November/December 2003 Newsletter of The Friends of the Horticulture Farm

*INSIDE THIS ISSUE* November/December 2003
Mark Your Calendar	Great Holiday Gift!
Mushroom Walk Round-Up	Award
Thank You Volunteers!	In Memoriam
Winter Meetings and Schedules for Collections and Facilities Committee	Thank You, Charles Johnson
Farm Wraps-Up Another Successful Season	Fern Collection at Hort. Farm
Spring Bulb Planting	Spring Gardens of Devon and Cornwall
Amur Maackia: Summer-Flowering Tree	On Bartram’s Franklinia alatamaha
Steamboat Springs Botanical Garden

November 2003

Mark Your Calendar

All activities are to be held at the UVM Horticultural Research Center in South Burlington, unless otherwise specified. For members of The Friends, a $5 donation is requested for lectures, workshops, and tours, unless otherwise noted, ($10 for non-members). Call the office of The Friends of the Horticulture Farm for details. We request phone reservations to help us with event planning. Call: 864-3073, unless otherwise indicated.

November 8
Giants and Pixies in the Garden
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Presenter: Alice Beisiegel, Leaves of Grass, Williston
Alice will share her fascination with some of the most diminutive and gargantuan members of the plant world that can be grown in Vermont gardens. Come and expand your thinking beyond creeping phlox and hollyhocks!

December 6
Trees and Shrubs with Winter Interest
10 a.m. - noon
Presenter: Dr. Norman Pellett, UVM Professor Emeritus and horticulturist
Many trees and shrubs offer interesting characteristics to inspire our view of the winter landscape. This illustrated talk will present plants with distinctive bark, fruit, density, habit, foliage and planting arrangement to create striking winter scenes. Plant samples and slides will be used to suggest plants for the winter landscape and decor.

January 6
Spring Bulbs & Gardens of Holland
7 - 9 p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Leonard Perry, UVM Extension Professor
Dr. Perry will be showing beautiful slides and conducting a lively talk guaranteed to dispel cabin fever.

January 7
A Collector's Passion: Rare, Unusual and Fun Trees and Shrubs
7 - 9 p.m.
Presenter: Adam Wheeler, graduate student, UVM Department of Plant & Soil Science
Expand your knowledge and change the way you garden with this slide presentation highlighting the diversity of trees and shrubs available to the adventurous gardener. Assorted pictures and cultural techniques will be presented and sources will be provided when available.
This workshop should be of interest to professional horticulturalists as well as serious amateur growers.

Great Holiday Gift!

The Friends 10th Anniversary Calendar will be available in December. A free copy will be mailed to members. However, you may place orders now for extra copies to give to gardening friends and family members and they will be mailed to you as soon as available. Each copy will be $5, inclusive of postage.

Friends of the Hort. Farm Calendar Order Form:
(Please PRINT clearly)
Name: _________________________________
Address: _______________________________
City: __________________________________
State: ________ Zip Code: _____________

Daytime Phone: _____________
Evening Phone: _____________
Number ___ of copies x $5 per copy =
Total amount enclosed: $_________

Make checks payable to FHF
Mail to: The Friends of the Horticulture Farm
PO Box 64788
Burlington, VT 05406-4788

Mushroom Walk Round-Up

Over 50 people joined Stephanie Miner and Robert Resnick, both experienced mycologists at the annual Mushroom Walk at the Hort. Farm on September 7. Although it had been a dry month or so before the event, participants did find a few treasures. Thanks go to Robert for expanding on the few local mycological treats with store-bought Shitaki.

Award

Mark Starrett, UVM Associate Professor of Horticulture, and Norman Pellett, Professor Emeritus of Plant and Soil Science, received the American Society for Horticultural Science Extension Publication Award for their book, Landscape Plants for Vermont. The award was presented at the ASHS conference in Rhode Island on October 5. This publication is available through the Vermont Master Gardener's Program at master.gardener@uvm.edu.

Thank You Volunteers!

We wish to thank the generous volunteers that assisted with the staffing of The Friends’ booth at the 24th Annual Harvest Festival at Shelburne Farms on Saturday, September 20. For hauling the exhibit to the site and gathering up the various display materials, we thank David Heleba. For answering the many questions from the visiting public and staffing the booth, we thank Bridget Meyer, Nick Meyer, Stephanie Miner, and Sarah Salatino. As always, we thank our devoted Volunteer Coordinator, Stephanie Miner, for rallying the troops.

