Dear Friends,
While not many of us were complaining about this past winter's warm temperatures, we are now complaining about all the bugs that did not die and the fungus that did not go away. Here at the shop we have been treated to a daily parade of leaf samples and cell phone photos showing some kind of critter damage or plant disease. Fortunately, there is a treatment for most anything people have brought in so far. If you are in search of a solution for plant problems, check our line of organic products first, and if you need something more traditional, we have that as well.
With our thoughts on summer vacations, it is easy to overlook the garden, but do not forget to take care of those new things you planted this past spring. Watering is really critical at this time of year for all plants, but especially newly planted ones. If we are not getting at least 1" of rain per week, you will need to supplement that with some extra water. Those of you who still want to plant can do so as long as you keep up with the watering, and now would be a good time to take advantage of some great plant sales we have in the nursery right now.
We know many of you have a busy summer scheduled, but we hope you can take time to stop by for a visit.
Happy Gardening!
Your Friends at Smithfield Gardens |
|
Upcoming Events and Classes at Smithfield Gardens
We do not have any events or classes scheduled for July or August, and we have given our teachers the summer off. So the following are what we have scheduled for September:
Smithfield Gardens' 40th Birthday Party
Sept. 15th (Sat.) 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Please mark your calendars for this celebration. There will be more information on this in August, but rest assured, cake will be served, and we also have much more planned.
Cool Season Lawn Clinic
Sept. 15th (Sat.) 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
After a long hot summer, it is time to think about getting your fescue lawn ready for fall and winter. Join Rhonda Grinels as she explains what you need to succeed.
Fall Vegetable Gardening
Sept. 15th (Sat.) 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
It is not too late to consider planting a fall vegetable garden, and the choices might surprise you. Come let Anne Goodson get you started.
Easy Propagation Techniques
Sept. 22nd (Sat.) 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
This class is designed for people who are interested in making many plants from one. Ann Weber will teach you the basics and soon you will be giving plants away.
Critter Control
Sept. 22nd (Sat.) 10:00 11:00 a.m.
The world of nature has many special and wondrous creatures, but when they eat your landscape and garden that all changes. Come let Rhonda Grinels tell you waht you need to control these less-than-special creatures.
Basic Home Landscape Design
Sept. 29th (Sat.) 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Whether you are ready to put in a new landscape or simply enhance what you already have, Jeff WIlliamson will tell you what you need to consider before the shovel goes into the ground.
Would you like to save 10% on your purchases at Smithfield Gardens? Monday is Military Discount Day and active duty military, Coast Guard, police, fire and rescue personnel all are entitled to this discount. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are Senior Days. Also, anyone who attends one of our free classes is entitled to a discount on the day of the class. All of our discounts apply to any item not already on sale and can not be used towards landscaping services or bulk materials.
Other Events
This summer The Williamsburg Botanical Garden has scheduled several events specifically designed for children. More information can be found on their website.
The Norfolk Botanical Garden has classes and events throughout the month. Please click here for more details. |
Bold, Architectural Crinums are Pass-along Treasures
Crinums are an old Southern favorite often referred to as milk and wine lilies.
I admit that I don't grow this tropical-looking perennial in my own garden, however we planted one a year or so ago in one of our sunny display beds. I probably planted it, but then I guess I promptly forgot about it because it was not very noticeable then. As I passed by the bed recently I noticed it had a bloom on it, and I decided to investigate crinum culture for this month's article. A few of the accompanying photos were taken by me at a friend's local garden, where I saw several different kinds of crinums.
Crinum is a genus of about 180 species that have large showy flowers on leafless stems that develop from bulbs. They are in the Amaryllis family, and are found along the sides of streams and lakes in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide, including South Africa. Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery carries several species, and reports that they are extremely adaptable in either dry or boggy soils. Though drought-tolerant, evergreen crinums will bloom more if they are well watered. In early June I saw a wonderful clump in bloom at the Virginia Beach Research Station on Diamond Springs Road, planted in their beautiful rain garden. Sadly, my camera was at home. If the winter is a mild one there is minimal clean-up of the attractive strappy foliage, but in a regular winter two of my co-workers say they cut their plants back completely in the early spring.
 | |
Crinums are a long-lived bulb often lasting longer
than the gardener who planted them. |
Crinum lilies grow from what are among the largest true bulbs, some weighing over 40 pounds and looking a lot like bowling balls. Much like peonies they resent being transplanted so give them the right light from the get-go, and crinums also don't like to be planted too deep. Their bold, tropical foliage is very architectural in the border, even when the plant is not in bloom. According to my research they are bothered by few chewing pests, including deer. "Lily-ish" blooms come in whites, light pinks and white with dark pink stripes (this one has the descriptive heirloom name "milk and wine lily"). As you can see from my photo of the light pink crinum, several flowers are open at one time.
 | |
Though crinums are grown for their flowers, the foliage is a nice addition to the garden as well. |
Be forewarned. The local gardener whose plants I photographed said established plantings take up a lot of room in the garden. However these pass-along garden treasures, so named because crinums are not often seen at garden centers, may be just the unusual perennial you've been looking for. Give a crinum some garden companions like daylilies, Phlox paniculata, gauras, ornamental grasses, 'Becky' daisy, Stokes aster and salvias and stand back for the show.
