Essential Pruning Techniques

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One of the classics of horticultural literature is The Pruning of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers by George E. Brown. Published in 1972, it surveyed the best practices for pruning used on the numerous and wide-ranging woody plants of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew near London.

Brown died in 1980. Tony Kirkham, the current head of the arboretum, gardens, and horticultural services at Kew, updated his work with a second edition in 2004. Now Kirkham has published a further revision and considerable expansion of Brown’s original work with Essential Pruning Techniques (2017).

This new book is most obviously different by its inclusion of the excellent photographs by Andrea Jones. These not only illustrate pruning challenges and techniques for addressing them, they act as a guide to the collections at Kew, showing a wide selection of woody ornamentals suitable for any temperate garden or arboretum.

While trees predominate, there is a good selection of shrubs and vines, too. Each entry describes the growth habit and the reasons for pruning, which is some cases is “little pruning needed.” Most helpful are the Brown and Kirkham insights to the individual goals for each species – what should be done so “…the form and beauty of trees and shrubs in summer and winter be fully realized.”

Published in the August 2017 Leaflet for Scholars, vol. 4, issue 8

Among Flowers: A Walk in the Himalaya

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This travelogue about Jamaica Kincaid’s Nepal trek with Daniel Hinkley, searching for seeds to introduce to American gardens, is written from Kincaid’s experience as a neophyte mountaineer. Her focus is on finding seeds she can use in her home garden in Vermont. When she at last succeeds, the reader can share her excitement. She also makes very clear the challenges of this trip for her. She details extreme temperature changes, distances trudged up and down, scary foot bridges crossed, leeches removed. This was not an easy adventure. Throughout, however, she makes clear the struggles were worth it, and she would do it again.

Published in the August 2017 Leaflet, vol. 4, issue 8

The Living Jigsaw: The Secret Life in Your Garden

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I read a lot of gardening books – one of the joys of my profession! Somehow, the British author Val Bourne had escaped my attention until now, but I will watch eagerly for her future writings. Her new book, The Living Jigsaw, is a delight. I had a hard time putting it down.

Reading this book is like looking at your garden with a close-up lens. As suggested by the title, Bourne is very interested in the inner workings of and the interplay between plants, insects, and other animals, especially as they influence the health and robustness of her garden. Her pesticide free garden – she is opposed to even so-called ‘natural insecticides’ – thrives with careful planning and management.

Many of her gardening principles were tested when she moved from an established garden that was dry and stony, to a new, unmanaged garden with fertile soil and underground springs. She had to make new choices of plants and plant combinations – some old favorites didn’t succeed in the new conditions.

Of course, the animals in her garden are UK natives. Try as I might, nothing I do in my garden will encourage hedgehogs. However, Bourne’s garden practices are very applicable to the Pacific Northwest, and her annotated listing of “Top 100 Plants for an Eco-Friendly Garden” has many worthwhile selections for our gardens.

Published in the December 2017 Leaflet, vol. 4, issue 12

Thinking the Contemporary Landscape

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“Landscape architecture must be one of few disciplines capable of merging a deeply symbolic and cultural understanding of nature with the massive environmental transformations to come.” This quotation is from the introduction to Thinking the Contemporary Landscape, edited by Christophe Girot and Dora Imhof.

To expand on this concept, the editors have gathered 17 essays by leading landscape architects worldwide. The first step is recognizing that the ecological discussions of the last many decades have found expression in philosophical discussions and in the arts. Slowly, these are also becoming factors in landscape design.

The changing tools of design are a measure of this transformation, as explained by Seattle architect Kathryn Gustafson. While 3-D models are the standard for any sizeable project, she begins with a clay model to develop a sense of the space she finds difficult to recreate on a computer. Taking this approach to landscape design, she finds that “people use it the way that you imagined.”

The later essays seek to understand the power found in a local terrain. However, this power can be in conflict with design principles based on current global trends in ecology and economics, or even the basic concept of what is natural. While these discussions are at times challenging to understand, this book will broaden the reader’s understanding of the many aspects to any human designed landscape.

