~BULLETIN ~ 1961 g ~------~~4~ ~~~ A quarterly of the American Boxwood Society ~ ~ devoted to our oldest garden ornamental

Vol. 47 NO.1 July 2007

These Buxus sempervirens 'Su./fruticosa' (English Boxwood) are at Woodlawn Bed & Breakfast in Ridge, Maryland, an 18th-century manor with 180 acres next to the Potomac River and near the historic St. Mary's City in southern Maryland. BARBARA WOODEL PHOTO The American Boxwood Society is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1961 and devoted to the appreciation, scientifi c understanding and propagation of Buxus. Visit our website at: www.boxwoodsociety.org OFFICERS: MEMBERSHIP: President: Annual membership from May through April includes Dr. H enry F. Frierson, J r. C harl ottesvi ll e, VA four iss ues of T he Boxwood Bulletin: First Vice-President: Individual ...... $35 Sustaining ...... $ 100 Mr. W. Edward Goode, Jr. Sabot, VA Family ...... $50 Life ...... $500 Second Vice-President: Contributing ...... $75 Mr. Kenneth Lee H ahn Califo n, NJ Secretary/Treasurer: CONTRIBUTIONS: Mrs. Laurie Jamerson Madison H eights, VA Monetary gifts to the Society are tax deductible and may International Registrar: be applied to: Mr. Lynn R. Batdorf Washington, D C General Operations Publications Fund M emorial Garden Fund Research Programs DIRECTORS: M r. Joh n W. Boyd III (20 10) Roanoke, VA HOW TO CONTACT US: Mrs. Joan Butler (Life) Winchester, VA For ordering publica tions, membership, address change, Mr. Walter S. Carell , Jr. (2010) Millington, NJ co ntributions, questions, o r submitting an article, pl ease Mrs. Andrea Filippone (2 008) Pottersv ill e, NJ write to: Mr. C harl es Fooks (20 I 0) Salisbury, MD American Boxwood Society Mr. C lifford L. Hoffman (2009) Flemington, NJ PO. Box 85 Mr. Dean Norron (2009 Mt. Vernon, VA Boyce, VA 22620-0085 Mrs. Karen Rexrode (2008) Aldie, VA Mr. J. Bennett Saunders (2009) Piney Ri ve r, VA Mr. George Schumacher (2008) Turlock, VA In 71tis JSSU£: Wing Haven Gardens and PUBLICATIONS: Bird Sanctuary ...... 3 Boxwood: An Illustrated Encyclopedia US$ 125 Boxwood - A Good 01' Bush Boxwood Handbook (3rd Edition) $ 27 with Pretensions ...... 5 Boxwood Buyer's Guide {5th Edition} $ 10 Int'l Registration List of Cultivated Buxus $ 5 COLUMNS: Back iss ues of The Boxwood Bulletin (each) $ 10 The Question Box ...... 7 The Boxwood Bulletin index 1961-1986 $ 10 Boxwood Bookcase ...... 9 The Boxwood Bulletin Index 1986-1991 $ 5 News ...... 10 The Boxwood Bulletin Index 1991-1996 $ 5 Boxwood Artifact...... 11 Historical Boxwood Postcards...... 11 Handling, first class postage and appli cable taxes are in­ cluded in the price for domestic o rders. Postage for inter­ Be part of The Boxwood Bulletin! Submit an article, pho­ national orders is actual cost (www.ups.com) plus tograph, question, idea or report of your own experience! US$3.00.

The Boxwood BulLetin (ISSN 0006 8535) is published quarrerly by the American Boxwood Society, PO. Box 85, Boyce, VA 22620. POSTMASTER: Se nd address changes to the Ameri can Boxwood Society, PO. Box 85, Boyce, VA 22620.

Page 2 The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 Wing Haven Gardens and Bird Sanctuary by j effrey Drum

