GARDENERGARDENER Thethe Magazinemagazine Ofof Thethe Aamericanmerican Horticulturalhorticultural Societysociety July/August 2004

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TheThe AmericanAmerican GARDENERGARDENER TheThe MagazineMagazine ofof thethe AAmericanmerican HorticulturalHorticultural SocietySociety July/August 2004

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contents Volume 83, Number 4 . July / August 2004

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS

5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM

6 NEWS FROM AHS River Farm Master Plan update, installation of André M. Bluemel meadow, White House gates to highlight AHS Gala, Harding Memorial Azalea Gardens celebrates 10 page 24 page 30 years, Arabella Dane is new AHS Board Chair, HGI 14 SUMMER BERRIES BY LEE REICH launches second pagepage 66 Easy-to-grow raspberries and blackberries are a mouth-watering online program, addition to the summer garden. The Growing Connection in Chicago, latest SMARTGARDEN™ Regional Guide available.

20 GARDENING RAISED TO NEW HEIGHTS BY LINDA ASKEY 44 CONSERVATIONIST’S CORNER Physical challenges can’t keep a Virginia gardener from growing Plant conservationist Kayri Havens. a bounty of fresh vegetables. 45 EVERYDAY GARDEN SCIENCE Preserving cut flowers. 24 CELEBRATING THE TOMATO BY DAPHNE ROZEN The tomato’s central role in American culture and cuisine is evident 48 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK in the many regional celebrations held in its honor each summer. Update on sudden oak death disease, new orchid GRASSY ORNAMENTALS FOR SHADY GARDENS species discovered, guarding 30 against tetanus, new ‘Scarlet BY PATRICIA ACTON Sentinel’ stewartia, Just because you garden in shade doesn’t mean you can’t grow ‘Princeton’ elm recognized grasses and grasslike plants. by Garden Club of page 48 America, dangers of 36 GARDENERS ANTICIPATE CLIMATE CHANGE pesticide exposure. BY ALEXANDRA GOHO 51 SEASONAL GARDEN GOODS Gardeners and the horticulture industry are adapting practices and Furniture for outdoor living. plant choices in the face of subtle but steady climate changes. 52 BOOK REVIEWS Garden Insects of North America, The Passion SEEING METAPHORS IN GARDENS BY TRES FROMME 42 for Gardening, and Uncommon Fruits for Learning to see figuratively can be a mind-opening design exercise. Every Garden. Special focus: Staff picks for summer reading. 46 MAKING A DIFFERENCE BY JESSIE KEITH 56 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS A young gardener sows the seeds of a national program. 61 HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES AND PRONUNCIATIONS

62 PERFECT PLANT COMPANIONS ON THE COVER: The fruits of thornless blackberries in various stages of ripeness provide food for Summer brights in a container.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF TOMATOFEST; MICHAEL S. THOMPSON; CAROLE OTTESEN; COURTESY OF PETER DEL TREDICI DEL PETER OF COURTESY OTTESEN; CAROLE THOMPSON; S. MICHAEL TOMATOFEST; OF COURTESY LEFT: TOP FROM CLOCKWISE the eye as well as for the palate. Photograph by Rob Cardillo

July / August 2004 3 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS 7931 East Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 (800) 777-7931 fax (703) 768-8700 www.ahs.org For general information about your membership or to report damaged magazines, call (800) 777-7931. Send change of address notifications to our mem- Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens bership department at the address on the left. Mem- bership questions and change of address notification can also be e-mailed to [email protected]. PRESIDENT Katy Moss Warner THE AMERICAN GARDENER BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS 2004-2005 To send a letter to the editor, write to the address CHAIRMAN Arabella S. Dane Center Harbor, New Hampshire on the left or e-mail to [email protected]. FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN Brian E. Holley Cleveland, Ohio DEVELOPMENT SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Don Riddle Davidsonville, Maryland To make a gift to the American Horticultural Soci- SECRETARY Albin MacDonough Plant Baltimore, Maryland ety, call (800) 777-7931 ext. 115. TREASURER Christine Perdue Middleburg, Virginia GARDENER’S INFORMATION SERVICE (GIS) IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Kurt Bluemel Baldwin, Maryland Have a gardening question? Call (800) 777-7931 ext. 131 GENERAL COUNSEL William A. Pusey from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays. Or PRESIDENT EMERITUS Dr. H. Marc Cathey e-mail questions to [email protected]. THE GROWING CONNECTION Leslie Ariail Alexandria, Virginia ■ Allan M. Armitage Athens, Georgia ■ William E. Barrick, Ph.D. Theodore, Get your kids involved with this innovative educa- Alabama ■ Katherine Bull Washington, D.C. ■ Joel Goldsmith Gilroy, California ■ Beverly Hanselman Nashville, tional program in which they can experiment with Tennessee ■ Natasha Hopkinson New York, New York ■ Margaret Kulp Louisville, Kentucky ■ Robert Malesardi seeds that have gone into space in a NASA science bal- Easton, Maryland ■ Melissa R. Marshall Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ■ Carol C. Morrison Palatine, Illinois ■ Felder loon. Visit www.ahs.org or call (800) 777-7931 for Rushing Jackson, Mississippi ■ William Seale Alexandria, Virginia ■ Jeanne Otis Shields Greenville, Delaware ■ more information. Arnold Steiner Birmingham, Alabama ■ Steven Still Hilliard, Ohio ■ Howard McK. Tucker Alexandria, Virginia ■ Susie Usrey Dayton, Oregon ■ Robert D. Volk San Marino, California INTERN PROGRAM To receive an application for the Society’s Horticul- CORPORATE PARTNERS tural Intern Program, e-mail [email protected]. For in- The Care of Trees ■ DK Publishing ■ EarthBox ■ Kurt Bluemel, Inc. formation about the Editorial Intern program, e-mail ■ Monrovia Thompson & Morgan [email protected]. Intern application forms can also be downloaded from the River Farm section of the AHS AHS HORTICULTURAL PARTNERS Web site (www.ahs.org). America in Bloom ■ Bellingrath Gardens & Home ■ Center for Plant Conservation ■ Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Garden Symposium ■ Communities in Bloom ■ Cox Arboretum ■ Epcot International Flower NATIONAL CHILDREN AND YOUTH GARDEN & Garden Festival ■ The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America ■ Greater Gardens of the SYMPOSIUM (NCYGS) Washington Area ■ Homestead Resorts Horticultural Symposium ■ Horticulture Gardening Institute ■ Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, is the setting International Master Gardener Conference ■ Leonard Haertter Travel Company ■ Magic of Landscaping for the 12th annual NCYGS, to be held July 29 to 31, Symposium ■ Morris Arboretum ■ Oklahoma Horticultural Society ■ Summer Master Gardener Conference 2004. For more information, call (800) 777-7931, ext. in East Lansing 132 or visit www.ahs.org. THE AHS PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL RECIPROCAL ADMISSIONS PROGRAM CHAIRMAN'S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel ■ Ms. Claire Burrows ■ Mr. and Mrs. Edward N. Through this program, AHS members receive free Dane ■ Mr. Mark Garrison ■ Ms. Jill Hamilton ■ Mr. and Mrs. James S. Hutchinson ■ Mr. Robert E. Malesardi ■ Ms. Nancy and discounted admission to botanical gardens Petersen ■ Mr. Phil Snyder LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY ASSOCIATES Mr. A. Michael Gelman ■ Mr. and Mrs. Mickey Lynch ■ Mr. and throughout North America. Participating gardens are Mrs. Joseph L. Manson, III ■ Mr. and Mrs. Ken Mountcastle ■ The Honorable Lauralee M. Peters ■ Mr. W. R. Pickering ■ Jeanne listed in this year’s AHS Member Guide and also in Otis Shields ■ Ms. Katy Moss Warner ■ Ms. Donnan C. Wintermute HAUPT ASSOCIATES Mrs. Lynda A. Bachman ■ Dr. and Mrs. the Membership area of our Web site. For more in- William E. Barrick ■ Mr. and Mrs. C. William Black ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bogle ■ Mr. Richard C. and Mrs. Katherine Stark Bull formation, call (800) 777-7931 ext. 127. ■ Dr. and Mrs. H. Marc Cathey ■ Mr. and Mrs. Louis Cordia ■ Mrs. Elisabeth C. Dudley ■ Mrs. Richard W. Hanselman ■ Ms. Minako TRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM Henderson ■ Mrs. Carole S. Hofley ■ Col. and Mrs. Freeman E. Jones ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Kulp, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm AHS members and friends can visit spectacular gar- Matheson, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harold McClendon, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Tom McGlade ■ Mr. Paul H. Pusey ■ Ms. Michele Richardson dens around the world through the Society’s exclu- ■ Mr. Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. ■ Dr. and Mrs. George E. Staehle ■ Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Steiner ■ Mr. John Wm. Thomas and Mrs. sive arrangement with Leonard Haertter Travel. To Valerie Thomas ■ Mr. Howard McK. Tucker and Ms. Megan Evans ■ Mr. and Mrs. W. Bruce Usrey ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Volk learn about upcoming trips, call (800) 777-7931 ext. PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Angino ■ Nancy J. Becker, M.D. ■ Mrs. Katherine McKay Belk-Cook ■ Mr. Phillip 118 or visit the Events section of our Web site. Bermingham ■ Mrs. George P. Bissell, Jr. ■ Ms. Sylvia Black ■ Dr. Sherran Blair ■ Count and Countess Peder Bonde ■ Mrs. Anne Bucher ■ Mr. and Mrs. Cason Callaway, Jr. ■ Mrs. and Mr. Charles E. Carr ■ Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Chandler ■ Mr. and Mrs. WASHINGTON BLOOMS! James L. Corfield ■ Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Crawford ■ Mr. and Mrs. Edward Daisey ■ Mr. and Mrs. James F. Delano ■ Mr. and Mrs. AHS’s annual celebration of spring was held April Nicholas Demisay ■ Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Dubke ■ Mrs. Beverley W. Dunn ■ Mrs. Maureen Ecke ■ Ms. Anita Ellis ■ Mr. and 1 to 25, 2004, at River Farm. This year featured the Mrs. John H. Fitzpatrick ■ Dr. and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. ■ Ms. Marguerite Peet Foster ■ Mr. Thomas B. Gentry ■ Ms. Dorothy debut of the AHS Garden School, a series of in-depth Gillespie ■ Mr. John Sward Gleiber ■ Mr. and Mrs. Joel Goldsmith ■ Mr. and Mrs. David B. Gray ■ Mr. and Mrs. John H. Guy, IV workshops on exciting new gardening trends. Look ■ Mr. Gerald T. Halpin ■ Mrs. Richard W. Hamming ■ Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove ■ Mr. and Mrs. Max Hartl ■ Mrs. Enid for information on 2005 programs later this year. A. Haupt ■ Mr. and Mrs. Brent Heath ■ Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Hohlt ■ Mr. and Mrs. Brian Holley ■ Mr. and Mrs. Allan L. WEB SITE: www.ahs.org Holmstrom ■ Mrs. Elizabeth Hooff ■ Mr. Ross Hotchkiss ■ Mr. Philip Huey ■ Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Hutchins, III ■ Mr. and Mrs. The AHS Web site contains information about AHS Robert B. Lindsay ■ Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Marshall ■ Mrs. Dorothy Marston ■ Mrs. Rachel L. Mellon ■ Mrs. Rosalyn Milbrandt programs and activities, gardening events in your area, ■ Mr. and Mrs. Egon Molbak ■ Mrs. Carol C. Morrison ■ Mr. and Mrs. William J. Moss ■ Mrs. Shirley Ann Nicolai ■ Mr. and Mrs. and links to other useful Web sites. Starting January William G. Pannill ■ Ms. Christine Perdue ■ Mr. and Mrs. Albin MacDonough Plant ■ Mr. and Mrs. William A. Pusey ■ Mr. and 20, 2004, AHS members can reach the member’s- Mrs. Don E. Riddle, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Alfred G. Rindler ■ Mrs. Diana Carter Samples ■ Mrs. Deen Day Sanders ■ Mrs. Josephine only area of the site by typing in this year’s password: M. Shanks ■ Mr. Bob Sierralta ■ Mr. and Mrs. Charles Henry Smith, Jr. ■ Ms. Vandy Solomon ■ Mrs. Juliet Sproul ■ Mr. Harold meadow. Stahly ■ Miss Jane Steffey ■ Ms. Lida M. Stifel ■ Mr. and Mrs. John B. Strasenburgh ■ Mrs. Benjamin W. Thoron ■ Mrs. Mary Ann Tucker ■ Dr. and Mrs. Peter Van Dyke ■ Mr. Joe Viar ■ Ms. Angela M. Vikesland ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harvey C. White ■ Mr. and Mrs. John W. White, Sr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. D. Anderson Williams ■ Mrs. Marilyn B. Wilson

4 the American Gardener The American NOTESC FROM RIVER FARM GARDENER

EDITOR David J. Ellis HERE IS SO MUCH excitement building at the AHS these days that I MANAGING EDITOR AND DESIGNER Mary Yee can’t even begin to cover it in this space! Over the last several months the AHS Board of Directors and staff have been working closely to evaluate ASSOCIATE EDITOR T Carole Ottesen the many programs and activities of the AHS while moving forward with the EDITORIAL INTERNS creation of an exciting new Master Plan for our headquarters at George Wash- Jessie Keith ington’s River Farm. Katie Palanjian The conceptual Master Plan for River Farm, recently approved by the AHS Board (see article on page 6), includes an ambitious plan for restoring many of our EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD existing buildings while creating gardens that will celebrate the past, present, and CHAIR John Alex Floyd Jr. future for American Horticulture. Birmingham, Alabama As you will read in the AHS news section on page 8, Allan M. Armitage we have already made great strides with the restoration of Athens, Georgia our meadow, thanks to our former Board Chair Kurt Nina L. Bassuk Bluemel and a small army of helpers from his nursery and Ithaca, New York from neighboring Mount Vernon. We have also added Richard E. Bir Brevard, North Carolina “sparkle” to some of our historic buildings with new paint, John E. Bryan wallpaper, and decorative fixtures. As we go about this im- San Francisco, California portant work, we are ever conscious that everything we John L. Creech do must be relevant and exciting to our AHS members in Columbus, North Carolina each and every state. If you would like to get involved in Keith Crotz this process, please contact me directly. I would love to know what you think. Chillicothe, Illinois Educational programs have been and continue to be a major focus for AHS, es- Panayoti Kelaidis pecially those that bring together leaders in our field to discuss important issues Denver, Colorado with a goal of establishing direction and taking action. Many of these programs Richard W. Lighty Greenville, Delaware are now being done in cooperation with partners who share our hopes and concerns. This spring, I co-facilitated the “Magic of Landscaping” conference in Or- Elvin McDonald West Des Moines, Iowa lando, Florida, an annual program that brings together landscape architects and Felder Rushing developers to explore the commercial value of plants and landscapes. Jackson, Mississippi Also this spring, our colleagues from the U. S. Botanic Garden, the Chicago Botanic Garden, the National Gardening Association, and the National Wildlife Federation convened at AHS’s River Farm headquarters for a special “congress” to ADVERTISING The American Gardener discuss the important issue of plant-based education. AHS has been a leader in 7931 East Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA 22150 this field for more than a decade now, but we still have more to do to bring plants (703) 768-5700 ext. 120 and gardens back into the mainstream of education in America. E-MAIL: [email protected] Other important leadership forums are in the wings. The AHS National Chil- dren & Youth Garden Symposium will be held July 29 to 31 in Ithaca, New York. With the help of our partners at Cornell University, this program is the finest op- The American Gardener (ISSN 1087-9978) is published bimonth- portunity for garden designers, educators, and passionate believers to learn of new ly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, Septem- ber/October, November/December) by the American Horticultural youth garden programs, visit successful gardens, and explore new ideas. Society, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300, (703) 768-5700. Membership in the Society includes a subscrip- At the AHS, we are determined to provide leadership for the all-important is- tion to The American Gardener. Annual dues are $35; two years, sues facing horticulture today. If there are issues of particular concern to you, please $60. International dues are $50. $10 of annual dues goes toward magazine subscription. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Vir- let us know. Together we may be able to make a difference by focusing attention ginia, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, and mapping out a plan for change. Alexandria, VA 22308-1300. Enjoy the rest of your summer and… happy gardening, Botanical nomenclature is based on The American Horticultural Society A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, on A Synonymized Check- list of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada and Greenland and on the Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Society. Manuscripts, artwork, and photographs sent for possible publication will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We cannot guarantee the safe return of unsolicited material. Back issues are available at $8 per copy. Copyright ©2004 by the American Horticultural Society. —Katy Moss Warner, AHS President Printed in the U.S.A. on recycled paper.

July / August 2004 5 6 e atrPa o ie amApoe yASBoard of New Directors Master Plan for River Farm Approved by AHS AHS headquarters. “The charrette helped us identify the most the identify us charrettehelped “The headquarters. AHS the for Farmvision River at new met a shape to threedays for national leaders in horticulture, education, and landscape design rette held at River Farm in the fall of 2002. At that time, 26 ly two years of planning and work that started with a design char- the character, natural beauty, and heritage of the River Farm site.” respectingwhile AHS the of mission national the fulfills it that Tech’s Alexandria Center, “Another strength of the plan is the way professor in the department of landscape architecture at Virginia locations of planned features as well as circulation patterns.” elements and existing characteristics of the site, and it anticipates itor experience,itestablishesrelationships between thevarious IN JUNE, IN based landscape architectural firm headquarters. The Master Plan was coordinated by Pittsburgh- rectors approved a new Master Plan for the AHS’s River Farm ident than 10 years ago,” says AHS Pres- more Directors of Board AHS witnessed since first joining the have I that Society ticultural velopment for the American Hor- reuse of historic structures. ington, D.C., firm that specializes in restoration and adaptive cooperation with shall Missy Marshall, of the AHS headquarters in many ways,” says landscape architect ticulture, and state-of-the-art facilities for educational programs. past horticultural trends and historical figures in American hor- clude improved visitor services, enhanced gardens that highlight first phase of the Master Plan in- can gardeners.” dress majorissuesfacingAmeri- where groups canconvenetoad- ticulture andcreate anidealsite true celebration of American hor- FarmRiver transform will a into 2002 strategicplanningsession, a during AHS the for charted goals and vision the by formed in- and guided Plan, Master News PROGRAMS •EVENTSANNOUNCEMENTS The approval of the conceptual Master Plan culminates near- According tocommitteemember “This is the most excitingde- most the is “This “The “The new Master Plan serves to guide the future enhancement proposed the of Highlights • the American Gardener Tyler Katy MossKaty Warner. “This • the American Horticultural Society’sHorticultural American the Di-Boardof Rausch. “It prov an AHS Board member and principal of Mar- Martinez &Johnson Architecture, from ides storylines that will shape the vis- of thevisitorexperienceinnewRiverFarmMasterPlan. Scenic vistasofthePotomacRiverareincorporatedasmajorelements Marshall Ron anassociate Kagawa, AHS • Tyler • Rausch a Wash- in velopment of a new Master Plan. Throughout the process, identify and address site and programmatic issues critical to de- the AHSRiverFarm Committeebeganmeetingregularly to wood, pressing issuesandsetprioritiesforoursite,”says to Tom Underwood at [email protected]. ments or questions about the Society’s headquarters at River Farm com- excitingdirectPleaseany project.this in involved get can Gardener and clickingunder AnnualSeedExchange. to theMember’ssectionof AHSWebsite Gardener. published intheSeptember/October issueof a formthatcanbeusedwhen youdonateseeds—willbe vidual orders. ‘Blue Cloud’,forwhichthereweremorethan300indi- popular seedofferinglastyearwas 1,000 seedordersfromAHSmembersfilled.Themost with 163differentseedvarietiesofferedandmorethan Seed Exchange. Remember tostartsavingseedsnowforthe Time to Save Seeds! Focusing ontheprioritiesestablishedduringcharrette, More informationabouttheannual seedexchange—and AHS director of horticultural programs. on the implementation of the Master Plan and ways you You canalsoprintoutaseeddonor formbygoing Last year’sexchangewasahugesuccess, July/August 2004 ture issues of ed States.” Marshall of credentials national scape design firm with the and the support of a land- leadership Missy’s have the Master Plan. of preparation the and the committee’s activities guiding in role leading Missy Marshall played a gardens around theUnit- public major the of many of design the in mental instru- been have “They Board Chair AHS new says Salvia transsylvanica Look for updates in fu- “We’re to sofortunate Arabella Dane. 2005 AHSFree (www.ahs.org) The American • Tyler The American Tom Under- • Rausch,”

NICOLE GIBSON You are invited…

through the WHITE HOUSE GATES to RIVER FARM

Annual Gala for the American Horticultural Society

Honorary Patron Mrs. Laura Bush Honorary Chairs Virginia Senator and Mrs. John Warner

Saturday, September 25, 2004 6:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.

nter this year’s Gala through a piece of history and celebrate George Washington’s ERiver Farm, headquarters of the American Horticultural Society. Walk through the beautiful wrought-iron gates that graced the White House from 1820 to 1934 — the same gates every President from James Monroe to Franklin Roosevelt rode through after their inaugurations. These historic treasures, which have hung at the entrance to River Farm since the mid-1930s, will later be restored to their original beauty and reinstalled as a prominent Mrs. Laura Bush garden feature at River Farm. So come and enjoy dinner Senator John Warner and a stroll through the gardens in all their autumn splendor. Help us celebrate the Society’s national educational programs and the stewardship of George Washington’s River Farm. Please plan to attend.