Published in the September 2017 Leaflet for Scholars, vol. 4, issue 9

Learning with Nature: A How-To Guide to Inspiring Children through outdoor Games and Activities

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Learning with Nature covers a wealth of contemporary outdoor practices as well as ancient traditions for the young naturalist. This book is of interest to educators, families, and anyone working with groups of children. Many ideas can be adapted for a wide range of ages and group sizes. While developing practical and social skills, these activities bring laughter and fun to a respect for the natural world. The activities and games include warm-ups, team building, tool safety, foraging wild plants, and learning about birds, animals, plants, and trees in the wild. The book is organized into four sections: Games, Naturalist Activities, Seasonal Activities, and Survival Skills.

“Always leave a place better than you found it” is the basic message, to ensure the regeneration of natural resources. Based in the United Kingdom, authors Marina Robb, Victoria Mew, and Ann Richardson generously share ideas gathered from many sources to encourage young people to make the nature connection, spending more time outdoors. One author, Victoria Mew, trained with the internationally recognized Wilderness Awareness School here in Duvall, Washington. Evidence of this training is the first-hand contact with the natural world emphasized in this book, which translates well to North America. Learning with Nature is a guide to understanding, thriving in, and caring for our environment.

Published in the December 2018 Leaflet, vol. 4, issue 12

Play the Forest School Way

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Time in the woods refreshes your spirit and opens your mind. It cultivates appreciation, discovery, and possibilities.

In a woodland setting, Play the Forest School Way: Woodland Games, Crafts and Skills for Adventurous Kids offers hands-on learning experiences for a wide range of children from preschool to about 11 years of age. The Forest School philosophy strengthens confidence and builds self-esteem and social skills through connecting with nature. The movement developed in the 1990s was initially inspired by the play-based, nature-centered teaching of Scandinavia, known in Denmark as friluftsliv (‘free open-air life’). In addition, it draws on the learning theories of Rudolf Steiner and Maria Montessori, as well as British Scouting and Woodcraft Folk in the United Kingdom.

Chapters include Nature Explorers, Forest Arts, Survival Skills, and Wildlife Team Games. Inventive and fun activities include making a journey stick, traditionally made by Aboriginal people in Australia to record their travels and help retell their stories. Headdresses can be transformative. Creating natural headdresses from leaves, twigs, acorns, feathers and other finds relate to ceremonial headdresses such as those worn by ancient kings and queens or those worn at carnivals or other celebrations. Survival skills include essential knots, a prehistoric skill that is certainly still important today – even for tying one’s shoelaces, for example. Wildlife team games can be ice breakers, helping to build relationships, confidence, and a sense of belonging. The historical references throughout the book give an ancestral link to interacting with the environment.

Peter Houghton and Jane Worroll in the UK are particularly well qualified as authors of Play the Forest School Way. Peter is an artist in woodwork and other media as well as a leader of Forest School sessions. Jane has degrees in ecology and environmental conservation, and as a Countryside Ranger has managed habitat, monitored protected species, and led volunteers.

Play the Forest School Way helps to keep holistic learning in nature alive, reminding us anew about life experiences that are rooted in the real world.

Published in the May 2018 Leaflet Volume 5, Issue 5.

What’s Wrong with My Marijuana Plant?

What's wrong with my marijuana plant book cover I reviewed “What’s Wrong with My Plant” in the Winter 2017 issue of the Bulletin, but I didn’t realize that this 2009 publication was just the beginning for the writing team of David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth of Port Townsend, Washington. They have published four more “What’s Wrong with My…” books, including “Vegetable Garden” (2011), “Fruit Garden” (2013), “Houseplant” (2016) and “Marijuana Plant” (2017). The structure of each is similar to the original with chapters to identify the symptoms and causes of the problems, and separate chapters laying out organic solutions or preferred cultural practices.

“Marijuana Plant” was likely the most challenging to write, as there is limited research on its production using organic principles. Deardorff and Wadsworth celebrate the work that has been done: “We also want to acknowledge a lot of people we don’t even know. We are grateful for the many marijuana breeders and growers who have labored for years in the shadows.”

Excerpted from the Spring 2018 Arboretum Bulletin.

