Unlock the Potential of This Environmentally Friendly Backyard Concept

First made popular in Africa, keyhole gardens are now being used all around the world. Once you hear about how they work and the benefits, you’ll quickly see why.

Keyhole gardens are circular, raised gardens with a path in the middle that allows access to the entire space. Within a six-foot radius, you have your compost pile, your vegetable garden and your water source. A strategic layering system establishes a nutrient-rich base for your garden. The compost basket sits in the middle of the garden, providing nutrients to the plants.

Aside from convenience, keyhole gardens are the most environmentally responsible garden you can use in hot, dry, climates. Additionally, they have the added bonus of delivering a lot of food with very little work because of their compact size.

If you want to give it a try, here are a few basics to get you started.

Building

The site of your garden should be in a sunny location on your property, preferably easily accessed from your kitchen. Next, decide what you want to use to construct the structure. You don’t want to use materials that will decompose quickly. Brick, stone, cedar or locust saplings would all work. You can have an elaborate or simple design—be creative.

Your keyhole garden may need to become taller as your compost basket fills so be sure you keep that in mind and don’t design it too short. Start by making it about two feet high, with the option to make it taller as you need to.

Next, design your compost basket. It should be about two-feet in diameter and a foot taller than your existing exterior wall. A chicken wire basket is sufficient because it’s not solid—the nutrients in the basket need to be able to be released into the garden. Place your composting basket just inside the keyhole.

Layering

Now begin layering the ingredients to fill the garden inside the structure:

• The bottom layer should have branches, rocks, or broken clay pots about three inches deep to provide some drainage.

• Then comes your carbon layer, also known as “browns.” Browns are things that used to be alive but are now “dead.” Add a layer of cardboard (TV boxes are great to work with), then straw and/or leaves. This brown layer needs to be three times deeper than the next layer. So if your garden is three feet high make this layer two and a half feet high.

• Next you have your nitrogen layer or “greens.” This can be grass clippings, coffee grounds you’ve collected from your favorite coffee shop, food scraps… anything fresh. (Don’t use all grass clippings here as they may mat and not break down properly.)

• Finally add your soil, about 6 inches deep. Try to fill the soil so that it slopes down toward the edge of the garden. This will help with drainage.

Planting

Keyhole gardens are best for greens, radishes, broccoli, beans, etc. It’s not the garden for tall or deep-rooted crops like potatoes. Grow at least four different things in the garden to help use the soil’s nutrients wisely. You could run right out and make the structure out of chicken wire and plant greens in it for fall. Try spinach, kale, turnip greens and chard.

To prolong the growing season, make a “top” out of a floating row cover fabric or a poly/plastic sheet for greenhouse structures and have fresh greens on your table from your garden at Thanksgiving.

Composting
You’re probably wondering, “What did I make that basket thing for?” We’re back to greens and browns. Begin filling the compost basket in the center of your keyhole. It is just like a compost pile. Add layers of browns and greens and as the magic of decomposition sets in, the nutrients and moisture released will feed and water your vegetables.

It’s still a good idea to add water once a week if it doesn’t rain. But, you don’t need to drag a hose out there! Did you boil water for potatoes? Dump that in. Cooking corn for dinner? Dump that water into the basket. Use the “gray water” from around your home and save resources. Filtering through the compost cleans it out so it’s safe to use. The compost you are adding along with the gray water will keep the soil fed and the garden productive for several seasons.

How to Create a Pollinator-Friendly Growing Space

Did you know that one in every three bites of food we eat is courtesy of insect pollination? Think of it this way—one of the three meals you ate today, you can thank a pollinator for. Counter that fact with a not-so-good statistic—U.S. honeybee populations are declining at a rate of 44 percent or more.

But, this issue goes way beyond honeybees. Honeybees are an imported species. There are 3,500 species of native bees that actually do more foraging per day than the honeybee. There are also moths, wasps, butterflies, bats, beetles, flies and some birds that are all out there working hard to pollinate.

Helping our pollinators thrive is simple: When they are provided with a safe habitat, they will return. Thankfully, the City of Lynchburg is abuzz with good news to help our pollinator populations. A few recent headlines include:
• Randolph College is the 9th college in the nation and the first in the state of Virginia to be certified as a part of the Bee Campus USA program.
• The City of Lynchburg became the 87th city in the U.S. to be recognized as part of the Bee City USA movement sponsored by the Xerces Society.
• And lastly, Blue Ridge Conservation, a joint effort of both the Hillside and Lynchburg garden clubs, has planted two pollinator gardens in the city along with LEAF (Lynchburg Expressway Enhancement Fund). The goal of all these groups is to help declining pollinator populations by doing what we can to slow or stop habitat loss, increase plant food sources in order to provide better nutrition, and reduce pesticide exposure.

So—how can you make a difference and contribute to this movement?

Here are a few ways to make sure your garden is pollinator-friendly.

Limit Chemicals:
Before using a chemical, really weigh whether you must use it at all. Some people have adopted a “don’t spray until dusk” policy with pesticides, claiming that bees don’t feed at dusk. Herbicides are responsible for much of the decline in food sources for pollinators that are so critical to our food production.

Provide Food:
Invite pollinators to inhabit your yard by creating a habitat where they can find a diverse population of flowering native or naturalized plants (see sidebar) as well as egg laying or nesting sites. When choosing what to plant in an area, do some research on what that plant does. Look for plants that provide both nectar (food) and that are host plants (a place where the young can grow and feed). If you include as few as five different kinds of each of these in your green space, you have done a lot to provide a place for foraging pollinators to rest.

Create Nesting Sites:
Once pollinators have a food source, they will need places to nest and overwinter.

Be slow to clean up your garden in the fall. Instead of feeling like you must mow and pull every dead flower or vegetable, let it stand. These dead stems make excellent sites for pollinators to lay eggs. Keep some leaves on your property for hibernation spots. Make a pile of sticks somewhere for shelter.

Let dead trees stand unless they endanger you or your property. If you designate a third of your available landmass to be left in this “natural” state, you have created a pollinator-friendly overwintering environment that can increase the odds of their survival. This may have the added benefit of reducing the pest populations in our gardens as many of the pollinators also feed on other insects.

Build a Habitat Structure:
If you want to commit to helping pollinators in a more serious way, you can build a variety of habitat structures. One of the more elaborate designs is the Pollinator Palace.

In July, students from the Regional Governor’s School summer camp attended a tour of the Pest House at Old City Cemetery. While there, they also constructed a Pollinator Palace.

Here is how to get started:
Location
Place your palace away from well-used paths around your home. About a 10-foot radius is all that is needed to keep the inhabitants undisturbed while they settle in. The Pollinator Palace at Old City Cemetery is located between two winterberry and serviceberry trees, both of which are food sources in the environment.

Your structure should be in the direct sun in the morning and can be in partial shade in the afternoon. A nearby occasionally wet muddy spot is ideal but not required. Think of a spot where you might have a shallow puddle after a rainstorm for a few hours.

Construction
We wanted our site to stay tidy—because Old City Cemetery is a public garden—so we began with a layer of cardboard to suppress weeds. We then covered any openings with wire mesh, to prevent groundhogs from setting up house. (Pollinators are welcome, but not groundhogs!)

Then you begin the process of layering pallets and placing prospective “home sites” on each. Be sure you place the materials about three inches in from the edge of the palette so they do not get too hot in the sun and to also prevent rain from flooding out your “guests.”

Provide different materials (brick, pipe, etc.) with various size holes for diverse pollinators to enter. Unlike honeybees, other pollinators are mostly solitary dwellers. The adult will enter one of these provided holes and store pollen or bugs, such as caterpillars, and lay its eggs in the opening.

Then, when the young hatch, their first meal is close by. They then chew or eat their way out of their nest and move on to complete their life cycle and pollinate their preferred crop for the new season.

Add a roof to protect the structure. We nailed on these bulb crates and planted lantana and thyme for food and cooling.

(Plus, it’s just cute!)

Additional pots and plants surround the palace to entice our guests to stick around a while. The pots were filled with pinecones, flowers, or a small amount of soil for pollinators that burrow.

Maintenance
This structure should be usable for 4-5 years depending on how fast the pallets decompose. Once you are sure the pollinators have left their nests, it is a good idea to clean the different elements to prevent mites from taking up residence. Remove what nesting sites you can from the structure. Clean with a 1:3 bleach to water solution by submerging the brick or pipe. Replace the bamboo, grass and twigs yearly to keep your palace pest free.

A guide to creating a garden

If you are short on space or time, the intense planting that occurs in a “pocket garden” yields very big rewards. Pocket gardens are not a new concept. Those of us who are addicted to plants have created them in our spaces for years by layering plant upon plant—whether vegetables or ornamentals—in the soil and on our porches or balconies.

