America Recycles Day is November 15th

As a green gardener, my favorite things to recycle are vegetable scraps, plant waste, grass clippings and leaves, which all make excellent additions to my compost pile. But for almost everything else you need to get rid of around your home, recycling of it properly helps reduce our impact on the local landfills.

Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day.  America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. One day to educate and motivate. One day to get our neighbors, friends and community leaders excited about what can be accomplished when we all work together. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year. Get involved!

There are plenty of ways to participate in America Recycles Day in the Washington DC area. Check out the list and find something fun and GREEN to recognize the importance of recycling.

Montgomery College thinks the World of Water

As an eco-friendly gardener, I think the world of water. I know that fresh water is a limited resource and so, on my own property, I don't use chemicals and I utilize rain barrels to help keep harmful stormwater runoff from entering local water supplies.

The Montgomery College campus is having their two-million gallon "Earthoid" water storage tank repainted, which can help remind all of us that water means the world to us.

The 100-foot tall tank was built for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission in 1978 and was painted to resemble the world in 1980, based on a National Geographic globe.

The “Earthoid” has since won the "Steel Tank of the Year" award from the Steel Plate Fabricators Association and pictures of the tank have been exhibited in numerous magazines.

The re-painting is expected to be finished by the end of November, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission officials said in a press release Thursday.

The tank is located at 20150 Observation Drive.

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

How to Have an Organic, All Natural Veteran’s Day

How to Have an Organic, All Natural Veteran’s Day

Step #1 – Go outside. Take a 360 degree look around you. Consider how lucky you are to live in the United States of America. Now, go find a veteran. A veteran, of course, is someone who has served, or is serving in the military.

That step shouldn’t be hard. You may have a veteran in your family, or work with a veteran. Perhaps your mailman or the elderly worker in the local hardware store is a veteran. If you aren’t sure, all you have to do is ask.

Now, depending on your personality and temperament, the next step may be a little harder.

Step #2 –  Say thank you. Don’t worry. You don’t have to get all mushy about it. Depending on how well you know the veteran, you can add a pat on the back, a hug or a handshake. Just let them know that you are thanking them for their service.

That’s it. That’s all you need to do to thank a veteran. And there really isn’t anything more organic and natural then a good, in person, heartfelt thank you.

 But for a few  more ideas, here is another post called “8 Ways to Say Thank You to Our Veterans.”

 And here are some other great ideas I found online: Veteran’s Day: Ways to Say Thank You

Native Azaleas Program

What: America’s Treasure: Our Native Azaleas (Silver Spring Garden Club's November 2011 meeting)

WHEN: Monday, November 21
Doors open at 7:30pm
Talk starts at 8:00pm

WHERE: Brookside Gardens Visitors Center,
1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, Maryland

The rich flora of North America boasts 17 species of native azaleas. Don Hyatt, a noted authority on these plants, will first introduce the various species showing the range of flower color and form he has observed in the wild. Don will then shift to a series of visual tours to the scenic places where these native azaleas often grow. Join him in the Southern Appalachians when rare native azaleas and wildflowers herald the arrival of spring. Experience breath-taking vistas along the Appalachian Trail near Roan Mountain in high season when the flame azaleas and rhododendrons turn entire mountaintops ablaze with color. Climb to the top of Gregory Bald in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park to see one of the most impressive floral displays of them all. Share his appreciation of gorgeous scenery, native azaleas, and wildflower companions as Don “chases the bloom” from coast to coast throughout the season. As is Don’s typical presentation style, expect an entertaining and fast-paced program filled with many beautiful photographs, lots of information, occasional touches of humor, and a few digital tricks in this multi-media presentation.

Don Hyatt holds a Bachelors degree in Horticulture with a double major in Biochemistry, and a Masters degree in Computer Science. lthough professionally a mathematics and computer science teacher for 33 years, Don has maintained a life-long interest in plants of all kinds. He started gardening as a toddler, and continues to maintain his garden, now in its 60th year, at the family home where he grew up. After retiring from teaching in 2002, Don has devoted most of his time to horticultural interests, especially the study of native azaleas, rhododendrons, and wildflowers in their natural habitats. He has served on the national boards of both the Azalea Society of America and the American Rhododendron Society, and has received numerous awards. Don is an accomplished botanical illustrator and photographer, and has authored many articles on azaleas and rhododendrons. He has become a popular speaker at national and international conferences on a variety of horticultural topics.

Open to the public and free to attend.
Silver Spring Garden Club dues are just $10 a year per household.

