Capitol Hill Garden Club

We've Moved!

2010-06-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

June 1, 2010: In order to take advantage of more bells and whistles available only on the new Blogspot template, we have moved to: http://capitolhillgardenclub.blogspot.com/

You can still review previous Blogspot posts by going through the archives here:

No Rain for Postponed Garden Walk

2010-05-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

May 18, 2010: The May 12 garden walk was postponed one week for better weather and one week later the evening was unusually cold, very overcast but nary a drop of rain. We walked from Surroundings on Lincoln Park, down North Carolina Avenue to Turtle Park. From there we toured two backyard gardens between Turtle Park and the garden of member Lynn Church. The tour was led by Betty Hageman and Sandra Bruce.

Member Judy Hecht discussed the history of her front yard garden:

Member Jan Shea said the "grassy" area in her front yard was left to provide a play area for young neighborhood children without yards:

Emerson came out to greet the walkers; Sandra's Sugar came along on the walk:

Joe Ardizzone, fiance of the late landscaper Kim Brenegar, discussed plans to renovate this pocket park as a memorial to her:

Wendy Blair related the pitfalls of a neighborhood attempt to improve this traffic island park amidst Independence, North Carolina and 8th Street:

Crossing Independence Avenue (click lower left arrow to play):

We stopped to admire this double front yard around the corner from Eastern Market:
Muriel Martin-Wein discusses Turtle Park where the benches "disappeared" one night and the neighbors didn't call the police:

We then were invited into Joe and Nannette's back yard garden:

In the alley we waited for the key to the garden gate:
And then entered James and Chucks' more formal garden:

We ended with refreshments at the home of member Lynne Church:

2010 Garden Walk

2010-04-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

An annual tradition since that day decades ago when David Healy and Ellen Davis created the first walk, Capitol Hill Garden Club members tour the gardens of their own neighborhood while spring is still in bloom.

This year the walk STARTS at 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at the garden shop "Surroundings" on the southeast corner of Lincoln Park, 11th and North Carolina Avenue SE.

It ENDS near 8th & A Streets SE (in case you want to park near the end rather than the start).

Tallamy Native Plant Landscapes to Promote Healthier Ecosystems

2010-04-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

April 13, 2010: Dr. Doug Tallamy of the University of Delaware addressed the Capitol Hill Garden Club on the need to re-introduce native plants into residential neighborhoods and subdivisions to preserve native wildlife and promote healthier ecosystems for human habitation. Dr. Tallamy shared his research into insect and bird life on native plants as compared with non-native plants often championed by commercial landscapers and horticultural interests.

His list of suggested native plants for the Mid-Atlantic can be found here. Other sources for native plants by region are here and here.

Following the talk, he autographed his book Bringing Nature Home--How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants.

Doug Tallamy to Address Club on April 13

2010-03-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

Dr. Douglas W. Tallamy, Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, will show D.C. gardeners how they can be better stewards of our fragile urban ecosystem in an address to the Capitol Hill Garden Club on April 13, 2010.

Dr. Tallamy is the author of Bringing Nature Home--How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Timber Press 2009.

" Everyone with access to a patch of earth can make a significant contribution toward sustaining biodiversity. There is an unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife — native insects cannot, or will not, eat alien plants. When native plants disappear, the insects disappear, impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals. In many parts of the world, habitat destruction has been so extensive that local wildlife is in crisis and may be headed toward extinction. Bringing Nature Home has sparked a national conversation about the link between healthy local ecosystems and human well-being, and the new paperback edition — with an expanded resource section and updated photos — will help broaden the movement. By acting on Douglas Tallamy's practical recommendations, everyone can make a difference."

In his address, Tallamy will explain how seemingly innocent and widely popular gardening practices threaten chains of interdependent insects, plants, birds and animals. The future of North American biodiversity is at risk according to Tallamy’s lifetime of research. Because animals, birds and insects depend on plants for their food, the diversity of animals, birds and insects is closely linked to the diversity of plants. When many species of plants die out, so do many species of wild life.

After a dramatic presentation of the vulnerabilities of our living environment, he will suggest better ways to garden.

Admission is FREE to the public. Meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Brethren, corner of North Carolina Avenue, SE at 4^th Street, SE. Enter basement meeting room from 4^th Street door. Blue or orange line to Eastern Market Metro.

