The American GARDENER · THE AMERICAN GARDENER To submit a letter to the editor of The American Gardener, write to The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA

T h e A m e r i c a nGARDENERThe Magazine of the American Hort icul tural Society January / February 2010January / February 2010

®®

T h e A m e r i c a nGARDENERThe Magazine of the American Hort icul tural Society

Going “Wild”in the Garden

2010’s New Plants

All-American Oaks

Vegetable Gardeningon Trellises

2010’s New Plants

All-American Oaks

Vegetable Gardeningon Trellises

Going “Wild”in the Garden

3January / February 2 0 1 0

5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM

6 MEMBERS’ FORUM

7 NEWS FROM AHSAHS Reciprocal Admissions Programcelebrates 20 years, AHS 2010 SeedExchange catalog available online, 2010destinations for AHS Travel Study Program,registration for 2010 America in Bloomcommunity competition now open, AHSco-sponsored Colonial WilliamsburgSymposium set for April.

12 AHS NEWS SPECIALAHS tour participants enjoy autumn andgardens in New York’s Hudson River Valley.

39 NATURAL CONNECTIONSGarden spiders.

42 HOMEGROWN HARVESTShiitake mushrooms.

44 ONE ON ONE WITH…Amy P. Goldman, heirloom fruit andvegetable advocate.

46 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOKNew England Wild Flower Society to createonline database, AAS award-winning plantsfor 2010, bird feed mixes may contain invasiveweeds, Gardens Alive! acquires Thompson &Morgan U.S., Nona Koivula retires asexecutive director of AAS and NBG,California Pack Trials changes name.

50 GREEN GARAGE®

Starting seeds indoors.

52 BOOK REVIEWSThe Explorer’s Garden and Manual of WoodyLandscape Plants (6th ed.).

Special focus: Problem-solving plants.

56 REGIONAL HAPPENINGS

60 HARDINESS AND HEAT ZONES AND PRONUNCIATIONS

62 PLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT‘Justin Brouwers’ boxwood (Buxus sinica var. insularis ‘Justin Brouwers’)ON THE COVER: Nature provided the inspiration for this lush, naturalized woodland garden at Win-

terthur Museum and Country Estate in Delaware. Photograph by Rick DarkeCO

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contentsVo l u m e 8 9 , N u m b e r 1 . J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 0

F E A T U R E S

14 2010 GARDEN FORECAST BY MARY YEE

Here’s a look at what the experts see as emerging gardening trendsand a preview of new plants that will hit the market in spring.

20 ALL-AMERICAN OAKS BY GUY STERNBERG

If you’re seeking a classic shade tree that comes with a rich cul-tural history, important ecological associations, and a durableconstitution, look no further than one of America’s native oaks.

24 WHAT IS WILD? BY RICK DARKE

Understanding the place of nature in our gardens is more impor-tant than ever. Rick Darke explains how we can invite wildnessinto the home landscape.

30 HIGH-RISING EDIBLES BY KRIS WETHERBEE

Many vegetables and other edibles can be grown on a verticalstructure to optimize garden space and improve productivity.

34 PLANTS ON THE ROCKS BY KAREN BUSSOLINI

Taking inspiration from the beauty of native plants growing on andaround rocks in wild places, the author offers ideas for using themin challenging garden settings.

D E P A R T M E N T S

page 14

4 the American Gardener

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tom Underwood

Board of DirectorsCHAIR Susie Usrey Dayton, Oregon

F IRST VICE CHAIRMAN Don E. Riddle, Jr. Davidsonville, Maryland

SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Leslie Ariail Alexandria, Virginia

SECRETARY Harry A. Rissetto, Esq. Falls Church, Virginia

TREASURER Arnold Steiner Birmingham, Alabama

Sandra Address Chevy Chase, Maryland ■ Allan M. Armitage Athens, Georgia ■ Suzanne Bales Oyster Bay, New YorkWilliam E. Barrick, Ph.D. Theodore, Alabama ■ Kurt Bluemel Baldwin, Maryland ■ Amy Bolton Falls Church, VirginiaHenrietta Burke Alexandria, Virginia ■ Tom Cooper Watertown, Massachusetts ■ Jane Diamantis McDonald, Tennessee

Gay Estes Houston, Texas ■ Anne Garland Farrell Richmond, Virginia ■ Carole Hofley Wilson, WyomingMargaret Kulp Louisville, Kentucky ■ Caroline Lewis Coral Gables, Florida ■ Jack Lowry Phoenix, Maryland

Melissa R. Marshall Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ■ Mary Pat Matheson Atlanta, GeorgiaShirley Nicolai Ft. Washington, Maryland ■ J. Landon Reeve, IV Woodbine, Maryland

Holly Shimizu Glen Echo, Maryland

PRESIDENT EMERITUS Katy Moss Warner

AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens

President’s CouncilCHAMPION’S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. W. Bruce Usrey

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel ■ Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Bogle

LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY CIRCLE Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Kulp, Jr. ■ Mrs. Elizabeth Craig Weaver Proctor ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Rissetto ■

Mr. Arnold Steiner ■ Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Zech

HAUPT CIRCLE Lynda and Nathan Bachman ■ Mrs. Susan M. Cargill ■ Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Farrell ■ Dr.and Mrs. John A. Floyd, Jr. ■

Mrs. Richard W. Hamming ■ Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Hanselman ■ Mrs. Carole S. Hofley ■ Dr. and Mrs. David E. Morrison ■ Mr. and

Mrs. J. Landon Reeve, IV ■ Mrs. Enid N. Warner

COUNCIL MEMBER’S CIRCLE Mrs. Sandra L. Address ■ Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. Carter Bales ■ Nancy J. Becker, M.D.

■ Mrs. Katherine Belk ■ Mrs. George P. Bissell, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. C. William Black ■ Dr. Sherran Blair ■ Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Bluemel ■ Mr.

and Mrs. Robert L. Bogle ■ Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Bradshaw ■ Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Burke, III ■ Ms. Judy Daniel ■ Mr. and Mrs. George

Diamantis ■ Mr. and Mrs. Carl Estes ■ Ms. Inger Fair ■ Mrs. Carolyn V. Foil ■ Ms. Marguerite Peet Foster ■ Ms. Amy Goldman ■ Mr.

and Mrs. Joel Goldsmith ■ Ms. Barbara Grant ■ Ms. LaDawn Griffin ■ Dr. and Mrs. William O. Hargrove ■ Mrs. Elizabeth Hooff ■ Mr.

Philip Huey ■ Mrs. Marta Lawrence ■ Mrs. Carolyn M. Lindsay ■ Ms. JoAnn Luecke ■ Mr. and Mrs. Bob J. MacLean ■ Ms. Melissa Marshall

■ Mrs. Dorothy Marston ■ Mr. Charles T. Matheson ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harold McClendon, Jr. ■ Ms. Rosalyn Milbrandt ■ Mr. and Mrs. Egon

Molbak ■ Mr. and Mrs. James R. Moxley ■ Mrs. Shirley Ann Nicolai ■ Mr. David D. Parrish ■ Mr. and Mrs. Albin MacDonough Plant ■

Jeanne Shields ■ Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Smith, Jr. ■ Mr. and Mrs. William M. Spencer, III ■ Mr. Harold Stahly ■ Dr. and Mrs. Steven M.

Still ■ Mr. Howard McK. Tucker and Ms. Megan Evans ■ Mr. and Mrs. Tom Underwood ■ Mr. Joe Viar ■ Ms. Angela M. Vikesland ■ Mr.

and Mrs. Robert D. Volk ■ Ms. Katy Moss Warner ■ Mr. and Mrs. Dennis White ■ Mr. and Mrs. Harvey C. White ■ Mr. and Mrs. John

W.White, Sr.

HONORARY PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL Ms. Louise Fruehling* ■ Mrs. Enid Haupt* ■ Mrs. John A. Lutz* ■ Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Miller*

*In memoriam

Education SponsorOXO International

Corporate MembersBrent and Becky’s Bulbs ■ The Care of Trees ■ Chapel Valley Landscape Company ■ The Espoma Company

■ Furbish Company ■ Homestead Gardens ■ Kurt Bluemel, Inc. ■ Monrovia ■

MTR Landscape Architects, LLC. ■ Osmocote ■ Renee’s Garden

Horticultural PartnersAmerica in Bloom Symposium & Awards Program ■ Bellingrath Gardens and Home ■

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Garden Symposium ■ Cox Arboretum MetroPark■ Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival ■ The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America ■

The Homestead in the Garden Symposium ■ Inniswood Garden Society ■ Morris Arboretum■ Oklahoma Botanical Garden & Arboretum ■ Oklahoma Horticultural Society

“This is a book to turn to over alifetime of garden misadventures.”

—Dominique BrowningThe New York Times

“You’ll find step-by-stepinstructions for pruning, watering,propagating; information about allcategories of plants…sections onorganic techniques and recycling;and how to treat pests anddisease…. Consider it a plant-lover’s mutual fund—a little of thisand little of that, in a dandyinvestment.”

—Ginny SmithPhiladelphia Inquirer

“This is a must have for gardenersand landscape designers.”

—Joel M. LernerThe Washington Post

AHS New Encyclopedia of

GardeningTechniques

Available wherever books are sold

Mitchell-Beazley/Octopus Books USA480 pages Hardcover, $45

5January / February 2010

ONE OF THE greatest joys of gardening is the opportunity to witness first-hand the natural patterns of planting, growth, and maturity. It is a rhythmthat plays out before our eyes every year, fostering a sequence of events

that gives rise to a range of emotions—anticipation, wonder, surprise, satisfaction,pride, and, occasionally, disappointment. We plant, we watch, we learn, and thenwe get a chance to do it all over again!

It was surely this fresh start that occurs in the garden each year that ThomasJefferson, third President of the United States and an avid horticulturist, had inmind when he wrote: “But though anold man, I am a young gardener.” Jef-ferson was devoted to his garden and wasa student of the science and art of horti-culture. A keen observer, he kept de-tailed records of what happened in thegarden, knowing that he only had towait out the cycle of the seasons for theopportunity to start over again andapply his newly acquired knowledge.

Like Jefferson, each of us has the chance every spring to be a young gardener.The awakening garden offers a blank slate upon which to build on our past expe-riences, try new things, and demonstrate our horticultural prowess. With theprospect of another gardening season right around the corner, there is certainly nobetter time than the start of a new year to embrace a spirit of optimism and en-thusiasm for things to come.

To help you get thinking about the opportunities that the New Year brings, thisissue of The American Gardener offers an assortment of articles sure to provide in-spiration. Start with a preview of some of the new plants being introduced this yearand a look at emerging gardening trends observed by knowledgeable people in dif-ferent sectors of horticulture and gardening. Whether you are considering addingbackbone or detail to your garden, two features that will offer help with selectingthe right plants are “All-American Oaks” and “Plants on the Rocks.” And don’t missthe cover story by noted landscape design consultant and author Rick Darke, whooffers insights on letting nature take its course in the home garden.

As we begin a new year, we’d like to know what you, our members, are lookingforward to most in your gardens for 2010. Is there a new plant you are particularly ex-cited about? Are you planning to design a new garden or create a new border? Willyou introduce a child or grandchild to the joys of gardening? Send your personal ac-count of what makes you a “young gardener” this year—no more than 500 words,please—to us at [email protected] and you will be entered in a drawing to wina brand new garden journal that will arrive just in time to record your observationson the new gardening year! Entries must be received by February 15, 2010.

We hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine and wish you a healthy, happy,and rewarding New Year in your garden!

Susie Usrey, Chair, AHS Board of DirectorsTom Underwood, Executive Director

CNOTES FROM RIVER FARM CONTACTS FORAHS PROGRAMS,MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS &DEPARTMENTS

For general information about your membership,call (800) 777-7931. Send change of addressnotifications to our membership department at7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA22308. If your magazine is lost or damaged inthe mail, call the number above for a replace-ment. Requests for membership informationand change of address notification can also bee-mailed to [email protected].

THE AMERICAN GARDENER To submit a letter tothe editor of The American Gardener, write toThe American Gardener, 7931 East BoulevardDrive, Alexandria, VA 22308, or send an e-mailto [email protected].

DEVELOPMENT To make a gift to the AmericanHorticultural Society, or for information abouta donation you have already made, call (800)777-7931 ext. 118.

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM The AHS offers intern-ships in communications, horticulture, andyouth programs. For information, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Information andapplication forms can also be found in theRiver Farm area of www.ahs.org.

NATIONAL CHILDREN & YOUTH GARDEN SYMPOSIUM For information about the Soci-ety’s annual National Children & Youth Gar-den Symposium, call (800) 777-7931 ext.137 or visit the Youth Gardening section ofwww.ahs.org.

RECIPROCAL ADMISSIONS PROGRAM The AHSReciprocal Admissions Program offers membersfree admission and other discounts to more than250 botanical gardens and other horticulturaldestinations throughout North America. A list ofparticipating gardens can be found in the Mem-bership area of www.ahs.org. For more infor-mation, call (800) 777-7931 ext. 132.

RIVER FARM The AHS headquarters at RiverFarm is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays year-round (except Federal holidays), and 9 a.m. to 1p.m. Saturdays from April through October. Ad-mission is free. For information about events,rentals, and directions, visit the River Farm sec-tion of www.ahs.org.

TRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM Visit spectacular pri-vate and public gardens around the worldthrough the Society’s acclaimed Travel StudyProgram. For information about upcomingtrips, call (703) 650-5262, send an e-mail [email protected], or visit the TravelStudy section of www.ahs.org.

WEBSITE: www.ahs.org The AHS website is avaluable source of information about the Soci-ety’s programs and activities. It is also an impor-tant resource for finding out about gardeningevents in your area, and linking to other usefulwebsites. To access the members-only sectionof the website, this year’s password is oak (thenew password for 2010 will take effect February1). Until that date, the password is seeds. Theusername is always ahs.


HEALING GARDENS ABOUNDI read with interest “Gardens for Recov-ery” (November/December), specificallyin regard to the Legacy Healthcare Systemgardens and programs in the Northwest.The East Coast is also well represented bygardens at rehabilitation hospitals such asthe Rusk Institute, Bryn Mawr, and oth-ers, which have programs run by horticul-tural therapists like me who are accreditedby the American Horticultural TherapyAssociation (AHTA). We provide input onthe design of these settings, which we useto help clients recover physical or emo-tional function. The AHTA has about 800members in the United States, Canada,Japan, and beyond. Several universities andother organizations offer degree and cer-tificate programs in the field.

Laurie Sexton, HTRNew York, New York

BIRCH NOMENCLATURE CORRECTIONI wanted to note that in the article aboutJohn L. Creech by Leah Chester-Davis(November/December) the scientificname of the ‘Whitespire’ birch was listedincorrectly. I introduced the ‘Whitespire’birch in 1983 from plants thought to havebeen grown from seeds Creech collectedin Japan. At the time of its introduction,‘Whitespire’ was assumed to be a cultivarof Betula platyphylla var. japonica due tofaulty records at the Longenecker Horti-cultural Gardens of the University ofWisconsin Arboretum. We now knowthat it is a cultivar of gray birch (Betulapopulifolia). �

Edward R. HasselkusHorticulture Professor EmeritusCurator, Longenecker Gardens

University of Wisconsin, Madison

CMEMBERS’ FORUM

PLEASE WRITE US! Address letters to Editor, TheAmerican Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive,Alexandria, VA 22308. Send e-mails [email protected] (note Letter to Editor in subject line).Letters we print may be edited for length and clarity.

New Password for WebsiteThe members-only section of the AHSwebsite (www.ahs.org), provides accessto membership benefits as well as thecontents of each issue of The AmericanGardener since January/February 2001.To access the section, the username isalways ahs and the password, effectiveFebruary 1 for 2010, will be oak. Untilthis date, the password is seeds. Bothusername and password must be en-tered in lowercase letters. As a reminder,the password is always listed on page 5in each magazine issue.

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News from the AHSJanuary / February 2010

PROGRAMS • EVENTS • ANNOUNCEMENTS

AHS RECIPROCAL ADMISSIONS PROGRAM CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARYTHE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S Reciprocal Admissions Pro-gram (RAP) debuted in April 1990 as an outreach program to the members of plantand horticultural societies, botanical gardens and arboreta, and native plant societiesin North America. It expanded rapidly from only 11 locations and organizations thefirst year to 120 by 1993.

Today RAP includes more than 250 participating public gardens in 45 states aswell as Canada, the Cayman Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These horticulturaldestinations offer special benefits such as free admission, free parking, or a discountat the gift shop to AHS members presenting a current membership card. The pro-gram’s goal—part of the AHS’s core mission—is to encourage members to visit pub-lic gardens and other horticultural institutions locally and on their travels.

Jay Stanton, an AHS member from Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, has been en-joying RAP’s benefits as often as he can since he first joined the Society in October 1998.Last year he planned an extensive road trip around six RAP gardens he wanted to visit,

stopping at the FranklinPark Conservatory inColumbus, Ohio; Mis-souri Botanical Garden inSt. Louis; Myriad Botan-ical Gardens in Okla-homa City, Oklahoma;Desert Botanical Gardenin Phoenix, Arizona; FortWorth Botanic Garden inTexas; and MemphisBotanic Garden in Ten-nessee. For each of thesegardens, Stanton’s AHS

membership card entitled him to free admission. “While visiting relatives or friends,”says Stanton, “I’ve often taken my hosts to visit one of the many gardens in their town.It always surprises me that they never visited the garden before.” Even when he’s in hishometown, Stanton uses his membership card to take his visitors to nearby HersheyGardens, a RAP participant.

T h e A m e r i c a n

GARDENEREDITOR

David J. EllisMANAGING EDITOR AND ART DIRECTOR

Mary YeeASSOCIATE EDITOR

Viveka NevelnEDITORIAL INTERN

Gwyneth EvansCONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Rita PelczarCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Carole Ottesen

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

CHAIR Richard E. BirBrevard, North Carolina

Allan M. ArmitageAthens, Georgia

Nina L. BassukIthaca, New York

Steve BenderBirmingham, Alabama

John E. BryanSan Francisco, California

Panayoti KelaidisDenver, Colorado

Richard W. LightyKennett Square, Pennsylvania

Elvin McDonaldWest Des Moines, Iowa

CONTACT US The American Gardener7931 East Boulevard DriveAlexandria, VA 22308(703) 768-5700

EDITORIAL E-MAIL: [email protected]

ADVERTISING & E-MAIL: [email protected]

PARTNERSHIPS

The American Gardener (ISSN 1087-9978) is published bimonth-ly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, Septem-ber/October, November/December) by the American HorticulturalSociety, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300,(703) 768-5700. Membership in the Society includes a subscrip-tion to The American Gardener. Annual dues are $35; two years,$60. International dues are $50. $10 of annual dues goes towardmagazine subscription. Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, Vir-ginia, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please sendForm 3579 to The American Gardener, 7931 East Boulevard Drive,Alexandria, VA 22308-1300.

Botanical nomenclature is based on The American HorticulturalSociety A–Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, on A Synonymized Check-list of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada and Greenlandand on the Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants. Opinionsexpressed in the articles are those of the authors and are not necessar-ily those of the Society. Manuscripts, artwork, and photographs sent forpossible publication will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed,stamped envelope. We cannot guarantee the safe return of unsolicitedmaterial. Back issues are available at $8 per copy.

Copyright ©2010 by the American Horticultural Society.

Printed in the U.S.A.

The Desert Botanical Garden inPhoenix is one of many RAPgardens Jay Stanton and hiswife, Janis, have visited.

New Member Password For AHS WebsiteOn the AHS website (www.ahs.org), there is a special section available only tomembers, which provides convenient access to membership benefits and ex-clusive offerings. These include the annual Seed Exchange catalog and orderform as well as content from The American Gardener back to the January/Feb-ruary 2001 issue.

The username to log in to the members-only area of the website is always ahs,but the password changes at the beginning of every year. The current password,seeds, will change to the new password, oak, on February 1, 2010. Both the user-name and password must be entered in all lowercase letters. For future refer-ence, you can always find the password listed on page 5 of each issue of themagazine.

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In addition to vital support through membership dues, the American Horticultural Society relies on grants,bequests, and other gifts to support its programs. We would like to thank the following donors for gifts

received between October 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009.iGifts ofNote

iIf you would like to supportthe American HorticulturalSociety as part of your estate

planning, as a tribute to a lovedone, or as part of your annualcharitable giving plan, pleasecontact: Tom Underwood,

Executive Director, at (703) 768-5700 ext. 123 or

[email protected].

In celebration of RAP’s 20th anniversary, the AHS has re-designed the directory of participating gardens, arboreta, andother organizations to be more eye-catching and user-friendly.Updated twice a year, in January and July, this directory is avail-able on the AHS website (www.ahs.org). You may request acopy be mailed to you by calling (703) 768-5700 ext. 132.

2010 SEED EXCHANGE CATALOG AVAILABLE ONLINELOOKING FOR SOME interesting plants to start from seed thisyear? Then be sure to check out the AHS’s 2010 Seed Exchangecatalog, featuring more than 200 different plants. “The Seed Ex-

change program is aunique way to shareseeds collected by AHSmembers throughoutthe United States,” saysRiver Farm Horticultur-ist James Gagliardi.“Whether you are look-ing for annuals, perenni-als, shrubs, trees,vegetables, or herbs, it is

a very affordable way to try new plants in your garden.”The deadline to submit seed orders is March 15, but AHS

members who donated seeds are eligible to have first pick bysending in their orders by February 1. The first 300 members tosubmit orders will receive complimentary bonus seeds, donat-ed by Tomato Growers. These bonus seeds are for ‘BrandywineSudduth’s Strain’ tomatoes, one of Tomato Growers’ top-sell-ing heirloom varieties. Fruits reach one to two pounds inweight, with “the delectably complex, rich, sweet flavor that hasmade ‘Brandywine’ justifiably famous.”

While the Seed Exchange is a benefit of AHS membershipand offered at no additional cost, donations are always appre-ciated to support the program. Those who make a donation of$25 or more with their seed order will receive a pair of OXO

Good Grips® Garden Scissors as a thank-you gift.To save paper and reduce printing costs, the catalog of avail-

able seeds and an order form are available in the members-onlysection of the AHS website. If you would prefer to have a copyof the seed catalog mailed to you, please send a self-addressed,stamped envelope to 2010 Seed Exchange Catalog, 7931 EastBoulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308. For questions about theseed exchange, e-mail [email protected].

TRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM 2010T H E A H S T R A V E L S T U D Y P R O G R A M has three excitingtrips planned this year that will feature beautiful gardens andlandscapes both in America and overseas. “Gardens of East An-glia” from May 22 to 31 features tours of well-known gardens inNorfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Cambridgeshire with a particularfocus on this region’s rich historical legacy dating back to pre-Roman times.

Ms. Sandra L. AddressMr. and Mrs. John H. Ariail, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Allan M. ArmitageNancy J. Becker, M.D.The Care of Trees Mr. and Mrs. Carl EstesMs. Nicole GagliardiThe Katherine & Thomas M. Belk FoundationMr. and Mrs. Forrest LattaMrs. Dorothy MarstonMr. and Mrs. John W. White, Sr.

In Honor of Arabella DaneThe Hanover Garden Club

In Honor of Joseph ErringtonMr. Kevin CurnynD. P. FreitasS. FreitasMs. Lynne T. PorfiriMs. Sally QueenDr. Erich VeitenheimerMr. and Mrs. Brian WyattMr. and Mrs. Matthew Zolla

In Memory of Maxine PickrelThe Southwood Garden Club

‘Brandywine Sudduth’s Strain’

Blickling Hall in Norfolk, England, will be among the many sites AHStravelers will visit during the May Travel Study Program tour.

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From June 16 to 20, a tour of “Gardens and Innovation:Chicagoland and Rockford” will explore the inspirational green-ing efforts of these two Illinois cities.

“Sicily: Gardens and Antiquities,” taking place from October28 to November 7, will combine visits to the Italian island’s uniquearchaeological sites, historical monuments, and gardens, whichfeature both Mediterranean and subtropical plants.

For more information about upcoming tours in the AHSTravel Study Program, please visit the AHS website and clickon “Travel Study,” or contact our travel planner, MacNair Trav-el, at [email protected] or (703) 650-5262.

2010 AMERICA IN BLOOM COMPETITIONEACH YEAR, America in Bloom (AIB) holds a competition toencourage communities nationwide to pursue urban beautifi-

cation and communi-ty building. Thedeadline for enteringthe 2010 contest isFebruary 28. Partici-pating communitiesare categorized ac-cording to populationsize and a number ofcriteria, such as urbanforestry, environmen-tal awareness, com-munity involvement,and floral displays.One of the awards forthe eight criteria cate-gories is the Commu-nity InvolvementAward sponsored bythe AHS. Winners arerevealed at the annualAIB Symposium andAwards Ceremony,scheduled this year for

September 30 through October 2 in St. Louis, Missouri. To learnmore, call (614) 487-1117 or visit www.americainbloom.org.

ANNUAL GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY CONTESTTHROUGH A PARTNERSHIP with the Gardeners of Ameri-ca/Men’s Garden Clubs of America (TGOA/MGCA), AHSmembers may enter the organization’s annual garden photog-

raphy contest. Entries can be submitted in a number of cate-gories, including roses, vegetables, wildflowers, landscapes, andarrangements in hanging baskets and containers. The $15 en-trance fee for the contest also yields a one-year membership inTGOA/MGCA. Winning photographs will be announced atthe organization’s National Convention in June, and will beconsidered for inclusion in the calendar TGOA/MGCA sellsannually as a fundraiser. The deadline for entries to the com-petition is February 13. For contest rules, entry form, and moredetails, call (515) 278-0295 or visit www.tgoa-mgca.org.

COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG GARDEN SYMPOSIUM IN APRILTHE 64TH ANNUAL Colonial Williamsburg Garden Sympo-sium, co-sponsored by the AHS, will take place April 11 and 12 inVirginia. With the theme,“Timeless Lessons From Historic Gar-dens,” this year’s event will focus on traditional garden design,techniques, and plant selections that are still useful and important

AHS NATIONAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

2010 CALENDAR

Mark your calendar for these national events that aresponsored or co-sponsored by the AHS. Visit

www.ahs.org or call (703) 768-5700 for more information.

MAR. 3–MAY 16. Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

APR. 11 & 12. Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium.Williamsburg, Virginia.

APR. 15–17. Spring Garden Market. River Farm, Alexandria, Vir-ginia. (Note: AHS Members-only preview sale is Thursday, April 15.)

APR. 15–17. National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc. District IIStandard Flower Show. River Farm, Alexandria, Virginia.

APR. 17–25. Historic Garden Week in Virginia.

JUNE 10. Great American Gardeners Awards Ceremony & Banquet. River Farm, Alexandria, Virginia.

JULY 22–24. National Children & Youth Garden Symposium.Pasadena, California.

AUG. 20–22. The Homestead’s 12th Annual “In the Garden Withthe Experts” Symposium. Hot Springs, Virginia.

SEPT. 25. AHS Annual Gala. River Farm, Alexandria, Virginia.

SEPT. 30–OCT. 2. America In Bloom Symposium and Awards Ceremony. St. Louis, Missouri.

Kirkwood, Missouri, is one of manycommunities that has been recognized bythe AIB for its beautification efforts.

Flower and Garden Show DiscountsThe AHS has established special relationships with dozensof regional flower and garden shows that offer AHS mem-bers free and discounted admission and/or present AHSawards to exhibits. Many participating 2010 flower showsare listed in “Regional Happenings” on pages 56 to 58. Fora full list and details on the benefits offered, visit theEvents section of the AHS website (www.ahs.org).

today. The symposium will feature speakers Ken Druse, a notedgarden photographer and author; G. Michael Shoup, owner of

the Antique Rose Emporium;and John Forti, curator of his-toric plants at StrawberyBanke Museum. Their pre-sentations will focus on con-cepts of adapting historicgarden practices to moderngardening, spanning topicsfrom floral design at ColonialWilliamsburg to edible gar-dening. A discount is availablefor AHS members. For moreinformation or to register, call

(800) 603-0948 or visit www.history.org/conted.

2010 EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FLOWER & GARDEN FESTIVALDISNEY WORLD isn’t just for kids; it’s also for gardeners. Heldfrom March 3 to May 16, the 17th annual Epcot® InternationalFlower & Garden Festival in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, will in-clude presentations by Disney horticulturists and gardeningcelebrities from around the country, as well as a Florida Farmer’sMarket celebration.

This year’s focus on outdoor fun and discovery will be re-flected in a new “Community Garden,” featuring topiaries ofDisney characters Mickey and friends “tending” to vegetables

and herbs, as well as a butterfly garden, fragrance garden, bon-sai exhibit, and much more. And Horticulture Manager EricDarden hopes the emphasis on brilliant spring colors in the dis-plays will inspire attendees in planning their own spring andsummer gardens. The AHS is pleased to be a partnering orga-nization for this event. For further details, call (407) 934-7639or visit www.disneyworld.com/flower. �

News written by Editorial Intern Gwyneth Evans. LE

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Upcoming Spring Plant Sale Mark your calendars for the AHS’s annual Spring GardenMarket, taking place from April 15 to 17 at the Society’s

River Farm headquarters inAlexandria, Virginia. April 15th ismembers-only night, during whichAHS members can get first pick ofthe plants and other gardeninggoods on offer from a selection ofvendors from the mid-Atlantic re-gion. Coinciding with the SpringGarden Market, the National Cap-ital Area Garden Clubs–District II

will hold a Standard Flower Show in River Farm’s estatehouse; visitors are welcome to browse the show entries.

Symposium attendees enjoy thespring gardens at Williamsburg.

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AHS NEWS SPECIAL: Tour Participants Enjoy Hudson Valley’s Autumn Glory

LAST OCTOBER, with fall colorblazing in New York’s HudsonValley, 30 American Horticultur-

al Society members from 15 states spentfour days experiencing some of the area’sbest landscapes, art, and cuisine. Thisspecial AHS Travel Study tour was “anopportunity not to be missed—and au-tumn was a spectacular time to visit,”says tour participant Carole Hofley,who lives in Wyoming. In addition, itwas a propitious time to visit because2009 was the 400th anniversary of HenryHudson’s exploration of the region thatbears his name.

AHS PresidentEmeritus Katy MossWarner led the travelgroup to many of thearea’s noteworthy gar-dens, including herfamily home, Lis-burne Grange, a his-toric mansion with alandscape designed bylegendary landscapearchitect FletcherSteele. Other horticul-tural highlights in-cluded the gardens atBellefield that weredesigned by BeatrixFarrand, one of America’s most renownedlandscape architects of the early 20th cen-

tury, and Stonecrop Gardens, a 12-acrepublic garden featuring enchanting wood-lands, water gardens, and an extensive col-lection of alpine plants.

Elements of art, architecture, and his-tory integrated nicely with gardens andlandscaping at both President FranklinDelano Roosevelt’s lifelong home,Springwood, and Storm King Art Cen-ter sculpture park, which featured bold,abstract pieces amid the dramatic back-drop of the Hudson Highlands.

A tour of the area made famous by thelandscape paintings of the Hudson RiverSchool would not be complete without a

visit to Olana, the home of FredericEdwin Church—one of the prominentfigures of the mid-19th century Americanart movement. “I found it remarkablethat one could travel through 200 yearsof American history full of building, cre-ating, and gardening in a relatively smallarea,” says Julie Ernest, a participantfrom Washington.

Between garden visits, the travelers en-joyed unique dining experiences such as asumptuous meal at the Culinary Instituteof America in Hyde Park; lunch at Glyn-wood Farm, a non-profit organizationcommitted to organic farming, local food,and rural land conservation; and enjoyinga menu and tableware designed by RussellWright, America’s first industrial designer,at a meal prior to visiting Manitoga,Wright’s home and woodland garden.

“Overall, this was one of our mostmemorable excursions within the UnitedStates,” says Stephanie Jutila, AHS direc-tor of member programs and outreach,who escorted the tour. “We will continueto offer this caliber of experience in 2010with trips to exciting locations both inAmerica and abroad.” For more informa-tion about upcoming Travel Study tours,visit www.ahs.org, e-mail [email protected], or call (703) 650-5262. �

Gwyneth Evans is an editorial intern for TheAmerican Gardener.

by Gwyneth Evans

Left: View of the Hudson River and fall colorsfrom Olana. Above: Among the private gardensvisited was that of AHS member Fred Rich.

At Storm King Art Center, sculptures such asthis Richard Serra piece adorn the landscape.

��Gardens of East Angliawith AHS Host Stephanie Jutila and Tour Escort Antonia Lloyd Owen ofSpecialtours May 22–31, 2010■ Designed for the connoisseur ofEnglish gardens who has perhapsalready visited the great houses andgardens within easy reach of London,this trip features the gardens of EastAnglia—Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, andCambridgeshire—a region rich inhistory. In addition to touring privategardens in charming English villages,we will visit several celebrated sites,including Anglesey Abbey, the BethChatto Gardens, and Wyken HallGardens.

For more information about upcoming tours in the AHS Travel Study Program, please contact our travel planner, MacNair Travel:• E-mail: [email protected] • Call: (703) 650-5262 • Visit: www.ahs.org

THE AMERICANHORTICULTURAL SOCIETYTRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM2010 TOURS

THE AMERICANHORTICULTURAL SOCIETYTRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM

THE AMERICANHORTICULTURAL SOCIETYTRAVEL STUDY PROGRAM2010 TOURS

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*Exclusive offering for AHS President’sCouncil members. For more informationabout or to join the AHS President’sCouncil, contact Sue Galvin at (703) 768-5700 ext. 111 or [email protected].

Gardens and Innovation:Chicagoland and Rockford% ��&'�&��(��#�$��)��June 16–20, 2010■ This tour will highlight the innovative gardensthat have contributed to the greening of Chicagoand influenced the horticultural heritage thatdistinguishes the surrounding communities. InRockford, Illinois, an America in Bloom award-winning city, we will see how community spirit hasfostered the creation of exceptional gardens.

Sicily: Gardens and Antiquities% ��&'�&��(��#�$��)��*��'�� +�� '�� October 28–November 7, 2010■ From the sparkling seascapes of Taormina to therugged landscape of the island’s interior, this tourwill explore the fascinating archaeological sites,historical monuments, and fantastic gardens ofSicily. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity awaits you.

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LIKE EVERY business sector, theAmerican gardening industry hasbeen affected by the world’s cur-

rent economic troubles. Many nurseriesreported lagging sales in 2009, with gar-deners being more frugal about their pur-chases and reduced demand for plantsfrom landscape contractors. But there ishope for the future. “Up to several yearsago, there was a lot of gloom-and-doomtalk about how no one wants to gardenanymore,” says Marty Wingate, gardencolumnist for the Seattle-Post Intelligencerand author of several gardening books.“Now there is a real surge of interest ingardening again—especially vegetablegardening.”

Will gardening make a healthy come-back in America in 2010? We talked to sev-eral horticultural professionals across thecountry to get their perspectives.

WHAT GARDENERS ARE LOOKING FORAll the horticultural professionals agreethat the biggest trend is growing edi-bles—driven by people wanting to savemoney by growing some of their ownproduce or those dedicated to the “loca-vore” movement who grow their ownfood so they know where it comes from.

Sandi Hillermann McDonald, presi-dent of Hillermann Nursery & Florist inWashington, Missouri, says, “We’ve seengreat interest in edible gardening, not onlyin the old-fashioned vegetable gardens ofour grandparents, but in square-foot [in-tensive] gardening and especially combi-nation container gardens.” McDonaldpredicts that gardeners will be seekingcompact varieties of edibles, such as bushtomatoes and cucumbers and dwarf egg-plants and peppers, that can be grown incontainers. She is planning to capitalize onthis trend by offering pre-planted combi-nations of edibles in containers. “We’regoing to stress the ease of growing yourown food by offering these to our cus-tomers, along with recipes.”

This burgeoning interest in gardeninghas brought many beginners to gardencenters. Gardening has often been viewed

as a pastime for middle-aged people, butthis may be changing. “The nurseries herein the Northwest had a great spring lastyear,” says Wingate, “and they noticed alot of young people coming in who didn’tknow the difference between a petuniaand a zinnia, so there was a need to edu-cate along with making the sales.”

In addition to vegetable gardening,many gardeners want to learn moreabout ways to garden in harmony withthe environment. Janet Carson, an Ex-tension horticulture specialist who headsthe Arkansas Master Gardener program,says, “People have been asking for moreprograms on sustainability or ‘green’ gar-dens. Rain gardens, rain barrels, and low-input gardening are also popular newerprograms for us.”

In Arizona, landscape designer ScottCalhoun uses rainwater-harvesting tech-niques in the gardens of clients who wantto maintain vegetable gardens and citrustrees. In other parts of the gardens, he re-lies on plants suited to the arid conditionsof the Southwest that don’t require sup-

plemental watering to thrive, includingcacti and other succulents.

“One of the biggest trends is the in-creasing availability of new hybrid Amer-ican plants,” says Calhoun. “A lot of ouragaves, for example, were once rare col-lectors’ plants that can now be mass-produced because of tissue culture.”

Calhoun also cites a design trend ofusing succulents for their bold forms ingardens outside the Southwest. “This ispart of another trend of integrating succu-lents into gardens among other plants,” hesays, “instead of segregating them in theirown part of the garden or in containers.”

Plants that provide a long period ofbloom are always in demand. At WilliamsNursery in Westfield, New Jersey, part-ner Dave Williams has noticed thatwoody ornamentals that have been bredto flower multiple times during the yearare very popular with his customers.“This trend began with the introductionof the Endless Summer® hydrangeas andEncore® azaleas a few years ago,” saysWilliams. “We’re starting to sell moreEncore azaleas, although I’m not yet to-tally convinced as to their winter hardi-ness in New Jersey.”

IT’S ABOUT THE PLANTSWith so many new gardeners in the gameand economic recovery likely to be slow,2010 looks to shape up as a year of gettingback to basics.

“Over the last three years, I have no-ticed a change in what my clients want—for the better,” says Calhoun. “People usedto spend a lot of money on frills like spasand bars in the garden. They have dialedback on those things and gone back toplants and solving problems with plants.”

“There’s going to be loads more inter-est in beginning gardening,” Wingate pre-dicts. “People are going to start with whatinterests them most—usually growingplants for their flowers. But from therethey’ll broaden their horizons.” �

Mary Yee is managing editor and art direc-tor of The American Gardener.

2010 Garden Forecast

BY MARY YEE

What’s in store for the new

year? More choices and a

return to the fundamentals.


More new vegetables■ ‘Jumbo’ green bean. Stringless even at 10 inches. (Johnny’s Selected Seeds)■ ‘RSVPEA’ pea. Early variety that can grow in marginally cold regions. (W. Atlee Burpee & Co.)■ ‘Skyphos’ lettuce. Heat-tolerant butterhead lettuce with attractive red leaves, grows up toeight inches in diameter. (Johnny’s Selected Seeds)■ ‘Sweetheart of the Patio’ cherry tomato. A determinate tomato ideal for growing in containers. (W. Atlee Burpee & Co.)

Edibles

NEW PLANTS FOR 2010Each year the plant industry introduces a lengthy list of new plants aimed at grabbingthe gardener’s attention. On the following pages, we’ve selected a variety of promisingnew plants to pique the interest of both beginning and seasoned gardeners.

Dove hybrid melon. A super-sweet melonwith five- to six-inch-diameter fruitsweighing three to four pounds. (Park Seeds) Purple Pak (F1) carrot. Eight-inch-long

purple carrots with yellow cores. (Johnny’sSelected Seeds)

‘Golden’ beet. Sweet mild flesh is goldenand doesn’t bleed like red-fleshed beetswhen cut or cooked. (Renee’s Garden)

‘Scarlet Empire’ runner bean. A selection ofa British heirloom with improved vigor andfaster germination. Flavorful pods are longand stringless. (Thompson & Morgan)

‘Catalogna’ garnet stem endive. Red stemswith bright green leaves and savory flavor.(The Cook’s Garden)


Perennials

Above: Agave neomexicana‘Sunspot’. A very hardy selectionof variegated agave that grows to12 inches tall and 20 incheswide. Zones 6–10, 10–5. (HighCountry Gardens)

Left: Andropogon gerardii ‘MegaBlue’ (big bluestem grass). Thisselection of a North Americanprairie native grows to over fivefeet tall, with gray-blue foliagethat turns coppery in autumn.Zones 3–8, 8–1. (High CountryGardens)

Echinacea ‘Heavenly Dream’. This cone-flower has fragrant, white, four-inch blooms.Compact plants grow to two feet high. Zones4–9, 9–1. (Terra Nova Nurseries)

Penstemon ‘Prairie Twilight’ (beardtongue).Pink-and-white flowers bloom from early tomidsummer on vigorous 22-inch-tall plants.Zones 4–9, 9–5. (Blooms of Bressingham)

Hemerocallis Jersey Earlybird™‘Cardinal’. Bred by renowneddaylily hybridizer Darrel Apps, thisis the first in a series of early-blooming daylilies. Red flowersstart blooming in May and continuefor up to nearly 100 days. Pest anddisease resistant and droughttolerant. Zones 4–10, 9–1.(Centerton Nursery)


Retail SourcesDavid Austin Roses, Tyler, TX. (800)328-8893. www.davidaustinroses.com.Great Garden Plants, Holland, MI.(877) 447-4769.www.greatgardenplants.com.High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, NM.(800) 925-9387. www.highcountrygardens.com.Jelitto, Louisville, KY. (502) 895-0807. www.jelitto.com.Johnny’s Selected Seeds,Winslow, ME. (877) 564-6697.www.johnnyseeds.com.Park Seed, Greenwood, SC. (800)213-0076. www.parkseed.com.Renee’s Garden, Felton, CA. (888)880-7228. www.reneesgarden.com.The Cook’s Garden, Warminster, PA.(800) 457-9703. www.cooksgarden.com.Thompson & Morgan, Jackson, NJ.(800) 274-7333. www.tmseeds.com.W. Atlee Burpee & Co.,Warminster, PA.(800) 333-5808. www.burpee.com.

Wholesale NurseriesVisit these companies’ websites to findretail sources for their plants.Athens Select, www.athensselect.com.Anthony Tesselaar Plants,www.tesselaar.com.Bailey Nurseries,www.baileynurseries.com.Ball Horticultural Co.,www.ballhort.com.Blooms of Bressingham,www.bobna.com.Centerton Nursery,www.centertonnursery.com.Conard Pyle, www.conard-pyle.com.Gardener’s Confidence,www.gardenersconfidence.com.Monrovia, www.monrovia.com.Plant Development Services,www.plantdevelopment.com. Proven Winners,www.provenwinners.com.Spring Meadow Nursery,www.springmeadownursery.com.Terra Nova Nurseries,www.terranovanurseries.com.Walters Gardens, Inc.,www.waltersgardens.com.

