May 2, 2011 - A day for pride and reflection

I was sitting peacefully, curled up on my sofa last night when the interruption about “breaking news” came on TV. The president was getting ready to make an announcement that affected National Security. My heart beat and stress levels immediately rose.

For over an hour, I watched and waited as the newsmen and women speculated about what the announcement would be. I looked over at my husband, quietly dozing in his recliner, and wondered if our lives and world were about to change.

When President Obama finally appeared and made his brief announcement, I cried. I wasn’t entirely sure whether they were tears of relief, pride or sorrow. I think they were a combination of all three.

My emotions were still a bit raw this morning and I knew the best place for me was in my garden. My garden has always been a great place for me to get in touch with my emotions. And so early this morning, that is where I went.

After raising the flag on the flagpole that we installed in our yard soon after September, 11, 2001, I took time to be with my emotions.

This is what I felt:

Gratitude: for the many blessings, I have in my life. Health, happiness, friends and family to love.

Admiration: for the people that have helped, and continue to help, protect those blessings.

Respect: for my country.

Dedication: to my beliefs and to my own actions, both large and small, to help make our world a better place.

Emotional: certainly no explanation needed.

Necessary: We all play a role in the future of our country and the future of our planet. We vote, we fight, we love, we heal, we nurture. The only action that doesn’t have a result is inaction.

As I stood and watched the flag waving in the breeze over our property, I saw an American bald eagle soaring, way, way, high overhead. His white head and tail were difficult to see, but I knew that was what he was.

And I knew it was time to go inside. I have work to do, people to call, letters to write. And I feel more inspired than ever to help do my part.

Friends with benefits: native + drought tolerant, part II

There are many ways to save water in the landscape, such as when we water (morning is best), how we water (hand watering and drip irrigation), and adding mulch and rain barrels.

But another great way to save water is by installing waterwise or drought tolerant plants. Drought tolerant plants are plants which are more likely to be able to withstand times of little rain or when watering restrictions require us to cut back on our regular watering routines.
  

                     How do you conserve water in your landscape?

Water in morning/evening
Automatic/Timed sprinkler
Hand watering
Use drought tolerant plants
Install rain barrels

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A few days ago, I posted a list of drought tolerant native trees and shrubs for the Metro DC area. Today I am adding a list of drought tolerant native perennials, grasses and vines.

These lists are by no means complete, but will give you a sampling of choices for an eco-friendly, drought tolerant landscape.

If some of your favorites are missing from these lists, feel free to suggest them. I'll be happy to add them after I verify that they are considered drought tolerant.

Native Plant Sale - May 14 & 15

Hyattsville Elementary School PTA's 2nd Annual

Native Plant Sale

When: Saturday May 14, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday May 15, 8 a.m. to 2 pm (Rain or Shine)

Where: Hyattsville Elementary School, 5311 43rd Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781

Details: For pictures and information on available plants and plant list updates, visit their website at www.nativeplantsale.org. Plugs & 1 Gallon pots Available. Prices $3—$15 per plant.

Please bring bags or boxes to carry away what you buy. If you’re interested purchasing large quantities or if you have questions, please contact Christine Williams at ecckwilliams@verizon.net.

Why Use Native Plants?

Native or indigenous plants…

• Naturally occur in the area they evolved
• Are adapted to local soil, rainfall, and temperature conditions
• Have developed natural defenses to many insects and diseases
• Grow with minimal use of water, fertilizers, and pesticides (which is good for our local waterways and the Bay)
• Provide food and habitat for local wildlife species (like butterflies!)
• Are fun and beautiful!

  Some of the plants that will likely be available—

• Allegheny Blackberry
• American Holly
• Arrowwood Viburnum
• Black Cherry
• Black-eyed Susan
• Blackhaw Viburnum
• Blue False Indigo
• Blue Flag Iris
• Blue Vervain
• Butterfly Weed
• Buttonbush
• Cardinal Flower
• Chokecherry
• Cinnamon Fern
• Dense Blazing Star
• Eastern Redbud
• Flowering Dogwood
• Foxglove Beard-tongue
• Highbush Blueberry
• Inkberry
• Ironweed
• Lance-leaved Coreopsis
• New England Aster
• Orange Coneflower
• Ox Eye Daisy
• Purple Coneflower
• Red Twigged Dogwood
• Redosier Dogwood
• Sensitive Fern
• Smooth Blue Aster
• Spice Bush
• Spotted Bee Balm
• Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
• Sweet Viburnum
• Sweetbay Magnolia
• Switch Grass
• Wild Bergamot
• Winterberry
• Witch Hazel
• Wood Geranium
• And more!

