Escaped from Gardens: Invasive Plant Species in the United States

This post was originally published on Smithsonian Science.

Non-native plant species pose a significant threat to the natural ecosystems of the United States. Many of these invasive plants are escapees from gardens and landscapes where they were originally planted. Purchased at local nurseries, wholesale suppliers and elsewhere, these plants have the potential of taking over large areas, affecting native plants and animals and negatively changing the ecosystem. In recent years an increase in travel and international trade has rapidly introduced many new non-native species to the United States.

“While not all non-native plants are bad, some imported species are bullies that crowd out native plants and damage the diverse ecosystems that many living things depend on,” said James Gagliardi, a horticulturist with Smithsonian Gardens.

Plants with the highest invasive potential are prolific seeders and vigorous growers which have the ability to adapt well to a variety of conditions. Native species have not evolved alongside these plants and have trouble competing. With few predators and little competition for resources, these new plants can displace native flora, reducing plant diversity until a landscape is no longer able  to support longstanding native plant, animal, and insect communities.

Here is James Gagliardi’s list of six plant invaders in the U.S. with suggestions of native stand-ins to plant in your garden:

1. Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Origin: Europe and temperate Asia

(Photo by John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org)

Arrival: Purple loosestrife was introduced to the United States in the early 1800s for ornamental and medicinal uses.

Impact: Now growing invasively in most states, purple loosestrife can become the dominant plant species in wetlands. One plant can produce as many as 2 million wind-dispersed seeds per year and underground stems grow at a rate of 1 foot per year.

Native Alternatives: Blazing star (Liatris spicata), American blue vervain (Verbena hastate) and New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)

2. Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

Origin: Eastern Asia

(Photo by Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org)

Arrival: One of many invasive varieties of honeysuckle in the United States, Japanese honeysuckle was brought to Long Island, NY, in 1806 for ornamental use and erosion control.

Impact: The plant has become prolific throughout much of the East Coast as it adapts to a wide range of conditions. Japanese honeysuckle is an aggressive vine that smothers, shades and girdles other competing vegetation. Many of the birds eat the fruit of this plant, thereby spreading the honeysuckle’s seeds.

Native Alternatives: Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) and coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

3. Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Origin: Japan

(Photo by Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org)

Arrival: Japanese barberry was introduced to the United States in the 1800s as an ornamental. Seeds of Japanese barberry were sent from Russia to the Arnold Arboretum in 1875 as an alternative to European barberry (Berberis vulgaris), which had fallen out of favor as it was a host to Black Rust Stem—a serious fungus effecting cereal crops.

Impact: The shrub has the ability to grow in deep shade and is particularly detrimental to forest lands in the Northeast. The heavily fruiting plant forms dense thicket, crowding out native plants, and its seeds are easily spread by birds.

Native Alternatives: Shrubby St. Johnswort (Hypericum prolificum) and winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

4. Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
Origin: Europe

(Image by Zelimir Borzan, University of Zagreb, Bugwood.org)

Arrival: The plant explorer John Bartram first introduced the Norway maple to the United States from England in 1756. The widely adaptable tree quickly became popular and was planted in towns as a shade tree and in rural communities.

Impact: The Norway maple displaces native trees and has the potential to dominate a landscape in both the Northeast and Northwest. It displaces native maples like the sugar maple and its dense canopy shades out wildflowers.

Native Alternatives: Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and red maple (Acer rubrum)

5. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
Origin: Europe

(Photo by Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org)

Arrival: The plant explorer John Bartram first introduced the Norway maple to the United States from England in 1756. The widely adaptable tree quickly became popular and was planted in towns as a shade tree and in rural communities.

Impact: The planting and sale of English ivy continues in the United States even though it is one on the worst-spread invasive plants in the country due to its ability to handle widespread conditions, particularly on the east and west coasts. English ivy is an aggressive-spreading vine which can slowly kill trees by restricting light. It spreads by vegetative reproduction and by seed, which are consumed and spread by birds.

Native Alternatives: Creeping mint (Meehania cordata), Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) and creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera)

6. Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata)
Origin: China, Japan and the Pacific islands

(Photo by Kerry Britton, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org)

Arrival: Japan introduced Kudzu to the U.S. at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876. It was first promoted as an ornamental plant and later as a forage crop in the Southeast. One million acres of Kudzu were planted in the 1930s and 1940s by the Soil Conservation Service to reduce soil erosion on deforested lands. It was not until the 1950s that it was recognized as an invasive.