Disporum cantoniense ‘GreenGiant’ (Chinese fairy bells).Evergreen collected byplantsman Dan Hinkley inChina. Plants grow to six feettall. Pink, white, and greenbamboolike shoots mature togreen. Fragrant white flowersbloom in spring on newgrowth. Zones 6–9, 9–5.(Monrovia)

Deschampsia caespitosa ‘Pixie Fountain’(tufted hairgrass). This compact selectiongrows only two feet tall and forms featheryblooms in June. Zones 4–8, 8–1. (Jelitto)

Monarda didyma ‘Purple Rooster’ (bee balm).Deep purple flowers and mildew resistant.Grows to three feet tall on strong stems.Zones 4–10, 10–1. (Walters Gardens)

More new perennials■ Chasmanthium latifolium ‘River Mist’ (Northern river oats). Plants grow 30 inches tall; bothleaves and seedheads are variegated white and green. Zones 5–9, 9–1. (Great Garden Plants)■ Coreopsis ‘Ruby Frost’. Bright red flower petals are widely edged with white. Plants growabout two feet high and three feet wide. Zones 7–9, 9–1. (Terra Nova Nurseries)■ Gaillardia ‘Georgia Yellow’ (blanket flower). Solid yellow flowers, compact habit. Heat andhumidity tolerant. Zones 4–9, 9–1. (Athens Select)■ Leucanthemum ✕superbum ‘Banana Cream’ (Shasta daisy). Four-inch-wide, lemon-yellowflowers mature to creamy yellow and white. Compact plants grow to 18 inches tall. Zones5–9, 9–1. (Great Garden Plants/Walters Gardens)■ Pulsatilla vulgaris ‘Perlen Glocke’ (Pasque flower). Low-growing early-spring bloomer withsoft-pink, cupped flowers. Zones 5–7, 7–5. (Jelitto)

Annuals & TenderPerennials

Pennisetum setaceum ‘Fireworks’ (purple fountaingrass). Foliage isvariegated pink, red, white, and green. Plants grow to 28 inches talland bear burgundy-colored inflorescences. (Great Garden Plants)

Ipomoea batatas Ilusion™ Midnight Lace (sweet potato vine). Darkpurplish, deeply lobed leaves have red venation. More compact andless agressive than most sweet potato vines, growing eight to 10inches in length. (Proven Winners)

Zinnia ‘Profusion Yellow’. The first yellow inthe Profusion series. Compact plants growto 15 inches high and are heat and droughttolerant. (Park Seed)

Cosmos ‘Rubenza’. Deep ruby-red flowers onthree-foot-tall plants. Fleuroselect’s 2010Flower of the Year. (Thompson & Morgan)

Pretty Much Picasso™ hybrid petunia. Hot-pinkflowers have contrasting lime-green margins.(Proven Winners)

More new annuals■ Ipomoea Carnival™ (morning glory).Five- to six-foot vines bear a mix of largewhite trumpet flowers with pink or bluestreaks. (Park Seed)■ Cyperus involucratus Graceful Grasses™Baby Tut™ (umbrella plant). Grasslikeplant ideal for small water gardens;grows two feet tall. Zones 8–11, 12–1.(Proven Winners)■ Osteospermum Voltage Yellow™ (Africandaisy). A cool-season plant with improvedheat tolerance. Yellow flowers bloom allsummer. (Ball Horticultural Co.)■ Phormium cookianum ‘Black Adder’(New Zealand flax). Burgundy-blackspikes of foliage; grows to three feet tall.Zones 9–11, 12–1. (Anthony Tesselaar)

the American Gardener18


Trees & Shrubs

Rosa Princess Alexandra of Kent(‘Ausmerchant’ rose). Large, fully doublepink blooms have a strong tea fragrance.Plants are compact, growing under four feettall. Zones 4–9, 9–1. (David Austin® Roses)

Lagerstroemia indica Berry Dazzle® (‘GAMADVI’ dwarf crape myrtle). Early-bloomingfuchsia-colored flowers cover plants thatgrow to three feet tall with similar spread.Zones 7–9, 9–6. (Gardener’s Confidence)

Syringa Bloomerang® (‘Penda’ lilac). Growsto a compact five feet tall and four feet wide.Fragrant purple flowers bloom in spring andagain in midsummer to fall. Zones 6–9, 9–4.(Spring Meadow Nursery)

Quercus nuttallii Charisma® (‘Mon Powe’Nuttall oak). Deciduous native selection hasattractive chocolate-colored spring foliagethat matures to green. Grows to 60 feet tall.Zones 5–9, 9–4. (Monrovia)

Clethra alnifolia Sugartina® (‘Crystalina’ sweet pepperbush). Dwarf selection with dark glossyleaves grows about 30 inches tall and wide. Fragrant white flowers bloom in late summer tofall. Zones 4–9, 9–1. (Spring Meadow Nursery)

More new trees and shrubs■ Magnolia grandiflora Baby Grand® (‘STRgra’southern magnolia). Dwarf evergreen growsto 10 feet tall and wide. Zones 6–9, 7–1.(Anthony Tesselaar/Monrovia)■ Prunus sargentii First Editions® SpringWonder™ (‘Hokkado Normandale’ Sargentcherry). This hardy tree provides year-roundinterest: red-brown bark, pink spring flowers,and purplish spring foliage that turns darkgreen in summer and yellow, orange, or red infall. Zones 5–9, 9–5. (Bailey Nurseries)■ Rhododendron Autumn Lilac™ (Encore®

azalea ‘Robles’). Lavender-colored flowersbloom from spring to fall. Zones 5–9, 9–5.(Plant Development Services)■ Rosa Sunny Knock Out® (‘Radsunny’ rose).Vigorous, disease-resistant plants growthree to four feet tall and wide; yellowflowers bloom from spring to fall. Zones5–9, 9–1. (Conard Pyle)

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OA K S (Quercus spp.) are thetrees of legends. They havebeen associated with construc-

tion, fuel, food, fodder, folklore, andspirituality for millennia because of theirutility, longevity, strength, beauty, andubiquitousness. As a measure of theirpopularity, in a poll conducted in 2001by the National Arbor Day Foundation,the oak was selected as the national treeof the United States.

About 500 oak species have been iden-tified worldwide, making oaks one of themost prevalent and important trees of theNorthern Hemisphere. This diversegenus ranges from low groundcover oaksand suckering shrubs to towering forestgiants, and from evergreen to deciduous.

Oaks are categorized into four sec-tions, or subgroups, three of which arerepresented among the 60 odd speciesnative to North America. White oaks

and red oaks are the primary subgroupson this continent; a few members of thethird group, golden oaks, are confined tothe American Southwest. In the UnitedStates, they grow wild in 47 states—sorryHawaii, Alaska, and Idaho—growing in

habitats ranging from swamps to dunesand deserts. Many species are widelyadaptable under cultivation even farfrom their natural ranges. Oak trees arein many cases linchpins of the plant com-munities to which they belong, provid-ing shade and shelter for wildlife andunderstory plants, and food for birds,small mammals, and insects.

At Starhill Forest, the research arbore-tum my wife, Edie, and I created in Pe-tersburg, Illinois, we grow severalhundred oak taxa. I have also sought outoaks throughout North America andaround the world as a member of the In-ternational Oak Society and while re-searching books on native trees (see“Resources,” page 22). Based on my ex-perience, if you’re looking for a depend-able specimen or shade tree capable ofanchoring your landscape, it’s hard tobeat one of our native oaks.

All-American OaksIf you’re looking for a classic

shade tree that comes with

rich cultural history, important

ecological associations, and a

durable constitution, look no

further than one of America’s

many native oak trees.

BY GUY STERNBERG

Quercus garryanaQuercus garryana

SITING AND CARING FOR OAKSOaks have a reputation for being slowgrowing, but with proper site selection,planting technique, mulching, and wa-tering, you can coax several feet ofgrowth per year out of many species.Some will attain enormous size eventual-ly, so when selecting a site, be sure to ac-count for overhead wiring and theproximity of buildings and roads. Aswith most other trees, oaks do best whencompetition from turf is minimized, socreate a mulched area around the basethat is continually expanded to remainabout as broad as the canopy of the tree.

Ongoing care of oaks is similar to whatyou would provide for any other qualitylandscape tree. Give them supplementalwatering during dry spells until they arewell established. Make sure string trim-mers are kept well away from the trunkwhen the trees are young, avoid damage tothe root system through soil compactionor excavation, apply timely structuralpruning, and be on the alert for invasionsof gypsy moths and other scourges thatcan weaken or kill your trees.

You can grow oaks easily from acornscollected and planted in the fall. You alsocan obtain seedlings from nurseries, butmake sure they have been raised usingproper root-training methods. If youcheck with a nursery and they don’tknow what root-training productionmeans, try somewhere else. Most oaks aredifficult to transplant, so don’t try dig-ging them from the wild. (For more ongrowing oak trees from seed, visit the webspecial linked to this article atwww.ahs.org.)

Once planted, protect oak seedlingsfrom rabbits, deer, and landscape crewsuntil they are large enough to be rela-tively impervious to abuse. For this youcan use tree tubes to start, followed bysturdy wire cages.

The following oaks are ones I heartilyrecommend for gardens in different re-gions of North America (additionalchoices are listed in a chart on page 23).Estimated heights are based on what youcan expect in garden settings; trees oftengrow larger in the wild. �

Guy Sternberg is an author, photographer, ar-borist, landscape architect, and certified treehugger living in Petersburg, Illinois.

WESTCanyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis,USDA Hardiness Zones 7–9, AHS HeatZones 9–7). The greatest of the goldenoaks, this beautiful evergreen tree isfound on rocky soils in the mountains ofsouthwest Oregon, California, and partsof Arizona. It grows 20 to 60 feet tall witha similar spread. Its oval leaves—glossygreen on top and grayish blue on the un-dersides—can be smooth-edged or spiny.The large acorns have beautiful, furry,golden caps. This species, unfortunately,is susceptible to sudden oak death(SOD), a fungal disease that has affectedmany western oak species.

Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia, Zones8–10, 10–6). Anyone who has photo-graphed the central California coast is like-ly to have captured the convoluted limbsof this majestic evergreen tree, which grows20 to 70 feet tall with an often greaterspread. Its leathery, dark green, oval leaveshave serrated edges much like those of hol-lies. It is one of the only red oaks that pro-duces mature acorns in a single growingseason. It is susceptible to SOD and growsbest where it receives regular moisture.

Garry oak (Quercus garryana, Zones6–8, 8–5). The “white” oak of the North-west, this deciduous species and its vari-eties can be found from BritishColumbia south through central Cali-fornia on dry, exposed sites at low and

mid elevations. It reaches 40 to 90 feetwith a 30- to 60-foot spread. Its leaves areglossy green on the upper surface, red-dish and downy on the undersides; fallcolor is red to brown. This is the only oakspecies found through much of its range,and is thus very important for wildlifehabitat. So far it has not exhibited sus-ceptibility to SOD.

SOUTH AND SOUTHWESTBuckley’s oak (Quercus buckleyi, Zones5–9, 10–6). A fine-textured, deciduousspecies from central Texas, this is one of themost colorful oaks in autumn and is valu-able as a medium-sized (to 30 or 40 feet)

landscape tree, often sending up multipletrunks. It is suitable for hot sites and alka-line soil. Its sharply lobed leaves are yel-lowish green but turn scarlet in fall. Closelyrelated to Shumard oak (Q. shumardii), ithas produced a stable spontaneous hybridwith that species named Q. ✕sternbergii(yes, I’m proud to acknowledge it wasnamed after yours truly).

Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii, Zones5–8, 8–4). The primary oak species of thesouthern Rocky Mountains in the FourCorners states, Gambel oak sometimesgrows into a medium-sized tree but ismore frequently shrubby (and sometimessuckering), typically reaching 15 to 30feet. It has a pale gray or whitish bark anddeeply lobed leaves that are dark green onL

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the top and downy, pale green beneath.Fall color, if any, is usually russet. It tol-erates drought and poor soil, but willthrive in rich, well-drained garden soil.

MIDWESTBur oak (Quercus macrocarpa, Zones 2–9,9–2). A majestic icon of the Midwest sa-vanna, bur or mossycup oak is native fromsouthern Ontario south to Pennsylvaniaand west to Manitoba and the Gulf Coastof Texas. This deciduous oak is hardy,drought tolerant, and very adaptable todifferent habitats. It generally tops out at60 to 80 feet with similar spread, but canreach 90 feet on favorable sites. Its darkgreen, lobed leaves appear to be divided

into two sections by a deep indentation inthe middle; fall color is a dull tan. Its dec-oratively fringed acorns vary in size froma half-inch to more than two inches long.

Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii,Zones 4–8, 8–3). Also known as yellowchestnut oak, this graceful tree is more tol-erant of alkaline soil than any other largeoak. It can be found over the broadest nat-ural range of any of our oak species, inhabitats ranging from Mexican mountainsand desert canyons to eastern flood plains.It grows 40 to 50 feet tall with equal or

greater spread in cultivation (larger in thewild). Its lustrous yellow-green leaves, withdecorative serrated margins, turn yellow tolight orange in fall. It was named the 2009Urban Tree of the Year by the Society ofMunicipal Arborists.

SOUTHEAS TPost oak (Quercus stellata, Zones 5–9,9–5). Native from southern New Englandto Florida and west to Iowa and Texas, thisis one of our longest lived, most durable

deciduous oaks. Equally at home in poor-ly drained woodlands or thin, scorched soilover bedrock outcrops, it grows slowly,reaching 40 to 70 feet at maturity. Its lus-trous green leaves are divided into twolarge lobes. Fall color tends to be subduedrusset to orange, with leaves often stayingon the tree into winter.

Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana,Zones 7/8–10, 10–7). The quintessentialsymbol of the Deep South, live oak is the

SourcesBurnt Ridge Nursery, Onalaska, WA. www.burntridgenursery.com.

Nature Hills Nursery, Omaha, NE. www.naturehills.com.

Oikos Tree Crops, Kalamazoo, MI. www.oikostreecrops.com.

Shooting Star Nursery, Georgetown, NY. www.shootingstarnursery.com.

Taylor Creek Restoration Nurseries, Brodhead, WI. www.appliedco.com.

ResourcesInternational Oak Society, www.internationaloaksociety.org.

Native Trees for North American Landscapes by Guy Sternberg with Jim Wilson.Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2004.

Oak: The Frame of Civilization by William Bryant Logan. W.W. Norton & Company,New York, New York, 2006.

Quercus macrocarpa

Quercus virginiana at Bok Tower Pinewood Estate in Lakewood, Florida.

Quercus macrocarpa

Quercus virginiana at Bok Tower Pinewood Estate in Lakewood, Florida.

famous sprawling evergreen monarchof plantation allées and coastal forestsfrom Texas around the Gulf of Mex-ico and north along the Atlantic coastto Virginia. Trees typically grow 50 to80 feet tall with a spread that can bemore than twice that. The smooth-edged, leathery, evergreen leaves areabout three inches long, lustrous darkgreen above and downy gray-greenbelow. The narrow, tapered acorns area primary food for a variety ofwildlife. Live oak tolerates salt spray,heat, and humidity, but thrives main-ly on the coastal plain.

Water oak (Quercus nigra, Zones6–9, 9–5). One of the fastest growingof the southern oaks, water oak isoften used as a street tree in the South. Na-tive from Delaware south to Florida andwest to Texas and Missouri, it grows 50 to80 feet tall with a rounded to uprightshape. Its variable leaves are often long andnarrow when young, becoming shorterand broader at the top as trees mature. Insome cases, the leaves remain green late inthe year before turning reddish. Given ap-

propriate structural pruning while youngto stimulate development of a strongbranching habit, it makes a fine shade tree.It tolerates wet sites.

NORTHEAS TNorthern red oak (Quercus rubra, Zones3–7, 7–1). Fast-growing and adaptable,the northern red oak tolerates light shade

when young better than manyother oaks. Its native range is fromeastern Canada west to Minnesotaand south through much of theeastern United States. One of ourlargest native trees, it can becomeimmense (60 to 80 feet in heightand spread) on suitable sites. Fall fo-liage color ranges from crimson torusset. It will thrive in a site withmoist, but free-draining, soil.

White oak (Quercus alba, Zones3–9, 9–1). One of our most colorfuland valuable trees, the long-livedwhite oak is very common in easternforests from Florida to Canada andwest through Missouri. Many his-toric landmark trees in the north-

eastern states—at least those that havesurvived into the present century—arewhite oaks. Prized for its scarlet fall foliage,this shade tree is relatively slow-growing,reaching 50 to 80 feet tall with a similar oreven greater canopy spread at maturity.Allow room in the garden for this tree toachieve its ultimate size and become a lega-cy for future generations. �S

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MORE NOTEWORTHY REGIONAL OAK TREES

EASTERN U.S.Name Height/Spread Notable Characteristics; Garden Needs Native Range USDA/AHS Zones

Black oak 50–70/50–70 Glossy green leaves with orange tufts on the undersides; East & Central 3–9, 9–3

(Q. velutina) drought tolerant, adaptable

Nuttall’s oak 50–70/40–80 Good spring (reddish purple) and fall (yellow to red) foliage, South Central 6–9,9–5

(Q. nuttallii, syn. fast growing; adaptable to poor drainage and various levels pH

Q. texana)Overcup oak 40–70/40–70 Good spring and fall foliage color; tolerant of moist soils and flooding Southeast & Central 5–9, 9–4

(Q. lyrata)Shumard oak 60–80/80 Bright red fall color, fast growing; adaptable to pH and wet or dry soil Southeast & Central 5–9, 9–5

(Q. shumardii)Swamp chestnut oak 100/100 Brilliant fall color contrasts with light bark; tolerates wet soils Southeast & 5–9, 9–5

(Q. michauxii) Central

Swamp white oak 50–80/50–80 Two-tone green and white leaves, yellow fall color; tolerates poorly East & Central 4–8, 8–4

(Q. bicolor) drained or compacted soil

Willow oak 40–80/30–80 Fine-textured leaves turn gold in fall, fast growing; Southeast 5–9,9–4

(Q. phellos) adaptable, good cultivars available

WESTERN U.S.Emory oak 40–60/40–70 Sub-evergreen with intricate form, edible acorns; very drought tolerant Southwest 6–9, 9–5

(Q. emoryi) Smoky oak 20–40/20–40 Blue-tinted leaves with rosy fall color; very adaptable Southwest 5–9, 9–5

(Q. laceyi) Valley oak 70–90/70–100 Graceful, majestic habit, sometimes weeping in old age California 6–8, 8–5

(Q. lobata)

Quercus rubraQuercus rubra

the American Gardener24

RELAX. Take a walk in your gar-den. Or simply sit in a favoritespot and look around. Allow

yourself a few moments to reflect onwhat is truly alive and free in your homehabitat. Is everything neatly arranged ac-cording to plan, or are there beautiful ac-cidents in the mix? Among the plantings,do you see any self-perpetuating com-munities, seeding freely and continuingthemselves without effort on your part(without watering, fertilizing, or spray-ing)? Beyond beauty, do these commu-nities also nurture other living things inthe garden? If so, then the landscape sur-rounding you possesses something essen-tial to real diversity and sustainability:

Genuine wildness. Inviting a bit of wild-ness into our gardens isn’t a new idea, butdue to increasingly diminished naturalhabitats, it is more important than everbefore. The good news is that wildness isa renewable resource.

ROOTS OF WILD GARDENINGWilliam Robinson (1838–1935) famouslyintroduced the concept of wild gardeningin his ground-breaking classic, The WildGarden, first published in 1870. The bookpromotes an authentically naturalistic andtruly low-maintenance approach basedupon Robinson’s vast experience as a gar-dener, a botanist, and a direct observer ofdiverse habitats. In his foreword, Robinson

makes clear that his concept has “nothingto do with the old idea of the ‘Wilderness’”and this is an important, practical distinc-tion. In recent centuries, “Wilderness” hasevolved from a fearsome, dangerously wildplace to be conquered, into a mythic realmwhere the last best things reside. It’s easy tounderstand the appeal of “Wilderness” if itevokes a pristine Nature untouched by hu-mans, but as an ideal it describes no role forus in a balanced ecology.

Wildness, in contrast, refers to the free-dom of living things to exist and evolvewithout our complete control. Just as wecherish our own autonomy, celebrating au-tonomy in the life of our gardens is a re-sponsible step toward integrating the

human community into an enlightenedenvironmental model. We can begin sim-ply, by allowing a seed to germinate.

Not so long ago, gardeners grew mostof their plants from seed, and with seedcomes diversity. There are many good rea-sons why vegetatively propagated, orcloned, cultivated varieties, are now thenorm in horticulture, but there are alsocosts. Clonal cultivars offer predictable ap-pearance and performance, both of whichare often necessary to implement andmaintain precise designs. Unfortunately,the dramatic uniformity of such plantsand the static nature of highly structuredplantings are at odds with biological di-versity. In addition, the maintenance of


What is Wild?…and why it mattersARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY RICK DARKE

Great sweeps of ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) and cinnamon fern (Osmundacinnamomea) wend their way over the north-facing slope opposite the March Bank at WinterthurMuseum and Country Estate in Delaware. The banks of the stream at the bottom of the slopeprovide habitat for naturalized moisture-loving species including sedges, ferns, and hostas.Canopy trees and a variety of indigenous and introduced shrubs self-sow freely. Some are editedto preserve views and design intent, while others remain as essential elements in the garden’sregenerative process. The garden’s founder, Henry Francis du Pont, owned a copy of WilliamRobinson’s classic The Wild Garden, and his plantings at Winterthur were directly inspired by it.


static designs usually consumes consider-able resources, since the plantings have lit-tle capacity for self-renewal or repair. Thisinability is due in part to the limited fer-tility of many clonal cultivars. While someof these, both woody and herbaceous, arecapable of producing viable seed, manyare “self-incompatible,” meaning they re-quire fertilization from a genetically dis-tinct plant. Some hybrid cultivars arecompletely sterile.

But even if cultivars are capable of pro-ducing seedlings, rigid designs allow noplace for them—the seedlings are per-ceived as weeds. The design is installed,and from that day forward it requires anendless cycle of maintenance and replen-ishment to keep it looking unchanged. Totake full advantage of the low-mainte-nance aspects of wild gardening, bothplant selection and design must evolve.

BALANCING WILDNESS AND ORDERArtfulness is at the heart of gardening, andfor artistic reasons highly ordered plantingswill always have their place in gardens. Toomuch order, however, becomes monotony.As the art of our gardens evolves, can it also

embrace the beauty of diversity and thedrama of chance occurrence? Louis Pasteursaid, “Chance favors the prepared mind,”and although his observation was intend-ed for fellow scientists, it is equally relevantto gardeners. For example, if you can imag-ine the possibilities of a mature oak, itsbranches spreading to shelter you and pro-vide sustenance for myriad wildlife, thenan acorn germinating by chance is morelikely seen as a gift, even if it is lying in aspot you might never have thought toplant an oak. You look at the acorn, evalu-ate the space, and say “OK, you can stay!”

Inviting wildness into your gardenalso increases the likelihood of serendip-ity: The accidental discovery of some-thing fortunate, especially while lookingfor something else. For example, youmight find that a favorite plant has van-ished from the location you chose for it,but something equally desirable has self-sown and is thriving there, and your firstfavorite has established itself in anotherspot that better suits its needs.

Begin inviting wildness to your gardenby taking stock of the ground layer. Thegoal is to strike a balance between keepingthe ground covered, discouraging weeds,and providing opportunities for wildlings.Ideally, plants should cover most of thesurface, because this is the most effective

This essay stems from Rick Darke’spersonal interest in wild gardening andhis contributions to a new, expanded

edition of TheWild Garden,originally writ-ten by WilliamRobinson. Thenew edition ofthe book, pub-lished by Tim-ber Press, was

released last November. To listen toRick Darke reading an excerpt fromthe book and view more images, clickon the link to this article on the AHSwebsite (www.ahs.org).

Wildness is essential to meadow gardens,since rigid adherence to a precise design atlarger scales is impractical or evenimpossible. The graceful flow of Californiapoppies (Eschscholzia californica) wendingtheir way through native grasses, verbenas(Verbena lilacina), and shrubs is the resultof naturalized populations gently edited.

means of retaining moisture and sup-pressing weeds.

