Twigs A publication for members of Hershey Gardens Spring | Summer 2019 Vol. 13 No. 1 It’s Tu ip-pa ooza! Hershey Gardens To Feature More Than 30 New Cultivars love tulips better than any other spring of ‘Rembrandt’s Parrot tulips and “ flower; they are the embodiment of Favorite’ will peony flowering I alert cheerfulness and tidy grace...” certainly catch tulips are also show- This quote, by British novelist Elizabeth your eye.” stoppers. “Their von Arnim, could perhaps be the reason Darwin fringed edges and why so many guests look forward to seeing Hybrids are one densely packed flow- Hershey Gardens’ renowned spring tulip of the most stun- ers make you second display. ning tulip types. guess if you’re “This year’s “Their huge actually looking ‘Giant Darwin Hybrid Mix’ ‘Black Parrot’ display will include flowers and height at a tulip,” said Hagarman. “Three of my more than 28,000 are enough to demand attention, but then favorites this year are ‘Black Parrot,’ ‘Blue blooms, includ- you add the amazing, bold and bright col- Wow’ and ‘Yellow Mountain.’ ‘Black Par- ing more than 30 ors and you have a truly spectacular flower,” rot’ is a velvety purple-black with fringed new cultivars,” said said Hagarman. edges. ‘Blue Wow’ has densely packed layers Alyssa Hagarman, “My favorite is the of blue-purple petals. ‘Yellow Mountain’ horticulture special- beautiful mix of is an opulent puffy, pale lemon yellow; all ist. “The plants all those amazing three of these tulips also have a delicate ‘Rembrandt’s Favorite’ have been laid out colors in the ‘Giant fragrance.” in large blocks, for an impressive show of Darwin Hybrid “Usually, tulips peak in early May,” color.” Mix,’ which has 11 Hagarman said, Two new triumph different cultivars, “but that depends tulips are ‘Apricot ranging from largely on Mother Foxx’ and ‘Rem- a bold red to a Nature.” brandt’s Favorite.’ ‘Design Impression’ creamy white.” Be sure to check “Both are bicolored, Another new Darwin tulip is ‘Design Im- HersheyGardens. but the fragrant pression.’ “It not only has a lovely radiant org and Hershey ‘Apricot Foxx’ colors rose flower with muted gold flushes, but Gardens’ Facebook almost blend togeth- ‘Apricot Foxx’ the leaves are also unique with their deep page for bloom er,” said Hagarman. “The contrasting colors green and lime edges.” updates. ‘Blue Wow’ 10 Questions With… Brian Carr, Crew Foreman at Hershey Gardens We recently caught up with landscape veteran What is your background? Brian Carr to talk about what happens I have been working in the landscape “behind the scenes” at Hershey Gardens. industry for 35 years, at nurseries and supervising landscape crews. I’ve worked What is your role at Hershey Gardens? at Hershey Nursery and also at a landscape As the crew foreman, I oversee the gar- company, whose specialties were Japanese dening staff to make sure all of the tasks and natural gardens. assigned to us on the weekly schedule are accomplished efficiently. I also assist How long have you worked at Hershey Operations Manager Bill Kieffer with other Gardens? duties, such as taking care of the roses. This year I am celebrating 10 years. What is a typical day like for you? In your 10 years, what do you enjoy most? My day varies depending on the time of I love talking with guests, whether they are year. In the summer, my day begins at 6 long-time members or first-time guests. It’s a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. The rest of the neat to see their reactions to the constantly year, I start at 7 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. changing landscape. Starting in early spring, we are busy mulch- ing, weeding and prepping the beds, as What is your favorite part of the Gardens? well as maintaining the ponds. During the My favorite area is the part of the Japanese summer, we are continually caring for the Garden where all the redwood trees grow. beds, including planting and mowing. We planting plants and cutting back the roses It is a very relaxing and peaceful area, and do whatever it takes to help make our 23 in preparation for winter. We also prepare even though it’s in the Gardens, that par- acres beautiful. the Gardens for Pumpkin Glow, which is ticular spot makes me feel like I’m in the fairly labor intensive. During winter, we mountains. Its tranquility is mesmerizing. It would seem that, like most home maintain our equipment and weatherproof gardeners, your fall and winter work the benches and other hardscape items. Do you have a favorite plant? would slow down a bit? Snow and ice removal also keeps us busy. There are so many, it’s hard to pick just Not at all. Fall is a time for clean-up and When the weather allows, we’re outside one. My favorite shrub is the Arctic Fire prep. We’re busy raking the leaves, trans- pruning. red twig dogwood; my favorite tree is the Japanese red pine; and my favorite peren- nial is the blackberry lily. I guess that’s more than one! Any hobbies? I love to fish, camp and hike. Any chance I get to be outside in the woods with friends and family is a great way to spend my downtime. You speak Japanese?! Yes, a little. During the years that I worked with the land- scape company whose main focus was Japanese gardening, I spent a few years learning the language. Brian enjoys the Japanese Garden for its tranquility and peacefulness. 