GR E Y N O L D A G A R D E N S

o f W a k e F o r e s t U n i v e r s i t y

ardener¦sFall2009

J O U R N A L

The Cedars of Reynolda

by Preston Stockton, RGWFU manager

Idon’t think I will ever forget the morningof January 21, 1985. It was minus eightdegrees Fahrenheit. The greenhouse had alayer of ice so thick on the inside of the glassthat you needed an ice scraper to see outside.The boilers were running full speed, and yetthe offices were barely forty degrees. Thatmorning set a new record low for this area.Many will remember that the East Coast wasso cold that Ronald Reagan’s second inaugu-ration was moved inside to the CapitolRotunda, the first time in history. It was atough winter for our landscape plants.

Later that spring and summer, the resultsof that cold night were very evident. I stoodon the front lawn of Reynolda House Museumof American Art with Nick Bragg, the execu-tive director at the time, looking at the beauti-ful cedars that framed the house. One wasobviously dead, and several had dying lead-ers. We hated the thought of removing these

Snakes in the Garden

by Diane Wise, RGWFU head horticulturist

Aaaargh!” The scream could be heardall over the Gardens. It sounded as if it camefrom somewhere near the Lion’s HeadFountain. I took off running in that directionand arrived at about the same time as Prestondid. A visitor was standing under the tea housewith the most incredible look of horror on herface. As I drew closer, I could see why. There,right in front of the woman’s face, was a verylarge and very black snake, dangling by its tailfrom the arbor. Now I know we’ve all beentaught that snakes are just as frightened of usas we are of them, but I don’t think our guestbelieved it. As the poor snake disappeared intoone of the columns supporting the arbor, thewoman continued to tremble in fear. Her hus-band tried to talk her through the encounter; Iexplained that the snake was just sunning, wasgone, and was harmless; and she still couldn’tmove. Finally, after about five minutes, thewoman hurried from the garden, probablynever to return. I’m sorry she had that experi-ence. We are so accustomed to seeing snakes atthe Gardens that a reaction like our visitor’s isalways a surprise to me. Maybe she suffersfrom ophidiophobia, from the Greek wordsophis, meaning snake and phobia meaningfear of. Then again, maybe she just doesn’tknow enough about snakes to appreciate theircontributions to the natural world and, in par-ticular, to our gardens. If the latter is the case,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

The

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

“

Gifts received between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009

BenefactorAnonymousMr. and Mrs. Bruce M. BabockMr. and Mrs. Craig E. EisenacherGarden Club Council of Winston-

Salem and Forsyth CountyMr. and Mrs. Nicholas MillhousePfefferkorn Foundation

PatronMr. and Mrs. Royall R. Brown, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. John BurressMrs. Patricia R. DixsonMr. and Mrs. Don FlowLittle Greens Garden ClubGrace and John McKinnonMr. and Mrs. Kenneth F.

MountcastleMr. Dalton D. RuffinDr. Richard B. WeinbergJoAnn and Bryan Yates

SponsorMr. and Mrs. Leslie M. Baker, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Ram and Gayathri

BaligaDr. and Mrs. Malcolm BrownMr. and Mrs. Thomas H.

Crichlow, Jr.Dan and Teri EmmiMrs. John H. FeltsForest Garden ClubMs. Wanda W. HackbarthRobbie and Dave IrvinMs. Catherine LassiterDr. and Mrs. William McCallLarry and Dee Ann RobbsMr. and Mrs. Andrew J. SchindlerMr. and Mrs. E. Brice ShearburnMrs. Carol E. StrittmatterDr. and Mrs. James F. TooleVillage Tavern, Inc.Susan B. WallDr. James M. Walter, Jr. and

Ms. Michelle A. PortmanMr. and Mrs. William R. WatsonDr. and Mrs. Richard and

Mary WeaverLynn and Jeff Young

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 2

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

Rattler. I guess that these three particular speciesaccount for most people’s fear of snakes, and, tobe sure, their bites can be very dangerous. Butaccording to the United States Food and DrugAdministration, although 8,000 people receivevenomous snake bites in the U.S. each year, onlynine to fifteen victims (.2%) die. The majority ofthe fatalities received no first aid or medicaltreatment. The vast majority of the bites, about80%, occurred when the individual was tryingto handle or kill a snake. In our state, only twopeople have died of snake bites since 1970, perN.C. health records. (Actually, snake venommay have a positive side. Currently, the FDA isconducting fast-track clinical trials to test thetherapeutic value of a venom-derived productcalled ancrod, which dissolves blood clots; it isbelieved that ancrod could be useful in treatingischemic stroke.)

It really is true—snakes are just as fright-ened of you as you are of them, probably moreso. And if you simply leave them alone, they’llleave you alone. Should you encounter a ven-omous snake, slowly back away from it. If youcan’t back away and must walk around it, giveit at least six feet of space. In many experts’opinions and ours here at Reynolda, livingwith venomous snakes is really no differentfrom living with hornets, wasps, or yellowjackets. If you find a hornet’s nest, you don’tdisturb it; the same with finding a snake. Tokeep yourself and your loved ones safe, pleaselook at the website www.herpsofnc.org. It isterrific and will help you identify our snakes,both venomous and non-venomous. As theysay—a picture speaks a thousand words.

The snake you will most likely encounterin your garden and around your home is theblack snake, a creature that is very beneficial tothe environment. Did you know that there isno one black snake? The term black snake isused to identify three different non-venomoussnakes, commonly the Black Rat Snake, theNorthern Black Racer, and, sometimes, theEastern Kingsnake. All three are very valuableto our landscapes and should be encouraged totake up residence in our gardens. Why?Because their main diet consists of rodents.That’s right—rodents, those ravenous littlecreatures that destroy all of our hard work; rats,

this article would serve as a valuable education to her.

Snakes in GeneralSnakes are cold-blooded and must move froma warm to a cool spot in order to regulate theirbody temperature. They prefer sunny areaswith woodpiles and other debris that can pro-vide a shaded hiding place. Snakes must haveheat in order to digest their food, so they par-ticularly like large rocks, broad stretches ofconcrete, and, as I know firsthand from theformal garden, slate paths. In our climate, thesnake spends the winter hibernating in a den,called a hibernacula, but will awaken on verywarm days to bask in the sun. In the earlyspring here at Reynolda, if the day is brightand sunny, we can usually see a twisted, knotted,mass of snakes in the window of the pump-house adjoining the outside swimming pool inthe woods. Although not generally territorial,the snake does remain faithful to its hibernac-ula and reuses the site from year to year, some-times sharing it with other snakes. The snakefinds its prey by sight and scent. It has anexcellent sense of smell, thanks to its forkedtongue, which carries scent to the Jacobson’sorgan in the roof of its mouth. Since the snakedoesn’t have a middle ear, it can’t hear verywell; consequently, the old saying that oneshould always speak loudly in the woods toscare off snakes doesn’t work very well. You’dbe better off if you stomp your feet, as thesnake detects movement through vibrations.