Areas between plants should mostly becovered with locally derived mulch. Thiswill conserve moisture and reduce weedgrowth while providing some opportunityto germinate seeds and spores of desirablespecies. The surface should be disturbedonly when necessary to eliminate weeds,since too-frequent disturbance will preventspontaneous germination. In temperate re-gions, mosses will establish naturally onmoist, shaded, undisturbed surfaces. In ad-dition to their beauty, mosses provide anideal substrate for the germination and es-tablishment of ferns and herbaceous andwoody flowering plants.

Naturalization is the key to wild gar-dening, and it is more than simply plant-ing plants in places where they will thrivefor a time. True naturalization means es-tablishing plants so successfully that theyperpetuate themselves indefinitely byself-sowing or by natural vegetative re-production. Although traditional horti-

cultural practice is to modify site condi-tions to match plants’ needs, the most ef-ficient strategy for naturalization is tomatch plants to existing conditions asmuch as possible. This is also the mostecological and sustainable approach.

If you would like to try this in yourown garden, begin by making an inven-tory and evaluation of the cultural nich-es you can identify: These are akin tohabitats. Although some garden sites arericher than others in their variety of con-ditions, most sites include several micro-habitats. In addition, the diversity ofcultural conditions usually increases asmaturing plantings influence availablelight and moisture.

You don’t need a large property to prac-tice wild gardening. Wildness works at allscales, often finding full expression in thesmallest niches in gardens of any size. Like-wise, wildness can flourish within formalframeworks. The distinction is in promot-ing truly dynamic relationships within yourgarden’s flora and fauna.

NATIVES AND EXOTICSHow does wildness in the garden relate tothe choice of native or exotic plants?Today, any suggestion of naturalizingplants immediately brings up the issue ofinvasive species. In North America, natu-ralized exotics such as kudzu, multiflorarose, Japanese stilt-grass, and oriental bit-tersweet have proved all too well-adaptedto modern conditions. Many have dis-placed indigenous species, severely reduc-ing or altering diversity, especially inhabitats already affected by human activ-ity. Certainly the safest, most conservativeapproach to wild gardening is to restrictplantings to regionally indigenous species.At least there is empirical evidence thatthese plants are in relative balance with re-gional ecologies and will not cause may-hem if they spread beyond the garden.

In each region, however, there is also ev-idence of exotic species that can be natu-ralized in the garden but have no capacityto disrupt indigenous plant communities.William Robinson’s vision of the wild gar-den was clearly cosmopolitan, favoring na-tives when practical but promoting aglobal mix of locally adapted plants.Robinson’s England of 1870–1935 had beenheavily transformed by human activity forcenturies, and virtually all of the forests,ponds, and meadows in his sphere were, infact, managed landscapes.

Robinson was less concerned aboutprotecting long-diminished ecologiesand more focused on finding ways to sus-tain a diversely planted garden with min-imum effort and resources. In additionto locally indigenous plants, Robinson


A naturalized population of white wood aster(Aster divaricatus or Eurybia divaricatus)serves as a flowering, ground-covering matrixunder a grove of sassafras trees (Sassafrassalbidum) in the author’s Pennsylvania garden.The asters were originally planted when thetrees were young and the space was sunny.They’ve thrived without watering, fertilizing,herbicides, or replanting for more than 15years, perpetuating themselves by self-sowing. Locally indigenous floweringdogwoods (Cornus florida) and black oaks(Quercus velutina) occasionally self-sow fromseeds transported from adjacent woodlandsby weather or wildlife. Some of these areedited out, and others are selected to remain.

naturalized many North American, Eu-ropean, and Asian species at his WestSussex garden, Gravetye Manor, and theresiliency of Robinson’s naturalizedplantings there are proof of the practicalvalue of wild gardening.

Though none of Robinson’s introduc-tions have subsequently taken over theEnglish countryside, environmental con-ditions in his region are unlike those inmost of North America, and his results areonly partly relevant here. Robinson wasparticularly pleased with his success innaturalizing minor bulbs—includingdaffodils, crocuses, snowflakes, and glory-of-the snow—in meadows. Bulbs of thistype have proven equally suited to natu-ralization in North American gardenswithout risk of environmental harm.

EDITING AND MAINTAININGAs true wildness becomes more estab-lished, management of the garden natu-rally shifts from deliberate planting toediting, and there is great efficiency inthis. It is far less time-consuming and re-source-intensive to edit out an excess of

desired plants than it is to regularly re-place plants that have died.

Similarly, it is easier to edit self-perpet-uating, ground-covering plant popula-tions than it is to continually spreadtruckloads of mulch. And editing can be a

supremely artful exercise. Truly natural-ized plantings often have the capacity toproduce dramatic sweeps and interwovenmatrices. As your understanding of thedynamics of these populations grows andyour eye develops, it becomes quite satis-


Pinkroot (Spigelia marilandica) has been naturalized in the author’s Pennsylvania gardenfor decades, although it grows nearly everywhere except where it was originally planted. Thiscolorful southeastern native is difficult to propagate because its seeds usually scatter beforethey can be collected. Once it finds the conditions it requires in the garden, however, itself-sows readily but never to the point of being a nuisance.

Patterns of indigenous grasses and showy goldenrods (Solidago speciosa) in the gravel hill section of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s DixonPrairie are unquestionably beautiful. Although they appear artful, they are largely the result of natural dynamics, as plants in the communityrespond to sunlight, soil conditions, water, and competition.

fying to employ editing to produce pleas-ing patterns in the matrix. Editing isequally appropriate for herbaceous andwoody layers, and naturalized trees andshrubs can also be edited for pattern.

Although editing often means simpleremoval, spontaneous seedlings can alsobe transplanted elsewhere in the gardenor given to friends. Seedlings thriving inyour own soil and local climatic condi-tions typically transplant more easilyand have greater survival rates thanplants you purchase from a nursery orseed company.

How does wildness relate to the city?It is perhaps as important to the future ofour urban spaces as anywhere else, if weintend to keep them green. Urban ecolo-gies, especially in post-industrial regions,have been modified in the span of twocenturies to the point that soils andgrowing conditions are often radicallyunlike those in which the indigenousvegetation evolved. The resiliency of wildvegetation, both native and exotic, andits ability to adapt to our modern envi-ronment makes it a critical resource. Thisis nothing new. The global flora has been

in flux throughout the grand scale of his-tory, and all our present ecologies are theresult of evolution and migration. Wild-ness has been essential to the origin andsustenance of today’s species, and will re-main so for tomorrow’s. Wilderness maybe no more than a mythic ideal; howev-er, wildness is something tangible, know-able, and valuable. �

An award-winning author, photographer, lec-turer, and landscape design consultant, RickDarke (www.rickdarke.com) lives in Lan-denberg, Pennsylvania.


Lighten up on control. Inviting wildness into your garden doesn’t mean inviting chaos—it just means relinquishing sufficient con-trol to allow plants to find their ideal niches and to evolve into real communities sustained by fertile, dynamic relationships. Gar-den maintenance will be reduced if you let plants do more of the work for you: replacing themselves and providing natural weedsuppression. Shift your emphasis from planting to editing.Embrace observation. Be watchful. Recognize that observation is a pleasurable part of the essential work of maintaining a garden.When traveling, explore the dynamics evident in plant communities you visit for useful insights into plant behavior. Pay specialattention to the ground layer, and learn to recognize plants at their youngest stages. Make a point to look for desirable seedlingsand nurture them. Learn torecognize problem plants asseedlings so you can re-move them before they be-come established. Adapt plants to site, not siteto plants. The key to a re-source-conserving, sustain-able landscape is to makethe most of existing condi-tions. Evaluate the habitatsand micro-habitats on yoursite, and choose plantsmatched to available grow-ing conditions. Think twicebefore removing self-sownplants, since they often pro-vide cues to where they aremost likely to thrive. Thismanaged wildness is thebasis of true naturalization.Choose plants with geneticviability. Ensure a majority of the plants you select are capable of producing fertile seed. Some species require the presenceof genetically distinct individuals for seed production. Others require the presence of male and female plants for effective pol-lination. Plant a mix of named cultivars and unnamed seedlings. Rely on vegetative cultivars when necessary to meet designgoals but use unnamed seed-grown species whenever design allows. Allow seeds to disperse naturally. Don’t be in a hurry to neaten up the garden after flowering is finished. Allow seeds and fruitsto remain on plants until they are naturally dispersed.Be responsible with exotics. The safest approach is to work with only local or regionally indigenous species, but there are manyexamples of exotic plants that may be naturalized without risk to regional ecosystems. Before introducing any exotics to yourgarden, however, do some research to confirm they are not known to cause problems in your area. —R.D.

Above: A northern flicker feeds on viburnum berries in winter. Above, right: Since wildness in the garden isheavily dependent upon regeneration from seeds, it’s important to allow seeds to remain on standing plantsuntil they are naturally dispersed. These intricate white wood aster seeds are quite beautiful if closely observed,and these and many other seeds provide critical sustenance for birds and other local wildlife.

TIPS FOR MANAGING WILDNESS IN YOUR GARDEN

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ARE YOU crazy about cucumbersbut hate how they can overrunyour vegetable garden? Tempted

to grow winter squash but don’t have theroom? Do you love the flavor of ‘Brandy-wine’ and other indeterminate tomatoesbut have had to give up on them becausethey sprawl all over the ground?

Even when garden space is limited, youcan still grow space-hungry vegetablessuch as squash, melons, and tomatoes.Growing vegetables and vining fruits onan arbor or vertical trellis is the most effi-cient way to accommodate these plants.

Necessity led me to that discovery near-ly two decades ago when my husband andI were certified organic market growers.Our market garden consisted of about8,000 square feet of space. While that mayseem like a lot to someone growing veg-etables for personal use, it’s really not verymuch for a commercial operation.

Taking advantage of the vertical di-mension immediately increased our yieldper square foot of growing space and al-lowed us to diversify our offerings becausewe could fit more plants in a given area.Once we began refining our growing prac-tices and integrating tips from other gar-deners, we discovered even more benefitsto vertical gardening.

ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES“Trellising makes for a more orderly gar-den and, most importantly, brings moresun and air to the plant surfaces,” sayGabriel S. Murphy, chef of Gogi’sRestaurant in Jacksonville, Oregon.Owned and operated by Gabriel andbrother Jonoah Murphy, much of therestaurant’s produce comes from theirone-acre Applegate Valley farm.

For the Murphy brothers, trellisingtheir cucumbers, melons, beans, wintersquash, and tomatoes helps bring a supe-rior quality to the produce. Growing ver-

tically eliminates soil contact so vegetablesand fruits stay cleaner and are less likely torot. Fruits are quicker to ripen and oftenmore flavorful due to the additional sun-light exposure. And since the veggies andfruits are more visible and not hidden be-neath lush growth, they can be harvestedat their peak of perfection.

Trellising helps minimize mildew andother plant diseases. “An easy way forplants to contract a disease is by gettingleaves wet,” says Josh Kirschenbaum,product development director for Territo-rial Seed Company in Cottage Grove,Oregon. “Foliage that’s held off theground is less likely to get wet from rou-

High-Rising EdiblesUtilizing the third dimension to grow vegetables and other edibles makes optimum use of available

garden space and offers many other advantages. BY KRIS WETHERBEE

This handcrafted wooden trellis works well for growing scarlet runner beans. Its open frameworkpermits good air flow to minimize disease while still lending enough support for the vines.

tine waterings and, consequently, less like-ly to become diseased.” When trellisedplants do get wet, the added air circulationhelps leaves dry out more quickly.

In addition, trellising saves strain onyour back because there is minimalbending over needed to harvest crops.Compared with standard growing prac-tices, less watering, weeding, and feedingis needed to produce the yield from veg-etables grown on vertical supports. “Trel-lised edibles can also make a wonderfulliving fence or privacy screen,” addsKirschenbaum.

GETTING STARTEDBefore setting up any type of trellis system,it’s important to prepare the soil. This is es-sential to produce increased yields in asmaller space. Ideally the soil should beloose, free draining, and high in organicmatter. Amending the soil prior to plant-ing with lots of compost or well-rotted ma-nure will improve the soil tilth and fertilityand help get plants off to a good start.

Where and how you situate your trel-lis system is equally important. Keep inmind that plants growing vertically willcast a shadow. Running your trellis in an

east-to-west direction on the north side ofyour garden will create optimal light ex-posure for trellised plants while casting theleast amount of shadow in the garden.Shadows cast over neighboring sun-lovingcrops can be minimized by running yourtrellis in a north-to-south direction,though vertical plants on the northern endof the trellis will receive less light thanplants on the southern end.

A few shadows are inevitable, but gar-deners can use these to their advantage byplanting shade-tolerant crops near a plant-laden trellis. “Lettuce, spinach, and otherleafy greens tend to prefer cooler tempera-tures and often do not perform well in theheat of summer,” Kirschenbaum explains.“A trellis oriented in an east-to-west direc-tion will provide shade in the growingspace north of the trellis.”

TRELLIS-WORTHY EDIBLESAny vining or sprawling plant with fruitssmaller than a bowling ball can be trel-lised as long as they are grown on a stur-dy, tall structure that is strong enough tosupport the weight of the mature plantand resulting fruits.

Lightweight trellis structures are oftenadequate to support the weight of cucum-bers, pole beans, and peas. Those needingsturdier support include indeterminatetomatoes (which keep growing and pro-ducing fruits until frost), non-bush vari-

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TRELLIS TIPS■ Avoid disturbance to plant roots andemerging seedlings by installing yourtrellis before planting in the garden.■ For easier harvesting, choose nettingor panels that have large openings.■ Set your trellis firmly in place bysinking trellis posts 24 inches deep.■ Vertical frame trellises are often setside by side in a straight row. But ar-ranging them in a zigzag pattern, asan arbor, or with spacing betweenframes, will create different micro-climates for integrating low-growingplants such as lettuces and herbs.■ To allow for tilling and other bedmodifications, trellising should ide-ally be portable or relatively easy todismantle. —K.W.

By trellising his tomatoes against a south-facing wall that provides shelter from wind andcollects heat from the sun, this Oregon gardener ensures an earlier and more prolific harvest.

When trained on a wire trellis, peas are more productive and easier to harvest.

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eties of summer squash, and small-fruitedwinter squash. A heavy-duty trellis is re-quired to support the weight of non-bushvarieties of small melons or pumpkins(bowling ball size or smaller), determinatetomatoes, and winter squash.

Depending on the mature fruit size ofthe variety—a melon the size of a bowlingball can weigh up to eight pounds—youmay also need to attach a sling made ofnylon stockings or other stretchy materialto the trellis and place the developing fruitin the sling. The added support will ensurethat the fruit stays on the vine and doesn’tcause the vine to break.

STANDING TALLA variety of trellis systems can be used togrow vegetables, from cages to poles,stakes, string, trellises, and arbors. Plantsare typically grown up plastic or stringmesh, chicken wire, or hog panels, or byhand-strung twine or wire attached to trel-lis supports made of metal, wood, bam-boo, plastic, or PVC pipe.

My favorite structure for trellisingplants is a hog or cattle panel—these arebasically sections of fencing made of gal-vanized heavy wire. Cattle panels are usu-ally about five feet tall with squareopenings about six inches across. Hog pan-els are about three feet tall, with top squareopenings about six inches across that getprogressively smaller lower to the ground.

Available from farm supply stores, theseprovide an inexpensive way of creating along-lasting and rust-resistant trellis. Thepanels work well with pole beans and peasas well as tomatoes and non-bush varietiesof cucumbers and summer squash. How-ever, vining crops such as gourds and mel-ons may be too heavy, depending on howthe panels are used.

In our garden, we use two 10-foot sec-tions of hog or cattle panels to form an A-frame, securing them at the top. You canalso run panels upright and secure themto metal posts spaced about five feet apartin a row, attaching the panel to each postwith heavy-duty wire or zip ties. To raisethe trellis height to six feet tall, simply at-tach the panel two feet off the ground.

SourcesAgri-Supply Company, Garner, NC. (800) 345-0169. www.agrisupply.com.

A.M. Leonard’s Gardeners Edge, Piqua, OH. (888) 555-5676. www.gardenersedge.com.

Lee Valley Tools, Ogdensburg, NY. (800) 871-8158. www.leevalley.com.

Park Seed, Greenwood, SC. (800) 213-0076. www.parkseed.com.

W. Atlee Burpee Co., Warminster, PA. (800) 333-5808. www.burpee.com.

ResourcesAmerican Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Gardening Techniques. Editedby David J. Ellis, Fiona Gilsenan, Rita Pelczar, and Graham Rice. Mitchell Beaz-ley/Octopus, New York, New York, 2009.

Burpee The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener by Karan Davis Cutler. Macmil-lan, New York, New York, 1997.

Designing the New Kitchen Garden: An American Potager Handbook by JenniferBartley. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2006.

Above left: Scarlet runner beans climb string on this “maypole” style trellis. Above right: Wire panels joined at the top to form an A-frameare an efficient way to support tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, and other crops that require sturdy support.

Another hog- or cattle-panel trellis canbe made by bending a panel into a U-shape and then pushing the ends into theground to form an arch. Secure the trellisin place by pounding four-foot pieces ofrebar about two feet into the ground at thecorners and then wiring the panel to therebar for added strength.

Bean teepees can easily be made by se-curing several eight- to 10-foot lengths ofbamboo or rebar together at the top. Thebottom ends are then spread out in teepeefashion around the growing area. Securethe teepee by pushing each end of the poledown into the ground as far as it will go,from one to two feet. Weave garden twinethrough the poles or wrap and securechicken wire around the teepee to create asurface for plants such as pole beans, polepeas, or cucumbers to climb.

AN INNOVATIVE IDEATrellising doesn’t have to be vertical. InNew Orleans, Lance Hill, executive di-rector of the Southern Institute for Edu-cation & Research at Tulane Universityin New Orleans, has discovered that thebest way to grow mirlitons (Sechiumedule), also known as chayote or veg-etable pear, is on a horizontal trellis. “Theincreased sun exposure and air circula-tion allows for easy access for hand polli-nation and greater yields,” Hill explains.

Some mirliton growers construct a per-gola-type trellis similar to ones designed forgrapes. Plants climb up trellis posts andthen grow across the top “roof” (usuallymade of heavy-duty wire panels), creatinga canopy of vegetation. However, Hill hasdevised a four-foot high horizontal trellisthat works well in small spaces. A series ofmetal posts are placed four feet out fromthe fence. He then uses clips to fasten a 50-foot-long-by-four-foot-wide roll of fencingwire to the existing fence and metal stakes,creating up to six times the growing spacecompared to growing mirlitons up a fence.

Whether you place your trellises hori-zontally or vertically, growing certain veg-etables off the ground expands yourgardening options. Either way, your gar-den—and the bounty it provides—willsoar to new heights of satisfaction. �

Author Kris Wetherbee and her husband,Rick, grow vegetables, fruits, and ornamentalplants in their Oakland, Oregon, garden.

TYPES OF TRELLISINGThere are many different types of trellis systems to choose from. Here’s an overviewof some of the most useful setups for vertical gardening.CAGES Often used for growing tomatoes, cages can also be used to support pep-pers and eggplant. Cone-shaped cagescan be reinforced by sinking two to threestakes on the inside of the cage. You canalso make your own using concrete rein-forcement wire mesh to make a circularcage or as a box cage secured to wood-en posts.METAL STAKES AND SPIRAL RODS Plantsare wound around and loosely tied up asingle six- to eight-foot-tall stake or rod.Fruit is easily accessible, but the plantmust be pruned to one main stem for op-timum support. These are best suited forgrowing determinate tomatoes.TEEPEES Eight-foot poles made of bam-boo, wood, or metal are typically used to make a teepee-style trellis. The frame isoften wrapped in string, chicken wire, or netting to give vines additional support toclimb. Teepees are ideal for pole beans, pole peas, and cucumbers.ORGANIC OPTIONS Corn stalks can be used as support posts for growing beans(corn should be sown three to four weeks before sowing beans). Branches withtwiggy growth and a stem at least two inches in diameter (sink the stem into thesoil at least one foot deep) create an organic structure for supporting vigorous bushpeas or beans.A-FRAME TRELLIS Two heavy-duty wire panels or wooden frames covered with wireor plastic mesh are leaned together to form an A-frame and then secured at the topwith wire or hinges. Seeds are then sown along both sides at the bottom of eachframe. This type of trellis will support beans, peas, and most edible vining and non-bush crop varieties withsmall fruits.ROW TRELLIS This simplesystem has its roots in thecommercial fields but caneasily be converted tosmall gardens. One type ofrow trellis is frame-and-wire, which is basically awood, metal, or PVC-pipeframe with extended legsthat can be sunk one totwo feet into the ground.Wire or twine is then runbetween the upper andlower sections of the hori-zontal frame.

Another type of row trellis system is the post-and-wire or stake-and-weave, whichconsists of six- to 10-foot steel T-posts spaced four to six feet apart. Heavy-dutystring, twine, or wire is stretched horizontally between posts and then attached toeach post. If used as a trellis for tomatoes, each new line of horizontal twine or wireis installed and woven around plants as they grow in height. Another option is toattach trellis netting to the posts with staples or tied with wire or twine. This methodis well suited to growing cucumbers, pole beans, or peas. —K.W.

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Cucumbers grow well on a stake-and-weave row trellis.

Wire cages are suitable for cherry tomatoes.


HAVING SPENT a good portionof my childhood daydreamingon mossy ledges threaded with

Canada mayflowers, wild strawberries,and trout lilies, I have always been drawnto rocky places inhabited by plants. WhenI need to calm myself from life’s stresses,one of my most effective visualizationtechniques is to recall a weathered moun-taintop in New Hampshire’s WhiteMountains where crevices are jammed fullof lowbush blueberries and three-toothedcinquefoil (Potentilla tridentata).

In my own Connecticut garden, thebeauty of an enormous hemlock—seed-ed long ago into a cliff face and nowpainted with lichens, mosses, and poly-pody ferns—regularly inspires me tohoist myself up the hillside for a closerview. I treasure these volunteers thatthrive in places I’d never attempt toplant, so over the last few years I havespent time investigating how—andwhy—these relationships work in differ-ent regions. For me, regionally nativeplants and rocks embody the architectureof nature and speak powerfully of place.

