Did you know there is a holiday, native to Israel, that celebrates a new year in honor of plants? It’s called Tu B’shevat (TOO-bish-VAHT).  It’s sometimes called Jewish Arbor Day.

This agricultural holiday began in ancient times as a way to keep track of the crops and fruit trees that grew in Israel. Tu B’shevat is actually known as a new year for trees. You may be thinking -– but wait, it’s not spring yet. Well, in Israel it is! Israel has a rainy winter that transitions into a hot and dry summer.  This lends to great weather for the fruits of the earth. The custom of this holiday is to eat one of seven species of grains and fruit that are plentiful in Isreal, called shivat haminim:  wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.

Ramona Brand, director of education at Congregation Beth Ahabah, explains that a modern twist to the traditional  celebration has created a sense of awareness for local eating and shopping smart in a way that’s good for the earth.

The Jewish Appleseed Foundation, further explains:

Today we celebrate Tu B’Shevat to thank God for the gifts of creation, especially foods that grow on trees and the beauties of nature we enjoy. The holiday also reminds us of our responsibility to care for the earth that God created in order to preserve it for future generations.

Of course the Garden’s take on it is secular, but in many ways it is similar. Part of our mission is to advocate for sustainability and stewardship of our planet.  And the Garden’s  vision is that we will reveal the unity and integration of human and plant life, celebrate the fundamental significance of the natural world, and enrich our community and beyond.

This year, in Richmond, Congregation Beth Ahabah  will celebrate this eco-centric holiday with a  Tu B’shevat Gala Celebration (being held this Sunday) at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. This is a private rental of the Garden, but the community is welcome.

Children and adults will take part in tikkun olam, or repairing the world, by planting parsley seeds, making all-natural bird feeders, and learning from a park ranger.  With recycled materials brought such as old toys, video games, and found things from nature, boys and girls can make jewelry, photo frames, and more. Plus, there will be a scavenger hunt, leading participants through the Conservatory to find crops of ancient worlds.

Image courtesy of: http://www.jerusalembaskets.com/Tu-Bishvat-Gifts_cat.html

Last week we told you all about our new addition in the Conservatory – “The Old Tree”.   We are happy to announce that volunteers Nancy Butler and Alexandra Slusher have created a masterpiece.  The Old Tree  is ready for  holiday visitors!  The inhabitants have moved in and are ready to greet their fans of all ages.  We can’t wait to see you at GardenFest!

"The Old Tree" at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Mail call!

Little families find a home in "The Old Tree".

Come see us this season - our door is open!

Stickman in front of the Conservatory

by Dawn Lipscomb, Children’s Garden Program Instructor, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Note:  ”Stickman” is the Garden’s  ambassador for Patrick Dougherty’s Diamonds in the Rough stick sculpture at the Garden. Each week, the Children’s Garden staff moves Stickman to a new spot in the Garden — so our young visitors can search for him.  Dawn Lipscomb, our  Children’s Garden Program Instructor, often writes a poem with his whereabouts, as a clue. If you are coming to the Garden this weekend for October Oddities  make sure you take note — and search for our friend, Stickman.    In the poem, “Cameron” is Dawn’s son, and creator of Stickman. He’ll be here on Saturday displaying his work and  he’ll have other stick people for sale. 

Good afternoon, friends,

Stickman will stay right where he is,

He’s waiting for Cameron* to come.

He’s anxious to visit with other Stickman folk,

‘Cause Cameron is bringing along some.

So from 10 – 2 on Saturday,

The reunion is planned for then.

The Stickmen will all get together,

So all can make a new friend.

Look for them here on the Walkway,

Or under a tent, if it rains.

The Stickman magic will happen,

Stick faces, Stickmen, and Stick canes.

Cameron Lipscomb, creator of Stickman

Please join us in the Lora M. Robins Library on Thursday, April 21, at 2 p.m. as we celebrate Arbor Day. A guest speaker from the City of Richmond Urban Forestry Division will tell us about tree planting goals in the city. Then we will amble through the garden on the Tree Tour with our garden guide Hugh Rooney. Of course the weather will be beautiful on this day. This program is part of the Outdoors Inside monthly series, is free with Garden admission and does not require registration. Questions: Janet Woody, 262-9887 ext. 332,  or library[at]lewisginter.org

sycamore
red maple
red oak
green ash
red-osier dogwood
river birch
white pine
red bud
white dogwood
bald cypress
loblolly pine
sourwood

I write the following to document and interpret the impact of our weather on the Garden, but more so to commend the horticultural, operations, maintenance and volunteer staff for the superb job you have done under really difficult conditions in recent weeks, with special thanks to Jay, Danny, Mike, John and Karen for their efforts to ensure we have adequate water to get through the next month!  Thank you! Thank you!

