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GARDENERGARDENERTheThe MagazineMagazine ofof thethe AAmericanmerican HorticulturalHorticultural SocietySociety July/August 2005

Shrubs for Small Spaces Soil Microbes Enhance Plant Health H. Marc Cathey: A Horticultural Giant’s Colorful Career Bright and Adaptable Zauschnerias must-have monardas

contents Volume 84, Number 4 . July / August 2005

FEATURES DEPARTMENTS

5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM 6 MEMBERS’ FORUM 8 NEWS FROM AHS Eastern Performance Trials update, three new AHS Board members, America in Bloom celebrates third year, new AHS guide to public gardens, pagepage 88 emerald ash borer monitoring site established at River Farm, second phase of River Farm meadow completed, in memoriam Kathleen Fisher.

AHS PARTNERS IN PROFILE pagepage 2828 13 EarthBox™.

42 GARDENING BY DESIGN 14 H. MARC CATHEY BY RITA PELCZAR Put color in its place. A look at the colorful career and legacy of 44 ONE ON ONE WITH… retiring AHS President Emeritus Dr. H. page 14 Elaine Ingham, soil biologist. Marc Cathey. 46 HABITAT GARDENING 18 MUST-HAVE MONARDAS BY JESSIE KEITH The northern plains and prairies. Beyond the commonly available cultivars, this genus contains 48 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK several less-familiar species worth knowing and growing. Best plants for the Rockies, study shows 23 MIGHTY MYCORRHIZAE BY DOREEN G. HOWARD plants contradict laws Do beneficial soil microbes really work? Here’s one gardener’s of heredity, reviving account of her decade-long experience with mycorrhizae. heirloom petunias, excess nitrogen en- dangers rare plants, best 28 COMPACT SHRUBS BY PATRICIA ACTON spruces for the South, Shrubs that stay in scale at maturity are a good fit for today’s Alan Bloom dies. pagepage 4848 smaller gardens. 52 BOOK REVIEWS Plant: The Ultimate Visual Reference to 33 THE GREAT PLAINS PLANTSMAN BY BOB HILL Plants and Flowers of the World, Elegant Plant explorer and nursery owner Harlan Hamernik turns out Silvers, A Garden by the Sea, and plants as tough as his native Nebraska plains. A Natural History of Ferns. Special focus: Summer reading.

38 ZAUSCHNERIAS BY ROBERT NOLD 56 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS Little-grown California fuchsias are adaptable to a wide range of 61 HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES garden settings. AND PRONUNCIATIONS

ON THE COVER: Monarda citriodora grows easily from seed, blooms all summer long, and bears 62 RIVER FARM SNAPSHOT

TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF SPRING MEADOW NURSERY; BOTTOM LEFT: MARY YEE; TOP RIGHT: COURTESY OF CENTERTON NURSERY; BOTTOM RIGHT: PANAYOTI KELAIDIS / COURTESY OF PLANT SELECT® TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF SPRING MEADOW NURSERY; BOTTOM MARY YEE; RIGHT: CENTERTON PANAYOTI leaves with a citrusy scent. Photograph by David Cavagnaro Summer sizzle.

July / August 2005 3 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 7931 East Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 (800) 777-7931 fax (703) 768-8700 www.ahs.org Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens

American Horticultural Society President’s Council

PRESIDENT Katy Moss Warner CHAIRMAN'S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Kurt PRESIDENT EMERITUS Dr. H. Marc Cathey Bluemel ■ Ms. Claire Burrows ■ Mr. and Mrs. Edward N. Dane ■ Mr. Mark Board of Directors Garrison ■ Ms. Jill Hamilton ■ Mr. and Mrs. James S. Hutchinson ■ Mr. Robert E. Malesardi ■ Ms. Nancy Petersen ■ Mr. Phil Snyder LIBERTY HYDE CHAIRMAN Arabella S. Dane Center Harbor, New Hampshire BAILEY ASSOCIATES Mr. A. Michael Gelman ■ Mr. and Mrs. Mickey Lynch ■ FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN Brian E. Holley Cleveland, Ohio Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Manson, III ■ Mr. and Mrs. Ken Mountcastle ■ The SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Don E. Riddle, Jr. Davidsonville, Maryland Honorable Lauralee M. Peters ■ Jeanne Otis Shields ■ Ms. Katy Moss Warner SECRETARY Albin MacDonough Plant Baltimore, Maryland ■ Ms. Donnan C. Wintermute HAUPT ASSOCIATES Mrs. Lynda A. Bachman

TREASURER Christine Perdue Middleburg, Virginia ■ Dr. and Mrs. William E. Barrick ■ Mr. and Mrs. C. William Black ■ Mr.

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Kurt Bluemel Baldwin, Maryland and Mrs. Robert L. Bogle ■ Mr. Richard C. and Mrs. Katherine Stark Bull ■

Dr. and Mrs. H. Marc Cathey ■ Mr. and Mrs. Louis Cordia ■ Mrs. Elisabeth GENERAL COUNSEL William A. Pusey C. Dudley ■ Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Hanselman ■ Ms. Minako Henderson

■ ■ ■ Leslie Ariail Alexandria, Virginia ■ Allan M. Armitage Athens, Georgia ■ William E. Barrick, Ph.D. Theodore, Mrs. Carole S. Hofley Col. and Mrs. Freeman E. Jones Mr. and Mrs. ■ ■ Alabama ■ Katherine Belk-Cook Charlotte, North Carolina ■ Katherine Stark Bull Washington, D.C. Robert E. Kulp, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Matheson, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Harold McClendon, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Tom McGlade ■ Mr. Paul H. Pusey ■ John Alex Floyd, Jr. Trussville, Alabama ■ Joel Goldsmith Gilroy, California ■ Beverly Hanselman Nashville, ■ Ms. Michele Richardson ■ Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. ■ Mr. Timothée Sallin ■ Tennessee ■ Natasha Hopkinson New York, New York ■ Margaret Kulp Louisville, Kentucky ■ Melissa R. Mr. and Mrs. Turner T. Smith, Jr. ■ Dr. and Mrs. George E. Staehle ■ Mr. Marshall Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ■ Carol C. Morrison Palatine, Illinois ■ Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. Falls Church, and Mrs. Arnold Steiner ■ Mr. John Wm. Thomas and Mrs. Valerie Thomas Virginia ■ Felder Rushing Jackson, Mississippi ■ William Seale, Jr. Alexandria, Virginia ■ Jeanne Otis Shields ■ Mr. Howard McK. Tucker and Ms. Megan Evans ■ Mr. and Mrs. W. Bruce Greenville, Delaware ■ Arnold Steiner Birmingham, Alabama ■ Steven Still Hilliard, Ohio ■ Howard McK. Usrey ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Volk Tucker Alexandria, Virginia ■ Susie Usrey Dayton, Oregon ■ Robert D. Volk San Marino, California PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Angino ■ Nancy J. Becker,

M.D. ■ Mrs. Katherine Belk-Cook ■ Mr. Phillip Bermingham ■ Mrs. George

2005 Advisory Council P. Bissell, Jr. ■ Ms. Sylvia Black ■ Dr. Sherran Blair ■ Mrs. and Mrs. Robert Beverly Hanselman, Nashville, Tennessee – Chair Bogle ■ Count and Countess Peder Bonde ■ Mrs. Anne Bucher ■ Mr. and Katherine Belk-Cook, Charlotte, North Carolina Robert and Joanna Martin, Menlo Park, Colorado Mrs. Cason Callaway, Jr. ■ Mrs. Susan M. Cargill ■ Mrs. and Mr. Charles E. Clarissa Bonde, Washington D.C. Mrs. Malcolm Matheson, Mt. Vernon, Virginia Carr ■ Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Chandler ■ Mr. and Mrs. James L. Corfield Walter Bull, Columbia, South Carolina Egon Molbak, Bellevue, Washington ■ Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Crawford ■ Mr. and Mrs. Edward Daisey ■ Mr. and Elaine Burden, Middleburg, Virginia Nancy Keen Palmer, Nashville, Tennessee Mrs. James F. Delano ■ Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Demisay ■ Mr. and Mrs. Dr. H. Marc Cathey, Silver Spring, Maryland Bob Patterson, Washington D.C. Michael D. Dubke ■ Mrs. Beverley W. Dunn ■ Mrs. Maureen Ecke ■ Ms. Fred Clapp, Alexandria, Virginia Dr. Julia W. Rappaport, Santa Ana, California Anita Ellis ■ Mr. and Mrs. John H. Fitzpatrick ■ Dr. and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Russell Clark, Boston, Massachusetts Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. Falls Church, Virginia Jr. ■ Ms. Marguerite Peet Foster ■ Mr. Thomas B. Gentry ■ Ms. Dorothy Bartie Cole, Owings Mills, Maryland Deen Day Sanders, Norcross, Georgia Gillespie ■ Mr. John Sward Gleiber ■ Mr. and Mrs. Joel Goldsmith ■ Mr. Jim Corfield, Geneva, Illinois Josephine Shanks, Houston, Texas and Mrs. David B. Gray ■ Mr. and Mrs. John H. Guy, IV ■ Mr. Gerald T. Virginia Hill Daisey, Dedham, Massachusetts Barbara Shea, Baltimore, Maryland Halpin ■ Mrs. Richard W. Hamming ■ Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove ■ Edward N. Dane, Center Harbor, New Hampshire Holly Shimizu, Glen Echo, Maryland Mr. and Mrs. Max Hartl ■ Mrs. Enid A. Haupt ■ Mr. and Mrs. Brent Heath David and Kitty Ferguson, Westwood, Massachusetts Charles Henry Smith, Jr., Middleburg, Virginia ■ Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Hohlt ■ Mr. and Mrs. Brian E. Holley ■ Mr. and Ben Griswold, Glyndon, Maryland Nancy Thomas, Houston, Texas Mrs. Allan L. Holmstrom ■ Mrs. Elizabeth Hooff ■ Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sheryl Heckler, Middleburg, Virginia Bryan Thomlison, Haddonfield, New Jersey Hopkinson ■ Mr. Ross Hotchkiss ■ Mr. Philip Huey ■ Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Henry Jameson, East Sound, Washington Pauline Vollmer, Baltimore, Maryland Hutchins, III ■ Mr. Henry Jameson ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Lindsay ■ Mr. Dr. Richard W. Lighty, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Joyce and Harvey White, Nashville, Tennessee and Mrs. Randolph Marshall ■ Mrs. Dorothy Marston ■ Ms. Pat Maxwell ■ Carolyn Marsh Lindsay, Ponte Vedra, Florida Joannah and Daryl Williams, Sebring, Florida Mr. George Cole S. McCray ■ Mrs. Rachel L. Mellon ■ Mrs. Rosalyn Mickey Lynch, Dunmore, Pennsylvania Milbrandt ■ Mr. and Mrs. Egon Molbak ■ Dr. and Mrs. David E. Morrison ■ Stu McMichael and Lucinda Crabtree, Mr. and Mrs. William J. Moss ■ Mrs. Shirley Ann Nicolai ■ Mr. and Mrs. Falls Church, Virginia William G. Pannill ■ Mr. and Mrs. Albin MacDonough Plant ■ Mr. and Mrs. William A. Pusey ■ Mr. and Mrs. Don E. Riddle, Jr. ■ Mrs. Diana Carter

Samples ■ Mrs. Deen Day Sanders ■ Mr. and Mrs. William Seale, Jr. ■ Mrs.

Corporate Partners Josephine M. Shanks ■ Mr. Bob Sierralta ■ Mr. and Mrs. Charles Henry Smith,

Jr. ■ Ms. Vandy Solomon ■ Mrs. Juliet Sproul ■ Mr. Harold Stahly ■ Miss The Care of Trees ■ Cherry Lake Tree Farm ■ DK Publishing ■ EarthBox™ Jane Steffey ■ Ms. Lida M. Stifel ■ Mr. and Mrs. John B. Strasenburgh ■ Mrs. ■ Green Industry Yellow Pages ■ Kurt Bluemel, Inc. ■ Monrovia ■ NaturaLawn of America ■ Osmocote ■ Thompson & Morgan Benjamin W. Thoron ■ Mrs. Mary Ann Tucker ■ Dr. and Mrs. Peter Van Dyke ■ Mr. Joe Viar ■ Ms. Angela M. Vikesland ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harvey C.

White ■ Mr. and Mrs. John W. White, Sr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. D. Anderson Horticultural Partners Williams ■ Mrs. Marilyn B. Wilson

America in Bloom ■ Bellingrath Gardens & Home ■ Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Garden Symposium ■ Communities in Bloom ■ Cox Arboretum ■ Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival ■ The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America ■ Great Southern Tree Conference ■ Greater Gardens of the Washington Area ■ Homestead Resorts Horticultural Symposium Effective beginning March 2005, the new ■ Horticulture Gardening Institute ■ Leonard Haertter Travel Company ■ Magic of Landscaping member passwood for the AHS Web site Symposium ■ Morris Arboretum ■ Oklahoma Horticultural Society (www.ahs.org) is blooms.

4 the American Gardener The American NOTESC FROM RIVER FARM GARDENER

EDITOR David J. Ellis MANAGING EDITOR AND ART DIRECTOR T IS A bittersweet moment in time for the AHS. After nearly 50 years of ser- Mary Yee vice, our beloved president emeritus, Dr. H. Marc Cathey, is retiring. It is ASSOCIATE EDITOR hard to imagine that his ties to the AHS go all the way back to 1959, when he Carole Ottesen I wrote his first article for the AHS publication, which was then called the Nation- ASSISTANT EDITOR Viveka Neveln al Horticultural Magazine. EDITORIAL INTERNS Over that time, he has shared the science of horticulture in fun, engaging ways. He William Clattenburg has shared the art of horticulture, surprising us with his creativity. He has inspired us Jessica Rozmus to garden well while at the same time honoring our role as stewards of the earth. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Through his groundbreaking research, he has made significant contributions to Rita Pelczar the science of horticulture. Through his leadership, he raised our sights and caused us Joanne Wolfe to imagine a greener, more beautiful

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD future. Through his joyful nature and love of people, he showed us CHAIR John Alex Floyd Jr. Birmingham, Alabama how to make connections between Allan M. Armitage plants and people. He is truly one of Athens, Georgia our great American horticultural he- Nina L. Bassuk roes. (For more about Dr. Cathey’s Ithaca, New York accomplishments, see the article be- Richard E. Bir ginning on page 14.) Brevard, North Carolina Although we have shed a few John E. Bryan tears, Dr. Cathey’s retirement is cer- San Francisco, California tainly a time for celebration. The John L. Creech Columbus, North Carolina AHS Board of Directors, the AHS Keith Crotz staff, and Marc’s many friends across Dr. Cathey and his wife, Mary, are all smiles Chillicothe, Illinois the country wanted to do something during his June retirement party at River Farm. Panayoti Kelaidis really special and memorable to let Denver, Colorado Marc know just how important he is to us—and to America. And so we did. Richard W. Lighty At a retirement party on June 3, the AHS Board officially proclaimed Marc’s birth- Kennett Square, Pennsylvania day, October 23, as “Dr. H. Marc Cathey Day” at the AHS. The parlor in River Farm’s Elvin McDonald estate house has been renamed the “Dr. H. Marc Cathey Reading Room” and will West Des Moines, Iowa display all of his published works. Botanical artist Clarissa Bonde created a gorgeous Felder Rushing painting of a crocus in Marc’s favorite color, purple. Marc and his wife, Mary, were Jackson, Mississippi awarded life memberships in AHS. The staff planted a handsome Carolina silverbell ADVERTISING The American Gardener (Halesia carolina) at River Farm in honor of the Carolinas, where Marc and Mary will AND CORPORATE 7931 East Boulevard Drive spend their retirement. And University of Georgia horticulturist Allan Armitage com- PARTNERSHIPS Alexandria, VA 22308 posed an “Ode to Uncle Marc,” which you can read on our Web site (www.ahs.org). (703) 768-5700 Marc also received a special award for his service to AHS from 1959 to 2005. E-MAIL: [email protected] And from all around the country, gifts arrived to enhance the endowment for the The American Gardener (ISSN 1087-9978) is published bimonth- ly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, Septem- H. Marc Cathey Award, which recognizes achievement in horticultural science. It ber/October, November/December) by the American Horticultural is Marc’s dream that one day a significant honorarium will accompany this award. Society, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300, (703) 768-5700. Membership in the Society includes a subscrip- From Marc and Mary and all of us at AHS, thank you for your friendship and tion to The American Gardener. Annual dues are $35; two years, $60. International dues are $50. $10 of annual dues goes toward generosity. If you would like to send your congratulations to Marc or contribu- magazine subscription. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Vir- ginia, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send tions to the endowment for the H. Marc Cathey Award, feel free to send them to Form 3579 to The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, the AHS headquarters and we will get them to Marc. Alexandria, VA 22308-1300. Botanical nomenclature is based on The American Horticultural Our very best wishes go to Marc and Mary. We will miss you! Society A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, on A Synonymized Check- list of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada and Greenland and on the Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and are not necessar- ily those of the Society. Manuscripts, artwork, and photographs sent for possible publication will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We cannot guarantee the safe return of unsolicited material. Back issues are available at $8 per copy. Copyright ©2005 by the American Horticultural Society. —Katy Moss Warner, AHS President Printed in the U.S.A. on recycled paper.

July / August 2005 5 6 it maysound.Four-foot steel fence posts cled by thiswire. Thisisnotasbigajob My innergarden area iscompletelyencir- where deerare mostlikelytopassthrough. lines ofsinglestrandwire, crossing areas a standard fenceenergizer, Istringuplong deer damagecanbethemostsevere. Using tric fencing,primarilyinthewinter, when farm, Ihavestrategywithelec- triedanew not seewhatliesontheotherside. will notleapover afencewhenthey can- erected asix-foot solidwoodfence.They did notachieve completesuccessuntilI first choice,inspiteofelectricalshock.I pushing through, whichisalwaystheir cally, butdeereventually penetratedby inPrincetonproperty wasfencedelectri- lent remains effective forweeks. deer damagewasstrikingandtherepel- along rows ofplants.Thereduction in slate, andlinedupat10footintervals level containers,covered looselywith solutions ofHinder placedinground- was showing remarkable success:strong Rose Society strategy that reported anew rain. Several years ago,theAmerican plied repeatedly, andalwaysafterheavy smelling, andthatistheirsecret. even betterthanHinder. Bothare foul- uct onthemarket, LiquidFence, seems reliably effective isHinder. prod- Anew one commercial product thathasbeen evidence thattheywork. For years, the terrents, butthere isnodocumented joyed ananecdotalreputation asdeerde- human hair, androtten eggshave allen- ful, butothersare ofdubiousvalue. Soap, Pennsylvania. ton, New York; andnow Bucks County, in Princeton, New Jersey; EastHamp- based on25years ofexperiencewithdeer thoughtsofmyown,like toofferafew “Deer Defense” (March/April 2005),I’d After reading Carole Ottesen’s on article DEER, FROMEXPERIENCE On mycurrent property, a10-acre As toelectricfencing,mytwo-acre However, anyrepellent mustbeap- Some ofOttesen’s suggestionsare use- the American Gardener situation willonlygetworse. to move pastthe“Bambi syndrome,” this cessive numbers.Until peopleare willing sickly andundernourishedbecauseofex- place them.Thedeerherd itselfisoften ture trees dies,there willbenothingtore- species. Whentheclimaxgrowth ofma- variety ofothernative animalandplant habitatforawide by reducing understory tion ofdeerisdestroying ourenvironment we have tofacethe fact thatoverpopula- larger ecologicalissuesofdeercontrol. But the herd. Your didnotaddress article the tal todeercontrol, isselective thinningof people objectto,butwhichisfundamen- 8,000 volts usuallydoesthejob. they willgoelsewhere. Nose contactwith ing. Thetrickistobreak thesepatternsso source over andover again,ifit’s reward- slaves tohabitandwillgothesame gle deerhascrossed over thisyear. Deer are string thewire between them.Not asin- of, say, 15feet,andittakesjustminutesto are easytotapintotheground atintervals able information to frustrated gardeners.able informationtofrustrated and eatingitdown totheground. rean rock fern(Polystichum tsus-sinense) helping himselftomybeautifulBIGKo- tober several years agotowitnessadeer choice. However, Iwasamazed oneOc- vetchling kerria (Stephanandra incisa County, New York: cutleafstephanandra ence gardening Westchester innorthern mendations basedon20years ofexperi- plants. I’d more liketoaddafew recom- thelistofdeer-resistantparticularly I enjoyed on“Deer your Defense,” article MORE DEEREXPERIENCE And finally, theoptionwhichsome Thank you forproviding suchvalu- As you stated, fernsare generallyasafe MEMBERS (Kerria japonica (Lathyrus vernus). (Lathyrus C Bedminster Township ‘Crispa’), variegated ’ Katonah, New York ‘Picta’), andspring Stephen C.Bandy FORUM Mimi Mitchell Pennsylvania those growing onourown land. Carolina, soImayattempttopropagate eries nearmyhomeinBluffton, South any leucothoesoffered forsaleinnurs- developed Ihave properties. never seen not plantedbut“discovered” onourun- siana Rock, North Carolina, has shape. My mother, wholives inFlat ittoimprove andpruned chinery the populifolia. olina, we discovered apatchofLeucothoe we purchased inRobertville, South Car- thinning somepinetrees ontimberland leucothoes intheMay/June issue.While I wasthrilledtoread about thearticle LOVES LEUCOTHOES name is‘CottonCool’. shown below) Thecorrect wasinverted. tivar pictured atthetopofpage36(and March/April issue,thenameofcul- In onpulmonariasinthe thearticle CORRECTION PLEASE WRITEUS! Editor, edited forlengthandclarity. e-mail [email protected] printmaybe Boulevard Drive,Alexandria,VA22308, oryoucan In bothcasestheseleucothoeswere growing inhergarden besidealake. The AmericanGardener, I’ve protected itfrom ma- Letters shouldbeaddressedto Bluffton, SouthCarolina Alice L.Fraser L. fontane- 7931 East 

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www.monrovia.com © Monrovia 2004 04-0752L 8 New PlantstobeUnveiledatEasternPerformanceTrials ing a magnolia developed by Cherry LakeCEO ing amagnoliadeveloped by Cherry Lakewillshow trees, someofitsbest-performing includ- Cherry specializes inlargecontainer-grownpartner ornamentaltrees. Groveland, Florida, thisAHScorporate introductions.among othernew several hibiscuses,daylilies,androses, willbedisplaying brands. Centerton includingitsownnials andshrubs, sey, produces container-grown peren- headquartered inBridgeton, New Jer- product line. this companywillbeunveiling anew as statuary, fountains,andcontainers, ing producer offinegarden accents such ing plantsthatare soldthrough professional growers andretail Gilroy, California,Goldsmith developsvarieties new offlower- their products atRiver Farm. wholesale companiesthatwillexhibit ofwhat’sview expectedfrom thesix hit themarket in2006.Here’s apre- Show,” willhave ondisplaysomeofthenewestplantsthatwill hosting theevent, and,underthethemeof“Outdoor Garden for September 19through 24.River Farm isoneofsixlocations first event ofitskindintheMid-Atlantic region, isscheduled THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED THREE NEWMEMBERS member oftheRoyal Horticultural Society. is president oftheAmericanDahlia Society and andisatrustee Labor andEmployment Practice. Anenthusiastic gardener, he andDeputy Practice isa partner Harry Group Manager ofthe February. Afrequent lecturer andwriteronlaborlawmatters, setto Friend ofRiver Farm volunteer forseveral years, various leadership roles formanyyears. of Directors in2005.Allhave beeninvolved withtheAHSin previously served ontheAHSBoardpreviously served from 1991to2001andis Living New AHSBoardMembers News PROGRAMS •EVENTSANNOUNCEMENTS Cherry LakeTreeCherry Farm—Based in Nursery—Centerton This nursery, Goldsmith Seeds— A multinationalcompanybasedin Campania International— John Alex Floyd Jr., Councilsince1999anda A memberoftheAHSAdvisory the American Gardener of Falls Church, Virginia, becameaBoard memberin magazine, was elected totheBoard July starting 1.John vice president andeditorof have been electedtotheAHSBoard from Eastern Performance Trials, the A lead- AHS Centerton Nurserywillbeondisplayduringthetrials. New plantssuchasthe‘BridgetonCelebrity’daylilyfrom Michel Sallin. Harry A.Ris- Harry Southern other civicorganizations. ical Society Board inBirmingham, Alabama,amongseveral in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, andtheBirmingham Botan- onthevisitingcommitteeboardserves forLongwoodGardens can Gardener. currently chairof theEditorialBoard Advisory for North Carolina, amongothers. board ofStowesory BotanicalGarden inGaston County, green Gardens inMurrells Inlet, South Carolina, andtheadvi- ontheboardand non-profit ofBrook- organizations,serving from 1995to2001.Katisactive withseveral othercommunity on theAHSBoard Counciland previouslyAdvisory served joined theBoard onJuly 1.She isalsoamemberoftheAHS (703) [email protected]. tails. For more informationontheAHSMember Day, call toexperiencethe trials. that AHSmembershave anopportunity ber Day professionals, aspecial primarily forgreen industry Star Greenhouse plant propagators ( ular annualssuchaszinnias,pansies,geraniums,andpetunias. centers. Goldsmith willbedisplayingitslatestofferingsofpop- Katherine (Kat) Belk-Cook (Kat) Katherine Please visit Proven Winners®— between threeThis partnership major has beenestablishedatRiver Farm onSeptember 22 so www.easternperformancetrials.com A resident ofTrussville, Alabama,John also in Carleton,Michigan; and Euro American ters ofAmerica, ordinated by the wood collection. and proven varieties initsbox- will feature themostnotable andtrees.als, shrubs, Saunders field-grown annuals,perenni- produces container-grown and River, Virginia, thisnursery and Orchard—Based inPiney newest introductions. Winners willbeshowing its Provengrasses, andshrubs. formance annuals,perennials, Hampshire) develops high-per- Gardens July/August 2005 of Charlotte,North Carolina, While thispremier event, co- Saunders Brothers Nursery in Bonsall,California; in Loudon,New Pleasant View Garden Cen- for more de- AHS Mem- is designed The Ameri- Four

COURTESY OF CENTERTON NURSERY America In Bloom Celebrates Fourth Year AHS Guide to Public Gardens ACROSS THE COUNTRY, citizens of cities and towns of all A new AHS book, Gardens sizes are once again banding together to show off their horti- Across America: The Amer- cultural savvy during the fourth annual America in Bloom ican Horticultural Society’s (AIB) contest. AIB, a volunteer-based, non-profit organization Guide to American Public and an AHS partner, organizes this friendly competition to in- Gardens and Arboreta, is spire and promote community beautification. scheduled for release in “This year, the America in Bloom participating cities have August. blossomed to 49,” says AIB’s Contest and Symposium Chair The first of a two-volume Alex Pearl. “From the smallest, Elfin Forest in California (pop- series compiled by John J. ulation 800), to the largest, New York City (population 8 mil- Russell and Thomas S. lion), cities are demonstrating the multigenerational pride they Spencer, the guide provides have for their community.” detailed information and lo- Judges are evaluating each community using eight criteria: flo- cator maps for nearly 2,000 ral displays, urban forestry, landscaped areas, turf and ground public gardens east of the Mississippi. Published by Tay- cover, tidiness, environmental awareness, heritage conservation, lor Trade Publishing, the softcover book will retail for and community involvement. Results will be announced at the $19.95, but AHS members will be able to take advantage AIB Symposium and Awards Program, which will be held in of a special discount. The book can be ordered through Cleveland, Ohio, September 8 to 10. AHS will again be spon- the AHS Web site (www.ahs.org) starting in August. soring the community involvement award, which last year went to Vernal, Utah, for their strong volunteering tradition. “AIB has inspired cities and towns across America to em- more beautiful and healthy environment for all.” brace gardening as a community,” says AHS President Katy To find out which cities earn top honors this year, look for Moss Warner, who is on the AIB Board of Directors this year. an article in the November/December issue of The American “It’s wonderful to see how their combined efforts result in a Gardener or visit www.americainbloom.org.

