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¦sFall2013

J O U R N A L

Slow But Steady:The Eastern Box Turtle

by Preston Stockton, RGWFU manager

This summer I was driving downWalker Road when the truck in front ofme slammed on the brakes, and I skiddedoff the road to miss it. The driver of thetruck jumped out and, instead of check-ing on me, she quickly ran to move abox turtle out of the road before a carcoming from the opposite direction hitit. I got out of the car, as did the otherdriver, and we all convened in the mid-dle of the road to discuss this little guy.The woman put him on the side of theroad in the direction he was headed,and in time, he emerged from his shelland wandered off. I guess it was ourgood deed for the day.

The Eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina, is very familiar toNorth Carolina natives. It is the onlyland turtle in the state as well as thestate reptile. We often see them here atReynolda as it is a perfect place forthem to live, with moist woodlands and underbrush to protect them frompredators.

Box turtles are around four to six incheslong but can be up to seven inches.

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The

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Gifts Received between July 1,2012 and June 30, 2013

BenefactorAnonymousAnonymousMr. and Mrs. Bruce M. BabcockMr. and Mrs. Jim BecherHenri and Royall BrownDr. and Mrs. Malcolm BrownEcology Wildlife FoundationGarden Club Council of Winston-

Salem and Forsyth CountyMrs. Thomas K. HearnMr. Albert R. Hunt, Jr.Winton and Lynn JennetteSusan Pfefferkorn Robert L. and Robin Weisner

PatronJohn BurressSelma and J. Scott CramerMrs. Patricia R. DixsonDon and Robbin FlowMr. and Mrs. Robert J. Gfeller, Jr.Mrs. Constance F. GrayMrs. E. R. Howard, Sr.Little Greens Garden ClubGrace and John McKinnonKatharine and Kenneth

MountcastleMr. Clark OsbornDr. Richard B. WeinbergWestwood Garden ClubJeff and Lynn Young

SponsorMr. and Mrs. Leslie M. Baker, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. B.R. BaligaClaire and Hudnall ChristopherMary and Joe DudleyMrs. Kitty FeltsFlower Lore Garden ClubMrs. Rachel A. HamiltonRobbie and David IrvinMs. Dale JaegerDr. and Mrs. Richard JanewayMs. Mary M. KingMrs. Gail A. LakeGail Lybrook and David HobbsRay and Cathy OwenMr. and Mrs. F. D. Pepper, Jr.Mrs. Jane Hanes Poindexter

Their dorsal shell, called a carapace, isdome-shaped and is part of their spine.The ventral part of the shell, the plas-tron, is hinged which allows the animalto completely draw in feet, tail, and headfor protection. The shell does not com-pletely harden until the turtle is sevenand is usually brown or black with yellowto orange lines and blotches. I recentlyread in the New York Times that eachshell is as unique as a fingerprint,including markings and scars, and thishelps New York City naturalists trackthem in the city parks. The skin has asimilar coloration which helps themhide on the forest floor.

Box turtles have a varied diet. Whenyoung they are almost totally carnivores,eating snails, earthworms, caterpillars,grasshoppers, and often carrion that

BOX TURTLE LOOKING FOR A SOFT PLACE TO LAY EGGS.

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color beds. Though many people think ofthese colorful beds as wildflower plantings,they rarely feature a native plant amongthem.

If you find the simplicity of starting bienni-als appealing, you will be even happier nextautumn when they begin to magicallyappear on their own. Biennials self-seedreadily and tend to do much better withouthuman intervention. Your role at this point

is simply to edit them fromwhere you don’t wish themto be.

Colorful biennials are a regular feature at ReynoldaGardens in the spring, anda few have become stapleswith us. Chief among themwould be foxgloves, whichform tall spikes of nodding,funnel-shaped flowers ris-ing from a large, fuzzyrosette of leaves. White fox-gloves, Digitalis purpureaalba, are featured on the

original Thomas Sears planfor the Pink and White theme

garden. Modern varieties have expanded onthe colors commonly found in the Digitalispurpurea seed strain. ‘Apricot Beauty’ and‘Primrose Carousel’ are creamy pastels thatwork beautifully with flowering bulbs andpansies. Another favorite of mine is ‘Pam’sChoice’ which forms tall spikes of whiteflowers with deep black raspberry stains inthe throat.

