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"The Wired Gardener" Online Newsletter
March 2009
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Special Events at the Flower Show
Special Events at the Philadelphia Flower Show
The 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show presentation, Bella Italia (March 1 - 8), will be an extraordinary experience for anyone who appreciates the natural beauty, culture, and spirit of Italy. Garden displays will transport visitors to the Italian landscapes and gardens that have inspired artists and poets for centuries. This year’s not-to-be-missed special events include live entertainment, including operatic performances and strolling musicians; wine tastings of selected Italian wines; and culinary demonstrations by local celebrity chefs. Free lectures by well-known garden writers include Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd, authors of Our Life in Gardens; Tracy DiSabato-Aust, who will sign her book, 50 High-Impact, Low-Care Garden Plants; and Amy Goldman, author of The Heirloom Tomato: from Garden to Table.
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Web Reviews
Blog Italia
Find out what goes on behind the scenes and share your thoughts on the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show, Bella Italia, at the Philadelphia Flower Show Blog. We update frequently, so visit often!
Get on the Grid
Browse the first issue of Grid, a new e-magazine. Learn about Philadelphians who are working toward energy sustainability and who are cooking locally; and what you can do to make Philly even greener.
PlantCollections – A Community Solution
Institutions such as the Chicago Botanic Garden, Ganna Walska Lotusland, Mt. Cuba Center Inc., United States National Arboretum, and Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College have agreed to make their plant records freely accessible to the public on PlantCollections to improve “understanding of plants in the natural world.” Currently you can find plant information and images, locate herbaria, DNA, seed, or plant specimens. The partners continue to make improvements to the database, so you’ll soon be able to find plant experts, create maps of arboreta and botanic gardens, and research geographical information about where plants were collected.
How Much Seed Do You Need?
Planting a garden can been daunting to the beginner, but this interactive tool can get you started. Johnny’s Selected Seeds provides a vegetable seed calculator that does the math for you. Just answer a few questions, click “calculate,” and in no time, you’ll know how many of those cucumber seeds you need.
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PHS McLean Library News
Current Exhibit
The Garden as Theater: Italian Renaissance and Baroque Gardens
Drawing on illustrated books and images from hand-painted glass lantern slides, this exhibit examines key design elements of a selection of Italian Renaissance and Baroque gardens and is inspired by the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show theme, Bella Italia. The McLean Library is open 9 - 5, Monday through Friday.
New Books in the Library
See the What's New in the Library page of our web site and contact us to borrow these new books.
What’s in Your Attic?
The McLean Library is seeking memorabilia from past Philadelphia Flower Shows for our archives. Please call 215-988-8779 if you are interested in donating show-related memorabilia such as medals, posters, or other items. See some historic photographs and memorabilia we’re putting into a state-wide digital image repository.
