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Seed Sowing Season

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Seed sowing is this Gardener’s Winter Olympics.
This is becoming a National trend.
Got seeds?
Seed sowing season begins right after the new year. I noticed when the wrapping paper goes on sale, the seed stands take their place. For the past 10 + years, Washington Gardener Magazine has hosted the Annual Seed Swap in the Mid Atlantic. A popular pre-Spring ritual, this event has brought wonderful speakers, cultivated conversations and grown a seed sowing community. Seed sowing season has become a National event…imagine that!!
So many seeds, so little time to help them grow into beautiful plants.

THE BIG EVENT

There are two WG Seed Swaps offered for the general public. One located in Maryland and one in Virginia. For a small fee, a lite-snack and a tote bag of goodies, the day goes by quickly. When there are captivating speakers, more questions come to mind. It is an exciting Saturday at the beginning of Seed Sowing Season.

This year, I attended the second Seed Swap held at Greenspring Gardens. Greenspring is located in Alexandria, Virginia.  On the National Historic Register, Greenspring has a beautiful 18th century Plantation house surrounded by breathtaking gardens. It is the perfect setting for any type of horticultural event…or anything special. The Annual Seed Swap is THE Special event of the season.

Marianne Wilburn offering tips to help us be better organized as we consider sowing seeds.

Marianne Wilburn, garden columnist, Blogger, and author – BIG DREAMS, SMALL GARDEN was the first speaker. Mariann shared terrific tips on how to effectively organize our seeds. Having a planting plan is a great idea so that you can start the right seeds at the right time. Knowing what seeds can be sown together or not is also a big help. Labeling seeds and storing them properly is a task that many of us forget. Having an organized method of keeping track of your seeds, makes seed sowing fun. I know I will use some of  Marianne’s tips to gather, organize and sow seeds of success. To find out more about Marianne, click here Small Town Gardener.

Debby Ward, Prior Unity Garden was a ball of energy and hard to clearly capture while taking notes.

Debby Ward, Professional Organic Grower, Founder, Prior Unity Garden. She has sown and grown in Fairfax, Virginia for many years. This woman is an Organic Powerhouse of information. There is more to know what to sow than just going to the store and deciding on a packet of seeds. Debby sowed seeds of wisdom one might not initially consider. It is important to know if they grow seed to sell or do they use small farms to grow for them. Do they belong to professional organizations? What is their mission statement say? This talk had me going back into my seed stash to see who I consider my go-to resources.

As Prior Unity Garden has evolved as a resource for all things Organic locally for the last 10 years. Debby is currently providing online courses in addition to one on one garden coaching. I was happy to find out that one of her favorite seed companies is also one of mine – Renee’s Seeds. To find out more about Debby Ward, click Prior Unity

Kathy Jentz giving instruction on how this event works so all attendees have the chance to get seeds.

After the information filled talks, the Seed Swap began. Tables upon tables of shared seeds were available for the attendees to take. In front of an eager audience, Kathy Jentz, Owner – Washington Gardener Magazine, lead the charge. Everyone had the opportunity to see what seeds were available during the breaks. Some participants asked questions or shared experiences from the previous year’s gardens. One lady was looking for Perilla and another shared her beautiful pumpkin. At the end of this year’s Seed Swap, there were minimal seeds left. It was seed sowing season and this year’s participants were serious.

CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR

Here is a tip – SAVE THE DATE. The next Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Swap is January 25, 2020. It will be held at Brookside Gardens. The second date is February 1, 2020, at Green Spring Gardens. Here is a link to find out more, Washington Gardener Magazine.,

Seed sowing season does not end at the seed swap. Once planted, most of the seeds evolve into beautiful plants. Washington Gardener Magazine also sponsors a Photo Contest. Beginning to seasoned photographers submit photographs of all things beautiful found in nature.  These photographs are judged and the winners are announced. I was ecstatic to see so many winning entries were from Constitution Gardens on OUR National Mall. To read about the beautification efforts on Our National Mall, read my recap here. I can’t wait to watch Constitution Gardens grow!