Club Receives Community Project Award

2010-03-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

March 23, 2010: Capitol Hill Garden Club today received The Beatrice M. Coiner Award for Community Projects for its annual bulb giveaway during annual award ceremonies for National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc. The award is memorialized in a certificate and a cash award of $100.

Janice McKenney received the award on behalf of Capitol Hill Garden Club form NCAGC Awards Chair Babs McClendon.
Janice (2d from left) is shown with District I Director David Healy, Margaret McKnew of New Carrollton Garden Club, Julie Harrison of Mount Airy Clay Breakers Garden Club and Poss Tarpley of Tanta-Cove Garden Club.

The club also was recognized for Outstanding Garden Club Achievement (60 or more members).

For more on the NCAGC awards, go here.

Philadelphia Flower Show 2010

2010-03-12T11:18:00.000-08:00

Photographs of this year's Philadelphia Flower Show are here.

Vegetable Gardening 101

2010-03-10T11:46:00.000-08:00

March 9, 2010: Master gardeners Dave and Casey Kneipp, founders of the Cheverly Community Vegetable Garden, presented an informative program on the basics for starting a vegetable garden. They discussed site, soil, seeds and sustaining. Casey said the only topic not covered was the "no work garden."

President Vira Sisolak (r) shows off Tony Pontorno's vegetable centerpiece.

Casey stressed soil testing and, in the following discussion, lead and arsenic were raised as two concerns in Capitol Hill gardens. Raised beds with new soil would avoid these concerns.

Dave demonstrated the mobility of a salad box:

From left to right, the containers contain standard yard soil, artificial growing medium and organic soil amendments (l); Tony Pontorno's vegetable centerpiece anchored the refreshment's table:

More information on many of the topics discussed can be found here.

Member Gardens

2010-03-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

February 23, 2010: We had a good turnout for the snow delayed monthly meeting.

Charles McMillion discussed the green house he built into the dog leg of his house; Michele Bogdanovich discussed the transformation of her front yard garden; and Alex Belano discussed the front yard landscapes of his row of condominiums.
Margaret Missiaen gave a presentation on what not to do to snow-bound plants and discussed pruning snow damage to trees and shrubs.

February 9 Meeting Rescheduled to February 23

2010-02-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

February 9, 2010: Our hardy members had hoped to go ahead with tonight's regularly scheduled meeting despite the snow and ice and forecast of even more. But alas, the Church of the Brethren will be closed!

So, the perennially popular Members Talking About Their Own Gardens--the Good, the Bad and the Ugly has been rescheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, February 23, 2010, at 337 North Carolina Avenue SE.

Winter Interest

2010-01-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

January 12, 2009: Member Lynne Church presented an informative program on Trees and Shrubs with Winter Interest. After a career as an energy attorney and energy executive, Church pursued a degree in landscape design and now operates Lynne Church Landscape Design.

She divided winter horticulture into berries, peeling or mottled bark, unusual forms, colorful foliage and early flowers. [Almost all the photos in the following slideshow were taken by Lynne Church of specimens on Capitol Hill. If you put your cursor over the lefthand bottom of the slideshow and click on the square dialog box, you can see the caption of each photo OR, if you click on a slideshow photo, you can view all of Lynne's photos and captions in the Picasa Web Album.]

[If the slideslow does not open in Internet Explorer, please open page in Chrome or Firefox or go here.]

Margaret Missiaen gave a short talk on transplanting small trees and shrubs. She advised taking a spade and cutting the roots 6 to 10 inches from the trunk to create a root ball, then leaving the rootball in place to encourage new root growth before moving the rootball to a new planting location. For most small trees she suggesting beginning in September and leaving the root ball in place until after a month or so of growth in the spring. For shrubs she advised preparing the rootball shortly after bloom but still allowing time for new root growth before relocating the plant. Missiaen warned that crepe myrtle should be transplanted early in the summer as they needed to be established in the new location in time to winter over.

Greens Party 2009

2009-12-13T04:52:00.000-08:00

December 9, 2009: For as long as there are memories and records, the club has devoted its December meeting to a holiday greens workshop. Members make wreaths, swags and table arrangements for themselves or others while enjoying a savory and sweet finger-food potluck.

Click on arrow to repeat slide show or click on photos for a larger view in another window.