Pocket gardens have recently resurfaced as trendy stars in the world of gardening—we even have a brand new “pocket park” in Downtown Lynchburg. (Learn more about that project on page 21.) The basic idea is to take the barren, empty spaces around your yard and turn them into intensely planted areas. Put your creativity to work and look for underutilized surfaces around your home, apartment, condo, business, your child’s school and “go green”—even up the walls! In fact, especially up the walls. Dream big with endless possibilities.

Before you get too deep into the details of what and how to plant, you need to decide
what purpose you want your garden to serve.

It can be designed to help you achieve any of the following things:

Create a barrier to block out ugly views or traffic

A retaining wall, a raised bed or just an elongated bed can provide the structure for the barrier. Fill it with screening trees like arborvitae and other plants to reduce noise pollution and block the views of the city streets.

Create a place for reflection, conversation, reading or al fresco dining

By placing a pocket garden in the more intimate areas of your yard or enclosing a small area for a special purpose, you can “carve” a cozy space out of your larger landscape.

Remember a few years back when “garden rooms” were all the rage? This is a similar, but simpler idea. A seldom-used patio seems much more important when you’ve given attention to making it a special retreat. Build a wall, layer plants, enclose the space with planted beds, cover it with a pergola and then plant on top of that for a green ceiling.

Imagine sitting by a fire pit in the fall or the bubbling of a fountain in the background during the summer—it doesn’t get much lovelier. >>

Create a welcoming arrival area for family and guests

Placed either along your front walk or parking area, you can create a sweep of lush vegetation that invites visitors and family. As they travel through it, they will enjoy the green space.

Create a purpose for wasted, dull space.

A lot of homes and apartments have wasted space between the parking pad and the door.

You may have a partly enclosed area by your garage or one wall of your house that is creating a dead zone. If it’s a sunny area, you could trellis a rose or two up the wall and underplant it with perennials such as catmint (nepeta), German thyme, or a low-growing carex variety. While you are planting, you can leave space to add bulbs like bearded iris, daffodils, or crocosmia. In addition, you could also choose to add a few flowering annuals that you can have blooming to brighten the space all summer.

Basically, you want to create a lush space that feels like a little oasis in what was once a dull and uninteresting area that you just passed through on your way to the front door.

Create a focal point in your landscaping

Do you have a yard with no real interesting features? Lay or plant a path that leads to your pocket garden and make that your focal point in the distance to draw people into the yard. Once you know what it is you want to achieve with your
design, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get busy. Here are a few considerations and precautions as you plan and plant your personal oasis:

Planning Considerations

• Any kind of plant, succulent, shrub, vine or tree has the
potential to be used as long as its growing requirements can be satisfied in the spot you are designing. You are only limited by your imagination.

• The point is to create an intensely planted space with multiple levels of vegetation in order to keep you engaged in the garden. This should not be an area where you have a lot of mulch between plants. If you are on a budget and can’t do it all at once—
no worries. Just keep your end game in mind and every season, add a detail that fits into your plan.

• The amount of color is up to you. You can choose either a calming or a stimulating palette of plants as long as it suits your style.
Also, be sure that you choose a plan that you can maintain.
For example, if you don’t have three hours on a weekend to water and deadhead annual flowers, then you may want to limit how many different blooming pots you use and incorporate more houseplant or shrub plants.

• You can add interest with different elements such as a few colorful seasonal pots or an architectural detail like a wrought iron remnant in either a functional or decorative capacity. Also, consider hanging a mirror on the wall to make the area appear larger.

• If the space is large enough, add in cozy seating (a café table for two) or a water feature to enhance the overall experience.

Planting Precautions

• If you want to use a tree in your pocket garden, consider smaller options like a ginkgo, crepe myrtle or Japanese maple.

• If you plant shrubs, use varieties that won’t sucker and/or spread (for example—forsythia, lilacs or Virginia sweetspire will spread) as they may crowd out your other desired features.

• Connected to the above, when selecting your plants make sure you allow room for them to reach their mature height and width without crowding out your walkways, paths or other areas that you want to remain clear and passable.

Structures for Privacy

• Bamboo fence rolls from a landscape store create instant walls and privacy. It may look flimsy but it is quite durable with proper maintenance.

• Grouping traditional trellises in a way that pleases you can provide additional places for hanging plants, candles or string lights.

• Deck railing used vertically instead of horizontally is also a fantastic “wall” material.

• Using recycled wooden pallets is economical and versatile. Pallets are very sturdy and the possibility for what you can hang on them is endless. Anything from grow bags to tin cans with holes for planting will work. (Find more ideas on Pinterest.)

Not only do pocket gardens encourage creativity, they can be maintained more easily. By arranging plants in this intensive way, there is less need for mulching and weeding. If your plants are not in pots, you will conserve water because the plants will shade the soil and keep the soil temperatures lower.

So, what are you waiting for? Go take a walk around your home. Look for that “boring” area and plan where you will create your own personal oasis to be enjoyed for years to come.

Limited (or Nonexistent) Yard?

Consider Creating A Green Wall

If you are out and about or pay attention on social media, you probably already know that green walls are everywhere these days—from shopping malls to restaurants to businesses.

One idea for those in apartments—hang a large piece of wide window-paned chicken wire and make a living wall out of succulents “stuffed” into the wire and filled with slightly damp moss. They’ll make it in our growing zone with just a few light waterings for an entire summer. (If it’s 3×3 you can attach the wire with a nail or a hook at the top and two on each side so the wind won’t blow it around.

If it’s larger then you may need to staple the chicken wire to a wood frame.)

Another idea is to attach screw-in-eye bolts to the ceiling every eight inches,
add string or wire and build a vertical wall across the front of your balcony.

Add potted plants below the hanging string that will entwine and climb the string
and you’ve created a green screen that will produce some shade as well.

Kaye Moomaw

By Kaye Moomaw
Photos by LaShonda Delivuk

In this age of screens and 24-hour-a-day availability, we all need ways to unhook from electronics. Going outside and participating in the natural world improves both your physical and mental health. The same is true for children.

Bedford Hills Elementary School in Lynchburg has been using their school garden since 2008 to help young students explore nature while learning at the same time. “The garden functions as an outdoor classroom for the school and we have great, creative teachers who use it in all different ways,” says Kris Lloyd, who founded the Roots and Shoots Garden when her children were students at the school.

As a member of the Hill City Master Gardeners, Hillside Garden Club and Blue Ridge Conservation Coalition, Lloyd is committed to enriching our local gardening community—starting with our youngest members. “The garden makes them so curious—even if we are simply weeding they look at the roots, worms and insects. They ask the best questions!” she says.

Now that temperatures are warmer and days are longer, you can turn your home garden into a classroom for your children or grandchildren. You don’t need any strict curriculum—just go outside and simply see what’s happening around you. Below are a few ideas to get you started:

Plant some flowers, herbs or vegetables together. Your garden doesn’t have to be big; one cherry tomato plant that a child tends to all by himself has huge rewards. Watching the vines grow, flower and then seeing baby fruit ripen to red is the beginning of a love of growing things. Even a child who has never liked tomatoes will usually try one, and most often exclaim it is the “best tomato ever” when they have grown it. Squash is satisfying for kids to grow.

It has big flowers, big leaves and makes a satisfying “pop” when you pick it! Watermelon and pumpkins will probably come to mind if you really get excited about growing as a family. They are a bit more complicated—however, your student may enjoy measuring the vine as it crawls across the yard.

Practice math skills by having your child count how many tomatoes, green beans or zinnias they pick. An older child can keep a running total and practice addition skills. They can estimate what they think their total yield off one plant will be. Then, see if their prediction was correct. All of these abstract math and science skills in books come to life when your young gardener is at work.

Use field guides, binoculars or a hand lens to encourage observation of plants and animal life.

Teach your children at a young age that not all bugs are “bad.” A few good tools can show you what eggs, pupae, caterpillar and moth of the same insect look like over the course of the garden season. These observations they make deepen a child’s understanding of the natural world and teach them about different life cycles. In the Roots and Shoots Garden, a former father of some students donated bird boxes. Today, the purple martins and bluebirds are enjoyed and observed by everyone. “Students have also loved tracking the bluebird trail boxes with the bluebirds and tree swallows. That activity leads to great discussion of habitat and what it is about our schoolyard habitat that birds like so much,” says Lloyd.

Encourage your child to keep a nature journal with a picture of a bird nest and/or bird. Record how many eggs are in the nest.

Look up and see how many days the mother bird has to take care of the babies until they are fledglings. Watch for the day they fly away. Did they all make it? There are great STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills at work here as well as spelling and composition.

