JC Raulston Arboretum e-Update
October 2018
Your Monthly News and Updates
Director's Note

By Mark Weathington, Director

We dodged a bullet with Florence here at the JCRA although some of the plants haven't appreciated the saturated soils coupled with high heat that followed the storm. Some of our colleagues at nurseries and other botanical gardens down east are still assessing the massive levels of damage they incurred. We will be doing what we can to support their efforts as they rebuild and replant.
 
On a sunnier note, the Friends of the Arboretum Annual Plant Distribution is coming up fast. Make sure you check your membership card to ensure you are in good standing or plan to arrive early enough to renew if need be. I think almost everyone will find something to interest them on this year's list .
 
Speaking of Arboretum traditions, our newest family tradition, Moonlight in the Garden , is selling tickets like gangbusters. Make sure to get your tickets before they sell out—once they're gone, they're gone. The preview night on Nov. 6 should be especially fun with the ambrewlance from Carolina Brewing Company on site serving Flamethrower Scotch ale inspired by Denny Werner and the JCRA's newest redbud introduction—'Flamethrower'. You may even get the first public peak at this phenomenal new plant.

See you in the garden.
Tips for the Member Plant Giveaway

By Kathryn Wall, Membership and Volunteer Coordinator

Are you coming to this year's Friends of the Arboretum Annual Plant Distribution ? If so, we've compiled the following tips:

  1. Check out the plant list as it is updated frequently. Make a note of two to three plants you desire and make note of the stake number. (Printed copies will be available for $1.00 donation.)
  2. Bring a wagon or cart and possibly a folding chair if you're early and waiting in line. Bring something to line your trunk too.
  3. Park on Beryl Road and allow yourself enough time to walk over and check-in. The parking lot is reserved for handicap parking.
  4. Bring your membership card. Can't find it? No worries, our volunteers will find you on the member roster and check you in.
  5. First time? Don't be intimidated! Friendly volunteers and staff will help you get where you need to be.
  6. Coffee and baked goods will be available after 7:30 AM for a small cash donation.
  7. Buy tickets for Moonlight in the Garden Member Preview Night and all other Moonlight in the Garden nights at the apparel table near the Great Lawn. You can also purchase JCRA T-shirts and Mark Weathington's Gardening in the South book. (Checks made payable to N.C. Ag. Foundation, cash or credit cards accepted.)
  8. Members-only Pre-order Plant Sale pickup is immediately following the giveaway. Look for signs in the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center area.
  9. Don't be late! We're expecting a big crowd. Check in begins at 7:30 AM. Please arrive no later than 8:45 AM to allow enough time to get checked in.
Just in Time for Cooler Mornings

By Kathryn Wall, Membership and Volunteer Coordinator
 
The Arboretum's new charcoal heather quarter-zip sweatshirt is here, just in time for cooler mornings. The heather red quarter-zip sweatshirt is also available. Both are well-stocked in all sizes, small through 2XL. Sweatshirts are $30.00 each. We'll have apparel on sale at the Annual Plant Distribution .
Don't Miss Preview Night

By Arlene Calhoun, Assistant Director
 
I don't know about you, but each fall I look forward to the crisp November nights and seeing the magic created by John Garner and his team at Southern Lights of Raleigh. His team continues to impress us with how they express their art and love of light.
 
Many of you have asked if Simchock Stone will be back with their beautiful stone lanterns and I'm delighted to confirm they will. For a glimpse of the beautiful stone work by Bob Simchock visit his Web site at http://www.simchockstone.com/ . Remember they are a Member Benefit Provider, and JCRA members will receive 10% off any stone creation.
 
Come join us for this exclusive preview night . We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
 
Moonlight in the Garden
Preview Night
Tuesday, November 6
7:00 PM–9:00 PM
 
Advance tickets required.
No tickets will be sold at the gate for November 6 preview.
Limited tickets available.
Members can purchase tickets for themselves and their guests.
 
Select beer and wine options available and served only on Preview Night.
 
Food and Beverage
 
Delectable eats courtesy of Neomonde Mediterranean
Flamethrower Scotch Ale courtesy of Carolina Brewing Company
 
Entertainment
 
 
For all the details, including food truck and entertainment line-ups for our general admission evenings, visit Moonlight in the Garden .
Upcoming Horticulture Programs

By Haleigh Swenfurth, Programs and Educational Assistant

Fall has just begun and all gardeners in the South know fall is for planting. It's also time to attend a horticultural program or two (or more) at the JC Raulston Arboretum. Learn how to create a sustainable urban wildlife habitat with Helen Yoest, how to propagate woody plants from seed with Bryce Lane, and how to propagate ferns from spores with Bob Payne.

