An Arizonan)S Gift to a Hawaiian Garden ERIC
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SAVING NATIVES: An Arizonan)s Gift to a Hawaiian Garden ERIC A Publication of the American Horticultural Society July/August 1997 $3 .95 1\ I"- 0 YOUR HISTORIC GARDEN It Doesn't Have to Be Old -0 ~ DISCOVER DALEAS Rugged Plants for the Plains and Southwest '"I"- -s -0 FLAGSTAFF'S ARBORETUM A Peak Performer ~ 00 RECYCLE! Ga rden Products With a Second Lease on Life '"-s I"- 0 co n t e n t s Volume 76, Number 4 July/August 1997 DEPARTMENTS Commentary 4 Botanizing the Canadian Rockies 18 by Ruby Weinberg Members' Forum 6 A favorite plant) continued. Instead of bringing plants home) visit them on their own turf Offshoots 7 Seeking sun) reluctantly. Dalea Wake-Up Call 28 by James H. Locklear Planting the Future 8 and Larry G. Vickerman A wild place on Martha)s Vineyard. Both striking and tough) Gardeners' Information Service 9 members of this versatile Cashews) columbines) importing plants. genus from our Plains Conservationist's Notebook 10 and Southwest are virtual Coco .fiber-a renewable amendment. strangers to gardens. Natural Connections 12 The Arboretum at Flagstaff 34 The riches of serpentine barrens. by Rose Houk Frances McAllister began this high-elevation research Mail-Order Explorer 14 center out of love for native plants. This year a special Siskiyou: plants from high places. gift from her will help preserve natives of Hawaii. Urban Gardener 16 A Place in History 41 Growing roses six flights up. by Nancy McDonald Book Reviews 52 Time) like fragrance) will add a new dimension to Heirloom veggies) mosses) rock gardens) bulbs. your garden) says a Michigan landscape historian. Pronunciations 63 On the cover: The oldest surviving gladiolus hybrids available in the United States date to the 1930s and )40s) What Goes Around ... 46 although the .first hybrids were created in 1837. Gladiolus Recyclables for the garden. 'Atom) from 1946) is one still available. Scott Kunst talks Regional Happenings 59 about his love for historic gardens and bulbs beginning on Gardens threatened and a garden saved. page 41. Photo courtesy of Scott Kunst. American Horticultural Society 7931 East Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 (703) 768-5700 commentary ~ The American Horticultural Society sec<ks '/Jo promote and lthough plants would seem to be the recognize excellence in most important element in the work horticulture across America. A ings of the American Horticultural ~ Society, it is people-Iong-time members and new-who make the difference. They sup PRESIDENT/CEO HNDA, HALLMAN port our programs and propose new ones, and share our gardening ideas and philoso phies wi,th others. Frances McAllister, a member for more than 20 years, is a wonderful example of how people can make a difference. Many of us have visited with her personally at AHS-spon sored events, and in this issue we give our readers a chance to visit with her at the Ar boretum at Flagstaff (Arizona), which exists through her generosity. WILLIAM A. J;'USEY; SECR:B'J'iABY Shortly after Frances first came to Flagstaff Washington; If). C. , she was convinced that the plants that grew C~ES HE~YSN1IT!;1iJR., ~ M,idd/efjurg, Vi13inia naturally in its mountains were the appropriate SJIER;MAN AIDUR ones for her personal garden. She wrote to me Yobe SOU1J/i; flOrida last year, saying that she was "deeply concerned :to Nt:&AKER Ii\.. with some of the cbmges in gardening practices which do not appear to have beneficial Winsto,n-Sa'lim, No~th Catcolina results to the plants or the ecology in whi(;h they must find their nurture." Did I know, she asked, of any cultural institutions with missions, special exhibits, or educational programs expressing her own sense of the fragility of plant life? As we communicated further, the idea emerged: During our 75th anniversary year, we would give an AHS Natural Botanical Garden Award to an organization whose research, ed ucational programs, and overall design demonstrate the most sound practices for con serving water, soil, and rare native plants. The winner is the Limahuli Garden in Kauai, part of the National Tropical Botan DOR0~"f. EW4WP ical Garden. On this site, which combines a public garden with a nature preserve, the Birmingha1n, Al4bama staff conserves and propagates endangered species, educates the public about sus WILLIAM E- ~N Los Altos, Calijrmnia tainable use of the land (there are many archeological treasures on the property), and 1MEODOR$ R. ~ON shares data gathered from one of the state's few unpolluted streams. Those who at ;KirklanU, Washington tended the Annual Meeting in San Francisco in April had the opportunity to meet the e;E~M. 