UDBG FRIENDS UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE BOTANIC GARDENS MAR/APR 2015 Hooked on Plants: Three Great Shrubs for Your Garden by Jason Veil Cryptomeria japonica ‘Gyoku ryu’ Translated from Japanese as “Jade Dragon,” this attractive Cryptomeria selection fills the gap between smaller, dwarf cultivars and the super-charged heroics of clones like ‘Yoshino’ and ‘Radicans’. The handsome, soft-textured foliage is arranged in slightly contorted, deep green branchlets that have proven immune to winter bronzing. ‘Gyoku ryu’ grows rather quickly in youth, but matures into a densely pyramidal plant measuring 15-20 feet tall and 10 feet wide at maturity. Fine specimens nearing this size can be observed at Chanticleer near the vegetable garden. The plant also has been used as a container specimen outside the Piercedu Pont House at Longwood Gardens. It would be equally appropriate for single specimen use or for screening needs where space is restricted. cont’d on page 5 Photo by: Jason Veil Jason will be leading an informative spring walkabout through the UDBG plant collection on Thursday, May 14th, 5-6:30 p.m., where he will discuss May’s most prominent trees and shrubs. These will include uncommon specimens and a few other UDBG hidden treasures. Below are three of his favorites, which will be offered at the 2015 spring sale. Cryptomeria japonica ‘Gyoku-ryu’ ( Jade Dragon Japanese Cedar) in a container in front of Longwood Gardens Conservatory Top Image: Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed), plant sale offering 1 Schedule of Events To ensure a space, registration is highly recommended for all educational events. Please register by emailing [email protected] or contact Sue Biddle at 302-831-2531. You can send a check made out to UD to: UDBG, 152 Townsend Hall, University of Delaware, Newark DE 19716. Lectures are located in Townsend Hall Commons unless otherwise noted. Lecture: 2015 Spring Plant Sale Preview Tuesday, Tuesday, April 7, 7 pm UDBG Friends members: FREE; Nonmembers: $10 Location: The Commons, Townsend Hall Please join Dr. Robert Lyons and UDBG Director Dr. John Frett as they give a lively and illustrated talk about both perennial and woody plants that will be offered at the spring plant sale. A popular and enthusiastic lecturer, Dr. Lyons is a highly respected leader in horticulture. In 2014, he retired as Director of the Longwood Graduate Program and Professor, Plant & Soil Sciences at UD. Prior to that, he held the JC Raulston Distinguished Professor Chair in Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University and served as the Director of the JC Raulston Arboretum. From 19811998, Lyons was Professor of Horticulture at Virginia Tech and co-founder and Director of the VT Horticulture Gardens. He’s currently cultivating his home garden, developing his photography business, and serving as Chair of the Advisory Boards of UDBG and Rutgers Gardens. These plants can be found at the UDBG Spring Plant Sale Top, Left: Fruits of Iris unguicularis (Algerian Winter Iris) Photo by: Melinda Zoehrer Top, Right: Bright yellow flowers of Cornus mas ‘Golden Glory’ (Cornelian Cherry) Photo by: Kathy Barrowclough Botton, Left: Yellow fruits on Ilex × attenuata ‘Bienville Gold’ (Foster Holly) outside UDBG office Photo by: Susan Elliot Bottom, Right: Flowers of Achillea millefolium ‘Strawberry Seduction’ (Yarrow) with velvety red heads and gold centers. Photo by: Melinda Zoehrer 2 EVENT DATES 4/7 7:00-9:00 pm Spring Plant Sale Preview Lecture 4/15 4:00-5:30 pm Plant Sale Highlights Guided Walk 4/22 4:30-6:00 pm Patron Plant Sale and Reception, RSVP required 4/23 3:00-7:00 pm UDBG Members only 4/24 3:00-7:00 pm General Public 4/25 9:30 am-4:00 pm General Public 5/5 7:00-8:30 pm Designing Resilient Plantings Lecture & Member Plant Dividend Giveaway 5/14 5-5:30 pm UDBG in Spring: A Bloomin’ Walkabout Guided Walk: Highlights of 2015 Spring Plant Sale Wednesday, April15, 4-5:30 pm UDBG Friends members: $5; Nonmembers: $10 Location: Meet at Fischer Greenhouse entrance across from plant sale entrance Dr. John Frett will lead a guided walk through UDBG of plants offered in the plant sale, and if there’s time, preview the containerized plants. Min: 10 people; Max: 25 people. Wednesday, April 22, 4:30-6:00 pm This intimate evening is a thank you event to those