Eastern Shore Gardener

If you know of events that should be added to this calendar, please send details to me at hackberrypoint@gmail.com so I can help spread the word!

Perennially Inspired: Perennial Plant Association/Horticultural Society of Maryland Seminar

WHEN: Saturday, February 25, 2012; 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

WHERE: Sheppard-Pratt Conference Center, 6501 N. Charles Street, Towson, Maryland

COST: $89 for members ($99 after February 3); $99 for non-members ($109 after February 3). Lunch and snacks are included.

The Perennial Plant Association and the Horticultural Society of Maryland have a great speaker line-up for this all-day seminar. Speakers include David Culp of Sunny Border Nurseries; Carol Long from Winterthur; Allen Bush of Jelitto Perennial Seeds; Dan Benarcik of Chanticleer; and landscape architect Thomas Ranier, who is one of my favorite bloggers.  For full details on the program, see PPA/MSH Seminar.

WHEN: Wednesday, February 29; 10:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Nursery Greenhouse,  Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, MD.

COST: $45 members, $65 general public

Join Queen Anne’s County Master Gardeners Rachel Melvin and Carol Jelich and learn how to make your own hypertufa planter. Come dressed to get messy! Wear work clothes and shoes, and bring a sack lunch, long rubber gloves, and an adventurous spirit. For additional information, call 410-634-2847 ext. 0, e-mail info@adkinsarboretum.org, or visit Adkins Arboretum events.

WHEN: Saturday, March 3, 2012; 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, MD.

COST: Fee: $85 members, $110 general public

Bring your landscape challenges and dreams to this popular workshop and leave with a landscape plan, ideas, and confidence to transform your home landscape for your enjoyment and pride. Topics include analyzing the challenges and opportunities of your property; developing a plan for circulation and unique features; designing “rooms” for outdoor living; choosing materials for patios and walks; incorporating sustainable practices; and selecting ornamental plants.

The day will be organized around presentations followed by breakout sessions for you to work one-on-one with designers. The designers will offer practical advice on to get started, what to do with wet areas, how to lay out a path, how to screen an undesirable view, and plants recommended for specific conditions. Step by step, you will develop your own landscape design.

Workshop leaders are Arboretum Executive Director Ellie Altman; landscape architect Barbara McClinton, formerly of the Baltimore landscape architecture and land planning firm Daft, McCune, Walker; and landscape designer and native plant enthusiast Chris Pax, a graduate of the George Washington University sustainable landscape design master’s program.

Bring your own lunch. Arrive at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and a light breakfast. The workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. Break refreshments will be provided. Also bring a property plat, photos, and other documentation of your property. For additional information, call 410-634-2847 ext. 0, e-mail info@adkinsarboretum.org, or visit Adkins Arboretum events. 

WHERE: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th & Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

WHEN: Sunday, March 4; 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, March 5 to 9; 10:00 a.m. to  9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 10; 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, March 11; 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

COST: $27.00 general admission

WHEN: Tuesday, March 13, 2012;  6:00 p.m.

WHERE: 7121 Church Hill Road/Maryland Route 213, Chestertown, Maryland.

COST: Free

Discussion will detail proper planting, maintenance, and harvesting. For more information see the club’s website or call the store at 410-778-1551. Please call the store to sign up for the meetings in advance.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 14, 2012; 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Townsend Hall Commons, 152 Townsend Hall, University of Delaware, Newark Delaware.

COST:Members: Free, Nonmembers: $10.00

UDBG Director and Professor Dr. John Frett will show images of many of the shrubs, tree, conifers, and perennials offered at the 2012 Spring Plant Sale. (Catalogs will be mailed in early March. If you are not on the catalog list, please email mzoehrer@udel.edu.) All UDBG members receive a catalog. Refreshments served.

Registration required. Please email botanicgardens@udel.edu or phone 302-831-2531. Send payment to: UDBG, 152 Townsend Hall, University of DE, Newark DE 19716.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 20; 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Cafeteria of the Judith P. Hoyer Montessori School, 2300 Belleview Ave., Cheverly, MD, 20785.

