Tag Archives: Maryland

New Maryland Native Plants Program

Posted on June 14, 2023 | 4 comments

Buttonbush, a Maryland native plant

Good news for Maryland! The Maryland General Assembly passed HB950 which is legislation designed to establish the Maryland Native Plants Program. The goal is to encourage and promote the use and sale of plants native to Maryland at certain businesses and to educate the public on native plants. The Department of Agriculture will administer the program in coordination with the University of Maryland Extension (UME). The UME will hire an extension agent to serve as a native plant specialist for certain educational purposes. The UME also will create a specific website on native plants. A commercial Maryland native plant list will be established as well as a voluntary certification program for growers and retailers to be identified either as a Maryland Native Plant Grower or a Maryland Native Plant Retailer or both.

The bill has been approved by the governor and will take effect in July 2024. Here is a current list of Maryland Native Plants on the UME website.

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Giveaway: Garden Conservancy’s Open Day Tickets!

Posted on May 8, 2018 | Leave a comment

Enter the giveaway to win three items: 1) six Open Day tickets; 2) the 2018 Open Days Directory; and 3) a packet of seeds–a pollinator wildflower mix created exclusively for the Garden Conservancy. There are going to be two Open Days in the Washington DC metro area this year. On June 2, Saturday, six gardens will be open in Maryland: High Glen Gardens, Rausch Woodland Gardens, Long Creek Homestead, and Basford Family Garden in Frederick; Surreybrooke in Middletown; and Edgewood Garden in Myersville. In addition there will be three Digging Deeper programs: free informative guided tours with staff at High Glen Gardens, Surreybrooke, and Long Creek Homestead.

The second Open Day will be Sunday, June 10. Four gardens will be open in Washington DC and Maryland. In Georgetown, the Nancy Gray Pyne garden and another smaller garden nearby will be open. In Maryland, the Everett Garden Designs Home Garden in Chevy Chase and the GreenHeart Garden in Silver Spring will be open. There will be two Digging Deeper programs at the Nancy Gray Pyne garden: a discussion of boxwoods at noon and a discussion of compost tea at 1:00; fee and registration requested.

To enter the giveaway, subscribe to Pegplant’s Post, a free monthly newsletter about gardening in the Washington DC metro area. Subscribe between now, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, and midnight, Sunday, May 13, 2018. The winner will be drawn at random from all new subscribers in this time period. To subscribe, click here or visit pegplant.com and enter the “subscribe” button on right column. Each issue of Pegplant’s Post features monthly gardening events in the Northern Virginia, MD, Washington DC metro area; newly published gardening books; gardening articles, tips, and advice relevant to this area; and a chance to win a giveaway.

Open Days are self-guided tours. These particular Open Days are from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, rain or shine. Usually admission is $7.00 per garden, cash or check or one ticket per garden. Open Days is a program of the Garden Conservancy, a non-profit organization based in New York. The Garden Conservancy initiated the Open Days program as a means of introducing the public to gardening, providing easy access to outstanding examples of design and horticultural practice, and proving that exceptional American gardens are still being created. The Open Days program is America’s only national private garden-visiting program and is made possible by volunteers.

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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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Peg’s Picks: July 2016 Gardening Events in the Washington DC Metro Area

Posted on June 30, 2016 | Leave a comment

These are Peg’s Picks of local gardening events in July. July may be hot but it is a busy time in the garden as well as in the Washington DC metro gardening world. If it gets too hot for you, cool down inside with Lisa Mason Ziegler’s free, virtual Cool Flowers book study (see last entry).

2, Saturday, The Summer’s Best Hydrangeas, lecture, 11:00 am, Free, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com

5, Tuesday, Simpson Gardens Stroll, 11:00 am to noon, 426 E. Monroe Avenue by the YMCA in Alexandria, VA. Free and hosted by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. http://www.mgnv.org

6, Wednesday, Pollination, Pollinator, and Flowers, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Wednesdays in the Garden Series at the 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 (703) 228-5990. http://www.mgnv.org

7, Thursday, Growing Flowers Using Organic Methods: Walking Tour of a Local Cut Flower Farm with Barbara Lambone at Greenstone Fields, 38223 John Wolford Road, Purcellville, VA, (will be cancelled if rains). Free, 7:00 pm., Hosted by Loudoun County Master Gardeners. http://www.loudouncountymastergardeners.org

7, Thursday, Totally Tomatoes, tomato cooking demonstration with the Cook Sisters, Free, do not have to register in advance. Held at noon and 12:45 and also presented on July 28. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. (202) 225-8333. http://www.usbg.gov