DC's RiverSmart Homes and Roofs

2009-11-19T06:59:00.000-08:00

November 10, 2009: Rebecca Stack from the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) spoke about the city's RiverSmart Homes program to lessen storm water runoff from residential properties. Residents make online applications to initiate a property audit to determine suitability for subsidized runoff abatement programs. The abatement programs include the following:

* Shade Trees -- resident pays $50 per tree
* Rain Barrels -- resident pays $30 per rain barrel
* Rain Gardens -- resident pays $75 for a rain garden
* BayScaping -- resident pays $100 for native plant landscaping
* Pervious Pavers -- DC pays difference between concrete and pervious pavers.

Greg Woods invited members to drop by the William Penn House at 515 East Capitol Street SE to see their Backyard Rainscape, which received a grant from DDOE and would be appropriate for many Capitol Hill yards.

Stack also discussed the RiverSmart Rooftops program in which the city pays $3 to $5 for each square foot of green roof installed by residents on qualified properties.

Vira opened the meeting, Ruth introduced the speaker and EJ discussed five-minute member presentations to open coming meetings:

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

2009-11-04T10:47:00.001-08:00

Brooklyn, NY, October 30, 2009: Click here for photographs of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Flower Arranging by Marianne Raub

2009-10-13T18:33:00.002-07:00

October 13, 2009: Floral designer Marianne Raub demonstrated flower arranging while discussing the conditioning of flowers, design elements and the flower trade.
Following a career in ballet, Marianne studied at the Parsons School of Design and began flower arranging for Bloom in New York City. She and her husband opened Helen Olivia in Old Town Alexandria and named it after their maternal grandmothers.

Helen Olivia's "signature" design is a tight, full arrangement of many types of flowers in a close range of color with a variety of textures. She groups flowers of the same type to give them more presence and interest.
Raub made two signature designs, one in purple tones in a clear glass cube vase and another in fall tones in oasis in a smaller glass cube vase. Raub starts with Pittosporum tobira "Variegata" to make a base and provide the structure for the arrangement. She then places roses in groups of 3 or 5, followed by flowers of decreasing presence and strength, saving the most delicate for the end. She ends by wrapping the glass containers with a polyester ribbon in a complementary color to hide the stems or oasis and give the arrangement a finished look.

Raub said the signature design departs from the triangle design used in many flower arrangements by rounding off the points. She said another standard design for vertical arrangements was an "S" shape. Her third arrangement was a crescent shape, in a low rectangular ceramic vase.

Following the demonstration, the arrangements were raffled as door prizes. Jane Terry won the purple signature design. To a base of pittosporum were added Sahara roses, brassica, mini green hydrangea, purple stock, To a base of pittosporum , globe thistle, and lisianthus.

Marie Hertzberg won the smaller fall color signature design. To a base of pittosporum were added roses, dahlias, brazilia berry, fresia, and chrysanthemums. To take the arrangement "over the top," Raub added one Charlie Brown orchid.

Mary Lischer won the crescent arrangement. The base was Aspidistra elatior folded over and stapled into place. The flowers included macara orchids, amaranthus, mini cymbidium orchids, and mango calla lilies. Curly willow and kangaroo grass were added to give it height and line. The exposed oasis was then filled with short pieces of pittosporum.

Favorite Plants and a Mystery Melon

2009-09-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

September 8, 2009. Horticulturist Sandra Flowers discussed her favorite annuals and perennials for beds and borders with suggestions for both sun and shade.

Donna Brandes shared a volunteer from her garden--what is it? She was thinking a cucumber but others thought a melon. They're close relatives. Both are from the family Cucurbitaceae which includes cucumbers, melons, squashes and gourds!

Hill Garden News, September 2009

2009-08-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

Click on pages to open in another window for easier reading.

Program Schedule for 2009-2010

2009-08-29T06:00:00.001-07:00

To read the club's program schedule for 2009-2010, click on the following photo to open in another window:

Unless otherwise indicated, the club meets at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Brethren on the corner of North Carolina Avenue and 4th Street SE. Please enter via the 4th Street side door.

Baltimore's Victorian Conservatory

2009-08-25T21:02:00.000-07:00

Only 41 miles away is a conservatory and botanic garden with a wide variety of well-labeled plants, plenty of parking and relatively few visitors.
For more pictures and information go here.