Find ways to tell the history of your crops. You can check out some Native American history books from the library and teach your children about the three sisters—beans, corn and squash. Or, plant a garden that includes some of your family favorites and make recipes from your grandmother. I have some Norwegian heritage, and my grandmother was a mid-westerner. I could plant rhubarb and make her jelly and sweet rolls as a way to showcase my family heritage. If you are Irish you could talk about the Great Potato famine. The possibilities are endless to connect your garden, nature and the stories we share.

Use plants or produce for some “hands-on” activities. Make a special “living” fort out of sunflowers lashed together at the top. Or, construct a green bean teepee: using tomato sticks or dowels, plant runner beans so they will climb up the sticks entwining them until covered. They can rule over their own green kingdom that they help take care of. A personal garden spot made for a child invites relaxation and discovery.

Research how to plant according to the lunar cycles.

This is a great project for a junior high student. You can plant the various crops at just the right time for good seed germination and harvesting. This information is available in the Farmers’ Almanac. Now, you’re discussing astronomy and probably looking at constellations together.

With any of the above activities, try to let the child lead the conversation when something has made them curious. Ask questions that further the development of their use of the scientific method by letting them propose the answer. Then work together to research if they are correct. You will also have to work with younger children on how to “be gentle” when exploring nature, especially with a bird’s nest.

You don’t have to give your child a quiz at the end of the day, when your time in the garden is over. Know that by introducing your child to the world of gardening, you are making an impact on their life that will carry on into adulthood.

“If you grow lettuce and peas and radishes to make a salad as a second grader, or help feed the worms in the worm bin, or watch the caterpillar go through its life cycle in your classroom, you will be more engaged with the natural world as an adult,” says Lloyd.

“I think there is lots of joy in that for many adults.”

Herbal Expertise
A guide to growing your favorite flavorful plants

Herbs have been part of our kitchens and medicine chests since medieval times, when herbal wisdom was abundant in every community and home. Today the appreciation for herbs is rising again.

Herbs are wonderful additions to a landscape—rubbing your hand across rosemary or lavender as you walk by gives a momentary lift to your spirits. Adding herbs to a meal stimulates your digestive system and your appetite preparing you to eat. Herbs also provide a nutritional boost with the vitamins they contain.

Best of all—growing them requires very little effort.

Choosing the Right Spot

The first order of business is deciding where to plant your herbs. They need about five hours of sunlight a day to be their best. If they don’t get enough sun, they get long stalks and few leaves. This makes for an unattractive, unproductive plant.

Also, don’t plant your herbs in a windy environment. Planting near a brick or stone wall can provide both protection and a warm environment for your kitchen herbs. A spot between your driveway and sidewalk could be used for a wonderful raised kitchen garden. Alternatively, you could lay stone paths through the area and let herbs grow over them.

Helping Your Herbs Thrive

The next step to having a successful herb garden is making sure you’re using the right soil. If you don’t know what type of soil you have, you can do a simple test in a mason jar with a twist-on lid. Fill the jar halfway with soil then add water until the jar is full. Shake the jar well. If the water is distributed through the soil or leaves about a third of the water undistributed, it is acceptable. (You can see photos of the Mason Jar Soil Test online.) If needed, you can amend your soil with compost and/or sand to improve the texture.

Basil, chervil, coriander, dill, lovage and sage prefer rich, balanced soils. Sandier soils are preferred by lavender, thyme, tarragon and rosemary. Cultivation information can be found on seed packages, plant tags or from the nurserymen where you are purchasing. It is assumed that most herbs thrive in hot sun with well-draining soil. But some, like lemon balm, parsley and chamomile, need conditions to be a little bit cooler so they don’t wilt in the afternoon sun. The more you know about your plants’ growing conditions and habits, the more successful you’ll be.

Some herbs, such as mint and oregano, spread and get messy over time. You can contain them by planting these herbs in a grid pattern with pavers. Separating them like this also gives you a way to walk through for harvesting.

Herbs like to dry out between watering—none of them want to have wet feet constantly. To be sure it’s time to water again you can stick your index finger in the soil about an inch deep. If it’s dry, water. If it’s damp, wait.

Growing in Pots

One idea for those with limited space is to grow herbs in pots. This will allow you to give your herbs exactly what they need.

When choosing a pot, it is best if it drains into a saucer and is at least 6 inches in diameter. If you want to grow parsley or basil, your pot should be around 20 inches deep because they have long taproots. If your pots don’t have drainage holes, add a layer of stones or clay shards at least two inches deep in the bottom of the pot before planting. If you are buying your herbs from a nursery, make sure you buy, or have on hand, a pot that is twice as big as the pot you purchased them in. Re-pot your herbs quickly in the appropriate soil and give their roots plenty of room. It is better to have your pot too large rather than too small.

You can always combine herbs that require the same conditions in larger pots to simplify. Window boxes are also great choices for growing herbs. Watch for dry soil—potted plants need more water than those planted in the ground.

Herbs in the Off Season

Thyme, rosemary and lavender plants all do fairly well for me overwintering outside. If it’s mild, I sometimes will find mint and oregano still growing near the warm stone wall in my raised bed. What a treat to have fresh mint in hot tea on a cold day!

Other herbs such as parsley and basil will hang on by a thread until spring after I move them inside for the winter. Herbs should be ignored when brought in—give them only the minimum amount of water. For the best chance of survival, move these herbs out to your covered porch when temperatures are mild.

To overwinter your larger pots of herbs, pull them up close to your house and cover with mulch or wrap.

Harvesting and Storing Your Herbs

You can enjoy your herbs even after the growing season by planning ahead. Begin storing your herbs at their peak. And don’t rush. If done incorrectly, your herbs will quickly spoil. Here are a few harvesting tips:

• Their flavor is best when harvested on a dry day after the dew has evaporated and before the sun is hot. Also, keep your herbs from producing flowers, which ruins the taste, by pinching them back.

• Most herbs can be dried by hanging small bunches in a dry room out of the sun. Once they are brittle, you can run your fingers down the stem and store the leaves in a jar with a tight lid.

• Basil, dill and fennel can be frozen on the stalk when they are picked young, small and in perfect shape. Wash them and let them dry. Lay them on a towel on a cookie sheet, flash freeze and store in a freezer container. Fresh dill can be stored in a fridge for two weeks or more in a little water.

• Flowers like borage and calendula can be clipped off the plant leaving no stem and dried on a cookie cooling rack until they feel like tissue paper to the touch. These are also best stored in jars.

Place your herb jars out of direct sunlight to prolong freshness. Your herbs will store well for a year.

All of my favorite herbs are easily started from seeds so don’t be afraid of trying different herbs that can take you on a culinary journey! When you have grown your herbs yourself, you know they are fresh, pesticide-free and have optimal flavor.

My Favorite Performers
Check out a few of the herbs
I love to use in my kitchen.

• Lovage is a striking, perennial herb that tastes like celery. It can grow up to 6 feet tall!

• Rosemary is beautiful and hardy here when planted in a warm spot. It’s a very aromatic herb and it makes a great addition to poultry. It’s a food source for bees when flowering.
You can start new plants easily from cuttings or layering branches.

• Basils can add endless flavors to foods and vinegars because there are so many varieties to grow.

• Dill is beautiful, easy and like most herbs also draws beneficial insects. Keep the blooms “pinched back” to get the most production.

• Parsley adds a nice touch to salads. It will keep in a vase of water by your sink as you use it.

Caring for Cut Flowers
Before bringing those lovely blooms inside, learn the “dos and don’ts” of taking care of your bouquet

Surrounding ourselves with flowers can improve our physical and mental health. Flowers stimulate our dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin levels—the happy chemicals in our brain. They also remind us to slow down and enjoy them before they are gone. Because as we all know, cut flowers don’t last forever. While that’s part of their charm, there are a few things you should do (and not do) to make them last as long as possible.

Do give your flowers a “spa treatment” before arranging. This is commonly called “conditioning.” I use a Chrysalis floral conditioner during this step. Fill a bucket about a third of the way up with water, making sure every stem reaches the water. Put the bucket with flowers in a cool, dark room for about three hours and allow them to rest. This will lengthen vase life by maybe four days. Follow the directions on your flower food exactly.

Don’t use a dirty container. You should never reuse a vase without washing it first. A good rule is to add a few drops of bleach mixed in water to your vases after each use and let them soak before you wash and then put them away. If your glass vase gets “cloudy” over time you can clean it with vinegar, a dishwasher rinse aid, or a toilet bowl cleaner.

Do pay attention to the water temperature. The water in your vase should be tepid—something you would like to have your feet in! And a caution here to those using a water softener: the added salts in your water will sometimes kill the flowers. If your flowers always die quickly, this may be why.