who have contributed $185 or more to support UDBG’s Student Program, an essential component of UDBG’s functioning. Enjoy conversations with knowledgeable plant people, a private plant sale this evening only, refreshments, and the first crack at all other plant sale offerings. If interested in attending or for more information, please call 302-831-0153 or email [email protected]. RSVP required Lecture: Designing Resilient Plantings and Membership Plant Dividend Giveaway Tuesday, May 5, 7-8:30 pm UDBG Friends members: FREE; Nonmembers: $10 Location: The Commons, Townsend Hall How should we garden in this time of global change? Can we design plantings that will survive varied and even unpredictable conditions? Natural systems deal with unpredictability every day and have persisted through eons of change. Landscape Architect and Horticulturist Travis Beck will show us how to apply the ecological principles that underlie these systems to create successful and resilient gardens and landscapes. Travis Beck is Director of Horticulture at Mt. Cuba Center, where he oversees the care and evolution of 22 acres of formal and naturalistic gardens and 532 acres of natural lands. Prior to Mt. Cuba, Beck worked at the New York Botanical Garden, where he managed landscape design and construction projects, including the new Native Plant Garden. Beck’s book, Principles of Ecological Landscape Design, applies current scientific thinking to the design and management of successful, sustainable landscapes. Kristina Hall wrote, “There is currently no better guide to ecologicallybased planting design.” Photo by: Bob Lyons Patron Reception and Plant Sale The non-hardy Dichorisandra thyrsiflora (Blue Ginger), to be offered at the Spring Plant Sale. UDBG in Spring: A Bloomin’ Walkabout Thursday, May 14, 5-6:30 pm UDBG Friends members: $10; Nonmembers: $15 Location: Meet at Fischer Greenhouse entrance across from plant sale entrance Enjoy the UDBG at a spectacular time of year. UD’s Jason Veil will lead an informative jaunt through the garden to discuss mid-May’s most prominent trees and shrubs including several uncommon specimens and a few of the UDBG’s hidden treasures. Jason Veil, Curatorial graduate student working with Dr. John Frett, received his undergraduate degrees in Urban Forestry and Horticulture from Pennsylvania State University in 2001 and spent the next decade in wholesale nursery production and marketing. In addition to leading Dr. Frett’s lab classes, Jason is responsible for documenting, labeling and mapping the plants that comprise the UDBG’s diverse collection. He’s a shameless “tree nerd” who has always enjoyed sharing his enthusiasm for new, unusual or otherwise underutilized woody plants. Min: 10 people; Max: 25 people. 3 Director’s Corner by John Frett Photos by: Rick Darke Winter has been very cold, well below historical temperature, which could wreck havoc on the tenderest plants and those installed this fall. Spring will tell how merciful Boreas, Greek god of winter winds, was to our plants. Remember, the spring equinox is March 21, the official start of spring, officially anyway. Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Jelena’ ( Jelena Hybrid Witch Hazel) flowers through cold temperatures of March 20 Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite) strutting its stuff on March 16 I often get questions about the UDBG budget, frequently enough that I would like to share some details with you. The UDBG budget covers all costs associated with the garden: staff salaries, internships, student awards, greenhouse maintenance and materials, grounds maintenance, equipment repair and replacement, arborist work, and educational events. The only activity we are not responsible for is the mowing of the larger turf areas. Sources of our funding are shown in the pie chart. While we receive 20 percent of our funding from the college, we must generate the other 80 percent of the annual budget. This lion’s share percentage is generated primarily through the fall and spring plant sales. These sales fulfill part of our educational mission to distribute plants that we grow at UDBG or unique plants, justifying the huge commitment of staff and volunteer resources. The second greatest source of funding is through gifts beyond membership, primarily Patron contributions but also unrestricted