North Carolina’s SnakesNorth Carolina has thirty-seven species ofnative snakes, six of which are venomous.Notice that I said venomous, rather than poisonous; venom is injected, while poison isingested. Only three species of venomoussnakes are found in the Piedmont; all of themare pit vipers: the Agkistrodon contortrix orCopperhead; the Agkistrodon piscivorous or Cottonmouth; and the Crotalus horridus orTimber Rattler, sometimes called the Canebrake

Snakes in the Garden

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

FamilyDr. and Mrs. Robby Abou-RizkDr. Mark and Mrs. Susan AndrewsAnonymousMr. Phil ArcherMr. and Mrs. John and Marge AselJames BarefieldMr. and Mrs. John D. Bassett IVBill and Louise BazemoreMr. and Mrs. F. James Becher, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Gray T. BoyetteMr. and Mrs. Shasta M. BryantMr. and Mrs. David B. ButlerClaire and Hudnall ChristopherMrs. Paul J. CienerNancy and Bill ColvinMary A CranfillMr. George CroneMr. Larrie W. DawkinsDr. and Mrs. James P. DickersonCarol DimlingDr. and Mrs. James T. Dobbins, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. EmkenMr. and Mrs. Vic FlowMrs. Margaret P. FosterTom and Julia FredericksEmily and Dick GlazeMrs. Ruby GriffinDr. Charles GunnMr. and Mrs. Borden HanesMrs. Gordon HanesJanette and James HarrisDrs. Robin and Annette HastieMr. and Mrs. Marcus and

Anne HesterDoris HohmanMr. and Mrs. James E. Holmes, Jr.Mrs. E. R. HowardMr. and Mrs. John C. HuffmanMr. and Mrs. John W. HuttonMs. Dale Jaeger/The Jaeger

CompanyMr. and Mrs. Richard and

Sharon JoheWarren and Susan L. JonesJeff and Jean KellyBarbara and Leon KendrickEllen Kirby and Richard McGovernBob and Elen KnottDr. and Mrs. Keith R. and

Ruth KookenMs. Emily Kraft/Reynolda Tax

and Accounting ServiceMrs. Gail Allen LakeMr. and Mrs. Paul J. LaurientiCynthia and Monty LeonardDr. and Mrs. Dan LocklairJim and Mary Allen MartinJohn and Karan MatthewsDr. and Mrs. Henry S. Miller, Jr.Ms. Ellen MincerDr. and Mrs. John H. MonroeMr. and Mrs. Alan and

Beverly MooreMr. and Mrs. Harold S. MooreMr. and Mrs. E. C. and

Barbara MorrisMr. and Mrs. George C.

MountcastleMs. Everdina Nieuwenhuis

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 3

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

mice, voles, moles—you name it, they eat it. Irecently saw an episode of the television pro-gram, Nature, that focused on biologists’attempts to reintroduce rat-eating snakes tosome villages in Vietnam in an effort to protectharvested grain. A single Black Rat Snake caneat four dozen rats a year; considering that onepair of rats can produce ninety offspring in thesame period…well, you get the picture. Thenfactor in the rats’ offsprings’ offspring. Nowyou see why we love our black snakes!

Here is a brief description of each one ofthe black snakes; the website mentioned hasexcellent pictures.

Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta, Black Rat Snake The Black Rat Snake is the most commonblack snake in our area. Shy and docile, it aver-ages forty-two to seventy-two inches long,with the record a whopping 101 inches! Thissnake has a powerful, slender body about twoinches in diameter. The skin is a dull blackbecause the scales are slightly keeled; that is,they have a raised ridge along the middle ofeach scale, and usually a bit of white showsbetween them. The belly is whitish near thehead and becomes mottled, with a mix ofwhite and black markings, towards the tail.The Black Rat Snake lives in forests, fields,farmlands, neighborhoods, and in old build-ings. It is an excellent climber and can easilymake its way up the side of a tree by holdingonto the bark with its belly scales. This is thesnake often seen in barns, stretched out on therafters. They do no damage to property, asthey only use existing holes and entryways. Itis a constrictor and squeezes its prey to death.The Black Rat Snake lives on rats (big sur-prise), mice, voles, moles, shrews, birds, andbirds’ eggs. It typically freezes when confront-ed by a person and will remain motionlessuntil the danger is past. If provoked, it will coilits body into kinks and vibrate its tail in deadleaves, to simulate a rattle, and release a foul-smelling musk from a gland near its tail. It willbite only if pushed. If you have a Black RatSnake in your garden, you have rodents; butyou’d have a lot more without it. There is avery large Black Rat Snake living in the Pinkand White Garden. He has been there since I

arrived at Reynolda in 1998, and I see him atleast once a week. He surprised Tony Ma’luf,one of our volunteers, a couple of years agowhen Tony was weeding around the tea house.Tony handled the incident with remarkableaplomb and dubbed him Old Henry. Thename stuck.

Coluber constrictor constrictor, Northern Black RacerThe Northern Black Racer is also very com-mon in the Piedmont and is known for itsspeed. It is similar to the Black Rat Snake inlength, about thirty-six to sixty-six inches, butit is usually more slender. The body is solidblack and shiny because the scales are smooth.There is a small whitish patch under the chinand along the throat. The Racer has a bluishgray belly, rather than the white belly of theRat Snake, and enjoys the same habitat. Thissnake likes to lie in open areas and bask in thesun, and I have seen one many times on theslate path in the formal garden. The BlackRacer chases its prey down and eats it alive.Unlike most snakes, the Racer has excellentvision and can often be seen hunting with itshead raised above the ground. It eats mice,voles, moles, shrews, insects, and lizards. Thisnormally passive snake will defend itself ifthreatened. When cornered, the Racer willcoil, rattle its tail as a warning, release a sprayof musk, and lunge at the intruder repeatedly.

Lapropeltis getula, Eastern KingsnakeWhile not completely black, the EasternKingsnake is often referred to as a black snake.Almost as common as the Rat Snake and theRacer, the Kingsnake is stout and measuresanywhere from thirty-two to seventy-twoinches in length. It has a black back with achain-like pattern of thin, white or yellowbands. The belly has white or yellow patcheson a black background. The Kingsnake has thesame habitat as the Rat Snake and the Racer,and it can often be found in woodpiles, mulchpiles, under shrubs, and in tall grass. This is avery strong constrictor that just loves rodents,the bigger the better. The Kingsnake is also a

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Ray and Cathy OwenMs. Alice E. ParrishAbbie and Francis Pepper, Jr.Susan PfefferkornGary and Sandy PoehlingMr. and Mrs. William E. Rabil, Jr.Mr. Norwood RobinsonMr. and Mrs. H. C. Roemer, Jr.Debra and Peter RosenquistDrs. Mary and Walter RoufailMr. and Mrs. Thomas J. RuckerMr. and Mrs. James M. RuffinMr. and Mrs. Glenn SalmonsDr. and Mrs. Omar SanguezaDrs. Kelli K. Sapp and Herman EureMrs. Betsy Ivey SawyerMr. and Mrs. William C. ScurryShamrock Garden ClubDouglas and Ruth ShouseMr. and Mrs. Jerome H. SilberMr. and Mrs. Ian SilversidesMr. and Mrs. Donald G. SmithMr. and Mrs. Gray SmithMr. and Mrs. James Y. SpencerMr. and Mrs. Robert G. Stockton, Jr.Ms. Katherine Kendrick StrengMr. and Mrs. Charles and

Nancy ThomasMrs. Donna T. TorreysonTwin City Garden ClubDr. and Mrs. Harry B. UnderwoodMr. and Mrs. O. A. Verner, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. William R. Wallace, Jr.Ginny Weiler and Claudine LegaultDoug and Mary WhiteCharles E. Williams, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. John Williard

DonorJones and Martha AbernethyMrs. Emily AllenMrs. Don G. AngellMs. Sarah BarnhardtMrs. Carol BauguessKay and Don BergeyMs. Dede BohnMrs. Debra BrennerMichael and Stephanie BrooksGrace and Jimmy BroughtonMr. and Mrs. Vernon CarltonMr. Richard CarmichaelMr. and Mrs. R. A. CashMr. and Mrs. Tim CreefMr. and Mrs. Brian and Cindy DavisLinda Gibson DavisMr. Tom DeeseMr. and Mrs. Charles L. DolgeMs. Carolyn G. DowMrs. William B. DuncanMr. and Mrs. John DunkelbergMs. Janelle S. FrazierJanet and Gene FrekkoDr. and Mrs. Robert L. GibsonMrs. Janet S. HanoMr. and Mrs. Kevin P. HarperMrs. Lynne HartMs. Virginia S. HartHerb Society of America/

North Carolina UnitMr. and Mrs. Lawrence N. Holden

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 4

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

The BestPeppers of the Season

by Michelle Hawks,RGWFU horticulturist

Growing peppers can be a very excitingand fulfilling process. You may remember thatgrowing peppers used to mean growing greenbell peppers and not much else, but now thereare so many types and colors of peppers avail-able on the market that it makes it almostimpossible to choose.

