• erIC an • • IC urIS November 1993 A Publication of the American Horticultural Society $2.00 Inside: A Report on OUf Children's Symposium American Horticultural Society The American Horticultural Society seeks to promote and recognize excellence in horticulture across America. OFFICERS 1993-1994 Mrs. Sarah S. Boasberg, Washington, DC Chairman 500 Attend Children's Symposium Dr. WIlliam E. Barrick, Pine Mountain, GA First Vice Chairman Mr. David M. Lilly, St. Paul MN More than 500 people attended the Secretary American Horticultural Society's national Mr. Gerald T. Halpin, Alexandria, VA symposium, "Children, Plants, and Treasurer Gardens: Educational Opportunities" in BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chevy Chase, Maryland, August 12 to 14. Dr. Thomas Amason, Birmingham, AL The event was so successful that Mrs. Suzanne Bales, Bronxville, NY attendees from California are beginning Mr. George C. Ball Jr., West Chicago, IL to plan a similar meeting for the West Dr. Sherran Blair, Columbus, OH Coast for 1995. Evaluations of the meet­ Mr. WIlliam F. Brinton, Mount Vernon, ME ing were extremely positive. If anything, Mrs. Nancy Callaway, Pine Mountain, GA Mr. Paul Ecke, Encinitas, CA many said, the conference offerings were Dr. John Alex Floyd Jr., Birmingham, AL too rich, with three workshops offered Mrs. Julia Hobart, Troy, OH simultaneously, and the program continu­ Dr. Richard Lower, Madison, WI ing into the evening with 10-minute "idea Mr. Elvin McDonald, Houston, TX forums." There were more than 60 Mr. WIlliam G. PanniU, Martinsville, VA presenters. Mr. Lawrence V. Power, New Ymk, NY Dr. Julia Rappaport, Santa Ana, CiA. Outgoing AHS Chairman George C. Mrs. Jane N. Scarff, New Carlisle, OR Ball Jr. opened the meeting with his own Mrs. Josephine Shanks, Houston, TX childhood memories of the outdoors and Mr. Andre Viette, Fishersville, VA expressed hope that the meeting would Ms. Katy Moss Warner, Lake Buena Vista, FL serve as a "template" for many more Mr. Monroe Whitton, Alexandria, VA ideas for gardening with children. PRESIDENT "Gardening teaches virtues such as Dr. H. Marc Cathey strength in the face of adversity. It's also a Hardie Newton of Hardie Blossoms in beautiful art that nourishes the soul." Madison, Virginia, conducted a EXECUTNE DIRECTOR Washington'S August heat and humidity children's {lower arranging class during Mrs. Helen Fulcher Walutes abated to a tolerable level and skies were the symposium tour of River Fann. blue for the tour of the U.S. National AMERICAN HORTICULTURlST Arboretum and AHS's River Farm head­ and hearing opposite opinions from quarters. There the group toured the 12 opposite disciplines." EDITOR: Kathleen Fisher children's gardens created this spring by • "I'm proud to be a member of AHS MANAGING EDITOR: Mary Beth Wiesner children and professional landscape de­ because of this event. Thank you George ASSISTANT EDITOR: Chris Bright signers. "The Children's Gardens display Ball Jr. for exuding excitement about EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Steve Davolt horticulture. I hope this can become an MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR: Darlene Oliver was incredible!" one participant said. ADVERTISING: American HoFticuitural Said others: annualJregional event where thousands of Society Advertising Department, 2300 South • "I've been to many conferences­ educators can participate." Ninth Street, Suite 501, Arlington, VA both bigger and smaller, science teachers, • "Best group of keynote speakers I've 22204-2320, (703) 892-0733. math teachers, environmental educators. ever heard!" This has been one of the warmest (no pun Address all editorial correspondence to: The Editor, • "This conference confirms my belief American Horticulturist, American Horricuhural intended) and most enriching conferences that gardeners are very special people." Society, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA I have ever attended." 22308·1300. AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST, ISSN 0096-4417, is published by the American l;Iorricultural • "It was an awakening of old spirits Society, 7931 East Boulevard Dr:ive, Alexandria, VA in me as well as a renewing and Resource Guide 22308·1300, (703) 768·5700, ana is issuea six times a year as a magazine and six times a year. as a News commitment to the earth and children." Edition. The American Horticultural Society is a • "It was beyond my expecations. I am A 21-page resource guide for teachers, nonprofit organization devoted to excellence in parents, and youth educators, Iistillg horticulture. Botanical nomenclature in AMERICAN overflowing with many new ideas to try HORTICULTURIST is based on HORTUS THIRD. and the knowledge and support of many resources for curriculum guides, National membership dues are $45; two years are $80. people. River Farm is a jewel in the children's gardening programs at public Foreign dues are $60. $15 of dues are designatea f0r AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST. C0pyrigl\t © 1993 crown of the American