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"The Wired Gardener" Online Newsletter
The cover of the newest PHS publication. Available on Amazon.com.
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June - July 2009
Click on one of the topics below to jump to that section.
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PHS Publishes Parks Handbook
PHS is pleased to announce publication of The PHS City Parks Handbook, a comprehensive look at the techniques that make its park program so successful. Written by Jane Carroll, Daniel Moise, and Joan Reilly, the book shows people how to form their own volunteer groups, raise funds, and transform their local parks. The color, softcover book was partially funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, and copies are available at Amazon.com for $19.95.
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Web Reviews
World’s Largest Garden Party
Each spring, Greater Philadelphia Gardens presents the World’s Largest Garden Party, a cornucopia of gardening happenings throughout the region that includes plant sales, wildflower walks, garden tours, hands-on workshops, lectures, and evening galas. You can learn more about Greater Philadelphia Gardens by visiting the web site.
Radio Series on Benefits of Urban Trees
Tales from Urban Forests is subtitled “a radio series on how trees are impacting a city near you.” Jointly supported by American Forests and the United States Forest Service, these broadcasts feature urban forest tales arranged by themes of health, air, water, and urban planning. For example, the health theme includes a show titled “The Urban Forest Healing Center,” in which researchers explain how a pleasurable walk among trees and green space can calm an active child, refresh a tired mind, and make all of us feel better. In “The Urban Heat Island and Human Health” we learn what living in a hot urban center means for respiratory health.
When It’s OK to Air Your Laundry
Project Laundry List is making air-drying laundry acceptable and desirable as a simple and effective way to save energy. Learn how to save around 15 percent on your monthly energy bill just by doing your laundry in the green way. Site includes top reasons to air dry your clothes (save money, conserve energy, show that even a small step can make a difference) as well as answers to the nitty-gritty questions like “what do I do about stiff jeans and towels?”
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PHS McLean Library News
Botanical Art Exhibition
June 19 - September 4
Works by participants in the PHS watercolor and colored pencil Botanical Illustration classes will be on display in the library. Stop by and admire them during library hours, Monday through Friday, 9 am - 5 pm.
Annual Book Sale Wednesday, September 30
McLean Library Book Sale
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
9:30 am - 5 pm
Mark your calendar to attend the annual McLean Library Book Sale! Buy new gardening books at a discount and used gardening classics at exceptional prices. A small selection of prints also will be on sale. This year, between 4 and 5 pm, buy as many books as you can fit into a grocery bag for $1! Proceeds of this sale benefit the McLean Library.
Gardeners, this is a wonderful opportunity to recycle your used books by donating them for the sale. We are seeking books on gardens, plants, the landscape, urban greening, and natural history. Donations will be accepted until Friday, September 11. more
What’s New in the Library
PHS members may borrow books and DVDs from the library. See the What's New in the Library page of our website and fill out the form to borrow new items. You may also use this form to tell us what books you’d like to borrow in our online catalog.
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PHS Events
City Gardening Series: Home Canning
Monday, June 1, 7 - 8 pm
Lovett Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
6945 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Horticulturist Sally McCabe gives easy-to-follow guidelines for successful home canning. more
City Gardening Series: Curb Appeal - A Welcoming Landscape
Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Roxborough Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
6245 Ridge Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Horticulturist Eva Monheim shares tips and ideas on how to make your front porch, walkway, and front yard beautiful for visitors and passersby. more
Book Discussion: The Tempest
Thursday, June 4, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
PHS McLean Library
100 North 20th Street, 1st Floor
Philadelphia, PA
In this book discussion group, which meets in the McLean Library, we read and discuss works of fiction or non-fiction having to do with gardens, plants, or the land. Participants need to obtain books and read each monthly selection prior to the discussion. Contact us for a copy of Shakespeare’s poetic play with its exploration of what is natural and what is unnatural. more
City Gardening Series: Kitchen Garden in a Pot
Saturday, June 6, 2 - 3 pm
Joseph E. Coleman Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
68 W. Chelten Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
With the increasing interest in home-grown food, Penn State Extension educator Doris Stahl will show that you don't need much space to grow a kitchen garden. more
