Video Wednesday: Purple Plants of the Bishop's Garden

Here is a short video I took last week at the National Cathedral in northwest Washington, DC. At the base of the Bishop's Garden is my favorite part - the purple bed. Can you name all the plants in the bed? I'll give you a head start. Here are five to look for: Russian Sage, Balloon Flower, Borage, Clematis, and Anise Hyssop.

BTW, if you are reading this post anywhere else on the Web aside from the Washington Gardener Magazine blog, you likely won't be able to see the actual video. To watch it, go directly to washingtongardener.blogspot.com.

A Perfect Weekend

visitors to my small pond

We don't often get these in the DC-area -- a perfect weekend of low humidity, warm temps, enough cloud cover so that the sun was not blazing hot -- it was just right.

Thank you to all who came out to the DC Plant Swap on Saturday and the Washington Gardener Magazine Open Garden on Sunday. It was great meeting you all.

You can see more photos from this weekend's event and many other DC-garden related activies over at the Washington Gardener Magazine Facebook page: facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine.

Fenton Friday: Growing and Sowing



New Plot Marker

 We got our official plot markers now. Aren't we spiffy?

My bush beans and corn, planted just a week ago, are all up and looking really good. Need to note for next year that the earlier planted beans were totally skeletonized - both in my plot and in all the others at the community garden - so planting them later (mid-late June) to avoid the particular insect menace may be the best solution.

In case you missed it, on Wednesday I posted a video tour of the Fenton Community Garden and in particular the deer fence and cistern. Check it out here.

Kentucky Pole Bean seedling

I'm having an Open Garden on Sunday afternoon. (Details here.) I figure that if anyone is interested also in the community garden plot, we can walk on over for a quick -outside-the-fence tour too.

Maybe some of the more experienced edible gardeners will be able to tell me if my potatoes are ready for a first layer/mounding of soil and if my purple tomatillos are ready to harvest. (And if so, what to do with them. Salsa?)

Open Garden at "Fenton Oaks" aka Washington Gardener Magazine Headquarters

Our Open Garden is back by popular demand! (We skipped last year to have a big 5th anniversary party in downtown DC instead.)


You are Invited to "Fenton Oaks," the newly dubbed gardens at Washington Gardener Magazine Headquarters
Sunday, June 26 from 2-4pm

Hosted by Washington Gardener Magazine

☼ Come by with your garden questions

☼ See our trial gardens in progress

☼ Pet our garden kitty, Santino

☼ Renew or subscribe to the magazine in person

☼ Purchase gift subscriptions

☼ Pluck a weed or two as a keepsake souvenir

☼ Single copies of our back issues and current issue are also for sale

☼ Pick up a pack of seeds with any purchase

☼ Take photos of whatever is in bloom for our annual Photo Contest

☼ Light refreshments: lemonade and brownies

☼ Children’s activities - Fish Pond, Wishing Tree, and Fairie Garden

☼ Information table on various area garden events and groups

☼ Surprises and Prizes

Come to 826 Philadelphia Ave. (Rt. 410), Silver Spring, MD - at the corner of Fenton - across from the Public Storage building. Please walk, bike, bus, metro, or car-pool. We are a 10-15 minute walk from either the Silver Spring and Takoma Park metro stops. Also, several Metro and Ride-On bus routes pass nearby. If driving, there is limited free parking available nearby on King Street and in nearby public garages/lots along Fenton.
The Open Garden is rain or shine. We’ll quickly duck in the gazebo or in the house, if it storms.

The event is free. Registration/reservations are not required.
Please pass this invite on to your DC-area gardening friends and family

Video Wednesday: Community Garden Tour with Above-Ground Cistern

Here is a short tour of the brand new Fenton Street Community Garden in downtown Silver Spring, MD. Every Friday on this blog, I've been giving you little updates on what is growing in my plot there, but I thought it'd be nice if you all had a video of the entire garden and some of the more notable features. In particular, everyone asks about the deer fence and about the above-ground cistern. The cistern does command attention as it is a huge, dark, elevated structure that can be seen from all angles daily by the thousands of passing motorists, bike trail users, metro commuters, etc. I've heard it called a "big UFO" and a "giant tank," both of which are pretty apt descriptions.

If you are reading this post anywhere else on the Web aside from the Washington Gardener Magazine blog, you likely won't be able to see the actual video. To watch it, go directly to washingtongardener.blogspot.com.

4th Annual DC Plant Swap This Saturday!

