PREMIERE ISSUE: For Avid, Earth-Conscious Gardeners ERIC

A Publication of the American Horticultural Society MaylJune 1996 $3.95

A If'I 0 PERMACULTURE , Gardening in Concert With Nature '" NATIVE GROUND COVERS ' Kick the Lawn Habit ~ If'I I"- ..j HEDGES AND EDGES ' Ways to Mark Your Boundaries -0

~ If'I 00 AMERICA'S CLEMATIS ' Discovering Our Delicate Climbers ..j I"- SCANNING FLOWERS ' Images From Your Computer 0

co n t e n t s

Volume 75, Number 3 May/June 1996

Commentary 4 High Desert Permaculture 16 by Linda Thornton Members' Forum 5 This low -impact approach lets gardens flourish News Edition lament) defending lawns. in a land of limited resources. Offshoots 7 Recycling dud decoys. Beauty Beyond Bluegrass 24 Gardeners' Information Service 8 Water-loving house plants) thorny hedges. by Andy Wasowski Consider native Conservationist's Notebook 9 ground covers for A rich refuge in Nevada. your «lawnscape.)) Natural Connections 10 Your oaks may be galled) but don)t be appalled. Life Beyond the Urban Gardener 12 Leyland Cypress 29 Yesterday)s news- tom01'1'oW)S vegetables. by THE AMERICAN GARDENER staff Mail-Order Explorer 14 Need a hedge? Don)t A collector)s paradise in Washington state. choose the trite when Book Reviews 52 so many others are true. Crabapples) native plants) and herbs. Coy Climbers 40 Pronunciations 62 by Carol H owe From coast to coast) our often ignored • native clematis combine airy beauty The Name Game 46 with a cast-iron constitution. Getting a grip on taxonomy: great gaffes) reliable 1'eferences) a revised code) and the brouhaha over trademarks. Plus) scanning On the cover: In permaculture) plants with your computer. most plants serve dual roles. Regional Happenings 58 Daylilies have edible tubers Nebraska community landscapes and and can help reduce erosion. upcoming events a1'ound the nation. Photo by Lee Klopfer American Horticultural Society 7931 Bast Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 commentary (703) 768-5700

~ The American Horticultural Society seeks to promote and elcome to The American recognize excellence in Gardener. It was input W from you, our members, horticulture across America. more than a year ago that steered us

~ in a new direction for OW" publica" tions to make them more inspiring PRESIDENT DR. H. MARc CA'fWE¥ and your gardening experiences more successful. We are all the EXEClJTIVE VICE PRESIDENT American Horticultural Society, HELEN FULCHER WALlJT-ES but it is our individual readers who ~ are the gardeners-the American BOARD OF PIRECTO~S gardeners- we serve. Officers 1995-1996 If you have been a member for a WjLLIAM ~. BAR!RIOi<, PH.!El., CHAIRMAN decade or more, you will know that this is not our first change in style and concept. And Ri.,,>Mountain, Geor,gia while some may believe the name change means we are abandoning our history-the So­ Kl\:1'Y Moss WARNER, VICE CHAIRMAN Lake Buena Wsta, Florida ciety will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year-American Horticulturist is omy 22 WJiLLMM A. POSEY, SEGRBTAltY years old, having been preceded by The National Horticultural Magazine and then The Was!;ington, Ji2. C. American Horticultural Magazine. All you have to do is find an old copy of your home­ GERALD'!. ~l?~N, TREASURER town newspaper in the attic or review other long-time favorite magazines to realize that Atexamb:ia, Vir,gi"ia change-orderly change to a newly defined goal-is part of our age of communications. ~ I urge you to let us know what you think. Only together can we serve your best interests. S];FERiVJAN ADLER (Note: Although this issue was printed in April, we are calling it May I June so that we will 1!obe Sou"d, FI01ida end the year without overlapping a calendar year. This year as always you will receive six 'fH'OMAS G. AMASON J;R., M .D. issues of our color magazine-but five of them will be bigger and better!) Birmingham, Alabama The American Gardener has been designed "vith more prominent captions, sidebars, XATIlB)UNE McKAy BELK Charlotte, North Ca'l'olina source boxes, and other features to help you obtain information more quickly. You will NANCY H. CALJ;.AWAY find all of the features you are used to seeing in both our magazine and News Edition. Pine Mountain, Geoygia The feature section of the News Edition, highly praised for stories on such topics as in­ J~ 1... COJlPIiELD vasive non-native plants, is now called Focus, and can be found this month beguming on Downers Grove, Illinois page 46. News Edition departments such as the popular Mail-Order Explorer are here as P~lJL ECKE fR. well, now with color photographs. In most issues, you will find a short feature on USU1g Encm.itas, California that most modern tool, the computer, in your gardening. WJj"LMMR.~N Menlo Park, California In our feature section, Texas writer Andy Wasowski describes alternatives to the tra­ MRS. MART¥N' 1... Ml~LER ditional turflawn, including natives seldom used for that purpose. And in response to a Sitver Spr.ing, Maryland reader's request, we share ideas from three experts about a wide array of plants for hedges. DUDLEY MORGAN Both stories are intended to open your eyes to many more possibilities. Vines are just one NaShville, Tmnessc< way to create a landscape screen, and a third feature highlights some little-known ones: WI1.IJMM G. PANN~L1. M'fwtinsville, Tti'i!finia our native dematis, with delicate flowers and delightful persistent seed heads. FU1ally, we visit two gardens designed around the philosophy called permaculture, DR. JmIA W. RN.'J'AP(l)l,\.T Santa Ana, California which uses terracing, harvesting of rainwater, drought-tolerant plants, and other tech­ GEOFFREY L. MOSGr! niques to create gardens in concert with the envU"onment. Pittsb«rgh, Pennsytvania We hope this magazine shows how AHS has accepted your challenge: to gather as JOSBPHINE M. SHlANKS much information as possible and give it back to all sections of our cow1trY. F!ou.ston, Texas NANCY S. THOMAS Houston, Texas ROBERJi D. YOLK San M'arino, California MONROE WBIlTON H . Marc Cathey, AHS President Alexal1ldria, Virgi"ia

4 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/J~tne 1996 THE AMERICAN members' GARDENER EDITOR KATHLEEN FISHER

MANAGING EDITOR rum TERJU J. HUCK ASSISTANT BDI'1'OR DAVID J. ELLIS

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT LOSS OF A GOOD THING partiall)1 supported by advertising, and re­ NIKOLE WILLIAMSON The decision by the Board of Directors to cent increases in paper and postage b1,ought DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION incorporate the News Edition into the "'£5 to the decision point, as they have many JOSEPH YACTNSKI D ESIGN others. Had a maJ01'ity ofour members said magazine halves the primary benefit of my MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR AHS membership and is contrary to "our they pnfe1'1'ed the News Edition, or if the DARLENE O LIVER mission (which) is to supply information­ prefermce had bem 50-50, our resulting ~ publication line-up might have bem jewel' al resources within the expanding horizons EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD of horticulture ... " (H . Marc Cathey, magazines and more News Editions, which NINA L. BASSUK American H01,ticulturist, December wel'e much less expensive to produce. B~~t most Ithaca, New York 1994). Nor is it what I was led to expect to membe1's,foned to choose, clea1'ly like a color JOHN E. BRYAN be the outcome of the September 1994 magazine. B)I eliminating the red~mdan­ Sa1/falito, California member survey in which no forthright cies- covers, contents pages, classified ads­ JOHN L. CREECH statement of intent to go bimonthly was we have been able to give nade1's only 24 H enderson11ille, North Carolina KEITH CROTZ presented, so no feedback on this topic was fewer pages a )'ear, plus what 1l7e hope is a Chillicothe, Illinois honestly elicited. more nadable publication. PANAYOTI KELAIDlS Most bimontllly publications cost less We were pretty fond ofthe News Edition D en'Pe,; Colorado than half AHS dues. Hmmm. I was not o~£1'selves, and we hope that you see some of RICHARD W. LIGHTY given a choice to save the News Edition by its spirit 1'eflected in OU1' Focus section. Gree»ville, Delawe/II'e increasing my dues or cutting back else­ PETER LOEWER Asheville, North Cm'olina where (e.g., River Farm). Nor was a fund­ BIASED REVIEW? ELVIN MCDONALD raising campaign attempted. Why not? You have done the American H orticultur­ We ...t Des Moines, IOlVa

The manner in which this decision was al Society and its members a disservice ~ made disenfranchises me and tlle entire when you allow someone as biased as Sara ADVERTISING membership. It also reflects badly on tlle Stein to do your book reviews (The Wild AHS ADVERTISING D EPARTMENT leadership of a society whose basic nature Lawn Handbook by Stevie Daniels, De­ 506 Russell Road, Alexandria, VA 22301 is nurture-a society of gardeners who I cember). I'm not sure where she obtains (703) 549-2112 • FAX: (703) 684-3595 believe generally attempt to save and pre­ the figure of"10,000 gallons a season for serve a good thing. Chris M. Smith an average lawn," but did she realize that COL(')R SEPARATIONS Newburgh, New York lie trees in tlle lawn usually "drink" (lose H EARTLAND SEPARATIONS, INC. through evapotranspiration) a lot more PRINTER Your letter illustrates OU1' «split personali­ water than tlle lawn does? I have photo­ BAl'ITA PUBUCATIONS GROUP ty." R eaders wouldn't expect publishers of graphs of turf thriving without water when T7,. America" Gardener (ISSN 1087·9978) is pub­ other garden magazines to consult them lie invading roots of trees and shrubs are lished bimonthly (January!fellnlary, March/Ap.fil, MayII une, Jul y/August, September/Oetober, N,,­ about plans to change formats (which many cut. A properly maintained lawn will go vember/ Dece!TIoer) oy the American Horticultural ofthe other magazines are doing). Yet there dormant during a drought and recoveF Society, 793 1 Ji:ast Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300, (703) 768-5700. Membership in the is a sense of ownership in regard to the nicely when the rains rerum. Society includes a suescription to The Americal1 American Horticultural Society because it As to lawns not being able to "hold their Om·dener. Annual dues are $45 ; two years, S80. In­ ternati"nal dues are $60. $ 10 of annual dues goes is a membership O1'ganization, n ot Just a water eitl1er," I would agree that they are toward magazine subscr.ipti on. Second-dass postage publication. Therefon, members' dues sup­ not as good as ground covers, shrubs, and paid at Alexandria, Virginia, aI\d at additional mailing port other activities such as our Seed Ex ­ offices. Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to The properly maintained u-ees, but her state­ Am.erica1z, Gardener} 7931 'East Boulevard Drive, change, Gardeners' Information Service, ment of"95 percent of rain is lost as runoff Alexandria, VA 22308-1300.

Youth Gardening Symposia, and other lec ­ over a lawn's shallow sod" is ridiculous. She Botanical nomeI).c1ature js wased on Hort"" Third. tures and 11101,kshops. (Upkeep of our R iver must have taken her data from a compact­ Opinions expressed in the ..tiel es are those of rbe .uth"rs and are nOt DOcessarily those of the Society. Farm headquarters is supported to a large ed grammar school playground. Manllscr.ipts, artwork, ane photographs sent for pos­ extent by local activities, such as our annu­ She then gives us that old garbage si"le publication will be r.tumeo! if accompanied by al Gala and rentals.) a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We cannOt guar· about lie runofffrom lawns being "a rich antee the safe return ofunsolicitecl marc.wial . Back is· And there is in fact a fundraising cam­ brew-if you like your drink spiked witl1 sues are available at $5 per copy. paign every year that helps offtet aU AHS ex­ pesticides, topped witll fertilizer suds." I Copyright © 1996 by the American H orticultural So· penses including the magazine- our would like to see some scientific research ciety. Printed in the U.S.A. Annual Appeal. Our publications al'e only that supports that. And don't waste your

May/Jun e 1996 THE AMERI C AN GARDEN E R 5 AHS PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL AHSgratefully acblOw/edges theg."eroltS The Winners Are ... fin""cial mpport ofthc Pluid.nt's Co,,,,,il. Nfembers' am",,,l contributions of$1,000 or more THE FIRST 20 MEMBERS who responded to our November survey and thus received provide essential funds for the Society's mission to a copy of the American Horticultural Societ~J' Encyclopedia ofGardening are: pro11"/.ote and i"nprope the art) science, practice, MId cnjo)'tJtcnt ofhortiCIIltm'c throughont the United States. SUSAN BRIGGS, Raymond, ME FRANCES MASTRATA, New York, NY MICHAELE. FORD, North Falmouth, MA. KITTY MORRlSSY, Fort Wayne) IN MR. A,'1D MRS. E . DUMONT ACKERMAN ETHEL FRIED, West Hartford, CT CYNTHIA. PALEN, Lansdale, PA MR. SHERMAN ADLER ALEXA,'IDRlA COUNCIL OF GARDEN CLUBS D AVID W. HANNINGS, MARTHA PARRIOTT, Wichita) 1(S MRS. ALBER:rA WOOD ALLEN San Luis Obispo, CA JUDITH PIERCE, Glen Ridge, MR. AND MRS. RICHARD C. ANGINO NJ MRS. SUZANNE FRtJTIG BALES DON HOHWER, Alpine, CA NANCY PINK, Phoenix, AZ WILLIAM E. BARRICK, PH.)). HOPKINS, Evanston, IL MRS. Jiu"lES L. BARTLETI JR. NANCY PATRICIA POSEY, Toledo, OH MRS. WILLIAM BECKETI STEPHEN AND CYNTHIA JOHNSON, CATHY SABOL, Herndon, VA JEAN A,'1D DANIEL BELL DR. SHEllfu\N BLAIR Richmond, VA GUY STERNBERG, Petersburg, IL ""IRS. MAR¥ KATHERINE BtOUNT CAROL JONES, North Garden, VA DAVID WIERDSMA, Greenwich, CT SARAH S. BOASBEE.G MRS. ELSPETH G. BOB)lS SPENCERMANTHORPE, Medina, PA DAVID WILDASIN, York, PA MRS. NA.<'ICr H. CALLAWAY MS. SUSAN M. CARGILL DR. A.<'ID MRS. H. MARC CATWEY Frances Mastrata generously donated her book to New York City's Operation Green MR. AND MRS. GLEN CHA.RI:.ES MR. A,'1D MRS. SIDNEY L. CLINKSCALES Thumb, a community gardening program, and Martha Parriott dOFlated hers to the MR. AND MRS. OHARLES W. COKER Frank Good LibFary at Botanica, the Wichita Gardeus, Thanks to eveFyone who MR. A,'ID MRS. JAMES L. COM'JELD lvLA,RGERY FlAI.$ CR.,,"'IE helped l!lS in our search for America's 75 best gardening events, gardening books, MS. MAUREEN DE ST. CROIX and planES. We will highlight them in our pages during ou.r 75th anniversary in 1997, ME.. J.D. DEIGERT MRS.llEVERL&Y WHITE DUNN MR. PAIJL ECKE JR. VIt. JOHN i\;LBX FLom TR. DR. AND MRS. 1.5. HAl.ES time sending me Toxic Fairways by author I reviewed suggest-and with more MR. GERA,,)) T. HALl'IN MRS. RIOHAW W. HAMMING Robert Abrams, former attorney general good humor than grumpiness-that gar­ MRS. ENID A. ffiAUPT of New York, or The Lawn by Virginia dening is more fun and less wasteful of1'e ­ MRS. £LSI'E NlLLlARD HILLM"'N MR. CLAUDE:J)lOPE Scott Jenkins. If she thinks a lot of pesti­ sources when the requirements of the plants MR, AND MRS. ROBER:rE. KULP cides are applied to turf, she should see we choose accord with what the land can MR. AND MRS, GERSGlN L5lBER MR. DAVID M, LIlU' what is applied to horticultural crops, freely support. Turfgrass Just doesn)t answe1' LOSANGELEsFtOWER~~" Yes, I too am biased, as I make my liv­ that description. OF THE AMERICAN FL0R1STS' EXOHANGE ing helping people properly maintain some Believe it 01' not, I also play croquet. But MRS. THOMAS MARSHALL MRS. FRANCES B. MCALLIS1'ER of the nation's 24 million acres of turf. Be­ the children keep wandering off into the ME.. JOl;lN MCDOUGALL MRS. MARTYN 11... MILLER lieve it or not, I also garden as a hobby. The meadow. I can)t imagine why. ME.. ROGERMILUKEN landscaping al'Ound my house contains its EDITOR'S NOTE: The amount ofwate1' 1'e­ MRS. PHYLLIS L. MOERNrAN MRS. WM.TEE. M. MOE.GAN JR. share of trees, shrubs, ground covers, and qui1'ed by traditional lawngrasses is given as MS. CAROL C . MOIli\.lSON turf. The turf may not attract butterflies, 10, 000 gallons a summe1' in a 1989 article, MR. ROBBIn E. NEWTON MR. WILLIAM G. PANI"ILL but it does allow children and adults to play «A Short History ofLa wngrass , » It was pub­ PAllRICIA L. PIERCE ANID OLIVER C. SMI1iH badminton and croquet. lished by the Lawn Institute, an organiza­ MRS. FRfu'lCES JONES POETKEE. MR. AND MRS. WU,LIAM A. PUSEY Douglas T Hawes, Ph.D. tion dedicated to promoting the use and DR. JULIA W. RApPAPOKT RED HILL GARDEN CLUB Plano, Texas appreciation oflawn grass. MRS. ALPRE.E> RINDLER HARRY A. RrSSEITO, ESQ. MRS. JANE N. SCAR:FF SARA STEIN RESPONDS: The fig~fre for the Send letters to: Editor, The American MRS. JOSEPHINE M. SH;\NKS amo~mt ofwate1' required by the average Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Ms. EILEEN S}lEU>LESKI MR. AND MRS. 1AMES A. SHELLENBERGER lawn came from the reviewed book. I hea1,ti­ Alexandria, VA 22308-1300, or e-mail to MR. EMANIJEL S'HEMIN ly agree that the figure could be substantial­ [email protected] . ME.. CHARLES H£NRY SMITH JR. SOU1CHERN PROGRESS C0R!10E.ATlON ly reduced if onl)1 people would come to MRS. PETER SPAmiNG JR. MISS JANE STEFFEY appreciate crisp brown turf in summer. DR. NICOLA MICHAEL TAURMO It is true, too, that tnes lose water through Corrections ME.. AND MRS. JOHN TWOMllS NA,'IC¥ S. THoMAS transpiration, as does lawng1'ass. But lawns TIME WARNER, INC. in addition lose Jvater by rapid evaporation Angela S. Anderson of Alexandria, MRS. R:JCHARD L. TURNER MRS.~"t VAN DE Kfu~IP at the soil swrface and, yes, th1'ough runoff Virginia, was inadvertently omitted MR. }<>MES.fA. VAN SWEDEN (That old garbage» about polluted runoff from tl1e list of donors to the 1996 MR. AND MRS. ROBERT 1'). VOLK MS. KATY MOSS WARNBR from lawns is ofgrowing concem to ecologists Seed Exchange Program in our MR. AND MRS. MONROE WHITTON MRS. Wi\RREN BROOKSWILLIAMSON monitoring water quality and is 1'eported in January News Edition. MRS. MAIULLYN B. WILSON scientific Journals. In our February magazine, a AHS HORTICULTURAL PARTNER I didn)t say that horticultural crops are photograph of Primula capitata HORTICULTURE SOCIEn' OF SOUTH FLORIDA of less concern. I certainly lvouldn)t feel growing in the garden of Richard AHS AFFILIATE comfy cutting the «invading» roots of trees and Alice Angino was incorrectly MASTER GARDENERS INTERNATIONAL and shrubs to advantage a lalvn, as Dr. identified , CORPORATION H awes seems to recommend. Both I and the

6 THE AMERICAN GARDENER MAKING THOSE OWL DECOYS yo ur cluld's next birthday party. Helpful hint: The top of an old WORK FOR YOU featller duster makes a great tail I For variety try playing "pin-me­ beak-on-me-owl. " Or how about "pin-me-ear-on-tlle-owl"? The by Lo1'i S. Archuleta possibilities aI'e endless. -~ Deflate, cut off bottom, haIlg on pole, and use as a windsock. e've all seen them, hanging from tree limbs near public ~ Deflate and keep in your car. Suspend from your antenna parking areas or suspended from a pole over someone's when shopping at the mall. Your car \-vill be much easier to spot! W garden. Owl decoys . They come in a variety of styles ~ Deflate. Make a tlu'ee-inch slit near tile base. Insert a saIldwich (inflatable and molded plastic), sizes (18 inches or 24 inches tall ), bag filled Witll tllree cups of saIld. Sew or glue tile slit closed, men and costs (from $7.99 to $17 and up). You'll find them in lawn use silicone to seal tile seam; allow to dry. Inflate witll air and use and garden supply centers, hardware and feed stores, and some­ as a toy punching bag for chiJdren-mey'lilove it! (Adult super­ times even in department stores. vision lugilly recommended.) I've never owned one. My only experience has been in ob­ -~ Inflate t\.vo- tllirds full. Tie t\.vine around tile neck. Put super serving the ones at the public library (near the book-drop area). glue on back of neck area (just over and under me twine); pinch Nestled wlder tile eaves of tile drive-wough is an am'active and togetller. Tie twine arowld me tail. Glue tail to tile lower back aI'ea realistic-looking owl decoy. But although it was placed tllere to just over tile t\.vine. Decoy should now resemble a deformed duck. keep pigeons from gamering, I had noticed fresh pigeon drop­ Glue a six:-by-four-inch piece of heavyweight plastic to what is now pings nearby. I pointed this out to my husband and remarked that tile bottom. Make a duck's beak out of waterproof material aIld tile decoy ctidn't appear to be doing its job. No sooner had I ut­ attach to head. Inflate LU1til firm . You now have your own custom­ tered tllese words tllaIl eight little feamered heads popped up aIld made economy duck decoy ... enjoy I (Makes a great gift!) peered at us. Huddled closely togetller on eitller side of tile owl -~ Deflate aIld save as patch material for your waterproof cam­ decoy, tile birds seemed to dunk it was tllere to protect instead of ouflage clotlung. (The pattern isn't me saIne, but tile colors are a deter memoIt was an aITIusing scene, and it got me to tlunking. close match. ) Curious about whetller or not tllese decoys n1ight be of some benefit, I decided to do a survey. Randomly calling area homes, MOLDED PLASTIC DECOYS I asked consumers what tlley mought of the seemingly popular -~ Cut all oval hole in tile center fi'ont of tile decoy, large enough owl decoys, and whetller they worked. Some people to insert your fist. Attach to your clothes line to use as a said the decoys worked ramer well in keeping grack­ clotllespin holder. les aIld other "pests" out oftlleir gardens. Others said ~ Weight aIld use as a door prop. it took only a day or two for me birds to realize tllat the -~ If you have t\.vo owls, you can weight mem down and put owl was a phony, and then it was business as usual. one on each side of your driveway as elegant YaI'd ornaITIents. Those who were satisfied with tile decoys preferred me -~ Since tlley wouldn't work for you as decoys be­ molded plastic variety. Almough higher in cost, mold- . , cause birds weren't afi-aid of tllem, make til em work ed plastic owls outlasted tile inflatable ones by a con­ for you as birdbams instead! Simply cut vertically siderable period of time. down tile n1iddle, head to talon. Lay each piece on its It was an interesting survey, but I was concerned. side, then fill with water. Presto .. . dual birdbaths! What about the poor inctividuals who had purchased one Note: These also make excellent feecting troughs for or more decoys witll their hard-earned money, only no cluckens or pygmy pigs. find mat mey ctidn't work? What could tlley do Witll ~ Makes a great base for a table lamp for me den; all of mose dud decoys now? all you need is the lamp kit. (Perfect for Father's

Dissatisfied consumers, take heart! DOI1't add I Day. Won't Dad be surprised?!) your ctisappointing decoys to tile nation's already over­ These aI'e but a few possibilities. You could no ~ burdened landfills. You recycle your leaves, your news­ doubt tlllilic of even more. We could even start our o ~ papers, and your milk jugs, and there's no reason you own "ways to make your owl decoy work for you" ~ can't recycle plastic owls as well . I've come up wi til sever­ colunm. So go ahead, send your suggestions on in! g al creative ways to get tllose decoys working for you. Better yet, why not send your (friendly) suggestions z to me maI1Ufacturers of me decoys instead? ~ INFLATABLE DECOYS ~ ~ Deflate aIld tape to a wall for use Lori S. Archuleta is a free-lance llwite1' living in ~ as a "pin-tlle-tail-on-tlle-owl" game at San Benita, Texas.

