Your Natural Garden: mark your calendars

The Wildlife Garden in Duke Gardens' Blomquist Garden of Native Plants
Photo by Stefan Bloodworth

We hope you'll take advantage of the fantastic array of instructors and workshops at our 2010 Spring Gardening Symposium: Your Natural Garden, on Feb. 20. You can see the breakdown of offerings here and register at tickets.duke.edu or by calling 919-684-4444. For more information, call 919-668-5309.

In the meantime, landscape architect Jan Little, our director of education and public programs, offers the following advice for developing your own natural garden. It was first published in The Herald-Sun's Homes & Garden section Feb. 6.

Urban, suburban, and rural residential areas occupy 94 million acres according to a 2002 USDA report. That’s roughly 5 percent of the entire U.S.

That is a lot of lawn mowing, weeding, fertilizing, pruning and clipping! Perhaps there is a better way of working with our landscapes, an approach that builds a partnership between homeowner, landscape and the natural world.

A place to begin creating this new approach is an understanding that we don’t live alone on this planet. There is an intricate web of life that helps support all living organisms by storing and cycling nutrients, slowing and storing water, shading and regulating the temperature of the planet.

There is much evidence that we are damaging this amazing system. From things we do on a household level to decisions made by corporations and governments, human activity has far-reaching effects. We can learn better ways to work with nature rather than against it. So why not begin at home?

First step: Native plants. Using these plants in our landscapes helps in countless ways. These are the plants that have grown and evolved here for millennia. As they have grown, they have attracted insects, birds and other life forms into their sphere. Plants are ground zero for environmental health. Over time the type of plant in a site impacts the soil, the insects, the birds and the mammals that can thrive alongside these plants. On a large scale, plants impact weather systems, including humidity, rainfall and average temperature. When we don’t include native plants in our landscapes we put an enormous roadblock in the natural systems.

Second step: Plan for wildlife. Did you know that one of every three bites of food you eat was created by an insect pollinating a plant? Add plants to your garden that these critters will enjoy – it is time to pay them back a little bit. This can be a simple as landscaping with a variety of flower types and blooming times to keep pollinators occupied all season. You can then layer in seeding and fruiting plants that ripen at different times to help feed birds and small mammals. In the end, you can reap the benefits of watching the antics of birds, fireflies and others.

Third step: Keep the water on site. Most of our landscapes are designed to shed water rapidly into storm sewers. This slowly impoverishes our underground water sources and feeds a lot of nutrients and fertilizers into our streams and rivers, where they cause problems for the aquatic systems. Developing a rain garden on your site will delay water drainage and give it time to percolate and feed the underground water systems. Again, this can be a wonderful addition to your life, with the dragonflies and toads it attracts to entertain you.

Finally, see what others are doing. There are so many innovations going on to improve the environmental health of our land. Join us at the “Your Natural Garden” symposium to learn more. We have nationally regarded speakers and authors to address each of these topics, and we will end the day with a design challenge that will showcase an environmental landscape designed for a local home.

Nature Photography Through the Ages

The National Park System was prompted by -- and has since prompted -- the artistic vision of nature photographers. These photos of Oregon's Crater Lake National Park were shot by Duke Gardens' Alice Le Duc.

Duke Gardens work-study student Lauren Sims spoke with Jennifer Weinberg, owner of Jennifer Weinberg Photography, about what students can expect from her upcoming “History of Nature Photography” workshop.

The class will run Feb. 9, 16 and 23 from 7 to 9 p.m. In it, Weinberg will review the work of 10 of nature photography’s biggest names.

“I’m of the belief that by studying other artists’ work, you can learn so much about your own style, about different techniques, what you like and what you don’t like,” she says. Beyond technique itself, students will have a chance to see the impact that artists such as Ansel Adams have had on the American environmental and political climate.

“A lot of people don’t know that his career actually started because he was photographing the West in an effort to attract people to take the railroads out west,” she says. “… He wasn’t going out taking pretty pictures, he was trying to sell a product.”

Adams’ and others’ photographs helped lead to the establishment of the United States’ National Park System. (Here's one example)

So what makes for a good photograph, anyway? As Weinberg sees it, a perfect combination of technique and creativity. A technical understanding, including composition and color, is important, but there are times when discarding the rules can be more effective than holding to them. The art of photography is about “learning the technique and then learning … how you can break the rules in order to start creating pictures instead of just taking pictures.”

The class is $75; $60 for Friends of Duke Gardens. Call 668-1707 or e-mail aleduc@duke.edu for more information.

The Joy of Roses

Photo by Alice Le Duc

This column appeared in the Jan. 30 gardening section of The Herald-Sun. Please see our previous post for information about our Feb. 18 rose care class and other February classes and events at Duke Gardens.