7, Thursday, Getting Your Orchid to Re-Bloom, 12:15 to 12:45, East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian, Washington DC.  Part of the Let’s Talk Garden Series on Thursdays, hosted by Smithsonian Gardens horticulturists, free. (202) 633-2220. http://www.gardens.si.edu

9, Saturday, Bring the Shade Garden to Life with Perennials, lecture, 11:00 am. Free. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com

9, Saturday, Saturday in the Garden “Compost Happens”, 10:00 am to noon. Free talk at Loudoun County Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden in Ida Lee Park, Leesburg, VA. Hosted by Loudoun County Master Gardeners. http://www.loudouncountymastergardeners.org

9, Saturday, Jam Preserve Workshop, 9:30 to 2:30. Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, 1400 Quincy Street NE Washington DC, Fee and must register. (The Monastery has extensive gardens and gives free garden tours on Saturdays at 11:00 am and noon, until September, meet in front of visitor center). E-mail gardenguild@gmail.com. http://www.fmgg.org.

10, Sunday, The Birth of a Rain Garden: From Start to Finish, 11:00 am. Free. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com

12, Tuesday, Bearded Iris Care, lecture by staff horticulturists, 9:30 am. Free for Ladew members; fee for non-members; registration required. Ladew Topiary Gardens, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, MD. (410) 557-9570 ext. 261, e-mail rhebert@ladewgardens.com. http://www.ladewgardens.com

13, Wednesday, Marvelous ‘matoes, a tomato cooking demonstration by the Cook Sisters. Fee and must register. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. (301) 962-1470. http://www.brooksidegardens.org

13, Wednesday, Lasagna Gardens: The Layered Approach, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Wednesdays in the Garden Series at the 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 (703) 228-5990. http://www.mgnv.org

14, Thursday, Rejuvenate the Midsummer Herb Garden, 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Burke Branch Library, 4701 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA; Hosted by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Free but must register in advance. http://www.mgnv.org

14, Thursday, Home Irrigation, 12:15 to 12:45, East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian, Washington DC.  Part of the Let’s Talk Garden Series on Thursdays, hosted by Smithsonian Gardens horticulturists, free. (202) 633-2220. http://www.gardens.si.edu

16, Saturday, Lotus and Water Lily Festival, 10:00 to 4:00 pm, Free, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Avenue, NE Washington DC. http://www.nps.gov/keaq/index.html

16, Saturday, Lavender Wand Making Workshop, 10:00 am to noon. Free. Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, 1400 Quincy Street NE Washington DC. (The Monastery has extensive gardens and gives free garden tours on Saturdays at 11:00 am and noon, until September, meet in front of visitor center). E-mail gardenguild@gmail.com. http://www.fmgg.org

16, Saturday, Tips for a Happy Garden: Mulching, Watering and Protecting Your Plants from the Heat, 11:00 am. Free. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com

16, Saturdays in the Garden, Getting your Lawn, Landscape, and Vegetable Garden Ready for the Fall, 9:00 am to noon. The Teaching Garden at the Benedictine Monastery, 9535 Linton Hall Road, Bristow, VA. Presented by Prince William County Master Gardeners. Outside, dress appropriate. Free but must register. http://www.mgpw.org

16, Saturday, Native Trees and Shrubs for Home Gardens, 10:00 to 11:30 am. Fee and must register. Presentation by Green Spring staff horticulturist. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. (703) 642-5173. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring/

17, Sunday, The Benefits, Beauty and Diversity of Perennial Groundcovers, 1:00 pm. Free. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com

17, Sunday, Sunday in the Organic Vegetable Garden, 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 Marcey Road, Arlington, VA. Free and hosted by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. http://www.mgnv.org

20, Wednesday, Grow Your Own Cutting Garden and Old Fashioned Flower Show, 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Free and open to the public. Takoma Horticulture Club, 7328 Carroll Avenue, Takoma, MD. http://www.takomahort.org.