On Sunday, June 30 at 2:00 pm, there will be an opening reception to congratulate the winners. Meadowlark Gardens – another beautiful, inspiration filled garden of note – will have an ongoing photo show that will run through July 30, 2019. This gives any seed lover enough time to sow some seeds and take beautiful pictures. The next Garden Photo contest entry period for photos taken in 2019 will begin on 1/1/2020.  I know I will be sorting my pictures as I nest this coming winter. To find out why you need to visit Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, click here.

From the creative name tag contest…

Kathy taking pictures of the contestants who created unique name tags to celebrate seed swapping…

to the intense searching and reading the tickets for the raffles, it was a terrific afternoon had by all!

As the winning numbers were read, there was an intense quiet in the room…

Save some seed for swapping next year. Take pictures throughout the season to document your success. Hope to see you during the 2020 seed-sowing season!

Nesting as I dream about swapping and sowing seeds,

Teri, Cottage In The Court

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MANTS -Winter Networking

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MANTS was the perfect place in the midst of winter to introduce a new name GARDENCOMM formerly known as the Association of Garden Writers and Communicators.

Winter warm-up could have multiple meanings depending on where you live. As a garden writer, winter warm-up means gearing up for the seasons ahead. In the Mid-Atlantic, the horticulture community looks forward to an event called MANTS.

A BIT OF HISTORY

The Maryland and Virginia Nurseryman’s Association saw a need to create a way for the horticulture community to connect. The conversation evolved and became a reality in 1970. In 1972, a trifecta was created when the West Virginia Nurseryman’s Association joined this partnership. Traveling to different locations, within Maryland and Virginia a final home was found. Baltimore has been the home for MANTS since 1981. If you are in the Trade and it’s January, most likely you are looking forward to attending the Mid Atlantic Nursery and Trade Show.

The Mid-Atlantic Nursery and Trade Show is the season opener for those interested in the earth.  MANTS hosts vendors that provide items for horticulture professionals. Looking for the latest in heavy equipment or automated watering systems,? Need to know what plants or hand tools will be hot items this year?  Attending  MANTS offers answers to these questions and so much more.

WHAT’S NEW?

This year, it was the perfect opportunity to introduce a new name for The Association of Garden Writers and Communicators. Our new name is GardenComm International. Our new name says more about who we really are. GardenComm will not change the definition of who we are, but further, define what we do. GardenComm International members come to MANTS to connect, get the scoop on what is new and trending, as well as network.    Vendors like Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, Botanical Interests, and Autocrop USA, can be found in one huge room with many other vendors.

Connecting with Peggy Riccio, Pegsplant.com is always a delight as we share the MANTS experience.

Moving from vendor to vendor, meeting friends new and old along the way. The excitement builds as the new season’s merchandise catches the eye. This is the inspiration which inspires the communicator within. There is something about knowing what Ball Seed is offering for the home gardener. What is the hot item from David Austin Roses? Wondering who wrote a top-selling book?  What will the latest “need” be in hand tools? Think MANTS. This event is like a three-day world’s fair of horticulture.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

This year 48 states, 16 foreign countries, 11,600 attendee’s including exhibitors were reflected in this Masterpiece of Tradeshows. This event started with 64 vendors in 1970, and it has grown by leaps and bounds. In 2020, MANTS officially turns fifty years young. I am certain that on its golden anniversary, there will be a celebration to share in its success. The dates for the 2020 MANTS Event is January 8 – 10, 2020. With sponsors like State Nursery and Landscape Associations of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, it stands to reason that this IS the Masterpiece of Tradeshows in horticulture. A special mention, 2019 had the highest number of attendees in 11 years.

MANTS provides the environment for Encore Experiences, season after season!

CULTIVATING BUSINESS CONNECTIONS

MANTS means business! Not just their slogan, but a fact. Need to know about David Austin roses? Just visit their booth…

I am looking forward to visiting the David Austin Rose Garden in England in August…a true Garden Experience. MANTS inspires me to seek all things beautiful…

For the large landscaping company to the boutique garden shop, something for most can be found at MANTS. Need a few exquisite pots, lightweight, functional and quite handsome? There is a booth for that…

Pennoyer Newman, Distinctive Garden Pots are cast from Estate origins. This vendor has some of her work at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, DC. Who knew? You can find just about anything at MANTS!