Ma:ylJune 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 7 ~ gardeners' information service

My wife loves house plants (I do the outsidegarden­ by now and it is rad1er late to start them. You might try ordeling ing) but seems to lack a green thumb when it cmnes to main­ seeds from Thompson & Morgan (800-274-7333) next year. taining them. I think she kills them with kindness because no matter what the wintlimrs litJht exposure and no matter how Apopular Washington~ D.C.~ restauranthasa much water they receive, the plants becmne wilted. Do you have dessert called Marion Berry, a pit cobbler topped with ice a~ suggestions for house plants for windowsill gar­ cream. To smne ofus the pit tastes like a cross between blue­ deners like ~ wife? -F. 5., Austin, Texas berry and raspberry. Is there realo/ such a berry, or is it just a , While it's difficult to diagnose causes without seeing plt:ry on the name ofWashington's mt:ryor, Marion Barry? the actual plants, I suspect from the way you word your -J. G., Washington, D. G. question that your house plants are being killed with too Restaurants can get pretty fanciful with me names on their' menus, much of a good thing, namely water. Most plants can't tolerate but in this case your cobbler probably does contain a berry by d1at * name. The marion berry is a u'ailing variety of blackberry, nan1ed wet feet, yet many indoor gardeners admit they water daily if not twice a day. Overwatering deprives most plants of needed oxy­ for Oregon's Marion County, where it was developed. It has large gen and makes them highly susceptible to root rot. The first berries d1at are sweet wid1 a hint of wild blackberry flavor and vig­ symptom is often a wilted appearance, which is misinterpreted orous canes that are easy to train because mey are not as numer­ as a cry for water. ous as d10se of other trailing blackberries. The urge to water plants constandy can be overcome. But if dus act of fussing over plants is important to your wife's enjoy- We are trying to establish a bird sanctuary~ ment of them, d1ere are a few house plants that do well in wet soil. but we have a problem with strt:ry cats and dogs. Can you sug- A number of experts suggest the calla Wy (Zantedeschia spp.), gest some th~ shrubs that grow eitJht to 12 feet hitJh and whose pots can be left standing in saucers ofwater when the plants mitJht form a fence that animals can't penetrate.? It would be are in active growth, according to Elvin McDonald, aud10r of The preferable ifthe shrubs also produce pitfor the birds. New Houseplant. McDonald also suggests two od1er members of -J. E., N01,th, South Carolina the arum fanlliy: Acorusgramineus, a water garden plant with iris- Your needs are pretty specific, although you will also have to con- like leaves, and Aglaonema modestum, a plain-leaved species of ...... sider soil type, which you did not describe. You also did not in­ Chinese evergreen that can be grown in water. You nught also ~ dicate if you would prefer to plant natives, but that is try Cyper14s, wluch are sedges that Wee to be standing in water ~ what we will concentrate on here. You might consid- while in active growth and wet at other times. Best known is prob- er one of me SOUd1'S small native hawthorns. Parsley ably G. papyrus, dle Egyptian paper plant. haw (Crataegus mal'shallii), which has foliage d1at McDonald recommends changing your soil mix to something looks almost like parsley and tiny red fruits, grows natural- more friable, perhaps adding perlite so mat there is more space for ly in wet areas but will adapt to garden soil. The fruits of May haw roots to get o::\.)'gen and for excess moisture to evaporate efficiendy. (G. aestivalis) are good for jelly if the birds leave you any. Use unglazed clay pots-glazed or plastic pots hold in moisture- The American holly (Ilex opaca) may eventually outgrow your and avoid growing small plants in big pots, anomer situation d1at height limit, but it grows slowly and its spiny leaves may discour- can lead to overwatering. age wayward felines. There are endless cultivars and hybrids to consider mat offer shiruer leaves. You will generally need bod1 a The garden section ofone of~ magazines referred to male and a female shrub for berries. University of Georgia horti­ a planting oftweedia. It looked beautiful, but I can't find the culturist Michael Dirr likes two called 'Jolm Morris' and 'Lydia plant listed in a~ of~ gardening books. Can you tell me a Morris' mat perform well in Georgia, are 15 feet tall and 10 feet little about it? -B. G., Chicago, Illinois wide, and have shir1Y, brutal-looking leaves. Even gardening books that do talk about this plant, Tweedia A1'alia spinosa can grow up to 20 feet and is not very attractive cae1'ulea, usually use its former name, Oxypetalum caeruleum. It in wimer, but its prickly stems will form thickets. It has interesting is also called soud1ern star and blue nullcweed, sir1Ce it is a mem­ white flowers in midsummer and d1en forms a purple-black drupe ber of Asclepiadaceae. It is a native of South Amelica, so must be mat is popular "vim bir·ds. grown as an artnual in me United States. Not really a vine but more The ultimate spiny plant is of course Poncirus trifoliata, or ui­ ofa subshrub, it has twinir1g stems to three feet tall. Its most spec­ foliate orange, fi'om China. While the long thorns are about as wel­ tacular feature is its flower color, described as a powder blue tinged comir1g as barbed wire, d1e fragrant fruits aren't as bir'd-fiiendly as wid1 green mat makes it almost turquoise, becoming Wac as it ages. me berries on me od1er shrubs we've mentioned. Tweedia seeds were offered in me 1996 American Horticultural -Neil Pelletie1'j Dincto1' Society Seed Exchange Program, but d1ey are probably depleted Gardeners'Inf01'mation Service

8 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/ Ju ne 1996 00 k

AN OASIS IN NEVADA underground aquifer. This water, which finds its way to tlle sur­ face at Ash Meadows through seeps and springs, is highly alkaline by David]. Ellis "fossil" water from glaciers that melted some 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. At that time the meltwater formed a widespread system ithin a hundred miles along the diagonal border be­ of lakes and streams over much of tlle West and Soutllwest. All tV,Teen California and Nevada, a hardy traveler can visit that remains is an undergrOLmd reservoir W the lowest point in the United States-282 feet below nortll of Las Vegas, about 90 miles south­ For more information, sea level at Death Valley National Monument-and climb Neva­ east of Ash Meadows. write to the Ash da's 11,918-foot Charleston Peale Here in the harsh terrain of the The region's status as a wlique naUlr­ Meadows National Mojave Desert, a complex series of geologic and climatic condi­ al preserve was first officially recognized Wildlife Refuge, tions have conspired over millenia to create a botanical oasis. in 1952, when tlle National Park Service In the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, an W1Llsual clus­ incorporated Devil's Hole-an area in the P.O. Box 2660, ter of endemic plant and animal species has established an eco­ northeast part of Ash Meadows where Pahrump, NV 89041, logical niche in a network of marshes and wetlands fed by a vast naUlral springs well to the sm-face-into or call (702) 372-5435. nearby Death Valley National Monu­ ment. The area remained relatively pristine until tlle 1960s, when Unique to this Refuge a section ofAsh Meadows known as Carson Slough was mined for peat. Subsequently, non-native fish, amphibians, plants, and other creatures were introduced bOtll accidentally and deliberately. In ENDANGERED PLANT the 1970s other wetlands and some springs were pumped nearly AMARGOSA NITERWORT (Nitrophila mohavensis), a member dry in an effort to modif)! the area for agricuiUlre, and developers of the goosefoot family that grows one to four inches tall with purchased land for home sites. These combined stresses likely light green leaves and ros~ pink flowers from April to June. caused tlle extinction of three endemic species-a small fish called tlle Ash Meadows killifish, a snail, and tlle Ash Meadows vole. THREATENED PLANTS To protect it from further degradation, in 1984 the Nature ASH MEADOWS MILK VETCH (Astragalus phoenix), a mound­ Conservancy purchased a large portion of tlle land slated for de­ forming member of the pea family with fuzzy, grayish leaves velopment. The land-about 20,000 acres-was sold to the U.S. and pink to purple flowers . Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and designated a wildlife refuge SPRING-LOVING CENTAURY (Centaurium namophilum), a in June oftlut year. In 1987, Ash Meadows was included among pink-flowered tl1~mb~r ofth~ gentian family that grows to four wetlands in the United States deemed to be of international 20 inches. significance under the Ramsar Convention, an agreement that sup­ ASH MEADOWS SUNRAY (Ence­ ports conservation of important wetlands around the world. liopsis nudicauns var. corrugata), Since men, SL,{ Ash Meadows plants have been listed as threat­ a clump-forming member of the ened and one as endangered under the federal Endangered Species sunflower f-amily with yellow Act (see sidebar). Recognizing tlle complex interrelationships be­ (; flowers and fuzzy, grayish gr~en tween species and their habitats at Ash Meadows, tlle FWS in 1990 ~ h:: leaves with rumed margins. approved a recovery plan mat focuses on the entire ecosystem ::Jo ASH MEADOWS IVESIA (Ivesia rather than individual species. The FWS plans to return stream !,! I eremica), a member of the rose charmels that were diverted for agriculture to their natm-al cours­ h:: o faInily with white flowers and es and to remove non-native vegetation and aninlals, especially salt ~ Mentzelia leueophylla)) a yel­ prohibited. Swimming is restricted to one site in the refuge. ~ low-flowered plant in the loasa fam.ily with Velcml:ike leaves. But conservation-conscious recreational use of the refuge is en­ o ::1 ASH MEADOWS GUMPLANT (Grindeliafraxino-pratensis), couraged. Walking trails and environmental education programs ~ a two- to three-foot-tall member of the sunflower family with are being developed to allow visitors to better experience and un­ ~ yellow flowers and leathery, dark gr~en leaves covered ·with derstand the lmique naUlre of this Western oasis. ~ a sticky resiu. I c.. David J. Ellis is assistant editor of The American Gardener.

May/June 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 9 natural • connections

QUIRKY GALLS by Guy Sternber;g

e often notice odd-looking growths on the trees and other plants around us. Accounting for many of them W are organisms that live in association with the host, such as fungus cankers, lichens, epiphytes, insects, and parasitic plants such as mistletoe (see "Natural COlmections-The Popular Para­ site," Decembor 1995). Distinct from all these other growtl1S are galls-deformities that are part of the host plant itself, formed when tl1e number or size of plant cells increases in response to an outside stimulus. Many plants support galls, each muque to the organism that pro­ vides this stimulus. But perhaps no other plant group supports so many different types of galls, over such a broad geographic range and in plain view of more people, as the genus Quercus­ our familiar oaks.

CURIOUS AND OFTEN BEAUTIFUL Throughout the natural range of oalinsect species have been identified worldwide, and many of these, especially wasps, are associated with oak trees. Each insect species stin1ulates the formation of its own distinc­ tive gall. Thus a gall caused by the wasp Andricus quercuscalifor­ nicus looks nearly ilie same wheilier it forms on a valley white oak Perhaps no other plant group supports so many different types of galls as the genus live oak (Qgeminata). Oaks are notorious for ilieir propensity to Quercus-our familiar oaks. hybridize, and host-specific galls might appear witl1 decreasing fre­ quency on hyblid trees descended from a susceptible host species (Quercus lobata), an Oregon white oak (Qgarryana), or a blue crossed wiili a more resistant one. oak (Q douglasii) . This insect, though, will not induce galls on Oak galls may be categOlized in various ways: according to tl1e ~ just any oak species. A Califorrua black oak (Q kelloggii) growing part of ilie tree on which they occur, such as leaf galls, stem galls, ~ next to one of iliese oilier oaks will not have Andricus quercus­ and flower and bud galls; or according to ilieir structure, such as ~ califomicus galls, but it might have its own array of gall-makers, woody galls, fleshy galls, and cottony galls. But iliey all develop as ~ each of which niggers its own signature gall formations. a response of actively growing plant tissue to secretions of a gall- @ Some galls are resuicted to a single oak species. 11he marblelike making organism in. its larval or nymph stage. Galls enlarge to en- ~ galls of Disholcaspis quercusomnivora, for example, are found only case the organism as it grows, providing a protective enclosure ':i on Chapman's oak (Quercus chapmanii). Oiliers occur only on a against the weather and concealment from potential predators. ~ few closely related species. The leaf)I oak gall of Andricus quercus­ Sometimes, several species of tiny creatures can be found inside a ~ Joliatus can be found on live oak (Quercus vi1lJiniana) and sand single gall, shaling the shelter witl1 the orga!1!ism responsible for iE

10 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May / June 1996 its development. Predators and parasites also seek out galls, and tllese miniature gall.s can be so numerous on the leaves tllat to the open or invade them to eat the larvae that live there. Frequently, birds tlley must appear to be tile legendary marma from heaven. however, nobody is home at all, for many galls are sturdy enough A few gall species can become so numerous tllat they deform to persist long after tile gall-makers have matured and moved out. tile host tree and sometimes kill it. Gouty Most oale galls are relatively harmless to their host trees, and oak gall (CaUirhytis quercuspunctata) is The Interrn ational Oak many serve as decorative cmiosities in the landscape and for show­ one of these, occasionally becoming se­ and-tell at school. T he wool sower gall (Calli1'hytis seminat01') vere on scariet, pin, red, and black oaks. Society publishes a grows in spherical cl usters, forming balls of cotton-candylike Some leaf galls, such as the red oak leaf biannual journal, offers growth on white oak (Quercus alba). Oak spangle gall (Xystoteras blister gall (Macro diplosis erubescens), can seed exchanges, and poculum) can give a barnacle-encrusted appearance to white oak deform so many leaves tl1at tile host tree hosts cc;mferences (the leaves, making tllem sparkle when the wind blows. The hedgehog appears to wilt. But the effects of even next one is SCheduled these more damaging galls seldom be­ come really serious unless the host has for OGtober 1997). been weakened by other causes. In fact, Dues are $15 per year. many gall-forming organisms reach harm­ For more information, ful proportions only in the most harsh, cont aGt the International xeric portions of tlleir host species' range. Oak Society, P.O. Box 310, Healthy, vigorous oak trees rarely fall Pen Argyl, PA 18072. Pealike galls on victim to fatal gall infestations. Think of a sand live oak oales not as being attacked by tllese large- leaf in Florida, ly benign growtlls but as supporting and tlms contributing to the opposite, w ere natural web of life and to the aesthetic diversity of the landscape. cau sed by cynipid wasps. The horned Guy Sternbc1'g, who has grown and studied oaks for more than 30 green galls on a years, is president ofthe International Oak Society. branch of sh ingle oak, left, resemble a caterpillar. Generation Gap

ore than 700 species of gall wasps are reported to occur on oak trees, but there may be fewer. Gall Mwasps exhibit a phenomenon known as heterogamy, or the alternation of generations, in which one generation of gall wasps may form galls different from those formed by the previous generation, but identical to those formed by the gall (Acraspis erinacei) makes little porcupinelike balls on bm or generation before that. Individuals from these alternating mossy-cup oak (Qptercus macrocarpa). Some of tile sU'

HISTORIC USES More serious human uses of oak galls have been documented for centuries. Long before European immigrants came to North America, tlley used the oale aleppo gall (Adleriagallaetinctoriae) to produce tannic acid for medicinal purposes. Sometimes anoth­ er type of oak gall was used in combination willi aleppo galls for tanning and dyeing. Still others wore used for ink. Many galls also provide food for vvildlife. For example, Bassett's oak gall (Disholcaspis bassetti), which makes attractive knobby clus­ ters on shingle oak (Quercus imb1'icaria), is eaten by squirrels, along with the wasp larva inside it. The many-lobed oak galls formed by various cynipid wasps also are consll.l11ed by wildlife, and some actually look ratller tasty, Wee bunches of grapes. After the leaves of black oak (Quercus velutina) have fallen to the ground, Oak apple galls like this spotted one can be popped farmyard chickens, as well as many wild birds, feed upon the underfoot when still green in late sl:lm mer. minute leaf gall (Dryocosmus deciduus) found on them. Some of

THE AMERICAN GARDENER 11 9 a ener

CHEAPER THAN DIRT turned. I preferred newspapers to plastic mulch because I could simply plow the sod, compost, paper, and soil together without Story and Photos by Peter A. Pascaris the need to remove and discard the plastic. Newspapers are cheap­ er than plastic, less toxic (when slick papers and excessive colors he admonition that "a garden is not tilled by turning it over are eliminated), more plentiful, and biodegradable. in your mind" makes good sense as well as good Zen. Two But wIllie I seemed to have fowld a good method for killing Tyears ago, however, when I began a new vegetable garden at grass, it didn't seem as though newspaper mulch would do much my suburban Detroit home, it made more sense to stop digging to solve my other problems. I still needed more fill and I had to and start thinking. Very quickly, I learned the literal meaning of overcome the excessive gradient. COIlsidering everything from the word "sod buster. " The sod nearly busted me. It had grown so doing the backbreaking work myself (0h, no) to hiring an ex­ dense I could hardly set a spade into the ground. The entangled pensive landscalper ". er ". landscaper, I nearly decided to (Ho, roots played tug-of-war with my shovel ... and won. Not allowing hum) forget the whole idea. Good soil is expensive. There has to defeat, I jumped on the shovel with both feet until I cut through be another way, I thought. the grass. The next layer of earth greeted me with a wet, squishy, Something cheaper than dirt. sucking noise that resembled a sound I once heard a rhinoceros That's when serendipity make. It was my best shovel, the one I bought with a credit card stepped in (Aha!). Upon see­ thinking I couldn't heave loam without it-but I couldn't move ing an article recommending this stuff with it. "about 12 pages of newspa­ Clearly, my 30 years of back-yard gardening were being put to per" as a mulch, I read " 12 the test. Although I enjoy the exhilaration of physical labor, I inches" instead. At first, I would rather have the pleasure of working less . I also like to save laughed at my silly mistake. money, often planting parsimony rather than parsnips. (With am­ Yet the more I thought bition like this it's a wonder that I even have a garden.) about it, the more plausible it On the other hand, I delight in a challenge. I enjoy figuring seemed. If layered like out how to make nature work for me. Perhaps my background as lasagna noodles with a variety a soience teacher provides additional incentive: I want to turn "Oh, of soil amendments, the no" away from the "Ho, hum" and toward the "Aha!" newspaper mixture could provide good retention and A SOGGY SLOPE good drainage besides be­ Those silly noises made by siliceous clay against my spade alerted coming an active compost me to heed some earlier observations. After a light rain, water pile. I pictured microorgan- would stand in puddles on the grass, obviously prevented from isms l1sing miniature spades, breaking sod and paper into smaller and smaller pieces, creating new soil. What a grand spectacle! Good soil is expensive. Driven by this and otller hallucinations, I began to plot an ex­ periment. Concerned tllat the slope was too great to be overcome There has to be another way, by fill alone, I plarmed a terraced garden. That narrowed my test­ I thought. Something cheaper ing to two hypotheses: first, tllat newspapers could be effectively used to eliminate the need to plow existing sod, and second, that than dirt. newspapers could be effectively used as fill , in large quantities. Over a two-year period I prepared fom sections for my exper­ draining by the dense, nonporous clay. After a heavy rain, instead iment, arranged side by side from tlle highest portion of the yard of puddles there were torrents of rivulets rushing directly over my toward the lowest in a strip 45 feet long, tapered from 10 feet wide proposed Eden. Although I knew the property sloped toward a near the middle to SL\: feet ,vide at the high end. Each section was nearby creek, I believed the incline to be minor lmtil I saw the del­ partially terraced to accommodate tlle slope. I used whatever I had uge. My prospects for a successful garden were downgraded even handy-primarily old landscape timbers-to create the terraces more when I used string, a few stakes, and a mason's level to dis­ and a border to the entire bed. In every section, a sin1ilar soil mL\:­ cover a gradient drop of more than 20 inches in less than 40 feet. ture was layered between newspaper pages and spread over the Encomaged by both experience and garden advice columns, I top. The soil mixture consisted ofsifted topsoil delivered by a nW's­ plarmed to kill the grass by covering it with newspapers and com­ ery, grass clippings, fallen leaves, twigs, small branches, wood chips, post. The dead grass would be softened and then more easily hay, cow manure, Michigan peat, sphagnum moss, and commer-

12 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/J~lne 1996 cial compost. All of these ingredients were mixed as I spread them, sweet basil. In dle second year, I rotated crops so as not to place rather than a1lead of time. dle same plant in the same spot two years in a row. In the first section, a thin layer of newspapers (six to 12 pages) was placed on unbroken sod and about four to six tnches of soil PHENOMENAL RESULTS mixture spread on top of them. The results were phenomenal dle first year and very good the sec­ In another section, the sod was removed to the clay line. News­ ond. Most important is d1at there was virulally no difference in papers were spread thinly on the day, the sod turned and replaced dle quality of dle crops or the quantity of me harvest no matter in the bed, another thin layer of papers placed on top of the turned where dley were grown. Every section produced equally well, in­ sod, and dlree to five inches of soil mixture spread on all this. dueling dle areas ofLmbroken sod and dle areas with thick bun­ A dlird area was prepared lllce dle second except d1at the pa­ dles of newspaper. Both harvests exceeded my expectations. To be pers were set down in ducker layers . The topmost strata were in­ sure, dlere were ordinary problems widl maintenance and pests. terspersed alternately widl soil mixture, making a stacked layer of Overall, however, I count dlese two years among my most suc­ as much as 10 inches. Again, I spread d1ree to five inches of soil cessful. In 1994, I had pole bean plants seven feet lugh and toma­ mixture as top dressing. toes lasting into dle late fall . Since all sections produced just as well The final section was at dle low end ofdle plot. Here, I broke (or just as poorly), I attribute the lower yield in 1995 to poor no sod and used very duck layers of newspaper intermingled widl weadler radler d1aJl any problems widl my garden preparation. soil mixture and topped off widl dll-ee to five inches of soil mix. Therefore, I believe bodl my hypodleses were correct: All ofthese areas were covered widl garden fabric, left fallow 1. Newspapers contributed to a bountiful harvest in areas pre­ for about tiu-ee weeks, and watered daily, keeping dle com,posi­ pared widlout digging, aJld tion wet and firming the soil. Under dle dark fabric, dle early 2. LaJ-ge qUaJltities of ne\ovspapers proved to be an excellent sub­ spring sun warmed me raised mowlds, baking dlem like loaves of stitute for soil . bread and enabling nature to begin her work. After three weeks, Problems resulting from dle graelient and clay soil , such as poor I began to set plants and seeds. I planted marigolds, splashing dleir drainage and water retention, were siglUficandy overcome. While dots of color among tomatoes, beans, squash, lettuce, broccoli, puddles still formed beside dle garden, very few occurred on the flowering kale, radicchio, cabbage, peas, cucumber, spinach, and bed itself aJld these drained quickly. Although terracing provided

The author used lasagna-like layers of newspapers, soil, and other organic matter, opposite, to kill grass, reduce runoff, and create a raised bed for vegetables. Landscape fabric helped retain moisture and heat to "cook" the mix, left, before planting, below.

some of me relief, I believe that the newspaper fill was enormous­ ly effective. When heavy rains Ca.J11e, much of the flow ofwater was eliverted, skirting to eidler side ofdle raised bed as mough Moses had parted the sea. Furmermore, shordy after a rain, dle garden remained moist, but not wet. Throughout the season, I took core Sa.J11ples and eliscovered that me newspaper mulch remained da.J11p aJld increasingly showed signs of decomposition. Nevermeless, degradation of paper is a very slow process; carrots and similar deep-growdl vegetables are not recommended in the first years of a no-dig garden. The sod, paper, and soil mixture have not yet be­ come homogenous and will not provide me loose environment necessary for uniform growili. I look forward to my third spring, confident mat the greatest part of my work is behind me. Nature is doing my spade work. If you're in me neighborhood, stop by and say hello. I'll be sitting on the patio drinking iced tea and reacting me newspaper.

A chemist1'y teacher for more than 30 years,free-lance writer Peter A . Pascaris lives in West BloomfieZd, Michigan.