By Chuck Hemric

You may not be thinking of roses in the depths of winter. But in fact if you are planning to have roses in your garden this coming year, now is the time to take action. With Valentine’s Day approaching, we naturally think about sending roses to the special people in our lives. Yes, this can be an expensive proposition! Why not grow your own? You can grow roses with a little planning, patience, persistence and preparation.

Now is the time to prepare your planting beds and select the varieties that you wish to have in your garden. Planting is best done now, while the plants are dormant. This will give the roses an opportunity to develop their root system prior to spring growth, which should appear by mid-April.

Preparation of the planting hole is very important – 6 inches of compost, cow manure and pine bark makes a good amendment for soils in Durham County. Dig the planting bed 18 to 24 inches deep to allow good root growth. Do not add fertilizer at the time of planting. This can be done later, as the plants break dormancy and begin to show growth. Fertilize with an inorganic slow-release fertilizer from mid-March through mid-August. A slow-release fertilizer can be added every four to six weeks during growing season.

There are certain necessities to grow roses successfully. First and foremost, you must have a willingness to spend time in your garden. Roses require a lot of care and attention. Locate your garden where the plants will receive six to eight hours of sun per day. Morning sun is desirable to dry the leaves from the nightly dew. This helps prevent black spot. Water is crucial, at least 1.25 inches per week. Roses do well in the clay soils of Durham County due to high mineral content. These soils must be amended with rich compost so that the soil is loose and well aerated. You should become a neat freak when it comes to the cleanliness of your rose garden; always keep the bed raked free of fallen leaves and petals, and remove all weeds.

You may be reading this and thinking that you only have a small garden space that gets the necessary sunlight and you want to grow other things as well. Companion planting is easy to do with roses. According to Louise Riotte in “Roses Love Garlic,” planting garlic with roses aids in flower fragrance and helps to fight black spot. Mincing the cloves of garlic and mixing with water produces a good pesticide.

In the Durham community, we are fortunate to have a local firm that specializes in rose care. Witherspoon Rose Culture is a great resource for all your rose gardening questions. If you are interested in learning more about roses, consider enrolling in Witherspoon president David Pike’s Rose Care and Pruning workshop at Sarah P. Duke Gardens on Feb. 18 from 1 to 4 p.m. To learn more, call 668-1707 or e-mail aleduc@duke.edu.

Rose enthusiast Chuck Hemric is director of volunteers at Duke Gardens.

Duke Gardens February Events

Curator Stefan Bloodworth leads the Walk on the Wild Side tours.

Following is our February schedule of classes and special events. Please call 668-1707 or e-mail Alice LeDuc for more information. We hope to see you at Duke Gardens soon!

Thursday, Feb. 2, 1-4 p.m.
Chinese Brush Painting
Visiting artist Alice Zhao, from Hubei Province in China, will teach technical skills and help you explore basic strokes and complete a painting of bamboo, orchids, animals or other Chinese-inspired images. $50; $40 Gardens Friends. See blog post about Chinese Brush Painting here.

Thursday, Feb. 4, 11 a.m.-noon
Tour: Walk on the Wild Side
Join curator Stefan Bloodworth in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants to see which plants are in bloom, learn strategies to design with native plants and discuss regional ecology and global environmental issues affecting native ecosystems, and your role in protecting our home planet. $5; free for Gardens Friends. Registration required. Details on all Gardens tours here.

Saturday, Feb. 6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Soils
Learn to assess soil using simple field tests and then how to remediate the soil deficiencies you find. Instructor Daniel D. Richter Jr., professor of soils and forest ecology at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, will introduce you to texture and ribbon tests to determine just what is in your soil. Then he will help you devise a plan to improve your soil structure, water retention capacity and nutritional value for your garden plants. All lab materials included. $75; $60 Gardens Friends.

Sunday, Feb. 7, 2-4 p.m.
The Soil Food Web: It’s Alive
*CANCELED* Soil is an intricate web of plants, animals and rock that reflects the plant community it supports. Join instructor Daniel D. Richter Jr., professor of soils and forest ecology at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, for specific information about sustainably managing your garden soil. $15; $10 Gardens Friends.

Tuesdays, Feb. 9, 16, 23, 7-9 p.m.
History of Nature Photography
Become acquainted with some of the great names and works in nature photography as you learn the powerful influence nature photography has had in our country. Work with profession photographer Jennifer Weinberg to develop your ideas and practice techniques first used by the masters. $75; $60 Gardens Friends.

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6:30-8 p.m.
Durham Garden Forum
Forum meets monthly to learn from expert speakers and to troubleshoot. This month: Landscape design strategies with Jan Little, director of education and public programs. $10/ free for members. Information: 237-3376; Durhamgardenforum@gmail.com. See more on the Garden Forum here.

