contents Volume 92, Number 3 . May / June 2013 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM 6 MEMBERS' FORUM 8 NEWS FROM THE AHS The AHS participates in a plant society meeting in Georgia, comprehensive set of gardening books available from the Folio Society, River Farm reopens to public after winter hiatus for needed construction, flower show exhibirs receive AHS's 2013 Environmental Award. I� AHS MEMBERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE Ian Warnock. 40 GARDEN SOLUTIONS Controlling aphids. 4� HOMEGROWN HARVEST Versatile eggplant. 44 TRAVELER'S GUIDE TO GARDENS 14 AHS YOUTH GARDEN SYMPOSIUM PREVIEW BYjANE KUHN The Oregon Garden. Denver and the Rocky Mountain region offer fertile ground 46 BOOK REVIEWS for the American Horticultural Sociery's 21St annual National Kiss MyAster, ParadiseLot, and Liftkmg Children & Youth Garden Symposium in July. LandscapeDesign. Special focus: Garden cookbooks. 18 SHRUBS FOR SUMMER FOLIAGE BY ANDREW BUNTING 50 GARDENER'S NOTEBOOK Deciduous shrubs with colorful foliage spice up summer gardens. Vintage seed packet art depicted on new postage stamps, the return of the 17-year 24 CREATING A SMALL POND BY CAROLE OTTESEN cicadas, settlement announced in dass­ A small pond adds an exciting dimension to any garden, and it action lawsuit for herbicide damage to trees, can be installed in a weekend. researchers identifYgene for temperature­ related growth in lettuce, seedlings of the fabled Anne Frank chestnut tree distributed ZESTFUL ZINNIAS BY RAND B. LEE to II American gardens, update on efforrsto This easy-to-grow annual is now available in a wide range of colors, control the spread of the Asian long-horned sizes, and disease-resistant selections to suit any climate and use. beetle in N otth America. Green Garage: Tools for making gardening more efficient. 34 ROSALIND CREASY BY ANNE RAVER A longtime proponent of integrating edible plants with orna­ 56 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS mentals, Rosalind Creasy is pleased to see the concept gaining popularity in American gardening. 60 HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES AND PRONUNCIATIONS 6� PLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT ON TH E COVEK Rosalind Creasy, author and edible landscaping pioneer, in her California garden. Kalimeris pinnatifida. Photograph by Noah Hawthorne. MAY / JUNE 2013 3 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens 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 Shirley Nicolai Ft. Washington, Maryland Ed Snodgrass Street, Maryland Q Marcia Zech Mercer Island, Washington EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tom Underwood PRESIDENT EMERITUS Katy Moss Warner ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT WILDFIRES. 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) Mrs. Leslie S. Ariail Q Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel Q Mrs. Elisabeth C. Dudley Q Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Farrell Q Mr. and Mrs. Shephard W. Hill Q Mrs. Shirley Ann Nicolai Q Ms. Katy Moss Warner LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY CIRCLE ($5,000–$9,999) Mrs. Lynda A. Bachman Q Mr. and Mrs. Bill Barnett Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bogle Q Ms. Amy Bolton Q Mr. and Mrs. Albert Huddleston Q Mr. and Mrs. Tom Underwood Q Mr. and Mrs. Bruce W. Usrey HAUPT CIRCLE ($2,500–$4,999) Mrs. Sandra L. Address Q Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Burke, III Q Ms. Petra Burke Q Mr. and Mrs. Andy Daniel Q Ms. Katherine B. Edwards and Mr. John A. Ronveaux Q Mr. and Mrs. Joel Goldsmith Q Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove Q Mrs. Carole 9 out of 10 wildfires are S. Hofley Q Dr. David D. Parrish caused by humans. 9 out of 10 wildfires can COUNCIL MEMBER’S CIRCLE ($1,000–$2,499) Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baillie Q Mr. and Mrs. Carter Bales Q Mrs. Sallie S. Barnes Q Mrs. Katherine McKay Belk Q Mr. Roger Blair, Esq. and Dr. Sherran Blair Q Mrs. Elspeth G. Bobbs Q Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Bradshaw Q Mr. be prevented. Skipp Calvert Q Ms. Mary Ann Carey Q Mrs. Clarissa H. Chandler Q Ms. Linda Copeland Q Mr. Monte Enright Q Mr. Joseph Errington and Mr. William Pullen Q Mr. and Mrs. Carl Estes Q Ms. Megan Evans and Mr. Howard M. Tucker Q Ms. Inger Fair Q Mrs. Walter S. Fletcher Q Ms. Elizabeth Floyd Q Dr. and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. Q Ms. Amy Goldman Q Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Hanselman Q Ms. Catherine M. Hayes Q Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Nancy Hess Q Mr. Philip Huey