Impact: Once established, Kudzu grows at a rate of up to one foot a day and 60 feet annually. This vigorous vine takes over areas in the Southeast by smothering plants and kills trees by adding immense weight and girdling or toppling them.

Native Alternatives: Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) and Virgina creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

Watering Well: Irrigation Tips for Your Garden

Now as summer approaches we anticipate getting back into the garden and tending to the lawn. There is one element of gardening that should not be overlooked and that is getting your irrigation system tuned up for the season. Fully automated irrigation systems afford gardeners the convenience of not having to drag water hoses all over their property.

Sean Jones, Folger Rose Garden. Smithsonian Gardens.

Energize your system’s mainline slowly and check the grounds for wet areas. This is a good way to find any leaks in your mainline and repair them before money has been wasted on an undetected leak. Here are a few easy things you can do to ensure that your system is in proper working order which can also save you time and money:

• Check the irrigation timer and adjust any previous programs that may have been input from last season as necessary. With seasonal changes come programming changes. Your plants’ water requirements are going to differ from what they were in the fall when you winterized your system. You might actually use a lot less water at the beginning of the season which can translate directly into savings on your water bill.
• Once you have done these things, run each individual zone and check for coverage. This may require changing and/or adjusting heads and nozzles. Making these changes can save you money. Sometimes we don’t know there are coverage issues until we see failing plants at which point it means replacing costly plant material.
• With newer technologies and advanced irrigation product design available, you may want to consider changing out older irrigation components for newer products. The irrigation industry has made many advances, especially in the area of water conservation.

Remember that irrigation is a watering supplement. Don’t overwater your plants. Give them time to become thirsty; this will help build a healthy root system because the roots will grow deep looking for water.

These are just a few suggestions that you can undertake to do your part to help conserve water resources and – at the same time – save yourself some money.

-Sean Jones, Irrigation Engineer

Smithsonian Gardens Celebrates Arbor Day 2013

This year, Smithsonian Gardens is pleased to be hosting its second annual Arbor Day Tree Planting Celebration!  Although we have a great diversity of tree species here at the Smithsonian, we are always looking to add more to diversify our collection.  There are many wonderful exotic, non-invasive species that are well-suited to the growing environment in the Washington, DC area.  However, we are currently concentrating on adding more native tree species.  This year, we have chosen two different natives to plant.

Carolina Silverbell  (Halesia tetraptera)

Carolina Silverbell is a native hardwood understory tree that is typically found along slopes and streams in ravines in hardwood forests.  They favor north and east-facing aspects with moist, well-drained acidic loam soils.  They thrive in full and partial shade and have a core range in the southern Appalachian Mountains, but stretch as far as eastern Oklahoma, northern Florida, and southern Illinois.  This tree typically grows to be 30-40 feet, but can grow as high as 80 feet.  Its primary feature is beautifully bell-shaped white flowers that hang in clusters and are borne in the spring.

A Carolina Silverbell in full bloom.

White Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus)

The White Fringe Tree is another native hardwood tree that is found in its natural range which stretches from southern New Jersey to Florida, west to Texas.  The species is very variable, and no two trees seem to be alike in all characteristics.  The Fringe Tree can grow in a variety of conditions, and is cold hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit.  As with the Carolina Silverbell, this tree’s most striking feature is the flowers.  Six to eight-inch fleecy white, fragrant flowers appear in May and June and make this a beautiful addition to the landscape.

A White Fringe tree in full bloom.

On Arbor Day, Friday April 26, we will be having two tree plantings.  The White Fringe Tree will be planted at the Anacostia Community Museum, and the Carolina Silverbell will be planted at the National Museum of Air and Space, on the south side of the building adjacent to the observatory.  The Smithsonian Gardens’ Arborist and other horticulture staff will be on hand at the Air and Space event to demonstrate proper tree planting techniques and to answer questions.  The planting will take place at noon.  We hope you can join us!

-Greg Huse, Smithsonian Gardens Arborist

I Yam Not a Tortoise but a Plant

The caudex of the Dioscorea mexicana.

Dioscorea mexicana, commonly called Mexican Yam or Tortoise Plant, is native to Mexico, El Salvador, and Panama.  Dioscorea is made up of around 600 species in the Dioscoreaceae family and has a world-wide distribution range.  Originally in the Testudinaria genus and named after ‘Testudo,’ a genus of tortoise, it was later grouped into the genus Dioscorea.

