r eynoldag the g ardener of wake forest...

GR E Y N O L D A G A R D E N S

o f W a k e F o r e s t U n i v e r s i t y

ardener¦sFall2011

J O U R N A L

What aDifference a Year Makes

by John Kiger, RGWFUassistant manager

What a year for gardening! The 2011gardening season was quite excellent thisyear. Generally when we plant our usualvegetables, such as tomatoes, squash, andgreen beans, there seem to be circumstancesthat cause the demise of the plants, which,in turn, requires us to replant them as theseason progresses. Damage or destructionof plantings range anywhere from rabbitseating the beans to squash borers destroyingthe squash plants. Other crops in the garden,such as okra, watermelons, and peppers,seem to go unharmed by wildlife or envi-ronmental conditions.

Through my years of experience, I havefound some ways to help control a few of ourplants’ natural enemies. I’ll start with thewildlife aspect. In past years rabbits have beena huge problem, eating most leafy green veg-etables and green beans as they emerge fromthe ground. A few years ago we came across aproduct called Liquid Fence. This product, afoul-smelling liquid, contains paprika, potassi-um sorbate, water, xanthan gum, sodium lau-ryl sulfate, garlic powder, thyme oil, cinna-mon oil, and putrescent egg solids. Being aconcentrate, one gallon will make nearly thir-teen gallons, at a rate of eight to ten ouncesper gallon. There is a ready-to-use mixture if

Growing Stevia in theHerb Garden

by Michelle Hawks RGWFU horticulturist

W hen I was working in the herb garden one day last summer, I looked overat a pitiful, little, green, leafy plant and wondered what the big deal is about stevia.So I went over and pinched a leaf and tastedit. WOW! is all I can say. It’s not the prettiestplant, but its flavor makes up for its appear-ance. The taste is beautiful.

The leaves of the stevia or sweetleafplant, Stevia rebaudiana have been used tosweeten drinks and as a sugar substitute inCentral and South America for centuries. Itwas described in the late nineteenth centuryby Dr. Moises Santiago Bertoni, a Swissbotanist, who had learned that the GuaraniIndians used it to sweeten bitter teas, as asweet treat, and in traditional medicines.Given samples of the plant, he reported thatone small piece of the leaf will keep themouth sweet for an hour. He named theplant in honor of Spanish botanist PetrusJacobus Stevus, who first researched it, andParaguayan chemist Ovidio Rebaudi, whopublished the first chemical analysis.

Stevia is a member of Asteraceae. Forthose of you who prefer plain English, thisis the aster family. The marigold and dande-lion are of the same family but don’t taste sosweet. Stevia extract can be three hundredtimes sweeter than cane sugar, compared to

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The

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Gifts Received between July 1,2010 and June 30, 2011

BenefactorAnonymousMr. and Mrs. Bruce M. BabcockDr. and Mrs. Malcolm BrownRandy and Deborah CasstevensMr. and Mrs. J. Scott CramerGarden Club Council of

Winston-Salem/Forsyth CountyMrs. Laura W. HearnPfefferkorn Foundation

PatronMr. and Mrs. F. James BecherMr. and Mrs. Royall R. Brown, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. John Burress Mrs. Patricia R. DixsonMr. and Mrs. Donald E. FlowLittle Greens Garden ClubGrace and John McKinnonMonkee’s of the VillageMr. Kenneth Mountcastle and

Mrs. Katharine MountcastleGail and Steve ReinemundMr. Dalton D. RuffinWestwood Garden Club

SponsorDr. and Mrs. B. R. BaligaClaire and Hudnall ChristopherDan and Teri EmmiMrs. Kitty FeltsSally and Steve HarperMr. and Mrs. James E. Holmes, Jr.Robbie and Dave IrvinMrs. Gail A. LakeGail Lybrook and David HobbsMr. and Mrs. Harold S. MooreMr. and Mrs. E. C. MorrisRay and Cathy OwenAbbie and Francis Pepper, Jr.Larry and Dee Ann RobbsMrs. Betsy Ivey SawyerMr. and Mrs. Andrew J. SchindlerMrs. Nancy SpencerMrs. Cornelius F. StrittmatterDr. and Mrs. James M. Walter, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. William R. WatsonDr. and Mrs. Richard WeaverJoAnn and Bryan YatesLynn and Jeff Young

Gardener¦sJ O U R N A L


Thirty-nine year old John Ambler waseminently qualified for this work. At thetime, he was the City Engineer and Super-intendent of Water Works for Winston, aposition he had held since early 1907. Bythen, he had—in this order—graduated withhighest honors in mathematics fromHampden-Sydney College; attended theUniversity of Virginia; taught at PantopsAcademy, a school for boys near Charlottes-ville, Virginia; earned a master’s degree atHampden-Sydney; taught mathematics andengineering at Davis Military School*;attended Harvard University Summer Session;taught mathematics and astronomy atRoanoke College; and served as consultingengineer for Salem, Virginia. The first twoof many papers he would present or publishfor state and national engineering organiza-tions appeared in 1907, one concerningwaterworks in Salem, Virginia, and theother on waterworks for an iron mine inOgden, Virginia. Even while he wasemployed by the City of Winston and later,when he was Winston’s Consulting Engineer,he maintained a private business under hisown name. The scope of work he and hisemployees could provide is listed on theinvoice provided to Mrs. Reynolds: Civiland Hydraulic Engineer; Surveys, Plans andEstimates for Hydraulic Power Development,Public Water Supplies, Sewerage andSewage Disposal, Steam Heating and PowerPlants, Steam and Electric RailwayLocation, City Surveys of All Kinds.