Don’t obsess over floral “foods.” Using these for cut flowers is fine but not necessary. There are all kinds of tricks people use—a penny in the vase, a shot of gin or vodka, an aspirin, or floral food packs. The best food for your plants is simply keeping the water clean.

Do remove all the leaves that will be below the water line in your vase. Not only do they look ugly, they rot, smell and make your vase water look disgusting.

Don’t use dull clippers when cutting your stems. Stems that look “stringy” when cut show it’s time to sharpen your clippers. After this step do not get distracted by your kids, the phone or your dog. Move them into your prepared water quickly so the stems don’t close.

Do have some fun arranging your flowers. There is no right or wrong—place your flowers in the vase in a way that pleases you!

Don’t spray or mist your arranged flowers. This can cause fungal issues.

Do be prepared to troubleshoot problems. If you notice a flower either not opening or wilting, remove it from your vase. Re-cut the stem and place it in hot water from your tap. Leave it in the hot water until the water temperature has cooled. Also, place flowers out of the direct sun and/or away from heat ducts.

Don’t forget to do some maintenance. Every two to three days, re-cut your stems and change the water so your flowers stay hydrated.

Pro Tips on Some of Lynchburg’s Favorite Blooms:

• Hellebores are the first to bloom and we are anxious for flowers. Resist the urge to cut them too soon. Wait until a seed pod is formed in the center of the flower before you cut it.

• Harvest your peonies when they are soft like a marshmallow and not after they’ve blown open.

• Hydrangeas should feel like paper when you cut them. Strip all the leaves off the stem. Condition them up to their necks in water with a flower food. Cover their heads with damp paper towels and leave them to sit in your basement for a couple hours. Use care when arranging them as they drink water out of a vase much faster than you think.

• If those lilies or roses you bought just won’t open, trim the stems by about an inch and stick them in HOT water. Force the issue!

• Soft necked flowers, like a zinnia, that just won’t stand tall can be made to behave by sticking a toothpick deeply through the center of the flower into the stem. Stick it far enough in that the “trick” is invisible to others.

The image flashed before my eyes for only a split second. But once seen, it cannot be unseen. Despite years of trying, I cannot shake my horror at realizing I’d foolishly delivered a lovely little chickadee on a silver platter for my cat’s supper. It happened like this: My friend Joyce Coleman is a brilliant bird photographer. Awed by her masterful bird photos, I sought her advice on tricks of the trade. She shared that she placed her bird feeders outside the window by her office desk and kept her camera ready for when a flicker came into her peripheral vision. The birds, emboldened by her benign presence behind glass, didn’t flutter away when she took up her camera to snap shots.

Duly impressed and in haste to follow suit, I didn’t account for my desk being on the front of the house, the “high side” of our property (house placement that Hill City folks understand). Since these windows were our closest to the ground, a six-foot pole to hold the bird feeder put it at the right height for photos. And also perfectly situated for Shadow, our athletic young farm cat, to take advantage of another failure in my planning. The feeder pole was nestled in mature boxwoods, which gave Shadow excellent cover for easy hunting at the feeder.

As a farm-toughened old gal who’s witnessed firsthand how the food chain works, I’m not naïve about predator-prey relationships and don’t swoon when nature takes its course.

But when I saw Shadow’s fully extended claws clinging on each side of the feeder and his fangs sink into that unsuspecting little bird, my heart stopped. I knew this wasn’t just nature at work; the poor bird didn’t have a chance. I’d set him up for the kill. Joyce kindly comforted me with the reminder that this is what cats are wired to do, but still…

Placement of Feeders
So, lesson #1 about creating a wild bird sanctuary is to attract them with sensibly placed feeders. Needless to say, I immediately moved that front yard feeder to a more cat-proof location and placed it on a longer pole. I found an excellent pole system with extenders at Wild Birds Unlimited (wbu.com), and I moved the feeders around the yard several times before deciding on just the right spot.

Through trial and error, I ruled out under the large old oak tree with branches that hung over the deck and terrace. While feeders at the edge of the terrace provided fine viewing from both outdoor and indoor vantage points, the oak branches that hung high over the terrace to provide lovely summer shade also served as an appealing perch/staging area for birds queued up for the feeders. The problem? Bird droppings on our seating/eating area.

After other attempts with various shortfalls, I finally found the ideal home for our feeders to launch a successful wild bird sanctuary that co-existed peacefully and safely with our four cats—the one gymnast and three others considerably less aggressive and agile. The location was the back yard near sunroom windows for pleasurable viewing. This required considerable pole extension/bracing, which made the feeders safe from predators—cats and others—but it put them out of reach from the ground for the required twice-daily replenishment during the winter “busy season.”

Placing the poles and feeders close to windows was the answer.

With his long reach, Tim got the job of opening the windows, removing empty feeders from their poles, and carrying them about eight feet to the deck for refilling. And Shadow got the job of watching the now-safe birds through the sunroom windows.
We called it his “kitty TV.”

Squirrels were never a problem for our bird feeders because squirrels didn’t venture from the plentiful woods surrounding the cow pastures that encircled our farm house and yard. If you want a bird sanctuary but battle squirrels snatching the bird seed, squirrel-proof locations and feeders (such as those that close access to contents when the weight of squirrels lands on the base) are necessary.

Bears are another matter altogether, and conventional wisdom is to remove your bird feeders if bears are an issue in your neighborhood.

Shelter
As with all creatures, birds need shelter for resting and nesting, as well as for safe access to food. I attribute our success in creating a wild bird sanctuary largely to the great feeding location we finally established after my front-yard fiasco. Our eventual—and permanent—location of feeders was within a few feet of a mature native viburnum bush that provided an ideal perch for birds to queue up for access to the feeders. Cardinals, finches, red-winged blackbirds, tufted titmouses (or is it titmice?), juncos, blue jays, house wrens, sparrows, chickadees, towhees, red-headed woodpeckers, and many more all flocked to the upper thicket of viburnum twigs to wait their turn.

Dozens of birds of all varieties somehow worked out the order of the queue and rarely squabbled over their place in line. Well, occasionally a bossy blue jay or red-winged blackbird would flex his muscle and shoo smaller birds away, but it was a remarkably orderly procession of birds all day long, especially in extreme cold or snow. The viburnum filled with birds lined up for a feeding frenzy was a sure predictor of wintry weather! And is there anything more gorgeous than a vibrant male cardinal (or a flock of them) on a snowy day?

Years of bird watching confirmed that this native viburnum offered respite and release from fear of predators that were too heavy to ascend to the bird queue on the twiggy level. And being able to hide in a thicket of twigs kept bully birds from zooming in and intimidating smaller, less confrontational birds.

Our old-fashioned volunteer native red cedars along the backyard fence line, a sure sign of old farmland, provided a perfect nesting/breeding place for many of our wild birds. Other wild birds preferred our yard oaks, magnolias, and other trees, while bluebirds enjoyed nesting, laying eggs, and nurturing their young until they fledged in human-crafted bluebird boxes. Our bluebird boxes on six-foot poles were also challenged by our Shadow’s jumping skills, but we foiled his attempts at levitation to raid the nests with numerous tricks that mostly involved creating an unreceptive landing platform.

Food and Water
Your bird food and feeders will, of course, reflect your preferences for which birds you attract. We maintained five feeders: Two were general feeders primarily loaded with store-bought sunflower seeds (with black oil sunflower seeds most valuable in winter) or a general high-quality birdseed mixture (carefully staying away from less nutritious feeds with high “filler” content). We also added suet in blocks affixed to the ends of one of the feeders to fuel the birds during hard winter.

To truly invite birds into your yard, fill your gardens with native plants that offer birds their flower nectar, berries, and seeds, as well as host insects, for feeding them as designed in nature. Grow your own native sunflowers, asters, purple cornflowers, liatris, hyssops, and many more. One of my all-time favorites is winterberries, since we could enjoy our share for holiday decorating and leave the rest to the birds who’ll swoop in for a feast when the berries are past their toxic stage and perfectly ripe.

Our two finch feeders offered Niger seed that was well-appreciated by our finches when nothing in our garden was of greater appeal. If natural seeds are available, such as native rudbeckia (black-eyed Susans), finches will flock to them first and abandon the feeders for weeks, returning only after the garden supply is exhausted. After all, natural/local/native seeds were what they survived on before we “birders” started providing store-bought supplements. Native seeds continue to remain their preference, so it’s important to leave them when tidying up and putting the garden to bed for winter.

My fifth feeder was for hummingbirds. After buying a commercially prepared red sugar solution in my early birding years, I learned that the solution didn’t have to be red to attract them.

So we switched to creating our own sugar water, which worked just fine and, as we learned later, is safer. Again, as with finches and Niger seed, hummingbirds will enjoy your offering of sugar water, but they prefer nature’s own nectar when they can get it—and it’s better suited to meeting their nutritional needs.