In Memoriam

We regret to announce the passing of Owen H. Becker on September 29, 2003, in East Hampton, Connecticut. Owen, formerly of South Burlington, Vermont, was the husband of long-time Friends’ member and Volunteer Coordinator, Margaret “Peggy” Becker. A native of Syracuse, New York, Owen was employed by IBM Corp. for 29 years in human resources and personnel administration, retiring as site services manager in Essex Jct. In 1995, he joined Bank North Group in Burlington, serving as Executive Vice President of Administration for 5 years before moving to Connecticut. Owen served as Chairman of the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce from 1997-1998, as well as on many business and community boards in Chittenden County. Owen and Peggy Becker generously gave their time and talents to The Friends of the Horticulture Farm. We have missed them both, since their move to southern New England, although the Beckers have remained faithful supporters from afar. We send our sincerest condolences to Peggy and her children.

Winter Meetings and Schedules for
Collections and Facilities Committee

It’s time to set up the Collections and Facilities Committee’s winter meetings. These will be short on talk with simple agendas. Meeting times will be 10:00-11:30 a.m. For those who wish to stay, there will be an accompanying work project in the afternoon. All meetings will be held at the Blasberg Building, UVM Horticultural Research Center (the Hort. Farm).

December 6
NOTE: This first meeting will be held immediately after Norman Pellett’s presentation (approx. 12 noon)
Agenda: Start selection process for ordering lilacs and rhododendrons for spring planting.
Work project: Cleaning debris from shrub collection and mulching anything that needs it.

January 10
Agenda: Finalize order for lilac and rhododendron plant selections.
Work project: Bridge work – put utility poles in place and connect the walk along the irrigation pond to the area utilized by Branch Out Burlington!

February 7
Agenda: To be determined, but will include identifying the frequency and dates of the remaining winter meetings.

Anyone who wishes to participate and wants more information, contact Dave Heleba at 656-0473 or Hal Bill at (802) 933-2004 or rhodotree@hotmail.com.

The Friends of the Horticulture Farm
Curators of Plant Collections

collection	curator	phone number
Building Plantings	Caroline Friede
Cary Garden	Mark Starrett	656-0467
Conifers	John Hoogenboom	223-6584
Crabapples	Jonathan Brownell	865-2268
Ferns	Nancy Simson	864-6854
Lilacs	Reed Cherington	862-8545
Perennials	Mary Mazur	658-3975
Rhododendrons & Azaleas	Hal Bill	933-2004
Shrubs	Jonathan Brownell	865-2268
Viburnums	none

Thank You,
Charles Johnson

On Saturday, October 4, a dozen members of The Friends and guests enjoyed an informative slide presentation by Charles Johnson on “The Ecology of Fall Color.” Johnson, former Vermont State Naturalist and noted author, provided a brief introduction to the physiological and chemical changes in woody plants that give rise to Vermont’s brilliant autumn displays. Because peak foliage was more evident in Central Vermont (where Johnson lives), the speaker had brought cut samples from “turning” trees and vines near his home to illustrate the color range between and within a given species. Johnson’s slides were helpful in showing how different communities of trees create different color effects in the Vermont landscape. Although rain and wind were the predominant weather for the afternoon, most of the workshop participants headed out into the Hort. Farm woods to find their own examples of autumn foliage. Upon their return to the Blasberg Building, they enjoyed hot coffee and apples from the Hort. Farm. Many thanks, Charles Johnson, for adding to our knowledge about Vermont’s wondrous forest landscape.

Farm Wraps-Up Another Successful Season
by Tobiah Schulman, 2003 Farm Manager

As the snow clouds threaten the mountains with the cold, white stuff (I mean snow), the fields at Common Ground Student-Run Farm are getting ever closer to empty. “What?” you say, “There are still veggies in the field? Isn’t all farming over and done with?” Well, not quite.

There are a few carrots and some hardy kale still hanging around. That is because carrots and kale can survive until December in some cases. Last year our kale survived right up until it was getting consistently covered with snow, and carrots will do fine, being protected by the earth, as long as you can pry them out of it! So, while the tomatoes, cukes, and melons have given their last hurrah, there is still a little in the garden to smile about, even if the weather itself isn’t so hot. Ooooh, bad pun.

A fun fact about carrots: This root crop will actually survive right through the winter and come up and bloom the second year in some cases, as carrots are naturally biennial (they need two years to flower and set seed). So, if you want to save carrots for extended periods over the winter, you can actually store them in a bucket of moist sand kept just above freezing to mimic their natural over-wintering process. Many garden veggies can be stored for long periods simply by replicating the conditions that they would normally face when surviving the winter in order to ensure the next generation. The goal is to create perfect conditions, so crops will store the longest. Winter squash, onions, and potatoes are all good examples. Contact: http://www.henrysfarm.com/foodpreservation.pdf for more information.