20, Wednesday, Seed Saving, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Wednesdays in the Garden Series at the 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 (703) 228-5990. http://www.mgnv.org

21, Thursday, Composting Basics, 12:15 to 12:45, East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian, Washington DC.  Part of the Let’s Talk Garden Series on Thursdays, hosted by Smithsonian Gardens horticulturists, free. (202) 633-2220. http://www.gardens.si.edu

23 and 24, Saturday and Sunday, 27th Annual Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale, times vary, depend on the farm, 21 farms involved, check out web site for farms, times, and map. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/agservices/agfarmgtour.html

23, Saturday, A Survey of Shade Trees, 11:00 am. Free. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com

27, Wednesday, Soil Building, Composting, Compost Tea, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Wednesdays in the Garden Series at the 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 (703) 228-5990. http://www.mgnv.org

28, Thursday, Totally Tomatoes, tomato cooking demonstration with the Cook Sisters, Free, do not have to register in advance. Held at noon and 12:45 and again on July 7. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. (202) 225-8333. http://www.usbg.gov

28, Thursday, All Things Lavender, 12:15 to 12:45, East Walk of the Smithsonian Enid A. Haupt Garden, Smithsonian, Washington DC.  Part of the Let’s Talk Garden Series on Thursdays, hosted by Smithsonian Gardens horticulturists, free. (202) 633-2220. http://www.gardens.si.edu

30, Saturday, Lecture: Mints: Their Botany, Chemistry, and Uses, 10:30 to noon. Free but must register in advance. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC. (202) 225-8333. http://www.usbg.gov

30, Saturday, Spicing Up Your Gardens and Containers from Now through Fall, 11:00. Free. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com

30, Saturday, Honey Extraction Workshop, 9:30 to noon and noon to 2:30 (two sessions, register for one and there is a fee). Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, 1400 Quincy Street NE Washington DC. (The Monastery has extensive gardens and gives free garden tours on Saturdays at 11:00 am and noon, until September, meet in front of visitor center).  E-mail: gardenguild@gmail.com. http://www.fmgg.org

Summer Garden Workshop Series in DC

DC Parks and Recreation has a Summer Garden Workshop Series. More than 50 free workshops every Monday, Wednesday and various Saturdays from April 18th to September 28th. Focused on practical urban gardening and taught by the leaders of DC urban garden movement. Monday Classes: 6:30-8:30pm – Deanwood Rec – 1350 49th St. NE; Wednesday Classes: 6:30-8:30pm – Raymond Rec – 3725 10th St. NE; Saturday Classes: 10-12pm – Times and locations vary.  Check registration for more details:
http://bit.ly/UrbanGardeningPrograms

A full schedule flyer is at this link
http://dpr.dc.gov/node/1124742

For more info about all DPR Urban Garden Programs click on this link
http://dpr.dc.gov/service/urban-garden-programs

 Cool Flowers Virtual Book Study

Lisa Mason Ziegler, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop in Newport News, VA, is hosting a virtual book study for her book Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long Blooming Hardy Annual Flowers Using Cool Weather Techniques. Starting Friday July 15, she will teach how to grow hardy annuals (flowers) such as bells of Ireland, snapdragons, and sweet peas. Each Friday for 10 weeks (1 week for each chapter), she will show a short video and answer questions. There is no fee and it is not required to have the book although it will certainly be beneficial to read along. If you are like me and work on Fridays, you can sign up at her web site to have the weekly links sent to your e-mail or you can visit the web site any time. Lisa has been a cut flower farmer since 1998 and has built a very successful business. She produces 10,000 stems each week during the growing season on 1 ½ acres. She has written several books, sells seeds and supplies, hosts workshops, and gives presentations across the county.

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A Day in the Life of a Garden Writer: The Hunt Country Gardens and Growers Tour

Posted on June 6, 2016 | 4 comments

Ladew Topiary GardensAs a member of the Garden Writers Association, now known as GWA: the Association for Garden Communicators, I attended a GWA-hosted regional meeting this past Friday called Hunt Country Gardens & Growers Tour. GWA is a non-profit, membership-based organization for people involved in garden communications.  Membership has many benefits including a newsletter, an annual symposium, and regional meetings. The GWA divides itself into 7 regions and Virginia is in region IV. This particular regional meeting was in Maryland, Region II, but only a short drive for me.  Members, spouses, and non-members can attend any regional meeting; one does not have to restrict oneself to one’s region.

I registered online a few weeks ago for the one-day event. We were to meet in Hunt Country (as in fox hunts) at Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton and then drive to Manor View Farm, then Cavano’s Perennials, and then a GWA Connect meeting at a local restaurant (an informal get together). All of these places were very close to each other. A week before the event, Kirk Brown, the GWA president, e-mailed the most recent news and tips for the trip and a list of fellow attendees. Kirk said that Manor View Farm and Cavano’s Perennials were offering their plants to us at their wholesale prices and he received plants for us to trial from Proven Winners. I packed my trunk with boxes and bags, a small cooler of water, and a large thermos of coffee and left the house at 6:00 am Friday morning.

