THE DIGGERS Dorchester Garden Club May, 2014

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Mark Your Calendars

MAY, 2014 8 Small Standard Flower Show "Art Blooms at the

Mansion" presented by the Four Seasons Garden Club, Poplar Hill Mansion Salisbury 1:00-4:00 pm

9 Dorchester Garden Club Meeting “The Secret Life of Bees” Cambridge Yacht Club 11:30 am

10 Talbot County House and Garden Pilgrimage 11 Mother’s Day 13 State Board Meeting 22 Memorial Day Flags at Hurlock Eastern Shore

Veterans Cemetery 9am 26 Memorial Day 31 Mardi Gras Standard Flower Show presented by

Oxford Garden Club 1-4pm and 6/1 from 11-3pm 31 Kent County House and Garden Pilgrimage

JUNE, 2014

1-7 National Garden Week 3-5 FGCMD “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” Standard

Flower Show, Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore 7 “The Art of Design Opening Night Interpretations”

Dorchester Center for the Arts Galleries 13 Dorchester Garden Club Annual Picnic and Awards

“A Colorful Palette” Home of member Fran Collins, 103 Hatsawap Circle, Cambridge 12noon

15 Father’s Day 21 First Day of Summer 27 DGC Design Workshop #1: Miniature Design

Old Trinity Episcopal Church (Valiant Hall) Church Creek Presented by Judy Slaughter. Maximum 8 participants. Pre-registration required

Note: registration information for all programs sponsored by

other clubs can be found at: http://www.fgcofmd.org/Calendar_of_Events.html

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DGC April 11, 2014 Meeting “Gardens as Art and Art for the Garden” The Dorchester Garden Club held its first meeting for the 2014-2015 “The Garden is my Canvas… The Art of Horticulture” program year at the Cambridge Yacht Club on April 11, 2014. Members entered a stunning array of seasonal horticulture and designs, dominated by the beloved Daffodil. Following lunch and a short business meeting, it was off to a delightful and informative tour of the gardens and studio of Artist and Landscape Designer, Jan Kirsch in Bozman. Thanks to Jan and her staff, and to all who helped plan and coordinate this special event. Enjoy the photos from the mini flower show and the tour. As promised, we are including a complete list of the Horticulture and Design Awards as compiled by Patti Hopkins.

Patti and Clara Mae checking in the “non-daffodil” entries. Members get a quick look after the judges complete their work.

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Division 1 – Horticulture Awards Class 1 Standard Daffodils - up to 3 entries per class must be different cultivars 1a. Division 1 Trumpet: 1st Helen Davies, 2nd Cookie Brohawn, 3rd Deana Kozak, HM Harriett Leech 1a.(1) 1st Barbara Wilson, 2nd Jane Brighton, 3rd Cookie Brohawn 1b. Division 2 Large Cup: 1st Beverly Shelly, 2nd Martha Hoyer, 3rd Bobbie Tamplin, HM Pat Beck 1b.2(1) 1st Jane Parks, 2nd Helen Saum, 3rd Julia Berman, HM Martha Hoyer 1b.2(2) 1st Fran Collins, 2nd Ellen Higgins, 3rd Deana Kozak, HM Fran Colllins 1c.3 Small Cup:1st Jane Brighton, 2nd Cookie Brohawn, 3rd Martha Hoyer, HM Beverly Shelly 1d.4-Double 1. One bloom to a stem: 1st Gloria Warner, 2nd Cookie Brohawn, 3rd Patti Hopkins, HM Joan S. Johnson 1d.4-Double 2. More than one bloom to a stem: 1st Beverly Shelly 1e.5 Triandrus: 1st Gloria Warner, 2nd Allison Buczek 1f.6 Cyclamineus: 1st Ellen Rindfuss, 2nd Fran Collins, 3rd Bobbie Tamplin 1g.7 Jonquilla & Apondanthus: 1st Pat Beck 1h.8 Tazetta: 1st. Wanda Ciekot, 2nd Jane Brighton, 3rd Bobbie Tamplin 1h.8 (1) 1st Fran Collins, 2nd Bobbie Tamplin, 3rd Barbara Wilson 1i.9 Poeticus: 1st Gloria Warner 1k.11 Split Corona: 1st Nancy Hastings Class 2 Miniature Daffodils – up to 3 entries per class, must be different cultivars 2a.1 Trumpet: 1st. Cookie Brohawn, 2nd Allison Buczek, 3rd Martha Hoyer, HM: Annilly Jones, HM Deana Kozak, HM Jane Parks, HM Annilly Jones 2b.2 Large Cup: 1st Cookie Brohawn 2c.3 Small Cup: 1st.Beverly Shelly 2g.7 Jonquilla & Apodanthus: 1st Fran Collins 2h.8 Tazetta: 1st. Jane Brighton, 2nd Lene Robbins, 3rd Miriam Zijp-Koedijk, HM Jane Brighton