() ", ing H ave n has been a special part of C harl otte, sun at the time of pl anting than now, these boxwood seem \ W No rth Carolina sin ce its crea tion by Eli zabeth ro thrive with o nl y a little pruning from time ro time. Be­ and Edwin Clarkson in 1927. T hus, it is cel ebrating its cause the pl ants are healthy, o nl y minimal fertiliza ti on is 80th birthday this yea r. The ga rdens, enclosed on all sides do ne. by brick wall s, encompass almost three acres in the heart In the W hite Gard en are mo re Buxus semp ervirens. of C harl o tte and include lovely vistas, fo rmal garden Unfo rtunately these pl ants suffer fro m Phytophthora. T his roo ms, and woodland areas. Thro ughout, the emphas is is soil bo rne disease is the most seri ous problem in our entire on plantings for birds and other wildlife - providing cover, garden. As a bird sa nctuary it is important that we remain nes ting sites, food, and water. Pl aques and statuary, inte­ chemical-free, an essential part of the garden management grated into the garden walls and paths, reflect the spirit as a habitat, o r sanctuary, for wildlife. and beauty of Wing Have n and its creators. T he H erb Garden was pl anted in the 1930 's with 500 Boxwood are also an impo rtant part of Wing H aven rooted cuttings of Ko rean boxwood (Buxus sinica va r. in­ Gardens. A recent inve ntory documents 1,672 boxwood suLaris) . T he plants were purchased for 6 cents each and growing in this three-acre garden! fo rm four beds laid out in a very formal style. T here is a Our oldes t boxwood, four large Buxus semp ervirens, circle of Korean boxwood in the center enclosing a sun­ are nearl y 80 years old. Although they were near 7 1/ 2 feet dial, a wedding gift in 1927. These boxwood are trimmed tall and 9 feet wide five yea rs ago, a major pruning is com­ to maintain their shape and size twice a year and are eas ily pleted each year in order to reduce their size and get them maintained at a height of 15 inches tall. Ameri can box­ back into the proper scal e. The boxwood have res ponded wood (Buxus sempervirens) were planted on each of the well to this pruning. There is abundant new growth on four sides of the H erb Garden - the plants fl ank three the inside, permitting further reduction of the shrubs each gates and a sitting area. T hey had outgrown their space year! They have been res tored to a height of 6 feet by 7 and were cut back dras ti cally. Looking back, the bes t feet wide and look great, with full , vigo rous growth. In the Upper Garden there are long formal hedges of Buxus semp er­ virens'Suffruticosa'. These boxwood are 2 feet tall , being pruned one or two times per year ro hold this very formal shape. These boxwood make for a lovely vi ew and carry the eye all the way across ro the back wall of the garden. In the Woods G arden the sa me boxwood (Buxus semp ervirens 'Suffruticosa') is grown, but these are round and form very natu­ ral, cloud-like billows. They were pl anted 70 years or mo re ago. Although there was probabl y more

The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 Page 3 I beautiful style. T hey are I about 9- 1/2 feet tall and co ntinue to grow, but pruned regul arl y to keep them narrow. : T he Oval Pool area \ -- features a large refl ecting pool that is surrounded by Buxus sempervirens.

: ",, - (.:)1 T hese boxwood give a

~ r· ~.., ni ce dark gree n color to the ga rden throughout the year. T he pool and surrounding shrubs are the focus from the din­ ing room window of the C larkson H ome, and 'i this is often the very first glimpse of the garden that the public sees upon arriving at W ing H aven. (Visitors are invited to tour the house before en­ tering the garden. ) T he choice for this space would have been the English Box­ mass plantings of boxwood are repeated ove r and ove r wood (Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'), or so me other throughout the garden. dwarf form that would not have overgrown its bounds Wing H aven would not be a premier garden without and in the process damaged some of the neighboring the boxwood. These plants anchor the entire garden Buxus microphylla. through all the seasons. T hey encourage a visitor to go Just outside the Herb Garden, in a more naturalistic from toom to room within the garden and keep the visitor setting, are some old pyramidal boxwood (Buxus semper­ connected with the exquisite vistas - each accented with virens) which are left unclipped, for the most part. T hese the boxwood. T hroughout the gard en, many of the sa me are very healthy specimens at 16 feet tall and 8 1/2 feet wide. plants are used in different ways and to give the visitor a T hey were originally planted in the sun; shade eventuall y different feel and effect. T he boxwood make a visit to took the area. H owever, a few years ago, an ice sro rm W ing H aven a memorable event at any time of the year. damaged the shade- producing trees and the boxwood are H av ing been around boxwood most of my life, I have now once again growing in the sun. T hey are doing fine! a great admiration for them , but I don't consider myself T he vista that carries the eye fro m the fro nt of the a boxwood expert - instinctively knowing there's always a Lower Gard en to the back wall is a planting of Buxus sem­ little more than can be learned. I have enj oyed reading pervirens 'Suffruticosa'. Unlike the clipped hedges in the about them in the Boxwood Handbook and the Trial Re­ Upper Garden, these are allowed to grow in their natura l ports. If you have so me comments regarding the culture of shape. T hese boxwood suffe red a severe pruning 12 years boxwood, I would appreciate you sharing them with me. ago, which concerned some very go~ d gardeners! D es pite We welcome all visitors to visit this lovely garden created their over-pruning, the plants recovered nicely and are in by both Elizabeth and Edwin Clarkson. good shape. The author, j effrey Drum, is the Garden Curator of O ur Rose Garden, the only "new" part of W ing Wing Haven Gardens & Bird Sanctuary. H is con­ H aven, was des igned and planted in 1994. Buxus semper­ tact information is: 248 Ridgewood Avenue, Char­ virens 'Pyramidalis' (one of my favorites) was used to give lotte, NC 28209; www.winghavengardens.com the space a much-needed upright effect along the center Hours: Tuesday 3 to 5p m; Wednesday 10 to 12p m; pathway. T hey now seem to point toward the sky in a Saturday 10 to 5pm