July / August 2005 9 10 motion andoutreach.” “strategic andtechnicaladvice,resource mobilization,andpro- in April 2005,willhelpsteerTGC board. TheGlobalgained anadvisory Board ofAdvisors, created THE GROWINGCONNECTION Advisory Board The GrowingConnection THE AHS Yellow Pages AHS PartnerswithGreenIndustry www.giyp.com two organizationswillhelpusbothgrow exponentially.” Visit ident andhomegardeners,”for boththegreen saysAHSPres- industry suchas ticultural experts of colorphotographsanddetailedinformationprovided by hor- dustry. GIYPalsooffersVirtual Plant Tags asamarketing mediumforthegreenthey need,andtoserve in- help gardeners findplantsaswell asotherproducts andservices sel. the Green Yellow Industry Pages (GIYP)founded by United Nation’s Food andAgriculture Organization, cational program created by theAHSinconjunctionwith the AmericanHorticultural Society. M Washington’s RiverFarm,Alexandria,Virginia. • Farm, Alexandria,Virginia(seead,oppositepage). 7-91o ii h H Web site 777-7931 orvisittheAHS For more information abouttheseevents, call(800) • AHS memberstoviewthetrials.) September 22,hasbeendesignatedaspecialopendayfor Washington’s RiverFarm,Alexandria,Virginia.(Thursday, • Botanical GardenandWonderlandGardens. Symposium. • “The Green“The Yellow Industry Pages isanincredible resource GIYP is an online searchable directory withtwofunctions: to GIYP isanonlinesearchable directory DEC. 8. SEPT. 24. SEPT. 19–24. JULY 28–30. the American Gardener Katy MossKaty Warner. and programs thatare sponsored orcosponsored by ark your calendarfortheseupcomingnationalevents is pleasedtoannounceitsnewestcorporatepartner, Friends ofRiverFarmHolidayReception, AHS AnnualGala. to explore thisresource further. Atlanta, Georgia.HostedbytheAtlanta 2005 CALENDAR AHS NATIONALEVENTSANDPROGRAMS AHS NationalChildren&YouthGarden Eastern PerformanceTrials. Michael Dirr “Forging between our thispartnership George Washington’sRiver (TGC), ’s development by providing and (www.ahs.org). ™ Gains New an internationaledu- , aplantdatabasefull Allan Armitage. George George Steve Cis- recently River Farm. To learnmore, visit demonstration gardens andinformation centers,includingoneat States, Ghana, andMexico. In addition,there are several standing ofandinterest infoodproduction. tion worldwidewhilehelping children tocultivate anunder- improve nutri- as itworks to will guide Together, they entertainment. nutrition, and ing, education, science, market- ogy, agricultural such astechnol- diverse areas in with expertise other advisors, consists of14 TGC information technology, theirleadershipwillbeinvaluable as net.” Aspioneersintheirrespective fieldsofhorticulture and Vinton G.Cerf, President Emeritus,board, isco-chairofthenew alongwith Horticulturist 1997 thatincludedachangeinnamefrom AHS PresidentEmeritus environmentally responsiblegardeningtechniques,”says was toexplaingardenerstheunderlyingreasonsforusing earth-friendly gardeningpractices.“Whatshedidsowell al horticulturistsforitsscientificaccuracyandfocuson by avidgardenersandprofession- tive publicationhighlyrespected ship magazineintoanauthorita- transformed theAHS’smember- a newspaperreporterinKansas, May attheageof57. zine from1989to1998,diedin can HorticulturalSociety’smaga- Kathy Fisher, will bemissedbythosewhotreasurethegreenworld.” plant guruMichaelDirr who comprisethismostnobleofprofessions,”sayswoody She alsoappreciatedandprofiledthequirkycharacters a prolificwriterandanauthorofseveralgardeningbooks. nMmra:KathleenFisher In Memoriam: The AHS’s own Currently, The board She alsooversawamajorredesignofthemagazinein Kathy, whobeganhercareeras “Kathy lovedplantsandbringingthemtolifeviatext. In additiontobeinganaccomplishededitor,Kathywas continues tocombineinnovations from these two fields. TGC TGC editor oftheAmeri- to considered oneofthe“fathers oftheInter- The AmericanGardener. Growing Connection These schoolchildreninGhanaarepartofThe has programs withschoolsintheUnited Dr. H.Marc Cathey, of theUniversityGeorgia.“She Dr. H.MarcCathey. www.thegrowingconnection.org. program. recently retired as American TGC

TOP: AHS ARCHIVE; BOTTOM: COURTESY OF FELDER RUSHING

River Farm a Monitoring Site for Emerald Ash Borer Remember to Save Seeds to Share

AS PART OF AN emerald ash borer (EAB) monitoring pro- Now’s the time to start thinking about saving seeds for the gram, the Fairfax County Forest Pest Section has placed five annual AHS Seed Exchange. This popular program allows our green ash trees (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) at River Farm. members from around the country to share their seeds with Since the insects were discovered in the United States in 2002, one another. It’s a great way to acquire some unique plants EABs have killed millions of ash trees in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and pass along your family heirlooms or unusual species to and Canada. In other gardeners. More information about the seed exchange, spite of eradication including seed-saving tips and a seed submission form, will and quarantine ef- be included in the September/October issue of The Ameri- forts, the beetles can Gardener or you can log on to www.ahs.org. have continued to If you have a story to share about plants you’ve grown spread. In 2003, from the AHS Seed Exchange, we’d like to hear them! EAB-infested ash Mail them to: Editor, The American Gardener, 7931 East trees from Michi- Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308, or e-mail them gan ended up at a to [email protected]. We’ll publish the best stories in an up- nursery in Mary- coming issue of the magazine. land, prompting ag- gressive efforts to contain the popula- will be treated with an herbicide to clear the ground for planting tion before the in- Urban Forester Frank Finch ensconces the ash in spring. For the final quadrant, to be planted in 2007, AHS Hor- sects spread to other trees’ rootballs in mulch for the summer. ticulturist Peggy Bowers will cover the plot with plastic sheeting Mid-Atlantic states. for a year as an alternative to herbicides. The plastic will trap solar Last year, 300 ash trees had to be removed from the Vien- radiation and raise the heat level in the soil, killing the vegetation. na, Virginia, area because infested ash trees from the Maryland One of the biggest challenges in establishing River Farm’s nursery had been planted there. In conjunction with the U.S. meadow has been control of invasive, non-native plant species. Department of Agriculture and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Fairfax County Forest Pest Section then set up 50 “sentinel” trees in the area, but no borers were found. This year, they are continuing to monitor for the beetles. “We’ve placed 80 trees at various locations around the county to serve as lures,” says Urban Forester Frank Finch. “Stressed trees seem to attract the borers, so we’re making cuts in the bark and watering sparingly throughout the summer.” At season’s end, the trees will be removed and analyzed for signs of the pests. Second Phase of River Farm’s Meadow Completed THE SECOND PHASE of the André M. Bluemel Memorial Meadow planting was completed at River Farm this past May. Just as they had for the first phase of planting, staff from AHS, Mount AHS staff and volunteers planted more than 35,000 plant plugs in the Vernon Estate and Gardens, Kurt Bluemel, Inc., and volunteers André Bluemel Memorial Meadow at River Farm this May. helped to plant 35,000 plugs donated by AHS Board Member Kurt Bluemel’s nursery. The plugs include 44 different species, of “Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) and porcelain berry which 98 percent are native to North America. Thirty percent are (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) in particular have proven diffi- grasses, such as big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), and 70 per- cult to eradicate,” says Peggy. cent herbaceous perennials (forbs), such as ‘Husker Red’ penste- The most exciting aspect of the meadow so far has been a no- mon (Penstemon digitalis). Two more planting phases are ticeable increase in wildlife diversity. “There are definitely more scheduled to complete the planned four-acre meadow. beneficial insects, pollinators, and prey animals than there had The current meadow shows the various stages of transition in been,” says Peggy. “Their presence is essential to the long-term sus- a managed ecosystem. The first quadrant, planted last spring, is tainability and health of the habitat.”  becoming established and requires minimal care beyond spot weeding. Phase two is receiving the regular watering and weeding News written by Assistant Editor Viveka Neveln and Editorial In-

needed by any new planting. Next February, the third quadrant tern Jessica Rozmus. LEFT: VIVEKA NEVELN; RIGHT: DAVID ELLIS

12 the American Gardener LEFT: MARY YEE; RIGHT; COURTESY OF SUZANNE BELFLOWER. prevents weeds, andwateringis 30-inch-long, 12-inch-highbox plastic cover over thetopof gardening experiencerequired. A flowers, andherbswithoutany bumper crops ofvegetables, gular containerthateasilygrows isarectan-system, theEarthBox more efficiently. helps peopleaccomplishatask invention that is a20th-century products,those revolutionary it Velcro, andWite-Out, butlike T after heexperiencedcrop lossduetoflood- ed by founder of acommercial growing methodperfect- The EarthBoxwascreated asanoffshoot THINKING INSIDETHEBOX healthier plantsthatproduce more fruit.” ultimate level, andtheresults are bigger, allows EarthBox plantstofeedatan “The Scranton, Pennsylvania-based company. says the waterandgetsreplaced,” constant flow ofwater;theplantsdrink the wickingactioningrowing system. trients totheplantsautomaticallythrough placed alongthetopofsoilreleases nu- A stripofbalanced,slow-release fertilizer vents theplantsfrom gettingoverwatered. A drainholeonthesideofbox pre- the plantsthrough cutoutsintwocorners. asawick,drawingthewaterupto serves over- becausethesoil orunderwatering, handled by abuilt-inwaterreservoir. by ShereeR.Curry EarthBox PROFILE IN PARTNERS AHS Eva Monheimat [email protected]. porate partnershipswithAHS, contact For more information A self-containedgardening “You are creating thissafezone witha Gardeners about never have toworry Frank DiPaolo name likePost-it Notes, not yet beahousehold EARTHBOX HE Robert BlakeWhisenant ™ , president ofthe : Enabling AnyonetoGardenAnywhere may about cor- growing mix,plant,andputthe topon.” till thesoil.Theyjustfillbox withthe great forthembecause theydon’t needto DiPaolo. are oldernow, “They andthisis been gardeners theirwhole lives,” says Lynch purchased onlineat ed primarilyviadirect mail,butcanbe ket in1995.TheEarthboxes are market- and enjoyable, onthemar- putEarthBox make homegardening more productive for thecreative technologyto useofnew G.B. Gunslogson Award from theAHS ity anddecreases inwateruse.” he sawgreat increases inplantproductiv- ments,” saysDiPaolo. thiscreation, “With that wouldgive himcontrol from theele- mined todevelop afarmingtechnique ing onhisFlorida farm.“Blake wasdeter- when there isadrought anditistooex- Boxes isyou cangrow vegetables even “Part ofthereason Iwent tousingEarth- which remain inthebox untilharvest. He alsogrows avariety ofvegetables, the boxes seedlingperennials. forstarting has addedfourmore sincethen.Wade uses sixyearsbought hisfirstEarthBox agoand Kimsey Wade “We have alotofcustomerswhohave Whisenant and partner Whisenant andpartner , whotogetherreceived the2003 of Vinita, Oklahoma, www.earthbox.com. Michael T. Agricultural Organization(FAO) Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sheree basedin R. Curryisajournalist ration between theAHS, ing several youth gardening initiatives, includ- In fact,thecompanyworks closelywith isalsogreatEarthBox fornovice gardeners. pensive towateragarden,” saysWade. tem togive thebox more stability. as widelegswithanoptional staking sys- them easiertomove, DiPaolo says,as well Casters willbeaddedtotheboxes tomake isgettingitsfirstfaceliftthisfall. EarthBox and conservation.” issuessuchashunger,portant nutrition, help educatetheworld’s youth aboutim- ing Connection, ing,” saysDiPaolo. “Through dedicated tosharingourlove ofgarden- nership withtheAHS,aswe are equally about thescienceofgrowing food plants. cross-cultural learningby teachingchildren States, Mexico, andGhana, andsupports program currently operatesintheUnited United Nations, andotherbusinesses.The EarthBox overflowswithherbsandflowers. The GrowingConnection School inGeorgiaprepareanEarthBoxfor StudentsatWhiteCountyMiddle Above: Because ofitseaseuseandmobility, After adecadeonthemarket, the “EarthBox ishonored“EarthBox tohave apart- The Growing Connection, we are to doingourpart July /August 2005 rga.Lf:An program. Left: The Grow- Food and a collabo- of the  13 14 has promoted thethings he ispassionateabout,from plant-light syndicatedradioshow,sion appearances, andalong-running he says Dr. Catheyofhislongcareer. In hiswritings,talks,televi- a garden “simply vibrate.” companions, theconceptof“trinity colors” andhow theymake explained, ashehadtohistour Parma andhischeese.Thenhe ofviolinstoCount struction with great stories, from thecon- tour. He regaled measusual, where heleda10-day garden after hereturned from Italy, caught upwithhimtheday interests andtalents. Irecently sance man,withwide-ranging Cathey asamodernRenais- ry, Ihave cometoknow Dr. tias couldbesoentertaining? thatpoinset- zled! Whoknew he wasn’t justbrilliant,hedaz- more thanadollopofhumor, cutting-edge research, and drawl, multipleslideprojectors, With hissmoothsouthern putonquiteashow.Service USDA’s AgriculturalResearch per plantphysiologistfrom the seminar, because thetall,dap- Fortunately Ididattendthe never metDr. Catheybefore. than scintillating;butthen,I’d on flowering crops seemedless lightschedules fects ofvarying in-the-day seminarontheef- circa 1978,thethoughtofalate- A “I have traveled around likeatroubadour, spreading stories,” centu- Over thenextquarter the American Gardener versity ofMaryland ate studentattheUni- S A horticulture gradu- H. MarcCathey the colorfulcareer of“Dr. Purple” horticultural activities,artisticendeavors,andfamilyfun. native NorthCarolinawithwifeMary, wherehewillcontinuetoengageinavarietyof horticultural technologyparexcellence,andconsummatefamilyman,isretiringtohis Dr. H.MarcCathey, distinguishedscientist,accomplishedauthor, promoterof PresidentEmeritus Culminating acareerthathasspannedoverhalfcentury, AHS the 1980swithapoinsettia,plantthatwasatheartofhisresearch. after anillustriouscareerspanningover50years.Top:Dr.Cathey in Dr. H.MarcCathey,AHSpresidentemeritus,retiredonJune23,2005, his doctorateat CornellUniversity, where hemettheeminent After working acoupleof years as a florist,hewent ontoearn ceiving hisbachelorofscience degree infloriculture in1950. course, withthelatestscientific knowledge. the sameholisticprincipleshe learnedasachild,enhancedof Dr. CatheystudiedatNorth Carolina State University, re- time, educated.” andatthesame entertained has withyou. You leave feeling in away, anyconversation he cludes inanypresentation, and ship, somethingMarc alwaysin- “Itobserves, isclassic showman- Ball Horticultural Company, marketing research managerat Cathey’s Miller, style,Marvin presentation. Reflecting onDr. room inwhichhewastogive a ordinated hisoutfitwiththe love ofcolor, hehasattimesco- friends as“Dr. Purple” forhis style allhisown. flourish ofamagicianand phytoremediation, withthe stewardship, colortheory, and interactions toenvironmental conceived in1999,embraces initiative, whichDr. Cathey ence. TheS him have hadalastinginflu- practical lessonsshetaught known as“Miss Nannie.” The Nancy McAuley Cathey, better his paternalgrandmother, Carolina, gardening alongside cation beganasaboy inNorth Dr. Cathey’s edu- horticultural EARLY CULTIVATION Known tomany of his BY RITAPELCZAR MART G ARDEN ™

TOP: COURTESY OF PAUL ECKE RANCH; CENTER: MARY YEE Young Marc Cathey learned early gardening lessons at the side of his paternal grandmother, Nancy McAuley THE CATHEY INFLUENCE Cathey—“Miss Nannie.” Dr. Marc Cathey has inspired and assisted an astounding num- ber of horticulturists throughout his long career. “Marc has horticulturist Liberty Hyde Bailey. been genuinely interested in helping folks coming up through Dr. Cathey received his PhD in the ranks and in doing everything possible to see that they 1955 and spent the following year in succeed,” says Marvin Miller of Ball Horticultural Company. the Netherlands pursuing post- Geneticist Robert Griesbach worked with Dr. Cathey at the doctorate studies on a Fulbright Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit of the U.S. Depart- scholarship. ment of Agriculture, where they conducted “mission orient- In 1956, he accepted a position with the Agricultural Research ed” research. “Dr. Cathey helped teach me the meaning of Service (ARS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in this type of research,” says Griesbach. “His research involved Beltsville, Maryland. He worked with plant physiologist Harry all aspects of a problem from basic to applied.” Borthwick, who had been conducting pioneering studies on the “He has certainly been a big part of my success,” says effects of light on plants. It was Dr. Cathey’s mission to apply the landscape designer James van Sweden, who met Dr. Cathey research in practical ways to improve the production of florist just after he had become director of the National Arboretum. and nursery crops. “There’s no hanging back with Marc,” says van Sweden, who followed Dr. Cathey’s advice to take on larger speaking en- LABOR’S REWARDS gagements and to publish a book. “He became my coach for Dr. Cathey considers his work at ARS experimenting with light lecturing. He is so charismatic, and he’s incredibly honest, al- and plant growth regulating chemicals the most horticultural- ways pushing you to do the best you can.” ly significant of his many accomplishments. He insists, how- As curator of the National Herb Garden, Holly Shimizu, ever, that it was a team effort. “None of us creates anything who is now director of the U.S. Botanic Garden, recalls be- alone,” he says. “If you needed an expert [at ARS], they were ing somewhat reluctant to speak in front of large crowds un- usually right down the hall.” til Dr. Cathey, who recognized her potential, encouraged her. The first chemical growth regulator the team investigated was “He recommended me as a speaker and gave me pointers. He a germicide called Amo-16-18 that was developed by German sci- was able to make the whole communication thing fun.” entists during World War II. When applied to poinsettias, it re- Mark Miller, currently pursuing his doctorate at Ohio State duced the internodal length—the distance between leaf nodes— University, has worked with Dr. Cathey at AHS both as a hor- producing more compact plants. As more effective chemicals were ticulturist and as deputy director of national programs. “I first developed, their applications for the horticulture and floriculture met Dr. Cathey when he was the first Kiplinger Chair profes- industries expanded. Dr. Cathey explains that these growth retar- sor at Ohio State in the early ’80s,” recalls Miller. “He took dants “made plants greener and more compact by closing the sto- me under his wing and taught me more about how to really mates and increasing the density of the chlorophyll.” live my dreams than anyone ever had.” —R.P.

Dr. Cathey set out to unravel the specifics of light-induced flowering, and to quantify the exact light schedules necessary to have a crop bloom at the desired time. He also researched the ef- fects of light quality and temperature, ultimately providing grow- ers with a roadmap for growing the crop. “It’s all about timing and tailoring,” says Dr. Cathey. “Plants already know the answer, we just have to figure out what they’re trying to say.” Dr. Cathey, it seems, knew just what to say to people in the horticultural industry to get them to use the products and tech- niques coming out of the lab. With his grasp of industry needs and skill as a promoter, he was able to convince growers of the merits of the new technologies. According to fellow researcher Robert Griesbach, “Dr. Cathey was the ultimate salesman.” PULLING OUT THE STOPS When Dr. Cathey took the helm as director of the U.S. Nation- al Arboretum in 1981, the arboretum had a wonderful collection As a horticulturist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Dr. of plants, but few ventured there to appreciate them. That was Cathey, shown here in 1972, developed a roadmap for poinsettia about to change—Dr. Cathey set out to put it on the map of na-

H. MARC CATHEY COLLECTION (2) growers, detailing specific requirements for light and temperature. tional attractions.

July / August 2005 15 and installationof theCapitolColumnsatarboretum’s reflectingpool. As directorofthe NationalArboretum,Catheyoversaw therefurbishing 16 using new weatherusing new data.Since then,thousandsofgardening to updateandproduce theUSDAHardiness Zone Map in1990 plants fortoughtimes.” nials, andbulbs.It demonstratesafavorite Catheytheme:“tough boretum’s Visitor Center, featuringgrasses,long-bloomingperen- Sweden designedtheir“New AmericanGarden” outsidethear- in ameadow above areflecting pool. River. Theywere placedatthearboretum onastoneplatform Cathey called“a weed patch” onthebanksofAnacostia al Arboretum fundedthecolumns’ rescue from whatDr. Capitol building.Thevolunteer group Friends oftheNation- columns thatwereoftheU.S. oftheeastportico oncepart was theinstallationofCapitolColumns—22thirty-foot to develop manyprojects whileatthearboretum. Amongthese so thananyprevious director.” says. “During histenure hedidthatforthearboretum, more mentor. “He issogoodatconnectinggardens andpeople,”she of theU.S.BotanicGarden, shehaskindwords forherformer would say, “Oh! You work withMarc Cathey!”Now director fore leavingattheendofday, andonherwayhomepeople sometimes shewouldforgettoremove herarboretum badgebe- Garden duringDr. Cathey’s tenure asdirector. She recalls that public attention.” willingness totakerisksthatbrought thisnationaltreasure to of thosewhopreceded himasdirector…had thevisionand says, “Marc isthescientistwho,buildingonachievements Book ofOutstanding Garden Plants tendance figures!” recalls Ball Horticultural’s Miller. Marvin flags, thesigns,CapitolColumns,andwayupwent theat- arboretum, you hadtofirstenticethemvisit.So upwent the While atthearboretum, Dr. Catheyalsoobtainedfunding Upon Dr. Cathey’s request, Wolfgang Oehme andJames van Dr. Catheywasabletosolicitcontributionsandvolunteers Holly Shimizu wascuratorofthearboretum’s National Herb Jacqueline Heriteau, whoauthored “Marc realized thatifpeoplewere ever goingtoappreciate the the American Gardener with Dr. Cathey’s assistance, The National Arboretum portant gardeningportant reference. books, magazines,andcatalogshave includedacopyofthisim- the S gathered over thelast30years. Its release isexpectedlaterthis year. other updateoftheUSDAHardiness Zone Map toreflect data through their summer’s heat.He alsoobtainedfundingforyet an- grees Fahrenheit—to helpgardeners selectplantsthatwillthrive number of“heatdays”—days where temperatures exceed 86 de- Map, firstpublishedin1997.It isa12-zone mapbasedonthe people withtechnologicaltoolstheyneedtobebettergardeners. emeritus since1998,Dr. Catheycontinuedhismissiontoprovide from 1974to1978andagainfrom 1993to1997,andaspresident As president andCEOoftheAmericanHorticultural Society A GUIDINGLIGHTATAHS Garden Plants erence, Cathey recently completedrevisions tothecomprehensive ref- project, onethatDr. Catheywillcontinue inretirement. Dr. such aslightandwaterrequirements—has beenanongoing to heatandhardiness zones, butforotheraspectsofculture fective management andstewardship ofnaturalresources. face. It isapragmatic,science-basedapproach that promotes ef- vironmental responsibility toaddress thereal issuesgardeners Greenville, SouthCarolina,in2002. concept duringaseminaratFurmanUniversityin region basedonheattolerance.Hereheexplainsthemap which helpsgardenersselectappropriateplantsfortheir horticultural legaciesistheAHSPlantHeatZonemap, HEATZONEMAP. AHS Another Dr. Catheyinitiative whileatAHS,whichhedubbed He coordinated anddeveloped theAHSPlant Heat Zone In addition towritingandlecturing, Dr. CatheyhasledAHS Coordinating thecoding ofplants—notonlywithrespect MART The American Horticultural SocietyA–ZEncyclopedia of G ARDEN (DK Publishing, 2004),whichhe co-edited. ™ , combinesthelatesttechnologywithen- One ofDr.Cathey’smany

BOTTOM: H. MARC CATHEY COLLECTION; TOP: CHARLIE REGISTER / COURTESY OF FURMAN UNIVERSITY A Lasting Legacy for AHS REFLECTIONS OF A GRANDDAUGHTER One of Dr. Cathey’s granddaughters, Emily Ewell, aka “Miss AUTHORITATIVE Pink,” is currently studying chemical engineering at the Uni- REFERENCE BOOKS. versity of Virginia. She offers the following thoughts about Among his many the influence her grandfather—whom she calls BeauBeau— publications, Dr. has had on her life and goals: Cathey co-edited the comprehensive BeauBeau has played such an important role in my life. When I AHS A–Z Encyclopedia was very young he would take me aside and express to me his love of Garden Plants (DK for academia and his passion for learning. I specifically remem- Publishing, 2004). ber him saying “you are going to LOVE math and science...and you’re going to be so good at it!” I do, and I am. When I think of BeauBeau, I am amazed that there are so many sides to him. BeauBeau the scientist, the florist, the author, the artist, the entertainer, the counselor, and the all-around amazing person. PATRIOT™ PILLAR™ Behind all of his accomplishments, he has the most virtuous ‘MARC CATHEY’ and genuine heart. BeauBeau truly loves people—and he knows LANTANA. This tall and a lot of them! And, I’d dare to say, he loves them even more than stylish lantana from flowers.  American Daylily & Perennials was released in 2002 to “He is brilliant in every sense of the word, honor a “pillar of the green industry.” incredibly smart, a bright shining light, and a man of remarkable pizzazz!” —Katy Moss Warner, AHS President

garden tours all over the world, usually accompanied by his wife, tional organization which represents the broad scope of horti- Mary, and conducted with typical Cathey flair. culture in America—from research scientists to the green indus- “Dr. Cathey has been the guiding force of the AHS for try, garden professionals, garden writers, and backyard gardeners. decades,” says current AHS President Katy Moss Warner, who He is brilliant in every sense of the word, incredibly smart, a served on the AHS Board of Directors during Dr. Cathey’s sec- bright shining light, and a man of remarkable pizzazz!” ond term as president. “As both accomplished artist and research scientist, as both effective communicator and educator, Dr. SWEET HOME CAROLINA Cathey has brought vision and direction to this important na- Dr. Cathey’s immediate plans for retirement include returning to his home town of Davidson, North Carolina, where, among other things, he will rekindle his life-long passion for art—cre- ating miniature sketches of plants and birds. On the horticultural front, the monumental task of coding plants will continue. And his work with phytoremediation is far from done. “We’ve got to ratchet up our efforts,” Dr. Cathey says about reclaiming the polluted soils of our cities, parks, and farmlands. As a board member of Edenspace Systems Corpo- ration, based in Dulles, Virginia, he will continue to support and explore this technology that uses plants to extract soil con- taminants like arsenic and lead. Another project already in the works is a book about color. “The reason we sell plants for the landscape,” says Dr. Cathey, “is 3-D color. And I have perfect color vision!” As the Catheys prepare for their move to North Carolina, Katy Moss Warner says, “We will greatly miss Marc’s every- Any conversation you have with Dr. Cathey will likely include a mention day presence at River Farm, but we hope he will continue to of the four granddaughters of whom he is so proud. Their nicknames guide us from his new home.”  reflect his love of color, left to right: “Miss Emerald” (Elizabeth), “Miss

PHOTO OF PATRIOT™ PILLAR™ ‘MARK CATHEY‘ LANTANA COURTESY OF AMERICAN DAYLILY & PERENNIALS; BOTTOM: KK OTTESEN Pink” (Emily), “Miss Ruby” (Sarah), and “Miss Peach” (Ellen). Rita Pelczar is a contributing editor for The American Gardener.