A descendent of the prominent Amblerfamily of Virginia, Mr. Ambler and his wife,Anna, lived with their four children on

The Engineers of Reynolda,Part 4: John Ambler

by Camilla Wilcox, RGWFU curator of education

In the summer of 1909, Mrs. Reynoldswas exploring the idea of integrating a golfcourse into a working farm, with the help ofthe P. J. Berckmans Company, of Augusta,Georgia. The firm’s landscape architects hadbegun their association with Mrs. Reynoldsby studying a site on a 104 acre farm shepurchased in 1906. In a letter to her datedSeptember 13, 1909, they noted that moreland had been purchased since they hadbegun their study, and they suggested lookingelsewhere on the property for a better locationfor the golf course and other recreationalfacilities and landscape views the ownersdesired. For the initial site, which is now thelocation of Graylyn Conference Center, theysuggested maintaining and enhancing theexisting farm. They recommended that the “...character should be kept strictly rural, thematerials of construction local in character,and the buildings painted some neutralcolor, not white.” The company completedsurveys of the newly purchased propertyand determined the placement and generallayout of the golf course, but there is noknown further record of their associationwith the project.

Within a few months, the firm ofBuckenham and Miller, with offices in NewYork and New Jersey, was engaged to helpcarve an estate out of the 609 acres nowassembled. Mr. Miller hired local civil engineerJohn Ambler to assist with the placementand construction of a large lake and otherinfrastructure. In the first eight months of1910, Mr. Ambler’s firm completed topo-graphical maps; gauged the flow of SilasCreek and its tributaries; examined severalpossible locations for the lake; and recom-mended road placement. In October of1910, he drew “A Map Showing Golf-links,Roads, and Water-works,” the most impor-tant document known for this area and forthe design of the water system.

FamilySusan and Mark AndrewsAnonymousMrs. Marjorie AselMr. and Mrs. L. M. Baker, Jr.James BarefieldJim Barefoot and Wendy MillerEllen and Doug BassettBill and Louise BazemoreSandra and Gray BoyetteMichael and Stephanie BrooksDr. and Mrs. Shasta M. BryantMr. and Mrs. Albert L. ButlerStewart T. ButlerBill and Nancy ColvinJoan and David CotterillMary and Charles CranfillMr. and Mrs. Tim CreefMr. and Mrs. Thomas H.

Crichlow, Jr.Mr. Larrie W. DawkinsJames P. and Joyce H. DickersonMr. Frank E. DriscollJoe and Mary DudleyDrs. Herman Eure and

Kelli K. SappMr. and Mrs. Victor FlowMrs. Margaret P. FosterMr. and Mrs. Tom FredericksJanet and Gene FrekkoEmily and Dick GlazeMrs. Ruby GriffinDr. Charles G. Gunn, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge C. HanesMrs. Helen C. HanesMr. and Mrs. F. Borden Hanes, Jr.Mrs. Nancy HarperJames and Janette HarrisDrs. Annette and Robin HastieDr. Marcus Hester and

Ms. Anne HesterMrs. William F. HohmanGeorge and Natalie HolzwarthWava HowardFrances and John HuffmanKathleen and John HuttonDr. Richard JanewayMr. and Mrs. Richard E. JoheMr. and Mrs. Warren C. JonesDr. and Mrs. Jeff KellyLeon and Barbara KendrickElen KnottDr. and Mrs. Keith R. KookenDr. William A. Lambeth, Jr.Cynthia and Monty LeonardMr. and Mrs. Doug LewisDr. and Mrs. Dan LocklairJim and Mary Allen MartinJohn and Karan MatthewsDr. William McCallMr. and Mrs. Robert E. MerrittDr. Henry S. Miller, Jr.Ms. Ellen MincerDr. and Mrs. John MonroeAlan and Beverly MooreMs. Everdina NieuwenhuisOld Salem Garden ClubRon Oppenheim and

Sherry VinsantAlice E. Parrish and

James C. CoferMrs. Jeanne R. PattersonAllison C. Perkins and

Clifford L. DosselSusan D. PfefferkornGary and Sandy PoehlingMr. and Mrs. William E. Rabil, Jr. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

PROFESSOR JOHN

AMBLER, THIRD

FROM RIGHT IN THE

BACK ROW, WITH HIS

COLLEAGUES AT

DAVIS MILITARY

SCHOOL, C. 1890-1892. PHOTO

COURTESY OLD

SALEM MUSEUMS

AND GARDENS.



tion, the grasslands serve as a resting areaand food source for birds that migratethrough North Carolina.

Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, LittleBluestem, and Switchgrass were the mostimportant species that once dominated thetall-grass prairies of North America, formingwaves of amber from the Rocky Mountains tothe eastern forests. Only one to two percentof the original prairies survive today. Thesegrasses are very adaptable and create a verythick sod with deep roots. This makes themuseful in drought prone areas and for ero-sion control. The dust bowl in the 1930’swas a result of settlers plowing under theseprairies to plant agricultural crops, whichwere no match for the strong prairie winds.

These four warm season grasses, allnative to North Carolina, will be planted bythe Reynolda Gardens’ staff in the GolfLinks Meadow when it is seeded in thespring of 2013*. We hope that by providingthese grasses and others that we can dosome small part in providing habitat forthese disappearing species.

Andropogon gerardii, Big Bluestem Depending on soil and moisture, grows fourto seven feet tall. Seed head is three sectionsthat looks like a bird’s foot, hence the com-mon name, “Turkeyfoot.” Blue-greenfoliage; narrow to medium leaf blade. Larvalhost for the butterflies Delaware Skipper,Dusted Skipper, and others. State grass ofIllinois and Missouri.

Sorghastrum nutans, Indian GrassThree to eight feet tall. A bunching sod-former, with broad blue-green blades. Large,plume-like, soft, golden brown seed heads.Fall color is deep orange to purple. Its beautylies in the many reddish-brown flowers,which are highlighted by brilliant yellowanthers. Several species of grasshoppers feedon the foliage; they, in turn, are an importantsource of food to many insectivorous birds.Larval host for the Pepper-and-Salt Skipper.State grass of Oklahoma and SouthCarolina.

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Mr. Michael RahmanMr. and Mrs. Henry C. Roemer, Jr.Debra and Peter RosenquistTom and Kathy RuckerMr. and Mrs. James M. RuffinGlenn and Diana SalmonsMs. Margaret Savoca and

Mr. Bruce BradfordMr. and Mrs. Marcus C. SeitzMr. and Mrs. Douglas W. ShouseMr. and Mrs. Ian SilversidesMr. and Mrs. Donald G. SmithMr. and Mrs. E. Gray Smith IIIBill and Janet SnowKelley and Jack StackMarcia Szewczyk and

John BurkartDr. and Mrs. James F. TooleJodi L. Turner and

William H. Gifford, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Harry B. UnderwoodMs. Amy VernerSue and Bud VernerVillage Tavern, Inc.Susan B. WallDr. Nat Watson and

Mrs. Sara Swann WatsonDoug and Mary WhiteCharles E. Williams, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. S. Clay Williams, Jr.Mr. William F. Womble

DonorKeith and Felice AveryMs. Sarah BarnhardtMr. and Mrs. David E. BaugessMr. Kevin BeachDon and Kay BergeySteve BerlinMark BreedloveMs. Jere C. BrowneMr. and Mrs. William CaldwellMr. and Mrs. Vernon C. Carlton, Jr.Mr. Richard CarmichaelMr. and Mrs. Robert A. CashMr. James CoffeyPerry and Thorns CravenMrs. Karen DaughertyMr. Tom DeeseMr. and Mrs. Clarence DixonMrs. Carol B. DolgeCarolyn G. DowMs. Cay Drury and

Mr. Thom BellMr. and Mrs. John DunkelbergConnie EmkenMr. and Mrs. Robert A. Emken, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Brent GearhartPeggy and Bob GibsonMrs. Janet S. HanoMr. and Mrs. Kevin P. HarperMrs. Lynne HartMs. Virginia S. HartMs. Sandra L. HobackMr. and Mrs. Lawrence N. HoldenMr. and Mrs. Melvin HollandAnn and Dudley HumphreyMs. Sara H. JohnsonMrs. Pam KahlDrs. Karl and Marilyn KarlsonDr. and Mrs. Robert KellyMs. Martha KennedyMs. Emily KraftPatricia M. LackeyPaul and Sheilah LombardoDr. Tony Ma’luf and

Mrs. Jan Ma’luf

Something for the Birds:Meadow Grasses

by Preston Stockton, RGWFU manager

Last summer I was walking aroundmy garden in Pfafftown with hose in handwhen I heard the call of a bird that I hadnot heard in years. It was a Bobwhite. I grewup hearing the distinctive call of the NorthernBobwhite, a chubby little bird that runs aroundthe ground, often with its brood followingright behind. According to the NationalAudubon Society, the population of thisbird has declined a whopping eighty-twopercent in the United States. No wonder Irarely hear them today.

North Carolina is losing farmland tourban development at an alarming rate, estimated at 100,000 acres per year. Thisloss of grassland habitat has not only hurtthe Bobwhite but also the population ofother birds, including the GrasshopperSparrow, down sixty-five percent; theLoggerhead Shrike, seventy-one percent;and the Eastern Meadowlark, seventy-twopercent. North Carolina now has the secondlowest population of Meadowlark amongsouthern states.