May / June 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 13 orer

HAUTE COUTURE HORTICULTURE pansion of the catalog-at 220 pages the 1996 catalog is more than twice tl1e size of 1993's-and "move toward plants tl1at are by David]. Ellis harder to propagate and slower to bring to mature size. We can start backing away To receive a catalog, an Hinkley and Robert Jones started Heronswood a mere from the more common plants and go six years ago. Yet in that short span the Northwest nursery after some of the aristocrats." send $4 to Heronswood Dhas become one of the most talked about in the country. Stephanie Feeney, a freelance writer in Nursery ltc:l., 7530 Acclaimed garden writer and Brooklyn, New York, resident Ken Bellingham, Washington, and author of Northeast 288th Street, Druse says that two years ago, when he first encountered the Northwest Gardener's Resource Guide, Kingston, WA 98436- Heronswood, "They seemed to have all the plants I was looking first toured Heronswood six years ago. 9502. To arrange a visit, for. They have a sensational plant list, currently the best in the "We were in awe of what tl1ese two men colmtry for new-to-Ame11ca plants from places like Asia and Great had done so quickly with this piece of call (360) 297-8321. B11tain." Druse was so captivated by the expansive display garden property," she says. Feeney's favorites in- around Hinkley and Jones's home that he featured it among other clude several forms of Melianthus-'dIJ. evergreen shrub of South select gardens profiled in his latest book, The Collector's Garden. African origin "with very glaucous leaves and a strong fragrance J ones and Hinkley were initially attracted to the five-acre of peanut butter, but barely hardy in the Pacific Northwest"-and Kingston, Washington, site by its partial overs tory oflOO-foot Azara mic1'ophylla 'Variegata', a shrub or small tree with "very Douglas firs and fertile sandy loam. At the time they moved small oval, dark green, glossy leaves that in late winter gets sprays there, in 1985, Hinkley was working across Puget Sound as of yellow flowers with the fragrance of vanilla." a professor of horticulture at Edmonds Community College Gary Koller, assistant curator and senior horticulturist at the and Jones was an architect with a firm in Seattle. They Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, says immediately began laying out gardens around their home. Heronswood's owners "have an eye for the unusual and are good Meanwhile, Hinkley continued to col­ at increasing stock rather quickly and lect and propagate plants at an incredible spreading new plants around so we can all rate. Jones half-jokingly suggests the test them." Among Koller's favorites nursery got its start as a way to defray the from Heronswood are variegated mock expenses of Hinkley's growing collection. orange (Phi'adelphus corona1'ius 'Varie­ In 1989, serendipitously, an adjacent two­ gata'), hardy to USDA Zone 5, and a acre lot came on the market and became golden-leaved raspberry (Rubus cockbur­ the site for tl1e nursery. nianus 'Aureus') that provides vvinter ef­ J ones volunteered to take over the fect with its white stems. business side of the nursery to free Hink­ Portland, Oregon, garden designer ley for the plant-hunting trips, lectures, and consultant Lucy Hardiman says writing, propagating, and designing that Heronswood's catalogs "are not really were taking up increasing amounts of his catalogs but novels." She particularly likes time. In the summer of 1994 Jones "re­ Heronswood's large selection ofvi.nes, es­ tired" from his architecture firm to devote pecially Lonicera standishii, a bush-type himself to tl1e nursery full-time. Hinkley honeysuckle that grows to eight feet and >­ followed by resigning his duties at the has creamy white winter flowers with "a ~ community college last year. "We didn't fi'agrance tlut will knock your socks off." ~ know ifthe nursery would support itself," Feeney says she thinks of Hinkley as 8 says Jones, "but we decided to bite the "a kind of horticultural Pied Piper, lur- ~ bullet and make it work." ing us into buying more exotic plants. ~ In retrospect, the decision seems a nat­ He lives utterly and completely for ~ ural one. An expe11enced full-time staff of plants. I tlunk he is one of those people (; five, supplemented in Spling and summer we will look back on as one of the great ~ by five additional employees, makes their horticulturists of our times." ~ o job immeasurably easier. "They are like This view of the woodland garden at u family to us," says Hinkley of tl1e staff. Heronswood Nursery is highlighted by the -D-a-]-li-d:-j-.-E-':-lz-·s-is- a-ss""'is-ta- n-t -ed-'z:-'t-o-r-of-=-=T=h-e ~ Hinkley says he hopes to slow tl1e ex- golden-leaved locust in the center. American Gardener. il:

14 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/June 1996

Two gardens, big and small,

use one philosophy to succeed

in this beautiful, brutal climate.

b Y L n d a Thornton

The high desert of the Southwest works Joan Baker and Sarah subtle magic on visitors. From the trembling of a Moody, left to right above, cottonwood leaf, to a red and gold sunset splashed against a found that permaculture brittle blue sky, the place etches itself on the memory. In fact, brought them a bountiful harvest and an increase in of the many who come on vacation, a good percentage wildlife. Generous mulching return to live here-thus adding to the pressures reshaping means less watering and this environment. It is a place being loved to death. The sub­ more time to relax on their terrace, opposite. urbs are expanding into the desert at an alarming rate,

May / June 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 17 In a permaculture landscape, upper right, save space, most elements serve a dual while nasturtiums, left, purpose. Sarah Moody, are edible, and sunflowers, upper left, tends plants in above, provide seeds a constructed wetland, for wildlife. which finishes filtering sewage water later used for irrigation. Trellises, exacerbating a process begun when the tastefully appointed and energy-efficient A recommendation of permaculnlre is Spani sh arrived some 400 years ago. straw bale home, its edible-flower and that plantings be segregated in zones­ Through the years, settlers removed slow­ kitchen gardens, its groves and construct­ outlying zones of hardy plants for wind­ growing pinons and juniper for firewood ed wetland-a statement about how to breaks, wildlife habitat, and soil fixing; tlle and to make way for their livestock. Cat­ li ve we ll while exercisin g wise use of the zones closer to tlle house for species need­ tle, sheep, and goats overgrazed tlle grass­ land and its resources. ing more care. Wiiliin iliese zones, plant­ es and understory, leaving no vegetation Living Structures' analys is of the site ings are often in what permaculnlrists call to hold tlle moisture. Rain fled in runnels called for a number of measures to mitigate guilds. They put great stock in tlle benefi­ to tlle arroyos, and tlle topsoil with it. The the severe erosion . Trails were built along cial arrangements plants will make among process continues today as new buildings, natural contours to keep foot traffic off the themselves if allowed to grow outside a streets, and parking lots consume former land and let it recover from centuries of monoculture. A tree provides shade for a pasturelands. grazing. Swales-shall ow, level ditches­ shrub, which in turn may protect an herb. If the high desert is not to become a were built to coll ect runoff and topped One plant may distract predatory insects wasteland, proponents of the concept known as permaculture see tlleir approach as possibly the only hope. Permaculture (from tlle words "permanent" and "agri­ Mollison saw the culture") was developed by Bill Mollison, an Australian who formulated hi s ideas interconnectedness of living after observing ilie rain forests ofTasma­ nia. Mollison saw tlle interconnectedness of living systems and wondered why peo­ systems and wondered why ple-even urban and suburban people­ couldn't be part of tlut process again. Why people couldn't be part of not build a house tllat bOtll shelters its in­ habitants and works in concert wiili its sur­ that process again. roundings? Why not create landscapes tllat contribute to tlle envirolU1lent ratller tllan stealing from it? Mollison has been aski ng with straw to reduce evaporation . from anotller; still otllers may be better at these questions-and supplying the an­ Gabions-rock-filled wire baskets to con­ attracting pollinators tllan ilieir neighbors. swers-all over tlle world for a couple of trol water flow at strategic locations-al­ Some, such as iliose in tlle legume fa mily, decades now. He argues convincingly for lowed nature to begin repairing tlle deeply are excellent nitrogen fixers for oiliers tlut such measures as sewage systems designed furrowed arroyos. Shelterbelts of three­ are heavy nitrogen users. to return nutrients to soils; energy-effi­ leaved sumac (Rh'/,ts trilobata), Apache High-maintenance plantings are to tlle cient, affordable housing; productive and plume (Fallugia paradoxa), juniper, oak, east and southeast of the Moody-Baker low-maintenance gardens; and erosion mahonia, maple, and plum serve as 'vvind­ house. Here grow primrose, penstemon, controls and native plant groupings to re­ breaks, help regenerate soi l, and provide artemisia, datura, mountain mahogany store damaged ecosystems. wildlife habitat. (Cercoca1'pus sp .), and many more species To make tlle most of tlle high desert's chosen for ilieir beauty. On ilie south side Working with Nature scant rainfall, the Moody-Baker design of the house are edibles, including corn, Simply put, permaculture is "a view ... tllat called for bamboo rain gutters, which chan­ beans, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, apples, considers working Witll ratller tllan against nel runoff from ilie house to tlle gardens apricots, peaches, mulberries, herbs, ju­ nature in human communities," says and grounds. All sewage water is collected jubes, figs, persimmons, grapes, and all Jonathan Scharfman, a project manager in a septic tank, where solids are filtered. kinds of berries. But tlley're not strictly seg­ witll Living Structures of Santa Fe, New From tllere, it runs tl1fough a gravity-fed regated. Asparagus and artichokes mingle Mexico. Living Strucnlres has helped de­ pipe system to a gravel bed-a constructed Witll more u'aditional ornamentals because velop one of the more striking models of wetland-planted with reeds and rushes, iliey do well Witll ilie same conditions. On permaculture in the Southwest-the where bacteria finish u"eating ilie waste by the north side of the house is an aspen nortllern New Mexico home ofJoan Balcer oxidation. The clean, odorless water is ilien grove tllat creates a visually tranquil setting and Sarah Moody, who last year fled the piped out ofilie wetland to irrigate ilie out­ and gives the house a protected microcli­ city life of Santa Fe for a five-acre plot in lying areas of ilie property. mate. Bill Mollison believes that such mi­ rural Arroyo Hondo. "Think ofuipling ilie rain," says Scharf­ croclimates also help retain moisnlre. The landscaping was designed by Santa man. "That's essentially what's happened Fe permaculturist Ben Haggard, who also here wiili tlus design." Birds and Bounty designed Sol y Sombre, home of tlle late Most of the plantings a t the After only a few months, Sarah Moody artist Georgia O'Keeffe and now famous Moody-Baker home are immature, dat­ says she noticed an increase in bird and an­ a second time as a spectacular embodi­ ing only to early spring 1995. They wi ll imal li fe on tlle property. Plant losses have ment of permaculture principles. The be helped along by irrigation from soak­ been minimal, and tlle first harvest was a Moody-Baker design displays permacul­ er hoses tllis season as they were during bountiful one. "With permaculture, one ture concepts on a smaller scale, witll its the last. After tllat, iliey're on tlleir own. of your main problems is mobilizing can-

May / June 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 19 ning parties," says her project manager. using principles similar to those employed the gently sloping ground with swales. As if to emphasize the point, Moody on the Moody-Baker place, but without Swentzell was joined in 1987 by Glanz­ holds out a head of freshly picked lettuce. designers, engineers, site analyses, or berg, a native plants landscaper who had Green and succulent, it looks ready for the landscaping crews. taken an apprenticeship in seed saving and salad bowl. ''We just put seeds out where we Their land sits like a green jewel in a organic farming, as well as one of Molli­ thought they would grow," Moody says . sandy red expanse where only the scrub­ son's workshops. He believes their prop­ The initial investment in permacul­ biest and toughest vegetation seems to erty was the first to test permaculture in ture-to hire a designer, builders, and a take hold. Their trees grow tall, the un­ tl1is land of lethal spring frosts, dry sum­ landscaping company as Moody and Baker derstory is lush, and flowers bloom in col­ mers' and pw1ishing winters. "No plants did-can be expensive. And the owners orful profusion. Swentzell says there is grew well out in the open," writes may occasionally need some professional something magical about the way living Swentzell. "They wanted to be next to a help keeping the site, especially the con­ things-from insects to birds, dogs to rock, under another plant, in the shade of structed wetland, running the way it was children-are drawn here. the house. So we built a wall to make a designed. But the long-term goal of most When Swentzell acquired the property, courtyard with many microclimates for permaculture designs is cost-effectiveness. there was little hint oftoday's oasis. "It was plants." Their land slopes to the north, The two women-Moody is an experi­ a driveway," she remembers. "I took it be­ wl1ich means that heavy, cold air settles at enced gardener but new to permacul­ cause I wanted to build a house, and no­ the bottom. Plants at the bottom of the ture-took over day-to-day maintenance body else wanted it." Swentzell is a Santa slope need to be more cold tolerant than :; of the property last fall and expect to do all Clara Pueblo Indian, and the arid plot was those farther up, and they may also need ~ of the planting, weeding, and harvesting reservation land. Then a single mother, she more protection in winter. ~ in the future. built her two-level passive-solar house her­ Again, much of the planting was in :;; self, laying the foundation in 1986. Then guilds. Seeking to recreate beneficial asso- ~ A Modest Miracle she tmned to the landscaping. ciations found in nature, Swentzell and g Twenty-five miles or so to the north of In a book tlut she published recording Glanzberg sometimes cast handfuls of ~ I Santa Fe is another example of how penna­ her family's work, she writes: "We lived in seeds, letting them fall where tl1ey would, ~ culture is making tl1e high desert bloom. the shed while building the house. There just to see what would prosper. ~ Q. More modest in scale and less complex in were no trees, no plants, no animals, just 2- design than the Moody-Baker site, the pounded-down dirt and lots of ants." Cues from the Past :2 home and garden of Roxanne Swentzell With the help of her two yOW1g children, The couple also took cues from the area's ~ and Joel Glanzberg show what individuals she hauled straw and manme for mulching traditional farmers, including the Anasazi- ~ can do witl10ut a big budget. and building up soil. The family laid walk­ the vanished cliff-dwellers of the South- ~ Swentzell and Glanzberg have spent ing trails bordered by herbs, shrubs, and west-and other Pueblo Indians. Through ~ nearly a decade developing their quarter­ trees-the latter "just sticks" when studying ethnobotanical literature and l5 acre plot near the small town of Espanola, Swentzell put them in-and contoured archeological sites, Glanzberg learned if

20 THE AMERICAN GARDENER M a y/ June 1996 Roxanne Swentzell and Joel 50-gallon tank, upper right, Glanzberg cut sorghum, while a cold frame, above, opposite, eaten by both gets plants off to an early humans and sheep and start. From sheep, right, the turned back into the soil. couple gets fertilizer and Ducks provide eggs, upper wool that Swentzell spins. left. and add nutrients to pond water. Runoff from a shed is captured in a about their environmentally sound aglicul­ or so from the door. Ramadas were invent­ tural and water-harvesting techniques. ed by the Pueblo Indians, who covered Early Native Ameticans, Glanzberg ob­ tl1em witl1 branches. Here, grapevines on serves, made no distinction between wild top provide an edible bonus. and cultivated crops. Emulating the Ana­ Spraying, of course, is anathema to per­ sazi, the couple harvests pmon nuts, yucca macl1lturists. According to Mollison's prin­ root, and bee weed (Cleo me serrulata) the ciples, tl1ere should be ao need for it. latter used as a pot herb or boiled down for "You get pest problems when you have Resources a black paste to make the familiar paint on unused resources," says Glanzberg. Pueblo Indian pottery. "When you have that, something's going PERMACUbTURE: A DESIGNERS' In their food-growing zones, the cou­ to come in and use tl1e waste food. What MANUAL. by Bill Mollison. 1988, ple makes extensive use of terracing, isn't being eaten by pigs and chickens will l'agari Publications, Tyalgum, hedges, trellising, and waffle gardens. The get eaten by rats and roaches and wild Australia. Although r:>ermaculture latter involve sectioning off plots of the gar­ dogs. In our society, we try to deal with has been readily embraced in the den and surrounding them with low walls these problems technologically, whereas Americarl West, where water ofstone or earth so water can't run off The traditional cultures dealt with them bio­ shortages are a c~ucial issue, its walls also help protect young seedlings logically, using animals and plants, which principles of design al'ld IJse of from wind. Trellises save garden space-an is actually more sanitary." natural teSOl:lrces have also been important consideration on small proper­ applied in the tropics, in woodlands, ties such as Swentzell and Glanzberg's­ Spreading the Message and in Plorthem temperate climates. and the plants that grow on them help The couple's efforts have been noticed Thi$ is the orig·inal 576-page bible. shade and cool the house. both locally and fartl1er afield. Visitors are LIVING (;OMMUNITY: A P-ERMACULTURE Animals playa key role in permacul­ coming from all over to see how they've CASE STUDY AT SOL Y SOMBRE. ture. Turkeys not only fertilize the ground made the desert bloom, and they've by Ben !'-laggard. A 152-page but help control pests. Turkeys, says lamJ.Ched tlle Floweting Tree Permaculture so'ftcov.er book whose author used Swentzell, fly up and catch grasshoppers Institute to educate omers about perma­ permaculture design at the home of whereas chickens are confined to scratch­ culture. The couple gives tours of their Georgia O'Keeffe. Available for ing in the dirt. place, and Glanzberg teaches courses on. $12,95 from P-ermaGIJlture Resources. Although the couple has not yet con­ growing in tl1e high desert, keeping an.i­ PERMAClilbTURE RESOURCES. structed a wetland or a means of recycling mals and bees, and food preservation. 56 farmsville Road, (alifon, NJ sewage water as Moody and Baker have, Glanzberg explains that permaculture 9783@, (800) 83i-6285. This they harvest water in other ways. Batl1tub proponents want to reverse the status quo, orgatlization sells permaclJlture water and runoff from the house are used in wh.ich we view the world as a bottomless publ'ica:tions al1ld can put interested immediately on plant beds, while runoff resource and waste dump for our energy­ people in 'tol!Jch with local eXr:>erts. from a shed is stored in a 50-gallon water consumptive homes and for landscapes de­ A catalog of tlileir materials can be tank. In New Mexico, many rural people signed with only aesthetics in mind. "Our obtained free by Galling the above depend on the water that is provided at in­ homes and yards could provide for the ma­ toil-free number. tervals from an acequia, or ditch, for irri­ jority of our needs for shelter, energy, gating their gardens. Glanzberg and water, food, fiber, and entertainment as Swentzell collect the acequ.ia water in two well as education," he says, "and then most smail, cement-lined ponds planted with of the rest of the world could be left alone." pond vegetation and stocked with fish. Glanzberg embraces Bill Mollison's pas­ Droppings from ducks the couple keeps sionate belief that permaGulture could free enrich tl1e pond water, wruch is channeled tl1e world and its people of hunger, debt, to a corn and bean field and to swales and depletion of resources. where its flow is slowed so it can water the "If people have energy-efficient hous­ trees on the east side of the house. ing and yards that can provide a portion of The couple grows several kinds of grain: tl1eir food, then tl1ey can get out of debt amaranth, wheat, rye, millet, sorghum, more quickly because nm-v most of tl1eir Swentzell and Glanzberg corn, and buc!

22 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/June 1996

Just when you thought Pleistocene ancestors cavorted on Mrican savannas. Another notion theorizes that you'd heard the ultimate our attachment to lawns began in Europe in eyebrow-raising antics among our several hundred years ago. The castles of celebrity population, along comes Richard high-born nobles were surrounded by vast Widmark. In an article profiling the movie lawns that their lowly vassals saw as sym­ Sun or shade, actor's Connecticut estate, Architectural bols of the good life. So naturally when our Digest revealed-are you ready?-that he ancestors arrived in the New World, be­ damp or drought, has a "passion for cutting grass." Not con­ came comfortably middle class, and em­ tent with mowing his own 40 acres, he also braced the philosophy that "every man's you can choose cuts his neighbors' lawns. Ironically, his home is his castle," they enthusiastically alternatives to beloved mower turned on him one day and put down lawns of their own. What tl1ey badly cut his foot. Widmark's first question, overlooked was that the nobility had all Saturday morning according to the article, was not when he those peasants and sheep to keep their would be able to act again, but when he'd lawns shorn; our forebears were stuck with mowing. be able to mow again! doing the job themselves. Mowing, like To put it delicately, Widmark's attitude the national debt, got handed down to is ... well, rare. Even though we surround succeeding generations. our homes with lawns, most of us will Fact is, we have a curious love-hate re­ admit that mowing ranks pretty low on our lationship with our lawns. On the one list of favorite pastimes, along "vith tax au­ hand, most people consider lawns as dits and reading computer manuals. American as baseball, shopping malls, and There are more than 30 million acres of O zzie and Harriet. We spend over $8.4 lawn in this country, which means we mow billion annually on their upkeep. And an area the size ofAlabama every Saturday! while we dislike the work associated with And if that isn't labor-intensive enough , lawns, we regard anyone who doesn't there are all those peripheral chores: edg­ share our burden as the worst sort of ing, raking, bagging, and spraying. scolU1drel. Dave Barry put it best when he So why do we do it? One theory argues wrote, "The average homeowner would that our affinity for lawns is encoded into rather live next to a pervert, heroin-addict, our DNA and goes back to when our communist pornographer than someone

s tor y and photos b y Andy Wasowski

24 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/ J u n e 1996 Virginia creeper, shown above in Bedford, Texas, is native from that state east to Florida and north to New England. Bright red in fall, it provides food for sphinx moths and berries for songbirds. Davis Price, opposite, of Lubbock, Texas, likes his buffalo grass high, so he attaches bicycle training wheels to his mower.

Ma)I/ Jun e 1996 THE AMER I CAN GARDENER 25 Converting Your Lawn

hen you set out to convert your lawn to a lush spread of ground covers, the first thing you have to do is rebuild W the soil. Years of chemical treatments will have killed off microorganisms vital to healthy soil, and all d1at mmving has com­ pacted it. Begin by removing or killing off the lawn. Simply not watering through one hot summer usually does it, but sometimes witl1 an unkempt lawn." it has to be dug out-which is preferable to using herbicides. If are taking a good hard On the other hand, you have a large yard and heavy turf, d1is may take more than one look at their lawns and water departments all over season; 200 square feet a year would be a reasonable goal. Till the thinking, "There's got to tl1e country are mailing out soil beneath, adding in four to eight inches of rich compost. When be an alternative!" millions ofbill-stuffers, urg­ your ground covers have been planted, top-mulch with shredded In fact, there are many ing customers to reduce bark, pine straw, or compost. Where lots of tree roots are close to Some anti-lawn homeown­ lavvn areas or, better yet, the surface and tilling would damage them, heap on 12 to 18 incl1- ers have devised their own eliminate them altogether. es ofleaves or grass clippings to smother the grass (don't mound uU10vative alternatives, such Why? Because convention­ mulch against the trunks). If you can allow several months to let as green concrete. Others al turf grass lawns are noto­ the leaves compost on the spot, you can plant directly into the new opt for gravel in a variety of rious water-guzzlers. Most organic mixture. The leaves will break down more quickly if you pastel hues, bordered by parts of our country-even add a nitrogen source such as blood meal or fish meal. pall1ted bricks or rocks-the where they get more than -Andy Wasowski Sun City look. Still others 50 inches of rain per year- have actually resorted to As- have water problems of troturf. While these meth­ some sort, including periodic droughts, in Phoenix, Las Vegas, or EI Paso, and ods get high marks for water conservation salinity, acidity, threatened aquifers, and you'll see some of tl1e lushest, most verdant and low mall1tenance, they come up short pollution. In most cases, it's simply a mat­ lawns you've ever encow1tered. Take d1at in tl1e aestl1etics department. Not to men­ ter of too many people, too little water. drive in mid-August and you'll also see tion tl1at tl1ey're lifeless .. . a definite turnoff Still, American homeowners continue sprinkler systems going full blast at high to most gardeners. to pour from 40 to 60 percent of their pre­ noon-and rivers of precious water run­ What we need are living alternatives cious household water on lawns and land­ nll1g offu1to the streets. that still conserve water, reduce mainte­ scapes to keep them looking pretty. In When you add the air and noise pol­ nance, and don't tick off the neighbors. many desert communities where rainfall lution generated by millions of power Plenty of plants meet these criteria and, measures a mere three or four inches per mowers, clippers, edgers, and those not surprisingly, most of them are native year, tl1e figme can jwnp even higher. Drive blankety-blank leaf blowers, you get to various parts of our country. Over tl1e tl1rough a typical suburban neighborhood some idea why more people every day millennia, these plants have adapted to

26 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/J~tne 1996 The tiny gray leaves of trailing indigo bush, opposite, have earned this low mounding shrub the name silver mat dalea. Buffalo grass, above left, has a fine texture that invites bare feet, but it's tough enough for heavy foot traffic. Ground covers at the home of Robert Bruening, former director of the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, are a mix of drought-tolerant flowering shrubs and perennials, above right.