For information call (800) 777-7931 ext. 110 or e-mail [email protected]. 8 up toplantthefirst phaseofameadowatRiverFarm thispastspring. Staff fromAHS, Mount Vernon,andtheKurtBluemel nurseryteamed MORE THAN to BloomatRiverFarm André M.BluemelMeadow lianthus angustifolius." for wildlife,likeMonarda tuberosa, punctata,Asclepias ers, mature andblooming,”saysAHSHorticulturist Peggy Bow- 10 years. be conductingregular bird atRiver Farm surveys over thenext the Virginia chapteroftheNational Audubon Society all bird populationbothinquantityanddiversity ofspecies, will becomeanaturalhabitatformanykindsofwildlife.” four-season interest through flowers, foliage, and seedheads and on aslopenearthePotomac River,” saysKurt. “It alsoprovides andisalogicalplantingforthislocation pesticides andfertilizers fits inwell withthephilosophyofreducing theuseofchemical Potomac River andprovide richhabitatforwildlife.“A meadow the meadow asanatural filtertoreduce intothe runoff willserve ofhisson,AndréM.Bluemel. memory programs. At Kurt’s request, the meadow has been named in to come,”saysTom Underwood, a beautifulandsustainableelementofRiver Farm forgenerations years.next few “Kurt hasprovided uswithameadow thatwillbe ow, whichwillbeinstalledinthree more planting phases over the 100,000—that willbeneededtocompletethefour-acre meadow andisdonatingalloftheplants—atotalexpected toexceed Kurt inBaldwin, Bluemeldesignedthemead- Maryland, nursery down tothebanksofPotomac River. flowers andgrassesacross aone-acre sweep ofground sloping planted—by hand—some32,000plugsofmostlynative wild- restored meadow atRiver Farm. In twodaysthisintrepid group teamedupApril 26and27toplantthefirststageofa nursery Mount Vernon EstateandGardens, “It willbeespeciallyrewarding whenthemeadow plantsare To determinehow themeadow affectsRiver Farm’s over- In additiontoofferingscenicbeautyforRiver Farm visitors, Kurt Bluemel, “because itcontainssomanygoodseedandnectarplants the American Gardener 20 staffmembersandvolunteers from theAHS, the outgoingAHSBoard Chairandowner of AHS director ofhorticultural and Kurt Bluemel Inc. and will He- gate waspartofasetatthenortheastentrancetoWhiteHouse. Before hanging at the entrance to River Farm for many years, this PLANS AREUNDERWAY Restoring theWhiteHouseGates business operations,at(703)768-5700ext.115. M. Bluemel Meadow, pleasecontact have already been received. If you’d the André like to support ment fundhasbeenestablishedandmanygenerous donations bat thewear andtearoftime andexposure totheelements. displayed, however, professional restoration isneededtocom- scape at River Farm. Before the gates can be permanently torical value and eventually incorporating them into the land- to restoring the185-year-old, handmadeiron gatesfortheirhis- lic,” saysWilliam. fencing intheearlyrepub- senting thebestqualityof hand-forged gates,repre- are fine sevelt. very “They through Franklin D.Roo- dencies of James Monroe House during the presi- entrance to the White that stood at the northeast gates were thesameones confirmed thattheAHS House archives, William tographs from theWhite ical records andpho- oftheWhiteHouse.tory William Seale, whohasauthored several booksabout the his- cently by architectural historianandAHSBoard member, century. Thegates’ wasuncovered unique history onlyre- tural Society’s River Farm entrance property for over half a mer WhiteHouse gatesthatgracedtheAmericanHorticul- To ensure thelong-termsuccessofmeadow, anendow- “This project hasgenerated alotofexcitement,”“This says The AHSiscommitted After researching histor- to restore asetoffor- andpreserve or call (703)768-5700. mation, pleaseturntopage7 September 25.Formoreinfor- Farm,” whichwillbeheldon White HouseGatestoRiver 2004 AHSGala,“Throughthe a reservationforyourselfatthe there maystillbetimetomake as thisissuewenttopress,but Available tableswerelimited for September AHS GalaSet Joe Lamoglia, director of Joe

LEFT: CAROLE OTTESEN; RIGHT: AHS STAFF Lamoglia, AHS director of business operations. “We’ve received a $50,000 pledge from a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous, and we’re seeking grants and individual funding for the balance. Properly restoring and displaying these American treasures will require funding of more than $100,000.” AHS members will have a final opportunity to see the gates prior to restoration at the AHS Annual Gala, which will be held at River Farm on September 25. Restoration will be completed this winter and the gates will make their national debut as the official entrance to the 2005 Philadelphia Flower Show, which will be held March 6 to 13 at the Pennsylvania Convention Cen- ter. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society invited the AHS to participate in next year’s show because the identity of the gates as a historic American landscape feature ties in perfectly with the show’s theme, “America the Beautiful.” River Farm’s George Harding Memorial Azalea Garden THIS SPRING, the 12 beds within the George Harding Memo- rial Azalea Garden at River Farm were alive with the grandeur of more than 700 azalea selections. The fine colors of the early- blooming selection, such as the rich pink Glenn Dale hybrid ‘Bountiful’, were followed by many large-flowered, Satsuki hy-

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Volunteers Milton Lerner, left, and Robert Stelloh erected the sign for the Harding Memorial Azalea Garden prior to its official dedication in 1994. TRY brids like the soft pink ‘Gwenda’ and the outstanding Polly Hill US! Just pay the shipping and handling. selection, ‘Wintergreen.’ These and many rare and unusual aza- Offer #478F leas can be found in this outstanding collection, which is inter- Phone Fax planted with a wide variety of uncommon herbaceous Toll Free 800•274•7333 Toll Free 888•466•4769 perennials and specimen trees that can be viewed from wood- chip covered paths. Designed and planted by members of the Azalea Society of Log on to www.ahs.org and support the America (ASA) in partnership with the AHS, the garden was American Horticultural Society. Just click on the dedicated in 1994 as a memorial to George Harding, a leading Thompson & Morgan link to place your order. azalea expert who was chief of maintenance with the National

COURTESY OF JOAN LERNER Capitol Parks and a co-founder of the ASA. He died in 1990.

July /August 2004 9 Among those who helped create the garden are Denise and Robert Stelloh, Bea and Robert Hobbs, Sue and George Switzer, and Joan and Milton Lerner. It continues to be main- tained and planted by ASA members—including George’s grandson, Michael White—who keep George’s memory alive through their remarkable dedication. “George was a great personality and plantsman,” says Mil- ton, who along with his wife, Joan, has volunteered in River Farm azalea garden since its inception. “When I first met him he had begun losing his sight, but this didn’t slow him down. Instead, he started learning to identify trees based on the feel of their bark.” To view the azalea garden at its peak of glory, visit River Farm 2005 “Gardener’s” Calendar from late April through mid June. $6.95 ($59.00 for 10) Postpaid 2004 Computer Screen Saver Arabella Dane is New Board Chair $10.00 Postpaid ARABELLA DANE became the new Chair of the AHS Board 13 prize color photos in both items of Directors at the June Board meeting, succeeding Kurt Bluemel, who remains on the Board as immediate past chair. The Gardeners of America A resident of Center Harbor, New Hampshire, Arabella has been on the AHS Board since 1996 and is also active in the Gar- Men’s Garden Club of America den Club of America Box 241 and National Garden Johnston, IA 50131-0241 Clubs. An internation- Phone: 515-278-0295 www.GardenersOfAmerica.org ally recognized flower show judge, she fre- quently teaches courses on flower arranging. Arabella received the “That’s one smart garden!” AHS Frances Jones Po- - Carol F., Greenwood IN etker Award in 1996 Join the 1000’s of gardeners who praise the EarthBox and has been recog- “It’s simply the Easiest Garden Ever Developed!” nized for her floral - Gil Whitton, Host arrangements and her The National Lawn and Garden Show numerous gardening As new AHS Board Chair, Arabella Dane SO SIMPLE outreach activities by takes the gavel from Kurt Bluemel. There’s no digging, weeding, or the Massachusetts guessing. The EarthBox grows Horticultural Society, automatically - year after year. the Garden Club of America, and many other organizations. WORKS ANYWHERE Newly elected AHS Board officers are Brian Holley, execu- Your deck or patio - even the tive director of the Cleveland Botanical Garden, who is first vice back forty! all you need is sunlight for fresh vegetables and herbs. chairman, and Don Riddle, owner of Homestead Gardens MORE PRODUCTIVE nursery in Davidsonville, Maryland, who is second vice chair- The EarthBox out produces any man. They join current Board officers Albin McDonough gardening method - with less Plant of Baltimore, Maryland, who is secretary; and Christine “62 pounds of tomatoes water, less fertilizer and less care. Perdue of Middleburg, Virginia, who is treasurer. right from our patio!” 100% NATURAL Board members who have fulfilled their terms are Jim Cor- No chemicals or expensive “My brother has 14 tomato plants, I out produce hydroponics. The EarthBox grows field of Geneva, Illinois, and Valerie Thomas of Alexandria, him with just three.” - Jim N., Scranton PA healthy produce, the way Virginia. Newly elected directors are Beverly Hanselman, nature intended. Arnold Steiner, and Margaret Kulp. Beverly lives in Nashville, “My EarthBox garden made me feel like a pro!” Tennessee, and has served as president of the Garden Club of - Elizabeth H., Passaic NJ ONLY $29.9$29.95 + $6.95 S&H Nashville. Arnold, an investment banker and avid gardener, re-

TM Call NOW To Order 1-888-502-73361-888-502-7336 sides in Birmingham, Alabama. A resident of Louisville, Ken- Or mail your check to: Dept P-AH153 tucky, Margaret is a member of the Garden Club of America P.O. Box 1966, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 travel committee and is on the board of the Bernheim Arbore-

tum and Research Forest. COURTESY OF KATY MOSS WARNER

10 the American Gardener AHS Welcomes New PARTNERSHIP FOR PLANT-BASED EDUCATION MEETS AT RIVER FARM Horticultural Partner THE AHS is pleased to welcome the largest men’s garden club group in North America, The Gardener’s of Ameri- ca/Men’s Garden Clubs of America (TGOA/MGCA), as the AHS’s newest horticultural partner. As of this issue of the magazine, all 4,000 members of TGOA/MGCA are now also AHS members. “We welcome all these enthusiastic new gardeners; it was a great pleasure for me to meet so many of them recently,” says AHS President Katy Moss Warner, who spoke at the group’s annual convention in Des Moines, Iowa, this past June. TGOA/MGCA holds an annual convention each year at one of its 78 garden club affiliates around the United States. In April, more than 50 representatives of the national Partnership for Plant-Based The organization also produces an annu- Education (PPBE) met at River Farm. The PPBE was formed in 2002 to promote the use al gardening calendar and sponsors pho- of plants as an important element of children’s educational programs In addition to AHS, tography and horticultural awards. In groups represented at the meeting included the U.S. Botanic Garden, the National Wildlife addition, its participating garden clubs Federation, the National Gardening Association, and the Chicago Botanic Garden. host numerous local events and programs. “We are very excited about this partnership with the AHS,” says TGOA/MGCA President signed to truly fit the individual gardener’s needs.” The herba- Honey Barnekoff. “It will undoubtedly be of mutual benefit ceous perennials program—developed in partnership with the to our respective members.” University of Georgia’s celebrated perennial expert Allan Ar- Look for more information about TGOA/MGCA programs mitage, an AHS Board member—will provide instruction on and activities in future issues of The American Gardener. Or all aspects of selecting and caring for more than 200 out- visit the TGOA/MGCA Web site at www.tgoa-mgca.org. standing perennial plants. Meanwhile, the online container gardening course—the first venture in the educational partnership between the AHS New Online Gardening Courses and HGI—is still open for registration. This 12-week online Launched course is based around projects and interviews provided by BASED ON the success of the online “Art and Science of Con- gardening experts such as AHS’s President Emeritus Dr. H. tainer Gardening” course, which debuted in fall 2002 and has Marc Cathey and Associate Editor Carole Ottesen, Brent been successfully completed by more than 1,000 gardeners and Becky Heath of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, and container across America, the AHS and Michigan State University’s specialist Heather Will-Browne. Horticultural Gardening Institute In addition to offering first-rate gar- (HGI) have developed two new exciting dening education, all these online courses online gardening courses that will open Help Test an Online include perks such as a complimentary for registration in late summer and fall. Course! AHS membership and access to HGI re- These new online courses are “The Art Interested gardeners have an op- sources for a full year. Participants can also and Science of the SMARTGARDEN™” portunity to play an integral role in communicate with other gardeners online and “Herbaceous Perennials: Identifica- the final stages of testing for the through a special member-share feature. tion, Culture & Garden Attributes.” The “Herbaceous Perennials” program And all the courses offer participants SMARTGARDEN™ program is designed to by registering to attend The Grand the option of attending special regional work with four AHS SMARTGARDEN™ Hotel: Gardens of Mackinac Island, gardening events relating to each online Regional Guides that are tailored to gar- a gardening event with Allan Ar- course. Two upcoming regional events de- deners in the Northeast, Southeast, mitage hosted by the Michigan signed to complement “The Art and Sci- Northwest, and Southwest. “The structure Master Gardeners on August 22 to ence of Container Gardening”course will of the SMARTGARDEN™ course is really 24. For more information, visit be held at the Leila Arboretum Society in ground-breaking,” says Chris Geith, di- www.gardeninginstitute.com. Battlecreek, Michigan, on August 21 and at rector of the MSU Global Institute and the Ohio Master Gardener Program in

JESSIE KEITH co-executive director of HGI. “It is de- Beavercreek, Ohio, on September 9.

July /August 2004 11 For further information, or to register for these programs zation (FAO) of the United Nations to develop this unique in- and events, visit the HGI Web site (www.gardeninginstitute. ternational program, which teaches middle-school-age children com), or link to this site through the AHS site (www.ahs.org). the science behind growing food, and helps them explore important issues like nutrition and water conservation. MART ARDEN™ Students and youth groups in the program receive TGC kits New S G Book Out that include vegetable seeds, educational materials, and a scien- THE LATEST in the AHS SMARTGARDEN™ Regional Guide tifically designed growing unit called an EarthBox™. The seeds series, tailored to gardeners in the are used to conduct science experiments and the children can Southeast, is now available from DK share their results Publishing. Co-authored by Rita Pel- with other partici- czar, former associate editor of The pants and project sci- American Gardener, and AHS Board entists around the member Dr. William E. Barrick, who world through the is executive director of Bellingrath Internet. Gardens in Mobile, Alabama, the book The city of contains practical advice on creating a Chicago, which has beautiful and earth friendly garden. agreed to serve as a Also included are hundreds of fully il- flagship city for lustrated plant lists suited to a variety of garden sites. To order TGC, is setting up the book, visit the AHS Web site at www.ahs.org/books/books.htm, demonstration gar- or call DK directly at (800) 526-0275. dens at the Garfield AHS President Katy Moss Warner, left, meets Park Conservatory with students from the Crossroads school in and at the Chicago St. Louis, Missouri, who are participating in The Growing Connection High School for The Growing Connection program. THE AHS initiative, The Growing Connection (TGC), is reach- Agricultural Sci- ing new heights this summer as the program expands to reach ences. The city of Chicago and the University of Illinois Master more schools and communities across the country and abroad. Gardeners will oversee this program, which will operate as a hub AHS has partnered with the Food and Agricultural Organi- for new members of TGC. “From there we reach out to about 20 individual communities and schools,” said Bob Patterson, senior liaison officer with FAO in the United States. TGC has also taken off this summer in the Washington, D.C., area, with 12 additional schools introduced to the program in June. Visitors to the Wash- ington area can see a TGC demonstration garden in action by visiting the AHS headquarters at George Washing- ton’s River Farm. On the international front, Bob says that the program in the West African nation Ghana is doubling this summer to include a total of 16 villages. In Mex- ico, a “preliminary adaptability trial” is underway, he says, to determine if the environmental conditions are compat- ible with TGC’s system. The program there is scheduled to be up and running by the end of the year. “Works wonders.” –Denver Post “Elsie’s beauty secret.” To find out how to get your school or –Glamour youth group involved in The Growing It’s remarkable what big things are being reported about the stuff inside our Connection, contact Amy Chaffee of little green can. Try some today. Your skin should be softer tomorrow. FAO at (202) 653-2458 or by e-mail at [email protected]. DAIRY ASSOCIATION CO., INC. P.O. BOX 145, DEPT. AG04, LYNDONVILLE, VT 05851/TEL. 802-626-3610/WWW.BAGBALM.COM AHS news items were written by editorial WEST OF ROCKIES: SMITH SALES SERVICE, 16372 S. W. 72ND ST., PORTLAND, OR 97223

interns Jessie Keith and Katie Palanjian. COURTESY OF ARABELLA DANE

12 the American Gardener

14 Easy-to-grow raspberries and blackberries are a mouth-watering addition to the summer garden. B in the garden to please both eye and palate. are highlyornamental,doingdouble duty bles are growing worth becausesomekinds main free ofpestproblems. Second, bram- regular bramblesgenerally re- pruning, easytogrow.very Given agoodsiteand in themarket notwithstanding,theyare yard or front yard garden. First, their price istics recommending themfortheback- brambles have acoupleofothercharacter- at most,from your garden toyour door. thanarm’sneed travel nofurther lengthor, a caseforgrowing brambleswhere they atthisstage.All ofwhich makes harvested dead ripe But theyare alsothemostperishable when are, arguably, themostdelectableoffruits. and blackberries are the most familiar— Summer Summer Sometimes referred toascanefruits, the American Gardener RAMBLES bearing plantsofwhichraspberries the mostlyprickly-stemmedberry- Berries Berries and donottastetheirbestunless —a collective term for —a R. idaeus resented mostlyby theEuropean species (and sometimesyellow) raspberries,rep- The most familiar raspberries are the red RASPBERRIES erally hardier thancultivated blackberries. blackberry. Cultivated raspberriesare gen- it’stached—comes offwiththefruit, a the core are around whichthedrupelets at- thimble, it’s araspberry. If thereceptacle— after is hollow, picking, the berry like a detachfrom theplant.If,these drupelets genera are easily differentiated by how thetwosub- seeded, fleshyfruits—and are aggregates ofdrupelets—tiny, single- blackberries subgenera are raspberries (Ideobatus) delectable—and sometimesornamental— grouped into12subgenera.Thetwomost which ismadeupofmore than400species Brambles belongto thegenus var. BY LEEREICH (Eubatus). Allbramblefruits vulgatus and theAmerican Rubus, and Heat Zones 8to1. Hardiness Zones 4 to 8 and AHS Plant both ofwhichwillthrive inUSDAPlant ing flavor, include‘Fallgold’ and‘Canby’, cific regions. My favorites, foroutstand- being introduced, someadaptedtospe- upright, andhave fewerprickles. can speciesare also hardier, thinner, and light-colored Canes of the Ameri- fruits. ‘Latham’ and‘Newburgh’, hasround, species, stillrepresented by thevarieties whiletheAmerican and conicalfruits, species isnotableforhavinglong,dark, and twoAmericanones.TheEuropean offered fourvarieties—two European William Prince’s onLongIsland nursery the 15thcentury. but were notcultivated inEurope until berries have beenenjoyed formillennia, species New varieties are red always raspberry In Americainthelate18thcentury, R. idaeus var. strigosus. Red rasp-

LEE REICH Fruit color is not always an indication of flavor. Pale ‘Fallgold’ raspberries, above, rank among the author’s favorites for taste, whereas wineberries, right, are more attractive than palatable. Opposite: A mix of fresh blackberries and raspberries makes a delicious summer treat.

Early in the 20th century, black rasp- New York, Ulysses Prentiss Hedrick de- drier, richer, and, of course, black. The berries, also called blackcaps (R. occiden- scribed almost 200 varieties of black rasp- prickly stems are glaucous; that is, covered talis, Zones 4–9, 9–1) were at least as berries. Few varieties are grown today with a waxy bloom, giving the plants a popular as red raspberries. The first vari- and even these do not differ much from bluish-white cast that some consider dec- ety, ‘Ohio Everbearing,’ was named in one another or from wild ones. The orative, especially in winter. Decidedly 1832, but commercial cultivation did not genes of R. occidentalis do figure into decorative, with dramatic, ghostly white take root—literally—until 1850, when some of today’s complex bramble hy- stems in winter, is the strictly ornamental H. H. Doolittle of Oaks Corners, New brids, however, including purple rasp- R. cockburnianus (Zones 5–9, 9–5). York, discovered that the way to propa- berries (sometimes designated R. A few other raspberries are notable ei- gate the plant was by tip rooting. By the neglectus), which are first-generation hy- ther for their contributions to the rasp- end of the 19th century, thousands of brids of black and red raspberries. berry variety gene pool or for their beauty acres of black raspberries were being As compared with red raspberries, black or regional savoriness. Wineberry (R. planted in western New York alone. raspberries are slightly less cold-hardy (to phoenicolasius, Zones 5–9, 9–5), an escape In his 1925 classic, The Small Fruits of about USDA Zone 5) and their fruits are from Asia that has naturalized in the east-

White-stemmed Rubus cockburnianus, above, and pink-flowered R. odoratus, right, are grown

TOP (2): LEE REICH; BOTTOM LEFT: LYNNE HARRISON; RIGHT JESSIE M. HARRIS as ornamentals. Thimbleberry, above right, bears berries as sweet as its flowers are attractive.

July / August 2004 15 16 ple flowers, lookingmuchlikesingleroses. eastern North Americawithitslargepur- brightens summerwoodsthroughout berry only foritsshow, ispurple-flowering rasp- One ofmyfavorite raspberries,valuable scarlet berrieshavingasweet, subtleflavor. eter whiteblooms, maplelikeleaves, and one-inch-diam- woodssporting northern of 3–9, 9–1)isadecorative raspberry European macropetalus, the native American with distinctive flavors. Species include yield large,wine-colored toblackfruits form longcanesand called dewberries, trailing blackberries,”alsosometimes the variety ‘Lucretia’. “Western resented by R.baileyanus the “eastern trailing types,” rep- more commonly itappliesto with long,trailingcanes,but ly appliedtoanyblackberry large clustersofsweet berries. their nameimpliesandbear their lineage,theyare justwhat cultivated examples.Whatever ‘Cherokee’, and‘Shawnee’ are which ‘Darrow’, ‘Eldorado’, argutus, senting thorny” varieties (mostlyrepre- ed for USDA Zones 5 to 8—are the “erect therefore easiestandmostconvenient. hybrids. Classificationby growth habitis somes—as well asnaturalandartificial plants with different numbers of chromo- they includenumerous “ploidy” levels— are muchmore difficulttoclassify because Compared withraspberries,blackberries BLACKBERRIES arefruits shinyandbrightred. redprominent, rusty pricklesandthe canes are thoroughly clothedinfine,but not oneofthem—enjoy. Thearching thatmanypeople—althoughIam fruit ern United States, offersgoodlooksand Satin’, ‘Chester’, ‘Dirkson Thornless‘, thornless” group, varieties suchas‘Black berries grow well inZones 6to 9,9to6. green’ are representative varieties. Dew- ‘Logan’, ‘Boysen’, ‘Himalaya’, and‘Ever- “Dewberry” isatermloose- The mostcold-hardy ofthelot—suit- Thimbleberry Finally, we cometothe“semi-erect the American Gardener (R. odoratus, and R. allegheniensis, R. procerus and R. frondosus), R. loganbaccus, (R. parviflorus, Zones 3–9,9–1),which and R. ursinus, and R. lacinatus. of and the Zones berries is,inmy opinion,beautyinitself. one example. Logan’blackberries, ‘Thornless being are thornlessvarieties ofwestern trailing muddying thesemanticwaters, there also ‘Darrow’ forthornless‘Chester’. Further battling thornsandtradedinmythorny Zone 6)andflavor, butIforonetired of (they are onlyreliably hardy toUSDA thorny onesintermsofcold-hardiness varieties don't quite match the erect ‘Thornfree’, and‘Smoothstem’. These The thornlessness ofthornlessblack- tic raspberry tic raspberry chamaemorus, climate region are cloudberry togrow trying ifyou liveworth inacool- “Ouchless Blackberries” onpage51.) more aboutthornless blackberries,see ground forthelargewhiteblossoms.(For namental, and made more so as a back- and lushgreen leaves really are quiteor- timidating; thesmooth,greenish stems It’s notjustthattheseplantsare non-in- black fruits. Cloudberries areblack fruits. yellow and progeny andneither, incidentally, has in breeding tobringgoodflavor totheir stare pink blossoms. Both have been used growing ground cover upfrom which formsalow-swoon. Arctic raspberry overtertaste whichScandinavians hasfruit a musky scent and strange af- does nottakekindlytocultivation. The low-growing bogs that plantofnorthern isaselusive asitsname, a Cloudberry bear anabundunceofprettypinkflowers. is moredifficulttobringfruit,butitdoes pain outofharvesting.Arcticraspberry,left, loads offruitandsmoothstemsthattakethe ‘Thornfree’ blackberries, above, produce Two otherintriguingblackberries (R. arcticus, Zones 2–6,6–1)andArc- Zones 1–7,7–1). (R.

