Soil Structure: A Garden’s Foundation

Is your garden all it can be? What can you do to bring your soil to life? Ted Lewis, specialist garden guide, leads this discussion of how to improve your garden’s soil structure for future gardening success.

Included with all admission tickets, members free.

Meet at the Winterthur greenhouses, a short walk from the visitor center, at 11:30. Please wear good walking shoes.

For more garden lectures and walks in 2010, take a look at this link:

http://www.winterthur.org/calendar/garden_programs.asp

Several visitors and staff members have asked for the names and sources of some of the plants growing in the children’s vegetable garden. I have copied the inventory below along with a very informal rating and source code. The rating scale is from “-” (no germination/poor performer) to “++” (star performer). If there is neither a plus nor minus next to the plant then it performed adequately. This was an unusual growing season. Cool temperatures were followed by scorching heat. A little cool weather and now we are back to heat again. The roller coaster ride made it hard on some plants that are typically top performers – like sunflowers! So take the rating with a grain of salt. I have also listed the sources for the seeds; the key is at the bottom of the list.

One thing stands out, when I cast my eye down this list – the children planted an awful lot! This year we kept them moving pretty much non-stop and they didn’t get disheartened by the weather. It is amazing what a group of 6 to 11 year olds can accomplish in just one day a week. I’d like to thank the parents, interns, and staff who helped the children accomplish this. Most of all, I’d like to thank the kids for doing such a great job with their gardens. It takes more than just hard work to make a garden – a really good garden needs to be fun and creative. That is what all of you brought to the garden this year THANK YOU.

Younger Gardeners

Carson Bush Wax Bean (++J)
Simpson Elite Lettuce (++P)
Cherry Belle Radish (+P)
Mokum Carrot (-P)
Tomato mixed varieties (plants)
Eggplant (plants)
Marigolds (plants)

Older Gardeners

Carson Bush Wax Bean (++J)
Italian Large Leaf Basil (++P)
Dukat Strain Dill (+P)
New Red Fire Lettuce (+P)
Helios Radish (+P)
Mokum Carrot (-P)
Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos (+P)
Lilliput Mix Zinnia (++P)
Tomato mixed varieties (plants)
Eggplant (plants)
Marigolds (plants)
Mint (plants)
Parsley (plants)

Projects

Mammoth Russian Sunflower (-B)
Boothbys Blonde Cucumber (++P)
Cosmos Pied Piper Red (++B)
Birdhouse Bottle Gourds (+ FM, J)
Moon and Stars Watermelon (+FM)
Zebulon Dwarf Sunflower (-J)
Sebring Zucchini (++J)
Purity Cosmos (+P)
Miss Willmott Zinnia (+P)
Serena Purple Angelonia (++ plants)
Strawberry mixed varieties (+ plants)
Hyacinth Bean (+J)
Cosmos Sonata Mixed (+B)
Teddy Bear Sunflower (-J)
Red Burgundy Okra (++P)
Minnesota Midget Melon (+P)

B Burpee
FM Ferry Morse
J Johnny’s Selected Seeds
P Pinetree Garden Seeds
TM Thompson & Morgan

Edible Ornamentals

Have your “cake” and eat it too! See how vegetables and fruits can be used in your garden to provide color, texture, and flavor. Join Chris Strand, director of the garden and estate, as he leads this lively romp through the Winterthur Garden.

Included with all admission tickets, members free.

Meet at the Winterthur greenhouses, a short walk from the visitor center, at 11:30. Please wear good walking shoes.

For more garden lectures and walks in 2010, take a look at this link:

http://www.winterthur.org/calendar/garden_programs.asp

My faves this morning include:

1. Yellow and black swallowtail butterflies feeding on the nectar of glossy abelia (tried to take a photo, but they’re too fast for me!)
2. A bright silhouette of the Golden rain tree near the Crowninshield Building; perfectly matching the yellow of the Indian-cup flowers (Silphium perfoliatum) along Clenny Run creek.
3. Strong fronds of ostrich ferns wrapping the pathway to Icewell Terrace. Look carefully to see how it’s growing through the macadam!
4. Hosta ‘Royal Standard’ in bloom in Enchanted Woods; love it with the tight turns of the hairpin fencing.
5. Cherubs ‘dancing’ on the Reflecting Pool staircase.
6. Mushrooms misting the morning sunlight.
7. A scaly tree trunk as a container in Enchanted Woods, near the birds’ nest. The textures are amazing! Might try this one at home.
8. The ebb and flow of cicadas calling in the verdant shade of the March Bank.
9. Sunflowers, lilies and tropical leaves  in a container in the Galleries Reception Area – someone on Winterthur’s flower team has an eye for rich color and texture!

1. Entrance area: Abelia, Peegee Hydrangea
2. Summer Shrub Slope by visitor parking lot: Butterfly-bush, Swamp milkweed, Rose-of-Sharon, Peegee Hydrangea, Goldenrod
3. Walk from Visitor Center to Stone underpass: Hosta lancifolia, Hosta “Royal Standard,” Lycoris squamigera
4. Azalea Woods: White Wood-aster, Dwarf Plumbago, Russian Sage
5. March Bank: Hosta “Royal Standard,” Garden Phlox
6. Magnolia Bend: Dwarf plumbago, Garden Phlox, Cardinal-flower
7. Glade Garden: Cardinal-flower, White Wood-aster, White Snake-root, Garden Phlox
8. Reflecting Pool Garden: Lilyturf, Hosta “Royal Standard,” Hardy Begonia, Clematis, Peegee Hydrangea, Crape-myrtle
9. Along streams: Indian-cup  (Look for gold finches and butterflies!)
10. East Terrace and along research building: Abelia grandiflora, Golden Rain Tree, Crape-myrtle
11. Enchanted Woods: White Wood-aster, Clethra alnifolia (Summer-sweet), Hydrangea involucrata
12. Quarry Garden: Anemone japonica, White Wood-aster, Clematis, White Snakeroot, Hosta “Royal Standard,” Cardinal-flower, Early goldenrod, Black-eyed Susan
13. Sycamore Hill: White Wood-aster, Alumroot, Peegee Hydrangea, Leptodermis oblonga

Learn fascinating, little-known details about the estate with our horticultural staff.