You may have noticed in the last few weeks  evidence of extreme stress on trees in the landscape. I mention this for two reasons — the dramatic nature of the change, and the various ways in which these plants respond to extreme environmental stress.

You may think trees can die from drought alone, but in truth, when we have prolonged drought and no intervening rain to reduce both air and soil temperatures, trees (and other plants) actually die from root systems shutting down from soils that are too warm.  Both lack of water and soil temperatures reduce root metabolism, but once soils reach temperatures beyond 95 degrees F, root respiration slows to a stop, and the trees virtually suffocate.

Oak species tend to have the greatest fragility levels, literally reaching a stress point and sometimes “die over night,” including very mature specimens.

Other species cope by defoliation or segmental death of the plant – individual branches or certain segments (top half) of the tree dying to reduce the amount of strain on the plant’s attempts to support foliage, flowers and fruit through the uptake of water and nutrients.

Urban trees suffer the most under these conditions. The greater the soil mass, ability of soils to hold water, quantity of understory plants which help to shade and cools soils, mulch and accumulated organic materials covering root zones, etc. all impact a tree’s ability to survive these extremes.

Irrigation provides both water and soil cooling, and can make the difference between life and death, but water alone can’t overcome the impact of hot soils – 100-degree wet soil and 100-degree dry soil are equally fatal. Trees living in small soil volumes, with large tree-to-soil ratios, in compacted soils, with limited root systems, without the benefit of other “communities” of plants to mitigate their environment, etc. really suffer in this kind of weather.

There are ethical discussions about irrigation and whether it should be used during water stress. Luckily, the vast majority of Lewis Ginter’s irrigation water comes from rain we collect in our lakes from surface run-off, roofs and clean paving. The issue of using treated water from public utilities gets more complex (and that is subject for another discussion), but I believe trees do so much good for our environment, the use of water to sustain them is inarguable.

We had a very wet winter and spring, and ideal pollination conditions for many spring flowering trees. This is now seen in particularly heavy fruit set, as seen in our venerable female Ginkgo at Bloemendaal House. Maples (Acer species) and Redbuds (Cercis species) also had very heavy fruit set this year. Plants invest the majority of their energy into their flowers and fruits – their next generation. Sadly, our Ginkgo has invested so much nutrient in its fruit that the accumulated weight has resulted in the spontaneous loss of several major branches in the past month. This is highly uncommon, but in this case, it is too much of a good thing. Trees currently in flower or fruit are subject to especially high stress as they attempt to survive in order to reproduce.

Not all trees within similar conditions respond the same. There could be multiple factors involved, (disease, insect infestation, etc.), but under these extreme conditions, the genetics of a plant have huge influence. In truth, we have limited clones in most landscape plantings, and genetic variation is an important factor in a tree’s longevity. As in all of nature, it is the survival of the fittest. So, if you see one tree thriving in a landscape and another in stress, it could well be its genetic make up – just as some of us humans live to a ripe old age, and others do not.

It has long been my contention that the entire Botanical Garden is one big research project – that so many plants in so many conditions have never been assembled in Central Virginia before. As they mature, grow into communities, impact one another with shade, root competition, etc., adapt to micro-climates, and are tested by time, weather, disease, insects and cultivation, our accumulated learning will be rich indeed.

In spite of many weeks of record-breaking temperatures and drought, we have very few plants which are “at risk” or which have been damaged by the conditions. Those few which are struggling will teach us all more about nature in general, and the plants species, varieties and cultivars specifically.

I want to commend the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden horticultural and maintenance staff and volunteers for an outstanding job of keeping the Garden’s collections healthy and strong through this period. Their steadfast dedication seven-days-a-week keeps this “research project” an oasis of beauty and a center of education which benefits the entire region.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Plant Sale

by Jonah Holland, PR & Marketing Coordinator, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Some really wonderful gardening events are sprouting up in Richmond this spring! Of course, each year  Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden volunteers hold the annual Spring Plant Sale — this year April 29 – 30th and May 1st. Lewis Ginter’s plant sale is still a must  for anyone who loves plants as much as I do, but you should also check out these other events — because while you can’t beat the selection of our plants, and the prices are VERY affordable, and the proceeds from our visitor manned tent go directly back to the Garden, if you are on a budget, you can’t beat free and so you may choose to do both.   Admission to the sale is free.

For Henrico County residents, the Henricopolis Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) holds its annual spring tree-seedling giveaway  Friday, March 19 at the Hermitage High School parking lot, 8301 Hungary Spring Road. Trees will be distributed free of charge from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Henricopolis SWCD will offer several seedling specialty packs, including wildlife, pine, ornamental, shrub and wetland/stream bank. Information about individual species and planting guidelines are available online at www.co.henrico.va.us/swcd.

The seedling giveaway is an effort to protect the James River watershed by reducing runoff and sediment flows into local streams. For more information you can call them at (804) 501-5175.