PHS Garden Visit: West Chester Area
Sunday, June 7, Noon - 5 pm
West Chester, PA
Open to PHS members and their guests. This year’s first garden visit will spotlight private gardens in downtown West Chester and the surrounding area. When you register, we will mail you a guidebook with garden descriptions, a map, directions, and a name tag (which will serve as your ticket). more
Trough Workshop and Demonstration
Monday, June 8, 10 am - 3:30 pm
Point Phillip Perennials
Danielsville, PA
Kay and Herb Johns welcome us to Point Phillip Perennials for a day-long experience. In the morning, cement chemist Herb Johns guides us through the process of making a garden trough. After lunch he will demonstrate basic trough construction to create attractive decorative items for the garden. These durable and weather-resistant garden troughs are portable containers varying in size, shape, and detail. more
City Gardening Series: Designing and Planting a Window Box
Monday, June 8, 4 - 5 pm
Lillian Marrero Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
601 W. Lehigh Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Join Horticulturist Ginny Page as she discusses a variety of flowers for window boxes that will catch the eye and welcome visitors into the home. more
Coach Tour: Lancaster County Gardens
Tuesday, June 9, 7:15 am - 7 pm
Lancaster, PA
Join us for an enjoyable day in Lancaster County to visit gardens where trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals thrive in rich fertile soil. Our first stop will be a private garden in Lancaster that has five acres featuring perennials, roses, peonies, raised vegetable boxes, and lush container gardens. more
Chanticleer Walk: Line, Color, Form, and Hot New Plants
Wednesday, June 10, 6 - 8 pm
Chanticleer
786 Church Road
Wayne, PA
What makes a plant attractive? Is it the architecture, the effect it creates in the garden, the emotion the colors induce, or all of the above? Join horticulturist Dan Benarcik for a stroll through the gardens looking at what the Chanticleer staff does best: grows and displays new plants and innovative plant combinations. more
City Gardening Series: The Cutting Garden
Wednesday, June 10, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Tacony Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
6742 Torresdale Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Cut flowers are a great way to bring your garden indoors. Mary McKnight shows how to incorporate different flower varieties for cutting into an existing garden border. more
Meadowbrook Farm Walk: At the Water’s Edge
Thursday, June 11, 10 am - Noon
Meadowbrook Farm
1633 Washington Lane
Abington Township, PA
In the late 1980s, a manmade pond was installed at Meadowbrook Farm. Through the years many native plantings have been incorporated into the site. Beginning at the bog at the water’s edge, Tom Reber will identify and explain the placing of different species thriving in this beautiful site and take you on a tour of the redeveloped garden. more
Chanticleer Walk: Bringing Nature Home
Thursday, June 11, 6 - 8 pm
Chanticleer
786 Church Road
Wayne, PA
The Delaware Valley offers a rich and exciting native plant palette, and this walk will focus on plants that best thrive in our region. Natives are well adapted to our climate with its wet springs, dry late summers, and frigid winters. This group of plants not only offers exquisite flowers, but also provides food for insects and birds, which helps increase biodiversity. more
City Gardening Series: Vertical Gardening - Hanging Baskets
Saturday, June 13, 11 am - Noon
Dickinson Square Park - Parson’s Building
4th and Tasker Streets
Philadelphia, PA
Horticulturist Charlotte Kidd will show how hanging baskets are a great way to make use of limited space. more
City Gardening Series: Growing a Vegetable Garden in Tough Times
Monday, June 15, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Thomas F. Donatucci Sr. Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
1935 Shunk Street
Philadelphia, PA
Get involved in the grow-your-own trend. Horticulturist Liz Dailey will focus on why growing a home garden has many benefits. more
GreenSource Lecture - Online Outreach: Email Marketing & Beyond
Tuesday, June 16, 5:30 - 8 pm
PHS Auditorium
100 N. 20th Street, 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA
This presentation by Wil Reynolds and Helen Horstmann is designed to help your business communicate effectively with your constituents using new media, as well as make sure your website is noticed and remembered. You already have a website. So what’s the next step for your organization? Email marketing is the most cost-effective, high-response way to keep in touch with your customers. more
Film Discussion Series: Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Tuesday, June 16, screening 4 pm, discussion 6 - 7:30 pm
PHS McLean Library
100 North 20th Street, 1st Floor
Philadelphia, PA
Do you love to watch movies and talk about them? Join us in this film discussion series where we’ll talk about movies in which nature, gardens, or the environment play starring or supporting roles. We’ll look at themes of redemption and restoration, what happens when nature goes awry, and our never-ending quest to live in harmony with the environment. This month we will be viewing and discussing the 2005 Steve Box and Nick Park film Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit. more