COST: Free

Professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at University of Delaware, Douglas Tallamy is widely recognized for his ability to clearly explain complex ecological relationships among plants,insects and other animals. His award-winning book Bringing Nature Home is must reading for anyone interested in gardening, wildlife and in preserving sustainable environments.

Sponsored by the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee, Dr. Tallamy will speak on the relationships between plants and animals and what we can do to preserve the services nature is providing us by using native plants in landscaping. Following his recommendations to encourage native flora can have far reaching benefits for our entire ecosystems which in turn provide us with clean air, water, food and healthy surroundings.

For more information, contact: Matt T. Salo at 301-341-1261; e-mail mtsalo1@gmail.com

WHEN: Saturday,March 31; 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Beltsville Area Research Center,  10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, Maryland.

COST: Free

Save time and travel by shopping at this annual sale that features an extensive collection of native plants offered by several local area nurseries. Growers will be on hand to provide gardening information. Sponsored by the Friends of the National Arboretum.

For more information, see National Arboretum events.

WHEN: Saturday, March 31; 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: Beltsville Area Research Center, 10300 Baltimore Boulevard, Beltsville, Maryland.

COST: $89.00, Friends of the National Arboretum members, $70.00

The 26th annual Lahr Symposium explores the work of landscape architects, authors, and gardeners who were inspired by native plants to change their career paths to pursue unique callings. From journalist turned naturalist to researcher turned native fruit aficionado, these individuals explain how native plants have influenced their work. Learn how native plants can foster creativity in the garden and inspire new insights into nature and landscape design.

Registration fee includes lunch and early access to the Native Plant Sale. For complete program details, including a map and directions, see the Lahr Symposium brochure or call 202-245-4523.

Tracy DeSabito-Aust, author of The Well-Tended Perennial Garden and The Well-Designed Mixed Border

WHEN: Saturday March 31, 2012; 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; (Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.)

WHERE: Anne Arundel Community College, 101 College Parkway, Center for Applied Learning and Technology, CALT Building, Arnold, MD 21012.

COST: $60.00. A light breakfast is included. Book signing after the seminar.

This half-day seminar on Maryland native plants, design, and maintenance is sponsored by Unity Gardens, an organization dedicated to “empower local groups to build leadership and partnership through the creation of neighborhood greening projects that enhance the quality of life throughout Anne Arundel County.”

The seminar is approved as advanced training for Maryland Master Gardeners. For more information, see Native Plants.

WHEN: Wednesday and Thursday, April 4 and 5; 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Fisher Greenhouse, behind 152 Townsend Hall, University of Delaware, Newark Delaware.

Cost: Members: $5.00, nonmembers: $10.00

UDBG Director and Professor Dr. John Frett will lead a guided walk through UDBG of plants offered in the plant sale, and if there’s time, preview containerized plants. Minimum: 10 people; Maximm: 25 people.

Registration required. Please email botanicgardens@udel.edu or phone 302-831-2531. Send payment to: UDBG, 152 Townsend Hall, University of DE, Newark DE 19716. Please choose which date upon registration.

WHEN: Exhibition: Tuesday April 6 through Monday, April 22; 10:00 a.m. to  4:00 p.m. Demonstrations:April Saturday, April 14, Sunday, April 15, Saturday April 21, and Sunday, April 22; All demonstrations 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, or 24th & R Streets, NE, off of Bladensburg Road.

COST: Free.

Enjoy spring flowers with a Japanese twist! The Washington D.C. Chapter of Ikebana International exhibits flower arrangements representing a variety of ikebana schools, from traditional to contemporary. This year’s exhibition honors the centennial of the 1912 Tidal Basin cherry tree planting with arrangements that include flowering cherry branches.