This fall continues to be a learning experience for me, as the fields needed to be cleared of all diseased and/or woody plant material, irrigation equipment disassembled and stored, garlic planted, strawberries mulched, and winter cover (we use winter rye) planted. This weekend, the 25th and 26th of October, looks like the time we might finally be able to plant our winter rye. We have already pulled out all of our tomatoes to reduce disease problems next year, as well as most of the brassicas (cabbage family plants). Garlic was planted last weekend, as it is generally best to plant it around Columbus Day in our area. Strawberries will be mulched with straw as soon as they go dormant and therefore don’t need sunlight anymore. This protects them from some of the harshest winter weather.

Once the fields are really put to bed, the planning for next year will begin! This year, in addition to seed ordering, budgeting, and club member recruitment, we are looking into utilizing some of our wonderful new greenhouse space to grow some indoor veggies like tomatoes and cucumbers. We may even do some herbs or greens! The club is also looking into having some experts come and talk to us about agriculture-related topics and we are open to suggestions. If you know your stuff, we want to hear it! Please contact me at tschulma@zoo.uvm.edu if you’d like to share!

Thanks for listening this summer. I hope you all enjoyed my updates. Have a great winter and I’ll let you know about the carrots later.

Fern Collection at Hort. Farm

Spring Bulb Planting

Spring Gardens of Devon and Cornwall

Consider joining Dr. Leonard Perry of UVM on a tour abroad this coming spring to get a jump on spring flowers and color, and to see some of the finest gardens England has to offer. You'll also discover one of the more unique and beautiful parts of Britain.

Dr. Perry will once again be teaming up with Jeff Sainsbury, of Jeff Sainsbury Tours of England and Europe, for this competitively priced and meticulously planned tour which, unlike those of many other firms, includes airfare. The tour runs from April 13 to 23, 2004.

As a result of their mild maritime climate and rich gardening history, the bucolic counties of Devon and Cornwall are home to some of the best gardens and most beautiful and rare plants in England. There is no better time to visit this horticultural paradise than springtime, when the rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, and magnolias burst into a riot of perfumed color. Join us on this tour as we experience this spectacular display and discover the magnificent variety of the region's gardens.

We'll visit, among many other sites, Coleton Fishacre's luxuriant valley garden, the romantic woodland gardens at Caerhays Castle, and the internationally-renowned Trebah garden, with its many interesting and exotic trees and shrubs. We'll see the recently restored gardens at Hestercombe, designed by Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens just before WWI and regarded by many as their masterpiece. Another highlight is a helicopter ride to the remote Scilly Isles to see the fantastic subtropical gardens of Tresco Abbey, described by writer Patrick Taylor as like no other garden in the world. And since no garden tour to this part of England would be complete without a visit to the incredible Lost Gardens of Heligan and the ambitious Eden Project, we include both on this trip. The latter is one of the largest greenhouses in the world, created over an abandoned quarry, and containing plants of various world climates. Staying in charming inns and seaside hotels, we'll also explore the country lanes, ancient moors, quaint villages, and delightfully unspoiled fishing ports for which this beautiful part of England is known.

Complete details and booking form can be found at: http://www.jeffsainsburytours.com/england04.html or contact Dr. Perry for a printed copy (leonard.perry@uvm.edu, 656-0479). Book this tour before December 24, 2003 and you'll save $100 per person!

"Tour Gardens of Pennsylvania's Brandywine Valley" Visit Longwood, Winterthur and other gardens with Leonard Perry, Extension Specialist at the University of Vermont, and Katie Elzer, Curator of Landscape at Fort Ticonderoga, in early May 2004. Mark your calendar now and watch for more details!

Quebec gardens tour, August 10, 2004
This tour by luxury coach will visit the Daniel Seguin garden in St. Hyacinthe in the morning. This garden is next to the agricultural school, serves as a working lab for the horticulture students, and has many types of gardens including a large annual border and Japanese gardens. Some photos can be found on my website (http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/gardens/gm1102.htm) The afternoon will be at the Montreal Botanic Gardens-- considered by many the second most important such in the world, with almost 100 acres of many types of gardens.

