. RIGHT: MARY YEE UNDERSTANDING THE BIG PICTURE In this column I intend to cover a variety of topics that will guide you to a deeper and more holistic understanding of what is going on in your garden. I want you to understand the way the whole system functions, so you can observe nature at work in your own garden, hone your gardener’s instincts, and learn to use your judg- ment and experience to complement the gardening information you have picked up from classes, magazines, and books.

Scott Aker is a Washington, D.C.-based horticulturist. For 10 years he wrote the “Digging In” column for The Washington Post.

Gardening Q&A PRUNING PEACHES I have three peach trees and got my first crop of fruit last summer. How and when should I prune the trees? Peach trees should be pruned so they branch low for ease of thinning, spraying, and harvesting the fruit. You want to aim for a trunk that is about three feet in height with four main branches arranged at the top of the trunk and growing out- ward from it. You should then remove all the weak branches from each of these scaffold branches, as well as any branches that are growing downward and any branches growing upright. If these scaffold branches aren’t present in the right position, you may have to cut back the top portion of the trunk to stimulate branching at a lower level. Wait to prune your trees until the buds begin to swell in spring. Early pruning may cause the trees to break dormancy too soon, resulting in a greater chance of injury from late frost.

RECALCITRANT AMARYLLIS I received an amaryllis last Christmas and I followed the after care instructions, growing it in a large pot on the patio all summer. In September, I brought it into the basement and let it dry thoroughly. I brought it upstairs and started watering it, but it refuses to grow. What did I do wrong? Hippeastrum species that have been bred to develop the modern amaryllis are native to subtropical areas where there’s a pronounced difference between warm, rainy summers and cooler, drier winters. They need about 10 weeks of temperatures around 55 degrees Fahrenheit during their dormant period. I give my bulbs some of their cold treatment by leaving them outdoors in an area sheltered from rain until threat of killing frost. I then move them to an unheated space to finish their dormant period. If you want the leaves to begin to grow at the same time the flower stalk develops, place your amaryllis in a warm location that remains a consistent 75 to 80 degrees, such as the closet that houses a hot water heater. Then, water the pot and put it where it can get strong indirect light. It sounds like you started chilling your amaryllis at the right time, but I suspect your basement just wasn’t cool enough to meet the need for chilling. —S.A.

January / February 2011 41 42 by ChristyBracey Tasty andEasy-to-GrowParsley pesto, andsalads. popular ingredient insoups,stews, latter hasamore flavor assertive andisa decorative andtastygarnish,whilethe neapolitanum). Theformerexcels asa Italian orflat-leaf(P. crispum curly-leaf as beta-carotene, iron, andfolicacid. source ofvitaminCandA,aswell parsnips. Liketheserelatives, itisagood (Apiaceae), alongwithcelery, and chervil, and tough,attractive garden plant. crispum), seed orpurchased asyoung plants, but diness Zone 3to10.It canbegrown from cally grown asanannualinUSDAHar- Although parsleyisabiennial, itistypi- GROWING GUIDELINES Above, right:Flat-leafparsley,growingherewithcabbage,hasan assertiveflavor. Above, left:Curly-leafparsleyandmarigoldsmakeanattractivepairing inthevegetablegarden. O There are twomajortypesofparsley: Parsley belongstothecarrot family the American Gardener virtues ofparsley(Petroselinumvirtues cans have beendiscovering the VER THE which is a versatile culinary herb which isaversatile culinary (P. crispum last decade,Ameri- var. crispum) and var. Parsley also grows well incontainers. growing seasonwillpromote lushgrowth. providing consistentmoisture duringthe post intothesoilpriortoplantingand drained soilwilldo. Incorporating com- in sandyloam,butjustaboutanywell- ternoon shadeisbeneficial.It grows best in regions where summersare hot,lightaf- greater choiceofvarieties. growing from seedensures you have a tion—such asrow covering, strawmulch, tion toamixed containergarden. als. Either typemakesanattractive addi- well inmixed annu- plantingsofcolorful fernlike habitofflatleafvarieties combines for ornamentalbeds,whilethe elegant, types makeabrightgreen, compactborder The tightlycrinkledleaves ofthecurly-leaf placement outsideofthevegetable patch. and goodlooksrecommend themfor and 12incheswide.Theirmoundingshape OERW HARVEST HOMEGROWN Parsley plants average 10to18inchestall Plant parsleyinfullsunorlightshade; In many areas, providing some protec- C a source plants. ofnew insects, andseeds mayself-sow, providing develop flowers, theywillattractbeneficial and texture. If you letsomeofyour plants the leaves are lessappealingbothinflavor until theybegintoflower; afterflowering, second-year plants continue toharvest thewinteroutdoors.Youlikely survive can good lightisavailable. use inwinteraslongacoolspotwith over thesummercanbetakenindoors for winter. inpotsoutdoors Plants started the fallwillallowthroughout harvesting or acoldframe—astemperatures drop in days aftersowingseed. Harvesting canbeginabout70to80 DAYS TOMATURITY tap root. care istakenwhendiggingupthelong Seedlings canbetransplantedaslong when theyareaninchtotwoinchestall. Thin seedlingsto1218inchesapart SPACING tolerate lightfrost. while theweatherisstillcool.Plants center andtransplantedinspring they canbepurchasedatagarden keep themevenlymoist. cool. Coverseedslightlywithsoiland den inspringwhiletheweatherisstill Outdoors: when theyreachabouttwoinchestall. seedlings andtransplanttothegarden mat tospeedgermination.Hardenoff lightly withseed-startingmix.Useaheat seeds inwaterovernight,thencoverthem prior tothelastexpectedfrost.Soak Indoors: GETTING STARTED Planting Basics In USDAZones 5to11,parsleywill If onlyafewplantsareneeded, Sow seedseightto10weeks Sow seedsdirectlyinthegar-

DAVID CAVAGNARO (2) If parsley has an imperfection, it’s slow RECOMMENDED VARIETIES and inconsistent germination caused by Flat-leaf varieties are my personal favorite Sources natural compounds in the seed coat. for cooking. ‘Gigante Italian’ is an heir- The Cooks’ Garden, Warminster, PA. Seedlings may take 20 to 40 days to loom variety with a mellow, sweet flavor (800) 457-9703. emerge, although soaking seeds prior to and flat, glossy leaves. For a bolder flavor, www.cooksgarden.com. planting and using bottom heat helps try ‘Catalogno’. Renee’s Garden, Felton, CA. (888) speed germination indoors. When sowing In addition to serving as garnish, curly- 880-7228. www.reneesgarden.com. seeds directly in the garden, keep the seed leaf varieties add flavor and texture to sal- Richter’s Herbs, Goodwood, Ontario, bed moist. A good practice is to mix radish ads, dips, and soups. ‘Krausa’ produces Canada. (905) 640-6677. seeds with parsley seeds before planting; bright green, moderately curled leaves that www.richters.com. the radish seeds sprout quickly, marking are as ornamental as they are tasty. An- the planting site for the parsley. other moderately curled variety, ‘Xenon’, produces uniform stems of dark green etables and breads, blended with butter or PESTS AND DISEASES leaves; it’s a good choice for containers. cream cheese, or stirred into soups, stews, Those same natural compounds that earn For densely curled leaves, try ‘Sweet Curly’ or pastas just before serving. It is best en- parsley seed its reputation for slow germi- or ‘Green River’—both vigorous varieties. joyed fresh. Freshly cut stems will last sev- nation prevent competition from weeds and If you prefer darker green, heavily curled eral days if wrapped loosely in a moist may deter some pests. Aphids and spider leaves, ‘Darki’ is a good choice, and it tol- paper towel and stored in a sealable plas- mites may still have a sip or nibble of plants erates low temperatures. tic bag in the refrigerator. as they grow, but can be controlled with Flat-leaf varieties are better for drying sprays of soapy water. Parsley’s only real ENJOYING THE HARVEST than the curly-leaf types. To dry, simply nemesis is the larvae of the eastern black To harvest, snip leaves from the outside of spread the leaves on a clean towel out of swallowtail butterfly. These large green and the clump, cutting them at the base of the direct sunlight to air dry. A food dehy- black caterpillars with bright yellow spots stem. Up to a third of a single, well-estab- drator or slightly warmed oven will has- are hard to miss, but they can easily be lished plant can be harvested at any time ten the drying process. hand-picked from the plants. Better yet, and will stimulate new growth. grow a few sacrificial plants to accommo- Parsley brightens and adds depth to al- Christy Bracey is a freelance writer based in date these beautiful butterflies. most any savory dish, sprinkled over veg- Crofton, Maryland.

