August has more than 40 gardening events in the Washington DC metro area; however, I would be remiss if I did not mention the BIG event this month. We will be able to view a solar eclipse on Monday, August 21. It will not be a total blackout here but it will be exciting to watch! #Eclipse2017
2, Wednesday, Garden Color Theory, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Fee and must register. Wine and painting go hand in hand, see firsthand how great colors can be blended in diverse garden settings on a guided tour and enjoy wine tasting and light refreshments. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. http://www.brooksidegardens.org
2, Wednesday, Potowmack Chapter of the Virginian Native Plant Society sells native plants from their propagation bed at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA, on the first Wednesday of the month, April through October, 10:00 am to noon. http://www.vnps.org and http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
2, Wednesday, Food Preservation, Wednesdays in the Garden Series, 7:00-8:00 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. http://www.library.arlingtonva.us. http://www.mgnv.org
3, Thursday, Presentation on Gardens of Belle Grove Plantation by Lynn Hoffman, Master Gardener and plantation volunteer, includes video, 7:00 to 8:00 pm, free. Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Rd., NW, Leesburg,VA, sponsored by the Loudoun County Master Gardeners. http://www.loudouncountymastergardeners.org
3, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens, 12:15-12:45 pm, Free. Meet at the East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden and join Smithsonian Garden horticulturist for series of free lunch time talks on Thursdays. Today’s topic: Tropical Containers. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html
4, Friday, City Blossoms Annual Basil Bonanza, a fiesta to celebrate the summer harvest. Free, bring dish, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Marion Street Intergenerational Garden, 1521 Marion Street NW near the Shaw Howard Metro Station. For more information e-mail info@cityblossoms.org or call (202) 431-8991. http://www.cityblossoms.org
5, Saturday, Tree Fest, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. American Horticultural Society (AHS) and the TREE Fund presents Tree Fest, a family event at River Farm, headquarters of AHS, 7931 East Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA http://www.ahsgardening.org
5, Saturday, English Garden Floral Design Workshop, 9:30 to 11:00 am, fee and must register, Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
5, Saturday and 6, Sunday. Orchid diagnostic and repotting clinic (free but your orchid can be repotted for a fee). 9:30 to 4:30 pm on both days. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com
5, Saturday, Beginners Hands-on Bonsai Class, 2 to 4 pm, fee and must register, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com
5, Saturday in the Garden series: Cool Fall vegetables You Can Grow, 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Free. Ida Lee Park, 94 Ida Lee Drive, NW, Leesburg, VA. Presented by Loudoun County Master Gardeners, http://www.loudouncountymastergardeners.org
6, Sunday, Belle Grove Plantation Barn Series: Air Plants (Tillandsia) 2-4 pm. Fee and must register. Belle Grove Plantation, 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown, VA. Presented by Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association http://www.nsvmga.org and http://www.bellegrove.org
9, Wednesday, Vegetables for Fall Planting, Wednesdays in the Garden Series, 7:00-8:00 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. http://www.library.arlingtonva.us. http://www.mgnv.org
10, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens, 12:15-12:45 pm, Free. Meet at the East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden and join Smithsonian Garden horticulturist for series of free lunch time talks on Thursdays. Today’s topic: Tool Cleaning and Care. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html
10, Thursday, Food in the Garden Series: Flavoring America, 6:30 to 9:00 pm, National Museum of American History with Smithsonian Gardens, at the Victory Garden, must register and purchase ticket online, which includes food and drink. Outdoor evening event, enjoy food, drinks, and dynamic conversation focusing on herbs and spices and tour the new exhibit “Common Ground: Our American Garden.” http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/topics/food/pages/food-garden