Chanticleer Walk: Screening Plants
Wednesday, June 17, 6 - 8 pm
Chanticleer
786 Church Road
Wayne, PA
Good fences make good neighbors, as the saying goes. But a well-designed group of interesting plants can provide a more creative and friendly way to hide an undesirable view. In this walk with Chanticleer horticulturist Robert Herald, you’ll see a variety of plants that can define spaces and lend structure to the garden. more
City Gardening Series: Vertical Gardens - Hanging Baskets
Wednesday, June 17, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Whitman Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
200 Snyder Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Community gardener Janet Carter shares basic know-how and creativity in designing hanging baskets for any garden setting. more
Meadowbrook Farm Spring Open House
Saturday, June 20, 10 am - 5 pm
Meadowbrook Farm
1633 Washington Lane
Abington Township, PA
Highlights include self-guided tours of the Pennock estate and gardens (until 4:30 pm), children’s activities, and a beanbag toss for discounts and prizes. The first 100 people to arrive will receive a free tomato plant, and anyone who becomes a PHS member (or renews an existing membership) will be given a bonus plant. more
City Gardening Series: Integrated Pest Management
Saturday, June 20, 10:30 - 11:30 am
Liberty Lands Community Garden
913 N. 3rd Street
Philadelphia, PA
Environmental educator Liz Dailey discusses sustainable ways to grow healthy gardens without pesticides. more
Teaching Old Buildings New Tricks: Green Roofs
Tuesday, June 23, 5:30 - 8 pm
PHS Auditorium and PECO Green Roof
100 N. 20th Street
Philadelphia, PA
The PECO company has recently unveiled the largest green roof on an existing building in Pennsylvania. The 45,000-square-foot living roof atop a section of PECO headquarters, in Center City Philadelphia, is part of the utility company’s five-year, $15.3 million initiative to become more environmentally friendly. more
Coach Tour: Milford, PA
Wednesday, June 24, 7:15 am - 7:30 pm
Grey Towers and Hotel Frauchere
Milford, PA
Join us for a journey to historic Milford, encompassing just one square mile, but a great attraction for antique collectors, outdoor recreation, and small town charm. First we will visit Grey Towers, home and gardens of Gifford Pinchot - eminent conservationist, twice governor of Pennsylvania, and first chief of the US Forest Service. more
City Gardening Series: Gardening for Four Seasons
Wednesday, June 24, 6 - 7 pm
Wynnefield Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia
5325 Overbrook Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Master gardener Robin Potter will demonstrate how to create a garden space that looks great all year round. more
Chanticleer Walk: Summer Seasonal Walk
Thursday, June 25, 6 - 8 pm
Chanticleer
786 Church Road
Wayne, PA
June is the best time for a walk in the garden! Join Horticulturist Joe Henderson, who will answer your plant questions as we tour Chanticleer, awash in color, foliage, and fragrance. more
PHS Garden Visit: Northeastern Montgomery County
Sunday, June 28, Noon - 5 pm
Northeastern Montgomery County
Montgomery County, PA
Open to PHS members and their guests. This year’s second garden visit will spotlight private gardens in the northeastern Montgomery County area. When you register, you will receive a guidebook through the mail with garden descriptions, a map, directions, and a name tag (which will serve as your ticket). more
City Gardening Series: Herbs in the Garden
Saturday, July 11, 11 am - Noon
Hansberry Garden and Nature Center
5150 Wayne Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
Horticulturist Charlotte Kidd discusses what every gardener should know about growing, caring for, and using herbs. more
Woody Plant Conference
Friday, July 17, 8:30 am - 5 pm
Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College
Lang Performing Arts Center
Swarthmore, PA
Presented by Chanticleer, Longwood Gardens, Morris Arboretum, PHS, Scott Arboretum and Tyler Arboretum. This popular day-long conference is hosted in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania, an area with a rich garden history. It covers a variety of topics of interest to horticulturists and gardeners. This year’s topics will range from beautifying the urban landscape to the world of oaks. Optional study tours of the Scott Arboretum's extensive woody plant collection will also be available. more
City Gardening Series: Invasive Weeds
Saturday, July 18, 10:30 - 11:30 am
The Spring Gardens
1800 Wallace Street
Philadelphia, PA
Landscape architect Michael LoFurno focuses on the identification and management of invasive plants in the garden. more
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Family-Friendly Gardening
Nature Explorers Summer Camps
June-July 2009
Tyler Arboretum
515 Painter Road
Media, PA
Tyler offers summer camp experiences for kids ages 4 - 5 and 6 - 11. Opportunities for discovery abound in the meadows, woodlands, gardens, and wetlands of the arboretum. more
Children’s Summer Reading
Thursday, June 4, 11, 18 & 25, 10 - 11:30 am
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
1635 River Road
New Hope, PA