Division II, Class 1 “An Artist’s Universe”

1st place Bobbie Tamplin

Division II, Class 1 “An Artist’s Universe”

2nd place Joan S. Johnson

Division II, Class 2 “The Garden is My World”

1st place Ellen Rindfuss

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Class 3 A collection of 5 different cultivars of daffodils in the same or different divisions 3a. Standard: 1st Jane Parks, 2nd Deana Kozak, 3rd Ellen Higgins, HM Fran Collins Class 4 Conifers – 1 branch (minimum length 6”/maximum length 24”) 4b. Without Cones: 1st Beverly Shelly Class 5 Broadleaf Evergreen Tree or Shrub – 1 branch (minimum length 6”/maximum length 24”) 5a. Flowering: 1st Martha Keating, 2nd Julia Berman, 3rd Jane Parks, HM Ann Kirtland 5b. Foliage: 2nd Cookie Brohawn, 3rd Beverly Shelly 5c. Fruited: 2nd Cookie Brohawn Class 6 Deciduous Tree or Shrub – 1 branch (minimum length 6”/ maximum length 24”) 6a. Flowering: 1st. Barbara Wilson, 2nd Kathe Scanlon, 3rd Patti Hopkins HM Helen Saum, HM Kay Karminski 6b. Foliage: 1st. Annilly Jones Class 7 Ilex (Holly) – 1 branch (minimum length 6”/maximum length 18”) 7a. Foliage: 1st Beverly Shelly

Class 8 Open Class 8a. Annual: 1st. Beverly Shelly 8b. Perennial: 1st Helen Saum, 2nd Patti Hopkins, 3rd Gloria Warner, HM Mary Jo Papin 8d. Bulb, corm, rhizome, tuber: 1st. Anne Kirtland, 2nd Wanda Ciekot, 3rd Jane Parks, HM Julia Berman

Class 9 Group of three Perennials in one container 9a. Same cultivar: 1st Beverly Shelly, 2nd Deana Kozak 9b. Different cultivar: 1st Annilly Jones

Tour of Jan Kirsch Gardens and Studio

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Jan sent along these photos of her beautiful Mixed Media Walkways Here is a list of the recommended plants that Jan highlighted during our garden tour…. Asarum chinensis ‘Splendens’ (Asian Ginger) Epimedium sulphureum (Barrenwort) Other options: Rubum, Lilafee, Frohnleiten Salix ‘Hakuro-nishiki’ (Dappled willow – shrub) Corylopsis spicata (Winterhazel) Deutzia gracilis ‘Nikko’ (Slender Deutzia, a deciduous flowering shrub) Fargesia nitida (Clump bamboo) Fothergilla gardenii (Dwarf fothergilla, a Native flowering shrub) Magnolia stellate (Star Magnolia)

Asarum chinensis “Splendens” (Asian Ginger)

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A year to replant the rosemary …. By Barbara Damrosch for The Washington Post Home and Garden

Just as there are indoor and outdoor cats, there are indoor and outdoor rosemary plants. In their natural outdoor state they grow, thrive and perfume the air on the rocky cliffs and hillsides of Greece and the south of France, where ample sun warms the volatile oils in their needlelike leaves.

Rosemary, in most years, will survive outdoors year-round in parts of the United States that are on the warmer side of Zone 7 (that’s most of the D.C. area) and higher, but this year was not one of them. Like most area gardeners, a friend lost all of his despite his garden’s favorable microclimate, nestled in a hillside in Northwest Washington.

The shores of the Mediterranean may get coolness and moisture in the winter months, but not the relentless snow and ice, followed by cold and oozing mud, that this year was Washington’s lot. My friend plans to restock. But some gardeners find it safer to grow the plants in containers and treat them as houseplants or, as I do, make them commuter plants that go outside in spring and retreat to a sunny window in late fall.

