TheThe AmericanAmerican gardener ® gardener TheThe MagazineMagazine ofof thethe AmericanAmerican HorticulturalHorticultural SocietySociety November / December 2012 enchanting Witch Hazels Solutions for Soggy Sites Nancy Goodwin: Southern Plantswoman Best Boxwood for Today’s Gardens contents Volume 91, Number 6 . Novembn / Decembe1' 2012 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM 6 MEMBERS' FORUM 8 NEWS FROM THE AHS Domestic cruise new addition to travel program, glorious gala at River Farm, take your best shot for photo contests, corporate volunteers help out at River Farm. II AHS NEWS SPECIAL America in Bloom's 2012 award winners. I2 AHS MEMBERS MAKING A OIFFERENCE Steven Trusty. 42 HOMEGROWN HARVEST Sprouts: Fast, Easy, and Delicious .. 44 GAROEN SOLUTIONS Preparing the garden for winter. 46 GARDENER'S NOTEBOOK 14 SOLUTIONS FOR SOGGY SITES BY KRIS WETHERBEE American Garden Award winners announced, Rather than struggling to "fix" seasonally wet garden sites, try sniffing out emerald ash borers, citiren these plant and design tips instead. scientists help gather rainfall data, Bonnie Plants' cabbage program gets kids gardening, 20 RESTORATION OF A JENSEN GARDEN BY JANET HOMMEL MANGAS native plants better for supporting local bird populations, Longwood Gardens receives Mter discovering the abandoned properry they had purchased one-millionth visitor, 2012 international was designed by the legendary Jens Jensen, an Indianapolis cou­ designer of the year, new horticulture director ple restored the garden using Jensen's original plans. for NewEngland Wild Flower Society. Green Garage: Tools for end-of-season chores. 26 ENCHANTING WITCH HAZELS BY CHRIS STRAND Few shrubs pack more punch in the winter landscape than witch 50 BOOK REVIEWS hazels, which bear delicate, fragrant flowers on a sculptural frame The Layered Garden: Design Lessons for Year- of bare branches. Round Beautyftom Brandywine Cottage and A Garden Makes a House a Home. Special focus: Miscellaneous titles. 32 NANCY GOODWIN BY ANNE RAVER Noted writer, garden designer, and plantswoman Nancy 52 TRAVELER'S GUIOE TO GARDENS Goodwin has created a masterful legacy at Montrose, her North San Diego Botanic Garden. Carolina home and garden. 54 GIFTS FOR THE GARDENER 38 BOXWOOD REVIVAL BY LYNN R. BATDORF 56 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS The availabiliry of new boxwood selections with appealing char­ 58 HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES acteristics has led to a resurgence in popularity for this classic AND PRONUNCIATIONS landscape plant. 60 2012 MAGAZINE INDEX ON THE COVER, Hamamelis mollis 'Princeton Gold' blooms in late winter at the Morris Arboretum 62 PLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photograph by Rob Cardillo Poet's lautel. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2012 3 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 1,3/)2321+$-. Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens ,1/+$&'/&1-'3,$+2/ Board of Directors CHAIR Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. Falls Church, Virginia FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN Jane Diamantis McDonald, Tennessee SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Mary Pat Matheson Atlanta, Georgia SECRETARY Leslie Ariail Alexandria, Virginia TREASURER J. Landon Reeve, IV Woodbine, Maryland IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Susie Usrey Dayton, Oregon EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Henrietta Burke Alexandria, Virginia Sandra Address Chevy Chase, Maryland Q Sally Spangler Barnett Jacksonville, Florida Q Amy Bolton Falls Church, Virginia Skipp Calvert Alexandria, Virginia Q Joel Goldsmith Gilroy, California Q Mary Huddleston Dallas, Texas Shirley Nicolai Ft. Washington, Maryland Q Ed Snodgrass Street, Maryland Q Marcia Zech Mercer Island, Washington 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. Klaus Zech Q Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Rissetto CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE ($10,000–$24,999) Mrs. Leslie S. Ariail Q Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel Q Mr. and Mrs. George Diamantis Q Mr. and (+$23,.3#'-..+.*!302//+.*3&#!3-.( Mrs. Thomas Farrell Q Mr. and Mrs. Shephard W. Hill Q Mrs. Shirley Ann Nicolai Q Ms. Katy Moss Warner (20+*.+.*3 ,&13*-1(2. #21/!32-1/)%1+2.(' 3/2$).+&203%,1 LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY CIRCLE ($5,000–$9,999) Ms. Amy Bolton Q Mrs. Elisabeth C. Dudley Q Mr. and Mrs. Albert Huddleston Q Mr. and 0&$$200%&'' 3*1,+.*3-.(3)-120/+.* Mrs. Tom Underwood Q Mr. and Mrs. W. Bruce Usrey )21"0!3%1&+/0!3-.(32*2/-"'20 &**20/+,.03,.3/)23"20/3$1,#3 HAUPT CIRCLE ($2,500–$4,999) Mrs. Sandra L. Address Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bogle Q Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Burke, III Q Ms. Petra Burke -1+2/+203%,13(+%%212./312*+,.0 Q Mr. James R. Cargill, II Q Ms. Katherine B. Edwards and Mr. John A. Ronveaux Q Mr. and Mrs. Carl Estes Q Mr. and Mrs. Don W. Godsey 302-0,." 