January / February 2011 43 44 mildew mildew humans—roses sufferingfrom powdery It turnsoutthatlighttherapyisn’t justfor POWDERY MILDEW ENLIGHTENED WAYS CONTROL TO controlling thisperniciousfungaldisease Japan. Researchers have hadsuccesswith comes outofKinkiUniversity inOsaka, fronterally—on thepowderymildew mounting diseasesthrough lighttherapy. findings ofseveral otherplantssur- itself, thisdiscovery corroborates similar a response by theroses orinthefungus aren’t sure whetherthelightistriggering it can’t spread. Even thoughscientists prevents from mildew makingspores so little asonehourofred lightexposure 2010 issueof too. Astudy, publishedintheSeptember Horticultural NewsandResearch ImportanttoAmericanGardeners Another shockingdevelopment—lit- 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 the American Gardener ayad404221 igna734600 ahntn ..301.924.5400 D.C. Washington, 703.406.0802 Virginia 410.442.2310 Maryland (Podosphaera pannosa) Plant Disease, www.chapelvalley.com found thatas benefit, affects avarietyofornamentalplants. Powdery mildew have nodetrimentaleffectontheplants. tomatoes ofthemildew, and appeared to charges. Alittleshocktherapyridthe on tomatoesusingweak electrical GARDENER C (Podosphaera pannosa) (Podosphaera ’ NOTEBOOK S or Friday. timing than,say, whetherit’s Thursday plants are muchmore relevant toapest’s the insectworld,stagesofflowering keep bettertrackofbugs—because,in turists andhomegardeners canuseto goal istocreate acalendarthathorticul- plantpests.Theend stages ofcertain how theyalignwith thedevelopmental bloom phasesofspecificplantstosee across Alabama,they’re trackingthe way offightingpeskyinsects.In gardens eventually new leadtoarevolutionary Alabama are compilingdatathatwill bugsoutthere. endar-carrying poses aproblem: there aren’t manycal- pesticides according tothecalendar, this Although it’s commonpracticetoapply PHENOLOGY BEATING BUGSWITHPLANT Researchers atAuburn University in

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11 XMAS TREES 17 HYDROSEEDING 22 FLOWERING PLANT 12 REFORESTATION 18 LANDSCAPING COMPETITIONS 13 HYDROPONICS 19 PROPAGATION 23 INTERIORSCAPING 14 FIELD CROPS 20 ANTI-EROSION 24 CUT FLOWERS 15 BONSAI 21 ENVIRONMENTAL 25 WEATHER DAMAGE The science behind this calendar is 2011 PERENNIAL PLANT OF THE YEAR 16 TISSUE CULTURE IMPROVEMENT 26 WATER GARDENS called phenology, which is the study of Known by such names as Arkansas blue AT CONSCIENTIOUS PLANT DEALERS WORLDWIDE the cycles and seasonal changes of plants star and threadleaf blue star, you would Used, tipped to, and supplied by thousands of conscientious plant-selling firms. On every continent, without salesmen. and insects, and how these are affected by think that Amsonia hubrichtii’s most no- climate and weather patterns. This cal- table feature is its pale blue spring flow- REFUSE “just as good,” false, cheaply made, unbalancing substitutes – often 991/2% water. endar will help reduce pesticide use be- ers. However, it is also prized for its NOTHING IS AT ALL “LIKE” cause less pesticide is needed if problems golden-yellow fall color. Besides its abil- 50 VITAMINS-HORMONES are detected early on. ity to provide multiseason interest, this V Made in U.S.A. by VITAMIN INSTITUTE I To follow the progress of this study, low-maintenance plant thrives in a vari- 12610 Saticoy Street South, North Hollywood, CA 91605 Website www.superthrive.com TOP: COURTESY OF MIKE DEVLIN. BOTTOM: USDA’S NIFA visit http://ag.auburn.edu/phenology. ety of climates. These features have

January / February 2011 45 46 products you may want to stock in your own “green garage” or garden shed. garden or garage” “green own your in stock to want may you products den, with an emphasis on earth-friendly products and supplies. Here are a few a are Here supplies. and products earth-friendly on emphasis an with den, Rita Pelczar reports on products she has found useful or innovative in her gar- her in innovative or useful found has she products on reports Pelczar Rita cient? How about getting the scoop from another gardener? Contributing editor Contributing gardener? another from scoop the getting about How cient? lect those that will make indoor and outdoor chores easier, safer, and more effi- more and safer, easier, chores outdoor and indoor make will that those lect (Mitchell Beazley/Octopus USA,2010). olina. She istheeditor-in-chiefofAHS’s mostrecent book, A contributingeditorforTheAmericanGardener, RitaPelczar lives inNorth Car- chores doneaslipperyproblem.De-icingsaltiseffective,butcanburnnearby If youliveinacoldclimate,iceandsnowcanmakegettingyourwintergarden GROUNDSOLUTION BARE Centurion Tools, style cuttersforextrapower. have cushionedhandlesandareavailablewithratcheting to reducestrainfromrepetitivemotion.Theloppersalso equipped withcushioned,ergonomicallydesignedgrips to spotshouldyoulosetrackofthem.Theprunersare somewhere, theirbrightyellowhandlesmakethemeasy have troublerelocatingtoolsaftersettingthemdown stay sharpafterrepeateduses.Andifyou’relikemeand of toolsmorethanuptothetask.Theirtitaniumblades cilitate pruningchores,andIhavefoundCenturion’sline Sharp andsturdyprunersloppersgoalongwaytofa- CENTURION LOPPERS Lee ValleyTools,Ltd., appreciate whentotingitaroundmyfairlylargegardenonahotsummerday. ting inyourwayasyouwork.Andit’sverylightweight,somethingIparticularly sion-resistant steelframeandset-backhandlesthathelpyoustandwithoutget- helps reducefatigue.Andgettingupanddownismucheasierusingthecorro- dy. Thecontourallowsyoutoshiftyourweightbetweenkneesandshins,which simple tool.It’sakneelerwithcontourpadthatisbothcomfortableandstur- planting seedlings,handweeding—youwillprobablyappreciatetheuseofthis If youspendmuchtimeinyourgardenatgroundlevel—sowingseeds,trans- KNEELER GARDEN TOOLS CHESTNUT se- to do to gardener a what’s from, choose to products and tools many so With GARAGE GREEN the American Gardener www.centurionbrands.com. www.leevalley.com. Gardener’s Supply, a sprayeroryoucanuseyourownsprayer. up totwoweeksafterapplication.Itcanbepurchasedwith Fahrenheit. Appliedasafinespray,itremainseffectivefor effective attemperaturesdowntominus20degrees up thatresultfromtothreeinchesofsnowfall,andis ed surfaces,itreducessnowaccumulationandicebuild- plants. Bypreventingsnowandicefromclingingtotreat- to sidewalks,driveways,andpathswithoutharmpetsor additive, thisproductisbiodegradableandcanbeapplied of magnesiumchloridewithanon-corrosive,gluten-based plants soIprefertouseBareGroundSolution.Composed ® by RitaPelczar www.gardeners.com. Homegrown Harvest visit about thePerennial Plant oftheYear, pests anddiseases.For more information leave thisplantalone,asdomostinsect so longasit’s well-drained. Deer tendto shadebutisnotpickyaboutsoil or part and Oklahoma. It grows bestinfullsun AHS Zones 9–5)isnative toArkansas wide, PPA Executive Director Steven Still. gardeners cangrow withconfidence,says award program highlightsperennials that Association (PPA). Started in1990,the the Year for2011from thePerennial Plant earned itthetitleofPerennial Plant of value, beingfoundedin 1926 by Nikolai Pavlovsk Experimental Station hashistoric it wouldentailtransplantingactual plants. difficultbecause seed bankisparticularly grown infields.Asaresult, moving the these rare seedsare by preserved being primarily afieldcollection,somostof The collectionisalsouniquebecauseit varieties are foundnowhere elseonearth. versity. Ninety percent oftheseedbank’s invaluable contributiontoglobalplantdi- Pavlovsk Experimental Station makesan andberriesinitscollection,the fruits room fora housingdevelopment. near St. Petersburg, Russia, to make stroying theworld’s premier seedbank tookthefirststepstowardian court de- taken anironic twist.In August, aRuss- The internationalyear ofbiodiversity has ENDANGER WORLD’SBIODIVERSITY COULD OFRUSSIAN SEEDBANK LOSS shaped blueflowersinspring. Amsonia hubrichtii Amsonia Growing upto36inchestalland In additiontoitscollection,the With more than5,000rare varieties of www.perennialplant.org. A. hubrichtii sports clustersofstar- (USDA Zones 4–9,