National Recognition of School Project

2009-06-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

At the national convention in May, National Garden Clubs, Inc. awarded a Certificate of Achievement to Capitol Hill Garden Club for the development and installation of a Discovery Garden on the 4th Street side of the Peabody School grounds. Club member Mary Blakeslee led the project through all its phases, including obtaining a $25,000 grant from the Lowe's Foundation. Three other club members, many Peabody parents and other volunteers worked with Mary on this project.

Vickie Godwin, National Capital Area Garden Club 1st Vice President, delivered the certificate to club president Vira Sisolak at the District 1 President's Meeting, June 11, 2009.

Garden Conservancy Open Day

2009-06-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

Anne Arundel County, May 30: Two fabulous private gardens were open to the public as part of the Open Days Program that helps support The Garden Conservancy.

Along the way we came upon this rowboat and a "shore bird" among the rose campion:

The Garden of Nancy and Pierre Moitrier was featured in the WaPo. The Moitrier's run a landscape design and gardening business so their third-of-an-acre garden in southwest Annapolis has berms, walls, water features, a treehouse and is filled with all sorts of plants. The swale is landscaped as a brook:

Salvia, allium and iris:

Pierre uses Eastern red cedar to fashion fences, railings, trellises and benches. An almost Chippendale deer fence surrounds the potager:

The treehouse:
Musa basjoo (the Japanese banana that is hardy to Maine) offsets the patio:

The Mewshaw Lindstrom Garden, in the heart of an old tobacco farm near Mitchellville, features five-acres of gardens with room for much more than a pony. There are numerous perennial borders--sun or shade. One stretching 100 by 15 feet has a rose trellis on the north side of its 100-foot length. There were kitchen gardens, a cutting garden. espalliered fruit trees and 2 active bee hives. A large waterlily pond was surrounded by a flagstone patio. We spied a cat, two dogs, doves, a golden pheasant, a rooster and 2 peacocks which acted as if they owned the place.

Japanese iris (Kakitsubata) and dragonfly:

The 100-foot perennial bed:

A Bigleaf magnolia:

Catalpa:

Peacock:

Busy beehive with peacock cries:

Orpington rooster and a Golden pheasant:

The cat:
The dogs:

A Victorian Garden Party

2009-06-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

The venue for the Victorian Garden Party was changed to 418 7th Street SE but the "Victorians" carried on, stiff upper lip and all that.

Sharon Ferguson has shared these photographs:

2009 Garden Walk Through Near Northeast

2009-05-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

May 12: On a perfect evening, Carol led this year's garden walk on a perfect evening through an area in Near Northeast from 5th to 9th Streets between H Street and Stanton Park.

Debbie Moultry, the owner of Nouveau Fleur Florist, showed us her garden and shop:

Rose and iris:

Chris and Chris invited us into their walled garden and then through the main floor of their house:

Knock Out roses and clematis:

We surprised a resident gardening at Carbury School condominiums:

Clematis:

Pinks and urn with violas:

E.J. discussed streetscape gardening in front yards and tree boxes:

Carole shared her corner yards where, thanks to Tony and Joe, we ended with refreshments:

Thank You for Bulb Giveaway

2009-05-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

Each year the club donates thousands of crocus and daffodil bulbs to the public for planting in pubic spaces throughout Capitol Hill. This year, Linda and Henry sent a thank you along with these photos of giveaway bulbs that they planted near 10th and Massachusetts Avenue NE:

Hill Rag Features President's Project

2009-05-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

The May issue of The Hill Rag reported on the first phase of President Elvira Sisolak's project to re-landscape the front of the Verizon building in the residential neighborhood on 7th Street NE. You can read the article by clicking on the pictures below or by going here.

Reproduced by permission of The Hill Rag.

Spring Continues

2009-04-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

Iris on A Street SE:

Bleeding heart (Dicentra) on Independence Avenue:
Wisteria on Independence Avenue:
For lilacs go here.

Tree Doctor Discusses Patients

2009-04-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

April 14: Dr. Jay Stipes, retired professor of tree pathology at Virginia Tech, enthralled members with a seminar on trees, their diseases and some cures. His work included refining the injection of fungicides to combat Dutch elm disease. His "patients" include elms on the National Mall and historic trees at Mount Vernon, Monticello, and Montpellier, as well as on the Capitol grounds.

Dr. Stipes shared some pages from his notebooks where he has saved leaves, as well as notes, on historic trees from historic places.