It takes some effort to grow delphiniums inour hot and humid climate, but their lessercousins flower with abandon in the South.Larkspurs shoot up their two foot branchingspikes in shades of purple, pink, and white.Larkspurs are technically cold hardy annu-als, but the distinction is a technical one. Inthe South larkspurs are sown in the fall forspring bloom. They are excellent at the feetof old-fashioned roses, many of which tendto flower at the same time.

Biennials

by David Bare, RGWFU greenhouse manager

When autumn is on the horizon, it istime to think of spring. Biennial seed sownin September will yield colorful blossomswhen the warm weather returns. Biennialsare perfectly suited to our southern climate.There is just enough chill to get them started,but it is rarely so cold thatyou risk losing them overthe winter. Biennials by definition are plants thatspend their first year pro-ducing roots and foliage,and in the following yearthey flower and produceseed. After setting seed theydie. There are many coldhardy annuals that aretreated the same way in the garden. Because theirculture is the same, garden-ers tend to lump them alltogether and call thembiennials.

Biennials can be the easiest of plants to cul-tivate, but attention must be paid to timing.They should be sown early enough to getthe plants established before cold weathersets in. This usually means by early to midSeptember. It is easy to add biennials to anestablished bed by simply broadcasting theseed around the existing perennial plants.Mixing the seed with a handful of sand canhelp you keep track of where you havealready planted. Scratch the seed in lightlywith a rake or cultivator. The onset of coolweather will be the determining factor inhow fast your seeds germinate. Most form arosette, a ground hugging circle of leaves,from which the flowers will eventuallyemerge.

It is this simplicity of culture that has madebiennials a staple of the cottage garden.They are also commonly used for highway

Steve and Gail ReinemundBetsy Ivey SawyerMr. and Mrs. Andrew J. SchindlerMrs. Nancy SpencerMrs. Carol E. StrittmatterDr. and Mrs. James M. Walter, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. William R. WatsonDr. and Mrs. Richard Weaver

Dual/FamilyJones and Martha AbernethyMark and Susan AndrewsMr. and Mrs. John AselJames BarefieldDr. and Mrs. C. William

BazemoreMs. Janet BeaversMr. and Mrs. Steve BerlinMr. and Mrs. Brian J. BertineMr. and Mrs. Henry M. BookeSandra and Gray BoyetteMs. Wilba BradyMrs. Wendy BrennerMichael and Stephanie BrooksMr. and Mrs. Shasta BryantMr. and Mrs. Kevin BurkeMr. and Mrs. Albert L. ButlerMrs. David ButlerMr. and Mrs. Vernon Carlton, Jr.Richard D. CarmichaelMr. and Mrs. Robert A. CashDr. Mary Chervenak and

Dr. Paul JonesMrs. Paul CienerMr. Jim CoffeyMr. and Mrs. Ben CollierBill and Nancy ColvinMr. and Mrs. Leon Corbett, Jr.Joan and David CotterillMary and Charles CranfillThorns and Perry CravenMr. and Mrs. Tim CreefMr. and Mrs. Thomas H.

Crichlow, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. M.L. CuninghamLarrie and Jo DawkinsDr. and Mrs. James P. DickersonJean DixonMr. Frank E. DriscollMs. Cay Drury and Mr. Thom BellJohn and Lu DunkelbergDr. Herman Eure and