July / August 2005 17 18 Must-Have Monardas between thesespecies. resulted fromcrosses of excellenthybridshave or purpleflowers.Anumber fistulosa, let. Thelater-blooming purple, ortheabovescar- flowers inshadesofpink, abundance ofsummer M. didymaproducesan M. fistulosa. are most familiartogardeners The twoMonarda contains severalless-familiarspeciesworthknowingandgrowing. For thegardenerwillingtolookbeyondcommonlyavailablecultivars,genusMonarda Monarda didyma the American Gardener right, bearspink Clump-forming species and M. most monardas flower continuouslyfrom summertofall. bradburiana, specificbloomtimes—suchasMonarda thathavea few very as longtheirculturalrequirements are met.And,asidefrom Some are perennials andothersannuals,butallare easytogrow collecting manymore andgrowing theminmy own garden. and spicyscentedfoliage. preferences. Allpossessshowy flowers, attractive growth habits, come familiarwiththeirdifferent features, cycles, andcultural filled withabevyofdifferent speciesandIhadtwoyears tobe- ty inEastLansing.Theuniversity’s research greenhouses were developed whileresearching thematMichigan State Universi- limelight, too. America. It’s oftheseotherspeciesgetalittlethe timeafew bergamot, ponymint,andhorsemint—indigenoustoNorth by evocative commonnamessuchasbeebalm,Oswego tea,wild fection yet, butI’m working onthat! Not allofthemare widelyavailable forpurchase orbred toper- light the10mostgarden-worthy thatIhave grown andenjoyed. Iam goingtohigh- right, butforthepurposesofthisarticle, There are 19distinctandwonderful vars—Monarda fistulosa, the genusMonarda. the twospeciesthatmostgardeners grow—M. didyma I genera, basedon distinctflower types,growth habits,andlifecy- and even waspstotheirflowers. moths,bees,beetles, eralists, meaningtheyattract butterflies, nated speciesM.didyma and prominent landingplatforms. lower asperfect lipsthatserve tar-rich tubularflowers come fully equippedwithnectarguides cilitate avariety nec- ofpollinators.Theirsweetly scented,colorful, most mintstheyhave fragrantflowers designedtoattractandfa- Monardas are members ofthemintfamily(Lamiaciae),andlike FABULOUS FLOWERS In myopinion,all19Monarda My conversion toamonardaphile wascompletedafterfield- My appreciation fortheoverlooked membersofthegenus Okay, somaybethat’s alittle Taxonomists have divided thegenusintotwogroups, orsub- Apart from thetwolargered-flowered hummingbird-polli- shine adazzlingspotlightonthelesser-known membersof my mightygreen maskandchlorophyll-enriched capeand F IWERE which togethercomprisenearly100recognized culti- a superhero defenderofunderdog plants,I’d don which bloomsinlatespringtoearlysummer— is truly anornamentallyunder-usedgenus. is truly and M. pringlei,allare pollinatorgen- over-the-top, from butapart species are pretty intheirown Monarda BY JESSIEKEITH species—known and M.

TOP: HUGH AND CAROL NOURSE; BOTTOM: JERRY PAVIA cles. The 19 species are split almost evenly between the subgenera. Species in the subgenus Monarda have single, terminal flower clusters atop (subtended by) one row of bracts. Individ- ual flowers have prominent straight upper lips. Plants in this subgenus are all herbaceous perennials that—under the right conditions—spread by rhizomes (underground roots) to form clumps. Some may sometimes stray beyond the bounds you intended, but they are not hard to keep in check. The subgenus Cheilyctis includes a combination of annuals and perennials distinguished by multiple elongated tiers of flower clusters, each subtended by a row of bracts. The flowers have curved upper lips. These plants form taproots and don’t spread like their rhizomatous counterparts. Most are herba- ceous, but one or two develop woody stems and shrubby habits. SOUTHERLY MONARDAS Three of the plants on my top-10 list are tough Texas natives that are able to shine in the summer heat and two are equally resilient species from eastern Mexico. Because of their south- ern heritage, none will reliably survive northern winters, but this does not mean that they aren’t useful garden plants in the north. As with other popular tender perennial mints, like cer- tain sages (Salvia spp.) or Agastache spp., all bloom first year from seed, so they become bushy blooming plants only a few months after germination. In the author’s garden, Monarda fruticulosa, foreground, combines One of the prettiest monardas, M. fruticulosa (USDA Har- with Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’, Miscanthus sinensis, and a dark- diness Zones 8–11, AHS Heat Zones 12–1) is technically a shrub; leaved heuchera for a pleasing contrast of colors and textures. its specific epithet refers to its shrublike (fruticose) habit. Sil- very linear leaves, a neat habit, and crisp white flowers lined mine have performed wonderfully in Delaware, Michigan, and with pink or white bracts distinguish this species. In the wild it Indiana—and should reliably survive winters in USDA Zone 8. is only found growing in the deep sands along the southern tip In colder zones, plants can also be potted and overwintered in a of Texas, so it’s drought tolerant to boot. dry, cool location if not allowed to become bone dry. M. fruticu- Like most monardas, M. fruticulosa requires well-drained soil losa is mildew resistant and blooms all summer. and a site in full sun, and does best with moderate to low water- Two other great Texas natives are M. viridissima and M. mar- ing. If these requirements are met, it will do well in any garden— itima, which are both semi-woody perennials. M. viridissima

A NEW-WORLD HERB GETS AN OLD-WORLD NAME Native Americans have used Monarda species medicinally and in cookery for thousands of years. Monarda punctata was used to relieve fever and stomach ailments, M. fistulosa to remedy colds and flavor meats, and M. didyma to make a tea. Colonists learned the utility of Monarda from Native Americans, and by the 17th century were growing these species as garden plants. An early account of Monarda collection and cultivation occurred when American botanist John Bartram collected Monarda near Fort Oswego in upstate New York. These were later cultivated and used to make a spicy tea—hence the common name “Oswego tea.” As with many traditional medicines, the merit of Monarda has since been substantiated. The plants contain significant con- centrations of thymol, an important antiseptic and local anesthetic used in mouthwash, toothpaste, and lip balm. Monarda fistulosa was the first member of the genus to be described by Jacques Cornut, a French physician with an in- terest in New World plants. Cornut included it in his 1635 North American plant treatise, Historia Canadensium Plantarum. At that time, the genus Monarda had not been established, so Cornut called it Origanum Fistulosum Canadense, likening it to its European relative, oregano. More than 100 years later, Carolus Linnaeus characterized the genus Monarda, which he named after Nicholas Monardes (1493–1588), a Spanish botanist and physician, who composed the first volume on New World plants, Joyfull Newes out of the Newe Founde Worlde, in 1569. By 1970, all but one of the currently accepted Monarda species had been described. Alan Prather, an assistant professor of plant systematics at Michigan State University, and I named the most recent formally recognized species, the New Mexican en- demic, Monarda humilis, in 2003. —J.K. JESSIE KEITH

July / August 2005 19 20 flowers attractbees andmanyotherpollinators. at theUniversity ofGeorgia.Likemostmonardas, itsnectar-rich M. bartlettii Gulf ofMexico. of deepcoastalsandsoffthe grow withina100milestrip the wildtheseplantsonly cream-colored striations.In woody stemsthatdevelop terest ofsmooth,tan,semi- specimens have theaddedin- summer tofrost. Mature bracts andbloomfrom late toothed pinkorwhitefloral with itswoollywhitestems,andflowers thathave sharply Delaware.but ithasthrived inmyloamysoilsnorthern called theCarrizo sands,whichcutthrough east-centralTexas, summer tofrost. In thewilditisrestricted toabeltofsandysoils, pink bracts.Liketender green linearleaves, whiteflowers withmagentaspots,andrich (Zones 7–10,11–1)isanexceptional garden plantwithbright bright yellow Solidagorugosa telephium Artemisia versicolor perennials likesilvery bloomers besidecomplimentary well-behaved andpretty theyare. available inthetrade,whichisareal shameconsideringhow in Delaware (USDAZone 7).Unfortunately, neitherspeciesis free-draining soils,Ihavethem invery hadseveral overwinter is unconfirmed.By planting ticulosa, tural requirements as maritima M. viridissima M. maritima In mygarden, Ihave intermixed bothoftheselate-season the American Gardener but theirhardiness have thesamecul- subsp. received the2003ClassicCityGarden Awardaftertrials (Zones 8–10,11–1)isequallyniceinthegarden ruprechtii, ‘Seafoam’, thepurpleandrose-hued and M. fru- Salvia leucantha, M. magenta ‘Fireworks’. late-summer bloomer. M. viridissimaisawell-behaved Callirhoe involucrata, it bloomsfrom late Sedum and hardy, andcapableofnaturalizing,ifgiven thechance. exclusively Most southerncounterparts. are alsoperennial, natives with farmore expansive natural distributionsthantheir MonardaThe northerly MONARDAS NORTHERLY species to grow. AmongtheseMexican beautiesare thelarge-flowered the-border thatare aslovely astheyare heattolerantandeasy consult. Overall Ihave foundthat mosthorsemintshave yel- als orannualsdepending onthevariety andthereference you different varieties, whichmaybedescribedaseitherperenni- stood speciesinthegenus.Presently itiscomprisedofeight as horsemint,isoneofthemost complexandpoorlyunder- aca, coccinea other heat-tolerant,ever-flowering garden favorites like In mygarden Ihave hadgreat successmixingthisspecieswith the momentitcanonlybeobtainedthrough selectseedsources. Trial Gardens. Garden Award” through theUniversity afterarun ofGeorgia resilience meritwonita2003“ClassicCity andhorticultural perennial canalsotakeplentyofheatandhumidity. In fact,its liage, purplestemsandprolific magentaflowers. Thistender with itsthick,almostsucculent,dustydark green topurplefo- ange-flowered, purple-foliagedDahlia catalog soon.For floralmagma,plantM.pringlei it,it’snurseries carrying boundtomakeitamail-order plant fortherestnews ofus.Still, there ishope;withsomanyTexas be easilyfoundingarden centersthere—not necessarilygood However, ithasbecomeafavored garden plantinTexas andcan fall isthatitdifficulttofindthrough plantandseedcatalogs. the sameculturalrequirements as M.bartlettii. hummingbird magnethasthickdark green leaves andshares 12–1) challengethoseofeven thebestM.didymacultivars. This en 2190. Hamilton SeedsGoNative, 2611. Easyliving Wildflowers, Sources Seedhunt, 4233. Sweet BriarNurseryandGardens, Catalog online. Monarda punctata Monarda bartlettii hr r eea edrprnilmnra from south-of- There are several tenderperennial monardas The largebrightcrimsonflowers ofM.pringlei It iseasytogrow becauseat from seed,whichisfortunate Crocosmia and subduedCuphea ignea M. bartletti www.hamiltonseeds.com. www.easywildflowers.com. www.vvm.com/~reid/seeds.htm. ‘White Nymph’,‘White tangerine-colored Agastache auranti- Freedom, CA.www.seedhunt.com. ✕ crocosmiiflora and (Zones 8–11,12–1)isfantasticallyshowy (Zones 4–10,10–1),commonlyknown M. pringlei. Willow Springs,MO.(417)469- species are either prairieorwoodland Elk Creek,MO.(417)967- ‘George Davison’, andlantanas. ‘Lutea’. Belton, TX.(254)780- Catalog online. Catalog online. ‘Ellen Houston’, gold- Catalog online. Its onlydown- with theor- (Zone 8–11, Salvia

TOP: JESSIE KEITH; BOTTOM: ALLAN ARMITAGE A QUICK GUIDE TO MONARDAS SUBGENUS CHEILYCTIS Name Height Flower/Bract Color Foliage Color Origin USDA/AHS Zones (in.) M. citriodora 12–30 white-pink/pink medium green south-central U.S. 7–10, 10–1 M. fruticulosa 15–40 white-pink/pink silver green southern Texas 8–11, 12–1 M. maritima 40–43 white-pink/green-white-pink pale green eastern Texas 8–10, 11–1 M. punctata 12–40 yellow-white/pink light to dark green coastal to eastern U.S. 4–10, 10–1 M. viridissima 24–30 white and purple/purple bright green east-central Texas 7–10, 11–1

SUBGENUS MONARDA M. bartlettii 24–36 magenta/red-tinted dark green/purple northeastern Mexico 8–11, 12–1 M. bradburiana 12–20 white/purple-green medium to dark green south-central U.S. 5–8, 10–1 M. clinopodia 20–50 white-green/green medium green eastern U.S. 5–8, 8–1 M. didyma 28–45 red/purple-green/pink medium to dark green eastern N. America 4–10, 10–1 M. fistulosa 20–45 purple-pink/purple-green light to medium green eastern N. America 3–9, 9–1 M. pringlei 20–40 crimson/purple-green dark green/purple northeastern Mexico 8–11, 12–1

low flowers with maroon spots, pink to white-green bracts, Monarda citriodora (Zones 7–10, 10–1) is most easily char- and northerly selections are short-lived perennials that sur- acterized by the pungent citrus scent emitted when its leaves are vive for three to four years. crushed. It has an upright habit, purple to white flowers, and Common to coastal grasslands and prairies, M. punctata is greenish-white to pink or even dark purple bracts. Like a heavy bloomer that makes an impressive addition to both for- horsemint, M. citriodora is comprised of several varieties, and mal and naturalistic gardens. Last summer I created a natural- it may be listed in references as either an annual or a perennial. istic bed in my backyard where I’ve encouraged a locally In my garden, most have acted as annuals, with the exception gathered seed strain of M. punctata to proliferate among an as- of a few that survived single winters. Seed can be easily obtained sortment of native grasses, sedges, and asters. through many garden seed catalogs, and this hardy, heat-toler- ant plant will bloom as quickly as two months after sowing. I am growing this species in my herb garden among thymes, sages, and tarragon. WOODLAND MONARDAS A few monardas are adapted to light shade and woodland en- vironments, and two of the nicest and easiest to find are M. bradburiana and M. clinopodia. Monarda bradburiana (Zones 5–8, 8–1) is a clump-forming species with purple-tinged green foliage that is acclimated to the open woodlands of the Mid- west and south. In late spring to early summer it becomes cov- ered with delicate white flowers with rose-purple spots. Sometimes called basil beebalm, M. clinopodia (Zones 5–8, 8–1) prefers the moister soils and open Above: With its showy woodlands of the eastern bracts and late-summer United States and tends to flowers, M. punctata, spread with gusto. Its sub- native to coastal grass- dued greenish-white flowers lands and prairies, is a have purple spots and green good choice for sandy bracts and look pretty soils. Left: The lemon- against the plant’s crisp scented foliage of M. green leaves. Both species are citriodora provides a best suited to naturalistic pleasing foil for its ornate gardens and pair well with M. clinopodia tends to spread and is

TOP LEFT: JESSIE M. HARRIS; BOTTOM LYNNE HARRISON; RIGHT: MARK TURNER summer flowers. other lively woodland fa- well suited for naturalizing.

July / August 2005 21 Other good selections have been products of extensive Monar- da breeding programs such as the one founded by the late Henry Marshall at the Morden Research Centre in Winnipeg, Quebec, in the early 1970s. Many mildew-resistant varieties were developed there, including the purple-flowered ‘Marshall’s Delight’ (30 inch- es) and rose-pink dwarf ‘Petite Delight’ (12 inches). More recently, Morden has introduced two more of its best, the dark-leaved, rose-flowered M. didyma Coral Reef™ (‘Baileef’), and lavender-flowered, mound-forming ‘Grand Pa- rade’. Two additional notables to hit the market are the cute bushy dwarfs ‘Fireball’ and ‘Pink Supreme’, both developed by Dutch plant breeder and nurseryman Herbert Oudshoorn. CULTIVATION AND CARE In addition to being easy to grow, monardas are a breeze to propagate from seed, cuttings, or division. On average, their seeds germinate within a week if surface sown and kept even- ly moist at temperatures between 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Under the same conditions, cuttings will take within a couple of weeks if lightly dipped in rooting hormone and set in even- ly moist, sterile growing medium. Divide clump-forming monardas in early spring. Generally speaking, all monardas are happiest in well-drained soils and sun, but some, like M. clinopodia, can take a little more moisture and the woodland species can take a little more shade. In my experience, monardas thrive in poorer soils and need little or no supplemental feed- ing. Be sure to deadhead spent inflorescences to keep plants looking clean and new flowers coming. Powdery mildew is the main disease problem to watch out for—particular- ‘Raspberry Wine’ is one of several Monarda hybrids that offer improved ly with plants in the sub- resistance to powdery mildew, a common affliction of the genus. genus Monarda. Because powdery mildew only in- vorites like the ruby red Spigelia marilandica, brazen Tiarella habits leaf surfaces and ‘Iron Butterfly’, and textural green Heuchera richardsonii. thrives when conditions are hot and dry, it simply helps FAMILIAR BEEBALMS to keep plants well watered The monardas most familiar to American gardeners are Oswego Thinning out dense clumps of and infected stems pruned tea (M. didyma, Zones 4–10, 10–1) and wild bergamot (M. fis- monarda maintains air flow, which out. Maintaining good air tulosa, Zones 3–9, 9–1), both of which have broad natural ranges discourages powdery mildew. circulation is also impor- in eastern and central North America. They do have some of tant, so place plants in open the largest, most brightly colored flowers in the genus and look areas and thin out or divide clumps when they become too dense. great in the garden when healthy, but many selections are sus- The extended members of the genus Monarda are untapped ceptible to powdery mildew, and some are aggressive spreaders garden wonders that are worth looking and asking for. By with ungainly growth habits. bringing them to light, I hope more gardeners and plantspeo- Fortunately, diligent breeding has done much to squelch ple will take the time to investigate and refine their landscape these ornamental maladies. In fact, many outstanding cultivars potential. Once that’s accomplished, I’ll be off to champion the have been developed through selection and interspecific hy- cause of yet other underappreciated plants.  bridization. Also, extensive trials have aided in the identifica- tion of the least invasive, most mildew-resistant cultivars with Jessie Keith is an instructor in the Horticulture, Landscaping, and pleasing habits and extended bloom-times. Many popular se- Turf Management program at Williamson Free School in Media, lections, like ‘Gardenview Scarlet’, ‘Raspberry Wine’, and ‘Blue Pennsylvania. Her master’s thesis research at Michigan State Uni-

Stocking’, have come through such trials with high marks. versity focused on the genus Monarda. LEFT: MARK TURNER; RIGHT: DAVID CAVAGNARO

22 the American Gardener ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS Mighty BY DOREEN G. HOWARD Mycorrhizae

You’ve probably heard about beneficial soil microbes, but do they really work? Here’s one gardener’s account of her decade-long experience with mycorrhizae.

’VE BEEN A mycorrhizal fungi fungi, and other living organisms that rhizae in Corvallis, Oregon, describes junkie for a decade. After reading help keep plants healthy. Depleted and mycorrhizal fungi as quarterbacks that I about mycorrhizae on an Internet veg- overfertilized soils have few biota. can call other soil microbes into play as etable gardening listserv, I decided to risk Among these beneficial soil organisms needed. Certain bacteria that associate $20 for a jarful. That purchase proved to are mycorrhizae, symbiotic fungi that at- with mycorrhizae, for example, may pro- be a turning point in my gardening life. tach to plant roots and absorb some of the duce antibiotic substances that inhibit Fungi saved my gardens when disease, plant’s carbohydrates; in return, the fungi plant pathogens. bugs, and weather conspired to destroy feed and protect the plant by helping it Until recently, mycorrhizal products everything I grew; they soon became the take up nutrients more effectively. The were available mainly through commer- strongest weapon in my organic arsenal. fungi sprout hyphae, thin threadlike feed- cial suppliers and Internet sources. Now, ing tubes that mine soil and subsoil for PLANT PARTNERS phosphorus, trace minerals, and water. The author photographs the growth of the Undisturbed and organically managed Robert Linderman, a USDA research plants in her garden to document the effects soils are full of soil biota—bacteria, plant pathologist specializing in mycor- of mycorrhizae.

