JC Raulston Arboretum e-Update
July 2018
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Your Monthly News and Updates
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Director's Note
By Mark Weathington, Director
What a scorcher! The hot temperatures haven't deterred our summer campers though. Our first week of camp was for our youngest participants, four and five year olds. Those budding horticulturists are just the first step in our goal of instilling a passion for plants and the natural world. Our programming continues through to middle and high school, college of course, and then adult education. One of our prime educational aims for adults is to serve the needs of the horticultural industry. To that end, our 2018 programs will provide nearly 40 continuing education credits for a range of professional associations like the NC Landscape Contractor's Board and the American Society of Landscape Architects. This month we are kicking off a new professional program focused on "
Sustainable Practices in Landscaping
." We hope to make this an annual addition to our existing programs.
See you in the garden.
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Summer Intern Instagram Takeover
By
Arlene Calhoun, Assistant Director
We're in the midst of an intern takeover. This is something you need to see. Our interns have taken over our Instagram account to share their daily experiences here at the Arboretum with you and the rest of the world.
For those who are asking, "What's Instagram?" It's a photo and video sharing social network. How do you find it? Download the Instagram app for your electronic device, search jcraulatonarboretum, and watch the show.
Want to meet these fantastic students in person? Join us for an ice cream social.
JCRA Intern Ice Cream Social
Tuesday, July 17 – 12:30 PM–1:30 PM
Ruby C. McSwain Education Center
Want to support this tremendous program? Donations can be made
online
.
Until then, enjoy #internsummerinstagramtakeover.
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Plant Breeding at the JC Raulston Arboretum
By
Mark Weathington, Director
Former JC Raulston Arboretum director Dennis (Denny) Werner, Ph.D., has officially retired as a faculty member in NC State's Department of Horticultural Science. While Denny will be stepping away from his role in the department as a lecturer and student advisor, he will continue his amazing breeding program as the JCRA's new plant breeder and emeritus director.
I've been lucky enough to take a peak behind the curtain and see some of the coming releases as well as some exciting things that are still under consideration. Be on the lookout this fall for Denny's two newest redbuds to make their introduction at the JCRA—
both are game-changing breakthroughs.
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With Some Help from Our Friends
By
Lisa Meares, Annual Giving Associate
Leaf & Limb's mission is to deliver exceptional tree care services and use its success to create a positive impact on its employees, community, and the planet. With a purpose like this, it comes as no great surprise that they are good community citizens. Every first Friday of the month they take time off and volunteer as a company, working to help a local nonprofit or deserving organization in need, having volunteered over 1,600 hours to a variety of worthy causes. Last year they worked with JCRA to remove some problematic trees. This year they came to JCRA for another volunteer day on a blazing hot day in June. Around 30 Leaf & Limb employees helped take down multiple trees and much of the 'Nellie R. Stevens' holly hedge by the Mixed Shrub Border, a long-desired piece of the JCRA Master Plan. Working with a team that shares our passion for trees made this scorching work day a breeze. According to Basil Camu, one of the owners, "Leaf & Limb looks forward to supporting JCRA for many years to come."
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Emmenopterys
and Why Trees Are Cut Down
By Douglas Ruhren, Gardens Manager
Plant collector extraordinaire E. H. Wilson considered
Emmenopterys henryi
one of the most strikingly beautiful flowering trees. J. C. Raulston, Ph.D., raved about seeing it in bloom in the wilds of China and it was a great day when it flowered for the first time at the JC Raulston Arboretum.
The tree on the east side of the Necessary is now at least 30' tall so viewing the flowers is close to impossible. One day I mentioned to JCRA director Mark Weathington that I would like to plant one near the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center so it could be viewed from the roof top garden. We happened to be standing outside the McSwain Center and Mark said "Well why don't you take down this sweetgum." So the sweetgum,
Liquidamber styraciflua
'Frosty' was cut down on June 8. All of this to explain why a tree was eliminated from the Arboretum.
Other trees were cut down on that day when Leaf & Limb donated the services of their 25 trained arborists. This was a huge donation of skilled labor and large scale machinery and we are tremendously thankful for it.
A Japanese cedar,
Cryptomeria japonica
'Yoshino' was removed from outside the Japanese Garden. The remaining trees now have much more sun.
And Leaf & Limb made a good start on removing the last section of 40' tall 'Nellie R. Stevens' holly hedge behind the Mixed Shrub Border. I have been surprised and disappointed in how many people have been unhappy with the decision to eliminate this hedge. The JCRA is just 10 acres and that hedge is 15' wide and approximately 100' long and that represents a huge amount of planting space. It would be 30' wide except for the fact that its north side had been cut back to the trunk years ago.