Bulb Giveaway Bulbs in Bloom

2009-04-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

1300 block of North Carolina Avenue SE, April 10:
Photo by Elizabeth Nelson.

Homestead Garden Show

2009-03-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Davidsonville, MD, March 22, 2009: The New York Times recently reported the cancellation of several annual garden shows. They thought this mostly a result of the current economy but failed to notice the rise of the destination garden centers, which have become year-round garden shows. Indeed, Homestead Gardens has its own spring garden show.

A rain garden, and a basket of lettuces:

A bog garden:
A pond in a pot, and a "bay friendly" beach:

A vegetable garden with raised beds:
A salad garden, tomatoes in a pot:

Art in the garden:

Spring Tool Sharpening

2009-03-19T13:01:00.001-07:00

It’s spring--time to sharpen your tools and knives.

Come to the alley behind 116 10th Street, SE, on Saturday morning (about 9:30-10:00), 28 March, and bring them to the tool man, John Vecchiarelli, who will sharpen them for reasonable prices.

Lawn mowers, clippers, loppers, knives, scissors, etc. All are welcome.

Jim Shelar Receives District I Award of Honor

2009-03-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

March 12: Former Capitol Hill president Jim Shelar received the Award of Honor from District I, National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc. for his work for, and achievements in, the Capitol Hill Garden Club and the Capitol Hill community. Vickie Godwin, presently second vice president of NCAGC, presented the award to a surprised Jim Shelar.
Capitol Hill is one of 21 clubs in District I. [Unlike Gaul, NCAGC is divided in four parts.] Each year, each district selects one garden club member for the Award of Honor.

Also, at the District I Awards Meeting, Capitol Hill president Elvira Sisolak, on behalf of Capitol Hill, accepted award and achievement certificates for:
*Oustanding Garden Club (over 60 members)
*Outstanding Community Project
*Work at Historic Sites
*Education and Youth Programs
*NCAGC Plus One Membership
*Financial Supporters

Tropical Plants for the Mid-Atlantic

2009-03-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

March 10: "Boca" Joe Seamone of Germantown, MD and "Panama" John Saia of the Virginia Palm Society evangelized the incorporation of tropicals--elephant ears, cannas, bananas and palms--into local landscapes at the club's March meeting.

David (l) introduced Panama John and Boca Joe (r):

Seamone said tropicals thrive in area summers and showed photos of plants growing from 12 inches in May to over 12 feet by September. He said they required soils with lots of organic matter and lots of water (though not more water than a typical perennial/annual bed). They recommended fertilizing with Milorganite (it's 5-2-0).

To obtain a tropical look, Seamone recommended planting "taros, cannas and bananas" 6-8 inches apart. He suggested underplanting with impatiens or geraniums.

Saia recommended the Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor) and the Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix), which he said were native to this area before "the last ice age." They showed a photo of the now two-story Windmill Palm (Tracycarpus fortunei), that has thrived in Sterling, VA since 1994. Saia said these palms planted in this area needed to be winter protected for only the first three or four years and afterwords could fend for themselves.

An Early Spring

2009-03-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Washington, March 7: The first bloom:
At the Spring Antiques Show:

On the Hill: Daphne and crocus:

Bella Italia in Philadelphia

2009-03-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia, March 6: The 2009 theme of the Philadelphia Flower Show was "Bella Italia." The entrance was Rome which was circled by Venice, San Remo, Milan, Tuscany, Florence and the Lake Region.

In Rome, the forum was re-imagined as the Villa D'Este:

and with opera singers (play video to listen):

Venice featured an actual gondola on a canal:

and the interior of a palazzo:

Milan featured couture: flowery dresses:

Hats and perfume:

And (best of show) the shoes:

Tuscany was sunny:

For Florence, the Duomo was turned into a gazebo:

Astilbe and wisteria bloomed in the Lake District:

San Remo was all palmettos, orchids and topiary bougainvillea:

Even "Italian" South Philly was represented:

Painting with pressed flowers caught our attention:

We liked these water features:

There was a kitchen garden and arbors:

A flower garden and a painted tree:

HORTICULTURE: It's a flower show, so some of the stars are individual plants!

