Calendar of Events

Garden Talks, 6:30-8 pm

Chesapeake Library

298 Cedar Road

June 16 Amanda Lotas ,Sheila Williams

Tower Garden "Aeroponics...The New Path to

Health"

July 21 Rogard Ross

Friends of Indian River "Urban Parks and Backyard

Habitats"

August 18 Ed Bradley

Chesapeake Master Gardeners "Three Best Native Trees"

. James Dent

The Backyard Gardeners, Inc. was

established in 2007 as a

non-profit organization to

provide free education to

homeowners in the Hampton

Roads area on gardening and

horticultural practices, designs and

techniques in order to

encourage conservation of our

natural resources, the enjoyment of

gardens, garden-related

activities and creative garden art.

Low Water Woes by Patti McCambridge

Few environmental conditions strike fear in the hearts of gardeners like DROUGHT

does! Those unwelcome periods of little or no precipitation can ruin landscapes and drive

homeowners crazy. The fact a drought can be declared in as little as 15 days makes the

uninvited visitor even more menacing. However, use of common sense and good garden-

ing practices can reduce the negative effects significantly.

Preparing the soil properly, creating an efficient landscape design and placing “the right

plant in the right place” can help plants tolerate unfortunate temperature spikes. Grouping

plants with similar cultural requirements and using native plants will also create more

water-wise landscapes. In the coastal areas of Virginia and North Carolina, a number of

perennials have been shown to be successful in drought conditions. Below are six color-

ful and beneficial plants that will thrive in coastal areas with full sun or part, well-drained

soil and low water conditions.

√ Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana)-grows to 1 to 2 ft. tall, blue flower blooms in

May, has bright gold fall foliage color

√ Blanket flower (Gallardia)-grows 1 to 3ft. tall, blooms from summer through fall in

shades of yellow, red and orange, is deer resistant

√ Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantia)-grows to 18 in. tall, makes a great ground cover, the

silver/gray color of leaf is a good background for other color plants

√ Lavender (Lavindula angustifolia)-aromatic, culinary herb that grows 1 to 3 ft. tall,

attracts bees and butterflies, has a variety of health and medicinal usess

√ Mystic Blue Spires (Salvia)-grows to 3 ft. tall, attracts bees and butterflies, has a

lengthy bloom time from spring through summer

√ Yarrow- (Achillea)-grows from 10 inches to 4 ft. tall, is pest and critter resistant and

blooms in white, yellow, pink and red

Planting in the fall will help establish a strong root system that will help plants survive

better in times of low water. Mulching with 2-3 inches of a good organic material and

watering efficiently and deeply to encourage strong root growth will also help create

stronger plants and a more water-wise garden. Unfortunately for gardeners, water woes

will never disappear, but the stress both we and the plants feel in higher temperatures can

be minimized with a few wise choices and careful planning.

Backyard Views The Backyard Gardeners Summer, 2015

©www.freeflowerpictures.net ©Patti McCambridge ©Stoon|Dreamstime.com ©Patti McCambridge ©Patti McCambridge ©Patti McCambridge

Garden Hints by Patty Bennett

√ Weed weekly to keep those annoying visitors from be-coming too comfortable in your gardens.

√ Give heavy feeders like roses a monthly dose of fertil-izer. Adding a top dressing of compost is also benefi-cial.

√ Check plants frequently for insect damage and treat immediately. Use the most environmentally friendly methods of control like hand picking and insecticidal soap sprays when possible.

√ Trim and divide bearded iris to rejuvenate older plants. Sharing with friends is an added benefit.

√ For more information and seasonal gardening tips, check our website at www.thebackyardgardeners.org.

Spotlight on Gardens

You may request to be added to the newsletter mailing list at

www.thebackyardgardeners.org

or by emailing gardenguru@thebackyardgardeners.org.

Best Summer Gardens

The best garden to visit in the summer is in your own backyard...literally! You spent the winter season pruning, designing

new garden areas, combing the seed and plant catalogs for the newest and best plants and tools and dreaming of warmer

days. Once spring started and the ground warmed up, time was spent weeding, planting, fertilizing and watering those

newly found treasures. Now, it’s time to enjoy the fruits, vegetables and beautiful flowers of your labors. Relax in the ham-

mock or take a book and sit quietly in the shade of your garden. Breathe in the warm air, feel the gentle breeze, smell the

roses and eat those cute little juicy cherry tomatoes right off the vine! Yes, there are challenges like heat, humidity and mos-

quitoes, but dodging these obstacles is worth the trouble to drink in the joys of your own summer garden.

Once you’ve enjoyed the beauty and bounty of your own garden, venture out to enjoy the

bounty of other’s gardens. Hitting the local Farmers’ Markets will fill the bill. Summer

brings some of the best eating of the year with choices that range from apples to zucchini,

you can find something to tempt anyone's taste buds. It’s an alphabet of goodies!