'Mtb'kER garden'S energetic and eloquent young director, Chipper Wichman, and his charm Silver sprin!:f, Maryland ing wife, Hauoli. Geoffrey Rausch of Environmental Planning and Design in Pitts liGON M01J!AK Seattle, Washington burgh shaped the garden plan, which links lessons in ethnobotany and Hawaiian DT:JDLli¥ MORGKN legend to the vast acres of natural preserve. N ashviJle, Temtess~e Hawaii's history is fascinating, but in another article, landscape historian Scott GEOFFlWx L. RA:usof;t Kunst tells writer Nancy McDonald that we and our gardens are a part of history no Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania matter where we live. McDonald relates Kunst's passion for restoring old gardens and VADERl!E 'E... 'TI!PMAS rescuing heirloom bulbs-another kind of endangered plant. Garden writer Ruby Iltexanilria, Virginia Weinberg tells us how to plan a botanizing trip-in her case to the Canadian Rock ROBERT 'I). VOL" San Marino, California ies-and Jim Locklear and Larry Vickerman, directors of arboreta in Nebraska and Kansas, help us get to know the genus Dalea, a mostly southwestern legume that has been neglected in our gardens. PRESIDENT ~B!Iros Next month, we'll celebrate the old and the new-looking back at 75 Great Amer DR. H. MARC CATHEY ican Garden Books publ1ished in the past 75 years and looking ahead to more suc cessful gardening with the unveiling of the AHS Plant Heat-Zone Map. The map is 4 THE AMERICAN GARDENER July/ August 199 7 THE AMERICAN GARDENER EDITOR the Society's gift to American gardeners in celebration ofow- anniversary. In a way, I have KATHLEEN FISHER been involved in this project since 1983, when I began working on the updated USDA MANAGING EDITOR Plant Hardiness Zone Map, published in 1990. We have used the same framework and TERRI J. HUCK data sow-ces in creating the AHS Plant Heat-Zone Map. ASSISTANT EDITOR The article below annOW1Ces a transition for the American Horticultural Society, but DAVID 1. ELLIS I will continue to be involved, in the law1Ch of the map as well as other special projects EDITORIAL ASSISTANT and events. Please continue to keep me informed of your ideas and concerns! SARA Epp DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION JOSEPH YACINSKI DESIGN MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR DARLENE OLIVER H . Marc Cathey, AHS P,'esident Emeritus ~ EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD NINA L. BASSUK Ithaca, New York JOHN E. BRYAN Sa1lsalito, California JOHN L. CREECH AHS Welcomes New President Hmders01>villc, North Cm'olitla inda D . HalJman assumed the position of KEITH CROTZ president and chief executive officer of the Chillicothe, IIIin ois American Horticultw-al Society on May 19. PANAYOTI KEL"JDIS L Detlv"" Colorado Her most recent position was chief operations RICHARD W. LIGHTY officer at the American College of Health Care Greet/ville, Delaware Administrators in Alexandria, Virginia. PETER LOEWBR H. Marc Cathey, who has served as AHS Asheville, North Carolina president and CEO for the past three and a half bLVIN McDONALD West Des Moims, Iowa years, will continue to serve the Society as presi dent emeritus. He will work closely with Hall ~ man as a consultant on horticultw-al affairs and ADVERTISING AHS ADVERTISING OFFICE continue to represent the Society at national 4350 DiPaolo Center, Suite B horticultw-al events and on its tow-so Glenview, IL 60025 HalJman comes to AHS with an extensive (847) 699-1707· FAX: (847) 699-1703 background in nonprofit association manage COLOR SEPARATIONS ment. Her emphasis has been on leadership de fiLM GRAPIDCS velopment, membership services and programs, fund raising, and general PRINTER administration. She holds a master of arts degree in organizational management BANTA PUBLlCATIONS GROUP from George Washington University and a bachelor of music education degree The American Gm'dene>' (ISSN 1087 -9978) is pub from Indiana University. li shed bimonthl y (January/F~b rua ,)', March/April, Hallman says her greatest strength is in forging alliances among individuals, May/June, July/August, September/October, No vember/D ecember) by the American Horticultural corporations, and other nonprofits. "I'm eager to develop a deeper connection Society, 7931 East Boulevard Drive,Alexandria, VA and stronger relationship between AHS and each individual member and con 22308-1300, (703) 768-5700. Membership in the Society includes a su bscription to TI9c A-mcrictUl Gar· tributor. Membership and fund raising go hand-in-hand-success is based on in den.,: Annual dues are $45; two years, $80. Interna dividuals understanding AHS's mission, purpose, and importance, and then tional dues are $60. $10 of annual dues goes toward magazine subscription. Periodicals wastage paid at developing a genuine concern for it. I am committed to leading AHS not only to blexandria , Virginia, and at additional mailing offices. continue the successes of the past, but to create new and innovative programs Postmaster: Please send EOfjTI 3579 to The Ame,.i and services." "." Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, N exan deia, VA22308-1300. Our new president is particularly pleased to be joining the Society during its Botanical nomenclature is o3sed on A s..ynol1YJl·lized 75th anniversary year.