A change of place

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"Who cooks for you?"

Monday morning. I rush the kids to school, rush to work, rush to prepare for an afternoon

class. Realizing that the children’s garden is in dire need of watering, I hop back in my car to drive the short distance between the Visitor’s Center and the nursery, not wanting to waste precious time in walking.

After looping the hose over the garden fence, the unmistakable “Who cooks for you?” call of a barred owl stops me in my tracks. Moments later, a return call follows from deeper in the meadow. Back and forth, the series of hoots continues, punctuated by howls, screeches, and trills. Suddenly, time is less important. I cross the gravel road, peer through a grove of wild cherries, and am rewarded by the hunched silhouette of a large barred owl on a nearby branch.

In our fast-paced world of cars and highways, offices and e-mails, conference calls and computer screens, there exists an alternate reality. A parallel world of owls and foxes, of meadow mice and crickets. Slogging through the daily to-do list sometimes makes me lose sight of this world, even though it’s at the very essence of my job as an environmental educator.

The owls have quieted, moved away. Despite their departure, the day is changed, is full of promise. I latch the garden gate behind me.

by Jenny Houghton

Youth Program Coordinator

          

April 27 Soup 'n Walk: a report from the field

We had a perfect spring day and had a huge group of 28 attend for the shorter walk. Almost half were new guests at the Arboretum, so I gave a longer version of the introduction to Adkins. Zaida Wing drove the golf cart and Shirley Bailey held up the rear as we had quite a long line on the trails. 

As we started out from the Visitor’s Center, we noted that the redbud that was not blooming last month was almost finished and that the lovely-heart shaped leaves would soon appear. Everyone was wowed by the architecture and beautiful blooms on the dogwood. From the bridge, we were wowed again by the size the skunk cabbage had grown to and by the golden groundsel and Virginia bluebells with the lovely lady ferns around them. The paw paw still had blooms, and we talked about the tulip tree being our signature tree.

golden groundsel (Packera aurea)

Along the path, we stopped to admire spring ladies, purple violets, and May apples as we approached the next bridge. The devil’s walking stick was just starting to show its compound leaf, and we saw a frog in the vernal pool. We were all struck by how much sun is now in that area and were wondering what will happen there now that the trees are down. The root structure that is visible there is always a source of conversation, and as the mud crumbles away and leaves “windows” it is even more irresistible. The strawberry bush didn’t have fruit yet, but we could see tiny buds. On the Upland Trail we saw bluets, rattlesnake orchid, and rattlesnake weed with its red veins. 

Many guests noted the death of the evergreens, which led to a discussion of forest succession. I think the tour was enjoyed by all. Thank you, Zaida, for driving (and for finding the rattlesnakes), and Shirley, for adding info on birds.

by Mary Jo Kubeluis

Arboretum Trustee and docent

pinxterbloom azalea (Rhododendron periclymenoides)

Weather for the April 27 Soup ’n Walk was sunny and in the high 60s. We had 34 paid guests and some very dedicated volunteers. About six guests came for the two-hour walk, and one who came said at the end of the walk, “Oh, was that two hours?!” The time really flew by as we were treated to one fantastic view after another. We did the South Tuckahoe Valley Trail, and it was lush with green leaves. At the beginning we saw white dogwood, yellow sassafras blooms, pink spring beauties, and some pinxterbloom azaleas that were just starting to bloom. The spring beauties will spread their seeds by spraying them around as they ripen. There were berries on the shadbush and blueberry bushes. Some were fascinated by the princess pines and learned that they grow very slowly and should be protected. We did see what I think were some huckleberries still in bloom near where the path goes around some fallen trees.

spring beauty (Claytonia virginiana)

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

sickle pod (Arabis canadensis)

The spice bushes at the next bridge crossing had finished blooming, but there were sickle pod or rock cress, spring beauty, Jack-in-the-pulpit, May apple, lady fern, and Indian cucumber in abundance. Further along at the next bridge, the skunk cabbage leaves looked like a tropical paradise along with more spring beauty and Jack-in-the-pulpit. One tree had blown over and was covered with skunk cabbages and spring beauty blooms. There was a patch of cranefly orchids with a few leaves still showing. We also found a few bloodroot leaves showing off the sticky eliasome pods that the ants will carry off and help spread the seeds. On the way back, we spotted some partridge berries under the leaves and some rattlesnake weed leaves with their dramatic red veins and one plant that had buds already. Blockston Branch trail had golden groundsel, Virginia bluebells, and paw paw blooms for the visitors.

By now we were quite hungry and the delightful aroma of chicken rice asparagus soup greeted our noses. The room was beautifully decorated by Lynn and Norma Jean with pink azaleas and blue phlox from the plant sale, compliments of Joanne. The tables had bright yellow color. Our salad was cabbage and carrots in honor of the skunk cabbages and yellow flowers. We had ancient grain bread with buckwheat honey and baked pineapple. The room was filled with people and chatter as we enjoyed the fellowship and food. Nutrition info about protein and all the recipes were shared. Some were new to the Arboretum, and when I asked, they said they would definitely come again. Thanks to Mary Jo, who led the one-hour walk, and to Shirley, Zaida, and Alice, who all helped with many things, and also to Diana at the front desk, who greeted all. My thanks to the staff who helped set up this special, and to Alison, who arranges the room so beautifully.

by Julianna Pax
Arboretum docent

May Queen

“The earth laughs in flowers.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Spending our first spring in our new (old) home has transformed my family’s opinion of the

backyard from adequate to enchanting. Through the kitchen window, I can see a cherry tree spilling over with pink blossoms, several flowering dogwoods, and a bank of lilacs against the fence. Even the grass is spangled with violets.