Titan arum and Dasylirion longissimum:

Mammilaria and the orchid Masdevallia copper angel "Highland":

Lots and lots of orchids:

The orchid Dendrobium smilleaia and the Kohleria "Carnival":

Flower arranging and floral design:

Bare bulbs blooming:

Photographer and editor with green wall:

Cold, Damp, But Not Winter

2009-02-13T08:22:00.001-08:00

San Clemente, CA, Feb. 13: Camelias, azaleas and more.

Plant Propagation

2009-02-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

Feb. 10: Terri Poindexter of Behnke Nurseries presented a demonstration of plant propogation for perennials and woody ornamentals.

With Terri's permission, her notes on when to propagate various plants are reproduced here. Click on the charts for a larger view:

The social hour had a Valentine's theme including chocolate dipped strawberries!

Member Gardens

2009-01-21T07:42:00.000-08:00

Jan. 13: At this annual meeting, members discuss their own gardens.

In the wilds above H Street NE, Jason turned a utility back yard into a garden with a rain barrel as the only water source and a river of Kentucky blue grass as the "water feature."

Diane, with the assistance of her neighbor, expanded a small backyard water feature into a spectacular backyard water garden with waterfall, bog garden and fish pond.

Carole said persons with corner lots had a special duty to present an attractive streetscape with changing interest for those who pass by daily. She uses garden ornaments, rather than hardscape, to give focus points in the yard and annuals to bring change. Carole said one can bring harmony by using the same plant with different colored blooms or different plants with the same color of blooms.

Holiday Wreaths

2009-01-14T12:31:00.001-08:00

Greens Party 2008

2009-01-07T12:46:00.003-08:00

Desert Garden

2009-01-07T07:14:00.000-08:00

The Desert Garden, Huntington Library, San Marino, CA:

Lizard (l) and dragonfly (r):

Japanese Garden

2009-01-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

Japanese Garden, Huntington Library, San Marino, CA:

Flora of Orange County

2009-01-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

Bird of Paradise:

Jade plant in bloom:

Ice with yellow jacket:

Zoysia grass:

Pink powder puff:
California poppies; poppy with bees:

Orchids

2008-11-12T06:48:00.000-08:00

Nov. 11: Orchid enthusiast and judge Ken Meier of Orchid Enterprise, Inc. (above) told the November meeting that the secret of orchids was to find the right variety for the condition of your growing location. With the caveat that there was an exception to every rule, Meier's general rules were (1) always re-pot new orchids after they bloom and then once each year thereafter, (2) keep the roots moist but not wet, (3) move an orchid away from sunlight whenever the leaves are warm to the touch, (4) fertilize with evenly balanced NPK but watered down to a quarter of suggested strength, and (5) lower nighttime temperatures 20 degrees below daytime temperature for at least 3 weeks to get Phalaenopsis to bloom again. When re-potting, one should remove any deteriorated roots and any decomposed matter.

Elizabeth Eby (below r) introduced Meier. Margaret Missiaen spoke briefly about invasive vines. She said the omnipresent "bindweed" was actually a morning glory and urged everyone to dispose of seed pods before they open.

Bulb Sales

2008-11-09T04:22:00.000-08:00

Eastern Market, Nov. 8: A sunny, warm fall day surprised workers for the bulb sale finale.

Landscape Lighting and Site Visit to Capitol Hill Yard with Spectacular Crape Myrtle

2008-10-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Oct: 14: Oxley, president of Outdoor Illumination, Inc., in Bethesda, presented an overview of outdoor lighting to enhance outdoor landscaping at night. While showing examples of the firms' work in the DC metro area, Oxley discussed uplighting and downlighting, forelighting and backlighting, avoiding glare and overkill. He said it was better to error on the side of less. In terms of equipment, Oxley urged members to opt for quality. He discussed the need for an outdoor transformer with an internal circuit breaker, 12 volt multi-reflector bulbs, wiring and an electrical source.

Following the meeting, Oxley led about two dozen members over to 6th and D SE to view the landscape lighting in a side garden which features what is believed to be the oldest winter-hardy crape myrtle in the United States.

Several varieties of crape myrtle grow in the United States. The common crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) was introduced in the 1750s from mainland Asia. A Japanese variety (Lagerstroemia fauriei) was introduced in the 1950s and was used by the U.S. National Arboretum in the 1960s to develop a strain of winter hardy, disease resistant crape myrtles with decorative cinnamon--brown bark.

