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"The Wired Gardener" Online Newsletter
 January 2007
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Web Reviews
Locally Grown Food on the Menu
Explore “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” to find grocery stores, farmers markets, restaurants, farms, and even B-and-Bs that sell or use fresh, locally grown food. PHS is working with the Fair Food Project and a regional network of growers and gardeners to present the next Urban Sustainability Forum event, Food: Access and Accountability. To learn how to spend your food dollars in a way that is healthy for you and the environment, attend this forum on January 18, 6:30 pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia.
Say What?
Fine Gardening magazine wants to cure you of your fear of those long Latin plant names by including a pronunciation guide on their website. The Latin words are shown phonetically. Clicking them will play an audio version of the correct pronunciation.
What’s Going on in Your Neighborhood?
Green Plan Philadelphia is a community-based open-space planning process with many opportunities for Philadelphia residents to participate, both online and in person. You can learn more about this dynamic project at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's McLean library, located at 100 North 20th Street in Center City Philadelphia. You can peruse an inventory of plans and projects that relate to open space throughout Philadelphia.
A Basement Herball
The Metuchen Library in central New Jersey recently discovered a treasure in its basement. While spring cleaning, volunteers uncovered a second edition Herball or General History of Plantes (1636) by John Gerard. See the full story in “’Erbal Remedies” in Rare Book Review.
Seeds of the Past
Millennium Seed Bank scientists have convinced 200-year-old seeds to germinate. These seeds have had quite a past. They boarded a Prussian ship bound for Europe from Java and China with a silk and tea merchant and made a stop at the Cape of Good Hope. The ship was captured by the British Navy along the way. The ship’s contents, including these seeds, were taken to the Tower of London. Read the full story on the BBC News site.
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McLean Library News
New Books in Library
See the "What's New in the Library" page of our web site.
New Exhibit in McLean Library
Flora of North America
January 16 - June 30, 2007
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society McLean Library
100 North 20th Street, 1st Floor
Philadelphia, PA
The Flora of North America, an ambitious publishing project to be completed in 2011, will present for the first time in one reference information on the names, taxonomic relationships, continent-wide distributions, and morphological characteristics of all native and naturalized plants found in North America north of Mexico. The McLean Library exhibit consists of selected volumes of the 30-volume work, as well as earlier American floras, field guides, photographs, collected plants, and a lesson plan. The exhibit explores the reasons why a new flora of North American is needed, including habitat destruction and the fact that new plants are still being discovered. The McLean Library is located on the first floor of PHS headquarters (20th and Arch Streets in Philadelphia) and is open 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
Horticultural Speakers List
The McLean Library is updating its list of speakers on gardening and related topics. This list is available to PHS members, local gardening clubs, and the public. Copies will be available in Spring 2007. If you are a horticulturist who lives in the Mid-Atlantic region and would like to be included on the 2007 list, please contact Priscilla Becroft at 215-988-8772 or by email for a questionnaire.
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PHS Events
Book Group “Stories from the Garden”
Thursday, January 4, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society McLean Library
100 North 20th Street, 1st Floor
Philadelphia, PA
This month's selection: Jorge Luis Borges, “The Garden of Forking Paths” (short story). [more]
City Gardening Series: Creating Lush Hanging Baskets
Saturday, January 13, 2 - 3 pm
Walnut West Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
201 S. 40th Street
Philadelphia, PA
Anyone can create beautiful hanging baskets! Penn State Extension educator Doris Stahl will share her know-how and creativity in designing hanging baskets for any garden setting. [more]
How Plants Work: Practical Plant Physiology for Gardeners
Tuesday, January 16 and five Mondays, January 22 - February 19
6:30 - 8:30 pm
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
100 N. 20th Street, 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA
PHS and the Wagner Free Institute of Science co-sponsor this series. Knowing more about how plants work leads to a better appreciation of their complexity and a better understanding their needs. This course will focus on select topics in plant physiology, namely, how photosynthesis, water, minerals, and hormones play a role in plant structure and growth. [more]
Meadowbrook Farm Workshop: Glass Bowl Terrarium with Gesneriads
Wednesday, January 17, 10 - Noon
Meadowbrook Farm
1633 Washington Lane
Abington Township, PA
In the depths of winter, what could be better than to brighten your home with a lush green, miniature world under glass? [more]
City Gardening Series: Fine Tuning Your Garden Design
Wednesday, January 31, 7:30 - 8:30 pm
Chestnut Hill Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
8711 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Award-winning urban garden designer Toni Ann Flanigan presents a slide show that takes a close look at aspects of garden design that give you headaches, and she will offer helpful solutions. [more]
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Other Gardening News & Events
Continuing Education Courses
January, 2007
Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, PA
Tai Chi, Ikebana, Conifers - these are just a few of the classes offered in January by Longwood Gardens’ Continuing Education program. Students may take individual workshops as well as complete curricula in specialized areas to gain a certificate of merit. [more]
Walks, Workshops and Field Trips
Tyler Arboretum
515 Painter Road
Media, PA
A botany walk, a night hike, a botanical illustration studio and a birding field trip are among the January offerings at Tyler. The Arboretum encompasses 650 acres of renowned plant collections, champion trees, historic buildings, and 20 miles of hiking trails through woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. [more]
Symposium: “Today’s Horticulture”
Friday, February 2, 8 am - 4:15 pm
Ballroom
Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, PA
This day-long symposium covers topics of interest to gardeners, horticulturists, landscape designers, and nursery professionals. [more]
Symposium: “Nature’s Unseen Influences and the Art of Design”
Tuesday & Wednesday, February 6 & 7
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
Landscape designers attending the 17th Annual New Directions in the American Landscape Symposium will hear innovative ideas for increasing the effectiveness of their gardens as naturally inspired works of art. [more]
Symposium: “Technology’s Influence on the Interpretive Experience”
Friday, March 9
Ballroom
Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, PA
Annual symposium of the Longwood Graduate Program. [more]
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How to Submit News & Events
The Wired Gardener is issued 11 times a year (no December issue) on the 1st of the month. We post notices of gardening events and give precedence to Philadelphia-area events. Deadline: the 15th of the month for listing in the next month's issue. Send brief details and contact information by email and reference "Wired Gardener" in the subject line. Press releases are not accepted. Please review and follow the format used in our Other Gardening News and Events section.
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Garden Q & A Reopens January 3rd
Our volunteers are off for the year-end holidays and will return on Wednesday, January 3, 2007. To ask your gardening questions, please use the form on our web site or call 215-988-8777.
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About the Wired Gardener
Edited by Janet Evans, library manager, McLean Library, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society; contributions: Elena Sisti and Priscilla Becroft.
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