Dr. Kelli K. SappMr. and Mrs. Victor FlowMrs. Margaret P. FosterTom and Julia FredericksGene and Janet FrekkoBrent and Carol GearhartDick and Emily GlazeMrs. Ruby GriffinJohn and Martha HaireDr. and Mrs. John W. HammonMr. and Mrs. F. Borden Hanes, Jr.Mrs. J. Gordon HanesMr. and Mrs. Stephen W. HarperJames and Janette HarrisMrs. Lynne HartVirginia HartRobin and Annette HastieMarcus and Anne HesterMs. Elizabeth HobertMrs. William F. HohmanMr. and Mrs. Lawrence N. Holden Mr. and Mrs. Melvin HollandGeorge and Natalie HolzwarthJohn and Kathleen Hutton CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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Once a threat to the colony is detected, thebeaver will warn the others by slapping itstail in the water and immediately divingbelow the surface. This distress signal canbe heard for a great distance. While sub-merged in water, a clear membrane coversthe beaver’s eyes to act as goggles, and valvesin its ears and nose close to prevent waterfrom entering. The beaver is an excellentswimmer due, in part, to its webbed rear feetand broad, flat tail, which acts as a rudder. Itcan remain submerged for up to fifteen min-utes, thereby eluding any predator.

The beaver’s fur is made up of a coarseouter layer of hair covering a fine innerlayer of hair. By rubbing the hair with castoreum, an oily substance that is secretedby scent glands located at the base of its tail,the beaver creates a waterproof coat. As anherbivore, its diet mainly consists of greenvegetation, such as water lilies andpondweed. It will also dine on the bark ofmaple, willow, and birch trees. What is notconsumed as food is used in the construc-tion of their dam.

The teeth continually grow throughout thebeaver’s life and serve a dual purpose. Ofcourse, the obvious use is eating, but theyare also used as tools. The upper incisorscan reach a length of one inch and are capa-ble of felling a nine inch diameter tree with-in an eight hour period.

Their mating habits are quite unique. Oncea partner is found, they remain together forlife. A female beaver will reproduce onetime per year, generally in mid-spring, witha typical birth rate of one to six offspring.The “kits,” as they are called, are born withtheir eyes open, a full coat of fur, and capa-ble of swimming with their parents in twenty four hours. If one mate dies, theother will seek out another companion.

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Jerry and Barbara JerniganMrs. Sharon JoheMr. and Mrs. James R. JonesWarren and Susan JonesDr. and Mrs. Karl H. Karlson, Jr.Jeff and Jean KellyDr. and Mrs. Robert KellyElen KnottDr. and Mrs. Keith KookenMs. Patricia M. LackeyDr. William A. LambethMonty and Cynthia LeonardMr. and Mrs. Doug LewisDan and Paula LocklairJan and Tony Ma’Luf Mr. and Mrs. James E. MartinMr. and Mrs. Larry M. MartinDr. and Mrs. William McCall, Jr.Dr. and Mrs. David L.

McCulloughMr. and Mrs. James E. Messick Jr.Eva K. MillerWendy Miller and James BarefootEllen MincerMr. and Mrs. Alan L. MooreCharles Monroe and

Susan MelvilleChris and Patti MorrisonTom and Ruth MullenWalt and Betsy NadingMr. and Mrs. Dillon NeavesMr. and Mrs. Frederick L.

NewmanMs. Everdina NiewenhuisCathy PaceMs. Alice E. ParrishMr. and Mrs. Dane PerryRobert and Jennifer PierceBob and Vianne PiperMrs. Gary PoehlingHarold and Louise PollardDr. and Mrs. Carl J. PorcheyMr.and Mrs. William E. Rabil, Jr.Cal and Nancy ReynoldsDillon and Karen RobertsonMr. and Mrs. H. C. Roemer, Jr.Ms. Jane RogersAnn RudkinMr. and Mrs. James M. RuffinGlenn and Diana SalmonsDr. and Mrs. Omar SanguezaMs. Mary-Carol SappMr. and Mrs. William ScurryMr. and Mrs. Marcus SeitzJerry and Marge SilberMr. and Mrs. Ian SilversidesDavid and Hazel SinkMs. Elizabeth SloanMr. and Mrs. Donald G. SmithMr. and Mrs. Gray SmithBill and Janet SnowMr. and Mrs. Kenneth P.

