Monardella macrantha _Marian Sampson_
JC Raulston Arboretum e-Update - October 2016
Director's Note 
By Mark Weathington, Director

We certainly kicked fall off with a bang! Our fantastic 40th Anniversary Symposium was a Who's Who of innovative young horticulturists. The future of gardening is certainly bright. Speaking of bright (how was that for a segue?), Moonlight in the Garden tickets are now on sale on our Web site and have already begun selling like hotcakes. The first two weekends in November will see the Arboretum come alive at night with a dazzling display of landscape lighting thanks to Southern Lights, food trucks, fire pits, and music. Tickets each night are limited so reserve a spot early to make sure you don't miss the show.
 
The first night, Friday, November 4, of our Moonlight in the Garden festival will be a member's preview. Membership at the JCRA is at an all-time high so we expect to see many of our friends and supporters joining us that night. As we enter the season where we really try to thank our members - from the Friends of the Arboretum Annual Plant Distribution to our member's only plant sale - it is gratifying to see more and more of you participating in all our events. I hope to see you out at the lights or early in the morning for the giveaway. The weather is breaking and there is some moisture in the ground again, fall is for planting so get outside and get busy.
Moonlight in the Garden

Moonlight in the Garden Tickets Are on Sale Now
By Arlene Calhoun, Assistant Director

Join us for member preview night on Friday, November 4 and be one of the first to experience the garden in a different light.

Imagine the JC Raulston Arboretum after dark. Beautifully lit, showcasing the form, the texture, the light and the shadows of this incredible garden. A glass of wine and culinary delights on a crisp autumn evening. Live music and roasted marshmallows offered along the evening stroll. Won't you join me?

This is the first time in over a decade to stroll the garden at night. We've created a special evening for our member preview night to include delectable hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, and hot cider. All other evenings will feature a popular food truck.

To buy tickets and check out the food truck and entertainment schedule, visit  http://jcra.ncsu.edu/moonlight/ or call (919) 515-3132 for additional information.

I hope you'll join us for this memorable evening.
landscape design
Landscape Design Program and Practicum  
By Preston Montague, Landscape Designer and Botanical Illustrator, and Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator
 
Saturday, October 8, 2016 - 9:00 AM-11:00 AM

Consider the performance of your home landscape. Would you describe it as a fit, functional work of art that reflects your lifestyle and encourages outdoor activity? If not, join Raleigh-based landscape designer Preston Montague at the JCRA for a design course series that will help you revise and reboot your outdoor space.

Landscape Potential I will introduce participants to the process designers use to develop concepts, solve problems, and map the landscape. This exciting two-part course begins with an introduction to landscape design full of tips and tactics that will empower anyone to go home and begin designing immediately. Following the introduction class are practicum sessions in which participants individually bring in photographs and maps of their property for a one-on-one consultation with Preston to work out any problems they may be facing or to work in tandem on a design.

By the end of the two-part course, participants will have not only learned techniques for solving problems as a designer, but will also have personalized professional advice for developing the potential of their home's most dynamic room.

Practicum

Individual, one-hour sessions with Preston are available on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

For more information about this program, please visit the JC Raulston Arboretum's Web site or contact Chris Glenn at (919) 513-7005. Participants wishing to take the practicum portion of this program need to register for it and the class by contact Chris (919) 513-7005.

JC Raulston Arboretum apparel
New Apparel Just in Time for Cooler Fall Days
By Kathryn Wall, Membership and Volunteer Coordinator

We've brought back a popular maple design for a new set of T-shirts and zipper neck sweatshirts just in time for cool, crisp mornings.

We have heather red T-shirts and zipper neck sweatshirts in all sizes small through 2XL. We're also pleased to offer a coral ladies scoopneck T-shirt. 

T-shirts are $15.00 each. Sweatshirts are $30.00 each. All are available for purchase in the Bobby G. Wilder Visitor Center and the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center.