STEVEN STILL / PERENNIAL PLANT ASSOCIATION COURTESY OF METRO BLOOMS resulted inexcess sediment, phosphorus, aftera storm. washed intowaterways fertilizer, oil,andotherpollutantsthat get sorb rainwater, reducing theamountof gardens are designedtocapture andab- with agoalofplanting250by 2012.Rain horn communityinstall122raingardens, the pastyear, ithashelpedthePowder- environment through gardening. Over helps tobeautifythecityandprotect the neapolis-based nonprofit organization thanks toMetro Blooms. ThisMin- borhood ofMinneapolis have discovered, what residents ofthePowderhorn neigh- neighborhood lake,plantagarden. That’s When allelsefailstocleanupapolluted THERESCUE TO GARDENS RAIN www.fooddemocracynow.org. tal Station andtolearnmore, visit todeathintheprocess. starved saved theplantsandseedsforposterity, but World War II,adozen Soviet scientists German armybesiegedLeningradduring Vavilov, aRussian Whenthe horticulturist. For thiscommunity, stormwaterrunoff To helpsave thePavlovsk Experimen- influence,” shesays.“They’re realizing that idents’ awareness oftheir environmental impact. “We’ve seenanincrease intheres- makinganeducational project iscertainly organization’s executive director, saysthe dens are having,Becky Rice,the itive environmental impact theseraingar- Blooms isworking onquantifyingthepos- swimming orfishing.WhileMetro be usedforrecreational activitiessuchas Lake tothepointthatitcouldnolonger and otherdebrispollutingPowderhorn of studentvolunteersplantsaraingarden. As partoftheMetroBloomsprogram,ateam useful earth-friendly gardenuseful earth-friendly advice. sustainable landscapepracticesandlotsof with loadable workbook ongettingstarted www.landscapeforlife.org riculum by thisspring.For now, site willprovide afullydeveloped cur- Currently initsinauguralstage,thisweb- organizations. several otherpartnering USBG andtheWildflower Centerwith landscapes, alsojointlydeveloped by the tion’s firstratingsystemforsustainable the Sustainable Sites Initiative, thena- the environment. Thisresource isbasedon to helpgardeners work withandsupport scapes forLife,anonlineresource designed have recently teameduptolaunchLand- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center The United States BotanicGarden andthe RESOURCE GARDENING NEW SUSTAINABLE Written by Editorial Intern Patrick Morgan. www.metroblooms.org. Blooms andtheraingarden project, visit water quality.” what theydointheiryards impactstheir For more information aboutMetro January / February offers adown- 2011 47 BOOKC REVIEWS

Recommendations for Your Gardening Library

The Encyclopedia of Container Plants For example, the “Purple Deluxe” design features purple fo- Ray Rogers, photography by Rob Cardillo. Timber Press, Portland, Ore- liage plants and their complementary accents. There’s a “backbone gon, 2010. 344 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $34.95. plant,” a dark-twig Japanese maple called ‘Bloodgood’ that remains in the container year-round. In spring, the bare-branched Continuous Container Gardens Japanese maple shares the stage with black mondo grass, ‘Palace Sara Begg Townsend and Roanne Robbins. Storey Publishing, North Purple’ heuchera, pansies, and tricolored garden sage. By summer, Adams, Massachusetts, 2011. 270 pages. Publisher’s price, softcov- weeping brown sedge and Microbiota decussata are added to the er: $19.95. pot. In the autumn, cranberry cotoneaster lends a seasonal touch. And an array of gold and silver conifers replaces the perennials and THE WELL-DESIGNED and hard-working container garden sedge for a sparkly winter display. has wooed and wowed gardeners for many reasons, including its The recipes and project ideas will jump-start your own de- suitability for smaller living spaces and low-maintenance envi- signs and change how you view the “year-round” potted gar- ronments. Indeed, the countless new varieties of dwarf plants and den. This is a great guide for beginners or anyone stuck in a huge selection of unique containers at garden centers should also container rut, offering all the advice needed for successful and be credited with the ever-expanding potted landscape. eye-catching container gardens. To start planning your container gardens for spring, here are —Debra Prinzing two inspiring new books to mine for ideas. The Encyclopedia of Container Plants by Ray Rogers with Debra Prinzing is a Seattle- and Los Angeles-based outdoor living photography by Rob Cardillo is exactly what it promises. This expert. Her next book is A Fresh Bouquet: Seasonal, Local, and is the go-to reference for plants that play Sustainable Flowers (www.afreshbouquet.com). well with pots. The book opens with ideas for container groupings and de- Paradise Under Glass sign styles. That’s followed by an exten- Ruth Kassinger. William Morrow, New York, New York, 2010. 347 sive tour of more than 500 outstanding pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $24.99. plants to grow in containers. In addition to providing basic growing GARDENERS KNOW WELL how an obsession can grow—or- details, the text for each plant zeroes in on chid collections, auricula theaters, stumperies—they begin to what many designers and home garden- take over our lives. In this gardening ers really wish to know: What are the memoir, Ruth Kassinger, a self-confessed plant’s aesthetic attributes? A seasoned veteran of container de- non-gardener, tells her story of falling for sign, Rogers addresses flower and foliage palette, line, form, space, gardening—in particular, falling for exot- and texture. I particularly appreciate his conversational tone and ic beauties that must live in a specially first-hand examples of growing each plant. Cardillo’s excellent im- built environment of their own. ages illustrate plant details and examples of how plants are used in Changes in her life, her sister’s death, the container. This is the book to buy when you find yourself and her own illness set Kassinger on the bored with growing the same old container plants year after year. path to plants. “Warm and humid, beau- Continuous Container Gardens by Sara Begg Townsend and tiful, ever-green, peaceful and still, a con- Roanne Robbins offers a clever and servatory would be the perfect antidote to playful approach to the year-round the losses and changes of middle age,” she writes in the intro- container. The book features duction. “It would be my personal tropical paradise where “planting recipes” for 12 themed nothing unexpected lurked in the landscape.” designs and suggestions for updat- This idea floated around in her mind until the moment ing them, season by season. The Kassinger saw her one houseplant, rescued from years of neglect, authors give each project an enter- begin to bloom after she makes an effort to save it. Then she “got taining title, such as “Cool Bark” serious.” The book chronicles the decisions she made and the or “Very Berried,” which empha- plants she chose to make her conservatory dream a reality. sizes the main color or texture that unifies the design through This is no how-to book, but a celebration of conservatories the different seasons. in all their guises, and the plants that inhabit them. Kassinger

48 the American Gardener NEW from the American Horticultural Society

A season-by-season guide to a sustainable kitchen garden

Here’s what the reviewers are saying: The book’s sumptuous tone, instructive photographs, and detailed directions should give beginning gardeners the enthusiasm and confidence to get started and organizationally challenged old-timers a sigh of relief that they won’t have to figure out what to do next. —Publisher’s Weekly

The American Horticultural Society’s experts cover a wide selection of practices to help create the healthiest, biggest, tastiest fruits and vegetables, with photographs illustrating how to plant and harvest. The seasonal format is a guide within a guide. —Joel M. Lerner, The Washington Post

Homegrown Harvest walks you through the ins and outs of edible gardening thoroughly and clearly. You’ll return to it again and again. —Kym Pokorny, The Oregonian

Available now wherever books are sold!

HOW AND WHEN TO GROW EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN YOUR OWN KITCHEN GARDEN ALSO INCLUDES… • Advice on planning, setting up, and designing your garden ■ Handy charts that tell you when • Expert, earth-friendly techniques for successfully growing to sow seeds and harvest different and harvesting herbs, fruits, and vegetables vegetables • Suggestions on the best crop varieties for different regions ■ Resource list and glossary • A season-by-season guide for bringing the freshest fruits, herbs, and vegetables from garden to plate ■ More than 300 color photographs throughout

To view an excerpt from the book, visit www.ahs.org. Hardcover, $32.50 304 pages may begin a chapter with the simple tale of buying a potted calamondin, but soon you are wandering with her through cen- Green roofs have become increasingly popular in the United turies of citrus and their journey from Asia to the gardens of States over the last decade because of their ability to mitigate Italy, up to France and into the reign of King James I of Eng- urban issues such as heat island effects land, who created a special house for his orange trees. and stormwater management. However, More recent horticultural history is told, such as when a search creating successful ones involves many for colorful plants leads her to Logee’s Greenhouses, a tropical- variables. The Green Roof Manual by Ed- plant supplier; still, it’s the history long past that I enjoyed the mund Snodgrass and Linda McIntyre most: Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace, the pteridomania (fern fren- (Timber Press, 2010, $39.95) seeks to zy) that struck Victorian women, early plant hunters, and War- define and describe these variables in dian cases—all neatly tied to Kassinger’s personal story. the context of the still nascent North I had only two small problems with the book. First, the bibli- American green roof industry. “More ography needs notes to accompany the alphabetical listing by au- green roofs in more places,” explain the authors in the intro- thor; a reader who wants to know more about the Crystal Palace duction, “have added breadth as well as depth to what we know will not know to look under Piggott, J.R., for Palace of the People, about how this technology, mature in Europe but less tested in but instead would want to look in an annotated bibliography or our more variable climate and more freewheeling regulatory one arranged by subject to find more. Second, even the most en- and building cultures, performs in North America.” This well- tertaining nonfiction book needs an index—how else can you researched book gathers up the current body of knowledge, quickly get back to the page with the story about the first pineap- covering topics such as green roof anatomy, the design and ple to set fruit in Europe? (It was in 1687, by the way.) Otherwise, build process, and maintenance considerations, and presents this is a well-written and enjoyable read that might just have you it through clear prose and more than 200 color photographs. dreaming of your own paradise under glass. The extensive bibliography is a testament to how thoroughly —Marty Wingate the authors know their subject, and there also is a lengthy list of resources for further information. Anyone involved with Marty Wingate writes and speaks about gardens and travel, leading and interested in green roofs would be well advised to acquire tours to American and European destinations. Visit her at this indispensible reference. —Viveka Neveln, Associate Editor www.martywingate.com.