The installation will change three times during the exhibit, so plan return visits to see them all. Master teachers from the Washington, DC chapter of Ikebana International demonstrate four different schools of ikebana at these demonstrations in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum: April 14, Ikenobo; April 15, Ohara; April 21, Ichiyo; April 22, Sogetsu.

See National Arboretum events for more information.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 10, 2012;  6:00 p.m.

WHERE: 7121 Church Hill Road/Maryland Route 213, Chestertown, Maryland.

COST: Free

How to plant, where to plant, and how much room to allow. For more information see the Club’s website or call the store at 410-778-1551. Please call the store to sign up for the meetings in advance.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 10; 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Townsend Hall Commons, 152 Townsend Hall, University of Delaware, Newark Delaware.

COST: Members: $10.00, nonmembers: $15.00

There has never been a more interesting or exciting time to be involved in the design of outdoor spaces. Trends and fashions come and go in landscape design, mostly with an emphasis on the aesthetics and style, but recently there has been a sea change in how we approach our green spaces. This new trend embraces the dynamic nature of living landscapes and identifies conservation, functionality, and viability as primary goals.Although the constant flux of today’s ‘Nature’ can seem overwhelming, perhaps we can modify our designs to find opportunity in this wild vibrancy.

Using a diversity of wild habitats and designed landscapes for illustration, Rick Darke will discuss how his approach to design and stewardship has evolved in an age when the only certainty is the accelerating pace of change. University of Delaware alumnus Rick Darke heads Rick Darke LLC, a Pennsylvania consulting firm. Darke’s work blends art, ecology, and cultural geography in the design and management of livable landscapes. Projects include residential landscapes, parks, scenic byways, transportation corridors, port-industrial landscapes, corporate and collegiate campuses, conservation developments, and botanic gardens. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere. His many books include The American Woodland Garden, The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes, and The Wild Garden: Expanded Edition. His writing and photography are featured in the new book On The High Line, to be published in April 2012.

For more information visit:www.rickdarke.com Registration required. Please email botanicgardens@udel.edu or phone 302-831-2531. Send payment to: UDBG, 152 Townsend Hall, University of DE, Newark DE 19716.

WHEN: Friday, April 13; 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Members-Only Sale (new members welcome, and you can join the day of the sale!). Public sale, Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15; 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, Maryland

COST: FREE

Prepare for spring in the garden! The region’s largest selection of ornamental native plants will be for sale, including a broad selection of flowering trees and shrubs, perennials, ferns, and grasses for spring planting. Ornamental native flowers and trees make colorful additions to home landscapes and provide food and habitat for wildlife.

Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions, and Arboretum docents will be on hand to lead guided walks. The sale benefits the Arboretum’s education programs and introduces the public to the beauty and benefit of gardening with native plants. Members may place presale orders at www.adkinsplants.com. Members, including those who join on any sale day, receive a 10% discount on plants, and members at the Contributor ($100) level and above receive a 20% discount. Join or upgrade your membership to take advantage of this benefit. Sale days are crowded, so please leave dogs at home.

For additional information, call 410-634-2847 ext. 0, e-mail info@adkinsarboretum.org, or visit Adkins Arboretum on line.

APRIL 14, 2012
Tomorrow’s Landscapes: More Birds, Butterflies, and Bees for YOUR Garden

WHEN: April 14, 2012; 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Brandt Student Union, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia.
COST: $99.00. Registration includes coffee and a box lunch.
Join Shenandoah University Environmental Studies & Biology professor, Dr. Woody Bousquet, moderator for the conference, while experts provide valuable advice on ways to increase birds and butterflies in our yards with plant choices suited to the Virginia/mid-Atlantic climate and soils. Speakers include Doug Tallamy, professor and chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware; Janet Davis, a native plant expert and landscaper, whose company focuses on sustainable garden techniques and incorporating native plants into garden settings; woody plant expert Vincent Simeone; Jeff Lowenfels, a fascinating speaker and author of  Teaming with Microbes: A gardener’s guide to the soil food web; Jim McCormac, author of Birds of Ohio and Wild Ohio is an avian education specialist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife; and writer and editor Stephen Orr, who documents extraordinary gardens and the people who make them (see his blog, “What Were the Skies Like” at www.whatweretheskieslike.com.). His first book, Tomorrow’s Garden: Design and Inspiration for a New Age of Sustainable Gardening, deals with issues of design aesthetics and sustainability.
For more information on this symposium, see the Tomorrow’s Landscape program.