The tree on 6th street is apparently one of the earliest of these Lagerstroemia fauriei. It towers above the adjacent two-story row houses and is uplit. The transformer is below left:

Oxley distributed this handout at the meeting:

Fall in the Shenandoah

2008-10-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

Chrysanthemums (below l) at the home of Patsy Cline.

For more of Patsy Cline go here and for the Blue Ridge bonfire go here.

Smoke Tree

2008-10-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

Mt. Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, VA, Oct. 11: At first glance we thought Spanish Moss but that's impossible in the Shenandoah Valley. It's a smoketree (Cotinus coggygria) with its summer pink turned fall gray.

Milo on the Hill

2008-10-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

At the corner of 12th and Independence SE, a solitary milo plant has grown in the tree box. Americans use milo for cattle feed and increasingly for ethanol.

Up on the Roof

2008-10-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

Oct. 2: 10 G Street NE, which sits between Union Station and the Government Printing Office, has a partially green roof and a terrace featuring a labyrinth. The terrace was a great venue for the book launching of "Open Spaces, Sacred Places."

Norma Merritt

2008-09-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Fort Washington, MD, Sep. 21: Tanta-Cove Garden Club member Norma Merritt is almost a one-woman environmental protection agency along the Potomac River south of the Wilson Bridge. Sunday was such a beautiful day that she went rather far:

Fall on the Hill

2008-09-21T15:40:00.001-07:00

Fungus Invades Hilleast

2008-09-17T19:47:00.001-07:00

Sep. 13-14: Appearing seemingly overnight, these mushrooms/toadstools caught our attention and then, a day later, they were huge!

For the Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square, PA go here.

Breeding Breakthroughs at September Meeting

2008-09-17T19:47:00.000-07:00

Sep. 9: Dr. Robert E. Lyons, director of the Longwood Graduate Program of Public Horticulture at the University of Delaware, presented a terrific program on breeding breakthroughs in petunias, zinnias and impatiens and a rundown on "edgy" plants, both woody and herbaceous:

o Woody Plants (note that all may not be hardy in the northern zones)

§ Edgeworthia chrysantha/papyrifera

§ Betula nigra ‘Summer Cascade’

§ Ulmus alatus ‘Lace Parasol’

§ Gardenia augusta

§ Emmenopterys henryi

§ Daphniphyllum macropodum

§ Lindera salicifolia

§ Abelia chinensis

§ Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’

§ Ternstroemia ‘Variegata’

§ Ternstroemia ‘Burnished Gold’

§ Heteropterys glabra

· Herbaceous Plants (A – annual/tender perennial; P = perennial)

o Ipomoea batatas (Ornamental Sweet potato) A

o Helianthus hybrid (perennial sunflower) P

o Rudbeckia hirta ‘Indian Summer’ P (et al.)

o Muhlenbergia capillaris P

o Hemerocallis hybrid (altissima hybrids) P

o Cissus discolor A

o Manihot esculenta A

o Kaempferia A

o Solanum quitoense A

o Solanum quitoense (thornless form) A

o Solanum pyracanthum A

o Spilanthes oleracea A

o Cosmos sulphureus A

o Cosmos caudatum (?) A

o Leonitis leonurus A

This was the first meeting for new president Elvira Sisolak, who introduced program chair Alex Belano, who introduced program committee member Ed Peterman, who introduced his former professor Robert Lyons.

The club bid farewell to Ellen Davis. It was her last meeting before retiring to California.

Tree Houses at Tyler Arboretum

2008-09-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

Media, PA, Sep. 7: Tyler Arboretum is arguably the oldest in the United States. William Penn deeded the land to a family which held it for 8 generations before a descendant in 1944 bequeathed it as a public arboretum. However, systematic plantings of trees and shrubs began as early as 1825.

Note the groundhog (below r):

We were drawn by a special exhibit of 17 tree houses, which were enticing families and children into visiting an arboretum. However, only a handful were actual tree houses. The "Best in Show" was this cantilevered structure:

Runner up was this pink elephant of recycled materials:

This was close, but turned out to be an academic study in reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina; note the high water mark in the left closeup:

At least this one got off the ground and incorporated lots of play:

Honorable mention goes to a reconstruction of Thoreau's cabin with the Tyler pond standing in for Walden Pond:

This bamboo structure didn't get off the ground:
You couldn't go in this "tree house" (l); and not even children could fit in this "Hobbit" house (r).