their local grovving conditions, such as Water-conscious homeowners take it se­ is also black grama (B. eriopoda) which rainfall levels, temperatures, and soil. It riously as a lawn grass because it needs a will form a woolly white, curly mat only doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out fraction of tl1e water required by conven­ about six inches tall. that ifthese natives could do so well all on tional (non-native) grasses such as Ken­ their own, they'll need very little help to tucky blue, St. Augustine, fe sc ue, and Low-Maintenance Moss tl1rive in your garden. Bermuda grass. Less watering means tlut If you live where it's humid, the soil is buffalo grass doesn't grow as tall or as fast acidic, and you have lots of shade, you can Brawny Buffalo Grass as conventional turf grasses, so mowing is probably have a velvety soft, low-upkeep Some people are never going to consider a monilily ramer tlun weekly chore. Some moss lawn. It's green year-round, and anything except grass. Period! Okay, then new selections, such as 'Prairie' and '609', mai.ntenal1Ce is about as minimal as you Cal1 how about a grass that has all the beauty reach a ma,'Cimum height of just six to eight get: Left alone it Cal1 become a cal-pet sprin­ you demand of a lawn, but none of tl1e inches, while 'Cody' and 'Tatanka' stay kled with wild flowers such as violets or negatives? Buffalo grass (Buchloe dact)'­ even lower, so tl1at no mowing at all be­ al1emones. If you prefer a more mal1icnred loides) fills tl1e bill . comes a real possibility. You'll find buffalo look, run the mower over it once in the Happiest in full sun and in soils with grass being used from Califon1ia to New spring to cut down me flowers and again in high clay content, tl1is prairie grass is native Jersey, from Canada to Texas. And as its late autumn to mulch tl1e fallen leaves. from the Midwest to the Rocky Moun­ popularity grows, so does its availability. Mosses are native from the Canadian tains. But don't assume tl1is is some rough, Many varieties are now easy to find in nurs­ Normwest to Dixie, and tl1ere are an in­ stalky "weed" unfit to grace your home. eries, as seed, plugs, or sod. credible number of species-more than Normally blue-green in hue, buffalo grass For mose wim fast-draining sandy soil, 100 in me Soum alone. In most cases, moss has a fine, soft texture that invites bare feet. there's another short grass that's even doesn't have to be recruited-it volunteers. But it's also tough enough to witl1stand more drought-tolerant-blue grama The Birmingham, Alabal11a, lawn of Louise plenty of foot traffic: A north Texas l1igh (Bouteloua gracilis). Mail-order nurseries Smith turned to moss in just a couple of school recently sodded its soccer field in from Wisconsin to Texas to California years after she quit replanting grass each buffalo grass. And in winter, when most offer seed, and there's a demonstration spring. Moss has tl1e reputation of disliking warm-season grasses look drab and lifeless, blue grama lawn at Santa Barbara Botal1ic limy environments, but nurseryman Paul buffalo grass turns a soft, lovely gold. Garden in Santa Bal-bara, Califon1ia. There Moore, who li ves on a forested limestone

May / Ju ne 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 27 knoll in Nashville, Tennessee, has bright the shade next to buffalo grass and mow Sources and Resources green moss rapidly spreading over the lawn the whole area about once a month. on the shady side of his house. In damp soil, mid-thigh grasses such as ome of the plants in Andy If a moss lawn is not appearing unassist­ inland seaoats (Chasmanthium latifolium) Wasowski's article are new to ed at your house, harvest a cup or so of are an option. Turk's cap (Malvaviscus a1'­ Sthe trade and not readily moss from any smooth flat patch in your boreus var. drummondii) is a humming­ available. Below are sources for a neighborhood. Put it in a blender with but­ bird favorite and blooms all summer. On few of these hard-tQ-find plants. termilk (for acidity and as a carrier), give it the West Coast, the gray-green Santa Just as Wasowski has adapted Texas a few seconds at puree, and then just spray Catalina dudleya (Dudleya hassei), wild natives as ground (Overs, you may or paint it in the shady place where you strawberry (Fragaria vesca), and short want to do the same with your own want your moss lawn to grow. For an espe­ shrubs such as evergreen currant (Ribes regional natives. cially quick cover, give it a daily one-minute viburnifolium) and snowberry (Symphori­ NATIVE PLANT SOCIETIES. For a list of misting. Once established, a moss lawn carpos albus) are just a few of the shade­ native plant societies, send $1 plus a needs no watering; even in a hot summer loving, drought-tolerant possibilities. self-addressed, stamped envelope to drought it will stay fresh and green. There are endless sun-loving ground Gardeners' Information Service, AHS, covers. Three good low-growing shrubs 7931 East Boulevard Drive, A Gaggle of Ground Covers from Southern California to central Texas Alexandria, VA 22308-1300. When most people think ofground covers, are trailing indigo bush (Daleagreggii, dle they usually picture evergreen plants such silver mat dalea, with tiny leaves and long­ as English ivy (Hedera helix) and Japanese lasting wine-purple flowers), the native spurge (Pachysandra terminalis)-both Texas damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana, a non-natives, as you might guess from their strongly scented shrub that produces gold names. But what is a ground cover, after all? and yellow flowers from June to October), Simply a plant that covers the ground. So and turpentine bush (Ericameria laricifo­ long as it's relatively low-growing and suit­ lia, with Iate-blooming yellow ray flowers). able for planting en masse, we can use it as Silk grass (Pityopsisgraminifolia, a com­ a ground cover. A ground cover can be posite fanlily member with pale grasslike fo ­ shrubby. It can be a flower. It doesn't even liage) has been used with great success on Snowberry is just one of our native have to be evergreen. sunny slopes in Tennessee. Lyreleaf sage ground covers that tolerates both With this expanded definition, we're (Salvia lyrata) is a mowable evergreen for shade and drought. talking about scads of possibilities . Many the South that is a knee-high haze of pale grOlUld covers prefer shade and are an es­ blue flowers each spring. NATIONAL WILDFLOWER RESEARCH pecially welcome lawn alternative for folks This is just a small sampling. Some of CENTER. Clearinghouse, 4801 who are tired of trying to grow grass in these plants are so new to the nursery trade LaCrosse Avenue, Austin, TX 78739. shady areas. Ferns would fit in this catego­ that their cold tolerance still needs testing For a list of native plant topics and ry, particularly where moss lawns grow; the by adventurous gardeners. A few of them fees, send a self-addressed, stamped two complement each other beautifully. can be found growing naturally through­ envelope to the above address. Other ground covers for the u'ee-blessed out the United States, while others are na­ LAS PI LITAS NURSERY. Star Route Box are wild ginger (Asarum canadense) and tive to a very limited range. 23X, Santa Margarita, CA 93453, low evergreens such as dwarf huckleberry Don't setde on just one kind of ground (805) 438-5992. Catalog $6. Ribes (Gaylussacia d'Vtmosa) and bearberry (Arc­ cover and let it grow everywhere. A wide viburnifolium, Symphoricarpos albus. tostaphylos uva-ursi) . Smooth aster (Aster variety-accent grasses, ferns, low-growing RICHTERS. 357 Highway 47, laevis) and Solomon's plume (Smilacina leafY shrubs, all interacting just as they do Goodwood, Ontario LOC 1AO, racemosa) will form masses in dappled in nature-is not only more interesting and Canada, (905) 640-6677. Catalog shade. All of these are too delicate, too attractive, but it also gready reduces dle free. Fragaria vesca. shrubby, or too tall for foot traffic. They need for toxic chemicals in your garden. WE·DU NURSERIES, Route 5, Box 724, will look best bordered by paths. Diversity of species is one of Mother Na­ Marion, NC 28752. (704) 738-8300. In Texas, where summers are hot and ture's best tricks for combating disease and Catalog $2. Pityopsis graminifolia, dry and winters are mild, my wife, Sally, ex­ infestations of garden pests. Salvia Iyrata. periments with natives found growing at So slap a "For Sale" sign on that lawn YUCCA DO NURSERY. P.O. Box 450, the homes of her garden design clients. mower and put it out at the curb. There are Waller, TX 77484. (409) 826-6363. These include evergreen woodland flowers lawn alternatives aplenty to make your yard Catalog $3. Dalea greggii. such as golden ragwort (Senecio obovatus), prettier, your life easier, and our environ- 0 which sometimes has woolly leaves in ad­ ment a litde healdlier. ~ dition to its yellow flowers; purple-flowered l'J ~ cedar sage (Salvia 1'oemeriana); and horse­ Andy Wasowski and his wife, Sally, an the j herb (Calyptocarpus vialis), which has crept authon ofjive books on native landscaping, ~ into Texas from south of the border. including Gardening with Native Plants of ~ Horseherb can be mowed and walked on the SOUdl (Taylor) and Native Gardens for § like a lawn, and some gardeners plant it in Dry Climates (Clarkson Potter). il:

28 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/Jun e 1996 Li e Beyo11d the Sure, it grows fast. But Leyland Cypress for hedges or edges, there are countless more interesting possibilities.

by THE AMERICAN GARDENER staff

Several months ago a Nortl1 Carolina member wrote Harper informed us, "has just ripped out its entire hedge of Ley­ to our Gardeners' Information Service with-what else?-a prob­ lands, not just because they're not on 'the cutting edge' any­ lem. A neighbor had recently erected a chain-link fence between more, but because they become diseased in many areas of our tl1eir properties, and the writer wanted to camouflage it quicldy. state." Some of her neighbors, she added, had recently removed One of the suggestions we made was, we tl10ught, a cliche but a several hundred feet of diseased Ley­ harmless one: tl1e Leyland cypress (xCupressocyparis leylandii). lands, and wished they had consulted Ornamental grasses This hybrid between Monterey cypress (Cupressusmacrocarpa) Raulston before planting. can be used alone or and Nootka cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) originated in So we contacted Raulston ourselves, with other plants. Wales in tl1e late 1800s and in the last 20 years has become Amer­ and he was ready with a long list of other Above, the diminutive ica's standard screening tree, primarily because of its phenomenal possibilities for relatively fast screening. Miscanthus sinensis growth rate of tl1l"ee feet or more per year. It's also easy to propa- "With property sizes shrinking and the 'Nippon' knits together t:J gate and grow, so it's relatively inexpensive. destruction of existing vegetation ban"i­ widely separated pines. ~ Our advice elicited a letter from Winston-Salem member ers, the demand for screening plants for § Nancy Harper, who is a board member of the North Carolina tl1e landscape is greater than ever," he observes. The Leyland cy­ ~ State University Arboretum. The arboretum and its director, press entered the North Carolina nursery and landscape trade in ~ J. C. Raulston, are nationally known for spreading the word the late '70s. Its growth and profitability so outstripped the com­ i5: about beautiful, useful, but little-known plants. The arboretum, petition that it quickly became a monoculture-like tl1e ill-fated

May/ June 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 29 A Leyland cypress hedge, opposite, is hard to beat for fast growth and affordability. But the plants lack seasonal interest and can harbor pests and diseases. A mix of plants, above left, is more interesting than solid green. A small grouping can distract the eye from an unsightly vista. Vines can add color when draped over evergreens or, mingled on a fence, offer year-round interest. Above right is the 'Nelly Moser' clematis, which blooms in May and June.

American elm, planted to the exclusion of hedge plants suitable for climates that are ing-and plants like azaleas and forsythia almost all else. Like that tree, it developed drier and/or colder. They offered some that are most beautifiu when allowed to de­ serious problems, in this case bagworms general advice as well. velop tl1eir relaxed sprawlirtg or weeping and canker diseases. growth habits-call for careful, subtle Also overused in North Carolina, [(eep Plants in Scale pruning or no pruning at all . Raulston reports, is the red tip photinia Mary Irish, director of public horticulture "Careful clipping cajoles the plant into (Photinia xfraselr i), so called for its bright at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoe­ the desired shape and results in a beautiful, new growth. The University of Georgia's nix, Arizona, believes the oleander may be long-lasting hedge," Irish says. "Good Michael Dirr calls the plant "so overused the Leyland cypress of the desert. pruning results are never achieved with a that the term 'nauseous' is not sufficiently "Hideous pruning, thoughtless place­ power tool." ~ applicable." Gardeners are beginning to ment, and dreary overuse have made this To retain a hedge plant's natural shape, ('5 recognize the plant's vulnerability to winter most drought-tolerant desert plant a pari­ selectively remove fi-om near the main stem ~ injury and disease, says Raulston, but low ah among desert gardeners." any stems and branches that are unhealthy ~ cost, universal availability, and fast growth Irish says that this misuse and abuse un­ or detracting from tl1e shape. But for tl1e ~ still work in its favor. derscores one of the first principles of good most part, Irish notes, dense plants with ~ A few of the cultivars he names as alter­ design: Hedges need to be appropriate in complex stems make the best, fullest ~ natives are still very limited in availability. both size and form to the overall dimen­ hedges for screet1ing. g Some are expensive-but the cost of con­ sions of the garden, the house, and other ~ trolling insects and disease on a Leyland plants. "Gargantuan, hulking plants in Be Patient E will run into money, too, Raulston notes. areas only 10 or 12 feet wide are grotesque, Few plants can equal tl1e Leyland for fast ~ Some of the plants he suggests are rarely gulping up every otl1er thing. Large prop­ growth. But if the object is not to shut out ~ thought ofas hedges. But why grow some­ erties can accept large hedges; smaller ones the rest of the world-tl1at cute Leyland ~ thing like tl1e Leyland, which looks pretty plead for sometl1ing more tl1eir size." you plant for your fortieth birthday could ~ • <.:J much the same from season to season, Some of the plants suggested here work be 50 feet tall at your reurement party- uJ when you can plant a hedge with show­ well for hedges only with regular pruning, you should probably consider something a ~ stopping flowers like a camellia or a mag­ so consider both your garden space and little more laid back. ~ nolia? How about an Osmanthus, which your energy level. If you're anxious to block an ugly view, ;; will drive the neighbors crazy wondering it's tempting to choose plants ptimarily for 6 what can smell so wonderfiu in autumn? Or Don~t Overprune their fast growtl1. But fast-growers present ~ ornamental grasses, which will grow to "Hedges are rarely pruned well," says Itish. problems oftl1eir own. Itish notes that they t; eight feet in a season and provide year­ Formal pruning-shearing the plant's need pruning more often, and Galen ~ round interest? outer stems into clean, sharp lines-is ap­ Gates, manager ofhorticultural collections ~ Raulston emphasizes tl1at his list was de­ propriate in an extremely formal setting at the Chicago Botanic Garden, points out :;; veloped primarily for North Carolina, so and with certain plants, such as bm..'\¥oods that fast-growing plants often have thin cell ~ we asked experts elsewhere to recommend and yews. Today's more natural landscap- walls. This means they have 'Neak wood il:

30 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/J~tne 1996

that cracks easily, contributing to yard lit­ vide considerable discipline to keep it from ter or making major branches subject to bullying more demure neighbors. breaking. If you really can't wait to have Gates also lobbies for vines as screens, your plants reach eight feet tall, consider suggesting a combination of clematis paying a bit more for some that are larger species and cultivars that will give all-season to begin with. bloom: Clematis 'Nelly Moser' (white striped with pink, June), c. 'Perle d'Azur' Break the Mold (blue, July), C. 'Marie Boisselot' (white, When confronting an eyesore, our first re­ July), C. tangutica (yellow, August), and action is to want to wall it out completely C. terniflora (white, September). Canary with dense evergreens. But Gates notes creeper (Tropaeolum pereg1'inum) and that evergreens can be confining and im­ Scottish flan1e flower (T speciosum) are rel­ posing, not to mention monotonous. In atives of the nasturtiwn with interesting fo­ today's small landscapes, deciduous plant­ liage and yellow and scarlet flowers, ings can allow us to "borrow" our sur­ respectively, that CaJ1 add drama to aJ1 ever­ row1ding landscape. And a group of three green hedge. They're annuals, but easily different plants, adds Irish, can be so visu­ propagated from seeds or cuttings. Or con­ ally arresting that viewers on your side will sider reblooming hedge roses. Gates espe­ hardly notice the offending scene. cially likes Rosa 'The Fairy', a pink hybrid Let hedge plants For a really bold effect, consider a ta­ introduced in 1932. You can also choose pestry hedge-a mix of plants with differ­ white or red bloomers that are highly dis­ meander rather ent foliage colors and leaf sizes and shapes. ease resistant, aJ1d new hedge roses seem to Choose conifers that offer blue, yellow, be coming out every year. than planting them and white along with green, or throw The possibilities are limited only by your some broad-leaved evergreens or even de­ imagination. We hope that some of these in a straight line. ciduous plants into the mix. will stimulate other choices appropriate to Gates champions letting hedge plants your region, your space, and your taste. This will look more meander rather than planting them in a straight line. This will not only look more natural and create nanlral, but will let you create pockets for seasonal plantings ofsmaller shrubs, peren­ These plants were chosen by]. C. Raulston, pockets for seasonal nials, and vines. director of the North Carolina State Consider smothering that chain-link University (NCSU) Arboretum: plantings. fence with vines, an option Raulston says is often overlooked. "Or if used, they are used Evergreens in too limited a fashion." You may be 'FASTIGIATA' AND 'PYRAMIDALIS' BOX­ tempted to use English ivy (Hedera helix), WOODS (Bux us sempe1'virens 'Fastigiata' which is readily available, inexpensive, and and 'Pyrarnidalis')-These coluI1U1ar box~ will grow in dense shade. But once it gets wood cultivars grow one foot a year to six going it can take a lot of clipping back, and to eight feet tall. Zone 5-6. it can easily upset the balance of nanu'e by CAMELLIAS-Siow growing and not inex­ invading natural areas or upset neighbor­ pensive, they range from six to 25 feet tall hood harmony by invading adjacent yards. and spread up to 10 feet. There are now a "We propose the use of mosaics," says number of cultivars hardy into Zone 7. Raulston, "the mixing of a wide vaJiety of Even tougher ones, such as Camellia vines on the SaJ11e strucnu'e to give longer oleife1'a and cultivars, are hardy into Zone seasonal interest--evergreens with decidu­ 5 but still somewhat limited in availability. ous, early flowering with late." He gives the DEODAR CEDAR (Cedrus deodara)-This example of Carolina yellow jessamine native of the Himalayas grows to 40 or 70 (Gelsemium sempervirens), Chinese trum­ feet in most landscapes but adapts well to petvine (Campsisgrandiflora), wisteria, and shearing if not pruned on old wood that sweet autuI1U1 clematis (Clematis terniflo­ will not regenerate. Grows t\vo feet a year l'a) for four different flowering seasons and when young. Smaller cultivars, 'Compacta' some evergreen screening. The potential and 'Descancio Dwarf', are hard to find combinations c1eaJ'ly depend on your grow­ and costly. Zone 7. ing conditions; USDA Zone 5 gardeners 'YOSHINO' JAPANESE CEDAR (Cryptomel'ia might substitute the evergreen cross vine Japonica 'Yoshino')-Dense and shapely, it (Bignonia capreolata) for the Carolina jes­ grows to 30 or 40 feet at nvo to three feet samine. If you elect to include a rampant a year. Zone 6. grower like wisteria, you will need to pro- 'STEEDS' JAPANESE HOLLY (Itex crenata

32 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May / Jun e 1996 Virginia red cedar, above left, is often naturally columnar in habit, but those selected for the trade on this basis can be hard to find. Upright branches earned 'Fastigiata' European hornbeam, above right, its cultivar name. There are fastigiate or columnar forms of many of our common trees, including the oak and tulip tree, which makes them ideal for hedging.

'Steeds')-An upright and relatively rapid­ naturall y columnar, but branch tlut is cut. White growing holly that originated in North superior cultivaI·s are haI·d Mid -Atlan tic pine, P st1robus (Zone 3), Carolina. Makes an excellent SL,(- to eight­ to fil1d. Zone 4. is most commonly used foot hedge "vith little shearing. Zone 6. SOUTHERN MAGNOLIA Sources tlus way, but P virginiana 'CAROLINA SENTINEL' HOLLY (!lex 'Carolina (Magnoliagrandiflora)­ CAMELLIA FOREST (Zone 7) is tougher. Sentinel')- This new NCSU release grows Takes well to sheaI·ing and NURSERY, 125 Carolina 'SMARAGD' AMERICAN AR­ two feet a year. The N CSU plant is 14 feet is widely used for hedging Forest Road, Chapel Hill, BORVITAE (Thuja occiden­ tall and four feet in diameter after six years in southern Europe. It NC 27516. Catalog $2 . talis 'Smaragd')-This without sheaIing. Zone 5. makes a great screen in a Camellias, Cryptomeria cultivar of our eastern ar­ 'DR. KASSAB' HOLLY (!lex 'Dr. Kassab')­ deciduous woodland. 'Lit­ japanica 'Yoshino', borvitae, trademarked as Exceptional dark green foliage aIld abun­ tle Gem' grows to only 15 Osmanthus spp. Emerald, has a good tight dant fruit. Maintains a tight, columnar or 20 feet and blooms for GIRARD NURSERIES, columnar form but rela­ habit to 15 feet without shearing. Grows SL,( montlls. Zone 6. P.O. Box 428, Geneva, OH ti vely slow growth. May 18 to 24 inches a year. Zone 6. WAX MYRTLE (M)wica cer­ 44041, (216) 466-2881 . reach 25 feet. Zone 5. 'NI!LLlE R. STEVENS' HOLLY (!lex 'Nellie R. ifera)- Tlus soutlleastern Catalog free. Juniperus Stevens')-Tough and adaptable, grow­ native can eitller be li:hinensis'Spartan', Deciduous Trees ing to 10 to 20 feet tall and seven to nine sheared or limbed up as a Quercus rabur 'Fastigiata'. 'COLUMNARIS' AND 'f.ASTI- feet wide if not sheared. Grows two feet a small tree. It is tough, ROSLYN NURSERY, 211 GIATA' EUROPEAN HORN­ year. Zone 6. durable, inexpensive, and Burrs lane, Dix f.lills, NY BEAMS (Carpinus bet'Vtlus _ SMALL ANISE TREE (Illicium parlliflO1r­ raI·e1y grows to more tllan 1174€i, (516) 643-9347. 'Columnaris' and 'Fasti­ ~ um)- This Florida native with olive green 15 feet. The leaves are fra ­ Catalog $3. Cedrus g ia ta' )-These grow g leaves is suggested as all alternative to the grant when crushed, and deodara 'Des(ancio only half as fast as tile Ley­ ~ redtip photinia. It will reach 20 feet and CaIl the dark waxy berries at­ Dwarf'. land cypress, to about 25 ~ be hand-clipped (sheaIing will ruin its large tract birds. Zone 7. ARTHUR WEILER, INC., feet tall and eight feet ~ leaves) to any size. 1. floridanum, the FIOLi- HOLLY TEA OLIVE (Osman­ 12247 Russell Road, Zion, wide, but offer yellow fall u Q da aIuse tree, has darker green foliage aIld thusspp.)-Many species IL 60099, (70~) 746-2393. fo liage. They are usually ~ showier flowers; Raulston likes 1. hen1ryi and cultivaI·s resemble the Catalgg free. Carpinus limbed up to expose the E even better. Zone 6. holly in foliage aIld habit. be'tutus 'Fastigiata', trLLllk but will retain tlleir ~ 'SPARTAN' CHINESE JUNIPER (J~Pniperus chi­ Fragrant autumn flowers Querws robur 'Fastigiata'. lower branches. Zone 5. ~ nensis'SpaI·tan')- This cultivar from Mon­ are a big plus, but itis usu­ 'ARNOLD' AND 'FASTIGIA­ ~ rovia Nursery has a tight columnar form ally used as an individual TUM' TULIP TREE (Lirio­ ~ aIld daI·k green foliage. It grows to 20 feet specimen because of its cost. A slow grow­ dendron t'Vdipifera 'Arnold' and ~ at 18 to 24 inches a year. Zone 5. er usually up to 10 feet. Zone 7-8. 'Fastigiatum')-These columnar forms of ~ VIRGINIA RED CEDAR (Juniperus vi1rgini~ PINES (PimtS spp.)-Many pines can be the native species grow fast, eventually to il: ana)-Tlus eastern native jLLluper is often sheared if a set of needles is left on any 50 feet, but are hard to fi.nd. Zone 6.

May/June 1996 THE AMERI CAN GARDENER 33

Smokebushes are knock-outs when they bl oom in summer, opposite. Pi ck a purple-leaved fo rm and plant a row to catch the setting sun . Hedge roses won't grow tall enough to screen out the neighbor's satell ite dish, but with nonstop blooms like those offered by 'The Fairy', above left, you may fo rget the eyesore is there. Cornelian cherries are a bowlful of delights, from spring flowers to edible fruits and fa ll colo r. 'Golden Glory', above right, is columnar and pest resistant.