WHEN: Flower Show: Friday April 20, 2012; 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Saturday April 21, 2012; 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. Convention: Thursday April 19 to Sunday April 22.

WHERE: The Sheraton North, 903 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204

COST: Free!

The Daffodil Society flower show includes a vast horticultural display of typically over 2,000 flowers, floral arrangement interpreting Maryland landscape scenes and a photography show showcasing daffodils. National Convention features seminars, tours, lectures, boutique, awards dinner, and a refresher courses for judges. Register online. For more information please visit: www.marylanddaffodil.org.

WHEN: Saturday, April 21, 2012; 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Airlie Conference Center, 6809 Airlie Road, Warrenton, Virginia 20187

COST: $80.00.

Includes a catered luncheon and snacks. This day-long seminar is organized by people who bring us Proven Winners brand plants and focuses on using color and getting the most out of the garden. Speakers include Proven Winners Program Manager Kerry Meyer; garden designer and speaker Kerry Mendez; Walter’s Gardens Marketing Manager Susan Martin; and gardening expert and TV host Joe Lamp’l. Participants will receive a gift bag and the chance to win a wide variety of prizes. To register, go to provenwinners or call 877-865-5818.

WHEN: Friends of the National Arboretum members only sale Friday, April 27, 2012; 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sale open to the public: Friday, April 27; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 28; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

WHERE:  U.S. National Arboretum, sale is in the  New York Avenue parking lot. Entrances to the Arboretum at 3501 New York Avenue, NE, or 24th & R Streets, NE, off of Bladensburg Road.

COST: Free

The 22nd annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale features new, rare, and hard-to-find plants, garden supplies, used books, children’s activities, refreshments, entertainment, and more. Bring your garden questions to National Arboretum staff members for expert advice. Sponsored by the Friends of the National Arboretum.

For more information, go to National Arboretum events.

WHEN: Friday, May 4, 2012; 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Fountain Park, High and Cross Streets, Chestertown, Maryland

COST: Free

Come enjoy the Chestertown Garden Club’s annual plant sale and fund raiser. The money raised benefits Fountain Park and other public plantings in the city of Chestertown. The event is held rain or shine!

WHEN: Friday May 4 to Sunday May 6; 9:00 a.m. to  5:00 p.m.

WHERE: National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, or 24th & R Streets, NE, off of Bladensburg Road.

COST: Free

Come to the annual Potomac Bonsai Festival for bonsai activities that entertain everyone from the interested observer to the accomplished artist. Each day features demonstrations, workshops, exhibits, vendors, and the renowned collections of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. Get hands-on experience in workshops and expand your knowledge at informative and entertaining demonstrations.

Additional highlights include children’s activities, Asian food vendor, and one-on-one assistance for getting started with bonsai.Visiting bonsai artists Harry Hirao and Suthin Sukosolvisit will share their expertise at workshops and demonstrations. All events will be held rain or shine.

For more information, see National Arboretum events.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 8, 2012;  6:00 p.m.

WHERE: 7121 Church Hill Road/Maryland Route 213, Chestertown, Maryland.

COST: Free

Proper planting space, how to control insects, what to plant as a companion, and tasty tomatoes.  Guest speaker Nancy Robson, freelance garden writer and avid gardener.

For more information go to the Club’s website, or call the store at 410-778-1551. Please call the store to sign up for the meetings in advance.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 9; 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Townsend Hall Commons, 152 Townsend Hall, University of Delaware, Newark Delaware.