Hummingbirds especially like garden plants with trumpet shaped flowers, such as penstemon, trumpet vine, beebalm, cardinal flower, red columbine, trumpet honeysuckle, and more. Most hummingbirds migrate south during our winters, but we can enjoy them during their times with us and be prepared to offer them a garden feast supplemented by sugar water while they grace us with their presence.

We all know water is essential to life for birds as well as humans, so if you want to sustain your bird habitat, a consistent source of fresh water is necessary. At our farm/bird sanctuary, we had a pond not too far from our yard and kept a pedestal birdbath filled with water in the backyard. Plus we had water bowls for our outdoor cats and dogs that were safely shared with birds whenever our feline and canine pets were napping, enjoying a sojourn indoors, or otherwise not lurking about in a threatening manner. Birds are very clever and quick at taking advantage of these opportunities for both garden foraging and water.

Everything in Its Season
I’m amazed at how easy it is to attract birds and create a thriving wild bird habitat if you just take the time to observe their behavior and create a habitat that consistently meets their needs. My years at the farm taught me how to slow down and detach from everyday cares to find peace, joy, exhilaration, and wisdom in nature and the fascinating world of birds.

One important lesson learned from our gardens and creating a bird sanctuary is that everything has its season, and every season inevitably gives way to the next. We know this in our heads from childhood, but it doesn’t truly sink into our hearts and souls until we’ve lived it ourselves. My 22-year season for intensive gardening and building a bird habitat closed in 2016 when Tim and I moved from our beloved farm into a condo in Lynchburg.

And now my four-year-plus season for writing garden stories and sharing photos with Lynchburg Living is closing with this 25th and final story. How fitting that I’m writing it on a beautiful snowy day since snow days were always my time at the farm to watch serenely the majestic parade of birds at our feeders and marvel at the spirited red cardinals against the hushed whiteness.

It has been a privilege and a pleasure to share my love of gardens, flowers, birds, conservation, nature, and of building community through gardening. I’m deeply grateful to Lynchburg Living for honoring me by publishing my garden stories in each of the past 25 issues. And I thank you, fellow garden-loving readers, for your encouragement and support, advice and photos. I hope you’ve taken away tidbits of knowledge and wisdom, a deeper understanding of our shared place in the natural world, and inspiration.

My next season will be devoting more time to caring for my beloved Tim and, when time permits, picking up my paint brushes—another love of my life from a previous season over 30 years ago.

WORDS & PHOTOS BY SUSAN TIMMONS

I take the gamble. Sometimes I win; sometimes I lose. But I never call it a real loss if the gamble is to plant amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus bulbs as potted houseplants and expect forced peak bloom precisely in time for a holiday party, Christmas Day, or a January Sunday display at church. This is the word of experience from years of trial and error with my Chancel Guild partner and friend, Nancy Brockman.

The good news is that these bulbs will inevitably give you the gorgeous display you seek. The not-so-good news is that they sometimes bloom earlier than expected per commercial instructions or take their merry ole time and decide to show off two weeks or more later. If you seek a surer calendar bet, you can buy these beauties locally at the last minute already (or almost) in full, glorious bloom for your special occasion. Plus, a good news bonus is that if you buy quality stock and give them proper care, the blooms will continue to bring joy for many weeks.

It’s fun to place a group of paperwhite bulbs in a pot of stones and water and watch nature progress from shoots to buds to full blooms. Their pungent aroma isn’t for everyone, but paperwhites, as well as amaryllis blooms, are indeed glorious! They don’t as obviously shout “Holiday Houseplant” as the more popular and always showy poinsettias with colorful bracts (not blooms, but modified leaves) that are seasonally for sale in grocery, big box, and other stores. Savvy marketers know poinsettias will bring in the bucks.

I’m not disparaging poinsettias, mind you. This species, indigenous to our neighboring Mexico, was named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States minister to Mexico, who introduced the plant to the U.S. in 1825. It has since become the bread-and-butter of colorful, reliable holiday houseplants.

I can’t recall a Christmas when I didn’t enjoy poinsettias enlivening my living room and other spots in my house that beg for holiday cheer. I’m still partial to poinsettias with old-fashioned red or white bracts but occasionally switch to pink, variegated, or other newer hybrids just for the sake of variety. And I do place the plastic store pots inside slightly larger drip-proof decorative pots (saved year-to-year just for this purpose) since I’m not partial to the look of their ubiquitous foil wrappers that sometimes spring a leak that could result in water damage to tables, rugs, and floors.

And I also like—and once had—an old-time holiday blooming houseplant favorite, Christmas cactus (which can also toy with the calendar and decide to bloom at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter). With so many varieties of beautiful colorful hothouse plants (blooming and foliage) readily available year-round these days, any variety in colors to complement your holiday décor and preferences is a great choice for festive holidays and, with proper care, can give weeks, months, or even years of houseplant pleasure beyond the holidays.

Reblooming

Most blooming houseplants from nurseries, big box and grocery stores, as well as other sources, come with instructions for care that vary according to the plant. I’ve found that many, such as inexpensive poinsettias, are delightful in their extended showy season, but typically aren’t worth the trouble to save and attempt to achieve their original beauty in subsequent seasons. There are exceptions, of course, and I once saw a magnificent old indoor poinsettia plant in the window of a dry-cleaning shop in our climate zone that could hold its own with those grown along roadsides in Mexico.

The lovely amaryllis (native to the Western Cape region of South Africa) is the one holiday blooming houseplant that friends most frequently inquire about reblooming techniques. When I lived on the farm, I simply planted spent holiday potted amaryllis bulbs directly in the ground in an outside garden with a very protected south-facing microclimate, and they rebloomed naturally in springtime of the following year and thereafter.

However, to keep your bulbs as houseplants, cut the bloom stalks within an inch of the bulbs after the flowers have faded, place in sunlight, and continue to water and fertilize so the leaves continue to grow and new leaves form. In springtime, after the last frost, place potted bulbs outdoors in a protected place, acclimating them gradually to direct sun, and move them back indoors in the fall before first frost. If moving them outdoors isn’t an option, give them lots of sunlight and good drainage indoors.

Interestingly, these are essentially the same reblooming techniques I used for my potted orchid collection, which topped 70 at one point. (Warning: orchids can become addictive, as I wrote in the January/February 2016 issue of Lynchburg Living.) Moving orchids outside to my screened back porch during summer and bringing them back inside just before fall’s first frost gave them a wide daily temperature range that set bloom spikes. Then, they’d begin blooming in January (but usually not in time for Christmas), with blooms lasting for months or longer as an antidote to winter doldrums once holiday décor has been packed away. FYI—Don’t try planting orchids outside in your garden. They’ll be goners with the first frost.

If you choose not to attempt reblooming, leftover poinsettias and other lingering and increasingly leggy holiday bloomers can be clustered with other houseplants in a window or sunroom grouping that allows enjoyment of lingering blooms but camouflages gangly stems.

In addition to orchids, a whole host of other blooming houseplants can serve as great mood enhancers during gray winter months, and there are options to fit every color scheme and space opportunity or constraint. Just remember that they need light to bloom, so windows or good grow lights are necessary if you want long term blooming pleasure. They may also have humidity needs that create requirements a bit tougher to meet in our homes unless you’re willing to mist regularly, run a humidifier, or place particularly needy plants near the kitchen sink or shower.

Why Bring Plants Indoors?

Indoor flowering plants are traced back thousands of years. History records flowerpots and other evidence of houseplants back to the Minoans on the island of Crete, Egyptians, and Indians. Romans even devised heated precursors to modern greenhouses to grow plants out of season or with different climate needs for indoor pleasures. Thus, humans became hooked on plants that required indoor care to thrive.

The Victorian 19th century solidified the passion for humans to enjoy plants from all parts of the world, made possible by glass houses, most splendidly exemplified by those at Kew Gardens in London. Thanks to these innovations, worldwide plant exchange offered the enticement of gorgeous exotic plants to those who had never known such gifts of nature existed. And, of course, being who and what we are, over time humans wanted these enticing plants in their own homes.

Houseplants became both status symbols and vehicles to satisfy our need for nature, gardening, and aesthetic beauty when we do not have available outdoor land, the climate to support plants we wish to grow, or the time, energy, or other resources for gardening. A collection of African violets (what lover of these sweeties can have just one?) or a single short-term cyclamen on a coffee table when company comes can bring joy in the form of beauty, ambiance, and serenity to our homes and lives.

They’re also great design and decorator tools for creating focal points in a room, filling gaps in décor, and sectioning or screening spaces. Plants are typically mobile and versatile in that you can move them away from window light for days or even weeks without harm for a special party or other purpose. Tip: Unless you have strong muscled help to do the heavy lifting, wheeled bases for large and/or heavy plants are necessary for those you wish to move around.