Amur Maackia: Summer-Flowering Tree

by Norman Pellett

Amur maackia (Maackia amurensis) is a small attractively shaped tree growing at the UVM Horticultural Research Center since 1971. This specimen, in the tree collection at the south end of the farm, is approximately 20-feet tall, but the literature reports it growing ultimately to 25- to 30-feet high. As a member of the legume family, it reportedly fixes nitrogen in the soil.

Native to Manchuria and Korea, the tree is hardy in zone 4. Although rare in landscape plantings at this time, the tree should be quite tolerant of difficult soil conditions often found in urban sites as are other members of the legume family. It has proven to be pest-resistant and its creamy white flowers borne on 4- to 6-inch long, upright racemes in mid- to late-July are showy when most other trees and shrubs have finished blooming. The flowers remind me of candles on a Christmas tree. Its 2- to 3-inch elongate pods persist through most of the winter. The reddish- to olive- colored bark peels and curls on older trees. The autumn color is not attractive since the leaves turn brown before they fall.

The plant can be propagated from seed, but pretreatment is needed to score or soften the hard seed coat before germination can occur. Place the seed in a container of boiling water, removed from the heat to let it cool slowly, and soak the seed for 8 to 12 hours before planting. Sanding the edge of the seed with sandpaper is a useful technique when only a few seedlings are wanted.

If the Amur maackia proves tolerant of compacted soils, high pH and drought, it could be useful as a street tree. I believe the City of Burlington is planting some. I see some in the rows of the Burlington Community Tree Nursery of Branch Out Burlington! at the Hort. Farm. The spreading habit with layered branches makes an elegant specimen for the small home grounds or as groupings of three or more in larger spaces. If underplanted with perennial ground cover, ferns or other low growing perennials and annuals the composition would make an attractive spot in the landscape.

On Bartram’s
Franklinia alatamaha

by Dr. John Craighead

Recently in the burying ground of a quaint, Newport, Rhode Island colonial church, I discovered a cluster of one of North America’s rarest natives, Franklinia alatamaha, a flowering shrubby tree named in honor of Ben Franklin. Found in 1765 by the renowned American plant explorer John Bartram, on the Altamaha River in central Georgia, it was soon introduced into more temperate regions of North America and Europe. Fewer than 2000 specimens are now known to remain in cultivation worldwide, and the native population is believed to be extinct. In August through September, Franklinia alatamaha displays a luxuriant array of cup-shaped, chalk white, 2 inch flowers each resembling a single-camellia. Brilliant scarlet foliage appears somewhat later as autumn progresses. A beautiful fall-bloomer having few equals, it is a fitting monument to America’s truly brilliant intellectual and patriot.

As I reflected on my discovery, the career of the remarkable American botanist, John Bartram, immediately came to mind. Described by Linneaus as “the greatest (field) botanist in the world,” Bartram explored the southeastern United States introducing some 200 new plants into cultivation on his farm along the Schuylkill River near Philadelphia. Many of these plants found their way into gardens throughout the colonies and England before the Revolutionary War. But Bartram was more than a field botanist, he was a self-taught physician with a profound knowledge of herbal medicine and a talented farmer who was among the first to introduce the practices of crop rotation and fallowing of agricultural land.

For those who are interested in seeing the Franklinia tree and learning more about John Bartram, I recommend a visit to his historic garden now maintained in Philadelphia. Contact www.bartramsgarden.org.

Steamboat Springs Botanical Garden

by Dr. John Craighead

At 7,000 feet, Steamboat Spring, Colorado provides an inviting summer climate for flowering plants and tourists alike.

Recently, my wife and I visited the Steamboat Springs Botanical Garden, located along the Yampa River and centrally sited in this booming, mountainous, all-season resort community. This remarkable garden of approximately five acres was established as a memorial gift in the mid-1990's, and is now maintained by various service organizations, business groups, and interested citizens.

The Botanical Garden can best be described as a series of tiered, interconnected, rock gardens developed around themes. Modern sculpture provides a focus for the individual components of this ambitious undertaking. There are gardens for both children and senior citizens, as well as access for the mobility-impaired. Other gardens are designed to attract butterflies and birds. There is an extraordinary collection of the naturally-occurring Rocky Mountain flora, but also an impressive representation of the cultivated plants that thrive in this refreshingly cool but nonetheless sunny environment. In mid-July I recorded in my notes over fifty different plants in bloom that had been previously unfamiliar to me.

Aside from the opportunity to enjoy this remarkably diverse collection of flowering plants and specimen trees, I was impressed with how effectively interested citizens maintain the rich, but nonetheless casual atmosphere, of this outstanding garden. Perhaps most impressive of all - there were few if any weeds!