July / August 2005 23 Right: Mycorrhizae have helped this three- month-old border in the author’s garden look like it’s in its second season. Bottom right: The left row of ‘Waltham Butternut’ squash in the author’s vegetable garden was not treated with fungi; the right row was. Opposite top: This large mycorrhizae-treated tomato transplant is only six weeks old from seed. however, mycorrhizal fungi are readily available in powder form for coating seeds and plant roots. In addition, potting mixes contain them, nursery stock is inoculated with them, and fertilizer blends incorpo- rate them. Elaine Ingham, a former researcher at Oregon State University who is now pres- ident and director of research at Soil Food- web, Inc., says, “Mycorrhizae in potting soil will get the last bit of nutrients out of the pot and the fungi will defend the roots from diseases encouraged by overwater- ing.” (To read more about Ingham and her research, see page 44.) A GARDENER’S DESPAIR Although I’d always favored organic meth- ods, they weren’t working in my new Texas Gulf Coast garden, where heat and hu- midity were constant companions. The re- lentless steam bath nurtured diseases I’d never seen in my previous California gar- den as well as hordes of five-inch-long cockroaches, bagworms by the million, and legions of crop-destroying stink bugs. Drainage was a problem, too.The area was a primordial soup that received six feet of rainfall annually and was only three inch- es above sea level. Raised beds were the only way to grow flowers and vegetables, and I planted fruit trees and shrubs on mounds to combat root rot. The native gumbo clay soil, al- though potentially rich in phosphorus and minerals, consumed organic matter rapid- ly because of super-heated decomposition and constant rainwater leaching. No soil microbes were present to process phos- phorus and trace minerals, so those nutri- SEEING IS BELIEVING posted manure, decomposed oak leaves, ents were unavailable to plants. I don’t believe everything I read, so when and shredded banana leaves, which I left Every three weeks I mulched with com- my $20 jar of inoculant arrived, I decid- to rot for four weeks. post and manures to get a productive-size ed to test the miraculous claims. I used Meanwhile, I started two sets of heir- plant but then bugs and disease would de- cement blocks to build two raised beds, loom tomato seeds. I dusted one set of scend on the pumped-up plants, leaving each eight inches high, 24 feet long, and seeds with mycorrhizal fungi inoculant and them ill and distorted. I was so desperate four feet wide. I spaced the beds six feet planted both sets in individual, two-inch that I dusted my tomato plants with Sevin apart with a turf aisle between them and plastic pots filled with a commercial pot- and nearly caused a microbe massacre. filled them with peat, compost, com- ting medium. I planted the control, or un-

24 the American Gardener I bought three new bareroot roses, sprinkled inoculant powder over their roots, and planted them with high hopes. Rosa ‘Oklahoma’, R. ‘Mirandy’, and R. ‘Medallion’ rewarded me with huge flow- ers just 60 days after planting and no black spot or mildew appeared even though I did not spray. It’s tough to grow standard herbaceous perennials in the South; most don’t thrive because there’s an insufficient dormant pe- riod. So when I moved to the Upper Mid- west in 1998, my pent-up gardening mania drove me to grow previously forbidden fruit such as peonies, heucheras, and del- phiniums. Not only were mycorrhizae in- valuable in helping my perennials get established, they also brought on early bloom. Within 90 days of early spring planting, all my young plants grew signif- icantly and bloomed copiously. The peony I bought in a five-gallon pot even pro- duced two flowers, an unexpected bonus because peonies usually require at least two seasons in-ground to bloom. ferences in the height, stem thickness, My experiences are not unique. Gar- and root ball mass of the two groups. dener Linda Nitchman of Glen Carbon, The inoculated transplants averaged Illinois, reports equal success with her pe- twice the size of the control plants. I set onies. “I tried mycorrhizae when I planted the inoculated transplants into one bed some new bareroot peonies in the fall,” and the control transplants into the Nitchman says. “The next spring, each other. Each plant had a five-foot-high plant had three to five big, beautiful wire cage around it and I mulched each blooms!” She hasn’t done controlled stud- bed with a thick layer of straw. ies, but in informal comparison tests, The inoculated plants flowered and set Nitchman has seen marked differences. fruit two weeks ahead of the control “Using mycorrhizae in my garden has group. At the end of the season—late June translated into better disease and insect re- in tropical south Texas—I was amazed at sistance, increased vigor, and more prolif- the difference in harvest totals. The inoc- ic blooms,” Nitchman says. “The benefits ulated ‘Garden Peach’ variety produced have been substantial.” 103 fruits, whereas the control ‘Garden Alaskan writer Jeff Lowenfels touts my- Peach’ bore only 28. Even large-fruited corrhizal fungi, compost tea, and other or- ‘Southern Night’ had 74 tomatoes on the ganic products in his weekly newspaper inoculated plant versus 14 on the control. column, which has run for more than 30 The control plants were infested with years in the Anchorage Daily News. He uses early blight (Alternaria solani), but the in- mycorrhizae in his own garden and reports oculated plants were disease-free. the biggest benefits he and his readers see is having to water less when they inoculate treated, seeds first to avoid cross-contami- THE POWER OF FUNGI with mycorrhizae. Lowenfels also notes that nation. The tomato varieties I used were My skepticism was now a thing of the “we have a lot of humus in our soil, but the ‘Black Plum’, ‘Garden Peach’, ‘Schimmeig past. I began using mycorrhizae on pH is below 6, so phosphate gets locked in Stoo’, ‘Striped German’, ‘Silvery Fir Tree’, everything, including roses, which are soil particles. Mycorrhizal fungi make ‘Green Zebra’, and ‘Southern Night’. disease-laden in hot, humid climates un- [phosphate] available to plants.” Three weeks after germination, I re- less you apply systemic pesticides. I had potted the plants into six-inch pots. At adopted that practice, rationalizing that FINANCIAL BENEFITS five weeks, I planted them in the raised I don’t eat the roses, therefore I could “A few pennies spent at the beginning beds. At that time, I noticed marked dif- make an exception to my organic rules. can save thousands of dollars when you

July / August 2005 25 PUTTING MYCORRHIZAL INOCULANTS TO THE TEST: AND THE WINNER IS…

To compare brand perfor- mance, I tested mycor- INOCULANT COMPARISON rhizal inoculants from five companies: Chappy’s Pow- Brand Mature Plant Tomatoes er Organics, BioOrganics, Height (in.) Harvested Gardens Alive!, T&J Enter- BioOrganics 26.5 15 prises, and Fedco. I tested Chappy’s Power 26.5 14 them on ‘Silvery Fir Tree’ Organics tomato seeds because this Fedco 16.25 13 determinate variety pro- Gardens Alive! 19.25 13 duces a crop in less than T&J Enterprises 17.5 16 60 days. Six sterilized pots Control (no inoculant) 12.75 4 were filled with a commer- cial seed-starting media that contained .09-.05-.09 mulched with shredded cedar bark. Two weeks later, all the fertilizer with peat moss, The author used ‘Silvery Fir Tree’ plants except the control had set fruit. The control plant had vermiculite, lime, and a tomatoes in her home experiment. not even produced a flower. After a month in the ground, all wetting agent. Seeds were the inoculated plants were about the same size and were cov- dusted with each company’s product and planted. I planted the ered with flowers and developing fruit. The control plant was control pot with untreated seeds first to avoid contamination. one-third the size of the others, had significantly less foliage, The BioOrganics-inoculated seeds sprouted first. Two days and bore only one fruit. later, all seeds except the control had germinated. Nine days Because of an early freeze, all plants were harvested 53 after planting, the control seeds sprouted. Two weeks after days after setout and 96 days after seeding. The table above sowing, the BioOrganics plant was largest and had the most shows final plant height and number of tomatoes harvested. extensive root system. The Chappy’s plant was second in size, My conclusion is that any commercial VAM (vesicular- but its root system was smaller. T&J Enterprises’ plant was arbuscular mycorrhizae) inoculant works. BioOrganics and Chap- third largest, and it had nearly as large a root system as the py’s produced larger plants more quickly. However, the plant BioOrganics plant. The Fedco and Gardens Alive! plants were treated with T&J Enterprises’ inoculant formed the most mas- equal to each other in size and root development. The con- sive root system and yielded more tomatoes. trol plant was 80 percent smaller than the rest and had the My quick trial was by no means scientific, but the results fewest roots. indicate that mycorrhizal fungi inoculants, together with the I set plants into the ground four weeks after seeds were microbial associates they encourage, produce bigger, health- sown. The soil was sandy loam that had not been fertilized for ier, and more productive plants compared with plants that at least a decade. No fertilizer was added. Plants were have no colonized fungi on their roots. —D.H.

26 the American Gardener CARE AND FEEDING OF MYCORRHIZAE If you use mycorrhizae, you may have to Sources for Inoculant Spores change your gardening practices because BioOrganics, La Pine, OR (commercial quantities only). (888) 332-7676. the excess nitrogen and phosphorus in www.bio-organics.com. synthetic fertilizers inhibit soil fungi. Substitute slow-release plant foods such Chappy’s Power Organics, Malibu, CA. (800) 604-0444. www.rootbooster.com. as compost, fishmeal pellets, and alfalfa or kelp meal. Gradual-release synthetics Fedco Seeds, Waterville, ME. (207) 873-7333. www.fedcoseeds.com. such as Osmocote work well in small amounts. Avoid hot (uncomposted) or- Gardens Alive, Lawrenceburg, IN. (513) 354-1482. www.gardensalive.com. ganic fertilizers such as chicken manure and bat guano, which add huge amounts T&J Enterprises, Spokane, WA. (509) 327-7670. www.tandjenterprises.com. of nitrogen and phosphorus to the soil all at once, killing mycorrhizae. Bone meal is the preferred source of phosphorus be- cause it breaks down slowly and releases inoculate seeds, transplants, and potted use mycorrhizal fungi is because plants es- the element gradually. stock with mycorrhizal fungi,” says Steve tablish quickly and are more resistant to Learn to mulch, not dig. Disturbing Boulden, owner of S&S Designed Land- drought stress and transplant shock,” says the ground damages the soil food web, of scaping in Carlsbad, New Mexico. John Keller, Monrovia’s research director. which mycorrhizae are a part. Use three to Boulden has been using the inoculant for four inches of organic matter such as nearly three years and has seen plant fail- CHOOSING THE BEST INOCULANT ure decline from around nine percent to More than 95 percent of plant species form less than one percent. “When we go back mycorrhizal associations, and many fungi to check landscapes we’ve installed, we are specific to certain plants. However, find everything healthy,” Boulden says. only two types of fungi are commonly sold “Before I started using mycorrhizae, we’d as inoculants: Ectomycorrhizae are found find dead and marginal plants due to in forests and hedgerows and aid conifers poor nutrient uptake. Now I save money, and some deciduous trees and shrubs; en- and so does the customer.” domycorrhizae are found on the roots of a One of the biggest challenges in New vast number of herbaceous and woody Mexico is iron deficiency because of the plants. The latter group also is known as highly alkaline soil. “We don’t see iron de- vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM). ficiency in our gardens since we started VAM inoculants are most often the using mycorrhizal fungi,” Boulden says. species Glomus intraradices, although He grows lavender (Lavandula spp.), some are mixtures of several different Coreopsis, Russian sage (Perovskia atripli- endomycorrhizae. cifolia), red-tipped Yucca, and several or- Plant-specific strains such as erica- Mulching with organic matter such as namental grasses in greenhouses for use in ceous (for heathers, rhododendrons, shredded leaves helps create a healthy the landscapes he designs. He mixes inoc- blueberries, and other members of the environment for beneficial soil organisms. ulant with potting mix to start seeds and heath family), orchidaceous (for or- cuttings. “Every aspect of the resulting chids), and ectomycorrhizae are best used shredded leaves, dried grass clippings or plant is noticeably better using mycor- in arboretums and botanical gardens and straw, or an inch of compost as a mulch. rhizae,” Boulden says. by plant propagators. The average gar- As they break down, mulches feed the soil Monrovia Nurseries in Azusa, Califor- dener will benefit most from using VAM food web and keep the ground soft, moist, nia, uses mycorrhizae to produce perenni- inoculants, which colonize the roots of and weed-free. To install new plants, sim- als, shrubs, and trees for consumers. The most garden plants. ply push the mulch aside and dig as large company adds seven different types of my- Inoculants typically come in powdered a hole as you need for the plant’s root ball. corrhizae to its soil mix to stimulate nu- form. Pulverized clay or yucca powder are Don’t use fungicides. Such products trient and water uptake and increase fruit the main carriers for the fungal spores. kill mycorrhizae along with the bad fungi. and flower yields. The resulting plants Humic acids and volcanic rock dust are Improved plant health should reduce or have bigger root systems, better foliage, added to a few blends to supply trace ele- eliminate the need for fungicides. If you and grow more vigorously when cus- ments to plants. Some products have a need one, spray affected foliage using a tomers transplant them. The fungi spread shelf life of only 90 days; others last as long mixture of baking soda and water.  to nearby plants, too, enhancing their as a year. All must be stored in a cool, dry growth and making them more resistant place out of direct sunlight, which de- Doreen Howard, a former garden editor at

DAVID CAVAGNARO to pests and diseases. “The main reason we grades the spores. Woman’s Day, lives in Roscoe, Illinois.

July / August 2005 27 Compact Shrubs 28 today’s smallergardens. maturity areagoodfitfor Shrubs thatstayinscaleat and inEurope, lotsofinterest indwarf “There’s lotsofbreeding goingonhere have beenundergoingarenaissance. in Ithaca, New York, ofallsizes shrubs urban horticulture atCornellUniversity versity insmallerspaces.” people are looking formore coloranddi- nipers andyewsnotmuchelse.Now used tobethatyards would have someju- Also, landscapesare muchmore diverse. It are buyingbighouses onsmallerlots. in Grand Haven, Michigan. “People manager atSpring Meadow Nursery Tim Wood, product development initely thewaythingsare going,”says The interest is“def- insmaller shrubs SMALL IS“IN” S more spacetogrow otherplants. beautiful,theyallowshrubs memuch ta compact winterberries in myfront yard forthegrouping of are andthere dwarfs, is plentyofroom Iamgrowingthe five crapemyrtles room formuchelse.However, fourof hollies; not,thatis,ifIwanttohave orhalfadozen winterberry crape myrtles, don’t have room forfive orsixfull-size Onproperties. myone-third acre, Isimply deners likemewhohave relatively small One istosatisfytheneedsofgar- shrubs. are producing more andbettercompact are increasingly available. pact selectionsoffavorite garden shrubs those whogarden insmallspaces,com- Fortunately, forshrubs. holds true for ‘Red Sprite’). Not onlyare mysmall According to Nina Bassuk, professor of There are manyreasons whybreeders the American Gardener OME OFTHE ers are discovering thatthesame small packages,andmanygarden- (Ilex verticilla- best giftscomein it wasagreat plant,withitsdark purplish my houseacouple ofyears ago. Ithought low for myselfafterplantingblack pussywil- will save timeandlabor. Idiscovered this interestednot, are inanythingthat very owners, whetherseriousgardeners or toward isthatmost home- smallershrubs color,” saysBassuk. plants andinwithinteresting leaf Another factordrivingthemovement (Salix melanostachys) at thecornerof berries remainafteritsleavesdropinautumn. particularly usefulinsmallspaces.Itsscarlet winterberry’s multiseasoninterestmakesit In additiontoitscompactsize,‘RedSprite’ smaller shrubs canbeworked intoperen-smaller shrubs “Peoplesmaller shrubs. are realizing that nials isalsocontributingtothe interest in ias now available. forsyth- says, tochooseoneofthedwarf asks Wood, rhetorically. Much better, he three orfouryears?”whack backevery to 12feettallthatthey’re goingtohave to Who wantstohave aforsythiathatis10 to betrimmingandshearingthingsback. cumbed todrought. was actuallyabitrelieved whenitsuc- so tired thatI oftheconstant pruning ofthefront yard.sizable part In fact,Igot ing thecornerwindow andtakingover a tokeepthewillow fromin trying cover- count on,though,wasthework involved were strikinginavase. WhatIdidn’t stems andpurplish-blackcatkins,which Wood believes thepopularityofperen- “Most peoplenolongerhave thetime BY PATRICIAACTON

TOP: ROB CARDILLO; BOTTOM: JOSEPH G. STRAUCH, JR. nial gardens, but require less care” than perennials, many of which need to be reg- THE STORY BEHIND ‘CHICKASAW’ AND ‘POCOMOKE’ ularly divided or staked. Small shrubs that work as ground cov- Some dwarf plants are a long time in the making. Consider the two miniature crape ers are excellent choices for mixed borders myrtles, Lagerstroemia ‘Pocomoke’ and ‘Chickasaw’, both relatively recent intro- agrees Bassuk, noting their effectiveness in ductions from the U.S. National Arboretum. reducing weed problems. For this pur- The story for both plants is similar. Both were produced and selected by the pose, she particularly recommends low- arboretum’s legendary growing, spreading dogwood (Cornus late plant breeder racemosa Muskingum™) and Forsythia Donald Egolf. The first ‘Courtasol’ (Gold Tide™). The latter, she cross in the pedigree notes, “really seems to knock weeds was made in 1967. out…it’s great on banks or places where Five original plants it’s hard to mow.” and their offspring were intercrossed for TRADEOFFS FOR SMALLER PLANTS five generations, with Some gardeners question whether nurs- the final cross being ery owners or breeders, in trying to select made in 1989. Thirty or develop compact plants, are at times years after the first sacrificing other desirable attributes. The cross was made, jury still seems to be out on this topic. ‘Chickasaw’ was re- leased, with ‘Poco- moke’ following the next year (1998). Not all plants take ‘Chickasaw’ produces abundant lavender-pink blossoms. 30 years to develop, but not all plants have the complex pedigrees belonging to ‘Pocomoke’ and ‘Chick- asaw’. Then, of course, they had to be carefully evaluated in different growing con- ditions, and a sufficient number of plants had to be grown before they could be offered to the public. Today, both these crape myrtles are available through mail- order nurseries and at some garden centers. What can gardeners expect from these crape myrtles? ‘Chickasaw’ is smaller, growing to just 20 inches tall by 26 inches wide after seven years, with lavender- pink blooms for a long period in summer. ‘Pocomoke’ is a bit bigger, about 19 inches tall and three feet wide after eight years, with deep rose-pink flowers and bronze-red fall color. Both are highly resistant to powdery mildew. Both are fully hardy in the southern part of USDA Zone 7, and root hardy to Zone 6. Gardeners in Zone 5 can grow them in containers that can be moved to a garage or other pro- Summer Wine™ ninebark grows to only six tected spot for the winter. Both will thrive in AHS Heat Zones 9 to 7. feet and features attractive dark foliage. In addition to the dwarfs, many of the mid-sized crape myrtles—including ‘Zu- ni’, ‘Hopi’, ‘Cheyenne’, and ‘Acoma’—developed by the U.S. National Arbore- “I tend not to think in terms of com- tum are highly mildew resistant. As for further developments in the world of dwarf promises…there is a lot of talk in garden- or semi-dwarf crape myrtles, the arboretum’s Margaret Pooler says several plants ing circles about trading off fragrance or in the size range of ‘Pocomoke’ and a bit larger are now under evaluation. —P.A. disease resistance for bigger flowers or brighter colors, but in the area of dwarf shrubs, I have not seen this,” says Dick Bir, tend to bloom a bit later than some stan- fewer of those awful, highly manicured for- a former research horticulturist with the dard forms, and that some of the very sythias in spring. In addition to sometimes North Carolina State University Horticul- miniature selections do have a tendency growing more slowly, dwarf selections ture Extension Service. to ‘sport’ or send out reversions (for more “may be slower to establish,” Bassuk says, According to Margaret Pooler, re- on the development of the dwarf crape although that is not always or even usual- search geneticist at the U.S. National Ar- myrtles, see box above). ly the case; she notes that ‘Courtasol’ for- boretum in Washington, D.C., there Compact or dwarf plants often grow sythia, for example, establishes quickly. weren’t many tradeoffs in developing more slowly than standard-sized plants, Even though many gardeners are look- ‘Chickasaw’ and ‘Pocomoke’, two minia- Bassuk says. Of course, that often is a good ing for smaller plants, others still fall prey ture crape myrtles released through the thing; if smaller, slower growing forsythias to trying to “get more bang for your buck”

LEFT: COURTESY OF SPRING MEADOW NURSERY; RIGHT: JESSIE. M. HARRIS arboretum. She says the two cultivars do were more widely planted, surely we’d see when choosing plants, despite the know-

July / August 2005 29 30 sweets suchas in fall.In myyard, full-sized summer- dark, fresh-looking green, turningyellow al weeks inlatesummer. Leaves are a fragrant, bloomingforaperiodofsever- spreading habit.Its flowers are whiteand feettallwitha half tothree-and-a-half ‘Hummingbird’ reaches justtwo-and-a- mersweet mature atsixtoeightfeet, sweet. Althoughmostcultivars ofsum- Zones formofsummer- 9–1)isadwarf (USDA Hardiness Zones 3–9,AHSHeat spreading. pacta’, hassimilarflowers butisless mingbird’. Anotherlow-grower, ‘Com- Spice’ recommended foravariety ofgarden sites: Here are andcompactshrubs somedwarf SHRUBS SOME RECOMMENDED no matterwhatsize theirgarden. That’s forgardeners, goodnews certainly inallvarietiesshrubs available,” hesays. best plants…we are lookingforcompact “travels allover theworld,lookingfor sitting nexttolargercultivars. are apoorvalue, especiallywhentheyare their customersthinkthesmallerplants stock manycompactselectionsbecause their allottedspace.Some nurseriesdon’t ledge thatbiggerplantswillsoonoutgrow Tim Wood describesthefoliageas “al- with abundant yellow flowers inspring. half feettallby sixfeetormore wide) spreading forsythia(twototwo-and-a- (Zones 5–8,8–5)isalow-growing, but grows bestinsuntolightshade. reddish. It’s tolerantofavariety ofsoils, leavesliage infall.Thenew are also lowed andbeautifulred by bluishfruits fo- It bearslargewhiteflowers inspring,fol- habit makesitanexcellent ground cover. tall by four tofive feetwide;itsspreading dogwood, Muskingum grows three feet (Zones cultivar ofgray 4–8,8–3).Adwarf bright red inwinter. growth isalsoreddish, andthestemsare Gnome’ hasafinerleaftexture. New larger instature thanMuskingum, ‘Red as aspecimenoringroups. Althoughabit can beeffective asaground cover; alsouse dogwoodthat 2–8, 8–1)isanothershrub Cornus alba Cornus Clethra alnifolia Wood saysthat,asaplanthunter, he Forsythia Cornus racemosaCornus the American Gardener flower atthesametimeas‘Hum- ‘Courtasol’ Gold‘Courtasol’ Tide ‘Pink Spires’ ‘Red Gnome’ ‘Hummingbird’ Muskingum and (Zones ‘Ruby ™ ™ Clethra alnifolia Clethra alnifolia Itea virginica Itea virginica Little Henry Little Henry ‘Hummingbird’ ‘Hummingbird’

COURTESY OF SPRING MEADOW NURSERY (2) Resources Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr. Stipes Publish- ing, Champaign, Illinois, 1998.

Sunset Western Garden Book, edited by Kathleen Norris Breuzel. Sunset Publishing, Menlo Park, California, 2001. Sources Fairweather Gardens, Greenwich, NJ. (856) 451-6261. www.fairweathergardens.com. Catalog $5 for two years; free online.

Forestfarm, Williams, OR. (541) 846-7269. www.forestfarm.com. Catalog $5; free online.

Greer Gardens, Eugene, OR. (541) 686-8266. www.greergardens. com. Catalog free.

Roslyn Nursery, Dix Hills, NY. (631) 643-9347. www.roslynnursery.com. LeucophyllumLeucophyllum frutescensfrutescens ‘Compactum’‘Compactum’ Catalog $3; free online.

most ferny,” and the leaf color as a light Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’ (Zones about two feet in height and spreads slow- lime green. It serves as an excellent 5–8, 8–5) is a deciduous holly that reaches ly by underground roots. It’s ideal as a ground cover and suppresses weeds well. three to five feet high. That makes it much ground cover or in a mixed border. Another dwarf forsythia from the same smaller than full-size winterberries, many Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Com- breeder is F. ✕intermedia Golden of which can grow to 12 feet. Like other pactum’ (Zones 8–9, 9–8) is a Texas Peep™ which has a more upright shape winterberries, ‘Red Sprite’ provides loads ranger cultivar that bears pink flowers than Gold Tide, growing to about three of bright red berries for a long period in over a long period in summer on a plant feet tall or so. Wood says that its size winter. ‘Red Sprite’ is adaptable, preferring growing three to five feet tall and wide. makes it “perfect by the house or deck.” moist, acid soils in sun, although it grows Foliage is silvery and evergreen. Native to Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Pee Wee’ well in my garden in part shade. Another southwestern Mexico, Texas ranger is very (Zones 5–9, 9–5) is a very compact form compact selection of winterberry is ‘Mary- drought resistant and, in fact, is excellent of oakleaf hydrangea, growing to just two land Beauty’, which grows to about five for desert conditions; it will not tolerate to three feet tall with similar spread. The feet high and wide. Both ‘Red Sprite’ and wet soils. leaves and flowers resemble those of stan- ‘Maryland Beauty’ require a male plant for Nandina domestica ‘Harbor Dwarf’ dard oakleaf hydrangeas, but they are pollination; use I. verticillata ‘Jim (Zones 6–11, 12–4) has fine-textured, lacy, much smaller. Its white flower panicles Dandy’ for ‘Maryland Beauty’ and either evergreen foliage; new growth starts out bloom in early summer, and the foliage ‘Jim Dandy’ or ‘Apollo’ for ‘Red Sprite’. pinkish or bronzy in spring, turns to green turns dark red in fall. A bit bigger is Itea virginica Little Henry® (Zones in summer, then turns bright red in fall. H. quercifolia ‘Sikes Dwarf’, growing 6–9, 10–7) is a diminutive version of Vir- Growing to about 18 inches in height, two feet tall or so with a spread of four ginia sweetspire. It has the same lovely ‘Harbor Dwarf’ spreads by rhizomes to feet. This cultivar also has white flowers spires of white flowers in early summer, two feet or so. Unlike some dwarf nandi- and oakleaf foliage, turning purplish in and the same excellent red color in fall. nas, with age this one flowers and pro- fall. Oakleaf hydrangeas do best in part Like other sweetspires, Little Henry is an duces red berries. ‘Gulf Stream’ is another or dappled shade with plenty of mois- easy-care shrub that tolerates damp to dry compact heavenly bamboo that is more

MICHAEL S. THOMPSON ture, but they will tolerate deep shade. soils in full sun or heavy shade. It grows upright, reaching three to four feet in

July / August 2005 31 MORE COMPACT SHRUBS Name Height/ Flower Color/ Other Features Origin USDA, AHS Spread (ft.) Bloom Time Zones Abelia ‘Edward Goucher’ 5/6 lilac pink flowers/ glossy, dark green leaves Himalayas to 7–9, 9–1 May–June till first frost trumpet shaped flowers east Asia Ceanothus thyrsiflorus 3/3 pale to dark blue/ glossy, mid-green leaves western 7–11, 10–3 ‘Skylark’ spring North America (Blue mountain lilac) Deutzia crenata var. 1–2/5 white/spring to early profuse double white Japan 5–8, 8–5 nakaiana ‘Nikko’ summer flowers; bright green leaves Deutzia gracilis 2–3/2–3 white/spring chartreuse leaves; Himalayas to 5–8, 8–5 Chardonnay Pearls™ pearllike flower buds east Asia Hydrangea macrophylla 11/2/2 deep pink flowers/ young plants flower Japan 6–9, 9–6 ‘Pia’ (Pink Elf) July through August heavily Nerium ‘Little White’ 3–6/3–6 white/late spring to fall all parts are poisonous Mediterranean 13–15, 12–1 (Oleander) Also ‘Petite to Asia Pink’ and ‘Carnival’ Physocarpus opulifolius 5–6/5–6 white-pink/May–June button bloom; dark purple east Asia and 3–8, 8–1 Summer Wine™ (Ninebark) foliage North America Spiraea japonica 2–3/2–3 deep rose, pink and lustrous deep green leaves China, Japan 4–9, 9–1 ‘Shirobana’, ‘Little Princess’, white on one flower/ ‘Alpina’, and ‘Magic Carpet’ summer (Japanese spirea) Syringa pubescens subsp. 8/10 lilac-blue flowers/ leaves may turn burgundy north central 5–8, 8–3 patula ‘Miss Kim’ early summer in fall China (Manchurian lilac) Viburnum carlesii 4–8/4–8 white flowers/spring sweetly fragrant flowers; Korea, Japan 5–8, 8–5 ‘Compactum’ blue-black fruit (Koreanspice viburnum) height and width. Producing no Weigela florida ‘Minuet’ flowers or fruit, ‘Gulf Stream’ (Zones 5–8, 8–4) grows just has bronzy new foliage that two to three feet tall, with the turns blue-green in summer weigela’s typical funnel-shaped and red-orange in fall. ‘Fire- flowers in lavender-pink dur- power’ (Zones 6–11, 12–4), a ing May to June. ‘Minuet’ is dwarf cultivar developed in one of a series of weigelas New Zealand, offers lime-green named after dance steps. An- new foliage and brilliant red fall other in the series, ‘Polka’, is a color on a two-by-two-foot bit bigger, reaching three to plant. All these nandinas grow five feet, with thick dark green best in sun to part sun with av- leaves and two-toned pink erage soil moisture. flowers. For a truly petite Rhus aromatica ‘Gro- weigela, consider Midnight Low’ (Zones 2–8, 8–1) is a Wine™; this plant grows just compact form of fragrant eight to 10 inches in height and sumac. Native to much of east- perhaps twice as wide. It has ern North America, the genus Nandina domestica ‘Firepower’‘Firepower’ purple leaves with pink flowers is well-suited to the Midwest, in summer. All these weigelas too. Like its name implies, are easy to grow in a sunny ‘Gro-Low’ stays low, at about two feet, color late in the season. Yellow flowers ap- spot with average garden soil.  but spreads up to eight feet and makes a pear in spring, followed by hairy red fruit. great ground cover. It has beautiful, shiny It tolerates dry, compacted soils and Free-lance garden writer Patricia Acton lives

green leaves that turn red in fall; its leaves drought, but doesn’t like wet feet. in Deale, Maryland. BILL JOHNSON

32 the American Gardener the Great Plains Plantsman

HE SEMINAR at the University road workers in the 1880s when all was Plant explorer and nursery of Nebraska was titled “Herba- prairie and promise. They took in the T ceous Perennials and Grasses in sheer, compelling vastness of the place, owner Harlan Hamernik turns Sustainable Landscapes—What’s New or said Hamernik, and announced, “That’s Notable.” If anyone could address what it; we aren’t going any further.” out plants as tough as his is “sustainable” in Nebraska’s challenging They settled in northeast Nebraska, climate, it was the speaker, Harlan where, later on, the town of Clarkson native Nebraska plains. Hamernik, the founder of Bluebird blossomed on the prairie. But that was Nursery Inc., a company with the only with a little help from its townspeo- BY BOB HILL mantra: “If they’ll grow in Nebraska, ple. With pioneer resourcefulness and de- they’ll grow anywhere.” termination, they hauled a general store PHOTOS BY MICHAEL HAYMAN Tall, lean, bearded, and committed to and post office on skids two miles across finding and producing plants as tough as the plains to move the existing town near- Above: Hamernik admires a stand of the Nebraska plains, Hamernik is the er the freshly-laid train tracks. Ipomoea leptophylla flowering during a long grandson of Czech and German immi- It was in Clarkson that Hamernik Nebraska summer drought. Top: Hibiscus grants who first came to Nebraska as rail- began his nursery business in 1957, paying ‘Pink Cloud’, a Hamernik introduction.