gifts. These gifts are crucial to our educational mission and support our Student Program (see next paragraph). Membership support, approximately one tenth of the 4 annual budget, and members are UDBG advocates and ambassadors in the larger community. Currently, proceeds from our small endowment are reinvested to someday when it may support at least one summer intern (currently $5,000/intern). I am immensely grateful to all who have contributed generously to the annual Patron’s solicitation. These contributions are vital in allowing us to fund four summer interns, a year-long intern, and to the summer stipend and conference enrichment of UDBG’s curatorial graduate student. These past two years Jason Veil has filled this position. He is now finishing up his thesis, teaching a plant identification lab, and busily applying to a few plant curator positions in botanic gardens. His predecessor, Matt Lobdell, who graduated in June 2012, has been appointed Ohio’s The Morton Arboretum new curator and head of collections, where he is responsible for managing the Arboretum’s living collections. Kris Bachtell, vice president of collections and facilities at The Morton Arboretum, says, “Matt’s education at the University of Delaware in curatorship, combined with his commitment and technical knowledge, is a great benefit to the Arboretum.” When you can see the future contributions that UDBG graduates like Matt Lobdell and Jason Veil will make to gardens in America, you cannot help but be proud of how the funds you have given makes certain these continuing successes, not just for the UDBG, but nationwide. Through your continued generous support, you ensure the UDBG make significant educational progress. The staff and I are extremely grateful to our students, our members, and our supporters. We also are grateful to all of our hardworking volunteers, particularly those who continue to work in the gardens in the chill of winter. During these months we have no interns, and it’s these volunteers who to keep the garden looking its best. continued from page 1 Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Podaras 3’ (Lemon Candy™) Common Ninebark, a vigorous, spirea-like native shrub, has achieved newfound garden acclaim in recent years with the introduction of a variety of burgundy-foliaged cultivars like Summer Wine® and Little Devil™. Lemon Candy™ takes the opposite direction by injecting a shot of zesty golden freshness into the spring garden, then fading to glowing chartreuse during the heat of summer. It is a perfect candidate for contrast in the mixed border or a vivid complement to dark brick or stone elements. A bonus feature is a fine display of white flower clusters during late spring that mature into dry, reddish brown follicles relished by many songbirds. Winter affords a glimpse at the finely exfoliating bark (peeling into at least “nine” papery segments) that lead to Ninebark’s peculiar common name. Lemon Candy™ will reach 5-6 feet in height in only a few years and would benefit from periodic rejuvenation to control size and promote its fabulous new growth. Sinowilsoniana henryi The so-called Henry Wilson Tree is an obscure member of the Witch Hazel family (Hamamelidaceae), hailing from the mountainous forests of central and western China. It was originally introduced to western horticulture by Ernest “Chinese” Wilson in 1908, but was largely forgotten until material was again collected by Arnold Arboretum staff during the Sino-American Botanical Expedition of 1980. It generally forms a spreading shrub maturing at 15-20 feet tall, but could potentially be trained into a small single-stemmed tree. The large, boldly textured leaves measure up to 6 inches in length and subtend pendulous flower Jason Veil is UDBG’s curatorial graduate student. He received his undergraduate degrees in Urban Forestry and Horticulture from The Penn State University in 2001 and spent the following decade in wholesale nursery production and marketing. In addition to leading Dr. Frett’s lab classes, Jason is responsible for documenting, labeling, and mapping the plants that comprise the UDBG’s diverse collection. He is a shameless “tree geek,” who always enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for new, unusual or underutilized woody plants. UDBG recently discovered that it not only had a two-page