‘Tis the time of the year . . .
Judy Funderburk looks back at the year in the Glencarlyn Library Community Garden
Demonstration Gardens
Simpson Gardens Roundup: A Season of Renovation
Have you ever looked around your yard and thought that it was time to shake things up and reinvigorate the garden? Maybe you will benefit from the experience of the dedicated team at Simpson Gardens, who have spent the last year working hard on renewal of the garden.
Great Long-Blooming Plants for Pollinators
A 2013 plant trial conducted by Penn State Extension, Bees, Bugs & Blooms, ranked three species native to our Mid-Atlantic region as among the best plants for flowering longevity, and in attracting desirable insects. An additional benefit is that deer dislike all three plants. Learn more . . .
The Glencarlyn Pollinator Garden and the Importance of Pollinators
Support pollinators in your own back yard—it's easy. To help guide your plant choices, stop by the patio area at Glencarlyn Library Community Garden to check out our newly revamped pollinator garden.
Parking Lot Beds at Library Get Major Re-do
Master Gardeners at the Glencarlyn Library have been renovating the garden beds along the parking lot. As the growing season progresses, local residents will see dozens of new plantings and a more intentional, holistic design that highlights native plants.
Ready, Set, Adapt! Climate Change: 2018 Notes from the Field
Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia manage the Organic Vegetable Garden at Potomac Overlook Park in Arlington. Each year, this demonstration garden produces hundreds of pounds of produce which it donates to the Arlington Food Assistance Center. These Notes from the Field, compiled by Judy Johnson and Judy Salveson, highlight some of the challenges the garden faced in 2018 due to record-breaking weather.
Seeing in the Winter Garden
As the cold of winter approaches, the Glencarlyn Library Community Garden winds down. Shorter days and colder temperatures signal some of the garden perennials that it is time drop leaves and turn brown, while for others it is their time to shine.
the Caterpillar and the exoSkeleton – a Halloween Video
Oooh - Happy Halloween! These creepy crawly caterpillars eat their own skins!
Fall Fruit at Glencarlyn Garden
Learn all about Diospyros virginiana, the common or American persimmon, a plant native to the eastern and midwestern United States - with a delicious persimmon recipe as well.
Garden Education Box Installed in Glencarlyn Library Garden
If you’ve visited Glencarlyn Library Community Garden’s back patio recently, it’s likely that you have noticed a new addition, a Garden Education box. Though it looks much like the Little Free Library boxes that have sprung up across the country in the past few years, the purpose of this one is much more specific to the garden: to provide visitors with helpful information related to gardening on an ongoing basis.
Summertime & the Herbs Are Abundant!
Basil is the late summer subject of the fourth in an occasional series of short articles featuring herbs grown in our Master Gardener Demonstration/Teaching Garden at the Glencarlyn Branch Library.
Continuing Tradition, Introducing Change: The Quarry Shade Garden
The new(ish) leadership of our Quarry Shade Demonstration Garden has reinvigorated the garden with more native plants.
Unusual ‘Accents’ in the Shade Garden
The Shade Garden at Bon Air Park in Arlington is one of the smallest of the demonstration gardens maintained by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Located off Wilson Boulevard at 850 N. Lexington St., the garden hosts nearly 100 different plant varieties, a few of which may be unfamiliar, if not unusual, to visitors. Learn about three of the unusual plants in the garden.
Spring Beauty or Beast?
When spring finally arrived in the DC metro area, a rather showy groundcover had already made its presence known – lesser celandine or Ranunculus ficaria.
Despite its visual appeal, this groundcover is highly invasive.
Spring Ephemerals in the Shade, Part 2
By Mary Free, Extension Master Gardener Originally posted April 2012 Continued from Ephemerals in the Shade Garden – Part 1, featuring bulbs, corms and trilliums. Although Bon Air Park’s Shade …
Spring Ephemerals in the Shade, Part 1
If you have planted daffodils or crocuses, then you have grown ephemerals. Bulbs and corms produce a succession of colorful blooms from January to May. Once they complete their display, they retreat and rest underground until the next spring. . . . In the United States, though, the term “spring ephemerals” usually refers to native North American wildflowers whose natural habitat is a deciduous forest.
Meet the Glencarlyn Library Community Garden Coordinators
The Glencarlyn Library Community Garden, one of the demonstration gardens maintained by Master Gardener volunteers and interns from the Arlington/Alexandria unit of Virginia Cooperative Extension, is now under the leadership of five coordinators: Paul Nuhn, Alyssa Ford Morel, Wendy Mills, Elaine Mills (not a relation), and Judy Funderburk.
Edible Flowers in the Vegetable Garden
When I plan a vegetable plot, I always include flowers. You might think that this would take needed space from the vegetables, but I argue that the flowers will pay you back handsomely. For one thing, they attract pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects during the growing period. Also, many flowers are edible, so one could argue that they earn their keep twice over. . . .
Growing Food in Winter
Have you seen the winter sowing/season extension display in the outdoor garden area at Fairlington Community Center (FCC)? . . . It illustrates how easy and effective growing plants outdoors in winter in Zone 7b can be, anywhere there is a small space and a bit of sun.
Winter and the Vegetable Gardener
People seem to think that winter is a slow time for a vegetable gardener, but that’s a misconception. In fact, winter is the time a vegetable gardener works out plans for the coming year’s garden.
Master Gardener Tribute Bench & Garden Dedication Ceremony
The idea for the Master Gardener Tribute Bench and Garden originated as a way to honor Mary Newton. Mary served as MGNV President fifteen years ago. It was a time of transition for MGNV as we went from a period of working without an extension agent and being “in charge,” to supporting the work of the agent. Mary led the organization through the transition with grace. She was patient, kind, and a good listener —a true gentle gardener. She passed from this life in September 2015.
August 2017 Notes from the Organic Vegetable Garden
at Potomac Overlook Regional Park by Nancy Dowling, Certified Master Gardener Photos © 2017 Nancy Dowling unless otherwise noted Abundance! That’s the word that describes a vegetable garden in August. …
Summer in the Shade Garden – Shade Garden Phlox
By Dina Lehmann-Kim, Extension Master Gardener All Photos © 2017 Dina Lehmann-Kim In late July through early August, the Shade Garden at Bon Air Park features a floral display that …
Early Summer 2017 at Simpson Gardens
Every year reveals something different about a garden, as the changing weather patterns or the focus of the gardeners’ work emphasizes or favors some plants over others.