I’m not sure what they’ll be offering this year but a few years a go I got several beautiful species including dogwoods, the trees were bare root, and not all of them survived, but they’ll usually let you take a few extras to account for that.

If you live in the City of Richmond,  April 3rd there is an Arbor Day celebration, also with a free tree giveaway. Stay Cool with Trees,  runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Carillon in Richmond’s Byrd Park. During the festivities, Richmond will receive Tree City USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation for the 19^th straight year. Here’s some info from their press release:

Rain or shine, you will find both fun and information about the many ways trees make our lives better. You also will learn about the work of related community organizations and businesses.

Children can climb a tree, bounce in an inflatable castle, enjoy art activities supervised by the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, and meet the Richmond Flying Squirrels mascot “Nutzy.” And they can expect a visit by a city firefighting unit between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Adults will also have several fun events in which to participate:

* Six workshops on planting, identifying trees, pruning mature trees, why native plants are needed, assessing the extent of decay inside a trunk, and tips for using a professional arborist’s tools.

* Talking with experts about tree selection, tree care, protection during construction, horticulture and gardening.

* Shopping for everything from plants and artwork to composting bins and rain barrels.

* Getting a free bare-root tree, (while supplies last!).

The acoustic band Van Driver will perform while fans meet and greet representatives of WRIR 97.3 and of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, who will also have a drawing for a special prize. Nancy Ross Hugo, the essayist-landscaper and co-author of Remarkable Trees of Virginia, will be the keynote speaker. Richard Nunnally, Richmond Times-Dispatch garden columnist and WCVE gardening show host, will greet his fans and answer horticulture questions at the Times-Dispatch booth. Karl Pokorny, former Richmond city arborist, will offer information and answer questions about protecting trees during construction.

Other certified arborists and a wildlife biologist will present six workshops, from 10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Then all but the native plant workshop will repeat from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

* A Professional Arborist’s Equipment – Mark Bennett, arborist, Davey Tree

* Assessing Strength Loss and Potential Hazards in Trees Using a Resistograph – Bill Poad, arborist, Bartlett Tree Experts

* Mature Tree Pruning – Billy Davis, arborist, Arborscapes

* How to Plant a Tree – Norman Brown, arborist, Richmond Urban Forestry

* Tree Identification – Michael Mather, arborist, Richmond Urban Forestry

* Reconnecting the Web: Why We Won’t Save Wildlife Without Native Plant Landscapes – Lou Verner, wildlife mapping coordinator, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

Event attendees will be able to purchase The Earth Machine compost bin at a discount through the Clean City Commission (cash or personal checks only).

Richmond Tree Stewards are trained citizen volunteers who help the arborists of Urban Forestry care for trees along city streets. Learn more about Tree Stewards at http://treestewards.rrpfoundation.org/ and www.groups.google.com and Richmond Tree Stewards.

And, also in Byrd Park  but a week later on April 10th, at 11 a.m., The Byrd Park Civic League will sponsor a plant swap that is open to the public at the Byrd Park Round House.  Gardeners and citizens are welcome to bring cuttings, seedlings, bulbs, garden books or any other garden-related items to give away or swap. Unfortuneatly there is not a link for more info, but if you leave a comment, I will email you the flier I have on the plant swap.

Also, I’d like to give a shout out to Maymont’s Herbs Galore plant sale on April 24th.  Maymont, like Lewis Ginter is another great Richmond attraction, and many of us here at the Garden are huge fans of Maymont as well.   Like our plant sale, Herbs Galore raises funds for Maymont, so the money goes to a great cause — but I should mention that there is a $3 fee per person to enter the marketplace (Maymont members, and children get in free).  One a side note,  if you are a fan of Maymont, make sure you check out Maymont’s newly launched blog — Buz’s Blog.

So, as you can see there are lots of great resources for gardeners in Richmond. Spring is in the air already, so start planning your garden now — and don’t forget to mark your calendar for all these great events.

Mulberry Tree at Lewis Ginter, Photo by Robert Llewellyn

In Teaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest,  Joan Maloof, asks us to reflect on our childhood memories of trees.

“It turns out that many people have a very specific memory of a particular plant species, a memory of wonder….” she says.

I was born and raised in Missouri and the first tree I learned to identify was the black walnut. There were several growing near our house. I have a picture of my brother (age 1) and me (age 4) sitting in the tree.  I spent many an afternoon trying to crack those nuts. I learned to wait until the green covering dried and cracked before attacking the nut as those coverings are stinky before they dry. The hull of the walnut is extremely hard. After hitting my fingers with the hammer a couple of times, I just let the nut lie on our concrete porch and tried to hit it. Most times I would just hit it a glancing blow, which turned it into a flying projectile. Being hit by a flying walnut smarts! I never managed to get at enough nutmeats for my mother to use in a cake. So, at church dinners I always checked out the buffet table for a homemade black walnut cake and made sure to get a piece before it disappeared. The black walnut ice cream, made at ice creams socials using hand-cranked freezers, was always my first choice.