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PHS Events
City Gardening Series: Planning the Spring Garden
Friday, March 13, 10:30 - 11:30 am
Perzel Community Center
2990 St. Vincent Street
Philadelphia, PA
Spring will be here before we know it. Master Gardener Robin Potter offers tips and techniques for plant selection and garden planning. more
Botanical Illustration with Watercolor
Eight Tuesdays, March 17 - May 5, 10 am - 1 pm
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
100 North 20th Street, 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA
If you feel challenged by the medium of watercolor or have wondered how botanical artists create the illusion of reality, this is the class for you. more
Film Discussion Series
Tuesday, March 17, screening 4 pm; discussion 6 - 7:30 pm
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society McLean Library
100 North 20th Street, 1st Floor
Philadelphia, PA
Do you love to watch movies and talk about them? Join us in this film discussion series where we’ll talk about movies in which nature, gardens, or the environment play starring roles. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, we’ll discuss John Sayles’s The Secret of Roan Inish, a visually stunning film set in Ireland’s rugged northwest sea coast with cinematography by the legendary Haskell Wexler. more
Flower Arranging for Beginners
Wednesdays, March 18 and 25, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
100 North 20th Street, 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA
PHS is offering two sessions of hands-on workshops to teach beginning arrangers the basics of floral design. Instructor Jane Godshalk will help you start from the beginning and encourage you to develop your own style. Class I will cover buying, harvesting, and conditioning plant material, as well as the use of floral foam and mechanics. more
City Gardening Series: The Spring Vegetable Garden
Wednesday, March 18, 4 - 5 pm
Lillian Marrero Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
601 W. Lehigh Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Start them early, but enjoy them for weeks. Community gardener Janet Carter gives advice about vegetables that enjoy the cool, early weather of spring. more
Tree Tenders Basic Training Montgomery County
Three Thursdays, March 19 & 26 and April 2, 6 - 9 pm
Norristown Borough Hall
235 East Airy Street
Norristown, PA
Become a Tree Tender! Be part of the “growing” TreeVitalize program designed by Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to increase southeastern Pennsylvania’s tree cover and promote the benefits that trees offer us all. Training includes tree biology, urban stresses on trees, tree identification, planting, basic pruning and root care, and community organizing. more
City Gardening Series: Spring Pruning for the Homeowner
Saturday, March 21, 10 - 11 am
Awbury Recreation Center
6101 Ardleigh Street
Philadelphia, PA
Early spring is a good time to do some needed pruning. Landscape architect Michael LoFurno will provide information on what pruning can be done in the early spring. more
City Gardening Series: Containers for Small Spaces
Monday, March 23, 6 - 7 pm
Charles Santore Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
932 S. 7th Street
Philadelphia, PA
Environmental educator Liz Dailey explores new and exciting ideas on creating a garden when space is limited. more
Workshop: Divide and Conquer
Thursday, March 26, 10 am - Noon
Meadowbrook Farm
1633 Washington Lane
Abington Township, PA
Some of the best varieties you can plant this spring are right in front of you, just waiting to be increased in number. By propagating your own plants, you can get more plants for your own garden, have some to give away to friends, or share some of your favorites with PHS members at the Plant Dividend at PHS Members’ Day this fall. more
City Gardening Series: Small Shrubs for All Seasons
Monday, March 30, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Walnut West Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
201 S. 40th Street
Philadelphia, PA
Michael LoFurno will give timely advice about the right shrub for the right space in the garden design. more
Lehigh Valley Evening Lecture: Vines and Climbers for the Garden
Monday, March 30, 7 - 8 pm
Wesley United Methodist Church
2540 Center St.
Bethlehem, PA
PHS and the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group will collaborate to present this lecture for their members and friends in the Lehigh Valley. As you collect ideas for this year’s garden, join us for 'Reaching Out,' an illustrated lecture on vines and climbers, which add vertical interest and alter the visual perception of space and size in the garden. more
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Family-Friendly Gardening
Fun for Kids & Families
March 2009
Tyler Arboretum
515 Painter Road
Media, PA
Tyler Arboretum offers a variety of outdoor/indoor activities for Teeny Tiny Trackers (age 3), Tiny Trackers (ages 4 - 6), Junior Naturalists and Junior Gardeners (ages 6 - 8), and Junior Ramblers and Crafty Kids (ages 8 - 12). more
Animals from Eggs
Friday, March 27, 10 - 11 am
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
1635 River Road
New Hope, PA
Kids ages 3 to 6 will meet some animals that come from eggs up close in a safe environment, then read a story, head outside to search for native wildlife at the preserve, and return indoors to create an art project to take home. more
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Other Gardening News & Events
Attention, gardeners in the Mt. Airy/Germantown area! The Community Garden Club of the Awbury Arboretum has 10’ x 20’ plots for community gardeners and a few raised beds for “enabled gardeners.” Contact leoatawbury@hotmail.com.