write up with images in Magda Salvesen’s Exploring Gardens & Green Spaces form Connecticut to the Delaware Valley, but its Herbaceous Garden was featured on the frontis page. The book includes many hidden horticultural gems and designed landscapes all along the northeast corridor that do not often appear in books. Featuring more than 300 color images, 29 maps, and lots of practical information, it’s a fantastic guide for exploring an array of gardens in the northeast and mid-Atlantic. arke Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Podaras 3’ (Lemon Candy™ Common Ninebark) racemes like those of the related genus Corylopsis (Winterhazel). However, Sinowilsonia features separate male and female racemes, whereas each inflorescence of Corylopsis contains “perfect” flowers with both male and female parts. Fall color is a pleasing buttery yellow and quite similar to that of Calycanthus — this year’s featured plant.The curious Sinowilsonia henryi is surely a collector’s delight and an excellent “stump” question when quizzing your gardening friends. Photo b y: RickD Photo by: Jason Veil Hooked on Plants 5 Propagation by Tissue Culture Photo by: Catherine Buckminster by Claudia Bradley Claudia Bradley explaining the finer points of tissue propagation with volunteers Karola Spence and Kate Murray, along with other unseen Tuesday volunteers. Just about every Tuesday morning at the UDBG a dedicated volunteer “potting group” gathers in the Fischer Greenhouse to pot plugs, seedlings or bare root plants. Other typical tasks are sowing seeds, dividing plants to prepare for the spring and fall plant sales. This January, however, we had a different and exciting opportunity to handle some tiny tissue culture specimens. was gelled with agar containing sugar. After several months many of the scales had regenerated miniature bulblets. It was time to transfer these from the jars into flats filled with a moistened seed starting soil. Dr. Kitto explained how these young plants must be handled: First the agar is removed with a brush to ensure that no sugars are left behind that could cause fungal spores or bacteria to grow. It is critical that the scales not dry out so the volunteers worked with them in trays of water. Tweezers are used to separate the vast numbers of offspring from each other, which yielded hundreds, many of which were in small clumps. Once the flats were full, a pre-moistened propagation dome was placed on top, and the flats were placed in the Fischer Greenhouse mist room. The first delicate leaves on these plants must be kept in a humid environment but must also be protected from the mist, which strips away many of the nutrients. The final step is to gently water the flats with a fungicide drench to ward off disease. When roots form, volunteers will transfer the plants into individual pots, which hopefully will mature into great specimens for a future spring plant sale. Tissue culture is a method of propagating plants in a laboratory under sterile conditions and is an excellent tool for producing clones. UD Plant & Soil Science Professor Dr. Sherry Kitto graciously provided us with a tray full of small glass jars containing Lilium canadense var. rubrum (Lilium canadense ssp. editorum) bulblets. This elegant native lily commonly has yellow and orange flowers, but this special variety boasts brickred flowers. Dr. Kitto is well known for her work in developing propagation protocols for plants native to the eastern temperate U.S., such as Spigelia marilandica, Tiarella, and Trillium so UDBG was thrilled to receive these unique plants. She explained how she had taken small pieces of bulb scales from this lily and placed them into the jars that held a sterile nutrient medium that 6 Lilium canadense var. rubrum (Red Canada Lily) Animal in the Garden: The sort you could do without In winter, animals have to eat, but gnawing on your favorite shrubs and young trees can cause damage. You can stay ahead of these critters with some strategies of your own. Check regularly for signs of damage. Voles, mice, rabbits, and deer may chew the thin bark of shrubs and young trees. If their nibbling removes the bark all the way around a stem, the plant may die. Check the base of the stems or trunk for signs that the bark has been chewed. Clear snow. If snow is deep around shrubs and young trees, mice and voles