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Calvert County Master Gardener Publications
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Articles from Calvert Life Monthly Magazine |
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Preparing your Garden for Winter An Old Fashioned Evergreen Christmas Holiday Gardens - Calvert's Colonial Creativity Water Conservation - Make it good to the very last drop |
Water & Your Garden
By Bill Hopkins, Calvert County Master Gardener
The planet Earth is covered by water over nearly 75% of its surface. However, only about 3% of that water is fresh water fit for plants and humans. Water is the best fertilizer for plants and is essential for plant growth. Plant cells are made up largely of water and a lack of it will inhibit their growth causing stunted and weak plants. Even with the best soil, seeds and intentions, nothing will grow without water. Plants use and lose water constantly year round and it needs to be replaced. Water loss is highest during the day and lowest at night. Good soil acts as a reservoir when moisture is not replaced by irrigation or rain. How much water is stored depends on the soil’s texture and organic matter content.
The best way to conserve water in the garden is by using mulch. A layer of 2-3 inches will help keep the soil cool and moist. The mulch does two things: it protects the plants from the heat and cold and also breaks down over time to feed the soil.
Protect roots of trees and shrubs with a thin layer of mulch and never create the “volcanoes” that are sometimes seen around trees. Too much mulch prevents the water from filtering down to the plant roots and the cone shape actually sheds water, keeping it from the roots where it is beneficial. Wood mulch should not come into contact with tree or shrub bark. The same microorganisms that break down the mulch can also damage and destroy woody plants over time. Excessive use of hardwood mulch can cause manganese toxicity in acid-loving plants such as azaleas, so occasionally use pine bark chips. Non-diseased leaves make an excellent mulch under trees and shrubs and can be left where they fall. If you do not like the appearance of leaves, they can be chopped and/or covered by a thin layer of mulch.
For more information, visit the Home and Garden Information Center at http://www.hgic.umd.edu/, go to Publications, Online, see Fact Sheet 553 “Mulches for the Home Garden” or call 1-800-342-2507 and request a copy.
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, July 2006. Reprinted with permission.
Gardening in the Shade
By Judith M. Kay, Calvert County Master Gardener
Many of us in Calvert County have magnificent native trees growing in our yards. Trees are important in the landscape and essential to the environment and we should preserve as many as possible. Gardeners, however, are often perplexed about what to plant in the shade. Fortunately, there are many choices for sites ranging from deep to partial shade.
Partial Shade means the site receives 3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight, and Shade means it receives less than 3 hours of direct or filtered light; however, there are many variations. A building, ravine or low-growing foliage can create deep shade which is the most challenging. Many plants requiring Partial Shade do well without direct sunlight if the shade is high and bright (tree canopy), allowing dappled sunlight to penetrate. Mountain Laurel and Azaleas do not do well in 6 hours of hot “West sun” but thrive in “East sun” and plants suitable for northern ranges will do better if given some shade in our region. Evaluate your shade and try to choose wisely, but sometimes you have to learn by experimenting.
Ferns, such as Lady, Hay-Scented, and Sensitive, form colonies that brighten shady areas, and Christmas Ferns will grow among the tree roots. Please do not plant turf grass underneath trees. It doesn’t grow well and mowing it damages exposed roots and compacts the soil. Try native groundcovers such as Creeping Phlox, Green and Gold, Allegheny Spurge, or Wild Ginger.
Perennials like the Celandine Poppy have cheerful yellow springtime blooms. Virginia Bluebells combine well with the delicate white flowers of Rue Anemone. For red, try Wild Columbine, Cardinal Flower, or Indian Pink. Wild Geranium has pink/violet blooms in mid spring, and the foliage of Coral Bells is colorful throughout the summer.
Shrubs for shade include Hydrangea, Drooping Laurel, Mountain Laurel, Sweet Pepperbush, native deciduous Azaleas, and the Spicebush that blooms in late March.
For a detailed list of native herbaceous plants for Partial to Full Shade and a list of Native Plant Nurseries, contact the County Extension Office by e-mail to jschenck@umd.edu or bgolden1@umd.edu or call 410-535-3662 or 301-855-1150.