50 the American Gardener GARDENERC’S BOOKS

Books for Finding Your Inner Landscape Designer

O YOU FIND yourself mentally re-doing your home cal, and encouraging guide to becoming a professional garden landscape—or your neighbor’s—each time you drive designer. Drawing from her own experience, Love Albrecht Dby? Or do you wish you could have a well designed gar- Howard begins by describing the skills den but just don’t know where to start? Tucked within the cov- and knowledge needed to go from pas- ers of these recently published books, you’ll find practical sionate gardener to successful garden de- information, insightful references, and inspiring ideas to help you signer. Subsequent chapters cover the draw up those stellar garden plans you’ve been fantasizing about. basic principles of sound garden design Understanding Garden Design: The Complete Handbook and how to run a small business. Howard for Aspiring Designers (Timber Press, 2010, $34.95) provides a often uses humorous anecdotes to present thorough overview of the design process. techniques for dealing with clients and As a former interior designer turned pro- subcontractors, preparing designs, and es- fessional landscape designer, Vanessa sentially how to handle the unexpected, Gardner Nagel presents a concise intro- which Howard says you should expect in this business! duction to garden design from site doc- One way to gain a better understanding of a craft is to learn umentation to irrigation concepts, but about its historical roots. To that end, art historian Therese her real focus is the artistic approach to O’Malley has compiled Keywords in garden design. Nagel’s advice centers Landscape Design (Yale University Press, around color, form, and texture in gar- 2010, $125). This enormous, 700-page-plus den design, plant selection, and orna- tome digs into the history of American mentation. Drawings offer practical design considerations—like landscape design by way of the terms and where to place the hammock in relation to the grill and the trash concepts used to describe landscape fea- cans—while photographs of playful and colorful design elements tures. One hundred terms from the early offer innovative design ideas. Colonial period (1600s) to the mid-19th If you are going to spend significant time and money on a century are defined and explored through new landscape design, why not plan to have your garden and primary sources—excerpts from letters, period drawings, plans, eat it too? Revised from the 1982 origi- and periodicals, all accompanied by more than 1,000 images. So nal, Edible Landscaping by Rosalind if you want to know the difference between an arbor and a bower, Creasy (Sierra Club Books, 2010, or if you are curious what Ralph Waldo Emerson and Thomas Jef- $39.95) challenges the “unwritten law ferson had to say about hedges, this book delivers. against planting vegetables in a subur- In Best Garden Design (RHS/Firefly Books, 2010, $35) gar- ban front yard” with beautiful designs den designer Chris Young has amassed a photographic treasure the neighbors will appreciate. The trove depicting garden spaces created ex- book’s first half deals with the “how- clusively for the Royal Horticultural Soci- tos” and other practical considerations ety’s Chelsea Flower Show from 2004 to for your garden plan. The second half 2009. This book brims with unique de- of the book is an encyclopedia of more than 75 edible plants sign ideas for any garden—large or small, and their kitchen and landscape uses. Here you can find de- urban or rural, formal or whimsical, royal tailed information such as how to eat a pawpaw, which crops or pedestrian. Chapters cover specific gar- need at least two plants for pollination, and how to process den elements, such as planting, sustain- pomegranates without “leaving the kitchen looking like the set ability, and lighting. Each page features of a bad ‘slasher’ movie.” With more than 165 additional edi- beautiful photos from the show gardens with captions describ- bles in the “Big List of Edible Plants” appendix, even picky ing how the design elements work. Illuminating case studies at eaters in tough climates will find something tasty to plant in the end of each chapter deconstruct the successful elements of the front yard. award-winning designs. Perhaps you aspire to more than just designing your own —Caroline Bentley garden. So You Want to Be a Garden Designer: How to Get Started, Grow, and Thrive in the Landscape Design Busi- Garden writer Caroline Bentley has big plans for redesigning her ness (Timber Press, 2010, $29.95) provides a thorough, practi- garden in Alexandria, Virginia, this spring.

January / February 2011 51 REGIONALC HAPPENINGS

Horticultural Events from Around the Country

NORTHEAST SOUTHEAST Flower and garden shows that offer free or CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT AL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN discounted admission to AHS members or RAP JAN. 30. Native Vines for the Home present AHS awards are designated by a k JAN. 28–30. 25th Annual Southern Garden. Class. New England Wild Flower symbol. For details on the specific benefits Gardening Symposium. Callaway Gardens. Society. Blithewold Mansion, Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia. (706) 663-5187. offered, visit www.ahs.org/events/index.htm & Arboretum. Bristol, Rhode Island. www.callawaygardens.com. (401) 253-2707. www.blithewold.org. and click on “Flower and Home and Garden Shows.” RAP FEB. 1. The Meaning of Flowers. Class. RAP FEB. 1. Native Groundcovers. Class. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Belmont, Garden in the Woods. New England Wild Events hosted by botanical gardens and North Carolina. (704) 825-4490. Flower Society. Framingham, Massachusetts. arboreta that participate in AHS’s Reciprocal www.dsbg.org. (508) 877-7630. www.newenglandwild.org. Admissions Program are identified with the RAP symbol. Current AHS members showing FEB. 2. Teaching about the ‘Green Plant RAP FEB. 7. Restoring Hawaii’s Marvels of a valid membership card are eligible for free or Blues.’ Workshop. The Endangered Plant Evolution. Talk. Arnold Arboretum. discounted admission to the garden or other Stewardship Network. The State Botanical Boston, Massachusetts. (617) 524-1718. Garden of Georgia. Athens, Georgia. (706) benefits. Special events may not be included; www.arboretum.harvard.edu. 542-1244. www.uga.edu/botgarden. contact the host site for details or visit k FEB. 24–27. 19th Annual Rhode Island www.ahs.org/events/reciprocal_events.htm. FEB. 5. Perennial Plant Symposium: The Spring Flower & Garden Show. Rhode Island Pleasure Garden. Atlanta Botanical Convention Center. Providence, Rhode Island. Garden. Atlanta, Georgia. (404) 876-5859. (401) 272-0980. www.flowershow.com. JAN. 29. Enhance Your Winter Landscape. www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org. Lecture. Mt. Cuba Center. Greenville, k FEB. 24–27. 30th Annual Connecticut Delaware. (302) 239-4244. k FEB. 25–27. Southeastern Flower Show. Flower & Garden Show. Connecticut Con- www.mtcubacenter.org. Cobb Galleria Centre. Atlanta, Georgia. vention Center. Hartford, Connecticut. (404) 351-1074. www.sehort.org. (860) 844-8461. www.ctflowershow.com. k FEB. 10–13. Maymont Flower & Garden Show. Greater Richmond Convention Center. MAR. 1. Davidson Horticultural Symposium. RAP FEB. 26 & 27. Orchid Show. The Nia- Richmond, Virginia. (804) 358-7166. The Davidson Garden Club. Davidson gara Frontier Orchid Society & The Gardens. www.maymont.org. College. Davidson, North Carolina. (704) The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gar- 604-6618. www.davidsonsymposium.org. dens. Buffalo, New York. (716) 827-1584. FEB. 17. Creative Approaches for Ecological www.buffalogardens.com. Landscaping. Land Ethics Symposium. k MAR. 3–6. Nashville Lawn & Garden Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. Lang- Show. Tennessee State Fairgrounds, k MAR. 3–6. CNY Blooms Flower & horne, Pennsylvania. (215) 862-2924. Nashville, Tennessee. (615) 876-7680. Garden Show. Oncenter Complex. www.bhwp.org. www.nashvillelawnandgardenshow.com. Syracuse, New York. (800) 979-1879. www.cnyblooms.com. k FEB. 17–20. New Jersey Flower & Garden MAR. 19 & 20. Jacksonville Orchid Show. Gar- Show. New Jersey Convention Center. den Club of Jacksonville. Jacksonville, Florida. Edison, New Jersey. (732) 449-4004. (904) 307-4557. www.jaxorchidsociety.org. MID-ATLANTIC www.njflowershow.com. PA, NJ, VA, MD, DE, WV, DC MAR. 24–27.Plant Fair and Sale. Callaway JAN. 23. New Goosebump Plants. Lecture. FEB. 25. Green Matters 2011: The Real Food Gardens. Pine Mountain, Georgia. (706) Swarthmore College. Swarthmore, Renaissance. Symposium. Brookside Gar- 663-5187. www.callawaygardens.com. Pennsylvania. (610) 328-8023. dens. Wheaton, Maryland. (301) 962-1400. www.scottarboretum.org. www.brooksidegardens.org. NORTH CENTRAL IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI JAN. 23–28. North American Gladiolus k MAR. 4–6. Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Council Convention. Crown Plaza Hotel. Show. Virginia Beach Convention Center. RAP JAN. 4–MAR. 21. Chocolate: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (269) 731-4259. Virginia Beach, Virginia. (757) 523-4737. The Bitter and the Sweet. Exhibit. Olbrich www.gladworld.org. www.midatlantichomeandflowershow.com. Botanical Gardens. Madison, Wisconsin. (608) 246-4550. www.olbrich.org. JAN. 25 & 26. NJ PLANTS. Nursery, k MAR. 6–13. Philadelphia International Landscape and Garden Center Trade Show. Flower Show “Springtime in Paris.” The Penn- JAN. 24–26. Central Environmental Nursery New Jersey Convention Center. sylvania Horticultural Society. Pennsylvania Trade Show. Ohio Landscape & Nursery Edison, New Jersey. (800) 332-3976. Convention Center. Philadelphia, Pennsylva- Association. Columbus, Ohio. www.macevents.com. nia. (215) 988-8826. www.phsonline.org. (614) 899-1195. www.onla.org.