According to Buy Fresh Buy Local Hampton Roads (BFBLHR), June brings beets, black-

berries, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, lettuce, May peas, onions, peaches,

peppers, potatoes, radishes, strawberries, sugar snap peas, summer squash, Swiss chard,

turnips and zucchini. The heat of July adds blueberries, butter beans, cantaloupe, figs, grapes, okra, raspberries, sweet corn,

tomatoes, watermelon and wax beans to the mix ,and in August you can find the early apples. Check the 2015 BFBYLHR

Guide for locations of markets, the products they carry and even local restaurants that use their crops. Celebrate Summer!!!!

Tool Corner by The Backyard Gardeners

At some point each summer, it

becomes necessary to add sup-

plemental water to the garden

Capturing rainfall using a rain

barrel has become a popular

method for meeting the need.

The Chesapeake Master Gardeners offer monthly

workshops on how to make your own. Classes are of-

fered at the Agriculture Extension trailer located at

the corner of Holt and Shea Drives at 10 a.m. on Sat-

urday, June 20; Saturday July 18; and Saturday, August

15. Registration is required and space is limited. The

fee is $55.00 and includes the barrel, hardware. And

instructions. Click here for the application.

Once you’ve made your rain barrel, there is more fun

to be had...click here for instructions on how to

paint your newly made tool.

©Gordon Jankulov

Summer Calendar of Gardening and Outdoor Events 2015 compiled by Nancy Radcliffe

June

Bike Nights at Norfolk Botanical Gardens every Monday/Wednesday/Thursday from 4 – 7 pm

thru October 15th.

5-6 Seawall Music Festival- Portsmouth

5-6 Virginia Bonsai Society Exhibit & Sale at Norfolk Botanical Gardens

5-7 Norfolk Harborfest

6 Clean The Bay Days

11 Hermitage Museum & Gardens – Sunsets on the River : Jesse Chong 5:30 – 9 pm

12- Butterfly House Opens at Norfolk Botanical Gardens

Sept. 20

13 McDonald Garden Center- String Garden Workshop at Year Round Locations $30

13 Summer Celebration Wine Festival – Lee Hall Mansion, Newport News 11 am –

6 pm

16 The Backyard Gardeners – Garden Talk at the Chesapeake Central Library from

6:30 – 8 pm

18-21 Boardwalk Art Show & Festival – Virginia Beach Oceanfront

19 Virginia Beach History Museums Celebrates Juneteenth at the Francis Land

House from 6 – 9 pm

21 2015 Daylily Show & Sale at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens

20- Chesapeake Farmers’ Market opens every Wednesday/Saturday from 8 am-

Nov 25 1 pm at Battlefield Park at 120 Reservation Road and Chesapeake City Park

25 Hermitage Museum & Gardens – Sunsets on the River: Michael Clark Band 5:30 –

9 pm

26-28 Hampton Jazz Festival

27 McDonald Garden Center – Petals & Popsicles Workshop at Year Round Loca-

tions $10

27-28 Knotts Island Ruritan Clubs 24th Annual Peach Festival

July

3 Celebrate Freedom – Concert & Fireworks at Chesapeake City Park

4 Stars & Stripes Explosion at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront

7 Hermitage Museum & Gardens – Sunsets on the River: Rare Mixx 5:30 – 9 pm

11 2nd Annual Butterfly Festival and Plant Sale at Norfolk Botanical Gardens

17-18 Pork, Peanut and Pine Festival – Surry

18-19 McDonald Garden Center- Crepe Myrtle Festival

21 The Backyard Gardeners – Garden Talk at the Chesapeake Central Library

from 6:30 – 8 pm

23 Hermitage Museum & Gardens – Sunsets on the River: Major and the Moon-

backs 5:30 – 9 pm

24-26 Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival

29-30 90th Annual Pony Swim & Auction- Chincoteague

August

15 McDonald Garden Center – Venus Fly Trap Workshop for kids at Year Round

Locations $15.00

18 Elizabethan Gardens – Virginia Dare’s Birthday Gift Shoppe Sale

18 The Backyard Gardeners – Garden Talk at the Chesapeake Central Library

from 6:30 – 8 pm

For a complete listing of gardening related events presented by local Master Gardening

groups, click the links below.

Chesapeake Master Gardeners Check the homepage and Programs and Events tab

Hampton Master Gardeners Check homepage for updates on events

Norfolk Master Gardeners check homepage and MG Projects tab

James City County/Willliamsburg Master Gardeners Master Gardener Projects tab

Newport News Master Gardeners Check homepage and Calendar of Events tab

Portsmouth Master Gardeners Events Calendar tab

Suffolk Master Gardeners Programs and Events tab

Virginia Beach Master Gardeners Events Calendar tab

York/Poquoson Master Gardeners Check homepage for events

North Carolina

Currituck Master Gardeners Events tab

Dare County Master Gardeners

Pasquotank County Master Gardeners

Click on each garden center for updated gardening events:

White’s Garden Center

McDonald’s Garden Center

Enchanted Forest Garden Center