Hey!

I forgot to mention a book that I like in my next-to-last post. Botany for Gardeners by Brian Capon is an intersting read for those who never took botany, or if you did, you've since forgotten alot of what you knew. I don't know anyone like that, no way....

Anyway..., it has a great chapter relating to our last "Walk on the Wild Side" on seeds and germination that then leads right into a discussion of how plant tissues grow into mature plants and so on and so forth.... Check it out!

It's snowing again! It's 7:00 a.m. as I write this, and I can imagine my boys at home looking out the window and praying to the gods of school closings while repeating the mantra "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...."

A note about the blog..

In the coming weeks you may notice a change. I'd like to go beyond simply reporting the news, as it were, and create an ongoing narrative of my opinions and observations about the experience of working so closely with these miracles we call native plants. Things I will avoid are

1) Observations that are overtly partisan in relation to things like politics/religion/Duke vs. UNC, 2) critical comments directed at other human beings, and 3)whining/complaining/moaning/groaning of any sort (unless I haven't had my coffee yet, in which case all bets are off).

I really enjoy writing, and I hope if you enjoy something you read here (or do not) you'll let me know. I can't thank you, my two readers, enough for your support to this point. Keep reading! I promise I'll say something interesting one of these days!

Holy frozen precipitation Batman! When will it melt?!

We had a great walk in the Blomquist Garden today. Twelve or so intrepid attendees braved the cold and the paths of half-frozen slush to listen to a discussion about what it is that brings plants out of their winter dormancy and makes them push up through the cold soil to reach the sun. If you attended and want to recap, or if you are simply interested, here are a number of links to articles covering topics similar to those we discussed today. Enjoy!

Seed Germination

Seed Dormancy

Seed Germination

What a gift...

I'm sitting in my living room by the fire watching the snow fall. It seems like it's been ten years since we've had a storm like this, and I love it! So far we have eight inches in Bahama and it's not even lunchtime! The birds are out in force at the feeders in the wood's edge. To this point we've seen 3 species of sparrow, blue jays, goldfinches, cardinals, towhees, titmice, chickadees, flickers, juncos, mourning doves, and white-breasted nuthatches. They're about to eat through our last bag of sunflower seed. I think I saw some suet here somewhere.... If you're within walking distance of the gardens, visit the two feeding stations in the Blomquist Garden today. Chances are are you'll see birds there you haven't seen in a while, as the shortage of available food drives them to desperate measures (i.e. being seen with Homo sapiens).

If you'd like to learn more about attracting and sustaining a diverse cross-section of wildlife species near your abode without the help of a blizzard, consider attending an upcoming workshop at the gardens. Click here to learn more about "Your Natural Garden", a multiple-day symposium featuring yours truly along with other speakers including Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, an informative work focusing on the importance of insect diversity to the overall health and well-being of ecosystems and urban landscapes. Please join us!

What's new?

A few things here. A great symposium is coming up here at the gardens. Toby Hemenway is a sustainable gardening guru of sorts, and has written an excellent book in Gaia's Garden, a study of garden design for all types of spaces that includes edible plants, natural aesthetics and ecological sensitivity with an eye for long term sustainability. Toby will be here at the Duke Gardens from February 12th to the 14th lecturing and leading classes in this elegant landscape design method. To learn more about the symposium, visit this link. I hope to see you there!

Seeing things beginning to poke out of the ground? Our next "Walk on the Wild Side" will focus on what it takes for plants to wake from their winter slumber, what influences the timing of that re-emergence, and how human activity often influences that timing. Join me February 4th at 11:00 at the Blomquist Garden gatehouse. For directions to the gatehouse, visit the information desk at the Doris Duke visitor's center when you arrive at the Gardens. See you then!

Hey there,

A few interesting things to talk about. . . A colleague of mine, Paul Jones, sent me an interesting e-mail this morning. It seems the School of the Environment at Duke is hosting an environmental video contest with some decent ($$$) prize money up for grabs. If you like dabbling in the art of amateur film- making, and if you have something you'd like to say about protecting our environment, check out this link, and good luck! I'll be creating an entry, and I look forward to seeing yours!

If you like to read, and you like to eat as well, I have a book to recommend. The End of Food, by Paul Roberts is an interesting look at how our global food economy has evolved, who the power brokers are in this trillion dollar industry, and how the way we eat affects global poverty, the environment, and the sustainability of life on planet earth. As with all the books I mention on this blog, simply click on the title to see a summary of the book on the Regulator Bookshop page. Buy local!

Till next time!

It's cold!!

The plants are looking less than happy about this weather, and I don't blame them.

Just wanted to make mention of a youtube video I recently uploaded. Johnny Randall from the North Carolina Botanical Garden was gracious enough to step in front of my camera and speak to the problem of invasive plants in our wild landscapes. Take a look by clicking this link. Enjoy!