i n u— Winter 1990 Vol. 7, No. 1 Center for Urban Horticulture / Washington Park Arboretum / University of Washington CENTER NEWS Entering a New Decade As I sat at my desk on a November evening, I pondered the necessity of writing this intro- ductory paragraph. Reviewing the past issues of “Urban Horticulture Presents,” it dawned on me that this will be the first one in the 1990s. And that means the Center will also soon enter its second decade. What excitement is on the horizon? Soon the fctfisabeth Carey Miller Horticultural Library Rill double in size, and the Otis Douglas Hyde Hortorium will move into ‘real’ herbarium quarters. We are recruiting three key staff and faculty positions which will bring new exper- tise and vigor. In June, the Center will host the members of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta. Our gardens continue to grow . . . the Mar- ilou Goodfellow Memorial Grove will begin to flourish this spring. The Brian O. Mulligan Sorbus Collection is undergoing extensive renovation and will be formally dedicated. And, by all means, don’t miss the Joseph A. Witt Winter Garden, which should be really spectacular this winter. Our efforts in urban forestry are also continu- ing, with a special forum for public utility personnel in January. Several of our staff and faculty have research projects involving street trees. Along with this continues the regular array of lectures, classes, tours, and seminars. Yep, I’m ready for the ’90’s! Are you? — John A. Wott Professor of Urban Horticulture New Graduate Students We are especially pleased to see a great new ‘crop’ of graduate students. Seven are en- rolled in our new Master of Forest Resources in Urban Horticulture program. They are Monica Cook, Eliza Davidson, James Glover, Charles Plummer, Brent Schmidt, Sophia Tseng, and Paul West. In addition, Jonathan Cook and Keith Howe are new Master of Science students. What a great way to grow! Volunteer Dinner The annual Center Volunteer Dinner, pre- sented each November for those volunteers who have accumulated 10 or more volunteer hours in our University of Washington pro- grams, featured food and entertainment from the tropics. During this past year (ending September 30), our volunteers clocked in 9,320 hours at the reception desk, in the library, and in the herbarium. They pull weeds; they file slides; they work at com- puters; they gather and send seeds . . . well, they just plain help all over the place. Thanks volunteers — to all. The Northwest Flower and Garden Show The second annual Northwest Flower and Garden show will be held February 16-19, 1990 (President’s Day weekend). Because of last year’s near-capacity crowds, show hours have been extended. There will be more gar- dens and displays than last year. Plan to get your tickets early by calling 789-5333. There are also group sales, special bus tours, etc. As with last year’s show, there will be two large rooms filled with seminars and demonstra- tions. What a way to spend a winter week- end. Don’t miss it! Miller Library News Construction is proceeding ahead of sched- ule on the addition to the Elisabeth C. Miller Library, with completion planned for early 1990. Come in and use the many new books avail- able in the library; Steve Solomon’s new Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades, Botany for All Ages by Jorie Hunken, and The National Trust Book of Wild Flower Gar- dening are just a few of the new books on the library shelves. Slide Library Don’t forget that we have a slide lending li- brary, now containing 15,000 slides. Persons interested in borrowing slides should make prior arrangements by calling ahead. A nomi- nal use charge, used for enlarging the collec- tion, is made. We’re pleased to have Cindy Shebley, our volunteer curator, working on the collections. If anyone has quality slides they would like to donate, we would be pleased to add them to the collection. Goodbye Jan We are sad to announce that Jan Davis, our professional assistant in continuing educa- tion, left in September. She’s been promoted to a higher-level position on campus. Jan joined us as we moved into Merrill Hall 5 years ago, and has been instrumental in orga- nizing a rapidly-growing office. We wish her well, and hope she will continue to