DC Plant Swappers

4th Annual DC Plant Swap Details


hosted by Washington Gardener Magazine

What: a Plant Swap -- bring and receive free plants to expand your garden

Why: Free Plants! Last chance to do so before the season heats up.

Date: Saturday, June 25

Time: starting at 10am bring your plants for sorting by category (shade perennial, groundcover, herb, etc.) -- swap starts promptly at 10:30am -- do not be late (the swap goes fast and can be over in a matter of minutes!) - after swapping, we can socialize, snack, buy farmer's market goodies, and trade more info on the plants we brought - we plan to conclude and be cleaned up by 11:00am. so you will have the rest of the day to plant and enjoy your Saturday.

Place: H Street Farmers Market at H & 8th -- 624 H Street NE near Union Station on Saturdays (the market runs from 9am-12n)

Who: anyone is welcome as are any of your friends, relatives, or neighbors -- it is FREE -- feel free to forward on this invitation

How: be prepared to BRIEFLY introduce yourself and describe your plant swap offerings

Bring:
~ a name tag - home made or from work or school -- whatever works
~ pen and paper - you will want to take lots of notes as folks describe their plants and growing conditions
~ plants to swap - pot them up NOW -- the longer they can get settled in their pots, the better their chance of success and survival - (no plants to share? see note below)
~ labels - fully label all your swap plants with as much info as you have - optimally that will include: common and scientific name, amount of sun needed, amount of water needed, any other special care notes, and color of the blooms (if it is not currently in flower)

What NOT to bring: common orange daylilies* and any invasive species - use this list to screen your plant offerings 
*hybrid daylilies are fine and welcome

What if you do not have plants to swap? Come anyway! Bring refreshments like cold drinks and yummy finger foods to share with the other swappers:-) Be sure to also bring cups, napkins, utensils, serving spoons, etc, if your food item requires those for serving.

A BIG thanks to FreshFarm Markets for hosting us and giving us the space to do this. Don't forget to shop at the market!

Happy National Pollinator Week!

It is Happy National Pollinator Week again and you know what that means, right? Free ice cream and lip balm for everybody! Okay, those freebies are only if you are in DC and attend the National Pollinator Week Congressional Briefing.

Members of Congress, their staff, and the public are invited to participate in a briefing by pollinator scientists and experts on Thursday, June 23 at 4:00 PM at the Longworth House Office Building Room 1302. As a special pollinator treat, pollinator supportive companies Häagen-Dazs and Burt’s Bees will provide ice cream and lip balm for attendees. Both Burt’s Bees and Häagen-Dazs are committed to the health of honey bees that are instrumental in their products and in the well being of plants, people, and animals. The briefing is being held in conjunction with the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus (CP2C), which was created in the House by co-chairs Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Timothy V. Johnson (R-IL) to increase understanding of the importance of pollinators in land management, food, and the environment.

New Legislation to be Introduced: A widely supported effort to decrease the costs of roadside management by reduced mowing and increased native plantings, the Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Act (Highways BEE Act), will be introduced on Thursday, June 23 as part of Pollinator Week. Rep. Hastings and Rep. Timothy V. Johnson will be lead sponsors of the bipartisan legislation. “Our bill’s approach is to help States reduce roadside maintenance costs while providing better habitat for pollinators—similar to farmers being good conservationists while they produce our food,” noted Rep. Johnson. “Neighboring farmers will benefit from improved ag pollination services.” Rep. Hastings added, “Many conservation approaches are viewed as adding costs – this measure is designed to help cash-strapped states reduce roadside maintenance costs, while providing habitat for pollinators and other benefits. Everyone wins; we save money, and the safety of our nation’s highways is enhanced.”

The Highways BEE Act seeks no new monies and the limited federal role is to assist the states. It has received widespread endorsement from the business and environmental communities as well as from House Members on a bipartisan basis, scientists and diverse organizations including National Audubon, National Farmer’s Union, The Isaac Walton League, The American Farmland Trust, Waste Management, The National Gardening Association, among others. Sounds to me like a win-win for everyone and not only does it not cost any money, it should save a great deal in the long run.

Another Washington DC Event for National Pollinator Week: On Friday, June 24 a Pollinator Festival will be held from 10 am to 2 pm on the National Mall outside of the U.S. Department of Agriculture next to the People’s Garden and the USDA Farmer’s Market. Booths from nearly 15 federal agencies and nonprofits will feature pollinator information and activities including those just for kids. You can learn more at www.pollinator.org.
 