There are two main types of garden pep-pers, sweet and hot. Sweet peppers offer apalette of culinary and visual pizzazz. Imaginea pepper plant with fruit that can be green,orange, red, gold, lime, or even purple.Combine this broad color spectrum with acrunchy texture and mellow, sweet taste, end-less culinary uses, ease of growth, and com-pact plant habit, and you’ve got a versatilesweet pepper. Even the most common variety,a green bell such as California Wonder, pro-vides a visual delight because the shiny, greenfruits develop further to brilliant red when lefton the plant to reach full maturity. The wallsof the fruit thicken as it reaches its peak ofmaturation, and the sweetness increases.Others in this category are pimiento, sweetbanana, sweet cherry, and sweet wax types. Ifit’s hot peppers you’re after, look for habanero,jalapeno, cayenne, and serrano. Hot peppersare usually smaller and thinner than sweetpeppers and come in shades of green, yellow,and red, and even white. The heat factorincreases as the fruit of hot varieties matures.

This Season’s Best PeppersSome of my most precious childhood memoriesare of my mom preparing stuffed peppers andof the two of us picking peppers in the gardenand eating them right there. I still till andplant her garden every Mother’s Day. The firstthing she says to me is, “Are you going toplant any peppers?” And of course I alwaysdo. When I thought about growing peppers

in the garden at Reynolda, I knew I wanted avariety, and a variety I got, as you can seefrom the list below.

FishAn heirloom variety used to flavor fish andshellfish. It has wonderful mottled foliage andis a good ornamental. The small fruits arevery hot.

LadybugI chose this one because I hoped the fruitwould be as cute as ladybugs, and it is.Although it’s a little hotter than I like, it hasgrown and produced wonderfully well.

LipstickAgain, I chose this pepper for the name. It’ssweet and delicious, raw or cooked.

Prairie FireThis one caught my attention because it wasdescribed as a good container plant, and I’malways on the lookout for plants that grow incontainers; however, I found that it grew bet-ter in the garden than in a container. The tinyfruits are truly firey.

Black PearlThis is one of Preston’s favorites. She grows itas an ornamental—it’s way too hot to eat. Theleaves and fruit are almost black in color.

RiotSpiky fruits in various stages cover the leavesand form a low-growing mound. Hot.

Rooster SpurThis is another heirloom with an unusualname. Who wouldn’t want a pepper by thisname? It bears prolifically, but the peppers aretoo hot for most people, even those who lovevery hot peppers.

SunrayI love all peppers, but Sunray was my favorite.My grandmother always grew yellow peppersbecause she loved the sweetness of them, andI’ve carried on the tradition.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Dr. and Mrs. Cleve HollarMr. and Mrs. Dudley HumphreyMs. Betty W. JohnsonMs. Sara H. JohnsonJanet JoynerPam KahlDr. Marilyn N. KarlsonDr. and Mrs. Robert KellyMs. Martha KennedyMr. and Mrs. Doug LewisPaul and Sheilah LombardoMs. Anne LongDr. and Mrs. Tony and Jan Ma’lufMr. G. B. ManningMr. and Mrs. Larry MartinMrs. Carroll L. McCulloughEllen McCulloughDr. Robert L. MeansMs. Gayle G. MeredithMr. and Mrs. James E. Messick, Jr.Nancy Moltman and John SkipperMonkee’s of the VillageCharles Monroe and Susan MelvilleMs. Deanna Carlisle MossMrs. F. Bradford Myers, Jr.Mrs. Nancy M. NadingMr. Walt NadingDillon and Louise NeavesMr. and Mrs. Fred L. Newman, Jr.Ms. Florence NorrisAllison Norton-RimronMr. and Mrs. Albert Oettinger, Jr.Ms. Linda PassVirginia and Dane PerryCarl and Mary PorcheyCharles and Anna PrattMrs. Faye RayDillon and Karen RobertsonMr. and Mrs. James S. RodgersMs. Victoria RoemerLynne and Herb RoosaMs. Shelley RutkinMs. Mary Carol SappMargaret Savoca and Bruce BradfordMrs. Lyttleton ScottMr. and Mrs. John R. ShoreMs. Georganna SimpsonMrs. Hazel and Mr. David SinkMr. and Mrs. Bruce W. SmithMr. and Mrs. Kenneth P.

SommerkampBunkie and Dick StocktonMrs. Joanne StockwellMrs. Virginia K. StoelzelSummit School, Inc.Estella and John SurrattDr. Gerald T. TaylorJean and Henry TaylorBill and Sheryl ThorpeMaggie and Gene TripletteCandice and Mike TurnerMr. and Mrs. Stuart VaughnMs. Amy P. VernerMr. and Mrs. Jim and

Carolyn WalkerMrs. Hans Walter WandersDannie WeberMs. Carolyn WebsterMs. Karen WilsonWallace and Mona Wu

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 5

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

very valuable predator of other snakes, includingCopperheads, Cottonmouths, and Rattlesnakes,as it is immune to the venom of the pit viper. Itis very docile and will only bite if pushed toofar. First, though, the Kingsnake will rattle itstail and attempt to cover you with musk.

Snake BitesIf you do get bitten by one of the above men-tioned black snakes or any snake, for that mat-ter, there are a couple of things you need toknow. A non-venomous snake has many tinyteeth, which will make superficial cuts similarto briar scratches, and the bite will be in theshape of a horseshoe. Clean the area well withsoap and water and wipe it with peroxide.Always check with your doctor. Even if thesnake is non-venomous, you might need atetanus shot. If only one or two puncturewounds are present, or if you are not sure thesnake is non-venomous, go to your doctorimmediately. Unlike venomous snakes, mostnon-venomous snakes cannot bite throughclothing; so long sleeves and long pants canprovide some protection for you as you garden.

Snake ControlThere are two forms of snake control—lethaland nonlethal. The difference is that nonlethalmeasures can be taken at any time, while lethalmeasures can only be taken when a snake isseen. As I’ve said, snakes are a sign of rodents,and I don’t think it is very realistic to think youcan completely shut out both from your sur-roundings. However, you can discouragesnakes from taking up residence in your yardand garden by eliminating their food supplyand cover.

First, quit feeding the rodents. Store allgrain, pet food, and bird seed in rodent- orinsect-proof containers. Do not leave pet foodoutside; remove it as soon as your pet haseaten. Keep in mind that a bird feeder willattract mice and rats—by choosing to feedbirds, you are also accepting the presence ofrodents and their predators. Make sure your

garbage cans have tight lids. Remove any foodwrappers, cups, or other litter that might bethrown into your yard. Harvest your vegetablegarden daily; there is nothing like a buffet offresh veggies to the hungry rat. Reduce thedepth of mulch around trees and shrubs toabout two to three inches to discourage smallanimals from hiding there.

Next, concentrate on eliminating a snake’shiding places. Keep your grass mowed; longgrass is perfect cover for a snake. Open areasmake a snake vulnerable to its own naturalpredators, like hawks and owls. Try not toplant right next to your house’s foundation,since shrubs provide a safe place for a snake towait for its next meal, as well as a way to travelfrom one place to another. Store lumber andfirewood away from your home and garden;eliminate piles of rocks; and remove over-turned flowerpots. Close cracks and crevices inbuildings and around pipes and utility connec-tions with one-fourth inch hardware cloth,mortar, or sheet metal. Do not leave yourgarage door or screen door open.

For many years, sulfur, lime, and moth-balls have been recommended as snake repel-lents. Studies conducted by ophiologists (thosewho study snakes) prove them worthless. Ifyou simply can’t abide the thought of snakes inyour garden, you might want to install a snakefence. This is a very expensive solution and isonly practical for a small area. The fenceshould be constructed of one-fourth inchhardware cloth to a height of three feet. Thebottom should be buried at least one foot deepinto the ground with the bottom edge bentoutward into an L-shaped shelf that sticks outat a ninety degree angle. Supporting stakesmust be inside the fence, and the gate must fittightly. Remember to remove tall vegetationaround the fence. You will also need to closeany tunnels that pass under the fence, as asnake can travel through them.