I arrived at Ladew at 7:45 am and was welcomed by Kirk (who actually lives in Pennsylvania but was rooming in a local hotel). Over the next 15 minutes about 30 of us gathered in the café, where Ladew staff had laid out trays of pastries and coffee. Several people had come from other states; some drove for the day; some were staying overnight in hotels. I looked forward to meeting as many of my colleagues as I could. At my table, I met Joshua Taylor (Joshua Taylor Photography) who lives in Arlington and we were joined by Teresa Speight (Cottage in the Court) whom I had already met from previous functions. I recognized a few other people: Susan Harris (dcGardens.com; gardenrant.com), Kathy Jentz (Washington Gardener), John Boggan (DC Tropics), and Kate Copsey (katecopsey.com).ladew hedge

Kirk briefed us on the latest happenings at the association. GWA is being managed by a new association management company, Kellen. In only a few months, staff at Kellen have made tremendous improvements. Kirk described the myriad upcoming events and encouraged us to use hashtag #meetGWA, #whyGWA, and #growGWA during our day (if you search for us on Facebook you may find quite a few photos). Kate stood up and encouraged everyone to attend the GWA’s 68th Annual Convention and Expo in September, in Atlanta.

Emily Emerick, the Ladew executive director, gave us the background on Mr. Ladew’s estate. She introduced Barbara Barnoff, who is in charge of visitor services/volunteers, and the staff horticulturists. Staff had already packed a bag of information on Ladew for us to take, which included a guest pass for a subsequent visit and another pass to one of their summer concerts. From there we were led on a tour of the gardens. This was a terrific opportunity to take beautiful photos of plants, statues, small gardens, and the famous topiary. For those of us who blog, it also was a great opportunity to “stock up” on photos for future articles and tweets. Some of us followed the horticulturists and talked plants, while others walked around taking photos. The day was perfect, cool and overcast. I met Eva Monheim, Oak Leaf Productions, and Rick Ray, a retired horticultural professor.

Afterwards, we caught up with Kirk at his car in the parking lot. Prior to the event, Mark Osgersby, who works in the Proven Winners’ Marketing and Public Relations Department, had shipped boxes of plants to Kirk’s house for him to distribute to us. We were able to pick from three of Proven Winners’ new introductions: Spirea ‘Double Play Blue Kazoo’, OSO EASY double red landscape rose, and rose of Sharon ‘Purple Pillar’. Thank you Mark and Proven Winners staff!!provenwinners

After loading our cars with the plants, we drove to Manor View Farms, which was only a few minutes away. Manor View Farms is a wholesale nursery consisting of a 5-acre horticultural distribution center supplying plant material and hard goods to the landscape trade; 85 acres of tree and shrub production, all under drip irritation; and 3 acres of about 16 greenhouses devoted to propagation.  The owner Alan Jones, his son Collin Jones, and Brian Mitchell guided us around the field of trees and shrubs on a flat-bed wagon. We sat on bales of hay (I am sure this photo is on Facebook!). Alan said that currently the most popular items are crepe myrtles, southern magnolias, knock out roses, and hydrangeas. However, a plant’s popularity can change from year to year so by the time a plant is mature enough to be sold its popularity may have waned. He also described how the company collaborates with the University of Maryland on a few projects, such as determining the amount of water truly needed to irrigate plants. Alan, a well-known propagator, described their new introductions: Quercus palustris ‘Green Pillar’, Thuja x ‘Steeplechase’, and Chionanthus virginicus ‘White Knight’. I was surprised and impressed that the company isn’t just a wholesale nursery, it is very involved in horticultural research, collaboration, and innovation.caryopteris The hay ride took us to the propagation greenhouses where we got off to see rows of small containers, each with a single cutting, under misting beds. I was able to chat with Susan Harris about her new venture, goodgardeningvideos.org, and I met a fellow Virginian, Marianne Willburn (Small Town Gardener).

We gathered in a large garage for sandwiches and drinks. I met a new GWA member Rebecca Ann Cole and discovered we had a lot in common. We talked about balancing time with social media and family and Claire Jones (Claire Jones Landscapes) told me about “tweetpi.” Ruth Rogers Clausen, a well-known author of gardening books, distributed brochures about the new Delaware Botanic Gardens and Carolyn Mullet passed out a postcard about her garden tours (Carex Garden Design and Garden Tours).

After several people bought shrubs and packed them into their cars, we drove to Cavano’s Perennials, only a few minutes away.

