spring 2006 the ecological landscaper newsletter

8/6/2019 Spring 2006 The Ecological Landscaper Newsletter

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The Newsletter of the Ecological Landscaping Association Vol. 12, No. 5 Spring 2006

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It isnt easy being green . . .This often is the plight of poor Kermit the frog andother critters who depend on wetlands and other water

bodies for habitat. We hope that youll find some ideasand resources in this issue that will help you be kind to

our web-footed friend and their fellow water dwellers.

Dear Member,

We realize that this is a lateSpring newsletter and we thankyou for your patience. We arelooking to improve the contentof the newsletter and to explorehow we can better provide

cutting-edge information to ourknowledgeable membership.

To that end, we would like toask you, the reader, for com-ments, letters, articles, ideas,and opinions. Suggest topics thatpeak your interest and that willprovide an incentive for us all tobe greener in our practices.

Were also looking for pro-duction personnel, both editor/

layout designer or editor andlayout designer. If you (or some-one you know) are interested,please review the detailed jobdescription (pg. 11) and contactus. The sooner we hear from youthe better as the Summer issuedeadline is just rounding thecorner.

Thank You.

FROG-FRIENDLYBACKYARDS

Randy Korb

The soft trills of toads and melodiccalls of frogs on warm spring eve-nings can be very soothing, especiallyfrom the comfort of your home. Well-designed water gardens and backyardponds not only provide ambience, theyadd to the amount of wetland habitatin communities and attract wildlife,

especially amphibians.e term frog includes both frogs

and toads, but the reverse is not true.Toads have dry, warty skin, short backlegs and stocky bodies. Frogs havesmooth, moist skin with long back legsand streamlined bodies.

Wetlands: fauna and flora

1 Frog-Friendly Backyards1 Dear Member

3 2006 Winter Conference &Eco-Marketplace Review

3 Protecting Vernal Pools and Their Inhabitants

6 Insects and Water

7 Resources for Protecting Wetlands

8 Spiranthes Cernua Odorata Chadds Ford

10 Review of Winter Conference

10 Louisianna Irises

11 ELA Events

12 Unclassifieds, ELA News

e needs of amphibians (water,food, shelter) change seasonally. Frogsand toads move predictably over thelandscape to satisfy these needs. In thespring, they spend a week in water tobreed and lay eggs. en they leavetheir larvae behind and spend thesummer in distant fields, sitting on the

forest floor, or perched along shore-lines waiting for passing insects andhiding from bigger frogs and otherhungrys. In winter, they burrow intothe soil and beneath leaf piles or slipback into water to hibernate. Mak-ing your yard frog-friendly will bringfrogs and toads from local popula-tions. Amphibians are attracted tothe reflective surface of the water. Bepatientit may take a year. Do not goout and collect adult frogs from otherareas. Even if the habitat is favorablethey wont recognize it as home and

will likely leave and die in strange sur-roundings. Frogs and tadpoles boughtfrom pet shops may carry and spreaddiseases. As a last resort, it is possibleto relocate eggs or tadpoles from anearby wetland and raise them in yourpond. Wait until your pond is well

c o n t e n t s


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Gramma said when you come onsomething good, first thing to do is

share it with whoever you can find;that way the good spread out whereno telling it will go. Which is right.

Little Tree in The Education ofLittle Tree, by Forrest Carter

M.L. AltobelliNancy AskinDon BishopBill JewellAndrea Knowles

Cathy RooneyKathy Sargent-

ONeillBruce WenningOwen Wormser

e Ecological Landscaper is pub-lished by the Ecological LandscapingAssociation (ELA). Subscriptions area benefit of membership in ELA. Forinformation about ELA, contact:

ELA, 60 Thoreau Street, #252Concord, MA 01742-2456(617) 436-5838

www.ecolandscaping.org

Talk to us! We welcome comments,letters, articles, ideas, and opinions.

Write to us with your ideas for news-letter content.

Send all other ELA business, includ-ing address changes, to the Concordaddress listed above.

e ELA board meets throughout theyear in various locations in easternMassachusetts. All members are

welcome. Contact us for specific datesand locations.

ELA Board of Directors

President: Chris OBrienVice President: Bob Levite

Treasurer: Sue StorerRecording Secretary: Dennis Collins

Executive Administrator : Penny Lewis

established with a layer of detritus andalgae to serve as tadpole food.

Backyard Basics

Locate the pond away from lot lines,trees, underground and overhead pow-er lines, and the neighbors bedroom

window. Toads, especially, can be quite

noisy. (In Kaukana, WI, a homeownerwith toads in his pond was fined forviolating a noise nuisance code. [I haveto wonder what the local fine is on leafblowers?ed.]) Avoid runoff from ma-nure piles, compost piles or chemicallytreated lawns. Any contaminants inthe water will pass quickly through theskin and into the bodies of tadpolesand adults. Know your local bylaws onpermits and fencing needs.

ere are four types of backyardponds: concrete, pre-fabricated fi-berglass, clay lined and flexible liner.Concrete ponds and fiberglass pondsare the most expensive. Fiberglassshells, however, are steep-sided deathtraps unless a rock pile, branches orboards are added to allow frogs out ofthe pond. Clay lined ponds generallyrequire professional installation and, ifthey dry out, the clay layer may shrink

and crack. Flexible liners are generallyinexpensive and dependable. A 45milEPDM (Ethylene Propylene DieneMonomer) liner is very inexpensive,does not leach toxins into the water,and holds up well in cold climates.

Make the pond at least six bytwelve feet and the center of the pondbelow the frost line, about five feetdeep; more shallow ponds will freezein the winter, killing the remaining

tadpoles and adults. Form a simpleoval or crescent. More elaborate shapes

will cause the liner to fold and detrituswill collect in the creases. If you use fi-berglass pools, place two or three smallones together.