Page 4 The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 Boxwood A Good 01' Bush with Pretensions

by Kate Meatyard

"O ne wonders how a seemingly p rosaic shrub, one constantly described in the garden literature as easily rooted and passed on, becomes a member of the horticultural ancien regime. "

he scent of boxwood trans­ ports me to our colonial St. T Mary's settlement. When f step between the shoulder-high boxwood lining the walkway to the State House, it is those bushes that first convey me to that earlier era. H ow could f have been ered old, noble, elegant, and the back­ grounds of ex pansive coloni al land­ so wrong? Landscape archaeologist, Kate bo ne of the garden. scapes . Meatyard, finally clarified the conun­ T he Ameri ca n Boxwood Society My own research shows, however, drum for me. Now f have asked her to reminds us that boxwoods are "man's that 17th-century colo ni al references do so in public. Boxwood was not the oldes t ga rd en o rnamental" and an­ to boxwood are rare to the point of colonial queen (or king). But, and per­ other source refers to Pliny as the orig­ no n-existence. T his could be due to haps f should not confess this to her, it in al box gard ener. Gard en histori ans the fact that the majo ri ty of 17th-cen­ still takes me back to 1634. also note the use of boxwood by ea rl y tury settlers in the T idewater were in ­ Europea n and English cabinetmakers tensely focused on feeding themselves Boxwood , that hall owed icon of and include oblique re ferences to rather than planting what would be­ colo nial reviva l style, is a topi c nea r 17 th-century importS to the Atl antic come known in the fo ll owing century and dear to my heart. Wo men of in ­ area-suggesting, fo r example, that the as pleasure gard ens, and I have yet to discriminate age up and down the first boxwood in the colo ni es was im­ stumble across a historic recipe that T idewater- those whose shoes always ported to Sylves ter M ano r o n Shel ter includes boxwood as an in gredient. match their hat and summer bag, who Island in 1653. And, indeed , in the Or it could mean that boxwood were kee p country ham wrapped in cheese­ T idewater regio n we have been pro­ so unremarkabl e that there was no cl oth in the refri gerator, and always grammed to think of Buxus semper­ need to note their prese nce. T here are, have sweetened tea-refer to these virens 'Suffruticosa,' or dwarf Engli sh of course, exceptions as time marches pl ants as box bushes . T heir sli ghtly Boxwood, as scented, silk-stockinged o n, and data indicate an expo nential fragrant shrubs are generall y consid - se ntinels guarding the tidal parade in crease in the inclusion of orn amen-