TOP: DAVID CAVAGNARO; BELOW: JERRY PAVIA Arctic raspberries are red. Alas, I have canes). Flower stalks are borne directly tips towards the end of summer and into thus far been unsuccessful in bringing ei- from floricanes in the case of red raspber- fall, then continue bearing lower down ther species to fruit. ries, while the other cultivated brambles on those same stems (now floricanes) the To add further interest—some might bear flower stalks on laterals that formed following midsummer. The “everbear- call it confusion—to the Rubus melting on primocanes. ing” crop, then, is made up of the mid- pot, blackberries have also been crossed New primocanes develop during the summer crop on floricanes on whose with raspberries. Cultivars such as ‘Lo- same season that floricanes are fruiting so heels follows the late summer and fall ganberry’, ‘Youngberry’, and ‘Boysenber- all brambles can be harvested every year crop on primocanes. ry’ all seem to have some red raspberry in after the initial planting season. them, and a more recent addition to this Raspberries generally offer their fruits QUICK SPREADERS clan, introduced from Scotland, is ‘Tay- in midsummer, blackberries usually later Anyone who has tried to fight their way berry’. These hybrids are suited to Zones in summer; harvest times for individual into an overgrown bramble patch can at- 6 to 9, 9 to 6. varieties will differ slightly, of course, de- test to brambles' ability to spread. Red pending on where you live. Because raspberries and erect blackberries send up GROWING BRAMBLES brambles come with such a wide range of new shoots from their crowns (the bases Cultivated brambles are all remarkably fruiting times, it’s possible with careful of old plants) as well as from buds on similar in their growth habits and needs. selection of cultivars—and enough gar- spreading roots. Young raspberry plant- The roots are perennial but the canes gen- den space—to have brambles in fruit ings spread mostly by the latter method, erally are biennial, growing only stems and from midsummer into early fall. only later settling down to developing leaves their first year (during which time Some bramble varieties—‘Heritage’ shoots mostly from crown buds. This can they are called primocanes), then flower- and ‘Fallgold’, for example—are called sometimes cause novice bramble growers ing, fruiting, and dying their second year fallbearing or everbearing because their to fear, unnecessarily, that a new planting (during which time they are called flori- primocanes begin to fruit starting at their will take over the garden.

OUCHLESS BLACKBERRIES Thornless blackberries are an example of what horticulturists call a chimera—a plant made up of two or more genetically different tissues growing separately but adjacent to each other. Chimeras are usually the result of a chance mutation among the divid- ing cells at a shoot tip, but they can also be developed intentionally through grafting. In some plants, variegated leaves are the result of a chimera. In the case of thornless blackberries, the mutation (loss of the gene that causes thorns) occurred in the epidermis, or outermost layer of plant tissue, which is where thorns normally form. This type of mutation is termed a periclinal chimera. Because roots are formed from inner layers of tissue, thornless blackberries propagated by root cuttings will be composed only of non- mutated cells and, hence, will be thorny. To retain thornlessness, they must be propagated by tip layers or stem cuttings. —L.R.

DAVID CAVAGNARO Planting brambles in a row, rather than a patch, makes picking ripe fruit a pleasure.

July / August 2004 17 Resources The Backyard Berry Book by Stella Otto. OttoGraphics, Maple City, Michigan, 1995. Sources Forestfarm, Williams, OR. (541) 846-7269. www.forestfarm.com. Catalog $5; available free online.

Indiana Berry & Plant Co., Hunting- burg, IN. (800) 295-2226. Catalog free.

Ison’s Nursery & Vineyards, Brooks, GA. (770) 599-6970. www.isons. com. Catalog free.

Nourse Farms, Inc., South Deerfield, MA. (413) 665-2658. www.nourse farms.com. Catalog free.

Plants are subject to a few debilitating cane diseases, but these rarely are a problem if you start with good planting stock, provide a good site, and prune regularly. Avoid a site that has recently been planted with strawberries or tomatoes and their Training raspberries on a supportive structure will result in better fruit production. kin, or is close to wild brambles. These precautions will reduce incidences of soil- All the other brambles commonly cul- PLANTING AND TRAINING borne diseases such as verticillium wilt. tivated for their fruits—black and purple Keep that spreadability in mind also when Fruit beetles are usually only bother- raspberries, and trailing blackberries— planting brambles. Aim for a row rather some if the harvest gets ahead of you. The spread by tip layering, that is, by hop- than a patch and set red raspberries about most common pests are cane borers, scotching along as arching or trailing canes two feet apart in the row to eventually fill which usually attack weak plants. Cut root at their tips and make whole new in a foot-wide swath. Blackberries, being away infested canes—the symptoms are plants which go on to make more tip lay- more robust plants, are set three to six feet wilting leaves—a few inches below the ers. Brambles’ biennial canes and their ag- apart in the row, the larger distances for point of borer entry, which you can iden- gressive spread all make a case for annual trailing types. Trellised plantings give a tify by a ring of holes. pruning (see sidebar on pruning, page 19). neater look and more berries; canes might Rapid spread implies ease of propaga- be tied or woven into one, two, or more SWEET REWARDS tion. Brambles are easily propagated from wires strung between sturdy posts. A garden of well-tended brambles ensures rooted suckers (red raspberries and erect Another way to train brambles is in berry lovers an easy-to-harvest and reliable blackberries), root cuttings (red raspber- hills, or stations, with a post at each hill to supply of delicious fruit. Difficult as it may ries and erect blackberries), tip layers which the fruiting canes are tied. Hills vary be, resist picking them until they are ab- (trailing blackberries, purple raspberries, from six to nine feet each way, the distance, solutely dead ripe. Your patience will be re- and black raspberries), and stem cuttings once again, depends on the plants’ vigor. warded with the sweetest, most intense (trailing blackberries). Although brambles Brambles grow best in sites that receive flavor you’ll ever experience. thus make good passalong plants, to avoid at least five hours of sun daily, and where bringing pests into a new planting it's best the soil is well drained and rich in humus. Lee Reich is author of many garden books, to start with certified disease-free plants A year-round cover of organic mulch will including Uncommon Fruits for Every from a reputable nursery rather than with control weeds, retain soil moisture, and Garden, published this year by Timber Press.

plants garnered from a generous neighbor. slowly replenish the soil as it decomposes. He gardens in New Paltz, New York. JERRY PAVIA

18 the American Gardener LEE REICH (3) light aroundremainingcanesinsummer. so bedoneduringthegrowingseason,leavingmoreairand colorations thatareevidenceofdisease.Thispruningcanal- those canesthataremostspindly,broken,orshowbarkdis- if in hills, a half-dozen to 10 canes remain. Selectively remove inches apartandstayinarownolongerthanfootwide,or, grew the previous season so that, if in a row, they are a few fore growthbeginsthefollowingspring. Do thisanytimefromimmediatelyafterharvestuntiljustbe- tle artinvolved,justfollowingafeweasysteps. way intoatangleofpricklystems. the fruitsforeasypickingratherthanmakingyoufightyour problems. Pruningalsomakesharvestingeasier,splayingout air tokeeptheplantingproductiveandminimizedisease Regular pruningallowsbramblecanestobatheinlightand PRUNING BRAMBLES FOR HEALTHY PLANTS AND BOUNTIFUL FRUIT HARVESTS Brambles suchasthisthornless ‘Chester’blackberry,left,canbethinned,right,whiletheyare dormantinwinter. minimize diseases.Atrightisaplantthatawaitspruning. The raspberryonthelefthasbeenthinnedto allow morelightand Second, whiletheplantsaredormant,thinoutcanesthat First, cut to the ground all second year stems (floricanes). Fortunately, pruningbramblesisalsoveryeasy.There’slit- pruning thevariousbrambles. ERECT BLACKBERRIES BLACK RASPBERRIES, PURPLE RASPBERRIES, and ERECT AND SEMI- YELLOW)RASPBERRIES RED (and you foregothesummercrop. ever, you onlygettoharvestberriesborne on primocanes,so planting downeachautumn.Byfollowingthissystem,how- simpler waytoprunetheseraspberriesismowthewhole fruiting thepreviousfall,asevidencedbyoldflowerstalks.A canes shouldbeshortenedjustabovewheretheyfinished their summer-bearingcounterpartsexceptremaining RASPBERRIES EVERBEARING RED(andYELLOW) ported. Thelongerthecanes,morefruityouwillharvest. How muchtoshortenthemdependsonhowtheplantsaresup- en theremainingcanesforeaseofmaintenanceandtidiness. canes, sotheonlyfurtherpruningtheseplantsneedistoshort- floricanes alongtheotherwireorindirection. mocanes ononewireorindirectionalongthetrellis,and the groundoutofwayfloricanes.Alternatively,trainpri- to a trellis, allowing each season’s primocanes to just trail along tween 12and18inches.Afterpruning,weaveortiethecanes shorten longcanestosevenfeetandtheirlateralbranchesbe- the onlyfurtherpruningrequiredby After removingspentfloricanesandthinningoutprimocanes, fattest onesgrowlongestbecausetheycanbearmorefruit. ed fromyoursummerpruningtofour18incheslong;letthe feet high.Inwinter,shortenthoselateralbranchesthatresult- berries becauseyoucanwaittotopeachcaneuntilitisthree If you use a trellis tosupport your plants, you will harvest more canes insummerwhenevertheyreachtwotothreefeetheight. mote lateral branching, pinch out the tips of growing primo- From here on, there are a couple of differences between bear fruitstalksonlateralbranches.Topro- fruit stalks grow directly from TRAILING BLACKBERRIES July /August can beprunedlike 2004 —L.R. is to 19 gardening ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY LINDA ASKEY Raised to New Heights Physical challenges can’t keep this Virginia gardener from growing a bounty of fresh vegetables.

OR MOST OF US thumbing these pages, living life to the fullest Fmeans living it, at least partly, in a garden. For years Steve Mason, who grew up in North Carolina and remembers his father’s large country garden, had wanted to grow vegetables. He and his wife, Mary Carol, had always landscaped their various homes with shrubs, ground covers, and herbaceous perennials, but a food garden had eluded them. “I always wanted a vegetable garden, but I never had the opportunity,” Steve recalls. “It was always too little time, too much shade, or not enough room.”

After retiring from the U. S. Army in wheelchair. While Steve is able to walk, fa- 1987 and launching a civilian career, Steve tigue prevents him from standing for long moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia, in periods and gardening like he used to. 2001. At about the same time, he was di- After reading all he could find on gar- agnosed with cancer, forcing another re- dening with disabilities (see “Resources,” tirement. Steve finally found himself with opposite page), he decided to create a gar- both the time and a sunny spot for the den of elevated wood-framed beds that long-awaited vegetable garden, but he would allow him to garden while sitting faced the prospect of starting it from a in his wheelchair. The 25-by-50-foot garden of raised beds would be built on an already existing—and later augment- ed—expanse of asphalt near the garage, which would provide a smooth and easy rolling surface for the wheelchair. The site received full sun and also offered easy access to tool storage, the kitchen door, and a water supply. Wheelchair or not, it was the perfect spot for a vegetable garden. Construction on the Above: Steve Mason in the garden with his beds began in January 2002, wife, Mary Carol, and their dog, Dakota. The after a round of cancer treat- raised beds are primarily planted with ments left Steve debilitated vegetables, including radishes, right, with but undeterred. Of the pro- flowers such as zinnias, top, providing ject, Steve, who had always accents of bright color. been active and physically fit, says proudly, “It was my

20 the American Gardener Despite needing a wheelchair, Steve Mason enjoys working in his long-wished-for vegetable garden. Smooth, firm paving and wide spacing between the planting areas allow him to move around freely; the elevated beds enable him to tend his plants from the chair without bending. physical rehab.” The beds were complet- sides. The beds along the edge of the gar- were delivered and unloaded on the drive- ed in March—just in time for a new den, which are accessible only from one way. (See sidebar on pressure-treated growing season. side, are three feet wide, a dimension that wood, page 22.) Moving the heavy pieces works for Steve because he has long arms. of lumber required teamwork: Mary Carol TAILORED TO FIT The heights of the beds vary from 18 would lift one end and place it in Steve’s The Masons knew that good planning al- inches to 28 inches to accommodate a va- lap. Then she would lift the other end and ways increases the chances for a garden’s riety of crops. The higher beds by the carry it while Steve supported his end and success. Before construction, Steve drew driveway are filled with colorful herbs backed up the wheelchair. a plan for the garden on paper, locating a and flowers. Lower beds are planted with Because Steve had taken into account row of raised beds along the front of the corn, okra, and tomatoes. Trellises at- that lumber is pre-cut at eight feet, he backyard that would separate the garden tached to several beds support vining planned for most of the wood for the beds and its beds from the driveway. He in- crops such as pole beans, sugar snap peas, cluded a 52-inch-wide wheelchair-acces- and indeterminate tomatoes. sible opening in the front beds fitted with Steve is quick to point out that the de- a gate so that when he gardens, his dog, sign of a garden needs to suit the garden- Resources Dakota, can be with him, yet remain er’s situation and limitations. All gardeners, American Horticultural Therapy safely enclosed. no matter their physical abilities, should Association, www.ahta.org. The Mason garden consists of 14 consider ease of maintenance when de- raised beds, each sited about four feet signing a landscape. Accessible Gardening for People apart. “When you look at the garden,” with Physical Disabilities by Janeen Steve says, “it looks like a lot of wasted PUTTING THE PLAN INTO ACTION R. Adil. Idyll Arbor, Inc., Ravens- space, but you need turning space for the While many homeowners would hire dale, Washington, 1994. wheelchair and a garden cart, so you can’t professional help in the construction get the beds too close.” phase of a large garden, the Masons got a The Enabling Garden: Creating The width of a raised bed should be de- great sense of accomplishment from Barrier-Free Gardens by Gene termined by the gardener’s ability to reach tackling the project themselves. Rothert. Taylor Publishing, Dallas, the plants growing in it. Steve’s beds are ei- After Steve had finished his plan for the Texas, 1994. ther four or three feet wide. Four feet is a garden, he ordered about three and a half good width for beds accessible from two palettes of pressure-treated lumber, which

July / August 2004 21 HOW THE MASONS BUILT

HE MASON garden features 14 raised beds of various sizes—rang- T ing from three or four feet wide and eight to 12 feet long—constructed of rough- sawn, pressure-treated pine 4✕6s ❶. For the sides of the 28-inch-tall beds, Steve Mason used four courses of lumber positioned on

Wide ledges at the top of the raised beds allow Steve Mason, accompanied here by Dakota, to sit and rest as needed on days when he is able to garden without a wheelchair. to be in increments of four or eight feet A BOUNTIFUL PAYOFF to minimize the number of cuts that If the Masons ever had a doubt about ❶ would need to be made. He and Mary whether building the raised beds was Carol used a compound mitre saw in the worth the time and effort, it has long been their narrow side, making them six inches shelter of the garage to cut all the lumber vanquished. “I was giving away cucumbers tall. For the top course, he placed 4✕6s to size before taking the pieces back out all over the neighborhood last summer,” turned onto their wide side, making a six- and assembling the beds. (See the sidebar, Steve laughs. “I had a ton of squash, too. inch-wide ledge for sitting and for resting right and opposite page, for details on We especially liked the ‘Florence’ bush tools. The 18-inch beds are simply three how the Masons built the raised beds.) beans, broccoli, and ‘Red Sails’ lettuce.” courses of six-inch-tall lumber. “We worked on it every day that we The asparagus bed is mature enough The corners of the beds are fitted log- were home, every morning and after- now to be productive, he notes. Last sum- cabin style ❷—that is, with alternating sides noon,” says Steve. “That was our job for mer, the corn suffered during a drought, overlapping onto the 4✕6 below. All mem- three months,” adds Mary Carol. but the sage and chives continue to flourish. An annual planting of ornamental sweet potatoes, cannas, zinnias, and salvias UPDATE ON USING in the front beds have worked well to pro- PRESSURE-TREATED WOOD vide season-long color. Steve has found that he and Mary Carol When Steve and Mary Carol Mason are not the only beneficiaries of the garden. built their raised beds in 2002, “One problem is getting to eat what I they used lumber treated with chro- grow,” he says. “The birds like the straw- mated copper arsenate (CCA). Be- berries as much as I do.” cause of health and environmental Mary Carol is quick to emphasize, “It concerns over CCA, the use of pres- took tremendous strength and persistence sure-treated wood is now restricted to complete this project. If it weren’t for to commercial construction. Alter- Steve’s mental toughness, I don’t think we native products for homeowners in- could have done it.” Steve adds, “Some clude materials fabricated from days we got a little done, some days a lot. recycled wood and plastic and lum- Trust me, this was a lot of exercise!” ❷ ber treated with non-CCA preserva- Now Steve simply enjoys growing the tives. For more about alternatives garden. He says with a smile, “In 20 inch- bers are secured with eight-inch galvanized for CCA-treated wood, visit southern es of soil, it’s hard to kill anything!” spikes at the corners and along the length of pine.com/alternativepreservatives. each piece of lumber, including the lowest shtml or www.wwpinstitute.org. Linda Askey is a free-lance writer living in Birmingham, Alabama.

22 the American Gardener THEIR RAISED VEGETABLE GARDEN CONSTRUCTION TOOLS • compound mitre saw • power drill capable of drilling course, which has spikes driven through it filled with topsoil to within a few inches of 3/8-inch holes through a 6-inch piece and into the asphalt surface below. In the the rim of each bed. Because he was filling of wood beds’ interiors, Steve secured each course of 14 beds, Steve says, “the biggest problem • 8-pound hammer lumber together with corner brackets at- was dealing with the volume of gravel, • measuring tape tached with 8-penny nails. sand, and soil.” He ended up renting a • staple gun Because the Masons used pressure-treated lumber to build their beds, they lined MATERIALS the interior of the walls with polyethylene • 4✕6 rough-sawn lumber • 8-inch galvanized spikes • corner brackets for each corner of each course • 8-penny nails • UV-resistant sheet polyethylene • staples • landscape fabric ❺ • gravel • washed sand small front-end loader that could maneu- • topsoil ver between the beds, scooping up materi- ❸ als and moving them without too much effort ❺. Before it was over, Steve had used sheeting ❸ to prevent the wood preserva- 20 cubic yards of soil to fill his beds. tive from leaching into the soil. A double The completed raised beds can be layer of plastic was attached to the wood planted and mulched ❻ like any garden. To with a staple gun along the upper edge. Be- counter the natural settling of soil over sides protecting the soil from wood preser- time, Steve restores volume occasionally vative, the plastic layer prevents water from using bagged garden soil. —L..A. seeping out between the courses of lumber, forcing it to flow through the soil.

❹

After the boxes were lined with plastic, they were filled in layers. The bottom layers—for drainage—consist of six inches of gravel ❹ followed by a layer of landscape fabric positioned upside down so only water—and not soil—can move through it. Four to six inches of washed sand top ❻ the fabric. The remaining space in the boxes is

TOP OPPOSITE PAGE AND PHOTOS 1, 3, 4, AND 5 COURTESY OF STEVE AND MARY CAROL MASON

July / August 2004 23 24 Carmel TomatoFest inCalifornia. Top: Tomatotastingisapopular part ofthe farmer’s marketsbutnotinthegrocery store. bruises easily—one reason it is found at very diseasetolerant,however, andit Amish farmers.Thisflavorfultomato isnot developed andnurturedbytheregion’s Pennsylvania, itisbelievedtohavebeen for theBrandywineValley insoutheastern style tomatoeswithdarkpinkskin.Named ‘Brandywine’ produceslarge,beefsteak- tasting Americanheirloomtomato, Consideredbymanytobethebest- Above: TOMATO celebrating the TOMATO celebrating the the American Gardener variety sweet oftastesensations from tojump-up-and-shout tomatoflavor.” very beautiful foodtolookat,andithasaromance aboutit.”Ita colorful, canofferus“a sheer beauty anddelectabletaste.“It's to celebrate,” he said.“It’s fruit awonderful such and authorof and varieties than any other country,” Ibsen, says Gary a well-known tomato grower (seesidebar,fruit “Fruit orVegetable,” onpage25). the tomatoasnationalvegetable, althoughpuristsmightinsistitisthenational ing thetomatowithopenarms—andmouths—Americans have, arguably, adopted T This nationallove affairwith thetomatowouldhave seemedinconceivable 300 years As along-timetomatoaficionado, Ibsen attributesthetomato’s popularitytoits “I thinkthatAmericanshave probably enjoyed more ofadiversity intomatoflavors melting potofcultures andcuisinesthatwe calltheUnited States. Welcom- madeitselfathomeinthe human immigrantstothisland—ithascertainly HE TOMATO The Great Tomato Book. celebrations held in its honor each summer. and cuisineisevidentinthemanyregional The tomato’s central role in American culture may not be native to North America, but—like the diverse BY DAPHNEROZEN

TOP: COURTESY OF CARMEL TOMATOFEST; CENTER: ROB CARDILLO ago when European colonists first brought Tomatoes with a past: Heirloom varieties that tomatoes to America. At that time, toma- were once grown in American gardens and toes were widely considered to be poiso- are now being “rediscovered” include ‘Aunt nous and even morally objectionable— Ruby’s German Green’, top left, ‘Cherokee Puritans regarded them as a “forbidden Purple’, top right, and ‘Old German’, left. fruit.” But in the intervening years, tomatoes have gradually emerged as an integral tomatoes back to this continent, but also part of American cuisine and culture. In imported all the popular prejudices addition to becoming a valuable commer- about them.” cial crop and a favorite of backyard gar- the species name, esculentum, means edi- deners, they are now touted, ironically, for ble. As it turns out, the tomato fruits are THE GREAT TOMATO MANIA their health benefits as rich sources of an- perfectly edible, but the leaves and stems Gradually—and sometimes grudgingly— tioxidants as well as vitamins A and C. contain toxic alkaloids that can cause di- American perceptions about tomatoes gestive problems. changed. It helped when scientific garden- EARLY HISTORY Ambivalence about tomatoes spread ers such as Thomas Jefferson started grow- The ancestral wild tomato (Lycopersicon es- to North America in the 17th century. As ing tomatoes in the late 1700s and culentum) bears little resemblance in ap- Karan Davis Cutler wrote in Tantalizing American seed companies began carrying pearance or taste to the ones we grow Tomatoes, “The early American colonists, tomato seeds in their catalogs. today. Native to the Andes mountains and English to the core, not only brought Many historians cite the turning point coastal highlands of South and Central for the tomato in America as 1820, when America, the wild tomato plant is scrawny Robert Johnson, an eccentric resident of and yields clusters of small, undistin- Salem, New Jersey, was reported to have guished green fruits. FRUIT OR VEGETABLE? made a very public spectacle of eating a The Aztecs and other indigenous peo- Not too many plants have found bushel of tomatoes on the steps of the ples, nevertheless, recognized their culinary themselves the subject of debate in Salem Courthouse. But Andrew F. Smith, potential and passed this knowledge along the U.S. Supreme Court, but it’s a author of The Tomato in America, regards to the Spanish conquistadors who arrived testament to the importance of the this colorful story as apocryphal. in South America in the early 16th centu- tomato that these vegetables… Whether or not the Johnson incident ry. Seeds taken back to Europe flourished uh…fruits were at the center of a high really happened, tomatoes reached a peak in the Mediterranean climate and the court decision in 1887. The case pit- of popularity in America in the 1820s dur- tomato quickly became integrated into the ted U.S. farmers against tomato im- ing “The Great Tomato Mania,” which cuisine of countries such as Spain and Italy. porters; the stakes, whether tomatoes Smith describes as a period of “national Not so in England, however, where were vegetables and thus subject to tomato obsession.” From near obscurity, tomatoes continued for some time to be import taxes. The arguments of farm the tomato suddenly became a household viewed with suspicion because of mis- lobbyists swayed the court’s decision, name. Tomato recipes appeared as if out guided assumptions about their family ties which established that for tax pur- of nowhere in magazines, newspapers, with deadly nightshade (Atropa belladon- poses tomatoes were to be officially agricultural periodicals, horticultural na) and other plants in the nightshade considered vegetables even though works, and medical journals. family (Solanaceae). botanically they matched the techni- By the 1830s, Americans could not get The tomato’s botanical name seems to cal definition of fruits—specialized enough of tomatoes, not only for eating, reflect this ambiguity about the plant; the reproductive structures that contain but for a variety of other attributes. genus name, Lycopersicon, translates to the seeds. Among other things, the tomato became