Plants in our indoor environments contribute to good health through the exchange of carbon dioxide exhaled from humans and oxygen emitted from plants as a waste product of photosynthesis, enhancing the oxygen availability for us humans. Studies have shown that plants in our indoor spaces also have a positive effect on our psychological well-being.

Flowers Aren’t the Whole Story

While flashy flowering plants grab our eye, foliage houseplants can give them a run for their money. They can climb, cascade, sport many leaf shapes and textures in endless shades of green and other sunlight-enhanced colors; and they can be combined in interesting groupings. Many houseplant aficionados start off with simple, tough, fairly foolproof houseplants like ficus tree, philodendron, peace lily, schefflera, spider or snake plant, and others that, within reason, tolerate a great deal of neglect or over-solicitude. Our success with these “work horse houseplants” emboldens us to try something a bit more challenging or requiring more nuanced care.

Many decades ago, my success with both a ficus tree and schefflera astounded me! I followed advice about medium light and not overwatering, and they steadily grew strong and healthy—and outgrew my home before I learned pruning techniques to keep them in check. So, I gifted them to my spacious, high-ceilinged office, where they continued to thrive.

I’ve certainly had my houseplant failures, such as a Norfolk Island pine that seemed to pine away despite my best efforts. Yet long-term successes that still amaze me include a huge decades-old jade plant and a ming aurelia that’s been under my care for more than 40 years. It’s now at least 7 feet tall with gnarly and twisted woody stems holding clumps of lacy leaves that give it the demeaner of an ancient bonsai. And it actually is a bonsai of sorts since it’s totally root bound, having never been re-potted in all this time. It’s a classic example of benign neglect working better than excessive attention, especially over-watering; and it looks way cool and artsy—like something out of a Chinese painting. (Hope I didn’t just jinx it!)

Care and Nurture

Now that I’ve confessed that I don’t always follow the rules, I’ll share a bit about the “rules” on potting houseplants. First, the pot must fit the size of the plant and its root ball with space to grow and support the plant. And it must drain unless you have such close communion with your plant that you’re able to monitor the moisture and let it dry out sufficiently between watering so roots don’t rot. My rule of thumb is to let houseplants dry out until they start to look slightly stressed before watering again. Knowing that magic time is a matter of observation and practice. To make room for normal growth patterns, the plants should be repotted when needed. Again, knowing when is learned by trial and error.

The potting medium should be suited to the plant. Many do well in commercial potting soil, while others, such as succulents need a sandier or more porous medium to facilitate drainage. And orchid roots need bark nuggets or another medium that offers air spaces to avoid over-saturation and root rot, which will bring on sure death of the plant.

Many foliage houseplants, such as philodendron and peace lily, will tolerate low light if window space is not available. Just remember if you use artificial light that they do need alternating times of light and darkness, as they would find in nature.

With knowledge and sensitivity to your houseplants, you too can be a “Plant Whisperer” and develop an innate sense of whether to water more or less. Move them closer to or farther from light. Repot or not.

One of the joys of houseplants is propagating and sharing them. Most of my houseplants have come as gifts from family and friends through division, slips, or other means of propagation. I’ve bought very few. Slips from one prolific lipstick plant are now vibrant houseplants for an entire group of my friends. My friend Robert Roberts told me a touching story about his grown daughter recently giving him a spider plant that she propagated from his long-deceased mother’s original plant. Most of my friends have stories of plants handed down from generation to generation.

I gave my son Reid a few orchids and cuttings from succulents that hadn’t rebloomed for me in the past couple of years. And they are now blooming for him in his house on the Chesapeake Bay! I’m always thrilled at seeing photos of his happy plants, and as my houseplant success diminishes, his grows. It makes my heart sing. You too can grow foliage plants that become interesting members of your family with lifespans that could even exceed your own.

Story & Photos by Susan Timmons

As passions go, gardening and art are at the top of my list. It’s pure joy to combine my love for flowers, plants, and indeed all nature, with my love for painting, sculpture, and other visual arts. I can’t pass by a blossom or interesting stick, shell, rock, or sloughed-off bark without taking pleasure in its shape, color, texture, or some other compelling characteristic.

Even as a small girl, I had a penchant for bringing newly discovered natural treasures home to savor their wonders for a while longer. This early pleasure gave rise to a lifetime of combining favorite finds in simple, unpretentious groupings with a flower and an interesting branch, or perhaps several of each, to enjoy the arrangement of the whole while featuring each special element.

This innate predilection, combined with an art degree and travel to Japan (where I felt a kinship with the Ikebana style of flower arranging), fueled my interest in floral arts and lured me to several Fine Arts & Flowers exhibitions at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond and a similar exhibition, named Art in Bloom, at the Taubman Museum in Roanoke in March 2017. There I reveled in the magic of the unique art form created from pairing museum masterworks with floral arts that interpret them to create works of art that transcend both.

Pairing Masterworks with Floral Arts

These exhibitions reflect a trend in recent decades in the U.S. toward floral design with an objective of story-telling, education, and enlightenment—a purpose deeper and more complex than merely presenting elegant, beautiful arrangements that conform to classical principles of design and current aesthetic norms. The arrangements are NOT a floral copy of the masterwork.

They engage, expand, and enrich the artistic experience, and the result is a new creation that is greater than the individual effect of either. This synergy not only enhances and enlivens the selected masterworks, but also has a practical effect of drawing large crowds and increasing knowledge and appreciation of the featured artworks, as well as offering floral artists a perfect venue for displaying their artistry.

According to Victoria Jane Ream, in her 1997 book, Art in Bloom, the concept of this art form was first conceived by Charles (Chuck) Thomas at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston with the first Art in Bloom exhibition in 1976. It was a raving success, and the concept quickly spread to museums across the U.S. in cities such as San Francisco, Birmingham, Denver, Detroit, Rochester, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Houston, New Orleans, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Hartford, Baltimore, and Richmond.

Today, these exhibitions, called by a variety of names, are a well-established practice. They continue to grow in popularity, expanding the museums’ visitor base and financial coffers through popular related events, such as galas and lectures.

Richmond’s VMFA organized its first museum-wide exhibition of Fine Arts & Flowers in 1987. This year the VMFA promises yet another spectacular biennial museum-wide FA&F exhibition of floral designs inspired by masterworks in their collection with 84 exhibitors from across the state. Floral designs will be created by members of the Garden Club of Virginia, Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, and other garden clubs in Virginia.

The 2018 exhibition will be Wednesday, October 24 through Sunday, October 28 and is free and open to the public Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The VMFA is promoting special events that kick off on October 24 and include renowned guest speakers, several luncheons, a luncheon-fashion show featuring designs by VCU students, workshops, docent guided exhibition tours, curator talks, and a variety of family activities. For a complete schedule and advance purchase of tickets (recommended), visit www.VMFA.museum/FAF or call 804-340-1405.

According to the VMFA website, “Proceeds from Fine Arts & Flowers events will benefit the inaugural tour of VMFA on the Road, the museum’s new artmobile for the 21st century. Through interactive learning experiences with staff educators, virtual-reality tours of VMFA exhibitions, and a traveling gallery of original artworks, VMFA on the Road will bring the museum experience directly to citizens in all areas of the Commonwealth.” This traveling gallery will, of course, enrich our own community here in Lynchburg.

Representing Lynchburg

Lynchburg has been well represented in previous VMFA Fine Arts & Flowers exhibitions by local Garden Club of Virginia member clubs, Hillside Garden Club and Lynchburg Garden Club. And the tradition continues this year. Imagine my excitement last December when I was invited to submit an entry into the 2018 FA&F exhibition, partnering with my fellow Hillside member and friend, Carter Paxton!

The next steps were an opportunity to prioritize masterwork preferences from a pre-selected list sent by exhibition chairs, assignment, and instructions to guide us through a polished process, including informative meetings at the VMFA and regular related communications. Our assignment is a 19th-century painting, A Boar Hunt in Poland, by the French artist Carle Vernet. Carter and I then started considering possibilities for our creation. Where to begin?

At our first meeting in Richmond, Carter and I not only received a private docent-led visit and discussion of our artwork, but we also were schooled by experienced, knowledgeable, energetic, and enthusiastic exhibition chairs on guidelines and factors to consider in our design toward a goal of enhancing and enlivening the masterworks, including:

• The subject matter of the work of art

• The aspects of culture and the historical time period of the work of art. Floral designers are not limited to only using design elements and materials that match the culture and historical period.