COST: Members: Free, nonmembers: $10.00

Today, only about 30 percent of the perfume ingredients are from natural plant sources in the international commercial market. Yet, most of these 30 percent remain indispensable. Join us in this fascinating lecture by Dr. Arthur O. Tucker, as he presents the major perfumery odors via images and perfume blotters and discusses their fascinating history and essential oils.

Arthur O. Tucker is a botanist specializing in the identification of chemistry of plants of flavor, fragrance, and medicine at Delaware State University in Dover. In his capacity as Research Professor and Director of the Claude E. Phillips Herbarium, he has worked with all age groups and a wide variety of ethnic groups, to help them better appreciate herbs. As an advisor and writer for numerous scientific and popular gardening magazines, Dr. Tucker has helped untold numbers grow healthier herbs, bring in better harvests, and enjoy herbal flavors and fragrances more fully. He is the author of The Encyclopedia of Herbs: A Comprehensive Reference to Herbs of Flavor and Fragrances.

Registration required. Please email botanicgardens@udel.edu or phone 302-831-2531. Send payment to: UDBG, 152 Townsend Hall, University of DE, Newark DE 19716.

WHEN: Saturday, May 12, 2012; 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Centreville Library and Historic Wrights Chance, 121 and 119 S. Commerce Street, Centreville, Maryland

COST: Free

Don’t miss this annual festival where you can learn how to grow herbs by the kitchen door, find and tend perfect heirloom tomatoes or particularly spicy peppers, plant a rain garden, or become a BayWise gardener. You’ll find booths on herb gardening, container gardening, the Grow It Eat It program, composting, rain barrels, Bay-Wise gardening, rain gardens, and more. There will be children’s activities all day, plus a plant and herb sale. Adkins Arboretum, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, Corsica River Conservancy, Kennard Ecology Club, and the University of Maryland Extension-Sea Grant will also be present. Refreshments will be provided by Queen Anne’s County 4-H Pondtown Club #2.

For more information, see A Garden Affair or contact Rachel Melvin, Horticulture Educator & Master Gardener Coordinator; 410-758-0166.

Save the Date! Sponsored by the Rock Hall Garden Club. Stay Tuned for details!

WHEN: Tuesday, June 12, 2012;  6:00 p.m.

WHERE: 7121 Church Hill Road/Maryland Route 213, Chestertown, Maryland.

COST: Free

What to plant so that your dog or cat can walk freely in your garden and enjoy it with you.

For more information see the Club’s website or call the store at 410-778-1551. Please call the store to sign up for the meetings in advance.

WHEN: Tuesday, July 10, 2012;  6:00 p.m.

WHERE: 7121 Church Hill Road/Maryland Route 213, Chestertown, Maryland.

COST: Free

Basic identification of plant pest and diseases and how to control them. For more information see the Club’s website or call the store at 410-778-1551. Please call the store to sign up for the meetings in advance.

WHEN: Tuesday, August 14, 2012; 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: 7121 Church Hill Road/Maryland Route 213, Chestertown, Maryland.

COST: Free

Color and fragrance to enjoy in the evening in your garden.

For more information see the Club’s website or call the store at 410-778-1551. Please call the store to sign up for the meetings in advance.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 11, 2012;  6:00 p.m.

WHERE: 7121 Church Hill Road/Maryland Route 213, Chestertown, Maryland.

COST: Free

How to prep, plant, and divide so your bulbs flourish next spring. For more information see the Club’s website or call the store at 410-778-1551. Please call the store to sign up for the meetings in advance.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 9, 2012;  6:00 p.m.

WHERE: 7121 Church Hill Road/Maryland Route 213, Chestertown, Maryland.

COST: Free

Shrubs and their usage in the garden we will concentrate on viburnums, hammamelis, hollies, and lilacs.

For more information see the Club’s website or call the store at 410-778-1551. Please call the store to sign up for the meetings in advance.