Cavano’s Perennials, also wholesale, specializes in container production, everything from annuals, to perennials, ferns, herbs, and grasses. They have over a thousand plants and about 50 employees. There were many large greenhouses, some with shade cloth, and many plants in pots on the ground in full sun. The owners, Ferenc Kiss and Taylor Pilker, welcomed us and explained the history of the company and the current operations. They treated us to their plants at wholesale prices and we could either pick what we wanted and put them on a cart or complete an order form and have staff bring the plants to us. I had already perused through their catalog (great resource) and selected Baptisia ‘Dutch Chocolate’ and ‘Lemon Meringue’ and an orange mint. Some people were really loading up, like a kid in a candy store, and pushing a cart from greenhouse to greenhouse. The variety was tremendous.geranium

I had a delightful horticultural conversation with Taylor who described the importance of root health, which determines the plant’s success when transplanted into the landscape. He also said that Cavano’s was one of the first to become neonicotinoid-free because of the public’s concern for pollinators. My impression was that this organization was very responsive and strived to employ the latest theories, techniques, and practices.

After I put my plants in my trunk, I met Liz Ball, a well-known garden writer and speaker, Sabine Stezenbach (Town and Gardens), Debra Balcerzak-Wilson, and Lori Zimmerman. Debra and Lori just started to sell a new fertilizer line called Natural Start by Greenview, part of the Lebanon Seaboard Corporation, and they brought samples for all of us.

In the late afternoon, after every one toured the place and bought their plants, Kirk started the trunk show. He literally opened the trunk of his car, distributed raffle tickets, and called out the numbers. I think every person received something—additional Proven Winner plants, donated plants, a donated poster, or a donated book. We were about to leave for our next destination when a staff person drove a flatbed to the parking lot loaded with herbs. Ferenc told us to help ourselves–we were so surprised and thankful! It was very generous of Cavano’s to give so many free herbs.

By now the cars were so weighed down with plants, we inched along and slowly drove out of Cavano’s, making sure plants did not tip over. Some participants drove home and some at a local Italian restaurant, about 10 minutes away. Kirk had already reserved a private room. At my table, I sat with Ferenc, Carolyn, Claire, Kirk, Wendy Brister (Harvey’s Gardens), and Sabine. We had a very interesting conversation; I learned about garden tours, beekeeping, and native plants. I was surprised to learn that Kirk had organized the entire day himself. He must have volunteered a tremendous amount of time to create such as well-organized and informative day. The regional meeting was a blast and I truly enjoyed the opportunity to see gardens and nurseries, make new friends, learn more about horticulture, and obtain new plants for my garden. Thank you Kirk for a memorable regional meeting!

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Local Resource for Growing Tomatoes Successfully This Summer

Posted on May 12, 2016 | 2 comments

year-of-the-tomato-logoThe University of Maryland Extension (UME) has a fantastic “Grow It Eat It” program. This year, they have declared 2016 as the Year of the Tomato. To celebrate this popular veggie, they created a site devoted to learning more about growing, harvesting, and preserving/canning tomatoes, http://extension.umd.edu/growit/2016-year-tomato. The site has a variety of resources: a list of local UME offices, contact information for Maryland’s gardening experts, and the list of the Master Gardener plant clinics for getting answers to tomato problems. It also has a link to their Youtube playlist of tomato information; recommended cultivars; winners of the 2015 tomato tasting events; and tomato-related articles on the Grow It Eat It blog. Although this is a UME resource, the information is applicable to those of us who live in the Mid-Atlantic area so Virginia and DC residents can enjoy the bounty. If you ever wanted to grow tomatoes successfully, now is the time!

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Books About Gardens and Gardening in Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC

Posted on April 30, 2016 | Leave a comment

I just updated my website’s Books page about gardens and gardening in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC, from the year 2000 to the present.  There are 35 books. Below is the updated text in the Books page.

The public library is a great resource–not only are the books free but if the branch does not have a particular title, they can get it for you from another branch or through interlibrary loan. Most libraries have gardening magazines; you can borrow past issues. The reference section has non-circulating gardening books that are great resources. Local bookstores have plant and gardening books and many have web sites for searching or ordering books. Don’t forget Amazon.com and check your phone book for the used bookstores. Many of the public gardens have non-lending libraries; some are open when the gardens are open, others are by appointment only.  Public gardens also have books for sale in their gift shops. Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens have reading libraries. For extensive research, try the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Library, Abraham Lincoln Building, 10301 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD  20705; (301) 504-5755; http://www.nal.usda.gov.