Throughout North America, plantsenticingly colonize rocky areas of allkinds, from mountaintops to rock slides,outcrops, volcanic formations, crum-bling sandstone, limestone ledges, andgravelly depressions. Counterparts tothese rock formations, both natural orconstructed, are found in most of ouryards. Exposed bedrock and glacial rocksare unavoidable in my region. Stone alsoabounds in the built landscape, in side-walks, stone terraces and steps, stonewalls, and gravel driveways and paths.

Plants with the tenacity to colonizethese difficult niches visually soften thehard surfaces and tie them—both aes-thetically and ecologically—to the rest of

Plants on the RocksTaking inspiration from the beauty of native plants growing on and around rocks in wild places,

the author offers ideas for using these plants in challenging garden settings.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY KAREN BUSSOLINI

One of the author’s Connecticut neighbors encouraged the hardy fragrant sumac (Rhusaromatica) ‘Gro-Low’ to colonize this rocky slope along a hillside driveway.

the garden and the surrounding land-scape. The scenes that inspire us in na-ture—especially those close to home,where soil and climate are likely to besimilar—can inform us about gardeningin, on, and around stone.

For instance, while visiting anArkansas mountaintop estate a few yearsago, I wondered why someone had riskedlife and limb to plant magnificent silverfiligreed American alumroot (Heucheraamericana) on treacherous crumblinglimestone ledges below the manicuredlawn. Then it dawned on me that theseplants, which had failed to flourish in thecarefully prepared soil in my own garden,were growing where they wanted to be,not where someone had planted them.

Sometimes, as in the Arkansas garden,desirable plants colonize rocks sponta-neously. But you can’t count on suchserendipity. Near my home, purpleloosestrife, a pernicious wetland invasive,blooms in the dry joint between pave-ment sections on a bridge. By proactive-ly planting appropriate native rockcolonizers that get the upper hand fast,

you can prevent unwanted plants fromtaking root first.

REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONSIn his fascinating book, The Granite Land-scape: A Natural History of America’sMountain Domes, from Acadia to Yosemite(Countryman Press, 2002), ecologist TomWessels notes how similar plant commu-nities form on glacier-scoured mountain-tops across the country. This holds true foralpine plants from limestone regions aswell. Of course, not many of the specieswell-adapted to grueling mountaintopconditions will tolerate the heat, humidi-ty, competition, soil chemistry, high nu-trient levels, and lack of snow cover ingardens at lower altitudes. Serious rockgardeners who cherish these alpines con-struct special crevice and scree beds withjust the right pH and drainage to cater totheir plants’ needs. The rest of us, whowant to create plantings that require littlemaintenance, need to seek out plants thatare adapted to existing garden conditions.To get recommendations for rock-dwelling plants to supplement my own ex-

perience, I spoke with several experts indifferent regions of the country. (Addi-tional plant recommendations can befound in the web special linked to this ar-ticle on the AHS website, www.ahs.org).

NORTHEASTERN ROCK COLONIZERSSome of the plants Wessels observed ongranite mountaintops can be seen grow-ing naturally on rocky ledges at theCoastal Maine Botanical Garden inBoothbay. Among these are heath fam-ily members—such as lowbush blueber-ry (Vaccinium angustifolium), blackhuckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), andbearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)—along with bunchberry (Chamaepericly-menum canadense, formerly Cornuscanadensis) and a tapestry of mosses andlichens. These plants thrive in Maine’scool climate and acidic, nutrient-poorsoil—even at sea level. Other ledge in-habitants, including hay-scented fern(Dennstaedtia punctilobula) and poly-pody ferns (Polypodium virginianum andP. appalachianum), are equally adapted torocky areas throughout the East.


CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD ROCK COLONIZERSThere are certain physiological characteristics that help rock-dwellers survive and squeeze out the competition. Shallow rootsanchor plants and find nourishment in tiny pockets of duff or thin soil atop ledges. Rhizomes (underground stems) and stolons(horizontal stems that emerge above ground and form roots where they touch the ground) allow plants such as Canada mayflow-ers (Maianthemum canadense) and creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) to colonize thin soil. Plants with fibrous root systems,such as Christmas ferns (Polystichum acrostichoides), fill up the cracks with a network of fine roots.

In order to withstand fluctuations in temperature and soil moisture, rockdwellers often have fleshy roots or leaves to store water, leaves that aresmall and basally arranged, leaf surfaces covered with hairy or waxy coat-

ings, or silver coloration. Buckwheats (Eri-ogonum spp.) and other mat-formersspread out, shading out the competitionwhile cooling and conserving water fortheir own roots. Plants that sucker or self-layer, such as fragrant sumac (Rhus aro-

matica ‘Gro-Low’), worm their roots or stems around obstacles to send upshoots, or set down roots wherever they find soil.

Penstemons produce great numbers of small seeds that wash into tinycracks with rainfall. Other plants that send out airborne seeds or spores, in-cluding mosses and ferns, also utilize this winning strategy.

Some rock colonizers combine several of these adaptations, and successoften runs in families. In the wild, diverse goldenrods (Solidago spp.), pen-stemons, heucheras, pussy-toes (Antennaria spp.), junipers, phlox, andmembers of the heath and saxifrage families occur in and around rocksthroughout North America. Many of these plants are good choices for cul-tivating in the crevices of stone walls and in rocky garden sites. —K.B.

Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’and ‘Atropurpurea’ seeded them-selves in limestone steps in thisPennsylvania garden.


William Cullina, the botanic garden’splant and garden curator, does as muchediting as planting. Cullina nurtures ex-isting ledge communities by removingblackberries and overly aggressive brackenfern in garden areas. He plants desirablenatives, including mosses, on and aroundraw, new stonework and unearthed ledges.Eventually, newly cultivated areas willblend seamlessly withthe extraordinarily beau-tiful natural landscape.

Ana Hajduk, a gar-den designer, adopts asimilar strategy in aclient’s more temperate,less-acidic New Yorkwoodland garden, em-ploying unfussy easternplants whose nativerange extends from theDeep South to Canada.Stone retaining wallsand steps were builtover and around ledgeoutcrops, soil was re-moved to expose ledgein places and added tomake even paths andplanting beds in others.She planted vigoroushay-scented ferns torapidly cover areas un-derlain by thin soil.Dainty but tough foam-flowers (Tiarella cordifo-lia ‘Running Tapestry’)drape over retainingwalls, blooming in spring with easternred columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)growing between stones. She thins andtransplants the prolific foamflowersthroughout the garden and scatterscolumbine seeds to keep the combina-tion going. Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’and white wood aster (Aster divaricatus,syn. Eurybia divaricata) naturalize inledge fissures in dry shade and are easy toremove where they are not wanted.

PLANTS FOR THE SOUTHEASTThe Southeast is certainly not known foralpines, but Jan Midgley, an Alabamanursery owner and author of severalSouthern wildflower guides, says there’sno lack of native rock dwellers that arewell-adapted to garden settings.

Among the plants she has seen grow-ing in sandstone glades and rocky out-crops are perennials such as native asters,greater tickseed (Coreopsis major), blaz-ing stars (Liatris spp.), woman’s tobacco(Antennaria plantaginifolia), azure bluet(Houstonia caerulea), and pineywoodsdropseed (Sporobolus junceus), a grass sheconsiders worthy of a spot on a rock wall.

Woody vines such as crossvine (Bignon-ia capreolata) and yellow jessamine(Gelsemium sempervirens) will root intocracks and scramble over rocks.

From her observations of plantsgrowing on or near limestone outcrops,she suggests that wild petunia (Ruelliahumilis), American alumroot (Heucheraamericana), fragrant sumac (Rhus aro-matica), native prickly pear cactus (Op-untia humifusa), the annual Sedumpulchellum, and bird’s-foot violet (Violapedata) would make themselves equallyat home in neutral to alkaline garden

settings such as a limestone terrace oralong a cement foundation or marble-chip walk.

SOUTHWESTERN ROCK DWELLERSWhile exploring the dry west for his book,Chasing Wildflowers, Tucson garden de-signer and author Scott Calhoun thoughtthe breathtaking beauty of the wild plantcommunities he saw might make it hard-er to design gardens. Instead, he gained a

Northeast natives such as hay-scented fern,bunchberry, and Canada mayflower minglenaturally on rocky ledges at the CoastalMaine Botanical Garden.

ResourcesChasing Wildflowers by Scott Cal-houn. Rio Nuevo Publishers, Tuc-son, Arizona, 2007.

The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Liv-able Landscapes by Rick Darke. Tim-ber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2007.

Ferns for American Gardens by JohnT. Mickel. Timber Press, Portland,Oregon, 2003.

Native Ferns, Moss & Grasses byWilliam Cullina. Houghton MifflinCo., Boston, Massachusetts, 2008.

Rock Gardening: A Guide to GrowingAlpines and Other Wildflowers in theAmerican Garden by H. Lincoln Fos-ter. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.Reprinted 1982.

SourcesEastern Plant Specialties, Rahway,NJ. (732) 382-2508. www.easternplant.com.

High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, NM.(877) 811-2700. www.highcountrygardens.com.

Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN.(866) 417-8156. www.prairiemoonnursery.com.

Prairie Nursery, Westfield, WI. (800)476-9453. www.american-natives.biz.

Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery,Talent, OR. (541) 535-7103.www.siskiyourareplantnursery.com.

new appreciation for stone in the designedlandscape, an expanded palette of plantsto try in garden settings, and a refined sen-sibility of what sustainable gardening inthe desert is all about.

Desert wildflowers are mostly annu-als; their survival strategy is to lie dor-mant until winter rains allow them togerminate, bloom extravagantly, set seed,and disappear. The ability of these plantsto thrive in poor, rocky, often alkaline,soil recommends them for use in unim-proved soil with gravel or decomposedgranite mulch, and in places where dig-ging is impossible.

Calhoun points out that while wethink of rocky places as dry, rocks actu-ally create microclimates by holdingwater in their fissures. Throughout thedry West he spotted cacti and yuccas inrocky places and noticed that agaves,Echeveria spp., and Dudleya spp.—rosette-forming succulents that look likea cross between agaves and Echeveria—grow almost exclusively on rock.

Penstemons and buckwheats (Erio-gonum spp.) inhabit rocky nichesthroughout the West. Both genera grow

best on poor, dry soil.Calhoun recommendsrock penstemon (Penste-mon baccharifolius), atwo-by-three-foot SouthTexas native that hasleathery green leaves andcoral pink tubular flow-ers in summer; Eaton’spenstemon (P. eatonii)found on scree slopes inUtah canyons, but justas happy in hot Tucsongardens; and canyonpenstemon or desertbeardtongue (Penstemonpseudospectabilis), ashrubby, upright plantthat bears rosy to purpleflowers. Calhoun likesto combine canyon pen-stemon with yellow-flowered buckwheatvarieties such as selec-tions of E. wrightii. An-

other yellow-flowered selection, E.umbellatum var. aureum ‘Psdowns’ (Kan-nah Creek®) is recommended for colderRocky Mountain gardens.

NORTHWESTERN ROCK COLONIZERSPeople often think that it rains all the timein the Pacific Northwest, but rain is rare allsummer, and mountain ranges create hugerain shadows in areas to the east, makingconditions there more comparable to drierdesert regions. Throughout the Northeast,geology and climate have conspired to fos-ter astonishing plant diversity, which inturn has attracted adventurous gardenerswho seem to grow everything beautifully,even on rocky ground.

On a recent drive through the Colum-bia River Gorge, I spotted glossy evergreencreeping mahonia (Mahonia repens), redflowering currant (Ribes sanguineum),and snowberries (Symphoricarpos spp.)adorning a crumbling moss-covered cliff.These familiar garden shrubs seem likeideal choices to colonize rocky, hard-to-dig slopes in home landscapes not only inthis region but possibly in sections of theRockies and the Northeast.

The West Coast is home to hundreds ofrock-colonizing manzanitas (Arctostaphy-los spp.), most of which, according to SeanHogan, owner of Cistus Nursery in Port-land, Oregon, are only suitable for gardensin western Oregon and California. One ex-


Dudleya hassei, a California nativesucculent, sprawls happily over a rockoutcrop at the San Diego Botanic Garden.

Eriogonum allenii and ‘Thai Silk’ California poppies, California fuchsias, and variegatedyuccas combine well in this gravel garden at Northwest Garden Nursery in Oregon.

ception is bearberry, or kinnikinnick (A.uva-ursi), a species that also thrives inupper New England and adjacent easternCanadian provinces. Many fine cultivars ofthis plant are available. Bearberries arehardy to USDA Zone 2, but will sulk orwaste away if not provided with very acidicsoil and good drainage.

I also found inspiration at the whole-sale Northwest Garden Nursery, west ofEugene, Oregon, where Marietta andErnie O’Byrne’s gardens overflow with

color and dramatic contrasts. The drygarden’s fast-draining, rock-studdedraised beds are edged with chunks of anold concrete sidewalk and mulched withgravel. Smooth river rocks embellish andserve as place markers for small dormantbulbs. Delicate ‘Thai Silk’ Californiapoppies dance lightly among the stiff up-right blades of various variegated yuccas.Mounds of silver-leafed Eriogonum um-bellatum and E. allenii are at home in therocks, along with well-behaved low-growing California fuchsia (Epilobiumcanum, formerly Zauschneria californica)

cultivars such as ‘Select Mattole’, whichhas silver leaves, and the green-leaved se-lection, ‘Dublin’.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSRocky places can be challenging to plantand maintain. The key to naturalizingnatives in the garden—getting them tonot just live, but to reproduce—is to putthem where they want to be, and givethem what they need, but to avoid pam-pering them. If they prefer nutrient-poor,

gritty, acidic substrate, fill the cracks withfast-draining decomposed granite; givewoodlanders rich, water-retentive leafmold. Water to establish, but don’t over-do water or fertilizer.

Finding the right plants can be a chal-lenge, but make sure you purchase plantsfrom responsible nurseries; don’t digplants from the wild however temptingthat may seem. If you have any moss in-habiting your rocks, ferns are likely to ap-pear, so avoid dislodging the moss. In tightspaces use small plants—nursery plugs areideal—to encourage development of self-

sustaining colonies. When building a rockwall, planting between stones as you gogives roots a firm foothold.

Experimenting often yields unexpectedsuccesses. For example, Pennsylvania-based designer Larry Weaner likes to planta few prodigious self-seeders such as Pen-stemon hirsutus at the top of a rock outcropand let seeds wash down into cracks whereseedlings will out-compete everything else.

One of my Connecticut neighborsplanted a few small ‘Gro-Low’ fragrant

sumacs in full baking sun on almost solidrock and loose blasting debris beside hismountaintop driveway. He discovered thatif you break off a branch tip and stick itinto the ground, or if you skin some barkfrom the bottom of the branch and weighit down with a rock, it will root. Thesprawling stems trap leaves and debris thatimprove the soil—just the way they do inthose wild rocky places near and far. �

Garden photographer, author, and lecturerKaren Bussolini gardens on a rocky moun-tainside in Connecticut.


In this Connecticut landscape designed by Larry Weaner, Penstemon hirsutus thrives on a dry ledge and ostrich ferns fill damp pockets in the rock.

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CNATURAL CONNECTIONS

IREAD MANY books as a child, butthe one that had the greatest lasting im-pact is Charlotte’s Web, E.B. White’s

charming tale of the relationship between aspider and a pig. But while the fictionalCharlotte is quite amazing, the real live“Charlottes” are even more remarkable—and plentiful. With a whopping 40,000 spi-der species worldwide, gardeners are certainto cross paths with many of them regularly,so it’s important to understand their role inthe garden ecosystem.

Spiders are opportunistic feeders, in-dulging in a smorgasbord of both “good”and “bad” invertebrates, including butter-flies, moths, caterpillars, worms, prayingmantises, ants, mites, beetles, flies, bees,wasps, and even other spiders. Thoughthey don’t discriminate regarding prey, spi-

ders play an important role in biologicalcontrol due to the immense variety andquantity of their consumption. Their pres-ence indicates a healthy garden ecosystemand should be encouraged.

SILK AND VENOMSpiders are not insects; rather they aremembers of Arachnida, a class that alsoincludes the scorpions, pseudoscorpions,ticks, mites, and harvestmen. A universalfeature of spiders is the ability to producesilk, a substance comprised of both rigidand flexible proteins created in glandswithin the spiders’ abdomen. Silk is usedfor many purposes, including the con-struction of webs, retreats, egg sacs, anddrag- and balloon-lines that help spidersget around.

Most spiders have six spinnerets lo-cated at their back end, the “spigots”through which silk is secreted. Each pairof spinnerets produces silk of a differentcomposition—sticky or non-sticky—forspecialized functions. As the silk is ex-truded through the spinnerets, the spideruses its legs to pull on and position it.

With the exception of the hackled orb-weavers (Uloboridae), all spiders producevenom, a toxic substance manufacturedand stored in glands at the bases of the che-licerae, jawlike appendages located just infront of their mouths. When a spider bites,muscles circling the poison glands squeezevenom into the prey through ducts in thefangs. Common garden spiders offer nothreat to humans—the ones to avoid arespecies such as black widows (Lactrodectus

by Kathryn Lund Johnson

Making Space for Garden Spiders

Spiders commonly encountered by gardeners include the black-and-yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia), above left, which weaves adistinctive zigzag pattern into its web, and orbweavers such as Araneus diadematus, above right, lurking in a tickseed blossom.

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spp.), which spin their webs in wood pilesand seldom used outdoor structures, notin the open garden.

Because spiders have very narrow di-gestive systems, they are unable to con-sume food in other than liquid form.Some families, including the crab spidersand cobweb weavers (Theridiidae), re-gurgitate digestive enzymes into the fangwounds to liquefy the prey’s tissue, al-lowing it to be drawn into the spider’s di-gestive system by the unique pumpingaction of its “sucking stomach.”

Other spiders, such as wolf spiders (Ly-cosidae), nursery web spiders (Pisauridae),and sheetweb weavers (Linyphiidae) em-ploy a messier method of consumption.The razor-sharp teeth on their cheliceraelacerate and mash the prey. With the helpof regurgitated enzymes, the prey becomesa more digestible soup.

MODES OF CAPTURESpiders’ capture methods are family specif-ic. There are ambushers, trappers, andhunters. Crab spiders (Thomisidae) areambushers with exceptional vision provid-ed by their four pairs of eyes. The spidersare tiny, approximately two-fifths-of-an-inch long. Their legs curve forward, crab-like, allowing for movement forward, back-ward, and sideways; their flat bodies enablethem to hide in small crannies of bark,flowers, and leaves where they sit motion-less, often for hours, awaiting their prey.When prey nears, the crab spider grabs itwith its powerful front legs, then quicklyimmobilizes it by injecting it with venom.

The female goldenrod crab spider, Mis-umena vatia, and its cousin the northerncrab spider, Misumenops asperatus, are ca-pable of camouflage, using hues of yellow,white, or light green to help them blendinto their surroundings. The transverse-banded crab spider, Xysticus transversatus,gives an almost transparent illusion with itscream, gray, and brown coloring. It usual-ly lurks under the bark of trees, amongstones, or in leaf litter.

Spiders that construct webs to snaretheir prey are called trappers. The mem-bers of the orbweavers (Araneidae), rang-ing in size from one-fifth-inch to one inch,spin intricate webs in just 30 to 45 minutes.The spider begins by spinning several over-laid silk strands called the bridge. It thenlowers itself from the bridge on a vertical

thread and builds a hub. The spokes, orradii, are spun of non-sticky silk that willallow the spider unimpeded travel to thetrapped prey. The threads spun spoke tospoke are woven with sticky silk. Despitethe complexity of their webs, many orb-weavers dismantle and consume themnightly, recycling today’s proteins into to-morrow’s snares.

Among the most commonly seen gar-den spiders are orbweavers in the genus Ar-giope that incorporate a zigzag pattern,called a stabilimentum, into the hub.

While research has not conclusively es-tablished the purpose of the pattern, itspresence is a definitive tool for the iden-tification of these spiders. Because orb-weavers have poor vision, they rely on webvibrations to signal that a meal is immi-nent. They position themselves upsidedown on or near the web, until the en-trapment of an unsuspecting—and usual-ly winged—insect. Then they dart out,seize the prey, and immediately begin aprocess of rotating it with their front legsas their back legs swathe it in silk. An in-

An unlucky rose chafer beetle becomes a meal for this goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia).

Camouflaged on a rock, the elegant crabspider (Xysticus elegans), above, waits inambush. An orbweaver spider, right, sitspatiently in its dew-spangled web.

jection of venom further helps immobilizethe prey, which they carry into the hub.Two species widely distributed in NorthAmerica are the banded garden spider (Ar-giope trifasciata) and the black-and-yellowgarden spider (A. aurantia).

Wolf spiders are hunters that activelyroam in search of prey. These spidersrange in size from a half-inch to two

inches. They use their col-oring as camouflage, vary-ing by species and habitat.Four pairs of eyes allowwolf spiders to identifytheir victims from a dis-tance as they scurry alongthe ground in pursuit ofquarry—some during theday, others at night. Prey ispounced on, bitten, thencrushed by the spiders’powerful chelicerae.

The female wolf spider isnotable for the way she caresfor her young. She wraps her

newly laid eggs in a large silken sac, at-taches it to her spinnerets and carries itaround beneath her body. When the tinyspiderlings hatch, they climb onto theirmother’s back where they live off their yolksacs for one to two weeks until they are ma-ture enough to go off on their own.

ENCOURAGING SPIDERSSo how can you encourage different typesof spiders to take up residence in your gar-den? Mulch affords protection and helps

maintain a level of humidity crucial to spi-ders’ existence. Leaving some plants inplace at the end of the gardening seasonprovides excellent overwintering habitat forspiders and other wildlife. Most important,however, is to avoid indiscriminate use ofpesticides, which will either kill spiders ordiscourage their presence because their po-tential prey has been eliminated.

Inviting spiders into your garden willgive you an excellent opportunity to ob-serve your very own Charlottes and tofind out, firsthand, what truly fascinat-ing creatures they are! �

Kathryn Lund Johnson is a freelance writerbased in Middleville, Michigan.B

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ResourcesSpiders of the North Woods by LarryWeber. Kollath-Stensaas Publish-ing, Duluth, Minnesota, 2003.

The World of the Spider by AdrienneMason. Sierra Club Books, SanFrancisco, California, 1999.

Wolf spiders (Schizocosa sp.) are commonlyfound in leaf litter or mulch.