The plant’s caudex (or modified stem) resembles the shell of a tortoise.  The caudex itself is a partially exposed tuber that is covered in grayish-brown scales.  It is divided into polygonal plates that are scored by deep furrows.  This species typically goes dormant during the winter, though this year even without water for nearly four months the stem didn’t die back and still looks great, so we shall see what the future holds.  From what I have experienced, heard from other growers, and also read, this plant sometimes either doesn’t die back during the winter or sends out a new stem earlier or later than expected, so watch the plant and not necessarily the calendar.  The new stem can grow 15 to 20 feet in one season!

Dioscorea mexicana’s flowers bloom in late summer.

Dioscorea mexicana is dioecious meaning that the individual plants in the species are either male or female.   The leaves are glossy green and heart-shaped.  Flowers are greenish with dark purple centers and bloom in late summer.  Although considered inconspicuous, I feel the male flowers add some visual interest.  The caudex requires shade, usually provided by surrounding vegetation, while the vining portion of the plant needs full sun.  It prefers to grow in a well-drained soil.  Dioscorea mexicana is mostly propagated by seed, but although stubborn can be grown from cuttings.

If you can find one, this plant will have even the best plant enthusiasts talking and asking questions.  Its easy winter care regimen (in most years) makes it a great choice for an exotic tropical look.  During winter months greatly reduce the amount of water given to the plant; a light monthly watering is needed at most.  I couldn’t find much information about and personally don’t know its hardiness but wouldn’t expose it to temps much below freezing for extended periods of time.  Slowly bring it out of dormancy in the spring and give it lots of water during the hot growing summer season.   Despite being nicknamed after a slow mover, Dioscorea mexicana quickly proves itself a crowd pleaser!

-Matt Fleming, Horticulturist

Hellebores: Jewels of Winter, Part II

Last week Smithsonian gardens Horticulturist Janet Draper introduced us to some of the most beautiful of the winter flowering plants, Hellebores. Here are a few more of her favorite picks for your home garden:

Helleborus niger 

One of the new cultivars that I have been most impressed with are new varieties of Helleborus niger,  a.k.a the ‘Christmas Rose.’  I had never been impressed with Helleborus niger in the past, but the selection ‘Joseph Lemper’ has really changed my opinion.  It is marketed as part of the Helleborus Gold Collection (HGC) from Heuger nurseries in Germany.  The Joseph Lemper in the Ripley Garden started producing numerous 2-2 1/2” flowers on sturdy tall stems held well above the foliage in late NOVEMBER and it is still producing new flowers in late February!   I am not sure if this form is sterile or not, but either way this cultivar is a showstopper for the winter garden.

Helleborus x ballardie ‘Pink Frost’

Helleborus  x ballardiae ‘Pink Frost’

Another member of the HGC series is Helleborus  x ballardiae ‘Pink Frost’.  This beauty starts blooming in February and will continue for at least a month.  It has lovely upward-facing pink flowers which turn a deeper shade of pink as they age.  The foliage is gorgeous, with lovely white veining and red stems.   My plants are still young, but I am really impressed with what is showing so far!

There are many other exciting new cultivars hitting the market, including some from local breeders like David Culp in Pennsylvania, Barry Glick in West Virginia and Judith and Dick Tyler in Southern Virginia.  There are new selections which are double flowered, or possess dramatic markings, enlarged nectarines, upward facing flowers… oh the madness!

I have been slowly adding more and more of these winter gems to the Ripley Garden and currently have nineteen different varieties.  Some are still quite small and will not bloom for a year or two since they take some time to get established, but all are worth the investment of time and money to brighten your winter garden.

-Janet Draper, Horticulturist

Hellebores: Jewels of Winter, Part I

Most people think that winter is a “dead time” in the garden, but they could not be more wrong. In a climate as mild as Washington DC (officially a zone 7b, but Mother Nature doesn’t seem to like being pigeonholed), little signs of spring start to appear as early as January.

I’d like to share my love affair with the jewels of the winter—Helleborus.  Hellebores are members of the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), and are shade loving, evergreen plants which bloom during the winter months. Wait—it gets even better—deer don’t find them to be particularly tasty!

It used to be that the most commonly found hellebores in nurseries were the Christmas rose, (Helleborus niger) and the Lenten rose (Helleborus hybridus).  Other species were available but sorely under appreciated  Times have changed, and thanks to breeders, the diversity of Hellebores on the market is quite amazing,

Here are a few of my favorite Hellebores growing in the Smithsonian Mary Livingston Ripley Garden:

Helleborus foetidus

A long time favorite of mine has always been Helleborus foetidus, or the Stinking Hellebore. What a cruel name for a gorgeous plant! Helleborus foetidus has finely-cut fingerlike evergreen foliage which thrives in shady conditions. The real show begins in October when chartreuse flower stalks start emerging above the foliage, taunting you with the promise of flowers. The small lime green bells finally unfurl in late January or February, demure clusters of little green bells edged in raspberry.

