School’s Out: Visit the Newly Renovated Children’s Garden at U.S. Botanic Garden

Posted on June 21, 2017 | Leave a comment

Now that school is out, take your kids to the newly renovated Children’s Garden at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington DC. The Children’s Garden is in an open air space in the center of the glass greenhouses. Several new structures have been installed including a large metal platform discovery station with steps for children to walk up to a covered lookout station. As they ascend the platforms, they will see interactive panels filled with botanical materials.

The garden also has a new digging area for children to use child-sized tools and to learn about composting. There are raised beds for them to plant and water at their level. There is a series of fabric and metal leaf shapes at varying heights to provide shade and interest and dandelion metal sculptures with steel “seeds” that sway in the breeze. New child-size seats resemble oversize watering cans and toadstools. A new metal arbor has replaced the old vine tunnel, soon to be covered with kiwi vines.

The U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) is open to the public free of charge every day of the year from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Children’s Garden, which is actually outside, is open seasonally, usually May to October. The USBG has many events for children and adults every month, including seasonal displays. Check out their website for activities at http://www.usbg.gov.

Photos are courtesy of the USBG

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Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: Feverfew

Posted on June 16, 2017 | Leave a comment

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is an old herb once thought to treat fevers but actually is helpful in preventing migraine headaches. I first saw the plant blooming at a demonstration garden a few years ago and liked the small, daisy-like flowers, similar to chamomile. I sowed seed late last summer and transplanted the seedlings in the ground before frost. They weathered the mild winter in my zone 7 Virginia garden but remained small. When the temperature increased in early spring, the plants grew up very fast and started blooming as early as . The plants are several feet tall now in full sun, oblivious to our current dry spell. I do not use feverfew medicinally but as a summer flowering perennial. Because they are small white flowers, they are great by themselves in a vase or as a filler with other flowers.

I read that the plant has a strong and bitter smell but I don’t notice it. I have also read that feverfew has mosquito repelling qualities but there are still the same number of mosquitoes in my garden.  However, I have noticed that nothing goes near it, no deer and no rabbits.

My variety is Heirloom Double White Wonder from Renees Garden but there are other cultivars on the market such as Aureum, White Bonnet, Golden Ball, Crown White, and Ultra Double White. You may not find this in your local nursery as a plant; you may have to purchase seed but the seed germinates easily. Feverfew is known to be a short-lived perennial but it will be a summer-long success in my garden this year.

The 15th of the month is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day where garden bloggers post photos of plants that are blooming in their area across the country.

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Gardening TV, Newspapers, Magazines, and Radio Shows in the Washington DC Metro Area

Posted on June 12, 2017 | 1 comment

The more you garden, the more you are interested in hearing what people have to say, especially to learn how best to garden in this climate. Here are traditional, gardening-related media. These venues do not include social media, which will be best served in a separate post (more to come!).

Newspaper

Every Thursday, in the Washington Post’s Local Living section, Adrian Higgins writes a gardening article and Barbara Damrosch, who lives in Maine, writes an article on growing edibles. These are in the print edition and online.  During the growing season, on some Thursdays, Adrian answers questions from the public from noon to 1:00 pm. You can e-mail the question in advance or e-mail during that time period. If you missed the session, you can read the questions and answers in transcript format, online. Adrian has written several local gardening books and is now venturing into Facebook Live.

You may find local gardening clubs’ meetings in the Washington Post’s Local Living section. There are many small, local papers that list such clubs as well.

Magazines

The Washington Gardener is a a monthly digital magazine. For a subscription fee, one can receive the pdf file as an e-mail a couple of days before it is published and available online via other means such as Facebook, Issuu, and the Washington Gardeners’ website.

The Virginia Gardener is produced by State-by-State Gardening, a company based in Louisiana, but the articles are written by Virginia gardeners. At this point in time, there are no magazines for Maryland or Washington DC.

Television

Fairfax Public Access sponsors the Gardening News & Views show with Dr. John Buckreis on Monday, 9:00-9:30 pm; Saturdays 8:30 am; and Thursday 7:30 am on channel 10.

Although these next two are not local, your local television stations should have Home and Garden Television (HGTV) and there are landscaping and DIY shows. Check their web site for programming.  PBS often has garden-related shows, specials, and documentaries.  Check out your local station.