12, Saturday, Lecture: Extending the Vegetable Garden Through the Fall, 2:00 pm, free. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com
12, Saturday, Garden Tour, Ice Cream Social, and Photo Exhibit of Historic House. 10:00 to 11:30 am. Fee and must register. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
12, Saturday, Success in the Garden Series: Save Seeds, Save Money and (Maybe) Save the Planet, 2:00-3:00 pm. Free. Bowman Library, Tasker Road, Stephens City, VA. Hosted by the Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners. http://www.nsvmga.org
12, Saturday, Rain Barrel Workshop with Gunpowder Valley Conservancy, 10:00 am to noon, fee and must register (will get rain barrel). Ladew Topiary Gardens, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, MD. http://www.ladewgardens.org
15, Tuesday, In the Garden Series: Invasive Plant ID and Control, 10:00 to noon, fee and must register. Ladew Topiary Gardens, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, MD. http://www.ladewgardens.org
16, Wednesday, Useful and Edible Native Plants and Trees, 9:00 to 11:00 am. Fee and must register via ParkTakes. Walking outdoors rain or shine. Also offered on August 22, Tuesday. Burke Lake Park, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station, VA. http://www.parktakes.fairfaxcounty.gov
16, Wednesday, Managing Your Herb Garden, Wednesdays in the Garden Series, 7:00-8:00 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. http://www.library.arlingtonva.us. http://www.mgnv.org
16, Wednesday, Lecture: Soil Mixes for Houseplants and Container Gardens, 7:30 to 9:00 pm, free and open to public. Sponsored by Takoma Horticultural Club. Historic Takoma, 7328 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, MD. http://www.takomahort.org
17, Thursday, Food in the Garden Series: Fermentation Nation, 6:30 to 9:00 pm, National Museum of American History with Smithsonian Gardens, at the Victory Garden, must register and purchase ticket online, which includes food and drink. Outdoor evening event, enjoy food, drinks, and dynamic conversation focusing on fermentation (beer, wine, pickles) and tour the new exhibit “Common Ground: Our American Garden.” http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/topics/food/pages/food-garden
17, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens, 12:15-12:45 pm, Free. Meet at the East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden and join Smithsonian Garden horticulturist for series of free lunch time talks on Thursdays. Today’s topic: Native Plant Substitutes. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html
19, Saturday, Rain Garden Design Workshop, 10:00 to 2:00 pm, free and must register. Sponsored by the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy. Will be held at the MD State Game and Fish Protective Association, 8735 Honeygo Blvd., Perry Hall, MD. http://gunpowdervalleyconservancy.org/event/garden-design-workshop/
19, Saturday, Lecture: Cattail Moonshine and Milkweed Medicine by Tammi Hartung, herbalist, and author of book by same name. 10:30 to noon. Free but must register. Conservatory Classroom. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. http://www.usbg.gov
19, Saturday, Lecture: The Botany and Chemistry of Baking – Wheat, by Todd Brethauer, free but must register, 1:00 to 2:30 pm. Conservatory Classroom, U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. http://www.usbg.gov
19, Saturday, August Pollinator Meetup: Drought Tolerant Pollinator Gardens, 10:00 to 11:00 am., free. Homestead Gardens, 743 West Central Avenue, Davidsonville, MD. http://www.homesteadgardens.com
19, Saturday in the Garden: Some Like It Hot! Top Summer Plant Performers and Vegetable of the Month, 9:00 to noon, free but must register at master_gardener@pwcgov.org. Hosted by Prince William County Master Gardeners and held at the Teaching Garden at St. Benedict Monastery, 9535, Linton Hall Road, Bristow, VA. http://www.pwcgov.org/grow
19, Saturday, Twelve Steps for a Greener Lawn, 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Free but must register at master_gardener@pwcgov.org. Potomac Community Library, 2201 Opitz Blvd., Woodbridge, VA. Hosted by Prince William County Extension Agents and Master Gardeners. http://www.pwcgov.org/grow
19, Saturday, Lecture: Fruit Trees, 10:30 to noon. Free but must register. Sponsored by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington, http://www.mgnv.org
19, Saturday and 20, Sunday. Orchid diagnostic and repotting clinic (free but your orchid can be repotted for a fee). 9:30 to 4:30 pm on both days. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com