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, August 2006. Reprinted with permission.
Preparing your Garden for Winter
By Judith M. Kay, Calvert County Master Gardener
October brings clear blue skies and lower humidity--perfect weather to work in the garden. Now is the time to move, divide and rearrange your plants. Daylilies, Iris, bulbs, and other perennials such as Black-Eyed Susans and Summer Phlox should be divided in the fall and replanted or shared with friends and neighbors. Begin a new bed for some of the plants by removing grass from an area and working organic matter such as partially decomposed leaves or compost into the soil.
Many trees and shrubs are given a head start when planted in the fall. They suffer less shock if planted when dormant and the roots have time to establish themselves before spring brings new growth and blooms. And water all your shrubs and small trees if we have a dry spell. Their roots are still growing! Visit the Home and Garden Information Center website at <http://www.hgic.umd.edu/> Publications-On-line and see “Planting Tips for Trees” (HG 24). While you’re there, check out the “Timely Tips” for the month.
If your lawn has bare patches, prepare the soil and reseed or start a new lawn. Tall Fescue should be fertilized now. Have your soil tested, measure your yard and calculate the amount of nitrogen you need to apply. (HGIC has several pertinent publications: HG306, HG110, HG103 and others.)
Leaves have begun to fall and should be removed from new grass shoots but may be left on established grass and mulched with a mower. Build a compost bin to hold the leaves and yard clippings and add kitchen scraps such as vegetable and fruit peels over the winter. (See HG 35)
Pick tomatoes and take them indoors to ripen. Remove dead plants and rotting fruit and vegetables and discard them. (They may carry disease and insect pests and should not be added to the compost pile.) Harvest and enjoy fall crops such as mustard, squash, and pumpkins. Sweet potatoes should be harvested before frost but kale is more tender afterward, so cut some now and leave some to eat later. Whatever you do--go outdoors and enjoy your garden!
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, August 2006. Reprinted with permission.
An Old Fashioned Evergreen Christmas
By Linda Senior Downs, Calvert County Master Gardener
Bring the outdoors indoors, just like our Ancestors did! Decorate for Christmas using what Mother Nature has provided us -- Evergreens.
One week before Christmas, carefully cut off branches from your Evergreen trees and shrubs. Bundle them together with wire. They can be attached to stairway railings, used as garlands for the fireplace mantle, placed on top of pictures or mirrors, as wreaths on the front door, or bundles can be laid on tables and shelves. Tie them with red ribbons to add color. Fill a clear glass or silver bowl with fresh fruit, like apples or oranges, and surround with Evergreen branches.
Boxwood likes being sheared this time of year and several varieties have pungent fragrances that provide a fresh clean smell in the house. Cut 4-inch lengths, tie them together using “paddle wire” (green wire on a paddle). Overlap the clusters of Boxwood on a form you have purchased or made, wrapping with the paddle wire until it is completely covered.
The fragrance of Pine Tree branches evokes memories of an old-fashioned Christmas. One to 2-foot-long branches can be tied together with paddle wire in a continuous length to form a garland. Use them on the stairway railing, over the top of a doorway, or outdoors around a porch post or railing. Decorate them with clusters of “pine cones” or whole fresh fruits and ribbons. And don’t forget the mailbox!
The branches of Holly Trees and Shrubs are self decorated with “red berries” contrasted against the dark green shiny leaves. Prune 6-inch to l-foot or longer branches and wire together to decorate tables or place on the mantle. Red ribbons will compliment the red berries!
Mini-Evergreen Christmas Trees in Pots: Arborvitae, Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Boxwood, Cypress. Pot a small Evergreen shrub from your yard or purchase one the week before Christmas. Decorate it with fresh fruit, ribbons, pinecones, or hand-made ornaments. Keep it well watered! After the holidays, place it in a protected area outside and water it occasionally if there is no rain or snow. Plant it when the ground thaws. Have a wonderful old-fashioned Evergreen Christmas!
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, December 2006. Reprinted with permission.
By R. T. West, Calvert County Master Gardener
In addition to sunshine, we need to provide a few things to ensure the health and happiness of our flowers and vegetables: control the undesirables that compete for their space and nutrients, supply them with the foods they like, and make sure they have the proper amount of water.