The easiest way to deal with snakes, though,is to learn to live with them. If you see themoften enough, as we do at Reynolda Gardens,they become a fascinating part of the land-scape. Trust me, you’ll begin to appreciate theircontributions to our natural world and come tovalue their presence. ¦

Snakes in the Garden

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

FriendDr. Sandra AdamsMr. and Mrs. Paul L. AllegroneMs. Rebecca M. AlmondAnonymousMrs. S. L. AnthonyMr. and Mrs. James M. AppleCharles and Lorna BeckMr. and Mrs. Brian J. BertineMs. Myra T. BlackburnDr. and Mrs. Edwyn T. Bowen, Jr.Ms. Wilba BradyMs. Jere C. BrowneMrs. Katherine BurtonMr. and Mrs. William E. CaldwellHope and Ken CampbellMaureen and Steven CarpenterBonnie CookMs. Perry CravenMs. Lou Whitaker CreefJudy and Bill CrowLila CruikshankMs. Rita Gale Young CruiseMrs. Thomas CulleyMr. and Mrs. M. L. CuninghamKaren CurlMrs. Mary DameMs. Jane T. DoughertyMs. Pamela EastwoodBeth EinsteinLang EllisMrs. Robert A. Emken, Sr.Mr. Marvin L. Ferrell, Jr.Ms. Shirley B. FlyMrs. Julia FortnerMs. Nancy C. FranklinClaire and John FriedenbergMs. Eileen P. FrostRev. Stephen and Barbara GerhardMr. and Mrs. Bryce GordonMrs. Miriam Gordon-DeanMs. Carol GoughMr. and Mrs. Ben Gross Ms. Kathy HaferMs. Martha HaireNick and Sandy HamnerMs. Beth HanoMs. Carol G. HartMs. Alix HitchcockFay M. HoskinsMrs. Debora HowardDr. and Mrs. Hampton A. HowellMr. and Mrs. Paul HummelEd and Edy HurdleMs. Virginia S. IngramPat JacquesMr. James R. JonesMs. Sybil KannryMrs. Rachel KatzerMs. Nancy KilstromMrs. Earline H. KingWill and Sara KnottMs. Susan H. LaymanMr. Harry R. LutherPeg MartinSusan and John MartinRick MashburnMrs. Thelma D. MatthewsMrs. James MattoxMrs. Debbie McCann

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 6

Highlights and Lowlights ofthe 2009 Vegetable Garden

by John Kiger, RGWFU assistant manager

What a year it’s been for gardening! Itnever fails: with every growing season thereseems to be a weather anomaly of some sort.Quite often you see someone on the newstalking about a crop failure due to weatherconditions, saying that it’s been too cold, toowet, or too dry, and that farmers’ losses willbe passed on to the consumer in the form ofhigher prices. I would like to hear, just oncein my lifetime, that this was the perfect grow-ing season, and everything planted producedwonderfully. I don’t think I’ll ever hear thosewords. Spring comes with high anticipationthat everything you plant will grow from thatfragile seed or seedling and produce abun-dantly. Oh, how high anticipation seems toalways turn to slight disappointment.

The TomatoChallengeThis year, as in years past, I planted manythings in thegarden: green beans, lettuce, okra, squash,zucchini, onions, and tomatoes. In 2007 and2008, the green beans could very well be con-sidered rabbit food, and on some signs Ilabeled them as such, along with the proper

name. This was a better year for most of thegarden, but tomatoes were the disappoint-ment. I planted them in mid-April, about aweek after our annual tomato plant sale. Allvarieties I planted carried a maturation dateof eighty to ninety-five days, which meansthat, if they are planted in mid-April, weshould be enjoying them about the time Itake a vacation in mid-July. I always look for-ward to taking some with me when I travel tothe beach. At this writing, it is the first weekof August, and we are just now seeing thefruits ripen. Why so long, you ask? Simplyput, the weather. You will recall that ourspring was very wet and cool. Tomatoes needheat and moisture, but the moisture wereceived in early spring almost drownedthem. At one point, water was standing fourinches deep between the rows. All crops needwater to thrive, but too much is just as bad asnot enough. I was worried that we were notgoing to see a single tomato this year. Prestonwas gracious enough to take cuttings fromthe original plants and root them in thegreenhouse. After they rooted in, I plantedthem in the garden. Hopefully we will have alate crop.

I always ask myself, Is there a better wayto grow tomatoes? I have built cages fromtwo-by-two boards and chickenwire, with thehope that vines will grow and lay on top; forthe most part, this method was successful,although somewhat cumbersome to set up.Some people use a five gallon bucket andgrow the plants upside down. It’s a very sim-ple process. Using a five gallon bucket, cutthree holes in the side near the base, fill withpotting soil, place a plant in each hole, andhang your new planter. There is a product onthe market called Topsy Turvy that does thesame thing. To my good fortune, a friendgave me one to use at home. I thought that, ifit worked well, I would implement it atReynolda Gardens. Following the manufac-turer’s instructions, I placed one tomato plantin the center, filled the planter with pottingsoil, placed the lid, hung the planter in asunny location, and watered it. It was interest-ing to watch it grow, and, to my surprise, itcaught the attention of my grandchildren. As

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

THE EARLY SUMMER GARDEN

Ms. Winnie McClearyMrs. Rebecca G. McKeeSally R. McLeodMr. Ralph E. MessickDr. and Mrs. Rod MeyerMrs. Roberta R. MichalKim MitchellDr. and Mrs. John Y. ModarressJohn and Anne MoreheadRuth MullenMs. Marjorie NorthupMr. Len OrlowskiMrs. Carolyn ParkMs. Wanda PattersonMrs. Richard A. PattonMr. and Mrs. Craig W. PeatrossSarah PenryMr. and Mrs. Jim R. PettitMs. Laura PhailMs. Laura PhillipsMr. Ben Phillips, Jr.Mrs. Jennifer PierceBob and Vianne PiperMrs. Eleanor PittmanDr. and Mrs. Harold C. Pollard IIITom and Karen PranikoffMs. Michelle ReederMrs. Joyce M. RobertsonMrs. George D. RovereMs. Ann T. RudkinMs. Wendy SchaitbergerMrs. Nellie W. SizemoreMrs. Thuy K. SmithMrs. Luci SmoakMs. Maria N. SpullerMrs. Pat StoeberMarcia SzewczykTom TaylorMr. and Mrs. Donald R. TeagueLarry and Wilma TedderMrs. Georgie ThompsonMs. Janine TillettKellon TippettMarian F. TownsendMrs. Mary K. TuckerJodi Turner and Bill GiffordClaire and Randy TuttleMs. Frances VazquezSherry VinsantMs. Lena WaddellMrs. Bev WalkerMr. and Mrs. Douglas D. WalkerJo WalkerMr. Charles D. WardLaura and John WarrenMs. Suzanna Watkins and

Jeffrey WilsonMs. Opal WeatherlyMs. Maribeth WeinmanMs. Margot WhartonMs. Jule WhiteMr. and Mrs. Charles and

Elizabeth WilsonMr. Thomas M. WilsonMrs. Lyn WootenJim and Beth Yoran

the tomato plant grew, the stems turnedupward toward the sun. It was extremely easyto take care of. The best part? No weedingaround the plant. I fed the plant three timesduring its life cycle, using Miracle-Gro twice.The last feeding was a granular fertilizer 10-10-10, sprinkled in from the top. Wateringwas an everyday chore. The soil is housed ina nylon bag, hanging seven feet off theground, in direct sunlight, and it dried outquickly. I do recommend this product, and itdid produce tomatoes; however, it should beplaced near your house since it requires dailywatering. Mine was forty feet away.