Our new design highlights the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), noted for their small size and year-round elegance. The JC Raulston Arboretum holds one of the best collections, and they were one of J. C. Raulston's favorite trees. One of these four-season beauties can be spotted from any location you stand in the garden.
Elizabeth Lawrence Border
Elizabeth Lawrence Border Restoration
By Douglas Ruhren, JC Raulston Arboretum Volunteer
 
The Elizabeth Lawrence Border at the JC Raulston Arboretum is being restored. This garden is the small border opposite the Perennial Border at its east end, down by the Necessary. The first step is underway. Tim Alderton and his crew have been removing plants inappropriate to a planting celebrating Elizabeth Lawrence. They have also been eliminating weeds. This explains its current paucity of plants which you have certainly noticed if you've visited this summer.

Why a planting commemorating Elizabeth Lawrence? For one, J. C. Raulston considered her one of his greatest inspirations. Her books remain an inspiring education for gardeners as well as a gloriously good read. Why have such a planting at the JCRA when her Charlotte home and garden are preserved for all to visit? Well for one, Elizabeth lived in Raleigh for decades before she moved to Charlotte. It was here that she wrote her first and perhaps most important book A Southern Garden, A Handbook for the Middle South (1942). And she was the first female graduate in landscape architecture at NC State University. This planting affords the JCRA the opportunity to educate its visitors about Elizabeth Lawrence, many of whom (sadly) might not ever visit the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden in Charlotte.

The Elizabeth Lawrence Border was first planted in the late 1980s by Edith Eddleman and myself and other volunteers. It was dedicated in 1991. It contained quite a few plants that had a direct connection to Elizabeth, some coming from her former home site in Raleigh and many others donated by friends of hers. This summer, the JCRA was approached by an individual wanting to donate plants to the border. Her mother and Elizabeth were friends and the plants were gifts from Elizabeth Lawrence. We are hoping that other individuals will step forward to share plants with similar connections.

Photograph: Elizabeth Lawrence Border in September 2001. 
honey bee
Pollinator Research at the JC Raulston Arboretum
By Jeremy Slone, Ph.D. Student, Department of Entomology, NC State

The JC Raulston Arboretum offers a unique opportunity for graduate students to study the pollinators around the garden. I'm a Ph.D. student in the Department of Entomology at NC State, and I'm starting a new project this fall which aims to understand factors influencing native pollinator health. I'll be visiting organic and conventional farms across North Carolina and mapping landscape features to understand how the differences may impact pollinator communities. Many farms rent honey bees, and the density of those hives will be measured as well.

The native bee species I'm interested in are only present during the spring, so some of the preliminary experiments will be done using currently active pollinators. In the coming weeks, I'll be collecting honey bees and bumble bees at the Arboretum to standardize the procedures which will be used next year. These experiments aim to determine the efficiency of each bee's immune system and to get an idea of the prevalence of viruses and parasites. Very little work has been done on some of these species and the trial experiments this fall are a great head start in preparing for the coming spring
Center for Environmental Farming Systems Author Series Lecture

Hosted by CEFS, the JC Raulston Arboretum, the Southeast Climate Science Center, and the Sustainable Agriculture Graduate Student Association

"Conservation You Can Taste: The Role of Ethnobiologists in the Collaborative Conservation of Food Diversity"
Gary Nabhan, MacArthur Fellow and Kellogg Chair, University of Arizona
 
Friday, October 14 - 7:30 PM-9:00 PM

CEFS, the JCRA, the Southeast Climate Science Center, and the Sustainable Agriculture Student Association are please to present a joint lecture featuring Gary Nabhan at the JC Rualston Arboretum. Gary's presentation highlights the fundamental role ethnobiologists have played in conservation collaborations with indigenous communities, farmers, and chefs to revive and adapt traditional place-based foods. It will draw upon two chapters in the anthology that focus on biocultural and eco-gastronomic restoration.

About Gary Nabhan

A MacArthur Fellow and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Conservation Biology, Gary Paul Nabhan is the Kellogg Chair in Southwest Borderlands Food and Water Security at the University of Arizona, where he is also a research social scientist at the Southwest Center. He is the author or editor of more than twenty-six books.