UPDATE: For even more local Pollinator Week events, go to http://pollinator.org/npw_events.htm and click on the interactive map.

Bee image courtesy of the USDA.

Fenton Friday: Rain and Mini-Harvest



Okra and Ground Cherries

Finally, we had rain!!! And not just a sprinkly, several heavy downpours came through yesterday afternoon into the overnight. So refreshing and more than that it frees up my time. Spending 1-2 hours a day watering the Fenton plot and my own containers, just trying to keep everything on life-support was exhausting. Now I can use that time for actual constructive projects.

Earlier this week at the plot I used my last amount of open space to plant 'Golden' sweet corn and Kentucky pole beans. I wanted to do corn in the beginning, but then changed my mind as I know what a pain it is and it is a space hog, if you want good pollination. Then several of my plot neighbors put in corn and it is coming up quite nicely. So I figured if I put in a few hills of it, maybe we can cross-pollinate and get something actually going. If it proves fruitless, I plan to use the corn stalks for fall decor in any case.

I harvested a total of 1 okra along with several ground cherries. I promptly place the solitary okra in a jar of pickling juice in the refrigerator. I loves me some pickled okra so I'm hoping this works! As to the ground cherries, the ants got to some of them during out 3+ week drought period and sucked the juice/pulp right out. I did find a few are pristine inside their little brown "paper" wrappers and made a great snack. I spent some time googling ground cherry recipes. It looks like jam may be the best way to use them, if I ever get enough ripe at one time.

Making Your Garden into a Hummingbird Habitat ~ Washington Gardener Enews ~ June 2011

Washington Gardener Enews June 2011
- - -

Washington Gardener Enews ~ June 2011

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

~ Making Your Garden into a Hummingbird Habitat
~ Magazine Excerpt: Dumbarton Oaks
~ Reader Contest: Tell Us Your Favorite Pollinator Plant and Win Passes to Brookside Gardens’ Wings of Fancy Butterfly Exhibit
~ Washington Gardener's Recent Blog Post Highlights
~ Spotlights Special: Centaurea montana ‘Black Sprite’
~ Mid-Atlantic Garden To-Do List
~ Washington Gardener Magazine 2011 Day Trip Details
~ Upcoming Local Garden Events
~ Washington Gardener Magazine Back Issue Sale!
and much more...

Daylily & Wine Fest DayTrip DISCOUNT Registration for Washington Gardener Subscribers

UPDATE: The registration fee is $80 and a $3 credit card processing fee, if you register through the Behnke Nurseries web site. As a current subscriber of the Washington Gardener Magazine, it is $75 each, but you cannot register for the discounted fee going through the Behnke Nurseries web site. To take advantage of the subscriber discount, you must download, fill out, and mail the registration form in with your payment. You can get the form and full details here.


Washington Gardener Magazine is partnering with Cheval's 2nd Act Garden Tours and Behnke Nurseries for a special garden-day bus trip to Viettes Annual Daylily and Wine Festival on Saturday. July 16, 2011. Your chartered coach departs from Behnke's in Beltsville at 9 a.m. and returns to Beltsville around 6 p.m. The tour includes charter coach with restroom, Garden DVD on ride, tour of gardens, raffles for garden goodies, goody bags, and bottled water.


If your idea of a great time is enjoying fine food and spirits, learning about gardening and cooking, listening to music and relaxing in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley with family and friends, then put this on your calendar! Join horticultural and culinary experts in the seminar tents and learn new tips on gardening and cooking. Taste wines from Virginia's award-winning wineries. Sample fine locally brewed beers. Enjoy live music while feasting on delicious foods by local restaurants. Stroll the nationally renowned Viette gardens, see favorite summer bloomers flowering amongst the daylilies. Wander in the butterfly and hummingbird garden and visit lovely English rock and water gardens.

The fine print:

The fee is $80 ($75 to subscribers of the Washington Gardener Magazine). We go rain or shine. There are tents in case of inclement weather. No refunds. Transportation time is approximately 2.5 hours in each direction.

Reserve Your Seat TODAY: http://shop.behnkes.com/products/detail-3197369-Viette%27s-Annual-Daylily-and-Wine-Festival.

