Theh American A n GARDENERGARDENER® The Magazine of the AAmerican Horticultural Societyy November / December 2015 Techniques for Planting Under Trees John Greenlee: Ornamental Grass Evangelist Tropical Hibiscus for All Gardens design tips for Evening Gardens contents Volume 94, Number 6 . November / December 2015 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM 6 NEWS FROM THE AHS AHS participates in pollinator coalition meeting in Washington, D.C., 2016 Seed Exchange update. 10 AHS NEWS SPECIAL America in Bloom Community Involvement Award. 40 GARDEN SOLUTIONS Dealing with poor drainage. 42 HOMEGROWN HARVEST Thornless blackberries. 44 TRAVELER’S GUIDE TO GARDENS Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida. page 353 46 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK First withdrawal from Arctic seed vault, new rose evaluation program, Hurricane Sandy funds devoted to native plant 12 SEEDS ON THE MOVE BY TERI DUNN CHACE restoration, overcollection threatens cacti, Understanding how plants send their progeny out into the world mutant plants to fi ght pollution, U.S. can help gardeners with propagation or eradication efforts. braces for new tomato pest, Ball acquires Conard-Pyle. 18 THE GRASSMAN BY NAN STERMAN 50 GREEN GARAGE California-based plantsman and garden designer John Greenlee Attracting birds to your has spent his career seeking out ornamental grasses and promoting garden. their use in naturalistic, meadow-style landscapes. 52 BOOK REVIEWS Heirloom Harvest and 24 DESIGNING EVENING GARDENS BY PAUL LEE CANNON The Authentic Garden. Here’s how to make your outdoor space an inviting destination— Special focus: Armchair even after the sun’s gone down. exploration. page 500 54 GIFTS FOR THE GARDENER 30 PLANTING UNDER TREES BY DAVID OETTINGER Protecting tree roots from damage is important when creating 56 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS beds under trees. 58 PRONUNCIATIONS AND HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES 35 TROPICAL HIBISCUS BY CALEB MELCHIOR New selections of tropical hibiscus allow gardeners to add sizzling 60 2015 MAGAZINE INDEX color to their summer landscapes even in temperate regions. 62 PLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT Fragrant wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox). ON THE COVER: The garden of Ann Butler in Tucson, Arizona, takes on an inviting, magical glow as LEFT: COURTESY OF HIDDEN VALLEY HIBISCUS. RIGHT: COLES evening descends on the desert. Photograph by Mark Turner November / December 2015 3 Free App AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY HOMEGROWN Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens With Bonnie Plants Board of Directors CHAIR Amy Bolton Falls Church, Virginia FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN Jane Diamantis McDonald, Tennessee SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Mary Pat Matheson Atlanta, Georgia TREASURER J. Landon Reeve, IV Woodbine, Maryland IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. Falls Church, Virginia EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Henrietta Burke Alexandria, Virginia Marcia Zech Mercer Island, Washington Skipp Calvert Alexandria, Virginia Q Tim Conlon Dubuque, Iowa Q Gay Estes Houston, Texas Nancy Hargroves Manakin Sabot, Virginia Q Tom Johnson Washington, D.C. Q Louis B. Lynn Columbia, South Carolina Nancy Ross Englewood, Florida Q Holly Shimizu Glen Echo, Maryland Q Ed Snodgrass Street, Maryland Erich Veitenheimer Alexandria, Virginia EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tom Underwood PRESIDENT EMERITUS Katy Moss Warner President’s Council The