52 the American Gardener RAP JAN. 29. Gumballs and Superballs: Discover Rainforest Plants. Class. Chicago Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens Botanic Garden. Glencoe, Illinois. (847) 835-5440. www.chicagobotanic.org. DURING THE 76th Annual Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens, you can roam the RAP FEB. 2. Lunch and Learn: halls of some of Savannah’s most beautiful pri- Landscape Styles in a Nutshell. Morton vate residences. From March 24 to 27, guests Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois. (630) 725-2103. have the rare opportunity to visit these stately www.mortonarb.org. homes and gardens in the Historic Landmark RAP FEB. 5. Sustainability Symposium District and Ardsley Park areas of Savannah, 2011: Healing Spaces. Cleveland Botanical Georgia. Gardens. Cleveland, Ohio. (216) 721-1600. Started in 1935 to raise charitable funds dur- www.cbgarden.org. ing the Great Depression, this annual event is presented by Women of Christ Church and RAP FEB. 26. Nature Photography Work- the Historic Savannah Foundation. Visitors are shop. Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conser- invited to take self-guided walking tours of four vatory. Fort Wayne, Indiana. (260) 427- to six different homes each day. “What sets us 6440. www.botanicalconservatory.org. apart from most of the tours in town,” says Katherine Albert, executive director of Savan- FEB. 26–MAR. 6. Central Ohio Home & Garden Show. Ohio Expo Center. Columbus, Ohio. nah Tour of Homes and Gardens, “is that one, (614) 461-5257. www.dispatchevents. Fine gardens and architecture will be we’re the oldest, and two, every single dime we com/home_garden.php. on view for the 76th home tour. make goes back into the community.” All pro- ceeds benefit preservation projects and charita- k MAR. 3–6. Fort Wayne Home & Garden ble organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity. Show. Allen County Memorial Coliseum. And if relishing some of the finest examples of southern gardening alongside Savan- Fort Wayne, Indiana. (260) 432-1705. nah’s elaborate architecture isn’t enough, the tours are complemented by many special www.home-gardenshow.com. events such as interactive history tours and gardening seminars. For additional information or to purchase tickets, call (912) 234-8054 or visit SOUTH CENTRAL www.savannahtourofhomes.org. AR, KS, LA, MO, MS, OK, TX

RAP FEB. 10. Four Seasons in the Garden Workshop. Garvan Woodland Gardens. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. (501) Grand Opening of Bookworm Gardens 262-9300. www.garvangardens.org. TO MANY visitors, Bookworm Gardens will feel like a page straight out of a fairytale— and that’s because it is. Since its grand opening last October, this two-and-a-half-acre gar- RAP FEB. 19. St. Louis Garden Blitz: The den in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, has dazzled children and adults alike with its representation Edible Revolution. Seminars and demonstrations. Missouri Botanical Garden. St. Louis, of more than 70 popular children’s books. Missouri. (636) 812-2333. www.mobot.org. The culmination of over a decade of planning and fundraising, Bookworm Gardens is FEB. 25–27. All Texas Garden Show. Arlington divided into several themed gardens that in- Convention Center. Arlington, Texas. (817) corporate buildings, plants, and objects from 459-5000. www.texashomeandgarden.com. beloved books such as Winnie the Pooh, Where the Wild Things Are, and Cloudy with a Chance k FEB. 25–27. 20th Annual Arkansas Flower of Meatballs. You—or the kids you are with— & Garden Show. Statehouse Convention can read the Magic Tree House series in an ac- Center. Little Rock, Arkansas. (501) 821- tual tree house or say hello to the fish in Dr. 4000. www.arflowerandgardenshow.org. Seuss’s McElligot’s Pool. In addition, a Hansel k MAR. 2–6. Wichita Garden Show. and Gretel-inspired building provides space Century II Civic Center. Wichita, for classes and book readings. Kansas. (316) 946-0883. “It’s the physical elements in the garden www.wichitagardenshow.com. that help bring the books to life for children,” Children enjoy Mr. McGregor’s Garden says Debra Denzer, executive director of MAR. 4–6. 32nd Annual Dallas Home & from the story of Peter Rabbit. Bookworm Gardens, a non-profit organiza- Garden Show. Dallas Market Hall. Dallas, tion. “And the great thing is that all of the Texas. (214) 655-6100. books featured in the gardens are available for visitors to read at no charge—they’re www.texashomeandgarden.com. laminated and placed right into the gardens themselves.” The staff at Bookworm Gar- dens firmly believe that every child should have the opportunity to read, which is why MAR. 11–13. ADS Convention and Show. American Daffodil Society. Jackson, the gardens provide free admission to everyone. Mississippi. (478) 783-2153. To learn more about the gardens, which are open from dawn to dusk year-round, www.daffodilusa.org. call (920) 287-7895 or visit www.bookwormgardens.org. —Patrick Morgan, Editorial Intern MAR. 18–20. 12th Annual Fort Worth Home TOP: COURTESY OF HANSEN ARCHITECTS. BOTTOM: BOOKWORM GARDENS.

January / February 2011 53 Show. Fort Worth, Texas. (817) 392-7469. Preserve. Las Vegas, Nevada. (702) 822- www.texashomeandgarden.com. 7700. www.springspreserve.org.

Veggies And Herbs RAP MAR. 5–APR. 10. Dallas Blooms. FEB. 17. Sprouting a New Awareness: Floral festival. Dallas Arboretum. NorCal Spring Trade Show. San Mateo In Biodegradable Pots Dallas, Texas. (214) 515-6500. Expo Center. San Mateo, California. www.dallasarboretum.org. (530) 458-3190. www.norcaltradeshow.org.