July / August 2005 33 This aerial view shows one of the four greenhouse sites of Bluebird Nursery and the surrounding farmland in the small Nebraska town of Clarkson.

$3,500 for seven-and-a-half acres, a small house, a garage, a Ford tractor, a plow, and a col- lie. At first, Hamernik sold an- nual plants wholesale to retail outlets in the smaller towns around Clarkson. Then he got more heavily into perennials in the 1980s, expanding his market to Sioux City, Omaha, and Lin- coln, then Kansas City, Denver, and Minneapolis–St. Paul. With the help of his wife and the 100 feet of it home in his pickup truck Hamernik. “Then I worked twice as hard couple’s three sons, Bluebird Nursery and rebuilt it, repairing all of the loose and sometimes worked through the whole has acquired international stature. panes. The destructive hail storm that night. After that, he saw I was serious.” Today, 100 full-time employees work in followed might have discouraged a less 10 acres of greenhouses filled with al- determined man. SEEKING OUT GREAT PLANTS most 12 million perennials, herbs, grass- When he went to the local bank to re- Hamernik’s talk at the University of Ne- es, and wildflowers, which they ship to quest a $500 loan to enlarge his nursery braska was one of many he makes around the central and eastern parts of the and was turned down because the loan the country, spreading his message that country and Canada. officer doubted the nursery business plants are much more adaptable than The fat, informational Bluebird whole- could succeed, Hamernik’s pioneer stub- current literature may allow. “Too many sale catalog—and its slimmer “Temperen- bornness kicked into overdrive. garden books were written by people nials” catalog featuring annuals for USDA “When the banker said, ‘You can’t do who didn’t try a plant in (USDA) Zone Zones 7 to 10—has more than 2,000 of- that here,’ it really challenged me,” says 4 and couldn’t possibly imagine some- ferings, including more than 150 Clematis, a Hamernik favorite. PIONEER DETERMINATION Bluebird is a great success story that al- most didn’t happen. Hamernik’s first move into the business world was an at- tempt to buy his hometown weekly newspaper in 1956. He discussed the pur- chase with the owner, went to Lincoln for six months to typographical school, and came home ready to buy. “That’s when the owner told me it was sold,” he recalls. When he was in Lincoln, however, Hamernik had worked part-time at a nursery and found he enjoyed being around plants. Already married to his wife, Shirley, his Plan B for life became scrounging up some wood, buying some clear plastic, and erecting a 20-foot plastic greenhouse on Shirley’s father’s farm to grow and sell vegetables and flowers. The next year he went to an auction Rancher Paul Allen, right, who collects and sells seeds, consults with Hamernik about the in Lincoln and bought a decrepit, 200- merits of leadplant (Amorpha canescens) growing on Allen’s ranch on the Niobrara River in foot glass greenhouse. He hauled the first northern Nebraska. This tough Plains plant remains green even in drought.

34 the American Gardener LEFT AND BOTTOM RIGHT: COURTESY OF BLUEBIRD NURSERY; TOP RIGHT: UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA which appeared inhisclassicbook years findingprairienatives, manyof in South Dakota in1910,thenspent70 Great Plains plantsmanwhohomesteaded spired by ClaudeBarr, anotherlegendary Hamernik toseekoutandbecomein- his planthuntingtrips. (Ipomoea leptophylla), morningglory plumes; andtheshrub nensis with brightyellow flowers; ‘Comanche Campfire’, ruby-stemmed ‘Navigator Mix’; erant, carminepinkPenstemon barbatus including tough,drought- andcold-tol- scribes 70“newer ornotableselections,” of alldamnplaces,”hesays. thing soexotic couldgrow inNebraska var. perba for tinyseedsofScabiosasu- ing glassinhand—searching Inner Mongolia—magnify- crawl around thewildsof may have ledHamernik to But whileplantexploration China, Tibet, andbeyond. also takenhimoverseas, to best red yuccaofthemall. them outseekingthevery tainers. Hamernik willplant plied into1,500plantsinone-galloncon- a cutting.”Thatcuttinghasnow multi- across ared yucca.Needless tosay, Itook road, andI’ll bedamnedifIdidn’t come alonganoldroughward ranchcountry into theSand Hills to- andturnednorth drought-tolerant plants. back roads seekingtough,cold-hardy, low explorers hauntopenfieldsanddusty the Plains. LikeBarr, Hamernik andhisfel- Lincoln. Henrickson isalsocoordinator of at theNebraska Statewide Arboretum in assistant director ofhorticulture programs den’,” saysBobHenrickson, more successfulinthegar- for plantsthatmakeyou times that‘we are searching plant world. him themostrespect inthe sults withthathave earned back homeheshared there- The searchplantsled fornew His yellow seminarhandoutsheetde- The lure plantshas ofnew “Two years ago,” he says,“Idrove out “I’ve heard himsaymany senescens, and ‘Pumila’ withlavender-pink Allium senescens it’s thepeople Oenothera macrocarpa found ononeof Astilbe chi- Astilbe Jewels of (top right),and Tricyrtis hirta Pardancanda Among themanyplantsBluebird NurseryhasintroducedtoAmericangardensare Great Plains.” als, especiallywithnative plantsofthe simply agreat ambassadorforperenni- Perennial Plant Association.“He is culture professor anddirector ofthe Still, anOhio State University horti- in theperennial industry,” saysSteven the bestplantsforGreat Plains. boretum tofind,evaluate, andpromote sociation andtheNebraska Statewide Ar- the Nebraska Nursery andLandscapeAs- the GreatPlants by program, ajointeffort (402) 892-3442. Clarkson, NE68629-4009. Gardenland, variety ofplantsforon-sitesales. retail arminClarkson,offersawide are opentovisitors.Gardenland,its sale, butitsdemonstrationgardens nursery.com) Bluebird Nursery Visiting Bluebird ■ ditional information. from AprilthroughJune.Callforad- also limitedhoursonweekends “Harlan beenanicon hascertainly Open 8a.m.to5p.mweekdays; ‘Dazzler Series’ (aboveleft),Oenotheramacrocarpa 521 LindenStreet only sellsplantswhole- (www.bluebird ‘Moonlight’ (bottom right). gardens scattered throughout town, anda greenhouse display facilities,wonderful plants Bluebird offers,thestate-of-the-art they’re blown awayby thehugediversity of ka Statewide Arboretum. “Invariably, James H.Locklear, director oftheNebras- them uptovisitBluebird Nursery,” says ka–Lincoln, anditisalwaysfuntodrive symposia here attheUniversity ofNebras- nent speakersforgardening lectures and out-of-the-way venue inNorth America. plants inwhathastobethesmallest,most gardeners, offeringthegreatest variety of made Clarkson aGreat Plains Mecca for Bluebird, thetown’s biggestemployer, has MECCA GREAT PLAINS drop somethingoffandaskmewhatitis.” ern Nebraska ontheirwaytoOmaha to mon,” hesays,“for somebodyfrom west- him unusualplants.“It’s notuncom- bors, sometimeshelphimoutby bringing his introductions, hisGreat Plains neigh- ductions” onpage36). hirta Pardancanda ing from Ajugatenorii with nearly40specificintroductions rang- “We frequently hostnationallypromi- Those whohave benefitedmostfrom Hamernik andBluebird are credited ‘Moonlight’ (see“Bluebird Intro- ‘Dazzler Series’ andTricyrtis July /August 2005 ‘Comanche Campfire’ ‘Emerald Chip’ to 35 reference library that would rival the hor- ticultural collections of most university li- BLUEBIRD INTRODUCTIONS braries. On the drive back there is usually Bluebird Nursery introductions tend to be tough plains natives or environmen- little conversation, as folks recover from tally friendly plants that thrive with little watering and other pampering. For this what we call a ‘Bluebird Headache’ reason, some 12 of Bluebird’s 38 introductions to date have been selected as brought on by horticultural overload.” GreatPlants®, a joint effort of the Nebraska Nursery & Landscape Association The nursery, the Hamernik family, and and the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum to select and promote plants that are tiny but vibrant Clarkson have become so not only exceptionally ornamental, but reliable, hardy, and easy to maintain intertwined that Hamernik and his sons (http://arboretum.unl.edu/greatplants.html). have variously served as town mayor and Two Bluebird introductions have also been tapped for the Plant Select® program, on local and state school boards. administered by Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University Cooperative Belonging to the Clarkson Fire & Res- Extension. The goal of this program is to seek out and distribute the very best plants cue Squad means that they might have to for the high plains to the intermountain region (www.ext.colostate.edu/psel/). drop family business to rush to an accident or take someone from the nursing home to A few of the notable Bluebird intro- the hospital. Company equipment is used ductions are: to keep the local high school football field in good condition. “We feel we have a re- Callirhoe alcaeoides ‘Logan Calhoun’, sponsibility here,” says Hamernik. a Nebraska native, was named to hon- or its discoverer, the late Texas plantsman. It produces white wine cups on foot-tall plants that spread to four feet (USDA Zones 4–9, AHS Zones 9–1). Delosperma ‘Kelaidis’ (Mesa Verde™), an alpine ice plant with South African forebears, was discovered at Denver Delosperma ‘Kelaidis’‘Kelaidis’ Botanic Gardens (DBG). Named for DBG horticulturist Panayoti Kelaidis, it has salmon pink flowers on two- inch succulent foliage (Zones 4–9, 9–6). Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Northern Lights’ is a form of a one-foot clumping Hamernik grooms a bed of Echinacea grass, native to cool, temperate regions purpurea ‘Alba’ at one of Bluebird Nursery’s around the world. It features variegat- large display gardens in Clarkson. ed leaves that are blush pink when emerging and in cool weather (Zones When Hamernik isn’t traveling the 5–9, 9–1). country giving lectures, working with Ne- Deschampsia cespitosa Penstemon grandiflorus ‘War Axe’— braska horticulturists, or writing a “Prairie ‘Northern‘Northern Lights’Lights’ which bears pink, maroon, red, and Wildflower Stars” column for The Iowa purple flowers on four-foot plants— Horticulturist magazine, he starts his work is a Nebraska native and 2005 day at about 6 a.m. over a cup of coffee GreatPlants release. Hamernik and the Omaha World–Herald crossword found it at the War Axe Wildlife Man- puzzle at the Clarkson Bakery, where the agement Area in south central Ne- aroma of fresh-baked bread and rolls braska (Zones 4–9, 9–4). hangs lightly over morning conversation. Scutellaria resinosa ‘Smoky Hills’ is a Then, it’s off to the sprawling, 40-acre native prairie skullcap and 2004 Bluebird operation with its long rows of GreatPlants release. It bears deep vintage red-brick buildings. Over on blue-purple flowers on foot-tall gray- Cherry Street thousands of labeled, well- ish plants (Zones 4–8, 8–1). tended flowers are on display in an All Scutellaria resinosa ‘Smoky‘Smoky Hills’Hills’ America Selections (AAS) garden—man- —Carole Ottesen, Associate Editor aged by Shirley Hamernik. There’s also an AAS display garden and one of the many

Bluebird trial gardens with their whimsi- TOP AND BOTTOM LEFT: COURTESY OF BLUEBIRD NURSERY; CENTER MICHAEL S. THOMPSON; RIGHT: HAYMAN

36 the American Gardener lon plant. They’d rather spend 98 cents and get 10 or 12 of something.” A FAMILY AFFAIR Introducing the best plants for his Great Plains climate is a mission Hamernik takes personally. Lined up outside one of his buildings is his “fledgling tree liner nursery”— thousands of pots arranged in a big square containing tiny oaks, co- toneasters, amur chokecherries, and red- buds that Hamernik is evaluating. “If I can find a redbud tree in northern Nebraska that looks like it’s 60, 70, 80 years old and has produced a lot of flow- ers and looks healthy, I’m going to collect some seeds off it and go with it,” he says. Standing at the edge of 10 acres of com- puterized, climate-controlled, propane- heated greenhouses, the cement and flat Nursery owners often visit Bluebird to see Hamernik’s latest offerings. Here, Hamernik gives earthen areas around them filled with Roy Klehm a late-winter tour of his greenhouses. Klehm’s Song Sparrow nursery in Wisconsin more plants under evaluation, Hamernik offers an extensive selection of herbaceous plants and woodies. surveys the complex operation that is Bluebird. The task of coordinating the cal, flower-covered creatures such as pea- plants including penstemons, sedges, se- nursery has distributed itself nicely among cocks and dragons and what’s become the dums, bamboos, salvias, and leadwort. family members. One son, Tom Hamer- nursery mascot, Buford the Buffalo,deco- For the benefit of tourists eager to buy nik, oversees the hiring, some manage- rated in buffalo grass. some of what they see, Bluebird operates ment, the buying of trucks, and the There’s a clematis garden, another Gardenland, a retail nursery at the edge of physical plant. Chuck Hamernik handles mostly for herbs, others for grasses, veg- town (see “Visiting Bluebird,” page 35). bookkeeping and computer program- etables, ground covers, hostas, and lilies. The locals shop there, too, only a little ming. Mike Hamernik takes charge of Also open to the public, a huge greenhouse more carefully. “Out here people still want much of the sales and customer relations. landscaped with rock and running water that three-inch pot,” says Hamernik. Along with maintaining the AAS garden brims with about 470 newer and notable “They don’t want to spend $14 for a gal- site, Shirley works on the catalog. Hamernik watches over all this and constantly seeks and evaluates new plants. His philosophy is that he prefers having colleagues in the plant business instead of competitors. Friends and associates from around the world send him seeds to ger- minate and evaluate. Stored in boxes, en- velopes, and bags, they fill a huge room. Standing in that room, wearing an old coat he hasn’t worn for a year, he reaches in a pocket and pulls out an envelope containing wild rose seeds collected on a trip to Denver. He’d forgotten they were there, but believes they are still viable and pledges to plant them out to see what he will find. 

Bob Hill is garden columnist with the Louisville Courier–Journal. He and photo- grapher Michael Hayman, also from the Louisville area, collaborated on an article about the Klehm nursery for The American Buford the Buffalo, the company mascot, roams in one of Bluebird’s trial gardens. Gardener in September/October 2003.

July / August 2005 37 38 wide rangeofgardensettings. fuchsias areadaptabletoa Little-grown California tend todiebackthecrown inwinter. peratures drop muchbelow freezing they round, but where tem- retain theirleaves year with mildwintersthey rocky sites. In regions that willtoleratedry, and astoughplants lateseasonflowersfiery are alsovalued fortheir mingbirds, butthey as magnetsforhum- probably mostprized Idaho andOregon. from New Mexico to andArizona north range intoseveral otherWestern states nia—as thecommonnamesuggests—but perennials are primarilynative toCalifor- this ability. semi-evergreen Theseshrubby (Zauschneria grow naturally. ly different from theonesinwhichthey well manyplantsdoinclimatescomplete- time toadapt.Thesurprisingthingishow though, ofcourse,theyare given muchless less obviouslocations, kicking,tonew also dragged,withmore silentscreams and environment.to adaptmynew ensuing 40-plusyears I’ve slowly begun firstyear inournewhouse.Invery the snow fellonthethird ofSeptember the what Iwasinforwhenfourinchesof mersed ingardening, Igotaglimpseof California manyyears ago. Already im- when myparents decidedtomove from ty ofsmog—but inotherwaysitcouldn’t —glaring sunshine, low rainfall,and plen- ofCalifornia’ssemble parts in vague ways The climateintheDenver region doesre- PROVING ADAPTABLE A BY ROBERTNOLD Zauschnerias are California fuchsiasorzauschnerias So itiswithplants, many ofwhichare the American Gardener Colorado kickingandscreaming what happened,Iwasdraggedto CCORDING TO spp.) are agoodexampleof my version of lywood Freeway. Zauschnerias are now about itwhilestuck intrafficontheHol- heit here asthoughtheywere reading the Rockies, theylove ithere. cold. Yet in zauschneriasnotonlysurvive winters are sunny, dry, and—sometimes— such astheyare, are springandsummer; Zauschnerias The plantsendure –25degrees Fahren- a Massachusettsgarden.Left:Theseplantsattracthummingbirds. adaptable. Above:ThisZauschneriacalifornica Despite theircommonname,Californiafuchsiashaveproven quite Denver’s rainyseasons, be more different. the plantsmust have scorching sun, end- led American gardeners toassumethat as “xeric” ordrought tolerant,whichhas fornian causedzauschneriasto belabeled late summerandearlyautumn. smothered withbrightlycolored flowers in deners likemewhodesperatelyneedplants center inthestateandare favorites ofgar- gardenroutine offerings atalmostevery Inevitably, thecachetofbeingCali- specimen isthrivingin

TOP: JOSEPH G. STRAUCH JR.; BOTTOM: COURTESY OF WWW.LASPILITAS.COM less heat, and prolonged drought. Yet zauschnerias feel right at home in the British Isles—one form, ‘Glasnevin’, is PLAYING THE NAME GAME named for the famous botanical garden California fuchsias are listed by a confusing variety of names in catalogs and ref- in Dublin, a city not generally known erence books. Here is a basic cross reference to the names, including the selec- for scorching sun, endless heat, or pro- tions usually listed under each botanical name. Hybrids of uncertain parentage are longed drought. listed at the bottom. —R.N. It’s true that your average zauschneria will not die during periods of drought, but Epilobium canum subsp. canum = Z. cali- neither will a lot of other plants that no fornica or Z. cana (cultivars ‘Albiflora’, one insists are “xeric.” On the other hand, ‘Bowman’, ‘Calistoga’, ‘Cloverdale’, I grew about a dozen different kinds in the ‘Glasnevin’ (‘Dublin’), ‘Roger’s Hybrid’, dryland garden in my front yard until the ‘Solidarity Pink’. severe drought of 2002 carried them off. E. canum subsp. garrettii = Z. garrettii As I slowly replace them, I’m putting them (cultivars Orange Carpet™). in the back garden, where they receive, E. canum subsp. latifolium = Z. latifolia, and rejoice in, regular summer watering. Z. californica, or Z. arizonica (cultivars Given their adaptability in Colorado ‘Arizonica’, ‘Big Crimson’, ‘Everett’s and the British Isles, zauschnerias are Choice’). worth trying further east of the Rockies. E. septentrionale = Zauschneria In her book Hardy Californians (Macmil- septentrionalis (cultivar ‘Wayne’s Silver’). lan, 1936), garden writer Lester Rowntree Hybrids: ‘Chaparral Silver’, ‘Etteri’, suggested that Zauschneria latifolia var. ‘Mattole Select’. ‘Everett’s Choice’ tomentella “ought to enjoy the cold win- ters and hot summers of the northeastern states and a well-grown specimen would species, or just a couple. Before we look moved into the genus Epilobium, where— be something for a New England garden- too deeply into this taxonomic can of in the eyes of American botanists—they er to display with pride.” worms, let me first say that, for garden- have remained. ers who aren’t sentimentally attached to Taxonomists lumped the zauschnerias IDENTITY CRISIS names, the news is all good, and that into two species, Epilobium canum and Zauschnerias are members of the there really is no conceivable justifica- E. septentrionale, with flowers very simi- evening primrose family (Onagraceae). tion for having a hundred botanical lar in shape and color. The first species, Depending on your viewpoint, there are names for zauschnerias. extremely variable in leaf shape, has three either an almost infinite number of In the mid-1970s zauschnerias were subspecies. Epilobium canum subsp. canum has narrow, gray leaves, is usually not sticky (glandular) to the touch, and grows anywhere from eight inches to three feet tall and about as wide. Epilobi- um canum subsp. latifolium has wider green leaves, is sticky to the touch, and grows from about four inches to two feet tall. Both of these are found from south- ern Oregon into northern Mexico and east to New Mexico. E. canum subsp. garrettii is similar to E. canum subsp. latifolium but the leaves are relatively leathery and more conspicu- ously toothed. This one grows from six inches to two feet tall and is native to Utah, southern Idaho, western Wyoming, and northern Arizona. The other species, E. septentrionale, is a mat-former that grows to one inch tall and spreads two or more feet wide. Found in Humboldt and Mendocino counties in northern California, it has woolly white or

TOP: MICHAEL S. THOMPSON; BOTTOM: CINDY NOLD In the author’s garden, Zauschneria latifolia mingles with dwarf conifers. silvery leaves that are sticky to the touch.