When I was about 8 years old, I discovered another marvelous tree. It had long branches that touched the ground all around so densely that the trunk was hidden. I couldn’t resist working my way through those branches and discovered a secret haven, a roomy cave. The sun filtered through the green leaves and I was enchanted. I was in love with a tree! I asked the name of the tree and was told it was a weeping willow. Ever since, I’ve been a sucker for any plant that has the word ‘weeping’ in its name or description. ‘Cascading’ is a lure, too.

Although  we don’t have black walnut or weeping willows  here at Lewis Ginter,  Lucy, the Garden’s Group Tour Developer, and Maggie our librarian in the  Lora M. Robins Library, have helped me identify a tree that is very special to many children today at Lewis Ginter. The  mulberry tree, in the Children’s Garden is over a hundred years old. During late spring and summer when the mulberry branches burst with luscious dark berries, many a child can be seen climbing the tree and trunk and sitting, perched on a branch until the dark red juice is all over their hands and face.  Even the birds vie for space in the branches because the fruit is so sweet. The children know, the trick is to find berries that are black — they are the sweetest. If you find a red one, you’ll learn quickly, they are sour. Mulberries are a really neat fruit. They don’t have large seeds like blackberries — but they taste a bit like them. And they have short stems like blueberries.

Many photos have been taken of children in this tree,  often you’ll see entire classes perched in its branches on a field trip, posing for a class photo.  But one of the most famous photos of this tree  is by Robert Llewellyn and featured in Remarkable Trees of Virginia, which we have in both our library and The Garden Shop.

Join us at the Garden to wander the paths — you just might discover a new plant you love or reconnect with an old one.  And if you have never tasted a mulberry — you’ll have to visit the Children’s Garden this May — usually Memorial Day is peak picking season and the fruit lasts a couple weeks.  I promise, I won’t tell if you want to climb the tree for a few berries.

My husband came home from work the other day, telling me I had to listen to this story on NPR — about trees. NPR was interviewing Diana Wells, author of the new book, Lives of the Trees: An Uncommon History, exploring people’s relationship with trees and the stories behind their names.  My husband knew this would interest me because, well,  I love trees.  But also because,  part of our vision  here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is to reveal the unity and integration of human and plant life, and to celebrate the fundamental significance of the natural world in enriching our community, and this is exactly what Diana Wells does in her book.

So, if you too are a tree lover, you may enjoy this 6-minute interview. By far, the most interesting thing I learned was about the Japanese Cedar and the tradition that surrounds it, forest bathing. Apparently, today in Japan it is still common for Japanese businessmen to enjoy this ritual.

“You go into the forest and soak yourself in the trees,” she says. “I live where there are woods and I will [do that] quite often and let the trees feel as if I’m part of the forest. It’s very, very soothing — it’s beautiful.”

“It would help us if we were more familiar with trees,” Wells says. “I think if we did that, it would cement the bond, and it would help all of us. We need the trees and they need us.”

Tonight is the start of the Timeless Design in a Sustainable World: The Charles F. Gillette Forum — our fourth and final 25th anniversary symposia here at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. The focus will be on making beautiful spaces that are sustainable, beautiful and responsible.  But tomorrow night, as the finale of the Gillette Forum, the theme will once again turn to urban green spaces when Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden hosts the FREE Richmond Premier of “The Nature of Cities” (Thursday, October 29th at 4:30 p.m.)  We’ll open our doors to the public for the last part of the Gillette Forum to share this wonderful documentary with you.  Plus,  join special guest, UVA School of Architecture Heinz Professor of Sustainable Communities, Tim Beatley, as he leads a question & answer session after the film.  Hope you can join us!

Here are some more details about the movie:

“The Nature of Cities” is a one-hour documentary about people in cities across the world who believe that, even as we become more urbanized, we must reclaim an essential piece of our humanness — our connection to the nature around us. Amazing projects in cities around the globe have already begun this task. The Nature of Cities is about raising consciousness and understanding of this movement and exploring the need of moving not only towards sustainability, but also to a regenerative way of living.

“The Nature of Cities” explores both the nature in are own backyards- Austin and San Diego and the possibilities in projects of cities of the future- Malmo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Freiburg, Amsterdam and Paris. The film features Sustainable Communities professor Timothy Beatley as he tours these places with City Planners, Landscape Architects, Ecologists and Residents. Commentary by Richard Louv (Last Child in the Woods) and Dr. Stephen Kellert (Biophilic Design) provide the background for looking at the living possibilities of how we can be in an urban environment integrated with the nature around us.