Friends of the Arboretum Newsletter
Fall 1999/Winter 1999-2000

Director's Letter

Nancy Margaret Brodd, Volunteer Coordinator (right) and Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator - Photograph by Elaine Pace

By Dr. Bob Lyons

The JCRA has witnessed its fair share of change in 1999. These changes have been both temporary and permanent; small scale and major; and facilities, collections, and personnel-based. They have caused some stutter steps during the past year, as any organizational changes will, but we'll be back up to speed as fast as we can, and even better, for our mission, members, and other clientele groups.

You're reading one of those temporary changes...the merging of the fall and winter editions of this newsletter. This won't be a permanent move, but we felt it necessary to get ourselves back on the publishing track. Chris Glenn, our incoming Editor, made this suggestion to Jonathan Nyberg, our outgoing Editor...another change. As you'll read in Jonathan's own words in this issue, he is leaving the JCRA as our Education Coordinator, a job he has done so well. His creativity, insightfulness, and dedication, which prevailed during his tenure with us, will serve him well in his own business pursuits... and I'm sure that St. Fiacre will figure somewhere in his personal success! In fact, we've seen great changes in our staff during the past year. Jonathan's successor is Chris Glenn, an amazingly capable individual and recent MS graduate from the NCSU Dept. of Horticultural Science. Aside from his experience in programs and communications while at Atlantic Ave. Lawn & Garden Center in Raleigh, Chris also brings computer expertise to the JCRA which will complement the invaluable expertise of Valerie Tyson, our Plant Records specialist. Chris' experience should eventually materialize as enhanced programming, benefits, and access for all of our audiences. And as for electronic technology, 1999 saw the advent of posting frequent JCRA updates on-line, now with color images, to several hundred e-mail recipients and to our website.

Our volunteers are now ably coordinated by another new staff member, Nancy Margaret Brodd, who occupies a position that requires adept juggling skills. Her inaugural report appears in this issue and you'll see that she has indeed been hard at work. Both Chris and Nancy Margaret are based in the JCRA office in Kilgore Hall, which itself has undergone a complete metamorphosis in the past few months, emerging as a "nerve center" of sorts for many of our activities. In fact, everyone and just about everything in this office are new, so please drop into room 162 for a look when in the area. We re-introduced everyone in Kilgore Hall to these changes during our "Open Office" in December. Maintaining the integral relationship within our department and student population is so important as we grow. Helping us do that are several horticultural science undergraduates: Anne Calta and Diane Cutler work closely with Mitzi Hole as Student Assistants, they could receive no better tutelage under Mitzi. Rebecca Essic pursued an Internal Learning Experience, also under Mitzi's guidance, and Adonna Mann worked with me this summer studying horticultural photography.

This past fall, we also said farewell to Pamela Christie-Tabron, our long time JCRA secretary who mastered and managed databases, registered tour requests, and was generally the first friendly voice heard by anyone seeking JCRA information. Now we welcome Sandie Holdan as Pam's replacement, who brings a wealth of experience from the private sector...and like Pam, Sandie also handles the academic needs of four faculty members...yikes, but she'll get comfortable soon enough!

One of the longest term members of the JCRA left at the end of January. Catherine Maxwell has steered our development efforts from the start...and I do mean the start. Her energy, vitality, and unwavering commitment to this Arboretum and its mission helped propel its recognition and reputation to the high-end stature it enjoys today. She had a pivotal role in the development of a support network that extends beyond state lines to become the backbone of our current campaign to build the Education Center. Her report in this issue will detail the great success we're having in reaching our goal. Catherine will be moving into the e-commerce arena as she accepts the position of Director of Customer Relations with E*Garden <www.egarden.com>...who, by the way, is run by a great JCRA friend (Linda Watson) and will occupy space in the new office building adjacent to us. We wish her all the best! So what happens now? A couple of things. Donna Walker, who assisted Catherine in past development activities, is now responsible for membership and industry support cultivation, in addition to steering the Gala event...and look for changes here, too. Donna has moved into our 162 Kilgore office with other staff members (now how many was that in 162??), but remains an employee of the college's Development Office. We are all delighted to have Donna closer and more closely involved in our operations. And finally, Chris Wessel, current Director of Departmental Fund Raising, will be assisting both Donna and myself with continued development cultivation for the JCRA, an opportunity she anticipates enthusiastically. And, did I mention the interviews coming up in mid-February (thanks to the snow) for the Assistant Director position. And our new Interpretive Specialist, Nancy Doubrava, just began her job. More on these later! Whew!

Let me close this extended letter to all of you with a few comments regarding some nuts and bolts events of the past year, all of which have been touched by our talented staff, volunteers, students, and/or faculty at the JCRA and within the Dept. of Horticultural Science: the installation of a new Entry Garden which displays new tender perennials and annuals, a renovated Visitor's Entry, the complete renovation of the Perennial Border, the continued renovation of the Paradise Garden's structures and plant inventory, contributions for Mangletia research projects, and site video taping for BBC-1 television and the Discovery Channel/Canada...and there is so much more and so much more to do, but I have to get going! Please know how much we appreciate your support and how much we look forward to an anchoring Education Center in the near future with your continued generosity...stay in touch and stay well!  

Editorial News

By Jonathan Nyberg

One thing I've learned after running a business full-time the past six months is I don't have time to do fun things like edit a newsletter or hang-out at the Arboretum. It is with much satisfaction that I'm leaving my part-time, temporary job as Program Coordinator. The past two years have been among my best, both personally and professionally. I want to thank Catherine Maxwell and Bryce Lane for giving me the opportunity to work here with this wacky (good-wacky) staff that has included Karen Jones, Mitzi Hole, Val Tyson, Harriett Bellerjeau, Donna Walker, and Pamela Christie-Tabron. If you mix in all the students, volunteers, nursery people, Arboretum friends, speakers, plant-nuts, vendors, professors, secretaries, and various hangers-on, it makes for one stimulating place to work! Thanks everyone!

I'm now in the landscape gardening business, MeadowSweet Gardens, with my recent bride, Rebecca Wellborn. We're living in our recently purchased house in Durham. I'll tell you, a lot has been happening recently. We are also starting a nursery. We'll be growing medicinal plants that people can grow and use at their home. We plan on selling at the Durham Farmer's Market starting next summer or in the spring of '01.

Just a few notes here to end on...

Former Arboretum worker, renowned horticulturist, and all around good guy Ian Simpkins is back in the Triangle. He is working at Keifer Nursery in southern Durham county, near RTP, as manager of the garden center. So people who drive around and visit area garden centers - you know who you are - can stop and say hi.

I have to say thank you to Brent Heath, of Brent and Becky's Bulbs, who was at the Arboretum in November for two workshops and a Friend's lecture. On that day, Brent and I left Durham at 7:00 a.m. and got back around 10:00 p.m. In-between were 15 hours of talking about bulbs, then bulbs in South Africa. I was bushed, but Brent, being a seasoned professional on the circuit, was still going strong. Brent is leading a trip to South Africa in the fall of '00. For information about the trip or to get Brent and Becky's bulb catalog, phone (877) 661-2852, or order on-line at <www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com>.

I can't remember another book being so hidden yet so useful as one I found recently at Pender Nursery, Garner, NC. The book is Crapemyrtle, A Grower's Thoughts, by David Byers (Owl Bay Publishers, Inc., PO Box 3592, Auburn, Alabama 36830.) If for no other reason, you should get this book to appreciate the breeding that has gone into the making of our modern hybrids, here's a partial pedigree of the new dwarf hybrid, 'Chickasaw': "{[Lagerstroemia indica dwarf lavender x ((Lagerstroemia indica dwarf red x Lagerstroemia fauriei) H (Lagerstroemia indica dwarf red x Lagerstroemia fauriei))]." Now if that doesn't get your blood pumping, I just don't know what kind of a plant person you are!

As interesting as is all the information on propagation, ancestry, culture, and disease - the heart of this book is color photos and information about 54 crapemyrtles in the trade today. This is the book every designer and grower needs to match all those names with all those flower and bark colors. So, who would think you could find such a good book at Pender Nursery, especially considering they only carry one book!?

To order the book ($31.95) or the useful wall chart ($10), send a check to Crapemyrtle Chart, PO Box 434, Huntsville, AL 35804.

I guess it would be an appropriate segue out of here to recommend, How to Start a Home-Based Landscaping Business, 2nd Edition by Owen E. Dell. (1997, The Globe Pequot Press, Old Saybrook, Connecticut.) A couple of times people at events have asked me to recommend a book about running a small landscape business. Both times I highly recommended this book because the author runs a successful small landscape business, and is a fine writer. For me, the sections on insurance and bidding were the most useful. I think people with long-standing businesses would benefit, as would any small business. But that's just speculation. I can say that I believe you'll make more money after reading this book. And that's the bottom line.  