Grassland birds like this type habitat formany reasons. It provides seed and insectsfor food, as well as a quality area for neststhat are built directly on the ground. Theearthtone colors of the grasses also provideoverhead cover for the adult birds. In addi-

EXPERTS FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, UNIVERSITIES, AND

PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS EVALUATING THE EXISTING MEADOW

GRASSES DURING A ROUNDTABLE ON APRIL 1. SCIENTIFIC

STUDIES AND SOIL PREPARATION WILL BE UNDERWAY THROUGH-OUT 2012, WITH PLANTING BEGINNING SPRING 2013.



It’s a Papaya!

by David Bare, RGWFU greenhouse manager

Really!” That's the typical responsewhen I reply that the plant in the frontflower bed is a papaya. It is not somethingyou would think of seeing growing inWinston-Salem. And if you are a gardener,it is not something you are likely to ignore.Preston Stockton, Gardens manager, plantedthe papaya plant last spring after purchasingit from Shouse Nursery. Transplanted froma typical two gallon nursery liner, this planthas thrived in the rich soil and careful irri-gation provided right outside our frontdoor. Passersby are typically mystified.

The plant is sporting huge palmateleaves up to three feet across. Dozens offootball-shaped fruit protrude from itstrunk. Still green at this writing, the fruitwill likely take a longer period to ripen thanour climate is likely to afford us. Papayas areeither male, female, or bisexual, as is thecase with ours. Our flowers are strange andspiral-shaped. The typical female flower isborne close to the trunk, while the male iscarried in small stemmed sprays.

Papaya, Carica papaya can grow totwenty feet in height and is a soft wooded,small tree. Little is known about its origins,as it has spread throughout the tropicalregions of the globe. It is thought that thepapaya originated in the lowlands ofCentral America and was widely cultivatedin Mexico and Central America prior to1492. Christopher Columbus reported inhis journals that the natives "...are verystrong and live largely on a tree meloncalled the fruit of the angels." In tropicalAmerica the fruit is second only to thebanana in popularity.

In the tropics a tree can produce asmany as a hundred fruit per year and willcontinue to do so for one and a half to twoyears before being replaced or pruned toform multiple trunks. Generally singletrunked trees are valued for best fruit production.

The flavor of a papaya getsvarious reviews,ranging frominsipid to musk-melon like. Theyare generallyvery sweet, oftento a fault. It canbe eaten both as a ripe yellow to orangefruit or baked green, as one might do a win-ter squash. Both the leaves and fruit containan enzyme called papain that acts similar topepsin, the element in gastric juices thataids digestion of proteins. Papain has theability to tenderize meat. Wrapping andcooking a tough cut in a papaya leaf willquickly tenderize it.

All this interest in producing ediblefruit, though, seems almost beside thepoint. The plant makes a deliciously tropicallooking ornamental. This variety is TRHovey, a plant originally developed toaccommodate hydroponic culture. This alsomakes the plant a perfect subject for grow-ing in pots. It had better be a good size pot,though. Our plant has more width thanheight. When mature, TR Hovey tops out atabout four feet. Fruit can develop on thisplant within months of planting and willmature within a year.

Papaya needs sunny conditions andwarm temperatures. Cool wet soils will pro-mote the chances of soil-borne diseases.They are in no way tolerant of cool temper-atures and do their best where temperaturescan be maintained above sixty degrees.

Papaya is typically propagated by seed.Seed sown in warm, sunny conditionsshould sprout in two weeks and begin tobear fruit within five to six months. I amtold that ripe store-bought papaya can beused for this process, although I haven'tgiven it a try (yet). The disadvantage of seedgrown plants is that you never know whatyou are getting. If you are interested in pro-ducing fruit, which is ornamental even if itdoesn't mature, then you will need to deter-mine the plant’s sex. Male plants, of course,do not produce fruit. In the tropics one

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Mr. and Mrs. Larry M. MartinMrs. Thelma D. MatthewsDr. and Mrs. David L. McCulloughMs. Lisa McDonallDr. Robert L. MeansMr. and Mrs. James E. Messick, Jr.Nancy Moltman and John SkipperCharles R. MonroeMs. Deanna Carlisle MossMrs. George MountcastleNancy NadingMr. Walt NadingMs. Nancy OakesLani PaulSarah D. PenryJim and Roberta PettitDr. and Mrs. Harold PollardCarl and Mary PorcheyDr. Theresa Burgess PriceMs. Michelle ReederMrs. Donna ResnickNancy and Cal ReynoldsMr. and Mrs. F. Dillon Robertson, Jr.Norwood RobinsonMr. and Mrs. James S. RodgersMs. Victoria RoemerLynne and Herb RoosaDrs. Mary and Walter RoufailRon and Ann RudkinMs. Mary Carol SappShamrock Garden ClubMrs. Sandra SheldonMr. and Mrs. John R. ShoreMr. David Sink and Mrs. Hazel SinkMs. Elizabeth A. SloanMr. Brandon SmithMr. and Mrs. Bruce W. SmithMr. and Mrs. Kenneth P.