'FASTIGIATA' ENGLISH OAK (Quercus robul' summer fl owers as well as fall color. T hose mediumleaftexture, flowers that stand out 'Fastigiata')-This colwnnar oak grows as who prefer nati ves ca n choose our C. obo­ from the foli age, and often great burgundy fast as the Leyland cypress, to more than 50 vatus. But for a rea ll y stunning di splay, red fa ll color. 'Sarabande' has narrow fo­ feet tall but only 10 to 15 feet wide, and plant a purple-leaved form such as C. cog­ li age like tl1e ubiquitous 'Gracillimus' and lasts longer in the landscape. Seed-grown g)'gria 'Velve t Cloak' to catch the rays of flowe rs earl ier. They will grow quickly to forms vary considerably. The leaves can de­ the setting sun. Growth rate six to 15 five to seven feet. Zone 5. velop mildew in fall, but this does not harm inches. Zone 5, to Zone 4 with protec­ 'HETZ WINTERGREEN ' ARBORVITAE (Thil/ja the tree. Zone 5. tion. A simil ar effect can be created with occidentalis 'H etz Wintergreen')- The culti vars ofJapanese maples, Acel' japon­ American arborvitae often twists, breaks, ;:::­ icum or A . pal1natum) in other parts of at1d sprawls w1der heavy wet snows. This I the country. cultiva r develops a strong central leader g " Galen Gates) manager ofhorticultural ' SKYROCKET' JUNIPER (jllfnipe1"bts scopulo­ that prevents such damage and remains ~ I collections at the Chicago Botanic Gar­ l'Uln 'Skyrocket')-A widely avail able dark green through winter. Growth rate U :::J T',r.::> 'Gro-Low', Viburnum carlesii '(ompactum'. ~ grows to 15 to 20 feet. Growth rate SLX to 990 Tetherow Road, Williams, OR 97544, (541) ~ 10 inches. Zone 4-5. Catalog $3 . Comus mas 'Golden Glory', Rhus aromatica ~ SMOKEBUSH (Cotinus spp.)-Several , Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd'. 1E species in this genus offer gray- pink late

May/ J 1t1l e 1 996 TH E AMER I CAN G A RD ENE R 35 no red by deer. With a mature size of 50 It looks terrific when its pw-ple-red early fall to 70 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide, this color is backlit by sun. Zone 4 . is a hedge only for large-scale properties. 'GRO-LOW' FRAGRANT SUMAC (Rhus aro­ Zone 5. matica 'Gro-Low')-The leaves are fra­ CANADIAN HEMLOCK (Tsuga canadensis)­ grant when crushed and it produces small While this species is beset by the woolly yell ow flowers in spring. It grows only to adelgid in the eastern United States, it has two-and-a-halffeet and has a more spread­ no problems in the Midwest where soils are ing habit than the species, which usually heavy. In the sandier soils of Wisconsin, it grows to four feet. The glossy leaves often can develop winter burn due to lack of soil develop late fall reds and yellows. Growtl1 moisture. It grows to 25 to 35 feet tall at rate four to 12 inches. Zone 4. six to 12 inches a year. Zone 3-4. 'THE FAIRY' ROSE (Rosa 'The Fairy')-Can't be beat for reblooming pink flowers, com­ While boxwoods are Shorter Plants bined wim an old-fashioned appearance BOTILEBRUSH BUCKEYE (Aesculus parviflo­ and disease resistance. Growth rate four to very slow-growing, ra)-A native shrub with dramatic, slowly 10 inches. Zone 4 with protection. emerging leaves, white summer flower 'GOLDFLAME' SPIREA (Spiraea xbumalda broad-leaved spikes, and medium to coarse texture. It 'Goldflame', also listed as S. Japonica will grow 10 to 15 feet tall and as wide. Try 'Goldflame')-Aimost as ubiquitous in the evergreens that Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) Midwest as the Leyland cypress is elsewhere w1derneath for spring interest. Growth rate but more deserving, since its bright yellow are deerproof are four to 12 inches a year. Zone 4. foliage and pink flowers offer more season­ 'EMERALD CAROUSEl' BARBERRY (Berberis al interest and it's problem-free. Try com­ cherished in the 'Emerald CarouseL')- This hybrid of the bining it wi th Tulipa batalinii 'Bronze Korean barberry (B. koreana) and the Gem'-aesthetically and culturally a good upper Midwest. mentor barberry (B. xmentorensis) pro­ combination, since tulips need to go dry vides the best of both but displays the flow­ and bal

36 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/June 1996 New transplants to our Southwest often miss the trees and shrubs they grew up with, but this region has its own fascinating plant palette. - e ' e e ~ e e e o r·\lVing sa tb 5 above, are set off on female plants by a lavish display of interesting winged fruits and often golden fall foliage.

wood, it can grow to IS feet. Its greenish a whitish cast to its leaves and intense pur­ ARIZONA ROSEWOOD (Vauquelinia cali­ white spring flowers are followed by yellow ple flowers. A cultivar, 'Silver Cloud', has J01rnica)-This evergreen in the rose fam­ or orange oval fruits appreciated by many even whiter foliage. Grows one to two ily has long, narrow, glossy leaves and bird species as well as small mammals. feet a year. Good for tapestry hedges (see bronze new growth. At first an upright Moderate growth rate. Zone Sa. page 39). Zone 7. column, it becomes vase-shaped as it ma­ TEXAS OLIVE (Cordia boissielri)-This tree TEXAS EBONY (Pithecellobium flexicaule)­ tures to 15 feet tall and eight feet wide. It in the borage family can grow to 30 feet This spiny evergreen shrub or tree usually has small white flowers in June. Slow with a spreading, rounded top and stout grows to about 50 to 60 feet, forming a growth rate. Zone 7. branches, although it can be more shrub­ round, spreading head and a u'unk three like. From April to October it bears feet in diameter. From JW1e to August, fra­ Smaller Plants cymes of showy white trumpet-shaped grant flowers are borne in spikes. The four­ BEEBUSH (Alo)lsia g1ratissima)-This ver­ flowers with yellow throats. Requires to six-inch seed pods, typical of the pea bena relative is evergreen with twiggy summer irrigation. Moderate growth family, give this genus the common name growth and sparse, pale green leaves. It rate. Zone 9 . "ape's earring." The dark bark is also eye­ generally grows 10 feet tall and about as HOPBUSH (Dodonaea viscosa)-A slender catching. Slow growth rate. Zone S. wide. Its white flowers, which last from z tree in the soap berry family that grows to SUGARBUSH (Rhus ovata)- This dense spring through autumn, are tinged with ~ 15 feet. Bears ornamental pale pink to evergreen swnac is usually shrubby (10 feet pm-pie and ex ude an extremely sweet vanil­ ~ magenta-brown fruits. There is a cultivar, tall and six to eight feet wide) but can be la scent. Fast growth rate. Zone S. ~ 'Purpurea', with purple-red foliage and pruned to a more u'eeLike form. It has dark TEXAS SllVERlEAF (LeucophyUum Jrutes­ is seeds. Zone S. glossy leaves, Light yellow flowers in short, cens)-This shrub in the fi~.yort family ~ TEXAS RANGER (Le~tCophyllum candi- dense spikes, and beautiful dark red, hairy grows to 10 feet with ashy gray leaves. The 11: dum)-A tree in the figwort family with fi·uit . Slow growth rate. Zone 7. hairy flowers are usually purple but can be

May / June 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 37

The buds of ug r u opposite, open to pale yell ow flovvers and are later replaced with dark red, hairy fruits. Texl'\ bon)' I :. I V 9 e above, with fragrant flowers and dark, eye-catching bark responsible for its common name. Typical pea fam ily seed pods have earned it another nickname, "ape's earrin g." It can grow to 60 feet tall with a trunk three feet in diameter.

pink or, rarely, white. Sometimes ca ll ed flowers are inco nspicuo us, but the nuts Iy grows to eight feet taU but its shape is "barometer bush" because it blooms heav­ are eclible and valued fo r their oil. Takes variable. The white June-to-September ily after summer rains. Good cultivars in­ well to formal pruning but doesn't require fl owers aren't as showy as the beautiful clude 'Green Cloud' (bigger, with green any. Slow growd1 rate. Zone 7. winged fruits. Moderate growth rate. leaves, purple fl owers), 'White Cloud' Probably Zone 7. (white fl owers), and 'Thunder Cloud' A D esert Tapestry BIG SALTBUSH, QUAILBUSH (Atl'iplex lenti­ (whiter foliage, intense purple flowers ). Tapestry hedges, in which plants with jOl'mis)- T his deciduous shrub usually Moderate growth rate. Zone 7. leaves of clifferent colors and textures are grows to only five feet wid1 an erect, slight­ GOATNUT, JOJOBA (Simmondsia chinen­ encomaged to mingle, are rarely seen in the ly rounded oudine. A cover for wildlife, sis)-A shrub with dense foliage and West. Irish recommends a mix of Texas producing good bird food, but browsed lead1ery gray-green leaves mat fold to pro­ ranger, described earlier, and: by deer. Flovvers June to August. Ex­ tect d1emselves from intense sun. It grows FOUR-WING SALTBUSH (Atriplex canes­ tremely drought tolerant. Zone 8a, prob­ to six feet tall and four feet wide. The cens)-This silvery-leaved evergreen usual- ably into Zone 7. ALGERITA (Be1'beris haematocarpa)-A plant for all seasons, wid1 blue-gray, holly­ Desert Southwest Sources like evergreen leaves, fragrant yellow spring flowers, and red summer fruits. It ranges LAS PILITAS NURSERY, Star RQute Box 23X, Santa Margarita, CA 93453, from dll-ee to eight feet tall and roughly as (805) 438-5992. Catalog $6. Atriplex canescens, A. lentiformis, wide. The leaves are painfully prickly but Rhus ovata. fortunately pruning is unnecessary. Slow SOUTHWESTERN NATIVE SEEDS, P.O. Box 50503, Tucson, AZ 85703. growth rate. Zone 7. Seeds only. Catalog $1 . Berberis haematocarpa, Rhus microphylla, LITTLE LEAF SUMAC (Rhus micl'ophylla)-A Simmondsia chinensis. deciduous shrub with arching branches, WHOLESALE ONLY. Ask your local nursery to contact Mountain States deep green leaves, and a broad, rounded Nursery, P.O. Box 33982, Phoenix, AZ 85067, (602) 247-8509. Celtis shape, typically six feet tall and eight feet pallida, Cordia boissieri, Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea', Leucophyllum wide. Produces red-orange summer fruits candidum 'Silver Cloud', L. frutescens, Pithecellobium flexicaule, loved by birds and burgundy red fa ll fo ­ Vauquelinia californica. li age. Plw11 -colored new growth gives win­ ter interest. Grows a foot a year. Zone 6.

May/June 1 996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 39

clematis "are much more delicate than the hyblids," says Richard Weaver, co-owner of \Ve -Du Nurseries in Marion, North Car­ olina. "The bell-shaped flowers are such a W"lique shape that they provide an entirely clifferent character." Yet that delicate ap­ pearance is deceiving. As with many na­ tives, clematis grown in their native range are often hardier and more disease- and pest-resistant than hybrids or non-natives. Native clematis can be fOlU1d in most re­ gions of North America, from northwest Canada to Baja, California, fi'om Florida to Nova Scotia, although the majority of species are clustered in the East and Northwest. Among the best known are C. crispa, a southeastern native with lavender flowers that sometimes have a pale margin; C. douglasii, a deep mauve- to violet-flow­ ered native of the Northwest; and C. tex­ ensis, a scarlet to purple native of Texas. Clematis are members of Ranuncu­ laceae, the buttercup or crovvsfoot family. The genus name is derived £i'om the Greek sepals that surround a clus­ ~ ter of usually contrasting stamens. Although g; clematis can have betvveen four and eight

42 THE AM E RIC A N GAR DEN E R Ma)'/J~~ne 1996 partly shaded border or allowed to cas­ but they reappear continuously from May cade gracefully over a small shrub. to September. Hardy to Zone 5, C. crispa As you might guess from its name, C. grows from SLX to ni ne feet tall and is found texensis is native to Texas and surrounding from Pennsylva nia west to Missouri and states. Hardy to USDA Zone 5, it is com­ south to Texas and Florida. Often found in monly known as scarlet clematis. Its flow­ moist soils in woods or aroLll1d swamps, it ers, which arise from new wood between is also known as marsh clematis. Its stems Ju ly and October, can range from scarlet to usually die to the ground in winter, and in a dull reddish purple. me northern extent of its range it is advis­ Clematis vi01'na, also known as vase able to protect the crown of me plant from vine, is found in gravell y soils from Nevv frost with a layer of straw mulch. York to Georgia and is hardy to Zone 4. The sepals are mostl y reddish purple but Free-Climbing Clematis tl1e tips--curled upward like elfin shoes­ In sharp contrast to the low-growing, del­ are often greenish or creamy white. Writer icate lea mer flower group is C. Vil'lJiniana, Christopher Lloyd compares the dark yel- a vigorous climber mat can reach 20 feet.

Christopher Lloyd compares the dark yellow seed heads that form after vase vine's June flowers to many-legged "tropical spiders."

low seed heads tl1at form after the June Commonly called old man's beard or vir­ flowers to many-legged "tropical spiders." gin's bower, it is hardy to Zone 4. Look for Cle11ltatis vel'sicolol' is found from Ken­ it traili ng over plants and bushes in moist tucky and Tennessee west to MissoLlli , Ok­ woods or along stream banks from Nova lahoma, and Arkansas. Hardy to Zone 5, it Scotia to Georgia and west as far as Mani­ has small but numerous summer to early toba and Te1U1essee. Although it blooms fall flowers on a seven- to 12-foot vine. Its from July tlu'ough September, C. Vil'lJini­ sepals are rosy pink on the outside, fading ana is better known for its fall display of to almost white towards the tips. pILU11Y silver to gray seed heads man for its Addison's clematis (c. addisonii), re­ LU1spectac ular, small white flowers. stricted in the wi ld to limestone and Its Western counterpart is C. liglJ/.Stici ­ dolomitic glades and banks in western folia, native from western Canada south to Virginia, is a bushy clematis that reaches California and east to Missouri. Hardy to only a foot to three feet in height. Dis­ Zone 5, it has tl1fee botanical varieties. In The flowers of 'Duchess tinctive heart-shaped leaves are borne on larger gardens, both C. vi1'lJiniana and C. of Albany', top, a cultivar almost nonexistent leaf stalks. Its leatl1ery ligusticifolia can be used for naturali zing derived from Clematis sepals are deep reddish purple on tl1e out­ with large sl1fubs or even in u-ees . texensis, are followed side and creamy white inside. When the One of me widest ranging of our native by one-seeded fruits solitary early- to midsummer flowers clematis is C. occidentalis (formerly C. vel'­ (achenes) with silky styles. bloom on meir long stalks, tl1e sepal tips t-icillaris), known as purple clematis or bell Clematis occidentalis, curl back to reveal a downy interior. rue. Hardy to Zone 4 , it is found from above, known as pu rple Sometimes known as blue jasmine or British Columbia to eastern Quebec, soum clematis or bell rue, has curiy clematis, the fragrant C. crispa also to Wisconsin and normeastern Iowa and two botanical varieties has down turned flowers , but with more east as far as West Virginia and New Eng­ with droopy sepals that delicate sepals than other "leather flowers." land. This is a woody-stemmed SLX- to 10- range from rosy pink The sepals-distinguished by ruffled edges foot trailer or climber tlut prefers rocky, to indigo. and strongly reflexed tips that often curl limy woods. It has broad, drooping, almost back to touch the outside of me sepals­ U"

May/ June 1996 THE AMERI CAN GARDENER 43 Sources is is actually rather scarce in the wild. It has Found from Indiat1a south to Mississip­ THE COMPLEAT GARDEN-CLEMATIS two botanical vatieties- C. occidentalis var. pi and west to Nebraska and Texas, C. NURSERY, 217 Argilla Road, Ipswich, dissecta, a three-foot climber with rosy pink pitcheri is distinguished by ribbed sepals MA 01938-2614. Catalog $3 . to purple flowers, found in the Cascade that are pale lavender or rose on the out­ C. addisonii, C. crispa, C. pitcheri. Mountains of Washington, at1d the indigo­ side and ruby red to purple inside. Creamy FORESTFARM, 990 Tetherow Road, flowered C. occidentalis var. grosseserrata, to greenish white statnens provide a lovely Williams, OR 97544-9599, (541) found in Alaska at1d northwestern Canada. contrast to the sepals in this six- to lO-foot 846-7269. Catalog $3 . C. ligusticifolia, The range of C. occidentalis overlaps vine. Its large leaves are divided into seven C. virginiana. that of a related species, C. columbiana, to nine occasionally lobed leaflets. THE FRAGRANT PATH, P.O . Box 328, which has floppy purple to blue May­ These species at'e just a few of the many Fort Calhoun, NE 68023. Catalog $2 . blooming flowers with translucent sepals adorning om countryside. It's fun to dis­ C. crispa, C. pitcheri, C. texensis, even broader than those ofits more eastern cover native clematis on rambles in the C. virginiana. relative. C. columbiana is found from Brit­ woods, but they are tamable as well . Some SASKABERIA SEEDS, P.O. Box 26, ish Columbia at1d Alberta south to Oregon are ideal for naturalizing a corner of your Prairie River, Saskatchewan SOE 1J0, and Colorado. Although C. occidentalis garden. Others will look terrific in the bor­ Canada. Price list $1. C. douglasii, and C. columbiana are rated hardy to Zone der or as late season adornments for a small C. occidentalis. 4, both can be found growing wild into shrub whose spring fl owers are long gone. WE-DU NURSERIES, Route 5, Box 724, some areas of Zone 1. Heavy snow cover Still others Cat1 be trained up a small trellis Marion, NC 28752, (704) 738-8300. apparently helps protect dormant plants. or grown over at1 arbor. Catalog $2. C. crispa, C. viorna, Another western species, native to sage­ Collect seeds where clematis grow pro­ C. virginiana. brush cow1try at1d high desert from British lifically, but never dig plants in the wild. WOODLANDERS, INC., 1128 Colleton Columbia south through Washington and Clematis are notoriously hard to transplant, Avenue, Aiken, SC 29801, (803) 648- Oregon and east to Montana and Wyo­ so adhere to the advice of an Ohio wild­ 7522. Catalog $2. C. versicolor. ming, is C. douglasii (formerly C. hirsutis­ flower booklet: "Let them live in your eye, sima), which rarely grows more that1 two not die in your hand" (or garden). feet tall. Its rounded, leathery, downturned "I find native clematis are much easier flowers are formed of deep purple sepals to grow and tougher than a lot of the hy­ that curl back at the very tips to reveal brids," says Susan Austin, who runs The creatny statnens within. Both its leaves and Compleat Garden-Clematis Nursery in sepals are covered with fine silvery hairs. It Ipswich, Massachusetts. "I wish more peo­ can be grown in a well-aerated sunny bor­ ple knew about them because they are der or rock garden. A vatiety, C. douglasii worthy garden plants." var. scottii, differs from the species in hav­ ing bipinnate leaves and paler lavender Carol Howe is a free -lance w1'iter who resides sepals and growing up to a foot taller. in Rockland, Maine.

ruinate. Many species requu'e Growing several cycles of cold and heat Native Clematis for germination. "I wish I could say they were all easy;' any nllrsories sell says Susan Austin, owner of potted dematis, bat The Compleat Garden­ Mthey can also be Olematis Nursery in Ipswich, grown from seed by follow­ Massachusetts, who grows all ing a few simple gu.idelines. her stock from seed. She sows hel; clematis seeds in March Germination and allows the.m to go Unless you can sow seeds un­ through natural seasonal tem­ mediately after harVeStll1g, perature cycles. Fluffy seed heads make a wonderful fall display on patience is the key to germi­ Richard Weaver Jr., co­ many clematis species. natll1g most native clematis. owner ofWe-Du Nurseries in Fresh seeds of some species Marion, North Carolina, says and C. crispa, both of which flats U1 an unheated green­ will germinate in less than a Clematis virginiana"is very require cold treatment fol­ house W1ti1 they germinate ill month, but seeds that have easy to gerrcinate-but we lowed by warm treatment. late Slimmer. You can actually been stored for more than a usually give it at least a Weaver says he usually sows dispense with seeds in the few weeks can rake from a month of cold stratification." the seeds ill a soilless potting case of C. vi~iniana, which month to several years to ger- We-Du also sells C. viorna mix in January and leaves the he says is extremely vigorous

44 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May / June 1996 The t ranslucent purple to light blue sepals of Clematis columbiana, left, a native of t he Northwest, droop delicately from slender stems. The white flowers of the free-cli mbing Clematis virginiana, above, are smaller and less refined, but it is redeemed in late fall and into early winter when it becomes a mass of t he t ypical showy clematis seed heads.

and can be pr:opagated from C. 1Jir,ginia11lff will: gerplinate Mackintosh says C. crisp a pines in moist, well-drained, stem nodes, which will root if best uncovered at 70 degrees, often is fOlUld growing on cool areas." the plant is allmved to run while C. occidentalis germi­ low ground, where the soil Select a site for your along the ground. C. ligusti­ nat,es best' ogtdoors. Deno's tends to be slightly acid. "We clematis where its roots will cifoliais r~ported to be simi­ testit'i,g inl\l;ieates that C. -aw­ have not· added any J:ime to be protected from direct Still Jarly fewncL iUsonii seeds requiFe use of soil whe).'J. we have grown: during the hottest part of the Stanl~y Zhlbrowski, a the plant hormone gib­ them here,n he says. Mackin­ day in summer, but the fo­ clematis grower and owner o ' b<;r:ellin to ~erminate . tosh does shlggest amtlnding liage wi;ll be able to grow Saskaberia Seeds in Prairie soil with peat moss, leaf into at least filtered sunlight. River, Saskatchewan) says mold, cop:lpost', Or other If th~ soil is heavy clay or too both C. ocei'{il;entalis anc;j. C. wei'l-roti;ed org

May/J une 1 99 6 TH E AM E R ICAN GA R DENER 45 focus may/june the name game

ANY OBSESSED GARDENER QUICKLY LEARNS THAT BOTANICAL NAMES are indis- pensable) whether we)re seeking a rare cultivar or identifying the weed in the back forty. Once we leal~n that leukos is Greek for ((white) )) we can guess that the species name leucopetalus means ((white petals.)) Knowing a genus can indicate the growing condi­ tions a plant may need-or a ten­ dency to be toxic. • But about the time we think we)re figuring these things out) taxonomists change all the names) we realize all our reference books are hopelessly outdated) and a friend takes us aside to explain that we)ve been making a fool of ourselves saying ((cotton-easter.)) Hey) no one ever said this stuff was easy!

eous, especially about anything as esoteric Iy enclosed within single quotes (the ab­ great as nomenclature. Yet, as Hemy Higgins de­ breviation "cv." prececling the name is no clared in M), Fair Lady) your speech sets longer permitted) with the first letter of the you apart. Likewise, your use of plant name capitalized. Since January 1,1959, taxonomic names clistinguishes you as more than an cultivar names must be in a modern lan­ armchair gardener. guage, not Latin. Previously, many cultivars Any level of taxonomic naming is called were described as botanical varieties or gaffes a taxon (taxa in the plural). Most garden­ forms even though they at'ose in cultiva­ ers are concerned with minor clifferences, tion. For example, the zebra iris at'ose as a by Arthur 0. Tucker as exemplified by a verticillium wilt-resis­ pre-1901 mutation or sport of hispallida tant tomato, a cold-hardy rosemary, or a with cream edges along the leaves at1d be­ utside of my fan1ily, my real passion grape-scented iris. Thus, they are con­ came I. pallida 'Variegata.' But if this var­ is my garden. Thus, to be able to cerned with a taxon called "cultivar." De­ iegated itis were mtroduced today, its Latin Otalk shop at1d compare notes, I be­ rived from "cultivated variety," the term cultivar name would not stat1d up in a court long to many horticultural societies. But cultivar is used by botanists and horticul­ ofbotatucal nomenciaUlre. because I was trained as a botatucal taxon­ turists to denote anything from a very Because some cultivars involve extensive omist, I often hear plant names used in a minor vatiation, such as the white-flowered hybriclization, it is rather pointless-and way tl1at sets my teeth on edge. I have selection of red valerian (Centranthus often confusing-trying to pin down a learned to keep my mouth shut; no one re­ ruber 'Albus') all the way to intergeneric species. Thus, we write Iris 'Song of Nor­ ally likes to be corrected by tl1e self-right- hybrids of orchids. The cultivar is normal- way', not I.germanica 'Song of Norway'

