Clean up and green up the National Mall – July 12th

What: Clean up and green up
When: July 12th, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Where: National Mall

US Airways in partnership with Keep America Beautiful and Keep Washington DC Beautiful will host a clean up event on the National Mall between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument on Thursday, July 12th.

Volunteers will be weeding around benches, mulching and picking up litter following the 4th of July weekend. The event will take place from 9:00am to 12:00pm and breakfast, snacks, water and t-shirts will be provided. There will be a tent set up adjacent to the Smithsonian Metro Station where volunteers should assemble and receive their assignments at 9:00am on the morning of the event.

Please contact Emily Bond at ebond@kab.org or 203-659-3004 for more information or if you would like to sign up to volunteer at this impactful event!

Urban Wood Utilization Workshop II

What: Urban Wood Utilization Workshop

When: June 29th, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Where: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments – 3rd Floor Board Room
777 North Capitol St. NE, Washington, DC 20002

The urban forests in the metropolitan region produce a great quantity of wood from tree removals, storms and routine tree maintenance. Previously, this material has been chipped for mulch at best. This forum will focus on the outcomes of the Washington Metropolitan Wood Recovery & Utilization Project and feature others working in the field developing technologies and programs to put urban timber to good use. A final agenda will be posted to COG’s Web Page: http://www.mwcog.org/calendar/default.asp

Register Online at: http://www.mwcog.org/urbantimber/

Family Fun Day – June 16th

What: Family Fun Day! at the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture

When: Saturday, June 16th, 1pm – 5pm

Where: Arcadia Farm, part of the Woodlawn Estate, 9000 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA

A spring celebration with healthy snacks, arts and crafts, and fun farm activities for the whole family!  

Planned activities include:

• Learn to make healthy farm-fresh snacks
• Meet the chickens!
• Check out Arcadia's Mobile Market
• Play farm-based games with your family
• Facepainting, arts and crafts, and more!

Just $5 per person (Children 2 & under are free)

Pay online or in cash at the door. 

Rain date: Sunday, June 17th

Bring your family for an unforgettable afternoon of fun on the farm!

Register today at: http://familyfundayatarcadia.eventbrite.com/

Hummingbirds – Jewels of the Garden – June 23rd

What: Hummingbirds, Jewels of the Garden

When: Saturday, June 23rd, 1:00 pm

Where: Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, Virginia

Nothing captures a gardener’s eye quicker than the sparkle and aerial acrobatics of hummingbirds. Learn fascinating hummingbird facts and how to create a garden habitat for hummingbirds with Green Spring horticulturist, Nancy Olney. Invite a parade of these delicate winged beauties to your own garden with plants provided by Green Spring Gardens.

Click here to register: Register

Wildlife Habitat Workshop – Family Fun - June 2nd

What: Wildlife Habitat Workshop

When: Saturday, June 2nd, 2:00 pm

Where: Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, Virginia

Children learn the requirements for creating a certified wildlife habitat. See how Green Spring Gardens attracts birds, bees, and butterflies.Learn to use recycled materials to attract birds and receive seeds from butterfly friendly plants. Teachers and other adults welcome.

Click here to register: Register

Meadow Ecology Tour at Bristoe Station Battlefield Park

What: Meadow Ecology Tour

When: Saturday, May 26th, 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Where: Bristoe Station Battlefield Park, Iron Brigade Avenue and 10th Alabama Way, Bristow, Virginia

Bristoe Station Battlefield is home to a complex meadow ecosystem.  Join naturalist Charles Smith from the Prince William Wildflower Society (VNPS) for a walking tour of the 133-acre battlefield and learn about the beneficial wildlife especially the birds and butterflies that call this ecosystem home.  Learn to identify the plants that these birds and butterflies need for food and shelter.  Bring binoculars.  Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.  No pets please.  Advance reservation recommended. 

The walking tour departs from the Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park kiosk in the parking lot located at Iron Brigade Unit Ave and 10th Alabama Way at 9:00 am and will end at 11:00am.  The cost for the tour is $5 per person, free for children under six.

Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park includes 133 acres of fields and woodlands.  The Park interprets two Civil War battles and its natural resources.  Prince William County Historic Preservation owns and operates the Park.

For more information, please call (703) 366-3049 or email rorrison@pwcgov.org.

Backyard Habitat Workshop – May 24th

What: Backyard Habitat Workshop

When: May 2th, 4-7 pm

Where: Fort DuPont Community Garden

The District Department of the Environment is continuing its backyard habitat workshop program through 2012. 

The next workshop will be held in partnership with the National Park Service at the Fort DuPont community garden on May 24, 2012.  They will be discussing how to attract pollinators, beneficial insects, and birds to your yard or garden, and will be planting a pollinator border around the community garden.  Attendees will receive a book (Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy) and other literature on gardening for wildlife, a birdhouse kit and live plants.  The workshop is free and open to all District residents.