SommerkampBunky and Dick StocktonMrs. Virginia K. StoelzelMrs. Jane Owen StringerSummit School, Inc.Stella SurrattSusan SurrattTyson and Judy SwainMs. Lisa SwarthoutDr. Gerald T. TaylorSheryl and William ThorpeJanine Tillett and Tom PhillipsCandice TurnerMr. and Mrs. Stuart VaughnMr. Carl Walker and Mrs. Jo WalkerNancy WatkinsRobert and Diane WeaverCarolyn Jane WebsterGinny Weiler and Claudine LegaultMs. Maribeth WeinmanMr. and Mrs. Charles WilsonMs. Karen WilsonMr. Larry Wise and Mrs. Anne WiseWallace and Mona Wu

FriendMr. and Mrs. Charles W. AbbeyDr. Sandra AdamsMrs. Virginia B. AdamsMrs. Joy AinsworthBetty and Paul AllegroneMs. Jo AllmanLisa and Nathan AtkinsonMrs. William W. AveraMr. Landen BainMrs. Jacky BarnesCharles and Lorna BeckMr. and Mrs. Brian J. BertineDede Bohn

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you don’t wish to have a dedicated sprayer forthis product. If you use the concentrate, I rec-ommend the higher mixture rate of tenounces per gallon. Once mixed, simply sprayyour tender plants. One thing to rememberabout repellants: the critters you are trying tocontrol have to actually nibble the treatedleaves in order to have a dislike for it.

One vegetable we seem to plant over andover in the garden each season, with this yearbeing the exception, is squash. Squash borersare the larvae of a black moth that has distin-guished orange to red markings. At firstglance, it resembles a wasp. They generallyappear beginning in June to early July. It wasactually August of this year before I saw thesigns of squash borers. As I was picking, Inoticed what seemed to be sawdust-lookingmaterial around the base of the plant, accom-panied by a gnarled hole. It had begun. Themoth’s eggs are deposited on the stem near thesurface of the soil; the hatched larvae maketheir way into the stem, where they begin tofeed on the tissue until it is destroyed.

I also found the eggs of the squash bugdeposited on the leaves. These large, dark grayor dark brown bugs damage plants by suckingnutrients from the leaves. Damage will beseen as yellow and brown spots, followed bywilting. The eggs are very small, about half thesize of a BB, and copper in color.

I have read many ways to protect yourplants from pests, from covering the cropwith a row cover—but this also stops pollina-tors—to using pesticides for control. TypicallyI use no pesticides in the gardens here atReynolda. As a matter of fact, the strongestpesticide I have ever used here or at home isSevin dust, and I use that lightly. One of thebest and safest ways to control pests is tomonitor daily for signs of damage and treatonly as needed. Squash bugs and their eggscan be removed manually. If you know youhave an infestation of borers, the only solu-tion is to cut a small slit along the length ofthe stem where the entrance hole is and pullthe larvae out, but be warned: the stem could

harbor many larvae. Afterward, pull soil uparound the cut area. The plant will heal itselfand most likely produce new roots. If theplant is totally wilted, pull the entire plant outand dispose of it in the same manner as yourtrash. The point is to not let the larvae enterthe soil, where they spin cocoons.

It is my goal not to destroy every organ-ism or insect in the garden but to learn to livewith them. There are and always should beacceptable levels that we live with every day.After all, even the bad insects are beneficial tothe beneficial insects. ¦

What a Difference a Year Makes

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Ms. Pamela A. BowenDr. and Mrs. Edwyn T. Bowen, Jr.Mr. Duane K. BradshawMs. Wilba BradyMrs. Wendy BrennerMrs. Rebecca Brogden and

Mr. R. L. AlmondMrs. Grace BroughtonMr. and Mrs. William L. BrowderMs. Gabrielle CardallSusan CarsonDr. Bonnie CookStephanie CronanMr. George W. Crone, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. William E. CrowMs. Beverly B. CulbreathMrs. Judith CulleyMr. and Mrs. M. L. CuninghamMs. Coburn DagenhartMrs. Cindy DavisMiriam G. DeanMs. Carol A. DevriesMr. Kenneth G. DickieMrs. Virginia DisekerMs. Jane T. DoughertyMrs. Anne C. DowellMr. and Mrs. William B. DuncanBeth EinsteinMrs. James C. EllerMr. and Mrs. Peter B. EpermanisRosalinda EspenillaMs. Shirley FlyMs. Julia FortnerMs. Nancy C. FranklinMs. Janelle S. FrazierMs. Eileen FrostRev. Stephen Gerhard and