Radio

A Virginia nurseryman, Andre Viette has a live, call in radio program called In the Garden with Andre Viette on Saturdays 8:00-11:00 am aired at several local radio stations. You can listen live from your computer or podcast as well, 1-800-274-4273. In Washington DC, it is WMET, 1160 AM; in Leesburg, VA, it is WAGE, 1200 AM; in Annapolis, MD, it is WNAV 1430 AM; and in Frederick, MD, it is WFMD 930 AM.

Mike McGrath, garden editor for WTOP, 103.5 FM, an all news radio station in Washington, DC, has one-minute “Garden Plot” sessions on Saturday and “Yard Warrior” on Friday morning. He writes the Garden Plot gardening column every Friday on http://www.wtop.com and you can e-mail him your gardening issue/questions. Mike also hosts a Public Radio Show called You Bet Your Garden on Saturday mornings which you may not be able to hear since it is broadcast from Philadelphia but his website with the same name does have gardening advice applicable to this area.

Garden Sense Radio is hosted by Rick Fowler and Jos Roozen of Roozen Nursery, Inc., on Saturday, 8:00 to 9:00 am., WMAL AM 630 and 105.9 FM. Call 1-800-721-6003 or visit their website for more information.

If you know of any additional local gardening media, please contact me so I can keep this as current as possible.

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Join a Gardening Club in the Washington DC Metro Area

Posted on June 7, 2017 | 1 comment

Joining a gardening club is a great way to learn about gardening, make new friends, learn about our local gardening resources and possibly get free plants! There are many local garden clubs, societies, and organizations in the Washington DC metropolitan area.  To find one that best fits your interests, it is best to go to a larger umbrella organization to inquire about the local unit, or search on the internet by plant name or city (for a neighborhood garden club), or visit related sites such as public gardens. See the pages on my website for local public gardens and nurseries.

The American Horticultural Society is a national membership organization but its physical location, River Farm, is in Alexandria on the banks of the Potomac River. The property is open to the public (call first). They have beautiful gardens, a children’s garden, and picnic tables. The web site lists plant societies including native plant societies, clubs, and organizations.  (703) 768-5700 or 1-800-777-7931.

The blog section of the web site for Behnkes Nurseries, in Beltsville, MD, lists Maryland garden clubs such as the Beltsville Garden Club, Silver Spring Garden Club, Takoma Horticulture Club, Brookland Garden Club, Burtonsville Garden Club, and Four Seasons Garden Club. There also is an Annapolis Horticultural Society, Hyattsville Horticultural Society, and a Maryland Horticultural Society.

The National Garden Clubs, Inc., is at 4401 Magnolia Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110; (314) 776-7574. There are 50 State Garden Clubs and the National Capital Area Club and hundreds of member garden clubs. In this area, the following are the state level clubs.  Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, headquarters is at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, VA 23228; (804) 262-9887. Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, Inc., is at 4915 Greenspring Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209; (410) 396-4842.  National Capital Area Garden Clubs is at the Arbor House, U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002; (202) 399-5958. Contact them for a local unit near you.

The Garden Club of America is headquartered at 14 East 60th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022; (212) 753-8287. Membership is by invitation only but contact the headquarters to see if there is a club near you.

The Garden Club of Virginia sponsors the annual Historic Garden Week in Virginia in April. Their headquarters is at the Kent-Valentine House, 12 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23219; (804) 643-4137. Contact them for a local club; there are many across the commonwealth.

There probably is a native plant society in every state. In this area there is the Maryland Native Plant Society, which has a Washington DC chapter, and the Virginia Native Plant Society. Contact the Maryland Native Plant Society via P.O. Box 4877, Silver Spring, MD  20914. Contact the Virginia Native Plant Society via 400 Blandy Farm Road, Unit 2, Boyce, VA 22620; (540) 837-1600. Both have several chapters in their respective states.

There probably is an association for every type of plant and most have local chapters. Search the internet for the plant and related association or call your local public garden or extension office. The American Horticultural Society has a list of plant societies that you can contact to identify the local unit. For example, in our area we have the:

  • Camellia Society of Potomac Valley
  • National Capital Dahlia Society
  • National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society
  • National Capital Daylily Club
  • Brookside Gardens Chapter of the Azalea Society of America
  • Mason-Dixon Chapter (MD) & the Potomac Valley Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society
  • Arlington Rose Foundation
  • Maryland Daffodil Society and the Washington Daffodil Society

There are opportunities to volunteer at public gardens, which is like being a member of a garden club. For example, there is a Friends of Green Springs in Alexandria, VA; Friends of Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD; and the Friends of the National Arboretum. There is a similar organization called the All Hallows Guild of the Washington National Cathedral, which has extensive grounds and a garden. The Cathedral is located at Massachusetts & Wisconsin Avenues, NW, Washington, DC 20016; (202) 537-2937.