HAPPY HOUR Benefit for the Washington Youth Garden

emPower magazine, in partnership with Washington Gardener Magazine is hosting an emPower HAPPY HOUR at Tabaq Bistro. Each month, emPower holds a Happy Hour event in support of a different non-profit organization in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

The July Non-Profit emPower HAPPY HOUR Recipient:
Washington Youth Garden

The Washington Youth Garden's Mission: Using the garden cycle as a tool, the mission of the Washington Youth Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum (WYG) is to inspire children and families to engage in self-discovery, explore relationships with food and the natural world, and contribute to the health and well-being of their communities. The primary goals of our programs are to: a) educate youth and families about the relationship between food, its origins, nutrition, and health; b) connect children (and adults) to the natural world as a place of wonder, exploration and resource for their personal growth; c) develop interpersonal skills, awareness of civic responsibility, and land stewardship; and d) expand interest and public awareness of urban gardening and gardening with children.

Attendees can give in two ways:
• By drinking (10 percent of the beverage proceeds will go to the non-profit)
• By bringing non-monetary donations (depending on the needs of the organization)

Non-monetary Donations:
~ Cookbooks (gently used)
~ Garden Gloves
~ Trowels
~ Pruners
~ Spices (sealed)
~ Olive Oil (sealed)
~ Honey (sealed)
~ Vinegar (sealed)

Date: THURSDAY July 7, 2011
Time: 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Place: TABAQ Bistro is located at 1336 U St NW, Washington, DC
-- a few blocks from the U St-Cardoza metro stop.
Admission: Free

Please RSVP at either:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137456319662112

OR

Eventbrite: http://empowermagazine.eventbrite.com/

Video Wednesday: Succulent Gardens at Meadowlark

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA, has many fabulous plant collections, but what really stands out to me as unique in the Mid-Atlantic is their front entrance collection of succulents and arid plants. I took this video on one of last weekend's appropriately HOT HOT HOT days.

If you are reading this post anywhere else on the Web aside from the Washington Gardener Magazine blog, you likely won't be able to see the actual video. To watch it, go directly to washingtongardener.blogspot.com.

Garden Blogger Bloom Day: Purple Reign

Hot Peppers



Lisianthus








Hydrangea

 

Pickerelweed



Clematis 'Jackmanii'



Virginia spiderwort
(Tradescantia virginiana)



My Favorite Gardening Task: Containers!

Finally had a couple hours this past weekend to indulge in my my favorite gardening task: potting up my big summer containers. I have 9 containers that are about 2-3 ft in diameter and height (and bigger). I use them as anchors for different planting beds as different perennials go in and out of bloom. I also use them to guide foot traffic around the garden and even to block cars from coming too far into my driveway. Here you see some of them pictured in my "gathering materials" stage.

This task has been delayed for a few weeks by a late plant shipment, so when the annuals finally did arrive I was a ball of anticipatory energy ready to go! The time flies as I line up all my annuals by color groupings, size, and growth habits. There are the coleus cuttings I've wintered over, the petunias that reseeded themselves, the plants I've swapped for, and most exciting of all the new sample plants sent by breeders and growers. I like to try out different color combinations each year. This year, I have a big pot of all royal purple and hot red blooms with a black canna in the middle. Other combinations I created this season are peach and yellow; lime green, yellow, and white; and a medley of different pinks. I'll share photos as the containers fill out.

So what is your favorite garden task?

Fenton Friday: Tomatoes May Go, Rest Looking Good

Sad Tomato

Well, in the past two weeks since I have put in the tomato plants at my Fenton Community Garden plot, there have been 4 days of 100+ degree heat and NO measurable rainfall. Though I have babied them and given them lots of water, my tomatoes are just looking awful -- a dull, olive green and wilty. I will see how it goes over the next few days, but if they do not recover, am thinking I will yank most of them and put in new seedling plants and hope/pray/beg for a return to "normal" June weather.

On the plus side, the rest of my plantings seem to be thriving. One thing is for sure, the okra likes the heat!





Okra



Cucumber seedlings at 10 days

1st appearance of watermelon seedlings!



Tomatillo





Potato



Getting Fancy

Video Wednesday: Urban Foraging for Serviceberries and Mulberries

Urban Foraging time for Serviceberries and Mulberries here in the Mid-Atlantic! I hope you enjoy my two-minute video and that it inspires you to go out to do some foraging of your own.

If you are reading this post anywhere else on the Web aside from the Washington Gardener Magazine blog, you likely won't be able to see the actual video. To watch it, go directly to washingtongardener.blogspot.com.

My Garden's Name Revealed!

View Larger Map

The name for the Washington Gardener Magazine headquarters garden is *drumroll* Fenton Oaks! Slightly anglophilic snobby sounding, but I cogitated on it all weekend and I think it fits the best. I'm the southern end of Fenton Street here is downtown Silver Spring and if you look at an aerial shot of it, you'll see the oaks are a definite stand-out feature from the rest of the area, which is even more barren than when Google satellite images (shown above) were last updated as three of my neighbors have taken down all their trees in the last few months. (Those few street trees that remain were recently mutilated by PEPCO.)