One interesting fact about Hellebores is that the flower ‘petals’ are actually modified leaves so even after the flower starts seed production, these ‘petals’ remain attractive for two to three months.

The only maintenance required for this hellebore is to cutting off the flower stems once they start to look tatty. Or, if you have enough plants, cut off the flowering stems before the seed pods ripen, otherwise they will self sow to produce a large colony.

Helleborus argutifolis, ‘Corsican Hellebore’

Helleborus argutifolius

Another favorite species of mine is Helleborus argutifolius, or the Corsican hellebore. It also produces lovely chartreuse flowers, which are striking against its coarsely-toothed blue-grey foliage. The flower opens entirely and is outward facing to display the prominent yellow stamens very clearly. The one challenge I have with the Corsican Hellebore is that the two-foot stems flop, leaving a gaping bald spot in the center of the clump—nothing a little discrete staking can’t hide. Like Helleborus foetidus, the Corsican hellebore is caulescent (flowers are produced on the same stem as the foliage) so once the flowers begin to look tatty or you don’t want any more plants, remove this entire stem down to the ground, and any other stems that look rough after the winter.

Hellebore x hybridus, ‘Lenten Rose’

Helleborus x hybridus

One of the classic hellebores on the market is Helleborus x hybridus, the Lenten rose, with blooms ranging from white to pink. Due to the seed grown variability it is always best to purchase plants in flower if you want to know what you’re getting. Otherwise, enjoy the surprise!

-Janet Draper, Horticulturist

Never Enough Time

Chestnut Hill Gardens, Litchfield, Connecticut, 2010. Collection of the Archives of American Gardens.

I am waiting – waiting patiently for blustery, winter weather to begin. Gardening books are neatly stacked by the couch, magazines are piled by the bed and I have even book marked several websites to explore. I have a folder of plant lists I collected during symposiums and lectures I attended. I want to research the plants that caught my eye and determine if they are as outstanding as promised or just a one shot pretty-boy? I bought a packet of graph paper, colored pencils and an architect’s ruler; I am ready to draw a detailed design for my backyard redo. I wanted to do all these jobs this summer, but I never seemed to have enough time. So, the books piled up, the websites were left unexplored and the plants are sitting in pots waiting for me to draw a proper design.

Oh, I accomplished a lot this summer – every day was filled with weeding sessions, I developed numerous lectures, and occasionally I even read sections of chosen books. But there was never enough time to be as organized or thorough as I wanted to be. I cut corners everywhere. I installed plants without researching growth habits, let weeds go to seed, missed the second pruning of the espaliered fruit trees and sometimes the lectures I gave were not as snazzy as I wanted them to be.

But during the busy growing season I didn’t despair – at least not too much. I knew disagreeable winter weather would eventually come and I would be forced to stay inside. As the wind howled and the temperatures dropped outside, I would bundle in a blanket and take the time to read, research and draw.

Winston Garden, Far Hills, New Jersey, circa 1965. Collection of the Archives of American Gardens.

Okay, winter is here! Now I’ll stay inside and start one of those saved projects. Although, I hope I have more diligence than I did last year. Every time I would sit down to read a book my dog would prod and whine and try to convince me that the weather really wasn’t all that bad. Couldn’t we please go take a walk? So I would put the book down and brave the cold weather. Another day I’d go outside to take measurements for the garden’s new design and notice all the winter weeds. The tape measure would slide back into my pocket and I would spend the afternoon pulling weeds in the brisk air. If I sat at the computer to do some cyber-surfing, I would remember all the outdoor chores that just could not wait for another day.

Do you notice a trend? The piles of books that I never have time to read didn’t accumulate overnight. I really do want to read them, but they sit undisturbed (or barely ruffled) because no matter what the weather is like I would rather be outside than inside. That’s probably why I am a gardener instead of a movie star (okay, maybe there are a couple of other reasons). Writing deadlines keep me in, pouring rain keeps me in – but for the most part, you’ll find me outside; playing in the dirt, walking the dog or drinking a glass of wine and staring at the garden beds imagining what could be.