Plant News

Tender Perennials Part Two

By Douglas Ruhren

Perhaps my previous article on tender perennials at the JC Raulston Arboretum (Summer 1999 Newsletter) sparked your interest enough to prompt a visit. Or perhaps your schedule, distance, or other matters have prevented you from doing so. With this article, I hope to highlight those plants that stood out from the rest.

As I write, it is early fall so I've seen all of these plants through a summer of records: record heat, record drought, record number of ozone alerts, and now, with last night's rain, the wettest month ever recorded at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (18.5" as of 9/27/99). In other words they have been tested! Though I must say they did get irrigated through dry spells. Many of the plants I have chosen to highlight I have grown for quite a few years and have become my standbys for bolstering the summer garden display.

Before I get started with the plant review let me share with you a few general thoughts I've had since writing the first article. It occurred to me that in order for a plant to be feasible as a tender perennial they must be easy to propagate, fast growing, and inexpensive. These three factors go hand in hand. If they are easy to propagate, they do not require much rooting time or major propagation facilities. If they are fast growing, saleable plants are quickly produced and small plants once planted soon make a respectable display. I would love to use the tropical crotons (Codiaeum variegatum) cultivars with their bright red, yellow, and green foliage especially the ones with fantastical leaf forms such as corkscrew-spirals and spoon-tipped leaves. Small plants of these can be acquired at very modest expense, but planted in the ground they grow too slowly to make much a show and to buy enough three gallon plants to make a worthwhile display that same summer would break my budget. And so the crotons remain perhaps as a feature-plant in a container but not planted through out the garden.

I really value burgundy foliaged plants, as I noted in the previous article. Several of the best are Alternanthera species, Euphorbia cotinifolia, Hibiscus acetosella 'Red Shield', Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum', and P. 'Burgundy Giant'.

Alternanthera spp.

There is a range of sizes amongst the alternantheras. The stems of Alternanthera dentata 'Rubiginosa' (sometimes in the trade as 'Wave Hill') can stretch to three to four feet, though they tend to be more horizontal than vertical, attractively weaving through their neighbors. Its foliage is glossy and bright burgundy and unspoiled by bloom in the summer. Its common name of winter clover refers to the grayish-white spherical heads it produces in winter. A. polygonoides is a much smaller scale A. dentata, perhaps one-fifth the size. Its foliage is less glossy. It flowers all summer and has been coming back from seed for the three or four years of experience I have with it. A. ficoidea in either burgundy, yellow, or multicolor and either wide or very narrow leaves makes a tight bun much like the common wax begonias (Begonia ×carrierei). It was the darling of Victorian era gardeners for creating their carpet bedding.

Euphorbia cotinifolia

Euphorbia cotinifolia is a superb plant yet often goes unnoticed because it does such a flawless imitation of a purple-leafed smoke tree, Cotinus coggygria 'Rubrifolius' (hence cotini-folia). This is half of the fun of growing it. The burgundy of its foliage has less blue in it and instead is a warmer brick-red-burgundy. I especially like it with red, yellow, and orange in general and specifically with the coppery olive coleus such as 'Penny' and 'Orange Prince'.

Hibiscus acetosella 'Red Shield'

Hibiscus acetosella 'Red Shield' rapidly reaches five to six feet and is grown for its glorious burgundy foliage and not for its flowers, if only because it blooms in winter. Its flowers are the same burgundy color, so they do not standout. Occasionally, when large overwintered plants come to market in early spring, they will still be in bloom. I worry that some people buy them thinking they will continue to flower. What they might get out of the bargain is ripe seed. Like many burgundy leafed plants it comes true from seed. Though like all of these plants it is fast and easy from cuttings.

We have two different clones in the Arboretum. From a distance they are often indistinguishable at the back of a planting. Yet the difference is immediately obvious when the leaves are held next to each other. The clone in front of The Necessary has a very prominently serrated margin to its palmately lobed leaf, similar to a Japanese maple. The other clone, which is the one in other areas of the Arboretum, has an almost entire margin that gives the leaf more of a hand or glove-like look. I feel that one does not need to grow both clones.

Grasses

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' - Photograph by Bob Lyons

Burgundy leafed fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum, needs little introduction. I value them for their combination of graceful grass form and burgundy color. We don't yet have this color in a winter hardy grass, though we are getting close with Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'. I worry that an awful lot of gardeners purchase these plants thinking they are winter hardy (grasses are perennial, right?). The hybrid 'Burgundy Giant' is much coarser than P. setaceum 'Rubrum'. Indeed it almost looks like corn.

These grasses can be propagated by division or by stem cuttings. The best cuttings are to be found on the oldest flowering stalks where the little side shoots already have tiny roots. These two grasses are definitely tropical. They not only must be overwintered in a frost free location but most also be kept warm, 50F is probably a safe minimum temperature. As far as I know both of these grasses are sterile, necessitating asexual propagation, but precluding them from becoming weeds.

Salvia spp.

It doesn't seem like so many years ago that we had only two salvias; the hardy one and that red flowered annual scarlet sage Salvia splendens. Oh yeah, and a third one, the culinary sage, Salvia officinalis. The number of salvias available to gardeners nowadays is phenomenal. A very rough count of the salvias listed in the index of Betsy Clebsh's recent publication A Book of Salvias: Sages for Every Garden lists over 150 different species, hybrids, and cultivars. One of the people we have to thank for this increased diversity is the tireless salvia promoter Richard Dufresne of Greensboro, NC.

A surprising number of salvias have proven winter hardy here in zone 7. I think its due largely to the fact that our cold spells are usually brief. This means that frost does not penetrate the ground to any significant depth. The proverbial light just went off in my head and it has occurred to me that in our climate the above ground parts of a plant are indeed subjected to a zone 7 winter while the underground parts experience a zone 8 winter.

Anyhow, this is an article on tender perennials, which in the case of salvias are those that do not survive our winters. Even with so many hardy ones there are many which are worth overwintering indoors or replacing each spring.

Salvia 'Van Houttei' is one I would never want to be without. Its four by four foot mound is covered with flowers of a nearly indescribable glowing color of great depth starting in mid to late summer and continuing to frost. To describe it as burgundy doesn't do it justice but it begins to suggest its color. Its leaves, calyxes, and flowers are very similar to the scarlet sage, S. splendens. I wonder if it represents a selection of the wild parent of the scarlet sage. Surely the wild S. splendens was not as ramrod straight as a Queen's guard, nor as graceless as the modern bedding strains. I certainly can remember from childhood that strains were available that grew three feet or maybe even four feet tall.

Salvia splendens is available in an increased range of colors. The good news is that there is also breeding work to increase the color range of Salvia 'Van Houttei' types.

Salvia miniata may not be a showstopper, but all summer long it has scarlet flowers above lush, handsome glossy foliage and a graceful growth habit.

Bananas

Even small starts of bananas (Musa spp. and related species) will rapidly grow to an impressive size once the weather gets hot and if watered and fed copiously. They give the summer garden a delightful tropical look. With somewhat elaborate preparation, many bananas will overwinter in the ground. Yet perhaps the one point regarding bananas that I want to emphasize, even though I am writing about tender perennials, is that there are banana species that are fully winter hardy in zone 7. The four I know of are: Musa velutina, with pink flowers and fruit; the so called flowering banana, Musa ornata, with several cultivars differing in flower color; Musa basjoo; and the yellow Chinese banana, Musella lasiocarpa. None of these grow quite as tall as the tropical, fruiting bananas so if you are going for drama you might still grow the tender ones. On the news front, these hardy bananas are no longer hard to find thanks to tissue culture.

Solenostemon spp. (a.k.a. Coleus)

Taxonomists have now given the genus Coleus the new name of Solenostemon. Thankfully, we can still use the name coleus as a common name. The silver lining to this taxonomic gray cloud is that if your garden or nursery should suffer a visit from the taste police, whom I believe would have the world be beige, you can retort, "No sir, that is no coleus, it is a Solenostemon!" They might then just want to go home with it.

The coleus breeders have been breeding for sun tolerance. I think the other half of the "sun coleus" story is that the vast majority of coleus will grow in full sun. We just didn't know this in the past because we didn't try, which certainly speaks of the value in experimentation. This makes them no less valuable for the shade gardener. Though, keep in mind that some cultivars will color-up very differently depending on the light levels to which they are exposed. Coleus cultivars are so numerous and varied perhaps it will suffice to say that they range from subtle to gaudy. Should anyone want names of proven cultivars I would be happy to provide them. Nearly all of the best performers are cutting-grown cultivars, not seed-grown strains. They bloom far less than most of the seed-grown strains, which require very frequent deadheading. After all, coleus are grown for their foliage and not their flowers. I might add that most caladiums, including the white ones, will grow in full sun. The caladium growers in Florida grow them in full sun.