Both American toads (Bufoamericanus) and green frogs (Ranaclamitans) adapt well to urban back-

yard environments and are abundantthroughout their widespread ranges.

ey are often the first to appear in anew pond.

Toads

Toads, especially, live comfortablyaround urban and suburban homesand gardens. e ideal toad pond is ashallow scrape in an open sunny area

that fills with melt water in spring anddries out by the end of June.

New homeowners tend to quicklyfill in wet areas like this and seedthem over with grass. Rather thaneliminating these low areas, dig themdeeper and add a flexible liner. Simplybuilding a small berm or dam at theoutflow will also pool the water. isgives metamorphs (newly developedfrom the larval stage) an extra week

or two of water to complete theirmetamorphosis before the pond dries.Metamorphs are vulnerable to birds,cats, large spiders and other preda-tors as they leave the water. e areasurrounding the pond should havetall, thick grass and a variety of nativeplants, logs, and rocks for cover.

Winter

Green frog tadpoles take two years to

complete metamorphosis. To supportthem a pond must be deep enough forthem to over winter at the bottom.

Toads burrow into an area of sandy,loose soil or your compost pile toescape the frost. If you live in or neara wooded area, leaf piles and rottinglogs will get wood frogs, spring peep-ers (Pseudacris crucifer) and other treefrogs through the winter.

Meeting these requirements will

keep your frogs and toads happy andhealthy the year round.

Randy Korb is an environmental educator inWisconsin and Illinois public schools and conductsworkshops for adults. He also develops educa-tional nature products. Randys book WisconsinFrogs: Places to Hear Frogs and Toads NearOur Urban Areas includes a CD set of frogcalls; it is available through Northeastern Wis-consin Audubon, Inc. (P.O. Box 1963, Green BayWI 54305, $18.45 including shipping.)

Mention of products is not intendedto constitute endorsement. Opinionsexpressed in this newsletter do notnecessarily represent those of ELAsdirectors, staff, or members.

Ecological Landscaping 2006


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PROTECTING VERNAL POOLS

AND THEIR INHABITANTS Jennifer Pettit

Many years ago, Cindy Kollaricswrote an article for e Ecologi-cal Landscaperdescribing vernal poolhabitat and how the creatures that

travel to these special areas in earlyspring might be protected by not lim-ing or fertilizing at this time of year.

So who are the creatures thatutilize vernal pools? Some of themare New Englands mole salamandersand frogs. is piece describes theirappearances and habits and focuseson ways to provide some protection oftheir essential vernal pool habitats.

Wood Frog(Rana sylvatica)

is is one of the first arrivals to thevernal pool. ese frogs are able tosurvive temperatures below freezingbecause of the glycerol-based naturalantifreeze they produce. eir rangeextends from Georgia through thenortheast United States to beyond theArctic Circle. ere are some popula-tions in Colorado, Arkansas, Missouri,

and Wyoming.Relatively small frogs, they range

from 1-3" long, with rear legs nearlytwice their body length. Males andfemales both have a black or brownmask and a white stripe that runsaround the sides of the head down tothe shoulder. Chromataphores in theirskin produce varied brown pigmentsthat enable them to mimic the color offallen leaves.

Breeding migrations occur duringa warm rain in early spring, sometimebefore the ice has completely melted.

ere is no mistaking their return;the males have a very raucous, duck-like call that can be deafening near alarge congregation! All mating takesplace quickly; in a few days, they laytheir eggs and the adults leave thepools. In a year when breeding occurs

2006 WINTER CONFERENCE

& ECO-MARKETPLACE REVIEW

Chris OBrien

The 2006 Winter Conference & Eco-Marketplace, An In-Depth Lookat Ecological Land Management was held March 3 and 4 in Marlbor-ough, Massachusetts. e conference program featured local and nationalspeakers: Amy Vickers (water conservation), Les Mehrhoff (invasive plants),Eric Grissell (insect ecosystems) and other knowledgeable and engagingspeakers. Topics ranged from green golf courses to insect ecosystems, waterconservation in the landscape, healthy trees, bio-control of invasive plants,targeted compost and much, much more 20 sessions in all.

e success of the ELAs 2006 Winter Conference & Eco-Marketplacewas not mere happenstance. A large group of dedicated board members and

volunteers, assisted by a woefully underpaid staff, smoothly produced andran this year-long effort.

Special recognition must go to the Conference/Marketplace PlanningCommittee. Education Committee Chair, Nancy Askin, and the educa-tional committee maintained ELAs standards by finding knowledgeable,respected speakers. Eco-Marketplace Co-Chair, M. L. Altobelli, providedthe drive to put together the Eco-Marketplace. is is the fourth year thatconference guests have been able to meet with vendors of landscapingproducts with an ecological bent. Co-Chair, Cathy Rooney, brought yearsof experience with trade shows and event management. e scheduling and

management Volunteer Coordinator, Karen Lindquist, assured the eventran like clock-work! Pat McAlpine, ELAs administrative assistant, providedsupport to all. No detail was too small to escape the attention of KathySargent-ONeill. ese individuals are the backbone of the effort and areresponsible for the reputation ELA has acquired for an outstanding and wellattended Winter Conference & Eco-Marketplace.

Congratulations to all for a job well done.



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before freezing conditions are past,the developing embryos may be killedby new ice that forms on the pool. Ifthe vernal pool dries too quickly inthe summer, an entire generation oftadpole might also be killed.

e Wood Frogs jelly-like eggmasses of 1,000 to 3,000 loosely

clumped eggs are usually attached tosubmerged plants or fallen twigs. eeggs have a dark purplish hue andalgae growth within the masses canadd a greenish tinge. Although WoodFrogs are common, destruction fromdevelopment of vernal pools and sur-rounding critical habitat areas directlyaffects these amphibians.