The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 Page 5 McMahon d isc usses at length the and fo ur specimen boxwood to pl ace [ShurcliJj] found proper care of dwarf box as edgin g around the fountain. boxwood a constant in pl ants. T hat trend co ntinued as more M iss France negoti ated the dona­ books we re published and , over time, ti on of22 1 boxwood pl ants fro m the old plantation and boxwood became the standard bord er Prince George's county gard en club at town gardens of the of T idewater gard ens. nine doll ars per 100 to line the four One wo nders how a see mingly inner beds of the ga rd en. O ther alum­ Tidewater region, and prosaic shrub, one co nstantly de­ nae offered to purchase specimen box­ it became the mainstay sc ribed in the ga rd en literature as eas­ wood and donate them to the cause. ofthe gardens in the il y rooted and passed on, becomes a Still other alumnae and fri ends do­ member of the horticultural ancien nated plant materi als and the cost of restored colonial town regime. T he answer may lie in the ef­ pillars, fountain, and pergola, and the of Williamsburg. forts of a Boston landscape architect, Gard en of Remembrance became St. Arthur A. Shurcliff, who was hired by M ary's own contribution to the col o­ John D . Rockefell er in the late 1920s nial revi val landscape. to wake up the sleepy town of When considering how boxwood tal pl ants in domes ti c gardens by the Williamsburg and return it to its colo­ came to be so revered in southern end of the 1600s. nial splendor. gardens, it seems cl ear to me that Ea rl G regg Swem's 1949 edited Shurcliff conducted surveys of when first transplanted and firmly volume of the John C ustis-Peter colonial homes and plantations across rooted in the T idewater colonies, Collinson co rres pondence, Brothers of Virginia and Maryland in the late '20s boxwood evoked a sense of home to the Spade, details the exchange of and early '30s in order to compile a col onists, es peciall y 18th-century plants between C usti s, an 18th-cen­ sy nthes is of southern style. In 1933, gentlemen gardeners who celebrated tury ge ntleman gardener and he referred to his synthesis as "The their British ancestry. In the nine­ Collinson, a British pl ant collector. In Grand M anner" when presenting his teenth ce ntury, boxwood became a the first quarter of the century, C ustis findings to the res toration team in norm in landscape des ign, perhaps endeavored to re-create a garden of Williamsburg. H e found boxwood a because it was an easy keeper and polite tas te in Virginia and ordered constant in old pl antation and town conducive to propagation. And, in shrubs from England on a regular gardens of the T idewater region, and the twentieth century, I suspect that bas is. Other T idewater planters fol ­ it became the mainstay of the gardens my fri end, Arthur Shurcliff, was re­ lowed suit, and as geometric pleas ure in the res tored colonial town of sponsible for its el evation, finally, to ga rdens became the norm in Enlight­ Williamsburg. horticultural royalty. enment households, so did box edg­ At the same time Shurcliff was re­ Autho r's note: The author con­ ing as a means to outline beds and des igning Williamsburg, the Tercente­ fesses that she has shoes that match bord ers. nary celebrati on of the settlement of her bags and hats, lives in an 18th­ Sin ce gardening books were M aryland loomed on the ho ri zo n, century white cl apboard house-no British rather than American in origin and in 1933, St. M ary's Female Sem­ ham (too salty) or sweetened tea (too in the eighteenth century, most infor­ inary Junior College prepared to cel e­ sugary) in her fridge-and that there is matio n on colonial gardens comes brate. Former principal M. Adele one box bush on the property at from almanacks or garden calendars France enlisted her alumnae to help Clocker's Fa ncy, the colonial property and perso nal letters found in archives crea te a memori al garden on campus. she is renovating. and special collections. Bernard She contracted with M ark Shoe­ M cM ahon's American Gardener's maker, the U nive rsity of M aryland The author, Kate Meatyard, is Companion, published in 1806, is Ex tension H orticulturalist, to des ign an Adjunct Assistant Professor often to uted as one of the first pub­ a colonial garden behind Calvert Hall. ofAnthro p ology at St. Mary's lished gardening books in the colonies W hile I have yet to uncover a set of College ofMaryland. and was sometimes found alongs ide drawings for the garden, a 1932 letter Philip M ill er's Garden Calendar in the found in the College archives from Reprinted wirh permiss ion fro m rh e Ocrober­ ovember 2006 iss ue of rhe River Gazette, a libraries of notable 19th-century gar­ Shoemaker to France detail s the need publicarion of Sr. Mary's C o ll ege of Mary­ deners in V irginia and Maryland. fo r 400 boxwood plants fo r edging land. Phoro credir Barbara Woodel.