come back to buy that usual array of flowers at all our sales. PUBLIC HORTICULTURE LECTURE SERIES One-hour lectures on a wide range of horticultural topics. A $2.00 donation is requested for all lectures held at the Center for Urban Horticulture. Plants and Gardens of the World Third Monday of each month, 7:30 p.rr^^ft at the Center for Urban Horticultu^Br Western China Great Perennial Gardens of England Gardens of the Pacific Northwest January 15 February 19 March 19 Art and Jeanne Gardiner lead a tour through the unique flora of the seldom-seen desert regions of western China. Rick Kuyper takes us to see perennial gar- dens at Great Dixter, Powys Castle, Sis- singhurst, and other renowned English gardens. Kathy Mendelson shows world-class gardens of the Northwest as she tours Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia. The Plant Enthusiast Second Wednesday of each month, 10:00 a.m., at the Center for Urban Horticulture Native American Shrubs Bonsai Principles & Practices The Magnolias January 10 February 14 March 14 Dan Hinkley shares with us the great beauty and hardiness of some American native plants, placing special emphasis on their usefulness in the Northwest garden. David De Groot, Curator of the new Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection, gives us a photo tour of the collection, as well as bonsai back- ground information. Ron Brightman eliminates any confusion, as he demonstrates that the Magnolia is not only a tree grown in the South. Northwest gar- deners can grow many spectacular varieties. Second Friday of each month, 7:30 p.m., The Master Gardener at the Center for Urban Horticulti Practical gardening information presented by the Washington State University Master Gardeners. Plan Early for a Successful Vegetable Garden Selecting and Growing Roses in the Northwest Planting for the Pacific Northwest Drought January 12 February 9 March 9 Holly Kennel, director of the Seattle Urban Food Garden project for King County Exten- sion, discusses garden preparation and vari- ety selection for an extended vegetable grow- ing season. Marianne Cuijell shows us what kinds of roses are available and which ones will per- form well in the cool and damp of the Pacific Northwest. Nota Lucas focuses on the little-known fact that the Northwest has 3 months of relative drought every year as she discusses some plants which thrive without thirst in our spe- cial climate. Brown-Bag Garden Talks First and third Wednesdays of each month, 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. Usually held at the HUB 304-CD, University of Washington. FREE. Campus Tree Walk A Seedy Business For the Birds January 3 February 7 March 7 With Ted Thomas, of the staff of the College of Forestry. ^ MEET at the bus stop on Ste- vens Way near the Medicinal Herb Garden. Rick Kuyper shows how easily and inexpen- sively you can grow good garden plants and flowers from seed. Constance Perenyi, conservation writer, out- lines planting and feeding strategies to attract birds to the garden through the year. Glad You Asked See You in the Siskiyous Garden Shutter Bug January 17 February 21 March 21 Brian Thompson, North American Gladiolus Council member, will lead us on a whirlwind tour of the Gladiolus. Peter Ray, Vashon nursery owner, leads a photo tour of the plants of the Siskiyou mountains of Oregon. Lynn Harrison, professional photograph^j^^ reviews the basics of photographing flowe^^B plants, and landscapes. CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 1990 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday i 1 2 12:10 p.m. T.B.A. 3 Campus Tree Walk 7:30 p.m. CUH Rhododendron Society 4 5 6 ^loon— 4 p.m. WPA f~J Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 7 p.m. CUH 8 Orchid Society 7:30 p.m. CUH Iris Society 7:30 p.m. CUH 9 Puget Sound Mycological Society 10 a m. CUH* 10 Native American Shrubs 7:30 p.m. CUH 1 1 N.W. Rhododendron Hybridizers 7:40 p.m. CUH Rock Garden Society 7:30 p.m. CUH* 12 Successful Vegetable Garden 13 Noon-4 p.m. WPA 14 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour M L. King Birthday 1 8 7:30 p.m. CUH* Western China 7 a.m. CUH 16 Urban Forestry Forum 12:10 HUB 304 C-Dl 7 Glad You Asked — Gladiolas 7:30 p.m. CUH* 18 Primrose Society 19 20 Noon— 4 