This, too, has its perils. The late Millie Owen, in her delightful book “A Cook’s Guide to Growing Herbs, Greens and Aromatics,” wrote, “Shakespeare must have had houseplant rosemary in mind when he said it’s for remembrance: remember not to let it get dry, remember to check it for pests, remember to keep it pinched back, remember to keep a constant watch on it — and it may be happy if it’s a mind to.”

Rosemary dislikes the dim light of most indoor rooms and is unforgiving to moisture. Not enough watering will kill it. Too much watering, especially if the soil is heavy and poorly drained or the saucer is full of water, will kill it just as fast. You have to watch it and sense its needs.

I was once given a large rosemary in a decorated terra cotta pot by a friend who moved a lot. The plant then moved with me from apartment to apartment and house to house. It became a pet, increasingly ungainly and hard to please. I’ve since learned not to get too attached. In fact, with perennial herbs that tend toward woodiness — including rosemary, sage and lavender — you get the most beautiful, pliant and flavorful foliage if you start new ones each year, whether from seed, cuttings or small nursery-grown specimens.

Sited in a sheltered spot with good drainage — amend clay soil with grit and compost — a young rosemary can become a small-to-medium-size shrub in three years. If you are worried about winter survival, you can protect it during the coldest months.

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Francesco DeBaggio, owner of DeBaggio’s Herb Farm and Nursery in Chantilly, offers this advice: Wrap it with plastic, or any handy protective blanketing, to form a tube, but leave the tube open to the sky to receive sun, water and fresh air. After all, rosemary is an evergreen plant that does not go dormant. Cover the top of the tube if conditions become extreme, but never for more than a day.

As he points out, some varieties of rosemary are more cold-tolerant than others, especially Winter Hardy (also known as Arp) and Hill Hardy (also known as Madalene Hill). Young rosemary plants are widely available at garden centers, though DeBaggio’s is known for its more unusual varieties. For mail-order rosemary, a good choice is Richter’s Herbs at www.richters.com. But don’t wait until summer to shop. After such a winter, rosemary will be much in demand.

Tip of the week: Sweet basil should not be planted out until nighttime temperatures are consistently in the 50s or warmer. Plants in hand can be grown together in 12-inch or larger pots. Bring them under cover on cool nights. In May, transfer the basil to garden beds or keep it as a handy container-grown plant. Buy more for your garden beds. Small ones will grow vigorously in the heat of the next few weeks. — Adrian Higgins

Damrosch’s latest book is “The Four Season Farm Gardener’s Cookbook.”

Big, eye-catching blooms!

Tired of pink when it comes to your peonies? The orange buds of Misaka intersectional peony (Paeonia x ‘Smith Opus 1’) open to the peachy yellow, with a splash of deep pink, you see at left. Misaka’s flowers have a light fragrance and can be up to 8 inches across in full bloom. Also called “Itohs,” easy-care intersectionals are a cross between herbaceous and tree peonies. The resulting hybrids have great traits from both plants: Fragrance, a wide range of flower colors, strong stems, cold-hardiness and good pest and disease resistance. These peonies don’t develop a woody stem but die to the ground where winters get cold. For the most blooms, give Misaka plenty of sun. Another nice feature of this peony is its strong stems — staking isn’t usually needed. After flowers have finished, cut stems back to the first set of leaves to tidy up the plant and prevent it from forming seeds, which helps save energy.

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May Tree and Shrub Tips from the University of Maryland

When selecting a new shade tree for your landscape select one with a single, straight trunk. Contrary to popular belief it is unnecessary to prune or top a newly planted tree. Obviously damaged branches, however, should be removed. Common planting mistakes include planting in compacted or poorly drained soil, planting too deep and buying damaged trees with poor root systems. Good choices would include white oak, male ginko, dawn redwood, bald cypress, American holly, American hornbeam, Carolina silverbell (see photo above), fringe tree, Katsura tree, Kentucky coffee tree, Korean fir, white fir, paperbark maple, Persian parrotia, Serbian spruce.

If your azaleas, rhododendrons and other spring flowering shrubs are growing too large you can prune them after they bloom.