Read exciting books about the outdoors, hike in the preserve in search of the plants and critters in the stories, then make a nature craft to take home. For ages 3 - 7 accompanied by an adult. more
Insect Hunt
Saturday, June 13, 1 - 2:30 pm
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
1635 River Road
New Hope, PA
Explore the world of insects in the preserve’s wildflower meadow. For all ages. more
StrawBEARy Surprise & Nature in Art Day
Camden Children’s Garden Family Festival
Saturday - Sunday, June 13 - 14, Noon - 4 pm
Camden Children’s Garden
3 Riverside Drive
Camden, NJ
Contact info@camdenchildrensgarden.org or 856-365-8733. more
Birdhouse Blitz
Saturday, June 20, 10 am - 11:30 am
Bucks County Audubon Society Visitor Center
2877 Creamery Road
New Hope, PA
Assemble your own bluebird nest box from an Audubon kit. Presented by Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve and Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow. Call BCAS at 215-297-5880.
A Walk in the Moonlight
Saturday, June 20, 8 - 9:30 pm
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
1635 River Road
New Hope, PA
Explore the natural world after sunset; you may find fireflies in the field, bats hunting insects over the creek and observe moths feeding on native plants. For all ages. more
Festival de Aibonito, Puerto Rico
Camden Children’s Garden Family Festival
Saturday - Sunday, June 27 - 28, Noon - 4 pm
Camden Children’s Garden
3 Riverside Drive
Camden, NJ
Cultural celebration includes Hispanic arts and crafts, games, Puerto Rican activities and delicious tropical fruit. Contact info@camdenchildrensgarden.org or 856-365-8733. more
Cooking from the Garden: How to Use What You Grow
Camden Children’s Garden
Wednesday, July 15, 10 - 11:30 am
Camden Children’s Garden
3 Riverside Drive
Camden, NJ
Adult and Child Workshop. Contact info@camdenchildrensgarden.org or 856-365-8733. more
BlueBEARy Blast and Celebrate NJ Day
Camden Children’s Garden Family Festival
Saturday - Sunday, July 11 - 12, Noon - 4 pm
Camden Children’s Garden
3 Riverside Drive
Camden, NJ
Come to the garden for crafts and a planting activity. Contact info@camdenchildrensgarden.org or 856-365-8733. more
Storybook Celebration
Camden Children’s Garden Family Festival
Saturday - Sunday, July 25 - 26, Noon - 4 pm
Camden Children’s Garden
3 Riverside Drive
Camden, NJ
Come to the garden for crafts and a reading of children’s classics. Plant your own magic beans. Contact info@camdenchildrensgarden.org or 856-365-8733. more
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Other Gardening News & Events
Programs at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
June 2009
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
1635 River Road
New Hope, PA
This month at the preserve, join a butterfly walk, learn about native sedges, discover the delights of native ferns or take a hands-on class on growing native plants from cuttings. more
Continuing Education Courses
June-July 2009
Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, PA
Floral Immersion, a unique nursery tour, and a new way to look at garden design are just a few of the fun classes and courses this summer at Longwood Gardens. more
Scott Arboretum Events
June-July 2009
Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore College
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore, PA
Attend a workshop on Tropical Containers, The Evening Garden, or take a guided tour at the arboretum in June and July. more
Non-Credit Courses
June - July 2009
Temple University Ambler
Office of Non-Credit Programs
580 Meetinghouse Road
Ambler, PA
Temple University Ambler offers a variety of non-credit courses for adults in the areas of horticulture, landscape design, and floral design. May courses include Garden Redesign, Landscape Maintenance, Flower Arranging for Special Occasions, and Creating Tropical Paradise Floral Arrangements. Contact Rhonda Geyer at rgeyer@temple.edu or 267-468-8504. more
The Great Rosarians of the World IX Celebration
Friday - Saturday, June 5 - 6
New York, NY
The event includes a reception and book signing at the Horticultural Society of New York on Friday afternoon, a dinner at Opia Restaurant on Friday evening, and a series of lectures plus the award presentation on Saturday at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The 2009 Honorees are Marilyn Wellan and Stephen Scanniello. more
Photography in the Garden
Saturday, June 6, 9 am - 2 pm
Delaware Center for Horticulture
1810 N. Dupont Street
Wilmington, DE
Learn professional photography techniques at this workshop led by Rob Cardillo. more
Totally Terrific Treehouses: Nature’s Play
Saturday, June 6 - Sunday, September 27
Tyler Arboretum
515 Painter Road
Media, PA
Explore ecology and sustainability in a playful way while touring ten unique treehouses on a half-mile loop through the arboretum’s grounds. more
Pollinating Rhythm: 16th Annual New Hope Historical Society Garden Tour
Saturday, June 6, 11 am - 5 pm
Parry Mansion Museum
Main & Ferry Streets
New Hope, PA
Self-guided tour of six private Bucks County gardens. Call Deborah Lang at 215-862-5652. more
Rose Show: West Jersey Rose Society
Saturday, June 6, 1:30 - 6 pm
Moorestown Mall, Macy Court
Route #38 & Lenola Road
Moorestown, NJ
The show features over 500 roses, plus rose arrangements, which will be judged for ribbons and trophies. Exhibited roses will go on sale. Contact 856-234-6583.