To register, send an email to backyardhabitat@dc.gov with “Fort DuPont Workshop” in the subject line and the names of the attendees in the body of the email.

“Wild” Garden Tour this weekend

In celebration of May as Wildlife Gardening Month, the National Wildlife Federation, in partnership with Landscape Designer John Magee, is sponsoring a 15 location Wildlife Garden Tour in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties on Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

The tour will feature 14 wildlife-friendly and native inspired gardens, at sites including 10 individual homes, a church, a school and a nature center.   You can also visit NWF’s own wildlife habitat and landscape. Each of these sites provides you with an opportunity to view the garden, see some unique landscape design ideas that you can use in your own garden and  learn more about some of the plants and wildlife that call these locations home.   NWF will have volunteers at each location to answer your questions as you view the gardens. 

Newton-Lee Elementary School (Ashburn, VA) will also have activities for families, so feel free to bring your whole family to the event.  Activities include:  Exploring the two gardens at the school - courtyard and outside wildlife habitat; and examples of how to use gardens to teach – science, math, English and much more.  Hands-on activities for planting, learning about birds and making a solar art print with items found in nature.  Meet Ranger Rick and have your picture taken with the Best Raccoon around.

National Wildlife Federation Headquarters (Reston, VA) will serve as the starting point for the tour, where you can pick up your tour book before heading out to view the gardens in any order that you select.  NWF will also offer tours of its habitat and a native plant sale.  Get a great native plant to add to your garden that can help a few wildlife friends have a great summer. (Special Pre-sale day - Thursday, May 10th from 4:00 - 7:30 pm – see list of plants here.)

Activities at NWF HQ:  19 varieties of Native Plants from American Beauties available for purchase including blueberry, coneflower, sea oats and more.  Invasive species walking tour and discussion on how to best manage your habitat for invasives;  Tours of NWF property in Reston and the sustainable features and wildlife garden.  Tours available on the hour and ½ hour during the day starting at 10:30 am.

Reserve your tickets now! www.nwf.org/VAgardentour
Cost: $15 per person or $30 for a family (until May 11th)
Day of Event Cost: $20 per person or $40 for a family
Limited to 500 participants

All proceeds from the tour will support the National Wildlife Federation's Wildlife Habitat programs and its mission to protect wildlife for our children's future.

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Address: 11100 Wildlife Center Drive
Reston, VA 20190

Information provided by Eliza Russell, Director of Education Programs, NWF

Annual Bird and Tree Tour Saturday at Pig Tail and Greenbridge Recreation Areas

The songbirds are arriving from the south and mountain laurel is blooming to signal that spring is here.  To celebrate, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is offering free bird and tree tours on Saturday, May 5.

Bird lovers are in for a rare treat when WSSC hosts its third annual Warbler tour at Pig Tail Recreation Area. Visitors will have a chance to see Black-Throated Green Warblers, Palm Warblers and Yellow Warblers showing off their bright colors while trying to attract a mate.

Warblers are attracted to open water, making Pig Tail a favorite.  When returning in the fall, warblers are less likely to be seen since their winter plumage is more subdued.

WSSC also will host its third annual Native Tree tour on Saturday. This year, the tour will highlight the blooming mountain laurel tree and other native plants of the low pH soils of the Greenbridge Recreation Area. The tour will be led by WSSC’s certified arborist, Doug Sievers.

What: Warbler Bird Tour

Where: Pig Tail Recreation Area, 5550 Green Bridge Road, Dayton.

When: 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 5

What: Tree Tour

Where: Greenbridge Recreation Area, 2800 Greenbridge Road, Brookeville.

When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 5. 

For more information, contact Kimberley Knox, WSSC Community Outreach Manager, at 301-206-8233.

Brookside Gardens Native & Edible Plant Sale – May 5th

What: Native and Edible Plant Sale

When:  Saturday, May 5, from 9:00am-3:00pm

Where: Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902

Native plant lovers, do you want to get your paws on some Paw Paws; are you wild about Wild Ginger or a sucker for native Honey Suckle? We can service your berry. Visit the Brookside Gardens´ inaugural Native & Edible Plant Sale. Brookside Gardens and the Montgomery Parks Community Gardens will offer a tantalizing selection of native and edible plants for sale, including unusual and hard-to-find vegetables and herbs; native perennials, shrubs, trees, vines, pollinator host plants; and, plants that provide wildlife habitat.

For more information, including a list of plants that will be offered for sale, visit them online at www.brooksidegardens.org or call 301-962-1400.

.

Composting Workshop – May 9th

What: GREEN LIVING SERIES WORKSHOP: Composting Fundamentals
When: Wednesday, May 9th, 6:30 to 8:00 PM
Where: Discovery Communications, One Discovery Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Would you like to understand the science behind composting and how it relates to what you do in your backyard?