Mulches should be applied only 2-3 inches deep and kept away from tree trunks. Mature trees do not benefit from being mulched except that the mulch ring keeps lawn mowers and string trimmers from damaging your trees.

At this time in the spring the older leaves of holly and magnolia will begin to yellow and drop. This is a natural process of regeneration and does not indicate a problem with the trees.

The three major insect and mite pests of boxwood can be observed now. Boxwood mites produce small white spots, known as stippling, on leaves. The boxwood psyllid causes new leaves to cup and the boxwood leaf miner produces blister and blotch mines on boxwood leaves. Ultra-fine horticultural oil can be applied to control psyllids and mites. Leaf miner damage observed now occurred last year. Consider applying a systemic insecticide this summer if you observe numerous fresh mines.

Lace bug feeding may be seen on rhododendrons, azaleas, andromeda, and mountain laurel. You’ll notice small white or yellow spots on the upper sides of leaves and small black fecal spots will appear on the undersides. Lace bugs are more of a problem on stressed plants on exposed hot sunny sites.

Cankerworms look like inch worms and are yellow to gray in color and are feeding now on the foliage of a wide range of shade and forest trees. The damage first appears as shot holes in leaves. They feed between leaf veins causing foliage to have a tattered appearance. No treatment is necessary for established trees.

Cottony camelia scale, also known as cottony taxus scale, can be found now on yews, camelias, holly, euonymous, hydrangea and beautyberry. You’ll notice white waxy egg masses laid on leaf undersides.

Carolina silverbell, Halesia carolina

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You may also notice honeydew and black sooty mold that results from scale feeding. Immatures will hatch in June. It’s best to spray in June with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.

Gypsy moth caterpillars are feeding at this time. Hemlock woolly adelgids are aphid-like sucking pests that appear as white, waxy masses on the

underside of needles. Heavy infestations can debilitate trees, particularly when they are stressed. Another One control option is to consider a systemic insecticide treatment.

You may notice large numbers of 1-inch long sawfly larvae feeding on pine trees. Handpick to control small infestations.

Eastern tent caterpillars are actively feeding. Tents can be removed with a long stick. Larvae are too large to be effectively controlled with B.t.. Mature Eastern tent caterpillars are still moving out of nests searching for a place to pupate.

Honey locust plant bug and honey locust leafhopper frequently feed on honey locust leaves, causing yellowing, deformity, or stunting. If infestations are severe, apply a summer rate application of horticultural oil.

Locust leaf miner adults are beginning to feed on black locusts. They feed between the leaf veins, causing leaves to look skeletonized. Although unsightly, controls are not necessary. This pest does not pose a threat to black locust trees.

Maintain good boxwood health by thinning out interior branches to promote air circulation. Dense boxwoods may develop disease problems such as volutella canker, and macrophoma leaf

spot. Improved air circulation will help prevent these diseases. Read for more information on these diseases. Also be aware of the new boxwood blight disease that has been found in Maryland.

Dogwood anthracnose is a serious dogwood disease. Early symptoms begin in mid- to late-May as leaf spots with tan or purple borders. These spots may enlarge in wet weather and kill entire leaves. The disease can then spread to twigs and branches and result in dieback of large limbs and even entire trees. Both cultural and chemical control strategies are necessary. Prune out all dead or dying twigs and limbs during dry weather. All water sprouts or suckers on trunks and branches should also be removed at this time. In the fall, leaves should be raked up and removed. Remove any dead leaves still attached to the branches. . In areas with severe disease, consider planting resistant dogwood species such as the flowering dogwood cultivar ‘Appalachian Spring’, and cultivars of Cornus kousa.

The blooms of many plants, including dogwood and peony, can be infected with botrytis blight, also known as gray mold. Flower petals will appear spotted and water-soaked and then wither and turn brown. Azaleas suffer a similar petal blight disease. Simply remove damaged blooms.

A common fungal disease known as anthracnose occurs on oaks, maples, sycamores, ash, and beeches. Irregular shaped, brown spots appear on the upper leaf surface. Leaves may wither, die and drop as the disease spreads. Healthy, mature trees can tolerate these symptoms and will put out new foliage. Newly planted Young trees that are badly infected can be sprayed next spring, with a labeled fungicide. Sprays will not help once leaf spotting symptoms are observed. Rake up and dispose of fallen, infected leaves to reduce the incidence of the disease next year.

