Summer 1999 Arboretum from the Bill and Libby Ground Up

Planning and planting for a better world Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter Number 8, Summer 1999 Arboretum from the Bill and Libby ground up. As the founding Wilder Retire chairman of the Arboretum The Arboretum’s board of advisors board, he has convened for the first time in been a key March 1989 at an informal meeting player in in the White Garden. Each of the strengthening charter members arrived with their the own ideas and expectations. Arboretum’s Robert Hayter remarked “I knew presence you were serious when I saw Bill within the Wilder there. That man knows green industry how to make things happen.” and the greater It’s true. Bill Wilder has been community. making things happen for the The Raulston Arboretum - and for the entire Arboretum green industry - for a long time. would not enjoy He and his wife Libby retired this the stature it has Bill Wilder has had an enormous affect on spring after 18 years at the helm today were it not the Arboretum as we know it today. of the NC Association of for Bill Wilder’s Above, he speaks at the 1999 Gala in the Nurserymen (NCAN) and 16 years guidance, Garden. Photo by Herman Lankford with the NC Landscape influence Association (NCLA). In that role, and advocacy.” they continually served as He never ceases his work on our champions of the Arboretum. Oblinger continued, “Bill personifies the ideal University behalf within the green industry, the corporate sector, and with our Jim Oblinger, Dean of the College supporter and advocate, touching elected officials.” of Agriculture and Life Sciences, almost every aspect of the College worked with Bill on myriad and its mission. A founding At the Arboretum, it’s hard to find College projects and boards. He member of the CALS Alumni anything that DOESN’T have said, “We are grateful for the Association board, a leader on the Wilder’s fingerprints on it. Bill pivotal role Bill Wilder has played, NC Agricultural Foundation board, worked with JC Raulston to arrange and continues to play, in the past chairman of the Horticultural NCAN’s donation of the success of the Raulston Arboretum. Council... these are only a few of the Arboretum’s first signature As the director of the green groups to which Bill has brought structure - the white gazebo. He industry associations, he worked profound wisdom, strong instigated the NCLA Construction with JC Raulston to help build the leadership, and powerful influence. Summer 1999 Page 1 Table of Plant News...........................3 Calendar of Events.............16 Contents Development News............10 Director’s Letter..................18 Volunteer News..................15 Workshops, which gave rise to a higher vision for the many of the Arboretum’s Raulston Arboretum.” architectural features. The JC Raulston Selections program and When they weren’t lucrative trade show benefit working on behalf of auctions were born through his the Arboretum, Bill and leadership. At field days and Libby were busy workshops, Bill and Libby were transforming North always there to register, orchestrate, Carolina’s green and feed the crowds, making industry on other everyone feel like family at a fronts. In 1981, Bill was reunion. hired as executive director of the NC Association of Nurserymen. Libby Agricultural joined him in the office, Commissioner Jim working as Bill’s right- Graham said, “Bill and hand man and girl Friday on all fronts. Libby are a great team, Libby Wilder’s smile has been lighting and have provided Richard Beeson, of up events for years! photo by Ginger Long inspiration and Beeson Rhododendron leadership for two Nursery and recent generations of up and NCAN president, also served on the board in the early Association as well. Mark Peters, coming agricultural eighties. He of Piedmont/Carolina Nursery, producers, especially remembers the Wilder’s first days worked with the Wilders on both those in the nursery and with NCAN. boards. horticultural fields.” “Bill and Libby came on board “As past president of the NCLA, I when we needed people with their can say that Bill and Libby were gung-ho spirit to lead the industry. instrumental in bringing that Bill knew the ropes in NCDA and at association out of near failure to the As founding chairman of the NCSU, and that’s the kind of person very successful organization that it Arboretum board, Bill Wilder we needed at the helm. He brought is today,” Peters said. “They also guided the organization through the nursery association a long way deserve total credit for fostering the exciting and treacherous times. The in a short time, because he had the cooperative relationship between first strategic planning process, the foresight to ask us to go out on a the NCLA and the NCAN. Once first capital campaign, the