President’s Council is comprised of dedicated members whose annual support makes many of the Society’s programs possible, from youth gardening activities to horticultural awards programs. FOUNDER’S CIRCLE ($25,000+) Mr. and Mrs. George Diamantis Q Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Rissetto Q Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Zech CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE ($10,000–$24,999) Mr. and Mrs. Bill Barnett Q Mrs. Kurt Bluemel Q Mrs. Elisabeth C. Dudley LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY CIRCLE ($5,000–$9,999) Mrs. Leslie S. Ariail Q Ms. Amy Bolton and Mr. Philip Schoene Q Mr. and Mrs. Skipp Calvert Q Mr. James R. Cargill Q Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Conlon Q Mr. Joseph Errington and Mr. William Pullen QMs. Catherine M. Hayes Q Mr. Mark Olson Q Mr. and Mrs. J. Landon Reeve, IV Q Mrs. Susie Usrey Q Ms. Katy Moss Warner bonnieplants.com/app HAUPT CIRCLE ($2,500–$4,999) Mrs. Sandra L. Address Q Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Bachman Q Ms. Petra Burke-Ramirez Q Mr. and Mrs. Andy Daniel Q Mr. and Mrs. Carl Estes Q Dr. Amy Goldman Fowler Q Mr. and Mrs. Joel Goldsmith Q Ms. Christina Grady and Mr. Thomas Gibian Q Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove Q Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Johnson Q Dr. and Mrs. Louis B. Lynn Q Mrs. Shirley u*LJTTFBDIJTTVFXIFOJUBSSJWFTv Ann Nicolai Q Dr. David D. Parrish Q Ms. Katherine Ward t3VCZ8ZMJF 8JDIJUB ,4 COUNCIL MEMBER’S CIRCLE ($1,000–$2,499) Ms. Kathleen W. Arnold Q Mr. and Mrs. David Asaibene Q Mr. Dale L. Bachman Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baillie Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles Barnes III Q Dr. and Mrs. William E. Barrick Q Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Beck Q Mrs. Katherine 3&&/ 3*/54 McKay Belk Q Mrs. George P. Bissell, Jr. Q Dr. Sherran Blair and Mr. Roger Blair, Esq. Q Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Bradshaw Q Ms. Donna ( 1 Brown Q Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Burke, III Q Mr. and Mrs. Carson Calloway, Jr. Q Dr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Cameron Q Ms. Mary Ann Carey u5)&8&&%&3x4%*(&45v Q Mr. Stan Chambers Q Mr. and Mrs. John Cooke Q Ms. Cynthia Cope Q Ms. Audney Cosand Q Dr. Karen Davis and Mr. Richard Davis 0OMZ(SFFO1SJOUTTIBSFTUIFKPZ Q Mr. Larry L. Deaven Q Ms. Catherine Eberbach Q Ms. Katherine B. Edwards and Mr. John A. Ronveaux Q Ms. Megan Evans and Mr. IVNPS IFBEBDIFT BOEIFBSU Howard M. Tucker Q Ms. Inger Fair Q Mr. and Mrs. Gary Fine Q Dr. and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. Q Ms. Elisabeth French Q Mr. and PGHBSEFOJOHtJOXPOEFSGVM Mrs. A.M. Gellman Q Mr. and Mrs. Michael Grant Q Dr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Hall, III Q Mr. Clark Halstead Q Mr. and Mrs. Herbert TUPSJFTBOECFBVUJGVMBSU F. Hargroves Q Mrs. Martha Harris Q Ms. Laura Hartman Q Ms. Rebecca Hartness Q Ms. Grace M. Hennes Q Ms. Nancy Hockstad Q *UxTUIFQFSTPOBMHBSEFONBHB[JOF Mr. and Mrs. Albert Huddleston Q Mr. Philip Huey Q Mr. and Mrs. Ridgely Huntt Q Mrs. Rose Johnston Q Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Keck Q Ms. Patricia Kitchings Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kittrell Q Ms. Patricia Leddy Q Mrs. Carolyn Marsh Lindsay Q Ms. JoAnn Luecke u*G*IBEUPFBUOPUIJOHCVUSJDF Q Mrs. Dorothy W. Marston Q Mr. and Mrs. James Masterson Q Ms. M. Terry McConnell Q Mr. and Mrs. Murray McGrew Q Ms. GPSUISFFNPOUIT *XPVMEOPU Elizabeth D. Miller Q Mr. and Mrs. John McMurtrie Q Mr. and Mrs. Walter Montgomery, Jr. Q Mr. and Mrs. Peter Morris Q Mrs. Rosalie J. Morris Q Dr. and Mrs. David E. Morrison Q Mr. James R. Moxley, Jr. Q Mr. and Mrs. Ben Norwood Q Mr. and Mrs. Al Osman Q Ms. HPXJUIPVUNZ(3&&/13*/54v t+BOF8BUTPO .