Ovulinia blight causes small water-soaked spots on azalea and rhododendron blooms that enlarge, causing the petals to turn slimy and brown. The petals remain attached to the plant. This fungal disease is more severe during cool, wet weather.

Exobasidium gall can be seen on azaleas and rhododendrons. Leaves develop puffy swellings that turn white in color.

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Diggers in the Kitchen …Asparagus Risotto, compliments of Mario Batalli

Well, asparagus was a little late this Spring, thanks to the seemingly never ending winter, but it’s finally coming on in the garden. Why not take asparagus from side dish to main event with this delicious Asparagus Risotto recipe from Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur Mario Batalli. Buon appetito!

Ingredients: 1 pound asparagus, peeled, trimmed and cut into one-inch-long pieces, tips reserved 5 to 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3 medium red onion, diced 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 cup dry white wine Salt to taste 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add half the asparagus stalks and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Rinse quickly under cold water.

Put cooked asparagus in a blender or food processor and add just enough water to allow machine to puree until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the stock in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, deep nonstick skillet over

medium heat. When it is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally until soft but not yet brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add white wine, stir, and let liquid bubble

away. Add a large pinch of salt. Add warmed stock, 1/2 cup or so at a time, stirring occasionally. Each time stock has just

about evaporated, add more.

After about 15 minutes, add remaining asparagus pieces and tips, continuing to add stock when necessary. In 5 minutes,

begin tasting rice. You want it to be tender but with a bit of crunch; it could take as long as 25 minutes total to reach this

stage. When it does, stir in 1/2 cup asparagus purée. Remove skillet from heat, add remaining butter and stir briskly.

Add Parmesan and stir briskly, then taste and adjust seasoning. Risotto should be slightly soupy. Serve immediately.

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You’re Invited! Some Upcoming Events of interest to DGC Members “Recycle Dorchester” May 16-17 DCHS 7 am-Noon

The Dorchester County Historical Society is planning one of its key funding events for May 16 and 17 to be held on its Heritage Museums and Gardens of Dorchester campus. Donations are being sought for this biannual sale. With charitable contributions down in this economy, “Recycle Dorchester” is one of the ways that DCHS has identified to promote its mission to preserve (recycling resources) while making much needed operating funds. This sale has been expanded to two days from 7 a.m.-noon. In addition, a silent auction will be held for some interesting antique items. Donations in the form of inventory are being sought to stock this event. Furniture, household items, art,

linens, sporting goods, toys and electronics are just some of the items requested. Clothing is also accepted. In the past, boats have even been donated and sold at this event. All donations are tax deductible. Items are being accepted from now until Thursday, May 15 and may be dropped off at its site at 1003 Greenway Drive in Cambridge. For information, contact DCHS at 410-228-7953 or dchs@verizon.net.

Adkins Arboretum’s Native Garden Tour – May 17 10 am-4 pm On Saturday, May 17, when the vibrant blue False Indigo is in bloom, Adkins Arboretum brings its second annual Native Garden Tour, “Celebrating Natives,” to Queen Anne’s County.“Celebrating Natives” is a different kind of garden tour, one that focuses on sustainable approaches to Eastern Shore gardening. The Centreville branch of the Queen Anne’s County Free Library is the hub of this self-guided driving tour of seven outstanding gardens. The tour not only highlights the beauty of the gardens, but emphasizes their importance in a biodiverse landscape. The tour features seven unique gardens, each demonstrating varying commitments to native plantings and uses of sustainable practices such as rain barrels and composting. The gardens range from the library’s seven-year-old rain garden, created to address storm water runoff, to gardens several generations in the making. The first garden tour of its kind on the Eastern Shore, “Celebrating Natives,” exemplifies the Arboretum’s mission of teaching about and showing by example the importance of using native plants in restoring balance to the ecosystem and fostering community relationships. Native plants are those that grew and thrived on the Eastern Shore before the introduction of European settlers. Because these plants have adapted naturally to the region’s ecology of climate, insects and wildlife, they are a better choice than non-native plants. “Celebrating Natives” will take place Saturday, May 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 at the library on the day of the tour. For more information or to order tickets, visit www.adkinsgardentour.org or call 410-634-2847.