can tunnel through the fluffy stuff to reach the bark without being seen by predators. A deep snow offers an advantage for animals that can stand on deeper snow to browse on higher parts of shrubs and trees. Clear snow away from the bases of especially vulnerable plants. Don’t pile up mulch. Small animals also can tunnel through too-deep mulch. Spread mulch around a tree or shrub in a wide, even layer just two to three inches deep. Do not pull the mulch up around the trunk. This invites animals to chew sight unseen. Make sure mulch stays a couple of inches clear of the trunk or stems. Fence vulnerable trees and shrubs. The best way to protect a plant is by fencing it with a well-anchored cylinder of metal mesh. It’s a lot of work, so be thoughtful about the plants you need to guard. Rabbits are especially fond of certain species, including azalea, spirea, oakleaf hydrangea, and fothergilla. Deer eat the winter foliage of many evergreen trees and shrubs, such as spruce and yews. They also eat the bark of young trees, as well as any twigs, buds, acorns, and berries they can reach. Switch out repellants. Animal repellants can be effective against deer and other animals, but with limitations. Animals that are initially wary of an unfamiliar smell or taste eventually become accustomed to it, so switch repellants frequently. And remember to reapply chemical repellents after it rains. No plant is animal-proof. That’s why plant labels may claim only “deer resistant.” But there are plants animals don’t choose to dine on: the turnoffs include plants with strongly scented leaves, hairy leaves, or prickly leaves animals. But if the winter is hard and food is scarce, rabbits, deer, and other animals will be less picky. In UDBG’s catalog, we’ve included in the plant description, plants that deer tend to find unpalatable. 7 Are you ready sharpen your pruners, dig out the trowel, and put on the gardening gloves? Me too! The 2015 growing and gardening season is on the horizon. Not only am I excited to be in the garden wearing sunscreen as opposed to long johns, I’m thrilled to know that I’ll be able to see many of our volunteers on a more regular basis. Whether you’re into potting, gardening, assisting with the plant sales and sale prep, or all of the above, we’ve got something for you. All activities will be in full-swing before you know it. Regardless of the activities in which you participate, or how much time you have to offer, we‘re always learning, laughing, and sharing (plants, books, food, etc.) while working. We’ve made many dear friends through our time together at the UDBG. The UDBG is truly fortunate. Thanks to those that graciously gave of their time and talents in 2014, and thanks in advance for all your efforts in 2015. If you’d like to get involved, contact Valann at [email protected] LE PLANT SA ES IFICAT GIFT CERT SE! MAKE SEN on, informati 153 re o m r o F /831-0 da at 302 el.edu call Melin ehrer@ud o z m il a or em Contact Information Telephone 302-831-0153 • http://canr.udel.edu/udbg Contact Information Newsletter editor: Susan •Baldwin • Director: Dr. John Frett Telephone 302-831-0153 http://canr.udel.edu/udbg Assistant Newsletter editor: SusanDirector: Baldwin •Melinda Director: Zoehrer Dr. John Frett Director:Coordinator: Melinda Zoehrer Volunteer Assistant and Education Valann Budischak Volunteer and Education Coordinator: Valann Budischak Visit the UD Botanic Gardens Visit the UD Botanic Gardens UDBG is open to visitors everyday from sunrise to sunset; admission is free. UDBG is open to visitors everyday from sunrise to sunset; admission is free. Please visitor parking at Please obtain obtain aavisitor parking passpass (fee: (fee: $3.00)$3.00) on-line on-line at https://udel.t2hosted.com/cmn/index.aspx or https://udel.t2hosted.com/cmn/index.aspx or use the the metered nearnear the UDairy Creamery. use meteredparking parking the UDairy Creamery. The University of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity/Title IX institution. Please visit www.udel.edu/ExecVP/policies/personnel/4-40.html to read our anti-discrimination policy in its entirety. The University of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity/Title IX institution. Please visit www.udel.edu/ExecVP/policies/personnel/4-40.html to read our anti-discrimination policy in its e 8
© Copyright 2024