Creating a Sustainable Urban Wildlife Habitat for the Birds, Bees, and Butterflies
Wednesdays, October 3 through 24 – 6:30 PM–8:30 PM

Would you like to transform your backyard into a pollinator’s paradise ? If so, join Helen Yoest, executive director of Bee Better, an area nonprofit helping homeowners build better backyards for pollinators. The focus on this course is to educate homeowners on the importance of sustainable, organic, and water wise garden design, with a focus on native plants for resident and migrating birds, bees, and butterflies.
 
Propagating Woody Plants from Seed
Saturday, October 20 – 9:00 AM–12:00 PM

Have you ever wondered how plant propagation with woody plants actually works? Bryce Lane has the class just for you! Bryce will cover what woody plant seeds need to germinate, how one can overcome dormancy and take advantage of the diversity that comes with propagating woody plants from seed .
 
Fern Propagation Workshop
Saturday, October 27 – 9:00 AM–12:00 PM

Bob Payne, an Extension Mater Gardner with Wake County, will be teaching about the reproductive cycle of ferns and how to propagate ferns from spores in this fun, interactive workshop! Each participant will take home a variety of ferns in various stages of development.
Meet Wiley Cash, Author of The Last Ballad

By Arlene Calhoun, Assistant Director

As a member of the JC Raulston Aboretum you are invited to attend this Signature Event at the Hunt Library. It is the first of four in the Cultural Passport Series .
 
2018 2019 Cultural Passport Signature Event
Friends of the Library: Fall Reception with Wiley Cash
Hunt Library, Duke Energy Hall
Thursday, October 18 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
 
New York Times bestselling author and North Carolina native, Wiley Cash, will headline the Friends of the Library Fall Reception. Hear from this local favorite about his most recent book The Last Ballad and life as a creative writing professor, author, and writer-in-residence.
 
Books available for purchase and author signing following the event. The evening will also feature the NCSU Libraries Faculty Award and a show-and-tell of archives collections before the event.
 
Members preferred rates: $30.00 per person/$45.00 couple
 
Registration required. Register here .

To get the preferred rate: Select "Friends of the Library Member" as membership selections.
 
We hope you enjoy the access to these signature events offered through the Cultural Experience Series!
Remarkable Hurricane Recovery Assistance and Information

By Lisa Meares, Development Program Associate

We at the JC Raulston Arboretum are proud to be part of NC State University, a North Carolina Land Grant University. NC State Extension works in all 100 counties to help identify problems and deliver solutions directly into the hands of North Carolinians.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, NC State Extension is living its mission, providing disaster relief on the ground and through the distribution of information via its Web site at https://ncdisaster.ces.ncsu.edu/ .

Please forward this Web site to any who may need practical information.
 
Articles are added daily and includes resources such as:

  • Tip for Handling Family Stress After Disasters
  • Decision-Making Guidelines for Storm-Damaged Trees
  • Dealing with Pasture, Hay, Feed and Animal Health Issued during Hurricane Recovery
  • Managing Flooded Landscapes
  • Free Well Water Testing Kits
  • Storm Damage and Income Tax Considerations
 
Thanks for helping us share this valuable resource.
Fall Favorites Art and Design Programs

By Haleigh Swenfurth, Programs and Educational Assistant

Art related businesses and organizations along Hillsborough Street celebrate October with Art It Up! At the JCRA, we offer creative programs throughout the year, and this fall is no exception.

Photography Walks
Thursday, October 18 – 2:00 PM–3:30 PM – "Textures”
Thursday, November 15 – 2:00 PM–3:30 PM – "Depth of Field"
Thursday, December 13 – 2:00 PM–4:00 PM – "Indoor Macro"

Our monthly Photography Walks ( October , November , and December ) with Susan Bailey include brief instructions on various photographic topics as they pertain to gardens. After the instruction, participants will have plenty of time to practice their photography skills in the Arboretum's collections and gardens.
 
