UW Botanic Gardens Newsletter, Vol 7 Issue 9, September 2012

Heron Re-released Into the Wild at the WPA

We had one of those unique Arboretum moments on Tuesday, August 14. A four month-old heron had fallen out of his nest on the UW campus and broken his leg. He was taken in by PAWS for rehabilitation. On the morning of the fourteenth, he was released back into the wild down by Duck Bay.

UWBG Director Sarah Reichard was present for the release and said, “This was so cool to watch! He had never flown before, but he flew right out of his crate and took off. He circled around four or five times to say thanks and then headed off to his new life. His leg was still a little crooked, so I am going to look for him around the Arboretum!”

Kudos to the good people of PAWS. And keep an eye on the sky for a young heron with a slightly crooked leg.

A Glimpse Into the Past

(A monthly column by Dr. John A. Wott, Director Emeritus) A large area south of the greenhouse was used as a nursery for growing on plants before they were placed into the Arboretum. This photo, taken November 21, 1946, shows the row of hemlocks which were planted for screening along the nursery. Today these are large trees and several have been removed and/or are showing decline due to the poor planting site. These were not collection plants, but planted for screening. Note the November snowfall.     (Photo from UWBG Archives).

Make sure to have a look at the full sized photo.

Come Out to the FlorAbundance Plant Sale

It's already time for the Arboretum Foundation's FlorAbundance Plant Sale! Our greenhouse and nursery will have a huge selection of trees, shrubs and perennials to offer, as well as many unusual species and varieties--all at unbeatable prices. All greenhouse plants will be 25% off! There will also be specially priced discounted plants on the nursery's sales table.

This year's sale will also host a number of local specialty plant vendors, including Madrona Nursery, Botanica, Foliage Gardens and The Greenery. There will also be bamboo for sale that has been donated for the event by Clinton Bamboo.

The event takes place at the Graham Visitors Center at the Arboretum on Saturday, September 29 from 10am to 2pm. Admission and parking are free. All proceeds benefit the Washington Park Arboretum.

Join Us For the Apple For the Teacher Story Program

Since September is here, it means the return of Story Programs at the Miller Library. The first program is entitled An Apple for the Teacher. A crisp autumn morning is the perfect time to enjoy a little homemade applesauce and hear some new stories about fall's crunchiest fruit. The featured books are Apple by Nikki McClure, The Apple Doll by Elisa Kleven and Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray. The programs are geared towards children ages 3 to 8 and their families, but all are welcome. Swing by the library at 10:30am on September 29!

September 2012 Plant Profile: Hesperantha (Schizostylis) coccinea

(by Soest Gardener Riz Reyes) This delightful but seldom grown corm from South Africa looks better than it ever has in the Soest Garden here at the Center for Urban Horticulture. It has been in bloom since early July and there are more buds to come. This particular species is known for its late summer/autumn flowers, which are always valuable in the landscape as fall rolls around.

It’s commonly known as Schizostylis in the trade (Pronounced “Skizo-sty-lis” OR “shizaw-stalis”), but Hesperantha is the correct name. It’s in the Iris family and related to the similar looking Gladiolus, Crocosmia, and Freesia. This particular selection is a lovely one called ‘Torero’, which was developed in Oregon. It prefers moist, but well draining garden soil and full sun. It is spectacular amongst ornamental grasses. A mature clump can remain in bloom from late summer and into the winter depending on how severe our cold weather is here in the Pacific Northwest.

Common Name: Cape Lily, Crimson Flag
Location: Soest Garden Bed 6
Origin: Dwarf selections are of garden origin.
Height and spread: 1.5-2ft. tall and about 3ft. wide on mature clumps.
Bloom Time: Late Summer into Autumn and sometimes into Winter. 

twigs

There are still tickets available for the 18th Annual Elisabeth C. Miller Memorial Lecture. Dr. Peter H. Raven, President Emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Garden, will give a talk entitled Conserving Plants in a Changing World. The event is September 13 at 7pm at Meany Hall. The lecture is free, but you have to procure tickets by emailing info@millergarden.org.

UWBG invites our friends and neighbors to join NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, to a work party to spiff up CUH. Projects include invasive plant removal, small construction projects, painting, planting and much more. Come by and register for one of seventeen projects--a BBQ lunch is included. The transformation starts on Saturday, September 15 at 6:30am.

UWBG Education and Outreach is starting a twice-a-month Thursday program called Fiddleheads Forest School. It is geared towards preschool-age children and their caregivers. Fun, nature-based themes will guide us through an hour and a half of free play, exploration, games, and songs along the trails of the Arboretum. The first program happens on September 20 and will focus on salamanders in the Woodland Garden ponds. More information and registration can be found online.

In early 2012, UWBG led its first trip to Cuba. Director and expedition leader Sarah Reichard blogged about the fascinating and sometimes perplexing world they encountered. We hope to do a similar trip in 2013, although it depends on the renewal of our license to travel to Cuba. Because the license has expired, we cannot take deposits at this time, but if you are interested in being notified when the license is approved, please contact Sarah at reichard@uw.edu. The itinerary can be found on our website.

We are also pleased to announce a UWBG trip to the place where Darwin first developed his ideas about evolution – the Galápagos Islands and Ecuador! Join Director Sarah Reichard for a trip June 5-19, 2013, as we explore the Quito Botanical Garden, hike trails in the Amazon, and explore the Galápagos Islands on our private chartered yacht. We will see the birds and tortoises that inspired Darwin and climb the volcanoes of the Islands. For more information review the itinerary. To sign up for the trip or to receive more information, you can register at Holbrooke Travel.

Seattle TIlth is offering Organic Landcare Accreditation Training from October 8-12. The classes take place at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford. Registration is now open.

The next Park in the Dark event takes place on September 15 at 8pm. This is a great opportunity to bring the family out to the Arboretum for a lovely and informative night hike. The cost is $8 per person and you can register online.

E-Flora is a regular online newsletter of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens

University of Washington Botanic Gardens' mission:
Sustaining managed to natural ecosystems and the human spirit through plant research, display, and education

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Phone: 206.543.8616
Email: uwbg@u.washington.edu
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