Michelle White of Rockville, MD, submitted the winning entry of Fenton Oaks. She noted, "I know, it's a bit 'lofty' but it's the first thing I see when looking at the photo!" For her efforts. Michelle won a year's subscription to Washington Gardener Magazine.

Listed below here are the garden name choices submitted by contest entrants. Many of them I really liked, but could not choose as they were either taken by other garden bloggers I know or they were too similar to other area gardens and I did not want to cause any confusion. Funny thing is, I googled "Fenton Oaks" and found this mobile home development in Michigan. I'm not too worried about any mix-up between us though.

Submitted Garden Names:

~ Gnome Village

~ Asphalt Borders

~ Urban Oaks

~ Pleasant Corner

~ Urban Joy

~ Little Garden on the Corner

~ Nature's Haven

~ Urban Oasis

~ Urban Magic

~ City Seasons

~ SquirrelHaven

~ Lavender Hill

~ Rose Cottage

~ Small Pond

~ Urban Jungle

~ Hortus in Urbe

~ Plant Collective

~ Versace Green

~ Santino Green

~  The Urban Plot

~ The Garden Plot

~ The Corner Plot

~ The Garden @ Washington Gardener Magazine

~ The Greens at Washington Gardener

~ The Test Fields @ Washington Gardener

~ Fenton Gardens

~ Fenton Greens

~ The Faerie Garden on Fenton

~ Petite Plot @ Washington Gardener

~ Field of Green" @ Washington Gardener

~ Peekaboo Fields

~ Metropolitan Mini Meadow

~ Nature's Urban Preserve

~ Flourish Gardens on Fenton

~ Crossroads Garden

~ Soylent Green

~ Powerful Powerful

~ Frog Haven

~ Garden Magnificent!

~ Quiet Corner

~ Perennial Pathways

~ Purple (lavender) Reign

~ GW Garden as in Garden: Washington

~ The Garden "Around the Corner"

~ Op -Ed Garden

~ Heaven on Earth

~ The Play Grounds

~ Soil Mates' Place

~ Kathy's Garden Lab

~ House of Worm Regards

~ Cultivated Corner

~ Five Oaks Lavender Garden

~ EB's Garden (for Elizabeth Blair (later Lee) who found the Silver Spring)

~  Selim's Solitude (the horse Elizabeth Blair rode)

~  (Dirt, Plots, and Beds)

~  Intrigue (Dirt, Plots, and Beds)

~  Gnome Haven

~  Pentoak Spring

~  Unlikely Garden

~  Surprise Garden

~  Who'd A Thunkit

So, did I make the right choice? What do you think?

Garden Clubs & Plant Societies Day at Behnke Nurseries

Washington Gardener Magazine will be there with a table signing up new subscriptions, taking renewals, and selling current and back issues.


This first-of-its-kind event will be a great opportunity to explore local gardening groups, enjoy some time outdoors on a gorgeous day, and it is all the benefit Brookside Gardens.

I hope to see many of you there!

>>>
Garden Clubs & Plant Societies Day
at Behnke Nurseries

Saturday, June 4 from 10 to 4

Friends, Gardeners, Plant Lovers: join us at Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville Maryland on Saturday, June 4th for the first annual Garden Social to benefit the

Friends of Brookside Gardens. This is an opportunity for interested people to see what garden clubs have to offer their members, meet plant enthusiasts, ask questions, and maybe even join a club. Representatives from many different organizations are participating, including the Takoma Horticultural Club, the Azalea Society of America, the Beltsville Garden Club, Master Gardeners from Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties, the Gesneriad Society (African Violets and their relatives), the Potomac Hosta Club, Four Seasons Garden Club, and the Silver Spring Garden Club, just to name a few.

The idea is for members of different groups to share with each other and pass on their knowledge and enthusiasm to Behnke's gardening customers. But there's more to it than that-- anyone who brings a garden plant from home can participate in the "plant swap" at 11:30. Also, there will be many wonderful items offered as raffle prizes. All money raised from the raffle goes to the Friends of Brookside Gardens, supporting the magnificent public garden in Wheaton, so dear to all of us in the Washington, DC area.