Mrs. Barbara GerhardIzoria GordonMrs. Heather H. GreeneMrs. Rachel A. HamiltonNick and Sandy HamnerMs. Beth HanoMs. Karin L. HarveyMs. Teresa L. HierMs. Alix HitchcockDr. Pauline F. HixsonMs. Deb HowardMrs. Grace Efird HoyleMrs. Leslie HummelMs. Virginia IngramMs. Priscilla IvesterBari JacksonPat JacquesMrs. Annie M. JenkinsMs. Betty W. JohnsonMr. and Mrs. James R. JonesMs. Janet JoynerMrs. Rachel KatzerNancy KilstromMr. Will Knott and Ms. Sara KnottMr. Acisclo “Skip” LaLlaveMr. and Mrs. Don LanningMs. Deborah LaydonMs. Susan LaymanMs. Anne LongMr. Harry R. LutherMs. Margaret MartinMr. and Mrs. Pete MayoEllen McCulloughKay McKnightMrs. Gayle G. MeredithDr. Rod Meyer and

Mrs. Marianne MeyerMrs. Pat FitzHugh MichalJohn MikolEva K. Miller

Shizachyrium scoparium, Little BluestemAn ornamental bunchgrass, with fine-textured foliage, that forms very densemounds. Slender, blue-green stems; grows tothree feet. Attractive, clump-forming, usefulfor landscaping and wildlife habitat. Blue-green leaves during the growing season andattractive rusty color with white fluffy seedheads in the fall. Useful for erosion control.Larval host for Dusted Skipper, Leonard’sSkipper, Cobweb Skipper, and others. Stategrass of Nebraska and Kansas.

Panicum virgatum, Switchgrass Three to six foot, robust grass that can adaptto almost all conditions. Very drought toler-ant once established. Produces a lot of seed;good source of food for grain-eating birds.Fall color is pale yellow. Switchgrass has theability to produce moderate to high biomassyields on marginal lands. Because of thesecharacteristics, it may prove to be a goodbioenergy source for ethanol production.Larval host of Delaware Skipper, IndianSkipper, Hobomok Skipper, and theNorthern Broken-Dash butterfly. ¦

*More information on the development of themeadow will be in the 2012 winter Gardener’sJournal.

Something for the Birds: Meadow Grasses



In the AARSRose Garden—One Era Ends asAnother Begins

by Diane Wise, RGWFU head horticulturist

I’m sure you’ve seen her at Reynolda—that strange creature in white, sporting a respirator and busily spraying the roses in theupper garden. She appears early Tuesdaymornings, between April 1 and October 31. Ifyou look closely, you’ll see Gardens manager,Preston Stockton, under all that gear. Sincethe garden is an All-America Rose Selections(AARS) Display Garden, one of only 130 inthe nation, it has to look its best. And thatmeans that Preston, with her applicator’slicense, has the unwelcome task of sprayingthe eight hundred bushes with the appropri-ate pesticides and fungicides. The applicationof these sprays has always made us uncom-fortable. However, maintaining our AARSaccreditation demands that the roses be keptas healthy as possible, and spraying isrequired. But that is about to change.

First, a little history. The AARS, foundedin 1938, is a nonprofit association of rosegrowers and hybridizers charged with intro-ducing exceptional, easy-to-grow roses tohome gardeners across the country. Theyoperate rigorous plant trials in twenty-threetest sites, representing all climate zones. Thetrials consist of a two year testing process,during which the rose is evaluated on fifteencriteria including bloom and bud form,color, fragrance, foliage, vigor, and resistanceto disease. The roses that score the highestare designated winners and are sent to theAARS Display Gardens for planting, providingthe public an opportunity to view the winnersbefore they become commercially available.AARS Display Gardens are evaluated eachyear. During the growing season, twoanonymous evaluators visit the Gardenthree times each. They check for identifyinglabels; the overall condition of the roses,

whether they are free of disease and insects;if dead canes have been removed; andnumerous other things. A poor score willput the Display Garden on probation, and,if not corrected, will result in the loss of theAARS accreditation. Hence, Preston’sTuesday morning activities.

It seems that the appearance of the rosehas always been the most heavily weightedpart of the evaluation in the testing process.Here at Reynolda, we have found only a fewof the AARS roses to be disease resistant; thevast majority of them must be sprayed inorder to look good. But therein lies a prob-lem. In the last couple of years, we have seenthe public move away from the use of pesti-cides and fungicides. Many gardeners don’twant them applied around their homes, andthey don’t want them used in public areas,either. In fact, a number of cities have enactedlaws that prohibit the use of certain pesticidesand fungicides on public property. New YorkCity Local Law 37 prohibits the use of threegroups of pesticides on city property.Consequently, in the one-acre PeggyRockefeller Rose Garden, part of the NewYork Botanical Garden, the staff has replacedmany of the high-maintenance roses withvarieties that require little, if any, spraying.Some are old varieties, and some are newones especially bred to be vigorous and resist-ant to disease. On the West Coast, theHuntington Rose Garden has been almostspray-free for over two decades, mostly dueto stringent state laws that have banned theuse of toxic chemicals in public places.Apparently the AARS is listening, as theyrecently voted to remove all fungicidal spray-ing from their test roses, to ensure that AARSwinners are naturally top performers. Theyare also restructuring the entire organizationand have decided to discontinue the AARSDisplay Gardens. The group believes that thiswill allow them to better serve home garden-ers and the rose industry at large.