02-0,.3*&+(23%,1 Ms. Amy Goldman Q Mr. and Mrs. Joel Goldsmith Q Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove Q Mrs. Carole S. Hofley Q Mr. and Mrs. Ken "1+.*+.*3/)23%120)20/3%1&+/0!3)21"0!3 Mountcastle Q Mr. David D. Parrish Q Mr. and Mrs. J. Landon Reeve, IV -.(32*2/-"'203%1,3*-1(2.3/,3#'-/2 COUNCIL MEMBER’S CIRCLE ($1,000–$2,499) Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baillie Q Mr. and Mrs. Carter Bales Q Mr. and Mrs. Bill Barnett Q Mrs. George P. Bissell, Jr. Q Mrs. Elspeth G. Bobbs Q Mr. Skipp Calvert Q Ms. Mary Ann Carey Q Mr. Hans Edwards Q Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Eilenberg Q Mr. Monte Enright Q Mr. Joseph Errington and Mr. William Pullen Q Ms. Inger Fair Q Mrs. Walter S. Fletcher Q Dr. and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. Q Ms. Marguerite P. Foster Q Mrs. Janet Gebler Q Mrs. Barbara Grant Q Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Hanselman Q Ms. Catherine M. Hayes Q Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Nancy Hess Q Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hixon Q Ms. Nancy Hockstad Q Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Ireland Q Ms. Stephanie Jutila and Mr. Thomas Seltz Q Ms. Irene D. Kress Q Mr. Mike Kunce Q Mr. Richard Lessans Q Ms. Carolyn Marsh Lindsay Q Mr. and Mrs. R. Scott Lyons Q Mr. and Mrs. Bob J. MacLean Q Mrs. Dorothy W. Marston Q Mr. and Mrs. Bill May Q Mr. and Mrs. Egon Molbak Q Mr. and Mrs. Peter Morris Q Mr. James R. Moxley, Jr. Q Ms. Julie Overbeck Q Mr. Edward Pasquesi Q Ms. Allison Porter Q Mrs. Laura Riddle Q Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Roe Q Mr. R. P. Simmons Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Smith Q Mr. Ed Snodgrass Q Mr. Lamar Thompson Q Mr. Joe Viar Q Mrs. Angela M. Vikesland Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Volk Q Ms. Katherine J. Ward Q Ms. Elizabeth M. Wehrle Q Mrs. Dudley B. White Q Mr. and Mrs. Dennis White Q Mr. and Mrs. Harvey C. White HONORARY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL Ms. Louise Fruehling* Q Mrs. Enid Haupt* Q Mrs. John A. Lutz* Q Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Miller* *In memoriam 3 -.( 3$)-1/03/)-/3/2''3 ,&3)2.3/, 0,3022(03-.(3)-120/3(+%%212./3 Corporate Members 2*2/-"'20 20,&1$23'+0/3-.(3*',00-1 Bonnie Plants Q The Burpee Foundation Q The Care of Trees Q Chapel Valley Landscape Company Q Q Q Q ,123/)-.33$,',13#),/,*1-#)0 The Espoma Company Homestead Gardens Kurt Bluemel, Inc. Monrovia Osmocote /)1,&*),&/3 Horticultural Partners -#21"-$!3 3333#-*20 America in Bloom Symposium & Awards Program Q Bellingrath Gardens and Home Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Garden Symposium Q Cox Arboretum MetroPark Garden Centers of America Q The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium Q The Homestead in the Garden Symposium Inniswood Garden Society Q Oklahoma Botanical Garden & Arboretum 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 HAT WOULD the winter holidays be like without plants? Thanksgiving EDITORIAL INTERN would certainly be less festive without the colorful gourds, pumpkins, Neel Patel cornstalks, and hay bales that are hallmarks of fall and early winter. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR W And what about all the cut greens, wreaths, and trees that deck the halls in Decem- Rita Pelczar ber? It’s easy to overlook the major part horticulture plays in creating the atmosphere CONTRIBUTING WRITER and setting the stage for this season, but its influence can be felt all around us. Carole Ottesen For example, it’s particularly hard to imagine the holidays without the iconic EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). Yet this plant was once a humble roadside weed CHAIR Richard E. Bir in Central America before the magic of Brevard, North Carolina horticulture transformed it into a be- Allan M. Armitage loved and ubiquitous symbol of the sea- Athens, Georgia son. One of the magicians responsible Nina L. Bassuk was the late H. Marc Cathey, a former Ithaca, New York American Horticultural Society (AHS) Steve Bender president. His scientific research helped Birmingham, Alabama unlock the mechanisms controlling the John E. Bryan bloom time of the plant so that grow- San Francisco, California ers could produce the showiest displays Panayoti Kelaidis Denver, Colorado at just the right time of year. And one Richard W. Lighty of our annual AHS Great American Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Gardeners Awards—the Paul Ecke Jr. Elvin McDonald Commercial Award—honors the man West Des Moines, Iowa who is credited with popularizing these plants in America. CONTACT US The American Gardener 7931 East Boulevard Drive Winter also offers us a different perspective on our gardens. While gardens in Alexandria, VA 22308 the warmest regions are still active, this tends to be a time when gardeners slow (703) 768-5700 down, take stock, and strategize.