Pages That Mention National Cathedral Garden
Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1990
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H/7/1990-2.
July 3, 1990, Riverside, page 3
not worry. Best to plant in plastic container with holes in the bottom from which it can still escape but with greater difficulty. Bettes Hartge asked the identity of the shade tree near the pool; Japanese Snowball. OK, can the group identify the adjacent bush; no. Cathy Nelson planted 3 rose campions and they're not doing well - rather they are dying from the center while in flower. Nancy Preuss observed the same behavior at Lee House but hers came back the next year. Mary Seiler has benignly neglected a section of her lawn so that it is now a nice clover field of 1/2 - 2 acres. Would anyone like to come in and bale it. Advised to call the Bonifants. Jim Bullard asked after the plastic jugs in the Hartge's garden. They have pitchfork holes in the bottom are used for watering. There ensued an involved discussion on holes and plastic jugs but no blinding insights were forthcoming. John Hartge asked how to keep squirrels out of the garden. In absence of Tom Canby, mylar strips and balloons with eyes were suggested. Live traps with one-way tickets to Howard County was also offered. John's second question was if anyone needs a "magic" corn scraper. As the deafening silence descended upon him Ellen slipped out to station herself at the door with several cases of scrapers to bestow upon the departing multitude.
We discussed the next meeting to be held at the National Cathedral. Bettes Hartge and Susan Canby volunteered to do unspecified organisational work. There would be no rain date, no exhibits, bring an umbrella and Peter Austin volunteered to read...hoping that there wouldn't enough time for him.
The hour was late, the gathering exceptional, the companionship sublime. We thanked the Riverside household for their hospitality and made our way past the corn scrapers into the night's darkness and our homes beyond.
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H/8/1990-1-
August 7, 1990, National Cathedral Garden, page 1
A stalwart collection of the Society congregated on the garden grounds of Washington DC's National Cathedral for our August meeting. Absent were the Preusses, Rudi Hanel, the Fletchers, and the Ellers. Guests were Nancy Bye and Louise Megansen. The weather favored us and our leisurely inspection of what a full-time gardening staff and the proximity to a holy edifice can do. Some of us were greatly impressed. Others of the Society could easily give the Cathedral groundskeepers a tinge of envy by what truly superlative gardeners can raise from the earth.
We repaired to the Cathedral School's cafeteria to a repast more off the cuff than usual but no less sumptuous. Caroline Hussman, Mary Seiler, Bettes Hartge, and Susan Canby did very well organizing the meal's appointments leaving nothing in absence.
Since we had invested our time and profited from the august garden tour and novel dining arrangement, our time for the meeting was diminishing fast. The previous meeting's minutes were raced through, unfinished business skipped over, the assigned article stumbled through hurriedly, and the 100-year-old minutes read with speed and grace.
Harold Earp gave us the Forethought for the month. We were to continue fertilizing tomatoes as before, advised not to prune shrubs, cut hardy perrennials to start in water. Also remove and destroy bag worms from arborvitae and other afflicted trees. Plant fall bulbs. Mentioned was the hue and cry that has recently been raised by county trash authorities regarding lawn clippings which constitutes a large part of landfill mass. We are advised to not encourage lawns to grow so vigorously, mow no more than every 5 days, and leave the clippings where they fall.
John Hartge followed with the Meterologist Report. The average low temperature was 65 and the average high was 90. The high temperature was 101.8 on the 5th and the low was 59 on the 13th. 5.7 inches of rain fell at Riverside (2 more than at National Airport who reports that their rainfall exceeds the average by 1/2 inch). Even though it seemed like a wet month July went 18 days without rain.
The Bird Report encompassed the sublime and...uh...less than sublime. Elizabeth spotted a snowy egret in the pond at Olney's Hallowell Village. On the other end of the scale, during the standard romantic, candel-lit dinner (with champagne!) at Riverside a shadow of a creature first thought to be a bird flitted uninvited and unappreciated about the dining area. Later with the assistance of Bill
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August 7, 1990, National Cathedral Garden, page 2
Hartge, John and Ellen banished the bat to the night's embrace. There was no sign whatsoever of how the wee beast enterred the room although the chiminy was suspected.
There was no Committee Reports of substance nor New Business.
Questions
Mary Seiler spoke everyone's mind in that this field trip was a wonderful idea - a round of applause for Caroline Hussman followed. Mary also asked how to control wild grape. Like kudzu wild grape can bean aggressive pest best cut off repeatedly at ground level or exposed to sheep or goats.
Crows have found Lydia Haviland's corn and are fat and smart. Mo Chance recommends balloons with eyes - also seems to work for deer.
Nancy Chance mentions thousands of starlings roosting nearby. Edwina Erp sympathizes - had same noisy, foul smelling congregation near her house last year.
Mo Chance asked Jim Bullard if he still has bluebird houses - yes; lots.
Harold asked Eli Rogers if nets over his grape vines work. Yes, but they must be anchored or the birds find their way inside.
Beth Bullard inquired if anyone understands nicotina plants whose blooms are only fragrant at night. It is understood that that's just the way the plants behave perhaps to attract night-flying pollinators.
Jim Bullard mentioned that the franklinia tree is not known to grow in this area. Sherry Fletcher's mother, Herb Kinney and Pete Hutton, however, have grown the tree successfully.
Tom Canby wanted to know what makes asperagus plants fall over - too much fertilizer and not enough support. A discussion ensued regarding asperagus plants that were purchased as an all male selection but turning out to contain lots of females.
Leslie Rogers has a hoxta plant that us muchh taller than usual - too much fertilizer blamed.
Eli Rogers saw a magnificent fig tree on the Cathedral grounds. Caroline says it's in a very sheltered spot that