• The inspiration, mood, and meaning of the artist in creating the work of art

• Color – hue, value, and intensity

• Composition, line, shape, and pattern

• Positive and negative space

• Shape and form

• Mood

• The effects of light

• Texture

• Medium and materials

• Scale of the work of art

• How the viewer connects and reacts to the work of art

Well-organized exhibition chairs gave us logistical details pertaining to display pedestals, arrangement size constraints, lighting, and the required written description to explain how we created our floral art to be shared with visitors. They also shared information on floral and container requirements, set-up day, and daily watering/refreshing. Since the flower arrangements must be in top shape for the entire five-day duration of the exhibition, we were urged to use cut flowers with long vase life that perform well in dry museum conditions and offered examples of flowers to avoid for various reasons, such as short vase life, expense, or seasonal availability.

Carter and I analyzed our painting and researched our artist and his oeuvre, as well as the historical context and Romantic period in which this artwork was painted. We next considered our approach, style, and design; and we agreed to keep it simple and symbolic, with a focus on emphasizing the structural elements and color palette of the painting as well as the energetic action and mood.

We next decided on a container —a repurposed wooden box that evokes a feeling of the woodlands setting—and tested the liner for leakage (an absolute no-no at the VMFA); and we found a replacement liner after discovering the original wasn’t reliable. Then we hashed out details of our basic design and debated materials to use, selecting a couple of swirling fantail willow sticks (I had to include sticks, of course) to interpret the high-spirited horses, a rough pinecone to represent the boar, and spikey white spider mums to conjure up images of snarling dogs. Then we tackled challenges and decisions that weren’t so easy.

Challenges

The requirement that all plant material be sourced from professional florists for protection of artworks from bugs, diseases, molds, etc. is completely understandable; and Strange’s Florist in Richmond is the official source for most floral material, although other professional sources may be approved. However, for garden club arrangers whose comfort zone traditionally is plant material from our own gardens or scoured from surrounding countryside, this is both constraining and challenging. (Happily, a concession is made for us to use our own favorite sticks if well-seasoned and sprayed.)

A key to our design is the concept of power and control in this violent sporting scene as symbolized by the Polish nobleman’s lush red velvet coat. But what red flowers will be best? We love velvety roses and are most comfortable working with roses, but their growth habits (straight stems, upward facing blooms, etc.) don’t lend themselves to our design. Shall we use gladiolas? Will florist-provided gladiolas hold for five days? If not, how many additional glad stems must we provide to replace wilted flowers during the exhibition period? Ordering deadline for Strange’s Florist is September 8. The jury’s still out.

We’re still considering technical and mechanical details and have decided on frogs (pin holders) and a wire cage in deep water rather than floral foam for anchoring our flowers to give them a better shot at lasting five days. And we did a five-day water test on the dried fantail willow sticks to be sure the submerged stems wouldn’t turn soggy and fall over. How will we cover our wire and still leave a watering hole and finger hole for testing water level? Will it all come together as envisioned? We’ll give it all a trial run before wiring and gluing elements in place. And we’ll remain flexible to changing course as other challenges present themselves.

We continue to research this painting’s place in history since we learned that Verner, although French and painting in Rome, produced the artwork in 1831, right in the middle of the Polish rebellion of 1830-32. This cosmopolitan artist had supreme skill and control in balancing technique and narrative. Could he, as a master lithographer and political wit as well as master equestrian and horse painter, be making a political statement about this uprising as well as a statement about an exotic, intense, and grisly sporting scene? After all, the 19th-century Romantic period in art history featured fine arts subjectively interwoven with philosophical and political ideas and events of their time. These artists embraced emotionalism and rebellion against social conventions in addition to energetically expressing love of the natural world.

Food for Thought

As we know, creating a work of art using flowers and other plant material is a bit tricky. A painting, once the artist applies paint, is a permanent addition to the artist’s oeuvre; and with quality materials and care, the artwork can be preserved for millennia.

But flowers and the art works created by arranging them are ephemeral. So floral artists offer fleeting beauty for perhaps a day, or up to a week or even longer for some hearty varieties. Floral artists aren’t looking to amass a body of artworks for posterity. They revel in the process and delight in the product for a fleeting time; living in and for the moment. Then that moment passes, and they create again, as would sand artists awaiting the next big wave to wash away their creation.

This very characteristic of floral design is precisely what makes it such a complex and appealing challenge. We know that appreciating the beauty of botanic forms and their place in the order of life has inspired and informed the practice of floral artistry of devout spiritualists, royals, nature lovers, and aesthetes dating as far back as 2,500 BC in Egypt; and the art form was revered in ancient India and China before gaining global following. Purposes throughout history have ranged from pure decoration to celebration of the gifts of nature to a spiritual or religious discipline, and much more as cultures have evolved and flower arranging has become a common language of artistic expression worldwide.

And now we have yet a new purpose of expressing the essence or spirit of a work of art, integrating perceptions and feelings into the arrangements that educate members of the public to have more discerning eyes and open minds when they view the artworks, seeking to understand finer points of symbolic interpretation, and encouraging others to see the artwork as well as botanical materials in an entirely new light.

Why not consider such an exhibition in Lynchburg? The Maier Museum at Randolph College comes quickly to mind as an ideal location. I’d love to see how floral artists interpret the spirit of works of art in the Maier’s permanent collection.

Meet the Gardener

Susan Timmons served in the 1970s as Virginia’s first Environmental Impact Statement Coordinator, then Assistant Administrator and Acting Administrator of Virginia’s Council on the Environment and editor of The State of Virginia’s Environment. During that time she also served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Environmental Professionals and received the National Wildlife Federation’s Award for Environmental Communications. More recently, she worked in higher education and nonprofit management and, in retirement, she serves as a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Hill City Master Gardeners Association with a series of talks on “Gardens of the World.”

Bizarre Beauties

WORDS & PHOTOS BY SUSAN TIMMONS

They’re in vogue. The cool kid on the block. Such a hot item that CVS on Langhorne Road featured a vividly blooming batch for sale last week, and they flew out the door.

They’re the Dr. Seuss characters of the plant world. Curious, quirky, even outlandish to eyes attuned to typical Lynchburg flora. Some have symmetrical rosettes or other geometric shapes; others are oddly formed. Some look like foreboding rubbery cartoon creatures from ocean depths or outer space; others are so fuzzy and cute you almost want to cuddle them. They come in every color of the rainbow—subtle to brazen.

Some are edible or have herbal healing properties. One produces tequila, and another is a source of a USDA Schedule I controlled substance.

These plants are called succulents from the Latin word sucus, meaning juice, or sap. Dictionary synonyms for the word succulent are “tender, juicy, moist, fleshy, pulpy, soft, tender…” The common denominator is their capability to store water. Some, such as cacti, are especially adapted to living in arid conditions with poor soil conditions (xerophytes); others, such as bromeliads, can live in moist tropical environments in trees (epiphytes). And some, such as crassula, can even live under water (aquatic).

According to publications by experts, they have a variety of water-saving features, including:
• special metabolism adapted for efficient photosynthesis
• photosynthesis in stems, rather than leaves
• limited number of pores for oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange
• compact, cushiony, columnar, ribbed, or spherical growth patterns to reduce sun exposure
• spiny, waxy, or hairy outer surface areas to reduce water loss
• shallow roots to grab moisture from dew or short showers
• water conservation when external temperatures are high (120+ degrees F)

Where They Grow

Succulents can adapt to brutal environments. They can live on salty sea coasts and dry lakes, and they can survive concentrated levels of dissolved minerals. High temperatures and low precipitation force them to collect and store water to survive long dry periods—up to many months.

Since succulents conserve water by means other than the fleshy leaves we typically see in plants native to our Piedmont region of Virginia, they are naturally adapted to dry environments all over the world. Various species are found in desert, semi-desert, and flat grassland areas in the Americas, southeastern Europe, Africa, India, Asia, Siberia, Australia, and more.

The rocky, arid coastline of California is one of those habitats where succulents grow naturally. Yet, for many years Californians turned their backs on their native plants and favored English-style lawns and other water-intensive trappings of our U.S. East Coast gardens as high fashion. Fortunately, in recent years, environmentally sensitive California coastline homeowners, as well as hotel and other commercial building managers, have responded to water shortages by “going native” and designing elegant gardens featuring their native water-saving succulent plants.

Another rocky coastline with a fascinating display of succulents is on the Mediterranean Sea. Jardin Exotique (Exotic Gardens) in Monaco boasts one of the largest, most magnificent, and meticulously labeled collections in the world, with several million succulents planted on a cliff overlooking the royal palace and the sea. The initial collection was acquired from around the world by Prince Albert I of Monaco in 1899, and he founded the Jardin Exotique in 1914 to showcase these trophies. Some original specimens are still there.

This is indeed a mecca for succulent aficionados. Though most of the plants in the collection could not normally be grown on the Riviera because of the cold mistral winds from the north, the Jardin Exotique is fortuitously protected by a mountain range, tempered by mild sea breezes, and hydrated by fog.

