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.