March 2009 Programs
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
1635 River Road
New Hope, PA
This month create your own bonsai with native plants, join a group weed-out and look for the early signs of spring at the preserve. more
Lectures and Workshops
March 2009
Delaware Center for Horticulture
1810 N. Dupont Street
Wilmington, DE
A lecture entitled “Making and Maintaining a Wildflower Meadow” and workshops on “Make Your Own Garden Row-Cover” and “How to Plant Your New Bare Root Tree” are among the offerings this month at the Delaware Center for Horticulture. more
Continuing Education Courses
March 2009
Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, PA
Bulbs, soil repair, plant illustration and floral fun are just a few of the classes offered in March at Longwood. more
Scott Arboretum Events
March 2009
Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore College
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore, PA
Tour the arboretum’s vast witch hazel collection, explore the new green roof on Kemp Hall, learn how to collect and reuse rain water in your garden, and more at Scott Arboretum during the month of March. more
Non-Credit Courses
March 2009
Temple University Ambler
580 Meetinghouse Road
Ambler, PA
Temple University Ambler offers a variety of non-credit courses for adults in horticulture, landscape design, and floral design. March courses include Analyzing your Garden and Landscape, Flower Arranging of Yesterday for Today, and Getting Your Garden Ready for Spring. Contact Rhonda Geyer at rgeyer@temple.edu or 267-468-8500. more
Exhibition: sLowlife
Monday, March 2 - Thursday, December 31
Chemical Heritage Foundation
315 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
Slow down, watch carefully, and see eager sprouts dance to greet the dawn at sLowlife, a dynamic multimedia exhibition that presents plants as complex, living beings. more
Forest Stewardship Web Seminars
2nd Tuesday of Every Month (except July and August), Noon and 7 pm
Pennsylvania Forests Web Seminar Center
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Natural Resources Extension is rolling out a monthly on-line seminar for forest landowners and natural resources professionals. Future topics include: oil, gas, and mineral leasing; harvesting; timber sales and markets; wildlife habitat; invasive insects; succession planning; invasive plants; forest management and regeneration; and water resources. more
Homeowner Wildlife Habitat Class
Saturday, March 7, 8:30 am - 3 pm
Penn State Brandywine
Tomezsko Classroom Building, Room 101
25 Yearsley Mill Road
Media, PA
Learn how to landscape your property to provide a home and sanctuary for wildlife, as well as for your human family. more
“Container Gardening for Every Season”
Thursday, March 5, 7 pm
Radnor Library, Winsor Room
114 West Wayne Avenue
Wayne, PA
The Community Garden Club at Wayne and the Wayne Woods Garden Club sponsor this talk by Michael Bowell, owner of Create A Scene. Contact Jane Golas at golasjane@gmail.com
Vegetable Garden Planning
Saturday, March 7, 10 - 11:30 am
Tyler Arboretum
515 Painter Road
Media, PA
Master Gardener and avid vegetable gardener Leslie Trimble will discuss location, soil preparation, seed starting, and plant selection and culture. more
Mosaic Vase Workshop
Saturdays, March 7, 1 - 4 pm, and March 14, 1 - 3 pm
Tyler Arboretum
515 Painter Road
Media, PA
(Two classes.) Mosaic artist Barbie Henig shows you how to break and attach mosaic pieces to a terracotta base and, in the second class, shows you how to grout and complete your project. more
Keeping Track: How Journaling Enhances Your Gardening Experience
Sunday, March 8, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Tyler Arboretum
515 Painter Road
Media, PA
Using a workshop format, local gardener and writer Liz Ball will introduce the concept of journaling and explain how this activity contributes to successful gardening. more
Bridging the Gap: Connecting Ecological Research and Restoration Practice
Friday - Saturday, March 13 - 14
The College of New Jersey
Ewing, NJ
Projects addressing the ecological challenges of our region’s forest, freshwater, and estuarine systems will be presented by teams of researchers and practitioners, revealing how their collaborative efforts are advancing both fields. Field trips are scheduled for Saturday March 14. more
Liberty Bell Gesneriad Society Meeting
Tuesday, March 17, 7:30 pm
Cathedral Village
600 E. Cathedral Road
Philadelphia, PA
Stephen Maciejewski will lead a review of experiences and discuss the highlights of the chapter’s increased presence at the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show. Members will bring their Show plants and awards and share their stories on how their plants performed. Contact Stephen at teciu@verizon.net or 215-985-1456. more
Meeting: West Jersey Rose Society
Wednesday, March 18, 7:30 - 9 pm
Holly Room, Medford Leas Community Building
One Medford Leas Way
Medford, NJ
Program: All About Pruning. Contact 856-234-6583.