Spotted Salamander

(Ambystoma maculatum)is is another which visits the springpool. While growing up in Connecti-cut, I would often rescue these gentlelittle creatures from certain deathas they crossed roads on wet spring

nights. roughout New England,rescue groups have organized efforts tohelp protect this annual migration byclosing roads or building tunnels.

e Spotted Salamander seems tobe the most predominant of the molesalamanders in my area of northeast-ern Massachusetts. ey spend most oftheir lives in underground burrows indeciduous or mixed coniferous/decidu-ous woods. eir color is a beautiful

dark blue or black with contrastingbright yellow spots that run downtheir back. ey grow to 6-9" long andcan live for over twenty years. eirrange extends from Nova Scotia southto northern Florida and west to por-tions of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

eir diet consists of slugs, snails,earthworms, spiders, crickets, andbeetles.

Although the adults may ven-

ture far from their vernal pool afterbreeding, they usually return to theirancestral pool every year.

With the arrival of the first warmspring rain, the males emerge fromtheir burrows and migrate to theirpools; in some years they will even

wriggle across snow to arrive at the

pool beforethe females.

When thefemalesarrive, theyengage inan elaboratecourtship dance. (Note: If you ventureout to a pool to witness the dance re-member ear protection as well as raingear; the chorus of Wood Frogs and

Spring Peepers is extremely loud atclose range.) e female then depositsher eggs in round, jelly-like massesof 100-200 eggs attached to sticksor vegetation. ey sometimes turn amilky color, or are tinged with greenfrom algae, and are easy to spot againstthe dark leaves on the bottom of thepool.

Hatchlings are about a " longand greenish-yellow in color and could

be mistaken for tadpoles except fortheir little legs and distinct gills re-sembling ornamental feathers on eachside of the larvaes head. ese littleamphibians have voracious appetites.

ey devour water fleas, the larvae ofmosquitoes and other insects, and oc-casionally may even eat other salaman-der larvae or tadpoles.

Marbled Salamanders

(Ambystoma opacum)ough once found in such profusionthey are now classified as threat-ened in Massachusetts. eir declineis likely caused by road traffic nearbreeding pools, acid rain, and pesticideuse. ey are small and stocky, about3-4" in length, and dark gray toblack in color. ey have distinct sliveror white markings (brighter in themales and sometimes enclosing black

spots) which run down their backs.Mostly terrestrial, they can be foundunder leaf litter, stones and logs. NewHampshire and central Massachusettsseems to be the northern limit of theirrange.

Unlike most mole salamanders,the Marbled Salamanders visit wooded

vernal poolsin the latesummer andfall to deposittheir eggs

when the poolis dry. e

female deposits 50-230 eggs and oftenremains to protect them until rains fillthe pool. Eggs usually hatch in the fallbut they can survive over the winter

to hatch early in the spring. e larvaeleave the pool in late summer or earlyfall, depending on water levels.

Blue Spotted Salamander(Ambystoma laterale)

is one is rarely seen above ground.Long (3-5") and thin, it has sky bluemarkings on its dark blue to blackbody. Its range is from the Gulf of St.Lawrence through southern Canada

and New England into New Jerseyand parts of the Midwest. e pre-ferred habitat is hardwood and hem-lock forest.

eir spring breeding rituals aresimilar to the Yellow Spotted sala-mander. e female lays 6-10 eggs permass, with up to 500 accumulating in aclutch. Most larvae leave the pools bylate August.

Altogether, there are about 130

kinds of salamanders including othermole salamanders (such as the Jeffer-son Salamander), newts, mud puppies,Giant or Olympic Salamanders, BlindSalamanders, Tree Salamanders, andothers, each with particular habitatneeds. Our willingness to protect ver-nal pools and surrounding areas maymake the difference between extinc-tion or survival for these amphibians.

Our willingness to protect vernal pools

and surrounding areas may make the

difference between extinction or

survival for these amphibians.



5/12 5

Some specific means toprotect amphibians habitats

Dont clear the native shrubs and trees from around a pool; leave a bufferarea of at least 50 feet in a natural state.

Keep development such as roads, structures, and even lawns as far away

as possible from known vernal pools.

Locate vernal pools and apply for certification to protect them fromdevelopment.

Locate vernal pools so they will not be damaged even in the dry season.

Do not permit heavy equipment in pool depressions. Landings and haulroads in logging or clearing operations should be kept at least 200 feetaway. Soil compaction can damage the vernal pools delicate ecosystem,and ruts deeper than six inches can disrupt migration routes.

Keep treetops and slash out of the vernal pool depression.

If land development does takes place next to avernal pool, here are some remedies which

will help to keep it a breeding area:

Leave an uninterrupted cover area of shrubs and herbaceous plantsalong the shore to shade and cool the area and to provide protection frompredators. Attractive wetland shrubs to consider include Clethra alnifolia(Summer Sweet),Ilex verticillata (Winterberry),Lindera benzoin (Spice

Bush), and Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush Blueberry). Add some largetrees to provide a canopy layer.

Build Greenways: belts of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that mightweave through the property to provide protected travel areas between thepools and the equally critical upland forest areas. In these places, leaf littershould be left for foraging and hibernation. If possible, these requirementsshould be considered in the planning stage of any development.

Keep fertilizers, pesticides and any toxic materials away from the pool.Do not lime or fertilize nearby lawns when salamanders are breedingor emergent young are leaving the pool. Do not drain swimming poolsinto vernal pools areas. A Salamanders skin is extremely sensitive to anyforeign material.

Avoid using Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), in vernal pools. is often recom-mended, so-called environmentally friendly control for many insects,including mosquitoes can greatly reduce food supply for developingamphibians.