Looking ahead SOUTHWEST APR. 7–10. California State Flower, Food & AZ, NM, CO, UT Garden Show. Cal Expo Pavilion Building. FEB. 5. From Garden to Kitchen. Class. Sacramento, California. (877) 696-6668, Tucson Botanical Gardens. Tucson, Arizona. ext. 4. www.calstategardenshow.com. (520) 326-9686. www.tucsonbotanical.org. NORTHWEST RAP FEB. 24, 26 & MAR. 3. Fabulous Fruit AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY Trees. Class. Red Butte Garden. Salt Lake City, Utah. (801) 587-5433. JAN. 29 & 30. An Introduction to www.redbuttegarden.org. Botanical Art. Workshop. Center for Urban Horticulture. University of FEB. 24 & 25. Water Conservation & Xeriscape Washington Botanic Gardens. Seattle, Conference. Xeriscape Council of New Mexi- Washington. (206) 543-8616. co. Albuquerque, New Mexico. http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg. (505) 468-1021. www.xeriscapenm.com. k FEB. 23–27. Northwest Flower & Garden MAR. 2–4. Collections and Design: Power to Show. Washington State Convention Center. www.BonniePlants.com the Plants Symposium. American Public Seattle, Washington. (800) 596-2832. Gardens Association. Desert Botanical Gar- www.gardenshow.com. den. Phoenix, Arizona. (610) 708-3010. Gardening With www.publicgardens.org. MAR. 5 & 6. Bamboo Fence Building Workshop. Portland Japanese Garden. You Since 1918. k MAR. 4–6. Maricopa County Home Show— Portland, Oregon. (503) 223-1321. Southwest Flower & Garden Experience. www.japanesegarden.com. University of Phoenix Stadium. Phoenix, Arizona. (602) 485-1691. www.maricopa RAP MAR. 12. 5th Annual Spring Garden countyhomeshows.com. Conference. Alaska Botanical Garden. ENGRAVED BOTANICAL Anchorage, Alaska. (907) 770-3692. PLANT LABELS www.alaskabg.org. PLANT IDENTIFICATION FOR EVERY GARDEN WEST COAST FAMILY - GENUS - SPECIES - COMMON NAME CA, NV, HI Looking ahead Order @ www.gardenmarkers.com FAX: 434-975-1627 JAN. 20. Botanical Art Through the Ages. RAP APR. 14. Organic Gardening Primer PLANT LABELS – STAKES – TREE TACKS Lecture. University of California Botanical Class. Lakewold Gardens. Lakewood, Garden at Berkeley. Berkeley, California. Washington. (253) 584-4106 ext. 109. (510) 643-2755. E-mail: www.lakewoldgardens.org. [email protected]. To advertise in The American CANADA Gardener, call (703) 768-5700 ext. RAP FEB. 5. Things to Do With Camellia sinensis. Class. Descanso Gardens. La Caña- RAP FEB. 10 & 17. Indoor Plants. Class. 120 or e-mail [email protected]. da Flintridge, California. (818) 949-7980. Toronto Botanical Garden. Toronto, Ontario. www.descansogardens.org. (416) 397-1340. www.torontobotanical garden.ca. RAP FEB. 7, 14, 21, 28. Exercise for People Who Love to Garden. Class. South Coast FEB. 17–APR. 25. Butterflies Go Free. Botanic Garden Foundation. Palos Verdes Exhibition. Montréal Botanical Garden. Peninsula, California. (310) 544-1948. Main Exhibition Greenhouse. Montréal, www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org. Québec. (514) 872-1400. www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin. RAP FEB. 9. Guided Tour. University of California Davis Arboretum. Davis, Califor- MAR. 16–20. 15th Anniversary Canada nia. (530) 752-4880. http://arboretum. Blooms Festival. Flower show. Direct Energy ucdavis.edu. Centre. Toronto, Ontario. (416) 447-8655. www.canadablooms.com. FEB. 10. Early Gardens of Los Angeles. Lecture. Southern California Horticultural RAP MAR. 20. Rock & Alpine Gardening: Society. Los Angeles, California. An Introduction. Class. Glendale Gardens & (818) 567-1496. www.socalhort.org. Woodland. Victoria, British Columbia. (250) 479-6162. www.glendalegardens.ca. FEB. 17. Plant Introduction Tour. Springs

54 the American Gardener 2011 AHS Seed Exchange More than 200 kinds of seeds are offered in this year’s Seed Exchange, available only to American Horticultural Society members. For a quick reference, here is the list of seeds to choose from, with an order form on the following page. To see the full catalog, visit www.ahs.org and click on the Seed Exchange link. If you prefer to receive a printed copy of the catalog, please send a self-addressed stamped legal- size envelope to us at Seed Exchange Catalog, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308.

ANNUALS 62 Tropaeolum majus ‘Summer Charm’ 124 Hibiscus moscheutos 184 Lablab purpureus ‘Alba’ mix 125 Hibiscus moscheutos subsp. palustris 185 Lathyrus sativus 1 Abelmoschus manihot 63 Zinnia sp. 126 Hibiscus syriacus 186 Phaseolus coccineus ✱ 2 Amaranthus cruentus 64 Zinnia elegans ‘Blue Point’ mix 127 Hosta sp. (green foliage) 3 Amaranthus tricolor ‘Cinco de Mayo’ 65 Zinnia elegans Lilliput series 128 Hosta sp. (blue foliage) HERBS 4 Ammi majus 66 Zinnia marylandica 129 Hosta sp. (dwarf) 5 Asclepias curassavica 187 Anethum graveolens ‘Bouquet’ 67 Zinnia pauciflora 130 Inula orientalis 6 Asclepias curassavica ‘Bright Wings’ 188 Anethum graveolens ‘Long Island 131 Iris sibirica 7 Begonia semperflorens Mammoth’ 132 Lagurus ovatus 8 Bupleurum rotundifolium HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS, 189 Borago officinalis BIENNIALS & GRASSES 133 Leucanthemum ✕superbum 9 Calendula officinalis 190 Borago officinalis and cultivar ‘Alba’ 134 Ligularia stenocephala ‘The Rocket’ 10 Calendula officinalis ‘Flashback’ 68 Alcea rosea (white) 191 Foeniculum vulgare 135 Lilium formosanum 11 Calendula officinalis ‘Pacific Beauty 69 Alcea rosea (pink) 192 Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’ 136 Lilium martagon ✱ Mix’ 70 Alcea rosea ‘Indian Spring’ mix 193 Matricaria recutita ‘Bodegold’ 137 Linum usitatissimum 12 Celosia argentea var. cristata (red) 71 Alcea rosea ‘Indian Summer’ mix 194 Ocimum basilicum (scented mix) 138 Lobelia cardinalis 13 Celosia argentea var. cristata 72 Amsonia tabernaemontana 195 Ocimum basilicum (sweet) 139 Lunaria annua (lemon-lime) 73 Anemone virginiana 196 Ocimum basilicum ‘Fino Verde’ 140 Lupinus sp. 14 Centratherum intermedium 74 Anomatheca laxa ✱ 197 Ocimum basilicum ‘Italian Cameo’ 141 Lychnis chalcedonica ‘Rosea’ 15 Cerinthe sp. mix 75 Aquilegia chrysantha 198 Ocimum basilicum ‘Mrs. Burns’ 142 Lychnis coronaria 16 Clarkia elegans 76 Aquilegia hybrid 199 Petroselinum crispum 143 Myosotis sylvatica ‘Blue Bird’ 17 Cleome hassleriana (pink and purple) 77 Aquilegia sp. (orange) 200 Petroselinum crispum var. 144 Oenothera glazioviana 18 Cleome hassleriana (purple) 78 Aquilegia sp. (mixed colors) neapolitanum 145 Papaver nudicaule 19 Cleome hassleriana (white) 79 Asclepias syriaca 201 Petroselinum crispum var. 146 Papaver orientale 20 Cleome hassleriana ‘Colour Fountain’ 80 Asclepias tuberosa neapolitanum ‘Gigante’ 147 Penstemon digitalis ‘Mystica’ 21 Cleome hassleriana ‘Violet Queen’ 81 Aster ✕frikartii ‘Monch’ 148 Penstemon ✕mexicali ‘Red Rocks’ VEGETABLES & FRUITS 22 Cosmos bipinnatus (maroon and white) 82 Astrantia major 149 Penstemon pseudospectabilis 23 Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sensation Mix’ 83 Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 202 Abelmoschus esculentus ‘Clemson 150 Sanguisorba canadensis 24 Cosmos sulphureus 84 Baptisia alba var. macrophylla Spineless’ 151 Scabiosa ‘Beaujolais Bonnets’ 25 Datura innoxia 85 Baptisia australis 203 Allium tuberosum 152 Silphium perfoliatum 26 Datura metel (purple) 86 Belamcanda chinensis 204 Brassica rapa var. rapa ‘Purple-Top 153 Tanacetum coccineum ‘Robinson’s 27 Datura metel (pale purple-white) 87 Callirhoe digitata White Globe’ Red’ 28 Eschscholzia californica 88 Campanula persicifolia ‘Alba’ 205 Capsicum annuum ‘Golden Treasure’ 154 Telekia speciosa 29 Gomphrena haageana 89 Chasmanthium latifolium 206 Chenopodium giganteum 155 Thalictrum rochebrunianum ✱ 30 Helianthus annuus mix 90 Chelone glabra 207 Citrullus lanatus ‘Allsweet’ 156 Verbascum chaixii 31 Helianthus annuus ‘Bright Bandolier’ 91 Coreopsis lanceolata ‘Sunburst’ 208 Cucumis melo ‘Ambrosia’ ✱ 157 Verbena bonariensis 32 Helianthus annuus ‘Junior’ 92 Corydalis ochroleuca 209 Cucumis melo ‘French Charentais’ ✱ 158 Zizia aurea 33 Helianthus annuus ‘Red Sun’ 93 Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ 210 Cucurbita maxima ‘Lakota’ ✱ 94 Cynara cardunculus 211 Daucus carota ‘King Midas F1’ 34 Helianthus annuus ‘The Joker’ TREES & SHRUBS 35 Helianthus annuus ‘Valentine’ 95 Dianthus barbatus 212 Diplotaxis tenuifolia 36 Impatiens balsamina ✱ 96 Dianthus deltoides ‘Arctic Fire’ 159 Abutilon palmeri 213 Glycine max 37 Impatiens walleriana 97 Dictamnus albus ✱ 160 Baccharis halimifolia 214 Lactuca sativa (romaine) 38 Lavatera trimestris ‘Dwarf White 98 Dictamnus albus var. purpureus 161 Caragana arborescens 215 Lactuca sativa ‘Tom Thumb’ Cherub’ 99 Digitalis lanata 162 Cercis canadensis 216 Luffa cylindrica 39 Mimulus ✕hybridus ✱ 100 Digitalis lutea 163 Cornus racemosa 217 Lycopersicon lycopersicum 40 Mirabilis jalapa (mixed colors) 101 Digitalis purpurea (mixed colors) 164 Eucommia ulmoides ‘Black Cherry’ ✱ 41 Mirabilis jalapa (magenta) 102 Digitalis purpurea (purple and white) 165 Firmiana simplex 218 Lycopersicon lycopersicum ‘Jubilee’ ✱ ✕ ✱ 42 Mirabilis jalapa (red) 103 Digitalis purpurea ‘Excelsior’ mix 166 Magnolia loebneri ‘Ballerina’ 219 Physalis ixocarpa ✱ ✱ 43 Mirabilis jalapa ‘Broken Colors’ 104 Dryopteris goldieana ✱ 167 Magnolia stellata 44 Moluccella laevis 105 Echinacea purpurea 168 Pavonia lasiopetala BONUS SEEDS 45 Nicotiana alata 106 Echinops bannaticus 169 Prunus umbellata A Adlumia fungosa 46 Nicotiana lansdorfii 107 Echinops ritro 170 Radermachera sinica B Citrullus lanatus ‘Yellow Crimson’ 47 Nigella damascena 108 Erodium manescaui 171 Rosa ‘Complicata’ C Cladrastis kentukea ✱ 48 Nigella damascena ‘Bridal Veil’ 109 Eryngium amethystinum 172 Tetradium daniellii D Desmanthus illinoensis 49 Nigella damascena and 110 Eryngium maritimum 173 Ungnadia speciosa E Dodecatheon dentatum Nigella hispanica mix 111 Eryngium planum F Iliamna remota VINES 50 Papaver rhoeas 112 Eupatorium ‘Gateway’✱ G Keckiella antirrhinoides 51 Papaver somniferum (mixed colors) 113 Gaillardia sp. 174 Cardiospermum halicacabum H Lycopersicon lycopersicum ‘Reisetomate’ 52 Papaver somniferum ‘Lauren’s Grape’ 114 Gaillardia ‘Fanfare’ 175 Clematis crispa I Magnolia tripetala 53 Petunia axillaris 115 Gaillardia ✕grandiflora 176 Clematis fusca J Meconopsis grandis 54 Rudbeckia hirta 116 Glaucidium palmatum (pink) 177 Heteropterys glabra K Pandorea jasminoides 55 Salvia coccinea ‘Cherry Blossom’ 117 Glaucidium palmatum (pale pink) ✱ 178 Ipomoea coccinea L Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca 56 Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Ace of Spades’ 118 Glaucidium palmatum ‘Album’ ✱ 179 Ipomoea purpurea (blue/purple) M Zephyranthes drummondii 57 Tagetes erecta ‘Crackerjack’ 119 Glaucium flavum 180 Ipomoea purpurea (purple with N Zinnia elegans ‘Envy’ 58 Tagetes patula mix 120 Helenium autumnale white throat) O Prairie Wildflower Mix 59 Tagetes patula ‘Petite’ mix 121 Hemerocallis sp. 181 Ipomoea purpurea ‘Grandpa Ott’s’ 60 Tagetes tenuifolia ‘Starfire’ 122 Heuchera villosa 182 Ipomoea tricolor ‘Dawn Star’ 61 Talinum paniculatum 123 Hibiscus coccineus 183 Lablab purpureus ✱ Limited quantity available