In 1971, the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station described the soils on Calvert County's sloping landscapes as "moderately to severely eroded". Erosion removes topsoil, nutrients, and organic matter vital to the plant's health. Replacing the eroded material is not easy; in some cases the only solution is to purchase and apply new topsoil. Mineral fertilizers can replace nutrients, but these chemicals can quickly wash away and may not be in a form readily available for plant use. Luckily, we can correct these deficiencies by adding organic matter.
Organic matter includes manure, grass clippings, chopped up leaves, hay, and commercially composted sources such as "Black Kow" or "Leafgro®". When composted organic matter is placed on or worked gently into the soil, it immediately improves the soil's structure, nutrient capability, and water holding capacity. Un-composted materials, such as grass clippings and chopped leaves, may be placed on the soil to keep down undesirable vegetation ("weeds") and retain moisture. Eventually, these mulches will compost into rich sources of food for our plants.
You should know the source of the un-composted materials. Lawn clippings can retain systemic herbicides and manure may contain excess antibiotics. These can interfere with composting processes and proper plant growth.
I prefer the no-till method of sheet composting. Put down about 10-12 layers of newspaper to control weeds and cover with four or five inches of manure. Repeat the process each spring when the previous year's manure has composted. I plant by moving the un-composted material aside, poke a hole in the rich soil beneath, drop in a seed or seedling, cover, water, and wait for the harvest. Pluck any weeds from the loose top material or cover them with more compost.
If we take care of our soil, our plants will thank us by providing beautiful flowers and vegetables.
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, April 2007. Reprinted with permission.
Holiday Gardens - Calvert's Colonial Creativity
By Pamela L. Blyth, Calvert County Master Gardener
Winter holiday celebrations call for festive decorations, and what better way to adorn your world than with the beauty provided by nature! Calvert County's heritage is evident each holiday season as the tradition of using greenery, berries and fruit to assemble lovely decorations is seen in homes, churches, and public places throughout the county - just as they were in Colonial times.
Adding the right plant material to your garden can allow you to step outside your door into a virtual warehouse of decorating material. Red berries that adorn your yard can also adorn your wreaths. Many of the trees and shrubs you use to decorate will also look stunning in the snow. And who can resist feeling the holiday spirit when you look out at all the bright red cardinals those berries will attract!
Some of the many trees used to make the lovely holiday decorations we've used since Colonial times include Magnolia, Blue Spruce, Cedar, and multiple varieties of pine trees that grow well in southern Maryland. The Eastern White Pine can grow up to ninety feet high with a span of up to forty feet. A member of the 5-needle group, this tree has soft, grayish green needles. As well as providing the basics for swags and garlands, evergreens make lovely outdoor Christmas trees - either decorated with lights or with cheerful food items for birds.
Consider planting Nandinas (Heavenly Bamboo), Winterberry Ilex and American Holly for those red berries that also brighten up gray winter days and continue to feed the wildlife throughout the winter.
The glossy, evergreen leaves of Camellias provide traditional background material for wreaths, centerpieces and outdoor displays. Some varieties will even have blooms in December. And, don't forget Boxwood and Junipers - these evergreen workhorses are decorating staples.
Thoughtfully planned, your winter garden will transform your home and yard into a cheerful landscape that you'll enjoy during the holiday season and throughout those long, cold winter days.
Master Gardener Tip: Be thoughtful about how you prune your plant material when gathering it for making decorations. You can get advice on the proper way to prune at the Maryland Cooperative Extension website (http://extension.umd.edu/), Bulletin 150: Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs (http://extension.umd.edu/publications/PDFs/EB150.pdf ).
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, December 2007. Reprinted with permission.
By Mary Ellen Romney, Calvert County Master Gardener
Wild and dynamic or soothing and serene, container gardening can be anything that you choose. It's easy and fun. Container gardens can be for sun or shade. They concentrate color, texture and beauty for startling impact. Use container gardens to provide welcoming color and interest at an entry or on a deck, to limit watering, or to keep susceptible plants out of reach of munching deer. Remember, container gardens are portable and can be moved to wherever you need a colorful, appealing focal point.