Strobilanthus dyerianus

One gorgeous tender perennial, which will also go either way, is the Persian shield, Strobilanthus dyerianus. Though I think it is prettier with some shade for the amethyst and silver coloring of its leaves is more vivid. In sun, the colors darken to the point of almost becoming somber. Plus in the sun during the heat of the day it wilts, leading to panicked gardeners running about with watering cans in hand. It grows to about three feet tall and probably wider.

Plectranthus spp.

The Plectranthus are first cousins to the coleus, whoops excuse me, the Solenostemon. Indeed some species have been ping-ponged back and forth between the two genera. The common houseplant Swedish ivy is a Plectranthus. Some of the Plectranthus spp. which find use in the summer garden are, like the common coleus, grown for their colorful foliage, while others are grown for their showy flowers. P. fruticosa 'Purple Martin' is putting on a splendid show of numerous slender spikes of purple-violet flowers. P. argentatus' floral display is pleasant, though subtle. It is, however, indispensable for its silvery foliage that shines through the mugs of summer, long after many winter hardy silver foliaged plants have rotted. P. forsteri has two variegated clones. 'Green on Green' (in the trade sometimes as 'Athens Gem' and 'Gold Heart') is a lovely chartreuse-green centered, green edged leaf. I especially like it paired either with the Persian shield or a black leafed coleus such as 'Inky Fingers' or 'Black Magic'. Let them mingle for the greatest contrast. P. forsteri 'Marginatus' has a modest white margin to its leaf. They grow to 18-24", P. forsteri a bit taller, to about 3'.

Pelargonium spp.

The larger growing and more vigorous growing scented geraniums, Pelargonium, deserve a turn in the summer garden. Two that you can see at the Arboretum this year that I especially like are 'Charity' and 'Snowflake'. 'Charity' is the only yellow leafed scented geranium that I know. 'Snowflake' is lightly variegated with white. It actually survived the non-winter of '98/'99 in the ground.

Setaria palmifolia

Perhaps I'll rave about one more plant. Palm grass, Setaria palmifolia, has beautiful, pleated, crepe paper textured leaves. They are surprisingly broad for a true grass; about 3" wide by 6-8" long. The form we grow has purple stems and green leaves and rarely blooms early enough to bloom out fully before frost. The variegated clone has a slight white margin which does not detract from the sumptuous texture of the leaf blade. Propagate this by stem cuttings, often smaller side shoots come already equipped with roots.

In reflecting on the plants that I have written about, one valuable concept stands out to me. It is that when we stop thinking of plants only in the terms of the long accepted groups humans have assigned them to, we often discover that they can be used in more diverse ways. The tropical plant once thought of as only a houseplant can become a star performer in the summer garden. Shade plants are discovered to also grow in the sun and vice versa. Food plants do double duty as ornamentals. A whole new world of possibilities exists when you think outside the box.  

Correction/Additions

Zephyranthes fosteriana, as distributed at the Friends of the Arboretum Giveaway this October, is properly known as Z. macrosiphion.

A few notations were made concerning the Connoisseur Plants distributed this December. They are: Erythrina flabelliformis is tender in zone 7 and should be reliably hardy in zone 8b, Trochodendron araliodies is not a zone 8 plant, however, it is hardy in the D.C. area, and Zephyeranthes mesochloa sold in the US are actually Habranthus robustus.  

1999 JC Raulston Arboretum Plant Distribution, NCAN Charlotte, NC, Aug. 20-21, 1999

By Mitzi Hole and Jonathan Nyberg

Each year a selection of plants from the JC Raulston Arboretum is propagated and distributed to NC nurserymen at the NCAN Trade Show as a means of spreading new or uncommon plants throughout the state for trial, observation, and possible commercial production. The selection of plants is based on their ability to be propagated when the Department of Horticulture's propagation benches are empty, adequate size of stock plants in the Arboretum allow taking 200 cuttings, and absence in the existing commercial industry.

Nurserymen are welcome to come take cuttings at any time from the Arboretum to provide stock plants for their operations. We do request that nurserymen taking cuttings for the first time make an appointment with Mitzi Hole at (919) 515-1632 or <mitzi_hole@ncsu.edu> to coordinate which materials may be collected and our guidelines for collecting.

Elaeagnus pungens 'Glenn Compact'
This selection from Glenn St. Mary Nursery, is a 4-5 selection of a common indestructible evergreen landscape plant and allows its use in smaller scale gardens. Z6; Japan.

Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana
Evergreen coniferous tree for sun or light shade; 100'+ Penelope Taiwan.

Aucuba japonica f. longifolia (A. japonica 'Salicifolia')
Evergreen shrub for the shade; China, Taiwan, and southern Japan.

Abelia mosanensis
Rapidly growing shrub to at least 8'; new plant for trial grown from seed received from Korean arboretum.

Buddleja salviifolia
Gold fuzzy foliage with distinctive undulate margins; grown for striking foliage; south & east Africa. Z7.

Aspidistra elatior 'Asahi'
Evergreen perennial for the shade, white in new growth, Z7, drought tolerant; Himalayas, China, and Japan.

Koelreuteria paniculata 'Beachmaster'
Withstands beach conditions, 30-40' deciduous tree, showy yellow flowers, Z5-8.

Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls'
More restrained than Asian species, later flowers rarely lost to frost; repeat blooms, sun, Z5-9, VA, FL to TX.

Taxus cuspidata 'Aurescens'
Evergreen conifer; bright yellow new growth, good drainage, Z4-7, Japan, Korea, and Manchuria.

Buddleja fallowiana 'Alba'
Striking white flowers against silver foliage; sun, 5-10'; compact habit; Z7; Myanmar (Burma) and western China.

Taiwania cryptomerioides
Large evergreen coniferous tree with graceful habit; Taiwan. Z7b.  

Development News

By Catherine Maxwell

Fairview Greenhouse and Garden Center

Fairview Greenhouse and Garden Center's $100,000 campaign pledge is a celebration of family ties, hard work, and a generous spirit. It's also a testimony to the critical collaboration between the Arboretum, university students, and the green industry.

When asked about the story behind their exceptional support of the Arboretum over the last three years, JoAnn Dewar, Fairview's founder, told of her daughter Susan Rollins' history with the Arboretum, and how much the Arboretum has meant to their business.

"Susan was in J. C. Raulston's class the first year he taught at NC State," Dewar said. She basically grew up with the Arboretum. JC Raulston devoted his life to this industry 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have reaped a lot of the benefits.

"When JC was killed we wanted to give a percentage of the profits of the trees we sold that spring, and the year after, in his memory. We were thrilled to be able to do that. Then, we chose to pledge the additional money for the Administrative Office because we thought the Arboretum would put it to the best use.
"We've had a lot of good help from the Lord and a lot of good help from NC State and folks like J.C. Raulston, Joe Love, and Roy Larson. That's why the good Lord put us on this earth...to help each other."

Susan Rollins, Fairview's business manager, echoed her mother's sentiments. "Initially, we wanted to be able to give something back in JC's memory," Rollins said. "And the Arboretum is such an educational place. Our customers are educated people, and they ask for specific varieties. I think the majority of that education comes from the Arboretum. That helps our business. We also get many, many employees from the university. It provides our work force. The Administrative Offices will be central in supporting the teaching work of the Arboretum both for college kids and for the community. We feel that's important.

"Also, I wanted to do something in memory of my Dad, and in honor of Mom. They are the reason that our business is where it is today.

"Mom didn't have any formal training. She grew up on a tobacco farm, and has loved plants all her life. Dad helped her get started, building the greenhouses, taking care of the wiring, the plumbing; he could do just about anything."
Rollins remembered what it was like growing up - and into - the family business.

"We all pitched in. I remember pouring concrete nine months pregnant, and hanging my son Brad's johnny jump-up over the pipes in the greenhouse beside me so he'd be entertained while I potted up plants. The kids' grandparents helped out, too."

Today, JoAnn and Susan work alongside Susan's brothers, Wayne and Phillip Dewar. Wayne oversees the nursery and other facilities, and Phillip, an accountant, handles computer systems, payroll, and accounting.

And already, the next generation is in training. Brad Rollins, Susan's 19 year-old son, is now studying horticulture at NC State. Her daughter Carly, 14, also aspires to become a Wolfpack horticulture major. Both plan to stay in the family business.