DAVID CAVAGNARO (3) ominous sounding “wolf peach.” while valued, says Smith, for its use as a “beau-

July / August 2004 25 26 regular TomatoFest attendee. mayor Clint Eastwood, a actor andCarmel’sformer founder, GaryIbsen,left,with Right: Thefestival’shostand above right. tomato andbreadtower, tomato dishes,suchasthe create some spectacular their culinary wizardry to California’s topchefsuse for tasting, aboveleft, and tomato varietiesareoffered entire family.Morethan300 packed withactivitiesforthe California isaone-dayevent The CarmelTomatoFestin California; Pittston, Pennsylvania; and In three American cities—Carmel Valley, DUELING TOMATOTOWNS throughout thecountry.tomato harvests summer andfallfestivals thatcelebrate emplified by the abundance of late to’s role true inAmericanculture isex- the KillerTomatoes the subjectofacultmovie like After all, how many vegetables have been through itsplaceinourpopularculture. cy ofthe“Great Tomato Mania” lives on Now, more than150years later, thelega- ICON CULTURAL of—Americanexistence. part had becomesinequanon—anintrinsic the early1850s,hesays,tomatoesfinally ural pest-repellent capabilities.” And by stains, itscure forpigs’ scoursanditsnat- skunk odorsandremove avariety of tiful green dye, itsabilityto diminish the American Gardener (1974)? But the toma- Attack of family get-together, continuestoprovide rare heirlooms. eties of tomato seeds, including some tors can also pick up hundreds of vari- by someofCalifornia'sbestchefs.Visi- changing buffetoftomatodishescreated from around the globe and an ever- turing more than300tomatovarieties world's largest tomato tasting arena, fea- TomatoFest hasbeenproclaimed the ness. Now inits13thyear, theCarmel some top-namesintherestaurant busi- tracts thousandsoftomatolovers and TomatoFest again hostingtheannualCarmel Ibsen is once (population: 10,000), Gary ital ofAmerica. right tostakeitsclaimasthetomatocap- overfriendly rivalry whichcityhasthe only celebratedbutitisatthecenterofa Reynoldsburg, Ohio—the tomatoisnot The TomatoFest, asa which started In hishometown ofCarmelValley (September 12),whichat- are crownedatthePittstonfestivaleachyear. A Little Miss Pittston and a Little Mr. Pittston and pageantssuch astheTomato Queen est, andmostunusual tomatoentries— are awarded forthelargest,smallest,ugli- Tomato Competition—inwhichprizes raffle, achildren's sing-along,theannual tainment, square dancing,agrand-prize pleasers asafive-kilometer race,live enter- the festivities.It’s allaboutthepeople.” Lombardo. Adds Nocito, “It’s all about daysinPittston,”few saysMayor Mike gives people a reason to come and spend a tomatofestival than 40,000people.“The bration that is expected to bring in more to theregion’s tomatogrowers withacele- to Festival bigger andbettereachyear.” tival Association.“We’re intomakingit chairperson forthePittston Tomato Fes- proud ofwhatwe do,” saidLoriNocito, a tomatoes from New York City. “We’re 1930s by meeting the high demand for tal oftheWorld,” whichitearnedinthe town’s claimtobeingthe“Tomato Capi- 8,000), residents also gathertohonortheir Pittston, Pennsylvania (population: local children's charities. event hasraisedinexcess of$160,000for munity fundraiser. Since 1999theannual the CarmelTomatoFest asacom- serves great experienceforthefamilytoshare.” festival’s originalsmall-town feel.“It’s a itors eachyear inorder tomaintain the mates heturnsawayanaverage 1,000vis- quality experience,”saidIbsen, whoesti- a community event that has a sense of a live musicanddancing.“Iwanttokeepit a family-friendlyatmosphere fueledby Pittston’s festival includessuchcrowd- This year’s 21stannualPittston Toma- On theoppositesideofAmerica,in In additiontobeingafuncelebration, (August 21to24)paystribute

LEFT: COURTESY OF CARMEL TOMATOFEST (3); TOP: COURTESY OF LORI NOCITO/PITTSTON TOMATO FESTIVAL Resources The Great American Tomato Book by Robert Hendrickson. Reprinted by Stein and Day, New York, New York, 1984.

The Great Tomato Book by Gary Ibsen, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, Califor- nia, 1999. The tomato festival in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, has the feel of a county fair, left, and is ruled Tantalizing Tomatoes: Smart Tips and by a court of tomato queens, above. Tasty Picks for Gardeners Everywhere edited by Karan Davis Cutler. Brook- Scholarship and the Little Miss and Little When it comes to tomato flavor, lyn Botanic Garden, Inc., Brooklyn, Mr. Pittston Tomato Festival. Pittston—located in an area that has rich New York, 1997. In 2002, things really heated up at the acidic soil and a perfect tomato-growing Pittston Tomato Festival with the debut of climate—claims its tomatoes are better The Tomato Festival Cookbook by “Il Pomodoro Tomato Fights,” a sanc- than all the rest. “(Other towns) can claim Lawrence Davis-Hollander. Storey tioned food fight in the spirit of the well- the birthplace, they can claim quantity, Publishing, North Adams, Massa- known “La Tomatina” festival held they can claim whatever, but when it chusetts, 2004. annually in Buñol, Spain. comes to quality our tomatoes are the As with the Carmel TomatoFest, pro- best,” says Nocito. “We will challenge any The Tomato in America: Early History, ceeds from the Pittston Tomato Festival group to a taste test.” Culture, and Cookery by Andrew F. benefit local charities. Last year, through One state west, in Reynoldsburg, Smith. Reprinted by University of Illi- the “Il Pomodoro Tomato Fights” alone, Ohio (population: 32,000)—designated nois Press, Champaign, Illinois, 2001. Nocito says more than $4,000 was raised “The Birthplace of the Tomato”— for local soup kitchens. “If we didn’t have townspeople are preparing for the 39th the festival, a lot of civic organizations annual Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival Sources for would not receive funds,” she said. “What (September 8 to 12), which honors for- Heirloom really drives me is giving back to the commer town resident Alexander W. Liv- munity through donations.” ingston (1821–1898) for his successful Tomatoes The Cook’s Garden, Londonderry, VT. (800) 457-9703. www.cooks garden.com. Catalog free.

The Natural Gardening Company, Petaluma, CA. (707) 766-9303. www.naturalgardening.com. Catalog free.

Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah, IA. (319) 382-5990. www.seedsavers.org. Catalog free.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Mineral, VA. (804) 973-4703. www.southernexposure.com. Catalog $2.

Tomato Growers Supply Company, Fort Myers, FL. (888) 478-7333. www.tomatogrowers.com. Catalog free.

TOP: COURTESY OF REYNOLDSBURG TOMATO FESTIVAL (2); RIGHT: DAVID CAVAGNARO If you can’t get to a tomato festival this summer, celebrate the harvest in your backyard.

July / August 2004 27 development of the Paragon tomato, the nation’s first commercial tomato. CELEBRATE THE TOMATO HARVEST “We take our tomatoes pretty serious Here’s a sampling of some of the many regional tomato festivals scheduled for the here,” says Mayor Bob McPherson, remainder of this harvest season. Look for the one nearest you and join in the cele- known affectionately as “The Head bration of this all-American favorite. Tomato” by his wife. “People in Rey- noldsburg are proud that this is the place where it all started. Without Alexander Livingston and the Paragon tomato, we don’t know how many years it would have been before Americans had an edible tomato.” Besides the crowning of a Tomato King and Queen, Tomato Prince, and Princess, and the Senior Tomato King and Queen, the five-day Reynoldsburg festival features a tomato contest, exhibits, and sales, free tomato juice for refreshment, live entertainment, rides, arts and crafts, a car cruise-in, and a grand parade. Not too far from the festivities sits the original Livingston house—a beautifully JULY restored circa 1800 frame house comple- 24 The 7th annual Shocktoe Tomato Festival, 17th and Main Street, Richmond, mented by period flower, herb, and veg- Virginia. Contact the Farmers Market at (804) 646-0477 or visit etable gardens—that is now a museum. www.17thstreetfarmersmarket.com. Last year, the house, which is listed on 23–25 The 12th annual Grainger County Tomato Festival, Rutledge, Tennessee. Call the National Register of Historic Places, (865) 828-3433 or visit www.graingercountytomatofestival.com. was awarded a historical marker by the State of Ohio Bicentennial Commission AUGUST and the Longaberger Legacy Initiative. 4 The Fairfield Tomato Festival, Texas St., Fairfield, California. Contact the Fairfield No matter what anyone else might say, Downtown Association at (707) 422-0103 or visit www.fairfielddowntown.com. many people in Reynoldsburg hold strong 7 Thomas Jefferson’s Tomato Faire, Lynchburg, Virginia. Contact the Hill County to the belief that their town is the real deal Master Gardeners at (434) 847-1585. with respect to tomatoes. “Everyone’s 11 The 16th annual Great Tomato Festival, Minot, North Dakota. Contact Jerry looking to cash in on celebrity status, but Kaup at (701) 852-1045 or e-mail him at [email protected]. only Reynoldsburg is the birthplace of the 21 International Tomato Festival, downtown, Yuba City, California. Contact tomato,” McPherson says. Coolidge Public Relations at (530) 671-9600 or visit www.tomatofestival.net. Gary Ibsen personally tends not to get 21–24 The 21st Annual Pittston Tomato Festival, Pittston, Pennsylvania. Contact swept up in the competitive hoopla, but Lori Nocito at (570) 823-2101 ext. 136 or the Greater Pittston Chamber of he feels it’s perfectly fine for others to Commerce at (570) 655-1424 or visit www.pittston.com. tout their tomato titles. “Whatever the reason people are shouting about toma- SEPTEMBER toes, it's great,” he says. “All these cele- 8–12 The 39th Annual Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival, “Tomatoes Galore in 2004,” brations play important roles.” Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Call (614) TOMATO (866-2861) or e-mail So while Reynoldsburg, Pittston, [email protected] or visit www.reynoldsburgtomatofestival.org. Carmel, and other cities may dispute the 11 The 8th Annual Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival, Kendall-Jackson Wine title of tomato capital of America, one Center, Fulton, California. Contact the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center at thing is certain: Americans are still crazy (701) 571-8100 or visit www.kj.com. about their tomatoes. Through friendly 12 The 13th Annual Carmel TomatoFest, Quail Lodge Resort, Carmel Valley, Cali- civic rivalry—and the pride of backyard fornia. Call (888) 989-8171 or visit www.tomatofest.com. tomato growers everywhere—we know that tomato mania in this country is hap- OCTOBER pily alive and well and will carry on for 23 & 24 The 3rd Annual Green Tomato Festival, Juliette, Georgia. Contact the years to come. Honeysuckle Café at (478) 974-0716 or visit www.juliettega.com. Daphne Rozen is a free-lance writer based

in Houston, Texas. COURTESY OF CARMEL TOMATOFEST

28 the American Gardener Call for Nominations…

the GREAT AMERICAN GARDENERS AWARDS

INCE 1953, the American Horticultural Society S Great American Gardeners Award Program has BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY recognized individuals and institutions that have 2004 National Achievement Award made significant contributions to American horticulture. Nominations are now being accepted for 2005 and may be submitted by anyone. Nominate your “horticultural hero”—a memorable professor, a favorite garden book author, or a city’s incredible community project! The awards are listed below. See if one of them brings to mind someone who has inspired you to garden greatness! Award recipients will be profiled in The American Gardener magazine and have their awards presented to them in Orlando, Florida, in April 2005. Nomination forms are available on the American Horticultural Society Web site at www.ahs.org or by calling (800) 777-7931. Or simply send us the Anna Ball, center, accepts nominee’s name, title, address, telephone number, and the 2004 National a brief summary of their achievements, along with Achievement Award for Ball Horticultural Company from your own contact information. AHS President Katy Moss Warner and AHS President The deadline for nominations is September 1, 2004. Emeritus H. Marc Cathey

the awards Horticultural Communication Award. Recog- shown an exemplary dedication to horticulture on a nizes effective communication using media and re- national scale. Liberty Hyde Bailey Award. Recipients of this search techniques for the purpose of expanding Frances Jones Poetker Award. Given for significant con- award reside on the North American continent and horticultural awareness. tributions to the appreciation of creative floral designs in have made significant contributions in at least three Horticultural Therapy Award. Recognizes significant publications, on the platform, and to the public. of the following areas of horticultural activity: teach- contributions to the field of horticultural therapy. Professional Award. Given to the director of an ar- ing, research, writing, plant exploration, administra- Horticultural Writing Award. Given to a person boretum or botanical garden whose career achievements tion, art, business, and leadership. whose excellence in writing has made a significant represent a significant contribution to horticulture. Luther Burbank Award. Recognizes extraordi- contribution to horticulture. Catherine H. Sweeney Award. Given for extraordinary achievement in the field of plant breeding. Landscape Design Award. Acknowledges an indi- nary and dedicated efforts in the field of horticulture. H. Marc Cathey Award. Recognizes an individual vidual whose work had expanded the awareness of Jane L. Taylor Award. Awarded to an individual or who has enriched horticulture through outstanding horticulture in landscape architecture. organization that has nurtured future horticulturists and notable research. Local Horticulture Award. Given to an individual through children’s and youth gardening. Paul Ecke Jr. Commercial Award. Given to an or group who has contributed to the improvement of Teaching Award. Recognizes an individual whose individual and/or institution committed to the horticulture in the host city for the awards ceremony. ability to share his or her knowledge of horticulture highest standards of excellence in the field of com- Meritorious Service Award. Awarded to a member has contributed to a better public understanding of mercial horticulture. or friend of the Society to recognize outstanding plants and their impact on man. G. B. Gunlogson Award. Given to an individual and exemplary service in support of the Society’s Urban Beautiﬁcation Award. Given to an individ- for the creative use of new technology in home goals, services, and activities. ual and/or an institution for significant contribu- gardening. National Achievement Award. Recipients have tions to urban horticulture. 30 the American Gardener Just because you garden in shade doesn’t mean you can’t grow grasses and grasslike plants. Try

some of these shade tolerant species. BY PATRICIA ACTON Grassy Ornamentals for Shady Gardens

HOSE OF US who garden in year-old oaks, it became apparent that if TRUE GRASSES shady places and who love orna- I wanted to add more ornamental grass- True grasses are generally classified as ei- T mental grasses do not need to es, they would have to go in shady, or ther cool- or warm-season, depending start hacking down the trees. Fortunate- partly shady areas of the garden. upon when they are actively growing. ly for gardeners like me who “toil in the Not only did a considerable number of Cool-season types perform best when shadows” cast by persimmons, oaks, hol- grasses fit the bill, but many of them are transplanted in very early spring or in fall. lies, and the like, there are a half dozen or outstanding plants. Warm-season grasses do not break winter so species of grasses that thrive in shady In addition to the shade-tolerant true dormancy until late spring and are best or partly shady conditions. grasses, defined as members of the grass planted in spring. They can be divided It is true that the vast majority of grass- family (Poaceae), I discovered that a score anytime from late spring to early summer es prefer sun. When I began using orna- of grasslike plants such as sedges, rushes, before they begin blooming. mental grasses in my garden about 12 years and sweet flag also appreciate shade. Korean feather reed grass (Calama- ago, I started with sun-lovers—three pots These grass imposters expand the gar- grostis brachytricha, Zones 5–9, 9–5) is a of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light‘ dener’s options for incorporating the tex- warm-season grass that is native to eastern (USDA Zones 6–9, AHS Zones 9–1) from ture and movement of grasses into a Asia and blooms in early fall. It can be a tiny local nursery. That was an auspi- shady site. planted in full sun, if there is plenty of cious beginning and enough to spur me to moisture, or part shade. try other grasses, including Pennisetum In my Maryland garden (USDA Zone and Juncus spp. 7, AHS Zone 7), I have a group of three in I was delighted to discover the varied my “back-of-the-shed meditation” area. It textures, colors, shapes and personalities might sound like a mundane spot for re- of grasses, and the fact they remain at- laxing and lofty thinking, but it was the tractive for much of the year. I loved the most private place in the yard. Korean way they filled the garden with their bil- feather reed grass, however, has flowers lowy shapes, fit in beautifully with ever- that are anything but mundane: Bloom- greens and perennials, and swayed in ing in early fall, the rosy purple panicles every breeze. gradually fade to silver. Green foliage I found that these grasses had lovely forms an upright-to-arching clump about inflorescences that looked great both two feet high that becomes tan in winter. fresh and dried, either on the plant or in This is a tough plant; it survived both a vase. Not only that, but grasses are the drought of 2002, as well as a very wet among the easiest of plants to care for, 2003, with minimum attention from me. with few pest and disease problems and In my garden, it is lovely surrounded with no need for deadheading, pruning, or other moisture- and shade-tolerant plants: other time-consuming duties. ferns, hostas, summersweet (Clethra alni- As years went by, the sunniest spots in folia), astilbes, and Japanese anemones. my yard became filled not only with or- River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium, namental grasses, but roses, crape myr- Above: Korean feather reed grass. Opposite: Zones 5–9, 9–5), a warm-season grass, tles, peonies, irises, tomatoes, and string The variegated leaves of Carex elata ‘Aurea’ sometimes called wild oats or spangle

OPPOSITE: KAREN BUSSOLINI. THIS PAGE: DAVID CAVAGNARO. beans. Short of doing away with 200- shine in a shade garden. grass, is one of my favorites because it

July / August 2004 31 32 among grassesfor shade. Variegated Hakone grass is an aristocrat produces attractiveseedheads. Right: Top: River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) garden. The flowers of tufted hair grass liage thatremains evergreen inmy growing (one to two feet) dark green fo- America, Asia,andEurope. It haslow- tosa, wandgrass or fairy green inshade. ture, in sun. The leaves will appear darker It grows inshadeorwithplentyofmois- self-seed, it has so far stayed where I put it. sized clump; althoughriver grasswill men isfouryearsoldandnow anice- last formonthsinavase. My singlespeci- deliciously inabreezesway andrustle and like thefoliage,andmature totan.They In summer, theoatlikeflowers are green, often cause the plant to droop pleasantly. The flowers, suspendedonlongstems, bamboolike leaves thatturntaninwinter. to fourfeettall,withlightbrightgreen areas and creek bottoms. It grows from two tat destruction. species duetooverpicking andalsohabi- to stabilize dunes,isnow anendangered sea oats(Uniola paniculata), dunes whenwe were kids.Unfortunately, tempted topickfrom North Carolina looks somuchliketheseaoatswe were Commonly known astuftedhairgrass River oat’s native habitatiswooded the American Gardener Zones 5–9,9–1)isnative toNorth (Deschampsia cespi- which helps arching leaves (one to three feet)give ita known grassforshade.Its true graceful, Zones 5–9,9–2)is probably thebest- shade andplentyofmoisture. ed hairgrasswillsufferwithoutsome shade. In hotclimates,cool-seasontuft- moist soilandwillgrow insunorpart the ground. Tufted hairgrassthrives in flowers andcanroot where theytouch producing plantletsthatweigh down the Joke’ ismostunusual.It isviviparous, (also known as‘Gold Pendant’). ‘Fairy’s yellow, as are those of ‘Goldgehange’ staub’, asthenameimplies,are golden ‘Gold- obscure the leaves. The flowers of bronze-green flowers that may almost cluding ‘Bronzeschleier’, which has last intowinter. gold and will mature to a tan color and summer in shades of green, yellow, or three feetabove theleaves; they appearin are delicateandairy, risinguptwoto Hakone grass(Hakonechloa macra, Several in- cultivars are trying, worth son grower, itisbest dividedinspring. A but well-drained soils,and, as awarm-sea- variegation. Hakone grassthrives inmoist name says,itsleaves are allgoldwithno Gold’ isshorter, aboutafoottall;asthe warmer climatesorsunnierconditions.‘All reola’ (tothree feet)and abetter choicefor plant thatissignificantlylargerthan‘Au- variegata’ are whiteandgreen stripedona sun iscream-colored. Theleaves of‘Albo- another plantthatreceives ahalf-dayof the variegation isabrightlimegreen, but plant isgrowing. In full shade inmyyard, tion oftenvaries according towhere the lime andmayturnpinkishinfall.Variega- a foottallthatare variegated green and ground cover. zomes and stolons and make a fantastic mounds offoliagespread slowly by rhi- that turnsalovely coppercolorinfall.The Hakone grass hasmedium green foliage your handsthrough it.Native toJapan, soft, tousledlookthatbegsyou torun The cultivar ‘Aureola’ has leaves about

JERRY PAVIA (2) Resources The Color Encycopedia of Ornamen- tal Grasses by Rick Darke, Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 1999.