Containers come in a variety of materials, from classic terra cotta to plastic, fiberglass, concrete, wood and metal. Choose a container to fit the style of your home and in proportion to the surroundings. Ensure that whatever type of container you choose has adequate drainage. Consider arranging the containers in differing elevations for visual interest.
Use a good quality potting mix. Premium potting mixes may contain controlled-release fertilizers and water retaining polymers.
Choose plants with compatible light and water requirements. Place a taller specimen, such as dracaena, in the center of the pot as a focal point or use an obelisk or trellis to support a flowering vine. Surround this with shorter selections and then another variety, such as sweet potato vine or bacopa, that will cascade over the rim. Annuals, perennials, small shrubs, herbs, grasses, vegetables - the choices for containers are endless.
When choosing plants, create unity by using repetition of color in plants and containers. Consider the size and shape of the foliage, light and dark or smooth and textured leaves. Water often depending on the plant's requirement and the amount of rain but beware - container placement will affect how much rain the container actually receives. Fertilize every two weeks to sustain blooms.
Remove flowers past their prime to encourage new bud formation and don't be shy in pruning back plants when they become leggy or overgrown. This will encourage new growth and flower production.
Sit back and enjoy!
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, June 2007. Reprinted with permission.
Composting - It's a Rotten Business!
By R.T. West, Calvert County Master Gardener
I cringe every fall when people bag and throw away the best part of their lawns and gardens. Their recently deceased lawn and garden clippings and leaves can be turned into valuable nourishment for next years plants. Fresh dead vegetable matter contains everything a plant needs for growth, and Nature relies on decomposers - animals, fungi, and bacteria - to break down the plant tissues into forms that new plants can use. In composting, our goal is to create an environment that mimics nature, but speeds up the process.
Compost is defined as "aerobically decomposed (rotten) organic materials". Compost added to our gardens and lawns improves water retention, soil structure, tilth, and nutrient exchange between the soil and plant roots.
To make compost, you will need: (1) A container. You can use a large plastic trash can to hold the raw materials. (I use a 36" circular container made of 2"x 4" welded wire fence lined with landscaping fabric.) (2) Mixed brown and green vegetable wastes. Use only vegetable matter, since animal wastes contain oils and fats that decompose slowly and attract pests. Brown matter contains a high percentage of carbon and can be leaves, dead flowers, and shrub clippings. Green matter contains the nitrogen needed by bacteria. You can use kitchen wastes and grass clippings. Manure is a great addition if you can get it from a nearby horse farm. The smaller the particles, the easier it is for the bacteria and fungi to break it down. Put your greens and browns on a flat surface and run over them with a lawn mower a few times. (3) Air is needed for aerobic activity, so if you use a plastic container, drill plenty of air holes in it. Turning and mixing the material occasionally speeds up the process. (4) Add water as you fill your container with green and brown matter. The mixture should be moist, but not soaked. Add water as necessary during the winter.
Turn your compost gently into the soil as you plant next spring and your reward will be healthy, happy, and productive plants.
Master Gardener Tip: Need more composting material? Ask you neighbors to dump their grass clippings at the side of your garden. This will give you plenty of green matter to add to the brown. And, check local newspapers for "Free Manure" ads. You can find more information about composting from the University of Maryland's online publication, HG35 at www.hgic.umd.edu.
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, October 2007. Reprinted with permission.
By Pamela L. Blyth, Calvert County Master Gardener
Tucked away in downtown Prince Frederick is a small place that represents that huge spirit and character embodied by Calvert County residents for over three hundred years of America's history.
If you seek out the historic Phillips House (hint - it's behind the old library building off Duke Street), you'll enjoy a double treat! The house is lovely and its initial preservation was the accomplishment of one of Ann Whisman's fondest dreams. Ah, but there is more!
Tucked in a circle in front of the house is a small garden that quietly reaches out to you. As you read the dedication plaque, your spirit will be moved - and even if you never had the chance to know Ann, to whom the garden is dedicated, you'll still find yourself a bit in awe of her as you ponder what an "indomitable spirit" must have inspired a community to remember her in such a special way.