If you know of any additional information, please let me know so I can keep this current.

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Learn to Garden with Good Gardening Videos

Posted on June 4, 2017 | Leave a comment

Gardeners and garden writers can rejoice in a new library of gardening videos. Good Gardening Videos is a campaign to aggregate accurate, reliable videos so gardeners and writers do not rely on videos that have incorrect information, are misleading, and/or are confusing.

Good Gardening Videos was created to identify and promote evidence-based gardening videos and to help so that more accurate videos can be made. The site even has tips and videos on how to make videos. The library consist more than 500 videos organized by topic; all have been screened and found to be useful, watchable, and free of statements contrary to known evidence. They have been produced by a range of experts, including staff at 18 universities with cooperative extension offices. Good Gardening Videos can be viewed on the website and YouTube, which are ad-free; and there is a Facebook and a Pinterest presence. People can sign up to receive e-mails notifying them of updates to the library.

Susan Harris, Founder and Managing Editor, created this non-profit organization as a collaborative effort among horticulturists and garden communicators. She relies on an advisory team of well-known horticulturists and communicators from across the country. A local resident, Susan is a well-known garden writer and teacher who co-founded the team blog Garden Rant, where she continues to post regularly.  Recently she teamed up with Charlie Nardozzi who will serve as the Edibles Editor for Good Gardening Videos. Charlie is a nationally recognized garden writer, speaker, and broadcast personality. He has written several books including Foodscaping and Vegetable Gardening for Dummies and is a spokesperson for the National Gardening Association.

For more information, visit goodgardeningvideos.org or e-mail contact@goodgardeningvideos.org

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Peg’s Picks: June 2017 Gardening Events in the Washington DC Metro Area

Posted on June 3, 2017 | Leave a comment

Summer’s here! There are so many gardening events to attend and “million of things” to do in the garden!

1, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens Series: Disease Resistance Roses, 12:15 to 12:45 pm. Free; no registration necessary. East Walk of the Smithsonian’s Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian Gardens, Washington DC. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html

2, Friday, Annual Garden Fiesta fundraising event and celebration. 6:30 to 9:30 pm. Free and open to the public. Hosted by City Blossoms at DC Bilingual, 33 Riggs Rd., NE, Washington DC http://www.cityblossoms.org

2, Friday, Lecture: Low Maintenance Roses: The Earth Kind Way. Noon to 1:00 pm. Free but must register. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. http://www.usbg.gov

2, Friday, open day for private garden in Silver Spring, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Takoma Horticultural Club, see website for street address and details; will have a different private garden every Friday in June. Free and open to the public. http://www.takomahort.org

2, Friday, Lecture: No Fuss Roses, 10:00 am to noon. Fee and must register. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. http://www.brooksidegardens.org

3, Saturday, Washington Gardener’s annual plant swap. 11:30 am. Free to participate. At the R street parking lot of the U.S. National Arboretum. http://www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com

3, Saturday, Summer Maintenance and Vegetable Garden, 10:00 to 11:00 am. Free. Hosted by the Loudoun County Master Gardeners, Loudoun County Master Gardeners’ Demonstration Garden, Ida Lee Park, Leesburg, VA. http://www.loudouncountymastergardeners.org.

3, Saturday, Pollinator’s Day, 11:00 to 3:00 pm. Free. Talks, tours, and book signing (11:00 am walking tour of what is in bloom, and 2:00 pm talk on planting for pollinators. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com

3, Saturday and 4, Sunday, Secret Garden Tour in Annapolis. Noon to 5:00 pm. Tickets required. Sponsored by Hammond Harwood House Association. http://www.hammondharwoodhouse.org/secret-garden-tour

4, Sunday, Garden Tour, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Sponsored by the Horticultural Society of Maryland (HSM) HSM members free; non-members pay admission fee. All gardens are private gardens in Annapolis. http://www.mdhorticulture.org

