SUBURBAN EXCURSIONS

The 2009 Relay for Life of Mount Vernon raised over $68,000 to help the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer.  It was held at Memorial Field on June 12 - 13, and smashed 2008's total with a 9 percent increase in donations. 

This year's committee co-chairs, Mary Harris and Kameka Faulkner, worked with Sarah Hess of the American Cancer Society to organize a dedicated staff of countless volunteers who made this year's event such a success. To make a donation, visit www.relayforlife.org/mtvernonny 

It's been a rainy few days here in Westchester. There is one upside of the rain though, as the daylilies are now in bloom. 

spinach

The other day, I spent the afternoon at the New York Botanical Gardens, where there is currently a celebration of spring in the form of a formidable exhibition called "The Glory of Dutch Bulbs."  For the past several weeks, I have attempted to find edible organic vegetables and herbs.  Eureka, they have been found at the NYBG's Shop in the Garden.  They offer a wide variety of plants from peas to broccoli to lemongrass.

Here are several of the plants purchased. All are USDA Certified Organic.  I just planted them the other day. The additional inventory not pictured includes: Heirloom tomatoes, kale, and one of my favorites basil.

red cabbage

Italian oregano

red leaf lettuce

Italian parsley

For more information about organic gardening, I highly recommend a visit to Rodale's organic gardening website here.

My latest journey into the world of something different.

I've been eager to work with native plants since I read an article in USA Today a few weeks ago.  Here are some of the plants purchased (in sets of three on average) at the Native Plant sale at Westchester Community College.

There are huge advantages to going native.  These plants have been identified as being quite adaptable to this climate, and therefore can withstand the extremes in weather.  Also, they do not need pesticides or fertilizers. Several are known to attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, and help sustain the local ecosystem.  I've consulted with the University of Texas at Austin Native Plant Database, so feel free to use it to obtain more information about plants that may be perfect for your yard.

Monarda didyma L. (Scarlet beebalm) Showy dense heads of wine-red flowers. Long bloom period (midsummer to fall). Will spread. It's normally 2 to 4 feet tall. More information here.

Columbine Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine) Yellow and red short-spurred flowers in early spring. Use for cutting, rock gardens, and grows up to two feet tall. For more information click here.

Phlox stolonifera (Creeping Phlox) blooms in April and May, and is a mat-forming ground cover in sunny places. Rapid grower but easily managed. Excellent rock garden plant.

perennial.  For more information click here.

Solidago simplex ssp. simplex var. nana  (Dwarf Goldenrod): Sprays of golden flowers from mid-August to September with semi-evergreen heat shaped leaves. Well-behaved, it forms upright clumps and does not spread by runners. An important source of nectar and pollen for pollinators of all kinds.  For more information please click here.

Anemone canadensis L. (Meadow Anemone): This plant is in bloom April to June.  It is known for its aggressive and adaptable if given the right environment.  Click here for more information.

Phlox subulata L. (Moss Phlox): ). Profuse carpet of pink flowers. Great evergreen mat-forming ground cover in sunny places. Rapid grower, but easily managed. Excellent rock garden plant. This perennial will eventually form a brilliant carpet of flowers.  It blooms from March until June. For more information please click here.

Conradina verticillata - This perennial shrub blooms May to June.  It is a low, much-branched shrub, 6-18 in. tall, with very fragrant, dark-green foliage.  Click here for more information.

The Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College, recently had a sale featuring 37 varieties of North American shrubs, flowering perennials, trees, ferns, and grasses.   Loyal gardeners often calendar the annual event, which lasts for only three hours.

Plants were grouped into specific areas.

It was my first time there, and having an abundance of choices was initially overwhelming.  However, my fears of what to choose were soon eliminated, as there was a team of experts from the center, and the Cornell Cooperative Extension on hand to individually guide me.  The volunteers provided a wealth of invaluable information about the plants featured at the sale, and asked me specific questions about the soil, light, and garden conditions.  It made the challenge of plant selection that much easier, and at the same time I learned so much.

A plant guide was provided to give information about the plants for sale.

According to the Native Plant Center's Website, native plants . . .

1. are usually more suited to our hot humid summers

2. usually require less watering once established

3. often require less maintenance

4. often are less interesting to deer

5. help restore natural food and nectar sources for butterflies, hummingbirds

6. can be as environmentally important as recycling

7. help you avoid the worry about unwittingly using invasive plants

The Native Plant Center was established in 1998 under the auspices of the Westchester Community College Foundation, and soon became the first national affiliate of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. The nonprofit hosts a variety of lectures, workshops, field trips and other educational opportunities. For more information, visit their website located here.

In part II, I have listed some of the finds from the sale.  

Caramoor [Deena Parham]

It's time to start planning a visit to the area's abundance of beautiful gardens.  I'm happy to say that I have previously featured three of the gardens, Caramoor, Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens, and Kykuit, on this website.  However, there are so many to see.  Check out the Westchester County Office of Tourism for more information.

I visited the New York Botanical Garden's annual Orchid Show not once, but twice during its 2.5 month run. This year's theme was Brazilian Modern, which incorporated contemporary design principles, which did not render the 5,000 orchids on display merely decorative,  but genuine works of art.

The crowds were deep, and there was live Bossa Nova music on opening day.  The initial chill of outside was quickly forgotten, as I bathed in warm humid air which had the smell of fresh orchids, which had the subtle scent of raspberries. It was quite the delicious experience.

While I am no expert on orchids, I am always struck by their pure beauty. Below are a few that I photographed.  I cannot wait until the show returns again in February 2010.

My spring vacation is over. This week, look forward to lots of posts related to spring around the tri-state area!  I start things off with photos from one of the trees in the backyard!

Fleetwood family facing tragedy supported by close-knit community;  Music festival scheduled for June 28, 2009.

Less than one month ago, Ray and Janet O’Hara were overjoyed at the arrival of their first granddaughter, Sofia. Despite some complications with the pregnancy, which caused the baby to suffer several medical setbacks - the most serious being facial nerve damage - her family was delighted at her arrival, and optimistic about her recovery.

Click to read more ...

Walkable Westchester: A Walkable Guide to Westchester County by Jane and Walt Daniels, documents more than 600 miles of trails and 180 parks, preserves, sanctuaries and protected open space in the county.  The Journal News wrote a story about a book signing event yesterday [New Book Joins Westchester County Parks Closer].  For more information and to buy the book, please visit the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference website.

Today, I noticed a forsythia bush beginning to bloom in the backyard.  A tangle of yellow blossoms, it is one of the first flowering spring shrubs.

Former NFL player, and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George is a landscape architect? I was happily surprised when I read the news.  He also is a partner in a landscape architecture and planning firm called the Edge Group.  For the past year, he has been encouraging young people to consider this field as a viable career opportunity, in conjunction with the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).

Landscape architecture is certainly on the radar right now, especially as Americans begin to focus more on green collar jobs.  Here is a press release from ASLA, which talks about National Landscape Architecture Month.

Click to read more ...

Yesterday, I found this Hyacinth hiding in the backyard, by a stone wall. Another burst of spring color!

It was a rather gray day on Saturday morning. However, I was happily surprised, as I glanced outside the window, and saw this lone Daffodil. Yes, this early spring perennial made an appearance way ahead of the other daffodil bulbs planted throughout the yard.  Next up in a few weeks: Tulips.