CHOMEGROWN HARVEST

WE WINCED as we did it, butlast winter my husband and Iharvested a sturdy young oak

from our woods to start a new crop ofshiitake mushrooms. Because the sugarsand other nutrients that shiitakes need togrow are most abundant in live, dormantwood, they must be startedon fresh logs. Our tree wasthe perfect specimen with afive-inch-diameter trunkand flawless, healthy bark.

However, you don’t needto sacrifice a live tree togrow outdoor shiitakes. Alocal tree service can helpyou to find appropriatelogs. Then, once you seehow easy and rewardingthese delicious and health-ful mushrooms are to grow,they may become your fa-vorite edible crop.

GROWING GUIDELINESUnlike plants that run onsun and soil-borne nutri-ents, shiitakes (Lentinulaedodes), native to easternAsia, are the fruiting bodiesof a long-lived fungus. Innature, the shiitake’s job isto speed decay of fallen for-est trees. To grow shiitakesin your yard, simply mimicthis process by placing yourlogs in a moist, shady spot.Shade prevents the logsfrom drying out, which will stop thefungi from growing. But even withshade, supplemental water is usuallyneeded to keep logs from getting too dry.Shiitakes can be grown outdoorsthroughout the United States as long assupplemental water is available.

Shiitakes grow better on certain typesof wood than others. White or red oak

logs are the best—shiitake translates to“oak mushroom” in Japanese—withsugar maple running a close second.These woods provide good nutrition forshiitakes and retain their bark—whichserves as a barrier to competing fungi—for a long time.

Research from the University of Mis-souri’s Center for Agroforestry indicatesthat three-foot-long logs between threeand five inches in diameter are the bestproducers. Longer logs produce for alonger time (we have some five-footers

that are still bearing after 10 years), butshorter logs are easier to handle.

PREPARING THE LOGSThe simplest way to inoculate shiitakelogs is to use dowel or plug spawn—wood dowels that are white with myceli-

um(the shiitake’s vegetativeform). Loose sawdustspawn and bullet-shaped“thimble” spawn are alsoavailable. (Spawn and othermushroom-growing sup-plies are available throughmail-order; see “Sources” onopposite page.)

I like dowel spawn be-cause it gives a tight “graft”when the dowels are pound-ed into one-and-a-quarter-inch-deep holes drilled intothe logs, six inches apart. Iuse a regular drill with afive-eighth-inch drill bit,but if you’re doing a lot oflogs, upgrade to a high-speed drill with a screw-tipbit. To make sure the holesare the correct depth, I usepaint to mark one-and-a-quarter-inch drilling depthon my drill bit; you can alsouse a bit with a collar stop toavoid drilling too deep. Asyou drill, be careful to avoidexcess damage to the bark.

After the holes aredrilled, use a hammer to tap

a piece of dowel spawn into each one.The finishing touch is a coat of food-grade cheese wax (available from mush-room suppliers), dabbed over the filledholes to seal in moisture and keep out in-vading fungi. I use a clean metal food canfrom the recycling bin for melting wax,and apply it with an inexpensive dispos-able paint brush.

article and photographs by Barbara Pleasant

Shiitake Mushrooms: Delicious and Easy to Grow

Homegrown shiitake mushrooms are easyto grow outdoors in any garden.

Now the logs are ready to be stashedin the shade. I arrange them close to-gether on a bed of leaves, but they canalso be stacked. During periods of dryweather, be sure to thoroughly water thelogs to keep the mycelium growing.

PRODUCTION CYCLEIn some climates, certain strains of shi-itake will begin fruiting after six to eightmonths, but most begin bearing about ayear after logs are inoculated. You can al-low the logs to fruit naturally, which theyoften do a few days after a soaking rain.

The first signs of fruiting are rounded“buttons”—the caps of the mushrooms—emerging from the logs. These developinto the beautiful brown-capped shiitakesthat are a gourmet delight. In my USDAZone 6 climate, the first flush comes inlate spring, with others during the sum-mer and fall. Individual logs fruit on 10-to 12-week cycles. Production stops in latefall, once temperatures drop into the 40s.

You also have the option of “forcing”mature logs to fruit by soaking them incool (50–55 degrees F) water for 20hours or so. Mushrooms will appearabout five days after soaking.

In colder climates, where low tem-peratures delay fruiting in spring, youcan bring a mature log into a cool room

in late winter to let the mycelium be-come active. After six to eight weeks,soak the log to induce fruiting and placeit outdoors again.

PEST AND DISEASESSlugs, snails, beetles, fungus gnats, andeven mice will feed on shiitakes left out-side too long, so it is best to harvest thempromptly. Also, avoid keeping your logstoo wet. The bark will last longer as a pro-tective barrier if it is allowed to dry outbetween waterings.

RECOMMENDED VARIETIESA few shiitake strains have earned varietynames, for example ‘West Wind’, whichgrows especially well on red oak, andwidely-adapted ‘MM510’, which fruits ina wide temperature range. But the bestway to choose spawn is to buy a regional-ly-adapted strain from a producer basedin your area.

ENJOYING THE HARVESTHarvest shiitakes when they have developedrounded caps three or more inches acrossby twisting them off the log with their stemattached. Brush off dirt and debris with adamp cloth, but wait until just before cook-ing to wash shiitakes. Meanwhile, storethem in the refrigerator in a paper bag.

Like other mushrooms, shiitakes re-lease their juices after about five minutesof cooking time, and then begin shrink-ing into more toothsome bites. Trycooking shiitakes in a little olive oil andsea salt, and then add them to soups,risottos, omelets, or other dishes.

One cautionary note: While many peo-ple enjoy eating uncooked shiitakes, theyhave been known to trigger allergic reac-tions. Experts recommend cooking allmushrooms before eating to destroy hy-drazines and other toxic compounds. �

Barbara Pleasant is a freelance garden writerbased in Floyd, Virginia. Her most recentbook, with coauthor Deborah Martin, is TheComplete Compost Gardening Guide(Storey Books, 2008).


SourcesEverything Mushrooms, Knoxville,TN. (865) 329-7586. www.everythingmushrooms.com.

Field & Forest Products, Peshtigo,WI. (800) 792-6220. www.fieldforest.net.

Gourmet Mushrooms and Health Prod-ucts, Graton, CA. (800) 789-9121.www.gmushrooms.com.

Mushroom People, Summertown, TN.(931) 954-4400. www.mushroompeople.com.

A list of mushroom suppliers inother areas of the country and acomprehensive bibliography ongrowing shiitakes are available atwww.mushroomcompany.com.

ResourcesGrowing Shiitake Mushrooms in anAgroforestry Practice, University ofMissouri. www.centerforagroforestry.org/pubs/mushguide.pdf.

Producing Shiitake Mushrooms: AGuide for Smalls Scale Cultivation onLogs, North Carolina State Universi-ty. www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/woodland/won-20.html.

PRODUCING SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AT A GLANCENew shiitake mushroomlogs can be started any-time from fall to latewinter using freshly cutthree- to five-inch-diam-eter sections from oak orsugar maple trees.

Allow inoculated logsto rest in a moist, shadyspot near an accessiblewater source for a year.

After a year, you canbegin checking formushrooms after rainyspells. Or, if you don’twant to wait for rain, youcan induce fruiting bysoaking logs in water. Agood log will producethree flushes per year forthree to 10 years.—B.P.

First-year logs in a shady part of the author’s garden bear a fallcrop of mushrooms. Some logs can be productive for a decade.

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CONE ON ONE WITH…

Viveka Neveln: You were a practicingclinical child psychologist at the be-ginning of your career. How did youbecome interested in gardening?Amy P. Goldman: Psychology and hor-ticulture both involve the nurturing ofgrowth, so there’s a logical career pro-gression. My love for plants dates back tomy earliest childhood on the north shoreof Long Island. I was a tomboy wholoved to play in our orchard’s large, oldapple trees. Later, at about the age of 17,I had my first vegetable garden. My fam-ily life centered on food. We loved to eatand cook, so I got lots of positive rein-forcement for supplying fresh veggies forthe table!

There are many definitions of the term“heirloom.” What’s yours?An heirloom is an open-pollinatedplant of value that breeds true from seedand thus can be handed down to the

next generation. Many are oldies butgoodies; some are of more recent vin-tage—all are keepers, worth preserving.

Why do you think heirlooms are im-portant to preserve?Our farming and gardening ancestors—who, over the course of the last 11,000years, domesticated all of our major foodcrops—have passed the seeds of theseplants to us through the generations.

Contrast this with modern F1 hybridswhose saved seed do not breed true. Thisis more profitable for the seed companiesthat develop and market them, becausecustomers must return each year to buynew seeds. However, in order to create amore bountiful future—to breed cropsthat can cope with climate change andresist disease, we need to preserve the vastgenetic reservoir that is our heritage. Bysome accounts, it’s disappearing at therate of about two percent per year.

THE AUTHOR OF three award-winning books on heirloom melons, squash, and tomatoes, Amy P.Goldman has been growing fruits and vegetables for nearly 40 years. As she puts it, “This is no ca-

sual acquaintance. We’re talking true intimacy here.” Not only does this pas-sion shine through in her books—for which she personally field- andkitchen-tested thousands of varieties—but also in her efforts to preserve the“best of the past for the future.”

A strong proponent of growing one’s own food in general, Goldman isparticularly interested in protecting the biodiversity represented in heirloomfruit and vegetable varieties that have been passed down through the gener-ations. Many of these varieties are in danger of disappearing forever becausethey are no longer being handed down or they are being replaced with newhybrids. Through the Seed Savers Exchange (SSE), a nonprofit organizationbased in Decorah, Iowa, that works to conserve heirloom plant varieties,Goldman, who has served on its board of directors since 2007, hopes to slow

this “genetic erosion” and safeguard the rich horticultural legacy heirlooms represent.Associate Editor Viveka Neveln caught up with Goldman to talk about her views on edible garden-

ing, her inspiration for writing her books, and why she believes it is so important to preserve heirlooms.

by Viveka Neveln

Amy P. Goldman: Heirloom Fruit and Vegetable Advocate

A sample of the varieties Goldman grew whileresearching and writing The Heirloom Tomato.

What is your garden in New York’sHudson Valley like, and what are youplanning for 2010? I have two plots: one an acre in size and an-other measuring 40 feet by 60 feet. Lastseason, I took a break from growing veg-etables for research and publication pur-poses and grew what I love most: tomatoes,squashes, melons, potatoes, carrots, par-snips, string beans, lettuces, and other leafygreens. In 2010 I’ll be trialing various plantsagain for possible new books.

What inspired you to write the booksyou have on melons, squash, andtomatoes, and how did you decidewhich varieties to include?I’m definitely biased towards the luscious,savory, mouth-filling, and juicy fruits. Istarted with my favorites and let the va-rieties increase until the gardens werefull. My aim was to find a representativesample of the most beautiful, delicious,unusual, and celebrated varieties.

Seeds for some heirloom varieties can behard to find. Where did you get yours?Lots of material came from Seed Savers Ex-change members and its gene bank. Oth-

ers came from commercial seed sourceshere and abroad. And I have been knownto take seeds off dinner plates in restaurantsor filch a tomato for its seeds from some-one else’s garden!

You have been involved with the SSE formany years. What are some of the mostimportant things the organization doesto protect heirlooms from extinction?Seed Savers Exchange’s mission is to pre-serve the world’s diverse but endangeredgarden heritage for future generations bybuilding a network of people committedto collecting, conserving, and sharing heir-loom seeds and plants. With a member-ship of more than 11,000 worldwide, theSSE has been very successful over the last35 years in developing this network of gar-dener conservationists and spreading the

good word about heirlooms. We promoteon-farm, in-garden conservation. And werun a gene bank as a back-up for members.Since 1975, SSE members have passedalong approximately a million samples ofrare seeds to each other.

What would you say is key to the SSEachieving its goals?A large part of our mission is teachingothers about the value of genetic and cul-tural diversity. Key to that is educating anew generation of gardeners on how togrow heirlooms and save seeds. This iswhat our SSE board member and notedcookbook author Deborah Madison likesto call “garden literacy.”

How can gardeners help to preserveheirlooms?The best thing gardeners can do is join theSSE (www.seedsavers.org) and other orga-nizations that preserve the earth’s heritage,and become actively involved in conserva-tion. By growing, buying, and eating heir-looms, gardeners can keep them alive. �

Viveka Neveln is associate editor of TheAmerican Gardener.V

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Above, left: To ensure that seeds from her heirloom tomato varieties breed true to type, Goldman places mesh cages over them when they areflowering to prevent insects from cross-pollinating them. Above, right: At harvest time, Goldman’s shed is filled with squash of all varieties.

Amy P. Goldman’s Books

Melons for the Passionate Gardener (Artisan, 2002).The Compleat Squash (Artisan, 2004).The Heirloom Tomato (BloomsburyUSA, 2008).

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NEW ENGLAND WILD FLOWER SOCIETY TOCREATE ONLINE PLANT DATABASEThe New England Wild Flower Society(NEWFS) has big plans that will certain-ly help horticulture keep up with technol-ogy. The organization has recently beenawarded a $2.49 million grant by the Na-tional Science Foundation for its Go-Botany project that involves creating anonline New England plant identificationdatabase. NEWFS’s vision is that whilepeople are working in the field, gardeningin their yards, or walking in local greenspaces, they can access the database via cellphones or other mobile devices with In-ternet capabilities to learn about the plantsaround them.

“Building an interactive field guidedesigned to teach botany opens the worldof scientific inquiry to a generation thatfavors the richness and immediacy of on-line learning,” says Debbi Edelstein,NEWFS executive director. “It will alsobegin the work within the botany com-munity to create a national online flora,usable throughout America on portablehandheld devices.”

Another goal of Go-Botany—expect-ed to develop over the next four years—is to increase public interest in botany, aswell as knowledge of local plants, andthereby promote plant conservation.Along with the database, the project alsowill include a book to be published with-in the next year, and botanical lessonplans that would make use of both re-sources. For more information aboutNEWFS, visit www.newfs.org.

AWARD-WINNING PLANTS FOR 2010In addition to Viola ‘Endurio Sky BlueMartien’, which was covered in the No-vember/December issue of The AmericanGardener, All-America Selections (AAS)has announced three other award-win-ning plants for 2010. These new varietieswere chosen for their unique characteris-tics and outstanding performance in tri-als across the country.

Judges gave high marks to ‘Mesa Yel-low’ blanket flower (Gaillardia ✕grandi-flora) for its neat, mounded plant habitand prolific, three-inch, daisylike flow-ers. It grows up to 22 inches tall in fullsun. Bred by PanAmerican Seed Compa-ny, this new variety blooms two to threeweeks earlier than other blanket flowers.

‘Twinny Peach’, bred by HEM Genet-ics, is the first double-flowered snapdrag-on (Antirrhinum majus) with a compacthabit. Its blooms also sport colors no othersnapdragon does—a blend of pastel peach,yellow, and orange. This easy-to-grow bed-ding plant reportedly exhibited good heattolerance during the AAS trials, too.

Also showing good heat and droughttolerance, ‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ zinnia(Zinnia marylandica) is the first rose andwhite bicolor zinnia. This new variety,

bred by PanAmerican Seed Company,also has proven resistances to leaf spotand mildew—two common diseases thataffect this sun-loving annual.

For more information, visit the AASwebsite at www.all-americaselections.org.

BIRD SEED MIXES MAY CONTAININVASIVE WEEDSMany people enjoy feeding birds in theiryards but may not enjoy all the weedsthat tend to crop up beneath feeders afterfeathered visitors—or perhaps maraud-ing squirrels—drop seeds to the ground.More than just being a nuisance, theseuninvited sprouts could be invasiveweeds, according to studies done by re-searchers at Oregon State University.

A survey of 10 brands of wild bird feedcommonly sold inretail stores showedthat all containedweed seeds, includ-ing ones considerednoxious. The sam-ples contained morethan 50 differentweed species, suchas both bull (Cirsi-um vulgare) andCanada thistle (Cir-

sium arvense), common ragweed (Am-brosia artemisiifolia), and parasitic dodder

Horticultural News and Research Important to American Gardeners

CGARDENER’S NOTEBOOK

‘Mesa Yellow’ blanket flower

‘Twinny Peach’ snapdragon

Bull thistle

‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ zinnia

‘Mesa Yellow’ blanket flower

‘Twinny Peach’ snapdragon

‘Zahara Starlight Rose’ zinnia

(Cuscuta spp.). When researchers plant-ed the seed mixes to simulate what hap-pens when birdseed falls to the ground,about 30 different weed species sproutedin just 28 days. Between three and 17weed species grew from each of the 10brands of feed tested.

While it may be easy enough to curtailweeds springing up in your own yard witha quick swipe of a hoe, birds may still carryseeds elsewhere. To minimize the spread ofinvasives through birdseed, the Weed Sci-ence Society of America recommends se-lecting seed mixes that have been baked toprevent sprouting, or putting out foodssuch as suet, sunflower hearts, and raisinsas alternatives to seed mixes.

A SAMPLE OF SMITHSONIAN’S HISTORICGARDEN IMAGES GO ONLINEIf you’re a garden or landscape history buff,now you can view a selection of imagesfrom the Smithsonian’s Archive of Ameri-can Gardens (AAG) online. In celebrationof American Archives Month in October,the AAG posted a set of 25 historic gardenimages from glass lantern slides made inthe 1920s and ‘30s to the online photo shar-ing community, Flickr. The photos feature

private estate gardens that were designedby a number of renowned landscape ar-chitects of the time, including Beatrix Far-rand and Jens Jensen.

These images on Flickr, however, area small sampling of AAG’s full collectionof photographs, many of which are cata-loged in the Smithsonian’s CollectionsSearch Center, www.collections.si.edu.Documenting both historic and con-temporary gardens, this collection pro-vides a visual record of the ever-changing

and evolving gardening styles that defineour home settings, public green spaces,and the American landscape. Accordingto the Smithsonian, the AAG “preservesimportant resources for investigating thissignificant aspect of U.S. cultural andecological history.” For more informa-tion, visit www.gardens.si.edu.

NEW DATABASE FOR CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPESThe Cultural Landscape Foundation(TCLF), based in Washington, D.C.,

launched an online database of parks,gardens, and a wide variety of other land-scapes across America called “What’s OutThere” in November. A decade in themaking, the database contains hundredsof entries from all 50 states, includingsome of the most important designedlandscapes that span more than two cen-turies of American landscape design.

According to TCLF, the goal of thisdatabase is to “raise public awareness of therich diversity and interconnectedness ofour shared designed landscape heritage.”

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This 1930 photograph of a garden designedby Francis T. Underhill in Santa Barbara,California, is from the Smithsonian’s archives.


The hope is that a wide range of users—from tourists to historians to landscape ar-chitects and the general public—will findthis database a useful reference. What’sOut There is searchable by landscapename, type, and/or style, landscape archi-tect and/or designer, and location.

“What’s Out There is the only search-able web feature covering the nation’slandscape legacy,” says Charles A. Birn-baum, TCLF founder and president.“We have a growing database of land-scapes and their designers, but integral tothis sites’ success is public input.” De-signed as a Wiki-style database, anyonecan submit information, which TCLFstaff will review before adding it to thedatabase. For more information, visitwww.tclf.org/landscapes.

GARDENS ALIVE! ACQUIRES THOMPSON & MORGAN U.S.Gardens Alive!, a mail-order purveyor ofenvironmentally friendly garden pest man-agement products based in Lawrenceburg,Indiana, has recently acquired the U.S. op-erations of Thompson & Morgan Seeds-

men, based in Jackson, New Jersey.Thompson & Morgan was founded in1855 in Ipswich, England, and entered theNorth American market in 1982. The com-pany offers 1,500 varieties of annual, peren-nial, vegetable, and herbal seeds.

“With Thompson & Morgan’s longhistory and reputation for quality seed,they match our own brands’ legacy in theseed and nursery business,” says GardensAlive! Founder Niles Kinerk.“Customersknow that our brands offer only the bestproducts—and that these companies havesurvived the test of time because they’vealways done right by their customers.”

Other brands owned by Gardens Alive!include Breck’s, Gurney’s Seed and Nurs-ery Co., Henry Field’s Seed & Nursery

Co., Michigan Bulb, Spring Hill Nurs-eries, New Holland Bulb, and AudubonWorkshop horticultural catalogs.

GREEN THUMB CHALLENGE FOR KIDSGardening provides an effective way toteach kids about environmental steward-ship and promote their interaction withthe natural world. In an effort to get morekids gardening, the Green EducationFoundation (GEF) based in Walpole,Massachusetts, has launched the GreenThumb Challenge. This campaign callson schools and youth groups across thecountry to plant 10,000 gardens betweenFebruary and August. The gardens can beindoors or outdoors, in pots or in theground, as long as the project involveshands-on gardening activities.

“A significant goal of the Green Edu-cation Foundation is to promote creativeand effective ways for schools and teach-ers to incorporate the outdoors into theircurricula,” says Victoria Waters, GEFpresident. “The Green Thumb Chal-lenge, where students plant and maintaingardens, is a perfect solution.”

For 40 years, distinctive, award-winning landscapes havebeen the hallmark of Chapel Valley Landscape Companyʼscommitment to creativity, quality and service. We design,install and maintain landscapes that make a positive firstimpression. Call us today to discuss your plans using ourcomprehensive landscape services.

Maryland 410.442.2310 Virginia 703.406.0802 Washington, D.C. 301.924.5400www.chapelvalley.com

GEF will provide a variety of resourcesfor teachers, including fundraising tips and“grade-appropriate standards-based envi-ronmental lessons relating gardening andcomposting to science, math, language artsand more.” GEF will also provide ideas forgarden projects, plant lists, and growingguidelines. Participants can interact witheach other through GEF’s online com-munity. For more information, visitwww.greenthumbchallenge.com.

NEW PLANT DISEASE RESEARCH SITE AT DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAThanks to a nearly $1 million grant fromthe 2008 Farm Bill awarded last fall, a newNational Ornamentals Research Site willbe established at the Dominican Universi-

ty of California. It will be the first researchsite in the United States dedicated to thestudy of ornamental plant diseases in asimulated nursery setting. This facility willconduct research that aims to minimize theintroduction and spread of plant diseasesin the nursery trade as well as other areas ofagriculture. One of the main focuses of re-search will be on Phytophthora ramorum,the pathogen that causes sudden oak deathand ramorum blight. These two diseaseshave the potential to devastate not onlynursery stock, but forests and agriculturein the United States. �

News written by Associate Editor VivekaNeveln and Editorial Intern GwynethEvans.T

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PEOPLE and PLACES in the NEWSAAS and NBG Executive Director Retires

After 25 years of service, Nona Wolfram Koivula retired inDecember as the executive director of All-America Selec-tions, North America’s oldest plant variety testing organiza-tion, and the National Garden Bureau, a nonprofit thatpromotes growing flowers and edibles from seed. The two or-ganizations operate out of a joint office in Downer’s Grove,Illinois. The new executive director for both organizations isDiane Blazek, who previously was publisher at Ball Publish-ing Company for 15 years and is very familiar with the horti-culture industry.