First Annual Community Green
Sunday, June 14, 11 am - 6 pm
American Horticultural Society’s River Farm
7931 East Boulevard Drive
Alexandria, VA
This new festival offers interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and lectures and will focus on gardening, the environment, and the important role nature plays in our daily lives. more
2009 Wilmington City Gardens Contest
Entry deadline: Monday, June 15
Judging: Saturday, July 11, 9 am - Noon
Delaware Center for Horticulture
1810 N. Dupont Street
Wilmington, DE
The contest recognizes Wilmington gardeners for their efforts to make their home town beautiful. Gardens in seventeen different categories will be judged in July. Contact Marcia Stephenson at mstephenson@dehort.org or 302-658-6262x105. more
Hanging Baskets: Gardens that Dance in the Air
Wednesday, June 17, 10 - 11:30 am
Camden Children’s Garden
3 Riverside Drive
Camden, NJ
Workshop for adults. Contact info@camdenchildrensgarden.org or 856-365-8733. more
Meeting: West Jersey Rose Society
Wednesday, June 17, 7:30 - 9 pm
Medford Leas Community Building, Holly Room
One Medford Leas Way
Medford, NJ
Program to be announced. Call 856-234-6583.
Urban Sustainability Forum - Philadelphia Greenworks
Thursday, June 18, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
The Academy of Natural Sciences Main Auditorium
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Mark Alan Hughes, director of Sustainability for Philadelphia, will speak about Greenworks, the first sustainability framework released by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. more
Second Annual Wilmington City Gardens Tour
Saturday, June 20, 9 am - 4 pm
Delaware Center for Horticulture
1810 N. Dupont Street
Wilmington, DE
Private gardens that have entered the City Gardens Contest in years past will be open to the public on this self-guided tour. Contact 302-658-6262x105. more
Philadelphia Botanical Club Field Trip
Sunday - Thursday, June 21 - 25
Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC)
Dingmans Ferry, PA
Joint field meeting of the Botanical Society of America, the Torrey Botanical Society, and the PBC, including three full days of field trips to nearby river shores, hemlock ravines, waterfalls, limestone outcrops, wetlands and forests. Contact William Olson at wolson3@optonline.net or 732-961-1946 or Karl Anderson at karlanderson6@aol.com or 856-845-7075. more
North Creek: Native Plant Trials Tour & Shopping
Wednesday, June 24, 9 am - Noon
Delaware Center for Horticulture
1810 N. Dupont Street
Wilmington, DE
Take your own car or ride in DCH’s van to tour the new trial gardens at North Creek Nurseries, a wholesale plant propagation nursery in Landenberg, PA. more
Urban Marketplace: Investing for Impact
Thursday, June 25, 7:30 am - 5:15 pm
The Union League of Philadelphia
140 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA
A dynamic day-long conference that will convene the private, public, and community development sectors of our region’s real estate industry to promote investment opportunities and development strategies for revitalizing urban and suburban markets. Sponsored by the Urban Land Institute. more
Amazing Butterflies Butterfly House
Saturday, June 27 - Sunday, August 30
Tyler Arboretum
515 Painter Road
Media, PA
Get an up-close view of native butterflies in all stages of their life cycles. more
American Horticultural Society Garden School
Saturday, June 27, 11 am - 6 pm
Lee Center
Alexandria, VA
Green Garage: Sustainable and Earth-Friendly Solutions for the Landscape is a day-long program at which participants will learn about environmentally-friendly gardening practices, from organic lawn care and water conservation to soil health and creating wildlife habitats. more
Philadelphia Botanical Club Field Trip
Sunday, June 28
“Britton’s” Savannah, Forked River Mountains
Ocean County, NJ
Visit this little known more-than-half-mile-long savannah/quaking bog complex, which harbors one of the largest bog asphodel populations in the state plus at least eight other rare plants. Contact Ted Gordon at pbitgordon@aol.com or 609-859-3566. more
The Garden Conservancy Open Days Program