Friends with benefits: native + drought tolerant = good friends for the garden

I've done a lot of posts about native plants and have even listed some favorite native plants of local plant experts. Some of our readers have asked for MORE and I am happy to oblige.

So here is the first in a series of lists of Native plants that are ALSO drought tolerant, with live links, so you can view photos and care requirements of all plants.

Beneficial, drought tolerant native plants for the Metro DC area

I have also listed additional benefits of these plants such as whether they provide value for birds, butterflies or humans, and whether they have beautiful and/or fragrant flowers.

As you can imagine, this list took quite a bit of time to pull together, so please let me know if you find it useful and whether you would like to see more.

I've started another list that includes perennials, vines and grasses so be sure and subscribe to this blog to learn more about the great benefits of native plants!

National Herb Day Celebration - May 7th

There is nothing quite like growing herbs in your home garden!

They add spice to your cooking, aromas to your garden walks and (if you want to share) are host plants for visiting butterflies. But many herbs also provide wonderful health and beauty benefits.

The benefits of herbs are so diverse that since 2006, a special day has been set aside  to raise public awareness about them.

The first HerbDay was held on Saturday, October 14, 2006. But due to requests from herb lovers all over the country, HerbDay was officially moved to the spring since  more people in more parts of the country have a larger variety of herbs growing at this time of year than do in fall.

For gardeners who would like to learn more about the wonders of herbs, plan on  attending  Celebrate Herbs at the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory,   100 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC, on May 7th from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Discover the significance of herbs in our lives and the many ways herbs can be used safely and creatively for health, beauty and culinary enjoyment. Enjoy demonstrations, activities, discussions and displays. You won't want to miss this amazing opportunity to learn more about herbs!

If you would like to purchase some herbs before the HerbDay event, the Potomac Unit of the Herb Society of America will be having their annual plant sale on April 29-30th in conjunction with the Friends of the National Arboretum Garden Fair.

FONA Garden Fair & Plant Sale - April 29th & 30th

The Friends of the National Arboretum will be holding a plant sale in conjunction with their garden fair this weekend, Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30, remainders (if any) sold Sunday, May 1. The event will be held at the US National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave NE, off Bladensburg Rd.

This annual event from the Friends of the National Arboretum is a long-standing favorite among serious and weekend gardeners alike – with affordable prices and the widest range of plants and vendors of any gardening event in Washington, D.C. Buy new, rare and hard-to-find plants, with offerings from the finest specialty nurseries in the region and more local plant societies than ever before. A great opportunity to get advice from National Arboretum horticulturists, FONA master gardeners, landscape designers and other local experts. Also fun and educational activities for children, music performances, food vendors, and garden accessories.

The fair coincides with the Arboretum's spectacular display of more than 10,000 azaleas, so bring your friends, bring the family, and make a day of it!

HOURS: "Members Only" on Friday, April 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (but you can join at the door or in advance at www.fona.org.)

Open to the public on Friday, April 29 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and on Saturday, April 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Any remainders will be sold Sunday, May 1 from 9a.m. to 12 noon.

More information at http://www.fona.org/.

Landscaping for Water Conservation - April 27th

What:  Landscaping for Water Conservation: Xeriscape! – presented by Kimberly Knox

 

When:  Wednesday, April 27 · 7:30pm – 10:30pm

 

Where:  James Duckworth Regional Center, 11201 Evans Trail, Beltsville. MD

Why: Why waterwise landscapes help protect the environment

 

An American family of four can use 400 gallons of water per day, and about 30 percent of that is devoted to outdoor uses. More than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens. Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for almost one-third of all residential water use, totaling more than 7 billion gallons per day. As populations increase, demand on our water resources will grow. Conserving water will not only protect our natural resources but can prevent or postpone the expense of building or renovating new water supply facilities. 

 

By making changes to some of our landscaping practices, we can all make a difference in water conservation.

 

The Beltsville Garden Club is having a presentation about creating a water-conserving landscaping.  

The  speaker for this program will be Kimberley M. Knox, Community Outreach Manager for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and a member of the Beltsville Garden Club.  Her topic will be "Water Conservation and Gardens".

Kim is the editor of "Landscaping for Water Conservation: Xeriscape!"  She is responsible for coordinating WSSC's demonstration garden, which highlights native plants for birds and butterflies.  She will also speak about the seven basic principles to incorporate into your landscape to ensure that you save water, money and time.

Please come on out  for this informative speaker.  Refreshments will be served after the meeting.  Bring a plant or plant related material for the club's door prize table.  The public is welcome and admission is free.