Information provide by Kathy Jentz
Editor/Publisher
Washington Gardener Magazine
www.WashingtonGardener.com

8 Ways to Say "Thank You" to our Veterans, Memorial Day and Every Day

I grew up in the 70's, back in the days of tie-dye and hemp clothing and peace signs. It's funny to me now that so many of those things have come back into vogue. I was really too young to be a "hippie", but I did dress the part. I never attended a "sit-in" or a peace rally but I vehemently opposed the idea of war, in all of its forms. I held onto that belief throughout my life ... up until September 11, 2001.

That date, of course, changed all of us. I still can't bring myself to say that I think war is the answer to anything, but I do understand the necessity of it now. And I do have a whole new level of respect, appreciation and admiration for the men and women who serve to protect our country, as well as the families who love them.

One very positive change that has occurred in our country since my childhood is the respect that we show our military. When soldiers returned from Vietnam, they were sometimes met with icy stares, verbal abuse and even spit upon. Now, it is not unusual to see members of the military receiving applause or pats on the back as they walk through a crowded airport. I know that I always feel a tremendous rush of feelings when I see a man or woman in uniform. It's a combination of respect and admiration mixed with a gut-wrenching awareness of how I would feel if that was my son or daughter, brother or friend.

Whether it is Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, or no special day at all, here are some suggested ways to Thank a Vet:

1) Say thank you - If you know a veteran, or the family of a veteran, give them a call or send an email and tell them that you appreciate what they have done, or are doing, for our country.
2) Listen- If they want to talk about their service, let them. I don't care if you have heard your father's or grandfather's war stories before. Ask them to tell you about them again. And listen this time!
3) Send some love - Even if you don't know any veterans, personally, it is still easy to express your thanks. Get out your phone book and find the closet VA hospital or nursing home and send a big, patriotic bouquet of flowers or a colorful collection of cookies. Add a note explaining that they are for the resident veterans, with your heartfelt thanks for their service.
4) Attend a parade - If there is a parade close by, go to it. Take your kids, buy them some flags to wave, and really hoot and holler at the members of the military, young and old, who are marching in the parade.
5) Visit a Veterans Day Services to pay your respects - In you can't find a parade, there are plenty of memorials that you can visit to pay your respects.
6) Fly a flag - Flying the American Flag is a great way to show pride and respect for our country. If you don't have a flagpole, you can purchase small brackets that easily fit on the front of your home or your mailbox.
7) Give time or money to veteran's groups - It's a tough year for everyone and you may not be able to afford to make cash donations to as many charities as you would like. But many groups will benefit from your time as much as they would from your cash donations. One of our favorite organizations is Home for Our Troops (HFOT), a non-profit organization that builds specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans. HFOT is currently looking for volunteers to work on several projects in Maryland and Virginia.
8 ) Plant a tree in memory of a veteran - Planting a tree is always a great way to honor someone and will give you a permanent place to return to year after year to spend time and appreciate your freedom.

By the way, if you are wondering what the dedication and sacrifices of our veterans has to do with a gardening blog, the answer is "everything".

Gardeners might enjoy reading: A Hero and His Habitat : 20 Days in the Garden

It's National Pursuit of Happiness Week

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” -Abraham Lincoln.  

Apparently, the second week of November is National Pursuit of Happiness Week. I found several articles about it online, none of which provided any explanation for how or why the week was designated.

But as far as I’m concerned, no explanation is needed. Some people believe that you can never be too rich or too thin. I believe that you can never be too happy. There is always room for MORE!

So if you feel you need to add a little more happiness to your life, here are some suggestions:

1) Go outside. Aristotle is credited as saying “In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous”. No matter what the weather is like outside, there is always something beautiful and amazing if you take the time to look close enough. If you need a happiness boost, take a closer look at nature.

2) Take time to smell the flowers. If you don’t have anything blooming in your own yard, spend a few dollars and buy yourself a bouquet to put on your desk today. It will help you to visualize the beautiful eco-friendly garden you plan to work on next Spring.

3) When it comes to conversation, DIG DEEP. Did you know that deep conversation can bring happiness? I’m not talking about the short quips and tweets people exchange on twitter and Facebook these days. I’m talking about deep, heart to heart talks. So open up and share!

4) If you aren’t already a “green” gardener, pick up the trowel and dig in. Science seems to point to the fact that being eco-friendly and taking care of the planet helps make people happier.

5) Try some Bare Naked Gardening. No explanation needed.

6) Think happy thoughts. As obvious as it sounds, it is pretty easy to “think yourself happy.” Professor Richard Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, conducted a mass-participation experiment online, with more than 26,000 people joining to try recognize mood-boosting techniques. Participants were given several different techniques that they were supposed to practice for a week, to determine which one made people the happiest. The result: participants who were asked to recall a pleasant event from the previous day were given an immediate 15 per cent boost in happiness

7) And remember, Happiness is contagious. New research shows that in a social network, happiness spreads among people up to three degrees removed from one another. That means when you feel happy, a friend of a friend of a friend has a slightly higher likelihood of feeling happy too.