Friday - Saturday, July 10 - 11, 10 am - 4 pm
Private Garden Tours
Visit Fordhook Farm, home of W. Atlee Burpee & Co., for the Mid-Summer Garden Party. Dr. Michael Dirr will lecture on hydrangeas. Contact info@gardenconservancy.org or 1-888-842-2442. more
Carnivorous Plants of the Pine Barrens
Saturday, July 11
Starts at PPA headquarters: Bishop Farmstead
17 Pemberton Road
Southampton, NJ
Visit several sites in the Pinelands on this joint field trip of the Philadelphia Botanical Club and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA). Contact Tom Dunn at tomdunn@pinelandsalliance.org or 609-859-8860 x14.
Urban Sustainability Forum - Protecting Philadelphia Parklands
Thursday, July 16, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
The Academy of Natural Sciences Main Auditorium
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA
As the Fairmount Park Commission and the Recreation Department are merged into the Parks and Recreation department, a new Commission on Parks and ration will also be named. This entity will be charged with creating guidelines for future sale, lease, and acquisition of park lands. Presenter Michael DiBerardinis will focus on the local implications of these changes. more
Annual Plant Swap
Saturday, July 25, 10 am - 12:30 pm
The Community Garden Club of Awbury Arboretum
Cope House - Awbury Arboretum
One Awbury Road (entrance on Chew Avenue between Haines Street and Walnut Lane)
Philadelphia, PA
Contact leoatawbury@hotmail.com or 215-224-5872.
Day Trip to Fulshaw Craeg Preserve
Sunday, July 26
Green Lane
Montgomery County, PA
Join the Philadelphia Botanical Club and explore a boulder field, wet and dry meadows, and woods on this National Lands Trust preserve featuring lovely scenery and diverse flora. Contact Janet Novak at janet@indri.org or 215-534-6700 or Joan King at jsking1@lycos.com or 717-284-5239.
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Plant Sales and Events
See the 2009 Plant Sales and Events on the PHS website for major plant sales and garden tours in the greater Philadelphia region. [more]
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Garden Q & A
Our gardening experts volunteer their time to answer your questions. Use the form on our web site. Note: this service is not available in December.
Q. Do slugs eat zinnias? Something has been eating the leaves. If it's slugs, should I try beer in a dish, or something else? Can I sprinkle salt around the base of the plant? Thanks! Erin, Blue Bell, PA.
A. Slugs eat a variety of plants. They especially like this wet weather we've been having. You can try trapping them with small cans with beer sunk to ground level, but this may attract more of them. You can also surround the affected plants with diatomaceous earth, which is a chalk-like material made of fossilized diatoms. Diatomaceous earth is very gritty to the snails bodies. This method is less effective in very wet weather. Slugs are most active at night. You often find them in the garden when planting or moving mulch. In addition to beer and diatomaceous earth, you can hand pick them and drop them in soapy water. Don't sprinkle salt around your plants because it is harmful to the plants. For more tips on slugs, check out these books from the McLean Library. Good luck!
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How to Submit News & Events
The Wired Gardener is issued 10 times a year (no July or December issue) on the 1st of the month. We post notices of gardening events and give precedence to Philadelphia-area events. Deadline: the 15th of the month for listing in the next month's issue. Send brief details and contact information by email and reference "Wired Gardener" in the subject line. Press releases are not accepted. Please review and follow the format used in our Other Gardening News and Events section.
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About the Wired Gardener
Edited by Janet Evans, McLean Library manager, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, with contributions by Priscilla Becroft.
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