SommerkampJack Stack PropertiesMr. and Mrs. Richard StocktonLew and Jane O. StringerSummit School, Inc.John and Stella SurrattMs. Susan SurrattMarcia Szewczyk and

John BurkartDan and Gwynne TaylorDr. Gerald T. TaylorMr. and Mrs. John Charles ThomasDr. and Mrs. James F. Toole

Nature’s Engineer

by John Kiger, RGWFU assistant manager

As we emerged from winter into thespring of 2013, it was brought to my atten-tion that the water level around the boat-house at Lake Katharine seemed to be rising.My initial thought was that recent rains hadincreased the water level, as they generallydo, or that debris had gathered at the spill-way and needed to be cleared away. As itturned out, neither of those issues was theproblem.

As I walked the drive to the spillway, amorning jogger pointed out a beaver damabout half way between the boathouse andmy destination. Located about fifty feetfrom the bank, beavers had constructed adam of trees, sticks, and mud in one of themain tributaries that runs through LakeKatharine. Fortunately, the ground was firmenough for me to walk out through the siltto take a closer look. Of course, I saw nobeavers. What I did see was quite amazing,and it piqued my curiosity as to why theydo what they do. In this article and in theupcoming spring issue, I would like to sharea few facts with you about one of nature’sengineers.

The North American beaver, Castorcanadensis, nearly became extinct in theearly 1900s, mostly due to the harvesting ofits pelt, which was primarily used for felthats and clothing. It was not until the 1930sthat a law was passed to protect the beaver,and its population was allowed to growonce again.

This nocturnal mammal is the largestrodent in the United States, weighing fortyto seventy pounds and reaching a length ofthree to four feet. The beaver has very pooreyesight but has an excellent sense of smelland excellent hearing. It relies heavily onthese attributes to alert other colonies toany predator, such as a dog, fox, or coyote.

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Jodi L. Turner and William H. Gifford, Jr.

Dr. and Mrs. Harry B. Underwood II

Mr. and Mrs. Stuart VaughnBud and Sue VernerVillage Tavern, Inc.Ms. Sherry Vinsant and

Dr. Ron Oppenheim Mr. and Mrs. Carl WalkerJohn and Bev WalkerMs. Susan B. WallMr. and Mrs. Hans W. WandersDr. and Mrs. Nat WatsonRobert and Diane WeaverDannie WeberGinny Weiler and

Claudine LegaultMs. Camilla P. Wilcox and

Dr. Sidney C. Teague IIMr. and Mrs. Charles E. WilliamsCharlie and Liz WilsonLarry and Anne WiseMr. and Mrs. W. F. WombleWallace and Mona WuMr. and Mrs. Richard D. York

IndividualMr. Charles W. AbbeyMrs. Virginia B. AdamsMs. Sarah BarnhardtCarolyn BauguessMrs. Sandra BelmontKay BergeyMr. Jacob T. BoydMs. Jere BrowneAnne ButlerMrs. Bobbi CaldwellMs. Susan CarsonBrandi ClevelandBonnie CookMr. William E. CrowMrs. Judith CulleyMrs. Karen DaughertyMrs. Brenda DavisMrs. Miriam G. DeanMr. Thomas E. DeeseMs. Carol DevriesMr. Kenneth G. DickieMrs. Virginia DisekerMs. Jane DoughertyMs. Carolyn DowMrs. Anne C. DowellMrs. William B. DuncanBeth EinsteinMrs. James C. EllerShirley FlyMrs. Julia FortnerNancy FranklinMs. Janellle S. FrazierMrs. Barbara GerhardDr. Robert GibsonMrs. Bryce GordonMs. Lisa Lofland GouldMs. Heather GreeneDr. Charles G. Gunn, Jr.Mrs. Sandy HamnerMs. Beth HanoMrs. Janet S. HanoShawn HarberDr. Richard HarrisMrs. Karin L. HarveyMs. Teresa L. HierMrs. Brent C. HillearyDr. Pauline F. Hixson

A Little of Reynolda ForYour Garden:Centaurea montana

by Forrest Allred, RGWFU head horticulturist

This past May the staff at ReynoldaGardens had the privilege of picking ourfavorite picture from those posted on theGardens Facebook page. The photo thatwon the “Best of Reynolda” contest was aclose-up of Centaurea montana, also knownas perennial cornflower. Not only did thephoto win the photographer a free plantfrom our sales area, but this spring C. montana was truly a winner in its ownright. If you do not have this perennial inyour own collection, let us recommend thisgarden favorite.

