April 25th Soup & Walk by Julianna Pax, Voluteer

Guess what? The temperature was in the high 80’s. It felt like summer. Maybe that was why we found some surprises in the woods. As we began the 2 hour walk around the south meadow we saw the sweetgum and sassafras trees almost in full bloom. Entering the woods we were greeted by masses of spring beauties and mayapples. Some of the mayapples have buds ready to open.

It is hard to explain the panorama at various places on our walk. At one point we could see the dogwoods’ white lacey blossoms all around us in the distance. Photography cannot do it justice. We need our peripheral vision and our spirit to take it all in. At another time coming down from a slight ridge we saw the creek below just covered with large skunk cabbage leaves and delicate spring beauty blossoms. Coming closer we saw that some of the greenery included jack in the pulpits, netted chain fern and white flowering cress. Earlier as if to tease us, we first saw one early lady slipper just poking through the ground. Several hundred feet further we saw another all the way up with a blossom bud and even further along another single plant with the flower fully open but still green. Nature is extraordinary in her revelations.

More Christmas and woods fern were visible by the water especially near where we had to ford the stream. Friendly logs made it easier. The trout lilies are finished blooming but we saw some seed pods. On our return we saw some seed pods of bloodroot along the Creekside trail. We ran out of time or we would have gone further to see the pawpaw blossoms, Virginia bluebells and golden ragwort. Ah well you can’t do it all in one day even with 2 hours. Ann our photographer mentioned that they found some morel mushrooms. I would like to have seen them.

The one hour tour led by Norma J E was excellent, I am told. We each had about half the guests which I think was about 20 total. Some came just for the walk and later decided to stay for the luncheon.

 Our hardworking volunteers included Suzie N, Michele W, Jennifer D, Norma E, (Lynn L, and Zaida W, also brought desserts), Pat B, and Nancy B (decorator). Jenny H was helping at the front desk. Cathy E, and Buck S, had everything out and ready. It really is quite a lot of work to do these soup & walks and I very much appreciate how everyone just pitches in and gets it done.  I think these events are another tangible way to showcase our arboretum and share it with others.

Thanks, Julianna

South Meadow Burn by Sue Wyndham, Land Stewardship Coordinator

After three attempts to schedule a controlled burn in the south meadow, the weather finally cooperated, and the burn took place on Tuesday, March 24. Ned Gerber, Habitat Ecologist, from Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage (www.cheswildlife.org) provided a small group of dedicated and interested observers with an explanation of meadow managem

ent, and the benefits of using fire to maintain healthy meadows. 

To preserve nesting habitat and diversity of  wildlife and plant species, only a portion of a meadow is either mowed or burned at one time.  Half the south meadow was burned that morning with the fire being started on one end of the meadow, and slowly encouraged to move into the wind (called a backing fire) across the portion that was prepared for burning. Exit routes for wildlife were preserved, and the slowness of the burn ensured easy escape for any critters hiding in the burn area.

Burning is one of a few tools used to keep meadow environments healthy. Along with mowing and herbicide applications, burning helps control woody plant species, and reduces winter debris to create enhanced conditions for the survival of warm season grasses, and herbaceous flowering plants. Timing is critical for either mowing or burning, and in this area of the world February and March are optimal times for both. Waiting until February to perform a controlled burn or mow a portion of meadow is late enough to  preserve winter cover for wildlife, and early enough to protect spring nesting habitat.

For more information about either managing an existing meadow or converting acreage into meadow, please contact Ned Gerber at www.cheswildlife.org, or Sue Wyndham, Land Stewardship Coordinator, Adkins Arboretum, at: swyndham@adkinsarboretum.org.

2009 Arbor Day Run, by Jennifer Houghton, Teacher

The 2009 Arbor Day Run was a gold medal event! Beautiful weather, dedicated staff and volunteers, and over 100 participants made the day a success. The event kicked off with a Kids’ 100 Yard Dash at 8:45am and was followed by a 5K and a One-Mile Family Fun Run/Walk.

The 5K drew by far the biggest crowd, with close to 80 runners participating. Runner Noah Wood, who has attended the Arbor Day Run in the past, wowed crowds with his 17 minute 51 second finish. Michael Keene, another return runner, came in second at 19 minutes 21 seconds, and high school student Madison Ross clocked in at 20 minutes 53 seconds.