Horticultural gardens and hortichlltural societies, by the American Horticultural Society. Second-class Society. Thank you for an unforgettable related publications, and institutions postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to three days!" offering teacher training, horticultural AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST, 7931 East • "Incredibly rich, informative, therapy programs, financial assistance, Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308·1300. connected by diverse people and interests." and gardening supplies is available for $5 • "Most of the subjects covered were postage paid. Write to AHS, Children's Produced in U.S.A. right on target for me .... It was fun Resource Guide, 7931 East Boulevard listening to discussions about speakers Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300. 2 • American Horticulturist • November 1993 Kids Need Wtld Places, Gentle Guidance omething special is happening in "Gardening," he suggested, means his produce onto the family dinner table environmental education, "participating with natural forces in the with the harvest from his father's garden. observes Roger Hart. "I hope it creation of something beautiful-powerful "He had an intrinsic desire," said Hart, lasts this time," he told the forces that are never completely controlla­ "to be competent." nationalS children's symposium audience. ble. And you have to be able to understand But Hart believes what most children We are less naive than we were in the nature in order to work with it." need is wild gardens. "They like leftover, 1970s, he observed, about the impact of Human intervention is just one part of wild places that they have the freedom to our idealism on the poor of other countries. gardening, yet gardening classes may wipe manipulate, creating tree houses, forts, Nevertheless, Hart, a psychologist at nature's slate clean, possibly with the use snow runs, a garden carved out of a lawn. the City University of New York, is of chemicals. "There's also the attitude These tend to be anarchistic, messy concerned that the children who move that you grab all ages at the salT' -.,le, places." Hart recalled a childhood audiences to tears with their pleas for and that everyone's got to be interested." neighbor, Nigel, whose garden was so whales and the ozone layer "are isolated It's dangerous, he said, to speak of unkempt the town council wanted to kick from any direct interactive experience" what all children want. While some will his family out of the neighborhood. "But with the natural world. As a result, he never be interested in gardening, some that's where we had all our best hiding believes, they may lack the deep sense of can't be stopped. He described walking places," he said. a personal relationship needed to sustain across a field in Vermont with a young It is probably not surprising that so few environmental concern. boy in a group he had worked with. He communities have worked to preserve Hart pointed to a survey of 45 conser­ thought he knew about all of these wild lands close to children's homes. vationists, intended to discover the roots children's activities. But there, "like "Society is understandably paranoid of their devotion. "Not one of them was neolithic markings" in the melting snow, about children going outdoors for any­ reacting to an ugly environment," he said. were some strange bare patches. The pre­ thing. This danger to our preadolescent "They were all motivated by affection" vious summer the boy's parents told him children, especially young girls, has been for beautiful places they had known. he couldn't have a garden, so he created a the biggest change in our children's lives, Hart shot down a number of myths secret vegetable plot amid the head-high not television or computer games." about children and their relationships to grasses. He told Hart that he had sneaked The answer is not more programmed nature. "We all have these romantic activities or keeping children indoors, but notions that equate nature and children, developing some kind of "new institu­ much as we equate cities with rationality tional alliances" to manage wild gardens. and adulthood. We believe that children In the Netherlands, for example, parents are somehow closer to nature. But they take turns walking around one untamed have a lot of learning to do." space to keep an eye out for suspicious We also believe that mere contact with strangers. nature will cause them to develop a sense Hart urged anyone planning to build a of understanding and caring. "All you natural area or garden for children to have to do is observe what children do to involve them in the design process. "It animals, walking down a beach crushing can be quite magical. Kids love to build crabs until they're all dead, burning models, and it has led to some great frogs," ·he said. "Children need good role discussions. " models, apprenticeships. Being with America's public gardens could do adults in a garden is more important than more for children, he proposed, if they doing their own gardens.