Would you like to learn the “Seven Compost Lessons” that are essential to making "Black Gold?"

Then plan on attending this workshop to hear Master Composter Sam Patsy outline the fundamentals of composting so that you can improve your garden soil.

Mr. Patsy was raised on a small farm and has been composting all his life. From 2003 to 2010 he was head of the composting group for the Maryland Master Gardeners.

Register here for this workshop: Backyard Composting

The event is free, although donations will be accepted.

The event is being organized by Silver Spring Green (SSG), a local grassroots organization that brings together individuals, organizations, businesses, and government working together to improve our environment, economy and shared sense of community.

Information for this post provided by Kathy Jentz, editor/publisher  of Washington Gardener Magazine

Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshops

What: Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshop
When: Saturday May 12, 2012 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Where: Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St. (Map This)

AND

Saturday, May 19, 2012 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
Walker Nature Center, 11450 Glade Drive, Reston, VA 20191

Event Details:

As part of their Eco-City Alexandria initiative, and in coordination with the Northern Virginia Rain Barrel Program Partners, participants will discuss water quality issues and how they can be part of the solution by learning to build a rain barrel, building a rain barrel, and taking it home at the end of the workshop. The rain barrels are made from sturdy, repurposed barrels and are very affordable. Please visit the provided link to pre-register. You must pre-register to attend.

Link: http://www.arlingtonenvironment.org/barrel.php

Contact Person: Jesse Maines

Contact Phone No.: 703.746.4071

Contact Email: Jesse.Maines@alexandria.va

Fees: $55 (please visit registration link)

Rain Barrel Workshop

What: Rain Garden Workshop
When: Saturday, June 16, from 9:30am-12:30pm
Where: Camp Round Meadow at Catoctin Mountain Park near Thurmont, MD

A Workshop of the Green Homes Challenge - www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/GreenHomes

Beautify your property and control your stormwater run-off! Learn about the benefits of rain gardens from experts in rain garden design.  Gain hands-on experience by helping to install a 320 square foot rain garden on site.  Learn about Frederick County’s Green Homes Challenge and how it can help your household to reduce its environmental impact.

The workshop is free and includes light snacks and refreshments. To register or find out more, contact Nicole Robinson at 301.600.1306 or NRobinson@FrederickCountyMD.gov.

Registration deadline is June 11th. Space is limited.
Sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Trust

Raingarden Workshop – March 31st

Raingardens for Homeowners. Saturday, March 31^st.  9:30 AM – 12:30 PM. 

Rain gardens, also known as bioretention areas, are attractive landscape features that allow rain water and snow melt to infiltrate into the ground.  A layer of mulch and plants intercept water running off streets, driveways, and rooftops, slowing its flow and removing pollutants before the water reaches local streams, the Occoquan River and the Potomac River, drinking water supplies for the region. 

The workshop will be held at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St.  Arlington, VA.  

To register, please email Aileen Winquist at awinquist@arlingtonva.us     More information:  http://www.novaregion.org/raingardens

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

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• April 9 & May 7 - Beltsville Garden Club Spring Sales - Beltsville, MD -http://www.beltsvillegardenclub.org/SpringSales2011.html

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• April 14 - 16, AHS River Farm Annual Spring Garden Market - Great Falls, VA - http://www.ahs.org/river_farm/events.htm

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• April 15 & 16 - Fairfax County 2011 Native Seedling Sale - http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/orderform_2011.pdf

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• April 16 - Long Branch Nature Center Plant Sale - Arlington,
  VA - http://www.arlingtonva.us/calendar/#EventDetails_12663

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• April 16 - Chesapeake Natives Native Plant Sale - Takoma
  Park, MD - http://www.chesapeakenatives.org/

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• April 16 & 17 - Adkins Arboretum Native Plant Sale -
  Ridgely, MD - http://www.adkinsarboretum.org/native_plant_resources/plant_sale.html

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• April 17 - Herring Run Spring Native Plant Sale - Baltimore, MD -http://bluewaterbaltimore.org/herring-run-nursery/native-plants

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• 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/

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• April 28.  9 – 2 PM. Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale. Saturday, 3601 Valley Drive, Alexandria, VA - http://home.earthlink.net/~sknudsen/

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• April 29 & 30 - Black Hill Native Plant Sale - Boyds, MD - http://www.montgomeryparks.org/nature_centers/blackhill/spring_programs.shtm#march

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• May 6th, 10 – 3. Glencarlyn Library Plant and Herb Sale. - 300 S. Kensington St. Arlington, VA 22204 http://mgnv.org/events/may/

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• 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

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• May 6 & 7 - Flower Mart at the National Cathedral - http://www.allhallowsguild.org/fm/come.html