design of limb when we needed to. He did that was accomplished, the Green the education center, securing the some outstanding things....he was and Growin’ Show started getting first legislative funding, and the right man at the right time. He better and better, and the whole surviving the tragedy of JC’s death will industry’s spirit of cooperation are only a few of the major always be remembered for his improved. They’ve been the glue milestones through which Wilder support of the Arboretum, both in that’s kept it all together.........and led the board. working with JC and in his they’ve left us a great foundation leadership after the tragedy.” on which to build.” Rick Crowder, of Hawksridge Farm, said of Bill, “I don’t think In 1983, Bill took on the executive See Wilder, page 20 anyone other than JC Raulston had directorship of the NC Landscape Page 2 Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum Newsletter examples of annuals. Once they perennial is used accurately. produce seed there is no stopping Plant the death of these plants. Tender Perennial Defined The classic biennial produces a non- We have come this far and you are blooming plant, often a basal probably wondering if I am ever News going to define tender perennials. I rosette, in its first year. It then blooms, produces seed and dies in will now try. In order to do so, it is its second year. The common necessary to know the behavior of a foxglove, Digitalis purpure,a and plant in its native habitat as op- Tender Perennials many Verbascum species are well posed to where it is being grown in known examples of biennials. Of order to define it as either perennial, course, all of this supposes that the biennial or annual. By Douglas Ruhren natural world is as orderly a place as human definitions would lead Most herbaceous and woody If ever there was an oxymoron, the one to believe, that the distinction houseplants, with appropriate care, term tender perennial would seem between plants is as clear cut as will live for years, thus qualifying to be it. So just what are these black and white. Nevertheless these them as perennials. They certainly plants that offer so much for the are extremely useful terms to know are not annuals or biennials. That summer garden? In this article, I and use. they are perennials does not mean hope to answer this question. that they are winter hardy, as Which plants are some of the best? I believe a good part of the reason anyone who has been tardy in Look to the next newletter for a list that I have observed something not bringing houseplants inside in the of my favorites. too far from revulsion on the part of fall knows all too well. They are some individuals being exposed to tender perennials. So to a large part I will start by defining the words the term tender perennial for the the tender perennials that I am tender and perennial. Tender is a first time is that most often when writing about and that I value as term that is rarely used by garden- gardeners use the term perennial, additions to the summer garden are ers. It means not hardy, i.e. not they actually mean, “winter-hardy, perennial, tropical plants (thus frost- winter-hardy; the plant in question herbaceous perennial.” In their tender perennials) that in essence does not survive winter tempera- mind perennial implies that a plant we treat as annuals because the tures. Hardiness and its corollary, is both winter-hardy and herba- killing frost of Fall ends their life tenderness, are of course relative to ceous. I can understand the desire (prematurely, it must be noted.) where a plant is being grown. For for brevity, but the terms perennial, instance, cannas are hardy in zone 7 annual and biennial, do not on their Their life in the open garden is but tender in zone 6. The same is own denote whether a plant is restricted to one frost-free season. true of many camellia species. For winter-hardy. Nor does the term Thus they appear to be annuals greater clarity and accuracy we perennial include just the herba- when in actuality if they are pro- ought to use the terms frost-tender ceous perennials; herbaceous plants tected from frost, they will prove and winter-hardy, for that is what is being the non-woody perennials, their status as perennials and live really meant. that is those without permanent for many years. Protection most often involves bringing either the The term perennial in its broadest stems; but it also includes woody whole plant or propagules of them sense means a plant that lives for an perennials which are otherwise into a frost-free location, usually extended number of years, as known as trees, shrubs and lianas either a heated greenhouse or a opposed to annuals and biennials (woody vines as opposed to herba- sunny windowsill.

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