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Beauty in Community…..

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The City of District Heights is having an environmental awakening of sorts.  Our community is getting excited about our status as a Sustainable Community and we are just getting started. The participation in the Annual Prince Georges County Clean Up Green Up Campaign gave us the start that we needed to begin cultivating our story.

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We started by forming a garden community of gardeners who want to grow a garden conversation and strong gardening community in Central Prince Georges County — starting in our very own front yard. The name of this group is The Garden Coalition.  With the blessings of our Mayor James Walls and the excitement of two of our newest Commissioners – Cynthia Miller and Harryette Irving, our former Mayor – now Commissioner Jack Sims, our Vice Mayor Eddie Martin, the assistance of our City Manager Ms. Sharla Crutchfield and we cannot forget our City Treasurer Dan Baden – we got our garden party started at a most appropriate time – Fall of 2014.

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(Left to right)  Former Mayor/Commissioner -Jack Sims, City Manager – Sharla Crutchfield, Eager Resident –         Ms. Teri Speight, City Treasurer Dan Baden, Commissioner Cynthia Miller

IMG_20141018_123947 Mayor James Walls and Commissioner Miller

We gathered residents like AARP members, the Oxon Hill Young Marines, their parents, eager residents and a few members of our Department of Public Works,  We participated in the 4th Annual Prince Georges County Clean Up Green Up and spent the day working on a special project.

20141018_081454-SMILEThat was such a special Saturday as the AARP Ladies kept all the children safely busy, the parents were on back up behavior control (for the just in case)  – that became boring so the parents pitched in as well. As we laughed and shared this wonderful experience, the eager residents made certain that the tools were spread around and used by all. Other volunteers assisted Master Gunn in making sure each child participated – after all this was a community building event! When it came time for the daffodil bulbs to be installed, some adults were worried, that if they were not pointed up, they would not bloom.  The children just wanted to get the task at hand done to the best of their ability – pointed bulbs tips were of no concern to The Oxon  Hill Young Marines….and just for that day…it was A-OK!! Once the perennials and grasses were installed, we stood back and marveled at our work.20141018_120302

We were pleasantly surprised this past Spring when we ventured out for the Spring Green Up Green Up to refresh the mulch and remove weeds. Those daffodils simply smiled, sharing happy thoughts.wpid-wp-1440653078306.jpeg

Summer rolled around and the plants began to bloom. There were pollinator plants, mostly native plants that brought the prettiest butterfly’s and bees of all types.  We added plants donated from the Silver Spring Garden Club, some purchased from Heavens Garden Nursery in LaPlata, Maryland and of course donated plants from residents, as well as friends. Our Pollinator Garden bloomed from Spring until now…such a beautiful site. When I drive or walk by, I notice the finches feeding on our Echinacea seed heads. I cannot help but think about how this helps the mindset of the children walking to school, as they experience nature up close and personal – every day!

20150712_203013As the seasons begin to change, we look forward to another Annual Clean Up Green Up Day in Prince Georges County Saturday, October 17, 2015 is the official date.  We will begin installing Pollinator Pockets along District Heights Parkway starting just beyond Rochelle Drive.  We have a few native trees and perennials we would like to install which will enhance what we are calling our Environmental Parkway. What a terrific way to encourage our pollinating insects to embrace our community because we care enough to be concerned about the dwindling numbers of bees and butterflies.  Think about that for a moment.  Remember as children, we saw bees and butterflies in abundance.  Where are they now and why are they not visible for our children to experience?  There are many answers to this very important question, however the first thing we can do to make a difference is to plant more food for the pollinators.  Very simple, doable and each of us can help in this effort.

Here are just a few action items to get you started, more tips can be found at http://www.pollinator.org:

  • Minimize the use of chemicals in your landscape;
  • Know your soil type – it can make the difference in your gardens success;
  • plant with knowledge (find out what to plant to feed the insects that help our food grow and our plants bloom);
  • be water wise (plant drought tolerant, native plant material interspersed with non native species for instant all season color; and
  • leave a bit of water in an angled saucer with a small stone in it, so that the pollinators can pause and sip.

