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Friends of the National Arboretum’s annual garden fair features shrubs
to annuals. Photo: Glenda Kapsalis.
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The 40th anniversary of Earth Day will be April 22, 2010, and organizers are hoping that a billion acts of green will happen around the world. The hope is that by joining together in an enormous collective action this day, it will become a turning point for saving the planet. Urban gardeners are urged to “green up” their communities. Hill gardeners have more opportunities than ever over the next few months to participate in classes, attend lectures, volunteer, organize their own green calendar for the year, and get ready for their own green action.
Here are 10 events to consider:
Jan. 15 through February – K9 Membership at Congressional Cemetery
Walk your dog and preserve the historical natural beauty of the Congressional Cemetery on Capitol Hill at the same time. Dog owners pay $200 per household a year (tax-deductible) to walk their dogs off leash over the cemetery’s beautiful 35+ fenced-in acres. The cemetery dogs program also asks that its members volunteer at least 12 hours a year gardening, cleaning up and much more. There is a waiting list because only 600 dogs are allowed in the program a year. For more information, go to www.cemeterydogs.org.
Jan. 20 – Landscapes Give Back Lecture on Sustainable Sites Initiative
A new exciting national landscape and gardening initiative was announced Nov. 5 at the US Botanic Garden. This is the first set of guidelines and performance benchmarks to establish and encourage sustainable design, construction and maintenance of landscapes. On Jan. 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Casey Tree Foundation offices, 1123 11th St. NW, Ray Mims, conservation horticulturist at the US Botanic Garden, and Dr. Andrea Kramer, executive director of the Chicago Botanic Garden, will give a free lecture on the guidelines. For more information, visit www.caseytrees.org.
Feb. 3, 10, 17 – Trees in the City Class
Casey Trees will offer a three-part class that focuses on urban ecology, green design, environmental stewardship, and education and community outreach. The classes are taught by Casey Trees staff and held at their offices, 1123 11th St. NW. The class is open to citizen foresters who have taken Trees 101 or the Tree Planting Class. If you are interested in learning more about becoming one of the city’s protectors of trees, contact Carol Herwig, volunteer coordinator for Casey Trees, at 202-349-1907 or cherwig@caseytrees.org.
Feb. 6-April 11 – Orchids: A Cultural Odyssey
Every winter, the US Botanic Garden and the Smithsonian Institution Horticultural Services Division collaborate to display and provide educational programs on orchids. Just when the plant world goes dark, the hundreds of orchids displayed bring vibrant color and dazzle our imaginations. The exhibition will provide information on how influential orchids have been around the world and how much joy they bring to our lives through art, literature, exploration, jewelry, trade and business. Check the website at www.usbg.gov to find hours and special lectures and classes related to the orchid.
Feb. 14 – Romance of the Floral Kind
Take your garden sweetheart, or treat yourself, to a guided walking tour through the romantic glow of the US Botanic Garden Conservatory at night. The one-hour tour on Valentine’s Day will share stories of blushing tales of courtship, deception and mating rituals. A gift will also be given at the end of the tour. Pre-registration is required, and the fee is $20 per couple or $10 for singles. Go to www.usbg.gov to register.
March 9 – Vegetable Gardening 101
The Capitol Hill Garden Club meets the second Tuesday of the month at the Church of the Brethren, 337 North Carolina Ave. SE. Dave and Case Kniepp of Cheverly, Maryland, will give a talk on how to set up and plant a potager or kitchen garden.
The program is free and open to the public. The Capitol Hill Garden Club has a number of ongoing community projects. In 2010, projects will include the Tyler Elementary School playground conversion; a memorial at the triangle park at Eighth Street and Independence and North Carolina avenues SE, in honor of Kim Brennegar; the Verizon Building garden and several more. If you are interested in participating, go to www.gardencentral.org.
March 25 – The Nation’s First Tree Summit
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments will focus on the condition of DC’s existing urban tree canopy and potential strategies to increase the canopy from 35 percent to 40 percent by 2035. The summit will bring together a multi-disciplinary group of researchers and professionals from the federal to the local level. The one-day meeting will be held at 777 North Capitol St. NE, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and there is a $40 per person fee that includes lunch. Advance registration is required. Contact Mike Galvin, deputy director of Casey Trees, at mgalvin@caseytrees.org for more details.
March 31-April 1 – Environmental Studies School
The National Capital Area Garden Clubs Inc., which includes the Capitol Hill Garden Club, hosts four courses centered on the elements of land, water and earth stewardship. The two-day courses include a Nature Discovery field trip, and top research professionals and area university professors teach the courses. The course of study looks at which plants help clean pollutants from the air, useful bugs, why wetlands are good, and teaches environmental literacy. Contact the environmentalstudiesschool@ncagardenclubs.org for more details.
April 23-24 – Friends of the National Arboretum’s Annual Garden Sale
The annual plant sale and garden fair is one of the largest nonprofit plant sales on the East Coast and offers thousands of high quality plants from shrubs to annuals. The plants are selected by some of DC’s leading landscape and horticultural experts with the growing conditions of this area in mind. The FONA fair invites other nonprofit organizations to bring their best plants to offer shoppers – herbs, camellias, hostas, daylilies and orchids. It takes many volunteers to plan, prepare and set up the two-day event. If you are interested in making this your green act, call the FONA office at 202-544-8733 to volunteer, or check the website at www.fona.org.
May 8-9 – 53rd Annual Capitol Hill Restoration Society House and Garden Tour
The annual tour will focus on the area between East Capitol Street and Pennsylvania
Avenue SE and between Third and Ninth streets. The tour showcases 10 renovated homes, buildings and gardens, and the Capitol Hill Restoration Society awards community grants from part of the Mother’s Day proceeds. The event will once again include a candlelight tour of homes on Saturday night from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The society is looking for homes and gardens to feature. If interested, contact Paul Cromwell (202-543-7530) or Aileen Moffatt (202-258-8545) or send an e-mail to paulcromwell@verizon.net or acmoffatt@gmail.com.
These are just a sampling of classes, lectures and other events to keep you busy over the cold winter months. There are also wonderful flower shows, including the world-famous Philadelphia Flower Show held this year from Feb. 28 through March 7 to help inspire you for your own garden season (www.theflowershow.com). |