Peony: The Best Varieties for Your Garden

Peony the best varieties book cover Carol Adelman and her husband own a peony nursery in Salem, Oregon. She has teamed up with David Michener of the University of Michigan to write “Peony: The Best Varieties for Your Garden.” Much of this book is a beautiful photo album of the most highly regarded peony hybrids, including tree and intersectional (or Itoh) peonies. While it is easy to thumb quickly through these images, you will miss a lot of information in the notes, including comments on the foliage quality or awards that designate the selection as good for landscapes.

This latter point is important, as in their introduction, the authors ask some important questions of the reader. What is the purpose of your peonies? Do you want a big but short burst of bloom, perhaps to coincide with a special event? Or do you hope to stretch the bloom period out as long as possible, realizing that at best, this will be just over a month? Answering these questions will help you decide the role of peonies in your overall landscape. They are green through the summer and into the fall, often with attractive foliage. What companions will you match with them?

I appreciated that the authors also discuss the early spring, emerging foliage, which can be quite stunning. You are encouraged to choose early spring ephemerals that are a good match, being mindful they don’t die an ugly death just when the peonies are blooming. There’s a lot to consider!

Excerpted from the Spring 2018 Arboretum Bulletin.

Our Native Bees

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Paige Embry is an engaging and humorous writer exploring the topic of bees. And not just any bees. She is passionate about “Our Native Bees”, which is also the title of her new book. She gives honey bees their due, but laments they “get all the press – the books, the movie deals – and they aren’t even from around here.”

While I haven’t seen many movies on honey bees, the author makes her point. We have native bees that are far better pollinators, do equal work with fewer numbers, fly in nastier weather, and often use better technique. An example of the latter is buzz pollination, or shaking the pollen from the flower. Honey bees haven’t learned this trick, but bumble bees and others have and their work facilitates some of our favorite foods, including tomatoes.

This is not a field guide. While the author lives in Seattle, her scope for natives includes most of North America. There are some excellent, close-up photographs, but their purpose is to supplement the text, not help with ID. Instead, this is an investigative study of many apian topics and to recognize that bees are diverse and have the power to fascinate people, even when we mislabel or misunderstand them.

One of the author’s major themes is agriculture. For example, she studies the production of lowbush blueberries in Maine and neighboring New Brunswick, an interwoven history of wild plants, wild bees, managed plants, managed bees, and the impact of various attempts at pest management. Recounting this could be deadly dull, but in Emery’s hands, it is most engaging.

Throughout all the stories, there are questions asking what is possible. Can native bees provide better solutions for our pollinating needs? Can we provide better solutions for the needs of native bees? The author provides some answers to these questions, but I think her underlying goal is that we join her on a journey to a better understanding and appreciation of the diversity of bees, especially native bees.

Excerpted from the Spring 2018 Arboretum Bulletin.

Love Letters to my Garden

Love letters to my garden book cover It is no secret that Barbara Blossom Ashmun is an avid gardener. Besides having a floriferous name, there are the intimate titles of her memoirs: “Married to My Garden” (2003) and “Love Letters to My Garden” (2017). This Portland garden designer and writer did not grow up as a gardener, but instead found her calling well into adulthood. A divorce and the desire to leave the world of a social worker helped this process.

This may be why she writes with the conviction of a convert. “No one ever died from having too many plants. And never allow partners, spouses, friends, or curmudgeons discourage you from experimenting with new plants. If anyone grills you about how many plants you bought, don’t take the bait. Give them a Mona Lisa smile and change the subject.”

The author has a knack for writing for both the experienced and novice gardener. She uses a light hand with Latin names, relying on her non-gardening husband’s feedback to keep these in check. But that doesn’t mean she resists the latest new cultivar from cutting edge nurseries. She understands plant lust very well, but she also found an antidote to that in the Kleingarten movement in Germany. Gardeners whose faces “shone with happiness” cultivate these small spaces with the most common of flowers and vegetables.

Ashmun concludes “Love Letters” with a poignant story (also found in the Winter 2013 issue of “Pacific Horticulture”) about the loss of a giant sweet gum that dominated her back yard. Over the short period of time it took to cut down the failing tree, her yard went from shady to sunny. It was a shock. However, this gardener, now in her seventies, had the necessary resilience to create a new patio in the space the sweet gum had occupied, with more space for – yes! – more plants.

Excerpted from the Spring 2018 Arboretum Bulletin.