"Fairview Greenhouse and Nursery really reflect all that's best about the horticultural industry," said Arboretum director Bob Lyons. "As I become more acquainted with the history of the JC Raulston Arboretum and those in close association with it, I'm understanding the depth of our relationships with the green industry. We are incredibly fortunate and pleased to have the family members behind Fairview Greenhouse and Garden Center right behind us as we get closer to our campaign goals!"  

Michel Foundation Gift Honors Callaway and Stubbs

When Marge Michel and Hunter Stubbs came to tour the Arboretum on a balmy day in October, no one knew what great things that visit would bring.

Marge and Jake Michel contributed $10,000 to the Arboretum through their family foundation last year, but neither had ever visited the Arboretum. They made the grant in honor of garden designer and Arboretum board member Chip Callaway and horticulturist Hunter Stubbs, who had told them of the importance of the Arboretum.

"We were delighted to make the gift in honor of Chip Callaway and Hunter Stubbs," said Mrs. Michel at the time. "Chip did a tremendous job at Richmond Hill, not only with the landscape design, but also with the overall planning. And now, the gardens continue to evolve so beautifully through the wonderful teamwork between Hunter and Chip. They have both put all their heart and talent into making Richmond Hill what it is today."

(Richmond Hill is an Asheville inn and conference center, set amidst sumptuous gardens, with a strong commitment to horticultural education.)

After Marge and Hunter's October 1999 visit to the Arboretum, the Michels renewed their support with a $75,000 grant to name the South Terrace at the Arboretum Education Center - also in honor of Callaway and Stubbs.

Needless to say, Hunter Stubbs, a graduate of NC State's Department of Horticultural Science, was ecstatic to hear the news.

"The Michels are such generous gracious people, and they've done so much for horticulture through both the creation of Richmond Hill and their support of the Arboretum. At Richmond Hill, they developed a beautiful inn and garden out of love, not profit.

"As a horticulturist at Richmond Hill, I've had the opportunity to be a part of creating and caring for a garden which, though part of a private establishment, serves as a beautiful public space which thousands of people enjoy every year. Totally unknowingly, they have created one of western NC's finest gardens, and I feel fortunate to be a part of it.

"It's also been a real privilege to work with and learn from Chip Callaway. His style and scale of gardening has totally shaped my horticultural life. Chip creates gardens in a grand style, and always does it right. That's what he's all about."

Landscape designer Chip Callaway is a member of the Arboretum Board of Advisors, a graduate of NC State's landscape architecture program, and a long-time friend of J. C. Raulston.

Deal Foundation Grants $25,000

It started with a telephone call, almost a decade ago.

One early evening, Doris Deal found herself talking to a caller from the Arboretum's very first telephone solicitation. She mentioned to her husband, R.L. (Buddy) Deal, that the caller was a volunteer from the Arboretum requesting a donation. Much to her pleasure and the caller's sheer delight, he replied, "why don't you give them $1,000?"

"So it was really Buddy who started it all," said Doris. "And if it were not for him, the recent grant from the Deal Foundation would not have been possible."

The Deal Foundation's $25,000 grant to the Raise the Roof Campaign will create the Deal Foundation Garden in honor of Doris P. Deal on the Education Center's roof terrace. The Deal Garden will be part of a cutting edge demonstration of shallow-bed gardening techniques, designed to teach ways to bring affordable and beautiful gardens into urban areas.

"Doris is an exceptional person and board member" said Arboretum Board of Advisors Chairman Peggy Fain. "We are grateful indeed for the gift of interest, time, and resources which she so generously shares."

Doris' influence has indeed covered a lot of ground since that first telephone call. In 1992, she organized the first of the now renowned High Point train tours to Raleigh, pioneering regional Friends of the Arboretum programming.

Exhibiting the famous Doris Deal insight, she remembers, "If we were going to get people to pay money and travel that far, we had to promise something we knew they were all interested in. Then we could use the opportunity to whet their appetites for the great things the Arboretum has to offer."

Instead of the typical Arboretum tour, she organized a holiday trip, featuring a visit to JC Raulston's converted warehouse home to view his over-the-top Christmas tree, lunch, and an Arboretum lecture at the house. Afterwards, everyone went on a shopping spree at Raleigh's City Market.

And Doris was right. The group came back en masse for an Arboretum tour the next year, and many of the crowd became the core of a stalwart team of High Point volunteers and supporters. The group forged new ground for the Arboretum, arranging train trips, a membership luncheon at gourmet restaurant lo Speido di Noble (which yielded 71 new members), and a Tony Avent lecture at the country club.

To every event, Doris brings remarkable instinct for what sparks the imagination...and draws a crowd. And from checking the mailing list to arranging the flowers, she does what it takes to make it happen.

Doris has also been the key High Point liaison for the Raise the Roof Campaign, organizing events to introduce Bob Lyons, and opportunities for members of the High Point community to see the Arboretum for themselves.

And if her work on behalf of the Arboretum is not enough, Doris also shares her time as a guardian angel for a number of other lucky organizations. Doris serves on the Theatre Art Galleries Board, the High Point Regional Hospital Endowment Board, and is vice chairman of the High Point Theatre Advisory Commission. Doris also founded and continues to maintain the Deal Family Garden at Family Services of High Point, a garden that provides respite and a place of beauty for families and staff at the women's shelter and family service center.

As Carlette Peters, High Point's Theatre Art Galleries' former director, said, "If we could clone the Doris Deals of the world, the arts" (and public horticulture, we might add) "would be set for the future. She's savvy, intelligent, and gorgeous. She's the quintessential supporter."

You can say that again Ms. Peters.

Green Industry Champions Continue Support

Artist's drawing of our future Education Center.

NC Association of Nurserymen supporters raised an additional $4,954 through a benefit auction at their summer trade show in Charlotte in August. The auction at the Winston-Salem Green and Growin' trade show was also a great success. Under the direction of Triad area volunteers, organized by Gay Gallins and Nancy Harper, the winter silent auction brought in $6,326. These events continue to be successful thanks to green industry commitment and cooperation with the regional FOA groups in these areas. The total of both events was added to the Association's total campaign gifts of over $100,000.

The NC Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects kicked off their annual conference with a reception at the Arboretum on October 14. NCASLA leadership is now in the process of a fund raising campaign to support the future Education Center.

The Torch is Passed

Lib and Willie York and their daughter, Phyllis Brookshire, enjoy a moment under the arbor in the Finley Rose Garden. - Photo by Ginger Long

On August 14, 1999, the world lost one of its best with the passing of Elizabeth West York. A wise voice, a strong leader, a gracious lady, a generous patron, and a fun loving and faithful friend, Lib York will be missed throughout this community and beyond. Lib left her mark in beautiful ways on the Arboretum, on the NC Museum of Art, and on organizations throughout Raleigh. She is remembered fondly in the hearts of all who knew her, as evidenced by the many still contributing to the Arboretum in her name.

James Oblinger, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, echoed the sentiments of many: "The Arboretum, the College, and indeed the University will be forever indebted to Lib for her leadership, her generosity, and for the inspiration she shared in so many ways. The world is a better place because of her."

Patsy Hopfenberg spoke eloquently for the Arboretum Board of Advisor's appreciation of Lib York, as well as their pleasure in the appointment of Phyllis Brookshire, Lib's daughter, to complete her mother's term on the board.

"Believing the Arboretum to be one of North Carolina's treasures, Lib York was inspirational as a loyal and enthusiastic advocate," Hopfenberg said. "Her experience and wisdom, born of tireless service to many statewide organizations, significantly influenced policy set by the Arboretum Board, on which she served for many years. A compassionate human being of rare elegance, Lib would have been proud that her daughter Phyllis was elected to complete her mother's term as a member of the board, a transition so graceful that we never saw a torch being passed."

"The Arboretum was an important organization to Mom, as it is to Dad," Phyllis said. "This is just my way of honoring them both by carrying on what she started."

Phyllis and her husband, Donnie Brookshire, returned to Raleigh in November 1998 from Lexington, Kentucky, where they worked for twelve years as professional horse trainers. Phyllis served on several boards related to the horse industry, and was the first woman ever elected to serve on the board of the United Professional Horseman's Association.

Though this is Phyllis's first formal foray into horticulture, she remembers the family always being involved in gardening. "I grew up with a love and appreciation of plants," she said.  

Meeting The York Challenge

Between July 21 and November 5, 1999, the following donors made gifts or pledges, bringing matching funds to the York Challenge to $458,634. Many thanks to all!

In memory of Nannie B. Andrews...

• Andy Goodwin

In memory of Doris Coughneour...

• Theatre Art Galleries, Inc.

In memory of "Dad" Dunham...

• Rachel Dunham

In memory of Dr. Thomas H. Fix...

• Jettie S. Fix

In memory of Toopie S. Foster...