2 Butterflies...and Beyond meet the stars inside the butterfly atrium Featured Butterfly: various names all point to its flower, which Atala Hairstreak resembles a powder puff. Depending on Genus Eumaeus atala the variety, the flowers can be pink, white or red. The Atala Hairstreak is the But- Native to Bolivia, this shrub or multi- terfly Atrium’s smallest butterfly; trunked tree has a striking appearance and it’s roughly the size of a man’s is in the same family as the mimosa tree. thumbnail. Though small, these “It responds well to pruning and can be butterflies have a delightfully com- trained into a tree form or left as a bushier plex appearance of black wings shrub. They grow quickly and can reach with iridescent blue specks and a heights of 15 feet, although pruning can vibrant red body. keep them much smaller. TheCalliandra The Atala Hairstreak was thought extinct until 1979. The Atala Hairstreaks, which are haematocephala decline occurred because its host plant, the coontie, was in the Butterfly Atrium is native to southeastern Florida and over-harvested to produce arrowroot and other starchy a dwarf variety and is frequently pruned to the Caribbean region, were once compounds used as a thickener in food products. keep it a manageable size. on the endangered species list and The powder puff plant prefers lots of sun thought to be extinct. Their comeback was comes from the southern United States and and a tropical climate with warm tempera- due to their host plant, the coontie (Zamia Mexico. tures and high humidity. It blooms most integrifolia), becoming a trendy plant for Also called whip scorpions, they are not prominently in the fall and winter months landscapers and gardeners. They are no closely related to true scorpions, but rather but can produce flowers year ‘round. The longer considered endangered. have a similar look with an impressive set of flower buds resemble berries, then they This is a clear example of the influence pedipalps, or pinchers, and the appearance bloom into the spikey flower. The butter- host plants have on butterflies, which is of six legs. In fact, vinegaroons are arach- flies feed on the flowers by inserting their crucial to the survival of many species. nids and have eight legs, with the front pair proboscis into the base of the flower and modified to act as antenna-like feelers,” said tend to feed more when the flowers have Featured Insect: Serfass. These feelers aid in the vinegaroon’s begun to wilt and the base of the flower is Vinegaroon (Giant Whip Scorpion) limited vision. easier to access. Mastigoproctis giganteus Though this creature may look intimidat- ing, it is fairly harmless. This winter, Hershey Gardens’ BugZone became home to a very special arthropod: Featured Plant: a vinegaroon. Vinegaroons are given this Powder Puff Plant name because of their defensive spray of a Calliandra haematocephala vinegar-based substance out of its thread- like tail. Some vinegaroons originate in the This beautiful plant is a known by tropics, but the species in the BugZone a variety of common names including powder puff tree, powder puff plant, red powder puff and pink powder puff. Its Calliandra haematocephala or powder puff flower The whip scorpion has eight eyes; two in a pair on the front of the head and three on each side Butterfly and insect information by Katherine of its head. Calliandra haematocephala flower and bud Serfass. Plant information by Sadie Smith. 3 Looking Back: Creating the Theme Gardens at Hershey Gardens 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of this significant transformation ill Bowman became director of Hershey Gardens in 1976. He Bwas charged with revitalizing the Gardens and making it a more popular destination. In 1979, Bill led the transformation of Hershey Gardens into several theme gardens. At the time, theme gardens were a popular trend in public gardens. The themed approach had also been followed in other Hershey attractions, most notably at Hersheypark, which had been redeveloped several years earlier as a themed amusement park.