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UW Botanic Gardens Newsletter, Vol 12 Issue 8, August 2016
August E-Flora: Summer Happenings
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Upcoming Events
Free Weekend Walks
August Weekend Walks:
Tours this month will highlight the Pacific Northwest's amazing variety of native plant life - from our towering conifers to the subtle and delicate understory plants.
Join us every Sunday at 1pm at the Graham Visitors Center at the Washington Park Arboretum.
On Exhibit in the Miller Library
Botanical Portraits Photography combines artist David Fishman's love of horticulture and photography with his skills in photo restoration and graphics to create stunning photographs.
On display August 3 through August 31, 2016. Artist reception Thursday, August 4th from 5 to 7pm.
New Books in the Miller Library
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DIY Wetland in a Bottle Workshop
Wetlands rely on the right balance of invertebrates, plants, water, and nutrients to stay healthy. On August 9, we will host a class in which you can learn about plants and animals living in our nearby wetlands. Participants will build their very own mini-ecosystem to take home. Want to watch your own constructed community of plants, zooplankton, and detritovores evolve every day? Learn more and sign up! Bring your own bottle, and we’ll supply the rest of the materials.
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Imagine you see that a campfire has ignited some of the dry leaf litter nearby and no one but you is around. Most of us would know enough to either try to put the fire out, or quickly alert officials to get to the scene. The Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council works to instill that same sense of urgency in our dealings with destructive invasive plants. Learn more about the origins of this organization, and the great work they are doing to combat invasions in our region.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Carolyn Scott
At UW Botanic Gardens, we rely on volunteers - over 500 of them - to keep daily operations afloat. This month, we highlight volunteer Carolyn Scott, who works in the administrative heart of the Gardens, helping Manager of Administrative Services Carrie Cone with record-keeping, mailing, filing and data entry. Learn more about Carolyn
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| August Plant Profile: Dierama pulcherrimum |
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Dierama pulcherrimum, or angel's fishing rod, is one of the more striking members of the iris family in flower, which is really saying something! It flowers over a long period from late June to mid-August, along stems that elongate and arch above the basal foliage. Flowers open in sequence along the wiry stems, from furthest out from the clump to closest in as the season progresses. The funnel-shaped flowers move gently in the breeze and are especially striking when sited above a low wall. From a distance they almost seem to float, as the flowering stalks are very thin. Read more
Common name: Angel’s fishing rod, fairy wand flower
Family: Iridaceae
Location: A large example (Accession 108-86-A) is found the Stormwater Garden/McVay Staircase planting area at the Center for Urban Horticulture on the east side of Merrill Hall. The cultivar ‘Blackbird’ (252-90-A) is found adjacent to the north patio at the Graham Visitors Center in the Arboretum.
Origin: South Africa. There are about 44 species of Dierama, all native to Africa. They range from the highlands of Ethiopia to the southern Cape in South Africa. The center of Dierama diversity is the KwaZulu-Natal province in the southeast corner of South Africa where about 26 species occur. Dierama pulcherrimum is one of several species hardy in Pacific Northwest gardens.
Height and spread: A large perennial in time, though airy in effect and appearance, Dierama pulcherrimum can reach 4-5’ high and wide in flower. Out of flower it forms a clump up to 2' wide and about 2’ tall.
Hardiness: Cold hardy to USDA Zone 7
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| Glimpse into the Past - Honoring a Legend and Looking to the Future |
For every creature - plants, animals, or people - there is a season. And in every field or endeavor of learning, certain people seem to become more prominent and eventually become legendary icons. The older generation passes and a new one rises. I was reminded this week of the changes that are occurring in the Northwest horticulture scene. Read more
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Now Hiring! We are currently looking to hire a Manager of Arboriculture. This position oversees the care, maintenance, and health of trees and shrubs in the Washington Park Arboretum and the Center for Urban Horticulture.
Our collections house some truly one-of-a-kind plants. In botanical nomenclature, a monotypic genus refers to the case where a genus and only a single species are described. Learn about examples now on display in the Graham Visitors Center at the Washington Park Arboretum.
Enjoy summer color highlights, brought to you not just once but twice in this past month by our horticulture staff!
Our blog regularly features volunteers, students, faculty and staff. This month, we highlighted Jessica Farmer, our Adult Education Supervisor. Learn more about her path to working with us.
The programs of UW Botanic Gardens are supported in large part by private donations. Please consider supporting our work with a gift.
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KEEP IN TOUCH: 