A Treat for the BirdsEven thoughsome plants inthe vegetablegarden don’tperform as well as youwould like, there are those that are tried andtrue. Chard is a great example. I’ve grown thisalmost every year, mainly for its color and forthe fact that, for whatever reason, rabbits, forthe most part, leave it alone. Chard, Beta vul-garis var. cicla is sold under several names—Swiss chard, Silverbeet, and Bright Lights.Native to Sicily, chard remains a popular dishwith Mediterranean cooks, but one doesn’thave to be a Mediterranean cook to enjoychard. The staff and garden volunteers enjoythis leafy vegetable in salads, steamed, orsautéed, but the main reason I grow this veg-etable is for the goldfinches. They absolutelylove it! I did a search on the internet aboutthe diet of a finch and found such statementsas this: “Their favorite food is thistle seed, butthey also enjoy seeds from birches, alders,conifers, and other trees. They also eat seedfrom goldenrod, asters, burdock, dandelion,and chicory. They come to feeders for sun-flower and thistle seed. Berries and insects arealso part of their diet.” I looked through a fewsites, and not one that I saw mentioned thebirds eating leafy greens; as you see above,seeds were the choice. I first noticed gold-finches on the chard a few years ago. As I

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 7

walked past one day, at least a dozen of themflew away from the chard. I walked over toinspect, thinking I was going to see some sortof insect on the chard that was attracting thebirds, but there weren’t any. I thought that, ifthere were insects, the birds had picked themclean. The next day they were back. Again, asI walked up, they flew off. I realized thereweren’t insects; the birds were eating thechard, actually pecking at the leaves and eat-ing it. They ate nothing else in the garden,just chard. Ever since that day, I have grownchard every year, simply for the finches. Ofcourse, they have to share it with the staff andvolunteers.

As I end, I would like to mention threeplants in the summer garden that should findtheir way to your vegetable garden at homenext year.

Cucumber Diva Michelle ordered the seed, and they are quitesimply the best tasting cucumber I’ve evereaten. Pick them when they are small or ofmedium length, generally five to seven inch-es. Very crispy. If picked small, there is noneed to peel. Vlassic has nothing on thesecucumbers.

Green Bean Yard Long Red Noodle This one is new to me, but, when I saw it inthe catalogue, I had to grow it. This heattolerant plant produces a bean that is pur-plish red in color and grows to about twen-ty-two inches in length. The beans are sweetand tender and lose their color whencooked. Pick them when they are about thewidth of a pencil. They are climbers, soyou’ll need to provide a trellis for them.

Green Bean Rattlesnake Snap I’ve mentioned these before. If you haven’ttried them, you are truly missing a fantastictasting bean. This sweet tasting bean doesn’teven need to be cooked. It produces veryheavily and climbs. Yes, you will need totrellis these as well. ¦

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

OtherMrs. Marcia T. BakerGerri B. BrownMrs. Toni Pegg DoubBart GanzertDr. Eugene HeiseMs. Billye Keith JonesMr. and Mrs. Pete MayoKay McKnightMrs. Jean L. Merwin

HonorariaDavid Bare

By Audubon Garden ClubAnne Radford Phillips

Mr. and Mrs. John D. BassettMr. and Mrs. Wyatt P. E. Bassett

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. H. Gregory Bray

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. James W. C.

BroughtonMr. and Mrs. James Christian, Jr.

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Mark Cordell and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Huntley G.

DavenportMrs. Barbara King DavidianMr. and Mrs. Robert W. Deaton

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Marsden Bellamy

deRossett, Jr.Mrs. Peggy Hooker EdwardsMr. and Mrs. Thomas P. Falatko

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. E. W. Fuller IIIMr. and Mrs. William B. GlennMr. and Mrs. J. F. Goins IIIMr. and Mrs. J. Murphy Gregg IIIMr. and Mrs. Robert W. Grubbs, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Charles W. Harris, Jr.Mrs. D. Ray HenleyMr. and Mrs. Gregory B. HunterMr. and Mrs. Fred W. London, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. MillerMr. and Mrs. Ernie A. Osborn

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. E. Ashton Poole and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. William M. SemansMr. and Mrs. Alexander B. SmithMr. and Mrs. David N. StedmanMr. and Mrs. Alexander K. TurnerMr. and Mrs. Stuart F. Vaughn, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Edwin L. Welch III

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. James G. Welsh, Jr.Mrs. Nancy G. WhiteMr. and Mrs. Steven W. White

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. W. Dunlop White III

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. J. Kelly WoodruffMr. and Mrs. Louis E. Wooten III

and FamilyBy Mr. and Mrs. John D.

Bassett IV and Family

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 8

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

underground pipe across the front of the resi-dence. Then, it flowed downhill to the village.Although this method provided enoughwater for the early years, it had become clearby the summer of 1916 that this configura-tion would not be sufficient for the multitudeof planting activities that were underway. Thephotograph below, left shows a temporarylake water pumping system that was utilizedthat summer, presumably to help water treesand shrubs already planted near the residence.

By 1917, plans were underway for an up-grade to the irrigation system. Mrs. Reynoldsalready had Mr. Sears’ plans for the formalgardens near the greenhouse in hand. Thegardens were to be planted in the spring, anda great deal of water would be needed for thehundreds of plants on the plan to survive. Shewrote to Wiley and Wilson, ConsultingEngineers*, in December.

I am trying to get the matter of theirrigation system adjusted as nearly aspossible before leaving…. (Because ofdelays related to the war in Europe) ittakes so long to get any material atpresent, I think we might begin atthis time to see about getting what-ever is needed for the pumping sta-tion at the irrigating pool ready forthe spring.

The Irrigation Basin gained a secondarypurpose and a new name in the late spring of1918. With the addition of a diving board; asliding board; picturesque benches; new, blue-painted concrete bottom and walls; and agazebo-like structure on the roof of the oldpumphouse, it became a swimming pool,much to the delight of the Reynolds children.In June, Dick wrote to his father, “It’s been

The Water System atReynolda, Part 2:Water from the Stream and Lake

by Camilla Wilcox, RGWFU curator of education

To review briefly, in “Water at Reynolda,Part 1: Pure Water,” I described the initialwater system, which was centered on artesianwells. In the early phases of development of theestate, water from these wells was routed to anexisting stream. From there, it flowed to thelake, which was under construction. Beforelong, a system was constructed to divert waterfrom the stream, contain it in the IrrigationBasin, and pump it out as needed. Later, a separate waterline was added to pipe potablewater directly from the wells to a reservoir atthe residence. It took several years to bring allparts of this system into service. The completearticle is available on the RGWFU website.

In 1916, some of the landscape plantingsdesigned by Thomas Sears had already beeninstalled, and more were planned. The resi-dence was under construction, and farmoperations were well underway. Over the nextfew years, new demands for water wouldemerge. An early structure would be givennew uses, and a new system would be added.

Water for Irrigation“Sprinkler water,” as it was defined on mapsto differentiate it from “artesian water,” waspumped uphill from the Irrigation Basin inthe woods. From there, it traveled through an

Eileen FrostBy Summit School, Inc.

George GriswoldBy Nancy S. Watkins

Ginger and Ben HackleyBy Nancy Oakes

Michelle HawksBy Mrs. Laura W. Hearn

Reynolda Gardens StaffBy Anonymous

Preston StocktonBy Mrs. Laurie Whitaker

Don and Kelly WhiteBy Ms. Enid White

MemoriaPope Babcock

By Bill Eskridge

Rupert W. BagbyBy Mrs. Rupert W. Bagby

Dr. Robert CordellBy Dr. and Mrs. John W.

Hammon

Ann S. ErdenbergerBy Estella and John Surratt

William HohmanBy Jo Walker

Katherine K. JohnsonBy Mr. John G. Johnson

Julie G. LambethBy Dr. William A. Lambeth

Drane McCallBy Sally and Steve HarperGail Lybrook and David Hobbs

TEMPORARY IRRIGATION,1916

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 9

awful hot here. The pool is almost finished.”The name was changed, appearing on a Searsplanting plan as the Freshwater SwimmingPool, but it retained the equipment andcapacity to be used for its original purpose. Anew irrigation pump arrived at about thesame time the children began using it forrecreation.

Water for IceWhen we think of the conveniences of mod-ern life, the availability of ice does not comereadily to mind, but ice was an importantcomponent of dairy operations. The dairywas described in “Reynolda Farms,” an articlethat appeared in the Winston-Salem Sentinelon July 7, 1917.