Name Change for California Pack TrialsSince 1965, nursery and landscape professionals from around the world haveflocked to the annual California Pack Trials held throughout the state to get a

glimpse of the latestplant varieties comingonto the market. It willnow be known as theCalifornia Spring Trials,according to the Nation-al Garden Bureau,which organizes theevent. This slight namemodification better rep-resents what the event isabout, since the greenindustry now producesplants in pots as well as“packs.” Previouslyscheduled in lateMarch, this year the tri-

als will be held April 10 to 17 to allow participating companies extra time toproduce better-quality plant material for visitors. Visit the National Garden Bu-reau website at www.nbg.org for more details. —V.N.

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Starting plants indoors requires sometime, effort, and dedication; your seedlingswill need regular attention for severalweeks if they are to develop into healthygarden plants. Then, when it’s finally timeto move your seedlings outdoors, particu-lar care must be taken to acclimate them totheir new growing environment.

SPACE, LIGHTING, AND TEMPERATURELittle space is needed to sow a few vari-eties of seeds, but as the seedlings developand are transplanted to larger containers,their space requirements increase signifi-cantly. A sunny, south-facing windowmay seem like the perfect spot, but win-dows at night are often the coldest placesin your house. And rarely is window lightalone sufficient to grow robust seedlings.

Supplementing natural light with flu-orescent light or specifically designed“grow lights” can make the difference be-tween weak and sturdy seedlings. Hy-drofarm’s energy-efficient T5 Grow LightSystem, available from Planet Natural,provides full-spectrum light. Fixtures foreither 24- or 48-inch bulbs are equippedto hold between two and eight bulbseach, depending on your lighting needs.Many other systems are available. Sup-plemental lights should be placed two tofour inches above the tops of plants, so itis important that the lights you select re-main relatively cool, and a fixture thatcan be raised to accommodate plantgrowth is helpful. Lights should remainon for 12 to 16 hours per day, so consideran automatic timer for convenience.

Soil temperature for seed germina-tion varies somewhat among species, butfor most annual flowers and vegetable

seeds, the optimal soil temperature forgermination ranges between 70 and 80degrees Fahrenheit. One of the most ef-fective tools I have used for starting seedsindoors is a waterproof electric heat mat

like the one available from Planet Nat-ural that delivers bottom heat to seedflats. Seeds not only germinate muchmore quickly, but evenly maintainedbottom heat also helps prevent damp-ing-off, a fungal disease that causesyoung seedlings to topple over and die.Many heat mats are equipped with ther-mostats; otherwise a soil thermometer ishelpful to maintain the correct temper-ature. The heat mat should be on all thetime, so don’t plug it into the timer foryour lights.

GROWING MEDIA AND CONTAINERSBecause garden soil may harbor disease or-ganisms, a sterile soilless growing medi-um is best for starting seeds. Many quali-ty mixes are available; select one that hasgood water-holding capacity and excellentdrainage. Since many seeds are tiny, aimfor a fine-textured mix.

by Rita Pelczar

Starting Seeds Indoors

FOR MOST OF US, January and February are too early to do much outdoors in the garden, so it’s theperfect time to think about sowing flower and vegetable seeds indoors. Starting plants from seeds in-

creases your selection, since the variety you can get from seed suppliers is significantly broader than the plantsyou can find at local nurseries. You will also have the satisfaction of growing your plants from start to finish.

Beginner’s Seed Starting Kit

Moisten your growing mix thoroughlyprior to planting. Use a clean bucket—orbetter yet—a Portable Potting Tray, avail-able from Gardener’s Supply. This moldedplastic container helps avoid mess whenmoistening your growing mix, filling con-tainers, and transplanting seedlings.

Seeds can be started in any containerthat holds sufficient soil and allows forgood drainage. Recycled pots such asmilk or yogurt cartons with drainageholes added work well. Plastic or wood-en seed flats are excellent for sowing rowsof seeds that will be transplanted intolarger containers. Molded plastic cell flatscome in a variety of sizes and provide ef-ficient use of space; seeds can be sown di-rectly into the cells or young seedlingscan be transplanted to cells from a ger-minating flat.

A variety of space-saving seed-startingkits are available. The Beginner’s SeedStarting Kit from Gardener’s Supply in-cludes two 12-cell trays, two clear plasticcovers, water reservoirs with capillary matsto ensure even moisture, a bag of organicseed-starting mix, and wooden labels.

The Self-Watering Propagator Setfrom Lee Valley Tools offers seven indi-

vidual propagation trays that have ventedcovers. Because you can adjust the hu-midity of individual trays, these are handyfor germinating different kinds of seeds.This kit, which includes a water reservoirand capillary mat, also works well for root-ing plants from small cuttings.

Growing seedlingsin fiber pots madefrom pressed peat,shredded wood, orcow manure allowsyou to transplant theseedling “pot and all”into the garden with-out disturbing roots.This is particularlyhelpful with difficult-to-transplant crops

such as cucumbers and squash. Whentransplanting, be sure to remove any ex-posed portion of the fiber pot above thesoil line to avoid drying the roots fromthe wicking action of the fiber. Also re-

move the bottom of the pot to encour-age rapid root expansion. Newspapercan be efficiently recycled into bio-degradable seedling containers using aclever tool called the PotMaker, avail-able from Lee Valley.

Like newspaper and fiber pots, RapidRooter Plugs from Planet Natural alsohelp reduce disturbance to plant rootswhen transplanting. Made of compostedorganic material held together by natur-al plant polymers, they contain beneficialmicrobes that promote root growth andnutrient absorption.

HARDENING OFF SEEDLINGSBefore transplanting your seedlings into thegarden in spring, they need to be graduallyacclimated or “hardened off” to protectthem from sudden exposure to cold or sun-light. This is best accomplished by takingyour seedlings outside for a couple of hoursa day and placing them in a partly shadedarea that is protected from wind. Gradual-ly increase the time they are left outside, aswell as the duration of sun exposure they re-ceive. After about two weeks they should beready to transplant into the garden.

Alternatively, a cold frame provides asheltered location for hardening offseedlings. If you are handy, you can con-struct one yourself. Or you can purchaseones like the Single or Double ColdFrame from Drip Depot. If temperaturesare likely to drop below 50 degreesFahrenheit at night, close the lid, but becareful to vent the top on sunny days oryour seedlings may bake. �

Rita Pelczar is contributing editor for TheAmerican Gardener.


SourcesDrip Depot, Medford, OR.www.dripdepot.com.

Gardener’s Supply, Burlington, VT.800-427-3363. www.gardeners.com.

Lee Valley Tools, Ogdensburg, NY.(800) 871-8158.www.leevalley.com.

Planet Natural, Bozeman, MT. (800)289-6656. www.planetnatural.com.

SOWING SEEDS AND HANDLING SEEDLINGSIf seeding directly into cells or other individual containers, sow two or three seeds in-to each. After the seedlings have grown a few leaves, select the strongest seedling ineach cell or container and use scissors to remove the others.

Starting seedlings in germination flats is an efficient use of space and heat matsbut requires an extra transplanting step. Use a pencil tip to create a straight im-pression in the growing mix and thinly sow the seed into it. Follow the directions onthe seed packet for sowing depth. Keep the medium moist—a spray bottle works well.

After seedlings have developed their third pairs of leaves, transplant them in-to individual containers or cell flats. A spoon is a useful tool for digging up yourseedlings. Always handle seedlings by their roots or leaves, never by their stems,which can be easily crushed. Once planted, water carefully to settle the grow-ing mix around the roots. —R.P.

PotMaker

Portable Potting Tray


The Explorer’s Garden:Shrubs and Vines from the Four Corners of the WorldDaniel J. Hinkley. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2009. 352 pages.Publisher’s price, hardcover: $39.95.

IN THIS second installment of The Explorer’s Garden (a long-awaited sequel to his earlier book, The Explorer’s Garden: Rare and

Unusual Perennials, Timber Press, 1999),plantsman Daniel J. Hinkley takes anin-depth look at some of the newest andmost desirable shrubs and vines avail-able for North American gardens. Thiscarefully crafted book provides detailedinformation about the author’s interna-tional plant exploration trips and thewonderful species of plants that havebeen brought back and introduced into

American horticulture. Hinkley gives the text a personal touch byincluding excerpts from his daily travel logs. Stunning photosHinkley took on his journeys help add context to the plants. Ad-ditional plant photographs are provided by Lynne Harrison.

Shrubs and vines are presented either by genus, or in groupsby families with chapter titles such as “Glorybowers and Beauti-ful Berries: Clerodendrum and other Verbenaceae.” Within eachgenus or plant group, detailed plant descriptions that includeplant origin and ornamental virtues are followed by practical in-formation on cold hardiness, care and culture, and propagationtips. Overall, the plant descriptions—and especially the depic-tions of the native habitat in which these plants grow—offer anenlightening background for each plant group.

Many other garden books focus on new and improved cul-tivars of common, tried-and-true species, but this volume goesa step further. In addition to covering unusual and beautifulspecies from well-known genera such as Buddleia, Callicarpa,Euonymus, Hydrangea, and Viburnum, Hinkley includes entic-ing descriptions of plants from new, exotic, and little knowngenera such as Azara, Rostrinucula, and Helwingia.

Through his poetic writing, Hinkley’s passion for discover-ing great garden plants and facilitating their introduction tomainstream horticulture is evident on each page. The Explorer’sGarden is an ideal book for any serious gardener who enjoyslearning about and acquiring select, rare, and unusual woodyplants. It is a must-have for plant collectors who seek the newesthorticultural treasures to enhance their gardens.

—Vincent A. Simeone

Vincent A. Simeone is director of Planting Fields Arboretum in OysterBay, New York. He has written four gardening books, includingGreat Landscape Evergreens (Ball Publishing, 2007).

Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (6th Edition)Michael A. Dirr. Stipes Publishing, Champaign, Illinois, 2009. 1325pages. Publisher’s price, softcover: $76.80; hardcover: $96.80.

A STAPLE FOR academics, nursery professionals, and avid gar-deners alike, Michael Dirr’s well-known Manual of WoodyLandscape Plants is now in its 6th edition, arriving 11 years after

the previous edition. Reviewing abook that needs no introduction pre-sents quite the challenge. Thus, be-cause too often new editions arescantily revised, I approached this onewith a crucial question in mind:Should a person who already ownsthe 5th edition also purchase the 6th?

In answer to that question, I rec-ommend the new edition because ofthe substantive amount of new infor-

mation in the tome. Much of this was acquired during the au-thor’s six-month residency at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens andArboretum in the United Kingdom in 1999 and visits to morethan 100 public and private gardens and nurseries. When theobservations are not his own, Dirr diligently cites the work ofothers. The introduction includes updated content, and thereare many new species (the rare Corylus fargesii, for instance)added—not to mention countless new cultivars that have pro-liferated over the previous decade. This makes the book as com-prehensive as possible—to the point that it has practicallybecome the “Yellow Pages” of trees and shrubs. Without goingonline, no other single reference comes close.

Nearly all of the descriptions have been reworked to includenew information, such as cultural requirements, noteworthyspecimens, and occasional notes on potential for becoming in-vasive. Revisions in taxonomy and nomenclature are includedthroughout the book, although, with more research, cultivarnames could have been included for a few of the plant market-ed solely by their trademarks.

Of course, this edition still contains the colorful commentarywe have grown to expect from Dirr. Despite their subjective na-ture, these remarks are among the most salient and idiosyncraticelements of this book. While at times we may quibble over his ver-dicts, it is important to remember that the author provides his ex-pert opinion based upon decades of growing and observing plants.These accounts are invaluable as we strive to learn about—andlove—these woody plants as much as Dirr does. �

—Michael S. Dosmann

Michael S. Dosmann is curator of living collections at the ArnoldArboretum of Harvard University in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.

CBOOK REVIEWS

Recommendations for Your Gardening Library


Name

Address

Zip Code

e-mail

DAVID AUSTIN®

After 50 years of intensive breeding, David Austin’sEnglish Roses combine the delicate charm and headyfragrance of old roses with the wider color rangeand repeat-flowering nature of modern roses.Theirexquisite flower forms include deeply cuppedblooms and perfect rosettes.They are renowned forthe quality and diversity of their fragrances. All rosessold in the US are grown in the US.

Please request our new, beautifullyillustrated, 108-page Handbook ofRoses 2010, free of charge.Thiscontains over 180 varieties,including English Roses, old roses,species roses, ramblers andclimbers together with aselection of modern roses.

FREE MAIL ORDER CATALOG

FRAGRANT ENGLISH ROSES

DAVID AUSTIN® ROSES LIMITED15059 State Highway 64West,TylerTX 75704Toll free 800 328 8893 Fax: (903) 526 1900

E-mail [email protected]

SPECIAL OFFERAHS members can claim a 10% discount when theyorder roses from our mail order collection.

Call toll free 800 328 8893, quotingTA4 or requestonline at: www.davidaustinroses.com

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Please send me a free copy of David Austin’s Handbook of Roses

Books in BriefWhat moves us to create gardens? In the new edition of herbook, Hidcote: The Making of a Garden (W.W. Norton, 2009,

$45), Ethne Clarke explores the influ-ences that led Lawrence Johnston to cre-ate Hidcote, one of the most influentialArts and Crafts landscapes of the 20thcentury. American expatriates Johnstonand his mother moved to the Cotwoldsvillage of Hidcote Bartrim in England in1907, and Johnston (at first with hismother) began what he would not finish

until 1948. That was the year he signed a deed of gift thathanded over Hidcote to the National Trust—the first garden itacquired and which it still maintains today.

Recently unearthed information led to Clarke’s new edi-tion, which delves more deeply into Johnston’s life and timesthan did the original addition, published in 1989. It’s anenjoyable read, sort of a gossipy tell-all but factual, and witha good bit of garden design history thrown in, including thebattle at the time between formal and naturalistic design.

—Marty Wingate

Marty Wingate is a garden book author and garden columnist forthe Seattle-Post Intelligencer.

For more than 40 years, the Gossler family has been makingnew, exciting trees and shrubs from around the world available

to gardeners through their retail, mail-order nursery based in Springfield, Ore-gon. Now Roger and Marjory Gossler,along with their son, Eric, bring theirgarden, nursery, and four-plus decadesof experience growing these plants tothe pages of The Gossler Guide to theBest Hardy Shrubs (Timber Press, 2009,$34.95).

This book profiles more than 350 trees and shrubs, manyuncommon, that the Gosslers feel “represent the best ofeach genus.” Though the selections, understandably, repre-sent a regional bias for the Northwest, many of the plantscould be considered marginally hardy in USDA Zone 4 re-gions of the country. This is especially true for an era inwhich winter low temperatures in most regions are trendinghigher than historical averages. For example, Magnoliasieboldii, described in the book as a Zone 6 tree, actuallygrows and thrives in several locations in Zone 4 Minnesota!Many other gems described in this book should serve to stim-ulate adventuresome gardeners everywhere to experimentwith new and seldom-seen plants.

—Stan Hokanson

Stan Hokanson is director of the woody landscape plant breedingand genetics program at the University of Minnesota.


IHAVE YET TO meet a gardener whose landscape is with-out at least a few problem areas—the hot spot, the wetswale, or the steep slope, for example. I myself struggle with

the space in one corner of my yard beneath some large redmaples whose fibrous roots choke out all but the most stalwartinterlopers. Or you might be trying to find just the right plantfor a particular purpose—say, to create a hedge or squeeze intoa limited amount of space. The good news is that for just aboutevery situation, there are plants that are perfectly suited tothem. Here are some recently published books that can helpyou find appropriate plants for your needs.

One strategy for dealing with less-than-ideal growing condi-tions is to choose plants that are indigenous to your region. In

Great Natives for Tough Places (BrooklynBotanic Garden, 2009, $12.95) editor NiallDunne points out that native plants have“evolved over thousands of years to handlesoils and seasonal variations in temperatureand rainfall of your local climate.” Thebook describes more than 120 trees, shrubs,vines, and perennials from the continentalUnited States and Canada that are adapt-able without being invasive, not to mentionthey are low-maintenance and beautiful, to

boot. This concise handbook also discusses eight common chal-lenging conditions, such as compacted soils and shady, dry loca-tions, and provides design ideas for transforming these types ofsites into harmonious gardens.

A desert may seem like one of the most inhospitable places toattempt to garden, but Cool Plants for Hot Gardens by Greg

Starr (Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2009,$24.95) makes it clear that it’s really allabout making wise plant choices. Thisbook focuses on species that thrive in thearid conditions of the southwestern Unit-ed States and neighboring areas of Mexi-co. Most are southwestern natives, somecome from areas with similar soils and cli-mate, but all “will grow happily in this re-gion without huge amounts of extrawater,” explains Starr. For each of the 200

plants the author includes—listed by botanical name—he pro-vides notes about the conditions of the plant’s natural habitat, abrief description, maintenance tips, landscape uses, and a colorphotograph (most of which were taken by Starr).

For many suburban and country gardeners, a prerequisite forchoosing plants for their gardens is resistance to deer. A helpful re-source in this arena is Deer-Resistant Landscaping by NeilSoderstrom (Rodale, 2009, $23.95). Along with some general in-

formation about deer and tactics to use if they become a nuisancein your garden, this book devotes several chapters to more than

1,000 plants these animals find un-palatable. Though Soderstrom basesthese recommendations on “a consen-sus of regional authorities,” he notesthat these “resistant” plants should notbe “considered ‘deer-proof ’ in all stagesof growth or all growing conditions.”The book provides both a simple list ofthe plants categorized by type (herbs,shrubs, etc.) and an encyclopedic listing

alphabetized by botanical name, with color photos and a brief de-scription of attributes. Strategies for dealing with several othermammalian garden pests are also covered in this book.

In Right Rose, Right Place (Storey Publishing, 2009, $29.95),author Peter Schneider asks, “What other genus offers examples

that can grow tidily in a pot on yourdeck, provide months of nonstop colorin the perennial border, form an im-penetrable hedge, or send a cascade ofbloom down from the tree it has beentrained to climb?” For these and othergardening situations, Schneider assertsthat “roses provide colorful, fragrant so-lutions.” His book could well change

any notions you might have of these plants being fussy and frail.Schneider highlights more than 350 roses—organized by gardenuses—that have proven reliable for him over more than 30 yearsof growing them in his Ohio garden. Chapters on caring for roses,such as pruning and controlling pests, round out the book.

Sometimes space itself is a limiting factor, but even small gar-dens need good “bones.” 400 Trees and Shrubs for Small Spaces

by Diana M. Miller (Timber Press,2008, $29.95) provides lots of ideas forselecting woody plants that will lendstructure without being overpowering.Some of the included plants are natu-rally smaller, some need pruning ortraining to keep them in bounds, andothers are newer cultivars bred to bemore compact than the species. Eachuseful genus is discussed in a brief para-

graph, followed by succinct descriptions of recommended speciesand cultivars. At the end of the book, charts of plants listed bycharacteristics such as flower color or attractive fruits make it eveneasier to find the right tree or shrub for your needs. �

—Viveka Neveln, Associate Editor

CGARDENER’S BOOKS

Problem-Solving Plants


NORTHEASTCT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT

RAP JAN. 23. Pruning in Winter. Class. The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. (617) 384-5209. www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

RAP JAN. 25. Espalier Fruit Plants and Spe-cialty Pruning. Lecture. Blithewold Mansion,Gardens and Arboretum. Bristol, Rhode Is-land. (401) 253-2707. www.blithewold.org.

RAP JAN. 30. Rooftop Gardening. Class.Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Brooklyn, NewYork. (718) 623-7200. www.bbg.org.

y FEB. 18–21. Rhode Island Spring Flower& Garden Show. Rhode Island ConventionCenter. Providence, Rhode Island. (401)272-0980. www.flowershow.com.

y FEB. 18–21. Connecticut Flower & GardenShow. Connecticut Convention Center. Hart-ford, Connecticut. (860) 844-8461.www.ctflowershow.com.

y MAR. 3–7. CNY Blooms Flower & GardenShow. Oncenter Complex. Syracuse, NewYork. (800) 979-1879. www.cnyblooms.com.

MID-ATLANTICPA, NJ, VA, MD, DE, WV, DC

JAN. 31. Berries, Bark, and Buds. Tour. TheScott Arboretum of Swarthmore College.Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. (610) 328-8025. www.scottarboretum.org.

y FEB. 5–7. Mid-Atlantic Home & FlowerShow. Virginia Beach, Virginia. (757) 523-4737. www.vahort.org.

FEB. 18. Land Ethics Symposium: Creative Ap-proaches for Ecological Landscaping. Bow-man’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. New Hope,Pennsylvania. (215) 862-2924.www.bhwp.org.

y FEB. 18–21. Maymont Flower & GardenShow. Greater Richmond Convention Center. Richmond, Virginia. (804) 358-7166.www.maymont.org.

y FEB. 18–21. New Jersey Flower & GardenShow. New Jersey Convention Center. Edi-son, New Jersey. (732) 449-4004.www.njflowershow.com.

FEB. 26. Green Matters 2010: Food forThought. Symposium. Brookside Gardens.Wheaton, Maryland. (301) 962-1400.www.brooksidegardens.org.

RAP FEB. 27. Understanding Your Garden’sLife Cycle. Symposium. Green Spring Gar-dens. Alexandria, Virginia. (703) 642-5173.www.greenspring.org.

y FEB. 28–MAR. 7. Philadelphia Internation-al Flower Show. The Pennsylvania Horticul-tural Society. Pennsylvania Convention Cen-ter. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (215)988-8899. www.theflowershow.com.

Looking aheadMAR. 5. People, Plants, Collections: Makingthe Connection. Symposium. LongwoodGraduate Program in Public Horticulture.Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. (302) 831-2517. www.udel.edu/longwoodgrad.

SOUTHEASTAL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN

JAN. 22 & 23. Gulf States Horticultural Expo.Auburn, Alabama. (334) 502-7777.www.gshe.org.