20, Sunday, Lecture: The Botany and Chemistry of Brewing – Barley, by Todd Brethauer, free but must register, 1:00 to 2:30. Conservatory Classroom, U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. http://www.usbg.gov
23, Wednesday, Tour: Horticultural Backstage Pass – the USBG Production Facility, 10:30 am to noon. Free but must register and meet at the Production Facility (4700 Shepherd Parkway SW Washington DC) U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. http://www.usbg.gov
23, Wednesday, Garden Therapy, Wednesdays in the Garden Series, 7:00-8:00 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. http://www.library.arlingtonva.us. http://www.mgnv.org
24, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens, 12:15-12:45 pm, Free. Meet at the East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden and join Smithsonian Garden horticulturist for series of free lunch time talks on Thursdays. Today’s topic: Transition to a Fall Vegetable Garden. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html
25, Friday, Guided Tour of Tudor Place Gardens, 10:30 to 11:30 am. Free for members, fee for non-members and walkins are welcome but can register in advance. Tudor Place, 1644 31st Street, NW, Washington DC. http://www.tudorplace.org
26, Saturday, Garden Terrarium Workshop, 1:00 to 2:30, fee and must register. Begonia enthusiast Johanna Zinn will provide information on begonias and teach techniques for creating a tabletop terrarium. Fee and must register, Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
26, Saturday 9:00 am to 4:30 pm and Sunday, August 27, noon to 3:30 pm. Free. Annual Begonia Show and Sale, sponsored by the Potomac Branch of the American Begonia Society. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
26, Saturday, Lecture: Lawn Care: Keeping It Green and Healthy, 2:00 pm, free, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. http://www.behnkes.com
26, Saturday and 27, Sunday, Centro Ashe – Chesapeake Herb Gathering. Must register. Fox Haven Learning Center, 3630 Poffenberger Road, Jefferson, MD. http://www.chesapeakeherbgathering.com
28, Monday, Fall Vegetable Garden, 7-8:30 pm, free but must register. Beatley Library, 5005 Duke Street, Alexandria. Sponsored by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Also offered on 8/29, Tuesday (same topic) at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington, 7:00 to 8:30 pm. http://www.mgnv.org
29, Tuesday, Fall Vegetable Garden, 7-8:30 pm, free but must register. Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington. Also offered on 8/28, Monday, at the Beatley library, same topic. Sponsored by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. http://www.mgnv.org
29 through October 1, Tri-State Native Plant Conference at Shepherdstown, WV. http://www.vnps.org/tri-state-native-plant-conference-2017
31, Thursday, Let’s Talk Gardens, 12:15-12:45 pm, Free. Meet at the East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden and join Smithsonian Garden horticulturist for series of free lunch time talks on Thursdays. Today’s topic: Build a Terrarium. http://www.gardens.si.edu/whats-happening/lets-talk-gardens.html
Just a reminder,
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 Gardens staff provide garden tours on a regular basis in the summer (http://www.gardens.si.edu)
- The Mary Livingston Ripley garden has tours on Tuesday at 2:00 pm
- The Enid A. Haupt Garden at the Smithsonian Castle has tours on Wednesday at 10:00 am
- Common ground: Our American Garden at the National Museum of American History has tours on Thursdays at 9:30 am.
- Native Landscapes at the National Museum of the American Indian has tours at Thursdays at 1:00 pm
The Franciscan Monastery gives guided garden tours on Saturdays, 11:00 am and noon, free. http://www.fmgg.org
Historic London Town and Gardens gives guided garden tours on weekends from 1:30 to 2:00 pm, free http://www.historiclondontown.org
In August, Hillwood Museum and Estate is offering a special: groups of ten or more that visit will enjoy a special discounted admission rate, advance tour reservations, complimentary passes for group planners, and an opportunity to book private and curator led tours. http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org
Before school starts, visit the Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly and Caterpillar Exhibit. The exhibit is open until September 17 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily but if there is excessive heat, it may shut down to protect the butterflies. Entrance fee to the Wings of Fancy. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. http://www.brooksidegardens.org