Breeding pools that have been degraded by a major disturbance such aspollution, drainage, or filling can possibly be restored. Get some profes-sional advice on how to accomplish this.

In Massachusetts, the Massachu-setts Natural Heritage and Endan-gered Species Program (under theDivision of Fisheries and Wildlife)can certify a vernal pool. ere are anumber of criteria, including presenceof certain obligate species, amphib-ian and otherwise. (See sources for

address). Certified pools are pro-tected from filling and discharges. eMassachusetts Wetland ProtectionAct (310 CMR 10.00) only protects

vernal pools located within a wetlandresource area. Some towns have localbylaws that protect vernal pools inupland areas.

ere is no administrated certi-fication procedure in any other NewEngland state. ere is a citizens guide

to vernal pools available for Maine,and a volunteer information-gather-ing network in New Hampshire underthe auspices of N.H. Audubon (note:New Hampshire is currently trying topass some legislative measures which

would protect vernal pools but ismeeting strong opposition from landowners and developers).

Amphibians are in decline every-where, most likely due to the effects,



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direct or indirect, of human activity.I hope that those involved in plan-ning, landscaping, and development

will learn about these creatures andtheir critical habitats and share thisinformation with clients and land-owners. We have the opportunity andresponsibility to protect these delicate

creatures for future generations.Sources for more informationFor fact sheets and Massachusettscertification forms:

Mass. Natural Heritage and EndangeredSpecies Program

Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife1 Rabbit Hill RoadWestborough, MA 01581-3337(508) 792-7270http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/nhesp.htm

Other sources of information:Vernal Pool Associationc/o Reading Memorial High School62 Oakland RoadReading, MA 01867

c/o Leo KenneyThe Wright Center Tufts UniversityMedford, MA 02155(617) 628-5000, ext. 5395

Massachusetts Audubon SocietyGreat RoadLincoln, MA 01773(617) 259-9500

Wetlands Education and OutreachCoordinator

U. S. Environmental Protection AgencyNew England RegionJ. F. K. Federal BuildingBoston, MA 02203(617) 565-4868

Jennifer Pettit is a member of the ELA andhas been a member of the Townsend, MAConservation Commission for many years.

INSECTSAND WATER

Arzeena Hamir

found hovering over lawns, looking forwhite grubs.

Food Sources

All of these predatory insects supple-ment their diets with pollen andnectar. Plants that particularly attractthem include the following: coriander

(cilantro), garlic chives, lovage, fennel,dill, Queen Annes lace, rue, thyme,peppermint, goldenrod, buckwheat,sweet alyssum, sunflower, bee balm,horehound, parsley, yarrow, blanketflower, coneflower, coreopsis, cosmos,tansy, goldenrod, buckwheat and hairy

vetch.

Provide a Source of Water

Planting food sources for these

beneficial insects is the easy first stepto attracting them in the garden.However, most gardeners forget thatbesides food, small predators need asource of water as well. Pest insectslike aphids and cutworms get theirmoisture by sucking or feeding onplant juices. Predators need an openbody of water to meet their moisturerequirements. Just the small additionof a saucer of water has been shown

to double the amount of eggs laid bybeneficials. Water sources are particu-larly important during hot summers.

Predatory insects require a veryspecific type of water body. A shallowpond is best, with enough area aroundthe perimeter for insects to land, anddrink safely. Deeper ponds can bemade beneficial-friendly by placingflat rocks so that they protrude fromthe surface to form landing pads.

Without these safe havens, insects canbe pulled into the water from the forceof surface tension.

Lacewings and dragonflies areparticularly attracted to ponds thatfeature fountains or waterfalls. emist created by these structures ap-peals to these delicate creatures andthe movement of water also discour-ages mosquitoes from breeding.

When home gardeners think ofinstalling a pond, they often doso for aesthetic reasons. e sound andsight of water brings tranquility intoany setting. But ponds can also cre-ate a wonderful ecosystem, attractinga number of beneficial insect species.Predatory insects are just one group

of beneficials that thrive near ponds.ese insects control pests naturallyand are a sure sign of a healthy garden.

Types of Predatory Insects

A predatory insect is one that preyson other insects. e most commonand easily recognizable predator is

the ladybug, Hippodamia conver-gens. Gardeners revere these brightlycolored insects for their pest controlcapabilities. Young ladybug larvae willeat up to 30 aphids a day, saving roses,nasturtiums, and other plants from be-ing overwhelmed by this pest. A singleadult may eat more than 5,000 aphidsin its lifetime.

Lacewings, Chrysoperla spp., areanother type of predatory insect. e

adults are green with large, gauze-likewings that give them their characteris-tic name. Along with aphids, lacewingsfill their diet with mites, thrips, scaleinsects, mealybugs, and even tomatohornworms. Lacewing larvae are alsoknown as aphid lions for the numberof aphids they eat on a daily basis andthe way they impale their prey whenthey detect them. Syrphid flies (family: Syrphidae),

also known as hover flies, float overplants as they search for insects andnectar. Like lacewings, these predatorsfeast on a variety of insect pests but alsopollinate a number of flowering plants,especially those whose flowers are toosmall for the average honeybee. Becausethey are small (-" long) and not aseasily identified as ladybugs or lacewings,they dont often get the credit they de-serve for controlling pest populations.

Although the name frightensmost people, the experienced gardenerknows what a blessing predatory waspscan be. Unlike their stinging counter-parts, these tiny wasps prefer to feedon other insects. Some lay their eggsinside soft-bodied insects, therebykilling them, while others carry offcaterpillars to feed their young. One

wasp with blue/black wings and twoyellow spots on its abdomen is often continued on next page


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Maintaining a Healthy GardenIf pest insects do build up, it is impor-tant to control them naturally, withoutaffecting the population of beneficials.Insecticidal soap and the microbial in-secticide Bt are specific to pest speciesand do not harm beneficial ones. Becareful with other natural pesticides.