RAP JAN. 23. Orchid Basics. Class. Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. FortLauderdale, Florida. (954) 563-5393.www.bonnethouse.org.

JAN. 29. Southern Gardening Symposium.

Callaway Gardens. Pine Mountain, Georgia.(706) 663-5153. www.callawaygardens.com.

y FEB. 4–6. Southeastern Flower Show.Cobb Galleria Centre. Atlanta, Georgia.(404) 351-1074. www.flowershow.org.

FEB. 11–13. The Antiques and Garden Show ofNashville. Nashville Convention Center.Nashville, Tennessee. (800) 891-8075.www.antiquesandgardenshow.com.

RAP FEB. 20. Southern Garden HeritageConference. State Botanical Garden of Geor-gia. Athens, Georgia. (706) 542-6156.www.uga.edu/botgarden.

FEB. 26–28. Miami International OrchidShow. South Florida Orchid Society. Doubletree Miami Mart/Airport Hotel andConvention Center. Miami, Florida. (305) 255-3656. www.sforchid.com.

FEB. 27. Joy of Gardening Symposium.York County Master Gardeners. Rock Hill,South Carolina. (803) 324-9777. www.mastergardenerofyorkcounty.org.

NORTH CENTRALIA, IL, IN, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI

y JAN. 22–31. Home & Garden Show. GreatLakes Expo Center. Cleveland, Ohio. (216)529-1300. www.homeandflower.com.

JAN. 23. Gardening Show. Porter County Expo Center. Valparaiso, Indiana. (219) 465-3555. www.pcgarden.info.

JAN. 23. Spirit: Garden Inspiration.Symposium. Chicago Botanic Garden. Glencoe, Illinois. (847) 835-8261.www.chicagobotanic.org.

JAN. 30. Toward Harmony With Nature Conference. Fox Valley Area Chapter of WildOnes. Oshkosh Convention Center. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. (920) 987-5587.www.for-wild.org.

FEB. 12–14. Garden Expo. Alliant Energy Cen-ter. Madison, Wisconsin. (608) 262-5256.www.wpt.org/gardenexpo.

y FEB. 25–28. Fort Wayne Home and Gar-den Show. Memorial Coliseum. Fort Wayne,Indiana. (260) 432-1705.

CREGIONAL HAPPENINGS

Horticultural Events from Around the Country

Flower and garden shows that offer free ordiscounted admission to AHS members orpresent AHS awards are designated by a ksymbol. For details on the specific benefitsoffered, visit www.ahs.org/events/index.htmand click on “Flower and Home and GardenShows.”

Events hosted by botanical gardens andarboreta that participate in AHS’s ReciprocalAdmissions Program are identified with theRAP symbol. Current AHS members showinga valid membership card are eligible for free ordiscounted admission to the garden or otherbenefits. Special events may not be included;contact the host site for details or visitwww.ahs.org/events/reciprocal_events.htm.

www.home-gardenshow.com.

Looking aheadMAR. 14. Green Gardening from the GroundUp. Symposium. Olbrich Botanical Gardens.Madison, Wisconsin. (608) 246-4550.www.olbrich.org.

MAR. 6–14. Chicago Flower & Garden Show.Navy Pier. Chicago, Illinois. 773-868-3010.www.chicagoflower.com.

SOUTH CENTRALAR, KS, LA, MO, MS, OK, TX

JAN. 23. Gardens: The Spirit of Your Home.Symposium. Hilltop Arboretum. LouisianaState University. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.(225) 767-6916. www.lsu.edu/hilltop.

RAP FEB. 3. Ethnobotany—Historic Uses ofTexas Plants. Lecture. South Texas BotanicalGardens & Nature Center. Corpus Christi,Texas. (361) 852-2100. www.stxbot.org.

y FEB. 26–28. Arkansas Flower & GardenShow. Statehouse Convention Center. LittleRock, Arkansas. (501) 821-4000.www.arflowerandgardenshow.org.

RAP FEB. 27 & 28. Gardening Blitz. Classeson several topics. Missouri Botanical Gar-den. St. Louis, Missouri. (314) 577-9400.www.mobot.org.

Looking aheady MAR. 3–7. Wichita Garden Show. CenturyII Civic Center. Wichita, Kansas. (316) 946-0883. www.wichitagardenshow.com.

MAR. 5–7. Azalea Trail. Home and gardentour. River Oaks Garden Club. Houston,Texas. (713) 523-2483. www.thehomeandgardenmarket.com.

MAR. 5–7. Dallas Home & Garden Market.Show. Dallas, Texas. (713) 529-1616.www.thehomeandgardenmarket.com.

SOUTHWESTAZ, NM, CO, UT

JAN. 28 & 29. Think Trees. Sustainable treecare conference. Think Trees New Mexico.Albuquerque, New Mexico. (505) 243-1386. www.thinktreesnm.org.

RAP FEB. 17. Sustainable Landscape De-sign. Class. Desert Botanical Garden. Phoenix,Arizona. (480) 481-8188. www.dbg.org.

RAP FEB. 25. Planting the Spring KitchenGarden. Class. Denver Botanic Gardens.Denver, Colorado. (720) 865-3500.www.botanicgardens.org.

FEB. 25–28. Water Conservation/XeriscapeConference & Expo. Xeriscape Council ofNew Mexico. Albuquerque, New Mexico.T

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Golden Anniversary for CheekwoodCHEEKWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN & Museum of Art in Nashville, Ten-nessee, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with various programs and events through-out 2010. To start with,from March 13 through Sep-tember 12, there will be anexhibit, “The American Im-pressionists in the Garden,”which will explore the“theme of the garden inAmerican art and society ofthe late 19th and early 20thcenturies.” Paintings byAmerican Impressionistsdepicting European andAmerican gardens, alongwith several bronze sculp-tures created by Americanartists, will be on display.

Cheekwood features 10gardens of different styles and periods spread over 55 acres, along with an art collectionof more than 7,000 American and British pieces. Opened to the public in 1960, theproperty was originally established by the Cheek family in the early 1930s. The entre-preneurial family made its fortune from a wise investment in a cousin’s Maxwell Housecoffee blend (then called Cheek-Neal Coffee).

Now on the National Register for Historic Places, Cheekwood receives thousandsof visitors every year to enjoy its grounds, art, and programs. As a participant in theAmerican Horticultural Society’s (AHS) Reciprocal Admissions Program, Cheek-wood offers AHS members with a current membership card free admission. For moreinformation call, (615) 356-8000 or visit www.cheekwood.org.

Endangered Plant Exhibit in ChicagoIN COLLABORATION with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural Histo-ry and the Center for Plant Conservation, Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG) in Glencoe,

Illinois, is presenting an art exhibit called“Losing Paradise? Endangered Plants Hereand Around the World” from January 16 toApril 4. This exhibit, designed to call atten-tion to global conservation issues, features il-lustrations by members of the AmericanSociety of Botanical Artists (ASBA) depict-ing plants that are endangered or threatenedin the United States and abroad.

A companion book, featuring all 44pieces of artwork, information about theendangered plants, and the artists’ storiesabout the creation of their illustrations,

will also be available. And for those inspired to try their hand at drawing and paint-ing their own botanical pieces, CBG’s Joseph Regenstein Jr. School is offering a classtitled, “Rare and Endangered Species,” which will be held on Mondays in February.For more information, call (847) 835-5440 or visit www.chicagobotanic.org.

—Gwyneth Evans, Editorial Intern

Dianne McElwain’s painting of Tetraneurisherbacea is part of the art exhibit.

The Museum of Art building at Cheekwood

(505) 468-1021. www.xeriscapenm.com.

Looking aheadMAR. 5–7. HBA Home and Garden Show. PhilLong Expo Center. Colorado Springs, Colorado. (719) 592-1800. ext. 14.www.cshba.com.

y MAR. 5–7. Southwest Flower & GardenShow. University of Phoenix Stadium.Phoenix, Arizona. (602) 485-1691.www.swflowershow.com.

WEST COASTCA, NV, HI

JAN. 25. Pruning and Care of LandscapingFruit and Nut Trees. Class. University of Cal-ifornia, Davis Extension. Davis, California.(800) 752-0881. www.extension.ucdavis.edu/agriculture.

FEB. 8. Meadows by Design. Presentation.The San Diego Horticultural Society. DelMar Fairgrounds. Encinitas, California.(760) 295-7089. www.sdhortsoc.org.

FEB. 11. What’s Bugging Your Garden.Presentation. Friendship Auditorium. Los Angeles, California. (818) 567-1496.www.socalhort.org.

RAP FEB. 20–27. Golden Age of the Camellia Festival. Descanso Gardens. LaCañada Flintridge, California. (818) 949-4200. www.descansogardens.org.

FEB. 26–28. Pacific Orchid Exposition.San Francisco Orchid Society. Fort MasonCenter’s Festival Pavilion. San Francisco,California. (415) 665-2468. www.orchidsanfrancisco.org.

Looking aheadMAR. 12–14. Santa Barbara International Or-chid Show. Santa Barbara, California. (805)687-0766. www.sborchidshow.com.

RAP MAR. 13. African Violet Show & Sale.South Coast Botanic Garden. Palos VerdesPeninsula, California. (310) 544-1948.www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org.

NORTHWESTAK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY

y JAN. 27–31. Tacoma Home & GardenShow. Tacoma Dome. Tacoma, Washington.(253) 756-2121. www.otshows.com.

y FEB. 3–7. Northwest Flower & GardenShow. Washington State Convention Center.Seattle, Washington. (800) 596-2832.www.gardenshow.com.

y FEB. 18. Evergreens. Lecture. IdahoBotanical Garden. Boise, Idaho. (208) 343-8649. www.idahobotanicalgarden.org.

FEB. 24–28. Portland Spring Home & GardenShow. Portland Expo Center. Portland, Ore-gon. (503) 246-8291. www.otshows.com.

Looking aheadMAR. 12. Spring Ephemeral Plant Sale.Northwest Horticultural Society. Center forUrban Horticulture. Seattle, Washington.(206) 780-8172. www.northwesthort.org.

CANADA

RAP FEB. 16. Bonsai: An Introduction.Class. Royal Botanical Gardens. Hamilton,Ontario. (905) 527-1158. www.rbg.ca.

RAP FEB. 20. Soil, Nutrients, and Amendments. Class. Glendale Gardens &Woodland. Victoria, British Columbia. (250) 479-6162. www.hcp.bc.ca.

Looking aheadMAR. 17–21. Canada Blooms. Flower and garden festival. The Direct Energy Centre.Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (800) 730-1020.www.canadablooms.com. �



CPRONUNCIATIONS AND PLANTING ZONES

A–GAgave neomexicana uh-GAH-veenee-o-mex-ih-KAN-uh (USDAZones 6–10, AHS Zones 10–5)Andropogon gerardii an-dro-PO-gonjeh-RAR-dee-eye (3–8, 8–1)Antennaria plantaginifolia an-ten-AIR-ee-uh plan-tuh-jih-nee-FO-lee-uh (4–9, 9–4)Aquilegia canadensis ah-kwi-LEE-juh kan-uh-DEN-siss (4–9, 9–1)Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ark-toh-STAFF-ih-loss YOO-vuh-UR-sy(2–6, 6–1)Aster divaricatus ASS-ter dih-vair-ih-KAY-tus (4–8, 8–1)Bignonia capreolata big-NO-nee-uhkap-ree-o-LAY-tuh (6–9, 9–5)Buxus sempervirens BUCKS-us sem-pur-VY-renz (6–8, 9–6)B. sinica var. insularis B. SIH-nih-kuh var. in-sue-LAIR-iss (6–9, 8–6)Chamaepericlymenum canadensekam-ee-pair-ih-KLY-meh-num kan-uh-DEN-see (2–7, 7–1)Chasmanthium latifoliumchas-MAN-thee-um lat-ih-FO-lee-um (5–9, 9–1)Clethra alnifolia KLETH-ruh al-nih-FO-lee-uh (4–9, 9–1)Coreopsis major kor-ee-OP-sis MAY-jer (5–9, 9–5)Cornus florida KOR-nus FLOR-ih-duh (5–8, 8–3)Cyperus involucratus sy-PEER-us in-vol-yew-KRAY-tus (8–11, 12–1)Dennstaedtia punctilobuladen-STET-ee-uh punk-tih-LO-bew-luh (3–8, 8–1)Deschampsia caespitosadeh-SHAMP-see-uh sez-pih-TOH-suh (4–8, 8–1)Disporum cantoniense DIS-por-umkan-toh-nee-EN-see (6–9, 9–5)Dudleya hassei dud-LAY-uh HAS-see-eye (9–11, 12–9)

Epilobium canum eh-pih-LO-bee-umKAY-num (8–11, 12–8)Eriogonum allenii air-ee-OG-o-numah-LEN-ee-eye (5–10, 9–5)E. umbellatum E. um-bel-LAY-tum(3–8, 8–4)E. umbellatum var. aureumE. um-bel-LAY-tum var. AW-ree-um(3–8, 8–4)E. wrightii E. RITE-ee-eye (6–10, 10–7)Eschscholizia californicaes-SHOLTZ-zee-uh kal-ih-FORN-ih-kuh (8–10, 9–2)Gaylussacia baccata gay-loo-SAK-ee-uh buh-KAY-tuh (3–7, 7–1)Gelsemium sempervirens jel-SEE-me-um sem-pur-VY-renz (7–9, 9–1)

H–PHeuchera americana HYEW-kur-uhuh-mair-ih-KAN-uh (4–8, 8–1)H. villosa H. vih-LO-suh (4–9, 9–1)Houstonia caerulea hyews-TOH-nee-uh see-ROO-lee-uh (3–9, 9–1)Ipomoea batatas ih-po-ME-uh buh-TAH-tus (11–11, 12–1)Lagerstroemia indica lag-ur-STRO-me-uh IN-dih-kuh (7–9, 9–6)Leucanthemum ✕superbumloo-KAN-theh-mum soo-PUR-bum(5–9, 9–1)Magnolia grandiflora mag-NOLE-yuhgran-dih-FLOR-uh (6–9, 7–1)Mahonia repens mah-HO-nee-uhREP-enz (4–8, 8–3)Maianthemum canadensemy-AN-theh-mum kan-uh-DEN-see(3–8, 8–3)Matteuccia struthiopterismuh-TEW-key-uh strew-thee-OP-tur-iss (2–8, 8–1)Monarda didyma muh-NAR-duhDID-ih-muh (4–10, 10–1)Opuntia humifusa o-PUN-shuh hyew-mih-FEW-suh (11–11, 12–9)

Osmunda cinnamomea ahz-MUN-duh sin-uh-MO-mee-uh (3–9, 9–1)Pennisetum setaceum pen-ih-SEE-tum seh-TAY-see-um (8–11, 12–8)Penstemon baccharifoliusPEN-steh-mon bak-uh-rih-FO-lee-us (8–10, 10–8)P. eatonii P. ee-TONE-ee-eye (4–9, 9–1)P. hirsutus P. her-SOO-tus (3–8, 8–1)P. pseudospectabilis P. soo-doh-spek-TAB-ih-liss (5–10, 10–5)Phlox stolonifera FLOKS sto-lon-IF-ur-uh (4–8, 8–1)Phormium cookianum FOR-mee-umkoo-kee-AN-um (9–11, 12–1)Polystichum acrostichoides pah-LIS-tih-kum uh-kros-tih-CHOY-deez(3–8, 8–1)Polypodium appalachianum pawl-ee-PO-dee-um ah-puh-LACH-ih-an-um(3–8, 8–1)P. virginianum P. vir-jin-ee-AN-um(5–8, 8–5)Potentilla tridentata po-ten-TIL-luhtry-den-TAY-tuh (2–8, 8–1)Prunus sargentii PROO-nus sar-JEN-tee-eye (5–9, 9–5)Pulsatilla vulgaris pull-suh-TIL-uhvul-GAIR-iss (5–7, 7–5)

Q–RQuercus agrifolia KWER-kus ag-rih-FO-lee-uh (8–10, 10–6)Q. alba Q. AL-buh (3–9, 9–1)Q. buckleyi Q. buck-LEE-eye (5–9, 10–6)Q. chrysolepis Q. krih-so -LEP-iss(7–9, 9–7)Q. gambelii Q. gam-BEL-ee-eye(5–8, 8–4)Q. garryana Q. gah-ree-AN-uh (6–8, 8–5)Q. macrocarpa Q. mak-ro-KAR-puh(2–9, 9–2)

Q. muehlenbergii Q. mew-len-BUR-gee-eye (4–8, 8–3)Q. nigra Q. NY-gruh (6–9, 9–5)Q. nuttallii Q. nuh-TAL-lee-eye (6–9, 9–5)Q. rubra Q. ROO-bruh (3–7, 7–1)Q. shumardii Q. shoo-MAR-dee-eye(5–9, 9–5)Q. stellata Q. stel-LAY-tuh (5–9, 9–5)Q. ✕sternbergii Q. sturn-BUR-jee-eye (4–9, 9–1)Q. velutina Q. vel-oo-TEEN-uh (4–8, 8–1)Q. virginiana Q. vir-jin-ee-AN-uh(7–10, 10–7)Rhus aromatica RUS ah-ro-MAT-ih-kuh (2–8, 8–1)Ribes sanguineum RY-beez san-GWIN-ee-um (6–8, 8–6)Ruellia humilis roo-EL-ee-uh HEW-mih-lys (4–9, 9–1)

S–ZSassafras albidum SASS-uh-frassAL-bih-dum (4–8, 8–3)Sechium edule SEK-ee-um ed-YEW-lee (9–10, 12–9)Sedum pulchellum SEE-dum pul-KEL-um (5–9, 9–1)Solidago rugosa sol-ih-DAY-go roo-GO-suh (5–9, 9–1)S. speciosa S. spee-see-O-suh (5–9, 8–4)Spigelia marilandica spy-JEE-lee-uhmair-ih-LAN-dih-kuh (5–9, 9–2)Sporobolus junceus spor-OB-o-lusJOON-see-us (8–10, 11–8)Tiarella cordifolia tee-uh-REL-luhkor-dih-FO-lee-uh (3–8, 7–1)Vaccinium angustifolium vak-SIN-ee-um ang-gus-tih-FO-lee-um (2–8, 8–1)Verbena lilacina ver-BEE-nuh lie-LASS-ih-nuh (10–11, 12–5)Viola pedata VY-o-luh peh-DAY-tuh(3–8, 8–1)

Most of the cultivated plants described in this issue are listed here withtheir pronunciations, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, and AHS Plant HeatZones. These zones suggest a range of locations where temperatures areappropriate—both in winter and summer—for growing each plant.

While the zones are a good place to start in determining plant adaptabili-ty in your region, factors such as exposure, moisture, snow cover, and hu-midity also play an important role in plant survival. The codes tend to be con-servative; plants may grow outside the ranges indicated. A USDA zone ratingof 0–0 means that the plant is a true annual and completes its life cycle in ayear or less.

To purchase a two-by-three-foot glossy AHS Plant Heat Zone Map for$9.95, call (800) 777-7931 or visit www.ahs.org.


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CPLANT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

ENTER ‘JUSTIN BROUWER’For gardeners and growers in desperateneed of alternatives for dwarf English box-wood, one good option emerged in ‘JustinBrouwers’ (USDA Zones 6–9, AHSZones 8–6), a selection of dwarf Koreanboxwood (Buxus sinica var. insularis). In-troduced prior to 1972, this selection is ashardy as English boxwood, tolerates sitesin sun or shade, and has a slow to mediumgrowth rate of one to three inches per year.After 15 years, it will reach approximatelytwo-and-a-half feet in height and spreadwith a mounded shape. Best of all, it isadaptable, resilient, and easy to grow.

The plant was originally selected as aseedling by the late Justin B. Brouwers, aformer landscape gardener at ColonialWilliamsburg in Virginia. According to anarticle in the The Boxwood Bulletin,Brouwers liked the selection so much thathe planted seedlings around the grave ofone of his favorite cats; before the plant re-ceived its current name—which was offi-

cially registered in 1989—it was generallyknown as the “Cat’s Grave Seedling” andas “Brouwers’ Seedling No.1.”

‘Justin Brouwers’ came on the scene ata time when many historic sites weredealing with the need to replace declin-ing English boxwoods. Among the mid-Atlantic gardens that benefited from itwere the White House and Mount Ver-non Estate and Gardens, where I work.‘Justin Brouwers’ was introduced in sev-eral gardens at both sites and so far hasperformed admirably.

The cultivar requires little attention,responds well to pruning and shearing,and has shown resistance to root rot dis-eases. As with most boxwoods, ‘JustinBrouwers’ is susceptible to spider mitesand boxwood leaf miner. Plants should beregularly monitored to check for thesepests, which are relatively easy to control.

WORTH A TRYWhile there are many good new boxwoodcultivars now available, ‘Justin Brouwers’ isdefinitely worth incorporating into thelandscape. It is versatile enough to be usedas a specimen plant, as a low hedge, or foredging. It is also suitable for bonsai and top-iary. In the National Boxwood Trials coor-dinated by Paul Saunders of SaundersBrothers Nursery in Piney River, Virginia,‘Justin Brouwers’ consistently rates highlyfor overall qualities. Many of my colleagueswho have grown the plant say it is a winner,and I can vouch for that from my own ex-perience. If you like the look of dwarf Eng-lish boxwood, ‘Justin Brouwers’ offers asmaller, easier-to-care-for option. �

Dean Norton is director of horticulture atMount Vernon Estate and Gardens inAlexandria, Virginia.

by Dean Norton

‘Justin Brouwers’ Boxwood

UNTIL RECENTLY, the predominant boxwood used in American gardens was the dwarf Englishboxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’). In the mid-Atlantic and South, this boxwood was often

planted in inappropriate sites—exposed to full sun and winter winds and/or poorly drained soils—and sub-jected to poor cultural practices. Because of the combination of overplanting and poor site selection, start-ing in the 1960s, dwarf English boxwoods began succumbing to a fungal disease called boxwood decline.

‘Justin Brouwers’ boxwood makes a neat, low-growing hedge in the garden.

SourcesAvant Gardens, Dartmouth, MA.(508) 998-8819. www.avantgardensne.com.

Heronswood Nurseries, Warminster,PA. (866) 587-7948.www.heronswood.com.

For more information about theNational Boxwood Trials, visit theSaunders Brothers Nursery website(www.saundersbrothers.com).

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