Large refrigerators are fitted separatelyfor the care of the milk and for thestorage of vegetables and fresh meats.A part of the refrigerating plant is anice machine which provides a dailysupply of ice for the Reynolda community at no additional cost inoperation.But by 1919, a need arose for more ice at

the Farm Building than could be produced bythis method. This meant that more waterwould be needed, but where would it comefrom? In the spring of 1919, Wiley andWilson engineers wrote to Mrs. Reynolds inanswer to her inquiry concerning this prob-lem. They proposed a plan for pumpingwater from the original Irrigation Basin to asmall, underground reservoir located at ahigh point of the estate. From there, it wouldflow by gravity to a refrigeration unit in theresidence and then tie in to the overflowpipes from the reservoir there before flowingon to the farm building. They noted that thiswould provide “an ample supply of branchwater for the ice machines without the instal-lation of additional machinery or mechanicalequipment of any kind,” and that it would be“the coolest water available.” It was clear inthe letter that they were brainstorming; theywent on to suggest alternatives if that did notprove to be feasible.

Water for SteamAt the same time,another major needfor water arose,seemingly unexpect-edly, as reflected incorrespondencefrom Wiley andWilson. The engi-neers had beenasked to consider

the idea of building a small steam plant in thevillage near the greenhouse to provide heatfor the buildings clustered there. When theydetermined the capacity that would berequired and the size of the boiler and theheight of the smokestack that would be need-ed, they advised that it be placed below thebarn, in a two-story building dedicated to thepurpose.

Because steam would travel to multiplebuildings and over a long distance, the boilerswould require a steady source of relativelyclean water. According to estate electricianShober Hendrix in a 1980 interview, waterfrom the stream that fed the Irrigation Basinwas utilized for making steam.

Then we had another system down atthe old swimming pool, that pumpedwater to the steam plant through fil-ters, heated it, and it went back andfed hot water to all the village. Thiswas surface water (meaning notenclosed in a pipe) coming from theold artesian wells up there. A water pipeline and steam pipes were

added to the other utilities already concealedin tunnels under the road through the villageand under Reynolda Road. The plant, with a125 foot tall smokestack, was completed in1920. All of the incoming water was not con-verted to steam; a reservoir and septic fieldbehind the power plant were constructed tocapture the effluent.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Della RobertsBy Estella and John Surratt

Andrea Logan RogersBy Jane Logan Rogers

Bonnie Vick StoneBy Barbara Kendrick

Cornelius StrittmatterBy Dr. Carol Cunningham and

Ms. Ouida CunninghamMrs. John H. FeltsMs. Anna May GillettMs. Marjorie T. HootsMr. and Mrs. J. Massie JohnsonMr. and Mrs. Edward T.

Mulvey, Jr.Sarah PenryJo WalkerMs. Georgia M. Wallace

Ainslie M. TaylorBy Estella and John Surratt

Gene TripletteBy Evergreen Garden Club

RestrictedYoung Naturalist Scholarship

By Book Club AnonJoAnn and Bryan Yates

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 10

The Water System at Reynolda, Part 2

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

More Water for IrrigationAs the gardens and plantings developed nearReynolda Road, it became clear that another,separate system would be necessary to servethis area. It is believed that this system wascompleted around 1920, but there are noknown records of the construction. Again, we turn to Mr. Hendrix’ recollections.

Then we had another system—apumphouse on the lake pumpedwater up yonder to the corner ofReynolda and Coliseum Drive…We pumped water out of the lake andit would come back with gravity forirrigation.

Three structures that comprised this systemremain: the pumping station, a cistern, and asmaller structure next to the cistern that mayhave been designed to hold auxiliary pumps.Although the pumps must have been power-ful and the piping extensive, the concept wassimple. It was very similar to the method pro-posed earlier by Wiley and Wilson engineers,but on a larger scale. Water was drawn fromthe lake and pumped to a cistern at the high-est point of the estate; from there, it flowedthrough underground pipes by gravity. Apipeline was laid parallel to Reynolda Road.Water was diverted to several outlets in theformal gardens. The remainder was capturedand combined with overflow from the resi-dence reservoir near the greenhouse beforecontinuing its progress through the village.The entire water system was complete.Reynolda was all set to grow and bloom.

But, unbeknownst to its owner and otherinhabitants, the heady days of Reynolda weredrawing to a close. Over the next few years,projects continued, gardens became estab-lished, and farm operations grew, but,increasingly, Mrs. Reynolds’ attention wasfocused on her children’s activities, communityservice, and, finally, to her marriage to J.Edward Johnston and the birth of two morechildren. When she died in 1924 at the age offorty-four, new projects ceased and did not

resume until her daughter Mary ReynoldsBabcock acquired the estate ten years later.

The multifaceted water system continuedto operate for some time, but eventually it allfell into disuse. The exact dates of the demiseof each component of the stream and lakewater systems, and other related structures,are unknown. The smokestack at the steamplant, which had once dominated the view ofthe village from afar, was torn down; pumpsceased to draw water from the stream andlake; old irrigation lines disintegrated or werecut off; and the Freshwater Swimming Poolwas filled in with dirt. The sand dam, a keygatekeeper at the door of the system, wasoverwhelmed by silt and sediment; a glance atthe Lake Katharine Wetland tells the story ofits failure.

During your next walk around Reynolda,observe the structural remains of the systemclosely and spend a little time imagining theearly days and dreams of Reynolda, when this odd collection of buildings was the prideof their owner, part of a private water systemthat was nearly unthinkable at that time and inthis place. The days of unreliable wells, stag-nant water troughs, and creaky water tankswere over. A new day had come. And it wouldgo on through years of happy family life andgenerations of grandchildren, forever. ¦

*Wiley and Wilson, Consulting Engineers, then working out of offices in Lynchburg, Va.,were called upon numerous times on differentprojects. They designed the original refrigera-tion unit for the Farm Building in 1913. Theirletters to Mrs. Reynolds concerning the watersystem helped to document how the systemevolved and operated. Founded in 1902, thecompany is still in business.

Special thanks to Barbara B. Millhouse,Sherold Hollingsworth, Todd Crumley, andRichard Murdoch for their assistance with thisresearch.

Volunteers 2008-09

Volunteers assisted with educational programs, garden maintenance, andsales.

Bill AbbeyTeige ArnottMarge AselSandra BelmontKay BergeyToby BostDorcas BrogdonRobert BrowneBarbara BryantLinda BryantDennis BurnetteMichael CarpenterJeffrey CatesGeorge Cleland IVBill ConnerBill CrowPhil DickinsonJean DixonAnn DowellSusan FahrbachNate FahrbachJulia FredericksTom FredericksJanet FrekkoAidan GanzertJocelyn GanzertBill GiffordKathy HaferJanet HanoEugene HeiseNelson HernandezMary Ruth HowardSarah JenningsBillye Keith JonesSusan JonesJanet JoynerEllen KirbyPat LackeyJed MacoskoTerry ManessSusan MartinKay McKnightEllen MincerNancy MoltmanLeon MonroeHarvey MoserSusan MoserEvan MudayMary NewmanDina NieuwenhuisJim NottkeAlice ParrishSusan PfefferkornVianne PiperDillon Robertson

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 11

Larry RudelMacGregor RuffinJim SchirilloKathy SchlosserJudy ScurryDavid ShufordKaitie ShupingMiles SilmanSara Edi Simmons-FifeNick SinopoliRoberta SmithJanet SnowLaura SoitoJack StackPhyllis StewartSid TeagueTriad Orchid SocietyCandi TurnerAmy VernerJo WalkerBecky WheelerHarper WinocorWinston-Salem Rose SocietyBill WiseBarb Wrappe

Problems with Streamand Lake Water

The stream and lake were the obvioussources for unlimited water, but there wereseveral problems associated it. Let’s go backand list the problems and look at the solu-tions.

Water extracted from the lake would have tobe clear, with a minimum of silt and sedimentthat would make pumps ineffective.Fortunately, at least part of this problem wasaddressed when the lake was built, in the formof a small, specialized dam. A stream enteredthe lakebed on the northeast side, near theIrrigation Basin, after flowing through pas-tures on property that is now part of OldTown Club. A sand dam, which is a type ofsubsurface dam, appears on engineeringdrawings for the lake at this location.Designed to allow water to flow where it isneeded while controlling alluvium, sand damstypically incorporate a canalized stream, likethe one shown in the photograph below,which is believed to have been taken between1917 and 1920. Because this precaution hadalready been taken, the water entering the lakeat this point would have been relatively free ofsilt and sediment.

