September 20, 2013: U.S. National Arboretum research horticulturist
Scott Aker, walked a group of around 20 volunteers and potential volunteers
(two from Capitol Hill Garden Club) through the Glenn Dale Hillside Renewal
Project site to show the condition of the area and the work to be undertaken in
the hillside renewal. The work focuses on the removal of invasive plants such
as English ivy and porcelain berry and sapling trees, the trimming of limbs and
branches from remaining trees to provide more light, and pruning dead or leggy
branches that struggled to find light from the azaleas. Aker said, “The
azaleas will benefit greatly from reduced competition for light, nutrients and
water.”
The collection is the result of B.Y. Morrison’s
extraordinary hybridizing, work, which culminated in hybrids with larger flower
size, wider range of flower color and bloom time, and hardiness in the
Washington, DC, area. Morrison was USDA plant breeder and first director of the
National Arboretum. |
| Arboretum Director Colien Hefferan addressed the group at the end of the tour. |
The renewal work will be done mostly by a contractor under
the supervision of Arboretum staff, the Arboretum staff, and--azalea collection
volunteers. That’s where garden club members come in. The curator of the Arboretum Azalea and Rhododendron
Collections, Barbara Bullock, has invited garden club members to join other
volunteers on azalea clean up days. The
upcoming work day is scheduled from 10 am to 2-3 pm, December 1. If you have an interest in participating send
an email to barbara.bullock@ars.udsa.gov and details of the clean up will be forwarded to you.
-- by Doris Celarier (photos by David Healy)