So, what does the elimination of theAARS Display Garden program mean for us?It means that we have some exciting workahead. Before you get too excited, the rosesare staying. Although they aren’t original,


Dr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Milner IIIDr. and Mrs. John ModarressAnne and John MoreheadMrs. Susan MorganMr. and Mrs. W. Sanders MosleyRuth B. MullenMrs. Leigh MyersMr. and Mrs. Fred L. Newman, Jr.Ms. Florence NorrisMrs. Marianne NorthingtonMajorie NorthupPhillip and Wendy OakleyLeonard OrlowskiMrs. Susan OvermanMs. Jennifer Bryan PerryMs. Laura PhailMrs. Jennifer T. PierceBob and Vianne PiperAnna PrattMrs. Joyce M. RobertsonSophia W. Rothberger-Kraal and

Albert Oettinger, Jr.Mrs. George D. RovereMs. Judith L. RuffMs. Shelley RutkinMs. Wendy SchaitbergerJudge A. Lincoln SherkMrs. Nellie W. SizemoreMr. and Mrs. Brian W. SmeetonMrs. Jane Morgan SmithMrs. Linda SmithMrs. Pat StoeberMr. Larry Tedder and

Mrs. Wilma TedderMrs. Andrea ThomasMrs. Georgie ThompsonMs. Kellon TippettMrs. Martha TownesMarian F. TownsendMrs. Jeri A. TrotterMrs. Mary Kay TuckerMrs. Laura TurnerClaire TuttleMs. Frances D. VazquezMs. Lena WaddellMr. and Mrs. Douglas D. WalkerMr. and Mrs. John T. WalkerMs. Gail WallMr. Charles D. WardLaura and John WarrenMs. Laura WeaverDannie WeberMargot B. WhartonMs. Becky WheelerMs. Enid P. WhiteJule WhiteMr. Jeffrey Wilson and

Ms. Suzanna D. WatkinsJim and Beth YoranMrs. Susan York

OtherMrs. Marcia T. BakerDrs. Carole and Robert BrowneJohn and Claire FriedenbergDr. Eugene HeiseMs. Billye Keith JonesMs. Margaret T. MacklinMara Beth Weatherman

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Splenda, which is six hundred times sweeterthan sugar.

Growing SteviaWhile it’s not feasible for most of us to growsugarcane or sorghum in our backyard, sev-eral stevia plants will fit nicely into a smallgarden. Here are a few tips: The amount oflight your plant is exposed to determinesthe level of sweetness (the more sunlight,the sweeter the leaves will be), as well as itssize; it grows to two feet tall in the full sun.It’s best to improve our heavy clay soils withorganic matter. I always add a little sandwhen I plant herbs, so they will have gooddrainage. Water frequently when you plantit in the spring, but don’t overdo it. Excesswater will cause the plant to rot. And finally,pinch back stems during the growing seasonto make it bushier.

Harvesting and Using SteviaIn about four months, your plant will beready for harvest. Harvesting should bedone only in the morning for highest sugarcontent, whether pinching tips or entireplants. For a full harvest, which can takeplace in late September or early October, cutthe entire plant at the base. Fasten loosebranches together with a rubber band andhang them upside down to dry.

The leaves are sometimes chewed bythose wishing to reduce their sugar intake.Many who hesitate to consume artificialfood additives may prefer stevia because it isall natural. It is calorie-free and does notimpact blood sugar levels.*

The dried leaves can be ground andused as a sweetener or soaked in water and

the liquid used inmaking preserves.They can beadded to herbteas, a plus forthose of us in theSouth who enjoy


our herbal teas sweet. Because tea is quickand easy to make, it can be fun to experi-ment. Be mindful that if you don’t boil yourtea long enough, it will lack flavor, but boilit too long, and it will become bitter. Whenusing stevia for your tea, tear the leavesbefore steeping them, so the sweet taste isreleased.

Each and every one of us deserves a bitof sweetness. Growing stevia is a great wayto get it. ¦

*Although questions about the safety of consumingstevia have come up in the past few years, studiesseem to prove that it’s safe for most people. Moreinformation on these studies is available on theinternet.

HonorariaIn honor of David Bare

By Circle #7, Mt. Tabor United Methodist Church

Evergreen Garden ClubFlowers and Friends Garden ClubHillcrest Garden Club Little Greens Garden ClubPhilocalian Book Club Town and Country Garden Club

In honor of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Bassett IVMr. and Mrs. Wyatt Bassett

and FamilyMs. Kristin Bennett and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Greg Bray and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Jimmy

Broughton and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Jim Christian

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Mark Cordell

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Gib DavenportMr. and Mrs. Robert White

Deaton and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Bellamy deRosset

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Ted GoinsMr. and Mrs. Murphy Gregg

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Rob Grubbs and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Jim Hopkins and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Fred LondonMr. and Mrs. Cash Lovell and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Chris McAuley

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. David Ornelles

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Ernie Osborn

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Ashton Poole

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Bill Semans and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. David Stedman

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Jack SuttonMrs. Martha Thompson and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Alex Turner and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Jeff Turner and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Stuart Vaughn

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Win Welch and

FamilyMr. and Mrs. Dunlop White

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Steven White

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Kelly Woodruff

and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Louis Wooten

and FamilyBy Ellen and Doug Bassett

and Family

Growing Stevia in the Herb Garden



we can’t restore the garden to the 1917 land-scape plan. We don’t have the manpower tomaintain the vegetables, fruits, and cutflowers that were originally there. But weare no longer restricted to only AARS roses;we can replace them with roses that aremore vigorous, fragrant, and, perhaps, a lit-tle kinder to their surroundings. We’ve gotlots of research to do, and we’re looking for-ward to it! We’ll keep you posted... ¦

In the AARS Rose Garden


male plant is left to pollinate a dozen or sofemales.