Find yourself not knowing what to anticipate about garden trends? Ready to discover new plants? Wondering where you can find garden art? Want to connect with vendors providing garden travel?

Herb Frazier and Kirk Brown will have you wanting to visit Magnolia Plantation, in South Carolina, as soon as possible. It truly is a place of beauty.

I strongly suggest you consider attending the Mid-Atlantic Nursery and Trade Show.

SAVE THE DATE 

Why not mark your calendar now?

 

Mentally  The Garden,

Teri, Cottage In The Court

Click to find out more about MANTS

Click to find out more about GardenComm

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Adore My Garden

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I adore fresh peony buds signaling Spring

Mulched beds are a sign of this Gardeners autumnal toil,

Protecting plants that are dormant beneath the soil.

A familiar glimpse of foliage pokes through here and there,

New growth, a glistening red stretching up, reaching for air.

Peonies stretching for the warmth of the Spring sun after a long winter’s rest

Hydrangea, peonies, daffodils and crocus,

Spring bulbs awaken and this Gardener cannot focus.

Oh how I adore my garden…

Overwintered plants in pots not yet planted,

Foliage bronzed by wind and branches not broken, just slanted.

Carefully I remove lingering leaves that have drifted,

Savoring the beauty of the winter garden, so generously gifted.

A Snowdrop pausing, while waiting to burst into bloom..

Oh how I adore my garden…

A white Hellebore that has bloomed prolifically since January has been my winter’s treat this year.

Some fragrant, all beautiful with an abundance of bloom,

Eager to grow more plants, filling each garden room.

Oh how I adore my garden…

A fragrant Hyacinth to cut for indoor bloom…

Discovering new plants needing shade to sun,

Off to the garden center I run.

Oh how I adore my garden…

Sedum in autumn, a golden glow, will green up this Spring for a seasonal show.

By autumn most sensible gardeners are tired and done,

Not me ! A new season of beauty has just begun.

Gathering and creating compost from freshly fallen leaves,

Laying a light covering while on my hands and knees.

Oh how I adore my garden…

My perfectly imperfect garden matures along with me,

As we dance the gardeners dance, kneeling and stooping happily.

Oh how I adore my garden, as my garden represents me!

From the Garden In My Mind,

Teri, Cottage In The Court

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Gardencomm…Why Join??

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If you are a gardener, scouting for that near perfect spot to thrive  can be difficult. Having a passion for beautiful gardens, plants, garden books, and…well, all things garden or garden related can make finding your place in a community difficult. When you want to write, teach, or share your vision of gardening so it reaches the masses, finding a practical place is key. As I asked around, it was recommended that I join The Association of Garden Writers, currently known as GardenComm.

As my daughters attended elementary and middle school, I researched Virginia Master Gardener courses. A stay at home Mom, I made time to take the Master Gardener classes to learn all I could about gardening. When I became a parent liaison for the science club, we installed a butterfly garden at Grafton Village Elementary school. I was known as the worm lady of Fredericksburg, Virginia, according to the Freelance Star.  Proudly, as one of the founding farmers at the Eitt – CSA in Stafford County, I enjoyed gardening organically. From picking bugs off of the crops to laying news print from the Freelance Star between the rows as weed block, I devoured the knowledge of growing organically.

As a Master Gardner in training, I remember saving my money to buy Dr. Dirr’s Manual of Woody Ornamentals. At the time, as a part-time stay at home mom who just happened to also garden part-time, this book was a huge expense. The excitement of reading the words and identifying ornamental plant material was epic. I was so thrilled to acquire this book for my growing library. To this day, I am a true horticultural bookworm.

I am no longer the little girl whose dad did not allow her to play in the dirt. Learning Latin words was fun and I enjoyed it. Giving back to my community by volunteering as a Central Rappahannock Master Gardener was quite important.

Fast forward to a different life outside of Fredericksburg, Va.  I wanted to reach out to people who could only imagine gardening. It was a defining moment. I decided to blog. Writing/blogging is a way to share gardening, garden travels, and finding the beauty that surrounds us naturally. I reflect on how much I have practiced gardening, read about gardening, visited garden centers, attended talks, and given talks. The conclusion – I have realized my passion. My experiences, in my voice, just might be unique.