Centaurea is a genus belonging to theherbaceous Aster family. In this genus thereare between 450 and 600 species that areeither annual or perennial. Centaurea’s history goes back to Greek mythology.Chiron was a peaceful, wise centaur (halfman and half horse) who was credited withteaching music and hunting skills, andusing herbs for healing. Chiron is believedto have used the flower of Centaurea to healwounds after battle. The plant’s center ofdistribution is found predominately northof the equator; mostly in Europe, theMediterranean, and western Asia. There areonly a few species native to the Americas.

Centaureas are great for cut flowers andarrangements. They can be used either freshor dried. Dried petals make a nice coloraddition to potpourri. A natural dye can bemade from the petals. Some of the mostcommonly available species are C. montanaand C. cyanus. C. americana is a NorthAmerican native but difficult to find in thetrade.

C. montana is often called perennial corn-flower or mountain bluet. Bluet is theFrench word for cornflower. It is commonlyfound growing in the mountains and fieldsof Europe. The flowers are typically laven-der-blue protruding from black-edgedbracts that overlap, similar to the scales of afish. The leaves are greyish-green and lance-shaped. This perennial grows thirty incheshigh and eighteen inches wide in full sun topartial shade. It blooms from spring to earlysummer. C. montana can be used in beds,perennial borders, natural settings, and cot-tage and rock gardens. It self-seeds readilyor can be propagated by division. Varietiesto look for are: ‘Amethyst in Snow,’‘Amethyst Dream,’ ‘Gold Bullion,’ and ‘BlackSprite.’

C. cyanus, also called cornflower, blue bottle,or bachelor’s button, is native to southernEurope and has grown among grain fieldsfor centuries, thus the name cornflower.Today they still grow wild in the fields ofEurope and the United States. The term“bachelor’s button” refers historically tobachelors sporting the flower in a buttonhole of their shirt or suit when they wouldgo courting. Bachelor’s button generallygrows two to three feet tall in full sun.Varieties generally come in mixed seedpacks and are a fine selection for cuttingand dried floral arrangements. Some indi-vidual varieties you may find on the marketare: ‘Black Magic,’ ‘Blue Boy,’ and ‘SweetImperialis.’ They are annuals, so seed should

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WINNING

PHOTO OF

CENTAUREA

MONTANA

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Mrs. Grace Efird HoyleMs. Frances HuffmanNorma-May IsakowPriscilla IvesterMrs. Jane JacksonPat JacquesMs. Betty W. JohnsonMs. Sara H. JohnsonMrs. Lucinda JonesJanet JoynerPam KahlMs. Martha KennedyMs. Nancy KilstromEllen KirbyDeborah KlausMs. Emily KraftC. Julie LarsonMs. Susan H. LaymanGabriela S. LeeSheilah LombardoMs. Anne LongMr. Harry LutherMr. Gerald B. ManningMrs. William MareadyMs. Margaret W. MartinMrs. Thelma D. MatthewsMrs. Elizabeth MayoMs. Lisa McDonallMs. Kay S. McKnightMs. Trena McNabbDr. Robert L. MeansMrs. Gayle MeredithMrs. Cama C. MerrittMr. Ralph MessickDr. Thomas H. Milner IIIDr. Mary Lou MooreAnne P. MoreheadMs. Deanna C. MossLeigh MyersMs. Lea NadingMrs. Nancy NadingMs. Florence NorrisMarjorie NorthupMs. Nancy OakesMr. Leonard J. OrlowskiMrs. Susan OvermanRoberta PettitMr. Michael RahmanMichelle ReederMrs. Donna ResnickMs. Pamela RipsomMr. Norwood RobinsonJames RodgersJudge Tori RoemerMrs. George D. RovereShelley RutkinMargaret SehonMrs. Martha ShaffnerMrs. Sandra SheldonMr. Brian SmeetonMrs. Bruce W. SmithMrs. Penny SmithMrs. Claudia SpeasMrs. Virginia K. StoelzelLisa SwarthoutMr. Tom TaylorMrs. Andrea A. ThomasMs. Anita ThomasRebecca ThomasArlene Edwards ThompsonGeorgie C. ThompsonMs. Janine TillettMs. Kellon TippettB. TownesMrs. Jeri TrotterMrs. Mary Kay Tucker

they find. When they get older theyinclude berries, flowers, vegetables,grass, or mushrooms into their diet.Unlike humans, they can eat poisonousmushrooms.