Page 6 The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 too woody plan t that I could develop in to a lovely, con­ tinuo us hedge with small leaves and not too much wood o r fewe r branches that p roduce many leaves? I would appreciate any name of boxwood that you think could work . I do wa nt to line my fl ower beds and entrance to my ho me with boxwood . Follow-up A: At the Scho nbrunn Palace, between the G lo ri ette and the back of the palace, are "modes t" seasonal pl ants with boxwood o n either side of them in a lo ng thin se rpentine pl anting. If you are referring to these boxwood, they are Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa', what many refer to as Engli sh Boxwood . W e are familiar with the Palo Alto area, which is US DA Plant H ardiness Zone 10. In other words, it is frost-free. Unfo rtunately, Engli sh Boxwood can not sur­ The Question Box vive under this climati c conditio n. Indeed , many box­ wood require several weeks of 30 0 F (o r lower) Q: I just returned from visiting palaces in Europe temperatures. and saw that they used a ve ry small va ri ety of boxwood H owever, there are no less than 55 tropical species, or to outline their flower boxes . Please can you tell m e if semi-hardy boxwood , abl e to grow in your climate. Per­ you know the name of such boxwood . Very small leaves haps the m ost successful of these is the Japanese Box­ and they are pl anted ve ry cl ose togethe r. T hey are no t wood (Buxus microphy LLa va r. japonica) however its habit wood y, bur are all leaves hardl y any branches o r wood is no t even rem otely close to what you require. In fa ct, showing. no ne of the tropical boxwood, which would successfull y A: Yo u might be surprised to learn that there are grow in your climate, have the traits you des ire in your mo re than 1,037 different types o f boxwood. T hus, un­ box. fortunately, it is not possible fo r me to make a name de­ o doubt you are aware the climate in Vienna is dif­ terminati on fro m the brief description provided . ferent from that o f Palo Alto o r San Jose - thus it must In order to research the va ri ous boxwood possibili­ be expected that the fl o ra w ill also be different. It should ti es, please provide a photo showing the entire plant be remembered as another great mem o ry of a wonderful (without much background) and a second photo show­ trip. ing an ex treme cl ose-up of several leaves. A more detail ed Follow up comment: T hank you so much fo r in­ description indicating the size (metric or standard meas­ fo rming me of the climate conditio ns fo r such a pl ant. I urements are fine) the city of o ri gin (o r the name of a did no t real ize that these plants do req u i re ex trem e specific palace), habit, culture, distinguishing character­ weather conditions. I thought "everything grows" in C al ­ isti cs are all essential info rmati o n to ass ist me in this ifo rnia. I will then look fo r boxwood that could grow work. best in our weather conditio ns (a ny suggestio ns?) and ho pefull y it will resemble just a bit like what I had seen Follow-up Q: Thank you fo r getting back to me o n in Vienna. Again , many thanks fo r taking the time to the boxwood pl ant. I was at the Scho nbrunn Palace in answer my ques tI o ns. Vienna, Austria, and a few places in Germany, bur did no t get a close up o r detail ed pho to o f the boxwood. Q: I have a ho me o n the East End of Lo ng Island Very small leaves, its branches were not visible, no woody and have des igned a boxwood parterre, which requires stock. I tried to pull the hedge a part to see where the approximately 150 boxwood of 3 gall o n size (o r 15-1 8" main plant began, but it was hard to determine where diameter). Your fa bulous book, Boxwood: An ILLustrated the main trunk began, it looked like o ne continuous Encyclopedia is so helpful, but I am hav ing difficulty pl ant. identify ing the cultiva r that is bes t fo r my condi­ I li ve in San Jose, Califo rnia, where the temperature ti o ns-sunny, southern ex posure, 18" high at full is always mild. Could you suggest a ve ry small , leafy, no t height- in the quanti ty I need . A local nurse ry had a large