There have been some dramatic changes here at the JCRA. All of them will allow for new plantings of new plants. "Been there, done that" comes to mind when thinking about a plant like 'Nellie R. Stevens' holly. It is a superb, handsome, evergreen screening plant when one needs an indestructible 40' hedge, with fragrant flowers utilized by bees and fruit by birds but the world already knows that.
And if you want to know more about
Emmenopterys henryi
, a Web search will pull up a
superb article
written by Mark Weathington.
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Japanese Maple Grafting Workshops
By Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator
Saturday, July 21 – 8:30 AM and
Saturday, July 21 – 1:00 PM (Waitlist Started)
Grafting is the only method possible to propagate some plants. Many rare and expensive plants are grafted. In these workshops, participants learn to graft Japanese maples from two experts. Tim and Matt Nichols will
discuss and demonstrate grafting techniques
and then will individually assist each participant as they graft their own plants.
JCRA staff will collect scion wood prior to the workshop. However, participants will be asked ahead of time which cultivar they're most interested in grafting. The workshop's fee covers all needed supplies, excluding a grafting knife unless paid for at the time of registration. Each participant will graft a minimum of five Japanese maples.
For more information, please contact Chris Glenn at (919) 513-7005 or chris_glenn@ncsu.edu. Space is limited—register today!
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Hypertufa Workshops
By Amelia Lane, Lasting Impressions, and Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator
Amelia Lane and Beth Jimenez have been teaching the art of making hypertufa vessels for more than 12 years. Their work can be seen in gardens around the Triangle including at the JC Raulston Arboretum.
These troughs, made to look like expensive ancient stone planters, are lightweight but sturdy enough to hold up in our winter weather. Perfect for dwarf plants such as conifers, succulents, small bulbs, and mini hostas, they provide excellent drainage and good air circulation.
Come join them for an
exciting hypertufa trough workshop
on July 21 at 9:00 AM to construct a creative addition to any garden whether planted with dwarf conifers, herbs, or something special you want to showcase in your own garden space.
In addition to the trough workshop, Amelia and Beth are offering a
hypertufa mushroom sculpture workshop
on the same day at 1:00 PM. Join Amelia and Beth in this new offering and create your own hypertufa garden mushroom sculptures.
As with all workshops, space is limited. Register today to reserve your spot. For more information, please contact Chris Glenn at chris_glenn@ncsu.edu or (919) 513-7005.
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Summer Gardening Symposium
By Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator
New gardeners and those that recently moved the Triangle are invited to participate in a
new symposium
held on Saturday, July 28 at the JC Raulston Arboretum that's designed just for them. Bryce Lane, Anne Spafford, and Mark Weathington will discuss sustainable gardening techniques, landscape design, and top plants for our area, respectively.
We need your, our members', help in letting others know about this exciting symposium. Please share
the details
with your friends that are budding gardeners and with your new neighbors. The symposium is free and open to the public.
We're recording each of the presentations and posting them to our YouTube Channel for experienced gardeners. We're also planning on live streaming the symposium so everyone can participate.
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Summer Horticulture Classes with Frank Hyman
By Frank Hyman, Cottage Garden Landscaping, and Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator
Frank Hyman returns to the JC Raulston Arboretum this summer with two exciting and informative classes. Learn how to forage for mushrooms throughout the year and garden in containers indoors and outdoors from Frank in these new JCRA classes.
Introduction to Mushroom Foraging: Learn A Year's Worth of Wild Edible Mushrooms in One Day
Saturday, August 11 – 9:00 AM–11:00 AM
Want to learn to safely identify morels, black trumpets, chanterelles, and other delicious, edible mushrooms? A mushroom walk on any given day may only expose you to two or three edible mushroom—and that's if the weather cooperates. In this class you can learn to identify an entire year's worth—a dozen—of the best-tasting,
easy to identify mushrooms
(no poisonous look-alikes) presented in one indoor sitting. Class includes a slide show of professional photographs, display of tools and field guides, handout with resources, and plenty of Q&A time.
Clever Container Tricks and Houseplant Hacks
Saturday, August 11 – 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Growing in containers
is easy until you forget to water. So why not learn some houseplant hacks that make your container plants (indoors and out) easier to maintain? In this class, you'll learn how to cut watering back from weekly to monthly using a variety of methods. You'll find out about organic, attractive container mulches like repurposed wine corks, coffee chaff, and beach pebbles. You'll also learn about a free substitute for coir liners, sources for free fertilizer, how to turn a horse trough into an above ground water garden, and how to make mobiles using high-flying air plants that only need water once a month as well as many other innovative container ideas.