Carved into a large boulder are the words, Follow Your Dream. And Ann Whisman was a woman who did just that. After her tragic death in 2003, Ann's friends and family conceived the garden as a way to celebrate her life - a life that understood the power of not only having dreams but of acting on them as well. The Calvert County Master Gardeners, with the help of the County, took on the detailed planning of the garden and continue to maintain it today.
This quiet, dreamy spot is planted with lovely shade trees and plants - many of them native to this area. As you sit on the bench contemplating Ann's spirit and the history of Calvert County, you feel transported back to a simpler, more magical time - a time when the dreams of men and women knew no bounds and even included the creation of a brand new nation.
Ann Whisman's advice was right - and her magical little garden may just inspire you to follow your own dream!
Master Gardener Tip: Consider using native plants to create a dream garden of your own. Native plantings are hardier, require less maintenance, and are acclimated to Southern Maryland. Contact the Cooperative Extension Office (410-535-3662 or 301-855-1150) and ask for a list of plants native to Calvert County.
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, September 2007. Reprinted with permission.
By Betsy Spitler, Calvert County Master Gardener
Did you know that about fifty percent (50%) of pollutants carried in rainwater come off your roof, driveway, and street during a storm and flow into the Bay? The pollutants include pesticides, excess fertilizer, yard waste, mercury, engine oil from cars and residues from hot tires, all of which are harmful to our water table and the Chesapeake Bay.
Before your house was built, trees and natural vegetation filtered the rain water through their leaves and their root systems pulled runoff into the soil where it percolated and was cleaned before gravitating toward the water table and the Bay and its tributaries. To return to that pristine environment is impossible, but we can mitigate the situation by creating small areas that will trap water and allow it to soak into the soil, thus emulating nature. These are called Rain Gardens and are being widely used to control runoff.
Rain gardens can be small or large areas of your yard where you have trees, shrubs, plants and ground covers instead of a vast expanse of lawn. These plants absorb fourteen times more rain water than turf (lawns) alone. Rain gardens benefit everyone by minimizing mowing, removing the pollutants from storm water run-off, controlling flooding and soil erosion, and creating beauty.
The benefits of your rain garden will be less maintenance and watering while attracting more butterflies, birds, and other small mammals. By using native plants, you reap even more benefits. They are drought tolerant, disease resistant, adapted to local conditions of climate and soil, and help restore a small measure of the natural ecosystem. To see a well established Rain Garden visit the Chesapeake Ecology Center (www.chesapeakeecologycenter.org) in Annapolis, Maryland.
To learn more about building your own Rain Garden and the native plants to use in it, come to the Master Gardener "Garden Smarter" seminar at the Prince Frederick Library on May 5, 2007. It begins at 10:00 AM and is free. If you miss it, you may obtain the handouts used by calling the Calvert County Extension Office at 301-855-1150 or 410-535-3662.
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, May 2007. Reprinted with permission.
Water Conservation - Make it good to the very last drop!
Pamela L. Blyth, Calvert County Master Gardener
Summers have been hot and dry recently, so you may want to begin planning now for efficient ways to keep your yard fresh and green over the next few months. There are some easy and relatively inexpensive things you can do to significantly reduce the amount of water your yard will require. Here are our Top Ten:
10. Never fertilize when the weather is hot, and try to eliminate the need to fertilize altogether by leaving the grass clippings on the lawn. They decompose providing nutrients in the process.
9. Mow your grass high - no lower than three inches. Higher grass chokes out those weeds and shades the soil, thus retaining moisture.
8. Avoid using sprinklers and opt to water at the base of your plants to prevent the water from evaporating before it gets to the roots. It may take you a little more time, but hey, it's great therapy!
7. Install a drip irrigation or trickle system. These are readily available and affordable these days - and they'll do the work for you!
6. Invest in an automatic timer for that drip system - one with a rain sensor will avoid the unnecessary use of your precious water.
5. Water early in the morning before the real heat sets in and speeds up evaporation. Your plants will appreciate the drink when they're most able to enjoy each and every drop.