• Dorothy S. Foster

In memory of Frank Hedges...

• Horticulture Society of Rockingham County

In memory of Elizabeth York...

• Susan Carroll Alexander
• Joseph E. and Sarah E. Archie
• Marjorie W. Barrow
• Victor E. and Jane McNair Bell, Jr.
• William E. and Mary Bolton, Jr.
• Harvey L. Bumgardner
• W. W. and Dorothy Burns
• Paul E. Castelloe
• Central Carolina Bank
• Anne Clapp
• Sarah and Wyatt V. Coley
• Walter Daniel
• Helen and Leo Daughtry
• Charles Dewey and Margaret C. Barham, Jr.,
• Margaret and Settle Dockery
• Richard and Marlene Daugherty
• Rufus L. and Linda Edmisten
• Margaret H. Fisher
• Marye Anne Fox
• Jim and Ann Goodnight
• Kathryn Green
• Barlow and Millie Herget
• James R. Hinkle
• Alton E. and Ramona W. Howard
• Elizabeth S. Howie
• Nan Hutchins
• Peggy and Robert Franklin Jones
• Joseph Dillon Kalkhurst
• Lewis R. Holding
• Harold and Noel Lichtin
• Linda W. Little
• Mr. Fred and Jean London
• Frances Lucas
• Catherine Maxwell
• Shirle R. McConnor
• Loree L. McGilvary
• Stacy W. Miller
• Diane Needelman
• Charlie D. Nottingham
• James Oblinger
• Arthur R. Palmer and Deborah Baker
• James M. and Anne Peden, Jr.
• Gregory and Mary Ann Poole
• Mary Jo and James Pringle
• Public Service Company of North Carolina, Inc.
• R.L. Dresser, Inc.
• Mr. and Mrs. Trent Ragland, III
• Raymond H. and Susan Goodmon, III
• Jane S. Steele
• Louise S. Steele
• Harry E. Stewart
• Betsy and James Sykes
• William Finch and Lu Troxler
• Betty and Howard F. Twiggs
• Worthy & Wachtel, Inc.
• J. Blount and Dargan Williams
• John A. Williams, Jr.
• Blanche W. and George S. Willoughby
• Hal V. Worth, III
• Smedes York

In memory of Leroy Senf (1919-1999) Steve's Father...

• Gloria O. Davis

In honor of Chip Callaway...

• Houck M. Medford
• C. Mitchell and Betsy Oakley

General Donations...

• A.E. Finley Foundation, Inc.
• Jones Abernethy, III
• The Ahoskie Garden Club
• Anonymous
• Arterra, Inc.
• Jane Avinger
• Azalea Garden Club
• The Family of Amon L. Baucom
• Charles Bell
• Benton Landscape Design & Irrigation Co, Inc.
• Karen M. and Joe Betz,
• Bobtown Nursery
• Boiling Springs Lakes Garden Club
• Toby and Rebecca Bost
• Brooks Nurseries
• Buds & Blooms Nursery, Inc.
• Cape Carteret Garden Club
• Cape Fear Garden Club
• Casey Garden Center, Inc.
• Reese W. and Kathryn Chambers
• Coley Forest Garden Club
• Colonial Garden Club
• Country Park Garden Club
• Countryside Garden Club
• Helen and Leo Daughtry
• The Deal Foundation
• Designer Landscapes
• Dogwood Garden Club
• Dunes of Dare Garden Club
• Elizabeth C. Perry
• Martha J. and Howard W. Etzel
• Evening Garden Club
• Evergreen Garden Club
• Fairview Greenhouse and Nursery
• Faust Nursery
• Clara B. Flanagan
• Flora Garden Club
• Margaret E. Foster
• Foundation For The Carolinas
• Franklin Garden Club
• Friendly Garden Club
• Garden Gate Garden Club
• Garden Gate Herbals
• Gay Blades Garden Club
• Diane Gantt
• Virginia B. Gantt
• Dot Harmon
• Harmony Landscape Group, Inc.
• Jacqueline Harper
• Hawksridge Farms
• Hefner's Nursery
• Helena Chemical Company
• Hidden Hollow Nursery
• Hilltop Perennials
• Homestead Heights Garden Club
• Robert D. and Ethel M. Horst
• Horticultural Plantscapes
• Laurie House and John Hopkins
• Hurricane Gap Nursery
• Carolyn Johnson
• Rachel Frantz Jones
• Adelaide and Clarence R. Joyce
• Mary J. Kelly
• Kevan's Tree Farm
• James and Joan King, Jr.
• Kingswood Garden Club
• Clarice T Kizziah
• Martha H. Knox
• Lake Norman Garden Club
• Leaksville Garden Club
• Lucian H. Neal
• Louisburg Garden Club
• Mary A. Mann
• Margaret Somerall
• Jesslyn L. McBride
• Jacqueline A. McGrath
• Jacob M. and Patricia B. Meckler
• The Michel Foundation
• Mill Creek Garden Club
• Jayne S. Moore
• Mountain Garden Club
• Mountain View Garden Club
• Mary E. Murray
• Myatt Landscaping Concepts, Inc.
• Marjorie O'Rorke
• Olene Ogles
• The Old Kanuga Garden Club
• Old Salem Garden Club
• Lynn Avery Painter
• Pender Nursery
• Perennial Garden Club
• Piedmont Carolina Nursery
• Pilot Mountain Garden Club
• Piney Ridge Nursery
• Plant and Pray Garden Club
• Platter Construction
• R.D. Shore
• Red Clay Gardeners
• Rhododendron Garden Club
• Rich Square Garden Club
• Ridino Landscape
• Roanoke Island Garden Club
• Robinson, Mrs. Priscilla B, and R.E.
• Sardiswood Garden Club
• Schaefer Nursery
• Shoffner's Lawn Service
• Shelba L. Spivey
• Shorts and Jeans Garden Club
• Deen Day Smith
• Smith's Nursery
• Smoky Mountain Association of Nurserymen
• Southern Horizons Landscaping
• Starmount Garden Club
• Sugarbush Gardens
• Donna Swantkowski
• Sylva Garden Club
• Tanglewood Garden Club
• Tarheel Garden Club of Conover
• Taylor's Nursery, Inc.
• Trent Woods Garden Club
• Barbara B. and Richard J. Volk
• Waltham Gardens
• Watson's Nursery
• Waynesville Garden Club
• Mary Joan Welsh
• Westridge Gardeners
• Whiteville Garden Club
• Rob Wilcox
• Jean V. Wilk
• Woodland Garden Club  

Raise the Roof Campaign Update

Thanks to the inspiration of the York Challenge, the leadership of new Arboretum director Bob Lyons, and the hard work of volunteer fundraisers across the state, campaign momentum is up to full speed. New major gifts, complimented by a variety of initiatives by regional Friends of the Arboretum groups and several statewide organizations, have taken the campaign total past the $1.9 million mark.

"We have a lot of work to do to reach our $4.2 million goal, but we're excited about the response we've had since the York Challenge, as well as our commitment to refocus our energies on private fund raising," said Lyons. "Of course, we still hope to have a share of legislative support, but we want to explore and expand all our options. We're going to do everything we can to raise the funds from the private sector.

"We're particularly grateful to the Yorks, not only for inspiring so much excitement through the Challenge, but for assistance in helping us meet the goal even without the legislative support we had hoped for in 1999. We're also grateful to the many people who have given so generously in response to the Challenge and in appreciation of the importance of the future Education Center to the Arboretum and its mission."

In each region, Arboretum receptions to introduce Bob Lyons have been followed by campaign fund raising led by local volunteers. In addition to efforts in High Point, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Raleigh, efforts continue in Asheville and Chapel Hill. Special drives led by the NC Association of Nurserymen, the NC Landscape Association, the NC Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Garden Club of North Carolina, and the Arboretum volunteers are also underway.

Here are some of the high points on the campaign trail:

• Hawksridge Farms, of Hickory, pledged $15,000 to name the Roof Terrace Arbor.
• The Amon L. Baucom Family, of Charlotte, invested $10,000 to create a garden in memory of their father.
• Rachel Dunham, of Cary, created the R. S. "Dad" and Rachel E. Dunham Fund to benefit the Education Center
• An anonymous donor from Raleigh donated $200,000 to name the Cascade, a sculptural water feature in the future Education Center, in memory of Margaret Snow Manooch.
• Andy Goodwin of the AE Finley Foundation created the Nannie B. Andrews Garden in memory of his grandmother with a pledge of $15,000.

"The education center will be an anchor for us," Lyons said. "Our full court press efforts to wrap up the fund raising phase of this project are producing the support we need to reach our goal. We are indebted to our many friends for their generosity and confidence. Thanks also to the Department of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the University for their commitment to a groundbreaking. I look forward to sending out those invitations."