July / August 2005 39 40 ifolium tion likethat.Epilobium canum cana canum Zauschneria septentrionalis E. septentrionale ordering themfrom acatalog.You willfind shape thatI am steadfastlydubious as you move eastward. able, however, andtheselectiondwindles cultivars andformsare commonlyavail- owners. Onlyand nursery about 15to20 the products ofindividualplantbreeders the University ofCalifornia;othersare at theSanta andDavis Cruz campusesof been introduced through thearboretums of offerings.Some ofthenewest have you’ll findadizzyingarray West and Coast nursery of selections,butvisitany ating whenIsayhundreds You maythinkI’m exagger- SELECTIONS species andsubspecies. that actuallyfitthedescriptionsofold won’t findanyplantsavailable inthetrade identifiable undertheoldnames,you they dosobecausetheplantswere readily sist onretaining thenamezauschneriasay Even thoughsomeofthepeoplewhoin- thank goodness—Z.garrettii. canum californica, selections. tion innaminghundreds of naturethe true ofthesitua- complete understandingof the sametimeshowing genus names attachedtothe identified usingtheold plants thatcanreadily be in insistingthatthere are once thoroughly misguided ahead andbuythemall. ers amongyou thatI’m saying,yes, go dawned ontheseriously-addictedgarden- different plants.By now, itmayhave one from 10different nurseriesandget10 sold by anothernursery. You canorder canbequitedifferent from one nursery So farsogood.Two species.Now try Zauschnerias are sovaried inleaf A specimenof Here’s Imentioned: thegoodnews This isacaseofhorticulture beingat the American Gardener or Zauschneria, subsp. subsp. may beoffered asZ.latifolia Z. californica, .aioia Epilobium or even Z.arizonica. garrettii canum listed underitsoldname, Z. latifolia may beoffered asZ. and at will beoffered as— or somecombina- . Epilobium subsp. from one or lat- Z. are anydifferences. just toseeifthere anything andeverything River’; again, I wouldrecommend buying fornia nurseriesunderthename ‘Mattole the sameasonesoldby several Cali- septentrionalis. leavesrived (andhabit) from itssilvery to 10inch)‘Mattole Select’ lookslikeitde- named varieties. parentageabout thepurported ofmany For instance,thebeautifullow (eight This mayornotbe Z. with reddishorangeflowers. Left: ‘Roger’sHybrid’isanuprightselection former thatcanspreadtotwofeetormore. Above: from a local nursery that had(Iswear) from alocalnursery any zauschneria: aseedlingpurchased summer wasasutterlyunlikeBowman’s as 2002 killedit. treasured andcosseteduntilthedrought of tall andthree feetwide.It was aplantI gray-green leaves, grows toabouttwofeet (or just‘Bowman’); narrow thishasvery until itblooms,is‘Bowman Hybrid No. 1’ crossed withapinetree,like arosemary mers bringamplerainfall. for methisonegetswideronlywhensum- rowly linear, silver-gray leaves of plant iscorrectly named,thishasthenar- its parentage is‘Etteri’, for, assumingmy Another onethatdiedduringthe same A curiouszauschneria,lookingmore Another onethatseemsquicktobetray Zauschneria septentrionalis Z. cana; is amat

TOP: JESSIE M. HARRIS; BOTTOM: MICHAEL S. THOMPSON leaves exactly like a miniature lambs’ ears form—offered as Z. californica, Z. latifo- (Stachys byzantina). I probably should lia, Z. arizonica, or any conceivable com- have visited both of them with the water- bination of these names—is an easy and Resources ing can more times than I did. accommodating plant. Sunset Western Garden Book, edited Speaking of woolly leaves, there is an- A white form, sometimes called ‘Albi- by Kathleen Norris Brenzel. Sun- other variety with distinctly downy, gray- flora’ (or just “the white one”) is occasion- set Publishing Corp., Menlo Park, silver leaves, somewhat oval and about ally available, though the white flowers California, 2001. half an inch wide, called ‘Calistoga’; this make a somewhat less effective plant. It one is said to grow about a foot tall and seems to have more impact if planted in as- a couple of feet wide, although, of course, sociation with the red ones; if not next to Sources all of this depends on the amount of them, then at least in the same area. ‘Soli- Goodwin Creek Gardens, Williams, summer rainfall. darity Pink’, named for a mine in Califor- OR. (800) 846-7359. www.good One selection that definitely varies with nia near where it was found, has pink wincreekgardens.com. Catalog $2; the amount of summer rain is Orange Car- flowers that some people find unattractive. free online.

Las Pilitas Nursery, Santa Margari- ta, CA. (805) 438-5992. www.laspilitas.com. Catalog $8; free online.

Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery, Medford, OR. (541) 772-6846. www.srpn.net. Catalog $3; free online.

A number of other West Coast nurs- eries offer a dazzling variety of zauschnerias for purchase on site only. One example is Cistus Nursery, 22711 NW Gillhan Road, Sauvie Is- land, OR 97231. (503) 621-2233. www.cistus.com.

’Albiflora’ provides a cool contrast to the usual fiery red and orange flowers of the genus. Because zauschnerias tend to look a bit scruffy at certain times of the year, usually winter, they are often recom- pet®, said to be a dwarf form—to four GROWING ZAUSCHNERIAS mended for informal gardens or as inches—of Zauschneria garrettii found in For the most part I am skeptical of those ground covers for banks. Some are Idaho. But at Denver Botanic Gardens this who suggest that growing plants requires prone to spread by underground roots, year, I saw plants that were easily almost some special skill; if I can grow some- and they will also reseed themselves three feet tall and even wider than that. I thing, then anyone can.The one impor- given the chance. Many references rec- don’t see that this selection differs much tant piece of advice I can impart about ommend cutting them back after flow- from the regular subspecies garrettii, but growing zauschnerias, however, is that ering or before new growth commences then my eyesight is notoriously dim. Z. they are best planted in spring. This gives to encourage more bloom and keep garrettii is said to be the hardiest of them time to get their roots down deep them a bit tidier. zauschnerias, but I find nothing in my ex- into the soil just in case something unto- But when they begin to bloom—some- perience to substantiate that. It certainly ward happens in winter. time in mid- to late July here, or slightly seems to need at least a little more summer I grow all my plants in plain clay soil. later elsewhere—then, of course, the gar- water than the others, if it’s to look its best. No amendments, no fertilizer, no ori- dener is pleased, but more to the point, the The larger zauschnerias, with greener entation to the trade winds or special plants reveal their real purpose for exis- leaves, have a number of selections too. rocks to imitate their native habitat. tence—to entice that most wonderful of The aforementioned ‘Glasnevin’ (some- Most of my plants get at least four hours garden visitors, the hummingbird.  times listed as ‘Dublin’) is maybe an 18-by- of full sun a day (which, due to the ele- 18-inch plant, but most of the others are vation, is equivalent to 50 straight hours Robert Nold is the author of books on pen- taller, growing to two-and-a-half by three of full sun a day anywhere else), and stemons and columbines. He and his wife,

LYNNE HARRISON feet in a good (rainy) summer. The usual they do quite well. Cindy, garden in Lakewood, Colorado.

July / August 2005 41 42 pending onsoilacidityoralkalinity. soms, whichcanrangefrom pinktobluede- of foliageandflowers—think ofhydrangea blos- other environmental conditionsalsoaffectthecolor other astheyfade.Thenutrientcontentofsoilsand one colorinbud,anotherwhentheyopen,andyet an- mature foliageandautumnalfoliage.Flowers are often life cycle. New growth different colorthan isoftenavery changes over thecourseofgrowing seasonandtheplants’ tions. Thefoliageandflower colorofindividualplantsoften both seasonandtimeofday. complication,theangleoflightchangeswith den. Asafurther matic shiftandfullcloudcover changesthelookofanentire gar- never looksthesametwice.Asubtleshadow cancauseachro- ously withthetimeofdayandweather, sothat onecolor cultural sources. Light,themediumofcolor, changes continu- needs oftheperplexed? by-numbers, wouldnotoneorseveral guideshave satisfiedthe writing onthistopic.If colorwere assimpledogmaandpaint- nate) theaverage person—asevidencedby theproliferation of Jekyll, andherdevotees. Grande Dame ofEnglish garden design, Gertrude composition likethosechampioned by the painterly borderachieve aperfect orbedding problem, however, ifoneisattemptingto ers lacksuchluxuries. thework.people view Garden- control the lightinginwhich mine pigmentcontentandto isablebothtodeter- the artist work for painters because thority. may Colortheory nonexistent regularity andau- aresince rules predicated ona Hence, there are nocolorrules climate, andplantphysiology. trol colorthan theycancontrol light, In gardeners short, cannomore con- ANDWHITE BLACK NOT C Put ColorinItsPlace This is the tenth article ofanongoingseriesongardenThis isthetentharticle design. Gardening byDesign Our beloved plantsalso refuse toconformourexpecta- The difficultyliesinthenature ofcoloritselfanditshorti- These limitationsare onlyreally a the American Gardener using colorinthegarden seemstoconfuse(andfasci- seductive ofallgarden designelements.Yet, successfully OLOR ISONEOF the mostobvious, appealing,and BY TRESFROMME one part ofasuccessfulgarden, criticalcomponent. one part albeitavery tobeliberating.Ihave cometorealizelack ofrules colorisonly transitions between them.In mygarden, Iusethe lavender plantings tohighlightspring,summer, autumn,winter, andthe eternal patternsandsequencesoftimevisible.You candesign theoverallbe usedtosupport designprocess. taken from mygarden andothers, here are somewayscolorcan adesign’sport architecture andchoreography. Using examples they provide adesign,garden isajumbleofpointlessbeauty. the garden’s andworking class.Without thestructure peasantry extravagant pageantry. Line,form,mass,texture, space—theseare ever, thearistocracycanonlyexistifanentire its societysupports charming, elite,andcompletelyuseless,yet ohsonecessary. How- Color isinmanywaysthearistocracyofgarden—beautiful, ASCOLOR THE GARDEN Besides lackingtheresources forsuchanendeavor, Ifindthe Color celebrates andmarks seasonalchange, Color needstobemore gloss;itshouldsup- thanasuperficial making the Cro-

TOM CLIFTON OTHER COLOR ELEMENTS Plants are a key source of color in gardens and are usually the easiest element to change. But take time to inventory and con- sider other color sources in the garden that you can control. Think about how they can synergistically work with your plants.

Wall and Hardscape Materials. Concrete, brick, stone, and other wall or hardscape materials are fairly permanent—and sometimes pricey—garden elements that contribute their colors throughout the year. Materials such as marble or granite often contain ranges of colors within themselves. Other materials change color or take on a patina as they age. Carefully consider how flower and foliage will mix with existing or proposed materials. Structures. Your house and any outbuildings are usually the largest sources of color in the garden. They provide an exten- sive backdrop to plantings and cast shadows that may affect color. Select a garden color scheme to complement the color of your buildings, or consider repainting your home to complement your plantings (those paint chips can be matched up against your flowers as well as your china). Accessories. Containers, statuary, sundials, and other garden objets d’art can provide mobile and easily modified elements in a color composition. Try rotating containers in and out of plantings to highlight the seasonal shades. Region and Geology. Local landscapes each have their own distinct color schemes dictated by the native flora, soil, rock, and climate. Mulch colors can even vary regionally depending upon local materials. New Mexico is not New Hampshire.  cus tommasinianus to mark the initiation of spring and the white add a comforting continuity. I use plants with white and bluish late-spring Narcissus ‘Thalia’ to signal the end. I await the laven- foliage as “signposts” throughout my garden. Cornus alba ‘Ele- der-blue Aster tataricus and the salmon-pink Chrysanthemum gantissima’ points to an opening in a hedge guarded by blue-leaved ‘Sheffield Pink’ every year to remind me high autumn is nigh. Maclaeya cordata. Silvery Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum’ heralds Color helps structure journeys. Focal points and attractors the entry to the next section of the garden, and Polygonatum odor- can employ color to draw people into and subtly guide them atum ‘Variegatum’ continues the sequence. I set off the silvers through a garden. This is especially effective if the color repeats against dark green foliage to strengthen their potency. (possibly even in a gradation of shades) throughout the spaces to Color emphasizes and defines spaces. A friend of mine has an entire walk full of green, white, gray, and silver plants that immerse the visitor in a dis- tinct space of reflections and shadows. A gate- way of purple-leaved beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Riversii’) abruptly delineates the entrance to the next area, which is a world of yellows, pur- ples, and oranges. Here color is far more than decorative; it literally makes the space. Color creates emotional reactions. Peo- ple usually associate certain feelings and/or ideas with color. Blues and silvers that seem cool and refreshing in the summer may seem frigid in cooler weather. Greens are usually soothing, but some people consider the dark greens of plants like Taxus ✕media ‘Hicksii’ to be moody and oppressive. To most people, yellows are cheerful, especially on a dark day. The trick is to select colors you associate with the emotions you want to evoke. Remember, every garden component has color, and learning how to combine them cre- atively is one of the biggest challenges of gar- den design. Harness the ephemeral—know the place of color and put color in its place. In the next issue, I will discuss the often perplexing world of plant selection. 

Tres Fromme is a landscape designer at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

July / August 2005 43 44 Elaine Ingham,SoilBiologist I help increase theamountoforganicmatterandbeneficialorganismsinsoil. gon, withcommercial laboratoriesintheUnited States andabroad. tor ofresearch, andpresident ofSoil Foodweb, Inc., Ore- aconsultingfirmheadquartered inCorvallis, internationally known championforhealthysoilandsustainableagriculture, sheisalsofounder, direc- after application. grow inanarea—for aslongfive years plant yield—thenumberof plants that been shown tohave abeneficialeffecton ganisms needtogrow andprosper. ganisms, andthemini-habitats thattheor- proper organisms, thefoodstofeedor- Compost andcompostteacanaddthe help buildthesoil’s foodweb? How doescompostandtea ing, andhighlevels ofinorganicfertilizer. can bedestroyed by pesticides,overtill- oftheirlives inthesoil— living allorpart interconnected communityoforganisms isms andthewholesoilfoodweb—the protozoa andbeneficial nematodes. available toplantswithoutthepresence of mentous fungi;you can’t makenutrients without thepresence ofbeneficial,fila- soil health.You can’t buildsoilstructure microorganisms are and susceptibilitytodisease.Beneficial adequate nutrition,whichcanleadtostress proper balance,theplantwillnotreceive root system.If thelife inthesoilisnot and carbondioxide comethrough aplant’s healthy soil.Allnutrientsexcept sunlight becauseofun- eases occurinlargepart Elaine Ingham: problems? matter, isresponsible formostplant soil,orsoilwithlittleorganic infertile pests anddiseases,butisn’t that ittrue Lynda DeWitt: by Lynda DeWitt In this interview withgardenIn writer Lynda thisinterview DeWitt, Ingham describeshow compostandtea A singleapplicationofcompost has Keep inmindthatbeneficialorgan- N RECENTYEARS, health ofplants.It’s acomplicatedrelationship soilbiologistElaine Ingham hasstudiedforyears. An the American Gardener It’s thatpestsanddis- true Gardeners about worry absolutely we’ve allheard aboutthecriticalrole thatsoilmicrobes playinthegrowth and critical to The mostintensive applications ofcom- How oftenisapplication necessary? acid isabout10to20percent. present. Agoodconcentrationofhumic themore humic acidis the brown color, concentration ofhumicacid—the darker toassessthe ing ormakingcomposttea,try transformed organicmaterials.Whenbuy- decomposedandotherwise of partially acid. Humic acidsare acomplexmixture term benefitswiththeadditionofhumic much easiertoapplythancompost. tea isgenerallysignificantlyless,andit On theotherhand,costofcompost less thancanbeobtainedfrom compost. from asingle applicationofcompostteais uble nutrientsofcompost,sothebenefit the long-termfoodresources andnon-sol- You canincrease composttea’s long- However, compostteadoesnothave N NOEWITH ONE ON ONE C … weigh it,andcompare theweight tothe Remove it, the floatingmaterial,dry ter shouldfloatonthewater surface. put itinabucketofwater. Organic mat- itovernight,pound ofsoil,dry and then estimate oforganicmatter: Measure a following flotationmethodforarough tests fororganicmatter, orjustusethe spring. You’ll wanttofindalabthat typically takenintheautumnor To assesssoilhealth, soil samplesare amount oforganicmatterintheirsoil? How cangardeners determine the are gone. and thenmonthlyuntilallsignsofdisease liar applicationsare madeatbudbreak, Fornuals andturfgrasses. perennials, fo- flowering, andaboutamonthlaterforan- leafstage,justbeforetimes: atfirsttrue water) perplantshouldbeappliedthree per acre oroneteaspoonoftea(dilutedin the summer. compost teaare recommended throughout applicationsof apparent, thenfoliar(leaf) If disease,pests,ornutrientdeficienciesare soil) thenandagainthefollowing spring. acre oroneteaspoonpertwopoundsof pounds ofsoil)orcompost(onetonper lons tooneacre oroneteaspoontofive isintheautumn.Applystart tea(20gal- input).Thebesttimeto minimal artificial one thatissustainable(maintainedwith ahighlymaintainedlandscapeto verting quired duringthefirst12monthsofcon- post and/orcompostteawillusuallybere- Typically, five gallonsofcomposttea

COURTESY OF SOIL FOODWEB, INC. original amount of the soil. A rate of For more information about Soil Foodweb has done testing over the years, about three to five percent organic mat- Foodweb, Inc., and its testing services, and we know vegetables are bacterial- ter is considered a healthy level for feed- visit www.soilfoodweb.com. dominated. Row crops such as corn, ing microbes. wheat, and barley require about equal If construction or other disturbances Then you would compare that layer’s concentrations of bacteria and fungi. occur—and soil biology is typically im- color with the color of the top six inches Perennials and deciduous trees are all fun- pacted negatively by a disturbance—then of soil, which is where most plants will gal-dominated. When I use the term applications will have to be made to re- grow. The darker the color of the top “dominated,” it doesn’t mean the other mediate the loss of organisms. But once samples in relation to the deeper samples, kind of organisms are not present, just that the proper biology is present, applica- the more humic acid and organic matter one group is more heavily represented. tions of compost or tea will be minimal. is present in your soil. We are doing experiments with agri- In lawns, for example, after a year or two But beware of the color black, which cultural consultants and companies with typical family use, the only applica- indicates that organic matter has taken a around the world, from Lismore and tion of tea that may be needed is in the turn into anaerobic—oxygen-less—con- Perth in Australia, to Pietersberg and autumn to maintain soil nutrient levels. ditions. This is bad for beneficial organ- Mooketsei in South Africa, to Culiacan isms—and for your plants’ roots, too. in Mexico, and Hana in Hawaii. We have Can gardeners tell by looking if their In general, ideal soil color is a deep, established laboratories in England, soil is rich in organic matter, particu- rich brown, not black. Spain, and Canada to document how larly humic acid? various plants improve when certain sets Typically, soil color can be assessed to get You’re involved in numerous projects in of organisms are added. The goal is to an idea of the amount of humic acid pre- the U.S. and elsewhere. Describe some clearly state for growers what the soil sent. First, however, you have to find out of your research efforts, and what new food web needs to be for maximum pro- the original color of the parent material findings may be coming our way. duction with least cost for a variety of in- in the soil—the rock from which the We’re just beginning to establish the “cor- dividual plants.  sand, silt, and clay were derived. To do rect” density of fungal biomass, or amount that, you would need to dig down six to of fungal activity, for various soils, cli- Free-lance writer Lynda DeWitt lives in 10 feet and look at the soil color there. mates, conditions, and plant species. Soil Bethesda, Maryland.

2006 “Gardener’s” Calendar $6.95 ($59.00 for 10) Postpaid 2004 Computer Screen Saver $5.00 Postpaid 13 prize color photos in both items

The Gardeners of America Men’s Garden Club of America Box 241 Johnston, IA 50131-0241 Phone: 515-278-0295 www.GardenersOfAmerica.org

July / August 2005 45 46 and Northern Plains red infall and seedheadsthatre- torusset green stemsinsummerthatturn purplish garden, are grasses. therefore thebestanchorsofyour habitat staple plantsoftheplainsandprairies, tough growing conditionsover time.The tive plantshave adapted toyour area’s den requires anunderstandingof how na- winds, sosuccessincreating ahabitatgar- extreme weather conditionsandstrong of Illinois. Theregion ischaracterized by Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, andaportion and South Dakota, western Minnesota, and prairies,whichincludeeasternNorth stem dry, crackedclayinsummer. You may have aboggy siteinspringand damp, orwet. Note seasonalvariations: whetheryour soiltendstobedry,serve need todosomelocalresearch andob- species isseeminglyendless,soyou’ll larger wildlifespecies.Thechoiceofgrass mals andinsects,whichinturnsupport foodsource forsmallmam- important tat andfoodforbirds. Their seedsare an prairie plantsandprovide nestinghabi- ter how strong thewinds. ant andholdthemfirmlyinplacenomat- make native grasseshighlydrought-toler- beauty, theirdeep, strong root systems landscape. Even more thantheir important steppes, addingcolorandmovement tothe with thewindsthatsweep across theopen is writteningrass.”Grasses bendandflow tems whenshewrote, “the ofprairie poetry the beautyofregion’s native plantsys- Author Patricia Armstrong summedup THE POETRYOFPRAIRIE G AIA GARDENING HABITAT Drought-tolerant, long-lived bigblue- Grasses andshelterother support the American Gardener (Andropogon gerardii) specifically the northern plains specifically thenorthern ing intheUpper Midwest, more ARDENING CAN Prairies the offers blue-to- be challeng- Prairie dropseed,herewithbutterflyweed,providesadramaticwindswept lookforasmallgarden. similar tothose ofitstallercousin. months oftheyear anditsstemcolorsare It fuzzy, sports seedheads forsix silvery scoparium) bluestem hard asneededtokeepitincheck.Little withoneplantandcutitback dens, sostart zomes and canbeaggressive insmall gar- semble aturkey’s foot.It spreads by rhi- A dramaticgarden anchor, Indiangrass (Schizachyrium scoparium grows onlytwotothree feettall. forbs predominate. Grasses anddrought-tolerant var. of curly, hair. unruly Thesedrought-toler- black grama(B.eriopoda) beginning habitatgardeners. nonaggressive, makingitagoodchoicefor it spreads by rhizomes, Indiangrass is vored by finchesandsparrows. Although large, goldenplumesheavywithseedsfa- feet andshows offbluestemstoppedby nutans), (Sorghastrum Blue grama(Boutelouagracilis) grows astallfive BY JOANNEWOLFE resemble heads and

JERRY PAVIA JERRY PAVIA (2) Blazing starpairs wellwithrudbeckias. der round stemsfrom onetofourfeettall. oval atthetipofslen- coppery fruits sports from seed.Prairie sedge stripedstemsandiseasilygrownhas short sites. Brown fox sedge(C.vulpinoidea) grasslike plantsthatprefer shadyordamp bluestem andprairiedropseed. growingthe samedry conditionsaslittle grass grows onetotwofeettallandprefers another winninggarden addition.June- Junegrass plumesof ly poppedcorn.Thesilvery tion. It hasalovely smell,similartofresh- the flowers andseedsare anaddedattrac- of knee-high,drooping bladesonwhich gardens; itmakesafinelytextured clump sis) heavy seedproducer. curtipendula each stemandisafavorite ofjuncos. tipendula) Three-foot-tall sideoatsgrama(B.cur- tolerate lightshadeatthebaseofshrubs. ant bunchgrassesprefer fullsunbutwill (Asclepias tuberosa)(Asclepias yuccifolium), blooms ofrattlesnakemaster(Eryngium (S. canadensis)—thedistinctive round goldenrod idago My favorites includethegoldenrods right whenstrong windsscourtheplains. structures to keep flowerport stemsup- through prairiegrasses,usingthemassup- A multitudeofnative flowers weave PLANTS FLOWERING Sedges Prairie dropseed is myfavorite prairiegrassforsmall spp.)—especially knee-highshowy has seeds running uponesideof has seedsrunning (Koeleria macrantha) (Carex (S. speciosa) brilliant orangebutterflyweed var. caespitosa spp.) are low-growing and purplemilkweed (Sporobolus heterolep- and tallgoldenrod (C. bicknellii) is anespecially make it (Sol- B. Western wildroseformsthicketsforwildlife. Phlox (Liatris (A. purpurascens), north–south axis. north–south four toeightfeetanditsleaves orientona cup-shaped leaves; compassplantgrows loving cupplantholdsrainwaterinits compass plant(S.laciniatum). cup plant(Silphium perfoliatum), pupurea)—which fixes nitrogen insoil— without purpleprairieclover (Dalea tracts hummingbirds andhawkmoths. flies, andotherbeneficialinsects;phlox at- team well withbigbluestem. as 10feetunder idealconditions.Both liant orangeanthersandcangrow astall of deeppurple;falseindigoalso hasbril- canescens). pha fruticosa) moist thicketsincludefalseindigo (Amor- and frogs shelter inthecoolmoistearth. tween the root systemsofwoodyplants small mammalsburrow beneathandbe- protection from theoften-harshelements; Thickets alsoofferbirds andotherwildlife seeds, andinsectsathicketprovides. dicksissals, andothersenjoy thefruits, and savannah sparrows, catbirds, cardinals, birds, goldfinches,shrikes, bluebirds, lark Meadowlarks, buntings,red-winged black- and otherwildlifecanfindsanctuary. create thicketswhere amultitudeofbirds lentago) nums suchasnannyberry sii) virginiana), (Prunus americana), Small trees suchaswildplum andshrubs FOOD ANDSHELTER No prairiegarden wouldbecomplete Other native plantsthat grow well in or pasture rose (R.carolina), and asters. spp.), andthemanyspeciesof and blackhaw(V. prunifolium) Both have single-petalflowers Western wildrose (Rosa wood- and leadplant(Amorpha All attractbees,butter- tall purpleblazingstar chokecherry chokecherry (Viburnum and vibur- Moisture- (Prunus and hatching. will prevent thosewingedpestsfrom habitat isthePacific CoastofOregon. habitat gardening movement. Her native American Gardener Joanne Wolfe isacontributingeditorfor spikerushes green (Scirpusatrovirens) bulrush needed. Nonagressive includedark rushes init;replenishtwo rushes thewateras and sedgesaround theholeandoneor eral days.Plant moisture-loving grasses will allow watertodrainslowly over sev- feet deepandlineitwithheavyclaythat your garden, digasmallholecoupleof were essentialwatersources forwildlife. Those pools,known asprairiepotholes, melted snowplains. allacross thedry depressions thatcollectedrainwaterand treating glaciersleftmillionsofcircular prairie habitatgarden. Historically, re- Be sure toincludeawatersource inyour POTHOLES PRAIRIE nursery.com. (800) 476-9453.www.prairie Prairie Nursery, moon.com. (866) 417-8156. Prairie MoonNursery, Catalog free. 3492. Jefferson City,MO.(573)496- Missouri WildflowerNursery, Sources Minneapolis, Minnesota,1999. er. UniversityofMinnesotaPress, Jowsey, J.S.McLean,andF.A.Swit- Plains, thirded.,byF.R.Vance,J.R. Wildflowers oftheNorthernGreat nesota, 2002. nesota Press,Minneapolis,Min- Sally Wasowski.UniversityofMin- Gardening withPrairiePlants Resources Floating amosquitoringinthe pothole For anatural-lookingwatersource in www.mowildflowers.net. (Eleocharis Catalog free. Catalog free. Westfield, WI. July /August 2005 and akeyvoice inthe www.prairie spp.). Winona, MN. by The and  47 48 Arctostaphylos gion’s hotsummersandvariable winters. 2005 picksforplantsthatthrive inthere- seven suggestionsforyou! new Here are its University Cooperative Extension, has ver BotanicGardens andColoradoState leaves are intensely aromatic. rounding theflowers. The evergreen to November withmauve bractssur- perennialshrubby thatbloomsfrom June Salvia pachyphylla ers throughout thegrowing season. green foliagecovered withhotpinkflow- Salvia greggii flowers from June toOctober. woody perennial withcrimsontoscarlet man’s red sage). Salvia greggii June. and lavender-blue flowers inMay and perennial withevergreen, leaves silvery Select live intheRocky Mountain region? Plant Looking forideaswhattogrow ifyou FORTHEROCKIES PICKS PLANT sis Penstemon linarioides var. lowed by red berries. white topinkflowers inearlyspringfol- leaf evergreen withurn-shaped, shrub manzanita). bearberry Thing Mock-bearberry manzanita Mock-bearberry manzanita Horticultural NewsandResearch ImportanttoAmericanGardeners Silverton the American Gardener ® ™ , aprogram administered by Den- sage). ™ (bluemat penstemon). ✕ ‘Furman’s Red’ (Fur- A sagewithsemi-ever- Wild Thing coloradoensis An ever-blooming (Mojave sage). A native, broad- coloradoen- ™ (mock- (Wild A A der Verbena bipinnatifida fade towhite. flowers forminmid-summertofall,then ver-blue foliage.Thesecondyear, pink produces abasalrosette ofsucculent,sil- perennialbiennial orshort-lived that about Plant Select and moderatesoilmoisture. To learnmore stems withdeeplycutleaves. flower clustersare heldabove spreading blooms from May toOctober. Lavender tion ofmodern genetics. in themid-1800s provided thefounda- scribed by Gregor Mendel, whosework the scientificlawsofheredity firstde- exceptearth-shaking thatitcontradicts carried by bothparents. ents ratherthandisplayabnormalities normal traitscarriedby theirgrandpar- ana, foundthatsomeplantsexhibit due University inWest Lafayette, Indi- in thejournalNature, According toastudyrecently published OFHEREDITY LAWS CONTRADICT PLANTS Seseli gummiferum this issueatwww.ahs.org. Web special linkedtotheonlineversion of gions oftheUnited States, the pleaseview plantsforvarious re-ning ornoteworthy Mojave sage GARDENER Mojave sage Most oftheseplantsprefer asunnysite This discovery maynotsoundterribly ™ (Plains verbena). A perennial that C ® ’ NOTEBOOK S and otheraward-win- (moon carrot). researchers atPur- Valley Laven- A OPGC, handpollinates heirloompetunias. Joseph Tychonievich, whoworkswiththe OSU HorticultureandCropScience student mental abnormalities. tions thatcausediseasesorotherdetri- and animalsinorder tocorrect muta- entists tomodifygenesinbothplants this knowledge may onedayenablesci- derstand thisgeneticphenomenon,but generations by aninheritedtrait.” explanations accountforthisskippingof experiments thatshow noneofthesimple at Purdue University. “We’ve donealotof ofBotanyandPlantpartment Pathology Pruitt, amoleculargeneticistintheDe- rect, they’re notabsolute,”saysRobert in highschoolstillare fundamentallycor- join theselection. rare heirloompetuniaswillonedayre- State University inColumbus,perhaps Germplasm Center(OPGC)attheOhio searchers attheOrnamental Plant year.introduced every Thankstore- marked varieties,onesbeing with new double-flowered, and trade- ruffled, ofgarishlycolored,whelming assortment These days,petuniascomeinanover- PETUNIAS REVIVING HEIRLOOM More research un- isneeded tofurther Mendel’s“While lawsthatwe learned