Basic Organic Vegetable Gardening Workshop - May 4th

What:  Organic Vegetable Gardening Workshop

Presented by: George Mason University Sustainability Institute (MSI)

When: May 4th, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Where:  Green Acres Center, 4401 Sideburn Road, Fairfax, VA. Room 113

Why: What are the benefits of creating your own organic vegetable garden?

• Organic vegetable gardens are free from chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which helps to create less pollution.
• Organic vegetable gardens yield fruit and vegetables with higher nutritional content.
• Organic vegetable gardening is a great way to get your kids to eat more vegetables!
• Organic gardening simply makes food taste better.

The workshop will help participants learn basic gardening techniques for creating an at-home organic vegetable garden. The class will cover topics such as soil improvement and preparation through a variety of amendments. Attendees will learn how to prepare both in-ground and raised-bed gardens, as well as container gardens. Vegetable families, seed starting, crop rotation and soil amendments will also be discussed.

Registration: Please visit http://tinyurl.com/msi-registration-form

Or, e-mail Danielle Wyman dwyman@gmu.edu for registration inquiries.

Cost: $20. Please bring cash at time of registration (exact  change requested).

Instructor's Biography:

Adria Bordas has a Master of Science in Plant Pathology from the University of California at Davis. She has been working on diverse programs that include pest detection and diagnosis of plant-insect problems, water quality and nutrient management, and invasive pest management. She also works with both residents and landscape and nursery industry professionals of Fairfax County. Adria is also responsible for two Master Gardener Volunteer programs, comprised of more than 400 volunteers; the Fairfax County Master Gardener Association; and the Green Spring Master Gardener volunteer programs. She lives in Burke with her partner and two rescued dogs-Coco and Pickles.

Help keep our planet healthy and green. Spread the word!

Compost for Healthy Soil & Gardening - Workshops - April 27th & 30th

What:  Compost for Healthy Soil Workshop

Presented by: George Mason University Sustainability Institute (MSI)

When: Workshop 1: Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Time: 6:00-7:30 PM.; Workshop 2: Saturday, April 30, 2011. Time: 10:00-11:30 AM.

Where:  Green Acres Center, 4401 Sideburn Road, Fairfax, VA. Room 113

Why: Why do eco-friendly gardeners love compost?

There are few practices which make as much economic and environmental sense as creating compost out of yard wastes and kitchen scraps. Composting yard waste recycles nutrients back into the yard, helps retain moisture and saves landfill space. Composting reduces yard waste volume by 50 to 75 percent. The cost of collecting, hauling, and handling yard trash is a large share of the solid waste management expense.

If you have a space for it, a compost pile or bin can be used to recycle yard wastes and kitchen scraps to make a perfect, nutrient rich soil additive. Not only can you add leaves and clippings from your yard, but fruit and vegetable peelings, fruit pulp from a juicer, dryer lint, coffee grounds, teabags, eggshells, shredded paper and sawdust can all be recycled to provide nutrients for your plants.

To learn more:

The MSI compost workshop will introduce attendees to the basics of at-home composting. Participants will be instructed on creating a simple compost system, and how to use kitchen and lawn waste to make compost. Workshop participants will leave the course with a list of materials needed to start an at-home project. The other half of the lecture will introduce participants to vermiculture, or worm composting; a fascinating, fun and easy way to recycle your kitchen waste into some of the best fertilizer on Earth. Composting Workshop 1 and 2 offer the same educational content.

Registration: Please visit http://tinyurl.com/msi-registration-form
Or, e-mail Danielle Wyman dwyman@gmu.edu for registration inquiries.

Cost: $15. Please bring cash or check at time of registration (exact change requested)

Instructor's Biography:

Dan Schwartz is a graduate of the University of Maryland and holds a B.S. Degree in Environmental Science-Soil Resources. He has been working as a soil scientist for the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District for the last 8 years. His job duties include updating the county soil survey, helping citizens with erosion and drainage problems, and educating the public about soil and storm water issues. He would like everyone to know that it is called soil, not dirt!

Help keep our planet healthy and green. Spread the word!

Trashion Fashion Show - April 30th - Alexandria

On April 30th, as part of Alexandria's 18th annual Earth Day celebration, there will be a fun Trashion Fashion Show showcasing clothing made by local students using recycled materials.

 

Step on by and cheer for your favorite students AND their creations while enjoying other earth day events.

 

Where: Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Brenman Park Dr. 

When: April 30, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

For more information, visit Alexandria Earth Day 2011