Regional News

High Point

High Point Friends of the Arboretum have been at it again, having a grand old time in pursuit of horticulture on another of their famous train trips to the Arboretum. Their Fall Foliage Frolic brought over 50 garden enthusiasts to the Triangle on October 4 for a picnic lunch and a tour of the Arboretum. Doug Ruhren led the tour, highlighting the perennial border and the tender perennials collection.

On the way back to the train station, the group visited the home of Greyson and Garland Tucker where one and all were enchanted by their Secret Garden. The trip made many new friends for the Arboretum, and raised $700 toward High Point's consolidated goal for the Raise the Roof Campaign.

Special thanks to Arboretum Board member Doris Deal and her fellow organizer, Lynn Finnegan; to volunteer bus drivers Sharon Upton and Laurie Kovaleski; and to the Tuckers.

Charlotte

Bob Lyons continued his junket to meet Friends of the Arboretum this fall, finishing out his second round of receptions across the state. On October 22, Charlotte area Friends of the Arboretum enjoyed the hospitality of Jane and Bob Avinger in their beautiful Davidson home and garden.

The evening started with cocktails on the terrace and strolls through the garden in the autumn twilight. From the formal cottage garden to tree lined paths, everyone enjoyed the graceful blending of architecture, rich garden design, and a true plant enthusiast's wonderful collection of plants. After remarks by Jane Avinger and Bob Lyons, the group enjoyed a sumptuous meal.

Many thanks to Jane and Bob Avinger for their generous hospitality. Jane is a member of the Arboretum Board of Advisors, and is working with Friend of the Arboretum Ann Armstrong as the Charlotte area campaign organizer.

Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem area Friends spent an enchanted evening at a reception in the Victorian Glasshouse at the home of Sandy and Gary Poehling. Their beautifully restored glasshouse, a nineteenth century structure rescued from the grounds of Gralyn, was the perfect setting for the final stop on Bob Lyons' fall touring circuit.

Organizers Gay Gallins and Nancy Harper introduced Lyons to Arboretum Friends old and new, and set the stage for their next local event in early January. Winston-Salem area Friends of the Arboretum will join forces with members of the nursery and landscape industry for a mid-winter shindig and plant auction at the Green and Growin' Show.

Thanks to Gay Gallins, Nancy Harper, and the Poehlings for making great things happen in Winston-Salem, and to Gay, Nancy, and Redge and Jane Hanes for their work on the campaign.

Raleigh

Greyson and Garland Tucker were the gracious hosts of the first two of a series of parties to introduce Bob Lyons to members of the Raleigh community. Both evenings, the first in June and the second in September, started in their Secret Garden.

In both events, the Secret Garden set the tone for a very special evening. The garden is surrounded by an intricate brick wall completely hidden behind an informal shrub border. Garland Tucker designed the wall, built from rustic salvaged brick. A beautiful dovecote shrub border lines the magical space. Greyson designs and maintains the borders.

"Everyone loved having the chance to meet Bob and hear his thoughts about the Arboretum," Greyson said. "His enthusiasm is infectious. He is a great asset for the Arboretum."

Greyson Tucker is also serving as Raise the Roof Campaign Chairman for the Raleigh area.

Down East

The first reception of the fall season was scheduled for October 6 in Kinston, only three weeks after Hurricane Floyd struck eastern North Carolina. It was postponed until further notice. Organizers Mary Jo Pringle, Renee Anderson Long, and Mike Worthington, and thousands upon thousands of their fellow easterners are still dealing with Floyd's aftermath. Though the media frenzy is past, the crisis continues.

If you would like to be a part of ongoing assistance to our friends down east, you may call the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at (919) 515-2000 or the Governor's Relief Fund at (888) 835-9966 to make cash or credit card donations. Call (888) 786-7601 for information concerning the donation of goods and services, or see the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' web page at <www.cals.ncsu.edu/foundation/floyd.html> to participate in many other efforts on behalf of flood victims.

Volunteer News

By Nancy Margaret Brodd

Anne Calta (left), Curator of Aquatic Gardens and Diane Cutler (right), Japanese Garden Co-urator are also Student Assistants. - Photograph by Christopher Todd Glenn

Hello, JC Raulston Arboretum Volunteers! I am so happy to introduce myself to all of you as your new Volunteer Coordinator. I have already met some of you during my volunteer days with Harriet Bellerjeau. I enjoyed working with Harriet and the volunteers so much that I was very anxious to fill the need when Harriet announced her decision to pursue landscape design full time. When I heard of the opening, it seemed to pull all my interests together: my degree in Speech Communications from NCSU, working as a landscaper at SAS Institute, and my history of volunteering at Atlanta Botanical Garden and the JC Raulston Arboretum.

I was off to a great start, but boy, things sure got lonely in the Kilgore Office after Harriet Bellerjeau left...and Jonathan Nyberg...and Pamela Christie-Tabron. I was so thankful for the warm reception I received from the volunteers, Bob Lyons, Valerie Tyson, Mitzi Hole, and the other staff members at Kilgore. Now the office in Kilgore is not as lonely thanks to Donna Walker who moved to 162A Kilgore from the Development Office in Patterson Hall. She is showing me some of the ropes based on her three years of experience and I am very grateful to her. Also, I thank the volunteers who have graciously shared their insights with me.

Conference

Timing is everything. Shortly after being hired, I attended the Volunteer Interaction 1999 Conference. This was sponsored by Longwood Gardens <www.longwoodgardens.com> in Kennett Square, PA. At this conference, I was able to attend many helpful workshops, network with fellow Volunteer Coordinators, and visit some fabulous gardens.

The workshops were held at Longwood Gardens. Some of the ones I attended were as follows: Right Place, Right Volunteer given by Louise Elkins of United Way <www.unitedway.org>; Getting the Best with Less given by Betty Spar of the U.S. Botanical Garden <www.aoc.gov/pages/usbgpage.htm>; Evaluating the Individual and the Program given by Linda Jones of the Chicago Botanical Garden <www.chicago-botanic.org>; and Energize Your Tired Program given by Rachel Schreiber of DuPont Children's Hospital. I received valuable information from the workshops and the people I met. It was just what I needed to gear me up, put me on the right track, and know that the volunteers would provide the rest.

Of course, the conference wasn't all work. We went on self-guided tours of Longwood Gardens in between workshops. We had a day of workshops at Winterthur Musuem and Garden <www.winterthur.org>, with some time for various tours. One afternoon, we went to the Historic Bartram's Garden <www.libertynet.org/~bartram>, which by the way, is in need of a horticulturist and other staff, in case you know of anyone who would be interested. Historic Bartram's Garden was fascinating. John Bartram, the founding father, is a person who has affected all of our lives, for he established the oldest remaining botanical garden in America.

Each garden offered its own unique splendor. I found Longwood Gardens to be impeccably manicured and formal for the most part. Winterthur Garden was my favorite because it seemed more achievable. Please stop by the Volunteer Office to review the book on Winterthur.  

Volunteer Activities

Friends of the Arboretum Plant Giveaway Saturday, October 2, 1999

This is always such an exciting event, one of the best reasons to volunteer and become a member of the Arboretum. None of this could happen as well as it does without Mitzi Hole and her crew of Student Assistants, Paul Lineberger and his staff, and of course, the volunteers. Vivian Finkelstein started a running list of volunteers to help the week prior to the event. This list, which is maintained by our Volunteer Office, helps Mitzi feel confident all will be done on time. We extend our "Thank You's" to the following volunteers: Rosanna Adams, Dale Allen, Ruth Albright, Bill Atkinson, Tom and Marie Bumgarner, Ben Bergman, Genelle Dail, Carolyn Fagan, Vivian Finkelstein, Gail Harris, Peg Henderson, Doris Huneycutt, Shirley Jones, Bonnie O'Connor, Jean Mitchell, Laddie Munger, Elaine Pace, Arthur and Emma Paradeses, Willie Pennington, Ed Ponek, Charlotte Presley, Mary Raver, Sandy Reid, Glenn Rose, Judy Ryan, John Schott, Nancy Simonsen, Bee Weddington, and Dee Welker. Thank you all!

Perennial Border Renovation Saturday, October 16, 1999

This project was appropriately coined "Bordering on Insanity." It was totally insane how perfectly it all went. The organization was masterly organized from the get-go. Even the State Fair traffic did not cause any problems!