As I write, travel, speak and share in my own voice and it continues to be quite freeing. The opportunity to network with like-minded passionate plants people has opened up a whole new world for me. I look at the authors on my bookshelf and I realize that I am in GREAT company (including Dr.Dirr) as a garden communicator. I am even considering writing a book. Why? This community inspires me. Sharing my thoughts on all things beautiful is a wonderful way of having my say.

If you want to be YOU-nique in this wonderful word of horticulture, networking, and experience opportunities otherwise unheard of, GardenComm just might be what you are looking for. The sense of belonging, the camaraderie, the genuine support I find in this garden of communicators is amazing. As with any organization, what you put into it can make the organization what you want it to be. I can proudly say…I am GARDENCOMM!

Meet the Author

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A Native Washingtonian, garden communicator Teresa Speight has found a niche sharing the beauty of this earth via her blog https://www.cottageinthecourt.com, speaking engagements, Garden Experiences, and civic involvement. Former Sr. Gardener for the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Owner – Cottage In The Court Landscape Maintenance -specializing in Estate Gardens, Vice President/Communications Director of the Capitol Hill Garden Club as well as Region II Director for Gardencomm, finding and creating unique interpretations of all things beautiful is her passion.

Click to find out more about gardencomm

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Tree Peonies – Hope of My Garden

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Tree peonies buds are great examples of survival in the garden.

Tree peonies are the blessing of my garden and perhaps yours as well. When the weather is finicky, I spend the winter checking to see if they do not bud out too early. While other gardening friends worried about too much rain, I thought, it’s ok my tree peonies need a drink to get through the winter. Winds, a little snow, and a ring of mulch to protect anything that might unfurl before it’s time.

Surviving in less than perfect regions of China, Paeonia suffruticosa is the botanical name for the tree peony. The difference in tree peonies and herbaceous peonies are significant. The herbaceous peony will die back to the ground. Paeonia suffruticosa does not have this trait. In fact, the winter appearance looks like sticks standing 3 – 5 feet in the garden. The longevity of the tree peony is simply amazing. I remember visiting the boyhood home of Woodrow Wilson in Staunton, Virginia. There I found a beautiful stand of tree peonies on the property that are over 100 years old. This truly speaks to their strength. The woody stems help the tree peony survive through the winter madness to show off her frilly blooms in early spring.

Waiting for the unfurling of the buds is a favorite activity in early Spring.

Last fall, I had contractors doing work on the exterior of my house. The tree peonies were in their natural autumnal state of sticks in the garden. If you do not know what they are, one might not know how cherished the blooms are in the Spring landscape. My tree peonies came from my Fredericksburg garden 15 years ago. Every Spring they dance in the border like no one is watching. As the buds swell, I patiently await their unfurling. Little by little, it is like a daily striptease in my front border. Every year the bloom count increases.

SURVIVAL OR DEATH BY CONTRACTOR?

I was worried that my tree peonies were doomed when I noticed that the contractors were not aware that they are my joy in the Spring border. My contractor did not know plants and was not aware of my passion for my garden. Today, the first day of daylight savings time, I could see that my tree peonies are just like me – stronger than I ever imagined. After being trampled on, laid on with a ladder, and who knows what else, I came home to see my prayers answered.

Tree peonies survive abuse in my Spring border.

As I looked closely at each of them, I mentally reflected on their journey from the loving border in my Virginia garden.

Even after being broken from above, the tree peonies basal growth shows signs of hope and life.

In my Maryland cottage garden, the tree peonies are holding on to help usher in a new year in the next garden season.

After quite the irregular winter, my tree peonies gave me quite the Monday surprise!

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I celebrate my tree peonies because they are like strong women who have endured much and still survived. Here’s to Harriett Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Fannie Lou Hamer. Each of these women prevailed, survived and left an example that no matter how beaten down you are, no matter how dim hope might appear to be…only the strong get up, bounce back, and continue to survive.

Tree peonies in bloom are terrific examples of hope in spite of the struggles we go through in life.

I am a tree peony. Are you one as well?

Planting seeds of hope,

Teri, From the Cottage in the Court

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