p.m. WPA 21 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 2 p.m. CUH Cascade Cactus Society 22 7 p.m. CUH 23 Association for Women in Landscaping 24 25 26 27 Noon-4 p.m. WPA 28 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 29 30 31 FEBRUARY 1990 1 2 3 Noon-4 p.m. WPA 4 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 7:30 p.m. CUH 5 Iris Society 7:30 p.m. CUH* 6 Renovating Trees & Shrubs 12:10 p.m. HUB 7 304 C-D A Seedy Business 7 p.m. CUH* Landscaping With Herbs 7:30 p.m. CUH Rhododendron Society 7 p.m. CUH* 8 New Ideas In Gardening 7:30 p.m. CUH N.W. Rhododendron Hybridizers 7:40 p.m. CUH Rock Garden Society 7:30 p.m. CUH* 9 Selecting & Growing Roses in the N.W. 9 a.m. TBA IQ Renovating Trees & Shrubs Noon— 4 p.m. WPA 1 1 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 7 p.m. CUH 12 Orchid Society 7:30 p.m. CUH 13 Puget Sound Mycological Society 10 a.m. CUH* 14 Bonsai Principles & Practices 7:30 p.m. CUH 15 Primrose Society Northwest Rower & 16 Garden Show Northwest Rower & 1 1 Garden Show Northwest Rower & 18 Garden Show ^Moon— 4 p.m. WPA ■ faster Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA ^Sundays at One Tour Northwest Rower & 19 Garden Show 7:30 p.m. CUH* Great Perennial Gardens 20 12:10 HUB 304 C-D21 See You in the Siskiyous 7 p.m. CUH* 22 Landscape Design for the Homeowner 23 24 Noon-4 p.m. WPA 25 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 1 p.m. CUH Puget Sound Bonsai Association 6 p.m. CUH 26 Puget Sound Bonsai Association 7 p.m. CUH* 27 Landscape Design for the Homeowner 28 MARCH 1990 7 p.m. CUH* 1 Landscape Design for the Homeowner 2 9:30 a.m. CUH* 3 Landscape Design for the Homeowner Noon— 4 p.m. WPA 4 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 7:30 p.m. CUH 5 Iris Society 6 12:10 p.m. HUB 7 304 C-D For the Birds 7:30 p.m. CUH Rhododendron Society 7:30 p.m. CUH 8 N.W. Rhododendron Hybridizers 7:40 p.m. CUH Rock Garden Society 7:30 p.m. CUH* Q Planting for the N.W. Drought 10 a.m. CUH* 10 Spring Baskets! Noon— 4 p.m. WPA 1 1 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 7 p.m. CUH 12 Orchid Society 7 p.m. CUH* 13 Creating the Fern Grotto 10 a m. CUH* 14 The Magnolias 7:30 p.m. CUH 15 Primrose Society 7 p.m. CUH* Lawn Renovation 16 9 a.m. T.B.A * 17 Plant Recognition: Conifers Noon-4 p.m. WPA 18 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 2 p.m. CUH Cascade Cactus Society 7:30 p.m. CUH* 19 Gardens of the Pacific N.W. 20 12:10 HUB 304 C-D21 Garden Shutter Bug 7 p.m. CUH* Urban Food Garden 22 23 9 a.m. T.B.A * 24 Plant Recognition: Conifers Noon— 4 p.m. WPA 25 Master Gardener Clinic 1 p.m. WPA Sundays at One Tour 6 p.m. CUH 26 Puget Sound Bonsai Association 7 p.m. CUH 27 Association for Women in Landscaping 7 p.m. CUH* 28 Urban Food Garden 6:30 a.m. CUH* 29 Tour: The Exceptional Gardens of Portland 30 9 a.m. T.B.A * 31 Urban Food Garden Noon— 6 p.m. CUH Early Rhododendron Show Noor RIL 1990 Noon-6 p.m. CUH 1 Early Rhododendron Show CUH = Center for Urban Horticulture WPA = Washington Park Arboretum HUB = Husky Union Building = Fee URBAN HORTICULTURE COURSES Renovating Trees and Shrubs m vr: pondering what to do with your overgrown ees and shrubs? This introductory course will teach you how to improve the health, appearance, and flowering of your woody plants through proper renovation pruning. An evening lecture will be followed by a field session with demonstrations and opportuni- ties to practice your skills. Students may bring special pruning problems to the first session for discussion. INSTRUCTOR: David Zuckerman, Lead Gardener, Washington Park Arboretum DATES: Tuesday, February 6, 7:30 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, February 10, 9 a.m. to noon. FEE: $18 Landscaping with Herbs: Beyond the Knot Garden Herbs, both large and small, have a place in every garden. Learn how to incorporate these delightful plants into your own new or existing landscape, using them in the mixed border, rock garden, or as foundation plant- ings. This class covers site selection, soil prep- ration, and propagation; and discusses the landscape characteristics of many different herbs. From seed to tree, annual to perennial, easy-to-grow to more challenging, herbs sup- ply the gardener with an irresistible range of possibilities. New