Even botanically derived ones likerotenone and pyrethrum will kill ben-eficial insects. In addition, rememberthat pests like aphids, mealybugs andcutworms are food sources for preda-tory insects so try to tolerate a few ofthem in your garden.

Water is a critical component toattracting beneficial insects. A well-designed pond will not only providepleasure to its owners, but will also

provide the foundation for a healthyecosystem. As more beneficial insectsfind a home in the garden, the amountof time spent on controlling pests willdecrease, giving you more time to en-

joy the pond and the wonderful buzzof insects around it.

Arzeena Hamir is an agronomist and gardenwriter specializing in organic gardening.Terra Viva Organics [email protected]

RESOURCESFOR PROTECTING

WETLANDS: FAUNAAND FLORA

Roads have devastated amphibianpopulations and the wetlandswhere they breed. For more informa-tion on Federal Highway Admin-istration (FHWA) activities and on

ways biologists and land planners areteaming up to design eco-friendlyroads that animals can traverse with-out having to risk life and limb, go to:http://magazine.audubon.org

Izaak Walton League staff providesquality workshops on a variety ofstream and wetland conservation andeducation topics. If you are an individ-ual interested in attending a workshop,

please check our calendar of eventsfor workshops in your area. If you arean organization, agency, or companyplease contact us at 800-BUG-IWLA(284-4952) or email [email protected] toschedule a workshop.

Environmental Law Instituteprovides many on-line resources andthreads to articles:

Home page and National WetlandsNewsletter:http://www2.eli.org/nwn/nww/login/index.cfm

Protecting Water Resources:http://www2.eli.org/research.htm

US EPA Site

Wateris page provides links to topicsrelating to all bodies of water:http://www.epa.gov/owow

Wetlandsis page provides an overview ofbasic wetland information and answersfrequently asked questions:

http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands

Links to private organizations/agen-cies on the topics ofRiver Corridorsand Wetland Restoration can befound on this site which providesreports and updates on new and cut-ting-edge technology. e website alsoprovides an overview of basic wetlandinformation and answers frequently

asked questions: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore/privlinks.html

EPA Watershed News: WatershedNews is a publication of EPAs Officeof Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds.

Webcasts by a variety of speakers oncutting edge topics:

http://www.epa.gov/win/news.html

Urban Wetlands Biocomplexity

Project: is is a growing websitethat provides summary and contactinformation for the research group atOregon State University. is projectis supported by a National ScienceFoundation incubation grant throughthe Biocomplexity in the EnvironmentProgram. ere are many interestingarticles on this site:http://water.oregonstate.edu/wetlands/index.htm

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SPIRANTHESCERNUAVAR.

ODORATA CHADDS FORD

America. Among the many generaof native orchids are Cypripedium,the lady slippers;Isotria, the whorledpogonias; Platanthera, the fringedorchids; Pogonia, the beard flowers;Goodyera, the plantain orchids; Listera,the twayblade orchids; Corallorhiza,the coral root orchids; and Tipularia,

the cranefly orchids.

An Elusive Prize

Until recently, orchid lovers have onlybeen able to appreciate native orchidsin the wild, not in the garden. Many ofthese plants are slow to propagate andtherefore are not readily available fromcommercial sources. For decades, or-chids have been dug up from the wildby unscrupulous collectors who have

decimated entire plant populations.is, in addition to loss of habitat todevelopment, is a major threat to thelong-term survival of many orchids as

well as other native species. For thisreason its important to buy nativeorchids only from nurseries that arepropagating them vegetatively, notcollecting them from the wild. Fortu-nately, in recent years, there have beengreat strides in propagating even the

most difficult orchids, such as the ladyslipper Cypripedium reginae, which isbeing propagated by tissue culture byBill Steele of Spangle Creek Labs inMN ([email protected]).

Orchids are not only difficult topropagate; they also have a reputationof being almost impossible to grow.

e most commonly accepted theoryon why theyre so temperamental isthat the symbiotic relationship with

mycorrhizal fungi found on the roottips, essential for the breakdown of nu-trients in the soil to forms the plantscan use, is difficult to simulate in agarden setting. Spiranthes cernua var.odorata Chadds Ford is the exceptionto the rule. Its not only easy to growbut also forms colonies quickly.

A Prodigious Beginning

In August 1992, Dr. Richard Lighty,

Barry Glick

L ike far too manynative plantsthese days, Spiranthescernua var. odorata

Chadds Ford, a nativeorchid, was discoveredjust as its habitat wasabout to be destroyed. Dick Ryan, aneccentric character with a passion fornative orchids, found the plant backin the 1960s in a wet ditch near hishometown of Bear, Delaware. At thetime, Bear was a rural crossroads town.

Today, this former orchid habitat isoverrun by tract homes.

It didnt take long for word aboutRyans exquisite discovery to spread.Dr. Merlin Brubacker, a plantsman

with a keen interest in tropical orchids,was smitten by this denizen of tem-perate Delaware. In 1973, a divisionof the orchid grown by Dr. Brubackerreceived the coveted Certificate ofCultural Merit from the AmericanOrchid Society.

Nodding Ladies TressesSpiranthes cernua var. odorata, a fra-grant form of the species commonlyknown as nodding ladies tresses, isfound in coastal regions of southeast-ern states from Virginia to Florida and

west to Texas, where it flowers fromfall through winter.

Nodding ladies tresses grow toabout 3 feet tall, with 3 to 6 glossy,dark green leaves up to 8 inches long

on the lower part of the stem. Its yel-lowish white blossoms are larger thanthose of the species, Spiranthes cernua,

which is found throughout easternNorth America. Like other membersof the genus Spiranthes, the flowers ofthis species are arranged in a twisted,spiral-shaped spike. (e name Spi-ranthes comes from two Greek words,speira, meaning spiral, and anthos,meaning flower.) Members of the spe-

cies are called nodding ladies tressesbecause of the nodding habit of theindividual florets that make up theflower spike.