Designers Preview Night—Moonlight in the Garden
Wednesdays, November 7 and 14 – 7:00 PM–9:00 PM

Join John Garner, the master designer behind the incredible Moonlight in the Garden outdoor lighting event, for a behind-the-scenes tour and discussion ( November 7 and November 14 ) about the design concepts, techniques, and technology used to create this artistic display. This preview is only open to landscape architects and other lighting design professionals.
 
Juried Photographic Competition Exhibition
Monday–Friday, October–November – 8:00 AM–5:00 PM  

Come and enjoy the winning photographs along with the judges' favorites from the Juried Photographic Competition. Feel free to drop in any time during regular business hours to view the beautiful botanical and gardening photographs.
 
Wine and Wreaths Workshops
Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1 – 7:00 PM–9:00 PM

Our annual Wine and Wreath workshops ( November and December ) are the perfect way to kick start the holiday season! Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, wine, and other beverages as you make a wreath to decorate your home for the holidays. These workshops will provide hands-on instruction and all the materials needed to create a wreath of your own.  
 
Holiday Wreath Workshops
Saturday, December 1 – 1:00 PM–3:00 PM and 4:00 PM–6:00 PM

Decorate your home for the holidays with a designer wreath that you made at the JC Raulston Arboretum! These holiday workshops ( 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM ) will provide hands-on instruction and all the materials needed to create a wreath of your own, including a vast assortment of greens.
Introducing the JCRA Tree of Life

By Andrew Pais, Ph.D., Database and Plant Records Coordinator
 
The shared ancestries of plants can be depicted with diagrams known as phylogenetic trees, which are reconstructed using molecular DNA evidence (the blueprint of all life). By mining DNA databases for records that match the plant names in the JC Raulston Arboretum database, I have created a visualization of the plant kingdom's Tree of Life as represented by plants growing in the Arboretum.

Other than being a great T-shirt design, the JC Raulston Tree of Life can offer some pragmatic insights. First, knowing how plants in our Arboretum are related can help predict what plants can be bred or grafted together. Moreover, this information can help us understand what plant families are underrepresented in the gardens. As I continue to search for insights and applications stemming from these preliminary results, my future hope is to give you the opportunity to investigate this giant Tree of Life on your own as you tour the Arboretum. Stay tuned for more notes on this exciting exploration of plant diversity!
Hurricane Florence

By Douglas Ruren, Gardens Manager

Hurricane Florence was more of a rain event than a wind event here at the JCRA. A total of 7.2" of rain fell. The effect of this amount of rain is still showing up. Just yesterday, September 26, Tim Alderton and I cut down a Tetradium baberi , Baber’s bee-bee tree. Perhaps you know it by an earlier name, Evodia baberi . This is a tree much loved by bees when it flowers midsummer and by the birds when its fruit are ripe, but not by Tim because of the numerous seedlings it produces. It had drowned. All of its leaves had turned brown.

The small evergreen Chinese magnolia Magnolia laevifolia 'Gail's Favourite' had been noted in the past for its winter hardiness and its glorious spring bloom and now all of its foliage is brown. Thankfully, there is a second plant of this cultivar in Asian Valley. Its survival is likely due to the steep slope of its location whereas the dead one’s location in Oak Grove is close to level. The rain draining much quicker in the first location than in the second.

Why would 7.2" of rain drown plants when there wasn’t standing water? The largest part of this rain, about 5.5" fell in about 18 hours. This towards the end of the storm after the soil had already absorbed about 2" of rain. That degree of saturation excluded air from the soil and the roots suffocated. Roots respire as you and I do, and they need oxygen. Everyone knows that plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis. And that sugars are produced through photosynthesis. But fewer realize that it is through respiration that the sugars are metabolized to provide energy for the growth of the plant. So roots die, plants wilt, and too many gardeners react by watering the plant.

Anyhow, Florence did drown plants. Time will tell which ones recover and which ones don't. Now, don't let this keep you from visiting for most plants at the JCRA are just fine and staff and volunteers quickly cleaned up the debris which was mostly countless little twigs. Plus it's glorious fall!
Nursery Update

By Douglas Ruhren, Gardens Manager

The huge Friends of the Arboretum Annual Plant Distribution is about to happen. In preparation, JCRA horticulture staff with help from volunteers have scoured our nursery growing areas and have accumulated nearly 4,000 plants in about 140 taxa for the giveaway. Most are the extras from our propagation work. We might, for example, produce four dozen of a plant but only want one dozen for planting the Arboretum. 

