Treasure in the Garden

Viburnum dentatum

My family and I recently moved to the former home of a gardener who had little time to weed during the last hectic months prior to his own move. Consequently, most afternoons will find me on my hands and knees ripping up wild grapevine, porcelain berry, English ivy, and a host of other invasive plants to reveal the treasure beneath. So far, I've uncovered three buried rose bushes, one hydrangea, an azalea, and two lilacs.

My children have found their share of buried treasure, too, including a boot-shaped cement planter, a cement robin that now graces my son's desk, and a wobbly wire angel bearing a strange resemblance to Minnie Mouse. They have also added a pile of stones taken from beneath the drain spout to their "crystal" collection. I'm hoping this won't affect drainage.

Among all of these discoveries is a row of viburnum marching across the front of the house. As an Arboretum educator, what better plant could I have chosen for my front yard than this lovely native? My viburnum shrubs will bear creamy white flowers in the spring, which will later form drupes, or berries containing a single seed. In some species of viburnum, the berries are edible. Others are mildly toxic to humans. Viburnum is a host plant for many butterfly species; since we've moved into our home, we've enjoyed watching a variety of butterflies from the front porch.

Adkins Arboretum is selling two species of viburnum at the annual Fall Plant Sale, to be held the weekend of September 14-16. Consider planting Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur' or Viburnum dentatum in your own front yard. The butterflies will be sure to thank you.

For more information about the plant sale and other Arboretum programs, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org.

by Jenny Houghton

Youth Program Coordinator

Instant gratification

I promise you instant gratification today. Here are two easy steps to make your day.

Step One:

A recent "Garden Rant" blog features landscape architect Thomas Rainer, who will present at Adkins Arboretum's 2012 Annual Tent Symposium on Sunday, September 30.

Click here to discover how much talent Thomas has to share.

Step Two:

Click here to register for what promises to be a day of inspiration.

Ellie Altman

Executive Director

A rainy Arboretum day

Last week, Executive Director Ellie Altman pondered a rainy day at the Arboretum.

Driving in a torrent of rain to work this morning, I asked myself what there is to do at Adkins Arboretum on a rainy day. First, volunteer Sheila Dyer will greet you at the Visitor's Center entrance and make your day when she welcomes you and makes you feel like you have made her day. As the deluge persists, you can shop for a one-of-a-kind nature-inspired gift for a special person at Sweet Bay Gifts, the Arboretum's gift shop. And if the rains continue, you can view artist Julia Sutliff's new exhibit of beautiful ethereal landscapes.

Then I thought about plans to expand the Visitor's Center and build a large open pavilion with exposed timbers, and contemplated setting an appropriate ticket price for watching and listening to the rain under the pavilion's roof. How much would that be worth? Priceless?

As I write these thoughts, the rain has stopped, and it is an ideal day for a walk in the woods to hunt for paw paw fruit and early signs of fall.

The proposed Arboretum Visitor's Center

Friday, August 10, 2012

Thoughts on a Saturday walk

Arboretum Docent Al Moored led the First Saturday Guided Walk on August 4. These are his reflections.

Would you believe that there were five adults and two children at the First Saturday walk in August? What a treat!

Dad knew all the bugs in the world, and his son was close on his heels. Backpack and stroller formed the younger part of our walk, and five adults rounded out the group. What a blast!

If you have not noticed the paw paws at the first bridge, please do. There are plenty at the first bridge, "way down yonder in the paw paw patch." Pickin' up paw paws...they are not ready yet, but there are a lot of them.

The Blockston Branch looked to be DEAD, but as we moved down it, there was more and more water.  The art in the woods was attention grabbing. Tulip trees and the possibilities for hiding in a tree seemed feasible, eating paw paws, and what about all the nuts that were found along the walk?

At the second bridge there seemed to be a frog convention going on. A little bit of encouragement resulted in a whole lot of croaking and splashing, too much to see all at once, but fun. 

It was nice to point out the devil's broomstick (with blooms), the seeds on the ironwood, and native azalea. 

As we emerged from the woods, we were confronted with the blue-black berries on the tree (with the bug catching device)...we thought that the sassafras tree was the host, but???

Goats are of interest, being in the woods is fun, having a community/family experience is inspiring.

Thanks for the opportunity.

Reflections on Good Work

When I think of Adkins Arboretum, I can't help but think of my children and grandchildren. Like many of us, when I travel back to my childhood neighborhood, I hardly recognize the place. What used to be woods is now condos. What was once meadow is now a shopping mall. What once was a swimming hole is now a marina filled with power boats and a water sheen from leaking oil or gas. I remember the first time I took my kids back to show them the old place. They took a breath and asked, "What's that nasty smell?" It was, of course, just the smell of city air.

It's experiences like this that help me value Adkins Arboretum, where the good work of preserving the native land is going on every day. It is so relaxing and refreshing to take a walk at the Arboretum. This month, there is lots to see, like the paw paw ripening, the summersweet with its fragrant white spikes of flowers, the cranefly orchid along the Upland and Tuckahoe Valley paths, and the trumpet vines that hummingbirds love so much, just to name a few. When I get out in the woods, I love to smell the fragrances, hear the birds calling, and see the dappled light through the trees. It never fails to rejuvenate me, and it fills me with a sense of wonder and appreciation.

Knowing that Adkins Arboretum is fostering conservation and preservation is as worthy a cause as anyone could want. When we consider the strange weather we've had this year, you can't help but wonder what is going on. And while you're wondering, you know that preserving our green spaces and protecting our land is the best thing each of us can do to protect our environment. So come to the Arboretum and get some ideas on how to preserve your green space. Learn about native plants to enhance places big and small. Don't forget to take a walk and let your senses fill you with peace.

by Diana Beall
Assistant Receptionist