The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Above: Well named, the bright foliage of Carex phyllocephala ‘Sparkler’ seems to shoot out Grasses by John Greenlee. Rodale every which way like fireworks. Above right: Golden wood millet is equally eye-popping. Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania, 1992. single plant will greatly enliven a shady Korea, and China). The bright green spot among spring bulbs, ferns, astilbes, leaves are a half-inch to five-eighths-inch Pocket Guide to Ornamental Grasses epimediums, or the bold leaves of hostas. wide and, bamboolike, stick out almost by Rick Darke. Timber Press, Port- Golden wood millet (Milium effusum horizontally from the stems. In heavy land, Oregon, 2004. (Available Au- ‘Aureum’, Zones 6–9, 9–6) has eye-pop- shade, the form may be more lax than up- gust 15, 2004.) ping chartreuse foliage in spring. ‘Aureum’ right. Growing to four feet, with airy, grows to about 18 inches; the leaves are a long-lasting flowers held 14 to 18 inches quarter- to a half-inch wide and arching. above the foliage, it blooms July through Sources Like the straight species, which is native to August. It is also known as frost grass be- Kurt Bluemel, Inc., Baldwin, MD. moist woodlands of North America and cause its reddish-brown fall foliage looks (800) 498-1560. Eurasia, ‘Aureum’ appreciates moisture beautiful when coated with frost. www.kurtbluemel.com. Catalog $3. and will adapt to a variety of soils. The best (Minimum order $50.) leaf color is achieved when plants are GRASSLIKE PLANTS grown in light shade. Airy spring flowers Grasslike plants look like true grasses, but Limerock Ornamental Grasses, dance in the lightest breeze and are held belong to other families. Among grasslike Inc., Port Matilda, PA. high above the foliage. A cool-season grow- plants that adapt well to shade are a few (814) 692-2272. Catalog $4. er, golden wood millet goes partly dormant “tame” clumping bamboos. in summer, especially in hot climates. Fountain bamboo (Fargesia nitida, New England Bamboo Company, The common name of Spodiopogon sometimes listed as Sinarundinaria niti- Rockport, MA. (978)-546-3581. sibiricus (Zones 4–9, 9–1), Siberian gray- da, Zones 5–9, 9–5) is very cold-hardy, Catalog $5. beard, refers both to the gray hairs around typically six to eight feet tall, and suitable www.newengbamboo.com. the flower spikes as well as to its native for planting in some shade. As a lovely

MICHAEL S. THOMPSON (2) habitat of Siberia (it also is native to Japan, specimen or for screening, these plants

July / August 2004 33 shade and protection from wind is desir- able or the leaves may curl up. ‘Eisenach’ GRASS EXPERTS ON SHADE FAVORITES is a shorter cultivar, six to eight feet and Grass fancier and author of The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses Rick with small, dark leaves. Darke says river oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is a favorite, despite its reputa- ‘McClure’ is one of the tallest clump- tion for self-sowing. “We pick out seedlings, but it’s never a problem,” says Darke. ing bamboos, growing up to 18 feet. “It’s one of the few grasses that will grow within the root systems of big trees and ‘Nymphenburg’ has very fine-textured fo- looks good for three-quarters of the year.” liage on a plant 12 to 14 feet tall. Plants John Greenlee, president of Greenlee Nursery in Pomona, California, and au- may cost well over $50; however, if a thor of The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses, is enthusiastic about Pogo- neighbor has one, they are easily divided natherum paniceum, a grass that is relatively new to cultivation in the United with a sharp spade in spring. States. The grass, which he has nicknamed “little bamboo,” forms “an absolutely Carex, a genus with about 1,000 perfect, tiny mound of foliage—a perfect little boxwood ball.” Says Greenlee, “It species, the majority of which prefer is native to Southeast Asia and probably a USDA Zone 8 plant. It would make a moist conditions, is a member of the fine annual or dish garden subject in colder climates.” sedge family (Cyperaceae). Many sedges Grass expert Kurt Bluemel, President of Kurt Bluemel Nursery, Inc., in Bald- also appreciate some shade. Carex win, Maryland, and former AHS Board chair, recommends Milium effusum ‘Au- dolichostachya ‘Kaga Nishiki’ (Zones 5–9, reum’ for its “excitement” value. “It can handle dry and dense shade,” says 9–5) has attractive, variegated gold-and- Bluemel. “It seeds itself but is not invasive.” green leaves that form a low mound to two feet across and serve as an evergreen ground cover into USDA Zone 6. form large clumps that slowly increase in may be dark and glossy or covered with a Carex elata ’Aurea’ (sometimes listed as diameter, only two to three inches annu- blue or purplish waxy bloom. The ever- ‘Bowles Golden’) is a lovely sedge with ally. They do not send out runners to de- green leaves are bright green or gray-green, bright yellow leaves edged in green. Leaves vour all available real estate. The culms or up to five-eighths of an inch across and may be under one-eighth inch wide, and aboveground stems of clumping bamboo four inches long. A spot in sun or part usually form clumps two feet tall and as wide. Flowers are brown and arch out from the leaves. The plant likes plenty of moisture, is attractive by water, and great as a specimen or massed for a dazzling blast of yellow color that turns greenish by late summer. It can be grown in light to medi- um shade in hot climates. In full sun, its color is more intense. A native to eastern North America, mace or morning star sedge (C. grayii, Zones 3–8, 8–1) grows a bit taller, to three feet, with arching green foliage. The name “mace sedge” comes from quirky seedheads, which look like the spiked head of a medieval war club, or mace, in early summer. C. grayii ‘Morning Star’ has larger seed heads than the species. Both like plenty of moisture and a shady to partly sunny site. Carex morrowii var. temnolepis (Zones 5–9, 12–1), native to Japan, differs from other sedges, with its very thin, threadlike leaves only an eighth inch wide. The cultivar ‘Silk Tassel’ is variegated dark green and white, growing to a foot tall and up to two feet wide, with a very fine texture and arching form. If grown in sun, it needs plenty of moisture. Carex phyllocephala ‘Sparkler’ (Zones 7–10, 10–7) has gorgeous variegated leaves,

The grasslike wood rush (Luzula sylvatica ‘Aurea’) blooms golden in a Oregon garden in April. green in the center with white margins. MICHAEL S. THOMPSON

34 the American Gardener MORE GRASSY ORNAMENTALS FOR SHADY SITES Name Height/width Use Other features Origin USDA Hardiness/ (inches) AHS Heat Zones Arrhenatherum elatius 12/12 accent edger, rock part shade minimizes Europe 5–8, 8–5 subsp. bulbosum garden; spreading die-back in hot, humid ‘Variegatum’ (striped foliage climates; new growth bulbous oat grass) when weather cools Carex flaccosperma 8/12 woodland ground deep, blue-green, Eastern N. America 6–8, 8–6 and var. glaucodea cover, accent evergreen leaves (blue sedge) Carex pensylvanica 3–8/4–6 good lawn substitute very fine foliage, evergreen Eastern N. America 4–8, 8–1 (Pennsylvania sedge) under trees in warmer climates Elymus hystrix 36/6–12 wild garden, woodland spiky inflorescence; Eastern U.S. 4–8, 8–1 (bottle-brush grass) edge tolerates dry shade SE, Central U.S. and Canada Luzula acuminata 6–12/6–12 ground cover, accent tufted, clumping Northern and 4–8, 8–1 (hairy wood rush) for woodland garden evergreen that thrives in Eastern U.S. moist, rich soil and Canada Sesleria caerulea 8–12/10 ground cover, accent has attractive two-toned, Europe, including 5–8, 8–5 (blue moor grass) for alkaline soils blue-green/dark green British Isles foliage and spiky flowers

Eight to 10 inches long, they radiate from Brownish or tan flowers emerge in spring. drier conditions and serve as a ground the stems forming an upright-arching L. nivea (Zones 4–9, 9–1), snowy wood cover. Especially fine with its leaves plant two to three feet tall. ‘Sparkler’ de- rush, has gray-green, evergreen downy spilling down over the edge of the pot, it lights in moist shade or in sun with plen- leaves, a quarter-inch wide, on a plant is a very classy plant with subtle good ty of moisture. about a foot tall and as wide with white or looks all year. Several members of the 80-species-rich near white flowers. Greater wood-rush (L. Acorus, a member of the arum family genus Luzula, sometimes called wood- sylvatica, Zones 4–9, 9–4) forms dense (Araceae), contains the oil calamus, which rushes, are suitable for partly shaded sites. clumps of lush, shiny green foliage on a emits a spicy-sweet fragrance from all parts Mostly grown for their foliage, wood rush- plant about a foot tall. It produces brown- of the plant, hence the common name, es are often evergreen and edged or cov- ish flowers in spring. Preferring part to full sweet flag. Japanese sweet flag (A. ered in soft down, which sparkles in dew. shade and moisture, Luzula will adapt to gramineus, Zones 7–9, 12–2) will grow in full sun or part shade and likes moist to wet, boggy soils. Acorus forms clumps of arching, evergreen foliage, six inches to one foot tall. In my garden, it thrives in a half-day of sun in a dampish spot. It is easy to divide. ‘Ogon’ grows 10 inches tall with gold-variegated leaves and is one of most beautiful cultivars. For a smaller plant, try ‘Pusillus’, just five inches tall with fine-textured green leaves. With all of these choices, it is clear that gardeners do not have to give up their big shade trees to grow ornamental grasses. Those “toiling in the shadows” can simply regard shade as a golden opportunity to enlarge their gardens’ plant palette with some stunning ornamentals that like it better in the shade.

Patricia Acton is a garden writer who lives

JERRY PAVIA Golden Japanese sweet flag (Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’) forms neat clumps of variegated foliage. in Deale, Maryland.

July / August 2004 35 Gardeners Anticipate BY ALEXANDRAGOHO 36 changes. of subtlebutsteadyclimate and plantchoicesintheface industry are adapting practices Gardeners and the horticulture expect more floodswhile othersget exten- matologists warn thatsomeregions could farmers and gardeners alike. However, cli- ing seasonisgettinglonger. all, wintersare asthe grow- gettingshorter were thewarmestdecadeonrecord. All in degrees F(1.6degrees C).The1990salone month temperatures have increased by 3.4 Unitedthe northeastern States, thewinter grees Celsius)over thepast100years. In increased 1.3degrees Fahrenheit (0.6de- warmer. Average global temperatures have entists thattheworldindeedisgetting there iswidespread consensusamongsci- ing challengestoadaptclimatechanges. row, movie blockbuster astrophe depictedinthissummer’s ment. No, itwon’t betheover-the-top cat- might looklikeinawarmingenviron- also offer a preview of what the world Spring isarrivingearlier. Theserecords show thatthelong-term trend isclear: able—from year toyear, historicalrecords though theseshiftsare subtle—andvari- response torisingglobaltemperatures. Al- seasonal activities has shifted gradually in flower blooms,bird migrations,andother half-century, thetimingofleafbursts, signs ofachangingclimate.Over thelast Embedded inthiswave are thetelltale E In somecases,thatcould bode well for Despite the oddbone-chillingwinter, but gardeners are already encounter- the American Gardener the start ofthegrowingthe start season. spreads across theland,signaling ACH SPRING, The Day After Tomor- a wave ofgreen change trends have received more public to grow. In England, where climate changing thetypesofplantsthey choose ple are alsoadaptingtothese conditions.” she says. “Intrywide,” the Midwest, peo- phenomenon andmore ofanormcoun- cause droughts have really becomeless ofa practice is increasing be- ton, D.C. “This and LandscapeAssociationinWashing- lations manager at the American Nursery plants, saysMelanie Hinkle, industrial re- tions by selling more drought-tolerant centers arecondi- already adaptingto dry sive periods ofdrought. Coloradogarden directly affectedbyclimatechange.” “Whether gardening is your hobby or your business, it’s going to be One waygardeners canadaptisby —David Wolfe,plantphysiologist,CornellUniversity change isgoing toaffectgardens inthe Trust, offerspredictions ofhow climate Horticultural Society andtheNational Programme andsponsored by theRoyal missioned by theU.K.ClimateImpacts “Resources,” page39)Thereport, com- dening intheGlobal Greenhouse” recently completed areport titled“Gar- grove andhiscolleague,Paul Hadley, scape attheUniversity ofReading. Bis- the Centre forHorticulture andLand- gardens,” saysRichardor dry Bisgrove of ing towards Mediterranean-style gardens “more andmore private gardens are mov- recognition than intheUnited States, (see

JOHN FREASE/AHS ARCHIVES Climate Change

Others are keeping track of what’s going on in the wild. Phenology—the study of the timing of biological process- es and their relationship to climate—and climate records from the past are yielding important clues on the effects of climate change. Researchers are now racing to collect data on the present. SPRING IS COMING EARLIER In the 1960s, the USDA established a network of lilac-monitoring stations throughout the northcentral and northeastern United States, with more than 90 sites spanning eight states in the Northeast alone. All of the sites were planted with the same clone—genetically identical selection—of Chinese lilac (Syringa ✕chinensis ‘Red Rothomagensis’). The USDA dis- tributed brochures to all the participants describing how to measure first leaf and first bloom. Every year thereafter, researchers at agricultural stations, horticulturists, and local citizens have recorded the signs of the onset of spring. Although the original purpose of the project had nothing to do with climate change—it was designed to provide phenological information to help farmers “Gardeners are discovering a whole new season for flowers because determine when to plant their wheat or plants…are wintering over that didn’t 30 years ago.” whether to expect an infestation of insects due to a milder winter—the data on lilac —Dr. H. Marc Cathey, American Horticultural Society President Emeritus bloom dates is now offering scientists a glimpse of the effects of climate change. United Kingdom and what steps garden- greenhouse gas, imported species have the David Wolfe, a plant physiologist at ers can take to minimize the effects. potential to respond to climate change Cornell University, and Mark D. Climate change may also elevate risks more aggressively than native plants. Al- Schwartz, a climatologist at the Univer- to the environment posed by non-native ternatively, “If you bring in something that sity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, pooled all plants, says Lewis Ziska, a plant biologist is normally limited by frost in your area the lilac phenology data for the North- at the United States Department of Agri- and the number of frost days is decreasing, east and looked for trends. “Based on our culture (USDA) in Beltsville, Maryland. there’s a chance it could escape and prolif- analysis, we’re definitely getting earlier Since the dawn of the industrial age, glob- erate in the environment,” says Ziska. blooms,” says Wolfe. From 1960 to 2000, al carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in Climate change is indeed complex and lilacs bloomed on average one to three the atmosphere have increased by more scientists are struggling to make sense of days earlier per decade; at some specific than 25 percent. Carbon dioxide, derived the myriad factors involved. To get a bet- sites, first flowering dates advanced by from the burning of fossil fuels, traps heat ter handle on all this, researchers like Ziska nearly two weeks. near the Earth’s surface and is the biggest are hard at work manipulating plants in This phenomenon is not just restricted contributor to global warming. According the laboratory to see how they respond to to the Northeast. By Schwartz’s calcula-

TOP: COURTESY OF U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE; BOTTOM: DAVID WINSTON/ARTVILLE DISK to Ziska, with increasing levels of the different stimuli. tions, compared with the late 1950s, spring

July / August 2004 37 38 century andmanyspecieshad shiftedtheir century at arateof2.3daysperdecadeover thelast searchers foundthatspringhadadvanced among otherevents. Overall, there- nesting, andthearrival ofbutterflies, researchers looked at frog breeding, bird change.” In addition toplantresponse, the tified aso-called“fingerprint ofclimate at theUniversity ofTexas inAustin iden- conducted around theworld,researchers sis of385different plantspecies. University ofYork, wasbasedonananaly- ter study, conductedby researchers atthe half daysinthepastdecadealone.Thelat- flowering datehasadvanced by fouranda ofEngland, theaveragecentral parts first events advanced by sixdays.In thesouth- Wisconsin, between 1936and1998,spring week earlierthantheydid30years ago. In Washington, D.C.,are flowering abouta around theTidal Basin andelsewhere in found thattheJapanese trees cherry ian Institution’s ofBotany Department abroad. Researchers from theSmithson- with otherstudiesintheUnited States and detect adramatictrend continent-wide. changes inweather, wasableto Schwartz modeling lilacgrowth inresponse to West, aswellofCanada,andby asinparts data forlilacsintheEastwith those inthe North America.By pooling all thebloom is arrivingonaverage sixdaysearlieracross are nowblooming aboutaweekearlierthanthey didthreedecadesago. Left: The world-famous Japanese cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., By combining the records of studies The studiesonlilacsare consistent the American Gardener exposed tohighlevelsofcarbondioxide. right, exhibitedaggressivegrowthwhen research, weedssuchasyellowstarthistle, collected intheNortheast sincethe1960s. In The bloomtimesoflilac,above, have been like kudzu,cheatgrass,andragweed." necessarily positive withrespect toweeds change,” saysUSDA’s Ziska. “But itisn’t viewed asbeingapositive aspectofglobal nearly four miles per decade. natural range toward the poles at a rate of CO process offermixed results. Plants absorb tures, studiesoftheeffects havior inresponse toincreasing tempera- that plants are indeed changing their be- Although mountingevidencesuggests UPSETTING THEBALANCE grow more. “Higher benefit manyplants,causingthemto creasing thisfoodsource couldactually ittofood.In-help ofsunlight—convert 2 from theatmosphere and—withthe CO 2 levels have been CO 2 on this ing environment. He foundthathigher herbicides might be affected by a warm- plants speciespreviously studied. also three timesgreater thanforany ofthe gressive. Thegrowth of theseweeds was with Canadathistlebeingthemostag- turn-of-the-20th-century turn-of-the-20th-century twice thebiomassofthosegrown under tries. Viruses andfungal pathogens,notes pathogens introduced from othercoun- year, 20percent ofwhichisduetoexotic cost the U.S. economy $137 billion per State University. Already, plantpathogens Stella Coakley, aplantbiologistatOregon so toowillplantpestsandpathogens, says Canada thistleplantsundernormal Ziska. He andhiscolleaguesgrew some by chemicalmeansismuchsmaller,” says thatyou haveof opportunity forcontrol crease, plantsgrow faster“so thewindow under current atmospheric the researchers foundthatplantsgrown elevated Yet allofthesprayed plantsgrown under under normal weeks, only 20percent oftheplantsgrown same glyphosate-basedherbicide.Aftersix then sprayed alloftheplantswith phere inthenext 50 years. Theresearchers concentrations projected fortheatmos- concentrations andothersunder CO less effective. Astemperatures and trations of growth concen- chambersundervarying Canada thistle star thistle grew sixnoxious weeds, includingyellow Next, Ziska wondered ifthe efficacyof As noxious weeds expand their range, To prove this,Ziska andhiscolleagues 2 levels could,infact,makeherbicides CO CO 2 (Centaurea solstitialis) levels came back. 2 CO . Afteran18-monthperiod, 2 (Cirsium arvense), conditions cameback. CO CO 2 conditions, 2 levels had CO CO CO 2 and in- in 2 2

TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF MARK SCHWARTZ; TOP RIGHT: PEGGY GREB/COURTESY OF ARS/USDA; LEFT: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL Resources Heat-Zone Gardening: How to Choose Plants that Thrive in Your Region’s Warmest Weather by H. Marc Cathey with Linda Bellamy. Time-Life Books, Alexandria, Virginia. 1998.

AHS Plant-Heat Zone Map. To order a 2-by-3-foot map for $9.95, call (800) 777-7931, or visit www.ahs.org and click on Publications.

“Gardening in the Global Greenhouse: The Impact of Climate Change on Gar- dens in the UK,” by Richard Bisgrove and Paul Hadley. The UK Climate Warming temperatures mean pests like grain Impacts Programme, Oxford, Eng- aphids (Sitobion avenae), right, emerge earlier land, 2002. This report can be to pass diseases such as BYDV on to crops viewed online at www.ukcip.org.uk/ such as winter barley, above, which shows gardens/gardens.htm. symptomatic yellowing of the leaves.

Coakley, can exist at low levels in a given ing,” says Wolfe. “But they can’t reach con- den. “Drip irrigation systems are becom- area but then suddenly erupt into an epi- sensus on how fast it’s going to warm and ing a way of life for gardeners,” notes demic as soon as the conditions become how precipitation will be affected. There’s Cathey. “Many gardeners are also dis- favorable. If winter temperatures contin- tremendous regional variability.” covering a whole new season for flowers ue to warm, many pathogens that nor- What exactly that means for the aver- because plants—like kale, pansies, and mally die off during the cold months age American gardener is still unclear, but violets—are wintering over that didn’t 30 could survive and become especially viru- most experts caution against making rad- years ago.” lent the following summer, she says. ical changes to planting practices. “You In 1997, Cathey coordinated the devel- Such predictions are not merely theo- don’t want to be too quick to relate poor opment of the AHS Plant-Heat Zone Map retical. Many regions in the world are al- plant performance to climate changes,” and a new coding system designed to help ready experiencing the effects of rising says AHS President Emeritus Dr. H. Marc gardeners select plants suited to their re- temperatures on plant pathogens. For in- Cathey. “Every plant is an experiment, gion’s summer heat. The map is divided stance, in Britain, aphids that carry the and there are microclimates in every gar- into 12 zones based on the average number barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), den—problems may be related to poor of days per year in which the temperature among other pathogens, have advanced site choice or disease or pest susceptibility rises above 86 degrees (see “Resources,” their spring flight times by three to six rather than to climate change.” above), which is the point at which plant days over the past 25 years in association Yet Cathey acknowledges that tem- physiologists have determined that plant with increases in temperatures. If aphids perature and weather trends over the past cells begin to break down. are arriving earlier in the season, then few decades have altered the way we gar- Another potential effect of warming plant viruses can potentially infiltrate plant populations earlier when the Until the debut of AHS’s plants are more vulnerable. Heat Zone map in 1997, American gardeners pri- DEALING WITH UNCERTAINTY marily relied on cold-har- Based on computer climate models, the diness in choosing plants United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel appropriate for their gar- on Climate Change predicts a 3 to 12.3 de- dens. Now plants can grees F rise in global temperatures along also be selected based with a potential doubling of CO2 levels on how well they tolerate over the next century. However, scientists heat, an increasingly im- still debate exactly how different regions portant critera as aver- of the globe will respond to those changes. age temperatures rise.

TOP: COURTESY OF FRED GILDOW (2) “Climatologists say no doubt we’re warm-

July / August 2004 39 GETTING INVOLVED If you’re interested in playing an active role in monitoring climate change, a number of organizations across Europe and the United States are getting local citizens involved in tracking phenological events such as first leaf dates, bird migrations, first frosts, and other marker activities. The U.K. Phenology Network has more than 14,500 volunteers in the country collecting data. The European Phenology Network, based in the Netherlands, integrates phenological data from a number of countries in Eu- rope and monitors continental trends related to climate change. “Germany- has a network that is institutional- ized,” says University of Wisconsin climatologist Mark Schwartz. “It’s part Boston University students Dan Primack and Carolyn Imbres record flowering times of of the national weather service.” pinkshell azalea (Rhododendron vaseyi) at the Arnold Arboretum in May 2003. Recently, in the U.S, Cornell Plan- tations in Ithaca, New York; Harvard climates is that in some areas certain have noticed their lawns turning brown in University’s Arnold Arboretum in plants—such as spring bulbs and fruit the summer because of the reduced rain- Boston, Massachusetts; and Missouri trees—may no longer get enough winter fall in the country, once legendary for its Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Mis- chilling to flower and fruit properly. soggy weather. Before the climatic reality souri, have committed to join David “When you buy your trees and perennials, check, Bisgrove notes, “We just assumed Wolfe and Mark Schwartz’s lilac you might want to make sure their range that lawns would be green year round.” phenology monitoring program. isn’t on the edge of the USDA plant har- As the climate changes, gardeners will In addition, Schwartz hopes to en- diness zones for your area,” says Oregon no doubt find ways to adapt their prac- hance the lilac program by setting up State University plant biologist Coakley. tices, says Bisgrove. But he points out that a national phenology network that “Instead, assume that it’s going to get the natural world is far less equipped to would involve not just botanic gar- warmer and pick a plant that grows right handle such changes. For instance, as dens, but federal agencies, institu- in the middle of your zone range.” mountainous regions get warmer, alpine tions, local citizens, and just about To address issues like these, the Amer- species will migrate up the mountain in anyone interested in phenology. ican Society for Horticultural Science held search of cooler temperatures. But they can Participants will monitor seasonal a symposium in Providence, Rhode Island only migrate so far. Hence entire plant changes for half a dozen native plant last fall titled “Impacts of Climate Change populations can become endangered. species and enter the data on the on Horticulture.” Scientists specializing in Gardeners can address climate change network’s Web site. The National Cli- everything from climate studies to plant proactively in many ways notes Don matic Data Center has agreed to pro- disease management discussed the evi- Rakow, director of Cornell Plantations in duce the site and manage the data. dence and pondered solutions. One of the Ithaca, New York. By monitoring changes The Web site, which is currently un- participants, the University of Reading’s in their own backyards, gardeners can help der construction, would have a map Richard Bisgrove, noted that water con- scientists better understand the complexi- of the United States and users would servation is going to become critical in the ties of climate change and how it affects click on the region where they live future. In areas afflicted with drought, gar- plant and animal ecology (see sidebar, left). and a list of different plants for that deners will have to adapt by capturing Gardeners can also work to persuade gov- area would pop up, says Schwartz. rainwater in storage tanks, for instance, ernment and industry leaders to alter their Individuals or organizations inter- and switching to water-thrifty plants. practices and policies, he says. Bisgrove ested in participating in this project concurs, noting that “gardeners could play can contact Mark Schwartz at ADJUSTING ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES a huge role in promoting awareness of the [email protected] or David Wolfe at Coping with changing climate will require global impacts of climate change.” [email protected]. —A.G. changing attitudes and expectations built up over time. Bisgrove says that over the Alexandra Goho is a science writer based in

last several years some British gardeners Washington, D.C. KAREN MADSEN, COURTESY OF THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

40 the American Gardener

42 I dinary? Whatthrows com- dinary? existingelementsandideas intonew the different, theinnovative, andeven, onoccasion,theextraor- one ideatothenextone. stimulates theirthinkingtothe pointwhere itcan ricochetfrom is rarely alinearprocess, anddesignersrequire somethingthat process necessitateslookingatthingsin novel ways.Designing andalternatives foragarden.countless opportunities Often the vital designprocess demandsthecreation andtestingofalmost process—metaphorical thinking. wrap around one of the most essential of the parts design stretched ourminds andmadethemelasticenoughnow to Seeing Metaphors in Gardens This is the fourth article ofanongoingseries ongarden article This isthe fourth design. Gardening byDesign So how does a person look at the ordinary and coax from it Design isall aboutseekinganddelvingintotheunknown. A N THELASTFEW retical perspective. Thediscussionshave hopefully cept ofgardens anddesign from aphilosophicalandtheo- the American Gardener articles we havearticles approached thecon- BY TRESFROMME tent islostontoday’s visitor. The metaphor, andby association, Without interpretation, ofcourse,mosttheallegorical con- monarch’s control oftheuniverse andhiscentralpositioninit. was the king’s bedroom—a symbolic testament to the axis ofordered alleés,canals,andavenues originatesfrom what Olympian divinities. The garden’s seeminglyinfinitecentral ing tostoriesofgodsand goddesses compared Louisto handed wayonlymegalomaniacsever achieve. Statuary allud- specific culturalandtemporalcontexts. itation thatreminds usthatsomemetaphorshave theirbasisin metaphorical framework.Not isabletodoso,alim- everyone derstand thebasicpremise andare willing toadoptthe drifts ofpebblesrepresent rivers. Thisissuccessful ifvisitorsun- substitutefor topography,for mountains,clippedshrubs and things theyare most definitelynot.Carefully sitedrocks stand ments ofthegarden follow structured conventions torepresent making garden designseemlessintimidating. Louis XIV’s garden atVersailles ismetaphoricalintheheavy- Japanese-style gardens rely heavilyonmetaphor. Theele- spaces we already with, understandandfeelcomfortable interior architecture describegarden areas intermsof walls, andfloors.Thesemetaphoricalcomparisonsto thinking aboutgardens intermsofrooms, ceilings, on toconsiderlessovert ideas. fairly commongarden metaphors,andthenmove where theymightlead.Let’s by lookingatsome start ical possibilitiesofallkindsandthentofollow them ativity isbeingabletoopenourmindsmetaphor- subconscious, obvious andsubtle.Thekeytocre- Metaphors work atvarious levels, consciousand ASMETAPHOR THE GARDEN landscapes withafresh eye. will findthisprocesstheir equallyhelpfultoview a monopolyonmetaphoricalthinking—gardeners more versatile andflexibleheorshewillbe. ways a designer is able to catalyze combinations, the of designing. The more crux combining is the very combinations and relationships.new The act of re- ty andallow designerstotestandchoosebetween the familiar. Metaphors, for a time,fragmentreali- courage anapproach totheunknown intermsof useful andstimulatingdesigntoolsbecausetheyen- binations andperspectives? Ihave foundmetaphors Most ofusare familiarwiththeconceptof And professional landscapedesignersdon’t have

TOM CLIFTON EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITIES OF METAPHORS ■ It can be a mind-opening exercise to look for metaphors when you are next taking a casual stroll in a garden. Take the time to delve into the meaning of the words and the metaphorical associations they spark. Put your judgment on hold, give your sense of humor free rein, and follow the associations. I wager you will come up with ideas and metaphors you hadn’t previ- ously identified on a conscious level.