The plant giveaway is a perfect time to recycle the small nursery pots like the ones that will go home with you on that day. Our greatest need is for pint and quart pots (about 3" to 4" diameter). Please don't bring us one gallon pots or larger ones. Thank you very much in advance!
Art It Up!

By Arlene Calhoun, Assistant Director

Art It Up! 2018 is a collection of different events during the month of October in the Hillsborough Street district. Check out the full event calendar .

Here at the JCRA, we're hosting two Art It Up! programs:

Art It Up!
Saturday, October 27
9:00 AM–4:00 PM

Art It Up!
Volunteer Tour Docent
Sunday, October 28
2:00 PM
Upcoming Events

"Dicots of Note"
Douglas Ruhren, Gardens Manager
Tuesday, October 2
1:00 PM

Helen Yoest, Director, Bee Better
Wednesdays, October 3, 10, 17, and 24
6:30 PM

Saturday, October 6
9:00 AM
JCRA members only, join our membership program to participate

Open to Youths and Adults
Patrick Brandt, Piedmont Tree Climbing
Saturday, October 6
10:00 AM (full), 11:00 AM (full), 12:00 PM (full), 1:30 AM (four openings), 2:30 PM (full), 3:30 PM (one opening), 4:30 PM (full), and 5:30 PM (full)
Register ( 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM )

Volunteer Tour Docent
Sundays, October 7, 14, and 21 (special Art It Up! tour on Sunday October 28)
2:00 PM

Pumpkin Spice
Thursday and Friday, October 11 and 12
10:30 AM
Register ( Thursday and Friday )

"A Sabbatical Adventure: Where 'Hort' meets 'Culture'"
Brian Jackson, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University
Thursday, October 11
7:30 PM

"Textures"
Susan Bailey, Susan Bailey Photography
Thursday, October 18
2:00 PM
Register (few spaces remain)

Bryce Lane, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Emeritus and Lecturer Emeritus, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University
Saturday, October 20
9:00 AM

Foraging into Animal Science
Saturday, October 20
9:00 AM

"Getting a Handle on Diseases"
Cynthia Sollod, Wake County Extension Master Gardener
Monday, October 22
10:00 AM (last Master Gardener lecture of the year)

Fall Science
Tuesday, October 23
10:00 AM

Bob Payne, Extension Master Gardener
Saturday, October 27
9:00 AM

Art It Up!
Saturday, October 27 (open Monday through Friday throughout October and November)
9:00 AM–4:00 PM

Art It Up!
Volunteer Tour Docent
Sunday, October 28
2:00 PM

Full—Waitlist Started
Tuesday, October 30
8:30 AM

"My Life as a Perennial Gardener—Natural Habitats, Rarities, Beauties, My Nursery, and Its Showgardens in Austria
Christian H. Kress, Sarastro Stauden, Austria
Tuesday, October 30
7:30 PM

✽Denotes a children's program.

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

Other Dates to Remember

Juried Photographic Competition
Selected Photographs and Winners on Display in the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center
Monday through Friday, October through November
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Thursday, October 11
9:00 AM–3:00 PM

With Our Friends at Southern Lights of Raleigh
Tuesday, November 6
7:00 PM–9:00 PM
With Our Friends at Southern Lights of Raleigh
Thursday, November 8 through Saturday, November 11 and
Thursday, November 15 through Saturday, November 17
6:00 PM–9:00 PM
Coming Attractions
By Nancy Doubrava, Volunteer
Muhlenbergia 'Pink Flamingos'
hybrid muhly grass
Rosa 'Auscanary' (Malvern Hills)
rambling rose
Crinum ×eboracii 'Twelve Apostles'
crinum lily
Dahlia
Dalina Maxi Tampico garden dahlia
Camellia sasanqua 'Green 01-006'
October Magic Carpet sasanqua camellia
Chrysanthemum (Elizabeth Lawrence pink)
garden chrysanthemum
Cyclamen hederifolium Ashwood Nurseries Silver Leaf Group
hardy cyclamen
Callicarpa americana ('Berries and Cream reversion)
American beautyberry
YouTube Channel Update

By Christopher Todd Glenn, Programs and Education Coordinator
One new video was recorded in September. It will be posted to our YouTube Channel later this month. Several years of other lecture and tour videos are available.

Receive announcements about our latest additions by subscribing to our YouTube Channel .
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 kbwall@ncsu.edu or (919) 513-7004.
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.