Many eco-friendly gardeners think that turf grass is a bad thing. The truth, of course, isn’t that the GRASS is bad. What can be bad, and detrimental to the environment, are the actions that people take to keep their turf grass green, manicured and healthy looking.
People often over-water their lawns and apply dangerous chemicals to help keep the grass green. They can also pollute the environment by over mowing and trimming.
So I think it is great that the National Arboretum is planning an exhibit to teach people about the benefits of turf grass, along with proper maintenance techniques.
The theme of the exhibit is: New developments in turfgrass-making and environmental choice for our homes and communities and will be arranged in three sub-themes:
Turf and the Environment - Proper maintenance practices, pest/weed control, seasonal issues, water quality, erosion control benefits, research
Turf in the Landscape - Why turf? Grass species, soils, landscape &turf cooling/other benefits, ecosystem services, home values
Turf in the Community - Urbanization, recreation needs, functionality, safety/human health/obesity issues, value of turf industry/jobs
The National Arboretum is currently raising money for the conceptual design phase. The goal is to install the exhibit for an opening by spring 2013. Plans are to continue the exhibit through 2016 or 2017.
For more information, here is a pdf file of the proposal.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Spring has Sprung! Along with the Native Plant Sales
The calendar has finally caught up with the weather and Spring has now OFFICIALLY sprung. If you are like me and always try to keep a personal calendar listing gardening events that will help you spruce up your green garden, here is a list of upcoming native plant sales planned for the area.
- April 2 & 9 - Green Spring Garden Markets - http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/events.htm
- April 9 & May 7 - Beltsville Garden Club Spring Sales - Beltsville, MD -http://www.beltsvillegardenclub.org/SpringSales2011.html
- April 14 - 16, AHS River Farm Annual Spring Garden Market - Great Falls, VA - http://www.ahs.org/river_farm/events.htm
- April 15 & 16 - Fairfax County 2011 Native Seedling Sale - http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/orderform_2011.pdf
- April 16 - Long Branch Nature Center Plant Sale - Arlington,
VA - http://www.arlingtonva.us/calendar/#EventDetails_12663 - April 16 - Chesapeake Natives Native Plant Sale - Takoma
Park, MD - http://www.chesapeakenatives.org/ - April 16 & 17 - Adkins Arboretum Native Plant Sale -
Ridgely, MD - http://www.adkinsarboretum.org/native_plant_resources/plant_sale.html - April 17 - Herring Run Spring Native Plant Sale - Baltimore, MD -http://bluewaterbaltimore.org/herring-run-nursery/native-plants
- April 21. 1:00-3:00 PM. (Rain Date: Sunday, April 22) Long Branch Nature Center Native Plant Sale. 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd. Arlington, VA 22204 http://www.arlingtonva.us/calendar/
- April 28. 9 – 2 PM. Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale. Saturday, 3601 Valley Drive, Alexandria, VA - http://home.earthlink.net/~sknudsen/
- April 29 & 30 - Black Hill Native Plant Sale - Boyds, MD - http://www.montgomeryparks.org/nature_centers/blackhill/spring_programs.shtm#march
- May 6th, 10 – 3. Glencarlyn Library Plant and Herb Sale. - 300 S. Kensington St. Arlington, VA 22204 http://mgnv.org/events/may/
- May 6. 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Earth Sangha Native Ecotype Plant Sale. Earth Sangha Wild Plant Nursery. Franconia Park, Springfield, VA View the nursery’s location on Google Maps. http://www.earthsangha.org/wpn/wpn.html
- May 6 & 7 - Flower Mart at the National Cathedral - http://www.allhallowsguild.org/fm/come.html
- May 7 - Assateague Coastal Trust Native Plant Sale - Berlin,
MD http://www.actforbays.org/ - May 7 - Prince William Wildflower Society Native Plant Sale -
Manassas, VA http://vnps.org/pwws/ - May 12th. Green Spring Gardens Plant Sale. 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA - http://mgnv.org/events/may/
- May 14 - Green Spring Garden Park Plant Sale - Annandale,
VA http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/events.htm/ - May 14 - Blue Ridge Wildflower Society Plant Sale - Roanoke VA - http://brwfs.org/calendar.htm
- May 19 & 20 - Hyattsville Elementary PTA's 2nd Annual Native Plant Sale - Hyattsville, MD - http://www.nativeplantsale.org/
- May 14 - Roland Park Elementary/Middle School Native Plant Sale Baltimore, MD. - http://%20www.rolandparknative.org/
- May 18 & 19 - Environmental Concern Spring Native Plant Sale -
EC Open House on Saturday Environmental Concern - St. Michaels, MD Information - June 25 - Nanticoke River Jamboree Handsell - Vienna, MD - http://nanticokeriverjamboree.com/
- August 27 - Irvine Native Plant Seminar & Sale Irvine Nature Center - Owings Mills, MD - http://www.irvinenaturecenter.net/images/native_plants.pdf
- September 7 & 8 - Environmental Concern Fall Native Plant Sale - Environmental Concern - St. Michaels, MD - http://www.wetland.org/nursery_retail.htm
- September 17 & 18 - Adkins Arboretum Native Plant Sale - Ridgely, MD - http://www.adkinsarboretum.org/native_plant_resources/plant_sale.html
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