The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 Page 7 quantity of'Gree n Mountain' (S heridan se ri es), but they Q: For the Pacifi c Northwes t what is the best type of had ev idence ofleafminer. (Thanks to yo ur book, 1 could boxwood to pl ant fo r a hedge alo ng a d riveway, keepin g id entify this!) I have irriga ti o n and resources fo r mainte­ in mind hardiness, fas t growing and colo r re tentio n yea r nance, but 1 am finding little help fro m local landscapers ro und. Two species I am considering are 'Gree n Bea uty' in ad vising whi ch species would be bes t fo r my ga rden. I and 'Green Mountain'. T hank yo u fo r yo ur time. have found a nursery in N ew Hampshire that has 'Win­ A: Both are good boxwood, however, both are prone ter Gem', bur I do no t want to take this further until 1 to pes t infes tati ons. It would be bes t to co ntact a ga rd en consult with you o r ano ther boxwood ex pert. ce nter in your area that has a ce rtified nurse ryman o n A: Selecting an appropriate box fo r yo u wo n't be di f­ staff, and they should be abl e to help you with mo re spe­ fi cult, bur does require a few answered ques ti o ns. T hat cifi c advice for your area. IS: • will the box be sheared o r all owed to grow "nat­ Q: Would it be fa ir to say that if I purchase the Box­ ural" wood Encyclopedia, I would not need the Boxwood Hand­ • are yo u using them as specimens, o r in a mass book? Or is there informati on in the Boxwood Handbook planting, or in a hedge row, etc . .. that can not be found in the Encyclopedia? • am I correct in thinking yo u have a sandy loam Also, is the Buyer's Guide one of the 10 appendices so il ? of the Encyclopedia? I am an enthusias ti c novice where • what is the soil pH? boxwood are concern ed. I have been growing them fo r over ten years, at two different weekend ho mes where Q: I would like both the Encyclopedia and Handbook most plants are ravaged by dee r. I did not have an inkling (o ne for my des k and o ne for my work truck! ) Can I pick of the breadth of the genus until recently. I have become them up at Blandy, or are they stored somewhere else? frustrated with the limited types on offer at most nurs­ A: All the books and publications are kept in eri es in my area and the limited information they provide Roanoke, Virginia - no t Blandy Farm. Thus, the only on these rypes - ve ry difficult to plan a proper use of way to obtain these publications is to order them through materi als in the landscape. I think your o rgani zation is the ABS website at: www.boxwoodsociery. org and have going to be exactly what I am looking fo r. them mailed to you. A: The Handbook and Encyclopedia are ve ry different books. Q: H ell o fellow members, I'm curious if there is a T he Handbook is a complete treatment on box cul­ compilation of regi stered and or patented boxwood, or if ture. It is a 6" by 9" sottcove r book with 123 pages and someone could field my inquiry abour a few individual 91 color photos discuss ing boxwood culture, pes ts, dis­ species. eases, pruning, landscape iss ues, propagation, etc. A: Please note the attachment with the complete In­ The Encyclopedia gi ves a comprehensive, detailed , au­ ternational Registration List ofB uxus Cultivars. thoritative explanation of the 1,043 different boxwood Follow-up comment: M ay I say I am honored to be names. It is fill ed with detail ed , botanical descriptions corresponding with you, and thank you ve ry much for and 320 color photos of leaves and plants. It gives o nl y a the List ofR egistered Buxus Cultivars. I know that I, along superficial treatment of box culture. with countless others, enjoy your work, so thanks again . No, a Buyer's Guide is not an appendix in either book. This information changes ve ry rapidly and would quickly render that parr of the book useless. However, Q: We have two sections of boxwood in our garden. both books do tell the reader where to go to locate cur­ One section is doing fin e and the other yellow is and not rent box inventories. growing. Both are next to concrete. Can you please tell us T he Appendices in the Encyclopedia are: summary of what to do? plant characteristics; glossary; resources; list of vernacul ar A: More informati o n is needed in order to help de­ names; list of cultivar nam es; list of Buxus species; li st of termine this problem . If yo u could send several digital numbered boxwood; list of newly-legitimatized cultivar photos (overall and close-up) and describe how long the names; list of excluded taxa; and finall y, biographies. T he pl ants have been growing there, any treatments of fertil­ Encyclopedia also includes 11 pages of references, an izers, sprays etc. , watering schedule etc. we might be able index of taxa, as well as European and N . Ameri can H ar­ to narrow down the problem. diness Zone Maps.

Page 8 The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 by Lynn R. Batdorf