Friday, Feb. 12 to Sunday, Feb. 14
Workshops & free lecture with author Toby Hemenway
Hemenway is a frequent teacher, consultant and lecturer on permaculture and ecological design throughout the U.S. and other countries. These special events are co-presented with Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment. All events full. Details here.

Friday, Feb. 12 10:45 a.m.-noon.
Traditional Japanese Tea Gathering
As a guest to Tea, you will experience the patterns and poetry of Chado, or the Japanese “way of tea,” while enjoying an enticing bowl of whisked tea and a seasonal treat. Meet at the Doris Duke Center, then head to the Japanese Pavilion. $30; $20 Gardens Friends. Additional tea gatherings will be April 10 and May 7, and there'll be a family Japanese Tea Gathering March 6 and May 8 for families with children age 6 and older.

Monday & Tuesday, Feb. 15-16, 3-5 p.m.
Geology of the Piedmont
Duncan Heron, professor emeritus of geology at Duke University, will discuss the forces that have acted on our land and the rock formations that underlie the various soils that are the basis for the different plant communities in the Piedmont and especially the Triangle. Class also includes a 4-hour field trip Feb. 19. $75; $60 Gardens Friends.

Thursday, Feb. 18, 1-4 p.m.
Rose Care and Pruning
Roses are unique, in their history and in the inspiration people find in them. Join David Pike, of Durham’s Witherspoon Rose Culture, to learn how to work with roses and create the most vigorous growth and flowering for your enjoyment. $20; $15 Gardens Friends.

Saturday, Feb 20, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
2010 Spring Gardening Symposium: Your Natural Garden
Your garden is essential to the health of our world. Learn how to extend that environmental contribution. Includes an optional garden dinner and Sunday workshop. See a brochure here. Register online here or call 684-4444.

Friday, Feb. 26, 10 a.m.
Tour: Spring Flower Walk in the Arboretum
Join Culberson Asiatic Arboretum curator Paul Jones as he guides you to some of the little-known garden spaces and unique plants. $5; free for Gardens Friends. Pre-registration required. Additional Flower Walks March 19, April 9 and May 14. Details on all Gardens tours here.

Sunday, Feb. 28, 2-4 p.m.
Free class: Smart Water Management in the Home Landscape
County consumer horticulture agent Michelle Wallace will teach several methods of managing water in the home landscape, including irrigation approaches, water harvesting, water-wise gardening and creating rain gardens. (Registration required.)

Chinese Brush Painting Class

Painting by Duke Gardens instructor Alice Zhao.

This column by Sarah P. Duke Gardens volunteer Nan Len originally appeared in the Durham Herald-Sun on Jan. 16.

Gardens, Chinese Art and You

These days, we gardeners have little to do but send in our seed orders. To pass the time, we take classes, read, and plan. For a while, we garden in memories and dreams. In a curious way, we are like the Chinese nature artists who painted their works from memory.

In the middle of winter, a Chinese brush painter could paint a cheerful picture of a bird in a fruit tree just to brighten up a dreary day. In the middle of winter, I buy seeds for plants that will attract the butterflies that I remember from last year. Admittedly, I am stretching the point, but there is a lot about Chinese nature painting that strikes a chord with gardeners.

The history of Chinese painting goes back to the 6th century BCE. Even to an untrained eye there is something distinctive about a Chinese brush painting. Such a rich tradition cannot be described quickly, but a few significant aspects of this style include the symbolism of the images, the technique of painting and the use of brush and ink.

Chinese painting can be divided into four broad categories of subjects: figures, landscapes, flowers and birds, and bamboo and rocks. Landscapes are the traditional subject of brush paintings, often including mountains, streams, and forests. In a painting, an entire landscape will be represented but not in the Western style of single perspective. Rather, the artist uses a shifting perspective to take the viewer from the bank of a stream to the top

of a mountain in one painting.

A student of brush painting will practice painting the “four gentlemen or seasons” – the plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum – as each of these images includes traditional brush stroke techniques. These plants have also come represent certain human virtues.

Plum blossoms are cold-resistant flowers that bloom in late winter and represent hope, endurance and renewal. Orchids bloom in the spring and are a symbol of grace. The bamboo depicts summer and reflects strength, upright integrity and flexibility. Chrysanthemums resolutely bloom late into autumn, keeping their bright colors despite the cold.

Remarkably, brush paintings are done without a sketch, model or corrections. Once a stroke is put on paper, it is not changed. The artist creates an image by remembering the subject and then conveying the essence of it, although not necessarily a strict representation of its physical form. Control of the brushstrokes and the ink allow an artist to create an image with thick and thin lines in dark to light shades. Some of the paintings are done only with black ink while others have pale to vibrant colors.

Both calligraphy and brush painting are regarded as art forms. The material used for calligraphy and painting – brush, ink, inkstone and paper – have been refined over the centuries and are called the “four treasures of the study.”