I quickly recognized the papaya plant’srole in continuing my Gauguin complex. It will make a great addition to the whitegingers and bananas, palms and hibiscusthat populate my Piedmont South Seas fantasy. ¦

It’s a Papaya!


PUBLISHED TWICE YEARLY BY REYNOLDA

GARDENS OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY

Communications about Gardens development should be addressed to Preston Stockton, manager.Correspondence concerning The Gardener’s Journal should be addressed to Camilla Wilcox, editor.

A calendar of events is published separately in January and August.

Website: www.reynoldagardens.org


Printed on paper made of 50%sugar cane pulp and 50% recycledfiber, including 30% post-consumerfiber. No new trees used and elemental-chlorine free.

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDWinston-Salem, NC

Permit No. 69R E Y N O L D A GA R D E N S100 Reynolda VillageWinston-Salem, NC 27106

In honor of Barry Baugess and Paige Whitley-BaugessBy Mr. and Mrs. David E.

Baugess

In honor of Susan B. JordanBy Dr. Theresa Burgess Price

In honor of Bev and Sonny KigerBy John Kiger

In honor of Reynolda Gardens StaffBy Anonymous

In honor of Preston StocktonBy Evergreen Garden Club

Mr. and Mrs. George B. Whitaker III

In honor of Judy ThomasBy Mrs. Andrea Thomas

In honor of Louise ThomasBy Mary Symington Book Club

In honor of Camilla WilcoxBy Twin City Garden Club

In honor of Donna W. WillisBy Enid P. White

In honor of Karen WilsonBy Susan Surratt

MemoriaIn memory of Bonney Clark

By Mrs. Debra Brenner

In memory of Susan GettyBy Mrs. Carol Dimling

In memory of Gregory C.Hungerford

By Mary and Charles Cranfill

In memory of Lillian A. KaplanBy Dr. Richard Weinberg

Donor List


The Engineers of Reynolda,Part 4: John Nicholas Ambler


In memory of Bet MangumBy Jane Hanes Poindexter

In memory of Algine OgburnBy Flower Lore Garden Club

In memory of Andrea L. RogersBy Jane L. Rogers

In memory of Ruth Stafford for theWildflower Garden

By Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. BrockMr. and Mrs. Cecil R. BrownMs. Jayne G. CannonMr. and Mrs. MacFarlane L. Cates, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. DavisMr. Thomas C. DavisMs. Anne M. ElliottMr. and Mrs. Albert F. GibsonMrs. W. M. JohnsonMrs. E. L. Leonard Mr. Thorne S. MartinMs. Etta Jeanette MearesMs. Alice S. PhillipsMs. Joyce P. PowellMr. and Mrs. Harrell J.

Powell, Jr.Ms. Prudence S. ScottMs. Mary A. SirkOpal and Allen Stafford Rachel M. Tromba Mr. and Mrs. Marvin S.

VonCanonDr. and Mrs. Robert M

Watson, Jr.Ms. Barbara G. Whitmarsh

In memory of Jo WalkerBy Flower Lore Garden Club

In memory of Peggy WatlingtonBy Mr. and Mrs. Hans W.

Wanders

RestrictedWildflowers for Meadow

By Forest Garden Club

Young Naturalist ScholarshipsBy Book Club Anon

JoAnn and Bryan Yates

West Fifth Street in Winston,across from the Reynolds family inthe section dubbed Millionaire’sRow. His office was in a prestigiouslocation, upstairs in the MasonicTemple, at the corner of Fourthand Trade Streets.

The Amblers moved to Rich-mond, Virginia, in 1918, the sameyear he was elected the first presi-dent of the North Carolina Societyof Civil Engineers. The businesscontinued under the name AmblerEngineering, and he continued topublish articles on a range of engi-neering topics, including designand construction of sewers,obtaining a waterworks system,and design and construction ofstreet railways. At the time of hisdeath in Richmond in 1935, hewas an estimator for the Virginiahighway department. ¦

*On September 21, 1909, it wasannounced that the old campus ofDavis Military School would beredesigned by Buckenham and Millerfor its new use as the MethodistChildren’s Home.

In Memoriam

We are saddened to report that wehave lost Millie, our beloved friendand mascot. Many of you know that she was suffer-ing from lymphoma, and she hadlong outlived our expectations.She left us on March 15, and westill miss her. —D.W.

r eynoldag the g ardener of wake forest...

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