A sadly spindly ‘mystery tree’ grows on a steep slope in our back fern garden. I first noticed it six or seven years ago. Its top was broken off in a winter snowstorm a while ago, and its odd growth pattern, plain looking leaves and immature bark left me clueless about its identify. My best guess was that perhaps it was a paw paw tree, since the leaves are similar, and we have a stand of those nearby. But...
The Osage orange (Maclura, pomifera), a member of the mulberry family (Moraceae), has proved to be both useful and ornamental in its rich history. It was identified by an American geologist, of Scottish descent, named William Maclure (1763-1840), a successful merchant, who later in life distinguished himself as a geologist and cartographer. This native American tree was originally found in the dust bowl states, Oklahoma and Texas, as well as the northern tip of Louisiana, but has since become naturalized...
Have you ever noticed how the strawberries you pick yourself on a warm May afternoon taste much better than the huge red berries you buy at the grocery store? Everyone who has grown their own tomatoes, lettuce, or apples knows how much better homegrown food can taste. You still need to be selective about what seeds you buy because some varieties of carrots and squash taste better than others, and some prove more resistant to disease. Putting in a...
At the intersection of myth, fantasy, and living reality stands a towering oak tree, covered in plump acorns. More than 400 species of oaks grow across temperate and tropical regions of North America, Europe and Asia, with 90 species here in the United States and another 160 species growing in Mexico. China has 100 different types of oak. Types of Oaks All oaks, members of the Fagaceae family along with beech and chestnut trees, produce acorns. Some, like our...
Using Natives – For most of us, once we have learned the value of native plants versus non-native or even invasive plants, we cannot afford to rip out everything we have and start over. If you can, just skip to the links at the bottom of the page to learn what you need and where to buy plants! The rest of us need to develop more of a long-term plan, replacing or adding a few plants at a time. You...
What do you consider when choosing plants for your home and yard? We all have a checklist of criteria in the back of our minds. Our criteria are very personal to our own needs and situation. You may not purchase and plant as many plants as I do each year, but I’m sure that you enjoy the choosing and the planting just as much. We gardeners have been encouraged to plant more native plants for quite a...
What Are Indigenous Trees? Indigenous trees are those native species that have grown in our area since before European colonization. They are uniquely suited to our climate. They support our indigenous wildlife and make our landscape unique. Trees produced from long generations of the same species, that have all grown in our immediate area, are considered indigenous. A tree ordered from a mail-order nursery, even of the same species, was likely grown from seed, or a cutting, indigenous to...
You’re invited to a free lecture by renowned author and ornithologist, Dr. Colin Rees, compliments of the James City County Williamsburg Master Gardener Association. It will be held at the Williamsburg Regional Library Auditorium on Thursday, August 11, 9-10 am. and also on Zoom; dial-in information follows. Our speaker, Dr. Colin Rees, was with the World Bank as a biodiversity specialist and a professor of Zoology at the University of Maryland. He is one of the developers and founders of...
My dad was a gardener. He grew vegetables. He grafted fruit trees. He grew gladiolus for my grandmother (his mother-in-law) because they were her favorite. He grew lots of peonies, and I have at least one in my garden that was moved from Iowa to Maryland to Virginia. And he grew a walnut tree, but it died the year he died. I was twelve, but I still remember that little tree. I like to think that, when we lose a...
A second annual Earth Day and Arbor Day celebration on Saturday, April 23, at 10:30 AM will include the planting of two wild-type American chestnut seedling trees at Freedom Park in James City County, Virginia. The celebration results from a collaboration between the Clean County Commission, and volunteers at the Williamsburg Botanical Garden and Freedom Park Arboretum, with support from the Freedom Park staff. One tree will be planted in the Pine-Hardwoods section of the Garden, and the other will...