Females can be distinguished from themales several ways. Generally the maleturtle has red eyes while the female hasbrown. The female normally has around shell but the male’s shell is slightlyflattened. Also, the male plastron is concave which allows it to fit over thefemale’s shell during mating and he hasa longer and wider tail.

Box turtles grow slowly and don’t reachsexual maturity until they are betweenseven and ten years old. The female laybetween three to six eggs in the spring.In dry summers we often see females inthe formal gardens where the irrigationmakes the soil softer for digging a holefor the eggs. The eggs hatch in late sum-mer and the little turtles are a little overan inch long. Although a female will layseveral hundred eggs during her life-time, only two or three will live to maturity.

Box turtles live a long time when theyhave an appropriate environment. Theyeasily live to thirty years old and oftenup to fifty. The New York Times articlereferenced a box turtle caught andmarked on Martha’s Vineyard in 1861that was documented through 2006!Often the age of a turtle can be estimatedby counting the rings on the plates of

the shell. It is not an exact science butcan give a general age.

Like many of our native species of plantsand animals, box turtles main threat isthe destruction of habitat from urbansprawl. Their home range is normallyno larger than a square mile so if itbecomes developed, they are often con-fined to smaller areas with limited foodand mates. It is hard to re-locate thembecause their homing instinct will causethem to return to their birth place. Carsand farm equipment are also a danger.

Box turtles are such amazing and inter-esting animals. So the next time you seeone crossing the road, stop to help it getsafely to the other side. It may be a hun-dred years old. ¦

Slow But Steady: The Eastern Box Turtle

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In the second part of this article, which willbe in the spring issue of The Gardener’sJournal, I will continue to chew away, punintended, at the construction process of thebeaver dam and describe a few positive andnegative aspects to beavers and our environ-ment. ¦

Nature’s Engineer

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Candi TurnerClaire TuttleMs. Amy P. VernerMrs. Douglas D. WalkerMs. Gail WallLaura WarrenNancy S. WatkinsMs. Laura WeaverMs. Maribeth WeinmanMargot B. WhartonMs. Karen WilsonMrs. Sheila WolfeMrs. Mary YoderMr. Jim YoranMs. Karen S. YoungMs. Mary Ann Zotto

HonorariaIn honor of David Bare

by Audubon Garden Club Bermuda Run Garden Club Flowers and Friends

Garden ClubHope Valley Garden ClubPiedmont Triad Camellia

SocietyIn honor of the Reynolda GardensStaff

by AnonymousIn honor of Bill Colvin

by Little Greens Garden ClubIn honor of Preston Stockton

by Westwood Garden ClubMonday Afternoon Book ClubStatesville Garden Club

MemoriaIn memory of Carl Dull

by George Crone, Jr.In memory of Rupert W. Bagby

by Mrs. Rupert W. Bagby In memory of Greg Hungerford

by Mary and Charles CranfillIn memory of Andrea Rogers

by Jane L. RogersIn memory of

Robert ArmfieldMarie Palmer

by John and Stella Surratt

OtherAnonymousMrs. Marcia T. BakerEric and Heather ConnollyLewisville Garden ClubMr. and Mrs. John Shore

Restricted GiftsTree Replacement

by Little Greens Garden ClubYoung Naturalist Scholarships

by JoAnn Yates

Sustaining ReynoldaGardens: The Next 100 Years

by Amanda Lanier, RGWFU curator of education

As we begin the celebrations of thelast 100 years at Reynolda, it makes mewonder what the next 100 years will hold.The fact that the original mission of theGardens is still the mission and work oftoday, speaks to its sustainability. When weexamine the past and look into the future,we see that the needs of our communityhave changed, are still changing, and willprobably continue to change in the years tocome. Reynolda was built on the idea ofsustainability, and this thread still flowsthrough the work we do here. It is essentialfor Reynolda Gardens to remain a model toour community, and, these days, that modelincludes the goal of sustainability. To reachthis goal, we will have to examine the needsof our community as they change and serveas an example of the ways people can carefor the resources that have been entrustedto them.