Below are local books with the most recently published listed first through the year 2000:

All the Presidents’ Gardens: Madison’s Cabbages to Kennedy’s Roses: How the White House Grounds Have Grown with America by Marta McDowell, Timber Press, 2016

Mid-Atlantic Gardeners Handbook: Your Complete Guide: Select, Plan, Plant, Maintain, Problem Solve by Katie Elzer-Peters, Cool Springs Press, 2016

Gardens of Georgetown: Exploring Urban Treasures, text by Edith Nalle Schafer and photos by Jenny Gorman, Georgetown Garden Club, 2015

Maryland’s Public Gardens and Parks by Barbara Glickman, Schiffer Publishers, 2015

Mid-Atlantic Month-by-Month Gardening: What to Do Each Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year by George Weigel, Cool Springs Press, 2015

Chesapeake Gardening and Landscaping: The Essential Green Guide by Barbara W. Ellis; photographs by Neil Soderstrom, University of North Carolina Press in association with the Adkins Arboretum, 2015

Maymont: An American Estate (Richmond, VA) by Dale Cyrus Wheary, Scala Arts Publishers in association with the Maymont Foundation, 2015

Mid-Atlantic: Getting Started Garden Guide: Grow the Best Flowers, Shrubs, Trees, Vines and Groundcovers by Andre Viette, Mark Viette, and Jacqueline Heriteau, Cool Springs Press, 2015

The General in the Garden: George Washington’s Landscape at Mt. Vernon by Susan P. Schoelwer, editor, Mt. Vernon Ladies’ Association, 2015

Native Plants for Northern Virginia by the Virginia Native Plant Society, available via the Society, http://www.vnps.org, 2015

Great Perennial Plants, Vines, and Bulbs Guide for the Mid-Atlantic Garden by Donna Williamson, self-published, electronic and available via Amazon, 2014

The Mid-Atlantic Garden: An Insider’s Guide to a Successful Lower Maintenance Garden by Donna Williamson, self-published, electronic and available via Amazon, 2014

Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden at Monticello by Peter J. Hatch, Yale University Press, 2014

Take Our Advice: A Handbook for Gardening in Northern Virginia by Margaret Fisher, Student Peace Awards of Fairfax, 2014

The Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast by Ira Wallace, Timber Press, 2013

Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Gardening: Plant, Grow, and Harvest the Best Edibles: DE, MD, PA, VA, DC, and WV by Katie Elzer-Peters, Cool Springs Press, 2013

Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way: 18th Century Methods for Today’s Organic Gardeners by Wesley Greene, Rodale Press, 2012

American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America by Michelle Obama, Crown Publishing Group, 2012

Capital Splendor: Parks and Gardens of Washington DC by Valerie Brown, Barbara Glickman Countryman Press, 2012

A Guide to Smithsonian Gardens by Carole Otteson, Smithsonian Books, 2011

Historic Virginia Gardens: Preservation Work of the Garden Club of Virginia by Margaret Page Bemiss, University of Virginia Press, 2009

Virginia’s Historic Homes and Gardens by Pat Blackley and Chuck Blackley, Voyageur Press, 2009

The Virginia’s Garden Companion: An Insider Guide to Low Maintenance Gardening in Virginia by Donna Williamson, Morris Book Publishing, 2008

Garden Walks in the Southeast: Beautiful Gardens from Washington to the Gulf Coast by Marina Harrison, Lucy Rosenfeld, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2006

Garden Walks in the Mid-Atlantic States: Beautiful Gardens from New York to Washington DC by Marina Harrison, Lucy Rosenfeld, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2005

The American Horticultural Society Guide to American Public Gardens and Arboreta:  Gardens Across America, Volume 1, East of the Mississippi by Thomas S. Spencer and John J. Russell, Taylor Trade Publishing, 2005

A City of Gardens: Glorious Public Gardens In and Around the Nation’s Capital by Barbara Seeber, Capital Books, 2004

Month by Month Gardening in the Mid-Atlantic by André and Mark Viette and Jacqueline Hériteau, Cool Springs Press, 2004

Selecting, Growing and Combining Outstanding Perennials: Mid-Atlantic and New England Edition by Teri Dunn, André Viette, Mark Viette, Jacqueline Hériteau, Cool Springs Press, 2003

Mid-Atlantic Gardener’s Guide by André and Mark Viette and Jacqueline Hériteau, Cool Springs Press, 2003

Barnes & Noble Complete Illustrated Guidebook to Washington, D.C.’s Public Parks and Gardens, published by Silver Lining Books, 2003

Complete Illustrated Guide to Washington DC’s Public Parks and Gardens by Richard Berenson, Silver Lining, 2003

The Virginia Fruit and Vegetable Book by Felder Rushing and Walter Reeves, Cool Springs Press, 2002