Perennial Border curators Edith Eddleman and Doug Ruhren knew exactly what they needed to do to accomplish this mammoth renovation. Prior to the event, they prepared a list of "keepers" to be heeled into the annual beds, complete with labels prepared by the labeling volunteers. When the volunteers arrived, they were divided into three groups: diggers, root washers, and heelers. Our volunteers worked alongside at least twenty students from the NCSU Horticulture Club and Pi Alpha Xi (PAX), who came in tow behind Bryce Lane (the Arboretum's former interim director). Everyone worked hard and was rewarded with first dibs on the remaining perennials. There was even time after the pizza luncheon for Doug and Edith to explain the characteristics of the remaining perennials so everyone could take perennials they could successfully plant at home. The event was captured on a digital camera, so check out our web site at <www.arb.ncsu.edu> where some of the pictures have been posted. Thanks, Doug and Edith, for all your planning and sharing of expertise and a big THANK YOU to the following volunteers: Rosanna Adams, Bill Atkinson, Harriet Bellerjeau (former Volunteer Coordinator), Tom and Marie Bumgarner, Susan Cheatham, Frankie Fanelli, Robert Ferone, Kathy Glenister, John Hammond, Beth Jimenez, Jeanette King, Heidi Miller, Ed Ponek, Nancy Simonsen, Jan Wilson, and Bryce Lane and the NCSU Horticulture Club and PAX students. And, thanks to Peg Barnhill for her company and for organizing all the t-shirts that lovely rainy Sunday!
Stay tuned to see what Doug and Edith and the Perennial Border volunteers are up to next!

Paradise Garden

The "Paradise Team" is working hard on a revitalization of the Paradise Garden. Curator Frankie Fanelli and Assistant Curators John Hammond and Austin Proctor (both horticulture students at NCSU), and a group of other multi-talented volunteers are fascinating many of us with their stages of renovation. To date, they have redesigned the surrounding bamboo screens, removed much of the plant material which will be replaced with more tantalizing, edible, fragrant ones. They have made a pathway along the west and north sides so one may sit on the raised bed borders and soak up the new found beauty. The amount of work and fun these volunteers are having is really showing Frankie's managerial talents. Thanks to the following for your dedication and teamwork: Johnathan Berrier, Chris David, Wayne Friedrich, Megan Gardner, Beverly Gelvin, Carolyn Lewis, Shep Lassiter, Harley Mudge, Nancy Simonsen, and Jennifer Walker.

Volunteer Office

Our volunteer office is going through some changes as well. Mary Edith Alexander, with Elaine Pace's help, painted another cabinet to hold more t-shirts, sweat shirts, and hats. They did a great job. Did you know that Mary Edith helped paint the murals in the office? This is only the beginning of the volunteer office renovations. The hope is to better organize the office so we can begin an effective mentoring program to train new volunteers for expanded operating hours. The goal is to have the office open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every weekday, with coverage on the weekends. Currently, office hours are Mondays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesdays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Thursdays 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Fridays 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The office volunteers are Bob Wilder, Vivian Finkelstein, Elaine Pace, Jean Mitchell, Mary Edith Alexander, and Carolyn Fagan. Thank you all for your invaluable time volunteering.

Volunteer Coordination

I want to thank Peg Henderson and Lib Wilder for helping Harriet Bellerjeau, thus me, for calling volunteers to update their interest forms. This mammoth task could not be accomplished without help. It was wonderful knowing such capable volunteers like Peg and Lib were in charge of this while I was focusing on my new job. There are many times when extra help is needed keeping in touch with all our volunteers. The Friends database contains over 400 active volunteers. My goal is to make this manageable so that all feel included and needed at the Arboretum. I am anxious for the Kilgore office to settle so volunteers interested in Volunteer Coordination will have a place to work.

Mailings

Thank you to the volunteers who have helped with the mailings. Your willingness and flexibility to meet the deadlines does not go without great gratitude to those in need of getting the mailing out and also to all those on the receiving end. Without you, this newsletter would not have been delivered. Thanks.

Most Wanted List

The following are volunteer positions that need to be filled as soon as possible. Volunteer Interest Forms are also available in the volunteer office for newly interested volunteers. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact me at (919) 515-3132 or e-mail me at <nancy_margaret@ncsu.edu>.

Apparel Committee - We need volunteers to take charge of the apparel. This would include deciding on a design(s) for the shirts as well as the ordering and restocking of shirts and baseball caps, etc. This position would be exciting to one who has an artistic flair, is organized, and can volunteer several hours a week, tapering off once initial decisions are made and then maintain flexible hours for reordering.

Volunteer Office - We need volunteers who are interested in a regular hour volunteer position to help greet visitors, answer the telephone, and perform daily tasks in the volunteer office. This volunteer should enjoy performing a variety of tasks, working with the public, and meeting people from the area, other states, and from around the world. This person is a "reference" source, not necessarily a plant expert. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about plants yourself and see the Arboretum on a regular basis.

Assistant Volunteer Coordinator - I am looking for a volunteer who is available two to three hours a week on a regular basis. This volunteer will need to enjoy a variety of tasks such as computer entry, making telephone calls, mailing volunteer interest packets, and helping with other office needs. This position will be located on campus in our Kilgore office.

Wedding Coordinator - This is one of the few paid positions at the Arboretum. It takes an individual who understands the importance of helping those who are planning such an important, personal event. This is a great time to come onboard and be trained by Frankie Fanelli who will be leaving this position in March. It is a seasonal position. Please contact Nancy Margaret or Frankie Fanelli at (919) 546-8745 if you are interested.

Tour Guide Curator - This person will work with the Tour Guide Coordinator, Fran Johnson, and with Carolyn Fagan, who gives updates from the volunteer office. Someone with tour guide and computer experience is desirable. This position requires a detail-oriented individual who enjoys working with people and can be available during spring, summer, and fall when our tours are most popular. You would be the team leader of one of the most visible groups at the Arboretum.

Engraver Curator - Someone who is computer savvy, willing to learn the engraver, and teach others. This is a new project, so freedom of planning and implementing is yours! Call us quickly so we can get started!

Mappers - We are looking for people to help our garden curators with their record keeping and mapping. This would require following them around with a clipboard, recording new plantings, deaths, transplants, etc., as well as marking up bed maps with changes. Each curator works on an independent schedule, so please contact one of them for more information (see page 23 for curator list).

Benefits of Being a Volunteer

There are many benefits of becoming a volunteer at the JC Raulston Arboretum. For starters, every hour volunteering equals a dollar toward membership. For example, 30 hours of volunteer work is equal to a $30.00 Individual Membership and 40 hours is equal to a $40.00 Family Membership. Once you have volunteered for 30 hours within a twelve month period, you become a member. Only members are allowed to attend the annual Friends of the Arboretum Plant Giveaway. On this occasion, members can obtain some of the Arboretum's rare and wonderful plants.

Members can also attend the monthly Friends of the Arboretum Lectures at no charge, which are announced in the newsletter. There are also various events throughout the year where our volunteers can meet new volunteers and see old friends. Our volunteers include many different individuals with various talents and interests.

Members, don't forget to take your JC Raulston Arboretum membership card to the Smith & Hawken garden store in Crabtree Mall for a 10% discount!  

Volunteers at Work

Photographs by Nancy Margaret Brodd and Bob Lyons

With their mailing expertise, Claude Caldwell, Fran Johnson, Vivian Finkelstein, Marie Bumgarner, Mary Edith Alexander, Elsie Erhardt, Tom Bumgarner, Arthur Paradeses, Bee Weddington, and Sara Frazier (shown clockwise around table starting at left) quickly finish a campaign mailing.	Frankie Fanelli (right), Paradise Garden Curator and Assistant Curator Austin Proctor (left) are working hard installing a bed.	Perennial Border Co-curator, Edith Eddleman (middle) is discussing plans for the Borderís renovation.
Kathleen Thompson (right), Visitor Center Curator and volunteer Sharon Mackey (left) help prepare for the Holiday Party.	Perennial Border Co-curator, Douglas Ruhren (left), Kathy Glenister (middle), and Ed Ponek (right) prepare to remove a hibiscus.	Horticulture Club students took a day of "rest" off from their studies to help dig up the Perennial Border.

Top Volunteers for 1999

Welcome the New Volunteers

Photographs by Nancy Margaret Brodd

Travel News

Riverbanks Zoo and Botanic Garden Columbia, South Carolina

By Douglas Ruhren

Can you remember a time when the JC Raulston Arboretum seemed to be the best kept secret?

I certainly remember quite a stretch of years early on in my own 20 year awareness of the Arboretum when it certainly seemed to be so. It is my fear that another great southeastern horticultural institution is presently suffering this same unnecessary degree of obscurity. A public garden that I believe would reward all those who visited whether their interest is strictly plants themselves or garden design, is the Riverbanks Botanical Garden <www.riverbanks.org> in Columbia, South Carolina for its extensive collection of plants in a series of superbly designed gardens.