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• May 7 - Assateague Coastal Trust Native Plant Sale - Berlin,
  MD http://www.actforbays.org/

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• May 7 - Prince William Wildflower Society Native Plant Sale -
  Manassas, VA http://vnps.org/pwws/

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• May 12th. Green Spring Gardens Plant Sale. 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA - http://mgnv.org/events/may/

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• May 14 - Green Spring Garden Park Plant Sale - Annandale,
  VA http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/events.htm/

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• May 14 - Blue Ridge Wildflower Society Plant Sale - Roanoke VA - http://brwfs.org/calendar.htm

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• May 19 & 20 - Hyattsville Elementary PTA's 2nd Annual Native Plant Sale - Hyattsville, MD - http://www.nativeplantsale.org/

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• May 14 - Roland Park Elementary/Middle School Native Plant Sale Baltimore, MD. - http://%20www.rolandparknative.org/

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• May 18 & 19 - Environmental Concern Spring Native Plant Sale -
  EC Open House on Saturday Environmental Concern - St. Michaels, MD Information

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• June 25 - Nanticoke River Jamboree Handsell - Vienna, MD - http://nanticokeriverjamboree.com/

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• August 27 - Irvine Native Plant Seminar & Sale Irvine Nature Center - Owings Mills, MD - http://www.irvinenaturecenter.net/images/native_plants.pdf

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• September 7 & 8 - Environmental Concern Fall Native Plant Sale - Environmental Concern - St. Michaels, MD - http://www.wetland.org/nursery_retail.htm

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• September 17 & 18 - Adkins Arboretum Native Plant Sale - Ridgely, MD - http://www.adkinsarboretum.org/native_plant_resources/plant_sale.html

8th Annual EcoSavvy Gardening Symposium

What: Birds, Bats, Bugs and Bees: The Importance of Pollinators
Where: Green Spring Gardens
When: February 25th – 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Green Spring Master Gardeners are committed to showing homeowners and gardening professionals how everyone can make a difference in the health of our environment.

Animal pollinators such as birds, bats, bees, and bugs are needed by more than 80 percent of the world’s flowering plants.  Without them, we would have very little to eat and a lot less beauty to enjoy in our gardens.

In this eighth annual EcoSavvy Gardening symposium, you will learn about the importance of pollinators and practical tips to make your garden more pollinator-friendly.    

Sponsored by Virginia Cooperative Extension. Call site by February 17 to order a vegetarian or non-vegetarian lunch for $12

Click here to download brochure.

Or register online, here.

The Woods in Your Backyard – a Workshop

Although this is a little outside of the Metro DC area, it sounds like a very interesting workshop and goes along with the theme I’ve been writing about lately – TREES!

The workshop, entitled The Woods in Your Backyard, consists of two sessions, scheduled one week apart, to give you time to put what you’ve learned into practice between sessions. It is geared towards property owners that own less than ten acres of property – wooded or not! The primary focus of the workshop is to learn to create and enhance natural areas around your home so that certainly can apply to any size property.

Workshop dates are 2/15 and 2/22 from 6:30 pm – 9:00 p.m.
The sessions are being held at:

Howard Conservancy -Gudelsky Center
10520 Old Frederick Road
Woodstock, MD 21163

The workshop uses the manual The Woods in Your Backyard: Learning to Create and Enhance Natural Areas Around Your Home.

And includes the following topics:
• Forest Ecology
• Wildlife enhancement
• Woodland inventory techniques
• Tree & shrub identification
• Tree planting and care
• Invasive species control
• Developing goals and objectives
• Resources for your land

You can register and download the brochure about the program on the Forestry for the Bay website.

Butterflies LIVE! – Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Friday, May 25 - Monday, Oct. 14, 2012
Hundreds of butterflies will take flight in Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden's glass Conservatory in 2012. The Butterflies LIVE! exhibit is back by popular demand and will feature showy tropical species from May 25 - October 14, 2012. 
The exhibit will also feature special plantings to provide food for the butterflies, allowing visitors to get an "up-close" and personal view of these fascinating creatures.
This exhibit is presented by the Robins Foundation.

Deer Talk & Plant Swap

What: Deer Talk and Plant Swap

When: November 16, 7:15p.m.

Where: Chevy Chase Community Center

The next meeting of the Chevy Chase Citizens Association Garden Club is this Wednesday,Nov 16, and features Bob McDowell, a Maryland Master Gardener, talking about deer proofing methods for urban gardeners. Everyone is welcome, the meeting is at 7:15 pm; there is a plant swap afterward so bring one to share. The location is 5600 Conn Ave, NW in the Chevy Chase Community Center. The rain garden on the north side of the building and the Library garden both look great, check them out before the meeting. Questions? Email Barbara Baldwin: bbaldwing@yahoo.com