A Smell of Jasmine

One of the most distinctive features ofSpiranthes cernua var. odorata is its po-

tent, sweet fragrance, often comparedto that of vanilla or jasmine. ChaddsFord is a wonderful cultivar a

vigorous grower with large, extremelyfragrant flowers. Although the plant

was discovered in Delaware, it wasnamed in honor of Chadds Ford, thetown in southeast Pennsylvania whereDr. Brubacker lived.

Since the dawn of gardening,orchids have had a mystique. In the

words of botanist Welby R. Smith,who has written an entire book on theorchids of Minnesota alone, Orchidsare often thought of as rare, fragileobjects dart, existing only in steamytropical forests or Edwardian green-houses. In reality, nothing could befurther from the truth. Orchids occur

worldwide from the arctic tundra toTierra del Fuego. ey are absent onlyfrom the driest deserts and the wet-

test aquatic habitats. Orchids makeup one of the largest plant families,

with 725 genera and more than 20,000species and account for some 7 to 10percent of all flowering plant specieson Earth!

Nearly everyone is familiar withthe multitude of orchids from thetropics, where the majority of orchidslive. In most regions of this country,these must be grown as houseplants.

Few gardeners are aware of the sur-prising diversity of terrestrial orchidsnative to the U.S. (As the nameimplies, terrestrial orchids are thosethat are rooted in soil. All orchids intemperate regions are terrestrial; mosttropical orchids are epiphytic, meaningthey grow on another plantbut arentparasiticusually in the canopies ofthe tallest trees.) Some 216 species ofterrestrial orchids are native to North


9/12 9

director of the Mt. Cuba Centerfor the Study of Piedmont Flora inGreenville, DE, gave me a 6" pot ofChadds Ford. I kept the plant in amoderately heated greenhouse (45).By December 30 I was able to divideout thirty-two 2-" pots, eighteen 4"pots and put the stock plant back in

its original pot.e following spring, I trans-

planted several divisions outside inthe garden. By midsummer, flowerbuds had begun to form. In late sum-mer, my garden was graced with 18"spikes of waxy white orchid flow-ers, tinged with green and scented

vanilla. e flowers persisted into latefall.

Like others of its species,

Chadds Ford prefers wet feet.However, it will do perfectly well inany rich, moisture-retentive soil, insun or shade. Given these conditions,this plant, which is stoloniferous, willmultiply in no time at all. I highlyrecommend it, even for the novicegardener.

Further information

Resources are plentiful for those ofyou whose interest has been peaked. Ifyoud like to learn more about nativeorchids, take a look at the followingbooks. Some are out of print but canbe found in any good horticulturallibrary:

Hardy Orchids by Phillip Cribb &Christopher Bailes. Timber Press, Port-land, 1989.

Orchids for the Outdoor Garden by A.W. Darnell. First published by L. Reeve& Co., Ltd., Ashford, Kent, England in1930. Reprinted by Dover Publications,New York, 1976.

Wild Orchids of the Middle AtlanticStates by Oscar W. Gupton and Fred C.Swope. University of Tennessee Press,

Knoxville, 1986. ISBN 0-87049-509-7 Flora of West Virginia by P. D. Stras-

baugh and Earl Core. Seneca Books,Morgantown, 1978.

Orchids of Indiana by Michael A.Homoya, Indiana University Press, 1993.ISBN 0-253-32864-0

Orchids of Minnesota by Welby R.Smith. Univ. of Minnesota Press, Min-neapolis, 1993.

Wild Orchids of e NortheasternUnited States by Paul Martin Brown,Cornell University Press, 1996, ISBN0-8014-8341-7

Hardy Orchids by Cribb & Bailes, Tim-

ber Press, 1989, ISBN-0-7470-0416-1Id also like to suggest joining e

North American Native Orchid Al-liance. ey publish an amazing 100plus page journal quarterly. It is loaded

with easy to understand cultural andidentification information and manyline drawings and color photos, a bar-gain at $29 per year. Contact

NANOA, c/o Nancy Webb84 Etna St.

Brighton, MA 02135-2830

Growers:Cypripedium Havenwww.c-we.com/cyp.haven/Carson Whitlow2291-280th StAdel, IA 50003Phone/FAX [email protected]



10/12 10

Spangle Creek Labswww.uslink.net/~scl/Bill & Carol Steele2295 County Road 445Bovey, MN [email protected]

Sunshine Farm & Gardenswww.sunfarm.comBarry Glick

Rt 5FRenick, WV 24966PH 304-497-2208, FAX [email protected]

Barry Glick has written for numerous Gar-dening and Landscape publications over thelast 34 years and is the proprietor of SunshineFarm & Gardens, a 60-acre Arboretum, Bo-tanic Garden, and Nursery in the mountainsof Greenbrier County, WV. 304-497-2208,[email protected] - www.sunfarm.com

L ouisiana Irises have to be one ofthe best kept secrets of the gardenworld. e word Louisiana conjures upimages of steamy bayous and tropicalfoliage but thats not quite correct inthis case. Yes, most of the five speciesthat make up this incredibly variablemix of plants do make their naturalhome way south of the Mason DixonLine. But people are growing them in

virtually every state of the union andmost likely in every country in the

world.

My first experience with thisvibrantly colored, vigorous group offloriferous plants came over a decadeago as I was cruising a group of hold-ing beds that Id rarely visited higherup the mountain. ese are beds thatI toss plants into until a time that Ican figure out their final destinationin the garden. It was early spring and,much to my astonishment, a hugeclump of iris appeared in one of the

back beds with over twenty lovely blueflowers. At first I thought they were

Japanese iris, but it was much too earlyin the season. I dug around and founda faded tag that said Louisiana iris.