Sometimes I feel guilty ignoring my indoor activities, but I really shouldn’t. I may not be reading about other people’s gardening experiences, but I am accumulating plenty of my own. The winter walks may keep me away from the computer, but they help me notice nature’s nuances. I become a more sensitive gardener when I am aware of the subtleties that unfold throughout the seasons. When I sit on the deck relaxing with a glass of wine, I may not be physically sketching ideas, but I am daydreaming, developing my “perfect” garden design – no eraser needed.

So I am not totally resigned from completing my noble plans; I’ll keep stacking books, piling magazines and book marking websites. I don’t think my behavior will change this year, but who knows? In the meantime, I’ll keep waiting for a string of bad weather.

See you in the garden -maybe even if it is raining.

-Cynthia Brown, Horticulture Collections Management & Education Manager

Winter Gardening Tips

The most important winter task is to take stock of your garden’s successes and failures. Mental notes are good, journal entries are better. There are plenty of mistakes to make, why repeat one?

Did you faithfully fertilize your garden during the growing season? If so, where are the leftovers? Don’t store them on your potting bench or your garden shed; bring them into an area that will remain above freezing. Some liquid fertilizers and pesticides become ineffective after freezing and thawing.

The winter months are the perfect time to take stock of the condition of your garden. Bonaire, West Orange, New Jersey, circa 1930. Ellen Biddle Shipman, landscape architect. Collection of the Archives of American Gardens.

Take advantage of warm winter days; clean up garden debris. Pests and diseases can overwinter on and in dropped fruit, vegetables, leaves and stems. Keep the garden clean and reduce the chance for re-infections. Being neat has the added benefit of reducing the amount of chores necessary in the spring.

When you are cleaning up the garden, don’t cut back the stems of subshrubs: lavender, Russian sage, perennial salvias, etc. The stems provide protection and a bit of insulation for the crown and the dormant buds. Wait till you see new signs of growth in the spring before pruning.

Talk a walk around the garden periodically to check on plants that may have “popped out” of the soil. Fluctuating soil temps – freezing and thawing – can push the perennials and pansies you planted in the fall right out of their holes. Dig the hole a bit deeper, replant and then smooth mulch around the plant’s base. This should keep the plant firmly grounded.

Use branches of pruned evergreens to protect tender perennials from wintry blasts. Maybe your rosemary plant will finally survive the winter!

Careless use of deicing products can damage both the home and the environment. To prevent damage to your home and the environment, choose a deicer carefully. Use deicers according to the directions listed on the package, if possible use even less than is recommended. Do not use fertilizer to melt ice and snow – the nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizer can harm your local streams and the Bay. Plant damage caused by deicers can often be treated by soaking the affected area with 1-inch applications of water three to four times in the spring. As an alternative to deicers – use sand, ashes, or kitty litter to improve traction on icy areas.

Remember to water plants on warm days in January, February and March especially if there has been a dry autumn. Evergreen plants, particularly those planted in the fall, are most susceptible to desiccation.

Remove snow before it can accumulate by sweeping the branches upward with a broom to lift off the snow without further stressing the limbs.

Motivated to grow ‘green’? Use organic seed in next year’s garden. Check with the National Sustainable Information Service (https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/organic_seed/) for a list of suppliers of Certified Organic seed. Several seed catalogs located in Mid-Atlantic States appear on the list, including: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (http://www.southernexposure.com/) in Mineral, Virginia, Landreth Seed Company (www.landrethseeds.com) in Baltimore, Maryland, and Seedway (www.seedway.com) in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.

-Cynthia Brown, Horticulture Collections Management & Education Manager

 

Healthy Gardens, Healthy Schools

The rain garden at Grace Episcopal Day School.

What can one teacher and a lot of elementary school students do with a big idea and a bunch of dirt? A lot, as it turns out. This inspiring story comes from Christine Comas, an elementary school science teacher at Grace Episcopal Day School in Kensington, Maryland.

As part of a summer Mobile Learning Institute, Smithsonian Gardens, the National Arboretum, and the U.S. Botanic Garden collaborated with EdLab at the Postal Museum on a week-long workshop for teachers on how to integrate mission-based learning into their curriculum. The teachers spent the week completing various missions related to the role of gardens in shaping healthy communities and sharing their findings using a variety of technology platforms.

One teacher, Christine Comas, took the assignment a step further. She decided that when she returned to school in the fall, she would challenge her students to design a garden that would improve the health of their school and their community. Last year the entire school studied the Chesapeake Bay. When Comas asked her students how they would like to help save the bay, her students responded that they wanted to create habitats for animals, keep water clean and make the school beautiful. These three powerful ideas became the guiding principles of the school rain garden.

