Is your garden missing jewel·like flowers floating on a s1'tlmmertng Ifyou haven't one, you are missing a great deal ofsatisfaction from your water surface and the da:rt.ipg bril1i:ance of goldfish? Are you missing garden. ' , the melodic sounds ofwater ~:Ulingfrom afountain, vessel orwaterfa11? Let Lilypons and TetraPond help you to get started today by ordering What you need in your garden is a water lily pool. A water lily pool is one of ow durable TetraPond 32 mil, flexible, 2 ply PVC pool liners. So a garden whose plants like damp to very wet feet. Fish and frogs like easy to install and maintain you will askyourselfwhyyou waited so long to live there and butterflies will like your garden better than ever. A to begin this adventure. Call toll free to nearest location. Please have WJl.ter garden is Simply one of the most satisfYing forms of gar(lening. credit card information handy. Choose from the seven sizes listed (sizes are appl'ox:iJhate) for depth 18" to 24" in your own desigrJ.. Lilypons catalogue suh?Ctiption (Free with liner order) . S 5 c 13' x 20' liner makes 9' x 16' pool . S229 8' X 12' liner makes 4' x 8' pool' . .' . .' . .. 99 16' x '23' liner makes 12' x 19' pool 299 10' x 16' liner makes 6' x 12' pool. ..... 149 20' x 26' liner makes 16' x 22' pool . 399 13' x 13' liner makes !'I' .xi 9' pool . 165 23' x 30' line!' makes 19' x 26' pool . 499 Use your personal check or circle credit card: Discover VISA MasterCard American Express Card Number ~--~"""""""-------__.,........._,;-.o~~-----~_ ExpirationDate ~_~.,......~ _______ Name Address~ __~ _____~ ______________~~ __~ __~ ______________ City State Zip -.....-~~~ ___ Phone ( )-....,.~ _________ California (7.7'5), Maryland (5%), and Texas (7.25%) residents please add sales tax. LilyponsWater Gardens® Dept. 1526 Dept. 1526 Dept.l52p P.O. Box 10 P. O. Box 188 P. O. B0X 1130 Buckeystown, Maryland 21717·0010 Bl"ookshire, Texas 77423·0188 Thermal, California 92214·1130 800·723·7667 Washington Local 428·0686 800· 760·5648 Houston Local 391·0076 800·685·7667 American Horticulturist Volume 71, Number 12 December 1992 ARTICLES Heuchera: Let the Buyer Be Aware by Patricia A. Taylor ... .. .. ....... .......... 10 They'll give you stunning foliage, but not always in the color you expected. Vegetables for Victory by Jeanne Palamuso .. .. .. .. ... ..... ....... ... ...... 16 A Buffalo, New York, writer and seven of our members remember when Americans joined together to till for their troops. Beating Our Missiles Into Manure Forks by Eric Raimy .. .. .... .... ... ... ......... 25 Can "Victory Garden" be translated into Russian? If it means communal city plots, it may be a tough row to hoe. DECEMBER'S COVER Tillandsias-Out On a Limb? Photographed by Michael S. Thompson by Margaret Sloan ......... ....... ........... 30 Like most other members of its While some species can be found glued to shells in supermarkets, genus, Tillandsia cyanea is a conservationists worry that others soon won't be found anywhere. tropical epiphyte. It lives in the forest canopies of Ecuador, The Ferns of Selby drawing its sustenance from air, by Raul E. Rivero ... .. .. .. ... ................... .... 36 rainwater, and whatever organic The plants known as pteridophytes can teach us a lot about matter happens to come its way. the beginnings of life on land. Mounting interest in growing tillandsias has sparked a dispute over their conservation status. In June, international trade restrictions went into effect for DEPARTMENTS some species. Beginning on page 30, Margaret Sloan covers the Commentary ...... ... ..... .. ....... ... ... ... 4 evolution, culture, and concern about the future of these Book Reviews ............................ 5 fascinating "air plants." Offshoots . .. ..... ....... ........ .. .................. 6 1992lndex .... .. ....... .... .. ......... ... 42 Classifieds . ... ..... .... .... ........ .............. 45 Pronunciations ... .. .... .. ... .... ..... 46 American Horticultural Society The American Horticultural Society seeks to promote and recognize COMMENTARY excellence in horticulture across America. OFFICERS 1992-1993 mong the many stars that gathered Mr. George C. Ball Jr. for our 1992 Annual Meeting last President October, one shiniRg light was the West Chicago, Illinois A Mrs. Sarah S. Boasberg recipient of the individual Award for First Vice President Urban Beautification, Dr. Nina Bassuk of Washington, D.C. Cornell University. Dr. William E. Barrick The Society's focus encompasses all as­ Second Vice President Pine Mc>untain, GClOrgia pects of horticultural education. We have Mr. David M. Lilly talked a great deal about the horticultural Secretary education of children, and one reason for St. Paul, Minnesota this emphasis is because so many of our Mr. Gerald T. Halpin Treasurer children are growing l!lp in urban land­ Alexandria, Virginia scapes empty of trees and other vegetation. The Society is also committed to encourag­ ing civic involvement in horticulture, and this includes raising awareness BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the need for greener cities and educating the public as to the most