My favorite tip is for our residents and friends  – COME GROW WITH US!!! You don’t have to live here, just have our best interests at heart and help us with our efforts to make a positive impact with our environmental footprint.

I invite you to join The Garden Coalition in District Heights, Maryland.  We have had fun since our inception from going to The Philadelphia Flower Show (twice now), attended a tour of The White House Kitchen Garden, we have registered as a S.H.A.R.E. (Simply Have Areas Reserved for the Environment) and we are members of the Pollinator Partnership, a non-profit organization that is dedicated exclusively to the protection of pollinators and their ecosystems.

We meet on the second Monday of each month from 7:00 – 8:30 pm at the Municipal Center, 2000 Marbury Drive, District Heights, Maryland. Our growth depends on Community involvement and partnerships. We need our friends and community to volunteer for Clean Up Green Up Day from 9 am- 12 pm, as well as ongoing workdays to keep our beautification efforts – beautiful. A few hours of your time can help us keep our community beautiful!! Let’s coordinate or sponsor a site.

We are also committed to educating our community via workshops, educational field trips and programs.  We are looking for partners to hep us financially (in kind donations preferred) in order to bring quality programming to the Central Prince Georges County community.

Please contact us at thegardencoalition@gmail.com and help us grow a STRONG GARDENING COMMUNITY!!

 

 

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Planting what brings me joy…..

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I purchased a book called, Plant Whatever Brings You Joy, Blessed Wisdom From The Garden by Kathryn Hall. At the time, it just sounded interesting and mentioned gardening. After reading it….and catching my breath, I understood the title and I better understand my thought processes as I garden. 

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There are things I like…bodacious bloom, hydrangeas, fragrant lillies, hellebore blooms, the textural leaves of Frances Williams hosta, the scent of lilacs in the Spring, camellias blooming in the winter, lily of the valley, peony buds and blooms…you get the idea. These are a few of the things that bring me joy in my garden.

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If we took the time to pause and see the beauty that surrounds us, visit public gardens for ideas or try something new, one would be pleasantly surprised by finding out what plants bring you joy. What plant combinations jumpstart our hearts, what plant we might just NEED in our own private places on earth.

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One of the practices this book promotes is to leave a section of the garden unattended…at least by us. Let the pollinators, nature’s little creatures have a place of respite, solitude, a place to procreate as they would in the wild. That is just one of the beautiful practices Kathryn wraps up in a simple package and gifts to the reader.

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My garden is not perfect, my photos that I share to the world are not the best,  but my garden is my special place where I plant and share…well you know…..what brings me joy.

Here’s  hoping your garden brings you joy as well….and Thank You Kathryn Hall for gifting your readers with a different perspective on the wisdom found by connecting with the earth…

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Garden Writers Inspire and Garden Clubs Cultivate ….

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I am excited, not just because there are only thirty eight days til it is officially Spring, not excited just because the buds are swelling and signs of daffodils are obvious.  I am not just happy, filled to the brim with joy because it is light outside at 6 o’clock.  I am ecstatic because I am a member of the Silver Spring Garden Club and we have some awesome guest speakers.  I am very excited about the speaker for the month of February…Jan Johnsen, author of one of my favorite books, HEAVEN IS A GARDEN Designing Serene Outdoor Spaces for Inspiration and Reflection.

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Jan is a teacher, an award winning instructor, writes for Garden Design Magazine, owner of Johnsen Landscapes & Pools in New York…..however, in my opinion, the most important credentials Jan Johnsen has is that SHE GETS IT. She is a true steward of this land and understands that there is a message in this earth manipulating activity we call gardening.  The message is one that speaks to peace, one that speaks to how the way we plant and how we design plantings has quite an impact on how we feel inside and out.

Her blog, “Serenity in the Garden”  shares thoughts and examples on how we can, by example and exploration, create great gardens as well. Recently, Jan shared some photos of wonderful gardens around the world, suggested microgreens to enjoy over the winter months and a wonderful article about Designing for Wellbeing.  It is certainly an article worth reading.  I am excited that she is taking time out of her busy schedule to share her thoughts with The Silver Spring Garden Club.