* Julie Overbeck Q Ms. Johnnie Patricia Painter Q Ms. Melinda Papp Q Mr. and Mrs. Bill Paternotte Q Ms. Allison Porter Q Mrs. Lynn C. Rhomberg Q Ms. Stephanie L. Rodden and Mr. John Cienki Q Ms. Nancy Ross Q Ms. Rachael A. Rowland Q Mr. Witney Schneidman du*UJTBOBCTPMVUFQMFBTVSFUP Q Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Sedler Q Mr. Carroll L. Shry Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Smith, Jr. Q Ms. Kathleen A. Smithgall Q Mr. Joseph TVCTDSJCFUPBNBHB[JOFCBTFEPO B. Tompkins, Jr. Q Mr. and Mrs. Harry Tunis Q Mr. and Mrs. Tom Underwood Q Dr. Erich E. Veitenheimer and Mr. Andrew Cariaso Q LJOEOFTT HPPEOFTT BOEXBSNUIv Mrs. Angela M. Vikesland Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Volk Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Walton Q Ms. Elizabeth M. Wehrle Q Mrs. Corinne t1BNFMB'BJUI '- Winburn Q Mrs. Dudley B. White Q Mr. and Mrs. Donald Winship Q Dr. Dorothy Yang and Mr. Ray Carlsen HSFBU 3FBETUPSJFTBU HONORARY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL (in memoriam) Ms. Louise Fruehling Q Mrs. Enid Haupt Q Mrs. John A. Lutz Q Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Miller HSFFOQSJOUTDPN Ms. Wilma L. Pickard GreenPrints, P.O. Box 1355, Corporate Members Fairview, NC 28730 ggpreenprints.com Bonnie Plants Q The Care of Trees Q Chapel Valley Landscape Company Q Corona, Inc. Q The Espoma Company Q Monrovia Q Osmocote Q OXO or 800-569-0602 A Only $19.97! Horticultural Partners Great FREE America In Bloom Q Bellingrath Gardens & Home Q The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Q Cox Arboretum Metropark Gift! Bonus Q Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens Q The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America Q The Omni Homestead Issue! Q Inniswood Garden Society Q University of Nebraska-Lincoln Q Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation 4 the American Gardener The American NOTES CFROM RIVER FARM GARDENER EDITOR David J. Ellis MANAGING EDITOR AND ART DIRECTOR Mary Yee ASSOCIATE EDITOR Viveka Neveln N LATE OCTOBER, Harry Rissetto, past chair of our AHS Board of Directors, EDITORIAL INTERN and I participated in the National Chrysanthemum Society’s annual convention Benjamin Whitacre I and show in northern Virginia. Harry and I were there by invitation to give a CONTRIBUTING EDITOR presentation on the unique challenges and opportunities facing plant societies and Rita Pelczar other horticultural groups across the country in the digital age. CONTRIBUTING WRITER Supporting national plant societies has historically been an important part of the Carole Ottesen American Horticultural Society’s mission. Over the years, many of the AHS’s leaders EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD have also played a significant role in these related organizations. Harry, for example, CHAIR Ethne Clarke is a longtime member and officer of the American Dahlia Society. While there are Colorado Springs, Colorado many trends—most notably a decline in participation—that warrant attention, we Linda Askey believe there is equal reason for optimism. Organizations that are able to adapt and Birmingham, Alabama Julie Chai Mountain View, California Mary Irish San Antonio, Texas Panayoti Kelaidis Denver, Colorado Charlie Nardozzi Burlington, Vermont Denny Schrock Ames, Iowa Jessica Walliser Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Left: The judging tables at the Kris Wetherbee Oakland, Oregon National Chrysanthemum Society’s show.