September 13, 2011: At the first meeting of the new year, members of the Capitol Hill Garden Club heard Janet Draper, curator of the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden at the Smithsonian Institution, discuss ways of creating year-round interest in even small gardens.
Vice President Carol Edwards (l) welcomed members back for the new year. Bulb chairs Pat Hanrehan and Sandra Bruce (r) discussed plans for this years spring-flowering bulb sales at Eastern Market.
Wendy Blair (l) introduced Draper (above at laptop). Using the Ripley garden for demonstration, Draper recommended foliage and plant structure for creating interest beyond the temporary bloom time of various plants. She also recommended specific plants which do well in our climate and require a minimal amount of maintenance from year to year.
Draper suggest Yucca for its bold structure, specifically Yucca recurvifolia 'Margaritaville' and Yucca filmmentosa. For shade, she praised Hellebores, which will reseed unless you cut off and remove the seed pods. She favored the Hellebores x hybridus a/k/a Lenton Rose over Helleborus niger, the white Christmas Rose which doesn't do so well hereabouts. She praised Hellebores argutifolius for its serrated foliage and chartreuse flowers and also Hellebores foetidus.
Mahonia bealei was praised for its late winter flowers and the following blue berries that are eaten by birds. Draper recommended the early spring blooms and fall color of Hamamelis a/k/a Witchhazel but warned against 'Arnold Promise' which is susceptible to a fungus. Corylus avellena 'Contorta' a/k/a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick was praised for its odd catkin bloom in the spring and bare contorted branches in the winter. She agreed with E.J. Truax's suggestion that the Walking Stick is best displayed elevated. [Nobody won the Jeopardy quiz by placing Harry Lauder from 1870 to 1950.]
Asarum splendens was recommended for a ground cover and Hakenochloa macra 'Aureola" a/k/a Japanese Hakone grass for its form.
Carex dolichostrachya 'Gold Fountains' was praised for its clumping form; Draper advised to remove old foliage in the early spring. Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' was praised for its silvery foliage and blue spring flowers. Draper recommended Euphoria characias ssp wulfenii for its long-lasting chartreuse heads and Lonicera nitida 'Baggeson's Gold' for its golden foliage.
Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' not only has a name which one can use to impress friends but also has foliage ranging from spring pink to summer green and white to fall yellow, she said.
Draper said Hydrangea quercifolia with its white "ice cream cone" flowers made a strong statement in a garden and the variety of Hostas offered a palette of colors and shapes.
Eucomis comosa 'Sparking Burgundy" with its summer pineapple-like white flowers made for summer interest she said.
Mahonia bealei was praised for its late winter flowers and the following blue berries that are eaten by birds. Draper recommended the early spring blooms and fall color of Hamamelis a/k/a Witchhazel but warned against 'Arnold Promise' which is susceptible to a fungus. Corylus avellena 'Contorta' a/k/a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick was praised for its odd catkin bloom in the spring and bare contorted branches in the winter. She agreed with E.J. Truax's suggestion that the Walking Stick is best displayed elevated. [Nobody won the Jeopardy quiz by placing Harry Lauder from 1870 to 1950.]
Asarum splendens was recommended for a ground cover and Hakenochloa macra 'Aureola" a/k/a Japanese Hakone grass for its form.
Carex dolichostrachya 'Gold Fountains' was praised for its clumping form; Draper advised to remove old foliage in the early spring. Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' was praised for its silvery foliage and blue spring flowers. Draper recommended Euphoria characias ssp wulfenii for its long-lasting chartreuse heads and Lonicera nitida 'Baggeson's Gold' for its golden foliage.Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' not only has a name which one can use to impress friends but also has foliage ranging from spring pink to summer green and white to fall yellow, she said.
Draper said Hydrangea quercifolia with its white "ice cream cone" flowers made a strong statement in a garden and the variety of Hostas offered a palette of colors and shapes.
Eucomis comosa 'Sparking Burgundy" with its summer pineapple-like white flowers made for summer interest she said.