If you attended Riverbanks Botanic Garden's Head Horticulturist Jenks Farmer's FOA slide lecture on November 11, you certainly now know the garden a lot better. The Botanic Garden is half the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanic Garden complex. The magnificent, broad, rocky Saluda River separates the zoo from the garden. A pedestrian bridge provides access from one side to the other.

Jenks' lecture was on the use of winter vegetables as ornamentals. Jenks had asked JC Raulston what he could do to have an impact on horticulture. JC suggested that he find something to plant with pansies. Now I believe that JC had nothing against pansies, goodness knows they earn their keep. It was that JC was interested in increasing the diversity of plants and as far as diversity goes, winter is the low point of the year for most gardens, including municipal and institutional plantings. In short, it would not be much of an exaggeration to say that the only diversity was in the color of pansies.

So Jenks got to thinking that those old southern winter vegetable standbys of collards, turnip greens, and mustard greens were right handsome foliage plants. Furthermore, time spent in Seattle exposed Jenks to a wide range of Asian winter vegetables. Jenks now regularly works with a tapestry of colors, textures, and forms. His palette includes the glossy green rosettes of tatsoi to the long blue tongues of 'Lancinato' kale (dinosaur skin kale to Jenks), the burgundy, savoyed leaves of 'Red Giant' mustard, blue-blushed-red, oak-leafed shaped 'Red Russian' kale, the frilly green exuberance of mizuna and curly parsley, and the brilliantly colored stems of Swiss chard in red, yellow, white, and pink.

That Jenks has been successful in popularizing these vegetables is evidenced by the fact that garden centers in the Columbia area and the SC Farmer's Market are well stocked each fall with these "new" ornamental vegetables. Additional proof is that the city of Columbia uses these same plants in public plantings.

All of this was evident from Jenks' slide presentation. I can testify to the truth of all this, for I zipped down to Columbia the following week and saw winter vegetable-adorned municipal plantings and returned to Durham with a truckload of these plants from the SC Farmer's Market, mostly 1 gallon specimen plants. Now lest you suspect that I was checking up on the veracity of our speaker, the purpose of my trip was for the acquisition of plants. I had been despairing over what to put in various large decorative pots for the winter. Pansies alone would be colorful and charming, but they lack the impact the pots had in summer when they are so effortlessly rendered big, bold, and gorgeous. The addition of these veggies with their bold forms and much greater height will greatly enhance the valiant efforts of the pansies.

I should add that a very fine local example of the use of these plants can be seen in the bedding plant trial beds at the JC Raulston Arboretum. The individual responsible for this planting is NCSU Horticulture graduate student Jamie Gibson. At Jenks' lecture, Jamie revealed that his inspiration was various articles that Jenks had written on the subject. This sort of back and forth cross pollination of ideas from JC to Jenks to Jamie really pleased me. I only hope that the North Carolina nursery industry and NC gardeners will embrace these plants as whole heartedly as South Carolina has.

Since the main purpose of this article is to convince you to visit Riverbanks, it may seem that with all this talk of collards and kale I have strayed from the topic. It was only to point out an example of the kind of innovative work occurring at Riverbanks. And, though it was mainly plant lust that got me to Columbia, it also afforded me another visit to Riverbanks, my fourth and freshest reinforcement of my firm belief that this is an excellent garden. One of the highlights of this visit was (and I hope I don't lose too many readers when I say this) the rose garden. Please hear me out. This fungicide free garden is a phenomenal example of the possibilities available to gardeners in zone 7 and warmer parts of the southeast. The backbone of the garden is formed of three stalwart groups of old southern roses; teas (not hybrid teas), Chinas, and noisettes. All are recurrent bloomers and are glorious in the fall, continuing well past the first frosts. As the garden is now 3 years old, the roses had really hit their stride, and were heavy in bloom and well clothed in clean foliage. The roses are generously accompanied by a wide range of other plants, providing additional interests and contracts.

The rose garden in its earliest years was guided by one of the best friends of the old garden roses, Ruth Knopf of Sullivan's Island, SC, who also happens to be one of the nicest gentle women one could hope to meet. As a gardener at Boone Hall Plantation in Mt. Pleasant, SC, just outside of Charleston, Ruth has created a garden that knocked my socks off when I first saw it in August 1998. No mean accomplishment in a Low Country summer! It too has the old rose backbone combined with a wide range of other plants in the most artistically pleasing manner. All waiting for an admiring public.

My previous visit to Riverbanks was in June as a guest lecturer on garden design. My chosen topic was that design involves not only color, but also form and texture. I really would have been better served by the gardens there than my slides to illustrate my lecture. Though color is used entirely successfully and the Riverbanks gardens are sufficiently colorful for the color hungry public, it is the use of form and texture there that really amazes and delights me. This garden would be pleasing in black and white photographs. One combination that particularly captivated me was the sprawling stems of the blue leafed cultivar of common China fir Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca' weaving through the lacy fine foliage of Nandina domestica 'San Gabriel'.

And, should you be heading to Columbia from the Charlotte area, please consider a visit to the Daniel Stowe Botanic Garden <www.stowegarden.org> in Belmont, NC (on the SC border). This 10 year old garden just had its grand opening of phase I of their $100 million expansion in October of this year. Their vision and resources promise a bright future for the Daniel Stowe Botanic Garden as a prominent horticultural display garden.

JC's limitless generosity when it came to sharing plants is well known. I believe of almost equal importance to him was his desire to encourage people to explore the wide world of horticulture. I am certain that he would be trumpeting the merits of Riverbanks. Certainly anyone interested in the possibilities of a southern garden would be well served by a visit. So please visit Riverbanks Botanic Garden as well as Hall Plantation, and Daniel Stowe Botanic Garden. You'll be glad you did.  

Calendar of Events

Friends of the Arboretum Lectures

Friends of the Arboretum lectures are free to those with current membership. There is a $5.00 fee for non-members. Please bring your membership card. We will have a current membership list at the door. Memberships will be available for purchase at the door. Entrance is free to all NC State students with ID and Department of Horticultural Science faculty and staff.

All lectures are in room 159, Kilgore Hall on the NC State University campus and begin at 7:30 p.m. There is plenty of free parking at the intersection of Hillsborough and Brooks. Please call (919) 515-3132 if you need directions or information about any of the following events.

March 23, 2000 (Thursday)
Todd Lasseigne "A Plantsman in China" China offers an opportunity for unparalleled study of temperate-zone botanical diversity. Boasting nearly 30,000 species of vascular plants (150% that of US and Canada, combined), no other temperate zone flora remains as complete as that of China, which escaped the widespread plant extinctions in North America and Europe during the Pleistocene glaciations. In this talk, vignettes will be presented of the botanical diversity, emerging horticulture industry, and rich cultures observed on the recent Sigma Xi trip to Yunnan Province, China.

April 13, 2000 (Thursday)
Dr. John Riddle "Plants that Heal and Human History" Cato the Elder said that gardens not only nourish, they heal. The illustrated lecture will explore some interesting aspects of plant-human history. Humans, more common than celebrated, discovered, mostly serendipitously, the numerous beneficial uses that plants provide. They discovered plants that caused sleeping, making one happy at parties, for losing weight, for gaining weight, for restoration of hair growth, for arthritis (including one plant said better than bee sting), for gout (something we use today as a "magic bullet"), cancer (including primary chemotherapy agents employed today), lowering cholesterol levels, and even antibiotics ("grime from gymnasium wall"). An example to demonstrate the importance of herbal medicine in human history will be a discussion with pictures of birth control agents for regulating family size. Plants acted as both contraceptives and abortifacients. Emphasis will be placed on those birth control plants growing in the JC Raulston Arboretum.

May 18, 2000 (Thursday)
Johnny Randall "Invasive Exotic Plants: A Real or Perceived Problem?" As the Arboretum and the entire nursery industry grapples with the hot-button issue of invasive exotics, we have invited our esteemed colleague from the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill for his perspective. Please bring an open mind and your toughest questions for Johnny. We hope many from the nursery industry will attend and contribute to a lively discussion.

June 15, 2000 (Thursday)
Rod Saunders "Cape Bulbs - South African Gems" Cosponsored with The Piedmont Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society
Details in the next newsletter.

Other Horticultural Events

This listing includes more events that may be of interest to our members. To list your event on future calendars contact Christopher Todd Glenn at (919) 515-3132, e-mail: <chris_glenn@ncsu.edu>, or mail to Box 7609, Raleigh, NC 27695-7609.

Formatted into HTML by Christopher Todd Glenn
Programs & Education Coordinator
JC Raulston Arboretum
Department of Horticultural Science
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7609

© The JC Raulston Arboretum, February 12, 2000