Saturday, October 09, 2021

GardenDC Podcast Episode 78: Dumbarton Oaks

In this episode, we talk with Jonathan Kavalier, Director of Gardens and Grounds at Dumbarton Oaks, about the garden's past, present, and future as it hits its centennial mark. The plant profile is on Prickly Pear and I share what's going on locally and in my garden.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! See how at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support.

EPISODE LENGTH: 56:51 00:41 Meet Jonathan and hear about his “cathartic” experience working at an orchard in Israel 03:50 “I was not exposed to public gardens as a possibility in career development when I was in college … Coming to the Smithsonian really opened up a whole new world for me” — Jonathan 05:06 “The historic nature of this garden and our preservation mission doesn’t always fit well with lots of visitors” — Jonathan, on the elaborate and selective entryway to Dumbarton Oaks 06:52 “It’s been a very quiet year and a half for us in the gardens” — Jonathan, on closing down due to COVID 08:02 Dumbarton Oaks has welcomed back nearly 50 residential fellows to the grounds 09:55 Jonathan and Kathy walk you through what happens after check-in at the front gate 10:39 Did you know Dumbarton Oaks’ orangery is the 2nd oldest in the country? 14:07 Learn about the history of Dumbarton Oaks! 15:52 Documentation of letters between owner Mildred Bliss and their hired garden designer Beatrix Farrand in the 1920s give “a lot of insight into the concepts” for the garden 17:11 Jonathan explains the “genius” behind Farrand’s design for the garden 19:28 Dumbarton Oaks Park faces issues with stormwater issues and invasive plants 22:19 11 of the 13 fountains on the grounds have been changed to recirculating systems to save water 23:18 - 46:29 Jonathan highlights iconic parts in the garden, explaining their history and how they’ve changed 30:03 “A lot of these spaces have changed a lot over the years, but then we always try and bring it back to Farrand’s design intent” — Jonathan 30:57 Jonathan talks about trying to preserve or reproduce Farrand’s “one-of-a-kind” furniture and architectural designs for the garden 34:57 “I have to admit, I kind of like the shabby chicness, the kind of ‘Grey Gardens’ look that it had before .. but it is obviously safer and nicer to have those restored” — Kathy 36:02 Farrand’s plant book, detailing instructions on caring for the gardens, will be republished and available in the spring of 2022 38:21 Ondine’s Walk is a “little gem” and “Instagramable moment” in the garden 40:35 The Pebble Garden was originally a tennis court and had become “a lay down area for the gardeners” 41:56 Farrand and the gardener that succeeded her, Ruth Havey, had very different styles 43:14 The cutting and kitchen gardens, while not the “most iconic” parts of the grounds, have important functions 45:27 Jonathan talks about one of his personal favorites in the garden: The Lover’s Lane 46:29 Looking ahead to the next centennial, Dumbarton Oaks is not only working to preserve Farrand’s designs, but also to be more attentive to the gardens’ ecological needs 49:39 “[For] those who have never been to Dumbarton Oaks, I would say put that on your life list” — Kathy 50:00 Learn about the only cactus native to the Mid-Atlantic, the prickly pear, in this week’s Plant Profile! 51:10 Garden updates: reseeding plants that never germinated, and the Tatarian aster is growing very well! 53:08 Community updates: American Horticultural Society staying at River Farm, Mid-Atlantic Urban Agricultural Summit, and the Annual Perennial Plant Conference

The episode is posted at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/Episode-78---Dumbarton-Oaks-e18h0s8

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz
Interview Edits: Charlotte Crook
Show Notes: Melena DiNenna
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Friday, October 08, 2021

Fenton Friday: Hits and Misses

Pak Choi

Some of the cool-season crops we direct-sowed a month ago were duds or washed away in one of the storms we had. Either way, we spent time this week replacing the seeds or adding seeds to partial rows.

The seedlings that are up and filing out nicely include the 'Viroflay' Spinach and 'Mesclun Mix' Lettuce. The ones that had partial success are the 'Bopak' Pak Choi (pictured) and Arugula. While complete o-shows were the 'Cherry Belle' Radish and Cilantro. I'm really surprised by those last two as they are usually so prolific and reliable.

In place of ' 'Cherry Belle' Radish, we planted 'Garden Party' a five color radish mix and to fill out the rest of the Pak Choi run, we added seeds of 'Shanghai Baby' Bok Choy. We'll give those a bit and see if we have better luck with them.

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

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Wednesday, October 06, 2021

Hardy Begonia Plant Profile

Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis) is a long-blooming garden perennial that is hardy to zones 6 to 9.

They bloom from mid-summer through early fall with delicate pink or white dangling flowers. You can deadhead the blooms to encourage continuous flowering.

The foliage is also attractive with large heart-shaped leaves that are a lovely red on their underside. If you can place the plants in an elevated spot, the sun reflecting through the veined leaves is quite attractive.

They thrive in part sun to full shade with rich, moist (but well-draining) soil. The plant is of Asian origin and is a good addition to any woodland garden.

Hardy Begonia grows to between 1 to 2 feet high. They perform well underneath shrubs and trees.

They will spread to form a small colony if allowed to self-sow. However, if you mulch or clean up around them in the fall, it will prevent them from reproducing.

Hardy Begonia dies back in winter and reemerges in spring from an underground tuber. You can spread a bit of compost on the soil surface in early spring when the plants are still dormant to give them some extra nutrition, they need little care otherwise.