3, Saturday, Belle Grove Plantation Garden Fest, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Free admission. Belle Grove Plantation, 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown, VA. Sponsored by the Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners. http://www.nsvmga.org and http://nsvmga.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Final_Color_MG_GF2017.pdf

3, Saturday, Iris Culture and Care in the Integrated Landscape. 10:00 to noon. Free but must register. Historic Manassas Courthouse, 9250 Lee Avenue, Old Town Manassas, VA. Sponsored by Prince William County Master Gardeners. http://www.pwcgov.org/grow

4, Sunday, Brookland House and Garden Tour in Washington DC, Noon to 5:00 pm. Tickets required. Hosted by the Greater Brookland Garden Club. http://www.gbgc.org

5, Monday, Waterwise Gardening, 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Free and advance registration required. Sponsored by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington. http://www.mgnv.org

6, Tuesday, In the Garden Series: Tree and Shrub Pruning. Fee and must register, 9:00 am, Ladew Topiary Garden, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, MD. http://www.ladewgardens.com

7, Wednesday, Native Plant Sale, 10 to noon, the Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society has a Wednesday plant sale at their propagation beds at Green Spring the first Wednesday of the month, also welcomes volunteers to work in the propagation beds. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring

7, Wednesday, Insects: Pests and Beneficials, Wednesdays in the Garden Series, 7:00 pm. Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Taught by Arlington Food Assistance Center volunteers and VCE Master Gardeners, free, no registration required. Library phone and website:  http://www.library.arlingtonva.us. http://www.mgnv.org

8, Thursday, Lecture and film: Hometown Habitat. Lecture by Catherine Zimmerman. 7:00 pm. Free but registration required; sponsored by Friends of Brookside Gardens and by Maryland Native plant Society. Visitors Center Auditorium. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. http://www.brooksidegardens.org

8, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens Series: Small Space Food Gardens, 12:15 to 12:45 pm. Free; no registration necessary. East Walk of the Smithsonian’s Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian Gardens, Washington DC. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html

9, Friday, open day for private garden in Silver Spring, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Takoma Horticultural Club, see website for street address and details; will have a different private garden every Friday in June. Free and open to the public. http://www.takomahort.org

9, Friday, Gilded Age-inspired Garden Party, 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Tickets required. East Terrace of the Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian, Washington DC. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Libraries and Smithsonian Gardens. http://library.si.edu/event/garden-party

10, Saturday, Festival: You Can Grow It Celebration. 10 am to 4:00 pm. Free. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. http://www.usbg.gov

10, Saturday, Growing and Healing with Common Garden Herbs, 10:00 am to noon. Fee and registration required. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. http://www.brooksidegardens.org

10, Saturday, Garden Conservancy’s Open Day in Frederick. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Tickets required. Visit several private gardens in Frederick on your own, rain or shine. https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days

10, Saturday and 11, Sunday, Virginia Herb Festival, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission fee. Sunflower Cottage and Backroom Brewery, 150 Ridgemont Road, Middletown, VA, http://www.virginiaherbfestival.com

11, Sunday, Sunday in the Organic Vegetable Garden, 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Free, no registration necessary. Sponsored by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia.  Potomac Overlook Park, 2845 Marcey Road, Arlington. http://www.mgnv.org

11, Sunday, Eastport Home and Garden Tour in Maryland, 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Tickets required. http://www.eastportcivic.org

13, Tuesday, Simpson Garden Stroll, 11:00 am to noon. Free, no registration necessary. Sponsored by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Simpson Park Demonstration Gardens, 420 E. Monroe Street, Alexandria, VA. http://www.mgnv.org

14, Wednesday, Pollination, Pollinators and Flowers, Wednesdays in the Garden Series, 7:00 pm. Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Taught by Arlington Food Assistance Center volunteers and VCE Master Gardeners, free, no registration required. Library phone and website:  http://www.library.arlingtonva.us. http://www.mgnv.org

15, Thursday, Workshop: Edible Container Gardens. 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Free but must register. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. http://www.usbg.gov

15, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens Series: Plant for Water Features, 12:15 to 12:45 pm. Free; no registration necessary. East Walk of the Smithsonian’s Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian Gardens, Washington DC. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html

16, Friday, open day for private garden in Silver Spring, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Takoma Horticultural Club, see website for street address and details; will have a different private garden every Friday in June. Free and open to the public. http://www.takomahort.org