Tree-Care Short Course
Thursdays - Fridays, March 19 - 20 and March 26 - 27
Penn State Greater Allegheny
McKeesport, PA
This short course is designed to increase your working tree-care knowledge and professional arborist skills and to prepare tree workers for the ISA Certified Arborist exam. Contact Penn State Cooperative Extension in Allegheny County at 412-473-2540, or in Crawford County at 814-333-7460.
Green Vibrant Philly Neighborhoods: What to Do in your Community
Thursday, March 19, 6 pm
The Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA
This Urban Sustainability Forum will feature a presentation about the necessary components of a sustainable neighborhood and how to assess them in any community. Contact rwall@ansp.org or 215-299-1108.
March Into Spring: A Symposium for Gardeners
Saturday, March 21, 8:15 am - 3 pm
Academic Building, Large Auditorium
Delaware County Community College
901 South Media Line Road
Media, PA
The Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group sponsors this daylong event with lectures, demonstrations, silent auction, and plant sale. more
Lecture: “The Legacy of Trees”
Sunday, March 22, 1:30 pm
Sharpless Auditorium
Haverford College
370 Lancaster Avenue
Haverford, PA
Marty Kromer will deliver the John A. Silver ’25 Memorial Lecture. Contact arbor@haverford.edu or 610-896-1101.
Gardens and Grounds: A Celebration of Haverford’s Landscapes
Reception: Sunday, March 22, 3 pm
Exhibition: Through Sunday, March 29
Cantor-Fitzgerald Gallery
Whitehead Campus Center
Haverford College Arboretum
370 Lancaster Avenue
Haverford, PA
The exhibition offers a photographic history of the oldest planned college campus in the country and displays the work of four craftsmen who, through their furniture, bowls, and vessels, have given new life to trees that once grew at Haverford. Contact arbor@haverford.edu or 610-896-1101.
Exhibition: “Wings of Paradise: Watercolors of Silk Moths by John Cody”
Thursday, March 26 - Tuesday, June 30
Hunt Institute for Botanical illustration
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA
The Institute will exhibit 47 watercolors of silk moths by John Cody, who seeks to increase awareness and conservation of these beautiful creatures. more
Philadelphia Botanical Club
Thursday, March 26, 7:30 pm
Comisky Conference Center
Blank Rome LLP
One Logan Square
(enter on north side of Cherry Street between 18th and19th Streets)
Philadelphia, PA
Roger Latham will speak on “Pennsylvania’s ‘Little Newfoundland’: Glacial Till Barrens on the Pocono Plateau.” Reception will follow. more
Native Plant Symposium: “Native Plants: In Design”
Saturday, March 28, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
US National Arboretum
3501 New York Avenue NE
Washington, DC
The 23rd Annual Lahr Native Plant Symposium and Plant Sale explores the many ways native plants are essential to successful garden design and landscape architecture. more
Used Electronics Drive – Ethical Recycling
Saturday - Sunday, March 28 - 29, 11 am - 3 pm
Cedarbrook Middle School
300 Longfellow Road
Wyncote, PA
Nothing collected will be tipped into landfills, incinerated as solid waste, or dumped in developing countries. Items accepted at a cost of $1 per pound (ethical recycling fee) include: televisions, computers, monitors, keyboards, drives, cables, peripherals, fax machines video game systems, microwaves, ink cartridges, and much more. The event is part of Christopher Swain’s TOXTOUR, an environmental education campaign. Contact sarah@ttfwatershed.org or 215-208-1613.
Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival
Saturdays, March 28 and April 4, and Monday, April 6
Morris Arboretum
100 E. Northwestern Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Activities planned will celebrate the gardens, art, and culture inspired by the 35 varieties of cherry trees gracing the arboretum with their blossoms at this time. more
Stickworks in Action
Monday, March 30 - Saturday, April 18
Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania
100 E. Northwestern Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Artist Patrick Dougherty will create a site-specific sculpture of sticks and saplings during a three-week on-site residency. Contact Susan Crane at 215-247-5777 x121.
Spring Campus Walk
Sunday, March 29, 1:30 pm
Starts in front of Whitehead Campus Center
Haverford College Arboretum
370 Lancaster Avenue
Haverford, PA
Check the pictorial record of the college landscape in the exhibition “Gardens and Grounds,” then head outdoors to see how the arboretum has changed over 175 years. Contact arbor@haverford.edu or 610-896-1101.
Teaching Evolution in Elementary School
Monday, March 30, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
The Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA
This program will look at the importance of introducing evolutionary theory to younger students as a foundation for a sound science education. Intended for teachers, parents, and the public. more
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Coming Up: April and May Events
Lecture and Book Signing: Andrea Wulf “The Brother Gardeners”
Wednesday, April 29, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Ewell Sale Stewart Library
The Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA
The Ewell Sale Stewart Library Friends at the Academy of Natural Sciences are sponsoring a lecture in the Academy Library, followed by a reception and book signing. PHS members are cordially invited to this FREE lecture to hear Andrea Wulf discuss her book The Brother Gardeners; Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession. This is a fascinating story of a small group of eighteenth-century naturalists who made Britain the epicenter of horticulture and transformed gardening from an aristocratic pastime into a national obsession Networking before there was such a thing as the Internet, these brother gardeners - the American John Bartram; London merchant Peter Collinson; Philip Miller, head of the Chelsea Physic Garden; and Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus - helped shape that very English love affair with gardens. To register, please call 215-299-1040 or send email to library@ansp.org.
2009 Pennsylvania Land & Water Conference
Thursday - Saturday, May 7 - 9
Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel
State College, PA
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation join forces for this 2009 conference, which offers ten full-day seminars, two half-day seminars, and 42 90-minute workshops. more
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Garden Q & A
Closed February 20 - March 6
During Flower Show season, our friendly, knowledgeable volunteers who answer your gardening questions at the Q & A desk are at the Philadelphia Flower Show, so hold those calls and emails until Monday, March 9. If you can't wait to stump them, visit the Horticulture Information Booth on at the Flower Show and ask your garden questions there. Please note: the McLean Library is closed during the Flower Show, March 1 - 8.
Q. I cleared out some invasive plants between me and my neighbor and now my neighbor feels we need more screening. The area has large old trees, spruce, maple, etc., and is shady but with a relatively high canopy. Any thoughts on what might go there? I prefer a mix of evergreens and deciduous with various heights and shapes. Christina P., Radnor, PA
A. Hollies would probably do well in this instance and would provide screening. Dogwood and sassafras are two small trees for interest, although the dogwoods would not bloom well if they receive no sun at all. You may also consider spice bush, which can grow in considerable shade. For advice on more choices, here are two suggestions: borrow this book from the PHS McLean Library:
Planting for privacy: a guide to growing hedges and screens by Judy Horton
Visit the Philadelphia Flower Show and look for the Gold Medal Plants featured in the PHS Village. Knowledgeable folks will be on hand to give you more suggestions for garden-worthy plants for the Mid-Atlantic region.
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How to Submit News & Events
The Wired Gardener is issued 10 times a year (no July or 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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About the Wired Gardener
Edited by Janet Evans, McLean Library manager, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, with contributions by Elena Sisti and Priscilla Becroft.
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