■ What kind of furniture might grace a garden room? Tables are obvious enough, but what about a potting bench for a side table. Brick edging may be the new base molding. Could a low fence provide wainscoating? A thin grove of bamboo might act as sheer drapes to allow in light while blocking a view. What might provide a chair rail and crown molding?

■ How might a tree’s crotch wear the pants in the garden? Perhaps, a carefully pruned clematis or climbing rose might add the sartorial splendor (and a bit of modesty as well). Or, slap on a Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris for the tree who does not wear gaudy floral patterns. Bellbottoms are a retro possibility with a climbing Euonymus.

Open up your eyes and mind. What do you see when you look at this garden feature? Is it just a path of crushed stone? Or could it be a river flowing through the flatlands of some imaginary world?

the garden, have lost part of their once manifestly potent mean- a “river of flowers” in your garden. Easy enough, but a little ing and intent. Poor Louis. dull—just plant a hundred purple coneflowers (Echinacea pur- purea) in a meandering line. But let’s allow the metaphor to ric- METAPHORS IN THE GARDEN ochet. An arcing evergreen hedge becomes a “dam” and gives But not all garden metaphors are so obvious—we use small- structure and definition to the chaotic torrent. Good, but this scale garden metaphors all the time, often without really think- metaphor offers more ideas. A circular area of stone the color ing about them. After all, we tuck our treasures into beds, a of still water could form a safe “harbor,” a place to relax and rest strongly loaded term. The word “bed” brings to mind comfort, outside the busy current of life—any port in a storm. And a security, and rest—concepts seemingly alien to the struggle gar- planting of that ‘Sea Foam’ rose might lap at the base of the dening can become. The word also raises erotic and downright dam. Sure, “river” is a freshwater metaphor and “sea foam” is lustful associations in our culture, but that’s not the sort of thing marine one, but let’s not let technicalities ruin a creative run. one discusses in polite company! So, how can we harness the potential and power of metaphors? With a little imagination, we can expand the metaphor of a As shown above, a designer may construct all sorts of mental im- bed even further. A soft, enfolding loamy soil suggests the com- ages, comparisons, and frameworks to generate and evaluate ideas. fortable embrace of a favorite duvet; hard-packed clay a prison Like metaphors, a garden rarely says what it means or means what cot. Sheets of ground covers (see how the metaphorical uninten- it says. Indeed, carefully choreographed ambiguities and multiple tionally slips in when we least suspect it!) might be, well, sheets, meanings actually energize a strong garden design. Metaphors can or a decorative throw over the duvet. give gardens human meaning. Such gardens beg for interpretation Plant names—thanks, in many cases, to the efforts of mar- and encourage the visitor to engage them with their imaginations keters—are often delightfully suggestive of all sorts of wonderful as well as their senses. things completely unrelated to the plants’ biology (for more on I hope I have successfully interested you in the stimulating and this, read the wickedly delightful chapter on roses in Michael Pol- useful metaphorical world of the garden. In the next issue, we will lan’s book Second Nature). Rosa ‘Sea Foam’, for instance, evokes take this one step further as I share some practical metaphorical a gently exuberant cascade of cool, frothy white under which any tools for approaching the actual process of designing gardens. gardener would want his or her garden to drown. Sometimes, when you least expect it, simple metaphors can Tres Fromme is a landscape designer at Longwood Gardens in Ken-

AHS ARCHIVE evolve into exciting and inspiring ideas. Suppose you envision nett Square, Pennsylvania.

July / August 2004 43 by ElizabethGarcia-Dominguez Havens forEndangered Plants 44 hard-driving research botanist. the stereotype ofthepassionate, serenity andeasylaughterbelie Woman. Yet, inperson,Havens’ been calledbotany’s Wonder Chicago BotanicGarden, has atthe for Plant Conservation Havens, director oftheInstitute F biologists by gettinginvolved in teaching generation ofappliedplantconservation credited coursesin plant conservation. through whichCBGoffersuniversity-ac- withLoyolaing apartnership University for Plant at Conservation CBG, formaliz- and herteamhadlaunchedtheInstitute Butsearch department. by 2002,Havens ofalargere-native plants wasjustonepart seven years ago,her work withimperiled team atChicago Botanic Garden (CBG) says Vitt, “hasbeenspectacular.” go BotanicGarden time,” insuchashort program herea conservation attheChica- do intermsofimplementingandgrowing she’stive plantspecies.“What managedto and achieve therecovery ofvulnerable na- worked tirelessly toprevent theextinction ple.” However quietly, Havens has tense, talkative, out-there kindsofpeo- the Institute. “She’s notoneofthosein- worker Pati scientistat Vitt, conservation at 577-9450 orvisittheCPC’s Web site To learnhowyoucanhelp,call (314) preserve America’s endangered plants. reliesongrass-rootssupportto vation The non-profit Center forPlant Conser- “It’s toreach soimportant the next When Havens joinedtheconservation “Kay isaquietvisionary,” saysco- www.centerforplantconservation.org. the American Gardener plant conservation, Kayri plant conservation, OR HERWORK in native CONSERVATIONIST Havens’ focusisonsavingendangeredplants. Whether inthelaboratoryorfield,Kayri laboratory experiments. laboratory mysteries offsitethrough greenhouse and jects in the wild but also solving botanical approach, contributing torestoration pro- Havens andherteamtakeatwo-pronged ly theplantsoftallgrassprairie. vation ofnative Americanflora,especial- manages to play a major role in the preser- fices around thecountry, theInstitute still at Bureau ofLandManagement fieldof- and internsonsite,40housed background.” plied conservation them bring in people who have that ap- biologists,sowe’reservation helping well-documentedof plant con- shortage Havens. “In thefederalagenciesthere’s a and outreach atavariety oflevels,” says variation oftheCirsium DNA variation andquantitative trait Arboretum, we’ve been lookingbothat Great Lakesregion. theMorton “With threatened dune thistle native to the genetic diversity in One current project is helping map the PRESERVING GENETICDIVERSITY With only12full-timestaff, 10students C Cirsium pitcheri, at Illinois Beach ’ CORNER S a communications coordinator fortheCPC. Elizabeth Garcia-Dominguez isthe ture generations.” that we canmaintainareas likethatforfu- whenever Ican,”shesays,“and by hoping by goingoutandseeingintact naturalareas continue herwork? “I findmyinspiration plantconservation. org/Publications.html.) lication, visittheCPCat (formorePlant Conservation onthispub- est technicalvolume from theCenterfor wrote der ofFairchild, Havens co-editedand BotanicGardenBerry andMichael Maun- general public.AlongwithEd Guerrant of tations tobothprofessional groups andthe Sheconservation. makesfrequent presen- inplant made herasought-afterexpert in thebotanicgardens. lations withplantspropagated from those might bepossibletoaugmentwildpopu- wild samplesisnotashigh,shesays,it wild populations.If thediversity inthe DNA in those samples with that found in versity.” Now sheplanstocompare the found “a surprisingamountofgeneticdi- the collectionsofbotanicgardens and samples ofB. insignis plants remain inthewild. endemic ofwhichonly15or20individual sity inBrighamia insignis, ic Garden inHawaii studygeneticdiver- Florida andtheNational Tropical Botan- Fairchild Tropical BotanicGarden in population.” to assure geneticdiversity intherestored from how many populations—in order away we shouldgotocollectseeds—and stem heighthelpsusdeterminehow far and comparingtraitslikeleaflength of individualsfrom several populations State Park,” saysHavens. “Growing lots So where doesHavens gettheenergyto Havens’ insightandhard work have Havens andhercolleagues analyzed Havens’ labisalsohelpingbotanistsat Ex Situ Plant Conservation, taken from plantsin www.centerfor a Hawaiian the lat-

COURTESY OF CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN COURTESY OF CURTIS SPRING by Dr. H.MarcCathey Preserving Cut Flowers M to offer truly freshto offertruly cutflowers them directly inthosedays wasto transport from greenhouse tomarket. ther ofElizabeth Dole, whoisourcurrent Senator for North Carolina andmysecondcousin. Theonly way fresh cutflowers for our business.Theroses thatcamefrom were Salisbury grown by John Hanford, thefa- away inSalisbury. Three timesaweek arefrigerated, visitedourshoptosupplyuswith bucket-filledtruck can last35to45days. with five days 50years ago)andcarnations now lastaslong16to25days(compared who canarguewithsuccess?Cut roses can process are now incredibly complex,but dreamed. The technical details of this fresh farlonger thanIever would have such as ethylene, that keep them looking and conditioned with chemicals, be heldincontrolled atmospheres longer “seasonal” becausetheycan commercial cutflowers are no care. Ashashappenedwithfruits, production andpost-production comes withspecificprotocols for flower new every introduction hasbecomeaglobalbusiness, try shipped around theworld. America and Europe, and then Zealand, nottomentionNorth Africa, Asia,Australia, andNew are now grown inSouth America, berries, seedpods,andmosses— flowers—as well asfoliage, An astonishingvariety ofcut of the commercial florist industry. has greatly expanded the potential formation developed sincethen all theresearch andmarketing in- years, it’s amazingtorealize how need to keep flowers looking fresh are ents andtechniques thathomegardeners cial side of the industry, the key ingredi- Despite alltheadvances inthecommer- FEED FORFRESHNESS Now thatthecut-flower indus- Looking backover thepast54 florist’s greenhouse inMooresville, North Carolina. Our closestwholesaleflorist waslocated40miles Y FIRSTJOB after graduatingfrom North Carolina State University in1950wasasamanagerof VRDYGRE SCIENCE GARDEN EVERYDAY at one of his floral arrangements at church. Dr. Catheyandayoungguestgetcloselook supply thecutflowers withfood,andthe simple mixworks because thesugarshelp have oneofthosepacketshandy. This makes great cutflower foodifyou don’t contains both those key ingredients, sugar) andcitricacid. ets theydistribute—are sucrose (table ones floristsprovide inthoselittlepack- years ago. Theseingredients—the same still basically the same as they were 50 That’s whylemon-lime soda,which C fine fragrance. stems, vividcolor, foliage,and perfect how longtheystandproud withstraight his favorite roses. He would be amazed at were around toseewhathashappened to prise to John Hanford, but I wish he ers athomewouldn’t comeasanysur- of householdbleachinwater. by dipping them in a 10 percent solution Disinfect from your timeto pruners the American Horticultural Society. Dr. H.Marc Cathey ispresident emeritusof The secrets forsuccess withcutflow- to protect and healthecutsurface. and cloggingupwithcellsmeant from initiating naturaldefenses This keepstheplant’s cutstems onanangle. stems underwater et ofcoolwaterandrecut the diately getthestemsintoabuck- cut your flowers andthenimme- to is touseclean,sharppruners extending cutflower lifeathome techniquefor Another important CLEAN MATTERS comes impassable. of microorganisms andsoonbe- tem isopentoattackby avariety time. Without it,thevascular sys- will lastforalongerperiodof retention pigments ofitscolorful life oftheflower’s chlorophyll and food uptake.With thisfood,the clogged andopenforwater the plant’s vascular system un- low pHoftheacid helps tokeep July /August 2004 45 46 Gardener Awardin2003. right, receivingthePlant-A-RowStar above, andwithJacquelineHeriteau,above Kristen StrykertendinghergardeninOhio, K Stryker, who began helping her mother, “I’ve alwaysloved togrow vegetables,” says modest pastime—vegetable gardening. it isslatedtogonationwide. four yearsthe program, aftershestarted for Life,Hero Award (2004)—andnow, Volunteer Award (2002)andtheVolvo cluding the President’s Community merous local andnationalawards—in- have beenrecognizedefforts withnu- and shelters. Stryker’s community service grams suchassoupkitchens,foodbanks, produce tosupplementcommunitypro- facilities have learnedtoraisevegetable youth detentioncentersandcorrectional youth. Through her program, inmatesat outreach program forOhio’s incarcerated er foundedaninnovative community youthful ageof14,theprecocious teenag- nity awareness. Four years ago,atthe Making a Difference A younggardenersowstheseedsofanationalprogram. Her accomplishments are rooted in a the American Gardener RISTEN STRYKER plants toprograms andcommu- about growing things,from knows alot Personal experiences shaped Stryker’s ANDHEALING HARVESTING I hadweeded out me fortwoseconds;whensheturnedback, Stryker. “She turned her head away from after I’d learnedtopullweeds,” recalls and Iwere gardening togethernotlong immediately, however. “Once, mymom toddler. Gardening successdidnotcome Patti, in the garden when she was only a a localhomelessshelter. theAllegheny Indiansupport Center and herownstarted PAR program tohelp local organizations,and,ayear later, she Stryker begandonatingherproduce to duce tosoupkitchensandfoodbanks. encourages peopletodonateextrapro- zation Garden Writers ofAmericathat gram developed by thenonprofit organi- for theHungry (PAR), anationalpro- searching for waystouseit. generated somuchproduce thatshebegan own ofa4-Hproject. Theplot aspart cared foralarge vegetable garden ofher Someone toldheraboutPlant aRow At theageofnine,Stryker plantedand all of herbeanplants.” Director forYouth ChrisBaker, Services, Ohio’s Community-Volunteer Service torney General Betty Montgomery and detention centers.With thehelpofAt- sought toexpanditOhio’s otheryouth gram’s successinMulti-County, Stryker something.” had afeelingthatwe’d accomplished and otherproduce, itchanged.We all of beans, tomatoes,squash, first harvest ning theyseemedskeptical,butafterour tough, and older than me. In the begin- and mostoftheboys were extroverted, Stryker, “Iwasshy, andonly14, nervous, waspretty intimidating,”says “That boys from thecenter, ages14through 18. next stepwastopresent ittoagroup of dent, Donald Thernes, approved it.The Directors, afterwhichtheirsuperinten- her ideatotheMulti-County Board of untimely deathin2003. afterherbrother’spersonally meaningful people.” Her became even more efforts tohelp would seeitsvalue onceitstarted ty,” saysStryker, “butIwassure thathe And theyhad.Ayear afterthepro- In 2001,Stryker formallypresented nity through Multi-Coun- something forthecommu- derstand my desire to do through gardening. selves Multi-County helpthem- gardening to help youth at develop theideaofusing with PAR helpedStryker home. Her ongoingwork only five milesfrom her tention Center, whichwas Multi-County Juvenile At- the minimum-security she became familiar with got introuble withthelaw, venture. Afterherbrother next community service “My brother didn’t un- and BY JESSIE KEITH the community

COURTESY OF PAR (2) the program was instated in 12 centers experience for both staff and the center’s throughout Ohio. In 2002 these facilities youth. Her focus helped inspire staff to produced approximately 2,500 pounds of get involved and contribute plants and Resources fresh produce for the hungry through the supplies.” Garden Writers Association, 10210 statewide program. Leatherleaf Court, Manassas, VA Jacqueline Heriteau, PAR’s Director NATIONWIDE SUCCESS 20111. (703) 257-1032. from 1995 to 2003, emphasized Stryker’s Now all Stryker needed was a way to take www.gardenwriters.org. substantial accomplishments, “PAR her program to the next level. Opportuni- ■ Sponsors the Plant a Row for the shows that gardeners have enormous ty knocked in 2002 when President Hungry (PAR) program. power to give to the community. Kristen George W. Bush presented her with the is an extraordinary example of this. She President’s Community Volunteer Award. USA Freedom Corps, 1600 Pennsyl- planted one little seed of an idea and look While press photographers took their pho- vania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC at all the great fruits of her work.” tographs, she seized the chance to bend the 20500. (877) USA-CORPS. Stryker attributes some of the success president’s ear “about my ideas for the fu- www.usafreedomcorps.gov. of the program to the fact that people like ture of the program,” she says. “He en- ■ Volunteer service initiative. to help others. “At Indian River Juvenile couraged me to continue my work.” This Correctional Facility [a maximum-secu- endorsement allowed Stryker to connect rity facility in Massillon, Ohio], some of with the USA Freedom Corps, a program University in Stillwater to study bio- the guys were homeless before coming to set up to encourage summer volunteer ser- chemistry this fall. Eventually, she hopes the center,” she says. “The program mo- vice in America. Through this initiative, to pursue a career in the forensic sciences. tivated them because their vegetables her program, which continues to be affili- But for now she expects to continue her helped feed hungry people in their own ated with PAR, will now be offered na- work with the garden program while in communities.” tionwide. According to Stryker, several college. “I plan to stay with it for as long Says Curtis Peirce, the Multi-Coun- states have already expressed interest in as I can,” she says. ty delegate facilitating the center’s gar- testing the program. dening program, “Kristen helped Stryker graduated from high school in Jessie Keith is editorial intern for The inspire teamwork and created a positive May and will attend Oklahoma State American Gardener.

NEW

ONGOING

July / August 2004 47 48 retaliatory tradepracticesinhorticulture retaliatory concern about the possibilityofunfairor unfair ormisguided.“There’s growing the quarantine and other restrictions as from California. greenery ments of plants,soil,wood products, and their own guidelines,restricting ship- Virginia, andUtah—had established Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, West Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, quarantine, Canadaand16U.S.states— of contagion.Even before theamended that hasalready been slowed by thefear has causedadditionallossesinabusiness nia nurseries’ springshippingseasonand strictions cameattheheightofCalifor- counties were quarantined. counties incoastalCalifornia,all12 ly after, whenSODwasfoundin11more with nofewerthan59hostplants.Short- tophthora ramorum) was tracedtoafunguslikeorganism from amysteriousdisease.Thedisease Marin County, California,begandying when tanoaks (Lithocarpus in densiflorus) and garden centers. supply thisspringin eastern nurseries some selectionsofwhichwere inshort such as Rhododendron include popularornamentalplantgenera could be shipped over state lines. These SOD fungusbefore susceptibleplants nia beinspectedandfoundfree ofthe the estimated1,500nurseriesinCalifor- amended quarantinerequiring thatallof Inspection (APHIS) Service issuedan Agriculture’s AnimalandPlant Health of ifornia nurseries,theU.S.Department (SOD) wasdiscovered attwomajorCal- a diseaseknown asSudden Oak Death In March,stockinfectedby afternursery NURSERIES CALIFORNIA AFFECTS SUDDEN OAKDEATHQUARANTINE Horticultural NewsandResearch ImportanttoAmericanGardeners Many California nurserymen view Many Californianurserymen This year’s amendedquarantinere- SOD wasfirstidentifiedinthe1990s, the American Gardener that is associated and Camellia, (Phy- beetles producesatell-taleredfrass. The boring of adult western oak Above: easy prey for ambrosia and other beetles. Top: Coastliveoaks,weakenedbySOD,are antine allCalifornia nurseries…reflects a ed areas. “USDA’s recent actiontoquar- predict itscapacitytospread tounaffect- not enough isknown about thediseaseto reau Federation. ners,” reportstheCalifornia Farm Bu- products by statesandU.S.tradingpart- GARDENER Many in the nursery industry believe industry Many inthenursery C ’ NOTEBOOK S at hosts forSOD,visittheAPHIS Web site of thecountry. spread ofthediseasetouninfectedparts pathology ofSODandwaystohaltthe able toAPHIS tofinance astudyofthe on theground. fine morning,hespottedaspent flower “proper Korean stewartia” when, one contemplate replacing the tree with a ear strips. Del Tredici hadbegunto camellia, the showy exfoliating bark of S.pseudo- disappointed inhistree’s bark. Unlike boretum in Boston,Massachusetts, was nior research scientistattheArnoldAr- front of his house, Peter del Tredici, a se- stewartia thought wasaseedlingof theKorean In 1992,adecadeafterplantingwhathe SENTINEL’ ‘SCARLET STEWARTIA www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq-ispm.sod. To seealistofplantsthatare known “I pickeditup,” saysdelTredici, and his tree’s bark flakedoffinlin- (Stewartia pseudocamellia) million isbeingmadeavail- eman announcedthat$15.5 ture Secretary AnnM.Ven- concerns,Agricul- industry Regelbrugge. but lessriskelsewhere,” adds and the Pacific Northwest, coastal areas ofCalifornia susceptible hostsinthe able climateandhighly ing a‘perfect storm’ offavor- the country, andotherssee- fearing impactselsewhere in abound, withsomescientists scape Association.“Theories American Nursery &Land- the Washington, D.C.-based government relations with seniordirectorbrugge, of ties,” saysCraig Regel- and themanyuncertain- know aboutthepathogen, balance between what we In May, responding to in