17, Saturday, Aquatic Gardening for Everyone, 11:00 am. Free. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com

17, Saturday, The Most Reliable Perennials for Sun and Shade, 2:00 pm. Free.  Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com

17, Saturday, Talk and Tour: Daylily Daze: Past, Present, and Future of Daylily Breeding, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Fee and registration required, meet in Visitor Center, National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington DC. http://www.usna.usda.gov/

17, Saturday, Saturday in the gardens Series Sponsored by the Prince William County Master Gardeners. 9:00 am to noon. Topics will be Your Small Space Garden, Breath-taking baskets and potted posies, and vegetable of the month. Teaching Garden at St. Benedict Monastery. 9535, Linton Hall Road, Bristow, VA. Free but must register and dress for weather. http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/vce/pages/saturday-in-the-garden.aspx http://www.pwcgov.org/grow

17, Saturday, Terrarium workshop, either 10:30 to 11:30 or 1:30 to 2:30. Fee and must register. Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington DC. http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org

18, Sunday, Mini Mid-Season Native Plant Sale. 10:00 to 2:00 pm. Host by Plant NOVA Native Plants. At Earth Sangha, 6100 Cloud Drive in Franconia Park, Springfield, VA.  http://www.earthsangha.org

21, Wednesday, Summer Pruning and Plant Care, 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Free, no registration necessary. Sponsored by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Mt. Vernon Recreation Center, 2701 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria. http://www.mgnv.org

21, Wednesday, Best Practices in the Garden, Wednesdays in the Garden Series, 7:00 pm. Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Taught by Arlington Food Assistance Center volunteers and VCE Master Gardeners, free, no registration required. Library phone and website:  http://www.library.arlingtonva.us. http://www.mgnv.org

21, Wednesday, Workshop and Lecture: Succulents Container, 10:00 to 11:30 am. Fee and must register. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. http://www.brooksidegardens.org

22, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens Series: Invasive Plant Removal, 12:15 to 12:45 pm. Free; no registration necessary. East Walk of the Smithsonian’s Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian Gardens, Washington DC. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html

23, Friday, open day for private garden in Silver Spring, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Takoma Horticultural Club, see website for street address and details; will have a different private garden every Friday in June. http://www.takomahort.org

23, Friday, Special Event Pollinator Party 11:00 am to 11: 45 am. Free; no registration required. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. http://www.usbg.gov

23, Friday, Road Trip: Burpee’s Test Gardens: Fordhook Farm, 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. Fee and registration required. Meet at the Visitors Center entrance; bus will take you to Doylestown, PA, for the day. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. http://www.brooksidegardens.org

23, Friday, garden tour of Tudor’s gardens, 10:30 to 11:30 am. Must register and requires the admission fee to the estate. Tudor offers tours on the fourth Friday of the month but people can take self-guided tours other times when the estate is open. 1644 31st Street NW Washington DC. https://www.tudorplace.org/

24, Saturday, Walking Tour: the Best Summer Shrubs and Trees for Birds and Bees. Free. 11:00 am. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com

26, Monday, Growing Cut Flowers in your Garden. 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Free and advance registration required. Sponsored by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Burke Library, 4701 Seminary Road, Alexandria.  http://www.mgnv.org

27, Tuesday, Gardener’s Focus: Summer Designs. 2:45 to 3:30 pm. Head gardener highlights summer seasonal plantings. Also offered on Thursday June 29 and Friday June 30. Limited number of free tickets distributed upon opening each day but must pay admission fee to Hillwood. Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington DC. http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org

28, Wednesday, Mushroom Growing, Wednesdays in the Garden Series, 7:00 pm. Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. Taught by Arlington Food Assistance Center volunteers and VCE Master Gardeners, free, no registration required. Library phone and website:  http://www.library.arlingtonva.us. http://www.mgnv.org

28, Wednesday, Small Space Gardening in Urban Settings, 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Fee and must register. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. http://www.brooksidegardens.org

29, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens Series: Indoor Garden Inspirations, 12:15 to 12:45 pm. Free; no registration necessary. East Walk of the Smithsonian’s Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian Gardens, Washington DC. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html

29, Thursday, Gardener’s Focus: Summer Designs. 2:45 to 3:30 pm. Head gardener highlights summer seasonal plantings. Also offered on Tuesday June 27 and Friday June 30. Limited number of free tickets distributed upon opening each day but must pay admission fee to Hillwood. Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington DC. http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org