There was no tree in these play houses:

Others were "tree houses" only in concept, or context, or contemplation. They seemed to have too much art school and not enough play.
One was a collection of hammocks:

Another was a collection of viewing platform to "see" trees differently:

Here, recycled rubber, died blue, was used to trace the root system of a tree:

This platform emphasized how birds of prey might use a dead tree as a perch from which to hunt in a meadow; Our hunt found this bee:

This Cape May structure was an homage to blue bird houses:

A cacophony of cow bells was facilitated by this structure:

The last was a study in river birch habitat:

Muriel's Mystery

2008-09-10T06:24:00.001-07:00

When she summoned the plant detectives, Muriel knew it was not a sunflower. Some thought it might be a catalpa, but we think it to be a Paulownia tomentosa!

2008-09 Meeting Schedule and Program

2008-08-28T14:53:00.001-07:00

For larger views, click on each panel:

Summer Phlox

2008-08-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

This summer phlox is great for color in a DC August:

The Smithsonian's Serpentine Garden

2008-08-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

Aug. 3: The Mary Livingston Ripley Garden between the Hirschorn and the Arts & Industries Building on the Mall features raised beds along a serpentine walk. Capitol Hill's past president Pat Taylor volunteers in this garden. Bill took these photos while we were waiting for The Apartment at Screen on the Green.

Lantana, and lantana with zinnia:

Coleus and caladium:

Espalier:
Daylily and lily:

Naranjillo and passion flower:

Birdlife:

Urn with succulent and an exotic coleus:

Datura and nicotiana with insect:

The Reliable Petunia

2008-08-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more fragrant than a bunch of petunias in the several hours before sunset.

The Flowers of Summer

2008-07-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

Alexandria, VA, July 16:

Lotus Time Again

2008-07-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, July 13: Lotus (Nelumbo):

Hardy water lilies (Nymphaeaceae):

Bees on the pickerel weed (Pontederia):

Dragonflies (Odenata, l):

Spider lilies (Hymenocallis):

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus):

InKensington marsh, a female Northern Cardinal (l) and cattail (Typha, r):

Minnows:
Tropical water lilies:

A Firecracker Fourth

2008-07-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

Wilson, N.C., July 4: The Wilson Rose Garden is a community project initiated in 1992 by Dr. Rufus Swain and maintained by volunteers in the Wilson Deadhead Society. The garden is open from dawn to dusk daily without an admission fee. The garden is located at 1800 Herring Avenue, immediately west of US 301 in front of the City of Wilson Operations Center.

The garden contains 180 varieties of roses (over 1200 plants) grown in raised beds with only only 1 or 2 varieties per bed. Each bed is well marked naming the varieties of roses, the name of the deadheader and any memorial dedications.

The roses range from very old to very new:

Deadheaders at work (l) and Fourth of July roses (r):

Insects:

The garden centers on a fountain sculpture of Georgia marble:

"Child with Rose":

Whirlygig and gazebo:

The Desert Blooms

2008-06-26T14:09:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas, June 21-23: Outside the Wynn:

Water features:

Inside the Wynn:

Urban oasis:

The Bellagio:

For more of the water show go here.

Garden show at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden:

A garden-sized water show:

Margaritaville Las Vegas

2008-06-26T14:06:00.001-07:00

And you thought we made it up!

Woodmoor Labyrinth

2008-06-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

June 17: Woodmoor Garden Club chose the full moon of the summer solstice to dedicate their Community Labyrinth, which is a lunar labyrinth with its entrance and exit on the east. Unlike a maze which is intended to confuse, a labyrinth is configured to guide one from the entrance to the center and out again.

The labyrinth was a Woodmoor Garden Club project in cooperation with the Montgomery Blair High School community. The labyrinth is located on the high school grounds at the intersection of University Boulevard and Colesville Road.

The Community Labyrinth was dedicated to Linda and Leslie Rogers, who were the driving force behind the project. The project began while Linda was garden club president.

During the dedication, Woodmore president Danielle Brabazon (below right) surprised Rogers (below left) with the unveiling of a finger labyrinth to be mounted at the site so that anyone can "walk" the labyrinth. For an online finger labyrinth, go here.

“Solvitur ambulando" [It is solved by walking]--attributed to St. Augustine of Hippo.

Afterglow

2008-06-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

June 10: The Margaritaville committee met to share leftovers and party memories and to give one another a pat on the back.