Ann Weber |
|
Butterfly Bush
If Mother Nature held a contest to see which shrub blooms for the longest amount of time, Buddleia davidii or butterfly bush would certainly be a contender. In this climate they begin blooming in June, flower all summer long and continue into the fall, usually only stopping at the first frost. If this was not enough to make you want one, then consider all the colors they come in. There are purples, lavenders, near-blues, pinks, reds, whites and yellows. Most of them have a subtle, but sweet fragrance that is not only attractive to humans, but is very attractive to bees, other pollinators, and of course butterflies (where did you think it gets name from?).
 | | From left to right: Blue Heaven, Miss Molly, Peacock, Nanho Blue, Guinevere, Silver Frost, Pink Delight, Royal Red, Black Knight, Adonis Blue, Miss Ruby, Honeycomb |
Butterfly bushes are fairly easy to care for. They prefer full sun in moist, but well-drained soil. Once established they can tolerate the occasional dry spell, but perform better with adequate moisture, however, do not allow them to stay soggy. Buddleias have few pest problems, but sometimes spider mites can be an issue, especially on drought-stressed plants. Although they are prolific bloomers, if you keep them deadheaded (and fertilized) they will bloom even more. In warm climates like ours, the foliage can have evergreen tendencies and is often attractive in its own right with several varieties having a silvery blue-green color. Butterfly bushes bloom on new wood, so a severe late winter pruning is recommended every few years. Even with a heavy cut-back, Buddleias will reach nearly full size again by the end of the summer. Many varieties can easily get to 10' tall and wide, but there are a number of dwarf and compact selections that stay in the 3-4' range.
If you do any amount of reading on Buddleia, you are likely to come across information on its invasiveness. Even though the plant is originally native to China, it is one of the first plants to naturalize waste areas in Europe. I had the good fortune to take a trip to England several years ago, and while there I noticed butterfly bushes growing in the crumbling mortar joints of more than a few old buildings, as well as in the poor gravely soils next to railroad tracks. It was everywhere. As a result of its overwhelming fertility there have been several successful breeding efforts aimed at producing sterile cultivars, and some of these are now on the market. In this area the plant seems to be fairly well behaved, and invasiveness is not an issue, so let color and size guide your selection. No matter which variety you pick, I am sure you and the butterflies will be happy with the choice.
Les Parks |
|
Zucchini Solutions
It's July, and the odds are that you will at some time this month find yourself staring at a pile of zucchini and scratching off your mental list of friends as beneficiaries. Sautéed zucchini squash and Vidalia onions swimming in a buttery liquid sound good in the beginning of July, but by the end of July leave you asking what else to do with that bounty of zucchini that isn't the equivalent of re-inventing the wheel? I'll share some of my ideas with you and maybe you will return the gesture by sharing some of your tried-and-true, or spur of the moment inspirations with us.
First is a fresh, raw marinated salad of thinly shaved green and yellow squash and red radish. If you don't like radishes, just omit them. Wash and dry your whole squash. With a vegetable peeler or mandolin slicer, shave the squash, rotating to avoid the seeded core of the squash. Use only the fleshy part of the squash, tossing the seeded core into your soup stock pile or your compost (think next year's zucchini crop!!!!). Sprinkle your bowl of red, yellow, and green with salt and pepper, and add some fresh minced mint, sage, or thyme. Use whatever you might have access to or available in your own garden - each will impart a unique flavor twist to the dish. To finish, dress the vegetables with extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon or vinegar. Have a bowl of shredded parmesan (grated is good, shredded is better) at the table for people to sprinkle on top just prior to eating. Mangia!
Stuffed zucchini: Good for those oversized larger-than-life zucchini. Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeded pulp, sprinkle with salt, and turn over on paper towels to let drain. Meanwhile prepare your favorite stuffing, which for me is always one of those spur of the moment decisions: sausage, bacon, ground beef, chicken, turkey or pork; cheese, onions, stuffing, left over croutons, bread slices, rice, quinoa or pasta. There are no rules, no boundaries. If using meat, I precook the meat, sauté the onions & garlic in butter, add the breading, cheese, pasta, or rice, and bring it to a good respectable stuffing consistency. Stuff your squash, top with more cheese, and put into the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. If you can afford the indulgence of extra calories, make gravy or red sauce, or even butter-lemon sauce to pour over the entire dish. You'll look at zucchini in a whole new way.
 | |
Chocolate chip zucchini bread is one way to get even the most ardent carnivore to eat their vegetables. |
Lastly, this recipe comes by way of my daughter, Sheila Howren, who made her soon to be infamous chocolate chip zucchini bread this weekend, and was happy to share it with you here:
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (not drained)
- 2 handfuls (or however much you like) of dark chocolate chips or chunks
Directions
- Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
Buon appetito!
Gina Nardioanni |
|