With 13 pages, C hapter 5, and essential informati on. H owever, "Buxus Identificati o n," is the largest three small chapters (Pruning, Fe rtil­ chapter in the book. It is also very well izin g, and Disease and Insect Control) written and is easily the most va lu able have misleading and occasionally even and useful chapter in the book. It pro­ incorrect info rmati o n. N ever-the-I ess, vides useful and individual plant char­ it is a des irabl e and impo rtant book acteristics in a nice logical progress io n and I encourage anyo ne interested in fo r 38 appropriately selected taxon, boxwood to obtain it. primarily cultiva rs. T he revised 2002 edition has C hapter 6, "Propagatio n," dis­ made this out-of-print bookl et avail­ cusses four different methods for root­ able once again. Address requests to: ing box cuttings . C hapter 7, T he Garden Club of Buzzard's Bay, Boxwood, edited by Mrs. "Pruning, " provides brief informati on P.O. Box P-7, Sourh D artmouth, G eorge Knowles, Jr. , and Mrs. Bar­ on proper pruning. C hapter 8, "Fe r­ M assachusetts 02748. Please write bara Warburton, was originall y pub­ tilizing," unfortunately, may mislead "Ann: Boxwood" in the lower left cor­ lished in 1992, and slightly revised in many novice gard eners. Its fertilize r ner of the envelope to direct the order 2002, by T he Garden C lub of Buz­ recommendatio ns are brief and have to the appropriate department. En­ zard's Bay Boxwood Booklet Com­ several major technical erro rs. This close a check to "GCBB" for US$7.00 minee. This 5'/2" by 8' /2 " soft cover chapter finishes with brief notes o n per copy for do mes tic shipments. bookl et has 35 pages which include mulching and watering. With a vari­ line drawings by N ancy Pantaleoni. ety of topics in this chapter, it would Wrinen as a laymen's guide, it has be less confusing to the reader if it -12· an immediate and large audience of were renamed, "Boxwood C ulture. " SOME PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF BOXWOOD Leaf Shape. The drawings below show tbe most common Ameri can gardeners who seek a reli­ T he final chapter, "Disease and Jeaf forms found in Boxwood. They arc about life size; you can place a leaf on the drawing to see bow closely it Insect C ontro!''' presents a strong and conforms. Leaves, lib people, seldom fit a pattern pre­ abl e introductio n to boxwood. The cisely. You will discover many varialions but, as you measure and study. a basic pallern will emerge. You can first chapter, "History of Boxwood," comprehensive introducti o n to the qualify your description. 8$ outlined below. to til. gives a rather complete seven page his­ important pests and diseases of box. It tory of boxwood from ancient to con­ is of pass ing interest to note that tempo rary times. It discusses uses of mites, discussed in this chapter on in­ Elliptic: shaped like an ellipse or oval with grealcst boxwood in the garden through his­ sects, are in fact not an insect. This breadth al middle. Varics from narrowly to broadly elliptic. tory. C hapter Two, "Boxwood could be easily remedied by titling the Rotund : rounded in shape. Ovate: egg-shaped with greatest breadth below N otes, " is a brief outline of general chapter, "Disease and Pes t Control. " middle. Lanceolate: nanow snd shaped like tbe head of a lance Finally, an index to the boxwood cul ­ with greatest breadtb below middle. site conditio ns favorable to box. Obov8te: invcrsely ovale, with narrow end al base. Oblanceolate: invcrsely Lanceolate, with narrow end al C hapter T hree, "Some Phys ical As­ ti va rs and a useful bibliography fol­ base pects of low. Lear tip. Leaf tips f,ll generally into three types, as shown Boxwood," gives an authori­ and described, below. tative explanati o n of the va rious leaf Boxwood is an excell ent and excit­ shapes and characteri sti cs which vari­ ing introductio n to boxwood. It is a useful book which introduces a large ous box may have. C hapter Four, Acute: narrowed 10 a point. Obtuse: rounded at tbe apex. "N atural Forms of Boxwood at 25 and important audience (the general Refuse : notched (aometimes slightly); sometimes called emarginate. years of Age," has one page with eight gardening public) to this much Leaf base. The bases or Boxwood leaves Ire cuneate, or wedge- sbaped. drawings of the most often encoun­ beloved shrub. Necessarily brief, it is tered box growth habits. generally well-written with correct

The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 Page 9 News

ABS Board Member Exhibits at Philadelphia After an initial transiti on, Dr. Le rdau will maintain Flower Show an offi ce at Bl andy as we ll as one in C harl ottesville, where he will have additional labo ratory fac ilities. Arboretum Andrea Filippone, with her fi rm Tendenze Des ign, Curator Dr. Dav id Carr ass umed the role of Acting Direc­ sponsored a booth at the world-renowned Philadelphia tor during the search phase, and spent many hours trav­ Flower Show. T he show was held at the Pennsylva nia eling between Blandy and C harl ottesv ill e to maintain his Conve ntion Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylva nia fro m res ponsibilities . H e and the res t of the Blandy faculty, March 4 -11 ,2007. Sponso red by the Pennsylva nia H or­ staff, and volunteers extend a warm welcome to D r. Ler­ ticultural Society in 1827, it is the oldes t and most re­ dau, and look forward to working toge ther. spected fl ower and gard en show in the United States. It is Reprinted with permission fom page I oft he Winter 2006 issue ofArb or Vitae. also the largest indoor fl ower and garden show in the world am acting more than 250,000 visitors from across the country and the world. Register speaks at Woodrow Wilson Ms. Filippone's 12 foot by 12 foot booth at this pre­ Presidential Library mier horticultural exhibit had four primary goals: T he Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library (WWPL) 1) Illustrate solar panels on t op of the pergola. was privileged to host a lecture on the history and care of 2) Display many different types of boxwood, which boxwood by Lynn Batdorf, the International Boxwood were well labeled. Registrar for the American Boxwood Society, curator of 3) Promote the ABS by distriburing membership ap­ the National Boxwood Collection at the National Arbore­ plications and selling boxwood books. tum, and aurhor of several books on the subject. Box­ 4) Selling Versailles box, for which Tendenze D esign wood enthusias ts, including representati ves from the is a US distributor. Gard en Club of Virginia, enjoyed the spring-like temper­ atures while observing Mr. Batdorf demonstrate pruning Dr. Manuel Lerdau the boxwood in the historic Birthplace gardens. A box Dr. Manuel Lerdau officially as­ lunch was served outside on the Emily Smith Terrace ad­ sumed his tole as Director of Blandy Ex­ joining the gardens. perimental Farm and the State Rick Potter, WWPL curator, also gave a brief history Arboretum of Virginia D ecember 26, of the gardens. T he Garden Club of Virginia has been in­ 2006 and is settling in to his new responsibilities. H e be­ volved with restoration and revitalization of the gardens comes only the sixth Director in Blandy's 80-year history. beginning in 1932 when they retained Richmond land­ Most recently Dr. Lerdau was a professor in the De­ scape architect, Charl es G illette. T he Victorian bowknot partment of Ecology and Evolurion with a courtesy ap­ flowerbeds outlined by boxwood are the only known pointment in Marine Sciences at State University of New bowknot garden he created. York, Stony Brook. H e joined Stony Brook after complet­ ing his Ph.D . at Stanford University, where he conducted his graduate work from 1988-1994. H e received his A.B. Future Annual Meetings in biology from Harvard in 1987. Dr. Lerdau follows former Director Dr. Michael Bow­ 2008 - Charlotte, N C ers, who left Blandy after nearl y 20 years for a position 2009 - Atlanta, GA with the U.S. D ept. of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. Dr. Bowers resigned in December 2004, and a national 2010 - Newark, OH search went il1to action to find a replacement. Mter a se­ ri es of meetings between potential candidates and officials 2011 - Boyce, VA of the Unive rsity, the Foundation, and Blandy faculty, 50th Anniversary ofthe ABS staff, and volunteers, the search committee unanimously selected Dr. Lerdau for the position.