30, Friday, Gardener’s Focus: Summer Designs. 2:45 to 3:30 pm. Head gardener highlights summer seasonal plantings. Also offered on Tuesday June 27 and Thursday June 29. Limited number of free tickets distributed upon opening each day but must pay admission fee to Hillwood. Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington DC. http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org

30, Friday, open day for private garden in Silver Spring, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Takoma Horticultural Club, see website for street address and details; will have a different private garden every Friday in June. Free and open to the public. http://www.takomahort.org

The DC Parks and Recreation has a Summer Garden Workshop Series. Free workshops until September. Focused on practical urban gardening and taught by the leaders of DC urban garden movement. Check out the website for more details:

https://dpr.dc.gov/node/1124742

The Smithsonian Libraries and Smithsonian Gardens present a new exhibit “Cultivating America’s Gardens,” at the National Museum of American History now through August 2018, in Washington DC. The exhibit highlights plant exploration and the establishment of botanical gardens, the rise of the lawn, gardens of the Gilded Age, gardens of World’s Fairs, Victory and school gardens, preservation and documentation of historic gardens, the seed industry and plant breeding, and sustainable gardens of today. The “Cultivating America’s Gardens” features such iconic books as Philip Miller’s The Gardener’s Dictionary (1768) and Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962) as well as World War I posters and leaflets, gardening tools and a 1903 gardening journal from a private estate in Massachusetts designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm. Visitors will view books, trade catalogs, stereographs, lantern slides, illustrations and color photography that played an important role in the dissemination of horticultural and design knowledge and in influencing the American garden as it is known today. The exhibit is made possible through the support of the Burpee Foundation, Inc.

http://www.library.si.edu/exhibition/cultivating-americas-gardens

 

 

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Visit Private Gardens in Frederick Maryland Through Garden Conservancy’s Open Day Program

Posted on May 24, 2017 | Leave a comment

Surreybrooke, photo courtesy of Garden Conservancy

The Garden Conservancy’s Open Day program will have an Open Day in Frederick, Maryland, on Saturday, June 10, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, rain or shine. It will include six private gardens and two Experts in the Garden programs. Admission to each garden is $7. Discounted admission tickets can be purchased in advance; tickets never expire and can be used at most Open Days.

High Glenn Gardens, photo courtesy of C. Kurt Holden

Open Days is an annual program where private gardens are open to the public on specific days across the country. This program is produced almost entirely by volunteers. This is the first time there will be an Open Day in Frederick and is a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit these private gardens. Visit the gardens on your own, in any order. Street addresses are available on the website as well as a map to create your route. Proceeds support the Garden Conservancy’s mission of saving and sharing outstanding American gardens for the inspiration and education of the public.

  • High Glen Gardens: Currently a 64-acre, private estate with plans to become a public garden one day. There are 10 acres of formal gardens, a large perennial border, a rose garden, annual beds, a koi pond, greenhouse, Japanese garden, Mediterranean garden, and an English cottage garden. There are newly restored natural areas including a wetland and upland meadow. High Glen Gardens will feature the Experts in the Garden program where Executive Director, Peter Couchman, and staff will offer free, hourly guided tours.
  • Kremers Paradise: Garden has a stone wall lined pool and several small waterfalls. Nearby is a raised cutting garden and a tennis court with mature river birches, cherry trees, London plane trees and a Norwegian spruce.
  • Lillard Residence: Groves of hardwood trees provide a shady retreat. A meandering path serves as an entrance into the garden. There are planters of annuals and succulents and a small pond.
  • Meadow Brook Manor: Two-acre garden planted by plant lovers. A tree lined driveway with thirty kousa dogwoods, beds of vinca, burning bush, barberries, holly and hosta. There is a monkey puzzle tree and cedars and plenty of summer flowers, roses, and alliums. There is a Japanese garden with a koi pond and a night blooming tropical lilies.
  • Winpenny Tell Garden: This is the owners’ country retreat intended to provide solace with a gentle brook, koi pond, and ornamental grasses and perennials to provide seasonal color.
  • Surreybrooke: Surreybrook has extensive gardens and a Civil war era house and outbuildings. Plants will be available for sale.  Surreybrooke will feature the Experts in the Garden program: Nancy Walz and her staff will offer tours throughout the day.

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