January / February 2011 55 2011 AHS SEED EXCHANGE ORDER FORM Order deadline is March 15, 2011 Due to Federal regulations, seeds can only be shipped within the United States.

Name ______FIRST CHOICE SEED SELECTIONS Address ______(List by numbers only, please.) City ______1. ______State ______Zip code ______2. ______Daytime phone ______3. ______E-mail ______4. ______AHS member # ______5. ______NOT A MEMBER? You must be an AHS member to order seeds. If you would like to join the AHS, 6. ______please select an annual membership level below and add the fee to your payment. Visit 7. ______www.ahs.org/join to find out more about membership and its many benefits. 8. ______I would like to join the AHS: ❑ $35 national membership ❑ $50 sustaining membership 9. ______10. ______SELECTION AND CONTRIBUTIONS 11. ______Current AHS members can order up to 10 packets of seeds free of charge, but we do suggest a $5 12. ______voluntary contribution to help defray postage and handling costs. 13. ______Orders of 11 to 15 packets incur a mandatory postage and handling fee of $10. Orders for up to 15 packets plus two bonus selections incur a $15 fee. Donations of $50 or more will receive 15 pack- 14. ______ets of seeds, two bonus seed selections, and a copy of Homegrown Harvest (see page 49). 15. ______❑ Please send me 10 selections. (A $5 donation is suggested to help cover shipping and handling costs.) SUBSTITUTE SELECTIONS ❑ Please send me up to 15 seed selections for a $10 donation. 1. ______❑ Please send me up to 15 seed selections plus 2 additional bonus seed selections for a $15 dona- 2. ______tion. 3. ______❑ Please send me up to 15 seed selections plus 2 additional bonus seed selections and a copy of Homegrown Harvest for a donation of $50 or more. 4. ______5. ______❑ Do not substitute any of my selections. SEED DONOR PRIORITY ❑ I donated seeds to the 2011 Seed Exchange and thus get first choice (order due by 2/1/11). BONUS SEED SELECTIONS PAYMENT INFORMATION ❑ Check enclosed. Please make the check payable to AHS. (List by letters only, please.) ❑ Please charge this amount to my credit card: 1. ______❑ $5 ❑ $10 ❑ $15 ❑ $50 ❑ Other $______2. ______please specify

Card # ______SUBSTITUTE BONUS SELECTIONS 1. ______Exp. ______2. ______Signature ______

Name on credit card ______❑ Do not substitute any of my bonus please print selections.

Return this form to: Seed Exchange • American Horticultural Society • 7931 East Boulevard Drive • Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 Please allow 4 weeks for delivery. PRONUNCIATIONSC AND PLANTING ZONES