              

Spring flowers invite nature play. On a recent afternoon, my youngest daughter tended a makeshift kitchen on a block of wood nestled between flowering azaleas, while my oldest posed for the camera with a crown of ivy and cherry blossoms. My five-year-old son took a more manly approach to spring, industriously digging what we’ve dubbed “the hole to China” and later delighting in a spring rain that added mud to the mix.

              

One day, in fine Martha Steward mode, I baked up a round of shortbread and dusted the cookies with powdered sugar and violets. Many flowers are edible, provided they haven’t been treated with pesticide. What child wouldn’t be intrigued by nasturtiums sprinkled on a salad or rose petals floating in a glass of pink lemonade?

              

To ensure a summer-long supply of flowers, plant seeds now. With very young students lending a hand in Adkins Arboretum’s Funshine Garden, I’ve adopted a relaxed approach to planting that I’ve dubbed the “sprinkle seed” method. After preparing a bed or container with loose soil, children are given a handful of seeds to sprinkle across the surface, followed by another sprinkle of soil. This method works best for seeds that have a very shallow planting depth (1/8 inch) and that look nice in a jumble.

              

When not gardening, my students love to hunt the woods for spring ephemerals, those flowers that bloom for just a few weeks in early spring before the forest canopy leafs out. Plan your visit soon. May is here, and the earth rings with laughter.

by Jenny Houghton

Youth Program Coordinator

Meadows

When I was a little girl, I loved my grandmother’s meadow full of beautiful flowers but also full of birds, butterflies, and bees. I loved the texture of the grasses and how the blades of grass moved with the wind. I saw beauty in the afternoon sun shining down over the meadow like a blanket of warmth. One of the first gardening and conservation books I purchased was Wildflowers Across America by Lady Bird Johnson. I was drawn to this book by memories of my grandmother’s meadow and how I missed seeing meadows in the landscape. I grew up surrounded by woodland and a meadow, and I instinctively realized that we needed bio-diversity before it was a buzz word.

I grew up with farms growing fruits, vegetables, and tobacco. Farms that raised cattle for milk and meat and farming itself were diverse and beautiful, with meadows and wood fence posts that bluebirds could build their nests in and raise their families. Free range chickens were even in my own backyard—and isn’t it even more hard to believe that this was the land just five minutes from Washington, DC?

Adkins Arboretum and the Maryland Native Plant Society are partnering to screen the DVD Urban & Suburban Meadows: Bringing Meadowscaping to Big and Small Spaces by author and photographer Catherine Zimmerman. The 60-minute DVD brings into focus the amazing diversity of life inhabiting meadows. There will be a discussion following the presentation and hopefully we will all go away with the inspiration of creating our own little backyard habitat or meadow—large or small. I hope you will join us. Come early to enjoy a walk at 6:15 p.m. on the Arboretum paths, and then stay for the film at 7 p.m. in the gallery.

by Robyn Affron

Certified Professional Horticulturist

Certified Interpretive Guide

Master Naturalist 

Humble beginnings

“We have a list of gardens for the tour,” explained committee chair Barbara McClinton, “but we just need one more.”

I was sitting in a business meeting at Adkins Arboretum, and we were discussing plans for a Caroline County garden tour taking place in 15 months. I live in Caroline County, and I was trying to think of someone who had a nice garden.

I had never been on a garden tour, but it sounded interesting. Until I started working at the Arboretum, I thought all plants were native and that “invasive species” were aliens in science fiction films.

I certainly wouldn’t call myself a gardener, nor would my husband. It comes naturally to him to get out there and start digging and planting as soon as the ground softens in early spring. I like to do the weeding and provide the iced tea.

“What about you, Meg?” Barbara asked. “Would you consider having your garden be part of the tour?”

“My garden? I don’t really have a garden.” I said.

“Well, you’ll have one now!” Barbara said, laughing.

And so began our adventure in native plant gardening. With Barbara McClinton’s generous attention to every detail, we walked, talked, planned, measured, sketched, scratched, and finally planted more than 150 native plants in five beds on our Hillsboro half acre.

A humble beginning...

We love this garden of ours and have so much hope for each little plant. The Amsonia hubrichtii is showing its blue tips, the raspberry heuchera shoots have emerged, and we can’t wait to see the pinxter azalea bloom. Oh...and the forest pansy redbud is stunning!

I cannot believe that I am speaking this language, and Pat, the real gardener in the family, can’t believe it, either. What a difference a year makes!

The tour is this Saturday, and we expect about 150 “tourists” to visit our “Beginner’s Native Garden.” We’re excited—like proud parents! I hope you can join us.

by Meg Gallagher
Advancement Assistant

Mourning Cloak

This lovely, long-lived woodland butterfly breaks dormancy in early spring. The next generation emerges in summer. They will have yellow borders on their wings, unlike their parent generation whose wing borders are white after hibernation. They are easy to spot as they are just a little smaller than a monarch. What a thrill it was to follow its bouncy flight between samplings of warm spots on the forest floor. Reference: Kaufman Focus Guides, Butterflies of North America.

Photo and text by Ann Rohlfing