I’d always been a bit curious about succulents and somewhat amused by their odd and foreign appearance in our lushly vegetated and water-rich Virginia. But I’d never truly warmed up to them until a top-notch guide at the Jardin Exotique inspired more earnest education, quashed my (embarrassingly) provincial aversion to many succulents as simply weird oddballs of the plant world, and converted me into an enthusiast.

Closer to home, the most spectacular collection of succulents I’ve seen in the U.S. is in the world-class Desert Botanical Garden in the Sonoran Desert within the city of Phoenix, Arizona. The focus of this plant museum is to preserve Arizona’s natural desert habitat with research, exhibitions, conservation, and educational programs. Over 50,000 desert plants, including endangered species, inhabit 50 acres.

I’d never felt the allure of succulents pull my heart as well as my head into their world until this past January when visiting this magnificent botanical garden with my husband Tim’s knowledgeable and engaging Scottsdale cousin Donita as our guide. I was not only cured of my ignorance, but also officially seduced!

Here in Lynchburg

Now that I’m hooked, outdoor succulents grab my attention all over Lynchburg. During the years I worked at Randolph College, I had little appreciation for the flamboyant and commanding May-June white yucca blooms rising above the red brick wall against the backdrop of dark, leafy greens in front of Presser Hall. In retirement, I now honor them as one of the joys of my daily walking regimen.

And I can’t help but marvel at the spectacular stand of prickly pear cactus in front of Betty Bright cleaners near the southeast intersection of Route 221 and the Route 501 Expressway. Betty Bright’s patch of prickly pear blooms sunshine yellow during May and June each year, sets striking red fruit each fall, and delights passersby year after year. Who’d have guessed succulents would grow so successfully in a parking lot along a busy traffic artery in Lynchburg? As one of the hardiest of the cacti, it’s certainly adapted to our summer humidity and winter freezes. And there are other tough succulents along that stretch of road. It’s a veritable succulents road show.

When giving a talk on succulents at the Templeton Senior Center recently, I discovered that my audience was well familiar with numerous yucca, prickly pear, agave, and other conspicuous succulent plants growing outdoors in Lynchburg and our surrounding counties. Have you noticed any?

Although succulents certainly are not yet on Lynchburg gardeners’ “most popular plantings” list, they do show up in traditional Virginia gardens in small doses and happily coexist with neighboring native and other exotic plants. I successfully grew several lovely varieties of sedum, including the ever-popular “autumn joy,” hens and chicks (sempervivums), ice plant, and other succulents whose names I can’t recall, in my own perennial gardens, and they survived our winters.

A bonus of sedum is the beauty of the flowers in late summer and fall and their attractiveness to bees and other pollinators. Once flowers are spent and dry, they add visual interest to the winter garden and offer their seeds to birds.

However, most succulents prefer warm temperatures and are not able to withstand freezing. Due to the water stored in their leaves, freezing will often result in the plant getting mushy leaves and/or dying. So, most succulents around Lynchburg live in pots in homes.

My all-time favorite potted succulent is a decades-old jade plant that has withstood a couple of moves, neglect, and schlepping to church and other places when a specimen’s been needed. It even survived our most recent move with a maladjusted cat who decided its sandy soil was preferable to his kitty litter box for relieving himself. After discovering this assault on my venerable jade, I intervened and nursed it back to health. And it managed to regain its vitality and spread to 40 inches wide. These plants are tough.

I even had large potted bottle/ponytail palm (beaucarnea) for years that lived outdoors in summer and in the dark and cold (but not freezing) garage in winter. This is one of the varieties of succulents that sports a bulbous lower trunk for storing water, and we didn’t water it all winter. In keeping with our family tradition of sharing plants, my son Reid now enjoys it in his sunroom in Mathews County in the winter and on his screened porch in summer.

Until recently, the potted succulents seen most often in Lynchburg were typically passed in families or friend to friend, usually through cuttings. Reid and one of our daughters-in-law, Leisa, are now growing jade plants from cuttings from the mother plant (that’s also been passed around in the family). With the widespread rise in popularity of interesting varieties new to us, succulents are now more frequently purchased through nurseries, florists, and big box and grocery stores (and even pharmacies).

In addition to those already mentioned, popular varieties historically have been kalanchoe, euphorbia, bromeliads, Christmas cactus, aloe vera, agave, and snake plant (sansevieria). In years past, indoor succulent collections typically started with a little aloe vera at the ready for treating burns or a tough snake plant, with other varieties added over time. Today, a wide array of tiny succulents sporting fascinating shapes and showy blooms seem to be everywhere.

Care and Crafts

Since most succulents are not cold-hearty, they’re enjoyed as annuals for only one season if planted in the garden. But if planted in pots for outdoor display in summer and moved indoors for protection during winter, they can be enjoyed for years. As potted houseplants, succulents require little maintenance and don’t demand fertilizing or regular repotting.

When planting succulents in the garden, it’s important to remember that they need good drainage, or roots will rot and they will die. Our native compacted red clay doesn’t cut it for most succulents. We must amend the soil to give them a mixture containing sand or gravel or tuck them into stone walls or other places where their roots will not sit in soggy soil.

Most potted succulents need watering only every few weeks or less frequently. You can even take an extended vacation without a plant sitter and they’ll survive. Succulents are the ticket for those of us who choose to wean ourselves away from drama queens, whether in friendships or flowers.

While many succulents require bright light, too much direct sunlight can result in color change. Some green succulents tend to take on red tones (called “blushing”), especially along the edges, if light is intense. Bright light, but not direct sunlight, is best for many, yet some (like snake plant) thrive in low light, so it’s important to learn and follow the individual preferences of each variety.

One of the amazing qualities of succulents is easy propagation. The most common way to propagate is through a cutting, which is simply a several-inch piece of cut stem with leaves. It’s left for a week or so to “cure” and produce a callus, then placed in a growing medium such as sandy soil—and roots most likely will grow. This is the method I use for sharing my jade. Another method is division, which requires uprooting an overgrown clump, easing roots and stems apart, and separating into several plants.

While I confess I’ve only infrequently upped my floral design game by featuring succulents in arrangements, experts confirm that they’re an excellent choice for bridal bouquets, topiaries, vertical gardens, and other uses where you need plant material that won’t quickly wilt. I do know from experience that succulent rosettes can last without a water source for days. If misted or in wet floral foam, they may last for weeks. They are excellent for crafting and can even be attached with glue for decorating packages, holiday ornaments, or party favors.

Rising Stock

Succulents have in recent years captured the imagination of gardeners in Virginia and continue to gain an admiring following. They are versatile and require so little care that it’s no wonder they are such a hit. I lunched recently at Amuse at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, and tiny potted arrangements of succulents graced all the tables. They charmed us, and we overheard other patrons compliment them, noting how well they work with mid-century modern décor. And how sensible for a restaurant to have live plant material on tables that doesn’t require daily refreshing!

Succulents even have their own fan clubs. The Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA, cssainc.org) founded in 1929, includes over 80 affiliated clubs and thousands of members worldwide. The primary purpose of the society is “to enjoy succulent plants through horticulture, travel and scientific discovery, with a concern for habitat preservation and conservation issues in deserts worldwide.” And closer to home in Washington, D.C. is the National Capital Cactus and Succulents Society (www.washington-dc.cactus-society.org).

Contributing to the increasing popularity of succulents is their unique and intriguing appearance. They can look downright weird. Their shape can be spiraled, spiked, sword, crested, corkscrew, moon, snake-like, wavy, ridged, ribbon, knobby, paddle, plumed, or like a tongue depressor. They can look like snakes, eels, snowflakes, spider webs, pinwheels, a pile of pebbles, or a string of pearls. And that’s not all. They can be covered with protective thorns, prickles, or fluff.

Size can range from minuscule to mammoth. It’s no wonder that standing next to a huge saguaro cactus in Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Gardens, Tim and I felt downright Lilliputian.

Aloe succulents are tagged with names such as partridge breast, gold tooth, blue elf, and hercules. Other succulents boast names like pig’s ear, calico kitten, bear paws, rosary vine, silver torch, and rat tail cactus. With monikers like that, it would be impossible for a curious creature like me not to be fascinated with these amazing plants.

Meet the Gardener

Susan Timmons served in the 1970s as Virginia’s first Environmental Impact Statement Coordinator, then Assistant Administrator and Acting Administrator of Virginia’s Council on the Environment and editor of The State of Virginia’s Environment. During that time she also served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Environmental Professionals and received the National Wildlife Federation’s Award for Environmental Communications. More recently, she worked in higher education and nonprofit management and, in retirement, she serves as a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Hill City Master Gardeners Association with a series of talks on “Gardens of the World.”