To begin exploring our own sustainability, it is important to decide what sustainabilitymeans for Reynolda. Merriam Websterdefines sustainable as “of, relating to, orbeing a method of harvesting or using aresource so that the resource is not depletedor permanently damaged.” The definition Ilike to use also adds that resources are avail-able for future generations. This means wemust define our resources and determinehow we will steward them. As part of theWake Forest University community, we havecommitted to “encourage all members ofthe campus community to take responsibili-ty for the interdependent environmental,economic, and social consequences of theiractions.” There are many variables when itcomes to measuring sustainability. Thestruggle is addressing as many as we can,

but the benefit is that the sum of ouractions will greatly decrease our impact onthe natural world and the burden of genera-tions to come. We have tremendousresources in this gift called ReynoldaGardens, and we have been entrusted tomaintain it for those who will come after us.

This summer we signed on to participate ina program offered by the American PublicGardens Association called “YouTopia.” This program seeks to engage public gardens and their visitors in looking at howwe approach sustainability and how we canaddress climate change. We hope that ourmembership in the YouTopia program willhelp “reduce our climate impact and engageour visitors by implementing conservation,education, and communication initiativesthat increase the awareness, understanding,and action on climate solutions.” It is thepledge we have made as a member ofYouTopia, and it is a promise we have madeto our community.

Over the next several issues, I will be divinginto what sustainability means for ReynoldaGardens. We will look at what we are cur-rently doing, as well as our plans for futureprojects. The articles will also focus on whathome gardeners and community memberscan do to become better stewards of theirown resources.

We are in the business of sustainingReynolda Gardens for future generations.We hope you will join us in supportingpractices and programs that help us reachthat goal. ¦

Mint: The Perennial Herb

by Michelle Hawks, RGWFU horticulturist

I always get questions about the terra cotta drain tilesthat are in the herb gardens. There are seven tiles, andmost contain some variety of mint. The tiles are excellentfor controlling the vigorous spread of plants such as mint.They are three to four feet long and are buried about twoto three feet.

When I think of mint, the first thing that enters my mindis the chewing gum my granny used to give me when Iwas little. Mints have an amazing fragrance and a cool-ness that awakens my senses.

Mints are perennial herbs that can be identified by theirsquare stems. If you rub your fingers down the stem, youcan feel the four sides. Mints also have opposite leaves andlabiate flowers, which are blossoms shaped like mouths.The mint family, Lamiaceae, is quite large with 250 generaand around 7,000 species. Members of the family includeherbs such as basil, lavender, rosemary, and thyme. Otherwell-known family members are salvias and coleus.

Most mints are native to Europe and Asia, although someare native to North and South America, South Africa, andAustralia. Since the beginning of time, mint has been animportant herb used for culinary and medicinal purposes.In biblical times, many Pharisees would barter with mint,often paying for taxes with the exchange of the herb.Ancient Greeks valued the herb and incorporated it fre-quently into their daily routines for use as a medicine andin religious rituals. Both the Greeks and Romans used theherb in their baths and to flavor drinking water. Histor-ically, mint is very well-known for its homeopathic proper-ties such as soothing a sore throat, treating a cold, and set-tling an upset stomach. Today, mint and its many varietiesare used for cooking and are commercially developed forpersonal uses such an additive to toothpaste and cosmetics.

Growing mint is extremely simple. It needs water, gooddrainage, and well-fertilized soil. Mint will do best in fullsun but will take some shade. It is best to harvest mint firstthing in the morning when the oils in the plant are at theirstrongest. Cut stems as you need them and try not to let theplant bloom, which can cause the leaves to be bitter. Youcan make several harvests depending on the length of theseason. Dry mint by hanging it in loose bunches and allow-

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ing it to air dry. Air circulation is the key when it comes todrying herbs, as it removes the moisture from the plantsand helps prevent mold from developing. Hang mint orother herbs in a warm area with plenty of air circulation.Basements, for example, are not a good option.