46 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May /J~tn e 1996 since the true I. germanicacontributed lit­ containing many speci es. It is in Lami ­ behold, taxol was there too. And deer­ tle to iris evolution. aceae (alternative ly, Labiatae) , sometimes plagued gardeners are noti cing that if deer Another miStlSe of taxonomy involves called tlle mint fa mily, but neither laven ­ leave one plant alone, tlley may also bypass the concept of species . A species is proper­ der nor Lavandula is a fa mil y. Lami aceae its near relatives. ly the genus plus a specific epitllet (specif­ includes many orner pl ants related by tlleir O h, fin ally, don' t be afraid to pro­ ic name- abbreviated "sp.," or "spp." fo r common attributes of zygomorphi c (bi ­ nounce a botani cal name. The "pronun­ the plural); because a species has two laterall y symmetrical) fl owers, square ciation po li ce," as I term some names, it has to be expressed as a binomi­ stems, glandular hairs fill ed with essential self- important critics, usually don' t know al. As a species humans are H omo sapiens, o ils, and so forth, such as the rosemarys what they are talkin g abo ut anyway. While it's helpful knowing Latin to pro­ no unce botanical names, many names aren't reall y Latin after all, but are derived What really makes me cringe is fro m Greek and other roots. I have yet to meet two botanists who prono unce hearing someone discuss, for Aeschynomene the same way! U ltimately, since communicati on is the example, the "family of lavenders." goal, go for the most melodious-sounding pronunciation for tlle audience. Most gar­ deners (a nd botanists, too) mix classical Latin and English pronunciati ons. If yo u not just sapiens! For tlle same reason, you (tlle genus R osmal'inus), true mints (the want to ca use an uproar in your discussions, don't want to be heard saying, "Well , den­ genus Mentha), and sages (the genus try using tlle classical Latin pronunciati on tata is not hardy fo r me." You would be Salvia), among otllers. of Pinuspondel'osa( tlle "i" in cl assical Latin saying your "toothed" isn't hardy. A is pronounced similar to the "i" in " ma­ toothed what? The statement that «La­ PUTTING LATIN TO WORK chine"). Freudian compulsions do have vandula dentata is not hardy," however, Understanding botanical nomenclature has tlleir limits' has real meaning, since you are now refer­ very real applica ti ons beyond trying to im­ rin g to the toothed lavender. To fu rrner press your fri ends. Knowing the related Arthl'M' 0. Tucker is a l'esearch professor in defin e a species, the authority who first species will indicate potential for hybLi di z­ the Depal'tment ofAgI'icu ltun and N atur­ named it is also appended in formal botan­ ing, grafting, medicinal properties, etc. For al R esources at Delaware State Unive1'sity. ical usage. Thus, the full , correct nam e of example, when tSpecies Plantarum. For most horti- cultural use, though, the au­ rnority is omitted. Putting Plants in Their Place utter H ybrid species are desig­ nated with a multiplication anlliies are organized into orders, orders into classes, nonsense sign "x," although tlle lower­ classes into divisions, and divisions into kingdoms. case letter "x" may also be F(The division has traditionally set botanists apart, since used. Peppermint is a hybrid zoologists call this taxon a phylum, but the 1994 Interna­ kay, now that Dr. of spearmint (Mentha spicata) tional Code ofBotanical Nomenclature now allows born to Tucker has said it, and water mint (M. aquatica) be used by botanists.) Thus me toorned lavender could be Owe'll confess: We donJt and is written as M. xpipel'ita. fully classified as follows : always kn ow what we're talk­ Intergeneric hybrids, such as KINGDOM Planta ing about when it comes to heucherella, a hybrid of m e DIVISION Magnoliophyta (or Anthophyta) pro nouncing plant names . two genera H euchera and SUBDIVISION Magnoliatae (or Angiospermae) Our stafffrequently gets calls Tiarella, have the "x" before CLASS Magnoliopsida (or Dicotyledonae) asking what we use as a guide me genus; thus the new genus SUBCLASS Asteridae for developing our pronoun­ x H eucherella. Some nursery ORDER Larniales ciation guide at the bac k of catalogs list an "x" before cer- FAMILY Lamiaceae (Labiatae) each iss ue. We draw upon a tain cultiva r names. I' m not GENUS Lavandula number of books (see "Re­ sure what this really means; SPECIES L. dentata sources," page 48), and when the International Code of Gardeners are rarely concerned with anything above the tlley're in sync, our job is easy. N omenclature f or Cultivated level of family. Only the genus and subgeneric taxa When tlley aren't, we have to Plants doesn't allow the use (such as species or subspecies) are itali(ized. Notice that settle tlle dispute by consider­ of "x" before a cultivar name. the genus may be abbreviated with an initial when it ing common usage (also diffi ­ What really makes me was previously mentioned and the reference is obvious. cult, since we have heard cringe, tho ugh, is hearing But ifI mention Lavandula and Leonurus in the same eminent horticulturists say so meone discuss, for exam­ context, I cannot abbreviate either genus because it Ameri -kah -na and Ameti -kay­ ple, tlle "family oflavenders ." could be confusing. -Arthur 0. Tucker na in the same conversati on). Family? Lavandula is a genus There is also a certa in

M ay/J une 1 9 9 6 THE AM E RI CAN GA R D ENER 47 amount of disagreement between our (including Sedumspectabile) witl1 its popu­ named unless experts at a worldwide meet­ Kansas-bred editor who thinks a short lar cultivar 'Autumn Joy') have been ing of botanists, such as the 15th Interna­ "a" should be nice and broad-as in moved to Jfylotelephium. The Japanese iris tional Botanical Congress held in 1993 in "bad"-and our assistant editor who was we knew as his kaempferi is now 1. ensata. Japan, agree to make an exception. raised abroad and thinks a short "a" Sweet autumn clematis (Clematis Name changes also occur when scien­ should be more dignified, as in po-tah­ maximowicziana) which has been called tific evidence indicates that one group of toe. We do agree that most Americans by at least two other names in the last 20 plants is so similar to another that they will say Hy-dran-JUH, and not Hy-dran­ years, is now C. terniflora (which is some­ should not be considered distinct. In other JAR. We try to be consistent in the way tl1ing of a relief!). Some spireas that we cases, evidence may dictate that some we render similar pronunciation elements knew as species (Spiraea bullata) S. albi­ members of a group are different enough and now have many pronounciations in flora) S. xbumalda) have been reduced to to merit setting them apart. our data base, but we are always revising. cultivars of S. japonica. The advent of new methods in mole­ We welcome comments from readers And the list goes on. cular biology and genetics to investigate who disagree strongly with any of our The binomial system of botanical names similarities and differences among plants suggested pronunciations. is intended to create one unique name for probably means that in the future we will And by the way, Dr. Tucker, Aeschyno­ each plant, recognized worldwide, so that be seeing more groups of plants com­ mene is pronounced es-ky-NOH -men-ee. no matter where you are or what language bined or separated, with resulting name you use, the botanical name identifies the changes. plant in question. But with frequent Unfortunately, botanists sometimes changes in the botanical name, the system can't agree among themselves. One group can lose its effectiveness. may want to include pasque flower with help for the Why are plant names changed? And Anemone) but another may want to sepa­ how can people who need to communicate rate it out as Pulsatilla. (Taxonomists who binomially about plants deal with these changes? habitually tend toward merging groups or Names are changed to subscribe to separating them are sometimes described nomenclatural rules or to fit a new un­ as "lumpers" or "splitters," respectively.) challenged derstanding of the limits of a group of plants. The International Code ofBot an­ CHANGING WITH THE TIMES ical Nomenclature describes the require­ How do gardeners deal with this ever­ by Ruth Kvaalen ments for a name to be valid. For changing parade of names? If you stick instance, the oldest name given to a plant with old names, soon you may not be aybe you have been startled, as I is the one that should be used (the rule able to find your favorite plants in nurs­ have, by some of the recent of priority). Thus, if an older valid name eries and catalogs. Some people may not Mchanges in plant names. Fall-flow­ for a plant is discovered in historical even recognize the name you are using. ering "mums" are now called Dendran­ records, it takes precedence over the Yet you may have similar problems if you thema) and other members of the name currently in use. adopt a change too quickly. During a Chrysanthemum genus have been trans­ When tl1e same name has been applied transitional period, many gardening ferred to genera such as Tanacetum and to more than one plant, the plant named magazines and books use the new name, Leucanthemum. Certain sedum species, first retains that name. Others must be re- with the older following it in parenthe-

Resources Chapel Hill, North New Pronouncing Scient ific and Common Carolina. 1992. Dictionary of Plant Names of 7,000 Vascular The following books can $13.50. Names. American Plants in the United be ordered through the Guide to Flowering Plant Nurseryman Publishing States. Lois Brako, Amy Y. ARS Book Service. Prices Families. Wendy B. Company, Chicago, Rossman, and David F. reflect an AHS member Zomlefer. Universi~ of illinois. 1995. $2.95. Farr. APS Press, St. Paul, discount; a postage and North Carolina Press, The New York Botanical Minnesota. 1995. $27. handling fee is additional. Chapel Hill. 1994. Garden Illustrated Stearn's Dictionary of To order, call Barbara Hardcover $49.50, Encyclopedia of Plant Names for Catherwood at (800) sofkover $24.75. Horticulture. Thomas H. Gardeners. Waliam T. 777-7931 ext. 36. Honus Third. Staff of Everett. Garland Pub- Stearn. Sterling Publishing Dictionary of Plant Liberty Hyde Bailey lishing, Inc., New York, Company, Inc., New York, Names. Allen J. Coombes. Hortorium. Macmillan New York. 1981. 10 vol- New York. 1992. $26.95. Timber Press, Portland, Publishing Comp

48 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/ June 1996 ses, until the new name gains acceptance. onym, you can find it there and learn the dexed both by common name and botan­ Of course, the most carefu lly checked current valid name. This is a great reference ical name, but common names are in­ new references suffer a lag between prepa­ for nomenclatnre, but it contains no plant dexed by each word in tl1e name. ration of the text and publication. Nso, not descriptions or information about the ori­ all references cite the same authority for gins of the species listed. Formel'ly a hOl,ticultural instructol' at Pur­ botanical names. The nomenclature of the If Latin names mystif)1 you, Stearn)s due University, Ruth Kvaalen writes fre­ horticulture industry's old standard, Hor­ Dictional')' of Plant Names for Gardeners quently on hOl,ticultural topics. This article tus Third, published in 1976, is long out of (1992) gives the meanings and origins of is adapted from one she wrote for the No ­ date because many plants have been intro­ more than 6,000 botanical names- more Jlembel' 1994 Indiana Nursery News. duced and many names have changed in plants than most of us recognize. It in­ the intervening years. The NelV Yol,/e Botan­ cludes notes on pronunciation, an infor­ ical Garden Illustrated Encyclopedia of mative chapter on vernacular (common) HOl'ticulture does not address itselfpri­ names, and a cross-index of 3,000 com­ marily to nomenclature, and it suffers from mon names to their botanical names. Cultivated the same handicaps as H01'tus Third, hav­ Stearn is well-qualified for this book; he is ing been published in 1980-1982. the author of Botanical Latin, the standard Plant Code Sad to say, we must look to books from reference that has undergone severa l edi­ Btitain and Europe for correct names be- tions from 1966 to the present. revised

Sad to say, we must look to books 1e International Code of Nomencla­ t~we fOl' Cultivated Plants (ICNCP), from Britain and Europe for correct T:the rules by which cultivated plants used in agriculture, forestry, and horticul­ names because there are few ture are named and registered, has been re­ vised and is now available in a 191-page authoritative American references. publication. First published in 1953, the ICNCP (informally ca ll ed the "Cultivated Plant cause there are few authoritative American A usefi.t1 guide to flowering plant fami­ Code") spells out the rules for naming references. A comprehensive recent publi­ lies, which serves as an update of sorts to cultivated plants-those selected and de­ cation is The NelV Royal HOl,tic~dtural So­ the more comprehensive Integrated System veloped specifical- ciety Dictional,), of Gardening (1992), a of Classification of Flowering Plants by I y fo r uniq ue four-volume set on which nearly 500 peo­ Artl1Llr Cronquist (1981), is Wendy Zom­ horticultural or Both the ICNCP and the ple collaborated. At nearly $800, it's too lefer's Guide to Flowering Plant Families agricultural char­ ICBN (revised in 1994) costly for most people. [The publisher is of­ (1994). It contains detailed botanical draw­ acteristics. The are available from feting a special diSCOW1t for AHS members; ings illustrating major distinguishing fea­ rules for naming Balogh Scientific Books see box below for details.] tures of me plant £"llnilies desClibed. variations that (formerly Koeltz An affordable offshoot may serve as the If you are looking for a reference to occur in nature Scientific Books USA), best current replacement for Hortus Third. help you figure out tl1e true identity of tl1e are found in the 1911 North Duncan The Royal Horticultural Society's Index of plant your neighbor calls "clammy cock­ International Road, Champaign, IL Garden Plants by Mark Griffims is based le," Scientific and Common Names of Code ofBotanical 61821; telephone (217) on me four-volume RHS publication men­ 7, 000 Vascular Plants in the United States Nomenclature 355-9331; fax (217) 355- tioned above, for which Griffitl1s was edi­ (1995) by Lois Brako, Amy Rossman, and (ICBN). 9413; e-mail balogh@ tor. It gives names and brief descriptions for David Farr is helpfi.ll for finding your way Designed to balogh.com. The exact more than 60,000 ornamental and eco­ tl1rough tl1e confi.lsing maze of common be more user­ cost of the ICNCP was not available at press nomic plants, reflecting current classifica­ names used for plants. Not only is it in- friendly and to tions and cross-referenced to synonyms address me many time, but was estimated (out of date or wrongly used names). changes in horti­ to be approximately For native American plants, me best an­ Special Offer! culture since the $48, including postage swer to questions about valid names is me last revision-a and handling. The ICBN second edition of A Synonymized Checklist Stockton Press, publisher of The 32-page pam­ costs $63.50, postage of the Vascular Flora of the United States, New Royal Horticultural Society phlet-was pub­ and handling included. Canada, and Greenland by John Kartesz. Dictionary of Gardening, is offering lished in 1980, Published in 1994, tlUs two-volwne work the four-volume set to AHS members tl1e new Cultivat- covers all tl1e vascular plants nortl1 of Mex­ for $595 plus $20 shipping-a con­ ed Plant Code "is completely different ico, backed by tl1e Biota of Norm America siderable savings off the $795 list from the preceding one," says Freek Program. The first volume is arranged by price. Orders must be received by Vrugtman, a research associate at the families. Genus and species names are given June 30 to qualify for this special Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, wim meir synonyms. The second volume offer. Call Barbara Catherwood at Ontario, and one of the ICNCP editors. has tl1e same plants arranged alphabetical­ (800) 777-7931 ext. 36. The revised Cultivated Plant Code in­ ly by genus. If you know a plant by its syn- cludes 32 articles about creating and using

May/June 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 4 9 cultivar names. The 12 appendices include: of painstaking crosses-he or she CaJ1 reg­ ~ International Registration Authorities much ado ister it as a cultivar through an Interna­ for cultivar names. tional Registration Authority. Cultivar ~ Herbaria and arboreta that maintain names have no legal standing, but are standards (samples of the plants) used for about TMs® "gentlemen's agreements" intended pri­ cuJtivar identification. marily to help gardeners know exactly ~ A nomenclatural "filter" to help deter­ what they are buying and growing. The mine if a proposed name is correct. s spring as you filled out your cata­ person who registers the cultivar has no -~ Steps for creating a new cultivar name. log plant orders, you may have no­ ownership of the plant name or its -~ A glossary of nomenclatural terms. TIticed that some of the descriptions germplasm- the seeds or cuttings that ~ A description of how botanical names were rife witl1 strings ofletters like 'Migtig', allow it to be reproduced. They will prof­ are formed (summary ofICBN). or maybe 'Smaragd'. A few years ago, these it only from whatever propagating, dis­ ~ A flow chart of nomenclatural organi­ would have been ordering codes. Today, tributing, and selling they actually do. zations and processes. tl1ey're the names of the plants. If a new introduction is patented, the Among the notabie changes from pre­ How would anyone expect to sell patent owner can control the propagation, vious editions: New cultivar names must plants-no matter how "rare and choice" distribution, and sale of the clone tl1fough consist of no more than 10 syllables and 30 -with such ugly monikers? They don't, royalty agreements-anyone else who sells letters; the 1980 Cultivated Plant Code al­ which is exactly tl1e point. the plant has to give them a cut- but only lowed a maximum of three words. In keep­ In recent years a number of nursery­ for 17 years. ing with current practice, cultivar names men-none ofwhom have yet to challenge A trademark does not control distribu­ should only be distinguished by inclusion Donald Trump or Bill Gates as money­ tion aJ1d sale of a particular product, but it within single quotes; the 1980 code al­ makers-recognized that they could in­ does control the use of a name-indefi­ lowed the use of the abbreviation "cv." crease profits immeasurably by patenting nitely, as long as it continues to be clearly The ICNCP and the ICBN are pre­ and trademarking their products. li nked to one origin in the public mind. pared and released under the authority of If a grower has a new plant-whether (Aspirin was originally a trademark sym­ separate international commissions, but to a naturally occurring mutation with big­ bolizing one originator of acetylsalicylic ensure consistency two members currently ger flowers or variegated leaves (a selec­ acid, but lost its protection after being ap­ serve on both commissions. tion) or a hybrid developed through years plied in general use to all sin1ilar products.)

Cybergarden i ng Scanning Flowers for Fun and Profit

by Richard Dufresne images to illustrate catalogs, cent detail on half- manipulate 24-bit brochures, posters, and other images. Using HP he increasing affordabili­ merchandising materials. I'm insects such as adult DeskScan II software, I ty ofcompute~ techn~lo­ also exploring the idea of sell­ Chinese wax scale. save images Tgy raJses some U1terestmg ing the images directly in an (When a sense of with two degrees opportunities for gardeners. artistic format. Other possible size is useful, you can of sharpening­ With a modest computer uses of this technology include: set a clear six-inch plas­ normal and extra setup, I have sCaJmed plant cut­ -~ Archiving plant collections. tic ruler next to tl1e plant sharp. The latter setting tings from my garden. The re­ ...., Identifying pests and on the scanner. ) I removed increases the contrasts of sulting images are beautiful, pathogens. the backgrounds using Paint the color gradients, show a high level of detail, aJ1d ...., Designing plaJ1t labels aJ1d Shop Pro and Photoshop, making the scans look can be creatively used in a wide marketing displays. witl1 color corrections done in more like artwork. This variety of ways. ...., Illustrating books. Photoshop . software also allows a The images accompanying ~ Illustrating Internet sites . I set file size at under 1.4 this article were scanned and ...., Developing material for megabytes to allow traJ1S- correction. manipulated on my home slide presentations. fer to floppy disks. It To produce computer system: an IBM -~ Designing business cards IS worthwhile to similar images, Pentium 90 computer with and letterheads. save scans at 24-bit you need three Paint Shop Pro 3.0 and I scalmed the plant mater­ color resolution, but to basic components in Adobe Photoshop 3.0 soft­ ial within one hour of cutting. only release 8-bit files as free­ addition to your computer: ware, and a Hewlett Packard The scanner gave me images bies (for instance, over the In­ 1. A Scanner. You can start (HP) Scanjet 3c-a 600 dots­ with a depth of field of about ternet) so others can't profit out with a fairly modest sys­ per-inch (dpi ) scanner. one-half inch. By using the from your work. You will need tem, relying on Internet ser­ As a seller of salvias and zoom feature on my scanner a software package such as vices or a service bureau (such other herbs, I hope to use tl1e software, I was able to get de- Paint Shop Pro to collect and as a Kinko's copy center) to

50 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/June 1996 Thus anyone can sell as many u·ademarked but still finds the name appealing. wood Gardens, says trademark law was October Glory maples as they like, as long -~ A second grower can give a second never intended to protect the name of a as they sell them by the cultivar name trademarked name to the same plant, says single, unique entity like a plant, and some 'PNJ0268' and not the appealing trade­ Steve Hutton, president of Conard-Pyle names have been successfully challenged mark name marketed as representing a su­ Company, a PennsylvaJua-based distribu­ on these grounds. "But while it might be perior plant. tor of roses aJld woody ornamentals. Pret­ worth a million dollars for a trademark It's pretty clear that when trademark ty Petals could also be Beautiful Blossoms, holder to protect a name, it's not worth laws were passed, no one thought they both with the cultivar name 'Blufiz'. that much to the person who wants to would ever be applied to plants. When a ~ Because u·ademark officials aJld cultivar contest it." u·ademark is applied for, the product must registrars aren't equipped to run cross­ Conard-Pyle's Hutton sees only two have a separate genetic (common) name as checks, new cultivaJ· names may infiinge on potential solutions: for Congress to amend well: hence the conception of a generic trademarks in one or more counu·ies, aJld the trademark laws (not likely even when name that can double as a cultivar name in a long-established cultivar name like 'Mr. tile nation's lawmakers aren't in a state of the scientific community, willie having ab­ Lincoln' could be u·ademarked for anoth­ open warfare as they are currently), or for solutely no appeal in the marketplace. (A er red rose, a yellow tulip, or both. consumers to learn to keep it all straight. trademark can be formally registered, or ~ Writers in professional journals aren't "I always use tile analogy of painkillers," become official through common use. consistent in tlleir use of tllese names. A re­ he says. "You can learn to look for aceta­ Thus the name under which a patented searcher considering a study on disease re­ minophen, and possibly save some money, plant is sold is likely to be accepted as a sistaJ1Ce of'Blufiz' may fail to find previous or you can buy Tylenol, because it's easier u·ademark when the patent expires.) reports indexed under Pretty Petals. to remember." There are a number of problems Witll ~ Writers for the popular press are at a The Tylenol name, however, no longer tlus system: loss, since most use the single-quote con­ applies to the original capsules since the ~ A grower can apply a successful trade­ vention for cultivaJ·s but, by our own long­ poisoning scare created tile ultimate mar­ mark to an entirely different plant. A standing convention, do not use the keting nightmare for iliat trademark hold­ name like Pretty Petals could be used for trademaJ·k symbol. er. It does apply to caplets, as well as cold a decade for a pink rose and then applied There doesn't seem to be a simple solu­ aJld flu medications. The Tylenol name can to a white rose if tile trademark mvner de­ tion to d1is chaotic situation. tell you who makes ilie product; ilie gener­ cides the first rose is waning in popularity, Rick Darke, curator of plants at Long- ic name tells you what it really is.

get TIFF format scans saving images that will be around $250, but require re­ (see below). Ifyou are imported into different placement of the going to make heavy programs or used on boili i n t 0 whole color ink module use of these scans, in­ Mac aJld IBM -compatible docu­ vest in a good computers. However, TIFF ments color bed scanner files need to be converted for and let you control Richard with at least 600 dpi Internet traJlsnussion. GIF the size of a 256- Dufresne resolution. and JPEG are two for­ worked at Loril­ 2. Image-Editing Software. mats that com­ lard Research for 15 A modest press image files to for most needs. True years as a flavor chemist. investment decrease the color images are best devel­ He has been collecting, (less than amount of time it oped by a service bureau. propagating, researching, and $100) in a paint takes to send them Many service bureaus have marketing herbs and rare program such as across modem lines. desktop publishing stations plants since 1972, specializing Paint Shop Pro will get For good color control with color laser printers and in salvias and other members of you started nicely. Besides and advanced image manipu­ Adobe Page Maker software the mint family. having tools like lassos and larion, however, you will need for customers to use. magic wands to quickly select to buy Adobe Photoshop, 4. A Color Inkjet Printer. This and modifY backgrounds, which costs around $600. is your best bet for printing inl­ For more information, such programs have conver­ 3. Image-Processing Soft­ ages for previews and simple contact Richard Dufresne at sion utilities iliat allow you to ware. This can be done using applications. I bought a Canon 313 Spur Road, Greensboro, import and export images be­ a good word processing pro­ BJC 610 for $550 because the NC 27406, (910) 674-3105, tween publishing and transnUs­ gram, such as Lotus WordPro, individual color caruidges are or through e-mail at sa lvia@ sion formats. For example, Microsoft Word, or WordPer­ replaceable. Less costly but nr.infLnet. TIFF is a popular format for fect. All these programs allow perfectly useful printers start