So what makes you happy? Do you have any quick happiness tips to share with our readers?

Butterflies help remind us to be good environmental stewards

As delicate and fragile as they appear, I think that butterflies have tremendous super-powers. In fact, I think that they can help save the world! Why? Because they are so beautiful and magical that, once they start hanging around, they can influence gardeners to quit using pesticides and plant more native plants, both of which are positive steps for the planet.

If you don't already garden for butterflies, fall and winter are the perfect times to start learning about how to attract these beautiful "flying flowers" to your gardens. Once spring arrives, you will have the knowledge AND the enthusiasm to get out there and start planting your nectar and host plants to attract butterflies.


 Here are some links to butterfly information for the DC, Maryland and Virginia areas.

• Create a Butterfly Garden - Metro DC Lawn and Garden Blog
•  Butterflies of Virginia Butterflies of Maryland
• Butterflies of DC
• Butterflies of Maryland – Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• Backyard Butterfly Bonanza – Fairfax County
• Using Native Plants to Attract Butterflies pdf file (From Green Spring Gardens)

There are also several butterfly groups in the area that will help you get started on this great hobby.

The Washington Area Butterfly Club emphasizes education about and appreciation and conservation of butterflies in the Washington, DC, area including Maryland and Virginia. Meetings are free and open to the public, although occasional events are only for members and their guests. Members also conduct various other butterfly-related activities including butterfly gardening, butterfly counts, conservation, and field trips.

Butterfly Society of Virginia promotes butterfly and moth conservation, including conservation of habitat and host and nectar gardens.

Post Halloween Treats

One again, I have way too many goodies to keep to myself, so I need to share them before they get stale.

In blogger jargon, that mea ns that I have a huge pile of things that I would LOVE to write about, but I just don’t have time.

Here are some great articles (and photos) that are worth sharing:

Treat #1: Photo of my sweet little great-nephew (or is it grand-nephew?) Alex, in his Halloween costume. Gotta love those dimples!

Treat #2: Planting Memories of her Dad across the City - This is a beautifully written piece about what sounds like a wonderful man, and his daughter, Sandy. Since her father passed away in May, Sandy has planted over 2800 bulbs throughout DC in his memory. One of my personal mottoes is "Life is your garden. Plant something good." It sounds like both Ted and Sandy have done their part to "plant something good."

Treat #3: Here’s another great article. This one, entitled Fall Leaves are Nature’s Free Gift to Homeowners, reminds us of the value of mulching and composting our fall leaves to keep all of those great, natural nutrients in our landscapes.

Treat #4: An article from one of my favorite compost bloggers: Six Rules of Composting

Treat #5: Want to conserve more energy? There’s an app for that. New Facebook App the 'Farmville' of Energy Conservation? The app will combine the competitiveness of a game with real-world data. Facebookers can benchmark their home’s energy usage against a national average of similar homes, compare their energy use with friends, enter energy-saving competitions, and share tips on how to become more energy efficient.

Treat #6: Exciting news for Virginia – Fort Monroe becomes National Monument - Today is truly an historic day for America as President Obama is announcing the establishment of Fort Monroe National Monument -- a historic fort in Virginia’s Tidewater region that was integral role to the history of slavery, the Civil War, and the U.S. military -- as the 396th unit of the National Park System.

Treat #7: Alex again. This time, rooting on his favorite football team!

Treat #8: FANTASTIC November to-do list on the Behnke's Garden Blog. Hints and tips for trees, shrubs, edibles, lawns and so much more. Great job, Susan!

Treat #9: ANOTHER cute Halloween baby. My good friend Kathy's new granddaughter, Autumn, dressed like a pink shrimp. Which I'll use as a reminder that eco-friendly gardening helps protect our waterways!

I have lots more treats in store, so be sure to subscribe to the Metro DC Lawn and Garden blog.

Protecting Watersheds: Rain Gardens in our Landscapes

What: Protecting Watersheds: Rain Gardens in our Landscapes

When: November 4th, 4:00pm – 5:00 pm

Where: Common Good City Farm, V Street NW between 2nd & 4th Sts NW

Visit Common Good's rain garden and learn how to design your own as an attractive way to prevent water run-off from polluting our watersheds. Dean Hively, a scientist from the US Geological Survey, will talk about the relevance and importance of diverting water run-off, and plants that thrive in rain gardens. They will have bergamot, liatrus blazing star, blue flag iris, and calamus for sale. This workshop is free, but if you earn more than minimum wage, they are requesting a $25 suggested donation. 

Register for this Free Workshop