Advance registration for these classes is required and can be done online via the links below. Space is limited to register today to reserve your spot. For more information, please contact Chris Glenn at chris_glenn@ncsu.edu or (919) 513-7005.
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Juried Photographic Competition
By Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator
Saturday, September 29
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7:00 PM
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8:30 PM
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Opening Reception
Calling all photographers! Do you have an eye for beauty? Would you like to share your work with other people who would appreciate it? If so, the
Juried Photographic Competition
is for you. Adults and youth can submit original photographs of garden or plant related subjects. Distinguished judges will determine the winning images and cash awards will be presented. The winning prints along with the judges' favorites will be displayed at the Arboretum during the months of October and November for the public to see. Don't delay! Start capturing your favorite images today. Maybe yours will become "Best in Show."
This competition is open to all levels of photography experience. Unlike our past photograph competitions, the entries will be submitted online. There will be four prizes for adult entries: Best in Show will win $200, 1st place will win $100, 2nd place will win $75, and 3rd place will win $50. There will be a Best in Show for the youth category (age 16 and under) with the winning prize being $50.
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Upcoming Events
Friday, July 6
10:00 AM
Volunteer Tour Docent
Sundays, July 8, 15, 22, and 29
2:00 PM
Monday, July 9 through Friday, July 13
9:00 AM
Monday, July 16 through Friday, July 20
9:00 AM
"Lighting"
Susan Bailey, Susan Bailey Photography
Thursday, July 19
10:00 AM
"Color Explosion"
Tim and Matt Nichols, Nichols Nursery
Friday, July 20
7:30 PM
Tim and Matt Nichols, Nichols Nursery
Saturday, July 21
Hosted by the Eastern North Carolina Iris Society in Cooperation with the JC Raulston Arboretum
Saturday, July 21
9:00 AM
Beth Jimenez and Amelia Lane, Lasting Impressions and JCRA Volunteers
Saturday, July 21
9:00 AM
Beth Jimenez and Amelia Lane, Lasting Impressions and JCRA Volunteers
Saturday, July 21
1:00 PM
Monday, July 23 through Friday, July 26
8:30 AM
Presented by the JC Raulston Arboretum and the NC Composting Council
Thursday, July 26
8:30 AM
Register
(green industry professionals only)
Featuring Bryce Lane, Anne Spafford, and Mark Weathington
Saturday, July 28
8:30 AM
Register
(for new gardeners and gardeners that recently moved to the Triangle)
Monday, July 30 through Monday, August 3
9:00 AM
✽Denotes a children's program.
Many programs require advance registration. Please register early to reserve your spot.
Other Dates to Remember
Thursday, July 12
9:00 AM–3:00 PM
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By Nancy Doubarva, JCRA Volunteer
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Lycoris squamigera
surprise lily
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Hosta
'Stained Glass'
hosta
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Aloe cooperi
Cooper's grass aloe
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Crinum
'Maiden's Blush'
crinum lily
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Hosta
'Rainbow's End'
hosta
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Hedychium
'Golden Butterfly'
hardy ginger-lily
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YouTube Channel Update
By Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator
Two new videos were recorded in June and posted to our
YouTube Channel
. Look for them on our channel or click the graphic below.
Receive announcements about our latest additions by subscribing to our
YouTube Channel
.
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Your Membership Makes a Difference
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Please Join or Renew Today!
The JC Raulston Arboretum is free to the public, but it is not free to operate. Memberships keep the gates open and the gardens in top shape. Membership gifts are the primary support for the Arboretum's daily operations and vital for its success. Thank you for your support and advocacy of the JC Raulston Arboretum through the membership program. It's fast and easy to become a Friend of the Arboretum, and there are many great benefits for you and your family.
Join or renew now
using our secure Web site, or contact Kathryn Wall, membership and volunteer coordinator, at
kbwall@ncsu.edu
or (919) 513-7004.
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Christopher Todd Glenn
Programs and Education Coordinator
NC State University
Campus Box 7522
Raleigh, NC 27695-7522
(919) 513-7005
You're receiving this e-mail because you're a member of the JC Raulston Arboretum. JCRA e-Updates are published electronically every month. If you are a member and need to update your contact information or wish to be removed from this mailing, please contact Kathryn Wall at (919) 513-7004 or
kbwall@ncsu.edu
. Please do not use the links below to update your e-mail address or to unsubscribe.
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