I will be there front and center to hear what she has to say to inspire each of us to be better gardeners and to find our little piece of heaven in our own gardens.  The Silver Spring Garden Club will meet, Monday, February 16th at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus of Montgomery College in the Health Sciences Building, Room 122….at 8:00 pm. I will be there, clutching my book and waiting to hear more about how I can create  a little piece of heaven in my garden. Won’t you join us?

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Seed Swap Deux….or Two More Days to go…Washington Gardener Seed Swap Part 2

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I must say, I was quite speechless at the wonderful people I encountered last Saturday.  The Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Swap was held at Behnke’s Nursery in Beltsville, Md. and I just had to be there.  Behnke’s is one of the garden centers that most in the DMV know is a leader in finding all things beautiful. What a beautiful day it turned out to be, traffic behaved, there was no snow, it was the 10th National Seed Swap Day and there was a Seed Swap where gardeners, eager to swap seeds and dream of Spring came together on familiar ground.

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The seed swap had two guest speakers that were quite enthusiastic about their topics.  Paul Blundell, Owner, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange spoke about the importance of saving seed.  The emphasis Paul placed on how saving seed  has brought us heirloom seeds rang true to many in the room. He defined heirloom seeds as seeds that had been saved from at least 50 years ago, prior to 1940 and are non-hybrid varieties.  If you are serious about growing a few varieties of plants – veggies and flowers – check out www.SouthernExposure.com.  I promise you will not be disappointed and the things you find out about in their colorful and informative catalog will simply astound you.

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Carol Allen,Certified Professional Horticulturalist was our second speaker of the day. A familiar face to most of us from her talks at Behnke’s on all things garden, her discussion did not disappoint.  Carol shared tips on seed sowing success when starting seeds inside.  Explaining how important it is to pay attention to what the seed packet says helped beginning gardeners learn that putting seedlings out too early can spell disaster.  One of my personal takeaway nuggets was that there are some seeds that require cool/warm/cool/warm conditions in order to germinate.  Ladies, we know what this is similar to, right???

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Throughout the program, Kathy Jentz raffled off wonderful prizes from well known vendors such as Behnke’s, Corona Tools and Gardeners Workshop – to name a few.  While a few of us wore our creative name tags, the finalists were chosen and won fantastic tools from Corona.

Attendees had the opportunity to share what was happening in their communities that they wanted to share.  We heard from the Beltsville Garden Club about the Duckworth School Plant Sale at Highpoint High School on April 11th and May 9th.  We heard about the Silver Spring Garden Club Plant Sale at the Historic Silver Spring Train Station on May 9th – I am a member of this fine organization and let me tell you, we have some awesome plants ….and raffles. If you come out early, you can certainly shop both plant sales.

We also heard about  The Garden Coalition in District Heights, MD.  A young organization that will be enhancing our environmental footprint by planting pollinator plants in abundance throughout District Heights. I am excited about this project in District Heights, as Founder, I am trying to grow a garden community in Central Prince Georges County…..one gardener and one seedling at a time!  This informative session was  enjoyed and appreciated by all….now we just have to mark our calendars, shop those plant sales early and consider planting for pollinators!! The bees and butterflies need our help!!

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The seed swap was brief, but fierce. No seeds flying in the air, but a cordial group of sharing and caring seed people. All ages participated and friendships were cultivated as people asked if someone had Echinacea or Green Cotton seed.  Another person spoke up and they got together and shared their seed harvest. What an amazing afternoon it was!

If you missed last weeks National Seed Swap Saturday, you have a second chance.  This weekend there will be Seed Swap II – The Sequel at GreenSpring Gardens in Alexandria, Virginia. The guest speakers will be Elizabeth Olsen Certified Professional Horticulturalist and Pat Brodowski, Monticello’s Vegetable Gardener.  Wow…the excitement continues this weekend from 12:30 – 4:00…and if you haven’t been to Greenspring Gardens……well, you need to get out more. The program starts promptly at 12:30, but if you get there early, you can walk through the garden and imagine the beauty that will surround you when Spring and Summer finally get here!!

I have to say that the DMV Gardening Community is awesome……….#seedswapday !!!

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