May/June 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 5 1 The Onglnal P. Nichols, formerly a plant pathologist at Pennsylvania State University in State Col­ Gardener's Organizer ™ lege. Parentage is generally listed, as are size and color of flower and fruit, and the Complete Landscape Planner and Organizer size of the tree. Fiala divided this listing of names into two chapters, the first of which is de­ scribed as crabapples of "documented au­ thentic origin." He describes those listed in d1e second chapter as named crab apples "from sources that cannot be verified," al­ though the latter list contains many names that are included in a 1970 book by Roland M. Jefferson called History, Prog­ eny, and Locations of Crabapples ofDocu­ mented Authentic Origin. There are a few errors in the descrip­ tions, some of which seem to result from unsubstantiated assumptions made by Fiala. ~ Handsome expandable loose leaf volume For instance, he writes that Malus 'Abbon­ ~ Over 200 journal and resource pages ea., flowering crabapples danza' is a synonym of M. 'Abundance'. ~ Personal photojournal This is not so. 'Abbondanza' has red fruit ~ Over 500 plant profiles ea., native plants about 4.8 centimeters (2 inches) in diame­ Schedule planner ~ ter, while 'Abundance' has dark red to pur­ ~ Diary, and much more ea., herb encyclopedia ple fruit that is only 1.5 centimeters For more information or a color (three-fifrhs inch) in diameter. Fiala states brochure, contact: FLOWERING CRABAPPLES: that M. 'Namew' "does not appear in any Forster & Lloyd Corporation THE GENUS MALUS U .S. collection," but my records show this 5351 McCommas Boulevard Father John L. Fiala. Timber Press, Inc., tree at three locations including the U.S. Dallas , Texas 75206-5623 Tel: (800)284-9637 Fax: (214)824-2160 Portland, Oregon, 1995. 340pages. 8 1/2 "X National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. Internet: http ://www.webcom .com/garden/ 11". Color and black-and-white photo ­ It is unfortunate that all of Fiala's records graphs. Publisher's price: hardcover, $49.95. were lost in a fire. Thus there is no way to AHS membel' pl'ice: $44.95. follow up on some of his information. CELEBRATING THE AMERICAN Other chapters discuss crabapples in the ritten by the late Father Jolm L. landscape; culture, pests and diseases; com­ GARDEN 1996 Fiala, who died ofcancer in 1990 panion plants; propagation; hybridization; Wat the age of 66, this beautiful and taxonomy. book deserves a place bod1 on d1e coffee G Appendices include lists table for its 245 magnificent color \~ of nurseries and individu­ photographs and on the ::; 1\.1-c.:R -c.S als involved with breed­ reference shelf of i IO~ \J ~ P -o-o~P ing and research on every crabapple -C \..-J -a.. I\..\.. \.. crabapples; landscape lover. Consider- \.' iJ ~\JP tA~Ws architects who work S able space is de- C.\..' 't\1.e Gej\1J. with flowering crab­ voted throughout apples; and sites of d1e book to people major crabapple and places central to collections. Fiala the history, lore, and also put together development of crab­ a list of rec­ apples, and Fiala was om mended unsparing in giving cred­ cultivars for it where credit is due. various About one-dlird of the ornamental book is devoted to a de­ uses. Un­ American Horticultural Society scriptive list of crabapple fortunate- 51st Annual Meeting species, hybrids, cultivars, and Iy some of )ot\~ \,. these crabapples, in- St. Louis, Missouri varieties. Each entry includes information about care and ~~ cluding a number that resulted May to June 30 1, 1996 propagation, along with sugges­ from his own breeding work, are not tions for treating problems associ- available commercially. For mgistration information, ated with diseases and pests. The This book can be heartily recommend­ call (800) 777-7931. descriptions often include the results of ed to those interested in the history and disease evaluations made by the late Lester culture offlowering crabapples and as a pic-

52 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/ J une 1996 torial guide to some of the best crabapple species aIld cultivars. It should not, how­ ever, be relied upon as a final source oft<1-'I(­ onomic information. I must commend Gilbert S. DaI1ieis, who served as teclll1ical editor for the book. I only found one spelling error in a book that contains thou­ saIlds of cu.ltivar naIlles. -John H. den Boer John H. den Boel' is editor and publishel' of Mal us, the joul"nal of the Intel'national O 'abapple Society. This 1'eview is adapted )Vith pel'mission /1'om one p~tblished in the spl'i1'1fj 1995 edition of Malus.

THE NATIVE PLANT PRIMER Cal'ole Ottesen. Harmony Booles) New Yorle) 1995. 354 pages. 8 1/ 2 // X 11 1/4'~ Color photog1'aphs. Publishel,Js price: hardc01Je1') $50. AHS member pl'ice: $45.

ttesen's Native Plant P"imer is in maI1Y re­ Ospects a rich aIld lavish odyssey that From testing new alloys and ergonomic design to user-friendly traces the author's growing appreciation product features, Ames Lawn and Garden Tools has been a leader for American native plants. It begins, oddly in product innovation for over 200 years. Recently, a specially­ enough, at the Peraderuya Gardens in Sri modified Ames lopper went into space on the shuttle Discovery. Lanka and unfolds during a horticultural Our tools are built with a strong commitment to American­ pilgrimage across the Uruted States. made quality, and all feature a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Ottesen leads us to more thaIl 20 native Our customers are important to us, and that's why we work plaIlt gardens as she traverses 13,000 miles hard to give them the quality and innovation they want, at a price of incredible geological aIld climatic varia­ they can afford. We believe in real value for real people. And when tion. Regional "snapshots," each accom­ you're a company that thinks that way, the sky's the limit. paI1ied by a plaIlt list, introduce readers to some of tills country's outstanding plant To receive a free copy of Ames' Basic Pruning Guide, send a breeders, garden designers, aIld naturalists. self-addressed stamped envelope to Ames, BPG, P.O. Box 1485, Their insights, meshed with those ofOtte­ Mansfield, OH 44901. sen, provide the real substaI1Ce of tl1is work. The sumptuous design and illustra­ Official Lawn and tions of The Native Plant Pl'ime1S willie se­ Sponsor of Garden Tools 01 ductive, serve merely as a showcase for Ottesen's valuable information. Unlike Lawn&GardenTools- Since1774 other encyclopedic works-divided into

May/J~tne 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 53 plant colors or designations and heavy on THE HERB SOCIETY OF AMERICA impersonal cultural requirements-this ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HERBS book's sections on plant groupings from AND THEIR USES perennials to grasses, from water plants to Deni Bown. Dorling Kindersley Publishing shrubs and trees, offer a warm and de­ Inc.) New Y01'k) 1995. 422 pages. 9" x lightful journal that combines history, leg­ 11 1/2 /~ Colm' photog1'aphs. Publisher)s price: ends, design advice, and in-the-field hardcover) $39.95. AHS member price: professional recommendations. $35.95. Every gardener will appreciate no-non­ sense comments such as those on Melam­ ith a plethora of herb books on podium leucanthum: "difficult to the market-many of them with propagate from seeds. Buy plants." There W descriptors such as "compre­ are also extensive "spreadsheets" or charts hensive," "complete," or "encyclopedia" for many of the more diverse genera like THE PERMANENT in their titles-it is often difficult for gar­ METAL GARDEN LABEL Solidago) Liat1'is) and so on. Information deners to separate the wheat from the on azaleas, including a sidebar on azalea chaff and make good decisions on what to A - Hairpin Style Markers 100 For $ 25.45 care, is provided by Fred Galle, former di­ B - Plant/Shrub Labels 100 For $ 8.90 add to their libraries. Although the Ency­ C - Cap Style Markers 100 For $ 22.60 rector of horticulture at Callaway Gardens. clopedia ofHerbs and Their Uses-billed as D - Swinging Style Markers 100 For $ 21.40 Similar sidebars and insights from native "The Definitive Reference Work for Every E - Rose Markers 100 For $ 25.80 F - Tall Display Markers 100 For $ 32.65 plant experts too numerous to mention Gardener"-covers more than 1 ,000 G - Tall Single Staff Markers 100 For $ 26.50 proliferate, reflecting the author's rich net­ plants and contains a veritable visual feast H - Flag Style Markers 100 For $ 20.95 J - Small Plant Labels 100 For $ 8.30 work of associates around the country. of more than 1,5 00 color photographs, K - Tie-On Labels 100 For $13.95 Ottesen's plant descriptions are a rich the term "definitive" is still a stretch. It is M - Miniature Markers 100 For $19.20 tapestry that combines her personal expe­ safe to say, nevertheless, that this is the Special Quantity Prices Available riences with quotes from Hortus Third) most complete volume on plants for the Prices Include Prepaid Postage William Robinson, Aldo Leopold, Michael herb garden in the glutted herb book INTRODUCTORY OFFER: Dirr, and Vita Sackville-West. At times, marketplace. And for 1-Each; A,B,C,D,E,H,J and K thankfully, her observations mirror onr With Waterproof Crayon, Only $3.75 own; perhaps we have also had difficulties PAW PAW EVERLAST with hanklinia alatamaha or been disap­ LABEL COMPANY pointed with particular plant placements. P.o. Box 93 ·AH Ottesen is sensi,tive to each plant's sea­ Paw Paw, Michigan 49079-0093 sonality and its relationship to a dynamic plant community. She at times suggests ap­ propriate companion plants that will help achieve successive floweling, rn.irrOling the natural cycle of life in the garden and pro­ viding year-round beauty. There are as many reasons to value The Native Plant P1'imeras there are reasons to use native plants in our individual land­ scapes. While it would be noble to think that gardeners are turning to natives out of concern for genetic diversity or to maintain vital ribbons of wildlife habitat, the fact is that natives-regionally adapted and used properly-are tough, require little mainte­ under $40 nance after becoming established, and are this lavishly illustrated book is a easily and naturally integrated into our ex­ remarkable publishing feat. isting landscapes. The heart of this volume is an A-to-Z The Native Plant Primer is a rare com­ encyclopedic treatment, arranged by gen­ bination of friendly musings, useful lists, era. Unfortw1atdy, to look up information charts, and appendices, and a focused les­ on one plant you have to thumb between son on selecting and using native plants t""o sections of the book- "The Herb Cat­ from some of the finest horticultural minds alog" and "The Herb Dictionary." in the country. Ottesen has succeeded in The catalog contains descriptions of (202) 789 - 2698 bringing her odyssey home to us all. herbs, together with information on their -Joseph M. Keyser hardiness and uses. Each plant description AlLA§TAJ!~ Bo~70N An environmental specialist with Maryland features information on height, spacing, A.5.ILtoA. Environmental Services) Joseph M. Keyser name origin, distribution, and native habi­ develops programs to encourage habitat tat, along with one or two color photo­ = restoration and environmentally sensitive graphs of the species or its cultivars. landscaping. The dictionary contains a more detailed

54 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/June 1996 botanical description of each species, with general facts on the plant group and cross­ references to other sections. T he species entries include scientific and common names, and uses for various parts (medici ­ nal, economic, aromatic, etc.). A succinct section on growing and harvesting herbs is set offbelmv each species entry. The dic­ WATER LILY POOL tionary section has less visual appeal than the catalog, and it seems that combining jor ever!! garden all the information about individual plants No garden is complete without the beauty of a in one place would have made the book Water Garden Pool. Start planning for one todayl more user-friendly. New for 1996 T he dictionary also includes informa­ Tricker's Water Garden Book tion about historical human interest in An Introduction and Guide to Water Gardening. herbs and the medicinal uses ascribed to Find out from America's Oldest Water Garden them. Because the entries do not actually Spedalist proven techniques on Water Gardening. inform the reader how to Llse the herb, By Richard Lee, President, Wm Tricker. 68 ...os. however, this section fa lls short of being ONLY $12.95 plus S/H "definitive," and some of the material is includes FREE Tricker Catalog dated or otherwise suspect. Medicinal Tricker's Calalo 1 properties listed for the genus Echinacea in­ A beautiful Full Color Water Garden Catalog clude late 19th-centw-y uses sLl ch as in the describes and illustrates our immense collections treatment of gangrene. Cw-rent use is pri­ of Water Ulies, Aquatic Plants, Ornamental Fishes, Liners, Pumps, etc. marily as a nonspecific stimulant to the im ­ Learn how Tricker's customers receive: mune system, especially as a preventive for FREE Aquatic plants FREE Trickers Fish Food colds and flu. In Germany, it is a registered FREE On Trickers Pond Newsletter and morel drug fo r this purpose, yet I found no men­ Only $2.00. Call or write Today to America's tion of that in the book. Oldest Water Garden Specialist est 1895 St. John's-'won-the herbal medicine of Wm Tricker, Inc. 1-800-521-3192 choice for the treatment of depression-is 7125 Tanglewood Dr. Independence, OH 11131 widely presetibed by physicians in Europe, yet under the listing in the book I fowld no mention of anti-depressant activity other than the curious comment "not given to The Gardens of Europe patients with chronic depression." Fur­ thermore, the book is not referenced and Visit Eu rope's finest gardens and a rich variel)' of cultural the bibliography is skimpy. and historic sites. Tour at a civilized pace 'with a small group. The book does, however, feature an ex­ The Villas and Gardens ofItaly. Spectacul ar terraced gardens or the Lakes· Renaissance cellent chapter on designing herb gardens, vill as and gardens · Media:va l towns of Tuscany • Venice, Florence and Rome along "vith chapters on history, myth and The Chateaux and Gardens of France. T he castles or the Loire Va ll e)' • The co untryside legend, herbal books, herbs that changed or Normandy · Monet's Giverny • Paris the world, and some how-to information Provence and the Cote d'Azur. Splendid gardens overlooking the Mediterranean · for using herbs for culinary, medicinal, and Roman and media:val towns · The glamour orMonaco and Cannes· Aix, Avignon and Nice cosmetic pw-poses. A fascinating section on Call for a color brochure l ~~ 'TIS) ~~ Jl ~ ~~ herbs in the wild describes herbs harvested (800) SOS~2S0S lliJ,~~ ~ ~mtill from different regions. Although dle book is endorsed by the DIE:==~==~======31IDD H erb Society of America, dle British roots of the work show through from time to Snow Creek time. Despite its North American origin, evening primrose is listed as a major herb of the Ew-opean region. Yet the natw-alized Dayli lYGardens range of taxa such as Albizia and Vitex agnus-castus in Nordl America is largely (!('Please send your latest full-color Catalog. $2 enclosed. neglected. • PLE ASE PRJI'IT • Despite these drawbacks, Deni Bown NAME ______has completed a monumental work dlat Exquisite, proven varieties, developed by ADDR~S ______any herb gardener will be delighted to own. leading hybridizers, and pictured in luscious color from the people at B&D Lilies. Send -Steven Foster $2 for your copy today. ClTY______STATE__ ZIP___ _ Steven Foster is a writer and photogmphe1' IVISA I~ Photocopy, or clip & and mail with payment to: who specializes in the pharmaceutical and ~ _ ~ Snow Creek Nursery· 330 P Street - Dept H • Port Townsend, WA 98368 ~ toxicological properties ofplants . ~~ ~~

May/ J une 1 996 THE AMERICAN GARDEN E R 55 ods. Along with chapters on growing roses gardening, and container plantings is in­ and designing with roses is an encyclopedic cluded, along with a chart covering more gardeners' section with detailed descriptions of 175 dun 200 herbs. Book code: MAC 010 roses, supplemented .vith brief descriptions of more than 200 cultivars. Includes 220 THE HERB GARDENER: A books color photographs, 35 color illustrations, GUIDE FOR ALL SEASONS and a mail-order source list. Susan McClul'e. 1996. 236 pages. Publish­ Boolzs an chosen for the AHS H01'ticuitur­ Book code: ROD 002 el"s price: hardcover, $29.95. AHS member al Book Service based on perceived reader price: $26.50. interest, unusual s1l£bject matter, or sub­ THE SIBERIAN IRIS Beautiful and practical, this book is the stantive content. The following descriptions Currier McEwen. 1996. 242 pages. Publish­ complete guide to growing 75 different al'e not intended to be criticall'eviews, but er's price: hardcover, $39.95. AHS member herbs year-round. Written by an American are written to give an overview ofthe books' pl'ice: $35.50. gardener, it is designed for all levels of ex­ contents. For furthelt information about A complete primer on these elegant garden pertise. Illustrated with more than 100 these or other gardening books-or to order plants by one of the foremost American color photographs and many detailed books-please call Barbam Catherwood at growers and hybridizers. Includes chapters charts and tables. Book code: STO 008 (800) 777-7931 ext. 36. on history and classification, followed by desCliptions and cultural information on all modern cultivars. Contains 37 color pho­ GREAT REFERENCES FLOWERING PLANTS tographs and 11 line drawings. Book code: TIM 069 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL HYDRANGEAS: SOCIETY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF A GARDENERS' GUIDE GARDEN PLANTS Toni Lawson-Hall and Brian Rothera. HERBS Christopher Brickell. 1992. 608 pages. Pub­ 1995. 160 pages. Publisher's plt ice: hardcov­ lisher's price: hardcover, $49.95. AHS mem­ nj $34.95. AHS member pl'ice: $31. ber price: $42.50. This book broadens our knowledge of this A comprehensive, illustrated guide to more well-loved flowering shrub by describing than 8,000 trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, more than 80 of the most available culti­ cacti and succulents, and other plants. Con­ vars. The authors, who designed the Blitish tains more than 4,000 color photographs. National Hydrangea Collection, cover Book code: MAC 001 American cultivars and growing conditions as well. Includes more than 130 color pho­ LANDSCAPING WITH NATIVE TREES tographs, as well as leaf silhouettes and line Guy Stelt nber,g and Jim Wilson. 1995. 288 drawings. Book code: TIM 038 pages. Publisher's price: hardcover, $34.95. AHS member price: $31.45. Publisher's PEONIES price: softcover, $24.95. AHS member price: Allan Rogers. 1995.296 pages. Publisher's $22.45. price: hardcover, $34.95. AHS member A well-written and beautifully photo­ price: $31. graphed guide to identifYing, grmving, and Rogers, who operates Caprice Farm Nurs­ GARDENING WITH HERBS landscaping with native trees. This edition ery in Oregon, offers advice on siting, Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead. 1995. 262 concentrates on the trees of the Northeast, growing, propagating, and choosing cul­ pages. Publisher's price: hardcover, $45. Midwest, mid-South, and Southeast. tivars of these beautiful flowers. Appen­ AHS membel' pl'ice: $40. Book code: hardcover CHA 001a dices include a listing of all species and These New York-based herb lovers traveled 50ftcover CHA 001 b cultivars available commercially, nurseries the world to describe and photograph the that sell peonies, and a special section on most unique, interesting, and beautiful NATURAL GARDENING landscaping with peonies. Illustrated with herb gardens. Topiary, cottage, kitchen, John Kadel Boring, E"ica Glasener, Glenn more than 150 color photographs and drought-tolerant, and many other herb Keat01~ Jim Knopf, Jane Scott, and Sally line drawings. Book code: TIM 054 garden themes are illustrated using more Wasowski. 1996. 288 pages. Publishel"s price: than 300 exquisite photographs. Includes hardcover, $24.95. AHS membel' plt ice: THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ROSES: eight garden plans and a chart detailing $22.45. AN ORGANIC GUIDE TO more than 60 herbs. Book code: RAN 005 Another in the popular series of guides GROWING AND ENJOYING NEiIl\i from the Nature Company, this colorful AMERICA'S FAVORITE FLOWER HERB GARDEN DESIGN book offers hundreds of suggestions for Judith C. McKeon. 1995. 192 pages. Pub­ Ethne Clark. 1995. 144 pages. Publisher's plants and landscape designs that will make lisher's price: hardcover, $29.95. AHS mem­ price: hardcover, $25. AHS membelt price: your garden a natural habitat for a diverse ber price: $26.50. $22.50. community of wild creatures. The com­ McKeon, chief horticulturist at the Morris An American gardening in England, Ethne bined effort of an experienced group of Arboretum of the University of Pennsylva­ Clark uses 30 beautiful watercolor planting horticulturists and naturalists from all over rna, provides all the information both new plans and 75 color photographs to illustrate the country, this well-written guide is and experienced gardeners need to select coundess ways to use herbs in the garden. packed with color photographs, planting and grow superb roses using organic meth- Advice for urban gardening, all ergy-free plans, and charts. Book code: TLB 001

56 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May/June 1996 TITLE, AUTHOR BOOK CODE AHS PRICE Accessible Gardening for People with Physical Disabilities,Janeen Adil WOO 001 $15.50 AHS Encyclopedia of Gardening, Ch1'istopher Brickell DK001 $49.95 The Art of French Vegetable Gardening, LMtisa Jones NEW WOR001 $31.50 The Book of Rhododendrons, Ma1'ianna Kneller TIM 006 $40.00 Botany for Gardeners, B1,ian Capon TIM 009 $15.95 The City and Town Gardener, Linda Yang RAN 001 $16.00 Cushion Plants for the Rock Garden, Duncan Lowe NEW TIM 018 $26.50 Daffodils for American Gardens, Brent and BeckJ' Heath ELL 001 $22.45 Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices and Flavorings: A Cook's Compendium, Elisabeth Lambert 01rtiz DK004 $30.00 Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses, John Greenlee ROD 003 $25.50 Field and Garden Vegetables of America, Fea1ring BU1'r ABB 001 $32.00 The Forest Carpet, Bill and Nancy Malcolm NEW TIM 022 $17.50 The Garden TOLllist, Lois Rosenfeld NEW GTP 001 $13.45 The Gardener's Guide to Grmving Hostas, Diana Grenfell NEW TIM 028 $26.50 The Gardens of Colonial Williamsburg, Kent B1rinkley and Gordon Chappell NEW ANT 004 $26.95 Gardens of the Heartland, Laura C. Martin NEW ABV004 $40.00 Hortus Third, StaffofBailey Hortorium at Comell Univc1'Sity MAC011 $135.00 IdentifYing and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants, Steve Brill and EvelJ,n Dean NEW MOR002 $15.95 Manual of Bulbs, John Bryan TIM 046 $44.95 Manual of Climbers and Wall Plants,f.K. BU1'ras TIM 047 $35.95 Manual of Grasses, Rick Da1,lte TIM 048 $35.95 Manual of Herbaceous Ornamental Plants, Steven Still STI001 $42.50 Manual of Orchids, JOJ/cc Stewart TIM 049 $44.95 Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, Michael Dirr STI002 $38.95 Morning Glories and Moonflowers, Anne Halpin NEW SIM 003 $20.50 The New Kitchen Garden, Anna Pav01'd NEW DK008 $26.50 The New Orleans Garden: Gardening in tl1e GulfSoutl1, Charlotte Seidenberg MIS 001 $17.00 The Rose Bible, Rayf01'd Reddell RAN 013 $45.00 Seaside Gardening, Theodo1'e James J1" ABR 002 $26.95 Shrubs in the Wild and in Gardens, Bruno Kreme1' NEW BAR 002 $12.50 Taylor's Guide to Annuals STO 018 $17.00 Taylor'S Guide to Heirloom Vegetables NEW STO 023 $17.00 Taylor'S Guide to Herbs STO 024 $17.00 Taylor'S Guide to Perennials STO 027 $17.00 Taylor'S Guide to Roses STO 028 $17.00 Three Years in Bloom: A Garden Keeper's Journal, Ann LovejoJ' SAS 002 $13.50 Water Gardening, Water Lilies and Lotuses, Perry Slocum and Peter Robinson NEW TIM 076 $52.50 Watering Systems for Lawn and Garden: A Do-It-Yourself Guide, R. Dodge Woodson NEW STO 034 $15.45

AHS HORTICULTURAL BOOK SERVICE ORDER FORM SHIP TO: Name CHOOSE PAYMENT METHOD: Address o Check enclosed. Amount: $ City State Zip o Charge to: 0 VISA 0 MasterCard Daytime phone ( Account # ______

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POSTAGE & HANDLING U.S. Mail Order Amount UPS Book Rate $1.00 - $20 $4.25 $2.00 Subtotal $20.01 - $40 $5.00 $3.00 Virginia residents: Add 4.5% sales tax $40.01 - $60 $5 .75 $4.00 Postage & Handling (see chart) $60.01 - $80 $6.50 $5.00 $80.01 - $100 $7.25 $6.00 Total $100.01+ add $.75 for each additional $20.00 Mail completed form to: AHS Horticultural Book Service, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300. Or call toll-free (8 00) 777-7931 ext. 36. Prices in effect until June 30, 1996. After expiration date, orders will be filled pending availability. Please allow four to six weeks for delivery. Pri ces subject to change without notice.