JACK KELLY CLARK/COURTESY UC STATEWIDE IPM PROJECT (2) TOP: CAROLE OTTESEN; BOTTOM LEFT: COURTESY PETER DEL TREDICI; RIGHT: COURTESY OF BUD EWACHA Arnold Arboretum. Del Tredici specu- growing onthe ChinesePath atthe plant hunterE.H.Wilson in1918— lia—originally collectedinKorea by imens of S.pseudocamel- found undermature spec- had grown from aseedling the tree’s identity. His tree spurred delTredici tolearn ther filaments.” an- of bright,cherry-red amazement, ithadaring filaments ofS. pseudocamellia, found, incontrasttothestandard yellow tetanus ispresentinsoil. The bacteriumthatcauses adnr:GetYour TetanusGardeners: Booster Rehm, “providesprotectionagainstthisserious—andpotentially fatal—disease.” ple: Immunitydoesn’tlastforever.“Asimpleinjection,onceevery10years,”says nization (NCAI) to spread the news about these two diseases.The message is sim- prompt medicaltreatment, thediseaseisfatalinone10cases. a paralysisthatstartsatthetopofbodyandworksitswaydown.Evenwith spasms, as well as lockjaw—neck stiffness and trouble swallowing—the onset of include elevatedbloodpressureandheartrate,fever,sweating,muscle gardens tobeupdateontheirtetanusvaccine.” dation forInfectiousDiseases(NFID),“itisdoublyimportanteveryonewho bacteria toenterthesystem,”saysSusanRehm,presidentofNationalFoun- percent reportedthat theyhavenothadatetanusshotinthelast10years. of tetanus-proneinjurywhileworkingaroundthehome,gardenoryard, while40 Association (NGA)survey,80percentofrespondentsreportedincurringsometype ers atgreatriskofcontractingatetanusinfection. Ina2004NationalGardening ment andnaturallypresent insoil,potting media,andmanure.Thisputsgarden- Td shots,buttheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)estimates United States,manyfatal. Td) becameroutine, there were500and600casesoftetanuseachyearinthe Up untilthe1940s,whentetanusanddiphtheriaimmunizations(abbreviated Finding theflower The NGAhasjoinedwiththeNFIDandNationalCoalition forAdult Immu- The symptomsoftetanus canappearuptothreeweeksafterexposureandmay “Since minor breaks in the skin due to gardening injuries can allow the tetanus Tetanus, ontheotherhand,isabacterium that iswidespreadintheenviron- Today, mostadultsunder60yearsofagehavereceivedaprimaryseries tries oftheformerSovietUnion. the Caribbean,NearandFarEast,allcoun- parts oftheworld,includingAfrica,SouthAmerica, ed States,ithasbeencontractedbytravelerstoother tial immunization,aretotallyunprotected. people over60yearsold,whoneverreceivedtheini- they receiveaTdboostershotevery10years.Most immunized as children will remain protected only if The reasonisthatimmunityexpires;thosewhowere not orarenolongerprotectedagainstthesediseases. that fully53percentofadultsovertheage20are While diphtheriaisnowextremelyrareintheUnit- “to my Wilson’s Korean andanative stewartias lated thathisplantwasahybridbetween ed by Richard Jaynes ofBroken Arrow duced underthename‘Scarlet Sentinel’. Tredici ofthetree, whichhasbeenintro- The new stewartia hasbeenpropagat- stewartia The new ovata S. mountain stewartia, really different,” saysdel confirmed hishypothesis. Later, geneticanalysis and growing nearby. by T.G. Harbison in1925, lected inNorth Carolina “It’s agreat plantand var. grandiflora, col- a collector’s plant.” del Tredici, “so thisisalwaysgoingtobe have propagation issues,”says stewartias high-volume nurseries. “Most of the selection isunlikelytobecomeastapleat del Tredici knows thisrare andbeautiful tendtobetrickypropagate, stewartias ing up‘ScarletSentinel’, butbecause 643-9347, Nursery inDix Hills, New York, (631) available by mail-order through Roslyn broken arrownursery.com), Nursery in Hamden, Connecticut (www. grown from seed. at leastthree years forenoughplantsto be eventual commercial sale,butitwilltake June orJuly,” saysEwacha. showies andtheyellows, attheendof wore goldenslippers. after thegoddessHera, who reputedly Sheviak named the golden lady slipper cializing in North American orchids. in Albany, who is a plant systematist spe- botany at the New York State Museum information. your location,alongwiththeircontact memberfirmsclosestto the 25ANLA in your zipcode.Your search willyield on theconsumersearch button,andplug Web(ANLA) site,www.anla.org, Nursery &Landscape Association’s firm inyour area? Visit theAmerican Looking foragarden centerorlandscape BUSINESSES LANDSCAPING LOCAL LOCATE ✕ tween the two species. It wasnamed among them was a natural hybrid be- project inthesummerof2000;hespot- is whathedidwhiledrivingtoaseeding them through hiscarwindow. Andthat many years studying orchids, he can spot Manitoba, isamanwhohassospent Native Plants Society, Inc. in Winnipeg, Bud Ewacha, President of the Conserve SPECIESDISCOVERED NEW ORCHID herae Other specialtynurseriesare alsopick- The orchid isbeingpropagated for “It flowers at the same time as the by Charles Sheviak, curator of www.roslynnursery.com. July /August wild. Mixed in growing in the lipper orchids parviflorum) and yellow (C. pedium reginae) ted showy (Cypri- and isnow 2004 ladys- click 49 C. 50 USED BY RECOMMENDED BY U.S. STATES andCITIESINMULTIPLE-DRUMS LOTS THOUSANDS IEUS EATET OHL WINWORLDWAR FIVE U.S.DEPARTMENTS TO HELP ADDED TO WORLD’S #1TOP HEALTHY, TOXICS-FREE FOODS GROWERS FLOWERING PLANTSSHOWWINNERS– “everywhere” UNIQUE. unbalancing substitutes–often99 NOTHING ISAT ALL“LIKE” REFUSE continent,withoutsalesmen. plant-selling firms.Onevery Used, tippedto,andsuppliedbythousandsofconscientious AT CONSCIENTIOUS PLANT DEALERS WORLDWIDE 21 aio tetSuh ot olwo,C 91605 12610 Saticoy Street South, North Hollywood, CA PLANT SUPPLY Made inU.S.A.by 16 TISSUECULTURE 15 BONSAI 14 FIELDCROPS 13 HYDROPONICS 12 REFORESTATION 11 XMASTREES # V #1 Activator, #1Trans/ #1Extra WORLD’S FAIRSCIENCE-MEDAL-WINNING 60 Greatest Guarantee-OfferPROOFEver AGRICULTURE, ARMY, SCIENCE &INDUSTRY I #1 EXTRA LIFE 1 WORLD’S FAIR1940 TV, RADIO,BOOKS, CITIES, COUNTIES, ONLY GOLD MEDAL VITAMINS-HORMONES RECOMMENDED ALSO BYSTATES, USED BY U.S. World CHAMPION BY EXPERTSOF NAVY, AIR.Etc. 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MARY YEE SEASONALC GARDEN GOODS

arden Furniture A garden can become an Goutdoor room in the warm summer months. Whether you’re reading, snoozing, or entertaining, it’s always more enjoyable outdoors.

Inspired by the chairs that lined the first-class decks of steamships in the early 1900s, the Henley Steamer Chair is equally useful for relaxing in the garden. Made of Balau wood with detachable footrest. Available in white or natural finish for $199. Add a touch of romance to the garden with this Charleston Beach Chair detailed Victorian Rose Garden Bench. Heavy cast Company. (843) 722-3856. aluminum is protected with a rust-resistant white www.charlestonbeachchair.com. enamel. About 39 inches long by 18 inches wide and 37 inches high. $199.98. Lillian Vernon. (800) 545-5426. www.lillianvernon.com.

Outdoor furniture goes sleek and modern. The Headlands Outdoor Dining Table is made of teak and You don’t need two trees to enjoy these colorful Hammocks. The measures 38 inches long by 38 inches wide and 30 13-foot-long oak spreader bars can be set anywhere in the gar- inches high. $400. Other pieces in this line also den. Quilted weather-resistant fabric available in pink and in a available. Edge*Modern. (800) 506-6541. floral print. $228. Bolster for neck support sold separately, $58. www.edgemodern.com. Gardener’s Eden. www.gardenerseden.com.

Products profiled are chosen based on qualities such as innovative design, horticultural utility, and environmental responsibility; they have not been tested by the American Horticultural Society. Send new product information to New Products, The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308, or e-mail to [email protected].

July / August 2004 51 BOOKC REVIEWS

Recommendations for Your Gardening Library

Garden Insects of North America: The Passion for Gardening. The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs. Ken Druse. Clarkson N. Potter Press, New York, New York. 2003, 256 Whitney Cranshaw. Princeton Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 2004. pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $50. 656 pages. Publisher’s price, softcover: $29.95. AS AN UNABASHED how-to kind of person, I was initially a INSECTS ARE EVER present in our gardens and yards. When bit reluctant to review what I thought would be a pretty cof- we find them, we want to know what they are, whether they are fee table book. But once I started reading The Passion for Gar- potentially damaging to our homes and gardens, and what steps— dening by Ken Druse, I was almost immediately charmed by if any—we should take to control them. Whitney Cranshaw’s new the author’s relaxed, personal writing style. Perhaps it was book, Garden Insects of North Amer- Druse’s analogy comparing the icas, has now made this process making of a garden to creating much easier for gardeners. a sand castle on the beach, or his Cranshaw has produced an im- description of a garden is a liv- pressive garden reference that dou- ing work of art—always chang- bles as a field guide. Wherever you ing, an act in progress that is live in North America, your insects never finished. are included here. This text is well This is a “why to” rather than researched and covers 1,420 species a “how to” book, yet some “how of yard and garden pests. There is to” couldn’t help but come also a substantial section on benefi- through, as gardeners are always cial insects, so we can recognize and ready to share their wisdom. In encourage their presence. the section “You Can Take It Easy to follow and organized in a systematic fashion, the With You,” Druse offers practical advice on how to effectively book’s chapters are arranged according to the type of plant dam- transplant trees, shrubs, and perennials. And, in another sec- age and which plant part is affected. Thus, leaf chewers and sap- tion, he describes how he converted lawn to garden by smoth- suckers are given the largest chapters. Cranshaw also includes a ering the turf with mulch-covered cardboard in a variant on the taxonomic discussion of the pests and detailed information about classic “lasagna” gardening technique. signs of damage, their favorite plants, life history, and habits. The The plainspoken anecdotes and opinions throughout the more than 1,400 color pictures of insects and their damage are book reminded me that gardeners have a lot in common. I re- truly impressive and will be invaluable in helping readers track lated strongly to Druse’s discomfort when asked about his fa- down the culprits of their plant injury. vorite plant—he compares it to asking a parent which child One limitation of this book is that it does not give specific man- they favor. When Druse discussed a pair of old cycads that he’s agement information for all insects listed. However, Cranshaw had since he lived in his first college apartment in 1975, it made discusses management for the most common groups of insects, me think of a now portly jade plant that I started from a single and in some cases specific insects, such as Japanese beetles. So the leaf cutting in my college plant propagation class in 1978. odds are that most readers will find the information they need to Druse’s personal writing style comes through most strong- tackle their insect pest problems. Control techniques are present- ly in a section titled “Junior Partner,” where he invites readers ed in an integrated pest managment approach that incorporates into his own garden of nine years by way of a diary of his vi- cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical mechanisms. sions for the garden. I found myself sharing both his excite- This wonderful reference will certainly become a classic ment and reservations, and mourning with him over the tolls alongside works such as Cynthia Wescott’s The Gardener’s Bug nature had taken along the way. Book. Whether you are a professional or a home gardening en- As with Druse’s other acclaimed garden books, the text is thusiast, this is an indispensable reference. paired with equally rich photographs taken by the author and —Jeffrey Hahn Adam Levine. Among the more than 250 images, the most memorable for me include the cacti chorus, the moss stairway, A professor of entomology with the University of Minnesota Extension and the spectacular views of the garden at Chanticleer. Service, Jeffrey Hahn specializes in insects commonly found in urban This inspiring garden book, which received the American homes and gardens. Horticultural Society’s 2004 Book Award, reminds us all that

52 the American Gardener The American Horticultural Society’s SMARTGARDENTM program incorporates a coding system that uses hardiness and heat zones, sun/shade, water needs, and plant height and width to help you determine the perfect plants for your site.

Check out www.ahs.org for on-line SMARTGARDENTM course offerings. A new way to think about gardening. Available wherever books are sold. For more great ideas visit www.dk.com and sign up for our FREE newsletter. our gardens will become our own as we develop our own personal style and taste for individual plants and design schemes. Revised Southern Living We are never too young or too old to garden. There’s no question that Druse chose the perfect title for a book in which he Garden Book shares and promotes his unabashed passion for gardening. The newly revised edition of the Southern Living Garden Book —B. Rosie Lerner (Oxmoor House, Birmingham, Alabama, 2004. 720 pages. Publisher’s price, softcover: $34.95), edited by Southern An avid writer and gardener, B. Rosie Lerner is the consumer Living’s senior writer Steve Bender, is a comprehensive horticulture Extension Specialist at Purdue University’s Department garden encyclopedia for those living in all 17 states in the of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. South. This useful reference breaks down southern growing regions into five discrete Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden. climate zones and offers in- Lee Reich, Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon, 2004. 308 pages. formation on more than Publisher’s price, hardcover: $34.95. 7,000 plants, which are aug- mented by 1,300 color pho- TIRED OF THE same-old same-old? Need some fresh new fla- tographs, 1,200 color illus- vors to jazz up your low-fat, high-fiber diet? Check out Lee trations and plenty of vital Reich’s Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden, an expanded sequel information on origin, habit to his highly regarded Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention, and culture. published in 1991. Within its pages readers Reich presents 23 fruits that have, for one reason or anoth- will also find a lengthy how-to er, been largely overlooked and underplanted by American gar- dictionary of techniques and a deners. His criteria for inclusion wealth of tips from some of the South’s most renowned gar- are “that a fruit be able to tolerate dening experts. A large section called “Resource Directory” winter cold, be uncommon, provides listings of botanical gardens in the South to visit, and—most importantly—be mail-order sources for plants, a glossary of gardening terms, good for fresh eating.” Many of and a useful discussion on “Solving the Mystery of Botani- the fruits covered are also valued cal Names.” Some of this book’s more substantial additions for cooking. include 2,000 new plant listings as well as USDA Hardiness Reliable cultural information Zone and AHS Heat Zone designations. This is a vital refer- on uncommon fruits can be dif- ence for all gardeners in the American South. ficult to come by, and having it in a single source is very handy. Reich’s prose is flavored with were popular in Europe during the Middle Ages. About jujube humor and anecdotes—good (Ziziphus jujuba), Reich says, “If this book were written in reading as you plan your own backyard orchard. His advice and China, this chapter would be omitted. The Chinese have been opinions are based on years of growing experience. eating jujubes for more than four thousand years." And re- Each chapter covers one fruit, including a brief botanical his- flecting on lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) he says, “Mere- tory. A concise description of both the overall plant and its fruit ly utter the word ‘lingonberry’ to someone Scandinavian and provides both landscape and culinary attributes; after all, this watch for a smile on their lips and a dreamy look in their eye." book is intended primarily for backyard gardeners, and the or- Perhaps the most exotic entry—certainly the least familiar namental quality of an edible plant is a distinct asset. Practical to me—is shipova (✕Sorbopyrus auricularis), an intergeneric hy- cultivation information—site considerations, spacing, fertiliz- brid of the European pear and a species of Sorbus, probably S. ing, pruning, etc.—are clearly presented, followed by propa- aria, the common whitebeam. Reich states that “although gation methods, harvesting, and use. This information shipova fruit is pear-like in flavor and appearance, its white- enhanced in several appendices. beam parent has not necessarily been an idle onlooker in de- The subjects include North American natives such as June- veloping that flavor.” My curiosity is sufficiently tweaked. I berry (Amelanchier spp.), pawpaw (Asimina triloba), persimmon guess I’ll have to grow it myself! Fortunately, Reich has includ- (Diospyros virginiana), and lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium an- ed an appendix of mail-order sources for each fruit. gustifolium) more often observed in the wild than in cultivation. For those gardeners who, like me, are always searching for Reich suggests that readers reconsider them as a source of good something a bit out of the ordinary for both their gardens and eating, suitable for cultivating in backyard gardens. their tummies, this book is a gem. Some of the “uncommon fruits” are, or were, actually quite —Rita Pelczar familiar in other cultures. Ancient Greeks and Romans grew the Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) for its fruit, and medlars Formerly associate editor of The American Gardener, Rita Pelczar (Mespilus germanica)—which resemble small russeted apples— writes and gardens in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland.

54 the American Gardener GARDENERC’S BOOKS

Summer Reading

HE LAZY DAYS of summer are here, and if you’re a nice big plot of land and start a small working farm full of cool gardener who misses plants and getting soil under your specialty herbs, vegetables, and flowers. T nails while you’re vacationing at the beach or in a cabin The narrative shifts from Losee’s to in the woods, just take along one of the books listed here. The Schaye’s voice throughout the book, staff of The American Gardener has selected them based on over- and both offer incisive, often humor- all interest, entertainment value, and ease of reading. ous stories that follow their path towards becoming successful farmers. GARDEN LITERATURE ANTHOLOGIES One of the more amusing features is FINE BEDTIME READING, The Garden of Reading, subti- Schaye’s top 10 list of everything that tled “An Anthology of 20th Century Short Fiction about Gar- went wrong with their first day at mar- dens and Gardeners,” edited by ket, including number 10: “This Michele Slung (The Overlook Press, whole thing looks about as profes- Woodstock, New York, 2004. $24.95), sional as a ten-year-old’s lemonade is a bouquet of many and varied sto- stand.” The market tables turned ries. In each one—“Blue Poppies,” shortly afterwards, though, when they found success and start- “The Lawnmower Man,” “A Curtain ed to earn sufficient profits. of Green,” “The Fig Tree”—the way This inspiring, funny, and well-written book is just right for people interface with the natural a good afternoon read in the summer—filling, yet not world is the starting point, the setting, overindulgent. or the crisis of tales by authors such as —Jessie Keith, Editorial Intern Colette, Eudora Welty, Steven King, James Thurber, and Barbara Pym. PLANT HISTORY AND LORE IN ADDITION TO authoring the Declaration of Indepen- In American Garden Writing: An Anthology, edited by dence and serving as the third United States president, Thomas Bonnie Marranca (Taylor Trade Publishing, New York, 2003, Jefferson was also a seasoned gardener. In Jefferson’s Garden $18.95), gardeners will find Ameri- (Stackpole Books, Mechanicsville, can garden history served up in Pennsylvania, 2004. $21.95), Peter thick, delicious slices. Each entry is Loewer highlights some of the orna- meaty, but short. From George mental plants Jefferson was known to Washington (“The more I am ac- have grown or probably encountered quainted with agricultural affairs, on his Virginia estate, creating an in- the better I am pleased with them”) formative and very readable book that to J.I. Rodale (“One of these fine will especially appeal to gardeners in- days the public is going to wake up terested in history. and…pay…for high quality prod- The bulk of the book is compro- ucts such as those raised by organic mised of 60 plant profiles, each a lit- methods.”), this collection allows us tle descriptive gem full of history and to see how we came to garden as we do. folklore. Among the featured plants are ones you’d expect, such —Carole Ottesen, Associate Editor as hollyhocks and lilacs—and more unusual ones such as Venus flytrap and balsam apple (Momordica balsamina). GARDEN EXPERIENCE Interesting tidbits of information abound in these pages. For URBAN PROFESSIONALS Kimberly Schaye and Christopher instance, seeds were so highly regarded at one time that un- Losee made a dramatic life change in 1996 when they decided scrupulous politicians were known to send them to potential to chuck the city noise, lights, and bustle of New York City for voters to gain favors. Loewer informs us that Jefferson consid- the not-so-simple life as greenmarket farmers in the Hudson ered poison ivy an ornamental plant, and John Bartram even Valley. In Stronger Than Dirt (Three Rivers Press, New York, sold it in his Philadelphia nursery. 2003. $14), they chronicle the ups and downs of starting and These anecdotes and Loewer’s conversational tone make Jef- running their new business. Despite the laborious hurdles the ferson’s Garden a great summer read. authors had to cross, reading the book made me want to buy a —Mary Yee, Managing Editor and Designer

July / August 2004 55 REGIONALC HAPPENINGS

Horticultural Events from Around the Country

& Exhibit. The North Carolina Arboretum. NORTHEAST Events sponsored by or including official Asheville, NC (828) 665-2492. CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT participation by AHS or AHS staff are www.ncarboretum.org. RAP Through Sept. 5. Plants of the World. identified with the AHS symbol. Garden exhibit. The Brooklyn Botanic Gar- AUG. 14. Butterfly Gardening Symposium. den. Brooklyn, New York. (718) 623-7200. Events hosted by botanical gardens and Museum of Life and Science and the Caroli- www.bbg.org. na Butterfly Society. Durham, North Caroli- arboreta that participate in AHS’s Reciprocal na. (919) 220- 5429. www.ncmls.org. Admission Program are identified with the RAP THROUGH AUG. 29. Enchantment. In- RAP door/outdoor art exhibit. Wave Hill. Bronx, symbol. Current AHS members showing AUG. 19. Garden Mixers: Tropicals and New York. (718) 549-3200. a valid membership card are eligible for free Twisters. Garden social. The Birmingham www.wavehill.org. or discounted admission or other benefits. Botanical Garden. Birmingham, Alabama. Contact the host site for details or visit (205) 414-3900. www.bbgardens.org. RAP AUG. 7 & 8. 35th Annual Flower Show. www.ahs.org/events/reciprocal_events.htm.. Berkshire Botanical Garden. Stockbridge, RAP AUG. 22. Orchid Auction. Central Massachusetts. (413) 298-3926. Florida Orchid Society. Harry P. Leu Gar- www.berkshirebotanical.org. Hot Springs, Virginia. AHS President Katy dens, Orlando, Florida. (407) 246-2620. Moss Warner is a speaker. (800) 838-1766. www.leugardens.org. AUG. 12–15. Northeast Organic Farming Asso- www.thehomestead.com ciation Conference. Barre, Massachusetts. Looking ahead (978) 355-2853. www.nofamass.org. RAP THROUGH OCT. 31. Butterflies LIVE! SEPT. 14. Garden Design with Flower Pots. Walk-through exhibit. Lewis Ginter Class. The Biedenharn Museum & Gardens, RAP AUG. 16. Fourth Annual End of Summer Botanical Garden. Richmond, Virginia. Monroe, Louisiana. (318) 387-5281. Island Tour. The Coastal Maine Botanical (804) 262-9887. www.lewisginter.org. www.bmuseum.org. Gardens. Boothbay region island, Maine. (207) 633-4333. www.mainegardens.org. RAP THROUGH OCT 10. Tropical Bonsai Ex- NORTH CENTRAL hibit. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI RAP SEPT. 11. Fall Gardener’s Day. Blithe- Gardens. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (412) wold Mansion, Garden & Arboretum. Bristol, 622-6914. www.phipps.conservatory.org. THROUGH OCT. 10. A Genius for Place: Ameri- Rhode Island. (401) 253-2707. can Landscapes of the Country Place Era. www.blithewold.org. Looking ahead Photography exhibit. Lilly House. Indianapo- SEPT. 11. Fall Native Plant Sale. Adkins lis Museum of Art. Indianapolis, Indiana. SEPT. 10–13. Garden Writers of America Arboretum, Ridgely, Maryland. (410) 634- (317) 920-2660. www.ima-art.org. Annual Symposium. Marriott Melville, Long 2847. www.adkinsarboretum.org. Island, New York. (703) 257-1032. RAP AUG. 13-22. Chili Pepper Festival. www.gardenwriters.org. AHS SEPT.25. Through the White House Cleveland Botanical Garden. Cleveland, Gates to River Farm. AHS annual gala. Ohio. (216) 721-1600. www.cbgarden.org. SEPT 12. Taste! Organic Connecticut. Top- River Farm, Alexandria, Virginia. most Herb Farm. Coventry, Connecticut. (703) 768-5700. www.ahs.org. AHS AUG. 21. The Art and Science of Contain- (203) 888-5146. www.ctnofa.org. er Gardening. Seminar. Michigan State Uni- AHS OCT. 5–9. Northeast Regional Master versity’s Horticultural Gardening Institute. Gardener Conference. Holiday Inn Select. Leila Arboretum Society. Battlecreek, Michi- MID-ATLANTIC Timonium, Maryland. (888) 531-1754. gan. (517) 432-8265. www.gardening PA, NJ, VA, MD, DE, WV, DC www.agnr.umd.edu. institute.com AHS JULY 29–31. 2004 National Children & Youth Garden Symposium. American Horti- AHS AUG. 22–24. The Grand Hotel: Gardens SOUTHEAST cultural Society. Cornell University, Ithaca, of Mackinac Island. Event with Allan Armitage AL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN New York. (703) 768-5700 ext. 132. to launch new online educational program on E-mail: [email protected]. JULY 27. University of Kentucky Horticulture herbaceous perennials. Mackinac Island, www.ahs.org. Field Day. Horticulture Research Farm, Lex- Michigan. Hosted by the MSU Master Garden- ington, Kentucky. (859) 257-8605. er volunteer program. (517) 432-1950 ext. 4. AUG. 6. Orchids are Different: The Pollinator www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Horticulture. www.gardeninginstitute.com. Connection. Demonstration. U.S. Botanic Garden, Washington, D.C. (202) 226-7674. JULY 31. GingerFest. The Fairchild Tropical RAP AUG. 6. Children’s Garden Day. Leila www.usbg.gov. Botanic Garden. Coral Gables, Florida. Arboretum Society Children’s Garden. Battle (305) 667-1651. www.ftg.org. Creek, Michigan. (269) 969-0270 AHS AUG. 13–15. In the Garden with the Ex- www.leilaarboretumsociety.org. perts. Symposium. The Homestead Resort, AUG. 6–8. 22nd Annual Quilt Competition