Ideas in Gardening There is a phenomenal amount of research being conducted on the best way to care for garden plants. In this course we will discuss some of the most important new information, and show you how to use it to keep your landscape plants healthy and attractive year- round. The instructor is a long-time profes- sional gardener and director of a university grounds department. INSTRUCTOR: Ciscoe Morris DATE: Thursday, February 8, 7 to 9 p.m. FEE: $10 Spring Baskets! Celebrate the arrival of spring by creating a country spring basket bursting with colorful dried flowers and ferns. The instructor for last year’s popular “Spice Wreath Workshop” re- turns to show you how to decorate a table- sized basket centerpiece, suitable for year- round display. All materials are provided. INSTRUCTOR: Rosina Mclvor DATE: Saturday, March 10, 10 a.m. to noon FEE: $18 Creating the Fern Grotto Fern grottos are an attractive and novel addi- tion to the shade garden. Whether you are designing for a small space or planning some- thing more elaborate, the principles of con- struction are the same. Learn how to create an inexpensive waterfall and pool, using both found materials and purchased items, and how to attractively plant your grotto with ferns and other shade-loving plants. INSTRUCTOR: Diana Vaughn DATE: Wednesday, February 7, 7 to 9:30 p.m. FEE: $12 INSTRUCTORS: Judith Jones and Dan Barfod DATE: Tuesday, March 13, 7 to 9 p.m. FEE: $10 REGISTRATION FORM Urban Horticulture Courses — COURSE FEE NAME(S) TOTAL $ CHECK ENCLOSED FOR $ Checks payable to University of Washington. No bank cards. Registrations filled in order received. Limited class enrollment; classes fill rapidly, so register early. Refunds: Requests must be in writing or in person. Requests received 7 days or less from first class meeting have a $3.00 handling fee deducted. No refunds after the first class meeting. ADDRESS Street Phone: Day. Evening. City State ZIP Code Mail payment and registration to: Urban Horticulture Courses, GF-15 University of Washington Seattle, Washington 98195 A Gift of Learning: Give a gift certificate in the amount of one of the courses. Call 545-8033 for details. Landscape Design for the Homeowner Thinking about redesigning your outdoor liv- ing space? Whether you’re planning to do it yourself, or in conjunction with a landscape architect, you will benefit from this class. Eng- lish landscape designer Paul Broadhurst will explain how to analyze the capabilities of a site and produce a comprehensive design. Students will work individually around a common problem, and will acquire design skills to apply to their own gardens. INSTRUCTOR: Paul Broadhurst DATES: Thursday, February 22; Tuesday, February 27; and Thursday, March 1; 7 to 9 p.m.; and Saturday, March 3, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lawn Renovation Is the appearance of your lawn such that you only invite friends over after dark? Are weeds and moss in your lawn beginning to look desirable because they are the only green things left? Are moles beginning to seem like family pets? In this course, an expert will teach you how to turn even the worst disaster into an attractive lawn, and how to keep it that way. Environmentally sound methods of weed, insect, and mole control will be em- phasized. This class qualifies for two hours of W.S.D.A. pesticide license recertification credit. INSTRUCTOR: Ciscoe Morris DATE: Thursday, March 15, 7 to 9 p.m. FEE: $10 The Urban Food Garden Even on a small city lot, the knowledgeable gardener can produce an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. Learn how to choose the right seeds, and how to intensively plant a sustainable, “organic” garden using your own household compost. Two evening lec- tures and a Saturday workshop will present ways to create and maintain a successful ur- ban food garden, using a well-established North Seattle garden as a model. INSTRUCTOR: Joanne Jewell DATES: Wednesday, March 21 and 28, 7 to 9 p.m.; and Saturday, March 31, 9 a.m. to noon. FEE: $25.00 Plant Recognition: Conifers From the ubiquitous Douglas-fir to the shy western yew, our native conifers are the plants that have given Washington the name “The Evergreen State. ” Yet, the many intro- duced conifers found in parks and gardens also contribute greatly to the verdure of our state. Learn to recognize the wide variety of both native and exotic conifers encountered in the Northwest. Two field sessions at the Arboretum and on the UW campus will ac- quaint you with the landscape and ornamen- tal characteristics of many of the Northwest’s coniferous trees and shrubs. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Arthur R. Kruckeberg, UW Botany Professor Emeritus. DATES: Saturdays, March 17 & 24, 9 a.m. to noon. FEE: $16 Tour: The Exceptional Gardens of Portland Portland is best known as the City of Roses, yet the city’s breathtaking displays of rare trees and shrubs indicate a more accurate title: the City of Gardens. “The Exceptional Gardens of Portland” tour will visit several of Portland’s finest landscapes, exploring the superb collections of woody and herbaceous plants in each. Elk Rock, also known as the Garden of the Bishop’s Close, easily ranks as one of the Northwest’s greatest public gardens. “Gourmet” plants abound on this spec- tacular Olmsted-designed landscape, which is located high above the Willamette River south of Portland. Magnolias and seldom- seen members of the witch-hazel family are specialties. Nearby is the Berry Botanic Garden, featuring Asian and Himalayan rho- dodendrons collected by famous plant ex- plorers, as well as natives and a first-class rock garden. Further south is the intimate Cecil and Molly Smith Rhododendron Garden, operated by the Portland chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. The Smith garden is rhododendron heaven: it is literally crammed with species rhodo- dendrons, many of which flower early. Join the Washington Park Arboretum staff as they explore the exceptional gardens of Port- land in early spring. Space is limited, so early registration is advised. TOUR GUIDES: Lynda Ransley and Jan Pirzio-Biroli DATE: Thursday, March 29, 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. FEE: $48 C.U.H. PROGRESS IN RESEARCH Disturbing Established Trees Dr. James Clark Established trees are those which have grown for long periods of time under a given set of environmental and manage- ment conditions. In becoming established, they have developed a pattern of growth and development appropriate for existing site conditions; they grow in balance with their environment. This is true whether the site is intensively or minimally managed. We should not ignore the importance of change and disturbance in landscape set- tings, as it has two major impacts. One con- cerns a tree’s response to change in its en- vironment; it must adjust its growth and development in synchrony with change. A second concern involves the response of other organisms, such as mycorrhizal and root rot fungi, to the disturbance. The direct impacts of a disturbance such as construction, regrading, and drainage change, on tree growth are fairly obvious. But disturbance may also be as subtle as the sun -scald/sun -burn resulting from exposing shade-acclimated foliage and bark to direct sun. In both cases, recognizing the impact of site change to the plant before the change occurs may permit mitigating measures. Pruning in early spring as new growth emer- ges and acclimates to full sun, or protecting trees during construction, are reasonable responses. When we develop landscapes around exist- ing native trees, we frequently alter this winter/summer pattern by supplementing natural rainfall with irrigation While such a change might be viewed as positive at first glance, there is reason to consider other- wise. Most of the regions soils are. fine-tex- tured and retain moisture. Established trees must respond to this increase in soil water. Retaining native trees during either land- scape development or renovation is more than a matter of preventing injury during construction. It also involves being sensitive to the long-term consequences of both site disturbance and a new management pro- gram. We cannot ignore the fact that stan- dard practices like irrigation, fertilization, pH management, and pest management represent disturbance to an existing site. Nor can we ignore the reality that change involves more organisms than simply large trees. Since a number of small impacts may have a large cumulative effect, both