May /J~tn e 1996 THE AMERICAN GARDENER 57 MAY 11 . Georgetown Garden Tour. NORTHEAST Private and public gardens. Washington, D.C. (2 02) 333-4953, (202) 333-6896, or MAY 4 • May Gardener's Market. (30 1) 656-2343. Garden Education Center of Greenw ich, MAY 18 . Herb Fair and Sale. Cos Cob, Connecticut. (203) 869-9242. Oatlands Plant ation, Leesburg, Virginia. MAY 4-5 • Gardener's Swap Meet. (703) 777-3174. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New MAY 18 . Sow, Grow, and York. (7 18) 817-8700. Celebrate. Festival and plant sal e. MAY 11-12 . Annual Wildflower William Pa ca Garden, Annapolis, Plant and Seed Sale. Brandywine River Maryland. (410) 267-7619,269-0432, Museum, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. or 261-1110. (610) 388-8327. MAY 18-19 . 48th Annual Rose MAY 19 . Lilac Sunday. Arnold Show. Virginia Peninsula Rose Society. Arboretum of Ha rvard University, Jamaica Coliseum Mall, Hampton, Virginia. Plain, Massachusetts. (617) 524-1718. region'al (804) 596-6452. MAY 30 • Private Garden Tours In JUNE 2-3 • Charles Village Garden and Around Wilmington, Delaware. happenings Festival and Walk. Wyman Park, Sw arthmore College, Sw arthmore, Baltimore, Maryland. (410) 662-7777. Pennsylvania. (610) 328-8025. JUNE 21-23 . Secret Garden Tour. a look at wha~s NORTH CENTRAL Historic Point Section, Newport, Rhode Island. (401) 847-0514. happening around MAY 11-12, JUNE 29-30, and SEPT. 14- JUNE 30 • City Spaces, Country 1 S • Hermann's Secret Gardens on Places. Tour of 20 private gardens. the nation Tour. Garden tours and art show. Worcester County Horticultural Society, Hermann, Missouri. (3 14) 486-2744. Boylston, Massachusetts. (508) 869-61 11. MID-ATLANTIC MAY 18 . Spring Into the Garden. Workshop. Klehm Arboretum and NORTHWEST MAY 8-9 • Regional Expression and Botanic Garden, Rockford, Illinois. the Virginia Garden. Gillette Forum. (815) 654-4295. MAY 18-19 • Wetlands Tour. Geo­ Lew is Ginter Botanical Garden and the JUNE 1-2 • Iris Show. Olbrich thermal Aquaculture Research Foun­ Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, Virginia. Botanical Ga rdens, Madison, Wisconsin. dation, Bo ise, Idaho. (208) 344-6163 . (804) 262-9887 ext . 3022. (608) 246-4551 . MAY 19 • Wildflower Festival.

Landscaping N ebraska Communities ed to build on the theme of the school's name." Now trees and shrubs are planted throughout the 30-acre grounds, amid ost botanical gardens and arboreta have a single ad­ playgrounds, sidewalks, and an existing creek. dress. But in Nebraska, "the topography and climate Children raised several thousand dollars collecting cans for Mare so varied it wouldn't do justice to all the areas to recycling. Memorials brought in additional funds; the names of have just one location," explains Justin Evertson, planning spe­ those honored are engraved on a wall plaque in the school or cialist for dle Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA). "The listed in a book displayed under a mural by a local artist. state as a whole is our site." Now when students enter Arbor Park in the fourth grade, More than 30 Mfiliated Arboretum Sites across the state are each adopts a tree and asswnes responsibility for its care. They owned and op ~ra ted by local groups, with the University of learn to identifY tree species with the help of brochures donated Nebraska-Lincoln serving as a clearinghouse for funds and by a local nursery. Senior citizens use me meandering walkways teclmical expertise on such things as design and tree planting. for their morning exercise, and other locals stop by for planting One llmovative, award-winning approach NSA has taken is advice. "We ended up not only beautifYing the school site," the Community Landscape Improvement Project, launched in says Petersen, "but with a nice outdoor classroom." 1986. In a seven-year period, more than 50 primarily rural Nebraska communities were assisted with beautifYing school­ FROM DUMP TO PARK growlds and other public spaces. In each, an NSA ~eam worked It took vision to transform a solid waste landfill into a park­ with community volunteers to identity landscape needs and op­ that and four to six feet of earth dumped on top of concrete portunities. Projects had to include an educational component chwlks and old washing machines. and a realistic maintenance strategy. The Peter Kiewit Founda­ The land had been used to raise peonies by the father and tion of Omaha contributed more dun $1 million to be grandfather of the most recent owner, who donated the matched one-to-one by the local COmmUlu,ties. pI10perty to the city for waste disposal. All dle parties in­ volved agreed that me site should become a park once its A SCHOOL BY ANY OTHER NAME ... waste capacity was reached. Volunteers solicited funds from When the NSA program was arulOunced, says Roger Petersen, nearby residents and others interested in establishing an ar­ principal of the Arbor Park Middle School in Blair, "We decid- boretum, and sold bricks with gold-leaf inscriptions. These

58 T H E AMERICAN GARDENER M ay/J une 1996 SOUTHEAST Open Days Directory MAY 4-5 • Sho-Fu Bonsai Society esidents of the Northeast who long for a glimpse inside the fences of that area's Show and Sale. Marie Selby Botanical best gardens "vill enjoy the recently e:x.'Panded Open Days Directory, a guide to Gardens, Sarasota, Florida. (941) 366- Rvisiting select private gardens. Published by the Garden Conservancy, a nation­ 5731 ext. 10. al garden preservation organization, tl1e directory includes gardens in nortl1ern MAY 6-8 • Gardening in Paradise. New Jersey and Long Island ill addition to tile original region ofCOImecticut, and Southeast Region Master Gardener Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties of New York. Continued Training. Pensacola Beach, Nearly 200 private gardens chosen for a strong sense of design or an interesting Pensacola, Florida. (904) 477-0953. plant collection will open exclusively for the 1996 Open Days program on one or MAY 11 • Gardens for Connoisseurs more of 16 weekend days through September. Each listing includes a garden de­ Tour. Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, sCliption, travel directions, and tile dates and times the property is open. Admission Georgia. (404) 876-5859. to each garden is $4; the directory costs $8 ($5 for conservancy members) plus JUNE 22 • Aquatic Plant Sale. Crosby $1.50 for shipping and handling. To order the directory, write tl1e Garden Conser­ Arboretum, Picayune, Mississippi. (601) vancy at P.O. Box 219, Cold Spring, NY 10516, or call (914) 265-2029. 799-2311 .

SOUTHWEST Mount Pisgah Arboretum, Eugene, Clubs. Garden Center in Tyrrell Park, Oregon. (541) 747-3817. Beaumont, Texas. (409) 842-3135. MAY 10-11 • Annual Plant and Used MAY 31-JUNE 1 • Fern Festival. MAY 10-11 • Heritage Herb Spring Book Sale. Denver Botanic Garden, Northwest Horticultural Society, Center Extravaganza. Ozark Folk Center State Denver, Colorado. (303) 331-4000. for Urban Horticulture, Seattle, Park, Mountain View, Arkansas. (501) MAY 11 • Propagating and Washington. (206) 527-1794. 269-3851. Cultivating Herbs. Workshop. Desert JUNE 15-16 . Tour of Private MAY 25 • Surplus Cacti and Succu­ Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona. Gardens. Whatcom In Bloom Garden lent Sale. Chihuahuan Desert Visitor (602) 941-1225. Society, Bellingham, Washington. Center, Alpine, Texas. (915) 837-8370. MAY 18 . Plant Sale. Red Butte (360) 738-6833. JUNE 1-8 . Garden Week. Will Rogers Garden and Arboretum, Salt Lake City, Garden Exhibition Building, Oklahoma Utah. (801) 581-5322. SOUTH CENTRAL City, Oklahoma. (405) 943-0827. JUNE 1 • House and Garden Tour JUNE 14-15 . Herb Society Seminar and Preview of Botanic Garden. MAY 4-5 • Spring Garden Tour and and Sale. Tulsa Garden Center, Tulsa, Tour of private gardens and new Rio Plant Sale. Beaumont Council of Garden Oklahoma. (918) 746-5125. Grande Botanic Garden (opening in

efforts netted the group $39,000 in less than a year. "We wanted a passive green space," explains Jim Krejci, di­ rector of parks and recreation for the City of York. "Neighbors realized the park wouldn't bring increased vehicle traffic, but would mean an increase in property values." Now the handicapped-accessible site, complete witll many concrete pathways, serves as a classroom for schools and 4-H groups. A slope was left open for a sledding hill, and a vine­ draped arbor is popular for weddings and outdoor meetings.

AN AVARICIOUS PROJECT Jin1 Goeke of the West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte calls theirs "the most avaricious project" fund­ ed tl1Cough the arboretum's program. It was actually eight pro­ jects-landscaping seven schools and a shopping mall-calling for more than 1,000 trees and shrubs. Instead of spending money on professional planting ser­ vices, "we used volunteers to maximize the plant funds." Even so, some landscape plans exceeded the budget, "so we had to prioritize." Approaches and entrances topped the list; some schools later finished landscaping plans with their own funding. However, as the NSA's Evertson points out, tl1e program's At Arbor Park Middle School, top, landscaping plans impact goes beyond trees and landscaping. "It was as much accommodated a natural creek on the 30-acre grounds. about community involvement and putting in place tools for A project in York, Nebraska, above, replaced a landfill long-term commitments to landscape and other community with a community park. in1provements." Terri J. Huck, Managing Editor

Ma y/J une 1 996 THE AMERI CAN GARDEN E R 59 They Do Windows n 1992 Hurricane Andrew left its mark on Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami, Florida, but the opening of the new Fairchild Conservatory last March marked the Ifinal phase of restoration and the garden's full recovery, as well as its 58th anniver­ sary. The roof of the conservatory, which was formerly the Rare Plant House, col­ lapsed during the storm, necessitating a complete make-over. a look at current offerings The theme of the new exhibit is "Windows to the Tropics." Six ''windows'' focus on clistil1ct areas of tropical flora. Exhibit areas highlight plants used as food products from the marketplace throughout the world; interactions between plants and animals; and plants newly in­ troduced into the garden from recent expeclitions to remote regions of the globe. Fairchild Tropical Garden is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road. For more infor­ CLASSIFIED AD RATES: All classified advertis­ mation, call (305) 667-1651. ing must be p1'epaid. $2 pel' wordj minimum $50 pel' inse1,tion. Copy and p1'epayment must be re­ ceived on the 20th ofthe month three months prim" October). Albuquerque, New Mexico. Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, to publication date. Send orders to: AHS Advel'­ (505) 764-6200. California. (805) 682-4726 ext. 102. tising Department, 506 Russell Road, Alexan­ JUNE 15 . 11th Annual Plant Sale MAY 11-12 . Geranium Show and dria, VA 22301,01' call (703) 549-2112. and Horticultural Fair. The Arboretum Sale. Descanso Gardens, La Canada­ at Flagstaff, Arizona. (602) 774-1441. Flintridge, California. (213) 681-2201, THE AVANT GARDENER (818) 793-7397, or (818) 794-3082. DON'T MISS THE BEST! Subscribe to Ameri­ ca's liveliest gardening publication. Every month WEST COAST MAY 12 . San Diego Epiphyllum "the unique horticultural news service" brings Society Annual Show and Sale. Casa you the latest on new plants, products, tech­ MAY 4-5 • Mount Tamalpais Wild­ del Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, niques, with sources, feature articles, special is­ flower and Garden Festival. Mill California. (619) 583-9551. sues. 28th year. Curious? Sample copy $2. Valley, California. (415) 388-3503. MAY 19 . Celebration of Old Roses. Serious? $14 fu ll year (regularly $20). THE AVANT GARDENER, Box 489M, New York, MAY 4-6 • Plant Evolution on Heritage Roses Group. EI Cerrito NY 10028. Islands. One-day symposium and subse­ Community Center, EI Cerrito, California. quent tours of the Channel Islands. Santa (510) 526-6960. CACTI AND SUCCULENTS r------, RARE AND EXOTIC PLANTS from around I the world. Catalog $2, refundable. ABBEY I I BOARD OF DIRECTORS PROXY GARDEN CACTUS, P.O. Box 2249, La I Habra, CA 90632-2249, (310) 905-3520. FAX I Notice of Election in conjunction with the 51st Annual Meeting I (310) 905-3522. I of the American Horticultural Society. I will not be able to attend the AHS Annual Meeting on May 30, 1996. '95-'96 FLOWERING JUNGLE CACTI CAT­ ALOG now available. Orchid cacti (epiphyl­ Please assign my proxy to AHS Chairman William Ban'ick or to: lums), Christmas/Easter cacti, hoyas, succulents. 81-page plant/ bookshop catalogs, 215 color Name photos! Only $2. RAINBOW GARDENS, 1444-AH Taylor St. , Vista, CA 92084. to cast my ballot in the annual election of the Society's Board of Directors and to cast my ballot in other matters that may be brought before the Annual Meeting with the same effect as though COMPUTER SOFTWARE I were personally present. ENTER THE PERENNIAL, software for IBMs New Board Members: Second-Term Board Members: and compatibles. Describes and sorts over 3,000 D Katherine McKay Belk D Paul Ecke Jr. perennials by color, height, bloom time, sun and D Michael Bonfante D Gene Miller soi l requirements. For FREE demo diskette D Edward N. Dane D Dudley Morgan (specifY 3 V2" or 5 V4") , contact: THE DESIGN­ D Robert Dolibois D Geoffrey Rausch ING GARDENER, P.O . Box 837, Dept. A, Har­ D Merle Jensen D Monroe Whitton rison, NY 10528, (9 14) 698-7425. D Egon Molbak HELP WANTED D Charles Henry Smith Jr. D Valerie Thomas EXTRA INCOME '96-Earn $200-$500 week­ ly mailing travel brochures. For more informa­ D tion, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Write-in Ca1~didate C.c.L. TRAVEL, P.O. Box 612290, Miami, FL 33261. Name GARDEN TOURS Address TOUR NEW ZEALAND GARDENS-with Daniel Campbell from University of California Cit'l,/State/Zip Botanical Gardens, October 1996, and Jim Wil­ son, TV garden program host, January 1997. Signattt1'e Date Daffoclil garden tour, September 1996. Iris gar­ I dens, November 1996. Travel with New Out out protJCY and return by ~ 15 to: I I Zealand Garden Tour Specialists. KIWIPAC William Ba1'rick, AHS, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300. I I TOURS, 1919 Chula Vista Drive, Belmont, CA ------~ 94002, (415) 595-2090.

60 THE AMERICAN GARDENER May / June 1996 ORCHIDS ROSES \--T~:~~it~~~ii~'@~: ORCHID SPECIES-Sale or trade to botanica l MANY NEW RO E SELECTIONS for the in stitutio ns. Please ca ll . A WORLD OF OR­ coming season. Over 700 va ri eties: new show t Private Gardens in j CHIDS , 2501 Old Lake Wil so n Rd ., Kissimmee, roses and ground covers; Engli sh and old garden , the British Isles , FL 34747, (407) 396-1881. Nursery reg. roses; 6 tho rnl ess HT va rieties; antique and clas­ #47222419. sic roses by Beaks; miniatures by Rennie; hardy t England & Chelsea Flower Show ~ Ottawa explorers; Manitoba Parkland va ri eties; : Scotland • Ireland • Wales -; PERENNIALS and our fabul ous Pavcment roses that are disease­ ~ Other destinations available . BEAUTIFUL PERENNIALS at a pleasing price. free, low-main tenance types that are also suitable We at Blu estone ha ve grown and shi pped o ur for harsh prai ri e win ters. A superb collecti on. Our t U fi elds arc known to be virus-free. Orders shipped l -1: +la '''}Il- :' specialty perennials for over 20 yea rs. Let US help beaurit), yo ur home with our economi ca l plants, with our temperature-controll ed truck to UPS f Call: (800) 448·2685 , bulbs, and shru bs. Write today fo r our FREE depots in the USA for local di stribution. Catalog t:..rze-:!J.~~f:.f~~}i~~, :f.:::·'-CZIj,/}~~' color catalog. BLUESTONE PERENNIALS, $3. Books by Austin and Beales. Encyclopedic 7215 Middle Ridge, Madison, OH 44057. video on roses by English rose ex pert Peter Beales, $35 delivered. Kind ly tax or mail in retail GARDEN DESTINATIONS WITH orders or call thci11 in on our answer line (905) ELLEN HENKE, Ph.D. ur catalog tells you how to grow plants, not just 689-9323. HORTrCO I c., 723 Robson Rd., how to buy them . Complete descriptions and Noted Botanist, Author and TV Personality O Waterdown, Ontario LOR 2Hl. Tel: (905 ) 689- advice on over 1000 varieti es of perennials, 6984 or 689-3002. Fax: (905 ) 689-6566. New Zealand! Australia OctINov '96 orn amental grasses, prairie wildflowers and vines. 1997 Tours: Ireland , England Flower Shows, Send $1.00. South Africa, Cruise New Zealand & Australia ATIENTION, ROSE GROWERS-Want better color, large r Aowers, stronger stems) Get a good Call 1-800-488-3377 4838 Douglas Ave. organic fertilizer, says Everitt Mi Uer, former direc­ Racine , WI 53402-2498 tor of Longwood Gardens and past president of GROUND COVERS AHS. Get be t resu lts with MILLS MAGIC MIX, QUALITY GROUND COVERS AND PE­ PLANTS (UNUSUAL) a 100% natural o rga ni c fe rtili zer produced by RENNIALS. Aegopodium, European gin ger, BEATY FERTILI ZER COMPMTy, Tennessee. ivies , lami ums, hardy cactus, plumbago, sweet JOY CREEK URSERY perennials ,lnd nati ve Wo rks equally wel l on other Aoweling plants. For woodruff, sedums, vincas. Send for complete list. plants. Ca ta log $2, refundable. JOY CREEK information, ca ll ,1Ild order now. (800) 845-2325. GILSON GARDENS, INC., Dept. H , P.O. Box NURSERY, Bin 2,20300 N.W. Warson Rd., 277, Perry, OH 44081. FAX (2 16) 259-2378. Scappoose, OR 97056.

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May / J une 1996 THE AMER I CAN GARDENER 61 C. ligusticifolia Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii C.1ih-gus-tih-sih-FO-lee-uh mal-vuh-VISS-kus ar-BOR-ee-us C. maximowicziana var. drum-MON-dee-eye C. mak-sih-mo-vich-ee-AN-uh Melampodium leucanthum Cordia boissieri meh-lam-PO-dee-um loo-KAN-thum KOR-dee-uh bwa-SEE-air-eye Mentzelia leucophylla Cotinus coggygria ment-ZEE-lee-uh loo-ko-FIL-llh KOH-tin-us koh-JEE-gree-uh Myrica cerifera C. obovatus my-RlH-kuh seh-RIF-er-uh C. ahb-oh-VAY-tus Nitrophila mohavensis Crataegus aestivalis ny-TROF-ih-lul1 mo-hah-VEN-sis kruh-TEE-gus es-tih-VAL-iss Oxypetalum caeruleum C. marshallii ok-sih-PEH-tal-um seh-ROO-lee-um C. mar-SHAL-lee-eye Pinus ponderosa Cryptomeria japonica PIE-nus pon-deh-RO-suh ktip-toh-MAIR-ee-uh juh-PON-ih-kuh Pithecellobium flexicaule pih -thuh­ Dalea greggii seh-LO-be-um flek-sih- KAW-lee DAY-Iee-uh GREG-ee-eye Pityopsis graminifolia Dodonaea viscosa pit-ee-OP-siss grah-min-ih-FO-lee-uh a simple speaking guide to doh-doh-NAY-uh vis-KOH-suh Poncirus trifoliata Dudleya hassei pon-SEER-us tri-fo-lee-AY-tuh plants found in this issue dud-LAY-uh HAS-see-eye Pulsatilla Enceliopsis nudicaulis var. corrugata pull-suh-TIL-uh Acorus gramineus en-see-lee-OP-siss noo-dih-KAW-liss Quercus garryana AK-or-us grah-MIN-ee-us var. kor-yew-GAY-tuh KWER-kus gah-ree-AN-uh Aeschynomene Ericameria laricifolia Q imbricaria es-ky- NOH-men-ee air-ih-kuh-MAIR-ee-uh Q. im-brih-KAIR-ee-uh Aesculus parviflora luh-rih-sih-FO-lee-uh Q velutina ES -kyew-lus par-vih-FLOR-uh Franklinia alatamaha Q. vel-yew-TY-nuh Aglaonema modestum frank-LIN-ee-uh uh-Iah-tuh-MAH-hah Ribes viburnifolium ag-lay-oh-NEH-muh mod-ES-tum Gaylussacia dumosa RY-beez vy-ber-nih-FO-lee-llm Aloysia gratissima gay-loo-SAK-ee-uh doo-MOH-suh Rubus cockburnianus uh-LOY- zee-uh gra-TIS-sim-uh Grindelia fraxino-pratensis ROO-bus cock-bur-nee-AN-lls Astragalus phoenix grin-DEL-ee-uh Salvia roemeriana uh-STRAG-uh-lus FEE-niles fi°ak-SEE-no-pruh-TEN-sis SAL-vee-uh rem-air-ee-AN-uh Atriplex canescens Hylotelephium Simmondsia chinensis AT-rih-pleks kuh-NEH-senz hy-Io-tuh-LEF-ee-um sim-MOND-see-uh chy-NEN-siss A. lentiformis Iris kaempferi Smilacina racemosa A.len-tih-FOR-mis EYE-riss kemp-FAIR-eye smy-luh-SEE-nuh rass-eh-MO-suh Azara microphylla Ivesia eremica Tropaeolum peregrinum uh-ZAR-uh my-kro-FIL-Iuh eye-VEES-yuh eh-REM-ih-kuh tro-PEE-o-Ium pair-eh-GRY-num Bouteloua eriopoda Lavandula dentata Tulipa batalinii boo-teh-LOO-uh air-ee-O-po-duh luh-VAN-dyew-lul1 den-TAY-tuh TOO-lip-uh bat-uh-LIH-nee-eye B.gracilis Leucophyllum candidum Tweedia caerulea B. GRASS-ih-liss loo-koh-FIL-um KAN-dih-dum TWEE-dee-uh seh-ROO-lee-tll Buchloe dactyloides L. frutescens Vauquelinia californica vaw-kwe-LIN­ boo-KLOH-ee dak-tih-LOY-deez L. froo-TES-enz ee-uh kal-ih-FORN-ih-kuh Calyptocarpus vialis Lonicera standishii Zantedeschia kah-lip-toh-IZAR-pus VY-ah-lis lah -NISS-er-uh stan -DISH -ee-eye zan-teh-DES-kee-uh Camellia oleifera kuh-MEEL-yuh o-lee-IF-ur-uh Carpinus betulus What's in a Name: Cordia boissieri kar- PIE-nus BET-yew-Ius Cedrus deodara member of the borage family (Boraginaceae), Cordia is a genus of some 250 SEED-rus dee-o-DAB -ruh to 300 species ofevergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and vines found main­ Centaurium namophilum A ly in the tropics of both the Old and New Worlds. Swedish naturalist Carolus sen-TAR-ee-um nam-OFF-ih-Ium Linnaeus, who is credited with developing the binomial system for nomenclature, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis named the genus in honor ofEuricius Cordus and his son, Valerius, a duo of German kam-eh-SIP-uh-tiss newt-kuh-TEN-sis botanist-pharmacists who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Chrysactinia mexicana The specific epithet honors Edmond Boissier (1810-1885), a Svviss botanist who ktis-ak-TIN-ee-uh mex-ih-KAN-uh described many species from Spain and the Middle East. Boissier's life was marred by Clematis hirsutissima the tragic death ofills 27-year-old wife, Lucille, during a botanical expedition to Spain. KLEM-uh-tiss her-soo-TISS-ih-muih

62 T HE AM E RI CAN G ARD E N E R May / Jun e 1996

ASHLEY STEPHENSON Chief Horticulturist of England's Royal Palace Gardens, retired.

I realized the dream of every English gardener

when I was put in charge of the Royal Palace gardens.

My mission was to further enhance their beauty. That was when

I first used Miracle-Gro. The results it achieved were outstanding.

I'm still using Miracle-Gro, although today,

the only garden I'm enhancing is my own.

for ALL FLOWERS ALL VEGETABLES ~:::::::~ MIRACLE-GRO