Virginia Gardeners Guide by Jacqueline Heriteau, Cool Springs Press, 2001

The New York/Mid-Atlantic Gardener’s Book of Lists by Bonnie Lee Appleton, Cooper Square Press, 2001

 

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Peg’s Picks: Books on Edible Gardening in the Washington DC Metro Area

Posted on March 2, 2015 | Leave a comment

booksA colleague asked if I could recommend books related to edible gardening. I quickly replied that I have a Books Page on my site but afterwards realized that those books are about gardening in general but specific to the Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC area. Over the past few years, I have become much more interested in growing edibles rather than ornamentals and have read many books, most are specific to this area. I typed up a short, 2-page list to give to her and thought I would post my recommended list here in case any one is interested in growing their own veggies, herbs, and fruits in the Washington DC metropolitan area. These are in alphabetical order.

American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden & Gardens Across America, Michelle Obama

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, Jessica Walliser, and her other books

Backyard Berry Book, Stella Otto

Cool Season Gardener, Bill Thorness (and his other book, lives in WA)

Designing the New Kitchen Garden: An American Potager, Jennifer Bartley

Eat Your Yard, Nan Chase

Edible Front Yard, Ivette Soler

Edible Heirlooms, Bill Thorness (and his other book, lives in WA)

Edible Landscaping, Rosalind Creasy (new edition and any of her other books)

Edible Landscaping with a Permaculture Twist, Michael Judd (lives in Frederick MD)

Four Season Harvest, Eliot Coleman and his other books

Good Bug/Bad Bug, Jessica Walliser and her other books

Groundbreaking Food Gardens, Niki Jabbour and her other books

Grow a Sustainable Diet, Cindy Connor

Grow Great Grub, Gayla Trail (You Grow Girl)

Guide to Year Round Vegetable Garden in the Southeast, Ira Wallace

Homegrown Herb Garden, Ann McCormick and Lisa Morgan

How to Grow More Vegetables, John Jeavons

How to Grow Perennial Herbs, Martin Crawford

Incredible Vegetables from Self-Watering Containers, Edward Smith (and any of his other books)

Landscaping Fruit, Lee Reich and any of his other books

Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Gardening: Plant, Grow, and Harvest the Best Edibles: DE, MD, PA, VA, DC, and WV, Katie Elzer-Peters

Paradise Lot: Two Plant Geeks, One Tenth of an Acre, Eric Toensmeier (and any of his other books)

Perennial Vegetables, Martin Crawford

Perennial Vegetables from Artichoke to “Zuiki’ Taro, Eric Toensmeier (and any of his other books)

Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, Claire Kowalchik, William Hylton, and other Rodale books

Square Foot Gardening, second edition, Mel Bartholomew, and his other books

Starter Vegetable Gardens, 24 No Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens, Barbara Pleasant (and any of her other books, lives in VA)

Take Our Advice: A Handbook for Gardening in Northern Virginia, Margaret Fisher

The Bountiful Container, Rosemarie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey (good for minimum depth of container to grow veggies)

The Four Season Farm Gardener’s Cookbook by Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch (and any of their other books)

The Sustainable Vegetable Gardener, John Jeavons

The Veggie Gardener’s Answer Book, Barbara Ellis

The Virginia Fruit and Vegetable Book, Felder Rushing and Walter Reeves

The Winter Harvest Handbook, Eliot Coleman, and his other books

The Year Round Vegetable Gardener, Niki Jabbour (and her other book)

Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden at Monticello, Peter J. Hatch

Fruits for Every Garden, Lee Reich (and any of his other books, lives in NY)

Vegetable Gardener’s Container Bible, Edward Smith (and his other books)

Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way: 18th Century Methods for Today’s Organic Gardeners by Wesley Greene

Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits, Matthew Biggs and Jekka McGiver

Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook, Ron Kujawski and Jennifer Kujawski

What’s Wrong with my Vegetable Garden, David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth, they have a series of “What’s Wrong” books

75 Exciting Vegetables, Jack Staub, has an “exciting” series – herbs, vegetables, and fruits, lives in PA

This list could go on plus there are books focused on particular types of plant/vegetables. Other sources are public or botanical gardens such as Greensprings in Virginia and Brookside Gardens in Maryland; both have non-lending libraries. One can look at publishers’ web sites such as Chelsea Green Publishing, St. Lynn’s Press, Timber Press, Story, Rodale Press, and Cool Springs Press.