LEFT: GARY EASTMAN / COURTESY OF PLANT SELECT®; CENTER: PANAYOTI KELAIDIS / COURTESY OF PLANT SELECT®; RIGHT: COURTESY OF OPGC CAROLE OTTESEN http://opgc.osu.edu. learn more aboutthecenter’s work, visit velopment, andeducationalpurposes.To mental plantgenebankforresearch, de- was created tobuildaherbaceousorna- Agricultural Research theOPGC Service, Ohio State University andtheUSDA’s rate itintotheirbreeding programs.” into commercial production orincorpo- of value, theymightputthecultivar back Curator Susan Stieve, “and ifthere isatrait in evaluating thesepetunias,”saysOPGC restored, seedcompanieswillbeinterested worked on. have beenrestored; another25are being five oftheseopen-pollinatedvarieties the USDAforlast40years. So far, vive seedthathasbeenkeptinstorageby searchers attheUniversity ofCalifornia, essential nutrientforplants.However, re- Every gardener knows thatnitrogen isan RARE PLANTS EXCESS NITROGENENDANGERS As a cooperative effort betweenAs acooperative The effort “Our hopeisthatoncetheviability tore-The OPGCscientistsare trying in thelandscape. importance oflargetrees mission bypromotingthe to helpingfulfilltheAHS Society andiscommitted American Horticultural partnership withthe announce itscorporate C Farm ispleasedto herry LakeTree lost duetoexcess nitrogen. more likelythanabundantspeciestobe ered thatrare plantspeciesare sixtimes Katharine Suding andcolleaguesdiscov- which included967plantspecies,biologist across nineecosystemsinNorth America, diversity. Through experimentsconducted compete others,resulting inalossofbio- of nitrogen cancausesomeplantstoout- Irvine, have foundthatanexcess amount at theageof98.BloomfoundedBloomsBressinghamNurseryinNorfolk, A well-respectedhorticulturistaroundtheworld,AlanBloomdiedonMarch31 World-Renowned HorticulturistAlanBloomDies PLACESintheNEWS PEOPLE and “That’s one “That’s “ “That’s one “That’s - ElizabethH.,PassaicNJ “My EarthBoxgardenmademefeellikeapro!” “My brotherhas14tomatoplants,Ioutproduce him withjustthree.” “62 poundsoftomatoes It’s simplythe “62 poundsoftomatoes Join the1000’s ofgardenerswhopraisethe right fromourpatio!” right fromourpatio!” and today suchasAchillea 200 perennials,manyofwhicharestillpopular England, inthe1940s.Here,hedevelopednearly highest award,theVictoriaMemorialMedal. ognized Bloom’sachievementsbygivinghimits beds. In1971,theRoyalHorticulturalSocietyrec- which featuresmorethan5,000plantsin47island created thefamousDellGardenatBressingham, TM Crocosmia ais adnEverDeveloped!” Garden Easiest Call NOWTo Order1-888-502-7336 - JimN.,ScrantonPA P.O. Box1966, St.Petersburg,FL33731 Or mailyourcheckto:DeptP-AH153 - CarolF., GreenwoodIN existence ofsometypesspecies.” ative impactondiversity, jeopardizing the large,neg- tion appearstobehavingavery biology. highlevel ofnitrogen addi- “This tant professor ofecologyandevolutionary since the1940s,”explainsSuding, anassis- any given timehasmore thandoubled amount ofnitrogen available toplantsat tilizers andtheburningoffossilfuels, “Driven by anincrease intheuseoffer- ‘Lucifer’ (shown,left).Bloomalso smart smart ‘Moonshine’, - GilWhitton,Host ONL ONL S for freshvegetablesandherbs. back forty!allyouneedissunlight Your deckorpatio-eventhe M nature intended. healthy produce,theway hydroponics. TheEarthBoxgrows No chemicalsorexpensive water, lessfertilizerandcare. -withless gardening method The EarthBoxoutproducesany The NationalLawnandGardenShow 100% N automatically -yearafteryear. guessing. TheEarthBoxgrows There’s nodigging,weeding,or W O ORE ORKS S IMPLE Y Y P July /August 2005 $29.9 $29.9 garden!” garden!” RODUCTIVE A ATURAL 1-888-502-7336 NYWHERE Astilbe 5 5 EarthBox + $6.95 S&H ‘Sprite’, 49 Colorado spruce. ‘Iseli Foxtail’isaheat-tolerantcultivarof 50 predation, orlandscapestress.” ta) and tiger tail spruce and tigertailspruce well andresisted diseasesandinsectpests; tinezii), slowly; Nuevo Leonspruce attractive, denselylayered formbutgrew ecosystems,” addsSuding. to managementstrategiesprotect our us identifyspeciesmostatriskandpoint work willhelp stature.of shorter “This exotic speciestoshadeoutnative plants that plentifulnitrogen helpedaggressive ental spruce ental spruce (P. asperata) JC RaulstonArboretum. Dragon spruce well atthe particularly species performed versity in Raleigh. Arboretum ofNorth Carolina State Uni- climates for15years attheJCRaulston speciesforuseinhot,humid ating spruce tion lastyear, Lasseignehadbeenevalu- Prior tomoving on to hiscurrent posi- Garden inKernersville, North Carolina. director ofthePaul J.CienerBotanical cording toF. Todd Lasseigne,executive “tremendous promise” fortheSouth, ac- Several SPRUCING UP THE SOUTH In manycases,theresearchers found Lasseigne notesthatfourspruce showed “no signsofdisease, insect the American Gardener a rare speciesfrom Mexico, grew Picea stood outforitsvigor;Ori- (P. orientalis)produced an species have shown (P. torano syn. (P. mar- P. poli- of useinanygarden,” hesays. are “exceptionally beautifulplants,worthy pacta Asselyn’, ‘Echiniformis’, and‘Pumila’ boretum, ‘ClanbrassilianaStricta’, ‘Com- quite well. Norway (P. spruce abies)performed thatseveral cultivarsseigne observed of is namedafteraplant,includingthe13thhole,which “Azalea.” tional GolfClub,whichhoststheMastersTournament everyyear.Eachhole in itsday.In1931,thepropertywaspurchasedandbecame theAugustaNa- peror’, wasconsideredaworld-classexperimentalstation andbotanicalgarden 728-7854 or various sourcesincludingHarvesTimeNurseryinMobile,Alabama,at(877) azalea, ‘BenMorrison’,whichbearspinkandwhiteflowers,isavailablefrom dustry anymore,but‘Buccaneer’canstillbefound.Also,Morrison’snamesake eminent azaleabreeder—contributedthefollowing: issue, B.Y.Morrison,thelegendarylongtimeeditorofmagazine—andan etbook” thatconsistedofshortscientificornewsypieces.IntheJuly1955 ican Gardener, HORTICULTURAL HISTORY: ALOOKBACK Fifty yearsago,theNationalHorticulturalMagazine, B.Y. Morrisonandhisnamesakeazalea Of theseven cultivars grown atthear- In additiontothesefourspecies,Las- On arelatednote,FruitlandsNurseries,fromwhichMorrison obtained‘Em- Fast forwardingtothepresent:‘Emperor’azaleaisnotavailableinin- www.harvestimenursery.com. had asimilarsectiontothisonecalled“TheGardener’sPock- close approachisworthnoting. to duplicatesoutherneffects,this the northerngardenerwhomightwish Here thereisnoneedforboth,but whichever wayonewishestoputit. pink ared,orlessscarletred riety, thoughitisperhapsalittlemore almost identicalincolorwiththatva- Glenn Daleclone‘Buccaneer’,andis is infloweratthesametimeas and moundlikestyleofbush.Hereit same twiggygrowth,narrowleaves, of “macrantha”derivation,withthe habit andgeneralstyleitisobviously in midMayisatpeakofbloom.In Pass Christian,Mississippi,andnow garden butithasgrownwellherein vive inmyTakomaPark,Maryland, Fruitlands Nurseries.Itdidnotsur- was amongthoseboughtfromthe called SouthernIndicas,thisazalea clones Icoulddiscoveroftheso- lishing mycollectionofallthenamed Some yearsago,whenIwasestab- An OldAzalea,‘Emperor’ time temperatures. showed goodtoleranceforhighnight- Raleigh,” hesays,notingthat italso willgrowspruces thismagnificentlyin tion: ‘Iseli Foxtail’. “Not allColorado alsocaughtLasseigne’sspruce) atten- Written byEditor Assistant Viveka Neveln. One cultivar ofP. pungens a predecessortoTheAmer- (Colorado [sic], —V.N. 

LEFT: COURTESY OF JC RAULSTON ARBORETUM; TOP RIGHT: COURTESY OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE; BOTTOM RIGHT: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM Join us now to take advantage of the many benefits of membership in the American Horticultural Society

As an AHS member, you get The American Gardener Our beautiful full-color bi-monthly magazine offers in- Heat Tolerance Map In 1997, AHS introduced the AHS depth articles written by plant and gardening experts and enthusiasts. Plant Heat Zone Map, which has revolutionized the way American gardeners select region-appropriate plants. Free Admission or special discounts to 170 public gardens and flower and garden shows across the United States and Canada. Book Program AHS and DK Publishing, Inc., have teamed up to create a definitive horticultural Free Seed Exchange Program AHS’s annual seed exchange program enables reference library for the 21st century. members to obtain hundreds of uncommon varieties of seeds. SMARTGARDEN™ Launched in 2000, this AHS program uses Travel Study Program AHS and the Leonard Haertter Travel Company offer existing tools, such as the USDA Plant Hardiness and AHS Plant Heat Zone codes, superb national and international garden-based, educational tours to beautiful and considers new criteria to develop guidelines that best reinforce our private and public gardens in the United States and abroad. stewardship of the earth.

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AHS Online Our Web site (www.ahs.org) contains a wealth of information, National Awards Program The Great American Gardeners Awards recognizes including articles from The American Gardener, members-only pages with special individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to information and updates, and links to other prominent gardening sites. horticulture. The Flower Show Awards spotlight earth-friendly garden displays at flower shows. Noteworthy garden books are the focus for our Book Awards program. Your membership also supports our many national programs Annual Membership Levels Annual membership in the American Horticultural Society, including six issues of George Washington's River Farm The AHS's National Headquarters is located on a The American Gardener magazine and all the benefits described on this page, is scenic 25-acre site overlooking the Potomac River. Formerly one of our First available at the following levels: President's farms, the property now features an artful blend of naturalistic and formal gardens that offer year-round delight to visitors of all ages. • $35 Individual • $1,000 President's Council • $100 Family* • Corporate Membership (contact our office) National Children and Youth Garden Symposium Since 1993, this annual program • $50 International • Horticultural Partner (contact our office) has led the way in promoting the value of children's gardens and garden-based *Up to four membership cards per household education.

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Recommendations for Your Gardening Library

Plant: the Ultimate Visual Reference to Plants and Flowers current plant conservation regulations and strategies. Finally, of the World readers will appreciate the extensive glossary and index listing Editor-in-Chief Janet Marinelli. DK Publishing, Inc., in association with common and scientific names and subjects. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York, New York, 2005. 512 pages. Plant is endorsed by Botanic Gardens Conservation Inter- Publisher’s price, hardcover: $50. national and the World Wildlife Fund, and owes its impecca- ble detail to Marinelli’s collaboration with the world’s most A UNIQUE reference on the diversity and conservation of plants renowned botanical institutions and conservation organiza- from a gardener’s perspective, Plant is an endless goldmine of in- tions. This book is a fascinating conservation encyclopedia formation for responsible gardeners, science educators, and plant combined with the real-life experiences of gardeners and con- scientists. Befitting of DK Pub- servationists, and without a doubt, will find a spot close at hand lishing’s reputation for combin- as one of my most useful references. ing comprehensive information —Anita A. Tiller and superb design, this book ex- cels with the editorial guidance of A botanist at Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens in Humble, the internationally respected eco- Texas, Anita A. Tiller coordinates plant conservation efforts in east logical and horticultural vision- Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast for the Center for Plant Conservation. ary, Janet Marinelli. Director of publishing at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and a Elegant Silvers: Striking Plants for Every Garden leader in urban restoration ecol- Jo Ann Gardener and Karen Bussolini. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, ogy, Marinelli encourages gar- 2005. 311 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $34.95. deners to embrace ecological garden design and plant conservation because, “As wilderness shrinks and garden acreage SILVER FOLIAGE IS the great unifier, linking and harmoniz- increases, gardeners play an increasingly critical ecological role.” ing pastel colors to create soothing planting combinations and Marinelli warns that if current trends continue, two-thirds of softening bolder shades so they can co-exist companionably in all plant species are likely to disappear by the end of the 21st the same border. Of course, silver also century as part of a modern mass extinction episode “that could has its own unique beauty; it hardly rival anything in evolutionary history, including the demise of needs its neighbors to make it special. the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.” Every aspect of plants with silver foliage Plant begins as a primer on the origins of plant diversity on is covered in this valuable new book. Earth, plant classification, how plants are necessary for our sur- And how we’ve waited for a new vival, and provides captivating examples of local and global ac- book on silvers. In 1971, Mrs. tions to preserve plant species in the wild and in our own gardens. Desmond Underwood published the The second section surveys the major global habitats and how classic Grey and Silver Plants, which each relates to the home garden or conservatory. The third sec- featured a select few. Here is a much tion describes over 2,000 imperiled plants and their rarity, clas- wider range—from Agave and sification, distribution, habitat, and cultivation requirements. Artemisia to Veronica, Yucca, and Each page explodes with color images that illustrate fascinating Zauschneria—which is both a strength and a weakness of the details about propagation tips, plant-wildlife inter-relationships, book. Covering annuals, tropicals, shrubs, alpines, palms, ethnobotany, mythology, history, and more. perennials, and trees in one alphabetical list showcases the Marinelli, a leader in invasive species management, devotes breadth of possibilities but choices for any given climate or sit- the fifth section to an exceptionally useful encyclopedia of in- uation are limited. vasive plants. This section should be required reading for all However, a book depends not only on its coverage but on good gardeners, horticulturists, landscape architects, and botanists as writing and good photography. Here the writing is both detailed invasive plants, many of which are widely available for land- and accessible—a combination which defeats many writers—and, scaping, are exposed for what they are. The appendices provide like all the best gardening books, when you look up something in an extensive directory of information sources and experts, maps particular, you’ll find yourself reading on. The advice on choos- showing the Earth’s biodiversity hotspots, and summaries of ing silvers is wise and based on experience. The account of the de-

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Setting the standard in gardening reference Available wherever books are sold • For more great ideas visit www.dk.com and sign up for our FREE newsletter velopment of gardening with silvers and the connection with A voracious reader, she enjoys quoting a variety of wits, from xeriscaping is fascinating. Plants and their needs are described well Samuel Johnson (“All wonder is the effect of novelty upon ig- although there are some nomenclatural eccentricities. norance”) to Milton Berle (“A thing of beauty is a job forever”). The photographs by Karen Bussolini are excellent but the And so this erudite author of general literature has moved elegance of these silvers would have been shown off more ef- smoothly into garden writing. Maybe it helps that Gertrude fectively in a book in a larger format; the pictures suffer from Jekyll was her grandmother’s friend. being shoe-horned into narrow, upright pages. —Linda Yang Even still, as the first book on the subject for many years, Elegant Silvers will tempt both the skeptical and the cognoscenti. Linda Yang, a former garden writer for The New York Times, is And I hope it will be followed by both a fat encyclopedia of author of several garden books including The City Gardener’s silvers and a more sumptuous book on using silvers in plant- Handbook (Storey Publications). ing combinations. —Graham Rice A Natural History of Ferns Graham Rice is a member of a number of Royal Horticultural So- Robbin C. Moran, introduction by Oliver Sacks. Timber Press, Port- ciety committees, the winner of five awards for garden writing, and land, Oregon, 2004. 301 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $29.95. the author of The Sweet Pea Book (Timber Press). FINE WRITING needs to transcend genre and A Natural His- tory of Ferns succeeds on many levels—so much so that the Gar- A Garden By the Sea: A Practical Guide and Journal den Writers Association awarded the book a silver Garden Leila Hadley. Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., New York, New Media Award for best talent in writing. York, 2005. 217 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $35. Moran, a fern curator at the New York Botanical Garden, enthralls and edu- WHAT HAPPENS when a world traveler, sophisticated author, cates the reader with a well crafted, and garden enthusiast stays home and plants her own beach- many layered story, one that winds front? If she’s Leila Hadley, she writes a witty, informative book. through 340 million years of survival And it’s about time, as the last and adaptation. coastline classic—Daniel J. This collection of essays, which can Foley’s Gardening by the Sea— be read one satisfying morsel at a time appeared in 1965. and in no particular order, delves into But beyond filling a void, the fascinating world of ferns. Some of Hadley provides gardeners—no the twelve thousand fern species alive matter their locale—with an as- today include floating ferns, others that grow on trees, and some tonishing range of advice, from that become trees—not to mention forests of giant horsetails, design basics, which, she cau- a primitive fern that dwarfed the botanists who discovered them tions “isn’t about what other in their swampy habitat of multihued muck. people have done, but what’s right for your site—and you,” to Each essay begins with a captivating story or literary reference spreading salt in winter: “a disaster for all things you hope to that entices you to read on. We learn about the historic roles of see green…and champion stain maker when tracked indoors.” ferns, and, as unlikely as it may seem, about ferns in movies. The Nearly two dozen chapters focus ostensibly on such subjects book describes remarkable fern adaptations such as fern scale trees as spring bulbs, white gardens, or fruiting trees. But each is re- that can breathe through their roots, tree fern roots that can hold ally a discourse well beyond its title, since Hadley is curious their own against mangling chain saws, and poisonous bracken about everything and shares what she’s learned. The sight of a ferns Moran calls “the Lucrezia Borgia of the fern world.” He hummingbird in her garden, for example, is a reminder to plant waxes rhapsodic about the joy of observing spores discharging ‘Summer Breeze’ anise hyssop whose peach-pink blooms are from leaves, which he says is like “watching popcorn popping.” filled with nectar. A rumination on a dearth of dandelions (her There’s also an intriguing chapter, “The Asexual Revolution,” husband had them removed) segues from the British pronun- that explains why fern chastity (“the most peculiar…of all sexu- ciation of the French dent de lion into the plants’ historic herbal al aberrations”) has not stopped reproduction in its tracks. uses. While Queen Anne’s lace, she notes, is a “reliable signifi- These masterfully written tales and the solid science behind er of poor soil.” them make this a terrific book for fern enthusiasts or anyone Hadley’s plant lists also reflect personal enthusiasms: Na- interested in our natural world.  tive species for pollinating insects, drought-resistant species, —Darrell Trout and shrubs prized by birds. The eternal optimist, her success- es seem a natural product of disaster; after a hurricane felled Darrell Trout is a garden writer, lecturer, director of the Garden large trees, a new path to a formerly obscured water vista re- Writers Association, and a judge for America in Bloom, a nation- sults in discovery of two rare wildflowers, Angelica lucida and al beautification contest. His fourth book is First Garden: Getting Chenopodium rubrum. Started in Northeast Gardening (Cool Springs Press).