Most of the cultivated plants described in this issue are listed here with their pronunciations, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, and AHS Plant Heat Zones. These zones suggest a range of locations where temperatures are appropriate—both in winter and summer—for growing each plant. While the zones are a good place to start in determining plant adaptability in your region, factors such as exposure, moisture, snow cover, and 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–E J. scopulorum J. skop-yew-LOR-um (3–7, 7–2) Actaea pachypoda ak-TEE-uh pak-IH-po-duh (USDA Zones 3–8, Lathyrus odoratus LATH-ih-rus o-doh-RAY-tus (0–0, 8–1) AHS Zones 8–1) Linaria maroccana lih-NAIR-ee-uh mah-ROK-an-uh (0–0, 9–1) Amsonia ciliata am-SO-nee-uh sil-ee-AY-tuh (4–9, 9–4) Liriodendron tulipifera leer-ee-o-DEN-dron too-lih-PIF-ur-uh A. hubrichtii A. hew-BRIK-tee-eye (4–9, 9–4) (5–9, 9-2) Bouteloua gracilis boo-teh-LOO-uh GRASS-ih-liss (4–9, 9–3) Maclura pomifera muh-KLUR-uh pom-IF-ur-uh (5–9, 9–5) Campsis radicans KAMP-siss RAD-ih-kanz (5–9, 9–3) Magnolia yuyuanensis mag-NOLE-yuh yew-yew-uh-NEN-siss C. grandiflora C. gran-dih-FLOR-uh (7–9, 9–7) (Zones not yet established) Carex oshimensis KAIR-eks o-she-MEN-sis (6–9, 9–1) Matthiola incana mah-tee-O-luh in-KAN-uh (5–8, 8–5) Cercis canadensis SUR-siss kan-uh-DEN-siss (5–9, 9–2) Mirabilis jalapa mih-RAB-ih-liss jah-LAP-ah (9–11, 12–1) Chilopsis linearis ky-LOP-siss lih-nee-YAR-iss (6–10, 10–6) Nicotiana alata nih-ko-shee-AN-uh ah-LAY-tuh (10–11, 12–1) Daphniphyllum humile daf-nee-FIL-um HYEW-mih-lee N. forgetiana N. for-get-ee-AN-uh (10–11, 12–1) (7–10, 10–7) N. ✕sanderae N. san-DUR-ee (10–11, 12–1) D. macropodum D. mak-ro-PO-dum (7–10, 10–7) Petroselinum crispum var. crispum pet-ro-seh-LY-num Darlingtonia californica dar-ling-TONE-ee-uh kal-ih-FORN-ih-kuh KRIS-pum var. KRIS-pum (5–9, 9–1) (5–8, 8–5) P. crispum var. neapolitanum P. KRIS-pum var. nee-uh-pol-ih- Datura innoxia duh-TOOR-uh in-NOK-see-uh (0–0, 12–4) TAN-um (5–9, 9–1) D. metel D. MET-el (0–0, 12–4) Picea abies PY-see-uh AY-beez (3–8, 8–1) Dionaea muscipula dy-o-NEE-uh mus-KIP-yew-luh (8–10, 12–1) Pinus strobus PY-nus STRO-bus (3–8, 8–1) Dodecatheon clevelandii doh-deh-KATH-ee-on cleev-LAND-ee-eye Poliothyrsis sinensis pol-ee-o-THEER-sis SY-nen-siss (6–8, 8–5) (6–9, 9–5) D. clevelandii ssp. insulare D. cleev-LAND-ee-eye ssp. Q–Z in-sue-LAIR-ee (6–9, 9–5) Emmenopterys henryi em-meh-NOP-ter-iss HEN-ree-eye (7–9, 9–6) Quercus macrocarpa KWER-kus mak-ro-KAR-puh (3–9, 9–1) Erysimum cheiri ee-RISS-ih-mum KEER-eye (3–7, 7–1) Reseda odorata reh-SEE-duh o-doh-RAY-tuh (0–0, 6–1) Euscaphis japonica yew-SKAY-fis jah-PON-ih-kuh (6–8, 8–6) Sarracenia leucophylla sar-uh-SEE-nee-uh loo-ko-FIL-uh Exbucklandia populanea ex-buck-LAND-ee-uh pop-yew-LAY- (5–9, 9–1) nee-uh (8–10, 10–7) S. oreophila S. or-ee-OFF-il-uh (7–9, 9–6) Sassafras albidum SASS-uh-frass AL-bih-dum (4–8, 8–3) S. tzumu S. ZOO-moo (7–9, 9–6) F–P Schima argentea SKEE-muh ar-JEN-tee-uh (9–11, 12–8) Franklinia alatamaha frank-LIN-ee-uh ah-lah-tuh-MAH-hah ✕Schimlinia floribunda skim-LIN-ee-uh FLOR-ih-bun-duh (6–9, 9–6) (9–11, 12–8) ✕Gordlinia grandiflora gord-LIN-nee-uh gran-dih-FLOR-uh Taiwania cryptomerioides ty-WAH-nee-uh krip-toh-mair-ee-OY- (7–10, 10–7) deez (8–9, 9–7) Gordonia lasianthus gor-DOH-nee-uh lah-see-AN-thus Tropaeolum majus tro-PEE-o-lum MAY-juss (0–0, 10–1) (8–10, 10–8) Vaccinium corymbosum vak-SIN-ee-um ko-rim-BO-sum Heliotropium arborescens hee-lee-o-TROP-ee-um ar-bo-RES-enz (5–9, 9–1) (11, 12–1) Viola ✕wittrockiana VY-o-luh wih-trah-kee-AN-nuh (4–8, 9–1) Holboellia coriacea hol-BEE-lee-uh kor-ee-AY-see-uh (6–10, 10–6) Wisteria macrostachya wis-TEER-ee-uh mak-ro-STAY-kee-yuh H. latifolia H. lat-ih-FO-lee-uh (6–10, 10–5) (6–9, 9–6) Hydrangea arborescens hy-DRAN-juh ar-bo-RES-enz (4–9, 9–1) H. paniculata H. pan-ik-yew-LAY-tuh (3–8, 8–1) Ilex opaca EYE-leks o-PAH-kuh (5–9, 9–5) Ipomoea tricolor ih-po-ME-uh try-kul-ur (above 45ºF, 12–1) Juglans nigra JOO-glanz NY-gruh (5–9, 9–5) Juniperus horizontalis joo-NIP-er-iss har-ih-zon-TAL-iss (3–9, 9–1)

January / February 2011 57 58 by CarolBornstein Dodecatheon clevelandii: clevelandii) S pean relatives of because cyclamen are theAsianandEuro- wild cyclamen. apt, The last isparticularly violets, sailorcaps,prairiepointers,and er combs,bird-bills, mosquito-bills,mad common names:Americancowslip, roost- shooting star(D.meadia). of theeasternUnited States iseastern North America.Thelonerepresentative which ispredominantly native towestern so speciesinthegenus California ishometoeightofthedozen or STARS SHOOTING show from theratherplainbasal foliage. to danceatopleaflessstalks,stealingthe nodding whitetomagentaflowers seem cyclamen. Borneinlooseumbels,the reflexed petalsare indeedreminiscent of ognizable flowers, whoseslightlyaskew, gions ofthestate.Theyshare easilyrec- Mediterraneansummer-dry climatere- or springandgrow inthewinter-wet, lowland speciesthat bloominlatewinter mer andoccurinmoisthabitats, species thatbloominlatespringorsum- two basiccategories:high-elevation Channel Islands. southern California andtheoffshore clevelandii most commonlycultivated form, south intoBaja California,Mexico. The communities from centralCalifornia foothill woodland,andvalley grassland on grassyslopesandflatsinchaparral, this clove-scented perennial grows wild much ofCalifornia’s Mediterranean core, bers ofthegenus.Found throughout isoneofthemost appealingmem- 9–5) landii, The genuspossessesalistofevocative Cleveland’s shootingstar In California,shooting starscomprise the American Gardener INCE LEAVING fornia native plants.My listoffavorites keepschanging,butCleveland’s shootingstar SAZns69 H Zones USDA Zones 6–9,AHS ssp. is alwaysamongthem. Dodecatheon. insulare, Dodecatheon, Michigan almost30 years ago,Ihave madetheacquaintanceofmanyfineCali- is foundin (D. cleve- D. Wild CyclamenfromCalifornia A Dodecatheon clevelandii Dodecatheon poised forflight.Later, theripeningseeds of lilac,rose, magenta,orwhiteappear Once the buds open,theupswept petals gates, reaching eight to16inchestall. of itssummerdormancyperiod. succulentleavessomewhat signaltheend season begins,theplant’s lightgreen, LN NTESPOTLIGHT THE IN PLANT www.theodorepayne.org. Sun Valley,CA.(818)768-1802. Theodore PayneFoundation, www.anniesannuals.com. Richmond, CA.(888)266-4370. Annie’s AnnualsandPerennials, Sources nursery.com. (650) 851-1668. Yerba BuenaNursery, mail-order; plantsonsiteonly. Emerging in fall, shortly aftertherainy Emerging infall,shortly Soon thereafter, theflower stalkelon- C (No mail-order.) www.yerbabuena Woodside, CA. Seeds by of shootingstarseeds. long enoughtorelease thenextgeneration to retain theshowy, driedinflorescences or manzanitas(Arctostaphylos shade oftrees suchasredbuds ortall shrubs grassy meadow orbeneaththedappled diminutive companions. among bulbs,succulents,andother garden. Rock gardeners cantuckafew with othercompatibleplantsinatrough away asthefoliageyellows, or combined plantings whileinflower andwhisked method, whethernestledintoestablished them incontainersisthemostreliable shooting starsinthegarden. Growing flowering size inaboutthree years. germinate fairlyeasilyandplantsreach protect theplantsfrom thesepests.Seeds roots attractsnails,slugs,andgophers,so roots willrot. The succulent leaves and in summer, theirdelicate,fleshy otherwise outcompletely Then allow themto dry watered from autumnthrough spring. ly shadedlocationandkeepthemwell- guidelines. Place theminasunnyorpart- ply rewarded iftheyfollow simple afew ly trackdown seeds or plantswillbeam- commerce. Yet gardeners whosuccessful- land’s shootingstarisn’t aseasytofindin Although widespread innature, Cleve- GROWING REQUIREMENTS (Cachuma Press, 2005). of a coauthorwithDavid Fross O’Brien and Bart Santa Barbara, Carol California, is Bornstein andgardenA horticulturist writerbasedin slightest breeze. within thetanseedcapsulesrattlein California Native Plants fortheGarden For acaptivating effect,plantdriftsina There are manywaystoappreciate (Dodecatheon spp.). Be sure

CAROL BORNSTEIN