After the race, participants enjoyed refreshments provided in part by Dunkin’ Donuts and Food Lion of Centreville. An awards ceremony was held for five age categories. The event, organized by Jennifer Houghton, was sponsored by Shore Health System and Mail Movers.

April 18 the Guiden Walk, by Julianna Pax, Volunteer

What a beautiful day in the high seventies with bright sunshine. Thanks to Michele Wade’s Red Hat Society, and another couple that received a year’s membership as a present from their daughter, we had about ten people on the tour. Zaida Wing was there with her camera and notebook soaking up information.

The redbud tree had lots of purple blooms for our ladies and they took a group picture in front with their purple outfits. Our sassafras trees by the south meadow are almost in full golden bloom. The sweetgum blossoms close by are ready to open. In the forest we saw spring beauty blooms everywhere. There were some mayapples with buds showing and dogwood blossoms opening just a little. Some small blueberry bushes had blossoms just opening. Michele Wade was first to spot a black snake sunning itself and we quietly walked past it.

The shadbush is about finished and we did find one bloodroot that had gone to seed on the Creekside trail and spotted some wild geranium leaves but no blooms yet. There were pawpaw blooms here and along Blockston Branch and even one zebra swallowtail butterfly showed up. We also saw a spicebush swallowtail, and heard lots of birds that Margie Steffens our birder was able to identify. Past the large beech tree on the Tuckahoe and further down the trail a second beech tree had dropped some beech blossoms on the trail. What a treat! They fascinate me. We could not have seen them high up in the tree. Many admired our fallen clump of trees with the vernal pool at the base and the many mayapple and spring beauty plants on the uprooted mound of roots and ground. We looked closely at the top of an oak tree from the fallen clump and saw the male catkins and leaves starting to appear. The top of the downed tree is visible right by the trail.

Many took pictures all along our walk. Several Turk’s Cap lily plants are now visible from the trail. I was also surprised and delighted to find some bellwort in bloom on the Blockston Branch trail. Virginia bluebells are in full bloom and the golden ragwort are starting to open along the creek. Some ferns are showing too. It is nice to feel that our guided walks have now been able to interest another group of people in the beauty of the arboretum. Some had not been here before.

There are still a few reservations available for the Soup & Walk next Saturday.

April 11th Guided Walk by Beverly Gemmill, Volunteer

Saturday, Jennifer and I led a walk in the pouring rain for a visitor who had come up from Salisbury. It was interesting in the rain because everything I planned to stress was drooping or closed from the rain, even the little frogs were snuggled in the mud because it was a cold rain. We did see some unusual mushrooms - some orange jelly like ones were interesting, I'm sure Bill T. would know what they were called, and I showed the difference between the mushrooms that have gills and pores. We walked Bloxton Branch path just to enjoy the intense green of the skunk cabbage and looked for bloom from the Packera aureus but it is not showing any color yet, the virginia bluebells are blooming and it does not show any deer damage, the blue was wonderful, the shy spring beauty was hiding it's face from the cool rain. The vernal pool after the third bridge was filling and we talked about how important areas like that is for the water quality.

We walked out the south Tuckahoe trail, Thursday when I did my pre walk it was sunny and all the glorious spring ephemerals were blooming. The shadbush at the start of the trail was alive with buzzing bees and the white blossoms were so white against the blue sky. I'll bet the shad fishermen stayed home Saturday and so did the bees. The blossoms were dripping and made us look down, which made us notice the partridge berry and the green briar the rain made the green stems and tiny green leaves very green. The bright red berries are still on the plants. We collect seeds in the fall but only a few from each area so as not to hurt the plants. The visitor seemed interested about the lady slippers and the research we were doing at the arboretum. It may have been the rain but the Kalmia looked wonderful even if it was not in blossom, rain makes all colors more intense. Sadly all the spring beauty that had carpeted the woods Thursday were not blooming but the sweet shrub was and we all checked out the lovely lemon scent, after a long cold winter even the tiny yellow blossoms are able to bring joy. Up the hill from the stream we saw some bloodroot one was in seed and we talked about the relationship between the ants and the bloodroot seeds. Thursday, I walked farther and saw the trout lily in blossom but we were getting very wet and headed back to the visitors center. 
 
Many thanks to Jennifer de Mooy for being such a good sport and putting up with the weather.