Louisiana iris are interspecifichybrids encompassing varying per-centages ofIris nelsonii,Iris brevicaulis,

Iris fulva,Iris giganticaerulea andIrishexagona. Each one of these speciesbrings a different range of color andform to the group. ese are mainlywater irises, but they do quite well inaverage garden soil. e wetter the soilthe more vigorous the growth. Ive hadequal success in shade or sun but, inmost climates, if you grow them in fullsun, they appreciate more moisture.

Propagation is by division and

couldnt be easier. e rhizomesresemble lobster tails and new plantsgrow from both sides of the front ofthe rhizome as it creeps along theground. How slow or fast it creeps isdetermined mainly by soil moisture.

e sometimes fist-sized seed headsyield handfuls of seed per plant. eyare huge seeds and germinate slowlyover the period of a few years. Seed-lings of open pollinated plants vary

widely, but Ive never experienced anUgly Duckling in the lot. is groupof plants has not yet succumbed tothe insanity that the daylily world hasseen with hundreds of thousands ofnamed cultivars. I certainly hope thatit doesnt.

Resources. e popularity of thisgroup of plants is most definitely onthe rise, and if your interest has been

piqued, you should think about joiningthe Society for Louisiana Iris (SLI):http://sliris.bizland.com.

e Louisianna Iris, edited by MarieCailett and Joseph Mertzweiller is 225pages of an extremely well composedtreatise, covering history, hybridizationtechniques, culture and propagation(e Texas Gardener Press, [254-772-

LOUISIANNA IRISES

Barry Glick

PLANNING YOUR LIVABLE

LANDSCAPE: LECTUREBY

BRITT ECKHARDT SLATTERY

Reviewed by Jana Howe

ing techniques. I would have preferredto have heard more on the history ofthe Chesapeake Bay and its watershedand on the particular problems theBayscapes program addresses. I also

would have liked to learn more aboutthe continued efforts to reestablishthe health of the Chesapeake Bay area

through conservation landscaping.Fortunately, ELA is planning to co-host a conference with the ChesapeakeConservation Landscaping Counciland the Chesapeake Bay Foundationin November, 2006. [Details will beavailable in upcoming issues of thenewsletter.]

Jana Howe is a former English major who laterstudied arboriculture at the Stockbridge School

at UMASS Amherst. She now works for herselfmaintaining landscapes, minimizing environ-mental impacts, and maximizing the ecological

benefits of a well-planned garden.

Britt Eckhardt Slattery of the USFish and Wildlife Services cameall the way from the Chesapeake BayArea to present her talk on conserva-tion landscaping techniques. What I

found at this years ELA Winter Con-ference to be most interesting wereher perspectives on the flow of waterthrough a property. I was intrigued byher suggestion that it is much moreimportant to install plantings at thepoint where water leaves a propertythan at the foundation, where the landslopes away from the building. eseplantings can act as filtration strips.

Also, I hadnt heard of rain

gardens, shallow depressions that arefilled with plants that can handle pe-riodic flooding. e goal is to trap andfilter the first half inch of rain waterfor 12 to 48 hours, giving it a chanceto soak in instead of running off into asewer. Mosquitoes cant breed in such ashort window of time.

I thought Slattery presented hermaterial very well and gave a goodreview of basic conservation landscap- continued on next page


11/12 11

ANNOUNCEMENTS

It soon will be time to elect the 2006-2007board of directors. Wed like your helpin finding motivated, energetic people to

jump in and help us build the organiza-tion. Do you know someone who mightbe interested in donating some time andeffort, either in a committee or on theBoard to help ELA become better advo-cates for the environment?

In Appreciation

ELA is looking for you! Or, someone

you know!

The ELA Find an Eco-Pro on-line na-

tionwide directory is now live!Visit www.ecolandscaping.org and check itout. is on-line service will assist poten-

tial clients in their search for you, an ELAmember, who provides ecological servicesor product.

Printed Membership Directorye 2006 printed Membership Directoryis hot off the presses and will be arrivingin your mail box very soon. is greatresource may help you find a contact, areferral, a product, or an answer. Just openit up, its a tool that doesnt need sharpen-ing, cleaning, or repair!

Annual Meetinge ELA Annual Meeting is scheduledfor July 26, 2006. TBA: time and place.A formal announcement along with the2006 slate of ELA officers and board ofdirectors up for election, and if applicablebylaw changes, will be mailed to ELAmembers in June.

Good ByeBest of luck and good wishes to PatMacAlpine, ELA Administrative As-sistant, who retired this March. Pat keptELA (and us!) running smoothly for thepast 5 years. Well miss you.

&Welcome to Penny Lewis, ELAs newExecutive Administrator. Penny bringsmany years of experience working withnon-profits and in the computer industry.She too will keep ELA running smoothly

in high gear in the fast lane on the Inter-net highway.

Ellen Abdow, Perennial Gardens LLCDoris BouwenschCarroll County Landscape, Inc.

Jan Childs

EarthCare LandscapingSusan Hall Hess

Abigail Higgins Gardening ServicesTed Kennedy, All Star Trading

Andrea Knowles/Horticulture & DesignAnita F. KopchinskiCarl LaGrassa Landscaping

Minglewood DesignsHenry Moss

North Country OrganicsPJC & Company

Anne Penniman Associatese Phantom Gardener, Inc.Deborah PoorRehl Gardens, Inc

John Rothwell, EcoturfRoger B. Sturgis & Assoc. Inc.

Mrs. William L. Udall,Terradomicile Gardens

Amy VickersColin Vorgang & Associates Inc.Well Water Connection, Inc.3 Anonymous

2005 ANNUAL APPEAL

A big thank you donors! ese funds helpELA to achieve its mission.