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Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: Blueberry Ice Bougainvillea

Posted on February 15, 2015 | 2 comments

Blueberry Ice bougainvilleaIt’s Gardener Bloggers Bloom Day, the 15 of every month. Winter is a good time to visit the local conservatories to get one’s fix of “Bloom.” Recently I discovered Blueberry Ice bougainvillea at the Brookside Gardens conservatory in Wheaton, Maryland. This plant fascinated me because it was exactly opposite of the type of bougainvillea I grew up with in the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. In the tropics, we had bougainvillea vines climbing up the sides of houses and buildings, as common as wisteria is where I now live in Northern Virginia. The green leaves and papery thin salmon flowers (really modified leaves called bracts) colored the buildings for months at a time.  So I was intrigued by Blueberry Ice at the conservatory because it had cream/green variegated leaves, it was only about 2 feet tall, and it had bracts the color of grape popsicles. Think of how useful this small tropical plant could be here in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Grown as a summer annual, Blueberry Ice would thrive in a hanging basket, window box, or container. It will scoff at our heat and humidity and reward us with color all summer long. I love it when a new cultivar changes the paradigm and gives new meaning to what a bougainvillea could be in my garden.

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Learn to Grow Edibles at Grow It Eat It Open House

Posted on July 29, 2014 | Leave a comment

Next year, make plans to attend one of the Grow It Eat It Open Houses at the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood, Maryland. Grow It Eat It is Maryland’s Food Gardening Network, sponsored by the University of Maryland Extension. Managed by the Montgomery County Master Gardeners, all volunteers, the Grow It Eat It Open Houses are a great way to learn how to grow edibles in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. This year, there was an Open House in March, May, and on Saturday, last weekend.

Cherokee Trail of Tears bean plant

Cherokee Trail of Tears bean plant

salad table in demonstration garden

salad table in demonstration garden

For this particular Open House, there were three concurrent “tracks.” One track was a series of presentations by Master Gardeners or Extension staff. I attended the first presentation entitled “Keeping Your Animals Out of Your Garden” in the conference room for an hour. Master Gardeners Erica Smith and Terri Valenti had an excellent powerpoint presentation and a very informative handout but what really added value was the fact that they have years of experience growing edibles despite many different animals in their area. They could answer questions easily, offer lessons learned, and were more than willing to spend time talking to people afterwards. Erica is responsible for many of the unique vegetables in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden and writes for the Grow It Eat It blog. Terri has many years of experience growing a wide spectrum of edibles, including fruit trees. The second presentation was “Low Tunnels—How to Build and Use” by Master Gardener Gordon Clark. Gordon showed us how to erect a low tunnel, which is a method of erecting plastic over a garden bed to extend the growing season of small vegetables. Because he had been growing greens in the winter with this method, he was able to relate his experience and show us the materials he used. Starting from scratch, he pounded the rebars in the ground, erected the PCV pipes, and covered them with plastic in no time. It was easy to understand and easy to relate to the relatively low cost. I missed the third presentation on “Pests and Diseases” by Pat Lynch because I spent too much time in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden looking at new veggies to try next year and talking to Master Gardeners. According to the brochure there was a presentation on food preservation by Faculty Extension Assistant Karen Basinger (the only presentation that had a fee and required registration), but I also wanted to hit a few farms on the Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale so I had to leave early.

Gordon Clark bending pipe

Gordon Clark bending pipe

Concurrent to the other tracks, “Everything Tomatoes,” was attracting attention in a conference room/kitchen down the hall. Tomato enthusiasts were cutting many different types of tomatoes so people could taste and rate their favorite tomatoes. People were invited to share seeds, tomatoes, and recipes, sample tomatoes, learn how to save tomato seeds, and listen to cooking demonstrations all morning long.

Raising plastic over pipes to create a low tunnel

Raising plastic over pipes to create a low tunnel

The last track took place outside in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden. The gardens themselves were very informative, people took time to make sure most of the plants were clearly labeled (which I always appreciate), and some signage had large timelines and photos depicting the plant’s growth. There were vegetables in containers, in beds, climbing up nets, and sprawling across arches; herbs in pots and in the ground; fruit shrubs; intensively planted beds; salad tables; straw bale gardening; flowers and bees and butterflies everywhere. A Master Gardener answered questions about composting; staff from the Montgomery County Recycling Center offered free compost bins and thermometers; and people demonstrated how to make trellises from bamboo. There were tables set up for Master Gardeners to distribute information on pollinators, gardening tools, starting seeds, and diagnosing plant problems. We had great weather and I came home with lots of handouts, ideas, and new veggies to try next year.

up close shot of ripe mouse melon

up close shot of ripe mouse melon

tromboncino squash

tromboncino squash

 

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