56 the American Gardener COURTESY OF THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, ART COLLECTIONS, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS Admission Program—for moredetailsvisitour Website(www.ahs.org/events/reciprocal_events.htm). *AHS membersreceivefreeadmission andsomeotherbenefitsatthesegardens,whichare participantsintheAHSReciprocal water, light, andearth. four keycomponentsof life:air, that allows children toexplore the an interactive learningexperience Kahn, eachsculpture encompasses Jim Folsom Ned andkinetic artist signed by Huntington’s Director function andappearance.De- sculptures thatare magicalinboth ton.org), Marino, California garden designer, created garden anextraordinary that Jen Pennington, Longwood’s displayspecialist and lead Amazed, dens.org), plants. and smellmanypleasing sensory the Kid-senseGarden thatallows children totouch mazething from toarock abutterfly quarry, and comprised ofmanysections,whichinclude every- nations largestchildren’s gardens. Thegarden is Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, 20th, theycelebratedthegrandopeningof in Grand Rapids,Michigan, tofindout.On June dens &Sculpture Park* You’ll have tocome the can you fitintoonefive-acre children’s garden? planning avacation around. children’s gardens andspecialexhibitsare worth a flourish.And,thissummer, several brandnew for children with are poppingupacross thecountry why gardens andgarden exhibitsdesignedexpressly motivate children’s active minds and bodies. This is worlds fullofappealingsmells,spaces,andtextures that C opened inJune attheHuntington Gardens Botanical that depictstheflightpatternsofbees. a honeycomb maze, flower fountain,andwindingBuzz Trail telling.” Bee-Amazedfor discovery learning and story includes den containslayers ofmeaningthatcreate anidealframework are keypollinatorsaswell asnature’s modulararchitects; the gar- honeycombs worked perfectly,” saysPennington. “Honeybees “We we knew wanted a maze, and the hexagonal patterns of that emphasize thedependencybetween plantsandhoneybees. unites the modular construction of honeycomb with themes Grand Children’s Gardens At At How manythemedgardens andfunactivities The garden mazes, orsupertree housescreate fanciful HILDREN LOVE GARDENS. Longwood Gardens Helen andPeter Bing Children’s Garden, features nineelemental opened in May, and it is, literally, amazing. a new outdoorchildren’sa new garden, Bee- (www.hunting- (www.meijergardens.org) Frederick Meijer Gar- (www.longwoodgar- Brightly colored borders, now oneofthe y BBG C more aboutthereunionat to beheldonSeptember12th. Alumnicanlearn to reunitefortheir90-yearreunion celebration of alumni,spanningfrom1914tothepresent, they putoutacallfortheprogram’sthousands dening program in the country. Last December, REGIONAL HAPPENINGSSPECIAL ELEBRATES The pride inhavingtheoldestchildren’sgar- Brooklyn BotanicGarden* 90 which in San ER OF YEARS Peter BingChildren’sGardenattheHuntingtonBotanicalGarden. Two youngvisitorsarefascinatedbythevortexinHelenand dent exhibitswillshow manyuniquetreehouses created by Garden*, TREEmendous TREEHouses tum*, Terrific TreeHouses Arboretum*, treehouse dream: InTREEguing Treehouses three child’s separateexhibitsholdthepromise tofulfillevery treehouse tree. inanicebranch-filled,girthy Thissummer, tops, kidslikenothingbetterthantheloftyseclusionofagood C www.bbg.org/alumni/. HILDREN Whether hiding out, watching birds, or touching the tree- Chaska, Minnesota (www.arboretum.umn.edu) ’ S (BBG) takes Norfolk, Virginia G ARDENING Lisle, Illinois at theMinnesota Landscape Arbore- summer. exhibits willlastthroughout the offer “fantasy andwhimsy.” These tion,” andthoseinVirginia will scale, interactive, outdoorexhibi- in Illinois they promise a“grand- your typical backyard treehouse,” house creations willbe“unlike and designers. Minnesota’s tree- different toparchitects, builders (www.nbgs.org). (www.mortonarb.org), —Jessie Keith, Editorial Intern at theNorfolk Botanical July /August These indepen- at theMorton Totally 2004 and 57 58 Looking ahead 1950 ext.4. Ohio MasterGardenersProgram.(517)432- course. HorticultureGardeningInstituteand er Gardening. (800) 642-8842. Botanical Garden.St.Louis,Missouri. Society ShowandSale. AHS www.holdenarb.org. Arboretum. Kirtland,Ohio.(404)946-4400. Court. RAP SEPT. 14. AUG. 19. ana. (317)923-1331. anapolis MuseumofArt,Indianapolis,Indi- Past PresentandFuture. RAP (440) 946-4400. Holden Arboretum,Kirtland,Ohio. iary includeRussia,Spain,andGermany.ThespecialtopiaryexhibitendsSeptember26. ing beneath an Eiffel tower topiary, and an English horse and rider topiary in the Shrub Garden. Other countries celebrated in ten bymembersoftheVanderbiltfamilyduringtheirtravelstoeachcountry. sive topiariesareaccompaniedbyplantingsappropriatetoeachcountry,alongwithgiantpostcardsfeaturingexcerptsoflette an exhibittitled“GardenJourneys:AWorldofTopiaries,”whichpayshomagetoVanderbilt,arenownedworldtraveler.The mas- amassed afortuneinshippingandtherailroads.Thetopiaries—wireformscoveredwithtrainedivyotherplants—are partof North Carolina.Thelate19th-centuryestatewasthecountryretreatofGeorgeW.Vanderbilt,whosegrandfather,Cornelius, had THIS SUMMER, Topiaries withanInternationalTwist atBiltmore To learnmoreabouttheexhibit,callBiltmoreat(877)245-0647,orvisitestate’sWebsite Highlights oftheexhibitincludeaJapaneselanterntopiarysituatedinconservatory’sZengarden,Frenchflowerbedsloom- the American Gardener SEPT. 9. JULY 17–25. AUG. 21. Feng shuigardeningclass.TheHolden The PrairieGarden.Tour. Heritage MuseumandGardens: AR, KS,LA,MO,MS,OK,TX SOUTH CENTRAL www.gardeninginstitute.com. Event andonlineeducational The ArtandScienceofContain- Afternoon TeaatLantern Henry ShawCactus www.mobot.org. www.holdenarb.org. life-size topiaries with an international theme will greet visitors to the 125,000-acre Biltmore Estate in Asheville, www.ima-art.org. The Missouri Lecture. Indi- The RAP (316) 264.0448. The WichitaGardens.Wichita,Kansas. 5100. Garden. SanAntonio,Texas.(210)829- Sculpture Exhibit. RAP www.neworleanscitypark.com. leans, Louisiana.(504)483-9386. Botanical GardenandCityPark.NewOr- ment (512) Wildflower Center.Austin,Texas. RAP 697-2600. Powell Gardens.Kingsville,Missouri.(816) children’s activities,crafts,andplantsale. Butterflies. AUG 21. RAP Oklahoma City,Oklahoma.(580)323-1132. zome Sale. JULY 24&25. Symposium. THROUGH OCT.15. AUG. 28. AUG. 14&15. AUG 13–22. 292-4100. www.sabot.org. The PelicanPlantSale. Will RogersExhibitionCenter, www.powellgardens.org. See butterfliesinconservatory, Putting thefinaltouchestotopiary creationsintheRussiaexhibit. Left: Atopiarylionguardstheentrance totheBiltmoreEstate.Above: Sooner StateIrisSocietyRhi- Daylily Sale. 8th AnnualFestivalof www.wildflower.org. Lady BirdJohnson www.botanica.org. San AntonioBotanical Conservation Develop- Danville Chadbourne Botanica, New Orleans botanical.org. (520) 326-9686ext.10. Tucson BotanicalGardens.Tucson,Arizona. Sole Series. RAP AUG. 7. RAP THROUGH AUG.16. www.descansogardens.org. La Cañada,California.(818)949-7980. AHS Looking ahead (505) 776-2275. dineros GardenClubofTaos.Taos,NewMexico. Food &theArts.Napa,California. COPIA: TheAmericanCenterForWine, 1691. grounds. Phoenix,Arizona.(602)485- & LandscapeShow. SEPT. 24–26. AUG. 27. THROUGH AUG.31. www.phoenixhomeshow.com. —Katie Palanjian,EditorialIntern Taos Garden&HomeTour. Fitness sessionsingardensetting. www.biltmore.com. Night Walk. WEST COAST SOUTHWEST AZ, NM,CO,UT www.gardencluboftaos.com. UnNaturally. The FallBeautifulHome CA, NV,HI Arizona StateFair- Summer Bodyand www.tucson Descanso Gardens. Art exhibit. Los Jar- rs writ- top-

COURTESY OF BILTMORE (2) FUTURE AHS NATIONAL African Art at Denver Botanic Gardens EVENTS AND PROGRAM

A BIT OF AFRICA comes to Denver this summer with the opening of the exhibit, CALENDAR “Chapungu: Custom and Legend, A Culture in Stone” at the Denver Botanic Gar- dens, which runs through October 31. Artists from Zimbabwe, many from the Shona tribe, created the 80 stone sculptures on display over the last 40 years. Now on international tour, the sculpture exhibit is based ark your calendars now! More at the Chapungu Sculpture Park, located in Zimbab- Mdetails about all these events we’s capital, Harare. will be available soon in The American Roy Guthrie, director of the Chapungu Sculpture Gardener and on the AHS Web site Park and curator of the exhibi- Chief Consults (www.ahs.org). tion, emphasizes the uniqueness Chapungu by of this traveling art exhibit. “It’s a artist B. Kapeta • DEC. 2. Friends of River Farm portrayal of contemporary Afri- (FORF) Volunteer Reception, George can art, and there’s almost no is one of the Washington’s River Farm, Alexandria, publicity on contemporary Afri- sculptures on can art,” he says. The sculptures, display at the Virginia. he adds, revolve around various Denver Botanic themes such as family, love, the Gardens. IN 2005 spirit world, and topics that affect • MAR. 4 & 5. AHS President’s Coun- each artist. cil Event at the Philadelphia Flower The sculptures, which have been described as Show, Pennsylvania Convention Cen- “hauntingly evocative,” are situated throughout the ter, Philadelphia, Pennyslvania. grounds of the Denver Botanic Gardens, including an African desert garden and a prairie of plants native to Colorado. • APR. 1–30. Washington Blooms! During the exhibition, workshops in botanical illustration, focusing on the flora George Washington’s River Farm, of Zimbabwe, as well as stone carving workshops, will be offered. For more informa- Alexandria, Virginia. tion, call (720) 865-3500 or visit www.botanicgardens.org. —Katie Palanjian, Editorial Intern • APR. 13– 15. Great American Gar- deners Conference, Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, Orlando, (707) 265-5950. www.copia.org or AUG. 28–SEPT. 3. Fourth International Sympo- Florida. www.ici-exhibitions.org. sium on Japanese Gardening. Center for Ur- ban Horticulture at the University of Seattle. • APR. 16. AHS Great American Gar- RAP AUG. 14 & 15. 19th Annual Inter-City Seattle, Washington. (206) 286-9644. deners Award Banquet, Epcot Interna- Cactus and Succulent Show 2004. L.A. County Arboretum. Arcadia, California. tional Flower & Garden Festival, Orlan- CANADA (626) 821-3222. www.arboretum.org. do, Florida. JULY 20–27. 20th Annual International AUG. 24–29. American Begonia Society 2004 Waterlily and Water Gardening Society • APR. 21–23. FORF Spring Plant Convention. Town and Country Hotel and Symposium. The Toronto Botanical Gar- Sale. George Washington’s River Farm, Convention Center. San Diego, California. den. Toronto, Canada. (941) 756-0880. (619) 262-7535. www.begonias.org. www.iwgs.org. Alexandria, Virginia.

AUG. 1 & 2. 6th Annual A Taste of B.C. NORTHWEST • MAY 6. Magic of Landscaping Con- Minter Gardens. Rosedale, British Columbia. AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY ference, Orlando, Florida. (888) 646-8377. www.mintergardens.com. RAP AUG. 14 & 15. Fuschia Society Show & Sale. The Bellevue Botanical Garden. Belle- RAP SEPT. 11. Plant Sale. The Arboretum at • MAY 27. AHS Member Day at Cleve- vue, Washington. (425) 451-3755. the University of Guelph. Guelph, Ontario. land Botanical Garden, Cleveland, www.bellevuebotanical.org. (519) 824-4120 ext. 52358. Ohio. www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum. AUG. 14–OCT. 10. Feast Your Eyes: • JUNE 2. Taste of River Farm, Alexan- The Unexpected Beauty of Vegetable Gar- INTERNATIONAL dens. Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition. dria, Virginia. Museum of the Oregon Territory. Oregon AHS SEPT. 20–OCT. 3. Gardens of Tuscany. City, Oregon. (503) 655-5574. AHS Travel Study Program. For information, • JULY 28–30. AHS National Children www.orcity.com/museum. contact Leonard Haertter Travel, St. Louis, & Youth Garden Symposium, Atlanta Missouri. (800) 942-6666. www.haertter Botanical Garden, Atlanta, AUG. 26–28. The Far-West Show. Oregon As- travel.com. sociation of Nurserymen. Oregon Convention Georgia. Center. Portland, Oregon. (800) 342-6401. www.farwestshow.com. COURTESY OF JERRY HARDMAN-JONES

July / August 2004 59 GARDENC MARKET

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60 the American Gardener PRONUNCIATIONSC AND PLANTING ZONES

Most of the cultivated plants described in this issue are listed here with their pronunciations, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones— based on the 2003 revised hardiness map, which is currently under review by the USDA—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 sur- vival. The codes tend to be conservative; plants may grow out-

AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 7931 East Boulevard Drive side the ranges indicated. A USDA zone rating of 0–0 means that Alexandria, VA 22308 U.S.A. (703) 768-5700 Fax (703) 768-8700

Coordinated by: the plant is a true annual and completes its life cycle in a year Dr. H. Marc Cathey, President Emeritus Compiled by: Meteorological Evaluation Services Co., Inc. or less. To purchase a two-by-three-foot glossy AHS Plant Heat Underwriting by: American Horticultural Society Goldsmith Seed Company Horticultural Research Institute of the American Nursery and Landscape Association Monrovia Zone Map for $9.95, call (800) 777-7931 or visit www.ahs.org. Time Life Inc. Copyright © 1997 by the American Horticultural Society Hardiness and Heat zone codes are generated by AHS and doc- umented in the Showtime© database, owned by Arabella Dane.

A–L Elymus hystrix EL-ee-mus HISS-triks Rubus arcticus ROO-bus ARK-tih-kus Acorus gramineus AK-or-us grah-MIN-ee- (4–8, 8–1) (1–7, 7–1) us (USDA 7–9, AHS 12–2) Fargesia nitida far-JEE-zee-uh NIT-ih-duh R. chamaemorus R. kam-ee-MOR-us Arrhenatherum elatius subsp. bulbosum (5–9, 9–5) (2–6, 6–1) ah-ren-AH-ther-um ee-LAY-tee-us subsp. Hakonechloa macra ha-kon-ee-KLOH-uh R. cockburnianus R. cock-bur-nee-AN-us buhl-BO-sum (5–8, 8–5) MAK-ruh (5–9, 9–2) (5–9, 9–5) Asclepias tuberosa as-KLEE-pee-us Helianthus angustifolius hee-lee-AN-thus R. idaeus var. strigosus R. eye-DEE-us var. too-bur-O-suh (3–9, 9–2) ang-gus-tih-FO-lee-us (6–9, 9–4) strih-GO-sus (4–8, 8–1) Calamagrostis brachytricha kah-luh-mah- Lithocarpus densiflorus lih-tho-KAR-pus R. idaeus var. vulgatus R. eye-DEE-us var. GROS-tiss brak-ih-TRY-kuh (5–9, 9–5) dens-ih-FLOR-us (8–10, 10–8) vul-GAY-tus (4–8, 8–1) Carex elata KAIR-eks eh-LAY-tuh Luzula acuminata LOOZ-yew-luh ak-yew- R. occidentalis R. ahk-sih-den-TAL-iss (5–9, 9–3) min-AY-tuh (4–8, 8–1) (4–9, 9–1) C. dolichostachya C. dol-ih-ko-STAH-kee- L. nivea L. NIH-vee-uh (4–9, 9–1) R. odoratus R. o-doh-RAY-tus (3–9, 9–1) uh (5–9, 9–5) L. sylvatica L. sil-VAT-ih-kuh (4–9, 9–4) R. parviflorus R. par-vih-FLOR-us C. flaccosperma C. flak-ko-SPER-muh Lycopersicon esculentum ly-ko-PER-sih- (3–9, 9–1) (7–9, 9–7) kon es-kew-LEN-tum (0–0, 12–1) R. phoenicolasius R. fee-nih-koh-LAY-see- C. flaccosperma var. glaucodea us (5–9, 9–5) Sesleria caerulea ses-LAIR-ee-uh C. flak-ko-SPER-muh var. glaw-KO-dee- M–Z see-ROO-lee-uh (5–8, 8–5) uh (6–8, 8–6) Milium effusum mih-LEE-um eh-FEW-sum Solenostemon scutellarioides so-len-O- C. grayii C. GRAY-ee-eye (3–8, 8–1) (6–9, 9–6) stee-mon skoo-tuh-LAIR-ee-OY-deez C. morrowii var. temnolepis C. mor-RO-ee- Miscanthus sinensis miz-KAN-thus (11–12, 12–1) eye var. tem-no-LEP-is (5–9, 12–1) sy-NEN-siss (6–9, 9–1) Spodiopogon sibiricus spo-dee-o-PO-gon C. pensylvanica C. pen-sil-VAN-ih-kuh Monarda punctata muh-NAR-duh sy-BEER-ih-kus (4–9, 9–1) (4–8, 8–1) punk-TAY-tuh (4–9, 9–4) Stewartia pseudocamellia stew-AR-tee-uh C. phyllocephala C. fil-o-SEF-uh-luh Pelargonium ✕hortorum peh-lar-GO-nee- soo-doh-kuh-MEEL-yuh (5–8, 8–4) (7–10, 10–7) um HOR-tor-um (11–11, 12–1) S. ovata var. grandiflora S. o-VAY-tuh var. Chasmanthium latifolium chas-MAN-thee- Phormium tenax FOR-mee-um TEN-aks gran-dih-FLOR-uh (5–8, 8–1) um lat-ih-FO-lee-um (5–9, 9–5) (9–11, 12–6) Syringa ✕chinensis sih-REENG-guh Clethra alnifolia KLETH-ruh al-nih-FO-lee- Pogonatherum paniceum po-go-NATH-ur- chy-NEN-siss (4–8, 8–1) uh (3–9, 9–1) um pan-ih-SEE-um (8–10, 10–7) Deschampsia cespitosa deh-SHAMP-see- Rhododendron vaseyi ro-doh-DEN-dron uh sez-pih-TOH-suh (5–9, 9–1) VAY-see-eye (5–8, 8–4)

July / August 2004 61 by CaroleOttesen Summer BrightsinaContainer 62 American Gardener. Carole Ottesen is associate editor of The thought tothecomposition. enough, abright,happyafter- of thegeraniumadd,aptly form. Andthebrightred flowers Zealand flax inbothcolorand coleus contrastwiththeNew the darkly patternedleaves ofthe Sunrise’. Taking itastepfurther, C Solenostemon scutellarioides geranium andthoseofthecoleus, for therounded leaves ofboththe while itsuprightspikinessisafoil Pelargonium tones ofthezonal geranium, yellow-green blades echothetwo USDA Zone 9andabove. Here its that are generallyonlyhardy in plants, native toNew Zealand, grasslike a genusofcolorful, Wave’ inthiscontainerbelongsto tenax) (Phormium the garden. TheNew Zealand flax plants tootendertooverwinter in some combinationsaswell aswith Geranium ‘HappyThought’ green foliage,USDAZones9–11, AHSZones12–6. ‘Yellow Wave’NewZealandflax, burgundy, andcreamy yellow.Zones11–12,12–1. A tender perennial, flowers, Zones11–11,12–1. the American Gardener ONTAINERS ALLOW experiment withadventure- ‘Happy Thought’, 'Solar™ Sunrise'coleus cultivar ‘Yellow (Pelargonium ‘Solar (Phormium tenax us to ™ ✕ EFC LN COMPANIONS PLANT PERFECT hortorum (Solenostemon scutellarioides) ‘Yellow Wave’),isanevergreen perennialforsuntopartshadewithbrightlime ‘Happy Thought’) has a green, ruffled leaf with a creamy yellow center and red C produces large leaves in intense lime green with deep

MARK TURNER Alan Titchmarsh is the former host of Ground Force on BBC America, and of Gardener’s World in the UK. He was recently awarded an MBE for his services to horticulture. He is the author of many gardening books, and is also a successful author of fiction.

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