Hardy Begonia: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio and Text by Kathy Jentz
Video and Editing by Melinda Thompson

Footage gathered at Green Spring Gardens, Brookside Gardens, and Dumbarton Oaks.

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Monday, October 04, 2021

Monday Thoughts: Almost every person, from childhood, has been touched by the untamed beauty of wildflowers.

Almost every person, from childhood,

has been touched by the untamed beauty of wildflowers.

- Lady Bird Johnson
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Saturday, October 02, 2021

GardenDC Podcast Episode 77: Goth Gardening

In this episode, we talk with Emily Suzanne Zobel, Mikaela Boley, and Rachel J. Rhodes of The Garden Thyme Podcast, all about Goth Gardens. The plant profile is on Turtlehead (Chelone) and I share what's going on locally and in my garden.


From left to right, Mikaela Boley, Emily Zobel, and Rachel Rhodes
Photo credit: Chase Potter 

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! See how at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/support.

EPISODE LENGTH: 1:12:02 00:41 Meet Emily, Mikaela, and Rachel, and learn about their Garden Thyme Podcast! 03:57 “My specialty is native plants, and I’m pretty crazy about it, so that’s what I end up talking a lot about” — Mikaela 05:47 The trio and Kathy talk about “non-organic” Halloween decorations for your garden 07:22 “I leave mine up literally until I get the … strongly worded letter from the city saying if I don’t take down my decorations, I’m going to get fined” — Emily, on decorating for Halloween 07:36 All about spiders! 07:47 Orb spiders are one of the most active spiders this time of year 09:35 “[It] looks like it belongs out of Super Mario or something!” — Mikaela, on the spiny orb weaver 10:37 The “home invader” wolf spider is Rachel’s favorite autumn spider 12:17 The “not-so-good little spider,” the black widow, is the only native Maryland spider that has a venomous reaction for people 16:29 How to add poisonous plants to your Halloween garden — safely! 17:38 Rachel talks about Boneset, a perennial plant that was used to be used to treat cases of the flu, fevers, and a cold 19:11 “I can’t help with that, guys. I’m the wrong type of doctor!” — The trio talks about getting emergency calls when people accidentally consume poisonous plants or get stung 20:17 Trust Mikaela, don’t eat “even a little bit” of the spotted water hemlock 22:05 “It’s hard to figure them out, and one bite can kill you” — Emily, on mushrooms 23:00 Although “a little tricky to buy commercially and put in your garden,” there are plenty of mushrooms that are Halloween-themed, like the Deadly Angel and Dead Man’s Fingers 27:20 Mikaela talks about the Giant Hogweed, which made news when its sap was causing injury to people 30:25 “My biggest battle right now is with the White Snakeroot” — Rachel 33:00 Plants that are both spooky AND delicious! 33:16 There are plenty of dark-colored edibles, like dark opal basil, indigo tomato, and eggplant 34:59 The classic Halloween decorations — gourds, pumpkins, and squashes — come in many different and nonconventional shapes, sizes, and colors! 35:34 Costume idea: the “Promiscuous Squash” 39:33 How to use seed heads and other garden elements for spooky ornamental decoration 39:51 Ever noticed snapdragon seeds look just like miniature skulls? 43:51 Channel your inner “angst” with black walnut ink 44:51 Dark-colored corn and fruits have “anthocyanins,” which is an antioxidant, so you can be on theme AND have a healthy snack 47:58 All about gothic flowers to plant for Halloween 48:07 Types of celosias to choose from, such as the cockscomb, which resembles a brain! 49:09 Rachel’s newfound favorite is the jumbo diamondhead 53:47 Mums, although know for their bright, joyful colors, can be sprayed a dark color for the spooky season 54:58 “No pun intended, it has roots in the history of pagan and Christian storytelling” — Mikaela, on the significance of yew tree plantings in cemeteries 58:33 Snakes are great pest control and are “a sign of a really good, healthy ecosystem” — Emily 1:00:48 You may find other creatures in your garden this time of year, like moths and racoons, but don’t panic — they’re not there to hurt you, and they can help spook up your garden! 1:04:33 You can contact the Garden Thyme Podcast trio by email (umegardenpodcast@gmail.com) or on Facebook 1:05:57 Learn about the turtle beak-shaped flower of the Turtle Head in this week’s Plant Profile! 1:07:38 Garden updates: blooming toad lily, lettuce seedlings sprouting, and tomatoes and peppers slowing down  
1:08:30 Upcoming events: Homestead Gardens talk, American Irish Society regional meeting, Daylily Society annual event, Tudor Place extended hours

Episode Credits: Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz Interview Edits: Charlotte Crook Show Notes: Melena DiNenna

The episode is posted at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/episodes/Episode-77---Goth-Gardening-e182bh4

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://anchor.fm/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

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Friday, October 01, 2021

Fenton Friday: Garden Theft

Despite the resident rabbits, our Mesclun lettuce mix (pictured here) is coming up nicely.

And a bit of good and bad news. The Zinnia 'Profusion' that we started from seed, did so well in the community garden plot, that I transplanted a section of it to my front street corner a few weeks ago to add some color and beauty to that spot. 

Fast forward to yesterday morning when I went out to water the transplants and someone had stole a group of them. Not just picking a few flowers -- but the whole plants! -- leaving behind tell-tale holes in the soil.

People can be such jerks. 

We've also had some plant and produce thefts in the community garden as well. I know that a few our zucchini and cucumbers went missing. Though, if anyone took some of the cherry tomatoes, I'd never notice.

How do you deal with theft in your garden?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.

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