The stream between the lake and theIrrigation Basin/Freshwater Swimming Poolwas dammed in the early 1920s, creating anew pond between the pool and the lake. Adrain close to the residence emptied at thislocation, and this pond would have helpedclean and contain runoff before it could enterthe lake and foul the intake pipe for thepumping station nearby.

It would have to be determined whether topump directly to the locations where it wasneeded or to a central location for distribution.With the lake as epicenter, destinations forthe water were spread out like spokes on awheel. There were the formal gardens nearthe greenhouse; cottage gardens in the village;new plantings around the Farm Building andelsewhere in the village; and “truck” (large-scale food-producing) gardens in the bot-tomland below the barn. Just to provide forthe many planting locations would require aseries of pumps and myriad pipes, if piped tomultiple locations from the lake. Because allof these locations were near Reynolda Road,it would make more sense to pump water toa central location above them all and let itflow downhill to serve each area.

Water for purposes other than drinking wouldhave to be completely separate from the potablewater system. It could not be compromised orcontaminated by mixing or backflow. SinceWiley and Wilson suggested using “branchwater” for making ice, it can be assumed thatthe ice was used for an operation, such as ice-cream making, where it was not to be consumed.

Even though lake water was not pure, it hadto be free of debris and gross contaminants.The top of the cistern was closed, so anywater inside would be protected from con-tamination; it would not have collected rain-water, as the name cistern implies.

Pumping stations and cisterns or reservoirswould have to fit into landscape as much aspossible. The reservoir for the residence wasunderground. The pumphouse associatedwith it was built into the side of a hill with arustic wooden shelter on top. The new pump-ing station was tucked into the bank, withonly the rooftop visible. It is on the edge ofthe nature trail now, but this trail had notbeen developed at that time. The cistern,located today at the corner of ColiseumDrive and Reynolda Road, was largely hid-den in the woods. Coliseum Drive had notbeen built. ¦

—C.W.

PUMPING STATION (ABOVE) AND CISTERN

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 12

significant trees. After much discussion, thankfully Nickopted to remove the dead one and trim out the leaders onthe rest. Today, all of these trees continue to thrive, havingdeveloped new leaders.

Thomas Sears, the landscape architect who designedReynolda, specified cedar of Lebanon, Cedrus libani anddeodar cedar, C. deodara on the 1916 “Planting Around theBungalow” plan. There were five cedars of Lebanon—fouron the right side of the house and one on the left. Besidethe one on the left, he placed one deodar cedar. The lawnwas a perfect site for these beautiful specimen trees. Theyare very large conifers and need plenty of space to grow totheir full glory.

Today there are four cedars of Lebanon, two deodarcedars, and one Atlas cedar, C. atlantica, in front ofReynolda House. They are all very large, old trees, with theexception of the deodar that we planted in 1985 to replacethe one that was removed. Three trees are in their originalplaces, as specified on Sear’s plan. The others were planted,I suspect, when the drive to the front of the house wasremoved in 1936 and replaced with a formal garden. Ithink the choice of the Atlas cedar is interesting and can’thelp but wonder if it was a mistake. All three of thesecedars look very much alike up close, and many taxono-mists consider the Atlas cedar to be a subspecies of thecedar of Lebanon. From a distance, it is easy to see a bluerfoliage and different form on the Atlas cedar.

The Genus CedrusThere are many plants that we call cedars: our nativeEastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana; Japanese cedar,Cryptomeria japonica; and white cedar, Thuja occidentalis.But only plants in the Cedrus genus are true cedars. Thethree grown at Reynolda are the ones most commonlygrown in the United States. Unlike most conifers, they arenot very hardy. They grow only to Zone 7; a few varieties

are hardy to Zone 6. This explains the cold damage to theReynolda cedars in 1985.

Cedrus is a genus of coniferous trees in the Pinaceaefamily. They are native to the mountains of the westernHimalaya and Mediterranean regions. Cedars can growup to one hundred feet tall, with fragrant, resinous wood.The needles vary in length and color, depending on thespecies. The color varies from bright grass green, to darkgreen, to a glaucous blue-green, depending on the thick-ness of the white wax layer that protects the leaves fromdesiccation.

Cedars produce pollen cones in late summer andpollinate the female cones in September or October,which is peculiar to the genus Cedrus among theconifers. Cones require two to three years to mature. The cones are initially tiny and pale green. The secondyear the cone reaches its full size and has a characteristicviolet-purple color. In the third season, it turns into arich brown and scatters its seeds, which are small andwinged. The cones are borne upright on the upper side of the branches. Often the top part of the cone will breakoff and look very much like a wooden rose. When I wasgrowing up, I would pick these up under our neighbor’sdeodar cedar and put them on the windowsill in myroom. These partial cones are referred to as “cedar roses”and are often sold in craft stores.

Origins and Historical UsesCedrus libani, Cedar of Lebanon This tree is the most famous of the cedars and is native tothe mountains of the Mediterranean region in Lebanon,western Syria, and south central Turkey. It has long beenthe national emblem of Lebanon and is stylized on theLebanese flag. As a result of long exploitation, very little ofthe original stands remain of Lebanon’s once majestic andglorious cedar forests. Some of the older trees that are leftare thought to be 1,000 years old. Today there is an activeprogram to preserve and reforest several national reserves.In Turkey 74,000 acres are planted annually with cedars ofLebanon.

The Cedars of Reynolda

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

POLLEN CONES FIRST YEAR CONES SECOND YEAR CONES

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 13

The importance of the cedar of Lebanon to variouscivilizations is conveyed through its uses. The Egyptiansused its resin to mummify their dead and thus called it the“life of death.” Cedar sawdust was found in the tombs ofthe Pharaohs as well. The Egyptians burned it with theirofferings and in their ceremonies. Jewish priests wereordered by Moses to use the bark of the cedar of Lebanonin circumcision and the treatment of leprosy.

Desirable qualities of the cedar wood are its beautifulcolor, hardness, fragrance, and resistance to insects,humidity, and temperature. The Phoenicians, Egyptians,Greeks, and many others used it extensively for lumber.The Phoenicians built their trade ships and militaryfleets from cedar wood, as well as the roofs of their tem-ples, houses, and doorsills. Kings of neighboring and dis-tant countries asked for this wood for building. The mostfamous structures using cedar of Lebanon wood are theTemple of Jerusalem and David’s and Solomon’s palaces.It was also used in the temples and furniture works of theAssyrians and Babylonians.

The cedar of Lebanon grows to 125 feet in the wild,less in cultivation, with great spreading branches anddark green foliage. The needles are three-fourth to oneand one-fourth inches long. The cones are three to fiveinches long and half as wide.

In 1902, the Arnold Arboretum sent a plant collectorto obtain seed in the coldest area that C. libani is knownto grow, the Cilician Taurus in south central Turkey.Trees grown from this stock proved decidedly hardierthan trees grown previously in the U.S. Today this strainis grown as far north as southern New England.

Cedrus atlantica, Atlas CedarC. atlantica is native to the Atlas Mountains of Algeriaand Morocco and is the hardiest of the genus. In itsnative range, it grows to 120 feet but only about half thattall in cultivation. The needles are one-half to one inch

long and stouter that those of C. libani, and it has a moreopen form. The cones are up to three inches long. Thistree varies considerably when raised from seed. Thecolor ranges from a medium green to silvery blue. Twopopular varieties planted today are the blue Atlas cedar,C. a. glauca (there is a beautiful row of them near theMay Dell at Salem College) and the weeping blue Atlascedar, C. a. pendula, a pendulous form that is easilytrained into different shapes. The one in my yard athome is starting to look like a daddy-long-legs!