In addition, at 3:00PM, internationally renowned perennial expert David Culp of Sunny Border Nurseries will be giving a free lecture on perennials. David's Pennsylvania garden was recently profiled in the "Best of" edition of Martha Stewart Living. He is currently writing a book about his garden for Timber Press.

We expect this to become an annual event, so why not attend the first one? Like Woodstock... you can tell your grandchildren: "I was there!" There is plenty of parking at Behnkes, and food will be available to purchase from Monte's Barbeque. The Garden Center will be open from 8 to 6, with the Garden Social running from 10AM to 4PM.

<<<

Fenton Friday: Watering and Weeding

Cucumber Seedlings

 This week at #16 at the Fenton Community Garden plot it was all about watering. With no rain -- not one drop -- in over a week and blazing hot record temps, the garden was extremely thirsty. I was over there daily giving each plant a sip just to keep them alive.

I was happy to see my Cucumber seeds pop up within 3 days of planting them. I planted 'Sugar Baby' Watermelon seeds this week and am salivating over the thought of the fruit in 10-11 weeks!

Bush Beans

One note of bad news, my bush beans are being decimated by some unseen bug. My plot neighbors have all had their bean plant leaves skeletonized as well. There are a couple beans and flowers hanging on my plants, but hardly any leaves left. I may have to pull them up entirely next week.

All the tomato, okra, squash, potato, and other plantings seem to be healthy and insect-free, so I'm not too discouraged.

Registration Now Open for DayTrip to Viette's Daylily & Wine Festival!

Washington Gardener Magazine is partnering with Cheval's 2nd Act Garden Tours and Behnke Nurseries for a special garden-day bus trip to Viettes Annual Daylily and Wine Festival on Saturday. July 16, 2011. Your chartered coach departs from Behnke's in Beltsville at 9 a.m. and returns to Beltsville around 6 p.m. The tour includes charter coach with restroom, Garden DVD on ride, tour of gardens, raffles for garden goodies, goody bags, and bottled water.

If your idea of a great time is enjoying fine food and spirits, learning about gardening and cooking, listening to music and relaxing in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley with family and friends, then put this on your calendar! Join horticultural and culinary experts in the seminar tents and learn new tips on gardening and cooking. Taste wines from Virginia's award-winning wineries. Sample fine locally brewed beers. Enjoy live music while feasting on delicious foods by local restaurants. Stroll the nationally renowned Viette gardens, see favorite summer bloomers flowering amongst the daylilies. Wander in the butterfly and hummingbird garden and visit lovely English rock and water gardens.

The fine print:
The fee is $80 ($75 to subscribers of the Washington Gardener Magazine). We go rain or shine. There are tents in case of inclement weather. No refunds. Transportation time is approximately 2.5 hours in each direction.

Reserve Your Seat TODAY: http://shop.behnkes.com/products/detail-3197369-Viette%27s-Annual-Daylily-and-Wine-Festival.

Need More Infornation to Make Your Decision?

On Saturday, June 11 at 10:00 a.m. at Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville, MD, Cheval Force Opp will give a FREE Talk: All About Viette's Annual Daylily & Wine Festival.
Learn about the upcoming bus trip to Andre Viette's nationally renowned gardens, which just happens to be during their Wine Festival! Garden writer, lecturer, and garden tour guide Cheval Force Opp will have photos and a world of information about this exciting trip leaving by motorcoach from Behnke's in Beltsville on July 16, 2011. Cheval and Kathy Jentz, editor of the Washington Gardener magazine, will host this tour and impart their knowledge along the way. So whether you've already signed up or are still thinking about going, we're certain you'll enjoy this overview. (This talk focuses on the logistics of the tour, and is not a lecture about the gardens and festival per se.)

UPDATE: The registration fee is $80 and a $3 credit card processing fee, if you register through the Behnke Nurseries web site. As a current subscriber of the Washington Gardener Magazine, it is $75 each, but you cannot register for the discounted fee going through the Behnke Nurseries web site. To take advantage of the subscriber discount, you must download, fill out, and mail the registration form in with your payment. You can get the form and full details here.

Video Wednesday: My Little Pond

Here is a short video of my pond for some cooling relief from our current heat wave. It is a nine-foot oval shape and about 2.5 feet deep in the center. Right now, it is overfull with parrothead, hardy water lily, iris, and much more. If you look closely towards the end of the video, you'll see my shy goldfish like to nibble on fingers.

If you are reading this post anywhere else on the Web aside from the Washington Gardener Magazine blog, you likely won't be able to see the actual video. To watch it, go directly to washingtongardener.blogspot.com.