Over time, the scholar-artists who practiced brush painting combined it with calligraphy and poetry. This is why you often see writing in Chinese art; the image and the poetry – sometimes a quoted piece, sometimes the artist’s own composition – complement each other.

As you sit with a cup of tea or coffee thinking about your garden, you are like the Chinese brush painter remembering something long observed. Like the painter, you have an image in your mind that captures the essence of your garden.

If you are interested in reading about and looking at Chinese brush paintings, the Metropolitan Museum of Art webpage is a good place to start (www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chin/hd_chin.htm).

If you would like to try your hand at brush painting, consider signing up for the Chinese brush painting class at Sarah P. Duke Gardens on Tuesday, Feb. 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. The instructor is Alice Zhao, a visiting artist from Hubei Province in China. Call (919) 668-1707 or e-mail aleduc@duke.edu for more information. (Update: just one spot left!)

Painting by Zhao student Alice Le Duc
Director of Adult Education at Duke Gardens

Durham Garden Forum

Triangle Gardening enthusiasts have a new educational source they can turn to for help with basic or complex gardening issues. The recently launched Durham Garden Forum gathers monthly to discuss gardening techniques. People can join the Forum for $25 annually (beginning in April) or pay $10 per meeting. Members need not live in Durham.

Each meeting is led by an expert in the featured topic, from horticulturists to landscape designers and members of the N.C. Cooperative Extension. Attendees will also be encouraged to share their experiences. Meetings are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 420 Anderson St., Durham.

Forthcoming 2010 topics include: design (Feb. 9); blooming sequence (March 9); vegetable gardening (April 6); pests (May 11); garden diseases (June 15); and sustainable turf strategies (July 20). For information, e-mail Gene Carlone.

January Duke Gardens events

Welcome to the new year! Below are our January classes and tours. We hope to see you this month at the Gardens. You can e-mail aleduc@duke.edu or call 668-1707 for information or to register.

Here's our full January-June brochure. And don't forget to take a look at our fantastic Feb. 20 2010 Spring Gardening Symposium: Your Natural Garden.

Jan. 7, 11 a.m.-noon
Walk on the Wild Side

Explore wild North Carolina in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants. Join curator Stefan Bloodworth to see which plants are in bloom, learn strategies to design with native plants and discuss regional ecology and global environmental issues affecting native ecosystems, and your role in protecting the health of our home planet. $5; free for Gardens Friends. Registration required.

Sunday, Jan. 10, 2-4 p.m.
Bring Your Own Vegetable Garden to Life

For tips on garden planning, deciphering seed catalogs, starting seeds, creating raised beds, composting, organic backyard farming and more, join Durham County master gardeners Charles Murphy and Darcey Martin. Free (registration required).

Thursdays, Jan. 14, 21, 28, 1-4 p.m.
Digital Photography: Understanding Camera, Computer & Photo Editing

Learn from photographer Jennifer Weinberg how to operate your camera, including ISO settings, white balance, and loading, editing and organizing jpgs on computer. Class will also cover basic photography techniques like composition and framing. Bring your camera and manual to each session. $80; $65 Gardens Friends.

Thurs., Jan. 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, March 4, 11, 18, 9-10:30 a.m.

Plant Propagation

Select your favorite plants and learn a step-by-step process to raise them from seed or cuttings and then plant in your own garden. Here is your chance to learn some propagation techniques through hands–on experience with expert guidance from Duke Gardens staff. $95; $75 Gardens Friends.

Sunday, Jan. 17, 2-4 p.m.
Italian Gardens: Contrasting Classical and Contemporary Garden Style

Spend an afternoon in armchair travel as we visit gardens across Italy. College professor Greg Pierceall has been making a special study of Italian gardens, touring each summer with landscape architecture students. Join us for a review of how classical techniques and design strategies are reinterpreted to serve contemporary garden goals. Take home a refreshed view of strategies to use in your own garden. $15; $10 Gardens Friends.

Monday-Wednesday, Jan. 18-20, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Landscape Design Workshop

Refine and refresh your landscape design skills in this three-day intensive workshop. College professor Greg Pierceall will focus on design techniques and strategies and then work with you on graphic presentation skills. The workshop will be run as a studio, with quick intensive design challenges, in-class critiques and an energetic pace that fosters exploration and discovery. $215; $175 Gardens Friends.

Friday and Monday, Jan. 22 and 25, noon-5 p.m.
Photoshop for the Nature Photographer

Photographer Paul Salazar will teach how to configure Photoshop, using camera raw image processing, making selections and masking, darkroom effects, filters and color management, and other useful Photoshop features. Class will meet in a computer lab setting. $120; $85 Gardens Friends.

Also, registration for our Nature Adventures Camp in June is open now, and we're seeking vendors for the April 24 Plant & Craft Festival.