We look forward to checking back in on the progress of the garden this spring.

Comas and her classes collaborated with Kara Crissey from Good Earth Gardeners, who provided her expertise with plant selection. All of the plants in the garden are native to the area. Explains Comas, “We chose plants that would provide habitats for birds, butterflies and other insects, that could withstand influxes of water, salt, and pollution, and that could handle pooling of water around the plant’s base. These plants along with the rain garden structure are designed to slow down the storm water runoff and assist in the percolation of the water.”

Not only does the garden provide a beautiful setting for outdoor learning, it prevents runoff into nearby Rock Creek. Every student, from preschoolers to fifth graders, had a chance to participate in the planting. They were eager to get their hands dirty while learning about the effects of rainwater runoff on the bay. For those less in-the-know than the students, signage educates the community at large about the botanical information and the positive effects of the rain garden.

Comas reflects, “I learned from the workshop that student input and ideas should be the catalyst to environmental education projects at schools. The students become deeply invested in their work. The project then becomes more meaningful, satisfying and successful. Years from now, after they have graduated, we hope that they will return and point to the garden and note that they were a part of the solution. It is my hope that they will educate others in the community on the importance of caring for the local and global environment. Together we can make a huge impact.”

Next up? This spring the third graders will be designing and planting a native vegetable garden.

Some of the plants in the garden:
Swamp Weed
Light Blue Aster
Oat Grass
Chokeberry
Shenandoah Switch Grass
Blue-Eyed Grass
Purple Coneflower
Cardinal Flower
Purple Woods Aster
Winterthur Viburnum
Eastern Red Cedar
Sweet Bay Magnolia
Pinot Noir Hibiscus
Swamp Sunflower
Swamp Hibiscus
Redosier Dogwood
River Birch
Elderberry
Blue Flag Iris
Northern Bayberry
False Indigo

You can read more about the rain garden and see pictures of the installation process here.

-Kate Fox, Museum Educator  

A Gardener’s Resolutions

Tulips and other spring flowers at the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum and Gardens, circa 1930. Collection of the Archives of American Gardens.

When the ball dropped in Times Square this January did you make a New Year’s Resolution? Shedding excess weight, increasing physical activity, and expanding intellectual awareness are popular choices.  Noble resolutions, but my favorite resolutions usually center around garden improvements. Coincidentally, while I am improving the garden I am also increasing my physical activity, shedding winter-gained pounds and increasing cerebral activity – and loving every minute.

Resolution #1: This year my garden will be perfect so I will stop apologizing when friends visit. My perfect garden is designed while daydreaming. Daydream designing is a simple pastime with outstanding results. All changes and improvements are given consideration. I can move shrubs, rearrange paths, and add ponds, sheds, and arbors repeatedly without sweating or reaching for Ben-gay. I can rethink combinations and add new plants and I don’t have to worry if the plant is accessible or expensive. Outlandish ideas that seem impossible usually develop into stunning features. The design process would be aided with photographs and complete records, but that is…

Resolution #2: I will photograph my garden during all seasons so I can remember highlights, mistakes and colors. On one side of the steps leading to my front door I planted exquisite, apricot-colored species tulips. I would like to add more, but I don’t know the cultivar and I can’t remember exactly where they are located.  To rectify this, all I would have to do is take a picture while they are blooming. I planted them 8 years ago; so far I haven’t made any new additions.

Resolution #3: I will visit _______ garden. They have the best examples of ______ and it would be fun to see how they _____ . Fill in the blanks. I have a list of gardens a mile long that I want to visit, meet the staff, and borrow ideas. I know it is important to keep your garden maintained, spend time with the family and occasionally go grocery shopping, but I also must satisfy my curiosity and see what other gardeners are creating. Besides, I may discover the name of my cute little apricot tulip.

Resolution #4: I will continue my quest for gardening trivia. Conversing at cocktail parties used to be so difficult. But since I started collecting interesting gardening facts I can talk all night. You would be surprised how many people are curious about the sex lives of aphids or how an amorphophallus is pollinated. You can acquire an amazing amount of trivia by attending lectures, subscribing to numerous journals, and reading horticultural books. Of course you’ll also improve your gardening skills, but that is a bonus.

Four resolutions, not too overwhelming; Happy New Year!

-Cynthia Brown, Horticulture Collections Management & Education Manager