Cedrus deodara, Deodar CedarC. deodara is the most popular landscaping cedar in theUnited States. It is native to the western Himalayas in east-ern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and north centralIndia. It is the national tree of Pakistan. The name isderived from the Sanskrit word devadaru, meaning woodof the gods, a compound of deva (god) and daru (wood).Ancient Indian sages and their families who were devotedto the Hindu god Shiva often lived in the deodar forests.Historically it was used to construct religious temples andin landscaping. In India during the British colonial period,deodar wood was used extensively for construction of barracks, public buildings, bridges, canals, and railwaycars. It has now been logged out in much of its formerrange. The deodar cedar grows up to 150 feet where it isnative but normally attains only fifty feet in cultivation. It is the least hardy of the cedars normally growing inZones 7 to 9. There are two cultivars, Shalimar andKashmir, which are hardy to Zone 6. The needles are twoinches long and are a blue-green color. The cones are threeto five inches long. ¦

ATLAS CEDAR

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 14

The Late Show

by David Bare, RGWFU greenhouse manager

As much as we gardeners look forward to spring,there is no argument in my mind that the autumn is thefinest season in the Piedmont garden. While spring herecan often jump from pleasant seventies to scorchingnineties overnight, the autumn here is generally long andmellow. There is a particular flavor to the autumn garden.Light assumes a specific angle. Mornings are laden withheavy dew. In the riotous exuberance of the garden’s lastdays, there is a tinge of melancholy in knowing it will allsoon be over.

Color, of course, is the autumn’s calling card. The pastel pinks and lavenders of the spring flowers are a fadedmemory, replaced with the deep jewel tones of the autumn.Plants we have waited all year to blossom are now full uponus. It seems all their energy was stored for one spectacular,fleeting, autumn moment.

In the long border at Reynolda Gardens, a mixture ofhardy and tender perennials attempts a continuous display.We love many of these tender perennials because of theircontinuous flowering throughout even the hottest of thesummer weather, but some only flower during the waningdays of autumn. A few flower so late that an early frostmight literally “nip them in the bud.” But most begin toflower by late August or September, and, if we miss whatseems to be the customary second week in October lightfrost, they will carry through to the end of October.

Many of these are salvias, and, though we have beengoing through the process of growing, propagating, andprotecting these plants in the greenhouse over the winterfor many years now, every effort seems worth it for thosetwo weeks in October when all are at the peak of theirglory. These are not plants for the timid. They are oftengigantic in height or width, and their numerous flowers

often have eye-popping colors.They range from the deep, vel-vety purple of Purple Majesty(Salvia guaranitica x S. gesneri-iflora Tequila) through deepindigo in Anthony Parker (S.leucantha Midnight x S.elegans), to creamy, butter yellow in the towering forsythiasage, S. maderensis.

Orange is theautumn’s signal color,and few flowers aremore pumpkin-tonedthan the fuzzy, tubularflower spikes of lion’stail or lion’s ear,Leonotis leonurus.Ball-shaped clusters of

buds are carried in whorls around each stem. It is a won-derful companion for anything blue, purple, or yellow.

Much has been written about angel’s trumpets,Brugmansia sp. in these pages. These are among the signa-ture plants at Reynolda. Several folks rush to the springplant sale just to be sure they score a few angel’s trumpetsfor their gardens. As the cool nights and the waning lightof autumn begin, thebrugmansias hit theirstride. Often they seemto be dripping footlong, dangling funnelsin pale white, yellow,gold, or pink. The bestof these is calledSupernova and hasflowers that are well over a foot long. In the evening theseblossoms are sweetly fragrant and attract bat-like hawkmoths.

Tender perennials are not the only stars of the autumnborder. Several fine, hardy perennials hold their flowers tothe last minute. One that will not be denied is the swampsunflower, Helianthus angustifolius. By the time it begins toflower in October, the stems have reached eight to ninefeet. They are crowned with clusters of sulfurous orange,daisylike ray flowers. The name swamp sunflower wouldlead you to believe that this plant requires copious amountsof water, but it does fine with average moisture, even

though it tends towardswampy areas in itsnative habitat. Likegoldenrod, Solidago sp.this late bloomer has atendency to get rustfungus that can makethe lower leaves dryup and shrivel off. Wenever worry about this

because the plants’ “feet” are always covered by lower grow-ing plants, which includes just about everything else wegrow.

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Page 15

Purple muhly grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris hasalready been much discussed in this newsletter and forgood reason; it is a favorite plant in the garden. Sitting qui-etly in a grassy mound all summer, it begins to put on ashow around September, when the panicles erupt likesparklers. They are an off color, sort of purple-pink, andcreate great misty clouds in the garden. Their finest attrib-ute is the way they capture dew on each tiny seed head.When backlit, they appear to be made of glass. Purplemuhly changes its aspect with the angle of the sun, eachchange of light creating a new quality. It is one of the mostfascinating plants in the garden.

I would be remiss to speak of the autumn garden with-out mentioning the chrysanthemum. Long before plantingchrysanthemums meant going to the big box store to buylittle shaved balls of flowers in perfectly mounded massesthat you can bounce a quarter off of, we had hardy peren-nial mums that came back every year. Historically here atReynolda, they were massed among the peonies andanemones in the greenhouse garden, where they havereturned in the last few years. In the long border we haveSheffield Pink, a lowgrowing chrysanthe-mum that spreadsnicely to form greatmasses up front. Thedaisylike flowers areactually more of anapricot than pink,despite the name. It istough and reliable and has been here longer than I haveand probably always will be.

One autumn morning you wake up and the landscapeis silvered with frost. It is always both a beautiful and horri-ble day, for as the sun melts the frost away, stretched andfrozen cells collapse and there is little left but soggy black.It does not really close the garden year; there is still muchto be done, as always. But it marks a point that will notreturn until next year and the beginning of a long period of anticipation. ¦

Young Naturalists, June 2009

LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE

CREATURES FOUND UNDER THE

ROCKS IN A SHALLOW STREAM

MAKING PESTO WITH FRESHLY

HARVESTED BASIL AND GARLIC

FINISHED BLUEBIRD HOUSES,READY FOR THE FRIDAY SHOW

PLANTING THE

CHILDREN’S GARDEN

HARVESTING POTATOES

AND ONIONS

HOLDING MILLIE, THE GARDEN CAT

PUBLISHED TWICE YEARLY BY

REYNOLDA GARDENS OF

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY

Communications about Gardens development should be addressed to Preston Stockton, manager.Correspondence concerning The Gardener’s Journal should be addressed to Camilla Wilcox, editor.

A calendar of events is published separately in January and August.

Historical photographs courtesy of Reynolda House Museum of American Art archives.

Website: www.reynoldagardens.org

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L

Printed on paper made of 50% sugar cane pulp and 50% recycled fiber, including 30% post-consumer fiber.No new trees used and elemental-chlorine free.

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDWinston-Salem, NC

Permit No. 69

How to Grow PeppersPeppers can be finicky at times and diffi-cult to grow. They require a lengthy grow-ing season with warm temperatures with-in a specific range to thrive. Sweet pep-pers can grow in a less than ideal climate,but the best varieties of hot peppers areusually from Mexico, China, or Thailand,and they may need a longer period of hottemperatures than can be provided here.Be sure to check the seed packet to see ifyour choice is suited to our climate.

Select a location in your garden thatreceives full sun. Prepare it by addingplenty of compost, manure, and a generalfertilizer. Peppers enjoy a well-amendedsoil that contains plenty of organic matter,supplemented with a balanced fertilizer,such as 10-10-10. Pepper plants are wellsuited to growing in containers, so if youhave very little space, consider some pep-pers in attractive pots on a balcony orpatio.

Early spring is not the time to putyour peppers in the garden. Wait untilnight-time temperatures consistently stayabove fifty degrees, usually sometimebetween late May and early June. Add

The Best Peppers of the Season

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

mulch around theplants to keep downweeds and to retainmoisture.

Peppers can bepicked as soon asthey are big enough,or you can leave themto change color and flavor gradually. Besure to cut your peppers off cleanly. Donot pull them off; pepper plants are veryfragile, and pulling may damage thestems. Pepper plants do not need anypruning other than this.

Be sure to switch over to a fertilizerthat’s high in phosphorus and potassiumonce fruit begins to set. One commonmistake that many gardeners make is fer-tilizing with too much nitrogen, whichresults in a lovely, bushy plant but veryfew peppers.

Peppers are self-pollinators. Occa-sionally they will cross-pollinate, and thecross will show up in the genetics of theseed. It won’t affect this year’s plants, but ifyou plan to save seeds, don’t plant hot andsweet peppers too close together. ¦

R E Y N O L D A GA R D E N S100 Reynolda VillageWinston-Salem, NC 27106