4. Don't forget the automatic water collection system you already have - your roof. Harness all that run-off in containers placed under your downspouts. Good old fashioned rain barrels are great, but just about any container will work.
3. Save the pruning for cooler weather to avoid new growth and increased water requirements.
2. Mulch your plants to hold moisture and prevent rapid evaporation. Organic matter is best because it add nutrients to your soil as it decomposes, but plastic also works well. Just don't over do it - two or three inches is all you need.
And, the number one way to reduce the amount of water you'll need this summer?
1. Increase the native plants in your landscape. These work horses will beautify your landscape while withstanding typical Southern Maryland weather conditions all year long.
Remember, where water is concerned, every last drop really does count!
For more information on the Calvert County Master Gardner Program, go to the web at http://mastergardener.umd.edu.
The News Splash (Chesapeake Ranch Water Association monthly newsletter), July 2007. Reprinted with permission.
By Judith M. Kay, Calvert County Master Gardener
Ever wonder about what's causing the spots on the leaves on your favorite shrub? Is a houseplant drooping and losing its leaves? Who ate the roots off some of your plants and how can you stop them? Or, as they say at the Maryland Cooperative Extension Service Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) run by the University of Maryland, "What's bugging you?" Log onto www.hgic.umd.edu and learn the answers to these questions and many more.
"Online Publications" provides on-line viewing and downloading of Fact Sheets and Mimeos. Explore detrimental insects and pests from Ants in the pantry to the Voles that ate the roots off your plants. See what they look like, the damage they can do, and how to remedy or treat them. Do you want to plant a fruit tree or grow vegetables? From apples to zucchini, learn which fruit and vegetable varieties to grow, and how and when to plant them. From Azaleas to Walnut trees, you can find out which ornamental trees and shrubs and shade trees would perform best in your yard.
Categories include vegetables, insects both beneficial and harmful and how to control the pests naturally, invasive species, composting, mulching, and pruning. Chesapeake Bay Preservation and Home Landscaping publications give advice about erosion control and best management gardening practices. Go through a Bay-Wise Yardstick and find out if your yard meets the "Bay-Wise" gardening criteria.
"Plant Diagnostics" will lead you through diagnosing plant problems and suggest treatment. Interested in becoming a Master Gardener? Read about our mission and how to become one.
Master Gardener Tip: Still have questions after reading the on-line publications? "Send a Question" to HGIC about gardening or landscape-related problems and experts will reply, usually within 24 hours. Attach a photo with your e-mail so the team at HGIC can see exactly what bug, spot or plant you're talking about. You can also reach HGIC at 1-800-342-2507 in Maryland. Dedicated staff are there to answer all your gardening questions and, best of all, the advice is free.
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, August 2007. Reprinted with permission.
Winter Gardening - The Wonder of Native Grasses
By Judith M. Kay and Pamela L. Blyth, Calvert County Master Gardeners
As nature seems to recede for the winter, you can still enjoy a beautiful garden if you've incorporated the element of structure into your landscape. Native grasses create one of the most graceful and pleasing elements of a winter garden by providing complex texture and color to an otherwise bleak vista.
These practical and attractive workhorses tolerate drought, wet feet, require little maintenance, help control erosion, grow in just about any soil, and aren't bothered by deer, and provide seeds and cover for wildlife - they are truly miracle plants!
Here are a few you may want to consider incorporating into your landscape for the beauty they provide all year long.
River Oats, Spanglegrass (Chasmanthium latifolium) - Dry to moist soil, shade or sun, 2 to 3 feet tall. Arching stems appear above the leaves carrying "spangles" (seed heads) that turn a tawny color. Good choice for naturalizing or as a groundcover.
Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum) - Dry to wet soil, full sun to part shade, height varies by species. Excellent choice for erosion control with 9 foot roots. Varieties include: Cloud Nine, compact blue-green foliage up to 6 feet tall; Heavy Metal, a substantial plant with purple/blue foliage; Prairie Sky, light blue foliage and stems with red-violet highlights; Rostrahlbusch, deep burgundy leaves and seed heads; Shenandoah, tan foliage with red highlights that deepen to purple, grows up to 3 feet tall.
Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) - Dry to moist soil, full sun, 3 to 8 feet tall. Good erosion control with 9 foot roots. Yellow blooms appear in August, and foliage turns tan during the winter.
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) - Poor to sandy soil, highly drought tolerant, 3 - 4 feet tall, 6 foot roots. Blue-green leaves and stems have red-violet highlights that turn tan in late fall.
Master Gardener Tip: Enjoy the architecture of your grasses during the winter, but be sure to cut all stalks back in March before new growth begins for a healthier, more attractive plant. For information on additional local native grasses, contact the Calvert County Cooperative Extension Office at 410-535-3662 or 301-855-1150.
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, November 2007. Reprinted with permission.
The Zebra Swallowtail Would Have Been Proud
By Pamela L. Blyth, Calvert County Master Gardener
The official butterfly of Calvert County, the Zebra Swallowtail, would have been proud on Friday, June 8th. That's the day the Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden at the Southern Pines Senior Center was officially dedicated.
At approximately 1:00 pm, Calvert County dignitaries and members of the community gathered in the butterfly garden to officially recognize the project and enjoy the violin music provided by Moriah Morgan. Tina Dubas, Office on Aging Division Chief, welcomed everyone, and Keri Lipperini, also from the Office on Aging, read a proclamation issued by the Calvert County Commissioners. Master Gardener Peg Dann shared a brief history of the garden, and Delegate Anthony O'Donnell and Commissioner Susan Shaw expressed appreciation for the volunteer time and effort that had made the project a reality.
The garden was blessed by Pastor Dan Simmons, Calvary Baptist Church. A caterpillar thoughtfully provided a cocoon spinning demonstration, and the butterflies and hummingbirds punctuated the event with a ceremonial fly-over!
Herb Reed, County Extension Director, praised the extraordinary efforts of Dann and other Seniors and Master Gardeners. The garden was the brainchild of Dann who saw an opportunity to improve the landscape with beautiful plantings that would also attract butterflies and hummingbirds. With help from the Seniors, staff, and local residents, the garden was designed, planted, and has blossomed into a lovely feature at the building housing the Southern Pines Senior Center, Southern Community Center, and the Southern Branch of the Calvert County Library.
And, as all good things tend to do, this one small butterfly garden has led to even larger things. Enjoyment of the garden has increased the already successful series of onsite gardening classes held by another Master Gardener, Bill Hopkins as well as an art class Dann taught recently at which Seniors crafted metal sculptures - butterflies, of course - to embellish their own gardens.
The butterfly garden is extending itself into other parts of the landscape as plants require dividing and Seniors enjoy planting them. Plantings from the original garden have even been used to increase erosion control in areas that required stabilization after minor construction projects were completed.
About the future? Well, as gardeners everywhere know, there is always something more that needs to be done - a garden is never finished! The Master Gardeners and Seniors continue to update and maintain the plantings. "We have plans to increase the varieties of native species and host plants as time goes on," said Dann. "And we hope to install some raised beds to increase accessibility by handicapped Seniors who want to garden. The county provided concrete stepping stones and some nice benches, so folks have a place to sit and rest, but we'd like for them to be able to actually work with the plants as well."
And what better place for kids to enjoy a good book from the Southern Branch of the Calvert County Library during their summer break! The Master Gardeners are hopeful that the butterfly garden will provide an opportunity to enhance curriculum activities at nearby Appeal and Paxtuxent Elementary Schools during the school year.
The Southern Pines Senior Center is one of three senior centers in Calvert County and is staffed by the County's Office on Aging. The Southern Pines Senior Council provides input and guidance into the center's operation. The Calvert County Master Gardeners would like to express their appreciation to both for their support and participation in helping to make the Butterfly Garden a reality.
Inspired to create your own butterfly garden? How-to information is available online from the Maryland Extension Office at http://mastergardener.umd.edu. And, stop by the Southern Pines Senior Center for ideas - both the butterflies and the Seniors will be happy to share their garden with you!
Calvert Life Monthly Magazine, July 2007. Reprinted with permission.
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Last updated: 03/21/2009