Page 10 The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 Carrara marbl e Statue made and prese nted by the sculptor Attilio Pi ccirilli . '''As h Lawn' ho me of James Mo nroe, revolutio nary hero, signer of the Loui siana purchase, author of the Mon­ roe Doctrine and fi fth Pres ident of the United States. Pl anned fo r him by his fri ends and neighbor Thomas Jef­ hi s undated bl ack and white photograph postca rd fe rso n and built in 1798, within three miles of ' Monti­ T notes that, " Here are the o ld es t and most bea utiful cell o,' C harl ottesv ill e, Virginia." Boxwood in Ameri ca. T hese ga rd ens were probabl y Note the appearance .-____=_ planned by Mo nroe while he was Minister Pl enipotentiary ofthe statute.' to France; as they are distinctl y French in design. O pen dail y fro m 8: 00 A. M. to 7:00 P.M ." T hi s third and still later postcard of the sa me site is a color pho­ tograph published by As h Lawn in C harl ot­ tesv ill e, Va., and notes, "World renowned Box­ wood Gard en at As h Lawn, ho me of Pres i­ dent James Monroe, C ha r1 0ttesvi li e, VA., showin g fa mous Arrilio Pi ccirilli statue of Mon­ T his hand-colored postcard produced by the Alberrype roe in the background. Co., Brookl yn, N. Y., was taken later and states, " Boxwood O pen dail y fro m 7 a.m. pl anted by M o nroe 125 years ago fo rms rh e setting fo r to 7 p.m."

The Boxwood Bulletin - July 2007 Page 11 Directors John Boyd III Charles Fooks J. Bennett Saunders 2612 Churchill Drive 31106 Johnson Road Saunders Brothers, Inc. Roanoke, VA 24012-2621 Salisbury, MD 21804 2717 Tyebrook Highway (540) 362.0064 (410) 749.5075 Piney River, VA 22964 [email protected] [email protected] (434) 277.5455 ext. 15 [email protected] Joan Butler Clifford L. Hoffman 107 Cottage Drive 56 Bonnell Street George Schumacher Winchester, VA 22603 Flemington, NJ 08822-1306 831 Daubenberger Road (540) 665.5879 (908) 782.8866 Turlock, CA 95380 (209) 634.3472 Walter S. Carell, Jr. Dean Norton [email protected] 47 Old Mill Road Mount Vernon Ladies Association Millington, NJ 07946-1420 P.O. Box 110 (908) 647.5499 Mount Vernon, VA 22121 [email protected] [email protected]

Andrea Filippone Karen Rexrode P.O. Box 292 40413 John Mosby Highway Pottersville, NJ 07979 Aldie, VA 20195 (908) 879.4066 (703) 327.6413 [email protected] [email protected] www.boxwoodsociety.org