design and management components play an inte- gral role in developing (or renovating) land- scapes where large, established trees are an integral part. Northwest Horticultural Society The Northwest Horticultural Society will ki off its 1990 Lecture Series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 27, with a lecture on “Japanese Natives for Northwest Gardens” by noted Japanese plant enthusiast, Atsushi Kuyama. Floriculturist of Hyogo Prefectural Farm Park and designer of Awaji Farm Park Rock Garden, Kuyama has conducted extensive international plant explorations which have been widely published. He currently serves as Vice President of the Japan Alpine Rock Garden Society and is Honorary Associate Editor of the Himalayan Plant Journal, and maintains membership in plant societies throughout the world. The lecture, which is open to the public, will be held at CUH. There is a fee. For further information, please contact the Northwest Horticultural Office at 527-1794. Arboretum Foundation Book Sale On March 2-3, 1990, the Arboretum Foun- dation will hold its annual “Used Book Sale” at the Graham Visitors Center. Book don tions are welcome. They can be brought t the Visitors Center or picked up at your home. Call 325-4510 for details. Flower Show It’s never too early to mark your calendars — the early Rhododendron Show is March 31-April 1, 1990. Continuing Education Staff John A. Wott, professor Lynda Ransley, coordinator (WPA) Rebecca Johnson, building services coordinator Eric Nelson, coordinator (temporary) Karen Abelsen, program assistant (temporary) Scot Medbury, graduate assistant Sue Ann Funk, graduate assistant Telephones CUH— 545-8033 9:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m. weekdays WPA— 543-8800 10:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m. weekdays Noon-4: 00 p.m. weekends, holidays Urban Horticulture Presents.. WASHINGTON PARK ARBORETUM The winter season offers solitude in the Ar- boretum, and a time for quiet appreciation. Throughout the Arboretum, the winter land- scape displays many subtle contrasts — bark, fruit, and flowers highlighted by a back- ground of evergreens; graceful forms of de- ciduous plants silhouetted against the winter sky; and delicate, even fragrant, flowers opening to celebrate this special season. The recently renovated Joseph A. Witt Winter Garden, located southwest of the Graham Visitors Center, showcases many plants of winter interest and is a perfect desti- nation for a winter visit. TOURS For an in-depth look at the Arboretum in winter, join one of our free public tours. Tours leave from the Graham Visitors Center, and no registration is necessary. Sunday at One Every Sunday at 1 p.m., Arboretum guides lead 2-hour tours highlighting plants of sea- sonal interest. Explorer’s Walks For plant enthusiasts, an “Explorers’ Walk” is offered the fourth Wednesday of every month from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Group Tours Special guided tours of the Arboretum can be scheduled. Tours for school classes, garden clubs, and other interested groups can be arranged with three weeks’ advance notice. Call 543—8800 for further information. Graham Visitors Center The Graham Visitors Center is open week- days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and from nooa to 4 p.m. on weekends. Volunteers are cl duty to answer your questions about the A * boretum and to help you plan your visit. The Arboretum Foundation’s gift shop is filled with interesting items for sale. If you are inter- ested in getting more involved at the Ar- boretum, call 543-8800 to find out about our exciting volunteer opportunities. Master Gardeners The Washington State University Master Gar- deners will be at the Graham Visitors Center this winter, every Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., to answer your gardening questions. Volunteer News The Center has need for volunteers. We need people to assist as front desk receptionists, clerical backup, and to do computer entries. Those interested in volunteering a few hours a week or month at the Center should call 543-8616 for details. LO UJ cc D 5 D z y < fc 5Q DC uu u c o ■& c IE c/> X D LO ON t-H 00 ON O X *2 (0 a> co Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 62 Seattle, WA