Q Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Ireland Q Mr. Mike Kunce Q Mr. and Mrs. R. SMOKEYBEAR.COM Scott Lyons Q Mr. and Mrs. Bob J. MacLean Q Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Marshall Q Mrs. Dorothy W. Marston Q Mr. and Mrs. Bill May Q Mr. Jens Molbak Q Mr. and Mrs. Peter Morris Q Mr. James R. Moxley, Jr. Q Mr. and Mrs. Al Osman Q Ms. Julie Overbeck Q Ms. Allison Porter Q Mr. and Mrs. J. Landon Reeve, IV Q Mr. and Mrs. James A. Runde Q Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Smith Q Mr. Ed Snodgrass Q Mr. Joseph B. Tompkins, Jr. Q Dr. Pat Turner Q Mrs. Angela M. Vikesland Q Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Volk Q Ms. Elizabeth M. Wehrle Q Mrs. Dudley B. White Q Mr. and Mrs. Harvey C. White Q Mr. and Mrs. Donald Winship HONORARY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL Ms. Louise Fruehling* Q Mrs. Enid Haupt* Q Mrs. John A. Lutz* Q Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Miller* *In memoriam Corporate Members Bonnie Plants Q The Burpee Foundation Q The Care of Trees Q Chapel Valley Landscape Company The Espoma Company Q Kurt Bluemel, Inc. Q Monrovia Q Osmocote Horticultural Partners America in Bloom Symposium & Awards Program Q Bellingrath Gardens and Home Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Garden Symposium Q Cox Arboretum MetroPark Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens Q Garden Centers of America 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 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 OR GARDENERS, spring is not only the time when our horticultural juic- EDITORIAL ASSISTANT es start flowing, but a time for traveling to flowers shows, symposia, and Caroline Bentley Fmeetings with like-minded gardening groups. In March, we traveled south EDITORIAL INTERN to represent the American Horticultural Society at the second annual meeting of Lynne Hoffman the Coalition of American Plant Societies (CAPS). Born out of a collective need CONTRIBUTING EDITOR for plant societies to stay relevant in today’s changing world, this group includes Rita Pelczar representatives from a broad spectrum of national and regional plant societies. CONTRIBUTING WRITER The American Camellia Society (ACS) hosted this year’s meeting at its head- Carole Ottesen quarters, Massee Lane Gardens, located near Macon, Georgia (conveniently timed EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD to coincide with peak bloom time CHAIR Richard E. Bir for the more than 1,000 camellia va- Brevard, North Carolina rieties in the garden). The meeting Allan M. Armitage included presentations designed to Athens, Georgia address the challenges faced by plant Nina L. Bassuk societies and stimulated constructive Ithaca, New York conversations about practices that Steve Bender promote our missions and provide Birmingham, Alabama value to our members. It was excit- Panayoti Kelaidis Denver, Colorado ing to see what the different groups Richard W. Lighty are doing to foster their members’ different horticultural interests. (For more about Kennett Square, Pennsylvania the meeting, please turn to page 8.) Elvin McDonald As part of our continuing support of these important horticultural groups, the West Des Moines, Iowa American Horticultural Society will be hosting next year’s CAPS meeting at our Denny Schrock River Farm headquarters in the spring of 2014. We invite representatives of all Ames, Iowa specialty plant societies to join us so that we can expand the reach and influence of the CAPS as it moves into its third year. Look for more details about the meeting CONTACT US The American Gardener 7931 East Boulevard Drive in upcoming issues of The American Gardener and on the AHS website. Alexandria, VA 22308 Another important event nearer on the horizon is the AHS’s National Children (703) 768-5700 & Youth Garden Symposium from July 11 to 13, which this year is being hosted EDITORIAL E-MAIL: [email protected] by the Denver Botanic Gardens in Colorado. This is the 21st year for this unique event, which serves as a forum where practitioners of children’s gardening from ADVERTISING E-MAIL: [email protected] across the country can see exceptional gardens and programs, share innovative cur- The American Gardener (ISSN 1087-9978) is published bimonthly ricula, network with colleagues, and find inspirational ideas to take home to their (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/ own gardens and classrooms. Optional pre-symposium tours of the Cheyenne October, November/December) by the American Horticultural Soci- ety, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300, (703) Botanic Gardens in Wyoming and other Denver gardens are also on the agenda.