ELA NEWS

A Feather in ELAs Cap

Carol Stocker, Boston Globe garden writerand author, lists ELA at the top of her listof Supplies and Advice in her recently

released almanac e Boston Globe Illustrat-ed New England Gardening Almanac!

Wise Guys on the West CoastCA-ELA member Owen Dell, CountyLandscape & Design, of Santa Barbara,CA and Billy Goodnick, City of SantaBarbara Parks & Recreation Department,both landscape architects, are a.k.a. theGarden Wise Guys! eir quarterly, thirty-minute TV showGarden Wise Guys gives

viewers the basic information they need

to start making changes in their own yard.With a unique sense of humor, the GardenWise Guys talk about designing & main-taining a sustainable landscape. e showis produced by City TV and funded by theSanta Barbara County Water Agency, theCity of Santa Barbara Public Works De-partment, and the Goleta Water District.Visit www.citytv18.com or www.sbwater.org for a complete broadcast schedule ofthe Garden Wise Guys.

8696], 1988, Library of Congressnumber 88-05000, ISBN 0-914641-09-3). is may be out of print but it isavailable used, for $20 at www.Ama-zon.com. at is a real bargain!

e Louisianna Iris: e Taming of anAmerican Wildflower, new from Tim-

ber Press andis available at substantialsavings from the SLI. Read the in-depth description and obtain purchas-ing information at http://sliris.bizland. ELA is looking for an Editor/Layout

Designer for the Ecological Landscaperour quarterly publication.

Duties: Sourcing and procuring articles,excerpts, and other content that may beof interest to our newsletter readers. Se-curing appropriate permission to reprintarticles when necessary. Develop andprocure other content including events

listings and resources. Reviewing all material for grammar,

coherence, style consistency, and other-wise ensuring its suitability for printing.Layout out content of the newsletter.

Salaried position. Position available im-mediately. Send resume or contact ELA,60 oreau St. Concord, MA 012742,617-436-5838.

We are especially looking for folks withexperience, expertise, or interest in thefollowing areas: financial planning/budget-ing; public relations/outreach; nonprofitorganization management; project man-agement, and fundraising.

If you are interested or know of anyonewho might be, please contact AndreaKnowles, at 978-663-8298; ELA Phone

Center, 617-436-5838; or write [email protected]. anks.

HELP WANTED

anks to all who renewed their ELAmembership this year. Your support helpsimprove and expand ELAs program andmission. We cant do it without you. See

whats new for ELA Members in 2006 inthe announcement below.


12/12

e Ecological Landscaper60 oreau Street, #252

Concord, MA 01742

unclassifieds

I went to the woods because. . . . ELAmember offers unique, environmentallyfriendly vacation rentals with low-tech,rustic comfort. ree thoughtfully reno-

vated housekeeping cabins on 75 woodedacres with private beach on spring-fedpond. Swimming, canoeing and kayak-ing, fishing, miles of hiking trails, gardens

w/400 varieties of native plants. Locatedin south central NH just 80 miles fromBoston. See www.graylagcabins.com orcontact Carl Wallman 603-435-5209,

[email protected].

Boston-based, high-end landscapecompany seeks crew memberfor 2006 todo garden maintenance, artistic pruningand plant installation. No lawn mowing.Organic philosophy. 9th year in business.Benefits include health insurance/savingsplan. FT or PT. Call Christie at 617-327-0330, [email protected].

June 01-03

Millersville Native Plant Symposium,Millersville, PA. Contact: Brandy Kline,717-872-3030 [email protected],

www.millersvillenativeplants.org

June 5-8, 2006Northeast Regional Master GardenersConference & MarketplaceHyatt Regency Hotel, Newport, RI

www.uri.edu/ce/index1

July 16-22Perennial Plant Symposium, Montreal PQCANADA. Contact: Steve Still,614-771-8431 [email protected],

www.perennialplant.org

August 28-31International Symposium Wetlands 2006:Applying Scientific, Legal, and Man-agement Tools to the Great Lakes and

Beyond. Pre-day, August 28 for field tripsand special legal symposium. Grand Tra-

verse Resort, Traverse City, MI. Contact:Laura at [email protected]

summer 2006 events

current events

May 19Fossil-Free Landscaping 7-9 PMSponsored by the ELA Monterey BayGroup and the Green Grange. What are

you going to do when the oil runs out?Speakers: Well-known Santa Barbaralandscape architect, co-host of the Gar-den Wise-Guys Santa Barbara City TV18 and environmentalist Owen Dell of

Country Landscape & Design of SantaBarbara, and local bicycle-powered organ-ic landscaper Ken Foster of Terra NovaEcological Landscapes of Santa CruzFee: sliding scale donation of $5-$15. Noone turned away for lack of money.Held at: Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange

#503, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz, CAFor more information call 831-425-3514.

EPAs Watershed Academy Sponsors: We-bcast on the Clean Water Act. e May19th Webcast will feature Tom Schuelerfrom the Center for Watershed Protection

who will discuss integrating wetlands intowatershed protection efforts.

gleanings

Scientists: Endangered Species Act Re-write Must Be Science-BasedWASHINGTON, DC, March 8, 2006(ENS) - Over 5,700 scientists with bio-logical expertise have signed a letter to theU.S. Senate in an effort to ensure that theEndangered Species Act, which they callthe cornerstone of the United States mosbasic environmental protections, contin-ues to conserve biodiversity by using thebest available science. e letter, carryingsignatures from scientists in every stateand over 900 institutions, was hand-de-livered to each of the 100 senators today.http://www.ens-newswire.com

Non-ProfitOrganization

U.S. PostagePAIDPermit 88

Ashland, MA

spring 2006 the ecological landscaper newsletter

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