Magic in the Meadow by Ellie Altman, Executive Director

More than 200 Arboretum supporters braved the threat of rain to attend the 2^nd annual Magic in the Meadow, Adkins Arboretum’s annual fall fundraising gala. Though the weather prevented any stargazing, the crowd was wooed by the silky voice of Chestertown lawyer Dan Saunders, singing the best of the 50s. Scrumptious delicacies prepared by Brian Schmidt of Garden and Garnishes kept the bidders nourished through the bidding of a silent and live auction. Thank you to auctioneer Cal Gray for keeping the bidding going all for a good cause, the children and adults that Adkins Arboretum serves each year through its education and recreational programs focused on promoting land stewardship and the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Visithttp://magicinthemeadow2009.shutterfly.com/ to view a photo gallery of the event.

Fall Native Plant Sale by Sue Wyndham, Land Stewardship Coordinator

Due to rain the fall plant sale, held on Friday, September 11 and Saturday, September 12, was not well attended. The rainy weather on the Members-Only sale day reduced the anticipated crowd of 250–300 to just over 100 shoppers, including 43 members who came to pick up their pre-sale orders. Thankfully, sunnier weather on Saturday attracted over 200 happy customers – much to the delight of the volunteers and staff who wanted nothing more than to see all the plants on display find new and good homes.

Volunteers Billie Gibson and Irene Aspell once again used their creative talents to design a display featuring native plants that attract pollinators and support wildlife. Additionally, Irene lent her creative hand in decorating rain barrels which were also for sale. Staff member Damika Baker also exercised her imaginative and artistic talents in rain-barrel décor. She painted two barrels with a bumblebee motif—one was requested by a customer, and everyone loved it so much she painted another. They both sold!

If you missed your chance to shop this year, the Arboretum’s spring sale, scheduled for May, will be here in no time at all. Very soon, it will be time to garden again!

September Soup & Walk by Julianna Pax

Today was just a wonderful day for a walk in both meadows. Eight of us also did Nancy’s (North) meadow after lunch. The sun was shining, breezes blew now and then and temperature was in the eighty’s. Perfect fall weather for our 27 guests and 5 volunteers.

Starting toward the woods we glimpsed a few Maryland asters and saw lots of pearly everlasting throughout the meadow. There was a deep yellow rudbeckia and more yellow camphor and masses of yellow goldenrod of various types. The Indian grasses were sticking there tall heads among the big bluestem and the purple top. Some still had yellow bloom showing. Yellow seemed to be the predominant flower color, one of the guests commented.

Beverly told us a bit about the pleasant smelling white pearly everlasting and passed around a sample to sniff. She mentioned that it does well in dried arrangements. She added that the hollow stems of the mares tail (a very aggressive native but pretty in the fall) had been used as a drinking straw before our modern straws came about. She also wisely mentioned that many think they are allergic to the goldenrod. She explained that the goldenrod often grows near ragweed and that ragweed pollen is windblown but goldenrod is insect pollinated and therefore ragweed is the culprit.

The layers of the meadow were quite visible as we turned the corner and continued on the mowed strip through the meadow. The top layer of mostly big bluestem and Indian grass act as shade and windbreak for the middle layer of flowers and the ground hugging layer of clumping plants and grasses. Most of the meadow is underground as roots. Bev mentioned that the third layer is helpful to wildlife like rabbits who can tunnel through and also forage on the lovely greens. We also saw low growing patches of purple love grass and also peeking through were a few lonely plants of sundrops (evening primrose). Rounding the next corner was a breathtaking view of sumac with maroon berries bordered in the back with trees and in the front with masses of goldenrod. The sumac berries when they first turn red make a wonderful pink tea or lemonade that is high in vitamin C. This as well as rose hips would have provided C to colonists and Indians before the era of grocery stores and citrus supplies.

Returning to the visitor’s center we found sights of the meadow in the vases, compliments of Buck and Paul and smells from the soup emanating from the soup pots. We enjoyed our meal and Herby my rabbit puppet made a brief appearance and welcomed the guests and gave his appreciation for the treats in the meadow for him and his family. There were 3 children in the group and they were smiling and enjoying the fun. Since we were in the meadow today, after going over the recipes, I talked about vitamin D which we also get from walks in the sunny meadow.

Later Ann R and 6 others and I went to Nancy’s meadow which is very different and has mostly short grasses in contrast with the many tall warm season grasses in the South meadow. We saw lots and lots of sumac, goldenrod, poke weed and some pearly everlasting. I mentioned the lemurs in the Baltimore Zoo which enjoy sumac leaves. This walk is slightly uphill and there are marvelous views with nice sweeping vistas of color where the goldenrod, pearly everlasting and broomsedge have spread. A fox has been known to have a den in the middle and deer tracks were visible on the trail. Blue bird boxes were seen in both meadows.

Thanks to all (esp Pat B Bev G Norma J and Zaida W) who made this wonderful program possible. Several guests were new to the arboretum and the Oct Soup & Walk is already overbooked. SOS, if anyone saved 2006 copies of my reports please let me know. Carol J Margan G and my sent mail helped restore 2007-2009.

Thanks, Julianna

ADKINS ARBORETUM OFFERS FREE ADMISSION ON MUSEUM DAY

Adkins Arboretum will waive admission fees on Sat., Sept. 26 in recognition of Smithsonian magazine’s fifth annual Museum Day. A celebration of culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge, Museum Day reflects the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s museums in Washington, D.C. Doors of museums and cultural institutions nationwide will be open free of charge.

The public is invited on Museum Day to explore the Arboretum’s 400 acres of native woodlands, wetlands, gardens and meadows along four miles of maintained paths; join a guided walk at 11 a.m.; and view the artwork of Marcia Wolfson Ray. Visitors can also enjoy an audio tour that provides lessons about the Arboretum’s plant communities and ecology. A variety of native perennials, trees, shrubs and grasses will be available for fall planting. Arboretum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.