Bring your flashlight and prepare for a long walk. Dress for the weather and wear walking shoes. In case of inclement weather, call 302.888.4915 after 10:00 am. Walks last approximately 90 minutes. Members free. No reservations necessary. Included with all admission tickets.

Members free. $5 per nonmember child with adult.

Terrific Tuesdays

 
August 10, 2010 -Going to Market with the Ox-Cart Man”
On Tuesdays in July and August, kids can learn about life long ago through fun, hands-on programs at 11:30 am and again at 1:30 pm. Other activities will be offered in the museum and garden from 10 am to 3 pm each day. Special Programs last 30 minutes.This week’s program is “Going to Market with the Ox-Cart Man.”

August 17, 2010 – “Nursery Rhymes”
On Tuesdays in July and August, kids can learn about life long ago through fun, hands-on programs at 11:30 am and again at 1:30 pm. Other activities will be offered in the museum and garden from 10 am to 3 pm each day. Special Programs last 30 minutes.This week’s program is “Nursery Rhymes.”

August 24, 2010 – “Soup’s On!”
On Tuesdays in July and August, kids can learn about life long ago through fun, hands-on programs at 11:30 am and again at 1:30 pm. Other activities will be offered in the museum and garden from 10 am to 3 pm each day. Special Programs last 30 minutes.This week’s program is “Soup’s On!”

August 31, 2010 - “Going to Market with the Ox-Cart Man”
On Tuesdays in July and August, kids can learn about life long ago through fun, hands-on programs at 11:30 am and again at 1:30 pm. Other activities will be offered in the museum and garden from 10 am to 3 pm each day. Special Programs last 30 minutes.This week’s program is “Going to Market with the Ox-Cart Man.”

• Lycoris (Magic Lily) planted in hosta so it appears as if  the hosta has amazing pink flowers
• A summer-ripe meadow, fragrant and full of butterflies
• A Golden-rain tree with the dark Pinetum in the background to show off the buttery-yellow pods
• Garden nymphs holding up time near the Reflecting Pool
• Puffy Sweet Joe-pye weed awaiting butterflies
• A welcoming bench in the cool shade of the Quarry Garden
• A couple enjoying an afternoon view towards the train station
• The cresting sound of cicadas

What’s your favorite summertime spot in the Winterthur Garden?

We acquired a bunch of new vendors including Red Haven Farm from Media, Pa. They will bring free-range beef, poultry and eggs. Delaware Specialty Foods make homemade salsas, potato salad, coleslaw and other wonderful goodies made from local farmers’ produce.  And then we have Mushroom Café that brings all kinds of local mushrooms and mushroom soup, homemade scones, cookies and drinks. A great new vendor called Bessies has handmade aprons, bags, purses, and pot holders all from American made fabrics. And in a week we will have Clarke Green; he will have a knife, pruner and anything that needs to be sharpened station available. Get all your garden tools sharpened so your work is easier.

We are in the height of produce season so it is a great time to eat all the corn and tomatoes you can get your hands on cause this season doesn’t last forever. I mentioned in our eblast that now is a good time to freeze corn for the Winter and make tomato sauce. There is nothing like opening a little bit of summer on a cold winter day.

Winterthur Farmstand
Saturdays, June 5–September 25
(or longer, depending on the weather)
9:00 am–1:00 pm
Route 52, just south of main entrance

Stop by every Saturday this summer for local, fresh produce and more. This year, the farmstand has seven new vendors! See the complete list of vendors and offerings below:

• Buck Run Farm—free-range beef
• Big Sky Bread—a variety of fresh breads, granola, and cookies
• Papas Pastry Shop—homemade pastries, pre-prepared foods, gluten-free foods, and even vegan yummies
• Maiale—specialty homemade sausages
• Jubilee Hill Dahlias—huge, gorgeous, locally grown, cut dahlias
• Local farmer Andrew Cleaver—fresh strawberries, melons, cantaloupes, corn, and tomatoes
• The famous H. G. Haskell’s SIW Vegetables—every vegetable you can imagine plus jams, sauces, apple butters, and his famous corn and tomatoes
• And last but not least, Happy Cat Farm (farming right here at Winterthur)—more than 200 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, peppers, and other veggies, all grown without pesticides

All the vendors will be there throughout the summer. If you would like to receive e-mail updates about the Farmstand, please send us an e-mail at Farmstand@Winterthur.org. We will let you know what will be for sale and will highlight any new offerings. Your e-mail address will be kept confidential.

Maintaining a Wild Garden

Much of the Winterthur Garden, especially the March Bank, was inspired by William Robinson’s book The Wild Garden. Concepts central to this book will be discussed by Carol Long, assistant curator of the garden, as well as how Winterthur maintains the integrity behind this design philosophy.

Included with all admission tickets, members free.

Meet at the Winterthur greenhouses, a short walk from the visitor center, at 11:30. Please wear good walking shoes.

For more garden lectures and walks in 2010, take a look at this link:

http://www.winterthur.org/calendar/garden_programs.asp