54 the American Gardener GARDENERC’S BOOKS

Summer Reading

URING THE dog days of sum- searched book is a unique biography of erty in a little village in Connecticut after mer, the heat can drive even the Dickinson as a gardener rather than a a divorce, she chronicles the triumphs D most devoted gardener indoors. poet. It describes the plants she grew and and tribulations she experiences—both Fortunately, there’s plenty of vicarious includes interesting tidbits on how she in her garden and in her life—during the gardening to do by reading about it. used certain plants. For example, “When next 20 years she spends there. Here’s a selection of books published Emily baked gingerbread, she used [pan- On the historical side, there’s Oak: The within the last year with a decidedly lit- sies] to decorate the flat shiny tops.” Many Frame of Civilization (W.W. Norton & erary bent, sure to provide ideas and in- of her poems inspired by plants and her Company, Inc., 2005, $24.95) by William spiration for your own garden. gardens accompany the text. Bryant Logan. An arborist, Logan author- Most of us have a story about how we According to Pulitzer Prize winning itatively approaches this insightful pro- got into gardening or what our gardens poet Stanley Kunitz, a garden is a form of file of one of the mean to us. If you’re curious about other poetry, as he explains in The Wild Braid: world’s most ubi- people’s experiences, Garden Voices: Sto- A Poet Reflects on a Century in the Gar- quitous and im- ries of Women & Their Gardens (Water den (W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., portant trees. Dance Press, 2005, $23.95) written with Genine Addressing how 2005, $14.95) by Lentine. Approaching his 100th birthday oaks have sup- Carolyn Freas this July, Kunitz reflects on his lifelong ported and sus- Rapp shares the love of plants and words. Prose inter- tained civilization stories of 12 spersed with poems and charming pho- through the ages, women who tographs share sometimes in sur- find joy, peace, Kunitz’s unique prising ways, he purpose, heal- perspective; he explores topics ing, and many weaves together ranging from balanoculture (acorn-eating) other intangible the art forms of to the many uses of their strong wood. benefits in their gardens and Logan also delves into the biology and gardens. Along poems as a cele- ecology of the Quercus genus as well as fas- with cultivating bration of the cinating legends and lore. the soil, through their gardens, these natural world In Teaching the Trees: Lessons from women cultivate everything from lifelong and life itself. “I the Forest (University of Georgia Press, friendships to a better understanding of think of garden- 2005, $24.95) author Joan Maloof focus- themselves. Together, their stories are a tes- ing as an exten- es on several tree species in a series of es- tament to the power of gardens to enrich sion of one’s own being, something as says that blend natural history with our lives in myriad ways. deeply personal and intimate as writing a memoir. A pro- In the case of one particularly famous poem,” he writes. fessor of biology woman, Emily Dickinson, her gardens Memoir fans may enjoy Four Tenths and environ- often inspired her poetry. Emily Dickin- of an Acre (Random House, 2005, hard- mental studies, son’s Gardens: A Celebration of a Poet cover, $24.95) by Laurie Lisle. This book she skillfully ex- and Gardener is “a modern plains the virtues (McGraw Hill, pastoral, part of various tree 2004, $18.95) by garden book species and their Marta McDow- and part mem- intricate ecologi- ell takes readers oir, which cele- cal niches. As an on a seasonal brates the role ardent admirer tour of Dickin- of nature in of all things ar- son’s gardens at contemporary boreal, Maloof eloquently entices readers the Homestead life,” Lisle ex- to share her passion for preserving and in Amherst, plains. Moving appreciating them.  Massachusetts. from New York This well-re- City to a prop- —Viveka Neveln, Assistant Editor

July / August 2005 55 REGIONALC HAPPENINGS

Horticultural Events from Around the Country

den. Gainesville, Georgia. (404) 876-5859. NORTHEAST www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org. CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT Events sponsored by or including official participation by AHS or AHS staff members RAP JULY 21. Blue Hill Garden Tour. Blue are identified with the AHS symbol. AUG. 11. Garden Mixer: Mint and Hill Garden Club. Blue Hill, Maine. Mojitos. Garden social. Birmingham (207) 374-9933. Botanical Garden. Birmingham, Alabama. Events hosted by botanical gardens and (205) 414-3900. www.bbgardens.org. RAP JULY 30. Massachusetts Marketplace arboreta that participate in AHS’s Reciprocal Festival. Massachusetts Horticultural Admissions Program are identified with the AUG. 11–13. Southern Nursery Association Society. Wellesley, Massachusetts. RAP symbol. Current AHS members showing a Researcher’s Conference and Trade Show. (617) 933-4982. www.masshort.org. valid membership card are eligible for free or Atlanta, Georgia. (770) 953-3311. discounted admission to the garden or other www.sna.org. JULY 31. 2005 Benefit Plant Sale. Friends of benefits. Special events may not be included; the Horticulture Farm—University of Vermont. contact the host site for details or visit AUG. 16. Hellebores: An American Passion. Burlington, Vermont. (802) 658-9166. ww.ahs.org/events/reciprocal_events.htm. Lecture. Georgia Perennial Plant Associa- pss.uvm.edu/dept/hort_farm. tion. Atlanta, Georgia. (404) 814-4000. www.georgiaperennial.org/meetings. RAP AUG. 6. Drought-Resistant Gardening. Alexandria, Virginia. (703) 642-5173. Garden walk. Wave Hill. Bronx, New York. www.greenspring.org. AUG. 16. Soil. Class. Hatcher Garden & Wood- (718) 549-3200. www.wavehill.org. land Preserve. Spartanburg, South Carolina. AUG. 13. Daylily Sale. Brookside Gardens. (864) 574-7724. www.hatchergarden.org. AUG. 6. Norfolk-Aton Forest Field Trip. Wheaton, Maryland. (301) 962-1400. Connecticut Botanical Society. New Haven, www.brooksidegardens.org. AUG. 17–19. Summer Green Show. Wholesale Connecticut. (860) 633-7557. nursery trade show. North Carolina Associa- www.ct-botanical-society.org. AUG. 21. New Jersey Tomato Festival. tion of Nurserymen. Greensboro, North Car- Camden, New Jersey. (856) 384-8182. olina. (336) 373-7400. www.ncan.com. Looking ahead www.njtomatofestival.org. SEPT. 14. Making and Maintaining a Mead- Looking ahead ow. Class. New York Botanical Garden. New RAP AUG. 23. Glorious Groundcovers. OCT. 7–10. American Society of Landscape Canaan, Connecticut. (718) 817-8747. Lecture. Scott Arboretum. Swarthmore, Architects Annual Meeting and Expo. Fort www.nybg.org. Pennsylvania. (610) 328-8023. Lauderdale, Florida. (202) 898-2444. www.scottarboretum.org. www.asla.org. SEPT. 16 & 17. Invasive Plant Summit. New England Wildflower Society. Framingham, AHS AUG. 26–28. In the Garden with NORTH CENTRAL Massachusetts. (508) 877-7630. the Experts. Weekend Seminar. Homestead IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI www.newfs.org. Resorts. Hot Springs, Virginia. (800) 838-1766. www.thehomestead.com. RAP JULY 20–AUG. 14. Olbrich’s Blooming Butterflies. Festival. Olbrich Botanical Gar- MID-ATLANTIC AUG. 30. Gardens in Healthcare: Making Envi- den. Madison, Wisconsin. (608) 246-4550. PA, NJ, VA, MD, DE, WV, DC ronments of Care Even More Caring. Lecture. www.olbrich.org. JULY 23. Invasive Plants Workshop. Monticel- United States Botanic Garden. Washington, lo. Charlottesville, Virginia. (434) 984-9822. D.C. (202) 225-8333. www.usbg.gov. JULY 23. Parade of Ponds. Self-guided tour. www.monticello.org. Scenic Specialties Landscape Center. St. Joseph, Minnesota. (320) 363-1757. SOUTHEAST JULY 26–28. Penn Atlantic Nursery Show www.scenicspecialties.com. AL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN (PANTS). Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. (800) 898-3411. www.plan.com. JULY 17–24. Perennial Plant Symposium. AUG. 13. Art in Bloom Festival. Lauritzen Perennial Plant Association. Knoxville, Gardens. Omaha, Nebraska. (402) 346- JULY 30 & 31. Summer Orchid Fest. Parkside Tennessee. (641) 771-8431. 4002. www.omahabotanicalgardens.org. Orchid Nursery. Ottsville, Pennsylvania. (610) www.perennialplant.org. 847-8039. www.parksideorchids.com. AUG. 14. CoHort Plant Sale. Reiman Gar- JULY 24. Wild Herb Weekend. Workshop and dens. Iowa State University. Ames, Iowa. AUG. 4. Franklinia Lecture. Bartram’s plant sale. North Carolina Herb Association. (515) 294-2710. www.reimangardens. Garden. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fletcher, North Carolina. (336) 854-4365. iastate.edu. (215) 729-5281. www.bartramsgarden.org. www.ncherb.org. AUG. 16. Divide and Conquer—The Art of RAP AUG. 5. Shade Plants that Dazzle. RAP AUG. 10. Saturday Walking Tours at Dividing Plants. Class and walking tour. Class. Green Spring Gardens Park. Smithgall Arboretum. Atlanta Botanical Gar- Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens. Hales

56 the American Gardener Corner, Wisconsin. (414) 525-5653. www.boernerbotanicalgardens.org. New Garden Highlights Ozark Native Plants

AUG. 27 & 28. Horticulture Show and Interna- IN BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS, in the shadow of Sam Walton’s Wal-Mart head- tional Quilt Show and Sale. International quarters, another Arkansan, the late physician and naturalist Dr. Neil Compton, has Peace Garden. Dunseith, North Dakota. left a different legacy. Three years after Compton’s death in 1999, the Walton Fami- (701) 263-4390. www.peacegarden.com. ly Foundation funded the purchase of his property by the Peel House Foundation. Looking ahead Since then, the home has been ren- SEPT. 10 & 11. Festival of Gourds. Illinois ovated into a modern conference Gourd Society. Chicago Botanic Gardens. center and the six acres of grounds Glencoe, Illinois. (847) 299-0041. have been dedicated to Ozark na- www.chicagobotanic.org. tive plants, for which Compton had great affection. SOUTH CENTRAL Designed by Karen Rollet- AR, KS, LA, MO, MS, OK, TX Crocker, University of Arkansas Professor of Landscape Architec- JULY 16–24. Henry Shaw Cactus Society’s ture, Compton Gardens opened its 63rd Annual Show and Sale. Missouri Botanical Garden. St. Louis, Missouri. trails in May, but the official grand (618) 656-1803. www.hscactus.org. opening ceremony for both the gar- dens and conference center was held RAP JULY 30. Passion for Plumeria Sale Compton Gardens includes a woodland waterfall. in June. Several events are already and Seminar. Corpus Christi Botanical planned at the new gardens, includ- Gardens and Nature Center. Corpus Christi, ing “Plein Air Painters of the Ozarks Paintout” on July 20 and 27, and monthly meet- Texas. (361) 852-2100. www.ccbotanical ings of the Ozark Society, which was started by Compton himself in 1962. gardens.org. Scott Starr, horticulturist and site manager, has spent two years removing non-na- RAP tive plants and directing the installation of paths and other hardscapes, in addition to AUG. 13. Photographing the Gardens. selecting and planting the plants. “We selected the planting list by using nursery cat- Workshop. Botanica, The Wichita Gardens. Wichita, Kansas. (316) 264-0448. alogs of natives and checking them against the reference books of Ozark plants,” says www.botanica.org. Starr. “Almost 350 Ozark species of trees, shrubs, vines, wildflowers, and grasses are planted, labeled on 20 foot corridors along the paths.” RAP AUG. 13. Wetland Wonders. Family Among the many notable plants at the site are four state Champion trees, includ- workshop. Ladybird Johnson Wildflower ing the state’s largest native yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea). Center. Austin, Texas. (512) 292-4100. Compton Gardens is open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is free. For more in- www.wildflower.org. formation, call (479) 254-3870 or visit www.comptongardens.org. —Russell Studebaker, AUG. 19–21. Nursery/Landscape Expo. special to The American Gardener, Tulsa Oklahoma Texas Nursery and Landscape Association. (800) 880-0343. www.tnlaonline.org.

AUG. 27. End of Summer Plant Sale. New Or- leans Botanical Garden and City Park. New AUG. 6. Taos Garden and Home Tour. Gardens Tour. Arboretum at Flagstaff, and Orleans, Louisiana. (504) 483-9386. Los Jardineros Garden Club of Taos. Center for Sustainable Environments. www.neworleanscitypark.com. Taos, New Mexico. (505) 776-2275. Flagstaff, Arizona. (928) 774-1442. www.gardencluboftoas.com. www.thearb.org. RAP AUG. 27. Summer Wildflower Walk. Crosby Arboretum–Mississippi State AUG. 16–19. Association of Professional WEST COAST University. Picayune, Mississippi. Landscape Designers Annual Conference. CA, NV, HI (601) 799-2311. www.msstate.edu. Salt Lake City, Utah. (717) 238-9780. www.apld.org. RAP AUG. 6. Summer Gardening Fair. SEPT. 2. Water Saving Landscape. Seminar. San Francisco Botanical Garden Society. Will Rogers Horticultural Center. Oklahoma RAP AUG. 25. “Herban” Wildlife Gardening. San Francisco, California. (415) 661-1316. City, Oklahoma. (405) 744-5414. Class. Desert Botanical Garden. Phoenix, www.sfbotanicalgarden.org. www.okstate.edu/ag/asnr/hortla. Arizona (480) 941-1225. www.dbg.org. RAP AUG. 10. Lotusland Tour. Descanso RAP AUG. 27 & 28. Dahlia Society Show. Gardens. La Cañada Flintridge, California. SOUTHWEST Denver Botanic Garden. Denver, Colorado. (818) 949-4200. www.descansogardens.org. AZ, NM, CO, UT (720) 865-3533. www.botanicgardens.org. RAP JULY 24. Penstemon Festival. Arbore- AUG. 17. Water Resources/Conservation/ tum at Flagstaff. Flagstaff, Arizona. Looking ahead Permaculture. Workshop. Wilbur D. May (928) 774-1442. www.thearb.org. SEPT. 5. Gardening in the Desert: Get The Center. Reno, Nevada. (775) 785-4153. Facts. Lecture. Valley of the Sun Garden www.maycenter.com. RAP AUG. 4 & 6. Wildflower Tours on Mt. Club. Phoenix, Arizona. (480) 636- 6515. Goliath. Denver Botanic Garden. Denver, www.phoenixgardeners.org. AUG. 26–28. Botanica. Garden festival. Copia. Colorado. (720) 865-3533. www.botanic Napa, California. (707) 265-5941. gardens.org. RAP SEPT. 11. Local Farms and Edible www.copia.org/pages/ediblegardens.asp. COURTESY OF SCOTT STARR

July / August 2005 57 Cactus and Succulent Society Celebrates 75 Years

SUCCULENTS AND CACTI comprise a great variety of unique and interesting plants from different families. Founded by a small group of dedicated hobbyists in California in 1929, the Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA) has worked to promote and conserve this fascinating group of plants for the last 75 years. “Members of CSSA often come to succulents with the idea that they are easy plants to grow, and, of course, many are,” says Russell Wagner, editor of the organization’s Cactus and Succulent Journal. “But sustained interest in growing plants comes from the challenges, and with at least 10,000 succulent species—not to mention hybrids—to choose from, the range of experience and knowledge that can be tapped into and ob- tained is nearly limitless.” From August 5 through August 10, the Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society will host its 31st biennial CSSA Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. Speakers in- clude notable experts such as cura- tors from the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, and several CSSA Fellows. They will give lectures and workshops on various aspects of growing cacti and succu- lents from around the world. The convention will also feature field trips to local botan- ic gardens, desert habitats, and museums. On August 6, 7, 9, and 10, the convention will have a sale open to the public as well as registrants. Several specialty plant vendors will offer succulents and cacti for purchase, including unusual, rare, and collectible specimens. For more information, visit www.cssainc.org. —Jessica Rozmus, Editorial Intern

AUG. 27 & 28. Fall Plant Sale. Occidental Arts RAP AUG. 27. Fall Blooming Perennials. and Ecology Center. Occidental, California. Garden tour. Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. (707) 874-1557. www.oaec.org. Cheyenne, Wyoming. (307) 637-6458. www.botanic.org. Looking ahead SEPT. 3 & 4. Fern and Exotic Plant Show and Looking ahead Sale. Los Angeles International Fern Soci- RAP SEPT. 8. Rare Plant Auction. ety. Arcadia, California. (562) 809-3243. Bellevue Botanical Gardens. Bellevue, Washington. (425) 451-3755. SEPT 11. Carmel TomatoFest. Quail Lodge. www.bellevuebotanical.org. Carmel, California. (800) 965-4827. www.TomatoFest.com. CANADA

JULY 24. City Garden Circuit with Barry NORTHWEST Parker. Course. Toronto Botanical Garden. AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY Toronto, Ontario. (416) 397-1340. RAP AUG. 4. Alaskan Frontier Gardens, www.civicgardencentre.org. Hillside. Tour. Alaska Botanical Garden. Anchorage, Alaska. (907) 770-3692. JULY 24–27. International Master Gardener www.alaskabg.org. Conference. University of Saskatchewan. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. (306) 966- AUG. 25–27. Black Hills Orchid Society 5749. www.mastergardener2005.usak.ca. Festival. Rapid City, South Dakota. (605) 348-7165. Looking ahead RAP SEPT. 10. Plant Sale. The Arboretum AUG. 25–27. The Farwest Show. Trade show. University of Guelph. Guelph, Ontario. Association of Nurserymen. Portland, Oregon. (519) 824-4120. www.uoguelph.ca/ (800) 342-6401. www.farwestshow.com. arboretum.  COURTESY OF THE CACTUS AND SUCCULENT SOCIETY AMERICA

58 the American Gardener Call for Nominations…

the GREAT AMERICAN GARDENERS AWARDS

INCE 1953, the American Horticultural Society S Great American Gardeners Award Program has recognized individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to American horticulture. Nominations are now being accepted for 2006. Nominate your “horticultural hero”— a memorable professor, a favorite garden book author, or the driving force behind an incredible community project! The 2006 award categories are listed below. See if one of them brings to mind someone who has inspired you to garden greatness! Award recipients will be profiled in The American Gardener magazine and have their awards presented to them at River Farm, the Society’s headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, in June 2006. Nomination forms are available on the American Horticultural Society Web site at www.ahs.org or by calling (703) 768-5700 ext. 121.

The deadline for nominations is September 1, 2005.

JulieJulie MoirMoir Messervy,Messervy, center,center, acceptsaccepts thethe 20052005 LandscapeLandscape DesignDesign AwardAward fromfrom AHSAHS Board Board ChairChair ArabellaArabella Dane,Dane, left,left, andand AHSAHS President President KatyKaty MossMoss Warner,Warner, right.right. the 2006 AWARDS Liberty Hyde Bailey Award. Recipients of Landscape Design Award. Acknowledges Catherine H. Sweeney Award. Given for this award reside in North America and must an individual whose work has expanded extraordinary and dedicated efforts in the field have made significant contributions in at least the awareness of horticulture in landscape of horticulture. three of the following areas of horticultural architecture. Jane L. Taylor Award. Awarded to an activity: teaching, research, writing, plant Meritorious Service Award. Awarded to a individual, organization or program that has exploration, administration, art, business, past board member or friend of the Society inspired and nurtured future horticulturists and leadership. to recognize outstanding and exemplary through children’s and youth gardens. H. Marc Cathey Award. Recognizes an service in support of the Society’s goals, Teaching Award. Recognizes an individual individual who has enriched horticulture services, and activities. whose ability to share his or her knowledge through outstanding and notable research. Frances Jones Poetker Award. Given for of horticulture has contributed to a better Paul Ecke Jr. Commercial Award. Given to significant contributions to the appreciation of public understanding of plants and their an individual or institution committed to the creative floral designs in publications, on the impact on people. highest standards of excellence in the field of platform, and to the public. Urban Beautification Award. Awarded to an commercial horticulture. Professional Award. Awarded to an individual or institution for significant Horticultural Communication Award. individual who makes a living as a director of contributions to urban horticulture. Recognizes effective communication using an arboretum or botanical garden whose career media and research techniques for the purpose achievements represent a significant of expanding horticultural awareness. contribution to horticulture. Cultivate Your Checkbook GARDENC MARKET Now you can support the American Horticultural Society with every check you write. CLASSIFIED AD RATES: All classified advertising must be prepaid. $2.75 per word; mini- FREE mum $66 per insertion. Copy and prepayment must be received by the 20th of the month Shipping & Handling three months prior to publication date. To place an ad, call (703) 768-5700 ext. 120.

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60 the American Gardener PRONUNCIATIONSC AND PLANTING ZONES

Most of the cultivated plants described in this issue are listed here with their pronunciations, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones and AHS Plant Heat Zones. These zones suggest a range of locations where temperatures are appropriate—both in winter and summer—for growing each plant. While the zones are a good place to start in determining plant adaptability in your region, factors such as exposure, moisture, snow cover, and humidity also play an important role in plant survival. The codes tend to be conservative; plants may grow outside the ranges indicated. A USDA zone rating of 0–0 means that the plant is a true annual and completes its life cycle in a year or less. To purchase a two-by-three-foot glossy AHS Plant Heat Zone Map for $9.95, call (800) 777-7931 or visit www.ahs.org. Hardi- ness and Heat zone codes are generated by AHS and documented in the Showtime© database, owned by Arabella Dane.

A–E Cornus alba KOR-nus AL-buh Monarda bartlettii moh-NAR-duh S–Z (2–8, 8–1) bart-LET-te-eye (8–11, 12–1) Asclepias purpurascens as-KLEE- Salvia coccinea SAL-vee-uh kok- C. racemosa C. ras-eh-MO-suh M. bradburiana M. brad-bur-ee-AN- pee-us per-per-ASS-enz (USDA SIN-ee-uh (11, 12–1) (4–8, 8–3) uh (5–8, 8–1) 5–8, AHS 8–5) S. leucantha S. loo-KAN-thuh Cuphea ignea KOO-fee-uh IG-nee- M. citriodora M. sih-tree-o-DOR-uh A. tuberosa A. too-bur-O-suh (9–11, 12–4) uh (10–11, 12–6) (7–10, 10–1) (4–9, 9–2) Schizachyrium scoparium var. sco- Dalea purpurea DAY-lee-uh per- M. clinopodia M. klih-no-PO-dee- Agastache aurantiaca ah-GAH- parium skits-ah-KEER-ee-um sko- PER-ee-uh (4–9, 9–5) uh (5–8, 8–1) stah-she aw-ran-tee-AY-kuh PAR-ee-um var. sko-PAR-ee-um Deschampsia cespitosa deh-SHAMP- M. didyma M. DID-ih-muh (7–10, 10–7) (2–7, 7–1) see-uh sez-pih-TOH-suh (5–9, 9–1) (4–10, 10–1) Ajuga tenorii uh-JOO-guh ten-OR- Scirpus atrovirens SKEER-pus at- Epilobium canum subsp. canum M. fistulosa M. fis-tyew-LO-suh ee-eye (3–9, 9–1) ro-VY-renz (7–9, 9–7) eh-pih-LO-bee-um KAY-num (3–9, 9–1) Amorpha canescens uh-MOR-fuh Scutellaria resinosa skoo-tuh-LAIR- subsp. KAY-num (8–11, 12–8) M. fruticulosa M. froo-tik-yew-LO- kuh-NES-senz (2–8, 8–1) ee-uh rez-ih-NO-suh (4–8, 8–1) E. canum subsp. garrettii E. KAY- suh (8–11, 12–1) A. fruticosa A. froo-tih-KO-suh Sedum telephium subsp. ruprechtii num subsp. guh-RET-tee-eye M. maritima M. muh-WRIT-ih-muh (2–8, 8–1) SEE-dum tuh-LEF-ee-um subsp. (5–8, 8–5) (8–10, 11–1) Andropogon gerardii an-dro-PO-gon rew-PREK-tee-eye (4–9, 9–1) E. canum subsp. latifolium E. KAY- M. pringlei M. PRING-glee-eye jeh-RAR-dee-eye (2–7, 7–1) Silphium laciniatum SIL-fee-um num subsp. lat-ih-FO-lee-um (8–11, 12–1) Artemisia versicolor ar-teh-MEEZ- lah-syn-ee-AY-tum (5–9, 9–5) (7–10, 11–7) M. punctata M. punk-TAY-tuh yuh vur-SIK-uh-lur (3–7, 7–1) S. perfoliatum S. per-fo-lee-AY-tum E. septentrionale E. sep-ten-tree-o- (4–10, 9–2) Astilbe chinensis uh-STIL-bee (5–9, 9–5) NAL-ee (8–9, 9–8) M. viridissima M. VEER-ih-diss-ih- chy-NEN-sis (4–8, 8–2) Solidago canadensis sol-ih-DAY-go Eryngium yuccifolium ee-RIN-jee- muh (7–10, 11–1) Bouteloua curtipendula boo-teh- kan-uh-DEN-siss (5–9, 9–1) um yuk-ih-FO-lee-um (4–9, 12–1) LOO-uh kur-tih-PEN-dyew-luh S. rugosa S. roo-GO-suh (5–9, 9–1) N–R (5–9, 9–5) Sorghastrum nutans sorg-ASS-trum F–M B. curtipendula var. caespitosa Nandina domestica nan-DEE-nuh NOO-tanz (4–9, 9–1) ✕ B. kur-tih-PEN-dyew-luh var. Forsythia intermedia for-SITH- do-MES-tih-kuh (6–11, 12–4) Spigelia marilandica spy-JEE-lee- sez-pih-TOH-suh (6–8, 8–1) ee-uh in-ter-MEE-dee-uh Oenothera macrocarpa uh mair-ih-LAN-dih-kuh B. eriopoda B. air-ee-O-po-duh (6–9, 9–6) ee-NOTH-ur-uh mak-ro-KAR-puh (5–9, 9–2) (6–8, 8–1) Heuchera richardsonii HYEW-kur-uh (4–8, 8–3) Sporobolus heterolepsis spor-OB-o- B. gracilis B. GRUH-sih-liss rih-chard-SOWN-ee-eye (4–8, 8–1) Panicum virgatum PAN-ih-kum lus het-ur-o-LEP-siss (3–8, 10–2) (5–9, 9–5) Hydrangea quercifolia hy-DRAN-juh vur-GAY-tum (5–9, 9–1) Viburnum lentago vy-BER-num len- Callirhoe alcaeoides kah-LIR-o-ee kwer-sih-FO-lee-uh (5–9, 9–5) Penstemon barbatus PEN-steh-mon TAY-go (2–8, 8–1) al-kay-OY-deez (4–9, 9–1) Ilex verticillata EYE-leks vur-tih- bar-BAY-tus (4–9, 9–2) V. prunifolium V. proo-nih-FO-lee- C. involucrata C. in-vol-yew-KRAY- sih-LAY-tuh (5–8, 8–5) Prunus americana PREW-nus uh- um (3–9, 9–1) tuh (4–6, 7–1) Ipomoea leptophylla ih-po-ME-uh mair-ih-KAN-uh (3–8, 8–1) Weigela florida wy-JEEL-yuh Carex bicknellii KAIR-eks bick- lep-toh-FIL-uh (4–8, 8–6) P. virginiana P. vir-jin-ee-AN-uh FLOR-ih-duh (5–8, 8–4) NEL-ee-eye (8–10, 10–8) Itea virginica eye-TEE-uh vir-JIN- (3–8, 8–1) Zauschneria californica zowsh- C. vulpinoidea C. vul-pin-OY-dee- ih-kuh (6–9, 10–7) Rhus aromatica RUS ah-ro-MAT-ih- NAIR-ee-uh kal-ih-FORN-ih-kuh uh (7–10, 10–7) Koeleria macrantha kel-LEE-ree-uh kuh (2–8, 8–1) (see Epilobium canum subsp. Clematis fruticosa KLEM-uh-tiss muh-KRAN-thuh (2–8, 8–1) Rosa carolina RO-zuh kair-o-LIE- canum) froo-tih-KO-suh (5–9, 9–1) Leucophyllum frutescens nuh (4–9, 9–1) Z. septentrionalis Z. sep-ten-tree-o- Clethra alnifolia KLETH-ruh al-nih- loo-ko-FIL-lum froo-TES-enz R. woodsii R. WOODS-ee-eye NAL-is (see E. septentrionale) FO-lee-uh (3–9, 9–1) (8–9, 9–8) (4–9, 9–1)

July / August 2005 61 62 the American Gardener N nize withthetonesofitsdark-leaved neighbors. stemon scutellarioides, plumes. Thecontrastingchartreuse leaves of‘Gay’s Delight’ Sunlover coleus bedfellow with itsmaroon,makes acomplementary straplikefoliageandreddish red leaves. Purple fountaingrass(Pennisetum setaceum nus communis OTHING SAYS SUMMER River Farm's estatehouse,thejewellike,scarlet seedpodsofcastorbean 'Carmencita', Zones 11–14,12–1)glimmeramongtheplant’s smoky- Zones strikingburgundyveins thatharmo- 11–12,12–1)sport Summer Sizzle IE AMSNAPSHOT FARM RIVER C like thehothuesofred andyellow. In abedby ‘Rubrum’, Zones 9–11,12–8) (Soleno- (Rici- 

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