Mints are a great addition to any garden, and our herbgarden at Reynolda has had many varieties of mint. I amhappy to share some of my favorite mints, listed below.Stop by the next time you are walking in the Gardens.The scents from all the different plants and the sounds ofthe hummingbirds buzzing by may entice you to thinkabout putting some wonderful mint in your own garden.Choose at least one mint for the fragrance and experi-ment with some of the other varieties for different uses.Create new flavors in some of your old recipes by addingmint. Tired of your boring salad? Toss in some mint andwatch it come alive. ¦

Mentha citrata - Bergamot mint has smooth darkgreen leaves and a very fragrant, citrus-like scent thatcan be used in salads, desserts, and jelly. The crushedleaves can be used for a refreshing drink.

M. suaveolens - Apple mint, also called the fuzzy mint,has a mild flavor and a very slight apple-like aroma. Itcan be used for tea, jelly, as a garnish, and in fruit sal-ads.

M. x piperita - Peppermint has a strong taste thatholds up well in cooked dishes, but it also is good indrinks and desserts where you want intense flavor.

M. spicata - Spearmint is a mint with a strong flavorand fragrance that is released with simple bruising.You can toss bruised leaves in cold water for a refresh-ing drink or snip a leaf to eat after eating an onion.

M. piperita ‘Chocolate’- If you love chocolate, youhave to have this mint. It is wonderful for desserts andbaked goods. The leaves can be used in tea and coffee.

M. spicata ‘Hillary’s Sweet Lemon’- This mint has asmall hint of lemon, which is great for salads, and hotor cold drinks. It is great to use in a dried flowerarrangements. It is named after Hillary Clinton.

M. spicata ‘Kentucky Colonel ’- In my opinion, this isthe best mint, with its shiny green leaves. Most peopleknow this mint because it is the one used to makejuleps and mojitos. It can be highly aromatic and canbe added to any dish that calls for spearmint.¦

PUBLISHED TWICE YEARLY BY REYNOLDA

GARDENS OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY

Communications about Gardens donations should be addressed to Preston Stockton, manager.Correspondence concerning The Gardener’s Journal should be addressed to Amanda Lanier, editor.

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

Website: www.reynoldagardens.org

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Two types of forget-me-not areplanted in the method of biennials.The typical forget-me-not, Myosotissylvatica, has tiny, sky blue flowerswith a yellow eye. They grow up toeight inches tall and twice as wide.The Chinese forget-me-not,Cynoglossum amabile, is a coarserand slightly larger plant that bloomsa bit later in spring. Its flowers arealso blue but closer to deep turquoise.

The plants of dreamy cottage gardensseem to inspire romantic names.Love-in-a-mist, Nigella damascene,fits right in with the forget-me-nots.The name comes from the finethread-like foliage that the flowersseem to float upon. Originally a palealmost silvery blue, it is now avail-able in pink, white, and deeper blue.

Space allows me to describe only afew of the extensive catalog of bien-nials, but it is worth exploring thesesupremely easy plants that ask so little of us and yield such a colorfulreward. ¦

Biennials

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be collected or the plant can be allowed toreseed. Too much of a good thing canbecome a problem, so it is best to deadheadbachelor’s buttons to limit reseeding. TheNorth Carolina Native Plant Society liststhis as an exotic plant that can potentiallybecome invasive.

C. americana, also known as basket flower,shaving brush, or star thistle, is an annualthat is native to most of the south centralUnited States and South Carolina. Beforethe flowers fully open, they resemble anold-fashioned shaving brush. The ray-likepetals appear to be protruding from a shallow basket of straw-colored bracts.Although they are commonly known as starthistle, they lack the prickly characteristicsof these plants. They generally grow fromtwo to three feet tall with four inch, fra-grant, lavender or white flower heads. Theybloom in June and July. Although not asreadily available, this would be a great addi-tion for naturalizing in open spaces such aswoodland edges, meadows, and fields. ¦

A Little Reynolda For Your Garden:Centaurea montana

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