Mrs. Suzanne Bales Bronxville, New York effective ways to bring this about. Dr. Sherran Blair In her lecture at the meeting, Dr. Bassuk emphasized that urban horti­ Columbus, Ohio culture programs need money as well as expertise-that when budgets are Mrs. Mary Katherine Blount Montgomery, Alabama cut, so too are trees. She described a fascinating study that found the air Mr. William F. Brinton temperature of a New York City street was 107 degrees with 12 percent Mount Vernon, Maine humidity, while Central Park, three blocks away, was 86 degrees with 40 Mr. Russell B. Clark Boston, Massaehusetts percent humidity. Such extreme conditions require us to choose tough Mrs. Beverley White Dunn plants and to give their roots adequate space to survive. Birmingham, Alabama However, Dr. Bassuk observed that quality in ornamental horticulture is Dr. Jahn Alex Floyd Jr. subjective, with plants being selected for their perceived attractiveness, as Birmingham, Alabama Mrs. Julia Hobart opposed to agriculture, with its more objective criteria such as yield and Trey, Ohio fruit size. Therefore, it is a great challenge to inform the public of the need Dr. Richard 1. Lower for selecting trees on the basis of their predictable responses to their Madison, Wisconsin Mr. Elvin McDonald environment. When city planners lack knowledge about proper selection, Houston, "Texas planting, and care of trees, all the money spent on urban rebuilding is Mr. Lawrence V. Power tmowing good money after bad. If a sidewalk or street is not given the New York, New York moderating influence of a group of trees, it is not worthy of habitation. Such Dr. Julia Rappaport Santa Ana, California research as Dr. Bassuk has carried out is precious fruit; we need to make Mrs. Flavia Redelmeier sure the seeds of her knowledge are scattered across the nation. Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada By making this year's award winners the central focus of our Annual Mrs. Jane N. Searff New Carlisle, Ohio Meeting, we allowed members to get to know all of them, and to appreciate Mrs. Josephine Shanks their remarkable accomplishments more fully. We hope you will come to Houston, Texas our next Annual Meeting, scheduled for October 1993 at Disney World in Mrs. Billie Trump Alexandria, Virginia OFlando, Florida. Besides the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look Mr. Andre Viette at Disney's extensive horticultural activities, we'll enjoy visits to key Fishersville, Virginia gardens and greenhouses in the area. Mrs. Helen Fulcher Walutes The AHS staff is exploring new areas of horticultural education for all ages. Mount Vernon, Virginia Ms. Katy Moss Warner An AHS-sponsored symposium for elementary-level educators, "Children, Lake Buena Vista, Florida Plants, and Gardens: Educational Opportlmities," will take place August 12-14, 1993, in Washington, D.C. On April 3 and 4, our River Farm ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR headquarters will be the site of EcoFest, an environmental demonstration fair that we hope will become an annual event. Mrs. Helen Fulcher Walutes Watch your News Edition for mme information on these and other activities scheduled for the New Year. Happy Holidays to all! George C. Ball Jr., AHS President 4 DECEMBER 1992 American Horticulturist Editor Kathleen Fisher BOOK REVIEWS Assistant Editors Chris Bright Mary Beth Wiesner Editorial Assistant Steve Davolt Design Director be tempted to argue that Americans are a Joseph Yacinski more undisciplined and self-indulgent lot Designer than these gardens would indicate, but Bob McCracken whether or not one agrees with Frederick's Membership Director approach, there is much of interest in his Darlene Oliver handsome and informative book. Editorial Advisory Board Each of five types of gardens is addressed Dr. Gerald S. Barad in its own chapter: entrance gardens, gar­ Flemington, New Jersey dens meant to be viewed from inside the John Bryan house, gardens to live in, swimming pool Sausalito, California John Creech gardens, and gardens for strolling. Each Hendersonville, North Carolina chapter opens with an explanation of the Keith Crotz characteristics of that type of garden, fol­ Chillicothe, Illinois Panayoti KeIaidis lowed by two or three examples drawn Denver, Colorado from his practice, as well as his own exten­ Peter Loewer sive gardens. For each example we are Asheville, North Carolina Janet M. Poor given a plan and a list of plants used in the Winnetka, Illinois garden. Lovely color photographs of gar­ Dr. James E. Swasey den views and details illustrate the text. Newark, Delaware Cross-references in the appendices relevant The Exuberant Garden to each garden direct the reader to addi­ Advertising tional information on suitable plants. American Horticultural Society and the Controlling Hand Advertising Department William H. Frederick. Little, Brown, Following the case studies, Frederick ex­ 341 Victory Drive Boston, 1992. 342 pages, 81;2" x 11". plores design elements particularly ger­ Herndon, VA 22070 Color photographs and illustrations. mane to that type of garden, such as (703) 834-0100 Publisher's price, hardcover: $50.