Adiantum caudatum
Fern Propagation Workshop
By Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator

Bob Payne, Extension Master Gardener

Saturday, October 29 - 9:00 AM-12:00 PM

 

Learn about the reproductive cycle of ferns and how to propagate them from spores in this hands-on workshop. Participants will be introduced to terms like gametophyte and sporophyte and will clean and sow spores and divide gametophytes and sporophytes. Each participant will take home a variety of ferns in various stages of development.

Upcoming Events
 
Margaret Popin, Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher
Saturdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 and November 5
10:00 AM
Sundays, October 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30
2:00 pm
Margaret Popin, Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher
Sunday, October 2
4:00 PM
"40th Anniversary Tour-Directors' Picks"
Mark Weathington, Director
Tuesday, October 4
1:00 PM
Preston Montague, Landscape Designer and Botanical Illustrator
Saturday, October 8
9:00 AM
Practicums on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16
 
Brownies: Buggin' Out!
Saturday, October 8
10:00 AM
Margaret Popin, Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher
Sunday, October 9
4:00 PM
Pumpkin Patch
Thursday, October 13 and 14
10:30 AM
"Really Old Growth Forests - A Natural History of North America's Fossil Forests"
Elisabeth Wheeler, Retired, NC State University
Thursday, October 13
7:30 PM
"Conservation You Can Taste: The Role of Ethnobiologists in the Collaborative Conservation of Food Diversity"
Gary Nabhan, MacArthur Fellow and Kellogg Chair, University of Arizona
Friday, October 14
7:30 PM
Sponsored by the Extension Master Gardeners and the JC Raulston Arboretum
"Ferns: Fiddleheads to Fronds"
Bob Payne, Wake County Extension Master Gardener
Monday, October 24
10:00 AM
Fall Fun
Tuesday, October 25
1:00 PM
Bob Payne, Extension Master Gardener
Saturday, October 29
9:00
Daisies: Flower Garden Friendships
Saturday, October 29
10:00 AM
Margaret Popin, Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher
Sunday, October 30
4:00 PM
Pumpkin Palooza
Monday, October 31
9:00 AM
    

Many programs require advance registration. Please register early to reserve your spot.

Dates to Remember

Members-only Preorder Plant Sale Pickup
September 30
9:00 AM-5:00 PM and
October 1
≈9:30 AM-10:30 AM

Thursday, October 13
9:00 AM-3:00 PM

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 4, 5, and 6 and
Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12
Perennial Border and the Necessary

Coming Attractions
By Nancy Doubrava, Interpretive Specialist

Callicarpa americana _Berries and Cream_
Callicarpa americana 'Berries and Cream'
variegated American beautyberry

Helianthus salicifolius
Helianthus salicifolius
willowleaf sunflower

Muhlenbergia capillaris
Muhlenbergia capillaris
hairy-awn muhly grass

Aster ageratoides _Ashvi_
Aster ageratoides 'Ashvi'
white Asian aster

Echinacea purpurea _Ruby Giant_
Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Giant'
eastern purple coneflower

Pennisetum setaceum _Sky Rocket_
Pennisetum setaceum 'Sky Rocket'
variegated fountain grass

Salvia puberula _El Butano_
Salvia puberula 'El Butano'
Mexican sage

Gerbera _Garvinea_ Sweet Dreams_
Gerbera (Garvinea® Sweet Dreams)
Gerber daisy
YouTube Channel Update
By Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator

One new video recorded in September and posted to our YouTube Channel. Look for it on our channel or click the graphic below.

Receive announcements about our latest additions by subscribing to our YouTube Channel.

FOA Lecture Video - The Foodscape Revolution
Your Membership Makes a Difference

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 (919) 513-7004 or kathryn_wall@ncsu.edu.

The JC Raulston Arboretum's fund-raising efforts, including the 40th anniversary symposium, operate under the auspices of the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization. Proceeds benefit the JC Raulston Arboretum.
Editor:
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 kathryn_wall@ncsu.edu. Please do not use the links below to update your e-mail address or to unsubscribe.
JC Raulston Arboretum, NC State University, Campus Box 7522, Raleigh, NC 27695-7522
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